PRP: Beyond the Waders Lake has started at Outside Arx - Saffron Chain near Sangris - The Wader's Vale.

A while ago Calla, Medeia and Ember along with several others who aren't here today had cause to travel to a volcanic lake up in the foothills of the Caldera, not too far from the city of Sangris. Bad luck plagued them at every step until they finally managed to place a crystal egg into the center of the highly alkaline lake which the S'Ki people claim is the home of a bird-god they call the Wader. This time the trip was more boring than challenging unless, of course, you particularly loathe rope bridges stretched across ravines. At one point you think you see the S'Ki up in the distance but they soon vanish back into the undergrowth. The lake is still that crazy cobalt blue colour and even in the depths of a Calderan winter the large heron like birds can be seen wading around in the waters. The plan for this trip is to go beyond the lake into reaches of the Caldera where nobody has set foot (and returned) in several generations but there is time for a quick side-trip if you want to visit the lake on the way.

And Thea..

Pasquale has called for a check of wits at normal.
TIE: Calla is successful. Ciro is successful. Medeia is successful.
Sunaia is successful.
Thea marginally fails.
Ember fails.
Botch! Egon fails completely.

Ember has remained close to Medeia this entire jaunt. Like, one step behind close. Sharing quarters close. It's a definite 'Lycene noble and her severe Islander henchwoman' vibe. So: whatever Medeia is up to, Ember is there, like a good bodyguard must be.

"I hope all is well with them." Calla remarks with a sigh after spotting the S'Ki in the distance. "Martino's not here this time to appease the leader through his wife this time though." She remarks with a chuckle as they continue on their trek. Sight of the Wader's lake causes her to involuntarily shudder at the memory. "That was the lake we had to cross... that wasn't pleasant, the water is scalding." She explains to those who weren't on the first expedition.

Medeia's last visit to Sangris was quite the adventure, but she's glad to be back and in the company of friends (or at least familiar faces). Her severe Islander henchwoman shadow keeps low branches from smacking her in the face, which is greatly appreciated. She's fully armored in a mix of shark leather and rubicund, a trident strapped to her back and a stiletto gartered to her thigh. Aeterna covers the garter, gleaming white as she moves. The lake. Her eyes lock on it, a small frown tugging down the corners of her mouth. Tucked safely in her pack is the feather retrieved from the Wader's nest the last time. "Would any who didn't visit the lake before like to see it? Don't touch it. I don't want to use up all my burn salve again."

Thea is well--she's walking close to the group. No sense in remaining behind. But those eyes of hers, they're everywhere as she takes in the surroundings. "No giant birds are attacking again, right,"she asks, though she spots something on the lake. Hearing Calla, she smirks in amusement. "Maybe she'll settle on fresh male--" then shudders at the mention of the lake. "I think Dom has a scar or two..."

Moving along with the little gathering this time Ciro moved, the man having missed that first adventure looking upon their surroundings with a mixture of curiousity and awe. The mention of the lake scalding bringing him to look upon it before he murmurs. "So.. what you're saying is it will be just right for getting proper warm before returning.." The man's voice almost playful as he says that glancing over the others in the group only to have Thea's words stop him in his tracks. "Wait, that's not why I got brought along right?"

Ember smirks insouciantly from behind Medeia. "No. It's why I was."

"Bright blue. Very pretty. Rather pass on the uncomfortable scalding temperatures - please and thank you." Sunaia's tones are cheery, even if short and clipped, trailing behind the others at a stalk. Generally looking very much a ragamuffin in her pieced-together armor of different types of leather, some silks, and sure - a splash of steel and a crescent of alaricite just for color. "Very much pass."

Egon is trudging along with his palm resting on the seashell pommel of his blade, straying just a bit behind the group as his violet eyes scan the surroundings with mild interest. He doesn't say much of anything, preferring, for the moment, to listen and to keep an eye out. It looks like he was picked to come along this time around, and, having not been around here for the first expedition, is still getting his bearings.

"I sure hope no one has been stealing any more of the Wader's eggs." Calla replies looking over at Thea with an easy grin. Then to Ciro, she shakes her head seriously. "Don't touch it, unless you want to lose several layers of skin in the process. Domonico fell completely in at once point." She shudders a bit at the memory. "I am fine with leaving the lake be, if I never see it close up again, I will be happy." She replies.

Thea slyly grins. "Yes,"quite the opposition of Ember. "You both can appease her." Is she kidding? Maybe. Thea checks on the others, mentioning,"Watch for the giant birds, hot pretty lake, and well-,that's it--" Hopefully as she strolls.

The lake passes behind you as you head up towards a pass in the forested hills beyond. Its a narrow path suited more for goats than people and takes far to long to squeeze through but as you pass the final hairpin bend and come around a final outcrop of rocks you are immediately rewarded with a stunningly green vista. You have come into a valley walled with steep and probably impassible slopes on every side. A strip of blue passes through the center and on every side of that river, stretching part way up every slope, there are trees unlike any that exist in the far more arid lands you just left. You still have a climb ahead of you to get to the bottom and it seems, from here, that travel between the trees will be difficult and slow. You wont be able to see very far once you've climbed down the slope and you only have time to scout three locations so your first task is to work out where you want to go.

Sunaia checks perception and survival at normal. Sunaia is successful.

Ciro checks perception and survival at normal. Ciro is successful.

Calla checks perception and survival at normal. Calla is successful.

Medeia checks perception and survival at normal. Medeia is successful.

Egon checks perception and survival at easy. Botch! Egon fails completely.

Thea checks perception and survival at normal. Thea marginally fails.

Ember checks perception and survival at normal. Ember is successful.

Hearing the response from Ember and then Thea it brings a grin to curl Ciro's lips, "Noted.." Calla's response to his remarks on the lake has Ciro grimacing, "Well no, that won't do. I might have to rely on my wits and charm then.. and gods that wouldn't do." The man offering up before falling silent as they make their way along the forested pass. The sight of the valley beyond bringing him to murmur under his breath, "Well, looks pleasant enough." His grey gaze searching over the landscape beyond before he is motioning in the distance, "Got a clearing off that way from the looks of it."

A couple of quick scans toward the path behind, ahead, and then pausing - expression twisting, briefly pensive, and Sunaia lifts her chin, spying a shift in the pattern of trees. Gives it a moment's more consideration. "Outcropping of rock, don't know." Her hand vaguely traces the shape she can see. "Looks odd."

"Oh wow!" Calla says breathlessly when they squeeze through the narrow path and take in the green vista below. "It's beautiful." She adds as she brings her hand up to shield her eyes and take a long slow look of what they are dealing with. She keeps coming back to the right-most slope, her head tilting to the side a bit as she narrows her eyes. "I vote for that way. There's a fallen tree I want to check out." She points in the direction she means.

"There's um---lots of trees,"Thea offers from her place in the group. That's pretty helpful on her part, really. She's a doer and a looker, not really a seer.

Egon is here with the group, but his mind is still back in Arx it looks like. He doesn't seem to catch sight of what the others are seeing. Instead, he is standing around and following after the group blindly, muttering to himself all the while. It isn't until he hears Sunaia mention seeing an outcropping that he turns attention to the woman, "Where do you see that? I don't see anything like that myself."

Medeia looks to each of the three options pointed out - clearing, outcropping, tree - and then looks to Ember. "Point me in a direction, and we go. Together."

Ember rests a gauntleted hand on Medeia's shoulder. "I'll remember you said that when it's time to tend to the tribal leader's wife," she says in a dry, too-deadpan tone. With her other hand, she points. "Waterfall that way. Doesn't look like it's boiling. But perhaps we should find out."

Cirolistens to the others hearing mention of the other points of interest and possible discovery. There is a glance given to Medeia and Ember before he is looking to Calla, The man seeming to not mind one way or the other which direction they went in. "Well someone decide which way we are going, I'm just here to hold a blade and hopefully not end up as bait." The man glancing over to Thea when he mentions being used as bait given the earlier talk of someone and their desire for fresh male.

"Although, there is a... wall? Maybe?" Medeia points, something caught her eye.

The options seem to be: A possible wall - A piece of finished stone peeking out above the treeline - a waterfall - a tree which has torn a gap in the forest exposing something blue - a clearing amongst the trees

Which one first?

"Hmmm, so many choices." Calla replies as she considers all the other points of interest being pointed out. "I'm guessing it wouldn't be prudent with the denseness of the trees for us to split up. I thought I saw blue past this tree over there, I'm curious to check it out, but the waterfall or the rock outcropping ember mentioned also sound very promising."

Thea looks over to the--wherever everyone is looking. "What's that about the treeline?" She stops, trying to peek at Deia sees. "Listen. You guys just send me in whatever direction..It's fine."


Ember keeps her hand on Medeia. "We're here by your grace, Baroness Calla. Whatever you wish to investigate first, Lady Medeia and I have your back." She glances to Thea. "If we'd split up when we found that lake, Count Domonico would have ended up hard-boiled into infertility. I recommend we remain together, in case of trouble."

Ciro checks composure at normal. Ciro is successful.

"I'll follow wherever you all choose to head to. Just direct me there," Egon remarks with a sigh, hitching a shoulder up in a shrug.

"Mm," Medeia intones, agreeing with Ember. "Calla, we stuck by you last time. Better together."

Pasquale gets an arch-topped cedar chest with steel hardware.

Ciro gives a small subtle nod hearing Calla's reply. The man looking to Medeia and Ember a moment or two before he looks back to Calla. "These are your lands Calla, It is yours to decide." Ember's remark on Domonico has the man's breathing shift slightly, slowly released only to have him murmur. "Well there's a visual I never needed." His head giving a little shake as he chuckles softly.

"At least neither of us had to apply the salve," Ember asides to Ciro.

"I appreciate your votes of confidence." Calla replies with a smile at Thea, Medeia and Ember in turn. "Ok then. I supposed we may as well check out that tree first." She then heads off in that direction.

Thea wrinkles her nose a bit at that description. "No. I didn't need that descrption either,"but she too nods. "Where to, Baroness,"she simply asks Calla with a brief smile.

Following, Sunaia turns to look toward Egon, blinking at him "I saw it easy enough --" a blink, she huffs, offers a close-mouthed smile. "Pointless for now. Going that way."

The decision is made to investigate the tree first, a route pencilled, and your trek begins. This first site is on the outskirts of the near-tropical forest so you keep on the rocky land where the shade is more dappled. The sounds coming from within the valley are sometimes familiar and sometimes strange. Something off to your left screeches like a murdered cat and there is a sound of something scurrying further into the undergrowth. Who knows what that was. A brilliant blue bird jumps up and down chittering. A monkey throws stuff at you. All in all a typical day in the monkey infested forest.

Eventually you come across the fallen tree. Its a massive thing that has left a crater where its roots were hauled up out of the soil and yet it is still alive. New growth seeking the sunlight that has been opened up by its fall. The trees that have been exosed to light by the giants fall are visible all the way along its length and every last tree has been festooned in vines and almost every one of those vines has sent a shoot down towards the ground, six foot or more in length, surrounded by bundles of clawlike flowers. The flowers aren't quite open yet and the blue you saw is visible only on the tip of each claw-flower.

Medeia steps close to, but doesn't touch, one of the vines to get a better look at the strange flowers. She's really not great with plants until they are plucked or cut or otherwise no longer alive. However, maybe she can discern something? She studies them, and the vine, intently.

Thea is walking in the direction of the tree, but freezes a moment. Her hands goes directly to her kopis out of habit because---There's a SCREECH! "What the fuck was that,"she asks loudly. "Sounds like a woman giving birth of something died,"but then watches her feet since she's hearing more critters. "Seriously--,"Thea asks when she finds Calla for a moment. "Is your jungle haunted or something,"before gold-flecked green eyes find the tree. "Those vines---the flowers. They look--I've never seen them."

Medeia checks intellect and agriculture at easy. Medeia is successful.

Thea checks intellect and agriculture at easy. Thea is successful.

Egon checks intellect and agriculture at easy. Egon is successful.

Sunaia just wonders if the plants have a scent. SNIFF.

Sunaia checks intellect and agriculture at easy. Sunaia is successful.

When that unholy screech lets loose, Ember has her hand on her sword and is ready to draw it -- and ready to protect Medeia, stepping even closer into the shorter woman's personal space. Then, nothing comes out of the trees howling at them, and Ember... okay, she doesn't RELAX, but she at least lets Medeia breathe again. "Investigate however you must," Ember says. "I'll stand watch." And so she does, playing lookout and making sure that nothing catches the group unawares. Unless it comes right out of the flowers.

"Not really my jungle. Never explored this far out before. I don't think anyone of my House has." Calla replies thoughtfully as she moves closer to the vines and the unique looking flowers, leaning just a bit to get a closer look, but certainly not touching anything yet. "Haunted? I doubt it. That sounded very much alive in my mind." She replies a bit wearily, looking around her at the thick trees before coming back to the flowers. "They are rather unique looking... They almost look like...Fingers?" She muses with a furrow of her brow.

The chittering of the bird and other unharmonious (to him, at least) sounds of the forest go in from one ear and out the other. Egon is wholly focused on some of the plants he happens across, stooping down to get a better close at the flowers before moving along.

That sudden screech from the jungle has Ciro's left hand dropping to the hilt of his scimitar, the man's fingers curling around the hilt tightly not releasing it as they travel deeper into the trees and finally find that fallen monster of a tree. The strange yet beautiful flowering vines bringing the Seraceni in closer as he looks them over, not in study like Mediea more in a look of apperciation.

A bit of time is spent examining the plants in more detail. You quickly determine that they aren't toxic to the touch and that the flowers you can see ahead of you are just buds with a bit more growth to go before they fully open. Peeling back the leafy casing around one shows the flowers form two clawlike petals but you can only guess what it looks like when open. The petals are turquoise-blue in colour continues and they have a sweet smell. Something to come back for maybe?

"There's a part of me that says -- no, please, do not take a bite of this budding finger-flower. Then, there's that other part --" Sunaia gestures, "-- in the back, the part that says -- hey. Maybe it does taste as good as it smells." She shakes her head, and mutters: "So torn."

Thea looks at Sunaia over her shoulder as she's kneeling near the log. "Want to bite a finger, is what you're saying?" Huh. No judgement. "Maybe we can take a flower back with us,"she suggests. "Can look at it after?" Because damn if the woman isn't curious about it...

"Oh, those are pretty, and the scent divine. I wonder if I could take clippings or something." Calla wonders out loud as she gives a sidelong look in Sunaia's direction. "If you do, tell me what it tastes like." She's gonna try and pluck a couple of the unopened flowers and wrap them in a hanky or something before putting it in her pack.

Egon bows his head forward to give the flower a quick sniff, inhaling its sweet fragrance. He reaches over to pluck one up and then rises to his feet, stowing it away in one of the pockets lined on the inside of his duster.

Hearing Sunai's words on the smell and on being torn has Ciro looking to her, "Well only one way to know." The man giving a little shrug as he moves closer to one of the flowers tearing it free from the vine befoe peeling back the leafy casing. Moments later the little claw is torn off and Ciro is quickly popping it into his mouth, Chewing slowly as he takes a step back tucking the rest of the flower away for later.

Ciro checks stamina at easy. Ciro is successful.

Ember turns and looks over her shoulder. Due to the humidity of the region, she's taken off her helm. Also due to the humidity of the region, her wavy dark hair is done in two boxer braids corded like they're leather whips. Ember steps closer to casually yoink a flower bud off of the vine and use armored fingers to peel it open and reveal the flower's full color. She tucks it above her left ear, and then bounces her eyebrows once at Medeia, as if to say, 'how do I look?'

Sunaia leans away from the flowering vine, quirking a smile, and she tucks her gloved hands behind her back. No flower plucked, as it looks just fine as is - growing, living its best weirdly blue-green life on a vine in the middle of - whoknowswhere. Although, when Ciro plucks a flower - pops it into his mouth -- the pale-eyed Grayson's eyes widen a touch, and she shrugs, "That was easy."

If you want to scout out all three sites you need to move on.

When the taste test passes and he doesn't fall over having seizures or dead there is a shrug given. Ciro looking to Sunai hearing her remark telling the woman, "Doesn't much taste like anything." With that said he looks to Calla even as he motions to Deia and EMber, "Water fall or somewhere else?" The man asking only to look around as if trying to retain his bearings.

"Ciro..." Calla barely manages before it's too late, shaking her head a little bit. "Let me know if you feel weird at all." She says, with a touch of worry in her eyes. "Ok. Onwards. Wasn't that piece of stone close to here?" She asks, looking over at Sunaia. "Might as well check that out if it's closest."

Thea tells Ciro,"It's best you not,"but falters. The dumb ass already ate it. "Right then. If you die, you're getting eaten last because I don't know if you were poisoned or not." She's half joking. "So the stone then,"Thea asks as she rises to her feet, keeping a close eye on Ciro.

Egon tightens the steelsilk bandana he wears around his brow and prepares to set off for the stone with the rest of the group, the scabbard hanging from his hip jostling against his pantleg as he hikes along.

The next site requires that you head into the forest proper. The trees here are spaced far enough apart that there are entire zones where dappled sunlight still hits the ground. Unfortunately, in each space where that happens, other plants have taken advantage. Leafy things with wide waxy leaves, sometimes with holes in, that shiver in strange ways when you push them apart, mixed in with grasses that make it hard to see what you are standing on and the ropey lengths of vines hanging down from trees. Sometimes the vines manage to touch shoulders and arms in ways that were already disconcerting before you happened to spot a snake pretending (rather well) that it is a vine too and of course once you've seen one snake they are everywhere. Snakes curled up in branches staring at you. Snakes hissing at your boots before slithering away. Ok Ok. They aren't really /everywhere/. You only see three.

The first clue you are getting close to your target is a pitted piece of cut stone the size of a head, give or take, lying all by itself amongst the undergrowth.

Thea checks perception and investigation at easy. Thea is successful.

Egon checks perception and investigation at easy. Egon is successful.

Calla checks perception and investigation at easy. Calla is successful.

Ember checks perception and investigation at easy. Ember is successful.

Sunaia checks perception and investigation at easy. Critical Success! Sunaia is spectacularly successful.

Ciro checks perception and investigation at easy. Ciro is successful.

It doesn't take long for you to discover that the stone is part of an old road that leads further into the forest.

Silk, the Seafaring Spider arrives, delivering a message to Thea before departing.

"Yes, it was that way, Baroness." With a quiet sniff, lips thin. "Not an outcropping. Maybe that's a road. Shame. I liked the forest." Sunaia murmurs, offering a vine-that-only-looks-like-a-snake a pat before she slips forward. "Stone's worn and probably way - way -- older than I'd guess, so, I'm just going to say ancient, and say that this is the start of it. Road."

Leading the way through the deeper forest, Calla tries hard not to be bothered by the hanging vines until that first snake is spotted and she jumps slightly. "Oh look. Nice little snakey, you stay right there, while I go past." She mumbles as she slips past the snake/vine and follows then after Sunaia when she points out the road. "Ancient you say? Hmmm... this looks promising indeed, lets follow the road, it has to lead somewhere right?"

Ciro seems by all signs to be absolutely fine after eating the little bit of claw like flower, The man moving along with the others in the direction of the outcropping. Upon the discovery that it was actually a rather old if not ancient road leading off through the forest his boot scuffs against the old worn stone. "So..do we take the road?"

Newly armored with a vividly colored flower at her temple, Ember watches Ciro for signs of either exploding or imploding. When none seem forthcoming, Ember contents herself to move on. She follows at the side of the group, ready to rush across to whatever front... but nothing swarms them out of the trees. Yet. "Considering how old Lady Sunaia estimates, it could well lead somewhere -- but whether that somewhere is /somewhere/, or a heap of broken masonry that /used to be/ somewhere... mm. I do suppose there's only one way to find out, though."

Thea brushes a vine from her face, mumbling when said vine has a face. "This is when I wish Martino was here---." Stepping with the others, Thea is in not so silent agreement with Ember,"One won't know unless we follow it. And really, what do we have to lose?" Meanwhile, her eyes keep looking, making sure she isn't missing something that may eat everyone. Or fly at her..

Luckily for Egon, his eyesight doesn't fail him now, and he manages to distinguish the snakes from the vines. They are given a wide berth, his fingers tracing down from his pommel to grasp the hilt just in case one of them happens to try and take a chance at him. Otherwise, he leaves the populations and discussions to the others, only nodding his head along with some of the things the group comments on.

Following the black brick road into the jungle proves to be easier than finding your way here. Roughly ten yards further down the road you find a crumbling piece of rock that has been picked apart by vines to such an extent that you cant tell if it was a statue or a pillar. Ten yards later you see another. And that pattern continues for about a hundred yards until a tree is growing right in the middle of the roadway. You step around the tree and suddenly you can see what exactly it was that was sticking up out of the trees. A mostly intact stepped pyramid in the same dark weather-torn stone.

Ember puts her hands on her hips and stops as the pyramid comes in to view. "Baroness Calla," she says, looking over with something like wry mirth in her tone. Something /like/ it. "You were holding out on us. Here we thought this land might just be nothing but boiling lakes and river gods." She's teasing. Probably.

"Well this is much more promising than some creepy looking flowers." Calla declares as they step around that last tree and she spots the stepped pyramid. "Looks like it's in pretty good shape for being something ancient." To Ember, she looks over, blushing slightly. "I wish I /had/ known about this before. It's quite a place. I've never seen anything like it before." She moves closer to see if she can find a way in.

Pasquale has called for a check of luck at easy.
Egon is successful.
Thea is successful.
TIE: Ciro is successful. Medeia is successful.
Ember is successful.
Calla is successful.
Sunaia is marginally successful.

Wandering along the path Ciro takes in the fallen statues or pillars, Upon stepping around the tree to find that pyramid of stone so much like what was used upon the road the Seraceni stops in his tracks. A low whistle given before he nods in agreement with Ember's words. Upon hearing Calla's words and seeing her moving to the pyramid the man himself moves in closer to begin to help search for an entrance into the strange structure that to some might be forboding but to the man seemed only promising.

Walking silently until they've reached the large pyrmaid, Thea's eyes widen. "Gods--That's--well, that's beautiful,"she admits. She walks around it, scanning it. "How do you get in it,"Thea asks, though she's already looking around for dangers. Because--she's learned the hard way. They could be coming from up. Down. All around.

Egon shoves his hand into one of the pockets in his duster and retrieves a small, brown leather-bound book and a charcoal pencil. Almost immediately after giving the stepped pyramid a quick once over, he starts to scribble onto the page in his book, making a quick, crude sketch of the landmark.

"Not a outcropping - not a moutain." There's a trace of disappointment in Sunaia's tone, but, then - a new wave of curiosity - and she's all thrumming in place when she studies the pyramid. "Won't run to look for an entrance, no."

Medeia fell rather quiet after collecting some of the strange flower to study, letting Ember draw her along in silent contemplation. The sight of the pyramid, however, has a soft "ooh" slipping past her lips. Her eyes drift up, looking along the sides she can see for any sign that it might be intended to be climbed, rather than entered.

Ember does indeed lead Medeia along by the hand -- gently. Perhaps shockingly so, considering Ember's distinctly un-gentle way of handling everything else. "Are these sorts of structures of any significance in Sangris?" she asks. "Or any of the neighboring regions?"

Thea checks perception and investigation at easy. Thea is successful.

Egon checks perception and investigation at easy. Egon is successful.

Sunaia checks perception and investigation at easy. Sunaia is successful.

Medeia checks perception and investigation at easy. Medeia is successful.

Thea checks perception and survival at easy. Critical Success! Thea is spectacularly successful.

Ember checks perception and survival at easy. Ember is successful.

Ciro checks perception and investigation at easy. Ciro is successful.

Sunaia checks perception and dodge at easy. Sunaia is successful.

Calla checks perception and investigation at easy. Botch! Calla fails completely.

Looking around for a bit around the base of the pyramid, Calla's eyes lift up and study it carefully. "Huh? What's that? I think I found a way in." She says, and moves to start climbing the pyramid to get a better look.

Egon peers across at the pyramid, squinting. He seems to have spotted something--the entrance, probably--and adds that detail down into his sketch before tucking away the book.

"Mmm -- what's that there, a slope, a descent. Down. Impassable." Sunaia squints, looks over at Egon. "Maybe. What did you see?"

Medeia lifts her hand to point, not entirely conscious of the fact that it is the one Ember was leading her by. "Oh, sorry," she pulls her hand free and then traces through the air, along one side. "A staircase, perhaps?" It isn't in the same location as where Calla has headed. "It's badly damaged, but may still be climbable."

Egon retrieves his book once more and flips to the page where he had done the sketch. Turning it over to Sunaia, he taps at a shaded square near the top of the pyramid and murmurs, "The entrance. It's up there." He makes a vague gesture over to where the pyramid is located.

Whilst the group are examining the pyramid Ember and Thea study the trees for signs of trouble. Thea thinks she spots movement somewhere in the trees behind Sunaia and she is already moving that way when another of those awful screeched sounds and a bunch of birds shoot off into the sky with a range of scolding calls. Thanks to the birds Ember is looking that way now too. Suddenly the threat comes into full focus. There is a great cat in the tree and its just about to leap on Sunaia! Ember is a little to far away to do anything but shout a warning but Thea is in a place to give Sunaia a slight shove that enables Sunaia to dodge the rest of the way. The great cat stands maybe waist high and it looks as dangerous as all predatory big cats look. Especially when it hisses like that and lunge with mouth gaping and claws extended at Sunaia.

Medeia wields golden ritual trident.

Ember wields a rubicund sword called The Blood of Redreef.

Sunaia wields Moonsilver, an alaricite shotel with wolf and lily motif.

Thea wields Skystrike, the finely crafted diamondplate kopis.

Ciro checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Ciro fails.

Egon wields Mourning Kraken, a rubicund saber.

Ciro wields Scimitar of the Pirate Lord of Dance.

Medeia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Medeia fails.

Sunaia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Sunaia marginally fails.

Sunaia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Sunaia marginally fails.

The cat noises grab Medeia's attention and she turns, pulling her trident from where it is strapped to her back. Seeing it lunge for Sunaia, she quickly takes a stab toward the large cat, but she misses as the turning put her off balance, landing on one knee.

Thea checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Thea is successful.

The big cat lashes out at Sunaia with enough force that she's almost rocked off her feet. It hisses and goes to bite at Sunaia again but the continued attacks of the party drive it off before it can follow through on its deadly intent. On the ground now it weaves, hops, jumps and hisses its way between them all. Lashing out to make space and proving extremely difficult to strike.

Calla was about to start climbing the side of the pyramid when she hears the distinctly feline noises coming from behind her. Seeing the big cat lunge at Sunaia, the Baroness gasps loudly before looking around for something to defend herself with in case it comes in her direction.

Ember checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Ember marginally fails.

Egon checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Egon marginally fails.

Ciro whirls around when he hears that noise of the big cat, the movement bringing his haupellande to shift around him in a flutter of fabric catching against his scabard. The man finally wrestling the rubicund scimitar free he swings and very much misses the large cat. The Seraceni Lord moving to try and place himself between the large not so happy looking big cat and Calla.

Almost knocked off her feet, and the clumsy way that Sunaia tries to shove herself away from the large cat makes her angry enough to bare her teeth and snap back at it. Least, catching the bite-slash-whoknows into the meaty part of her upper arm and shoulder with a grunt and a string of muttered words that insults every cat that was a cat before this cat -- because ouch.

Thea reaches for the hilt of her blade, lifting it high. Without much thought, the Malvici woman springs into action and slices her blade along the cat's side, before rolling away. Her eyes dart around the others, asking quickly,"Are you all alright,"skimming them swiftly before getting ready to attack again.

"Lady Medeia, behind me--!" Ember is quick to move, but moving to put herself between the cat and Medeia costs her a precious second in making an attempt to slay the creature. Baroness-like reflexes prove inferior to cat-like reflexes, but it's clear that Ember's primary concern isn't so much winning the fight quickly as winning the fight without harm to Medeia.

The large predatory cat's hissing and lashing out at the others causes Egon to take a step back as he draws his saber from its sheath. He tries to circle around the beast, circling around Thea and Ciro so as to avoid getting in their way. When he thinks an opportunity has presented itself, he lunges forward, swinging down with his blade only for it to swish harmlessly over the agile creature.

Ciro checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Ciro fails.

Medeia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Medeia is successful.

Sunaia checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Botch! Sunaia fails completely.

Sunaia checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Sunaia is successful.

Thea checks dexterity and dodge at hard. Thea is successful.

Somehow, being on one knee works to Medeia's advantage as she jabs the trident forward and sticks the tines into the cat's shoulder. She's aware Ember is trying to protect her, and looks up, twisting the trident as she pulls it free. "What?"

She's -- err, reckless -- and Sunaia uselessly tries to slice out at the cat after Medeia stabs the thing with her giant for--

"It's a trident," she corrects herself.

The cat definitely felt that strike from Thea judging by the way it immediately homes in on Thea with hate in its golden eyes. It sits back, tail lashing, and then leaps towards Thea with claws outspread and teeth bared.. Luckily Thea moves and the beautiful, blood stained, creature lands a little behind her. Its about this point that Sunaia's attack briefly brings her into range of a claw swipe and the creature has another go at eviscerating the pale haired woman. This time its claws meet nothing but air.

Ember checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Ember marginally fails.

Egon checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Egon is successful.

Thea checks dexterity and medium wpn at hard. Thea is successful.

Medeia's question provokes something like a smile from Ember. She doesn't say anything in response, just gives the Lycene woman a Very Meaningful Look, the hint of a smile still apparent on her lips -- and once again is too distracted to focus on fighting a jungle cat. She makes a few swings to keep the cat AWAY but none that actually connect or harm it.

The moment the cat leaps for Thea, Egon sucks in a sharp breath and leans across, pressing forward towards the beast. Just as it leaves the ground, he brings his saber in a wide-arc aimed for its sleek neck, the edge sinking with a meaty *thunk* into its flesh and fur... (Thea can finish it off)

Ciro for his part it at least successful on swinging the scimitar, It does move through the air. Using it against a living target in the form of the agile big cat intent on trying to give paw hugs to Thea however was another matter entirely. The man once more missing the creature instead hitting nothing but air as other more apt hands manage to land blows upon the creature.

Calla comes up behind Ciro when he puts himself between her and the cat, watching over his shoulder as the others manage to take the beast down. "Gods that was scary. Is everyone ok?" She asks.

Watching as Egon slices his blade into the neck of the cat, Thea rushes forward to help. "This is--not as good as giant bird gods,"sinking her kopis into the flesh of the cat's side. There's a grunt from the woman, a gasp when the feline finally calapses. Finally. And Thea? She's all covered in blood.

Once again the cat turns to attempt murder on the person that is annoying it most - Thea. Again it tries to leap but Egon and Thea's strikes both draw blood and rather than hitting Thea in a tangle of spitting feline, claws and violence, it drops just short. Entirely dead.

"It didn't tear the arm off, so -- ah, yeah -- just fine." Sunaia vaguely shrugs, or would, but she's going to take a sit-down. "Lady Medeia, Lady Thea --" she sighs "-- faces familiar, names not. Thanks." A beat. Tucking her arm into her side. "That was interesting. I feel horrible --" wince, flinch, and her vision gets swimmy. "Fucking cat. Bad, bad cat."

Medeia stands and moves to Sunaia's side, crouching to check her injury. "You're welcome. And... Stay still.

Thea smeers the blood from her her face, probably making it worse. "Anytime,"though she turns over to Deia. There's a brief smile at her, making her look a bit--terrifying. "That was like looking at Neilda's cat. But fucking bigger."