Ascend the Mountain! (Plot Event, Invitation only)

[STAFF2]

Antarctica, it is a cold place.....a very cold place, and this far inland is no better. But before you is the mighty mountain the hooded stranger told you of. It is by no means the steepest of mountains, but in the biting cold it is no task for a weak man to perform. Just as you have been told.....a magic field prevents any manner of ascending to the top of the mountain, but to walk and to climb.

It is a race to the top, for you know you are not the only one set to the task, but the rewards.....power....fame....wealth. These are not to be shared! The top of the mountain itself can be seen, it defies all logic that no cloud or mist has blocked it from view, but you can see it. But such a climb could take hours....providing someone else does not take you down........

[svcreed]

With the vision of the alley way still very much in her mind she looked out of the helicopter's window. Below her stretched the endless ocean, as far reaching as a god's gaze and as powerful as the god's temper. She remembered hearing tails of Neptune, the old god of the sea, memories of her childhood flickered like blinking lights in front of her eyes, each one meaning more than the last. Sandra fell into a sort of nostalgic stupor as her life replayed itself through her head, she remembered the first day at school, her first crush and kiss and then her first bike ride.

The memories stopped abruptly as the little flier shook violently for a second. a voice spoke in her ear,

No need to worry ma'am we are nearly at the destination, she diddn't bother replying instead she noticed her hands slowly crushing the metal bar she held. This was the first time she had flown in a helicopter, and it was not going well. When she first saw the minimalistic chassis and single bladed little transport she had nearly choked on her drink. there was no way something like that would make the trip to her destination. A Plane on the other hand was a hundred tonnes of human engineering and shaped like a falis with wings, what more did you need than a flying penis! Helicopters were obviously a woman's invention.

After realizing the damage she was causing to the tiny transport she released her grip and tried to calm down. After all there was no way she could die, and was a pretty mean swimmer so... there wasn't a whole lot to worry about. So after a few breathing techniques to calm her self she fixed her eyes back upon the ever approaching white mass that was Antarctica. A small amount of nervousness started to fester in her stomach, Well lets see what is going to happ...

Before the thought finished a whirring siren exploded through the passenger bay along with red lights and chatter over the radio. Then they were falling, she knew this would happen, glancing behind her at the rapidly approaching spinning land mass she made for the helicopter door, this was just typical. The co-pilot tried to get in her way but a palm to the chest stopped him in his tracks as she jumped into the freezing air, with baggage in tow, of course.

At least i won't fry! Was the last thought she had before her vision went grey and the fear took all cognitive functions from her control.

[STUN GUNN]

Stowing aboard a plane was something Richard had hoped he would never have to do again. But yet here he was sitting in a stolen seat with a bag full of stolen winter clothes from the suitcases in the belly of the plane.

Thought of revenge running through his mind. The strange man and promised him anything if he could retrieve the gloves. The man had seamed so strange to Richard and yet he had agreed to take this challenge or job as he saw it. The promise of anything was the only reason he was there. All Richard had to do was steal something and he was good at that, and then revenge would be his. Yet some how Richard felt the job was not going to as easy as that, since coming to America nothing seamed to be simple in his life any more. He had only gone to America so that he could kill the man that ruined his life but had not had any luck in finding him. Yet if the strange was right in what could only be described as a shop, Richard could have his revenge and go home.

The plane landed on the out skirts of Antarctica like it was planned to. From here it would take most people a day to get to the mountain. But with his super speed it would take Richard an hour at most. He got out the plane trying to get into the airport so that he could get changed into the clothes he had just stolen as it seemed to be even colder than his home in Switzerland. Though walking through the freezing cold in a jumper and jeans may of had something to do with it. He was getting strange looks from just about everyone, not only on the plane, but also by the people in the airport as he entered the place like a Popsicle. He got changed as quick as he could and began to make his way towards the mountain.

[CAIERA]

Caiera had bought passage on a ship, a ship carrying a research team who were looking into something that very boring. Regardless, apart from the large bag of rations and equipment slung over her back, she hadn't changed for the event. The temperature made little difference to her, one could say she was thick skinned.

The Jade Giantess walked off the boat once it had docked, but she wouldn't be boarding a bus or getting a car somewhere. She had something much better, she was a Hulk! She took a moment to run and build up speed before leaping into the air, snow and winds lashed into her green skin and black hair, but it didn't stop her from crossing dozens of miles before landing, and she landed hard. Caiera took another running build up before hurling herself into the air again, she'd be at the mountain in no time.

[SHINIGAMI]

Thank the lord for technology, Kiryu thought to himself, as he rode through the cold lifeless plains of Antarctica on his new snow bike. The roar of the engine and its warmth between his legs were the only signs of life out here. Even though he was exiled from Japan he was still able to call in a couple of favours from some old acquaintances, pretty much using up all the ones he had left, and most of the money that he had saved up. All the effort had paid off though. He'd managed to acquire a small plane ride, that had taken him as far inland as it could, a snow bike, some warm clothes, and two climbing picks.

It was a lot colder here than had ever experienced. He hated the cold, but the mountain was just up ahead, and the reward at the top would be worth the suffering. Anything he wanted. He wondered what the gauntlets would be like. What could they give the wearer that would be worth giving someone anything they wanted, Kiryu thought. Maybe they had a genie inside that could grant three wishes, or perhaps they'd give the wearer everlasting life. Kiryu made a mental note to find out before handing them over.

His mind drifted to another thought. Would anyone else be there? In an ideal world it'd be just him, or maybe some people who wanted to help him simply because it made them warm and fuzzy on the inside, he chuckled at the thought. However it would be more likely that other people would be going to get the gauntlets for their own reasons, perhaps he could ask one of them what was so special about them. With that in mind Kiryu hit the throttle and sped up.

[STAFF2]

As the traveling adventurers got closer to the mountain, the winds appeared to pick up, harsh and unrelenting, they would have been a death sentence for anyone not protected suitably for the cold. But the mysterious stranger had not hired the aid of mere common people. Still, as view of the mountain got into view, it was not the tallest or the hardest looking mountain to climb, but there was a danger to the mountain, like a foul aura, something that told people to stay away in the pit of the their stomach.

If you didn't know any better.....you could swear you had the feeling that you were being watching......



((OOC: Feel free to reach the mountain and start the climb))

[MONSTER]

He wasn't sure what was going on. Hell, he wasn't even sure why he was here. All he knew was that it was cold. And that something was about to happen.

The hooded stranger had told him that going to Antactica was in his best interests. Ira rolled his eyes then adjusted the ski goggles so that his eyes were protected from the howling winds. No need to get snow blindness, not at a time like this. The stranger had spoken of great rewards if he was the first to the top of the mountain, but it wasn't fame or wealth or power that Ira was after. No, he simply wanted to find his father or anyone who knew his father.

Pulling his heavy parka tighter around his lanky frame, he was glad that he was hot natured. He didn't despise being cold, after all he grew up in Canada, but it wasn't on his list of his top three favorite things. So it's a race, he thought as he began picking up the scents of others as they approached the mountain. Looking up at the mountain, a chill ran down his spine and worked its way throughout his body. It wasn't the cold that was getting to him...

Something was up; he could feel it in the pit of his stomach...

[svcreed]

Fear slowly drained from her body in much the same way her blood had oozed out on to the cold and hard white mass that was Antarctica. Blurry speckled lights danced frantically in the sky as Sandra's eyes slowly opened, the feeling of falling now just a recent memory and the broken bones a barely felt throb. Her hands gripped the broken suitcase as she made a mental note of if everything worked or not.

The world was so strangely peaceful when your ear drums and bones were utterly shattered. She couldn't hear anything, well except the voice inside of her head telling her to get up of course. A voice well remembered from her time learning Eskrima, her instructor hadn't bothered with sticks when he received word that she couldn't be killed. She had her father to thank for that. So with only partial sight, no hearing and only being able to smell and taste her own blood she noted that the only sense that actually worked was touch and that was used to make sure she had kept hold of all her precious belongings.

The hours passed and the world got colder but with each passing hour the world became clearer, tastier, louder and then a little bit colder.

Her body shivered violently, signaling that it was ready to begin its adventure once more. The throbbing was gone and her vision had completely returned. With a few deep not-so-very-feminine snorts and spits she restored her sense of taste and Smell whilst leaving a pile of coagulated blood somewhere off to her side.

Sandra bent down and began digging though her destroyed suitcase, after finding a clean scarf, hat, gloves, second scarf and her father's old coat she quickly changed out of the frozen blood soaked garments. She caught his scent off of the coat and instantly she felt like a million dollars and a big grin stretched across her face.

Alright Dad, lets go! she whispered to herself as her enhanced sight scanned the distant horizon, after spotting the mountain she headed off in a steady trot. she would be running late to the party but she figured she would get there in the next couple of hours, after all her steady trot would out pace most human sprinters.

[STUN GUNN]

Richard stopped running, with his super human speed it had taken him only minutes to reach the mountain from the airport. The clothes he had stolen were keeping him well and truly toasty. He looked up at the mountain which stood no more than a few hundred yards in front of him. It was no where near as impressive as some of the mountains he had seen back it Switzerland, yet some how it made him feel uneasy. Something about the mountain gave Richard the feeling that the strange man had not told him everything, he need to know.

Despite the feeling of uneasiness Richard had only one thing one his mind, completing the "quest" he had been set and getting the revenge he craved so much. Richard looked the mountain up and down as the winds began to pick up around him and the tempura dropped, yet some how his stolen clothes still keeping him warm. Through now that he looked at them again maybe a bright yellow ski suite was not the best choice of color.

Richard took one last look at the snow behind him to see if anyone else was around. He scan the hole area but all he could see was a desert of snow that seamed to go on for ever.

As good a free runner as Richard was this was something new to him and he had only stolen two ice picks and no climbing shoes, it was gunner be a long old climb up even with his super speed and inhuman endurance.

Richard looked at the mountain trying to deiced the best root to take, but not being an actual climber he had no idea where to start. He took and long deep breath and put the image of his dead brother in his mind. As he began his assent of the mountain and what he hoped was the easiest and quickest root.

[CAIERA]

Caiera's mile spanning leaps got her to the mountain eventually. It was.....it put a feeling in her gut that she didn't enjoy. Not at all. Regardless, she was getting to the top of that mountain fast. With a mighty leap she went straight up, but just as she had been warned, any attempts to reach the top without climbing would fail and sure enough she bounced off some strange, invisible field.

Annoyed and a little angry, but not discouraged, Caiera turned to old fashioned running, and when things got steep? The daughter of the Hulk just rammed her fingers into the mountain, kicked her feet making her own climbing holes. The snow was freezing cold, not that it bothered her....she was a Hulk. This shit was nothing. So for now, she climbed, and when she could, she ran....the top would be hers in no time.

[SHINIGAMI]

Kiryu pulled up to the base of the mountain. It hadn't taken as long as he thought it would have to get here. He turned off the engine and slid of the bike. It was a bit awkward, he wasn't used to wearing such bulky clothes, and was still getting used to moving around in it.

He walked over to the foot of the mountain and looked up. It didn't seem that high, but something about it didn't sit right with him. His gut told him that even with his accelerated healing he should still be careful. He wasn't a stranger to climbing, but he had only ever done it indoors, on climbing walls, and attached to ropes, the principle of it seemed to be the same, only now he had to use pick axes and falling would be really bad. He took a deep breath and shook off the feeling of dread that was going through his mind. He took another look up and could of sworn he'd seen something yellow about a hundred feet above him. Someone's already here, damn!

He rushed to the base, pulling out his pick axes, dug them in and unsteadily began to climb.

[STAFF2]

You slowly and painstakingly ascend the mountain, constantly feeling as if something is watching you, following you, but whenever you turn to look, the heavy snow and a descending mist blocks your view. As night sets in truly, it becomes all the harsher. But as the gruling hours pass by, the top of the mountain comes into view.

You have been able to see it for sometime now....a blue glow from the top...the entrance to the temple. As you get closer to the top you see the source of the glow, but it seems impossible! A pair of braziers, each with a tall blue flame stand just outside the entrance.

It would appear, a group had arrived, several individuals all after their own prize. The Feral Woman, The Jade Giantess, The Debt Collector, The Thief & The Monster. If they plan to backstab each other for the prize, they don't do it yet.

They venture inside, its dark...hard to make out much. The Stone work is clearly ancient however. There is an individual in the center of the room, resting on his knees. The guardian perhaps? He is thin...unassuming, adorned in nothing more then some tattered pants.

As the brave adventures get closer however, there is another glow...a strange symbol or rune upon his forehead. "Get back!" he yells, before his face twists into anger....his body begins to change, to twist and to grow....and turn green. Massive he becomes, before throwing the adventurers a ferocius glare.

"HULK SMASH PUNY TREASURE STEALERS!"

Roared the guardian, a magically bound...Incredible Hulk! He raises up his arms before slamming his mighty hands together, a boom of like thunder erupts out and a dominating wave of force hurtles from the slap towards the adventurers.

((OOC: Players can feel free to godmod control of Hulk for actions related to their own characters, such as being hit & hitting back, but please keep it realistic & suiting to your characters abilities and limitations, abusing this will be punished IC))

[CAIERA]

Caiera was first to reach the top, eyes glazing over the blue fire on the pair of braziers. Interesting she pondered. Pressing in quickly to get out of the cold, it might not have froze her, but it was still annoying. The stone work inside was.....very Greek looking. The Jade Giantess couldn't help but shake down the cold, cracking her arms and jaw before rolling her shoulders. That was better.

Pressing in further, she eventually spotted the person in the center of a wide room, but with the heavy shadow of the room it was impossible to make him out, although he was a scrawny fecker. "Don't tell me this is the guardian....." she was expecting....something a little bit more...intimidating?

When he started to transform however, Caiera's eyes went wide. "Grand dad? Oh shit....." She was tough, but she wasn't pissed off right now...he appeared to be. She could call on the old power maybe...but up here could be dangerous. She needed those gloves first....then she's bring down the mountain gladly.

When Hulk slammed his hands together for that famous "Thunder Clap" as people called it, Caiera raised her arms in a defensive manner, but even with her protective stance and super strength, the force of the hands slamming together knocked her straight off her feet and straight back out the entrance. Could have been worst, she could have been knocked off the whole damn mountain. Regardless, Caiera got back to her feet before running back inside.

Powerful feet carried her back into the Greek looking Temple before launching herself at Hulk, a clenched fist swinging across his jaw, she watched with satisfaction as his head was blown to the side by the force of the blow. She was a Hulk herself after all. To her displeasure however, he appeared to quickly recover. Growling in her face before battering her aside with the back of his hand, her body flew across the temple, before hitting hard against the stone work, feeling it shatter as she fell away. "Fuck you grand dad!" she spat before rushing in again, hurling herself at Hulk, hands interlocked as she swung to bring them down as hard as she could on the top of his head.

[svcreed]

The mountain now lay behind her, sinking away for many mailes before reaching the floor. The cold, harsh weather and pulled at her coat and caused her grip to fail several times on her ascent, the going was hard but with each new hand hold she was that little bit closer.

Now at the top she realised that she was late to the party, already there were people heading into the temple, of which was of a paticularly greek, or maybe roman design. She mused about the architecture for roughly three seconds before realising that she was falling behind.

When she entered the dark, dusty and freaking freezing temple she noticed that she knew two of the other acsendants.

Kiryu, Richard? whata re you... she ebgan before she was cut off by a massive roar. A mucus and spittle filled roar. Wiping the gunk from her face she turned to face the massive green monstrosity, the incredible hulk... and he was quite fearsome.

Less talk more fight! Sandra called as she raced away from her two housemates, closign teh ditance between her and the beast in mere moments.

The green giantess had already taken a swing at the hulk and landed quite harshly on the otherside of the room in response. Sandra however wouldn't be so slow, afterall she was the daughter of Sabertooth she was freaking unstoppable.

The massive green behemoth swung wildy at her, she evaded with a slied before drawing one of her stashed machetes and with a strong upwards swing brought the blade across its chest.

Shards of metal scattered through the room as the blade did little more than scratch the beast before snapping under the strain. Still in mid turn she span and sank into the floor sending a powerful fist into the creatures abdomen.

Rock hard muscle met the fist and then an equally rock hard palm slapped her away sliding acorss the floor until she was at the feet of her friends.
We are going to need to find someway of getting past him, i've read about the hulk and killing him isn't an option!

Her eyes danced around the walls of the temple, if only there was soemthing she could use...

[STUN GUNN]

The wind bit at Richard’s skin as he reached the top of the mountain, the snow and cloud hid the bottom of the mountain from his sight, but he was certain he could see people climbing up not that far behind him. He reached his hand up for what he hopped was the last time, as he pulled himself up he could see the temple standing in front of him, its structures looked old and more than likely Greek or Roman but he was not sure.

As Richard walked towards the temple he could have sworn he saw someone else go in, but the snow was now making it dam near impossible to see. Standing in the door way to the temple Richard looked on in shock as he watched two green giants fighting one male and one female, he looked around the room trying to see if he could get the prize without being seen.

As he began to move towards the gloves the male green monster threw a punch at him, if it hadn’t been for Richards lighting reflexes he would have been mince meat and that was no exaggeration, as the monster had punched right into the rock and was now trying to free his hand. Using the chance Richard made another move for the prize only to have to jump out of the way of flying rock. It seemed the green giant had freed his hand and now had his sights set on Richard. This time the punches came at Richard harder and faster with him still able to doge them without too much of a problem. Richard wasn’t much of a fighter but he could sure create a diversion if you needed one as he was so hard to hit.

This time as Richard moved out of the way of one the punches, he threw one himself hitting the giant right in ribs but caused absolutely no harm to the monster, but now pain ran through Richards’s hand. Richard Jumped back and rolled out of the way to the side of temple, as he stood up he saw his roommate Kiryu just standing there. Richard looked at him with a very confused face and asked very simply “What the fuck are you doing here, what the fuck is that thing and did you bring a first aid kit I think I broke my hand”?

As Kiryu began to answer the questions Richards other roommate or land lord, depending on if it was rent day or not, came into the temple looked at Richard and Kiryu asked what they were doing there. Richard just looked back her feeling that he was probably here for the same reason she was and the same as Kiryu but before he could find out, she was attacked by the green giant. Richard watched as she too was unable to cause any harm to the monster even with her knives. She rushed back over after seeing it was useless to fight and that this monster or hulk could not be killed by them. Richard looked at her very calmly, he still held his hand though the pain had lessened. He smiled at her and gently asked “What the FUCK is a HULK and did you bring a first aid kit”?