Onward: Purple

[voidtreckermods]

After the initial onslaught it is possible to leave the pass. It means cutting cross country through boggy terrain but that’s probably better than continuing into the waiting goblins. Though they try and stick together the group will probably naturally split a little as walking paces and ability to clamber through marsh differ. The children will make sure however that no one is left behind.

Camping is in caves and copses and there is small game to hunt and bushes covered in blackberries. There is even the odd apple tree dotted around.

Groups of goblins attack but in smaller numbers than the initial ambush, their tactics seem to be to try and split the groups and pick of stragglers. Outside of the fighting though this is a very wet and windy hike.

(OOC: This is designed to be a catchall event post for Purple team for threads after the initial fight until the final challenge/approach to Um'i'les on day 11)

Comments

[sweetnessandfight]

[For her part, Sarai stands guard over the troupe, following the children and clambering up to some of the highest places she can find. All of this is to get a better vantage point and scan the terrain before the others get to it. She'll try to keep the children and her team together as best she can, and try to spot the goblins before they can spot them. She's appraised Dread and Manabu of her warning--no one but those two are likely to understand chocobo noises, after all.

When they all make camp, she goes to hunt and brings back what she can--she gives some of the children the "game" of helping by gathering as many berries and windfall apples as they can, with some of the adults keeping watch as well. If she can help it, there'll be no divide and conquer on her watch!

And at dinner, she walks through her team and the children, giving encouraging words and smiles--she'll even spin tales later. But before then...]

Everyone is all right? I've some small skill at healing spells, I'd rather everyone is taken care of before we press on in the morning...

[dredefulchilde]

[Joss sits well away from the others, the hood of his borrowed cloak pulled over his face. He, too, had disappeared to hunt. His clothes are even more ragged than before--courtesy of the goblins he'd surprised and then slaughtered--but any wounds he may have received in the melee are long since healed.

The rain continues to pour outside the cave.

When Sarai makes her announcement, he stands, pulling himself up to his complete, meagre height.]

Get the children settled down for the night--I'll take first watch.

[sweetnessandfight]

Very well. Thank you. [Though she keeps a careful eye on him--more because of the fact that she knew he'd been hurt, and Sarai is damned if they won't all come back from this mission on her watch. She says nothing for the moment, just getting all the children settled with gentle pets and soft words and smiles. This has been a difficult trek; they've all been tough, but she's going to do her best to mitigate the bad memories as best she can.

Only after the youngsters are settled in bunches by the fires does she step up to where he's taken watch, bow in hand and scanning the area. His eyesight is likely even better than hers, honed though it's been through years of combat. Still.]

How are you holding up?

[dredefulchilde]

[Vampires see perfectly in the dark and gloom. It’s as good an excuse as any to sit away from the others, by himself. The children are afraid of him now, because of course they are. He’s even heard whispers of ‘monster.’

Good. Better that they know what he really is than risk making attachments.

He’s surprised when Sarai approaches him. Doesn’t she hate him too? She’d been so cross with him before. He’d only offered to take watch in his bossy sort of way to get away from them.

He pulls his hood even further up.]

Perfectly fine. I’m very hard to kill.

[sweetnessandfight]

Yes, you are, and I thank the Twelve for that! Still, is there anything you need, or anything that I can do for you?

[Yes, part of this can be attributed to Sarai being a responsible team leader, or even a responsible counselor. Joss has likely seen her going around to all of the Purple team as time has permitted, checking up on each member. That said, she's not acting as if she has somewhere else to be right now, attention focused mostly on him. He is standing watch, after all, and she's being a slight distraction.]

And yes, I've heard what the some of the younger children have been saying. I'm doing what I can to dissuade them from saying it. You've protected them. You deserve better. [A pause, then, and Sarai smiles, just a bit.] I have told them you're dangerous, though. You've earned that moniker. And a berth as wide as you want it, if you deem it necessary.

[dredefulchilde]

I’d like to be left alone.

[There’s no heat in it, though. Mostly he just sounds, and looks (in the small section of pale face he’s left visible), exhausted. He makes no move to force Sarai to leave.]

You didn’t need to do that. I don’t care if they see me as a monster. I am.

[sweetnessandfight]

[Even through his usual idiosyncracies, he does not look well. Sarai doesn't want to oppress him with her concern, but it is there...]

I'm a bard. I believe in accuracy as much as I can have it--there's allowances for good stories, but if you're to be remembered here--and I suspect we will, all of us--if they're going to spin tales, you deserve better. I think you do. So I've done my best. Besides, monsters don't have to be evil. They thought I was a monster too, after all! Until I...altered their perceptions.

[Sarai's well aware that she looks like a wingless demon, after all.]

[dredefulchilde]

[He laughs harshly, then begins to cough. Damn it. The poison. Why is it taking so long to heal?

He reaches for the water flask at his belt and the last few meager mouthfuls of human blood from the train left in it.]

I’m not a child, not really. I’m hundreds of years old. My ego is not so easily bruised by a handful of human infants frightened of the little demon in their midst—I’ve had seven centuries to get over any illusions I may have held about the nature of my existence.

So really, the effort is appreciated but wholly unnecessary.

[sweetnessandfight]

You don't act like any child I know, so I had figured something like that. [She pauses, concerned, as the coughing fit takes him, brows furrowing.]

You did not have to stay here with...any of us. You could have gone off and done whatever you liked, and you did not. I doubt words will actually hurt you, as yes, you most definitely have the experience to not allow them to do so. You have your own reasons for doing what you do. That, I grant you. And I'm aware I owe you nothing. Yet still, this seems as if it's a society that might benefit from a hero's tale. So I've attempted to paint you with a better brush than mere 'monster.' As is my wont.

[Sarai doesn't really expect thanks--she expects Joss to be angry, because that might come off as high-and-mighty of her. But he wouldn't be the first quietly lonely soul on this train who's trying to hide it. She just won't bring that aspect of it up.]

[dredefulchilde]

Please stop.

[His voice is very quiet. He turns away from her, hiding under the hood so that she can’t see the tears of utter exhaustion start to fall.]

I don’t need any help. I just want to be left alone.

[sweetnessandfight]

[Something is off, she can feel it--but Sarai also realizes that she may have overstepped her bounds, more than just a bit. She has no desire to...wound him further? Would that the Echo decide to rear its ugly head, but it isn't something to be commanded or brought forth a-purpose.]

Very well. If something changes, or you need aid, please call.

[She offers him a slight bow, and hops back down over the rocks, back towards the campsite and caves.]

[unholyandbroken]

[CW: Religion, backfired exorcism, Angelville arc background]

Since Jessie has weapons experience she's on guard duty (plus an excuse to sneak a smoke away from curious eyes]. But mid smoke she's ambushed by a 6 pack of goblins so what does a divinity student do? She starts screaming in Latin aka a one woman exorcism for those that are in the know. But there is one tiny problem, in spite of the surprise exorcism attempt it turns out the goblins have no trace of demon in them.

AKA the whole thing backfires and sends Jessie reeling, plus taking a rather hard tumble. Thankfully nobody can hear one little whimper,"Should be in the coffin for that." hearing Marie L'Angelle mid lecture in her mind.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin can't help but laugh at the Latin--a harsh, unkind bark.

"They're not demons, you ass."

Though he himself might be. He's in full vampire mode, and at this point in their little adventure he's stopped hiding it. His fangs are fully extended and his eyes are bright red. He handily dispatches several of the goblins before whirling on the woman. He offers her a hand up.

"Less Latin, more fighting. Can you manage that?"

[unholyandbroken]

"They sure looked like demons!" but Jessie does accept the help getting off the ground. But she simply cocks her weapon with a nod. "Fair enough." slipping into meek robot mode almost out of either habit or fear.

[dredefulchilde]

If Joss notices the robot mode, he doesn't comment on it. They all have their own ways of getting through this. Just as long as the woman makes it out in one piece and takes a few goblins down, that'll be enough to keep Stark off his back.

"How are you doing on ammunition?"

[unholyandbroken]

"Holding up for the moment." since Jessie is more of a sharp shooter she's made her ammo supply last.

[seawanderer]

The only reason Maglor's even in the area is because of the goblins, as he's given chase- a very brief time from his brother Maedhros' side- and comes at the creatures with a deadly dance of blade and song. Song, which continues to help disguise the fact that he's not quite human.

He makes quick work of the filthy creatures and takes a moment to breath, eyes lit with battle-lust before he blinks it back and checks the area. Both for more goblins, and to see if any harm had fallen upon the guard whose screams had sped up his attack. Seeing the woman on the ground, he blinks again before reaching out with the hand not occupied with the sword he'd picked up.

"Are you well, m'lady?" His voice is only a little rough around the edges, but gentle enough.

[unholyandbroken]

"Think so?" came the accented voice. "Just took a tumble onto some rocks when things decided to backfire." making a long story just a little shorter. But beyond some cuts and bruises Jessie is in one piece all things considered.

[seawanderer]

"As things do in battle, be it guarding or in the thick of things," he agrees with a wry little smile. "Let's get you up, mm?" He offers his hand again to help her.

"This was the main group that got past my brother and I, but there will be more, I am sure." They are only two, though the rest of their team is doing their part.

[unholyandbroken]

Jessie does accept the hand in getting off the ground. "My plan kinda backfired, was thinking one thing but complete turn of events." trying to explain why she had been screaming in Latin.

[seawanderer]

"Aah," he answers in understanding. "'Tis why we should all have backup, planned or otherwise. The enemy can surprise even the most prepared." Latin isn't a language he knows just yet, but he'd sensed some power behind her words.

"But you are well and they are slain."

[hibana_incursa]

Joss had taken watch. Jessie had taken watch (And it had been a very weird ordeal to watch, indeed), Evie had taken watch and now it was Gwen's turn to sit up for a couple hours to make sure no goblins came their way.

For her, it wasn't hard to do. Her senses were heightened, and she didn't need much sleep. She would be fine. And her shoulder was almost entirely healed, save for some faint scarring that just wasn't going away. That was fine. She was hoping the arrowhead she now wore would be the reminder that she got shot with a damn arrow, but a scar works, too. Scars are badass, right?


She would also be bored out of her pretty little skull, so she set a task for herself. To make spring-traps out of webbing and whatever else she could find. While her traps may look questionable, they're effective. Some of them, ropes hanging from trees with loops and slipknots buried under grass and leaves, grab unsuspecting goblins by the ankles and smack them into the ground hard. Killing them, surely. Other are designed in a similar fashion, only these look like actual spider webs, and goblins are wrapped in webbing and flung far, far away. Gwen hopes.

And another? Well, she's going to need some help with that one. So if she spots any of her teammates outside, she'll quickly motion them over and simply state;

"I need you to climb up that tree to that thick branch with the web rope. I'll explain in a minute."

This could be fun. Or awful.

[dredefulchilde]

"Just as long as you give me a leg up." Joss still looks a bit worse for wear after this afternoon, even though he's fully healed. Goblin blood just isn't as good as human, and his flask of the good stuff is running low as it is. His eyes are sunken, skin waxy and yellowish. He's long since stopped caring.

He holds out an icy cold hand. "Just toss me up there. I don't weigh much and I know you're stupidly strong."

[hibana_incursa]

"I can do that, sure." Gwen might not throw Joss, but she does give it her best to make it easier for him to get up into the tree, crouching and knitting her fingers together to give him a boost into the tree branch. She notes how he looks, however, and frowns.

"Are you okay?" He's her teammate. She's concerned. She's allowed to ask if he's okay, okay?

[dredefulchilde]

Joss stiffens a little bit, but he knows there’s no sense in pretending now, not after everything they’ve been through since getting off the train.

“I was shot,” he says simply. “In the first onslaught. Three bolts. It’s taking longer to heal than is normal for me.” He looks up at her. “You were shot as well, weren’t you? And you’re up and walking now, so obviously you’re no more a normal human than I am. I’ve seen you fight. Your reflexes are near as good as mine.”

[hibana_incursa]

"My healing's slowed down and I feel like I'm at the tail end of the flu," Gwen says, helping Joss into the tree before webswinging up into her own. Her right arm isn't quite moving as it should, a wince or two as she rolls her shoulder and tries to pop it or something, but it's just not doing what she needs it to.

Whatever. She has things to do.

"Usually, I'd be aces by now. But..." Moving part of her shirt out of the way, her right shoulder is still bandaged, the bandages just a bit bloody.

"I kept the arrowhead. I want Mr Stark to see if he can study what's on it. In case we run into it again, or there are lasting effects we have to worry about." She opens her mouth for a moment to say more, but her head turns a tad towards a sound people with heightened senses could here. It's goblins. They're coming.

She ducks into the tree, using the shadows to cover herself, putting a finger to her lips and signalling for Joss to be quiet for a moment before reaching for a branch stuck into a pile of webbed rocks, held together in a sort of net. It's a counterweight, tied to the larger net she buried in leaves and dirt below. Her other hand raises, hoping Joss understands to wait for her signal.

When the goblins get close enough, she drops her hand and yanks her own small branch up, causing the counterweight to drop and part of the net to rise swiftly. Hopefully, and she knows Joss is smart enough to understand, but hopefully he's done the same.

[dredefulchilde]

"The bolts that got me were poisoned," Joss points out. "It's slowed my healing as well. I think our goblin friends have been rather liberal with the stuff." He nods when she voices exactly what he'd been thinking. "That's smart. Maybe I should've done the same; it's not often that something as insignificant as all that keeps me down for long. Does Stark have the equipment to do something like that?"

The boy is a quick study and he soon understands what's going on. He nods, and quickly spies his own victim. Ah, an archer. Excellent. Payback for the holes in his shirt.

The creature is quickly dispatched.