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

[rebells]

[He's down here visiting the orchard again, just in case there's been some sort of change while they were away. There doesn't seem to have been, but here's Yuuko, putting her hands all over the trees.]

Ah, hello. Have you been able to do anything with them?

[witchofwishes]

[She gives a disappointed shake of the head.] When you pull down a branch from the tree you'll see that the inside is brown, implying that that particular branch is dead. Dead branches can be trimmed and cut off and the tree can be saved, so long as the trunk of the tree is healthy. Unfortunately... When we scratch away some bark on this trunk. [She does just that revealing just brown on the inside.] This should be green... These trees seem to be heavily diseased or dead. I can't say for certain but saving them seems highly unlikely.

[She brushes her hands off to give her full attention to Jay.] Sad as it is that they are dead this might be for the best. We don't know what kind of fruits these trees would bear and we don't know if they'd be right. There's grapes in the vineyard that taste like... well, not grapes. And who knows what the apples or peaches from these trees might have been like. However~ myself and several others have collected seeds from our previous world. We can start anew with trees that we will bear fruit that we know will taste the way they should.

These diseased and dying trees probably can't be used for much but you can never have too much surplus of firewood. And maybe someone's magic can do something with the wood. I can take the seeds and create a new orchard and in fairly record time.

[If there is someone that can help the trees then by all means. But in her opinion they should simply start anew with all the seeds they've collected. They can create an orchard with better pathing and add new things too! Waver found apple seeds and a possible lemon seed. And she has oranges, cherries and a few other things as well. Nothing can be planted until they decide what to do with this current orchard though.]

Though... I do have my concerns about what caused the death of these trees. I don't want a similar fate to befall the new things we plant.

[rebells]

[He listens carefully to all of what Yuuko's saying, head tilted in thought. When she's finished, he nods.]

I'd still like to see if there's anyone among us with the capacity to heal these trees, just so we can know what kind of fruit that they were meant to bear. But if we have new things to plant, we can certainly start taking most of these down . . . I know a couple people who might be able to help with that.

We should also take samples of the fungus, in case it returns. Someone on one of the worlds we visit might be able to help us identify and deal with it.

[He pauses.] Do you know a girl named Haru, by any chance?

[witchofwishes]

[That seems perfectly reasonable to her. It would be a shame to lose all knowledge of what these trees might have been growing before. If there is a chance that some of them can be saved, then by all means. She just isn't the one that can do it. But while they seek out someone who can, she can start prepping the rest of the orchard for the new seeds.

Yuuko can't help but clap her hands together, feeling excited. She's been planning on doing some kind of garden since she got here. It's finally time.]

This all sounds excellent to me. My only request is that we be careful bringing a fungus to other worlds. Bringing foreign substances to other places can cause serious damage to their own ecosystem. But looking for someone who knows how to deal with it to protect these future trees is very much a priority.

[As for the girl... Yuuko shakes her head.] I'm afraid that locking myself up in the library in our last world caused me to miss a great deal of newcomers. Is she someone that can help this venture of ours?

[rebells]

[He nods; that seems more than reasonable.]

Haru is a girl who gardened a little on her world. She's been maintaining the abandoned garden in that house out west, and I think she's thinking about starting her own, too. I thought the two of you might want to confer or combine efforts.

[witchofwishes]

[How absolutely interesting! She had no idea someone was well ahead of her on this gardening agenda. Clearly, they should combine their efforts.]

I'll have to get in contact with her right away then. I'd certainly like to think I could be of assistance in the task of growing things.

And in the meantime... I'll see what can be done about these trees and start growing something new. I don't know how long we'll be at here but I'd like to make the most of the time we have. If we can at least get things planted we can see the fruits of our labor upon return.

[rebells]

Let me know if you have trouble tracking her down--I can introduce the two of you. Or if you need any other help with this project. There are a couple individuals who have powers that might be useful for breaking down and moving the trees.

[witchofwishes]

I'll certainly call upon you if the need arises. I well aware that I can't do it all on my own. And, ah, forgive me, I'm afraid we haven't been properly introduced. Could I have your name, if you don't mind?

[rebells]

[He smiles.]

Call me Jay. And you are--?

[witchofwishes]

A lovely name. You may call me Yuuko. I'm a witch that seems to have lost her powers and gained some fantastic gardening skills~

I'll do my best for this orchard and try and get in contact with the people you mentioned. But know that I appreciate your efforts thus far. I'm sure we all do.

[rebells]

It's not a problem. I just want things here to go smoothly for all of us. It's a pleasure to meet you, Yuuko.

Do you know, you're actually the second witch I've met in this place.

[witchofwishes]

Second...?

[She really did shut herself up in that library and missed tons of information and all these new people.]

Well, you've added a second party on my to meet and greet list. Who is this other witch?

[rebells]

[It happens. Books are very absorbing.]

Her name's Magilou. She seemed very serious about the way witches should behave, given the way she complained about Qri.

[witchofwishes]

[She lets out a laugh. Yes. Qri is doing all sorts of things she probably shouldn't. But everyone has their own sort of rules... the rules of the universe aren't ones to be trifled with but... Maybe she's following them in her own way.]

Magilou, is it? She sounds like a studious witch. I look forward to speaking to her. It's been a long time since I've had someone to discuss the finer points of witchery with.