[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

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.

[rootandbranch]

[Geir snorts and picks the pot up between the very tips of his talons, delicately: maybe Vern can use it. he lifts it up and peers at it closely with one huge eye.]

I wouldn't be surprised if the smithy was outside the patch of earth that someone prised up from the land to toss it out here. When I asked for help, a lot of people told me they wanted to know if there was any history to this place... everyone thinks it's strange.

[rebells]

It is strange . . . I asked Jude to look through the library, to see if there were any clues there, but all he found were instructions about how to play a game.

[rootandbranch]

Maybe that'll be one of the questions Qri answers. You heard from Genette, right?

[Geir shoots Jay a sidelong look, sharp and interested in Jay's take on that one. he didn't bother to reply to Genette. he assumes she doesn't really want to listen to his voice any more around now.]

[rebells]

I did.

[A small smile at that; he's pleased they're at least getting somewhere with Qri, especially since whatever she answers will give them more information about her as well as about the situation.]

I'm not that surprised she decided to talk to us; she can't be satisfied with the situation as things stand, with most of us barely lifting a finger to help her. We were using telepathy to bother her, too. Beyond that, it's difficult to speculate about what her motivations might be, so I'm hoping her answers will give us a sense of who she is, as well as what we're doing here.

[rootandbranch]

You were using telepathy to bother her? Eheheheheheh...

[Geir glances around the mountainside thoughtfully, grin lingering.]

I know a lot of people are hoping that we can use all of this to keep more track of her, too. Maybe whatever she talks about will give us more of an idea of what to watch for.

[he eyes Jay again, less sharply; with a bit more of an optimistic tone:]

I know one of them was about where we'll be allowed to go when we leave here, too. I'll keep listening for the answer to that one.

[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...

[deem]

Can do!

[9S offers him a brief salute, entirely playful, before he bends to carefully brush some dirt away from the cloth in question and lift it up with both hands. He hums thoughtfully before he turns, holding the fabric up for Mikleo's inspection]

[oneandmikleonly]

Some kind of symbol...maybe of a country, an organization? It's something, anyway. I can't read the writing.

[maybe Jude could, though]

[deem]

It does look that way. At least, YoRHa and the Resistance had things like this.

[9S turns the cloth over, but the writing seems no less intelligible to him]

...Y'know, Jude can read anything he gets his hands on.

[He's read him some Palai writing before]

[oneandmikleonly]

[Mikleo can't really smack his hand into his fist in triumph like this, but he does do a funny stomping motion with his front feet]

He CAN? Let's see what he makes of this, then!

[deem]

[Mikleo makes one expressive dragon. Not that he isn't in his normal form, but 9S can't help but take note of it and smile]

Alright, I'm pretty sure he's around here, so let's go ask him.

[talim]

[ DID SOMEONE CALL ]

Nines said you needed me to read something?

[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.

[rootbound]

[technically, he doesn't need it. he's collecting them for show, because Geir likes them, not because he himself cares too much or knows what they are, if they have a use other than pretty paperweights. still, it annoys him a little; there are a lot of rocks up on the mountain after all.]

I don't see your name on it, stranger.

[sharpestsword]

[ She's already decided it's hers, so she's going to take it. Reaching towards it she holds her hand out and concentrates until the rock starts moving to her hand. It's heavy though. Keeping control of it isn't so easy. ]

I really could use this.

[rootbound]

[raises his eyebrows, amusement tipping the scales over annoyance; his expression and tone are very deadpan, though.]

Well, all right. In the interest of you not very slowly throwing it at me, I guess you can have that one.

[sharpestsword]

Shut up I'm still learning.

[ She's trying real hard! Having more materials to practice with would help her a lot. Some people just don't understand. She's glad at least she didn't have to fight him. It's not really worth it. ]

[rootbound]

[his mouth twitches up at the corners, just a little.]

I was teasing. You just got here, right? It's not like I don't know this stuff takes getting used to.