[It's Rising Sun Pioneers! You are in the wilderness near Hellspoint! If by "wilderness" we mean "rocky valley nearby". You escaped a gang or mob or posse or something chasing you, probably for crimes you no doubt committed!] [But you're all still alive, so who really cares? Well, probably. Jinx fell down a well.] (And we don't have Lassie to save him!) [It's very early morning. The sun's still in the process of rising. You're all outside an old, old shack. Some of you found some interesting things in there. Fanfan, for instance, now has a nice new cloak that either renders her invisible or the next best thing. Regardless, she's hard to see now. But she's with you. Just quiet. Probably.] [Go sniff Jinx out! Go on! Or, you know, leave him behind to rot.] [Session Start.] ( Wouldn't be the first time.) So besides the freaky cloak... anything else interesting in here? Like, say, a map of nearby underground river systems? Only if we were so lucky... Yeah, that'll be happening some time soon. Mmm... river's gotta let out somewhere. Lake? Caves? Caves is our best bet. I have no idea where the nearest lake is. * Millie thinks about that for a moment. 2d6-3 * Dicesuke throws the bones for Millie (2d6-3) and gets a natural 8 for a result of 5. * Millie speaks plainly, though still contemplative. "That's the thing. There isn't one." ...well. Caves it is, then. No lake, or no caves? Well... crap. No lakes. There's not supposed to be all that much in the way of streams anyways. Hellspoint's notorious for bein' barren. But we could probably follow the valley down an' find somethin' there, I reckon. 'm pretty sure that's the closest we can come, then. You know the area, so you're the boss on this one. Horses are right outside. It is not as if we have many other options. Well, ones that include a high probability of finding Jinx, at any rate. * Millie snickers and waves her hand. "Not *that* well. But thanks. I'd take that as almost a compliment." Yeah. Let's saddle up. * John mounts up. "Let's ride." ( ..hm. Fanfan will probably have to be riding Jinx's horse, right? ) (Yup.) ( Right-o. ) * Fanfan looks around, counting up people and horses, and somewhat hesitantly walks up to Jinx's horse, patting it on the nose. (She could always ride with Millie! o/~) [Lightning snorts.] * Millie mounts up on Midnight. Her movements still aren't quite smooth and she falters a little in the saddle, holding her head. "Ugh. That stuff still packs a kick..." * Fanfan leans close and whispers in Lightning's ear. "This is only a temporary situation. I would appreciate it if you did not kill me." * Fanfan then mounts up. * Tairan gets onto Horse, rubbing her (?) mane. Better than nothin', right? [Lightning shakes her head. But she doesn't throw Fanfan off!] * Millie starts to ride! Gently. * John rides! Rides like the wind! Okay, maybe not, but he DOES look good doing it. *ting!* * Tairan follows, keeping an eye on the recently-injured Millie and Fanfan. * Fanfan does not fall off! YET. >.> ... falling down a well is unusually bad luck, even for a man named Jinx. (That's what you think.) Well, I don't know. I thought him getting killed the first time was pretty bad luck. Even if he did get better. Getting killed twice is probably more bad luck than getting killed once. I doubt he's dead. So hopefully he's not. ... hell's bells, that sounds creepy jus' sayin'. Don't think of him as havin' died. Just think of it as him havin' a short period of extreme laziness. * Fanfan blinks and thinks about that. "....Tairan. That makes very little sense." That doesn't remedy gettin' shot in the freakin' HEAD, Lanky. * Tairan grins a bit. "Well, haven't you suggested more'n a few times that Jinx does most of his thinking with his other head?" * Millie snorts. "Most guys do. Why do ya think I get away with some o' th' stuff I do?" Well, then, you understand why being shot in the head isn't necessarily a fatal condition. * Fanfan looks straight ahead, a very bland expression on her face. That head don't make sure that yer heart's still beatin', Lanky. I don't know, if I got shot in the head, I'm pretty sure I'd be pretty dead. * Tairan shrugs. "Maybe fate just wasn't done with Jinx." That's the first thing ya said t'day that's made any sense. * Tairan tips his hat to Millie. * Millie keeps on riding. [You ride! And ride. And I'm not even going to give you a roll, because it's about mid-morning, and the valley's becoming a little more steep and mountainous. And, on the right, you see... another building! Only this one isn't a dump by any means. It looks like it's at least a few rooms large, and well-kept, with a small stable.] [Small patches of grass even grow around it.] * Fanfan eyes it. [It eyes Fanfan back with a nice sign in both Injun and Teckian that says, "Crazy Feathers' Outpost."] ... figures. What? * John peers. "Oh, great." * Fanfan can't read either! So it's all jumbly letters. Yay! Yes, great. We could use a few of those healing potions he sells. * Fanfan tilts her head. "What is it?" Crazy Feather. Ohhhh. * Millie lets out a big sigh. "Why out here?" Because the gods have a sadistic sense of humor? * Fanfan looks around. "One would think he would choose a better location. Then again, perhaps he does not require one." * Fanfan shrugs off the cloak and puts in her satchel. * Millie rubs her head. "Personally, I think he's stalkin' us." Could be. I'm not complainin'. [Fanfan can be seen again! Far less creepy.] Well, I've still got some dollars left, plus a coupla random weapons we've picked up that we can trade. *pauses* I still need to give that sword to you, Fanfan. * Fanfan blinks. "Sword?" * Millie looks at Tairan. "Wait...we're gonna go shoppin' instead of rescuin' Jinx..." Am I the only one that thinks that sounds incredibly stupid? The one we got off of Draco. Ah, that one. We'd move faster if you were healed up a bit. And we might be able to buy some info from him. * Fanfan looks at Millie. "Presumably Crazy Feathers would know if there were caves or lakes in the area." We just have to do this a bit faster than we usually do when we run into him. It's rather doubtful there's any water in the area. I already told ya that. * Tairan starts riding towards the outpost. I said caves or lakes. * Fanfan follows Tairan. Well, how the hell did Jinx manage to fall into the only underground river? Luck. This is Jinx we're talkin' 'bout. Ya really hafta ask? Point. [The outpost is inviting! IT MUST BE A TRAP.] ( Yeah, a money trap. ) * John goes to TEH TRAPPORZ! (And a tourist trap) (OH NOES!) ( Same difference. ) * Millie heads for it as well. Might as well. [The outpost is a roomy one-room roomed building, with plenty of room. That is, it would be if it were empty. But it's stuffy because of all the stuffly stuff stuffed onto shelves, racks and other display stuff. Crazy Feathers is there, too, standing like a statue. He might be mistaken for one, but as soon as you enter he says, "How. Can Crazy Feathers help you?"] * John walks up to Crazy Feathers. "Know anythin' about underground rivers around here? " [He nods. "Crazy Feathers knows of rivers that run underground."] * Millie snorts as she walks in. "That's what I like 'bout you, John. Always right to the point." * Tairan reaches into his pack, and pulls out Lucius' heavy revolver and Mikoto's sword, setting them down on the counter. * John shrugs and remakrs to Millie. "If it works..." Anyways, I mean rivers that run underground around here. * Tairan waits for John to finish before asking about trading. [Crazy Feathers steps to one side, revealing a podium with several pamphlets on it, titled 'Tour the Underground Rivers Near Hellspoint!' "Two dollar," Crazy Feathers says.] You have got to be kidding me. Don't look a two-dollar horse in the mouth. * Millie just facefaults. That's about all she can do really. ...is he asking us to buy the river? O_o Well, I'm gonna look 'round at the goods. Have at'em Tairan. ... right. How much would you give us for these? *offers the pistol and sword to Crazy Feathers* * Fanfan blinks. "...is that Mikoto's sword?" * Tairan looks back. "Yeah. I understand why he left, but it left us shorthanded. Figure this is the least he can do." ...oh. 'sides, he gave it to me to use how I wanted. I don't need it, and you don't need it. So why not sell it? [Crazy Feathers picks up the weapons, inspecting them carefully.] * Millie looks around at the objects in the shop. Just in case there's something new ["Crazy Feathers give you... 50 kanmon for sword, 80 dollars for gun."] * John finds a strange heavy pistol and picks it up, inspecting it. "Interesting." * Tairan takes a deep breath to begin bartering... but then remembers he sucks at that. He deflates. "Sounds fair. How much are you charging for those healing potions of yours?" ( No deal. 40 for the sword, 60 for the gun!) ["Healing potion is 100 dollar. Energy drink, 120 dollar. Also just in: strength drink, mind drink, spirit drink. 200 dollar each." ] ... okay. I know you don't accept kanmon at the same value as dollars 'round here, since it's far from the border. What's your convertin' rate? ["Crazy Feathers sell healing potion for 110 kanmon. Energy drink, 135 kanmon. Other drinks, 225 kanmon each."] Fair enough. ["Buy three, get one Eagle-Eye drink free."] Okay... *rummages through his pack; pulls out 280 kanmon and 220 dollars and puts them next to the sword and gun, respectively* Six of the healing potions. Which I guess means two eagle eye potions free. [Crazy Feathers takes the money and hands Tairan six of the healers, as well as two potions that are mostly clear, but seem to have some sparklies swimming around in them. "Thank you, come again."] Uh...don't ya wanna ask what those potions actually *do* first? Yeah, kinda important. * Tairan hands over two more dollars. "The underground river guide, too." *turns to Millie* "Eagle eye potion. I'm pretty sure it enhances vision." *puts four healers and the two eagle-eyes in his pack; offers a healer to Fanfan and Millie* [Crazy Feathers takes the money and gives Tairan a guide.] ... * Millie rubs her right temple beneath her hat brim. "Yeah. If ya say so..." She takes the potion and then eyes Tairan for a moment. "For me? * Fanfan looks at Crazy Feathers. "That is what it does, correct?" [Crazy Feathers nods.] Yeah. Drink it. *looks at Fanfan* You too. We need you both in some semblance of fighting shape. Ah, yes. * Fanfan drinks it. Thank you. [Fanfan is somewhat healed! +30 hp, putting her at 53] * Millie shakes her head and pops the top. "I ain't lettin' ya get away with this." She drinks down the potion. * Fanfan shakes her head. "Ah. That's better." * Fanfan puts a hand to her purse. "Do you wish reimbursement?" Nah. I figure that all the money we find as a group is group money, so it gets spent on the group. * Millie coughs, takes her money out and just forces it into Tairan's hand. "Here." * Tairan eyes Millie, and for once decides that discretion is the better part of valor, and takes the money. "Guess this goes into the group fund." (Tairan? Discrete? Or with valor even? We're doomed.) 'sides, I don't need much money for myself. * Fanfan thinks it over, and then nods at Tairan. "Your way makes sense." * John walks up to the counter, holding the strange pistol. "This caught my eye. It do anything special?" In any case, it's not as if we would not buy such a thing for you in similar situation. * Millie hmmphs and steps back. "I don't care. I ain't bein' indebted to ya." * Tairan grins at Millie. "If it makes you feel better, think of it as being in my self-interest to have you healthy enough to ride fast and cover my back." Nah. It don't. Personally, I'd rather shoot ya myself. * John calls back to Millie and Tairan while waiting for Crazy Feathers to respond. "You two done arguing?" [Millie is healed also, putting her at 31 hp.] * Tairan rubs his neck. "I seem to inspire that feeling in a lot of women." Really? I thought you were from Shomura. That'd mean they'd rather cleave ya. * Millie grins and looks at Tairan knowingly. * Fanfan looks slightly offended. "Shomuran women do not cleave!" You're forgetting bows, Millie. And the occasional blowgun. [Meanwhile Crazy Feathers turns his attention to John. "Salamander pistol. Make all bullet fire bullet."] Intrestin'. Will you take items in trade for it? ["Crazy Feathers take if equal or greater value."] * John nods and looks through his pack, taking out a rusted wakizashi, two scrolls, and a light pistol. "How much would you say each o' these'd go for?" ( Mmm, which pistol is that? ) (Just a normal light pistol.) (Looted right off of a corpse.) Yeah...right... [Crazy Feathers looks them over. "Hmmmm.... Crazy Feathers give you $720 for all."] 'kay, tell ya what. I'll give ya that and, mmm... * John checks through his wallet, pulling out 350 dollars and 600 kanmon. "This for the salamander pistol. After I have a chance to test it out... Just wanna make sure you're not jippin' me. Nothin' personal." [Crazy Feathers nods. "Thank you, come again."] [Going to end here, too. End!]