(Rotten Roots) Round Table

[Liam Gelt]

"Vincent. Nice to meet you." Liam's always glad to see new faces.

Anatole starts relaying the last patrol and Liam's expression goes somber as his mind goes back over the events. The strange rust-like growths on the local foliage; Gerrit's infection; the panicked retreat to the Hedge Gate. As Anatole gives the floor to those assembled, Liam looks eagerly to Sera and Rhodes in particular. The two most experienced members of the Freehold have to have some worthwhile information to add here, right?

Circe makes a good point about the Blindbirds. "They're scavengers, but I think scavengers are just more resilient. This 'Rust' seems a lot more pervasive for any natural force...as natural as Hedge-birds can be." ​Would the birds be willing to cough up information? Maybe in exchange for more meat. Liam looks nervous at the suggestion of trading weapons to Hobs, especially the heavy duty ones. But he looks less concerned about turning fire on the Rust. "I can't say I'd be comfortable using a flamethrower, but it it would work..." But Rhodes brings up a good point: fire could just interact with the Rust in unpredictable ways.

"Carlos. His name was Carlos." Liam speaks up to Anatole's mention of the deceased Metalflesh. His winces a bit, his words coming out more like a rebuke than a debrief. ​"Sorry, just thought it was important to get the name right." Circe was the only other one here besides himself who'd been present for the funeral, so he can't fault the rest of them for not knowing his name.

​"If samples would help, then Anatole and I can retrace our steps. As long as we have the right protective gear first though." Liam's eager to help, but not suicidally so. He's learned from the Blindbird encounter: heroism within moderation. "If the Rust relies on exposure to plants and creatures, could we just isolate it until it dies of starvation? Maybe place wards around an area and let it expire?" Of course that relies on it not just seeping into the earth. Liam's face is screwed up in a contemplative grimace as he considers what's been said so far.

[Saber Sloth]

As Rhodes looks through Anatole's research and scours his own memories, he's heard of something akin to this, an infection of goblin fruit, but nothing as pervasive as this Rust, certainly nothing that seems to infect Changelings as swiftly as reported had been done to Gerrit.

Vincent Black you can roll Int+Occult, or Int+Survival-3

[Rhodes]

Rhodes remains thoughtful as Sera and Anatole consider the options. "Glasswear usually remains unresponsive, even to magical effects... it's probably the best start. But Warding would be wise," he agrees.

Circe is given a small nod. Sometimes the jokes don't quite land. Multiple Metalfleshs might confuse things - it made more leads.

People seemed to be going a mile a minute about collecting samples.. "It doesn't need to be so complex," he said absently to Circe, back to leafing through the notes. "Sometimes the simplest approach is the best."

Ah, there it is. Liam's Spring is showing. Whoever they were, they're a corpse now - and created a risk to our Freehold. Still, his thoughte were best kept quiet.

"We are all of one mind, at least. This needs a resolution, and the next move is finding out how. So we collect samples and conduct research. One of my.... seasonal talents should decipherhow it works.... maybe a weakness... given enough time."

[Seraphina]

The Treasured listens as Anatole speaks, thinking over his words. “Probably for the best you didn’t use them then. Not knowing how it would react with the plastic. But yes, it sounds like there were more important concerns at the time.” It had to have been chaos.

So a container of sorts it was then. Now it was just a matter of figuring out what type.

“Where is the body?” if someone had said, she didn’t remember.

But then Circe seems to answer the question, “You cremated the body? Where? In the Hedge…outside the Hedge?” cremation takes extreme temperatures, so she was guessing outside the Hedge. Also meant there would not be much left, maybe a couple bones and teeth. “Did you notice anything off about it burning?” yes, they were talking about a dead Lost, but, they needed the facts.

“I might be able to swing a couple biohazard suits if you had the info for where to get them.” She had money…not rich by any standards, but enough to be comfortable. A shake of her head, “No, not cheap Halloween ones. I’m not risking anyone of this Freehold to a cheap knockoff. I’ll get us the best I can, something that will provide some protection.” There had to be a way.

A glance to Liam at his outburst of the dead Lost’s name. “Ok, his name was Carlos, that’s good information, thank you Liam.” A soft smile offered to the Giant. But the guy was now dead, carrying some sort of infection that could kill them. Could kill off their Freehold.

“I mean, that’s not a bad idea, letting it die out. But that takes into account that it can in fact just die out and not become airborne to survive.” Had she read a lot of books about biohazards? Yes, probably too many. “Best to study as quickly as we can, and find it’s weakness.” Everything had one or two.

To Rhodes, “Did we want to send in a team to get the samples, another team to hit the local Market, try and gather some intel, and then the research team? Divide and conquer?”

[Circe]

"Wards, wards," she munmbles, "Ah! Like the Hollow defenses?" Trying to track Liam's words. She remembered making those, carving the Celtic marks to protect not only the forge she restored, and the added grove, but also the Summer Hollow. "I could get some rocks and carve some runes, that's how I did my and the Summer Hollow Wards. Toss a bunch around the rust and we see if that works."


Seraphina seems concerned about the burning. "I didn't use my forge, Ironside," she points at the door, "I used some cleaners. Didn't ask questions about Carlos' corpse. Uh, think one of 'em won a bet fer something with me stopping by," she shrugs not caring before she shakes her head, "And no. It burned just fine. I ain't heard any biohazard complaints," and if there had been, they certainly would have expressed displeasure with Circe. With guns most likely. "So, Rust probably needs Glamour ta spread. Like how Hedgespun is always active in the Thorns maybe?"


As for Rhodes corrections, that got a nod from Circe. "KISS. Keep It Simple Stupid. Gloves, glass box, cooking tongs," she muses off in response. And finds where to buy them quickly, even tonight. "Huh. Can get most of this shit at WalMart. Could get that tonight. But if Seraphina insists Rhodes wear more safety, sewage grade hazmat?" Circe types a lot to check into it. A lot a lot.


"Corri, corri, corri, come il cane robot," she muses loudly. Then finds it, "Okay. Couple of days at the fastest fer one, maybe two."

[Anatole]

Anatole will respond after Vincent Black ragnarokxg

[Vincent Black]

Vincent Black thinks back on what Anatole spoke of and tries to recall any information that he may have on the Rust:

2 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2023-02-04 14:43:40	Vincent Black rolls 4 to Recall information on the Rust(Int3 + Occult1) (10 Again)	5, 7, 10, 3, 8	2 successes

He relays back what he recalls to the group, letting them know everything he just recalled.

Saber Sloth please post what I recall, so Anatole has the information I recall. Thanks

[Liam Gelt]

Liam can't help but feel relieved that Rhodes takes the initiative on researching any samples. Don't need that stuff anywhere near Diana, or Templeton, or any of my Hollow for that matter. Though he was quite the wandering Giant, he still had attachments to his home that ran deep. "My own Archive is better at naming Hedge Fruit or Beasts, though I could consult her if that would help. Maybe there's something in the Hedge that can detect this thing and locate its source? Like a Rust-sniffing dog." Perhaps a good long-term goal? Finding the source of this thing and...well, Liam doesn't know what would come next.

"Carlos' ashes are currently in the Funderland tunnels, just off from the common area beyond the rat bridge." He tries to use landmark names since he's not sure Rhodes, Anatole, or Vincent have ventured down that far. The idea that his suggestion of a formal burial putting the Freehold at risk does send a shiver up the Giant's spine, but he doesn't regret his decision. He does return Sera's smile gratefully, glad the Spring Monarch understands his choices.

"However you need me, I'll help." He looks around the room. "Though if special gear would be hard for someone my size, I'd be okay with being part of the Goblin Market expedition. I might even try reaching out to one of our Hedge-neighbors." ​If nothing else, Liam does want to warn Radavur about the Rust. He hates the idea of one of those kits getting infected.

[Anatole]

Anatole's eyes are bouncing around the group, going from one to the other as they speak. Occasionally, he will nod and tug at his beard.

"Sounds like a plan."

"@Liam Gelt I would check your own archives before doing much more. I've gone through the archive of the Autumn Court and it pains me to say that I have exhausted every lead the library offered. Maybe yours with its emphasis on Goblin Fruit might turn up something more concrete that we can use. Especially before we venture to Ambrosial Delights - if we tap the hobs for their wisdom I would like to make sure we have something more to go on; otherwise they'd run rings around us and we don't have that much time or treasure to spend."

"We have to get some samples from the Trod. We need something solid besides our experiences."

"Speaking of... everything keeps coming back to this dead Metalflesh. So his ashes have been burried our side... How about we check. Just in case. His remains might yield some insight which helps us. And maybe answer some other pertinent questions".

Such as if the Rust was purely a malady of the Hedge. Not that he mentioned that. His eyes snap back to the Giant.

"I have funds, if necessary. Among the mundane folk money can buy many things."

"We should tackle the Market last. Work out what we are dealing with. And that should give us time to organise some goods for trade. We will need it."

[Circe]

Circe is tapping away, searching for additional options to try and get bulk and cheap. She'll leave the smart occult research to the ones who probably know more than her. Circe makes a discovery. "Oh? Hey!" She looks up, "The Disposable suits are like a hundred bucks and cheaper. I could get a bunch of them on rush order," Circe is proud to declare this. Then looks at Liam, "What's yer size Liam?"


Circe points to Anatole with a nod, "Right. What ya don't know, hobs will use ta fleece ya. It is their way. Totes, research before the market."


As for the inspecting the ashes, "I'm gonna recommend we get them chem gloves, safety goggles, and paint respirators before we dig it up. Just in case the ashes ARE rusty. I'll take part," a blue hand waves to the computer, "Most of this will be mail order shipping anyway. And if we need trade goods," Circe goes back to the laptop quickly typing before she smiles. "About $150 fer a hockey pads set. Oh, ahem," she inhales and puts on airs, "Iron Sider blood sport battle armor, oh ho ho ho! Its about how ya sell it. Also, not having ta explain the rules of the sport fer what yer selling."