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Post by Shitakibo on May 3, 2023 18:03:48 GMT -5
Their first mission went smoothly, so Taki and Astrid had returned to the camp to report in. They spent days prepping and drawing up fresh plans, working closely with the Logistics Corps to organize the materials and manpower needed to put them into play. Bolts and various ammo for the siege engines, stakes and wire, tools and extra parts were all loaded up onto carts.
She and her companions went through each piece and part, working closely with other engineers to make sure they were quality and to proper specification. As each part was given clearance, it was taken to it's appropriate wagon to be loaded and cataloged. It took several days to get another bout of supplies ready to take into the valley, but the members of the Logistics Corps made it all seem like mundane tasks.
Once the carts were loaded once again, Taki went in search of Astrid. The group were to escort the supplies up, drop them off at their designated sites, and start building the defensive structrues afterwards.
"This should turn out to be another fine haul Astrid. The gear is loaded and ready to make the journey. Were there any other preparations you needed to make before we leave?" Asked the shaman, checking her own gear and making sure she had enough supplies for the expected days they'd be away.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on May 3, 2023 19:52:50 GMT -5
Working with the Logistics Corps is quite a bit different than working with the Survey Corps. Where the surveyors work more in the field, the logistics teams are about planning the trips into the field. Astrid quite likes planning. Math has always been something that comes easy to her, and making plans and building things are skills she’s worked on even more while helping around Dragon’s Cradle. Now that she’s doing things with the WEF, she gets to put those skills to the test in unfamiliar territory. With all the notes she took with Taki about the positioning of the ballistas and other defenses in Giant’s Avenue, it makes it easier for the two of them to be able to help with recommendations for the kinds of supplies that will be needed out in the field for the defensive teams who will be manning those defenses. Now that the carts are all loaded, they just have to escort them to the field, deliver them to the proper teams, and help them get situated before moving on. Seeing Taki approach, Astrid takes stock of their to-do list then nods. “Nope, I’m ready ta go!” she says confidently. “Let’s get this stuff ta the outposts an’ help ‘em get set up!”
Bringing pets: Spicy Pawsage (dreadsnout, reflavored as hell hound) Quest details: Quest Name: One box too many Participants: Exactly two (you and one other, the other does not need to be interested in the guild) Location: Indicated by Hunt Dossier Post Requirements: 5 post per person, 200 words per post Reward: Quest Completion Description: Organization is the core of any hunt. It allows for speed and flexibility on the field of combat and helps prevent any surprises that may rear their ugly head. Your task is to assist the Logistics Corps with organizing the necessary supplies for the hunt. You will assist bringing resources into an established area, such as food, gear and clothing. You will also be required to reinforce built artillery, making sure it is well defended and guarded as they will be vital in assisting with a hunt. You will also need to be able to take down and rebuild these devices in matters of seconds, relocating it around the battlefield if needed. Help with building barricades, setting traps and outfitting the other teams.
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Post by Shitakibo on May 3, 2023 22:28:56 GMT -5
Taki nodded, walking up to the front of the convoy while letting each driver know they were ready to depart. She takes up positon opposite Astrid to watch over the group of wagons as they work their way out of camp and into the awaiting valley. Down a winding pathway, the group made good time into the foothills. It was a pleasant day and the wagons bounced over the rough unpaved pathway with remarkable speed.
The shaman enjoyed the journey as much as possible, enjoying the scenery as they traveled. Most of the workers were chatting among themselves and keeping their eyes on the load and the road ahead. She occassionally checked in with the drivers and other members of the escort crew, including Astrid. She found the young lady's technical know how and insight about machines refreshing. Her ideas about emplacements, defenses and how they all interacted with each other were invaluable on such an endeavor.
She'd left her companions back at the base camp to give them rest as a reward for their hard work earlier in the project surveying the grounds. Now that a new load of supply needed delivering, Taki thought it a wise idea to flex her own skills and let them have a break before they group headed for home. Until then, the shaman had to escort this load up to the various sites in the hills and make sure the defenses were set up that were coming with their convoy.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on May 4, 2023 19:56:16 GMT -5
Luckily with how untouched by civilization the Arid Mesa is, there aren’t a lot of bandits to worry about. Most beasts are too cautious of the Giant’s Avenue to bother the large groups and unfamiliar vehicles making their way through the area. It makes the actual act of protecting the supplies quite easy, in fact, and when Taki and Astrid arrive at their first destination, it’s easy for them to feel energized.
They take stock of everything that’s supposed to be unloaded here and help give directions. This is familiar territory for Astrid: protecting supplies and then overseeing where they need to go. Directing people has become a skill she’s happy to have and use, especially now that she’s garnered enough respect that people don’t look at her as a child who gets in the way nearly as much as they used to. Once things are moving, she looks at Taki.
“So, there’s a few traps an’ defenses that the head Logistics lady said she wants us ta be good at workin’ with an’ settin’ up,” she says. “They’re gonna set the stuff up over there. Ready ta go test our mettle?”
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Post by Shitakibo on May 4, 2023 20:54:34 GMT -5
"Of course, I'll help you as best I can Astrid. While such things are far from my personal forte, I'm glad to help out. Just tell me what you need and it shall be done." Responded the shaman, who walked over to the piles of supplies being organized. She conferred with the coordinator at the wagon, who pointed out the pile of supplies dedicated to building new defenses. Taki took a deep breath, taking a wide stance for a moment. As she let the breath out, she made a motion like someone lifting a great weight.
From below the long boards that had their supply piled atop, a pair of earthen golems raised from the ground. Taki concentrated, positioning herself between the pair of stout constructs of stone and dirt. Using her magic and guiding the pile to keep it from toppling over, the trio carried the various materials from the wagon out to the edge of the prepared area for the huge siege weapon. Taki kept her breathing even and deep, exerting her energy to coax the earthen spirits with their heavy load.
A few of the difficult obstacles slowed their progress, the whole affair drawing the stares of the engineers and workers. More than a few made crude jokes and laughed to themselves at the spectacle, while Taki couldn't have been less bothered. She understood the work to be strenuous and repetitive, day in and day out doing many of the same tasks while the sun marched across the sky above. When they arrived in an area roughly central to where they'd be working, Taki picked out a spot off the path and guided the supplies back to the ground.
"Where would you like to start?" She asked the young lady, letting out a heavy sigh at the exertion.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on May 5, 2023 18:21:05 GMT -5
Astrid half expected to have to organize a group to help carry the supplies to the edge of camp, but to her surprise, Taki manifests some control over the earth and carries them all with the use of some small golems. It’s an incredible feat that requires a lot of concentration on her part, and when some of the WEF-hired laborers start making jokes, Astrid stomps over and starts haranguing them for being useless. Eventually, she chases them off enough to go find something else to do. Finally, Taki has the golems set everything down, and Astrid catches up with her.
“That’s some real incredible magic ya have there!” she exclaims. “I’ve never seen anyone do nothin’ like that!” Astrid reflects on how dang handy that would be in some of the situations where she and Blue have done a lot of rebuilding around Dragon’s Cradle. For now, she’s here with Taki, and she confidently whips out the instructions provided by the logistics leader back at the base camp.
“Alright, we can build this spiky defensive wall,” Astrid says. “Looks like there’s a buncha materials for it, so we can practice doin’ it as quick as we can ta satisfy what the leader’s wantin' from the folks in the field!” She grabs a hammer and a nail and drives the nail through the paper into a plank so it won’t fly away in the arid wind. “Let’s get ta it!”
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Post by Shitakibo on May 5, 2023 21:34:38 GMT -5
Taki smiled, watching Astrid demonstrate how to build the spiked wall. While she had little experience with swinging a hammer, or nailing a structure, she thought of a wonderful alternative. Concentrating on the form and function of her golems, she used them to carry and set the stakes. As the young lass came by with her hefty hammer and sturdy nails, Taki and the golems held them in place and matched them to the previous so they formed a sturdy, overlapping line.
The pair worked their way down the line, working from the outer edges inward. One massive spike at a time, the group affixed them in place and built up line after line. Soon, there was a simple maze of spikes, weaving back and forth across the field to protect the siege weapons and their crews. While not the most fanciful defenses, they would prove sturdy and bring most forms of attack to a slow crawl. Every moment the defenders had to organize and rally against their foes was a victory unto itself, and would mean more of their comrades went home to their families after this was over. The day wore on, until the sun was setting over the Arid Mesa. Tired from the magical exertion and concentration, she returned the golems to the ground and then walked back over to Astrid.
"That was some fine coordination, well done Astrid. This would have been many times more difficult having to do without your expert help. What's our next step?" Asked the shaman, glad she was able to contribute to such a degree on a project she had little knowledge of.
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on May 6, 2023 19:36:57 GMT -5
Making use of Taki’s golems, the work to set up the defenses around the ballista goes quickly. They may not be beautiful, but function is more important than form in almost all cases. When the two can be combined, that’s what Astrid prefers, but that’s often in the case of building a set of armor that should look both incredible and guard its wearer against injury. Today it’s just important that they protect the people manning the ballistas during the hunt when the WEF is ready to battle the Troll King. She and Taki share similar sentiments in this: it’s important to send people back home.
With this ballista’s defenses installed, Astrid inspects their handiwork then steps back and wipes her brow. “That was a lot easier with yer little golems,” she says to Taki. “Next step is doin’ it all over again at the next one!”
Feeling good about the situation, the two of them pile back into the supply cart and head for the next ballista to repeat the whole process. Though this time, getting the cart to the other ballista is a bit of a challenge: the path is much less stable than the path to the first one, and it’s along the edge of a cliff. All the heavy equipment moving back and forth has weakened the structure, and it might not be a bad idea for them to find a way to reinforce it before moving their supplies across.
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Post by Shitakibo on May 6, 2023 23:41:12 GMT -5
As the caravan approached the road leading up the hills, Taki noted the crumbling sides. Not only did this pose a danger to the cargo and gear moving back and forth, but leaving the crews in a precarious spot as well. Calling for a halt, the shaman had figured out a solution. She stilled her golems, setting them in a passive state as she strode forward onto the stretch of dangerous pathing. Concentrating, she relaxed her body and got a sense of of the terrain and it's instabilities.
Pocked and shifting, several spots along the cliffside were strained by the passage of heavy carts and crews changing shifts. Along the ground below, a series of glowing magical spots appeared in pairs. Taki strained against the attempt to cast such a sequence of spells, her face bunched with the effort. Her four arms looked as if they were trying to excavate dirt, or lift heavy stones. With a loud cry and an arcane word, pairs of medium stony spikes1 burst from the ground, pressing against the side of the path to hold it firmly. She chuckled softly as she tried to catch her breath, lungs heaving icy air into the scorching passages within.
"That should keep things from collapsing beneath our feet... let's... keep going..." She said, out of breath and looking exhausted. She walked ahead of the caravan, using her elemental abilities2 to shape and smooth the pass for the wide, heavily laden carts to travel safely. With that problem solved, they were able to arrive safely and begin the process all over again. While the work was a good bit slower due to the shaman's expenditure of energy, it still progressed steadily on into dusk.
Taki sat down and took a rest after they'd finished, taking a long drink from their waterskin. The cool liquid helped ease the strain of using her newest magical abilities for such an extensive period of time, and so often in succession. It was an exhaustive venture, but one that meant more chance to succeed in their hunt, and less losses when it happens. Satisfied by her contribution, she smiles and walks over to Astrid.
"Was there anything else we needed to tackle? I think I've got just enough stamina left to do a tiny something more... but another set of defenses might be best left for after a good rest..." Said the shaman to her exceptionally clever friend and fellow guildmate.
1: Crystalline Shard 2: Dust in the Wind (Path of the Elementalist [Earth] Feature)
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Post by Lady Astrid Stormstone on May 7, 2023 14:17:30 GMT -5
When they discover the poor condition of the road, Astrid watches intently while Taki makes use of some impressive earth magic to help reinforce the path along the cliffside. This would have been a much more significant challenge without Taki’s capabilities, and with the path to the next ballista in better condition and much safer for everyone who might traverse it, they continue forward to deliver the rest of the defensive supplies to the other ballista.
Noticing that Taki is pretty exhausted from the magical expenditure, Astrid offers to give her a bit of a break, and she summons up a handful of replicants to help build the next set of defenses. A small army of Astrids gets right to work building the defenses up while Taki gets a break. After a while, the next set of spiked walls is set up and ready to protect the folks manning this ballista.
With both of the fresh WEF initiates worn out from the magical expenditure and physical exhaustion, they take a break and evaluate how they’re feeling.
“Honestly, I think we did pretty good today, Taki!” Astrid says tiredly, plopping down in the wagon. “We oughta head back ta base camp, an’ I’ll whip us up a good meal!” With that, they pile into the cart and head back to the main camp where Astrid finds the two of them a sizeable table that’s not being used. She claps her hands together and focuses hard on the magic connecting her to Cantio through the golden flower earring dangling from her ear. Before them, a massive meal manifests across the table, enough to feed a handful of people (but really enough for just Taki and Astrid).
Astrid gives Taki a grin. “Dig in!” Then she sits down and shares a meal with her new guildmate, excited to see the fruits of their labors when the hunt comes around.
Replicant Grand Feast - Cast from Cantio’s Eternity Ring
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