5punk

Oh yeah. Edited

Elves are not bothered with such distinctions.

In light of my last post (now edited with colour and quotes), I have decided that trying to post in character quotes from a phone is a pain in the arse.

So I know Doggers intends to keep on auto-pilot with Jasper, but not anyone else.

Are you just going to continue on course to see if the drones turn up?

Thats what I was thinking of doing. See what the drones can do and if that doesn't work, run like fuck.

I go where you guys go. My little toy avatar does, anyway.

Yeah I will press on and wait for the drones.

I'm still auto-piloting away, I will only change course if the rest do.

So after what seems like days of coasting through trees across the snow...

The beasts stay at a distance, flitting through the trees. Ingress5's drone network alert you to incoming drones, soon you can hear the buzz of small vtol craft approaching, a sleek drone flies overhead, its bulging noses chattering at the group on your left, large holes tearing into trees, rock and the creatures as the twin lmg's rip into the group. It scatters as the drone pulls a tight circle and begins its return strafing run.

With a shriek of supersonic jets the other drone arrives, before you can even turn to regard it the whole right flank group is engulfed in a huge explosion, the shockwave covering the area in snow and ice with pieces of tree and rock spitting out at high speed, some flying past you whirring and buzzing as they go.

You can't see anything in the chaos as the snow swirls around like the blizzard you first landed in, an impression of flame and smoke deep within the white curtain. As for if there's anything left of the group, you can't tell from the ground.

That should be most of them, I'll run a few more passes with the Hellcat then call it back. Another couple of hours and you'll be beyond my range so I can't help you. Good luck gents.

That was definitely the better option.

Piss, I was sure I had posted for Jon to go as fast and dangerously as possible
Arse

Okay, lets fast forward - it's been a long trip...

Following both the tracker and the spirit you've continued to head along the valley further into the mountains, eventually you're presented with a choice.

The valley has suffered glaciation past this point, it's sides have been stripped away to form imposing bare rock faces that will require quite a bit of effort in scaling or quite a lot of searching to find a way up without the need for ropes.

The edge of the glaciated area is marked with huge piles of rock that climb up the valley and allow an early exit to either side.

So you can continue to head straight for the source or get out the valley now and abandon the snowmobiles.

I reckon we leave the valley - snowmobiles may be quicker, but we're boxed in down there.

A good observation. I can lead the way on foot I guess.

Sounds good to me, dont fancy getting trapped in there.

I'll take that as consensus from the group then.

You want to go left or right? both sides are covered in the apparently stable scree, both sides show plenty of tree cover up to the permanent snowline so there's not too much to choose unless you know which way would be quicker to get your guys to your destination.

As Joose is apparently dead, I'll point out that his super maths powers show that the left is in fact quite a bit closer, but his drone scans show the terrain to be a lot tougher to the left. So what seems the more expeditious route could kill everyone.

Just to complicate matters, that storm is looming heavily now, the sky a focus swallowing grey mass with churning purple bruises of colour flashing out of the turmoil. It's going to dump serious amounts of snow. So exposure could kill everyone anyway.

Also - Jon is having too much fun blatting about full speed on his snowmobile and isn't going to help anyone right now (As per fab's previous post and a failed composure roll) you'll have to rein him in if you want to move off as a group.

I'd say we should go to the right, take the easier path, since we have a lot of non-survivalists (including me) in the group.

Hey flyboy! Get your ass back here, we need to stick together if this is going to work!