/vx/ - Videogames and Paranormal

"What's your favorite part of the house?" she asks the guide.

>>132425
And Silver trots along it, hoping against hope that they come across someone driving a truck.

>>132428
"For me..." She looks down. "Probably the conservatory... but that's not really part of the house. If not the library or stateroom, then the dining hall. Or perhaps the master bedroom upstairs, or the long gallery. The south-side drawing room has its charms as well"

>>132429
Roll die

>>132432
She takes her further down the hall to the far end, opening into a room. This one has a high ceiling, wooden floors, a grand piano, and a fireplace a phonograph and a radio. Part of the floor is lower than the remainder, accessed by a small stairs, and this large open area is covered in wood and looks like it is intended as a dance floor. It's maybe half the width of the stateroom, but the same length. Likewise, it has a view out to the bay, especially of a small boat house.
"Here is the south side drawing room"

Amber looks around. "I can only imagine the functions that took place here."

>>132434
“Well, mostly it’s for dancing an casual music playing. Guests can be entertained here as well though.”

>>132436
Sure enough, a stallion observes the two from the end of what must be a private driveway as they walk past

>>132438
“Well, yes. It’s all a part of being a socialite; you often receive guests from elsewhere in Baltimare or all around Equestria. However, generally guests would first come into the parlor room, or the great state room. They wouldn’t generally make their way to this room until they had been... loosen up with wine, or gin. Once they are here, that is when musical revelry begins.”

>>132437
"Oh! Excuse me, do you happen to have truck?"

>>132440
He blinks, and doesn’t immediately address the question
“What are you folks doin’ out here? You seem kind of lost”

>>132441
"Not really lost...we went out hunting crocogators and forgot to bring transportation out of swamp. We could use ride back home if you did not mind. We are willing to pay you."

Okay... I has to sleep now

>>132444
The last post for Spark was >>132166

>>132445
"I don't suppose that one of the Spirits around here are know for healing?"

>>132446
"Of course. All of the spirits may help in healing through the inter-connectivity of nature. Believe me, we've tried."
She closes her eyes, and lowers her head. She remains silent in that position for some seconds, and then opens her eyes and resumes speaking. Her eyes look down, and her head remains down.

"We've done every ritual. Prayer, dance. We've burned the tobacco, the sage, cedar, and sweetgrass. Breathed in the fumes, and nothing has healed him so far."
She looks up to spark now, with a couple small tears coming from her golden eyes
"I don't think anything in nature can help him because I do not believe his illness came from nature. That's the thing. I don't think his illness is natural. Wolves can get swelling late in life but... this is different."

>>132447
"Do you have any idea of what it might be if it isn't natural? Is it a magical curse?"

>>132448
She blinks, then quickly shakes her head
"No. I think either the digging did it, or it was when he was working in the town, but... I don't know... Is the digging not magical? I don't think it was intentional. I think the ponies do not understand what they are messing with when they deviate from nature's course. That, or they do not care. I think it is a rot brought on by this deviation. But I do not know. It may be a curse. If it is, our spells have not healed it."

>>132449
"Perhaps it is something in the ground... do you remember what they were digging for and where?"

>>132450
"South of here. I think it was for metal. They would pick up the dirt and put it into piles, and sometimes that would wash into the river and the lakes."

>>132451
Would ponies know about radioactive materials? Their nukes are made of crystal magic tech, so would they have Geiger counters or anything?
"Do you mind if I take a look there?"

>>132452
"It's in the Pony territory. They don't consider it to be open, free land any more."

>>132453
"Not too many ponies to enforce that right now, are there?"

>>132454
"The Doubles own it now" she answers

>>132455
"Well then, all the more reason to find out what is going on over there."

>>132456
She shakes her head
“I think we are better off leaving them to themselves”

>>132457
"But what if it is the key to learning the cure?"

>>132458
She blinks
"Maybe"

>>132459
"If you can point me in the right direction, I can give it a quick look for you."

>>132460
She tilts her head
“I thought you came from there?”

>>132461
"Maybe. Perhaps there is something I have overlooked there."

>>132463
She again tilts her head, with her left ear coming down horizontally, while her right ear remains vertical
“What can you do?” She asks

>>132464
"Well, if there is a poison in the ground, then maybe there is a specific cure for it."

>>132466
She pauses for a moment, placing her right paw up, bending her foreleg
"Maybe. I can show you where the dirt was piled. That should not be too close to the doubles."

>>132442
He comes a little closer, and inspects the two
"Looks like you got a nice hide there" He comes closer
"Ain't an elegant way of carrying meat" He has a slight disgust at this
"And what's up with your dog here?"

>>132467
"Oh, Mala? He's my hunting partner."

>>132468
"Huh" He looks over to Silver
"You look like you got yourselves a good aligator there.... might even be a saltwater crocodile. Hard to tell when it's all cut up. Yeah, I can give y'all a ride"

>>132469
Silver smiles at the stallion.

"Thank you. I realize we have not given each other our names. I am Silver Sword."

>>132470
“Nice to meet ya” the stallion - light brown, earth pony, wearing a cap - extends a hoof. “I’m Chipper Will”

>>132467
"That sounds good."

>>132472
“Then it may be worth a try. Do you need an escort?”

>>132292
>>132293
The shuttle shakes and tremble. Fantasy Play's hooves hold the steering wheel firmly as her eyes stare at the black hole in space sucking everything towards her.

The buzzing of static is heard and then a voice.

"Fantasy! Fantasy! Fantasy! Do you copy?" a feminine voice.

Fantasy's lips turn downwards adn her eyebrows form a roof.

"I'm here, Amber," she whisper back.

"Where are you? Are you still at the station? The reality breaker is gone. Y-you don't have it do you? Please, say you don't," the voiced quaked on the other end.

A tear ran down Fantasy's eye and made her cheek glistened and she smiled.

"Heh, nothing goes by you unotice, does it, Amber?"

"This is no laughing matter? Where are you right now?"

"Well, near our great galaxy's center. Andromeda's black hole."

"What?! No. Please... W-we can still fix this. I'm sure there's something else we can do about the reality breaker. Just- Just- Just. Come back."

Fantasy grinned.

"Tell the others that I regret not spending more time with them. I'm sure we would have lots of fun and I'm sure we will in ponyheaven."

"Please, Fantasy!"

"Thanks you for your support Amber. Your enthusiastic autistic ramblings about dnd in ponyland always managed to cheer me up." She wiped away one of her tears with her hoof.

"Don't-"

Amber's vocie was cut off as Fantasy turn the volume wheel down on the radio.

"This is Sargent Fantasy Play signing off one last time," she said and shut off the radio.

Warning! Incomming special reductions. Level:Deadly.

She brought together her hooves in a paryer.

GM, I'm sorry about not playing when you took so much effort in including me.

The shuttle boomed and Fantasy was shaken in her cockpit like there was an earthquake. She saw how the tip of her space shuttle got elongated into a line straight into the blackness ahead of her.

She grinned a melancholic smile.

"Oy vey." she could feel her face and hoof getting pulled towards the abyss in fornt of her. "It's like another shoah."

Then her ship disappeared in the darkness.

One of these days I'll play again.

>>132473
"That might help. I think I might wind up lost in the woods again." Spark chuckles.

>>132471
Silver extends his own and gives him a firm hoof shake.

"Likewise!"

>>132474
Awwww. That was a good story.

>>132474
https://youtu.be/iYYRH4apXDo

Aww. Well I hope you join us again soon. Feel free to jump in any time

>>132476
Fairly firm. He breaks away a little early though. Like Parade Pass, he wears nailed-in iron shoes. “Alright, just uh.. come on back here

>>132475
She smiles
“I can guide you. Perhaps Makade may want to come along if you need more serious protection.”

>>132478
"That would be nice. Think you can convince him to join us?"

>>132477
>>132478
Thanks :)

>>132478
Silver nods, and follows Chipper Will.

>>132480
Have a pony

>>132479
"I think you have more of a way with him..."

>>132481
Chipperwill takes Silver down the dirt driveway, past a barren limbed tree, around grass, and to a pickup truck parked in the dirt and gravel next to a raised 1 story tin-roofed ranch house. The truck's red paint is starting to chip and is covered in dirt; the wheels in mud. These are the only blemishes on an otherwise excellent looking pick up truck.

>>132482
"Hmm... if you say so."
Spark goes over to Makade.

>>132483
Makade watches Spark as he approaches, with his rifle slung across his back

>>132482
"Automobiles have come long way since they were first invented. So, you want us in pickup bed, I assume?"

>>132487
"Sure. Toss your skin, your lunch box, your... 'partner,' and your uh... meat into the bed." He pauses "Should probably get a cooler or something to put all that it."

>>132488
Silver rubs the back of his neck.

"Yes, we, uh...forgot to bring one. Something to remember for next time. Think we can make quick stop at store to get one?"

>>132485
Spark waves.
"I don't suppose you have time to help me out?"

>>132489
"Well uh, sure. There's a general store just up yonder that sells containers."

>>132490
"I have to patrol" He answers

>>132491
"Thank you, Chipper."

Silver helps Mala get everything in the truck bed, then gets in the truck himself.

>>132492
Mala hops up into the bed, evidently having done this before. Keeping the meat on a clean surface is a little challenging, but at least it can be washed off later. There's some dirt and especially dead leaves in the bed. Chipper Will pulls the choke, and starts up the engine.

"Alright. I'll take you up towards the general store" he says

>>132493
Silver nods at Chipper once he's fully in.

>>132494
He starts up the truck and backs out, and they start on their way down the road. Mala sits quietly towards the center, as the truck pulls them around and up Sicamore street

>>132495
"So, Chipper, how long have you lived here in Baltimare?"

>>132496
The rear window opens up
"Better question is, how long has Baltimare been over me? I've been in these parts all my life." he answers

>>132497
"Impressive that you have lived all way out here for long time, right next to gator-infested swamps."

>>132498
"Oh you don't go in the water, they don't come to you." He answers

>>132499
"That makes sense. Hard to do with so much water and so little land though. I think I will have to buy boat."

>>132500
"There's plenty of ponies with boats. Know what you want to do with your boat first. If you want to go into rivers and marshes, you want a flat bottomed boat with a motor close to the waterline. If you want to go out into the bay, get something with a deeper draft it will be more stable in the waves."

>>132501
"That much I knew, but thank you."

>>132502
He nods, and drives on

>>132503
Silver remains silent for the rest of the journey, if no one else says anything.

>>132504
>>132504
It isn't long at all before they come to a small store. He parks on the side of the road, by the side walk, and says to Silver
"Alright, they should sell containers of some kind here"

>>132505
"Thank you, I will be right back."

Silver gets out of the truck and into the store, looking for a cooler large enough to hold all of their meat.

>>132506
It's a bit larger than a general store, and seems to focus on fishing supplies. Silver seems a metal cooler, evidently designed to carry fish in

>>132507
"That will work."

Silver buys it at the counter, and takes it back to the truck to put the meat in.

>>132508
It's kind of expensive - 30 bits - but Silver gets it. It looks to be non-corrosive, at least. Mala helps to place the meat into the cooler, until the container is overflowing

>>132509
Silver tries to pack it in there.

>>132510
Well... the lid won't close, but at least it's clean

>>132511
"Damn...hang on just sec..."

Silver, silently cursing to himself, goes in, buys another, and splits the meat between the two containers.

>>132512
Chipper Will is a little confused, but Silver does end up with two that are able to close

>>132513
Once finished, Silver gets back in the truck, and lets out a sigh.

"There we go. Alright, we are ready to head home now."

He gives Chipper the home address.

>>132514
He takes it
"Oh, you live all the way on the North side of the bay" he says

>>132515
Silver nods.

"Apologies if it is too far. As I said, I will pay."

>>132516
He looks back to Silver for a moment. Then he turns around and says, “well, onto Cherry Hill then” and pulls out onto the street, on their way

>>132517
Silver looks out the window at the buildings pass as they drive.

>>132518
Well, Silver is presumably in the bed with Mala (he could sit in the front passenger seat, though, if he wants). The remainder of this trip is fairly familiar by now. They go back along the avenue across the bridge, then onto a an avenue that takes them to Horseman avenue in Red Heart, then through Red Heart, Cowtown, and Cherry Hill along the water back to the beach house

>>132519
When they stop, Silver gives Chipper 20 Bits.

"Thank you for ride, Chipper."

>>132520
“Oh, thanks” he looks at the bits, then back to Silver, and smiles
“Take care!”

>>132521
"You too!"

Silver waves goodbye at him before Mala and him take the meat containers, hide, and the lockbox of jewelry and head inside the house.

>>132522
Mala asks Silver:
“So are we just going to plop this in the kitchen?”

>>132523
"Well, no. We are going to see if these fit in refrigerator, first. If not, we will need to remember to buy bags for after we clean meat."

>>132524
"Uh, okay"

When Silver goes up the stairs through the front door, he can see Jubilosa is in the living room

>>132525
Silver greets her on his way to the kitchen.

"Hello! We are back, if temporarily."

>>132526
The griffin jumps up, across the floor, and hugs him
"Hi Silver!"

>>132527
Silver drops what he's carrying so he can hug her back, though he's careful to not dirty her too much in the process.

"It feels good to return home to this."

>>132528
D'aww

He's muddy and covered in blood though, so only so much can be helped in that regard. She pulls away, and loos up to Silver, smiling

>>132529
He smiles back warmly at the griffon in front of him.

"I am sorry about mud and blood. We got attacked by crocogator while checking out rumor of buried treasure in swamp. On bright side, we now have some meat after we clean it, and we actually found treasure."

He levitates the lockbox up, and opens it to show the jewelry to Jubilosa.

>>132530
"Crocogator?" She's kind of confused. Then she looks down at the jewelry in the box
"What is this." She says, astonished

>>132531
"It is treasure we found, lots of jewelry. Would you like to take look, see if anything catches your eye?"

>>132532
She looks down into the box, and starts to move aside a bracelet, and a necklace with her claw

>>132533
Silver first comments on the bracelet.

"Hmm. It looks like pony wedding bracelet. I wonder where its mate went."

He then comments on the necklace.

"It is beautiful...though it surely pales to your own beauty."

>>132534
She keeps looking down, and twists her mouth in concern at the "mate" of the wedding bracelet. But at the "beauty" remark, she moves back and looks up at Silver. Her feathers on her neck stand up somewhat. She smiles awkwadly
"heheh"

>>132535
Silver levitates the necklace out of the box.

"Would you like to try it on?"

>>132536
"Well. I guess... I could. Maybe."

She stretches her neck out, and moves her head closer towards Silver, smiling coquettishly.

>>132537
Silver unlatches the necklace, wraps it around her neck above her breast, and relatches it.

>>132538
She smiles again, and looks down
"Hehehehe"

Her smile fades quickly to a neutral expression, and then back to a smile

>>132539
He gives Jubilosa a brief kiss.

"It looks gorgeous on you, Jubilosa. Now, I've got to go help Mala with storing meat, then I will go take shower."

>>132491
I ought to be free tomorrow.

Sucks we didn't get to play today. Maybe tomorrow?

>>132540
She moves back, a little surprised, but smiling. Then she looks down at Silver
"Looks like you do need a shower. I'll be here when you are out"
Still smiling

>>132542
Yay!

>>132543
Awwww....

>>132491
"Well, you might consider this part of a patrol, just moving out a bit further than usual. I need to check something out at the mine. I think there might be a poison in the ground there, and if I find out what it is, I might be able to save Miskobag."

>>132546
He shakes his head
“Nothing can save that old dog”
Then he looks back
“And if you are taken there, will you then make peace with the doubles?”

>>132544
Silver smiles back warmly, and goes to help Mala in the kitchen.

>>132548
Mala tried to force aside items in the freezer, although it’s packed in pretty tight. Mala moves aside fish and tries to pack it in
“My stomach could fit half of this...” Mala remarks.

At the very least, most can directly fit into the freezer, although cooking at least some of it or the fish that night might be necessary. The refrigerator has plenty of room.

>>132549
Silver helps to arrange some of the food items to making everything fit better.

"We will come some of it later, so you will have your chance. Maybe cooked crocogator will taste good."

>>132550
The problem is primarily that it is not designed to fit so much food in there. Mala does speaks while looking ahead
“I just mean there are other ways to store it”

But then he looks up at Silver, and smiles

>>132551
Dammit. I meant cook, not come.

Silver gives Mala some headpat, smiling back.

"So, how would you want it cooked later? We could pan fry it, or if we bought grill and charcoal we could grill it or even turn it into kebabs."

>>132552
“I’ve always eaten meat raw. Except pork and griffin sometimes. We would cook those if we were afraid of the trichinosis. I don’t think it tasted as good then.” He pauses “but I will try it”

>>132553
Silver looks around to see if Khoi is within hearing distance.

>>132554
She is not. Mala, closer to the refrigerator and facing over towards the bar and dining area, is oriented to have a view of what’s in that area. It’s possible she could be in the living room, which is just a little further away. Come to think of it, Silver didn’t see Khoi at all when he came back.

>>132555
I wonder where she went...

Silver turns to Mala.

"I personally prefer my meat cooked. I've heard it is more, eh...what is word...ah, 'nutritious' when cooked, and you can do much more with cooked meat than you can raw."

>>132556
Mala tilts his head, and a single ear flops halfway down
“Maybe I should... We only ever cooked meat to kill tapeworms and I think they would over cook it... but a few times frozen meat would be heated up and it tasted good... whatever you think. I want to try to be more like a pony, anyways.”

>>132547
"Peace isn't something I can make happen in the blink of an eye. I need a plan and the ability to talk to the right changelings."

>>132558
He pulls his lips back
“I can take you part of the way, pony.”

>>132559
"Yay!"
He leads Makade over to Waabishki.

>>132557
Silver pats Mala some more.

"It is your choice. If you want to try it cooked, I will try my best to make it tastiest meal you have ever had."

>>132560
He slowly follows, seeming almost annoyed. Waabishki waits on Spark, and says to him.
“One of the dirt piles I know is on a lake, not far north of their town
Spark has not been to this location

>>132561
Both ears go up
“That sounds great!”

>>132562
"Sounds good. We will check there first."
Spark is excited to adventure with new friends, even if they are not as much.

>>132563
Waabishki pulls ahead. Maakade says something to another wolf, evidently signalling him to go somewhere, then he looks around following behind the two cautiously

[1d3 = 2]

>>132562
Mala's reaction warms Silver's heart.

"I am going to take shower to get this mud and blood off of me. When I am done, would you want to go out with me to get things we need?"

>>132565
"Sure! I'm excited for this new life. It's better than anything I've had before already."

>>132566
Silver smiles even wider before going up to take a shower. Once he's cleaned himself and he's back to his usual, fluffed self, he heads back down into the living room.

>>132567
And so, silver washes off blood, dirty water, sweat, dust, and little pieces of mummified flesh. All in all not the dirtiest he's been that week. The end result leaves him nice and fluffy. Silver returns to see Khoi and Jubilosa on the couches

>>132564
Spark follows Waabishki.

>>132568
"Oh, there you are, Khoi!"

>>132569
They walk into the forest, deeper. Sometimes brush obscures the passage, sometimes it is clear. The pine trees are tall and dense, but the morning sun shines through in most areas. Waabashki occassionally stops, looks through the canopy, or holds her nose to the ground and sniffs, before pointing and leading the way. Makade stays behind, to the side, or further ahead. He has a faster walking pace, and so quickly moves from point to point. He stops to look at tracks more than once, or will say something in the language of the wolves that gets Waabishki to stop, while he lays down, and looks through the scope of his rifle at something more distant. He also stops not long after their trip began to sit down, and howl lowdly into the sky. The howl is replied to by another wolf further north, and they continue on their way.

Eventually the pony and wolves come to a clearing with a lake that reflects the sky. Waabishki says to spark "here it is" Then with one of her long, untrimmed claws extending from the end of her paw, she point out what looks like a hill, or almost like a hill, on the other end of the lake, past the edge. "There is one of the places they left the dirt. One of many."

>>132570
She simply nods to Silver, saying nothing

>>132572
Silver sits down in an empty couch seat.

"Did either of you do anything interesting while Mala and I were gone?"

>>132573
Jubilosa:
“Oh, walked around the beach. Walked around the town a little. Lovely neighborhood. Wish there were more griffins though. Trimmed my claws...”

Khoi:
“I started job as cook”

>>132571
Spark investigates. Was there anything left other than dirt at the site?

>>132574
To Jubilosa:
"It is first time I have lived in neighborhood since I was colt. I suppose I should do that as well sometime."

To Khoi:
"That is great! Where are you working at?"

>>132575
Makade
"I will maintain a vigil around the lake. This is great place to be attacked, whether by predators or by doubles"

Waabishki and spark go futher, towards the berms. Spark can see that they are in fact covered in grass

Waabishki
"The ponies covered these in soil after my father asked them too. Not before so much of them leached into the water. And they dumped more nearby afterwards anyways. But it is buried. It almost looks like one of our burial mounds; the perversion of it." She says, with a little disgust at the end of that

>>132576
Jubilosa:
"Oh yes. Much more tightly packed than where I grew up as a chick. But more closely nit than the city. If I were a pony they might even be friendly."

Khoi:
"A zebra restaurant, of all places. Further south, and in town."

>>132577
To Jubilosa:
"I hope it is just that we are new arrivals. They would be depriving themselves of knowing wonderful person for foalish reasons if it was because you are griffon."

To Khoi:
"Really? Would zebra mare named Black Cauldron happen to work there as well?"

>>132578
Jubilosa:
"I don't know..."

Khoi opens her eyes wider
"Yes. Do you know her through Iron?"

>>132579
He smiles at Jubilosa.

"I hope they can see same beauty inside you that I see."

He turns and nods to Khoi.

"Yes, he introduced me to her as potion maker and seller. She is good person."

>>132580
Jubilosa blushes, moves her wings up so that they partly open out, and moves her head back somewhat, extending her neck

Khoi
"I hope to see that good side someday"

>>132581
His smile gets a little wider and brighter at Jubilosa's reaction.

"I imagine you will once you get to know her. I only know little bit, but what I saw suggests she has good heart."

>>132582
"I think most creatures do. It is making that heart come through that is hard."

>>132583
Silver nods in agreement. He looks around for any sign of Mala.

>>132584
Mala can be found upstairs in his room, laying on his belly on the bed

>>132474
Wasn't expecting a story like this, well done!

>>132439
I'll be here to play in a couple of days, sorry for the wait.

>>132585
When Silver sees this, he's not sure whether he should wake Mala up or let him sleep. He ultimately desides to give Mala a shake.

>>132586
Okay. I hope we can play again soon
https://youtu.be/Mi57d50pCUw

>>132587
Mala is already up, evidently partly on his old, ragged blanket. Interestingly, Mala’s fur is fluffed up in a way that makes it look like he washed recently as well.

“Yes, Silver Sword?”

>>132588
"Oh, I thought you had fallen asleep. Are you ready to go?"

>>132589
Mala stands up and jumps off the bed, coming beside Silver
“Yes. I am ready.”

>>132590
Silver nods, and leads the way back into the common area. He waves the Khoi and Jubilosa.

"We are heading out again to get some shopping done. Do either of you need anything?"

>>132591
Khoi:
“Maybe some mane ties”

Jubilosa
“We don’t have a TV here. Do we need a TV? I don’t know. Maybe some more wine or alcohol. Well... I guess we are fine as we are.”

>>132592
Silver nods at both of their requests, silently wonders to himself "What is TV?", then heads out. He hooks himself up to his smaller cart, and heads first for a store where he can get saddlebags.

I hope we can continue tomorrow! Silver is so close to being set up and ready to move onto the next adventure.

I might be free Saturday.

>>132626
Maybe tomorrow...

>>132631
Time slipped away from me again today. We will play again though. I really want to see what happens next.

Are my little ponies still around?

>>132642
Kitty!

>>132643
Do not say my name! I'm anonymous right now, you know!

>>132643
Sorry, completely forgot. Yeah, that''s right. Fantasy Play loves kitties.

>>132644
>>132645
I'mma cuddle u, Kitty

>>132641
I should be available tomorrow.

>>132593
Going further east, staying along Cherry Hill, Silver encounters a department store

>>132577
Spark investigates.

>>132658
The mounds are like small hills rising next to the lake. Maybe 20 feet tall, sometimes wider at the top, and two of them with a "valley" between. They are all covered in short, brown grass or especially snow. There are a couple saplings on some of them, but these are small.

>>132659
Anything about the lake itself?

>>132660
Some of the edges of the lake appear to have ice on them. The center of the lake does not seem to be covered in ice. It's kind of hard to see into the lake, but it is more opaque with the blue tint. It is approximately oval in shape, with the tailing berms on the southern end

>>132661
Well... not exactly the clues I was hoping for. How do I progress from here? Seeing as saplings are growing, I think that can rule out radiation. Nothing else of note?

>>132662
Waabishki:
"This is where they dumped it. Under the grass, the snow, the water and the ice. But it's there."

>>132663
"Can you describe anything unusual about it?"

>>132657
Silver leaves his cart outside as he and Mala go inside the store.

"Let us get you some saddlebags, Mala."

>>132664
"It's a rock, Kindof like a crystal. Finely ground. It used to fog the water. Grey or yellow sometimes. The fish did not like it. The dust could be stirred into the air by the wind sometimes. It has settled now, I think. I hope. But it's there. Under the grass, and on the lake and river beds."

>>132665
"A saddle bag?"
Mala tilts his head
"Like what kind?"

>>132666
"Mind if we take a quick look?"

>>132667
"You should" She says

>>132666
"Whatever catches your eye, I suppose. Only requirement is that you can store items inside of it, and that it fits you."

>>132668
Spark I guess uses his magic in the form of a trowel and digs a bit at the mound.

>>132669
Mala looks around at the set of bags. Mostly a lighter color leather, they have them in many sizes. Mala looks around, puts his nose up to some of them, and even touches one.
"This one... has a few small pockets, and a big pouch, too."

>>132670
Spark finds the process of forming a magic shovel to evenly apply pressure a bit difficult, mostly based upon the consistent application of pressure across the magic field. Forming a "spear" to pierce through the grass is actually easier than thereafter moving large amounts of it.

Waabishki walks over, and holds up a paw to Spark. Her claws are long, black, and not particularly trimmed.
"Unlike Maakade, I don't cut back my claws."

She lowers her claws, and assumes a stance over an area. Then, she starts digging with her forepaws, throwing up grass and then dirt behind her. Once the grass is disturbed, the soil is easier for Spark to remove himself with his magic. There's a layer of essentially sand that is maybe a couple inches, before the ground becomes grey colored, or even yellow in some areas.

>>132671
Spark investigates the substance.

>>132672
It's many small crystalline rocks. Yellowish, brownish, or white in color. Sometimes it looks nearly fibrous, other times it looks similar to quartz.

>>132673
Spark wouldn't have any idea about what the true nature of it is would he?

>>132674
Uh....

Dice roll time. Int

>>132676
Reee

>>132676
>>132677
It appears to be rocks

>>132678
Spark doesn't know what this stuff is, but he bets it is what is causing the sickness.

>>132439
Amber looks around the room, grinning. "My, this definitely is one of the happiest rooms here. Do you know how to dance?"

>>132627
That explains a lot, maybe I need to read more novels to be able to read between the lines.