Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Sutoratosu Akira]

Brynn

"We haven't gotten a good estimate of their exact numbers, but there are more than usual to be found in the New World. They're still incredibly rare, and without being able to pin down an exact habitat it's hard to keep track of them. Especially since it's hard to tell if you've actually killed one or not. As for what they're like, they're the most powerful and dangerous foes a hunter can meet. We still can't explain how most of them do what they do, just that they're full of bioenergy and almost every creature in the world knows to give them a wide berth. Except the Sapphire Star, of course, but she's exceptional...

Everything is prey to an elder dragon if it decides so. The only recorded examples we have of anything overpowering an elder dragon are Rajang hunting down Kirin to eat their horns. If you see one of those, you should turn the other direction." The Commander glanced to his side, where the Admiral towered over him. "They look a bit like him."

Brynn stared at the Admiral for a moment, somewhat confused but nodding nonetheless. "I know not what bioenergy means exactly to this world, but the Elders sound fairly close to the likes I'm familiar with. I would still like to see for myself, just to be certain. Pray, can you share more about this 'Rajang', hunter of Kirin and devourer of horns?"

[Devastator]

Newton

Aight, now time for the next stage, gonna go get some surprise running.

It's time to do the Waterslide.  Find a steep slope, say the side of a capsized boat, and land down, near the top of it.  Use the ink to mark out a circle, about as wide across as my outstretched wings, with some kinda fake runic thing in the middle of it.  After that, lie down, stretch out my wings, and, with them touching the boat hull, release a small portion of the water in my inventory, enough to wet the boat side down the way to the ground, and make it more slippery.

After faking the spellcasting, stand up, leap into the air, and slide down the boat side a few times, on my breast.  Hopefully the kids will follow.

When they do, line up behind the biggest and bossiest one of them, as if I'm waiting my turn.  When that kid goes, jump up and release the lot of the water, giving that kid a much more exciting ride than was expected.

[Chevaleresse]

"I do have hazardous environment equipment... of a sort, but I had hoped to keep that particular card close to the chest until I had a better idea of how these creatures fight from personal observations," Saejik considers, "But we do not have to hit these objectives simultaneously, do we?  It might be better to feel out one of the less dangerous encounters first before committing to the Rotten Vale.  Still, if you are planning to go there immediately, I can get us a vehicle with effective NBC seals for the mission.  My engineers will insist on having it in for maintenance after combat operations though, and I had hoped to have it adjusted for combat against beasts before deploying it, though.  Gigantic creatures aren't nearly as common of threats as infantry and military vehicles back home.  The All-Terrain Tactical Enforcer held up well enough on Felucia, but these creatures you've described sound far more formidable than the Ackleys we faced there."

"Right. I don't know about the monsters from where you're from, but you're correct to be cautious about the Rotten Vale. The carcasses attract a lot of predators, and the miasma doesn't sit well with anything that lives there. I doubt Vaal Hazak would be active again so soon, but with the rate we've been running into these issues. . ." The Commander shook his head, rubbing at a temple with one hand. "At least there haven't been any more black dragon sightings. Preferably we'd investigate these all at once, and I'm afraid I can't let you take your entire group out. Hunters are already disruptive enough in groups of four, and we're here to study and protect the ecosystem, not bulldoze it because the dragons got twitchy again."

Brynn stared at the Admiral for a moment, somewhat confused but nodding nonetheless. "I know not what bioenergy means exactly to this world, but the Elders sound fairly close to the likes I'm familiar with. I would still like to see for myself, just to be certain. Pray, can you share more about this 'Rajang', hunter of Kirin and devourer of horns?"

The Admiral stepped up to answer the question. "Big, nasty monkey with arms bigger around than mine. They're actually one of the smaller monsters you see around here, but there's a reason everything keeps its distance. I've seen one get one over on a Deviljho, and that thing will eat entire ecosystems if it gets a chance. They'll catch you with their horns if they get half a chance, they're smarter than they look, and even better, they store up all the energy they get from eating Kirin to blast it out at anything tough enough to stand up to their fists. And that's before they get angry."

Aight, now time for the next stage, gonna go get some surprise running.

It's time to do the Waterslide.  Find a steep slope, say the side of a capsized boat, and land down, near the top of it.  Use the ink to mark out a circle, about as wide across as my outstretched wings, with some kinda fake runic thing in the middle of it.  After that, lie down, stretch out my wings, and, with them touching the boat hull, release a small portion of the water in my inventory, enough to wet the boat side down the way to the ground, and make it more slippery.

After faking the spellcasting, stand up, leap into the air, and slide down the boat side a few times, on my breast.  Hopefully the kids will follow.

When they do, line up behind the biggest and bossiest one of them, as if I'm waiting my turn.  When that kid goes, jump up and release the lot of the water, giving that kid a much more exciting ride than was expected.

The kids seem to get the picture quickly, eagerly lining up to play the game the odd little bird seemed to be offering. If anyone had an issue with small children sliding down several dozen steep feet of capsized boat with no guardrails or other safety measures, they didn't show it. The rune draws a few idle eyes and some murmuring, but by and large the children mostly seem to ignore it; it doesn't seem that magical sigils have much meaning to them.

A larger kid, one wearing clothes made of some bright yellow hides not unlike the ones the adults wandering about had, was the victim of Newton's prank. He squealed in momentary terror that broke into laughter as he was washed all the way down to the marketplace at the bottom of Astera, tumbling gently into a stack of fruit (much to the chagrin of the Felyne that had just finished sorting them.)

[Sutoratosu Akira]

Brynn

The giant's curled tail began to wag in interest as she listened, heartily beating against the wooden platform. "Oh my, an ape who wields the power of a dragon, breath weapon and all? that sounds much more fun to face than the exploding cancer bat! I hope to see him for myself then, Mages alone seldom make for worthy opponents."

She honestly couldn't recall how many the blade hefted on her shoulder had cleaved through. They seemed to never expect Arisen to be coated with her breath- likely because it was one of the few objects in their world that couldn't at least be melted by it's effects. She'd say it was a true shame how much the technique behind personal shielding spells had stagnated, but in all honesty they were destined to fail against her regardless. Coating the sword was usually quicker and more humane than simply blasting them directly, in her experience. Come to think of it, when was the last time she'd even been forced to teleport around during battle or use other spatial manipulations? Or actually attempt to block an attack instead of just letting it glance off her scales? A long while indeed. The beings in her world who could force such effort out of her were few and far in-between. And most of them served her and her father besides.

"Friends, who will join me in my quest?" She asked as she turned to the others. "I hope to start in the forest. What about you, knight of black?"

There was the only person present who fit that title, and Brynn's lingering gaze upon Mira would've made it painfully obvious even if that hadn't been the case.

[DragonRage]

"I think I'll join the expedition to the Coral Highlands instead," Captain Saejik says, "Overhead cover does limit my tactical options quite a bit, after all."

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Mira

For a while, Mira had fallen silent as the group got more intel on their surroundings, not bothering to walk off just yet but clearly rather impatient. Once Brynn questioned her, Mira instantly flicked her eyes towards her, then back at the map, "I could care less about your glory hunt on an ape with an appetite for horns. So unless one decides to pick a fight with me, my focus is whatever is riling up those 'Anjanath'" she stated bluntly. Though she said otherwise, is was blatantly obvious to anyone who had experience with Mira, even slightly, that she was lying about not caring about fighting a Rajang. She did thrive in battle, after all.

But, at least to her, a Rajang wasn't part of the mission. Thus, she would ignore it unless it decided to come to her.

[Sutoratosu Akira]

Brynn

The dragon seemed completely undeterred by her aloof response, either not catching or not caring about the subtle undertones of 'buzz off'. "Oh? But what if the antagonist of these 'Anjanath' is none other than the Rajang, invading their territory in search of delicious Kirin? Even if it is not so, our searches will still take us to the same place, and my Arisen hungers for something of more substance than upstart magi who fall in a single stroke... whether it be Rajang or otherwise. It has been too long since we fought one who truly tested us."

[Devastator]

Newton

Fruit!  Free fruit!

There were two thoughts running through the bird's head, as it looked upon the situation.  To be greedy now, or to be greedy later?  The kid enjoyed it, and might be willing to enact further, more profitable shenanigans.  On the other hand, free fruit!

It eventually comes to a decision.  The child will likely be available for recruitment later, but the fruit is here today.  Seize the day!

Newton swoops down to steal some of the stray fruit, before leaping back up and flying towards the other travellers.

Upon return, it'll land on Brynn, being the most obvious protector from any possibility of angry shopkeeps.  That this also, by default, signs him up for the Forest expedition is fine.

[StormLord]

Cell types a few words into his arm.
"I will go to the CoralHighlands."

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Mira

Once again, Mira's eyes snapped to Brynn, this time narrowing in a slight bit of annoyance, "If that's the case, then fine, our goals would align. My initial point, however, still stands. I'll be dealing with the problem at hand, not a potentially unrelated ape just for the fun of it."

[Sutoratosu Akira]

Brynn

"More's the pity then, but that is your choice to make." Brynn shrugged, seemingly unimpeded by the massive blade resting on her shoulder. Nor did she seem to notice the mysterious bird that had just perched itself on the other. "Should we happen upon the Rajang, you are free to retreat to safety. I wish merely for company on the long search, not to endanger those who lack my curiosity. I am young, but not foolish."

With that said she turned and began walking away. The satisfaction in her voice was unmistakable as she called back. "Make what preparations you must, knight of black. I'll await you at the gates. We shall see what beasts this forest holds yet!"

[Opera House Smee]

Venus

The talk of dragons seemed to delve into another beast, that of what Venus summed up as an ape with high intelligence and highly predatory capabilities despite being comparatively smaller in size. The world seemed to have its fair share of dangerous beasts, if on a far more significant scale, though in comparison to the first beasts that had come to mind, the new Rajang, or what it was called--did not particular tickle Venus' fancy, and he noticed that his compatriots surrounding them mostly shared the same sentiment, and for reasons beyond the suggestion that the primate beast was far more unruly.

"Perhaps I will partake in the party dealing with the first aforementioned threat, then, rather than the primate of which you have recommended to stray away from."

[AzyWng]

IP

The android spent a few seconds in thought, then approached Brynn.

"Greetings. Do you require assistance in the forest? If so, I would be willing to provide."

[Sutoratosu Akira]

Brynn

"But of course!" The dragon smiled back at IP, "The more the merrier! I'm sure the Knight of Black would agree. Now we need naught but one more until it's a full expedition!"

Perhaps it was unintentional, perhaps it wasn't, but either way her voice carried far enough for Mira to have easily heard it.

[GodofGamingRWBY]

Mira

Having stuck around the table while Brynn walked off, Mira let out an audible sigh when the former's words reached her, causing her to silently look up and wish that something would drop on her. Anything to give her some bloody peace and quiet. After that brief moment however, the knight in black unfolded her arms, turning away from the table and marching towards the front gate, not even giving the trio a glance as she moved past, "Let's get this done with."