[Plot] Monster Hunter Rise

[Jabberwoky]

Wherhandlers have gone after the giant tunnelsnake that tried to eat the eggs. There is a trail of ichor along the leaves and undergrowth. Go get that beast!









[Please only 1 wherhandler per player]

[FirebrandPhlox]

Mawkin of Garnet Mawsk - Open

Mawsk was running at a full gallop through the jungle, Mawkin riding atop her, holding tightly to the sabertoothed wher. It was a clean trail being left behind by the tunnelsnake, which had managed to escape the weyr after attacking the eggs. Mawkin generally didn't like the needless killing of animals, but if they didn't get this reptile now, it could easily come back for the eggs again, and potentially with more company in tow.

Need close gap on snake! Mawsk mentally barked to the other whers and their handlers that were joining in the hunt. Once close, we surround. Then kill! It was time for her to show Mawkin what the pair were truly capable of. They didn't need to listlessly spend days drawing maps and diagrams of flora. They could be hunters and properly protect the weyr!

[nineofswords]

Rosethorn of Garnet Thornsk

They'd left Rosesk behind for this. Not that he wasn't suited to a hunt, it was just that Thornsk could get...enthusiastic. And with other riders and whers, Rosethorn didn't want to have to try splitting her attention between her two bonds. And there was simply no way Thornsk was going to sit this one out.

It try kill eggs, she'd growled, low and fierce, barely willing to wait for Rosethorn to put on the straps before running after the trail. It die tonight. Rosethorn didn't need the emotional link with her garnet to feel the resolve in those words.

Now, running through the jungle full tilt with pack of whers from various squads, all united in a single goal, her anger had settled into something a little less wild. Thornsk was hunting with a pack. This was what whers did. They hunted and they took out threats.

Another garnet was already talking strategy. Thornsk wasn't so hot-headed that she would throw away the need for tactics. If can force into dead end, would be easier, she said. Base of cliff, maybe. Should be open. If go in hole, dangerous to flush out. And if they couldn't flush it out, they couldn't be certain they'd killed it dead. Need trap in open, she repeated, nodding to herself, projecting the kind of area she was looking for to her fellow whers. Ideally, something enclosed on three sides by sheer rock walls. She was Chopin, so she didn't explore much, didn't know where to find such a place. Anything like that near?

[Dragon]

Giana of Bronze Goranask

Giana was glad, not for the first time, for her slight figure. She was barely a burden at all to Goranask, as large as he was, and she was fully capable of clinging to his back in a way that made her as little of a bother as possible.

He didn't actually need her for this, honestly. This was what he was for. A big bronze like him? Goranask was made to protect, and eggs were definitely high on the list of things worthy of his protection.

Explore little, Goranask mused. He had a good enough head for tactics, but he didn't really know the terrain especially well except for right around the Weyr. Crush snake. Rend. He was here to provide muscle and claw; let those who spent their days exploring rather than guarding take care of the where of it.

[Windra]

It was only rational for Pavane to get a jump in on the action, especially if they had been present during the initial assault! Radagast rode alongside the garnethandlers. Ever time Radask took a running leap, he felt his aching leg groan in disapproval. But it was what it was. This is what they’d signed up for, after all! His blue was far too jovial for this errand. A definite lack of concern for his own safety, certainly. But not for others’! He galloped along with his tongue hanging out. Saliva whipped Radagast right in the face. The old man paid it no mind. A day in the life!

Draw close! bellowed the blue mentally. There was no need to stick his nose in the dirt to get a clear scent. The ichor was present even to their horrible eyes and it reeked something terribly foul. Watch for bright color!

”This fellow is most certainly venemous!” Radagast called to the others. ”And be mindful, it may have lost a leg but it still has five more!”

Radask knows place! called the wher to Thornsk. Close to sea! Flanks Weyr! Find snake-boi first!

[Fel]

Tam of Greens Tamsk and Task

Not see why need kill. Could try make friend. Maybe find out why snake try eat egg. It big. Maybe it useful ally. No sense kill when not know why. No sense but revenge. Revenge never good, Task said. Though she spoke honestly, there was still a hint of petulance in her voice—because she'd been left behind. Tam and Tamsk had said it was because she was too young. She suspected it was partially because they didn't want a dissenting voice around.

We have to kill it because it's a threat. It could hurt people at the Weyr, and that means it needs to die, Tam said as she stepped over a fallen branch as she made her way through the jungle.

Tam right, Tamsk chimed in. She was letting the "experts" take the lead with tracking, even if some of them didn't seem to be... well, particularly bright. As long as they could find the tunnelsnake, those who were better at fighting could take over. Those like herself. Nobody was allowed to hurt her people. Even if those people were dragons who hadn't even yet been born.

Though the others ideas still bothered her. Thornsk was mostly reasonable, though Tamsk wasn't sure that a cliff base was the best idea. Could tunnelsnakes climb a sheer cliff? Because whers certainly couldn't. And she didn't want to find that out the hard way.

No bottom of cliff. Top of cliff. Even if it could climb a sheer cliff, going over the edge for a descent while being harried by several whers wouldn't end well for it. Then if try escape... instead go splat. But no think it stupid enough let be cornered, and think if try chase as far as sea there more chances we lose trail. It probably stop bleeding eventually.

She would much rather surround it and fight in the open, with no potential escape routes available. It would be much easier for the whers if they could get to all sides, because it couldn't defend everywhere at once. Cliffs would offer cover to it on at least one side and force them to fight in more cramped quarters. But if the others insisted on trying to herd it toward terrain it had a better chance of hiding in on the way... at least it could be where it couldn't climb away with no way for the whers to follow.

[Arcane]

Vella of Green Vellask and Magma Vesk

This creature had eluded Vella's Weyr Guard. Invaded her weyr. Harmed her charges. Broken the peace.

It was not a spotty. Or a pirate.

A mere tunnelsnake- a giant version of common vermin- had evaded all her wherhandlers and caused Vella, once again, to fall short of her oath to protect Semaca Weyr.

Tomorrow, there would be guilt and recriminations. She would double the guard shifts. Demand to know what use Mazurka was, if they could not even identify the dangers lurking at their doorstep.

She would question why she had ignored the rumors as the mumblings of candidates and foreigners.

But tonight? Tonight this tunnelsnake would die bleeding.

For Semaca.

Vella's mouth was set and grim, as Vellask raced after the scent.

Remember smell, Vellask ordered her comrades, Learn well. Morrow- we search for friends.

Vella's territory was the weyr, so she deferred to the local knowledge of the squads who knew this land best.

Hunt first, Vellask said, agreeing with Tamsk, Find good trap once in sight.

Many us. Only one tunnelsnake. Tunnelsnake not smart as whers. Has head start, but hurt, Vesk's voice rumbled with the fury of the wounded earth, none of his usually complacency in his tone tonight, Split two parties, left and right, so can surround. If no good natural trap- we become trap.

[Windra]

Thank goodness, the Weyr Guard was here! And the captain, no less! Radask gave several excited bobs when the instructions were relayed. The blue and his handler quickly passed dialogue between the two of them via mindspeak.

Me goin' right! Right's right! Lezzgo get snek!

Radask was not a wher who was intimidated, and not because he was fearless. He was clueless and a very good boy. Radagast was glad for his boundless energy and endless optimism. If we get to it first, boyo, I'll treat you to some spiced wherry tonight!

OH YAS! He was off! The further into the jungle they went, the more obscured emerald ichor became amongst darker green leaves and throngs of grass. He actually had to stick his nose to the ground to keep the scent which began to mingle with telltale signs of the jungle's natural dangers. Spotties had musky urine, after all, and the males were prone to marking their territory.

[FirebrandPhlox]

Mawkin of Garnet Mawsk

It seemed the hunting party was in agreement. Flank the tunnelsnake, force it into a chokepoint, and dispatch the creature before it or any of its kin could infiltrate the weyr again. Cornering it against a cliff was a god idea, forcing it to the top of a cliff was an even better one. Tamsk had the right idea to use the terrain to their advantage.

There is a cliff formation to the east, Mawkin communicated to her bonded. She remembered mapping that region a season or two ago. The cliffs were about dozen meters high or so, with a gradual rise on one side and a sheer drop on the other. If they could guide the reptile there, it would make for an advantageous position.

Cliffs east. Try lead snake there if can't kill, Mawsk broadcasted an image of the formations to the other whers and their handlers. We go left, she added, peeling in the opposite direction of Radask. They would surround this tunnelsnake and kill it, one way or another.

[Jabberwoky]

As the Whers and their handlers continue and encroach, the large tunnelsnake darts out from the undergrowth, lashing out at Tamsk in an attempt to attack and drive these whers away. It was somehow bigger up close, two wherlengths long with a massive jaw of needle-like teeth.

[Fel]

We left then, Tamsk said. The idea was sound: the less bunched up they were, the easier it would be for the whers to fight. A single opponent couldn't watch all sides, after all. The tunnelsnake would be disadvantaged if it was surrounded.

She split left, accompanied by Tam, but hadn't made it far when she heard a noise in the undergrowth. Something big moving toward them, and fast.

It here! she called as it suddenly burst from the undergrowth, barreling straight toward her. She barely had time to whirl around, snapping at it as its teeth tore away from her left hind leg. She roared in anger and sudden pain. Now it was really going to die.

Try negotiate, Task suggested again, her voice small in the back of Tam and Tamsk's minds. The younger green desperately wanted a nonviolent solution to work.

Not a chance, Tam replied grimly, gripping her hunting spear. Not the most sophisticated of weapons, but it had been her best option against a significantly larger foe as they left the Weyr. And this thing was indeed... significantly larger.

She couldn't stop to wonder if its bite was venomous. They had a job to do.

[nineofswords]

Rosethorn and Garnet Thornsk - Radask, Tamsk

With so many of the pack going left, it wasn't safe for anyone to go off alone, so Thornsk went right with Radask. She also didn't trust that the blue would take this very seriously if the tunnelsnake attacked, so he needed her protection. She ran close to him, every sense alert to danger in the jungle around them.

And then Tamsk called that it had appeared. The garnet swerved, immediately making a beeline for the other flanking party. Thornsk on way, she called. Everyone. Surround. Now. No let escape. Driving it to a cliff was all well and good, but Thornsk cared more about killing the damn thing than executing a plan. If it was going to attack them here and now, might as well kill it out in the open then. No one go off on own. Snake come first, she said, mostly to Radask. This was no time for the blue to get distracted and wander off.

[Windra]

Stop thinkin' me brainless! Radask snapped, wheeling around suddenly. He could smell blood and knew it belonged to a wher. Hungry jowels clapped hard on the open air, every instinctual urge demanding he help one of their pack who was clearly in danger. There was venom in the atmosphere. It hung thick. Who was hurt? Were they envenomated? I come!

"Don't go charging at it, we gotta stick with the plan!" Radagast didn't need to pressure his ward into doing what he demanded. The blue and he functioned as parts of a well-oiled machine. Despite Radask's need, the common sense between the two filtered out impulses. They flanked Thornsk, catching wind of the commotion before being near enough to get a visual. "There!"

Other side brush - keep it getting away! The snake had launched from the undergrowth. Radask positioned himself on the opposite side from where Tamsk and Mawsk were. The snake was large and the foliage was dense enough to hide its colorful body. If they got too close together, they'd allow it room to evade them.

Radask was careful, keeping a good distance from the leaves but not far enough to inhibit his ability to intercept.

[FirebrandPhlox]

Mawkin of Garnet Mawsk - Whers, attacking the snake

The initial attack of the tunnelsnake was barely audible, the creature clearly well adapted to be an ambush predator. It was only the call from Tamsk and the immediate cry of anguish that made Mawsk wheel around to face the foe behind her.

The snake was massive, how had such a large beast been able to infiltrate the weyr, Mawkin wondered to herself as she readied an arrow in her bow. Figuring that out and developing a plan to prevent future invasions was a problem for later. Now, they had the beast in their sights. The whers who had gone right were doubling back, trapping the snake between the two groups.

Keep build circle! Mawsk called to the other whers, keeping herself close to Tamsk, in case the snake tried to attack the green again. No escape!

The plan was sound, but Mawkin was not going to give the snake another chance to strike while the whers organized around it. If the reptile was venomous, multiple chasers withstanding bites would only weaken their ability to fight it in the long run. She let loose an arrow at the snake, aiming downwards at the body, as to not hit a member of the hunting party if she missed her target.

[Jabberwoky]

The tunnel snake did not seem to care that there were other whers closing in. It had decided that Tamsk was the biggest threat, and one could not say that these creatures were particularly bright.

The arrow found its mark, hitting the beast in the side. It made a horrible, guttural noise, whipping its head around to bite at the next nearest wher - Mawsk.