Bay exploring a slug and a rock.

[Kaiko Marina]

Ash 27 122

It was early enough for most to nor be awake but late enough for the sky to be orange and red. Kaiko woke up with a bad feeling. Usually this would be met with preparing her ship for a tenable gale. But she did not have her ship. Which meant she was awake for nothing. Onshore it would appear that the shelters were working rather well.

Kaiko climbed out of the water and shook off as she reverted back to her Zion form. Realizing there were others about she quickly walked over to her chest and pulled out her clothes and put them on.

Kaiko dug through her chest once again deciding what best to do. Camp was looking good but she worried that a strong wind may tear apart some of the temporary structures. Perhaps a cave would make a better shelter. Actually a cave would be fun to explore and perhaps it could help get them closer to helping the duck get home. But first she had to find one.

Look at her thinking about others' comfort when they were supposed to be helping the ship. The ship that left them. Great, she was distracted again. What was she doing? Yes she was going to go exploring. She grabbed her bag, a net and a few other random things and put it on. Then she grabbed her ivory staff. New island, new friends, new places to explore, and new dangers.

Her thoughts came to a halt. They were in a new land and some dangers could be of legend here. Perhaps it would be good to have a partner in case something happened. She looked at those that were awake. She decided most of them would not work. She likes to swim and most would be limited to how long they could hold their breath. She then noticed one of the beach day arrivals. A person made of rock. One she had not met before. Perhaps this would be a good time to say high and invite them on the adventure.

"Hi, you're new. I'm kaiko. Expert swimmer, storyteller and singer." She offered a handshake.

"I was hoping to go exploring the bay and would like some company in case I run into trouble. I'm asking you because the others can't breathe water. I'm guessing rocks don't breathe, sorry if I'm rude I don't ever mean to be." She said then realised she had been talking a lot. "Can you survive under water? And will you accompany me as I explore the bay?" She asked.

[Aardwalden]

TIMESTAMP: Ash Xth, 122
NOTES: -

- - -

Aardwalden awoke with a start, trance broken from where he stood in the dark by a flurry of activity from the camp greeting his ears from downwind upon the beach. Emerging from the hollow of the Hill Home he’d been digging in the western hills, he descended the smooth pathway and his bare, heavy feet graced the sands which hugged his feet with cheer at every step.

Passing by sands strewn with rocky rubble that would one day serve as the foundation for more proper beach side structures, Aardwalden kept to the perimeter for the moment and gazed upon the morning sun. There was still much work to do, with creating his Runeforge, but there were many other talented individuals just as well to help him once their needs and concerns were met, he was sure.

Not a day went by where Aardwalden considered how he might return to Solunarium. Perhaps he could fashion a barge for the air, or the ocean, with magical components? He’d seen such crafts in the sky, but inventing such a thing with little experience would likely take months, if not seasons.

Glimmering blue eyes softly glowing peered back at the camp for signs that Aardwalden might be needed. The others were still preoccupied with morning rituals, it seemed. Ever the servant to civic interest, he kept himself available by day, and toiled through the night to work his trade. Among those here, he was advantaged in that he had little need for comfort nor sustenance beyond Dragonshards.

Just when he’d thought of returning to his stony home, a Rathor girl he’d scarcely seen about came marching up to him. Still as a statue, the child-sized being took just long enough for him to respond that he seemed off, and he extended his hand up to hers in a deliberate motion before stopping once more, allowing her to take it, and then gently curling his fingers in without a full grasp so as not to crush hers in his grip. “Aardwalden. Runeforger, smith, and Elementalist. A gnome, if you would believe it,” he said with a friendly smile and air about him.

Silent as she posited her request, the gnome considered in absolute stillness, and then pulled his hand back with a shut-eyed nod. “Yes, yes, indeed I can. I confess, I’ve only once walked the ocean floor in my long life, and that was the day prior. The waters here seem friendly enough, and the creatures would not regard me as food. If we face trouble, I will ask the elements to help us steer it away. And rude? Not at all, we are all unique and comparison is no weapon for offense as far as I am concerned!”

Pointing out to the waters, the Stoneborn began his march down to them by her side. “I do hope we will find Dragonshards of some nature. Anywhere the land might seem unusual, I suppose they might be found.”

It seemed unwise for the group to split apart without notifying one another. A notice board would do well, to that end, but did anyone bring parchment and ink?

- - -

[Kaiko Marina]

"Your an elementalist, you're the second person I have met with that ability" him being a gnome made since he was short. What, half her height? He was also able to stand perfectly still. She was intrigued. His hand was hard as a stone and yet it did not crush hers. So many things to be curious about. That and he did not see her as rude. That was a plus. "I don't think Dragonshards grow underwater" She shrugged. " or I would have been diving for them years ago."

He was quick to just start walking towards the water. Seems someone was excited. "Wait, I got to warn the others about the upcoming storm and let someone know we're going in case we don't come back."

She then ran towards the camp to find the first person she could. "You might want to spread the word. A storm's coming and as red as the sky was its gonna be a bad one. Also Aardwalden and I are going to explore the water. We should be back before the storm." She then turned and began her walk with Aardwalden towards the water.

At the edge of the water she began to strip out of her clothing and stuffed them in her bag. She then dropped the bag as she began to turn to her lycan form. She would be fully changed by time she was deep enough to swim. "So to the outer reefs first?" She would ask before dunking under the waves. She would soon pop back up. "Any chance you can bring me my backpack." She said pointing. If he was so kind she would put it on before returning below the waves. Once they were away from the wave brake the water became clear. Kaiko would begin swimming around looking for new things but would stay within 20 yards of the gnome.

[Aardwalden]

TIMESTAMP: Ash Xth, 122
NOTES: -

- - -

Aardwalden listened, about to speak when she hurried off. The gnome planted his feet and waited with a merry snort. Many of the faces on this expedition were interesting, hers included. What she said lingered on his mind. There was a storm, and even Aardwalden hadn’t noticed until the girl pointed it out. His eyes turned to the distance, and he thought to the wind to feel its graces, its excited tremors heralding a gleeful approach of wrath.

When she rejoined, Aardwalden stepped onto the rolling waves with her, speaking as they walked to answer her questions. “I am, yes I am one of such!” Aardwalden twittered on, a tickle of gnomish merry shining through. “Dragonshards are a strange thing, you see. Often they grow in veins of ore, but you might also find them above the ground when the conditions are right.” Touching his chin, he thought to warn her of something pertinent. “We will not be collecting them, and we are only surveying what is around. Once located, we will likely need the assistance of another, and indeed a field team to mitigate the risk. You wouldn’t want to disturb a Dragonshard, so dangerous it would be!”

“That seems reasonable. To the outer reef, then” he said, hefting the backpack she asked for from behind down the beach as he descended into the water. “Getting ahead of ourselves, are we? Impatience fosters mistakes.”

The water and wind seemed to respect her, just as it did he. The waves broke upon his waist, rolling up without a splash, and he felt his soul warm seeing her dive beneath the waves and begin to change shape to such an unusual creature. Ah, to have so much freedom, to be so spirited!

Descending below the tide, Aardwalden’s shuffles were given respect by the muddy sands around him, parting to keep his vision clear in the deep, salty azure. Voice working fine beneath the water as he had no lungs, he called to Kaiko, voice carried by the comforting ocean. “If anything attacks you, run to me,” he told her.

The sandy wet turned to colorful reefs after several minutes before they arrived at the end of the bay, where a drop off loomed to a vast forest of taller corals below rising from the murky depths in search of light. Seeing nothing of note beyond a few colorful fish flitting between clumps of kelp, he jumped down an overhang into a sprawling forest of taller corals just beyond the safe waters of the bay. Everything was dimmer here, but he could see just fine in the low light with his gnomish eyes. “Is this a ‘shelf’? Look along the shelf for a cave,” he told the girl, captivated by the marvels of the ocean. “But don’t rush inside without me. I never knew there was such beauty beneath the waters. Stunning.” Pictures of coral weren't often inscribed upon the walls of dusty libraries and mage workshops.

- - -

[Kaiko Marina]

Dragonshards being dangerous was no surprise. But requiring a team to remove it seemed a little excessive. She however had no use for them and would not cause an argument over such. She simply nodded. Though finding a team that could reach the arena underwater might be tricky.

She would immediately stop and swim to the gnome as he spoke under the water. He actually spoke under the water. That's something she had never tried to do before. He said to come to him if she spotted danger so she nodded still amazed he was speaking under the waves. She again swam away Now attempting to speak underwater. She could move her mouth which allowed water in. She immediately spat out the salty water shaking her head. She stopped trying to talk seeing it didn't work and began looking at the sea floor.

She would dart over to a rock and slowly swim around it before darting to the next. She stopped near a rock spreading her fins as she got closer to a rock that looked slightly off. It moved, spooking her. She lunged back out of its way then watched as it stood up and started walking away. It even had a grumpy face. She followed it until it decided to swim off. She looked up just in time to see the gnome stepped off the shelf. She quickly swam to catch up. She again nodded when he gave instructions. She smiled at his statement. The ocean was more mysterious than most will ever know.

One eye would turn completely black. Allowing her to sense movement in the dark water. She was a little slower as she swam along the shelf, careful not to get too close to the seaweed. She stopped seeing a wide section of seaweed that had been knocked down. She swam into the path looking around. At the end of the path was a large cave. Inside something moved. She went closer. Suddenly 4 large eyes opened and the creature began to move.

Kaiko instantly turned and began swimming as fast as she could away from the cave. Behind her sand began to mix with water in an angry muddy cloud as the large beast began to claw its way towards her. She swam past the gnome instantly hiding behind a nearby rock.

[Aardwalden]

TIMESTAMP: Ash Xth, 122
NOTES: -

- - -

Moving slowly beneath the boughs of coral, Aardwalden felt a laugh coming along when he considered the girl’s burbly attempt at speaking, watching the bubbles rise in her wake. Running his hand along the smooth, living rocks, Aardwalden felt an odd kinship with these motionless forests. They were stone, yet he could not sense the earth within them. How fascinating!

He would have liked to have spent some time in Attunement with the ocean, but the rocky hills still held some kinship with the stony cliffs and silts as part of a larger, unified ecosystem. So long as he included the earth, he thought he would find the elements welcoming.

Making his way across the cliff wall in the opposite direction, Aardwalden stopped when he heard a very distant thud echo dully through the water, faint yet worrisome. Slowly, the statue of a man hurried through the knee deep loam back towards Kaiko, the sounds growing closer as Kaiko came into view.

“What did you find?” spoke Aardwalden’s distorted voice, already brushing by her towards the looming cloud of silt and murky water. Then, he saw its shadow and felt then, in that moment, how truly small he really was. A huge, vibrant red leg extended from the water, crashing into the sands beside him as the heavy beast - partly up on the side of the wall - mistook him for any other rock. With a harsh hissing sound, it lurched two fast-moving bubbles from clacks of its claws, both slamming into the bubble with a disorienting rush of water swirling in every direction.

Aardwalden waited to move, motionless until its complex mouth warbled above him, those four, alien eyestalks pointed right at Kaiko. The gnome looked upward, and the crab saw this, moving back with caution just as Aardwalden’s hand rose, asking the water-logged silts to rise upwards in a unified column, the silts suspended from all around gathering towards this rising pillar which spun and whirled to a fine point in defense of Aard and his companion.

”So kind you are,” Aardwalden thought to the undersea mud. ”If you would do me this favor, you would have my gratitude.” The whirling muds drilled in against the crab’s mouth, and it reeled with shock, twisting, snapping with its pincers as Aard force fed the animal buckets of sand well beyond what it could filter.

While it seemed distracted, Aardwalden dispersed his hold over water and retained that of the earth. He then called upon the flame, a more distant element. His fingers burned before anything else, heating up and beginning to melt with great pain as he fused sands to glass and expanded, puncturing and popping its face parts as stringy, raw crab meat billowed out of its mouth to fill the salty water with a sweet taste, popping and crackling with the strange air trapped in its meat.

“Hghhhrgh!” The gnome restrained a howl as one of his fingers melted away from fusing so much of the sands to their natural, heated Para-Element. An awful, muffled screech whined through the depths, and the crab crashed down beside him as elemental air bubbled from pores open upon its shell, the meat popping with stored bubbles, prompting the gnome to step back as the pain where his finger used to be throbbed with molten heat. It seemed he had abused the flame, and in turn the flame had abused him. “I’m alright,” he insisted. This could be fixed, in time. “I may need some help getting back up the shelf, however.” It seemed unwise to ask the elements for further help - namely fire, air, and water - until they were more agreeable.” Perhaps his Attunement to the hills had left him handicapped with fire, and it scolded him for calling upon it with impunity in a realm of water? How could he be so unwise…

Above the water, a vast and foamy rush swirled along the surface as bubbles from the crabs elemental affinity for air hurled to the surface. Already, there were colorful fish and glowing eels emerging from the corals to prey upon the rich, exposed nutrients budding from the dead creature’s mouth.

- - -

[Kaiko Marina]

What she found was a 2 thousand pound crab. But she did not know that when the gnome asked none did she have a way to inform him of such. Honestly if she could have communicated she would have yelled 'run.' Or possibly simply yelled but as she discovered that was not something she could do underwater. What she knew was the gnome told her to come to him if in danger and that she was in fact in danger.

She hid knowing she would be completely useless in a fight. Her eyes got huge as she watched a huge leg come forward. She hid farther behind the rock as she saw the claws snap bubbles. She had seen crabs eat slugs and knew that either claw could crush her. Again she felt completely useless, helpless, and she had been spotted. Before either of them could move the gnome made his move. Filling the crab with sand. She covered her own mouth. She was amazed at how quickly and creativity he attacked. Then there were glass spikes. This was even more amazing than the last. She wanted to learn how he did that. As it died she became distracted and hungry. She swam towards the crab only stopping when she heard the gnomes outburst.

He said he was alright and since she had not asked she knew that it was most definitely a lie to help convince himself. She instantly swam over to him tilting her head as she looked for the problem. When she noticed his hands she immediately covered her mouth. She only uncovered her mouth to move her mouth saying 'I'm so sorry, I'm going to pick you up and get you help." She would move and grab him before inflating. They would rise slowly before her tail changed shape to that of a shark. She was surprised how light the rock man was. He was maybe one hundred and fifty pounds, not the seven hundred or more that she explained. It was a rather short trip two shore where she finally dropped him. "We need a medic." She would yell, then turn to the gnome. "I'm so sorry. I should have listened. This is all my fault."

Her emotions fleared. She had been holding in so much this season but this was pushing her over the edge. This was her fault. She held her emotions hidden until she was sure someone was there to help. She would then turn and swim off. Under the waves she would go back to the crab where she would sit and allow herself to finally cry and process everything that had happened. First she finally allowed herself to cry over her uncle and then over the danger that she had awakened. The danger that hurt the gnome who was so willing to help. This sorrow turned to anger. Anger she took out on the crab by taking her staff and popping off the leg and swimming it back to shore. She would repeat this process for all eight legs before turning full shark and joining in on the feast of stringy crab meat.

It turned out she really needed this, and somehow it made her feel better. But she remained upset about causing harm to the gnome. She was now able to hide her filings again. She would return to her zion form in the water near the shore and get dressed before walking out of the water and back to her chest where she would unpack her stuff and put down her staff. She would then check in on the gnome.

[Anton]

Review

Kaiko

Lore:
polearm, Quarterstaff: removing a crab leg
Storytelling: story; the stone and the crab
Animus: how to eat a crab
Animus: slugs float
survival: hiding, remain still
survival: hiding, blind with the surrounding
Elementalism: fire and water don't mix nicely
Elementalism: sand makes glass
Points: 10, may be used for Animus
Injuries/Ailments: None
Loot: As much crab meat as you can carry, presumably some of it is even cooked!

Aardwalden

Lore: 8
Points: 10, must be spent on skill debt
Injuries/Ailments: One melted away finger
Loot: Your own melted finger

Notes: Poor Kaiko, she just wants to have a nice, safe adventure