FFD6 The Dicening, Group 2, To Kill The Beast

[Krylo]

GROUP 2
Arhra: Fighter, Viera
Dracorion: Dragoon, Viera
Overcast: Blue Mage, Hume
CelesJessa: Thief, Viera
Geminex: Red Mage, Tarut
POS Industries: Gambler, Moogle
McTahr: White Mage, Tarut

-------------------------

"Ah-ha! Yes, you must be the adventurers? We've been expecting you!" a thin tarut exclaims as you enter a large building on one of the higher plates of Rios. The reception area is comfortable enough with carpeted floors and a large wooden desk, with a pretty elvaan woman sitting behind it looking bored.

You hardly have time to think on this, however, as the tarut waves you over. "This way! This way!" he yells as he holds open a door leading further into the laboratories.

Walking through the halls of facility itself is a bit less welcoming, the walls and floors made of pure stainless steel, with scientists and researchers of all races milling about. The tarut keeps your attention, however, as you walk.

"I represent the R&D Department of Steeling Industries, a weapons manufacturer whom provides cutting edge weapons and armor to the Rios military complex," he explains as he leads you further into the building. "But, of course, to find better ways to kill fiends, you have to know how fiends tick and that's where I," he stops momentarily to point to you, "And YOU come into the picture."

"You see," he says as he opens a nearby door and leads you inside, to a room full of diagrams of various fiends and monsters, each one pointing out key points of their anatomies and their weaknesses, "I'm in the Fiend Research Division, and we are always looking for new Adventurers to help us acquire raw materials... and we have a slew of all new and powerful fiends that have been recently born!"

Chugging up to the front of the room he reaches a filing cabinet and begins digging about, "But, I think we'll start you all off a bit easy with this creature..." Stopping he pulls out a small file and opens it. "The... Udrafresk, as the natives of the area call it. It lives in the mountains northeast of Cornelia, and has the appearance of a great, ahem... skinless ape, with rocks protruding from its massive arms..."

Snapping closed the folder he looks back up at you. "And that's really all the information we have! Well other than where its been cited and its favorite prey, but before we reveal that... we are willing to pay 250 gil to each of you for his arms and head, intact, 500 gil to each if you can bring us his entire body with minimal damage... and, though we don't expect it, 750 gil to each of you if you bring us a live specimen. OH!" he exclaims his eyes lighting up, "And before you decide, know that there is much more work for you should you complete this assignment to our satisfaction! So... do we have a deal?"

The diminutive man smiles brightly as he awaits your answer.

[McTahr]

Fie squeezes to the front of the group, his eyes absolutely lit up with interest. He hardly seems able to contain his excitement over the assignment, and is trembling slightly and talking faster than normal.

"To be at the forefront of such decisive and important research! I would even go alone were the option still presented."

Turning slightly to his companions, he continues,
"Surely my compatriots can see the importance in not just agreeing to your terms, but also to bring in nothing less than a live specimen!"

__
OOC: Would I necessarily know much of anything about the monster given a Lore (Monsters) check?

[CelesJessa]

Vera was standing at the back of the group, her arms crossed over her chest and her brown eyes fixed on a something on the room that wasn't the Tarut in charge. Her mind seemed to be somewhere else, because it took a minute for her to respond to the enthusiastic Tarut in her group.

"Er, right." To be honest, Vera would normally be a lot more interested in the higher cash prize that came along with a live specimen. However, for once in her life, the Viera's mind wasn't on cash, but instead she found herself staring at a male of her species. Her ears twitched in annoyance. What did he think he was doing here?

[Overcast]

Caspin on the other hand was balancing his options. Monster hunting just so happened to be his specialty, but bringing them in alive wasn't. He found the fiends where they lived, hunted them down, and devoured them whole. It was good for his knowledge, good for his power, good for his future. So while it netted him the least amount of cash, for his benefit he would make sure to take it back in pieces.

For now though he simply smiled and nodded, he wasn't a very good liar so he would try not to say anything at all, instead he consumed himself further in his thoughts, trying to remember what he might know about the creature.

--------
Lore(Monster) check.

[Dracorion]

Argath's tail swished impatiently from side to side as his ears twitched. His arms were folded and he kept his expression as normal as possible. He was uncomfortable, to say the least. No, downright irritated was probably more accurate. Somehow, the Guild had stuck him in a group with two Viera females. He'd almost walked out right then and there, but the job paid fairly well and he wasn't sure when another one would come his way. So he'd stick around, for now.

He could practically hear the prejudicial cogs turning in both Viera's heads. Vantas yawned where the small dragon lay at Argath's side. Turning his attention back to the conversation, he decided to speak up. "What kind of dangers can we expect to find in the area, aside from the mark?"

[POS Industries]

Prasad grimaced at the description of the beast, adjusting his collar as he reckoned that a lack of skin surely meant there'd be a lot of nasty fluids flying around no matter what happened should they encounter it.

"750 if we bring it back whole," the moogle tapped his chin in thought, deciding to up the ante, "plus the contract for your lovely receptionist out front. Also I want my suit dry-cleaned for free if we kupo back alive. Deal?"

--------
Speech (Negotiation) check.

[Arhra]

Jade stopped her inspection of one of the monster anatomical charts hanging up on the wall and stepped forward.

"No matter what dangers." The tall, green clad Viera warrior proclaimed. "No matter what enemies. We'll scour those mountains and track the beast down without fail or my name isn't Jade Degaur!"

[Krylo]

The Tarut smiled at the white mage's response and was about to clap his hands together in excitement as he was interrupted by the Dragoon's question.

"Oh, uh, yes, well there shouldn't be many other dangers beside the occasional condor or dingo, and, of course, rock slides and other basic climbing hazards... but nothing you can't handle I'm su--"

Then the moogle spoke and the Tarut just stared at him for a second, "Um... the recept... Well, I'm not really authorized... um, we'd have to speak with Ms. Risia as her contract doesn't involve being given off to adventurer's at a moment's notice, and I'd have to go overhead and... um, hm, well what if we just say we'll see what happens if you manage to do it?" He asked, obviously off put by the moogle's question. At least it wasn't a no.

"OH! But I CAN guarantee the dry cleaning. That shouldn't be a problem!" he smiled brightly as he found a request he could answer.

Docus looked around, grinning at the world he had just entered. Such marvels, such wonders! Knowlege hidden everywhere. He could only imagine the wealth of information he could gain from those filing cabinets, the glorious wisdom-

He mentally shook himself. He'd been travelling for a while now, but he still tended to get overexcited at new experiences. And this -he thought to himself as he looked around with a more rational eye- was a new experience indeed. Whatever else these corporations did, they didn't just support science, they nurtured it! And it nurtured them. There could be no nobler cause.

But, of course, however noble their cause, it was still their cause. And while he felt compelled to bring the fiend back alive in the pure spirit of research, he also felt that he'd deserve more than 750 gil for it. So he stepped up next to the moogle who was currently acting as their voice, but then stepped past him, to make eye contact with the other Tarut. He smiled and spoke rapidly, but conversationally, eyes shining with enthusiasm.

Then Jade stepped forward, the Tarut finally getting the chance to clap his hands together in excitement. "Well then!" he said as he pulled out seven small tickets from his pocket. "These are airship tickets to the Village of Mandala in the mountains just north of Cornelia. The monster's been sighted about a ha--"

"I must confess, I find your endeavor to research and understand these new fiends, I find it fascinating. One of the great marks of an intellectually powerful society is the synthesis between theoretical and practical sciences, and this is a perfect example. Theoretical knowlege of the nature of these fiends is developed, and simultaneously this knowledge is applied for the the military, and thus, society! You benefit both sides of the equation, and you make a profit doing so!"

Now he paused, as if thinking. "In fact... quite a significant profit, I would imagine. I think I have a pretty good idea of the ways you would benefit from our success, and unless I'm mistaken, they outweigh the costs... significantly. Not to mention that, while we're perfectly capable of completing this task to your highest standards, in itself it is still a challenging task, and one that not every party would be willing to accept. Considering the circumstances" -at this he stepped back a little, to stand at the moogle's right side "Considering the circumstances, I must agree with my colleague here. If you think it unlikely that we succeed to our fullest, you lose nothing by raising the reward. And if we do succeed, you've won more in giving us incentive than you've lost. Besides, the better you treat us, the more likely we are to come back, and I'm almost certain you will want us to return. So, what do you say? Will you up the ante?"


The tarut blinked still holding the airship tickets, "Well, um... I've only got a limited budget for this... how much more incentive do you think you need? I thought 750 each was enough but..." He looked a bit flustered and put off. He had thought he was already beating the standard pay for a job of this difficulty by quite a bit.

[Geminex]

Docus smiled as he saw the other Tarut falter, spoke smoothly, smiling gently. This was clearly not much of a negotiator.

"It need not be Gil, my friend. I understand all too well how quickly budgets can drain. But there are other incentives, surely! Steelings makes weapons, armor, accessories, many of which might be useful to us. That'd be a more than adequate bonus, and additionally make us more effective during our next missions for you. It'd practically be an investment!

Alternately, you have some degree of control over mission allocation, don't you? If we complete this mission to your satisfaction this time, could you simply arrange for us to be allocated one of your better-paying missions next time? Recommend us to your higher-ups? That'd certainly incentivize us to return."

He turned to the team, glancing first at the moogle, then at the remaining party members. "Any suggestions from your side?"

______

Further Speech checks

[POS Industries]

Prasad rolled his eyes, patting the overly verbose tarut next to him on the shoulder appreciatively, "Docus, it's fine. If he can put us in contact with whoever we need to speak with regarding the young lady's contract, that's a kupendous enough start for me."

The moogle leaned forward, brushing the purple pom-pom that had fallen in front of his eyes out of the way as he half-grinned at their esteemed questgiver, "It's the least you can do should we succeed in bringing it back alive, right?"

--------
Speech (Negotiation) check.

[Krylo]

"Well, erm," The Tarut stumbled a bit, "I uh, can't really promise any thing from our manufacturing division. Like I said I kind of have a budget, and well, getting you all new equipment for free would be a bit difficult... um, I guess if you do well enough on a series of missions I could perhaps talk my supervisors into allowing you access to our military grade weapons and armor?" (OOC: Basically just a new place to buy magical equipment without custom ordering--see gear section of changes if you don't know why this is a good thing).

"And of course I'll talk to Ms. Risia and my supervisors about your request for her employment," The Tarut continued, his attention moving to the moogle.

Holding the airship tickets a bit tightly he looked around, "Um, are we agreed on the compensation now?"

[McTahr]

Fie stood awestuck momentarily. Bartering was a slightly foreign concept to him, having spent most of his apprenticeship as a white mage traveling about and healing people merely for the chance to practice, but you didn't aspire to be an esteemed mage if you were slow. At least not successfully anyway.

"Y-yes! We shall do our best to accommodate the wishes of Steeling Industries to the very fullest."

Glancing to his foremost companions, before looking back to the Tarut,
"It would be a true honor and privilege to not only have continued employment, but continued employment under a patron so kind as to cover our travel expenses and not balk at perks as some might be wont to do, however..."
Glancing again to the moogle, if only for a split second,
"odd...the requests might seem."

[Dracorion]

Argath stood silently as his companions bartered a better reward from the clearly overwhelmed Tarut. He noticed, however, that everything they were requesting was predicated on them bringing the creature back alive.

"Maybe." He addressed the Tarut representative of Steeling Industries. "You could provide us with a Slave Crown, or money to acquire one? It would make bringing the beast back alive much easier, which is in your company's best interests."

[Overcast]

Caspin was finding himself bored by the situation as it went on. They were wasting time in his opinion, time they could be spending tracking down this damned thing. All for the sake of some small monetary gain, and silly little contracts that made little difference to a man like him.

His face was twisted sour and regardless of if anyone noticed, with nary a word he left out the door, starting the journey to the mounts above Cornelia. Hopefully he wouldn't get too far before they finally stopped dicking around with their employer.

[Krylo]

"Excellent, Excellent," the small Tarut smiled, though with a bit a nervous twinge as he handed Fie the tickets. "These tickets will bring you to the nearest town... um, did I say that? I don't remember... anyway, the creature has been spotted about a half day's travel to the east. We suspect that its lair should be nearby..."

Stopping to tap his chin for a moment, the Tarut found himself interrupted once more, but he kept his friendly demeanor--though he made a mental note to get someone else to deal with them from now on. "Oh, yes! Well, there's three slight problems... the first being that we'd have to get it made special, what with Slave Crowns being magicked so that only one person can give orders... and then there's the fact that this creature is probably non-sapient and slave crowns, well, they're slave crowns, not pet crowns," the tarut let out a bit of a chuckle before continuing, "And besides all that, they're rather illegal in most places. And Steeling doesn't deal in illegal materials. But! There will be a large full steel cage in the airship for transporting the creature! How you get the Udrafresk into it is up to you!"

"Now where was I..." he wandered aloud as Caspin started to leave, elliciting a little shout, "Oh! Oh! Aren't you taking the job, sir!? You'll need a ticket!" He pointed at Fie excitedly before letting out a sight, "Would someone run along and catch him, while I finish explaining?"

Shaking his small head the Tarut continued, "Let's see now... oh yes! The Udrafresk is mainly a lithovore, which sounds harmless... BUT!" He exclaimed as he waggled a finger at those still before him, "Don't let that fool you! His saliva has the property of turning living flesh to stone, and that is the only stone he actually eats! The creature's favorite seems to be dingos," the Tarut continued speaking quickly with barely a breath between words, hoping he could cut off any further interruptions. "So if you can find a pack of dingos you'll probably be able to find the Udrafresk nearby, hunting for food!"

"Anyway!" he exclaimed ushering them toward the door with his tiny little arms, "That's all you should need to know! Good luck now! Remember, you only get your extra reward if it's still breathing! Farewell! See you soon! Arrivederci!"

Once he pushed the last of you out into the hall he quickly closed the door, leaning against it with a heavy sigh.

[POS Industries]

The door shutting behind him, Prasad nodded with satisfaction, clasping his little hands together as he sauntered down the hall, turning around to face the rest of the party as he moved.

"So," he mused, "assuming the guy that left wasn't interested in the job--which I am, because fuckupo that guy, amirite?--do you think we can split his reward between us if we tell our employer that he was with us all along?"

[Overcast]

Caspin crept up behind the kupoing bastard looming in his white chef outfit a big fat grin on his face and whispered in his ear,

"Might want to pass that by me first cutie."

[POS Industries]

((Performed a successful awareness check on Overcast sneaking up on me. Long story short, it wasn't much of a sneak.))

"Might want to pass that by me first cutie."

By this point, Prasad already had a gun pointed up at the blue mage's face.

"I don't know if you're a gambling man, cookie," he grinned, glaring up at Caspin out of the corner of his eye, "But if I were you I wouldn't bet on trying that again."

And with a wink, he holstered the weapon and continued on his way down the hall.

[Overcast]

Caspin continued his grin and chuckled at the gun, tapping at his chin as he examined the thing. He shook his head in a slight disappointment in his inability to creep on the floating jrkass and tilted his head,

"Get a bigger gun next time. I want to be afraid when you threaten me."

He opened up his coat and began to reach for his dagger, not bothering to move out of the way of the gun in the slightest,

"After all, if I'm not afraid I might just end up doing something silly to keep my job, and I want this job my dear mog. A rare monster is always..."

He couldn't hold in the devious cackle that came out, even if he knew it might reveal his ideas,

"A treat."

[Dracorion]

There was a loud thud as the butt of Argath's spear hit the floor hard. "That's enough, you two. Everyone doesn't like someone else, we get it. Let's just get going." He said, following the Moogle down the hall.

Vantas flew happily next to Argath.

[POS Industries]

"Yuh-huh, that's nice, Chef Whatsyername. You keep on kupoin' on with your bad self," Prasad rolled his eyes as he continued toward the exit, dismissively waving his hand at Caspin behind him, thoroughly unmoved by the mage's performance.

Passing through the reception area, the moogle shot a wink toward the bored elvaan receptionist, giving a curt wave in her direction, "See you soon!"

[Overcast]

Caspin stared at Argath with his big spear and smiled in appreciation. There was something quite...interesting about the show of force. He might just keep his eye on the male Viera. So strong. So damaged. And such a rare sight.

He could scarcely hold back a little giggle, he would save his personal thoughts for later, there was hunting to be done.

[CelesJessa]

A rare sight indeed. It was an interesting, a female Viera who wasn't allowed to return home, and a male, who had no business being here. She couldn't help but snicker when he put on a tough act, to try and keep the peace between the group. At least she couldn't say that this wouldn't be an amusing trip.

"So do we have any plans on how to catch this thing alive?"

[Geminex]

Docus stopped surveying the party (he had kept carefully out of the previous conflict, there was nothing to be gained there) to address the thief's question, his expression thoughful as they walked.

"Hmm... I'm afraid I have little experience in these matters. But I find it doubtful that the creature will come to us. So we will have to set up a base in the village, or the mountains, and then begin hunting. Once we've tracked the thing... we will likely have to subdue it in combat. Probably it would be best to slaughter some dingoes for bait and prepare an ambush... once we've subdued it..." He paused, considering. "I don't know what skills are at your disposal. Personally, I can be very... persuasive, particularly when it comes to beaten enemies. Given the chance, I may be able to persuade the monster to simply accompany us. Failing that, if we can knock it unconcious for long enough, we should be simply able to secure it with ropes and chains, and then transport it back to base. A cart would be useful here, or anything that can ease transport.

Of course, the question is, how to subdue it without seriously harming it? I doubt our employers would want a maimed beast, even if it were still breathing. And while I assume we could cure the thing after capturing it, it'd be best not to maim it in the first place. So what've you got?"

[Krylo]

Chattering amongst itself, your small band shortly finds itself at the airship docks and, receiving your tickets, the docent shows you to your ship, and allows one of the crew to show you to your 'quarters'.

It's a large cargo ship and you're led into the bay with the rest of the cargo being prepared for transport to Mandala. Food, clothing, and bedding, mostly. Though a steel box with air holes drilled along the top which appears to open from the side and most likely weighs several hundred pounds sits in the very center of the hold.

As you enter the man sets down the large barrel he'd been carrying on his should down in the corner and then points at a the far wall, where there are a few benches carved into the wall with cargo netting behind it. He then leaves wordlessly, as more hands enter with more cargo, preparing for the trip.

[Overcast]

While capturing it alive was not Caspin's idea of a good time, he did find himself doing far too much of that classic kind of speaking out that always led people to consider he was working against them. Even when he wasn't. Though even if it did get captured alive that didn't bar some accident eventually overcoming it. So he decided to delve into some of his knowledge to work it forward,

"A negotiation is worthwhile, I imagine you know the language else you wouldn't even care. It will require a sound beating in order to listen, as it has already been made apparent that it will be hostile on sight if it happens to see us first. We could work to trapping it or ambushing it, bait is never hard to take care of, but if one is knowledgeable in trapping it can be an efficient way to cause some havok. Another option is chemical, with certain spells and ingredients able to cause drowsiness and sleep in most living things, and a few scant spells even forcing it into paralysis by which we may be able to subdue it. Though it is best warned that if it comes down to a fight, and if we are resolute in capturing it alive, at least one of us is almost certain to find himself petrified, it would do to have some cure to such a status if we can."

It was the best he could do. Beat it to a pulp and tie it up, beat it to a pulp and talk to it, snare it in a trap, or drug/ensorcell it into a submission they could take advantage of. Hunting monsters was just what he did, so he knew a thing or two about little advantages they could get.


-------
He found himself staring unhappily at the food they served on the ship, he was not a particularly skilled chef, but he did have a particularly strong sense of taste and he could already tell that the staff here was going to make him unhappy. He just hoped they found something more appetizing when they got to the mountains.

[Dracorion]

Argath listened to his companions diacuss ways to capture the mark. He just listened while they came up with a plan, until they had something pretty solid. ''Sounds effective enough,'' he said, 'but can we afford it? Dream Dust, chains, a cart and petrificatiopn remedies might cost us a pretty coin. I have one hundred gil, what about the rest of you?''

He didn't partivularly care about money, though. They'd figure something out. Instead, he racked his brains for any useful knowledge of dingoes.

--------------------
Eventually, Argath decided to visit the deck with Zephyr. He wanted to have as little contact with the two Viera as possible, and he didn't particularly like the blue mage either. He leaned against the railing while Zephyr walked up and down it playfully. ''You'll be able to fly like this pretty soon, you know.'' He said, patting the dragon on the head. Zephyr yelped happily. It was true, his dragon was fairly large for a hatchling, and it could already fly. It wouldn't be long before he could do so like an airship.

________________
Lore (Monsters) check.

[CelesJessa]

"I would rather not spend a fortune in order to make a little money, if we have to kill the creature we might end up not making any profit." And that would be a tragedy.

------------------

Once on the airship, Vera busied herself with "exploring" the area. Namely, seeing if there was any opportunity to get a five-finger discount anywhere. Cargo ships were always nice, people didn't notice when one or two items disappeared when there were hundreds of others to take their place.

[POS Industries]

Prasad moaned, hunched over on the bench, holding his stomach with one hand and nervously rolling his dice with the other. While the freewheeling airship life may suit other gamblers out there, Prasad unfortunately found the whole experience little more than a horrible combination of suffering from airsickness and waiting impatiently to land/die.

All the worse, he didn't have a gil to his name at the moment. Had he even a little bit to roll on against some of these rube crewmen milling about the hold, he could very easily multiply it by a hundred fold. Maybe even a thousandfold!

Or not.

Still, it'd be more fun than sitting there fighting the urge to lose his lunch all over the cargo bay. Last thing he needed was an empty stomach for that freaky blue mage to try to feed...

[McTahr]

"As long as we don't cause any...grievous harm to the creature, I can do my best to heal any wounds for the return trip, but you fellows best hold your punches if we want to return with anything worth studying. I also have a small portion of gil I could put into a petrification remedy, should the need arise. I have a feeling we'll need it regardless of how the encounter goes."

Feeling that his contribution had been made, Fie looked to find a way to productively use his travel time, though he was torn. On one hand, he saw that one of his companions, the moogle, seemed ill, and everything in his white mage training was pushing him in that direction to try and help. On the other hand, of course, he did not get to travel often, and airships often had interesting means of operation and as well as the occasional rare source of power. Despite the prejudice of his people, Fie felt machinery to almost be a kind of magic on its own. To truly be a master of lore and magic, it wouldn't be prudent to shun such a magnificent resource purely out of tradition!

Oh well. There would always be the return trip. They had to get the Uldrafresk back somehow, and they certainly weren't carrying it.

Fie tentatively walked over to the moogle. "I could try and ease the trouble, if you would like."

__
I read over intuitive magic. Would that apply to easing stomach troubles? It's a relatively low level task for a low level mage, similar to say, a black mage starting the fire in one of the examples.

[Arhra]

"I was planning to hit it until it passed out and then drag it back." Jade admitted, nonplussed by this discussion on capturing the beast. "You're overthinking this." the tall Viera fighter added. "It's a fiend. Fiends are pretty tough."

Hauling it might be a problem she supposed. Half the team was midgets and the weird, overly talkative hume didn't look that strong either.

But she was hardly going to admit a problem might be a problem.

[Overcast]

"Never such a thing as overthinking something before the fact my dear swordmistress. Only during. Constant use of the mind in plan and plot allows one a reaction when everything goes wrong. Which it almost certainly will."

Caspin could not claim very much in this world at the time, but he did have a capable mind that he always tried to take advantage of, else he waste the minute gift,

"Though I will concede that beating it is as always an option, and that fiends are quite tough. Though they are, as all things, mortal. I can imagine you have a distinct knowledge of how frail all life is...you know I just realized we've not been properly introduced."

He nodded his head twice from the realization, even in his complete lack of care for social graces thinking that people not knowing his name wasn't good for his future. So he leapt ahead, spun on his toes and gave the team a perhaps unnecessarily dramatic bow,

"Caspin Shift. Chef and Blue Mage and by consequence monster hunter."

[Dracorion]

"At tne very least," Argath argued, "we should rent a cart and buy some chains and petrification remedies. We're definitely going to need the remedies, even with a White Mage on the team. The reward money if we can bring it back alive, or even just the dead body, should offset the cost of the supplies by quite a bit." He added, addressing the Viera Thief while holding back a grimace.

"Are we agreed?"

[Krylo]

The continuing conversation is cut short as the Cargo ship jerks in the air as it begins its downward flight, jostling the cargo and your small band of adventurers. The more nimble and able bodied amongst your number manage to grab hold of the netting--even the poor ill moogle, though one can be certain the sudden jerking motion wasn't good for his stomach.

Unfortunately, Docus, Fie, and Caspin are not quite so quick on their feet (or their hands, as the case may be) and are sent flying across the deck. The red and blue mages each fly into the far wall, landing rather uncomfortably, but seem otherwise unharmed.

That is until Fie flies toward the cargo, his tiny grasping hands grabbing onto the rigging holding the cargo in place just as his face smacks into one of the many barrels. Unfortunately, the Tarut's extra little bit of oomph breaks the rigging and releases a single cask of wine which barrels directly toward his two unfortunate companions in poor athleticism. As the two prepare for the surely painful impact, the cask hits a nail or other small protrusion on the floor and skips into the air shattering against the wall of the hold directly above their heads and raining wood and alcohol down upon them.

On the bright side, it was rather good wine. And, on the brighter side, the actual landing is much less eventful, a mere shuddering as the airship docks down.

As the great cargo hold doors open, however, the workers file in and stop for a moment to have a good laugh at Fie, Docus, and Caspin. One Tarut holding onto a broken bit of strapping for dear life, while another sits in the lap of a hume, both soaked in red wine.

After a moment the laughing dies down and one of them points toward the opening. "Hah, Yer free ta leave... the Inns down the road. Ye might want a shower so folks dun think yer a buncha lushes," he says barely repressing more laughter at the sight in front of them.

At least they didn't try to charge you for the broken cask.
-----
Rolled athletics for grabbing the netting when the ship jerked. Everyone passed but those three.

Caspin and Docus take 2 damage, Fie takes one.

[Overcast]

Caspin sat in his wine covered stupor for a moment as he tried to register all the things that had happened in the last five seconds. He didn't quite register the embarrassment he perhaps should have felt for his lack of air legs and simply took a moment to lick at the wine on his person and laughing,

"A little wine marinade never hurt anyone. I might just like having that dry cleaning in the future, this will be a hell of a stain to get out."

He got up and laid down Docus in front of him, sucking on his fingertips enjoying the fine taste of the wine while he advanced off the ship. A shower would be nice if they could afford a visit, if not he did enjoy the smell of wine.

"So what now?"

[Dracorion]

Suddenly, the airship jerked and everyone in the compartment was launched sideways. Moving nimbly, Argath easily caught hold of the netting, as did the two other Vieras and, miraculously, the Moogle. The two Taruts and the Blue Mage weren't so lucky, however. They went tumbling toward the wall, the tiny White Mage knocking over a barrel which crashed against the wall and showered the other two in wine.

After that little diversion, the airship landed and the group disembarked. "So what now?" Caspin asked.

"I think we should spend the rest of the day gathering up supplies and go hunting for the mark early tomorrow. Since it doesn't take all of us to shop, we should split up. Half of us can go to the inn and secure lodgings, and the others can pick up supplies."

"Sound good?"

[Geminex]

Docus did not like wine. He enjoyed good food and good drink, but alcohol clouded the mind. Besides, its taste was an excellent cover for any number of poisons, and he had had enough of poisons for one lifetime.
He did not like wine, and being marinated in it was gradually giving him a headache. He really needed a bath.

But that was secondary, there was a mission they had promised to fulfill to the best of their ability. "Why not get lodgings first? Finding a few rooms shouldn't take too long. Then we can discuss the situation and plan ahead in comfort. Allocate tasks, consider eventualities. Then we'll split up, complete everything, and return. Much better coordination, that way. Besides, I need to be on the streets, bartering and talking to people, and I'm not doing that while I smell like this."

[Krylo]

Stepping out into the light of day your small group sees the village of Mandala. An impressive, and underwhelming site all at once.

The aerodome is small, the cargo ship you arrived in using the only airship dock available. It seems likely that they don't receive or send many passenger ships, only ships full of food and other goods like the one you arrived in. There's a good number of chocobo carts however, assisting the workers in moving large amounts of items on and off the ship, once you're out of the way, that is.

The city proper, is carved directly into the mountains and seems to be one with the nature around it. Buildings carved into stone, instead of built on top of it, and stairs and roads carved out of the mountain side and then polished to a gleam. There are no magitek vehicles on the streets, the roads turning onto stair ways built large enough for chocobo and predating magitek conveyance. A few carts being drug behind the animals are floated with small bits of cloud stone to allow them to hover safely over the steps to the convenience of the populous.

The entire 'market' seems to consist of a single doctor's office, a general goods store, and a hunting shop. One may be able to find remedies in either the doctor's office or general goods store, while the hunting shop has a few weapons. Mostly low quality, and nothing your group could afford currently.

The 'inn' as well, is rather rustic, consisting of merely a large home run by an older couple who rent out their extra bed rooms to the odd traveler.

It seems the city doesn't get much in the way of tourism.

[Arhra]

"Never such a thing as overthinking something before the fact my dear swordmistress." Caspine replied to Jade. "Only during. Constant use of the mind in plan and plot allows one a reaction when everything goes wrong. Which it almost certainly will."

The cargo ship suddenly jerked as it started to descend, sending Caspin tumbling across the floor to slam into the far wall along with Docus, Fie and a cask of wine. He came to rest slumped at the base of the wall, a moogle in his lap and both of them soaked in wine.

Jade just grinned and waved at the blue mage, hanging safely onto the cargo netting with her other hand.

On the ground, there was still talk about planning.

"I think we should spend the rest of the day gathering up supplies and go hunting for the mark early tomorrow." Since it doesn't take all of us to shop, we should split up. Half of us can go to the inn and secure lodgings, and the others can pick up supplies. Sound good?"

"You do that." Jade said. "I'm going to ask around to find out about the fiend." Walking off, she looked back over her shoulder and gave the male Viera a nonchalant wave. "See you tonight."

Mandala reminded her a little of home, although it was very different in a lot of ways. It fitted into its surroundings like a hand into a glove. Oversized sword strapped on her back, the green clad Viera warrior strolled along the polished stone of its narrow streets, pausing in door frames to let carts pass by.

The local market seemed to be the best place to start. Anyone who'd been attacked would probably have been seen by the doctor there.

"Doctor!" Jade announced her self, finding him in his office. "I have come here to capture the fiend that is plaguing these mountains. Can you tell me anything about the udrafresk?"

[McTahr]

Fie pulled his hat down on his head as low as he could without blinding himself. Today was not off to a good start, and as of yet they still didn't have a solid plan for how to bring in the mark. Eerie as he was, the human seemed to at least have his head on straight enough to know that just running into the fight would not only most likely kill the Udrafresk, but possibly leave many wounded or dead.

He made his way towards the doctor's office for the aforementioned petrification remedy, doing his best to simultaneously avoid what foot traffic there was and fume at the ground. Upon arriving, he noticed he'd managed to follow the exact person he was trying to avoid, the blunt one with the big sword. The mithra's anti-plan cavalier attitude was fine for all out brawls or simple tasks, but in these trickier situations it was more like than not to leave casualties and hinder progress. When things reached that point, everyone would look to the white mage and expect him to fix it all. They always did. If only his job could have been so simple as to just blow things up or break things like everyone else.

He did his best to find a way to amuse himself while the mithra occupied the doctor's time.

___
Eventually purchasing a soft with the last of my cash moneys, yo.

[CelesJessa]

Vera's tail swished low as she inspected the city. It was quite a change from what she called home- not that she had a place to call home anymore.

As a few from her group started heading into the market to get supplies for their mission, Vera decided to head in the direction of the inn. Calling it an "inn" was pretty generous, and she couldn't help but wonder if there would even be enough beds for their entire party.

Either way, after putting on her most charming smile, she approached the old couple running it, intent on trying her best to get a discount.

___
Not sure if you want to Roleplay it out or just roll it, but she's going to try and sweet talk a cheaper price or a sort of group deal.

[Dracorion]

"You do that." One of the Vieras, the one with the sword, replied to his suggestion.. "I'm going to ask around to find out about the fiend." As she walked off, she gave Argath a casual wave. "See you tonight."

Argath blinked. She'd better not be saying... that just didn't make any sense. Lost in his thoughts, he wandered in the direction of the inn without noticing anyone else. Only when he entered did he realize that he had followed the other Viera from his group. Excellent.

As she haggled with the old couple that ran the inn for a price, he put aside his resentment and approached the couple, putting on a kind smile and standing next to the Viera. "Hello there. As my associate is telling you our group is in need of lodging for the night. Three Vieras, two Taruts, a Hume and a Moogle. I'm sure we can agree on a fair price."

------------
Making the same check.

[Overcast]

Caspin felt like mellowing in his wine for a bit, and he was never so good at negotiating prices so he decided to follow after the impulsive Vieran sword-mistress. He was of an even mind that they ought to figure out where they could find this little beast, nothing quite so wasteful as wandering in the wilderness when you were after something specific.

They arrived a motley looking group almost certain to arouse suspicions of the local populace, and the Viera shot her questions at the doctor in a very telling way. Perhaps not a threat, but it may not be wise to say no to someone with so big of a sword.

"Doctor! I have come here to capture the fiend that is plaguing these mountains. Can you tell me anything about the udrafresk?"

He would chip in while the little Tarut worked on getting some remedies for the impending hunt. Hoping for a specific detail since they did already know quite a bit about the big skinless gorillas,

"Particularly a location where it might be seen, relative area of petrification incidents and the like?"

[Krylo]

"Well deary," the older woman said with a kind smile to Argath, "As we were telling your lady friend here, oh you DO make a cute couple by the way, don't they, Henry?" she turned to her husband for a moment, the man responding with a nod and a 'Yes, Edith', that sounded as though it had been recited thousands of times throughout their marriage. "Well, as I was saying," the old woman continued, "We don't have seven rooms available. We only have about four... I guess you could all double up, but each room only has one bed..."

"Though, I doubt that'll be a problem for you two, eh?" came the man's deeper voice, with a knowing twinkle in his eye.

Looking back with a little bit of a scowl Edith responded to her husband in a chastising tone, "Now don't embarass the poor dears, Henry!" Turning back to the younger couple before her she continued, "Now, our going rate is only ten gil per room, and an extra five per person if you want breakfast, and I'm sure you all want breakfast! You've haven't eaten until you've tried my home made eggs and hash browns!"

"She makes a mighty fine country fried gargant steak!" Henry threw in.


-------

Reaching a finger up to slide his spectacles back in to place, the grey haired man behind the counter looks over the Mithra woman with an analyzing eye, taking in her question carefully before Caspin joined her in asking about the monster.

With a world weary sigh that seemed to rattle his bones, the older man rooted around under the counter before pulling out a map and unfurling it with aged but deft fingers. Planting one finger on the map he says simply, "Here," before looking up at the Mithra and Blue Mage. "As for anything else, I can only tell you the stories the men say. It's big. Looks like an ape or a sasquatch, but it doesn't have any fur, or skin, and it turns thing to stone before it eats them. No one has been so foolish to try and hunt the beast, at least not that they've told me, so I can't help you more than that."

Looking past the pair he continues, "Now, if that's all, I believe I have a paying customer..." he trails off, his eyes moving toward Fie. "And what would you like to purchase?"

[CelesJessa]

Vera rose an eyebrow when the male spoke up, mildly annoyed that he chimed in, after all, she was taking care of the lodging issue just fine. Her annoyance only lasted for a moment, replaced by surprise when the innkeepers implied that they were together. Playing along she sidled up closer to the male, playing the part of the protective female.

"That sounds reasonable." She nodded, "Me and..." Oh hell she didn't even remember his name... "We can share a room, and the others can choose who goes with who."

She winked at Argath, "Right, Honey?"

[Dracorion]

Argath gaped in surprise at the elderly couple's assu,ption that he and the other Viera were together. "Wha-... but we-" Surprise gave way to anger, though, when she decided to play along.

"Right, Honey?" She asked, sliding closer to him. He decided to play along if only because this was the only place they could stay. "Sure thing, Sweetie." He replied warmly, placing his arm around her. He'd kill her for this, though.

Well, no he wouldn't, but it was nice to imagine. He thought of another way to pay her back instead. "We might as well pay now. Four rooms and seven breakfasts. You have the money, right Sweetie?"

[CelesJessa]

Vera's mischievous grin faltered just a fraction when he mentioned her paying for it.

"But Darling." She gave him a pointed look, "I thought the others were covering it once they got back?"

[Dracorion]

Argath kept smiling as he replied. "Come on, Honey, the others could be gone all afternoon. There's nothing wrong with us paying for it now, is there?"

[McTahr]

Fie perked up from examining the designs on his robe. He'd certainly have to go for something more original when he made his next.

"I'm with them, and as you can probably guess, I'll need a remedy for petrification, else we'll be dragging more back than just the fiend."

___
No haggling check or anything. Just shooting for going price.

[CelesJessa]

Vera slipped her hand around her "Boyfriend's" waist, giving him a "loving" squeeze that might be a little too hard. She continued to smile, but that smile didn't exactly reach her eyes anymore, "I guess you're right, but I could have sworn you were carrying our money."

[Krylo]

"That'll be 100 Gil," the older gentleman said as he reached below the counter and pulled out a single golden needle (http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Gold_Needle) that glinted in the light from his window. The exchange was made with minimal hassle and put the doctor in a noticeably better mood.

He hated haggling, and, indeed, most social interaction, and enjoyed when customers simply exchanged money for their goods with no hassle.

"Now, then, do you gentleman need anything else, or...?" he asked, looking at the three before him, and then past them to the door.

[Geminex]

Docus sighed as he observed the two haggling viera from a distance. Did they always behave like this? He'd have expected more hostility and less passive-agressiveness from them... but one was as bad as the other, he supposed.

In any case, it looked like it would take a while before they got those rooms (and, with them, baths), so he thought he might as well endure the smell emanating from him, and take a look around. He had seen a couple of party members heading towards the doctor's, so he decided to check out the hunting supplies shop.

He entered the shop (little more than a sturdy hut, really), and looked around, his eyes adjusting to the dim light inside as he looked around for the owner. "Greetings. I'm here with a party of hunters, and we're seeking a certain monster that's been roaming these parts. A certain... Udrafresk. Interested in both, information and supplies."

----------

Interrogation check for Udrafresk information.

[Dracorion]

She squeezed his waist a little too hard, probably as a warning, but Argath was enjoying this too much to stop now. "No, no, I gave you the money just before we left, remember? I told you 'Here's the gil, Darling' and handed you the bag." He argued, squeezing her arm back just as hard.

Zephyr, completely unaware of his master's ruse, simply saw him warming up tp Vera and decided to join in, rubbing up against her leg and looking up at her happily.

[CelesJessa]

Vera just stood there and smiled at Argath for a second, the same smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. He wasn't going to let it go, was he? Finally she spoke, "I guess you're right, how silly of me."

Releasing Argath, she approached the elderly couple, fishing the necessary coins out of her bag and handing them to the woman, the smile never leaving her face. "So that was four rooms and... seven breakfasts. Right?"

After the transaction was complete she turned to face Argath, the smile replaced with a glare once the old couple couldn't see it, "Well, I think I'm going to go check our our room, the others should be back before too long."

And with that she stalked off to one of the rooms.

[Dracorion]

Argath smiled back at Vera's glare. That was a lot of fun. He'd follow her into the room to finish the ruse, kill some time and head out later. "Thank you very much." He said to the old couple before following Vera.

"What's up Honey?" He asked, sarcasm evident in his voice as he entered the room Vera had gone in. "Are you mad or something?"

Oh now he was just rubbing it in.

[CelesJessa]

She spoke lowly, not wanting the old couple to hear their "lovers spat", but not bothering to actually look at Argath.

"I suppose you think your clever, don't you?"

[Dracorion]

"Oh, I don't know." Argath said relaxedly, throwing himself down on the bed while Zephyr lay down on the rug beside it. "It was a fun little game. And don't forget, you're the one who decided to go along with it. It would have cost us nothing to correct them on it."

"So yeah, I decided to pay you back because I'm not particularly happy with anyone thinking I'm together with you." He refrained from adding a lot of adjectives.

[CelesJessa]

"Tch." She turned to glare at him.

"Is that why your tribe doesn't want you anymore? Because you're a troublemaking male?" Yeah, as if she had a lot of room to talk, "That's pretty bad if they're rather risk extinction than put up with you." At least that's what she assumed happened.

[Dracorion]

"Naw. I just didn't want to put up with a bunch of stuck-up hypocritical females, so I left." He replied simply.

That ought to get her going.

[CelesJessa]

"You just left?" Unbelievable. It's not as if she got along with her tribe any better, but leaving didn't threaten their survival.

Either way she didn't have the patience to talk to him right now, and she walked to the door, pausing to smirk back at him, "I'm going out, why don't you be a good boy and wait here for the others?" And added under her breath, "If you're capable of handling responsibility." And with that, she stalked out of the room, to wander around town until people started meeting up again.

[POS Industries]

Lurching into the inn, having taken his time making his way through town while he readjusted to being on solid ground--especially after the bang-up landing job--Prasad did his best to straighten up and shoot a wink at Vera as they passed one another, then slouching back over and cradling his stomach once she was far enough behind him.

Entering the nearest room, the moogle collapsed face down on the bed, letting out a muffled groan for a moment before looking up to see Argath next to him.

"Oh... Sup?"

[Dracorion]

Argath just kept smiling as Vera stormed off. And he was glad to be rid of her. Soon after she left, the Moogle from his group came into the room, not seeming to notice him.

The little guy hadn't seemed to take the airship ride very well, and still looked rather sick now. Finally noticing Argath, he looked up and said "Oh... Sup?"

"Sup." The male Viera replied simply. "You know, if you're not feeling well it's probably a good idea to eat something."

[POS Industries]

Prasad shook his head, rolling over onto his back as he stared up at the ceiling for a moment, a bit pleased that it didn't appear to be spinning. "I'll get a bite soon enough. Just need a little time to relax after being kupo'd up on that flying deathtrap..."

There's also the issue of not having the gil on me for dinner, the moogle thought to himself. Getting a free meal might be a bit tricky, but certainly not impossible. It all simply depended on who he could work over. This rare specimen in the room with him could very well be the meal ticket in question, though exactly how to charm a male viera was something outside his usual area of expertise.

There was a brief silence as he pondered the situation, deciding to take what seemed to be the obvious conversational path to success, "So... bitches, amirite?"

[Dracorion]

"Bitches." Argath said with a smirk at the Moogle. "That one in particular that just left is extra bitchy. What's her name anyway, do you know?"

He found he liked the Moogle more than his other companions, so he might as well hang out with him for a while. "I'm not so thrilled about out other teammates. The Red Mage and the White Mage are okay, but the other two just rub me the wrong way."

[POS Industries]

"Vera, as I recall. Vera the Viera? Yeesh. Anyway, fancies herself quite the thief, if I had to guess," Prasad answered, "A teammate who's not afraid to cheat to win can be a valuable asset, but he who trusts a cheater is liable to get cheated himself. Needless to say, I don't see myself sleeping well around her."

"The other young lady, the one wielding what looks like a propeller blade, she might be a bit more fun, though. Strikes me as the sort to kupo back a few drinks and paint the town red," he chuckled, before letting out a shrug at Argath, "Though at least that's my definition of fun. Dunno about you."

Prasad sat up, eying the doorway to make sure no one was coming before continuing, "The mages are a mixed bag. The two tarut should be useful--the red mage is almost as smooth an operator as yours truly--but that hume..."

[Dracorion]

"Vera, right." Then he realized. "It's Argath, by the way." He said, extending his hand to the Moogle.

He avoided commenting on the other Mithra since he didn't want to explain that the reason he disliked her was because she was a female and therefore just as stuck-up and arrogant as the rest of them.

"The Blue Mage is going to be trouble, I think. We should figure out how to keep him in line, just in case."

[Overcast]

Caspin stood over the map and stared down at where the doctor had pointed. Examining all the little details around the place he might need to locate it once they were on their way, while Fie took care of their petrification troubles.

With the Doctor being a bit of a bother now, and all their neccesities taken care of Caspin simply stepped out the door without so much as a thank you. It was about time they see if everyone else had handled their business.

________________________________________________
INT check for memorization I think?

[McTahr]

Fie looks over the map and does his best to make note of the details as well, before thanking the doctor and leaving.

...He gets about halfway to the inn before the realization hits him that he just spent his last gil and has no way of paying for the room he's presumably about to be occupying. He slinks into the inn and looks around for any of his companions, hoping to catch a ride in a drawer or something of the like.

___
Int for memorization?

[Arhra]

The aged doctor had looked at Jade and Caspin carefully after their questions. He sighed deeply and retrieved a map from beneath the counter. "Here," he said, pointing at a specific spot. "As for anything else, I can only tell you the stories the men say. It's big. Looks like an ape or a sasquatch, but it doesn't have any fur, or skin, and it turns thing to stone before it eats them. No one has been so foolish to try and hunt the beast, at least not that they've told me, so I can't help you more than that."

Looking past the pair he continues, "Now, if that's all, I believe I have a paying customer..." he trailed off, his eyes moving toward Fie. "And what would you like to purchase?"

"Thank you, Doctor." Jade replied enthusiastically, looking at the map intently. "That's a great help. With such a small area to search, we'll have it caught within the week or my name isn't Jade Degaur! Now if you'll excuse me, I must go."

The young Viera warrior spun around and marched out the door. It was time to question some villagers.

* * *

"I thought I saw it once, but it was just a cow."

* * *

"They're saying it's this big gorilla with no skin."

* * *

"Welcome to Mandala!"

* * *

"You're not really going to hunt that thing?!"

* * *

"If you want to know where the attacks have been happening, you should probably talk to the doctor."

* * *

The thought occured to Jade that the hunting shop might be worth a look. Its clientele was hunters, the people most likely to have seen the beast and they'd have the experience to give useful information about it.

Failing that, there might be someone interesting to talk swords with.

It was quite obvious that no-one in her group appreciated them like she did.

[Krylo]

The owner, a smallish hume man with slightly greasy hair and rustic clothing--that matched the decor of the shop, garishly decorated with the heads and other trophy parts of various animals, perked up immediately upon Docus's entrance and questions. Standing quickly from his log counter he made his way around toward Docus, to allow better conversation.

"Ah yes! The Udrafresk! Quite the fearsome beast that! Why you're lucky you came here, I've everything you need to face the beast," he exclaimed excitedly as he moved over to a small rack of what appeared to be copper weapons. Gilded in gold. And other objects made of the same material.

"Now, these right here are what you need. Copper and gold." He raised a hand to quiet the small mage before he could speak, assuming that the Tarut knew about the extremely low strength of such metals and how unsuitable for combat (or containment) they really were.

"I know what you're thinking," he continued, "A creature that big? That frightful? Why he'd tear right through these fancy prodders, but you'd be wrong! I had not less than five people out here this week alone saying the Udrafresk's flesh burns on contact with precious metals. Why one hunter only escaped with his life by throwing a gil on the beast!"

Picking up a copper staff, hefty in weight, he presented it to the Tarut, "Of course, we only carry top of the line objects here, and as such there is the matter of price, this object, for instance, will run you about 1000 gil."

[Geminex]

Docus smiled warmly at the shopkeeper. This didn't seem quite right, but best to act unfazed.

"How fascinating. You know, I wouldn't have thought that there'd be that many people encountering the Udrafresk. Five only this week, you say? And of course, those are just the lucky few who happened to have gold weapons on them at the time! What're the chances of that? There must be dozens of search parties in those woods!"

His smile remained fixed, but he held eye contact for just a moment longer than was natural., before taking the staff from the shopkeeper and examining it. "Unless, of course, you were exaggerating just a minute bit? Perfectly understandable. Not, of course, in your interests to do so. The faster we neutralize the Udrafresk, the safer this little village is. It'd be horrible if it attacked the village and some poor villager or shopkeeper got petrified. The best way to prevent that is, of course, to give me the information we need, and give it to me precisely. If it's good, then you might make a sale to boot."


------
Appraisal of the staff, another opposed speech check. Or is that negotiation?

[Krylo]

"Ah hah, you mistake me," came back the owner's response to Docus's doubting ways. "They did not have gold weapons on them, merely gil made of copper, silver, and gold. Much as these beautifully hand crafted weapons, one of which you are holding in your hand right now."

Continuing, he lifted a dagger from the rack, and spun it around in his hands a few times to demonstrate the balance, "As you can see, they're masterfully made, and would certainly be worth your money, even IF the creature did not have issue with valuable materials, and, I assure you good sir, that all of my knowledge of the creature says that he does."

"Indeed," he says, as he places the dagger back in its place, "The creature is why I have such a fine collection of weapons forged from valuable materials."

[Arhra]

Jade swaggered into the hunting shop, the bell on the door ringing as it clicked shut behind her. She glanced around, looking at the trophies, the log counter, the odd weapons and the shopkeeper with interest.

Jade listened spellbound as the shopkeeper ran through his spiel. She was utterly convinced of the truth of this man's obviously very helpful and extremely plausible claims.

She prepared her answer after Docus.

"Interesting. But useless!" Jade chuckled. "For that price, it'd be cheaper to just throw the gil at the beast." Something about the gleam in her eye and set in her stance made it appear she was seriously considering that option.

After hearing Docus' doubts, Jade gave the shopkeeper a frank look. She held out a hand. "Put your money where your mouth is. Let me give it a swing." the Viera suggested.

[POS Industries]

"The Blue Mage is going to be trouble, I think. We should figure out how to keep him in line, just in case."

"Yeeup," Prasad agreed, finally feeling well enough to push himself up and bounce off the bed, making his way toward the door, "And something tells me we probably shouldn't be letting him--or any of our other, erm, friends--wander too long without a leash, wouldn't you agree?"

[Dracorion]

"Sure." Argath agreed. He got up and followed Prasad out the door and out the inn, Zephyr following at his feet. "We should split up, try to track them all down. See you around."

He decided to interrogate the townspeople about the whereabouts of his companions.

***

"Do you have any idea how many humes live in this town?"

***

"I thought I saw it once, but it was just a cow."

***

"Yeah, I saw a Mithra like that head into the doctor's office."

***

"Welcome to Mandala!"

***

"... With the big sword? Yeah, she went to the hunting shop."

***

Entering the hunting shop, he found the sword-wielding Mithra and the Red Mage from his group chatting with the owner of the establishment. "Hey guys," he said with a friendly tone as he approached them. "What's going on here?"

[Krylo]

"Of course, my dear," the hume says with a distinctly oily voice as he steps aside to allow Jade to take one of the weapons. "Pick up any blade you wish and test its balance for yourself. I wouldn't sell it if it weren't the finest quality."

His eyes dart toward the door as Argath enters, and a wide smile spreads across his face. "Ah, you sir must be another companion of these two fine citizens. I was simply helping them prepare for their little hunting expedition, as is my specialty. You, too, are welcome to test any of the weapons on the rack, if you wish."

[Dracorion]

"... Gold and copper weapons?" Argath asked, looking around the shop. Why would a backwater town like Mandala have a shop selling such costly merchandise?

"Why do you have these?" He asked the shopkeeper. He decided to take him up on his offer and picked up a sword, examining it.

------------
Check to see if Argath buys his bullshit.
Also, appraisal check.

[Overcast]

Meanwhile, Caspin had arrived at the Inn. He was able to find out where the rooms were without much trouble, asking the lady at the front desk about someplace reserved for their racially diverse party. He proceeded to the rooms, checking one showed Vera, but he didn't feel like bothering. The rest seemed empty though. He pulled himself into the shower and cleaned the now sticky wine from his body and hair and changed into a clean a new clean outfit. Feeling refreshed he decided to take a minute to lie on the bed in thought. It wasn't long till his eyes began to drift and he was off to dreamland where he danced with lobsters before tossing them in the pot.

[Geminex]

Docus nodded slowly. This seemed to make... some degree of sense. The price was excessive, of course, and he doubted the weapons were good for anything but fighting petrification monsters. He wasn't even entirely sure if they were good for that! But it was an option, albeit a desperate one.

"That's... fascinating information. Potentially useful, certainly. What else do you know? Are these weapons the only way to hurt the beast we seek? And... other than these weapons, what else do you sell?"

--------
Interrogation check for more info, and maybe a trade check to see what else he sells? Do I even need a check for that?

[Krylo]

"Ah well, to be completely honest," the man said as he brushed his hand out in front of him dismissively, "I've had these weapons for quite some time. Probably forged for some noble twit who could afford the materials with no real use for such expensive or hefty weapons, but they ended up here by mistake, and well..." with a bit of devilish grin he continued, "I never have been one to kick a gift horse in the mouth. And I do believe they look quite attractive in display there, don't you?"

Moving forward, toward Argath, he continued, "Of course I'm more than willing to give up the decoration to help you all slay that awful beast. I only wish I could offer them to you for less, but they are forged out of rather expensive material..."

As the owner was moving in for what he assumed was the kill, Docus caught his attention with a new question. "Ah hah, well, I wouldn't be able to say for certain valuable metals are the ONLY way to hurt the beast, after all he is a rather new addition to our wilderness here. I can only say that they do hurt it, and seem to do so with just a touch! Something common steel seems to be incapable of."

"As for what else I sell," he said as he swept his arm over his wares, traps, nets, bait, various other weapons and ammos, "Well anything you could possibly need to capture the creature. Even a few made of copper, silver, and gold." He pointed up above the rack of golden weapons as he spoke, a trio of gladiatorial nets, one made of each of the expensive metals, hanging above the weapons rack.

[Dracorion]

Argath just gave the shopkeeper a condescending smile. The guy was basically trying to get rid of some useless equipment, and selling it for far too much. True, the weapons were made of expensive materials, but that wasn't what determined cost. It was called supply and demand.

"Well, this is useless." He said. "We can't afford any of these anyway. Let's just go back to the inn." He made to leave, perhaps a bit slowly.

[Geminex]

Docus caught on, nodded, mirroring argath's smile. "My friend makes a point. . Perhaps we will be back to buy some bait, or other minor supplies. But other than that... So sorry to have intruded upon your time, friend. And a good day to you."

[Arhra]

"Of course, my dear," the shopkeeper said with an oily voice as he steps aside to allow Jade to take one of the weapons. "Pick up any blade you wish and test its balance for yourself. I wouldn't sell it if it weren't the finest quality."

Jade selected the largest blade on the rack and ran it through its paces with a rather intense expression on her face. Her ears twitched as she listened to the conversation going on as she surrounded herself with a golden blur.

It definitely was a well made weapon, but still only about comparable to the grossly oversized knife she had slung on her back.

"Hrrmm." Jade said, holding onto the blade with her free hand and flexing it experimentally. Definitely softer and copper or gold wouldn't hold an edge that well.

"Not bad." the warrior admitted. "But for that price I'd prefer to stick with the sword I'm used to." Then she grinned. "Now then, where would I be able to find these hunters who have encountered the beast?"

[Krylo]

"Oh they're about," the shopkeeper replied, noncommittally, "I'm afraid I don't have their addresses or anything of that nature, however... and business has been a bit down with that beast romping about the woods."

He shrugged a bit dejectedly. "I suppose you might find some around the bar tonight?"

----

And so, having decided against purchasing the wares of the wilely merchant, perhaps to their detriment, or perhaps to their fortune, the small group makes their way back to the inn, so that they may rest and prepare for the battle ahead.

[Dracorion]

Leaving the hunting shop, Argath and his two companions made their way back to the inn. As he walked, his hand brushed his hip and he noticed something. Or rather, the lack of something. Looking down, he saw his money pouch was gone.

The last time he remembered having it was... at the inn, he was certain. He remembered something else at the inn. A humorous ruse, a hand around his waist.

... Oh, well played.

As soon as they got back to the inn, he headed straight for the room he was supposed to share with Vera. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, he waited for her to return.

"Hi Honey, how was your day?" He asked, his tone betraying his words, as soon as she entered the room. He didn't have that playful smile on, either. "I'd like my money back now, if you please."

[CelesJessa]

Vera raised an eyebrow at him as she slipped into the room, looking bored, although there might be a slight smirk twisting the edges of her mouth. "I don't know what you're talking about." She yawned, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Did you misplace it while shopping? Honestly, this is why men shouldn't take care of their own money, they're bound to lose it one way or another."

[Dracorion]

"Oh, right, of course, how silly of me to suspect the Thief." He replied, rolling his eyes.

"I know I lost it here. Clearly it was the old couple that took it. You saw those furtive glances they were shooting each other, they are clearly a couple of master criminals."

"So yeah. I'd like it back." He said, extending his palm and trying to keep his temper under control.

[CelesJessa]

"You've been gone shopping all day," She rolled her eyes right back at him, "Don't you think if I stole it you would have noticed earlier?" She gives his outstretched hand a look that said 'you're crazy if you think I'm going to give you anything.'

[Dracorion]

"We didn't buy anything." He replied angrily. "In case you haven't noticed, this town is a hole."

He kept his hand outstretched. "So. Please." He said, trying to sound as pleasant as possible.

[CelesJessa]

"I didn't steal your money. Besides," Her bored look turns into a shiteating grin, "Now that I think about it, if I remember right, you yourself insisted that you gave it to me."

She dropped her voice into a mockery of his own, reciting his words, "No, no, I gave you the money just before we left, remember? I told you 'Here's the gil, Darling' and handed you the bag."

[Dracorion]

This time, he simply gave her a cold glare. "Last warning. My money, or the nice old couple is going to have to kick us out of their home."

[CelesJessa]

"If you want your money, you're going to have to talk to that nice old couple." She gave him a sweet grin, "These rooms didn't just pay for themselves. So generous of you to buy breakfast for everyone too."

[Dracorion]

"Right." He said simply, though the word was full of hate. "First, you're going to give me what's left of my money, because I know how much was in there."

"And then," the threat evident in his tone. "you're going to pay me back every gil."

[CelesJessa]

"Mmhmm..."

Her grin turned into a frown as she stood up, "Tell me, after you planned on making me pay for the entire thing, were you planning on paying me back?"

[Dracorion]

"Hmmm..." He pretended to think.

"No. I'll give you, oh, ten gil for my breakfast and share of the room. You can ask the nice old couple or our companions for the rest."

[CelesJessa]

Vera snorted derisively, "If you think I'm giving you anything, you are more delusional than I first though. Oh... on second thought..." She reached in a pocket and produced the bag that Argath had been keeping his money in. It was empty. "You can have this back."

[Geminex]

Docus stretched luxuriously as he stepped from his room. He'd managed to persuade the landlady to bring him a tub (more of a bucket, really) of hot water to his and Prasad's room, and had used his room-mate's absence to wash the stink of wine from himself. Now, feeling refreshed, it was time to consider. They'd managed to get some information from the locals, and the encounter with the shopkeeper had been... interesting, but he didn't feel quit ready yet. They had one last lead, the hunters, and they should employ it.

He was, however, aware that, however great his intellectual prowess, he was, to put not too fine a point on it, not very tall. Or physically impressive. As such, he'd need physically companions. He heard Viera voices from the room next to his, smiled. Physically impressive and female. Success was becoming more likely. The door was ajar, and he knocked on it lightly before pushing it open. He was hardly worried about interrupting anything. Though they seemed to be talking quite civilly.

As he stepped in, he realized that in this case, 'civilly' meant 'with thinly veiled mutual contempt'. The matter appeared to be money. He sighed. "If I may interrupt... What seems to be the problem?"

[Dracorion]

Argath noticed Docus coming, but didn't bother to turn to look at the Tarut. He drew his spear, taking a battle stance as he faced Vera. "None of your business." He said to Docus dismissively. "Best to get out while you've still got plausible deniability."

[Overcast]

In his dreams Caspin was a chef above chefs. A life of adventure earning him the money to open up his own restaurant where all the recipes he had built through his monstrous delicacies could be spread to everyone who arrived. He was a genius of food, and the world bowed down to his knowledge, no one back home could talk badly about him now. He was famous, more than they would ever be.

Then he woke up.

Leaving the paradise behind was a bit saddening, but he took it as premonition. One day he would be that, and nothing would stop him short of death itself. He stepped out of the room stretching ready to go check out the kitchen. He had smelled their items the other day and they had some rather good labor around here, he'd enjoy seeing some of their techniques, but on the way down he noted some kind of commotion coming from the room he'd skipped over before since Vera was in there.

He opened up and peeked inside, and there was Argath readying his spear to pierce the thief. He raised and eyebrow and entered the room,

"Argie dear why are you threatening poor Vera with your spear?"

He walked across the room with nary a thought in his head that Argath might try to stab him,

"We need you to save that energy for tomorrow, we have monsters to hunt. And I'd be very disappointed if you wasted your stamina here."

He looked up the long piercing implement and ran a finger down the shaft,

"I can think of much better ways to waste it anyway."

[CelesJessa]

Vera watched Argath carefully, prepared to be on the defensive. She wants Argath to look like the aggressor here. She settled slightly when Caspin and Docus intervened. She thinks she might like them.

"He's being completely unreasonable. I don't know if I feel safe sharing a room with him anymore." You can share with him, Caspin.

[McTahr]

Fie woke up from his dozing in the hall and noticed quite a bit of noise coming from one of the rooms. Interested, he meandered over to a rather interesting scene.

The two Viera looked poised to kill each other at a moment's notice, with a few of his companions trying to intervene.

Fie was having none of it.

All he'd wanted out of this was something like a bed. Fie stormed over to one of the beds, yanked off a blanket, pulled out one of the dresser drawers, and curled up inside.

"Don't wake me unless they're dying. I'll heal through all the monster wounds you want, but I can't cure stupidity."

[Dracorion]

He was just about ready to charge Vera when Caspin entered. And then, yes, the Hume had the gall to flirt with him. Argath was just about ready to snap.

"Get the hell away." He growled at Caspin, pointing the spear at him. "You can room alone for all I care, but you're going to give me my money if I have to take it out of your cold, dead hands!" He yelled at Vera.

[Overcast]

"You really think it is that easy to scare me away Argie?"

He produced his knife from his coat and licked up the length of the thing before he moved to rub it against his threatening spear,

"I'm a monster hunter, a blue mage. An immortal. You will have to make a proper attempt at stabbing me if you are going to have me take you seriously."

He pulled his knife away and gave him a sigh and a shrug, shaking his head,

"Besides your threats to the thief are stupid, even if we get the lowest reward possible it will make what you are making such a big deal over look like chump change."

[Geminex]

Docus held the bridge of his nose. Dear god, their group was dysfunctional already.

"I won't call you friends, but I will call you allies. Because, at this moment, that is what we are, whether we like it or not. And in the interest of success, we will aspire to remain allies." His hand dropped from his face, and he glanced around the room, making eye contact where he could. "Argath, Vera, I am sure there are... tensions. But if you refuse to be... mature, at the very least have the good sense to be selfish. I cannot speak for all of us, but I would be surprised if our remaining party members would let the two of you -or anyone- put the party's success and rewards at risk over a petty feud." He paused for a moment. "That is not to say that I do not wish this feud to be carried out. I have always said that there is nothing more entertaining than watching attempted emancipation. But when you start stabbing each other, that is when you threaten the party's success.

So Argath, I recommend you drop the spear before somebody gets hurt. Besides, are you saying you'd let a female provoke you this easily? You won't win, you know. At worst you get charged with murder, at best she gets you kicked out of the group and gets part of your share of the reward. Caspin, I think it'd really help the situation if you kept your dagger away from Argath's shaft. I'm sure he's quite protective of his shaft." He paused for a moment, then brightened. "You're welcome to play with my staff, though." His expression totally serious, he offered his weapon to the hume. "Take good care of that, though. I may need it later." Then he turned back to the party. "Finally, Vera, is it? I would talk to you in private."

[CelesJessa]

"I'm not the one trying to stab a member of our group." Vera muttered under her breath, sneering at Argath before turning her attention to Docus.

"Ah, yeah?" She didn't really know what he wanted to talk about but making some distance between her and Argath would be good right now. She walked over to the door where Docus was, making sure to keep an eye on Argath.

[Dracorion]

"Tch." He gave the Tarut a calculating state. "Fine." He finally said, consenting to hold his spear at his side. "But I'm getting what's mine. One way or another."

"And at least try to get both sides of the story." He added.

[Geminex]

Docus grinned at Argath. "You'll find that whatever she owes you, it'll be easier to get it out of her once you both have 750 gil in your pocket. That's something to look forwards to, eh?"

Then he turned to Vera, speaking quickly and as quietly as he could. "Look, I think he's trying to prove himself. I know about Viera and gender, but... give him a chance, yes? He can't always be like this. And..." A pause, a knowing smile. "I'm sure there's better places to get some extra gil."

[CelesJessa]

Vera frowned, feeling much like a child who had been taken aside to try and reason with. "Maybe you should talk to him about trying to pin the entire inn's stay on me." She hissed under her breath to Docus. In her mind, she wasn't just stealing to be a terrible person, it was in retaliation for his earlier mockery and if he can't handle the heat, he should stay out of the kitchen, so to speak.

[Dracorion]

Docus' response was simply the drop that tipped the glass for Argath. "You know what? Screw this."

As he pushed Caspin aside and marched toward the door, he heard Vera hiss under her breath. "Well maybe you shouldn't play games no one else wants to play, princess." He said in response, as he walked out. "I'll see you all tomorrow."

Zephyr in tow, he stormed out of the inn, back into town. The sun was already starting to set. He wasn't planning on staying at the inn now. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, he swallowed his rage and put on a winning smile. Looking around, he saw his first target.

He approached the pretty girl casually with a friendly greeting. "Hi there."

-----------------
Check to have Argath spend the night with the girl?

[Geminex]

Docus let surprise creep across his face, partly at her response, partly at Argath's tantrum. Ah well, at least he hadn't stabbed anything. "That's what this is about? You let yourself get tricked into paying? Look, what's the rate per room? 10 gil? 15? By the dragons... give him his money back tomorrow. Or give it to me, I'll give it to him. I'll talk to the others about what is owed. And if you can lend me some now, I will pay you back with interest once we get our reward. The same goes for anyone else who happens to be broke right now, I'm sure. And from now on, if this pops up again, talk to me first. I will smooth things out, free of charge. Or just insult him, I'm sure you've got a wonderful repertoire."

[CelesJessa]

She just glared at Argath as he stormed out, although she inwardly smirked in victory. She doubted this was over, but he was the one to lose his temper.

"The grand total was 70 gil, thanks to Argath, and it's not just about that." Even though it totally was. It was partially about teaching him a lesson too, in her mind. Her ears perked up at the words "interest" as Docus spoke though. Perhaps it would be beneficial to get along with him. "You need to borrow money? Just for the rooms or did you find something in town?"

[Geminex]

Docus grinned. That had gotten her attention. "Merely my share of the rooms. That is to say, 10 gil, for now. Perhaps more in the future. I hope we will not stay too long. As for the interest... I'll pay back 15 for every 10 you lend me, once we get our well-deserved reward. That is more than I would usually offer, but I... wish to make a point. Cooperate with me, and with this group, and you will profit from it. My friendship has its uses, though they will rarely be financial in nature, and even Argath's support can be valuable. I'm making this point to you, because you seem to have a little more control in that little feud of yours. Avoid antagonizing him, and you will almost certainly be better off in the long run. I will make the same point to him" He held out his palm. "And now, the money, minus that he owes you for the room. That... you must agree, is fair, no?"

[CelesJessa]

Vera contemplated this for awhile, debating what would be the most profitable. Surely keeping the 80 gill profit she made from Argath would be more beneficial than the 5 gil profit Docus is promising although there is a benefit to not getting stabbed in the back before she can get the big reward.

Seeming to have come to a decision she looked at Docus, "If I give it back to him, I'll do it in person. And I'd like to know if the others intend on paying their share first before putting myself out 70 gil."

[Geminex]

Docus raised his eyebrows. "Return it to him yourself? That would, I think, not be wise. He'd likely stab you before you got a word out. In the interest of conflict resolution, let me take care of that. Besides, I'm going to be gathering the money, yes? I'm doing the work here. Speaking of which, assuming that our honored allies are broke also, I'm hoping you'd be willing to lend them something also. Perhaps at a rate of 12 for 10. That seems... fair."

[Overcast]

Caspin stared at the staff for a moment. He had thought he had put on his innuendo's about as thick as he could that even A tarut would have been able to see what he really meant, but hey he didn't know how they bred anyway so maybe the idea is thoroughly beyond him.

He shrugged and spun the staff as he proceeded downstairs and saw Argath doing a little flirting with the local wildlife, that just wouldn't stand,

"Hey honey, going to help out in the kitchen. I'll make your favorite dish, just like back home."

He winked at him and proceeded on his way. The game was called, "Watch Her Walk Away" and Caspin was most definitely the reigning champ. Regardless he was on his way to the kitchen and while he didn't know what he liked he was going to stereotype him as the fish sort,

He moved toward the chef with the biggest hat and bowed quickly,

"Excuse me. I'm Caspin Shift, aspiring cook and one of the people with lodgings here tonight. Would you mind if I gave you a hand? I always like to have a part in my meal and I could use the practice."

It was significantly more courteous than he typically was, but that was because this was a kitchen, and he respected other cooks in their workplace like other kings must in their courts.

[CelesJessa]

Vera sighed. She better play nice or else the entire group would probably leave her stranded here after they got the Udrafresk. Or worse: they'd use her as bait. That'd be no good. Getting the full reward sounded a lot more pleasant than the amount she got from Argath anyway. Besides, she ought to take it easy on him, poor male.

"Alright, although 15 for 10 seems a lot more fair to me..." She fished in her bag, producing the 150 gil she stole from Argath, minus the 10 he owed for the inn, and put it back in Argath's bag she had mocked him with earlier.

[Dracorion]

Okay, that did it. Someone was going to die, and that person went by the name of Caspin. "Excuse me," he told the pretty girl he no longer had a shot with, "I have to go murder someone."

He followed Caspin into the kitchen where he was chatting with the old lady while she busied herself. "Excuse us." He said kindly to the old lady, grabbing Caspin by the shoulder and dragging him outside the inn.

Then he let loose a punch aimed straight at the douchebag's face.

------------
STRIFE! (http://homestuck.bandcamp.com/track/aggrieve)

[Krylo]

Though a bit surprised, Caspin was able to easily side step the Dragoon's somewhat clumsy attack. Argath was an experienced warrior, but fisticuffs were outside of his expertise.

----

OOC: Caspin has 10 evasion, Argath rolled an 8, and has no extra accuracy while unarmed brawling.

[Overcast]

Caspin had went along with Argath just to humor him, but when the guy threw his punch he was obliged to get the hell out of the way of it. He was surprised, the way the Dragoon held that spear was full of experience, but he was complete crap with his hands. He brought his own fists up to his face, eyes staring for the next attack while he held himself defensively,

"What's the matter Argaaaaaaath? You mad?"

--------
Caspin takes a defensive stance.

[Dracorion]

"Yes." Argath replied, his voice full of hatred. He was crap with his hands, so he drew his spear this time and lunged straight at the bastard.

[Krylo]

Argath's attack struck with a speed and fierceness that took Caspin entirely by surprise, forcing him to slide backwards to avoid being run completely through. The wound was still quite serious, however.

----

Argath rolls a critical, doing 19 damage. Woulda been 38 had Caspin not been defending.

[Geminex]

Docus smiled, nodded. "I'm glad that you are reasonable. As for the interest, you can demand what you like. But if you want people to borrow from you, you'll have to be reasonable. I don't think people will go for 15:10 if they can get better rates from their other teammates. If you'd like a profit, you'll go 12:10 at most." He nodded again, gratified, as she agreed. This seemed to be dragging on, and, as much as he enjoyed negotiating with others, he had better things to do.

------
OOC: Speaking of dragging on, can I assume that the rest of the party will pay? I know this isn't great role-playing, but jegus, it's 10 gil we're talking about here, and I don't wanna have the posts flowing back and forth. Docus will approach everyone with a "Hi. Nice rooms, yes? Sadly, they need to be payed for. 10 gil for tonight, plus breakfast tomorrow. If you're broke, Vera will lend you 10, provided you pay her back 12 later. I recommend you agree."

If you wanna write a response post, I'll edit each individual encounter into this post. If not, just lemme know in-discussion or via PM how they respond.

-------

Money in pocket, smile on his face, he headed out to find the last two party members, Argath and Caspin. The plan was to get the money from Caspin, give the money to Argath, and then give Vera what was hers. All smooth, in theory, and then they could get on with it. But he realized that it it did not bode well that the two were out together, and when he came across their landlady, leaving the kitchen, clearly shocked, he realized his skills would yet again be required. He brushed past a very confused-looking female, entered the kitchen and heard grunts of extertion somewhere near the back door. He hurried through, and brought his hand to his forehead again as he saw his two teammates fighting. And not just brawling, he realized. Argath had drawn his spear, and Caspin was bleeding. Thankfully, Caspin had dropped Docus' staff on the ground, and he stooped to pick it up.

Then he raised a hand and drew on the power flowing around him and in him. He hadn't called upon it in a while, but it was there. Familiar, like an old friend. Though in this case, his only friend was an arsonist. He had never bothered to learn many more spells, he'd been too focused on his studies. But he'd learn. And for now, it would suffice, he hoped. He let it flow through his hands, not a lot, but... enough. Enough to feel the heat on his palms and on his face, enough to relish the incredible sensation of magic. Certainly enough to send a burst of flame into the air. And a blast of noise through the inn. With any luck, someone would come to try and help. Until then, his best option was to set Argath on fire unless he stopped. "Enough! Back off or someone burns."

-----
Docus uses intuitive magic to create a pretty distraction and try to startle both of them into pausing.

[Overcast]

Caspin wasn't particularly in the mood to be distracted. He was about to die. What he was in the mood for was running away, and that he could pull off. He shoved his finger into his wound to try to staunch the bleeding with his outfit before he turned on the balls of his feet and took off running, jumping off for a nearby awning and pulling himself over.

------
Athletics check for getting the fuck out of there.

[Dracorion]

"Grr!" Argath growled, watching the Hume try to run away. "Why the hell do you have to meddle in everything?!" He yelled, turning upon the Tarut. He looked just about ready to attack the little Mage.

[Geminex]

Docus cocked his head, raised his staff in one hand. "Because, my friend, people like you make it necessary. I do not care about insults or grudges. Those petty, those are... irrelevant. What we are here for is real. 750 gil, recognition, power. That is relevant. And I do not intend to let you endanger our party, and with it, our goals, for the sake of proving your manhood." A wry smile crossed his face, one that was not at all warm. "And I recommend you either use that spear or drop it. If you use it, you burn. If you drop it..." He held up a pouch with the other hand. "I've got some gil that belongs to you. Carrot and stick, my friend. Which would you prefer?"

-------

This would probably be a good time for an opposed charisma check.

[Overcast]

Caspin put some distance between the two of them then jumped off the rooftop and hit the ground gently, he stared backward keeping a thought of where he came from and began sneaking his way into position. An unfair advantage was just fine for him, he didn't want the bastard to see it coming.

-----
Move into long distance. Awareness check to find Argath. If successful, begin casting homing laser.

[Dracorion]

"Oh, what the hell do you care?" Argath growled, looking downright feral. "Nobody likes that bastard anyway, and we don't need him! The asshole's likely to get us in trouble anyway. So why don't you just keep your nose in your own business, Tarut?"

[Geminex]

Docus tensed. Time to talk fast. "For one, killing people because you dislike them is not a valid course of action. For another, I'm sure he has his... uses. And if he does get us into trouble, we can still reject him. But, for now, all he has done is antagonize you, and, with apologies to your injured pride, that is not quite sufficient for me to approve of you executing him. Finally, we wouldn't be losing one party member. We'd be losing two, cause if I had let you finish him, you wouldn't be around anymore either. As it is, if you drop the spear, I can... salvage the situation. Come on. Be reasonable. You might get out of this without losing too much."

[Dracorion]

"Bah." Argath consented to hold his spear at his side and stand straight, meaning to show he wasn't a threat at the moment. "Nothing's changed. You're still going to give me my money, and he's still an asshole."

[Krylo]

As Argath lowered his spear a beam of light pierced through the darkness, zigging around obstacles in ways that light should never move, to burn directly into Argath's back, piercing cleanly through him, the wounds cauterizing from the heat of the blast as the light dissipated a few inches past his chest.

It, luckily, failed to hit any critical organs, but the dragoon still suddenly found it hard to stand.

The light could be traced back to its source easily enough, but neither Docus nor Argath couldn't make out what, exactly, that source was currently.

---

Argath takes 22 damage.

[Overcast]

Caspin grinned from his little perch at the sight of the laser pulsing through the dragoon. He clutched at his own wound a moment to remind him why he had to teach this little lesson, if the bastard had kept to fists he would have fought him fair. Would have won or lost, and probably would have respected his boundaries afterwords. But he had tried to kill him, so he had to know that Caspin was just as capable of ending him. He could do it right now, one more well placed laser and it was all over...but he still needed him. So he leapt back down to the streets, landing softly like there had been no distance at all, and crept back toward the inn. He would like to see Fie about that whole patching up thing if he could.

[Geminex]

Docus smiled in reflief when Argath lowered the spear. His expression then turned to shock as a powerful shaft of light pierced the Viera. He had no idea where that had come from, but it had hurt, he could see that from here.. Argath wouldn't survive another hit. He ran towards the Viera, knelt down next to him. "Listen, we need to get inside. Stand, dammit. And then you need to let me smooth this over. That's the only way you're getting healed. It'll cost you, but with any luck I can make you seem like you're not a threat to the rest, cause that's what they're going to assume when they see Caspin. Come on."

[Dracorion]

Argath felt a sharp pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw a shaft of light had gone straight through him. The pain got worse as he found it harder to breathe and stand, and he fell to his knees, taking gasping breaths. Docus approached him, trying to get him back inside the inn. "No. No. We need to- that was a monster attack. We need to find it." He said between gasps, as he struggled to his feet.

[Geminex]

Docus sighed, tried to help the Viera up. "You're in no shape. We need to find the others, explain what happened, get you healed. If that really was a monster, we can face it then. But primarily, we need to make sure that your firstly, survive and secondly, prevent your getting kicked out. Cause I don't like our odds if we have just 6 people. Even though, if I may add, you are an idiot. Will you let me make sure of that? Now come on."

[Dracorion]

"... Fine." Reluctantly, Argath stumbled his way back into the inn, Docus offering what help he could. Just that short walk seemed to have taken a lot out of him. "What now?"

[Overcast]

Caspin stepped through the front door gripping his wound with a grin on his face that was just there to keep him walking. He caught a view of Docus dragging Argath in, looking at the bastard made him feel better. Especially that wound, the Blue Mage had gotten off easy by comparison. He looked to the stairway and started climbing up knocking on Vera's door and then just pushing his way in.

Considering what had happened earlier he figured she could reason out why he had the big red stain on his chef outfit. Certainly wasn't any more wine.

He kicked the dresser looking down at Fie,

"Sorry to bother you, but I seem to be suffering from an injury. I'd like to do some cooking tonight if I could, so if you don't mind?"

[Geminex]

Docus paused, thinking. "I'll go wake Fie, send him down to heal you. I'll tell the Viera to keep on guard for whatever did this and stay away from you. Then I'll try to head off Caspin, and get to him before you." He picked the moneybag from his belt. "This is your money. Permission to use it to defuse your little feud?"

[Dracorion]

"... I'm not giving that asshole anything." Argath insisted. Even wounded as he was, he wasn't going to back down. "Pay the White Mage what he needs."

[Geminex]

Docus nodded, dropped the money back. "Hope you don't regret this." Then he left, headed upstairs, knocked on Fie's door. Time to do some talking.

[Krylo]

Fie agreed, begrudgingly to patch everyone up so long as everyone stopped killing each other, and everyone headed off to bed... AND THEN IT WAS TOMORROW, and what a bright morning it was indeed. The small group helped themselves to their breakfast, which was SURPRISINGLY delicious, and then headed out in search of the Udrafresk.

As they searched Jade heard something moving in the bushes and the group quickly took up their combat stances as a group of six dingos burst out of the shrubbery around them, surrounding the group and ready to attack.

----

Going to assume you were all bright enough to put the mages in the middle.

Jade: Short range from Dingo 1
Vera: Short range from Dingo 2
Argath: Short range from Dingo 3
Caspin: Short range from Dingo 4.

Everyone else/All other Dingoes: Medium Range.

PC group attacks first.

[Overcast]

Caspin stood in his battle stance staring at the dingos, as much as he would enjoy to blast one of these creeps into hell with a laser he knew he should save it for when they saw the stone spitting skinless primates they were after. He only had the energy for a couple of shots after all. So he decided to weight how dangerous the little hounds were and crossed his arms, knife held southpaw, preparing for the closest one to do its worst.

------
Defensive stance.

[McTahr]

Fie grinned ever-so-slightly. The start of combat always felt so loose compared to the later parts where everyone was calling for aid.

He began chanting quickly under his breath, summoning the power of the winds.

--
Begin casting Aero on Dingo 4.

[Dracorion]

The White Mage healed both him and Caspin after insisting that all the in-fighting stopped, which Argath agreed to only to keep him happy. But damned if he was going to take any crap from the Hume or the Viera. Zephyr had been far too confused at seeing Argath attack someone he had been traveling with, and simply stayed out of the way, though he accompanied his master as he was being healed, offering what comfort he could. After, the entire party turned in for the night.

They started off the next morning with an incredibly delicious breakfast, courtesy of the old lady. Then they set off, entering the woods to begin their search for the Udrafresk. Soon, they were set upon by a pack of dingoes. Finally, some proper action.

Facing one of the dingos, he lunged, attempting to thrust his spear right through it. This time, Zephyr knew who the enemy was, and threw itself at the same dingo, attempting to bite down on it.
-----------------
Aggrieve Dingo 3! Zephyr attacks the same target.

[Geminex]

Docus grinned. The day had gone well so far. They'd manged to talk everything out, and while there were tensions, he felt those had defused somewhat over breakfast. Vera had her money, Argath had his, Caspin seemed to be keeping to himself. Sooo... not much talking to do, today. But he could make himself useful in other ways. At least now that he had targets.

He reached into himself again, into the bright orb power that he kept, somewhere inside his mind. Just a visualisation, of course, but an effective one. His vision became hazy as he drew off a smidgen, just as much as he could safely handle, and started to focus it. He retained an awareness of the battle around him, though, and, as he felt the air around him start to heat up, he noticed that Fie's attention seemed to be fixed on the animal threatening Caspin. His grin widened as he began to cast fire on the same target, figuring they'd kill one of them right here.

-------

Cast Fire on Dingo 4.

[POS Industries]

Prasad, who had obviously been there all along and the life of the party the whole time you don't even know don't pretend like you do, grinned nervously at the sight of the hungry, hungry dingos. His first instinct being to back away from the predators, he quickly realized such an endeavor would prove fruitless, and held his position, putting on his best cocky little poker face.

"Good doggies... Nice doggies," he breathed, giving his dice a roll, "You don't want to eat us. We're all tough and stringy and hopefully really, really hard to catch..."

-----------------
Executes Ninja's Roll.

[CelesJessa]

The rest of the night was fairly calm, although Vera was a little sad about returning the money. Alas, today is a new day. She behaved while they got up and got ready, returning to trying to keep a lower profile.

Vera inched towards the nearest fighter as the Dingos surrounded them, drawing her knife. She'd like to get back with the mages and avoid most of the direct combat but one of the dingos was a little close for comfort, so she lashed out with her knife.

-------------------------
Stab that dingo.

[Krylo]

The dingo before Argath leaps to the side as Argath lunges forward, but too slow as his blade still catches the creature's flesh, tearing through it viciously. The dingo, however, stands its ground, and charges forward through the blast from Zephyr, teeth gnashing toward the young Dragoon.

Unfortunately, just as Argath moves to defend himself, Prasad's dice come up four and six, and with a flash of light return to the moogle's hands, as everyone in the party feels as though a massive weight has been tied to them. Argath, suddenly feeling the weight is unable to do anything more than throw and arm in front of himself, the Dingo's teeth tearing into his flesh.

Vera's knife flashes out, aiming for the Dingo's throat, but the creature is fast and leaps back away from the potentially fatal blow, though the blade still carves a red line across the beast's face, but the wound only seems to enrage it as it leaps toward her. The thief is nimble, however, even with the weight from Prasad's ill luck, and merely dances out of the way of the attack, leaving the dingo to fall to the ground where she had been standing moments ago.

Meanwhile, Jade swings her oversized knife toward yet another of the creatures, and it attempts to leap out of the way, but her weapon is too large to evade completely and with a yelp, the creature finds a large gash through the front of its chest, its very bone notched by the force of the blow. These feral beasts seem not to know, pain, however, as it leaps forward, meaning to take revenge. Its wounds slow it, though, and Jade is able to easily interpose her sword between it and herself, pushing the creature away with no injury.

The creature near Caspin circles the defensive mage, its hackles raised, before rushing forward toward the mage. Knowing that, with the magical weight upon him, he'd be unable to move out of the way fast enough, the blue mage moves to block the blow and is successful in fending it off to a mere glancing attack.

The other Dingos circle in closer, moving toward the most injured prey, as the injured Dingos wounds begin to stitch themselves closed somehow.

As the party prepares to move once more, Docus and Fie finish their incantations, the wind catching the fire, swirling it about the poor Dingo who had attacked Caspin, the creature trapped within an inferno from which it can glean no air, its charred body falling to the ground, its breath coming in short pained gasps, body immobile.


-----------
Round 1, PC:

Argath-13 Damage, Dingo 3
Zephyr-0 Damage, Dingo 3

Prasad-Bust, -2 EVA for everyone for 5 rounds

Vera-9 damage, Dingo 2

Jade-15 damage, Dingo 1

Dingo 1- 30/45 hp

Dingo 2- 36/45 hp

Dingo 3- 32/45 hp

-
Round 1, Monster

Dingo 3-11 Damage Argath

Dingo 2-Miss

Dingo 1-Miss

Dingo 4-6 Damage Caspin

Dingo 5-Moves to short distance from Argath

Dingo 6-Moves to short distance from Argath

Argath- 14/25 hp

Caspin- 17/23 hp

Dingos Regen 5 hp per round:

Dingo 1- 35/45 hp

Dingo 2- 41/45 hp

Dingo 3- 37/45 hp

-
Round 2 PC,

Fie - 22 Damage, Dingo 4

Docus - 25 damage, Dingo 4


Dingo 1- 35/45 hp

Dingo 2- 41/45 hp

Dingo 3- 37/45 hp

Dingo 4- -2/45 hp

[McTahr]

Although his companion was in danger, sometimes the best defense was a good offense. Besides, he'd likely be incapacitated long before Fie could finish the incantation. It was better to think ahead and salvage the rest of the fight for now.

Fie pulled whorls of air down from above the party, preparing for another blast of air on one of Argath's aggressors.

--
Aero on Dingo 3.

E: Tactics change.

[Overcast]

Caspin felt the sudden weight of bad luck on his shoulders and felt quite happy he had taken the time to prepare to block. Because no quantity of agility was going to save him from harm this time. The dingo leapt and was pushed off but not without its claws digging a little into his skin. Nothing fatal, but it hurt.

Then came the Taruts with the heavy artillery blasting the damned thing into a fiery whirlwind of death that was beyond its ability to withstand. It fell to the ground, but he could already see its wounds starting to mend. That would not do. His eyes glowed and he grinned a massive toothy grin as the teachings of his old master fell into his hands his knife shaking with hunger.

He pounced, knife thrusting into the creature's gut and pulling all the way up to it's chest. His other hand thrust inside and yanked out the innards with reckless abandon. His head pulled back and smashed into the ribs, compacting them so his knife could cut down the sternum. He gripped both sides and ripped open the chest and grabbed the beast's still beating heart and tore it away taking a savoring bite from it before his hands gripped greedily at the ribs. Bones snapped, his teeth tore tough meat from connective tissue, sucked marrow from broken limb, his knife tore at skin strips to be chewed and swallowed in moments. Into the eye, breaking into the skull, sucking out the scrambled remainder of the brain and eyes, cutting off the tongue. Everything was taken. He cackled in a bloody mess where the dingo used to be and turned to stare at the remaining group, knife in hand, ready for the next victim.

In hindsight he realized he probably shouldn't have done that since they needed it for bait. But what was one snack?

---------------
Caspin uses Devour.

[POS Industries]

Prasad sighed heavily at the sight of his roll, the powers that be involved suddenly making him feel like a much easier target, and put the dice away with a defeated shrug.

"Son of a kupo," he growled, quickly drawing his pistols and taking aim at the dingo nearest Jade, "Hey sword girl, incoming bullets!"

Squeezing the triggers, he hoped that his aim proved better than his luck this morning.

---------------
Prasad attacks Dingo 1.

[Geminex]

Docus grinned at the result of their handiwork and tapped into the power again. Three dingos were threatening Argath; he hoped they could even those odds before his newfound ally (?) was mauled to death. So fire at was...

-----

Fire on dingo 3

[Dracorion]

As he tried to defend himself from the retaliating Dingo, the weight of Prasad's unlucky roll came over him and Argath winced in pain as the beast's teeth tore into the arm he raised to defend himself. He shook his arm to throw the beast off, but the damage was done, his arm was bleeding heavily.

Smelling fresh blood, the two remaining Dingos as well as the one that attacked him surrounded him. It did not look good at all. He couldn't reliably jump the ones in front of him, so he'd have to try to get another one and trust his allies to hold their own. Prasad was helping Jade with her Dingo, and Caspin ate the wounded one alive, leaving... crap.

It was either attack Vera's Dingo or get mauled by his three Dingoes. He was seriously considering getting mauled.

With a growl, he drew on his training and jumped with unnatural strength into the air, a flying arc of blood following in his wake. Soon, his upward momentum gave way and he fell, spear first, at the Dingo threatening Vera.

---------------------
Jump on Dingo 2.

[Krylo]

As the mages began their spells, Argath, realizing he was outnumbered launched himself in the air, leaving the dingos near him momentarily unsure of what to do. However, after a moment they made their decision, breaking off, each charging toward different combatants. Two of them charging toward the mages, while another leapt to the defense of the wild dog closest to Jade, whom had just felt the taste of her steel, and the bite of Prasad's bullets, and was barely able to continue to stand.

Vera's blade, too, found purchase in the flesh of the dingo who had been facing her, her blade cutting deep across its ribs as she dodged out of the way of another attack.

As the injured Dingo before Jade balled up and prepared to pounce, however, a horrible roar shook the area, and from the trees came charging a great skinless ape, its muscles glistening with the sickly shine of naked muscle, all except its arms. The left being covered entirely in rock, while the right was covered entirely in crystals. It's large hand wrapped about the dingo about to leap toward the warrior woman, and lifted the squirming, yelping dog to its mouth. As its teeth sank into flesh, the dog's body turned to stone, rocks which crumbled from the Udrafresk's massive jaws as cookie crumbs might fall from that of a young child.

Turning toward the group it roared just as Fie's magic was released, but he felt his spell pulled away from himself, and away from the target, the careful weave of magic unraveling and being drawn into the Udrafresk's right arm, even as it was released. Luckily, Docus's spell found itself able to escape burning the creature he targetted quite badly, even as Argath's spear tore through the Dingo before Vera with deadly accuracy.
---------------
PC Round 2, Cont.


Prasad - 14 damage Dingo 1

Vera - 11 Damage Dingo 2

Jade - 13 Damage Dingo 1


Dingo 1 - 8/45 hp.

Dingo 2 - 30/45 hp

Dingo 3- 37/45 hp

Dingo 4- DEAD!

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23

-------------
NPC Round 2,


Dingos 3 and 5 short range from Fie, Prasad, and Docus. Dingo 6 Short range from Jade.

Udrafresk Short Range from Jade.

Dingo 1 - DEAD!

Dingo 2 - 35/45

Dingo 3 - 43/45

Dingo 5 - 45/45

Dingo 6 - 45/45

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right Arm - ??/??

Udrafresk Left Arm - ??/??

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23

---------------
PC Round 3

Fie - 0 Damage.

Docus - 25 Damage, Dingo 3

Argath - 21 Damage, Dingo 1

Argath Short Range from Dingo 2.

Dingo 1 - DEAD!

Dingo 2 - 14/45

Dingo 3 - 18/45

Dingo 5 - 45/45

Dingo 6 - 45/45

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right Arm - ??/??

Udrafresk Left Arm - ??/??

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23

[Arhra]

Prasad drew his pistols and took aim at the dingo growling hungrily at Jade, "Hey sword girl, incoming bullets!"

Jade glanced his way with a flash of green eyes and an eager smile and then pulled back her heavy sword. One hand on the hilt and the other steadying the blade, she used the flat of the blade as an imprompt shield for her upper body.

"Hey dingo, DIE!" she shouted, following up the Moogle's kuporiffic shot with a crushing blow from her Buster Sword.

The dingo was on its last legs, and then suddenly it had no legs at all.

Jade's response to having her enemy snatched away, petrified and then messily devoured by a fiend could only be summarised as a mad grin.

"Ahahahah! You're here!" she cried eagerly. She stared into the beast's sunken eyes, ears twitching with glee. "Prepare to be beaten to pulp!"

The tall warrior swivelled suddenly, sighting on the dingo slinking up to attack her. "Out of my way, mutt!" Jade took a step forward, stomping one heavily armoured foot into the ground and chopped down at it with an abrupt, truncated strike.

OOC: Attack Dingo 6.

[POS Industries]

"Bad day bad day bad day bad day..."

Fortune was clearly not smiling upon Prasad as he watched their bounty leap onto the scene and devour the dingo he'd been targeting a moment earlier. What his party needed was a plan, someone to step forward and take charge, organizing and executing a brilliant strategy and leading them all to victory. That person, that born leader... sure as hell wasn't him.

Seeing two of the dingos coming toward him and the mages, he pivoted around around and unloaded his guns into one at close range, hoping he could find an opportunity to put some distance between himself and the monster lest he himself risk becoming that thing's next meal.

---------------
Attack Dingo 3.

[Overcast]

It turns out the born leader wasn't Caspin either, mostly because this scene was a brick shithouse that no one besides the most cunning could organize into something reasonable. So he decided that there was only one real thing he could hope for and ran away. Not all the way away, but he wanted to make sure he could strike at the big bad ape with the same kind of impunity he had shown Argath the other day. That was the power of his only spell, range. He could hit a fly a mile away if he had the telescope to see it with.

And he didn't need any help seeing this big creep.
--------
Caspin moves to Long range.

[Dracorion]

Well, that didn't take very long. The Udrafresk arrived and ate a dingo that was threatening Jade. Argath just gave his shitkicking grin. This was going to be fun.

With the Fresk around, some of the dingoes would run away if they had any survival instinct in them, so hopefully he wouldn't have to worry much about the fact that the two Taruts and the Moogle were currently surrounded. Still, it would probably be a good idea to take care of them. "Incapacitate the Dingoes if you can, but don't worry about killing them! The mark will do that for us." He yelled to his allies.

Shitkicking grin still on, he jumped again, flying arc of blood trailing once again, at the motherfucker.

-------------------------
Jump on Udrafresk's right arm. The magic-absorbing one.

[CelesJessa]

The ground shook as the Udrafresk came through the trees, but Vera had her own Dingo to deal with first.

Vera blinked with surprise as a spear suddenly came down into the Dingo she had been fighting, belonging to none other than Argath.

"Nice shot, Boy." She smirked at him. In the adrenaline high, that might have actually have been a genuine compliment. She lashed forward with her own knife, trying to take down that Dingo, they had bigger fish to fry.

[McTahr]

'Turning toward the group it roared just as Fie's magic was released, but he felt his spell pulled away from himself, and away from the target, the careful weave of magic unraveling and being drawn into the Udrafresk's right arm.'

-
"Well, there goes that option." Between the Udrafresk's arm and the dingos nearby, it would be nigh impossible to get a spell off, but he wasn't about to retreat. One of them was wounded, and already the moogle had taken aim.

Fie turned to face a creature over twice his size and drew back his staff, ready to put all of his marginal strength into the best thwack he could manage.

"Tarut's not on the menu!"

--
Bitchstick Attack on Dingo 3

[Krylo]

Another Dingo closing in on Jade stopped to watch the nearby Udrafresk devour its compatriart. One couldn't be certain what the creature was thinking, or if it even was thinking, but Jade's blade ripping through its flesh awoke it from its reverie and sent it charging at the nearby warrior, it's teeth tearing into the flesh of her leg before she could extricate it from her body.

Meanwhile, Prasad fired his guns into one of the wild dogs closest to him, it's body barely moving forward as Fie cracked smashed his staff into its skull, finishing the poor beast off.

The dingo near Vera, didn't fare much better, as her knife cut through it's flesh like butter, leaving it bleeding and wounded, even as Argath leapt away once more, receiving her compliment, or was it a taunt?, on the move. Perhaps she shouldn't have taken her mind off the fight long enough to throw words, however, as she found the wounded creature's claw swiping across her midsection, leaving a deep and painful, wound.

The last dingo, by the mages, however, being currently unthreatened, charged forward, toward the Udrafresk. Perhaps it felt they were the greatest threat? The Udrafresk, for its part, was happy to return the favor... or perhaps he was charging toward the mages whose spells his arm had absorbed? Either way the two neared eachother quite rapidly.

Docus, however, his target slain, had turned his magical attentions to another Dingo, but as the fire prepared to leave his fingertips, once more, the spell unraveled and he found his spell being drawn into the monster's right arm once more, just before Argath's spear fell on it with shattering force, eliciting a roar of pain from the creature, its eyes turning, hatefully, toward the Dragoon.



PC Round 3, Cont.

Jade- 15 Damage, Dingo 6

Prasad - 20 Damage, Dingo 3

Vera - 9 Damage, Dingo 2

Fie - Kills Dingo 3.

Dingo 2 - 5/45

Dingo 3 - BITCH STICK'D

Dingo 5 - 45/45

Dingo 6 - 30/45

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right Arm - ??/??

Udrafresk Left Arm - ??/??

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23

--------------------
NPC ROUND 3

Dingo 6- 8 Damage, Jade

Dingo 2- 11 Damage, Vera

Udrafresk- Short Range from Jade, Docus, Prasad, and Fie. And Dingo 5. Medium range from Caspin.

Dingo 2 - 10/45

Dingo 3 - BITCH STICK'D

Dingo 5 - 45/45

Dingo 6 - 35/45

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right Arm - ??/??

Udrafresk Left Arm - ??/??

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23

------------------
PC Round 4

Argath- 22 Damage, Udrafresk Right Arm.

Docus- 0 Damage, anyone.

Udrafresk- Short Range from Jade, Docus, Prasad, and Fie. And Dingo 5.

Dingo 2 - 10/45

Dingo 5 - 45/45

Dingo 6 - 35/45

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right Arm- (-23)/?? (still alive)

Udrafresk Left Arm - ??/??

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23

[CelesJessa]

"Damn!" She cursed as she felt the hot flash of pain across her midsection. She had been careless. The dingo was hurt, but it got her pretty badly. Hot blood spilled out of the wound, but there was more to worry about right away, namely, making sure that Dingo didn't get another hit on her.

"I might need some help over here-" She called out to those nearby. She gripped her knife tightly as she jabbed it forward, intent on taking out the Dingo. Hopefully if she didn't kill it, one of her party members would help finish it off.

[Dracorion]

Argath's spear found its mark as he tore right through the Udrafresk's right arm. Unfortunately, this caused the creature to round on him, looking pissed as hell. Crap, this may not have been such a good idea after all.

"I'll keep it busy! Just take out the dingoes!" He yelled. With an unearthly roar, he jumped into the air again. He only had enough energy for this last jump, and he was putting everything he had into it.

"Chew on this, beastie!"

----------------------
Jump right arm again.

[Arhra]

The dingo counterattacked Jade, sinking its teeth into her armour plated right leg and gnawing furiously.

"Revenge!" Jade snarled, reversing her grip on her sword and putting her free hand on the pommel to strike at the decayed looking dog with an awkward downward stab.

The urdafresk was getting away. Intolerable!

OOC: Attack dingo 6 again.

[POS Industries]

His bullets quite immediately dropping the dingo before him to the ground, Prasad breathed a sigh of relief that itself was cut short as the tarut white mage next to him came out of nowhere with a well-timed crack to the dingo's skull with his staff, killing it instantly.

"Now that's what I call white magic!" the moogle grinned as his new tiny bro, eyes shifting about to find his next target. The other dingo that had been attacking them now appeared to be moving to defend his pack from the udrafresk, which is good because Prasad pretty much hated all dingos at this point so a completely suicidal one was fine with him.

What he didn't like was that the udrafresk was now within grabbing range of him, but hopefully he could count on the monster being distracted enough by pretty much every other thing currently going on to risk having it lay a finger on his pom-pom. That left two other threats: the dingo attacking the thief and the dingo attacking the warrior.

Two damsels in distress, only enough suave-ass moogle around to save one. But which one? Suddenly, a plan emerged!

"Hey, kupo over to Knifey McGhee over there and do that staff trick again," Prasad suggested to Fie, motioning in Vera's direction as he took aim at the dingo attacking Jade and firing, "Docus, you might want to get to a safe distance while you have the chance. This is about to get messy. Well... messier."

------------------
Attack dingo 6.

[McTahr]

His moogle compadre's suggestion was a welcome one.

"Get away from the beast that sees me as an after dinner mint? Yes please!"

Fie put a hand on his hat to keep it from flailing off and trotted as fast as his little legs could carry him towards the one now dubbed Knifey McGhee in order to do his worst. Or best. Either fit the situation.

--
Move to short range of Vera/Dingo 2

[Geminex]

Docus swallowed. This was not going well. This was not going well at all. Thank the gods that the thing didn't seem to be intelligent. He saw Fie running towards Vera to help her out, and decided that that wasn't such a bad idea. She was a valuable ally, after alll. Couldn'T let her die.

Not to mention the fact that the Udrafresk was really worrying him. If it hit him, he did not like his chances.

-----

Docus to move into short range of Vera.

[Overcast]

At the time it seemed like his teammates were actually working together for a change, and that was good. It gave him some incentive to cast, but he didn't. The spell took quite a bit out of him and he didn't want to lose it to the arm, that would be a waste. He took a moment to think, eyes staring at the arm itself and going over what he knew about monsters in general. If he could think of something that would help them overcome it short of severing the thing he could cast without trouble, if they severed it the same thing could happen, but more than likely he would bide his time till the little ones were casting again and follow up behind one of their own being absorbed.

Greedy, but he had high hopes the confusing twists and turns and bright explosions of the attack would send the beast reeling into a psychological dismay that lead it to beat the piss out of itself.

It wouldn't be the first time.

-------
Caspin takes a Monster Lore check on the spell draining arm.

[Krylo]

Vera's knife struck quick and through, slicing through the throat of the Dingo that threatened her, even at as it leaped at her once more. The creature's body fell to the ground, with a thud. The blood spray quickly congealed, however, and the beast pulled itself once more to its feet.

A scene that found itself repeating mere feet away on the battlefield as Jade and Prasad cut down another Dingo, only to have it stagger back to its feet once more as its wounds knitted together.

Meanwhile, Argath's leaping away forced the Udrafresk to turn its attention back toward the dingo who was leaping toward it, its teeth heading straight for the creature's throat, but with surprising agility the Udrafresk interposed his left arm between the creature and his body, the dingo's teeth crashing into nothing but rock before the Udrafresk flung his arm out, sending the Dingo tumbling away.

It was merely a moment later, however, that Argath's spear once more landed with incredible force against the udrafresk's crystal covered arm, this time sending bits of broken crystals flying outward as his spear shattered through them and buried itself in the creature's arm.

With a howl of shock and rage the Udrafresk staggered back half a step, nursing its injured arm.

------------------
PC Round 4

Vera- 11 Damage, Dingo 2.

Jade- 17 Damage, Dingo 6

Prasad- 20 Damage, Dingo 6

Dingo 2 - -1/45

Dingo 5 - 45/45

Dingo 6 - -2/45

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right Arm- (-23)/??

Udrafresk Left Arm - ??/??

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23

Docus and Fie Medium Range from Udrafresk.

----------------
NPC Round 4

Dingo 5- 2 Damage, Udrafresk Left Arm

Udrafresk- 14 Damage, Dingo 5

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right Arm- (-23)/??

Udrafresk Left Arm - (-2)/??

Dingo 2 - 4/45

Dingo 5 - 31/45

Dingo 6 - 3/45

----------------
PC Round 5

Argath- 25 Damage, Right Arm. Crystals cracked

Dingo 2 - 4/45

Dingo 5 - 31/45

Dingo 6 - 3/45

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right arm- (-48)/?? - DOWN

Udrafresk Left Arm - (-2)/??

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23

---------------
Monster Lore Check reveals that, while, monsters with crystal protrusions (or made of crystal) are quite rare, they are not unheard of. Their ability to manipulate magical energies usually requires on intact crystals. Broken ones, like the Udrafresk's now that Argath has attacked it hard enough, are quite useless.

[Overcast]

He smiled as he remembered that small bit about crystals and raised up his hands, his mind remembering the taste of calimari of Achelous, that distinct taste of magical energy that it was made of that it would charge into its extremities. His own limbs began to glow as he stared at the great ape,

"Docus! Fie! That arm isn't stopping us anymore! Let's blast the bastard!"

He pointed one finger forward like the barrel of a pistol bringing his thumb back to set the hammer,

"3, 2, 1..."

------------
Caspin begins casting Homing Laser. Target Udrafresk body.

[McTahr]

Fie perked up and glanced towards the hume.

"Is that so...I'll take your word on it."

Most of the dingos were in no position to fight back at this point. He immediately began the process of gathering the wind needed for his attack.

"Can you keep this overgrown mutt busy? We seem to have bigger fish to fry now."

--
Aero on Udrafresk body.

[Dracorion]

Argath yelled in triumph when his spear shattered the crystals on the Fresk's arm. Caspin confirmed for the group that it nullified it's ability to absorb magic. But now the creature was probably going to be extremely pissed at him, so he took a defensive stance.

-------------------
Defend.

[POS Industries]

Letting out a sigh as he saw both dingos raise to their feet, Prasad took aim at his current target and prepared to fire. However, the sight of the udrafresk still being within grabbing range gave him pause, and with a shrug he decided against staying put, refraining from attacking for the moment in order to back away to a safer distance.

------------------
Move to medium range from udrafresk.

[Geminex]

Docus felt a crackle of magical energy in the air, the power that Fie and Caspin were summoning. It had been a while since he'd felt anything close to that, and he relished it, dove into it and into himself. For a moment, just a moment, he let himself drift, enjoying the familiar sensation of mages in concert, thinking back to his 2 years at the university, practicing with other Tarut, feeling part of a vast network of minds as he cast in unison with dozens of his kin, learning, exploring Magic together.

Those had been good times. He'd really understood the concepts of unity, of alliance during those first few months of learning. He'd known the theory, of course, had studied it exhaustively, but the feeling of safety, of security at the presence of others, the feeling of standing united, and the power of the group, he'd only really understood them when he'd been part of that class of barely 30. Not a large group. Not a strong group. But united. And sufficient.

His eyes opened, glowing with magic that he was once again tapped into and he looked around at the ongoing struggle. Once again, he was part of a group. Not all mages this one. Barely half a dozen, conflicted, struggling against each other as much as their foes. Not a large group, certainly. Not particularly powerful. Not even that reliable. But right here, right now, facing this threat, they were united. And they would suffice.

He raised a small hand, again preparing his one spell, letting the magic gather, focusing it the way he had learned in concert with three dozen other mages, letting the memory wash over him one more time, then unleashing the spell just as the other two mages unleashed theirs.

----

Docus. Fire. Body. Make happen.

[Krylo]

Slashing with dagger and massive knife alike, Vera and Jade each bring down the dingos closest to them, and, though their wounds continue to heal, neither gets up. At least not immediately.

The dingo near the Udrafresk, meanwhile, continues its attempt to bring down the massive creature, only to be blocked once more by its left arm, though this time the creature doesn't expend any energy throwing it away, instead striking down toward Argath with a crushing blow, which, thanks to his readiness only glances against him. Though the cracked earth at his feet tells him just how lucky he is to still be alive.

He can't contemplate that for long, however, as a streak of energy zigs through the battlefield to blast into the Udrafresk's body, followed swiftly by flames and a small tornado, that leaves the large creature bleeding from multiple tears and cuts all over his body. With an enraged roar it looks directly toward Fie and Docus, its next targets apparently decided.

----------------
PC Round 5

Vera- 10 Damage, Dingo 2.

Jade- 14 Damage, Dingo 6

Dingo 2- -6/45

Dingo 6- -11/45

Dingo 5 - 31/45

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right arm- (-48)/?? - DOWN

Udrafresk Left Arm - (-2)/??

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 14/25

Caspin- 17/23
-------------------
NPC Round 5

Dingo 5- 1 Damage, Udrafresk Left Arm

Udrafresk- 5 Damage, Argath

Udrafresk - ???/???

Udrafresk Right arm- (-48)/?? - DOWN

Udrafresk Left Arm - (-3)/??

Dingo 2- -1/45

Dingo 6- -5/45

Dingo 5 - 36/45

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23
-------------------
PC Round 6

Ninja Roll Bust Wears Off.

Caspin- 19 Damage, Udrafresk Body. Udrafresk resists confusion.

Fie- 50 Damage, Udrafresk Body.

Docus- 24 Damage, Udrafresk Body.

Udrafresk - (-93)/???

Udrafresk Right arm- (-48)/?? - DOWN

Udrafresk Left Arm - (-3)/??

Dingo 2- -1/45

Dingo 6- -5/45

Dingo 5 - 36/45

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

[POS Industries]

"Woo! That's the stuff, right there!" Prasad exclaimed, seeing the noticeable hurt the mages had put on the udrafresk, firing off a volley at the monster's body, "Do that again! Vera, Jade, make sure those dingos stay out of this permanently, and Argath: MOVE!"

Things were certainly looking up, and while the moogle didn't usually consider himself leadership material, he certainly wasn't going to let anything stand between him and getting paid. He just hoped that injured arm was still in good enough condition. Not coming out of this with a cute new secretary would just be a bummer.

------------------
Attack Udrafresk's body.

[McTahr]

Fie stared down the Udrafresk, the bulk of its anger focused on himself and Docus. In a flash of a second the teachings of his mentor intoned in his mind.

"Remember, a dead white mage is a healer of no one." Professor Berlion's heels clicked as he paced endlessly in front of the podium. "Your comrade's success depends entirely upon your ability to know when to run and survive." He pivoted, and continued back the other way. "But then again, there is the time to know when to take a stand. To show no fear in what could be your last seconds, for the red of our cloak symbolizes nothing other than bloody sacrifice itself." He stopped and turned again. Midway, just as he passed the podium for the hundredth time that hour, he turned on his heel. "FIE! Should the very bowels of hell turn on you as your comrades bleed about you, what course of action would you take?"

"...I will stand."

Fie began to channel the energies for another blast of wind, ready to still the whirling gusts should the beast fall before he could finish. It wouldn't do to ruin such a specimen.

"Docus, you should move while you can. It can only chase one of us."

--
Aero on Udrafresk body, cancel if dead before cast goes off.

[Overcast]

"FIRE!"

Lasers arced from Caspin's body as he let out a maniacal cackle, his deep set grin bringing him deep into the mind of battle, he was hungry for more. His mind was racing like the first time he had been taken out hunting with his old master, the short stubby creature, it's tongue lolling out so that when he spoke it was with a terrible lisp, but his unassuming appearance masked a ferocity in battle unquestionable by any means.

And he taught him to be much the same,

"Not down yet eh?! Well, we'll fix that!"

He stepped forward ever so slightly and brought his hands in readying his next shot, the glow creeping into his fingertips, his eyes awash with madness.

----------
Short distance move, begin casting Homing Laser, target Udrafresk body.

[Geminex]

Docus met Fie's gaze, smiled as the magical energies started to gather again. It was tempting, certainly. The Fresk was large and frightening, and Docus was not very tall. But he had heard his fellow mage whisper that he would stand, and however great Docus' fear was, this was his alliance now. This was his tribe. He couldn't run, even if he wanted to.

Tarut were rarely, if ever, strong on their own. A people of spellweavers, weak in flesh and strong in mind, an ancient race, but a short-lived one. Since they could remember (and, this being a race of scholars, they could remember quite far), they'd banded together, lived in tribes, then tribes of tribes, forming a nation. Ultimately, they'd always stood together. There'd been conflict, of course, strife between individuals, conflicts between tribes, civil wars, even. But in the end, at the most basic level, there had always been a feeling of unity, a belief in the Tarutaru alliance. They had always stood together. And ultimately, they always would...
There was a saying, a simple saying, more of a play on words than a piece of wisdom...

"Art taru su elnim tu saru" he replied, smiling gently. "We are Tarut, we stand together".

Then he raised his staff at the roaring beast, focused his magic through it, and let loose a blast of fire.

----
Standard-action fire on fresk body.

[Dracorion]

Argath moved away as the creature's arm came crashing down. The blow grazed him, and left the earth beneath his feet cracked. That would've hurt if it had been a direct hit.

Suddenly, the creature was struck by the magical onslaught unleashed by the three mages, and the Fresk now seemed intent on paying them back. That was unnaceptable.

Ignoring his condition, Argath lunged at the bastard.

At the same time, Zephyr attempted to chomp down on the Udrafresk's foot.

[Krylo]

Taking aim, Prasad fires with intent to take down the Udrafresk with hot lead, but the creature's arm makes its way infront of the bullets before they can reach their mark, the small bronze pellets ricocheting off of the creature's stony armor with minimal damage. A fate shared by Argath's spear, which finds itself entangled in rocky protrusions that twist the weapon out of his hand as the Udrafresk convulses in pain, flames erupting from his body.

The freed weapon flys through the air in a graceful piourette before stabbing into the ground a few feet from the warrior woman Jade just as she delivers a death blow to the dingo near her, freeing her to move her attention to the large ape like creature, who is staring at the mages with a bestial rage.

An act that is not lost on Vera who quickly decides, with all this talk of standing ground and what not, that discretion is the better part of valor, particularly wounded as she is, and moves further from the Udrafresk and the battle in general.

And perhaps she was right to do so as the Udrafresk slams his hands into a nearby tree, tearing it from the ground, as he ignores yet another attack from the Dingo. The sound of cracking wood is quickly amplified by the sound of buzzing bees as a number of the creatures begin to swarm out just as the monsterous ape flings the trunk with all of his might toward Docus, Fie, and the Dingo unlucky enough to just be regaining his footing, a rain of splinters and heavy wood throwing them all to the ground, and killing the unfortunate dog, even as a small swarm of bees flows out of their shattered hive.

It is mere moments after the hive shatters, however, that another laser blasts against the Udrafresk. The great beast turns toward Caspin, and waves for a moment, before falling forward, unconscious.

-------------------
PC Round 6

Ninja Roll Bust Wears Off.

Prasad- 4 Damage, Udrafresk Left Arm.

Docus- 19 Damage, Udrafresk.

Argath- Miss, Critical Failure, Disarmed.

Argath's spear moves a medium distance past the Udrafresk, near Jade.

Zephyr- 0 Damage, Udrafresk

Jade- Finishes Dingo 6

Vera- Moves a medium distance away from the battle in general

Udrafresk - (-112)/???

Udrafresk Right arm- (-48)/?? - DOWN

Udrafresk Left Arm - (-7)/??

Dingo 2- -1/45

Dingo 6- Dead

Dingo 5 - 36/45

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

-------------------
NPC Round 6

Udrafresk- 12 Damage Fie, 9 Damage Docus, 12 Damage Dingo 2 (dead... regens are at the end of turn). Knockback Docus and Fie. Fie's casting interrupted.

Dingo 5- 5 Damage Udrafresk Left arm

Udrafresk - (-112)/???

Udrafresk Right arm- (-48)/?? - DOWN

Udrafresk Left Arm - (-12)/??

Dingo 2- Dead

Dingo 5 - 41/45

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

KILLER BEEs 1, 2, 3, AND 4 ENTER THE BATTLE. Short Range from Docus and Fie. Long Range from Caspin. Medium range from Jade, Vera, Argath, and Prasad.

-------------------
PC Round 7

Caspin- 26 Damage, Udrafresk

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Dingo 5 - 41/45

Vera- 12/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

[Overcast]

He grinned as the beast turned his way and waved the bastard good night as it fell to the damn ground. And not a moment too soon, he then heard a sound, a buzz that crept into his ears and made him pick at them before his eyes saw them.

BEES!

He lifted up his dagger in distaste, every time he made something sweet the little bastards came to ruin his day! Well not this time, this time he was going to be having a nectar heavy diet of beemeat, and they were the ones on the plate!

He ran their way knife in hand, it would take him a minute, but eventually he would get there,

--------
Standard action, into medium range.

[Dracorion]

Argath growled as his spear became caught in the rocky protusions of the creature's arm. The creature yanked it out of his grip and his spear went flying through the air to land near Jade. Fortunately, Docus and Caspin finished off the Fresk and it crashed to the ground, though it still appeared to be alive.

Unfortunately, the thing had managed to throw a tree at Docus and Fie, which had turned out to be full of Killer Bees. They looked pretty pissed as they threatened the two mages.

Quickly, he moved toward his spear.

----------------------
Move Medium range and grab spear.

[Arhra]

Jade clubbed an annoyingly persistent dingo to the ground again and this time it didn't rise to its feet.

She turned just in time to see the Udrafresk toss a tree and then, before she could close in it, lasers pummeled its hulking body and it collpased.

"You're not even worth my time." the fighter told the fiend contemptuously.

Flicking her sword to clean it, she turned and saw where the tree had landed. It had been an impressive throw, Jade confessed to herself, the splintered mess landing right on top of two midgets and an unfortunate dingo. The dingo was crushed and the taruts looked little better.

Worse yet, there'd been a beehive in the tree and four gigantic insects had emerged, looking for someone to sting for this. Docus and Fie were about to be COVERED IN BEES.

The tall Viera didn't pause to think. Jade sprang immediately into motion, sprinting across the flat ground easily and leaping onto the fallen tree trunk. She glanced at the broken hive then her eyes flicked up at the killer bees buzzing around her. Looking at Docus and Fie, she shot them a reassuring grin. With her decision made, she took a step towards the hive.

The green clad warrior waved her sword and shouted up at the bees with manic bravado. She needed to get the enraged insects' attention off the taruts and focused on her.

"I'm going to eat all your honey and kick your queen!"

OOC: Move medium distance, try to get the bees' attention.

[McTahr]

Bees. Surely by the end of this they'll have to fend off a pack of condors to preserve the Fresk while goblins come to rummage through their fallen comrade's belongings and try to make a few more "unattended" packs.

Fie stood and gently prodded his ribs, quickly counting how many were broken from the throw, wincing as he went. He wasn't especially fond of the number he reached.

"A tactical retreat would be best for now, the odds have turned against us again, and Tarut brotherhood only applies to the living..."

Fie used what time he had to put a little distance between himself and the bees, heading towards Prasad.

--
Move medium distance towards Prasad.

[Geminex]

Docus' vision swam from a glacing blow by one of the tree's branches. Thank god he'd ducked in time. He staggered to his feet, supporting himself on his staff, shaking his head. This didn't feel good. Then he noticed the bees.

God, bees. He'd never liked them. He was always, always suspicious of anything even remotely related to poison, and these particular beasts had needles full of it. Add to that the fact that these things were over a foot in diameter and out for blood, and he really, really would have preferred to face another Udrafresk.

There were now four of the beasts streaming out of the hive-tree, and that, combined with Docus' concussion and the fact that he could actually understand their battlecries, mostly stripped him of his capacity for rational thought. Fight or Flight, that was the question, fight or flight, and there was already energy gathering at his fingertips when Fie took off. And if one thing was for sure, Docus was not gonna face four bees on his own. Bees, half his size, with their claws, their stingers, their menacing buzz, coming towards him, swarming...

He took off running, yelling "AAAAAAH! I'M COVERED IN BEES! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xs-tl6GBOBo)"

-------
Docus follows Fie.

And Just a note, Jade preferrably will come to a halt between the Hive and the Midgets, though within a short range of the midgets.

[POS Industries]

"Oh god, what is that? Oh no! Not the bees! NOT THE BEES! AHHHHH!" Prasad cried out, not even getting a damn second to enjoy the quick defeat of the udrafresk. He took aim at first but, realizing that shooting at bees would be a bit more than he could handle unassisted, he decided to try to increase the odds.

Taking out his dice, he shook them about in his paw for a moment and gave them a blow before rolling, hoping that his luck really was picking up.

----------
Use Dice - Hunter's Roll.

[Krylo]

With a mad look on his face, Caspin charged directly to the last remaining Dingo and the Udrafresk, but he showed no signs of stopping, his murderous intent focused quite perfectly on the Bees, even as the pair of tarut decided to make a tactical retreat from that very spot. Well, one of them made a tactical retreat. The other flipped shit.

And, just as the bees were about to give chase, as all animals can smell fear--and find it to be DELICIOUS--Jade placed a foot firmly upon the trunk and called out her threat. She was going to kick their queen! With a series of angry buzzings, two bees remained and assaulted the Vera warrior, even as another pair flew from the trunk, but her combat training proved its usefulness as neither was able to find flesh. Of course, the last two chased Docus. His fear was still delicious. So delicious.

Watching the proceedings, with a hand on her stomach to staunch the bleeding, Vera pulled out a potion and, uncorking it with her teeth, quaffed the entire thing down as quickly as possible. A warmth spread throughout her body as the subtle magic in the alchemy worked to knit her flesh back together as good as new.

Meanwhile, on opposite sides of the battlefield a spear was pulled from the ground and a pair of dice landed upon it with the one and four sides up. There was a momentary glow as the dice returned to Prasad's hands, that quickly extended over the group's weapons. Enemies would be easier to strike now. Lady luck was with them.

While everyone else seemed occupied, the lone dingo walked up to the Udrafresk, sniffed about him for a moment, and then lifted his leg, relieving himself against the great beasts forehead before kicking some dirt back at it. With what could only be called a satisfied 'harumph' the creature then looked around once more, and saw it was the last of its kind left and now outnumbered 13 to 1.

Tucking its tail between its legs it ran.

-------------------
PC Round 7

Prasad- Hunter's Roll. +2 ACC Entire Party for 5 rounds.

Vera uses Potion.

Everyone else move the fuck around.

Jade- Short Distance from all four bees, medium distance from Prasad, Caspin, Dingo, Docus, Fie, Vera, and Argath (SHE'S IN THE MIDDDLE)

Docus/Fie/Prasad- Short distance from each other, medium distance from Caspin, Jade, Dingo and bees. Long distance from Vera and Argath.

Argath- Medium distance from Jade, Bees, Caspin, and dingo. Long distance from everything/one else.

Caspin- Medium distance from Jade, Bees, Argath, Prasad, Fie, and Docus. Short distance from Dingo. Long distance from Vera.

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Dingo 5 - 41/45

Vera- 23/23

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

--------------------
NPC Round 7

Dingo 5- moves a medium distance away from everyone. Now medium distance from Caspin, long distance from everyone else.

Bees 1/2- Chase Docus. Short distance from Docus/Fie/Prasad. BLah blah same as those three up above.

Bees 3/4- Attack Jade. Miss.

Bees 5/6- Act angry at Jade.

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Dingo 5 - 45/45

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

[POS Industries]

"Why did you run to me? Oh, sweet kupo, why did you run to me?!" Prasad groaned, pocketing his dice and drawing his pistols as the two tarut ran toward him with bees in hot pursuit. Apparently, no one around here knows how to execute a proper kiting strategy. As usual, it was up to him to save the day.

"Hey bees," Prasad grinned, taking aim at and firing at one of the incoming insects, "Buzz off."

----------
Attack Bee 1.

[Arhra]

Half the bees had taken Jade's bait. Again called on some friends to help them. No matter.

"Hahahahah!" the Viera laughed as the foot long insects bobbed angrily around her. "Foolish bees! You've bothered your last flower!"

She sprang at one of the killer bees and swept her blade diagonally upwards at it.

OOC: Attack Bee #3.

[Dracorion]

Argath quickly retrieved his spear and turned toward the bees. Two more had sprung out of the hive, so there were now six bees. Two of them were threatening the little people, and Jade faced four of them alone.

It would be a bad idea to let the Viera die, so, spear the ready, he rushed one of the bees.

---------------------------
Charge Bee 4.

[McTahr]

Fie listened to his ally. Buzz off? That was cheesy.

It was hard not to let the mood take you though. Fie nodded to Docus and began focusing his magical energies into his staff. His own magical ability was best saved for healing, now.

"Everyone ready for a spell-ing bee?"

--
Standard action Aero on Bee 2.

[Krylo]

Taking careful aim, Prasad fires a pair of bullets, that strike one of the bees chasing them down, the creature faltering slightly, just before Docus's staff explodes in his hands, the raw energy from the explosion flying directly toward the injured insect. Its fried corpse collapses to the ground before it can reach the midget trio. Fie has a similar experience, his own staff blowing apart in a gale of wind that continues through the other bee heading toward them, shredding apart its wings and leaving it to fall on the ground, nothing but a corpse.

Across the field Jade swings her massive weapon and, somehow, manages to connect with one of the buzzing insects, sending it for a loop, though leaving it intact. Her skill is obviously great, but the warrior Viera is outnumbered and still takes a glancing blow from the claws of one of the bees buzzing about her angrily. Help is arriving, however, as Vera, Caspin, and Argath all arrive, the latter with his spear point smashing against the bee that had just clawed Jade, even as another bee, larger than the rest, rises from the hive, obviously irritated with Jade.

Perhaps her taunt had worked too well?

Meanwhile, a single Dingo leaps off into the woods and out of our lives forever... but not out of our hearts.

-------------------
PC Round 8

Prasad- 16 Damage, Bee 1

Jade- 12 Damage, Bee 3

Argath- Move to short range of Jade/Bees

Fie- 52 Damage, Bee 2

Fie's staff- Break.

Docus- 36 Damage, Bee 1

Docus's Staff- Break.

Vera- Move medium Distance to short range of Jade/Bees

Caspin- Move medium Distance to short range of Jade/Bees

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Bee 1- Dead

Bee 2- Dead

Bee 3- 30/42

Jade- 19/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

--------------------
NPC Round 8

Dingo 5- Leaves Combat

Bees 3/5/6- Attack Jade. Miss.

Bee 4- Attack Jade, 3 Damage

Royal Guard Bee- Bee pissed at Jade.

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Bee 3- 30/42

Jade- 16/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

--------------------
PC Round 9

Argath- 22 Damage, Bee 4. Argath gets no further movement this round.

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Bee 3- 30/42

Bee 4- 20/42

Jade- 16/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

[Overcast]

Caspin glared in anger at the bees, his mind trying to figure out why in all the good taste in the world he was so far away. It wasn't long till he was sprinting, then leaping, gliding across the ground as his strides grew to ridiculous length he was finally closing into range and lifted up his dagger, gripped in both hands as he leapt up and descended on one of the buzzing bastards,

"Bee killed you apollen creeps!"
--------
Caspin uses terrible pun, melee attack combo.

[Geminex]

Docus let out a short yell of surprise as his staff was blasted apart by the energy. His staff! He'd had that for years! His father had granted it to him! He had trained with it, channeled his power through it, imbued it with his first spell! And now it was just... gone? His fists clenched as he watched the bees and fire rose up in him again. He was exhausting himself, he knew. But he was not yet depleted. He raised a hand, fingers splayed at the bee that had just left the hive and was now threatening Jade. He was not a happy camper right now.

"Bee-gone!"

-----
Cast fire (slow action, sadly, adieu poor staff) on the Guard Bee

[POS Industries]

"Bee killed you apollen creeps!"

And so it was that Prasad, fur standing on end, ears laid back, eyes wide and pupils contracted into slits, found himself reflexively taking aim at Caspin, revolvers shaking in his hands as he dealt with the sudden combined onslaught of agony and rage.

"That... was... awful!" he hissed, a trace of foam forming at the edge of his mouth.

Fingers slowly squeezing down on the triggers, he managed to stop himself at just the last second, forcing himself to face away from the blue mage and falling to his knees, breathing heavily as he struggled to regain his composure. He knew, deep down, that murdering a man for his lack of punning proficiency was wrong. It was against his nature to do it. It had to be. But... would any jury convict him?

But it was no matter. The moogle rose once more to his feet and caught sight of Jade's predicament. Taking out a bee at close range was one thing, but from this distance he realized he might need a bit more precision and holstered one of his guns, taking the other in both hands and steadying himself, getting the best aim he possibly could before firing.

----------
Holstered off-hand gun and fired on Bee 3.

[McTahr]

Fie wiped the splinters from his hands. This entire mission seems to be riddled with complications, while the Udrafresk itself was an extremely simple mark. In addition to not even needing the soft, he'd now need another staff. He'd have to see if Prasad knew anything about easing any grudges the fates might hold against them.

Oh well. There were more pressing matters at hand.

"What a buzz kill. It looks like we'll have to resort to plan bee, Docus. Give these fellows a good stinging so they'll beehave."

Fie drew upon the skies once more, gathering and spinning. It wasn't much different from winding up the threads for the tailoring work he did for himself, except that he was manipulating the winds themselves instead of cotton. Soon enough he had the force necessary, and prepared to release it on the largest and most threatening bee.

--
Aero on Guard Bee.

[Krylo]

His aim paying off, Prasad's bullet slams through the head of the bee he had targetted, dropping it to the ground, while Jade and Vera each strike heavy blows against another pair of the angrily buzzing creatures, leaving both near dead. Unfortunately, Caspin can't follow the line of awesome, as the bee he had attempted to attack nimbly dances about the edge of his knife while Docus and Fie both prepare for a magical onslaught against the larger bee which had just exited the nest.

Injured and on the verge of death, two of the bees cry out for help, being answered by three more bees from the hive, one of which is another Guard Bee. It is questionable how much of a worry this is, however, as the original Royal Guard Bee attempts to claw at Vera, only to find itself easily outmanuevered, and then blasted into nothing more than dust as Docus and Fie's magic once more combine against its body. Argath, not to be outdone by the female, also nimbly avoids a smaller bee attempting to poison him with its stinger.

--------------------
PC Round 9

Argath- 22 Damage, Bee 4.

Caspin- Miss.

Docus- Begin casting fire, Guard Bee

Prasad- Crits Bee 3 for 32 damage. Killing it.

Fie- Begin casting Aero, Guard Bee

Vera- Crits Bee 6 for 28 damage

Jade- 13 damage, Bee 4

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Bee 4- 7/42

Bee 6- 14/42

Jade- 16/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

-------------------
NPC Round 9

Bee 4- Call for help

Bee 5- Miss Argath with stinger

Bee 6- Call for help

Guard Bee- Miss Vera

Trunk- Spawn second Guard Bee and two normal bees (bee 1 and bee 2).

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Bee 4- 7/42

Bee 6- 14/42

Jade- 16/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21
------------------
PC Round 10

Docus- 29 damage Guard Bee

Fie- 38 damage Guard Bee

Guard Bee- Dead (reduced to under one half negative hp).

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Bee 4- 7/42

Bee 6- 14/42

Jade- 16/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

[Overcast]

Caspin cursed under his breath as he missed the damn thing. He lifted his knife up and took a note of the surroundings. More bees, and hell STRONGER bees kept coming out of that tree that big gorilla had flung at them. It wasn't that he hadn't noticed the nest before, it was that he was a bit more aware of how much of a threat it was, he turned his head to the magic midgets and let out a yell,

"They just keep coming! Docus you fry that fucking hive or we're not getting out of this one with our lives."

Simple way of getting rid of that problem was forcing the rest into a massive burning deathtrap. Bees nested close so they would already be in a bad way trying to escape, he was sure most of them would die, and even if they didn't they weren't making any leeway just letting it be. He threw his dagger southpaw and looked to the bee that Vera had damaged a bit, he might have missed that last one but even if he had to pick off the cripples he was getting some of that ass. He rushed it and threw a slash into the air, hoping to beehead the honey vomiting asshole.

[CelesJessa]

"Burn the damn tree already!" Vera snapped, agreeing with Caspin. She had been lucky so far with avoiding the little buzzing monsters, but there were more where that came from, and from the looks of it, her team wasn't doing so hot. She wasn't getting that Udrafresk's body anywhere on her own.

----------------
Keep attacking those beeeeees

[Arhra]

Jade bent forward, one hand on the hilt of her sword, the other hand over the end of the cross guard to steady it. Locking the sword in close to her body, she had it projecting forward like a lance.

She lunged at Caspin.

The Viera missed, barely. She clipped him with her shoulder as she shot past, aiming for the bee she'd already wounded.

But in that frozen instant as she passed him, she glared at him. The mix of anger, pity and disgust in those green eyes confirmed beyond any trace of a doubt it had been quite deliberate.

No one deserved to say a line like that and live.

OOC: Attack Bee 4.

[Dracorion]

Argath smiled as his spear smashed into the bee satisfyingly. He moved out of the way as another bee tried to put its stinger through him.

"Do I really need to add to the chorus of 'set it on fire'?" He asked Docus exasperatedly, as he lunged at another bee.

-----------------------
Peer pressure Docus into setting the tree on fire.
Attack Bee 6.

[Geminex]

Docus hissed through his teeth. "And antagonize the whole swarm? I cast fire, not firaga. I can set the tree on fire, but I have no idea what happens after that. They might all die, they might all come out and kill us. Do either of you have any idea what you're talking about?" He started preparing another spell, targeting one of the fresh bees. "I think, you should fall back, retreat to the Udrafresk. Show them you're not threatening the hive."

----------
Fire on bee 2.

[Krylo]

Aiming to behead a bee, Caspin swings his blade up, but the little creature is just a bit too quick, and instead the knife skids across the exoskeleton of its underbelly. However, the blow causes it to lose balance, making it easy for Vera to finish it off, her dagger stabbing through its little body, eliciting a death buzz. Jade, too, manages to dispatch a bee, her blade smashing it into bee-paste, while Argath is forced to choose a new target, his spear swatting one of the large insects through the air with ease.

Meanwhile, Prasad takes aim amidst his two spell casting companions, his bullet impacting heavily with the guard's carapace, putting it on guard, which was good for it, as Fie's magics tore into it, but failed, this time, to kill the creature in its defensive stance. Meanwhile, of the surviving bees, one begins to shake vigorously, little bits of pollen floating up from the thin layer of fur that protrudes from its exoskeletal body, while the other two move to attack, one's claws raking over Vera's shoulder, while another fails to sting Caspin.

Repaying the favor of injury to his thief like companion, however, Docus lets free with a spell of fire, that leaves the creature charred but barely alive.

Unfortunately, just as the spell goes off, a more pertinent threat appears. The hive within the trunk breaks and shudders, the wood shattering from around it as a pair of massive sharpened legs burst forward, followed by a head the size of a hume's and then a giant pulsating body. When all is said and done, the hive lays shattered beneath the massive queen bee, who is easily the size of a hume, and had obviously been taking up most of the space. On her back holes can be seen in her carapace, burrowing deep within her, and her oviposter quivers, as though she is not through birthing her insectoid companions even now.

"Bzzzzzz bzz bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!" comes comes a loud sound, with some dancelike movements, that could be translated by those who know monster talk as, "You have killeed my childreen and destroyeed my homee. Your blood will feeeed my larvaeee in our neew neest."

She was not pleased.

------------------
PC Round 10

Caspin- 6 damage, Bee 6

Vera- 9 Damage, Bee 6

Jade- 12 Damage, Bee 4

Argath- 13 Damage, 5

Prasad- 7 Damage, Guard Bee

Docus- Begin casting fire, Bee 2

Fie- Begin casting Aero, Guard Bee

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Bee 4- Dead

Bee 5- 29/42

Bee 6- Dead

Guard Bee- 38/45

Jade- 16/27

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21
-------------------
NPC Round 10

Bee 5- Begin casting pollen at self.

Guard Bee- Defend

Trunk- Spawn QUEEN BEE

Bee 1- Miss Caspin

Bee 2- 9 Damage, Vera

Udrafresk (-138), DOWN

Bee 5- 29/42

Guard Bee- 38/45

Jade- 16/27

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21
-------------------
PC Round 11

Docus- 41 Damage Bee 2

Fie- 24 Damage Guard Bee

Bee 1- 42/42

Bee 2- 1/42

Bee 5- 29/42

Guard Bee- 14/45

Jade- 16/27

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 9/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus 12/21

[Dracorion]

"That's why we burn the hive. We've already antagonized them. But it won't work now." Argath replied matter-of-factly to Docus, as the queen bee emerged.

Quickly grabbing a potion from his belt, he downed it quickly in one go. It'd be rather bad if she decided to maul one of the mages so, shitkicking grin on, he turned to the queen. "Yeeah? Comee geet somee, if you can!" He buzzed back in her own tongue.

---------------------
Drink potion, taunt the bitch.

[McTahr]

Fie glanced at the Udrafresk, wondering how long it would hold out wounded like that. They'd best be(e) finishing soon.

Glancing back to the group of bees, he noticed something else of interest. One of the bees was shaking, bits of pollen spraying out from it. A rather bee-witching aerial dance, if he'd ever seen one.

"Guys, take down that one! It's about to heal the rest!"

His spell wouldn't make it in time. It'd be(e) better spent on one of the more lively targets. He channeled the winds, preparing to blast the queen before she birthed any more "complications" to their mission.

--
Aero on Queen Bitch
Heal? check to see how long Udra has
Lore: Monster to make words Words made!

Edit:Bee puns added

[Overcast]

Caspin had a faint feeling of satisfaction as he knocked the bee he and Vera were on and they tag teamed it to the ground, he rode the wave and dodged another that took its sting his way, but his good times were shattered when he heard Docus DRONE on about how burning the nest was going to antagonize the denizens when they were already elbow deep in the stingy creeps. And then watched as he wasted it on another bee, before it all went directly to hell and out burst the queen. He smacked the hilt of his dagger against his forehead and let out a furious yell and turned to him, eyes burning with rage,

"Alright Docus how about you NOT FUCKING FAIL AT SOMETHING AND BURN THAT BITCH BEFORE I WRING YOUR NECK!"

What pretense had that hoity toity little midget think he had to question a Blue Mage in the matter of monsters!? Though speaking of blue magic he did catch Fie saying something about one of the bees casting, he caught view of it and felt even worse. He bum rushed the damn thing hoping to show it his stabs before it got done doing whatever the hell it was working on.
___________
Ragasm, then attack bee 5.

[CelesJessa]

"Idiot!" Vera cursed as Docus failed to set the hive on fire. Now the queen bee was out and they were no better off than beefore. Hearing Fie's warning, she followed after Caspin, intending on double-teaming the bee before it could cast it's spell.

----------
Help Docus double team that bee

[Geminex]

Docus groaned. Just his goddamn luck. He just hadn't felt it was worth the risk! He was only being reasonable! Logical! Clearly he was doing it right. The world was being stupid again. His fists clenched as insults were hurled at him, but responding in kind would... not be diplomatic. It was another lesson. Sometimes, you failed, and there were consequences. Losing control only made it worse. So he sighed, barked out a short "Understood!" and let the anger out into his hands, forming yet another blast of fire, aimed at the queen.

----
Fire on queen. Let's do this.

[Krylo]

Striking out with his Dagger, Caspin manages to catch nothing but air, and though Vera does slightly better her attack is not enough to kill, or disrupt, the quivering bee. Seeing the dilemma, however, the warrior Jade bravely steps forward and swats the creature through the air, its attempt at magic lost in the sudden disorientation of its unplanned flight.

Deciding that there are more pertinent targets to attack, Prasad draws his second pistol once more, and takes a bead on the queen bee, his bronze bullets smashing into her carapace with enough force to garner a clacking hissing sound from the queen's mouth that one can only assume is a cry of pain, while the two mages beside him prepare their spells. After quaffing a potion, his wounds knitting back together completely, Argath catches the Queen's attention turning toward the mages and tries to draw her back to him with a simple taunt.

Unfortunately for him, it works, and the Queen's massive sharpened front legs swipe into him with incredible force, gashing through his flesh. Meanwhile, her disciples have similar luck as Jade receives a glancing blow and a stinger load of poison into her shoulder, and the Royal guard moves to intercept those who would dare attack his queen, while the bee Jade had disrupted before begins trying to cast once more.

The two mages, finally finishing their spell, let off with a volley of magical fire power that leaves the carapace of the queen visibly darkened, but seems to have little more in the way of effect... other than enraging her, her head turning toward them once more--the pain coming from them meant more to her than petty insults.
---------------------
PC Round 11

Argath- Drink potion, heal 25.

Caspin- Miss

Vera- 9 Damage Bee 5

Jade- 8 Damage Bee 5, Knock Back

Prasad- 11 Damage Queen Bee

Queen Bee- (-11)/???

Bee 1- 42/42

Bee 2- 1/42

Bee 5- 12/42

Guard Bee- 14/45

Jade- 16/27

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 25/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus 12/21

-----------------------
NPC Round 11

Bee 1- 4 Damage Jade

Bee 2- Poison Jade, 4 rounds.

Bee 5- Begin casting Pollen Again

Guard Bee- Move to short range from Prasad, Fie, Docus

Queen Bee- 10 Damage Argath

Queen Bee- (-11)/???

Bee 1- 42/42

Bee 2- 1/42

Bee 5- 12/42

Guard Bee- 14/45

Jade- 12/27

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 15/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus 12/21
-----------------------
PC Round 12

Fie- 12 Damage Queen Bee

Docus- 15 Damage Queen bee

Queen Bee- (-38)/???

Bee 1- 42/42

Bee 2- 1/42

Bee 5- 12/42

Guard Bee- 14/45

Jade- 12/27

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 15/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus 12/21

[McTahr]

Glancing quickly between the various scenes, Fie noticed something even more troubling than the Guard Bee approaching, and far more worrisome than his original fears of the Udrafresk bleeding out.

It was healing. In fact, it was nearly fully healed already, including its arm. They had time for perhaps another volley on the bees before it would be done.

"Fellows! Listen and listen well! Forget who screwed up when or who tried to kill who! The mark has nearly regenerated itself fully, arm included, and could rise up again at perhaps any moment. If we do not work together and finish the fight in front of us, and prepare ourselves for another battle yet to come, none will be making it out alive, let alone successful."

Fie felt within himself. The flow of mana ebbed and waned. He could cure the wounds of a companion twice, and they would need it. But what was this? There was an inkling left. Just enough, maybe.

The winds howled once more.

--
Heal check on Udra to know ETA of full health. (Done in PMs.)
Aero on Bee 1

[Overcast]

Caspin stared around at the scene, cursing as he missed again, the damn things were far too fast for how deadly they were, it was just unreasonable! He turned to hear Fie speak up about the Fesk healing itself up and he stared grimly at the rest of their opponents, there was quite a lot, and they had to get to get all of them as quickly as possible if they were going to survive

"Argath, Queen. Jade, Vera, one that's casting. I'll get the dying one, I suck without magic."

He moved to the crippled little buzzer with his knife in hand and shot back a shout to the three little ones,

"Docus, she has some mad magical resistance! But keep it up, it's better than nothing. Fuzzy! Hit that bulky bastard before he gets there. Fie, you know what you're doing so keep on."

He stared at the bee and jumped toward it ready to stab it and hopefully kill it this time. He'd like to say he took down at least one of the bastards when he was fighting them.
---------------------------------------
Attack Bee 2.

[Dracorion]

"Bitch!" He cried as the queen's swiped across his chest, leaving a gash. Fie and Docus blasted her with her magic, turning her anger towards them now. No chance in hell of getting her attention back now, he'd wail on her until she fell down, and everyone else looked like they had the bees taken care of.

The news that the Udrafresk was healing pissed him right the hell off, though. The unfortunate queen bee found herself the target of his rage. Above all else, the mages needed to be kept safe, and just attacking her wasn't going to keep her away from there. He'd need to do something stupid.

He needed to get up in her face. With a sharp whistle, Argath called Zephyr into action. He broke into a run, waiting for just the right moment. As a Dragoon, jumping was his thing. It was what he did. As soon as he was close enough, his stabbed the blade of his spear into the ground, still holding onto the shaft as he launched himself into the air.

Toward her Royal Backside.

At the same time, Zephyr zipped back and forth in front of the queen, growling and barking at her.

-------------------------
Attempt to jump on the Queen's back.

[Arhra]

To put it quite simply, Jade was starting to get pissed off. Bees were pressing in all around, one jabbing its stinger into her shoulder, the other clawing at her arms as she swung up her sword to fend it off.

She wanted to get payback, but the bee she had swatted away was spraying pollen around again. If it thought whatever it was doing was more important than actually fighting, it had to be stopped. One thing that had been drilled into Jade was hit the wizards. Even if they were stupid bees.

Ears flattened with anger, Jade shouted at the killer bee.

"You won't be pollinating anything, you disgusting insect! Not then, not now AND NOT EVER AGAIN!"

She charged after it, sword at the ready.

OOC: Normal attack on Bee #5. Since the knockback ability says I get to choose whether to use it after seeing if the attack was successful, I'll just do normal damage unless I roll quite poorly on the accuracy roll and try to kill it outright.

[Geminex]

Docus frowned. He didn't have a lot of power left, and he really didn't want to waste any on these targets, especially if the Fresk was busy healing. That in particular annoyed him. This battle had gone on too long already, and now they had to take down the mark again? They'd better get a bonus for this...

But first, there was a bee right up in their face, and it was mad. Docus glanced at Fie, saw the glow around him, realized that he was preparing a spell. If the bee attacked him, he'd get hurt, and they couldn't risk that. He turned to Prasad.

"I'm gonna lure it away, you need to take it down." Not waiting for a response, he started running off to the east, turning around briefly to buzz loudly at the guard, questioning its ability to defend its Queen and telling it that he almost burned its hive.

Heart pounding, he ran, staying a constant distance from the hive, but getting further away from the Fresk. He just hoped Prasad would come though. And that the risk would pay off.

----
Pretty much what it says in the post. Taunt bee, run away.

[Krylo]

Docus taunted the bee and ran off, requesting that Prasad take down the guard bee, a command that was unnecessary as the moogle was already training both barrels squarely on the Guard Bee charging them, perhaps on Caspin's request--but probably not. With an exhalation, Prasad calmly drew back the triggers of each gun, and a pair of bullets exited the chambers, one smashing into the bee's torso, the other ripping through both its wings. Tumbling through the air, the large insect impacted with the ground heavily, and came to a sliding stop just in front of the moogle.

Meanwhile, Caspin took on a command role, barking orders as he jammed his dagger through the torso of the most weakened bee, leaving it looking a lot like a beekebob on his knife, while Jade's oversized knife made the casting bee into two bee halves.

Argath, meanwhile, took a rather inventive method of attacking the queen, leaping onto its back. The queen reacted in shock, attempting to reach up at the dragoon on her back, but it was impossible for her chitonous legs to get there, and with her bulk being too heavy for flight she had little recourse. Vera, of course, being opportunistic, took the Queen's distraction as the perfect chance to attack. Unfortunately, her dagger left little more than a slight knick in the queen's thick exeoskeletal armor.

The one remaining living bee attempted to save his queen, his claws scraping, loudly, against Argath's armor, just before Fie's magical power blasted him from the sky.
-----------------------
PC Round 12

Prasad- 14 damage, Guard Bee (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41qdRRnwVug)

Caspin- 7 damage, Bee 2.

Argath:Ride Queen like a mechanical bull
Bee is stunned for one round. Argath may ignore her arm on his next attack (stabbing directly into one of the holes on her back), or attempt an opposed dex check to keep her stunned.

Jade- 13 Damage, Bee 5, take 2 damage poison.

Vera- 2 Damage, Queen

Docus- Bravely run away.

Queen Bee- (-40)/???

Bee 1- 42/42

Bee 2- Dead.

Bee 5- Dead

Guard Bee- Out.

Jade- 10/27

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 15/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus 12/21

------------------------
NPC Round 12

Queen- Status Effect: Stun.

Bee 1- 4 Damage Argath

Queen Bee- (-40)/???

Udrafresk- Snore.

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Bee 1- 42/42

Bee 2- Dead.

Bee 5- Dead

Guard Bee- Out.

Jade- 12/27

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus 12/21

-------------------------
PC Round 13

Fie- Murder Bee 1

Queen Bee- (-40)/???

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Bee 1- Dead

Jade- 12/27

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 17/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus 12/21

[Overcast]

Caspin turned to see his plan work out like a damned dream, every one of the buzzing freaks hit the ground save for the queen. Which he expected, he figured her to be made of tougher stuff, but when Vera's dagger seemed to bounce off like that he found himself a bit confused.

It wasn't that unusual that a good exoskeleton could push off all the attacks they had done so far, but if it kept on like it was right now he was sure they weren't going to be able to finish her off before the damned Fresk woke back up. He stopped and stared up and down her form as much as he could with Argath riding her like that. Trying to think of what they could do to bypass those defenses.
-----------------------
Monster Lore check on the Queen's unreasonably good defense. CHECKED!
----------------------
"Oh son of a..."

The Udrafresk had been something of a bad day for most of them when it first came out, but it was still somewhat in their league if they worked together. This was the kind of thing you typically hunted rather than an Udrafresk so you could get some sweet cash off the jelly. When you had gotten better at hunting and you could handle it. This realization was pretty much the worst thing he could think of, but it did have some possible benefits if they could just kill her. Unfortunately, there wasn't any perfect strategy for killing her other than,

"JUST KEEP HITTING HER! Fie, don't even bother with the wind on her, just keep an eye on the damn Fresk. Docus, she has powerful magic resistance, but she still doesn't like fire."

He shifted over to Vera and whispered in her ear,

"Alright, individually I don't think we're going to do a lot of good. But I thought maybe we could work together and try to go for her eyes. What do you say? Want to double up on that bitch?"

[Geminex]

Docus sighed in relief that there were no bees after him, but there were still two major threats on the field. Both were incapacitated now, but that couldn't last. And that worried him. Fighting both would seriously threaten the party, so the pressing reality was that they had to finish the Queen quickly, before the Fresk woke up. But somehow, their weapons didn't really seem up to it, the last few rounds had been extensive proof of that. And their magic really didn't leave much of a dent either. Docus tapped his chin with a small finger, concentrating. This was just planning, this shouldn't be hard. What advantage did they have here? He blinked once, just once, as he made a realization that should have been obvious to begin with, especially to him. They weren't just individuals. They were a group, a team. A dysfuctional one, but somewhat cohesive nonetheless. And he knew the potential inherent in that.

Hoping that they'd trust him enough to listen, he called out in Common: "We aren't hurting her, not enough! Fie, I... I think I can enchant the warriors' weapons, add the power of flame to their strikes. But I need a medium, and Air will do better than most. Help me. Combine your power with mine, and we can destroy her. As for the rest of you, if you keep her pinned and keep her busy for now, then soon we can give you the means to hurt her, hurt her badly. And if we coordinate, we might be able to eliminate her altogether. I won't, can't try to give you instructions, but I think this is our best chance. What do you say?"

[McTahr]

Fie's eyes darted between the Udrafresk, the Queen bee, and the recently poisoned Jade. Distantly, he heard Docus, as if from down a long tunnel. It was a moment before his concentration snapped back to the situation at hand.

"Fie, I... I think I can enchant the warriors' weapons, add the power of flame to their strikes. But I need a medium, and Air will do better than most. Help me. Combine your power with mine, and we can destroy her."

It was crazy.

It was insane.

Every ounce of his training in the arts of healing told him it was a better idea to preserve his comrades as best he could. But something tugged inside. His initial desires, those strings of aspiration, that had driven him to the Black Mage's Guild first, before he had been expelled, twanged a furious tune, dancing with anticipation.

"You shall have the winds, my friend, and we shall bring the storm as one." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Atc51MxhoAE)

Fie did his best to sense the flow of mana about him, and prepare a suitable medium for Docus' plan around the party's weapons by purifying the air as best he is able, trying to stay sensitive to any fluctuations as the Tarut worked their magic. He was prepared to focus as long as he needed to maintain it for both the fighters and Docus.

--
Try to teamwork attack with Docus to fire enchant the party's weapons. Use next round to focus on and maintain the medium so that the spell doesn't just poof when we finish.

[CelesJessa]

"Alright, individually I don't think we're going to do a lot of good. But I thought maybe we could work together and try to go for her eyes. What do you say? Want to double up on that bitch?"

Vera wasn't always the best team player, as was obvious in her behavior around Argath, but she knew working together with them was the best way to get out of this with the highest reward possible. She nodded to Caspin, gripping her knife. She shot him a toothy grin, "Sounds good to me."

-------------------
Double-team that bitch or something

[Dracorion]

Argath smiled as he rode the queen like a mechanical bull wild wyvern, even though it was a bit of an awkward position. It was usually more pleasant when he rode a female, of that he was sure.

In any case, it seemed his teammates were preparing for something, and it would be bad if the queen tried to wreck it. So, in the interest of cooperation or whatever, Argath climbed up her back and placed his hands in front of her eyes.

"Peek-a-boo!"

-----------------------
Stun the bitch.

[Overcast]

"Plan relies on your strength, misdirection. We run at her, you in front, you throw a feint and when she's distracted I follow through to take out the least guarded eye, then you double up and get the other one. Alright, let's do it!"
--------------------------
Execute operation, "double-team that bitch or something".

[Geminex]

Docus grinned as he heard Fie's response. Yes. They were doing this. They were making this HAPEN. The bee would burn. He closed his eyes and spread his arms, tapping into his own, perilously low supply of magical power. He felt tendrils of power flow from his fingertips, spreading, then converging on the spell Fie was weaving, meshing with it.

He sensed his fellow mage manipulating the air around his allies' blades, purifying the air around it, removing those components that would inhibit his Flame. Every time the warriors struck with their weapons, some of the pure air dissipated, but Docus could only marvel at Fie's skill as, every time, the shell was re-formed, without delay or hesitation. Docus could do little to help, but he kept his spell meshed with Fie's nonetheless, maintaining control, supplying power, and, as he understood his ally's intentions, and preparing his own contribution, visualising it, gathering himself. A blast of fire, spread and diluted, but powerful nonetheless would sweep the area in front of him. Its power would ignite the purified air, and then it was simply a question of maintaining and controlling the flame as his allies' made use of it.. It would require focus, so much focus. But, he realized, Fie and himself were strong, they could, would, do this. And he'd prove, to the team, to himself that, howevermuch infighting they did, howevermany insults were given and taken, they could stand together. And if they did, nothing could stand against them. A smile crossed his otherwise serene face as the thought went through his head.

"We will grant you blades of Flame. Prepare to strike."
He didn't even realize that he had spoken out loud.

[Krylo]

Pulling out his dice once more, the diminutive gambler was obviously feeling lucky. A feeling that would betray him as the dice rolled six and four before returning to his hands, the blades of the party seeming duller, their muscles more lethargic, their projectiles slower, and their spells less potent.

However, that didn't stop Vera from performing a perfect feint, giving Caspin opportunity to attack. Unfortunately, even with the skill of her feint, Caspin's dagger just missed the queen's eye, glancing away from the armored plates on her face without leaving so much as a knick. Vera's follow up had better luck, her blade burying itself to the hilt in the queen's compound eye, leaving nothing but a gorey mess in its place, and causing the great beast to rear up, throwing Argath onto the ground even as Jade charged at her. Unfortunately, with her blade dulled, and her muscles weakened, she found it impossible, even with her massive blade, to so much as scuff the queen's exoskeleton.

All the same, the huge insect seemed to believe itself in trouble as it hunched down, tiny wiggling caterpillar like creatures climbing from the holes in her back, and rolling about on the ground leaving little slimey trails, before rearing up with sharp vicious mandibles right after birth, just as the weapons of the party all lit ablaze with fire nearly causing Prasad and Capin to drop theirs from the sudden flash of heat, though the rest of the small party was able to quickly adjust.
-----------------------
PC Round 13

Prasad- Destructive roll, Bust. All damage moves down one damage step until round 18. (STRx1 becomes STRx0, etc, you're attacking with pure dice).

Vera- Stealth Roll against Queen To Complete Feint, success, Damage against queen doubled, chance of blind or reduced ACC.

Caspin- 0 Damage. The roll was terrible and no damage from stats. No blind.

Vera- Crit, 10 damage from hitting sensitive spot, and reducing queen's accuracy by 2 for 6 rounds.

Argath- Fails Dex Check, is thrown to ground.

Jade- 0 Damage to Queen Bee.

Jade- 2 Damage Poison. 2 Rounds remaining.

Queen Bee- (-50)/???

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 9/28* Arhra informed me that I forgot about the +1 hp from Jade's shirt.

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 15/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

Prasad- 23/25

-----------------------
NPC Round 13

Queen Bee- Spawn three Larvae.

-----------------------
PC Round 14

Docus + Fie complete buff casting. Everyone gains 1.5x damage, and all damage is fire. All players roll dex rating vs TN of 9 to avoid being burned.

Caspin- 2 Damage from dagger bursting into flame.

Prasad- 2 Damage from gun bursting into flame

Everyone else makes check.

Queen Bee- (-50)/???

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 9/28

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 15/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

Prasad- 23/25

[Overcast]

Caspin shot his knife up for the Queen's eye, but as usual unless he had the clarity of mind to be chopping through meat slowly he caught a front to his perfection and missed, but his plan wasn't all shit as Vera got right into the other one. Which was enough to make him feel better. He leapt back and readied to take another swing at it when suddenly his weapon caught on fire.

He had not caught Docus's last little thing about how this was about to happen so his reaction was fairly violent,

"Mother of Fuck!"

He dropped it and stared back at the two mages with a sudden look of blank confusion,

"The fuck are you doing?!"

Dammit it finally happened, they were turning on him. He was going to get burnt to death and offered to the Queen as a sacrifice to let them live. Well he wasn't going down without a fight, those bastards would have to...oh wait. About halfway through his personal ramble he caught view of what they had actually meant to do when everyone else's blades were covered in fire. Though apparently he and Prsad hadn't gotten the memo, he still cursed and decided to screw his weapon for now and grabbed Argath pulling him up before motioning for Vera and Jade,

"Alright I'm sick of this fat bastard and I would like her out of the picture before she starts making too many of those creepy little creeps she just shat out. Can we all agree we hate her more than we hate each other?"
-----------------------
Help Argath up, begin coordinating teamwork attack.

[McTahr]

Fie kept his attention to the magics at work. The influx of mana from Docus' cast had upset the balance, but he had been prepared for that. He took the sudden impulse and held some of it aside, smoothing and spreading gently as he went. With Docus' aid in maintaining it from here, he figured they could sustain it for perhaps a single bout of attacks from their fighters. Aside from that, who knew? The mana they'd spent couldn't last forever.

"Let's hope they make the best of it..."

Fie did take a moment once Docus was helping to glance about the Queen. Had they covered those larvae in lectures?
--
Lore(Monsters) check.

[Dracorion]

Argath winced as he fell on his ass. His plan to screw with her failed when his teammates made her thrash about, leading to said falling on his ass. As he was getting up, none other than Caspin showed up to lend a hand. Much to Argath's chagrin.

Urge to kill rising... He thought, as the Blue Mage tried to be friendly. Fat chance of that, though. He had half a mind to run the bastard through again. Still, with Prasad's botched roll and the queen birthing larvae, it was time they started acting somewhat cohesively.

"No. But I do agree we should take her out now." He said, as he shook off Caspin's hand. "What do you have in mind?"

He noticed Caspin's flaming dagger lying on the ground. "I guess you're not using this." He said, bending over to pick it up. "Hey Vera! Catch!" He yelled to the thief. Then he tossed the burning weapon at her.

... It was a completely friendly, slow toss and he tried to make sure the blade wasn't pointed at her.

He half regretted that, though, and not killing the Blue Mage right now.

-----------------------
Coordinate teamwork attack, toss Caspin's dagger at Vera.

[Overcast]

He watched as Argath tossed his dagger over at Vera and tried not to let the look on his face grow any more disappointed than usual in his actions. Pretty face, but so dumb. So very dumb.

"I'm going to run interference. I'll be going directly for the queen and trying to mount her and cover her remaining eyeball to help the rest of you get in without any trouble."

He pointed at Jade and nodded toward the Queen a moment,

"Jade, your muscles make me look like Docus. So you'll be moving on her right flank while I go to distract her. What I want you to do is knock her over. Whether you do this with your bare hands or if you want to use a rock and your flaming sword to crank her I don't really care. But I want her on her side."

He held up a fist as a show to Jade how much he believed in her amazing powers of STRONGness before turning to Vera and Argath,

"While she is moving on the right, you two go left, and when she tips that bitch over you two go for the birth holes. I'm hoping with Docus's little gift we'll be able to make sure she never makes another kid for the rest of her short life."

He knew just enough to know that the little larval creeps had some extra powerful poison, so while they were weak if they swarmed them they were going to be in a world of hurt. But he'd save that for later,

"Sound good?"
----------------------
Monster Lore success and more coordination.

[Arhra]

"We hate other?" Jade asked Caspin back, an eyebrow raised. The fighter, in her infinite wisdom, had been at the bar chatting with hunters and getting drunk while various sorts of drama had happened at the inn.

"And bitch." Jade corrected Caspin semi-seriously. "Fat bitch." She'd thought blue mages were supposed to be monster experts!

Jade thought over the plan quickly, idly testing the edge of her sword with a thumb. It felt blunter than a butter knife. She then sucked on her thumb - the sword was still mostly on fire. The warrior made her decision and jammed her sword into the ground point first at her side. Sprinting from that spot, she picked up momentum and flung herself at the Queen Bee with a flying tackle, intending to take on the monstrously armoured insect with her bare hands.

"Nyaaaah!"

[Overcast]

Caspin nodded with a grin at her correction. How could he have been so blind? And when she took off it was pretty much set that either he and Jade were going to fail at the plan together thanks to the other two, or they were all going to succeed because they were that awesome.

He ran at the Queen head on and leapt into the air latching onto her face and reacting a bit like an enraged child in the way he was kicking and punching and trying to crawl around on her.

He wanted to get bitten as little as possible after all.
---------------
EXECUTE THE PLAN.

[Krylo]

Vera caught Caspin's dagger with a nod, backing around and preparing to attack alongside Argath, as Jade charged forward. The Vera warrior's arms strained against three of the queen's six legs, the two pushed against each other in a deadlock, and for a moment it looked like the plan would fail, until Caspin leapt up at the queen's face. She quickly batted her head around and throw the blue mage back to the ground, but the momentary distraction was all that Jade needed to flip the giant insect onto the ground, her breeding holes facing Vera and Argath, whom both plunged their weapons deep into the birth holes on her back, flame searing through her body and causing her to scream out in pain and rage.

As she thrashed, the moogle took aim and let fire with with his twin pistols, flames streaking in the air behind the bullets as they impacted with the carapace of the queen in brilliant explosions.

The queen rolled around on the ground, struggling to regain her feet, as her larva hurled viscous balls of poisonous slime at their mother's attackers, though none found their mark, instead sizzling like acid on the ground, and killing the grass and shrubs of the forest floor.

-----------------------
PC Round 14

Docus + Fie complete buff casting. Everyone gains 1.5x damage, and all damage is fire. All players roll dex rating vs TN of 9 to avoid being burned.

Caspin- Leap at face, get tossed aside

Jade- Flip that bitch.

Argath- 9 damage queen

Vera- 21 Damage queen

Prasad- 9 Damage queen

Jade- 2 damage, poison. One more round.

Queen Bee- (-89)/???

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 7/28

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 15/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

Prasad- 23/25
-----------------------
NPC Round 14

Larva 1- Poison spit Prasad. Miss.

Larva 2- Poison spit Fie. Miss.

Larva 3- Poison spit Argath. Miss

-----------------------
PC Round 15

Buff depleted. Damage returns to normal.

[Dracorion]

With the queen left infertile for life, not that she had long to live anyway, Argath turned his attention to the larvae as he pulled his spear with a sickening squishing out of her burnt birthing holes.

He quickly dodged as one of them tried to spit poison at him, which jogged his memory. "Hey, all of you. Newborn bees have pretty strong poison. Stronger than when they mature. It might even work on this fat bitch."

------------------------
Inform the team about the larvae.

[Geminex]

Docus' eyes flashed, and it wasn't fire this time. He was fresh out of mana, and uncomfortably aware of his uselessness, but his brain still worked, quite feverishly, for the circumstances. And since he had nothing better to do, he considered. An unfortunate roll had robbed them of most of their strength, and they'd find it hard to damage the Queen with weapons alone. But they had her pinned, and vulnerable, and suddenly Argath was talking, sharing information the way allies were supposed to, and Docus... realized.

Strategy had never been a strength of his, he differed entirely from his father on that count, but one basic principle that had been drilled into him was how very fluid the concepts of 'strength' and 'weakness' could be. Ultimately, it was individual decision that decided the outcome of a conflict, not resources at hand. Docus had always been a bit sceptical (though he'd never admit that), but he could suddenly see the point. If the Queen was big and heavy and well-armored, use that against her, and pin her to the ground. And if her young spewed poison, us that against her too. And he knew just how.

He approached the warriors, calling out. "We can do this! Argath, Prasad, target a larva. Vera, give Caspin his knife back and then help them. Caspin, when we've killed one, see if you can't extract some poison! If we poison her, our job gets that much easier."
He realized he must look comical, 3 feet tall, covered in bark, trying to tell a group of warriors what to do, but he hoped, hoped his thinking was correct. Maybe he could contribute after all.

----

Approach group (though stay at medium range), give orders, bluh bluh.

[Overcast]

Caspin grinned up from the ground as he watched his plan get executed flawlessly. That Queen was most definitely in a world of hurt now, but they were going to need more or else he was going to watch this fall apart. He stared around and caught view of the little bastards she had spawned.

Docus and Argath were able to knock two braincells together and formulate something reasonable so he decided to chip in with,

"Start killing babies!"

He stared at the beast as she struggled to roll about and tried to think of how he could make this distraction a slight bit more successful than the last one. Particularly he was thinking of if her antennae were as sensitive as in most insects. She seemed to have other means of sensory perception, but most of the time grabbing onto one was a harrowing event for the creeps.
----------------------
Monster lore check on advantageous means of weak people riding strong monsters.

[Dracorion]

It seemed his allies had managed to put two and two together. He was so proud. "I'll leave the baby-killing to you guys. Someone needs to distract the fat lady." He said simply. Running forward, he jumped the queen again.

-----------------------
Attempt to ride the queen again.

[McTahr]

Fie glanced around quickly, his magical reserves were perilously low and his allies were struggling. Hopefully they'd be able to tough out the poor turn of fate Prasad's dice had cast, but things were not looking hopeful.

It was finally time to start being defensive. A shame he only had enough sense to save a single Cure. He'd have to make it count, and with the state Jade was in, he couldn't think of a better candidate.

He began to channel the healing energies necessary. He could only hope her armor and training could keep her alive long enough for the spell to reach her.

[Arhra]

"Already on it!" Jade pointed out to Argath, correct at the moment as her and the bee rolled around, the insect trying to get rid of the annoyingly persistent Viera. She moved her legs to try and keep it pinned in place, sitting on top of the insect's thorax.

The fighter was starting to feel woozy, the cuts and poison taking their toll. There was only one thing to do. She grabbed one of the queen bee's wildly flailing antenna and pulled it hard. With her other fist she started punching it in the eye.

It would keep it distracted if nothing else.

[Krylo]

Jumping onto the queen bee, Jade smashes her fist into its pulpy eye, grabbing its antenna causing it to roar and chitter in pain as Vera and Prasad attack one of her nearby Larva. Feeling everything going wrong, the queen screeches with all its strength, and then begins to vomit out a thick honey, richer and more delicious than that seen by most hunters, directly onto the feasting Caspin, just as the blue mage acquires his prize. All it could do with the two warriors holding its body down and against its will.

However, the honey fills him with a euphoria that twists his mind, confuses him... and soon he is in the thrall of the queen bee as sure as her own children, who return fire toward Vera, the nimble thief avoiding the first splash of poison, but being unable to avoid the second. The venom, as strong as it is, is absorbed through her skin within moments, and she finds herself feeling immensely ill, even as the last of the queen's children turns upon Jade, sickening the warrior once more, even as the poison from the sting was finally being metabolized by her system.

The warrior woman would have probably died shortly there after, if it weren't for Fie's magic raining down upon her, and returning her body to near perfect condition... but still the poison plagued her blood stream.
-----------------------
PC Round 15

Buff depleted. Damage returns to normal (other than Prasad's roll, which has 3 more rounds-until 18).

Jade- 6 damage to queen. Take 2 damage. Poison cleared.

Vera- Return Caspin's knife. 4 Damage Larva 1

Caspin- Learn Pollen. Acquire poison sac.

Fie- Begin casting cure at Jade.

Argath- Ride the queen.

Prasad- 11 damage, Larva 1

Docus- Move to medium

Queen Bee- (-95)/???

Larva 1- (-15)/???

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 5/28

Vera- 14/23

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 15/23

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

Prasad- 23/25

------------------------
NPC Round 15

Queen- Vomit Royal Jelly at Caspin. Caspin is charmed.

Larva 1- Poison spit at Vera, Miss

Larva 2- Poison spit at Vera, hit. Vera poisoned. Six rounds.

Larva 3- Poison Spit at Jade. Jade poisoned. Five rounds.

Queen Bee- (-95)/???

Larva 1- (-15)/???

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 5/28 Poisoned again.

Vera- 14/23 Poison.

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 15/23 Charmed.

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

Prasad- 23/25

------------------------
PC Round 16

Fie- Cure Jade for 30 hp.

Queen Bee- (-95)/???

Larva 1- (-15)/???

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 28/28 Poisoned Two damage per round, Six Rounds.

Vera- 14/23 Poisoned Two damage per round, Five Rounds.

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 15/23 Charmed.

Fie- 8/20

Docus- 12/21

Prasad- 23/25

[Overcast]

Caspin grinned at one of the fallen bees and raised up his dagger, shoving it in between the layers of exoskeleton snapping it open before digging about and carefully cutting away at its internal structure to find the poison sac attached with its pump toward the stinger. He sliced it from place then mashed the insides of the bee with its own vomit, churning it into a fine sweet past that he sucked maliciously from its form. He lifted up the sac with distinct pleasure before he felt the sudden rush of euphoria.

Then he fell short of his mind.

His queen called. These fools had done quite enough harm to her. The little larvae had done good to hit the other warriors, he could imagine his queen would be able to deal with them properly as long as they were envenomed. And that word, that resonated as a good idea as he suck his dagger into the poison sac, coating it in the foul substance. He stared up toward the little ones with a kind grin as he began walking their way.

He was feeling a mite peckish even after the bee. He could use a little Tarut and a bit of airy Moogle to even him out.
-----------------
Poison dagger, move toward Docus, Fie, Prsad.

[CelesJessa]

"Damn..." Vera fell to a knee as she started feeling the effects of the poison. This was starting to be more than she bargained for, and she was seriously considering retreating for now, and suggesting her party members do the same. That is- she was considering it until she saw Caspin advancing on the mages, a murderous and distant look in his eyes. This was bad. They needed to get that sac away from him.

Thank goodness they have Vera here, and she climbed to her feet, ignoring the dizzy feeling as she stalked up behind Caspin. It wasn't too hard to avoid his detection as he had his sights set on the mages. Reaching forward, she swiped the sac from Caspin's hand before he would know what hit him.

"Argath! Make yourself useful!" Was that the first time she bothered to use his real name? Maybe, but either way he's going to very quickly realize that there is a poison sac being thrown in his direction.

[Dracorion]

It seemed Caspin had decided to take the poison from one of the bees they'd already killed instead of gutting a larva. Well, that might still work. However, that went to hell as soon as the queen did the only thing she could do with Argath and Jade pinning her down: she spat a string of jelly on Caspin, enthralling him instantly.

Shit.

They needed to close that mouth of hers. Conveniently, Vera was quick enough on the uptake to steal the poison sac from Caspin as he moved toward the mages. "Argath! Make yourself useful!" She called as she threw it at him. He caught it nimbly and wordlessly turned his attention back to the queen.

"Hold her still so I can shut her up." He told Jade, as he wiped the poison left on the sac on the blade of his spear, from the opening Caspin made. "But try not to get yourself spat upon. The rest of them would be pissed if I had to put you down."

----------------------
Catch Caspin's sac, douse spear in poison.

[Geminex]

Docus grinned. People weren't listening as well as they could, but finally, finally... things seemed to be going their way again. At least they had poison, now, they could see how the queen liked a taste of her own medicine. Or... maybe they didn't? In a rapid exchange he saw the queen do... something to Caspin, Caspin plunge his dagger into the venom sack, Vera steal it from him and then he saw Caspin turn, turn towards him with a poisoned dagger in his hand an an eerie smile on his face.

Docus, for all his diplomacy, wasn't great at empathy, he frequently found it hard to tell what others were feeling. Not thinking, he was good at that. But feeling. It was one thing he'd have to work on. But despite this self-confessed weakness, one look into Caspin's eyes was enough to tell him that something was wrong. The Queen had spit something at him, something... sticky, and there was an enticing smell in the air. And Caspin's expression was strangely similar to that of Gloria, when he had... He shook his head. He hadn't known better, that had been an abuse of power and he should be ashamed of himself. No use dwelling on that. But one thing he did take from that unfortunate episode was acute knowlege of what a charmed individual looked like, and Caspin's expression matched. He gulped. Caspin was charmed, armed with a poisoned weapon, and coming straight towards them. He couldn't let him reach Fie, he realized. Fie was their best hope right now.

Docus' mind raced, but, somehow, he already knew what to do. He couldn't just recognize charm. He was good at it. And, unless he was mistaken, the Blue Mage would be vulnerable to him. Time to put that to good use. He licked his lips, partly nervous, partly just to improve his appearance, made an effort to straighten up, and, eyes wide and unthreatening, called out. "Caspin! Caspin what's wrong? Are you allright?" Making sure to maintain eye contact, trying to relax his facial muscles as much as possible (though raising his eyebrows, that always helped), he slowly started walking towards Caspin, hands held out to his sides, palms open and facing towards Caspin. A classic gesture of unthreatening surrender, and, for once, it helped that he was three feet tall. His mind raced. He had the body language down allright, he hoped, but what to say, what to say... He briefly grinned. "Caspin, what are you doing? We need you fighting!" His voice was soft, again, non-threatening. This wasn't the usual pattern, standard procedure was to couple the body language with something more authoritative to assert mental dominance, but that probably wouldn't work well. So, non-threatening it was, and, as Docus pleaded, he felt... something flow into his voice, somehow stood straighter, felt his eyes sparkle, his voice become strangely melodious. This was what he had trained for.

"Caspin! ('Frequent repition of an individual's name will convey a sense of urgency without surrending dominance over the situation') Snap out of it! I'm sorry I ignored you before, Caspin, I was wrong. Come back, Caspin. Fight with us! Together we can win. And then we can cook them. Let's cook them together, Caspin. Come on, we need you." He gulped. That was... allright, it would have an effect on Caspin's already-addled mind, he hoped, but it wasn't enough. He needed a coupe de grace. And he knew just what to do. Didn't like it, though.

His expression shifted from scared and unthreatening to just slightly fliratious, his lids half-lowering, eyes going from fear to longing, body language becoming much more inviting. He hoped he wouldn't regret this.
"Caspin. We need you. And I need you."

The things he'd do for the team.

-------
Steal Caspin's heart.

[McTahr]

Poison. More poison. Just great. Give it a minute and the Udrafresk'll have time to wake up and reconfigure their pasty bloated corpses into mallets and such so he(she?) and the Queen can play Tarut Tennis. Already the sickening "THWACK" as he was launched back and forth over the remains of the hive, his tiny hat jutting out between a complete mess of gore. Somehow in this intensely vivid reverie, the queen was even swinging a Jade mallet with her claws, and it wasn't made of the gem.

Fie pulled his hat down tighter over his head, trying his best to somehow be anywhere else, or at least think about anything else.

Or! Or the queen could use their mangled and broken bodies for a warm festering breeding ground, bringing about some kind of super man-eating bee that lives only to sate its lust for flesh and bone! Fie could already see them descending on the academies in hordes. Thousands of terrified Tarut fleeing as they see their comrades impaled and turned into Tarut-on-a-sticks! The heads of the bee legions were even wearing "trophies" from the remains of their old hives. How sentimental.

Damnit. They hadn't taught him how to deal with this in his training. Walking around and healing people on short pilgrimages didn't prepare you to watch the situation go from bad to worse to suicide. They couldn't reliably hurt her, her children were spitting some kind of hell venom at them, Caspin was looking for a little Tarut filet, he was out of useful mana for healing, and the Udrafresk was going to wake up any minute!

Berlion's voice intoned in his mind once more.
"Calm down. Do your duty. Back to the basics."

He was a white mage, damnit.

Fie took a deep breath and pushed his hat back up. He hesitantly took a few steps towards Vera before trying to dash his way around Caspin to get to her.

[Krylo]

Perhaps it was the 'I' need you, or perhaps Caspin simply couldn't understand the words through the royal jelly induced haze, but Docus's attempt to break his charming failed, and he still took his chance as Fie dashed past, the dagger slashing through the Tarut's arm, doing little more than superficial damage. Of course, the white mage couldn't take much more of that.

Meanwhile, Prasad took aim and blasted apart the injured Larva, while Jade continued smashing her fist into the queen's eye, blinding her, and, without sight, her attempt to charm more of her opponents with the royal jelly flinging from her mouth hole proved fruitless.

Her remaining two larva, however, had better luck, their spit splashing against Argath and Docus both, and absorbing into their blood stream.
-----------------------
PC Round 16

Docus- Charm FAIL.

Caspin- BE DISTURBED BY SHOTA HOLY SHIT WHAT? Also do 4 damage to Fie. Lose poison on blade.

Fie- Move into short range of Bee, Vera, blah blah blah. Resist dat poison.

Vera- Do the things that are in her post. Take 2 damage from poison.

Argath- Do the things that are in his post.

Jade- 3 Damage Queen, finally blind dat bitch.

Prasad- 12 Damage Larva 1. Larva 1 dead.

Queen Bee- (-98)/??? -Blind. -5 attack rolls.

Larva 1- Dead.

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 26/28 Poisoned again. Five rounds remaining.

Vera- 12/23 Poison. Four rounds remaining.

Argath- 11/25

Caspin- 15/23 Charmed. 2 Rounds remaining.

Fie- 4/20

Docus- 12/21

Prasad- 23/25

2 Rounds left on dest. Roll.

-------------------------
NPC Round 16.

Queen- Vomit royal jelly. Miss everyone.

Larva 2- Poison spit Argath. Argath poisoned, four rounds.

Larva 3- Poison spit Docus. Docus Poisoned, three rounds

Queen Bee- (-98)/??? -Blind. -5 attack rolls.

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 26/28 Poisoned again. Five rounds remaining.

Vera- 12/23 Poison. Four rounds remaining.

Argath- 11/25. Poison. Four rounds remaining.

Caspin- 15/23 Charmed. 2 Rounds remaining.

Fie- 4/20

Docus- 12/21 Poison. Three rounds remaining.

Prasad- 23/25

[Arhra]

"Hold her still so I can shut her up." Argath told Jade, applying poison to his spear. "But try not to get yourself spat upon. The rest of them would be pissed if I had to put you down."

"Don't get cocky!" Jade snapped. She was the one fighting an giant insect with BARE HANDS.

Bare hands finally smashed up the Queen Bee's remaining compound eye, blinding the monster. But the situation had gotten bad.

"Take care of this." Jade told Argath offhandedly, leaving him to deal with the Queen Bee on his own.

Tail twitching, she stormed towards where Caspin was menacing Fie, curving slightly to pass by where she had left her sword. She seemed to not have noticed a larvae was in her path.

"Get out of there Fie!" she shouted at the little Tarut. "I'll handle this. And you, Caspin," she snarled, picking up speed. "Stop snacking on every strange thing you see and GRIT THOSE TEETH!"

She'd just reached one of the larvae. She'd noticed it after all. With a vicious swing of one heavily armoured leg, she wound up and kicked it like a football at the honey addled blue mage's head.

A few steps more and Jade's right hand snaked out to her side. She snatched a hold on her sword's hilt and pulled it from the ground with barely a hitch in her stride. Shaking the remaining dirt loose, she moved the massive blade to a two handed grip and sped up again.

Caspin had a snarling Viera headed straight for him.

OOC: Action summary: Hey Caspin! Hey! HEY!

[Dracorion]

Argath felt a rush of sickness as the larvae's poison washed over him. Damn. That sucked. "Well that's a waste of time." He muttered as Jade left to charge at Caspin.

Holding his spear with both hands, he angled it with the queen's head. "Open wide!" He yelled, before shoving the shaft down her gullet with all his strength.

---------------------
Poison the queen.

[Overcast]

Caspin stared at Docus a moment. He finally realized why Argath had been so angry at him before. This...this was the most terrible thing that had ever happened to him since he came out of the closet back in Cornelia. He stared blankly at Docus for a minute, and was able to sum up one minute phrase in his magnificent mind,

"Dude, what?"

He wasn't even really thinking when he saw Fie run by, he just kind of stabbed him out of habit. Still hit though, he hoped the poison stuck. He shook off his disgust for a minute and stared at the little creeper,

"Somebody is going to have to pay for putting my mind what I just went through. Not even Blue Magic has had that much of an effect on my psyche as that has."

He got ready to unleash his stabbings when he heard someone say his name, he turned around and there was Jade, doing her typical thing of intuitive violence. The larva kicking was a good move he had to say, he did a little dance for the guy as he moved to catch him.

---------------------------
Dex check to catch the Larva, then more to come!

[McTahr]

Fie had tried to duck past him, but Caspin's dagger still managed to clip him on the arm as he went by. He barely noticed, still so focused on the horrors in his mind as much as the duty that lie ahead of him. Quickly doing his best to judge which of his allies was in the most dire of situations, he set to work trying to at least curb the progress of the poison in Vera slightly, if nothing else.

[Geminex]

Docus groaned as Caspin's heart slipped from his grasp. He really needed to work on his persuasion. The flirting at the end really hadn't helped. And, of course, the bastard had gone straight for Fie. The White Mage had taken a beating already, and, however heroic his efforts seemed to be, he was putting himself in serious danger here. And, looking around, Docus realized that the last thing he wanted was for them to be facing this without a white mage, who could at least had some healing skills.

His thoughts were interrupted by a green spray of venom that formed a green, stinking patch on his robes and then seemed to sink in through is skin, making him feel extremely queasy. A sharp pain flared up in his abdomen, and he suddenly felt himself freeze. Poison. Goddamn poison. For the first time this mission, he was scared. Not shocked an at Udrafresk, or addled and startled by bees, but genuinely afraid. Of course, no use running. Couldn't run from poison. You could hope to survive it, if you responeded right. He gulped, suddenly sweating. Fie really had to survive. It was personal now. He himself couldn't do much, but there had to be a teammate who could. He ran towards the battle, yelling.

"Hey! Fie's wounded! Somebody heal him, or we're not getting out of this alive. Someon's gotta have potions on them! And Prasad, one last volley at the queen! And how long is that damn roll of yours gonna last?"

-------
Move into short range of battle, yell

[Overcast]

He got pelted in the face by larva when he missed the damn thing. It didn't hurt all that much, just a minor inconvenience. He leaned down and picked the little creep back up and did a little dance for him,

"Hey little guy, go after the furry creep over there. He's definitely going to be doing some shooting in a minute."

He ended with a nice little flourish toward Prsad as Docus tried to run past him, which honestly was fine by him. If he wanted to get himself killed in the main battlefield he was welcome to it. But he best not expect he would be able to pass by Caspin without the threat of being stabbed. He lashed out with his dagger at the little creep. Trying really not to think about Jade, or at least not be threatened by her.

He wasn't quite strong enough to be a serious threat to the warrior. He had to play to his strengths.
---------------------------
Attack Docus.

[Krylo]

Caspin's blade draws blood from Docus, as the red mage charges past, a near perfect repeat of the moment with Fie mere seconds ago.

Meanwhile, Argath attempts to ram his spear into the queen, only to have the dulled edge deflect against her hard carapace, the poison smearing across it harmlessly, while Prasad blasts another hole in the next of the larva. Unfortunately, it isn't enough to kill it, and with Vera receiving emergency medical attention from Fie and everyone else busy, the larva lives to strike back, the poison splashing against Prasad's fur and sickening him, while its twin attempts to poison Fie, but finds the small tarut of a surprisingly hardy constitution, the splash of foul liquid apparently leaving him unaffected.

The queen, while her larva attempt to finish spreading the poison, stands and charges toward the sound of the warrior who had been holding her, but without her sight, her claws find no flesh to claw, and she slashes the air harmlessly.
-----------------------
PC Round 17

Docus- Be useless. Take 2 damage poison.

Fie- Healing roll fail.

Vera- Let Fie try to heal poison. Take 2 damage.

Argath- 0 Damage Queen. Lose poison on weapon. Poison resisted. Take 2 Damage Poison

Jade- 1 Damage Larva 2 from kick. 2 Damage to Larva 2, and 1 damage to Caspin from impact. Take 2 damage.

Prasad- 9 Damage Larva 2.

Caspin- 2 Damage Docus

Queen Bee- (-98)/??? -Blind. -5 attack rolls.

Larva 2- (-12)/??

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 24/28 Poisoned again. Four rounds remaining.

Vera- 10/23 Poison. Three rounds remaining.

Argath- 9/25 Poison. Three Rounds remaining

Caspin- 14/23 Charmed. 1 Rounds remaining.

Fie- 4/20

Docus- 8/21 Poison. 2 Rounds remaining

Prasad- 23/25

1 Round left on dest. Roll.

-------------------------
NPC Round 17.

Queen- Miss Jade

Larva 2- Poison spit Fie. Poison Resisted

Larva 3- Poison spit Prasad. Prasad Poisoned.

Queen Bee- (-98)/??? -Blind. -5 attack rolls.

Larva 2- (-12)/??

Udrafresk- ???/112-138

Jade- 24/28 Poisoned again. Four rounds remaining.

Vera- 10/23 Poison. Three rounds remaining.

Argath- 9/25 Poison. Three Rounds remaining

Caspin- 14/23 Charmed. 1 Rounds remaining.

Fie- 4/20

Docus- 8/21 Poison. 2 Rounds remaining

Prasad- 23/25 Poison. 6 Rounds remaining.

1 Round left on dest. Roll.