epidemiology | EVENT ★ RING OF FIRE

SALOON FIRE

Miz Poppy and most of the saloon workers have been missing since the ambush out at Boneyard Junction. None of the remaining saloon workers (around five total) have any idea where they've gone, only that one morning, they were all missing. They've been running the saloon as best they can in their proprietor's absence, but pouring drink and dealing with rooming is about the best they can offer with such a skeleton crew.

Those who think there's more to this than Miz Poppy and the workers heading for the hills will find themselves right -- though not in an altogether pleasant way. Some time after the ambush, early in the morning, a fire starts in the saloon. By the time anyone notices, it's already spread too far to salvage anything: the task has quickly shifted from put out the fire to don't let anyone burn alive. There are a handful of saloon workers who live here, some visiting Qorral, and of course your teammates. Whom you choose to prioritize is up to you, but be mindful that you're still guests here, and the locals don't look kindly on yellow-bellied cowards.

After everyone is safely out (or not), it's time to help put the fire out so it doesn't spread to other buildings. Perdition's Rest is mostly constructed of wood, meaning that the whole thing is a tinderbox ready to go. The sheriff and her deputies are here to assist, and many of the locals come out to help as well, though some stay in the streets and gawk. Afterwards, what parts of the the burned-out shell of the saloon still stand can be explored for clues as to what started the fire -- and, perhaps, what happened to Miz Poppy. Sheriff Holladay remains in the wreckage to conduct her own investigation; she'll be thankful for anyone who stays to help out, and will gladly swap information.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

The saloon is now a blackened, roofless husk of a first floor and a burnt staircase that leads to nowhere. You'll need to find new accommodations. Those who helped out may find the Qorral willing to spare a bed for an intrepid adventurer or two -- but then again, they may be just as likely to suspect these offworlders as a cause for the fire. Ultimately, it may be easier to just camp outdoors.

The local Qorral are happy to lend blankets and materials for tents, though if you want something a little sturdier, the tailor or the trading post will sell you something better . . . for a slight upcharge, of course. Better flex those haggling skills.

As the hours pass and the sun begins to slip down below the horizon, it begins to snow. The locals will tell anyone that this is normal; it's midway through Q-65's winter season, and snow is common at this time of year. The weather will continue to be on the colder side of temperate, but the snow makes things a little chillier. If you haven't learned to get cozy with your teammates by now, this is as good a chance as any.

Soon enough, someone starts a cooking fire, and though some of the locals filter back to their homes, some remain behind to stay with Audentes to share food, swap stories, and sing songs. It's an excellent time to rest and recharge after the last hectic few weeks on this planet. But for those who aren't the resting sort, it can also be the perfect time to plan and strategize.

OOC NOTES

Remember that the plotting post is available all month. There will be two more logs for this mission, both of which will be action-oriented, so use this time to relax and mingle!

Please direct all questions pertaining to the mission to the dossier page to keep questions and responses in one place for easy player reference. General game questions should be directed to the FAQ.

There have been new side missions added to the Bounty Board! You can also request bounty missions or submit player plots at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Giorno doesn't look overly young for his age, but when he's beaming with childlike enthusiasm and almost half a foot shorter than Jin? It's tough to tell-- which means that he's slotted squarely into Kung Jin's personal "another unqualified kid those disorganized ALASTAIR bastards have plucked from a random timeline" category.

s i g h.

Jin stops in his tracks to glance over at the younger boy, eyebrow raised. He better not miss out on investigating that ghost town again for the sake of stopping Spider-Boy from trying to greet a desert monster.]

Nope, totally missed the giant hairy bug in the distance. Seriously: don't screw with them, they're a pain to chase off.

[Wow?? Excuse the hell out of you, you don't gotta be rude.]

[. . . is what Giorno doesn't say. He just gives Jin a sort of flat look and tips his head at him.]

Oh, well. I'll put my plans to tame one and ride it through the town square on hold then. Just for you.

[Teenagers.]

You really know how to make a guy feel special. [Jin pulls his bow from his shoulder and takes a step or two in his original path. He doesn't need to be here for this, right?]

I don't know what ALASTAIR briefed you newbies on, but it's dangerous out here. Not playtime. You're better off going back to town and staying with the camp.

Oh?

[His expression goes . . . not cooler. Kind of the opposite. Sharper, when he sees the bow. Something is ticking behind his eyes. Pros and cons, mostly.]

Why aren't you in town, then?

I'm one of the ones who came here with experience. If you have them back home, I'm Shaolin. Fighting threats, traveling through dimensions to different worlds--

[he's stopped calling them 'realms' for now, having picked up that the terminology's not totally recognizable to everyone else.]

--I can handle anything any planet throws at me.

What about you?

Oh. That's very interesting.

[And it is! Genuinely. He'd love to ask more questions. Maybe he'll get the chance to. But first things first.]

Just to clarify, though: is your assumption that I'm inept the result of my curiosity about the local wildlife, my age, or something else? I'd love to know where I should start steering you back on track.

[boi]

All right, then. You can start by proving it.

[And, without another word, he notches an arrow and lets it loose in the direction of the spider: currently clambering up onto a jagged boulder. His bolt ricochets on the rock, chipping a little shower of pebbles at the giant arachnid. It's not enough to hurt it, but it's certainly enough to irritate it... and to bring its attention toward the two of them.

Its body turns; its jaws snap, and its legs begin scuttling in their direction.]

Show me what you got.

What the fuck.

[It's not scared. It's not even surprised. It's just irritated. No, the shot didn't actually hurt the spider, but That Spider Did Nothing To You, Kung Jin.]

[And of course Giorno is at a disadvantage because he doesn't want to do anything to the spider, either. Lethal force is right out. So he just . . . sighs, steps towards the spider as it approaches, and waits.]

[He waits right up until the spider is right up close and personal. Something like four feet away--and then it stumbles and starts lurching, disoriented, tumbles sideways onto the sand. Out of which a collection of vines bursts, securing it where it lies in something vaguely reminiscent of a cocoon.]

[Giorno goes and crouches down next to it, making sure it's still able to move a little in there. Then he glances up at Jin.]

I hope you didn't expect me to kill it. [Motherfucker.]

[He casts a scrutinizing eye over the thick green ropes: definitely not chance, definitely not anything native to a dry desert wasteland like Perdition's Rest.] So you do have powers.

[Though, more and more, it's proved to not be the case with new recruits, he'd suspected it with Giorno as soon as he'd fired back at him. Pleasant surprise to have that theory proven.

The vines are visible to him, wrapping almost reassuringly around the giant creature, but Gold Experience, wherever it may be, isn't. He moves closer and in no time is standing beside where Giorno's crouched low near the spider. His eyes are on the vines, not the bug. Maybe Giorno can manipulate plants?]

I wasn't expecting anything, [he says, blithely,] that much was on you. Plants, huh.

You were expecting failure.

[This flatly, and presented as fact. He knows it. Even if not at that precise last moment, yes, Jin looked at him and expected failure at the start.]

[He stands after a moment, after he's entirely sure that the spider is all right.]

That would appear to be the case. [Definitely just plants and Nothing Else.] You never answered my question.

[Giorno's address goes directly to the point, calling Jin's dare for exactly what it'd been. It's not enough to garner Jin's respect-- not yet-- but it is definitely interesting.

He'll give him honesty, at the very least, for that.]

You're too eager. The people who arrive enthusiastic about ALASTAIR are the ones who burn out first.

[Careful, practiced cynicism is always the safest place to fall back upon, after all.]

. . . I'm enthusiastic about the spiders. Because I like spiders. I'm not enthusiastic about space mining.

[This is just unbelievable. His temper's simmering, but the honesty helps, at least.]

I think this whole thing is a con, but you don't see me being an unpleasant, overgrown child about it. If everyone's pissing negativity dusk til dawn, no one will get anything done. All right?

So, going along for the big sham of a ride, then. You better hang onto your vines, in that case.

[he's just being a piece of shit at this point tbqh.]

What else can you do with those? [he gestures at the growths with his chin, pointedly ignoring... that he was just a big jerk to giorno...]

EVENT ★ RING OF FIRE

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