07.11c: Into the Woods

The goings on of courts
Krajk
Needs a Guide
Posts: 100
Joined: Fri May 02, 2014 1:10 am

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by Krajk »

((I love variable time flow. *cough*))

Krajk lags behind a bit as the river crossing gets underway - Odin is likely the only one who can approach his level of comfort and mobility in the water and even then Krajk's willing to bet it's not his native environment. Despite the distance and the inconvenience of water not deep enough to swim in* Krajk bounds through the shallows towards Caelund and Odin in a just a few surging strides. The water's just as murky to him as the others but he has far more experience dealing with such conditions and he cheats too**, so he shows no signs of hesitation or uncertainty as he brings his machete down in a great sweeping blow aimed at... whatever it was that had nabbed Caelund. He's still keeping an eye on Odin's situation though but for the moment his employer seems to have things under control.

(*He's no megalodon, but he's still sizable enough to require some actual depth to the water.)
(**The dilemma between "human feet are poorly designed with regards to walking in wet footwear" and "I need to feel the water to read it" is one Krajk has never found a satisfying solution to. Fortunately even a shallow ford is deep enough to make this moot as his boots probably go up to mid-calf at the highest. Still not gonna' get the best read out of wet feet, but every bit helps.)
User avatar
Joshua
Gibbering
Posts: 2987
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:59 pm

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by Joshua »

(OOC: So, "Writhing mass of animated thorn tentacles" doesn't return any relevant hits on google and I am NOT turning that filter off*.)

There's a lot of bad news. The river erupts into a churning rapid of spiked vines**. Anyone in or near the river gets an attempt at a grapple (these are slightly above amber strength with regards to that) and the vines are capable of bursting upward to pull people out of the air.

Odin is kind of looking calm as he observes the rest of the group. Scales and armor flickering over his body where he's lashed, like this is just an environmental hazard he's adapted to. Although the high strength means he is likely going to be overwhelmed if he doesn't do something. "Anyone else got this?" he will ask with a light sigh.
______________
*: Ironically worksafe. Last 2 panels.
**: Being a plant, whatever passes for its nervous system doesn't seem that electrically charged until it's flailing, and even then...
Rasanam
Lunatic
Posts: 405
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:09 pm

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by Rasanam »

Rasanam kindof hmms to himself, and then calmly starts casting... something. Whatever it is, it's at least two lynchpins, and the concentration on that is taking away from his defense; on the plus side, he's got enough armor (and strength - that being the stat used for 'being hit without taking damage') that being grabbed by thorned vines is at least not an instant threat...
User avatar
ShadowOfPreservation
Lunatic
Posts: 439
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2014 3:43 pm
Location: Monroe, NY

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by ShadowOfPreservation »

Krajk seems to have things in hand for the moment at least and so, lacking much in the way of an area attack, Lyra instead focuses on keeping the vines away from Rasanam and his casting. Her claws cut cleanly through any branch she strikes but even with the enhancements of armored strikes, they cut only so deep. A branch slips past her defenses and wraps her up but quickly falls away in pieces, the black metal of her armor fending off the thorns and sharpening to slice the vines reflexively when they tighten their grip on her. The successful defense encourages her to maintain her fighting technique as she tears through a few more reaching vines.
kitsunenotsume
Missing Some Marbles
Posts: 147
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:55 am

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by kitsunenotsume »

As the thorny vines burst from the placid water, the grey man groans tiredly, before firing off a sarcastic comment. "Well, this went sideways faster than a wigly goose. Hey Miss Blackwing, think this counts as one of those hazards you're looking for?"

Apparently consigning himself to the grip of the vicious tendrils*, Caelund stops struggling or trying to move forwards. Instead, in a smoothly and deliberate set of motions he extracts a glass ampule and a slightly larger bottle from a pouch on his left hip and looks them over. With the help from his sling-bound arm, he drops the vial of silvery powder and beads into the bottle of clear oil, and gives the device a sharp shake sufficient to break the inner capsule.**
____________________________________
*: and partially as a gamble that it will focus on the more aggressive targets and hopefully acts like a Chinese-finger-trap.
**: the attentive and perceptive, with enough psyche, would likely identify a slight modification in action for a one-lynchpin 'local physics'
The Raven
Missing Some Marbles
Posts: 147
Joined: Sat Mar 01, 2014 4:13 pm

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by The Raven »

Everyone seems fine* for now, so Raven feels no need to make a direct attack on a thorn monster. (He just finished picking all the quills out!) Therefore Raven goes looking for a... squishier... part to attack. He doesn't want to stray too far from the party, though, or he might miss something interesting.

_________________________________________
* - For certain definitions of fine.
User avatar
Joshua
Gibbering
Posts: 2987
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:59 pm

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by Joshua »

Two "spells*" erupt in quick succession. The hold spell from Rasanam, easily stops the attack in the river. The phosphorus sets much of it on fire.

I'll spare the rest of the details on how you get away, but the big question is: Do you finish crossing the river? As you can see the same vines on the side of the city.
_________________
*: For a given definition of spell.
Rasanam
Lunatic
Posts: 405
Joined: Mon Feb 24, 2014 10:09 pm

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by Rasanam »

For reference: Rasanam's spell was "Hold <Monster Type> Touched" - making it a two lynchpin thing. It also has an added secondary effect of making the target it's holding glow a pale silver color.

Which means Rasanam is looking ahead, trying to judge how much of the plant has been affected; if the whole city was overrun by a single growth, it should be safe to proceed (as the hold spell ought to last for hours); if it's several separate plants, the party will need some additional countermeasures.
kitsunenotsume
Missing Some Marbles
Posts: 147
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:55 am

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by kitsunenotsume »

With a crunch of the glass bottle shattering Caelund sweeps his hand in a wide crescent, spraying the pale and glittering oil* in a fan cross the surface of the river. On contact, the mixture bursts into brilliant lilac fire, racing outwards across the thin film and torching the tendrils of plant-matter rising from the waters. Moments behind is a cloying bank of white fog of superheated steam and smoke that further scorches the vines within reach of the ground. Grabbing the javelin from where he plunged it into the silt, the man takes the opportunity to check over the rest of the group and don a plain set of tinted glasses that seal around the edges of his eye-sockets.

If any of the flyers seem particularly concerned about the far side of the river, Caelund will wait to hear it. Otherwise, given enough time to hyperventilate***, he'll suck in a deep breath of clear air and move quickly into and through his smoke-screen to the opposite bank.
__________________________________
*: If anyone cared, the oil was powdered White Phosphorous suspended in mineral oil, and the silver stuff was Potassium in a vacuum ampule.**
**: Because the more stuff that erupts into violent fire on contact with oxygen, the better***
***: ergo the smoke-screen probably has not enough oxygen to breathe. plus breathing phosphorous is bad for you.
User avatar
Joshua
Gibbering
Posts: 2987
Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2009 11:59 pm

Re: 07.11c: Into the Woods

Post by Joshua »

Odin will shrug and finish crossing. "I suppose that's one way to do it." he observes... He will stay slightly off the docks, still in the water, out of reach of the vines there. "Are we sure we want to do this?" he will ask. "I was thinking perhaps we could walk around..."

He will grip his spear slightly differently, and his skin will turn an odd shade of green, sprouting thin thorns. Stepping onto the dock, he provokes no attack. "Unless you had some reason you were searching here." He will ask... well, everyone.
Post Reply