Log:As Above, So Below: Korriban

As Above, So Below: Korriban

OOC Date: April 1, 2025
Location: Korriban
Participants: Roan, Orvaine Strakke, Qar-duun, Aitax Rendon and Lynoriel Thrace

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 20:21:57 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Location: Korriban, the Valley of Kings better know as the Valley of the Dark Lords.

The Mission: Follow the coordinates that Acolyte Lynoriel Thrace received from the crate that her mother left her on Umbara.

We'll leave out the part where Acolyte Thrace was almost killed by a Vixus on Umbara just a few weeks ago as part of this ever unfolding mystery. And the woman was armored up and back for more.

Darth Wiccus had been informed that her apprentice was traveling to Korriban, but there were no extra orders given from the Nightsister. Or at least not yet. And as usual, the Acolyte had given an open invitation to the Army, Navy and Special Forces personnel to go on this adventure.

And surprising no one, very few had volunteered. Who wants to go to desolate Korriban when you can be anywhere else? Or on a ship with controlled climates. The group was starting off from Outpost K and traveling to the edge of the badlands and beyond to where the Valley of the Dark Lords lays dormant and untouched for the most part. Acolyte Thrace stands on one of the edges of the cliffs that overlook the valley below and pulls out a small sphere that projects a map of the valley that is overlayed with the coordinates Marzanna had left. "Apparently we are going here." she points out to the team. "Sending coordinates to datapads. If a windstorm should come up while we are in the valley seek shelter in the ruins." she states.

There is a trio of stormtroopers that are with them, but they are mainly there as carrying capacity and water should it be needed.

[ Roan (Roan) | 20:26:12 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Roan is carrying a scanner pack. Beep beep. She's got her explorin' gear on, which means black tights, a brown leather jacket, and a sports bra. Heavy boots, traveling socks. Hair in a ponytail. Beep beep. She's here for mysteries and secrets of her own, and Lorraine Roan crouches to poke at a small pyramid of metal sticking out of the stone.

"...That's weird," she comments, mostly to herself, tilting her head left and right as she examines where the metal seems fused to the rock. She scratches at the headband of the vision-enhancement goggles that rest on her forehead. "...Not digging that out."

[ Orvaine Strakke (Orvi) | 20:28:22 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*

Lieutenant Orvaine Strakke of the Imperial Army is here, and you can bet that, as a Loyalty Officer, she will be paying close attention to any off-record behavior, unauthorized objectives, or other incorrect ways of doing and being. And yes, there are right and wrong ways. She very much believes so.

Orvaine doesn't say anything at first. She wears a tailored black field coat reinforced with light armor, high boots, dark goggles, and fitted gloves -- an austere, tactical silhouette. Her gaze flicks from the holo-map to the ruins, then back to Thrace. She adjusts her gloves, brushing off a thin layer of dust that somehow feels centuries old. When she speaks, it's flat -- deliberate. "I'll make sure the coordinates are synced. If we're expected to walk into a tomb, I'd like to know which one."

[ Qar-duun (Qar) | 20:30:24 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Qar-duun might be better-served wearing more scouting-or-survival-forward gear, but as needs must he'd rather be recognized as Sith by anyone (... or anything!) making inquiries. As one whose reputation is bound up in 'harsh environment expertise,' though, he does check with Lieutenant Strakke? "Do you have your Pocket Field-Manual? Up-to-date on approved procedures for sandstorms, earthqakes and avalanches? Remember if we're separated to only exert yourself at night."

[ Aitax Rendon (Tax) | 20:36:41 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

"I daresay none need reminding to observe nocturnal exterions, sir," Aitax Rendon notes dryly to Qar-duun's concern. The fleet captain's attention is pulled by each new hint of the ruins which sprinkle the desolate world. As to 'which tomb'? "We're rather spoiled for choices, aren't we?"

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 20:51:38 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

"We might be able to convince the troopers to stop on the way back and look at some of the wreckage if you would like, Captain Roan." the tall Acolyte offers. Thrace was a Miner by profession, so this sort of environment didn't bother her...but she was also wearing head to toe armor and wasn't stuck with the air right now. She gives a look to Orvaine and there is a nod of her head, "Of course, Lieutenant, better to be safe than to be sorry." she admits.

"For those that have not been here, welcome to Korriban and the Valley of the Dark Lords. Most of the tombs here do not contain the people that they were built for. Darth Vader has a tomb here...but he is not here." she states. "Much like Naga Sadow. Who died on Yavin V." she explains. "We should move before the weather turns." she adds as she turns to state something to RND-1...but the BB unit has disappeared. "Round one?" she whips her head around.

[ Roan (Roan) | 20:52:54 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Roan hmms? up at Qar-duun from where she is crouching near the little pyramid. "Yup." Then she blinks, notes the hood, and stands up, clearing her throat with a fist covering her lips, "I mean, affirmative, sir. My backpack scanner is also equipped with a long-range comm unit." Beep beep. "Oh!" Roan turns and begins to follow another signal, making sure not to get *too* far from the others.

Thrace's comment does make Roan stop, but she's still watching the scanner. "Affirmative, sir." Bright, cheery. Excited. Roan is a huge nerd, it would seem.

[ Orvaine Strakke (Orvi) | 21:02:39 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*

The Hapan Lieutenant stands impassively, straight as an arrow, as Lynoriel offers her introductions to the planet. "Acknowledged." Orvaine's gaze lingers on the horizon a moment too long before flicking to Thrace. "I'd rather not be added to the list of things buried here just for sentiment's sake." A pause. "But I'm sure the stormtroopers will appreciate the detour. If they survive."

She doesn't even glance at the missing BB unit. Just makes a note on her datapad like it happens all the time.

[ Qar-duun (Qar) | 21:02:51 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Qar-duun goes silent, whether reverent for his ancestors' cemetery or not. Deep in thought, or study? He informs the group: "I don't like the way the dust rises on the plain, there-- it's been disturbed. We should proceed as if we have been outflanked." He appears to believe they are not first, or alone, and encourages the group to keep their wits about them. He merely nods to Roan, affirming. Neither comfortable nor openly disdainful, he takes her self-certified readiness at her word.

[ Aitax Rendon (Tax) | 21:03:38 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Aitax Rendon's manner cools at Lynoriel's mention of Vader, the wry curl to his lips going flat. When Thrace addresses Roan and the subject of investigating ruins, Tax's eye follows to the Captain of the Dark Pearl, before going up the lines of the pyramid Roan crouches at the base of. "I was under the impression that all tombs in this valley had been thoroughly ransacked centuries ago," he muses idly. Qar's mention of a disturbance draws his attention as an afterthought.

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 21:14:37 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Thrace smiles behind her helm at Roan, honestly she'd rather be digging than having to go through tombs. There is a nod to the Captain and then to the others she looks, "I can agree with that sentiment, Lieutenant." Thrace tells the other tall woman. "They'll probably appreciate not being sent back home in a bag I'm guessing." the Sith states.

"Disturbed?" she asks as she heads off. "Why should I be surprised. There's probably a pit trap filled with Kath hounds or something." she sighs out.

"People always miss things, Captain Rendon." the woman states over her shoulder as she heads down the path into the Valley. And in the distance it is not hard to pick up the black and silver BB unit whizzing down the straight-away towards the tomb that has been marked, but the round droid stops just outside of it like he's a hunting dog of some sort.

[ Roan (Roan) | 21:17:25 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

The 'pyramid' Roan was looking at is about 60cm tall, and appears to be fused directly into the stone they walk on. Roan has already left it behind. Something *weird* happened to make it that way, and she doesn't have the time to mess with it.

"Outflanked?" she asks, looking confused. "Who else would even be here?" Hooking her handheld scanner onto the linked backpack unit she's wearing, Roan yaaaaaawns and streeeeetches, jacket flaring at the sides as she tries to crack her back by leaning to the side and fails. Sighing, she grumbles softly and makes sure her pistol is easily accessible.

[ Orvaine Strakke (Orvi) | 21:18:23 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*

Lieutenant Strakke raises an eyebrow when Qa-duun mentions the rising dust. She looks out to the plains as though betrayed by her own eyes, which she was. "Duly noted, Acolyte Qar-duun." We'll assume she knows his name, unless there's some reason she shouldn't. She tends to be well-informed.

Rendon gets a vaguely curious glance, but Strakke, pragmatic to the last, seems mostly focused on the swiftness and security of the mission. She is on full alert as she follows after Lynoriel into the valley, lifting a pair of macrobinoculars to her eyes to track the trajectory of the BB unit. Her whole vibe is definitely more "soldier on patrol" than "archaeologist on expedition," in some contrast to Roan, perhaps. "One should always consider potential dangers, Captain Roan." It is not said as a contradiction. Merely a practical statement.

[ Qar-duun (Qar) | 21:24:25 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Qar-duun doesn't need to 'be believed,' as he merely states what he knows truth is. Such is the way he conducts himself in hostile environments, relying on measured experience and a certain nihilistic acceptance of natural and animal phenomenae, even as far as 'that's just how people are,' if you expect them to bite you or claw you. Like a terse veterinarian, this one.

[ Aitax Rendon (Tax) | 21:25:48 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Aitax Rendon sniffs dryly at the mention that something might have been missed for centuries. He notes with a wry edge to the words that, "I'd meant more that tombs picked clean a hundred times over for a millennium would make an apt hiding place for something new. Or someones, perhaps," he amends in light of recent moving dust. The fleet captain is rather out of his depth on expedition to an unknown world of legends and ghosts. Noting Roan check her pistol, he followed suit, finding his own sidearm in the same condition and charge it had been up on leaving the shuttle. On he walks with the others, noting only, "At least it won't be a vixus."

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 21:36:27 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Thrace moves along and keeps an eye on her droid as she listens to the others. The winds were a bit less harsh down in the valley, but that is due to everything being shielded by the walls. "There are people that might be here without permission. There are others that know the location, most just don't venture to inhospitable lands." she explains to Roan.

She gives a look to Rendon over her shoulder, "That is a good point, Captain." she dips her head to that. Then she turns around quickly when she senses something. She holds up her right hand, fist closed in the universal sign for halt. "We are definitely not alone. And whatever it is can use the Force." she frowns behind her mask.

"The tomb is ahead of us. I say we stick to the task at hand and just be on alert in case anything tries to pop out...figuratively or literally." she states.

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 21:38:34 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Thrace does turn to give a look to Aitax, "Thankfully they don't do well in arid lands...or it might very well be." she points to her eyes and then back to him with a chuckle.

[ Roan (Roan) | 21:40:12 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Roan brrs and appears to shiver a bit at the rising wind. "Sounds good to me." Drawing her pistol, Roan flicks off the safety and sends a quick message to the ships above through her wrist comp, keeping it brief since she's also holding a pistol while single-digit typing. "Not alone. Force user."

Ready to go, Roan glances down and kicks each of her heels once with the toe of the opposite boot, getting dust off of them and getting ready to run if need be.

[ Orvaine Strakke (Orvi) | 21:42:21 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*

Strakke stops at the Acolyte's signal, her boots crunching softly against the dust-choked stones. One hand drifts to the compact blaster at her hip, but she doesn't draw -- yet. Her eyes scan the jagged ridgelines and shadow-choked crevices above, then narrow beneath the dark tint of the goggles she's secured over her dark blue eyes.

"Of course we're not alone. Places like this collect more than just sand and secrets." The words are low, clinical -- meant more for her datapad than the others, though she says them aloud anyway. She shifts slightly to stand near one of the troopers, murmuring something too quiet to catch. Just in case the tomb ahead isn't the only thing watching them.

Aitax Rendon slides his Sonn-Blas SE-44c Blaster Pistol - 26639 out of its holster, bringing the weapon to bear.

[ Qar-duun (Qar) | 21:46:18 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Qar-duun may never personally solve the quandary of when the Force intervenes versus leaving its children bereft, but his senses are trained by hard lessons etched in scar-tissue. If he dies here, at least he's put on his boots already. "Thrace, can you pinpoint them?" Eyes up, he awaits with extremely bated breath...

[ Aitax Rendon (Tax) | 21:49:19 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

"If you can't be alone in an ancient haunted valley of pillaged tombs, where *can* you expect any privacy?" Aitax wonders, a touch sardonic. The rising unease he felt was making the officer trend toward sarcastic pithiness. His own pistol was unholstered. Lynoriel's quip and chuckle drew a short bow of his head and shoulders along with a forced grin. Noting Roan's shiver, he mutely indicated his cloak, in case the shorter captain needed an extra layer.

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 22:08:30 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Qar-duun mentions pin-pointing things and there is the sound of a blaster firing followed by two red bolts, one aimed at Thrace and the other at Qar-duun. Apparently if they are wearing robes they are targets.

"Found them!" Thrace points to the figure that has come out of absolutely no where. Apparently hiding within the confides of the valley and using the dust and sand as a cover. Thrace goes after them with her stunsaber, but misses both of her swings taken at the individual. "Find cover unless you want to shoot." she calls out to the Naval and Army personnel.

[ Roan (Roan) | 22:12:37 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Roan yelps when blaster fire erupts! Aiming her Executive Order at the mysterious figure, she pew pews into...thin air. "Oh. Right." Standing there for a moment, Roan then takes off to the right, trying to get behind a giant boulder that she only afterwards realizes is actually the really battered bust of Darth...someone. Yeah, no, the face is completely gone. "Hmm...Pre-Sadow? Maybe!" She eyes the chisel work while cowering for her life.

[ Orvaine Strakke (Orvi) | 22:14:37 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*

The moment the red bolts sing through the air, Orvaine is already moving -- swift, decisive, efficient. She draws and fires twice in quick succession, the twin blaster bolts slicing through the dust-heavy air toward the figure --

And missing. Both. One striking stone. The other, empty space.

She exhales slowly, lips pressed into a tight line as she ducks behind the shattered edge of an ancient plinth. Her tone remains level, clipped, coldly professional, but there's a razor-thread of irritation woven through it.

"Two failed hits. Wind shift or deliberate concealment. Adjust accordingly." She glances toward the stormtroopers, voice rising just enough to be heard over the rising wind. "Suppressing fire. Keep the target moving. If they vanish again, we sweep by quadrant."

[ Qar-duun (Qar) | 22:23:37 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Qar-duun's yellow-eyed fury at being shot doubles him over, and he hisses a reply in Zabrak-- or perhaps it's Sith-- as white-hot tendrils of lightning arc toward the attacker! The bolts lick temptingly close to his assailant, but none find purchase as the Acolyte plans his next move through gritted teeth...

[ Aitax Rendon (Tax) | 22:25:27 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Aitax Rendon is either extremely composed, utterly lacking in self-preservation, or entirely ignorant as to how blaster fights work in a real battlefield. Perhaps more than one of the above, as when the assailant reveals themself with enough skill to wound a Sith, Tax raises his pistol with a straight arm in excellent gentlemanly dueling form and fires a pair of aimed ruby bolts. Free arm composed at the small of his back, shoulders squared and head held proudly high. No effort to conceal himself, seek cover, or even duck. The first shot strikes their mysterious attacker, but alas: this isn't a duel and the first hit doesn't end things. A second shot misses clean as the fast moving phantom evades further injury.

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 22:32:16 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Thrace gives a growl as she sees the assailant dodge lightning, which was impressive. It's also impressive to hit a Force User with a blaster, so maybe double impressed! But that doesn't overcome the anger of things. There's a moment taken to use her long stride to get close and bring the stunsaber down hard against the robe wearing figure. The second hit swings wide and there is a shot taken at her at close range and then one fired at Captain Rendon given he hit the man.

He's losing steam though, and it can be seen in the way he's starting to try to cover all of the targets with a bit of a paranoid rapid movement of the hand.

[ Roan (Roan) | 22:39:03 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Roan's eyes go wide. Her jaw drops open. "Oh no... Oh no oh no... It-it can't be!!"

Roan is not watching the fight at all. She is tracing the lines of an inscription in ancient Sith. The lines are deeper than the other etchings, and she gasps as she's just about to push a hidden button in the stone statue...

Then blaster fire from the Duel of the Fates over yonder strikes the spot and stone sprays in harmless shrapnel across Roan's ghost-white face. Eyes still wide, she whips around the statue and UNLOADS on the JERK who just blew up the find of the century, "COULD YOU NOT FOR FIFTEEN KRIFFING SECONDS?!?!?!"

[ Orvaine Strakke (Orvi) | 22:41:18 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*

Strakke has her blaster raised, trigger half-pressed -- then Roan spins and unloads a full clip into the would-be assassin like a woman possessed. The robed figure crumples to the valley floor in a heap of smoking fabric and bad decisions.

Dust settles.Orvaine lowers her weapon slowly, lips pressed into a flat line as her gaze sweeps the body, then flicks back to Roan's outburst behind the statue.

"Noted."

A single word. Dry as Korriban air.

She taps something onto her datapad, presumably a kill confirmation or a behavioral flag -- or both. Then, calmly: "If there's another one, I suggest you don't yell at it before shooting."

And just like that, she moves past the corpse, coat swaying at her heels like she never missed a shot in her life.

[ Qar-duun (Qar) | 22:53:40 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Qar-duun rises, dusty and pained, looking to Lynoriel for... direction? "Shall we press on? Or find out more about our opponents?" He *chins* over to the smoking corpse?

[ Aitax Rendon (Tax) | 22:53:53 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

A blaster bolt flew past Aitax where he stood, near enough that he could smell the burning tibanna in its wake. Had the shooter not been dodging glowing sword blows at the time, Tax likely would not have remained so pristine. He took aim for a third shot, but it was Very Much Not Needed, as Roan unloaded. One in the head, one in the chest. Both Aitax's brows went up, one higher than the other as he slow-panned a look from corpse to the ranting Roan. Under his breath, he makes a note for future reference: "Never interrupt while she's looking at rocks."

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 23:05:36 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

The man falls over after having holes blown in him by Roan. Never fuck with an antiques dealer! Or rock collector!

Thrace's helmed head whips around quickly to look and make sure everyone is alright, "Qar-duun, do you need healing right now?" she asks him.

And it is then, as if on que that the tomb door that they were looking for starts to slide open. RND-1 bonks it's head on the side of the door as they were getting it open. "It appears my droid has not abandoned me." she muses. "Come, we'll see about healing and...whatever is in the tomb." she tells them.

[ Roan (Roan) | 23:08:37 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Roan is silently weeping for her lost bust, whatever it contained, and the fame and fortune it would have brought her. As she passes Apprentice Asshole's corpse, she puts a few more rounds into it with a furious look, not saying a single Sith-Cursed word, ironically.

[ Orvaine Strakke (Orvi) | 23:10:33 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*

"Affirmative," Lt. Strakke answers Lynoriel, moving towards their objective with her usual swift surety. And she is certainly taking notes on her datapad when Roan unloads extra fury into that corpse. Roan is going to have an interesting file addition by the end of this mission.

[ Qar-duun (Qar) | 23:11:15 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Qar-duun nods affirmative. "If given time, I can treat my own wounds. But if someone has prepared a medkit, I am not too proud to refuse attention."

[ Aitax Rendon (Tax) | 23:13:38 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Aitax Rendon looks from the Very Cleary Still Angry Roan to Lynoriel and gives a short nod. "Onward and.. downward." He does spare a moment to inspect the blasted (and now re-blasted) corpse for any gear, communicators ....booby trap detonators, or any other telling tidbits that might be gleaned from the (very) dead.

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 23:25:57 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

"Gremhel and the others should be able to heal. Or we can head back now. We'll make this a quick grab." Thrace tells her fellow acolyte. With that she heads towards the door where the tomb opens. It's odd that a force user attacked them with a blaster, right?

Just inside the doors to the tomb of Naga Sadow there sits a black box, inscribed with the Sith writing that had been carved in. Thrace strides forward and touches the top, running her hand over it, but she removes her glove when she can't get the etching right. The box lid pops open and there is a layer of dust blown off of it.

Much to the absolute horror though, the lib is reared open by the eight legs of some horrible looking spider and it strikes out at Thrace's ungloved hand and finds purchase. Fangs digging deep into the skin of her hand.

It is followed by the quick...but also painful slamming of the lid back onto her hand with enough force to at least fracture it. But the spider does still.

Thankfully.

"Back to base." she grits out as she tosses the spiders body into the box and slams it shut again, making sure it is sealed before she looks to her bloody hand.

[ Roan (Roan) | 23:29:03 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Roan is still in mourning when suddenly there are spiders and stuff popping out of ancient boxes! Yelping in alarm, Roan vaults backwards, almost going over due to the weight of her scanner backpack. "What the..." she gawks, stunned. "Did... Did someone just prank you with a spider-in-a-box?! What the heck is wrong with these people??"

[ Orvaine Strakke (Orvi) | 23:29:38 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*

Lieutenant Strakke watches the entire sequence in silence -- the ungloved hand, the box, the spider, the blood. No outward reaction, not even when the lid slams shut with a sound like snapping bone.

Only when Thrace speaks does she move, stepping forward just enough to confirm the seal is holding as she taps something into her datapad. "Acolyte or not, you should know better than to touch ancient Sith artifacts with your bare hands."

She doesn't offer help. But she does tap a quick message to the med evac team.

[ Qar-duun (Qar) | 23:32:43 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><

Qar-duun conserves words, and thus available energy, as multiple wounded parties retreat to the safety of the Imperial garrison on Korriban. Surely they'll be back, but will their opposition return just as determined?! Join us next time as Lynoriel's quest continues...

[ Aitax Rendon (Tax) | 23:34:48 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

Aitax Rendon doesn't start backward as Roan does when the spider-trap/prank/passkey reveals, though he does grimace at the clear sound of breaking bone. "Believe it or not, this is still better than the surprise at the last stage of investigation." Only then will Aitax holster his pistol. He'll try to catch Lyn's eye with a mute offer to assist in carrying the prize, given the relative number of intact metacarpal bones, but with no expectation of the offer being accepted.

[ Lynoriel Thrace (Thrace) | 23:38:32 ]<*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*><*>

"My mother." the Acolyte intones as she rises. "Not ancient, recent." Thrace states to Orvaine, the tone is respectful as always. "Still stupid, I know." she agrees. She would definitely say it. "I think I have anti-venom. It'll be fine." she tells the group as she hefts the box up and grimaces. She gives a look to Aitax and she bows her head to him, but she does not relinquish the box. Mainly for fear of another spider if there is one.

And if she doesn't have anti-venom she'll probably just...die.

Which seems to be what her mom is aiming for with this psychotic vision quest from beyond the grave.