[Riven]

MISSION SCENARIO:

The Emerald Forest has always been a site of archaeological interest, featuring many ancient ruins scattered about its verdant expanses and the promise of greater finds below the surface. One such site has recently been revealed: a long-forgotten temple. The research team at the site was making remarkable progress in understanding the pre-Kingdoms culture which once thrived in the region when they happened upon what they described as a 'treasure room' of relics and valuable artifacts. Two days later all contact with the team was lost, and efforts to find out why have been hampered by increased Grimm activity in the area. That was a week ago, and Beacon has decided to step in. Your team, supported by Doctor Budonoki, has been tasked with investigating the site and recovering the research team if possible. Don't worry about clearing the area of Grimm -- simply get to survivors and extract them, as prolonged activity is certain to draw in more Grimm.

Objectives:
 - Learn what befell the research team
 - Evacuate any survivors
 ✮ Optional bonus objectives may occur during the course of this mission




In the research team's notes the area was simply known as 'site 173', which said a lot about both the sheer volume of archaeological efforts in the Emerald Forest and how little the expedition had been expecting a find of the scale and interest that they'd actually unearthed. From the air it certainly looked no different from any other verdant stretch of trees and undergrowth -- it was only as the Bullhead carrying Team SLVA came in low to drop them off that it at all became clear they were in the right place. The base camp was little more than the remains of shredded tents and trampled supply crates with gouges and small craters suggesting the fervor of the fighting that had left it ravaged. Strangely, and hopefully, the only bodies to be seen were those of robots -- the archaeologists had elected for rent-a-droid security instead of hiring along a Huntsman or Huntress to protect them. Needless to say, they would not be getting the deposit back.

Stepping off the Bullhead, Budonoki surveyed the area with a critical eye. "No dead among the wreckage -- promising, that. We may find the research team alive and well after all." He turned to the group of students. "Keep your wits about you. Something in this area has been agitating the Grimm, and they are indeed prowling about. We cannot afford to be careless. The dig site is just north of here, and the most likely place that any survivors would go to seek shelter."

"Now, then..." The sagely old Faunus looked to his four charges, hands laced atop his gnarled wooden staff. "I'm not here to lead unless absolutely necessary. This is your rescue mission, Team SLVA. Time to show this old hand how the younger generation handles themselves, hm?"

[Luna]

This being their first mission, It isn't long before Luna's imagination begins to fill her head with worst-case scenarios. She has already taken to her music to ease her mind and now wears both earbuds in her faunus ears as Dr. Budonoki exits the Bullhead and begins to survey the ravaged remains of Site 173. Hearing their instructor's voice from outside the Bullhead, Luna removes her right earbud, leaving the left to continue playing its music. She reaches down to her right hip, detaching her stored weapon from her belt and, after quickly examining it, loads a magazine of Ice Dust rounds on the weapon's side with a satisfying click before clipping it back on her hip. Well, here goes nothing... Luna thinks as she stands to disembark from the Bullhead.

Luna, now outside, stares stunned at the wreckage around her as the dust settles from the Bullhead's landing. Even through the peaceful clear forest air, the sight of everything torn asunder is enough to send a slight shiver up Luna's spine. Turning her attention to the doctor, she tries to focus on Budonoki's words, but something is visibly distracting her. Then Luna does something unusual and takes out her left earbud, having heard something unsettling, like faint nails on a chalkboard. Wha- I swear that was... She pauses, straining to listen. Something's not right... Maybe I should-

The doctor's voice reclaims her attention, and Luna quickly replaces her earbud, disregarding the sound as her paranoia getting the best of her. "Now, then... I'm not here to lead unless absolutely necessary. This is your rescue mission, Team SLVA. Time to show this old hand how the younger generation handles themselves, hm?" Luna, having never been good at being decisive on her own, keeps quiet and looks to her teammates, hoping to find resolve in their eyes. "I-" she starts to speak, but cuts herself short, unsure.

[Zerco]

Valentine was the next one to leave the airship. With her umbrella in hand she gently stepped on the weary ground and studied the ruins of the base camp. The view was not particularly inviting, but the fact that there were no corpses of the excavation team in sight meant that there might still be hope that they are alive. She let out a sigh of relief.
Valentine glanced over the faunus in front of her, and her other teammates as they left the Bullhead. All she really knew about them was their names, so observing them for a little longer is a smart idea to get a better feel for them.

She intently listened to what the Professor had to say. "Got it." She nodded. Valentine noticed that the wolf girl was uneasy to say the least, but since Luna decided to keep quiet she didn't press the matter further.

[Grimlock]

Rukt jumped down gracefully landing next to the other two then proceeded to look around a little while waiting for the last member to jump down. While doing so he was loading his shotgun and once he was done cocked it and said."Well, we shouldn't split up since we have no idea what's going on with the Grimm currently. Let's try getting as close to the dig site as possible while remaining undetected." While walking backward toward the dig site he looked up to the Bullhead with a smile on his face and called out "You ever going to come down Akel?"

[EdgeyReyes]

Unlike Luna, Akel was keeping a clear head about the mission, no need to give any potential grimm an early warning and an early fight to destroy any evidence. Glancing over at Luna, Akel gave a light tap and a while to the girl since she had her earbuds in. While Akel found the slight irony that she was wearing headphones for the exact opposite purpose rather amusing.

Moving her sword onto her hip as the Bullhead reached the landing site Akel couldn't help but notice the fact that no bodies were around, well none with blood to be precise or any trace of it in the air. "Is there a possibility that it was something that the scientist dug up, there are many legends in Remnant of ancient artefacts, some could be real, although that is farfetched and should just remain as a possibility."

Stepping down from the bullhead she looked at Rukt and replied in a tone of pure sarcasm "No Rukt, I'd like to stay up here in the nice loud Bullhead to listen to the irritating engines banging at my ears". Hopping down from the Bullhead she looked north "Don't worry doctor, team SLVA is going for gold."

Smiling at her companions she took a few steps ahead before turning back. "Shall we?" With one arm towards north while her left hanged on her handle of her weapon.

[Riven]

The approach to the dig site was without issue, though those in the group with keen senses would notice scraping and smashing sounds from up ahead as they got close. Budonoki could sense that they were coming up on a threat -- sure enough, as the group crested a hill and the dig site came into view they could see a Death Stalker up ahead. The huge Grimm seemed to be digging, using its claws to pummel away at an elaborate ancient stone doorway in an attempt to create a gap large enough to fit through. The entrance was set into the side of a small gully; there were clear signs that the research team had been excavating the area before the attack that laid waste to their base camp.

"... I don't believe it knows we're here." The old Faunus observed, crouching low to the ground to avoid being seen. Team SLVA would have the advantage of a surprise attack.






TARGET:
▪ MID-BOSS: DEATH STALKER ▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉▉

[Luna]

So that was what I heard earlier...

Upon seeing the Grimm before her, Luna is conflicted. Her instinct is to flank around the side and take the beast herself from behind. Calm down, this isn't like what you've faced before. Crouching low near the doctor, Luna detaches her weapon from her belt. Those were people, not Grimm. You have to approach this differently. Wait for your team. Fighting her urge to charge in, Luna engages her weapon's extended ranged mode. The hilt and barrel expand silently while the top half of the bladed ring retracts to reveal the rifle's barrel that glows a faint blue from the loaded ice Dust rounds. Luna removes the weapon's baton and remote trigger attachment and snaps it on to the hilt, allowing her to wield the weapon parallel to her forearm. Having finished readying herself, she looks to the others for affirmation.

[Zerco]

Valentine - who now retracted and transformed her umbrella into their double whip form - observed the huge scorpion-like Grimm in front of them. Looking at her teammates she noticed that Luna was visibly itching to just run in at any moment. "If anyone has a plan in mind now would be the time to tell us........ Before Luna here decides to steal all the fun for herself." She added the latter one as she mischievously smiled at the wolf girl next to her.

[Grimlock]

Rukt could see lunas eagerness and lightly said to the others "Alright everyone we need to fan out and focus on wounding the tail first it's going to cause us the most problems. Luna stay here with me for now, Akel and Vel one of you go right and the other left and get ready to flank its sides once it gets closer.  I and Luna will wait for you to to get into position before we start firing. After giving the team the plan he crouched down on one knee next to Luna aiming at the Death Stalkers tail and getting his body ready for the blast from the slug.

[EdgeyReyes]

"I don't think you're going to take off the tail with that but good luck nonetheless. I can do a clean cut and that will only become significantly harder when it starts moving." Akel's tone was kind of hushed since she was talking to a faunus and there was a Deathstalker just right there, nonetheless she went over to the side of the Deathstalker and waited for a signal to either attack first or wait for the shots to be fired.

[Riven]

(OOC: Sorry for the long-delayed response everyone. I'll try to keep more up to pace in the future.)



As SLVA was nearly into position, the Death Stalker suddenly paused in mid-motion. Budonoki watched warily as it seemed to look around, possibly sensing for movement. There was a narrow window here, he realized -- Death Stalkers were known to be able to sense ground vibrations much like the scorpions they resembled, and if this one had picked up on the group then they would soon have to defend themselves.

"Cover me." Was the only instruction the aging Faunus gave, whispered to Luna and Rukt. There was no time to explain what he was about to do -- only to do it.

Placing his staff flat on the ground, Budonoki closed his eyes and concentrated -- immediately a tendril of fresh spring-like green slithered out from an almost imperceptible gap in the staff's gnarled woody exterior and tucked into the dirt. His breathing stilled and became almost imperceptible. The Death Stalker, meanwhile, suddenly became more alert, shuffling around slightly as if confused where its prey was. Then, all at once, a vine leapt up from below the ground and snared the creature's leg; the Death Stalker, startled, reeled back and quickly broke free only for another vine to emerge and grab onto another leg. Team SLVA had their opening to strike!

[EdgeyReyes]

Akel was first to sprint to the grimm as soon as it started to reel back with her weapon in hand and rotating the silver ring to trigger the transformation into the scythe. Jumping onto the Deathstalker's armoured shell with her weapon transformed into its scythe form she went for a clean slice aimed at the tail, just before the stinger to get rid of a massive problem before it would really trouble them.

[Luna]

(O.O.C. Sorry this is so late, everyone. Between login issues and IRL going ballistic it's about time i got caught up. Forgive my untimeliness.)

Luna can't stand it any longer. After what seems like an eternity, she rises quickly to her feet, cycling her weapon to melee mode. "I can't take it anymore!" she shouts. Out of nowhere, she rushes the Grimm, unleashing a torrent of shots from her weapon and nearly hitting Akel out of the air. The shots add to her momentum as she darts around the beast, her Dust rounds encasing the Grimm's limbs in chunks of ice. The first shots hit the monster's tail, freezing it from the stinger down almost the full length. The next volley is aimed at the Grimm's appendages. Luna stops momentarily to align herself in the beast's direction before launching herself back into the air, preparing to shatter the ice blocks and subsequently the Grimm's legs and tail.