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

Keith | Voltron: Legendary Defender

[marmoron]

around the city

[Keith had been minding his own business, heading past the city walls to hunt for food with his wolf. He feels the vibrations in the ground before he spots the herd of mammoths charging straight for Hadriel. It seems stupid, perhaps even comical, to be thinking "stampede!" and feel something resembling dread, but there just isn't a whole lot of time for wondering what the fuck his life has become in the last three months.

Bayard in hand and in sword form, Keith glances down at Cosmo. In a flash of blue light, the two disappear and reappear on the back of one of the apex predators. Straddlin the massive thing as it breaches a wall, Keith raises the sword and stabs it deep into its broad back. The apex predator buckles, then thrashes, sending both Keith and the wolf flying in the air. Another flash of blue light and the two roll safely onto the ground, staring down an injured, enraged mammoth.

Shit

Turning to look around him, he shouts at anyone in the area:]
Find somewhere safe! I'll handle this.

closed to steak

[Later in the day, the apex predators have overrun the city of Hadriel, leaving behind debris and chaos wherever they rampage. Still, this isn't the time to be laying low, and it's up to those who can actually fight these things to try and stop the damage from getting worse. Steak, evidently, had similar thoughts. They're near the temples when they hear it -- a strange noise coming from further down the darkened street, like some sort of fight's going on.The wolf by his side growls, teeth bared; something is definitely wrong.

Keith turns to Steak, brow furrowed.]

You hear that? Let's go.

[Sword gripped tight in his hand, he approaches the source and finds... a team of three creatures viciously attacking someone. His eyes widen as the creatures hack and slice, and just as suddenly the victim vanishes without a trace. The creatures turn to one another, speaking a language that's unintelligible. Then from behind both Steak and Keith, a fourth creature shouts from the roof of a nearby building.

Immediately all the creatures stop talking to face the two new intruders. Dead silence falls upon the alleyway. Perhaps it doesn't matter that there's a language barrier going on; it's impossible to misinterpret their next move. The creatures run directly towards them.

you know what this is B)

[battlebound]

( Of course he did. What else is a Food Soul like him meant to do? His gifts are swords and an endless amount of stamina. His body eternally at the peak of physical, humanoid condition. He doesn't question Keith's presence when they run into each other, not after their arrival and not when there are so many of these things which need holding back. Indiscriminate and tough, but they're tougher. They can defend the people here who can't defend themselves.

And then there's that noise. Steak grunts and nods his answer, barely sparing a second before he charges off in the direction of the noise, ready to stop whatever might be there.

They look nothing like the predators stampeding through the city, act nothing like it either. This isn't wanton destruction of the city, this... appears to be teamwork of some description. His foot digs into the ground, boot scraping against dirt, casting a glance at his new partner as the other person disappears — teleports, rather more accurately — and exhales. )

Let's go.

( He doesn't know what they may be, but he doesn't need to know that to know that they're trouble anyway. Swords raised, he charges into the fray, aiming for the closest one with a forceful slash. )

they're gonna have a GRAND time

[marmoron]

[There's a grim sort of nod before Keith raises his own sword. Going by numbers alone, the odds aren't in their favor. Four against two, after all, and these alien creatures are clearly trained to work as a unit, rather than as individuals. For that reason alone, their best option is just to try and end this quickly by overwhelming them with brute force.

Still, he's going to try and force them to thin out a little. So while Steak charges at them directly, Keith glances towards his wolf and the two teleport to the other side of the alley. Raising his sword, he rushes at them from the opposite direction. The tactic might have worked were it not for that fourth creature watching the scene from above. It shouts, and as Keith brings the sword down hard on one of the three creatures, it turns and blocks the blow with its armored shell.

The creature swings one of its tentacles like a whip through the air, catching Keith hard on the shoulder. Even through the protection of his paladin armor, the blow stings. Grimacing, he attempts a close range slash to cut the damn tenacle clean off, but the creature is agile, and aims a second tendril lower to the ground, sweeping it and Keith's ankles up from underneath him. Keith falls backwards with an undignified crash.

Gritting his teeth, he gets back up as the creature advances yet again.]

Steak, watch out for those tentacles.

oh, wonderful.

[battlebound]

( That's the way the world works unfortunately. Whether on Tierra or in this strange city, there will always be something making things more difficult. Fortunately for them both, Steak likes a challenge, especially when it comes in the form of a battle. He distracts the one at the front quite easily, deflecting its first blow with his personal bubble, and the others follow.

But that fourth one is the problem. Their observer, their overlooker. He grits his teeth as the moment plays out before him, too busy with the others to catch the attention of the one in the back. Dammit. All he can do, as Keith falls, is try to distract it enough that it doesn't continue to take aim. )

Got it.

( For good measure, he aims his next strike at the tentacles of one of them, hoping to take it off. )

We have to deal with the other one.

( As long as that is watching, they're at a major disadvantage. )

[marmoron]

[Steak's got a point there. They have to do something about that fourth one that's just watching the fight and giving instructions. The third squid alien continues to advance, moving with speed much higher than ithose armored shells look like they should allow. Then again, these things are strong. Keith deflects a whip-like attack with his sword, then takes another swing while yelling across to Steak.]

I can get to that one. But how do you like your odds of taking on all three of these guys for a minute?

['Cuz frankly? Not something he wants to do. Getting to the fourth alien is easy enough with the teleporting space wolf, but it does mean leaving Steak on the ground to fend off three of these bastards, and three against one ended pretty shittily for the guy who was here engaging these things before them. This is what they'd call... being stuck between a rock and a hard place.]

[battlebound]

( They are certainly far more fierce than the Fallen Angels they resemble, far more trouble than those things would be. It's galling, really, that they should be causing this much trouble to the two of them. Fluid, experienced strikes attempt and fail to find a weak point in the armour, and Steak quickly returns to trying to slice at the fleshy parts. At tentacles and eyes, carving a gash down one of them and dodging another. )

Tch— ( That was his side, damned tentacle demon. ) All right. ( It's a challenge. Steak likes a challenge, and so his swordplay intensifies, slicing the air until a shockwave cuts through the whole group and he jumps back, trying to drag them further away from their scout. )

[marmoron]

[End of discussion then. Keith looks down at Cosmo, and the two of them disappear then reappear on the roof with the fourth alien. He's not going to waste time here, not when Steak's got his hands full with the three down below. Keith charges the squid alien from behind, sword raised high above his head as he brings it down hard on its armored shell.

The creature twists, lashing out with several tentacles. This time, Keith's prepared for this tactic, crouching low to aim a sweeping kick at its fleshy legs to take it down. The blow connects and though the creature is knocked off balance. Not wanting to lose what little advantage that might present, Keith lunges again, hoping to stab right into a fleshier part of the creature, but these things have ridiculous reflexes, and his sword arm gets caught in its appendages with enough force to shatter bone. Good thing he's wearing armor.

The creature wrests the sword of his hand and takes a swing at his head. Luckily for Keith, he gets to keep his head because the bayard deactivates as the sword is ripped out of his hands, but not so luckily, as the tentacle whips across his face, it leaves a bloody gash nonetheless.]

Shit.

[Things going badly. Who'd have thought. In a burst of focus, the bayard rematerializes is his hands and he takes a left handed swing at the tentacles, this time managing to sever a few, causing the creature to let go of him. Ignoring the fact that his face stings like hell right now, Keith shouts down.]

Steak, you hanging on there?

[battlebound]

( Things going badly? In Hadriel? A shock to us all, truly.

Or, at least, a shock to a newbie who is perhaps too used to doing well in battle against things that look like this. Despite the quick use of his swords, his bubble, three of these things are far more difficult to fight than a group of spiked snails. They're smarter, faster, their armour more durable. He grunts and pushes one back with his swords, his breath coming in short, sharp pants, one more trying to wrap a tentacle around his throat.

— Too close. He ducks, spins and thrusts his blades at the thing behind him, teeth gritted as the noises of battle above him has Steak desperate to check the state of the second fight, but his own opponents demand all of his attention. Now one from the front and two behind him, the distinct feeling of being at a disadvantage prickles, and Steak aims the tip of his sword at one of the conch's eyes, hoping to take it out. )

Nngh! ( Or, you know, he could have one of these things bite his exposed side with their beaks, carving through flesh as easily as his swords do.

Dammit— ) Blasted things. Get away from me!

( And he's being asked a question, one which stubborn pride has him wanting to say he's quite fine but the truth is clearly otherwise with blood spilling down his trousers and agony coursing through his body each time he shifts. )

They're— ugh— stronger than they look.