The Hunting Grounds IV: Drops Contain 0% RNG

[Celticbear]

Mysterious Crater

Well some are better than none. Kurrack sets off the charges, then hops to another tree.

[Shadowcaller]

Mysterious Crater

Exactly how big are the explosions here? Do they have any added effect?
Either way, they will be loud and will cause pretty much every gigantic vulture to take off.
Whoever was caught in that blast certainly isn't alive anymore.

[Celticbear]

Mysterious Crater

The explosions aren't as spectacular as one might expect. One second there was a flash, and in another second the area of twenty yards is nothing more than a black soot and ash. It is loud, though. Kurrack has ear plugs. In retrospect, he should have given a pair to his decrepit lightbringer friend, but he thought that if she could take a few bullets to the chest, she can probably take a pinch to the ear drums.

[Shadowcaller]

Mysterious Crater

As the crater settles down after the explosion, it becomes strangely quiet. Perhaps it is the contrast of the loud explosion earlier, but its almost eerie how quiet the crater can be.

That is of course until loud swears can be heard. Sounded like at least one KABAL member had survived after all.

[Celticbear]

Mysterious Crater

You're a feisty one, aren'tcha? Feisty, but stupid. Kurack Jeers, as he moves to another hiding spot.

[Murkus]

[Wandering]

Fettina meanders into dangerous territory with her two new friends in tow. Though I suppose unless one of them has serviceable conveyance for rocky terrain - or something that flies - then they are forced to walk a little ways.

A stretch of land broken by perilous looking ravines is revealed by the sudden presence of moonlight. Patches of scrub and bizarre purple-leafed trees doggedly resist the arid climate. The trees move, very softly, almost imperceptibly. Attentive people will notice that there is no breeze.

"It's not very far. Then the fun really starts," says Tina. "It's so pretty out here at night. Damn, I should have brought something to drink..."

A thudding, relentless drum beat echoes up from one of the ravines as Fettina leads them down a path to the lowland. Fire stains the walls there, veins of glittering malachite and lapus lazuli serving as the jewels on a vast stone throat. Strange shadows twist and jive in frantic dance.

[Shadowcaller]

Mysterious Crater

"****ing **** *******s!" Kurrack hears, followed by mumbles as whoever it is starts doing something than swearing loudly.
Sounds like he isn't chasing him at the very least.

[Nova_Eclipse]

[Wandering]

Electra stays quiet for most of the trip, taking in the sights. It is pretty out here, in its own way. She grins at Tina when she muses about forgetting to bring a drink.

"If you wait here for a moment, I can rectify that situation."

[bc56]

[By a River]
Krur, an orc wearing white and purple power armor, trudges along a river. Sand speckles his metal boots, as he has just left the Seaside. He hears a rustling sound from the underbrush. In response, he puts his helmet back on his head, sealing it with a pneumatic hiss. Unaware of where he is, he calls out, "Hello? Anybody there?"

[Celticbear]

Mysterious Crater

"****ing **** *******s!" Kurrack hears, followed by mumbles as whoever it is starts doing something than swearing loudly.
Sounds like he isn't chasing him at the very least.

Kurrack eventually hops down, warily, and starts to casually towards the no doubt suffering individual. As he does this he's whistling (He has a beak though, so who knows how he's doing it), and has his chainsword brandished in his right hand as he flicks a bullet from one finger to the next on his left.

Oof, that looks just *augh*. Man, I might actually puke. No, no, I'm totally kidding. I've seen people in waay worse places than you, pal. Say, have you ever considered becoming a decoration? I think I might hang you up on yonder tree, then leave you for this boar I've been hearing so much about, or as bait for your buddies. Man, either way you'll probably die. Or, and this is a big or so pay attention, you could answer some questions, I'll wash you off on the river, and pull up some o' my Shamantic, Druidic powers from the almighty Ancestors themselves to send you running for the lodge. Which option sounds more appealing, chum?

[By a River]
Krur, an orc wearing white and purple power armor, trudges along a river. Sand speckles his metal boots, as he has just left the Seaside. He hears a rustling sound from the underbrush. In response, he puts his helmet back on his head, sealing it with a pneumatic hiss. Unaware of where he is, he calls out, "Hello? Anybody there?"

A short man of almost three feet in height wearing a purple tailored suit and a black tophat decorated with pictures of skulls looks down at the rather fancifully dressed orc. I do say looking down, for he's perched on a thin tree limb leaning heavily on his cane looking down his nose at the wondering traveler.

Mon ami, avez-vous besoin de directions? Ha! Kidding, I'm not french. Picked it up in a place called Trog's not too far back. You seem lost, so am I. Perhaps we can find the way together, mon ami?

[bc56]

"Hello, friend." Krur replies,"I'm Krur. We can certainly travel together. Who are you, and what place is this?"

If you are perceptive, you may notice that Krur's stance has not relaxed, and that he's fingering the laser pistol on his belt.

[Celticbear]

"Hello, friend." Krur replies,"I'm Krur. We can certainly travel together. Who are you, and what place is this?"

If you are perceptive, you may notice that Krur's stance has not relaxed, and that he's fingering the laser pistol on his belt.

By a River

The man holds back a grin, though the effort is easily noticeable.

You mean you don't... I'm sorry, but you don't know where you are? I thought you were a traveler from Skyside, but au contraire! I am Doctor Jacobson (He says it like "Yea-kob-sin) , and this, mon ami, is the Nexus. Damn, I've got to stop speaking in French. You must understand the gentleman I learned it from was a very interesting one. You, no doubt in my mind, have questions. Ask away my friend, and I shall answer what I can. I must confess, I am almost as new to this place as you are.

[bc56]

[By a River]
"I know that this is the Nexus, but I don't know this part of it." Krur still seems uneasy. "Perhaps you could enlighten me?"

[Celticbear]

[By a River]
"I know that this is the Nexus, but I don't know this part of it." Krur still seems uneasy. "Perhaps you could enlighten me?"

Ah, forgive me my friend. I mistook your lack of information for naivety, my mistake. This is Huntside, a finite infinite forest full of horrific monstrosities that boggle the mind. Well, not my mind. My mind's hard to boggle.

[bc56]

By a River
"Monsters, eh? I've been looking for a fight. Maybe I could show one of them who's boss." Krur punches his palm, making a loud slapping sound.
If Dr. Jacobson noticed Krur's uneasiness, he sees that the orc is now more relaxed.

[Celticbear]

By a River
"Monsters, eh? I've been looking for a fight. Maybe I could show one of them who's boss." Krur punches his palm, making a loud slapping sound.
If Dr. Jacobson noticed Krur's uneasiness, he sees that the orc is now more relaxed.

Jacobsin hops from the tree branch, and lands on his cane. Like, just his cane. Balancing on the tip. Then he comes all the down, feet firmly on the ground.

A monster, you say? Then let us hunt. One cannot travel this area for long without running into a beastie or two.

[bc56]

By a River
"Sounds good to me. Let's go." Krur draws the laser pistol from his belt, glancing around the area. He picks the direction which seems clearest of undergrowth, which happens to be along the river, and sets off.

[Celticbear]

By a River
"Sounds good to me. Let's go." Krur draws the laser pistol from his belt, glancing around the area. He picks the direction which seems clearest of undergrowth, which happens to be along the river, and sets off.

Dr Jacobsin joins, however something seems off about him. Whenever his cane strikes the ground, it sounds that he's striking it against concrete rather than a mushy riverside.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Want me to come up with a beastie?

[bc56]

By a river
Krur takes no notice of the peculiar little "Doctor"'s cane. As the pair follows the river upstream, they begin to enter a hilly area. For a second, Krur thinks he registers something, a slight sound, on his helmet's sensors. "Did you hear that?"

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Yes, it would be great if you could add a monster."

[Celticbear]

By a river
Krur takes no notice of the peculiar little "Doctor"'s cane. As the pair follows the river upstream, they begin to enter a hilly area. For a second, Krur thinks he registers something, a slight sound, on his helmet's sensors. "Did you hear that?"

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Yes, it would be great if you could add a monster."

Hear? No. Smell? Yes. I reckon dollars to donuts that my senses work differently to yours though. I'm weird like that. Unless you can taste colors and see smells. If you can, then you and I need to have a talk about our pasts...

Krur's sensors and Jacobsin's nose know what they're doing however, as a blurry, almost canine, form lunges from the underbrush towards Krur.

[bc56]

By a river
Krur's energy shields are useless against close combat attacks, so he braces himself for impact. He fires his laser pistol at the beast, then tightens his gut, hoping that he can stay upright when it pounces.

[Celticbear]

By a river
Krur's energy shields are useless against close combat attacks, so he braces himself for impact. He fires his laser pistol at the beast, then tightens his gut, hoping that he can stay upright when it pounces.

The light from the laser pistol seems to push back the creature. Doctor Jacobsin whacks it with his cane before the creature retreats into the brush again.

[bc56]

By a River
Krur sweeps the brush with his sensors, trying to find the wolf-beast. If he sees it, he will pounce on it and try to pin it down.

[Celticbear]

By a River
Krur sweeps the brush with his sensors, trying to find the wolf-beast. If he sees it, he will pounce on it and try to pin it down.

Like a terminator in search mode, you find a canine form made out of what appears to be a dense mass of UV light quietly stalking the brush. However when you attempt to pin it, the creature appears to phase through you, and then goes to another brush to hide again.

[bc56]

By a River
Krur, now knowing what he's looking for, scans the brush for concentrated UV light. As soon as he finds it, he fires his pistol at it again.

[Celticbear]

By a River
Krur, now knowing what he's looking for, scans the brush for concentrated UV light. As soon as he finds it, he fires his pistol at it again.

The shot strikes through, dissipating the creature into a million shards of darkness.

[bc56]

By a River
"That's it?" Krur is disappointed by the creature's quick death. He holsters his pistol. "I've killed elves with more fight in them than that one."

[Celticbear]

By a River
"That's it?" Krur is disappointed by the creature's quick death. He holsters his pistol. "I've killed elves with more fight in them than that one."

If it had the chance to pounce on you, it would have sucked the marrow from your bones, and bleed your eyes of their juices. Where there is one, there are no doubt more. I have seen these creatures before. They shouldn't be here. They should all be dead! I should know, I was there when they all died!

The brush shivers all around.

[bc56]

By a river
Krur draws his pistol again. He runs another UV scan of the area, trying to see where the threats are. If he sees any more of the creatures, he'll turn his energy shields on to full power, for all the good it will do.

[Morty]

[Wandering]

Fettina meanders into dangerous territory with her two new friends in tow. Though I suppose unless one of them has serviceable conveyance for rocky terrain - or something that flies - then they are forced to walk a little ways.

A stretch of land broken by perilous looking ravines is revealed by the sudden presence of moonlight. Patches of scrub and bizarre purple-leafed trees doggedly resist the arid climate. The trees move, very softly, almost imperceptibly. Attentive people will notice that there is no breeze.

"It's not very far. Then the fun really starts," says Tina. "It's so pretty out here at night. Damn, I should have brought something to drink..."

A thudding, relentless drum beat echoes up from one of the ravines as Fettina leads them down a path to the lowland. Fire stains the walls there, veins of glittering malachite and lapus lazuli serving as the jewels on a vast stone throat. Strange shadows twist and jive in frantic dance.

Electra stays quiet for most of the trip, taking in the sights. It is pretty out here, in its own way. She grins at Tina when she muses about forgetting to bring a drink.

"If you wait here for a moment, I can rectify that situation."

"What is this place?" Fayyaad asks, looking around. "It is beautiful, and almost feels alive."