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I woke up on these white sands; no clouds in the skies.I didn’t know what to think of this place like a .. crazy death paradise. So we decided to move out, moving north at a trot But we don’t really know where to go We just know that it’s hot!
RAWR Your big-cat-shaping, natural-attacking, grapple-festing, hunk of meat shield is here. (and updated, I believe)
Mal would also make a decent scout, skirmisher, and lock/trap-breaker. :)
Very interested! This is Malendraenas, Priyya's long-time companion and hunting party (well, once you consider the Animal Companion Talvyra, anyway). I love the style of this game, and if you take a look at the last game these two were in together, I think you'll see why this is such an attractive game for them. :) I realize Mal is a Druid, but he's really more of a feral military ranger/hunter type with a preference for fighting in Wildshape form. I'm tempted to rebuild him as a Slayer / Druid or Slayer / Hunter to reflect that. He's generally uncomfortable in society, but would follow Priyya anywhere to protect her (not that she'd admit its necessary).
A near-overwhelming flame of sensation blooms in the little spot-that-is-Darkmane in the back of Mal's mind. SO. MUCH. PAIN. HOLD ON, DARKMANE! Mal doesn't know fi thoughts can transfer through the connection, but he knows healing powers can. His current quarry forgotten, Mal jumps back a step. His roar carries a subtle under-current of his own rustic language, and Priyya feels a flood of… restorativeness rushing into her through the bond.
Mal gets distracted as he watches Priyya work. She is a truly efficient hunter. He breathes in the silky steel of her scent as he watches her rain destruction down upon one of these… things. Were I a god, I'd choose her for my champion as well. There is no time to dwell on the thought, however, as the big bone thing charges in. Big, fast, and threatening. The challenge sings in Mal's blood, and he roars his response even as he launches himself forward. The two come together like comets colliding. Sand and bone once again explode into the air to the mixed sounds of Mal's roar, the scrape of claw and tooth on bone, and the heavy shudder of nearly a half-ton of feline muscle slamming into the same amount of solid bone.
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As Mal begins to jog towards Priyya, his eyes never come off the two creatures. "That's an Enlarge spell," he growls (as if it weren't already somewhat obvious by its growth). "It'll take it a few more seconds to complete. We turtling up or taking the fight to them?" Without waiting for a response, his form shifts mid-stride, and once again the huge cat stands thirty feet to the east of his Little Sister.
A slight sand-shifting sound precedes Mal's voice, "I don't like this, Darkmane." He stands -- in elf form -- closer to the waterline than he did before, squinting at the creatures. "The other one seems to be following me." After a few more seconds of nervous watching, the big elf gets an even more confused look, "If I'm seeing this right, it looks a lot like those things are made out of bones… giant fish bones."
Priyya watches, with a touch of envy, the flawless landing and seamless transition from bird to man. She rests her hands on her hips and gives Mal the sourest expression she can manage though she doesn't stop grinning. "Showoff!" Mal smiles around a mouthful of water. Wiping his mouth, he can't help but shake his head, "I actually know some magic that can turn you into an eagle or falcon. Unfortunately, I don't know how to reverse it." His smile is a little wicked, "It'd be permanent." His face sobering, he looks out over the water as he answers the rest, "I agree about this place being unnatural, but I don't have a clue what that could mean. The coastline continues straight north and south of here as far as I could see. If we want to check out the dark cloud thing, we're going to have to head across the sand at some point." He rests back on his elbows, hot sand burning his skin even through his clothes. "I like your plan, though. I'm curious about that cloud thing. When I scout in the morning I'll try to save us some time by heading straight in that direction. Should be only an hour or so… at least to figure out if it's moved." "So, we tuck in for the night? Unless the weather is as unnatural as everything else, it'll probably get cold tonight. We should dig in a little better." He can't help but smile over at Talvyra, "Did Little Sister give you any problems?"
When the time comes, Mal suits up, collecting, organizing, and stowing all of his combat and survival gear except for the rations and two waterskins. Those he leaves with Priyya, "If something happens, I can create water for myself. You and Talvyra will need every possible advantage. Little Sister gets cranky when she doesn't get to eat." He only barely dodges Talvyra's rebuttal. He trudges up the sliding face of the sand dune and gives one more look around. Three great running strides carry him to the lip of the dune, where he jumps out toward the desert and out of view. It's a few seconds before a great black eagle breaks the above the wall of the dunes. His great black wings beat hard against the hot air with a rhythmic WHOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH as he moves back towards the waterline… looking for ocean breezes or updrafts to ease his ascent. He circles twice as he rises, the whole time his eagle eyes looking down on Priyya and Talvyra. Finding his altitude, he breaks north, following the shoreline. Priyya has come to know the many forms of Mal, and even in aerial form, she can see the fatigue in every flap of his wings.
Mal gets a playfully skeptical look, "And how would you suggest we test it?" He turns to look into the sky, shielding his eyes from the oddly-large sun which is past its zenith. The air is oppressively hot and - this close to the shore - surprisingly humid. Priyya knows from growing up in the desert that this will not be the case if they decide to travel inland. If there is no source of water in that ocean of sand, it will be as dry as a bone with soaring day-time temperatures that will plunge into the freezing past sun-down. Mal must be sharing her thoughts because he looks at the last bite of dried meat in his hand, then back at the water, then at Priyya. "Today has been nice... if a bit mysterious. But unless you have some trail rations in your kit, I only have enough food to feed us for another five or six days - and that's being really careful. I don't know what to expect in terms of foraging or hunting here. We need a plan, and I'm not sure time is on our side."
Or a map-based ballistics projector that traces the jump height along the horizontal jump path.
Lol. That's how I feel with jays. I just want to walk around making 15 foot flat-footed jumps instead of steps. The Human Flea!
Mal answers while he digs through his combat kit, looking for his rations. "Doesn't feel like I'm dead." Finding what he's searching for, he stands up, unwrapping three portions of dried trail-meats. One goes to Talvyra as he heads towards Priyya, climbing the dune in just his pants. When he reaches her, he puts one big strip of dried meat in her hand, his eyes tracing the path her own had minutes before. "I don't recognize these sands. It may be your Sun's Anvil." He ponders the dunes as he chews, "Though I will say there is definitely something unnatural about this place. I can't put my finger on it, but it's… just… dead." He shrugs, "Or dead seeming, anyway. I've never seen a place that didn't have anything living." Another few minutes stretch on with the two of them simply watching the sand. Talvyra, who seems to constantly be growing and now the size of most horses, comes to join them. She seems ambivalent to their surroundings, more interested in nuzzling up against Priyya's side. Mal comes out of his reverie, finger idly tracing his new scars. When he speaks, he puts words to something that had been nagging at Priyya's mind since their 'activities'. "While I enjoyed our… play… the last time. This time felt different." Green eyes meet almond for a breath before he looks down, obviously still somewhat uncomfortable with the direction their relationship has taken, "I could feel you. Well… feel you in here." He touches his head. "Your emotions. Your passion. And your… um… sensations."
Also, shouldn't Priyya's jump modifier be 12 higher because her speed is 60? Which would make it 37, right?
Excellent. I've taken Nature and Dungeoneering. When Jimmy gets his character up and running, we'll see what knowledge skills he's most interested in. I also kept a few ranks in Knowledge: Nobility and Knowledge: geography to stay consistent with his backstory and who he's been up until this point.
Mal's eyes never leave Priyya's body, even when she calls him on it. "I've spent some time in a few deserts myself, but none like this." Finally his eyes come up and stop on her face. Whatever he was about to say dies on his lips, replaced as a confused look appears. "Um… Darkmane. You have something…" He finishes the thought by tracing one claw along the pattern. He looks around, only now realizing that his backpack is apparently on some other beach far, far away. "Damn… um… Ever resourceful, Mal scoops a shallow pit in the sand then mutters a few of his primal power words. Clear, reflective water fills the shallow pool from the bottom up, enough for Priyya to use as a mirror.
Struggling up on to his elbows, Mal tries to take a look around but finds it difficult when Priyya's clothes slide off. "Or even where here is. Though I'm suddenly finding it hard to care all that much." With monumental effort he tears his green eyes off her body, "Last I remember was that damn snake-thing. Like a horrible dream." His eyes take one long sweep up and down the coast, "One thing I do know… this doesn't look like the beaches of the Shiv. Or any other beach I can remember, actually."
Rage and desperation burn white-hot in Mal's heart and limbs as the giant snake-thing thrash the room to pieces, and the only thing keeping Mal from being crushed by the raining debris are two claws sunk deep into the cold hide of the giant beast. He can feel the fear and pain of his prey, but it is a fear and pain echoing through himself. WILL. NOT. FAIL. Never had Mal the hunter met his equal, and it was with mingling thrill and dread that he recognized it now. His life was slipping, but there was still blood in his veins and fire in his heart. So the mighty hunter roared his battle cry at this unliving serpent, expending the final reserves of his primal power on it even as the thing crushed the life from him. Full attack #1:
... and numero dos:
Spurred on by Priyya's ferocity, the great black cat continues its attack. blue text:
The huge cat sits watching his Darkmaned partner for a few quick seconds. In all his travels, never had he run across someone like her. Not his former commander, nor the woman she assigned to order him around on this impossible mission, not even the demon woman who'd accompanied them so far. She mirrored his focus, his passion, his will to succeed... he would gladly stand against this or greater foes if it meant standing with her. He felt he'd lived his life in preparation for moments like this. Moments of chaotic struggle and fire-blooded action. His fiery green eyes turned to regard the great, dangerous foe, and his lips peeled back in a snarl revealing powerful teeth like shortswords. Come, Darkmane! Little Sister! Let us see what this prey tastes of! His roar mixes with Darkmane's battlecry, a harmony of rage and ferocity as he takes a few great strides and launches hiimself at the iron snake, teeth and claws searching for purchases to slash and hold on. blue text:
Always a man of many words, Mal answers with his usual predatory grin, then throws himself forward, his body stretching, expanding. When he hits the floor, a great black hunting cat the size of a horse locks gazes with Darkmane, a throaty growl ripping from its throat.
Mal stands up off the bench, stretching to his full 7 feet. A lion's yawn cracks his elven jaws as he stretches his long, powerful arms to their full wingspan, and he shakes his long black mane of hair as he settles back in place. "It's been too long, Darkmane... too long."
Laith:
Mal's eyes narrow on Alis, then shift to the others presence, as if looking for something, then settle once again on Alis. The whole time there is an unanswered question in them. You're surprised when he responds in a calmly quiet tone, though frustration is plainly evident, "Let me make sure I understand what is going on here. You think my tactics back there were not only stupid, but you think that was some kind of macho-woodsy display? That i was wasting my time with that opponent and putting you all in danger?" His voice has been climbing slowly, and he takes a calming breath, crossing his arms to keep his hands busy before he continues. "That," and hebgestures to the fallen opponent with his chin, "was not 'easy' for me. The time i took in the fog was not me playing some game. I had to draw out the necessary power to be able to do that. While i was doing so, i tried to use my position and that of Little Sister to cut off his approach to the rest of you. Obviously I miscalculated what he would do. I thought he would try to follow you through the fog... he surprised me by bypassing me altogether." He takes another look at Lureene, then at Priyya. "I don't take lightly what she does. And you seem to believe I go out of my way to have her drop everything to fix my needless actions. You asked why Larathiel put me on this team. A time or two I've asked myself that same question. But think about this. She DID put me here, and I have to believe it was intentional. Which means it was because of my strengths and drive to succeed. Believe that. As much as you believe me stupid, arrogant, foolhardy, or too bullish, she believes in my abilities. Believes in them enough that shebputbmebin this group to guide and protect her own kin. And even if I didn't realize the gravity of hat decision on her part, I would still take this mission deadly serious... it's what i do." He pauses for another calming breath, "Now, if you have better ideas than I do on the field, I'd be happy to hear them in the moment when I can do something about them instead of - as you say - needlessly endangering someone i also think is worth saving." He then waits for Alis's response, obviously thinking this sort of conversation is important enough to stop what they are doing. Laith: Also, I'm kind of picking up that this convo is aimed at me as well as in-character Mal. If that is not the case, please feel free to just let me know. If it's just an opportunity for Alis to exert some authority, please let me know that as well, too. This whole diatribe really got under my skin. Does Alis really believe Mal was playing out some silly hunter-game at the possible expense of Lureene/Priyya. I only ask because I'm well aware that you don't like my general tactics with Mal. You have an idea of how abficht should go and my tactics often don't fall within those. If this is some kind of in-character way of trying to let me know how deeply you don't appreciate that, you may just need to come out and say it... I maybe too stubborn or dense to bebable to read that heavily into Alis's words.
I actually thought that dropping the fog and forming a wall with Mal/Tal was the smart way to play it, and I just want to make sure I understand the motivation behind the speech of your DMPC.
Mal takes a moment to check the ridgeline for any other potential threats, his head cocked to the side. At least now I have the smell of these brutes, he thinks as he checks over Little Sister for harm. He watches as Priyya works her healing, "Not sure what we'd do without your healing arts, Darkmane… not to mention that bow. Good job on your kill." His eyes climb back up to the ridge-line once again as he finds his way over to a place on the rocky ground that creates a natural bowl. Bending down, he whispers more of his rustic words, and the bowl fills with clear. He dips in his hands and begins efficiently cleaning off his claws and face, speaking without looking up. "I wonder if these two were acting alone. I could make my way up there quickly if it were worth the expenditure, just to make sure. I just hate to lose any more time on our quarry."
Laith: If that drops the giant, have Mal spin, blood flying from claws and teeth, and scream out a wordless challenge at the other giant.... please.
Mal steps to the north, trying for every advantage to destroy his oversized opponent, roaring out instructions in Talvyra's own tongue.
Mal shadows the giant's movements north, pouncing when he sees the giant clear the fog.
Talvyra snarls as she stands, rushing in to continue harrying the giant meal.
Why aren't Mal and Tal attacking yet? I can hear Priyya calling for help, but..
Mal, wishing to pull deeply from his reservoir of primal power, opts to only release a trickle, just enough to enhance his claws and teeth. His grin goes from feral to straight up wicked as his canines grow to triple their already impressive size, and a soft shnickt shnickt announce Larathiel's gifted claws to the party as he settles into a pouncing position. Come on, big guy.. you know you want to follow Alis through the fog…
Mal's wicked grin says it all, "Darkmane, maybe you could put those wicked shots of yours to good use from inside some cover!" And his language turns to the strange tongue he uses for creating his unique brand of magic. A thick fog springs from just behind Lureene, filling the passage and obstructing everyone's vision. See how you like the tables turned, big guy. Mal thinks as he stalks into the fog, looking to make a big meal out of the giant. As he disappears into the fog, he calls out to Little Sister, "Come on, Little Sister, let's go find us some dinner." blue text:
Mal pulls up and looks back at the dart trap before continuing, "That doesn't seem like a hastily thrown together trap to me. Is there some spell that let's you throw together a poison dart in a tree trap in very little time? Cause that's the only way our prey set that for us. And if they didn't set it for us, then the traps are someone else's, and Iaena and the captain bypasses them very easily. Do you think they've laid a false trail for us somehow?" He shrugs his powerful shoulders, "It's what I'd do if I wanted to shed a tail and keep my destination hidden."
She responds to Priyya, "...It's not like there is an endless supply of shipwrecks here."
Mal looks at the goats for a while, and curiosity overwhelms him. "We need to get the group back together at some point. Now's as good a time as any. Grak, let the others know where we are and that we're waiting. Tell them briefly about the campsite, and that they should remain out of sight when they near them. We'll all want to inspect that sight together... and soon. In the meantime. Sasha, we should go see what killed those goats. I don't like the idea of sharing our home base area with something aggressively territorial." When the message has been delivered, the trio stalk towards the goat carcasses.
Mal points out the carcass to Sasha, both realizing immediately what it means for Sasha's future companion and its parents. They relay to continue to be careful of the airborne predators, sending along a message to skirt the nesting area.
Mal begins to look around, checking their position against the map, "I guess our next step is to find the water source and follow it south. Grak, will you let the others know where we are and what we are up to? Then would you mind getting into the air a bit to see if you can see the river source? It could save us an hour or so of searching."
When the request for clarification is lisped from the silver creature's lips, Mal whispers back, "Tell them that there is a family of airborne hunting creatures in the area. I think it best to avoid them for now, but Sasha would like to try her hand at raising the youngling. She agreed to let us set up our basecamp before we come back to try it. So keep your eyes on the sky."
Mal watches the creatures in flight and considers his relationship with Talvyra. "I actually don't think that's a bad idea, Sasha. A hunting companion can be a great addition." He looks through the trees at their destination. "My only concern is trying to accomplish that right now. Can we get camp set up first and then come back to do it once everyone is safely in a defensible camp?" A thought occurs to him as he watches them glide, "Have you ever reared an animal?"
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