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Post by Jennycallie on Jul 2, 2019 21:25:43 GMT -6
Hello Starborn, and welcome to War-Forged Plot 803: This Mystery Explore  Team Leader: AlesParticipants: Siglavy, Akari, Irileth, Marshal, Credence, OonaPlease keep the following in mind!- Posts must be a minimum of 175 words. There is no maximum!
- Be sure to add your post count to each post for easy tallying of rewards!
-You must post a minimum of 3 times and complete your plot to get full rewards.
- Additional posts past the initial 3 will gain 1 AP per post!- No strict order is enforced, but there must be at least two posts between your own character's.- No god-moding or reading characters' minds (unless your pony is a literal telepath, anyway)
- Always get consent before harming another character!- Your team is precious. Try to interact with everyone. <3- Have fun! Even if your pony isn't. 8'D
Prompt: There’s nothing quite like a detour in your planned route to ruin your already busy day, but here you stand. Some of you are returning from assisting neighboring villages with winter preparation, and some of you are simply passing by as you gather. But whatever your reasons, a deteriorated bridge is a deteriorated bridge, and there’s little to be done but find an alternate route. Good thing that Scouts and maps exist, right? Because with the continual appearance of new trees and forests, the landscape of Onea is changing, and often overnight. Accurate maps and knowledgeable Scouts are in high demand, and as your group convenes to discuss a route, it seems that Ales has one such map. Now, all you have to do is choose the best way to get home… and hope that that map is, in fact, accurate. Easy, right?
Map:  Location: Southwest of SkeldrTime of Day: Mid-afternoon Weather: Windy, slightly overcast You do not have to wait for your leader to post!
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Post by houndflash on Jul 6, 2019 12:52:45 GMT -6
Ales|War Forged|Scout Ales rested on the side of one of the paths that lead to Skeldr Town next to a deteriorated bridge, munching on a few snacks that he had hidden in his saddle bags, Jaggy resting on a near by tree with his own snack in talon. Both were keeping an ear and eye out for travelers who needed to be redirected down this path to another path. They had spent all of the morning flying above the landscape, marking changes on one of the most accurate maps he had, making special note to mark which bridges needed immediate repairs (such as this one), which ones were still serviceable, and where in Kaia’s name that giant tear in her great earth was. The ability to fly was a new one, but an ability that he now thanked Alya daily for, as it not only saved his life, but also made his job much easier. The biggest learning hurdle was how hard and exhausting it was to fly for long periods of time, much like learning to run. It was a matter of figuring out how to pace himself in the air. The Pegasi Scout hadn’t planned on stopping for long, just enough to finish his noon snack and maybe place up a sign, before heading out to check the route for other scouts to warn them, but fate had different opinions, as both the scout and his familiar picked up the faint noise of others in the distance. Ales stood, motioning for Jaggy to stay where he was, as he glanced out to see who was on their way. Word count 275| Post 1 |
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Post by wulfeneit on Jul 6, 2019 19:09:56 GMT -6
Credence - Weather Witch
A pleasant breeze swept over the mountain side, trailing it’s gentle fingers through the leaves, wild grass and the long strands of his mane. Credence took a moment to appreciate it, pausing mid-step along the old dirt path. He had left early that morning to help his uncle with winter prep, however there was only so much company he could take. And so he excused himself (by way of finishing his task and than quickly citing he had somewhere else he ought to be, a lie told smoothly) and took to wandering again. Now he was on his way back to Skeldr Town, after taking a less than deliberate detour. The frequent changes to the landscape were often dramatic but Credence felt that finally, maybe, he was getting used to it. His only grip, was in the way he could not predict it like one could the weather. If only it were that simple. The wind picked up again and he continued on his way but as he neared the bridge, it became clear he would not be crossing it. Credence slowed his approach as he caught sight of someone in the treeline, cautious for a beat. He frowned, then stomped his hoof in greeting. “Pardon, would you happen to know an alternative route?” Admittedly, he was eager to get on with it so he could be by himself. A dark grey ear flicked and he glanced over his shoulder, heaving a sigh as he saw he would soon have company.
Post: 1
WC: 251 |
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Post by IcefireStarfire on Jul 6, 2019 20:56:43 GMT -6
S I G L A V Y
... ...
Many things on this godforsaken mountain tended to annoy him, such as the recent inexplicable developments in the landscape for one. At the same time, the wildness of it all was a refreshing change from . . . the tight city quarters where he used to live -- but that had been pretty, too. Regardless, the herd was fairly vulnerable, and he had been exploring the areas outside of town whenever he was able. Many of the horses in the countryside had most certainly not enjoyed having a kirin in their midst, but their tunes had quickly changed when he offered to be of service.
Now, several things registered in his mind as he rounded the corner: a lanky young pegasus; a big, golden brown bird with overly intelligent eyes that frankly made him a bit uncomfortable; a pale unicorn; the heavily weathered bridge -- wait a minute, wait a minute -- was that a hole in the middle?!
"Oh, you can't be serious," he declared to no one in particular, staring around the rails as if the bridge would magically repair itself.
Perhaps he could jump the gap? No, too risky -- his weight would probably snap the remaining bits clean off and throw him into the depths. No amount of praying to Kaia was going to make him invincible to shattering like an ugly fossil.
He turned his head to get a better look at the other equines. Judging from the young pegasi's outfit and companion, he had to be a scout...
"Hmm. You there," he flagged his tail sharply to get Ales's attention, hoping his hunch was right. "Where is the nearest detour?"
He supposed that even if his conclusions were wrong, any Onean had to know the area better than himself at least.
......
Word Count: 297
Post #1Code by War-Colt |
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Jul 8, 2019 5:42:20 GMT -6
 She had been sent on the most important mission of all important missions. It was the only mission suited for just herself, the young filly of 9 years, Oona, of War-Forged. She had her cloak upon her person, a basket held tightly in her multi-hued teke covering something in a tartan fabric, but most importantly in her personal opinion, she had one of the Warlords own Familiars feathers braided into her mane. Not that...it was actually important to her deeply important mission of course, but it allowed her chest to swell with pride every time she had to take one of these... important missions. Now the problem with important missions was that something always seemed to go awry, like all heroic quests. And like usual, something, of course, had to happen on this particular time. She had been trotting along with her usual, exaggerated trot that she would use when she was in a particularly good mood, humming her own version of an ancient song when she stumbled across a handful of horses who seemed to be upset about something. And, Oona being Oona, she was quick to get closer to see exactly what was happening. Poor Ales, Credence, and Siglavy would indeed have a company they likely didn't bargain for. At least they all seemed to have the same question she did; how to get around? As the child neared the trio of horses, she paused to glance at the very bridge she had thought she had crossed earlier that morning. Completely disheveled, the bridge was quite obviously useless, and unfortunately for Oona, she did not inherit the wings her sister Faye had that could easily carry her across. But when the child turned back around, she noticed that not only was there a pegasus and fellow unicorn, but there was also a kirin (so far). She wasn’t sure if she should be amazed or scared, so instead the took the route of just hoping that the other two would be able to get the answer and she would be able to just tag along, but not without a nervous and awed glance towards Siglavy. 355 WordsPost #1 |
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Post by misttheelf on Jul 9, 2019 6:21:33 GMT -6
Akari "C-Can I help you?"
Post 1 | WC 183 Akari had been gathering herbs for practicing making medicines, and to store them for later. It wasn’t difficult, since Hawke had shown her before… But this was the first time she was doing it alone.
That made her nervous.
But she had her basket, and the day was fairly warm, so it was pleasant for the young kirin.
At least until she was ready to head home, and the bridge she had used just that morning was, well, unusable.
Oh dear.
She glanced around at the other horses gathered there… And shifted her feet nervously, as she recognized none of them.
Double oh dear.
She couldn’t bring herself to ask if any of them knew another way - but soon let out a small sigh of relief, as others were asking the question she thought. She’ll just follow them. Especially the other kirin. She didn’t know if they’d be as nice as Winterra is, but they were a kirin too, and that was enough to settle Akari a bit. She still stood off to the side, though… After all, new horses were… mildly scary. |
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Post by MusicalMagpie on Jul 9, 2019 22:26:31 GMT -6
Marshal | Stone Circle
The changing landscapes were certainly testing him. He'd traveled the territory extensively as a Raider and part of him was stubborn enough to believe he had actually memorized it all. Squinting to see ahead, the sight that met his good eye made the aging stallion groan. "Hey, Val" Still looking ahead, he addressed his wolf companion, "What do you think"? The most he ever got from the white wolf was a hmm or huh. She was a quiet, stoic type. He respected that. As much as he could respect a fluffy animal. As the pair neared the gathering of horses Marshal peered around to get another look at the bridge. Tired eyes skipped to Ales. Poor kid. How many times has he been asked about the bridge?
Marshal looked about at the others who approached. He felt his heart jump at the sight of not one, but two kirins. His eye sight really was getting bad. There was something about the big kirins that made him wary, but he couldn't quite place the feeling. Marshal finally made his own approach toward Ales and greeted the group with a silent nod. "Looks like you're popular" he jested at the Scout, not wanting to add too many more questions to his growing demands. --------------- Word Count - 211 Post - 1 |
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Post by ThatDenver on Jul 10, 2019 4:10:14 GMT -6
IRILETH
Irileth was growing less fond of the Silverpine by the day. How was one supposed to plan out defenses and best places for engagements if the trees kept popping up like mushrooms, and with equally alarming speeds? She might scout out a perfect spot for a battle, and the next time she saw it, it was covered in trees.
There was also the inconvenience of travel, and while Irileth liked to be independent in her travel plans, she had to admit that there was a certain attraction to the safety offered by a larger traveling group, especially if it came with the addition of a Scout who, at least according to nearby villagers, knew the best route back to Skeldr Town.
Especially with the bridge apparently out. She was not looking forward to winter.
When she made it to the path where the Scout had been seen, she could see that there was already a crowd gathered. A few familiar faces – Credence was much too tall to be forgettable – as well as a few kirins. Only some months ago Irileth would have been less than pleased by antlered companions, but she had grown used to them, to the extent anyone could get used to living pieces of history.
She also recognized a member of the Stone Circle, although she did not know their name. Irileth nodded her head at him, but also stomped with her front leg, using her usual mixed greeting.
“An unusual crowd, but that should make traveling more interesting”, she remarked, stepping close enough to the young Scout to catch a glimpse of the map they were even now updating.
These trees were just awful.
Word count: 278
Post #1
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Post by houndflash on Jul 10, 2019 18:35:08 GMT -6
Ales|War Forged|Scout
Ales politely stomped the ground back towards the first of the travelers, and as he opened his mouth to address the question, another equine came out of the tree line demanding the same answer. One of the kirins. These guys were just everywhere nowadays. Ales could only stare for a moment, though when he snapped back to, another two equines had joined the group, another kirin among them. As Ales went to pull out his map again to address the growing crowd, two more familiar faces joined the group. He returned Marshall’s greeting, before finally being able to speak.
”There’s actually a few routes back to Skeldr Town without taking this bridge. I actually just flew over most of it all this morning.” Ales said, his wings flickering with the minor exhaustion. “It really just depends on how fast or how safe you want to be. The most direct route,” Ales paused, flicked one wing in the trail’s general direction. “Goes directly through where that giant chasm is and through the forest, and even I can’t guess what’s in there. There’s another path I saw that’s through a mountain pass, which avoids most of where those Vindicator raids are seen, but it’s more forest and that river with the waterfall.” Ales gestured again in another direction before once again changing his wing stance in yet another direction. “The last one that I know of is the hardest trek, going right across the chasm and up basically up a cliff, but it avoids the forest, the Vindicator hot spots, and private lands all together. So really there’s a lot of alternate routes, it’s really just up to you guys. It would probably be better to stick together though, no matter what route we take.” Ales glanced around at the group, gauging their reactions, and smoothing out the map so everyone could see.
Post# 2 Word Count 325 |
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Jul 11, 2019 8:34:36 GMT -6
Oona wasn’t particularly sure she liked what was happening.
There was not one, but two Kirins, and it appeared that they all had to go to the same place, and to get to said place, they would have to be going together. And to make matters worse, there were supposedly three paths to take, but every single one of them seemed like a bad idea. Couldn’t they just...follow the river, maybe knock down one of those big trees across the said river and get across that way? Yeah, that was so much better!
She parted her lips to speak but then thought better of it. No...those trees are Kaia’s trees. And if Kaia wanted the tree to fall for them, she would. Maybe this was a test or something. Ooh! A test? An adventure!? The thought of the Kirins there didn’t seem to bother her too much now. She would have a real story to tell when she got home...and maybe an earful. But it would be a good story.
Keeping herself from hopping from one hoof to the next, the filly moved a little closer to get a look at the map the scout Ales had displayed for them. Well, the most direct route, she thought, was the straightest one, which was the middle, or at least it was the straightest in her opinion. So that must be the one with the chasm. The second straightest route she thought was the mountain pass one. But there seemed to be a lot of stuff they might have to deal with there, so she was unsure about that one. The last route at the bottom, Ales has said, was the hardest. She was just a child, so she figured she would just slow everyone up if they went that route. The best choice, to her, was the first or second. Or maybe...that was too dangerous too. Faster route don’t actually mean faster, especially since Ales wasn’t sure what lived there.
Shifting from one hoof to the other, she looked up to the larger horses. Regardless of her opinion, she knew the adults would choose what they felt best, which they always did. And she would follow them. Her main priority was making sure her important mission was completed, and that she didn’t lose it along the way.
“So...which way?” She spoke up, looking up to the older horses around her, kirins included.
401 WordsPost #2 |
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Post by IcefireStarfire on Jul 11, 2019 19:23:38 GMT -6
S I G L A V Y
......
How are there so many of us now? he thought sourly. One minute it was just him, the unicorn, and the pegasus, and next thing he knew, it was a whole party. Disgusting--
His thoughts were interrupted as he caught sight of the sunlight shining off a young horse's back, who was standing a little off to the side. It didn't look like a unicorn's shine to him, nor was it the same kind of shine that some hippocampi had. He didn't want to seem creepy, so he pretended like he was shifting his weight around as he tried to get a better look at the youngling while still listening to the scout talk.
So they had three options, huh? Having gotten a better look at Akari -- he was greatly surprised by the teen's presence, to say the least -- Siglavy put his attention back towards the map.
Oh, I hate making choices, he groaned internally. Back in the day, he had a squadron leader that made the tough decisions for them. He did not like having to figure stuff out on his own at all.
The kirin sighed and studied each route carefully, peering around a button of a child that had sidled up for a closer look.
Of course, he wanted to take the most direct route, by himself if he had to. The sooner he got home, the sooner he would be able to get his paperwork filed (these mountain ponies had a disgusting lack of legal documents, he'd noticed). And the sooner he could escape some of these horses' judgmental gazes. However speedy it may be, though, he could not shake the feeling that there was going to be a major setback if they chose that route -- the scout himself had admitted that he had no clue what was there.
So that left two other choices. The third one he was sure that most of them could manage, but the two children present were definitely going to become a burden. They might be able to hoist them along, but it was certainly a lot of work -- and a long way to fall if anyone messed up.
I have enough crimes hanging over my head! he thought angrily. I don't need more dead kids!
The second route seemed to be a mix of the first and the third. Forest was no big problem -- with the scout's wings, they weren't likely to get lost. This time of the year was quite dry, so the river also shouldn't be a problem if they had to cross it. Plus, the water source might prove useful along the way.
“So...which way?” the younger foal asked.
"I don't know about you guys, but I'm rather leaning towards the sounds of that second route," Siglavy admitted. He glanced up to hear the opinions of the others.
......
Word Count: 480
Post #2Code by War-Colt |
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Post by wulfeneit on Jul 12, 2019 11:26:55 GMT -6
Credence - Weather Witch
Doing his best to ignore the growing company, though familiar faces did not escape his notice, Credence thought over the map. He did not envy the scout’s work, remembering his own experiences vividly, but nonetheless he was grateful. If he was entirely honest with him he was less of a hurry to get home and more of a hurry to rid himself of present company. Though no gaze settled over his flank the proximity alone was enough to make him anxious. There was no logical explanation for it, it was just the mood he was in. Out of the three routes available to them, not one struck him as ideal. The most direct route, the central path, would be the quickest, he did not mind the idea of hiking through the woods but the canyon- his throat constricted. There was no way he could bring himself to cross that. Not again- certainly not. Who knew what lay down there. How deep it went. They might make to cross it and the chasm would expand and they would fall. No no no. He shook himself, anxiety digging his claws deep into his skin now. The last path with both a chasm and a cliff was out of the question, he doubted the foals with them would have an easy time of it. So that left the mountain path. The mountain path was long and winding, it would take longer but he felt more comfortable on mountainous terrain than he did, say, crossing a river, the woods or ... Ignacio help him, the damn pits. So that was that. He took a breath before he spoke up. “The mountain pass. It might take longer but it’ll allow us to avoid the more treacherous terrain.”
Post: 2 WC: 291 |
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Post by ThatDenver on Jul 13, 2019 6:10:51 GMT -6
IRILETH
A wealth of choice, then. That was nice – whenever something inevitably went wrong, they could only blame themselves for picking a route that dangerous.
She looked at the young foal who was seemingly quite excited by the prospect of adventure and felt a slight tug in her heart. She remembered when her children were that small, when Mert was that small. The protectiveness that came with motherhood had never truly gone away for her. In some ways that feeling had perhaps only grown when she became younger again – Irileth felt once more that she could help, and that she should help.
Irileth took half a step closer to the child, promising herself that she would do her very best to keep them safe.
She was surprised that the kirin was first to voice an opinion, but nodded at them, and then Credence. The reasoning was fair. The third route sounded promising in that it was the least likely to have them in the middle of an ambush, but it sounded too rough for the children.
And the direct one, well, that one sounded like an exciting mystery to explore… With a bunch of well-armed Raiders at your back to deal with potential raids.
“I, too, prefer the sound of the mountain pass. It sounds like it will allow us to avoid most spots for ambush, and my Earth Manipulation can help us through if there is rubble blocking the pass or something of the like”, Irileth casted her vote. She was sure some of the others had useful blessings as well, should they need to face off against a few opponents – or at least she hoped so.
Word count: 277
Post #2
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Post by misttheelf on Jul 19, 2019 14:30:58 GMT -6
Akari "C-Can I help you?"
Post 2 | WC 191 Akari just wanted to others to decide. She didn’t care really which way they went, as long as it lead back to Skeldr. She just wanted to get home, after all. But after a moment of keeping her silence, it became rather clear to her that the scout was waiting to hear everyone’s thoughts.
She didn’t step closer to the map, just shifting her feet, clearly a bit nervous to speak up, as she spoke softly, “...I-I’ll just f-follow you g-guys…” she stammered out, as her tail swished behind her, trusting that the others would pick the easiest path for everyone.
She did not like being in this situation without wither Wintera or Hawke… They’d know what to do, or say, and would make everything a lot easier. But… that was wishful thinking… after all… she had to get used to not having one of the two with her at all times. Hawke had told her as much when they had sent her off this morning to gather the herbs.
Akari still didn’t like it though.
Especially the younger filly who seemed to be staring at her. That… was really disconcerting.
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Post by MusicalMagpie on Jul 25, 2019 20:34:49 GMT -6
Marshal | Stone Circle
There wasn't a shortage of options to pick from. Shorter routes sounded nice at first, not so much walking for his old joints, but the chasm and conflict didn't agree with him. Marshal sighed, shifting side to side on his hooves. The more he pondered, the better the mountain pass started sounding. The raggedy grey horse stepped up to peer at the map, looking it over and scanning the paths himself. With the landscape changing so quickly the features were looking much different than maps he'd seen in the past. Well... mountain path it is then.
"Sounds like majority is leaning mountain route" Marshal backed off from Ales and the map, taking his place back next to the wolf familiar. The horse Irileth made mention of her earth blessing. That would sure be useful in difficult terrain. "I have gotten quite used to this Tremor Sense blessing myself. If there were any chance at all with an ambush or rock slide, I could help as an early warning." Anything to feel useful. In his growing age and worsening body condition, Marshal was finding it harder to be helpful and not just a hindrance. Half blind and failing hearing, sensing vibrations is the most he could do walking on strange paths. He shifted the bear pelt he wore. Within its pockets were his main means of defense.
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Post by houndflash on Jul 25, 2019 21:05:24 GMT -6
Ales|War Forged|Scout
Ales nodded along as the individual members of the group mentioned the pros and cons of each of the different routes that were presented to them, and as they decided among themselves which of the routes to take. The mountain path did seem like one of the best options, considering the makeup of the group. It probably wasn't smart taking an inexperienced group through more dangerous areas if they couldn't defend themselves properly, it would only put a heaver burden on the others, and the chasm seemed to be a sore spot for multiple members of the party. Not for the first time Ales was sending forth a silent prayer to Alya for his wings, and their versatility in this land.
"Well," Ales started, flicking his ear to signal Jaggy to come down from his perch and starting to roll up his map, "seems like we have a plan. And there's no better time than the present to start moving. I really don't want to get stuck out at night in the mountains if we can help it." Ales started down the path, knowing that the rest would follow him, and even if they didn't, Jaggy was watching the rest of the group from Ales' back and would warn him if anyone got left behind.
Post #3 Word Count 220 |
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Jul 26, 2019 12:00:54 GMT -6
Well, it appeared that she wasn’t the only one who favored the second path that Ales has so kindly told them about. Siglavy agreed, so did Credence. Longer but saver seemed good, though she hoped she wouldn’t be in too much trouble. Irileth was also in agreement, and it pretty much seemed by then the majority was for the mountain pass. The littler Kirin, Akari, who Oona was both very much interested in, and terrified of, said nothing. She had not noticed Irileth move closer to her, but noticing that the mule was the closest to her, Oona decided to be the silver bay’s shadow, indicating such by taking a small step closer towards her.
A sliver of lime and lilac teke tugged her furs closer around her body, while the rest of her teke held onto the basket she was carrying. It was still closed. She didn’t want to wait around any more. She had the mission, her mission, to accomplish.
“So, we’re going to the mountain pass. It’s decided.” The child declared in a clear voice so that everyone, including perhaps the birds that passed overhead, could hear her, “So what are we waiting for?” She hopped a bit on her amethyst crystal hooves; did she ever stop moving?
“Do you think we’ll see some butterflies on the way?” And now the group had a secondary task; shutting her up.
232 WordsPost #3 |
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Post by ThatDenver on Jul 26, 2019 18:03:39 GMT -6
IRILETH
She listened intently as everyone else voiced their opinion. Most seemed to favor the Pass, and this was no surprise – it really did sound the safest option for this particular band of travelers. With her Earth Manipulation and the Stone Circle member’s Tremor Sense, they should be well-equipped to deal with any trouble that the bones of the earth might give them.
When the scout seemed satisfied with the voting, Irileth took a spot in the group walking behind him, and next to the foal who had now become her shadow. Irileth did not mind. If anything, she rather liked this arrangement. If she was close to the foal, she would be able to protect her if need be, and while Irileth might not be the mightiest warrior, she was handy enough with her blade and certainly tougher than most would expect, especially when she brought her blessings into the fray.
“It might be a bit late in the year for butterflies”, she replied with a slight smile. You never knew, of course, but in her experience autumn wasn’t prime time for butterfly spotting.
“My name is Irileth, what’s yours?” she then asked, her introduction loud enough that others might heart it as well.
Word count: 204
Post #3
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Post by Jennycallie on Jul 27, 2019 14:25:41 GMT -6
What's a stroll through the mountains to a seasoned War-Forged? Well, historically... dicey. It's late in the passable season but not yet impassable, and besides, you're no soft-lowlanders. You need to get home. So, choices made, you set out through your route home and begin to navigate the mountain pass. Snow clings to the peaks, but the ground you walk is still unfrozen. Soft enough, in fact, that you spot recent tracks! It is not long before you find the remnants of a camp nestled against the mountain's side, out of the worst of the wind and elements... but nobody's there. Their stuff is, though; supplies are strewn all over the rocks. Clearly, there was a struggle, though it is unclear what transpired, or what happened to the original camper... though one set of hooves leads away, up a more dangerous path, in the opposite direction that you wish to go. You don't have much time to investigate or collect supplies! Choose a path:- Collect some supplies and get the heck out of there! You need to get home.
- Investigate the tracks, maybe someone needs your help! Or... maybe it's the attacker.
Everyone must post one time with their character's choice!
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Jul 29, 2019 20:17:25 GMT -6
She thought for a moment. “You think so?” The palomino filly was unable to hide the disappointment in her voice, but the conversation quickly changed to the topic of names.
“My name is Oona!” The youth gave the silver bay a bright smile. She fell in line besides the silver bay as the group started their trek, and her childish energy could be seen with her exaggerated steps and hops, all the while clutching the mysterious basket.
Oona’s eyes are bright as she looks up to the snow encrusted peaks high above. It was always magnificent to see something like this up close, so there was plenty of ‘ooh’ing and ‘ahh’ing from the child besides Irileth. But when she looked down, her eyes cause some more hoofprints. She thought nothing of it at first, because there were likely other travelers who sought the same route or who perhaps lived nearby.
Except it wasn’t so innocent a situation.
Oona was so startled by what looked like the remnants of a fight, she stumbled right into poor Irileth’s side. Her ears flattened against her head, she looks from the debris, to the tracks leading away, back to the debris.
What if someone was hurt and needed help? She looked up towards Irileth, loosening her ears slightly from her head.
“...What if someone is hurt?” Ultimately, it was up to the adults. But at least now they knew where her mind was going.
240 WordsPost #4 |
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Post by houndflash on Aug 1, 2019 18:37:28 GMT -6
Ales|War Forged|Scout
Ales’ ears flicked back as the group made gentle chatter among themselves on the route. The scout himself was signaling to Jaggy every now and again to fly ahead to make sure the path was at least passable. Ales hummed a song to himself to pass the time, he was used to taking these paths alone at this point, so he wasn’t to overly excited about starting up any conversation, though he did attempt to imbue a calming emotion throughout the group with his blessing. From past experiences he’s had, everyone keeping vaguely calm could be vital, especially with Kirins around. Who knows when some old lady was going to come out of the woods baring an axe at the group screaming about the demon horses being in her carrots or whatnot.
Ales paused to glance around at the abandoned campground and as the prints leading away were pointed out. On one hoof, following them meant probably traveling in the dark later or worse, bloody flanks or cultists attacking them. On the other, someone could need their help. It didn’t take much for Ales to weigh the paths.
“I don’t think we should separate, but if there’s someone in need from this, we need to help them.”
Post #4 Word Count 220 |
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Post by ThatDenver on Aug 1, 2019 19:43:07 GMT -6
IRILETH
The traveling itself was pleasant. It reminded Irileth vividly of her youth, especially with the foal happily chattering away at her side. It was almost like she was a young mare again, walking these hills with her own child. With her new, youthful appearance, no one would even have questioned it if she claimed to be the mother of someone this young, and that felt better than it had any right to.
Then they came across a campsite. It was in a good location, and seemed like it had been put up with some care and knowledge, but it was abandoned, with most of their items still there. Signs of combat were obvious to those with the knowledge of such things, and Irileth noted the single set of tracks leading away from the scene.
Both the child and their guide voiced the opinion that perhaps someone needed help – perhaps someone was waiting for assistance.
“There is only one set of tracks. If it was the owner of the campsite, wouldn’t they have come back down once the attacker was gone? Why stay in hiding and leave your stuff around?” she said, looking up the path: “If they were too badly injured to get back down on their own, it’s unlikely they made it very far, or are even alive – or that we’ll be able to assist them.”
She looked at the child, and then the scout: “If you go, I will join you, but I advise against it. Something isn’t right.”
Word count: 251
Post #4
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Post by misttheelf on Aug 1, 2019 20:41:48 GMT -6
Akari "C-Can I help you?"
Post 3 | WC 201 Akari followed the other horses as they set off for the mountain pass, keeping her basket of herbs close - she really didn’t want to lose them after all, with winter drawing near.
Everything was going well for the first while, no-one seemed interested in talking to her at the moment, which she was… slightly grateful for, she had to be honest. She didn’t like to talk all that much to strangers.
...But then they reached the camp. And an uneasy feeling settled over Akari as she surveyed it.
As the others started discussing what they should do, she sighed slightly, still keeping to the back of the group as her tail swished nervously. “...I-I...j-just want to go h-home…” She quietly stammered out. “...B-but… I’ll… help you g-guys if you decide t-to investigate… If… a-anyone gets hurt… I… Have some medicinal herbs h-here... “ She offered, though, her voice was rather soft.
She wouldn’t be surprised if the others who weren’t close to her didn’t hear her at all… But well, she said what she needed to… right? ...She sent a small prayer to Kaia and Ignacio to keep this small group safe so that they could get home in one piece... |
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Post by IcefireStarfire on Aug 1, 2019 22:17:29 GMT -6
S I G L A V Y
......
He was rather surprised by the younger filly's confidence, but he found that he was also a bit pleased. Confidence was a good quality to have in one's children; whomever was raising the child was certainly doing an admirable job. Still, he couldn't help but feel a pang of grief as he recalled his own children, and all the fierce bravado that could only come from a young kirin born and raised in Old Valore.
Having unanimously decided on the mountain pass, he waited to let a few others pass ahead of him before falling in near the back, occasionally trading places with the others as the path's width varied considerably. The earth was soft underfoot, which made it easy for even the clumsiest horse to keep a solid grip on the ground. Occasionally, he spotted the tracks of animals where the ground was particularly soft; he also saw mixed hoof trails that he highly doubted came from anyone in front of him.
Presently, the group arrived at a nice, idyllic campsite. Or rather, as idyllic as a campsite could be with scuffed earth and various equipment strewn about anyway. Siglavy could tell almost immediately that some kind of fight had taken place. However, with the amount of churned up dirt scattered about, the singular set of tracks leading away from the campsite seemed wrong. A kidnapping, perhaps? The campfire still smoldered, indicating the skirmish was fairly recent. When he breathed in, a chaotic mixture of scents bathed his senses until he could hardly pick out what was what. Granted, he had never exactly been famous for his tracking abilities.
The others immediately began debating on a course of action. The younger horses sounded as if they wanted to follow the tracks -- of course they would. The older equines, however, were much more sensible -- they would only grudgingly go investigate if the group overall decided on it.
After closely examining the nearest objects for a moment, the middle-aged kirin raised his head to face the others.
"I'm voting a hard no. We're just going to take what's useful, and then we're going to leave. Those tracks do not look like they belong to the camp's owner. We can't even tell for sure if there was more than one camper! Besides, a horse in the right sense of mind would not trash their own campsite and leave without their provisions this close to nightfall, would they? So why is this . . . like this?" He jerked his chin in the direction of the scattered goods.
"Also -- this may sound a bit callous, I'll admit -- is it not just as important to preserve ourselves as well? I doubt anyone would be pleased to discover the loss of several capable adults and two children at the hoofs of who-knows-what that did this. We don't know enough to pursue them; it is not our job." He looked around at everyone's faces, wondering if he said too much. But he felt like everything he said was true -- and if he was going to stick around to perhaps someday be one of their protectors, then he might as well start acting the part now.
......
Word Count: 536
Post #3Code by War-Colt |
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Post by wulfeneit on Aug 2, 2019 7:46:25 GMT -6
Credence - Weather Witch
The journey up the mountain path began largely uneventful, Credence content to let the others talk amongst themselves, followed the group at his own pace, neither walking too far behind or too far ahead. Occasionally he glanced up to the sky above to seize comfortable from it, but kept to himself and tried to enjoy the scenery otherwise. It was difficult, with the group, his attention wavered between individuals and he found could not fully enjoy the hike for its own sake. Credence took one look at the campsite; supplies ascrew, kicked up dirt sure signs of a violent struggle, and knew with certainty he was not sticking around to investigate. He didn’t care about the supplies. Every instinct within him whispered urgently to leave. Quickly and soon. As they often did, when anything remotely harrowing happened. It was the children, the fillies naturally, who first voiced their opinions. Oh to be naive and selfless. In any other situation it would be heartwarming to hear but here and now? In front of what was clearly the aftermath of a violent struggle? It was dangerous thinking. Irileth spoke, Credence bobbed his head, blue eyes cast towards the path they had been following honestly ready to accept any excuse, any valid suspicion that would support his feeling on that matter. The Kirin, Siglavy voiced his thoughts soon after and Credence’s eyes brightened with surprise at how much his thoughts on the matter aligned with his own. “Well spoken,” he muttered to himself, and then so the others could hear; “Must we gather supplies here? We are fine as we are, and surely we can restock back home. This seems like an unnecessary risk." He shook his head, gazing steadily down the mountain. "We should continue on our way. It’s not safe to sit idly as we are.”
Post: 3 WC: 292 |
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Post by MusicalMagpie on Aug 4, 2019 21:42:47 GMT -6
Marshal | Stone Circle
The decision had been made, they would take the mountain pass. Just as he hoped, the first chunk of the travel was pleasant. The weather had not grown terribly cold so his hocks were agreeable even as the incline changed. As they went on, Marshal looked about the group. It was an odd one for sure with quite the mix of equine kind. He stayed quiet for much of the walking, but hearing the chatter between Irileth and the child, Oona, he couldn't help but smile. It had been a long time since he had a moment to sit and chat with his own daughter. They had both grown so busy. He was proud of her, no matter how much he missed her.
The group wandered up on a campsite. It looked disturbed as if a scuffle had taken place and a trail lead off away from their path. Marshal found himself staring at the strewn about supplies, his gaze becoming glassy. The old Stone gulped and made himself stand taller. This sight was too familiar for his liking. They had to get moving again. Marshal moved to the outside of the group with his wolf familiar, grey teke producing a long firearm from the side of his bear pelt. As he wound the firing cord up and collected up his firing powder and flint, his good eye flicked from the campsite to the group. "We should keep moving. The owner of this site will likely come back and we can help them by leaving the place be." He tried masking the old fear that was creeping up with an air of confidence. Something he had done many times in the face of danger, but usually to rookie raiders who wouldn't know the difference. "I can take up the rear from here, in case we're followed." Finishing off, he brought the flintlock rifle just in front of his shoulder. He'd be prepared for at least one shot. His focus then shifted to his tremor sense blessing. The sounds around him muffled slightly as he tuned into the earth.
--------------- words - 348 post - 3 |
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Post by IcefireStarfire on Aug 5, 2019 13:53:13 GMT -6
S I G L A V Y
......
Most of them appeared to share the same sentiments -- gather what they can (or not) and boogie on while the sky still held a bit of light. He could tell that some of the party did not completely trust him still; that was normal, so he wasn't too bothered by it. He kept his mouth shut and politely listened to the others offer up their two cents first, so he wouldn't appear too pushy, but he was really itching to grab some things and keep moving as soon as he could. Still, Siglavy did not speak again until he assumed that everyone had shared what they wanted to say.
"Yes, we could just leave it as is and continue," he mused aloud. "But is not part of survival taking what one can, whenever the opportunity presents itself? Also--" Here, he paused to quickly skim over the contents of the campsite again. "--we have no proof the camp's owner was even a War-Forged. Judging by the fire, it certainly looks like enough time has gone by that if the owner were still able-bodied, they would have returned by now, and yet, they have not. We may be well-provided for now, but . . . it wouldn't hurt to pick up some extra food and equipment just in case we don't make it home before nightfall."
......
Word Count: 231
Post #4Code by War-Colt |
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Post by Jennycallie on Aug 5, 2019 19:10:45 GMT -6
It is said that Kaia most often helps those who first help themselves, and the sentiment is embodied in your group as you turn away from the lure of the mysterious tracks. Some of the more... enterprising of your group feel that any supplies left unattended are fair game, and scoop them up. Others abstain. Regardless of your personal moral standing, you move on.
And on. And on.
It probably should have been a relief to leave the rocky mountainous path behind. Maybe it even was- I may be an omniscient narrator but I don't know your mind! But even the most stalwart and steady of you must have felt at least a trickle of unease as you entered a forest. At least the terrain and weather are certainly an improvement... but a land that is more hospitable to you is also more hospitable to other creatures.
What kind of creatures, you might wonder? Well it turns out you don't have to wonder at all, because between one step and the next, you stumble upon a moose calf. It must have been calved late, as it is small for the time of year. It's more than capable of squalling however, and loud.
Enter mother.
Fast, angry, and weighing more than two of you combined.
Um. Run?
The next two players to post are injured by the mother as she bursts through the foliage and puts those hooves and antlers to work. She's wheeling around for another pass; work together to help your injured friends and get out of there!
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Post by Prismaticlysm on Aug 8, 2019 21:44:22 GMT -6
Oona herself didn’t take anything. It wasn’t that she felt it particularly wrong to take which had been left behind, but she wasn’t sure if the horse who had made camp would come back. She knew that she would be pretty upset to return and have supplies missing. She didn’t voice her concerns to those who did take from the scattered provisions, and just continued walking with the others.
Oona did feel a sense of relief to leave the mountain pass behind, what with the disheveled camp with the unknown attackers and even more unknown potential survivors. A forest was a way better option in her opinion. Even though Irileth had told her that butterflies might be unlikely, it didn’t stop her from skipping about to see if she could find one.
But as they had entered, they stumbled upon something interesting. It was a baby moose! Oona had almost let out a little ‘aww’ when it started shrieking. Her ears folded back from the noise, and she scrunched up her nose in an annoyed fashion. But the thundering of hooves to her side caught her attention and she barely had time to react to a very angry mother who was charging right at her.
Oona let out a little scream and tried to run, and she might have made it if she didn’t hesitate to begin with. One of the moose's antlers caught her hind leg and sent her tumbling off to the side. She had a sizable scratch on her hind leg, but the real damage came from her falling on top of her precious basket which luckily cushioned her initial fall. Purplish red goo coated her cloak and sides; the basket had been full of berries, and it was in pieces. She huddled against the ground, whimpering with tears in her eyes, a cry rising up in her throat as the moose wheeled around towards them once more.
323 WordsPost #5 |
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Post by houndflash on Aug 9, 2019 7:39:25 GMT -6
Ales|War Forged|Scout
Ales stared down the path that the hoofprints left, releasing a silent prayer to Argus, Kaia, and Alya to protect them and to not judge the group of they did just leave a helpless individual to fend for themselves in the unknown. Even when the others pointed to the contrary, Ales didn’t like assuming that everything was alright, and the scout had always seen the best in everyone.
Ales started continuing along the trail, not even noticing if anyone took supplies from the abandoned camp. That had pushed his morals enough, the pegasi scout’s mind continued to flirt back to the camp, or to other things as he barely paid attention to the path ahead. He hardly realized they reached the forest until Oona happily exclaimed about a baby moose. Ales snapped out of his thoughts as the calf squealed, loudly. Ales was frozen as the mother came out of the woods to defend her youngling, Jaggy already flying up into the trees to escape the mother’s wrath. Ales went to copy the eagle’s actions, the brief thought of attempting to distract her while in the air, when the antlers caught Ales’ back, effectively knocking him out of the air and into a tree branch. Ales laid on the ground for a moment, catching his breath, before standing up slowly and watching the mother come after them again. Frantically Ales tried to push a happy thought towards the mother using his blessing from Argus, hopefully either slowing or stopping her entirely.
Post #5 Word Count 260 |
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