|
Post by Seryna on Nov 27, 2012 13:10:03 GMT -5
The the immediate north was the grey spire that pierced the sky. It was a days walk in the distance. Smaller gray structures dot the ground at the spire's feet, stretching towards you. Those closer structures suggest a city that could hold shelter, safety and protection from the perils the arena.
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 7, 2013 18:04:45 GMT -5
As the two career tributes moved from the factory and into the jungle flecked with palm trees, the air gradually grew warmer. The ruined city was flecked with skeletons of homes gone past, the porches and roofs were now riddled with holes due to the acid rain that had just blown through here. Brass could feel Glory's footsteps slow and eventually stop. The sounds of small chattering birds and unusual animal noises surrounded the two.
"There's muddy foot steps." Glory shared. "It could be Eclypse's... they're pretty big. Has to be one of the boys. Maybe Cotton or Marsh?"
Glory lowered Brass to a standing position on the floor. They had not found Victoria and Eclypse as yet.
|
|
|
Post by Kulvar on Jan 7, 2013 23:04:23 GMT -5
Brass Power,[/u][/color]
Brass slid from Glory's shoulder smooth as she could manage, lighting on his feet. He still felt fresh. Achy from his wounds from the bloodbath, but fresh nonetheless. He turned his sightless gaze upon Glory as she spoke, nodding with the words. Footsteps meant prey or allies, if not both.
He took a break and let it out slowly, speaking as he reasoned things out. "A single set would indicate a single tribute. Would lend itself to being more likely Cotton or Marsh rather than Victoria and Eclypse. That being said, if the mud it still fresh and not dried, or showing signs of drying, it'd indicate a stronger likelihood of it being Eclypse and Victoria as Cotton and Marsh would have come this way well before either of them. Regardless, we follow the tracks for the moment, but do so cautiously. I'd expect tracks to lead to traps, unless they were fleeing recklessly."
He twisted his head around listening for a long moment before turning his sightless, bloody, eyes toward Glory. "How fresh is the mud? And lead on, unless you've a better idea."
He reached out, felt for a moment, and settled his hand on her shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 8, 2013 0:21:49 GMT -5
Glory took a knee, studying the foot print. "It is drying. I'd say its about an hour old. Its light... I'd hazard that its an unarmored tribute. Not Eclypse."
She smiled; perhaps it showed in her voice. "Maybe we can get a kill in before we meet with the others." When Brass placed his hand on her shoulder; she started moving forward at a brisk walk. Her best knife was still in her hand and she loosened her vest; exposing her set of throwing knives. They walked for several minutes until a rushing sound filled Brass' ears. They had come to moving water.
"A river." Glory affirmed his suspicion. "Ah... we followed the tracks back; they came from here..." Glory trailed off as she walked several feet; stooping.
"I found a blood trail. There are light animal prints. Something tangled with an animal here." Her hand reached under a fern, coming away with a bloodied rock. "I've found a bloody rock - someone defended themselves with a rock. " Glory dropped the rock to the ground and straightened; surveying the ruined city.
"Someone did." Victoria's voice cut through the sound of the river. " There was a panther mutt."
"Did Eclypse make it?" Glory asked; apparently because Eclypse wasn't present. "He's fine. He moves like a bull though; so I left him at some cover. You all right?" "Yes. Are you following someone?" "No..." "Here." Glory must have shown her the tracks; for Victoria grunted. "We found them when we entered the city some ways back." "So they're exiting the city..."
|
|
|
Post by Kulvar on Jan 8, 2013 18:51:15 GMT -5
Brass Power, District 5 Male[/u][/color]
"Which begs the question as to why. City's a logical place to hole up and defend, so why abandon it, and abandon it relatively recently," he twisted his head back and forth as the others spoke, turning his ears to catch their words. He took a breath, and twisted. Why would they leave? Regardless, tributes not being here meant that they were elsewhere. If they wanted to continue to hunt, they'd have to follow the tracks. If not, they'd need to find a good place to hole up and rest. He twisted his blinded eyes back toward Victoria and Glory. "How fresh are you? How badly in need of rest are you and Eclypse?"
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 8, 2013 19:31:15 GMT -5
"Maybe something chased them out." Glory suggested. "I doubt they're as able as Victoria to handle the mutts." "Eclypse seems a bit tired." Victoria answered. "He was getting clumsy; which is why I suggested that he take a rest. I am feeling tired. After some rest; I would be up for some more hunting.""I feel good." Glory replied. "Energized; even."Victoria rolled 1 dice to "Stamina roll" 5 (0 successes) Glory rolled 2 dice to "Stamina roll" 10,4,9 (2 successes)
|
|
|
Post by Kulvar on Jan 10, 2013 7:36:28 GMT -5
Brass Power, District 2 Male[/u][/color]
"Good then. We can take up first watch. Victoria, do you already have a camp that you left Eclypse at? We can discuss our next move from there. I want everyone fresh before we do more hunting, and having half the group on watch should be more than enough." The irony of labeling it as watch, when it would clearly be listen for him was far from lost on the blind career.
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 10, 2013 17:19:17 GMT -5
" Yes." Victoria says simply as she begins to walk away. Glory falls in step; bringing Brass with her. The sound of the river fades until Glory is picking her way slowly and Brass' feet catch on rubble several times. "The shell of a brick building is all over here. It will make sneaking up harder if they twist an ankle." As she speaks; two cannons sound from the factory...
"There's smoke." Glory shares. "Some things burning at the factory."
The emblem that has been hanging in the sky holds it breath until Jasper's body is consumed in fire. The hovercrafts hold their distance as faces begin to play on the screen - the two rightful kills at the Blood Bath and Kingston's dispatching. Somebody named Marsh. Then the two that the careers had not witnessed; Jasper and Bogart. You now know exactly who is out there; how many stand between you and a life back home.
"Jasper and Bogart are dead." Glory shares. She shares no grief at Bogart's passing.
|
|
|
Post by Kulvar on Jan 10, 2013 23:11:41 GMT -5
"Too late for it to be the factory itself. We'd have seen it by now rather than just now." He carefully moved after Glory, hand on her shoulder the entire way. All it took was one foot catching before he decided that a touch slower was better. He didn't want to break an ankle by tripping.
When the anthem plays and the dead announced, he simply nods to the passing of Jasper and Bogart. Not quite an equal trade, but Bogart hadn't left when they'd said to leave. The boy'd done his job, as far as Brass was concerned, and played a useful distraction. All that could be hoped for is that he injured someone else in the process.
"Blood under the bridge now." There's no remorse or hint of grief in his tone. It's even casually neutral. "Gotta look forward. Before you lay your head to rest, Victoria. Did you scout this area at all?"
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 13, 2013 16:18:28 GMT -5
"Yes, Brass.There's a river that runs east from the ruined city. The ground dips lower farther east - there may be a lake that the river is feeding. Any one that hasn't succumbed to thirst has to be hugging this river. Its a lot of ground to cover; but a sweep in the morning could be an idea. "
"We found muddy foot prints." Glory reminded Victoria. "Someone passed the river. "
"We should check the river once we've rested. Most of these tributes shouldn't be any problem at full strength; thirsty it could be a quick mop up." A pause. "I saw only one cannon for Jasper."
"Had to have been Bogart. Unless they are turning on each other." Glory's voice moved; the cameras could see that she was helping Eclypse lay out some sleeping bags against the standing stone wall. "We should attack that alliance as soon as we awaken." Victoria advised.
|
|
|
Post by Kulvar on Jan 15, 2013 19:52:23 GMT -5
Brass listened to the pair, nodding at appropriate moments. His thought drifting for a moment to what to do come morning. Assuming there was a morning. Sweeping the area would be a good idea, and his attention perked back up when she mentioned attacking the alliance once more. He could agree with that, for a couple reasons. The forefront being that a solid alliance was the dangerous grouping, while individual tributes would be meat for the slaughter.
"I agree with that, Victoria. But we hit them on our terms, on our field even if possible. Get some rest. We'll plan when everyone's fresh. Glory, mind taking up first watch?"
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 15, 2013 20:31:12 GMT -5
"You want to wait for them to come to us?" Victoria asked. "Do you think that they would?" Glory wondered. "They seem fond of that factory."
" No, I don't mind." Glory responded. Glory disengaged from Brass' arm, leading him to where he stepped on something soft. Glory advised him to step back and to sit, helping him to realize that sleeping bags had been unrolled.
"There is a wall here." Victoria explained. "No roof and we can see out in three directions, but it should keep the wind off of us. " Brass could now hear soft and even breathing coming from his right. Any reaching would provide a armored shoulder - Eclypse's sleeping form.
"Eclypse and I filled our water skins if you need any water." Victoria offered. "There's some animal activity here. We'll likely need to keep aware of mutations that would thrive in this area. "
|
|
|
Post by Kulvar on Jan 16, 2013 7:39:42 GMT -5
"I think we should bait them to us." Brass followed Glory to the rolled up sleeping bag, shed his backpack and sword and sat down. "They're fond of it, sure, but hiding there isn't going to work out for them. The gamemaker's will likely flush them out if they don't move and I get the impression they may just want to finish us off as we're the last bit of competition. I think with the right bait, they'll come for us."
He shifted on the sleeping bag adjusting for a moment before laying down. He reached out for his sword and drew it close to him. "We'll plan just what sort of trap to lay later. Keep your eyes and ears open for tributes, hungry critters, and nasty mutts."
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 16, 2013 15:11:43 GMT -5
"We'll spend the morning here, then." Glory proposed. "If there are any tributes hiding around here, we'll take care of them. Perhaps thinning out the crowd could put the pressure on them. After all, they are with the sob story sevens. I imagine that can't be very amusing..."
Glory took the first watch and Eclypse and Victoria took the second in the dead of night. Glory was awoken just before dawn to take the last watch. As the sun rose, she awoke Brass. She glanced over to see Victoria by the food stuffs, preparing sandwiches for breakfast.
"Its dawn. Eclypse is still asleep." She spoke quietly, watching the trees around them. " What shall we do first?"
|
|
|
Post by Kulvar on Jan 16, 2013 23:21:19 GMT -5
Brass slept the sleep of the dead. His head touched the pillow and he didn't move until Glory came to wake him. He'd not dreamt, nor did he care that he lacked dreams. He didn't feel regret for the actions past and nothing haunted him. He woke feeling the aches of his injuries and refreshed feeling of a good night's rest. He sat up smoothly, rolling slightly stiff shoulders before reaching out and touching his sword as he considered Glory's question.
Food, and then the hunt as they cleared the area and found a good place to set a trap. He took one of the sandwiches and ate as he spoke. "Wake Eclypse. Then we move around, I'd recommend you and Victoria take point in our search, given Eclypse's talent for noise and my lack of foresight. We search the area, find a good place to set our trap. Any tributes on the way, we kill. Once we find the right spot and have our trap laid out, we can do more hunting before coming back and waiting for the other alliance. Thoughts?"
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 17, 2013 0:29:17 GMT -5
"Trap setting?" Eclypse glanced around the dense, warm jungle, observing. "It will be easy here. You can hardly see one foot in front of your face. Oho!"
Eclypse jerked Brass' arm, pulling him to the side. "Snake." Eclypse explained as Glory's faint request for what was wrong floated back to the two. "We're fine. Just a natural critter. This way..." Eclypse guided Brass to the side, observing. "The vine looks just like a snake. Wouldn't be a bad idea to set it around here where the vines are bad."
"Here..." Victoria suggests. Eclypse makes a speculative noise. "Its full of vines, very dark. A lot of broken rubble underfoot. We'd have to find some place to watch unseen."
"These are nice and heavy." Victoria tested one of the rocks, declaring that she'd like to rig a few swinging traps around the perimeter. "Pits wouldn't be bad." Eclypse proposed. "There's more of them than there are of us. Separating them would be the first idea." "Disarming them is an idea. They are dependent on their weapons. " Victoria and Glory's voices are moving as they move around the area, debating the decision to make traps here and what sort. Eclypse remains by Brass' side, hopefully watching for snakes.
|
|
|
Post by Kulvar on Jan 17, 2013 18:12:53 GMT -5
"Yes, trap setting. They out number us. Even the playing field." Brass moved with Eclypse's jerk, hand sliding to his sword out of reflex before relaxing at the explanation. "Do that then. Just don't get yourself bit."
He fell quiet for a moment, listening to the discussion. Without sight, he couldn't exactly join in on the discussion of what traps should be placed where. He simply nodded to their suggestions. "Pits would be great. Deep ones with pungi-sticks to impale and impede, shallow ones to twist ankles. As for disarming, how would you do that with a trap?"
If one read into his words, they might even see a touch of curiosity... though it'd be read into the question. "We need to leave enough of a presence that tributes want to come here. Or some other bait. Depending on the tribute... One of us would work well. I have no doubt that the big alliance would like to take me down a notch, if we identify them... You all would have to cover me as I draw them in."
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 19, 2013 0:31:41 GMT -5
"We can use you as bait." Eclypse suggested. "After the Bloodbath, you were the only one they targeted." "Could have something to do that he was the only one who could catch up to them." Glory stated archly. "Yes, I run slower than a woman thinking her other hand is going to be cut from her body." Eclypse said dryly. "The point is, we can center Brass on the trap epicenter. Victoria, look for some good entrances to this area. Glory, lets measure this tree to the other traps. Its a good base for Brass... Lets ensure that its not covered with man eating snakes."
Eclypse led the group through deciding the places for a trap. "A pit by the first path that Victoria found. We'll place the rope leg - grabbing trap directly behind it to attempt to ensnare any one attempting to rescue the person in the trap..." Eclypse led the group to the opposite path towards Brass' tree. "We'll have someone watching for approaches here, above the first pit trap with spikes. The others should be camouflaged near here..."
Victoria and Eclypse dug the first trap where Eclypse decided it should be, on the most easiest path within. The rope trap was placed directly behind it while Eclypse wondered how disarming would be made easier.
Eclypse (with Victoria's aid) rolled 4 dice to "Creating pit trap #1" 1,3,8,4 (1 successes) Eclypse (with Victoria's aid) rolled 4 dice to "Creating rope noose trap" 9,1,3,6 (1 successes)
"Now should we start placing the spiked pit traps?" Eclypse wondered.
|
|
|
Post by Aeon The Phoenix on Jan 24, 2013 20:01:13 GMT -5
Lily had been walking with Coral for a few minutes now, keeping her eyes peeled for water and trouble as she followed the older tribute, one of her throwing knives sat in her right hand ready to be called upon. "Too quiet..." she hissed softly to Coral, her voice barely above a whisper yet seemingly all too loud to her ears. Lily Zelle rolled 6 dice to "Perception" 1,5,6,7,3,2 (0 successes) Lily found herself unusually homesick... all these browns and greens were unfamiliar compared to the steel, concrete and metals of her own district.
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 24, 2013 20:32:24 GMT -5
"It is quiet." Coral agreed, continuing to walk forward. The girl from district four held her chakram in her hand, prepared to meet violence with violence. As the girls walked, they heard the sounds of wild animals scurrying in the underbrush. A time or two they heard a monkey scream, a startling sound. A monkey had hooted just above their heads, causing Coral to look up apprehensively; chakram rising. The monkey stared down at the two, jumping and shaking its branch for a moment before leaping forward ahead, out of sight.
"Odd animal." Coral observed darkly, taking a tentative step forward. "Do you hear that?" She tilted her head for a moment, stating. "There is running water." The girl quickened her steps as the the ground dipped, leading the girls into a gully. Coral paused as the sound of a river became louder. She turned around in place, scanning the trees. The area appeared to be devoid of tributes.
|
|
|
Post by Aeon The Phoenix on Jan 24, 2013 20:39:25 GMT -5
"I don't see anything, but stay alert." Lily advised, eyes darting around suspiciously. She'd watched too many Hunger Games on TV to know that quiet and absent were two separate entities in the Arena. At least that water sounded close if nothing else... Lily Zelle rolled 6 dice to "Perception" 5,10,2,8,8,4,10,6 (4 successes)
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 24, 2013 20:47:21 GMT -5
As Lily glanced around, she noted a single female watching them from behind a tree. When the girl saw Lily's gaze, she raised up her hands in the air, signalling that she didn't have a weapon.
"Wait." She implored, speaking at barely a whisper. Its hard to hear her over the sound of the water. The girl looks apprehensively over your shoulder, whispering.
"The career pack is nearby. They have been setting up a camp... it looks dangerous." You recognize the girl now as Bailey, the girl from district three who had ran off of her platform and fled the Blood Bath entirely. Lacey and Cotton had joined her later when they departed the Blood Bath; you recall. "I don't want to fight you. I was wondering if you wanted to join forces against them."
|
|
|
Post by Aeon The Phoenix on Jan 24, 2013 21:02:12 GMT -5
Lily was somewhat skeptical... after all, someone had tried something similar to this during the 25th Games... and although that Conrad guy had survived to be mentor, it had ultimately cost him his partner. "We've already had two altercations with the Careers... you're going to need more than the three of us to take them on." Lily stated, neither denying nor accepting the offer at present, curious to see the girl's reaction. "Perhaps if your whole group was to join ours..." Lily Zelle rolled 9 dice to "Cutting A Deal" 3,5,1,3,9,6,8,7,4 (2 successes)
|
|
|
Post by Seryna on Jan 24, 2013 21:13:44 GMT -5
"I am proposing that Lacey, Cotton and I join with your group." Bailey stated quietly, continuing to keep her distance. She raises her eyes skyward and for the first time you notice Lacey, the girl who had knocked Jan Colton unconscious, crouching in the neck of the tree behind you. She grips the staff that did it firmly, watching you closely. You note that her cheek has a terrible three inch long cut that has been crudely stitched together.
"You know we're no slouches in the fighting department." Lacey stated quietly. "The five of us would outnumber the careers. I'd say we strike at twilight - that was when they took their dinner yesterday." Lacey made a hand signal to Bailey, who craned her neck to look behind Lily and Coral. Bailey kept this scanning motion with her eyes, alert for approaching danger. Lacey remained fixed on Lily and Coral.
"Its just the two of you?" Lacey asked.
|
|
|
Post by Aeon The Phoenix on Jan 24, 2013 21:28:30 GMT -5
"Five of us still won't be enough." Lily shook her head. "If you're serious about a temporary alliance to get rid of the Careers, we have additional members of our group close by. We could arrange to get the drop on them tonight, all of us, and wipe them from the face of the Arena." It was a gamble, but one Lily had to try. The Sevens would have additional allies and no Career opposition if this worked. Jan and co were leaving anyway... the decision to enlist Lacey's group would no doubt hasten that unless her and Jan could put aside their grudges to fight a common foe. That injury was nasty though... Lily didn't think she could forgive it if that had been inflicted on the Fiver girl... Lily Zelle rolled 9 dice to "Cutting A Deal" 8,6,1,1,8,4,5,10,6,3 (3 successes)
|
|