lifeaftr | becoming something else, something better

Entry tags:

becoming something else, something better

Who: Mercy, Roy, & YOU
What: Mingling in the ruins; amassing a search party and supplies.
When: 9/9 - 9/10
Where: Enso - Temple Ruins, Enso - G7
Warnings: None yet!

> becoming familiar

[Mercy, having finally figured out the mana pool's function, finds herself in the ruins. They fascinate her to no end. The sense of peace and stillness is precious to the tensed up medic, putting her at ease in a way she hasn't been in years. Running her fingers over the cool stone, soft moss, and damp vines, she explores with reckless abandon, breathing in the fresh air and basking in the sounds of wilderness.

Will you approach her?]

> becoming a party

[Perched on a high ledge, grappling hook in one hand and staff in the other, Mercy is trying to amass a crowd of able-bodied adventurers today. Having had her fill of the ruins for now, it's time to get down to business. Anyone who wanders close enough gets the same pitch:]

If I could have your attention, please? Are you willing and able to explore past the known bounds of the surrounding jungle?

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[ She's yet to go to the ruins, but while she was wandering around she did see where Mercy was trying to get the attention of several other people. Curious, she wandered closer - and well look at that, that was actually just what she ewas looking for. Something to focus her attention and energy on. So she tentatively lifted a hand, stepping forward. ]

I'll do it. [ First Volunteer Get. ]

Excellent. [Mercy appraises her volunteer with a critical eye. The woman looks slight of frame but quick of wit; a reasonably good thing to be out in the jungle.]

Do you have any supplies to bring with you? Food or water?

[ Terra nodded, shifting her grip on her backpack. ]

Yes, I have.. a jug of water, a hammer, some fruit I picked and a hat that shines light.

[ She had a flint and tinder too, but she could start her own fires if necessary. ]

Well that's a very useful collection, especially the water. Will you be able to meet everyone here tomorrow morning? My plan is to leave early and hopefully return by nightfall.

[ A firm nod follows the question. ]

That shouldn't be a problem. I've been waking up early since coming here. [ ... mainly due to vague, spooky dream and her head hurting. ]

Um. My name is Terra.

Oh, I'm sorry - that was rude of me not to introduce myself. My name is Mercy. I'm a field medic and new arrival here. It's nice to meet you Terra!

[She's perched too high up to shake hands, but she waves and smiles warmly in place of formality.]

Are you new as well?

[ She shakes her head again. ]

It's all right. [ She didn't even think about shaking hands either - she was just standing there, hands folded in front of her. ]

Oh, yes, That's right. I woke up here a few days ago.

As did I, and several other people I've run across. That's why it's all the more important to get the lay of the land.

[Mercy scans the sky. It's humid and the afternoon sun beats down hard on the island. Not a good day for travel.]

I plan to travel tomorrow, in the morning. We'll meet here early and hopefully return by nightfall. I hope to see you then, Terra.

[You do, indeed, have her attention. Muffet is increasingly curious about this place, and is more than happy for an opportunity to explore further.]

[She calls up to Mercy cheerfully:]

Why, so I am. Are you planning an expedition soon?

[Ah, Muffet. A friendly face she's glad to see.]

We are! It came to my attention that the jungle surrounding the ruins has been fairly well explored, but only to a point. I think it's important to get the lay of the land as much as possible. This is our home for the foreseeable future and I don't like surprises.

Any supplies you can spare to bring - food, water, medical, etc. - would be good. It's likely to be almost a day's travel before we reach unknown territory.

Well, I can certainly bring rope- and food, as well. Is anyone else already planning to go?

[Given that the food in question would likely be her own cooking, that covered medical supplies, too- never let it be said that monster food wasn't worth the magic that went into it.]

Very good, we'll need food and I can imagine several circumstances in which we'll need rope. So far we have a party of five, including both myself and you. We could probably take off when everyone is ready, though I was thinking we should wait until tomorrow for the sake of letting everyone prepare. That way we can set out in the morning and hopefully be back by nightfall.

That sounds reasonable. Where were you planning on meeting tomorrow?

Right here would be suitable. We all know where it is and I have more than one way of reaching the top of this pillar. [Here, she flexes her wings proudly while holding up the grappling hook. She is nothing if not the queen of mobility right now.] And thank you for your offer to help...you're proving invaluable to me so far.

[She's certainly doing quite well, yes. Muffet laughs lightly.]

True, it's a nicely recognizable landmark.

And I think we're all interested in figuring this place out, it only makes sense to work together. Besides, those wings of yours are likely to be one of the best scouting methods we have.

They certainly are a great way to reach high places. And equally great for getting back down from those places. So I'll see you here tomorrow then?

I'll be looking forward to it.

I am, but I'm not exactly equipped for it.

[but, she's a naturalist and this is an uncharted island with weird animals. She wants to see what else lives here.]

Neither am I, but that's the point of an expedition party. We can fill in each others weaknesses. Are you new here, too?

[Mercy appraises the woman. She's certainly not dressed for an expedition and that's a liability, but she's healthy and seems eager enough.]

Yes. Isabella Camherst. How do you do?

Mercy, field medic and new arrival. Fine, thanks.

[She finally has a decent sized party, and nobody else seems to be biting, so she spreads her wings and lets them slow her fall from her perch. When she lands, she extends her hand to Isabella in greeting.]

I plan to leave tomorrow, in the morning. That way we can travel by day and return by nightfall, hopefully. We'll meet here early and leave as a group. I hope to see you then, Miss Camherst.

Missus, actually. Or Dame.

[Which was still a bit surreal. Yes, she'd wanted recognition for her work, but a knighthood?]

A medic? Well, that would be useful. I'm a naturalist, so I've done field work.

[And, to be honest. Isabella was a bit surprised; she had to fight so hard to be taken seriously as an academic, and still was fighting. Mercy just mentioned it off-hand.]

Edited 2017-09-10 16:33 (UTC)

Dame? As in, ranking equivalent to a knight? Very impressive.

[This woman looks displaced out of time to Mercy, if only because she's used to hover cars and hard light constructs in her world. A knight seems strangely appropriate to her. She cocks her head to the side at the word "naturalist". There's an exciting profession to have on a mysterious jungle island.]

You must be having a blast with all the strange flora and fauna. Do you specialize in plants, animals, or a little bit of everything?

Yes, that's correct.

[Well, right now, she's too busy getting her bearings to enjoy herself, but...]

I try to learn a bit of everything, but I specialize in animals. Dragons and related species in particular.

Dragons. [Mercy nods slowly. Yes, yes this might as well be a thing. If she could be at the mercy of a mysterious white rabbit who claimed to be a god, on an island full of strange creatures and stranger people, why on earth couldn't this naturalist study dragons and related species.] I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with them, but I imagine they're fascinating to study. Do they really breathe fire, or is that just legend?

It depends on the species, thought some form of extraordinary breath is considered diagnostic. [Granted, Isabella is rethinking that. The draconic taxonomic tree is a mess.]

Desert drakes do breathe fire, but I've never had the chance to study them. I've only seen one in a menagerie, and it was a runt. But many people do consider them the archetype of what a dragon should be.

[Mercy nods politely. It's hard for her to imagine a world where dragons exist. She has so many questions about how they would work, but she assumes Isabella has set out to answer those questions. Which is respectable. If dragons do exist in her world, somebody has to study them if only to learn how to not be eaten alive by roaming giant lizards capable of flight and fiery breath.]

No offense, but I hope we don't need to know anything about dragons on our trip tomorrow. I doubt we are prepared to take on that particular threat. [A small pause as she considers how best to treat burn wounds without proper supplies. A question for later, if they do encounter fire-breathing entities.] Hopefully you will get the chance to observe some interesting wildlife though!

It depends on the sort of island, but I wouldn't expect any large terrestrial predators. After all, they have to eat something.

Unless I'm mistaken about how large this island is, of course.

[Isabella has met things like Komodo dragons (stupid name, as they aren't draconic) on larger island; she'd rather not repeat this.]

[Roy isn't certain if he should be skeptical or not. On the one hand, assembling his own party had required a mysterious old man disguise, a bar, and a fair amount of effort and luck. On the other, well, these aren't normal circumstances.]

[But when he returns from his preliminary scouting to hear from Mercy who she'd gotten on board, he can't help but smile. He has no idea just what skills and talents the others might bring, but he does know he at least likes them, and that is at least something.]

[Come the morning, when the group meets, Roy has taken a spot on a stone where he can address them all from a slightly elevated position.]

Good morning, everyone, and thank you for coming along on this expedition!

I've tentatively slated a section about a square mile in area for us to investigate -- I think this is as far as I'm willing to spread us out in the event that we discover anything, hostile or beneficial, that requires an immediate response. Our goals are to identify resources and locate any signs or information that may help us understand our presence here and any means to get back.

[Muffet is there with her bag carefully packed- she'd spent yesterday baking up some monster food, and the three little bags of coconut cookies in there will, she hopes, not be needed... but it's better to have them, just in case.]

[She gives a polite curtsy once Roy stops speaking, and chimes in.]

A pleasure to work with you all. For anyone I haven't introduced myself to yet-

[Pretty much just Isabella, it looks like, but she's not going to be rude by singling her out.]

-my name is Muffet. I have some minor healing abilities, as well as the power to conjure magical threads, and am prepared to put both to use if we need them today.

[She figures it'll help if the people she's working with have a rough idea of what she can do, so they can coordinate better.]

[Admittedly, Mercy is proud of herself for assembling this group. As Roy and Muffet both finish speaking, she adds her own skills to the list:]

You all know me, but to reiterate: I am a field medic with extensive training in the field of nanobiology and surgical procedures. I hope you won't need my knowledge today. I also have the ability to scout from higher locations, if need be.

Edited 2017-09-10 20:41 (UTC)

[ And amidst this set of introductions, Terra was lingering on the outskirts, looking a little cautious, her hand tight on her backpack. Muffet and Roy being familiar faces helped put her a bit at ease though, and after they introduced themselves, she stepped forward. ]

Um.. I'm Terra. [ ... she's supposed to say what she can do too, right? She's a little uneasy, at that but.. ]

I can fight, and I can use magic . . . I can heal, and cast Fire spells. [ But with so many healers on the team they should all be fine! ]

Magic?

[That was new. But so were giant spiders and being here in general, so Isabella would reserve judgement when in the past she'd at least be internally skeptical. Well, she still was a bit.]

Ah, I'm... Isabella and I'm a naturalist. I spent some months living on a tropical island, so with luck, some of the knowledge and survival skills are similar on this one.

[Might as well go with her first name, since everyone else was. Mercy at least recognized a family name, so some of the others might have them.]

I suppose it goes without saying that I'm a single-class fighter with a specialization in greatsword. [Roy shrugs slightly. No need to introduce himself, when he'd met them all previously.] I have a certain amount of experience in party leading, so I hope you'll all be willing to give me the benefit of the doubt, and let's also hope I have no need to prove myself at any point.

Our path there is pretty simple, and shouldn't be too dangerous, so I think we should get started now to maximize our appraisal time.

[Muffet notices the skepticism in Isabella's tone, but appreciates her willingness to suspend disbelief, given the circumstances.]

[She nods in polite acknowledgement at Roy's suggestion.]

By all means, lead the way.

[Mercy nods, reviewing her mental map of the very brief area she scouted before turning back to gather a party for proper exploration. They were unlikely to get lost following the river. This is exciting, if a little nerve-wracking, and she is eager to get going.]

[ Terra surely had a family name, but she certainly didn't know what it was. She glanced at Isabella curiously though, nodding first to confirm the existence of magic. ]

Naturalist- what is that?

[ Her attention shifted partially back to Roy and Mercy, since they were the head of the expedition, and shifted her grip on her pack, the other moving to rest lightly against the hilt of her sword. ]

Yes, I'm right behind you.

Someone who studies nature: plants or animals usually.

I'll... I'll jsut try to stay out of the way of the people who can fight.

[As Isabella can't.]

I'm really, really, really hoping that your skills are a lot more useful than mine on this expedition. [Roy comments over the shoulder to Isabella as he strikes off on the path he'd scouted, a reasonably short hike by his standards and one he'd chosen for its lack of hazards and disasters along the way.] I'd love nothing more than to be bored.

But that does mean we all need to be prepared for any sort of potential danger. The most generic strategy I have is fairly simple -- if it isn't an immediate threat, collapse behind me. If it is, run like hell.

That seems an entirely sensible strategy to me.

I'm not particularly well-suited to close-quarters combat, but if you'd like me to try holding something in place while you attack I can certainly do that.

Let's try to keep combat to a minimum overall. I still don't have proper supplies and my staff isn't entirely reliable in its current state.

[ Fortunately she was suited for both long range and short range ... well limited long range. Her energy would deplete after using her spells, alas. But with Isabelle being a non-fighter, Terra made a mental note to keep an eye out for trouble. ]

If it comes to close combat, I can fight.. but I agree with everyone. I think we all would prefer avoiding any trouble.

[ And they're off! Surely they wouldn't encounter AAAAAAANYTHING more dangerous than a fluffy puppy. ]

{It was sensible advice, presented in a way that made it clear Roy was taking her at her word, rather than making some kind of blanket assumption. For that matter, any man in Scirland (with the possible exception of her brother, Andrew, and her colleague, Tom Wilker) would have either not sworn in her presence, or made a show of apologizing. The fact that it all wasn't happening in a foreign language made it all quite surreal.]

[Isabella had fought all her life to be treated as an equal. Suddenly finding it happening was... well like leaning against a wall, and having it give way.]

Yes. Trouble is the last thing I want to find.

Which is a sure guarantee we will, in my experience.

[Roy is a bit cynical, to be sure.]

[But that doesn't stop him from pressing on, leading the way down the path he'd scouted through already-explored territory and towards the river some few miles south of the mana pool. Everything LOOKS peaceful enough, in any case...]

[Roy pauses to check some landmarks with a sextant, does a quick mental calculation or two, then nods.] This is it. Just stick to the plan and stay within earshot of at least one other person.

[Muffet would call it less cynicism than accuracy, honestly.]

Right. Anyone who needs me to pull them out of something in a hurry, call out and I'll try to grab you.

If you find yourself in need of medical assistance, call for me.

[Mercy grips her staff in anticipation, sticking close to Roy as they all begin to fan out.]

Okay. [ She glanced over at Isabelle curiously. ] Do you want to look this way?

[ Honestly with Mr. Cynical/Realistic there, she was on edge now. She drew her sword, starting along the path herself, glancing back to keep an eye on Isabella and not drawing too far away from her in case she was the lucky winner of the Abomination Sweepstakes. Not to say she was ignoring the other members of the party, she scanned the area to check on them from time to time also. But the majority of her senses were on her surroundings, for potential enemies as well as Isabella. ]

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becoming something else, something better

Becoming a Party - threadjacks welcome

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Party join

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Let's get this adventuring party started!

Re: Let's get this adventuring party started!

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