[D1 LM] A Bit of Collecting

[Taochusu]

Taochusu headed down to the river. Some folks back at the supply wagon said there was a need for some additional supplies that could be foraged here so the big guy decided to wade to knee deep and collect needed reeds.

Submerging his hands into the waters, he used his knife to cut through a bunch of the reeds at the base to get as much useful length reed material as possible. It also had the benefit of doubling as a bath and tripling as to cool off. Once he had collected a good number he pushed the floating pile to shore.

Packing for the Expedition, D1 LM, Hunting / Perception, VP +1k1, 1 CR, TN 25: 6d10o10k4 30
+2 Provision points

Edit: because river says swimming is bad, only going knee deep

[Jiyo Ayumu]

Ayumu was a diligent boy, and as such, he was very happy to help with the ineluctable late minute preparations, even if it meant getting his feet wet. Well, with his character, he probably liked it even more for that, as it was a good excuse to go barefoot in the wild.

Diligent yes, but not in the sense of quick. He was meticulously examining each plant, sometimes spending whole minutes contemplating it, before finally plucking it. Thus, after one hour of hard work, he had collected only a small bundle of phragmites.

And then, as he was descending the river in search of a nice harvest spot, he eyed another gatherer. Someone as big and imposing as he was skinny and discreet.

(+ 1 Provision Point)

[Taochusu]

Collecting up the reeds and putting them on one of his shoulders he started the walk back towards the village when he noticed the other guy. He lifts a hand in greeting. "Hey there! How are you doing?"

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Hi. I'm fine thank you. How do you do yourself?"

Pointing at his far less impressive harvest:

"Could it be that you are a local? I could do with a few extra pointers from an expert of this flora."

[Taochusu]

"Nope, not from around here. I'm a wanderer. I'd be able to tell you about some of the stuff that I've seen here in the past two days, but I usually just survive off what I can find wherever I am," he explains. "The folks at the wagons said they needed reeds for stuff so I came down and gathered a bunch for them."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Oh. So you're from the expedition then?

Nice to meet you. I'm Ayumu. Well, some in the folks in the big city insist I should go by Jiyo Ayumu now, but that just sounds weird. We'll be road companions starting tomorrow."

[Taochusu]

"I guess I am now. Didn't know about it until I got here, but it's a chance to see something new," he says with a nod. "I'm just Taochusu, no other names. Good to meet you Ayumu."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Some people would love to say that a lucky timing is just destiny playing their cards right. I'm not so sure about that, but that's an interesting point of view to consider.

If I may ask though, what brought you here in the first place if not the expedition? I'll admit to know nothing about the geography of this region, but at first glance the city seems a bit remote to just wander into it by chance."

[Taochusu]

"Trading furs that I collected over the past couple years. I knew where the village was a while ago, but I don't enter them until I need something. My pot recently cracked and I had to replace it," he replies. "I follow animal migrations, and I've found that they often pass near to large tribe villages, within a few miles. It's likely the villages were set up near where the animals pass so they can hunt them during the migration seasons."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Sounds likely. I wonder how long the animals will stay in vicinity if the city keeps growing though. In Isawa lands, the wild beasts have been repelled well beyond the fenced fields.

Did you ever travel to lands far to the south of this one? Our destination is still a bit mysterious in my mind. A big hole in the ground sure, but in the middle of what?"

[Taochusu]

"Never been farther south. I was in the region around the village and north of it for the past few months. Before that I was skirting the big forest north of here. Guess people call it the Shinomen," he explains. "There are some game birds that were traveling the forests edge during those months and deer live throughout it year round."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Interesting. Where else did you travel?"

[Taochusu]

"I've been to huge open plains that were to the east of that forest and a large river that ran through there. Mountains further north from that. and more plains further north over those. A whole lot of walking, a whole lot of hunting and a whole lot of mistakes through my life. But that's what makes the world interesting."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Just for how many years have you wanderered? You're talking about the limit of the known world there, maybe even a bit beyond. There are people of the road that haven't traveled half as far in their whole life."

[Taochusu]

"I have been alone since I was a little over 12. I haven't kept very good track of the years. All I know is I remember more travel than childhood. More than a decade for sure, but nowhere near two. And I've got plenty of scars for the troubles I've been through. But when you go a year or more with nobody to talk to but a group of bandits that you have to put in their place or another random wanderer... well, it's easy to lose track of time. I only started shaving my beard and hair once I got to the warmer weather. My beard used to be near my belly. Grew it out that long twice when I had to shave it one year. Needed the hair for kindling during the winter on the plains. Made the nights both colder and warmer."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"That's quite the story.

You would fit fine with my sensei or my sempai. They both had complicated lives with their fair share of wandering and fighting. Though I'm not sure they did so as alone as you."

Ayumu will wait a bit there, if Taochusu has anything to add. If not, he won't pry further and change the subject.

"What do you expect of that expedition?"

[Taochusu]

"Well, I've never really fit with anyone. Tribes never really trust outsiders too much. But they're happy to trade what they have a lot of for something they don't need to risk their own folks for. Got pretty good trades for bear and boar pelts," he says with a shrug.

"Really, all I want to do is see something new and spend some time with people that don't expect me to leave right away. I think that'll be nice," he says. "They want bodies for the expedition and I've got one to put between any threats and the expedition. Might be nice to make a real friend too, not just a bunch of pleasant acquaintances."

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"You might find the new clans more open-minded than the average tribe. Like, extremely so. It's not my right to tell their stories, but the Kamis and their followers have accepted at their side people any tribe would have closed their door to. It's a bit cliché to say so, but times are definitely changing. In all honesty, I think you could go knock down on Shiba's door right now, as you are, still wet and muddy, and he would welcome you with open arms."

[Taochusu]

"If that's the case, it's probably best not to rush into it. Probably want to learn about them and find out who I'd like to be with. Would kind of suck to join a clan and then find out a few weeks later that they have no need for hunters or hammers and expect me to do things their way completely. My life might be hard, but there are parts of it I enjoy. If I didn't I wouldn't have made it this far," he says with a chuckle.

[Jiyo Ayumu]

"Sure. Opportunity does not equate with obligation. And there is a time for each thing. The now for example is all about the harvest."