Coldridge 2022 - The Din of Chaos 1

---

DATE: Lost to time.
PLACE: The Road/The Isle of Coldridge.

Zaria is tall for an elf, and there's no doubt that she is an elf, at roughly six feet tall. The female is statuesque, with precision-honed features that seem as if they are made of fine porcelain. Her cheeks are rosy pink, and match her rosebud lips. The dice maiden's eyes are completely devoid of color, not a single trace of iris or pupil visible in their uncovered depths, as if looking her in the eye were peering into an unrelenting blizzard. She is clad in a long black robe that crosses over at the front and is tied at the waist with a single-looped bow. A rise of white silk is visible beneath the black at the neck, wrists, and hem of the garment. She wears white silk stockings and unassuming black leather sandals on her feet. Silvery white hair is tied back into a loose ponytail at the nape of her neck. The elf's hands are clasped behind her back. She stands upright and proud, shoulders back and heels flat on the ground. The unseeing eyes cast about in steady, measured search of the landscape.

Thaeloc sneers at Nerene feeling her dark aura.

Cahya's ears twitch slightly, tail flicking. He yawns with a large miawww...

Marceline looks between Thaeloc and Norene, and she just giggles, hiding her mouth behind her daintily gloved hand.

Nerene notices Thaeloc sneering, and in true fashion, beams and smiles happily. There's also a faux curtsey and posing, 'because of enjoying the attention and the fact it might get under his skin that she isn't bothered.

Zaria is still standing here, garbed in black and white, with white hair and pure white eyes. A blind elf who seems to be just simply waiting.

Thaeloc says [to Nerene] : How about we step off this road and i make that face less pretty.

Nerene's smile widens, her mood unchanging even slightly. After an aside glance to Zaria and the others present, the banshee taps at her chin with her left index and middle fingers, mulling the proposal over. At last she then responds, offering, "Alright, but later. First I want to see what the elf right there is expecting," entirely unconcerned by his threat.

Thaeloc grins a satisfied grin. Tightening his grip on the hilt on his hip. His teeth grinding behind the grin. "I can feel what you are and your whole lot needs to be erased from this land."

Marceline starts to cry, discreetly. Big fat tears roll down her eyes as she grasps this child?s toy to her chest, holding it tightly. ?Mera?? she whispers softly to the doll. ?I thought you were gone forever??

Nerene looks disheartened by the remark, head lowered as though she's sulking... for a moment. Back up to Thaeloc she then looks, the wings which had been drawn close now spread. "Well, I'm not exactly hiding who I'm loyal to, so apparently you need to feel people to grasp the obvious. I have a question for you though, a very important one." After this query of sorts is done, it's back to Zaria the banshee's attention goes, intrigued by the anticipatory nature displayed.

Zaria tilts her head ever so slightly, one ear drifting toward the sky. "Now, now," a delicate, crystalline voice rings out like fine glasswear being struck at dinner, "No bickering. Storytime will commence soon." There's a pause in the elf's speech before a full-bodied whisper overtakes dulcet tones, "Soooooon."

Cahya says [to Thaeloc] : Simply minding one's own business is no crime, sir. Perhaps you would do well to try it sometime.

Cahya frowns sympathetically to Marceline.

Marceline has become completely absorbed in this plushie, who she is now petting gently as she continues to openly cuddle it. It is almost as if she thinks this thing is alive.

Zaria extends an arm to the crying, cuddling haunt. "Come here, dove. Hush now, we'll get you home soon." If Marceline complies, Zaria will hug both the haunt and the plushie.

Thaeloc turns to Cahya. "Do you know what her lot has done to countless innocent people of this land? She is a walking talking crime." Turning his attention once again to the dark angle. "And I am sure you know who I am and who I am loyal to and why you need to be delt with."

Cahya's tail flicks agitatedly, "And she was simply here minding her own business. Is there a flag pinned to her forehead stating her affiliation? We cannot simply judge by outward appearances, lest I would say you a simple dope in a large suit of metal...are you, sir?" A light hiss follows his words, fangs visible.

Yamminuel stretches, reaching his hands and arms over his head and leaning backward while pushing his hips forward a bit, causing distinct cracks and pops to emit from the base of his spine. A forked tongue swipes along two elongated eyeteeth that uncurl from along his molars. Arms lower then, hands clasping at the small of his back as slitted pupils swivel over the gathered.

Zaria clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, tisking loudly at the raised voice. "If you're not good, you won't be able to go to outside after story time..." the elf warns.

Marceline moves a little closer to Zaria, although she retains a death-grip on the plushie. No one will snatch her child out of her arms, unless it?s over her cold, dead body. ?Oh dear,? she fusses. ?I must look a mess. But I?m not sure I should take her home, just yet. The inn can be rather busy this time of day?? Not to mention all of the unsavory people to which she does not want her daughter exposed.

Nerene continues heeding Zaria's order, all interest in Thaeloc gone now as she looks toward Marceline, still curious about those she didn't know.

Yamminuel says : I bet I can be a bigger crime.

Zaria pats and soothes Marceline. Being blind, she has no idea that the plushie isn't a real baby. At least not yet. "Oh I understand. Story time will help soothe you both, and maybe then you'll be ready to go home."

Nerene also greets Yamminuel cordially, but maintains a determined silence otherwise.

A sudden flash glints in the corner of your vision, and Jaymes sparks into view.

Marceline whispers softly into Mera?s ear, ?Would you like to hear a story, Sweetheart? Don?t worry, I?ll hold you tight. We?ll just listen for a bit. We can go if you get scared.?

Mikon appears.

Mikon arrives at the road with a satchel full of artbooks. Spying quite the crowd, he approaches with a smile on his mask and waves at everyone cheerfully. "Hi!" He greets, shuffling himself in the middle of them. "Quite a crowd today, but that's good! I represent Armiss Publishing in Khneo and run The Novel Hovel bookstore in various locations. It seems as though we have a few artbooks that the company is willing to dole out for free due to poor sales? So I'm here to give everyone some of the remaining copies. It looks as though I'll have enough for each of you! That's great!" His mask lights up with a sunshine-type glow, and it's flourishes deepen to gold and form new flourishes as he moves. "One for you, one for you, one for-," he pauses, craning his head back to look at Cahya. "You have the fuzziest ears. I hope this isn't a rude request but...can I rub your ears for like two seconds?" If Cahya agrees, Mikon will rub his ears gently before handing him an artbook and moving down the line to the next person. "Looks like that's all I have. I hope you enjoy them. Gotta get back to work. Everyone have a nice day!" That said, Mikon adjusts his satchel and heads south.

Mikon leaves south.

Zaria inhales suddenly as Mikon arrives. "Here we are, here we are!" Zaria sings out the words joyfully. "Storytime has arrived! Now, everyone make sure you're following along. Ready?"

Yamminuel looks down at the book that was handed to him, before just letting it fall from his hands and hit the ground, pages turning open. "The only literature should be our Lord Tyvarliek's," his sinister voice hisses, though his foot extends to callously shove the pages so he can see it.

Cahya watches the birds in the trees, chirping at them in a longing manner while his eyes sparkle in the afternoon sun. However, Mikon's arrival breaks the Anthro's thoughts and he focuses on the smaller man with a renewed interest, accepting the artbook with a tiny, "Hello..." He then leans down a bit and allows for his ears to be rubbed, light purring following the affection. If his face weren't covered in dark fur, one might spot a blush. "W-wait..." is said, though Mikon is gone in an instant. The artbook is studied for a moment, then opened.

Marceline blinks as her lips purse. She now has a book in one hand and her plushie in the other. She carefully examines the piece of literature that she has been given. ?I hope these pictures are child-appropriate,? she says, although the gifter has already moved on. She uses her thumb to page it open and take a peek.

Nerene is startled out of watching Marceline and Zaria by Mikon drawing close to herself and the rest of the group standing around. For a moment a rare moment of confusion is displayed, before her veneer is replaced and the book is accepted. Treating being given a gift as the most natural thing, there's then a glance toward the object, curiosity ensuring she's soon opening it to examine the drawings within.

Jaymes didn?t often wander out to the populace of the road but today she had made the trek to place an advertisement on for her shop. Just as she was turning to leave, a curious person appeared donning, of all thing, books! Being a book seller and literary connoisseur, she was eager to accept the gift of the art book. Her fingers brush the cover of the tome as she watches the remainders be passed out among the crowd. Just as quickly as he had come, the masked person disappeared and Jaymes flipped the book open.

Everyone opens the artbook, and after reading the descriptions and looking at all of the pictures, they are suddenly sucked into the book!

After the dirt and grit settles from the free fall, the island becomes more visible, cloaked in mist and speckled with blood in the sand. Streaks seem to lead toward the forest, which appears to also be the only direction one can leave the beach where every single person is out in the open and visible. The haze settled up and down the coastline is thick, but not impenetrable, though it is obvious at a glance that there could still be many dangers lurking within. A glance around reveals a handful of unfortunate adventurers, and while some of them might be vaguely familiar, at least one face is not - the haunt lingering on the edge of woods. Her eyes glow with a deep blue, and given her black, venom-stained lips, the fact that she is a haunt is undeniable. She tries to wave everyone over animatedly, her short blue hair caught in the wind as she attempts to lure everyone to the treeline. Once everyone is close enough, she'll attempt to pull them into the shadows of the woods. "I'm Haunt Zoe," she begins, covered in what appears to be soot and ash. She smells like a fire and her clothes seem to imply that she was recently too close to one. As she tries to huddle everyone around, her voice remains low yet steady, and she often looks over her shoulder for the possibility of an ambush. It's clear to see that she's been through quite and ordeal. "All of you arrived at once. I haven't seen so many new arrivals at one time. I don't have a lot of time to explain, but..." Her voice trails off, whisper soft as she collects her thoughts before continuing. "You're on the Isle of Coldridge. There's a village to the far south, but the people there are...they are in a cult. They're worshiping an entity they call Cohas. They are always on the lookout for potential sacrifices, so do not let your guard down. I've seen multiple people get dragged away, never to return. He causes chaos, from which he derives his name. They're saying that if they get enough sacrifices and worship him hard enough, there's a chance he could ascend and it would be bad news not only for this island, but the realms beyond. Some villagers mind their own business, but others will literally seek you out for their own ends." She pauses, still studying the space behind her for potential threats. "All magic here seems to be stunted or nullified. I'm a healer, and while I can still use those abilities, their effects are random and not always as useful as I would like. I'm also a haunt, and I can't connect with the spirit realm to escape. I heard a rumor from a survivor that the magic of the island is being hoarded in Cohas' chambers where he receives his sacrifices. It isn't something I could do alone, but a large group like this one might be able to help me put him down and allow escape. Please help me, and in return, I will do all I can to help you back." Haunt Xaria falls quiet then, looking around at different adventurers. "I'm confident we can swing this. Don't let me go it alone." After the lengthy explanation, her silence is telling, the entirety of the space sharing in her sudden quiet.

Everyone slams face down in the grit of the Coldridge Beach. There are absolutely NO weapons or items on her person at all, basically armed only with the clothes on her back save for any magic items given by Zaria ahead of time.

Nerene gets to her feet, spitting out sand that had gotten into her mouth, once the initial surprise and being winded has passed. There's no time to dwell on that though as Zoe makes herself known, the Haunt followed while a rundown of Coldridge and the dangers presented is given. After the explanation, there's a comprehending nod and, "Sounds like fun. I'm in," offered while she looks around in order to note everything that might be relevant for a future report, not yet noticing the lack of her twin pernachs or the holsters they were kept in. Nothing else is said for the moment, at least until the necessary details are stored away until they can be chronicled later.

Cahya gets to his knees, pushing himself completely erect to a towering seven foot tall. He shakes slightly to dislodge sand from his fur, brushing off bits that are sticking to his clothing, ears twitching to and fro with grit caught between, tail flicking in agitation. The large cat lifts one back leg, flexing the pads of his feet in more of an effort to shake out sand from all of his places. A light sigh emits from between two long and sharp canines. Xaria's arrival and words cause the cat to frown, his mind still trailing back to the masked book peddler, wondering of his story as well. "The book was cursed..." he says sadly, then pats his person for the weapons that are obviously gone. "My...my blades?" If he were to fight off evil cultists, then how would that be done? A flex of one large paw exposes thick and sharp claws, bringing about a look of relief. "Then we are merely here to survive?" Was this a test? A test from the book peddler? Was he just a messenger?

Marceline had become absorbed in the art book. Although the images were not, as she had hoped, child friendly, they nevertheless appealed to her in an odd way. Once she hit the beach, however, her first instinct was to check on her plushie. The stuffed Haunt toy is no worse for the wear, except for the bits of sand that she begins to gently brush away from it. ?You are okay, Sweetheart,? she coos at the toy. ?Mama won?t let anything hurt you.? Only a brief pause is heard before she mutters, ?? this time.? Upon the appearance of the Haunt Xaria, she becomes extremely reticent and falls silent, staying toward the back of the crowd.

Yamminuel groans into the dirt and grit of the ground in a rare exhibition of discomfort before the dark monk slowly ambles to his feet. His serpent-like eyes, a poisonous green colored pair of irises and elliptical set of pupils within, swivel to the Haunt as he listens to her words, clasping his hands at the small of his back again in idle thought. Recognizing being bereft of weaponry, even magic, he still stands fairly tall- no seven feet, but a confident stature nonetheless. "If I must to leave this place, so be it."

The smell of smoke wafts in from the south?

Jaymes hit the ground. Hard. One moment she was flipping through the pages of a curious art book and the next she was shrouded in a layer of sand, spatting out the granules as she pushed herself to a stand and looked around frantically. The only recognition of those on the beach were those from the road, those that had received their own art books as well. A frown tugged on her lips as she tried to get her bearings as to where she was, but it was unfamiliar to her. A figure at the edge of the wood drew the group?s attention as she waved her hands and, along with the others, she made her way towards the Haunt. Silently, with arms crossed, she listened to what she had to say, cringing slightly at the knowledge that magic would be of no use here. ?It?s better than standing here and just being bait.?

Thaeloc hit the sand in a loud thud throwing a cloud of sand up around his armored body. Getting up and dusting himself off he can feel the lack of weapons on his person. Doing a quick inventory check he fines a strange vial he never had before. Looking around he recognized the beach. Thinking to himself not this place again. Approaching the Huant to called out and gathered the others the landed here. Nodding his head along with her tale. ?I will help get you home and the others. Even th9se two undesirables.? Turning to the rest Thaeloc speaks in a mild but commanding tone. ?Ok, I have been to this land before. None of us have our weapons or magic but we must make do. I found a strange item on myself. If one of us has something with an edge i suggest we use it and branches from these trees to make spears for now. There is plenty of stuff here that wants to kill us even the grass.?

A bird cries out in the distance...

Burnside buzzes for a moment, and then his eyes light up.

Burnside holds out his hands and peers down at them as if confused.His face might be hard to read, but his hands aren't as his fingers splay out in shock. His long awkward arms randomly twitch like stalks of dead corn in a brisk October wind. He then leans back in one smooth movement and his head rotates left to right unnaturally as he scans his new surroundings. Gears quietly protest that they haven't been oiled from beneath his plating. Burnside twitches. Burnside's voice is deep and unnatural and the origin seems to be from his chest rather than his mouth, although he does let his jaw hang open as he 'speaks'. They sound like human words but run through a noodle strainer far too many times.

Burnside asks : Where are we? System Unstable. Weapon system malfunctioning. Coordinates unknown. Positioning system malfunctioning.

Xaria watches everyone's expressions intently as they make their decisions, though her interest is briefly captured by Marceline. Her eyes glance toward the other haunt's hands, looking for signs that she might be barghest, but the haze of mist and smoke seems to distract her from the guesswork for the time being. These people could be her allies, from Thaeloc to a cat anthro to an immwolkn. Even a dark angel and what smells to be a wolf. Burnside is studied carefully as she isn't quite sure what he is, and if the group decides to work together, she'll explain more. "At first, I wondered if all of you were real. I feel like I've been here for ages, stuck and without the ability to retreat into the spirit realm. I was almost sacrificed once, and because of my hair color, I stand out. I managed to pilfer a hooded cloak from a building somewhere and have been using that when close to their village." Xaria rises from her crouched position, gazing around before hunkering down again. "There's dire wolves running about, and I heard once about a run-in with a dire were-bear. There's also spirits that cause chaos and then there are Cohas' personal guardians, Tynari and Tynexi. The villagers are bad enough, but these spirits and guardians are bad news. The people I worked with before told me that they had some run-ins with the spirits and it's just...madness. It's every bit as chaotic as you'd imagine, and they thrive on that." She falls silent then, listening. "If you're with me, follow me and I'll lead you into the village. We have to stop on the way and see if we can pilfer some weapons from an abandoned shop. We may be able to find something if we're lucky. The sword I had before when I went that way got turned into snakes and I had to drop them..." With a wave of her hand, she beckons the group to follow after her to the west.

Nerene follows Xaria through the forest, quiet only because attracting undue attention wasn't wise just yet. When the town proper is reached, there again is a surveying glance in order to commit everything to memory while lamenting the loss of her trusted pernachs, before the weapon shop is approached. While the banshee ignores the vast majority of what's lying there, her mood becomes positively giddy as one item in particular is seen. To herself, she coos, "Well, aren't you just a pretty toy," while picking up the ruby-topped sceptre. Out loud, "Good for breaking knees or clubbing someone hard in the back!" is exclaimed happily, now that a blunt weapon was again in hand.

Nerene receives a broken beer bottle. This is now her weapon for the rest of the quest unless someone is willing to swap with Nerene, including temporary abilities.

Cahya gazes around at this ragtag group of people, eyes landing on Burnside with a sort of amazement. He's never seen such a thing before. Was it powered by magic? Then he might be nullified here, so probably not. The cat mrows thoughtfully, scratching his chin. "What powers you, friend?" is asked of Burnside, the tone of his voice inquisitive, though also kind. He pats around on his person while following along with Haunt Zoe, soon finding a compound style bow against his back. How had he missed such a gorgeous piece of weaponry? It wasn't his usual blades, but he still knew how to aim and shoot. The Cat sniffs about, "What is everyone's name, if I might be so curious as to inquire?" The large cat talks while searching, "I am Cahya Grimclaw, a warrior."

Burnside receives sling-shot. This is now his weapon for the rest of the quest unless someone is willing to swap with Burnside, including temporary abilities.

Xaria receives nothing. This is now her weapon for the rest of the quest unless someone is willing to swap with Xaria, including temporary abilities.

Marceline follows along with the others, her quick eyes darting everywhere to asses any dangers. It is clear to anyone who observes her that her primary concern is this poor plush toy that still has a small amount of sand to brush out. She clutches it ferociously in her lace-gloved hands. Once the crowd arrives at the shop, she begins to pick about the place somewhat ambivalently. Mostly, she seems to be avoiding getting too close to the other Haunt. ?I?ll get you home, Mera. No worries. Everything will be fine.? To answer Cahya?s question, she whispers, ?I?m Marceline. My daughter is Mera.?

Marceline receives a metal nail file. This is now her weapon for the rest of the quest unless someone is willing to swap with Marceline, including temporary abilities.

Yamminuel lifts his gaze toward the anthro warrior, those mauve and enticing eyes studying them for a moment but no answer is immediately given. Instead, he steps into the shop and scans the area calmly, both hands clasped behind his back. "I am but a servant for our Lord Tyvarliek," he murmurs, "But if you must name me, it is Yamminuel," he says coldly. "The Poisoned One."

Thaeloc receives a broken vodka bottle. This is now his weapon for the rest of the quest unless someone is willing to swap with Thaeloc, including temporary abilities.

Yamminuel receives a broken vodka bottle. This is now his weapon for the rest of the quest unless someone is willing to swap with Yamminuel, including temporary abilities.

Jaymes receives a pistol with three bullets. This is now her weapon for the rest of the quest unless someone is willing to swap with Jaymes, including

Thaeloc follows the group keeping an eye out for any thing that could be trouble. Knowing the group he is with is not his first choice of companions and will draw attention. Reaching the hut and searching around he picks up a broken bottle. Not a sword but has an edge and relaxes a bit. Hearing Cahya ask for names he replies. ?Thaeloc, Erol of Ammerville, Champion of Bytor.?

Burnside obediently follows the group but at the mention of dire-wolves and were-bears, Burnside quickly tries again to engage his only means of defense, but nothing happens. He stares blankly as his left arm and then lowers it slowly. He continues along. He nods to the cat-like being that regarded him, he fans out his fingers against his rusty chest-plate. "This unit is zzzt temporarily designated Burnside. Warden unit 414 of ERROR."

Burnside twitches and there is a small flash under his chin, a spark falls and quickly fades out. He looks down and sees a strange sword in his metal palm. He would never have such a thing and assumes it is important. He scans the weapon several times and his eyes flicker indicating he has stored new information. He looks at the others and sees they are searching, "Assist the makers." He then attempts to help with a quick scan of the area. His head quickly and loudly rotates as his eyes flicker dimly.

Xaria searches the area thoroughly, hoping to get her hands on something worthwhile. She's aware of the evil auras surrounding some of the people in her new party, and as troublesome as that is for her, she tries to push aside her feelings on the matter and put her trust in these people. They all need each other to break out of this island. She ventures closer to Burnside then, taking in the look of him and asking quietly, "Hey. I'm Haunt Zoe. I hope this isn't rude but...what are you? You're unlike anything I've ever seen before." Her hands rummage through fallen pine needles and trampled fauna until her hand seems to catch hold of something. She gives the perceived item a tug before listening to Cahya. "I am Haunt Zoe, a healer. Been here awhile. I can dimension travel and accidentally wound up here with no powers. The item in her hand that she pulls free winds up disintegrating in her grasp, turned to sand and she frowns. She is unable to locate anything else for the duration of her search.

Jaymes followed the others through the forest, neither taking the lead nor lingering in the back. She was thankful she hadn?t worn her usual shawls and layered skirts to the road but rather wore sensible leggings, sweater, and boots (it made traipsing through the the terrain much easier). Being a shop owner, Jaymes normally possessed a kind and welcoming demeanor, but thrown out of her element, away from her home, her coven, and her brothers, she appeared more standoffish. Coming upon the shop, Jaymes doesn?t waste any time searching for any sort of supply or weaponry, coming up a bottle of some yellowish liquid which she quickly pockets and eventually finds a pistol. She wasn?t much of a marksman, but it was better than nothing. She opened the chamber and sighed when she saw only 3 bullets inside. Closing it with a snap and shoving it in the waistband of her trousers, Jaymes continued her rummaging in hopes of finding more ammo.

Somewhere within the woods, there is a loud rustling, and soon two wolves of massive proportions burst through the trees, leaving chaos in their wake. They snarl and growl, standing at least 10 feet tall and nearly as broad. Ropes of drool fall from their mouths, and they practically roar with unfettered rage. The first wolf steps up and lunges for Jaymes immediately, as if sensing the wolf in her and wanting to stamp it out. The second wolf attempts to bowl Yamminuel over, snapping between him and Burnside with powerful jaws.

Thaeloc hears the approaching sound of something large heading towards them amd makes ready holding his broken bottle. As the two wolves appear out of the woods neither going after him at first he looks to see who theybare and judge the best one to attack. Choices to be made on the fly he swiftly moves to the one not attacking a sworn enemy of his. Aiming to stab the beast in the throat cause no matter the size it is always a weak spot.

Burnside seems totally oblivious to auras or intentions or even allegiances. He does scan each person near him and quietly builds a database in his head listing information he could glean from their posture, outward attitudes, and their appearances. His eyes flicker. His head quickly pivots towards Zoe. "This unit welcomes inquiries. This unit SYNTAX ERROR and now it zzzt assists makers." Suddenly Burnside's head swings around, sparks spray from his throat and his eyes lock onto the pistol in Jayme's belt. His green eyes flicker very quickly and a clicking sound can be heard from inside of him. "Firearm detected, alert guards! Zzzt False alarm." He pivots back and calmly follows as if nothing happened. When the wolves attack Burnside quickly drops everything he was carrying, sword, boomerang, and the sling as well. Right to the ground. Seeing the first wolf lunge, he immediately attempts to leap in front of Jayme with his arms held out side to side as if to widen his surface area as to 'take the hit'.

Nerene answers Cahya with, "Just Nerene," offered on the subject of names, while the broken bottle and sceptre that had appeared are held. Anything else that might be spoken dies as the howl of wolves is heard, her attention on putting the blunt weapon down for now. Drawing her wings close to minimise risk, she says, "Time to play, little wolf," gleefully, then rushes at the one nearest to her. Rather than try for a vital spot, it's a leg that's aimed for with the bottle, the intent being to merely low its ability to walk proper.

Yamminuel swivels his body with a shift of his frame, turning a bit sideways and gliding backward fluidly along the floor of the porch. This pulls him out of the way of that second leaping wolf as mauve eyes narrow. His soft-shoed feet slide across the dusty floor, leaving a wake of upturned dust and Stepping back in toward the wolf, the broken bottle gleams in the ambient light as it's lifted and brought down, aimed for the shaggy neck of the creature in a cruel, vicious and merciless slice. His movements are almost augmented, a weird influx of power that has always been with the Immwolkn, not insofar as something significant enough to warrant the look for an item but just slightly preternatural, just slightly stronger than normal. And definitely more ruthless than normal, his strike intends to maximize damage and, more distinctly, suffering.

Xaria is closer to Jaymes, so she attempts to step in and help keep the dire wolf at bay. She bares her venomous fangs and lets her fingertips lengthen into wickedly curved claws. She slashes at wolf one, aiming for the eyes as she leans away from it's advance almost by instinct, sticking close to Jaymes while endeavoring to blind the dire wolf. "They can't be saved!" She calls to the gathered. "They've been reduced to rage and chaos! The humane thing is to put them down!" Burnside stepping in to help as well is noted and appreciated, even if Haunt Zoe still isn't sure what he is by his explanation. She doesn't ponder it any further, for now.

Jaymes?s attention is drawn to Nerene when she exclaimed giddily about the scepter she had found and she can?t help but smirk, appreciating the multipurpose uses of the object. Despite her continued search, she found no more ammo, but did find a dented helm that she immediately took in her hands, drawn by its energy. She didn?t know how much help, but it would at least offer some type of protection. So the wolf unbuckled her belt and threaded it threw the helm and secured it around her waist once more before joining the others. An ominous sound had Jaymes turning her head just in time to see two towering wolves, nearly double her height approach. Of course there were wolves here. As if they could sense what she was, one immediately lunged in her direction, but her instincts, even in human form, we strong, and she dove out of the way barely missing those long canines. Not wanting to waste one of her precious few bullets, Jaymes?s fingers began to elongate, or rather her nails, stretching into long, sharp claws that could pierce through flesh more easily. Rolling over her shoulder and onto her feet, Jaymes dove towards the wolf that attacked her and swiped at its throat with the claws of her left hand.

Cahya narrows his eyes to the howling of emerging wolves, watching as everything unfolds in a fluid array of gnashing teeth and swiping claws. He watches as those in his party moves to assist Jaymes with her foe, leaving Yamminuel flailing uselessly with the broken bottle. Cahya looses a hiss of displeasure, tail fluffing out at the stink of the wolves. He does the honorable and logical thing, moving to aid the poisoned one. Crouching to the ground, his butt wiggles a bit with the wolf in sight. Loosing a low mrrooooowling growl, he pounces with claws out, back claws attempting to dig into the wolf for leverage. His front claws, however, are aimed at scratching out the Dire's eyes and trying to bleed wherever he can land a hit.

Marceline turns her back to the attacking wolves, her first instinct being to bodily shield her inanimate child from any harm. Upon hearing Haunt Zoe?s permission to attack these creatures, however, her demeanor changes. Harming something evil is what she loves the best, and now she can let that side out without drawing any suspicion. So she maneuvers that rusted file into position and utilizes it as if it were a throwing dagger. Which wolf to target? hmm. The second one seems closer to Yamminuel, so if she ?accidentally? harms him in the process, no harm, no foul. With a sharp flick of her wrist, she flings the object at the second wolf. The aim is for its left eyeball, but who can say what could be hit in all this chaos.

Cahya does a long boi stretch.

Nerene puts the book away and goes into Queen Bee mode.

Burnside puffs up his chest and his sides flare out slightly as small smoke puffs escape from beneath. There is a winding-up sound from beneath his plating and he turns to the wolf. Steam sprays from his legs and he charges it full speed with his arms held out forming what can only be described as a 'combat hug.' His intention isn't so much to 'kill' anything, but to just 'stop and hold' it if possible.

When Thaeloc misses the first wolf, it snarls and lunges at him, immediately going for his potato-nose. It's tall enough that it doesn't have to really do much to reach his intended target, but it's up to Thaeloc to be quick enough to dodge the blow. Whether it inflicts damage or not, wolf one is immediately distracted by the sound of a crying baby. It realizes that the baby is in Marceline's arms and goes to attack HER! Because how dare that fur-less creature be so loud! However, Burnside's approaching combat hug is not something it anticipated, so when it is effectively pinned down, the creature looses a loud cry of pain. Once the rage within it boils up, the pain seems to dissolve, and it begins thrashing and chomping anything that gets near it. The second wolf that attacked toward Burnside and Yamminuel snarls and yelps when Burnside harms it, and in it's rage, it chomps toward Cahya's middle, hoping to put enough momentum into his charge to slam the anthro into the nearest tree should the beast's jaws connect. During the chaos of battle, a villager spies the fray, eyes shining. While everyone is distracted, Jaymes is dragged into the trees, kidnapped and shrinking with distance! Meanwhile, a sporous plant nearby release a wave of green mist that temporarily petrifies Yamminuel, immobilizing him.

Thaeloc looking at the action unfolding around him has a slight moment of distraction that allows the Wolf to lundge at him. Still quick enough to not have his nose taken off by the bite it does land on his shoulder. The large teeth finding the gaps in his armor and sinking into the soft human flesh contained within. Seeing the large metal thing hug and pin the wolf down the Thane moves in for what he hopes is an easy coup de grace. ?Hold him down R2DPO.. or what ever your name is.? Lifting the jagged broken bottle with both hands to sink it into the monsters neck and twist.

Marceline had not noticed when her plush, furry child changed forms to her human shape, however she does not seem that surprised by it. She keeps her daughter cradled closely against her chest and her body half turned to keep her shielded. She notices when the wolf turns its ire on her, however, and blanches. She is more of a sneaky assassin type of murderer, rather than a head-on, baby-wielding, battle killer. Nevertheless, necessity has mandated that she do something. So she winds up her free hand and swings at the creature, aiming to punch him right in the nose! With claws out. Hit or miss, she gets ready to tuck and roll away at the last moment, because the baby matters more to her than causing harm to their attacker.

Xaria watches as the wolves finally make their marks, briefly stunned into silence. Despite being a healer at heart, she understands that it is important to quell those attacking. They aren't sentient anymore really, just vessels for rage and chaos. With her claws still out, she approaches the wolf attacking Cahya and again, aims for the closest eye. She's not fast and her swipe is a bit clumsy, but the intent to partially blind the foe is there. She hopes that counts for something.

Cahya attempts to keep his back claws firmly rooted on the wolf he is battling, however, it is much too fast and powerful to hold on to. The wolf lunges and snaps its jaws at him, crashing the anthro firmly into the trunk of a strong tree. He lets out a mewling hiss of pain, fangs embedding through the durable cloth and fur about his middle, matting his fur with droplets of blood. The cat reaches instictively toward where one of his blades rest, finding the sheath empty. Xaria's help is appreciated, and he shows a flast of fangs in a non-aggressive manner toward her. With a huff of annoyance, the furry assassin has to rely on what he has. In fact, that metal nail File from earlier rests in one of the braces along his belt. Taking it free while struggling against the wolf, Cahya attempts to ram it through the ear canal of the wolf chewing at his side...messy or not, he does hope the put the chaotic creature out of its misery, more so than piss it off more.

The Din of Chaos - Part II

Last modified on September 4, 2023, 20:29:10