[open] 📌 hey brother there's an endless road to rediscover

[phoenixdominant]

Who: Joshua Rosfield + you
Status: Open
Where: The Roost, Eltrut and Nogard.
What: An open log and a catch-all for all things March. Some manta board quests and open prompts.
Warnings: Tba.



[ 📌 a. the roost; closed to the hideaway crew + adjacent cr]

[Since Joshua's brother Clive's sudden departure into the rifts, a certain gaggle of brightly colours birds have been left behind to manage. While the crew has divided the work up thus far, Joshua feels as though the task of taking care of the island's local chocobos should be mostly his responsibility.

Now he finds himself in the middle of the makeshift pen holding out two very large, very juicy radishes out like they're vegetable-shaped swords.]

Now... Please. Let's try this again, shall we? Please be gentle when taking your treats.

[The chocobos are starting to coo and whistle sweetly at him. But they're also starting to crowd in closer and closer... And it looks as though Joshua is going to be mauled under a mountain of feathery friends if he doesn't get a hand with feeding them soon.]

[ 📌 b. manta board: out of the blue]

[Joshua may be aboard The Enterprise, The Stormbringer or any one of the neutral ships for this quest while going out to sea in search of the ever elusive and rare gemstone sharks. The early springtime air is still chilly on the wind but it's a beautiful sunny day for trying to find some exotic or dangerous fish.

Although, Joshua isn't sure how dangerous they will actually be or not. When he sees one swimming serenely through the icy water, he can't help but to watch it with some awe. And these creatures are certainly worthy of awe.]

It seems almost a shame to capture them...

[📌 c. bounty: bear necessities]

[On Eltrut, Joshua is on a mission to help track down and apprehend the thief that has been stealing ... women's panties. It's an outrageous crime and one that should be stopped immediately!

... Please ignore the way his face is blushing mad?]

We must find this man and force him to face the reality of his crimes. Immediately...!

[Perhaps Joshua has a personal stake in this bounty? Maybe someone took- his undergarments. Not that he would ever admit such a thing since he is not, in fact, a woman!? He is a gentleman!]

[📌 d. wildcard;]

[got something else? feel free to put it down here. or you can find me at michrure for more planning]

Comments

[phoenixdominant]

I did not. I only heard the news. I'm afraid those are the only details that I know of.

[Unfortunately, he's a corsair so he's not able to dig in to paladin records easily.]

[deepstar]

It's probably not the same creature, not if it was cat sized. Whatever is going on here is smaller.

[ Or so he believes because of the isolated damage. Something cat sized would do something bigger. ]

There aren't any footprints or anything here either. So how is it moving around?

[phoenixdominant]

Smaller, indeed...

[Joshua's fingers brush over the teeth marks on one of the ruined pages. It's smaller than a house cat and somehow incredibly nimble on its feet? ... If there are feet?]

Without any indication that it has been trampling through these shops, it makes me wonder. Wings, perhaps? Or some sort of magic.

[deepstar]

Wings, magic, or kind of like a parasite. It just rides on people perusing the bookshelves.

[ That's his thought, anyway. Kind of like a burr digging into the fur or clothing of an animal, only to be dislodged in a new location. ]

[phoenixdominant]

[Joshua looks up at the other man.]

A parasite. If so, then how do we capture a parasite?

[Like removing an annoying tick...?]

[deepstar]

First thing's first, we might have to lay a trap.

[ He puts his hands on his hips. ]

Or... We find some kind of potion or spell that can enhance our hearing and we listen for the sounds of pages tearing.

[phoenixdominant]

[Joshua looks thoughtfully at the options on the table.]

Both, perhaps. We can set a trap with some of the newer books that have not yet been touched. And ...

[Now where to find a hearing enhancing spell or potion...]

[deepstar]

[ See, he likes where this is going. Really, he does. ]

I'm sure that there are some unsavory sorts that sell that sort of thing. So I can handle the rest of it.

[phoenixdominant]

[A few sneaky tricks. He nods.]

Nogard does tend to be equipped with that sort of thing. I will set the trap while you find our supplies?

[deepstar]

Sure does. If only stuff that I need was so readily accessible back home. Most of the reagents I need I have to grow myself.

[ At least the more rare ones. Anyway, Claude is gathering up a few of this things. ]

Can you hold down the fort while I'm gone for a couple of hours?

[phoenixdominant]

Then I do hope that you can find something that will do the trick.

[Joshua gives a nod as he reaches up to grab a few fresh, not-eaten books from the higher shelves.]

I will be here.

[While Claude is doing that, Joshua will be busy here setting up an area that any book-eating creature won't be able to resist. A pile of well-written stories and novels with chunky pages. It's a shame to put them in danger of being destroyed but... It is for the greater good.]

[deepstar]

[ It does take time to get over to where some of the more unsavory markets are. Takes a little bit more time to find enough potions ( and their recipes ) to enhance hearing. Then there's a little bit longer to return. Though when he does, it's with boxes of potions, meals for the both of them, and some water. ]

Got everything we need. Hope you don't mind that I made a stop to grab something for us before we get ready.

[phoenixdominant]

[Setting up a trap made out of books isn't nearly as much work so Joshua might be found sitting in a chair and neatly reading through one of those fresh books... He looks up abruptly when Claude returns.]

Khalid. That is very kind of you. You did not have to do that.

[But he is a bit hungry...]

[deepstar]

Maybe not, but I bet you're not going to complain.

[ Khalid winks, setting everything down and opening it up. Thankfully the store owner is accommodating. Especially since they've offered to hunt down the tiny offenders. The food itself has cooled a little, but it's still perfectly filling. ]

Besides. We're going to need the energy.

[phoenixdominant]

I suppose I don't have any reason to complain...

[Food. What did Claude get?]

Why. Do you think we might be here overnight?

[deepstar]

You always could, you know. I'd only be a little offended.

[ It's just a seafood boil. Something that's easy for the locals to get and do. ]

Anyway, yes, I assume so. The owner is likely locking the both of us in here for the night.

[phoenixdominant]

[Joshua tilts his head.]

To ensure that our culprit is caught, then. We will be in for a long night.

[Might as well enjoy some food! Joshua takes his portion with a nod of thanks.]

Thank you, Khalid.

[deepstar]

Most likely, yeah. I should have brought a kettle for tea. No need to thank me, though. You're helping me out here too.

[ Since they are going to be here for a while. But for now? Time to eat. ]

When the sun sets, we'll take the potion and wait for any sounds. Hopefully we'll be able to hear the munching of our little culprit.

[phoenixdominant]

[He nods.]

It will be a shame to use these books as bait, but with any luck, we'll catch it before too much damage is done.

[Joshua starts on his meal. He's usually a very picky eater... But this is delicious! He looks like he's enjoying it with each little bite he takes.]

[deepstar]

I'm not happy about it myself, but a book can be repaired. Catching this thing now means that we're going to spare entire stores.

[ For the next hour or so, they eat. Chat. Books they've read. things about this world. Khalid is careful to avoid talking about Joshua's home since he seems a little... Well it's a heavy subject and they don't need heavy subjects.

Anyway! They carry on as they wait for evening to roll around. Khalid talks to the shop owner who, just as he had assumed, plans to lock them in for the night. He nods, agrees, says that they'll see the man in the morning. Hopefully with good news.

Then he settles down next to Joshua. Slides a vial over. ]

Ready for this?

[phoenixdominant]

[And so night comes... And their stake out begins! Joshua nods quietly and takes the vial as well.]

Let us begin.

[He'll even lift his vial to cheers with Khalid before he takes the liquid. As soon as he does there's a spark of noise in his ears and it's a little ... LOUD. He winces and quietly nods.

He whispers...] It... seems to be working.

[deepstar]

[ Khalid puts fingers to his lips. Shhhh. It will make it easier to sneak and creep around. Heck, Khalid's even taken off his boots at this point. Slowly inching around the books.

Hmmm... No. Not here.

Starting to move towards the bookshelves. Hmmm! Closer! ]

[phoenixdominant]

[The boots come off? Joshua is puzzled but he understands and takes his own boots off too...!

He follows behind Khalid carefully... And with their heightened hearing, they might just hear the sound of scuttling across the ground. Like little tiny claws are walking across the wood. Joshua makes a gesture and nods.

It seems their little culprits are inching closer...]

[deepstar]

[ It reduces the sounds that they are making. Honestly, it's great that Joshua catches on. Now they can hear that scuttling and honestly that's not what Khalid had been expecting.

Khalid nods in return, circling around to the opposite side of Joshua. Maybe they can cage these things in.

But then the scuttling stops. There's definitely munching going on. They are taking the bait.

He motions to Joshua "pop up and slap the book closed on 3"

1




2






3~ ]

[phoenixdominant]

[Three!

Joshua jumps out and slams the trap shut. A little flat bookmark-like creature with a thin furry body and sharp little fangs is effectively trapped in the trap!!

... But there's a flourish of scattering as several more of them run to hide.]

There is more than one?!