With temperatures rising over 143°C (289.40°F) in most areas, the only relief is during the nights when it is much cooler. All travelers are advised to keep to the local towns on the desert's outskirts and avoid traveling too far from civilization. (+3 Endurance, +2 Defense)

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[Exploration] How Did We Get Roped Into This?

Postby Jaykobell » 09/21/2016 1:27 PM

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"Baroc! Stop wiggling around!"

The Cacropia Mocha Picchu tried desperately to keep her sister, a Matcha Mocha Picchu, from wriggling away from under her paws. "It won't be long now!"

"Cynson-" Baroc started, but she let out a high-pitched squeak as her sister tightened a bag on her back. "-it's tight enough!" she insisted as she felt the straps and buckles of the bag tightening around her like a corset.

"No!" Cynson insisted, and she gave one last pull to one of the straps, making her sister squeak again. "Our supplies can never be tied securely enough, sis!" She let go of her sister, stepping aside, but taking a moment to pat the bag on Baroc's back. "Imagine if we lost all my research?? I'd die!" An exaggeration - but it wasn't that far from the truth.

Baroc's ears flattened, and she let her body flop onto the bed of their small, humid, and stuffy motel room. "Isulmaaaa," she said, her voice carrying a hint of whining and exasperation as she called out to their third traveling companion.
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/21/2016 1:37 PM

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Laying down on the sofa just a few feet away from the bed was a Treasure Zipala. His lithe, gentle form gave him a beautiful sense of grace; however, his severe and somber expression was an obvious hint that he wasn't bright as his fur suggested.

He gave a look at the two Mocha Picchus before looking away. "I'm not getting involved," he said, and Baroc let out an audible whine.

"Why are you two so grumpy?" Cynson asked, looking from Baroc to Isulma. "Aren't you excited? We could be the very FIRST explorers to find those Jirbii creatures!" She turned to her bag and shuffled the contents inside. "Can you imagine?! It could put us - put me - on the map as official explorers!" She pulled out a worn notebook and shoved it against her chest, strangling it into a hug as she squealed.

Isulma rolled his eyes. "If we know they exist," he replied, shooting the Cecropia a glance, "that means you're not the first one to find or to see them," he pointed out dryly.

"People here are saying they're kinda like pests, too," Baroc said quietly; if that were the case, then they couldn't be all that uncommon around these parts.
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/21/2016 1:51 PM

Cynson's ears fell straight to the sides of her head, and she frowned. "Wow, welcome to Whine'no Desert," she said, giving the two of them a humph. "So what if their existence has been proven? That's not what I want."

Isulma rolled his eyes again and looked away. "Ah, yes, how could we forget," he replied quietly, and his voice was layered in sarcasm.

"To see and to discover the creatures of this world for who they are," Cynson went on to say, ignoring Isulma's uncalled for attitude and reply, "that's my goal!" She opened her notebook, loose pages and scribbled notes all over. "There are so many mysteries! So many things and even so many species that we don't know about!" Her excitement was only growing brighter, and her passion made her eyes shine. "But beyond that..." she continued as she flipped through the papers, "... there are a lot of discrepancies too!"

Minding his own business, Isulma was startled when Cynson shoved her notebook right into his face. "Like see here: the 'Zipala'," Cynson said, and Isulma blinked. "'Diurnal herbivores that travel in distinct social groups of female herds, bachelor herds, and roaming territorial males'," she quoted, tapping her claw over the passage. "And how you guys can run up to a hundred and thirteen kilometers per hour?" she added, gasping from the genuine talent it took to go so fast. "It's amazing!"

"But I never see you do any of those things listed here!" she pointed out, flipping the book back towards her. "And it sounds like you guys are prey animals! So you'd be scared of a lot of things, wouldn't you?" She dropped the book a little so she could look up at Isulma; whose face was now visibly frowning. "You're graceful, but... You're also... You know. A real buzzkill." Isulma's eyes turned into slits. "You don't act like a prey animal at all!"
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/22/2016 1:50 PM

"And it's not just about you, either!" Cynson continued, ignoring Isulma's insulted expression and instead turning to face her sister, all the while shuffling through the notebook. "For example, look at the information we have on us, the Mocha Picchus: 'They live in dense shrubs and feed on grains and wild coffee beans, giving their fur a distinctive scent.'"

She stopped, and then she turned back to Isulma with a face of confusion. "But neither me nor Baroc smell like coffee!"

Baroc straightened up on the bed, adopting a more comfortable position by siting instead of laying down on her belly. "But we don't eat coffee beans, Cynson," she pointed out, putting a small toe to her mouth pensively. "So we wouldn't smell like coffee the way wild Mocha Picchus do."

"Don't you think it'd be imprinted into our DNA by now, though?!" Cynson retorted, and she closed the book with a loud "thump". "To meet creatures and write an accurate journal about them... to show the whole world of Evelon who really lives in it! Put those discrepancies to rest!" She puffed her chest. "That's my goal!"

Baroc and Isulma said nothing, instead looking at each other; Baroc with a sheepish smile, and Isulma with an irritable expression that said it all. Despite Cynson's passion and arguably valiant goals, it sounded impossible. Of course, they both knew there would be no stopping her.
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/22/2016 2:04 PM

After her eloquent speech, it took little time for Cynson to ask her two companions to get moving. "All right, guys! Let's get going!" She put the notebook back into her backpack and slipped it on. "Baroc, tighten it up for me!"

Upon the request, Baroc gingerly let herself slip down the bed and walked over to join her sister. She did as instructed and tightened the straps and belts, and tightly, too, knowing how her sister was. "There you go," she said as she pulled the last strap.

"Tighter!" Cynson retorted immediately, almost talking over Baroc. "Come on, sis!"

Baroc's ears flattened a little, but she complied. She tightened the bag a little; mostly, she was worried she might make it too tight. "This?"

"No, no, no!" Cynson complained, and she pointed at the straps. "Tight-ER, sis!"

"But..." Baroc started hesitantly.

"No buts!" Cynson insisted, pointing more aggressively at the straps.

With Baroc hesitating and Cynson getting agitated, Isulma rolled his eyes and groaned. He got off the couch and joined the two Picchus; upon reaching the two, he stood between Baroc and Cynson and brought it upon himself to finish the job. He grabbed onto the straps one by one, and he pulled fast and hard, resulting in a high-pitched squeak from Cynson every time, and a gasp from Baroc that grew louder every strap Isulma tightened. "There."

While Baroc was shocked, Cynson looked overjoyed. "Hey, thanks, Isulma!" She stretched a little. "See, sis? He gets it!"
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/26/2016 10:59 AM

With Cynson and Baroc ready, the two Picchus helped Isulma get his own gear in place. The two sisters carried the research and the tools, while Isulma carried the food and emergency supplies. Once his saddlebags were properly secured, the three left their small motel room and officially started their expedition.

It took little time for Baroc and Isulma to regret tagging along. Walking in town wasn't so bad, but it was a different story once you reached the desert. The more they walked, the hotter is became, sizzling heat buzzing in their ears and sweat streaming down their forehead and face.

Meanwhile, Cynson continued on bravely. Judging from the sweat, she was just as hot as her two companions. Only her unfaltering passion and determination kept her from giving in to the heat. Map in paws, she kept her eyes on the prize, occasionally wiping her forehead with her arm. "Phew, hope you guys are ready," she said at some point, looking over her shoulder to her two friends, "because we've got a lot of ground to cover!"

Hearing those words, Baroc pitifully looked up at Isulma. The Zipala didn't return the look, but he had indeed taken notice of the Picchu looking at him. "You don't say," he said quietly, mostly to himself; but nothing really escaped Cynson's ears.
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/26/2016 1:59 PM

"Look how big this desert is!" she exclaimed in reply as she hopped towards Isulma, specifically, raising the map to show him. "It'll take us weeks to find one of these Jirbii if this desert is so big!"

Baroc's expression changed to horror; and her heart skipped a beat. "W... weeks?" she managed to say once the wind had come back to her.

"Well, it is a huge desert!" Cynson pointed out, turning to her sister. "And I bet they know how to hide, too! So we'll have to be alert! They might even blend in? I don't even know what they look like besides a general description!" She abruptly turned back around, and she pointed ahead. "Let's get moving! I need to know!!"

"Cynson," Isulma called out, and while Cynson humored him and turned around, Baroc felt like the Zipala was nothing short of a knight in shining armor. "Don't you think it'd be wiser to find a guide, or a local?" he asked, and although this was sound advice, Baroc's hopes of Isulma getting them back to their motel were crushed once again.

Cynson rolled her eyes and made audible mouth noises. "Pfft, and where are you gonna find someone like that?"

Isulma raised an eyebrow slowly, watching Cynson turn back around and literally skipping ahead to continue their blind exploration. This time, he looked down at Baroc, and with a heavy sigh, the Matcha Picchu started walking again, Isulma following closely behind.
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/26/2016 2:22 PM

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In another part of the desert, a golden Ferrikoon was tending to a transportable wagon. Two Penticorns sat the reins, under the heat, and seemingly suffering the temperature.

But that concern was way over the Ferrikoon's head. They were disposable; if one or both of them died, it wouldn't be a problem. She could just get more. They were only a means to an end, as far as she was concerned.

She was shuffling through the contents of the wagon, mentally cataloging what she had and what she was missing. Most of the things necessary were there, but she was still missing a few.

As if on cue, a voice rang out behind her. "Sanguine!" it called out, accompanied by the sound of flapping wings. "We got them!"

The Ferrikoon let go of the wagon and turned to look at the source of the voice. "Lenjack, Fenloc," she called back, and a grin settled on her face. "Very good. Bring it all here."
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/26/2016 2:31 PM

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The two Stargoyles landed gingerly, sending as little sand flying as they could. They let down the variety of traps they'd brought the Ferrikoon; among them were what looked like bear traps, ropes, and a relatively large wooden cage to keep a specimen confined.

The Ferrikoon inspected the loot; passing her paw across and paying close attention to the details. After a few minutes of silence, she straightened up and grinned, paws on her hips. "Looks good."

"Those Jirbii things won't stand a chance!" Fenloc, the Slate Stargoyle, said, grinning along with the Ferrikoon.

"They already didn't stand a chance; they're against one of the greatest poachers Evelon's ever seen!" Lenjack, the Gold Stargoyle, pointed out to his partner. "The scarred Ferrikoon the Lands know as Sanguine!"

"Do keep the compliments coming," the Ferrikoon asked, waving a paw as if motioning for the two Stargoyles to come closer. "It builds my confidence." Known in the field as Sanguine, the Ferrikoon was known by name, but few really knew her by appearance. To avoid getting banned from big cities or important places, she went by her real name: Sam. Of course, Sanguine had a certain ring to it all.
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/26/2016 2:42 PM

Lenjack scoffed at the Ferrikoon. "Don't let it get to your head!" he warned her. "Or else you'll lose your edge."

Sam narrowed her eyes, but there was no time for friendly scuffles. "So then how about we get started, hm?"

"Sure thing!" Fenloc picked up, stepping forward. "What's the plan to catch these things, boss?" They had the traps and all the tools they needed; but any skilled hunter, poacher or otherwise, went in with a good plan. That was how they had succeeded for so long. Teamwork and planning ahead had truly brought them a lot of success.

"I heard from the locals that these little things are like pests, so I'm hoping that means that they're not too uncommon," Sam replied as she started loading the new materials in the wagon. "Apparently there are at least two variations; they're equally tricky to catch and see. This is one of the hunts we'll need to take slowly."

Lenjack audibly groaned and threw his head towards the sky. "Ugh, one of those?" he complained. "I was dying for some action, too," he added, stretching his wings and his back legs.

"Oh, you'll get action," she assured the two of them, "but probably not what you were expecting."
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/26/2016 2:58 PM

The plan, or at least the first part of it, was simple. "Fenloc, you're my top flyer; you're going to scout the desert from the sky," Sam had instructed. "Keep your eyes peeled for anything; Jirbii or not. Anything that could be useful to us in one way or another." She'd exchanged a knowing grin with the Slate Stargoyle. "You know the drill."

Meanwhile, Lenjack had been assigned a different task. "Lenjack, you're perfect for this terrain: you're going to blend in easily. I want you to complete Fenloc and hunt from the ground. They're small, so Fenloc might miss them from up above. You're also surprisingly fast for a Stargoyle; if you see one, or anything that could be useful to us, you know what to do." The Gold Stargoyle stretched his back and wings, and he nodded with a grin.

While the two Stargoyles were scouting ahead, Sam boarded the wagon and commanded the Penticorns to get moving. There was defiance at first, but a harsh, precise whip of their harness got the two horses to cooperate. Sam had all the traps and tools they needed in the wagon. After scouting was done, if they managed to find a nest or a location where the creatures spawned often, then the hunting would truly begin. It would be about setting up traps that would be either invisible, or that wouldn't inspire fear to the creatures. The point was for them to walk into the traps, not to avoid them. According to the locals, the creatures had wings; if Lenjack wouldn't find any on the ground, then perhaps Fenloc would catch sight of them flying in the sky. Either way, for now, the goal was simple: find a nest or spawning ground for the Jirbii.
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Postby Jaykobell » 09/28/2016 1:07 AM

Fenloc looked this way and that from up high in the sky. It wasn't so easy to see things from this high up; especially if he were meant to look for tiny creatures. He didn't need to tell exactly what the dots were, though. As long as he could tell that something was moving, that was plenty for him to come down just enough to see what was going on.

He sighed to himself and looked up at the sky with an annoyed look. It was scorching hot, even with the few clouds that occasionally covered him from the sun. A light breeze came by now and again, although it did little to help, considering the wind was also hot. Still; he figured he'd gotten off easy this time. Surely Lenjack wasn't having such a good time blending in in this awful temperature. Well, maybe things would move along faster if Fenloc didn't think about the heat.

He kept his attention on the ground, but not because it was riveting; more like the fact it was an obligation. He wasn't going to see or spot those little pests if he didn't keep an eye out for them, was he? At least the ground was relatively barren; besides a few cacti here and there, it was hard to miss moving things when there was barely anywhere to hide.

It was mind-numbingly uneventful. As he tried to think of ways to entertain himself, his eyes caught a glimpse of something moving down below. His expression changed to that of surprise, and he quietly glided down to get a closer look. He squinted, and once he'd caught a few details, he grinned. "Well, well... Not the prize, but what's this?" he whispered to himself, slowly and quietly approaching his target.
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Postby Jaykobell » 10/02/2016 5:45 PM

The little group was far from being impressive, but the one little Mocha Picchu sounded like she could be an asset. He kept his distance, but of course, he made sure that he could comfortably listen in on their conversation.

"So, if we end up finding those Jirbii..." Baroc started pensively, and Cynson quickly corrected her.

"When we find those Jirbii," she pointed out, and Baroc rolled her eyes.

"When we find those Jirbii..." Baroc repeated, starting her question over again, "how are we going to catch them?"

Fenloc smiled to himself at those words; did they happen to be poachers as well? Or perhaps they were some goody-two-shoes scientists from the Evelon Preservation Zoo?

"That's easy!" Cynson assured her sister, all the while keeping her eyes on the map. "We'll see politely ask them to give us some of their time!"

And then Fenloc's smile was replaced by confusion. Well, that struck off the first assumption from his list: these guys weren't poachers. Still, they were after the same goal; what else would they be able to tell him?
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Postby Jaykobell » 10/02/2016 8:57 PM

It was surprising for Fenloc to see the Cecropia's friends question her strategy.

"Yes, of course..." Isulma whispered to himself, looking away. "As you do."

"A lot of people must be after them right now, right? So just imagine their reaction when they finally meet pets who don't want to capture them!" She clapped her hands together and a huge grin spread across her face. "They'll be so happy! And then I'll just want some of their time to add notes to my ever-growing, scientifically-accurate, detail-oriented, amazing encyclopedia!"

Baroc looked up at Isulma, and he glanced down at her; and then they both silently looked at Cynson. Hearing no reaction, Cynson looked over her shoulder at the two. "What?" she asked. "It's true! It might be a bunch of loose sheets now, but you'll see!"

Fenloc's ears were buzzing, and his mind was running; what was that about an encyclopedia? As poachers, it would definitely be helpful to know what kind of tricks their targets might pull on them. Not only were these naive explorers also looking for the Jirbii, but they also seemed to have valuable information about a variety of other creatures...
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Postby Jaykobell » 10/02/2016 9:07 PM

"Action, she said. Not what you'd expect, but action, she said."

Lenjack groaned and narrowed his eyes as he walked through the desert. The temperature was disgusting; the air was humid and suffocating, the sand got in-between his scales, the sun blinded him occasionally, and his paws were burning up. He forced himself to fly just slightly above the ground at times so his paws could cool off. "When I find those Jirbii whatchamacallits, I swear..." he groaned quietly to himself.

Cacti, small mounts of sand. There wasn't much else. At all. It was mind-numbingly boring, and the weather was making all the more aggravating. He already didn't have patience for these slow hunts; adding piercing cold or scalding hot temperatures only made them worse.

"Pests, they say. So where are they?" he growled, gritting his teeth. "Shouldn't they be all over the place? But no; that'd be too easy," he complained, gesticulating in the moment, even though there was no one — literally — to listen to him.

"Are you talking to yourself again?"
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