Rotten Roots

[Saber Sloth]

For the moment they're still in the clearing, and Anatole is right, this close to the trod it would be hard to find something like rust when Here and There are still bleeding together. What he dose find is that remnants of the goblin fruits, have been carefully tended, strange they may be, but the fruits properly harvested. Not left to fall to the ground, or rot. And there's only one way the fallen Lost, Carlos could have come from. The clearing is large and circular, with only one Very Obvious Path leading outward. The clearing widens to become Path, and sees long metal stakes, speared into the ground, on both sides of the Path, with green climbing ropes wrapped and knotted around them, pulled taut between once stake and the next all the way passed where the Burned Dwarf can casually see. Clearly used to shape and manage the branches and brambles.

Liam, observing absent goblin fruit and coming at the problem with his experiences in the Hedge and his own well kept Bounty. He realizes that there is something very, very wrong with leftover vines, and pulled roots, the colour, smell and was that thing pulsating? - But without a lengthier period of observation, or testing he couldn't be able to determine just what soot of 'wrong' this was.

Winter cautious, Gerrit scans the clearing and the Lost(?) made Very Obvious Path leading away, and the hedge statues. Those fucking statues. There's something not right about them. Did that one just move? Did that one blink!? Why yes, yes they did.

Cassandra Reeding you can join in on the rolls Int + Occult, or Wits + Survival, or Int + Investigation you can include specs for Hedge/Goblin Fruit or you can just roll a general Perception!

[Cassandra Reeding]

Cassandra nods to the others as she is greeted, though she is surprised with Liam walks up to give her a pat on the shoulder. She does her best to accept the touch without feeling awkward. Though she's gotten better at accepting pleasantries of touch now. It doesn't make her jump so much anymore, particularly when she sees it coming. When she takes a look at Gerrit, there is a wonder if she should share that they're both cursed. Somehow it didn't feel right to divulge that information and put Gerrit out on the spot too.

It's funny letting Liam take the lead too. She's become a reliable navigator now, having mastered direction and navigational survivalist methods. But given her curse? Yeah, no, she's happy to let him lead. Even if it tugs at her ego.

Anatole mentions her bow and she gives a little smile. She'd been working hard on her abilities and she hoped she could make good use of them. "Hopefully we won't need it, but you never know." She is always the kind to be as prepared as possible.

She takes the time then to examine her surroundings. As someone more acquainted now with the hedge and survival tactics, she figured she'd put it to better use.

Wits + Survival - 1 Success w/ only 10s counting

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-08-16 01:09:58	Cassandra Reeding rolls 5 to Wits + Survival (10 Again)	9, 8, 4, 10, 4, 2	3 successes

[Liam Gelt]

Liam's expression turns grim as he notes the sickly vines. There was indeed something sickly about them, but there wasn't any Goblin Fruit to analyze and compare either. Still, the pulsating nature of these vines gave him a sad feeling in his heart of hearts. That's not what healthy plants are supposed to do, Hedge-side or not. "These vines look really bad. Not sure if they're the cause or just a part of the...infection?" If that's what it is.

Liam looks between Cassandra, Gerrit, and Anatole with genuine surprise. "Oh? Okay! If you guys think so." Liam is one of those Ogres who won't pass up an opportunity to showcase his skills, even if they might not be the most developed. So he gladly takes the lead in search of the thorny path towards where he, Circe, and Sonnie had found the downed Metalflesh. "Circe's arrangement with the Blindbirds should still be in effect, so they should leave us alone." ​The optimism in the Giant's voice and stance flickers just a bit internally. The agreement had been to give them safe passage that time, or at least that's how he remembered it. Still, perhaps the Blindbirds would remember Liam and look on them favorably...no pun intended.

failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-08-17 20:45:07	Liam Gelt rolls 5 to Retread Steps to Carlos' Last Spot (Wits + Composure) (10 Again)	5, 7, 4, 6, 4	failure

equipment

Hiking Clothes w/ Heavy Boots; Backpack; First-Aid Kit; 2-3 Goblin Fruits; Blanket; Large Ziploc Bags (4); Protein Bars (8); Canteen (water; x2); Smartphone; Working Gloves

HP 9/9
WP 2/2
Glam 11/11

[Anatole]

"Any pledge or agreement of any kind brokered by a Sovereign would definitely hold true during the Season of their Ascent. Just the way it is. Good to know. Maybe we can play on that for their aid if it comes to it...."

Anatole was quietly observing his surroundings. He would let the others move off first before taking a position closer to the rear of the group. This isn't cowardice or slackness - it is evident the burned dwarf is scanning their surroundings carefully. He grunts when Liam takes the lead, eyes still searching as he moves deliberately but not slowly.

At one point he even drops to one knee and examines the withered vines up close.

"These vines are withered sure. But someone has harvested the fruit, rust or no."

He didn't need to speak loudly for the weight of his words to carry.

[Gerrit]

Liam commented on the vines looking wrong and with what Gerrit found he seconded that motion whole-heartedly. "Those statues give me a bad feeling as well. We should move - now!" There was an urgency in the Stonebone's voice that was rarely heard. Whatever they wanted to investigate - it probably didn't warrant sticking around and risking getting hurt by those statues.

Once they were on the move he'd settle staying in the middle with Cassandra. The bad feeling has now firmly settled in the back of his head and his spine, painfully throbbing with every beat of his heart. Bloodshot eyes scanned their surroundings, looking for any further signs of trouble.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-08-20 06:59:55	Gerrit rolls 5 to look around (Wits 3 + Composure 3 - Clarity 1; curse)	2, 10, 1, 4, 7	1 success

"I hope you're right, Anatole. But the fact that those Blindbirds have agreed to a truce already makes it sound like they might do so again." Hopefully.

Stats and Equipment

Health:
Glamour:
WP:
Armor 0
Defense 2




Equipment: Backpack (1 bottle of water, First-Aid Kit, Small Shovel, Book on Goblin-Fruit, 3 Dream-a-Drupes (heal 1L or 2B when eaten/1 Glamour when fully healthy))

[Saber Sloth]

Cassandra follows after Liam's assessment, and eyes focused on the more mundane, if anything in the hedge could be counted as mundane. Sees, signs of carefully harvested Goblin Fruits, and signs of where someone tried to keep new fruits from growing. From what Cassandra knows of goblin fruit, they've failed. New fruits are slowly, but surely and contradictorily quicker then they should. Especially for how early they were in the Season.

The Lost following Liam, moving from the circular clearing towards the corridor, vegetation held back by neon nylon cords, pinned into the earth by rusting metal spikes. The Hedge tries to push through but only reaches up and up and up.

Liam, having passed through here before, knows that the immaculate feeling of artifice has faded. Whomever had kept meticulous care over this corridor, hasn't since the last time he had come through this way.

Liam's lucky there's a cordoned off straightaway top lead the Lost down. He misses where Carlos was bound by vines by several steps, but stops before they get to the dead-end-come blind turn.

Winter watchful, Gerrit keeps an eye on the now perfectly still statues, but that doesn't mean anything, he knows Lost that can hold a pose for a ridiculous amount of time, nevermind whatever else lives within the hedge. As they continue down the corridor, and the Ogre sees something shining, caught on one of the high branches.

[Cassandra Reeding]

Taking a closer look to the Goblin Fruit, Cassandra mentions, "Don't these new plants look like they're growing too quickly? I wouldn't expect them to be this far along yet, especially considering their wilting counterparts."

She doesn't know anything about the Blindbirds agreement, but she gets the gist that Circe made a deal that should keep them safe, so she doesn't feel the need to get elaboration further for the moment.

They start moving again and seem to find themselves at a dead end, "Are we in the right place?" She seems unsure, but just in case, she takes another look around, trying to make sure nothing get's the jump on them while they're in a vulnerable spot.

Perception, Dramatic Failure

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-08-23 00:27:26	Cassandra Reeding rolls 5 to Perception (Wits + Composure) (10 Again)	8, 3, 5, 6, 2	1 success

[Liam Gelt]

Wandering this verdant hallway gives Liam that subtle sensation of being pressed in from before, accompanied by the stinging reminder of his botched attempt at a Pledge with the Blindbirds. But it's okay. I've learned from that. I know now not to be so reckless. He's a bit lost in thought when he almost stumbles into the dead end. "Weird...that wasn't there before." He looks around to reestablish his bearings and nods confidently enough. "I think this is the place. At least, as I remember it. Though I remember the pathway being tidier last time."

He looks back at the rest of the group. "Cass, you said the fruit was growing back faster? Maybe that means somebody's been trying to help the fruit grow healthy again." ​He sports a bit of a helpful smile before it denouements into a pensive frown. "Or trying to cover their tracks?" ​He scratches his chin as his Ogreish mind tries to make sense of it all.

equipment

Hiking Clothes w/ Heavy Boots; Backpack; First-Aid Kit; 2-3 Goblin Fruits; Blanket;Large Ziploc Bags; Protein Bars (8); Canteen (water; x2); Smartphone; Working Gloves

HP 9/9
WP 2/2
Glam 11/11

[Anatole]

Anatole had lapsed into silence, his eyes narrowing under his heavy brows and his mouth all but vanishing into his carefully contained beard. This Wizened is not liking what he is hearing. Changes in growth patterns, rapid decay, a path that leads to a dead end... And statues?

"Getting awfully tight in here. One way and maybe company behind in Gerrit is right about them statues."

The burned dwarf's teeth show, briefly.

"There are Ashen gifts that can do that."

Anatole lets an ominous note cling heavily to his words as he adds his thoughts to Cassandra's. Given the way his hand is tugging at his beard, it is obvious that he is giving the Onyx's revelation some deep thought.

1 success

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-08-27 01:26:56	Anatole is perceptive rolls 4 to Wits + Composure (10 Again)	7, 2, 10, 3, 3	1 success

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-08-27 01:34:20	Anatole knows... Things! rolls 5 to Intelligence + Occult - 1 penalty (time, thinking on his feet) (10 Again)	1, 9, 9, 2, 9	3 successes

Heath: 8/8

WP: 3/3

GEAR:
Hedgespun Coat (Hedgespun 3: Def +1, Persuasion (Paladin of Shadows), Intimidation (Menace)
Axe
Back Pack - water bottle, ration bars, knife; shopping bags, gloves, etc

[Gerrit]

Things were just piling on quickly now, but that seemed par on course for the last months. Hearing Anatole confirm his suspicion made Gerrit even more nervous. He might have been able to chalk it up to a trick of the light, had the Wizened not agreed.

It didn't help that their surroundings had a foreboding atmosphere, at least to the Stonebones. The corridor felt like in a state of limbo between rampart growth and someone trying to keep the upper hand against said growth. Even considering that time moved differently in the Hedge, a lot seemed to have happened since Liam was here. His skin tingled painfully as he tried to wrap his head around the implications. "Are the fruits that grow healthily the same fruits that have wilted? And are they the same you have seen the last time you were here?" Gerrit stopped and looked at the fruits himself, trying to answer his own question. Because there was a third option: those fruits could be an invasive species, the reason for the other vegetation dying.

Dramatic failure

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2022-08-29 02:34:35	Gerrit rolls 4 to compare the healthy and wilted fruits (Int 3 + Occult 1; curse) (10 Again)	9, 6, 1, 3	1 success

He didn't want to linger too long on that, though. The statues made the Onyx anxious still and he saw something else. Maybe it was nothing, but he really didn't want to take his chances out here. Pointing to where he thought he noticed something reflecting the light Gerrit spoke in a low voice. "Do you see that?"

Don't know if the book on Goblin Fruit would add anything to the die roll, so I left it out.

Stats and Equipment

Health:
Glamour:
WP:
Armor 0
Defense 2




Equipment: Backpack (1 bottle of water, First-Aid Kit, Small Shovel, Book on Goblin-Fruit, 3 Dream-a-Drupes (heal 1L or 2B when eaten/1 Glamour when fully healthy))