Onward: Blue

[voidtreckermods]

Icy Bridges

The Sovereign Domain is large stretches of ridged rock covered in thick snow, divided by glaciers of solid ice, and the going is slow and treacherous. The air is cold, bitingly so and snow falls around them in flurries, sticking to outer layers and barely melting against bare skin.

Visibility isn’t great, even outside of the storm and what they can see is just endless drifts of white snow. In the distance, when the snow clears, is the great, swirling storm that holds the Sovereign’s mountain in its howling grip.

Interlinking the land are the ice bridges. Despite their material, these are sturdy and in some cases ornate, fractals spanning between cliffs or crossing frozen lakes. They are wide enough for perhaps four to walk abreast, though three is probably a more comfortable number to not be too close to the edge and the icy abyss below.

For those groups that already have collected crystal wolves, the wolves tread these bridges with ease, heading always towards the mountain. Other creatures are a little more hesitant, as well they might be at long icy paths with sheer drops.

Fire Traps

As they move from place to place, they will come across the fire traps. Intricate latices of fire arranged in spheres or domes, they each hold the unfortunate animal that triggered their formation. The cages sink into the icy ground, not quite melting the ice the way they might expect, but lodging themselves within it.

The animals huddle away from the heat of the bars, shaking damp fur or licking burns; the crystal wolves pace, their heads held high, and make no sound.

Attacks on the cage make the fire lash out like a living thing, tendrils whipping at any attackers. Once people are closer or even within the cage, the whole structure shudders and attacks in a last resort. Once the cage is defeated, by magic, extinguishing or other means, it fades away, freeing the creature inside. Most the animals are as timid or wary as you would expect, running away the moment they are freed, but some will stay with the voidtreckers if coaxed into it.

The crystal wolves bow their heads nobly and will follow those that freed them, aiding them in both travel and combat, or assisting weaker members of the group. They look always towards the Sovereign’s mountain, but seem to understand the need to free the others first, and obediently follow those travelling to other cages.

Snowstorm

As if the regular cold and snow fall wasn’t bad enough, the elemental storm blows in and out of their winding path, seemingly at random. It is filled with elementals, twisting clouds of diamond-bright ice needles. The wolves block what they can, the ice clattering harmlessly against their gleaming fur, but cannot be everywhere at once.

It is hard to even move in the storm; biting winds blow from every direction, stealing the breath from their lungs and pinning them in place with its sheer force. The wind is freezing, sapping the warmth from them. Huddling together can help: the SCAs’ efforts to mitigate the cold seem more effective when body heat and shelter is added to the equation. Until it attacked, blowing in one direction or the other with full strength.

At the worst times the wolves will try to lead voidtreckers towards shelter. They fortunately know of a number of likely locations: a few are caves, others piles of rocks or cairns, or glittering spaces carved into the ice itself by centuries of claws.

Comments

[barenakedspirit]

It's out on the Icy Bridges, and I'm smiling again

The ice feels solid under his thick fur lined boots. Galo still picks his way along with glances around as he moves ahead of the others. Charging right into a fray is his best bet and he'll adapt to whatever trouble they find on the fly. But if these bridges go they're in trouble.

A crystalline looking staff with trailing delicate fabric threads fits easily into his hand. He wields it like he knows how to use it the sharp spear like point held towards the ground. His cloak is ripped back by the wind exposing the leather armor he chose and the furry belt. He looks like all he needs is a large battle axe to complete his look. He turns and calls over his shoulder, his voice loud and pitched to carry. "Hey! It's this way right?"

Traps of fire, holding me from you
The fire flickers like a living thing, a steady shifting light that bathes his leather chest plate in red light. The wind pulls at him but Galo ignores it, his eyes on the flames. It's a fire and now he's seen it that's all he will think about.

He glances around. The icy ground hasn't quite melted. Bambosh the Higgledy perches on his broad shoulder. He draws back and glances around again. He will free that wolf inside, he has to.

"Try not to move okay," He tells it as he kneels down and scoops up some of the snow into his hands and packs it into a ball. He sets it aside and makes more, committed to the task. "I'll get you out." He flashes a grin. This might not even work but there's a chance it will.

Snowstorm taking all of the heat that is left

"Oi, stick with the group!" Galo shouts. He rubs his throat as the storm bites at his throat. It feels vaguely familiar, like knives. He blocks that out of his head as he turns to put his larger body between others and the storm. He's pulls the hood over his head and plants his staff, gritting his teeth. He can spot the cave they're heading to in the distance as a dark shape in the endless white.

Clouds of icy needles gather close and Galo grins at them, a feral light in his eyes. Bambosh pours out of his sleeve as plants himself and thrusts his staff forward. It's a flame, it should work.

Later he plants himself near the edge of shelter and keeps watch on the storm outside. His staff isn't far from him. Across his lap or in his hand. "Maybe I should have asked Lio for my firearm." He murmurs and leans back, sitting up straight when someone approaches. "Yo, what's up?"

So, I carry the torch to Wildcard! Wildcard!
(Got ideas? Pm or discord me, I can set up a closed prompt for it.)

icy bridges

[blitzcheer]

He wishes he'd been more properly dressed for this trip, but Tidus can only keep the complaints inward, to make do with the impressively-quick cloak made for him by Webs. It lacks the furs and wool that other's clothing has, but heat still radiates from it as best as the seamstress could add to her threads, enchanted by magic, and he keeps the opening closed with his hands.

If only he'd thought to ask for gloves. It failed to come to mind, and Tidus trudges through the snow, pausing when he hears Galo's call.

"They seem to think so!" he calls back, a nod to where the crystalline wolves pad along, guided by their own instinct. Tidus picks up his own pace just to come close to Galo, hood pulled over his head. "We gotta get to the biggest mountain somehow."

Snowstorm

[eightfootprincess]

Adora was crowded in with everyone else in the cave. She felt like she could handle normal cold weather. Weather in general wasn't something she worried too much over. It was just the chaotic convection of heat and moisture through the atmosphere that caused precipitation. You just prepared for it and dealt with it.

But this storm wasn't that. This storm felt PERSONAL. Powered by spirits of ice and snow and directed directly at them.

So that this guy was just sorta sitting right at the edge of the shelter like it was no big deal was a little...alarming.

"Aren't you cold?"

snowstorm

[shutupnail]

Piccolo glanced back to see who was shouting orders. It didn't surprise him, someone needed to keep everyone on track and safe from the weather, but he also wanted to check to make certain it wasn't aimed at him. That would be a waste of someone's effort.

At some point he had realized if he wanted to actually help everyone get there in one piece and in time for whatever they needed to do, he should probably stop hovering over the snow and damn well help with it. So he was trudging through the snow like everyone else--except he wasn't showing signs of fatigue and he was leaving a wide trail behind him that was free of the white hindrance. His cape was whipping around like crazy in the wind but it didn't seem to bother him anymore than the cold appeared to bother his bare arms.

"Almost there," he called back. He waited a moment to let the other man close the gap some for easier conversing. "Just keep everyone together a little longer."

Snowstorm

[knifewithnoname]

She was trying! "I can no even be seeing the stupid group." She yelled back through the storm. She can't see the group, she can't see the ground underneath her, nothing but white and snow stinging her eyes.

She stumbles through the storm, fighting whenever any of the ice jabs at her. She seems suprised to see him when she gets close. She had heard his voice but hadn't expected to actually be able to find him.

"This do be being stupid."

jackaloopes

[blitzcheer]

Their group seems to be half people, half animals at this rate. Crystal wolves padding long with the same composed air they've all had since the start, and there's a few others too. The jackalopes people have found around for their quest, some in the fiery cages, others, who knows? And then there's been a snow leopard or two. All seeming to watch their backs, aiding in their quest.

An outpost approaches them in the distance, flags fluttering of bright colours to catch the attention of weary travellers; and they were that, with the day losing way to night.

Tidus has been chattering to an Orange team member, but his brings down his SCA, sighing; warm air trapped within a barrier keeping off the chill, thanks to Galo's idea earlier in the trip.

"Orange team's doing fine. Della in Purple didn't say anything about any trouble. Light would said something if the Reds needed help."

But there's been a foreboding amongst most people, ever since the calls came in about people disappearing. Who will be next, what was going to happen. Even they had lost four people, one a Team Lead.

[schrodingersghost]

Fire Traps:
Look, Danny had a thing about traps,okay? He'd had one back home, and it had only gotten worse after the mission when he'd got stuck in a cage.

He throws himself at the fire cages, blasting them with ectoplasmic energy and ghost ice. Fire or no fire, he wasn't going to leave anyone stuck in there.

Snowstorm
The cold and snow didn't bother Danny, especially when he stayed in ghost form. It hadn't really bothered him since he'd started using his ice core.

The wind was something else entirely. Danny didn't need to breathe. But with wind like that, he was grounded. There was no way he could fight in the air.

The others were gathering together to huddle, but Danny figured the last thing any of them needed was a literal ice ghost hanging around and making it even colder. Instead, he walks with the wolves, using his ghost shields and his own ghost ice to help them block the ice elementals.

fire traps

[blitzcheer]

The tendrils whip up on Danny's attack, the fires bursting with more life. It's a sight to see, if the literally 'throwing yourself at the danger' tactic will work, Tidus's call of "Hey-!" paused, as well as the hand brought out from his cloak.

Will Danny's plan here work? Or can he do with some help? As well as the snow leopard crouched in and crying at the heating activity.

SNO...

[luckydragonsfoot]

Well, the storm's pretty shitty, but hey he figures he may as well help. He bundled up as much as he did for a reason! He's doing great! He...

...Probably looks like some kinda weird fuzz monster with his hood and muffler actually. There's even eyes on the hood...

"Oiiii!" Katsuya calls out through the cloth anyway. "Y' need a hand out here or are you good?"

Snowstorm

[loveandduty]

Venus was doing the best to keep the Arm Band on in place of Minako who she was but that was besides the point at this moment. But for a storm like this she was pretty sure that there wasn't anything she had that the people on this team could even use.

But she is however able to speak even with is going on.

"You know if we didn't have a mission to you, you could have a really epic snow fight." She was of course kidding.

[eightfootprincess]

-Ice bridges-

Adora peered over the edge of the bridge, slightly nervously, then took a big step back so she was walking alongside one of the ice wolves and pulled the hood of her jacket tight. A PROPER jacket. She wasn't going to go traipsing through frozen mountains in her regular jacket.

"Man, I get to visit just the NICEST places." She glanced over at the glittering wolf. "I guess this probably is pretty nice to you, actually, isn't it? Probably feels like home."

They walked together in silence for a few more seconds before she piped up again with "You can't actually talk, can you?"

-Fire traps-

"Hold up. I got this." Adora said as she walked confidently towards one of the fire traps and held one hand up towards the sky.

With a flash of light, a sword appeared in her hand. Adora shouted "For the honor of Grayskull!" and with an even brighter flash of light, she was replaced by an eight foot tall warrior princess in white and gold armor. She wasn't really dressed for the cold, but that didn't seem to bother her at all.

She-Ra marched towards the fire trap as an aura of light surrounded her sword, ready to just kind of bull rush her way through all the fire tendrils.

-Snowstorm-

She-Ra could survive comfortably in the vacuum of space. The cold barely touched her. But She-Ra couldn't stay here forever. Eventually, plain old Adora had to come back, and then the cold hit her like a sledgehammer.

She stumbled after one of the wolves until it led her to a cave. Not a huge cave, but big enough, for now. This kind of storm couldn't keep up for TOO long, right?

But the cave already had someone in it.

Well, no time to be picky. Adora just kind of wedged herself in there next to you with a muttered "Don't mind me. Just trying to not die."

fire traps

[shutupnail]

It wasn't often Piccolo ran into someone he had to look up at. Dread had been barely an inch taller so it had been a refreshing state to not have to look down for a change when interacting with the other man. But he was gone now, unfortunately.

Now here was an eight foot tall lady and Piccolo would have been half convinced She-Ra was a Super Saiyan if he hadn't known better. She certainly had the power flux to go with it, too. But there were a few things off about it and her in general so he knew she wasn't one. He was definitely intrigued though.

So much so that he honestly just wanted to watch what she did about the current fire trap in the way. He could help if it was needed but he didn't really think it necessary. For the moment.

Snowstorm

[spikelet]

Bundled up in multiple layers and the standard cloak on top of that, A-Qing wasn't having the worst time of her life. The SCA was doing something, she figured, because she'd been out in snow before, and it had always been worse than this. But even so, the look Adora got when she wedged herself between A-Qing, the back of the cave, and the crystal wolf that was half-sleeping over her feet was nothing but grateful.

Adora's wolf just nudged the first with its nose, and the two curled properly around the girls. Some kind of agreement must have been reached.

"That's okay," she managed, muffled through the scarf she'd tucked around her face. "... Anyone else coming?"

They could probably fit a few more, but they were full up on wolves.

ota!

[happyends]

There's enough to deal with, really. Between the cold - though thankfully that's been helped a bit by now thanks to the scarf Tidus gave her - the fire traps they have to deal with and the storms, there's so much going on.

And yet there's something else that occupies Madoka's mind. Something very noticable, if not just to her. Because Maru is always - always, always - by her side, but suddenly he's.. not. And she can't find him anywhere. Even as she looks around their group gathered here, even as she carefully tries to wander away from them just a little to try and see if she can find him nearby. He wouldn't just leave her though, it all seems so weird, and a weird feeling of dread starts to seize her heart. She tries to summon her bow, only to find that she can't.

It's worrying for so many reasons. She got used to his presence, for once, and.. well, then there's what Maru told her. If the two of them were seperated from each other, after 24 hours she would--

Anyone at all may find the girl approaching them during a brief moment of shelter, and there's no way Madoka could hide the borderline-panic worry growing in her eyes as she looks at whoever she's talking to. It doesn't help that she sure can't find some other people she normally would have asked for help, making the girl grow more worried by the minute.

"S-Sorry, but.. um, have you seen Maru..? O-or if you haven't, can you maybe help me look for him? I know it's.. it's dangerous for me to wander off by myself, s-so.. I need some help, even though I don't want to bother you.."

[shutupnail]

Being busy fighting off the various sprites and elementals meant Piccolo didn't notice Madoka's growing worry as quickly as he might have otherwise. But while they took shelter briefly from a wild storm that was passing by, Piccolo tore his senses away from the elementals in the storm to focus on the team around him. He was supposed to be watching after them after all. Not all of them were as well equipped to deal with the constant cold and fighting as others.

As his eyes traveled over the small team his ki sense did the same invisibly. Something odd was bothering him. It seemed strange but...were they less of them than when they had set off? Piccolo didn't think anyone had volunteered to move to another team and he didn't think the spider had teleported in to take anyone away--so why was it he sensed less people here than he should have. He began to search for Gladio in the crowd but couldn't spot the man.

It was then that Madoka approached him. Piccolo was instantly on guard, noticing the wild look of panic in her eyes and growing concerned. What could have her so upset? He dropped his stance and bent closer to her unconsciously, listening intently to her request as she made it.

"You can't find him? Isn't he almost always with you? Or really close by?" They might not have gotten along per se but Piccolo understood Madoka's closeness to Maru. She looked after him and vice versa. It was strange to hear Madoka ask for help finding him and even more worrisome that she was nearly panicking over it.

Piccolo's heart dropped to his stomach when it occurred to him. That Maru was one of the missing ki signatures. But how did he explain that to Madoka? And what did it actually mean anyway? There were a few possibilities, though Piccolo worried about most of them.

you asked for this - fire traps

[blitzcheer]

The mission tasks weren't joking around about the fiery cages.

It's the first lot they've come across, animals quivering inside cages just big enough to hold them, strange tendrils of fire whipping out when one of their teammates gets close to them. Tidus is frowning, standing close to Madoka and the one they've happened upon. He doesn't know the creature inside, but that doesn't matter. Just what they were going to do about it.

"I could probably hit it with water before it can react," Tidus offers as an idea, looks at Madoka when he asks, "You got anything than the bow?"

icy bridges

[blitzcheer]

Waiting before them was a great lake.

Or, rather, the bridge across that lake, and then the lake frozen, encased in ice far below them. There was a bottom to see here compared to the smaller bridges over an inky darkness, but all that ice--it was somehow colder to approach. Tidus had his arms crossed underneath his cloak.

"There's really nothing but ice out here..."

A few of the wolves under Aerlie's rule were already crossing the way ahead, unperturbed by the distance and chill lifting up from the lake.

[blitzcheer]

scarfs;

"Hey, you wanna take one? It's enchanted; it'll help keep you warm."

With the aid of a little helper, Tidus has been offering out to the other Blue goers a simply made spider-silk scarf, which may not be appealing to some for tastes, but it's not about fashion out here. It's warm to the touch, if a snug kind, and lengthy enough to double up. He has a few of them, and if you see him handing them out, you're free to come over and ask after them.

going forward;

But it's an endless landscape of cold ahead of them, scarf equipped or not. Memories of Mt. Gagazet cling to him as well as the cold does, Tidus's cloak and boats less-lined with the furs as those prepared to come with Blue Team from the start. He's braved cold weather before, sure, but it doesn't make it any easier to be walking in. Especially when he didn't come prepared with gloves.

Usually a more chatty, spirited guy though, he's been keeping any of the complaints he'd usually voice--verbally, or in grimaces on his face--down. He'll walk with and accept the company of others, but he seems to almost be distant at times, if more lost in thoughts than intentionally so.

But he may have to pause, blow his shaking bare hands for some warmth.

fire traps

As soon as he gets close, tendrils of fire whip out at him in warning, get Tidus to jump back at the threat. The animal within is as still as can be, rigidly so.

"Got a way you wanna deal with this?" Tidus'll ask the person close to him.

refill caches

There's refill caches a mile apart each on the road available through the domain, and Tidus has a good stock of the emergency parcels given from a relieved admin for the outposts hands over, more once they realised the hammerspace Tidus carried. Tidus can be found crouching before luminescent-lids, brushing off the snow and undoing their lid, checking the contents. Sometimes, other trinkets can be found in there--books, stones, a few coins. Tidus doesn't bother to touch them, except maybe the books at times.

If your character comes over, he might offer one of the parcels, "Wanna help me fill them?", or he'll work with others doing the task, counting down the amount left to find. "You get the last one?"

snowstorms

The storms are the biggest annoyances. Keeping everyone close, trying to fight them off when they can. Tidus can't do anything without knowing where to aim, and most of his spells bounce from the outside. He's better use exerting his energy to provide a magical barrier around the individuals he can, with what strength he has to lend. The chill still comes through, but he helps where he can.

"Come on," he says to whoever he just cast it on, some of the magically-constructed snow and wind not hitting them as hard, "let's keep moving!"

rest

There's the outposts, huts manned by just a few people or so on the road they're taking, a place for water and dry wood should anyone want some to take, or to join on the small fire. It's a relief they managed to reach one before it turned too dark, their distance between one another far at the start of their trip.

They can sleep on the floor, but also, it means sleeping with the captured jackalopes too, who're finding their new temporary home in the hut. Tidus feels the eyes of one across the room on him as he takes off his shoes, rubbing his socked feet, trying to warm them up.

...and feels it staring...and feels it staring........

He's definitely not squinting at a blank-eyed jackalope, having a stare off. Tell him to do something useful.

wildcard

Feel free to wildcard any interaction--at the bridges, at another time. If you'd like to do anything with the jackalope quest I don't mind having Tidus help (he's speedy and can get targets to slow down!).Or if you'd like your character to get a warmth-enchanted scarf later they can. B) b

put on some clothes, tidus, gosh!!

[shutupnail]

Without the adrenaline of battle warming him up, Piccolo realized that a certain blond boy was having issue with the cold weather. His eyes narrowed at Tidus as he noticed the other didn't have the same gear as the rest of Blue team. It didn't really bother the Namekian that Tidus had decided to join them but now that he had a moment to notice Tidus's poor state the green-skinned alien was rather...annoyed? ...irritated? ...upset with the dumb blond.

He stomped over to Tidus and without prompt magic'd a pair of gloves right onto Tidus's hands. "You idiot. Why didn't you say something sooner?"

Piccolo | OTA

[shutupnail]

I. Snowstorms

The cold had never bothered him before and it didn't bother him any now. He hadn't brought any extra gear because if he ever needed anything he just created it. Like how when he got off the train he had summoned his cape with pauldrons back onto his shoulders, pleased with the familiar weight back on them. The small spaces of the train made it a pain to wear most of the time and he often didn't bother but on missions that changed.

So there he was out in the cold with nothing but his typical purple gi and bare arms yet he didn't seem affected by the cold at all. In fact, anyone that got close enough--whether brushing up against him by accident or being caught by him if they slipped somewhere precarious on all this snow and ice--they would notice he was actually quite warm to touch despite the chill air surrounding them.

The first snowstorm the group took shelter from caused a bit of a fuss. Piccolo was unconcerned with the idea of standing outside and waiting for the weather to calm down. Yet some others thought it strange and foolish to risk, and eventually he had come in out of the storm to alleviate the frayed nerves of those that worried about such things. Besides, part of the group was stressed enough by the loss of certain individuals that they didn't deserve to worry over him, too.

While inside, Piccolo occasionally asked someone "Are you still cold?" Humans were so susceptible to such things, it was worrisome. He had ways to help with that although he never would have thought to just...huddle close to someone to warm them up with his own body heat. Feel free to notice his cape was free for wrapping up in, too.

II. Wildcard


[Any of the other prompts is fair game, too! Or anything else, he can always be convinced to help with sidequests or ferrying people to other teams or something.]

[myblueskies]

"Yes sir." Romeo nodded though he smiled in an attempt to keep his spirits up. "It's really cold!"

He's shivering a bit and even sat a small distance away he can feel that Piccolo feels warm, he moves closer instinctively for warmth.

"Are you not cold though?"

[tactlesstantei]

1. Fire Traps

[Not having any special powers or items of her own, Masumi had resorted to improvising to try and break the traps holding the various animals hostage.

Specifically, she resorted to trying to throw snowballs at the traps. It felt ridiculous, just throwing snow at the fire traps, but at least she was trying to put the traps out even as they lashed against the projectiles.]

2. Restocking Caches

[Every so often Masumi stops to restock a nearby cache, crouching down to open one up for refilling. It's proving to be a bigger hassle than she predicted, and at some point a gust of wind knocks an ice-slick cache lid out of her grip, right onto her other hand which had been resting on the edge of said cache.]

"Ow! Darn it..." [Maybe lend assistance?]

3. Snowstorm

[It's during the worst of the storm, when there's no choice but to huddle out of the snow and wind, when Masumi's cuddlier side comes out. Even with the cloak she's cold, and at some points she can't help but huddle up to someone for warmth. Maybe there's a quick apology if she's called on it, but often there isn't.]

cache

[magicurls]

Are you hurt?

[ There's a shivering blond right beside her. She's managed to conjure a cloak, but she's clearly still dressed for the heat of the volcano beneath it. Still, she can survive like this, and it's her job to help.

She waves her hand, and a few yellow ribbons appear to hold the cache in place. ]

Wei Wuxian | OTA

[only_one_wei]

Ice Bridges

Ice. Ice was good. Ice meant no more fire dogs. Seriously, no one told him there would be dogs! He would have gone to the bird island if he'd known. Well, no, because this is where Lan Zhan was, but he was not happy there were dogs.

The ice was cold, but it wasn't as frigid as the pool at Cloud Recesses, so he wasn't suffering too badly. The lengths of rope that Piccolo had created really came in handy for helping the less sure-footed feel safer.

"Grab hold, if you need to!"


Fire Traps

Crystal wolves...weren't dogs, right? Wei Wuxian eyed the one in the trap suspiciously. But he couldn't just leave it there. He pulled out a talisman and wrote on it with a prick of his finger. The paper disappeared in a flash when it hit the cage, but so did the cage.

When the Crystal wolf padded over though, he froze in terror. "Not a dog, not a dog, not a dog, not a dog..." When it simply bowed and then left to check on the others who had been freed previously, he slumped in relief.

"They're kind of scary, aren't they?" he asked.


Snowstorm

At least there were no fire dogs here, Wei Wuxian thought with relief. Though the elementals were quite annoying with those sharp needles of ice.

One of the crystal wolves kept suddenly appearing as well, blocking the ice when it could, which just kept Wei Wuxian on edge. On the one hand, thank you, friend wolf; on the other...are you sure you aren't a dog?

Piccolo's ropes were handy here as well, giving the team the chance to stay together and not get blown away, but holding onto it was cold. He huddled close to anyone near him to help the SCA's warming effects work better. "Bit brisk today, isn't it?" he asked with a grin.

Fire traps

[barenakedspirit]

"Thought they were kinda cool." Galo says as he tosses a snowball up in the air and catches it. Dressed like some barbarian warrior in hardened leather armor, he balances his crystalline looking staff against his shoulder. The staff itself gives off a faint heat, even the delicate threads of fabric the exact same color as the rest of the staff.


He hums to himself as he turns his hand with the snowball over, the back of his hand facing the sky. "Want me to handle that part? I don't mind." He smiles lightly, pausing to say. "Until they head off. Looks like they got their own mind about things."

[achickenformylove]

Icy Bridges
For once, WangJi had not taken a lot of the options that the dressing car had offered, instead opting for his normal white robes though he had grabbed a warm cloak. He was used to the freezing water of the cold spring. This was not something that he was concerned with.

But the cloak not being white was likely a good thing or he would have blended into the background too much. Gusu Lan apparently had camouflage, but only in the snow.

He was pretty surefooted and even this was hard. As they were crossing, he'd offer a hand to someone nearby if it seemed like they were slipping. "Careful."

Fire Trap
Of course when they came across the fire traps, WangJi was going to do his best to not have anything happen to the creatures inside. Seeing that others were being attacked back by the cages when they attacked, he grabbed the one weapon that he could think of that would work.

His guqin.

Careful to control the strength and direction of the wave to not unintentionally injure the poor creature inside, he strummed his fingers over his guqin.

Snowstorm
As the snowstorm settled upon them, WangJi actually did need the cloak now, pulling it around himself. The air was bitterly cold and it was hard to breathe, finding himself covering his mouth with the cloak.

The crystal wolves were helping a bit, but there was only so much that they could do.

When the storm picked up even worse, the wolves did, thankfully, lead them to a cave. Once sheltered from the storm, WangJi began to break out supplies to try and help keep others warm... including the extra clothes that he had grabbed just for this. "Do you need another?"

Icy bridges

[spikelet]

The way was treacherous enough that A-Qing had abandoned the idea of feigning blindness while crossing the icy walkways. Whenever she noticed them coming up to another, she'd edge over to Lan Wangji. Then, affecting unconcern, she'd gingerly cross within grabbing range of his cloak, watching drifts of snow sliding off the edges all the while.

It came in handy on the second such crossing, when she set her foot down and yelped; the snow underfoot had given way and sent her leg skidding out from under her.

"I'm being caref-- aaah!"

[eyeslikeblood]

Icy Bridges: keeping an eye out
As someone who lived for seventy years in Tai kingdom, Gyousou is used to harsh winters. So it stands to reason that he falls into old habits: checking everyone as they travel, looking for shivering, for confusion, for any discolouration or discomfort. The easiest way to do so is as follows. He fights his way through the snow or the wind, and makes what might seem to be inane conversation with anyone he comes across in their staggered formation. Questions, or idle observations on the surroundings.

"How does this compare to your home," he might ask, or perhaps, "Were you planning to fill any of those orders from the town, if I might ask?" His smile is confident, his manner attentive, and his eyes sharp as he checks you for signs of hypothermia.

Snowstorm: wolf bonding
Sheltering from the storm gets steadily easier as the number of wolves travelling with them grows; they start seeking out larger caves, spaces in which the growing pack can pile in with their new companions. Gyousou hasn't been as able to free creatures from traps as those with mystical abilities, but he's made a good enough showing of himself with use of ice and snow that he has a large she-wolf sat beside him, tongue lolling as she watches the mouth of the cave. He seems eminently comfortable sat beside her, even brushing the snow out of her coat with cheerful industry.

"Fine creatures, aren't they?"

Wildcard: choose your own adventure

[longforgottenpromise]

Taiki has been skitterish all mission and it doesn't stop as they begin their journey and their task of rescuing creatures from the traps. He had stuck close to Gyousou as if he feared his king would disappear if he looked away.

So he had not been far at all, just to gather some firewood, not straying out of sight of the cave, he smiled at the sight of Gyousou with the wolf. "They are, I think she likes you."

Strange these crystal wolves, unnerving even with how silent they were. Taiki approached carefully.

Quatre Raberba Winner | OTA

[gundamofthedesert]

Icy Bridges
Welp, Quatre had picked the wrong team for this. He was a kid used to the desert and all things sand. This was very much not that environment.

Not that he was going to complain about it. He was walking along the best he could, bundled up in probably more layers than he needed to. (Shhh... this is really cold to him) Of course, traction was a problem and he ended up sliding... right into someone.

"Oh, excuse me!"

Snowstorm
First ice bridge, then cages of fire attacking people, now snowstorm. This pace was definitely testing, stany bundled up as much as possible. He had found a friend in one of the crystal wolves and lucky for him, it kept coming by to try and help keep those flying shards at bay, which appreciated to no end.

The cave that they were led to when the storm worsened was also appreciated. He bundled up as much as he could, finding somewhere to sit where he could sit on his cloak and keep another wrapped around him.

As his crystal wolf friend came by, he smiled. "Thank you."

Wildcard
[Have an idea? Sure why not]

Ice Level

[pleple]

Thankfully, Ple Two had just enough traction to brace herself when she felt Quatre.

"...careful. Short steps." Ice was annoying.

Lea OTA

[hotheadwarmheart]

Fire Traps

A cage was a cage, right? Or so Lea had thought. He'd attempted to use his Keyblade to unlock it, and while he'd managed to undo a few of the 'bars' the others had caught on quickly, lashing at him with fiery tendrils. And while he was mostly immune to being burned, that didn't mean the strikes themselves didn't still hurt.

Still his relative immunity was an advantage he planned to exploit. "I'll keep it distracted," he called to whoever was listening. "Ye if you can shut it down on get the animal out of there!"

Snowstorm

OK, Lea had to admit, this was rough. Even generating a shield of fire only helped so much; it kept some of the snow from hitting him and those near him, yes, but if he held it a bit too low, it melted the snow at their feet just enough for it to refreeze into ice, making going even more treacherous. Plus it seemed to upset the animals, and for that he couldn't really blame them.

Still, once even the crystal wolves were force to take shelter in a cave, Lea called up a roughly campfire sized magical blaze for people to huddle around. And since it looked like they might be there a while, he got out some food and cooking utensils and began to prepare a warm meal. After all, one couldn't adventure on an empty stomach.

Choose Your Own Adventure: AKA Wildcard