[D6 LA] Rocks Fall

[Agasha Sorato]

Stepping away from the top of the ropeway, Sorato hitches his day pack into a more secure position on his lean shoulders. "Everyone wore good shoes, right?" he asks his companions. "We may go off the trails, so you don't want to twist an ankle."

Spirits could be vague in their descriptions, but it seems to Sorato that Kiyoshi's bird spirit had been clearer than most. The jimen tori 'special place' had been blocked by moving earth--probably a landslide or some kind of unintentional displacement, since it doesn't seem likely the builders of the old hotel or of the ropeway and viewing station would have deliberately built over a spring of any significant size.

"Let's try to do as much of this as we can in the mundane way." He nods to Kiyoshi and then explains to the others, "Spirits don't understand directions quite as people do, and they tire of being asked too many questions sometimes."

From up here at the official viewing point, they can see a wide sweep of the mountain slope on this side of the peak. The other side of the mountain is out of view, of course, but this is a start--they'll be able to look around for any scars in the landscape that might indicate a landslide in recent years.

[Kakita Haruhi]

Stepping away from the top of the ropeway, Sorato hitches his day pack into a more secure position on his lean shoulders. "Everyone wore good shoes, right?" he asks his companions. "We may go off the trails, so you don't want to twist an ankle."

Spirits could be vague in their descriptions, but it seems to Sorato that Kiyoshi's bird spirit had been clearer than most. The jimen tori 'special place' had been blocked by moving earth--probably a landslide or some kind of unintentional displacement, since it doesn't seem likely the builders of the old hotel or of the ropeway and viewing station would have deliberately built over a spring of any significant size.

"Let's try to do as much of this as we can in the mundane way." He nods to Kiyoshi and then explains to the others, "Spirits don't understand directions quite as people do, and they tire of being asked too many questions sometimes."

From up here at the official viewing point, they can see a wide sweep of the mountain slope on this side of the peak. The other side of the mountain is out of view, of course, but this is a start--they'll be able to look around for any scars in the landscape that might indicate a landslide in recent years.

Haruhi arrived at the appointed time, excited to see what they might find.

"Agasha-san! It is good to see you again. I'm glad the weather is starting to clear." She had brought a parasol, if needed. And flashlight. All her recording equipment.

"Perhaps the spirit can guide us in the right direction. Or we can find some logical spots, and then ask the spirit."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

Kiyoshi checked the equipment he had brought and said a few words to the Detective, before looking to the others. "Wherever the special place us, it had to be accessible to the jimen tori. Hopefully, that means it won't be difficult to reach the blocked area.

[Kakita Haruhi]

"What do you think will work best with the spirit, Kitsune-san? Should we speak to it early for directional guidance? Or wait til we have found a place that our study of nature suggests could be a relevant cave-in?"

[Susumu Sumiko]

Sumiko was carrying less than the others, being smaller and not as strong, but she did her best with the items in her backpack.

"A general direction would be nice after that storm yesterday. Wandering aimlessly up a mountain is likely to leave us lost."

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"Very well." He nodded.

He unwrapped a fish and set it on the ground, before taking out his densai and whispering an incantation.

- - -
[D6 LA] Rocks Fall, Summoning Land Animal Spirit, Earth Affinity, 2 CR for Jimen Tori | 6k3 ⇒ 39 (TN: 20)

[Hatoful GM]

"Very well." He nodded.

He unwrapped a fish and set it on the ground, before taking out his densai and whispering an incantation.

- - -
[D6 LA] Rocks Fall, Summoning Land Animal Spirit, Earth Affinity, 2 CR for Jimen Tori | 6k3 ⇒ 39 (TN: 20)

It wasn't long before a spirit appeared. Was it the same one? It was hard to tell.



"Oh, 'ello." It greeted Kiyoshi.

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"Hello, my friend. We are searching for the Special Place. Could you lead us to where the Earth blocked the way?" He asked, presenting the fish.

[Hatoful GM]

"Ah, the Special Place." It said, bobbing its head. It considered for a bit. "Yeah, sure thing. Just try to keep up."

It began to waddle along. It was not fast. Keeping up was not a problem.

"The Special Place is the Flock's secret, you know." It said. "Your flock isn't predators, is it?"

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"No." He shook his head. "We're trying to help other flocks reach it."

[Hatoful GM]

"There is only one Flock." The spirit said. It was a little confusing.

Up the mountain, the Crab constructions visible up above. And to a small cave, with sign out front forbidding entrance. It was, however, sealed only with very basic construction materials.

"This is not the Earth." The spirit said. "But it would block our way all the same. There are more ways to the way to the Special Place, but only one way to the Special Place."

[Kakita Haruhi]

Haruhi followed.

She studied the sign forbidding entrance. Thank goodness it wasn't a solid wall of earth. Just a construction barrier.

"Are the jimen tori trapped in there? Could they leave if they wanted?"

[Hatoful GM]

It seemed this spirit could understand those beyond the one who summoned it, as it bobbed its head at Haruhi.

"They are not. Some few know that this was once the way. Where the Special Place once was a great bounty, with the Earth closed, it now has meagre scraps."

[Agasha Sorato]

"Huh." Sorato inspects the sign and the cave entrance. Is it explicitly blocked off because it's unsafe, or for some other less clear reason?

"I understood the problem to be that they can't get in to their special place," he murmurs as he drifts around outside the cave opening. "So this was the only entrance?"

[Hatoful GM]

"There are more ways to the way to the Special Place, but only one way to the Special Place." The spirit said again.

[Agasha Sorato]

"Kakita-san, you're an engineer. Does any of this look structurally unsound to you from here?" Sorato pokes at the rocky lip of the cave with one long finger. "Otherwise, I'm inclined to go in and see what these signs are about."

[Susumu Sumiko]

Sumiko had followed along, keeping an eye out around them. As the reached the entrance she frowned a little.

"Crab were working here and stopped. There has to be a reason, and the only reason I can think of is an unstable or collapsed tunnel."

She stepped closer to the construction to see if there was any signs of what might be beyond, then took her Conelantern from her bag and tried to shine that in to see a little further.

[Hatoful GM]

It looks dark!

But then Sumiko shines the Conelantern, and it looks less dark.

At a glance, it looks okay (Engineering TN15 to tell for sure). It does look a bit tight, but not too bad. But it looks solid enough.

[Kitsune Kiyoshi]

"The Special Place below, where Fire and Water meet. Where Water leaves warm and happy." Kiyoshi mused to himself, tgen asked the spirit, "Where does the Water go?"

[Agasha Sorato]

Sorato flicks on his own light and leans over the construction barricades. "It looks okay as far as I can see," he says. "Could be worse further in. Or someone just didn't want tourists getting stuck."

---
D6 LA--Engineering, is it safe? | 3k3 ⇒ 15 (TN: 15)

Do we need to move things to go inside, or just clamber over?