{Ore Drakes} The Expedition Outpost | OPEN

[Country]

Country walks around the tree looking around it to see if there is anything of interest laying around it.

[Ember]

Let's dig!

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra enjoys the walk, and Chem splashes around at the edge of the water as they head downstream. The sound of the small waterfall is a calming, pleasant noise as they approach and pass it, and Shay finds herself feeling quite peaceful. Coming to the pond, she stops to admire the lilies.

[Midnight Phantom]

ADVENTURER'S PERMIT APPLICATION
Name: Ree ((6 foot tall humanoid with three pair of large black/blue wings. Glowing pale blue cat like eyes, white hair with an aqua aura necklace. He has clothes! ... I am lazy XD ))
Drake(s): 108-Dawn's Chirp

[YourLoveOnly]

Ask Tea for directions.

[SeaCrest]

Country
You walk around the tree, but find nothing of interest as you do so. Continuing upstream, you encounter a small, rather fierce looking drake with a white face. It appears to be guarding something - possibly an egg? - in the tall grass behind it.

Do you...

• Give it a wide berth and continue upstream?
• Attempt to offer it something to eat? Requires 1x any ore or mineral, 1x sunfruit, or 1x rissica berry

Ember
You start to dig, and come up immediately with a Copper Ore! You pocket it.

You have obtained 1x Copper Ore!

Do you...

• Keep digging?
• Continue north?
• Investigate the area to look for wild drakes or eggs?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You stop to admire the lilies. As you do so, something sparkly catches your eye in the water below. Do you...

• Fish it out of the water?
• Head west?
• Head north?
• Head east?

Midnight Phantom || Ree
After Dr. Wong has given you your map, as well as checking over your supplies, she sends you out to meet a young man by the name of Barnaby, who shuttles you out to one of the expedition areas. After all, if everyone is exploring right next to the Outpost, there won't be much by the way of discovery, will there? He mentions that you might meet a Tea, the only authorized permanent resident of Odekka and the one in charge of the shelter on the east side of the island, or a Clara Woods, tasked with law enforcement, preservation, and anti-poaching measures. Both of them are authorized to be on the island, and are to be treated as DEO officers.

After Barnaby leaves you, you look around. You are on the bank of a wide, lazy river. To the east you can see the glitter of the ocean. Do you...

• Head west, upriver?
• Head east, downriver?
• Head north, into the forest?
• Head south, into the forest?

YourLoveOnly || YLO
Tea looks thoughtful. "If you head east now, you'll be heading towards the coast. There's a flock that hangs out around the salt licks that way, although this time of year you might not find them there. West's the mountains, you're not allowed up there just yet, but there's some caves that way. I recommend you be really careful, though. They're a maze. We're pretty far north, so if you head north you'll hit the coast sooner rather than later. Not much between here and there, but you might enjoy the lake. If you head south, it's mostly forest for a long while, although there's an exposed ore vein if you want to try watching for wild drakes. They spend a lot of time there."

Do you...

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

[Ember]

Ember will keep digging, just a bit more!

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You keep digging, and come up with nothing. How unfortunate! Do you...

• Continue north?
• Investigate the area to look for wild drakes or eggs?

[Ember]

Well, why not investigate the area.

[Midnight Phantom]

Ree watched as Barnaby faded into the distance and chuckled to himself as they were finally alone after the long trip. "Well then..." he muttered  to no one i particular as he took a moment to pulled his pack off and readjust the contents so it wasn't slamming into the back of his wing and his kidney with each step, something he was reluctant to do when everyone seemed to be in a hurry.

Once that was done he turned to look for his drake, the little lizard was chasing something through the grass followed by wild movement and finally soft crunch crunch crunch of an unfortunate insect.

"Huh...I hope you'll share next time. Lets go Chip" Ree called the drake and picked a direction pretty easily, glancing back as they headed east toward the ocean.

[YourLoveOnly]

The ore vein and Wild drakes sound nice so let's head south.

[Ryuukokoro]

OOC: I'm quoting my last bit of story since it's been so long. ^_^;; I'm sorry!

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You climb over the tree, landing on the other side none the worse for the wear, although you have picked up some dirt, but that's easily brushed away. It's clearly been some time since it fell, as the path here is starting to be reclaimed by the grass and other undergrowth, but it's clear enough that you can continue for a while. Eventually, you come to another fallen tree, this one snapped in half, as if by a great weight or a storm. Do you...

• Inspect the tree?
• Continue onward along the faint path?
• Head towards what appears to be a clearing on your left?

My two Drakes have no trouble, of course, watching me from the air as I scramble over the fallen tree. "Thanks for the help," I mutter at them. Cross finds a comfortable place on my shoulder once I'm done, and Moss flutters off to inspect a bush, both completely ignoring me.

Although it wasn't a hard climb, I'm still bruised from yesterday so I decide I want to keep things easy. I head towards what I think is a clearing on my left.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra takes a moment to look at the flowers, and notices the sparkle. Carefully, she tries to fish it out of the water.

[Country]

Country stops dead in her tracks in front of the little drake, who looks rather disgruntled. Haru peaks out from behind her and then begins to nudge her bag. Puzzled and rather annoyed at the insistent nudging and pestering, Country removes her bag which Haru promptly knocks from her hands and dives into.

Country frowns at her drake and bends over to retrieve her bag as Haru knocks out the copper ore they found earlier. Country looks from Haru to the ore to the drake. Haru gently nudges the ore in the direction of the drake, who has caught sight of the shiny and seems like it might be interested in investigating it.

Country picks up the ore and looks at Haru, "You want me to give this to the drake?"
Haru chirps and bobs her head up and down.

Country takes a step towards the drake and extends her hand with the Copper Ore in it, "would you like this?"

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You wander around a bit, poking at old nests and broken eggshells, until you come across what appears to be a freshly laid nest - the two eggs look relatively soft, their colors marbled together underneath bright patterns. Do you...

• Touch one?
• Look around for an adult drake?
• Leave the nest and continue north?

Midnight Phantom || Ree
You head east toward the ocean, coming to the wide deltas that precede the saltwater. It's sandy and shallow, the water somewhat murky thanks to the fine particles that make up the mud here. Do you...

• Continue east?
• Stop to do some digging?
• Head north, into the forest?

YourLoveOnly || YLO
You head south, pushing your way through thick forest as you try to keep your heading. You come to a clearing that looks as if it has been burned from the center out; there is ash floating in the breeze and charred grass beneath your feet. Do you...

• Hurry past and continue south?
• Stop to try and investigate?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You head towards what appears to be a clearing, coming to an irregular semicircle of open space among the trees. A small pool of water lays at one end, with no obvious source leading to it. Do you...

• Investigate the pool?
• Head south?
• Head east?
• Head west?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
When you fish the sparkly object out of the water, you find that it is a Rough Diamond! After drying it off, you put it away.

You have obtained 1x Rough Diamond!

Do you...

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

Country
The drake eyes you warily before darting forward in a quick motion and seizing the copper ore in its jaws, tucking it behind itself as it settles back into the tall grass, looking much more friendly.

1x Copper Ore has been removed from your inventory!

Do you...

• Try to approach the drake further?
• Continue upstream?

[YourLoveOnly]

Stop to try and investigate!

[Ryuukokoro]

Though you would think I had enough of water for a lifetime, the scientific part of me is intrigued by a pool with no apparent source or runoff. Curiously I approach the pool, keeping a wary eye out for anything else strange in the area.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra, pleased with the find, packs it away and then takes a moment to look around. She's somewhat at a loss for which direction to go in, and turns to Chem, who's investigating the edge of the lily pond.

"What do you think? Any particular direction you'd like to go in?"

Chem looks up, looks around, and then trots off in a generally west-ish direction.

[Country]

Country cooks at the new drake and tells it how pretty it is and how majestic it is while slowly trying to approach closer

[SeaCrest]

YourLoveOnly || YLO
You stop to investigate, noting that there are drake footprints in the ashes, as well as ruffled marks that look like they were created when a drake took off.

At the center of the clearing, you find a charred black ball, nestled in the dirt. Do you...

• Try to pick it up?
• Leave it alone and continue on your way?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You approach the pool, and find that it seems to be a stagnant puddle, albeit a very large puddle - the water is murky and green with accumulated algae, and there are no fish or insects in the water. Do you...

• Stick a hand in the water?
• Head south?
• Head east?
• Head west?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You head west through the trees, needing to duck as some low-hanging branches block your way. The chatter of wild drakes sounds above your head, but try as you might, you can't spot them. Do you...

• Continue west?
• Climb a tree to try and spot the drakes?

Country
The drake seems displeased by your approach, spreading its wings in a mantling gesture and baring its small teeth at you. You pause, and just in time, too, as another drake, this one big and black, with green wings, descends from the trees, much closer to you, with a warning hiss.

Do you...

• Back away slowly?
• Try to offer this drake something to eat as well? Requires 1x any ore or mineral, 1x sunfruit, or 1x rissica berry.

[YourLoveOnly]

Try to pick it up! :O

[Ember]

Take not without asking (or checking if it's abandoned! Ember checks for an adult drake.

[Country]

Country reaches in her pocket and produces another copper ore and offers it to the angry drake.

((I know I have another ore in my inventory, I dunno if I can use it or if it is only limited to what I have found here))

[SeaCrest]

YourLoveOnly || YLO
You go to pick it up, but as soon as you do so, the ball flares white-hot, and you drop it in shock and pain. As the ball falls, it ignites into flames, but with nothing left to burn, it quickly putters out again.

Do you...

• Touch the ball again?
• Pour the contents of your water bottle over it?
• Tend to your burnt hand?

Ember
There appears to be no adult drake nearby - by now you think one would have shown up, since you're so close to the nest. Perhaps they're off looking for food?

Do you...

• Touch one?
• Leave the nest and continue north?

Country
This drake does not seem inclined to take your peace offering, snapping tiny, sharp teeth at you and extending its wings further as the tip of its tail twitches in agitation. Maybe you should leave...

You back away slowly, pocketing the ore and holding up both hands to show that they're empty. The drake watches you until you leave, eyes fixed on you even as it vanishes behind the trees as you hurry away.

Do you...

• Head north?
• Head west?

((all items in your inventory and your expedition inventory are fair game! I don't track what you got when, so it would be a headache and a half to limit you to only things you found during this particular expedition!))

[Ember]

As tempted as Ember is to touch the eggs, they do look a bit too soft for that to be safe to do. Better that she doesn't hurt them just because of her curiosity, especially with no adult drake to defend them. With a longing sigh she scoots her drakes away from the nest and continues north.

[Midnight Phantom]

Ree paused by the delta's edge sweeping his wings behind him as he knelt to take a closer look at the mesh of water and silt. "Odd...." he muttered softly as he pulled back his sleeve and dipped his hand into the shallow murky water and started digging a little out of curiosity.

Chirp moved closer watching him then moving to the water's edge to see what he was doing.   

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You head north, hoping that you might find other eggs later. Soon you come to a copse of sunfruit trees by an open meadow. Do you...

• Pick a sunfruit?
• Cross the meadow?

Midnight Phantom || Ree
At first, you find nothing, just more silt and mud, but eventually, your fingers catch on something hard. Pulling it out of the water, you find that it's a piece of Rough Quartz. After rinsing it off and drying it, you tuck it into your pocket for later.

You have obtained 1x Rough Quartz!

Do you...

• Continue east?
• Head north, into the forest?

[Country]

Startled by how angry the drake became, Country quickly moves away to leave them in peace. She looks around and then decides to head North.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra is, after all, a leopard. Sort of. She's good at climbing... well, usually, at least. She decides to climb a tree to see if she can spot the drakes.

[Ember]

Ember happily picks a sunfruit.

[Ryuukokoro]

Although the sight of a boggy marsh might turn off some people, I found it quite fascinating. Wondering if any little frogs or turtles were under the surface (and if Cross and Miss would like to play with them) I stuck a hand into the pond.

[YourLoveOnly]

Let's tend to my burnt hand first. I'll figure out an alternative to investigate the ball later.

[SeaCrest]

Country
You head north, coming to a small, irregular circle of rocks, some of them wide and flat enough to sit or stand on, others to pointy or jagged to sit on comfortably. Do you...

• Stop for lunch?
• Continue north?
• Head west?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You climb a tree, and come face to face with a curious drake with rainbow wings. Do you...

• Say hello?
• Offer it something to eat? Requires 1x any ore or mineral, 1x sunfruit, or 1x rissica berry.
• Climb back down?

Ember
You have obtained 1x Sunfruit!

After putting away your newly acquired sunfruit, do you...

• Head north across the meadow?
• Head south again?
• Head northwest across the meadow?
• Head northeast across the meadow?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You stick a hand in the water and feel around for a bit, you're somewhat startled when a frog leaps out at you, quickly bounding away. In that moment of panic, however, your fingers brushed against something rather hard...

Do you...

• Try to pick it up?
• Head south?
• Head east?
• Head west?

YourLoveOnly || YLO
You tend to your burned hand. While you do so, the ball continues to smoke, but by the time you've finished, it appears to be just a black ball once more. Do you...

• Touch the ball again?
• Pour water over it?
• Leave?

[YourLoveOnly]

I doubt repeating the same action will get a much better result, so let's try some water!

[Ember]

Time to continue north across the meadow!

[Ryuukokoro]

Surprised, I curled my taloned hand around something hard. Now I wasn't expecting that! With a curious frown I tried to pull it out.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra, slightly startled by suddenly being face-to-face with the drake, is glad for her claws and retains her grip on the tree. "What a lovely thing you are," she murmurs quietly. "Hungry?" Certainly, food is a good way for people to make friends with her, so she hopes for similar results with the drake. She carefully reaches into one of her packs, feeling around, and pulls out a Sunfruit to offer it.

[Midnight Phantom]

Ree blinked and looked pleased at the stone he found, shifting it in the light to catch the subtle play of light along some of the rougher edges before a nudge drew his attention away. Chip was already moving away deciding it was bored, heading east. .

Ree raised a brow "So impatient... and you eat this like this silly drake" pocketing and moving after Chirp.

[Country]

Finding a nice comfy rock, Country sits and has lunch and admires the view.

[SeaCrest]

YourLoveOnly || YLO
When you pour water over the ball, it immediately is obscured by thick, black smoke. Your eyes water as you cough, but when you can finally see again, the ball appears to have dissolved, leaving a small, white seed behind.

Do you...

• Pick up the seed?
• Cover the seed in dirt and ash?
• Leave?

Ember
You head north across the meadow, breathing in the smell of grass and flowers as the wind ruffles your hair. A high cry echoes somewhere to your right, followed by raucous bawling, and you look up to see an unfamiliar drake with black and gold markings chasing a flock of crows, one of whom has a brightly colored object clutched in its claws. A drake hatchling, perhaps?

Do you...

• Send your drakes after the crows to try and help?
• Continue north?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You pull the object out, and after rinsing it off, find that it is a Bismuth Crystal! It's somewhat dulled by its extended time in the water, but your drakes still eye it with interest.

You have obtained 1x Bismuth Crystal!

Do you...

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

Saturnalia || Shaydra
The drake accepts your gift, taking a dainty bite before seizing the fruit in its foreclaws and backing up so that it can balance it on the branch while it eats.

1x Sunfruit removed!

Do you...

• Try to pet it?
• Just watch while it eats?
• Climb down?

Midnight Phantom || Ree
You head east, coming to the ocean proper as the dirt beneath your feet turns to golden sand. The water laps at the shore gently, a tide line clear well above the edge of the water, dotted with seaweed, driftwood, shells, and other ocean debris. Do you...

• Head north along the beach?
• Head south along the beach?
• Take a swim?

Country
You eat some lunch, but when you go to leave, you realize that you cannot get up. You can shift around on the rock, but when you try to stand up, your muscles won't obey. Do you...

• Call Barnaby for assistance?
• Send your drake for assistance?
• Take a nap, since you can't get up anyway?

[Country]

Country struggles to get up, but can't, after several minutes of fighting with the stone she gives up and looks over at Haru who is looking at her like she has lost her mind but is highly amused by the situation.

"Are you just going to sit there and look at me or are you gonna go get help?" She asks the perplexed drake.

[Ember]

Ember startles at the abrupt cry she hears and turns in the direction of it. It only takes a moment of her observing the scene before she says, "Andromeda, Rhea, go help out please?" Hopefully sending her drakes after the crows too will do some good.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra is content to sit and watch the Drake eat, not wanting to bother it while it enjoys the Sunfruit. She admires its markings, intrigued by how many different patterns and colors the creatures come in. "Each of you certainly is unique," she murmurs quietly to the drake as it eats.

[YourLoveOnly]

Pick up the seed

[SeaCrest]

Country
Your drake flies off, leaving you to sit and twiddle your thumbs, hoping that your drake has actually gone to find help, and can bring said help back to you.

They're gone for over an hour before you hear the sound of something large approaching through the trees. Given that there are no large predators on the island, you're not particularly frightened.

A slender, compact girl with nut-brown skin and oddly reddish brown hair falling in a wild, curly mass to her hips emerges through the trees, barefoot, although she's wearing a utility belt over a many-pocketed khaki vest and khaki shorts. A long-bladed bushknife is strapped to her thigh, and a pair of drakes seem to be following her.

She crinkles her nose when she sees you sitting there. "I was afraid this was the case. This is your drake, I take it?" gesturing to your drake, who is sitting at your feet now. "I'm Tea. I'm a caretaker of this island, I s'pose. How long have you been sitting there? I'm not great at magic myself so if you've got an emergency maybe I should call Dr. Wong and get Bracken out here, but if not I can get you loose. It'll just take me a bit."

Do you...

• Respond politely?
• Respond in annoyance?

Ember
Your drakes dart after the crows, joining the black and gold drake as it chases the black birds. The three of them are wary of attacking the birds and harming its burden, but with three of them, they manage to drive the crow to the ground, long enough for the black and gold drake to seize the hatchling and wrap protective wings around it. The crow flaps off, indignant, while its flock-mates jeer at it for losing its prize. They disappear into the trees.

Do you...

• Hurry over to try and offer help?
• Call your drakes back now that the danger has passed?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
The drake polishes off the sunfruit, apparently happy to let you stay in its personal space, and when it is finished, seed and all, it even butts up against your cheek in a friendly manner. Then it spreads its wings and takes off, disappearing into the trees.

Do you...

• Climb down?
• Sit for a while and enjoy the quiet?

YourLoveOnly || YLO
You pick up the seed, which is now cool to the touch. It doesn't seem dangerous anymore...

Do you...

• Plant it somewhere?
• Take it back to Dr. Wong?
• Have your drake sniff it and watch for a reaction?

[Ember]

Ember heaves a sigh of relief as the crows leave. Birds are, in her experience, utterly terrifying. She hurries over to try and offer help to the black and gold drake now clearly guarding something. "Hey there, they're gone now. Are you okay? Is uh...is whatever they took okay?"

[YourLoveOnly]

I am very curious about this strange seed and doubt I will find out much more on my own, so let's take it back to Dr. Wong.

[Midnight Phantom]

Ree paused in front of the water, watching it lap along his shoes as he just took it all in with a hint of wonder and amusement because Chirp was trying to decide why there was so much water and ran to and from the wave. For a moment the though of taking a swim crossed his mind but he quickly dispose of that as he took a running leap into the air and hovered above the water a little before flying north, whistling a little for Chirp still on the ground.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra is glad that the drake seems friendly and is a little sad to see it go. Still, it was a unique experience to briefly bond with one of the wild drakes! She decides to sit for a while longer to enjoy the quiet up in the tree.

[Ryuukokoro]

My eyes lit up. "Well that was not what I expected to see at all!" I said, holding up the crystal for my Drakes to get a look at. Both of them eagerly pushed their snouts toward the crystal, but I tucked it away before they could get any ideas.

Once I had it safely stowed away where the two Drakes couldn't nibble on it without my knowing, I decided to continue on our exploration. I chose south randomly and struck out.