(no subject)

[rootbound]

Who: Vern, Geir, and you
Where: The western slopes of the Hub mountain
When: Day 86
Open/Closed: Open

[after Jay's mapping trip of the day before, two of the party returned to the mountain's southwestern slopes. they're looking for a cave, and after that exploratory trip, they think they know more or less where they'll find one. it takes some searching slightly north of where the mapping team left off, but Vern and Geir eventually find a location that will work for their purposes… with a few caveats.

((reply to either open prompt or make your own! Vern and Geir will both reply.))



finding the cave - locked to Geir
[they've been over this section of the mountain three times, augh. everything is too small, too small, too small -- are there any caves that are actually a decent size around here?

("small" is very relative when you're traveling with a dragon.)

For reference: "A cave that fits the size and water parameters can be located near the western mountain-front. There are plenty of small tunnels from animals (or some other source) that can allow for smoke to go into them, but it may not be the most difficult cave to access.

The cave itself a fair amount of boar bones, which may indicate that it's some sort of boar death site. This also means there's not exactly a pleasant smell in the cave, but they can potentially burn the smell out with flowers or shrubbery."]



taking out the trash - ota
[the cave that they eventually find and claim needs some work, by any stretch of the imagination. it's located on the western mountain front only a few minutes north of where the mapping party left off, and it's perfect in several respects: big enough for Geir, sufficient ventilation from small animal tunnels to make a fire without worrying, fresh running water from a deep stream only a few feet from the entrance…

the problem is the smell. right now, Geir is shoveling bones and dessicated boar bits out of the entrance, while Vern winces and tries to weave pads out of grasses to start his scrubbing.]

How many of those things died in here?!

[unfortunately, Geir isn't being particularly private in his mental grumbling, and both his commentary -- and Vern's shushing -- occasionally get transmitted over the network. feel free to track him and Vern down, or just mentally yell at them.]



pool boy and maid service - ota
[now that all of the bones are lying in inelegant piles in their front yard instead of in their living room, Vern has started his self-appointed task of scrubbing the smell of death off their walls and floor, as well as figuring out how to build a fire to start smoking the smell out. Geir, on the other hand, is digging in the middle of the stream like a lunatic. they’re both making a lot of noise, the smoke is pretty obvious, and the trail through the woods to their new front door is a lot more open and inviting than they'd prefer… they’re very noticeable if you’re exploring yourself and happen to come around this area.]

Comments

finding the cave

[rootandbranch]

You're sure you don't want to live closer to the others, right? I guess someone would get mad if we just tore the insides of that big hall out and took it.

[Geir is getting bored. he definitely didn't think it would take this long to find a good place to stay, and yesterday's promising number of caves isn't being borne out today -- or it is, but only in more tiny cavelets, barely worth the name. he can't help but sound a little hopeful when he mentions destroying the inside of the mansion. sure, Genette and Brie would get mad, but would that be a drawback or a benefit?

he tries another circle around this part of the mountain, widening it just a little further this time. if only they could see better through the thick trees...]

[rootbound]

It'd be inconvenient, there's a lot of things in there. The point is not to be bothered as much, right...?

[Geir's done most of the navigating, since he has both better eyesight and the literal birds-eye view; still, they both spot the bright gleam of water through said trees below.]

[rootandbranch]

I guess with your powers, it's no good to have people wandering past all the time. Especially if it's Genette and Brie standing outside to yell at us to give their rooms back.

[--!! he startles slightly in surprise when he sees the water, and turns on a wingtip to make a much smaller, more focused circle over the spot.]

Hey, that stream looks like there's more than a drop of water in it.

[rootbound]

It does...are you able to land anywhere? Maybe there's a clearing--

[peering fretfully!]

[rootandbranch]

I'll see if I can't land in the stream and wade up farther, like we did last time. Hang on! You might get some branches in your hair.

[he completes another small circle and dives towards the stream, slow and shallow; he's not trying to win any races to his landing destination, but the tree canopy is pretty dense, and even in the thin spot above the water he's going to be bending a few branches to get through.]

[rootbound]

[tries to make himself very small where he's wedged between two of Geir's back ridges; he does get kind of showered with splinters and foliage, oops. pops his head back out like a gopher once Geir's made his landing to have a look, though, cautiously hopeful]

[potentite]

[Jake saw the smoke and came to investigate but he's distracted by the pile of bones outside. He can't help coming over, excited.]

Oh boy, bones! I wonder if there are many skulls in here?

[He's looting your bone pile now, sorry.]

[rootandbranch]

[Geir pauses in his digging to stare at Jake. he wasn't expecting anyone to come track them here, and he was especially not expecting that reaction. is there a reason why Jake wants bones?]

I... there's probably skulls?

[buddy, you can take all the skulls you want.]

[potentite]

[Oh it's Geir. Jake waves.]

Are these leftovers?

[rootandbranch]

[Geir nods back, emerging from the water with a sigh and shaking himself like a dog before wandering over towards Jakel frankly:]

No, our cave used to be some kind of boar burial mound. It smells awful.

[...after a curious pause...]

Do you want me to save you my leftovers when we don't make stew?

[potentite]

[Jake pauses and considers that.] It would be pretty sweet to decorate the cabin with... but I should probably ask Dirk if it's okay.

[rootandbranch]

Oh, do you and Dirk live together? I didn't realize. You might want to scrub them off if you're taking them anywhere indoors.

[death stench is not a helpful decorating tool.]

[rootbound]

[p...eers out of the cave a little suspiciously, eyes watering from the smoke]

Probably, but you might want to bleach them. Some of them were still a bit runny.

[potentite]

Oh, that's quite already. I've dealt with worse remains!

[rootbound]

[p...auses

people here are so weird

(people are so weird, in general)]

Do I dare ask why...

[potentite]

[Good question is that really the road to go down.]

Umm... I've burnt a corpse before? So... I guess that's happened!

[bulletbiter]

[ Julius has ditched his hood now that his body has mended a bit more; there's still a curl of white on his neck, but enough of it has subsided from his face to make it passably human. His discussion with Madhuri has also given him some ideas. ]

Do you need help?

[ His strength has returned. But more importantly, he has a tentative plan. ]

[rootandbranch]

Julius!

[Geir lights up when he sees the young man; it's certainly nice to see Julius looking better. he seems less brooding than it was the last time they had a long conversation, too, more forward-looking and determined. Geir is pleased to see it.

he doesn't quite know how Julius found them here, though, and it's certainly unexpected that anyone would follow them out here just to offer their help. so he follows up on that introduction with a fair degree of surprise and puzzlement.]

Um, sure? We're just clearing the cave out right now...

no worries!

[bulletbiter]

I'll help.

[ He has nothing much to do other than grow the garden so it might be better to find a change of pace. The smell, though... ]

What's inside...?

[rootandbranch]

Boar leftovers.

[Geir wrinkles his nose, closing his nostrils off from the air for a moment. even if he's more prosaic about the stink than his human companion, it's not pleasant.]

I got the bones out already, but the smell is still all over the walls and floor. I don't know what happened... maybe they all had a disease and went in there to die.

[bulletbiter]

Can you breathe fire?

[ It's an idea, at least...? The mystery of the cave aside, this seemed to be the most important task. ]

[rootbound]

[he is also getting a suspicious squint from Vern, though Geir's enthusiastic greeting makes him relax a moment later. a little.]

I guess? You'll want to work with Geir if you don't want to smell copiuously of rot, though.]

[bulletbiter]

[ Suspicious or not, he has a Purpose here. ]

That was what I was wondering about. Is it just the walls, or?

[rootbound]

Walls, floor, ground into the stone, I'm afraid to look at the roof yet since death stalactites aren't really my thing. I don't know what business the boars had here exactly, but it's like every one who ever lived on this island came here to die. Generations of dead meat. Gross.

[he doesn't seem that bothered by it at this point (though he has a rough bandana tied around his nose and mouth to block out the smell), but he is thoroughly grumbly]

[bulletbiter]

[ Just to be sure: ]

What you will be cleaning with?