Event: Day 268 [semi-open]

[bastionpc]

Who: Zulf, Tobias, Anna, Patchouli, Aradia, Zuko, Aoi, Megaera, others
Open: semi-open
When: Day 268
Where: Skyway => Ura settlement
What: Taking supplies to the Ura, as well as discussing what to do in the long term.
Format: action
Warnings: none

Please post in the threads below. This event is open up until we get eight additional characters besides Zulf. Once all eight spots have been filled, this event will become closed to those who have already tagged in. I will be adding people to the post header as they tag in.

Please only tag in to this particular post if you can be around for the next few days to participate.

IMPORTANT THREADS:

Last-minute organization

on the way there

Comments

Last-minute organization

[bastionpc]

[Please use this thread to make last-minute arrangements, if your characters need to have any IC discussions before leaving.]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

[Rob's giving the carts one last check as the last few things are being loaded on and the ostrich horses hitched up. He knows Colin scanned them both after they were finished, but this whole operation is pretty much riding on the creations of someone who took a ten-year-break from even thinking about woodworking and didn't even have much experience then. He's more than a little worried that something terrible will happen and it will all be his fault.

And the crates! The crates! He used the extra wood he had already cut to make some, but there weren't enough and they'd had to scavenge up extra containers. A few of the crates were of such odd dimensions that they were nearly useless, but he'd wanted to use up as much wood as possible because he didn't have time to cut more. He'd been in such a rush to get as many crates as possible built that he hadn't spent as much time as he'd have liked on them - sure the ugliness of some of them was bad enough, but what if they all broke apart in transit and all the supplies were lost because he hadn't made sure all the nails were in far enough?

The nails! He'd made a lot of them himself! Sure, after Stewart had shown him how he'd checked Rob's work and found them satisfactory, but what if one of them broke unexpectedly? It would be a disaster!

He pauses in his examination once he circles around to a spot where most of the people going on the trip are nearby and wrings his hands for a moment before speaking up.]

There's, uh, I packed two extra wheels, two axles, some nails, some extras of the metal fixings, and a couple tools if you need to make repairs on the way.

[He gestures to the crate holding the smaller items, the extra wheels being obvious. Thank you, Colin, for reminding him what happened in Oregon Trail if a wagon wheel broke and you had no spares. Thank you, Colin, for reminding him what happened in Oregon Trail if a wagon wheel broke and you had no spares.]

It'd be better if there was a set for each cart, but I didn't have enough time. Um, try to be careful?

[Let's just say that the carts look something like this. Despite Rob's paranoia, the carts will hold up just fine unless something particularly crazy happens.]

[daughterofursa]

Thanks. I'm sure they'll do fine.

[Zuko's tone isn't particularly warm, not that it ever is, but it does convey confidence in what Rob's done. She's certain any problem they might have with the carts will not be because of him.]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

I hope so...

[Rob's voice conveys all the confidence anyone who's spoken to him for long enough would expect.]

[daughterofursa]

I know so. You're a hard worker.

[She's being honest, but she's also trying to be a little nicer since, y'know, she made him cry.]

[dragonsorcsandwolves]

...Thanks?

[What is this "complement" thing? Can he eat it?]

On the way there

[bastionpc]

[Normally such a gathering of supplies would attract monsters like moths to a flame. However, the gathering of people nearby is doing well to deter them for the time being.

That does not mean the trip is uneventful, though. The biggest trouble is that the Skyway is not the best for traveling with animal-drawn carts, and the ride is bumpy and difficult. In fact, that is where the first real trouble comes from: parts of the Skyway are barely wider than the carts are. There are much wider paths to take, but they are winding, and will add time to the trip.

So, the group needs to decide: are they going to risk the narrow stretches, or are they going to take the safer paths?]

[notachickenhawk]

[Tobias circles ahead, and then lands on the cart as the group stops.]

[... Oregon Trail experience, don't fail him now.]

<Should we try to squeeze through? I don't know if it'll damage anything on the carts.>

[fuckthemancers]

[Wonderful. Of course things are never easy.]

[Peering over the edge of the path connecting to the narrower route, Zulf purses his lips as he stares down into the abyss. After so long, it no longer puts his nerves on edge. He wonders if that's a good thing.]

This... truly doesn't seem safe. If we pass over, we might end up losing the supplies if something happens.

[aprettyred]

[ Anna looks down both paths. ]

... I don't think any of us could get the cart if it starts slipping. The wider way sounds good?

[heptagram]

[Patchouli takes a brief moment to examine both paths.]

Yes, we should go the longer way. I say it is better to lengthen the trip than risk disaster. Do we agree?

[emissaries]

[Aradia eyes both the abyss and the narrow path... It's an infinitely long way down, but how much will it elongate the trip? The Skyway isn't well-mapped, and for all they know the wider path could turn out to be just as dangerous.]

Maybe it'd be better to scout them out first. That way we can avoid any nasty surprises.

At the Ura camp

[bastionpc]

[So. The group braved the dangers of the Skyway, coming out of it relatively unscathed and only a little muddy. Congratulations.

However, that was the easy part. Now the group has to deal with the truly difficult part: talking with the Ura here and getting everything sorted out.

There are a few jobs that need to be done, so each character can take their pick of what they want to do.]

Ura camp - supplies

[bastionpc]

[Bringing two huge cartfulls of supplies is definitely helpful, and as soon as everyone arrives they are already approached by an older-looking woman.]

These are the supplies from the Bastion, yes? Can you bring them over here for unloading?

[So, for those who want to help with unloading, distributing, and finding out about the food necessities, this is the thread for you.]

[aprettyred]

[ Anna thinks this is the great idea to help with. ]

I can try. [ C'mon ostrich horse, you were nice when she was riding you, time to follow her with your cart so that they can get things out of the cart more easily. ]

[bastionpc]

[This woman questions why the party would bring a small child with them, but unloading the cart is probably the best task she can be given at this point.

Driving it, though...]

Are you sure it will listen to you? I could lead it for you, if you would like.

[The ostrich horse is domesticated enough to pull a cart, but does Anna know how to make it do things?]

[aprettyred]

[ Yes, good, keep wondering-

Anna inspects the ostrich horse, then the lady again. ]

I rode one on the way here, but it steered itself... maybe you should try.

Ura camp - meeting with Zed

[bastionpc]

[Of course, there is also the matter of talking with Zed about the situation, and didn't someone think it was a good idea to invite some of the Ura back to the Bastion? For those who want to do the political talks, this is the thread for you.]

[fuckthemancers]

[Political talks? Do you mean one of the only two reasons he came along with this? Once he's certain that everything checks out with the carts and the others will be fine, Zulf heads straight for the familiar figure of Zed.]

Do you think this is enough? We couldn't bring any more, unfortunately, or else we'd have risked getting attacked by beasts and who knows what other things.

[daughterofursa]

[Zuko joins him, bowing politely to Zed.]

I hope it's a start. We weren't sure how bad things were here yet.

[bastionpc]

It is more than enough, do not worry. We cannot thank you enough.

[Zed has too much of a stony face to actually show the gratitude he is speaking, but anyone who has met him before will be able to notice a touch of relief to his words, as if the heavy weights on his shoulders have been lightened some.]

At this point, any little bit will help. We have not gone through our stores yet, but even with strict rationing we would not have lasted a full growing season without help.

Ura camp - talking with the Ura

[bastionpc]

[And if you would rather listen for rumors from the Ura present in the camp, this is your place! In this thread you can speak with random, unnamed NPCs and gather bits of information that might be useful later. You can also make friends by helping people with random tasks that need to be done. If you're the quest-y type, this is the thread for you.]

[notachickenhawk]

['Talking with' is a generous term. Counting? Yes. Listening in? Double yes. Checking out their animal and livestock situation? Also yes. Hopefully no one will try shooting him down because then that might get messy.]

[bastionpc]

[No shooting! Though a few of the children running around will stop and point at him excitedly.

Getting a count of the animals won't be easy, since a lot of them have been locked up in makeshift animal shelters, to protect them from predators. But there are two chicken coops, and a large barn which looks like it could hold maybe fifteen or so large animals comfortably, if it is full. The sound of mooing can be heard coming from it, too.

Tobias will also be able to see the fields. By now the Ura have removed whatever has failed to grow, and new seedlings are starting to sprout up. Several Ura can be seen out in the fields, carefully tending to the new plants and carrying many buckets of water out to keep the soil wet as well.]

[notachickenhawk]

[He lands near the barn, looking in if there's a crack to do so. How many can he see?]