[closed] INTO THE WOODS.
At Ramir's request, Hellboy has accompanied her into the jungle, looking for clues as to this rising cult of Ryba. It's dangerous stuff, cults, particularly when those cults have a penchant for sacrificial mutilation: missing villagers can only spell disaster for the recruits themselves down the line, so it's best to nip this in the bud as quickly as possible.
Hellboy is worried about the missing half of their team, but until the storm dies down, there seems to be no better way to pass the time than walking around in creepy jungles looking for possible cannibals.
THE RESCUE.
After Hellboy's warning and the necessary preparations, it's time to rescue King and Ramir -- and as many captured Nalawi as you can. The camp is by one of the largest estuaries on Pu'ulai, camouflaged by native flora and hidden in the shadow of the volcano Nalalona. The cultists have removed King and Ramir's magitek jewellery, but the tracking beacons are still active, making it easier to find them than without.
The well-hidden camp is creepy, filled with ramshackle tents and poorly-made effigies. There's a pool in the middle of it all, filled with brackish, murky water. Ramir, King, and a small number of terrified-looking Nalawi are all bound, kept on the far side of the camp.
The cultists are all dressed in hooded black robes, doe and stag alike. They are all without their Gifts, but that does nothing to temper their ferocity at intruders into their camp. Despite their diminutive size, they know the forests better than any ALASTAIR recruit, and are suited to blitz attacks on any would-be rescuers; they may pop out of the underbrush in small, seemingly endless waves. They also have sharp hooves and the stags' horns are dangerous, capable of goring anyone who doesn't get out of the way of a charge.
The cult is surprisingly large, so it may take some time to defeat them all. Whether you want to spare them or destroy them is up to you -- but it's clear that the cult has no plans for mercy whatsoever.
EXPLORATION.
Now that the cultists have been dispatched (one way or another), the camp is free to explore.
If any cultists are captured for questioning, they'll speak in gibberish and violently lash out at anyone who comes too close. The only thing they'll say that makes any sense is that Ryba is hungry -- Ryba the devouring one has eaten all the lesser gods in the world long ago, and now she needs more.
All around the camp are various effigies (poorly crafted from dried kelp), shark's teeth, and other junk of the sea. There are tents scattered around that may be explored; they are filled with mundane paraphernalia such as books, combs, and other trinkets of sentimental value. If one didn't look at the horrors outside the tents, it might be confused for a refugee camp.
The pool in the middle of the camp is filled with black water and disembodied Nalawi eyes, its concentrated magical energy more potent than even the water out in the ocean. There is a single doe in it, floating face down, the latest sacrifice before the cultists were interrupted; not dressed in their black robes, she is one of the missing villagers who was not so lucky. If she is turned over, it can be seen that her eyes have been gouged out.
The surviving kidnapped villagers are badly shaken up but have no answers as to what happened other than they were captured by what they refer to as a "death cult." Apart from some slight hunger and dehydration, none of them are injured. They're just glad to be alive, and ask to be escorted back to the Pu'ulai temple.
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epidemiology2016-05-09 06:34 pm
#4 obviously
I hope you're not planning on doing anything reckless with the condition you're in.
[Shouldering his massive sword, he gestures at her.]
Sit down. Let me take a look at your feet.
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No, that'd be fucking stupid. [ She pushes off from her lean against the tree. ] Maybe do a check up or whatever after we're out of crazy cultist territory.
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Fine. Come on then. You can leave the remaining cultists for everyone else to take care of.
[Running around in the jungle is the last thing you should be doing with your feet cut up like that.]
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Five minutes. If any little guys spring out of the bush screaming, I'll leave them to you.
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If they're smart they'll stay well enough away. They're no match for me.
[Spoken like a true edgelord.]
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Oh, yeah, I'm sure. But seriously, I gotta know -- how did a nine year old end up in a body like that?
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[WAIT. That taunt is annoyingly familiar. Oh, right.]
You. Are you seriously still doing this.
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I mean, it's that or you stole a thirteen year old's act.
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I'm not-
[But of course, this distraction is exactly the sort of thing the cultists were waiting for, and a buck leaps out of the cover of the jungle, aiming to gore Law on his horns, it seems. But you know what's perfect for blocking antlers from maiming you? Giant swords. Good thing Law has one of those. Even though his focus has shifted, don't think he's forgotten about your slights though, Ramir. He's complaining even as he continues to fight off the angry cultist.]
Could you at least stop demeaning me until I'm done trying to help you!?
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I'm just saying. You got a style and you're dedicated to it.
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[Pausing, because this little deer person is very determined to gore him and is stronger than he expected. More importantly, just as Ramir suspected, there's another Nalawi charging out of the forest, presumably aiming to catch Law off guard as he's still struggling with the first one. Before she has a chance to do something reckless, though, Law's taking action, mumbling "room" to himself as a transparent blue dome envelops both Nalawi. It startles both cultists long enough for Law to make a pair of short gestures with his hands.
Whatever it was, the dome immediately disappears as Law all but collapses, suddenly out of breath. It would be a problem if the two cultists were not now two flailing monstrosities on the ground, one now just two pairs of legs joined at the hip, the other two upper bodies joined likewise.]
You're supposed to be resting.
[He says that, but the two Nalawi now joined literally at the hip seem to be slowly figuring out how to shamble around in their new nightmare form, and Law's not really prepared to fight it as he is.]
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What the hell! [ She points at the things. ] Fix that!
[ Yeah sure she was about to kill one earlier, and may have participated in a little good natured torturing for information of another one, but this is different. This is horrifying, and she doesn't care if he has to pass out to undo it. ]
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They were attacking me, I defended myself. Don't act so horrified.
[A steadying breath before he straightens up and draws his sword from the sheath just in time to get the shambling monstrosity to back off.]
Besides, I'm not wasting what little span of my abilities I have left on turning them back when they're just going to be dead soon anyway.
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You should have thought of that before you fucked them up so bad! [ She yanks at his arm, or whatever she can get a grip on, scowling darkly. ] Fix them, we're not killing them and we're not leaving them like that.
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What the hell do you mean, of course we're killing them. We leave them alive and they'll just come back to try and kill us again! Is that what you want!?
[He stumbles slightly when she pulls on his arm, but otherwise isn't making a move either way.]
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No, they won't. They're scared, desperate assholes who think they're doing good. You've now officially scared the shit outta them, they're gonna run off and not come back. [ She shifts her grip a little, the better to get an angle for a good, sharp twist on his arm. ] If you fix them.
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There, happy?
[And true to Ramir's prediction, the two cultist stare wide eyed at Law for about three seconds before he glares at them, raising his hand in threat. It's all they need to see before bolting back into the woods.]
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She nods, happy to get back to being exhausted, with that little detail take care of. ]
Yeah, happy. [ Her firm stance eases into a slouch. ] Alright, lead the way.
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I'm not sure if you should be walking, though. How bad are your injuries?
[Since you won't let him look at them here, god.]
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[ She rolls her eyes as she says it; come on, like she wasn't dashing all over the place on these painful feet earlier. That obviously means everything is fine.
...On the other hand, she wouldn't say not to lessening the weight on them a little. She gestures him nearer with a c'mere motion of her hand. ]
But gimme a shoulder or something, and I'll walk faster.
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How long have your feet been injured like that?
[Might as well get all the doctorly questioning out of the way as they move.]
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Since the volcano bullshit. [ How long ago was that? Was he even there for that? She can't remember either answer, and squints a little. ] Like a week ago?
[ She'd been doing pretty good, too. Wrapped them up and took it easy and everything. But who knew, a dash through a jungle at night wasn't good for trying to heal bottom-of-feet wounds. ]
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Were they ever properly bandaged or was your first thought to wrap them sloppily in what I'm guessing is T-shirt fabric?
[He sounds so offended. How dare you forgot proper medical procedure.]
I cannot be the only one here capable of providing proper first aid. What have you been doing for an entire week?
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I've been busy. You know, looking for missing friends and shit? And it's not that bad, I've had worse. [ Just not... on what has proven to be as vital an area as the bottoms of her feet. Who knew injuries there were so uniquely annoying. ]
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[This is one irritable, pessimistic doctor right here. But hey, at least now they're out of the woods. Law literally shoves Ramir off his shoulder so that she'll have no choice but to plant her ass in the sand next to the river.]
And I'm assuming your missing friends wouldn't appreciate it if they returned only to find you gone or severely incapacitated.
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