spellbinders | (no subject)

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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

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.

[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.

[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?

[Geir laughs-- now that he thinks about it, it's strange that no one really brought hunting hounds or horses or other useful animals with them to the coven. it would sure make finding deer a lot easier of they at least had a courser-pack.]

Hounds are all right! My brother is a wolf, so they always make me think of him, but he's much bigger and fiercer. I always wonder if the hounds feel a little bad when they think of him.

Wow! He's a wolf? That's so neato!

[Though it makes him want to pet him, hm.]

Why would they feel bad?

[bad idea, though if you'd asked Geir if his brother's fluff was comfortable to lay on, he'd have to say yes.]

Because they're so outmatched, obviously! A wolfhound could never hunt Aghi, even when he was really little. He was always the strongest.

Being the weaker one can be pretty demoralizing, that's true. But he's like... a god or something, right? It's apples to oranges. They should look at it that way!

He is a god. I guess if a hound ever complains to me, I'll tell them that.

[he nudges at one of the skulls meditatively. family associations are strange...]

Do you have any family besides your grandma? Any brothers or sisters?

[He ponders that. Good question?]

I think Jane and I are related somehow? Possibly... siblings? Golly, I hope not. That would be queer. I know Jade and John are related to me! I'm their... [Wait hang on what is he?] Father... grandfather... and also grandson and nephew? Our family trees are fucked up!

I don't understand anything you just said. You're your own grandfather?

[this is impressive. Geir is dimly aware that human families Don't Work Like his, what with all the random animals, Loki becoming a female horse, people being birthed out of gods' armpits, et cetera. but Jake's still has the power to surprise him.]

[That is also a good question.]

Um, well. I... guess? Jade is my grandma! But I'm also her grandfather! And I guess, technically? She comes from me and Jane? So... yep.

Congratu...lations?

[that sounds extremely insincere or... something, but Geir is not, he just... has no idea how to react...

he tilts his head to one side until he's almost looking at Jake upside down and blinks at him curiously, then turns his head back right side up again. maybe he should qualify that statement further.]

Actually, I don't know if it's that, but it sounds like things are weird! But I'm glad you have skulls together.

[he's very sympathetic to his situation being weird and difficult to follow for other people, so, whatever.]

You want us to get a bunch of them to give them to your family next time you see them?

[he can help. he can help with these skull based relationships.]

[That's a fair reaction. Jake doesn't really understand it, either. But he smiles.]

Sure! I would appreciate that. I can spruce them up and have them ready and raring to go when they turn up.

Let's take'em down to the river, then. I'm digging there anyway. We can scrub them off.

[he scoops up a clawful of skulls and moves back towards the water. it's muddy and churned up, the stream not sure what to do yet with this new diversion in its course. Geir has a few large boulders dragged to the bank, ready to become part of a dam.]

I'm going to dig this out into a pond, so it's big enough for me to roll around in! It's a good start already, right?

[Jake follows and smiles looking over it.]

That's a mighty fine tarn you've got building up there! It should be fun to toss around in.

Uh-huh! You can come swim if you ever want. It'll be really big for humans, once I'm done with it.

[he doesn't think that Vern will mind visitors this far away from the cave, as long as he's more than ten feet from them and has someplace to retreat to like a grumpy turtle.]

Hmm, speaking of that, I probably should work on my swimming skills.

[Despite living on an island, venturing into the water was rather dangerous, so he didn't do it too often.]

You can't swim? Can't everyone?

[Geir knows Vern doesn't swim much, but it never occurred to him that this could be a more generalized human deficit. doesn't everyone automatically learn to swim when-- oh. maybe not everyone gets thrown in the ocean.]