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). ]
Ever since her mentor had mentioned escorting several Elaria to Matori after their visit Ika had shown an interest in going. She’d never traveled outside of Tale and Jauhar, nor had she ever had reason to. Several members of her bloodline had crossed the sea to Belrea while her own mother had seen every corner of Tendaji. Up until that moment Ika was perfectly content in her lessons, but now she found herself wondering. What were the shores like? The food? And as much as she wouldn’t admit it, she found herself missing the Elaria.
It had been a group of three sisters, all bloomed to a pair in Zinris, whose mother had apparently been great friend’s with Ika’s mentor. She’d promised the girls would come to no harm in Chibale and they hadn’t, so that same protection would see them to a ship. It may have been a simple enough trip; just an escort mission, a bit of talking and a cart ride home if it weren’t for the rumors of a beast ‘terrorizing’ the place.
She’d branched away from the group to see what she could and when Ika came across some tracks in the sand near the base of a strange, sea side cliff she moved closer to inspect them.
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2022 1:26 pm
[Corny via Discord]
With her main quest completed, Luleta took the opportunity to explore a little more of Matori. It was unlikely that she would be returning any time soon, so it was best to make the most of the time she had. She wore a broad brimmed hat that had a thin cloth draped over the front the protect her eyes from the blinding sun. While the staring of the earthlings was a bit obnoxious, there was no masking her large stature.
Well, she wasn't going to let some creepy-eyed earthlings intimidate her into hiding away on her first trip to the big island!
Finding out a strange creature was running amok was something else. It was a bit intimidating to think of hunting a creature that she knew nothing about, but it was also a challenge that she could not turn down! What better way to conquer a "new world" than to take on such a beast? A few hints that she had gotten led her to the shore near the cliff. There was no strange creature yet, but there was an earthling there. Brow rising, she walked a little closer before raising her hand. "Hello. I heard that there is a dangerous beast around here." She smirked lightly. "Unless they're describing you, you might want to head back to town."
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2022 1:27 pm
Ika turned away from the tracks and noted an Aishan making her way closer. While it wasn’t entirely uncommon to see Elaria now that tensions were ‘settling’, especially after being with the group she’d just left, it was still odd enough to claim the hybrid’s attention for a bit. Unlike her full-blooded counterpart, Ika’s Aishan heritage was much more subtle. Or rather, it would have been if not for her size. Earthling features aside, she was every bit as large as her Alkidike mother with the marks to solidify it.
With a cocked brow, Ika raised her head and gave a vague gesture to the swords hanging from her hips. “I can handle myself.” She smirked and gave an imaginary ‘tip of the hat’. “So unless they’re talking about you there’s a mystery out here, and I mean to find it. If you’re as bold in a fight as you are with your approach, then maybe we could work together. I’ve already found some tracks, got some ideas, but if you ain’t keen on being a team player then that stays with me.”
Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2022 1:29 pm
[Corny via Discord]
It took a moment for the other's size to register for her. Luleta was growing accustomed to expecting others to be shorter, but the other's long limbs looked.. normal!
She was also growing accustomed to others not appreciating too many questions, so she held her tongue for the time being. It wasn't difficult though; the stranger's words immediately had her attention. "Well, I could be talking about me.. but I assure you I am no danger unless you make me one," she replied with her grin growing further. "If you are willing, I would be glad to join you. I am not from around here, so any assistance is appreciated. I am Luleta." After a short pause to make sure the stranger was serious, she walked forward for a closer look at the tracks. "You believe these are the prints of the beast?"
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Posted: Mon Dec 26, 2022 1:38 pm
[3/7]
Ika let out a low chuckle and and cocked a toothy grin. "Only if you promise to bite." Running a hand through her curled dreads, Ika crouched down close to the tracks and followed the outline with her finger just hovering above them. She didn't want to disturb the impressions, lest she ruin them, but committing the sight to memory was key.
"I think it's a good start. Largest in the area, freshest too; most of the others have either been covered by the wind or washed away." Motioning toward the tips on the 'toes', she added, "See that? Clawed. Possibly meat eater."
Pausing to rest her arm on her thigh, Ika looked up. "Name's Ika, by the way."
Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2023 1:13 pm
[Corny via Discord]
The playful request caught Luleta by surprise, but a smirk of her own easily grew. "Well, if the situation calls for it," she teased as she followed further down the direction the tracks followed. "It doesn't seem to have been hunting anything here. More like it was simply on a stroll. Perhaps we will get lucky and find it still in a good mood?" Considering that she was rather out of her element, she would not be adverse to gaining a slight advantage in the hunt.
"Ika. It is a pleasure." Her gaze shifted from the tracks to the steep cliffside looming over them. The image of a clawed beast leaping at them from above made her nose wrinkle slightly. "Hopefully it does not use those claws for climbing.." That would be a distinct disadvantage for them!
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Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2023 12:43 pm
[4/7]
"If it's eaten it's fill then it should be slower; better to gut it if it attacks." She said it in a casual murmur, but the words were far from a playful jest. The hybrid wasn't opposed to harming it, even if it attacked in defense, but if she didn't have to she wouldn't. In all honesty she was hoping the rumors were just baseless talk and it was something stupid like an alol with an extra head or something.
The tracks, though...those were suspicious.
"I don't think it does. Look between the tracks; the sands smoother. Like it's stomach is low to the ground." While that didn't mean it couldn't climb she was thinking more along the lines of it coming at them from the water instead.
Posted: Wed Jan 25, 2023 11:22 am
[Corny via Discord]
She crouched down again to inspect the sandy tracks. "Hmm, you're right. Does Matori have any underground predators then? Something that might hide under the sand or in the shallows of the water?" Luleta smirked lightly as she stood. "Or, considering how worked up the townsfolk are, perhaps it has simply gotten fat from eating up the town supplies." She resumed followed the tracks and put a hand onto her blade. If it was moving slow, they might come upon it faster than expected. "Did any of your sources have a single sighting of the beast?
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Posted: Wed Feb 01, 2023 5:10 pm
[5/7]
Ika gave a ‘hmm’ and furrowed her brow. “I’m not sure about anything underground, but I know about some that could be in the shallows. I only know what I’ve read though and no one’s actually seen the thing so I don’t-“
A low, throaty growl echoed from above her and Ika had only a fraction of a section to look toward the cliff side before a pair of long, toothy jaws clamped shut where her head had been. She let out a harsh curse. “Scratch that! They can climb!” Infront of her, hanging on the side of the cliff, was possibly the biggest snaptrotter she’d ever seen. It’s massive body was the perfect hue to blend in with it’s environment, but those eyes…they were as red as gems. “This doesn’t make sense! If it’s here then those tracks can’t belong to this one; they don’t match up.” It gave another snap, causing her to take another step back and this time bump into Luleta.
Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2023 12:43 pm
[Corny via Discord]
The growl made Luleta's hair curl with dread. As exciting as hunting a new monster was, she was reminded of how nerve-wracking it could also be! She yanked her blades loose as Ika dodged away from the cliff. "By Elzira!" She was lucky that the beast hadn't taken a bite at her own head as she'd passed by!
"Couldn't it have just looped back?" she asked with a rough shake of her hair. She needed to focus. There was no time to be intimidated by those snapping jaws! The beast seemed far too big to be hanging on the cliff like that, which only made the scene worse. The impact made her take a step back, and she used the momentum to take Ika's arm and pull the both of them a few steps further away. She was barely able to hear the hollow hiss coming up from behind them above the blood rushing in her ears. It didn't sound nearly as close as their current foe, so she unconsciously dismissed it for the moment. "Just tell me how we take it down."
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2023 1:51 pm
[6/7]
“Maybe!” If it weren’t for Luleta she may not have been able to dodge the second bite, and Ika couldn’t resist snarling back at the beast. Her feet shifted around in the sand, one hand reaching for her own blade when she heard a weird sound. At first she didn’t want to turn away from the beast in front of them, but on a whim she looked back, and was glad she had!
“See anything around the cliff they could be guarding? They don’t look like they’re starving so I doubt they’re out for food.” Ika freed both of her blades and shifted so that her back was against the Elarian’s.
Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 6:47 pm
[Corny via Discord]
Luleta felt her stomach sink slightly. Even if she hadn't seen the danger behind them, she knew what it meant when Ika pressed against her back. Grouping up had simply seemed like a good idea before, and now she was utterly relieved they had. She let out a low breath to keep herself calm and turned her attention to the cliff with one eye still on the long row of teeth the creature kept showing her.
"Doesn't look like they'd mind a little extra food," she grumbled, carefully standing taller to see along the rock and sand above. She could see a fair sized mound of earth among the dry ferns, but not much else. However, when the creatures paused their hissing, she noticed a couple faint squeaks that came from the mound. "They might be guarding offspring," she said slowly, brow knitting with concern. While she was more than ready to defend herself.. "I'd rather not kill them if we can avoid it, if they're just protecting their young."
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Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2023 7:26 pm
[7/7]
"Ah." Ika pursed her lips. She could see a shift in the snaptrotter infront of her as well as feel a shift in Luleta. Whenever she moved, presumably to look in another direction, it paused. At first Ika didn't know what to make of it, but now she felt sure it was as close to waiting on bated breath as a creature of it's ilk could. "The rumors said it was a 'beast who kept attacking tourists'. Sounds more like they've made a nest when the beach was out of season and now that it is...." With little ones to guard it left little for her to wonder why they would be hostile.
"I agree. It wouldn't feel right to hurt them if they're just protecting their young. Maybe we can talk to someone about putting up a blockade? And maybe leave them some extra food."
Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2023 9:42 am
[Corny via Discord]
"Sounds like it." Luleta pressed her lips slightly. The large beast was still locked on her, ready to strike at the first misstep on her part. She could see her own mothers striking out at possible threats around her and her sister, and looking just as scary!
"We'll do that. Let's get out of here first." She took a slow step to one side toward the water. The snapptrotter hissed out in warning, but remained where it was. It was a bit of a disappointment to be walking away from the hunt with no prize. Still, it had been exciting and she would have another story to share with her family once she returned home.
