[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
Chrollo [Open]
[Chrollo had no desire to play the part of a hero, but there were times in which that card could be played to one's advantage. He had already supplanted himself in the eyes of a few as a technical thinker and alluded to a very amoral approach to things.
In the first few steps after he had entered the camp, it all took a very unnerving turn. He hadn't entered the camp alongside anyone. Chrollo had come out of the brush, coming to understand what Hellboy meant when he said the place would be difficult to find. It didn't have the usual sign of 'borders' that a camp would normally have. The cultists were well-hidden.
Chrollo noticed the much more subtle signs of passage and the marks that came with people living in a space. The first cultist he killed had been standing with Chrollo at his side for a few moments before he even realized he wasn't alone. In one fluid gesture, Chrollo's fingers rolled over his horns, his other hand found his chin to snap his mouth shut and he snapped his neck in a clean rotation. Chrollo hunched his body over him to muffle the sound before lowering him gently.
He kept moving. Barefoot, Chrollo was quick to move onto his next victim, patrolling the outer edges of the camp. It would take some time to whittle down their defenses, but he was eager to do so with the utmost caution. Chrollo was never one to discard an advantage.
He was just as prepared to be discovered as he was to utilize the surprise that would come from the other members of ALASTAIR invading, though--he had a few more surprises he could put to good use as well.]
[Exploration]
[He wasn't sickened by it at all. Chrollo mingled among bodies, stepping over them as he looked for texts or artifacts of importance. His eyes ran over objects, searching them for stray bits of power or importance. He found nothing worth taking.
Then, he found the pool. Chrollo hunched over it, examining it with his Gyo. Twisting, malevolent power rose from it, but he saw that it was just that--a pool filled with power. The sacrifice had been made, but Chrollo couldn't have stolen it if he couldn't identify the ritual or speak to the one who enacted it. It was a disappointing loss. Unable to at least profit from his venture, Chrollo sighed and reached up to run fingers through his hair. He was sweating from exertion and his heart had still been racing.]
Ryba... [He mulled over the creature's name with a measure of curiosity.]
How hungry are you, exactly?
groans, sorry i'm so late -- also exploration
Instead of lingering on the thought, she sets it aside, stepping over a prone arm to crouch down besides Chrollo.]
Find out anything?
i died :C
There was only one formal sacrifice, today. The last sacrifice had to have happened the day before.
[He was without his abilities in a number of ways, but the more innate powers he had were still in his grasp.]
This water is filled with power, but it hasn't been collected, yet.
[Chrollo gestured to the pool filled with eyes. Riza had looked rough, but she had gotten that far into the camp. Her presence was proof of inner strength, whether she appreciated it or not.]
We interrupted before it could be taken by the goddess.