Samanayrs

((OPEN!))

Rules & Info

- Only respond to this thread in-character with your expedition posts, but feel free to talk about the expedition on the Signup thread here! The Roster can also be found there.

- Items given out will be based on effort, creativity, and a little randomness. No one will go home with an empty basket! The area(s) you search may affect the prizes available.

- Remember that you will not know what your Sam has found until I have written a response to your RP post and given out items. If you found them in an earlier round and aren't careful, they may be lost in a later round's misstep!

- Include which location your Samanayr is searching in your post. Please note you may only go to ONE location per round, though you can move to another area when the new round starts.

- There will be three rounds, one per day. If you post a response before my reply each day, you will be able to search a total of 3 times. If you miss the first day, don't worry, you can join in at any point!

At the edge of the festivities, beneath the sounds of celebration, a loud aggravated groaning can be heard. As you get closer to the sound, you begin to pick up words; "darn foal", "not my fault", "didn't sign up for this!" before stumbling across the sight of a thickset stallion pacing back and forth at the edge of the clearing. Spotting you, he urges you over with a jerk of his head and a glower; it seems his ire has drawn the attention of a small crowd, and as you work your way around them he looks you over before stamping one splayed hoof impatiently. Whatever he was waiting for, it seems he's done.



"Alright all of you, look here." The stallion all-but shouts at you all. "It seems in all the fun and games y'all got going on, some silly mare has misplaced the orphaned foal she was supposed to be watching. Little thing is scared of it's own shadow; something must have spooked it and it's run off." He grumbles something uncomplimentary under his breath before continuing with a snort. "I ain't got time to search this whole mess on my own, so you are all gonna help me."

A few samanayr make as though to scowl and move away, after all, this isn't *their* problem, but a loud 'OI' makes them halt. "Don't think I'm asking you to do this for free, neither!" He gestures at the saddlebags and baskets you all have worn to carry your festival momentos. "Think of it like a regular expedition; you go out, look for the kid, and whatever else you find you can keep." Stalking across in front of you all, he grumbles. "I'll check around the Hotsprings itself, ask around, see if any of the other's have seen her. You all can check everywhere else. If you find her, bring 'er back here! Otherwise, if y'aint found the daft thing by nightfall, come back. Silly mare will just hafta ask that flame elemental for help; the rest of us can't see in the dark."

With a grumble, he shoos you away and stomps back to the Rainbow Hotsprings, leaving you looking out at the potential places the filly could have run to.

----

To the east of the festivities sprawls massive grassy fields that have burst all over into bright spring flowers. Maze-like paths have been worn through the head-high stalks by travellers coming to and from the festival. Perhaps the bright colors and lazy atmosphere caused the foal to run here, where the air is filled with the soft drone of insects and colorful butterflies flit from bloom to bloom.

Or perhaps she sought somewhere to hide amongst the roots of the bright forest that wraps the south and west, between the shafts of golden light that illuminated mossy hollows and many foal-sized nooks and crannies. The thin trunks of the relatively young trees that run along the border are widely spaced and leave the edge of the forest feeling open and welcoming, while the older trees create darker shadows as you go further in.

But then again, maybe the young one would has found solace in the stone gardens that perch just north of the hotsprings. Between the almost sculpture-like formations and the towering monoliths, pools of captured rainwater still glisten, reflecting the sky like tiny mirrors. There are fewer places to hide here, but the air is fresh and clear, and it is far from the most bustling sections of the festival. The stones create an area of consuming quiet, an almost preternatural calm.

Sanctuary of the Ancient Taiga

Sanctuary bid farewell to her lanky stallion early that morning, having to stretch far to touch Shade's nose with her own. She secured her woven lidded baskets onto her sides and headed to the festivities, weaving through crowds of excited Songs and creatures hawking their wares. The sunlight dazzled off of jewels and modiems, shining scales or gems growing from Sam coats, even the odd integrated limb. Sanctuary loved colors and light and the way they played together- it was part of what first drew her to her colorful stallion with his gradient stripes. Sometimes standing next to him, she felt a little drab.

Out of the blue an earth-colored stallion with brilliant veins of rainbow popped up in the crowd, and motioned with his head. She trotted after him, gathering with a small crowd of other sams. After Echo has explained what was going on, Sanctuary immediately felt awful. Poor foal! She had been hoping for a foal of her own one day- but every breeding season went by without one. She scanned the three paths, considering her options. The fields looked like they could hide a hundred foals...so did the forest. The stone gardens meanwhile looked quiet, but maybe the foal was being quiet while she hid.

Sanctuary clicked her opposable hooves together, a tic she adapted while thinking. She was born in a dark pine forest– maybe a forest was the best place to try first? Though the leafy forest was a far cry from the snow-covered taiga she had grown up in. She could always retrace her steps. She trotted forward, heading into the bright forest, her baskets creaking faintly.She studied the young spry trees, stepping around mushrooms and patches of springy, pillowy moss, eyes bright.

Bite of the Ancient Tooth

Chirp of the Curious Sparrow

((Thank you to all you Day 1 posters! Let's see what you've found... ^-^ And if you missed posting yesterday, remember, you can still post for today's round.))

----


As Sanctuary trots purposefully between the slender trunks, avoiding low-hanging whip-like branches, the air seems to warm around her. Despite the wide natural pathways between the youthful trees, they seem to have created enough of a buffer the the gentle winds that brushed the hot springs are brought to a standstill; it is almost as though this and the golden shafts of light have worked together to lay a cosy blanket over the entire area. And in this haven, a profession of sensational mushrooms, toadstools and mosses grow, creating a sensational -if incredibly slippery- mantle over raised tree roots and small hollow logs.

It is while avoiding stepping on a particularly large, fungus that she spots something of interest; a raised hump of what appeared to be earth crackles under hoof, partially collapsing to show a hollow inside. This must have once been part of a log, long since overgrown by it’s descendants, but it’s protected insides have remained as they once were; a bright, shimmering silver- Silver Bark! And there, where her hoof broke through, a manageably-sized chunk has broken loose with only a small amount of moss and earth still attached.

----


Wind whistles through the tops of the stones here, a pleasant natural sound despite the very slight lingering chill of winter in the breeze. With the sun warming the rocks, it’s hard to be bothered by that negligible bite, and they surroundings do their own part in distracting Bite as well. The formations -some so towering as to make even the largest Sam feel tiny, while others seemed so delicate they would crush underfoot like flowers- provided distinctly unusual scenery on their own, but hanging from convenient niches were hardy mountain plants that seemed almost out of place this far from the peaks.

They seemed to be getting along just fine, however, alongside more common blooms; some in particular she is quick to recognise and grab; there, in an odd shallow bowl of a formation, a single brilliant stalk of Sunsnap struggles against a profusion of weeds. And over there, nestled amongst more exotic (and rather spiky) plants blooms a very content looking Sweetscent Flower, it’s pristine form obviously protected from birds and the like by it’s prickly neighbours.

----


Perhaps, in retrospect, checking every hollow on her way hadn’t been the most practical idea Chirp had ever had; sure, she had been lucky enough to find a sprig of Tandil Berries in the first she checked, but many were empty, or held interesting but otherwise worthless flora, and a fair few had residents who weren’t particularly please to be disturbed so soon after their long winter’s rest, chasing the interloper away quite decisively. But the vibration she followed told her that she was definitely close to something, only seeming to grow stronger. Actually, surprisingly so. That… There was no way that could be the sound of a foal! In the time it took for Chirp to come to that conclusion, however, another Samanayr seemed to spring from behind the dense foliage of the bush she had been headed toward.

“WOAH!”

The stallion’s cry was shocked, but he had obviously been in such a rush to reach the Spring festivities that he couldn’t do anything halt his speed in time, and he all-but tripped over himself trying to avoid the smaller form of Chirp. “Aaarrgh…” Shaking himself out but appearing uninjured, the chocolate-y looking male moved to look over the scene in consternation, spotting the now hopelessly trodden and unsalvageable berries that had been tossed from Chirps possession. “Oh for the love of…” He shot a brief, pleading look at Chirp even as he seemed to be backing in the directions of the hotsprings. “Look, I’m really sorry okay, but I’m in a HUGE rush. Come find me at the festival when you’re done… Whatever it is your doing… and I’ll pay you back, on my honour! But I just- I gotta go!” And as quick as the male had appeared, he was running off again, leaving nothing but his name and the promise to hang around until Chirp had come to find him again.

----


Despite the generally steady, solid nature of rocks, the foundations of the particularly worn pillar it seemed were not so deeply rooted in the earth. Study’s slight but atypical weight against the monolith’s side caused the entire structure to shift, tilting just slightly with the rough groan of unsettled earth. Perhaps a crack or a fault was to blame for it’s unsteadiness, or perhaps this stone had rolled itself here eons ago and was not, in fact, truly attached to the bedrock… Whichever was the cause, neither could account for the ungodly screech that accompanied the other, more natural noises of movement.

That was, in no way, a noise that could have been produced by stone.
This notion was further cemented when, continuing to screech, a small feathery bundle tumbled down from the upper edge of the pillar before striking Study soundly on the snout like a thrown pebble. No… Not just like a thrown pebble, exactly like. Clutched between the birds talons was a rocky protrusion that glittered and gleamed… Oh, a chunk of Gleamstone! Perhaps it had snapped off somewhere higher up the monolith while the firebird was perched on it. Either way, both the bird and it’s prize now sat at the base of the rock, seemingly quite dazed.


----


The pathways and sighing grasses seemed to be filled with nothing but life, and as Departure followed her blue butterfly, it was quickly joined by another, and then more, in an explosion of color. The air was heavy with the scent of flowers, and so it was no wonder that other travellers had missed the normally pronounced perfume that the cluster of two large Sweetscent blooms produced; the mare herself had to practically trip over them before being able to tell them apart from the riot of color around her! Plucking their beauty almost seemed a waste, but the masses of tightly-closed buds around them surely meant that more would be blossoming to take their place soon. Around them, smaller glittering insects buzzed lazily, seeming to pass to and from between the tall grasses with much more ease than an adult samanayr was capable of, heading off to other sections of the impromptu maze, lured perhaps by sweeter scents now that their prize had been plucked.

----

Though none of the searchers has located the missing filly yet, maybe she's only hiding out a little further in... Or perhaps you have changed you mind, and think that you'd be better spending your time searching somewhere else?

Bite of the Ancient Tooth

Sanctuary of the Ancient Taiga

Sanctuary's fur fluffed up at the warmer air, tipping her head back to drink in the scents of fungus and damp moss and fresh, growing things. She trilled faintly with pure, unadulterated joy at the warm air and earthy scents. It made one feel alive– though she was great with snow and pines, this fresh bright forest was a whole new exciting world. The slippery ground was a bit difficult at first, but her opposable hooves gave her a good foundation for trotting over slick moss and dirt. She wove around the large mushrooms, not wanting to crush them or get spores in her fur.

One especially large one loomed up, and she skittered to the side, then spotted a little raised bump in the ground. She stepped down, and the ground fell away. She stumbled, then righted herself and dug out a shimmering scrap of silver. Silver Bark! What a fantastic find! Gripping it in her teeth, she nosed open her basket and dropped it inside. Inside the basket already she had a bundle of berry greens she bought for Shade, as well as a little bag of candied nuts for her. She scraped a bit of remaining earth from the bark on the lip of the basket before she let it drop in.

Sanctuary's faery head wings fluttered with excitement, shimmering in the golden light for a bit. She looked around amongst the trees, and came to a conclusion. She loved it here, it was lovely, but perhaps it was best she check out another area. The chilly air from the stone gardens had felt familiar– maybe she could try back there again? She headed back through the woods towards the stone gardens.

She paused in her travels for a moment, and pulled out the small bag of nuts and placed it on top of her baskets, with hopes that the sweet smell of the still-warm nuts might attract a lost foal. She looked around the border of the stone gardens, worried she had given up too soon...but now that she'd trekked all this way back, she best keep going, right? She headed into the western border of the stone gardens from the forest, tapping a few quiet stones with her spry hooves. She halted, worried she was making some sort of mistake by touching the mysterious stone formations.

((Sorry, I didn't want to overcrowd the gardens, but they sounded so interesting and Sanctuary would love to try them! ^^))

((Another day comes to a close... Are they any closer to finding the missing little one? And what else have they found? Tomorrow is the last day for replies guys! Remember to get those posts in~))


Despite his thoroughly unimpressed passenger doing his very best to be nothing more than a deadweight on his back, Study seemed to have found one of the easiest to traverse paths through the occasionally more unstable rocks. Perhaps because of this, despite seeing a great many curious moss and lichen specimens amongst the fantastical outcroppings the stallion saw nothing of tradable value before stopping at the small pool. Hidden in the shallow dip between two almost mushroom-shaped boulders, the deep puddle was so still that it mirrored the sky seamlessly, clearly showing the slow-moving clouds until Study dipped to take a drink from it’s cool, clear liquid. The ripples broke up the surface, refracting shards of light across the surrounding rocks that were only interrupted by the quick flit of a shadow overhead; a passing Sam briefly blocking out the sun. In it’s powerful downstrokes, something seemed to be knocked loose… Twirling slowly through the air, two brown Llamanayr feathers took their time in drifting to earth.



This new narrow, winding path was almost worlds apart from the relatively open area Bite had just left; the further she walked from the shimmering rock at it’s beginning, the more towering boulders and outcropping there seemed to be hanging overhead, creating deep pools of shadow. Here, the rocks dripped with un-evaporated moisture, slippery with vibrant moss in direct contrast to the dry plants that grew on their windward sides. And, as the mare had anticipated, piles of smaller stones quickly began to render the path unnavigable to a full-grown Samanayr… But, perhaps, not to a something so small as a foal. As Bite attempts to squeeze around a strangely bulging overhand, her saddlebags scrape the stone just enough to produce a sound that echoes around the enclosed space. As the soft reverberations die down another rapid scratching noise crops up in it’s place, this one however coming from further along the path.
Accompanied by an excited squeak, a small pink blur speeds out from a large pile of rocks down the way;

It seems she might have encroached on this little one’s home… Not that the Vair seems to mind, if the way she’s chirring and rapidly weaving between rocks and Bite’s legs is any indication. The little thing doesn’t seem even the slightest bit nervous, though perhaps that has more to do with the fact she’s moving almost too fast to see, let alone catch, than any notable bravery on the critter’s part.



The environment around the stones was much different to that of the forest; though the heat of the sun still shone warmly down on her, here it was unsheltered enough that a gentle, teasing wind also stirred through Sanctuary’s fur, just on the right side of cool. The formations here were smaller than elsewhere in the gardens, but no less impressive for it… It seems as though this was a favourite spot for visiting Samanayr, who had made a game of stacking small, flat-ish stone one atop the other to form curious-looking spires that jutted from the ground like the knobbly trucks of tiny limbless trees. And though it was not one of these that Sanctuary had struck with her idle hooves, the vibrations those small taps had caused made one of the topmost placed stones wobble and almost gently tumble from the tip of it’s spire, the rest of which stood otherwise unharmed. The small, unremarkable stone fell with a CRACK that seemed loud in the otherwise quiet atmosphere, but if she looked closer she would find that this bland rock had split on impact into two perfect halves, filled with a shimmering, glittering mineral… Oh, Gleamstone! And there were two sizeable pieces of it now.



Following the sounds of angry squawking and screeching, Chirp’s heart races. What if something terrible had happened to the foal? What if it was already hurt!? She was only a relatively small creature herself, there was no way she’d be able to carry the foal all the way out of the forest, and it wouldn’t be safe to leave them out here alone again, would it? In her worry, Chirp only flew faster and faster until (much like the rude stallion that had trampled her berries) she burst out from behind the low branches of a tree and into a clearing where… Wait. At her raucous entrance, the group of birds that had been fighting over a bush veritably bursting with berries startled and took flight, screeching down at her angrily even as they fled. Ah. Whoops? But upon closer inspection of the bush, it seems that maybe that mad dash wasn’t completely ill-advised; though many of the red orbs have been pecked at, there are still at least 3 sprigs of Tandil Berries she can see that are in a whole-enough condition as to be worth taking for trade.



Glory’s loud calls were clear over the buzz of insects, but although a few adult Samanayr who had been wandering the fields looked over at him in confusion, there was no answering cry, nor any clear scuffling of little hooves. What there was, however, was a large flock of very very small birds who -startled by the sudden noise- burst from the waving grasses like a feathery cloud, knocking the larger but vastly outnumbered stallion almost out of the air. The cacophony seemed to go on endlessly, but when the last of the twittering, peeping crowd had finally veered away, the dazed Glory would that find amongst the unsettled petals and seeds that now filled the air was a more solid glimmer of shimmering color… Drifting leisurely back to earth was a single Rainbow Llamanayr feather, obviously shed by someone who had passed through on their way to the festival. Despite the mess it had just gone through, the long flight-feather was surprisingly pristine and would be a worthwhile item for trading, though it definitely wasn’t what Glory had intended to find.



Taking every right turn may have seemed a far too logical route to take with such meandering paths, but Departure would be quick to find that each time she got closer to the edge of the field, the drifting songs of visiting Samanayr would drift over to join her own fun little ditties. And each time she moved away from the borders and then came back in a different spot, the tune would change! Even the buzzing of the myriad of insects around her seemed to join in with a soft harmony, making each right turn less monotonous and more pleasant. Though she didn’t see any more flowers she knew were valuable, Departure would eventually see something else; as her paths take her closer to the side of the field that borders on the rock gardens, she notices that the broad path she has been following is crossed directly by a much smaller, less well-trodden path... Perhaps it’s an animal trail, or maybe it’s a trick of the light, but it couldn’t hurt to have a look, right?

Bite of the Ancient Tooth

Sanctuary of the Ancient Taiga

The wind that brushed Sanctuary's fluffy pelt and tickled her nose with scents of spring mixing with the remnants of winter chill. She observed the small rock formations jutting from either side of the path, eyeing little patches of mint green lichen that grew over the stone. She studied the spires formed by many years of Samanayr stacking, and the timelessness of the place struck her in that moment. It was a beautiful little legacy they had formed here. They were wonky, but somehow perfect in their unusual shapes. Careful not to bump them, she moved to a larger stone where she then tapped her sapphire colored hoof against it. The strike and the vibrations hummed through her limbs, making her tongue tingle. Fascinating.

A sudden clatter and CRACK shook her from her trance, and she spun around to stare at the disturbed rock. She gasped. "Oh....oh no!" She hurried to the fallen stone, feeling sad that had disturbed one of these beautiful spires. The rock had split, and her eyes widened as she recognized the mineral. Two chunks of Gleamstone! Dare she.... she felt just awful, like she shouldn't take it. But she couldn't leave it sitting in the middle of the path now, could she? Feeling guilty, she took the two pieces and placed them in her basket. Her stomach churned a bit, and she looked around. She had to find another stone! She searched amongst the rocks and discovered a small ivory-colored stone with dark brown flecks. It was a very pretty rock, and she brought it back, scurrying over the rocks. She stepped back after setting it on the top of the cairn-structure, admiring the way it looked in the light. Better....she almost wanted to add her own stone, but felt as though she wasn't deserving of such.

She continued on, casting a worried glance at the passing sun. What if no one found the little dear foal? There were other brave Sams who would doubtlessly search through the night for the wee one, but she couldn't bare the thought of a foal sitting in the dark all alone, even for a heartbeat. She herself knew what it was like to be lonely and lost– she'd never want that for a young one. Rifling through her basket again, she pulled out the satchel of nuts, gripping the cord between her teeth. The bag swung from the cord, bumping her neck a few times. The scent of vanilla and cinnamon and all the warmth of winter wafted from the bag into her nostrils, and she took a deep fluttering sigh.

Nothing quite tempted the belly like sweet spiced nuts! She thought cheerfully, trying to take heart. The scent might just do the trick. She trotted down the path, scanning the trees and stone. The bag blocked some of her view where she was putting her hooves, and her lack of foresight led to another misstep, the third of the expedition. The mare stepped off the path and into one of the still pools. She tumbled chin-first into the water, hitting the shallow bottom with a harsh thud. The impact knocked the bag from her jaws, and the bag of goodies sank to the bottom. She sat up in the water, rubbing at her aching jaw.

"I wish Shade was here..." She said miserably, looking like a drowned Oquesia with her wet Northern coat and feeling like a failure. Maybe it was time to head back.

Spring. It was that time of the year, when life begins anew.

Today had dawned clear as the sun shone in between puffy clouds that floated in the sky. It cast golden light across the land everywhere at once, as if a shroud of darkness was being lifted from the world. Trees that lost their leaves grew fresh buds on their branches. Tiny, fragile wildflowers were blossoming in an abundance of yellows, reds, blues, pinks, lilacs and whites, which contrasted pleasantly against the greening of new grass. Birds were singing harmoniously in quick trills, occasionally punctuated by chirps and tweets, to herald their return after making the long journey from down South.

Meanwhile, Samanayrs, including Automaton, were coming in droves to attend the Festival of New Spring, held in celebration of the season.

The robot elemental moved leisurely as she wove through crowd of excited festival-goers. Glancing left and right at fellow Samanayr-kin and other creatures who currently occupying the Hotsprings, the constant light in her solid eyes was bright, while she took in the sights. Some gathered together to exchange news, make small talk, and spread gossip with one another... Merchants bartered and haggled, shouting across the busy square as they advertised their wares... A few performers practiced their acts, gaining the attention from several passers-by with their prowess... And foals laughed as they gamboled merrily about the festival grounds.

Suddenly, audio receptors, shaped in the form of equine ears, pricked forward like radio antennas atop Automaton's head. She heard a loud, aggravated groan above the the noise of the hustle and bustle of the festival. Automaton stopped in her tracks, and looked in the general direction from which the sound had originated. Curious, she angled herself slightly to the left, took a step forward, then another step, and another. She kept walking, until a small gathering of other Samanayrs came into view. The metal-plated mare slowed to a stop as she approached. Unable to see anything from her spot at the back, she half-reared onto her hind legs, and peered over the mass of bodies to spot an agitated earth-coloured stallion. His markings thread throughout his velveted fur like an intricate system of veins, filled with not only the colour of blood, but also every other colour in the rainbow. She listened in courteous silence, as Echo of the Opal Reaches explained what was going on. The light in her eyes flashed an even brighter blue in alarm. Poor little filly, so frightened and alone! This wasn't an expedition, but a mission to find and safely bring back a frightened foal, who had become separated from her caretaker, and gotten lost, during the festivities.

When the de facto "leader" of this search-and-rescue party finished addressing the group of "volunteers", the other searchers dispersed, one-by-one, to begin their hunt. Dropping back to all four feet again, Automaton turned around, opening her mouth to ask Echo of the Opal Reaches a question as he stomped past. The words "What does she look like?" died in her throat, before she could voice them, though. She could only stare helplessly after his quickly-departing form as he had gotten farther away, out of earshot. A description of the missing foal's appearance would've been helpful! the robot elemental thought indignantly to herself.

With a sigh, she turned away and marched towards the massive grassy fields. Many travelers had passed through here recently. Perhaps someone coming to or leaving from the festival, on one of those paths of crushed grass, might have seen the filly.

Facial features creased with determination, Automaton lowered her head to be parallel with her spine, as her eyes scanned in between these tall stalks, while her ears swiveled to detect the faintest of sounds.