Group 4 consists of: Venom, Corbie, Wake, Exposed



The adventuring party gathers in The Shimmering Shore, and as soon as they come together the world begins to shake violently. The dirt tunnels begin to collapse around them, and everyone begins to panic and scatter, splitting the group up- and trapping them temporarily underground. They can no longer leave the tunnels, nor can they post in any new event threads until this thread concludes.

Venom, Corbie, Wake, Exposed find themselves in a tunnel not unlike the one they narrowly managed to escape from. Here the smell of the underground world is even more obvious- it seems to stick in their noses and doesn't want to leave. The smell is earthy, pungent, and weirdly a little sulfuric... roots from the neighboring forest run down deep through the earth, exposed due to the tremors, some blocking off the paths they attempt to take.

Post and uncover more! No time limits, no posting order, but progression may be based on posting frequency! Danger is imminent!npc

Resentful of the idea he’s been split from his father and sister, the boy grows reckless. He doesn’t give a shit, anymore. When did he ever? A long drink from his flask before stowing it back at his hip. Whatever has them trapped down here is… it’s whatever. ”Well, we wanted to explore. Looks like we got our fucken wish.” Wake sighs heavily, wrinkling his nose at the strange sulphuric scent that seems to settle so thickly down here.

He doesn’t wait for them. Strangers, the lot of them. Taking off down the first available path, whoever could follow if they wanted. It’s not long before Wake finds the dead end, cordoned off by the roots of a thick tree. Why not? Why shouldn’t he pull on them? Reaching up to tug on one of the roots with as much force as he can muster, it doesn’t give way. Figures. Just leaves him with the taste of sulfurous air and dirt coating is mouth.

WAKE UP

As the dust settled around them from the unexpected aftershock Corbie coughed around the handle of the lantern and pawed at her face to clear it, not wanting to risk the lantern being overset by another aftershock to set it down and shake herself off. She'd only just cleared her eyes when a brash young wolf smelling of the Raiders took off down a random path. Corbie sighed, glanced at the other two wolves who'd been trapped in this tunnel with her - the former alpha of Ashen and a big gray loner she didn't recognize - and shrugged before following the boy and leaving them in darkness. They could follow the lantern or remain there, or find their own path in the inky black, but she couldn't leave a wolf barely out of childhood to the unknown in the tunnels. She moved close to the entrance of the path Wake had taken so that Ayer could mark it with an arrow in the glowing paint, then followed the boy, lantern swinging a gold circle around them. When he came to a dead end filled with thick tree roots, she simply sat and waited with faint amusement as he attacked them. She gave him a moment to come to the conclusion that his jaws were no match for a stubborn tree before she stood and retraced their steps. Ayer put an X over the painted arrow. Now Corbie set the lantern down and said, cheerfully enough despite the danger, "It'll likely be safer for us to remain together until we make it out of here. Anyone want to pick a tunnel to try?" She wasn't particularly pleased with the strange sulfuric smell that mixed with the earthen flavor of the dirt around them, and thought it best for them to get out soonest rather than flail around in four different directions. Without waiting for an answer she picked the lantern up again and waited to see if anyone objected, or set off again.

The earth began to shake again, and just like the tunnels had appeared they were shifting once more. Venom gave a short cry as she dipped and dodged the falling earth and rock. Being cut off from the rest of the group that had been forming. As the dust settled the woman looked around to find she had been portioned off with Avalon’s alpha and two more wolves she did not recognize.

She barely had a chance to look around and respond before the yearling was up and, vulgarly, taking off. Corbie mentioned that they should stick together and the once Empress couldn’t really argue. She had sworn off of leadership because of the last time that she had that sulfer scent in her nose. Venom still believed that she had fallen to her doom into the lake of lava like her father before her. Something was wrong with her mind, perhaps this was only a continuation of her mental illness.

Venom shrugged in acceptance at Corbie’s words and, tentatively, followed the young wolf to the dead end. Her sunset gaze looking over the loose roots, obviously this was not the correct path. "Not this way.” She spoke in low tones, but would not lead them in a different direction.

"Venom"

Exposed “Artio” Lebraid The timbre of voices caromed off every wall, every crook and pore, their interlacing odours almost inebriating her nostrils as the sod, unwittingly, shook with a fervid ferocity once again. It felt outlandish, otherworldly, suffocating Lebraid’s senses before it devoured them whole; she had no time to move or even think, plunging further below. A leaden grunt, thereafter the concave, purged from the graveyard’s sooty lips, billows of grime tumbling with every breath -- but then, a foul stench -- acrid and earthy, it mixed with a raw clot of sulphur. Those bleak, tintless nebula’s blinked in cognisance of what the fuck just happened, where thick, plaiting roots embedded themselves into the subterrestrial caves as if to impede, asphyxiate. She was irked, to say the least, and being confined with others made those unpredictability’s more, well, combustible. It was like a game of russian roulette, and an eerie, gritty rumble perforated from within, hackles bristling afire –– one spoke, taking off to find a way out of this bockety web. However, their efforts were nugatory, and a scoff instilled with ridicule, despondency, holding no expectations for the wolves she’d been ensnared with. Were they foolhardy, perchance? Would they be the reason she perishes beneath a world she had yet to fester in? To rule, even, or be afeared by all? There was no reason for her to believe she couldn’t prosper again, and a qauver imprisoned her moonless skin, “Perhaps pick a route that isn’t blocked by roots.” Short, words were garrotted in slovenly vocals, torn by figurative glass dregs that rouse no healing; standing, she’d wait. Conversing was far from coveted, yet the only solution, for now. Action. | “Speech.” | Skill. “Wrong me once, I’ll kill you twice.” Template by Raine <3

Wake grumbles, rolling his eyes at the chipper attitude coming off the Avalon alpha. Man, he just wants out, back to where his family lurked within the tunnels. Letting go of the roots, Wake reaches for his flask once more, using the bitter but familiar taste of the tincture to clear the grime before swallowing. A little dirt wasn't going to make things any worse.

"No path is going to be clear, that's the nature of a cave in." He rolls his eyes at the densely built grey woman, shaking some of the dust from his coat as he trails back to the main corridor. For someone who makes a habit of running from his problems, Wake doesn't like just how trapped this all makes him feel.

Right, pick another tunnel. No one else seemed to be moving, so he'd make an executive decision. Gaze sharp as he scans the path, another narrow tunnel up ahead. It's not quite wide enough for his shoulders, but it looks almost promising. Tentatively, not wanting to disturb the rest of the tunnel and cause more damage, he picks at the dirt with his claws.

"Wake"

She couldn’t really guess what had happened in the yearling’s short life to make him so cynical and negative but Venom had been around long enough, and dealt with enough teenagers, that any of his attitude just rolled off her back. They were all stuck here together and Venom was going to make the best of it. Besides, he was the only one who was truly trying to lead the way. The rust marked male found a small tunnel that not even her thin shoulders would fit between and began to tentatively pick at the dirt along the sides.

Venom joined in with similar care, not wishing to bring another cave in on them that would finish their exploring all together. The walls were packed with hard earth at the very least, but it felt like with every scrape of her paws the intensity of the sulfur smell increased exponentially. This was an odd discovery considering these lands were not volcanic.

"Venom"

Corbie sighed at the brash kid's posturing, but followed amicably enough with her lantern to where the boy and Venom scratched at a too-small tunnel in the hopes of widening it to fit through. Of all of them, only she was likely to fit through, being so much smaller, and she gave some thought as to whether she should or not, since it would separate them exactly as she'd said they shouldn't do. Well, with no risk came no reward, right? She set the lamp down long enough to say to them, "If you don't mind letting me past, I can explore further to see if the tunnel is even worth opening more." With that she scooped the lantern back up and squirmed past them through the narrow tunnel, her much smaller frame making it easier. She was taking the lantern with her - she wouldn't risk leaving it to wolves she barely knew to take care of, but the glowing markings Ayer was leaving on the walls would be enough to guide them at need and warn them of any dangers they couldn't see. Ahead seemed ok, even opened up a little further up though it would still be a bit of a squeeze for the larger wolves, a message she passed back to her party members on the other side of the blockage before she moved cautiously to scout ahead a little. She didn't move too quickly, still easily able to hear the other wolves so she'd know if they were wanting to continue or find another path.

Exposed “Artio” Lebraid A satirising snort befell velvety jowls, ignoring their childish drones, “With that attitude, there definitely won’t be.” To her, they were no more than a cretinous, naive mooncalf, a paradigm set high and incapable of being revoked –– what she thinks, is what it remains –– after all, impressions proved virtuosity. Greyscale nebula’s bore a hardened glare, crown lumbering low as she stalked closer to the band of wolves and their, well, strives to dig out the narrow-gauged passage. She may’ve been inclined to assist if it hadn’t been for the tintless doll’s proposition, and a complaisant one at that; not that Lebraid would ever dare to admit it, however. Emotions, of course, were bone to none. Silence bided, observing the bijou canine’s expeditions inside the dross infested network -- their markings, they blushed with deliverance -- simultaneously being smeared against the walls for them to adhere. The graveyard’s intentions were never clear, and surely never would be. A guttural, stony growl rumbled from within as she moved past the others, attempting to squeeze her way through the taut, claustrophobic byway. Now, the confines felt too close, daring to strangle what life she’d been given. It was a feeling greatly unwonted, crag and grit scraping against either side of her thick, tousled jacket, muzzle therein creasing in a rather demoniac, unsavoury sneer. Get me the fuck out of here. Action. | “Speech.” | Skill. “Wrong me once, I’ll kill you twice.” Template by Raine <3

The group begins to bicker, though Wake takes the lead and the others begin to follow down the smaller tunnel- however begrudgingly. As they scrape at the dirt, more tree roots become exposed. They notice a particularly thick tree root, riddled with odd bite marks that don't resemble the teeth of anything they're familiar with. Some of the roots are coated in an oddly viscous substance, pooling in small, rounded droplets where the larger roots branch into smaller tendrils.

Corbie had come down with a lantern, probably the most prepared of anyone. Wake's plan on relying on his eyes adjusting and Deluge's glowing coat had caved in along with the tunnel, so he begrudgingly lets the smaller wolf cut in, move down the tunnel. "Just don't get squashed or somethin'," as grumbly as he was about the whole thing, he's got enough brain cells to worry.

Scraping at the exposed roots, Wake's forehead crumples. He knows what wolf bites look like. Hell, he knows what plenty of bites look like, he'd cleaned out plenty of wounds, on wolves and livestock alike. These are... these are nothing he recognizes. "Never seen bites like this, but they still look like teeth." A careful observation, as he then takes to the viscous liquid. Tapping at it, watching the way it coats his paw pads.

Curiously, he sniffs. Then Wake lowers his muzzle and licks the substance, trying to sort out exactly what it could be. Tasting it, because hell, it couldn't be worse than anything he puts in his body already.

"Wake"

As Venom’s white gloved paws dug at the narrow tunnel more and more roots became exposed and she wondered, even if Corbie could slip through, that the larger wolves wouldn’t be able to because of the thick roots that were intertwined here. The once Empress was nocturnal anyway, so was very much used to the darkness, and was unworried for herself as the Avalon alpha paced away with her lanturn. However, she did worry a bit about the woman leaving their incohesive group.

While Venom was worrying about Corbie, Wake’s observation brought her sunset gaze to where he was currently looking. The roots they had only just uncovered were covered in some kind of gnawing bites. More than that they were pooling what was very much not sap. Venom recoiled inwardly, but did not allow the emotion to be seen. Especially as Wake leaned down to consume the unknown liquid. "That doesn’t look like any kind of sap I’ve ever seen.” She offered up unhelpfully as she awaited the boy’s reaction. Which was hopefully not death.

"Venom"

Exposed “Artio” Lebraid Had Lebraid known she’d become squashed against pitted fissures, despite wanting nothing more than to get the fuck out, decree’s may’ve differed —— grit and dross abraded athwart moonless skin, pleaching roots rending where it needn’t be, all while claustrophobia began to fretfully sink in. There was a pause, and not intentionally, as a cavernous, weaponised snarl propelled from inken jowls, slaver ornamenting those serried, ivory canines in a most deviant displeasure. It thundered off the engird space, high-pitched and ghoulish. Why, pray tell, must this be so burdensome? Were they simply toying with her now? She didn’t like it when things didn’t go her way, an infirmity she could not correct, or rather didn’t want to; legs felt taut, almost interwoven over one another as she attempted to step in reverse, jostled jacket splaying in a state of icen panic. The very feeling of it was overwhelmingly detestable, unwonted, a meekness the woman dared not surmise, especially here. She’d continue to push, squeeze, jolt and thrust -- cuts embedded, yet efforts did not blunder -- eventually, and what felt like a goddahm eternity, Lebraid stumbled out of the compressed tunnel with a malefic grunt, greyscale nebula’s strabismic where legs spread to assume a sense of permanence. This was futile, honestly. So, what now? A low, gravelly exhale perforated past wet lips in observation of the unravelling, origins therein coated in a glutinous substance, sapping into beads that bled a pool underneath. The overgrown roots possessed tendrils more elfin, however, albeit its neighbouring relations. The wolf had never seen this before, crown soon lumbering to ogle as she orbited the pair, slow, calculating, silent —— a dead air permeated from her imperceptible soul, saying naught at the expense they’d figure it out themselves, so she didn’t have to. Action. | “Speech.” | Skill. “Wrong me once, I’ll kill you twice.” Template by Raine <3

Wake tastes the thick substance on the root. It spreads across his palette and into every corner of his mouth and throat as it melts. It tastes like putrid rot and turns his tongue dry. The rest of the wolves watch, perhaps noticing the faint but constant thrum under their paws growing more steady as the time passes.

A slow, grinding sound reaches their ears, continuing for a moment before it and the grounds vibrations stop altogether. A beat passes, then another... Three beats of silence.

The world around them explodes. The ground around them cracks and ripples, the rippling of the ground powerful enough to knock down smaller wolves. Rocks burst and tumble outwards as a new threat appears in the grit and dust. A large boulder- no a creature- rips through the crevasse. Its conical head opens and peels back into thick petal-like structures and rock-hard barbs, revealing a bulbous eye which dashes around, locking on each wolf in turn.

The monstrosity writhes, loose debris and flecks of the viscous substance falling over the wolves. Its eye jolts this way and that, quickly searching, yet not seeing. Smaller legs pulse and grip at the rock, pulling the massive worm further out towards the worms. Slowly it creaks to a stop, its large head swinging in the direction of the wolves. Its eye stills, fixed on the wolves. Its spiked petals flex, oozing in anticipation- the worm is aggressive.

As Venom watched the silly boy consume the strange slime she felt the rumbling beneath her white gloved paws. Something felt off, and the need to get out of the tunnels seemed to heighten within her. Like a ringing in her ears, her heartbeat quickened and her silver tipped ears fell back on her skull at the uncanny feeling. That feeling intensified into true vibrations of the earth, Venom began to back up slowly not even certain where they were coming from.

She wasn’t able to react before the rumbling grew stronger and very suddenly the tunnel wall burst open. Venom’s sunset eyes were wide in surprise as her heart stopped and she shoved down the panic rising in her breast as she realized what they were facing. She swallowed down a scream as she lowered herself down into her defenses. There was nothing else to do but get ready for a fight. One that they would surely lose.


"Venom"

"Don't taste like it either," Wake spat, trying desperately to clear his mouth of the foul taste. Reaching for his flask and taking yet another long sip, the laudanum pulling double duty as he tried to taste literally anything else. He'd take the bitter flavor over this garbage. It's only a breath before the beast erupts before him.

Wake goes stiff. Entirely rigid, heart pounding in his chest. The fucker wiggling around in the ceiling, trying to get a fix on where any of the wolves before it were. Wake lifts a rock from the floor, sends it hurtling toward the single, seemingly sightless eye. Hackles up, making himself look as large as possible. Though he's not the most intimidating picture, he's ready. He's so ready.

WAKE UP

Corbie let her mind wander from her companions as they dug at the walls and fought with roots. She meandered a short way away, studying the walls in the lantern light, wondering why what was essentially just a beach would have so many strange, thick roots. Though since it was likely that the roots were the only thing really holding these caverns together, maybe she shouldn't be looking the gift horse in the mouth. Her attention was caught momentarily at a small commotion at the tight entrance, as the gray stranger had managed to shove her way through, and the young man had apparently licked some foul tasting sap from the root. Corbie sighed and shook her head, though her mouth quirked a little in amusement, before the smile faded suddenly under the blow of a very bad feeling. She froze, ears and eyes searching the caverns around for whatever had triggered the feeling...

She was suddenly flung from her paws when the cavern between her and the other wolves seemed to explode. She barely managed to keep hold of the lantern, and in the shaky light as it swung back and forth violently in her jaws, she could see what appeared to be a giant worm like creature. Corbie staggered back to her feet, her hackles rising but otherwise silent, taking in the scene - ready.

Exposed “Artio” Lebraid Three beats, then reticence; an unsettling sensation electrified her veins, before an eruption tore through the labyrinth, earth’s soot cleaving, hurtling and purling as if an earthquake dared to slug them whole. Muscles tensed to surmise permanence atop the rickety loam, bedraggled jacket collecting dust, mire and debris –– what had they done? It took a moment for Lebraid to see past the tumbleweed of grime clouds, cluster, where a creature with conical features soon opens and pares into a meaty, petal-like carbuncle, crowned by ossified barbs around a crisscrossed, bulbous, yet sightless eye. She’d never seen a creature like it, and a calamitous, evil snarl billowed past gaping jowls, nutmeg-hued canines spitting soiled slaver. What in the actual fuck? Its loose dross and flaying of that treacly substance splayed against the graveyard’s attire, tintless nebula’s glaring at this, well, thing; pale bronze and bony tones sopped, and she quickly assumed a bagarre position. Snarls excavated like a tempest in the briny, parallelling off the rotting crevasses -- one boy, even, attempted to hurl a rock at the worm -- honestly, what good will that do? Lebraid’s demeanour held a preternatural, raw belligerence, teeth bared and hackles sizzling with gravity as she kept quiet, observant. Action. | “Speech.” | Skill. “Wrong me once, I’ll kill you twice.” Template by Raine <3

The party grows defensive, studying the monstrous beast to see what they can learn. Wake hurls a rock at the creature, and it reacts surprisingly- what looks like it pupil suddenly splits open, and the rock disappears inside. The action is followed by a horrific grinding noise- and then the worm shudders, letting out a guttural noise... and then a plume of gritty dust billows out into the air, accompanied by that same smell as before, something equal parts sulfuric and putrid.

The beast hesitates for a moment before lunging its meaty body forward, sending the group scattering.

They all seemed to stand frozen, in tableau, while the rock sailed through the air and the worm creature caught it, crunched it up, and wafted a cloud of dust and sulfur out over Wake and the others. The worm's sudden lunge was almost a relief after that frozen feeling, and Corbie sprang back further down the tunnel, the light swinging in her jaws.

Everything felt... focused, crisp-edged, and a deep calm settled over Corbie. A deep, deep calm. The creature was so outside of normal, so outside her wheelhouse, so impossible, that she knew there was no way they'd be getting out of this. This was it, they were done. Acceptance washed clear any fear or anger she might have felt and just left behind this. Calm. The knowledge that just because they weren't all getting out of here, didn't mean she couldn't make sure that some did. If she died, she'd die doing what she'd spent her life doing, and that was ok with her.

Corbie carried that burst of motion, set the lantern down swiftly and plucked Ayer from her shoulders, setting the kinkajou there firmly out of the way. "Stay here, stay safe," she breathed to her, one of her oldest friends. "Be their light and guide them out." Then the alpha of Avalon turned and sprang towards the worm, a determined snarl baring her fangs. She leaped onto the worm's body. Scrabbling with paws and dull claws for a grip, she lunged forward with her jaws to rip and tear at it. If she could distract it from Ayer, from the others, maybe they could escape down the tunnel and out. "Run!" she howled at them through a mouthful of worm, willing them to listen. "Run!"