IC: The Sun Never Sets, IC thread for The Sun Never Sets Options

[phlapjack77]

Smohalla nods at Stogie's reply.

It seems our recent encounter last night could signify what we will face.

Flying machines that will not be bothered by rain or snow.

Those with vehicles that can navigate this terrain.

We are strong in magic, but seemingly weak in knowledge of technology.

[pbangarth]

Stogie nods back. "And that technology is perniciously resistant to magic. A smart opponent looking to go after magicians will rely heavily on such machines."

[AtroposReborn]

"Yes, I have no doubt they will send drones," Ellesar chimes in, "and if they send footmen then we can expect them to be more than capable of handling the environment. Fortunately, we have the home field advantage. It would be nice to know exactly what we're facing though."

[phlapjack77]

The words his companions speak are troubling to the shaman.

I will meditate on this problem.

Perhaps the Great Spirit, in his wisdom, will show me the Path.

Smohalla looks around him with a smile.

I would be hard pressed to find a better place in this world to do so.

[Tecumseh]

Ellie nods along, listening to the back-and-forth. She seems to dwell for a while on the thought of drones and other remote killing machines, a small frown crossing her face.

She waves off Ellesar's inquiry about K'wa'iti. "He comes and goes as he pleases," she says. "And, personally," she adds, leaning in and lowering her voice, "I don't mind it if he's not around for supper." She makes a face indicating her feelings about K'wa'iti's diet. You're reminded of the dismembered arm that he was gnawing on the previous evening.

"So what magic might we expect, Stogie, if it's not too sensitive to ask? Talol has taught us much. I do not know what men may learn in the city, but I'm willing to lay odds on what women may do in the country!"

[pbangarth]

Stogie chuckles. "Cute, Ellie.

"No, I expect there will be physical damage spells. Everybody seems to like those. I suspect those who came before were high on that kind of action. Actually, we would be lucky if that were the worst of it. I've seen a lot of magic that controls the mind. That scares me. A lot harder to resist for most people. Being a good shot sucks drek if you are being made to shoot at your partner.

"And the smart ones, both magical and mundane, will bring force multipliers... drones and spirits. Four people come, but suddenly they are eight or twelve. Send the expendables in first to locate us, figure us out, soften us up and use up our resources.

"As much as I hate to say this, as it would have worked against Ellesar, Smohalla and me, having scouts out to locate them first, and hitting them before they get here and set up their full attack could save us some grief. We have defenses here, but they are two dimensional, and the enemy will work in all three physical dimensions and the astral as well.

"One other advantage we have is the powerful channeling of mana around here. That should probably get in the way of contrary magic and spirits by reducing the force of their spells and their spirits. We sit where its good for us and bad for them, and we can maximize our advantages. Now that I can sort of 'see' those lines, I wanna map them out so we can use the astral terrain to our advantage too."

[Tecumseh]

Ellie listens to Stogie, mm-hmming and nodding along. She "tsk tsks" under her breath when Stogie says "suck drek"; conversely, the expression produces wry smiles from Hester and Selene. They, too, seem to be paying closer attention to Stogie than they usually do. They have looks of bravado, not displaying any concern about the prospect of physical damage spells or mind-controlled teammates.

"I dare say we have little to fear from magic," Ellie says at the end, pouring after-dinner tea in mugs and levitating them around the circle. "The mana here favors kindred souls, as you have already discovered, and I wager that hired magicians will not find the ley lines to their liking. Their magic will either fizzle or it will backfire spectacularly. Both results are to our advantage."

She gets up and begins to work on dessert, using some of the newly-purchased ingredients to work on roasted apples with cinnamon sugar.

"What concerns me," she begins when she rejoins the circle once the apples are on the fire, "are these drones. We have little experience with machines. We have some defenses of our own" - a sudden, strong wind whips up, knocking the tree branches to and fro before settling back down as quickly as it arose - "but a swarm of machines surrounding us on all sides would indeed be a challenge."

The apples begin to steam and hiss over the fire, their skins splitting open from the escaping steam as the scent of baking cinnamon wafts throughout the campground. They smell delicious, but you wonder if that's what the shadowrunner you found looked like while he was being cooked from the inside out.

Ellie seems to consider Stogie's point about an ambush. "Given what you say, it seems we can ill-afford to be caught unaware. Unless you have friends who may join us in our cause, it seems to me that we must treat future visitors - mechanical or otherwise - with hostility. The hiking season has passed; Greenwater is gone. Those who come now must be considered threats, and handled accordingly." She gives a curt, definitive nod that leaves you wondering if your future holds an above-average number of cooked, drowned, and electrocuted shadowrunners.

[phlapjack77]

I will meditate on the drone problem.

Perhaps the Great Spirit will guide my way.

Hearing Ellie's last statement, Smohalla shakes his head sadly.

No.

That cannot be our path.

Before causing harm, we must determine intent.

Otherwise we will defile ourselves and our cause.

[pbangarth]

"It's a fine line to walk, Smohalla. The difference between uncertainty and knowing could be marked by their first assault.

"Now, if we had a way to determine their intentions before they get to us then maybe we could save us some trouble and save our integrity at the same time. Any thoughts?" Stogie looks around the assembly.

[AtroposReborn]

Ellesar's face darkens as the conversation heads towards rampant murder without cause. It reminds him greatly of his family, in the worst of ways. "I agree that we should not walk the path of unbridled killing. You all may see it as a weakness, but there is strategy in it as well. Unnecessary death will only bring about more trouble for all of us. It only takes one mistake to turn a few bounty hunters into a special operations group funded by the family of a dead suit that decided to go hiking out of season."

[Tecumseh]

"Well," Ellie says with a puckered expression, her tone souring slightly, "I daresay it will not be so hard as you make it out to be. Gentlemen hikers with hunting rifles are a different species than camouflaged mercenaries with drones and automatic weapons.

"And if, as you say, they bring wagemages, they will be easy enough to spot. A hermetic in the forest is as glaring as a bear in the city."

[phlapjack77]

This is true Ellie.

And I want to protect us, protect this land the same as you.

Together, we can find a way to do this that also honors our Earth Mother.

[Tecumseh]

The evening passes. Ellie and the ladies excuse themselves for their evening rituals. Ellie invites Smohalla to attend.

[ Spoiler ]

"There is a great deal to learn about ritual magic, Sky-Father. Our plans require time and distance." Smohalla observes the ritual closely. He doesn't understand the metamagics at work, but he's beginning to understand how group rituals can channel the mana from more than one person. He won't be able to participate with the Sisters until his understanding has advanced considerably, but every great journey begins with a single step.

This leaves Stogie, Ellesar, and Jake by themselves for a half hour. Using some of the fresh ingredients, Stogie conjures up a pretty good apple pastry for dessert, the sweetness of it offsetting the salty nature of the burger and fries for dinner. Jake, defender of the environment, makes sure than none of the burgers go to waste. (Alternatively, all burgers go to waist.)

Smohalla returns alone from the ritual; the ladies, tired from their rituals and their day of travel, retire early. The men have the camp to themselves for a while before they need to turn in.

[phlapjack77]

Tomorrow I will begin meditating on our situation.

I could be gone many days.

With that said, Smohalla lies down by the fire.

[AtroposReborn]

"I assume we have many long days ahead of us. If our enemies are watching then they will know that the Sisters are in a weakened state after their ritual. It would make for a good time to attack. We should be wary in the evenings, more-so than usual." Ellesar leans firmly against one of the thick trunks of a nearby tree, his eyes towards the sky. "Stogie, you and I are the only ones not affected by this daily."

[pbangarth]

"Yeah. We're the first line of defense. Lucky us, huh?" Stogie looks long and hard at Jake. Jake senses his concern and looks around, ears cocked. I watch, Stohgee. I watch.

[Tecumseh]

The night descends. With little else to do other than watch their breath collect in frosty clouds above their heads, the men retire for the evening. The plan for the night watch is well established by this point: Ellesar and Smohalla will take the first shifts while Stogie gets a few hours of shut-eye, then Stogie - with his magical ability to work on three hours of sleep - will keep watch for the rest of the night.

Jake burrows into Stogie's sleeping roll beside him. The weather is sharp and chilly and it won't be long before the first snows arrive. The Sisters' magical fire is a blessing, but it's also a beacon for those who might be on the lookout for such things. Smohalla wraps himself tightly in a blanket near the fire, wondering if he might actually be warmer if he spent the night in the tree. Eagle feathers are remarkable things, with an interlocking structure that traps pockets of air that are then warmed by the eagle's body heat. The tight, enclosed pockets of warm air minimize heat transport through convection currents, much like a wetsuit. Yes, if it weren't for this fire it would surely be easier for Smohalla to sleep in eagle form.

Ellesar takes the first watch, left to consider his last spoken thought. He is unaffected by the Sisters' daily double rituals, but is he not affected by this place? He reaches his hand out again, the air almost thick with mana that he swears he can feel between his fingers. It's as if the air were full of puffs of cotton, softly floating along like dandelion florets passing in the breeze.

Ellesar:

[ Spoiler ]

Stogie and Smohalla fall asleep, leaving Ellesar to himself. He scans the sky, alert to what might be out there. Once again, he catches the barest glint of light in the distance, suggesting some movement. It seems to be about the same size as last night's visitor, and moving at the same speed, from roughly the same direction. It's a reasonable guess that your friend the drone is coming back to pay you another visit.

[AtroposReborn]

Ellesar moves to his usual spot behind the nearby trees. He keeps his eyes towards the drone, watching to see if it makes any moves that differ from the previous night. He hides as best he can and stays as still as possible in order to use his suit to the best of its ability.

[pbangarth]

Jake snores quietly.

[Tecumseh]

Ellesar watches the drone safely from his concealed spot, demonstrating his training as a Ghost and his instincts as a survivalist. He watches the drone approach the campsite, then circle overhead. Unlike last night, the drone does not make a pass and then depart. Instead, it loops around in broad circles, maintaining a constant line of sight. It does this for five minutes, then ten, then twenty. Ellesar gets the sense that it's not going away. It seems to be keeping tabs on the sleeping men. The drone makes no overtly threatening moves of its own. These drones can often deploy basic anti-personnel ordinance, but this drone isn't equipped with any visible weapon systems. Ellesar's experience with Combat Tactics suggests that the drone is serving as a spotter, and will keep the men in sight while someone - or something - else arrives.

[pbangarth]

Stogie begins snoring along with Jake. The harmonics are ... interesting.

[phlapjack77]

The air is full of the sound of logs being sawed.

Luckily the eagle shifter is hard of hearing.

Smohalla's sleep is quiet and snore-free.

An impressive feat for someone with a nose of such magnitude.

Or perhaps it is exactly because of that said nasal configuration...

[AtroposReborn]

Looks like you don't want to play nice tonight, little pet, Ellesar thinks to himself. I hope your owner is as blind as you are. He slides the Remington from his shoulder and aims at the drone as it passes closer to him. He hopes to take it down or at least disorient it before it can get a good look at him. Breathing slowly, he takes a shot at the floating target.

As the round leaves the chamber he calls out to the sleeping trio. "Get up and get ready!"

[pbangarth]

The report of the firearm brings Stogie and Jake awake in an instant, Jake almost leaping up into the air from his repose. Experience of the last few months helps Stogie catch on to what is happening as Ellesar shouts out his warning. He reaches for his Enfield.

"What? Where?"

[phlapjack77]

Thunderbird soars with Smohalla through the orange skies of the Never.

He turns to regard the eagle shaman with wise, knowing eyes.

Putting on a sudden burst of speed he shoots ahead, breaking the sound barrier with a loud crack...

...the inert form lying on the ground gives a jerk and begins to sit up.

With a cloudy mind still full of dream-sleep, Smohalla opens his eyes to the physical world.