[Taocow PBEM] Chapter VII - Into the Land of Mists

[Aaron Clausen]

[GM]
The would-be attackers struggle mightily to get free, but for the moment,
Rod's carpet of adhesion has done the trick.
[/GM]

> [Talas]
> Talas turns to Bongo.  "Mr. Bongo how far ahead of us is this Mr. Griz?"
> [/Talas]

> [Bongo]
> "Preferably he's within the effective range of a Coalition C-12 rifle."
> Bongo groans as he picks himself up from he ground.  "After this, I'm
> gonna need to sink a few shots into something so I can feel better."
>
> He takes a few inquisitive sniffs to pick Griz' scent back up.  "Now let's
> vacate the premises while I still have a carcass underneath what's left of
> this armor... for cryin' out loud, this was a brand-new suit..." he adds
> under his breath.
> [/Bongo]

[GM]
The scent seems to be gone, possibly due to gun fire and electrical burts.
The best Bongo can say is that Griz headed east.
[/GM]

> [Osiris]
> Emerging from cover with his rifle still at the ready, Osiris looks over
> at the rest of the group and moves in closer to everyone before speaking
> softly "Well we better get out of here before those guys regroup, but we
> don't want make it far without some kind of decent transportation. There
> is no point running and now and wait for these guys to come after us
> again...  I recon take them out here and take their horses.""
>
> Osiris then turns towards the group of mercs as he waits for the group to
> decide, while looking at the group stuck on the carpet of adhesion and
> carefully counting and makes a judgement on their chance of defeating
> these guys.
> [/Osiris]

[GM]
There are six horsemen.  All the horses, save for the giant's cyberhorse,
are likely so injured that they'll have to be put down.  All six of the
riders, the giant included, look like they could put up a fight, though they
are outnumbered at the moment.
[/GM]

> [Osiris]
> He checks that his clip still has a sufficient number of shots, his
> grenades are handy and that his pack is securely strapped on. His eyes
> constantly scanning the area for any nasty surprises just in case.
> [\Osiris]

[GM]
Phaeton seems a little agitated.  "As I said, the only vehicles close by are
back in the town, and I really don't think I want to go back there now."

Lena looks ahead, in the direction that Griz must be.  "We might spend a
lot of time getting a vehicle.  If what Mr. Bongo says is right, then Griz
is on foot."
[/GM]

OOC: Apologies to Lady Frost's player.

[Lady Frost]
"Kyle has his flying gear." Lady Frost says.  "He can move quickly if need
be.  I agree with Lena, getting a vehicle might take time.  As to these
people, well, I can keep them there a bit longer, too."

Lady Frost points out her arm and a spray of ice starts coating the men's
legs.  She pays special attention to the giant, who within a few moments
finds himself locked to the ground by a large mound of ice.

Lady Frost turns around.  "Let's go."
[/Lady Frost]

[GM]
The company pulls out, leaving their pursuers behind, shouting out for help.
Soon the company is moving down hill and into a wide valley.  After an hour
or so, there is no sign of pursuit, and even Alex's and Osiris's keen skills
sense nothing, save the odd faerie flying by, laughing and giggling.

"What a silly lot!" one small one in sparkling clothes cries.  "'Tis a dog,
and that thing, is it a dwarf?"  An unseen voice replies, "What are such a
brutish group doing away from their settled parts?  Come to visit us gentle
folk, eh?"

"Pay no attention to them." Phaeton cautions.  "They might be full of
merriment, but they're tricksters."

The faerie puts on a mock frown, flying right into Phaeton's face.  "You are
a grumpy one.  Well all the luck with your quest, and if you come back this
way, be sure to call upon us.  We have some tasty mushrooms that might
improve the looks of your friends."  With that it flies away, but for the
next couple of hours, faeries continue to taunt, flying into faces, even
trying to trip unwary legs.

The afternoon is bright and warm, a perfect July day.  Faeries continue to
harass the company on occasion, but other than a bit of mockery, don't seem
much interested in the kinds of pranks they're known for.

The company have been walking for several hours through a land of rolling
hills and small woodlands of lush trees.  Bongo again picks up Griz's scent,
faint enough that he must be at least an hour ahead of the company.  The
trail leads due north into a hillier, more barren landscape.  A narrow path,
and barely one at that, leads up into the hills.

The air is becoming chillier, and there's a dampness in the air.  Soon the
tops of hills become indistinct as a thick mist descends from the north.
The path keeps leading up, but now visibility is only a few feet and those
at the back can barely make out those at the front.

Above, the white mist starts to turn dark as sun sets.  It is becoming so
cold that it can't be more than a few degrees above freezing.  Still the
path leads on, a road into the sky.  But, other than a bit of disquiet, no
psychic warning of danger is received by those with the gift.

Suddenly the company find themselves beneath two tall pillars of roughly
hewn granite.  To one side the land can be seen dropping into an abyss of
unguessable depth, and on the other a rock wall, clearly fashioned by hands,
but with stones so hard they look to have been made by giants.  The wall's
top is hidden in the fog.

The pillars themselves must be twenty feet high, and six feet wide at their
base.  They are heavily weathered, but the markings of what could have been
writing can still be dimly seen before the light finally goes out and the
company is plunged into the deep darkness of sudden night.  Now the thick
mist seems to gather closer to them, making everyone feel a little
claustrophobic.

"This place gives me the creeps." Lena says.  "Are you sure this is the way
that lizard guy went, Mr. Jones?  You know what I'd like?  To hole up for
the night and continue on in the morning.  You could miss your own hand in
this fog."

As if one queue, a gust of wind blows the mists beyond the pillars to
shreds, revealing a stone path and what appears to be a half-collapsed stone
house.  A small tower can be seen just beyond it when the wind ends and the
mists return.

"What of this?" Phaeton asks.  "The girl is right, and this place certainly
looks abandoned.  I am tired myself.  Or we can go on.  What say the rest of
you?"
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen	mightymartianca at alberni.net

Palladium Rifts PBEM:
http://test.alberni.net/taocow/rifts_pbem/