Solo or RP Format Counts as 5 RP growth Points Solo word minimum is 750, RP post minimum is 7
You've heard rumors of a local beast that has been causing trouble, always striking and darting away without a trace. Many have tried to capture it, but with no success. Now that fall is settling in, the community is distressed at the trouble being caused and has asked for your help in finding the beast and either relocating or finding away to get rid of it from the community.
[ A creature is terrorizing the community, but what is it and is it really such a problem? Use the fauna thread to pick out a local beast and tell us how your character found and if they remove or relocate it...or maybe even tame it as their own (not all fauna can be tamed). ]
Even once they’d safely managed to settle themselves aboard a ship, Eliazer’s tension remained. He’d paid what he could to a few sailors that had managed to find them, did his best to keep mouths shut and even offered to work, but it still seemed…tenuous at best. Like, if one thing went wrong then they would be tossed overboard.
And that one thing came in the form of a large, shrieking shadow in the night.
Ever since they had set sail every night the ship was ‘haunted’ by a ghostly figure. A massive wingspan would dip across the ocean at either side of the ship before calling out and disappearing into the fog. Some called it a spirit while others were just as quick to say it was clearly a rider with a feathered mount. Eli…wasn’t so sure. For a while it was only a bit of spooking to the crew, but then one night it attacked their sails and now a ‘hunt’ had been called.
And Eliazer knew that if they didn’t stop it first then they would be the first one’s caught.
Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2022 11:57 am
[Corny via Discord]
Honi was as baffled as she was tense. She wasn't used to being on such a big ship for such a time, and she was getting a little cabin fever. Beyond that, there was the mysterious creature the sailors kept talking about. She hadn't seen it herself yet, and being on the ocean meant she was at a loss how to track it or deduce what it might be. While she believed in spirits, the idea of huge ghosts able to actually affect physical objects was a bit much in her mind. Surely it was a real creature.
Just... what kind was it?
She was up at the base of the main mast, helping to repair the torn sails while using the opportunity to inspect the damage. A feather, a bit of hair, a talon, something to help identify what was flying around out there. Plus, it wouldn't hurt to make herself useful to earn points with the crew considering her stowaway status.
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Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2022 11:59 am
The sun had long since set by that point and by all accounts Eliazer was tired. When the creature had first made its presence known he’d made sure to sleep light, but now paranoia made him tense. If this wasn’t stopped and they were blamed instead…Oh, he was ready to throttle something.
He was listening to a few deckhands discuss the merits of double knotting the rigging when a shrill cry brought Eli’s attention upward. It seemed to carry this time, echoing out across the ocean like a banshee and several of the sailors cried out in fear. Instinctively, the Geian reached for his blunderbuss but also kept an eye out for Honi. As he turned toward the mast something drifting down toward her feet caught his eye…
…a singular feather. A massive one, but one of various shades of green. Surely a spirit wouldn’t have feathers like that, right?
Posted: Sun Dec 11, 2022 11:21 am
[Corny via Discord]
The end of the tear was reached and Honi deftly knotted and clipped her work. She gave the stitching a couple tugs and nodded with satisfaction. This would surely hold up for a while. The otherworldly shriek made her jump to her feet, eyes rising with worry and focus, the needle unconsciously held tight in her grasp defensively. It certainly sounded scary, but it couldn't actually be a mystical monster. She was determined to figure out what kind of flesh and blood creature was harassing the ship.
The faint shimmer of the feather falling caught her eye, and she hurried toward it for a closer look. Ah, Eli was here! "Did you see it at all?" she asked as she inspected the feather. It was.. huge! Her fingers ran along the stem and combed out the individual strands. This didn't seem to belong to any kind of water fowl. Matori didn't have any giant avians, but she knew some existed. She had never seen them in person herself though.
Still, she managed a small smile and waved the feather. "See? Not a ghost."
A Belrean nearby shook their head. "Maybe not, but surely some kind of monster. Look how big that is!"
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2022 1:23 pm
[3/7]
Eli shook his head. As close as the cries had been he hadn't been able to see anything. Even then he was turning his eyes to the sky and squinting as if he could somehow make out the form. With a frustrated sigh, he turned back down to the feather that Honi held and her little smile brought out one of his own.
Eliazer formed the sign for 'large' and raised his brows with a heavy exhale. Whatever this thing was they were going to be in for it if it wasn't friendly.
"Ready yourselves, men! If it came through once it'll come back agai-"
And just like a prophecy, it came with another horrid shriek. The crewman clamored for crossbows, bows and blunderbusses as a massive form landed on the bow of the ship. While it's weight wasn't enough to tip the vessel it was enough to make Eliazer's legs wobble and he reached for Honi on impulse.
When the creature came into lantern light he wasn't sure what to make of it. He'd never seen anything like it. What native Tendajians would know as a Kinfa the Belreans could only assume was a monster. Despite it's size and imposing presence the creature sat hunched, as if exhausted and seemed far too gaunt for a bird that large.
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 1:10 pm
[Corny via Discord]
For a moment, Honi's mind drifted into her artwork. The feather really was impressive and lovely. Perhaps she could incorporate it into a sculpture or tile...?
The call to be ready pulled her back to the present, and suddenly everything was happening at once! The shriek sent a sharp chill along her back; and she would have toppled right over if Eli hadn't reached for her as the ship rocked. She clutched at his arm as she got her feet back under her and spun to see what had happened. Between the fog and the shimmer of the torches and its ill appearance, the avian indeed took on an otherworldly quality. Recognition sparked in Honi's mind and she stumbled for the name. "That's from up north! It must belong to someone to be way out here."
By then, others were raising their weapons and taking aim at the creature. She had been taught to observe before anything else with strange beasts and felt a spark of panic. "Wait! Don't shoot it," she hollered in an impulsive but futile gesture. Energy sparked from one nearby blunderbuss while the twang of crossbows echoed along the deck.
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Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2023 11:58 am
[4/7]
For a moment Eli was worried that the creature was preparing to take flight once more, but he was so wrapped up in the moment that he hadn't noticed the ship dipping and rising with the waves. He turned to Honi, his eyebrows scrunching before looking back to the avian. Something from the North? If it belonged to someone then shouldn't there be a rider or-?
They're going to kill it!
Wasn't that what he was trying to do, just a few moments before?! If it were actually attacking them then maybe, but even now, as defensive as it was, the avian's wings were lowering as if the weight of them was too heavy to hold. What if it had been trying to rest on the mast and tore the sails on accident?
Pulling his blunderbuss from his back, Eliazer made the rash decision to rush toward the great beast. It gave cry of surprise and warning, raising once more to defend itself when he took a deep breath, praying it wouldn't attack, and turned around to aim at the crowd of sailor's.
Hopefully it would be enough to keep them from going all out on the poor thing and give Honi some time to figure something out. If she knew what it was then maybe she could figure out what to do with it.
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 11:24 am
[Corny via Discord]
Honi felt sadness pierce her chest at the sight. She understood the desire for self-preservation, but if the crew would only take a moment to really look at the poor creature... Eli's sudden move struck Honi speechless, a yelp stuck in her throat as she watched him run forward. Wait, he wasn't attacking. He was trying to help! Most of the crew kept their weapons up but paused with confusion. What was this stowaway doing defending the attacking monster?
One crewmember stepped forward with his crossbow lowered to aim right at Eli's chest. "You and that thing together? Did you make it attack us?!"
Honi hurried over to the ship captain and grabbed his arm, "Please, you have to stop your crew. That's a riding animal from the northern territories. The only reason one would be out this was was if someone had brought it here." She glanced at the bird again sadly. Considering its condition, it seemed to have somehow been separated from its master. "They're companion creatures, and it needs help."
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Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 11:44 am
[5/7]
Eliazer could now feel rather than see the creature making it's way forward. It was hesitantly taking a few steps forward, much to the chagrin of both Geian and the deckhands, but when it stopped just behind him Eli's heart couldn't have beat faster. Was it going to strike? If he turned too fast then he might spook it into attacking, but there was no way he could hide the near panicked way he was gulping...
And then a large, tired head butted against his back before resting there.
The ship's Captain, a burly Lightning man, looked down at Honi. His mix-matched gaze kept darting toward the avian, but after that he wasn't sure what to think. "If it's like you say then there might be someone lost out there, right? Or worse..."
"Awful far from land for it to be this far..."
"...probably why it looks like sh-"
As the voices started to murmur around him, the Captain shook his head. "If you don't want us to put it out of it's misery, what do you suggest we do with it? We can search for it's rider, but my men aren't equipped for-" He motioned vaguely to the avian who had a very uncomfortable Eliazer stunned.
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 2:52 pm
[Cornetified via Discord]
Honi practically fell over with relief when the firing stopped to leave both Eli and the bird standing. "I think we would be extremely lucky to find its owner," she admitted softly. Considering the condition of the bird from what she could see, it had been alone for a while. She looked back up at the captain and straightened up with determination. "It might be able to bounce back. It just needs some love. Please allow it to rest at the front there, and I will tend to it myself." She was speaking without giving too much thought to the process ahead. She was already laying out the map in her mind. She would clean the bird, bandage any injuries, fish for its meals, and give it companionship. However.. doing it was going to be much harder than thinking it.
She had to try though!
She looked back toward Eli and grinned brightly. She was going to take care of everything so even Eli would be free of any burden! He had enough on his plate as it was... Yet, it might be a good distraction for him as well. Seeing the pair was rather heartwarming though. After everything they had been going through so far... Her smile warmed as she carefully signed out to him. 'It likes you.'
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 3:01 pm
[6/7]
"Pretty bold for a stowaway." The Captain passed his discerning eye between Honi and then over toward the unlikely pair. Eliazer wasn't moving at all and for the moment neither was the kinfa. With his crew at an awkward standstill, the Captain gave an exhausted growl and rolled his eyes before turning back to Honi. "You work for any supplies you take and if it does anymore damage then it's gone. Got it?" Without waiting for a response the surly Captain turned to gather his crew and get back to work.
For his part, Eliazer was looking to Honi with a sort of awkward desperation. What was he supposed to do now? He'd been prepared for aggression and defensiveness, but now this great, hulking behemoth of a bird was touching him and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up-
And had she signed to him?! A full sentence, at that! His eyes widened, this time with heart filling smile, but when the kinfa scooted closer his expression shifted back. He shook his head, lowered his weapon, braced it on his thigh and signed, 'Help me.'
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 5:35 pm
[Corny via Discord]
Heat rushed over Honi's cheeks as she gave the captain a bashful but hopeful smile. Sometimes, bold was what was needed. Of course, surely Eli was the most bold, running forward as he had! Her bashfulness was swiftly replaced with joy and relief as the captain gave his allowances. "Absolutely, I will!" She nodded enthusiastically, even giving him a half bow though he was already turning away.
Now, she had quite a bit of work to do! At least it looked like she had signed correctly. The request made her giggle lightly. As much as she wanted to run over, she had trained enough to walk calmly over to the exhausted kinfa. It wouldn't do to have risked all that only to spook the beast now. "It'll be okay now," she said with a grin. "The captain is letting me take care of it." She held out her hand as she approached, and carefully stroked her hand along the bird's head. Just as quickly, her face rushed with heat again as she met Eli's eyes. "Thank you for what you did. That was brave.. and a bit stupid. You about gave me a heart attack." Her gaze dropped slightly. "I know you already have a lot on your mind, so you can leave everything for the kinfa to me. I don't want to add to your burden."
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Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 5:41 pm
[7/7]
Oh good. Eli would have rolled his eyes if the kinfa hadn't chosen that moment to raise it's head. Instead of resting against Eli's back the creature was content to lean against his shoulder and the Geian had to shift his blunderbuss out of the way. At first it was a little apprehensive, but once Honi's hand made content the creature let out a tired, contented noise. It leaned into her touch, heedless of the fact it was now leaning more onto Eli's body. At this rate it was going to topple him onto the deck!
"I'll help however I can." He had to brush part of a massive wing out of his way just to sign. "It was important to you that it lived so I didn't want it to get hurt. Besides, it felt wrong."
Posted: Sun Jan 29, 2023 6:28 pm
[Fin / Corny via Discord]
Honi couldn't help giggling a little more as Eli vanished into the mass of feathers. It made focusing on his words a little difficult, but what she understood made her smile. She couldn't linger though; there was much to do to get the avian back onto the road to recovery. With any luck, it would be healthy enough to catch its own food when they got to Belrea. She took a moment to coo and pet the ruffled beast to reassure it of her intentions while also getting a closer look at its condition. "Let's get it back to the front of the ship so it's out of the way of the crew." While the situation was tough, it was truly a welcome distraction from their woes.
