hadriel_logs | Event Log: Predator vs. Prey

Entry tags:

Event Log: Predator vs. Prey

Who: All characters participating in the event
What: The event log for the Predator vs Prey event
Where: All over the city
When: March 13th-March 21st
Warnings: None

It all starts with an explosion, because Rage is excellent at managing her anger. But an explosion isn't enough - she hasn't worked out all her feeling yet. Not until the city itself has gotten caught up in her anger at Fear for being unable to save Delight. And yeah, that means you.

So now you're a predator (Rage) or prey (Fear). You want to hunt, or you're being hunted. Maybe you were defenseless before, or maybe you're the sort who no one could be afraid of... but it's different now, because the gods are passing on their blessings to you. All the better to catch and kill, or run and hide.

What will you do? Try to resist the urge? Good luck with that. Who would want to resist, anyway, when it feels so right to give in? Hunt someone down like a cat after a mouse, or flee like a deer before wolves. Maybe you can find someone to help you, whether that means hunting in packs or looking for safety in numbers. Who knows, maybe you'll even make a few new friends while trying to kill your old ones.

► This log covers March 13th-March 21st.
► 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 caught by a predator or have things turned on you by your prey, please let us know here.

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On the run

[ The fear hits Angus like a physical force, hard enough to knock the breath out of him, and within minutes he's thrown together an overnight bag, grabbed the family ~~varren~~ dog, and is running out the back door in search of somewhere safe to hide. The problem is that nowhere feels safe; there are too many people no matter where he goes, and no way to tell who isn't a threat. His heart's in his throat, he's practically vibrating with adrenaline, and the minute somebody approaches him, he'll brandish his wand at them and start backing away, while Peanut snarls viciously at his side. ]

Sir/Ma'am, you'd better get away from me right now, or...!

[ His voice cracks. Dammit, he'd been going for imposing and authorative, but that certainly didn't help. ]

Wildcard!

[ Anything goes! Feel free to hit me up at

sonopants or PM me if you'd like something specific. I got whomped by RL last week and didn't make a plotting post, but I'm down for some fights and minor injuries! ]

[ Fear is a reasonable response to seeing Agent Maine. Fully armored, the space marine stands at 7'4" and looks like he could easily barrel straight through any wall in his way. He's used to seeing fear in the eyes of others. Finds it odd when strangers approach him without at least a shimmer of caution in their eye.

But fear in the eyes of a kid...? That ... well, it makes sense, he guesses. But fuck, he doesn't want it there.

So the fully armed and armored Freelancer raises his hands, showing that they're empty. Hesitates for a moment before dropping to one knee in an attempt to make himself appear less intimidating. ]

[ Maine is easily one of the biggest people that Angus has ever seen, and even down on one knee, the space marine is still several inches taller than him and twice as broad across. That said, he's obviously trying to make it clear that he doesn't pose a threat, and Angus can recognize delibrately non-threatening body language when he sees it, even if he's still scared.

Angus cautiously lowers the wand and puts a hand on Peanut's massive leathery head, scritching between her spiky ears. ]

Oh, uh... o-okay then? This isn't a ruse? You haven't gone crazy like everybody else?

[ The gold dome of Maine's helmet catches the light as the Freelancer shakes his head. No, he hasn't gone crazy. There's something wrong with him, he knows. Something that makes him feel like he's plummeting through the air; like there's an enemy around every corner, and no stronghold is safe. But he hasn't gone crazy.

Unfortunately, Maine can't offer any verbal reassurance; he's not able to speak. Nor does he want to reach for his phone just yet. So he points to Angus (ignoring the ... extremely weird reptilian-ish pet, for the moment), then he gives a thumbs-up and tilts his head in question. It's a silent attempt to ask:

"You good?" ]

[ Angus squints up at Maine with a look so intent that it seems like he's staring through the helmet and into the man's brain, and taking notes on everything he sees within. The truth is slightly less drastic; as a detective, he's used to studying people's facial expressions for subtle tells, little tics and unconscious movements that might be able to tell him when a suspect is lying. There's no way to get a read on anything from Maine with that much armor, though, the only thing that gets across is really broad and obvious body language and gesturing. That said, the body language is very openly non-threatening and friendly, so... ]

I-I'm okay. I sort of wish I had my crossbow with me, but I have magic, and I have Peanut, so...

[ He probably shouldn't have given that much info away either, but he's a nervous rambler. ]

Are... are you ok? You don't have to answer verbally. If you need someplace safe to go, I heard the clinic and the guard headquarters are open.

[ That is indeed an intense look. Makes Maine wonder if the kid can somehow see through the opaque visor. Wouldn't be the first time he's encountered someone with strange abilities here. Maine keeps his expression as neutral as possible, just in case. Tries not to let the bizarre impulses to flee and hide show.

Evidently, he passes the test. The kid doesn't sic the bizarre pet on him. Doesn't run away, either.

Good.

The Freelancer twitches slightly at the mention of the clinic. Even during this mess, he can't get past his aversion to hospitals. Then he nods; yes, he's fine. Fine as he can be, given the circumstances. Certainly not bad enough that he'll willingly walk into the clinic without a damn good reason.

Wanting to ask something not easily communicated through gestures, Maine very slowly starts reaching for his phone. It's tucked in a compartment of his armor at his waist; if he makes it that far, he'll show Angus what it is before doing anything with it. ]

[ Maine reaches for... something, and Angus immediately tenses up again. He has the wide-eyed, deer-in-the-headlights expression of someone whose head is ringing with alarm bells, and as soon as the marine's hand gets close to his waist, Angus points the wand at him again with a shaking hand, and Peanut starts snarling.

Inwardly, Angus is frantically going over the list of spells that he knows, and every one that would be handy right now is out of his reach: he doesn't know Hold Person or Shield, he can't turn himself invisible, Zone of Truth won't work on the huge armoured guy if he can't talk, shit, shit, shit, what if the guy was lying, he was stupid to trust anyone right now, if he pulls out a gun, then Angus is dead meat...! ]

H-hey! Hey, what're you--?! You'd better stop that right now, or--!

[ ... Aaaand Maine pulls out a phone. That's... that's considerably less threatening than Angus had been expecting. ]

... Oh. Huh. Okay?

[Normally, Ivar doesn't go after kids when he's back home raiding. Not because he's got any compunctions about hurting them. He's sacrificed children to his gods before and never lost a night's sleep about it. What disinterests him is that kids don't present any sort of challenge. They tend to be weak little creatures and no fun to kill at all.

But right now, Ivar's going after anyone who so much as moves within his line of sight. He's already blood-spattered when he approaches Angus, limping along using his leg braces and hand crutch. What he lacks in speed he makes up for in sheer insanity.

He grins, his crazy on full display. He barely pays attention to any threats Angus is making. Peanut is what really is drawing his attention. A creature like that might present a problem.]

--Or what? How is a little mouse like you going to threaten me?

[ Under any other circumstances, Angus wouldn't have flinched. He's tracked down serial killers before, faced off against criminals, murderers and on one memorable occasion, part of a giant world-eating entity that was bent on consuming their planet. He may be a scrawny kid, but he's capable in a fight, and not afraid to take on people who have him at a physical advantage.

... That said, under these particular lich-affected circumstances, Angus is terrified. Ivar has the bloodstained, wild-eyed look of someone who will just keep on going, relentless in his pursuit even if he's incapacitated. When he fires Magic Missile at Ivar in lieu of a verbal reply, his grip on the wand is shaky enough that the blasts go wide, shooting into the ground about a foot to Ivar's left. Peanut growls. ]

That was... th-that was a warning! I mean it!

[Fear can come and fight him in the floor for this one-- Taako might be afraid, but that's never stopped him before and it's not liable to stop him now. Before words even reach him, six magic missile bullets go whizzing past Angus' head and arc to both sides of Ivar before pummeling him for a moderate chunk of energy. Taako rounds the corner in a sprint, glaring in Ivar's direction and looking more ready for a fight.]

See, you had your warning and you got some flavor of asskicking, you wanna fuckin' do this??

[He's mad about how his heart pounds through this, but he'll be damned if he's going to let someone come at Angus in all this bullshit.]

[Ivar looks thoroughly unimpressed as Angus' spell goes wild. He's scared and can't focus properly. Not much of a threat. The magical missiles that come next make him whip his head around to see Taako coming. He glances from one to the other. So the cavalry has arrived. He might reconsider if he was more himself, but Ivar is too reckless to consider he might be in over his head here.

He smiles again, that one that says he's not quite all there. Ivar's brother Sigurd had called him crazy and he'd killed him for it. That says it all really.]

Two and a half against one? I'll take those odds. [Is he counting Angus or Peanut as the half? Good question.]

Thankyousir!

[ Oh thank the gods, some much-needed backup! Angus has never been so glad to see Taako in his life. He scrambles back until he's next to the elf, with Peanut standing her ground in front of them both. He's still shaking, and it's taking everything he has not to just bolt. ]

H-hey! That was uncalled for!

[ Angus isn't the one with giant, pointy teeth or dozens of spell slots to spare, he's pretty sure he knows who the half is in this situation, and he does not appreciate it! ]

There's... there's no need for any of this, we can all just turn around and walk away! If everybody's acting crazy, then this pretty much has to be a Lich thing, right? You don't really want to kill anybody, do you?

[ The words sound hollow even as he says them; Ivar looks like he very much wants to kill several people. ]

[He's afraid, but he doesn't care much about that- the anger in him for someone coming to hurt Angus is overriding it, despite any prey instincts clouding his mind. That's his boy, damnit. Step off.]

Angus he's not gonna do that, look at him, he's a fucking maniac.

[His words are a bit more clipped though, the anxiety and adrenaline from needing to fight creeping up into him.]

I will literally set you the fuck on fire, my guy, no goddamn hesitation. You wanna test me?

[He's heard people call him insane before. It never fails to irk Ivar. He's not a lunatic. He just sees everything more clearly then everyone else.]

Crazy? My brother called me crazy once. I killed him for it.

[There's no bragging tone in his voice, just a flatness like he's discussing the weather, which might be more disturbing in and of itself. Ivar's got his axe out now and flips it around in one hand. The boy is hopelessly naive. Taako, though, he's got his measure down pat.]

Try it, pretty boy. You'll be dead before I hit the ground.

[Threats only work on people afraid of death. Ivar's got fear like everyone else, but he's Norse. Death means prestige and honor to them.]

R-right. Okay. Point taken! De-escalating the conflict was too much to hope for!

[ That tactic tended to work better when he wasn't scared out of his mind, and had a squadron of police officers standing with him as backup. Sometimes you got lucky, and the criminals gave themselves up easily.

Angus's gaze flicks towards the spinning axe. Ivar isn't going to rest until that thing is buried in somebody, and removing it from the equation seems like the best way to get out of this alive. He casts Mage Hand, and a spectral blue hand that's a little wobbly around the edges emerges from the tip of his wand and shoots across the gap between them to try snatching the axe out of Ivar's grip. ]

I said maniac, dipshit, get your diction right.

[As if that's vital right now. What's vital is getting out of here, and seeing as this guy has a fuckin' axe and Angus seems willing to take a stand, they seem to be fuckin' doing this.]

But alright, you asked.

[Ivar is a little close, but he'll send the three bolts of Scorching Ray at him anyway, even if they're more easily dodged at close range. Taako figures he can either not get set on fire or keep his axe, and the guy attacking him gets to make that call.]

[Between Angus and Taako, Ivar's got too much to focus on and not enough time to get a killing throw in. Trying to avoid both the fuzzy blue spectral hand and the fire that's a more pressing concern means he gets a throw in, but it's far too messy for his liking. It's a reckless, off-balance throw, and unless he's lucky there's no way he's going to be hitting either of them.

He's far more occupied trying not to get lit on fire. With no agility in him whatsoever, his best bet is just to drop to the ground.

He hits the dirt pretty hard and winces. His leg braces are made for keeping him upright, not protecting his all-too-fragile bones from harm. He's broken them from lesser jostling then that. The pain seems to do more for making him hesitate in attacking again then any magic the pair of them could have tossed at him.]

[ ... Okay, Angus does feel a little bad when Ivar hits the ground, but also, the guy literally threw an axe at him, so his sympathy only goes so far. It certainly doesn't go as far as the adrenaline, and that only spikes when the axe thunks into the ground a few inches from his foot.

He scrambles backwards and grabs at Taako's sleeve, pulling at it as if his noodle arms can actually drag Taako down the alleyway. ]

Sir, we should go, we have to go, we have to go now--!

[Yeah, Taako has no idea about this guy's brittle bone anything, so this just looks like nothing and that means he's probably still coming. Even with Angus' tugging, he leans over and grabs the axe from the ground, holding it up in the air.]

Look, my dude, you can chill the fuck out right now and I might even give this back to you, but until any of that shit happens or you agree you aren't gonna try to bite my ankles off this shit stops here, you get me?

[You'd think Taako would've learned by now to have the good sense to just leave.]

[Ivar considers Taako's words for about half a second. Sure, he could stop, but that's just not in his nature. His response is made clear.]

Fuck you!

[Ivar then pulls out one of his knives and throws it at the elf from his position on the ground. Defiant till the end this one is. Really, Taako, retreat was definitely the better part of valor under these circumstances.]

Sir!

[ Even Angus isn't sure who he's yelling at, at this point. He just tightens his grip on Taako's arm and yanks, hard enough to jerk him to the side, and hopefully out of knife range! ]

Oh come on--

[Angus' pull unbalances him, ankles crossed as he re-steadies, but it causes the knife to miss by mere inches. Taako ticks his head towards it, as if signaling Angus to pick it up.]

Dude! Cut it out! We're not even trying to kill you!

[He is backing away now though, an arm protectively out in front of Angus, still holding the axe above his head and out of this guy's reach. Hopefully he doesn't have telekinesis or something. That would get like, really weird.]

[Ivar makes no response to either of them. He's lost this round clear enough and the knowledge galls him. He stops focusing on the retreating pair and instead starts trying to get back up off the ground, no easy task when he's wearing a pair of cumbersome leg braces that hinder more then they help.

It's not a pretty sight trying to watch the crippled warrior try and get back to his feet, failing multiple times again and again. One might call it pitiful if they were speaking their thoughts out loud, but only if they were feeling particularly suicidal. He finally gains some traction by shoving his crutch directly into the ground so he can lean his full body weight against it.]

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Event Log: Predator vs. Prey

angus mcdonald, prey, ota!

/quietly slams into this! (maine is also prey ftr)

:D!!!

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On the run

Re: On the run

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