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乙巳 005: 小暑
Jul. 2nd, 2025 04:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
singlemilletgrain[video broadcast]
[Is it time for another Yanese festival? Shu bows to the video feed with her usual greeting.]
Hello, Corsairs. We are in the midst of difficult times, once more. I am glad that our aims have succeeded thus far, but it seems as if the fighting will become more pitched shortly.
Perhaps some levity is in order. In Yanese culture... [here we go again] the middle of the seventh month of the Lunar Year is called the Hungry Ghost Festival. The correct word would be preta or 餓鬼. It isn't the best translation, but there is a folk belief that the spirits of the ancestors return during this time and need to be honored, then escorted back to the afterlife. Normally, this is a very solemn affair, but of course, as ancestral veneration is not a part of your cultures, we can focus on the merriment.
Please join me this evening. We will make paper lanterns and paper boats and escort them down the river to the beyond.
If that is not to your liking... [there is a faint twinkle in her eyes] Perhaps we may share some ghost stories.
[action, by a River Somewhere That Is Definitely a Real River in this setting]
[The days are long in the summer. When the first rays of the sun begin to glimmer golden red as it descends below the horizon, Shu appears with quite a large number of candles, folding paper, and calligraphy pens.]
We guide the souls of the ancestors back to the beyond. The flowing water is the barrier between life and death. The river escorts them. We honor them with a few words and we write our hopes for them upon these lanterns.
The ancestors, of course, do not have to be your actual ancestors.
[action, for Turtles]
[It is high time that they keep their appointment andhear embarrassing stories about Donnie when he was a wee turtlekin share a meal together. Having some experience now with Raph's bottomless pit of an appetite and his, ah... completely undiscerning palate, Shu has thought long and hard about how best to improve his experience with food. The feast she has prepared is slightly different: instead of being set out family style, she plans to bring out one dish at a time so as to guide the direction of the meal more closely.
Of course, he is equally as likely to just inhale everything as he is to learn anything, but one can only try one's best.
She leaves the door unlocked for them. They are welcome to come in and out whenever they please, even if she has never actually said this.]
[Is it time for another Yanese festival? Shu bows to the video feed with her usual greeting.]
Hello, Corsairs. We are in the midst of difficult times, once more. I am glad that our aims have succeeded thus far, but it seems as if the fighting will become more pitched shortly.
Perhaps some levity is in order. In Yanese culture... [here we go again] the middle of the seventh month of the Lunar Year is called the Hungry Ghost Festival. The correct word would be preta or 餓鬼. It isn't the best translation, but there is a folk belief that the spirits of the ancestors return during this time and need to be honored, then escorted back to the afterlife. Normally, this is a very solemn affair, but of course, as ancestral veneration is not a part of your cultures, we can focus on the merriment.
Please join me this evening. We will make paper lanterns and paper boats and escort them down the river to the beyond.
If that is not to your liking... [there is a faint twinkle in her eyes] Perhaps we may share some ghost stories.
[action, by a River Somewhere That Is Definitely a Real River in this setting]
[The days are long in the summer. When the first rays of the sun begin to glimmer golden red as it descends below the horizon, Shu appears with quite a large number of candles, folding paper, and calligraphy pens.]
We guide the souls of the ancestors back to the beyond. The flowing water is the barrier between life and death. The river escorts them. We honor them with a few words and we write our hopes for them upon these lanterns.
The ancestors, of course, do not have to be your actual ancestors.
[action, for Turtles]
[It is high time that they keep their appointment and
Of course, he is equally as likely to just inhale everything as he is to learn anything, but one can only try one's best.
She leaves the door unlocked for them. They are welcome to come in and out whenever they please, even if she has never actually said this.]
A Sudden Shut-In
Mar. 6th, 2025 08:00 pmstraykittyAfter returning from the impromptu raid she had organized, Renne Bright has locked herself in her room. It's only been a few days, and she's been sending for food so she is eating, but she hasn't really been present. If you try to contact her on the Ether-net, you'll be greeted by her "Kitty-bot" who will provide automatic responses for her. It's a neat bit of technology, and reasonably good at giving appropriate information, but it's definitely not passing things along to Renne, so far as anyone can tell.
If folks are concerned, however, they might be able to check on her. She's been briefly answering her door for food, after all.
If folks are concerned, however, they might be able to check on her. She's been briefly answering her door for food, after all.
003 - A Body in Motion Stays in Motion
Mar. 6th, 2025 01:47 ampurplexingThere's always room for improvement. This isn't any new realization so much as a long established fact. It seems that with ever mission and undertaking that Donnie goes through, he finds there's just so much more he doesn't know, or that he can get better at.
Truthfully the past month's left him a bit strained, or at least that's how he's felt. Maybe it's because of the raid, maybe the mission. Maybe the encounter with that horrible duchess. He doesn't know. The previous month had been busier than he'd expected, leaving him no time to go and see if his family was still where he knew them to be, but then he'd been reluctant to check after the address from the Emperor.
He's been restless, always seeking distractions, and with the Corsairs there at least never seems to be a lack for things to do. Repairs to be seen to, new ideas to be drafted and crafted. Upgrades to apply.
I. Armory A
The Armory's a normal haunt for him. He's made progress on the repairs for the Armor he'd scavenged some months back and he's eager to test it out. While he can't do any flying inside, he can at least run through movements, and with the lighter build, it makes it a bit easier to execute more natural moves.
While typically a Feder isn't armed with a polearm, for mobility testing purposes, Donnie's borrowed a spear from a Lanze. It's difficult to pull off the same maneuvers he would with his own staff, but sticking to more basic motions, he tests response times and range of movement, putting the sleek armor through a few drills.
II. Armory B
Perhaps you come across the turtlekin when he's at a workbench, carefully crafting the settings for some very small ether stones. His ENC bracer's currently being used as a paperweight atop one of many schematics he's drawn up, and off to one side his staff rests in its separate sections, along with its normally hidden internal mechanisms. Is that a grappling hook? And the slim knife is certainly a new edition.
As usual he's caught up in his work, not at all meaning to be rude towards any visitors, but you'll have to excuse him for not noticing you there. He also tends to wear his earmuffs tight when in the Armory since it gets loud.
III. Training Rooms
The training dummy before him has seen better days. Unfortunately, as a training dummy, it doesn't have much options for better days, and the rooms have seen plenty more use of late. Today's no exception, and the green lad in the purple mask isn't holding back on his strikes.
A dull metal ring echoes with each hit he makes with his staff, leaving indentations on the dummy between each spin and thrust. He's not sure how long he's been beating up on the thing, but it's a quick way to expend some restless energy. Maybe he's been at it too long, or maybe he just hit the thing too hard, but there's a clang as the titanium staff's slipped from his hands and fallen to the floor, rolling off some ways.
IV. Free Play
((OOC: Need him for anything else or want to do something elsewhere in the Vault? Insert option here!))
Truthfully the past month's left him a bit strained, or at least that's how he's felt. Maybe it's because of the raid, maybe the mission. Maybe the encounter with that horrible duchess. He doesn't know. The previous month had been busier than he'd expected, leaving him no time to go and see if his family was still where he knew them to be, but then he'd been reluctant to check after the address from the Emperor.
He's been restless, always seeking distractions, and with the Corsairs there at least never seems to be a lack for things to do. Repairs to be seen to, new ideas to be drafted and crafted. Upgrades to apply.
I. Armory A
The Armory's a normal haunt for him. He's made progress on the repairs for the Armor he'd scavenged some months back and he's eager to test it out. While he can't do any flying inside, he can at least run through movements, and with the lighter build, it makes it a bit easier to execute more natural moves.
While typically a Feder isn't armed with a polearm, for mobility testing purposes, Donnie's borrowed a spear from a Lanze. It's difficult to pull off the same maneuvers he would with his own staff, but sticking to more basic motions, he tests response times and range of movement, putting the sleek armor through a few drills.
II. Armory B
Perhaps you come across the turtlekin when he's at a workbench, carefully crafting the settings for some very small ether stones. His ENC bracer's currently being used as a paperweight atop one of many schematics he's drawn up, and off to one side his staff rests in its separate sections, along with its normally hidden internal mechanisms. Is that a grappling hook? And the slim knife is certainly a new edition.
As usual he's caught up in his work, not at all meaning to be rude towards any visitors, but you'll have to excuse him for not noticing you there. He also tends to wear his earmuffs tight when in the Armory since it gets loud.
III. Training Rooms
The training dummy before him has seen better days. Unfortunately, as a training dummy, it doesn't have much options for better days, and the rooms have seen plenty more use of late. Today's no exception, and the green lad in the purple mask isn't holding back on his strikes.
A dull metal ring echoes with each hit he makes with his staff, leaving indentations on the dummy between each spin and thrust. He's not sure how long he's been beating up on the thing, but it's a quick way to expend some restless energy. Maybe he's been at it too long, or maybe he just hit the thing too hard, but there's a clang as the titanium staff's slipped from his hands and fallen to the floor, rolling off some ways.
IV. Free Play
((OOC: Need him for anything else or want to do something elsewhere in the Vault? Insert option here!))
乙巳 004: 大寒
Jan. 24th, 2025 12:53 pmsinglemilletgrain[video broadcast]
Greetings again, Corsairs.
[As usual, following a bow, Shu addresses the video feed with perfect poise and elegance.]
After the... challenging events of the New Year's mission, I wish to call for some levity. In Yan, as the year changes, we visit the temples to have our fortunes told for the coming year. It is just for fun, of course. In Dahuang, I keep a place of worship to... [a faint pause] a Xian of agriculture, Shennong, and occasionally run the festivities.
Please come by. There will be traditional New Year's food, of course.
[If anyone has learned anything about Yan at this point, it is that they have Too Many Holiday Traditions and Too Much Food.]
[option 1: just for fun]
[Shu's doorway is vibrantly decorated in red and gold, and when she ushers you in, the most immediate sight is the table filled with plates and plates of food. Mostly dumplings, for dumplings are easiest for visitors, but also whole fish, noodle dishes, and sticky rice.
To the side, there is a little chest with two sets of burning incense at either side. Fortune seekers are invited to kneel, burn incense if they wish, pray for luck from whatever deity or the general karmic wheel of the universe, and then reach out for a container of what look like sticks. There is a little sign explaining this is the tradition of 'qiu qian,' beseeching insight from the gods.
One must ask a clear question, shake the container a few times, and pull out a stick.]
[option 2: the real thing]
[Shu sits at her 'priest's seat' and laughs lightly at the interpretation of the fortune received. Perhaps she sees something more ponderous in your eyes, for after a moment or two, she clasps her hands together and exhales lightly, bowing her head.
Her red pupils have constricted to tiny dots when she raises her head once more.]
...I could give you a better fortune, if you wish.
((If you pick option 2, Shu will either tell you in very vague prophetic terms something that may or may not happen in the future of your canon, something that happened in the past of your canon, or give you a random item that might be useful to you this year. If you pick option 1, it will be total nonsense.))
Greetings again, Corsairs.
[As usual, following a bow, Shu addresses the video feed with perfect poise and elegance.]
After the... challenging events of the New Year's mission, I wish to call for some levity. In Yan, as the year changes, we visit the temples to have our fortunes told for the coming year. It is just for fun, of course. In Dahuang, I keep a place of worship to... [a faint pause] a Xian of agriculture, Shennong, and occasionally run the festivities.
Please come by. There will be traditional New Year's food, of course.
[If anyone has learned anything about Yan at this point, it is that they have Too Many Holiday Traditions and Too Much Food.]
[option 1: just for fun]
[Shu's doorway is vibrantly decorated in red and gold, and when she ushers you in, the most immediate sight is the table filled with plates and plates of food. Mostly dumplings, for dumplings are easiest for visitors, but also whole fish, noodle dishes, and sticky rice.
To the side, there is a little chest with two sets of burning incense at either side. Fortune seekers are invited to kneel, burn incense if they wish, pray for luck from whatever deity or the general karmic wheel of the universe, and then reach out for a container of what look like sticks. There is a little sign explaining this is the tradition of 'qiu qian,' beseeching insight from the gods.
One must ask a clear question, shake the container a few times, and pull out a stick.]
[option 2: the real thing]
[Shu sits at her 'priest's seat' and laughs lightly at the interpretation of the fortune received. Perhaps she sees something more ponderous in your eyes, for after a moment or two, she clasps her hands together and exhales lightly, bowing her head.
Her red pupils have constricted to tiny dots when she raises her head once more.]
...I could give you a better fortune, if you wish.
((If you pick option 2, Shu will either tell you in very vague prophetic terms something that may or may not happen in the future of your canon, something that happened in the past of your canon, or give you a random item that might be useful to you this year. If you pick option 1, it will be total nonsense.))
Quest 07 (Open + Closed)
Jan. 18th, 2025 11:48 amnewmemorywhodisi. Making new, wolfy friends [Open]
In the wild areas near Elysium, Link’s been exploring. It’s a common activity for him. There’s mushrooms and flowers to pick, game to hunt, monsters to fight…
…Then one day, while he’s up in a tree collecting some bird’s eggs, he spots a wolf. A big wolf. A really, really big wolf. It’s as big as a horse.
And once he makes that mental connection, Link immediately thinks, I could ride that.
Which naturally means Link now has to find out if he can. He pulls out a Sneaky Elixir, and swiftly swallows it - demeaning the sounds of his movements. Silently uses his paraglider to move from tree to tree, getting closer. And then carefully drops down behind the massive, monstrous wolf.
He crouches down. Creeps forward. Slowly, slowly. Until he’s right behind the beast, so close he could reach out and touch its fur.
And then he leaps up onto its back, and grabs on.
The wolf yelps and snarls - but Link’s got a good position, and he doesn’t let it twist back and bite him. He just directs the beast to run, and keeps a good hold.
What do you know, he can ride it!
ii. A retrieval of memories [locked to Shu]
Shu had spoken to the Admiral. They’d tracked down the Imperial Commander who’d been given Link’s Purah Pad.
And then they’d sneaked onto the Commander’s warship and completely trashed his quarters.
Well, Link had trashed his quarters. Shu was a bit too dignified for such wanton destruction, but Link wasn’t. And he didn’t regret it either, since in the process, he’d found the Pad!
Now, their getaway was nearly complete. Here in a small alleyway in Elysium, they were far from the scene of the crime. The Crimson Portal wasn’t far off.
But Link had to pause. He hadn’t had a chance yet, but - he had to see. Were all of his pictures still on the Purah Pad? Were they safe?
He pulls out the Pad, and turns it on. And turns to the photo gallery.
iii. Link has a slide show and he’s gonna make you watch it [semi-closed]
Later, Link thinks of all the new people he’d met. People who’d helped him grow plants from home, or who’d shown interest in things from his home. Shu wasn't the only one who he knew would like to see his pictures.
Before, he hadn't had any way of sharing these images of his home. But…now he could.
So Link tracks those people down. Says, “Hi,” when he finds them. And then shoves the Purah Pad - with a picture from Hyrule that would interest them on the screen - right in their face.
[[ooc: this prompt is for Nephenee, Ilphyll, Donnie, Maomao and Atom - but could be open to others if there's a reason for Link to decide to share]]
iv. Wildcard!
[[if you'd like something not on her, contact me!]]
In the wild areas near Elysium, Link’s been exploring. It’s a common activity for him. There’s mushrooms and flowers to pick, game to hunt, monsters to fight…
…Then one day, while he’s up in a tree collecting some bird’s eggs, he spots a wolf. A big wolf. A really, really big wolf. It’s as big as a horse.
And once he makes that mental connection, Link immediately thinks, I could ride that.
Which naturally means Link now has to find out if he can. He pulls out a Sneaky Elixir, and swiftly swallows it - demeaning the sounds of his movements. Silently uses his paraglider to move from tree to tree, getting closer. And then carefully drops down behind the massive, monstrous wolf.
He crouches down. Creeps forward. Slowly, slowly. Until he’s right behind the beast, so close he could reach out and touch its fur.
And then he leaps up onto its back, and grabs on.
The wolf yelps and snarls - but Link’s got a good position, and he doesn’t let it twist back and bite him. He just directs the beast to run, and keeps a good hold.
What do you know, he can ride it!
ii. A retrieval of memories [locked to Shu]
Shu had spoken to the Admiral. They’d tracked down the Imperial Commander who’d been given Link’s Purah Pad.
And then they’d sneaked onto the Commander’s warship and completely trashed his quarters.
Well, Link had trashed his quarters. Shu was a bit too dignified for such wanton destruction, but Link wasn’t. And he didn’t regret it either, since in the process, he’d found the Pad!
Now, their getaway was nearly complete. Here in a small alleyway in Elysium, they were far from the scene of the crime. The Crimson Portal wasn’t far off.
But Link had to pause. He hadn’t had a chance yet, but - he had to see. Were all of his pictures still on the Purah Pad? Were they safe?
He pulls out the Pad, and turns it on. And turns to the photo gallery.
iii. Link has a slide show and he’s gonna make you watch it [semi-closed]
Later, Link thinks of all the new people he’d met. People who’d helped him grow plants from home, or who’d shown interest in things from his home. Shu wasn't the only one who he knew would like to see his pictures.
Before, he hadn't had any way of sharing these images of his home. But…now he could.
So Link tracks those people down. Says, “Hi,” when he finds them. And then shoves the Purah Pad - with a picture from Hyrule that would interest them on the screen - right in their face.
[[ooc: this prompt is for Nephenee, Ilphyll, Donnie, Maomao and Atom - but could be open to others if there's a reason for Link to decide to share]]
iv. Wildcard!
[[if you'd like something not on her, contact me!]]
Chimera Corsair: I
Jan. 4th, 2025 06:27 pmharlequinchimeraI: Hitting the Books (Vault)
Despite her large size, formidable strength and unusual physiognomy, she did find time to perch - perhaps on the very largest and tallest chair available to the library, likely as not seated comfortably on a tabletop of some particularly sturdy material. She was once again engrossing herself in research, this time delving into the intricacies of the local language and of all things, the units of measure involved with cooking. She was certainly not so involved in her reading that she could not see anything else that was moving - her long habits being what they were.
II: Of the Prices of Ale (General)
So where would a 7'8" black and white chimera with an unusual eye, enough strength to carry a motorcycle and the skills of a long-range killer and spy take her ease? The tavern, of course! She would find her way to the alehouse, the Corsairs' source of drinks, the place that tended to attract more wanderers, strangers and such that a certain Mesopotamian space station. She would seek and locate a stool tall and sturdy enough to hold her remarkably muscular hindquarters far enough from the ground that she would in fact relax atop it and even keep her tail from becoming a hazard to navigation. She tended to look for darker ales, when she was in a more social mood - which she was. And when really wishing for a strong one, something clear with more bite than every snap of the world's most famous archaeologist's whip. She would look then to see who else was in the place, since this was now the point of contact for meeting others in the same line.
III: What Snows of the New Year (General)
The new year had arrived, and it was not long since she had arrived. She found herself walking outside near the docks, as most bundled themselves away or worked upon the ships as she strode past. She was relaxed, surprisingly so, and lightly dressed for once. She then found a place far from dishing lines, boats and ships and there was her goal, the frigid waters - and soon she was swimming as she had only in her wintry home waters and then, she was on the shore, taking in the wintry sun with all the joy some would see on a tropical summer beach - and there was certainly enough room if any were at least going to see what she was about, or even swim.
IV: Wildcard
Is there a scene or interaction that you would like to do? Just ask!
Despite her large size, formidable strength and unusual physiognomy, she did find time to perch - perhaps on the very largest and tallest chair available to the library, likely as not seated comfortably on a tabletop of some particularly sturdy material. She was once again engrossing herself in research, this time delving into the intricacies of the local language and of all things, the units of measure involved with cooking. She was certainly not so involved in her reading that she could not see anything else that was moving - her long habits being what they were.
II: Of the Prices of Ale (General)
So where would a 7'8" black and white chimera with an unusual eye, enough strength to carry a motorcycle and the skills of a long-range killer and spy take her ease? The tavern, of course! She would find her way to the alehouse, the Corsairs' source of drinks, the place that tended to attract more wanderers, strangers and such that a certain Mesopotamian space station. She would seek and locate a stool tall and sturdy enough to hold her remarkably muscular hindquarters far enough from the ground that she would in fact relax atop it and even keep her tail from becoming a hazard to navigation. She tended to look for darker ales, when she was in a more social mood - which she was. And when really wishing for a strong one, something clear with more bite than every snap of the world's most famous archaeologist's whip. She would look then to see who else was in the place, since this was now the point of contact for meeting others in the same line.
III: What Snows of the New Year (General)
The new year had arrived, and it was not long since she had arrived. She found herself walking outside near the docks, as most bundled themselves away or worked upon the ships as she strode past. She was relaxed, surprisingly so, and lightly dressed for once. She then found a place far from dishing lines, boats and ships and there was her goal, the frigid waters - and soon she was swimming as she had only in her wintry home waters and then, she was on the shore, taking in the wintry sun with all the joy some would see on a tropical summer beach - and there was certainly enough room if any were at least going to see what she was about, or even swim.
IV: Wildcard
Is there a scene or interaction that you would like to do? Just ask!
Yes, I know I pressed enter on a different part of the page and it immediately posted. Oops.
Quest 04 (Open + Closed)
Oct. 6th, 2024 12:07 pmnewmemorywhodis( i. The joy of cooking lizards and frogs [Open] )
( ii. More ingredients. MORE! [closed to Nephenee, Donnie, Shu] )
( iii. A visit to the apothecary, because maybe Link should share sometimes [Closed to Maomao] )
( iv. These lizards won’t breed themselves [Closed to Ilphyl] )
( v. Bees, bugs and butterflies [Closed to Iren] )
( ii. More ingredients. MORE! [closed to Nephenee, Donnie, Shu] )
( iii. A visit to the apothecary, because maybe Link should share sometimes [Closed to Maomao] )
( iv. These lizards won’t breed themselves [Closed to Ilphyl] )
( v. Bees, bugs and butterflies [Closed to Iren] )
Player Plot: How to Get Away With Moo-der
Oct. 1st, 2024 10:20 pmsinglemilletgrainWho: Shu, cows, and you
What: Udder cowtastrophe
Where: Farmlands outside of Elysium
When: Mid-month
Warnings: Animal cruelty
( As the farmer plods away to resume tending his fields, Shu shakes her head with a frown and addresses her companion. )
What: Udder cowtastrophe
Where: Farmlands outside of Elysium
When: Mid-month
Warnings: Animal cruelty
( As the farmer plods away to resume tending his fields, Shu shakes her head with a frown and addresses her companion. )
甲辰 002: 處暑 [Throughout September]
Sep. 1st, 2024 08:50 pmsinglemilletgrain♪ Ti o o beh lok ho
Ah gung nag gia di tau beh gut o ♪
1: Seeds [Early September]
In a conical hat and durable overalls, she checks her setup, knots the ropes attaching the plow one last time, and gives her docile oxen an affectionate pat between the horns.
"He Sheng. Xiao Man. Let's do a good job today."
As she guides her oxen through the underground fields of Vault, she gazes upwards at the jagged, rocky ceiling of the Vault settlement and briefly contemplates with a faint frown. There was no way that the plants in these fields were getting all the sunlight they needed to grow properly. But she had ideas. For now, she could just be thankful she wouldn't get too sweaty.
Supremely self-unconscious, it isn't long in the day before she is comfortable enough to start idly singing, her clear and vibrant voice ringing out through the vast fields even as she works.
♪ Gut ah gut gut ah gut
gut diu ji bui suan liu go ♪
♪ yi ya he to jin jia cu bi
2: Light [Mid September]
Some weirdos are on 50 foot tall scaffolding doing something to the ceiling of the Vault. Below, two oxen meander around in circles, occasionally lowing in faint concern. The plowed and sown fields are growing miraculously quickly. September was the wrong month to sow wheat altogether, and yet an acre of rapidly growing buds are sprouting up as far as the eye can see.
Currently, Shu is clinging to the roof of the cavern in an enormously precarious situation, her tail wrapped around the scaffolding to keep her secure as she drills something into the rock. A young man near her is holding some blueprints and a whole heap of strange looking materials.
"The real problem is the unpredictability. Our efforts will go to waste if the equipment is damaged by a stray blast. If only we could find a way to protect the above-ground harvesting system... Ah! Tch, I dropped it. Well, let's take a break. Thank you for your time today."
The man gives a curt nod before descending the ladder while Shu sits cross-legged on her giant scaffold in the middle of a field and muses.
3: Harvest [Late September]
There is no possible way this field could already be yielding dividends. And yet it is, and Shu is patiently, single-handedly cutting down her crops that reach higher than her head, still hum-singing her song. The oxen now are familiar sights around Vault as Shu takes a ride on one whenever she needs to get anywhere particularly distant with groceries or other deliveries. They don't help, but they are cute, which is emotional help. This matters significantly more.
Anyone who approaches will be met with a beckoning hand or a distant call, depending on how far away they are.
"Hello! You are the help I advertised for?"
Regardless of the answer, a burlap sack and a sickle are thrust into their hands, because it is clear Shu is not listening. "Start here with me, and I'll show you what to do."
Ti o o, o o... ♪
Ah gung nag gia di tau beh gut o ♪
1: Seeds [Early September]
In a conical hat and durable overalls, she checks her setup, knots the ropes attaching the plow one last time, and gives her docile oxen an affectionate pat between the horns.
"He Sheng. Xiao Man. Let's do a good job today."
As she guides her oxen through the underground fields of Vault, she gazes upwards at the jagged, rocky ceiling of the Vault settlement and briefly contemplates with a faint frown. There was no way that the plants in these fields were getting all the sunlight they needed to grow properly. But she had ideas. For now, she could just be thankful she wouldn't get too sweaty.
Supremely self-unconscious, it isn't long in the day before she is comfortable enough to start idly singing, her clear and vibrant voice ringing out through the vast fields even as she works.
♪ Gut ah gut gut ah gut
gut diu ji bui suan liu go ♪
♪ yi ya he to jin jia cu bi
2: Light [Mid September]
Some weirdos are on 50 foot tall scaffolding doing something to the ceiling of the Vault. Below, two oxen meander around in circles, occasionally lowing in faint concern. The plowed and sown fields are growing miraculously quickly. September was the wrong month to sow wheat altogether, and yet an acre of rapidly growing buds are sprouting up as far as the eye can see.
Currently, Shu is clinging to the roof of the cavern in an enormously precarious situation, her tail wrapped around the scaffolding to keep her secure as she drills something into the rock. A young man near her is holding some blueprints and a whole heap of strange looking materials.
"The real problem is the unpredictability. Our efforts will go to waste if the equipment is damaged by a stray blast. If only we could find a way to protect the above-ground harvesting system... Ah! Tch, I dropped it. Well, let's take a break. Thank you for your time today."
The man gives a curt nod before descending the ladder while Shu sits cross-legged on her giant scaffold in the middle of a field and muses.
3: Harvest [Late September]
There is no possible way this field could already be yielding dividends. And yet it is, and Shu is patiently, single-handedly cutting down her crops that reach higher than her head, still hum-singing her song. The oxen now are familiar sights around Vault as Shu takes a ride on one whenever she needs to get anywhere particularly distant with groceries or other deliveries. They don't help, but they are cute, which is emotional help. This matters significantly more.
Anyone who approaches will be met with a beckoning hand or a distant call, depending on how far away they are.
"Hello! You are the help I advertised for?"
Regardless of the answer, a burlap sack and a sickle are thrust into their hands, because it is clear Shu is not listening. "Start here with me, and I'll show you what to do."
Ti o o, o o... ♪
purplexingI. The Armory
Donnie hasn't talked about the last mission. He hasn't talked much to anyone. Not entirely strange, but then nor is his preoccupation with work. At the moment he's taking a break from fixing up the armors that had been acquired during the taking of Hesaeth, working instead on more personal weapons. Or in this case, repairing them.
His staff is in pieces. Normally it collapses into something discreet enough to carry, but some of those pieces have very obvious indentations, damage sustained from the encounter with Lord Gundhir's son. The turtlekin picks up one of the cylindrical segments, holding it up in closer inspection. Repairing it would be possible although he'd likely have to reforge some pieces, but what good would it be if it would still essentially break under pressure?
...
Pushing aside an errant thought, Donnie sets the piece down, pulling out his notebook and a folded sheet of paper from within, flattening it out. The original designs for his collapsible staff, and extra notations for other additions to it. It still needs to be sturdier, but lighter too, especially if he plans to include more capabilities.
He doesn't look up at whoever approaches, only barely hearing the footsteps thanks to the mufflers he always tends to wear, especially down here where there's just so much noise. "Hey, know if there's any scrap titanium I can use?"
II. Subterranean Farms
Tucked away from the main fields and nestled in a smallish nook along the carved out walls, the little garden can easily be overlooked if one isn't paying attention to the strange, spiraling growth of vines dotted with small purple flowers that have started to crawl along the edges of the rock there. That's as far as Donnie's allowed them to grow, always taking care to trim them back before they can get out of hand.
He's rigged his own little light source here, simultaneously taking advantage of where crevices throw shadows across the space to allow for all kinds of plants to be cultivated. At a glance they're definitely more of a decorative sort than to be used for food, but he wouldn't advise eating most of these anyway. There are many flowers and herbs, and even a few types of fungi that grow within the natural rock 'shelves' of the flanking walls.
The turtlekin can be found tending to his beloved plants, removing any dead leaves, carefully watering the flowerbeds or tilling a patch of dirt in preparation for planting something new.
III. The Library
The library's become as much of a retreat as any, and in particular Donnie liked to hide away here because of how much quieter it is compared to other areas of the Vault.
He had come here to do some research but the peacefulness of the area paired with poor sleep has managed to lull him into an unscheduled naptime. Hopefully you didn't need that book he's currently using as a pillow, but be forewarned; he's a drooler.
Donnie hasn't talked about the last mission. He hasn't talked much to anyone. Not entirely strange, but then nor is his preoccupation with work. At the moment he's taking a break from fixing up the armors that had been acquired during the taking of Hesaeth, working instead on more personal weapons. Or in this case, repairing them.
His staff is in pieces. Normally it collapses into something discreet enough to carry, but some of those pieces have very obvious indentations, damage sustained from the encounter with Lord Gundhir's son. The turtlekin picks up one of the cylindrical segments, holding it up in closer inspection. Repairing it would be possible although he'd likely have to reforge some pieces, but what good would it be if it would still essentially break under pressure?
...
Pushing aside an errant thought, Donnie sets the piece down, pulling out his notebook and a folded sheet of paper from within, flattening it out. The original designs for his collapsible staff, and extra notations for other additions to it. It still needs to be sturdier, but lighter too, especially if he plans to include more capabilities.
He doesn't look up at whoever approaches, only barely hearing the footsteps thanks to the mufflers he always tends to wear, especially down here where there's just so much noise. "Hey, know if there's any scrap titanium I can use?"
II. Subterranean Farms
Tucked away from the main fields and nestled in a smallish nook along the carved out walls, the little garden can easily be overlooked if one isn't paying attention to the strange, spiraling growth of vines dotted with small purple flowers that have started to crawl along the edges of the rock there. That's as far as Donnie's allowed them to grow, always taking care to trim them back before they can get out of hand.
He's rigged his own little light source here, simultaneously taking advantage of where crevices throw shadows across the space to allow for all kinds of plants to be cultivated. At a glance they're definitely more of a decorative sort than to be used for food, but he wouldn't advise eating most of these anyway. There are many flowers and herbs, and even a few types of fungi that grow within the natural rock 'shelves' of the flanking walls.
The turtlekin can be found tending to his beloved plants, removing any dead leaves, carefully watering the flowerbeds or tilling a patch of dirt in preparation for planting something new.
III. The Library
The library's become as much of a retreat as any, and in particular Donnie liked to hide away here because of how much quieter it is compared to other areas of the Vault.
He had come here to do some research but the peacefulness of the area paired with poor sleep has managed to lull him into an unscheduled naptime. Hopefully you didn't need that book he's currently using as a pillow, but be forewarned; he's a drooler.