catch-all open log!

[rebells]

Who: Anyone and everyone!
Where: On the beach, and various other places throughout the hub island
When: Day 80, and the next couple days after
Open/Closed: open log for hub shenanigans!

[This evening, someone has placed an old, rusted-over camp stove on the beach near the coven's row of huts--anyone examining it in detail will see that it's not operational at the moment, but that could potentially be changed, couldn't it? If someone was handy with mechanical things . . . .

Next to it is a crate (which, from the weight of it is empty) and pinned to that crate is a sheet of paper with a map on it, something like a much cruder, black-and-white version of this:



with the following key:

1 - crags. Contain snakes which may be poisonous. Watch out.
2 - ocean, going about one mile out from the coast.
3 - lagoon. Contains thick reeds (could be woven or shaped into tools) and frogs (edibility uncertain).
4 - abandoned campsite.
5 - orchard. Currently, trees are diseased and bare. Plant healer needed.
6 - abandoned house. A family used to live here, from the looks of it. Still contains some useful supplies.

And there should be a 7 north of base camp with the notation "graveyard. Graves unused." but the player forgot and is too lazy to go back and fix it right now. Observant individuals will note that the map looks like a more detailed version of one hanging on the door to a certain coven member's cabin, one that has a note on the bottom: "Have information? Ask for Jay."

Other than that, it's a quiet night on the hub island. We've been here for a couple days; maybe you're getting restless? Want to check out that ocean, or lagoon, or even those crags? Maybe just go door-to-door in the beach huts? Maybe you're sick of shrimp and looking for other things to eat . . . hopefully someone's got a fire going tonight, and thought to kill a boar . . . .

What are you doing tonight?]


((here or here for place descriptions))

Comments

ota

[rebells]

[Maybe you were curious about the map and wanted to stop by and see its progenitor, or maybe you just wanted to see him. Maybe you just happened to stumble on:

a) the aforementioned purple cabin with crude map and "Ask for Jay." note or
b) Jay himself, running through forms some ways down the beach with his dagger. (He's fluid and fast, clearly expert both with these particular forms and with the weapon he's using.)

Bother him?]

b

[alphonse]

[The loud clanking, at least, means Al's in no danger of sneaking up on Jay any time soon. Normally he would probably just leave him to his training, but he can already tell that nights here are going to be much more empty than on Aimintas, so even in the evening time he'll take what opportunities he can get to speak with people. He holds a hand up in greeting as he passes.]

I think you've got the right idea. [Not letting the downtime they have go to waste.] If you're up for it, we should spar sometime.

[rebells]

[He finishes running through this set, turns towards Alphonse, and smiles.]

It doesn't do to get out of practice, after all. I'd be interested in sparring with you. How do you fight?

[alphonse]

It's something my alchemy teacher taught me, so I don't think it's really a formal style. I sparred with my brother a lot back home, though.

[Who is also tiny and fast, so Al isn't concerned about Jay's size putting him in danger of getting hurt. He seems more than capable.]

The only thing that might be a problem is the armor.

[rebells]

Yes, I don't think this [he motions to his dagger] would be able to do much against that armor. But I do enjoy a good challenge.

[With a small smile.]

[alphonse]

You wouldn't have to hold back as much, anyway. I don't normally use weapons.

[For obvious reasons.]

[rebells]

No? I suppose they might seem superfluous. Did you want to go now or later?

[alphonse]

I'll leave it up to you. If you're already tired from practicing on your own, it can always wait for another time.

[rebells]

[He considers--but he is a little worn out at the moment, and so he shrugs and plops himself down in the sand.]

Perhaps in a bit then. How are you settling in to the island?

A

[lohengrins]

[ the boy's proven himself to be competent time and time again — it's difficult to not pay attention, frankly. ]

I'll assume that you and your crew were responsible for the map. The far west, beyond the old house, is unaccounted for — why?

[rebells]

Hello to you, too.

[He smiles, but the smile quickly turns serious.]

There hasn't been a dedicated mapping trip out that way--at least not that I know of. Brie found the abandoned house on her own and led us to it.

b

[splinten]

[What's that? Focusing completely on physical combat and totally ignoring anything emotional or otherwise difficult to grapple with?]

Strife me, bro.

[He just draws his sword because he's a reasonable person and not a fight-happy teenaged moron.]

[rebells]

[Well, all right.

Jay lets his mouth curve into a smile--he really does enjoy the physicality of fighting--and rushes Dirk, more experimentally than anything else: wanting to see what he'll do.]

[splinten]

[See, Jay gets it. He rushes in and Dirk's instinctive response is to flashstep away and appear behind Jay to attack. Sadly, he can't do that, so he shifts grips instead and aims to slide past Jay while taking a swipe at him. Dirk has a reach advantage; if he can keep close enough to cut without getting so close Jay can stab him, the main danger will be Jake throwing a weapon at him.

Dirk is so much less of a fucking moron when he doesn't get emotional in a fight.]

[rebells]

[Yeah, he's at a definite disadvantage, especially since he can't do the thrown dagger magically appearing back in his hands thing here. He ducks away from the blade and slashes out, but as they probably have similar speeds, it shouldn't be too hard for Dirk to keep at a bit of a distance . . . . ]

[splinten]

[Another near-miss and he is irritated that he's having such a hard time compensating for the reduced speed options. When will his flashstep come home from the war. (On a high frequency planet, obviously. But still.) Dirk tries moving in close enough to cut at Jake's torso, though of course he isn't fighting to seriously hurt. But he and Jake never trained with dull weapons; 'being careful of fatal injuries' is basically as far as he's going to compensate for training mode.]

[rebells]

[I know, Dirk, it's so hard only being as fast as a trained assassin. Jay jumps backwards out of the way and pivots to the side, aiming a kick at Dirk's exposed side as he does so.

Dirk is fast and clearly knows how to use a sword, both of which he expected. That plus the reach advantage makes this an uphill battle, but not necessarily an insurmountable one. Hmm.]

[splinten]

[Thanks for understanding. Dirk has to roll with the kick to get away from it and he keeps the momentum going to try to come back at Jay with his sword. He's finding himself really enjoying this; there's nothing quite like a fight with someone who knows what they're doing.]

a

[rootandbranch]

[Geir has gotten as far as "identify the drawn picture as a map," and he's looking it over appraisingly, glancing up over the trees past the coven's housing space now and then as if to compare what he sees to the blobby lines. he seems to be spending an unusually long time trying to figure out what each of the symbols means, though, occasionally even ghosting a clawtip over the surface to try to trace out a curve that corresponds to what he's seen from the air. he's well absorbed in the task whenever Jay sticks his head out...]

[rebells]

[Which would be--right about now; he's been in his cabin brainstorming ways forward from here, but he pokes his head out to get some air and maybe see if anyone is around for him to push his power surveys onto.

He blinks, coming face-to-face with Geir almost immediately.]

Oh, hello. Were you looking for me?

[rootandbranch]

Oh! Hi, Jay. Is this paper yours?

[Geir looks inquiringly at the map and then up to the purple hut, making the connection; this must be where Jay is staying!]

...I didn't realize everyone was living here...

[rebells]

[He nods.]

I haven't asked, but I think it's likely Qri had Brie and Genette prepare this area before we arrived. Were you looking at the map, then? I made it with help from Dirk and a few others.

[rootandbranch]

I was looking at it, but it doesn't show me much. Pretty good for someone who wasn't flying, though.

What do each of the little map marks represent?

[Geir rests the tip of a claw briefly over the "base camp" notation. he can see that it's marked off with the large square, but the reason why he didn't expect Jay to show up is easily apparent: he can't read the key of the map.]

[rebells]

[Well, that makes sense. He wouldn't necessarily expect a dragon to be able to read, and his handwriting is small besides.]

They're places of interest. Would you like me to read them to you?

[rootandbranch]

[Geir perks up; the simple understanding of the issue and motion to address the problem is one of the better reactions he's gotten to not being able to read something. appreciatively:]

Yes, please! I might recognize them. I've already spent some time flying around.