Pulse of the Imperium

It was after midday when, after a challenging ascent, they converged upon their first barra field. They actually didn't look like anything special. To think they were having such a complex impact both on Caladan and the wider Imperium...

[Player Pool: 3/0; GM Pool: 3/0]

Kiran smiled at the cooling air and Barra ferns. "Feels like home. If only we were visiting with less dire purpose." They looked over the plants, trying to determine if these ones were altered.

They actually were. Those at the southern edge of the field looked like they had been harvested the last season. The next line waa so far untouched, but ripening. The rest was green. Each group followed its own vegetation cycle. What was curious to Kiran was that their leaves were spotted, a strain unseen in her own northern parts.

Efren stayed at the front of the group keeping an eye out for any movement.

[Perception or Vigilance Hard with a Challenge and a Setback, without Challenge for Efren, Average for Kiran.]

So this was it, apparently. The stuff.

Laila hunkered down, surveyed their surroundings... and cleared her throat.

"If we come in peace, we sure ain't geared up like it."

She operated under the assumption that they were being watched- if they'd made their way to an important cultivation field, no way in hell had they done so undetected.


Vigilance Hard with a Challenge and a Setback: 2eD+1eC+1eS+3eA 1 failure, 3 advantage


Let's bank those advantages.

Hadrian was beginning to think that the place was abandoned. Given their obviously stealthy approach as well as the lack of noise coming from the fields and beyond.

He was it also, clearly wasn't helping matters that he'd brought along a few makeshift containers of sap for trade purposes. The added weight might have made his perception a tad more difficult.

"It's the jungle, surely a delegation might be expected to protect itself along the trek. That said, I get the feeling our would be allies have pushed on."

Perception Hard with challenge & Setback: 2eP+1eA+2eD+1eC+1eS 5 failures, 5 advantage

[Player Pool: 11/0; GM Pool: 3/0]

The team besides Kiran seemed to be missing some important detail.

————

D2 Perception, Roots Statement, 6 Adv for Bonus: 1eP+1eA+3eD+1eS+3eB 0 successes, 2 advantage

That was likely because Kiran was a Muadh community leader, even though not exactly of those Muadh. She noticed readily that some bird sounds in the background were only approximations. They had likely been spotted and already communicated on. Kiran quietly conveyed as much to the others.

Day 2 Afternoon | Barra | Vigilance | 'Understand' Statement: 3eP+1eA+1eB+2eD 2 successes, 2 advantage


[Efren's 2 Advantage]

But even though Efren didn't get it, he still couldn't shake off an eerie sense of familiarity with this place. It wasn't even this particular view, maybe something in the air.

Hadrian's ruthless capitalist side had already started shamefully calculating the worth of the harvest of barra ferns from this location on the black market... and it was significant. 'I could move to Kaitain' significant.

Laila had a momentary "I was right!" feeling, which was so novel in her experience that she took a second to savor it.

"Seems to me if they've got eyes on us and we know it, no sense in acting heavy."

Kiran Alsahar wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 03, 2024 10:42 am

Hadrian's ruthless capitalist side had already started shamefully calculating the worth of the harvest of barra ferns from this location on the black market... and it was significant. 'I could move to Kaitain' significant.

Any such assumption was entirely without merit. Hadrian couldn't care less about the worth of barra ferns outside of calculating how big a target this place is to the cartel. And even that calculation came on the wings of a greater one. After all, in business, especially the business of survival, it's better to get along with your neighbors. If it were Hadrian's cartel, he'd spend much on making allies of the natives. Time, resources, supplies, aid of all types. But such observations would have to wait while he put on a show.

"Whoa that's neat!" Hadrian casually attempted to match the bird calls as he walked further on towards their goal.

That made the no-birds go silent.

Efren halted the line and looked to the trees.

“We are here as friends.” He said with a voice loud enough to carry.

"If that's the play..."

Laila raised the carbine over her head with one hand, then set it on the ground and took a step away from it.

The thicket rustled and spat out a human figure who had every credentials to be taken for a tropical bird from a sufficient distance.
The man looked them in the face, especially on Efren who he resembled a bit, and then crouched to put something on the ground that looked like a cord with a stretch of sharp tips and edges embedded along its length.

Strengthening, he pressed his palm on his forehead. He was tall and toned.

"Yar Zell."

Laila's mind raced. She'd been on three planets, had encountered a few cultural differences, but these guys were clearly a bit less looped into the Imperial culture than anyone she'd met thus far.

And, her life and experience being what they were, she was utterly fascinated by the object he'd placed on the ground.

If that's one of their weapons... I wonder how they use 'em. That thing looks... interesting. Maybe they throw them? I kinda doubt it's just some kind of nasty garrote... or is it some kind of melee weapon? I kinda doubt it's a necklace...

It definitely wasn't her place to do any of the speaking- she was probably the most alien to the Muadh of anyone in their whole unit.

Kannon wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 03, 2024 8:55 pm

The thicket rustled and spat out a human figure who had every credentials to be taken for a tropical bird from a sufficient distance.

Yar Zell.jpg

The man looked them in the face, especially on Efren who he resembled a bit, and then crouched to put something on the ground that looked like a cord with a stretch of sharp tips and edges embedded along its length.

Strengthening, he pressed his palm on his forehead. He was tall and toned.

"Yar Zell."

Kiran stepped forward and pressed a palm to their forehead. "Qi Ran." They continue in Muadh. "[I'm an Aylonit from the North. We've been looking for your people.]"

Yar Zell nodded.

"[Old Mother Speak You]" He said in a form of the language so thick and antiquated that articles and prepositions were unintelligible.
"[Guardians No Harm?]" He pointed to the others, again lingering a bit more on Efren.

Kannon wrote: ↑

Sat Aug 03, 2024 11:08 pm

Yar Zell nodded.

"[Old Mother Speak You]" He said in a form of the language so thick and antiquated that articles and prepositions were unintelligible.
"[Guardians No Harm?]" He pointed to the others, again lingering a bit more on Efren.

"[No harm from them]," they replied with a nod, adjusting their language as much as they can to be clearer to someone speaking this dialect. "[Try to prevent harm from people hurting Muadh for ailar, and find other outsiders. Two, older and younger.]"