A Malevolent Villain: Rescue mission

[allthepowersofhell]

Built into the side of a mountain, Maleficent's castle was dark and imposing. A monument to Imperial power.

And deep within the dungeons of the castle, two Corsairs were currently imprisoned. Their changes of ever seeing the outside of those dungeons seem - to a casual observer - practically non-existent.

But the Corsairs are a very, very resourceful bunch. And the Duchess herself is not presently in residence, having been called away by a summons from the Emperor. As such the castle's security - while by no means lax - was not currently at full strength.

This was their best time to strike.


[ooc: Sub-threads below! And as a general note: I will tag in as needed for NPCs and environmental details, etc. But don't feel the need to wait for me to tag - I won't be sticking with any specific tag order, just dropping in where it makes sense].

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THE DUNGEON [Donnie and Aira]

[allthepowersofhell]

The dungeon is dark, damp, and generally unpleasant. Cold stone flaws and metal bars are the only ornamentation. The only saving grace is that it's not heavily patrolled; after all, both prisoners have have been fitted with power-suppressing collars.

So the pair are free, at least, to console and commiserate with each other - even if escape seems impossible.

PRE-MISSION [All rescuers]

[allthepowersofhell]

[This is a free-for-all pre-mission thread. The rescue teams can plot, make plans, and organise any preparations ahead of the mission itself. No set tag order required & splitting off into multiple sub-threads is welcome]

TEAM DISTRACTION [Kaitlyn, Rezo, Ilphyl, Natalia]

[allthepowersofhell]

While the other team might be the ones making their way to the dungeons, this team's mission is no less important. Because by drawing as much attention and resources away from the dungeon, they'll give the other team the very best chance of success.

And maybe seriously wreck some shit, while they're at it. The only question is: how would they like to make a distraction?

TEAM RESCUE [Raph, Shu, Atom, Renne]

[allthepowersofhell]

Meanwhile, the second team are taking a rather more subtle approach. They know the rough location of where Maleficent's dungeons are rumoured to be, but not the exact path there. They'll need to use stealth and cunning to get to the dungeons quickly, get Donnie and Aira, and get out.

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu is familiar with everyone on this team. She is confident they can succeed in their aims with the variety of skills at their command. Still, though she cannot be called impatient, it is possible that her movements are a bit more hurried, her responses just slightly more clipped than they might be otherwise. Anxiety is not an emotion she entertains frequently, but she has quickly read through the information regarding their foe.

In the Leithanian Empire, she would be called a Witch.

This being a slur, owing to the late Witch King's propensity towards unspeakable crimes, Shu settles for thinking of her as the sorceress.

The passageways are long and shadowed, though thankfully lined with thick, if not unspeakably gauche gothic carpeting. At least, until they reach the steps down towards the basement levels.

"Is everyone ready?"

[purplexing]

Donnie has said little, if anything, since they'd been imprisoned. The cold stone walls are little comfort, save that they're something solid against his back, and he's wedged himself into a corner, hugging his knees. He hasn't dared budge, and as uncomfortable as the unfortunately familiar pressure of the power-suppression collar is, he hasn't moved to touch it, unsure if she might be watching, afraid of any punishment that might come from trying to do anything about it.

But Aira's here too, and while he feels responsible for her being stuck here with him, part of him can't deny that he's glad he's not by himself, miserable an admission as it is.

He's not sure how long's passed, but it's been long enough that the words get caught in his throat when he does try to finally speak up.

"...I'm sorry."

[straykitty]

Renne is slightly tense. Not due to nerves, oh no. She's absolutely furious. Her eyes burn with dangerous fire, and her scythe is held loosely in her right hand, its blade as pristine as her black traveler's dress. She gives Shu a humorless smile.

"I think that question might better be asked for those who will stand against us today, however short their remaining time might be."

[straykitty]

Renne doesn't especially beat around the bush.

"So what's the plan? Well, MY plan is to go in and destroy everything this woman holds dear, and then kill her, but what are the rest of you going to be up to?"

[frost_and_shinies]

"Steal anything I can fit in my Bag of Holding that isn't, like, super cursed. Preferably in ways that have Imperials running every way except where they actually need to be."

Kaitlyn still knows her specialty.

[upupatomway]

Atom laughs nervously at Renne's plans. Just how far would she really go? Kaitlyn's plan sounds more like what he's used to.

"Do we know what her relationship is to the ravens that everyone keeps mentioning in their descriptions of her? I wonder if there's a whole cage of them we could set free out the windows." His idea of wrecking things in the castle is tame, but what was anyone expecting from him? The battle against Gaurus weighs in the back of his mind, but he's trying not to bring down the mood among an already worried group.

[upupatomway]

Atom glances in Renne's direction for a second- even a robot can practically feel the tension of her anger in the air- then at Shu. He nods at her.

"I'll start scanning. Please remember, I can only pick up on physical things like temperature. I can't sense most magic traps." He reminds the group. "I'm turning up my hearing too. Hopefully those two are together and talking."

[spacetogrow]

Ilphyl was using the raccoon form and a piece of chalk on a slate to contribute. They write, 'I don't think they are normal birds any more, or I'd talk to them'. Which is bothersome. Ravens are certainly smart enough to carry out tasks just because they like a person. 'Even a normal group of ravens might decide we need to be driven away from their home because we're scary'.

Honestly, Ilphyl is fine with property damage and theft as a distraction, though given how awful their mistress is, the guards might prefer going down against the Corsairs to whatever Maleficent planned. So let them make the call to fight or flee.

[theriflespiral]

"My very first thought was that explosives are always nice to make everyone look one way while you're in another, but i don't know the layout well enough to be confident we'd avoid killing the real reason we're here." So that's out.

"But! Imperial standard issue weaponry and my usual training have done me pretty well so far, despite myself. Put a random weapon in my hand and I can use it well. Find me a sniper's nest, and so long as I've ammunition, you'll have an exit."

[singlemilletgrain]

Shu clears her throat lightly.

"...I believe we are losing sight of our purpose. The plan, I would suggest, is to infiltrate the dungeons as quickly and efficiently as possible, locate the missing ch -- ... Corsairs, administer treatment, and bring them to safety first and foremost.

"Then you may all do... whatever it is you just said."

Shu hands Natalia a very roughly drawn sketch of what was observable of the castle from the sky and the surrounding land, approximately to scale.

"Natalia, I believe it would be safe to detonate a portion of the outer perimeter wall here. If you wish. There is no chance our hostages are anywhere near there. Or perhaps you may open fire in that area on the turret guard. If you do so, Rescue team, I would suggest we enter from the western service entrance while attention is diverted. There is an inconspicuous door for receiving food deliveries into the kitchens. While it will, of course, be occupied by the domestic staff, that would be a safer point of entrance than anywhere more heavily staffed by guards, and they are unlikely to put up any resistance."

Next, she holds up a, uh... bamboo cage of rats?

"...Ilphyl, may you please ask these creatures to find the most direct path into the basement while we strategize. Tell them I will grow a field of grain and allow them to feast in leisure if they succeed."

This is plunked next to the raccoon.

"And Renne, although they are likely to have been relieved of their armaments, I suspect their belongings will have be stored not too far from where they are kept. Is it possible for you to pin down a location from the signals from their communications devices?"

[straykitty]

"Of course." Renne manages a bit of a smile as she pulls out her modified ENC, checking a number of inputs as she steps forward toward the map.

"The signal is definitely impeded, but it seems to be coming from here." She circles a fairly large portion of the map as she speaks. "We'll want to look for reinforced areas, dungeons, I would imagine."

[frost_and_shinies]

"Why only one detonation?", Kaitlyn observes. "We want them panicking in several places, after all."

She's definitely plotting this out.

[theriflespiral]

"We have remote detonation?"

[upupatomway]

Atom listens closely to Shu's suggestions and watches where she points on the map. It makes sense to him.

He's starting to wish his flight wasn't so flashy. He could do a flyby of the target if it wouldn't give them away.

[supersmashbrother]

"Sounds like we all are." This is the most Raph has spoken since they've arrived. There's no denying the tension that permeates the space, especially when he quietly contributes to it in his own way. Not full-on fury like in Renne's case, but it has its leanings in that particular direction.

But for a large turtle such as himself, he's managed to be more of a shadow truer to what a ninja should be; instead of standing out and drawing in the attention, he's already prepared to blend into his surroundings and act when he has to.

"That's gonna have to do," he says in regards to Atom's abilities, looking to Shu and Renne after a nod. "Marching orders?"

[testygirl]

Aira has been similarly despondent—which isn't really like her. Typically she'd be mad, swearing under her breath, pacing the cage, kicking at the walls or the bars. Instead, she's sitting in the opposite corner, also curled up and quiet. Over the course of however long, she's only moved a bit: to try tugging at her collar, and to occasionally stretch.

Still, there's too much fire inside for her to fall into deep despair, or to consider giving up. It makes more sense for her to rest up, anyway, so that she's more prepared for an escape attempt if the opportunity presents itself. In the meantime, she should think of some way to comfort her cellmate, but so far she's come up empty.

So Donnie is the first to break the silence. Aira glances at him, but only for a second, and she responds in a bitter voice.

"That's my line. It should only be me rotting away in here. I just..." She sucks in a hissing breath. "... led you right to her. Like an idiot."

[singlemilletgrain]

Bombs are not Shu's specialty. It's too bad Donnie isn't on this mission; he could --

...Shu chews briefly on her lower lip.

"If we have the ability, I agree we should detonate multiple points around the perimeter.
But I suspect that if you do not, the rest of us don't."

Renne's circled portion is, as these things tend to go, deep in the belly of the castle, skewing towards the rear west end. It is, in fact, in the portion that extends back into the mountain face. Shu supposes that digging an escape tunnel is largely impossible if one builds one's dungeons straight into mountain rock.

"If the rats can find a pathway..." Shu muses as she considers the next step. "...Kaitlyn, is it? You are a thief?" She seemed to be implying as such, anyway. "In your experience, where might the keys to a prison be most likely to be hidden? We can always brute force any doors or shackles, but it might save us time and trouble."

[purplexing]

His eyes flick over towards her, and while it isn't the Aira he's gotten used to, it's still some small bit of relief to hear her speak at all. The turtlekin shakes his head, brow furrowing as he lets his gaze fall back towards the cold floor.

"It's not your fault. I... I shouldn't have gone. If I'd known she was going to be there..." He shakes his head again, squeezing his eyes shut.

"I'm sorry..." Like saying it again will change anything.

[singlemilletgrain]

Renne receives a light touch on the shoulder before Shu turns back to the cavernous staircase leading downwards. Partially for comfort, partially as an anchor. She does not particularly care if Maleficent's guards are harmed, but she suspects that Renne's bloodlust is liable to become a hindrance if she allows it to surge out of control.

"Thank you, Atom. You should take the lead if your senses are the most keen. I'll direct you." The rats had been able to give a general sense of what direction they ought to go once they reached the basement levels, even if their idea of conveying directions was not fully precise (follow the smell of yum yum bread big humans eating in big room squeak squeak - although perhaps, at least, they knew that some of the guards were occupied eating lunch)

"Raph, perhaps you should take the rear to protect our backs." Shu had little offensive combat ability to speak of and she sensed Renne was far more focused on forwards progress at the moment. "Let's go."

And so they descend.

Maleficent has achieved the impossible and created a basement level even less welcoming than the ground floors - the ground floors, of course, already being filled with grotesque gargoyles and stained glass art of what Shu had assumed to be Maleficent's distant rather odious cousins. (Or maybe they were more gargoyles.) Built straight into the mountain walls, the rock is clammy and damp and the torches seem constantly on the verge of guttering, despite that there is no wind. In fact, the air is stale and stagnant. It feels much like one's breath is being sucked out by negative pressure.

[allthepowersofhell]

And of course, they are not alone.

Patrolling this floor are four Imperial Soldiers. They are not the elite; but they look capable enough. They make their rounds on the ground floor, moving through the rough hallways in what is clearly a practiced routine.

If the Corsairs are noticed, and any one of them is able to flee to warn other Castle guards, they could find themselves in a great deal of trouble.

And if one of the group is particularly perceptive...there's something off about some of those gargoyles. Particularly the two that stand on either way of one particular doorway. One that seems to be made of a sturdier material than others.

[testygirl]

Aira takes another breath—longer, gentler, calmer. Then she sets her head back against the cold stone and lifts her gaze. Keeping up a bad attitude isn't going to make this easier for either of them.

"It's alright. Really, it is."

She swallows. It's hard to inject her words with any warmth or reassurance, but she makes an honest effort.

"We'll get out of here. I know at least two badass girls who aren't going to let that witch get away with this. And you've got people, too. They'll definitely come."