Lock and Load Part 1

[rassafraggin]

Random is decked out in the odd clothing some of the people will have seen him in since he's back in Amber. It involves dark coloured fabric with lots of webbing which holds various odd looking things including odd look vials. He's stood in an area he has arranged to meet the others, with a gun slung over one shoulder. A gun that would by no means work in Amber. He has a trump in one hand though he's not looking at it just yet.

Quinlan is...well, he's just being himself, it seems. Staff in one hand, bookbag over one shoulder, the only weapon is a knife at his belt unless you count the staff. But, well. Mages. Soft, squishy mages.

Cyndre arrives girded for WAR. She has her usual heavy blade which has yet to show any special properties. She has her bow, her armor, those gold gauntlets of hers, and that massive maul. She also has an axe, a black blade of banyan, and... It's like she wanted to make sure if there was anything to kill, she could kill it! Well, wrecking ball... not maul.

Shao offered his most polite greetings to everyone a bit earlier. Waiting seated nearby for the decision to be given, he is sketching the group themselves in coal, using his straw hat for a makeshift board. Near him are two paintings covered in chamois skin, awaiting to be unveiled.

Raphaela comes, dressed as she is, with a backpack slung over her back casually. It also has a place where her crossbow is fitted. She has a wide belt, that somehow resembles tool belt more than anything. She also has new jewelery - a black choker with silver oval pendant that has Sorgo crest depiction.

Random glances around at the group, taking stock of numbers. He's still holding his trump as he speaks. "Does anyone have any information to offer or any new insights on the situation? Also has anyone used technology beyond Amber's level before, because you're about to get a taste of it."

Myrddyn walks beside Raphaela, initially equiped with his plan brown robe and holly cross. (yes, holly)

Raphaela says "I'm a cross shadow mechanic...if it's needed at some point." she notes to Random.

Quinlan takes out some sketches from a binder in his bag, laying them out. "This is what I could see in the mirror, of where she was and who was hunting her. I've never been there myself. But I've used higher tech than Shadow has to offer, yes."

Myrddyn says, "Shao has some images as well. They were from dreams however."

Cyndre says, "I have. I'm a big fan of rocket launchers! Or... wait, SAMs. I think that's what Jaymesin called them."

Shao secures his drawing to get the paintings. He walks to Random with a polite headbow. "Your Highness, this is the landscape I saw in a dream," Shao says, unveiling the first painting. To the others, he shows the second. "This is Dame Vialle herself."

Merrisol is present, wearing not eye-popping red but a highwayman's cloak of rippled green tones. The skirt is flipped back over the pommel of a cutlass set with a ruby. A charcoal muffler piles around his shoulders loosely. "I only know of what Shao-san has told me. My own dream was unspecific and the message I passed along held no significance I could place."

Random takes in the paintings with a short nod to each, acknowledging them in turn. The good mood the prince is famed for has vanished, somewhere down a deep, dark hole. "Flamethrowers to start with," is explained to Cyndre and the others. "Though I suspect they'd be of no use to you, Dame."

Quinlan grins. "...I can make my own fire. So that works too."

Raphaela's eyes sparkle up "Ooh, lovely." she puts on fingerless gloves and cracks her knuckles.

Myrddyn adds, "I can become an owl, and perform aerial reconnaissance, should that be needed."

Merrisol tags along with Shao like a big green shaodow, taking orders from the Prince with military readiness and assisting snarky lady requests as from Raphaela but otherwise being all Phantom of the Opera-y behind the Jadeaen. He might even hum during idle moments with a deep ~doomy doomy doom doom~ resonance.

His job done, Shao returns to his backpack and walking staff to ready his gear in silence. He keeps an eye on Random to show he is paying attention.

Random stares at the card in his hand as he explains. "I'm going to trump us through where I've got a support crew waiting for us. They've cleared an area in the trees. Please be aware the trees will try and eat you. And no, I am not taking the piss."

Quinlan smiles a bit. "I believe you. Are we allowed to kill the trees?"

Random comments dryly. "I said flamethrowers, didn't I? Personally there's only one thing I want left alive in this shadow, and that's my wife."

Amy is there, quietly, wearing future tech garb in as much as her father is. She isn't saying anything, just sort of hanging out, at the moment. Listening.

Raphaela checks her belt, which seems to hold shafts for crossbow, and then, as they prepare, somewhere in depths of her coat she finds a cookie and nibbles it idly.

Myrddyn mutters quietly to Raphaela

Random stares at the card, then holds his hand out and beckons to people. "Coming through," is grunted to whoever is on the other side as he prepares to move the party one by one.

Cyndre is the first, or one of the first, to step up to the trump connection. She is a thing of grim determination right now. Poor bastards just don't know what trouble Random's bringing with him!

Quinlan will go after Cyndre. She's such a nice meatshield. All spiky.

Raphaela pads slowly over, patient. Besides. Fire throwing people first.

Myrddyn comes to stand beside Raphaela and continues the low conversation.

Amy is perfectly good to stay more to the rear. She's not here for offensive power. But she does drift along. As she spies some folks she doesn't know, she says, "I'm Amy."

Raphaela smiles up at Amy "Raphaela, pleasure."

Random steps people through in turn. What awaits them is an area of razed trees, of which an area has been cleared with the flamethrowers as previously discussed. There are five other men present, all dressed the same as Random. They have headsets as well as the gear and information flows freely between them. "C'mon kid," is remarked to Amy with a wink from Random. "Hang onto your hat."

Amy smiles to Raphaela, giving her a nod of her head. "Pleased to meet you," she says. Then she turns to regard Shao for a moment, before gifting him with a quiet smile as well. Her smile grows into a laugh as she hears Random. "As always, Dad. And I've got your back."

Quinlan nods to Amy. "Quinlan, hi there," he says. Looking around, he's careful to stay out of the possible reach of the trees. For now anyway.

Myrddyn gives Amy a nod and replies, "Greetings, I am Myrddyn, a druid of old Lyonesse." All the while his eyes seem to stare through her.

Amy gives Quinlan a grin, and a "Cousin." Then to Myrddyn, she arches a brow. "Nice to meet you too," she says, with a smile. "Nice to meet all of you I haven't already met. And good luck to us all." She takes Random's hand, trumping through to the other side, as her turn comes, and makes sure to stay away from the trees.

Raphaela reaches behind her and slides free a beautiful midsized crossbow that has both beautiful wooden parts that seem melted with shiny mechanical augamentations.

On the other side... The trees that ring the clearing are tall with ash-grey trunks and long upwardly curving branches that end in wicked spikes. The leaves; such as they are, are a deep purple that is just the color of a new bruise. The branches of the nearest wave back and forth in an ominous undulation that has nothing at all to do with any wind. The ground where the trees have died in flame is coated with a faintly sticky ash that clings to boots and shoes. The forest stretches to the east in an unbroken wave as far as the eye can see. To the west, the trees thin a bit and meet an orangy plane of broken land. From here it looks as though once the plane was liquid and it froze an instant after a giant tossed a boulder into it, the ripples represented by a regular rise and fall of land. Above, the sun is westering but whether that means morning or evening here is uncertain. Still, the light is thrown obliquely through the trees, casting shadows that waver and dance.

Quinlan seems fascinated by the trees as they go - though he's careful not to get in eating range without cloaking himself in flame first. "Fascinating. So they're genuinely carnivorous," can be heard.

Raphaela mutters "Highly unpractical. If all are carnivorous, they should quickly be left without prey...I wonder what they eat usually. When strangers don't trump in."

Amy simply sticks to the middle of the group, not putting herself out as being able to do anything in particular at the moment. She keeps a watch, eyeing the oddities of this Shadow with more than a little curiosity. Her gaze flickers to those speaking in turn.

Myrddyn after passing through and rejoining Raphaela he notes in response, "Almost all plants are carnivorous, it's just some are more aggressive about collecting dead bodies to feast upon than others."

Quinlan grins at Raphaela. "I know, right? Maybe that's why they're so bad-tempered." At Myrddyn's comment, he pauses and nods. "Okay, fair, but these seem willing to actively hunt, which is unusual for plants."

Random points the group to the flamethrowers and guns which lie on the ground. "Make use of them if you want, I know some people don't like such things." He's keeping hold of the gun he has and also those two bandoliers with the odd looking canisters in them.

Amy goes for one of the flame throwers, just in case. Though if there are not enough, she'll cede it to someone more able to use it. She quietly gets herself set up.

Shao finds a quiet spot where to unshoulder his backpack and have a good long look at the surroundings. He seems distant, impassive.

Myrddyn declines to collect a flamethrowers, relying instead on his faith to protect him from the trees.

Raphaela grins at Myrddyn "Good point. That's why we salt up our dead." she looks at the options, studying the mechanisms. Then again, she already has a crossbow in hand. Arrowing trees? Wait, shafts seem to have vials in them "Ah if gun kicks back a little I'll fly off to the forrest once I shoot..." she takes a flamethrower and adjusts her accessory arrangement.

A shadow moves over the clearing as the sound of leathery wings flapping drifts down from above. A creature with long neck, narrow head, mouth full of long, pointy teeth and a wingspan twice again as long as Random is tall swoops in a long, low dive toward the clearing. Beneath it has clawed 'hands' extended and ready. A soft cry sounds. It is an eary ululation that rises from a low register up and up and up.

Quinlan looks up as the creature screams. "Any archers?" he asks, readying his staff.

"Lock and load." Random notes as he swings his gun around on his shoulder so that it comes to his hand naturally. He takes aim at the creature but doesn't open fire immediately.

Raphaela's pale eyes study the creature curiously, crossbow not lifted yet.
Because of his straw hat, Shao is not the first to react to the moving shadow; it is the cry and the stir that alerts him. He looks up and what he sees has him adopt a ready position with his walking staff pointed at the monster.

Myrddyn kneels and shifts into the form of a large gray mastiff with huge jaws and heavy folds of protective skin.

Amy flicks a glance up, and then she collects a gun, from the pile, electing to not use the flame thrower at the thing. She simply settles back, gun coming up in a sort of ready stance, and watches.

The creature wheels about, turning on a wingtip to align with the party a bit more surely. Flashing lower, claws extended, it clicks its teeth together three times as though preparing to lob someone up and in for a quick bite.

Random drops until he's on his knees; he was never a bit target anyway and now he's even less of one. His men do the same. Then as the thing swoops lower he takes aim, preparing to fire when it's at it's lowest point.

Quinlan studies the thing as it dives, and then raises a hand...to aim a high-pressure jet of water into its maw. Apparently he's happy to leave killing it to those better qualified, and is mostly aiming to not let it carry anyone off.
Raphaela crouches, aiming crossbow to where she calculates lowest points of sweep will be...when Quinlan moves to feed it...um...water, she fires at where animal is widest. No show offism there.

Shao moves to place himself between Merrisol and the air monster, waving his stick at it.

Instinctively, Amy also drops to a knee, the gun raised, held steadily in two hands, and she does hit the trigger, aiming at the thing, as well.

Myrddyn crouches to spring at the creature, should it dive low enoough to actually make a grab.

Water? Water! The creature jerks upward as the stream of water splashes into its mouth, the ululation stoped mid-choke. The upward motion exposes move of its underside as the forelegs snap akimbo in an attempt to retain balance. The crossbow bole rips into its soft underbelly, tearing a hole in the flesh. The skin around the hole begins to smoke and turn black as something eats away at it. This is followed by a bullet that burries itself in one foreleg. Blood splashes from each wound, falling in a steaming purple rain over the clearing.

With a wild shriek of pain and dismay, the creature begins to wheel away, blood flowing. When some of that blood falls on the trees, a ripple runs through them. Thin vines shoot up from upturned branches. These lash around the creature's neck, forelegs and tail. With a powerful jerk the trees drag the hapless beast down and down and... Long spike-tipped branches bend, then shoot upward to impale the creature. The cry it emits is cut off as it dies.

"Gotta love this place." Random says to no one in particular as he stands again, not having fired. He gives the trees a look of distaste.

Raphaela ahs, watching this placidly "I see." she clicks crosbow to side and vial shot is automatically replaced by its twin.

Quinlan huhs, watching the trees eat the bird. "...Well. That works out well. We can feed any attackers to other attackers."

Shao leaves his defensive antics. He pats Merrisol on the back and goes to sit by his gear.

Raphaela says "You think they'll grant us passage now we fed them?" she says, blankly. Likely a sarcasm.

Myrddyn resumes a human form and strokes his beard thoughtfully, "They seem almost animal."

"The trees, or the animals?" Random enquires with wry amusement. He gestures to the group. "It should be off this way, watch out for the wildlife. Of all sorts."

Quinlan grins. "Both. Most predators won't hunt when their bellies are full. Or root systems, or whatever. Feed one attacker to another until things calm down enough to proceed."

Raphaela grins "Such a healthy political mind you have there, Quinlan."

Random eyes Quinlan and shakes his head. "I am not here to swan around and wait for things to decide to attack us. I'm taking the party to them and getting my wife home." And with that he heads towards the edge of the clearing. "Flames on the trees, take no chances."

Myrddyn ambles after Random.

Quinlan blinks at Random. "Honestly, uncle, really not thinking we'll have to swan around and wait in an environment like this," he says, surprised, and tags after him. He's eyeing the environment as they go - watching the areas that haven't been torched yet. But not for attacks.

Shao reshoulders his pack and follows, keeping in the middle of the group. "Your Highness, from our dream I know what awaits us is no better," he warns Random. "Myrddyn can confirm."

Amy holsters the gun, and moves to the flame thrower, keeping watch, and ready to use it, should there be reason. She follows quietly after Random, not asking any questions or offering any words of her own.

Myrddyn nodding as he walks, "Shao is right, your wife's dreams were very disturbed. I'd expect a very ugly welcome."

Raphaela lets the crossbow hang, and puts the flamethrower into ready, on the opposite side from Amy's aim. She's not strong to hold it up all the time, so she'll wait for attacks, I suppose. "If I knew, I am pretty sure I could find a way to kill them all. Maybe send a herd of poisonous cows..." she ponders and asks "What /IS/ ahead?"

Random shakes his head at the group. "From everything I have been told I don't expect it to be. But I also know that Vialle has been freed from her bonds. She's out there. Which means she also is not safe so I'm not prepared to hang around any longer than I have to. Even if I have to lay this shadow to waste." And he sounds like he's serious about every word.

The trees rustle as you pass, not threatening just yet, but not exactly still either. The clearing that was made slmost seems to move with you as the trees part in front and fall in behind. Still, were one to look back the growth behind seems thicker, healthier and the body of the creature shrivels slowly but noticeably as its essence is drained away.

Shao glances to Raphaela from under his straw hat, his expression grave. "Dame Viale was working clay, a statue of a strange man with suckers for fingertips. In the ends, the walls of her room cracked and got blown away, as did the ceiling. A giant hand came from above to grab at Dame Vialle, the same ugly hand."

Quinlan tugs the leather hood from his staff, revealing clear white light shining from a crystal set in its tip. This light, he uses to guide his way. And, apparently, as a boundary - branches and roots that get too close to him get set on fire.

Raphaela did look back, "Vampire trees. And a sucky giant. Giant suck." she hms. "Still better than cibola." the flamethrower lifted only if she notices a different 'rustle', but her pale eyes tend to scan up and down as well as the sides.

Sneaky little roots that were wriggling through the earth like worms spark and fizz, then smoke as they catch fire. The trees behind shrink back a little and those ahead draw away. A path is created that leads toward the edge of the woods. A thrum begins, carried to the pary on a breeze, then felt through the ground.

Myrddyn continues ambling along, mostly unconcerned for himself, still he avoids tempting fate by getting overly close to any particular tree. "It seems that may have changed some Shao, hopefully for the better since she's no longer captive."
Shao nods for Myrddyn, keeping his more somber thoughts to himself.

Amy takes a moment to concentrate, though it is not a noticeable thing. She still appears the same once she's done, a curious look on her face, as she looks around almost studiously. "And if she does need some help, well, I think that maybe what I am here for."

The thrumming grows louder, slowly resolving into a rhythm of thumps and stamping. The ground begins to shudder with the force of blows. Ahead the trees open farther and the plain comes into view. To the right it stretches ahead and back to where the sun rests just on the horizon. Above the sky begins to darken, gleamingly red stars pricking out in the ebony vault. A rustle can be heard behind as the trees rush to fill in the spaces, blocking the retreat.

Quinlan considers. "...I'd normally send up a beacon, but maybe..." He focuses, as they walk, and the sound of drums starts being heard. Not tribal drums. More like someone got a bad case of rock star and someone handed the invisible drummer some sticks. "I don't know if she's any good at echolocation. But she should at least know that we're here, and looking. Maybe she can call out."

Random frowns and looks about the area, as if he has an idea of where he's going but hasn't quite seen what he's looking for just yet. "We need to head towards that noise. Which will bring trouble, have no doubt of it." He's cuddling his gun again, as various members who visited him might have seen before in the last few days.

Shao glances behind. Seeing the way back out is cut off, he mutters a string of Penglai words that must have nothing to do with cuddly rabits and candyfloss.
There is no exit in that direction.

Raphaela says "Yay, night." dubiously.

To the left the earth rises as one particularly large undulation in the earth crests against the forest. Shadows from the growing night hide much of the land, but movement can be seen clustered in front of an arching darkness. The movement is rhythmic and timed to the thruming, thumping noises. The thumping grows louder and louder as the movement resolves. Four or five giant beasts stand in a semi-circle around a hole in the ground. They flail their long appendages against the ground, sending showers of stones into the hole. By the look of things, they have been at it for some time as the hole is partially blocked. Towering above, they have little to no hair, their skin as thick a hide as any troll's. Tiny eyes gleam dully in their faces and their mouths curl outward, teeth protruding. Their arms are long, the fingers covered in suckers that rend and tear the earth, tossing stones and debris up and around in a small storm.

"There," says Random with the urgency of someone who has seen what he's after. The gun is swung neatly again as the Prince begins a jog towards the beasts.

Amy just sighs a bit, keeping a watch on things. She looks over everyone in the party, taking in their sense of health, and then she picks up the pace, keeping up with Random. "Oh, fun," she mutters, but the tiny blonde woman doesn't hesitate.

Quinlan wrinkles his nose at the creatures. "You," he says, quietly but distastefully. "You were the things hunting her. Right." He growls a word, and his crystal-light staff is wreathed in flames. He doesn't race toward them though - he looks for a good location to lead them toward him.

Shao raise an arm to signify caution. "One at a time and not in a single file. Spread out. We do not want to offer any siege target," he states. He breaks into a jog, careful to stay at Amethyst rear flank and not straight behind her.

Raphaela moves quietly, pulling a cap over her hair to match darkness better, silver eyes flashing as she judges the range of her crossbow.

It does take a while for the beasts to notice the approaching party, then another moment or two to realize that the party is actually going to attack them. One by one they stop pounding and turn curious eyes to the group. The light is spotted and one roars an incoherant challange and lopes off toward Quinlan. Another almost follows but is stopped by a third who pushes it and the fourth back to pounding. WIth a snarl, the rebuffed one moves closer to the hole. He and his compatriot begin pounding the ground again, the pace considerably faster. The one apparently in charge launches toward the group as a whole.

Random reaches for one of those little glass canisters that decorate the bandoliers he wears. He lets go of the gun for a moment and twists the top, then lobs the thing towards the pair who are beating against the ground again. Was it a grenade? It didn't look like one. ANd even if it was surely anyone trapped in the hole would be caught by the explosion too! Then his gun is back in his hands and he opens fire on one of the creatures coming towards Quinlan.

Amy has no such neat staff as Quinlan, but she does have a flame thrower. She peels over to one side of Random, and her flame thrower is up and ready, but she doesn't fire it, since she really doesn't want to hit her allies.

Quinlan laughs as everyone leaps to his defense, bringing his now-fiery staff down on the skulls of any creature close enough to thump. Not exactly hero material, but holding his own.

Shao stops his charge to crouch, half a dozen paces behind Random, his conical hat and cloak for only cover. Searching under his tunic, he is preparing something. When he rises, he has let go of his walking stick and is wielding a rope and grapplin hook.

Raphaela went the other way and aimed another corrosive filled vial at the beasts that were back to stamping. Then runs again, so trajectory can't be easily spotted.

Myrddyn having become a mastiff again, hangs to the rear, watching for surprise threats.

Several things happen at once. The thing thrown by Random arches to land between the two still pounding the ground. It bursts into a sustained light that flares around them. They howl, jerking away from it and their skin begins to blacken and crack where the light touched them. A crossbow bolt pierces one high and to the left, entering its back and hilting into the skin there. The skin begins to smoke and boil much as the winged creature's had before and its cry of anger and pain turns to a shriek. The other whirls to try and track back the trajectory. Abandoning the thumping it races, skin still peeling and blackening toward Myrddyn.

Closing with Quinlan, the beast reaches sucker-tipped hands toward him, one hand swiping at his chest. It receives a thump on the head for its trouble, sparks rippling and flaring down along its skin. Where ever they touch, the skin blackens and steams. It screams in pain and tries to shake the sparks off, though does not abandon thet assault.

The fourth racing toward Random's group is riddled with bullets, jerking and snapping and finally falling to the ground to roll within a few feet of where Amy stands.

Ew, that's just gross. Amy's gaze flashes to the thing that landed in front of her, with her senses altered so slightly, just to make sure it is really dead. If not, she'll use her flame thrower on it, to seal that deal.

"You good kid?" Random asks briefly over his shoulder to Amy as he watches the light flare with satisfaction and the creature fall in front of his group. He doesn't waste time, dodging around it in order to pepper the other two things with bullets lest the light not be enough.

"I'm good," Amy says grimly. "Just making sure they are dead."

Raphaela looks towards the beast that went towards Myrddyn to see if he needs assistance, a click to side of the crossbow refilling it with another vial.
Shao waits a moment for his eyes to recover from the flare, using this time to shed off his backpack, straw hat and cloak, thus revealing his white streaked hair tied in a top knot. He scans the terrain ahead, assessing the lay of the land before bursting into a run for a rock outcrop close enough to the hole in the ground.

Quinlan focuses on those things near enough to hurt him, probably aiming to avoid being the second rescuee. Fiery thumps with all the strength even the scrawniest grandkid of Oberon can bring to bear, edged in fire as an added deterrent.

Myrddyn twitches at the firey flashes and gunfire, still shanding resolute as the final line should the ranged attacks fail.

"C'mere." Amy is instructed by Random. "Take a couple of the flares from me and fling 'em. Twist the tops until you hear a click, then throw. Close to the hole as you can get 'em. Pretend you're bowling." Huh? He's keeping hold of his gun, taking aim on the next of the monsters.

Raphaela lets guns put the creature near the hole out of its misery of acid piercing through it, and aims at one that went after Myrddyn, if she can get a good aim. Does not want acid on her friends.

Amy at least has the wherewithal to listen to her Dad, so she slips in close to him. And she takes two of the flares. One she attaches to her belt, the other she examines briefly, and then twists the top. She doesn't look so strong, but she is also one of Oberon's grandkids, and the top twists to a click, And then she turns to aim at the hole, bowling for ... well, she's not sure what, but she has a nice strong underhand lob, at any rate.

The one near Quinlan is thumped again and again, sparks spreading over its skin in waves. The thumps and thwacks take their toll, breaking bones and; finally, caving in the creature's skull with a messy shlocking sound. It shudders as though nerves within still fire, then falls in a crash to one side. The sparks continue so smoulder along its skin, blackening and smoking. The smell that rises from the dead is that of rotting oranges mixed with cinnimun and very old potato. Yum.

The creature near the hole is peppered with bullets and smoke rises from each hole. It goes down in a flash of blackened skin and blood.

Off toward Myrddyn, the creature lopes in a zig-zag pattern as it tries to escape the spray of bullets from Random's gun. For the most part it is successful, stumbling only twice as the shot rips through skin and tears flesh. Still, by the time it begins to close with the mastiff, it has slowed considerably.

Myrddyn leaps into the creature like he was launched, burrowing, ripping, tearing. HIs pincer jaws digigng deep while his legs push for leverage so he can loosen hunks to toss away.

Raphaela watches Myrddyn attack for a moment with tilted head and then looks around to rescan the situation.

In the confusion of smoke and dirt, is is somewhat difficult to see what Shao is doing, kneeled atop the outcrop. A flare goes off, hiding him from the others for an instant. The next moment, Shao is gone, only his grappling hook hooked into stone and the rope tensed from it, angling into the well.

Having been given her instructions, Amy doesn't wait to see the results of the first flare. As near to the hole as she can get, that's what she was told. she takes the second, twists its lid, and then bowls it at the hole as well. One flare has already gone off, and as the second lands, it too erupts into light.

Meeting Myrddyn with a crash, the creature howls determination and rage. But, the expected success is lost in an instant as the mastiff tears it apart. Chunks of grey flesh fly this way and that, the purple blood that seems the norm here flying in sprays and drop and a long, pulsing rush when a major artery is found and cut. The creature's cry faulters, fades and finally gurgles out as it slumps over and rolls to one side. For a few seconds, the geysur of blood archs, glittering into the light of the flares and Quinlan's staff before it, too stops and the creature lies dead.

The first flare Amy tossed lands near the hole, rolls and comes to rest before it releases its light in a flash of white that illuminates the land around the hole. The second sparks and flashes, adding its glow to the area. Soaked in purple blood the orangy land has darkened. Bodies of the four creatures lie in haphazard slumps here, there, yonder and over there. A low mist or fog seems to be rising from the bodies or from the ground. It begins to roil in places, creeping softly higher.

Random grunts. He does not like this. Not like it one bit as he watches the fog rising. He shakes his head and just makes for the hole and to hell with everything else. "Vialle!" is shouted when he draws close.

Raphaela asks "Will blood scent summon trees, or other predators?" she backs up back to Myrddyn.

Quinlan exhales and lets the fire die as the monster does. "I can try using a wind to blow the fog away, but it'd carry the scent of the fight with it."

Myrddyn crawls out of the stinking mess and shakes his coat to drop some of the gore, still slimed and steaming he trots up to the hole.

Amy moves forward as well, still sticking with Random. "Probably it will," she says. "Can't think there's anything we can do about it now, other than keep moving forward." She does give Myrddyn a glance, not really as absently as it seems.

Down the hold, a faint light shines, in line with the rope. Vibrations hint at someone climbing down. After a moment, the tension on the line is released. "There are tunnels, Sir," echos Shao's voice from below. "It is safe, so far."

Raphaela says "I can probably protect area somewhat if we'll be here a while."

Random casts a look to the others and simply says. "I'm going in." Which leaves them to decide what they want to do. Then he's gone, taking advantage of Shao's rope.

Is there any question? Amy promptly moves to follow Random.

Quinlan nods, climbing down after the others. Not much point in having a rescue if you never get to the person you're rescuing, after all.

Raphaela looks at the rope and makes a face "Ropes? Again? Seriously, nobody bringing ladder anymore? Nerds get strength in arms only by holding piles of books you know..." she looks miserable, but decided to follow. I mean, who'd stay here.

Myrddyn leaps into the hole, turning into an owl and spinning in a very tight decent. Really just a crontrolled fall into the darkness below...

Raphaela is clumsy but gets down somehow. It must be a montage.

Random reaches the bottom and looks around him, then does a quick hand check on how many of the flares he's carrying. He steps to one side to make room for the others.

Quinlan seems glad of his staff of light, when he reaches the bottom. "This should be interesting."

Shao is keeping still, holding his magic torch tube up to give the best lighting possible. He watches between his partners reaching down the rope and the closest tunnel mouths.

Raphaela clicked the crossbow back on the backpack before roping down, obviously, and now from another pocket a flashlight is produced, bluish light stabbing at the darkness.

Amy clambers down and moves to the side, once she's there, waiting.

Raphaela mutters "I do hope we do not meet the creator of this."

"Only if we can put him or her out of their misery," Amy says to Raphaela, as she lets her eyes adjust to the far less light. She finds a pocket on her high tech clothing, and gets a flashlight, attaching it to her arm, so she doesn't have to carry it. It's not a lot of light, but it helps a bit.

Merrisol comes down last, proving the rope is still strong and secure enough for when everyone comes dashing back to monkey their way right back up.

Quinlan hms. "...I can try to help," he says slowly. "If you don't know which one to choose."

The hole you land in was once a fairly extensive cave but much of it has been collapsed by the creatures above. In front of you stretch three tunnels. The one straight ahead is wider then the others and seems to go fairly straight into the hillside. It is tall enough for the creatures without to walk upright and broad enoough for two to go side by side. The tunnel to the right angles sharply down and drifts a bit north as it does so. It is tall and narrow with rubble where once it was broader. The one to the left twists and turns, angling more softly down, but its turns make it harder to see any distance.

Random holds up a hand, indicating for everyone to be quiet. He then steps into each tunnel in turn, and whistles the first piece of the 'good, bad and ugly' refrain down each tunnel. Then he listens.

Myrddyn takes on the mastiff form and moves behind Random to each, sniffing.

Sides with Merrisol, watching the Prince go full whistle concert for the possible tunnel dwellers.

Quinlan sets his bare hand to the floor, crouching down. Murmuring a spell, he seems to be concentrating.

Myrddyn paws at the left tunnel, bobbing his head.

Quinlan opens his eyes. "Agreed. Left tunnel."

Amy now just waits, not able to help in this situation too much.

Random frowns and glances back to the other two, shrugs and chooses left.

Merri's quiet as ordered, but tilts his head to absorb the distinctive melody for later use. It might turn out more like a circus calliope when he does, but that will only make the sword fight extra awesome cool. He eyes the passage of choice, then starts in that direction as well.

Raphaela lights up the left tunnel, looking systematically over the walls for traps of any sort.

Raphaela keeps close to pup and Fuffy. Selfperservation and all that.

Amy ought to do that too, what Raphaela is doing. Instead, she keeps just close enough to Random. But then, she barely knows the others.

Raphaela suddenly notices something and rushes forward "Stop, traps...let me go first."

Shao puts his own light out. He follows Merrisol, joining his hands into opposing sleeves' opening.

Quinlan blinks. "Traps? Huh. That might explain the waiting..."

Random pauses at what Raphaela says and gestures her first. "G'won."

Shao turns to have a look behind. He strains his eyes at the daylight glow from the tunnel's entrance.

Amy takes a breath, and then she too stops, just watching the people, and dog.

Myrddyn waits for the tunnel to be cleared. Ears tilting and twitching.

Raphaela stops at the turn and lights up to reveal the collapse waiting to happen when...the light goes over side and to the ground. Tripwire. She rummages in pockets and finds a...swiss knife. Yep. She hands someone her flashlight "Light it up for me please." her tongue sticks out, eyes sparkle and YAAAY TRAP HUNT!

Merrisol gets a look to him when Raphaela gets all trap-happy. "Get ready to duck," he growls. Or, y'know.. otherwise retreat whilst covering up their heads and faces.

Quinlan looks toward Random, while Raphaela works. "Take a look at this while she does that." He gestures, and a little 3D illusion in light takes shape over his hand. It's the tunnel system they're going through. The route they're on ends in a landslide, by the look of it, but there's a chamber behind it. And from there, an opening into a pit. And lots of little red dots that may be monsters. "This is ahead of us. I think Vialle's the one in the pit."

Random looks ahead and then frowns as Quinlan shows him what's up ahead. There's mental calculations going on in that head of his. "Amy.." He takes his daughter to one side and murmurs to her.

Amy glances to Raphaela, and then to Merrisol, and then to Quinlan, and then her gaze goes to Random, as he calls her name. Her head tilts as she listens.

Shao finds his magic lighter again, aiming it at a shadowy spot, nearby. He glances to Merrisol. "Be ready, please," he mutters. Clic, he presses something and a fiery dart shoots at what could be his own imagination.

Raphaela studies the mechanism longer than it takes for her nimble fingers to find a proper spot to kill the trap, she then gives Merry a sideglance "You don't trust me? How rude." She rises. "Alright. There might be more, so I'll go ahead, be careful." she lights the tunnel, studies it and paces along the route she deems secure - the length of her flashlight's...light. All is well until the next turn.

Muttering to Amethyst, Random leans in, whilst he sheds his gun and two bandoliers, giving them to his daughter. "... the others.... the... Get us..." And with that done suddenly he's moving, with a grace that is rarely seen in Amber. With only a sword and knife in hand he vanishes down the tunnels, in only the way the luckiest man in the universe can muster.

Quinlan looks to Random and his cousin. "I'll let the image go when you've got what you want from it," he says.

A flash of light comes from behind Amy and Raphaela as Shao shoots a light behind. The tunnel seems clear but for an oily sheen on one wall where shadow once lay. It almost seems to ripple as the light sparkles over it. A second ooze of oily darkness catches the light and gleams wetly with dusty purple, bilious green and bruise yellow. Even so everything is still.

Merrisol shrugs after Raphaela, stage-whispering, "Oh no.. you're great with traps. It's the incidental damage that's the tricky bit." Bat damage. He keeps by Shao's side or behind to avoid blocking out any of the man's shone light.

Raphaela watches Random go "I'd say, follow him, he'll set off traps if any, but I presume he's more lucky than any of us here so...lets proceed...carefully. She slashes a look at Merrisol "That WAS NOT my fault." she growls as she peeks behind the next bend.

Myrddyn whuffs and follows, pad, pad pad of paws after.

Quinlan smiles and lets his illusion go. "I love my uncles," he says, in the exact same tone a southerner might say "oh, bless your heart". He sets off after the pinponging chaos at a liesurely pace. Wouldn't want to get nailed by the shrapnel after all.

"Got any more sample bottles on you?" Merri wonders to Shao, after spying the icky slicks on the walls.

Amy gets the bandoliers, and the gun, and a look that is combined understanding, exasperation and total frustration. She sighs. "Yup, let's get through this all in one piece, yes? Cause we might have to rescue him yet."

Shao shakes his head, his look is one of dismay. "Sorry, I was not expecting that. We will have to find a way to clear that off, I believe." He readies a fresh dart for his fire tube, feeding it from the mouth and pulling the chain.

Raphaela studies the patch ahead and giggles "Boy they're fun! YOu rush behind a bend and you trip, but surely you expect it after the next one...Please be careful, spot the holes in a line here...." she slides light down one wall "...and here." she shows same on the other wall. "We're in a rush so I won't dismantle it, just skip this area..." she marks it with a knife, hops on the other side, marks the landing line "Unless you want to be a porcupine."

Quinlan notes as he walks, "You'd think someone set all this up just to see how nuts they could make Random," he notes. "And Caine still wins the gold."

"Unless it's flammable, let it lay," suggests Merri. He looks duly impressed by Raphaela's spot trap percentages, eyeing the danger zone a moment before stepping easily across to beyond the marked safety line.

Amy gets set with her Dad's stuff, and then she continues to walk. She pauses, listening to Raphaela, noting the spots to step and avoid, and then she steps over the trap, a gracefulness to her steps that is an echo of her father's.
Shao nods to Merrisol. "Sounds wise. Let us remember if we have to come back running through here," he says. He follows into Merrisol's steps, taking care not to trip anything.

Myrddyn thinks to himself, fly back, don't run, check.

Raphaela says "Unless we can all be trumped away safely."

Quinlan walks carefully, using small spells to disperse unpleasant gasses, evaporate dangerous oils...the traps he mostly just steps around, following raphaela's markings. "Got a trump for Amber, so yes."