View source for Log:Kerrigan Memorial

{{ Log
| cast = [[Byron]]. [[Rorschach]], [[Beatrice]], [[Ashe Whelan|Ashe]], [[Damion]], [[Dielle]], [[Paige]]
| summary = The Harvestmen gather to remember their fallen, and eliminate the beast that killed her.
| gamedate = 2017.06.02
| gamedatename = 
| subtitle = 
| location = [[H07]]
| categories = 
| log = 

The path down the side of the valley is narrow and scattered with rocks that have fallen in the interim, but really doesnt venture into the territory of 'treacherous'. Off the path a bit is where the rock has become discolored, the recent rockslide having uncovered a lighter layer beneath as well as a gaping maw in the side of the rock face, raggedly oval in shape with pitch darkness inside it. The bones of some small creature now sit a foot or two outside the entrance, perhaps where they have been picked clean by scavengers or carrion feeders. Even strong light shown into the cave reveals black, oil-covered rock walls and a difficulty seeing all the way into the back without actually stepping inside (and if you DO step inside or even lean in, please let the ST know immediately). Someone probably helped the gargoyle cart out several large glass jugs of what certainly smells like gasoline, and SOMEONE is definitely not getting their deposits back on those huge glass water cooler bottles that were used.

For what it's worth, Byron is giving the cave entrance a respectable bit of distance, a good 10-15 feet for the time being, while he waits for a bit to see if anyone else is going to trudge the way over from Stoneheart. With his axe strapped across his back, he's not really expecting trouble, but then, this IS the Hedge, "Just in case time is a little wonky, I'll give it a few more minutes, then I can say something..."

Paige shows up with a backpack that lightly clanks when she moves. "I brought some liquor and rags. Cheap stuff's for molotov cockails. Good stuff's for us," she says as she draws her gaze away from the cave and toward the jugs. She doesn't go too close to the mouth of the cave, instead stopping near Byron.

Ashe had come out with Byron and the rest of the Harvestmen. While she wasn't a member of the group, she understood that losing a member of their group was not easy. Especially when it was so sudden and unexpected. She is dressed in her usual black clothing, with her Black Apple pendant at her throat. She trails the big gargoyle and there's a small vampire bat that is flapping about above the group. Probably looking for things that might try to eat them. She gives nods of greeting to those that she knows.

Damion is ehre as well. The dragon made his way down the valley to the entrance of the cave, fully kitted out since he was travelling through the Hedge. He stops well away from the entrance, peering curiously into the pitch darkness trying to spot anything that might be moving in there. "So, that's where it happenned then huh?" He was most likely accompanied by a certain lanky roachman.

Dielle came with Damion and Rorschach. She's got a backpack and a grim expression. "Yeah, that's where it happened." Her voice would be flat if it weren't so damned repressed-angry. "I brought a lighter," she calls out. "And marshmallows and long bamboo skewers." She mutters more quietly, "Alocer should be here. Ain't right that he's not." Well, he might be, she won't know.

Rorschach was completely in ROach mode. He had the armoured red coat on and was almost more crawling than walking; limbs bending where theyre shouldn't be joints and the joints he had backwrads at odds with any concept of comfort. TO say he was quiet was completely unnecessary as the man didn't talk. The roach sniffed around at the entrance and scuttled partway up teh wall peering into the darkness. Because if anyone would poke a head in there, right?

Byron waits a few minutes for others to gather, nodding affirmatively at Damion and Rors, "Don't get too close. I don't think the thing can reach outside of the cave, but no sense tempting fate," then clears his throat. Holding what looks like a growler jug full of what smells more like gasoline, complete with a rag screwed into the mouth for homemade molotov cocktail (no, currently unlit), the gargoyle lifts his voice, "In working to find us a place we can work out of and call a home, Kerrigan Desrochers fell victim to one of the many dangers of the Hedge. She faced the danger and the doom of her situation was perhaps only a Dusk would...by making sure her fellow Harvestman and her Hound did not get taken down by the creature as well, while she continued to fight it herself. She unfortunately lost that fight, and this evening we are gathered here to say that, while she may have thought her fate was inevitable, while we are still a team, the consequences for taking down one of the freehold's protectors is also inevitable."

He pauses there for a moment and guestures to the large bottles behind him, "If anyone else wishes to say something, now is your chance to do so, while I and anyone else with a strong back can help me heft these into the cave...because a necessary step of any barbeque is to properly marinate the meat before you cook it." The proverbial floor is surrendered for a moment while the garoyle steps back to bend down and pick up one of the bottles.

Damion glances up at Rorschach hanging off the wall and peering into the darkness. He doesn't think he'd try and go in there. But... "Don't go in, Ror. We're going to handle this from a distance. Don't need to be losing anybody else." He turns his attention back to the group. "I'm sorry I wasn't here when you were here before. If I was, maybe...." He lets out a sigh. "Who knows." He listens to Byron talk, then steps forward to help the gargoyle move the jugs, bending to heft one of the bottles.

"Yeah, let's not lose anyone else," Paige murmurs as she stares at the cave. When Rorschach gets closer she frowns in concern, a hand going in her pocket. A bit paranoid, it seems, of losing the bug. "I can't say that I knew Kerrigan, but still, it's always sad to lose one of our own." She sets her backpack down then tells Byron, "I'll help you move them," she tells him, moving to one of the bottles, bending down to grab one.

"Ror, if you get your dumb ass killed, I will murder you myself." Dielle steps forward and says, "I only really met Kerrigan on the day she died. I think we coulda been friends. I'll help flambe that fuckin' plant with pleasure, and I'll do it because I couldn't save her." There's a lot behind her words, and her body language is tense and angry.

Ashe unshoulders the bow that she has with her and takes a spot in standing where she has a clear line of sight to the cave. Apparently she's going to help light stuff up tonight. There's a look to the large gasoline containers and then to Byron and an apologetic look, "I don't think I can move them." she tells her fellow Autumn. She listens to everyone speak and there's a bit of a smile to the few. Then she goes back to being quiet and awaiting word from Byron.

Byron eloquently grunts his appreciation to the others moving over to grab the jugs, and while he carts his over, he still stops a few feet short and and heaves it, lobbing the whole thing into the cave entrance, rewarded a few seconds later with a CRASH of shattering glass and a splash of liquid. Was that a tiny scream of something accompanying it? With that done, however, he steps back far enough to reach out and give Ashe's back a light scritch, "All good. We have it covered, I think. If I brought too much more, with everything everyone else has, we might blow half the canyon up."

Damion steps closer to the cave, swinging the jug backwards and forwards a few times to build up some momentum, then finally throwing it into the cave with another shattering and splash. Then he steps back and draws his sword, the blade bursting into flame as he grounds the point in front of him. Waiting, just in case the thing decides to flee the fire into the open.

Rorschach hissed witha curdling insectoid rattling hiss at the darkness; and if he had wings they'd be buzzing like a broken toaster at whatever was in there. There were times when teh high wyrd wonder just stopped trying to be human at all like ...welll now. Whatever was inside that coating the wall? It was swiped with a finger and...oh god the bug ate it. Goddamit Roach. Sigh. His brow furrowwed and for the Roteater? Apparently nothing of concern. He turned and signed to Dielle and then pointed to the group. He looked... wellt aht might be slightly angry for a bug.

<<We started this journey with nothing, and she joined us. SHe knew the risks but signed up to be a Harvestmen to take the risks that others wouldn't have to. She was with us when we started this journey and if not for her...and Damion... I wouldn't be standing here right now. SHe kept me from bleeding to death. More importantly she was a talented musician. Just got a band. She was a sister. She was brave, and she was a good enough companion that I would hunt down the daylight from teh sky if she asked. She was our sister here, and she might smack us for going what if... Respect her Ethos. Her sacrifice wasn't because she was weak, it's because she was strong enough to find the dangers to keep them away from us. Tonight? We kill that thing that snuffed her flame so that no one else has to suffer and her sacrifice makes a difference to us, and those that will come after us too. We life. We die so others don't. We're Harvestmen and this is what we fucking do. This hunt? We honour Kerrigan.>>

Dielle translates as Rorschach signs, her eyes on him, not on the group. When she's done speaking because he's done signing, she goes to pick up one of the jugs. She, too, swings it back and forth a few times until the momentum is right and then throws it as far back into the cave as she can. There's another sound of the jug breaking, and splatter everywhere.

Paige carries the jug easily enough, waiting for Byron and Damion to toss theirs before she steps up and flings it as far as she can before she steps back. She sees Rorschach tasting the wall goop and wrinkles her nose. But then she pays attention to his signing. Her expression goes sympathetic and takes a step toward him. "We do, yes. That was well said, Rorschach," she agrees, nodding with a small smile.

Ashe looks to Dielle and Rorschach as he signs and she gives a sad smile to his words. She was sad for their loss. There's a bit of a nod at the end of his speech, agreeing with his words on honoring their missing sister. She then gives a look to Byron and the others to see how they are doing.

Byron waits until all of the jugs have been tossed in, murmuring a thank you, and listens to Dielle's translation of Inkblot's signing, nodding slowly at her words and the commentary the others are making, offering another thank you to Inkblot specifically. He waits a little longer to see if anyone else has something to add, then lifts his voice again to the group, "I'm not going to be anywhere as eloquent as that. I didn't end up here because I can speak well." He picks his growler back up again, this time stopping to light the cloth, and addresses the crowd, "If you have your own flame to add, arm yourselves. To this particular creature, and anything else smart enough to understand our words, if you think you're going to come after us...fuck you. We will dance on your corpses." With that said, he waits a moment for others to light em if they got em, and throw.

Damion pulls his revolver from his holster, aiming the weapon into the darkness where the spilled gasoline might be. He waits for the others to ready themselves as well, and fires as soon as people start to throw. A flaming gold bullet cuts a line through the air into the cavern, his face taut as he does. He doesn't seem to have any words at the moment, eloquent or otherwise. But the intensity of the heat of his Mantle does give a good indication of the rage he's suppressing at the creature in there that took away one of them.

Rorschach nodded slowly to Byron in return. His mantle, once black, was a deep sanguine red like the shadow of the blood moon crawling and tinting everything around him like a gouge in teh darkness. His growler was hefted in and he, lacking fire or projectile, just crouched in front of his roommate letting Damion fire overhead, and hanging onto that pitted, radioactive blade of his unsheathed and ready to chemically melt anything that tried to lash out of the hole. Here nasty nasty ansty nasty...

Ashe lights the wrapped arrowhead that she's got on the end of her arrow and then takes aim at the inside of the cave. There's a nod to Byron before she looses the arrow. Because fiery arrows were a great way to send people off.

Paige moves back to her backpack, pulling out a bottle, then two. She opens them, shoves a rag inside then pulls out a lighter. She moves closer to the entrance of the cave, then offers one to Rorschach, along with a lighter. "Do you want to throw one?" she asks, holding the other, just waiting for the rag/fuse to be lit.

Dielle gets a look on her face as she watches Ashe, like she wants to be able to do that. Instead, she pulls a ball of rags, with some hanging off the end. She lights it, swings it, and throws it in. It's not as dramatic as an arrow or a Molotov cocktail. But it's something. She says something under her breath.

Byron waits until the streaks of flame begin to lance across the short distance, then just hauls over and throws his improvised molotov. As the flames streak into the darkness, the gargoyle has enough presence of mind to reach back and try to shield and Paige (and well, anyone else next to him) as the vapor catches.

The effect is well, fantastic. With a loud crack and a shockwave of explosion, the cave turns into a massive fireball, ejecting flame and compressed air out that might well knock anyone close on their asses, and maybe even singe a few eyebrows. A second or two after the deafening sound, the group can definitely hear the animalistic screaming that echoes from inside of something in excruciating agony. Those with very good vision might even make out a large mass, about the size of a smartcar, thrashing around in the back of the cave.

As the flames come shooting out of the cave, Damion steps in front of Rorschach, crouching down and raising his arms to cover his face. When things pass he peers into cave again. He squints into the darkness, trying to spot the source of the screaming. He only has okay eyes though, so doesn't quite manage to spot it. Despite its size. "So that sound is it then, is it?" He raises his gun again, trying to aim by sound at the source of the noise, and fires off a few quick shots to speed it on its way.

Rorschach had no concerns about being smashed flat or the toxic vapors. Weirdly it was exciting for him. Fire, diesel, smoke and dust, and the screaching of his enemy? It was like a homecoming. He huddled from the explosion behind the dragon, and perhaps for Kerrigan's sake signed to the cavern with a manic grin <<Blood for the Blood God, mother fucker>>. He watched as much as he could, until the view collapsed and the fire got too bright. His hand pat Damion's side to let him kno whe wasn't too singed or anything. Turns out Dragons and Gargoyles? Make GREAT heat shields folks. Fun factoid for later to remember on formation.

And for the first time in a few days, Dielle smiles. It's not a nice smile, not in the least. She's /enjoying/ the fact that the damn plant is dying. She doesn't care if it /is/ hot, although she does care enough to take a step back, but she doesn't look away. She drinks in the death of that bastard plant.

Paige lights the second bottle she brought over, waiting for the cloth to catch before she flings it in, adding to the other flames filling the cave. There's no smile on her lips, no satisfaction or much of anything, she just watches the flickering of the fire.

Ashe reaches up and pats Byron on the back, letting the big guy know that she's fine post explosion. And boy, was that an explosion. When the screams start inside there's a bit of a smile, "I think it's regretting things right about now." she tells them.

Byron ducks his head a litttle against the heat and the blast, then slowly straightens up as the screaming starts. To Damion's question, he slowly nods, "I bet it is, but Im happy to wait around until the flames finally go out, to walk in and hack anything left to bits. Or we can keep lighting it up and burn the ash to ash. Either way, I will feel a little better..."

Damion nods back, "Mmm. I kind of want to see this thing. It killed one of us. Imagineing it suffering without being able to picture it isn't quite the same." He holsters his revolver, then lifts his sword and resheaths it as well before straightening up. He glances around to make sure everybody else is okay. "On the other hand, if it's only injured it might still be dangerous. I can go in first when we do check, if you want." He makes a note to himself to start carrying a flashlight or something with him just in case.

The flames themselves don't take too long to burn out, but the heat lingers for a while longer. For those brave enough to withstand it, a peek inside the cave will reveal rosk now darkened by charring, the white of whatever stone it is showing through in places, while the oily...whatever it was..has been burned off. At the back of the cave is a large, steaming, smoking hulk. A literal mass of burned vegetation like something out of Little Shop of Horrors. Well, it LOOKS dead...

Dielle peeks in, and can see the last few embers in the plant. She looks from it, to her companions-in-arms, and says, quietly, "Could we burn it a few more times? Just to be sure? I can't watch anyone else get killed by it."

Paige looks into the cave for a moment before she looks to Byron. She starts to speak then shakes her head slowly and looks to Rorschach. Probably checking on how he handled all the light. "I've got alcohol, for people who want to drink a toast to Kerrigan."

Ashe gives a look around Byron and then lights another arrow head as she edges a bit closer to the cave. Once she's got a good line of sight and can see the 'dead' Audrey, she looses the arrow right into it. Because more fire was good.

Damion peers into the cavern, eyeing the seemingly dead looking plant monster. He glances at Dielle. "It looks pretty dead....." He draws his revolver again, taking careful aim at the pile of burnt plant matter, then shooting it once. He waits to see what sort of reaction it has to the burning projectile hitting it. Though if it is still alive, the arrow probably would get a reaction first. Reholstering his weapon, he carefully draws his sword and steps into the cave. Holding the weapon in front of him, and ready to leap back if it moves.

Rorschach was not the person one wanted to be standing near withthe blade out. It was noxious and nauseating to be in proximity of which was to say: do not lick. He watched the extra rounds and the last arrow the Autumn custodian fired before crawling in after the damn thing. Cautious bug was being cautious.

Not everyone who came tonight has hung nearby, but with the flames dying down Beatrice finally makes an appearance. She has been off watching the perimeter for unwelcome surprises. Beatrice's expression is grim, a tired shake of her head as she surveys the cave. "It is done?"

When people step into the cave, well, Dielle might have a hesitant moment, but this time, nothing tries leeching out of the rocks to tangle everyone up. Damion's rounds and Ashe's arrow impact the hulk and move it slightly with the force of impact, sloughing off a few roasted petals in a shower of sparks and ash, but no, the thing doesn't seem to be moving. If its playing dead, it's doing an Oscar worthy moment of it.

If it was playing dead it wasn't going to be playing much longer. The Roach, Rorschach was slightly easy to follow with the blade glowing a noxious green in the dark. He scuttled around on the wall above before dropping just far enough away to... not at all dramatically injure the thing but nick it with that knife and roll back before taking to the charred insides of the wall again. Almost instantly the areal looked infected, damaged, blistering from a chemical burn under the pulpy seared flesh of one tentacly appeandage.

Byron takes a deep breath and lets it go in a sigh, though he glances over at Beatrice's question, "Damion and Inkblot I think are verifying that. I think we want to make absolutely sure there's nothing left of that thing but ash." He pauses, leaving fingertips on Ashe's back while he turns his attention back to the cave, "Thank you all for coming out and helping."

"Be careful, Rorschach," Paige tlls the bug, frowning with concern. Her hand goes into her pocket and remains there until he emerges. Paranoid harpy is paranoid.

Dielle pulls out her own gun, and just waits. She nods at Byron, once, her eyes hooded as she peers into the cave. She doesn't have a lot of words left.

Well, now that Rorschach has nicked the thing it's probably going to be a pile of sludge soon. Damion prods it with the tip of his sword, then steps back and sheaths it again. "I'm just sorrty that this happenned, Byron. But justice has been dealt, so that's something." He turns back to the others. "I've never seen anything like that before though. Which I suppose isn't saying much for a Hedge monster."

Beatrice nods a bit to Byron's answer, turning her eyes to scan the nearby area. Her attention isn't on the cave, even now. "A lot of noise and light."

Byron takes a few steps forward to the edge of the cave to look, peering in after the two, while reaching up to place his hand on the haft of his axe, "Anything still twitching?" Indeed, no, from where Rors nicked it, the thing seems to be degenerating rather rapidly, and well, it was fairly Well Done before that ever happened. Of course, one that might want to prod and sift in there might find bits of Kerrigan bone if they really wanted, but, eew. To the noise and light comment, he grunts softly, "I think we're done here, but anything that would actually try somethign with the large number of us around is either suicidal or way more than we can handle."

Ashe gives a look over things and then to the others as she sees things are getting to the part of drinking or heading off. She gives a squeeze to Byron's arm and a whisper to him before she turns into a pretty large bat and flies off with her other one in tow.

Rorschach signed in teh dark <<I'm always careful!>> That said he was also really the only one of them that was much radiation-proofed and started picking throughteh plant. What he was doing taking his time in there was anyone's guess. Best to be through. He tugged on Damion's pantleg and signed up to him <<Well cave is clear now if we want it?>>

Dielle picks up a stick and pokes about. "We should see if there's anything left of her, in case her asshole brother wants to bury her," she says, quietly. Sometimes, her sense of what's appropriate sucks.

Paige doesn't call out anymore warnings, but then, neither does her hand come out of her pocket. Still cautious. Silly harpy. But she still watches, waits.

Damion glances down at Rorschach. He raises a brow at the signs from him. "Not sure what we'd want with it, but I suppose so." He looks at the pile of plant matter. "They were here looking for a place for the Harvestman Hollolw, right?" He glances around. "It doesn't really look big enoguh for that."

Rorschach signed up toDamion confused <<Pleanty of space.>> If you are accustomed to sleeping under a couch if it's too sunny out, sure. Totally capatious. He returned out, following Damion and made one sign <<Ended.>>

Byron murmurs, "If her brother keeps his antics up...burying his sister is going to be the LEAST of his problems. I told him to shut up and behave and somehow I doubt he's been doing that." With that said, the gargoyle DOES finally stick his head in and slowly look around, grunting softly, "Well, its not unreasonable. We'll go over the options Monday and decide, so we can get some crafters working on helping us get whatever place we decide on, ready. The Soundless aren't going to just sit there and wait for us to get our act together." To Ashe's whisper he nods slowly and bends down to steal a kiss from the shadowmonster Custodian, then straightens back up, "Alright. Anyone that wants to linger further, don't do it alone. The rockslide could have upset something else we just havent seen yet. I have a couple of things to work on before the meeting, so we can at least look like we know what we're doing."

Beatrice doesn't have to be told twice. She scans the way they came a little longer before gesturing for others to start moving, stepping out on point herself.

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