[ICON] - Episode One - "Going Off the Trails Towards a Walking-Train"

Tequila Sunset

Eirlys/Embergaze

The elder Lopen and the cautious Trogg, after a (likely-too-brief) explanation from an exuberant (and already-mostly-out-the-door) Eiko, descend briefly hand-in-hand down the central path into the Dragon’s Drop caves together, Ember’s eyes darting around for any sign of movement, while the Rabbit glares at the ground beneath her toes, wary for any sudden slopes or falls…



The route is winding and steep, and the pebbles beneath Eirlys shift and cascade threateningly every twenty yards or so, but despite the air of danger the pair both find themselves admiring the beauty of this odd cavern: towering rock formations, lit by flickering wisps of sunshine from cracks in the cliffside; the rain-soaked stones and carved out natural-gutters running full and heavy with the day’s rains; the loose gravel, faded footprints, and rough-and-muddy walkway carved by the feet of likely *scores* of souls who’ve hiked this route before…

For three hundred yards of the descent, things remain uneventful. Eirlys and Embergaze travel down the drop in a peaceful, watchful silence, only occasionally disturbed by an occasional drip of water or scatter and drop of pebbles. But at some point, the Lopen’s ears twitch and she pulls her staff a bit closer to herself without thinking, and the hairs on Ember’s back raise up ever-so-slightly, the lad thrusting his horns up while his nostrils flare…both exchange a knowing glance as they get the unmistakable feeling like they’re right now being watched from somewhere…

It’s at this point that the Watchers begin to notice odd things along the trail they’re currently travelling….a trampled knapsack here, a clump of hair over there…a single lost boot, and a smudge of dried copper dirt, that you both suspect might be…

The Lopen’s ears perk up on the sound of footsteps mere seconds before the Trogg senses a shift within the walls up far up to his right….The movement of people. Ill-intented laughter. Danger…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urXKxxa7-KE

It’s a trap. Run!


Embergaze and Eirlys: Traverse, Excel, or Endure to outrun the boulder! You’re in *imminent* danger, but were both made aware of the trap before it was properly sprung, so this situation is Risky!

Glal

Swims-to-Glory call

Not his circus, not his flees, he's out of there.

AustinP0027

Ember doesn't like the feeling of the group splitting up, nor does he enjoy the silence of their walk down this tunnel. His mind still on the bells, Ember strains his sense to pick up anything at all, any sound, any movement, anything that indicated danger. He could feel it, but he needed something to prove that feeling right.

The signs that he and Eirlys come upon aren't promising, abandoned gear, what looks like it might be hair and blood. His muscles tense immediately at the sight, and that's when the laughter breaks through. His eyes catch movement far up to his right, and his legs are already in action, pushing down the tunnel away from their current location.


Going to push on this one.

Geth, roll 3d6k1 for Traverse

Traverse:

3d6k1 4 [3d6k1=[4], 3, 2]

jdarksun

Well, thought the Lopen. It's still better than falling. Eirlys dropped all pretense of frailty and ran, setting a steady pace to stay in front of the trap. A smile crept across the Lopen's face as she let herself enjoy the run, impending doom or no.

I'll push as well.

Geth, roll 3d6k1 for Endure

Endure:

3d6k1 5 [3d6k1=[5], 5, 1]

kime

Sorry, may be a bit delayed this week with Thanksgiving and such.

Eiko has no fear and it would be rude to leave the prisoners behind! Probably go for the Churner primarily and then see what happens.

Tequila Sunset

kime wrote: »

Sorry, may be a bit delayed this week with Thanksgiving and such.

No worries at all, I’ve been pretty busy already for the Holidays as well this year! I'm assuming the period between here and the Holiday Forum is gonna be pretty spotty for *everyone* as far as involvement goes in the game…which might turn out to be a good thing, as they’ll be less RPing necessary when you all hit your first Battle!…

Embergaze/Eirlys

Without a word between them, the Trogg and Lopen both break into a mad dash down the tunnels, the sounds of crashing, cracking, whirring momentum building up behind, and coming on fast!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bYvCSfd72A&pp=QAFIAQ%3D%3D

The paths carved between the massive stalagmites and stalactites of the Drop weave in and around each other like a mad-ant’s descent! The cave walls are rife with sharp rock and jutting overhangs, and more than a few times Ember is made to suddenly duck before whacking his skull, or Eirlys must pull herself up a steep climb of loose rock while the boulder rolls ever closer. The sprint seems to last for ages…separately, the pair both begin to pant, and then wheeze…keeping up this pace is impossible. There’s no way you can possibly continue much longer: you each begin to look for a nook or cranny to throw yourself into as you run, maybe a side tunnel, a place to climb up, something…

Before they’ve even realized it, the pair have exited the lower caves of the Dragon's Drop: are running through a old-growth forest in the basin, spots of sunlight lighting the verdant floor around. Eirlys can hear the *booming* sound of the trap receding, and discovers she’s run straight off the boulder’s path. But, for the first time, the Lopen notices that she's lost track of Embergaze…


Ember

The Trogg, vision swimming and lung burning, throws himself aside at the last possible moment! The great murderous rock, mere yards behind him, *smashes* into the trunk of the great tree ahead (which Ember had nearly just run headlong into), sending a shockwave throughout the ground! Overhead branches shake loose a score of thick leaves, which gently fall to the earth and cover the Trogg’s prone form. Catching his breath, Embergaze pulls himself to his feet shakily, and wiping the sweat from his brow, takes a first look around the basin…

Embergaze: What’s your priority here, Watcher? Sneak to remain undetected (despite your loud entrance to the basin); Sense to get eyes on your friend Eirlys?; Study to take a good look around the area you’ve just entered? Or, lemme know if you have something else in mind!

Eirlys

The Lopen, out of danger, catches her knees, drawing a handful of deep, deep breaths while she steadies her nerves. The shockwave Eirlys just felt means the end of that boulder trap (but hopefully *not* the end of Embergaze...), and it looks like the Elder has safely made your way down the Drop and into the basin…but where are you exactly?…

Eirlys: What’s the first thing Eirlys does here? Sneak to remain undetected (despite your loud entrance to the basin); Sense to get eyes on your friend Embergaze?; Study to take a good look around the area you’ve just entered? Always lemme know if you have something else in mind!

---

Swims-to-Glory/Eiko

Without another word, the Otter and Pridi vanish down the tunnel to the east, well out of the fire and danger…

Coughing, Eiko bats the smoke from her eyes and bravely steps forward towards the strangers, reaching her hand out to the Churner over the crackling fire!...


Eiko

Eiko: Please gimme a roll to rescue the Churner prisoner and safely escape the fire down the slide (can think of a lot of ways you could play this)! Your current situation is Risky!


Swims-to-Glory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKVRc4WvCC8

After a ride that sets the Otter’s heart aflutter and presses his stomach into his throat, Swims-to-Glory and Pridi finally arrive at a long, calm stretch of river that flows out into the sunlit basin they’d seen far below: it seems you’ve come to the base of the Dragon’s Drop! Shake off, soak up some sunshine...probably best to get a look around, as well…


Swims-to-Glory: Since you’re the only one in the group arriving *not* under some sort of duress, you get a free Wheel of Fortune roll to determine your immediate surroundings!

Glal

As the otter rides down the slide he lets out an uncharacteristic whoop, but lucky for him there are no other party members around to witness it. Reaching the bottom he quickly hops out, water scattering off his fur, and turns around to help pull up... oh. No Eiko.

He grunts to himself, "I risk my skin and she doesn't even make use of it? This is why I don't work with kids." His hand holds tight to his mount's leash, the brief stint in the water having energised it, "Ne." Yank.

Back to business. With a suspect eye Swims-to-Glory begins to take in his surroundings, ready for a potential ambush.

Geth, roll 1d6 for Casino Otter

Casino Otter:

1d6 3 [1d6=3]

AustinP0027

Ember would immediately switch to Stealth given the surprise attack. Eirlys has handled themselves so far, so the Trogg is looking for any new threats sneaking up on him.

Tequila Sunset

AustinP0027 wrote: »

Ember would immediately switch to Stealth given the surprise attack. Eirlys has handled themselves so far, so the Trogg is looking for any new threats sneaking up on him.

Stealth roll please, to determine whether Ember will: remain well-hidden and takes note of any others in the basin around here/find himself being sought by Bandits looking to "clean" that trap of theirs/is about to be loudly hunted for *sport* by the ruffians!

AustinP0027

Geth roll 2d6k1 for Sneak

Sneak:

2d6k1 5 [2d6k1=[5], 3]

jdarksun

Once, she's caught her breath, Eirlys glances around the area for clues - sometimes, these things can be subtle, like a bend blade of grass. Sometimes it's a giant boulder. Either way the aging Lopen hoped to find some indication of where Embergaze had gone.


Geth, roll 1d6 for Sense

Sense:

1d6 4 [1d6=4]

kime

All right. Can Eiko take a moment, pause, look at the situation, and try to chart her path to get through the chaos & fire, to the prisoner, and back to the water slide? That could use Study. But would taking a moment to do that increase risk or anything?

Tequila Sunset

kime wrote: »

All right. Can Eiko take a moment, pause, look at the situation, and try to chart her path to get through the chaos & fire, to the prisoner, and back to the water slide? That could use Study. But would taking a moment to do that increase risk or anything?

I'm gonna say we're still at Risky, given Eiko currently has a clear path to the exit through the smoke behind her, a hand already extended through the fire, and you and S-T-G cleaned out most of the aggressors in the cave...*but*, should this fraught Study roll go poorly, a consequence could be you looking at a Desperate Traverse roll to escape this place in safety, with *or* without the captured prisoner in tow!

So:

6:

You expertly escort the Churner safely out of this fire, escape together down the eastern passageway with faces covered carefully from the smoke, both grab a giant leaf without a word between the pair, and triumphantly ride to safety together as the tunnels behind you *erupt* with fire, taking out the remaining Bandits!

4-5:

You drag the Churner roughly out from the fire, struggle to assist the wounded woman down the narrow smoke-filled hallway as the caves shake around, have time to grab only one giant leaf between the both of you, and together ride it to safety out of here on a hope and a prayer, both *bashing* against rock walls the whole way down! You'll each make it together... but maybe you *weren't* the only to escape, or perhaps a patrol may lie in wait below...

3:

The prisoner is nearly unconscious from the smoke by the time Eiko rescues her from the fire. She has to drag the Churner most of the way, and send her down on a giant leaf alone. The captive is still breathing, but only *just*. Enemies, burnt and furious, immediately close in from behind...the Churner will likely arrive safely, but what of Eiko?... (One attempt at Smash-ing the pursuers, then a free ride to safety down the slide...)

2:

Eiko loses track of the captured Churner somewhere in the fire and smoke...it begins to fill the passage too quickly, and they lose a grip on the other's hand, or someone stumbles along the rock and trips. Eiko, disoriented, tries to find the escaped Churner.... isn't sure if the prisoner made it, and soon, enemies emerge from the smoke, bodies burnt and weapons clutched!...(Desperate Smash Roll or a Desperate Traverse Roll to avoid Strain/loss of Initiative!)

1:

You accidentally lose the prisoner within the fire, in a *horrible* manner that Eiko will never forget in her life. Your retreat is dogged by a pair of Bandits that suddenly find their feet and press in, seeking revenge over their own safety!. By the time Eiko stumbles her way back to the running water, she's lost all senses from the smoke and stress, and *falls* into the slide accidentally, being washed down without shielding or direction! (Desperate Traverse Roll to avoid Strain/Washing up in a bad place!)

kime

Geth roll 5d6k1 to Study the path to escape and push with my last effort!

to Study the path to escape and push with my last effort!:

5d6k1 5 [5d6k1=[5], 4, 3, 1, 1]

Tequila Sunset

Your Team's First Battle Map ("Ambush at Dragon's Drop") soon incoming! Today if I am very productive, but more likely sometime early tomorrow! Please review your PCs Battle capabilities and prepare yourselves for trouble! Note: Unless otherwise stated, everyone only starts with the chunk of map they can see; the rest will be revealed as you move about the place!

- Swims-to-Glory will actually start the battle with a *full* map of the basin area, but with tabs on *no one*, including his enemies. A safe but isolated location, for the moment...

- Embergaze will find himself pursued close behind by a gang of the Bandits, but will start hidden from their sight *entirely*, within pouncing distance, and lying ready

- Eirlys, herself hidden, will take quick note of Embergaze's location and situation, but will completely fail to notice all but *one* of the Bandits close in pursuit behind him

- Eiko has acquired a wounded and grateful (and competent) Churner companion for the moment, and now must make *one* additional roll on her descent into the valley: Smash to crash into the basin as destructively as possible on that leaf together, Traverse to coast carefully down the slide and arrive with wide eyes, eager to spot trouble, or Excel to spin you and your rescued captive off from the leaf once you arrive under the sun, ready-to-roll whatever the circumstances!

kime

Smash of course!

Geth roll 3d6k1 for dramatic entrance

dramatic entrance:

3d6k1 5 [3d6k1=[5], 4, 4]