The Prologue (1941) - Part II

[Flay Crimsonwind]

In a way, Pingo was the perfect watch-mate for Eisen. Eisen was a rat, running through a city that was commanded by creatures invariably hostile to him. When he kept watch, it was in bits of towns that said evil creatures expected to come through. In his world, you remained hidden, or they exterminated you. Everything was done silently, still, and relied on surprise. To the steadfast guard that the proud German was, Pingo made up the second half of a wonderfully effective pair, as Pingo had no fear to scout, to hunt, to find things and ensure he knew what they knew. Eisen was a shield; Pingo was a sword.

The one thing Eisen hated about his dealings with Pingo wasn't his odd actions, it was that he had absolutely no idea how to communicate with him. Ever since he'd first seen Bones' strange hand-signing, he knew speaking with Pingo was going to not be his territory; still, he'd been meticulously watching any conversation Pingo had with anyone. Eisen could read and write three languages, so to him, it was a sort of energizing challenge that he'd not felt since his last language course was taken, far back in his 14th year. In Germany, your second language is a requisite of elementary school;  a third might come in your higher learning, if you'd like. Eisen did like language, so if only he could observe a bit more, he might make heads and tails out of this hand-signing.

As a watchmate, he was somewhat boring, especially considering Pingo's interest in anything the wind moved. He mainly stayed seated, rifle across his lap, hat over his eyes to shield the pupils from widening too much from the camp fire's light. He was always ready, like a gargoyle ready to spring and fire. As soon as his relief was ready to take over the watch, Eisen twisted into his tent like a clockwork gear on a path and was quickly and peacefully asleep.

[Nanshork]

Richard spends his watch quietly, keeping an constant eye on his surroundings and the tents of the group he has been assigned to watch over.  He mentally ticks them off as he looks at their tents.  Pingo's the only one who he's gotten close to, though he is a little over-excitable.  The German is alright for a Kraut, he understands the score even if he is getting over-sentimental with that damn hat.  Dr. Loder is useless in a fight but he's good with Esteban and after what happened to his brother somebody needs to be.  Kestral, just another hot-blooded bloody American.  Bones is calming down, at least Max was good for something.  And lastly there's Russo.  His girls are nice, though he's now down to one, but he seems a little unhinged and the kid is probably more useful.

Nodding to himself sure that the group is still together and safe under his watch, Richard sits down and places his rifle across his knees.  He wonders what the Nazis know that he doesn't about the demon, and how best to hunt it.  One way or another they're going to run into it, and Richard wants to be prepared.

This is what happens when I'm bored at work.  Now you can all see into my mind.  Get out of my head!  GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!    

[BowenSilverclaw]

Although he and Richard didn't get along all that great, John did admire certain aspects of the Englishman. Aside from the fact that Richard was a professional who knew what he was doing the sarge envied him for his seeming ability to not get distracted by emotions and the like.

After having spent most of the past hour leaning against a big tree at the edge of camp he heads over to Richard and hands him a cup of coffee.

"How do you do it, Richard? Not letting your anger get the best of you, I mean?" he says, more like he's thinking out loud than actually directly asking the hunter a question.

[Nanshork]

Richard shrugs. "There's nothing to get angry about.  This is a war, and in a war bad things happen.  Death happens.  I've been in two wars now, if I hadn't learned to remain in control of myself I'd have died long ago."  He looks over at John and his tone softens somewhat.  "It helps to not get too attached to people."

[BowenSilverclaw]

"I guess that's something I've got to learn then. Sometimes I envy you..." John says grimly before taking a sip from his coffee.

"Still, you, me, those Krauts, we all signed up knowing what we could expect. Paco was just a civilian..."

[Nanshork]

Richard nods and says grimly, "And we made those bloody cannibals pay dearly for what they did to him."  He puts an almost fatherly hand on John's shoulder.  "All I'm saying is don't let your emotions cloud your judgment.  Sometimes all you've got is one shot and you can't let anything spoil your aim."  Richard smiles inwardly, his sniper training showing through.

[BowenSilverclaw]

"Thanks, Richard. I appreciate the advice, I really do.

Care to share some stories about the Great War to kill some time?"

[jacemachine]

"Times up. Go to bed." Bones said as he shrugged on a loose cotton shirt stepping out of his tent. Then he went over to Loder's tent. "Wake up. We're up next." Bones began to boil some water for coffee to drink during Loder and his shift. They'd brew more for the others the next day probably as well, just to show everyone what swell guys they were too.

Bones sat down near the fire, with his back to the humble flames. He let his eyes get accustomed to the dark of the surrounding jungle. He took in the sounds, all of them. He acclimated himself to the different animals and bugs of the night. The sonic squeak of bats. The hoot of an owl. The zillions of frogs. As he Listened, he pulled out a letter and read it with the fire light low behind him.

[j0lt]

Loder got out of his tent grudgingly, still wishing that he'd wake up to find Paco alive.  He sat down in front of the fire and just stared into it, seemingly hypnotized by the flames.  He barely blinked until the coffee was ready.  The aroma brought him out of his torpor enough to pour himself a cup and fake a smile as his watch-mate.  He sat and stared and sipped his bitter coffee until morning came.  Once the others were up, he broke somewhat free from the melancholy.  Enough, at least, to help pack the gear back on the mules and break camp.

[jacemachine]

Bones assisted the Kid and Pingo as they loaded up their belongings. The group was somewhat reserved that morning, but the peaceful night was well received.

The skeletal village structures were less eerie in the morning light--


"Alright Richard, let's gets started" Bones said to the Brit. To the others, "Keep your eyes & ears open. If you hear something that sounds out of place. Tell someone."

[ragincajun2288]

Pingo scouts ahead, about 20 feet in front of the party. He keeps low, eyes and ears open.

Hiding and Moving Silently (1d20+2=15, 1d20+4=24)

Spotting and Listening (1d20+3=4, 1d20+2=16)

Rolled a 1 on my spot. Good job Pingo, if cannibals are creeping up you don't see shit.

[Nanshork]

Richard nods and leads the group through the jungle, confident in his abilities as always.

Listen: 15
Spot: 17
Survival: 32

Travel time reduced by 50%.
I rolled a 2 on my listen and a 3 on my spot, not doing much better than Pingo here.

[BowenSilverclaw]

John brings up the rear, keeping his eyes and ears open to try to avoid any nasty surprises.

Listen: 15
Spot: 14

[Tarotdragoon]

Russo follows along with the group he looked preoccupied on something and as they walked he approached Dr Loader looking thoughtful

"hey doc," he opens "I've been thinking about this mission Doc, and I'm not honestly sure why the League asked me along I had assumed that it was because I had studied under Sir Petrie but my studies involved egyptology and I also studied Babylonian, but when it come to this mayan area I'm afraid I'm a little under-taught I was wondering Doc If you could share some of your expertise with me, Teach me about Mayans Doc, I feel damned useless here."

[j0lt]

Looking a little surprised at Russo's request, Dr. Loder walks silently for a few moments as he thinks things over.  It would be easy for him to go into a dry recitation of the Mayans' history, but that would be of no practical use to Mr. Russo.  What he needed was a crash course in Mayan mythology and how it related to temple construction, etc...  Loder assumed they'd find what they were looking for in a temple of some sorts.

"You want to know about the Mayans?"  He said, scratching his head.  "We still don't know all that much about them.  I mean, most of their historical documents were destroyed by the Spanish Conquistadors.  Most of what we know comes from the Dresden Codex, one of few surviving authentic codices created by the Mayans during the Postclassic Period.  Unlike the Egyptians, the Mayan pyramids were not tombs, but in fact temples to their gods, whom they worshiped through the act of ritual human sacrifice."

Loder continues to talk throughout most of the day, at times peaking Russo's interest, at others boring him almost to death.  He goes over several topics with the enthusiasm of a boy telling about his favourite baseball team.  "And then we come to the underworld, known as Xibalba.  Their belief is similar to other ancient cultures, such as the Greeks, in that the underworld, was literally under the earth."

Grinning at the last part, Loder finally trailed off into silence and began to peer into the jungle that they were passing through.

Spot = 4

[Tarotdragoon]

Russo listened intently to everything that Loader had to say, drinking in the knowledge till he drowned and his brain began to hurt, occasionally making notes in his little notepad (which is difficult while walking) and stumbling over the uneaven ground when he did. The mention of the dresden codex and the mayan pyramids especially caught his interest as it seemed like just about the only thing he could properly grasp
"yeah the Codex Dresdensis I heared about that in a historical journal" he would say or "Its amazing to think of two cultures building such similar objects across the world from each other".Despite the most tedious dry moments of Loader's long speach he managede to drink in enough information to keep him sated for the moment, it certainly passed the time while they walked at least.
"so do we think that there are going to be some of these temple pyramids at the site? it looked like there was at least one large building on the Dunning map, hopefully we'll get there before those bastards" he paused and walked for a good half an hour further before he turned back to the doc and asked
"so this zebulba" he said mispronouncing the word something cronic "every culture has an underworld myth of some discription.... Does.... Does it mention anything about...." he paused as if building up courage "demons?" he said finally leaning closer to Loader as if to keep the other from overhearing

[ragincajun2288]

For much of the beginning of the trip Pingo was constantly chiding The Kid and pretending to hide behind him from El Abuelo. "Shh", Pingo silently remarked with a finger over his lips as he cupped his hand to his ear. Had he heard something? He raised his spear and dived into the nearby bushes to leave The Kid horrified for the next couple minutes.

A short time later the bushes began to shake a little to The Kids left just before Pingo suddenly pops out with his hands raised in a scare tactic, making a horrible tongueless sound at The Kid as he tries to mock roar.

Yeah. It had been awhile since he played that prank on The Kid, and it never ceased to scare him and make Pingo quite amused.

[Flay Crimsonwind]

Eisen Spends most of the time listening to a combination of the jungle and Loder, in that order. He picks up a bit of information, fully aware of what it was Russo intended to press about: the demons of the Mayan culture. Frankly, if it could be trapped, like Muto had been, then he didn't mind it; a shot to the head would probably stop the body from functioning, if nothing else. For now, he was more interested in the Nazi's, though for some reason, for the first time in a few days, he began thinking about El Abuelo, or whatever the villagers had called it. Whatever was out there, he hoped they ran into it later rather than sooner.

It would be better to destroy the Nazi's and this target item they were after and deal with beasts and demons on the way back...

Listen: 19
Spot: 15

[jacemachine]

Eisen

From time to time, you hear the sound of a falling branch crash down through the lower canopy of tree limbs, vines, and foliage.

Richard and Pingo pick up a small stream. Its water was cool and refreshing. It flowed in a winding, snaking path digging a narrow trench through the jungle soil.

"This is a good sign. Don't you think? Russo-- Loder-- Dunning's expedition had stayed at a minor ruins they came across, and there was a stream that cut through it.

"Are you thinking what I am thinking?" Bones said looking around at the others.

From over head a small flock of small bright green birds flew into the air, over the stream vanishing into the leafy canopy on the other side.

[jacemachine]

Listen Checks from everyone at this moment please, as your groups stands at the side of this stream holding each their tethered mule. Esteban himself held the reigns of his family's horse.

"Algo es incorrecto. ¿Usted oye eso?" Esteban says, he grips the reigns tightly and begins to look around him, peering into the dense surrounding foliage and trees.

At that mention, Bones stiffens, hand on the pistol grip of his holstered revolver. The Kid, wide-eyed as ever, no thanks to Pingo's earlier shenanigans.