Return to Hishep-Ratep 1

===> COH <===> 4/22/2020, 3:40:31 PM <===

	RETURN TO THE TOMB OF HISHEP-RATEP!

	The devil tells a lie
	As we eat we breathe we drink we dream
	Our angels pass us by
	As our eyes stay blind to everything
	We all got our demons
	Living under our skin
	We all got our reasons
	For the ways that we live
	:: Boga - We All Got Our Demons

	Mo was pacing in agitation inside the airship hangar by the Gam Saan mine. Mr. Fu was napping atop a crate.

	The time was late afternoon, an hour or so before dusk.

	The Adventurer! (tm) and dhampyr had put out work to his pals that he was in need of help.

Lana arrives by being driven by Johnny Foo one of the gangers in chinatown, she is dressed as normal and keeps a satchel with her this time slung over one shoulder. "The spirits said you needed the Dragon's aid once more." she offers as the Mazda XR-9 and Johnny drives off.

A motorcycle pulls into view and then parks whereever possible and a man wearing what can be described as a mission suit hops off and heads towards Mo with a wave.

	Mo squints when the door to the airship hangar opens and Lana and company let in some of the late day sun, a hand coming up to shield his eyes. "Hey, get in here and shut the door behind you, will ya!"

	When the car arrives, Lana can already spot Xiu waiting on the roof of the hangar. Not that the witch said hi to Mo just yet. She, once again, arrived early - due to her starting her walk here a good day back.
	It's the arriving motorcycle though that gets her attention there. She narrows her eyes from her higher position, trying to identify the man that came riding - and it's only as Emrick draws closer to the hangar that here eyes..widen a bit. Another glance is cast towards Lana, a smile - even if from far away - before Xiu turns and moves alogn the roof, before letting herself in through one of the higher windows.

Lana eyes the space man with a strange look in her silvery flashing eyes and then shrugs her shoulders and moves over to join Mo and Xiu in the hangar. "Soo whats cooking Mo?"

	Mo raises a finger to his lips, then indicates the napping Mr. Fu. "Mr. Fu is in dragonsleep. Things are brewing. Inauspicious things." A pause as the youth's brow furrows. "But that's not why I called for help." He takes a seat on another crate. "I, ah. I sponsor the ADMC, y'know? Chinese biker gang. They do some work for me, and I bring'em luck. That sorta thing?"

Emrick gives a nod to the others and then listens to Mo as he explains what's up.

	Xiu quietly makes her way down inside from the roof, the girl dropping quietly onto the floor into a crouch before she rises, stretches...and silently moves towards Mo and Mr. Fu from the other direction. And then?
	She crouches down behind Fu, reaching out and about to just suprise-cuddle the dragon, electric shocks be damned...when she realizes that he is asleep. "Helllooooo..." she whispers to Mo, glancing up at him for a moment. Though then her eyes are on the strangely dressed...man. Probably a man. The opposite of herself. Him, all covered up. Her, lacking any cover. Though not decoration.

	Mo addresses Lana and Emrick. "Well, I forgot that we left behind that gem atop the statue. The one of Hishep-Ratep from the tomb? And I figured it'd be good to get some extra capital since we're making progress on the repair and restoration of the Nashira," he says, jerking a thumb over his shoulder to indicate the vintage aetherzeppelin behind him. "But I got busy, so I sent some of my biker bros to go and get it for me, y'know? Thought it'd be an EZ-PZ snatch-n-grab, I'd split the loot with folks for their trouble." A sigh and a pregnant pause. BUT THEN? XIU DROPS IN! MO STARTLES! "HOLY MOLEY, XIU! GIVE A GUY SOME WARNING!" The youth catches his breath and settles down again. "Oi. WHere was I? Oh right. From EZ-PZ to pear-shaped. 'cause it apparently? It wasn't EZ-PZ." He looks up at those assembled now, including Xiu. "A raven spirit came. A psychopomp-raven. The biker bros I sent to recover the gem? They're - the raven thinks they're dead."

Lana folds her arms over her chest as she studies MoGui and nods her head slowly. "You did get the Orb yes?" she arches an eyebrow as she studies the other man. "See I recall you stating all else but the Orb were the property of the Dragon of the Wing Kong." she smiles softly. "I wont hold it against you, I like you Mo but be wary of what you offer and what you can give." Her gaze shift over towards Xiu and she smiles softly.

Emrick nods, "Uh, I dunno about all that, but ya, if you got buds that need checking up on I'm in." and the he looks to Lana and back to Mo, "We gonna get like, cursed or something if we tak stuff from this place?"

Li Bong has arrived.

	Xiu lets out a hearty chuckle, grinning at Mo's reaction. "Shh. Mr. Fu is sleeping." she points out to him, before her eyes flick towards Lana - and then the masked man again, her attention spread between Mo's words and the man's appearance again. "Hrm." she lets out. "When we fled, the whole place was filled with screaming vines. It was..a bit reckless to just send the bikers there." she murmurs and eyes Mo from the corners of her eyes. "Who knows what was waiting for them." Then a smirk moves her lips at Lana's words. "And I seem to recall that as well. You promised Lana she could take what she wanted - aside of the orb that you got."
	It's when Emrick now speaks up that her attention flicks to him and she narrows her eyes. Trying to pin down that voice muffled by the mask. She...can't. Ahh, silent frustration.

Arriving in typical fashion, with the clutter of something knocked over and metal somehow clanging against other metal, (Even in a forest, the drunken monk will find a way to make as much noise as possible) Li Bong arrives. He's late (like usual), but has brought gifts (like usual).

Li Bong has his canvas bag over one arm, and a tray of fresh fruit, some Chinese pastries, and even a couple bottles of Kambucha that are rolling around. That must be the clinging-clanging sound.

	Mo looks to Lana and nods, "Yeah, well nothin' stopped you or anyone else from grabbing anything the last time, or going back to grab anything since then, so if it was still there, it was still there, and I figured it was up for grabs?" A shrug, "But then it might've ended up being your corpse we'd be going out looking for and not the three bikers I sent out, so. Small favors an' all that."

	Mo was in an airship hangar, speaking with Lana, Xiu, and Emrick, filling them in on the latest developments. Xiu get a nod, "Things were kinda crazy down in the tomb, yeah, but up topside, they seemed to be less so?" A frown. "At least that's what I thought, anyway."

Emrick nods then, "Right, so, no curses then, hopefully. That's good. Oh, the medical golem is operational Mo, so if we need it it'll engage." and he reaches back to tap the metal halfsphere on the back of his suit.

Lana nods her head slowly. "One could argue such Mo, or one could argue it was the Dragon's claim and he choose to do with it as he pleased." she smiles. "Moot point, I am here to help if you need it."

	"Yeah, everything topside looked calm when we arrived, but that was before the whole place got turned inside out..." Xiu murmurs to Mo..before she pauses. And blinks. "Actually, I do not think it was the plants at all. Remember what we found? The altar? The lycanthropic magic? Somebody else *using* that place?" she points out.
	It's when Li Bong's noise announces him that she looks up...and smirks. She looks just as he might remember her - well, somewhat. The witch is fully human in shape it seems, just like at the end of their last adventure at the tomb. "Well, look who it is..." she murmurs.

Li Bong smiles as he shuffles over, holding the tray up, not to MoGui, who probably called him here, but to Emrick.
	"Would you care for a probiotic for your oganic parts, Mister GoBot?" He looks over to Xiu and gives a wink. "Demon Troll Lady. How's it hangin'?"

	Mo gives Lana a nod, "At this point, I'm just looking to see if my guys are still alive, and if not? Then recover the bodies and give'em a proper goodbye." A sigh as a hand goes to rub at the back of his neck. He looks to Lana, "Yeah, but. Ugh. Like, no one else was there when we went. Maybe it had been a while since all that?" Clearly the weight of the potential loss weighs heavily upon him, as he potentially sent his bikers to their demise. Then he looks to Li Bong and tries to muster up a smile, even if it doesn't reach all the way up to his eyes. "Hey hey, the gangs all here."

Emrick shakes his head to Li Bong, "No, thank you." he says in hopefully a warm tone, through that helmet. "You can all call me 'Fix' while were out and about on adventures. I'm good with gear." he nods, though that probably didn't need to be explained. "And decent in a fight. Here when Mo calls." he explains and then looks to Mo, "Ready to head out?"

Li Bong frowns, tilting his head.
	"I brought Mango Coconut." He shrugs, settig it on a box, or crate, or whatever janky shit MoGui uses for furniture in his chopshop. And he plucks up another bottle - this one Berry Ginger.
	"Good day all. I did not bring my bicycle this time. Should i secure a bus ticket and meet you there in... 6 hours?"

	Mo shakes his head at LB's inquiry. "We can take the jeep," he says, indicating a beat-up old jeep in the hangar.
Li Bong looks Fix up and down, "Does GoBot fit in jeep?"

	Xiu can't help but softly chuckle at the GoBot comment. She doesn't *get* it, but she gets the gist of it - and Li Bong, if anything, has shown how to make amusing entrances. "Greetings, Bong Li." she says, before she glances at Emrick. "Alright then, 'Fix'.." she says as she rises slowly onto her feet, her plan of giving Mr. Fu all the scritches in the world for now cancelled. "You get to play mystery man for a while. If Mo trusts you, that is good enough for me.." she remarks, before she steps around Mo with silent barefoot steps , and heads for the monk - before she playfully puts her palms together and does a light bow. "I'll take a berry ginger."

	Mo smiles ruefully at LB's question. "I guess we're gonna find out!" In Mo's corner - the jeep was nice and roomy. "But he can also ride his motorcycle if he'd rather." Mo looks to the sleeping Mr. Fu, "We'll be back, Mr Fu. If not? Call in the cavalry," he whispers as he leans down to nuzzle the small dragon. And then? He's heading for the jeep.

Li Bong's tray has a couple bottles of kambucha left, including the berry-ginger. And some pastries. And a clutch of grapes. He looks back to Fix for the SlowBot to answer, but matches Xiu's bow in the meantime.

When everyone has done their thing, he follows MoGui as the chariot awaits!

Emrick nods "Ya, don't take up more space than any other folk, I reckon." and he moves around a bit to show he's just a dude in a fancy motorcycle suit or something of the like. "Thanks." he says genuinely to Xiu, "Just along to assist Mo, won't cause any trouble for any'a ya folks." he nods and then thinks, "Sure, I'll take my bike, it's likely faster, and unbreakable to boot, so in a pinch it'll be available as an extra way out no matter what." he nods and then goes to get on it.

	As everyone either piles on into the jeep, or takes their own alternate mode of conveyance? Mo hops into the driver's seat and brings the jeep's engine to life. Soon? Everyone is tearing off into the mojave as the sun begins its descent beneath the horizon. By the time they near the obfuscated copses of coniferous trees, it will have disappeared from view.
	"Wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round. Round and round..." signs LiBong from the back seat as they ride. It's quiet, and mostly unintelligible with his accent, but it's either that or the crap KPop Boy Band music coming off the stereo.

	Xiu chooses the berry ginger - and heads for the jeep, herself. This time she watches Li carefully the time he enters - and later, when he *leaves* it. But during the ride? She pulls out her towel, parks her naked butt on it - and similar to their last ride, she decides to take a snooze in between.

	Mo kills the engine to the jeep, and lets it roll to a silent stop. He looks over to the others. "We're here." Well, here being the trailhead that led to the tomb of Hishep-Ratep, anyway.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Li Bong rolls Perception + Alertness  vs 6 for 3 successes.
2 3 4 +8 +10 +10
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Emrick hops off the bike and then stretches a bit, as they're out in the wild he whistles and a cell-phone sized mechanical dragon launches from a compartment in his bike to begin circling overhead.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Emrick rolls Perception + Alertness  vs 6 for -1 successes.
-1 3 4 5 5
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Emrick rolls 10   vs 6 for 6 successes.
2 2 4 5 +6 +6 +7 +9 +10 +10
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

	It's funny how that works - when there is constant noise in your sleep, it's when it suddenly is gone what wakes you back up. Such is the case with Xiu as the engine gets killed, and she slowly opens her eyes before she sits up and peers out of the jeep. Familiar surroundings...in a way.
	From a sit into a crouch she goes, from the floor back into her satchel goes the towel, and with a swift motion the witch lunges over the back of the jeep, assisted by a hand for support. She quietly lands on the ground..and then glances back, watching Li get out. Just in case. Just in case he stumbles again.

This time... Li Bong hops out of the jeep perfectly. Landing on his feet (black converse), with his bag and bamboo pole over his shoulder.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Xiu rolls Perception + Alertness  vs 6 for 2 successes.
1 2 2 +8 +9 10
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

	Folks will notice:
	0 succs - its dark out!
	1 succ - someones been through here!
	2 succ - On a motorcyle!
	3 succs - In fact, on three motorcycles!
	4+ succs - Something else too - animals of some sort.

Li Bong can tell automatically. He spots the tracks.
	"Three bikes. American tires. At least one of them... Was riding heavier." He squats a bit to look at a tread, but then the robobird flies around. He gives it an idle swat, before realizing it's friendly.
	"GoBot has a Bobo," He laughs, smiling. "Exciting times!"

The dragon golem flies near the ground and chitters a bit and Emrick looks to it and then back down to the ground for a long while before he sees what is being pointed out to him. "Says there's three tracks equivalent to my bike, and something animal like. Though not what kind of animal, I'll have to expand his database. Note to self." he nods.

	Mo frowns. None of this seemed good. He muttered a curse in Mandarin, voice clipped and high intonated. His hands reach across his body, flipping open his dual shoulder holsters to keep his heavy revolvers at the ready. "Ok, we should all go in close, together, except maybe Xiu does her mistress of all things forest and green type thing?" The man wasn't a tactician - he was just spitballing.

	Xiu notices the motorcycle tracks easily enough. But that was to be expected, from the story that Mo told them. She quietly glances around for a moment, before she actually turns and nods to mo. "I can look for survivors.." she agres. "And that approach that would work best, I agree." Of course she does. And with that, she begins to head for the trees.
	But she does not enter the undergrowth just yet. Instead she stops..and seems to be looking around on the ground.

	"Are we in a hurry, Mister MoGui?" Li Bong asks, still squatting down on the ground.

Emrick nods as he looks at the tracks, "System scan, search, track types." and then he waits a short moment while presumably something happens inside his helmet or whatnot, nodding he says, "Canine, wolf best match, but irregular and too large for any true matches of known species in the national geographic database."

	Mo looks over to LB and shrugs, "I mean, I guess we have til dawn? I do my best work at night, once the sun comes up, I get a little crabby. But we should take our time and exercise caution, yeah. Sorry, I get a little overeager." BOY, MO, WAS THAT AN UNDERSTATEMENT!

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Li Bong rolls Arete  vs 4 for 1 successes.
1 +8 10
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Li Bong rolls Wits + Investigation  vs 5 for 5 successes.
3 +5 +6 +8 +8 +9
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

	Xiu takes another few steps around. It's almost like she's on a prowl there for a moment, for...something in the grass. And then, she suddenly crouches down quickly and her hand snaps forward. When she pulls it back, she is holding a handful of soil and grass...and the large beetle she caught. She smiles, and brushes some of her excessively long braids back...before she brings it all to her mouth. And slowly eats it up, chewing. The beetle. The soil, the grass.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Xiu rolls Arete  vs 4 for 0 successes.
1 1 6 6
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Still squatting down near the treads, the Chinese monk rubs his hand over the soil, lifting a bit up to sift thru his fingers. He squints into the darkness, looking left. Looking right. He wrinkles his nose and stands up, walking around the area. It's like he's studying the site, the tires, and ... maybe coming up with a theory on -exactly- what happened.

Li Bong is quiet for a few minutes.

Emrick stands nearby and takes the time to check all his gear and buckles and such, and run a diagnostic on his systems while he waits for the others to commune with nature and such.

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Emrick rolls Intelligence + 2   vs 4 for 1 successes.
1 2 2 +6 6
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Xiu loses one Magical Essence
Xiu loses one Willpower
<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Xiu rolls Arete  vs 3 for 0 successes.
1 2 2 9
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

And she swallows it, too. Xiu just crouches there, eyes closed for a moment...and there is a subtle frown playing over her lips. Silently she rises and begins to walk around again silently, again on that prowl - looking for a next..beetle? Thing? Critter? Weirdest meal? What *is* she doing?
	It takes a minute or two before she crouches down again. Another grasp. Another...little insect critter. Soil. Grass. She brings them to her mouth again and just devours it once more.
	Another minute passes..and she rises again. Her eyes are actually filled with subtle worry as she glances around. "These lands are strange.." she murmurs "I cannot....see."

	"The three motorists arrived here, obviously." Says Li Bong. He points to where they parked. Before the turn around.
	"They unloaded their gear. Lights. Rope. They knew what to expect, but not everything that would happen. They proceeded on foot, this way." He walks to where they left the little clearing.
	"Four... no five. 5 -beasts- wreathed in shadow stalked into the camp. Whispers. Mysteries. They followed the men into the darkness, along the trail." Again, he walks back from the edge of the clearing, to the bikes, and back. He's pointing to represent a progression of movement.
	"And then... later... three men returned. But..." A finger in the air, "Different men!"

	Mo frowns. At bither Li Bong's investigative findings, and at Xiu being unable to work her mojo in this forsaken place. A pause, and then Mo clears his throat. "Master Hishep-Ratep was a rumoured follower of the demon-god Ahriman." He says it as if was Not A Good Thing. WHich it in all likelihood? Was not.

Emrick looks to Li Bong as he says all that, "Right, uh, ok." he pauses and draws a shape on the chestplate of his armor (activating +2 arcane to those who aren't already looking at him, aka future monsters) and then nods, "Do we want a bunch'a light on then? I can turn on all the bulbs." he asks, "Since, shadow monsters?"

	"Maybe just a night light. So I am not scared while cuddled in my girlie bed." Says Li Bong to Fix, before walking over to MoGui and gesturing back to the trail.
	"The men who took your motorcycles were wearing monks robes. Bad ones. Ugly ones. Like old dish towel. They are bad men, MoGui. Very, very bad."

	Mo's frown deepens, and he pulls both heavy revolvers from his shoulder holsters. They look WWII vintage, but well-cared for and immaculately maintained. "I sent those bikers to their death," he says softly, voice full of sadness. "I was supposed to be their lucky charm..."

	"Hrm." Xiu does not quite make sure what to make of Mo's words - but hey. it does not sound good. She glances at the others, before she finally steps between the trees and the undergrowths, disappearing into the terrain she can handle best. Mo knows. He won't worry. Probably.

	"Maybe they just strung up by their veins and being tortured?" Offers Li Bong.
	"Look on the bright side, Adventure Man!"

<---======##====================[ Dice Roll ]=====================##======--->
Xiu rolls Dexterity + Stealth + Arcane  vs 6 for 8 successes.
3 3 4 5 +6 +6 +7 +8 +8 +8 +9 +10
<-------------=============++++++++++++++++++++++++=============------------->

Emrick looks to the group "So, follow the trail?" he looks to Mo for marching orders, as a paperthin shield magnetizes from a backplate to his left arm with stretch of an arm and an audible click.

	Mo looks over to Emrick, then readies is revolvers and give a small nod. "We follow the trial."

Li Bong grins, "The Trail IS the trial." And then he steps aside, "GoBot. You lead. You look like you can soak a blast to the chest easier than me!"

===> Log ended by user <===> 4/22/2020, 8:17:35 PM <===