Player Plot: The Big One?

[gatheringstorm]

WHO: Korrin, Araceli, Samouel, Kirk, Christine, Tim Gutterson, The Outsider, Iskandar, Kain (the last thread is open to anyone)
WHAT: Nuggalope shenanigans
WHEN: Any time in the latter portion of Harvestmere
WHERE: In the northern Frostbacks, near Honey Badger Hold.
NOTES: As mentioned here in the OOC comm.

 

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The journey there

[gatheringstorm]

[It isn't a long trip to Honey Badger Hold or a long stay there, merely overnight. Korrin's glad to socialize with Asher's people again and introduce Araceli to them, but she's even more eager to get going and see these elusive creatures at long last. So she's up earlier than one might expect for someone who spent the night drinking and story-telling. Never underestimate Avvar hangover cures.

She follows their directions exactly, not wanting to deviate and risk losing their best chane, but she can also multitask and be social with people. As long as they don't distract Korrin from her ultimate goal, she's willing to chat with them.]

[aceso]

[ Christine is far less interested in capturing nuggalopes than she is in seeing the Avvar hold and its people again. When she arrives, she finds herself staring up at the spot where Asher's soul flew up to the Lady of the Skies. She's always liked the imagery of birds, because she long thought herself to be a caged one when she wanted to be one flying free. But since Asher's death, she's come to enjoy watching birds fly even more.

Eventually, she stops watching and tries to be a good guest, accepting drink that is far too strong and enjoying hearing stories. She's smiling more this time around too. And if a certain augur just so happens to be around, she might make her presence known. For, uh, politeness's sake. ]

[universal_charm]

_{[ Kirk comes up to Christine during one of her bird watching moments. He hadn't thought to come back here, and it was not quite so spiritual or meaningful a place as it obviously was for some others. He had not been quite so close to Asher, after all, but he did like this place. ]}

Do you know what kind they are? The birds, I mean.

[aceso]

Oh, well. [ She lets out an awkward laugh. ] Some sort of carrion bird, I would think. That spot is where the hold leave out their dead.

[ But it sounds less spiritual and meaningful when she puts it like that. ]

But I watch them because of what they represent. They are the ones who carried Asher's soul to his Lady of the Skies.

hay gurl hay

[boneflayer]

[The hunters had spoken of the new arrivals coming up the mountain, Torbjorn shaking his head most of the way but saying that he would keep an eye on them. A less formal greeting this time. A happier circumstance, different faces but some familiar now.

He has duties to attend to but there are duties he has passed into the hands of another belonging down in the lowlands, and when time allows him, Gjurd seeks out Christine before she might catch him in the midst of a lesson with his apprentice.]

The spirits spoke of your coming. How fare you? [Aura's words had been for Lady Vauquelin when Yngvi's scrawled letter finally made it to them but there is grief everywhere throughout the land these days, it grows fat with it. Still his smile comes easily this time, lights up his whole face. Unfair isn't it, an augur being this handsome.]

oo, mr gjurd, oo

[aceso]

[ His voice shouldn't be familiar to her -- not after one previous meeting -- but she recognizes it as she's looking down into her cup, wondering just what it is she's drinking. Her head snaps up and she grins wide on seeing him again. There's something about this man that puts her at ease. Perhaps it's the way he speaks, or his calm demeanor. She's had no occasion to see him in any other state. ]

Gjurd! Hello!

[ She realizes she sounds as though she's already drunk, but it's really just her excitement in seeing him again. He's someone to speak of spirits with. And more that simply that, of course. Her smile turns slightly embarrassed and she lowers her eyes. ]

I wish I could say quite well, but it would be a lie. There has been more death in my life since I last saw you. I hope it will be the last for some time. But what of yourself?

[foxsays]

[By the end of the journey, part of Araceli is regretting it, at least a little. Her hand is mostly fine though she's got gloves on thanks to the warnings about the cold up in the mountains, unwilling to have the joint stiffen up too much. It's hard on her leg though even if everything holds without bleeding or aching enough to worry her.

Good thing she has both the cane and the crutch, thought the instant the formal greetings are over she finds the nearest fire to sit by, massaging her right leg as Lux flops onto his back with his feet in the air.

The drink is surprisingly good, far better than the usual at Skyhold and Araceli is happy enough to talk or listen to a tale as she tries to stretch out her leg.]

[gatheringstorm]

[Korrin knows that Araceli can't get better without moving around on her own accord, so she tries not to be smothering in her concern. Even so, if Araceli seems to be in any actual pain, Korrin will be right at her side with medicine taken from the healing tents in anticipation of this. Smirking at Lux, she rubs his belly a little before coming to sit by Araceli.]

I can take over the massaging if you'd like, kadan.

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ Kirk questioned Araceli being on this journey. She didn't seem to be in the physical condition for it, and being out here on this journey would only stress wounds that probably shouldn't risk it. Permanent damage would come a lot easier out here than it would in his own world.

He comes over to her and sits down in front of her, rubbing his own hands together to warm them up and makes a motion for her to give him her leg. ]</sub>

Come on, let me help with that.

[el_tybs]

[The journey to Honey Badger Hold isn't terrible, but he did have to spend a good amount of it as a bear. Mostly because Kirk kept asking him and giving him a look - kind of like a sad puppy dog thing - and a bit because he was trying to show that he didn't have any ill feelings about being shot in the ass, even if he still is a little sore sitting down from time to time.

Once they get to the hold he's quick to turn back, not wanting to necessarily wanting to cause any issues, or get caught up with people asking him about that particular magic. Course he wouldn't be against finding out if the mages in the Hold had something similar and any advice.

He does pay a visit to where they sent Asher to the Lady in the Sky, though he tries to think fondly on their time together rather then think about saying goodbye. After that he is off again to look at what the merchants have to offer.]

[gatheringstorm]

[Pausing by him, Korrin stares thoughtfully at where Asher had lain not soo long ago. She rests her hand on Sam's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.]

I'm glad you decided to come back with us, Sam.

[universal_charm]

<sub>[ It was not a sad puppy dog look, Sam - his eyes did not get quite that big and wet. It was quiet begging for a bit of fun on this journey, because it was a journey for fun, at least in his mind. There was no serious mission, no one to try and rescue, no one they might have to kill. Just nuggalopes. A ridiculous sounding creature, to be sure, but that just made it more entertaining.

However, he will not argue aloud as it worked and he grinned as he swayed with Sam's rolling walk in his bear form, reaching out to scratch behind his ears, his horse currently tethered to another further down the line (who seemed happy enough to lose Kirk's extra weight). ]</sub>

You look quite handsome as a bear, Sam.

Arrival, placing lures, and double-checking plans

[gatheringstorm]

[The clearing in the valley mentioned is rather large, all the more so for the lack of nuggalopes so far. Korrin's a little disappointed at not seeing them right away, but she was told they would need incentive to appear. Hence, lures. So she'll pass those out to everyone who wants to assist in placing them, speaking up as she goes so.]

Alright, time to get their attention. I know it should be obvious, but I'll say it anyway; we're here to acquire mounts, not hunting trophies. Non-lethal traps and maneuvers only. The Avvar have ridden them before, so they're not completely wild. We just need to get them to recognize us as riders. Lure them in, then it's time for the fun part. Just be careful not to spook them and we should be fine. Questions?

[in_death_sacrifice]

Don't worry, I don't intend to cause them any harm. Do you know if anything in particular sets them off? Any actions we should avoid, spots they usually prefer not to be touched...?

[Kain is far more familiar with dracolisks and dragons than other creatures, but even that experience tells him some things. All animals have things that spook them in general. There are always variations to those behaviors, of course, but it's good to know up front what to typically be wary of.]

[foxsays]

[Carefully leaning her weight on her cane - easier to move about with that instead of the crutch though she's stashed that nearby should she require it - Araceli accepts a lure, nudging Lux out of the way.

She might not have a lot of experience with land animals even after a year or so in Thedas but she knows a bit from her studies here and at home as her fox investigates, sniffing about. Might come in handy actually, if Lux doesn't get more spooked by the nugs or set them off even if he's much smaller than they are.]

Trying not to startle any of them would be good, no? Startle one and the rest might take fright - none of us wish to be trampled.

Nuggalope-wrangling

[gatheringstorm]

Team 1 (Korrin, Araceli, The Outsider)

[gatheringstorm]

[gatheringstorm]

Andraste's ass....

[When the first nuggalopes arrive, Korrin stares in awe. Their smaller cousins have never impressed her, but these creatures are truly majestic in her eyes. Those large horns curving back remind her of her own, and she grins. If only Asher and Mal could see them now. She can envision it clearly, the three of them reach riding their own war nug....

Ahem. Korrin snaps back to reality, knowing that if nothing else, she can make that happen for herself right now and perhaps Mal later on.]

Right, let's do this.

Team 2 (Sam, Christine, Tim)

[gatheringstorm]

[aceso]

"Oh, that is--" Christine says a bit breathlessly at the sight of the creature. Those horns look made to gore someone. "All right, step one worked. Who wants to be in charge of step two? And by that, I mean, who wants to climb up there and tame him?"

Team 3 (Kain, Kirk, Iskandar)

[gatheringstorm]

[in_death_sacrifice]

They'll definitely make for strong and sturdy mounts, he'll give them that. Kain watches the incoming nuggalopes closely for a moment, wanting to get a feel for how they move. Of course, he's tempted to dash in and see whether he can get upon one of their backs, but patience is more essential here.

"This can't be much harder than wrangling dracolisks..." Possibly. They definitely aren't the same, though.

Return to Skyhold (Open)

[gatheringstorm]

[If ever there was a moment for dramatic musical accompaniment, this would be it. Astride a legendary nuggalope, the ground thundering from the passage of others all around her, Korrin is grinning from ear to ear. They actually managed to pull this off, and it's just starting to sink in that this isn't a fantasy. The guards of the main gates just stop and stare as they approach, as though unable to quite process what they're seeing. For her part, the Vashoth woman laughs and waves, then laughs anew as she glances over to her companions. Sure, they're making a spectacle, but don't they deserve it? No one has brought back nuggalopes, until now.]

C'mon, let's get them to the stables!

[in_death_sacrifice]

[The nuggalope is much larger than his favored mount, but Kain is adjusting, getting used to the way the creature moves. There's something to be said for the heavy, commanding presence that they create, especially a whole group of them like this. Though he's picked one that's apparently very curious about everything, so he does have to stop it from veering off sometimes, or get it going when it stops to sniff random plants.]

[As it's doing right now.]

Come on, now, you just ate. [He pats the nuggalope's side and gives a squeeze of his legs, urging it to move along as would work with smaller mounts. The nuggalope snorts, but finally listens after a moment.]

[gatheringstorm]

[That gets Korrin to laugh as she glances over. Hers was difficult to win-over but it was well worth it for such a spirited creature.]

Watch out when you dismount; apparently, they like to chew on hair. I'd hate to see what it'd do to yours.