Redwall MUCK Forum

March 2nd, at 1PM EST there will be an event aboard the Sun Sail. For more information, please refer here.

If you are interested in playing a villain, or spoofing pirates/defenders in upcoming scenes, please shoot me a p #mail on Lutea!

When it comes time to start utilizing bad beasts/etc. I will let everyone know and give you the details on what you'll be doing, as well as thematic details that you can utilize in character or NPC creation >:)

2/12/2019

Adrian and Monty braved a sudden hail storm, and in the process met another hare lost in the storm - Carmentis.

Log found here: http://forum.rwmuck.org/viewtopic.php?pid=2241#p2241

The Storm
The Sun Sail
Ft. Lutea, Jarvis, Invar, Aqua, Rionach

"Is 'at tied down?!" Lutea hollers above the din of activity onboard the Sun Sail, pointing from a wide-eyed otter to a barrel. "Tie i'down! I need these sails drawn in!" The Taggerung hangs high above deck, paws clutching the rigging, where she hollers orders and fusses with one of the ties for the sail. The sky above them is dark, and growing darker, as the wind whips thick, black clouds ever closer to the ship. The seas beneath the approaching storm can be seen in the distance, pitching hard in every direction, a sickly gray color. Aboard the ship, it's getting rougher and windier - and now, as Lutea works to secure the sail, barking orders, the rain begins to fall. The storm hurls it sideways at the ship: they could not outrun the storm.   

Jarvis snorts, he disliked storms but he is still on deck trying to help best he can with what ever is needed. He looks at the sky and the rolling sea below and sighs, "Well couldn't have sunny skies all de time suppose"   

All ready wet and squinting against the rain and sea spray Invar is not a happy badger. He's down on deck, shifting crates under nets for the others to tie down as everything tries to skid around the soaked deck. Every so often he skids a bit with them when the ship lurches but so far he's stayed on his feet.   

Aqua is helping tend to an otter that fell agaist one of the walls and most likly sprang a wrist, so she bandages it and blinks when the ship moves again and sighs, "Stay below"She says quietly and decides to see just how bad it is up above on deck, and quickly decides that was a bad idea after one look at those clouds.   

"No, we could not." Rionach, the carpenter, grumbles in response to Jarvis. There's a huff of ironic laughter, somewhere, but it doesn't breach the stony-faced jill's disposition. She catches a length of rope between her teeth as Invar holds the cargo down, and she makes it fast to the deck.   

As the first true swells of the storm catch their little ship, the Sun Sail rises from the sea, her prow stabbing into a deep gray sky. "HOLD ON!" Lutea can barely be heard above the din of wind and crashing waves, thunder echoing all around them as forks of lightning stab into the ocean. "Anybeast no' seaworthy, ge' below wi' June an' the others!" She yells at those remaining on the deck, and a handfull of otters oblige, scrambling on unsteady paws towards the hold. Lutea had weathered many a storm beside Juniper on their journeys North and South, but this time is different; the Priestess would stay below with the others, as the Camp Willow otters would need her there more than the Taggerung needs her mate above deck. The ship rises, high, on the crest of a massive wave and slams down into the sea. Lutea is almost shook loose from the rigging, but holds on.   

Jarvis decides to stay on deck, besides it's better to hold on to something that try and get all the way across the deck to get below anyways. He coughs as some sea mist gets into his lungs and looks once more at the dark sky"This..could get really bad, really fast"

Crates tied down Invar looks away to check for anything else loose and practically jumps out of his skin when he sees the lightning strike, the thunder booming around "Hell above!" he shouts out of surprise, his fur practically on end but he doesn't have to dwell as the next lurch of the ship has him falling on to the crates they'd just tied down. He's quick to scramble back up "How the hell do y'sail through somethin' like this?" he yells but it's barely making it over the sound of everything else.   

Aqua decides she rather be below deck, she is not use to the sea and disliked it when she was forced on it when the slavers came.She quickly goes back below deck.She screams once as she slips and falls, she slides and crashes into a barrel that is beside the hatch to below deck so crawls to the trap door and is quickly below deck, and she remembers to close the trap door behind her.   

Lutea, the strange beast that she is, seems to be enjoying herself. Her open vest whips in the winds as she hangs from the rigging, a savage grin pointed towards an uncaring, brutal swell of clouds above. With a roar of thunder, a wave smashes into the broad side of the ship. To Jarvis, Rionach turns and says: "you said it, ma-" but before she can finish her thought, the Sun Sail pitches hard to starboard, sending anybeast not secured rolling across the deck to slam into the side, Rionach among them. The Taggerung, still clinging to the rigging in her usual foolhardy fashion, is safe for now. Belowdeck, the rolling and sporadic motions of the ship make it difficult to keep upright. Many beasts scramble for their hammocks and any other handholds they can find.   

Jarvis gulps as he sees the wave and grabs what ever is close to him, which saddly is some netting that he hangs onto for dear life as the wave washes over him and then with a gasp he is washed towards the other end of the deck where he grabs a hold of the railing and just barely avoids falling into the deadly sea, he pants as he pulls himself back to the deck and shivers a little, ok that was a little too close.   

Invar is barely on his feet and then he's off them again as the next wave hits and he goes rolling with the rest, partically swept clear across the deck by the water. They tied down the cargo, no one tried to tie down the badger who is larger and heavier than half of it. He scrambles and adds several claw marks to the deck as he comes to a halt against the railings. He pants heavily and waits, his claws still dug in to the deck for several seconds before he makes a hurried dash to grab one of the masts and cling on to that.   

Aqua is below deck and frowns when a couple things fall from a shelf, luckly it's nothing breakable as she frowns "I am so so glad I am not above, it's likely worse up thar"   

Aqua is correct. Above deeck, there is no reprieve from the elements as beasts thrown askew by the wave struggle to regain their footing. Speeding headlong through an ocean made deadly by the roiling, mountaneous waves, the Sun Sail is caught in a massive swell. Time seems to halt as they continue to rise, the ship riding the wave ever higher... There is no escaping the reality of their danger as the nose of their ship finally begins to lower, awarding those on board a view of the dizzying drop, just before they begin to make their crazed way downward. The Sun Sail gains momentum as a sickening rate before it connects with the sea again with a deafening 'CRUNCH', and Lutea is thrown loose from the rigging upon impact. She hits the ground with a yelp, but stands quickly. "Where's th'carpenter?" She demands, and finds Rionach. "Ge' below! Patch us if we need it!" Obliging, the jill rushes to join Aqua and the others belowdeck.

Belowdeck, the crazed motions of the ship have thrown several beasts against the hull and into each other. One otter holds a paw against his head, blood showing between his fingers. "Bloody 'ell." Rionach mutters, clutching to the railing. There is some seawater collecting on the ground.   

Jarvis eyes widen as he gets ahold of the railing and manages to hold on, but as they crash he is slamed into a barrel of dried fish causeing the barrel to come lose of the netting and roll overboard into the sea, the otter meanwhile groans as he is a little dazed right now.   

Invar feels he has a choice. Die above deck where everything is terrifying or die below deck trapped in a tiny corridor...There's really no choice, getting below deck would mean letting go of the mast and he may never do that again. His eyes were already wild but they spread wider as he can see the giant drop coming. He can feel himself start to shake slightly before he hides his head behind the mast and closes his eyes tight. Even with his tight grip he still nearly looses it when the ship hits the sea again but he quickly clings ever tighter to the mast and never reopens his eyes. He's barely been scared in his life, now he's terrified.   

Aqua frowns as she looks around.She decides to go into healer mode and tend to any injuries, best she can in the chaos, "Ok any injuried please..come over here and I will do my best to help you....and if there is anyone else that knwos some healing please also help" She looks at the gathering water and decides, for now, to ignore it or she might panic and she can't panic right now as she is a healer and needs to focus on that, least best she can focus.
   
A streak of lightning sets the world aflame, and in the seconds that it makes its deadly, beautiful arc through the sky, all that those onboard know is electricity and fire. It strikes the sea near the ship, too close for comfort, illuminating the sea in reds and blues before plunging them into a darkness that seems more complete than before. The thunder doesn't wait to scream its fury, and the sound is deafening. Paws are thrown over ears as the 'boom' reverberates through the bones of the ship and those on it. A splintered bit of railing slams into the mast, heavily fraying one of the ropes keeping the sail tied down... And with a wild fluttering, it snaps and comes loose. "Invar! Jarvis! Gimme a paw wi' this!" Lutea shouts, unable to grab ahold of the end of the ruined rope as it swings crazily in the wind. She helplessly watches the barrel go flying overboard.
   
Below, Rionach struggles to remain upright as she searches for the breach in their hull. An otter crawls to Aqua with a disjointed groan; even in the dark, it is easy to see that his pupils are unevenly dilated, a sure sign of a concussion. There is blood smeared across a cut on his forehead. The sea doesn't care what those beasts aboard the Sun Sail have been through; it doesn't distinguish between good and evil, the sea simply exists. There is no fear deep enough to move the immobile; the sea will persist long after those she's battered have turned to dust.   
Jarvis nods as he takes a deep breath and quickly, sliping once, and back on his footpaws goes to help Lutera get the rope that is wildly blowing in the end.He snorts and tries a couple times to get his paws on the rope, the wind and water making it hard to do and the darkness doesn't help either!   

Even though his eyes are closed Invar can still see the lightning as it flashes bright enough and the deafening boom is unmistakable. He tries to bury his head in to the mast but all of a sudden the bit of railing hits it, it barely misses Invar but the sudden spray of splinters in to his arm is enough to shock the badger off the mast and he quickly backs up, eyes wide again and frantically looking around. He can't help, he's panicking.   

Aqua checks on the cut and frowns as a flash of light helps her better see the eyes, "Hold..still and try not to move too much." She has herbs in her pouch luckly and she spent time making some pastes of healing herbs in case they were needed quickly. She carefully spreads a thin layer of the herbs onto the wound after checking to see just how bad it's bleeding. There is some bandages in her pouch, others are in a supply box, biut for now she is fine with what she has.   

With a length of rope held between her teeth, Lutea knots it to one end of the severed fastening, that side which is still connected to the mast. The end that whips, frenzied, in the wind from the loosed section of sail presents more of a challenge, especially in the darkness. As another rolling wave slams into the ships side, Lutea is thrown from her post at the mast and slides across the deck, only catching herself on the netting that Invar and Rionach had tied down earlier... The otter maid laughs uproariously. "NO' TODAY, BONNIE!" She shouts to the storm. "Yer 'ungry fer th'Saltmoon otters an' ye will no'swallow one today!" Across the deck, she spies Invar and, struggling against the motions and spray that batter at her, the otter labors her way across the deck to him. "STRIPEDOG!" She hollers, catching a hold of the mast with one paw while her other reaches out in an attempt to gather a fistful of his clothes. "Wha' warrior backs down from a fight, eh?!" A flash of lightning illuminates the crazed look in her eyes, adrenaline spiking her into something akin to bloodlust in the throes of the storm.

Below, Rionach has found a split in the hull, and she tirelessly works to mend it; the seawater is about ankledeep for those riding out the storm in the ship's belly. As Aqua tends to the cut, the concussed otter's breathing slows, his eyes shutting as consciousness begins to slip away.   

Jarvis somehow by some luck or miricle grabs the rope and it connects with his paw.He grips it tightly and goes to pull it to where it's needed to be tied down and tied down tightly as he can get it.He snorts and grins, "I got it down!!" He yells as he also holds on to something as the waves get a bit worse.   

Invar is up and down and all over the place as he desperately tries to stay somewhere near the middle of the ship so he doesn't have to go near the railings with the watery death behind them. He's scrambling back to his feet for the third time when Lutea takes him completely by surprise by grabbing him as he barely registered she was there until that second. It's a second where he's just shaking wild eyed before he even understands the words and can summon the brain power to say anything "This is not a fight! Y'can't fight this!" he yells back but it's snapped him out of pure fight or flight mode at least but he still suddenly grabs the nearest set of crates the moment the ship lurches again.   

Aqua frowns "No no try and stay awake, we have made it this far and will soon be home" Will they be home soon though? She is not sure, maybe this storm will somehow make the trip shorter..or longer...right now she just wants the rocking of the ship to stop before what ever she had at her last meal, stays down. Her focus on helping is still good, for now it is as she is afriad but tries her best to not show fear as she focuses on helping her fellow otter.   

"I's a /battle/, Invar!" Lutea shouts to be heard above the din of the storm. "The sea 'ungers fer ya, an' yer not t'let 'er 'ave ya!" She is still grinning that disconcerting grin as another lurch sends her tumbling forward. Above their heads, the wind and the rain yank the loosened section of sail in every direction, and a tear is rent through it. Thankfully, Jarvis is able to re-secure it before further damage is caused. As another wave washes violently over the deck, Lutea is unable to avoid it and is roughly thrown over the opposite railing, only catching herself at the last moment. She clings to the side of the ship, her legs waving dangerously over the maw of a wave below, and another torrent of sea water slams into them, rocking them starboard.   

Below, the concussed otter that Aqua tends to flutters his eyes open, his gaze unfocused. "H-ome." He manages to slur out; the mixture that the healer used to tend to him seems to be easing the swelling of his brain slightly, but if he falls asleep all could be lost. "M'just... So... Tired..." Rionach rushes to stuff a rag into another small hole in the hull, her fur soaked all the way through.   

Jarvis gasps as the wave hits him and makes him lose his grip and he is washed towards the railing, he grabs ahold of a barrel and breaths in and out as that was close. BUT...his relaxing was short lived as the 2nd wave hits and a muttered cuss word is heard as he is washed off deck, his paw brushes onto the railing, he just barely missed a hold on it as his eyes widen and he falls into the rageing sea.He panics as he starts to sink and manages to resurface..he is in the water now just beside the ship!   

Invar always knew Lutea was crazy so he shouldn't be that surprised that she's enjoying this. It's difficult to argue though when the sea keeps interrupting and the next wave hits. Lutea goes tumbling but Invar just gets wet as the wave washes past him but he just manages to resist the water's strength and stay put "Lutea?" he yells after her before can blink enough water from his eyes to see she's fine, just before he sees Jarivs go over "Jarvis!" all attempts to stay near the middle of the ship forgotten he hurries to the railing, sped along by another wave "Otter overboard!" He yells as he leans over the edge to squint down in to the darkness and try to spot to otter.   

Aqua manages to just barely keep her fellow otter awake as she speaks "Yes..home, think of home and Mossflower...not this storm.."She blinks as the wave hits, then the 2nd and about loses her footing and frowns, she mutters a prayer in hopes the storm slows soon.   

Lutea watches Jarvis go down, even as she herself barely keeps a grip on the railing. "Spit onna stick!" She swears, managing to drag herself back onto the deck. She rushes to a coil of rope made fast to the mast and clumsily ties it around her own waist - the Taggerung rushes to Invar's side at the railing and pushes some rope towards his paws. "PULL US UP!" She shouts, and without another moment of hesitation, she clamors over the railing and dives into the dark, rolling sea.   

Thanks to Aqua's quick care, the otter is stabalizing. He will need to be carefully monitored, but he is not succumbing to the dark forest over something so small as a bump on the noggin! Still, as the ship rocks and wavers, the water only rises belowdeck. A jill clutching her wrist gently reaches for Aqua, tears in her eyes. "I think it's broken." She mutters.   

Jarvis surfaces and then sinks again as the darkness seems to laugh at him, no..NO..he won't die like this, he is an otter and drowning would just make his kind look bad! He stuggles agasit the waves and agaist him self as his paws and legs kick and he manages to surface just in time for Lutera to grab a hold of him as he coughs and exspells a lot of water with a groan.
   
Invar isn't about to do any diving in after anyone, that's best left to the otters but he quickly grabs the rope from Lutea the moment pushes it at him. He doesn't start pulling right away and keeps better track of Lutea in the water as he sees where she goes in and it's not long before he sees two dark otters shapes together and starts pulling them in fast.    Jan 21, 2019 at 8:02 p.m.
Aqua checks on the otter's wrist, carefully and frowns "It..may well be.."She frowns when she sees the water and gulps a little..ok ok focus, focus on something else.   

"Gotcher, mate!" Lutea sputters, managing to keep a tight, fast hold to Jarvis as the waves crash and jerk them every which way. The wind is jerked from her lungs as she is thrown, back first, against the hull of the Sun Sail. "In-INVAR!" She hollers before another wave batters salt into her lungs, but the badger is on his game. Lutea holds tight to Jarvis as the two are hauled up by their friend. "H-Helps keepin' a badger 'round, don't it?" She manages to cough out with a laugh as they are pulled back onto the deck.   

The otter with the broken wrist whimpers as Aqua tends to her, squeezing her eyes shut as the ship rocks and rolls crazily. Below, shouts of 'Otter overboard!' are heard, and the jill buries her face into her good paw.   

Jarvis groans and coughs roughly as he is pulled onto the deck and blinks a few times as he shivers, not cause of the cold but just the fact he could of easyly drowned "T..Thanks...for de ...save"   

Invar very quickly has a number of otters rush to help to get the pair back on deck even as he's practically dragging them over the railing already. He's not gentle about it but he's fast to get them out and back on deck "This is a bad time t'take a swim!" he jokingly yells back at Jarvis over the sound of the waves. Nothing like a crisis to bring back his sense of humour.   

Aqua frowns, being overboard in this is not good at all, "Let's hope who ever is overboard gets back onto the ship safely."She looks to see if there is a way to get the water out from below deck, or least that no more is coming into the ship....they can always get out water, if it's ok, after this storm eases up enough for them to.   

The storm is relentless, but it does not last forever. The Sun Sail, battered and tossed like a dibbun's toy in the tub, rides the furious sea with all the pride of Southern craftsmanship. Time seems meaningless in the depths of the wild waves and rolling explosions of thunder, so there is disorientation when the winds finally slow and the waves finally calm. Have hours passed? Have days? The first hint of sunlight peers through the gray sky, breaking apart the ominous overcast and speckling welcome warmth onto a deck thrown into disarray. The ship finally still, the door to the hold opens and Rionach pokes her head out, whiskers damp and eye patch askew. "That it, then?" She asks gruffly, hauling herself onto the deck. More otters follow her, some patched back together by Aqua, all with fur wet and exhausted eyes, wide and shell-shocked.   

Lutea lays sprawled on the deck, eyes shut and a small smile teased across her muzzle, as she basks in the returning sunlight. "May no' be a fight we won, stripeydog!" She calls to the badger. "Bu' sure as 'ellsteeth is one we survived." Squinting one eye open, she rolls her gaze to peer at Jarvis. "No' many a beast what's been thrown into th'swells cin say the same. Ye've go' salt in yer veins, alla ya." Her smile grows as the Taggerung lets out a laugh. The sea, now still and innocent, radiates a shimmering peace that would have seemed impossible a mere hour ago. To the East, the distinct shape of an island rises from the horizon. "Alla ya." The otter repeats, her eyes shutting again as she lays, bathed in sunlight, on the deck of a ship crewed by the Free.

By the time the sea finally gives up it's onslaught Invar has a rope tied round his middle with the other end tied to the mast and he's just sat on the deck, leaning against the mast. As the waves died down to the point they stopped bowling him over he'd got fed up with bracing against them and spent a long time sat there stubbornly getting wet but refusing to move not matter how the storm tried. Eventually he ended leaned against the mast, exhausted and nearly dozing off "Got salt everywhere else an' all...seaweed too" he yells back at Lutea, forgetting he can speak at a normal volume now.   

Aqua holds her paws over her ears as the badger speaks loudly, she looks around and smiles at the sunshine, "The sun....it's good to see it.."She smiles more...well seems there is a rainbow in the sky as well as she sits down and smiles, they are on thier way home, that's all that matters...home.

@Karth

I believe that is still going to happen, Saja is the one to ask about that.

(Love the Hullabaloo idea!)

I have a pirate and riddle based TP (coded items hidden around the map that characters will need to crack riddles to locate) that I'll be kicking off after everything else comes to a close on the Western Shores (and RL settles down for me). That'll be in a few months, though, nothing immediate. Got a lot of rhymes to write, give me time lol

I'm generally a fan of plots that encourage roleplay outside of the established areas of the map that everyone focuses on - there are so many rooms and places and cool, hidden gems around the MU* that don't get nearly enough lovins! In that vein, if there are still people interested in making either an LP hare or a CW otter, there are the rescued captives from the North currently aboard the Sun Sail back towards Mossflower (next stop is... Collinsel, I think?). There'll be some fun things along the way, there. The LP has that recruiting mission going on that other characters can use to meet up, cause trouble, or join the LP! I've got some madness planned for both of those things (I'll be moving on Tuesday so that will start up... Following 3 days of driving and however long to get settled).

As far as other, looser ideas go: a mysterious stranger may visit Redwall Abbey begging help in the case of a mysterious disappearance of a loved one.

The sword of Martin the Warrior is stolen and needs to be found and reclaimed.

A decline in the fisheries supplying Halyard force fisherbeasts to travel into further, more dangerous waters in search of their livelihood (Blisa, I know you had mentioned wanting to do more sea-monster type stuff!)

Rumors of a rainbow-colored pike fish in the waters of Mossflower have sparked superstitions (they who catch it will be granted powers, riches, etc. the usual stories) and a flux of brave, greedy, or just plain curious beasts have taken to the rivers in search of it.

A message found hidden in the attic of Redwall hints that a long-dead resident hid a treasure somewhere.

A political kidnapping in Southsward sparks rescue attempts.

Elmef, that makes sense. Thank you!

The Next Life
Ft. Tarsa, Jacenta, Dominik, Zolomon, Varus, Jinora as GM
A Cavern in the Cliffs:

Following a lead provided by Saja, a fox - and now politician - that has shown to be of use, if not a friend, to the Long Patrol (so far, at least), the hares have managed to uncover many secrets that laid to rest some of the illusions that have culminated into the legend of 'Ghost Foxes' or  "Drewlyyd", as some have been calling them. Following that lead, Major Tottheim and Private Whorlbuck tracked down a 'friend' to the foxes, and the information that the 'demon hare' Riley managed to scare out of the old rat witch turned out to be invaluable... The ghoulish foxes haunting the Western Shores make their home in a cavern, one which is only accessible at low tide.

The full moon gleams, wide and bright, over the small knot of Long Patrollers that make their way to those cliffs now: Major Tottheim leads the way, the doe's expression grim as her boots dig into sand made damp and hard by the retreating sea. Anybeast present would have been briefed on the task at paw: invade the cave, capture or kill any hostile vermin living there, and put an end to this madness once and for all. The entrance to the cavern is well hidden, but the Major pauses and stoops to pluck something from the sand... It's a feather, black as night. "We're close." She mutters to her patrol, and before long, they find themselves staring into a deep crack in the cliffside, worn and washed by the waves.

Tarsa came along, she is a high ranking officer after all, even if she has yet to see these strang foxes, she is here to help fight them.She has her torch and flint and has made sure whom ever else needs some, has some.
Jacenta is starting to wish she stayed home but its too late to turn back now, and too dark to travel back alone abyways. A healer may or may not be needed after all, correct.

Dominik is not far behind the Major; upon hearing that there would be an expedition to search out the dark foxes, the large hare was the first to volunteer for some strange reason. Dominik had gone full warpaint this time, the intimidating buck having streaked his mahogany fur with charcoal, the lines covering both eyes and trailing up his forehead, then meeting just behind his ears. His eyes are steely and cold, and he has not said a word since leaving the mountain. To Jinora's words, he gives a silent, ominous nod, before waiting for further instructions.

Zolomon has his long bow, quiver of arrows and stays close to the others. He is ready or as ready as one can be. The night darkness doesn't see to worry him too much.

Varus takes up the rear, and he berates a few stragglers who are slower than the rest. Resting his paw on the handle of his sword, he goes quiet when Jinora speaks, his ears perked to catch any possible noises. He's keen to put an end to all this superstitious nonsense once and for all.

Staring into the crack, Jinora sighs: it's a tight fit. "I'll go fahst an' give ye th' all clear. Wait fer m'signal." She disappears a moment... Seconds pass in silence before the young Major's voice floats back through the crack. "Follow in, s'a wee bit tight."  The rock walls of the crevice are slimy and oppressive, forcing the hares to move through in a damp, miserable single file. After a stretch of about seven feet, the walls open to a wide, yawning cavern: it is pitch black, save for the silver strip of moonlight that pours in through the entrance, and once Jinora lights her torch with a grimace, casting a small orb of light about a dingy, grimy scene.

The bottom of the cavern is never fully dry, leaving the sea-water at about ankle height. Wooden cages are thrown haphazardly around the entrance niche they find themsleves in... Some of them hold skeletons, obviously fox in origin. It smells of rot, salt, and something far more sinister. There is only one way forward - a tunnel that leads deeper into the cliffside. "Light y'tahches." The Major growls, ears pinned back and an expression of disgust splashed across her face. They'll have to go in further. "Feels like a bally ambush, all me furs on end..." She grumbles to Varus, glaring into the dark tunnel that awaits them.

Tarsa frowns but waits on the signal and slowly makes her way inside.She is careful and stays very alert, and queit as she walks along, she makes a face at what is seen and lights a torch to at least get rid of some of the darkness inside here.She shakes her head, clearly dislikeing this place already.

Jacenta at first is unsure of going but gulps and follows on inside once its clear to go on in.She shivers a little and seems to go a little faster, or as fast as one can go in such..close..quarters, she gulps again and quickly lights her  tourch, it doesn't light the first try, it lights the 2nd try and she just stays very quiet, ears down as this place is just too closed in.

Dominik manages to squeeze himself into the tunnel just barely, and once inside he lights up his torch as instructed. As the light illuminates the area around him, he jumps in surprise as a snarling fox is revealed within a close vicinity. Holding in a shout of surprised, he manages to hold himself back from pulverizing its face with his fist once he realizes that they are not being attacked, and that it is actually already dead. Peering closely at the impaled fox and squinting, Dom gives a disgusted shake of his head as he yanks the arrow from its shoulder...which he tosses to Zolomon. "Agree," he responds to Jinora, but says nothing else.

Zolomon enters, again dark don't brother him but he will still light his torch, he looks up and manages to catch the arrow and arches an eyebrow at why it's thrown at him.He studies in closely as he whispers quietly"This is one of my arrows...has to be one of the foxes I managed to bally welll shoot that one day"He makes sure his voice is low enough for just the hares near him to hear, but mainly like Varus and jinora for sure to hear him.

Varus is not nearly as fit as he was in younger days, so the narrow gap is something of a squeeze. Still, the elder hare gets through, and sighs, as his eyes adjust to the dark, just before everybeast starts lighting torches. "Aye, it's always a bloomin' ambush, though, y'know. Don't let yer guahd down, wot." He holds out his own torch toward Dominik's, so that it gets lit as well. "Let's just 'ope this cave don't 'ave a back entrance, wot, or this'll be a bloody useless endeavah..."

"Nice shot, Private." Jinora nods, obviously impressed, as she glances first at the ghastly sight of the dead fox against the wall (his corpse crumples as soon as Dominik removes the arrow), and then to Zolomon. "Let's keep goin', aye? Private Longfur, look alive." She gives another grim nod to Varus' input - but they have no way of knowing, they can only hope. As they pick their way through the tunnel, it's apparent that this entire section can become flooded at the tide's highest point: everything is damp, and even though they are obviously moving uphill, that rot and slick, slimy dampness is pervasive and makes it tricky to maneuver. Small cracks and holes in the stone, perhaps homes for crabs or other little creatures, are visible - but the most noticeable feature is the eerie silence. Jinora pauses in her tracks to swipe reflexively at her ear, as if something has brushed past her - but nothing is there. "Still clear." She mutters, softly. Maybe nobody is home?

Tarsa stays close, quiet, as she studies the area.She frowns but nods when it's mentioned it's still clear but she still feels a little uneasy in here.

Dominik allows Varus to light his torch using his own, before the buck continues onwards with the others. Holding the torch out in front of him, Dom scans the area slowly, keeping both eyes and ears alert for any suspicious noises or movements. His ear twitches as if a breeze had suddenly sprung up in the cavern, and he whips his head around to search for the source, eyes darting this way and that. Still, there is nothing, and with a frustrated growl, the large buck continues onwards. He seems to be managing the tricky terrain quite well considering his slightly weakened condition, as he seems to have a sole purpose and focus here.

Zolomon grins,He hmms and places the arrow in a side pocket for now and stays alert as he scans the area, some movement...but it's a small...crab maybe, not a fox at least as he ajusts the quiver slightly and stays close to the others.He also has a saber at his side, just in case it's needed.

Varus is making progress very well, considering his age. Following after Dom, he steps further into the dank darkness. Ears alert for the slightest sound, it's just as he's taking a step up to a higher rock that he feels... Something grab his ankle! "Gah! Wot th' 'Ell?" Without even stopping to think, he swipes down with his torch, attempting to get the mangy fox paw to let go. "Oy! Watch for 'oles in th' floor or walls! Keep yer eyes peeled, you lot!" If the paw doesn't retreat, the Major draws one of his daggers, intent on giving the the blind fox below a nice dose of discomfort.

At the heat, the fox does indeed release Varus with a hiss, disappearing back into the hole and disappearing from sight. "Wha' th'/bloody/ 'ellfiah?!" Jinora grimaces, reflexively lifting her own feet a little higher and sweeping her torch this way and that to check for more. "Bloomin' spooks." She grumbles, squaring her shoulders and pushing forward. The tunnel opens up into another cavern... But this one is far livlier.

"Master!" A simpering voice cackles out. "They are HERE! Ahehehe!" All at once, four foxes, twisted and wrong, their shadows thrown in crazy designs across the walls from the torch flames, rush the hares. One leaps straight at Zolomon, two at Dominik, and another at Jacenta.

Tarsa narrows her eyes as she sees the foxes clearly now.She draws out her saber and is ready to attck the foxes if the y get any nearer.She will help the closest hare to her as she swings a torch at any fox too close, and she will stab forwards with her saber at any other fox stuipid enough to venture too close to her.

Jacenta gasps, she already knows it likely be bad to get cut with those weapons if there is any, she backs up and uses one thing she does have, her torch to keep the fox back and maybe, hopefully burn the fox some! She has a dirk but has yet to grab it in her small bit of panic!

Dominik turns for a moment as he hears Varus having a bit of trouble, but as the older hare manages to take care of the issue himself, the large buck turns back around and continues onward. Upon entering the cavern, Dom spots movement. Before he can react, however, the foxes appear, their mere voices enough to incite a wave of anger bubbling up from deep inside his chest. He takes a rather agile step back as he is leapt at, both his paws shooting forward in reaction in an attempt to grab them both by their throats before they can reach him. If successful, he forcefully smashes their heads against one another with a fierce snarl of fury, the buck trembling with his pent up rage.

Zolomon needs both paws for an arrow and one paw holds a torch, that means he will have to use his saber, he is not the best at useing a saber but he can use it and  backs up quickly and draws the saber, slices at the fox as it leaps at him and goes to sidestep slightly best he can.If needed he will drop his torch to fire an arrow, but only if it's needed.

Varus harrumps, when the filthy creature disappears, and he presses forward. But then all heck breaks loose, and he's quick to draw his sword, slicing at any vermin that happens to get close.

From the ceiling above Tarsa, another fox drops - his dagger is drawn, and he screams in his insanity, looking to land on the Sergeant! Zolomon's saber nicks the approaching fox who falls back only a step before leaping for the Private again. When it becomes apparent that Jacenta needs help, Jinora grits her teeth and charges the fox attacking the healer. She deftly tosses her torch from her right to her left paw, her right whipping the saber from her belt. "Blood'n vinegah!" She shouts. "Eulalia!" Rushing to the doe's aid - she runs through the fox from behind, her saber bursting from his chest. "Yer a Patrollah, Longfur!" The Major barks as the fox falls, dead. She's whirling as more seem to appear out of nowhere. "Fight back!"

The foxes Dominik grab give strangled gurgles of surprise before they are knocked together, and while one is knocked cold, the other manages to wobble-crawl away on the ground, making for the back of the cavern... There sits what can only be described as a throne, which the pitiful creature now rushes to hide behind. It is made of bones and feathers, and atop it sits the Master. Strange growths - real ones, not the branches his cronies wear - jut from his body. His fur hangs in dieseased slack, one side of his face almost entirely caved in and rotted away. He doesn't... Do anything. Just stares, his one eye wide, his mouth slightly slack - but he almost looks like he is smirking, a trail of drool falling from his chin.

Tarsa heard the insane laugh of the fox, luckly and barely manages to avoid a stab from above,She spins around and goes to slice at the fox's neck before he has a chance to react to the fact he missed her!

Jacenta gulps and nods "Yes..yes"Ok she isnt the bravest hare...ok, that fine,,she steps back a little and frowns, she goes to swing her blazeing tourch at one of theother foxes, the one that happens to be going to jump at Zolomon again, fire is a weapon as well!She also gets to her dirk and grips it tightly as she takes a deep breath, ok she can do this..she can fight, she just needs to stay as calm as she can.

Dominik aims to stomp down hard on the unconscious fox's head as it falls to the ground in front of him. He curses to himself as the other fox manages to crawl away from him while he was concentrating on the first one. Lifting his icy gaze towards the area the fox had crawled to, his eyes fall upon the grotesque creature that sits upon the makeshift throne. Eyes narrowing to slits, Private Dominik draws the sword from the sheath on his back, and he approaches the throne with intent burning within his eyes. "...you," he growls, ears folded back against his head, paw gripping the hilt of his sword tightly as he swings the large blade forward and stops, the tip hovering inches from the fox's face.

Zolomon once more goes to stab at the fox in front of him and at the same time he grins as he goes to purposely slap the fox with the touch he has "Ya need to LIGHTEN..upya ugly mug!"

Varus attempts to lop off the head of one of the foxes as they attempt to flee. He is SO DONE with these filthy vermin, and chopping their heads off doesn't bother him in the least. Taking a nice long look at the decrepit creature on the throne, he can't help but grimace in disgust. "Take a bath now 'n' then, why don't yah?"

As Tarsa swipes at him, the fox leaps back with disturbing speed. She pulls a rapier loose and moves forward to jab back at the doe! "Tricksy bunny!" The vulpine cackles, her head tilted to the side and an unnerving grin plastered across her muzzle. One of the foxes, distracted as he leaps at Zolomon, gives an enraged chatter as he is smashed with a flaming torch! Jacenta has managed to knock the flame into the beast, and set his tunic ablaze  - but he doesn't appear to care! He turns away from Zolomon, the fire consuming his clothing and fur until he is completely aflame, and takes a step towards Jacenta. He stretches out a claw, maw hanging open, eyes wide - he takes another step. And another... And then the fire takes him, and he collapses to the ground, dead and still aflame. The head of a fox, relieved of its body by Major Varus, thumps to the floor beside it.

Scattered all around the throne are cages and chains - foxes in varying states of degredation, starvation, and insanity flail and rattle their binds and chew at the wooden cages. "Help!" One, a vulpine in a cage, shouts; she doesn't look as if she's been there that long. On the ground at the Master's feet lies a dead squirrel - it takes Jinora a moment to recognize him. "It's tha' crazy blightah." She breathes out, finding a pause in her own flurry of the fight. Death had come for Ironbark, afterall. As Dominik approaches, the foxes surge to surround the Master, and in the close quarters, one of them starts firing arrows! He skewers one of his fellow foxes through the back, on accident, but none of the mad beasts seem to notice nor care. He aims for Varus, first, and then another for Zolomon, stepping over the body of his slain companion. A vixen launches herself over the back of the throne, twin sabers drawn as she screams and flies towards Dominik, protecting her master.

It is chaos - foxes throw themselves at the Patrollers, arrows fly - but with the body on the ground still burning, at least it is much brighter. Jinora grunts as a dagger nicks her shoulder, and she twists to jab her saber through the offending fox's gut. She rips the weapon free and then drops to a knee, taking another by the hamstrings. She batters his head with the butt of her torch as he hits the ground.

Tarsa narrows her eyes and throws her torch at the fox and slices at the fox again and does a little sidestep.A fox tries to get her from the side and that fox gets stabed in the chest and falls over dead as the hare glares at the foxes around her.

Dominik's complete and utter focus is on the one beast who was the cause of all this chaos...the one beast who had come the closest anyone ever had to ending his life with his cowardly tactics, and his attention does not stray from the leader even as the cave explodes with absolute insanity around him. Slashing and chopping at the foxes as they seem to group around their leader, Dominik seems to be causing a whole lot of vulpine destruction...the dark beasts fall left and right, falling before his blade like blades of really creepy grass as the massive hare's rage-filled howls echo about the chamber.
Attention caught by the vixen flying out of nowhere at him, Dominik swings his sword up and at the vixen, aiming first to defend himself from her extended blades...then if that is successful, he aims another slash to try and cleave her in half.

Jacenta sidesteps and achally manages to stab a fox in the chest, another she kicks in the knee and barely avoids an arrow sinking into her leg.The arrow slams into a dead fox she trips over, the trip helping her to avoid a rather bad slice from a blade of another fox.

Zolomon sidesteps and slices at the fox beside him, In sidesteping the arrow...hits the fox as the hare grins,He also decides to fire off one of his own arrows, aims and sidesteps one fox...fires at one of the foxes in the back, quickly getting another arrow and fireing at another fox that was trying to sneak up on one of the majors!

Varus takes an arrow right in his left shoulder, and he drops his torch, which instantly sets one of the empty cages on fire, the light joining that of the already burning fox. Ignoring the pain, he rips the arrow out and throws it to the floor. Roaring with anger, he lifts his sword, and lunges at the same throng that Dominik is cutting through, hacking and slashing even as his left shoulder bleeds profusely.

Sparks fly from the blades as Dominik and the vulpine's weapons collide midair. The vulpine, foaming at the mouth, uses the force of the parry to leap away. She lands at Dominik's side and rushes forward, stabbing at him with one of her sabers. The Master doesn't react to anything, not at first. "Press 'em back!" Jinora shouts, already she can feel the sweat dampening her brow as the small cut on her arm burns. She doesn't have much time before she ends up in the same state Dominik was in - but she doesn't let this show. Her uniform jacket, red in color, hides the blood seeping through her clothes. The Major grits her teeth and cuts through the writhing bodies, trying to keep close to Jacenta and Zolomon. "Longfur! Get t'Majah Varus!" She shouts, seeing him take an arrow. Likely, she and him will both be making a rushed visit to Saja's magic shop upon leaving...

On the throne, as his foxes fall - one by one - the Master... Starts to laugh. It's a chilling sound, unhinged and /wrong/. It echoes in the cavern, and he only laughs louder. There aren't many foxes left, five in total, and four of them rush away from the hares to surround their master. The fifth, the vixen, continues to attack Dominik, her blades a blur as she slashes, parries, and rolls every which way. "My... Children." The Master finally speaks, his muzzle cracking into a grin, showing rotted teeth and blackened gums. "You... Have served us... Well..." His words are labored, every breathe showing obvious effort. As he speaks, all of the foxes fighting go rigid. Some in chains, some in the cages, doing the same - the one fighting Dominik freezes mid slash, her pupils dilating. "You will... Serve me... In all our lifetimes..." He starts to laugh again, and as one - every one of the affected vulpines... Turn their own weapons on themselves.

The mad Master: a poisoner, a hypnotist, a trickster, grins only wider. "I have... So much help... In this next life..." Jinora, panting and covered in blood - very little of it her own - snarls. "Would some beast please kill 'im?" Behind her, the fox on fire has started to smolder out, though the air is choked with the sickening smell of burnt fur.
Tarsa stabs at another fox that almsot stabs her, luckly the fox missed as she glares and  looks towards the so called master fox and snorts.

Jacenta frowns and quickly goes to get to Major Varus, to help best she can and even stabs a fox that tries to stab the Major, she kicks the fox aside and  looks at the major's shoulder and frowns deeply.

Dominik steps back and parries the vixen's stabs and blows with skilled, careful movements, the hare's brow now damp with perspiration from the effort as he matches her step for step. He is fully aware of how dangerous those weapons likely are, and he does all he can to drive his opponent back with heavy swings of his sword. He is momentarily taken by surprise as the vixen suddenly takes her own life, thus leaving a wide opening for him to reach the leader again. Not seeming to care about the dark fox's strange words, Dom hears Jinora's plea, and the massive hare is more than happy to oblige his commander. With a roar, Private Dominik leaps forward towards the throne the leader is sitting upon, and he aims to run the creature straight through his throat with a straight, forceful stab forward...he puts all the force he can muster behind the blow, all the pent up rage causing him to see red.

Zolomon fires an arrow at a fox that looks to try and sneak away, teh fox falls to the ground dead.He then quickly goes to to Jinora's side as he knows she will need help back, another will hopefully carry Varus if needed.He stays alert at teh same time, just in case as one never knows in this crepy place.

Varus is running on pure adrenaline at this point, and the Master's talking doesn't stop him from lopping off two more heads. He's in that kind of mood, after all. "Aye, wot Jinora said. Shut tha' beast up..."

With a final laugh, that becomes a sickening gurgle, the horrifying fox slumps back and slides, slowly, from Dominik's blade. His body hits the ground and is motionless. Three foxes, caged or chained, remain - and as the Master dies, they all appear to snap out of a trance. They were only spared taking their own lives because they didn't have weapons at the time. "What... Where am I?" One asks, pressing a paw to his temple. Jinora doesn't move to staunch the bleeding in her arm, it is only a minor cut but she knows the consequences of the weapons - she is, for now, fine. "'Elp Majah Varus." She barks to the hares near her.

The foxes are dead, and they are left with the captive ones... She sighs. "You lot, come with us t'Halyahd." She decides, grimacing as she stoops over the Master's body and fishes keys from his belt - ghosts don't keep keys. The captive vermin are freed in short order, looking absolutely petrified. "If a blade so much as brushed ye, yer comin' with us t'Halyahd. Othahwise?" She looks at the brave Patrollers, and smiles fondly. "Ye've earned a rest an' a drink." Moving towards Varus, she offers an arm and a smile. "Maj, you an' I are abou' t'be in a world of 'urt if we don' hightail it t'that insufferable bushtail."

Dominik breathes heavily, rage still flowing through him as he watches the impaled fox die right before his eyes. Drawing his sword back, Dominik swings it down at the slain fox's head in an attempt to lop it off in one swift movement. Upon the head being separated from the body, the hare rears back with his foot and punts it across the room with as much force as he is able. Shoving the body away with his other foot, the large buck sheathes his sword, seeming to be coming down from the battle rage he had been feeling. Head lowering and eyes holding a spooked expression, Dom silently moves to follow the others back out of the cave, his clothing absolutely drenched in the blood of the foxes he had slain.

Varus huffs, panting. He's starting to feel winded. He might be too old for this. "Well done, Private Dominik." He claps the younger buck on the shoulder. "I guess I need ta get ta Halyahd, wot..."

And thus ends the saga of the haunted foxes! Thanks to everyone who participated!