Log:Felucia: Mushroom Samba

Somewhere in the dense, dangerous jungle of Felucia lies an abandoned R&D facility built to study the flora and fungi of the planet. It is here that a seed vault lost to the decades is thought to still be functional and preserving specimens. More importantly, it could be the last known location of a hybrid variant of the healing herb Nysillin developed during the Clone Wars that could help aid the local Felucians.

But first the facility has to be found.

Lead by a local guide, any manner of obstacles will be waiting as the jungle holds fast and greedy onto its secrets

Next Log: Roots to Branches

Mushroom Samba

OOC Date: July 15, 2022
Location: Fungal Forest, Felucia
Participants: Maelstrom (GM), Aurora, Hahtavi Kora, Tamsin Cas, Grafn Struss, Qutha Buvu Pah, Kye Keraz

o~`< Fungus Forests - Fungus Forests, Felucia >o~`~-.o~-.()._.--.-~o-.o~`~-.o~

Felucia has a diversity of bizarre plants (such as spike, spore, and enormous pitcher plants), fungi, and animals which are almost rubber-like and translucent. When the sun shines, the environment glitters like multicolored glass.

Most of Felucia is entirely covered by a humid, fetid landscape of huge fungal forests and its wildlife includes native gelagrubs, immigrated acklays, and a prodigious sarlacc.

Felucia has strong ties to the Living Force and as such the world's flora and fauna, including Jungle Felucians, can be influenced by a presence of a strong Force-user both light and dark. Most plants and animals of Felucia have adapted special defenses to protect them from each other, which makes them particularly hostile to off-worlders. Felucia is known to radiate a sort of life force that the native Jungle Felucians are capable of feeling.

This particular section of the planet is the fringe of a giant fungus forest. This is a clearing with enough space for starships to land.

o~`~-.o~-.()._.--.-~o-.o~`~-.o~-.()._.--.-~o-.o~`~-.o~-.()._.--.-~o-.o~`~-.o~-

-- Maelstrom --

The known galaxy has within it a finite number of planets. This number, however, is so gargantuanly huge that it may as well be figuratively infinite. So it stands to reason that after a while, several planets starts looking familiar. If you've seen one human city, you've nearly seen them all. What's the difference between Naboo's farmland and Corellia's? Does the galaxy really need five more desert planets and why does anyone live on them? More than enough waterworlds and dangerous jungle havens. Planets of pure lava, planets of pure gas, planets of nothing but rocky islands and angry seas.

Yet there isn't one yet discovered that is quite like Felucia. The terrain is made up of various mushroom formations. Not just any mushrooms, mind. These growths reach heights of several stories and caps that span half a city block. Spires of fungus atop fungus twine and twist from the soil in mad spikes. Smaller mushrooms flourish in the shade of its taller, bigger brethern interspliced with thick ferns and patches of tall grass. It is a place of awe-inspiring flora and a haze of spores where it is said the Living Force breathes. If you believe that sort of stuff.

"It's a wonder at night." Their guide is a green-skinned Felucian trader by the name of Imat who has been the group's point of contact for this particular commission. As he heavy-footingly tromps through the mushroom jungle, he is gesturing here and there and talking. "It all lights up in stunning colours. Bioluminescence: the whole planet. Pity, though. Too dangerous to travel during the night. Jungle Rancor herds move more during the night." Enough said.

-- Tamsin --

The Good Doctor Cas had found herself here on Felucia, as she so often found herself on any planet. Purely by happenstance. Or by request. A call had been put out through the usual channels, and as it seemed only right that a mission to secure healing herbs might be best helped by the addition of a fully qualified doctor to the roster, a fully qualified doctor had been secured. It was as much to her benefit, one supposed, as it was to those who were intent on gathering the herb. And so, here she was, moving with remarkable grace through the cover of the jungle, unbothered by such things as flying insects or biting bugs. "How certain are we that the herb is actually growing at the location we are approaching?" They were approaching said location, weren't they?

-- Hahtavi --

Hey! Some of /us/ prefer desert planets, thank you very much. Jungles and water worlds! Bah. Hahtavi would say you can keep'm. All the same, the Mandalorian returns to Felucia again. The last time he was here he killed a rancor who's giant skull now decorates the back of Death Toll's cargo hold.

The Kora has come out to join the others, several of whom he knows and get polite nods, and now eyes their guide dubiously. Not that you can tell because he's wearing his helmet. Inscrutiable T-visor stare. When 'Imat' gets to walking and talking, he begins to follow. The further they proceed the more amused Hahtavi's face becomes - even if no one can see it. "Reminds me of Umbara - but a little less dark."

As they walk on a bit more, the Mando's vocoder adds quietly, "You keep making that much noise and stomping around, you'll atract a rancor, Imat." Well, wouldn't that be sporting!

-- Grafn --

Grafn is impressed and indeed he stares off into the jungle for a moment, before picking up the pace once more. He's certainly more of a city-dweller, and even then he simply moves from one very samey cantina stool to another half the time, never mind the samey planets. But this!? This was a chance for something different, and the person hiring them seemed like a really fun-guy... or was it a fun-gal? There was credits! That was it! And a chance to feel something new! Something profound! And he'd arrived with Kye, and the old Hoth Veteran that is Grafn couldn't help but feel the need to share this adventure with another! "Think you eat all of these?" Grafn asked Kye curiously as he moved through the jungle, rifle slung, and pistol holstered. Yet the old Coruscanti remained vigilant! Poised. Ready. And evidently hungry.

-- Qutha --

All the worst things come out at night.

The Night is the Realm of Monsters. A proverb of the people of Zelos II, where nightfall without a full moon or a healthy collection of high lumen glowrods is a death sentence. Be it from the creatures that prowl beneath brush and tree, or the predatory avians that swoop on silent wings to ambush prey.

"Reckon take y'word ferrit." Qutha adjusts how the heavy canvas jacket he wears falls and one hand is on the collapsed metal rod hanging on his hip. Lips a line, brow raised and scouting their surroundings with a corrugated forehead. Mayhap possibly one of the least conspicuous figures here, if not for the fact that his irises look like their made of emerald that seem to catch and hold the light. His haversack was open and already several small specimen pots with small fungi from the plant were collected. For who knows what.

-- Kye --

"I don't think it would be very healthy to eat that. You know some of them kill you, you know." Kye comments as he walks with the Coruscanti human. But hey, his hands are in his pockets, his pistols are holstered; especially the one that looks like it's a little bit less of the stock model of S5s. With a lopsided to the Coruscanti, he mentions: "Avoid the extravagantly colored ones if you're going to dig in, by the way. I'm told it's a bad idea, all in all."

-- Aurora --

A planet with scenery as unique as Felucia's was naturally going to catch Aurora's attention. She was in awe of the sheer size of all the mushrooms on display as well as the different shapes and colors they all came in. The terrain was unlike anything she had ever seen and probably unlike anything even her parents had seen in their days of exploring. If there was anything small enough she'd probably be tempted to take samples to try to grow offworld. "Oooh I bet that'd be amazing to see!" Aurora comments when the guide tells them about the way the forest lights up at night. Of course, while she had came prepared for a potential fight - clad in a suit of S1 armor and carrying a pair of Theed-Arms S5 blaster pistols holstered at her side - an entire herd of rancors was probably a bit much to deal with! When she hears others commenting on eatings the mushrooms she grins a bit. "I bet the mushrooms here do all kinds of fun stuff if you ate the right ones!"

-- Maelstrom --

"Growin'?" Imat glances to Tamsin with a turn of his bulbous, turtle-like head. "Dunno about that. But the seed vault is very real. My grandfather was a horticulturalist that was... ah. 'Volunteered' to help with the research all those decades ago during the Clone Wars. It's the facility we're going to." And looking around, there is no facility in sight. Just miles and miles of mushrooms.

To Hahtavi, Imat just gives a shrug. "Never caused us no trouble before. My people live in harmony with the creatures here just fine. It's off-worlders that need to be cautious."

After another half our of walking, Imat stops in front of the entrance of a cave with a tall, wide entrance. The first few feet is dimly lit by the reflection of Felucia's extremely ultraviolet sun, but further inside the cave glows with mystica blues, purples, and greens. Practically illuminated from within.

But he doesn't go in yet. "We'll navigate through the cave system that will lead us down into the valley where this old facility was built. I must warn you that though this is the easier way to get there, it is still treacherous. The grottocaps will light our way just fine, but there are many pitfalls, narrow footing, and potential wrong turns. And lotsa critters call these places home. Keeps 'em shaded from our beautifully harsh sun." Shuffling a bit, he turns around to see if anyone is opting to bow out here. Or if there are any remaining questions.

-- Tamsin --

Tamsin made no further comment. Instead, she chose to listen, both to their guide, her companions, and the sounds of the fungal forest around her. She paused, now and again, looking intently at some spore formation or another, but she did not stop to collect samples. And so, she was both quiet and attentive when the group finally arrived at the cave, she looked away from the group and further into the growing darkness. "Discovery is always a risky business. But, if as you said, the seed vault is indeed here and its contents are viable, it may well be worth the risk."

-- Hahtavi --

Nope, no questions - though Hahtavi is no doubt expecting something to pop out and eat their guide just to prove his hauty words wrong. Just wait, there's time.

He follows along, careful not to touch anymore living things than he can reasonably help. The Kora follows Doctor Cas at a slight distance, keeping his ears, eyes and other senses sharp. He too is seeking to regain a feel for this place, especially as they move into the cave mouth, so that he might better spot changes as they arise to greet the party's progress.

Otherwise the Mandalorian among them is silent, listening and vigiliant.

-- Grafn --

Grafn eyes the cave system ahead and briefly pats his stomach somewhat thoughtfully. His rotuuuuundity certainly ensuring that any small gaps might well prove difficult. Yet, the old combat pilot was more than willing to press on, and indeed a merry tap of his helm is offered as he salutes the guide. "I should be fine!" The warm brandy-soaked rumble of the Coruscanti rings out, perhaps a touch softer than normal. As not to disturb the fungi all about. A nod is offered to Kye, for the helmeted pilot daren't take a risk inhaling spores of any size. "Should be a fun little jaunt eh? Keep watchful though. We'll see this group safe enough."

-- Qutha --

"T'truth 'bout which fungus'r pois'nus, deadly or oth'wise varies plannet t'plannet." Qutha's gaze swinging towards Kye, "Since mossuf what we're gonna find on this planet's fungus, they'll have dif'ern ways'a showin' theys one or t'other..." hands now both shoved into the deep pockets of his coat, flipping a bit of the fibrous looking hair from his brow.

"Thisn' sorta n'vironment, theys likely t'be a much wider range as could be noshed at an mos'a the affects like as could be like stim tea, or when you'ns drink liquor." hunkering and examining a particularly purple and yellow mushroom, spade dug out and a planter getting a new resident while he hums to himself, tone keeping to the keening of the airflow between the massive fungal stalks.

"Gran'ed we as might find summa them mushrooms the miss there seems 'cited 'bout, but y'all might gitcherself yer jollies on one sorta fungus that sommat like m'self or our f'yero frien' here might just chomp like t'were nothin'." standing up again at last, checking how his samples are resting.

-- Kye --

"It'll definitely be something. This is... very unlike the places I've grown used to," Kye admits, with a lopsided smile to Grafn. "But hey, maybe there's merchandise or exports here we can actually peddle back in Nar Shaddaa. Maybe there's a mushroom here just waiting to be a delicacy in the Smuggler's Moon." As Qutha gives him a lesson on the edibility of mushrooms, the trader listens.

Making mental notes, as it were, likely because this kind of thing is good to know for future business points. If one absolutely must sell a weird-looking mushroom, maybe knowing these little snippets of lore are important. He nods and watches as the man hunkers down and examines the mushrooms, then collects some samples for himself.

"Insightful. Thank you, sir."

-- Aurora --

Aurora stares off into the cave, eyes wide as she takes in the sight of the blue, purple, and green glows emanating from within. As the guide explains what lay ahead of them, a small grin forms on Aurora's lips. "Cave full of traps and monsters? Sounds like a proper adventure then!" she replies, letting out a light giggle. She draws one of her pistols from its holster at her side, keeping it ready for whatever might lie ahead. She takes a look around at the rest of the adventuring party that was gathered at the mouth of the cave, curious as to how prepared the rest were. She couldn't help but grin a bit when she noticed some of them taking samples and turns to listen to Qutha as he talks about the mushrooms for a bit. "Wow, you know a lot about mushrooms, huh?" she notes, blinking.

-- Maelstrom --

No one appears to be backpedaling, so Imat gives a nod and turns back towards the cave. "Also, try not to disturb the spores too much. They can cause all manner of symptoms when inhaled."

Before that small bombshell can make full impact, the small-statured lizardfolk sets off into the large-mouthed cavern, fully expecting the others to follow him. The trek begins easily enough with his bottom-heavy, padded feet making careful, instinctive steps. The cavern is wide and spacious with the occasional cracks in the rock several feet above them allowing thin rays of sunlight to pierce through. What would otherwise be a dark walk is lit by massive clusters of mushrooms that soak in those scant rays of sunlight and glow their radiant colours.

A few twists and turns later, Imat slows to a stop when their path leads them to a dead end. Or so it would seem at first glance. "I hope none of you had a big breakfast, eh eh eh." He gestures to a narrow crack running vertically from the ground to the ceiling. A narrow passageway that is, of course, filled with tiny glowing mushrooms. "This way." There is no room for debate as Imat is already walking casually into the path; an easy feat for one of his kind. A bit of a squeeze for the more human-sized travelers.

As they wiggle through, there is a soft skittering noise that sounds like it is coming from everywhere and nowhere. And also the sound of crunching. Gnawing? Some kind of crinkling...

-- Tamsin --

Tamsin, moving to follow on behind the guide, was momentarily arrested as she made her way into the crevice that lead further into the cavern. It was her bag. So, precious cargo, and it took her a long moment to work it free without causing any damage. She even stepped aside, to allow the rest of the group to continue inside, taking the time to make certain that nothing that she had brought with her had been damaged. "It sounds," the doctor offered in a low voice, as she moved to catch up with the group, "As though this place has become quite a bastion of life, which might bode ill for our success."

-- Hahtavi --

Tamsin is behind their guide and Hahtavi is behind her. The Mandalorian may well be the largest among them and his armor will make it interesting to squeeze through tight spaces. But he pays close attention to how the others are moving ahead of him. If all else fails his jetpack might help, or not, depending on the openings in the ceilings...

It's all easy enough until the Kora has to slip through a tight spot. He eyes it, then drops low where it's a bit wider at the bottom and manages to crawl through more deftly than one might expect. Then he's back on his feet. Once he's clear of the crevase then the Kora pauses to look around very carefully and listen. His helmet augments his vison, allowing him to zoom optics. That same helmet might muffle his hearing faintly - hard to say.

Something however is moving around their feet. Hahtavi glances down but only sees tiny invertebrates and that isn't what is making that noise. So, like a genius, he simply asks their guide, "What is that noise?"

Unless said guide has gotten too far ahead and is already being eaten by the giant spiders. Or whatever.

-- Grafn --

Human-sized? No large breakfasts? "How large is a too large breakfast?" Grafn asks as he momentarily attempts to suck in his stomach, before deciding even that task is hardly worth the effort. The void armour surely tugs a few inches inwards! Thankfully. And so the portly and aged pilot squeezes on through! Slow and steady, attempting to minimise any stirring of spores. Even with his helmet donned to ensure some measure of protection, one can't help but note how absolutely stunning the planet is, even through a visor. And Grafn delights in such sights. He's watched rebels make snow angels on Hoth from up high in the cockpit of an AT-AT. So he's sure seen some sights in his time. "You know." He peers about, wedged with armour scraping here and there. "I see..." Not much, for Hahtavi dominates the field of Grafn's vision. Grafn sees a Mandalorian! But nothing untoward! Snug together as they all are. "Doesn't seem to be anything in here with us that I can see at least..." Noises regardless.

-- Qutha --

"Growin' aught simply as I's raised doin' ma'am." a bob of his head to Aurora once he's sure the samples are going to be fine, "I'll yarn all night ifn' y'want the finer points of orcharding, though I 'spect that'd be a yawner for most f'us here t'ain me." a slight shift in his skin, like a flush, but the color creeping up his jawline to his cheeks is a soft grass green hue.

As the darkness grows that splash of color quickly drains from his face, "Oh bother..." rubbing at his eyes, widening them and looking around before his throat bobs and one hand moves to rest against the side of his jacket.

"N'er anythin' t'be foun' inna brightly lit glade, or buildin'... Newp, Qutha Pah, not f'you. Allus in dank dark caves." heaving a small sigh and wedging himself through the crevasse with little seeming difficulty. Head lifting, brows knit and turning his head one way then another with a befuddled expression, a snatch of song escaping his throat - mostly under his breath, the words too mumbled to make out - unless you're dead set on having the agriculturalist breathing a really odd sort of sweet nothings in your ear.

Some people might be into that. Who knows. No judgement.

-- Kye --

For all that he's looking for a business opportunity in a sea of bright mushrooms, Kye can't see anything beyond the forest of fungi. Literally seeing the forest for the trees, he moves along with the imperative to not be split from the group. He doesn't have any guns unholstered yet, but his gun-hand is definitely twitching a little. Being in the middle of the woods is already unnerving.

Now imagine being somewhere where spore-producing fungi are supreme, and so, even stepping on soil is uncertain. Is it squishier than normal? You might be stepping on a fungus. But he can't see anything, so he just follows after Grafn, who seems to know where they're headed, or at least gets a good bead on the people ahead of them in the trail.

-- Aurora --

"I think I'm good," Aurora replies to Qutha with a small laugh. Aurora follows the others through the crevice, taking up the rear. The Zeltron explorer didn't exactly take up much space to begin with, at least compared to some others present, so navigating those tight confines proves to be little challenge for her. Hearing others commenting on the noises around them, Aurora looks around, craning her neck a bit in a vain attempt to see past the adventurers ahead of her. When she glances back behind them she pauses for a moment, blinking, as something strange catches her attention for the briefest of moments. She lifts her helmet and rubs her eye with her free hand, looks again, and shakes her head. Whatever it was, it was gone now. Readjusting her helmet, she continues to make her way forward through the crevice. "So there's all sorts of mushrooms here on Felucia. Can any of them move?" she asks the guide curiously.

-- Maelstrom --

Imat appears to be blissfully unaware of any such noises that has the group on alert. It's like taking a city-dweller out into the countryside where it's incredibly dark and all manner of nocturnal critters start skittering about. Only it's a claustrophobic cave layered with glowing toadstools casting a kaleidoscope-dappled colour all around. With something... somethings?... skittering about. Is that skittering?

"Bastion of life?" That gets Imat's attention and he laughs heartily. "You can certainly say that. All manner of life here. Why, the planet itself speaks, don't you know? If you know how to listen to it."

The passage is getting more and more narrow, culminating to a chokepoint where not even mushrooms will grow. The two cave walls are all but pinched together with only just a scant slither of mishapen space left. And just beyond that -- those in the front of the line can see -- is a much larger opening. Freedom! If they can /get/ to it.

"Move?" Imat barely caught that from the Zeltron way back in the cheapseats, tilting his emerald-skinned head this way and that. "Well, I ain't never seen it but maybe. Anything's possible on Felucia."

He slips out of the thin fissue and into the next leg of their journey. Only to turn around and see that not of all of his troupe has made it out. "Big breakfast," he nods sagely as Grafn gets himself wedged. And pretty damn well.

-- Tamsin --

This time, Tamsin did a much better job of making certain her bag did not prove a hindrance, nor her passage into the slightly wider expanse stop the rest of the group from passing through. Still, she gave herself a once over, before she lifted her head to study the new, or relatively so, surroundings. More of the same, and yet, subtly different. And then her eyes settled on the pilot, and his difficulty, "Ah, let me help you." Who knew all that training in anatomy would come to this? And yet, Tamsin made no disparaging comments, as she began to try to work the pilot free of the sharp stone edges holding him in place. "Try not to move too suddenly, or you may tear something."

-- Hahtavi --

This time the crevase is WAY too tight a fit for the Mandalorian. Hahtavi is forced to remove his armor plates in order to fit through so he passes them through to Tamsin, along with his jetpack and rifle, whom he trusts enough to keep them safe until he's through. Down to his snug fitting fibreweave suit, but keeping his helmet on to filter spores, the Kora has to slip and wiggle through. Despite his size, he is a lean athletic man who is able with a little effort to get through.

Once he is through, Haht steps aside to quietly reattach his beskar plates to his fiberweave undersuit. It takes him a little time - plenty of time for Grafn to get stuck like a cork in a bottle. <"Give me a moment, I'll help you, Doctor Cas."> Jetpack and all else back into place, Haht maglocks his rifle and then turns sideways to ease himself back in as close as he can get and take hold of one of Grafn's arms. <"This might hurt. Suck it up, old man."> Booted foot braced, he waits for Tamsin's heave and pulls!

-- Grafn --

Well that was good to know. And there's just nothing! No movement. Just snug as a mushroom wedged into a hole made entirely for smaller mushrooms. "I think this is it my dear fellows!" Oh the theatrics! "Go on without me... oh right!" There's people behind him. A helmeted nod is offered those behind him, even as he wiggles. Nope. Not moving. A grunt. A definate grunt as Tamsin assists! "I think you just shunted my kidney somewhere Doctor! It's on a journey eh?!" He laughs. And then with Hahtavi getting in on the grappling too? Well. Manda-handled! There's some squirming. But Grafn's wriggling is barely assisting. It's more wedging himself deeper while two sleek people assist from the fore. "You know, I think they made the armour plates on this armour a little bulkier." A breath is taken! "Hands! Hands! I barely know you that well!" An unseen and Sarlaccian grin is offered to Hahtavi, for the old pilot wears a helmet! But the snorted laughter and belly-rumble certainly show mirth. "Heave!" And try as he might, he takes a deep breath! "Don't worry too much about pain, I've brandy somewhere... almost the good stuff too!" And another breath is taken!

-- Qutha --

Zelosians do have bones and they're made of calcium - though it's calcium created by flora rather than fauna. How Qutha is pushing through, as he is, without cracking or breaking anything is a wonder unto itself. Held up only by Grafn when he gets stuck. A small sigh escapes him and he shifts where he is and puts his shoulder against Grafn's back and begins to give a slow push from behind.

"Arg'yubly I t'ain' too familiar with a lotta you meat-people's customs, so's ifn' this'd be akin t'some sorta come-on, I 'sure you, y'arn' my type. Bu'cher slowin' us up a touch, sir."

Putting his wiry shoulders into it. "Shift't city boy...."

-- Kye --

Drawing his weapon, Kye now starts looking around, making sure they're actually not being followed by some kind of weird predatory fauna or maybe the equivalent of a venus fly trap in Felucia. All he gets to do, instead, is ensuring that Aurora is, in fact, doing quite alright for herself. With a nod to the equally armed person, he flashes her an easy-going smile, and then turns to watch as Qutha starts pushing at the Coruscanti, frowning to himself. Hopefully they all don't get stuck in the cave.

-- Aurora --

Aurora was still managing to make her way through the tight confines of that crevice just fine. Or at least she would be if there currently wasn't a blockage in her way! Part of her wanted to give Grafn a kick to try to push him along but there were unfortunately two others ahead of her. So she had to wait. Since their guide didn't rule out the possibility of there being mushrooms on Felucia that could move, Aurora found herself looking back to try to spot the thing again. Narrowing her eyes a bit as she tried her best to see what might be in the room behind them, she couldn't see anything this time and shrugged it off. If there -was- anything back there, it definitely wasn't going to be coming into the crevice regardless. Maybe the spores really were getting to her or something? Letting out a sigh, she looks back toward the others to see how they're doing with the blockage.

-- Maelstrom --

Like unclogging a drain, it takes the power of many to uncork the pilot. Sharp, jagged rock scratches and scrapes against his armour, tearing gashes into the durasteel and messing up the lovely paintjob. It is a hearty heave-ho that finally does it and Grafn is freed from his would-be grave to slowly be eaten by fungi. Glorious day.

With the way cleared, the remaining band exit the cranny and can take a moment to stretch. The group find themselves standing a few feet away from a cliff edge that drops several yards into a sea of shimmering flatcaps. A motley of mushrooms. Is anyone surprised?

Imat, who apparently has no sense of personal space, pats Grafn on the stomach and laughs. "Squishy!" He seems to think that's a good thing. Leaving the observation at that, he lumbers onwards, leading the group away from the edge and through another opening. This one winds around the outer wall of this expansive area with holes broken out of the rocks so that they get a constant view of just how far down the fall is.

Which is a good reference when they emerge again and the only path remaining is a thin ledge that is broken in many places. He's already starting across. "Don't look down." But those that do may see something interesting. Maybe. Who knows?

-- Tamsin --

Tamsin, who just managed to keep her balance as the pilot came out of the narrow gap in the rocks like a cork flying out of a bottle under pressure, brushed her hand free, before she began a visual examination, on the off chance that the rocks had damaged more than his armor. Injuries now were not likely to bode well for the rest of the journey. But, he seemed, for the time being, well enough, though she offered, "If you are injured, let me know an we can step aside and I'll assist." But then, if all was well, they continued on, and Tamsin kept a weather eye on where she was placing her feet as she began to journey across the ledge.

-- Hahtavi --

Ah hah, a very slim ledge, great! Hahtavi has to take his time and care with this part because his jetpack makes it harder to lean back against the stone wall. No one can see his grimace or hear him mutter inside of his helmet with the vocoder off. He's easing along, doing well enough when the Mandalorian sees Kye having trouble and looking like he's about to fall.

The Kora fires his jetpack to try and go to the rescue! Only one of the jets fire on the lower setting instead of all three and starting to loose his balance, Hahtavi has to suddenly cut it off rather than make the leap to try and grab the other man. Arms flail out and his gloved hands grip the rockface to try and keep himself from falling.

<"Someone grab Kye! Don't let him fall!"> Some how Haht manages not to fall off of the ledge himself but neither does he get to Kye as intended.

-- Grafn --

It is with a bright laugh that Grafn reacts to Imat's patting of his stomach. "When one reaches this ripe old age, having seen all that I have seen!" His hand reaches out to sweep through the air gently if warily. "Might as well eat, drink, and be merry!" Such advice indeed. And while the old and somewhat rotund pilot clings to the rock face like a goat! Moving slow and steady. He witnesses Hahtavi's own bravery, zipping through the air, stirring up spores that warrant a swift gasp of breath as the stirred up mushroom stuff swirls about so beautifully! And yet, he dares to grasp the rockface and reach out, fumbling! Nay! Grasping Hahtavi and yoinking him back to the safety of the pathweay they tread with such care and due diligence. Not a word said, for he holds his breath a few moments longer! Yet finally he gasps breathily. "Mind the gap!" Wait? Kye? "Is he okay?! Kye dear fellow?! You alright?!" The very words called out hopefully, not that he can do a thing! "Hold on!" Good advice.

-- Qutha --

Keeping his balance easily enough, the chaos that suddenly breaks out, Qutha hugs the stone wall, head turning back towards Kye and a hand goes out with a flick of nigh preternatural reflex to press against the man's chest with a sudden strength that seems unlikely for the wiry frame of the Zelosian farmer.

"Hey now, pard. Keep close." brows knit and looking around himself to all those travelling with him. "Wanna least see these herbs 'fore we die hor'bly in a cave fulla fungus'n'all that." waiting to make sure that the other is stable before he starts to move on, looking forward again, "Bother'n blow..."

-- Kye --

You ever have one of those situations where your footing could get a little better but you feel the need to rush further along, make sure you're safe on the other side, but you might end up falling in a deep pit somewhere in an Abyss? Kye calls out as soon as he loses his footing, "Oh, damn! Damnit! Somebody help me!" He's panicking, of course, but you would be, too, if you were about to plunge to your inevitable doom. A hand reaches out, sallying for some salience in the wall, and he barely manages to find purchase in something, effectively braking what could be a tragic ending.

He hasn't even made his first million yet! "Trying!" He calls out to those worried, trying to arch his way out of this particular trouble.

-- Aurora --

Progress! Aurora pulls herself out of that crevice once the way is clear and looks about the area they find themselves in now, noting the flat sea of mushroom tops below them and the cliff edge they had to navigate over now. "This place is really off the beaten path, huh?" Aurora notes as she flattens herself back against the cliff and shimmies over the ledge. Noticing Kye stumbling ahead of her she reaches out a hand to help steady him. "Careful there!" she calls out ever so helpfully. "Focus ahead, not down! That's where we want to go." She nods sagely.

-- Maelstrom --

Imat is already on the other side and looking around for something; unaware that someone in his stead is about to fall to their potential doom. No, his small, dark eyes are looking up at the tall, cavernous ceiling where not even the light of the mushrooms can reach. Odd that there isn't any fungus growing up there. "Hmmm. Must be on the--- oy!" The sputting of the jetpack is what grabs the Felucian's attention. More to the point, the cloud of spores now spiraling in the air. "Careful with the spores, eh? You don't want to be inhaling too much of that at once."

He tilts his head curiously to Kye flailing around with two others holding onto me. Then to Grafn and Hahtavi who appear to be having a moment, as well. Scratching the top of his bald head, he addresses Tamsin. "You humans are a funny bunch. I like you. Come. We're almost to the valley." Oh grand!

When everyone has made it to the other side, Imat pads along the path that continues to lead them down, down, down. Then a wall. A steep wall. Suddenly their down, down, down has them going: "Up!"

Who knew Felucians were such avid climbers? He's practucally scurrying up the craggy wall humming to himself a jaunty, local tune. "No dilly dallying!"

-- Tamsin --

"I am not a human, but I do appreciate the compliment. They are an interesting species." Tamsin's tone was amused, more than anything else, as she turned to the guide. It was not that she had not tried to help. Alight, she hadn't tried to help, but she simply wasn't close enough to the two who had been in trouble to assist them. Or strong enough, in any case. But all was well, and, perhaps, they were soon to be out of the land of magic mushrooms. And then, a wall. Well. Did anyone remember that time that a shipment of Kowakian monkey-lizards got loose in Corestar? The doctor, surprisingly agile, looked very much to have taken inspiration from those august beings. Minus the august. They were terrible. A scourge of the galaxy. But she was entirely nimble as she made her way up the wall, hands finding even the smallest hold as she made the ascent.

-- Hahtavi --

Hahtavi had been calm enough in his attempt to assist Kye, but then his almost falling from the ledge got his own heart rate spiked up. Grafn's hand steadies him against his shoulder or chest and the Mandalorian gives the older man a nod, "Vor'e." Kye doesn't fall and calmness resumes as they finish crossing the thin ledge. <"I might have to strangle our guide. I bet when we are done, there will be an easy exit but he's getting his giggles taking us the scenic route...">

Yep, the Mando is relishing the idea of punching their guide a few times in the face. It may happen yet. Mandos can get aggressive and Haht is probably no exception. He could jetpack up but the spores he kicked up before and concern for the health of his party makes him do it the hard way. Climbing. In armor. Not easy. Hahtavi removes his gauntlets and tucks them into his belt, then gets to it. Up he goes, slowly, carefully. No leaping monkey lizard here this time. Slow but steady. He gets most of the way up before one of his boots slip and he suddenly slides to fall a short distance before catching himself.

Muttering in Mando'a follows. A moment later the Kora is painstakingly heading back up and finishes the climb. <"We are surely not being paid enough for this. I'd rather be blowing people's faces off."> Speaking of, where /did/ their guide go NOW? Haht looks back to see if he can lend a hand helping the others up at the top.

-- Grafn --

It is with a certain awkwardness that Grafn makes that final ascent! His scraped and dented armour certainly having born a good brunt of the journey, and now, despite his age and gravitas, he clambers upwards, slipping a little here, feet scraping there, boots getting all messed up somewhat! "You're a fine guide Imat!" The very rumble hissed breathily as Grafn sweats up a storm in that helmet. His laboured breath catching over the comms now and again as he grapples with nature! Literrrraaaallly!

What an adventure! His jezzail-esque rifle bouncing off his back, slung as it is, ominous scraping noises and the prospect of both Grafn and rocks tumbling away! Yet... it doesn't happen! Success. Sweet be-laboured success! Success that has Grafn tipping over the top and rolling and clattering onto his back to gasp loudly and slump there! Feet dangling over the edge. "By the stars Doctor! You're part Loth cat!" He calls to Tamsin. Though to his fellow awkward climber, Hahtavi. He just grins. "We didn't die." The others. He gives them a lazy floor-bound salute as they follow on up. Hand waving, elbow lodged upon the ground. Success! High fives for all!

-- Qutha --

"M'not human, thankee." Qutha offers, though his tone lacks huff, sarcasm, or offense when he says it. And at least they're no longer going down (down, to goblin town. You go MY LAD! Ho ho! MY LA-AA-AD!) or into whatever other terrifying death trap is likely to be found. That's why he dislikes caving.

It's never just crawling through holes. No. It's abyssal falls with narrow ledges so that you can gaze down into the pits of your own nightmares and hope that when you fall you don't mess yourself on the way down. Or poisonous spores. Or probably nightmarishly huge beasts with dripping gangs and white, milky, eyes because they've lost the sense of sight in the eternal darkness of this dank, dark, dripping, festering hole in the living rock of the world on their way to look at herbs.

And at this rate, Qutha almost expects a new breed of dill. DILL. Something to put in the brine mixture that you make tasty gourds out of. Ugh. He could go for a pickled gourd right now. Several of them. And a big fat juicy steak that he can eat while making uncomfortable eye-contact with the family across the way just munching on their salads. Because they think they're so great because no animal was harmed to make their meal. BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T THINK ABOUT THE PLANTS THEY'RE TECHNICALLY EATTING ALIVE, YOU SAVAGE MEAT-BAGS!

Now while all of that potential rant was going on? Qutha? Climbing. Because maybe there'll be light up ahead. He's calm, despite the paragraphs you just read prior. He's not a fan of all this dark, or the caves. No not Qutha. Not at all. He remains fairly serene if still suffering some of the affects of his very natural nyctophobia.

And ye beasties can he climb! Fingers finding grips, toes of his boots tucking in to push him up. Haversack tangling behind him and otherwise looking astoundingly unheroic. "So swif'n so vicious are the carn'val rides... an the carn'val barker'll yell yer name f'a bribe. We got glowboards f'love an Corellian Air-Cars... T'ain' rare to hear the street lights call themselves stars. T'more that I learn, the more that I cheat. I come from a World of Heat..."

He's half-singing to himself, again. Not too badly, though with a little croak midway through.

-- Kye --

After failing to get a good foot and handhold, Kye gets a little impatient, so he pulls out his Theed S-5, a classic by any means, flicking the selector for the cable attachment. He aims up to the ceiling, shooting when he's steady of aim, and, just as it lands, it starts to pull him up and over the ascent, which allows him to interrupt and wind back the cable as soon as he's made it past the edge. Shaking the cable off, he holsters his pistol, and flashes everyone a smile.

Like he hasn't just embarrassed himself with a near fall to his death, before he's thanking the others; the Hahtavi, Grafn, Qutha and Aurora all receive nods of his head, though he's a bit on the edge of too pissed with himself to actually say something right now.

"Now the hard part's done!"

-- Aurora --

Aurora looks up at the imposing wall standing before them when they reach the bottom of the path and furrows her brow. She wasn't exactly the -best- climber around, something to work on maybe, so this was going to prove to be a bit more challenging for the Zeltron. Taking a quick look over the wall she manages to find some handholds and then starts to pull herself up. Slowly, carefully finding a foot/hand hold with each upward motion. She pauses for a moment to stare up at the Felucian as he seems to climb up it without any trouble. "We're being paid?" Aurora questions when she hears Hahtavi griping. Being the explorer at heart she was, she didn't even ask about a paycheck for this job. She was in it for the adventure! Knowing that they were almost at the goal now, Aurora takes a deep breath and gets a determined look on her face as she pulls herself up the rest of the way. When she reaches the top, she notices Kye pulling himself up with his S-5's grappling hook and glances down at her own blaster pistols. Realizing she could have made things so much easier on herself, the palm of her hand meets her forehead.

-- Maelstrom --

One by one, the group crest the ledge they have just climbed and find Imat a small distance away; his small stature framed by a half-circle of rock that opens up to the outside world once more. The bright Felucian sun pierces the hazy clouds above in beautiful godrays, shining down upon a wide valley with tall, impenetrable cliffs that go hundreds of meters straight up.

From this vantage point it is clear to see how going through the cavern was the easiest route. Especially taking into account the various, large creatures flying in the distance soaring over the dense vegetation -- a mixture of mushrooms and greenery -- that clogs this great split in the planet's surface. And that is only what hovers above. Who knows what ventures below in...

"The Wound," Imat explains, his voice twinged with awe and -- to those keen to pick it up -- a bit of fear. "A dangerous place blocked off from my people during the Clone Wars. The Empire had taken control of this entire area and, well---"

He gestures a four-fingered hand outwards. Felcuia is an alien-looking place, but by comparison what grows and lives in the Wound is even more so. "The R&D facility is in there; most of their experiments have been left to grow out of control. A microbiome thankfully trapped in this valley. That is where we must venture."

The hard part is only just beginning.