Argos: Angler's Spire

[Dr Jackal]

In disbelief, Tharr watches the skiff coming around to ram the beast. "Is he really planning to ...?" the mothryn begins. "No, no. Of course he is. Well, who am I do deny someone their fate?"

Tharr aims at the beast's tail, aim at a wood where the lightning had scorched deep. "You will stay still for my crazy friend, yes?"

 

 

Hunt + Grace + 1d6. Aiming at tail. Tharr does not cut a die for aimed shots.

[Morkskittar]

From his stable perch, Tharr aimed his arrow at the Cuda's tail, and let loose. The saltspider arrow flew straight, and embedded itself in a weak, scarless spot on the Cuda's flesh. Sticky webs spread out from it, pinning the Cuda's tail to the canopy. The beast turned its piscine head to stare at the webs, and with surprising force, it yanked its tail up and out of the still-expanding webs, no longer pinned. Its tail whipped around, and the torn saltspider webs trailing after it latched onto its face, forcing its maw open as it tried to lash its tail away.

But that moment of distraction was all Atus needed to line up his shot. Riding alongside a host of lightning-beasts that danced around him, the tempest sent Biff over another jumpSpeed roll: 4, 5, 6., again soaring above the beast, free palm aimed downward.

At the same moment, Park aimed the stormrailRoll: 4, 6, 6, 6! at the distracted Cuda and fired. The bolt of energy from the stormrail arced towards the source of electromagnetic energy above the beast, and Atus, still watching his body from above, watched as the entirely of the stormrail's energy danced around and through his lightning host, enveloping him in a blinding ball of energy that then shotHunt +1 Bonus Roll to Hit: 5, 6. down, directly into the surprised face of the Cuda, and its open mouth.

The beast didn't make another sound as the energy from the stormrail, channeled by Atus' altitudinous angle made possible by Tharr's baiting of the beast into the perfect position (not to mention forcing open its jaws), electrified its insides. It simply keeled over, smoke pouring from its mouth and nose like a dragon of myth, and lay still.

Atus landed Biff just beyond the Cuda and brought the skiff to a halt. On the Argos, while Park smiled in relief, Tolliver nimbly leapt from the pilot's seat, swung down around the lodged harpoon, yanked it out, and leapt back onto the deck in one series of perfectly executed, graceful moved. He held the still-intact harpoon, admiring it for a moment, and waited for praise. Alas, everyone else was too focused on the Cuda to have noticed Tolliver's astonishing acrobatics, and he sighed. At least he had a new weaponThe intact harpoon has been added to your inventory as salvage..

The Argos lurched forward, and Tolliver scrambled back to the pilot's room, steering the ship close to the still-smoking beast. Tharr hailed Atus as the Tempest came back around, and hopped back onto Biff. The two ships parked on opposite sides of the downed beast, Atus still sparking and surrounded by plays of light and energy as he slowly started coming back into his body.

The beast was probably dead.

OOC

The beast is dead! There were a lot of sixes and a lot of twists in all of your rolls, so I thought it appropriate to combine them into a final attack. You know have a very dead Chamelocuda in front of you, and the survivors of the Firefly behind you. They will be coming out to see what happened soon, so if you have any actions you want to take before they come over to investigate please feel free to. They may be able to help you render it down into (organic) parts as well.

Alas, Tolliver's grace ensured that the Argos is now fully functional again.

 

[Moveslikejagger]

 

The gloriously invigorating lightning bath from the stormrail of the Argos and the immense feeling of focus as he delivered the coup de grace against the Cuda left Atus feeling both drained and strangely invigorated. Enough focus remained that he quickly drove the skiff to the Mothryn, his internal storm calming to nothing more than his regularly coloured eyes and a few stray sparks playing merrily over his hands.

As the Mothryn jumped aboard Atus gave a respectful nod. "I have no experience with the bow, Tharr, but I recognize a master when I see one. You have my praise and thanks for your courage and marksmanship. I do not think we could have killed the beast so efficiently without you."

As Biff pulled alongside the Argos he spoke again, "Park and Tolliver, thank you my friends for your timely warning shot. I feel honoured that you would risk yourselves for us. I am proud to be a member of this crew and believe that fate has blessed us." Nothing but absolute sincerity rings in Atus' voice as he says these words before he continues in a slightly darker tone. "I shall rescue the one who harpooned our ship and the two misguided souls who tried to stop us. Park my friend, no doubt you are the best of us to harvest anything valuable from the Cuda. Would you be so kind as to be sure when you supervise the butchering of the carcass to secure a large quantity of the skin and the poison sacs for me? I have some ideas I would like to explore."

Once Tharr is safely aboard the Argos, Atus trundles Biff out to the two wavewalking crew and retrieves the unconscious Argent.

[Dr Jackal]

"I ... thank you," Tharr says. "And I am likewise impressed at how you killed the beast."

He bows as Atus pulls the skiff away, then turns to Park. "I generally hunt and dress only smaller game, but perhaps I can assist? And if there are essences to be had, I would find them most useful for my arrows."

 

 

 

[CraterShip]

 

Tolliver's grappling hook holds true as he swings gracefully beside the jammed sawprow, and he is able to grab the harpoon and use his momentum to pull the weapon from the paused chain teeth. As his inertia carries him gracefully back to the deck of the Argos, a double lightning crack resounds across the green sea - from Park's cannon shot and simultaneously Atus' channeled shot. The cavitation of the atmosphere thunders over his head and the smell of ozone is carried on the wind for a brief moment.

With the obliterating shot, the Chamelocuda is brought down, and the collective crews are able to breath a sigh of relief.

Tolliver returns to the helm, restarts the starboard sawprow, and pulls slowly alongside the skiff.

"Well fought all!" he calls to his crew and the thought strikes him that they truly are one crew. His slightly spongy skin seems to bristle with the excitement of what they have accomplished, and Atus' comments add to the feeling of pride. "I will take the Argos and check on the other ship then return to aid the harvest," he tells the others. Undoubtedly the other crew needed assistance, and the potential to scavenge useful equipment or rattle repairs was enticing.

OOC

TBD

 

[Morkskittar]

Atus left his three crewmembers behind on the Argos as he took Biff to round up the fallen, both conscious and not. He first went to where the harpooner had fallen, and after lighting his way with a few shots of softly thundering lightning, located the fallen ardent nestled in the crook of a branch jutting above the waves. Atus gently brought Biff alongside him and hoisted him aboard.

The other two were easier to find; they had not traveled too far from where Tharr's initial burst of webbing had ground their outrider to a halt. The mid-sized ektus driver was not a very good wavewalker, and the female ardent was helping him make his way back to their vessel. Atus pulled up alongside them and beckoned them aboard. After a brief discussion, they accepted his offer and clambered alongside him.

The ektus spoke first, in formal tones. "We apologize deeply for misunderstanding your intentions. Please accept our sincere regret at the harm we nearly caused you."

The ardent moved over to the fallen harpooner and checked his pulse. "Ah, you saved Kashi! Thank you, kind stranger." She stood. "We are the crew of the Firefly. We called ourselves monster hunters, until we disturbed a Cuda... nest in the deep tangle. That one has followed us since, wearing us down day by day, picking us off when we left... it seems that you are the true hunters here."

They both bowed. "Friends, how can we repay you for freeing us from our tormentor?"

---

Back on the Argos, Park eyed the Cuda with great interest. It was large, but not leviathan large, and its flesh had some... potent possibilities. He turned to Tolliver. "I will begin the work here; it will take some time before anything can be stored away. There is much cutting, and exploration, to do. I will take a lantern and begin the work. Your help would be appreciated, Tharr, but I think it may be most useful later in the process, if you wish to accompany Tolliver to meet our new friends."

As they talked, several of the spring-foxes that accompanied the ship poked their heads from the treetops, sniffing at the Cuda curiously. Park went belowdecks and re-emerged with a box of knives, several bags, a lantern, and a crate. He nodded to the other two before hopping from the ship and onto the Cuda's smoking body. "Don't forget me here!"

OOC

There will be some Cook tests to render the 'cuda down, but I'll handle those later. Tharr can stay behind and help Park begin the butchering process, or go with Tolliver to meet the crew. I'll assume he's going with Tolliver this weekend unless I hear otherwise (yxanthymir is having computer problems so will have limited posting ability for a bit, so I will have Park begin butchery work if you all want to go meet the crew and learn what you can).

 

[Moveslikejagger]

 

Atus glanced back towards the two bowing crew members of the Firefly and then returned his attention to driving the skiff towards the Firefly, to reunite the three with their crew, speaking over a steel shoulder towards them.

"We are not hunters, but seekers, looking for the Tyrant's Bloom. You may call me Atus. The Cuda chose its fate by threatening the Argos and its crew. Such a threat towards my friends, my ship, or myself seems to trigger something inside me over which I have little control. The tempest inside me is not easily roused, but when it is..."

Atus drifts off, his thoughts occupied. Why does the thought of losing people around him trigger such a violent, instinctive and extreme reaction? It that in itself a clue to something in his past before he found this form? Was someone or something taken from him in his past life? Is that why he could not move on? Why he felt this drive for answers?

Atus shook his head gently as if to clear the thoughts away and then continued, "I am not the one to ask about repayment. I do not have the skill of gentle or nuanced discussion, you would be better to speak to my companions about such a thing. It appears to me that we did more than rid the Firefly and its crew of a tormentor, but save your lives and vessel from the Cuda. Many thoughts occur to me about what your lives are worth, pondering time, percentages, friendship and the value of loyalty, but I feel like I lack the finesse of communicating these thoughts without sounding threatening. You should speak to Tolliver, the one piloting the Argos, or Tharr the Mothryn archer. My skills lie in other areas, such as rattling. It appears your mulcher could not handle the obstruction you encountered. Tell me what the problem is. Perhaps all you need is my spark to free your vessel."

 

[Dr Jackal]

"Wait, is Atus ... is Atus talking to the other crew?" Tharr says, peering into the distance. His antennae dance in agitation. "Tolliver, perhaps the two of us should make haste to the other ship. To, uh, ensure that things are handled as diplomatically as possible."

 

 

 

 

[Morkskittar]

The ardent and ektus looked a little uncomfortable with Atus' short ramble. The ardent spoke again. "Well... alright then. We can ask them how we can help."

The ekus spoke then. "You are correct regarding our mulcher running into some trouble. Ironic that it did so here on the surface, after weeks of tearing through the hardier foliage in the tangle. We have only come back to the surface recently, in a bid to rid ourselves of the Cuda, and ran our vessel into a thick tangle of vines we could not tear through. We were still trying to identify the source of the mulcher's failure... and we had hoped that the Cuda would not follow us from the depths. We were, obviously, mistaken."

The ardent looked over Atus' shoulder. "Ah, your friends are coming over now."

The Argos stopped alongside the skiff, and Tharr and Tolliver allowed the female ardent (Moneek) and stubby ektus (Sage-That-Perseveres) to introduce themselves. "Come with us back to the Firefly, and we can introduce you to our captain," Sage said.

Moneek nodded. "And I can get to work fixing up poor Kashi. Thank you all for intervening on our behalf."

 

---

 

The Argos and Biff pulled up alongside a sizable tear in the Firefly's hull, and the crew and passengers all disembarked across a haphazard gangway made from splintering planks. Moneek, in a display of surprising strength, carried the harpooner Kashi on her own into the depths of the ship, while Sage led the crew through a small crowd of motley monster hunters, all murmuring their thanks.

The interior of the Firefly was run-down, but it was clear from what remained that it had once been a fine vessel; the rooms Sage led them through had fine tablecloths on the tables, gold inlay in the corners, and even paintings on the wall. The sheer number of rooms was also an indication of the ship's grandeur; it boasted three decks, each with seven or eight rooms. The dozen or so crewmembers that Tolliver, Atus, and Tharr caught sight of seemed too few for a ship of this size, and the vessel's finery was otherwise married by cobwebs, a fine layer of dust and grime, and mushrooms growing in just about every corner.

The ship was also interesting in that it had no top deck; the entire thing was enclosed, which Atus supposed was because the ship was designed to be a submersible, traveling beneath the rustling waves. Somewhere on the top deck, Sage stopped in front of a door and knocked. At the response of "Come in," Sage opened the door.

Tolliver, Atus, and Tharr stepped into a formerly luxurious captain's quarters, complete with what had once been a lovely four-poster bed, though the wood had dulled and one of the posts was now cracked. Lying on the bed, beneath the sheets, was a one-eyed ardent, who eyed them suspiciously. "Are these the ones that killed the damn beast?"

Sage nodded, and let them introduce themselves.

The man nodded. "Hmph. Only three of you, enough to defeat that menace what took my eye and my pride and ripped this ship half apart, forcing us to the surface for the first time in a season? What are you, demigods?

He snorted. "Don't answer that. What would like of us? It is the law of sea; we owe you a debt. How would you like to call it in? The sooner the better, you know; you may never see us again. We may not even make it to port, given the sorry state of our engine." He waved a hand. "You're free to have the run of the ship; you can take anything you want from us. Ask away. Without you, we'd have nothing, so it's not too large a price to pay.

"At the very least, stay the night; you will be in good company, especially as night falls. Weather it with friends, or at least debtors who won't harm you."

OOC

The three of you (sans Park) are on the Firefly. You can continue to chat with the captain and tell him what you want (or ask him about anything he knows), or go wandering about to talk to others/see what the rest of the ship is like. I know many of you were interested in submersibling in the future, and as this is a submersible, you could ask for materials or knowledge to help you in beginning to make your ship more suited to the depths should you choose.

Think of this as an unofficial montage with explore or talk to people as the only options. :P

[Moveslikejagger]

 

Atus paid silent and close attention to the construction of the Firefly, lost in his own thoughts as Sage walked them through to the Captain's quarters. After introductions and the man in the bed spoke, Atus shook his head and turned to his fellow crewmates.

"In the same breath he states we should take anything we want and removes the one thing that I would want most."

Atus turned back to the Captain. "These are my friends. We have a unity of vision. We seek the Tyrant's Bloom. Together, we are committed to that journey and its end. We will risk ourselves and protect each other to acheive our mutual goal. We are friends who trust each other, thrown together by fate or destiny or luck, in a world where trust and loyalty are more precious than gold or any mere material thing. Yet you speak of material things, how we may never meet again and to hurry our choice, for time is limited. So you appear unwilling to give friendship, loyalty and time. So be it. Perhaps you were saved for a reason beyond material things. Perhaps the Cuda was the reason and you are immaterial. Perhaps something here is looking to find me. So I shall leave to see if something finds me and you can speak to my friends if they wish. While I wait I shall rattle your engine. Excuse me."

Atus turned and left, asking the first crew member he saw to lead the way to the engine room.

Actions

Atus will take an exploration action, (while attempting to fix the engine, free the ship from the tangle, and weld the steel tear in the side shut)

[Dr Jackal]

Tharr rubs the space between his eyes with long fingers, and then sighs deeply. "Atus means well, captain. I am confident of this, although I apologize for the form his words take. It is also true that we share a common destiny in the hunting of the Tyrant’s Bloom. Even so, I would feel most uncomfortable asking for anything. I did what was fated to do and no more than that. If you feel there remains a debt, then speak only a word and we shall be quit of it.”

 

 

 

 

[CraterShip]

 

The Argos glides smoothly along the now freed saws as Tolliver angles alongside the damaged Firefly. After tethering the ship, he joins the Atus and Tharr in the Captain's chambers. He listens intently to the offers, but feels awkward in directly asking for items of the ship. Instead he asks for information.

"This ship, she is able to traverse beneath the greensea, yes? What sort of technologies enabled you to do so? Perhaps your engineers could show us similar works for our Argos?" He began, and then after their discussion, he asked of a separate possibility. "With the state of the ship, I imagine it will be some time before she is worthy of hard labor, even if we can get her repaired sufficiently. We are on our way to Angler's Spire, if you have cargo to be delivered in that direction, we would take that as payment."

He dislikes the idea of removing parts of the Firefly, preferring to have an ally on the seas if possible.

OOC

Following conversation with Captain Sage, Tolliver will seek out the engineers of the Firefly to ask of the submersible technology. If any of them are willing, he would allow them aboard the Argos (supervised of course) to determine what would be needed to potentially start the Argos in that direction.

If there is cargo to be delivered to Angler's Spire, he will also oversee the transfer - nothing wrong with making a little money while unloading some of the extra weight of the Firefly. Who knows if it would have to dump it just to make port.

 

[Morkskittar]

The captain listens with increasing surprise at Atus' words, and then before he can respond, the tempest is gone. The captain settled back in his bed. "Always got to have the last word, that one, does he?"

He looks at Tharr next. "Perhaps I am being uncouth. Out here in the wilds, the material is king. There is only so far you can go without it. If it is something else you seek, then we will be happy to give it.

There is silence for a moment. "The Bloom, you say? I can't say that is something that I have any interest in pursuing; indeed, we descended into the tangle only shortly after outsiders began to gather here. I fear that is not something I can help you with directly...

"But there are other ways we can help you. Sage!" The ektus totters off to a corner of the room, and comes back with a wheelchair. The captain throws off his blankets, revealing himself to have no legs to speak of, save for two short stumps covered in brightly-colored bandages. He uses his well-muscled arms to lever himself into the chair, and grins at the looks on the crew's faces. "You can thank the Cuda for my appearance. And I thank you for ridding the world of it; my legs will rest easy now."

He wheeled over to a cabinet and removed a thin book, handing it to Tharr. "Your friend is right; we will not be doing much work with this ship for a while, and this means no going under for a time. Take this." Tharr takes the book curiously, and flips through it, eyes widening.

"Down below, where leviathans roam, the lowports all keep their own records of leviathans. They call 'em a leviathan codex. This one... we found in the remains of a lowport that did not survive an attack. It's not rightly ours, and I think you monster-slayers may get more use of it than us." The captain nodded. "Take careTharr has had a Leviathan Codex added to their Charts and "A Doom Far Below" added to their Whispers. of it."

He then turned his attention to Tolliver "Yes. In fact, you can have some of the materials for diving; they'll need some repairs before they're of any use, but this ship is surface-bound for a few moons at least. We'll get more. I'll have our engineers transfer some materials to you... and you can take some of that cargo off our hands, tooThree Stakes that can be used only for submersibles have been added to the Argos' sheet, as well as a crate of leviathan bones as cargo. These 3 Stakes can be used to upgrade your ship when it arrives at a port equipped to deal with submersibles.

Tolliver has also acquired a Leviathan Claw specimen from said cargo.. Sage will help with that." Sage then led Tolliver to oversee the transfer of cargo and worn-down ship gear to the Argos.

Tharr and the captain stood together in his cabin awkwardly for a bit longer. "Well, thank you again," he said. "Take care of yourselves."

Eventually, the mothryn left.

---

Atus, meanwhile, made himself "at home" with the ship's pair of rattlehands, an ironbound made of wood and bone and a hulking tzelicrae swathed in bandages with a head made of a large glass jar. They accepted the Tempest for who he was, and accepted his help gladly. Not only was Atus able to help them get the engine up and running again (with fewer parts than before), he also helped them with the sawprow briefly.

"Untangling the prow is work for our hacker," the tzelicrae said. "It may be a while before that work is done."

The ironbound offered Atus a piece of the broken mulcher. "One should always carry some of every ship they work on with them, wherever they go." Atus accepted the giftAtus has acquired Engine Piping and Sawprow Teeth Salvage. gravely. His final act of charity that night was welding a steel plate over the gaping hole in the side of the ship, and then sharing a quiet moment with the two rattlehands. He felt they were something of a kindred spirit.

The Firefly had definitely once been a proud and mighty ship; Atus could see and feel it in its shape and design. It showed signs of being well-loved and well-cared for, despite the obvious stress it had recently gone through. There was one wound the ship had though that Atus had trouble placing; the clawmarks, mouldspores, and scratches could all be accounted for by what he knew, but Atus felt himself drawn back to the engine room after welding; the engine worked better than before now, but his gaze was drawn again to the deep-black scorch marks that danced across the chemical compressor's casing. If he hadn't known better...

"Living lightning," said the tzelicrae rattlehand. "It dances below the waves as well as above it. An encounter we will not likely forget."

When pressed, the tzelicrae did not say much more. "There are storms in the depthsAtus has gained a whisper: Storms in the Depths.; old twisted things that yearn to see light again, full of hate and power. From them, all you can do is run."

The bone-and-wood ironbound came them. "Come, friend; though we cannot head, a feast has been prepared, should you wish to be social."

---

As Tolliver oversaw the transfer of goods, one of the crewsfolk approached him, a tall, lanky gau, introducing themselves as the quartermaster. "Ho. As it seems you hold my position more or less, I thought I might pass something on to you." Tolliver listened with interest. "I heard you're heading to the Spire. There's a place there that has good cargo with high returns, if you can get on friendly terms with the runners. We don't be heading back there a while, so take this." The gau pushes a piece of folded paper into Tolliver's hand. "A contractA Labyrinthine Contract has been added to Tolliver's inventory. we had with them to pick up and deliver mirror-chitin. They may not still have it, but it may be worth a shot to check out." Looking around, the quartermaster then said. "And it looks like we're done here. Come, our char has prepared a feast from what he could."

---

After leaving the captain, Tharr checked in in Kashi the harpooner, who was still unconscious, and then headed back to near where the Argos and Biff were docked, quickly running into Moneek. "Come, we have prepared a feast for you all!"

With that, she led Tharr to the very dilapidated dining room, where the crews of the Argos and Firefly had a meal of preserved meats and fresh nuts and berries, and they exchangedTolliver, Atus, and Tharr have all gained a whisper related in some way to the beasts of the wildsea. tales and philosophies. The crew of the Argos all heard tales of the monsters encountered in the Deeps, while that of the Firefly listened for word of the Bloom. The mood was decidedly cheerful, until Moneek, between bites of jerky, asked. "Say, weren't there four of you?"

---

As the rest of the crew ate and talked, Park worked through the night to renderCook Roll: 1, 3, 4, 6. Park has obtained Cuda Meat, Cuda Skin, and Cuda Fang specimens, and the ship has obtained Cuda Carcass as a cargo item. as much of the Cuda down as he could. He saved some of the choicest bits for his own collection, and put aside some of it for Tharr when he came back.

Speaking of which, when were they coming back? From his spot atop the carcass, Park stood and stretched, and stared over towards the Firefly's wreck, wondering when they would come and pick him up. They could at least have left him Biff.

Around Park, the flowers scattered among the treetops began to glow faintly as the faintest hint of dawn poked above the horizon, and he took in the sight for several minutes.

Then something stirred beside him in the corpse of the Cuda. He turned slowly; a part of it that he hadn't worked on yet, near where the tail met the body. Something was pushing against the skin there, pulling it taut, almost as if it was trying to burst out...

OOC

Tolliver, Tharr, and Atus have a chance to ask for any further information they may wish to know about the Firefly, its crew, or the things they know over dinner, or one of you can go get Park. Park should decide what to do about the thing moving in the 'cuda corpse.

More Cudaflesh rewards will be added for you all when you are all back together and heading out again, especially for Tharr who wanted some (and for Park, of course, as well as the ship in general). :)

Edited February 2 by Morkskittar (see edit history)

[Moveslikejagger]

 

Atus enjoyed the company of the two rattlehandd as they worked together to repair the engine and hole in the ship. Busy hands still left him time for contemplation and the intriguing scorch marks seemed to call to him. He felt it necessary to press for more information and the reply about living storms in the depths of the wildsea cause his spinning heart to spin more. The rattlehands did after all speak to him about his favourite subject and he replied with enthusiasm.

"I have never run from a storm. The very idea is an ananthma to me. All storms have an indiscriminate and unbridled power, but I have never found one full of hate. Perhaps trapped beneath the greensea, away from the sky, they are lonely. I would love to meet one. Perhaps I shall go looking. "

Atus trailed after the rattlehands to the feast. Looking at the food and drinks, he admired the ceremony and artistry, but truly the experience was lost on him. He found his mind wandering. Thinking about storms, engines and the submersible nature of the Firefly and how he would go about making the Argos and Biff submersible.

When Moneek mentioned their missing crew member Atus got to his feet and addressed Tharr and Tolliver.

"Please stay my friends and enjoy your sustenance. I was remiss about Park, my mind too full of thought. He among all of us would enjoy this experience the most. I shall take Biff and return shortly with him. Excuse me."

Atus left, thanking Moneek for her timely reminder and waving goodbye to the two rattlehands. He boarded Biff and trundled away from the Firefly, pulling up alongside the Cuda's body, guiding himself with small sparks in the darkness.

"Hello Park. Do you need some assistance? There is food waiting on the Firefly and I have come to get you."

[yxanthymir]

---

Park Stadium | AspectsBloodline: Ardent

- Tough as Nails (4-Track Trait) - You’re a natural survivor. Rolls made to treat or heal an injury you're suffering from treat conflicts as triumphs.

- Ironclad Mind (4-Track Trait) - You are immune to hallucinations, mesmerics and mental compulsions.

Origin: Ridgeback

- Archaeodermis (2-Track Trait) - Your skin (or whatever you have as an outer covering) mimics the mountain you were raised on. You're immune to keen damage, as well as bites and stings from small creatures.

- Shamanic Idol (4-Track Gear) - Holds a sliver of power from a not-quite-god. Deals LR salt damage.

Post: Char

- Taste Test (4-Track Trait) - You're immune to poisons, and can determine their presence and characteristics by taste alone.

- Seasoned Cleaver (2-Track Gear) - As useful on the battlefield as it is in the galley. Deals CQ hewing damage. Increase impact when acquiring dangerous or disruptive specimens. | EdgesGrace, Instinct & Tides | SkillsDelve: 0
Vault: 2
Wavewalk: 0
Hunt: 2
Study: 0
Sense: 3
Harvest: 3
Scavenge: 0
Tend: 2
Concoct: 0
Cook: 3
Rattle: 0
Flourish: 0
Outwit: 0
Sway: 0
Brace: 0
Break: 0
Hack: 0 | LanguagesLow Sour | ResourcesCook Utensils (Salvage)
Bag of Spices (Specimen)
Tonic of Health (Specimen)
Liquid Fire (Specimen)
Carrion Weed (Specimen)

---

 

When the Cuda finally dies, Park doesn't wait much time before diving directly into the work of dissecting its body. He does that with love and diligence. Food is always something he has a great respect, not something to be trifled. While working, he is more than happy to apply his motto: "Never refuse food when you have the chance, famine may ensue later.". Just not with this many fancy words, which he doesn't know.

Soaked in Cuda's blood from head to toe, he works all night and also eats his share to refill his life force and decide which are the best parts to save for later.

At dawn, something starts to stir below the Cuda's flesh. A baby Cuda? Or an oversized vermin? Or just shit?

He should be careful, his instincts say, but his curiosity wins the match and he decides to use his seasoned cleaver to open the Cuda's flesh and let whatever was trying to get out to be free, from a relatively safe position.

 

Actions