un: eclipse | video

[soloritur]

[ The image comes up to show Marcos huddled behind a boulder near the water's edge with two figures nearby. He looks tense and keeps his voice low as he gestures to the others that he started the feed. ]

Hey. This is Marcos. I have Lorna and Wrench here with me. We uh... found something. [ He moves the device to show a cave, and the cluster of mermaids going in it. ]

Apparently some of the mermaids are able to use a siren call to lure people out here. There's a cave where they're gathering at night, but it's guarded. Most of them are in pretty bad shape, but we think what's in there might have something to do with what's making them... insane.

[ No offense, mermaids, but they did already try to eat him once. ]

//

[ lorna comes up to marcos's side after he shows what they've found, glancing over at him and reaching for his hand out of frame. when she addresses the camera herself she seems relatively calm, but serious. ]

We've got some experience dealing with mind control, but not enough to combat it. [ or block it to a degree any of them are comfortable with before they proceed. ] So whatever techniques you've got would be appreciated.

//

[Wrench, who's been practically vibrating this entire time, all but explodes at this point, albeit quietly -- or as quietly as he knows how to be, anyway] Otherwise, looks like meat's back on the menu, boys! [the mask displays a quick, angry face, mostly for show, before jumping to a bright (^_^)] Or, you know, sushi.

[yeah, he's been sitting on that reference this entire time]

Seriously, though. [help them, Obi-Wan Kenobi]


ooc: Marcos/Lorna/Wrench (if that's not obvious) any combination may reply!

Comments

UN: Senth; Video

[sergeant_slick]

We've got some mermaid bait from the lighthouse. [He holds up a drab looking ball of something.] Throw it to one, and they tear each other to pieces trying to get at it. [Weird and disturbing, but effective.]

It's just powdered glass from the 10th floor, rags, and wax to stick the stuff together. Might be good for controlling the field if you're undertaking a rescue mission. Don't know if it'll have any negative effects on people they're controlling, though. [Is mermaid mirror madness contagious?]

video | un:thewrench

[in_theworks]

Wait, powdered glass?

[that's -- not what he would have reached for, to bait mermaids, to be honest]

[sergeant_slick]

[He shrugs helplessly.] Lighthouse Guy has us throwing these things at them every time they get too close. All he says is the mermaids like it best. 's more magical weird shit.

[in_theworks]

Yay, magical weird shit!

[yay! (^_^) or, you know. not really. (>_-)]

Bait ... might not be a bad idea, though. If we could get rid of the one guarding the cave for a while, we might be able to sneak in and see what's going on. [he's going to be really disappointed if there's nothing going on]

un: eclipse | video

[soloritur]

[ The day when someone assumed mutants were noble. Marcos doesn't even mind. Besides, he's generally against killing so it's not inaccurate.

But on the other hand... he has no love for mermaids, and it looks like they've been tearing each other apart all on their own. Luring them without anyone else getting hurt is kind of the best case scenario here. ]

Apparently the lighthouse keeper has a good reason for keeping them away. How many do you have on hand?

un: senth | video

[sergeant_slick]

Well, the way that they were trying to drag people into the sea seemed like a good enough reason already. [That's generally not something friendly people do to you.]

We've got a few stockpiled, but if you want to get up close to them and keep crowd control, making more might be worth it. As far as I can tell, lighthouse guy doesn't do anything special to the baits. Just rags, powdered glass, wax.

[Side note--] Haven't seen you around before. My name's Slick. Welcome to the weirdest planet in the galaxy.

audio | wei laozu

[weifinder]

Two thoughts, ah? Are they all living versions, and would any of us who rather recently deprived them off meals willing to see if their grudge of us can be used to buy time to free the, ah.

... Wait, this is within the area of the lighthouse's stabilising effect?

[in_theworks]

We're literally, like, a hot minute from the lighthouse, so ... yes?

[someone in his party, please confirm?]

Also, I'm pretty sure some of them are dead. [you don't get to looking that rough and still be moving around naturally] Also also -- wait, what?

[sorry for having answered that in reverse]

[weifinder]

Distraction. Though--I can distract some mermaids, buy some time, as long as those people in the caves are alive.

un: eclipse | audio

[soloritur]

[ ...He was not expecting people to volunteer to dance for the mermaids. Nice meeting you too, friend. ]

You're sure you can handle that? There's a lot of them, and I'm not so sure about making yourself a target unless you've got some backup.

[ True, there's just the one guard, but he's seen too many go in the cave to assume there isn't a swarm waiting to happen. Call him cautious after they almost took his arm off a few days ago. ]

Re: un: eclipse | audio

[weifinder]

Haaah, well, that can be arranged such as it is. How many of you need to escape the current, ah, predicament?

un: white pawn; video

[chosenbylight]

[Well, now you have Anduin's attention.]

If... It is anything like whatever thrall was overtaking the group on the journey to the tower here, I was able to help dispel that compulsion then?

...to a degree.

[in_theworks]

I think we're good, right now?

[did any of them mention that they were the ones that the mermaids lured out? no? well, there you go]

That may change, though, if the whole stealth thing doesn't work out.

[if they can't sneak into the cave and one or more of them has to play distraction, it would be nice to have someone on stand-by to keep them from inadvertently drowning themselves, if and when the mermaids try and mind control them again. so, hold that thought, Anduin?]

[chosenbylight]

[They did not mention this, no...

Anduin smiles politely.]

Of course. Do not hesitate to reach out to me, if you should need any assistance in this regard? As a priest of the Light, I am trained in a number of shielding and purifying techniques.

un: polaris | video

[chromiums]

What did you end up doing?

[chosenbylight]

On the way here?

There is a certain spell that I am able to do, which is able to dispel the effects of such things for a time.

I was able to cast this for those who were most in need of recalling themselves from the pull of the tower.

un: eclipse | video

[soloritur]

[ That's exactly what he's hoping someone could do. Marcos gets the feeling they were only pulled in accidentally, but he knows it could have gone a lot worse if they hadn't snapped out of it.

He'll let the others as their questions, but he for one isn't going to turn down an offer like that. ]

I don't know if it's exactly the same, but they were strong enough to compel everyone around them to gather out here. [ He's not really sure they're out of range or if they just stopped for some reason. ] We could probably use your hand if people are coming out to help.

[chosenbylight]

[Anduin offers a nod. He had -- gotten the impression from the first replier that his help wasn't needed, but he's certainly happy to offer any assistance he can.]

Of course. I will do what I can.

Just let me know where I am needed.

un:joker ; video

[joker_wild]

I don't have much to do about mind control [Sadly, since some of the other Thieves did have ways to break it when it happened to them.], but if you need anyone to lure mermaids away or anything while you get to the people, they're definitely not my biggest fans right now.

[He seems... possibly too amused by that, considering it's not remotely close to the first time that he's had people try and chase him down - and fail entirely. He'd like to get in some exercise, honestly.]

[in_theworks]

The people was us.

[they were the ones that got mindfucked by the siren's call thing the lead mermaid was doing. thankfully, they all managed to snap out of it, this time. he's not sure whatever happened there will work again, though, which is why they're looking for some help with that]

We want the mermaids away from the cave because they've got, like, weird pat schedules going on, man. [they're obviously guarding something!]

[joker_wild]

[He blinks at his device.]

Oh. [Okay, that's bad.] Are you okay?

[He can't tell where they are from the video, if they're in imminent danger and need rescue.]

un: polaris | video

[chromiums]

What did you do to get on their bad side?

[joker_wild]

We went out to take supplies to the people that were coming in from that cruise ship, and they didn't get to eat us afterwards.

[He seems decidedly unbothered by the possibility of being eaten by mermaids.]

un: eclipse | video

[soloritur]

[ He's not crazy about offering up people as bait. He really needs to know what's in that cave, but those mermaids are vicious. ]

I don't want anyone getting killed just so we can have a chance to see what they're guarding.

[ But it doesn't hurt to ask. ]

...You have any ideas of how you'd lure them without throwing yourself at them?

[joker_wild]

[There's a loooooooooong pause as Akira thinks because really, he's very good at throwing himself into danger.]

There's always misdirection? Throw a rock in one direction and run the other?

Or maybe we could set up something with shadows, if the caves are dark.