- Location
- MN
>ask the party if they feel like doing some tracking?
The Hounds. (An Original Text-Adventure style Quest)
- Thread starter TripleMRed
- Start date
- Original
- Location
- Florida
>Point out the scratches to the team, gives a direction at least to where the thief went..
To the Comms. Station, Pt. 4
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
"There are numerous indications that whatever was here has gone into the woods in that direction." Teth pointed out. The rest of the team followed the trail and saw what he meant. "Anyone feel up for going on a little tracking expedition?" He inquired.
"Most of us need to stay here, so Te, you're going to have to go with only on Mon." Sombra uttered, her brow furrowed as she considered in her head who to choose. "Cinder, you're the most experienced of us, plus Teth could use another heavy hitter."
"You sure you guys will be fine without either of us?" The Gryphon asked as she flexed her claws into fists.
"I may not be a Fighter, but I can still punch as hard as you can." Glimmer noted. "Oh, and spells. I have spells."
"I can fight to." The feline uttered, summoning some electrical sparks from his hands for emphasis. "Whatever that was won't get the drop on me again."
"Now hold on there, you're still looking a little woozy." Sombra huffed. "You're keeping still and resting up first. The last thing we want is for you to strain yourself."
"Come on, big guy, let's get to hunting." Cinder said as she patted Teth on the arm.
"Wouldn't Sombra be the better choice since she's my Partner?" Teth asked. Cinder raised an eyebrow as she looked back at the rest of the team.
"She's the Team Leader. She's the best at directing the rest of us around, so having her stay behind makes sense. But we can handle ourselves just fine, so if you really want, I can go and stay and she can come with you instead." The Gryphon uttered.
>Suggest something for Teth to do.
>Suggest something for the Party to do.
- Location
- MN
>Teth starts tracking while Cinder keeps and eye out to make sure they don't get jumped as well
>As for the team, whoever is best with fixing someone up take care of the feline and make sure he isn't more injured then he seems. The other 2 form a perimeter just incase whatever did this circles around.
>As for the team, whoever is best with fixing someone up take care of the feline and make sure he isn't more injured then he seems. The other 2 form a perimeter just incase whatever did this circles around.
- Location
- Florida
>Teth starts tracking while Cinder keeps and eye out to make sure they don't get jumped as well
>As for the team, whoever is best with fixing someone up take care of the feline and make sure he isn't more injured then he seems. The other 2 form a perimeter just incase whatever did this circles around.
>As for the team, whoever is best with fixing someone up take care of the feline and make sure he isn't more injured then he seems. The other 2 form a perimeter just incase whatever did this circles around.
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
(No update today, folks, sorry.)
To the Comms. Station, Pt. 5.
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
Teth looked to the team behind them. Glimmer was busy helping check the feline to make sure he wasn't more injured than he appeared to be, while Sombra and Tyco were acting as guards, diligently keeping watch to make sure nothing snuck towards the group.
"I think we'll be fine as we are." Teth uttered.
"Good boy, now come on." The she-Gryphon uttered, patting him on the arm. "We've got a metal monster to hunt down." Teth nodded as he followed Cinder deeper into the woods.
---
As the pair went on their journey, Teth used his greater experience in hunting overall to track the enemy's path, while Cinder kept an eye out for trouble.
"...So, big guy, what sort of things did you used to hunt down?" Cinder asked.
"Hm?"
"You said you've tracked things before." Cinder stated. She didn't look away from scanning the woods, but it was clear she was in the conversation they were now having. "What sort of creatures did you used to hunt?"
"Remember what I said about the Hounds' duty? Protecting the Empire's people and its allies from Elder threats?" Cinder nodded. "Well, more than once we've had to track said threats through all sorts of environments. It happened often enough that we got good at it." Teth explained as his experienced eyes continued to find telltale signs of where the enemy had passed through. "Of course, tracking Elder beasts proper is our forte. This thing is no Elder creature, and as such isn't as easy to track."
"Could be worse." Huffed Cinder. "Could have only left a scent trail. Not sure if you know this, but us Gryphons have better eyes than noses." She smirked. "Good thing we've got a tracking dog with us, huh?"
"Funny that you say that, my sense of smell isn't all that great compared to other canines." Teth admitted.
"You're kidding." Cinder said. "With a snout like that?"
"It's not that long." Teth huffed. "And no, I'm not kidding. I can smell a forest fire from miles off, but don't expect me to tell the differences between flowers unless I hold them up to my nose individually." He shrugged. "Could just be me, though. I don't have a nose for that sort of stuff. I remember this one fellow from the Homeworld who could tell the differences between two hidden vases of flowers from across the room. I know, we did the test ourselves."
"So you're a dog with a bad nose." Cinder stated.
"Not that bad." A wry smirk came over his face beneath his helm. "Put ten different plates of food behind a wall and I can tell you what each one is." That got a laugh from Cinder.
"You're a man after my own heart, you know that?" She asked, a smile on her beak.
"What happened to that little thing where you got angry at Sombra for implying you ate too much?" Teth asked, genuinely curious. Cinder, for her part, just shrugged.
"Hey, I stand by what I said: I'm one of the heavy lifters on the team, I need to keep up my intake of calories." Before the conversation could continue any further, however, Teth caught something in his sensor range. Raising a fist to command silence, Cinder went quiet as she seemed to immediately understand what the motion meant.
Motioning again for her to follow him, the pair made their way towards a patch of trees. It wasn't a clearing, but it was certainly a more open spot than much of the rest of the woods. Near one tree was a box of some kind, undoubtedly the one that was stolen. Around the clearing, sniffing along the ground, was a pack of canine like monsters that seemed to be made of wood, or at least had bark like flesh.
"Barkers." Cinder whispered softly. "I count 7. We're going to have to be careful so we don't burn the whole place down fighting them." Teth's mind was ablaze as he went over possible options for this scenario.
[]Go into melee range and act as bait while Cinder lobs fireballs from a distance.
[]Come from two directions to divert their attention and divide up the group.
[]Have Cinder sneak to the opposite location from here and start lobbing projectiles at them.
-Ghost Fire.
-Sun Orbs.
-Aether Spheres.
-Lighting Blasts.
[]Write in.
- Location
- MN
[X]Have Cinder sneak to the opposite location from here and start lobbing projectiles at them.
-Lighting Blasts.
so basically just have cinder get ready to grab the box when we start flinging lighting (least likely to start a fire... I hope) and then test out our new war hammer when they get close. Cinder grabs the box while they're distracted with us.
-Lighting Blasts.
so basically just have cinder get ready to grab the box when we start flinging lighting (least likely to start a fire... I hope) and then test out our new war hammer when they get close. Cinder grabs the box while they're distracted with us.
- Location
- Florida
[X]Have Cinder sneak to the opposite location from here and start lobbing projectiles at them.
-Lighting Blasts.
-Lighting Blasts.
To the Comms. Station, Pt. 6.
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
"Alright, here's what we're going to do." Teth whispered. "You're going to sneak to the other side and see if you can grab the box. I'll distract them with some lighting blasts I'll cook up. They'll be too distracted by me to notice you."
"A smart idea, seeing as you can handle it." Cinder nodded. "Still, wouldn't mind to knock some of their teeth loose myself."
"I'll be sure to leave one or two for you." Teth slyly added as Cinder started to move into position. She didn't reply, merely rolling her eyes as a small smile spread across her beak. With her moving into position, Teth focused on the Barkers. Then, he began to focus inwards and dig deep.
Aetherworks was the mystical art of manipulating the elderitch power of the dimension known as the Aether to create or destroy. It was something one had to be born born with, though the rare individual who was gifted it later on in life for some reason or another was not unkown. All Hounds, due to being half Aetherling, were born with the ability to perform Aetherworks. But they were not full Aetherlings, so the powers did not come immediately or naturally. They had to be painstakingly taught just like any other normal mortal. Only their Ghost Fire came naturally to them, but that was the extent of their instinctive abilities.
Regardless of the way they gained knowledge on how to use it, all who possessed Aetherworks found themselves more easily adept at learning and using certain abilities. For Teth, it was creating barriers and force fields using the Aether. But he was not without offensive abilities. Indeed, even now as he focused, he willed a bolt of lightning to appear at his fingertips.
It danced between his fingers, almost like a living organism itself, eager to spring forth and attack his foes for him. In days long past, he could toss such attacks all day long and not risk 'overheating' with his usage of the Aether.
That was then. This is now. Now, he has this damnable collar strapped to his neck. He was never an expert in manipulating the Aether, punching things was more his forte, but even his abilities dwarfed his current limits. A few blasts was all he could manage, he sensed. Any more and he'd 'overheat', at which point further casting became increasingly dangerous and lethal to the user. The fact he's been asleep for who knows how long doubtlessly has drained his normal limits to cast as well. He'd have to begin practicing Aetherworks in his spare time if he was going to be able to do more than just toss a handful of lightning bolts. God forbid he encounter something that needs the likes of an Aether Sphere to kill. Even less of those would be coming out of him.
He stopped his internal examination as he caught Cinder finishing her approach to her position. Time to get to work.
His hand jutted out and he let loose a bolt of lightning. At the speed of electricity, the bolt snaked its way through the air and into a wolf in no time at all. It was one of the weaker ones of the group and it flew apart in an explosion of electrical energy and burnt wood chippings.
Teth frowned. He'd been aiming for one of the larger ones.
No time to worry about his aim save for hitting a target, however. The Barkers had jumped at the sudden attack and, to their credit, were already turning to face the still hidden Teth. He lifted his other arm and cast a pair of bolts.
One hit a stronger Barker, only managing to scorch its flank, while another weaker one was decapitated. 2 down, 5 to go.
By now, they were running towards him. He stood up and began stomping over to meet them, firing all the way.
One bolt hit a stronger Barker dead in the face, blowing half its head off but by some dark miracle, the damned thing still lived and was still coming for him. Another bolt surged into a weaker one and fried it up from the inside out. A near miss as one of them ducks under his aim just before he fired. A final bolt only managed to turn a stronger one's run into a limp walk as one of its legs was burnt to a crisp.
3 dead, 4 remaining, all of them on the stronger side of things, and baring down on him. About 4 seconds had passed from when he started firing to when now. Sloppy, getting slow. What's more, he was at his limit. 7 Lightning Bolts and he was already maxed out. Any more risked the Aether noticing him and deciding to take a bite. Time for melee.
[]Smash hammer to the ground to knock the incoming enemies away.
[]Stand your ground and fight them off as they come.
[]Jump over them, try to land on the rear most one.
[]Ground stomp followed by hammer swings.
[]Write in.
- Location
- MN
[X]Stand your ground and fight them off as they come.
>bet you can't use your new hammer to knock one out of the park like a homerun
>bet you can't use your new hammer to knock one out of the park like a homerun
To the Comms. Station, Pt. 7
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
Standing tall and before the creatures, he let them come to him, having only moved enough to be standing out in the pseudo-clearing. The nearest one did a running leap at him. He responded by grabbing it by the throat mid-air before throwing it to the ground and swiftly kicking it away. The next closest two leaped out of the way in time, but the last one in the rear caught its companion square in the jaw and the two ended up on the ground as a mess of limbs.
The next closest two stopped short. One lunged at his legs while the other made a pounce to his neck. In a single swift motion, he raised his nearest foot up and down, slamming it directly unto the Barker's lunging head. To its credit, it didn't immediately break apart, instead sinking into the ground. As such, Teth raised his mass to its maximum before repeating the action with more force behind the attack, this time crushing the creature's head in earnest.
As for the one that went for his neck, he grabbed it mid air and took firm hold of its neck. It tried to squirm out of his grasp, its squirming growing ever worse as Teth grabbed hold of its body and pulled. Around the time the one below had its head crushed, the one being held wound up decapitated.
Tossing aside the two pieces of Barker, Teth saw that the other two had managed to get up and reorient themselves. One lack half its head. The other was missing a paw. He recalled damaging those two scant seconds ago.
Teth wasn't particularly familiar with this phrase, but he was smart enough to put the pieces together and get the gist of it. Mind working over time, he summoned his hammer and got into combat stance to maximize the swing. These two, however, have learnt from the ends of their fellows, and as such do not immediately attack.
Indeed, they spread themselves out, looking for an opening. If they weren't going to come to him, he'd just go to them.
With a single motion, Teth swung his backfoot around himself, kicking up dirt and sand into a large cloud of particulates that made it hard to see through. The first to die was the one with an injured head. Teth seemed to materialize right in front of it as it looked around, swinging his hammer right unto the injured portion of its head.
It flew apart without the hammer even having to discharge its kinetic payload.
The second Barker, meanwhile, got to be treated to the 'out of the park' experience. It noticed Teth seemingly materializing next to it far too late, as it caught sight of him just as he swung the hammer like a bat and sent if flying through the tree line. Between the initial explosion of bark and the fact the hammer's kinetic blast went off, Teth was sure that the thing was leaving a trail of wood chippings as it flew through the air.
As the dust settled, Teth internally checked the time that had passed. Almost 9 seconds from start to finish. Damn, definitely rusty.
His attention was caught by Cinder, who was looking at him as the dust settled.
>Suggest something for Teth to do.
>Suggest something for Cinder to do.
- Location
- MN
>wait, I got a quick question. Didn't the mail cat say that whatever attacked him was pink? What color were those barkers again?
>I'd suggest giving the clearing a once over again to make sure the box isn't booby trapped or something. Both of you. Something about this is putting me on edge.
>I'd suggest giving the clearing a once over again to make sure the box isn't booby trapped or something. Both of you. Something about this is putting me on edge.
- Location
- Florida
>See if you find find the package amid the bodies
To the Comms. Station, Pt. 8
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
A quick glance at the remaining Barker corpses confirmed their coloration: Wood brown, like the bark their flesh seems to take after. Their insides are also fairly wood like as well. Not a sign of pink on their whole forms.
Teth gives the clearing a once over while Cinder pry her eyes from him to do the same. After several long, drawn out moments, both relaxed as they found nothing out of the ordinary either in sight or with their senses.
"This thing's empty." Cinder uttered as she returned to looking at him. The box was in her hands, the lid pried open, though clearly not by her own claws. "Looks like our 'friend' took what was inside and left. Haven't been able to see any more scratches on the trees in any direction either, so I'm guessing the bastard sent us on a goose chase for nothing." Clever.
Teth stepped towards the shorter female and took hold of the box, inspecting it. No sign of residue or traces to help with tracking. Combined with no more trail to follow, and it looks like this chase has been stopped cold.
There was a small chance that it was somehow amid the Barkers. Infinitesimally small, but still a chance. A close inspection of the dirt in the area, however, revealed nothing out of the ordinary as far as soil goes. No packages of any kind anywhere.
"We're done here." Teth remarked matter-o-factually. "Only thing to do now is go back and report to the courier that the package is gone along with the thing that took it." Cinder nodded, a 'hmm' being her only verbal response.
The two teammates walked in silence for a while, the only sound coming from their respective boots crunching the loose leaves and twigs of the woodland floor, neither bothering to be stealthy now that their mission was a bust.
"That was some decent fighting back there." Cinder commented after a while. Those Barkers were decently high in power, as far as Barkers in Rookie territory goes, but you made mincemeat out of all of them." She reached out and patted him on the arm. "Nice job, big guy. Maybe when you've got all the rust off the old gears, you and me can have a slugging match of our own."
>Suggest something for Teth to do.
- Location
- MN
>start pouting in mock hurt and say, "why does everyone want to hit me?" Then give her a shit eating grin and say sure, next time we hit a town or something and have some free time you're up for a good spar. Also say sorry about not leaving any for her you just really wanted to test out your new hammer.
- Location
- Florida
>Ask if anything could direct Barkers, could help narrow down whatever stole the package
To the Comms. Station, Pt. 8
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
Well, his helmet is on, so all those facial expressions would be hidden. Still, the talking parts he can do.
"Why is it that everyone wants to hit me?" He asks in a friendly tone. "Am I that big of a target?"
"Basically." Cinder uttered. "Look at it this way: Us Mon love a good fight. You look like you'd be fun to fight. So, see things the way we do and take it as a compliment." A snicker escaped Teth. "What?"
"Nothing, it's just, well, fighting's pretty common among Oros kids." Teth explained. "Lots of my people make childhood friends by getting into fights with one another. Apparently, it's a survival mechanism for our homeworld wherein those that can keep up with us in a fight are good allies to have."
"Adults do a lot of fighting?" Cinder asked.
"In the old days, yeah, though it was focused on killing the wildlife trying to kill them. When interacting with other people, we prefer talking and compliments to fighting." Cinder chuckled.
"Well, if it's worth anything, I think you're adorable looking as far as seven and a half foot tall armored extra-dimensional space alien/eldritch hybrids go." The Gryphon uttered.
"That....Is oddly specific." Teth uttered in an amused tone.
"It's also accurate and true." Cinder rebutted.
"Fair enough." Teth chuckled. "Say, sorry for not leaving any Barkers for you to fight."
"Eh, no worries." Cinder commented with a shrug. "Besides, with my typing, it would have been painfully easy. Well, painful for them anyway." She said with a smile.
That's actually a fairly good question.
"Say, Cinder, do you know of anything that can direct or control Barkers?" Teth inquired. Cinder frowned as she considered the question.
"Hm....I know of a Machina variant that can direct Monsters, the Controller, but those are big and obvious to spot, too big to be whatever stole that package. Other, smarter Monsters can bully lesser Monsters to fight for them, but none of them have the color scheme of the Machina." Cinder looked at him. "You think something was controlling them." She did not ask, she stated.
"Either that or whatever did this drew them there."
"Could just be coincidence." Cinder uttered. "Barkers aren't uncommon, you know."
"Still." Teth remarked but let it drop as the pair approached the rest of the team.
"There you guys are!" Sombra stated. "Any luck?" Cinder responded by tossing the empty box at her. Catching it, she inspected the empty holding cell as the courier groaned at the sight of the thing.
"Damn." He muttered. "I'm guessing that means you didn't see the thing that took it?"
"Long gone." Cinder stated. The courier sighed, looking downtrodden.
>Suggest something for Teth to do.
>Suggest something for the Party to do.
- Location
- MN
>their were some barkers at the end of the trail that lead us to the box. Not sure if the trail was set up as a trap or if the barkers just wondered in by happenstance.
>And because my paranoia is acting up ask Glimmer if she noticed anything odd about our feline friend? I'm not expect her to reveal that he's actually some kind of eldritch being or some bull like that trying to lure rookie mons into ambushes of monsters but to make myself feel better I want to know if she noticed anything weird about him while she was patching him up.
>well both sides should compare notes so everyone knows what happened while they we're separated then I guess see which way the feline is going and see if he needs help getting their if you don't mind taking a detour if he isn't heading the same direction we are.
- Location
- Florida
>Tell that you found box that near the Barkers and dealt with them..
> Have party compare notes and potentially keep an eye out for anymore threats or clues..
> Have party compare notes and potentially keep an eye out for anymore threats or clues..
To the Comms. Station, Pt. 9
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
"We encountered some Barkers at the end of the trail. We're not sure if the Barkers came in on their own or if it was intentionally set up as a trap." Teth reported.
"Barkers aren't that uncommon around these parts." The feline stated.
"It's true, they're kind of a nuisance around these parts." Sombra affirmed. "Still, were they any trouble?"
"Do you really have to ask when it's me and the big guy?" Cinder asked in an amused tone. "Hell, didn't even need to step in. This big lug here tore them apart in no time at all."
"That still leaves whatever took the box on the loose." The courier uttered. "I'm not sure if you noticed, but Barkers aren't exactly master criminals." He joked weakly.
Teth nodded before he made his way over to Glimmer.
"How's our friend here, Glimmer? Everything turn out fine during your examination?" He asked.
"Nothing out of the ordinary that wasn't healed up with my spell." Glimmer stated. "He's in good health for someone of his Standing and age, nothing out of the ordinary that I was able to find in his system, mundane or magical, and I rechecked 4 times just to be safe."
"You're a credit to the team, Glim." Tyco called out.
"Ah, it was nothing, I just wanted to make sure he was alright." She bashfully stated as her scarf started rubbing against her cheek. She pushed it away with her free hand without even glancing at it.
"Good work." Teth said with a nod before turning his attention to everyone as a whole.
"What about your end?" Teth asked, "Anything happen while we were gone?"
"Not a thing." Sombra sighed. "Unless you count wild animals passing by as something happening."
"Alright," Teth began, "What do we know so far? This courier's been attacked, package stolen, thief disappeared into the woods, and they had the color scheme matching the Machina."
"That about sums it up." The courier stated. Teth nodded.
"Do you at least know what was in the package?" The Defender asked.
"Nope." The courier said with a shrug. "I just got told I had a special delivery to make. The box was locked up tight and warded when I got it."
"And they sent you out on your own?" Teth asked. "No escort at all?"
"I'll have you know that we Mail-Mon are fully capable fighters." The courier huffed defensively. It didn't take long for him to deflate, however. "Most of the time. When we're not taken by surprise." He then looked up and scratched the back of his head. "Though, I wasn't the only one to get a package. Me and a bunch of others got similar looking boxes and were all told to go to the same place using different routes." And like that, the final piece of the puzzle clicked in Teth's head.
"Ah, standard tactic for when you don't want something captured." Teth replied wit ha nod. "Send out multiple couriers with identical packages. The chances of at least one of them making it is high, and whatever the intended delivery was was likely either spread out or hidden among the Couriers, lowering the chance of the enemy getting their hands on whatever it is you were transporting."
"Wait, I don't think my bosses told anyone aside from us that this was a special delivery." The courier said with a frown. "And only that package was missing when the thief hit, like they knew what to go for....Do...Do you think the others are in trouble? Oh Maker, w-we have to go help them, or go and tell the Post Master!" The courier said with growing alarm.
>Suggest something for Teth to do.
>Suggest something for the Party to do.
- Location
- MN
>does he have any idea where they are or how close any of them are? I mean I'm not saying don't help the guy but if he doesn't know where to find his buddies then we're not really going to be helping anyone just by running around in circles looking for them
>So unless the scarf can detect us to the boxes it might be best just to head to wherever the post master is. However... someone ask how many couriers were sent and if he knows where to find him because if we don't care about bad ideas we could split the party IF their aren't to many couriers. However if we don't know how to find them or if they're to many head to the post master.
>So unless the scarf can detect us to the boxes it might be best just to head to wherever the post master is. However... someone ask how many couriers were sent and if he knows where to find him because if we don't care about bad ideas we could split the party IF their aren't to many couriers. However if we don't know how to find them or if they're to many head to the post master.
- Location
- Florida
>Say "others will be attacked for their packages, but they left you alone after. Their priority seems to be getting the package itself and throwing off any pursuers.."
>see if group can get info on the routes the couriers took..Getting this courier to the Post Master may also help them to share info...
>see if group can get info on the routes the couriers took..Getting this courier to the Post Master may also help them to share info...
To the Comms. Station, Pt. 10
- Location
- Tampa, FL.
"Before we decide on anything, how many other couriers were there?" Teth asked. The Mail-Mon didn't take long to recall that piece of information.
"Four, not counting myself." He stated.
"And counting you, that makes six of us to track them all down." Sombra stated. "We got enough healing potions for them all? Glim can't be everywhere at once."
"I've got some spares, should be enough to get them all back on their feet." The Mail-Mon offered, taking out some potions from his mail bag.
"Whatever did this seems focused on the packages, taking them then disappearing, not finishing off the couriers that carried them." Teth stated.
"The others might not be in critical positions then." Glimmer stated. She frowned. "Still, I think it'd be a good idea to make sure they're alright."
"I say we head back to the Post Master and inform him about this. Get the professionals to come in and deal with this." Cinder remarked.
"At the same time, we can't be sure how injured the others might be. They're probably not in critical states, but who knows if they're still unconscious or not." Glimmer added. Teth rubbed the back of his helmet as he gave it some thought. He could probably tag along with Glimmer to help keep her safe as they went around finding the injured individuals while the others went back to get proper help, so as to keep them from being denied aid for too long.
>Suggest something for Teth to do.
>Suggest something for the Party to do.