Green Goop Gathering - RPLOG
From Rusted Promises
Participants
Date
26/3/476
Log
Outside the cabin in the woods, stands a sole blackback skunk. He stands tall and proud in his seemingly tacky outfit, an olive green and red overlay of clothing. He looks about every so often, checking on his nails and testing their sharpness idly. At every sound he jumps, and looks to it excitedly, clearly he has an interest in the local fauna.
David looks around as he walks up and smiles friendily, "You called for Freeswords, mi'lord?"
Arimia makes her way toward the cabin, cloak pulled tight about her and hood raised. If it weren't for the flash of pink from her muzzle she could probably pass as just about any small folk clan. She glances around before asking, perhaps a bit bluntly, "So. What do the nobles want us to waste our time on today?"
Saibh makes her way up the path towards the cabin, muttering, "I've read this story, why are we out here?" Since she doesn't think anyone's in earshot she's not hiding her drawl. Spotting Arimia from behind, she calls out, "Any ideas what's going on there?" not quite recognizing the raccoon since, well behind and all the pink's covered
The skunk stands to attention and says "Hello, thank you for coming. The blackbacks have a wish to study these strange green goopy things that roam the woods. I am requested to hire you kind folk, to gently, peacefully, and harmlessly aid in the capture of some of the facinating creatures. Should you assist me you will be rewarded, can I count on your assistance?" he asks, smiling to thhe group. "All we'll have to do is capture some, and bring thhem back to firmament."
The otters ears perk up, peacefully? He likes the sound of that! "Of course mi'lord." David smiles broadly before he waves to the two, "Hello there miss Saibh." he looks to the bundled up Arimia and tilts his head curiously, "Hi, I'm David Matthews. Growing Clan." he smiles as he offers a hand to shake
Arimia glances at the offered hand, then promptly ignores it. Her tail flicks, possibly giving Saibh a glimpse of the pink and purple fur adorning it, giving her away, as she calls, "Hello, Saibh." She then looks at the skunk with her odd eyes and says, a bit disbelievingly, "You want us to capture gops? They ain't exactly intelligent. Throw somethin' thy think of as food in a secure box, wait for them to ooze in, then shut it. You don' need Freeswords for that."
Saibh looks at the Blackback and says, "You're not telling us somethin'. There's some kind of weird gops out here, or a giant one or something right? Or are you guys realling just throwing money in the air so you don't have to touch the thing?" She stops by Arimia, crouching down and smiling, "Hey"
Bite blinks and shakes his head, adjusting some of his fabrics as he says "Not at all. A report of a giant green gop would be ideal for study, as would a variant of the standard however we do not have knowledge of any. We have been surprisingly unsuccessful thus far, they are well adapted escape artists. We are looking for highly talented aid to ensure their safe capture and transport, and the freeswords is a good source of remarkable skills. I am hiding nothing, I simply need help collecting some of the creatures for research." He looks calmly into Arimia's eyes, adding "You have lovely eyes, the cloak only hides their favorable image."
David frowns as his hand is ignored, but shrugs it off and looks to Arimia coriously, "That's true... But it is their choice." he smiles and looks to the noble curiously, "Hmm..." he ponders how helpful he can be if all they want is one trapped...
Arimia glances at Saibh, and at her words she gives a very small grin and says, "You know. I fought one of those. A giant green gop. I think it was named Barry." She turns her attention back to the skunk and says, "That would be why I said a secure box. Not somethin' made with wooden slats. Make it out of solid panels of wood, secure the joints with shaped sheets of metal. Or jus' use earth magic to shape a box around one." At the comment about her eyes she reaches up to tug her hood a bit further around her head and coolly says, "Thanks. I got them from Kindcraft."
Saibh stays crouched where she is, looking at the skunk. Scrutinizing him for some tell. She then eventually shrugs and says dryly, "So we've got to capture something you could probably sic a pack kids on. Can we figure out how to freeze one, would that kill it?" She then looks David and says, "Their choice?"
The blackback seems to ponder this. "Since we do not know if freezing them would hurt them, we should avoid doing so. That is a fine idea." he says to Arimia, only to add "I'm afraid I have no skill with earthen math, and would still require assistance in that or the skill required in building such a trap." He looks to Saibh, looking slightly curious at the motion. "These are not for children to hassle with, an inexperienced being would find themselves in trouble, overwhelmed by the green beasts... did you say Kindcraft? Perhaps we could speak after this task, this is also a topic of interest for research."
David looks to Arimia and tilts his head curiously, "Kindcraft did that to you?" he nods to Saibh, "Their choice to hire us." he hmms at the idea and smiles, "I have a little skill with earth magic."
Arimia says dryly, "Kindcraft does have a habit of tainting things." She reaches up to rub at her muzzle before saying, "First? I ain't a test subject. B, your house does have some who are skilled in earth magic or could make a box. Next time do some thinkin'. You Blackbacks are supposed to be good at that."
Saibh looks at David and says, "You're something of a doormat aren't you?" before standing up and brushing her pantlegs off. "We're talking Gops right? Really not that threatening... none that I've run into." She glances over to Arimia, then back to the Blackback and says, "Earth magic's beyond me. How big a sample do you really need? You sure it's supposed to be alive?"
Selena knocks on the doorfram before pacing into the room, giving a friendly wave to the congregation. An apologetic nod to the blackback. "Sorry I'm late. I had to sort some things out at the fortress." She notes before turning greeting the others. "Hello, Saibh, David, Ari." The wolfess smiles, giving Arimia and Bite friendly hugs.
Selena sheepishly paces into the clearing after a moment's pause at the periphery, giving a friendly wave to the congregation. An apologetic nod is given to the blackback. "Sorry I'm late. I had to sort some things out at the fortress." She notes before turning greeting the others. "Hello, Saibh, David, Ari." The wolfess smiles, giving Arimia a friendly hug before asking, "Did I miss too much?"
The blackback nods to Arimia. "These are very good points, and it is regretable that they were not called to attention sooner. I must continue as is, and I am asking to hire you all for your aid in this, choosing to accept or not is up to you. I understand if you believe this work is beneath you, not everyone is humble in their workings. Yes, they must be alive and unharmed, we wish to study them as close to their natural state while still being able to conduct research efficiently upon them. I ask you, will you help me?" he says, giving a smile to the newcomer. "Hello, you are excused for your tardiness, I would not hold you responsible for having other errands to attend to before lending assistance to our cause."
David blinks at Saibh and tilts his head in confusion, "Doormat? I wouldn't say that..." he smiles at Selena and waves friendily, "Hello Selena." he blinks at Ari and ahs, "You must be Arimia then?" he looks at the skunk and ponders a bit, then shrugs, "Well... I'm happy to help."
Arimia give Selena a small smile then says, "The idi... Skunk here wants us to help him capture some gops. To make up for his lack of forethought an' plannin'." She gives a small shake of her head, completely ignoring David's question, and says, "Well. If you're gonna pay, an' pay enough, I guess we can help. If you ain't gonna pay then you'll have to get someone else."
Saibh shrugs and says with a bit of a drawl, "It's your crown" She waves to Selena after, then brushes her mantle while asking, "You know, here's a good question. What're studying those things for? You mention they're able to escape anyway, are you just going to poke whatever we stuff them in and hope for the best?" Then she snaps her fingers and says, "Hey wait, they're mostly goo right? I wonder if you could water magic one into a bottle or something.. a big bottle, or a pot. Probably a pot"
Selena nods back to the blackback. "I'm glad we got that sorted quickly." She replies with a slightly surprised tone, quirking a brow at Saibh's suggestion as she replies to Arimia, "Well, that's... Not too surprising. To his defense they're not too easy to contain, though. Not that that's an excuse." The wolfess comments, listening in to Saibh's questions an adding as she finishes, "I'd like to know what you're studying them for as well, honestly."
The backback shakes his head. "It is not officially my project, so I unfortunately have told you all I know on the matter. Of course, there will be pay for your time, and... that is an interesting idea." he says, his tone at the end sounds interested but skeptical. "So then, are we all agreed to the task?" he asks excitedly, looking out into the foliage, then back to the group.
David sighs as Arimia ignores his question and then shrugs, "Well, like I said... I'm in." he smiles a bit
Arimia tugs her cloak about her and gives a small shake of her head. She looks to Saibh and says, "That's a good idea. One of us could pop in the cabin here and see if they have a cauldron or somethin' we can buy from 'em. Billed to the Blackbacks of course."
Saibh rubs the back of her ehad and says, "Yeah yeah, I'll go do that unless the esteemed Blackback would like to do it so they don't get gouged quite as hard" Glancing to Selena after, she says, "Can you think of any other ideas just in case?"
Selena shrugs slightly at the response. "Well, that is a bit unfortunate." She comments flatly at the blackback's response. "What exactly are we planning on doing here, Saibh? Digging a hole and waiting for them, or something else?" The wolfess asks amusedly, having missed that section of the discussion. "There's only so many ways to trap one of those things. And unfortunately you can't knock them unconscious."
The blackback nods to the group and claps his hands. "Splendid. I shall go see about procuring a container of sorts." he says as he turns behind him and enters the cabin. After a short while he returns, rolling a metal cooking out the door with a wave to the occupants. "I believe this will do nicely." he says with a smile. "So, how should you like to involve this in a trap?"
David hmms and nods at the suggestions, "Well... It's a small hope, but maybe we could find an already injured one and try to befriend it?" he shakes his head and shrugs, "Probably not going to happen though."
Arimia blinks at David then shakes her head and turns away. "I think we'd have better luck findin' some food to lure them in with. Snare a small animal, or somethin'. That's how I used to lure in a... It don' matter. Jus' find something' it eats an' use it as bait."
Saibh looks around and says "What.. don't they eat anyway? I mean, eh" She shrugs a bit and crosses her arms as she turns on her heels, "We could also try to track one down, but that would mean leading it back to where we set the pot up.. so, bait's the one I'd go for"
Selena chuckles quietly, gently nudging Arimia. "Maybe you'll have to tell me that story later? I can give you one of my own if you'd like." She offers before getting back to the task at hand. "Yeah, I'm with Ari there. It's pretty hard to befriend something that doesn't even seem to have a brain." The wolfess looks around and shrugs. "I can make a hole for it, if you'd like."
shakes his head. "We actually don't have enough research on their diet to be absolutely conclusive, however I might suggest we make a hole and place the pot in it, then those talented with earth magics could corral it in?" he says, taking the lid of the pot. He says to Selena "Would you mind? It would be appreciated." as he steps back from what looks to be a good spot. The wolf works her magic, and works it well, the ground shaking suddenly as a perfect cauldron sized hole apears in the place decided upon, the effective force of the work knocking David, Saibh, and Selena herself on their rumps. The trees gently sway but nothing else remarkable happens. The skunk works with all his might to move the cauldron into place, waving to the others to give him a hand.
David hmms? and shrugs at the comments, "Like I said, small hope." he blinks as Selena makes a hole and eeps as he is thrown onto his rump, "Ow. That was... Unexpected." he nods to the blackback and smiles as he gets up to dust himself off
Arimia flicks her ears and looks around, keeping on her feet as the ground shakes. She rather blatantly ignores the skunk waving for help as she says, "A fair guess can be made as to their diet, what with how they try an' eat folk who wander in the forest without preparation. My suggestion of an animal wasn't made completely blind." She continues to look around, as though expecting to just spot an animal to use as bait without having to hunt for it.
Saibh sighs and looks to the others as she gets to her feet and calls out, "Hey a bit of warning. I'l.. go handle finding something to use as bait, I've got a snare on me unless we want to use dead bait which.. would be quieter, but less likely to escape too"
Selena curses quietly as she's knocked back, checking a clump of the soil that was displaced and rolling her eyes. "Sorry about that, I wasn't expecting the soil to be as loose as it is." She comments a little irritatedly. "Better how that cabin's on something more solid." After pulling herself to her feet she nods back to Saibh and gestures to the blackback. "Well, he asked for it. There was a good window of time between that and me actually making the hole. Still, noted." She returns.
The Blackback manages to push the cauldron into the hole and sighs in relief. "Alright... so..." he says as he catches his breath, stretching and looking up. "We've never actually heard any reports of them eating anyone. It's a good guess, maybe they do and we've never heard the tale, but it's likely they're after something else. There are multiple reports of those who are attacked winding up with a lot less spending money, as well as jewlery and baubles just vanishing, though those could be attributed to bandits..."
David blinks at the blackback and tilts his head, "You think they eat metals?" that seems odd to him, but he shrags and hmms as he slings his pack off his shoulders, setting it down with a heavy *thud*. He opens it up and pulls out a few metal ores, "Think it'd like some of these?"
Arimia glances over at the setting down of the bag then says, "No. If it eats metal probably. But don' go usin' your stuff for it. Make that Blackback pay. Have him throw some of his crown or jewelry in there. Jus' so long as he keeps enough to pay us." She turns to walk over to Saibh and says, "Think it'll still be a good idea to get somethin' livin' for bait. An' maybe throw a bit of cloth in there as well. Then we can cover all our bases."
Saibh shakes her head and says, "It'll just ooze through the cloth. I uh.. Selena can you line the inside of the pot with stone? Just a thin layer to ke.. wait, it eats gems too. Maybe glass?" She sighs, running her fingers through her hair and says, "If they're not eating people they mug, I think they eat inanimate things? Metals like they're saying? If it comes down to it I can get something though sure"
Selena quirks a brow. "If we need glass, then I either need sand or something that already is glass." She replies to Saibh. "Though that's a good point, if they can dissolve metal we won't be able to hold them in a metal pot for long." She replies to Saibh, making a cursory glance towards the blackback, Arimia and David. "Any requests, then? Better to be safe than sorry after all."
The blackback shrugs to Arimia and removes a brooch, and some crowns from his person, tossing them in the cauldron. "Well, theres that. You guys can..." he says before there is a rustling in the nearby brush, and the form of a green gop can barely be seen. The skunk looks excited, and tries to remain perfectly quiet as he moves away from it, the lid to the trap in hand as he goes to hide in the brush, rather noisily it might be said. The form moves a bit closer, the glint that shines off of David's metal ores from the sunlight cast throught he leaves above seeming to draw it near.
David shrugs as he picks up his pack after donating some ore, "I don't mind." he smiles as he shakes his head at Selena and blinks as the gop arrives, he stays silent as he watches it curiously and slowly backs up a little
Arimia flicks her ears as the gop shows itself and gives a small shrug of her shoulders. She watches with some amusement as the Blackback goes to hide, giving a small shake of her head. "They ain't that skittish." She says, crossing her arms and waiting for the creature to move nearer to the pot.
Selena smirks somewhat at Arimia's response. "I don't think that's what he was worried about." She replies, murmering something over to the raccoon with a smirk before directing her attention back to the arriving creature with - for now - decidedly marginal interest.
The blackback waves them over, urging them to hide. The green gop seems hesitant to approach the group standing around the glinting object, moving forward only slightly.
David's curiousity over the creature outweighs his curiousity of the murmer, he nods to the noble and hides in a bush as much as he can. As quietly as he can too
Arimia lets out a soft, amused sound at the murmur, but doesn't say anything in return. She just remains where she is, watching the approaching gop, completely ignoring the motioning for them to join in hiding.
Selena nods, taking a half-step back. Though for better or worse, she's opting to remain nearer Arimia than the bushes.
The green gop gets rather gutsy, pushing forward when the raccoon and wolf fail to yeild, moving to nudge Arimia aside as it moves quickly towards the discarded shiny objects, dipping into the cauldron.
Saibh looks to the creature, then back to the others, holds a finger up to her lips and tries to settle down to avoid spooking... well, can someone actually spook a giant good ceature?
David blinks as the gop dives into the pot and looks to the noble, he motions for him to put the lid on before looking back to watch
Arimia has an amused appearance as the gop pushes past her, letting herself be nudged aside without complaint and without making an aggressive action of her own.
Selena stifles a chuckle as the gop makes its move into the hole, watching on with a smile. "Well, now we have to get it out." She chuckles quietly, looking over to the others. "Assuming it doesn't just devour the pot itself, if it can do that."
The blackback rushes forward, stumbling out of the bush and landing flat on his face, the lid rolling off to the side. "Ack!" he says in a forcibly quieted tone. The green gop is now completely inside the cauldlron, presumably to pilfer the precious contents.
David blinks as the noble rushes and then trips, he shakes his head and tries to snatch up the lid but ends up tripping himself with a defeated groan
Arimia watches the antics of the Blackback and the skunk and gives a small shake of her head. She walks over to pick up the lid, then carries it over to put it on the pot and trap the gop inside.
Saibh watches Arimia work on sealing the lid, then she looks to Selena and says, "Use a some earth magic to seal it in so it doesn't ooze out. It'll probably still get out if it's that good./"
Selena nods to the marten, working some math to seal the lid at regular intervals - enough that it could be hacksawed off, but the gaps are left small enough the gop couldn't feasibly flow through them. "Way ahead of you." She smiles. "Now, I never got your name, Blackback." The wolfess notes, raising herself upright. "But when you're opening this I'd suggest you have someone competent in earth math do so. Sawing the metal back off would probably be troublesome with the gop in there."
The blackback nods and smiles wide. "Thank you for all your help!" he says as he pushes up off the ground. "I think this one is going to be enough trouble getting back to firmament, but now that trapping them has been established we can come back at a later date and pick up some more. I am Henry, and I thank you for your time. Help me get this back to Firmament and you will be compensated for your efforts." he says as he works to get the heavier cauldron out of the ground. "Perhaps... some earth magic.... here too..." he says.
David gets up slowly and brushes himself off, "Well... At least we got it..." he looks to the cauldron and hmms as he takes a step back, "Selena is much better with Earth magic than I am..."
Arimia turns and tugs her cloak more fully about herself and gives a small nod. "We'll make sure you don' trip an' spill it on the way."
Saibh looks between the two and says, "I'll uh, go check ahead, make sure nothing nasty jumps out while we're leading it back"
Selena quirks a brow. "Henry, right. Well, you're welcome for the time." The wolfess replies, shifing soil under the cauldron as it's moved about, slowly filling in the hole and bringing it to ground level. "Not protecting this would probably be a bad plan, don't you think?" She adds with a smirk.
The skunk grunts as he lifts the cauldron upward, until the hole is completelly filled. He pants in exhaustion and cracks his back, looking to the others. "Yes, lets get this to firmament." he says as he starts to roll it along, albeit a bit tiredly. It takes a while but their load is finally delivered to firmament, and the party rewarded by the blackbacks. Henry smiles and waves them off before turning tail and running off to do some research.
