Light sees Gen lean back slow, taking a long, quiet sip of a wooden bowl - leftovers of his own stew.  They had some sort of heavy earth vegetable, a mixture of other things from the looks of it.  While he drinks, he listens... smiling a little at the description of warm beaches and white sand.  "Sounds like a beautiful place.  I only really left Faqu once.  It was-"

--

The first noises were like thunder, distant and atmospheric.  Moft, at the wall by Rosa, tilts his head as the noise catches his attention... and after that, Rosa's.  It hits Tylluan's ears at the same time, noises of thunder and rumbling...

and then a shrill scream.

It cut through the night, loud and inhumane... like a howl.  Moft's ears lower, and a noise like a whine escapes his throat.  The lookouts by the wall all turn towards the woods.  The source of the noise.

"That... that was a lot closer.  A lot closer than the fire."  Moft said quietly.

Rosa could give a rough guess.  IF it was that thing, it was over halfway closer from the smoke a couple hours ago...

---

The night went quiet around Tylluan.  Gen glances over at Light again, his face paler at the sound.

Another shriek echoed through the night.  Following it, a constant, unfamiliar sound that was between a howl and a scream.  Light was reminded of the boiler... Rosa, surely, as well.  And the distant sounds of crashing.  Something was happening to the east.  And at most?  It was a handful miles away...

////////

Murleena had followed Allister into the woods.  He moved fast... irritatingly so.  She kept pace with him for a few minutes, finding him paused... then moving again.  He would sniff, flick his ears, and move through the woods.  Likely looking for something... a brook, a source of water, something.

He wasn't finding anything.

With a snarl, he rakes his claws against the bark of a tree.  He pauses, starting to return... when Murleena sees her opportunity.  Moving through the shadows, she gets to a nearby place, beneath the knot of a tree... here, she forms.  Her feet find ground, and she readies to lunge.

The ground slips underfoot.  She can lash out, but she spots his ears flick.

Except her ears flick too.  Something touched them.

And the first wave of rain hits.

////////

Faint drops of rain reach Rosa moments after the strange noise.  The edge of a spring storm was sneaking up on them.

Murleena bursts out of the edge of the woods beyond the wall - she looks ragged, cut up from a dash through the woods... and a fight.
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:32, Fri 03 Feb 2023.

Rosa's eyes go wide and a shiver runs down her spine when she hears the inhuman howl emanating from the forest. "By the Goddess’s tits! That's close!" A moment of panic seizes her, but she takes a short breath and starts giving orders. "Moft, quickly get together a dozen or so brave men and dress them in leather to protect them from fire. Arm them with heavy nets and ropes. Their job is to tangle up the boiler. Normal weapons are pretty much useless against the boiler, but make sure others are armed to deal with the priests!. If they want a fight then they'll get a fight!"

Rosa sees Murleena burst from the forest. She calls out, "Murleena! Over here! Are you all right? What happened? No wait, run with me. I have to get back to the ship and get out of this damn dress!" She hitches up her skirt and as she jogs off in the direction of the ship, she asks the ship's cat, "So what happened? How close are they?"

Murleena comes over to Rosa when she calls for her. "I just spent most of the last several hours running, and you want me to run more?" She said with a grumble. She jogs with her though, easily keeping up. "Murleena slowed Boiler down. It needed water. Lynx went hunting for water, Murleena went hunting for Lynx. We got in fight. Lynx stronger and bigger, Murleena faster more agile. Fight was a draw, but rain came so Murleena fled, since reason for slowing them down became moot with water coming from the sky." Then she considered Rosa's question a moment. "Many hours, that way I would say considering how much I delayed it. But it has water now do to the rain so it's likely moving now again, maybe even faster. So likely down to just a few hours, maybe even a couple."

Tylluan gets to his feet as he hears the scream of the metal monster. He fluffs his feathers indignantly and his eyes glow with anger. "Oh, this really IS the last straw. Those priests have annoyed and inconvenienced me since I first saw them and now they're disrupting a party in MY honor? I have had ENOUGH! They need to go back to whatever annoying place they came from and STAY there!"

He prepares for battle by using his beak to tug loose the dancing bells around his ankles and dropping them someplace where he can retrieve them later. Tylluan looks up at the rapidly-advancing storm and sighs as the deluge of water reaches them. "Perfect. Just... PERFECT. The gods of wind and sky must have something against my happiness. Are they conspiring with whatever god these idiot priests follow, just to make MY life miserable?"

Tylluan watches the captain and the cat running toward the ship, but since there's nothing he needs for the upcoming battle he struts over to where Light is. "Are you ready to deal with these pests, or do you need something from the ship as well?" He shakes the water from his feathers, for all the good it does, and sighs. "I really dislike flying in this sort of weather, but it's better than being stuck on the ground."

As Rosa jogs along next to Murleena she holds up her skirts, and since she doesn't have a maid at the moment, she avoids jumping in any puddles. She listens to the cat's reports, then says, "So they're heading this way? At night? In a storm? They're crazy!" Rosa suddenly lets out a loud laughs as she thinks she is like a raven calling a crow a black-arse. Didn't she attacked the priests at night when she was severely outnumbered?

"Well, the rain might just help us. It should cool the shell of that boiling beastie and dampen its flames somewhat. Still we need to dress for the heat."

She suddenly changes direction when she spots Tylluan and Light. She jogs over to them and tells them what she knows. "The priests and their infernal machine are on their way here. We've got a couple of hours, maybe more, before they arrive. I think the best place to confront them is at the walls over yonder. Moft and his men are assembling there. I told them to bring nets and ropes in order to slow the metal beastie down. There are logs there too, so maybe we could construct some sort of trap? We then need to blow a hole in its belly and drain it of watery-blood. Maybe we should arm some of the men with picks? Normal weapons are useless against the … um..." She tries to think up another phrase for it, "Copper contraption?"

Tylluan clicks his beak in annoyance. "Yes, yes. If you humans are able to hear that annoying... thing... I am obviously aware of it. Moreover, I am insulted and angry that it's disrupting my party." He half-unfolds his wings and shakes them experimentally, before looking down at his talons. "It's a pity I have no means of expressing my feelings upon it directly, but nonetheless I am willing to fight. Even a peaceful specimen of my people is capable of violence when necessary. THIS is necessary."

Moft was stunned speechless.  It was Rosa who jumped to action first.  At her words, Moft nodded quickly and gave a shout. "Get together!  Be ready with the clubs and spears if you got 'em!  I'm gathering a lot, we'll need leathers and nets!"  Poor Rosa continued to run, gathering her skirt and speaking up to Murleena.  This new duo raced through the town's streets, heading for Rosa's ship.

---

Tylluan and Light were at the party, which wasn't that far from the walls Moft and Rosa were at.  People were looking up in alarm at the scream.  Stunned into silence, Tylluan fills the vacuum with his temper.  On top of this, the edge of rain arriving was truly ruining an otherwise decent experience!  The priests seemed relentless...

Or maybe just foolish and insane.

Murleena could hear Moft still gathering people in the distance.  The pitter patter of rain was becoming more constant, and muffled hearing.  Tonight would be quite a storm... and quite a night for the exhausted cat.

In reply to Tylluan (msg # 4):
When Light hears the cat girl mention it needs water to move, something clicks in his head and his eyes brighten and his lips curl up into a bright smile.

He looks down at the half eaten bread roll in his hand, then at the cooking fires here at the party.

'Know what, Ty? I think I do have something I need to get from the ship that just might hit the right spot after all this talk of fighting and boiler monsters...'

'CAPTAIN! I HAVE A MAD IDEA!' he calls out, holding up the bread roll and pointing to it as if it explained everything.

'I just have to do some cooking prep aboard the ship! It might take a little while, but if it works, we can immobilize that boiler, possibly permanently, and everyone gets to eat afterwards!' he says as he starts trying to guesstimate what quantities he needs to work with, and how much redundancy he might need to work into the plan.

He begins dashing towards Rosa (and the ship if currently in the same direction).

'I need the rest of you to figure out how it drinks the water, and the best way for us to feed something else in the same way without getting killed. We can't necessarily take the water it already has out of it, so we'll do the next best thing, and turn that water into something Not Water, AND potentially have some oven cooked fresh bread at the end of it.'

..Hmmm... Flour, check, baking soda... check... salt... check, sugar... check...

The Eye-borg began looking about for any able looking volunteers who might want to help with the plan.

'If you want to help defeat this thing, and can carry a load, then follow me to the galley.' he says to anyone willing to pitch in.

Rosa listens to Light's plan with a straight face. She blinks a couple of times them burst out laughing. "That's so crazy it just might work! I was just going to open a hatch and drop a bomb into it. Why don't we try both and see which one works best?"

She stops for a moment and holds up a finger. "Hang on – isn't flour dust explosive, especially in a confined space? Oh yes it is!" She laughs again and shouts out, "Flour! We need more flour! Oh, and don't forget your oven-gloves, Light. That beastie is hot!"

She heads to the ship where she gets changed into as much flame-proof leather gear as she has. She holsters her guns and loads herself up with bombs of various sorts. She ties back her hair and dons one a broad-rimmed leather hat. She takes a quick look in the mirror, nods in satisfaction, then heads out again and makes her way to the wall.

In reply to Rosanhi the Red (msg # 9):

'See?' says Light to Gen,'The Captain gets it!' he says with another broad smile as he starts herding would be recruits towards the Darkmaiden's Dance or -if need be- off to gather more flour. He was reluctant to use the words 'Flour Bomb' near the Captain beforehand, just to see if she would make the connection herself, as he knew she would.

Merely fighting wasn't the crew's way. Not if they wanted to become legends... They had to do things with style and flair, and moreover passion... The belief that they could move mountains if they wanted it enough.

Today's mountain was the High Light and the first foothill in their way was The Boiler...

Tylluan tilts his head as he looks at Light and the captain. "Do you know how you are going to get this... flour bomb... to work? Between the wind and the rain, it might disperse too quickly, or settle to the ground." He spreads his wings slightly in his people's equivalent of a shrug. "But I am an entertainer, not a cook, nor an explosives expert."

He shakes the water off his wings and gives an experimental flap. "Perhaps I can do more scouting from the air to see how these priests are approaching. Maybe it will be possible to grab one if they are far enough away from the group. Most especially away from that... that cat priest." Suiting deed to the word, Tylluan slowly flaps into the air, laden with good food and drink, as well as damp feathers.

I should be somewhere warm and dry, with fine food and drink, instead of braving this storm. But if I want to continue my journey I can't just sit back and trust others to resolve this properly.

Rosa says to Tylluan, "We've got to empty the flour bags inside the big boiling beastie. I'm imagining it's like a kettle. There's water in the bottom but most of it is full of steam. We open it up, dump in the flour while dodging the steam... hrm.... Most of the flour will end up in the water and maybe clog it up, but enough will mix with the air and steam, and that will explode when I drop one of my bombs in .... Was that what you were thinking Light?"

"Ok, there's a couple of problems with that plan ... My preferred idea is to open up a hatch or a hole underneath it and just drain out all the water. That should stop it dead in it's tracks. The trick is getting under it to do it." Rosa ponders the problem for a moment, then says, "I could plant a cluster of bombs in the ground, then we just have to convince it to go over it.... I'll have to rig the bombs with a simple compression trigger rather than a fuse, but that's easy to do."

"If it runs on water though, wouldn't the flour become more doughie then dustie? It'd loose the effect you'd want, right?" Murleena reminds Rose regarding the Lynx looking for water to feed the beast with.

"Add to that, there are the other issue's you identified. Plus the Lynx. He'll likely be near it too. He's pretty strong." She also reminded her.

Rosa nods, "Yes, most of the flour will end up in the water and become doughy..." She turns to Light and adds, "Maybe we should add some yeast to it too to make it rise?" Chuckling, she says to Murleena, "Dough is fine. It will clog things up and slow it down. Maybe even stop it. However, there should be enough dust left over to amplify the explosion."

"Lynx is your problem," Rosa says to Murleena. "Light and me will concentrate on the Boiler, while you and Tylluan will focus on Lynx and the priests. Of course, if things get get too difficult for one group then we'll have to change plans, think on our feet, and help each other."

As rainfall fell around them, Tylluan flapped his wings.  Droplets scattered everywhere.  He had certainly had enough, and was ready to go.

But before he rises into the air, Rosa quickly gives him the gist of the plan.  Would it be a bomb?  Or just a lot of dough.  One thing was for sure - it wouldn't be easy to pull off... could it actually stop the thing for good?

As Tylluan takes off into the sky, Murleena shares her thoughts to Rosa.  Light can tell they are right on that much - it's more likely to form dough than it is to explode... but that was his plan to begin with, wasn't it?

Murleena, meanwhile has been given a big charge.  That lynx-priest?  Was now her problem.

He was not as sneaky as her, but he was stronger than her.  How was she going to handle that?

---

Light got to the ship.  The crew, having had a chance to rest after the raid, were up quickly at the sound of his call.  Apparently even they had heard some of the... thing's cry.  "Hey there!  What's going on?"  The crewmen were on alert, weapons at the ready... but there was no enemy to be seen.  "What's the racket out there?"

Rosa was coming up just behind him, and another crewmate speaks up.  "Capt'n?"  Weapons were out, but they were watching the sea... understandable, considering!  Rosa was a few hops and a jump (so to speak) from her chambers, and soon she's loading her pistols, her gear, and her hat.  It's just as she's finishing with her flair when another high, loud -shriek- fills the air.

The boiler.

---

Murleena didn't know where the lynx was, but there was only one direction he could be coming from.  She can reach the northern wall... but not as fast as Tylluan.  Rain was a bother, even to his vision, but the wind wasn't so bad that he felt scared to fly.  Below, the bumps of the buildings (and stone) laid out beneath him... but his eyes were on the route ahead.  The wall of the town seemed so small, wood and rock and sticks laid out in a long-standing barrier... with additional reinforcing it looks like.  They set up cris-crossing sticks or spears or something, movable wooden barriers of some kind.

Most of the defenses had probably already been there for some time - old walls for an old town.

The dark forest beyond them.

As his eyes begin to search, he hears the thing's piercing cry.  A moment later he spots a cherry red glow from between the trees, a good few miles away from the city... but quite a bit closer than he saw before.

Yup.  Tonight was going to be a headache.
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:23, Tue 07 Feb 2023.

"Wait...what? Murleena has to what?" It was to late though. She realized there was no debating this with the human as she muttered to herself. "I'm a cat, not a BIG cat. I'm just fast and agile, not strong like lynx."

Murleena sighed and raced for the wall behind Tylluan, climbing up it to perch on the top like a cat on a fence. Looking for a good place full of shadows to ambush this lynx, as that would be the only place she'd have any sort of advantage. "If Murleena going to deal with Lynx, Murleena need to fight Lynx on Murleena turf."

In reply to Rosanhi the Red (msg # 12):

'Exploding it might turn it into a grenade and hurt others (i.e. Us), my plan was to mix in bread batter, to absorb as much water as I could to turn it into something else that it can't run off, and maybe in the process give us something good to eat in the aftermath.'

'Not sure that thing would have a conveniently placed bottom hatch per se, but I didn't build the thing. If it has anything like that for its water tank, I imagine it would be at the top rather than the bottom to avoid any accidental leaks.'

'Once it's immobile we should be able to just take it apart with tools or your bombs.'

In reply to Light Vessel (msg # 17):

'While we aren't certain how that thing senses, if it does have sight, we may be able to blind it, even temporarily with a tarpaulin or something after we figure out where the top water feed is and pour the flour in.

To get to that point, we need to bind it and restrict its ability to wriggle about too much so more gets in than spills about outside.

Hugh and Dolph! Can you guys help me with setting up potholes in its path. Just a foot or so deep? We won't necessarily have time to dig holes big enough for the whole thing to fall into, but big enough for a leg to unbalance it and delay it should help if we can lure it in the right direction.'

Light is already grabbing a wheelbarrow and going through the larder, loading bags of flour and other dry ingredients like leavening agent and such forth which he begins mixing together before pouring back into the sacks.

He looks about for a suitable funnel to bring with in case he needs a feeder to pour it into the Boiler easier, even if he has to just make do with some kind of strong parchment rolled up.

'Actually... If we dump a soaking wet tarp over it, that might prevent it from doing that dragon breath attack on anyone.' he says pausing to reflect on it before resuming mixing and refilling sacks.

Rosa says, "You can do it, Murleena, I have faith in you. He might be bigger than you, but you're better than him. Take the fight to somewhere where you have the advantage." She pauses for a moment, looks up and asks, "How good are you at climbing?"

Rosa rolls her eyes when Light starts worrying that people might get hurt by her little bombs. "They're not that powerful. At best they might put a small hole in it and blow off a valve or two." Actually, her new batch is a little bit more powerful than before, but Light doesn't need to know that just yet.

When Light tries to enlist Hugh & Dolph's aid, Rosa shakes her head and says, "One small hole will be enough - I'm going to create a much bigger one. Light, you just concentrate on getting your flour into the big beastie. I'm going to take care of its legs and hopefully blow a hole right up its arse. Hugh & Dolph, I want you to stay with the ship. Batten down the hatches and makes sure she is securely anchored. I don't like the looks of this storm. Also, keep an eye out for priests, just in case they try something sneaky. And if you have time, make sure the other ships in the harbour are secure too. We don't want any of them being blown into our ship."

Rosa leaves Light to ransack his larder and heads off to the wall and where hopefully Moft has rallied the villagers.

She eyes the terrain. What she wants to do is make the Boiler walk over a particular spot. She is going to stick a two-foot long stick in the ground. When the Boiler hits it with its belly or legs it will trigger the mine that she has buried in the ground.

She walks beyond the wall and down the road a bit then looks back. If she was a big lumbering beast, what would her obvious course be? Would she walk right through the gap in the wall,or is climbing over the wall just as easy?

Tylluan swings wide to circle around and approach from the enemies' rear. With that annoying cat on their side, it's possible he might see me, even in this weather and darkness. I'd rather not pit my talons against his claws. As the glowing, iron bulk of the creature, construct, whatever they call it comes into view through the trees he shakes his head. What possessed these imbeciles to create such a dangerous device? It seems to be as dangerous to them as it is to their enemies. I'll bet if the captain and the others hadn't pushed it off that ship, it would have burned their vessel to the waterline. He clicked his beak in annoyance. Serve them right if it had.

Once he's behind the advancing group of priests, Tylluan will assess the situation to see if there are any opportunities to exploit a weakness. I am not experienced in battle, but I know how to look for areas of potential mischief.

Light and Rosa prepare, talking back and forth as they grab supplies... and secure the means to get them all the way to the other side of town.  Fighting the metal thing was not easy, and they toss plenty back-and-forth, trying to figure out how to pull off a finish on the heavy thing.  Hugh and Dolph, caught between captain and cook, nod to Rosa after a glance at each other.

<Grey>"Ship'll be safe in our hands.  Good luck with that thing out there!"</Grey>  Dolph waves to them, Rosa with her satchel and Light with a wheelbarrow of flour.

--

Rosa was departing first, hitting the town as rain pitter-pattered on the dock.  Moving quick, she still feels her lungs burning by the time she reaches the wall.  It takes minutes for her to catch her breath, but she has the time.  As she struggles to breathe, she was searching for... something, a place she could use for a trap!

The town was built out until the end of the largest of these hill-mounds. There are a few shallow-looking ones, but nothing that could be effective concealment.  The treeline was a good stretch away (over a hundred meters), enough of a distance that someone trying to make a run for the walls would be out in the open for sure.

The rockiest areas are closer to the town's outer wall.  The only other 'ideal' place would be... inside the defenses.  If they could get the thing to crash the wall at a particular point, well... they'd know right where it was.

--

Light is bringing supplies back, running the wheelbarrow through the town - lagging behind due to load, build, and equipment.  As he passes through the market, he sees a few people poking their heads out.  Wearing leathers and holding clubs and spears, one raises a hand in greeting as he dashes past.

Ahead, he can hear Moft shouting.  Rallying the townsfolk?

He lumbers on, rain beginning to pitter patter harder.

------

Poor Murleena.  She reaches the wall well ahead of Orsa, feeling the rain coming down in a slow but steady fall.  Her ears pick up Moft in town, shouting to organize townsfolk and get people ready.  That trouble could arrive 'within the hour'... truth, it would probably be a couple hours yet.

Searching for shadows, she finds herself with two options.  There were plenty of options -inside- the walls... and that lynx could undoubtedly scamper right up and over.  He -could- get inside... and the torches, lights, and lamps helped cast plenty of other shadows.

There was also the forest wall.  It was a good ways away from the city.

That distance could be useful, protecting the people from the lynx.  But it was also so damn far from anyone else, and that lynx was quick as hell.

What was she going to do?

------

Well ahead (and well above!) of everyone, Tylluan was in the air.  First to flight, first to the wall, he flies swiftly through the rain and the stirring wind, looking down into the darkness below.

Sweeping over the trees, he spots the gleam of moonlight on metal, even obscured by clouds as it was.  It was not hard to find, the din of the thing well above the rain and wind.

People, though, were harder.  Straining his eyes and ears, he searched for these meddlesome priests.

There's enough movement in the trees that he can locate a pair of them trailing after the boiler.  As he wheels around toward them, he catches a glimmer of somethign red... a flash of light?  He can't tell, but it was bright... and gone as quick as it appeared.

"...promise..."

Tylluan can't really hear them over the rain, but the two split up.  One running off to the left... vaguely, towards the shore.  The other to the boiler.

Which has sped up.  The trees here aren't as thick, and it's actually pulling itself up and forwards on those legs.  It's moving faster now, faster than a person can run.

The lynx... and the other, last, priest... were nowhere to be found.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:06, Fri 03 Mar 2023.

Murleena gave a small sigh. "Yes, Murleena can climb. She's decent at it too." She gave a small nod to Rosa. "The shadows are Murleena's place though, the more of them that there are the better the advantage for Murleena. That mean Murleena must either lure Lynx into the city, or keep Lynx in the woods. Anywhere in the open and Lynx has the advantage."

-----------------------------------

Murleena stood on the top of the wall considering for several moments as she thought to herself, looking out towards the trees. <That's a lot of open ground for Murleena to cross if she get's into trouble.>

Then she turned her gaze back towards the town. <And that's a lot of innocents for him to place in danger if he gets in here.>

She lets out a feline yowl of discontentment at this choice, then finally leeps off the wall and starts at a run for the the boiler. The forest it was.

Tylluan blinks at the sudden flash of light, but since it was only for the briefest time he dismisses it. No time for idle curiosity. Putting a stop to these annoying priests is more important. Likewise, the single word, barely heard over the rushing wind, is ignored.

He watches as the two priests separate. Now this shows some promise. Perhaps I can capture one of them. Tylluan clicks his beak. You'd think after the experience of that cat-person, they'd know better than to separate. He banks into a turn and follows the one who is heading toward the beach. I should be able to handle this one. After all; what are the odds I'd grab the same cat twice?

Tylluan noses over into a dive. His wings locked into position and talons outstretched toward his prey. Under cover of the wind and rain... he strikes!

OOC:
-1 OCV for Grab
11:16, Today: Tylluan rolled 9 using 3d6 ((2,5,2)).

As Rosa catches her breath she looks out over the potential battlefield. She frowns as she can see no obvious place to plant her mine. It seems that the only way to get it to go over a particular spot is to have it chase her that point, and that doesn't seem like fun at all. Fuck it - change of plans again. She sits down on one of the logs and starts to adjusts her bomb. It's going to have a short fuse and she's going to have to roll it under the beastie. That should be fun!

Once she's done, she waits. She watches what Moft is doing. He seems to have things in order so she doesn't interfere.

Tylluan was well ahead of his game today.  Spotting one of them, he zeroes in on the priest running for the beach.  He was huffing along, fumbling with something as he scurried.  With that, with the foliage, and with the rain, he didn't notice a thing.

Really, the hard part for Tylluan was darting past the trees!  His claws come down, seizing upon their shoulders.   There was a desperate SHRIEK as he whisks up into the air, but the priest seems considerate enough to not flail!  "Wa-wait!  Don't drop me!!"  The rain, meanwhile, is coming down harder, and wind sweeps past.  For a moment, even Tylluan feels himself waver in the air, but he gets control quickly.

Getting back will take a minute, and by then...

--

Murleena scampers up, getting a high view on what to do.  She doesn't like the look of things - the only good news was the north end of town, the part she was at, was less 'occupied' than the harbor.  But that didn't change the situation... the thing looked big as heck.  Stopping it at the woods was certainly safer.

Safer, and she always has the chance to move into the town if she has to!

Dashing into the woods, entering the shadows, she finds herself ready to lay out a surprise...

As the noises get louder.

--------

Rosa found a major obstacle in her plan - the boiler's route was still unpredictable.  Indeed, she was going to have to play it by ear... and risk a lot more by doing so.

But what choice did she have?  Finding only disappointment, she begins to change her strategy.  Adjusting her bomb, she settles down to wait.  Light isn't here - he's got the load, and he wasn't done by the time she took off.  On foot, running through town, she was faster to begin with.

Moft, meanwhile, was scurrying about.  People were settling wooden blockades.  Both at the wall, and throwing... well, stuff, over the slopes.  Barrels, netting, stuff that looks like it could trip up a person.

They had grabbed spears, and had loose metal and leather armors.  On the inside, they had a set of wooden barricades they were dragging out.  It almost assumes they might lose the wall... and from the grim expressions on their faces, they had heard of the 'metal thing'.  This wasn't bandits at the harbor... or attempting a land attack.

Rosa settles down to wait.

Actually, she finds she doesn't have to wait long.  She can see Tylluan already flapping down, splashing droplets around him as he lands... with a robed priest in his claws.

--

Murleena waits.  She knows the thing is still coming.  Loud creaking, crashing, thumping.  It almost sounds like trees are bending and the foliage -exploding-.  It sounded like it was bending the trees over and scrabbling -over- them now.  Might be only fifteen, twenty minutes out at this rate.

And then there was another noise.  Something fast, running through the treetops, its robes flapping in the wind.  Much closer.

Actually, almost there.

'On the top! Putting a hole underneath could make the flour fall out, unless you're planning on tipping it upside down and keeping it that way.' he replies to the Captain's plan to 'put a hole in it's ass'.

Though if they could properly identify where it refills from, that'd be the second part of the job done.

---
While Rosa and co get into position, he gathers and mixes the dry ingredients as best he can, even refilling sacks to better transport it if need be.

Tylluan keeps a firm hold on his prisoner as they fly through the wind and rain. Once he reaches the village, his superior eyesight picks out where Rosa is. (Not that it's all that difficult, since she dresses in bright scarlet clothing.)

He glides down to where she is, backwinging at the last moment and releasing the priest to send him sprawling in the sand. "Hello, Captain. I have brought you one of those annoying priests so you can question him." Tylluan fluffs up his feathers and shakes off the water. I will be in serious need of preening by the time this fiasco is over and done. All of this water will make me appear bedraggled and THAT is not acceptable.

Rosa shakes her head at Light Vessel. "A hole underneath the beast means the water falls out too, and that's what we want. But if I can't get underneath then I'll try for the top. We've just got to try all things. Your idea, my idea, Moft's idea. Something has got to stick."

Rosa is momentarily taken aback when when Tylluan drops a priest at her feet, but then she laughs. "Well, well, well, what have we here?" She stands over him with her hands on her hips, her sabre, guns and bombs (and breasts) on prominent display.

"What's your name, priest? You are a priest, right? Or are you a soldier? Why are you here fighting us, trying to take what's ours? Why don't you go back home and live a long life, or would you rather die here and now fighting for a hopeless cause?" Her sabre sings out as she draws it from its scabbard, and she points its very sharp point at him.

Tylluan lands with simple elegance - really the obstacle was the wind rather than locating Rosanhi.  The priest was even amazingly still... amazing because of the good sense.

The priest's eyes go wide as Rosa laughs, and he looks up slowly at the red-adorned woman.  The flashy captain had him trembling.  But despite that, his voice isn't quivering when he said.  "Name's Kalten.  I'ma, I'm not a soldier.  P-part of the Builder's Core.  Eng...ineers.  W-well, we all do recovery.  Never know where... when relics are going to be found."

His eyes were slowly focusing on the tip of her sword.  "I-I don't know why!  A-allister's gone crazed.  Him and Allifet too!"  He practically spit the names out.  "High Deacon?  The clergy's just for building libraries anyway!"  He spat out the words, looking upset.  "We, we found that relic-bit out in that scavenger's pile.  Since then the Bishop's been mad.  He's obsessed with 'finding the rest', he says, and Allister's always been a... a bloody brute.  Blood craving church attack cat."

---

Light was strong, and not slow of foot.  He was bringing up the rear, but he catches sight of Moft scurrying up in his direction.  Moft's ears flick, and soon he's scurrying in Light's direction.  "I'm not sure what's going on, but your captain's up on the wall, and your feathered friends' back.  I'm rallying who I can, but at this point... At this point we expect to lose the wall.  Houses too.  We're just going to try and hem it in with as much old wagons and junk as we can, and all the fishing nets we can get up here.  If a big enough house comes down on it..."  Moft trails off, looking at Light's cargo.

His eyebrows go up, but he doesn't say anything.  He looks at Light with an expression of curious concern.

---

In the woods, there's an explosion of wood and leaves.  Not far.  The lynx-man is getting close, less than a minute away.  He was leaping from branches so hard that they were half-tearing, coming in QUICK.

Oh boy.

Tylluan listens as Rosa questions his prize, although he swivels his head about to see how things are progressing. Not that he has any experience with battles. Then something their captive said percolates through his thoughts and catches his attention. "Builder? Engineer?" he asks, staring at the priest with his great, golden eyes. "Does that mean you had a hand in creating that metal monstrosity out there? Or do you know how we can stop it?" Tulluan bobs his head toward the captain. "I assure you, if we continue with OUR plan, your clanking contraption is going to be catastrophically dismantled. If you wish to avoid that, suggesting a less drastic method might be advisable."

"An engineer? Interesting...." She sheaths her sword, showing that she doesn't consider him to be a threat, but she still glares at him from time to time.

She tries to make sense of what the man is telling her. "So Bishop Allister is in charge and he's gone mad? And Allifet is the cat, and he's mad too? And who's this High Deacon you're talking about?"

But she's more interested in relics than names. She asks, "What 'relic-bit' did you find? Do you mean that bloody big metal contraption that breaths fire? Did the relic actually drive him mad, or are you saying he's just became a little bit obsessive over it?"

She tires to remember if she read about the  scavenger's pile in the journal. Maybe she hasn't got to that bit yet. She turns to Tylluan and says, "Well done in capturing this fellow. Did you read about a scavenger's pile in the journal? Do you know what he's talking about"

The Captain seemed to love blowing holes in things. He shrugged. He'd try the bread baking plan first, assuming he could get there in time, and -if it failed- at least Rosanhi the Red had the plan to blast a hole in the underside as an option.

Moft's raised eyebrow encourages Light to talk.
'These High Light guys need a lesson, not just in manners, but in camp side cooking!' he says as he hefts up the first few sacks of his dry mix, ready to begin his attack run.

Light attempts to find a position to try and see if he can identify where it lets the water in, before he commits to his first charge.

01:45, Today: Light Vessel rolled 11 (with 3 body) using 3 with the Hero (Champions) system with rolls of 4, 3, 4.  vs 15- Sight PER Roll to ID The Water Opening.

He will hide if need be, to await the right moment to make his first attack, though his current Eye-Borg power is on Sparkle, in case he needs to create said moment with a Flash attack.

Tylluan puffs himself up at Rosa's praise. "It was quite easy. You'd think they'd be more mindful of looking up after encountering someone like me before." He tilts his head at the captain as she asks about the journal. "I haven't had the time to look through it yet. I was more concerned with the party, and my performance there, than I was with the book. I thought I'd have time after the festivities to read through it." He looks down at the priest and gives him a small peck on the top of his head with the curve of his beak, rather than the point. "Naturally, these annoying pests had to make an inconvenient appearance and spoil everything."

"Clanking... um!"  He gapes at Tylluan, and then looks at Rosanhi, droplets scattering off the cleric robes.  "A-allifet is in charge.  A-allister is the furfoo- er, cat."  He hesitantly glances at Tylluan, but only for a moment.

"The relic bit.  The thing that, uh, flashed.  In the market!"  He jerks his head.  "This all started after that thing.  The divers' probably found it, left it in their junk in the market.  W-we see that all the time, but -this- time..."  He shudders.  "When that thing went off, Allifet started to lose his marbles."

"Cause of that... Me, me an' Bel, we... quit."

---

There was a sound, like a 'whump', and suddenly a gust of air rolled over the trees.  With it, Murleena heard a noise she hadn't heard before.  Like the sound of a thousand bees, it shot up in pitch and then there was a loud sucking noise... then a loud and thunderous crack, and then a roaring crash...!

It took her a few long moments to realize the sound came from nearby, almost directly above...

---

The world around Tylluan and Rosa sucks in for a moment, like their breath was taken away.  After that, the air erupted in front of them!  Rosa felt the wall of air hit her, knocking the breath from her lungs.  It blasts past Tylluan, who feels pain run up his wing-limb as he staggers back!  He keeps on his feet, but he -hurts-... and feels sick!

Meanwhile, the walls shudder and crack, a portion of them ruptured with the passage of the... phenomenom!  "W-what was that??"  Moft was shouting, scrambling towards a guard who was showered with pebbles and splinters.  Alive, it seemed, but stunned.  No one had taken 'the top' of the wall... not while trouble wasn't yet there.

The priest was on the ground, bleeding... Tylluan's ears catch a wheeze.

And as thunder lashes out through the sky, through a hole Rosa can spot the flash of a hooded figure standing at the peak of the trees.

------

Light sees a column of rain -spin- in the air, tumbling horizontally as something erupts into the wall... and partly through it.

Entirely unfamiliar, but an act of sheer power that would make his Eye-borg self proud.

And after it, there was a flash of thunder.  And Light sees a flash of metal.  Something was scampering along the treetops.  On.  The treetops.  Even as they crack and bend from it, under those long and curved spindly legs.

Company had arrived...

[OOC]

Tylluan takes 2 body and 8 stun!  ow!

Rosa's armor absorbs 3 of it, bringing it to 5.  Her Combat Luck doesn't apply as she was caught unawares of the attack!

Tylluan can still fly, though it'd be a bit of a painful process.

So the way combat will work is in Turns - basically give me an idea of the (2) actions you'll be concentrating on, and I'll figure it out when the enemies try and attack!  It'll probably resemble DnD more than HERO in this respect, and who gives a fsk :D
[/OOC]

Light watched as the crew were thrown backward like a lightning bolt hit or maybe an invisible log?

He wasn't sure what was up, and began surveying the area for the source, only to notice what might be the metal boiler thing hopping from treetop to treetop, bending and breaking them as it went.

He raised a hand to the side of his head as he began to move sideways before letting off a brilliant light burst in the direction of the metal spider thing, hoping to at least blind it temporarily while his allies got into position.

If all went well, he would follow up with a quick turn of his dial from Orange (Sparkle [Flash]) to Green (Eye-Lash [Energy Blast]) to target the treetop it was leaping to, in an effort to rob it of its next landing platform, and hopefully let gravity do some damage.

All while trying to close in with one dry mix bag under his arm. If he could get within casual Blink distance he could then follow up later with his master plan.

Phase 8: Half Move towards Boiler, then Flash attack: (Hits up to DCV 8)
00:51, Today: Light Vessel rolled 7 (with 2 body) using 3 with the Hero (Champions) system with rolls of 3, 1, 3.  Flash Attack vs Boiler OCV 4.

00:55, Today: Light Vessel rolled 17 (with 5 body) using 6 with the Hero (Champions) system ((2, 1, 3, 6, 1, 4)). Just enough to blind it from segment 8-12 if it hits.

Phase 12: Half Move towards Boiler (or away from it enough that I can Blink as a half move next turn if I'm that close), then if its still on the treetops, blast the next treetop it is in midleap to, otherwise blast a tree to try and have it collapse onto the boiler if it is now on the ground instead:
00:57, Today: Light Vessel rolled 14 (with 4 body) using 3 with the Hero (Champions) system ((6, 4, 4)). Hits DCV 1? That enough to hit a treetop? Probably not if there are Range Penalties.

But in case it DOES hit:
01:00, Today: Light Vessel rolled 20 (with 6 body) using 6 with the Hero (Champions) system ((6, 6, 4, 1, 2, 1)).

In reply to Light Vessel (msg # 35):

[OOC]Hehe.  Hopefully I will be more clear next time!

Boiler is probably a handful of rounds out, maybe more.  But still quite visible!

It's not so much hopping elegantly as it is knocking over trees by trying to push up and climb instead of ramming through their base.  Other trees are probably helping it 'bowl through'.

If you ever walk through tall grass and see them all bending over one another like a mat, that's closer to what the big thing is managing.  Mostly force and direction and enough trees.

But absolutely people can see and take shots at the boiler! Probably better now than waiting for it to get close...[/OOC]

Murleena heard the noise, which caused her feline ears to twitch. It was time for the battle to be joined and start the fight she would.

That said she would step into the shadows and back out where the source of the sound was. If her quarry was there, she would strike out at him with both of her claws!

[OOC]First she's Shadowporting up to the sound. If she can see the source, she'll port behind him.

Then she's going to slash him, a swipe from one of her claws.

23:40, Today: Murleena rolled 5 (with 1 body) using 3 with the Hero (Champions) system with rolls of 1, 1, 3.  Claw Attack OCV 7.

23:50, Today: Murleena rolled 4 body damage and 4 stun using the Hero 6th Edition, Killing Attack system with rolls of 3, 1, 1.  Claw damage if attack roll isn't crit.]

"The cat's in charge? Huh..." Rosa is a little surprised at that. She looks out at the trees for a few moments wondering if she should send Tylluan to go help her, but then she decides he will be much more effective here picking off the common soldiers. If Murleena gets into too much trouble then hopefully she can make it back here for support.

She turns to the captured engineer. There is only one thing more she wants to know. She asks, "The thing that flashed in the market place – what did it look like?"

--

Rosa ducks and holds onto her hat when she sees the wall of wind rushing towards her, but it still hits her hard and knocks the breath from her lungs. She thinks, 'what the hell was that? What the hell are we up against?' For a few long moments she wonders why the hell she is helping these people and if they are even worth saving. Then she sees Light Vessel launch into battle without a second thought. "Oh bugger it," she says as she stands up, adjusts her hat, and dusts herself off.

She surveys the scene, then looks up at the hooded figure in the trees. She shouts out, "IS THAT ALL YOU'VE GOT? COME ON YOU BASTARD, COME AND GET ME!" There's not much more she can do except shout – he's too far away to shoot.

She stands there for a few moments looking like an obvious target, then she gets to work. She runs  forward about a dozen metres and secures one her bombs in the ground. She attaches a ripcord to it, then she spools out the cord as she heads back to where she was before. She then waits, shooing away anybody that gets too close to her bomb.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:07, Sat 25 Mar 2023.

In reply to Atlas Blue GM (msg # 36):

Well in that case, save the above actions for later, Light will try and either stay out of sight and creep closer to the metal boiler thing as unseen as possible for the next few rounds, while keeping Eye-Catcher TK20 handy in case he can yoink any friendlies he thinks are about to be targeted by the enemy out of harms way as best he can.

The previous actions can be for if he is finally within 18-32m range of the boiler, and then still close in from there to keep range penalties low to non existent.

Tylluan lets out a loud screech of pain as the unseen force slams into him. A disadvantage of having wings is a wide surface area that is easy to catch. What in the name of the Four Winds was THAT? Magic? Some weapon?

He takes a moment to assess things. The captain seems uninjured. The priest looks like he caught more of whatever hit us than I did. A quick flex of his wings assures him he can still fly, though he lets out a short warble of pain as his right wing protests. He sees the robed person standing atop the trees and hisses. "Another annoying priest. Is he the one who did this?"

Tylluan's attention is caught by the lightning glare on the metal shell of the construct as it tears through the trees. That thing needs to be stopped. I don't think a building or wall in this village could withstand it. And if it reaches the docks it could wreck the ships and leave me... us... stranded. Should I suggest to the captain that we retreat to the ship and cast off? No. She seems the sort to involve herself in derring-do and all of that rot. I suppose I have no choice but to help. Perhaps one of the fishing nets could tangle it long enough to be subdued.

Suiting deed to the thought, Tylluan launches himself into the air, if a bit graceless thanks to the pain in his wing. He swings about and heads for the area of the docks where the villagers normally dry their nets. I am an entertainer, not a warrior. I should retreat and wait for the outcome of this fight, but if the captain and the others lose I doubt these annoying priests will be willing to overlook whatever small part I've played in upsetting their plans up until now.

Rosa's momentary questioning and doubts were cast aside by Light's boldness.  He was moving wards as the boiler reaches the edge of the trees, lashing out with his flash... it washes over the boiler.  Has it been blinded?  Light isn't sure... but in either case, it topples over the edge of the last of the trees its pushing through, actually spilling out in a tumble into the clearing.  The clear stretch between it and the town's wall.

Murleena, hearing the burst of wind, lashes up into the air... lashing out at the figure up on the tree!  The lynx, Allister, which both Murleena and Rosa realize... as Murleena leaps up to him.  Rosa thinks quick, shouting for the cloaked figure to try and catch his attention!

Perhaps it was this distraction that let Murleena shoot up next to him, catching Allister by surprise.  His arm goes up reflexively, and Murleena feels her claws cut into something hard... then into his arm, and more that his side.  There was blood and a scream, and Murleena sees him topple.

But both cats land on their feet.  Allister has a deep cut going through his robes and into his side.  Falling out his arms, Murleena sees something strange, a kind of metal cylinder with a weird mess of tubes, cleanly cut through by her claws.  Even stranger, though, is the way it began to evaporate into the air!

"N...NO!! NO!"  He screeches.  More than the deep cut in his side though, he was clutching the ruins of the... thing, which rapidly began to smoke and disappear.

"What in the world?"  Moft starts to whisper... then he calls out.  "'ware the wall!"

The boiler was on the move.

---

Bleeding but alive and unmaimed, Allister lashes out with his foot.

Allister was fast, as a lynx earthfoot would be... but he was more priest than warrior for sure!  The agile Murlina dodges the swipe of his foot.

Rosa manages to dash out and start to place one of her bombs.  Even as she starts setting it into the ground, Tylluan has grabbed one of the nets... and people from the town are pushing up boards of wood to try and help blockade the wall just a little bit more.  Others have long poles, and others nets...

But unlike them, Tylluan takes to the air.  Despite the pain, he smoothly maneuvers towards the boiler...

Which had lumbered forwards again... coincidentally towards Rosa as she finished her bomb placement.  Her withdrawl is going to be a bit more quick than a walk as it begins to lumber forwards!

[OOC]As a reminder, I am assuming characters won't reduce someone below 1 body unless they explicitly want to!  Just a generous ruling since I wanted the setting to be less about killing the way dnd usually is.

Light had to hold his attack but managed it as the boiler arrived (a held action perhaps?)  So he hadn't got his second shot off.

At least not yet![/OOC]

Light squinted through his one human eye as he felt the rain hitting him out in the open. The island chef wasn't sure if the Sparkle was still in effect, but it may have worked given the boiler thing was now on the ground roughly 18 meters ahead of him.

Shifting the dry mix sack over his head dial's shoulder to keep it there while he used that hand to turn his dial, he switched to his Red Eye Lense, bringing everything in view through his Eye-Borg eye into sharper contrasts, white outlines occasionally marking points of interest, The Boiler, Rosa, the defenses, and so on, a variety of overlaid white lines predicting potential object paths. It was already ignoring each rain drop, filtering them out as unimportant for now.

He drew his Kitchen Knife with his other hand, so that he at least had something ready with which to attack or defend with, or cut open the sack.

Once armed, he switched lenses once more, this time to Violet/Purple, giving Light the power of Blink, the Eye-borg power that let him warp distances as if changing magnification actually pulled him closer or pushed him further away.

Only, for Light, it did.

To him, it was as if everything around him slowed down, when he used it, while he moved from his point of origin to that of his desired destination. Once finished, onlookers would see a brief flash of violet light and if their perception was quick enough, violet after shadows of him that quickly vanished behind him, like a split second conga train of after-images before they ended with him at the other end.

He chose a spot he hoped was out of immediate reach of the Boiler, about 5meters from it to the side, then launched into a mighty 6meter long horizontal charging cleave strike, before leaping backwards 6m to where he started the attack.*

*The charging and leaping back again is a special effect of his AoE line attack, based off <i>Blade Rush from Disgaea.</i>

OOC: Kind of like the Cyberpunk Edgerunners anime's super speed sequences, only with violet colored 'frames' of Light Vessel instead.

Phase 6 Light draws his Kitchen Knife with his free hand (the other hand is on his dial, while his bent arm is holding the sack of drymix over that shoulder), shifting his Eye-Borg multi to Focus (+2 Overall Levels) shifting his Battle Chef multi to Blade Rush. He keeps his other half action held in case he needs to block or dodge or dive for cover, ready to use his levels defensively either to improve Block or his DCV depending on what comes his way.

Phase 12 Light shifts his Eye-borg multi to Blink (Teleportation 30m), keeps his Battle Chef multi on Blade Rush, 1/2 Move teleports to the left side (or right, if Rosa is closer to the other side) of the Boiler, staying about 5m away from the Boiler's side, before unleashing his Blade Rush 6m long line AoE at the Boiler.

19:05, Today: Light Vessel rolled 8 using 3d6 ((3,1,4)). (Easily hits at least DCV7, more than enough to target an adjacent area (DCV 0))
19:17, Today: Light Vessel rolled 6 using 2d6+1 with rolls of 1,4.  Blade Rush HKA.
19:18, Today: Light Vessel rolled 2 using 1d3+1 with rolls of 1.  HKA STUNx roll. (sooo 6 BODY, 12 STUN)

Tylluan hauls the fishing net into the sky, straining his wings to lift the additional weight. He lets out a pained hoot as his right wing protests the additional load, but continues on with his task. I certainly hope this net will be sufficient to at least slow this clanking contraption enough for someone else to stop it completely. I am in no way a warrior, and I very much resent having to exert myself in this manner.

When he gets close enough to the lumbering mechanical beast, he'll swoop down fast enough to allow the net to spread out a bit before flinging it onto his target.

OOC:
Not sure how effective the net will be, so I'll just use a basic attack roll and let the gm decide what, if any, effect there is.
OCV: 5
18:59, Today: Tylluan rolled 6 using 3d6 ((4,1,1)).

Rosa scrambles to the top of the makeshift wall. She looks over her shoulder and sees that the Boiling Beast is closer than she thought. She doesn't panic though (not yet at least). She takes a quick look around to see where everybody is. She sees Tylluan swoop in, drop a net, then fly clear, and she sees Light make a very quick attack and retreat. She waits for her chance. Ideally she wants the Boiler directly over her mine, but she'll set it off it off only if it passes within a few metres of the mine, however, she won't set it off at all if anybody is within about 5 metres of it. She's not quite sure how powerful a blast it will be.

---

13:22, Today: Rosanhi the Red rolled 6 using 2d6.  Explosion. – 6
I think the best way to handle the damage is to say it loses 1 Body/metre.
I haven't rolled Stun. I'll let you figure that out. It's probably not relevant.

---

She's sort of satisfied with the bang, but it would have been nice if it was bigger.

[OOC]hee, I always thought of Light as a 'green lantern' type, but perhaps we should say its more spacebendy than light-construct.  That probably fits better...[/OOC]

As rain splatters down around them, the boiler's silvery bent legs slide against the dirt.  Here, where the forest cut off, was a mix of grass and worn-away dirt.  Light took this moment to move, using his lens to flash from one point to the next.  The battle chef brings out his blades, dashing past and slashing at the boiler's side.  Planted the way it is, it can't exactly move!

It's tough side does not look easy to cut.  There are scratches, but nothing deep.  The legs, however, were caught with his outrageously wide slash.  Cut into, the long limbs twitch, the thin metal showing cuts almost halfway through.

Weirdly, the limbs curl sideways, the flat metal almost shaping like half-pipes.  It's leg-limbs scramble... and tries to push its 'face' back upwards, out of the dirt.

--

Tylluan spots townsfolk with nets nearby - short work to grab a few and to take to the air.  It isn't hard to use, and with a short flight he's dropping his load from above!  Light sees the nets flop over the boiler, sliding along the surface (and catching against the pipes)... and then promptly tangles along its legs and 'knees'.  The limbs jerk and they catch against each other, effectively tied together!

It rocks, and falls to its side.

Rosa is treated to the sight of the boiler, its left legs bound together, is scraping across the ground.  It's free legs are pushing it forwards like a set of oars, causing it to list and turn like a wounded ship... while its bound ones are digging into the dirt, righting its turn with a long stubborn push... briefly.

Faceplanted, the thing is moving in an unsteady advance, grinding along the ground...

Into a 'boom'!  It rocks a bit, and Rosa can -hear- the parts rattling.  If its damaged, she can't tell... because its grinding into the dirt.  The explosion must have rattled its seals, because she can hear a faint noise coming from it... and its created a hole that it's 'face' is now stuck in.

Light watches as the net just falls from above, and then gazes upward briefly to see the Owlkind high above. Rosanhi detonates some kind of explosive shortly after the boiler writhes off, again startling the island Eye-Borg Battle Chef.

It almost looked like the trio had coordinated everything.

Now that the boiler was on its side and there was a net over it, Light finally had the traction needed for him to maybe not slide off when he initiated tonight's snack plans.

'First prepare the mixing bowl with sufficient water.' he says to himself now that the Boiler is down, as raindrops hit everyone, the monster machine included.

He Blinks over, seemingly super-speed hopping over the net to get to the top where he can see the water intake hole(s) and then uses his Kitchen Knife to slash open the dry mix bag and pour the dry ingredients of his first sack as best he can into the Boiler.
'Add dry ingredients into the water, until you reach a good ratio of water to dry mix. Use your own judgement for this.' His glowing purple/violet cyborg eye visible through the pouring rain.

OOC: Blink over atop the downed Boiler where he can start pouring his dry mix bag in (bag 1 at any rate). Next Phase if it hasn't KOed or Killed him, Blink back over to grab a new bag ready to repeat the process.

Attack roll if needed OCV 4 as he has Blink slotted.
00:21, Today: Light Vessel rolled 10 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,3,3.  Pour dry mix into Boiler roll.
Hoping it has a low DCV or halved for the net or something. Hit DCV 5 or less.

Rosa grins in satisfaction as her explosion goes off and the Boiler stumbles into the newly created crater. She then sees Light Vessel appear on top of the Boiler and carrying a big bag of flour in order to carry out his crazy plan. Why can't they just blow the thing up? Much more fun... She sighs. She figures he'll probably need an extra hand or two in order to open the valves and pour the flour in. And who knows? Maybe she will be able to slip in one of her own ingredients?

She dashes down the slope and makes a running jump up onto the boiler. "Hey. Need a hand?" She starts looking around for hatches to open or intake pipes into its interior.

Murleena looked towards the lynx-priest with a glare. "Lynx-priest upset Murleena's friend Mofty by taking his friends." She said with a firm tone and growl. "You may have gotten the better of me last time, but not this time." She then falls back into a nearby shadow, coming out of one behind him to claw at him once more!

Only once more to do the same thing, fall back into a shadow and come out behind him again and slash a claw into his back! "I do not like harming others, or fighting. But when I must, I will."

[OOC]For the turn I missed:
Murleena will step back into a shadow and come out behind him, and slash him in the back.
23:25, Today: Murleena rolled 9 (with 3 body) using 3 with the Hero (Champions) system ((3, 4, 2)). Claw Attack OCV 7.
23:27, Today: Murleena rolled 8 body damage and 8 stun using the Hero 6th Edition, Killing Attack system with rolls of 6, 2, 1.  Claw damage if attack roll isn't crit.

HIT DCV: 9
DAMAGE: 8B 8S


Fore the current turn:
Same move. She'll keep doing it until he learns to counter it.
23:28, Today: Murleena rolled 8 body damage and 8 stun using the Hero 6th Edition, Killing Attack system with rolls of 6, 2, 1.  Claw Attack OCV 7.
23:29, Today: Murleena rolled 7 body damage and 7 stun using the Hero 6th Edition, Killing Attack system with rolls of 3, 4, 1.  Claw damage if attack roll isn't crit.

HIT DCV: 10
DAMAGE: 7B 7S[/OOC]

Tylluan watches the fishing net slither over the surface of the mechanical creature, before finally finding purchase and entangling some of the legs. "Hah! How's THAT for improvisation?" he hoots derisively. Emboldened by his success, he pivots on a wingtip and swoops around behind the stricken machine, looking for other enemies that might be lurking. Now then, let's see where the other annoying priests are.

His sharp eyes pick out where Murleena and the other cat are engaged in combat but he lets them have their space. I'll stay out of their way, but there may be more of his allies who don't have my sense of fair play. Tylluan silently glides above the trees, looking for potential trouble.

Light Vessel 'battle chef's' himself over to the surface of the boiler.  Almost immediately he can feel the slickness of the coppery-surface of the boiler under him, and his hands and feel scramble for the netting and surface features.  Bag under-arm, he manages to hold on, and begins to search for the intake.  Rain streaks over the surface as his eyes search for the opening he was sure was here...

But it was Rosa who gets ahold of it.



Coming at it fresh and from a distance, she spots the pipe used for the water intake.  It looks like there's a 'shutoff' valve of some kind, and prying it open takes a moment.  Longer than a moment... getting the flour down into the pipe!

The boiler rocks beneath them.  Half its legs are tangled and cut, and its others seem partly pinned under its bulk.  Injured as it was, the dern thing still struggling!  The strength and weight of the thing made it dangerous... but it couldn't do much more than thrash!

----

Up on the wall, everyone can hear the townsfolk shout, and sacks of rock and sand flop heavily on the near side of the wall to Rosa and Light.  "What can we do down there?"  They can hear Moft hollaring, peering down from the wall.  "Need a wheelbarrow down there?"  Someone else shouts.

--

Savagery and snarls were the cats at play.  Blood flickers up as she manages to deliver two wounds on him, his response only a flick of a cut.

[OOC]She takes 2 stun after defenses.[/OOC]

Her shadow-strategy keeps him on edge, a constant manoeuvering that earned her several deep cuts!  Yowling, he curses... and launches away from her!

She can see him race for the walls of the city, over the flat expanse...

And heading for Rosa, Light, and the boiler!

--

Wheeling in the air, Tylluan catches the sight of the boiler, tangled, down, and still bonking around.  The big metal thing really put up a fight!  The cats were at it, flashing back and forth, well enough a warning for anyone who wanted to get close...

Peering around, he looked for anything else.  Nothing... except, he notes, a flash of light.  Fromn the shoreline?  There was someone there... a good mile or so out.  Faint flashes in a series... it's almost enough to distract him from the sight below.

Below, one of the cats breaks off, racing for Rosa and Light...

Tylluan clicks his beak thoughtfully as he circles overhead. Not seeing more priests, he banks into a turn and heads toward the flashing lights. Other than that cat priest and that monstrosity, I'm not seeing much in the way of attacking priests. Perhaps they're up to some other mischief over there. I wouldn't put it past them to have something else that's as dangerous as that thing. Best to find out now, before anything else occurs.

He flaps his wings to gain a little more altitude, making a small, pained sound in his throat. The captain and the others have a whole town of people with them. They'll be fine.

In reply to Tylluan (msg # 51):

Light smiles at Rosanhi's pitching in to help him find the intake earlier, then raises his eyebrow when she seems to spot someone headed their way at speed.

'Is that what the cat man looks like?' he asks idly as he does his best to keep the sack emptying its mix into the currently downed Boiler.

'Take his reservation or suggest he leave.' he says, staying put.

One hand goes to his head dial to switch to Eye-Lash just in case.

OOC: Light stays put, and keeps pouring. If Lynx Guy tries to attack/charge him then (if he's close enough) will consider using his Eye-Lash EB on him, as long as it looks like he won't harm anyone else doing it, but ONLY if it looks like the others are having a hard time fighting him.

If he runs out of dry mix he will Blink at Non-Combat 'speed' towards the next sack.

Murleena growls low and quickly launches after the Lynx-Priest in full burst of speed! "Get back here! I am not through with you!" Her goal was to stop him, tackle him and then continue to claw him until he surrendered.

[OOC: Murleena will chase the lynx-priest and if she gets close enough to him, tackle him to the ground.]

Rosa stands up straight on top of the rocking boiler and easily keeps her balance; just like she does on her ship in a storm. She spies the cat racing  towards them, swiftly followed by Murleena. She shrugs and says to Light, "I guess that's him. Right fast bugger, ain't he? Ok, you stay here and I'll go see what he wants."

She takes a few quick steps along the bucking boiler, then jumps and somersaults off the back off it. She stays down on one knee as she draws her pistol. She takes her time as she adjusts the dial on her dragon pistol. She then takes careful aim, takes her deep breath, bides her time for him to get into the ideal range, then she lets him have it with all 4 barrels. It's only afterwards that she thought about telling to stop. Oh well, it was only powder; it's not like there was any shrapnel in it.

---

Set and brace? Hey, why not?
+1 OCV, +2 OCV to offsets range mods, ½ DCV.
+1 overall skill levels on OCV,
+2 weapon skill levels on OCV...
10OCV, 3DCV
Full bore damage (4 charges) 10d6 normal

Rosanhi the Red rolled 9 using 3d6.  Attack. – 9
Rosanhi the Red rolled 32 using 10d6 with rolls of 5,4,4,1,2,3,3,3,1,6. – 32

Hit DCV 12
Damage 9 Body 32 Stun. normal damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Mon 17 Apr 2023.

Tylluan maneuvers overhead, sweeping past the conflict below him.  Nervewracking scene aside, he was on the lookout for more trouble.  Shoving the battle below out of his mind, he wheels about and heads for the shore light...

--

With a dashing lynx closing in, Light readies himself to intercept.  Not to defend, but to try and interrupt the charge... a difficult feat, but an effective one!  But it was only a last resort for him - he was focused on disabling the boiler, pouring flour right in.

Rosa has the time.  Landing onto the steadier ground with flourish, she takes a moment to get careful aim...

While Murleena launches after the Lynx-Priest in pursuit!  The furfoot, seeing Rosa lowering her gun to aim... hurdles himself to the side, aborting his attempt to rush the boiler!  He dashes away from her and Murleena, now headed in a broad semi-circle.  A semi-circle that would take him at the town wall...

Even from behind him, Murleena can hear him cursing up a storm!  She launches at him as Rosanhi fires... and catches the evasive bastard in the side!  He spins, bleeding and stunned... and is hastily tackled!  He goes down with a yowl and a grunt.

--

Beneath Light, the boiler begins to rumble... then hiss.  It takes only a moment to realize the water is being absorbed... spiking up the heat!  Less water, means the water is boiling!  He can also smell burnt flour... but as much as a concern as steam begins to hiss louder!  Some begins to sneak back up through the pipe, threatening to scald the Eyeborg.  The thing rocks and moves beneath him... but it begins to slow.  Slow, slower...

------

Sweeping overhead, Tylluan finds the light finishes flashing.  But by then he already can tell what's out there - another priest, in a robe and carrying what looks to be a hand lamp of some kind.  Beyond it, across the water, is the distant priest ship.  It's mobile!  The ship flashes light back, briefly.

Whatever was afoot?  Tylluan approaches... and to his surprise, the priest ship begins to slowly turn away, heading westward.  Leaving the island, and Faqu, behind...

Murleena stays atop of the lynx priest, allowing her claws to sink in just enough for him to feel the pain and know that if he so much as moves she will claw the crap out of him. "Do not move. You have been beaten. Surrender."

Light feels the boiler begin to try and get up again, and sees his baking plan might be bearing fruit so to speak.

He switched his lens once again to Shut-Eye and aimed to have it attach/cover the intake as he hops off the machine.

OOC: Shut-Eye Force Wall Bubble wotsit, over the intake opening to try and keep it sealed. It doesn't have Life Support: Self Contained or anything, but maybe the rDEF can at least keep any boiling water/burning dough from spraying over Light.

19:05, Today: Light Vessel rolled 10 using 3d6 ((2,6,2)). (Hits DCV 5 or less)
Shut-Eye: Barrier 3 PD/3 ED, 0 BODY (up to 2m long, 2m tall, and 1/2m thick), Dismissable, Opaque Sight Group

Light will leave the metallic bubble shape there for now, and dodge if need be in his following phase.

Tylluan watches as the ship begins to make way, leaving the priest on the shore. Now this seems suspicious. If these annoying priests are leaving, shouldn't they all be aboard? I can't see them actually wanting to stay here unless they know their fellows will be returning for them.

Taking advantage of his silent flying abilities, he lands behind the priest on the shore. "I am curious. Where is that ship going and why aren't you on it, along with the rest of your annoying bretheren?"

Rosa stands up and brushes herself off. She looks over her shoulder to see what the state of the boiler is, then she reloads her pistol as she walks over to Murleena and the priest. "You better do as she says, Allister. Are you going to surrender, or are you dying here today?"

"Agh!"  Allister flinches as Murleena pushes her claws into him.  He tenses, but then slowly relaxes as he sees Rosa reloading and approaching him.  He gets quiet, his head drooping to rest against the ground.  She could tell he was guarded... but he was not going to attempt to move.  At least, not while she was literally getting watched in two different ways.

"I'll... I'll keep."  Allister says, his ear flicking at the noises the boiler was beginning to make.  But he was a fair distance away still, as was Murleena.

Light was more than on it - he hops clear easily enough, wrapping it in his lens - was it 'hardlight', or something weirder?  Even he didn't know.  He casually watches as it hisses, splashes, and steams... and smells of burnt flour.  The boiler stills... and the steam and sputtering ends quickly.

The dough was cooking, or rather probably cooked... bread was on the menu?

----

Tylluan silently slips down, landing easily.  As he arrived, the priest just shuffles on the shore, wrapping up the lantern.  He hears a sigh... then a sharp gasp at Tylluan's sudden words.  They spin around, raising their fists... and stops.  "MMmm?!!  ...Oh, you're... the Tytonian?"  They peek up at his face, and shakes their head.  "Oh.  Yeah.  I told them 'things done, go on'."  There was a bit of an awkward shuffling again.

"We fixed things enough.  It'll limp for a while, but they'll get on.  Allister and Allifet can squat on the shore for all they care."  ...Which doesn't actually answer Tylluan's question...

In reply to Atlas Blue GM (msg # 60):
After confirming that Allister is restrained by the ladies, and the Boiler is down for the count, Light dismisses the current active Shut-Eye globe, switches to Blink and goes back and forth gathering more sacks of dry mix to feed into the Boiler and something to help stir the dough, and once cooked, extract it, even if it means cutting the thing open (through an assortment of trial and error using his Battle Chef options).

While he has questions, he reckons they'll be what the Captain asks the Lynx Man while he sets about turning the Boiler into a Faqu Community Oven (at least temporarily).

Murleena flips the Lynx over, and ties his arms behind his back quite adeptly. "Murleena doesn't like those that prey on the weak." Then she stands him up. "Come on. Allister is going back to town." Then with Rose to watch her back she marches him back to town.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:38, Mon 24 Apr 2023.

As she waits for Murleena to finish tying up Allister, Rosa looks over her shoulder and sees that the Boiler seems to be hissing its last breath of steam. She chuckles as she sees Light pour more flour into it, shakes er head and leaves him She leaves him to it. She looks around the open field and out to the edge of the forest. She's half expecting enemy reinforcements to burst forth from the woods.

Once Allister is tied up and they're heading back to town, Rosa asks him, "Where's the rest of your crew? What was the plan here? A desperate dash to town to achieve... what?"

Tylluan tilts his head sideways, in an unsettling way, as he regards the priest with his golden eyes. "Does that mean they won't be returning? If so, why did you not join them?" He swivels his head upright and stares at the retreating vessel. Have we really resolved this predicament? It seems a bit... anticlimactic... considering the flurry of preparation and planning that went into responding to the threat.

He looks at the priest again. "Are there more of you remaining? If so, where are they?"

Murleena begins to tie Allister up.  She feels him tense, then relax... he's not nearly so experienced, and he lets out a surprised yowl as she pulls on the rope.  From there, she begins to really go to work.

While he's being bound up, Light Vessel tends to the boiler.  From the looks of it, the water is wholly being used up... and he has more work in keeping his bread from burning!  As rain hisses off the surface of the boiler, he gets to work... already, he thinks he's going to have a satisfying amount of breadroll out of this.

At Rosa's first question, he just scoffs a little bit.  But the rest of it seemed to be too much insult for him to bare in silence.

"To... retrieve the items you stole, and to obtain a secondary craft.  The artifacts in my bag were precious, and your thief took them during the attack on our vessel!"  He mentions nothing of the kidnappings, of course.  Go figure.

He was absolutely out of luck.  From the looks of things to Rosa, he was caught far too quickly than he was capable of expecting... great arrogance.  Which fit the pattern of kidnappings and, well... just about everything else.

-------------

The priest looks back at Tylluan.  "Returning?  Well, Allifet still thinks there'll be a ship for him once he's done.  There-"  A delicate cough.  "-must have been some confusion.  The ship is leaving because they were just told by Allister-!"  The priest stops sudden.  "Allister is using the Boiler Specter to make a run on the town!  He's going to try and seize the ship and force the crew.  You have to warn them he's on his way."

Tylluan slowly blinks at the priest as he digests this latest information. I know absolutely nothing about battles or combat, but even I know that is a terrible plan. These priests really are imbeciles.

"I'm afraid your clanking contraption has been dealt with, thanks in no small part to myself, I might add." he says, puffing up his breast. Tylluan leans forward until his formidable beak is only inches in front of his captive, while he spreads his impressive wings to overshadow him. "Now, you will accompany me back to the village. I will carry you in my claws, so as to not run into any of your brethern who may have been foolish enough to remain."

Light does his best to salvage as much of the dough from the Boiler as he can, careful to cover the thing's water intake so it can't revive once again what with all the rain.

'Get some people to guard it too, in case some of the High Light try to sneak in and reactivate it.' he suggests to Molf.

In the meantime, the Battle Chef Eye-Borg gets out the fry bread and starts cutting it into lengths to serve to the people of Faqu (after taste testing it for worthiness and flavor first, if it doesn't meet his expectations he dumps it and offers to start fresh with an actual cooking setup instead).

"Murleena knew their importance, figured they were why you were here, why you were taking people, why you were looking around the area. That's why she took them." Murleena said at Allister's words. "Murleena wants to know what it is Allister and his friends are looking for on Fa'qu besides what she took. Tell." She demanded as she hefted him up and led him back to town.

Rosa listens to the reason why Allister launched the attack, then just shakes her head and chuckles. "Oh, the irony. You stole people from us, and then we stole them back from you, plus a little extra for our troubles," she adds with a grin. "Don't you see that none of this would have happened if you just asked for help?" She starts getting angry. She pokes him the chest as she lectures him. "But no, instead you just came here and took, and now you're complaining about us taking things from you! Well, the islanders here might just take your life. What do you think of that!?"

She nods at Murleena's question. She's interested in the answer, but the smell of bread is distracting her. She looks around and tries to spot Moft. If she spots him, she has a word with him: "Where can we lock this guy up for a few days? And what's justice around here?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:10, Mon 01 May 2023.

The priest visibly relaxes a bit.  "Oh, that's good.  Allister's dangerous though.  An entitled and violent man.  Not exactly smart, either."  Their eyes go to the broad-winged motion, and nods.  They look warily at the claws though... he can almost see them wince a little.

------------

Allister scowls at Murleena as she starts hefting him up, but his attention turns to Rosa.  "We... borrowed two, but then- there were people near the dock."  He grouses.  He doesn't even seem to think anything wrong of 'borrowing'... and hasn't even acknowledged asking for help!

"I- kill me?"  He growls, and struggles at the bonds again.  "Surely you are joking.  The- the trouble it would cause, executing a high-ranking member of the builder fleet!" He growls at Rosa.

Moft, meanwhile, steps up slowly, a person from the island carrying an armful of netting alongside him.  "We got a strong cell.  Good manacles too.  Not the first time we've had to lock up pirates."  There was an irritated sniff from Allister.  "We'll send for contact nearby... but I doubt anyone will object to locking him up.  Keeping him locked.  Doghelm might take him in a few weeks or so.  It's a bit early in the year, but a ship comes by with the spring."

Moft was scratching his furry chin, eyeing Allister.

Who was flicking his ears and eyeing Murleena again.  "Bishop Allifet's the scholar.  But we often investigate underwater ruins..."

Light continues to cook.  Bread is becoming quite cooked!  He can also spot the form of Tylluan on the way, carrying someone...

Tylluan clicks his beak a couple of times. "Don't worry. If I can play my instruments with my claws, I can most certainly carry you without harm. As long as you don't struggle." He keeps his wings open and raised as he sidesteps around his captive until he's directly behind them. "Now, stand still and this will soon be over."

Tylluan gives his wings a strong downward flap that raises him into the air. He grasps the shoulders of the priest in his talons and continues flapping until he's above the trees, then directs his flight back toward the village. Why do I do these sorts of things? Carrying heavy priests; hauling fishing nets; pulling boats. It's all quite wearing. Tulluan clicks his beak again. Perhaps the villagers will be grateful enough to treat me to another feast. I'm already famished again and could do with something to eat and drink.

When he returns to the village, Tylluan will release his captive near the captain and the others. "Here you are, Captain; another priest. He's been fairly cooperative so far, so he should pose no threat."

"Ahh, Tylluan, excellent job, most excellent," says Rosa, full of praise for the proud bird. "And who do we have here?" she says addressing the new prisoner. She takes a guess; "Allifet?"

"Moft, can you send some people with Murleena and help her escort these two prisoners to your jail? Tylluan, would you awfully mind flying around in a circuit and see if there are any more of them out there? Then we can rest easy and continue with our feast – this time with extra bread!" She gives Light the thumbs up. "In the meantime, I'm off to make sure the ship, and the harbour, are fine."

She heads off at a jog to her ship. If everything is fine, she'll climb the crow's nest, take out her telescope, and scan the horizon.

"Oof.  Hm?  Allifet?  What?"  The priest asks, staring blankly at Rosa.  Even Allister glances over, but his ears just flick and he pulls idly at his ropes.  The new face just gives Allister a wary glance, watching the ropes move.  They barely glance at the boiler, but their eyes almost never leave the lynx-man.

Moft nods at what Rosa says, scurrying back and whistling towarsd the wall.  "Bring chains!  Manacles and everything!"  More people were moving behind the wall.

The new priest looks over at Rosa in surprise.  "There's a couple in the forest... we were trying to figure out what to do with the boiler, but Allister wanted it to... help him take a ship."  The priest shakes their head quick.  "Allifet's east of here still.  He's only interested in the ruin site.  But he thinks there's still a ship ready to take him back after Allister gets the relics back... he's going to be upset."  The priest pauses, looking up in thought.

There was a flick of Allister's ears, and he growls loudly.  Then yowls in surprise as Moft bonks him in the knee with the metal edge of his shield.  "Agh, you!"

"Why so interested in these ruins? Why take people for that reason? What does the trinkets have to do with them? Murleena doesn't understand, but wants to know why." She said as she yanked on Allister's rope a bit to get his attention. "Explain." The last word coming out in a tone with a bit more force then one may want to hear from a shadow cat with very sharp claws who is clearly getting very tired of the lack of details.

Tylluan looks at the captain. "If the rest of those priests are thinking they have a way off this island, they are quite mistaken. I saw lights while I was soaring above and followed them to the beach where this priest was. According to him, the rest of the priests have taken their ship and are sailing back to where they came from." He shrugs his wings. "Whether they'll return I don't know, but it may be that they're cutting their losses on this trip. All that remains is to find the rest that are left and bring them in. It may be they'll surrender once they find out there is no other way off this island except to deal with the village."

Rosa was going to rush off and check on her ship, but she changes her mind after hearing that the priest's ship is sailing away. She sticks with the group since they're heading back to town anyway, though she does encourage them to walk a bit faster.

She perks up her pointy ears when Murleena asks about the ruins. Most interesting. She adds some basic questions: "Yes. Who built them, and how long ago?"

Allister snorts at the question. "The relics?  It's part of our holy purpose... and Bishop Allifet is in charge of THIS particular excursion.  Even"  There was an uncomfortable shuffling from the other priest, who nods towards Rosa and whispers.  "Uh, the 'Light's' Bishops are higher than any of the Deacons..."  ...not as though Rosa would know!

The priest Tylluan brought bobs their head at the tyt's words.  "There's more with Allifet.  Most of the people here... aren't combatants.  Allister's part of the army.  Er, Damasto's."  Brown eyes peek up at the owl-man again, but mostly their eyes are on Allister.  The lynx-foot growls lowly, squirming harder in his restraints... but Murleena is able to keep him still with her claws.  Moft even was tense, holding up a metal rod with a bumpy end towards Allister's knee menacingly.

And nets are promptly thrown over the entire lot.  Murleena, Allister, Moft are covered in them, standing as they are.  Even Allister blinks.  Moft takes a moment before he starts chuckling.

A clanking sound arrives as townsfolk start catching up with chains and manacles.

Murleena can hear him mutter "traitor..." Under his breath as manacles are affixed securely.  Even then, the priest's eyes don't move away.

The other priest shakes off whatever was keeping them tense as Allister is lead off... and looks up at Rosa finally.  Brown eyes peek at her face from under the cowl.  "Oh... the ruins at Faq'u?  I'm not sure.  There's a lot of ruins throughout the Aifla and Belka - most date to early settlement drives from Tronsket or Piquo, but there are further ruins under the water that are even older..."  ...almost like they were reading back a memory from a history class.

Rosa does remember some market goods from divers and treasure hunters before - Rosa always had better luck selling and buying staple goods when it came to money, but a number of 'try your luck' adventurers tried to find old ruins and old treasures along the shoreline... and under it.

"For Army person, Murleena does not think Alister is to tough." She said matter of factly.

"Murleena does not understand why a bunch of priests want these ruins, or any ruins. Normally people go to ruins with a purpose. Adventurers go for treasure, archeologists go for history, then you have those that go because they heard something in them can do something bad. There is always some reason to go to them. Murleena is thinking you guys fall into that last group, because you kidnap, and have all these weird things." She says looking towards Allister, and the other Priest.

Rosa is puzzled. She nods at what Murleena says, then adds, "Relics as a holy purpose? How does that work? Are the relics actually divine?"

She ignores the comment about church hierarchy, but she's interested to find out that Allister is part of the army. But what army? "Damasto's … army? What do you mean by that?"

She's interested in what the priest says about the ruins. She's certainly going to have to ask him more about that later, but at the moment she's still concerned about the other priests still loose on the island. She asks him, "What do you think Bishop Allifet is going to do when he finds out his ship has left and his cat has been caught? What type of man is he? Arrogant and bossy, or kind and caring?"

In reply to Rosanhi the Red (msg # 79):

Light cuts and distributes the bread to whoever wants some, leaving some for himself and his fellow crew and passengers for last (as they seem occupied with the Lynx Man and a new face he likely doesn't recognize without the High Light outfit (if he even wears one).

He keeps watch/lends a hand with arranging means to keep the Boiler (-Spectre) from recovering, even if it means burying the thing and keeping any (rain) water from getting in.

As handy as it might be to discover a way to control or befriend the steam golem like thing, he errs on the side of public safety til they figure something else out.

Tylluan watches things unfold, with the cat priest being securely manacled and taken away on the one hand, and the ship's cook standing near the mechanical crab... thing. Is he... serving food? Where in the world did he get that? Also, is this really the time for that sort of thing? His stomach growls as he watches. Perhaps some food would be advisable. My people become hungry faster when we're active and I have certainly been active tonight. Tylluan sighs. That feast seems like only a memory now. And I was SO enjoying myself.

Tylluan swivels his head around to make sure nothing drastic is impending. He clears his throat as he addresses the captain. "Since things seem to be under control for the moment, I am going to find something to eat and drink. All of this strenuous activity has made me quite hungry."

"Of course, of course!" Rosa says to Tylluan.  "I'm hungry too. There must be some leftovers from the feast. Go grab something to eat and have a rest, then perhaps you could have another scout around? There are still some priests out there... though I doubt they will try anything else tonight. You might as well just rest. I think in the morning we need to send out some foot parties and round up the stragglers. Does that sound good to you, Moft?"

Murleena's words certainly cut into Allister, who looks more sulky and simmery by the minute.  The other priest though just bobs their head a bit, and then looks to Rosa.  "It's more the opposite.  ...'They' think of anything like them as dangerous.  Too dangerous to be left in anyone 'else's' hands."  There was no taking that tone as anything but disapproval.

"...Our mission was 'supposed' to be to build Lighthou- er, libraries, and 'churches'.  And vaults, of a sort."  The priest folds their arms and shuffles slightly.  "...They... are supposed to do whatever they can to recover 'dangerous' relics though.  And information.  For the 'libraries'... or so it is said."

As Rosa continues to ask questions, Light works on making the bread.  Both the outside and inside of the boiler looks clean - not corroded the way an old boiler would.  Then again, this thing did smack of the unusual - in more than one way.  It was specifically the interior - the core water chamber and the chamber where fuel/fire burns looks like some sort of circular orb inside the rest of the boiler structure.  The fuel and water feed into it from a secondary compartment that filled up with flour... and exhausted what water there was inside.

As Murleena, Moft, and several Faq'u villagers pull Allister away (presumably heading for whatever holding cell they have for him), a few more villagers stay nearby with chains and manacles for the other priest.

Meanwhile, Rosa's questions haven't stopped.  The priest she was talking to is focusing on describing Allifet at the moment...  "Aloof.  He's... arrogant, but patient.  He's not like Allister... but he's a, er, fanatic.  He was fine with kidnapping a couple of people out of the town.  Less so with how many Allister grabbed off the docks, but... he's relentless.  But obsessed right now with that ruin... and he's not well armed.  I think."

When the talkative priest explains why they are hunting for relics, Rosa chuckles and says, "Ahh, too dangerous for others but not for themselves. I get it." She turns to Allister and says, "Well Allister, I'm sure you can appreciate the irony of us locking you up because we deem you to be too dangerous. Why don't you dwell on that while awaiting your fate."

Rosa listens as the priest describes She notices the Allifet, then she notices the villages hanging around with chains in their hands and wondering what to do. She's not going to tell the villagers what to do with their prisoners, but she might nudge them a little... "Moft, I don't think this priest... um, what's your name? I don't think he is any threat. He wasn't involved in the attack and he has been most cooperative. I don't think he needs to be chained up in a cell ... but it's up to you. What is your justice system around here?"
This message was last edited by the player at 08:02, Sat 13 May 2023.

Tylluan turns and struts away, heading back toward the festival area. I wonder. Are all adventures like this? When I envisioned my parting from my dreary homeland, and subsequent experiences, there were no storms, incompetent captains, annoying priests, or bodily injury involved. I was anticipating pleasant voyages, fine food and drink in various ports of call. Perhaps a bit of sightseeing, to give me inspiration to write in my journals. This current captain seems competent, even brave, but she also seems to enjoy sticking her nose into troubles that don't concern her. We should have left port and put this uninspiring bit of land behind us.

In the festival area, Tylluan will strut among the tables, pausing to sample different foods by the simple expediency of flipping them up with his beak and bolting them down. I must admit, the food is tasty. A difficult feat, considering my people have only begun to embrace the concept of 'flavor' in the last century or so.

If there are any townsfolk still present in the area he will call out to them. "You there. I seem to have misplaced my drinking vessel. Be so good as to pour a flagon or two of wine into my mouth."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:14, Sat 13 May 2023.

"Why would Alister take so many of Mofty's friends?" Murleena asked Alistar as she walked along with them. "Priest's, churches, stuff like that are always supposed to be good. Church always gave Murleena food while she was a little kit living on the streets."

Tylluan goes off in search of food and drink.  While he stews on his experiences, of course.  His idea of adventure... and the reality of it?  Very different from reality.

That is troubling to be sure.  How is this journey of his going to go, if this is the sort of thing that happens along the way?

...Still, the food was good.  Someone looks up at his request, wandering over to share his drink.  Another pauses as they gather up food.  "Hey... you are injured?"  People start looking over, and the weathered man talking to Tylluan lets out a whistle.  "Where's the doc?  He got any salves?"

Well, at least they noticed his effort!

-----

"Bel... Bel Miron."  The priest says, brown eyes peeking out from their hood.  They look, and sound, fairly young.

Allister doesn't spare Rosa a glance... he is sulking, for sure.

And well-chained.  Between Moft, the chains, and Murleena, they were making sure he was being marched off well-restrained and escorted.

The rest of the villagers look among each other, and then one speaks up.  "If you wear the chains, you're free to move around for now.  With escort, sorry.  And sorry, but we'll have to check you for weapons."  Bel just nods, a grateful look being cast towards Rosa?  That must have been the expression, but it was hard to tell.

"For justice... it's lockup.  Until we get in touch with Doghelm.  But otherwise our town's leadership will figure it out."  It looks like two of the villagers are staying around with the priest, while the rest are moving to back up Moft and Murleena...

--

Allister doesn't say anything to Murleena's question at first.  Moft grumbles quietly.  Finally, the lynx looks down at Murleena and scoffs a bit.  "Our purpose is an important one.  Most of the villagers were... accidents, and necessary to keep things quiet while we got the ship off the dock."  Moft growls a little but says nothing as Allister mutters.  "We only wanted the old shop owner... and the diver.  We ended up with... inappropriate captures."  Inappropriate was a word.  As was a completely bungled kidnapping.

"Anyway, week or so later, after the Recovery... we'd have left them on the far end of the island.  With some rations."  He adds hastily as Moft idly taps his hammer against the leg of his own armor.

...It didn't seem like Allister had anything more to say after that, and it wasn't long before they were led to a heavy, stone looking building... half sunk into the ground, it looked sturdy at least.  Practically a storehouse or cellar.  Or perhaps it had been.

--

It left Rosa with a last detail or two.  It seemed as though Allifet was up a creek, if what Bel Miron said was true.  On a shore with minimal support and supplies.

But of course, anything like that could be left for later...

[OOC]Any other actions before I kick things to the next day?[/OOC]

Rosa stops lecturing and gloating over Allister; she's had her fun there and she leaves him to his fate. She takes another look at Bel Miron, bending down a little so she can see the priest's face under their hood. She's wondering if the priest is actually a priestess. "I'll check for weapons," she says, "Though I doubt this priest has any."

Rosa hs no other plans for the rest of the night, besides eating, drinking and relaxing, and if the priest turns out to be interesting, talking to them.

In reply to Rosanhi the Red (msg # 88):

After finally finishing up with cooking, serving, cleaning used dishes and cutlery, burying/securing the Boiler and checking on defenses, Light catches up with the Captain to see what has been going on while he's been feeding the folks.

'So what've I missed? Anything important?' he says, as he looks about.

Upon finally seeing that Ty brought back a new face, he looks to the Captain to see if he can read what her intent is.

Tylluan's mood begins to lighten once he has food and drink in front of him again. After downing a bottle of wine he sighs. "Good food and drink are truly one of life's greatest pleasures. I think the world would be a happier place if people didn't settle for mere sustenance and survival."

At the villager's question he raises his injured wing, letting out a pained sound as he does. "Ah, yes. That... that explosion, whatever it was, damaged my wing. It's not life-threatening by any means but quite uncomfortable, not to mention marring the perfection of my feathers."

Light Vessel has been around the captain for awhile now and he has learnt something about her tastes. She doesn't go for the big burly type of guys; rather she likes the handsome, young, scholarly type of person that she can take under wing and, um, tutor for a little while. The student can be male or female; in this day and age it doesn't matter.

"Alistar stupid. Priests stupid. You could have likely just asked them for help, offered them some compensation, and they would have likely been more then happy to help you without question. Many people would be more than happy to help without question in return for things they need." Murleena chastised the Lynx. "Murleena thinks priests overstepped. Now they made Shadowcat upset, made her curious. Gonna stop you at every turn we can."

Rosa was peeking at Miron's face.  Their head tilts back uncomfortably, shuffling a bit.  Rosa... isn't sure.  It's hard to say?  Brown eyes and short brown hair.  Their build isn't entirely slim, just lean.

Hm.

...Further investigation required?

The priest glances up at Light's question, then figits.  Their gaze moves to Rosa again, as if letting her respond to the question.

----

Tylluan gets a bemused look at the phrase 'perfection of my feathers', but the villager doesn't comment.  Tylluan vaguely recognized them from before... but he wasn't sure?  "Well, we'll get you patched up for sure."

There was a bit of a tizzy while the people tended to him - a middle-aged man with a ring of graying hair and a large bald spot was checking his injury.  There wasn't anything they could do other than splint and bandage the base of some of the feathers, but the rest of the work will be time.  And grooming.

And the salve, which apparently helped with healing... and prevented infection.

-------

Meanwhile, as he's loaded into a cellar, Murleena takes the opportunity to chew him out more.  The lynx growls at Murleena.  Then his brow furrows... and he snorts.  "Stop?  Hah."  He turns away in his cell, fumbling at his manacles.  Back to Murleena, he had little interest.

Moft pulls at Murleena, getting her further away.  "We'll keep guards posted.  And then some.  He didn't show any magic of his own... but we can't be too careful.  'Til the ships from Doghelm arrive, we'll have to leave him in there."  He hesitates, then adds. "Thanks for your help.  With everything."

Rosa is distracted by the priest and doesn't answer Light's question straight away. "Hrm? Not relly. Tylluan caught this one, but they seem to be harmless. The head priest, Allifet, is camped out at the far end of the island thinking that the other priests will pick him up when they are done conquering here and stealing my ship, while Allister has been taken away in chains and has been locked up and he'll probably be taken to Doghelm sometime in the future. But not by us! I figure we'll go round up Allifet in the morning. How's the metal beastie? Is it all baked to death?"

She turns back to the priest. "Bel? Is that some sort of title. I wonder if 'Alli' is  title too? You have Allister, Allfet...? Anyway, I have to search you for weapons. Shoudl we do this in private?"
This message was last edited by the player at 03:42, Thu 01 June 2023.

Tylluan watches patiently as his wing is tended to, only adding a comment here and there to correct the healers. "No, no. Those feathers don't lie that way. Observe." He uses his beak to gently move the offending feathers to their proper position. Well, what can I expect? They don't have feathers of their own, so they have no idea of the proper care and grooming required. Still, they have eased the pain somewhat, and the wound is clean. Having hands certainly comes in handy.

Once the healers have done their work, Tylluan inspects the results and bobs his head. "Adequately done. You have my thanks." He struts over to a table to pick up another large fish in his beak and, with a practiced flip, swallows it whole. "Now, if you will excuse me I think I will return to the ship so I may rest. It has been a trying evening."

With that, he struts his way down to the docks. If he happens to pass the captain or any of the others along the way, he'll inform them of his intentions.

In reply to Tylluan (msg # 95):
TUTOR??? YOU MEAN SE-! *smashed in face by halibut fired by Atlas Blue GM*

Light looks at the Captain.

Light looks at Bel Miron.

Light narrows his real eye, while keeping his expression neutral.

You can almost hear a small 'ding!' noise when something occurs to the Hammerhead Islander as his real eye widens and then narrows quickly once again.

In his mind he imagines the Captain sort of in a low crouch side on waving her hands at Light while saying 'Shoo! Shoo! Bad Battle Chef!'

He's pretty positive that her lack of reply to his request for more information is one of the Captain's signals to make himself scarce and catch up later.

Yet manners requires him to at least introduce himself before he parts.
'Light Vessel, Galley Cook and Battle Chef of the Darkmaiden's Dance. I'll be in the galley if you need me, Captain.' he says as he pats himself on the left pectoral with his right hand lightly.

He wasn't sure whether he was supposed to look intimidating or protective or friendly, though he preferred the latter with people he hadn't met before. Plus if whoever that person was tried anything funny, he was sure that the Captain would make them regret it without anyone else's help.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:47, Sun 04 June 2023.

In reply to Rosanhi the Red (msg # 94):

'The flour and water clog up plan seems to have worked. I've mentioned that we should try and confine it more permanently to the locals, but somewhere water can't accidentally (or deliberately) get inside its tank.'

Or had he? He intended to...

He starts off to track down Moft and see if the dogman can enlist some able bodies to aid in keeping the Boiler on lockdown in case some more of Alliwhoever turn up to free it from captivity.

He still pondered what it was, possible because he may not have been privy to it being named Boiler Specter or whatever at the time.

Murleena smiled to Moft. "Mofty and the people here helped Murleena, put her up while she was needing a place. It was Murleena's pleasure to return the favor. Plus Mofty hired Murleena. Even though she gave most of the money to those kidnapped."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:50, Sun 11 June 2023.