Third Chord - God Plot: The Poisonous Python

[fair_trouble]

Who: Emery-Apollo, Tsuyukusa, Link, Kaitlyn, Natalia, a giant poisonous lizard, potentially some sailors.
What: Emery has hired some Corsairs to kill a monster that is poisoning the land in Hesaeth.
Where: Above an abandoned Hesaeth mine.
When: In between various missions to gather steel and powder.
OOC Info: Here.

As the Spring turns more solidly to Summer, Emery has been going about approaching various Corsairs with a job offer.

As a byproduct of ether experimentation, the Imperials have made a monster nicknamed “Python.” Python, Emery explained, is a large quadruped reptile which continually creates and secretes poison. Python not only poisons its prey, but it also contaminates water, soil, or any living thing it comes into contact with. What’s more, it’s an aggressive predator that continually seeks out food.

With their typical levels of responsibility, the Imperials decided to deal with it by dumping the monster onto Hesaeth. Python has found an abandoned mine to take shelter in, but regularly leaves to go hunting. It’s surviving on the small, hardy birds and mammals that make the desert its home, but it’s only a matter of time until it moves on. If it reaches a source of water, or any active mines, the situation could be disastrous.

Emery has magic that can purify the monster’s poison, but he’s not confident in his ability to take it out by himself. Thus he has gathered together a small assortment of skilled fighters under the promise of modest repayment.

To get to Python’s hideout requires an overnight trip by boat and then a hike of a few hours, and then it’s a battle against a wild enemy that cannot be touched with bare skin.

Comments

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

She leans towards port, feeling even her muscles stress as the front picks up and the Humboldt threatens to list starboard. "We outrun the wind."

The fact is, though, she's started to be able to do this without thinking.

Which leaves her a lot of time to think, or at least, attempt to clear her mind.

Though whether they outrun the storm is a good question. "... I will admit. Strange monsters from places stranger... is a professional interest."

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"... Heh. It was my source of, basically everything, back in the Dungeon," Kaitlyn responds. "So I get you there."

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"... Mm. You want in on studying them, as well, then?" The Humboldt thankfully rights itself thanks to her efforts leaning back against the wind, keeping her steady. "... We were pretty sure ours came from a place outside the world."

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"Not in the same way," Kaitlyn clarified. "Creatures of the Dungeon - which, let's be clear, included 'Chosen' like me - collapse into dust when defeated. That dust included a material known as simply 'Color'. Like a weird video game."

She sighed. "Many of the creatures would keep spawning anew, too. When I fell in battle, I'd wake up, none the worse for wear. It was... Yeah. Shouldn't be distracting you from the conditions."

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

Natalia took this to mean that Kaitlyn had detected a sudden change in the wind before she had, and glared at the distant water, then nodded. "Changing sail!" She untied the rope from the stay, watching the water carefully.

"Commodore?" There are other people aboard after all.

"Wind's changing up ahead. Getting ahead of it."

"Ready on the tiller!"

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

... Kaitlyn hadn't meant it like that, but the sense is clear.

"If you've got cues you think I can follow, then please."

She's got a few tricks, even though mostly she doesn't work in large cuts, after all.

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"Hand on the tiller, be ready to turn right; when I call to starboard, push the tiller that way." Natalia points.

For a moment, the boat starts to slow down and list as the sail slackens. "Moving the arm!"

"Moving arm, aye~"

The sail arms swing about the sloop. "To starboard!"

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

Kaitlyn immediately moves to the tiller, and does quickly hand-signal for how sharply to turn right, before...

Swinging the tiller as specified, turning the ship to starboard.

"Awaiting next signal!"

This, she can wrap her head around.

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

Of a sudden, the sails catch again, instead of flapping, and the ship lurches forward. "Center the tiller."

Natalia ties down the sail and arm while she talks. "I take it you did not have the chance to sail often?"

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"Nope. Most travel was either cars, which tended to start turning much faster when you turned the wheel, or airplanes, which were handled by professional pilots who had to do two thousand hours of work before they were licensed," Kaitlyn responds, as she quickly centers the tiller.

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"We occasionally got boats to and from a place called 'Town'. Just... 'Town'. No one, least of all those who sailed, could give a firm answer about where it was." She shrugged. "But you end up picking up knots and tricks. Add in I sailed on the Mad Archer a few months..."

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"And that seems to have been pretty useful," Kaitlyn responds. "Good to know, I guess, just... Severely noncontextual to me."

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"I never expected it to come up either. The New Tsars did not exactly make the Russian Navy any better than its history would suggest. Though now, legally, I must be shot after several months' hard labor."

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"Let's try getting to my world when this is over, eh? Ol' Russia is... And this is kinda impressive, less crazy there. Plus my world may be the Dungeon, long as we can get you Chosen that'd be ..."

She chuckles. "First, though. Gotta deal with this quarry."

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"it is good to know that as Russias go, mine certainly numbers among them." She looks to the storm and crosses herself, more out of habit than any expectation that there was a God or that He could hear them.

"... Mm. About this quarry. He said everything about it is poisonous; will that be a problem?"

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

Kaitlyn nodded.

"For me? Not more than most people, I think. Which unfortunately means, yes. Just not more than usual. Suffice it to say, my ideal solution is 'strike purely from a distance'."

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"... I'll be blunt. I don't think a standard-issue rifle's going to cut it much, anymore. Remember those spider-silk ropes we filched from the observation tower?"

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"I barely know how to fire one anyways. Ice blades, though? I can aim those better."

Kaitlyn did think of that! A bit.

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"I shall have to rely on you, then, if my new idea fails." Really, maybe she should have just gotten a Caster Weapon.

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"Hopefully, we have this thing down pat enough to not worry about backup layering..."

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"... Perhaps. It's just... This wouldn't be the first time my rifle's been useless." She closes her eyes and sits down, and lets her hair flow in the wind.

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"... Yeah, I get that feeling. My ice blades aren't that large, after all..."

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"We should figure out more to do in that regard. Not that I believe in something as ridiculous as keeping up with our neighbors, but even in intelligence, we might be going up against heavy hitters, yes?"

Re: Pre-Mission

[frost_and_shinies]

"I mean, I don't consider myself some supreme intellect, just a cleverish sneak..."

Re: Pre-Mission

[theriflespiral]

"... Spy stuff, Kaitlyn."