{Ore Drakes} The Expedition Outpost | OPEN

[Ember]

Common sense? What common sense? Ember doesn't even know why but it amuses her writer, so up she goes!

[YourLoveOnly]

Cut across and continue into the forest!

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra, mildly disappoiinted that she didn't find anything, figures she'll just have to keep an eye out for any future signs of where the fabric might have come from. It's an interesting little mysery, anyway.

Since she's already not far, she decides to head to the base of the cliffs where the drakes were nesting.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
Somehow, you manage to climb your way back up. It's precarious and uncomfortable, but you finally drag yourself onto the ledge you were aiming for earlier. No way to to go but up now, you suppose. You continue up the path, only to come to another break in the path, only this one is wet with runoff from somewhere up above. Do you...

• Try to climb across the wall to reach the other side?
• Try to jump across?
• Purposefully slide down the cliff?

YourLoveOnly || YLO
You cut across the rocky ground, nearly twisting an ankle, and continue into the forest on the far side, immediately filling your lungs with the scent of ripe fruit. There's a sunfruit tree with fruit hanging low enough for you to pick one. Do you...

• Pick a sunfruit?
• Move on?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You head back to the base of the cliffs, where the drakes are nesting, although you can't get too close, as the cliffs fall straight into the sea, with no beach whatsoever below. As you pause, watching the drakes, you notice a path up the lower hills that edge the beach here, before you hit the cliffs proper. Do you...

• Head up the path?
• Head back the way you came?

[YourLoveOnly]

I am hungry so let's pick a sunfruit.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra sees the path and figures, why not? It's as good a choice on where to go as any other! So she and Chem head up the path. 

[Country]

Extremely startled by the gunshot, Country turns and looks at woman. She studies the gun wearily, and notices that Haru has taken refuge behind her. "Lot of help you'll be", Country mutters to Haru.

She turns her attention back to the rifle wielding woman, "No ma'am, Ellen apparently forgot to mention this rather important bit of information. Please forgive me for my ignorance; I meant no harm, I was just exploring."

[Ember]

Continuing the insanity with trying to climb across!

[SeaCrest]

YourLoveOnly || YLO
You pick a sunfruit, but before you can take a bite, one of your drakes suddenly flees in apparent panic, with no provocation whatsoever. Lowering the fruit, you squint quizzically at your other drake, who appears to be equally confused. Do you...

• Put the sunfruit away for later and head after your drake?
• Eat the sunfruit while looking for your drake?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You head up the path, panting a little at the exertion by the time you finally reach the top. The ground beneath your feet is grassy under the stray gravel from the cliff path, and you note that there are human footprints in the softer mud where the grass is sparse. The walker isn't wearing shoes.

Do you...

• Try to find this human?
• Ignore the footprints and head south?
• Ignore the footprints and head east?

Country
The woman snorts, apparently not buying it. Her rifle remains trained on you. "You're here to explore and observe, not hack apart the island. Where's your permit?"

Do you...

• Hand over your adventurer's permit for her inspection?
• Respond angrily?

Ember
You manage to climb across without falling this time. This is the last big obstacle, although near the top it gets rather tricky as the rock shelf is strewn with loose rocks and gravel. Still, you make it safely to the top. Do you...

• Head upriver?
• Head into the forest?

[Ember]

Ember, rather amazed that she made it up alive, goes upriver.

[Country]

Country fumbles with her pack and comes up with the adventurer's permit for exploration. Reading over quickly before she sheepishly hands it over to the woman. "I guess I should have read that better. Please, forgive me."

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You head upriver, but stop shortly after you begin walking because one of your drakes is making...well, retching noises.

Your drake coughs up the shiny they swallowed earlier, looking somewhat put out, but your other drake prevents them from trying to eat it again. You pick it up gingerly, and find a Platinum Ore!

You have obtained 1x Platinum Ore!

You continue upriver until you come to a set of tire tracks in the mud. They're probably Barnaby's.

Do you...

• Investigate the tire tracks?
• Continue upriver?
• Enter the forest?

Country
Clara eyes you, her rifle unwavering as she takes the permit, eyes flicking down to examine it. She huffs, handing it back. "I'll be sure to tell Ellen - Dr. Wong, you probably call her - to step up her briefing procedures. If you can help it, don't do anything permanent to anything on the island. Odekka is protected by international status as a haven for a unique species." She turns and disappears into the trees, moving so quickly and soundlessly that within seconds you might question if she'd ever been there at all.

Well. That was a somewhat unwelcome scare.

Do you...

• Continue chopping away despite the warnings?
• Try to climb a tree to see if there is a path nearby?
• Follow the tree line north to see if you can find a path that way?
• Follow the tree line south to see if you can find a path that way?

[YourLoveOnly]

Let's put the sunfruit away for later and head after my drake.

[Ember]

Ember pats her poor drake who just coughed up a gem. She doesn't imagine that being a particularly pleasant sensation. She continues onward after that though she keeps an eye on her drake just to make sure they aren't sick again. Eventually she comes to tire tracks and she frowns a bit. They're very likely Barnaby's but...what if they're poachers again? Not that she really wants to mess with poachers but if they are around it would probably be helpful to pass on any info she can get. So thinking, Ember investigates the tracks.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra notes the tracks, taking a moment to glance around and see what's nearby. Clearly, the person isn't likely to be standing right nearby, but best to check the surroundings all the same. Shaydra doesn't think a poacher is likely to be walking around barefoot, but one never knows.

Shay is about to head off in another direction, figuring it might be best not to seek out company, but Chem apparently disagrees with this choice and begins to follow the footprints, trying to find the human.

With a shrug, Shay follows the drake.

[Country]

Blowing out the inhaled breath she was unaware that she was holding she turned to look at Haru who peaked up at her and stared at her blankly. Country shook her head and returned the machete and permit to her pack.

She looked back at Haru, "ok, what now?" The drake chirps and chortles and turns to look towards the north. "North it is then."

She shoulders her pack and they begin making their way in a meandering path north along the tree line.

[SeaCrest]

YourLoveOnly || YLO
You have obtained 1x Sunfruit!

You rush after your drake, almost tripping in your haste as you slide to a stop. Your drake is staring at a young woman - more girl than adult, really - who is eyeing them back with some amusement. She's wearing a light sarong, its bright colors dulled by dust and old stains, and a tank top underneath a field vest covered in pockets. A utility belt is slung around her hips, and her feet are bare. She grins brightly at you, a flash of white teeth in a nut-brown face.

"Hello! Which explorer are you?" she asks. You give your name, somewhat hesitantly, and she nods. "Barnaby said you might end up here sooner rather than later. Name's Tea. I live here," she adds. "Dr. Farrowstead says I'd scare off all her visitors on the mainland."

Do you...

• Ask Tea who she is and what she's doing here?
• Ask Tea for proof that she's supposed to be here?
• Attack Tea?

Ember
You investigate the tracks, noting that they're fairly old, and there's a set of footprints - maybe human, maybe not - along with the marks of at least one drake. That fits the sketch of someone here with a permit, but it's not proof.

Do you...

• Follow the tire tracks?
• Follow the footprints?
• Head upriver?
• Enter the forest?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You hear a female voice - youthful, cheerful, you note - as you approach. Entering the trees, you find a young woman chatting with a tricolored drake as she picks herbs. She's wearing a light sarong, its bright colors dulled by dust and old stains, and a tank top underneath a field vest covered in pockets. A utility belt is slung around her hips, and her feet are bare. Hooked over one shoulder is a woven bag, not rigid enough to be called a basket, but somewhat basket-shaped. Despite your stealthy approach, she turns before you can make a sound.

After a moment of shock, she smiles. "Hello! You must be one of the adventurer's Barnaby mentioned. If you're a poacher or here with malicious intent, you won't find it easy." Then she chuckles. "Clara mentioned you, don't worry. I don't have a gun like her. Just Vili. Name's Tea. What's yours?"

Do you...

• Respond politely?
• Respond curtly?
• Respond in annoyance?
• Ignore her?

Country
You follow the tree line north, noting that several of the plants here look familiar. Presently, you find yourself approaching a stream.

Do you...

• Head upstream, into the forest?
• Head downstream?
• Cross the stream and continue northeast?

[Ember]

Well, old implies that they're not necessarily still around and drake tracks imply one that isn't trapped in a cage or anything so Ember decides to leave well enough alone. She's certain enough that it's not a poacher but she makes a note to mention it when she's picked up later. Instead she decides to continue upriver.

[YourLoveOnly]

Ask Tea who she is and what she's doing here!

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra follows Chem to find the woman and her drake, and offers a smile when Tea turns and greets her. "I think Clara mentioned you briefly, as well," she responds politely. "I'm Shaydra, and this is Chem," she says, gesturing to her drake. "They were insistent that we follow your tracks." She gives a little laugh and a shrug. "What the drake wants, the drake gets!"

She peeks at the herbs, curious to see if she'd recognize any. She's not much of a botanist, but she does have some interest in plants.

[Country]

Country stops to admire the plant life and the beauty of the stream for a moment. Haru seems to be very interested in the stream and the forest so she decides to go Upstream and into the forest.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You head upriver, enjoying a nice northern breeze as you wander along the flat. The river is still pretty shallow, drifting in graceful curves as you continue. As you pass by a clump of reeds, a metallic flash in your periphery snags your attention.

Do you...

• Investigate the source?
• Continue upriver?
• Enter the forest?

YourLoveOnly || YLO
"Oh!" Tea looks abashed. "I guess I'm Dr. Farrowstead's ward...?" She looks down, briefly. "I washed up here after a shipwreck. As far as I know I'm the first one to meet the drakes. Dr. Farrowstead and Dr. Wong heard my story after I was rescued, and set up the DEO." She looks back up with a wan smile. "I was here for several months. Vili and his flock looked after me, in their way. Dr. Farrowstead thought I'd do better staying here, but with resources and support this time. I take care of the shelter on the east side of the island. I've got supplies for any adventurers who come my way there, and everything I need to live properly. Dr. Farrowstead even made sure I got a solar powered generator."

Do you...

• Ask Tea for directions?
• Ask Tea about the local drakes?
• Say goodbye and move on?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
Tea smiles. "Yes, they do, don't they? Is there anything you need? Or questions you have? We're a bit far from the shelter so I can't offer you much by way of supplies right now, but it looks like you're doing all right."

Do you...

• Ask Tea for directions?
• Ask Tea about the local drakes?
• Say goodbye and move on?

Country
You head upstream, entering the shade of the forest as you pick your way across protruding tree roots and half-buried stones. A flash of something metallic catches your eye in the water. Do you...

• Investigate the shiny?
• Continue upstream?

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra ponders this for a moment, and then asks about the local drakes. "I saw them nesting a little ways back on the cliffs... they really are adaptable to living in a variety of places, it seems," she remarks with admiration, giving Chem a scritch on the head.

[Ember]

Investigate the source of that shiny like a magpie!

[SeaCrest]

Saturnalia || Shaydra
Tea nods in agreement. "They're a bit more aloof than the forest drakes, but that might also be because I don't come around this side very often, and they don't know me well. The holes they use are natural, as far as I can tell, but they build their nests in the same way everywhere, with grasses and mud and pretty things. All drakes like shiny things, especially gemstones, but there aren't many on the island, so they tend to fight over them. I can't tell how they decide which ones to hoard and which ones to eat."

Do you...

• Ask Tea for directions?
• Say goodbye and move on?

Ember
It is not, as you had hoped, some ore or other mineral. It's another trap, only this time, there's a young drake inside! Do you...

• Try to pry open the trap?
• Look for the latch you assume must be somewhere?
• Offer it some food first?

[Ember]

"Oh no," Ember says as she see the young drake in the trap. She's really, really glad she came this way to let it out but now she's wondering again if those tracks are a poacher's after all. First things first though! She checks the trap for a latch.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra absorbs the information, always interested in learning more about her companion's kind. She had, more or less, been flung headfirst into caring for the drakes, and while she loved their company, they were still new and intriguing to her.

She's about to ask for directions when something else comes to mind. "I found a bit of fabric hung up on a plateau," she comments. "Looked like it had been out there for some time, but..." she shrugs. "After talking with Clara, I just figure it's good to mention anything out of the ordinary that might mean other people are around, even if it didn't seem overly recent."

[SeaCrest]

Ember
As you check the trap for a latch, you hear a rustling. Before you can react, you hear the sound of a safety being lifted, and a hard, masculine voice saying, "Hands in the air. Now."

Do you...

• Comply?
• Not comply?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
Tea hums. "Do you still have it? There's a lot of scraps left over from the shipwreck, and some of the explorers aren't as careful as they should be. It could be harmless, but if you have it I'll take a look and see if Vili knows anything about it." The tricolor drake hops up to her shoulders, settling across them like a cat as Tea shifts her weight to accommodate him.

Do you...

• Produce the scrap for Tea and Vili to examine?
• Explain where you left it?

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra is pretty sure she took the scrap with her, so she digs around in her bag for a moment. "Let's see... pretty sure I tucked it in here..." She produces the fabric for Tea and Vili to examine.

[Ember]

That...is not Clara. And Clara kind of implied that she was one of, if not the, only one out there taking care of poachers. Ember complies with the demand even as she tries to surreptitiously nudge her drakes. At the very least she hopes they'll take the hint and get away...or even better get some help.

[SeaCrest]

Saturnalia || Shaydra
Tea takes the scrap, examining it closely as she turns it over in her hands and gives it a tug. She then proceeds to offer it to Vili, who sniffs it delicately and gives a strangely human shrug.

"I don't recognize it," Tea reports, "but silk like this is hardly exploring gear, and Vili doesn't seem to think it carries any threats. It's probably from the wreck."

She offers it back to you. "If you want to use it to tie something up, or whatever. If you don't want it, I'll take it."

Do you...

• Take it back, thank her, and carry on?
• Decline it, thank her, and carry on?

Ember
Your drakes flee, and your mysterious captor swears. "Call them back!" he demands, jabbing you in the shoulder blades with the barrel of his gun.

You try, but either your drakes have gone to find Clara and/or Tea, or they've abandoned you to your fate. You're hoping for the former.

He shoves you to your knees, gun still pressed to your back as he looks at the trap and grunts in satisfaction. Fumbling with one hand, he produces a rope that he uses to bind your hands and feet together, shoving your face in the dirt unceremoniously as he does so. From what you can see, he's stocky, broad-shouldered and tough-looking, with weathered skin and a nose that has definitely seen some fighting.

As you try to keep dirt from your nose and mouth, you turn your head to the side, scanning the trees and hoping that help is coming. You hear, rather than see, the poacher pick up the trap, the frightened cries of the young drake, and you bite down on your lip rather hard. This was supposed to be a nice, relaxing trip, after the last ones!

Suddenly, the sound of wingbeats thrums through the air, and you hear the poacher swear as you roll your eyes, trying to see the sky without moving too much and drawing his attention.

It's an incredible sight. Over two dozen drakes fill the sky, led by, to your relief, your drakes and Vili. With a shout, the poacher, brandishes his gun, and the drakes swoop aside, circling, but not attacking just yet.

The poacher kicks you furiously, swearing. "What have you done?" Abruptly, he stops kicking you and starts howling in pain. Rolling away, you see that it's Tea, flicking sharp rocks at the poacher. When he draws his gun, the drakes descend, pecking, clawing, biting, tearing, screaming, blinding him and ripping the gun from his hands as Tea rushes to you, murmuring apologies for being late. She unties you, then draws a lethally sharp, scalloped knife, her face fierce. It's a startling change from the cheerful, easygoing Tea you met previously.

The drakes part as she kicks the gun aside and shoves the blade of her knife against the poacher's throat. He's got nearly a foot and a half on her, but you don't like his odds. Tea looks terrifying. Clearly, he doesn't agree, because he tries to punch her in the gut, but she ducks, coming up behind him and jabbing her heel into the back of his knee, forcing him to the ground.

Vili descends, flanked by a yellow-and-purple drake and a drake the color of slate, and the three of them perch upon his head and shoulders, looking as if they picked their seats completely by accident. Tea sheathes the knife and takes a coil of woven rope from her belt, tying him with more efficiency than you might have expected before rolling him over with a disdainful foot and shoving a gag in his mouth, tying that, too.

"Did he hurt you?" she asks, turning to you, one bare foot pressing against the man's throat to hold him down. She looks down at him. "Stupid, greedy berk. We have more eyes than you'll ever know." With a chirp, your drakes rush over to you, the rest of the flock settling down as half a dozen of them fly off, presumably to find Clara or Barnaby.

What do you do?

[Country]

A gleam catches Country's eye, she bends down and investigates the source of the shine.

[Ember]

Ember's really glad hat her drakes didn't return at her call. For several reasons, not the least of which is that they did get help. There's a flurry of activity as Tea arrives with what just might be the island's population of drakes along with her own and while there is a bit of pain it's nothing she can't walk off now that she's free of her bindings. With a small laugh and many affectionate head rubs Ember greets her heroic drakes.

"A bit," she admits to Tea, rubbing at her lip which she managed to bite to blood though it's not too bad. "He was here for a...oh!" Ember scrambles up from her crouched position with her drakes to look at the trap the young drake was in. "He had a drake in a trap, poor thing!"

[SeaCrest]

Country
You have obtained 1x Copper Ore!

You pick up the shiny to find a Copper Ore. Drying it off quickly, you put it away. Do you...

• Continue upstream?
• Head into the forest?

Ember
Tea shoots the poacher a withering glare before joining you next to the trap, frowning down at it. "This isn't even a good trap," she says disdainfully. "Do you really think we're that stupid?" she asks him, although clearly she isn't expecting an answer with him bound and gagged. With a quick motion, Tea has the trap open and the young drake in her arms, checking it over for injury.

"It's healthy enough," she says, glancing up at you. "A little undernourished and dehydrated but nothing I can't fix. I need to call Barnaby or Clara to get this berk back to base so Dr. Wong can call the authorities. You can keep going if you want, if you're not hurt."

Do you...

• Offer to stay and help watch the poacher?
• Thank her for coming to your rescue (again) and head out?

[Ember]

"That's good," Ember sighs in relief. "I could probably go on but...I'll stay and watch this...berk, did you call him?"

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra tucks the scrap bag into her bag after Tea offers it back to her, thinking of she finds more she can compare them.

"Thank you," she says with a little bow of her head. "I suppose I should get back to exploring!" She grins, glancing up at the sun and then to Chem. "Ready, little friend?" She then pauses, glancing a bit sheepishly back to Tea. "I don't suppose you have a suggestion on which way we should head?"

[Country]

After putting away the ore Country dries her hands off and looks around. Haru is happily playing in the water of the stream so she decides to continue moving upstream.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
Tea grins. "Yes, a berk. It means...jerk, or fool. Or both, I suppose." She pulls out a radio. "If you're sure you don't mind, it'll be easier if he tries to make a run for it. The drakes can only do so much."

She radios both Barnaby and Clara, but neither are close by. Barnaby has a truck, however, while Clara does not, so they arrange for him to come and pick up the poacher while Clara continues her patrols.

The poacher doesn't seem to be inclined to try and escape, not with both of you and the remaining half-dozen wild drakes that are watching him. The little drake that he caught in the trap gulps down several berries and half an apple that Tea offers, and then a fish that Vili brings.

After the poacher is picked up, Barnaby asks if you're planning to head back or keep going.

Do you...

• Keep exploring?
• Head back to the Outpost?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
Tea purses her lips, thinking. "If you've just come from the beach, you can head south into the forest. There's some fruit tree groves there that the drakes like to hang about, and a bit of a lake. It's pretty small. West of here you'll run into one of the big rivers. It's not a good idea to cross that further south so if you want to cross that you should do it now. East's mostly more beach."

Do you...

• Head west?
• Head south?
• Head east?

Country
You continue upstream until you reach a series of small "rapids," although they really don't pose much of a threat. It's the uphill climb that's the toughest, and even then it's not too bad. As the incline flattens out, you find yourself in the midst of several blooming trees, the air thick with pollen that makes your eyes itch. Do you...

• Head left?
• Cross the stream and head right?
• Examine the trees?
• Continue upstream?

[Ember]

Ember will keep going!

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra listens, making note and nodding as Tea finishes. "Thanks; that's quite helpful!" With a last farewell, she and Chem depart from Tea and make their way west. Seems like a good idea to cross that river where it's safe!

[Country]

After rubbing her eyes and sneezing several times, Country walks over to examine the trees, the glutton for punishment that she is.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You keep going, entering the forest and coming to a rocky shelf that protrudes from the ground at an angle. It's large enough for you to climb up, but it's not flat enough that you could stand easily on top. In the shadow of the rock is a pile of fruit remains, mostly cores and seeds, with drake teeth marks.

Do you...

• Head west?
• Head east?
• Head north?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You head west, finding the river easily. It's about knee-height and wide, but it's relatively slow-moving here. Do you...

• Cross the river?
• Head upstream?
• Head downstream?

Country
Your nose itches and your eyes water as you examine the trees, noting that their blossoms are heavy with a powdery pollen that, when you brush a flower in curiosity, puffs up in a cloud of dust, causing you to cough and sneeze at the same time, a somewhat uncomfortable maneuver. When you can see again, you note that the bark is marked by drake claws.

Do you...

• Get out of there?
• Climb a tree?

[Ember]

Ember shooes her drakes away from the clearly nibbled on food remnants and heads west.

[Saturnalia]

With a good opportunity to do so, Shaydra figures that she and Chem should cross the river. She hasn't yet seen what lies to the land on the other side, and now, while it seems easy and safe, is the best bet for getting there. "In we go," she says to Chem as she begins to wade across.

[Country]

Looking closer at the drake claw marks Country looks around to see if she can spot any other signs of the drake responsible for it. Not finding any other sign on the ground she decides to climb the tree to see if she can spot anything else while Haru bumbles around chasing flowers that occasionally drift down from the trees.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You head west, walking through a grove of fruit trees with small orange blossoms flecking their branches. Apparently it's not their season quite yet. At the edge of the grove is a dense group of blackberry bushes, all tangled together. You can't walk through it. Do you...

• Head south?
• Head north?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You cross the river, getting a bit wet, but thankfully not falling in or anything else untoward. At the far side, you find what could be one of Tea's markers for herself. It makes absolutely no sense, just some symbols carved into a wooden post that's haphazardly wedged between two rocks. There aren't even any arrows. Do you...

• Head upstream?
• Head downstream?
• Head into the forest?

Country
You climb the tree, but your eyes water so much that you miss your intended handhold and slip, coming crashing down as your other hand fails to hold your weight. You sit in a heap at the base of the tree, eyes watering from pain and also itchiness, and take stock of yourself. Nothing broken, just some bruises and what feels like a splinter in one hand, but you can't see clearly enough to pull it out. Maybe it's time to leave? Do you...

• Head left?
• Cross the stream and head right?
• Continue upstream?

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra and Chem take a moment to look around, noting the marker but not really understanding. With a glance up, down, and then at the forest, Shay offers a shrug and then the pair heads downstream.

[Ember]

Looks like it's time to head north!

[Country]

Mumbling, grumbling, and rubbing now sore, aching spots; Country decides to rince her eyes in the stream and then continue upstream.

[SeaCrest]

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You head downstream, finding a tiny waterfall where the stream flows over a rocky lip. Just a little further on, the stream becomes choked with waterlilies as it feeds into a small pond. Do you...

• Stop to admire the lilies?
• Head west?
• Head north?
• Head east?

Ember
You head north, successfully circumventing the blackberries and coming to a rocky stretch littered with old, broken eggshells in a rainbow of colors. The ground here is flecked with tiny, shiny bits of ore, none of them big enough to be of any use. You come to a scar in the dirt, where it looks like the drakes have been digging. You might find some good-sized pieces of ore if you did some digging too. Do you...

• Do a bit of light digging?
• Continue north?
• Investigate the area to look for wild drakes or eggs?

Country
You continue upstream, sighing with relief as the itchiness begins to dissipate, although it doesn't fade away completely. At least you can see clearly now, and you've stopped sneezing. A fallen tree blocks your path, although it doesn't impede the stream. You could climb over, or you could walk around. Do you...

• Climb over?
• Walk around?
• Cross the stream?