The Mods of LifeAftr (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lifeaftr_mods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
lifeaftr2017-09-23 07:28 pm
lifeaftr_mods) wrote in lifeaftr2017-09-23 07:28 pm
Exploration Event: Gorilla Warfare
EXPLORATION EVENT: GORILLA WARFARE
Who: Lup, Taako, Muffet, Wade, Shepard, Roy, Edward, Guzma, Ardyn, Laurent + any others, with permission
What: Well done, survivors, on pushing forward with your explorations! Your explorations will now push back.
When: Sep 22
Where: Ensō D8
Warnings: Mark as needed!
What: Well done, survivors, on pushing forward with your explorations! Your explorations will now push back.
When: Sep 22
Where: Ensō D8
Warnings: Mark as needed!
Part I: You Had Me at Hell-ow
Islanders may have noticed it, by now, whispering a bassline within their dreams, or in the periphery of their hearing among the waking world: drums. Great, booming drums, deep like rumbling thunder in a thick haze of sun-heat. South of the island, where the air tastes thin of salt, where the surf hisses and breaks against the cliffs, drowned out by an ungodly rhythm of objects beating against logs, against bone, against anything that produces a sound unpleasant enough to the ear.
The three adventurers who had the misfortune of uncovering the source of this sound had been wise, indeed, to turn back for reinforcements. Perhaps you're one of them. Stand together, intrepid explorers... for when you push through the thick ferns, it would take quite the wild mind to anticipate what awaits you in the wide clearing that opens up.
The clearing itself, easily the size of a soccer field, sits in a blaze of sunlight and wide strokes of rippling jungle grass. Fallen logs and pools of glimmering water stretch forward across the landscape. On all sides of the clearing, a line of thick, green trees form vast ramparts of foliage, walling in the area with almost militaristic efficiency. And in the distance, past the pools and logs and trees, rises an enormous structure carved from pointed stone and glossed with beautiful, blue-green ivy, shimmering like gray fog in the heat-haze.
Yet the mysterious structure isn't the only of its kind to be found here. From the boughs of trees hang nests, fashioned from branches and leaves and tightly packed mud; no bigger than shacks, with vines trailing from the mouth of each one to the jungle floor. These nests are small and seemingly precarious, but appear to offer sturdy shelter against the elements.
Were these the only discoveries to be made. Unfortunately, they didn't build themselves -- and their architects very quickly show.
They start in ones, and then twos, and then threes: from the opening of each nest, every branch wider than an inch, crawling from the wide knots of fallen trees, the monkeys begin to emerge. Primitive weaponry of spears and stone axes, walnuts jammed between their large, yellow teeth as they shove grapes into blowdart guns and load rocks into their fibrous slings. The biggest and surliest apes crouch with stern looks and what appear to be wooden firearms perched in their grasp.
Dear, brave explorers, it would seem that you are intruding, and that these irate simians have every intention of shooting you should you dare to tread closer.
And it’s gonna hurt.
Part II: An Apeeling Aftermath
Should your adventuring party manage to drive the apes off into the forest, the abandoned battlefield plunges into an immediate hush.
Now would be the time to lick your wounds. Investigate, if you are inclined to such things.
There is nothing of particular interest outside what had been immediately observable -- save one detail. On the far side of the clearing, a massive door formed from gnarled roots stands between the impenetrable underbrush and the mysterious structure beyond. Scrawled on the thickest root is a message -- well, more like a hieroglyphic of sorts, depicting a great number of humanoids bent in worship at the foot of an enormous, squiggly triangle. Presumably, this sad polygon represents the temple rising high above the treetops.
Unfortunately, this is where the exploration must end; the door is impenetrable by definition, and no amount of prodding, prying, or even fire will prove effective. At this time, it would appear that the door is simply not meant to be opened, and the temple beyond not yet meant to be discovered.
Thankfully, there is always the prospect of loot to occupy one's interest.
Should characters turn their attention to the ravaged battlefield, they will find a great haul of resources for their efforts. Granted, perhaps only a fraction of it is usable -- broken coconuts and smashed bananas aren't likely appealing to anyone -- but those who are brave enough to climb into the abandoned nests can find an assortment of primitive weaponry made from stone and sticks, to include spears, slings, and blow dart guns. Perhaps even a coconut gun or two has escaped the battle in working order.
Certainly enough of the weaponry is salvageable, at least, for the explorers to take home one item each -- if they so choose.
Other than weapons, the nests are stacked mostly with straw bedding, reserves of fruit, and jars of clay, all of which may be carried out as prizes. Strange, isn't it, how the place almost resembles a military post? In any case, there is nothing else to be done here.
Surely nothing of import will come of this.
Feeling a tad adrift? Make sure to check the Locations Page, which has details regarding the starting areas and a handy map for those who feel better with a bird's eye view!
( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )
Part 1
[Muffet's tone is as polite and conversational as if she'd just walked up to Shepard on the beach, instead of in the middle of a battle. Lines of purple light lash out, wrapping up one ape mid-charge and tripping up another. She's restricting herself to holding their enemies back and keeping them out of the way instead of trying to actually harm them, but she's still certainly making this fight vastly more annoying for the apes than it would have been.]
no subject
How did you end up over here?
[Her tone is quick and curt as she moves to slice at another oncoming ape with her sickle. The damn thing feels weird and strange in her hands but at least it's a better weapon than just her biotics or her fists.]
no subject
[Muffet pauses briefly to gesture at another ape trying to move in and flank them, resulting in threads sweeping it off its' feet and hauling it bodily into the ape to its' left, knocking them both down.]
I was trying to keep as many of our group unharmed as possible, but I had to keep moving to retain line of sight on them and avoid being hit myself, and I wound up gradually shifting this way.
no subject
Scythe still in hand she runs back to Muffet, kicking another ape that was getting close.]
All right. I'll get you out of here, don't worry.
no subject
[If a career in business is good for anything, though, it's good for teaching people to control their reactions. Her expression doesn't change beyond a slight widening of her eyes, and she firmly reminds herself that whatever the merits of either of their cultures, now is most certainly not the time to debate the differences.]
I appreciate it- and yourself? As I said, I'd like to get all of us out of here unharmed, that does include you.
[A moment ago she would have said 'get everyone out of here unharmed', but apparently that ship has sailed for at least one side of this fight.]
no subject
I appreciate the sentiment, Muffet, but I've been trained for this for the majority of my life and survived through much, much worse. You don't need to worry about me.
[And died through much worse but, eh.]
no subject
I'm glad to hear it- at least the part about not needing to worry- but the point remains: when are you planning to leave this fight? As far as I can tell, you're the farthest out here. If we can collect anyone else as we fall back, we should be able to get everyone out safely...
no subject
[She scowls a bit, throwing a Shockwave and blowing some more monkeys back from the two of them, grabbing Muffet's hand (one of her hands????) and pulling her to the side as a spear goes flying to where she was previously standing.]
They didn't listen to negotiations and they certainly won't let us retreat without a fight. So I'm gonna make them regret not giving peace a chance.
no subject
Shepard. They are defeated, because we've reached the point where they can't stop us from retreating. As far as I can tell- and I have been keeping track- everyone has made it over there to the point where they can get out, except you... and they aren't following us, either.
They don't have the numbers, or the strength to hold us here. None of us have gone down, that I've seen... all the casualties are on their side. They've lost. Thoroughly.
no subject
Revenge.]
Very well. Let's pull back.
[It's not smart. But it's not smart to sacrifice yourself either when you don't have a team to back you up.]
no subject
Right. I can hold a path clear for us, if we fall back to your left.
no subject
[Shepard really isn't the type to follow. But she's not stupid either. If other people have better plans than her, she doesn't have enough ego to really protest. So wherever Muffet goes, she follows, prepared to protect them both if need be.]