Log:Zhu Yan and the Necroflesh Hordes!

Giving you that fix of GLORIOUS PULP HORROR

OOC Date: January 18, 2021
Location: TEMPLE OF THE DARK JEDI, Sluis Van
Participants: King, Nerys Greystorm, Eriu Jynx, Netep Meeyuri, Khalim, Zyrette, Karr'roga, and Zhu Yan as GM.

The short story: Do you have what it takes to brave a LOST JEDI TEMPLE and liberate the EXPENSIVE TREASURES inside?!

The long story:

[19:09:22|Zhu Yan]
"Okay, so the plan is simple," explained Notable Explorer and All-Around Heroic Figure ZHU YAN, using the very words that would doom them all. "Go in, get treasure, get out, don't die."

Deep in the snake pit that is SLUIS VAN was the long lost TEMPLE OF THE DARK JEDI! A strange ruin full of mysteries and danger! Glorious treasures lie within for those brave enough to snag them, but BEWARE! For unwary travellers may fall prey to DARK ENERGIES, PERILOUS TRAPS, or the most terrifying horror of all...

The NECROFLESH HORDES!

Behold, the ineffable Zhu Yan! Noted Archaeologist! Hero of Mon Calamari! Bearer of The Bryar! Liberator of Aniya! Destroyer of Laramus-A! Four Time Tatooine Ice-Sculpting Champion! The man stood not a hair taller than five-seven, of handsomely portly build, adorned in only the finest Jacket of brown and fluffy collar atop his attire of tan pants, boots, and his black GALACTI-STOK, A DIVISION OF TAGGECO shirt. And perhaps most importantly, atop his head was a helmet of pith design. Yes! The complete package!

This whole venture was SPONSORED and FUNDED by the man himself! And thus it was appropriate he was here now, surrounded by his closest allies, in front of the DARK, FOREBODING entrance of the TEMPLE OF THE DARK JEDI! Behold the gathered champions of his cause! Behold the BOLD EXPLORERS here to PLUNDER the temple for LOST TREASURE! Behold the large stone DOUBLE DOORS! Hewn from stone and ornately engraved with DARK JEDI IMAGERY, the doors remain unsealed from an earlier venture and slightly ajar, behond which lies FOREBODING DARKNESS and GLORIOUS TREASURE.

"So what are you waiting for? Get going. I'll be right behind you." Pause. "Also try not to make too much noise, whatever might be inside prrrooooobbably won't react well to it."


[19:13:10|King]
A tabac stick hits the ground in front of the temple and is left to smolder for a few seconds before a single-bespurred boot lights atop it and snuffs it out.

The Man They Call King grinds his foot a few times and peeks up from under the brim of his hat at the portly man who's supposed to be leading the charge. Just another day under the command of Zhu Yan.

The gunfighter takes a long draw of breath, his chest rising and falling before he turns and begins to make his way towards the entrance of the temple, feet clinking softly as he walks. Where has King been? Who knows? Folks that try to track him have the devil's own time. Folks that find him; even worse.


[19:15:47|Nerys Greystorm]
If one head was good, two were better. And a two-headed being had made their way into the group...somehow. A special edition if you will. Oh. No, it was just Nerys, dressed in her usual armor, with her backpack of holding, and her smol ID10 droid, Bitty, standing in her harness with her head besides Nerys' voice low chirping as she carried on a seemingly ongoing conversation, using her steed's shoulder to brace her arms and the pistol she held. Shoulder mounted pistol droid, for the win, "The sooner begun, the sooner done," Nerys offered, her tone congenial, as she and droid made sure their weapons were ready. Better prepared than caught with your pants down. "The armory is open. Anyone need a bow, sword, anything?"


[19:16:39|Eriu Jynx]
'I'll be right behind you'.

Lies. Most likely lies beyond belief as the man who funded funded for a reason. A soft sigh escapes Eriu as she glances back at him and once more into the dark recesses where everything hides and waits. All the nightmares combined into one creature that is likely going to kill them all. Treasure does not remain in one place so long unless there is something that keeps it there and thus comes the ringing of her sword from its scabbard as the clean, glinting blade of the rapier is held out before her.

"This is a horrifically bad idea, but then when area any of your ideas /good/?" She glances to Nerys and King, a bit more reassured with them around rather than the pith helmet wearing Yan who very much resembles Jack Black from Jumanji in her player's mind.


[19:18:20|Netep Muri]
Just what lengths will Netep Muri go to, for pay? This.

Netep finds herself standing in the shadow of this haunted, boobytrapped edifice of crumbling stone for the second time in her exploration career. She glares at it like one does an old nemesis, but this time it's from behind the protective shield of her scouting helmet. She's left less to chance, this time. No doubt she spent the duration of the trip filling ears with tales of the hazards encountered last time and the disembodied whispers registered on the Audiotizer 3400. What are the odds that those same traps would still exist though? Surely they aren't capable of reseting themselves. Right? Right.

Right?

"Move and touch with your eyes before anything else. Do not ignore the floor. Do not ignore the walls. Do not forget to look up, now and again." These are her final words of advice before takes her first step into the darkness. The helmet's augmented reality system winks to life, casting a faint glow of color over her face.


[19:20:45|Khalim]
Khalim stands aside Zyrette, both of them before those towering stone double doors, slightly ajar and beckoning the party within. A slight frown tugs at each corner of green lips as the Mirialan's gaze shifts from stone-hued image to image, none looking particularly welcoming. Some looking downright uninviting.

Looking aside to Zee, Khalim offers a simple grunt. "Did we bring a large enough sack?" Indeed, hanging from a hip is a large cloth loot bag. Nothing says LEGITIMATE ARCHAEOLOGY like a loot bag. Then his helmet is removed from its hip attachment and pulled over green features. With little clicks the visor switches between modes, ensuring all is functional, before settling on low-light vision and stepping out - presumably alongside the Falleen, past the double doors and into the gloom beyond.


[19:22:43|Zyrette]
Zyrette stands beside the Mirialan. Her own booby traps safely protected beneath the plates of light armor. No so acclaimed of an archaeologist but still in the effort of making a name of herself as one. An archaeologist. Adventurer, etc. She's here for the science people. THE SCIENCE. "Yes I think so." She answers Khalim regarding the sack.


[19:32:35|Zhu Yan]
In the legends told of the Jedi that opted to be Most Dark (it's a thing), much was written about their defensive measures. Tricks! Traps! Monsters! Explosive barrels! Alas, not everything could be solved by a well-placed double-barreled slugthrower, because often such things challenged the BRAIN. This, of course, was not mentioning the SPIRITS of the FALLEN that often INFESTED these places. But enough about that. That's for the future. Right now, it's time to tackle...

The MAZE!

Twisty little passages, all alike! An early fork, and then the possibility of being LOST! Alas, even in the dim light both roads look identically travelled, so you can't rely on poetry to get you out of this one.

Oh yes and we mustn't forget the oppressing feeling of DARKNESS! Ever present! Ever ominous! Ever OPPRESSING!


[19:40:41|King]
With his mustache a'twitchin' King looks out towards the winding, annoying passages in front of them and frowns. There's another long, slow breath and King's set to wander.

The man's well-versed in a lot of things, but at 143 years old, he's exceptional at staying alive in places he likely ought not be. Shifting his rifle to be gripped by just the one hand, Yan kneels down and presses a hand to the stone floor before his eyes dance about the path in front of him. Inferences are made and he trucks on, eventually becoming the first to make it to the end of the tricky trail.


[19:41:49|Nerys Greystorm]
The shift in ambient lighting, as the group ventured into the Forbidden For--oh, sorry -- wrong movie, Forbidden Temple made Nerys blink, as though it took a second or so for her eyes to adjust, and then she and her droid companion were advancing into the maze, "The light's low," but she glanced around at the rest of the group, "But anyone who's having trouble, try to stick with me...we'll get through this in no time." Bitty, head still beside Nerys' kept a weather eye on their surroundings, as Nerys made to press on, moving as though there was no darkness obscuring the pathways and switchbacks, watching for the small things, scuffs on the ground, the feeling of dead air versus the slightest breeze, even the smell of the place to guide her and any with her to the end.


[19:43:43|Eriu Jynx]
Nerys offer is given a nod and with the light getting less and less she basically sticks herself close to the other woman. "I am going to go blind in here, not permanently but you know what I mean," Eriu remarks as she keeps her sword out, edge pointed down. She glances back at the party but its hard to see who's here beyond a few feet from her. She might as well be holding onto a piece of Nerys' clothing. "In fact...I would not mind handing out a length of rope is anyone has it? Everyone hold onto a portion of it so no one actually wanders off." Little does she know.

"Sadly I am not the one that had that foresight."


[19:56:00|Netep Muri]
Muri followed Corr Waldin into this darkness, solving riddle after riddle, and was rewarded with a poisoned dart to the FACE. She'd watched from the floor, paralyzed, whilst her fellow explorers ransacked and pocketed trophies for selves. It was a bad day.

These memories and more flood the brain protected within that helmet (this time) but don't override the little wanderer's sense of concentration or direction. Yet. She recognizes symbols etched into the walls, retraces steps taken before, slowly, keeping behind the slow to-and-fro sweep of the taclight on her pistol. The weathered groove where inumerable feet have traversed before is still there, unsurprisingly, and...

Muri abruptly gives pause and lifts her light to the wall. Has she been counting her paces thus far? Maybe. There's a gap in the stone - a dusty portal into nothing - and she acknowledges the expired danger with a smirk. Her next step beyond that memorable mark in the trail puts a little snark back into her spark. "You might yet," intoned eerily to EJ's comment about going blind, "Right back there's where a certain Ryn's misstep put a dart in my face. I'm sure we'll be fine, though. Just keep sharp. I've got a bit of syntherope on my belt, if anyone wants to chance followin'."


[19:58:13|Khalim]
Darkness soon shrouds Khalim and his way. It's not enough to nullify the night-vision capabilities of his helmet but it's not quite the vivid picture he'd hoped for. It becomes evident very quickly that the party have stumbled onto a maze. A gloved hand reaches for Zyrette's, squeezing once as he says, low and quiet, "Stay close." She, unlike him, has no low-light visor mode advantage. Her hand is released, and they proceed down a corridor. At a left-right choice they take the left. Then another choice. Khalim turns to Zyrette.

Who isn't there.

A look back, low-light visor still functional but not to any sort of high-performing degree. Nobody. Was that even the way he'd come? There's a moment of confusion, and Khalim realizes... he's lost. Already separated and lost. "Zee?" he says, loud enough he thinks his voice might carry a bit, without yelling. He looks the other way. Had it been the other way? "Zee?" And then a muttered, "Kriff."


[19:58:53|Karr'roga]
Through the darkness there is a rumble. A rustle. A growl that echoes off of the walls and yet...does not?

Karr'roga. The large Barabel dressed in his Smasher Armor has a plethora of weapons on his person. A plethora. An arsenal, honestly. It's probably terrifying -- made moreso when one considers this is almost always. The Smasher Armor gleams, and glistens and -- as his eyes shut, surveying the area with those thermal pits, the climbing rope and chains on his belt are disconnected. Wordlessely offered to his side, to the Falleen creature, while that gleaming green-blue crystal sword is unsheathed and spun to sit on his shoulder. "Thissssss Onnnnnne does not trusssst this." A pause, "Thissss would be used to learrrrrn prrrrey."


[20:01:51|Zyrette]
Zyrette stops short as darkness suddenly envelopes her. Her breath quickens. Perhaps she's grown too soft, depending too heavily of late on the wrong senses. The squeeze of Khalim's hand starts to settle her, but then he's taken off, and the Falleen has remained at the entrance to the maze. "Khalim?" She hisses softly. "Khalim?" A little loudly, as the tip of forked tongue slips across the outside crease of lips. She steps back, into the scale hardened form of the Barabel.

Finally the soft calling of her mate reorients her. Following first his feint calls, before seeking the way out. "I'm coming." she assures the Mirialan.


[20:23:02|Zhu Yan]
"Zee?"

A MAZE is a MAZE and once you know the TRICK, it is easily CONQUERED. Those who remember the tricks, note wall markings, follow the left hand rule, find themselves surrounded by DARKNESS and OPPRESSIVE GLOOM. So clearly they must be going the right way, to the TREASURE ROOMS. Alas, not all are so lucky, and so they turn to the next best thing. Help.

"Zee?"

The word bounced through the walls, resonating around the temple. From within the maze was a NOISE that could maybe, perhaps charitably be described as 'COMING FROM A MOUTH'. It was a low, rasping, rattling noise rising in pitch, a groan morphing painfully into a shriek. Then another, and a third. And thus we behold a CACOPHONY of CRIES, echoing amongst the ruins of the TEMPLE OF THE DARK JEDI. For you see, in his attempt to get help from the perils of the MAZE, Khalim has awoken...

The NECROFLESH HORDES.


[20:28:11|King]
Those trained Morellian ears prick up at the...well...the necroflesh hordes. Sends a chill straight down the spine it does. King's eyes are casting about for their source and his hands are slowly and surely sliding back the bolt of that big slugthrower in his hands, getting the thing ready for what's looking now like an evening of fighting for his life. And possibly killing Khalim.


[20:34:53|Nerys Greystorm]
Because of course there were going to be monsters. There were always monsters in the deep places, in the wake of those who thought they were doing good in the world. That sort of arrogance left a mark. Nerys who did not look to the smol droid hiding her like a bipedal horse, "You stay ready. I don't know what's coming, but if you see it, you kill it." Murderdroids on lock. D-roid rage set to maximum. Nerys and Bitty both, kept a weather eye, trying to see if they could determine the source of the screeching and gauge from whence it would come, as she turned in a slow circle, as if she were trying to narrow down the source of the sounds through some odd sort of echolocation. She activated her helmet comms, sending a message to any who might be on the line. "I extrapolate that the sounds are inbound from the northeast quadrant of the maze room. We are, as best I can figure, the northwest. We have less than three minutes before they are on us if we stay where we are. We need to get to clear ground so we are not caught in a chokepoint." (Or 2 rounds, you know the drill) Eriu, who was still close, was not forgotten, and Nerys reached into her backpack of holding, pulling out a flashlight, which had a strap so it could be fixed to a head or an arm, "Stay close. We'll keep you safe."


[20:36:52|Eriu Jynx]
The Hapan looks grateful at the other woman. "Its appreciated. Saving my life with this." Eriu swings the light about and is generally giving most things a brief consideration when her toe on something just slightly off from the rest of the floor. Eriu pauses, "Curious." She tilts the light down and notices something off only to note the strange depressions in the wall.

"This..." she lets her voice trail as her fingers smooth over the opening only to realize what she nearly walked into. "KRIFF!" It echoes.

Thats when she realizes there is no one else around her and she turns about, her flashlight bobbing back the way she swore she came from. "You guys should see...Hello? Hey...anyone?" Her voice echoes and she sucks in a breath. "Not good." She steps around the pressure plate attached to blades in the wall depressions to avoid getting cut in half but gives herself room so that she can wait for the others. "Just wait here."


[20:46:17|Netep Muri]
ZEE..Zee...zee...

HIsS..shriiek...shriek...

"Frink," Muri mumbles, footsteps freezing in place when she hears the crescendoing chorus of horrors. It doesn't exactly sound like any native fauna she's encountered before. "Now'd be a /great/ time for that Audiotizer..." She beams the light about, checking for any sneaky crevices or whatnot that might admit whatever is making that sound into her vicinity. Nerys' voice comes over comms and a green brow goes aloft behind the yellow and red blinking haze of her visor's feed. Yes, yes, the atmosphere is breathable, toxic compounds low, mold spores moderate. Thank you, helmet.

<<Doesn't sound so bad....>> the green-haired gal's reply drips with sarcasm. <<Won't Yan be ever so sorry he missed this?>> And her feet pick up the pace, realizing that she's fallen behind Nerys and Eriu. And it's the Hapan who she happens upon first. Also, those depression plates. Handy, dandy taclight. "Are you in one piece?" the light's ray cuts across the floor hazard to EJ's feet and slowly scrolls up her body. No gore? NO gore. "Okay, good."


[20:47:52|Khalim]
"Khalim?" Hearing his name, and nearby, calms the Mirialan. Moving back in the direction from which he'd come - he was sure now that it was - Khalim sees Zee's low-light amplified form just before he'd have run into her, as well as that of Karr'roga just behind her.

Quick glances to each, and he's about to say... hello? when the first of those keening screeches erupts. As others pick up the howl, some sound like they must be RIGHT THERE. Behind him. Next to him. The air, he can feel it thickening, conveying something of oppression with each breath, and with a simple adjustment the suit's EVA properties are engaged and he's sealed away, breathing from the small oxygen tank built into the suit's integral back-mounted environment unit.

And then the party is headed forward, seemingly back on track. If they pass traps, they do not trip them... whether the result of careful footwork or blind luck, they'd never know. Khalim's heavy pistol is slid out of its holster and held to fore as they continue to make their way through the maze. Every few moments he glances to the side, or behind him, ensuring Zyrette and Karr'roga are still there. Between getting lost again, and becoming isolated, those keening screeches suggest which would be worse.

The entire time, Khalim feels the presence of those making such horrible noise. They feel so close. As if at any moment they'll face a wall of shambling horror, or find something chasing them. It's deeply, deeply unnerving and Khalim only barely restrains himself from firing at one shifting shadow or another every few moments.


[20:55:12|Zyrette]
Zyrette takes the bit of rope for the Saurian. "Thank you." She says softly, keeping her voice pitched low. Between steady breathes, the glow of Karr'roga's sword, and the reassuring bulk of the crocodilian Zee slowly fights off the uneasy darkness of the temple. However, as she fights off the fear, she realizes she can no long pinpoint Khalim.. Wait, is that... a button? Her fingers curl inward towards her palm, just barely fighting of the impulse to push the big shiny button in the middle of dark scary maze. She rethinks her decision not to press the button, she can't eat cream but someone else might like it...

However, just before Zee pushes said button and -really- makes everyone hate them, Khalim find the two lost reptiles. "Khalim." She murmurs "We really need to work on your volume control.." She pauses to check on Karr'roga. <"South then?"> She asks over comms. Whichever way was south, at this point.


[21:05:37|Karr'roga]
Step. Step. Sway. Sway. That immense tail behind Karr'roga moves in such a way as to always have his back -- better than any friend, any lover, anyone. Except maybe his left hand, which is way different.

Eyes shut, leading only by those thermal-pits, the Barabel's constant hissing is a low thing, push and pull, like the oceans.

Then Zyrette steps that large blade of crystal whips forward to hover at her, "Ssssss...sss-sss-sss..." Those in Shadowport are familiar with the sound: Sadistic amusement. The tip of the blade however shifts down to the floor and...with a twist, the edge catches a line. A cord. "Ssss...sss-sss-sss....Darrrt trapssss..." TWANG!

The cord is cut. The crystal blade lifted slowly to point upwards, and the fanged maw of Karr'roga hisses his amusement again, because the sword points at the darts.

"THISSSSS ONNNE TOTALLY JUSSSST SAVED YOURRRR LIIIIIVESSSSS! SSS-SSS-SSS-SSS!" That was loud. Oops? The amusement has the Barabel chuckling. Why? "Thissss Onnnnne issss a killerrrrr...Clawssss Forrr Creditssss....and -" Sss-sss-sss. Sadistic irony.


[21:07:05|Zhu Yan]
"KRIFF!"

Hark! Another word firing through the din set off more HISSING and GROANING and SCREECHING! Perhaps Nerys was right on the money, if so, they only had a limited time to complete the maze before they were set upon by HORRORS of UNSPEAKABLE NATURE! GROANS and FURY added to the din as the MIGHTY BARABEL HUNTER added his own WAR CRY to the chaos! Monsters, all!

With assembled PANACHE and GRACE, in varying states of DISARRAY, the group finally through means most untoward comes across another DOOR! This one bore STRANGE MARKINGS and RUNIC WRITING in what must be some sort of ELDRITCH LANGUAGE, and hummed with an otherworldy power! A door of MYSTERY clearly requiring a TEST to navigate! And thus the crew had better work fast, because at any minute, they could be set upon by...

The NECROFLESH HORDES!


[21:21:18|Nerys Greystorm]
Nerys and Bitty were the Queens of Focus, and as they got to the door, the pair got to work, as if there were not the sounds of ravening hordes no doubt looking for their sweet sweet blood (Bitty didn't have blood of course, but don't point it out, it only makes her feel superior). "Here!" Nerys pointed to a cypher which appeared to have been inscribed on the door, a code key, and she indicated what she had seen, "It's an astronomical puzzle, we need to set the constellations and planets to their position on the last day of mid-summer on a leap cycle." because this was a thing that happened, "We don't have time, and we'll need every hand to get these into position." She looked back towards Netep and then to the rest of the group. "Bitty, once we have everyone in alignment, we can work on disengaging the locks." The droid, finally rising from her harness, clamped her pistol in her feet so she could use her hands to do the word.


[21:27:47|Eriu Jynx]
Netep's arrival gives her heart and Eriu is quick to step over that plate and hope right over towards the other woman. "Thank goodness," she mutters. The sword still in hand, the taclight from Nerys in the other she follows with the group at large to finally arrive at the door. "Must be easy for you to see in all this," she remarks to Karr'roga, wetting her lips as the door is given a rather look, assessing look.

"Doesn't it just..open?" She steps forward tentatively - looking down now that she's learned about pressure plates. She reaches out to press her fingers against the door, just one small spot to see if it will give before resting back on her heels.

Nerys words get a look. "You got all that from the door?"


[21:33:43|Netep Muri]
"The Sluiss do love a good, complex mechanism." Muri mutters, giving a door a good once-over of her own when she's caught up. "Last day....mid...leap..." She's pulled the datapad off her belt, fished Research Goggles from her bag, and takes the minute or so to disengage helmet and put them on. It's then a matter of bringing the Sluis system to life on screen and playing with the calender. This is NOT the sort of information she keeps on hand in brain - the rotation of constellations in this particular system. Tracking ahead...then in reverse....searching for an appropriate alignment to act as guide for their hands.

This could take a beat.

"Okay, I..mm. This?" Netep aims the screen at all other faces present, her own eyes enormous behind the lenses, seeking consensus before moving a damn thing. Because bad things happen when sticks and stones are moved out of order in here. This she knows.


[21:39:57|Khalim]
There's a point at which Khalim feels he may just have to start shooting at shadows. Each each corridor fading into gloom seems to contain something ready to leap out at them. Zyrette and Karr'roga's presence helps, but even that rapidly fades as that oppressive ethereal weight continues to crush down...

And then they're out. Out of the maze, and with the rest of their party. At a door. A weird as kriff runed-out, magical looking door. There's a hint of recognition at some of the patterns that play out in symbols and lines. Nerys's observations meet with an 'aaaah' and a nod. "You're right," he says, and a pear-hued finger traces distances from a central runic symbol. "At least part of this represents the Sluis Van system."

Following Muri's lead, Khalim pulls out his own 'pad and connects to the planetary network. It doesn't take long for his device to mirror her own in searching for the right answer. As she shows the party her results he peers. It /looks/ right... Pointing at one concentrated collection of runes, he says, "These seem to be the planetary bodies. The rest must represent the constellations." Indicating one trio of runes in particular, he adds, "I think this represents Sluis I... see these two smaller runes that can turn turn with it? Moons."

The Mirialan doesn't yet turn anything. Looking among those present, he asks, "Do we all agree this is the solution?"


[21:46:06|Zyrette]
Zyrette has relaxed considerably once Khalim has been found and the party reunited. Standing before a giant, rune carved puzzle door. She all but glowed with excitement, which you know, for her meant the corners of glossed lips twitched and amber eyes twinkled with focus. Woah, calm down now. But she looked at the datapads, looked at the door, and chose her position to move. "Well, if this is what we are going to do, let's.. do it." She encouraged, calmly. Mostly.


[21:50:32|Karr'roga]
Eriu Jynx speaks to Karr'roga, and there's a pleased gulping at the Hapan. Though his fanged maw turns this way, and that. "Issss harrrrd. Not darrrrk jussst...just..." A hand rolls slowly, the large tongue licking across the tips of fangs. "...Dirrrty air. Heavy. Like a pond that sitssss."

Slow is it that Karr'roga turns himself to look at the door, at the statues and whatnot, and all the Big Brain Folk.

Before walking back towards the rear, passing Eriu Jynx with a small bump in passing. Awaiting orders -- or for something to jump out and get its face bitten off.


[21:57:44|Zhu Yan]
BEHOLD!

Following careful manipulations and machinations from the assembled tomb raiders, with a WHUNK and a WHINE, the big runic door grinds open, allowing access into the TREASURE ROOM within! And what a room it is! Brightly lit and welcoming, with ancient treasures on plinths almost untouched by age and decay, with ancient coins and exquisite gemstones literally pooled into piles on the floor! There is almost an ethereal hum to the room! WEALTH for the TAKING!

And not a moment too soon! Shadows are forming in the hallway behind the team! Figures moving in an arhythmic dance to the beat of their own roars! The safety of the treasure room beckons, or else battle will be JOINED!


[22:04:13|Nerys Greystorm]
Nerys nodded, "The sooner the better. if we're wrong, we have to face whatever it coming anyway." See? Logic. And she got to work, moving with the others, using the datapads as reference, until the door clicked open, the locked cycled open by the team's concerted use. And then she was inside, and her vision revealed not the treasures they had hoped for, but rot and decay, and she turned away, both she and the droid raising their weapons against the sounds of whatever was coming, "Why am I not at all surprised." She sounded angry, truth be told, and irritable. And nobody liked Nerys Greystorm when she was feeling irritable. "I don't know what's coming, but I'm feeling the need to vent some frustration." In the most bombastic way possible.


[22:10:14|Eriu Jynx]
The door moves and Eriu turns about to help shine her light within. She illuminates the darkness with a brief flash of her taclight and stares into the room beyond. "We should have a look, a closer one," she suggests but is definitely not the first one stepping through the door. Nope her eyes are lowering towards the floor. Pressure plates are going to cropping up in her nightmares.

Nothing.

There is nothing in the room beyond, nothing that is worth a damn and she lets out a breath. "Maybe its hidden...could be." Suggestion. But Eriu is not a tomb raider of any sort.

She turns about to get a look at those behind her only to catch some movement in the shadows. Her taclight starts to sweep up. "Is it just the dar playing tricks on me or is that something?"


[22:19:15|Netep Muri]
~The source of your anxiety lies in the mirror~

   Fortune Fizzpop, 1161 

Netep stares at what lies before them. The heap of decay, the stench of old rot forever locked away (until NOW)....her beam sweeps an arc overhead and something sharp glints menacingly. With rust. "That's definitely something, Jynx." A thinly veiled sigh of disappointment leaves her lips, but she can't feel surprised about it. Her boots crunch quietly over gritty bits of eternity, carrying her inward just a teensie bit more with the aim of eyeballing a dirty old pot. It's tempting, but. No.

"Whole lotta bones and scrap, but might be enough t'get some of yer gears goin', I dunno. Let's not lose our heads, hey? Don't touch a damn thing? Don't pick up, don't give a tippy-tappy, or a nibble," definitely lookin at Karr'roga there "just....focus. On that."

Both woman and lightbeam swing back around to face out the door they came in where the horrific sounds are taking shape. Death, materialized. She keeps her pistol aimed, left arm at full extension. The right hand trade goggles for helmet with trembling haste.


[22:23:26|Khalim]
Just as the horde shows itself, in its disconjointed approach, the door is unsealed and opens. There's a moment where Khalim sees the welcoming gleam of a true treasure room, one out of fable. But then, his trained eyes - eyes used to ferreting out minutae with a glance - see... something else. He blanches beneath his helmet. "There's no treasure, it's a trap! Be very careful!" he says through the helmet's vocoder, the digitized approximation of his voice conveying hard-edged disappointment.

Then he's turning back to that horde. Perhaps just out of range of vision to those without low-light enhancements built into their helmet. But to Khalim, there's all kinds of nasty coming their way. "That's not just the dark," he says in response to Eriu and in a smooth grip-assisted motion his DeathHammer heavy pistol slides free and ranges on the horde. A gloved finger pulls the trigger, and with a shriek a tibana-charged particle is loosed, and then another, both seeming to impact... something. Whatever the kriff /those things are/.

Khalim stands somewhat central to the doorway itself, apparently having assumed 'last man in' status. He looks to Zee, face obscured by that helmet, but says only, "Behind me."


[22:30:21|Zyrette]
Zyrette takes a single step into the treasure room, and then a second, even her other wise composed features full of wonder.. She looked at the others, obviously perplexed by there reactions. "What, what do you mean, it's, beyond expectations.." She started to argue.

"Behind you?" She sounds incredulous, despite the danger of their situation. She pulled her vibroblade, and stood at the edge of the treasure room. Very ready to face the on coming horde. She did -not- step behind Khalim, thank you very much.


[22:42:35|Karr'roga]
Senses tickle...

...from the Barabel there is a hissing. Low. His closed eyes remain so, and those thermal pits 'wink' with each breath. Nostrils flare, sniffing. Sniffing...his tail swaying this way, that way...

People are talking but Karr'roga is still sniffing, that heavy tail then whipping down to slap against the floor with a CRACK! One large, taloned hand silently whipping out to grab Eriu Jynx and shove the Hapan against the nearest wall. The Barabel /says/ nothing -- but the rumbling in his guts. The violent display of that heavy tail: It swings on either side of the Hapan, and Karr'roga's revealed to be a walking armory. One hand jabbing into his satchel to pull forth enough Glopball grenades to secure King Grom. Oh yes. The Barabel was entirely serious about The Idea.

But then he is stepping forward, reaching behind and into the bundled mess of clothing and rags, and just, garbage. The crystal sword slid away with a click and --

City-Killer, the Chrome E-Web is pulled out from that bundle revealing the massive ammo container that takes up the killer's back. "City-Killerrrrr! WAKE UP! SSSSSSIIIIING!"

There is a jolt in his arms then, for the Barabel is strong enough to wield City-Killer without deployment. The barrel spins, and, well...She begins to warm up Her voice.


[22:47:23|Zhu Yan]
Blaster shots ring out in the din, the flashes providing glimpses of a twisting writhing mishmash of chaos that could well be considered some sort of organic wall. An organic wall that was screaming. The shots impacted with horrible fleshy squelches and the onslaught did not stop. It was becoming apparent now that this was all some sort of WILD WATERFOWL CHASE, as the treasure room had nothing in it besides sadness and evil thoughts. A lot of evil thoughts.

The wall screamed.

It was time for escape. And... there! In the gaps of the DARK ILLUSION was the sky. The SKY! Up on the second level was a hole in the wall of the TEMPLE OF THE DARK JEDI! Tantalizing freedom!


[22:54:11|Nerys Greystorm]
Nerys was not at the front of the line, no but she had the benefit of range on her side. And whatever that horde was, she was going to do whatever she needed to do to keep them back. She and Bitty opened fire. Nerys, standing with her feet spread to give her stability. Bitty, who was back to clinging to Nerys's shoulder fire into the seething darkness, the recoil of the pistol which she held as a normal sized person might have held a shotgun triggering her rocket booster which fired to combat the recoil that would surely have launched her backwards across the room. She and Bitty held their ground, and Nerys called back to the room, "If there's a way out, find it!"


[22:56:07|Eriu Jynx]
Eriu is suddenly oriented and moved up against the wall rather gracelessly by Karr'roga, nearly dropping the taclight. But its when he thrusts the grenade at her that she has to shove the sword aside and take it. "I..." it takes her showering the thing with the light from her left han dto see what is going on. "Well hell," she mutters. Her attention shifts to the others who open fire and she has yet to note the way out - there are more pressing matters. Like what is lurching towards them.

She arms the grenade with a pass of her finger and when she can be sure she won't smack Karr in the back of the head she draws back and throws. The grenade hits and quickly fastens the left side of the group into place, her smile growing.

"Got em!" For her light sweeps out to double check and she regrets that decision when she sees them. "I knew this was a horrific idea."


[23:04:05|Netep Muri]
NOPE. Things are coming. Bad things. Things which resemble - in those interrupted flashes of light - the corpse puppets which ravaged her once already on the ghost ship. Netep Muri is OUT OF HERE!

Seems like the heavy weaponry being pulled out around her has got it covered, anyway. How many people can shoot through 1 open doorway? Roga counts for at least four.

Muri backpedals her way to that heap of decay. It is primarily a mountain of rubble - stones and mortar and reinforcing metal - beneath a gap in the caved ceiling. She does a hasty flick-two-three of her taclight over the pile, between glances at the mounding mayhem - and then starts her ascent, one-handedly, unwilling to disarm herself quite yet. What's an awkward start to the climb gets better, briefly, before a piece of brick gives way when she hooks her fingers into it.

A gasped curse transmits over com as she tips over backward, lands hard on shoulder and helmet and rolls like a drunken bug the rest of the way down. It's a miracle her deathgrip on the pistol doesn't squeeze trigger during one bump or thump along the way, but it's still there in her hand while she lays there at the bottom in a heap of somebody else's bones.


[23:10:44|Khalim]
Zyrette's response to Khalim's urging to take cover /behind him/ draws a quick follow-on look, though whatever look may have been contained behind that visor was simply unknowable. He nods, though, and shifts a bit more fully to her side.

Firepower continues to be unloaded into the body of that massed beast, as well as the first glop grenade, and Khalim's pistol - still trained on the horde - unleashes two more charged particle bolts. One melts a face, one shrieks into nothingness, a bit high.

"We need to start moving," he says to those nearby. Zee, Nerys, Eriu, and Karr'roga in particular. Muri already having seen the wisdom in escaping stage right. Up. Stage up.


[23:21:55|Zyrette]
Zyrette still has a rope connecting her to 'Roga. Which, pulls her rudely from her valorous stance, brandishing her vibroblade as he starts setting up the e-web. However, it's enough of a jolt for her to look back and around. She spots Muri trying to scale the wall, and falling. She gathers up her bits of rope, as she too, attempts to scale the wall. She succeeds no more than Muri however as, she fails to find purchase, her finger tips raw.


[23:28:47|Karr'roga]
When Eriu Jynx throws that glopball, Karr'roga's heavy tail shifts position to give the woman a shove. Then again. "Up-High, throw down." It's all that is said...eyelids still closed. Not bothering to look, but instead, see through the thermal blooms -- it's more efficient. It eliminates some of the details of his enemies. It eliminates any possibility that a Barabel could empathize with whatever it was going to tear apart: And Zhu Yan has told Karr'roga to 'disarm' people.

Foot-talons stab down, legs squat. The E-Web, City-Killer, is set against his knee that large tail gives Khalim a jab at the back. Tap-tap. The spinning barrel kicks up the air, the motors scream. But when the trigger is pulled?

There's crimson light that bathes the Temple they're in with the color of blood, and the weapon is loud enough to momentarily cancel out sound save for a dull THPTHPTHPT. Followed by the collision of red bolts into...not the horde.

But the ceiling above it.


[23:30:31|Zhu Yan]
It was clear now. The true nature of the Necroflesh Hordes. A literal merger of the fallen into a horrible blob-like monster that filled the entire corridor, flesh and bone twisted and rended and stitched together by the pervasive darkness that haunts this temple. Blank eyes on countless heads stare into nothing as endless outstretched arms reach forth for the next addition to their mass and simultaneously dragged the horde along the floor. The phrase was always in plural, too. How many of these things /were/ there?!

And, because you all needed nightmares tonight, every single one of those wide open mouths screamed like pod creatures from a certain body-snatching holofilm. Only here said body-snatching was far more literal.

Huge chunks of joined and twisted flesh was torn from the mass to almost zero effect by the blaster bolts. It wasn't until the GLOPBALL!! hurled by Eriu Jynx successfully fused the left half of the creature to the floor, walls, ceiling. That didn't sound like it was stopping it. The screams of fury turned to screams of anguish as a horrible TEARING sound joined the din, the free half of the Necroflesh Horde literally tearing itself in half to get to its next meals.

Inexorable.

Or not. The screams were deafened as the City-Killer went for a far easier target, the mere ceiling of a dilapidated (EVIL!) temple. The building shook and shuddered as masonry came down, collapsing on top of the Necroflesh Horde and burying it under rubble. There was more shaking, the structural stability of the temple now compromised. If you were gonna go, now's the time.


[23:39:37|Nerys Greystorm]
"Bitty, get out, now, help the others if you can!" Smol droid was smol, but smol droid also had repulsors and rocket boosters. She clipped the blaster to whatever sufficed for her belly, as she zipped over to where the first line was, wiggling her feet as she made her way up the rope, moving to find a spot where she could leapfrog the escapees, holding the rope steady for them as best she could. As for Nerys, she slipped her bowcaster away with a movement born of long practice before she looked around, before she began the climb herself, playing out a line behind her and reaching out for Eriu, "Come, I'll help you. You'll ruin your nails trying to climb in the dark." As if that was the worst thing that could happen in this situation.

[23:42:11|Eriu Jynx]
Today is the day of nearly dying by traps and being shoved around by a barabel. She lets out a sound as the tail shoves her and she half stumbles in the direction the others are going and the direction Muri has gone ahead of them. Wait..Muri...Muri si way ahead of them. Smart girl.

She clips the grenade she had readied to her belt and is following after the others trying not to crowd them in climbing out of that mess when she hears the terrible tearing sound from behind and feels the panic nearly take over. SHe does not shove but when its her turn the adrenaline makes her jittery and uncertain as she grabs at the handholds she can find and starts to drag herself up.

She slips and slides, nearly landing on her ass as the measured tone of Nerys halts her and the Hapan nods even if she can't quite see the woman. She reaches up and will use the aid to drag herself with Nerys help. Talking now means possibly using up strength and focus for climbing.


[23:50:22|Netep Muri]
The deafening BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAPAPAPAPAP of the E-Web, coupled with collapse of ceiling jars Muri out of her stunned pile of failure on the floor. She jerks back to her feet, fumbling to reaim the weapon, only to realize that there's nothing left to shoot? GOOD. The blaster pistol is holstered and that gives her use of both hands to scale the slope of collapsed ceiling. Once she's halfway up the pile, Netep pauses to unwind a good length of the synthrope on belt and keeps it at the ready to toss and loop over shards of this and that when the going gets steep. Anchorage. She should've done so the first time!

Before too long, the cyan-and-blue suit is wriggling her way over the craggy edge of that ceiling hole and standing triumphantly at the top of the world!!! The freshest of air blasts her helmet in the face and she breathes deeply anyway, imagining how nice that must feel. The view is spectacular. Being up here though means they need to make it waaaaaaaaaay doooooooooooown theeeeeeeeeeeeere.

<<Anyone else need a hand?>> Netep breathes into coms while staring over the edge of the towering temple's roof. <<Also, how much rope length you reckon we've got between us?>>


[23:54:44|Khalim]
There's a momentary backlong look as Zyrette begins to make her way up, and then Khalim is preparing to unleash further bolts into the oncoming monstrosity - as futile as it may seem, even to him. But then that tail-tap, as Karr'roga notifies the Mirialan that it is his time to leave as well.

Backing into the 'treasure room', Khalim begins to climb that mountain of rubble, bone, and decrepit and rusted pots and pans. With relief he watches Zee making her second attempt with more success, increasingly above him. He makes it perhaps halfway up before the loose mountain of filth gives way beneath an armored foot, and the Mirialan begins slipping down. With a crunch of boot to an already fragmented skull Khalim attempts to halt his backwards slide. "Kriffing pile of sh/SQUELCH/" His inadvervent transmission cuts back out.


[23:59:23|Zyrette]
Zyrette presses herself flat to the wall as the e-web's screams tears through the air. For a long moment The Falleen holds still as masonry and rot rain from the collapsed ceiling. This time however Zee manages to shimmy up the wall. Frustrated, she pulls herself out if the ruined roof top next to Muri. She leaves her rope down, about to respond to the other woman when Khalim slips back down. She leans precariously back down, stretching out a pointless hand to help grab. <"Language."> Her prim repimand over comms


[00:02:59|Karr'roga]
Ever seen a Barabel kill a building?

Karr'roga: 3 Buildings: 0

When the City-Killer sings, she kills, and she kills cities. That's the rule...but this will have to do -- the chrome weapon is whipped around after firing, still hot she is slung up and in his Smasher Armor does Karr'roga begin to heave onto the wa--

- which is when Khalim will find himself bulldogged upwards. Heaved. Shukko-claws in the Smasher Armor stab out from the palms and arches of feet, and the green-skinned man is not given any choice. "UP! Fffaaaall behind, SSSSTAY behind!" The fanged maw snaps at Zyrette in a surge of aggression and violence. Khalim, shoved, "UP!" The sound of claws tearing into the walls is audible -- but the temple is coming down, and Barabel do not do suicide.


[00:08:47|Zhu Yan]
Exultation! The MIGHTY HEROES of the TEMPLE OF THE DARK JEDI successfully make their escape through the hole in the roof to find a SEVERAL METRE DROP ahead of them! Alas, this would require some additional CREATIVE AEROBICS in order to navigate, if not for the sound of REPULSORLIFTS swamping out the screams of the crippled NECROFLESH HORDE inside.

What better vessel to serve as rescue than the infamous REDLINE? The vessel was a case-study in the concept 'it's what's under the hood that counts', being a high-powered and notoriously temperamental gunship crammed into a rickety YT-2000 frame. At its helm? Why, it was Notable Explorer and All-Around Heroic Figure ZHU YAN of course. "<<Door sealed behind you, so I went and got the ship,>>" explained the DASHING CAPTAIN over the comms now that he was back in touch. "<<Was gonna blow a hole in the side of the thing to get you out. C'mon, let's go!>>" The freighter pivoted, the ramp lowered, and it was only a short hop for our INTREPID EXPLORERS to escape this SITHSPITHOLE. Alas, no treasure for our GLORIOUS CHAMPIONS unless you count the funds being transferred into accounts because, "I know more than a few people who'd pay for a Necroflesh or two," but a SUCCESSFUL VENTURE.

And thus the TEMPLE OF THE DARK JEDI fell even further to ruin, trapping its ETERNAL HORRORS inside forevermore. Or at least until Zhu Yan found some more MIGHTY HEROES for excavation work...