Event: Abort! Part One

[voidtreckermods]

Until now there has been one mission in every month. The practice in Apple and since then one for each month. So for those that have been on the train for a while they will be extremely surprised when on the twenty fifth day of the month of Egret their SCA’s glow gold and a hologram appears. Another mission.

Strange or not preparations need to be made, the voidtreckers are needed, strange timing or not.

Preperations

As promised the dressing room is open once again and there is a collection of leggings, shirts and tunics. All are in bold, differing shades of team colours and are made of sturdy material. There are a couple of cloaks, like those they wore in the goblin world they look medieval in style but will keep rain off as well as a modern raincoat.

As usual they have about an hour of preparation time, to gather supplies, get changed and help those who need more help disguising themselves to do so.

Arrival

”We are now approaching world#27462947582. Warning: Exit from void in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four,” Hopefully even those who are new know to hold on or sit down by now. ”Three, two, one.” A jolt and a lurch and the void from outside the windows disappears to show green grass and a blue sky.

The Voidtrecker Express has landed in a small dip between two hills. Tall enough to mostly hide it and once everyone who wishes to disembarks it vanishes.

The voidtreckers, on climbing the hill, will find they are inside the city walls, just. Here it is mostly farmland still but as they move towards the centre there are more houses and things become more crowded and bustling. The city is big enough that an influx of strangers doesn’t turn many heads.

Their SCA has a map, red team’s has a marker for the northern gate, purple’s show the position of guard posts. Orange and Blue’s shows the main gates that lead out into the kingdom beyond.

Red Team

Getting to the northern gate doesn’t take all that much time and they are let out without much fuss, though fair warnings about the monsters out there. It is clear that though this city is nominally guarded and walled, it has been a long time since there has been war here and people can come and go as they wish.

The desert is, much as can be expected. It is more a scrub land rather than rolling dunes of sand but the land is cracked and dry. They have to move at least an hour away from the city before they come across any monsters at all.

When they do they are strange almost-boar looking creatures. They are vicious and will attack on sight, charging with huge tusks and teeth that are far too sharp to belong to a natural creature. They are clearly intelligent, even if they don’t seem to have language. But they never come across more than five at once and there doesn’t seem to be any movement of them towards the city.

Purple Team

The guard posts are only have a few guards there at any one time. Though questioning any of them the voidtreckers will learn that there are other guards in the city, ready to come to the defence of the walls if the alarm is ever sounded. Those on the walls are there to keep watch.

It might take a little bit of persuading but there isn’t a huge problem with purple team being allowed up onto the walls. As long as they don’t seem to be causing or bringing trouble.

The surrounding countryside is clear. To the north is the desert but to the east, west and south there are rolling hills of green. The kingdom that this city is part of.

For them it is a few hours of tedium and anticipation. Watching the landscape, waiting for a threat. The other soldiers are curious enough that they could be coaxed into conversation or a game of dice.

Blue Team and Orange Team

It is very difficult to convince a city full of people who have not known danger in a long time that they have to pack up and leave.

There are difficult shop keepers, confused farmers, worried parents.

Some are able to be ready quickly and so can follow the Blue team out of the southern gates. It might take more than one group, with a few blue team going with each one. The kingdom isn’t particularly dangerous but who knows when that may change. Keeping everyone together and moving will be the challenge here.

For Orange team there are plenty of logistical problems to get stuck into. Animals need moving, people need help packing or wrangling small children. Older people need help finding carts to ride.

Not to mention the very stubborn ones who will take a lot of persuading. Those who were on the goblin world have had practice in this already of course, and hopefully have tips to share.

(OOC: Information about this event is here)

Comments

Sure! Send in the animal.

[so_dark_a_road]

"Shame on us!" he laughs.

'I agree. The moving vehicle is certainly interesting, and so is finding ways to get along with all the people we're living with. But I, too, miss the natural world. It's nice to see trees and grass, and to walk amidst farm fields under a bright blue sky.

Re: Sure! Send in the animal.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita snickers- only to cut herself off as a sound she hasn't heard in years greets her ear:

Panicking chickens.

"In the name of Kierne, not again!" a farmer can also be heard faintly crying, as he and the chickens run in the Voidtreckers' direction.

"And I thought I had fixed the hutch this time!"

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin turns around the instant he hears the sound of clucking and screeching. Then he sees the farmer running after the chickens. He glances at Nita, almost conspiratorially, and then he runs out onto the dirt track, waving his arms at the chickens.

Well, it used to work in Himlad, in the village where his wife lived most of the time. The house behind hers had a chicken coop, and the birds were experts at escaping. Thus, Curufin had experience with rounding them up and returning them to their owner.

[unfavorableinstigation]

Nita doesn't waste time following Curufin's lead, and the farmer screeches to a stop before the chickens do.

Instead, the chickens crowd the Voidtreckers, hopping and buck-kaw-ing and making a big yuck of themselves, while the farmer just stands there baffled.

"... Excuse me, kind travelers, but can I help you?"

He can only conclude that these are traveling performers, but his confusion is still plain.

"You seem to have attracted my chickens." Whether he called them chickens because they were in fact the same species or because of the SCA's convenient translation, no one could say.

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin grins when the chickens run up and practically hug the two Void Warriors. He stretches a hand down and strokes the feathers of one of the birds.

"Your chickens seem to be friendly sorts," he says to the farmer, with a smile. "But we're actually here to help you and all your people. Your city and your lands will soon be under attack from the monsters that live outside, and this probably will not be anything like what is usual for this place. We are here to help you evacuate the city and travel into the south part of the kingdom, where you will be safe until the attackers are defeated by your soldiers and ours."

[unfavorableinstigation]

The farmer seems genuinely taken aback by the explanation, though he still takes tentative steps forward to reclaim his chickens.

"The northern beasts? We haven't had trouble from their quarter in generations!"

Though from the look on his face as he says it, perhaps he can see the reason to be worried.

Nita nods. "We're just here to make sure no one is lost."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin steps back in order to allow the farmer to gather his chickens if he wants to.

"Really? It's been that long since the desert monsters have assailed you?"

He nods when Nita does. "No one should die in this approaching crises."

He thinks up a story to tell; maybe that will explain the Voidtreckers' visit without giving away information they should not be revealing. "We are from a city far to the west. You may never have heard of us, because we do not travel often and have never traded with you. But we are famous for our seers. One of them, the greatest of them all, had a vision, and she saw that your city was in great danger, and she spoke to our king of this peril. He sent us to warn you and to help you escape, and to fight beside you if that becomes necessary. You see us wearing Orange because that is the color our clan wears. You'll see other of our citizens in blue, red, or purple, according to their clan colors. We of Orange Clan are assigned especially to assist within the city. Will you let us help you? Please?"

[unfavorableinstigation]

The farmer looks increasingly dubious as Curufin keeps explaining, snorting at one point with such abruptness that a chicken squawks in startlement.

Nita holds her breath, wondering how this is going to go.

"Well, you're certainly dedicated. I'm not as sure I believe you, but... if it was important enough to bring you to these lengths, then you should at least be listened to."

A few of the chickens return to the farmer's side, not in the least at Nita's encouragement, and the man continues, "I have a second cousin who's an architect, who lives within a mile south of here. He helps ensure the walls are kept in quality condition. I will pass your word along to him, and his family."

He gestures for them to follow him. "Come; if we're going to be moving everyone further south, I will need help getting these animals of mine in order again."

[so_dark_a_road]

Curufin of course meant his story to be convincing, but maybe all this storytelling simply made the Voidtreckers' case more dubious. The farmer looked doubtful. . . and maybe the chickens were doubtful, too!

Curufin doesn't try to double down on the imaginary facts and make them any more convincing, instead, he simply nods. "Your cousin will want to know."

He grins surreptitiously at Nita after the farmer has turned his back. And then he answers the farmer, "We'll come with you. Just let us know what you need us to do in the way of helping with the animals."

Might want to fade this out?

[unfavorableinstigation]

The chickens don't seem to care either way. As long as they get fed!

"And everyone else at home," the farmer adds.

A wry grin coming to the man's face, he replies, "I rather hope I won't have to teach you everything from the basics!"

"I don't think we'll have time for that," Nita answers, somewhat joking in tone but not in meaning. "But between the two of us, at least, we do know how to handle animals."

"Good; that's a relief."

Yes, good place to fade!

[so_dark_a_road]

Chickens as a species do seem rather focused on food! These ones no exception.

Curufin grins back at the farmer. "No, you won't have to teach us. We're competent already." He certainly hopes so. All those years in Tirion and then in Beleriand minding animals, dogs, horses, cattle, sheep, goats. . . even chickens!

"Let's get to it, then!"