Alberic shrugs, and scratches his head thoughtfully under his hat. "Direction? The most direct from here towards the centre of it, I suppose? If we know which way that is, of course..."

"Go to see where the growth starts to look bigger or smaller, and then follow the smaller or newer path, I suppose.  Thank you for your help, Joat, it's nice to have company on a new journey," Zalbane will say.  If people are ready, she's prepared to head out now.

Mhari ponders the proposed course, "I can try to see if there is a noticeable path in the growth from the sky... but I'm thinking the trail is a little too subtly for me to follow from above. Z'DAKK is not fond of trees, 'they get in the way of the wind' {snort}... is what he is always telling me. So he'll not be joining us in roaming around in the woods."

"Fair enough." Alberic nods. "Let's go."

A couple of hours worth of scouring the forests closest to the clave reveal three paths of younger growth.  The newest is at least a year, maybe two.  The oldest growth is perhaps ten years, judging by the girth of the saplings.  None of the trails provides an easy answer to which direction the ... culprit? moved in.

The closest path is about 3/4 of a mile northwest of the clave, running (roughly) ssw to nne.  This track has growth between the ages of the other two paths.  The places where the paths cross help to confirm the relative ages.

"Might as well start with the nearest." Alberic suggests.

Mhari nods, "Fine with me.. I'll take point."

The Glaive draws 'Stormheart' and readies his Transparent Ballistic Plastic Shield... leading the way.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:52, Tue 02 Mar 2021.

The way through the trees to the line of newer growth is warm and humid, but largely unremarkable.

Once at the growth, a survey of the visible greenery does not hint at a direction of progress.  Even climbing a tree beside the shorter vegetation does not provide insight.  The path curves gently eastward in each direction, obscuring possible tell-tale markers.

The group does note that some of the older trees bordering the saplings have had their lower branches shorn off and even tree trunks bear signs of being planed through the bark and deep into the woody core.  That old line of destruction runs straight up from the edge of the new growth to a height of about 40 feet.

"Hmm... I wonder if is it not something that runs along the ground, but from above or below, thrusting up?  Curious.  It may be a few weeks' task to map this place properly."  Zalbane marks the map with the routes they've found so far, along with the ages and the marks on the trees.  "Mhari, you and Z'DAKK might be our best bets for that."  She looks about the curious sections of planed wood.  "Hmm, once we've mapped it, some of this might be good for pre-planed things at the clave.  Ah, but I'm wandering.  Well, now we know it's about on a ten-year cycle or so.  And we have some more paths to check later.  But we did come out here to check the ruins, so let's make our way towards there before the day gets much darker.  I don't want to set up camp before we've had a chance to check out the place for anything that might want to nibble on us."

Zalbane makes a gesture with an open hand, inviting others to make their own opinions.

"Is it just clearance, or replanting?" Alberic muses, pushing his hat back on his head. "I mean, is someone managing and harvesting this woodland in some way? Or does something just destroy a chunk of trees every so often and the forest just fills in the cleared space itself?"


He examines the planed sections for any signs of what caused the damage - scorch marks, perhaps, or tears and scratches from mechanical damage if any are left. At last, he tears himself away from his musing. "Anyway, yes - on to the ruins!"

OOC: I'm assuming that the "new growth" is just a younger version of the rest of the forest, rather than clearly alien species!

Mhari has lived most of his life at a sea port Metropolis.. so forestry is not really in his knowledge base so he lets the experts do this investigation.  Watching closely yes, but more focusing on watching out for threats as the party glaive and protector.

He nods, "Yes.. let's proceed onto the ruins."

Zalbane will take the lead to the ruins, making markings upon their map as they go. It may take days or weeks or longer to fully map out the peculiar regrowth, but that doesn't mean she can't get an early start.  She watches carefully for any predators or people; just because she didn't encounter anything hostile on her first trip out here doesn't mean that will hold.  The Ninth World is a harsh place, and this area is mostly unknown.  And the ruins had shown signs of use before, which she could not discount.  She describes the scant signs she had seen to the others as she travels, because forewarned was forearmed!

The trio spend what's left of the morning and well into the afternoon hiking to the ruins.  The day grows overcast and a bit more humid, but is otherwise fair.  For a while, there is sound of distant thunder, and Z'dakk relays a message of being satiated to Mhari sometime later.  The group passes only one other stretch of new growth along their current path, something (roughly) in between the older two paths they noted before.

Alberic's sense of the sheered trees and branches is that the act was mechanical, certainly, and not fire or a similar energy device.  He's not entirely certain, but some areas seem to indicate a saw or some other moving/spinning/rotating device, as compared to a single, clean excision.

No predators are encountered, at least none close enough and interested enough to be a bother.  For a while, a flock of large, ornate, and squawking birds takes an interest in the group.  They hop along from branch to branch, chattering and occasionally mimicking the sound of branches breaking under the feet of the explorers.  After more than an hour, even these grow bored of the slow travel and flap off to the northwest, on an errand of their own.

Their morning investigations devoured more of the day than originally planned, and there is only about an hour of sunlight left by the time the group is within about a quarter mile of the ruins.  Close enough to reach it if they choose, but far enough to avoid it until daybreak if they prefer.

"Shall we strike camp, then?" Alberic suggests. "We might as well reach the ruins in daylight, for what little we'll lose by staying here.."

Mhari ponders the situation....

"It seems to me perhaps waiting until daylight ... might be prudent, but there are two potential camps of thought here. One camping here might keep us out of risk of meeting night predators of the ruins or expose us to night predators of the forest."

"Personally, I'd prefer to have daylight to search the ruins... I can call down Z'Dakk to camp with us and rely somewhat on his keen senses to guard us in the night. He's BIG and indeed a predator, his scent might keep night-predators of the forest away from the camp."

"In either case I think we should keep a cold dark camp tonight using light only when needed.. to avoid drawing the attention of intelligent threats.  Like unknown residents of the ruins if they could be hostile.  We should set watches regardless."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:12, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

Setting up camp is a fairly simple matter, if a bit time consuming.  Soon, there is a sheltered place to sleep for each and enough hardtack to keep the hunger at bay.

OOC: What's the plan for overnight?

"Best post watches, I guess." Alberic muses. "Three shifts? It seems a little unfair to ask Joat to take on that responsibility when he is our guest..."

Mhari chuckles at Alberic's statement, "..I'll take second watch, Z'Dakk operates even better at night... not sure why."

"Fair enough." Alberic nods. "I'll post first watch."

"Dawn is fine for me.  I can see in any light," she says, and will dim her lighted crystal once the group had bedded down for the evening.  If naught happens that night, she will start a pot of tea before the others wake up so they can start the day with a nice beverage.

The night is calm, if not quiet.  Small flying creatures of the night, bats, bugs, birds, chatter and click and whir.  Occasional rustles in the leaf litter or the branches high above may be startling, but don't resolve into anything visible or tangible for hours that may feel like days.

Alberic settles himself down, and duly begins scanning the horizon. As time passes and nothing happens, he begins to fear that he will nod off, and to keep awake, amuses himself by thinking through the design and implementation of the proposed rails for the gun turret back at the clave. It isn't long before he is completely lost in his thoughts, paying no attention at all to his surroundings...

OOC:  10:08, Today: Alberic rolled 1 using 1d20 ((1))
Whoops. Sorry, folks!

Alberic dreams of a near friction-less system for moving the turret ... until dreams are his only thoughts.  Tired from the day's trek, he is unable to maintain his watch.

OOC: Each of you please make an intellect defense roll, difficulty 5:15.

Mhari dozes his usually cat napping ways when in the field, in untamed lands...

23:43, Today: Mhari 'Stormbolt' rolled 7 using 1d20.  Int roll with Effort [3 Int -2 edge; Int cost 1], Lv5 to Lv4 {TN12}. – 7

ooc: Nope, no good! 'shrug' Tried.

{Z'Dakk is likely off scavenging or just enjoying the nights winds... he's not found of the ground rather be flying, and its not our shift to be on guard.}

Alberic begins to snore, blissfully unaware of any danger...

20:43, Today: Alberic rolled 7 using 1d20.  Intellect Defence. 1 Level of Effort - lowers TN to 12.

That's a Nope from me as well!