{Ore Drakes} The Expedition Outpost | OPEN

[Ember]

"Eep!" Ember exclaims as a flood of bats surrounds her and her drakes until they manage to sort out their bearings and flee the cave. As her breathing slowly returns to normal she finds herself laughing at both the situation and the reaction of her nosy drake. "Not quite the find we expected, eh?" She asks the tan and green drake who blinks at her, still somewhat dazed.

Still chuckling a little, Ember turns back the way she was heading and notes she has a choice between two tunnels. "Well then, Rhea, since your nose apparently can't be trusted let's leave this choice to Andromeda for now." She affectionately shoos the drake in question forward and as Andromeda trots off down the right tunnel, Ember follows.

[Ryuukokoro]

I stopped when it became very apparent I could proceed forward no further. "Well," I sighed, glancing at Moss. He was hovering out over the edge of the cliff, investigating how far down it went. "I'm afraid not all of us in the party can follow you, Moss." I looked left and right, not yet ready to go home. "Which way, I wonder?"

This time, to my surprise, it was Cross who decided he had an opinion on our travel. He launched himself off my shoulder and headed right, appearing almost determined.

"Well then," I said with a shrug. Making sure Moss was following, I followed my Drake and we went right.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You turn right, and the tunnel quickly becomes much wider than you'd expect, opening up into a cave filled with stalagmites and stalactites that gleam wetly in the light of your lantern. There are three tunnels here.

Do you...

• Go down the tunnel on the left?
• Go down the tunnel in the middle?
• Go down the tunnel on the right?
• Leave the caves?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You head right, ducking under the cover of some trees, but not entering the forest. All too soon, you find that the cliff edge stretches over this way, too, cut by a river that waterfalls off of the edge and down to the water far below. You could try to cross the river, but it's awfully strong here.

Do you...

• Try to cross the river?
• Turn around?
• Turn into the forest?
• Call Barnaby for a pickup and go home?

[Ryuukokoro]

The breathtaking sight of the river tumbling over the cliff face is mesmerizing, but I try not to delay too long. I know both myself and the two Drakes have been out for a long time. Still... there's something so tantalizing about the way the sun sparkles on the water....

I have some experience with swift water, so I try to cross the river, watching where I place my feet.

[Ember]

Ember goes down the middle path.

[SeaCrest]

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
The current is incredibly strong, and despite your care and experience, a loose rock turns out to be your undoing. The river sweeps you off your feet, and you are carried inexorably towards the edge of the cliff. Before you can get a good handle on what's going on, you're falling, and although your drake tries to slow your fall, they're not strong enough to carry you. Mercifully, the water below is deep, but it's still a long fall, and very painful. At least you didn't dash your head to pieces on some rocks.

Do you...

• Float around in the pool for a bit while you catalog your aches and pains?
• Swim to the edge and climb out to assess the damage?

Ember
You find yourself in a cave that sparkles wherever you look in the light of your lantern. Do you...

• Try to pry one out from the wall with your hands?
• Look around to see if maybe there are some loose on the ground?
• Investigate what appears to be a nest?
• Turn around and leave the caves?

[Ember]

Ember's jaw drops in awe as she comes into a sparkly cavern. It's so dazzling it's mesmerizing for a moment. She spends a few moments examining the ones embedded still in the wall but figures she'll just tear up her fingers doing that. Maybe there are a few loose ones...to say nothing of her interest in what may be a nest. She doesn't exactly want to disturb the nest if it would worry any parents or freshly hatched babies...Maybe she'll focus on the shiny things first and take a peek at the nest after. Choice made, Ember looks for loose shinies on the ground, heading vaguely towards the nest.

[Ryuukokoro]

The world is blackness, noise, and blackness again. Consciousness tries to remain allusive, but I cling to it with all I have left. What happened!? Think, think!

I find myself at the bottom of the falls, and while I'm worried about my Drakes and my gear, the first thing I have to do is make sure I'm safe. The treacherous water doesn't seem like the best place to be, so I swim to the edge and try to climb out. I try to call to the Drakes, but my voice is hoarse from water and (probably) a lot of screaming. All I can manage is a shaky whistle.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You're in luck; you find two shinies on the dusty, rocky ground of the cave. A quick rinse and wipe on your pants reveals two Rough Diamonds! What a find!

You have obtained 2x Rough Diamond!

Do you...

• Investigate the nest?
• Investigate a small crack in the cave wall that might be just big enough to let you through?
• Turn around and leave the caves?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You kind of flop around in the water for a bit before you manage to crawl out onto the bank, groaning as you lay there for a moment before rolling over painfully and fighting your way out of your soggy pack. Your map is an unreadable mess, and you probably shouldn't turn on your electronics anytime soon, but everything else seems mostly intact. Your food is kind of soggy, but that's all right. You can always find more.

Your drakes fuss over you in concern as you cough up water and ease your way into a sitting position.

Do you...

• Get up and head into the forest?
• Get up and head downriver?
• Sit and eat your soggy lunch?
• Call Barnaby for pickup and go home?

[Ember]

Grinning with her lucky find, Ember decides to take that peek of the nest after all. She inches towards it, really keen on investigating the nest. Just a little bit at least.

[Ryuukokoro]

I'm glad to see Cross and Moss are in one piece. They must have taken the much safer way down to the bottom of the falls, by air -- not the water way. "Well that was unlucky," I mutter to myself. So much for that. Still, the concern the Drakes show is touching.

Since I'll need to wait a while for the electronics -- and everything else -- to dry out, I decide to move away from the falls. (The roaring of the water isn't doing anything for my headache.) I get up and head downriver.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
In the nest are three Wild Drake Eggs. Do you...

• Take one?
• Take two?
• Take all three?
• Look around for wild drakes first?
• Back away and investigate the crack in the cave wall?
• Turn around and leave the caves?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You head downriver, and are pleasantly surprised by the gentle slope and lush grass beneath your feet as the roaring of the waterfall fades away. You come to a tall willow tree, its sweeping branches forming a sort of curtain against the world. Do you...

• Sit down beneath the willow to rest?
• Continue onward?
• Call Barnaby for a pickup and go home?

[Ember]

Ember breathes out a quiet groan at seeing the eggs. So it was a nest! She...cannot deny that the eggs are tempting. She's awfully fond of drakes - she glances at her own accompanying two at the thought - and wouldn't mind more but it's a wild clutch and stealing eggs would be very mean if they weren't abandoned. If they were though...she's equally unsure if leaving them would be kind either. At the very least she can look around for wild drakes first.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You come face to face with a white drake that you swear you've seen before...

Do you...

• Back away slowly?
• Grab an egg and run?
• Wait for the drake to move?

[Ember]

Ember pauses as something white moves in the lower light of the cave and it takes her a few moments to figure out that it's a drake...and one she is certain she saw somewhere....Clearing her throat gently she asks, "Are these eggs yours, then?" She doesn't really expect a true answer but either way she waits for the drake to move.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra, thoroughly enjoying her calm, peaceful walk along the bay, walks along, soaking in the sun. She keeps her eyes peeled for anything of interest, and is rewarded by the sparkles. She certainly can't just ignore then, so she heads over to see seaweed to investigate.

[Ryuukokoro]

It's been a very long day... I decide to sit down and rest.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
The drake leaps forward, landing behind the nest and turning to cover the eggs with its outstretched wings, eyes steady on you as if in challenge.

Do you...

• Back away slowly?
• Offer it something to eat? Requires an edible item from your Inventory or expedition inventory. Includes minerals.

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You find a piece of Rough Quartz in the seaweed! After rinsing off the sand and dirt, you add it to your pack.

You have obtained 1x Rough Quartz!

Do you...

• Continue east?
• Enter the forest?
• Call Barnaby for pickup and go home?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You sit down in the shade of the willow to rest, groaning as your abused muscles complain. The grass is soft and surprisingly plush, almost like sitting on a rug, and there is a light breeze that stirs the curtain of willow branches as you lay back. One of your drakes presents you with a river pebble, although they look disappointed when you don't try to eat it.

The sun is starting to sink lower in the sky; dusk will be here in a couple hours.

Do you...

• Continue downriver?
• Turn into the forest?
• Call Barnaby for a pickup and go home?

[Ember]

Right. See. This is why you don't just steal random eggs. Ember takes a step backwards, hands low and splayed palm up just a few inches in front of her body in a hopefully placating gesture. "No harm meant to them. Have you been guarding them long? Are you hungry? I think I still have a sunfruit somewhere in my bag..." With slow movements in an attempt not to startle the drake, Ember takes off her pack and digs out a sunfruit to offer it to the drake. The fiery one seemed to approve of the sunfruit before so she figures its a safe bet.

[Ryuukokoro]

I keep my rest short, as the sun is setting and it's been a long day. Giving Moss a scratch on his head for the pebble gift, I climb to my feet and continue downriver, wondering if the river will eventually take me back to the beginning of our journey.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
The white drake eyes the proffered fruit with some disdain before ignoring it completely, continuing to stare at you.

Apparently it's not hungry.

What do you do now?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You head downriver, careful to steer clear of the slippery mud at the bottom of the bank and staying on dry land. You've had quite enough water for the day, you think. Eventually, the sun starts to set in earnest, and you have to decide if you're going to camp for the night out here or call Barnaby before it gets too dark.

Do you...

• Set up camp?
• Call Barnaby?

[Ember]

"Oookay...not a fan. Do you like these shiny things? That why you're here? If you really want you can have one I guess," Ember says, uncertainly offering a rough diamond in the same moment she put the sunfruit away.

[Ryuukokoro]

I didn't expect for exhaustion to catch up with me so quickly, but suddenly I find myself stumbling over my own claws. I realize I'm not going to make it all the way back, even with a ride. I decide to set up camp for the night.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
The drake still doesn't appear inclined to take the rough diamond, but it seems somewhat mollified by your continued offerings. It folds its wings slightly and settles down around the eggs, still shielding them with one outstretched wing.

You decide to leave while the drake appears, if not friendly, at least no longer outwardly hostile.

Emerging from the cave mouth, you blink at the brightness of the sunlight after so long spent with the lantern as your only source of light. You can turn uphill, or you can head north. Turning back the way you came is also an option.

Do you...

• Head uphill?
• Head north?
• Head back downhill?
• Go home?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You set up camp for the night, settling down in a protected knoll under another sweeping willow tree.

When you awaken in the morning, you find that you were visited in the night by some curious nocturnal creature. There are tiny, clawed footprints in the soft dirt beyond the grass where you were sleeping. Nothing seems to be disturbed, however.

Do you...

• Continue downriver?
• Head east?
• Head west?

[Ember]

"Huh, well alright, fair enough, I'll leave you be," she tells the drake with a friendly little wave goodbye, stuffing the rough diamond back into her pack. "I hope they hatch well! You must be proud!"

She tries her best to herd her two drakes back out of the cave - is it just her or they as interested in shiny things and strange nests as she is? - and ends up shielding her eyes against the light. She takes a bit to get her bearings back before deciding to head uphill.

[Ryuukokoro]

In the morning I have to do a few stretching and warm up exercises to get the kinks out of my aching body, which has stiffened up in the night. Amusingly, my Drakes seem to copy my movements, stretching out their wings and tails. The little footprints intrigue me, but I can't find any evidence of animals still nearby, other than Cross and Moss.

After I pick up camp, making sure to not leave any of my supplies behind, I head east.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra tucks the find away somewhere safe; it will go to good use down the line! She then continues east, with Chem prowling nearby at the water's edge.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You head uphill, breathing deeply as the air suddenly cools. Clouds race across the sky, heavy with rain, and to your inexperienced weather eye it looks like a storm.

Do you...

• Look for a place to shelter?
• Keep moving?
• Call Barnaby and hope he can get to you before the storm hits?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You strike out east, moving away from the river. The weather is a little warmer today, and it's early enough that birds are chirping cheerfully among the trees, although you can't see any. The ground is thick with crawling, thorny vines, bearing something that looks very much like blackberries, down to the small white flowers that are fading away as the fruit comes in.

You come across a deer path. Do you...

• Head southeast along the deer path?
• Head southwest along the deer path?
• Continue east?

[Ember]

Ember looks up at the gathering clouds and sighs. She doesn't really feel like pressing her luck against a storm so regretfully she calls Barnaby for a pick up.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
The rain begins before Barnaby manages to locate you, and by the time he pulls up, you're soaked through. He's brought you a thermos of soup and some towels, though, so by the time you arrive at the Outpost you are warm and somewhat dry. Dr. Wong ushers you inside to use the staff shower while she sets up one of the rooms in the temporary lodging area, since there won't be a plane coming in until tomorrow.

Expedition complete! You have gained 2 expedition EXP!

You may now apply for another expedition!

[Ryuukokoro]

I'm determined to take it easy today and not push myself, so walking on a deerpath sounds like a good idea after working up a morning sweat pushing through the forest. I decide to follow the deerpath southwest.

[Ember]

ADVENTURER'S PERMIT APPLICATION
Name: Ember
Drake(s):
086 - Andromeda

and 094 - Rhea

[SeaCrest]

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You continue east, until you begin to approach the spit of land that juts out into the ocean. Do you...

• Head out onto the spit?
• Turn back around?
• Cross over the spit and continue around the island?

Ryuukokoro || Ryuu
You follow the deer path southwest as it curves. The lack of predators is evident in the way the path meanders, not to make the most of cover, but to the best grazing areas and the easiest climbs. You come to a fallen tree across the path, although it looks like a new one is being made around it. Do you...

• Climb over the tree and follow the old path?
• Follow the new path?

Ember
After Dr. Wong has given you your map, as well as checking over your supplies, she sends you out to meet 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?

After Barnaby leaves you, you look around. You're on the bank of a wide river, which flows down from the mountains north of you. The river flows west. Do you...

• Head north to the mountains?
• Head downriver?
• Head upriver?
• Cross the river?

[Ember]

Ember heads north to the mountains.

[Ryuukokoro]

I tend to be stubborn and don't like to give up if it looks like I can keep going. I climb over the tree and continue.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra continues to admire the view, reveling in the salt-tinged breeze. There's a hint of nostalgia with that smell, but this place is so new and different from where she'd been in the past.

She decides to head out onto the spit of land to see what she can see.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You head north towards the mountains, picking your way carefully over the riverbank, which is littered with thorny vines and stubby bushes full of rissica berries, before moving away from the river as it veers away from your due-north heading. The weather is cool and rather misty, but it's not so thick that you can't make out the mountains in the distance. When you come to a marshy area that feels very unsafe underfoot, you pause.

Do you...

• Attempt to walk across the marsh?
• Go left around the marsh?
• Go right around the marsh?

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?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You head out onto the spit, careful about where you put your feet, and note that this bit of land is probably underwater at high tide, based on the wetness of the sand beneath your feet, but there is a ridge of more solid land in the middle that might not be completely submerged. As you reach the end, several winged shadows swoop over you, and you look up to see half a dozen drakes wheeling lazily in the air above you, apparently unconcerned with your presence.

Do you...

• Sit and observe them for a while?
• Take another dip in the ocean?
• Go back the way you came?
• Turn and go back along the other side of the spit?

[Ember]

Ember has very unpleasant memories of marshes. Canoeing trips and such, trying to get back in a canoe when the most stable footing is the gross sucking feeling of a marsh underneath. With a face of distaste and an envious glance at her flying drakes, Ember goes to the left of the marsh.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You turn left, giving the marsh a wide berth as you do so. It turns out to be a lot wider than you'd initially thought, and it takes some time before you find a place that's dry enough you feel comfortable crossing. A rustle in the bushes startles you, and you pause.

Do you...

• Wait for your drakes to investigate?
• Investigate yourself?
• Arm yourself with your machete?

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra makes the observations about the spit of land, and then turns her gaze skyward to watch the drakes for a few moments. She contemplates whether or not she's going to be stuck out here if the tide rises-- she'd rather not have to swim back with all of her gear-- but the solid bit of land in the middle bodes well. She decides to sit and watch the drakes for a little while. Chem seems content to sit and do the same.

[SeaCrest]

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You sit down on a dry patch of ground and watch the drakes for a while. There are seven of them, three brightly colored and four more neutrally colored, and from what you can observe, there doesn't seem to be a strict social hierarchy. They ride the air currents and dive into the water at their whim, sometimes coming up with a shiny fish, which the hunter then proceeds to consume alone, unless it is particularly large, in which case whoever is nearest shares with them.

The one indicator of a social order is when a lone white drake soars overhead from inland, bringing the number of drakes in the air up to eight. This white drake seems to be some kind of leader, as it circles once, twice, herding the others together. One of the drakes, picking at a fish at the edge of the water, abandons its prize, taking to the air as the drakes move as a unit, heading inland.

Odd.

Do you...

• Continue to sit awhile?
• Take another dip in the ocean?
• Go back the way you came?
• Turn and go back along the other side of the spit?

[Ember]

Ember waits for her drakes to investigate.

[Saturnalia]

Shaydra takes not of the drake behavior, wondering where they are going, and if there is a purpose to their return flight inland. It's interesting, either way, and she enjoys getting to see them in their natural habitat.

As they head off, she decides to turn and go back along the other side of the spit.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
Your drakes investigate the rustling bushes, and a large, rather grumpy bird that looks something like a tiny turkey (it's only as large as a small chicken) flutters out, squawking indignantly at them as they back away. Once they've left its immediate vicinity, however, it subsides, ducking back into the shelter of the bushes.

Well then. Do you...

• Continue walking?
• Backtrack the way you came?
• Try to cut across the marsh?
• Strike out to the left into the forest?

Saturnalia || Shaydra
You head back along the other side of the spit, noticing that this shore is rockier, with less sand, than the shore on the opposite side of the spit, rising steeply to jagged cliffs. As you hike up, you notice that there seem to be drakes nesting in small holes and caves in the cliff face above the reach of the waves, darting in and out of sight or clinging to the rock wall.

Do you...

• Continue uphill?
• Try to descend down the cliff face?
• Head back toward the forest by the bay?

[Ember]

Ember snickers at the reactions of her drakes to a glorified turkey-chicken before continuing walking.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You finally finish circumnavigating the marsh, leaving behind the clouds of mosquitoes and midges along with the murky waters and strange turkey-chickens. Do you...

• Head north from here?
• Head back to a spot opposite to where you think you were when you first encountered the marsh?
• Continue west?

[Ember]

Ember peers across the marsh she has just left behind and frowns a little. She wants to properly get her bearings so she heads to a spot opposite of where she thinks she was before the marsh.

[SeaCrest]

Ember
You head back to (roughly) where you think you would have been if you'd simply crossed straight over the marsh, picking your way around a dense bank of blackberries before ending up at a lone apple tree and scratching your head. As you consider your next move, one of your drakes screeches a warning.

"Name and identification, if you please," a hard-faced woman says when you spin around. She's aiming a rifle at you.

Before you can do anything else, a tricolored drake bursts from the trees, swooping through the air to land squarely on the barrel of the woman's rifle, forcing it down. You recognize him as Vili, the drake who brought Tea to you when you fell in the river.

The woman raises an eyebrow. "That's more of a reaction than you've given me all week," she tells the drake, giving the rifle a bit of a wiggle to dislodge him. He takes off, circling once before landing in the tree to observe.

The woman holds her hand out. "Name's Clara Woods. See you've met Tea. She didn't warn me about you. Sorry about that. I'm here for poachers, not friends of Odekka."

Do you...

• Respond angrily?
• Respond in annoyance?
• Respond in confusion?
• Respond politely?

[Ember]

Ember jumps when Rhea gives a screech and as soon as she notices the rifle aimed at her she does her best to try and shoo her drakes behind her so they can't get hurt (though of course trying to herd creatures with wings is easier said than done). She opens her mouth to provide her name when the trees explode with a drake she knows by name - Vili.

She's equal parts amazed and graceful when he lands on the rifle and she's not at quite as much risk of being fired at. Ember watches him take off again though her eyes quickly track back to the gun-toting woman. Thankfully said woman no longer seems keen on keeping her at gunpoint.

"Ember," she says politely, "and yeah, not a poacher. They must have nerves of steel if they still make attempts to poach."

[SeaCrest]

Ember
Clara snorts. "Most of the wild drakes are too smart for them, but they keep trying." She glances up at Vili. "Didn't see him tailing you or I would've been a bit nicer. He's pretty good at sniffing out the bad ones, and he makes a fuss when he does. He doesn't usually stick his neck out like that though. You've met Tea, I take it? Tough girl. Don't know if I'd survive out here alone with no gear for months." She seems to realize she's babbling and stops talking. "I'll be on my way then, unless you've got questions for me."

Do you...

• Ask about the trap you found on your first expedition?
• Ask about the terrain?
• Thank her and say your goodbyes?