india ♔ cut the bonds with the moon and let the dogs gather

[sirsolace]

♬ The Moon - Swell Season

WHO || Faye, Andie, Scout, Solace, Riddick, Nessa [closed]
WHAT || The Knights try to find their way into the Temple to see the
WHERE || Khajjiar, India, near the Temple of the Moon
WHEN || Sometime last week, afternoon
HOW || Actionspam

The Knights have spent the last week or so gathering supplies and intelligence in the town close to the mountains where the elven sisters have sequestered themselves inside their temple.   And what they've heard has been disturbing:  tales of the fanaticism of the sisters' followers seems to run contrary to everything Solace has to tell them about the usual clergy of Sehanine Moonbow.  These people are dogmatic to the point of violence, and the temple has been sealed against entrance by anyone at all as the sisters seek to complete their 'ritual', which is meant to seal the Veil from the Shadow World and prevent anymore incursions of Shadowkind, monsters, or objects.  

Finally, the Knights take the long journey up the mountainside to approach for themselves.  The road up is dotted with wagons and tents, and when the temple finally rises up out of the fog above, silver and gleaming, it's clear that even reaching the doors could prove difficult.  The steps are obscured by the massive amount of tents and people moving about.  There are probably hundreds barring the way, camped together so tightly that moving between them seems an invitation to trouble, given the supposed lynchings that have occurred when others dared to try and break in.

Solace halts the group at the edge of the crowd, with one hand held out slightly to the side.  He frowns as he looks over the faces of those gathered, none of whom look exactly friendly... or even hopeful.

Comments

[burnsbright]

[Scout steps back and splits from the group, at an angle, joining the crowd at a different point from Sir Solace and aiming to be able to see Riddick's confrontation from a different angle, so she's in position to see if someone behind the man's back decides to join in. Her hide check is 15, and she watches/listens/Force-senses for changes in the state of the crowd/their alertness for a total of 21.]

[asap]

[Aaaaand she's back! Andie screeches to a halt next to Nessa and Faye and looks around.] Should we, uh, break them up?

[wildmind]

[ as riddick's fist connects brutally with the guy's jaw and he thumps to the ground, stirring up a lot of dust and dirt, there's a momentary hush that falls over the big group of onlookers. the guy grunts and struggles up on his elbow, face contorting into a growl.

nessa glances over at andie and smirks, and then a voice inside her head would say: ]

Maybe not. Did you see a way for us to get in? This might be just the distraction we need.

[reallywicked]

And ruin this fine showing? Uh uh. [Faye's not in on the private convo, but man does she not hate watching Riddick do what he does best.]

[lightblindbadass]

[Not wanting to end this too soon, he allows his opponent to regain his footing, rolling his shoulders and starting a slow circle around the beast of a man, a hunter circling his prey.

His senses tune into themselves, the sounds of the crowd filtering to nothing more than a buzzing. He was acutely aware of the man struggling to regain his feet, the slight limp from the knee he had swept out from under him, favoring his weight on that side. Point one.

Then there was the trickle of blood coming from his lip, the uppercut having forced him to bite down on the soft tissue followed by a blossoming bruise on that side of his jaw. He could smell the blood clearly from this distance, coppery and strong as the guy swiped a hand across his jaw to wipe it away. Point two.

As the giant stands once more Riddick is completely still, turned slightly so his side is presented to the other man. His hands hang at his sides, legs spread slightly apart. To those observant enough, his teammates for sure, they would notice that all of the tension he normally carries in his shoulders is completely gone. He is more relaxed looking now than he had been in months. There is even a slight grin on his lips.

Riddick was having fun.]

[burnsbright]

[Scout's not in position to hear even the public parts of the conversation. Riddick's having fun, she sees, and there's a part of her that envies him that.]

[On her own initiative she starts moving towards the temple, not in a straight line, and not turning towards it but circling the fight, angling her head as if trying to get a better view.]

[sirsolace]

[ his expression communicating contempt for the barbarous display, solace moves through the crowd as well, and the spectacle seems to capture everyone's attention well enough that no one notices them inching towards the gates.

meanwhile, riddick's opponent bares his teeth again, and then charges straight at the other man, throwing a punch at his head (atk 26, dmg 13...) ]

[asap]

Yeah, uh, there's a balcony. We might be able to make our way up that way. [Andie sends a slightly worried look at Riddick, but he seems to be doing okay, so she starts flitting towards the temple, keeping her pace way slow. So pretty much normal from anyone else's pov.]

[reallywicked]

[Disappointed, Faye drags herself away from watching the big boys fight and casually follows after Andie. Every now and then, she looks back at Riddick and smirks again, but she's mostly staying on task. Kinda.]

[wildmind]

I can provide a little boost, so long as Muscles keeps the audience occupied. [ nessa slips along with the others... and sure enough, you're all light enough for her to telepathically lift up to grab hold of the edge of that balcony, one by one... ]

[asap]

Cool! [Andie bounces in place impatiently as soon as she's on the balcony.] That was way fun. Like flying!

[reallywicked]

[Faye doesn't like being lifted, but she only grumbles a little as Nessa hoists her up. Once she's on the balcony, she shoots Andie a look.]

Do you want to get us busted? [Her eyes flash dangerously.]

[wildmind]

[ nessa's eyes flick upwards as she places a hand against the doors there, and then gently pushes them open. ]

Cool it, ladies. [ there's a soft light illuminating the halls within, dark wood and simple architecture unbroken by any visible art or decoration. the hall stretches out before them, and the top of a set of steps leading down is barely visible at the far end. ]

[reallywicked]

[Faye heads behind Nessa, looking around the dimply lit room.]

Down? [She mouths to the others while pointing at the stairs.]

[asap]

[Andie shrugs, glancing back at the others for a moment before cautiously starting forward.] Seems like our only option. [She whispers over her shoulder.]

[wildmind]

[ nessa moves silently behind them (17), ghosting down the steps along with the girls. the area below is clearly a temple, carved in almost all light blue, which gives the entire room the strange appearance of being gently moonlit. the only other light comes from a few flickering candles set around an altar in the middle of the room, where two figures sit, facing one another. they both wear long flowing dresses, embroidered with images of the moon, and their hands are joined between them, eyes closed. both girls sport wild blonde hair and a close eye (spot 16) can see the elven ears peeking out of their curls.



also visible on the lap of the left handed sister is a wicked looking knife whose blade appears to be carved out of glass. they're both intoning something quietly, a whispered prayer perhaps. ]

[reallywicked]

[Faye creeps (move silently: 15) along but doesn't seem much (spot: 10). For how much trouble everyone has gone to in order to make sure that no one would get in, she can only wonder if there's people guarding from the inside. So far they haven't seen anyone, but... there's always that chance.

She tries to edge closer and strains to listen (natural 20, so bat ears are a go, I guess.)]

[asap]

[Andie tries to creep, but in a sudden display of moving too fast for even herself, trips and falls with a loud smack (move silently nat 1 whoops). But at least she notices the ears (spot 16)!]

[wildmind]

[ as one, their heads turn directly towards the noise. it's too late to hide, and nessa motions for them to stop moving as the girls stare at them for a long moment. they look as if caught in a very emotional moment, more frighted than angered by an intrusion. the right handed sister asks a question, in a language the girls don't understand... but nessa transmits a translation to their brains.

"Who disturbs our ritual?" ]

[reallywicked]

[Faye freezes, but not before shooting Andie a harsh look. The nonsense babble makes her eyebrow raise, but then Nessa's translation follows. She decides to just assume this is a two-way radio and thinks back.]

Can you talk to them? Tell them we were looking for the bathroom or something?

[asap]

[Andie scrambles to her feet, looking wide-eyed and embarrassed.] Sorry! Sorry! [Whether she's saying it to the sisters or the group is unclear. Probably both.]

[wildmind]

[ either way, it seems to catch their attention further. the girl speaks in a thickly accented tone:

"You speak Common." She doesn't sound surprised, but the distrust in her voice is clearer. "Who are you?" ]

[reallywicked]

You speak English. [Faye answers in a flat tone.] Well, that makes this easier...

Hi. Yeah. So we didn't mean to crash your party. We're just big fans.

[Bluff check 23, because why not? She's not even really sure what they're supposed to be doing at this temple thing. She coasted through through most of the mission briefing.]

[asap]

We're here to, uh, talk? [Andie glances back at Nessa, then looks at the girls again.] We're not here to hurt you. [Diplomacy check: 15]

[wildmind]

[ the girl with gentler features looks back at them as well, looking visibly more distraught.

"You shouldn't be here," she cautions, though she sounds almost afraid. "The ritual must take place away from the eyes of others, if the goddess is to reveal herself. If your eyes saw her in her true form, you would be blinded - or killed." ]