[PLAYER PLOT | HUB SCANNING SYSTEM INSTALLATION]

[spellbindmods]

Who: Any coven members interested in installing the hub scanning system OR exploring the (???) on the map!
Where: From the mansion to the peak of the hub's tallest mountain.
When: Day 128
Open/Closed: OTA!

[ Come one, come all, it's time to head to the top of the Hub mountain! Whether your character has been involved in the preparations up till now or not, anyone near the mansion on this clear morning can join the expedition that's going out. The mission: to boldly install some monitoring equipment up on top of a mountain, and see what's there while you're in the area. Time for departures and last-minute tinkering! ]

((ooc note: If you'd like to backdate any participation, please feel free to comment to the post linked above -- if not, jump in from here!))

Comments

Setting out from the mansion

[spellbindmods]

[ Morning is upon the hub island, and you'll need to be up and ready by the time the sun is fully visible on the horizon -- you're trekking up a mountain today! All interested parties can meet right outside the mansion while the collect themselves and all of their supplies.

a; The only preparation left to do on the mechanical side is a few last adjustments to the still-inactive mobile monitoring unit (or pod, if you're familiar with 9S's terminology). Its casing hasn't been closed up yet after a minor incursion of floodwater inside the mansions, and now that it's dry, the wiring needs to be replaced. It shouldn't take long, but grab some pliers...

b; If you have any questions you can ask one of those who are leading the expedition. If you need any supplies, then feel free to ask around for help -- or, if you have anything of your own to offer, speak now or forever hold your peace! ]

b

[talim]

[ to anyone who might be listening: ]

I have a first aid kit with me, just in case there's an accident of some sort.

[ it very well might come in handy. jude did twist his own ankle on these mountains, after all. it's a miracle 9s was there to carry him escort him home. so besides being interested in a major project of 9s', the biggest reason he decided to come along was to be on medic duty. someone needs to be. ]

[imsorey]

We'll probably need that, especially if we don't have many people with healing artes coming along.

[he can confirm that climbing mountains is a dangerous affair...]

Flying out

[spellbindmods]

[ Luckily you won't be walking for two days to cross the entire island, and instead will be flown part-way by the extremely generous Geir and Mikleo. Your trip may be uneventful -- save for some upset stomach if you aren't used to heights -- but the view is certainly picturesque!

One thing of note is the atmosphere is incredibly thin the further up you soar, almost to the point of passing out if you breathe too deeply. The mountain's peak is even further up than the apparent limit, so flying can't be your only method of travel... ]

[rootandbranch]

[in the midst of the flight, which should be perfectly straight, Geir slowly eases into a long, looping circle, taking in the view. he doesn't think that anyone on board will call him out on the detour, and he can't help but feel a little lift in his heart when he sees the bright sparkle of water far below through the trees.

the extra exertion makes him wheeze a little, but he tries to hide it with a cough, and surely no one will notice or be alarmed!]

[splinten]

Geir. Do you have asthma?

[rootandbranch]

No. Dirk!

[Geir is mildly scandalized! of course he doesn't have asthma. he's never even been sick in his life. can he get sick now that he's on a low frequency world? Freyja's jewels, he hopes not.]

...the air's just thin up here. Feels weird to breathe. I got surprised by it. You guys are all okay, right?

[he does one more loop, allowing everyone who's missed the view to see it.]

[oneandmikleonly]

[anyone riding the other dragon in the group may have a bumpier ride; he goes a little longer in the thin air than is healthy, then finally gives in and coasts down towards the mountainside. it's not a bad landing, but a rather jarring one; he hits a slope with all his claws out like a cat, stopping there to catch his breath. while his passengers are strapped on securely, it may still be alarming to be hanging diagonal to the mountainside for a minute. he scrabbles over to a flat ledge as soon as he can.]

Sorry...it looks like we'll need to make a climb after all. Not too far now, though.

Climbing up

[spellbindmods]

[ About 3/4 of the way up the mountain, the party has to stop and take a breather -- literally. As it's unwise to fly any higher at this rate, foot travel will have to do.

a; The journey is initially somewhat simply -- the mountain isn't that steep at this juncture, and the oxygen-rich forestry around the mountain help to eliminate any breathing problems that may make climbing difficult. However, this road-less-traveled has a very obvious con -- the forestry itself is a double-edged sword. Various types of plants can cause rashes and blisters that sting and ooze almost immediately, and that's not even accounting for the prickly thorn bushes around each bend.

b; As your group draws closer to the very top of the mountain, the vegetation begins to subside and the oxygen levels dip again. Thankfully it's livable, but every breath may count here. Because the paths leading up the mountain narrow and become more jagged, wrong moves can result in rock slides and literally going four steps back. ]

[sharpestsword]

[ It's getting tough but she keeps going. They must be almost there. If they just push through they'll make it. There's definitely no worries about staying in shape around here. But it's different from the kind of training she's used to so she knows she'll be feeling it for a few days. She glances over her shoulder. ]

I'm not going to have to carry you, am I?

[allconsumed]

[Julieta can be forgiven for assuming that Velvet might be struggling: she is bringing up the rear, and there are blisters and spotty rashes all along the length of her bare legs. She cocks her head at the question, though, and keeps on hiking up.]

Are you volunteering?

[sharpestsword]

We need to keep moving and I'm not leaving you behind.

[ It may not have occurred to her until now. The kind of people she's used to being around are military types. Here there are all kinds. She has a lot to learn. ]

[allconsumed]

[Velvet is at the very back of the group – not because she's tired, but because she's not a big fan of chitchat or most social interactions in general. And while she has a nice, sturdy pair of boots, it turns out she should have worn pants instead of the short, torn shorts that she favors. Her tolerance for pain is high, too, so it takes her a bit too long for her to notice what some of the plants are doing to her legs. The oozing blisters are pretty gross.

It's hard not to stare, but Velvet doesn't care for it much when people do that. Her voice is cold rather than reassuring.]

Worry about yourself. Trust me, I'll make it.

At the summit

[spellbindmods]

[ The taste of victory is upon you! Those who've made it all the way to the top? A pat on the back is in order! Now that you've congratulated yourself, time to get back to business:

a; Those involved with the installation of the monitoring station can get to work without much trouble. The peak of the mountain is pretty flat and void of roadblocks -- your victory is well-won! The station itself is a sturdy pole a little like this and needs to be unfolded, anchored to the rock, and programmed.

b; The other technological element to be considered here is the pod, which is strangely wearing a pair of red, triangular sunglasses. It's looking around alertly, learning more about each coven member and waiting for its link with the new monitoring station to be completed. Shouldn't this upstanding young thing have a name of its own and some friends before it starts its duties? Or maybe you're one of the ones programming the linkage...

c; If technology isn't your thing and you're just here for the journey or accompaniment, there are still nooks and crannies to explore. For instance, a lot of the rocks on the top of the mountain have a silvery hue to them -- some look almost like pure silver, though the reality is they're a type of low-grade iron ore.

Something else of note is that there are actually signs of life around these parts -- human life. There are several obvious old campsites, complete with some leftover items: an iron pot here, a tent peg or two there. Though obviously not recent, this area isn't unexplored. Some of the tent fragments can also be found around the area, some sticking out of the ground while others are more visible. If you find a large enough piece, you may take notice of a large and looping insignia that's accompanied by a few faded and foreign words. ]

[rebells]

[Pots are useful, and so is iron. Jay has the iron pot in one hand and a tent peg in the other, and sits down near one abandoned campsite to rest.]

More and more curious, hmm?

[rootandbranch]

Is that for cooking?

[Geir's been distracted with making sure everyone-and-thing is unloaded from his back, but now he has the leisure to wander out as far into the campgrounds as he fits, tongue flicking out to taste the air. he peers with interest at the iron pot in Jay's hands.]

There's a lot of iron around here...

[rebells]

Yes, you put food in it.

[He sets the pot down for a moment.]

It is odd. This island isn't equipped to produce much of what we've found from previous settlers . . . although it's possible we just haven't found their old smithy yet.

[oneandmikleonly]

[Mikleo's still in dragon shape -- he can't transform back or he won't be able to fly anyone back down for the day -- which makes exploring and investigation a little inconvenient. it may be funny to watch him try to paw the dirt aside and expose more remnants of the old campsites without actually clawing them to bits; every once in a while his tail lashes with annoyance, or his wings flutter a little when something new is unearthed -- like the odd insignia on the tent scraps.]

Hey, can someone with thumbs come over here? I want to get a better look at this one!

[deem]

[Who's got two thumbs and recognizes a certain dragon?

This guy!

9S comes bounding over with no further prompting required, halting on a dime right next to Mikleo. It looks like he's been digging around for something, and apparently has a find, which is prompt for him to peer curiously before he turns his attention to the part-time dragon beside him]

You want that picked up.

[He points, not that he really needs to. But confirmation doesn't hurt, right?]

[oneandmikleonly]

[Mikleo nods vigorously at 9S, scraping at the soil near the piece of cloth enthusiastically. he doesn't dare handle it himself; he doesn't have the manual dexterity not to claw it to pieces instead of lifting it.]

Please. It's got some sort of pattern, something that might be more identifiable...

[rootbound]

[hmmmmm

hmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Vern pokes around the campsites for a while himself, curious but not particularly invested; he does seem to be making a game out of finding the best of the silver rocks and sticking them in a pouch he brought, though. you might find him getting in your space a little for a particularly shiny specimen]

'Scuse me--

[this is what happens when a dragon with hoarding tendencies is one's housemate.]

[sharpestsword]

[ Julieta is very interested in scavenging the campsites. And it seems she's not the only one. Competition drives her to work faster. Clear out the area of resources she can find and move on. It's only when he moves in on a piece she wants that she acknowledges him. ]

Step aside. That one's mine.

Final thoughts and return

[spellbindmods]

[ Despite all that hard work and effort, the job is only 50% done -- distance wise, of course. There's still that return trip back to make, and the sun is beginning to set by the time everything is said and done.

Do you have any thoughts about your journey? Things to note? Points of discussion? Whether you're climbing down the mountain or saying goodbye back at the mansion, there's plenty of time for discussion on the way back home. ]

closed to 9s

[talim]

[ jude's shoulders are slumped, forehead damp with sweat. What A Day. jude is in pretty good shape, sure, but a long expedition like this has been a bit tough even on him. he's barely keeping up with 9s.

at least he didn't twist his ankle this time. ]

You're amazing, you know that?

[ he nudges 9s' side. this had been his work, after all; one of the projects jude had watched him toil over for weeks. he'd given it his all, and it had paid off. ]

All that hard work and you still have energy to spare.

[deem]

[Jude's present condition is an object of concern for 9S. While he doesn't lose the bounce in his step at all and could easily bound ahead of the group, he's tried to keep stride with the others. And that means he's seen the gradual progression of a long hike slowly wear down those around him.

Likewise, he's seen the way fatigue has weighed on them. It's as new to him as it is concerning. He hasn't seen Jude look this exhausted since that time he had been ill, and as their walking pace continues to slow, his worries only build.

The comment, when it comes, is certainly flattering. 9S ducks his head with a given embarrassment, but it's not enough to distract him today]

It wasn't just my effort, or anything... [Even tired, Jude's so generous with praise] But are you okay?