Event: Day 265 [OPEN]

[bastionpc]

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.

Comments

FINAL VOTE

[bastionpc]

((Once your character has decided on what they would like to do about this situation, put their choice here. Votes will be tallied on January 1st, 2015.))

[freedom_engineer]

Colin, naturally, supports his own plan.

He'd also be open to inviting the Ura to the Bastion, but he's got some reservations about that. Small groups would be better than the whole society...

FINAL VOTE

[scary_music]

((Ibuki's putting her vote in with Colin's.

Again.

Woo.))

[daughterofursa]

((Zuko basically supports Colin's plan for where/how to get the food, but more definitely wants to invite the Ura to stay in the Bastion.

Failing that, ostrich horse-pulled carts.))

[amphibian]

Get a group to invite the Ura to the Bastion!

[four_quarts]

((Yeah, Ghaleon's pretty much with Colin on this one too.))

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

((All aboard the Colin train!))

((Except for the fruitcake. We want people to survive not long for death when they learn what dinner is.))

[twinked_witch]

The core disappearing is a bad thing... But I'm pretty sure Colin's call was the right one. Trying to move to the second core right after that fight would've been far too risky.

As for the Ura... Hrm.

Adding farming capacity would take time... But what's stopping us from using a bunch of shards to make food we could deliver directly? Stuff that'll last, like Elven breads.

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[Rob nods and quietly speaks up.]

Or MREs. Hey, don't we have some canned meat and stuff in that building near the barn? That might help.

[notachickenhawk]

<We might be able to use shards to get some supplies immediately, and possibly up the number of meat animals on the Skyway. We could kill off some mammoths for them and haul the meat there. I can morph Paarthurnax, and between the two of us we might be able to get it to them that way. I can only stay in morph two hours at a time, but I can morph three times a day. I'm sure we can come up with ways to salt the meat or cool it for the trip.>

[He stops to preen his feathers while he thinks.]

<Though if it comes down to us versus them, we have to choose us, obviously.>

[freedom_engineer]

If it comes down to us versus them, we're going to lose.

Because I can promise you "We're living comfortably, and we can't help you." won't go over well.

[His tone is soft, but a little guarded.]

They're better armed, nomadic, and they have the numbers. We have more applied force, but we don't have the defenses we'd need to repel an attack. Not that I'm expecting an attack, but if we hang them out to dry... we make enemies out of a group that we don't want as enemies.

And more importantly, I'm not willing to condemn a group to death by starvation just to save our asses.

[bakegarasu]

[There's someone hanging near the back of the group because... well. He doesn't really know anyone, or what they're talking about. But he does speak up.]

... Why do we care about these people?

[They're not the people he's sworn to protect, so.]

[freedom_engineer]

They're tentative allies in a world where we really don't need enemies.

[Colin still has yet to weigh in with his own thoughts, 'cause he's still formulating them...]

[followsthevoice]

[Nathaniel got a tap on the small of the back...it would have been the shoulder if he could have reached that high, but the Mancer was a gangly fellow and Raile didn't quite have the reach for it. His voice was low and questioning, like he didn't even expect him to turn around.]

What 'bout t'Meltin' Pot? That place packed a lot o'stuff an' it's possible some o'the cold storages are either still runnin' or ain't spoiled yet. Even if we can only find a bit...I think it's worth a look 'round.

[bastionpc]

[Raile y u so short

But Nathaniel does consider it for a moment.]

I'm not sure how much is actually left there, between people raiding supplies and nine months for power to fail and food to rot, but it would definitely be worth looking into. If nothing else, we might be able to find something to take to them.

Though that brings up the problem of transporting the food to them, I'm not sure if something that needs to be frozen would last long without adequate cold storage during transport.

[daughterofursa]

...if we invited them to the Bastion, do you think they'd come?

[It might not solve the problem of how much food they need, but it would solve the transportation issue.

She's just not sure a bunch of Ura are going to want to come to a Cael-made place, after what she's heard about the both of them. It might not be exactly safe for the Bastion either.]

[bastionpc]

Well...there's no way to know for sure.

[Nathaniel sounds a bit apprehensive of the idea.]

It would certainly help keep from making enemies out of them, and we would get the most out of what food we do have, what with none if it rotting on the way or getting stolen by monsters. But inviting a large, militarized group here could be inviting more trouble than it's worth.

[notfell]

If they are in a lot of trouble just because their crops failed, that sounds like they aren't hunting. [ Moon stands awkwardly off to one side, barefoot as usual. He is fairly sure he shouldn't pipe up with ideas, having been here so short a time. But oh well. ]

I can take down enough to help, I think, and if they eat all of it they could live while we work out plants. We could help them forage and hunt further away, I guess. Or I can look for shards and get some big grasseaters and herdbeasts. [ Or maybe Moon is underestimating what other groundling races eat. ]

[freedom_engineer]

Given the state of the skyway, I think it far more likely that they're hunting as much as they safely can.

Remember, it's a wasteland out there. The amount of things you can eat that aren't going to have a good chance of eating you are pretty low...

[kuma_killer]

[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.

[daughterofursa]

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.

[scary_music]

Ura? Ara?? Ore??

Ibuki has no idea what this is about... these aren't the same people with Zero-chan that was talking to us on the phone, right? Or wrong? Ibuki has no clue!!

Maybe she should just sit this one out... she just needs a comfy chair.

[freedom_engineer]

One of these days, Ibuki, we're going to need to teach you how to make some of the stuff you want.

[Colin grins over at her.]

[emissaries]

[Honestly, the right answer to this dilemma feels self-evident to the Emissary. Even if she's not entirely up on the politics involved.]

Well, we can't just let them starve. How many of them are there? I know you said "as many as us," but I don't have the census.

[freedom_engineer]

Their numbers are higher.

I don't have an exact count, but it's not small. I'd go so far as to wager that they number in the triple digits.

[fuckthemancers]

My immediate response is that we should invite them to the Bastion. More people here may mean more mouths to feed, but it also means more hands to help. Even with just the soldiers, that means people who can hunt. If there are any who belonged to any of the religious sects, we would have their talents as well- those who dedicated themselves to Roathus could help us grow more food and any of Yudrig's messengers would make find scouts.

[There's a pause, and he gives a dry grin.]

Of course, I would say that. [He is Ura himself, after all.] However, I'm well aware that they might not accept such an offer because of the history between the Ura and Caelondia.

I agree with the solutions that so many of you are offering, the food train. I even offer myself to go with it, if that's the decision we make. I'm no fighter, but I'm a much better scout and I could make sure the paths ahead would be clear.

Also, we all seem to be assuming that only our people should have to be the ones protecting it. I see no reason why we can't reach back out to the survivors and ask for any assistance they could offer. They could meet us halfway with some of their own forces and help protect the supplies. After all, it is what they need.

[freedom_engineer]

I like that thought, but there's another issue.

Depending on their numbers, we don't have the means to TRANSPORT that much food.

We'd need to build several more carts, and teach the Ostrich Horses to pull them.

We could use the barge, but... it's slow, and it's Caelondian. And since I installed a turret on it, I don't think the Ura would be very happy to see it...

[wayofvoice]

[Let's be honest- someone probably had to convince Grampa to move away from the not-mountains. But he's here, and listening to everything offered carefully.]

It is much harder to make allies than it is to make enemies... [Aka it would be very easy to let the Ura starve to death. But that's just pointing out the obvious, so he continues.] Yet I believe that lending our aid would do us well in the future, even beyond the morals that seem to be spurring so many.

[AKA he's talking to all you practical minded people who are focused on just the Bastion's survival.]

This is the Ura's land, is it not? They likely know it best. I am certain there is much they could teach us if we proved ourselves steadfast allies... and much they could level against as punishment if we made ourselves enemies. Perhaps in the future, they could assist us in retrieving a core.

[A nod of his head.]

They may even be able to help us in retrieving two, if such a fortuitous event happens again.

Regardless, I offer my strength and voice for helping them. The particulars... You all seem to have many good ideas that I will put my faith in.

[findsrisks]

[Oh right Paar is a huge dragon.]

How much weight do you think you could carry? I don't think it would be a good idea to rely on you for every trip, that's asking a lot of you, but even once to give them emergency supplies while they figure something out would be a good idea.

[kyotoprincess]

I think we're all in agreement that leaving them to starve isn't an option.

With that in mind, why not include them in the decision-making process? It sounds like we've got a few ideas bouncing around, so what if we formed them into concrete plans, and then a group of people took the plans to them and asked them for their thoughts? They might even be able to help us with part of the transportation, like someone else suggested.

[freedom_engineer]

That... isn't a bad idea, actually.

[Colin nods appreciatively at that.]

... Though, if we go out there, we should at least bring some of the stuff we've got in the stores as a show of good faith. I don't know how they're doing on food right this minute, but some canned goods would definitely be a good thing...

[cyan_maid]

[Jane hadn't been here barely a day, and already this new world had thrust its problems towards her. Did she have the right to a say, so fresh to it all? Who could say she did or didn't?

She lingers on the outskirts of the group, her frown deep as all this new information rolls around in her head. Gently, she taps the nearest person's shoulder and asks,]

These Ura folk...how far away from here are they, exactly? I thought this was the only place that could support life anymore...

[findsrisks]

[Oh hey, it's that new girl who just showed up! Nanaki will definitely listen, and then explain things to her.]

It's more that this is the only location that's completely safe from the monsters out there. People can survive out on the Skyway, but it's really hard to do. Those two over there-

[She points to Zahi and Zayna, who are standing not too far away.]

They lived out there for several months before they finally found us. And this group of Ura, they've lived out there this entire time. It certainly isn't easy, they have to deal with monsters, land that breaks up and reforms at will, no real day or night cycle, no seasons, and so forth. But they've managed to do it.

[freedom_engineer]

Okay... so, here's my thoughts.

With what we have, we can only help for a couple of weeks. And that's going to take some sacrifice on both our part, AND on the part of the Ura.

Our Cannery can probably give them about a week's worth of food, give or take, with the reserves we've got right now. I expect that will probably take two trips with the one cart we've got, though Rob and I are going to work on building another one here immediately. That will give us a little time. More, if the Ura have some food reserves.

We can help more, but... BUT that is going to take a lot of planning and work. Fortunately, I've already laid the ground work for some things...

First of all, we need to expand the farms and develop some extra ones that people will have to man. I can get started on building some hydroponic farms, if people are willing to work at them and help me out with construction. They're a vital facility that every Corsican colony builds first, they help that much. I also plan to show the Ura how to do it, but I don't know how readily they'll take to it. And that's a long term solution, not a short term one...

Next... we need to stop focusing on tasty, comfort foods and start focusing on long-term, survivability foods. Our regular meals don't need to take much of a hit, but we do need to start developing long term stores. I've got recipes for Fruit Cakes and Fish Cakes with massive shelf lives and high nutrient values... and there are other long term foods out there as well. I could use a little help to research those. Rin will need to cook them, and she'll probably need some help there as well. Fortunately, the new kitchen I made for her a while back is capable of large-scale food preparation.

[There's a wicked grin. You really think he'd focus on creature comforts when he can prepare for survival with only a little extra work on his part?]

Next... That doesn't solve the problem of immediate food needs. Fortunately, I have something that does. A few of us have been developing a fallback position at the observatory. Including seeding it with food. I've planted fruits and veggies out there about a month back, and I've been checking on it regularly. Some of it's fallen prey to nature, but some of it's good.

I'm... not happy about giving up my fallback's food supply, but there's a lot of food out there we can spare for the Ura, and it's whole purpose is to be there in case of emergency. I think this qualifies. Plus, the squirts and Gasfella over there know me. I wouldn't say we've got good relations yet, but I've been taking care of them, and they've been willing to leave me alone and even lend a hand here and there. The food is as safe as it can be without being here.

Next... Raile brought up a good point earlier. There's still bound to be some food stores out there that haven't been found and raided yet. If we can find a military supply depot that hasn't yet been raided, we can probably feed the Ura for a good month or so. Rations are meant to LAST, so all we have to do is find a good stockpile.

Finally, and I'm hesitant to bring this up because it has a lot of complications on its own. But... if we can convince them to come here, the problem of transporting all of this food becomes moot. And we can get their help with new farming as well. I... don't know the first thing about THAT particular diplomatic headache, but it's an option.

Obviously, I haven't thought of everything, and there's a LOT of hard work to be done to make this work... but it's definitely possible. So, what does everyone think?

[findsrisks]

[Nanaki listens and follows along, nodding as she considers it. No matter what angle they take, it's going to take a lot of work, and she still has worries too.]

We're absolutely sure this isn't a trap, right?

[Might as well get the biggest concern out of the way first.]

[notduchess]

[ Duke likes Colin's plan so far, but there's something that the knight feels like might be missing. ]

Is it all of their crops, or most of their crops?

[ Not that it makes that much of a difference really but it could be a small one. ]

How many more can the bastion support? Could we offer to take in anyone who is frailer, like any children or elderly they have, and at the same time try to work on... gathering, hunting, searching, farming.

[ Duke supposes this means they can finally find out what pecker tastes like- ]

[freedom_engineer]

An important distinction... I really want to know how much they have left, so we know how much of a hurry we need to be in.

[He frowns slightly, then shakes his head.]

We'll see how open they are to that. I get the feeling it may not be the best response...

CONTINUING ON

[bastionpc]

So it sounds like Colin's plan is the most popular one here.

[It sounds like a solid plan, so Nathaniel won't argue against it, at least.]

I think if we spend the couple days collecting resources and preparing, we can set out in three days.

We need to decide who is going on this trip, though. Too big of a group, and it could cause trouble; too small, and we leave ourselves at risk of a monster attack. Along with Zulf, I'd say we would want a minimum of four, and probably no more than eight or so. At least two of those going should be good fighters, and two should be either good diplomats or someone who would make a good impression on the group.

((OOC: the next part of this event will go up on January 8th, so you will have until then to decide if you want to participate in that log or not. Please note that this next part will be very tag-intensive, and we ask that you only volunteer one of your characters for it if you can be around on January 8th, 9th, and 10th for tagging.))

[aprettyred]

... Do you think I would make a good impression!

[ And let her test out her cute face on him too. Just to see. ]

I can also know if there are things coming! Like monsters. Or angry people.