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Post by tsukikoko on Oct 14, 2022 18:36:34 GMT -6
[OOC: John chooses to see what's going to unfold, rather than throwing himself into anything hastily. He does, at the very least, keep his eyes and ears on the front gate, ready to warn people if the creatures come through.]
Ash was in trouble? Ash... Oh, the flying one. How... unfortunate. For him.
John watched the proceedings of the group with mild disinterest, up until Una covered herself in mud. At that point, the fox's eyes near bulged out of his head with sheer horror and his lips threatened to peel back over his fangs.
He shook his head after a moment, refocusing on the sounds of two beasts outside. With any luck, they might wound or kill each other. At the very least the winner of their territorial scuffle might then eat the tainted meat.
Without any luck... Well. At least there were larger morsels than the Kumiho to focus upon first.
John did, at least keep his eyes and ears on the front gate, alert for changes or signs the creatures planned to break in. He could yip or otherwise make a ruckus to alert people, of they were too distracted or slow to notice on their own.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 15, 2022 2:58:50 GMT -6
August and John remain at the front gate, Una and Vincent move to the back gate, and open it in preparation for the return of Ash. The mist pools within the open gates, as if they had let it inside by their action. The guard huddles with August and John with his under-sized knife, waiting. The mummy moves with Una and Vincent, picking up a rotten piece of wood off the ground and holding it as if it might be an effective weapon.
Outside, Ash rolls under the bird-like creature, which in turn, reaches under itself to peck at him clumsily and misses. Its jaws are massive and its breath is foul. The manticore, which had been distracted by the flame, now had its attention drawn by the bird-like creature and swipes at it while Ash retreats.
The flying creature squawks indignantly, flapping awkwardly as it rises from the misty ground below to take flight, its decidedly un-birdlike appearance contrasting with its very bird-like behavior. Its shape is briefly outlined by the moon against the dark sky to all that were watching from the gate, before cloud cover moved to partially obscure the sky, and its body again. It must have continued to lift up and into the air beyond, for its wing-beats became increasingly faint.
The manticore takes another leap at it, missing as it swats, before landing heavily on the ground near the candle, and Ash. It turns sharply where it lands, regaining its footing, staring up at the sky until the shape of the flying creature disappears into the darkness.
Then, monster’s eyes are keen and bright, moved to settle on Ash. He had rolled past where the flying creature had taken off, and where the candle set, still burning. It looked even larger as close as it was, and from what Ash had seen, it was incredibly fast and muscular, capable of great leaps. Its human-like face was unsettling on the animal-like body. Ash could smell its breath from this distance. The only part of it that seemed to emote were the eyes, with pupils dilated and bright, and its large, toothy mouth, which was slightly open, revealing its rough tongue.
It paused, staring at him. The creature was going to be lured to the walled city, and the bait, but in a very different way than anyone had intended.
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Post by indeath on Oct 15, 2022 4:10:02 GMT -6
(( August yells at Ash, throws the other firebrand over the pitch fire. Grabs the spade as a weapon.))
“COME ON ASHY-BOY!! A darn Manti ain’t got nothin’ on a dragon!! GONNA THROW A BRAND OVER, YA CAN USE IT TA SCARE THE BLIGHTER AWAY!! OH MAN I HOPE THE MANTICORE DOESN’T EAT WINE-HAM!”
August yelled loudly against the night, hoping Ash could hear him. At the very least it might confuse the manticore a little. Reverse psychology. He grabbed the second firebrand hoping he wasn’t making an awful mistake and threw it over the fire.
Then he ran over to where he’d left the spade and held onto it. It felt like his kind of weapon. Shame there weren’t any guns here. A good thump but hopefully it would eat the darn ham.
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Post by kilnarak on Oct 15, 2022 14:00:27 GMT -6
[ Ash makes a run for the firebrand, hoping to use it to fend off the creature. ]
Ash's gambit didn't pay off - he felt the bird-thing moving, its head darting in to try to bite him. His tail thwacked against the creature's head as he rolled out of the way, biting back another cry as he rolled over his ruined wing and injured side. He felt it moving further, perhaps preparing for another bite, and he crawled as quickly as he could, trying to get out from under and away from it, to put it between him and the manticore.
Then there was the pressure of a monstrous wingbeat above him, pressing him down into the ground, and then the bird was gone, no longer towering over him, rising into the sky. His breath caught in his throat and he looked up to see that the manticore was standing there, too close, staring straight at him. Awkwardly pulled himself up into a crouch, getting his legs under him to try to run.
Voices near the gates, calling conflicting suggestions. Run for the back, run for the fire. He heard the thunk of the firebrand being thrown, his muscles tensing, then he bolted as quickly as his injured body would allow, trying to get to the firebrand and the fire.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 15, 2022 14:16:35 GMT -6
Ash scrambled away from the manticore, which quickly shifted its attention from the flying creature and the candle, to the living, breathing and bleeding plaything in front of it. It watched for what felt like the longest few seconds before crouching and beginning its pursuit.
Ash may have been fast, but the manticore was faster, moving after him in great leaping bounds behind him. The fortress was in view now, its spines clear against the dark purple and reddish clouds. The flame added a tinge of grey smoke to the mist gathered around the floor.
Ash knew the manticore catching up on him a second before he felts its great paw striking him. It was soft at first, but incredibly forceful, then he felt the terrible stinging pain of its claws leaving the confines of its padded feet to tear into his other side. The impact was dizzying and he felt himself flying, both away from his goal and away from the firebrand.
Ash is now Gravely Wounded.
The others can now see him. He is 20 feet from the front gate (A) and the firebrand.
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Post by hadopelagic on Oct 15, 2022 15:44:26 GMT -6
((OOC: Una tries to save Private Ryan aka she marches around the fort with the firebrand and shouts Rammstein lyrics at the manticore. Items = Firebrand.))
Una heard Ash struggle to reach safety. But the manticore was too fast. Of course it was. Ash was a creature of flight, just like she was a creature of the water. They were at a disadvantage against a predator of the land.
The tasty, wine-soaked ham was so close to the manticore ... why didn't the beast take it? It was an easy snack!
Una looked at the lit firebrand. She was under no illusion that it could stop the manticore, if he decided to attack, but perhaps his fear of fire would work to her advantage. She'd make Ash such an inconvenient meal, the manticore would HAVE to pick the wine ham.
"Light a candle for me, Fedlimid!" Una shouted, while hurrying through the back gate. She trailed one hand against the fort's wall as she circled toward the front. Una kept her steps quick but firm; she pushed the fire in front of her, hoping that its intensity would obscure her shape, make her seem large and mysterious, not small and muddy.
If only she could screech like the flying monster! That would frighten the manticore. Una tried replicating the sound, but her human vocal chords were too small and weak.
When she was within view of the front (at least 30 feet away from the Beast, I dunno distance), Una stopped walking and started shouting, "No! No!" Her hand was shaking, so she masked the movement by swishing the fire side to side.
"Du riechst so gut, du riechst so gut ich geh’ dir hinterher!" Una angrily sang. She did not know the meaning of the lyrics, but it was a very loud and powerful song.
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Post by kilnarak on Oct 15, 2022 16:09:53 GMT -6
[ Ash becomes pangolin. ]
Ash felt it's breath on his back a moment before it struck him, the force of the blow sending him to the ground and the rake of its claws ripping another scream from his throat. He couldn't outrun it, he doubted he could even if he wasn't so injured, and now he hurt too much to even try. Instead he curled in on himself, folding his body as tight and small as he could, keeping still. Maybe it would lose interest if he did not move. His scales stood up and out, a prickly barrier over his body to deter bites.
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Post by indeath on Oct 15, 2022 17:10:29 GMT -6
(August is sad, fire is bad.)
August couldn’t believe, didn’t want to believe what he was seeing. Ash’s broken body, bloody before the manticore and Una bravely running out. Yet here he was feeling frozen and unable to react. Blood tears ran down his cheeks thinking of the pain Ash must be in. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to be eaten.
The fire burned brightly before him, his vampiric instincts were strong telling him fire is bad. He prayed to whatever god would listen for Una to survive. She was incredibly brave with a beautiful soul. The world would be less shiny without her.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 16, 2022 1:56:15 GMT -6
The manticore seemed undeterred by Ash’s defensive behavior, using its massive paws to bat the body around on the ground. Eventually, after Ash lay still, it opened its mouth and seemed to be considering taking a bite out of the spiny body. Its otherwise-humanoid face seemed to have an abnormally large and misshapen mouth filled with rows of jagged fangs.
And then Una came with the firebrand, hurling herself forward, undeterred by the relative size and weight of the monster, swinging it bath and forth.
The manticore’s yellow eyes fixed on the flame at the end of the branch, and it took a slow step back, away from Una and her burning weapon. It seemed reluctant to leave its prey completely, but Ash was now within grabbing reach, bleeding badly.
The mummy, who had spent the entire encounter moving from the North Gate (G), around to the South Gate (A) picks up the firebrand thrown by August. After unfolding its body from picking up the item, it stands and begins to move towards Ash and Una moving stiffly and unsteadily as ever. It flanks Una, joining her defense of Ash. It flourishes the firebrand like a weapon in front of the manticore, before reaching down to grab Ash with its free hand, attempting to drag him backwards with them.
While Saint Leopold was once a powerful man, his remains apparently were not. There was a terrible creaking sound the moment he tried to pull Ash backwards. It appears that Ash is too heavy an item for the mummy to move. It wordlessly looks down at Ash and then back at the Manticore, before flourishing the Torch at it, waiting for the others to move.
The manticore takes another, single step back and makes a low growling hiss deep in its chest, raising up its scorpion-like tail. It is clear that this will not work for long.
They are now 20 feet from the wineham and the front gate(A)
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Post by tsukikoko on Oct 16, 2022 16:04:54 GMT -6
[OOC: John considers helping out. Briefly. He does not, in fact, help.]
Casting his gaze out onto the unfolding scene and feeling his mood lift as Ash was mauled (it was, after all, quite an entertaining sight), the Kumiho did at least give them the courtesy of considering options: he could slink towards the candle while the Manticore was thoroughly distracted and place it on the ham, only, oh no, the little flame was nowhere in sight, by the time he found it, it would be too late; perhaps he could grab the injured creature and drag it away? Except, alas, John was far too small and weak in this form for such a physical exertion, especially when time was off the essence.
Could he run distraction? Why, yes, he probably could do. No doubt even a Manticore would be attracted to his antics, should the fox put his mind to it. But he wasn't going to do that. No, no, no, he wasn't about to put himself at risk.
The only factor swaying the fox towards perhaps attempting to help was that, if the Manticore continued to be distracted and frustrated by the group's antics, it was never going to notice the ham. That would be... problematic.
Still, surely one of the stronger, more able-bodied of the group would collect Ash. The Kumiho was content to at least look as though he were affected by the proceedings, his fluffy foxy face and body language one of appropriate fear should anyone look his way.
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Post by beastly on Oct 16, 2022 18:23:08 GMT -6
((Vince takes the shovel and takes a scoop from the edge of the pitch semi-circle. He throws the dirt while yelling at the monster. )) ((Items: shovel))
Vincent could see things slowly deteriorating. Una was out now, Ash was being hurt. Leopold was there as well. They needed cover to get back.
Vincent looked at the crying vampire and frowned. He dropped the knife.
"Give me the shovel. Get ready."
Vincent took the shovel, and taking a breath, prepared for what he was about to do.
The scruffy hunter took the shovel, and at the edge of the semi circle he scooped a generous portion of pitch and dirt up. It would help the others get in, him get out... and still hopefully be enough left to keep the monster away.
He crept out to the other side of the monster, and once he got close enough, flung the pitch and dirt at the beast while giving a loud shout to get attention. He bared his teeth in a grimace, hoping this wouldn't be the last impulsive act he lived to make.
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Post by indeath on Oct 16, 2022 18:26:09 GMT -6
(( August attempts a Manticore mating sound and throws rocks at it.))
August watched anxiously as his friends fended off the beast. Tears still in his eyes. He handed the spade over. Then several ideas came to him.
First he did his best impression of what he assumed was the mating call of the manticore. He did it without shame since it needed to sound as authentic as possible.
Then he grabbed some small rocks from the ground and began lobbing them at the beast.
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Post by kilnarak on Oct 16, 2022 18:56:51 GMT -6
[ Ash uses the others' distractions and tries to get back inside, going straight for the narrow path by the fire. ]
Ash's scales shivered as the creature batted at him, clacking together noisily. His tail curled more tightly about himself, and aside from the shiver-clacking of his scales now and then, he held very still. The creature pushed him around a bit and then stopped and he hoped it had lost interest. He could hear someone... shouting? singing? nearby and he hoped they would scare the beast off. Then something touched him again, reaching between his scales - a claw? a tooth? but no, it was softer, a hand. It found his arm and pulled, but wasn't strong at all, certainly not strong enough to make him uncoil. Not strong enough even to drag him.
He did uncoil a little, enough to see that it was the mummy, trying to pull him back. The woman, Una, was nearby, shouting and swinging a flaming torch. He uncoiled a bit further, biting back the keen that rose in his throat as the movement pulled at his wounds. He was bleeding a lot, and was a little surprised he hadn't blacked out. He gathered his legs under him and rose to a crouch, letting the mummy lead him back toward the village. Moving past it, past Una with her brand.
The others were coming, the scruffy man with a flaming shovel was circling around the beast, and the friendly curly-haired man was throwing stones. If he could, he would get to them, skirt around the fire and get back inside. Then he would like very much to collapse.
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Post by hadopelagic on Oct 16, 2022 22:26:27 GMT -6
((OOC: Una moves toward the gate with Leopold and Ash, and is horrified by Vincent/John's brave but dangerous act Items: firebrand.))
"Saint Leopold," Una said, smiling at the determined mummy. "You followed me."
To her relief, Ash stood and started walking with Leopold; Una waited until they were behind her before she took a cautious step back; she did not turn away from the manticore. She wouldn't turn her back on him until they were all safe.
Nearby, August was yelling, and John/Vincent ... he'd made a passage for them in the line of pitch! But where was he now? By the abyss, was he flinging fire at the manticore?
"John!" she gasped. He didn't even have a firebrand! He'd be killed!
Despite her horror, Una would continue moving toward the gate; for now, her primary goal is getting to safety with Ash and Leopold.
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Post by jarahamee on Oct 16, 2022 23:02:49 GMT -6
John remains in his current position while Vince and August moved forward to attack the manticore with rocks and flaming soil. Una and the mummy brandished their firebrands, and the manticore seemed to shy away from the fire. Ash allowed himself to be guided away from the creature and towards the flaming line of pitch and the wineham. The mummy tore off some of its burial shroud and wadded them into bundles, before tying them to Ash's side to stop the bleeding. Ash is no longer bleeding.
The group moved backwards as Vincent moved forwards through the hole in the line of flame he had created. The fire burned hot, and Vince felt his clothing singe from the heat, and threaten to catch flame. While August threw some stones in its vicinity, drawing its eyes, Vince thrust his shovel of flaming pitch and soil at the creature from mere feet away, leaning into the thrust.
The soil, still flaming, fizzled in the air, flying in a wide arc. Some contacted both the still-wet ground, but a little bit went farther than that. While most of it went out before it struck the manticore’s flesh, some of the still very hot earth did strike it in the face and fur, burning it. The disconcertingly humanoid face grimaced in a terrible snarl. It had hesitated the moment before, but that bit of provocation was all it needed. The massive creature lunged forth with a powerful spring, the great sting of its tail lashing out to strike Vincent like a horizontal whip.
Vincent felt a terrible pain blossom in his chest, along with the odd feeling of being lifted off his feet through a force that was not his own. His body was thrown through the line of fire by the power of the blow, before striking the ground heavily, tumbling over himself. His ribs crack from the incredible force, and worse yet, where he had been struck burned like fire.
Vincent is now Injured. Vincent is now Poisoned. He will now move slowly and will have difficulty performing some actions.
The manticore, having vanquished Vincent, now walks up towards the line of flame the others had vanished behind. It stares at the group, yellow eyes burning with the lethal intent, not of a dominant animal threatening another, but a predator sizing up prey. It studies the walls of the fortress, and the doors, gaze traveling here and there, flaring its very human nostrils as it sniffs the air.
Then, finally, it looks down at the Wine-soaked Leg of Ham that had been nearly forgotten there not so long ago.
It reaches out to paw the leg, turning it over in the wet grass first, then, tentatively, it reaches out to lick the blackened, curled swine hide. Its jaws work and the entire piece peels off, along with a long piece of meat. The manticore mashes the meat in its jaws, then puts both paws on top of the leg and tears into it as if it were starving, turning its head violently this way and that as it tore off ragged chunks of meat.
Within moments, the ham hock is gone.
The manticore looks up from its meal, turning the bone in its paw, before batting it into the flame. As its eyes follow the bone, it seems to realize that they prey it had followed never left.
It crouches, as if preparing to leap over the wall of pitch, tensing its muscle, then…
Slowly, it yawns, hooked tongue curling out of its toothy maw, then lays its head on its forepaws. The tense muscles relax. It sighs. Its tail arcs around its side. It stares at the party groggily, then, finally, its yellow eyes close. The creature is still for a moment, then it half-rolls on its side, legs still tucked against its body. The manticore is asleep.
Map: ibb.co/17wQPMY
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