BZPRPG: Kini-Nui

IC: Dayeth - Tunnel.

"Rahkshi don't talk," she replied pointedly, "At least, not as far as I know..." 

IC Kavala

(Mangaia, Dark Walk):

Kavala shook his head slowly. "Not Rahkshi," he said simply. "A group of beings. Can't tell how many. Obviously quite a few."

There was a moment of silence, before he added, "They might just as easily be enemies as allies. We should probably stay out of their sight."

IC: Celphrithia, Dravennica, and Shredder - Mangaia (Tunnels)

Normally, Dravennica wasn't one to shy away from a fight.

Sure, she often preferred to learn as much about her adversaries as possible before making a move, and a fair number of her approaches in the past had involved either some form of stealth, misdirection, or even straight up manipulation in order to ensure that she had achieved her goals. But when plans fell apart, people got in her face, or if a random bar hopper wouldn't take a hint as to how unwelcome their drunken advances were, she was usually both the first to take up arms, and the only one conscious enough to put them back down when the dust had eventually settled. To say that she relished combat would be a slight overstatement, though the sight of someone's broken body lying at her feet always did manage to put a smile on her face.

Now, however, was not the time to reflect on or indulge in such behaviors, especially considering that their current surroundings were dangerous enough on their own without including the possibility of encountering additional enemy combatants.

"I second that statement," the Ko-Toa eventually said, eventually emerging from her own thoughts. "But if interaction does, in fact, become an inevitability, then I make no promises of avoiding battle, should the situation demand it. Hopefully, that is something that we can all agree on."

IC: Dayeth - Tunnel.

"Works for me," she agreed, knowing full well that she was the weakest link if it came to a fight. 

IC Flabbergaster

Hoping the others were following behind, Flabbergaster crept towards his previous...

Oh. They backed up from before. And they sure weren't trying to be quiet.

He glanced back, in case anyone had followed him.

IC Kavala

(Mangaia, Dark Walk):

Kavala listened to Dravennica and Dayeth, paying more attention to their tone than the words they spoke. There was no hesitation when either of them spoke, and it became clear to Kavala that they would not be afraid of conflict... and it seemed likely that they had good reason to be confident.

This could either be really good, or really bad, Kavala thought. Good if they really become my allies... bad if they decide to backstab me.

Kavala pushed aside all thoughts of hesitation as he said, "We shall continue towards the Vault then. Take care not to make too much noise, lest whoever is down here notices us."

OOC: Tapio and company, if you guys are talking about our group of Rahkshi hunters, we're still quite a ways away from the Dark walk so you wouldn't be able to hear us. If not, carry on 

IC: Volin

No one wants to be part of your stupid band, Oceanna.

I rolled my eyes, only to fixate back on Hammerlock.

"I guess," I said, shrugging noncommittally. "We'll talk details after we make camp near the Darkwalk. For now, let's just focus on getting there."

With nothing else to say, all that was left to do was to shake on the agreement. Cautiously, we strode up to the duo and I offered them a hand.

"Welcome to the team."

IC Flabbergaster

Wait... Were they ditching him?

...

Bad move, buster.

Flabbergaster slowly rose up behind the two, still a few feet back. "Can I call foul?"

IC: Trava (Kini-Nui Jungle)

"Oh good, one of you showed up at least" Trava remarked to Flabbergaster with a bit more joy back in her voice.

"Well, you could, sure, I mean it's your business, I'm not gonna stop you, but we're leaving now, so if you wanna come along, then tag along"

IC:Arvas

Arvas crossed his arms.

"Oh, great, they're multiplying."

IC: Celphrithia, Dravennica, and Shredder - Mangaia (Tunnels)

Dravennica nodded, taking the opportunity to quickly patch the hole in her shield with a layer of ice just in case things were about to take a turn for the worse.

Meanwhile, Celphrithia, her undead minion, and Shredder simply waited for the group to begin moving again.

OOC: I believe the group Kavala was referring to is actually the inactive team of Outsiders members currently stationed near the entrance to The Vault, but I could be wrong.

IC: Dayeth - Tunnel.

"Lead on," she said, quickly snuffing out the already-dim flames in her hand. 

IC Flabbergaster

Now he had to stop and think.

Accept and come; he was at risk of getting backstabbed by the newcomers, but they might leave him alive if they saw his special abilities. Head back and get the rest, you have more people to have attention drawn to and they could leave while you're gone. Deny, and they might decide to attack you.

Besides, a Skakdi with a weapon for a limb, a possibly treacherous hunter, and a mysterious mute weren't very trustworthy company, now were they?

"Why not."

IC: Rannin

"We will have to make sure to kill as many Rahkshi as possible to break even," said the Toa of Iron dryly.

IC:Arvas

Arvas shrugged, looking over his shoulder at Rannin.

"Who knows, with this many people we might just crash into them like a drunk brawler. Where that goes is up to you."

OOC: I thought everyone in this topic was underground, so I was referring to basically everyone... but if that's not the case, we'll just imagine it was the Outsiders members.

IC Kavala

(Mangaia, Dark Walk):

Kavala resumed walking towards the general direction of the Vault.

"So what do you plan to do once we reach our destination?" he decided to ask.

IC: Celphrithia, Dravennica, and Shredder - Mangaia (Tunnels)

"You mean besides approaching this Zaktan with my plans, and assuming I can convince him to part with some of the Antidermis he's guarding?" the Ko-Toa replied casually.

"Try my best not to anger him. Power means nothing if you are no longer alive to use it, and from the information I've managed to collect during my time on this island, even I don't like our chances of walking back out of The Vault in the event that we end up doing so."

IC: Dayeth - Tunnel.

The Ta-Matoran, for her part, remained silent. She'd crossed paths with this... Zaktan.... during her last visit to the Vault, and he certainly wasn't someone she was in any hurry to converse with again. 

IC:Arvas

Arvas shrugged, looking over his shoulder at Rannin.

"Who knows, with this many people we might just crash into them like a drunk brawler. Where that goes is up to you."

IC:

"Hope it goes someplace good," Peho said, letting the fires go out in his hands. "I've got too many things still to see to waste time dying or any stuff like that."

-Void

IC Kavala

(Mangaia, Dark Walk):

"And if he doesn't oblige?"

IC: Celphrithia, Dravvenica, and Shredder - Mangaia (Tunnels)

"Then that's his loss," she responded. "Even if we don't end up coming to an agreement, this island is still home to an ample amount of individuals bearing grudges against the Koros, and I highly doubt that one village will satisfy them all forever, especially if their ire is directed towards one region in particular, such as your own. Convincing at least a fraction of them that this is a cause worthy of their time should not pose too much of an issue either way, and such a group would likely still make formidable allies in the event that the Legacy's forces eventually decided to... remove him and his comrades from the equation next."

Dravennica paused for a moment, taking the time to carefully examine her surroundings before daring to continue.

"From where I stand, however, it would be foolish not to at least consider my proposal. If the Piraka truly had enough servants of their own to do away with the village governments themselves, then they would've had no need to establish an alliance with Makuta's Legacy, or the Brotherhood of Ak'rei'an for that matter, and like it or not, it still took the combined efforts of both of those groups to gain control over Ko-Koro. And since those cultists are no longer our allies, we are now left with less numbers than before, and risk reprisal from the combined might of five other armies. True, we managed to buy ourselves some time by taking hostages, but how long do we have before they simply no longer care, and begin marching right on up to our doorstep? This is a question that I'd rather not know the answer to, and trust me, those six Skakdi won't be the ones who will be taking the brunt of the beating when it happens."

"Considering that both groups still require some form of assistance from one another, they need to find a way to redirect as much heat away from themselves as possible while they continue to bolster their ranks. And if a third were to fill the gap left by the Brotherhood, one seemingly unaffiliated with them, one our foes knew next to nothing about, and one focused around the sole purpose of attacking our enemies where it would hurt them the most, then granting my request would only serve to benefit their precious little alliance in the long run," she reasoned. "Especially since we'd essentially be making it all the more easier for them to be dealt with once the rest of our forces are in a position to strike."

IC Kavala

(Mangaia, Dark Walk):

Though it wasn't visible in the darkness, Kavala frowned. He was intrigued to hear from Dravennica that Ko-Koro had indeed been conquered by followers of Makuta. He had heard rumors of this while in the Onu-Koro prison, but upon release had been too concerned with having revenge on Lash to consider the implications of Ko-Koro's demise. Now, however, the information meant much more to him.

Now, however, there were other matters to deal with.

"I have met the Piraka before," he said. "They are not exactly... cooperative. The alliance I sought from them came to a dead end quickly. I doubt you will have any better luck with either reaching them... or convincing them to join your cause."

IC: Dayeth - Tunnel.

"If the Piraka refuse to help," she finally spoke up, "Don't argue with them. Just accept it, thank them for their time, and leave." She remembered her encounter with the two Piraka when she'd gotten the antidermis for her hand; she knew what they were capable of, "They don't take kindly to being challenged, and chances are they'll take out their rage on all of us if you anger them." 

IC: Celphrithia, Dravennica, and Shredder - Mangaia (Tunnels)

"Then like I said, the plan simply goes on without their assistance, despite having previously thrown in my allegiance with Makuta's Legacy. While their assistance would be appreciated, you assume, incorectly, I might add, that I am so utterly reliant upon it for it to succeed."

The Ko-Toa then turned her attention back towards Dayeth.

"And you still assume that I don't actually think before I act, while I can assure you that you couldn't be any further from the truth. I have absolutely no intention of openly defying a member of the Piraka while as a guest of their abode, especially if said abode is an underground stockpile of dangerous loot and filled to the brim with those under their command, as doing so would most certainly be suicidal."

IC: Volin

"Yeah well, the sooner we get this over with, the sooner you'll see 'em." I replied, nodding as if to get a move on. "Let's go."

I took point, followed by the rest of the group as we marched onwards towards the Mangaia. The walk there was monotone for the most part, fraught with an endless supply of trees and silence that was only interrupted by the occasional chatter of strangers getting to know each other. It lasted for what could have been a little over an hour, as we had to cross over to the edge of Le-Koro since the Suva Kaita was closed, but not the Suva Nui. Our arrival was signalled by a break in the tree line, revealing a small open clearing hosting the entrance to the Dark Walk.

We set up camp in a small ravine not too far away from it, a precaution to avoid stray Rahkshi wandering to and from its mouth. Tall stone walls arched around us from two sides, providing a decent amount of cover with enough wiggle room to move around comfortably or to make a quick escape if needed.

I sat cross-legged on a thick slab of rock, picking at a bag of trail mix I brought with me while others were either resting, checking their gear, making idle chit chat or standing guard. 

"All right guys, I think it's time we talk strategy."

IC Flabbergaster

The obese Tiokaha glanced round at the seated Volin.

For the majority of the walk, Flabbergaster had said nearly nothing, spending his time eyeing the group for weapons, suspected traitors, and the like. He had come across a deceased forest animal, which was partially decayed clinging to a tree, and had to muster up all his strength not to investigate it. Now he stood in the small place, not quite willing to rest easy with the strangers.

He raised an eyebrow towards Hammerlock, as he was not very good at starter questions.

IC:Arvas

Arvas shrugged. "All I can suggest is we need a front-liner team. People best at tanking damage and dealing it back right up in the enemy's face." He didn't know too much about strategy and had never had this many people to work with.

"What everyone behind them does, well that would depend on what they can do. Second-liners, using reach weapons or ranged weapons, or support, whatever that would involve."

IC Flabbergaster

I shouldn't do it. I shouldn't.

I'm gonna do it. He casually pulled a knife out and glanced at the blade.

"I'm not exactly sure how good I am at 'tanking' damage..." He said, not sure what tanking meant, and carefully sliced off the small, healing area of skin from earlier when he tried to impress Yenroot. Straining his muscle, anyone who was paying attention to him would see the blood staying in the general area of his arm, until a blood dagger fell to the ground.

IC: Rannin

"That would likely be one of my duties," said the baritone-voiced Toa of Iron, gesturing at his size and ... oversized sword. "We should also, however, keep in mind the varied abilities possessed by the Rahkshi."

IC Kavala

(Mangaia, Dark Walk):

"There is one problem with the plan... the Piraka have not exactly been active in gameplay receptive lately. I mean they haven't been seen or heard of for quite a while. You may have to wait days... or weeks... years."

IC Flabbergaster

IC:

Peho had seen a lot of weird things in his time -- probably? It was hard to tell when you were an amnesiac and had no real idea what you had seen -- but when he glanced over to see a deep red knife fall from this large fellow's arm, he figured that something really weird was going on.

"Hey, Rannin," he said, raising a finger to point at the sudden dagger. "You ever seen something like that before?"

-Void

IC: Volin

"Well, I'll be more useful on the second line of attack." I said, gesturing with my crossbow. 

IC:Arvas

Arvas nodded.

"Right. Peho, you want to be up the front? Looks like where you'll do best." Arvas turned to the giant, having not noticed Flabbergaster's...'trick'.

IC: Rannin

"No."

IC Flabbergaster

Hook, line and sinker.

"I'm never disarmed for good." He slowly picked the red weapon up from the ground, causally tossing it in his one hand. "Issue is I have to eat plenty of sugars to rebuild my blood loss." He casually tossed it in front of him, not far enough to hit anyone, and it hit the ground as a liquid.

"And it's self mutilation," Flabbergaster yawned, slipping the tiny bit of blood off his knife and sliding it into its sheath. "But I kinda get used to it."

IC:

"All things considered," I say slowly, "I'll probably do better as a tanker, this time around. It's what I geared up for. Tunnel fighting tends to get physical."

Out of the corner of my eye, I also note Flabbergaster's little blood-into-solid-form trick, but have no comment at this time.

I'll remember it, though.

IC: Trava (Campground)

"I'll probably do better as support, I guess," Trava mused with an uncertain expression, whilst stroking her chin. She had the terrible feeling that espousing the old "I work alone" adage wouldn't do much good here.

IC:

"O ... kay, then," was Peho's tentative response to the bloody individual, already turning away to the more familiar sight of Arvas.

"I could be a tanker," he said, smiling. "Just tell me what to do and I'll do my best!"

-Void

IC:Arvas

Arvas nodded.

"Alright, so. Me, Rannin, Peho and Hammerlock on front. Volin on second. What about everyone else?"

IC:

"I hit things with my protosteel guitar."