"Makhai, hai!", called out Eris, long braids following the sweep of their eyes even as they made one final scan of the plains around them; winds ruffled the yellowed grass, a tousling that reminded them of their brother. With their words and their heel, the aneen sprung forward towards where the dossi lowed and brayed and the townsfolk had begun to react.

Closer, and Erin unlimbered their bow, notching an arrow even as they slowed to track the creature's movements and markings; they had not met such a thing before, nor seen such symbols but were keen to know of them should they do so again. Eyes and ears focused on the beast, both of them sought familiar shapes and signs that might indicate whether it was smart enough to reason with - or controlled by one who might be

At the gap in the ground, the worm-creature spins and roars, tentacles flicking out to strike at Cube.  Cube responds instantly, gripping two of the limbs that had come to strike it in an unyielding grasp.



Fen speeds closer, ready to snatch and grab, but as Cube closes with the creature and holds some of it still, it lurches and thrusts the limp form the young herder higher than Fen's hands. 



The creature below is caught fast in Cube's grasp, but it still doesn't care to release its prey.  As Eleisai comes closer, she can feel a hatred and a hunger pouring out of the creature, and gains a sense of a biologic creature with an advanced nervous system and an abundance of energy.  As she grabs the young herder, pain sears along Eleisai's nerves, as if the intangible grasp of the creature is trying to extend to her.



Erin can see the markings look elegant and deliberate - not like a brand, more like very careful scarification.  This looks like the work of intelligent hands.  The marks don't match any language you know.

Eris can see the Nembelleck natives had raised their weapons slightly - with Eleisai and Fen so close, they seemed reluctant to fire on someone who was coming to the aid of one of their own.

Fen watches as it thrusts the young herder into the air.  He's going to go too high.  A slow smile spread across Fen's face, but his muscles tensed for a spring.

"It's cattle, not a wild thing", called out Erin softly to those of the Walkers close to them, moving closer towards where it writhed in Cube's grasp and wrestled with Eleisai for its prize, "Or perhaps a pet?"

Advancing towards it, they kept their bow in hand but lowered and began to call babble softly at it; that it was someone else's property did not make the Malevichan value the creature more, but shifting the responsibility for it's harm to its owner and master

Atop the golden aneen, Eris rode closer, calling out to the gelatinous member of their coterie, "Any sign of more? Or the creature's keeper?"

The older woman sets her jaw as the searing pain passes through her, blinks to clear her watering eyes, and floats away from the creature as quickly as she is able to bring the youngling to safety...

OOC: What did the scan tell her about the youngling's condition?  :o

Holding the tentacles fast Cube seems content to wait as they slowly begin to devolve, safely contained at least for the moment he seems content to let the creature's struggles dictate its own fate.

Fen sees the youngling flying high, and, already tensed to spring, leaps for the youngling before the child can be flung, dropped, or something else happen.  His leap meets the youngling as Eleisai was trying to grasp them, and between Eleisai's tugging and Fen's mighty leap and shove, the child comes free from the creature's grasp and can be taken away with Eleisai.  Fen lands softly, and has a surge of confidence as the creature rears back slightly in surprise.




The babble brings nothing but another screech from the creature, and Erin can almost feel the intensity of its hate as she draws near.  Eris cannot see any further signs of more creatures, or any other person who might be directing it.



With Fen's help, Eleisai is able to float away with the youngling.  Her nano senses tell her that the child is unconscious and in great pain, its body systems affected badly by the creature's touch.



Cube's grip is relentless and painful, and the creature reacts very violently, lashing out at everyone with its remaining tentacles.  Instead of contacting them, rocks from the disrupted ground begin to float around it, along with one silvery, glowing chunk of what looks like numenera of some sort.  It screams as it flings out the projectiles with invisible force.

OOC: Speed check DT 6 to avoid 6 points of damage.

The chunk of numenera it tries to push into Cube, leaking a violently orange light.

"Thank... you... Sovereign... One..."

The older woman gratefully drifts through the air, bearing her precious burden, propelled through the air by the momentum from Fen's push and the sudden slingshot release from the creature's hold.

The youngling is unconscious and in great pain, and her empathic senses throb with a shared pain that mirror her own injuries.

As they float, she tries to focus upon healing the youngling, but her own pain plus the youngling's pain she empathically shares overwhelm her ability to concentrate...

RPoL Dice Roller:

18:51, Today: Eleisai rolled 2 using 1d20.  Youngling Healing Touch w/Extra Healing Effort DT2 .

EDIT:

As rocks flew outward from the creature, the older woman did her best to shield the youngling.  Her searing pain redoubled as a flying rock struck her...

RPoL Dice Roller:

22:24, Today: Eleisai rolled 12 using 1d20.  Cranky Critter Carnage, Speed Roll, DT6.

This message was last edited by the player at 05:29, Mon 15 Oct 2018.

Rather than move and risk releasing the tentacles he olds fast Cube simply weathers the brunt of the creature's assault rippling like a slow motion pond whenever a projectile hits him, but not really showing all that much cumulative wear form the impacts.

“Enough”, roared both Eris and Erin in one pain-laced voice as they suffered a torrent of shrapnel and invisible lashes from the beast; swiftly loosing an arrow with the blue-grey fletching of D'Iscordian, Erin watched it arc towards it, even as Eris swept beside and past them atop Makhai, broadsword swinging at the apex of their charge past Cube's bulk

RPoL DiceRoller:

12:39, Today: Eris rolled 6,9using 1d20,1d20 ((6,9)). Speed, DT 6 - Eris, Erin => 4 Might to Eris, 5 Might to Erin
12:44, Today: Eris rolled 15 using 1d20.  Attack with Bow - Erin. => 4 Damage
12:44, Today: Eris rolled 14 using 1d20.  Attack with Sword - Eris. => 4 Damage

Eleisai holds on as well as she can to the youngling, the hate of the creature below her like a blazing furnace...



Nothing matches the stoicness of Cube in battle, and the creature manages to wrest its crushed limbs from Cube's grip only due to its double attack.



Sword and arrow strike close enough to the creature for it to feel the wind of their passing.  With another screech, it abruptly vanishes downward, burrowing into the earth with shocking speed.  In seconds, the pit is empty of life.  Only its strange, smooth sides remain, carved with sinuous symbols similar to the ones that had adorned the creature's body.  Nearby, the two dossi groan and slowly start to pull themselves to their feet...

Fen did his best to hop and dodge as rocks and debris started flying toward him, but a few hit hard.  He stumbled to the ground and reached out with his hands to find his balance.  His gaze sharpened at the creature.
Fen reached down and drew his sword.  The rapier was razor sharp but wouldn't be much more than a toothpick to this thing.  But a toothpick he would jam in its eye!

The older woman wheezes with pain as she maintains her hold upon the youngling, reeling from the attacks of the creature.

"Sovereign One...  Please aid us now, I pray..."

As they continue floating through air, drifting forward from the momentum of Fen's push, she closes her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply.

Her shuddering breaths stabilize, and she opens her eyes once again, gazing upon the youngling.

Then her hand acquires a gentle blue glow, which she places upon the stricken youngling...

RPoL Dice Roller:

19:36, Today: Eleisai rolled 12 using 2d6+2.  1 action recovery roll.
19:39, Today: Eleisai rolled 10 using 1d20.  Youngling Healing Touch w/Repeat Attempt Effort DT2.
19:40, Today: Eleisai rolled 2 using 1d6.  Youngling Healing Touch.

This message was last edited by the player at 05:01, Wed 17 Oct 2018.

Even as the yellow glow begins to fade Cube makes no obvious effort to begin moving again, as if waiting for some kind of after effect or return of the creature before deciding what activity to undertake next.

With the creature's sudden departure, Erin moves to stand close to Eleisai as she tends to the youngling; they leave the arrow where it has fallen for now, noting it only to recover later. Wheeling the thoroughbred aneen to a slow trot, Eris scans the surround even as they side-step their mount towards the elder folk of the settlement, seeking a spokesperson or leader of whom questions concerning the beast can be asked

The creature has fled, leaving behind a strange pit marked with the same symbols that had adorned its flesh.  Fen's sword winks in the sunlight, ready for any return...  Nearby the collapsed dossi finally lurch to their feet, shaking themselves vigorously, making their scales clack against each other loudly.



The young herder blinks slowly in Eleisai's arms, and the lines of pain on their face smooth out.  In repose, Eleisai realizes this herder is a young woman of perhaps thirteen, wearing dark wrapped clothes around her body and head.  She has a small knife in a leather sheath, and a metallic talisman of some sort around her right wrist.

"Nimah?" she asks weakly.



Cube waits with perfect patience, but at the moment there is no sign of the creature's return.



As the quiet prevails and it's clear the immediate danger is past, two more young herders come running back towards the group.  In the underslings of Nembellick, one person dives out into the air, shining struts snapping into place across their back trailing wispy synth sheets that catch the wind and let them glide.  They land near the Walkers at nearly the same time as the two young herders pelt up to them.

The two younger herders are young boys, maybe eleven and fourteen, the younger with very dark brown skin and a rounded figure, the older with brilliant crimson skin and a powerful build.  Both wear the dark, wrapped clothing and headcloths as the wounded herder, and carry sheathed knives, staves, and have metallic talismans dangling from one wrist.

The older glider is an elderly woman with snow-white hair and deeply tanned, wrinkled skin, wearing well-worn leathers.  She has what looks like a powerful dart launcher at her side, and exudes a strong scent of flowers.  A panel of what looks like glass is attached to one wrist, bearing softly glowing yellow symbols.

The herders are a little ahead of the elder, and speak with the eagerness of youth.

"You saved Sukkah!  What was down there?  Was it a broken hound or a nano spirit or an abhuman marauder?  Are you magicians?  Is that a numenera artifact?" The last is said while pointing at Cube.

The older woman speaks soothingly with gentle reassurance.

"You are safe, dear one.  Rest a few moments now..."

As they continue floating through the air, she Scans the youngling with her Nano senses to discern her current state of health...


Eleisai calls down to them with a warm smile, which turns to a concerned glance toward where the creature vanished.

"Whatever that creature is, my dears, it is full of hate and hunger.  I suggest we keep our distance from this newly made hole."

"Where is a place of safety that I may bring this youngling?  Can you lead me?"

Leaving Erin and the matronly priest to handle the youngsters, Eris waited for the elder; they slipped off their aneen, indicating to it that it should remain close with a whistle-click and then studying the wrinkled features of the woman as she came closer

"Eris D'Iscordian of the House of Iscordian, bound to the Merchant Orris to provide protection for her and her wares", they began smoothly, though inside they winced a little; such words would win Fakeen an edge in negotiation and that bonus might be passed on in part, but it felt like they were parodying their mother as they said them

"We have caused the creature to flee; it may return. You should move your settlement on, if you can..."

Closer to the younglings, Erin muttered to them, "Do not fear our companion; it is a person, much like your or I, but wearing a different shape"

Fen looked at the hole in the ground.  One eyebrow arched as he considered the creature.  His shoulders relaxed as he turned to consider the others.  With a steadying breath he started his walk back toward the others, stopping by Eleisai. "Thank you for the help.  The young man is well?"  He slid his sword back into its scabbard with a faint sound.
He considered the matronly woman and smiled.

Eventually cube gives up on the surveillance of the hole, content that the creature is either sufficiently hurt it wont be back any time soon, or it is sufficiently cunning that it wont be using the same ambush point a second time.  In either case he neither turns away from the hole nor reorients the four vertical faces at all, simply moving in what should have been a backwards direction away from the hole and back to the group of humanoids without the need to turn around.

Coming to a rest near his fellow travelers but not to close to the new ones, Cube maintains a single bodily length distance from each of them, in his case that amounts to a five foot separation.  From that distance the sound of what passes for his voice is both quiet and more than a little eerie, more like a loud stage whisper than normal speech it lacks the subtle but powerful characteristics of intonation and tone completely.  "This place may not be safe for long, we should conduct our business and be on our way as quickly as is reasonable."

The young woman seems stable enough for now, just exhausted from her ordeal.




"Keellah is here!" one of the herders says, pointing to the old woman.  "And we can bring Sukkah to town!"



The woman speaks after a moment of blinking at Cube. "The transparent one is correct, let us get away from here so we can speak," she says, her voice sounding oddly high and young. She suits words to actions and leads the group at a brisk walk towards Nembellick.  She makes a few gestures to the other herders, and they quickly raise their talismans, murmuring soft words.  The talismans ring slightly, and the dossi grunt and follow them as they walk behind you.

The old woman makes expansive gestures towards the caravan, and Fakeen begins to lead the caravan towards the town by a circular route to avoid the hole.



The old woman nods slightly, bowing her head briefly to Eris.  "I am Keellah Longeye. A thousand thanks for your quick action.  The thing was hard to hit from the underslings."  She goes to Eleisai to look the girl over.  The girl murmurs something in an unfamiliar language, and Keellah only nods and touches her forehead before turning back to the group.  ""What manner of creature was it?  I only saw some tentacles..."



"Young woman, and she is alive thanks to your actions," Keellah says.  "Not as much help from me as we had wished.  I am a good shot, but the ground collapsed like nothing I've seen.  We've been here for years, and the Nems never stay on unstable ground."  She gestures at the town as she speaks, and you gather that the "Nems" are likely the giant birds upon which the town rests.

"I have not seen it's like before", acknowledged Eris once the woman began her walk back towards the settlement and Fakeen had prodded the caravan into motion; behind them Erin whistled once, a double-trill that ended higher than it began, and Makhai began his long easy steps toward them, slowly to allow the archer to mount up and trail them slowly

"I have not even heard tale of such a numenera", continued Eris, keeping their eyes roving past Keellah on the route they took and the movement of those around them both, "But it was a creature full of hate and pain and ... perhaps, torment. You have not come across it before, nor seen the kind of traces it has left behind?"

Fen looked around, his lips pursed.  Looking at the others and back to Fakeen.  His hand roamed over where he was hit by the creature.  Was Nembellick worth this?
Fen followed the others as they started walking toward town.  His eyes squinted as he checked the ground for any other signs of their subterranean friend returning.  All the dossi seemed to be up and about, would they drop again first?

"I have not seen its like before...  Then again, I will confess I saw little of it at all.  But certainly nothing that shattered the ground and could cause the dossi to drop and Sukkah to be hurt like that.  Did I see rightly, was it suspending her in the air?"

As you draw closer to Nembellick, you can see there is something like a corral that circles two of the westernmost Nem's feet at a distance.  It seems to be made of enormous feathers, though they do not budge in the breeze, and anchored by more large feathers thrust into the dirt.  Upon closer inspection, the feathers seem to be stiff like horn, rather than soft and silky.

Keelah taps her glowing wrist-plate, and a series of long slings descends down the nearest leg of the westernmost Nem.  "Come up, everyone!  Get the dossi inside the corral, and then I want everyone up!"

Keelah urges Eleisai, Sukkah, and the herders up first - they can sit in the slings, which are more like cocoons, which then rapidly ascend.  More slings descend, and Keelah urges the others up, including Cube in a very sturdy sling likely used for heavier cargo.  Keelah says to wait for Fakeen, and nods at Eris and Erin to put their aneen in the corral with the docile dossi.

Those ascending arrive at a level of cloth with a sky of feathers.  The Undersling of Nembellick consists of a network of ropes, synth sheets, and various kinds of tough cloth all suspended from the tough, horn-like feathers of the Nem.  The area here mostly seems to be storage as well as lookouts, those who scan the horizon for any visitors.  The other lookouts give the Walkers a hearty series of thanks, punctuated by small bows and elaborate gestures.  To get up to the town proper, one can either climb the ladder-like feathers up certain routes on the Nem, or they can ride another sling up the side to get Topside.

Topside, the buildings of West Nembellick are made of more of the stiff feathers in various colors, with doors and windows made of synth sheets and struts salvaged from elsewhere.  The buildings rise and fall with the lay of the Nem's body, clustering around a large divot in its back that is large enough to make a big pond of clear water.  Most of the signs above the business doors are in Truth, or else depicted pictographically.  There is a large dome-house with the symbol of the Order of Truth on it, several crafters of feathers, metal, or synth, a butcher, leather-worker, scale-crafter, one who provides fruit and grain from boxed trees or plants nestled amongst the feathers near the Nem's tail, a gathering-square with a fine statue of a slender woman with one arm, one leg, and one eye, but a serene expression.  It looks like most of the residents are emerging from their homes, brought by the shouts of the young herders announcing their adventures.

Fen looks around at the various methods and is rather non-plussed.  He walks at mosey over to the ladder of feathers and climbs at his own pace.  Reaching the top he turns and sits on the ledge looking outward.  He looks out as far as he can and see and waits.
In his own good time, he rises and turns, Fen walks in toward the gathering square ignoring the herders and their attentions.