Topsy Twisty - RPLOG
Participants
Date
25/8/476
Log
A late morning in an equally late summer. The sky is largely clear, save a cloud bank rolling in from the sea - it looks grey and heavy, but also comfortably far off. Vague agricultural scents linger in the air, telling of a good year.
The farm the group's gathered in front of is an olive grove, to be precise - taking advantage of the generally warm and mild Sweetwater clime, the grove is thickly populated, the trees' boughs thick and heavy with dark, ripe fruit waiting for the press. Workers with stepladders and baskets work the trees, carefully hand-picking the fruit and setting it in baskets. And at the front of the orchard a lynx waits, looking around for the next transport of workers from the city.
Selena wanders along the part out to the front of the farm, quietly considering something or another as she makes her way along, then into the grounds proper. Her usual clothes again - the typical blouse and trousers likely a reasonable match for the potential work at hand.
The lynx is greeted with a simple wave, then a gesture back towards Firmament proper. "You were looking for extra workers, judging from the note you left? I suppose that means you've got a good harvest this year."
Angus follows the path out to the farm, his mind wandering as he gets ready to help with the harvest. The fox had changed his cloths, wearing a cotton shirt with trousers that were more appropriate for working in the field. "You the one looking for more workers?" He asks the lynx with a tilt of his head, before he turns to give Selena a wave in greeting.
Not too long after Angus, Dio strolls up to the farm with his typical attire of coat and typical commoner wear. If it weren't for the coat, the lion certainly would seem like he belonged on a farm! "Good mornin' lads and lasses," he waves to the already gathered group, surely expecting a bit more to come. "Let's get down to business." The lion rubs his hands together rapidly as he speaks with an accent fit for a farm, eagerness brimming and nearly palpable for what seems to usually be a bit of a lazy feline. "Been helpin' out on farms fer the last two years 'r so. Rewardin' work."
Fuyu lands from the sky, a quick hop-step and a bit of an overshoot, but she doesn't have depth perception. Stretching out, she looks around, then says, "So... were there not enough farm hands around to handle this? Seems like the sort of thing you'd have prepared for." She waves to Selena though, recognizing at least her
"Aye," the lynx agrees. "I'm Zarine, proprietor of this grove, and it's been a good year, moreso than I'd expected. I'd arranged for additional labour, including even the more well-recommended folks from the shanty town, but that still isn't enough - I don't think I'm going to care this time around if some of them sneak a bite or two while on the job. At any rate, I asked one of my lads to put up a notice asking for more hands.
"Speaking of hands," he continues, "I'm not sure if some of your hands have seen much of such labour, but I don't really care at this point - any hands will do so long as they can pick. Stepladders are there -" he jabs a paw at one stretch of the fence surrounding the grove - "along with baskets, and the silos are on the other end. I'll be there with my accountant, and we'll tally what you've picked and pay you accordingly by the basket. Sound fair? My only worry is..." he looks up at the sky, and out over the cloud bank coming in from sea. Is it closer, and so soon? "Nah, we've survived worse. Well, if you will, get to it. I've another transport of workers to look out for."
Selena smiles, waving back to the bat with some vigor. "Fuyu! I haven't seen you around town for quite a while! What've you been up to?" She asks curiously, almost losing track of the task at hand before the others are greeted with nods of acknowledgement and names. "Well, Zarine, It's a pleasure. I'm Selena - it's good to hear you've got a large harvest for a change. If you need a break from rain, though, I might be able to do something about that. Keep the clouds away or try to force it to fall some distance away instead." She suggests. "Though on this kind of scale... It'd be something new for me."
Angus keeps quiet as it it commented on that a few of them have never really tried their hands at such labor. "Sounds like you're going to make a rather good profit from this." He follows the direction the lynx was pointing at before he looks up at the clouds. "Well Selena....I'll try and help the best I can...."
"Ah! Hello there lass," he waves over to the new arrival. Haven't seen too many bats in his nearly three decades of living. "The name's Dio the traveler." Turning his focus back to the lynx, he pays close attention to the directions and looks both ways when gestured to. "Gotcha lad! Pickin' 'n' all that hard labor is a good way to wake up I feel." Clapping his hands together once in high enthusiasm, the lion strolls over to pick up a basket. "Hopefully that rain won't be too big a deal," he mumbles under his breath.
Fuyu looks over at the lion and says, "Dio the traveller huh? I'm Fuyu Duskcaller, pleasure." She then sighs and mutters to herself, "Why'm I doing this.. I don't think I'll really learn that much." Then she heads over to Selena and says, "Been busy, been reading up on a few things mostly."
Sveta coughs as he turns to go, leaving the group to their appointed job. "We've windbreaks, other more...expendable trees. If they fall, then there probably isn't much point. And there's still the buildings. And even if you could save my orchard, there's the whole countryside to be worried about - if you shift it elsewhere, it's probably going to end up on someone else's place. If you feel you can, then feel free to try, but..." he removes his hat and scratches his whiskers. "We'll see how it goes. Maybe I'm just worrying for nothing, like the wife always tells me. For now, just get as much in as you can."
Zarine coughs as he turns to go, leaving the group to their appointed job. "We've windbreaks, other more...expendable trees. If they fall, then there probably isn't much point. And there's still the buildings. And even if you could save my orchard, there's the whole countryside to be worried about - if you shift it elsewhere, it's probably going to end up on someone else's place. If you feel you can, then feel free to try, but..." he removes his hat and scratches his whiskers. "We'll see how it goes. Maybe I'm just worrying for nothing, like the wife always tells me. For now, just get as much in as you can."
Selena nods, looking over the brewing storm, then back to the field. "It depends more on what kind of winds you're expecting. If the orchard's goingt o be destroyed by it, then I'm fairly certain there'd have been ample forewarning for that kind of wind. If it's not so strong it'd cause that kind of damage, it should be able to be redirected around the trees without too much of a problem." She replies, then looks back over the others. "Well, as you said... Might as well do what we can now and worry about the storm when it hits. I'd rather not over- or -undershoot a spell like that thanks to distance."
With that, she moves along, picking up a basket. "Well, Fuyu. Depending on how the storm shapes up you might have something to show or learn other than how to pick olives. I'd be lying if I said I knew much about it, but it's better than spending half a week doing the same thing."
Dio returns from the basket area with two hanging off each of his long and fuzzy large arms. More baskets mean more room to pick things after all! With his typical happy-go-lucky smile, he strolls up to the group and gets caught up on the conversation. "Suppose we could all help out on a spell like that if it ever gets that bad," he nods at Selena. "Now if ya lads and lasses don't mind, I'm gonna go ahead and pick everythin' I can before a storm might be rollin' in." And with a short wave, the lion is off to fetch a ladder to begin his surely expert picking technique.
Nothing happens for the better part of an hour or two - the cloud bank approaches, but still keeps a reasonable distance, and most of the farmhands about the group are already trying to make the most of what time they hve left - they appear not to be so much worried about the trees getting blow down - these are old, stout things, after all, but the harvest being dashed to the ground and ruined that way. A steady line links the grove proper with the silos on the other end of the propertybaskets being tallied as they're dumped into the silo's feed hopper.
Odd, though. The cloud bank suddenly begins closing in with unnatural vigour, abruptly picking up speed as it rolls in from the sea and across the land, the local air picking up into a stiff breeze. This particular property isn't the only one that's noticed the impending storm - a faint ringing can be heard from somewhere over the horizon. Some of the farmhands look to beat the rush and make an early retreat, while others try for a last-minute haul before the call to shelter takes place proper.
Selena furrows her brow as the wind kicks up, looking back over the storm. "Certainly a first for me." She mutters, evidently referring to the sound moreso than the strong wind, calmly picking a few more olives and depositing them in her basket before setting it down and looking up at the clouds. "Zarine! Now would be a good time to think about a windbreak - yes or no?"
Waiting in line to deposit another one of this loads, Dio looks at the obvious signs of storm and alarm and quickly runs ahead to dump it into the feed hopper himself. Forget inventory! Enjoy your olives. Quickly, he returns to the group and begins wiping his hands onto his pants. "Indeed lass," he shouts back to Selena and the Mynx. "Probably a good time fer action 'r shelter just about now."
Fuyu looks up at the sky as she returns with the olives, murmuring, "Yeah I think it's time to be going or fixing that, whichever. Why's it forming that fast though?" She looks over to Selena, ears flicked back while asking, "Any ideas?" The olives are slowly set on the ground, then she crouches and hurridly says, "I doubt my air magic would be any help here, not with just the two of us even."
A shout from across the property, nearly drowned out by the hubbub of farmhands behind shelherded to shelter. "Oh, do what you can if you want to, Miss! You'll be adequately compensated if you manage it, but to be honest, I think I'd rather have everyone take shelter - there's a perfectly good storm cellar and curing room for that. Not to be underestimating you, but I've owned this land since before the Sundering and I've yet to see that. I don't want any blood on my hands, telling you to risk yourself. If you have any doubts about your ability, get into the homestead!"
It soon becomes clear as to what's approaching from the ocean: a gigantic funnel of grey extending its reach from the clouds to the ground, sweeping a path through the farmland to the west of Firmament. Bits of debris are visible through the maelstrom of cloud and wind - broken carts, torn fences, parts of roofing, and one huge church bell amongst other things, which would explain the ringing. Seems like the thing's already been busy before coming here. A freak of nature, but one to be taken seriously, to boot.
Selena shakes her head and moves back with the others. "Hope your silos are well-covered, or you'll probably lo-... Creators, is that a church bell?"
On arrival at the homestead proper, she continues - "Right. I'm going to try to set up a windbreak, if you know any air magic, any at all, it's a simple enough spell. Just changes to the air pressure. Work from the fields out; if the debris comes in we can deal with that some other way." That said - and still just outside the building to ensure she can see what she's doing, she begins to try and establish the aforementioned spell.
Selena's windbreak does its job...somewhat. As the twister approaches, the first true sign of its imminent arrival is a downpour of rain on anyone still caught out in the open. This is followed by the wind picking up to a full-force gale, and a mere number of the windbreaker trees are torn in half thanks to Selena's efforts - the damage could have been much worse. Yet it continues to approach, threatening to rip clothes and possessions from anyone unprepared, forcing the few farmhands still making their way into the homestead's cellars to grab onto something to steady themselves.
Thankfully, the twister's base doesn't come onto the farm proper - probably not even windbreaks would have been able to stop that - but it comes dangerously close to the silos, setting their foundations to shaking. And then...a certain lion finds himself suddenly very, very light, as baskets, stepladders, tables, and his own person are lifted off the ground and rise to join the main body of the funnel.
Angus takes a step up next to Selena and squints his eyes as he looks at the thing. "Ya....think that's a church bell, someone isn't going to be to happy about it." Nodding he lends what knowledge he has of Air magic to Selena's windbreak, trying hard to actually enhance it instead of mess it up. He chuckles when it seems to actually work, before he notices Dio start to lift off the ground...
Sure things were getting rather bad, but the lion was quite hungry after all that manual labor. His coat flapping violently in the wind, Dio fumbled about in its appropriate pocket and pulls out a bag. There's no way he could help with a spell on an empty stomach, that's for sure. As soon as he opens it however, the contents, being some cured meat perfect for snacking upon, fly out onto the ground as he slips face-forward in compliment. "Noo! My jerky!" He shouts out in alarm as he begins slowly picking up off the ground, finding himself flying towards the tornado in a flailing panic!
Fuyu watches the lion start floating into the air and murmurs, "Yeah about that." She makes a few quick calculations even as she finds something to cling onto with.. well her legs for now since she's using her hands to focus. After figuring out the direction the winds are rolling from and tries to nullify the wind around the lion at least, though one might get the feeling she's trying to make it a wider effect, trying being the operative word.
Fuyu's spell works - although it isn't particularly elegant, elegance isn't much of a concern at the moment. Momentarily disrupted by the air magic, the crosswinds holding Dio aloft falter and the lion drops a good fifteen feet to the soft ground, a little dazed but otherwise unhurt, his precious jerky landing on his head and bouncing off, only to be caught by a stray gust and lifted off again.
Things are looking pretty bad. The winds are still threatening to take off with anyone who doesn't have a firm grip on something, but as the eye of the storm draws closer with its momentary calm, also begins to disgorge some of the heavier debris it'd picked up on its trip here - heavy branches, barrels of fruit, animal carcasses, even the church bell, which land with a deafening clang some distance outside the farm. Getting under shelter might be a good idea.
Selena flinches noticably when the bell lands - though looking relieved at the same time before moving back into the door with her spell hopefully intact enough to maintain from inside. "I thought Sweetwater had some kind of advance warning for storms like this!" She exclaims, putting a hand to her forehead, and murmuring something to herself about Firmament itself again as she settles back against a wall and closes her eyes. "Hopefully that lion doesn't get himself caught out again..."
Angus blinks as the bell lands, hoping that it doesn't crack to much as he takes a step back into the building so he doesn't float away. "That's a good question....one that I do not know of considering I don't pay attention in court." He admits with a shrug as he sits down and leans against a wall. "Knowing Dio, I wouldn't be surprised."
Dio began flailing about as he was taken away, still very upset as his jerky fell out of his reach. Flailing around within the air, he finally dropped down upon the floor with a loud roaring grunt of pain. He writhed on the floor for a few seconds, but adrenaline soon took over to temporarily dissolve pain and provide a boost of strength. And then his jerky returned! "At least I h-" Only to be taken away shortly after, almost as if it were some sort of divine joke. Doing his best to beat the winds, he attempts to power through and makes his way for the shelter where Angus and Selena are currently stationed.
Fuyu looks around and says, "Hey if we have the storm cellar option still I'd suggest running for that while the eye's overhead. I don't really have the ability to keep you all rooted to the ground. Leaving would be good, yes yes" and as she talks, well she's definitely moving to do what she's saying.
Hurriedly, Zarine comes up, takes one glance at everyone present, and if they will follow, ushers them into the honestead and down the steps to the storm cellar. The place is packed with beings, some small folk, others, growing folk, and yet even more apostates, but that doesn't matter as everyone is huddled into the dark confines. Time passes, an hour, two, three, followed by more thumps and crashes from outside above round, although none seem to be very serious or at least indicative of a building collapsing.
It seems like forever, but at last the howling dies down. Zarine himself volunteers to go up and take a look, and returns momentarily with a grim look on his face. "It's still raining, but the danger's passed. Have a look if you will."
The damage the twister caused isn't too bad, when put into perspective. About a third of the trees in the grove have suffered some damage, but it's not as terrible as it could have been, thanks to Selena's windbreak. Most of the ripened olives have been thrown off their branches and scattered into the muddy soil, but the buildings are still standing, sans a portion of their roofing. Debris has been scattered here and there, but at least it doesn't match up to the swathe of destruction that's been cut across the countryside. All in all, not TOO bad.
Selena chuckles at the bat's comment - "I could arrange that, but I'd rather not get people stuck in this kind of 'weather'." She replies, making her way along with the feline.
When the wait's over, Selena makes her way back up to ground level and looks over the damage critically. "Well, that could've ended worse than it did." She observes simply, glancing back at the silos for a moment. "In the worst case, I suppose there'll be some olive saplings growing here and there in the countryside... But I suppose there'll have to be some cleaning up done here now."
Angus whistles as he looks at the destruction caused, walking over to the bell. "Just means there will be more olive trees to harvest from." He comments, tapping the bell with his foot to produce a soft ringing sound. "...Church is going to want its bell back.."
Dio never really took the time to groom his mane in the mornings, its dense jungle of hair strewn about here in there in clear signs of unkemptness. But now... It was absolutely poofy and thrown about every which way in desperate need of a good comb- No, brushing and maybe some magical assistance. "That sure was a close one lads," he says as he makes his way out of the shelter along with the others. "Thank ya to whoever broke my flyin' trip. Now I'm alive enough to buy some more jerky when my stomach settles a bit."
Fuyu cracks her knuckles as she steps out of the cellar. "Yeah sure, just next time worry about your stomach after the winds are done trying to carry you off." She then hooks her thumbs through her belt and looks up at the sky, stifling a bit of a yawn. "We missing anyone?"
It doesn't seem like anyone's missing - although there are some who've picked up bumps and scrapes, there's been no loss of life on this holding. One by one, the farmhands file out into open air and begin surveying the damage - Zarine himself immediately sets them to clearing up the worst of the debris and damage. It's still raining, albiet at a steady downpour as opposed to the earlier deluge, and the twister is still on its merry way northwards, visible but definitely out of range now.
I think that's about that," he says to the group. "If you want your pay right now and cut loose, I won't blame you. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind it either if you stayed here and helped do some cleaning up. It's going to be a long week ahead, that's for sure."
