|
Post by hadopelagic on Oct 3, 2022 23:21:50 GMT -6
((OOC: Una notices Ash landed and asks him whether he saw anything useful. ITEMS: shining piece of metallic stone and flint))
When Ash landed, Una stopped singing. He'd returned; did that mean he had news to report? A city in the distance, perhaps, just beyond the visible horizon? Una stood, her tunic sopping wet from the waist down. Slowly, she padded toward the hut, dripping water. Una held the pretty stone against her chest.
Stopping next to Ash and Vince, she asked, "My Sival friend, did you see a route home?"
|
|
|
Post by jarahamee on Oct 3, 2022 23:31:02 GMT -6
As Ash descends, the shadow flies higher again, until it is barely perceptible among the purple shadow of the clouds. For now, they seem to be safe from its interest. The faint purple and blue of the sky fades from the horizon where the sun must have set hours ago, replaced by increasing darkness.
The mummy’s shoulders fall, as if relaxing when Ash rejoins them, then turns back to August. They take August’s hand holding the seed, then hold their own hand flat under it, before carefully pushing August’s hand with the seed downward towards the horizontal hand. This gesture results in squashing the seed into the palm of the corpse’s dried hand.
After this demonstration, they hold both hands together, as if holding something within, before looking back at August, then the others. Their golden face-mask reflected the dull moonlight faintly in the darkness of the hut.
From atop the hut, all who have gathered hear the clumsy flutter of ordinary-sized avian wings, and the soft plunk of animal feet on the roof. Then, from the roof, a voice calls out:
"The lord of the field wakes." A second voice, equally harsh, joins in
"The taker of heads will hear them soon." The first speaks again;
"Who will take the first prize?"
|
|
|
Post by tsukikoko on Oct 4, 2022 1:50:39 GMT -6
[OOC: It's feeling very crowded all of a sudden. John investigates the farm implements (I) for anything of note.]
Why did this place seem to have inexplicable puzzle strewn about? If he didn't know better, the Kumiho would think he'd been dumped in one of those virtual game worlds some people seemed to love so much. It baffled him why they were all, himself included, engaging in this tomfoolery and not just setting out across the Moors to find civilisation. There was something... oppressive that the fox couldn't quite place, but it made him think setting out without engaging in these puzzles would spell death. A notion that made him highly perturbed to even be faced with it.
With nothing else for it, John gave the slab a quick once-over, his head tipping slightly as he watched Leopold demonstrate something. It seemed to him like perhaps they needed to plant the seed and fertilise it with whatever baffling recipe was on the slab. But it frustrated him to speculate in such a way, rather than having a clear answer.
His ears flickered as he caught voices, 'something big above' and the chatter of a small avian creature on the roof. He bared his fangs briefly up at it. Oh what he wouldn't give to phase through the wall and snap the irritating little creature from its perch.
The hut seemed rather crowded all of a sudden, but he wasn't about to step outside when something big was lurking above to hunt them. So the fox turned towards the farm implements (I) and began carefully nosing around them to see if there was anything of use. If they weren't too precariously placed, too big, or sharp and rusty in a way that might hurt him, John would even move a couple of objects with his paws and teeth, to get a better look.
|
|
|
Post by indeath on Oct 4, 2022 3:53:11 GMT -6
((August is confused by the hand game with the mummy. Hears the roof guests and tries to encourage the others to move further in and hide. Items: Flint, stick))
August had been confused by the mummy’s actions. It dry skin was rough against his, leaving a dry sandy feeling behind. He jumped when he saw the hunter suddenly very near, he had been too engrossed in what the mummy was trying to tell him. They needed to juice the seed? Make a paste with the heart, a jar and a star?
Then he heard the feet of something landing on the ceiling. His eyes widened in horror. He grabbed the stick.
He moved back motioned to the others desperately to move further into the hut, and away from the eyes of whatever was on the roof. He eyed the fox, putting a finger to his lips. It didn’t seem to realize they were in danger.
|
|
|
Post by hadopelagic on Oct 4, 2022 13:09:18 GMT -6
((OOC: Una gets scared by poetry and runs into the hut because WTF is a taker of heads. ITEMS: shining piece of metallic stone and flint))
When the first bird spoke, Una jolted, startled.
The lord of the field wakes.
Oh, maybe he could direct them to the nearest--
The taker of heads will hear them soon.
The taker of WHAT?
Who will take the first prize?
Una ran toward August, who was beckoning them indoors. Judging by his expression, he'd also heard the birds. She tucked herself behind him and peeked at the open door. Then, Una hurriedly looked around the hut, searching for a second escape route. As a child, when she was just a meter long, she'd briefly lived in an abyssal cave system. Rule one of survival: you could seek refuge in a cave, but be careful not to corner yourself. Otherwise, you're a fish in a barrel, so to speak.
"We've been visited by portents of doom," she murmured, looking up at August and then pointing at the open door with her sparkly rock. "It's not safe to remain here long."
|
|
|
Post by jarahamee on Oct 4, 2022 13:24:26 GMT -6
Una sees two large black crows land with a THUNK on the roof. The birds sit near one another, and one of them pecks the thatched roof material, as if looking for anything interesting. One of the crows is slightly larger than the other. They appear otherwise ordinary in size and shape.
The first crow stretches out its head and says, in a hoarse but oddly human voice; "The lord of the field wakes."The smaller crow then turns its head and examines Una with a beady black eye, "The taker of heads will hear them soon."The first speaks again; "Who will take the first prize?"
As she surveys the area above her, the large winged creature seems to have flown up higher than the clouds, and is no longer visible.
John looks through the farm equipment, and finds a hoe, shovel, and several relatively large jars with cork lids, stacked neatly behind them. The jars are short and stocky, with a wide lip. The floor around the farm implements seems to have small pieces of the glass jars stomped into the dirt, or intermingled with the rakes and other tools.
|
|
|
Post by beastly on Oct 4, 2022 17:04:01 GMT -6
((Vincent doesn't like the birds, agrees they should keep moving. He sets the dirt and the vial on the table.
Items: dirt, vial, flint.))
Vincent's expression darkened, and he once more brought his hand to where his weapons should be, looking over the group huddled around the hut. He didn't like this, he had nothing to protect himself or them from the vampire OR whatever else the birds were talking about. It sounded very, very, very far from being good. He clenched his fists and tried to will his heart to calm, his hands not to shake. There was not a fight yet.
He cleared his throat after the fear passed, uncomfortable with how close they'd all gotten, but not yet comfortable running outside.
"...I do think," his voice was still quiet almost a whisper for worry of alerting some giant skull snatching bird, but he was glad there was no shaking from fear,"it might be a good idea to keep moving."
He observed the room, squinting his eyes to see what was around. He set the vial on the table, along side the weird dirt. He gave an awkward shrug.
"I found these." He wasn't sure if he should follow it up with anything else, so he didn't. He just folded his arms, frowning at the items on the table and the heart in the mortar.
|
|
|
Post by jarahamee on Oct 4, 2022 20:32:50 GMT -6
On the table is now placed:
A shining piece of metallic stone. When held up towards the moon, it shines like a celestial body (A).
A small vial of dark liquid. It appears viscous from the speed that it moves when the bottle is shifted. (B)
A small, easily crumbling ball of chalky earth that creates snow-like powder. (C)
What appears to be a dried heart. It almost looks like a human heart, though on inspection it seems too small (D).
THE SLAB: The slab has an image of the seed, hovering over an image of a mound. Or maybe a squiggle. There is undecipherable writing throughout the slab, with four additional images. One appears to be a star, one appears to be specks, one is a heart. On the bottom is image of a liquid in a jar at the bottom. The mummy looks at those assembled with its expressionless mask face, then gently pats August’s shoulder, and walks outside the hut, bowing slightly at Una and Vince as it passes. It makes soft crunching sounds as it bends and flexes.
The crows caw softly as it passes, but seem to have nothing else to say.
It wanders to the middle of the field, and looks up at the sky. It is unclear if it perceives anything, but it seems satisfied after turning its head one way, then the other, and begins to dig a hole in one of the untilled piles of dirt with its fingers. It doesn’t seem to be particularly effective in its efforts.
|
|
|
Post by indeath on Oct 4, 2022 20:42:44 GMT -6
((August shows everyone the seed, takes the shovel and relieves the poor mummy of his digging duty. Items: Shovel, seed, flint.))
August looked at what the hunter had offered up. The vial looked interesting but the weird dust? He smiled down at Una, it was hard not to like the odd woman. It wouldn’t be her head they took. Hopefully no one’s, honestly. He watched slightly horrified as the mummy walked into the field but nothing attacked it. Huh.
August showed everyone the seed.
“I agree with ya, Mr. Hunter. But y’all, we gotta plant this! Ermm I reckon those are instructions on the slab. Some kinda recipe! It’s important! Sir Mummy needs us.”
August grabbed the shovel and followed the mummy. He chuckled a bit when he saw the crows on the roof. That was kinda embarrassing. He returned the pat on the shoulder, showing it the shovel in his hand.
“I got this, fella! She’ll be right as rain. I wonder what it’ll grow into? Do ya know?”
Once the mummy stopped digging with its hands, he would do so with the shovel. He put his back into it, not sure how deep it needed to go.
|
|
|
Post by kilnarak on Oct 4, 2022 21:30:50 GMT -6
[ Ash relays the information once again, then goes to help the mummy dig. At least until August arrives with a Superior Digging Implement. ]
"Ah, no. I still don't know where we are, but there is what looks like a small village further on, ringed with a wall of spikes. Perhaps to protect it from the... the creature above?" Ash relays the information to Una, before padding into the hut. He feels a bit too big in here, having to stoop through the doorway - he takes a moment to look around, then feeling he is in the way he heads back outside. Even with the creature above, it still felt better having open sky over his head.
When the mummy moved past him to dig in one of the fields, he follows after a moment. When it bends down to dig, he crouches nearby, watching a moment, then moves to help. Maybe his claws will make better furrows in the earth. When August arrived with the shovel, he sat back and flicked the earth out from under his claws.
|
|
|
Post by jarahamee on Oct 4, 2022 21:33:01 GMT -6
As Ash and then August dig, a deep hole is created in the firm earth.
|
|
|
Post by beastly on Oct 4, 2022 21:58:13 GMT -6
(Vincent introduces himself as 'John'. He looks over the slab and asks Una what she thinks.
Items: vial, dirt, flint.)
Vincent's lip twitched in irritation. 'Mr.Hunter'. How incredibly childish. Like 'Mr. Mailman' or 'Mr. Teacher'. The words from what should be a killer just... puzzled and irritated Vincent to no end. Maybe the damn thing was broken. Something was wrong with the curly headed vampire, and it upset him greatly.
"John," he supplied, just so he wouldn't be 'Mr. Hunter' for however long he had to suffer through the vampire's presence.
He watched as the mummy and vampire left, followed by Ash. It might even been a good idea to see who lived in the huts. What was this about the tablet and recipe, though? He looked it over, then looked over what was on the table. Powder? Heart? Star? Was that a vial? He compared the items they had to the things on the slab.
He looked at Una, and tapped the slab, gesturing from the items on the table to the instructions. Was it those? He felt like it was, but he started second guessing himself. What even was this for? He frowned deeply.
"...These are related?"
|
|
|
Post by indeath on Oct 4, 2022 22:08:09 GMT -6
((August plants the seed in the hole, covering it in earth. Asks Ash a question.))
August grinned as the hole was revealed and gently set the seed into the hole. John? The hunter had a name. He began shoveling dirt over it. Looking to the mummy to make sure he was doing the right thing.
“So Ash… apart from flyin’ can ya breath fire or somethin?”
|
|
|
Post by hadopelagic on Oct 4, 2022 23:15:54 GMT -6
((OOC: uses the mortar and pestle to crush the heart. ITEMS: pestle))
When Mr. John Hunter pointed to the slab, Una leaned close to study the symbols. Indeed, they resembled a recipe. The pictographs were easy to interpret, unlike alphabets.
"We must create a ... a poultice?" Because time was crucial, she grabbed the pestle and ground it into the heart, using all her strength to crush the pitiful organ. "I don't understand this mixture's purpose, do you? It's very strange." She dropped the other ingredients into the mortar's bowl. "But--as plankton say--sometimes, you gotta go with the flow."
Una snickered at her own joke, but the laughter sputtered out quickly when Una remembered the crow's warning.
"Why us, John? Why were we chosen?"
Una hoped that they'd been chosen to succeed. Not chosen as sacrifices to the lord of the field. Her biceps strained as she ground the ingredients. If the Mysterious Powers that Be thought she'd die easy, they had another thing coming.
|
|
|
Post by tsukikoko on Oct 4, 2022 23:46:25 GMT -6
[OOC: John maneuvers a large jar out from between the farm implements and places it on the table. Shows Vincent ('John') the shattered pieces of another jar, where they've been crushed into the dirt.]
With one of the shovels moved by August, it was easier for the fox to reach the large jars without risking himself on the small pieces he could see stomped into the dirt. Though he didn't relish the idea of touching any of these items, it was the shards themselves that made him think these corked jars might be involved in the seed fertiliser - as though it had been done in this location previously.
With a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure the others were preoccupied, John allowed his paws to regain their earlier dark, clawed shape (at least he could still do that!), so as to gain purchase on the top of the jar. He carefully moved one out, turned his paws back to normal, then nosed the jar across the floor to the table with his muzzle.
A flicker of his ear caught the name of another 'John' in the room, which made his lips pull back just briefly - as though to even share a name with these people was the highest offence. He knew it a common name, had chosen it deliberately just for that in fact, but right now everything irked him.
After a little while and some careful maneuvering, John managed to lift a large jar onto the table. He indicated it with the tip of his nose and a soft yip. Then his eyes turned on this other 'John', staring at him for a few moments with an outwardly friendly expression, even if his inward dialogue was very, very different. Especially given the earlier mention of 'Hunter'. He had enough to deal with where a certain other hunter was concerned, the idea of another one even sullying the air with his presence was a special kind of irritating.
Still, perhaps he could be useful. Kill some of the others, down the line, so the Kumiho didn't have to.
Gently, very gently, the fox poked this other 'John' with his nose to get his attention. Then, he indicated the large glass jar before trotting back over to the farm implements and showing him the smaller pieces of another jar where they'd been ground into the dirt.
|
|