Dawn of Magic:An Animal Quest

[cats]

OOC: The village of Coast Side is a small island town a short distance away from the main land on boat it takes about two days to travel. There are two other towns on the island Porton, and Ridge Top. The island is full of various pines and ever green trees and it's population survive by finishing and trading, eating a diet of mostly fish. As far as the local government is concerned, each village has a head reporting to a mayor on the mainland. That mayor has a rough idea of how many citizens are in each village and collects taxes once every month. Now on to the real political power, each village has one or two elders who discus trading agreements fishing and land rights and other matters of importance to the islands people.

The town of Coast side is at the far end of the island and consists of no more then 107 people, this town is surrounded by water on one side and forest on the other the trees being pine a soft wood, are strictly unsuitable for any activity involving stress upon the wood such as ships or crates, but still the town does have a few lumberjacks. Ridge Top is located at the edge of a cliff on the east side of the island and has a fair amount of space. The town was the first on the island the location of a fort meant to warn the mainland of an invading fleet, since then the fortress has been removed and a torch maintained light house still remains. As a result the shores off of Ridge top tend to be the side of preferred travel. One could even visit the small town of 42 if they are capable of reaching the small dock and then climbing the 140 or so stairs. Lastly the town of Porton, arguably the capitol of the island is closest to the main land they have a fairly large amount of land available for crops that very few seem to use. An odd note is that the forests are several miles away and the one shipyard of the island happens to be in Porton, as a result logs are moved by boat o this town to be made into small one man ships. Also most trading happens here.

Now the elder of Coast side a feline named PC has become ill as of late, his disease has been called everything from mumps to small pox by the local folks, but the Doctor said it was terminal gingivitis, or some other fancy word, truth is it didn't matter what it was their elder couldn't volunteer to discus politics any more, and would die soon, how soon they did not know, possibly a few months possibly as long as two years. If any cure could be found it'd have to be magic in nature.

IC: Black Jack: I was sitting by the fire letting my stew boil down, normally I wouldn’t let it boil down, couldn’t afford to, how ever tonight I had a guest. Maggie was the most knowledgeable person on the island as far as medicine and herbs were concerned, she had come from Porton to try and help PC and I volunteered to let her stay at my place. So having one of the village elders in my home seemed reason enough to let the stew thicken a bit. My logic was simple best treat her well so she cures PC quickly.

After a short while I decided it had thickened enough and put out the fire. While I was still up there was a knock at the door and I made my way over to answer. I opened the door and looked down at the white canine face of Maggie. Maggie wasn’t caring the same bag she had arrived with earlier, she seemed to of left it at PCs and that didn’t seem a good sign. “I’m just her to grab my things, I’m going to stay at PCs home and care for him for a while.” she said.

I looked down at the short dog. “Does this mean he’ll be better shortly.”

“No I’m afraid the opposite is going to be true, but as long as I can do anything to help him I plan to. Could you get me my bag?”

“Oh sure” I replied. She gazed out the door clearly in deep thought. I moved over to her sheet and a light bag containing her cloths and quickly gathered them up returning them to her.

“Tomorrow morning I’ll speak to the official and we’ll discus what’s to be done.”

 

[cats]

Black Jack

IC: The next mourning I got up and headed to my masters business. On the way I had heard the news, PC was dieing and that old Lady Muffin was to take her place when talks between the towns becomes necessary. Maggie would take care of PC till she had to return home or he died.

Surprisingly work wasn't much different. The master was busy telling me stories of PC he remembered from when he was younger in between strokes of his tools. I had no idea PC meant much to him, I suppose when you get to be that age you have done something with almost every one.

When I broke for lunch, Mrs. Muffin came by to pick up a chair she wanted fixed. While she was here she passed on another rumor, it seems there is talk about sending a ship out to pick up a better trained doctor from the mainland that may be able to shed more light into PC's illness.

 

[The GrandMage]

Erfahren "Fa" Bär

Erfahren awoke with a start. The same dream. So many years now. Heavy armor weighing him down, lying partway down a snow-covered hill. Smells of death on the bloodied snow around him. The ight side of his face burning and swollen. The way his vision had darkened and eventually disappeared in his right eye altogether.

He shuddered, and pulled himself up with a grunt and the groaning of his simple cot. He grabbed some clothes, and wnt to bathe before the sun came fully awake.

... ... ...

Refreshed, Erfahren stretched in the hazy morning light, and dressed himself. He gathered his gear, and looked out at the water. He decided to head into Coast Side, the nearest village, and see what news there was about PC before starting his day's fishing.

He groaned and started the walk into town, for a moment almost regretting the peace he had living away from the rest of the town. But then again...they were all so very...short. He took a deep breath, trusting his nose to keep him on the path to town.

 

[hybirdx]

Bandit sat on a chair a lifted his feet onto a table as he sighed. His friend Karen, the one who owned the little resturaunt, said good morning to a person passing by as she entered the room. She walked over to the fox and sat in the chair near him. "Well, its almost time to open up."

"For once I'm actualy excited that it's opening time..." Bandit opened his eyes and looked at his friend before giving a audible grunt. "Its been so slow lately. The last case I took up was months ago!"

Karen sigh and leaned back in the chair, scratching her racoon ears as she did so. "What do you expect? Out of all the towns, its roughly around 400 people, most likely less. You're not going to get very many cases on this island. Now if you were on the mainlan-" Karen cut her sentence short when she saw the glare from Bandit's eyes. "... Oh, right. Sorry Lyle."

Bandit huffed, but dropped the subject quickly. "Anyways, why was it so quiet last night? It's as if somebody important died."

"It's because PC is getting worst."

"If he's not dead, I don't see the point in morning," Bandit muttered as he rolled his eyes.

"Sometimes you make me wonder what goes through that hazed mind of yours..."

 

[TumbleUpStairs]

Gidgit hobbled into town right on cue, as she did every morning. She had a small, covered basket that looked to be filled with something lumpy, and the basket was wearing thin from years of use. This morning she had a large-rimmed hat atop her head at a skewed angle, and tufts of feathers stuck out from under it.

Gidgit blinked a few times, then continued to shamble slowly farther into the town.



Jay still hadn't woken up.

 

[cats]

Black Jack

IC: 'You know if I was a bit younger.' I stopped hammering at the chair I was working on and puased to listen to my master. He stopped his sentence and staired and said, 'You know, never mind it's not like something I'd do.' I went back to hammering in the chair leg.

In the corner of the room was a half finished chair, the master had been working on it for a fair while but he hadn't touched it in the last couple days. It made me wonder. So far today the master hadn't worked on anything, he had been thinking back and forth and let me do the small projects I normally did. I wanted to ask about that chair, but thought it was best not to.

Around noon my curiousity finaly got the beter of me and I asked my master what may be an offensive question. "Master why is it you havn't done any work as of late?"

'Well most of the work is pretty simple and you need the practice so I let you do it. So I was working on that chair, but there really isn't much of a point to it now.' My wiskers moved forward with my curousity. "Why?" 'None of your concern.'

I turned around, picked up my hammer, and raised it into the air above the chair leg. 'You know I drink.' I lowered my hammer from my work. The master was facing the chair, in his own thought. 'Well I was playing cards one day while I had a bit to much. Lost the chair as a bet, but hey it didn't bother me. Gave me something to work on while you did most of the work. But you see they won't be coming for that chair now.'

I had a fair idea of what he ment but wasn't sure. I shrugged my shoulders turned around and started to raise my hammer again. 'Since I have nothing to do maybe I should go? besides it's not as if I have done much of itnerest in my life. Other then drink and play cards.' Okay time to get back to work. I started hammering, hopeing he'd stopp going on like this. The man is always nicer to be around when he is drunk. 'But no I have a family now, and really can't leave the shop. Just wish I had something worth while to do.' My lord he's never going to shut up is he?

I stopped pounding and turned around. "Okay, I think that is enough." 'Hmm... Black you could go couldn't you? Yeah that's it you should go and be on that boat.' "Huh?" 'Yeah you should go on that boat to the mainland, and get the doctor. Your young and need the experince, learn from life a little and I can maintain the shop myself.' "You mean the boat to help PC?" 'Yeah go talk to the officail about it, you get along with that old cat so you should go.' "Well if it's only going to be a couple of days sure why not."

I left work and headed over to the oficails residents, and spoke to him but sadly the badger tended to be on the long winded side, so I didn't look forward to it much.
.... after 30 minute talk...
'So that is how I got this job. Oh so what brings you here?' I was amazed to finaly get a word in. "Well, about the boat and doctor..." 'Oh so we have a volenteer, well that is good, you know brown the fishermen. Or well maybe you don't well he is donating his ship to go to the mainland and get a docotor and bring him back. he was afriad no one would volenteer to go on the trip though. I was even thinking about going and talking to that sly guy, um I believe his name was bandit, and hireing him to take the ship but really an old cat like PC isn't worth it, especaly if no one else was willing to volenteer. Well since you volenteered I don't half to offer money to that fox in any case. Still maybe you'll have beter luck geting volenteers to go with you and pick up the doctor.'

So I'll have to go by myself, well I can't sail or navigate, or even find the main land on my own. So really if no one else is coming I shouldn't volenteer, or I should atleast warn the oficail. 'Oh look at the time, I have a meeting to head to. I enjoyed speaking to you but really you should go now.' "What, all right then." I got up and left, well let me think about what to do.

 

[The GrandMage]

Erfahren "Fa" Bär

Erfahren lumbered into town quite a bit after he started out to get there. He could have run and made it in quicker time, but it was a peaceful day, and he wanted to enjoy as much of it as he could before getting to town.

Town meant people, moving about. Always so small, too. Erfahren didn't want to step on any townsfolk, so he spent a look deal of time angling his face to try to get a look at the fuzzy-edged things around him and smell out what was around him.

He smelled badger, and cat. The wandered towards them, right as the badger started to leave. He stopped, and looked down. From this distance he could tell it was the carpenter's apprentice, what was his name? Black Jack? "Little Kater, is PC do better health today?"

 

[hybirdx]

Bandit walked out the resturaunt's backdoor with a couple of wooden buckets, and draged himself over to a nearby source of water. But he wasn't going for water, he was going there to grab their most popular dish. As soon as he arived, he set the buckets down and knelt near the water. For what seemed like hours, (but in truth, it was most likely only a minute or so,) Badit waited there, quietly kneling for something to catch his eye.

Eventualy something did catch his eye, and his hand snapped forward into the water. When he yanked it out, a red and brown fish flew out of the water and into one of the buckets. Another caught his eye and his hand snapped forward again. Once again he quickly yanked his hand out of the water, and threw the fish into one of the buckets. He did this until both buckets were full. He slowly stood to his feet and stretched out, yawning. He picked up both buckets and walked back to the resturant.

 

[cats]

Black Jack

'Little Kater, is PC do beter health today?' I turned around and looked up at the large forgiener, I knew from privous experince that the person Erfarhen was quite intelligent, still given his accent and strange way of speaking, several people my age mistoke him for an idiot, his large size and poor eyesight didn't help anythough.

"Maggie is spending time at his home now. The officail just asked me to take Brown's boat to the mainland and get a doctor. So I'm going to see what condition the boat is in." Erfarhem thought to himself for a second. I myself had my mind wonder off to when I first met the bear some years ago, I imedatly thought to myself that this large person was an idiot and treated him as one, always using him as the butt of bad jokes. Never when he was around but Erfarhen didn't take very long to notice I was doing it. I thought he was going to beat me and leave me just out of town, but to my suprise he didn't.

"The officail also mentioned Bandit, and I'm thinking of asking him to come along. Erfarhen your a traveler, would you mind coming to the docks with me and telling me what you think of the boat?"

 

[hybirdx]

Karen cleaned the empty tables a sighed in relife. Right after lunch, the resturaunt pretty much emptied out until dinner, giving Karen a few hours to relax. She looked over to her right, seeing Bandit with his feet propped up on one of the tables, as he sat in his chair, half asleep.

Karen couldn't help but shake her head at the fox, wondering what was going through his hazey mind. "I'm going to take a nap. You can take care of the place while I'm asleep, right Lyle?"

"Yeah, sure."

 

[TumbleUpStairs]

Jay came into town from...wherever it was that he stayed. He stumbled over a small stone in the path and nearly tripped over his own hooves. His goatee came half off and he went red in the face, trying to hide it.




Gidgit was sitting in the sunshine with a few other elderly animals. None of them were saying anything, but the silence was not akward. One of the other animals, who had sharper eyes than Gigit, was watching the proceedings.

 

[The GrandMage]

Erfahren "Fa" Bär

Erfahren reached up and scratched his head, thinking to himself. He'd had to get a lot of jobs, mostly working with whomever was going away from where he was, in order to get to this sleepy town. A few of them had been on boats, doing whatever was needed to pay his way to the next port. He supposed he could,...yes, for PC, yes.

He nodded, the matter decided. "Aye, little Kater. Boat to the mainland I see. Sail I with you?"

He turned his sight to the haze of colors the smell and voice was attached to. It was hard to pick out people, especially when they were standing someplace. It;d be easier to see him as he lead the way the docks. He could see him if he hunched over, but few people liked to have his head as close to them as was need for him to make them out clearly. A boat though, had no feelings to injure.

 

[TumbleUpStairs]

Jay L. Break

Jay managed to get his goatee back on and looked around to be sure no one was watching. He spotted Blackjack and the old bear who's name he could never quite remember talking and considered going over. That bear rather made him nervous. After a moment of consideration his curiosity got the better of him and he saunted towards them, smiling in a not-quite-nervous way. He still wasn't quite sure about all the locals, but it was still far better than where he had been before.

 

[cats]

Black Jack

IC: We came to the docks I was happy that the old bear would be coming with me, it ment that the trip would be safer, and I was less likely to get lost. We worked are way to the far end of the dock and Browns boat

The boat appeared to be sea worthy, although not in the best of shape. The woad was slightly warn and the the sail had a few places that were starting to tear, obviously Brown wasn't to concerned although this ship could head to the mainland he only went out for a ways and casted out his nets. Brown and his three sons normaly used this boat, and although they never did, they could even sleep in the boat.

"Well lets have a look around." I climbed up in the boat and quickly moved into the cabin. The initial portion of the cabin was simpl a box with a door, and a small old table that I imagine was for looking at charts, there was a lamp above the table mounted on a short chain hook. at the back of the boat was a set of stairs, I moved my way down them stumbleing on a damaged step.

This level of the boat had a sent of stagent sea water and old dust. I couldn't sea very far with out some sort of light sorce. Still I was going to give it a try. I moved my way down a hall and could recanise mostly by feel that there were four openings to small rooms I made my way into one of the back ones. They weren't large and had just enough room for a mattress and a few things in a trunk. I didn't know about the other rooms but the hay in this matress needed to be restuffed and possibly replaced.

I made my way out and continued down the hall which didn't go on for much longer. There was an uplift in the floor, I imagined it was a trapdoor leading to a narrow area that was full of weights to keep the boat upright. Just past it was an old ladder that I imagined lead up to the main deck. I made my way up the ladder and tried pushing open the trap door, it didn't seem to want to move. "Hello?" I asked seeing if any one could here me and open the door.

Hearing no reply I began to work my way around it's outisde checking to see if there was a way to open it. I found I simple rope latch and untied it. Opening the trap door I poked my head out and looked around. The ship wasn't in the best shape and would be hard to use with just two people. I climbed out of the hold and saw my large companion talking to the Zebra that should up here a few months ago.

OOC: Hope this is a sufficent boat discription.

 

[The GrandMage]

Erfahren "Fa" Bär

Erfahren followed the cat to the boat, and began to look around. It was an older ship, and didn't look to be as well-looked after as he'd like, but it was suitable for getting them to the mainland. Erfahren checked out the sides of the ship and it's sail whilest Black Jack went below, trying to decide if any work would be needed before they left.

 

[cats]

Black Jack

IC: I looked around at the fairly large boat. "Well Erfahren, my question is do you think two of us can Sail this on our own?" Perhaps Jay will come, although I'm not to familar with him, I think it is safe to assume that he came from the mainland in a boat how ever. So with a little luck my chances of getting lost will be reduced even more.

Well I have some time to round up one or two more people, it's not like we can leave until the sail is mended and also we need to fill our suplies and maybe I can fix that step as well.

 

[TumbleUpStairs]

Jay L. Break

Jay sauntered his way up to the boat as well, peering in after Black Jack. "Going on an expidition there, are we?" he asked, voice whistling through the still-badly-placed goatee. He looked up at the bear and smiled toothily. "Where to?"

 

[hybirdx]

Bandit sat in his chair, slowly strating to fall asleep. This often only happened when he was bored out of his wits. And since he moved into this little town, he's been nothing BUT bored! Bandit's eyes grew heavy, and his body began to slump and shift, almost as if he was melting into the comfortable possition the chair and tableproved for him, as he laid his right foot on the table, and crossed his left leg over it.

 

[cats]

Black Jack

IC: "Well that is the idea, but we probably need a larger crew." You know maybe I cantalk that fox Bandit into coming along. Then again the mayor was going to offer money, and since I keep bying gifts for Smokey I don't have much to spare, I supose this is why most courting is done after an aprenticeship. "I'm going to see about geting more recruits Erfahren"

I head over to a restrunt in town, Bandit normally is around here fetching water and doing other physical tasks. I look around and spot the guy half asleep in a corner. I make my way over to him and tap him. "Slow day?"

 

[hybirdx]

Bandit opened one eye and looked torwards the person that woke him from his slumber. He really didn't know the person, only time he really talked to him was when Karen talked to him. "Every day on this island is boring..." Bandit sat up straight and stretched out, yawning slightly. "So what's up Black Jack?"

 

[cats]

Black Jack

IC: The fox let out a yawn and streched a bit before siting up. 'Every day on this island is so boring.'

"Is that so?" Well then he's a good canidate for keeping from getting lost. "Well are you interested in a short trip to the mainland? Because theres a boat going that needs more of a crew."

 

[hybirdx]

Bandit's eyes narrowed when he heard about the trip to the mainland. He huffed and placed his feet back on the table. "Not interested..."

Black Jack opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but stoped when both of them looked torwards the stairs, hearing somebody comming down. Of course, the only person upstairs was Karen "Okay, I'm up I'm u- oh, Black Jack. I thought you'd be working at this hour?"

 

[londo666]

Charlie walked down the main street of Coast Side. He let out a yawn and wiggled his wiskers a bit. He wish he wouldn't have had to get up so early but he had used up all his leads on this island, Mittens wasn't here and from the looks of it never was. So it was back to main land for him, back to sqaure one. Luckly the old ox he was helping with some jobs around the house, told him a boat was on its way to the mainland today in search of more skilled doctors. Appently the towns elder had fallen ill making this trip very important. Hopefully they needed some extra help on board he was even willing to do heavy lifting his coin purse was rather light and he wouldn't be able afford passage any other way. With some luck somebody onboard would know something about his brother or at least a place to start once they reach the mainland.

Charlie steped onto the wooden dock takeing a wiff of the sea air, He loved that smell. He walked down the dock slowly looking at each boat. Charlie looked around for a freindly face that he could ask witch of one of these boats was going to the mainland.

 

[cats]

Black Jack

bandit began to speak but stopped and looked at the stairs. The young female owner of the place came down the stairs and walked over. 'Okay, I'm up I'm u- oh, Black Jack. I thought you'd be working at this hour?'

What was her name again it began with an S didn't it. Sue, sally, sue, I said sue wasn't it already. Sarha, Sarha sounds right. "Yes Sarha. Well I have been told to try and take a ship to the mainland for a doctor."

 

[hybirdx]

Karen scratched her head in confusion. "Sar... Ha?"

Noticing Karen was still half sleep, and this would probally be the only chance that Black Jack would be able to safe himself from Karen's wrath, he swished his tail and tapped the cat in the back of the leg before muttering. "Her name's Karen..."