With no need for a carriage, as the journey is short, Kreios walks out the great red gates of the capital and accross the massive red bridge that spans the bit of water between it and the mainland. Going south as directed, ti is not too long before he first encounters a flock of tonsor. There are about four of them furiosly picking at the berries growing from an ortch plant.
Kreios
Seeing the tonsors and thinkin they can't be that smart, I slowly sneak around the side and try to reach over them to grab a few berries.
Billgar
Though your guess seems to be correct as to their over all intelligence, they seem to at least have some sense of fear, and run off as you approach, most unfortunately all the berries were consumed before they scattered. looking around it seems as though all the ortch plants in the area have been plucked clean of berries.
Kreios
"Great, now where do I go?"
seeing as there no berries left, I turn to follow the tonsor's tracks in hope of find more berry spots.
Billgar
Following one of the random trails left by the careless birds, you eventually track it back to its nest. Three eggs sit in the ground nest made from leaves and twigs, under the shade of a tree in the plains. Apparently there is no natural predator for the tonsor. Watching and waiting you witness the magestic hatching of one of the eggs, and the adorable chick as it calls out to its parents. Moving in you see a tonsor approaching with an ortch berry in its mouth. Most likely this is the mother bringing food to her young.
Kreios
"This must be my unfavorable day. first no berries left and now stealing from a new born, goh. well better start looking before it get's to late."
heads off to where the berries were first spotted. needs to find out more on where they could grow before looking again.
Billgar
Heading back out to where the berries were first spotted, it seems that there was one plant that was overlooked, a small sprout of ortch, only a single blue berry is present on it.
Kreios
"Some luck finally!"
Finding one berry and quickly picking it and putting in a bag I study the plant and all it's surroundings and then head off towards the southeast part of the forest.
Billgar
Heading more southeast along the PLAINS you wander out in the open. Some time passes and no more berries are found. It seems to be the end of the season and the tonsor are surely hording what they have gathered. A perching lizard crosses your path.
Kreios
sitting down, I think about where to go next.
"ok think, I haven't seen anything but the ones the tonors have taking and it doesn't look like there's anymore around. so it looks like I'm going to have to get them back from the tonors, with killing a new born of scaring them off."
I see the perching lizard and jump a little. then I head towards what I hope to be where I will find the tonors nests.
Billgar
Though no nests are out in the open in the area you head towards there are a few tonsor waddling about to and fro.
Kreios
"looks like my luck has run out."
I sit again and watch the tonors for a few minutes to think about what to do next.
Billgar
They continue to wander about doing nothing in particular, the evening sky comes up over head and the tonsors slowly begin to doze off, some run off into stray bsuhes where they make their nests, while others merely slump down onto the ground.
Kreios
"They're going to sleep?"
I didn't thing about that, they would be easier to steal from and it would be hard to travel fro nest to nest after they settle in for the night.
I wait until night as fallen and try my best to stay awake and watch the tonsors.
Billgar
The tonsors are all at rest, except for one of the chicks who wanders off a ways heading towards what turns out to be a small stream. Moving a leaf to the side it reveals not jsut one berry but a whole pile, no doubt that was gathered by the community of avian creatures.
Kreios
grabbing three berries and I silently try to leave, just as I came in. I wonder about the one tonsors that walked away from the others but do nothing about it. I start back for the gate.
Billgar
Making your way back to the carriage that brought you to the area, you begin your journey back to the capital.
Spoiler:
In order to expedite matters I am including this next part in this thread, respond as you see fit.
Finally getting an audience with the emperor, you present him with the berries. Him pet tonsor comes out and eats them promptly. The emperor delighted by the joy of his pet speaks.
"This is the Second time that We have seen you in our court, and We are pleased indeed with your efforts. The fact that the berries you obtained were of a quality that was acceptable to Gerald speaks a great volumn about you."
The emperor claps his hands and a man clad in Aluminum plating with a paper mask bearing a red marking on it brings out a large red pillow. Upon the pillow is a Seafarers Cutlass and a Peculiarly shaped bottle full of some obscure red liquid.
"We of course present to you the weapon as promised, however, it is Our desire to spread the powers of the newest invention of modern magic. The bottle is known as a Vitality Core. By drinking the liquid within you will for a time gain the ability to take a substantial more amount of damage than you normally would, raising your skills far beyond their level. Though this effect is only temporary, we feel that it should sustain itself for a reasonable amount of time.
Hopefully with this you will be able to join up with either Archaic or with Koku. . .at least for a short adventure that is."
