Igniting Panic (PLOT)

[Plot]

Who: Anyone not on the Sands who wants!
What: Get these m-f-ing snakes out my m-f-ing...Hall?
When: About ten-twenty minutes after Trith's announcement.
Where: Docks and the Great Hall.
Warnings: Violence, possibly death.





The dolphins were acting funny. That was the first thing the dockmaster noticed. They didn't like something about the ship that came in. But a stock delivery was a stock delivery, and there was naught to do about it except take it to the Hall to be sorted out by the drudges. There were quite a few full crates and that meant a great deal. Still...that one guy glaring over the railing at the dolphins was a bit odd. Didn't all sailors love the dolphins? Considered them lucky, even.

Well, who knew, but he did keep a scrutinizing eye on those unloading.

Those unloading were a quiet sort, not even responding when the other dockworkers tried to joke about such heavy loads. Unnervingly quiet, most of them. There were a few that grinned in return, but it was...somehow disconcerting.

When about half the stock was unloaded, the captain made an odd motion. One that got passed down along the line to those in the Hall. Who then promptly either dropped, opened, or smashed the crates they were carrying.

It wasn't long until screams of horror erupted, people trying their best to get out of the Great Hall...as it was now filled with more than a thousand tunnelsnakes, most of whom were quickly identified as the poisonous variety. The 'workers' of course did their best to impede the flow while simultaneously attempting to flee the very angry reptiles.





OOC NOTICE!!! There are now more than a thousand tunnelsnakes all over the Great Hall. The vast majority of them are poisonous, though there are a few larger constrictors here and there. It is entirely possible that they might escape into other areas of the Weyr, as well.

Be mindful of the stampede of people attempting to exit the Hall and escape from the creatures.

Also, there's a ship with a forty person crew in the harbor. About twenty of the crew are trying to make their way back to the ship after letting loose the tunnelsnakes; the other twenty are hastily trying to cast off back to the ocean.

The outcome of this is up to the players! Feel free to NPC some of the crowd, and do as you will with both the snakes and the attackers. Keep in mind that around half of the attackers are armed with belt knives, and not a single one of them will hold back while fighting. If those on the ship can get away from the docks, they would also willingly leave behind the others. Be wary of the tunnelsnakes and their venomous bites, which range from annoying to deadly!

((Note: if your dragon is injured here, he will probably not be able to chase Dalisth. Keep injuries light or none at all if you wish to do so!))

[Thorney]

In his weyr, H’seo had been oiling his riding leathers when the pandemonium first erupted, causing the rather tall, lanky rider to leap to his feet. “What the Fall?” He drawled, brows knitted together. Partner, what the shards is going on?

I…I don’t know, Mine. The blue replied, gazing in horror at the ground below. People were streaming from the weyrhall, men among them that attacked those of Cerulean. There are strange men below, and they are hurting our friends! And tunnelsnakes everywhere!

For a moment, the wingrider could only stare in frozen shock towards his Ledge. “What in the name of Faranth is going on?” Quickly, H’seo darted over to his wall and grabbed his only sword, jerking the scabbard off as he ran towards his blue. Could they be in league with the bronze that attacked Trith? He asked, leaping onto his dragon’s back with quick and practiced ease.

Shaking his head, Reinth let out a short bellow as he dropped from the ledge and winged downward at a dizzying pace. Impossible to know, Mine, but I do know we had best watch our feet. I have seen many drop from bites so far.

Shaking his head, the lanky wingrider jumped down and landed on the balls of his feet, running toward the nearest attacker. They clashed abruptly, but the man’s little beltknife had nothing on the sword his father had given him. With a snarl, H’seo sent the first to the ground, whirling to find another target. Reinth wanted to help, but with so many drudges milling about, it impeded the blue’s maneuverability. He couldn’t strike with his tail without risking hurting a Cerulean. Growling, the dragon instead darted forward, reaching out with a forepaw to grab at an attacker’s legs. The man went down, and Reinth shoved his paw against the stranger’s stomach with all his might, effectively crushing his bones and organs.

Though neither man nor dragon were known as violent, both H’seo and Reinth fought with deadly fury, showing no mercy to these strangers that would dare harm their weyr. As the blue took down another, he abruptly felt a pain on his flank, and bellowed in surprise. His rider jerked at the sudden feelings of hurt and confusion, and quickly dispatched the man before him. Shoving his way through the crowd, the wingrider leapt at the attacker who had dared to harm Reinth, yelling wordlessly. Get out of here, partner! Go, go!

I would never leave you! The dragon replied vehemently, rearing up to bat at another attacker.

I don’t want to see you killed! H’seo insisted, struggling against the stranger.

Shaking his head, Reinth plowed on, snapping and swiping whenever he had the chance. If you die, I die. It doesn’t matter, Mine. I love you, H’seo. I’d give my life for yours. That is a good end for a dragon.

Feeling a lump in his throat, H’seo fought on, now knowing that this was a fight they couldn’t win, even fighting side-by-side. I love you too, Reinth. But the blue was right. To die in the defense of the weyr and for each other. That was a good end for a rider and his partner.

[Kira]

S'ren was thinking, and she was thinking hard. She had initially intended to look over the copied set of flight maneuvers in front of her, having an idea for a modification for one that she wanted to hunt down a wingrider and ask about. Perhaps a Wingleader, if he wasn't busy. It would help to have it written and sketched out first, though, so she wasn't wasting their time. Feynth was excited about their looming graduation, and couldn't wait to take his place in the fighting wings. He loved strategy just as much as she did, and they'd taken care to make sure the maneuvers they had thought of for variations were actually possible. Well, at least they were possible for one blue by himself. ...Maybe she'd get L'cin and Queth to help double-check it before she went to present it.

Which was the line of thought that brought her to her current quandary: L'cin. He was hiding something from her. She just knew it. He was her twin - he wasn't supposed to hide anything from her! She frowned and plucked at her lower lip, eyes narrowing unseeingly on the papers in front of her. He and that adorable little greenrider had kinda been making eyes at each other a little more noticeably... But if anything had happened, he would have told her. ...Right?

She was jolted out of her uneasy thoughts as one of the workers nearby set down a crate a bit hard. She looked over at them oddly. She was a mite curious about what supplies they were getting in, but she had been too focused on her train of thought to get distracted before. Welcoming the distraction, she peered over at the crates and tilted her head. She could almost swear she heard a sound...had something busted in that last one? That 'sss' noise could be salt or something pouring out, or air escaping from a sealed container... She frowned, and was making to stand up and go inform the kitchen workers to unload that one first since she didn't want any stock ruined any more than they did...and then the workers all moved in a scattered almost-unison to open and smash the crates.

And she quickly realized what that sound had actually been made by.

The tunnelsnakes were angry, that was for certain, and they streamed out of their confined prisons with a speed borne of that. She stared for a moment in horror, then quickly clambered up on top of the table. The tunnelsnakes would probably keep mostly to the floor for a bit, at least, so she thought it safer up there. Making certain she didn't step in anything that would make her slip, she quickly started making her way to the nearest exit that wasn't already blocked by the creatures. Several others took to her idea and there was a great deal of crashing amidst the screams as people ran across the tables.

By the time she reached the doors, she had a plan. Maybe it wasn't a good plan, but it was a plan. She had seen others trying to prod the reptiles back with long sticks, but that would only keep them a short time. No...no, they needed to be taken care of. And there was one thing that could do that: fire. S'ren! What's wrong?! I feel your panic! came the worried voice of her mindmate.

'Listen, Fey, I need you to do something. A slew of tunnelsnakes have been let loose in the Hall-' There can't be that ma-[/color] his voice cut off as she turned at tried to send him a mental image of the mass slithering outward. Oh shards. 'Exactly. I need you to smash a lock on a shed. I'll make them a new one myself later.'[/i] Feynth quickly winged his way over to the shed that kept the agenothree tanks as S'ren finally leaped down from the last table.

"Listen!" she yelled to those nearby. "We need to kill those things! I've got an idea! You, you, and you - come on!" And then she took off running, a few people trailing behind her. There was a small protest when they saw her plan, but in the end they each grabbed a flamethrower. Most of the furniture in the hall was stone or metal anyway, and a few charred tables was better than a few hundred rampant tunnelsnakes. As they ran back, Feynth took off toward the beach. I will help too, he added cryptically, ans S'ren was too distracted to realize the implication.

[Lothyna]

At the docks, V’ton had leapt down from the paw he clung to, tumbling into a controlled roll which landed him next to the stored Firestone. As Dysilliouth back-winged off to one side at an pile of firestone waiting to be bagged, the bronze was already gulping and chewing firestone-even before his paws had touched the ground. Slipping slightly into the mind of his dragon, V’ton saw Reinth and Haseo, surrounded, not far from him, and knew, in that instant, what they were doing. A scream of rage echoed in his mind, though never passed his lips, and he knew later there would be at least one death in the Weyr to mourn. Yet neither he, nor his bronze, could do anything. Grief stricken, V’ton used the anger over the injustice of riders- Dragon Riders trying to kill them, overriding the sorrow for the moment. With a salute to the pair, knowing it would go unseen, he felt Dyiiliouth, full of stone, launching. ~To the weyrs! Flame them down and protect your wings!~

~Protect your feet, mine. I shall return if you need!~[/color] As the bronze winged harshly, high into the sky so he’d arrive over the attacking browns and bronze, V’ton/Dysiiliouth as one turned their/his mind(s) to Reinth and H’seo. ~Brothers! Faranth shelter your next journey. You will be remembered!~[/color] With a ringing, parting roar, Dysiiliouth vanished, even as V’ton turned towards the docks, knowing the ship had to be stopped. That ship, the crew, were the reason behind this part-and he wanted answers. He intended to get them.

Lunging through the crowd, the Wing Leader drew the longest and shortest knives he wore, eyes cold and hard. It was a sight that only V’taph would recognize, realize. Before him fell an uncounted number of the attackers, even as he fought his way towards the docks, opting for fast over killing, since the ground would soon be flooded with Ceruleans people fighting back-but the ship was trying to cast off. Taking a running start up a pile of wares in boxes, before leaping into the boat in a controlled roll, coming up knife in the gut of a crew member, before shaking the dying man off and turning to face another attacker. A small portion of his mind plotted each move ahead of acting, while another watched over his bronze partner.

Dodging another man, V’ton spun and kicked him over the railing, earning more ‘scratches’ (what others considered to need stitches) from the man he turned to face next. With a growl echoing his dragon, the Wing Leader spun his dagger to snap out and knock the current man out cold with a hit to the temple, knowing he was drawing attention. Rolling brought him free of two men who had charged him and skewered eachother-but brought him face to face with a broadsword. Throwing himself to the side again and just missing loosing an arm, V’ton swore. Unless help arrived, he was as outnumbered as H’seo and Reinth.

Unfortunately, he needed a dragon-the flame wouldn't destroy the entire ship if a green or Weyrling came in, and would drive enough men overboard to give him room. Grumbling in a corner of his mind over not having finished setting up the new wing with the Weyrlings who would graduate soon, V’ton scrambled to his feet, sheathing the dagger and drawing a throwing knife, which he flicked into the throat of another man, blocking out the scent of blood and death with the ease of practice. The shock, though, which met his eyes, was a flicker of recognition, passed to the bronze in a roar of fury. He knew these people!

[Kira]

Feynth dropped lightly to the area meant for firestone-bagging. His was either going to love him or kill him later, but he didn't care. Well, mostly. He was sort of hoping that she'd heap praise on him, but, well...they were them; sarcasm was more their thing. Tearing into a pile, he managed to swallow a few mouthfuls of the rock. It would be enough to last for most of what he was going to do, he figured.

Winging back near the entrance to the Hall, he swept close to the cliff above it and latched in with his claws. This was going to be tricky. The mouth of the entrance was large enough to fit a small dragon, since in times of dire need injured ones could be housed there instead of the infirmary, but with all the people running out... Shaking his head to rid himself of doubt, as his was often doing, he dug his claws into the rock and tipped his serpentine body around the top portion of the entrance. It's just mind over matter, he told himself. He just had to concentrate on gripping the ceiling and he could wedge himself in and not fall on the last of those escaping. Unwittingly using a hint of his inherent telekinetic skill, he managed to creep his way into the mouth of the Hall. Quickly readjusting himself above the entryway, he glared down at the few who had stopped to stare. RUN, you idiots! he scolded with an accompanying hiss. The few left behind high-tailed it after that. He was about to set about his task when he felt a mental lurch from outside, knowing that one of his fellows had fallen. Goodbye, Reinth, he intoned to nothing, letting out a small keen.

S'ren split off from the group to take her own hallway. Approaching the entrance and seeing a few of the tunnelsnakes spilling out, she stopped to curse. She...wasn't entirely certain how to use this thing, really. Fiddling with a dial, she finally pulled the trigger as a few got a bit too close. A massive fireball turned them crispy as she let out an surprised squeak as she dropped the wand. Blushing and glad that no-one had heard that, she gingerly picked the wand back up. "Eheh...I think this needs to be...turned down..." She adjusted the knob again, and this time it was working right. Flaming her way slowly through the door into the Hall, she was quite pleased with herself. "HAH! I am a geniu- what the...?" 'Fey, what the heck are you doing up there!' Are there any humans left below me? 'Wha-? No...,' she replied sadly. Well, no living humans. She could see a couple bodies being crawled over spread around, and it made her shudder. Then I am doing THIS. And with that, Feynth turned his head and let out a gout of flame, torching the nearest tunnelsnakes quite well.

S'ren crowed. 'WE'RE geniuses! Getting back to her task, she worked the agenothree tank carefully and as precisely as possible. She could see some of the others coming in from the other hallways doing the same. They would get this handled fine, now.

There were still too many for Feynth to drop down to the floor yet, but he soon found that to be a good thing as a shot of flame leapt in through the door. HEY!, he called to the other dragons he knew were there. Watch it! I'm already in here! What if there had been humans there, you nimrod?! He received a quick apology from the green that had flamed, but brushed it off to speedily coordinate with the three crowded in the doorway to time their blasts. Soon, the tunnelsnakes were being withered away from every entrance, falling back to the middle of the Hall and along some of the enclosed walls.