[VIDEO] 9 April [SEELIE] A Call to Arms [OPEN]

[waterbearer]

[ The video is aimed largely past the speaker, to the twichting-writhing forms of three snake-like horned-creatures, the crackles of electricity still racing across their scales as they move. The locket is likely proper up on a rock or tree somewhere, as the speaker is turned to face the worms, his arms up and tattoos glowing electricity crackles from his hands. He is standing on land near a small river-stream near farmsteads. ]

Attention.

I am Kaldur’ahm, recently brought here with the rest of you. I was exploring the rivers and streams nearby and found that several had been blocked by these creatures, and that they were attacking the farms homesteads.

[ One of the worms seems to recover from the temporary paralysis, and lunges towards Kaldur, who leaps away and grasps two devices firmly in his hands. He jumps up again slams downwards on its tail with a water-formed spiked mace, inadvertently severing part of the tip from the worm. He bats the rest of the worm back further away and continues. ]

I am requesting assistance. Several of the civilians have been bitten, and are displaying signs of being in a critical condition due to the creature’s venom. I have been attempting to combat these worms for a few hours, and they grow more resistant to my electric paralyzation with each attempt I try.

[ The severed tail-end starts wriggling violently, and he forms a sledgehammer to knock it back several yards, closer to the still-paralyzed worms. ]

They are quick to regenerate from severed pieces, like echinoderms.

I need those who can help me combat these creatures and those who can help transport the injured to the castle, as well as individuals to help care for those injured by the worms.



{{ooc: The four first comments titled as "Alpha Squad", "Beta Squad", "Gamma Squad" and "Support Team" are for the 'action' part. (Where I will also attempt to GM as worms if people so desire). Feel free to answer the comm itself before immediately jumping into action, or to handwave being assigned to the team you are on and head straight for the action, as well as forming your own little threadlines!

They are more for organization purposes and keeping your squad-mates straight than anything else, and any number of threads can be started below the heading!

NOTE: IC'ly, the Squad assignations are happening on the spot.}}

Comments

kili | ota

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili'd been in a bit of a hurry and there hadn't been time to find a bow before joining the fray. Armed only with a single dagger, not at all his weapon of choice or fighting style of expertise, the young dwarf charges into battle with a whoop and a shout of du bekar!

Mahal, he's always wanted to say that.]

[somethingprecious]

[Ideally this isn't where Bilbo wants to be. He isn't a warrior by any definition of the word, but here he is somehow. Kili is to blame for this definitely.

At least he still has Sting (and his ring, tucked away safely in his pocket if- when he'll need it) and he follows closely behind Kili, gripping the hilt of his Elvish dagger tightly.]

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili is always to blame for this. Not to mention it had started out as a challenge, goading Bilbo and teasing him about his little letter opener of a sword.

Not that he has much to fight with at the moment, just a dagger that he's fairly certain was Fili's to begin with. He grins back at Bilbo, his eyes bright and glittering with something dangerous and rather fey, teeth bared. There's blood on his dagger already, splattered across his face, but he doesn't seem to care.]

I told you it would be fun.

[somethingprecious]

This is not my idea of fun! [At least Sting isn't a dag... Well.]

If you injure yourself again I will never let you hear the end of it, is that understood? [Of course Bilbo has a higher chance of getting hurt than Kili, which he is well aware of.]

[kilimanjaro]

Aye, mother. [Kili rolls his eyes at Bilbo.] You watch yourself too, mind. Thorin would have my hide if I let something happen to you.

[somethingprecious]

The same could be said for you as well... [Because Kili is worth much more to Thorin than Bilbo is.

When a worm lunges close to them his hand nearly slips into his pocket for the ring, the movement almost unconscious. It would be bad news if he slipped it on and disappeared into thin air next to Kili after all.]

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili is a bit too distracted to answer, plunging his dagger hilt deep into the creature's belly and dragging it down. Blood spurts out in every direction, and he merely laughs.

Mahal, it's nice to kill something that's little more than a beast. Helps to make up for his failure with those damned orcs. His leg twinges in reminder and he stumbles.]

[somethingprecious]

[Bilbo doesn't share his mirth in the spilling of blood and he's only thankful that his own stomach is empty or else he might be sick right now. Even after everything he's been through so far he doubts he'll ever have a taste for fighting.

The gutted worm still has a bit of fight left in it and rears up again to attack Kili when he stumbles, but Bilbo is quick. He puts himself in between the creature's very sharp teeth and Kili and throws all of his weight into driving Sting up into the worm's throat.]

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili blinks in surprise at Bilbo's brave charge, successfully managing to lay the worm down for the time being. Crowing in triumph, he grins at the hobbit.]

I owe you one for that. Seems that little sword can do some good after all!

[He's mid-celebration when there's a strange noise, and he turns to see the worm's wounds are healing, the beast starting to wriggle once more. His eyes widen.]

Durin's beard, what sort of creature are these things?

[walkingarsenal]

[If there was still any doubt in Fili's mind that Kili is fine to be on his feet and moving around enough to put some strain on his leg, it doesn't stand much of a chance in the face of Kili's restored enthusiasm. Nonetheless, Fili is close on Kili's heels with his own dagger at the ready, although he flashes his brother a smile and makes sure to yell out a battle cry himself as he turns to the task at hand.

Just in time, too. The worm they face uncoils and darts in, bared fangs glinting.]

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili lets out a gasp of surprise at how quick the worm moves. Startled, he jabs instinctively, dagger flashing.

Mahal, he wishes he'd practiced combat with just a dagger more. He feels a bit unprepared.]

[walkingarsenal]

[Meanwhile, Fili feels underprepared and wishes that they had a few more blades, preferably ones that would let them attack without the need to move in too close. These daggers take them right against the worm's body, where they have to pierce its scales or get at a softer part of its underside before they do any real damage, all before the creature gets to them first.]

Kili! [He calls out a warning, narrowly leaping out of the way when the worm seems intent on catching them between its teeth.]

[kilimanjaro]

[Fili's shout distracts more than assists, and Kili breaks concentration to glance back at his brother and be sure that he's unharmed.

The worm takes the lapse in focus as an opening, binding itself about the young dwarf's chest and throat in a flash and starting to squeeze. Kili chokes, dagger falling from his hand as he tries to pry it off.]

[walkingarsenal]

Kili-- [Looking on in horror, Fili cries out his brother's name again, louder and frantic. It does nothing, but it's instinctive. For a moment, he is bobbing in a barrel once more, useless once more, watching Kili struggle in the thick coils of the worm's body.

One distracted second was all it took. One second more is all that the worm gets, and then Fili stabs at it wildly, drawing its attention away from Kili and freeing him his priority over giving his own safety any thought.]

[kilimanjaro]

[Kili makes a horrible gurgling sound as he struggles for breath, and the worm squeezes him tighter, lowering its head to deliver its poison kiss.

Fili catches it in time. Fangs brush against Kili's cheek and leave a nasty mark, but that's all before the young dwarf is dropped and the worm writhes in pain. Down on all fours, Kili gasps for air and coughs violently, shaking all over from his close call. His cheek is bleeding but he doesn't feel any sort of paralysis or poison in his blood this time.]

[walkingarsenal]

[To the worm, each stab wound must be little more than a pinprick, but Fili makes them vicious, wrenching the blade out and driving it in deep again and again, twisting it and tearing through flesh until his hands are coated in blood, until Kili hits the ground. And maybe pinpricks add up. Although the worm is still moving, it isn't to strike, and Fili's next thought is to go to his brother.

He shouldn't turn away from the battle, leaving it to the rest of the team, but venom and critical condition fill his head.]

Kili-- [On his knees, his hands on Kili's back, he tries to serve as a shield while Kili finds his breath and inspect the damage the worm has done. Blood trickles from puncture marks on Kili's cheek, and Fili's fingers tighten on his brother's shirt.] Kili, you're bleeding...

[kilimanjaro]

'S fine. [He's still panting for breath, rubbing at his throat and brushing blood away from his cheek. Bruises are starting to swell up along his throat and chest, dark purple, but there's no broken ribs, thankfully.]

It...I'm fine.

[walkingarsenal]

[The last time that Kili insisted that he was fine, he was anything but. And now, he's just been bitten. Fili's response is rougher than he intends as he touches the side of Kili's face, sweeps his thumb over the blood welling up. To his dismay, his fingers smear more onto Kili's skin.]

The worms are venomous -- have you forgotten that? We need to get you to a healer.

[kilimanjaro]

[He winces slightly as Fili smears the blood across his cheek, still catching his breath as he fists one hand in his brother's tunic.]

Doesn't feel like poison this time. [Not that Fili will believe him. And he has reason to; Kili has a bad habit of making out to be much healthier than he is.]