Event Log: The Stampede

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for Stampede event
Where: All over the city
When: December 26th-December 28th
Warnings: None

There's a rumbling sound in the air early in the afternoon on December 26th. Whether you're new in town or you've seen it all, something like this hasn't happened before. Is it an earthquake? It feels kind of like a small one, and that might be endurable if not for the sudden snarling and gnashing of teeth!

As it turns out, these yet-unnamed apex predators are overrunning the city, ignoring their previous apprehension to barrel right through anything- or anyone- that stands in their way. Seemingly spooked by something, they are aggressive and violent and won't hesitate to tear anyone they meet to pieces... after trampling them underfoot, of course. They're so large and muscular that they may even take a few portions of buildings with them- how would you like to see one of these monsters crashing through your living room?

At least it's only these weird mammoths, though... right?

► This log covers December 26th-December 28th.
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you get squished, please let us know here.

Comments

cecily trevelyan ; ota

[closerift]

[ They don't have mammoths in Thedas, but they certainly have predators, and Cecily knows a predator when she sees one. The Inquisitor had been doing the usual Guard rounds, wandering the streets with Pup at her side as she tossed a dagger into the air and caught it. It's not long into the shift that she catches sight of one of them - one of the apex predators - running far too close to the city. ]

Maker's ass. [ Do gods have asses? No time to figure it out! She dashes ahead, gripping tight the handle of the blade as she goes. This is a terrible idea, because she's tiny compared with such a creature, but there aren't a lot of options. This thing can't go on rampaging anywhere near the residences, and that seems like its intended course of action. ]

Over here, you hairy monstrosity! [ It doesn't exactly follow the sound of her voice, though, and so she has to do something she's been practicing: throw the knife from a distance so that it sticks into the leg of the beast. She breathes a sigh of a relief as this seems to get its attention...and causes it to turn toward her instead, with her own weapon stuck in its flesh. ]

Shit. [ Good one!! Think fast! ]

[theladyofhighever]

[Mariane has been following at a distance. enough that Cecily is within sight, but not so close so as to crowd her and Pup. she's in armor, has Chance with her, and her sword and dagger strapped to her back.

once she sees what's happening, she and Chance break out in a run to join Cecily and Pup, unsheathing her blades as she runs. each blade radiates cold even more chill and freezing than the temperatures here and are also augmented with runes to try and paralyse an opponent. she hopes it will be enough as these creatures are even bigger than bereskarn.

Chance runs to Cecily's far right, barking furiously to try and get the creature's attention and Mariane continues running towards the creature, sword and dagger low in an attempt to cut the creature's front legs to cripple it.

the strike hits its mark and it's left staggering, but she's left tumbling aside to avoid being trampled by the creature.

she gets to her feet as quickly as she can and follows after it]

[closerift]

Excellent, thanks! [ Mariane and her mabari are distraction enough, and Cecily is able to weave around its legs to yank out her weapon before it realizes she's there. Pup sinks his teeth into that same, wounded leg, and he also manages to dart away as it stumbles, roaring with pain and in anger. ]

Gentle thing, isn't he? [ Comes the dry question as the predator tries to smack her with its trunk. It's quicker than you'd think, for such an enormous thing, but she's less worried now that she isn't alone in combat. ]

[theladyofhighever]

Thank you! [that's what they're there for. and she must admit, she misses going into combat with a companion-at-arms other than Chance. (not that she'd ever disparage Chance, perish the thought! but she misses her Blight companions desperately, Alistair and Morrigan especially)]

Very much so! Let's hope he's as easy to kill! [she launches herself onto the mammoth's back as she would an ogre's head, taking her sword and dagger and plunging them into the juncture between neck and head]

[closerift]

Somehow, I really doubt it. [ It's enormous, after all, with thick skin and a body that could kill them with a swing or two. The Inquisitor works alongside Pup, who has blessedly been trained, damaging the leg enough that the creature half-collapses, trying to collect itself. ]

You Fereldans and your war hounds. [ Pup barks before he sinks his teeth into the predator's leg, taking a chunk in his jaws. ]

[theladyofhighever]

There's only one way to find out! [she withdraws her sword and dagger, visible frost left in their wake, and plunges them in again]

Our war hounds have served us well over the years. [and Chance takes the opposite side from Pup, ripping into the creature's other leg and tearing flesh away]

[fogsong]

[ Sharon doesn't really play the patrol game, not enough care in the residents of the city to give much of a shit if something were to happen, but she does go on the occasional stroll in a plea to bury her anxiety and distress in something physical (it is, after all, what everyone on the network seemed to think would help—and it has, some). She works the perimeter to the city to avoid running into strangers and friends alike, though she knows it's bound to happen on occasion.

She spots the lumbering mammoth before she sees Cecily but the other woman quickly becomes her center of attention the moment the rogue rushes to action. Her heart pounds with panic and an urge to call for help blinds her momentarily before she drops her backpack in a sudden sense of action, panic becoming a secondary emotion to the immediate fight response at the possibility of Cecily getting smashed.

Fires hum to life in the air around Sharon as she gets close, letting her emotions guide them. She's not as skilled with a blade as her friend, nor does she think she can throw her knife hard enough to damage the hulking beast; the only thing she has that may be of help, even if she can only manage to frighten it back, is fire. Most animals know to avoid fire.

She whistles to try and catch the monster's attention, to force it to consider its options as Sharon stands nearly opposite to Cecily, which would give them both enough time to plan their next course of action. She lets her eyes meet Cecily's briefly, a way to show the other woman she has her back.

The two of them can manage this, right? ]

[closerift]

[ There's not really a need for conversation here, not when it's two old friends and a decent amount of fighting experience between them. Cecily hip-checks Sharon in a gesture of gratitude, smirking at the show of flames and the support.

It's nice to have friends who keep you from getting stepped on.

The apex predator rears back, clearly intimidated by the fire. It falls to the ground again and trumpets, dragging its front feet in the snow, but doesn't continue the rush toward them.

Instead, it turns and dashes back toward the city. ]

Dammit. [ She half-laughs, dashing forward again to distract it a second time. ]

[fogsong]

[ The woman dares to laugh as the beast changes direction, choosing neither of them in favor of the thicket of the city. Sharon races after, not quite as fast on her feet as Cecily. She focuses on forcing fire to appear ahead of the monster in a feeble attempt to guide it and refocus it but the fires appear and disappear feet behind it.

She either needs to change how she's thinking with her spells or it needs to slow the fuck down; either way, it's got to be stopped. She gathers fire in her palm, focusing it to grow as she keeps her legs pumping. ]

Trip it? [ She shout-asks as a plan option. A big beast goes down hard, after all, and something that size would take time getting back on its feet. ]

[closerift]

With what? [ Cecily half-laughs, half-pants. It isn't as if they have rope, or anything similar. Sharon obviously has fire at her disposal, but to what end? ] Please let me in on your plans if I'm expected to participate!

[ Whatever the case, she can act fast enough to make a move after Sharon does. If she's going to bring this thing to the ground with flames, then...creativity points to Sharon. ]

[fogsong]

I don't know, fucking magic? [ She asks back rhetorically, curling her powers in on themselves as she moves. They don't have time on their side, not if they want to catch it before it reaches the city. She can't move the ground nor can she conjure a tripwire out of thin air but she did have some control of fire.

The air in front of the creature, at least several seconds, begins to glow like fire on the horizon; the moment the creature reaches the glow, the air explodes, fire whipping into the air haphazardly. All she can hope is that it's enough to steer the monster a little in their advantage. ]

[dedikated]

( Having a longbow on hand: Good.
Not having nearly enough arrows to waste shooting each of these rampaging beasts: not so good.

Kate would quite happily toss heavy rubble at the heads of the predators, but Hadriel even got rid of that, so instead she leaves her bow unstrung for the moment and whips out a length of rope. (That ever-present bag on her thigh sure comes in handy sometimes.) She waits. And waits. And it isn't until the beast is nearly at Cec's feet that she yells: )

Catch!

( You've still got one good arm, Cecily, use it. )

[closerift]

[ She does. Her reflexes are good enough that she manages it, stretching out her end until it's taut. The predator doesn't slow, and as a result, it tangles with the rope and goes flying, crashing to the ground with a mighty smash. ]

Thank you! [ Comes the grateful call as Cecily grabs her weapon from the beast's leg. It tries to get up, roaring and flailing a bit as the rope tangles further around its feet, but she's already busy swiping artfully at every available inch. ]

Is this the only one?

[dedikated]

Not by a long shot. ( Kate leaves Cecily to attack the fallen beast for a moment, her attention taken by the others heading their way.

Well, shit. Lack of arrows or not, she'll have to quickly string her bow and aim for the nearest one before they're caught up in a stampede of these beasts. Hopefully she can send the rest running in other directions, and Kate holds her breath as she looses the arrow and sends it flying in a huge arc towards the nearest one. )

Can't create fire, can you?

( That might be really fucking helpful right now. )

[closerift]

You're thinking of Sharon. Easy mistake.

[ That's a "no," Kate. The Inquisitor isn't a mage of any kind, and so she's left to slice up the legs of the beast as best she can before turning her attention on the others, breathing deeply at the sight. ]

We'll have to keep them from heading into town somehow. [ One was easier, but those? Are more than one. ] Hang on. Why did I think you could create fire?

[dedikated]

( Worth a shot. Sharon would be useful in this situation, but they'll manage. Her shot landed true (of course it did, Henry's training didn't allow for sloppy arrows) and it sends one of the predators tumbling, losing its balance and disrupting the charge of the others.

Thank fuck. That might just give them a moment to get closer, and she pulls out a knife and sends it flying at one of the predators currently rampaging. She doesn't have the time to question what she's doing, working off instinct and breathing carefully as the air fills with the scent of the predators' blood. )

... ( Kate? Create fire? She wishes. The only person other than Sharon who could do that is... ) Faith can.

( Maybe that's why. ) C'mon.

( She's right. They have to stop these things, and they may as well start now. )

[outofthefire]

[...oh, shit. now it's come. the moment of truth. the moment to show Cecily that she's learned all that there was to learn or not. with a fucking mammoth charging at one of her best friends, the one whose world she plans to go to to help set things right.

well. no time like the present, right?

she takes her bow and arrow and sets up a Long Shot, praying it does the damage it's meant to do and that it distracts the mammoth from its current path.

it's time

she releases and with her prayers go the release]

[closerift]

[ Laura's arrow is enough to distract it. The beast roars, careening off-course and now toward Laura as she's just attacked. ]

Thanks for that! [ Cecily calls, managing (barely) to grab her blade from the creature as she darts around it. Pup lunges and tears off a bit of its back leg, but that's not enough to slow it. ]

Aim for its eyes! [ She yells, hand cupped around her mouth. ]

[outofthefire]

[thank fucking God for that! but now it's headed towards her, and she launches a volley of arrows at it. more hit than miss, but this is the first time she's been in a combat situation. there's no time to panic]

No problem! [she yells back. the thing is still headed straight towards her]

Got it! [she yells back, lifting her bow slightly to aim as instructed. the first arrow doesn't find its mark, but the second one does, causing the monster to rear back and halt in its approach]

[closerift]

Good shot! [ Cecily laughs, relieved, and moves in to take a few quick strikes before the predator starts rampaging properly. It's half-blinded, which is a major advantage. If Laura can take out the other eye at any point, they'll be set. ]

If it loses its sight, it may just run for the city without meaning to. If we're going to fully blind it, we'll have to be ready to take it down soon after.

[ Nothing worse than thinking you've won the battle only to have the thing stomp all over a bunch of people, right? ]

[outofthefire]

Thanks! [she calls back, but Cecily looks awfully small compared to that rampaging creature]

I'll go for the other eye, then! [and she lines up another Long Shot as best as she can, taking the creature's movements into account and fires. she holds her breath.

long enough to see that her arrow strikes true] Okay, go for it! It shouldn't be able to see shit now!

/crashes in here

[claritatis]

[Ignis could, in fact, confirm that gods to have asses. At least, the gods he knows, though he wouldn't use so crude a term for it.

These predators are a hard thing to miss, and he spies Cecily a moment after his attention falls on it. She'll need to think fast, but Ignis is no stranger to that either, and as the beast sets its course towards the young woman a shout of 'shield your eyes!' precedes a sphere-shaped missile arcing through the air, hitting the ground directly in front of the oncoming creature. Immediately on impact, it explodes in a flash and erupts into a ball of charged lightning that crackles over the ground and sends electric tendrils snaking through the air.

A weapon - a slim polearm - appears in Ignis' hand in a shower of sparks as he closes the distance between them.]

I'd say you got its attention. [He glances down at her, the faintest smile tilting his lips. Well, he didn't do a bad job of doing just that, either.]

Mind if I lend a hand?

/o

[closerift]

I think you did a better job. [ Between the lighting and the whole drawing a weapon from thin air, consider her impressed. ] It's nice to see you, Ignis.

[ She's quick to jump back into the fray, though, handling the dagger like someone who has been practicing hard. The predator is not a fan of either of them and it shows, but they've managed to avoid major injury so far... ]

Any chance you've got a bag full of those lightning spheres? [ Comes the light question from Cecily as she dodge-dances around the beast's legs. ]

[claritatis]

Likewise.

[Pleasantries aside, they still have some problems to deal with. But this is nothing larger than what he would have to fight simply journeying across Lucis, and there's no fear in his expression as he faces it down with his companion.]

I have four left, best to use them sparingly. [He tells her as the last of the slim bolts of electricity snake across the ground and fade. He uses the polearm to vault nimbly up onto the creature's back, which it does not appreciate one bit.

It appreciates having the sharp end of the weapon plunged into its shoulder even less.]

Can you take out its legs?!

[closerift]

Fair enough. Lightning spheres don't grow on trees, as far as I'm aware.

[ Ignis manages to flit up on top of the predator, earning him an appreciative whistle from the Inquisitor. At the question, she chuckles and calls up: ] I think I can handle that. [ ...And then continues to slice up around the legs, assisted by a snarling Pup.

It isn't terribly long before the thing is roaring in pain, half-collapsing. Between the wounds in its back and those on its legs, there shouldn't be too much else work to do. ]

It's not going to be running toward the city anymore! [ She announces, taking a step back for a moment to catch her breath. ]