Johnny returns the favor, using his bead of entropy to slice pieces off of the Renkroda.
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I don't know about losing our Democratic system yet, but I think that people who were always talking about people getting more involved with government and politics have gotten what they wanted (probably not the way they wanted it, however). Still, I this is the first year I can remember where at about 3/4ths through no one has mentioned a celebrity death on the national stage, so that says something.
Johnny continues to use is mote of absolute nothing to slice pieces off of the Renkroda.
The storm was pretty scary looking out my window. The sky turned black at like 11am. Fortunately my new place was not really hit bad. My old place was worse off (I think they were without power for a couple of days). One of my co-workers still doesn't have power. Man this year has been something.
Johnny focused his energy and then swung the orb of darkness that hovered in front of his hand across the creature.
Johnny will swing entropy at the creature, attempting to sever bonds throughout the creature's body.
"Dead and welcomed are not the same thing." Johnny retorts. Jokes. She's making f#$%ing jokes. Johnny thought to himself, but did not turn back to face her.
Sighing, Johnny summoned his shield, a diamond-shaped disc of absolute entropy, and then said "Clearly the jungle is less than thrilled with our presence." He then moved to take point, standing calmly between the direction the creature is coming from and the rest of the group.
Actually, Deidre must have been singing in her head while I was talking. On a more serious note, sorry about the lack of posting. I was supposed to have internet on Friday, and then Centurylink decided that, nah, I didn't need internet in my new place until today! Isn't that clever?
As the group prepares to move, Johnny packs up his tent and gear and then heads out. He has nothing more to say about this situation, as he had said it all before in a low voice the night before. Carrying Irhok'zath's polearm, Johnny opted to use it as a walking stick while helping Miraj along.
"I assume there's no shelter to be had from it?" Johnny asked as the "clouds" dipped lower in the sky.
Neither will I. When they beg for it, I'll put them down painlessly.
Johnny says nothing in the morning, but he doesn't do his early morning workout, either; he just powers down his tent and sits.
Johnny is arguing from a Maslow's heirarchy of needs perspective: It's more extensive than this, but the basic premise is that you start with the need for food and shelter, then move to increasingly more esoteric things (like morality). After all, the murder jungle doesn't care whether or not you believe that imprisoning people is wrong.
"Or she can walk and was left here on purpose. This." Johnny gestured towards the Ralkawi "Is a trap. This." Johnny gestures to the jungle around them "Is a land so dangerous that our ancestors cut off the rest of the world from it. You" Johnny pointed at Diedre "Are acting like someone who doesn't understand these truths. Being a leader means making the hard decisions. If such an obvious trap in the most dangerous place on this world has your conviction wavering, we are all going to die. I'm not being hyperbolic. I'm not speaking of 'maybes' and 'could happens'. This land will kill us if we let it, and instead of staying focused on our goal, you're worried about coddling a murdering member of a murdering cult." "In short, you are acting like a fool. You're not one, as far as I can tell, but you're acting like one. Her life is not our responsibility, but your desire to take it on is threatening all of our lives. The margin of error between life and death here is razor thin." Johnny then softened a bit and said "Look, I'm not unsympathetic to you, or even her. If we were in a civilized place, we could turn her over to the authorities and you would know that she is being treated...if not well, then fairly. We do not have that luxury here. If we sit here and wait, our food will run out." "Let's say you're right; let's say that she's not faking. She may take DAYS to recover. We have food and water now, but that just means we're going to be starving and thirsty that same number of days on the back end of our trip while we wait for her to heal. You said 'It won't be the first time I fasted.' I'd ask you this: have you fasted in a Jungle before where every moment you should be paying attention to every sound and sight to make sure it isn't another predator? Have you fasted in a place that forces you to drink a quarter of your weight in water a day? Is your plan to give her all your food for the 20 plus day journey back to the portal, or are we going to escort her to her friends, where she'll help them attack us when we arrive? You have a lovely head. Perhaps you should start using the brain inside it." Having said his fill, Johnny makes to leave, then stops and adds "Also, maybe stop pissing off our guide? I don't want Irhok'zath to decide we're not worth it and leave us here."
We're here all week! Try the veal!
"We have healed her. We give her a melee weapon and send her on her way, with the caveat that she go someplace besides the ruins."
"I understand that you want to help people, but let's take stock of our situation: we're in the middle of nowhere, and I don't know about you, but I don't have food or water to give her. I don't think anyone else does either." Johnny sighs and says "What about securing her? Are we meant to let her wander free and slit our throats in the night? Are we going to tie her up? What about when we get to the ruins, where her friends are. Do we gag her then. Take her with us when we start attacking them?" "You see my problem?"
"So how far are you going to go with this? We don't have food for her, and we're a long way from civilization. You know she's likely going to die, right? Why are you feeding her false hope?"
"Captain, can I speak to you for a moment?" Johnny gestures to a spot away from everyone.
"Death is nothingness; it is, to use a scientific term, entropy." Johnny looks at the cultist and shrugs, then says "Maybe she's a bad cultist who doesn't really believe?"
"The Devourer represents the End of things. It is the opposite of life, but it plays an important part."
Johnny again does his morning and evening workouts, even in the oppressive heat; if anything, he uses his discomfort to push himself. After his workout in the morning, he will break down his tent and say "I'll carry your pike Irhok'zath."
"I guess, but I still think this is not a good idea, for alot of reasons." says Johnny as he helps to drag the creature's body away from the area.
"We should go, in case it was not alone. Also, can someone counter track? I'd like to throw it's avengers off our trail if we can."
Johnny then follows the creature and pushes the power of entropy into it.
Johnny double moves to get into melee with the creature and set up a flank with Irhok'zath. As he moves, the darkness around him seems to grow, not robbing sight, but instead bleaching everything into a gray scale.
Johnny decides to take the opposite approach; knowing the the creature likes to strike from ambush, Johnny turns to patrol, and sees Irhok'Zath has the same idea. Nodding, he points at her and makes a circling motion with his finger to the left, then points at himself with a circling motion to the left. The intent is clear: you circle to the right and I'll go left.
That's why I only eat meat!
Johnny doesn't hesitate. He sprints towards her and snatches up her shotgun. He then stows it on his back, saying "Now, now, there's no need for all that dear. You can rest now."
Feed me Seymore! FEED ME ALL NIGHT LONG!
"Unless it's trying to stop us from getting where we're going." offered Johnny. "We need to find a place to get it to 'ambush' us' where we can control it's comings and goings, like a cave."
Seeing the dart fire, Johnny instinctively tries to leap in front of it; the instincts from his years of service as a bodyguard return to the fore occasionally, and this time is no different.
"So don't hesitate. If it appears again, kill it."
Johnny says nothing but nods his head towards the captain. He then drifts towards the back of the group, in case trouble starts.
"Man, what a great view." Johnny said after climbing back down. "You guys should have gone up. It was worth a few minutes of exercise."
"Man this is a great view!" comments Johnny as he sweeps his eyes across the vista.
"I'll go with you. I want to get a look at the surrounding area."
As the combat ends, Johnny dismisses the black gauntlet that sat on his right hand and his shadow returns to normal. He then proceeds to start climbing the obelisk again, but at the mention of a rest, he will instead sit and wait for the others.
"You said you're poisoned?"
Johnny waited for the plant creature to lash out again at Diedre and attempted to sever it's tendrils.
"I don't even know what that means!" shouts Johnny at Irhok'zath.
"This isn't one of those kinds of movies Captain." says Johnny as he moves between her and the plant. He then summons his shield, an aura of darkness that fit around his right hand like a gauntlet. His shadow also begins to writhe, clearly in reaction to another threat.
Johnny continued climbing the Obelisk.
Johnny starts to move towards the rifle as well, then stops as Deidre begins walking towards it; instead he opts to...
...walk towards the Obelisk, then pauses and moves directly towards the obelisk and begins climbing it along the north face.
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