14985/JLD: Alpine Rescue

JLD: Alpine Rescue
Date of Scene:	25 May 2023
Location:	Cascade Mountain Range, Washington State, USA
Synopsis:	Talia al Ghul, Tynan Ireton and Belinda Guitierrez save a missing PhD student who was kidnapped by fire elementals in the Cascade Mountains.
Cast of Characters:	Nettie Crowe, Talia al Ghul, Belinda Gutierrez, Tynan Ireton

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Nettie Crowe has posed:
    The Cascade Mountain Range is 'mildly' volcanic. That's what Nettie had said as the group had rounded on the highway a while ago, and saw the crater of Mt. Saint Hellen. Crater in that it was missing a good fourth of its side since the volcano errupted and caused a cataclysmic event.

    "So, what we have is a Pee-Ache-Dee student who's gone missing -- they're a pretty decend hiker. They had a sattillite phone and a tracker, but hasn't pinged for about two days. Indicative of something going wrong." Nettie introduces the event, wearing a gray wool parka over a darker gray tee shirt, gray pants and a good pair of hiking boots. Her hair's tied back with a rainbow bandana though, and the crow on her shoulder was also wearing a jacket. It's cold. There's still snow on the ground in places and it's late May.

    "We have something from their dorm room with their scent on it," Nettie holds up a sweatshirt with WASHINGTON STATE on it, drawn from a plastic bag.

    "So, the goal, find and retrieve the student, return them safely to base."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Why is she here? Not thats he particularly cares about the scholastic pursuits, but her father is in town. That has driven Talia to the edge of paranoia (actually well past it). So that means picking up as many favors as possible. She's not sure that she'll be safe at the Nook - nor does she want to put them in a position of having to safeguard it from her father's agents. But still.. Favors are favors.

And it would hopefully take her father at least a few hours to stalk her up to a volcano deep in the mountains. Well, it wasn't a volcano here. But, there was always hope for improvement. Global warming.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
A challenge! Tracking through snow is always going to be more difficult, but Belinda grins eagerly from ear to ear as she leans in, listening intently, practicallity salivating over the chance to prove herself. All that practice finally paying off. And in the forest too, not the city. Squee!

"Will the weather hold clear for us?" she asks, a frown across her features as she focuses with laser-minded intent on the sweatshirt. Already, nostrils a'quiver. Detail, meanings, correlations. SCENT. Unlike the others, she prepares herself by shuffling off her jacket, the oversized shirt she has on-- "I <3 NYC". Preparing. "I can still track through if it snows," she cautions, "But after two days... Hypothermia. Cold sickness." She glances, head tilting. "Rabid angry yetis?"

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    So, Ty didn't have anything to do. No missions, no paperwork, no tea, no booze, and a very large lack of this thing called money. Plus Ty has her toes dipped in both magic and technology. The woman stretches her legs in the back seat. "Are we sure she just didn't lose power in the devices, or didn't find some guy to spend some quiet time with?", she asks. The merc does have a tac vest on underneath an oversize sweatshirt. It is a mission. "I also brought my Barth charm with me. I've gotten better with it. Its range I think at the moment is 100 meters.", she tells.

    The merc opens up a Doctor Pepper, and takes a long drink from it. Ty takes a moment to flip a page on her latest cheese romance novel. Small sigh, slight blush. They arn't on site yet, so no need to get too professional yet...

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "No, Yeti is in the Himalayas. Out here it's Sasquatch that is generally the Large Furry Monster." Nettie replies, "And I speak Sasquatch, much to everyone's dismay."

    They arrive at the 'base', which is off a remote old logging road. There's an ancient cabin and a long rusted-out volkswagon bug that has been tipped onto its roof.

    "This particular mountain we're exploring was of interest to them due to their studies. They're Aboriginal History and Religion specialists of the Folklore discipline."

    Nettie drains her travel mug, which has 'WHAT NOW WITCHES?' on it, and is covered with sparkles. No, she didn't choose it.

    "And there had been some talk about a spiritual site. We have that location." she states, setting down her mug and walking out of the hired bus, and the driver looks very mildly worried about the whole sasquatch and kidnapped student angle.

    Nettie takes a look around, and then looks to Corvax. "About ten miles, as the crow flies. Meet you there." she states to the bird before Corvax gives a caw, and takes off.

    "All right, gather 'round -- who here has never been teleported via magic?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would go to consider over then while musing.. "A few times. It's not particularly pleasant but one does what they have to." But, there were worse ways to travel after all. It got them where they wanted to go.. And hopefully not so dissassociated if they were dropped into the middle of a fight that they all got gunned down where they stood. Or landed.
    Or at least if they were dropped into the middle of one anyone that would attack them would be just as baffled as their arrival as they were.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda raises her hand, calm and tranquil and fooling aboslutely nobody with any hint of experience. "Not me!" she offers cheerfully, practically bouncing on her toes. Dressed *down* for a hike in utterly, aggravatingly cold environs? Shorts and a simple t-shirt? Surely a glutton for punishment or taking on some bizzarre version of the 'Polar Bear Challege'.

Or just insane. One or the other.

"Good thing we have our own Large Furry Monster then!" she answers with absolute confidence. Surity. Eagerness! And a pause, to pop one last jalopeno into her mouth, chewing with a sigh. Mmmm!

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    "I havn't teleported in a long while. Was hopping to learn the magic, until having done it a few times.", Tynan tells. She stretches out a little bit as she places a bookmark in the book. The book just disappears...Magic? Nah, not this time. Ty does pull out a pair of cold weather sniper gloves, and puts them on. The tips of the fingers are missing though.

    "Please tell me its not a burial ground or a nesting site for geese..."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Not to my knowledge, Tynan. But my first-hand knowledge of this area is woefully underwhelming." Nettie replies, and she throws the Washington State U sweatshirt to Belinda.

    "All right. I'll need you all to stand close." Nettie states as she stretches her legs a moment, and then begins to carefully drag the heel of her boot along the soft earth.

    "Teleporting a group this small shouldn't be too hard. The difficulty is coming from my lack of first hand knowledge. I would try to fly you lot, but I'm not sure my besom could handle everyone at once, and it's too dangerous to the local wildlife to leave Tynan unsupervised." she states with levity, waiting a moment for a 'hey!' or 'oi!' of indignance.

    "You may feel disorientated, motion sickness, vertigo, nausea, vomitting, headache, arrythmia, sinus pressure and your ears may suddenly 'pop' due to the altitude change." Nettie explains as she finishes the circle, and she looks at where her heel has dug in the ground.

    "If your eyes or ears start bleeding, let me know, yeah?" she offers to the grouping, and motions to the circle.

    "Any last questions before we get there?"

Talia al Ghul has posed:
This is rather straightforward. Talia doesn't mention the sorts of training thigns she's gone through that will hopefully make their arrival a minimal issue for her when it comes to disorientation. She debates peppering Nettie with tactical questions but presumes the likelihood of them getting ambushed by overwheming spellpower is somewhat minimal or they would be going in with heavier thatamaugical artillery, metaphorically or literally.
    But still, hand over on her blade just in case when they get there. "Can you manage to have us arrive slightly more spread out?" Just as sometimes if they appeared in the same area in a cluster that did make them all rather uvlnerable when it came to anything not necessarily friendly there.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Catching the sweatshirt, she busies herself... burying her nose in the cloth? Sniff, snuffle, snort-- *sneeze*.

"....ew," she complains, grumbling briefly. "Palmolive soap to shower with? No bueno." Holding back a further harumph, she sniffs at the cloth again, eyes closed. Memorize. Prepare. Scent. Shiver with eager delight.

"Ready, Mrs. Crowe," she announces, a last glance at the bus before she turns back. She stretches her limbs, tensing and easing and tensing again, a sharp breath of the bright mountain air, exhaling with smooth release.

"For great dark justices. Vaminos!"

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty knows what to expect. She's lost several meals to teleportations before. The woman sighs a bit, and rolls her eyes at the comment about being a danger to local wildlife. "Only in Britian would I be a danger to local wildlife.", she tells. The woman stretches a little bit, and then rubs the side of her boot a little bit. A small glow starts to happen there.

    TTy just looks at Belinda. She tries not to sigh as she prepares. "Alright, I'm ready.", she tells. Ty takes in one last breath, and then holds it, while closing her eyes. Her body relaxes as her mind prepares to get the information she needs for when her feet hit the ground.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Unfortunately, we'll arrive in what formation we leave... with..." Nettie pauses, and looks at Belinda. She opens her mouth, closes her mouth, loks to Ty, and then she just give a smile.

    "All right ladies, hold on to yourselves."

    And Nettie begins her incantation, focusing on where she wants to be.

    Slowly the circle she's carved into the earth begins to glow, dark violet and black, crackling with energy. Nettie's eyes change to the color of her magic, her pupils and whites disappearing as she raises her left hand, commanding the powers she's called upon to transport the group --

    And with the howling of wind and the rending of the fabric of reality, the quartet disappears. It's thankfully brief, though technicolor in the worst way, being tugged through space by that uncomfortable little coil behind your belly button and by the left sinus cavity, and deposited in someplace new.

    It's overgrown. Evergreens and small, scraggly vines cover stone and crumbling structures. The remains of a dome tent lay crumpled to the side. A food satchel hangs in the air, high above where a bear would be able to get at it. There's some smashed technology bits against trees, and Belinda may pick up on both the scent of Lavender Palmolive soap (hey, poor doctoral student) and the sickly sweet smell of blood.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Blade in front of her, Talia immediately goes to dart for cover, and then to go for a quick survey of the area. As soon as she's sure there's nothing within twenty or thirty meters out to immediately hcarge them, she's going to qiuckly scramble up the nearest stree that looks stable to get a higher view of the area. Given they're not sure exactly what they might be running into..
    Well, better safe than sorry. And if there is something htat happened she'll have a higher vantage point to see if there are any signs of disruption along that may aid them in tracking. She has no enhanced senses nor sensitvity to magic. So she can at best play lookout.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The world moves. Forwards, sideways, backwards-- before Belinda's eyes, everything gest that strange, underwater quality as things magical make their presence known. It tingles, ever so faintly; it tickles, as the world moves, and--

"Ow!" she grumbles softly, reaching up to rub at one ear with a grimace. Popping! Altitude change. Grimace.

And the sudden /rush/ of new scents, new smells! From one place to another-- for less sensitive senses, not-so-sharp noses, it is perhaps not so much. But Bel stands stock still, quivering as her eyes widen in surprise, practically, suddenly on edge. Long breath, warm and deep and shivery. "Blood," she announces without preamble, that coppery scent well-remembered from her scent training, unforgettable even in merely human shape. And speaking of--

The crackle of bone is soft, whispery wet. LIke the breaking of snow-laden branches. Skin shivers, muscle ripples, size surges. Like treading across snow, letting it crunch underfoot, melt and shove away as Belinda falls to one knee. Pain brief, intense, come and gone and forgotten-- hot breath, a rush of steaminess, then deeper-- lungs like silent bellows, drawing the world of scents, interrogating them ferociously.

"...old," she adds at last, Silverdane's greens eyes gleaming as she brings her muzzle up, nose quivering at the air. "Fight. Short fight. Used a camp knife to defend with. Not killed... here at least. Yet." She pauses, reaching up to press gently at the side of her jaw with a faint /crik/ sound. "...apologies," she adds faintly. Darn jaw dislocating!

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty takes a deep breath. As soon as her feet hit the ground. She sends out a pulse of magic out. Her mind floods with information about the area around her. Magical, Astral, physical. All this floods in, in the shape of a map in her mind. The woman lets out her breath, as she opens her eyes slowly. In her mind, everything within 25 yards is crystal clear to her. Further out, not so much. She crouches down, and looks around. Ty isn't very good at nature tracking, but she knows a combat scene when she sees one.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Atta girl." Nettie comforts Belinda quietly, the old witch cracking her neck uncomfortably. Talia she trusted to handle herself. Tynan she knew was capable. Taking a teenager on a rescue mission was dicy, but without Gabby... she needed someone with a good nose.

    Talia can see the forest, some distant, snowy mountain peaks, and some not-so-distant snowy mountain rise, leading up to something jagged like a broken tooth. There doesn't appear to be any other disturbances, though there is the smell of wood char on the wind up here that's not as noticable down below.

    Tynancan see everything crystal clear. The ruined tracker and phone. The scorch marks along the trees thath ave been rained down, helping to supress the scent.

    Belinda would be picking up the wood char, something different than firewood. Firewood is typically as dry as you can get the wood, cast-offs and fallen limbs. This was made on fresh, living trees and carries the acrid smell of pine tar. There is a path, bits and pieces of scorched wood and dragged feet, leading away through the pine needles towards higher elevations.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would go to pause for a moment from her perch, glancing in the diretion and then taking out a small spyglass from a pouch. She brings it up to her eye, goes to adjust it, and then tries to get a better perspective on it. She goes to sweep along, and then go to speak down to the others loud enough to be heard but not yelling.
    "Some burning.." She gives a quick indicatio of the direction and distance. "And a rather lovely geographical feature. IT could be natural to the region." Or it could look like a large chunk of mountain was blown up. So long as it isn't carved like a giant skull it can't be that bad.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The Nose knows. Focus renews itself as Silverdane stalks through, works upon the scene. The old firepit is an easy find; marked with a simple, dutiful circle of brushed back earth, it still carries the cold ashes of the former encampment. Focus on the charred wood, the smell of burned greenery-- wounded trees, limbs, half-scorched leaves. A careful step, two. More confident, assured of direction.

She chuffs to Talia, nodding as she rumbles agreement.

"They fought, she rumbles quietly. "Attacker knocked out student. Dragged them away. Strong enough to drag, but not enough to carry." She cants her head, drawing breath as she turns to different directions. "...that way," she directs, pointing with her muzzle. Then, with sheepish expression, pointing with hand for emphasis.

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty takes a moment to walk around in a circle a few times. Each step with her left foot sends another very weak pulse of magic out. She's basically making her own little radar site, using herself as the dish. The woman rolls her neck a little bit before focusing. Ty has switched over to the professional side now as she looks around. No threats close by.

    "You want me on point, Nettie?", she asks. "Give the tracker some protection, or you want the tracker up front with me doing cover?", she asks.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Well as long as it's not level of Mount Saint Hellen..." Nettie grumps from below, crossing her arms a bit as she looks up to the sky.

    No sign of Corvax yet.

    "Well. Let's not keep them waiting, shall we? The only polite thing to do is go to meet with whoever absconded with the student. Tynan. Take point. Talia, rear guard. Silverdane -- you tell us what direction to go." she states, and hups her pack up over her shoulders, the dimunitive wtich getting a grim look about her.

    "The quicker we find the student, the faster we can get out of enemy territory. We are *not* welcome here."

    And as if on cue, the wind picks up, carrying more smell of burning wood and hot rocks, and a voice that sounds like the crackling of woodfire and the gry rasp of birch bark rubbing gainst itself, unintelegible but whispering in warning and anger.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul goes to land on the ground, blade in front of her and in a defensive stance. "Understood." SHe doesn't bother asking questions now. They're on the clock and have to move quickly. She's on overwatch. Blades out and ready to call out a warning and intercept an attack. She's very, veyr quiet. She's not focused on stealth - the group is too close together for her to circle about and disengage and they don't have the time to let her maneuver away from the group to intercept threats.
    She's silent, breathing matching that of the snow falling off the pine needles ot hit the ground.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Silverdane is not so quiet as Talia, not yet. Not great fuzzy ninja, but such is not her chosen method of engagement this day.

Big, furry, fearsome-- she falls in behind and beside Tynan, loping alongside as she hunts with, fur prickling on end as she moves. Grasses, trees, branches more commonly-- her path is not as silent as others; where needed, she simply bulldozes her way through stubborn underbrush, breath calm, steady as she hunts, tracks, leads the way.

Ignoring as best she can that... feeling on the air. The subtle anger. Unwanted. Unwelcome.

Hackles silently rise as the werewolf looks about, eyes to either side in quick caution. Enemy territory. Caution.

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty nods her head. "Yes Ma'am.", she answers quickly. The woman moves to point, making two quick slashes in front of her. She sticks her arms inside the portals, and pulls out her gauntlet, and one of her pistols. Her voices goes quiet. "Avalon.", she whispers. Her energy shield flares to life, giving her some cover. She moves quickly, but silently.

    Ty is glad that nobody can see her hand, though Belinda might smell some freshly burnt meat coming from Ty. Either way, the woman has no reaction as she starts scan the area in front of her. She's not as silent as Talia, but she does move like special forces. Quick, effiencient movements.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    The quartet move quietly through the deep forest, feeling unwelcome. POssibly watched. Threatened. Nettie murmurs quietly beneath her breath as she goes, her hand over the pocket in her jacket where her wand is hiding away.

    The trail of burning, dragging, singed spots in the woods comes to an opening in the Earth, from which heat and the smell of bad eggs pours out in a nasty breath, wet, clingingly to the rocks, dripping down and making a shallow pool around which nothing grows.

    Weakly, someone calls out 'Is... is someone there? Hello? Oh please tell me someone's out there..."

    The burnt voice is louder here, and peering from the crevass in the earth is a being that appears to be made of flame.

    The Unwelcome feeling *intensifies*, and it appears to be strongly affecting Nettie, who gives out a low, gasping breath.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
This is giong along about as well as can be expected. Talia spares a quick glance to Nettie in case the woman has to stop. Whatever it is they're up against is making them all feel. . Off. Talia Al Ghul is the daughter of the demon, and she does not yield to these feelings.
    But she also understands that they are there, and there is something unnatural afoot. Fear exists for a reason. It keeps you on edge. Talia does not ignore it or bury it..
    Instead she uses it to keep herself on full alert. Trusting to the others to be wary of threats and traps ahead - they have someone to retrieve.
    She's the rear guard. She'll be ready when the monster tries to strike them from behind.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The smell of burned foilage lingers as Silverdane moves; the hint of sulphur rises sharply as the team draws near. The quiet, dropping down to eerie levels. The Palmolive scent, student scent.... changing with time. Reality, history, as written in the air and on the earth in those marked scents. Fear, there, present-- balanced agaionst concern, determination, eager will.

THe sight of Silverdane's muzzled face over the edge is... Probably not comforting to anyone unsuspecting of such, though no bloodhound (or wolf!) born makes such odd sound!

"...er...," she considers, ears prickling forward. "...I think he's over here," she manages, murmuring hesitantly. "Arf?" she adds helpfully, literally saying the word (as no canine, ever), trying to ignore the Unwelcoming. Help, needed. People in danger! Stubborn, determined-- /help/!

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty keeps her sheild in front of her. She hears the voice, and ducks look. The woman lifts her hand up, and goes through a quick series of military hand signals. She pauses a moment, and forgot she's not dealing with normal military. "Contact. Nettie are you alright?", she says, barely above a whisper. The woman doesn't need to look back. Her Brath charm helping her with knowing whats going on around her.

    "Are you able to provide cover, if not, Talia do you have distance?", she asks. The merc stays low. "Belinda, stay frosty. Do not rush in. This could be a trap.", she tells.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Fine, duckies. Just fine." Nettie breathes out, though she takes a step back.

    "I don't suppose any of you here speak Tinglit? No? Chumash?" she attempts at laughter, and then slowly draws down to a knee.

    "They... really... don't care for me much. Ty. Anything you can do to disrupt them. They'll reform, but it'll take 'em a few days to do so. Talia, if you wouldn't mind minding the wee duckling..." Nettie breathes out in a wheeze "I would be much obliged.

    The flaming creature seems to bare jagged, boney teeth, and scrawls out on all fours, like some kind of ape, sticking to the vertical wall of the cliffside that the crack was open in.

    Its flaming mane flickers and shifts, as if it were breathing.

    "I think, I need to take a breather..." Nettie breathes out, leaning back against a tree and slowly sinking down into the snow.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would go to take out over a very, very large multi-barrel rifle from somewhere on her that she had /not/ openly had on her nor had she displayed any issues with walking despite the seeming heavy mass of it. There's a -clink- as she would load the main barrel of it and click the safety on, going to sweep the area while maintaining her position as rear guard.
    "NOted." She would reply to Belinda. "Get to cover if need be." Talia taking things rather literally - the best way. Her go-to always being to fight to the last. It was how she had been raised, how she had been trained, how it had been ingrained to her. THe weapon, however. . Does not point over at the small elemental that is scrambling out.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Belinda-- Silverdane --goes through a tumoult of swift thinkings.

First thought: was that a snow joke? 'Frosty'?

Second thought: that fiery creature was not, *is* not the camping student. Meaning the student was caught, held, captured.

Restraint takes a backseat as the werewolf bares her fangs instinctively, eyes gleaming as she rumbles a lusty, fervent snarl. Care, concern for the Greywitch, and if her distress is sourced from this fiery creature--! Muscles tense as she locks sight on the Burning Beast, eyes a hard, hot focus. "..can draw it away," she offers, suggests, dropping to fours as she begins to move along the edge of the crater, to one side. Away from the others. Away from the Witch!

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty makes the pistol disappear. She makes a slashing motion with her fingers again, and pulls out a shotgun. She looks at the Elemental, and makes a small gesture on the shotgun, activating the hell rune enchantment. The rune channels a part of her soul into the shotgun, and Ty looks at the elemental. The mixing of different types of energy and mystical powers should disrupt the Elemental. She fires a few shots, sending out pellets? Yup, she's mixed a part of her soul into the pellets to spread out the energy.

    "Talia. Puppy is running. Puppy is running.", she calls out. The woman doesn't take her eyes off the Elemental. Ty has to focus on the enemy in front of her. "Puppy is not frosty.", she calls out.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    
    Talia gets serious, and the weapon is not pointed at the elemental.

    What is Talia aiming for? The question is so mysterious. Unfortunately two more elementals arrive, creeping out of the fiery mouth.

    The first creature meets and locks eyes with Belinda. It snaps, snarls, its breath like opening a five hundred degree oven, and then it launches itself at her, snarling and trying to burn the wolf!

    Tynan becomes the target of the other two elementals, the two trying to outflank the mercenary and get to the shallowly-breathing Nettie behind her!

Talia al Ghul has posed:
There's a snap from Talia over at Belinda as she yells, bellowing over in a loud, reverberating cry that would -ECHO- throughout the forested mountain crevice in a shriek. It would boom along, shaking the leaves.
    "DOWN!" What follows is her switching the ammo loaded over in the heavy rifle and then launching what is.. A load of thousands of industrial-ground diamonds mixed in with silver and onyx spread througout a wide arc. Firing once she's sure that Belinda's not in the wide angle spray. What it *is* is a twisted wide arc of diamond-laced buckshot mixed with volcanic rock and silver for good measure.. And even various types of salt just to be more flexible.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
Eyes lock. Muscles tense, ignite-- spring! The totally not-frosty werewolf lunges forward--

--And down, diving not a the elemtanl beast itself, but the dirt.

Not /frosty/, perse, but able to follow most instructions. Most.

The cannon-sized gunshot sound echoes from the surroundings; Silverdane scrambles back to her feet, grinning with fierce toothiness as she weaves to one side.

Count lucky stars another day. /Silver/.

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty blinks a few times, as she faces 2 elementals now. She quickly moves back to a defensive position by Nettie for a second. She opens a small pouch on the tac vest. She pulls out a small container, and tosses it back to Nettie. "You better use that well, Nettie. Thats the last of my enchanted hell salt. And I'm not going back to Hell to get more.", she tells. The woman quickly reloads the shotgun, and fires a few controlled shots at the elementals. The woman is keeping her shield between her and at least one of the elementals. Hopefully the soul infused rounds start taking effect soon. Ty does make sure she's watching Talia as well. She doesn't want to get a diamond shell in the butt. Even if it would pay the medical bill and then some!

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Oh sure, 'use it well Nettie, it's the Salt of Hell Nettie, not going back to Hell for Salt--" Nettie grumbles from where she's leaning against the tree.

    BOOM. The gunshot round hits the elemental. It hisses, and disintegrates.

    The soul infused rounds take effect almost immediately; dissipating the fire elementals as they hiss and spit like gutted flames, and then disintegrate, embers disappearing ointo the crack in the mountain.

    "Someone's out there! Oh, please Help! HELP! Let me *out*!" comes a weak cry from inside the hole in the ground.

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would go to take up another round over to load it over into the heavy barrel of the multi-chamber rifle. This one is different over in the heft and size of it htan the last one. The clip was huge - it clearly had more shots in it than just the one she had chambered a few moments before as she clicks it into place but keeps the safety on.
    "Back." That's spoken over to Belinda as she moves to cover the wolf. Her tone commanding in a voice that would brook no opposition to hopefully cue Belinda to scramble back an dinto cover.
    Talia had a teenage son. She knew how to get people to do what she told them.

Belinda Gutierrez has posed:
The gunblast ius enough to get Silverdane's focus VERY quickly! She licks her lips as the firebeast scatters into ashes and embers, scrambliong backward to do....something useful.

Something!

"Get rope," she remarks to herself, skittering back, rising to biped movements. A last glance for Nettie, grimacing-- she moves to retrieve the recuse gear from nearby, a thiuck, coiled rope helpfully stowed near one of the quickly-discarded backpacks.

Will remember to come back for the climbing pitons after.

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty focuses her mind a bit. She scans the area. "Any more threats in the area?", she asks Talia. She's actively scanning, but just to be safe. "Sorry Nettie. Just had that specially enchanted when I was learning my runes.", she tells. The woman takes a few moments to adjust herself as she keeps the shield up, providing cover for herself as well as Nettie. She takes a deep breath.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "S'ok kitten. Old lady and all." Nettie winces.

    "You two, if you wouldn't mind going into the crevass? Silverdane, dear, stay here and cover them..." she grunts. "The dissipation helped but I have a *Hell* of a hangover." she mutters, leaning forward. "Must be keeping Corvax 'way."

    The rope is recovered! And now, who goes in to the MAW OF FIRE?

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul goes to keep her weapon up and over then as she goes to look over and gets ready to drop. "I'll go in, you cover." That's said over to Tynan. The other woman has heavier firepower than she does, and Talia's the better one at climbing and scrambling. She takes a moment to tie a quick bow over her face.
    She can't let it geto ut that she did something to help someone, afte rall. She has a reputation

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty nods her head, and switches weapons once more. She pulls out the MP5, and drops the shield. She crouches low, and scans the area for threats. The merc moves into position so she can cover Talia as she goes down the side of the openning. Ty hopes that most of the fighting is over, but she's still has plenty of ammo if she needs it. "In position. Ready to go when you are.", she tells.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "If you all are done with shooting everything, it is -REALLY HOT- in here and I'm not nearly oxygenated enough!" comes a voice.

    And if the two look in, there, in a little holding area, was a young woman wearing a WASHINGTON STATE T-shirt, using her heavier winter gear to insulate against the very hot ground below her, and she looks rather worse for wear.

    "That's amazing, how did you ever find me out here?!" she inquires, teetering slightly. "I.. I think I need some water."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
There's a sigh from Talia as she goes to speak, "We were sent by the school. And we'll have some water for you up here. But we have to get you out of here immediately. The area isn't stable. If you're safe to move then we'll be taking you for a medical evacuation." Her tone has slipped over to a thicker accent - London, the Thames. She goes to drop down on the rope, ready to carry the woman with her.

Tynan Ireton has posed:
    Ty focuses on her job of making sure that Talia can get down there, and get back up safely. Talia is talking to the woman, and keeping her calm, so Ty just makes sure that everything is secure. "Nettie, do you want me to call for a Med evac where we teleported in from?", she asks. "It might take some time for them to get out here.", she comments.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    The woman is easy to carry up, she holds on tight and is a little shakey.

    And that's when Corvax shows up.

    The pirate crow sails in and caws out "FOR GOD'S SAKE ANNETTE CROWE WHAT THE BLOODY LIVERED HELL ARE YOU PLAYING AT THAT WAS NOT TEN MILES AS THE CROW FLIES DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG I WAS WAITING FOR SOME KIND OF SIGNAL AND THEN HERE I AM BLOODY LATE FOR THE FIGHT AND -- Hello Talia, Wolfie, Tynan, ignore me, I'm RIGHT AND BLOODY PISSED OFF AT MY DIMWIT OF A WITCH BECAUSE SHE SENT ME IN THE --"

    He lands. He looks up. He looks around, and then hops, turning to look at the open maw in the earth and the bug-eyed PHD student.

    "... I must have inhaled some funes. I'm hallucinating a talking corvid."

Talia al Ghul has posed:
Talia al Ghul would glance over at the pirate, and then deadpan, "Yes, you have inhaled some fumes. This is why we need to ge tyou medicallye vacuated. And in the future, dear, do make sure to not take anything of questionable vice before you go to the deep mountains to explore. That is the sort of thing that horror movies come from after all."