Island of Eslance (closed)

[EndZoner]

Brandon nodded at Erica and began walking down the road to their destination. Although, he wonders how long it will take to complete this journey. He decided to ask Erica that particular question. "Oi Erica, how long do you think it will take for us to complete this journey?", he asked the centaur. However, he also wondered why Erica's here. Did she volunteered? Or was she chosen by the elders? "Oh, and why are you here? Not to be rude, but I was wondering if you volunteered to be here or you were chosen to be here.", he asked another question to her.

[TheShadoek]

Alson turned for a second towards brandon, then taking a question as his own.

"I believe nobody can tell how long will this travel take. Remind that it is forbidden to speak about the rituals of pilgrimage to anybody, thus, there are no records of it. Nor i recall any book containing information about what await us from my father's collection. But arriving to the temple should not take long. I have no map, but i am guessing that it cannot be that far away since every village has to go to it."

And after that, he kept walking.

[Nexous]

"Well he pretty well answered your first question correctly, kudos. To answer your second question, I'm the guide for this leg of your trip, until I decide to retire, then another is chosen. I will guide you so far, then you will have another guide, but fear not I will be back towards the end of your journey."

[Nexous]

(Let's take another crack at this.)
After a several hours on the road the sun begins to dip. You've come across a dried creek coming from the mouth of a smaller cave on a cliff. Further up the cliff there is a much larger opening. "We had best set up camp." Suggest Erica. "These woods are known to be home to a wondering pack of werewolves from time to time. There is also a chance that there are werebats in the caves, especially the larger one. So here are our choices We could set up camp in the creek bed, and have more open visibility, but be out in the open if there is any threat. We could camp in the woods, if the werewolves are in the area we would be surrounded long before we even see them, but the werebats would have a hard time finding us. Our final option is to set up camp in the caves, it's easily defensible location if werewolves attack, but werebats could swarm us if they are in there." Erica hesitates for a moment before reluctantly adding "Or we could continue on, but I really wouldn't advise it." Those who know the cycle of the moon know it will be full lending to the visibility. Ultimately whether, or not that would a boon, or a curse remains to be seen.

[EndZoner]

"I'd say we camp in the creek bed.", Brandon suggested, "If we camp in the woods or cave, we're pretty much trapped if any of them shows up. The creek bed has a lot more option in escaping. The visibility is convenient since the lookout can see trouble more easily. Though the same can be said for any mamonos at night", he reasoned.

[TheShadoek]

"If it's a matter of what is a bigger threat..." Alson inquired. "...Werewolves are more powerful and agile, but Werebats more ravenous and bigger in numbers. But the thing is, Werebats have one weakness, whilist Werewolves do not. They are afraid of light. And i will find myself doomed if we face the latter. I cannot outrun a werewolf, nor wrestle with one for my life, but werebats are light-weight creatures like harpies. I'd say that werewolf wins that one."

"Now then. Every localization has it's risks. Being at the woods makes more likely werewolves will find us, at the caves, we may be entering a mob trap, and in between both, it opens the, more or less, even possibility to be attacked by both. Having said this, and that werebats are afraid of light. If we camp in the caves, there is the possibility that werebats will ignore even a lightsource like a fire if they are too numberous. There have been recorded cases of that. The woods leads to a higher possibility of being attacked by something i do not want to face and the creek is a higher bet of our chances, we may be found by none, or maybe both groups of mamono will find us..."

"I would say we camp in the caves."

[DJ Pon3]

The warrior decided to speak for the first time since they had left the city hours ago. Since he looked to be the most experienced fighter, he was more than likely the caravans guardian. Which while it was always risky to be a guardian, it always felt nice to know that people depend on you.

"Well, speaking from personal experience, both open areas such as the creek, and closed areas, such as the caves, have their advantages and disadvantages. A warrior will always want an open space against many opponents; it gives them manuvrability space, comfort room to breath in, whatnot. However, a closed environment is great when facing small groups or single opponents, as it gives a much more limited space to fight in, and much more focused battleground between you and the opponent. The issue I see with all three locations is this; the caves, a closed environment, wield many potential weaker enemies. I can take down werebats, but getting swarmed in those smaller locations could mean a quick defeat due to no breathing room; the forests are only slightly open, but are still confined, however werewolves are a lot harder to deal with. I can take on two or three at a time, but a pack of them would be overwhelming. I can't deal with that type of endurance and still get out unscathed. The open area of the creek provides both an open area to fend against the werewolves with a better chance due to having more maneuver room, and enough room that swarming won't be as much an issue due to the openness. What I don't like about the creek is the possibility of being attacked by either or, or possibly both at same or different times. It offers too much negatives than it does positives. Frankly, I'd prefer to keep going and look for a less dangerous site, but if now is the time to bunker down, I would suggest the caves. If there are small enough crawlspaces, we could hide in those. While the werebats would know where we were, their swarm would be controlled into that smaller environment, and make it easier to fend them off."

Despite his quite nature, he seemed very well versed in terms of long-term thinking and strategy. Though that really was his specialty. Tell him to write a story or sing a song, and he's got nothing he can do but stare blankly. Give him a weapon or a stressful military situation, and he can figure something out.

[Heero]

Ren:
He steps up after everyone has said their peace, "I agree with...Alton? (he points questioningly) the Werebats are weak/afraid of light so lighting a fire would keep them at bay...if we venture deep enough the light from the fire shouldn't be seen by whatever happens to look that way. so caves."

Aedan:
speaking in a deep but quiet voice he comes up with something. "I say the caves. Two of us should light a torch one in front and one in back. Once we are deep enough set up camp and fire while keeping the torches lit and on the perimeter of the camp to ward off the Werebats. And at least two on watch one hour shifts."

[hothead1021]

Ivadi listened intently on everyone's reasoning on where to sleep. and everyone was leaning towards caves though there seems to be a common misconception with the group "umm...everyone? I think we are forgetting that it's not JUST werebats that live in caves, we could be dealing with a lizard man, an Arachne or even a dragon if we were really unlucky. though considering my options and the habitat we're in I do agree that werebats are the most likely choice so it looks like the caves are safer." he said

[TheShadoek]

"It's Alson."

Alson heard Ivaldi's reply and nodded while humming once, to accentuate his remark as correct.

"However, It is not likely that a lizardman would attack us. Maybe as a kind of self-defense if we come in by surprise. Since they tend to travel the world to train themselves. Thus, they often only take shelter on caves temporarily without actually living in them. An arachne should not pose a big threat, just do not struggle much and you will be set free in due time. But a dragon comes down to the implausible. Just think for a moment how far away is this from our village, and for us to have not noticed yet. Dragons do not tend to move out once they make home, and are not uncommon to assault people for their valuable loot. Moreover, they do not like intruders and often leave warning marks around their lairs." The man puts his book-knowledge to use, accepting the risk of sounding pedant.

"Rather. I am more afraid of finding Devil Bugs in there, those are swarmers by nature and the gleaves on their limbs pose a problem when trying to get rid of them. I am sure most of us have dealed with, at least, a couple of them at once."

[Nexous]

You venture across the creek bed, and reach the cave. At the back of the cave is a large pool, with a hole in the ceiling over it leading directly up. When the water is flowing a waterfall would be coming down through there leading out the mouth of the cave. Near the mouth of the cave is mostly flat from the usual steady flow of water. "Once you complete the ritual the rain will return at the source of the spring, and the creek will return." Says Erica from the mouth of the cave. "The cave will be too small for all of us, and the cart. I will set up my own little camp outside of the cave, and watch the wagon. There should be plenty of fish in that pool, should you be hungry." She heads out, and sets up her own camp within view. She sets up a small tent she pulls out of her wagon, and retrieves some fire wood from the edge of the woods. Should anyone decide to keep her company she would be unlikely to object. Moving with a practiced ease of someone who has done this everyday for years she is done, and has a fire going in less than half an hour. She eases herself backwards into her tent, which for some reason only covers her horse half.

The cave has some small stalactites, but the water flow keeps stalagmites from forming. Just as Erica said there are fish living in the pool waiting for the water to return. Up the hole in the roof is pure black no telling how far exactly it leads. There doesn't seem to be much noise coming from up there.

[TheShadoek]

"Hmm... We may need some fire in here as well." Alson hummed to himself as he walked into the cave. There was not a lot to see, nor a lot to do in there, so he decided to turn around to reach for his things in the wagon. Among his stuff, he had packed beef jerky and a blanket, which was what he looked for. But not to take it right away, just to confirm where it was.

The thought did come up, that from the hole above, werebats may lurk and crawl out when everyone is asleep. So he was not planning to sleep. Rather, Alson wanted something to chew on but that still left him hungry so falling asleep became increasingly harder. Right now however, another fire seemed in order, so he walked back into the cave and told to the group his intentions.

"I will go and search for some wood to start another fire. If Werebats come, they will do it from there. So having more than one source of light nearby might be useful. Also i shall stay on guard for the night, don't worry, my regular sleep schedule is abnormal either way." And say-do, he walked outside to fetch some branches.

[Nexous]

(I'm going to add something new. A "reaction" event. In short you have a limited time to respond, no response, or bad decision = werebat rape. As a whole you chose the worst of the three choices, and shadoek saved you all from insta-rape. So that being said I won't say when the deadline is that's part of the fun.)
Shortly after Alson got the fire going the twilight began to grow into darkness. Werebats began to pour out of the mouth of the larger cave above you all into the night sky, sounds began to come from the back of the cave as they also began to come out of the hole where the waterfall once was. The werebats number in the hundreds, or better. However startled by the light of the fire they begin to collide, and fall into the pool below. As they do the water over flows, and creeps across the floor extinguishing the fire, and your main defense. This gives you a chance to react before you are over come by sheer numbers. Will your fight, or flight instincts take over? Will you be caught off guard, and be swept away, or will you willingly submit? Perhaps you can try to find another solution.

(I tried to fit a "Got them wet" joke in here somewhere, but I really didn't see a place to fit it in without it being forced... so I'll put it here! This may be the one time getting a girl all wet is a bad thing. HA HA... that was pathetic)

[TheShadoek]

By the lenght of a blink the night had fallen. Alson had set up a decent fire by then, however, and settled down wrapped on his blanket while he looked towards the dark entrance in the ceiling. Pulling the beef jerky out, then, he begun to chew on the salty treat as silently as possible, since he planned to keep it up for the rest of the night.

And then they came.

The werebats, afar, were barely visible in the dim illumination provided by the fire summed to their natural dark blue or plain black fur, but became easier to spot as their numbers increased to several dozens. Alson was rather preoccupied, but regardless, he called out for his companions to notice the mob and waited to see how they acted in contrast to the fire.

The werebats, one by one, fell on the pond below as if the light provided by the fire was their equivalent of smoke for bees. Thing that seemed rather hilarious for the man, and he pulled a suffocated snicker. But all the hilarity vanished once the water ended up rousing enough to put off the fire.

Alson stood frozen for a second, and then he attemped to rise on his feet, making a run for it towards the centauress' camp. What was going through his head the moment he realized he had tripped over with his own blanket as he tried to give the first step, however, was pure repent.

'What comes around goes around...' He thought to himself, as he laid on the rocky floor, waiting in complete darkness.

[hothead1021]

Ivadi noticed the swarm of warebats as he had his dinner, honestly he couldn't say he was surprised when he saw them. their sheer numbers were so large that they could blacken the night sky. when they saw the fire, their collision and fall to the pool snuffed out the fire.

he knew that they have moments before another attack. he got up from his sleeping bag and headed towards the Centaur's camp. he pulled out two stones that when struck together, made sparks, they were the flint rocks used to make the fire in the first place. with this in hand he continued to make sparks as he helped up Alson and the others to reach the other camp, staying in the back to help make sure they made it safely.

he kept his wooden sword close for in the worse case scenario, he'll ignite his wooden blade like a torch and use it to fend them off. he didn't really want to hurt them at all to be honest, but right now they have no proper way to defend themselves and if scaring them off or be the one taken is the only option, then for the sake of the mission, it's a chance he was willing to take

[TheShadoek]

Alson rose up to his feet with the help of a companion, whom he could not discern very well due to the lack of lighting. And as thankful as he was, he also was alarmed, so the thankful words had to wait until they were out.

It appeared that this was not very much help, though, as he immediately fell back on his knees after standing up. One of his legs hurt rather bad and his feet below was numb so he could not manage it very well. Holding the wall, Alson was barely captable of walking normally, running was an impossibility.

There was someone making sparks by rubbing two abrasive stones against each other, who stood behind to make sure everyone made it, including Alson. But the man knew that he would make the two of them too slow to escape if he attemped to carry him. So he looked back and forth, between the closing werebats and this man, got ahold of his shoulders and pushed him out with all the strengh he could.

"You leave. I will stay and distract them. It's better one of us than two, or more..."

[EndZoner]

"That's a shitty plan!", Brandon responded to Alson's plan, "We can fend them off! They'll bound to give up eventually!", he explained. He attempted to remain calm, but he began became irritated when he realized that it's difficult to find the werebats in the dark. Running outside, the moonlight helped illuminate his views, though it wouldn't help him much. He may be physically fit, but he can't take on a swarm. The best they could do is endure long enough for the werebats to give up on them.

[TheShadoek]

"Yours seems worse!" Alson shouted back in reply from inside the cave as he, completely resigned, stood up and opened his arms in hopes to block some of those werebats from targetting the rest.

[Nexous]

To All: As the werebats reached those still in the cave yet more began to pour out the maw of the cave. Shortly before reaching Brandon A figure landed in front of him, and the werebats parted around her like like a wave breaking against a stone.

Alson: A few werebats land near you, and circle you cautiously. One with brown hair, fur, and wings walks up to you. You can see her eyes faintly through her hair, they seem to glow a yellow tent. She reaches her hand on top of your head, and pushes you down onto your knees your face inches from her crotch. With her free hand she lifts the tattered skirt exposing herself. The other werebats seem to be waiting for a cue in case you don't obey your current captor.

Brandon/Ivad: "Who would have thought that the one most heavily armed would be the reasonable one." Says the figure, who with your eyes better adjusted to the light you can very clearly tell is a woman. She has two bat like wings on her back, and large bat like ears in the same place a normal human would have ears. She seems to have power over the werebats who are now flying off into the night sky. She has her wings folded over her shoulders, and wrapped tightly around her body. They drape almost to the ground looking like a strange dress, making it hard to tell if she is wearing cloths under her wings. "I'm sorry about your friends who got caught by my girls, but it would be most unfair for me to make my girls give up their hard earned prey wouldn't you agree?" She walks past Brandon, toward Ivad. "You behave like a civilized young man, would you care to have a civil talk away from the fire? The light is a bit too bright for my eyes." This woman seems to be a rare spices said to rule particularly large groups of werebats, known as a Bat queen for their mysterious power to control all the werebats. Little is known about this species of MG, but meeting one is considered good luck.(Mostly because they prevent the werebat rapes.)
More in depth description: She stands at a little below average human height. Her wings which are covered in a layer of velvety fur are wrapped around her body, tightly enough to show off her curves. Her raven hair though messy is tucked behind her bat like ears. She has very bright yellow eyes which try to avoid looking directly into the fire. She winces every time her eyes do happen to flicker across it. Her lips are painted red with what is hopefully just berry juice. As she talks you can see light glint off what clearly appear to be fangs. Her actions don't seem hostile, and further more she seems put off by any form of hostility.)

Those who didn't respond in time: The werebats fell upon you before you could react. The sparks from the flint weren't nearly bright enough to deter the werebats. Several of them hold you down at once while a couple begin to remove your cloths. Though they are handling your person roughly they are attempting not to injure you, and even taking great pains to make sure they don't damage your possessions. (I will do individualized post for all 3 characters with the next update.)

[hothead1021]

"Who would have thought that the one most heavily armed would be the reasonable one." a figure said as she approached. she was a werebat like the others but she seemed a bit more willing to talk than act. Ivadi blushed just a little seeing her body, she was admittedly an attractive woman "I'm sorry about your friends who got caught by my girls, but it would be most unfair for me to make my girls give up their hard earned prey wouldn't you agree?" she went on as she approached Ivadi now "You behave like a civilized young man, would you care to have a civil talk away from the fire? The light is a bit too bright for my eyes." she asked as Ivadi identified her as a bat queen. seeing his options he nods "Yes, I will comply for now." he said bowing to her he knew that he had to continue on with the journey and hopefully at the very east the others can leave once he explained it to her.