(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

[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.]

[potentite]

Yes, we sort of... thought it might be nice? Um. I mean, just as friends!

[God why is he awkward. Back to skulls. Skulls are not awkward.]

Good thinking, gumdrop! I wonder the best way...? Maybe scrub them down with fruit juices?

[rootandbranch]

I don't really know how to clean skulls up. I was always trying to crack them to get the marrow out.

[he does look at the pile of bones with uncertainty, though. are they valuable? should he be trying to clean them up and hoard them...?]

Why do you like them?

[luckily, he doesn't seem to care one way or another if Jake is sleeping with his bro or not, so you're home free on that one, Jake.]

[potentite]

[Bless you dragon friend. Jake smiles.]

Oh, my grandma really liked them! [Or, well, maybe that's a bit inaccurate, so he tries to explain.] Have you ever heard fairytales...? About wicked stepmothers? My grandma had one. And she loathed her. But that woman hated skulls. So, grandma adopted it as her symbol. Isn't that cool?

[rootandbranch]

I haven't heard of fairy tales, but that sounds like a good way to chase off inconvenient family. Too bad no one I know would mind skulls...

[Geir somewhat wistfully contemplates this happy state. scatter a few skulls around and you could be family-free for a few days! or at least really irritate them.]

So you collect skulls to honor her memory?

[potentite]

Huh. Yes, I suppose I do! [This is said in a tone that implies Geir is right, but Jake also has never actually thought about it. Thinking is the enemy.] They are... really comforting for me! Seeing them around feels like Grandma is there, I guess.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir operates almost entirely by having very few preconceptions and asking uncomfortably direct questions of himself and others all the time, whenever he doesn't understand something... oh dear. fortunately, nothing in Jake's statement immediately provides him with another avenue of inquiry on Jake: only on himself.]

I wonder if I have anything like that... oh, I guess lights make me think of Vern! And furry things make me think of my brother, sometimes.

[he nods to himself. associative nostalgia, definitely a thing he has too! we learn something new about ourselves every day. actually, maybe he doesn't mind the smell of death as much because it reminds him of his sister, too... that would make sense.]

If you figure out how to clean them, I'll help you carry them over! I bet Dirk wouldn't mind if you just kept them somewhere close.

[potentite]

[Oh, that's so sweet. He loves hearing about things that make other people happy like that.]

Aw, thanks so much. And yes, it's why I use guns, too! And why I like a lot of the things I like in retrospect. I really loved my Grandma a lot. Furry things are just neat, though. Do you like dogs?

[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!

[rootbound]

...like, cremation burning, or just...

[this is a terrible topic]

[potentite]

Um, yes! Technically? I was going to stuff her corpse but there were so many monsters, I was rather wary of keeping it around too long.

[A great topic.]

[rootbound]

...okay, this is officially the worst topic and I'm sorry I brought it up.

[YOU WIN JAKE ENGLISH]

[potentite]

[Poor Vern.]

It's not the worst topic but it wasn't the best. New topic! Um... Do you like your new cave?

[rootbound]

[i will when it doesn't smell like a charnel house, he starts to say, then decides that's too close to runny bones talk for comfort]

...we could have done without all the boars, but it's a pretty good location otherwise. Geir's too big for the beach houses, after all.

[potentite]

Oh, yes. I supposed the huts would be a bit too cramped even if you combined a few.

[Though, actually, now he's wondering.]

So... are you two best friends?

[rootbound]

Uh...

[that's an alarmingly complex and loaded question actually, not because he doesn't consider Geir a best friend but because there's a lot of fraught stuff wrapped up in their relationship and its circumstantial context, half of which he doesn't even want to begin explaining to someone]

Yyyyyes? That's one way to put it?

[potentite]

[Luckily, Jake is a very trusting and simple kid who has no reason to question this.]

Oh that's nice. I like Geir a lot and it would be a frightful shame for him to be without his best pal.