Welcome to Gaia! ::

Here is where the members of Group 1 will be able to discuss their RP and plot in detail. Hopefully, this thread comes in handy so that nobody gets too confused.

Just remember, this is supposed to fun. Don't spend more time plotting than RPing. Unless, of course, you want to.

*My Observations*

Masquerade seams to have a lot of Ground water, it would fit if the ground water of the affected areas was inter connected, Take the Ogalala River traverses underground waterways to provide water to the greater mid-west from Nebraska down to the Platte River of Missouri. If some unseen force for example contaminated the Ogalala with a large amount of Mercury it would only take about 2 weeks for it to affect most of the mid-west. Killing Fish, Plants and Animals with heavy metal poisoning. But thats because the ground water of the mid west is in rivers and not lakes, rivers move faster.

*Agrees with Haisyn* It would have to be intentionally polluted probably at multiple points for it to spread at Epidemic levels.

*For Games Sake*

Since I'm a scientist at heart *I* would suggest that the kids wear wet-suits under they're clothes to limit their exposure to toxins while working in the water. Most of the bodies waist is secreted through sweat glands and its just as easy for the body to absorb toxins by osmosis as it is to excrete them, thats why topical medicine works so well.

Sani will bring water purity test kits, roughly 5. Soil alkaline test kits. The Kits are small and easily stored so she won't think anything of bringing them. Talcum Powder would also be on the list because its an alternative means of keeping clean, when you don't have a good water supply. Iodine Tabs (In-case of ingestion of poisoned water).

Sani doesn't really know how to use a weapon, so she would bring a walking stick/staff a small knife of some kind, and pack a little extra creature comforts, Chocolate, Coffee, Tea, hard candy. EXTRA BATTERIES and HAND HELD RADIOS!!!

She is never without her necklace and stones.

And I agree about the boat, but at some point I think they would have to continue the trek on foot. i.e. a waterfall.

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~~Edit~~

And because my time online is unpredictable, I'm going to go ahead and post something small and insignificant in the RP. Gomen

Let's see. . . my two bits on this 'event'.

Hrrrrrm. *laughs* I agree with everything y'all have said about this possible contamination. The thing about this is even if it's just in a river, it still could be spreading deep underground. Depending on underground aquafers, as well as the surrounding soil/ground whatever is in the water could definitly spread over a large radius whether or not water is present. Yay for traveling through soil/gravel/etc. etc.

Now, is this a chemical or biological toxin? Just throwing out the possibility. . . some sort of parasite/disease that eats plant/animal flesh? Might be farfetched, but again, this is Masquerade. . . . Just throwing out another possibility. If it's a parasite then the dead beasts could still spread it to surrounding carrion eaters. . . Sure, it complicates the issue but. . . just. . .again. . .looking at thigns from all sorts of angles. :3

Boats are good, and gloves! Someone bring latex gloves please! They're going to have to test water and soil and dead animals. . . . I'm a thinking they're not going to want that to get on their skin. n_~

Satehl doesn't have any stones, but he does have a few skills. He has some minimal fighting/hand-to-hand combat skills Uta forced him to learn to get rid of his energy. x3 He also will be equipped with some nunchucks (uh. . . .careful. . . he's not really experienced with them, but it's better than nothing. o_O wink , and possibly some sort of staff. He can always carry that on his back or whatever if it gets in the way and I know he knows how to hit things! There may or may not be a yo-yo in his possession as well. *laughs* And there he may have more skill. . . *bets he played with them a little bit before he grew*

I think hatchets are in order, especially since they're roughing it. They're light, don't take up a lot of space, and can serve multiple purposes - cut wood, can spark flint to start a fire, can be used as a weapon, can cut through flesh and bone of animals, etc. etc. A little more sturdy and reliable then knives, and it doesn't take much skill to figure out how to use 'em.

I don't know how much of Masquerade is mapped out, but maps current and old might be good to have tucked away. This way they can make check points of where contamination is at its worst and sketch out how far its spread depending on their trails.

A journal would be good too to write down notes. I know they're all intelligent beings, but this way important details aren't overlooked or research isn't forgotten. :3 Again, no need for anything fancy, but something small to slip in a pocket. Or maybe some sort of recorder if no one wants to write.

I know there are iodine tabs and things, but someone needs a first-aid kit. . even if it's just a small one. Bandages, some guaze in case they run in to trouble, little scissors and tweazers. . . Yeah. Definitly a few medical supplies to be safe. Not only are they dealing with crazed animals and contaminated water, but they don't know who or what started this. . . . and there are still all the other natural predators of Masquerade lurking around. o.o;

So yeah. . . Satehl'll bring along the journal, the first-aid/disinfectant stuff, and a map or two. He'll have his weapons - a hatchet, a yo-yo, and maybe a staff. The staff is good to test unstable ground if they get in to marshy areas, as well as can help test river depth without necessarily walking in it.

A few small things like extra food - stuff that lasts like some jerky and dried meats, and some crackers. They don't go bad like bread and help keep folks filled without taking up much room.

And. . . . that's all I can think of right now. o.O;

The thing about a foreign parasite is... there's really no way the colonists COULD stop that as things stand. They can't exactly capture ALL of the animals and ship them somewhere to get treatment, and if it's traveling through/breeding in the water AND effecting the plants, too... I just don't see any way of stopping that. Foriegn antibiotics or something that kill the parasite might do as much damage as the parasite itself because it would kill the native creatures that might potentially be necessary to the environment, and parasites are going to do whatever it takes to perpetuate themselves, where as with a poison they could at least stop any more from being introduced into the ecosystem and it would eventually dilute or even break down enough for things to recover.

We can run with the parasite thing if you guys come up with something good, but just... it wouldn't be solved with this quest. It would be an ongoing thing the colonists will have to fight, possibly for years to come. There's no telling how far it would spread and where - or if - it would stop. Especially since it's obviously got a high reproduction rate if it's doing as much damage as it is as quickly as it is.

Unless of course they've been here for a while and we're only recently seeing the effects... but then the colonists themselves might be infected and just no one's seen any side effects yet, and we'd have to take into account people getting sick while the kids are out, if the kids don't get sick themselves, and if they're out in the middle of nowhere when it happens... =|

I'M NOT SAYING IT WOULDN'T BE FUN TO RUN WITH. It actually sounds like fun. :3 I just want us to be sure we're really willing to deal with the consequences if Gee and Chae let us do that. XD;

Edit: And I meant... extra bottle water. Everyone should bring a little extra, because there's no telling how much it might be needed.

As far as leadership goes... Ashy could take a leadership role, but she'd be uncomfortable to say the least. For entertainment, directing construction, and maybe a fight she'd be good, but for most other sorts of things, like little every-day things, she's used to letting other people handle it or do her own thing.

Parasites are more complicated. :3 We can just stick with a poisen or whatever, and figure out where the source is coming from. I'm pretty chill about what happens so it's all good.

We can always introduce plagues or disease later on, since every planet has 'em. For now I'm game if we stick to poison/chemicals.

This is where I'm gonna have to do my science homework. x] Who here is the brilliant scientist? I'll leave what it might be to you guys since I'm . . . absolutely noooo good when it comes to this stuff. *laughs* Its amazing I passed chemistry and certain sciences at all!