thebastion | Event: Day 265 [OPEN]

Entry tags:

Event: Day 265 [OPEN]

Who: Several NPCs and you
Open: Open
When: Day 265
Where: The Bastion in general
What: Everyone adjusting to the new land, plus some bad news from Nathaniel.
Format: action
Warnings: Lnone

[First, the good news: everyone came back more or less alive and well, and they had a core! After some deliberation, eventually it was decided upon that adding more land to the Bastion (as well as improving the efficiency of power use in the Bastion, so that the extra land is not a strain on the already limited power) is the best use of this Core.

Once the core has been integrated into the Bastion, the land expanse is almost immediate. Several chunks of the nearby Skyway (monster-free, thankfully) attach themselves to the Bastion, nearly doubling the available land. In addition to the flat plains, lake, river, and hills, there is much more flat land, and a few sharp peaks (nowhere near tall enough to be actual mountains, but they are made of rock and have the same jagged edges and steep inclines that a mountain would have) have attached themselves to the north-eastern side of the Bastion.

In addition, several empty buildings have sprung up in the south and western parts of the Bastion, along with a large empty area clearly left open for tents or more structures. With all of the new land and buildings, the Bastion should be able to hold several hundred residents comfortably. Provided the people could be found to fill those spaces, the Bastion could be a small town now!

But today is not entirely a day of good news. Around midday, Nathaniel calls a meeting by the monument to discuss some things, and he doesn't look happy at all.]

Okay guys, I'm just going to be honest here. We've got some trouble brewing.

For starters, I haven't been able to pick up the energy signal from that other core. Either it's been buried, or it fell off the Skyway, or something else got to it. It may come up later, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

Along with that, we've got another mess on our hands now. Remember that group of Ura that you guys have been talking to? Well, they left this letter in the place where we leave written communication with them. Zahi translated it for me, and long story short, their crops failed and they're asking us for help.

We can give them supplies, but the farm doesn't grow enough to feed both us and them. If we found another core we could expand the farms to make it feasible, but there's no telling when we'll find another core. Our other option is to start growing our own farms on top of what the automated farm grows for us, but that won't actually help for several weeks, even months. They could possibly starve by the time that pays off. There's also the problem of how to get the sheer volume of food they need out to where they are. Their numbers are about equal to ours, and it's not a trip we could make every day, and most foods would spoil by the time we got it to where they are, so that's something to keep in mind too.

As near as I can tell, we can either help them out until they can grow more food, or we can ignore the request and let them fend for themselves. If any of you guys have another idea of what to do, we can discuss it.

I'll leave the decision up to you guys, but whatever you choose, make the decision quick, so that whatever you decide to do can be put into motion as soon as possible.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Takamura was leaning against something while close enough to hear about what was going on with this other group called the Ura. Clearly they had some sort of history with the group, though that was all before he'd shown up. He listened as several other people made suggestions before speaking up himself.]

I say, if they want what we've got, they can come and get it themselves. We've got more room than we know what to do with. So long as they don't slack off and do their part, I don't see why they couldn't just stay here.

I wish it were that simple. They're Ura. This place is Cael-made, and we have Caels living here. There's a lot of animosity between them, with good reason.

They haven't had the luxury of living with the Bastion's protection either. They've had to be warier.

So that's how it is, eh? If there's that kind of attitude between them, they must really be out of options to be asking for help from us.

Can't we just let them live on the new part of the Bastion that was added on thanks to the new Core? Just keep the two groups apart so they don't kill each other.

We have a few Ura here, too. I doubt we'd have been able to reach out to them otherwise.

But if we can give them their own space... Well, it'd help. I just don't know if it'll be enough for them.

Well considering it's either that or starving, I'd say their options are pretty limited.

We could take food to their camp, like Nathaniel's suggesting.

It won't be as easy to get it to them, that's all.

It's going to take more than that, I'm afraid...

[Colin's been doing math in his head, and he is not pleased with the results...]

Assuming we decide to give them food, we're going to need a supply train... and guards, because that much food is going to attract attention from hungry beasts.

I've... got enough cut lumber sitting around that I could probably make another cart like the one I already made in two or three days, faster if I had help. [He's had no idea what else to make so he's just been making planks when he's been woodworking. By hand.] I wanted to wait until I could see how this one was working before I made more, but... [He shrugs. The rest of that sentence doesn't need to be said.] The problem is that we don't have any harnesses for animals to pull them, and I don't know to make them or if we even have materials for them. Plus the ostrich horses probably don't know how to pull stuff. We might have to pull them ourselves.

...What about the barge? It doesn't seem that fast, but if it only has to keep up with people walking alongside it that doesn't seem like a huge flaw.

...How long and far a trip is this supply train going to need to make, anyways?

I suspect one of the Ostrich horses could be taught rather quickly. They're domesticated animals. If Zuko were there, we could see to it rather easily, but yeah, not without a few hiccups. We'll probably need to buy harnesses, honestly... since I don't think anyone here is a leatherworker. To say nothing of the lack of decent leather in the first place.

If you bring the wood to my shop, I can see about helping you out, and showing you how to reinforce stuff to make it stronger. I've certainly got enough supplies for that.

... The barge has complications of its own. I'd like to use it, but it's an armed Caelondian vessel. I don't think the Ura will be happy to see something like that approaching them. Even if it's carrying food.

The Ura are a little over a day's walk from here, if I'm remembering correctly.

I... tanned that rabbit's hide. After watching some tutorials on your pad. It's not strong enough that I'd wanna put much weight on it though. Could try mammoth hide but with how much time and work the rabbit hide took and me having only done it once it's... probably not a good use of time right now. Buying the harnesses is probably best for now. But I can bring everything over, if you don't have anything more pressing to do for this.

[He wasn't specifically asking for Colin's help. Surely Colin must be busy with all the super-technical things that are beyond Rob's knowledge base.]

If it's obviously Caelondian-looking then that'd be a problem. It doesn't sound like too long of a trip though, so hopefully it won't be missed.

[Protip: Rob has never tried to haul things for distances like this. He has no point of reference for how tiring this is likely to be.]

Ostrich horses were used to pull carts all the time in the Earth Kingdom. I don't think that's going to be a problem.

It'd be faster than carrying it ourselves, and probably the cheapest use of shards compared to- buying something faster than the barge. [She's sure the two of you can think of more fancy vehicles than she can.]

It's a lot longer trip than you think it is. Especially while carrying cargo.

[Colin shakes his head at Rob, then he nods at Zuko.]

How many ostrich horses would you say you're comfortable to have pulling carts? I think we should buy the harnesses for them now, we've clearly waited too long for THAT.

For the first few trips, I think just two if I have to keep an eye on all of them.

The more trips we make, the more comfortable they'll be with the journey and the people going. We could increase that number later.

Pardon me, but - what's the good reason? I'm not quite up to speed on the local politics, I'm afraid.

I don't know the details. If they weren't at war, they were on the verge of it. The whole reason we're all here is that the Caels were building weapons against the Ura, and one went wrong.

[Oh dear, that is news to her.]

Gracious... "went wrong," that's a bit of an understatement. What was it supposed to do? Do I want to know? [That's rhetorical, she does want to know.]

I think- it was meant to wipe out the Ura.

[Aradia covers her mouth for a moment, saddened. Every culture has an ugly side somewhere... but that history is something she'll have to look into in greater detail later on.]

... I see. Then it's only natural that they'd distrust an offer of hospitality ... But on the other hand, the fact that they're turning to their enemies for help must mean they're genuinely desperate.

To be fair, it helps that we've had contact with them before and there were no Cael representatives in the group.

[Yes, that would be Zulf stepping forward and joining this conversation.]

We had a rough first meeting... But I went as an ambassador, along with being Ura myself. Zuko went with me, Ura-looking enough that she wouldn't worry anyone and also to apologize for her behvaior, which I like to think favored our appearance to their group.

There was also Tobias, who was a bird at the time. [Which says all it needs to, really.]

We gave them antidotes for a illness that had hit both our groups... And I told them we would help if it needed to be. I think this is just them accepting that offer.

We haven't met, by the way. My name is Zulf. A pleasure.

[She bows politely toward the newcomer.] The Emissary. Charmed.

And I'm glad to hear there's some good will outstanding. That's a viable starting point, at the very least.

Quite. It's also the reason I want to help them to the best of our ability... It isn't right to leave them in such a situation when we possess the means to help.

You're right, of course. Or if nothing else, the resources to find such a means.

[Something he said a moment ago pings her, though.] You said you're an ambassador?