Welcome to Gaia! ::

Trine was healthy and though it was overcrowded their recent development of Districts was doing much to alleviate the crowding on the central portions of the complex. The vast diversity of interests and skills within the society had ensured that everyone could find a niche to their tastes. However, this expansion brought with it vulnerabilities that both the Wherholders and the Dragonriders were acutely aware of. Thread remained a threat to every individual on the planet and with the larger populated area devoid of the stone constructs that dotted the northern hemisphere, the silver menace could destroy lives if the Dragonriders did not keep their skies well defended.

To defend those skies they needed firestone. The territory was rich with mines but the chief source of Firstone for Trine was their mine to the west – a large complex staffed by a small community of its own. The stolen eggs had been taken there briefly and it was in this confusion that the members of the Wherholders noted the vast seams of Firestone that could be mined – or set aflame. This remained a note on Keller’s Desk for some time and when he was ready he gathered the new trainees to give them their orders.

“Infiltrate the Firestone Mine. Set the charges given to you and bring it down! Without the material their dragons need to breathe flame, Trine is vulnerable! Their supplies will not last long and in the chaos, they will spread too far, too thin to defend. Too long has this Weyr been a thorn in our sides! You are the agents of the Wherholders, harbingers of a new era! Complete this Mission, bring down the mine, and you will be justly rewarded!” His voice had rung out loud and clear as his ever present Gold Wher stood behind him, impassive orange eyes watching the recruits.

Shortly thereafter, the dragons had arrived to bear their partners and the Mission recruits aloft. This would be a subtle mission – no roaring dragons, no large partners, just the humans in the tight spaces and their dexterous fingers to cave in the mine. The approach to the mine is made at night but it is still fraught with tents and buildings full of sleeping men and Whers standing guard. The group must make it past this gauntlet of storehouses, abandonned supplies, and watchwhers to enter the mines.

If - when - they pulled this off, this was going to be awesome. Dinah was positively gleeful as they set off...although she kept this to herself, her expression and manner as serious ever. She was going to get some payback against the sharding riders, finally! By blowing up their firestone mine, no less. It wasn't as good as getting her hands on an actual rider, but it still promised to be very satisfying indeed.

Her wher stalked along beside her, a pale shape in the dark. It still hurt sometimes, seeing that pale hide instead of dark, knowing a vicious mind instead of a gentle one, but she couldn't deny that, in a way, she and Dinsk were more suited to each other than she and Dinahsk had ever been.

She knew it, but wasn't comforted by it.

((Dinah: 4+0=4
Dinsk: 3))

Risk's heavy steps could only be so careful. As the brown and his handler slipped through the camp sites there was a little stirring, and at one point a low growl, but Risk mentally silenced the canine who objected to his presence.

Rilli just kept one hand on the brown's side, guiding and communicating through touch rather than sounds or even mental words. She was stripped of all her usual jewelry, and soft soled shoes allowed her to walk silently on the loose ground. Her sight may not be the best in this foreign place at night, but Risk could see for the both of them.

It really was easier doing this with her partner than without.
......................

Rilli: 6 +1 =7
Risk: 5

D’lek had changed inot his darkest leathers, he was terrified by the upcoming mission-he had not done well during training- and he was loathe to endanger others and through himself, Tennath. He refused to show this terror though, wearing a grim expression, face set uncharacteristically with hard lines; preparing himself for what must be done.

Tennath had helped transport the whers and handlers, now waiting anxiously with the other dragons-he did not like being left behind, D’lek putting himself in jeopardy. Be careful Mine. His eyes whirled with hues of white and yellow as he watched D’lek make his way into the night with the other trainees. I’ll try to avoid trouble.

D’lek did his best to be silent as he crept though camp, hearing stirrings ahead of him as the others advanced their separate ways. He truly tried...and --miraculaously almost-- made it to the mine without compromising his position. Despite faltering during training his experience from his and Tennath's forays in the South brought back the skills that had seemed lost. Now at the mine, he waited for the others to commense the operation.
-------------
D'lek: 10-0=10

[D'ei]

D'ei didn't really like being the sneaky sort. She liked punching much better; not because she approved of violence as a method of settling differences but at the very least the person would be awake when they died. They'd have a chance to run.

She glanced around for V'ell before it started, dark of the night, Weyrfolk snug in their beds, about to kill their first line of defense destroyed- but it was war. War. Right. The Wherholder breathed deep in concentration, her eyes small and narrowed in concentration of not being as loud of some of her fellows. ...if they got them killed so help her...D'ei made it to the mine, ducking her head to be even smaller, and she stared around for V'ell until the rest arrived.

D'ei: 10 + 0 = 10
_____

[Kr'stof]

He hated this. Hated. Hated. He had to change out his big boots for the sake of silence, put on dark clothing that stifled something fierce, and then blow up a mine. The last part he didn't mind so much, seeing as how fire always blazed in the prettiest of ways, but the whole thing added together was too much. At least he'd remembered a knife at his hip.

Still, Keller said to. Kr'stof volunteered. He went.

And well, how about that! The greenrider scrambled about for a minute before he made it to the wine, silent as a trundlebug, and waited.


Kr'stof: 8 + 0 = 8

Instructions
F'io, Kesin/Kesisk, Dinsk:
Roll 1d10 to evade the searching individuals. Values must be the DM Rolls listed below. If you do not succeed you have two choices:
1) fight and cause an alert,
2) be taken and cover for your comrades (roll 1d20 and add the bonus of the character's best Dialogue skill).
if no action is taken, the characters are automatically caught




E'lov:
Roll 1d10 to hide, add the bonus from your Stealth;Disguise Skill. If your roll is less than the roll made by the searching individuals, you are spotted and an alert goes up. If you are spotted, you have three choices:
1) Run for the Hills (Roll 1d100 and get 65+, drawing the searchers away), 2) to be captured and cover for your comrades (roll 1d20 and add the bonus of the character's best Dialogue skill)),
3) fight (detals to be given after this choice is taken)
if no action is taken, the characters are automatically caught

Everyone Else:
You made it to the Mine undetected! While your comrades are trying avoid detection, Search the area while you wait for the rest of your team. If you choose to loot the Supply Room, roll 2d6+2 to determine the number of bandages you will get - there is no guarantee you'll get any more during the rest of the Mission.

[D'ei]

V'ell made it! Something almost a smile brightened the brownriders face. She returned the squeeze quickly, affectionately, and released as soon as others began to arrive. Time to hunt, time to gather what needed to be. D'ei glanced around, saw Mokah and his wher find... a supply room? D'ei took V'ell's hand again for a soft pull and nodded towards the wher and his companion before heading off after them.

Supplies.

When one wanted to set something on fire, supplies were wonderful. She rifled through, coming across a box of bandages, and started to pull them out.

7+2 = 9 bandages

Dinah and Dinsk

Dinsk hadn't meant to get separated from Dinah, or to cause a fuss, but...well, she'd thought she'd seen a flit, and predatory instinct demanded that she catch and eat said flit. This had the unfortunate side effect of tipping off the flit's owner that something was wrong, to put it mildly. Whoops. With the flit's broken body still held tight in her jaws, she tried to find somewhere safe to hide, but there was nowhere! Nowhere!

Dinah! People, Dinah! she sent to her handler, hissing a warning all the while at any who came near, hunching into a posture that was clearly readying for an attack.

----

No. No, no, no. Dinah had made it to the mine by the time Dinsk sent to her, and she turned around to find that her wher was nowhere to be found. She swore vehemently under her breath, and tried to stifle rising panic. If they cornered her with Dinah there to hold her back, the green would fight and cause further alarm.

But maybe they'd just think her feral...and then they would probably still kill her. Why keep a feral, vicious green?

Every thought made her sick, but what could she do? Dinsk was caught regardless, and rushing out to be captured alongside her was pure foolishness. At least they wouldn't be able to get any information out of a wher.

No words, Dinsk. Don't say anything!