Blistering Flowers [ TOKEN ]

[neko bo beko]

Name: Stampede!
Rank: "D"
IIC Length: 3 Posts Minimum (Each)
Difficulty: --
Description: What's that sound? In the distance. It sounds like... A storm of tiny pebbles. No, it's a thunderous scrabbling. It's... a horde of Huge Scorpions!! 
Objective: Kill Huge Scorpion (Common), 65%
Reward: 18,000 Ryo

SPOILER: Click to show

Scorpion, Huge
Rank: ""
Type: Common, Large, Vermin
Effect: How does a Scorpion become more terrifying than the common type? Simple: Be larger.
Special: Preparation: ---; Duration: Immediate;
Drawback: ---
Description: Scorpions are vicious predators that can live in almost any environment, although they favor desert conditions. Scorpion colors range from black to yellow. The bitter smell associated with them probably comes from the venom. They make an unnerving scrabbling sound as they scurry across dungeon floors. All Scorpions have two things in common: a poison sting and an acerbic wit. Scorpions of all sizes use the same strategy: sting an opponent until it stops moving. Those who can speak scorpion will also hear it make several sarcastic remarks as it stings its victims to death. Huge Scorpion poison is Class "F" (Save vs poison or die immediately). Scorpions are non-intelligent, so their acerbic wit is not actually all that biting. Each lair has a 20% chance of 5-20 eggs. Scorpions hate all living things, including other Scorpions, and are 95% likely to attack anything near their lair (or far away for that matter). Huge Scorpions will drag prey back to their lairs to feast. These insects are food for Purple Worms, and other subterranean creatures that like poison. Alchemists and assassins hunt scorpions to harvest their poison. Scorpions can really ruin a camping trip.
Yields: Huge Scorpion can produce 1 thumb-vial of poison per day, but can only carry up to 32 thumb-vials. Huge Scorpions can either be milked or their 2 glands can be removed having enough poison equal to 32 thumb-vials minus the stings used for that day. Huge Scorpion's exoskeleton can be fashioned into chitin armour, shields, or bracers. Hardness: 5; Armour Points/Inch: 10; Armour Class: -2. Giant Scorpions produce 8,000 Ryo of Chiten material cost for items. Purchasing Chiten items cost 1/4 normal price.
Diet: Carnivore; Intelligence Non; Activity: Any; Alignment: Neutral; Organization: Swarm; Number Appearing: 1-4; Region: Desert/Mountain/Rural/Underworld; Identification: Average; Cultivation: Difficult; Skills: ; Innate Abilities: Darkvision 20 meters. Tremorsense 20 meters. Natural Armour +4. Poison Sting.
Limit: Must know Creature Lore for Desert/Mountain/Rural/Underworld Regions. 65% chance in finding.
Cost: 24,000 Ryo per Large Creature; 15,000 Ryo per 1 thumb-vial of poison; 8,000 Ryo per Large Vermin (Material).

Usually she'd not even really ever step foot in Tsuchi, afraid she might run into its flamboyant Kage, but today fatigue had swatted her from the clouds and into the hungry stones of Earth. Running so many errands and flying all the time drains the soul, and thus she'd come to a small tavern to perhaps rest. The universe was especially unkind to her as she walked in to an incredibly bustling scene, men who looked far too authoritative to be simple pedestrians or innkeeps running the crowd. Even though she sagged with exhaustion, Harue felt the urge to go and see what the commotion causing this ruckus was. Without proper understanding though, she could be running into something that could possibly get her killed. She hoped to avoid that, so instead she waited for one of the ugly men to shout something more meaningful.

And then finally, it came.

"HUGE SCORPION STAMPEDE!!"

_{token counter: 1}

[Christoff]

Mission Approved

[j]

Happening upon a small village at the base of a mountain, I stopped my uber carriage for a look at all the hubbub. Aside from the current commotion, it seemed to be an ideal village. A beautiful hinterland suburb, surrounded by lush greenery and fine townsfolk. However, things appeared to be considerably abnormal today. Plebeians scurried this way and that, hither and thither, yelling nonsense that was inaudible amongst the rabble. There appeared to be some sort of emergency.

I requested that the carriage driver halt the wagon in front of the busiest looking building. It appeared to be some sort of pub, but people ran in and out of the tavern with determined looks on their faces. Today I wore an attire much similar to what I wear regularly. A short white dress atop slim purple trousers. On my feet I donned a pair of simple yellow flats. On top of that, I wore a grey cloak, draped over my shoulders and tied at the neck. Fine clothing perhaps, for where I wore it.

As I made my way into the boozer, it revealed itself to be more than it seemed. This was actually some kind of adventurer's hub. On one side there was a board where mission requests were posted. The other side was a reception counter, where several receptionists yelled, directing the adventurers to specific locations. What was happening here?

neko bo beko

[neko bo beko]

Only growing louder, wider, more erratic, the sea of people began to create a frenzied storm. Nobody had their wits about them. Reflexively peering through her doujutsu, Harue's red eyes begin to glow a faint crimson as she scans the wave moving around her. As the sea grew thicker, Harue lost her balance and was swept into a great push. In a great shove, she collided with a young woman who'd only just joined the commotion. It ultimately swallowed her too, each new layer of people inevitably adding to the rush outwards. At first the sea of people could not fit through the door frame, with hands and arms and torsos all trying desperately and hurriedly to escape. A man who had been shouting finally jumped to action himself, giving the amalgam of bodies the last final shove to spit them from the cabin structure.

Scooping up the woman she'd been so rudely shoved into when it's their turn to be aggressively thrown from the tavern and into the stampede of stampede combatants, Harue uses unfurling soulful wings to gracefully carry them over the crowd and rage, arching over potential tangled hassle and landing on the sidelines instead. Harue places the woman on her feet and takes a step back, looking tired. Her long, pink fluffy hair looked disheveled, barely pinned to the back of her head. Her third eye was nothing but a vertical slit at the center of her forehead, the faint glow of her doujutsu dull under her skin. Without her headband, she only wore a sleeveless black turtleneck and matching mithral pants on top of her muddied combat boots. Resting a hand on the hilt of her mostly unused Katana strapped to her hip, she offered some insightful understanding. 

"Huge scorpion stampede," she says. 

Searching for Huge Scorpion (65%)
jmV6lnva1-100

_{flower counter: 2}

1-100

[j]

It didn't especially matter that one particular pinkie was pushed against my presence continuously as I attempted to make my way closer to the counter. I ignored her efforts to maintain her personal space as I grew more and more frustrated. My endeavors were met by bitter failure, as I was drawn by the throng in the opposite direction of which I chose. The pink haired young woman and I seemed to be attached at the hip as we drew closer and closer to the exit of the establishment.

My patience drew thin, and with it, my sclerae faded to black. Iris radiated a frightening shade of red, and just when a few began to notice the change, I was whisked away from the crowd. It was in fact the pinkette that flew her over the horde and a considerable distance away. After setting me down a short distance away from the masses, the girl took the opportunity to catch her breath.

Her brief explanation was just succinct and descriptive enough to provide understanding of the situation. Apparently we had some work to do.

"Alright then.. Lead the way, I suppose."

token total: 1

neko bo beko

[neko bo beko]

Surprised by the slightly taller woman's impassive quickness to accompany her on a job she hadn't quite agreed to do yet, Harue startles upwards into a stiffer back, shoulders aligning slightly despite the exhausted slump innate to her now. While first looking at the woman with only her two birth given eyes with lackluster surprise, her third peels open pointed towards the sparse forest under the mountain conveniently at their flank. The last two of Harue's eyes follow the direction of the first third, then all three look back to the woman. "This way."

Moving into the mouth of the woods, Harue follows the vague outline of a scorpion, perhaps a straggler, early or lost but separated from the rumored thunder of tiny legs and tweezering pedipalps. "It's only one," Harue says as she moves forward, scarlet eyes still glowing faintly as she leads the way forward. Although she walked ahead, she kept an eye on the woman through her broad scope of vision. "But it'll most likely lead us to the rest. Nobody in the tavern seemed very competent, so..." Harue physically rolled her eyes but it didn't obscure her vision. "It'll most likely be up to us."

_{flower counter: 2}

[j]

The pink girl seemed stressed, physically and probably otherwise as well. The fact that I'd agreed to help her with a task she hadn't shouldered yet probably didn't make things easier. However, from a narrative standpoint, it provides a humorous plot twist. The third eye on her head was an oddity I hadn't seen before, but other than the curious stare it drew, I promised myself I wouldn't judge. Pinky was quick to accept the chore of cleaning up these scorpions. She seemed considerably powerful, surely able to hold her own against myself, although perhaps not. Maybe her strengths lie elsewhere. You never know.

Pink hair and her completely normal third eye led me towards a supposed lone scorpion. One who fell astray from the presumedly substantial horde of huge scorpions. I'd seen huge scorpions before, but definitely not in such inordinate numbers. I wasn't scared, though. We walked forward quickly, maintaining our distance. If we alerted the scorpion to our presence too soon, it wouldn't lead us to the rest of the pack.

token total: 2

neko bo beko

[neko bo beko]

Unaware of the other woman's internal monologue, Harue trudged forward and led the team stampedeward, content if the taller woman preferred not to converse so much. Harue did not feel particularly compelled to make small talk these days, so much so that she'd forgotten a greeting and introductions. Alas, the moment had been missed and it would be awkward to ask for names now, as well as offer names. She would forever remember her endearingly as... Four Eyes. 

It seemed that pleasantries could wait anyway. Once the shimmering silhouette of what looked to be a scorpion grew closer within her radius, Harue could better make out that it was indeed a scorpion. A dozen meters ahead of the scorpion, Harue strolls to a slow, matching paced steps with her temporary teammate. Walking beside her now, she points out the scorpion. He seems unaware of them, and his stench wafts towards them finally as they get closer. "There," she murmurs.

_{flower counter: 3}

[j]

Our internal monologues seemed deafening. We interacted more within our heads than we did with our actual voices. Perhaps some subjective conjectures were thrown, but only inwardly. There was no introduction, and although I didn't care to provide my name to this stranger, it still felt awkward somehow. But just then, a noticeably pungent odor wafted within reach. Before I could put my finger on the smell, pinky stopped and gestured towards the scorpion with her voice. Just as she said, indeed there was a scorpion.

Standing at an impressive three meters or so, was a scorpion, just ahead. There were probably many more further on, but this was our first target. It had a pair of claws and a large stinger above its back. Before pink hair could issue any direction, I rushed forwards. The scorpion reacted quickly, turning and issuing a roar accompanied by a rapid strike from its stinger.

The stinger missed its intended quarry, as I'd dodged it entirely with a sidestep to my left. With three swift jabs to the front of its torso, the scorpion was reduced to a mess on the ground. Its stinger and claws fell to the earth, no longer attached to a living scorpion body. Our first scorpion was defeated.

token total: 3

neko bo beko

[Christoff]

Mission Complete
18,000 paid

[neko bo beko]

Name: Stampede!
Rank: "D"
IIC Length: 3 Posts Minimum (Each)
Difficulty: --
Description: What's that sound? In the distance. It sounds like... A storm of tiny pebbles. No, it's a thunderous scrabbling. It's... a horde of Huge Scorpions!!
Objective: Kill Huge Scorpion (Common), 65%
Reward: 18,000 Ryo

Even though it was true they were doing very little physical interaction, perhaps the connection they were creating through vibes and presence and psysingular subtextual auras alone proved as a far greater kind of forced bonding. It, and they, still got the job done. Apparently quickly so. Harue watches in awe as the woman rushes ahead and decimates the innocent bystander to the stampede without hesitation. It was better than letting it go and commit any crimes on its own, she supposed. Instead of commenting on the extreme overkill, Harue commends and appreciates her strength, however unsurprised she is by it. Judging by both her vitals and life force, she was no stranger to it. "Perhaps I'll let you deal with the majority of them," she remarks, voice pitched in an amused tune barely above her tired drag. Normally she could blow them apart with a flick of her wrist, but her lingering exhaustion left her less than combative.

"We'll keep heading this way until I see something," Harue says as she begins walking in the same direction they'd been going. Keeping with her pace, Harue would walk beside her temporary teammate. While two of her eyes stayed on the path, the third looked curiously over at the taller one. All three continued glowing a soft scarlet.

Searching for Huge Scorpion (65%)
uWc7J3Ur1-100

_{flower counter: 6}

1-100

1-100·1-100

[Christoff]

Mission Approved

[j]

I dealt with the straggling scorpion swiftly, and although the pinkette indirectly complimented me for it, she seemed less than amused. Perhaps as though she'd seen this sort of occurrence many many times before. Although I could tell she was powerful, the upper and lower limits of her abilities remained unknown to me. An unlikely possibility could be that she doesn't feel like fighting, and will instead let me do the work for her.

We continued walking in the same direction, assuming we'd surely run into more scorpions. Despite not looking at the pink haired junior, I had a distinct feeling she was definitely staring at me. Perhaps judging me, perhaps as a potential threat. It's also true that this girl could possibly see my deepest intentions directly. If that's the case, she must surely realize I'm not a hazard... unless of course there's money or treasure on the line.

Now, as for the scorpions, we continued our slow pace. Pinky possessed some kind of ocular ability, as she could see much farther than myself. Perhaps my improved sense of smell would aid our search. *scent+6%*

need a 71 or lower on the roll:

dwZoQsPR1-100

token total: 11

neko bo beko

1-100

[neko bo beko]

The obscene silence which was once comforting was growing increasingly thick and partially one sided if Harue's conversational topics were recreational, but she didn't feel particularly apprehensive. The dark haired woman's presence alone proved to be somewhat of a reassurance. Harue really had no interest in raising her fists to or wielding her sword at a bunch of stray overgrown fat scorpions. Though she supposed she would if need be.

At the center of her forehead, the third eye continues to watch Four Eyes for some time curiously, observing her movements and mannerisms. Body language spoke a lot about an individual, yet frankly this woman was hard to read. With minimal emotional and physical ticks from her, Harue was unable to read much about her overall character. Blinking independently, the third eye rolls in its socket and darts forward as she catches a glimpse of another scorpion. The sickly sweet venom of their tails was too overpowering to miss, especially to those of heightened senses. 

"We'll be approaching the second scorpion shortly," Harue assures. For a moment she considers simply just giving the exact coordinates and geographical positioning of the scorpion and release the killing machine at her side unto it, but decides ultimately it's not worth the risk of losing the single creature with too much noise, or drawing too many of its brethren with the same noises. 

_{flower counter: 12}

[j]

After a painfully boring stroll, with no smalltalk and even more lack of any introduction, we'd found another scorpion. I couldn't help but feel disappointed by this situation. When she said scorpion stampede, I really thought we'd be fighting armies of scorpions all at once. Is only a scorpion here and there along these woods? Surely soon we'd end up finding much stronger scorpions.

The scorpion that revealed itself was considerably similar to the first that Harue found. Just after her announcement of its presence, I became aware of its smell. We'd probably approach it similarly to the first scorpion. Keeping our distance so as to not alert it to our company too soon. Supposedly we didn't want the scorpion to call all of its friends, although that'd be a lot more fun that what we were doing now.

Very slowly, we made our way towards the huge scorpion. We made sure to move just a tiny bit faster than the scorpion, so as to catch up eventually. maybe pinky will fight the scorpion this time.

token total: 12

neko bo beko

[neko bo beko]

Perhaps the lack of amity was escalating, but Harue was too tired to notice. She was also too tired to notice the distinct lack of an actual stampede, content with their search and kill mission as of yet. She also had no real intention of putting in a fighting effort, but that dream was quickly thwarted by the indirect suggestion of the fates that she do just that. Planets of the galaxy aligned just so that a tree grew and died perpendicular to their walk and the twigs of its roots just happened to be woven discreetly under an incoming muddied footstep too close to the critter the pair of women were trying to avoid alerting.

Upon being startled by the inadvertently universally destined snap of a twig only 5 yards away, the huge scorpion reacts by scuttling noisily around and charging at them, pincers snapping and tail quivering, ready to strike. Immediately on reflex, Harue raises her hand and uses her innate gravitational power to fire a concussive burst of energy at the approaching enlarged arachnid. Blown into a rock, presumably a boulder of a past avalanche type scenario, the scorpion was hissing obnoxiously and not dead. The created distance was rudimentary to her partner's killstreak. "Go ahead and finish it, if you'd like," she offers, trying her best not to sound driven by a lack of motivation to do so herself. She just wanted to sleep.

_{flower counter: 13}

[j]

Pinky had done it. She used her many many years of experience as a ninja to make our presence quite thoroughly obvious. She stepped on a stick, shattering it into several thousand splinters; and creating a noise so cacophonously deafening, that I'm sure even the Hokage could hear us. Obviously I'm joking, but the point stands. Luckily the scorpion isn't any sort of threat to either of us.

Pink hair decided this time that she'd make up for her blunder by contributing to the extermination of this scorpion. She gestured towards the insect with her hand, and blew it away with some kind of unseen strike. A lovely display of her abilities. After she made space with her Gravity strike, I rushed forwards and stuck my outstretched hand powerfully through the face of the whimpering scorpion, killing it instantly.

token total: 13

neko bo beko

[Christoff]

Mission Complete
18,000 paid

[neko bo beko]

Name: Stampede!
Rank: "D"
IIC Length: 3 Posts Minimum (Each)
Difficulty: --
Description: What's that sound? In the distance. It sounds like... A storm of tiny pebbles. No, it's a thunderous scrabbling. It's... a horde of Huge Scorpions!!
Objective: Kill Huge Scorpion (Common), 65%
Reward: 18,000 Ryo

Genuinely both impressed and delighted by their teamwork, Harue perks up for a split second, rolling her weight onto her toes and bringing her hands together in a silent clap that only lasts as long as her fatigued body would allow, a reminiscent display of her old peppy attitude. "Lovely," she comments, walking ahead to inspect the pulverized used to be scorpion with her partner. Although she suffered the sag of tired bones, Harue felt as though their adventures wouldn't end without more adventures first.

The adventure bits between the scorpion killing bits seemed to drag on, but Harue was only tired, too tired to be bored. If her pink beast were here, she'd be more inclined to nap on his back while the others took care of it, but she couldn't carry him on her back during flight. She wondered waywardly what her partner might be thinking as they continued on their search for the rumored stampede. Instead of asking, she changes the topic. "So much for a stampede."

Searching for Huge Scorpion (65%)
46xCm8|H1-100

_{flower counter: 24}

1-100

[j]

We finished it. Another scorpion was taken care of, in a fashion much similar to the first one. Pinky remarked on how perfect our job was, when an afterthought came to my mind. Pink hair started some sort of remark about the lacking stampede, but I interrupted her.

"Oi Pinky, what's the take for something like this?"

I'd suddenly become aware of the fact that we left before we could be promised any sort of reward for our efforts. But as for more current events, our path was laced with traces of scorpion travel. Perhaps further ahead we'd find more.

Need a 71 or lower on the roll:

Kmey0Boo1-100

[ooc note: edited the roll in. I was on mobile]

token total: 21

neko bo beko

1-100