(Rotten Roots) Orchard Observations

[Kray]

Standing straight the ogre shakes his hoe and loosens a clod of earth sticking to then end, as he gives the darkling's point a fair shake to only that shake is in his head. "Hm. No not exactly. I doubt I can count that high. Might be easier to ask how people don't try and do that." By intention, mistake or interpretation I would have guess near all of us do. The clod of earth falls is broken several more times under the hoe, the extra attention a reward for it being difficult. "So. If any of the dregs do have revival plans it's somewhere else and somewhere quiet enough it isn't getting noticed." Not impossible, within the hedge or outside of it but if they weren't the cause of this problem and scattered enough to not be found then that was good enough for today. A dead end on every front it would seem. Back to a more rhythmic pattern for breaking earth and fishing out rocks and the odd tiny weed from the plot.

Now friend would be an awfully strong word to use all things considered, but the ogre isn't about to start divulging his issues to this random farmer, even if they seem to have broken a bit of common ground. "Hm. Which of us comes back to anything other than a start from square one situation?" Some lost fell into freeholds faster, some took time and others kept their distance it was just the way of it. Each responding to their time in acarida as they felt they had to. "Hm. But You only have to look to see it's paying off. You got a barrow full of fruits to plant and patch of orchard to call your own. Not all of us can say as much." Seeing the wizened struggling with the root. "Ah. Move your tool a moment." Not wanting to lose fingers. If he does move it, Kray will reach done and give the root a mighty heave to try and pull it up a bit and expose something more vital to cut. "Ergh." A brief grunt accompanying the exertion of force. Once he's given it a good attempt to loosen things up, a simple dust off of his hands before returning to own work. "Oh. I haven't had coup nettle since before I got here. It's good to know the ground is being used for something more beneficial." He had no interest in kidnapping mortals or replacing them with fetches. Sounds more and more like Anne was some sort of loyalist doing the others work for them. Or was she trying to make lost all of her own with the kidnapped folk? Questions he will likely never know the answer to and never make it past his teeth.

He will meet the darkling's gaze easily. He can't help but loom tall and broad over the smaller figure. And he listens giving a slow nod as the other reaches the end of his information. "Hm." He gets to thinking not the fastest process for the giant as he returns to working the field. "So. A lost made a bio-weapon. Got to wonder why?" That makes it sound intentional. You make weapons to use them. "And fire is not a quick fix for it. Only buys a bit of time well that sure sucks." He had been rather hoping the solution would be just that simple. "Uh. This hedge warden you don't know where I could them do you?" Next question of a rapidly diminishing supply. "I'm of a mind to ask them where they got their information from." A great sigh escape the terrible jaw of the ashen ogre at talk of markets. "Uh. Yeah I don't doubt they would have something, but the hobs always rip us off." Going to their place and declaring there is something you want, why wouldn't they over charge. "Part of why I'm out here turning over rocks and loose ends. Seeing if that trip really needs to happen." Given this darkling had proven honest and able to keep his word qualities Kray finds admirable, Kray is not of the mind to try and glare more information out of him. "Hm. Well Mr Crow." Giving the darkling a moniker for a term of address. "Thank you for the information. It's much appreciated." It had not been as fruitful as the Ogre would have liked but what is? Questions had been answered. Possibilities struck off and new ones arisen but it was something. He will of course keep working he has a day of labour to see done.

[Seraphina]

Frowning, not her best work, but they’ll have to do.

Pocketing the notebook for now, she follows Jasper, “The one I was with, in the barn, seemed be steadfast on his loyalty to her. And I hear there some more in the warehouse that were the same.” She had questions, had suspicions, but they were only suspicions.

“Hmmm,” she says, “I wonder.” Would the Gate still be here? It was a stretch, at best. But would any of it remain?

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-10-15 15:35:54	Seraphina rolls 7 to Perception (Wits+Comp)-1 Clarity (10 Again)	7, 10, 8, 6, 9, 7, 1, 6	3 successes

Stats

Hedgespun jacket(+1 INT, +1 DEF), Hedgespun Necklace(+1 singing), dagger, steel toed boots, 2 bottles of water, bag of trail mix, gauze and medical tape, costume jewelry for trading(one necklace, one pin) sun catcher for trading, small tins(3) one with coffee two with tea (lavender and rose) notebook with pencil
Health 7
WP 3
Glamour 10/10

[Saber Sloth]

"Figured if they didn't dig in here as a giant fuck you, they'd go elsewhere and build up for return of operations, or - " looking at Kray, then letting his eyes drift to Sera and Jasper, " - or ah, revenge or more likely a suicide run at the Freehold." They continue to work, the suborn root's dealt with, as the Wizened moves to let the obviously stronger Ogre at it, the farmer mutters a thanks.

"Lucky as fuck, me." More rocks and stones are added to a growing pile. "Figured it'd be better to have a little variety than just Seasonal healing fruits, not that healing fruits aren't worth their weight in gold - out here."

As more questions come, he offers a shrug, "That, I don't know. I only know so much 'cause I traded for it with someone who'd traded for that at Ambrosial Delights. Didn't want to loose my hand, but I figured there'd be someone who knew if I'd need to do anything if it encroached here." a moment or two of rest, "Dead, last I heard, either got fucked by a bad deal or his bioweapon had more kick than he prepped for."

Nodding at Kray, seeing as he'd done the same.

"Thank you for the help, Ogre sir. If you want to come back later, when the fruit's grown I wouldn't mind trading for them." A beat or two or three, "You can call me Sam Crow if you want."



Jasper, as expected sees the ruin of the barn, they might be able to make something of the remains, but there's no way to be completely sure that whatever they'd salvage wouldn't collapse on them before, during or after construction.

Sera and her new aquamarine eyes see more, not all, as she's not picking through the debris, but she remembers the collapse, she remembers running through - breaking one of the mirror gates through to Anne's warehouse, she doesn't see any reflective shards or bits that might have been from her breaking them, or from them shattering after the explosion and the death of Queen Anne - and her connection to her Hollow.

So freaking sorry i didn't get to this sooner, I thought I hit submit but I guess I didn't!

[Kray]

It's a point to think about that for certain as he continues to work adding to the pile of stones and roots. "Hm. If they had Autumn thinking it wouldn't be a suicide run." No. And they likely wouldn't be in the same place without very good reason. But going hard to ground is more winter then autumn. "Uh. Autumn is far more well known for its misdirection's and distractions." And what better then a bio weapon running rampant, should be looking somewhere else, are we not seeing something?

Fussing at a particular line that didn't want to set straight for a couple of swings. "Ha. Lucks a part of it for sure. None of us could deny that." Enough ways to manipulate it existed. "But. It's only part of the picture. Skill. Cunning. Patience." Not all things he himself had in great abundance. "And all the rest. And how you use it to boot." But that lead to another question of curiosity. "Do you prefer it? being out here by yourself I mean." Plenty of risks to it. Not that joining a freehold granted safety.

The point about healing fruits being worth their weight in gold had not gone unnoticed. The Ogre stops only longer enough to pull two fruits from his own coat. The mur mur leaf he had grown himself and one of the blush berries Jasper had picked earlier. "Uh. Here no charge. No hidden strings. A way of saying thanks." And the pledge holds so the ogre speaks truly. "Not much but something to tide you over till this lot is grown." It's not an act of generosity, it is a thank you, the wizened had given the ogre what he was after and it was important that the farmer knew the giant rewarded those who did right by him. That's crime boss basics right there.

Getting back to work a hiss of air escapes through the terrible teeth. "Ah. I had really hoped to avoid the slavers market." But if nothing else panned out then, well he had a heading. "But. If needs must." And it seemed like maybe they just might as the other lead promptly fizzles. "Dam. I don't suppose you know much about the hedge warden do you? Seeming or kith. Dead doesn't always mean beyond helping us learn what we need to know." Learn who the guy is track his last known movements maybe find the source. Now if only I was any good at tracking. And regardless that was a longer shot of working then coming here had been.

It would seem hard work and a pledge that held had done some wonders. "Huh. Sure I'll take you up on that offer, anything in particular your in need of when I come back?" Save a wasted trip if I know what to bring. "Hm. Sam Crow it is." Names helped real or not the question remained what did he give in reply. The choice of words by the farmer was clever not declaring it his name only an option for ogre to use if so desired. "Kray." He settles on the truth, the name he had taken upon his return. Dangerous, of course. Rewarding, if he built up the right reputation it could be.

stats and equipment

Defence:2
Armour: 1/0
Speed: 12


Reinforced Clothing (Long coat)
Bowie Knife 2L
Sledgehammer 2B (9-Again)
Fire Axe 3L
Machete 2L ,
x1 blush berries,

[Seraphina]

The explosion had really done a number on the barn and Gate that it held, she thinks, absently moving a piece of debris with her foot.

But it had been spectacular. And she didn’t get too hurt in the whole thing, Contracts were a wondrous thing.

Looking around, she wonders, would the Gate still remain? Sure, the mirror was gone, but it didn’t mean it was gone from the warehouse. No reason they might still have a piece up, keeping an eye on the old orchard. Or was she being too paranoid?

Ann had so much tied into this orchard; it seemed like a waste for her followers to just…leave it. But they could have, completely up and moved. The Hedge was vast and always changing.

But it never hurt to look, to see if maybe there was something still there. Nothing ventured…nothing gained.

11 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2024-10-24 20:58:45	[04] Seraphina rolls 9 to Gate?(Intelligence+Invest+Wyrd) (10 Again)	4, 2, 4, 10, 5, 4, 1, 10, 4, 4, 1	2 successes
2024-10-24 20:58:45	[03] Seraphina rolls 9 to Gate?(Intelligence+Invest+Wyrd) (10 Again)	1, 7, 7, 5, 6, 7, 1, 10, 1, 3	1 success
2024-10-24 20:58:45	[02] Seraphina rolls 9 to Gate?(Intelligence+Invest+Wyrd) (10 Again)	7, 4, 1, 3, 5, 3, 6, 10, 2, 10, 8	3 successes
2024-10-24 20:58:45	[01] Seraphina rolls 9 to Gate?(Intelligence+Invest+Wyrd) (10 Again)	3, 9, 4, 10, 4, 7, 1, 10, 10, 6, 9, 6	5 successes

[/dice]

Stats

Hedgespun jacket(+1 INT, +1 DEF), Hedgespun Necklace(+1 singing), dagger, steel toed boots, 2 bottles of water, bag of trail mix, gauze and medical tape, costume jewelry for trading(one necklace, one pin) sun catcher for trading, small tins(3) one with coffee two with tea (lavender and rose) notebook with pencil
Health 7
WP 3
Glamour 10/10

[Saber Sloth]

There's a grunt of agreement, "Autumn's like that, but Anne's followers were either fanatic, zealots, or pledge-bound slaves." pausing to shake out an arm, before continuing, "Figure the latter got as far from here as fast as they could, and the former," he shrugs, and clicks his tongue.

Continuing with his work, he makes agreeing noises, "I'd prefer it for now, too many assholes last time I tried to join up with a Freehold - the one out in Fresno. In the future I might want to join up with a freehold, but for now I think I'm good with my patch, and maybe trading with the locals." he eyes Kray, then stops as the fruit is gifted. "Thank you." With careful hands the wizened take the fruits and places them in the wheelbarrow.

An aborted laugh, "Heard he was a he, that it's called Rust not just 'cause of what it looks like, but that the Hedge Warden was a Metalflesh. Don't know much else about him, just know that much, 'cause I kept hearing people complaining about it - and him." finishing up with what he was doing, he turns to Kray, "Well, thank you for your help Kray." Sam Crow thinks for a bit, and offers a crooked smile, "Well, I wouldn't mind some ice for my cooler."



Sera takes time to focus, looking and searching with her eyes and her wyrdsense, it doesn't happen all at once, but when Sera realizes what she's feeling, she's quick to realize that there's nothing here that she would associate with the room of Doors that used to make up the barn's loft, nothing of the artificial rot that Queen Anne's glamour left behind. There is, however, the makings of a new Door, but it's closer to the plot that the Wizened farmer is working on.

[Kray]

A mighty shrug and heave of his shoulders. "Ah. Fanatics and Zealots can still bide their time." He would like to think Circe's debrief months ago would have covered an attack on the freehold if it had happened. So just something to keep in the back of my head for now. Chasing ghosts would spend time that could be used solving the very real problems but that doesn't mean he can't be wary about the possibility.

His affiliation to the seasonal courts plain to see by his mantle Kray does not feel the need to begin evangelising the benefits of joining a freehold. It's each to their own as long as they aren't causing trouble. And freeholds were not always a grantee of safety either. "Huh. You've come a bit of a ways then. Well the freeholds there if you ever change you mind." Besides having a few outside of the system who he was on trading terms with was no bad thing. "Yeah. I'd much sooner trade with lost over hobs when I can." Trading with hobs was an inevitably in realistic terms, no getting around systems that big or that useful but the odd trade here or there with stand alone lost was always nice.

The swing and thunk of tools becoming almost rhythm again as he kept working along the field the boon of the pledge helped but here was still starting to break into a sweat it was manual labour after all. It's still information and might still help. Dead, metalflesh hedge warden responsible for the rust narrowed the field quite a bit when it came to asking or trading for information. "Hm. So its a bothersome problem to more then just us then. Not just something known about but worthy of complaint." That was a card in their hand. Promising to solve it might be a big thing but if we pull it off. It is something else to think about. "Uh. Ice, yeah I can do ice." Most stores sold it by the bag.