[Open] Iceland Camping Trip

[thewatchers]

Iceland Camping Trip
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The town of scenic Akureyri provides a perfect backdrop for a summer camping trip. It’s more than warm enough for greenery and unfrozen waters, and the townspeople, having been informed of the appointment ahead of time, are amenable and friendly to the newcomers passing through on their way to the planned site.

This is no ordinary holiday, however. Though the town is certainly welcoming, the idea is to camp, and camping is what everyone will be doing - at least for a little while. Professor Emille has her own planned schedule of activities, including river rafting and climbing, and in the spirit of physical education and getting some fresh air away from the Academy, attending students are highly encouraged to follow along with her. As well as those activities, the normal range of camping 'highlights' is present: cooking your own food over campfires and portable stoves, setting up tents, finding good places to sleep or hide, and simply passing the time in the beauty of nature. Just look out for puffins; they seem to be intensely curious about what all these strange people are up to, and you're no exception.

To occupy the campers while they’re recovering between stints of physical exertion, other activities have been provided; the Academy figures it can cover two things in one by providing arts and crafts materials for making convincing-looking ‘extraterrestrial debris’. Strange ‘artifacts’, bits and pieces of apparently offworld ‘technology’, and for those more morbid or curious students, making convincing-looking ‘alien’ skeletons are among the extra camping tasks that both students and staff can choose to take on.

(This event is being partially run by hatesdragons, who will be doing the relevant activity top level/s. You are also free to use this log as a mingle for your own purposes.)

Comments

[stavros]

A Belmont backs down from no challenge. This shall pose no problem at all!

[Kokoro looks way up at the tree-on-a-boulder-on-a-ledge, nods, and begins to scale the wall. She might slip or stumble at points, but she has the basics down and keeps on trying every time she loses ground.]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Neither does a...uh...a Tempus or something.] Oh that looks really easy!

[Getting to high, precarious places is exactly the sort of thing she had been training for. ...Not really, but it has been more of a hobby ever since she got the ability to jump really high. Unless she wanted to be extra cheaty and transform into a bird right now, but where's the fun in that?]

[The large roots provide just enough footing to really get going. Occasionally running directly up the side of the cliff and using that height to get to a safer spot. She doesn't seem worried at all about falling...although it was probably a safe idea not to look down.]

[hatesdragons]

[Once everyone is on equal footing with the spruce, they will notice that the bell reacts most strongly when near the tree. If something is hiding nearby, there are many directions to search... Up in the branches? Down in the tangle of roots? Behind the ledge, in a rocky crevice? In a hand-sized hole carved out of the boulder?]

[stavros]

[Time to check out that hole. That looks suspicious enough. She'll pull a dry twig out of the roots and start poking around in there.]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Well, she might be the only one that could reach to the branches fast enough, so she might start there.]

[Maybe check the roots after if no one else does it, but it's going to be a lot of work running up and down the tree.]

[hatesdragons]

[The hole turns out to be only that -- a natural hole filled with old spruce needles and dirt. The bell's chime doesn't grow any louder in that vicinity.

Going up into the branches causes the bell's chime to soften, but a long, sleek black bird feather laying between two branches may catch Puella's eye.]

[stavros]

[Aww, too bad. She grumbles and moves to behind the ledge to see if she can't reach anything down there.]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Oh, what is this?]

[Maybe it isn't what they were actually looking for but it was kind of cool. She takes the feather once securing a safe spot to reach in and grab it. (Maybe to give to Toby as a gift later)]

[hatesdragons]

[Searching behind the ledge closely reveals what looks to be a tiny network of miniature "caves" carved out by the tree's roots and water erosion over the centuries. One spot in particular looks particularly deep, as if a small animal could take shelter there. The bell seems to be leading in that direction, as well.

Two questions may arise from this investigation: First, how can the small cave be entered? From atop the ledge, it seems to be possible to jump down into a nearby crevasse and reach into the cave, but it would be a tight squeeze. There also seems to be a tiny tunnel that can be crawled through near the spruce's root system that would allow for a full exploration of the cave.

Secondly, how can the cave be lit up to search it? Or will the group need to examine it in the dark? There are no animals within, at the very least.]

[stavros]

[Kokoro looks at Puella. She could probably fit, but what if she couldn't get out? And Kokoro's pretty small herself... She opts for the roots, trying to crawl through the tunnel.]

Did you bring a flashlight?

[hattersgonnahat]

[Puella made it around the ledge when she could there was something there from above. Plopping down. That tunnel looked like something she could fit in pretty easily, even with that many roots in the way.]

...No, but I can do this. [Silly Kokoro. She didn't need a flashlight, she was a flashlight.]

[She lit up a tiny orb shape of Radiance to carry and fill the tunnel with, it might've been a bit better if she actually went first. It was...nice, to have this power and not for it's intended purpose, once in awhile.]

[hatesdragons]

[After a short trip through the tunnel, Puella's light will reveal the interior of the tiny cave. It isn't much to look at, just a rocky but snug section carved out of the boulder, but most importantly...

The bell glows faintly near the center of the cave. Upon investigating, the group will find a small metal box that unlocks as soon as the bell is brought into its vicinity. Inside is a paper map, highlighting the middle forested path. A tree is drawn along their route, meant to signify the spruce, and an area in the path up ahead is circled as their next destination. The circled area is distinct in that it seems to be a clearing within the forest they're travelling through.

Along with the map, there is a small piece of paper that has "Do not forget your animal guide." written on one side. The other side is blank.

Congratulations! The group has passed the first trial! To reach the next point, simply continue through the forest past the spruce tree.]

[stavros]

[Thankfully, Kokoro is small enough not to get stuck in the tunnel. She reads the map, shows it to Puella, and looks forward.]

This must be the first item. ...Animal guide? She must have sent some sort of familiar out. Let us proceed.

[Sh starts walking down the path as the map dictates.]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Blinks.] An animal guide?

[She pulls out the feather from earlier....]

Oh, wait up-!

[She thinks she knows what might be waiting on the other side. If not, they may have to go back into the tree again.]

[hatesdragons]

[As the map pointed out, the forest does indeed break into a clearing a little ways from the giant spruce tree. However, the reason there are few trees is because the path juts out into a rocky cliff over the river at this point. This is where the bell begins to chime once again, although faintly.

Over the rush of the water, movement can be heard in some scrubby underbrush. A few moments later, out pops the black-furred head of an arctic fox. It looks at its visitors intensely, sizing them up to determine whether they are foes or friends.

Meanwhile, something else entirely also has its eyes on Kokoro and Puella...]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Trying not to gasp, trying not to gasp.] Oh you're so cute too!!!

[Was this their animal guide? Could it be their animal guide instead? She doesn't seem to be the least bit concerned that it could be dangerous or not.]

[stavros]

It could well be. Be wary, Puella.

[She looks around the area, just in case... something feels off.]

[hatesdragons]

[The fox scrambles back into the underbrush when a large, elegant white-tailed eagle swoops onto a nearby dead tree branch, one that sticks out over the ravine. At first, it has its back turned towards Kokoro and Puella, but it does slowly turn its body around and once it spots them, it looks them over in interest.

They may be doing the same thing back at it, as is wearing a round pendant tied around its neck by what seems to be a small chain.

Oh yeah, and the bell's chime has grown louder. Remember your animal guide...]

[stavros]

So that's it.

[How do they lure a bird over here, though? With one eye carefully on Puella and her would-be friend, Kokoro reaches into her bag and lays out some beef jerky on the nearest rock. Come here, bird. You know you're hungry. Probably.]

[hattersgonnahat]

[She made a slight, confused noise as the fox scurried away, not knowing that an eagle had shown up until she glanced up. Wow, it's huge!] Woah...

[So this...is their animal guide. Puella was not too sure how to coax it over here, but it did appear Kokoro might've had it under control already. So instead, she looked back at the bush where the fox was last seen.]

...Can the fox come too? I like them both. [It was adorable, okay.]

[hatesdragons]

[Though it would rather eat a fish, the eagle is not opposed to eating dried beef. It tilts its head in interest, then looks back over Kokoro and Puella and ruffles its feathers a bit in an attempt to look intimidating. It clearly doesn't like them being so close to its food.

The fox is still in the underbrush. Its curiosity has kept it from running away. And maybe the smell of meat is keeping it around too...]

[stavros]

I know not if it's a good idea, but they do both seem important...

[Okay, she'll back away and see if the bird will come up to them then. Still watching it. Maybe holding out some more beef jerky.]

[hattersgonnahat]

[Puella watches this for a bit, before going back to the underbrush. She ducks down to see if the fox was still there. Sadly, she didn't have any food with her, so she had to revert to old fashion coaxing gestures.]

It's okay, little fox~ We won't let the big o' bird hurt you.

[hatesdragons]

[Still with its eyes on Kokoro, as Puella is far enough away to be a threat while with the fox, the eagle extends its feathers and glides over to the pieces of jerky, its talons poised to catch a strip or two. It's a powerful bird, but once it starts its glide, it can't really get out of it...

As for the fox, it sees Puella and watches her. It's not used to seeing humans so close, so it's still hiding, but it might inch closer every so often. It really wants some of that jerky if any's left over!]

[stavros]

[Kokoro waits for the eagle to get just close enough that she can drop the beef jerky in time for the bird to grab it while she makes a grab for the pendant. Clumsy she may be at times, but precision is the most important thing for any Kokoro main a virtue she at least tries to pursue in training.]

An even trade, then! You have our thanks, o bird.