voidtreckermods: (train)
VoidTrecker Express Mods ([personal profile] voidtreckermods) wrote in [community profile] middleofsomewhere2020-09-15 10:10 pm

Onward: Orange

Island Hopping

The islands don't move fast but they float through the air, never clashing with one another but often getting close. For the brave this means they can jump from one island to another to get around. Flying would be safer, for those with the means.

The calla lilies don't cover each island, sometimes they can find small fields of them, other times they must go through undergrowth and forests to hunt down the small flowers.

The flowers themselves are delicate, but with steady and careful fingers the crystal can be plucked out without damaging the flowers. The huma birds fly around the islands and if called to swoop down to take the crystals. It's probably easiest if they are in a bag that the birds can carry with their claws, otherwise they carry them gently in their beaks.

Huma

The swoop of wings is a constant sound around the islands, the Huma birds have nests all around the islands, high in the trees. The chicks stick to their nests, protected by their parents though they might venture out under the wing of an adult, never going far. Huma birds run as well as fly and will often waddle across to those harvesting, to demand crystals. A competition of sorts appears to be developing between several groups of birds, regarding numbers of crystals freighted down from the woodlands, and competition for the attention and loyalty of efficient gatherers is heating up.

More worryingly though are the blighted birds. These are pretty obvious, their feathers stick each and every way as if they are constantly in a fierce storm. They divebomb crystal harvesters, talons out, screeching in rage.

Other times they fly at any who are island hopping, trying to knock them off course. Luckily for the voidtreckers, their regular fellows are keeping a close enough eye on proceedings to turn any falls into something rather less lethal… if a little too thrilling.

Sprites

The first sign that the sprites are aware of the trespassers in their domain is a flurry of leaves and down that whistles through the islands like whispery laughter. Smaller gusts and breezes break off to investigate individuals or wind through stands of smaller trees to collect stray leaves, whipping hair or loose clothing around and rattling branches.

Some sprites are more mischievous than others, and while lone sprites can do little more than disturb and bluster, changing directions and messing up hair and clothing, larger groups of sprites are capable of more alarming feats. Such as winds that spin a person rapidly on the spot, or ‘helpfully’ increase the distance of a jump several times over, or blow things carried loosely from fingers too slow to grip when the breeze comes by. They’re easily entertained, however, and can be distracted very easily by being given things to carry, or new scents to bring drifting along within themselves.
strawberryprotector: (smile)

Birdies!

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-09-22 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
One of the blighted birds got a lucky strike, sending Curufin off balance. Ichigo could see that the man wasn't going to make the jump. So he moved. In a blink, he was there, catching Curufin before he could fall below the edge of the islands. "Careful, those birds mean business."
so_dark_a_road: (among the contending princes)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-09-24 08:15 am (UTC)(link)
"Damn!" exclaimed Curufin, as a large, determined blighted bird knocked him off course in the middle of his leap and he started to tumble into the gap between the islands. Luckily, Ichigo caught him.

"Thanks, Ichigo!" He grinned and waited for the man to set him down. "You just saved me from becoming a human pancake down below on the planet's surface. Elvish pancake, that is."
strawberryprotector: (smile)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-09-27 09:26 pm (UTC)(link)
Once they got to the solid ground of the next island, Ichigo set Curufin down on his feet. "Happy to help. I didn't need anything to help me get between the islands, so I'm doing my best to make sure no one starts to fall. Glad I was able to catch you so quickly, though." He'd hate himself if anyone fell beyond his reach.
so_dark_a_road: (among the contending princes)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-09-28 06:17 am (UTC)(link)
Curufin stood on his own two feet and grinned. "You have powers that I don't have, that's for sure! Nice, you're looking out for others. Thanks again!"
strawberryprotector: (happy)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-09-28 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
"You're welcome, I'm glad I could help." Ichigo beamed brightly. "Anything I can do to help you out with the mission so far?"
so_dark_a_road: (the softer side of armageddon)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-09-28 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
Curufin couldn't help smiling back at Ichigo's bright smile. "You could help me look for crystals. They're supposed to be in the calla lilies that grow on some of the islands."

He looked around, and sure enough, there was a whole bank of lilies growing nearby.
Edited 2020-09-28 23:51 (UTC)
strawberryprotector: (smile)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-09-29 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
"Sure, I'm happy to help." Spotting the same group of calla lilies, Ichigo walked over to them. "Looks like this is a prime spot."
so_dark_a_road: (sit not idle in grief)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-09-29 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
Curufin followed Ichigo and sat down amongst the flowers. "Hmm, looks like there are crystals in here, all right! Do you have a collection bag or anything? I brought one, if you didn't."

He pulls the bag out of his tunic pocket and opens the drawstring and lays it down beside him. He starts picking the crystals out.

"I think there are some birds that are supposed to come and volunteer to take the crystals wherever they are supposed to go. Them, maybe?" He nods towards a distant flock of Huma birds that seem to be coming this way.
strawberryprotector: (smile)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-09-29 02:56 am (UTC)(link)
Reaching inside his robe, Ichigo pulled out a half full bag. "Got one right here. This looks like a prime spot, too."
so_dark_a_road: (many secrets of craft)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-09-29 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
Curufin claps his hands in delight. "You've been at it already. But yeah, this seems like a good place to fill a bag, if not two!"
strawberryprotector: (smile)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-09-29 04:55 am (UTC)(link)
"It sure does." Crouching down, Ichigo began to extract the crystals as carefully as he could. The flowers were beautiful and he didn't want to damage them if he didn't have to.
so_dark_a_road: (flickers of light)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-09-29 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
Curufin looked over at Ichigo and noticed how carefully he handled the flowers and the crystals. He admired that, and certainly Curufin was doing the same with his long, slender smith's fingers.

"We'll have to yell at those birds, if they don't come over here soon enough. They're funny personalities, they's so smart they can almost talk." Smile.
strawberryprotector: (smile)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-10-01 01:10 am (UTC)(link)
"If we can't wave them down here, I can jump up to their level and hand the bags to them." Ichigo kept one eye on the birds, waving at one when it got close. "We have crystals that need to be collected, please!"
so_dark_a_road: (these are my brass knuckles)

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-10-01 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
The bird that had swooped closer than the rest tilted its head at Ichigo quizzically and then dived down and landed in the lily field near the two gatherers. It walked over to Ichigo, looked him in the eye, and opened its beak to take the bag.

Curufin smiled at the bird and said, "Thank you! Would you send one of your friends down here, please, since I also have a bag?"

The bird nodded.
strawberryprotector: (happy)

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-10-01 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
Once the bird took off with his bag, Ichigo turned to Curufin. "Got any spare bags handy?"
so_dark_a_road: (flickers of light)

Wanna wrap this thread and catch up somewhere in the future?

[personal profile] so_dark_a_road 2020-10-01 05:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Curufin grabbed his rucksack and search inside it and pulled out another bag. He had brought a bunch of them. "Here you go!"

He smiled and then started filling another bag himself.
strawberryprotector: (Default)

Sounds good to me!

[personal profile] strawberryprotector 2020-10-02 02:02 am (UTC)(link)
Taking the empty bag, Ichigo crouched down and started filling it up next.