[TRIBE ORP] The Festival of the Moon Fish

[Appeal]

The autumn weather is beautiful on the coast today. The wind is soft and the water in the bay is particularly still from the clear weather conditions. It's afternoon, and kin across the tribe are in the midst of doing various work to prepare for the height of the festival in the evening. What is your kin doing? Are they setting up for the festival, are they steadfast about doing their duties even on a festival day, are they gathering fresh food for the party? Maybe they completely forgot and are busy chasing shuppies around! Perhaps they've come home from their travels specifically for the festival!

What is the Festival of the Moon Fish?

The Festival of the Moon Fish is a celebration that happens during the Harvest Moon. It happens in autumn and it is a bounty celebration. One Fisherkin is tasked with the special opportunity to catch a fish live, AND bring it back to the Moon Pool for the celebrations. During the Harvest Moon, the fish will take on the colour of the moon from the reflection in the water. This signals the start of the party, and it goes until dawn. The fish is then released back into the bay, and it is said that this will provide good bounty all year round.

Catch a Fish

Fisherkin have the greatest opportunity available, the most important role for this particular festival! Fisherkin are given the honour of collecting a LIVE fish and bringing it to the moon pool. Most Fisherkin are busy on the beach trying to catch the live fish for the moonpool, trying to get the honour for the evening festival. If your kin is registered as a Fisherkin then please roll 1 6 Sided Dice.

At the end of the ORP, tallies will be made and whoever has the greatest value has the privilege of successfully getting a live fish into the moonpool. Fisherkin can roll once a day for however long the ORP stays open. However diligent they want to be to get the honour.

!! This ORP is limited to members of The Cres. If you'd like to join, please head over to our tribe thread! !!

[Appeal]

[imgright]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/images/blue/fisheye_uncert.png[/imgright]

Fisheye is standing waist-deep in the water over by Moonpool Island with her two shuppies, Surge and Swell, as they splash loudly beside her as they yup and yelp like puppies dying for attention. The tide is going down but Fisheye isn't taking any risks with the festival tonight. She's looking around keenly, watching the beach and water with great interest. It was might be too early for most people to come over to the tidal island yet but she wanted everything to go perfectly today!

[rexcorvus]

[imgright]https://i.imgur.com/edj1O4A.png[/imgright]

He came towards Fisheye from the edge of the water, hooves splashing, Breakwater gamboling noisily in his wake. Moonpool Island, with all its significance, was a gentle and beautiful place; the ideal location for the Festival, and Fierce Warrior had already decided that he was going to do his best to sit back and relax.

It was a novel concept. Fierce was lacking in understanding of the word relax most of the time.

Breakwater made a sudden lurch forward and Fierce let out a small curse as he nearly stumbled over the shuppy, water cascading against his sides. He barely managed to hold his footing, hooves sinking into wet sand, and gave Breakwater an annoyed look that clearly said stop that even if he didn't say it out loud.

Breakwater merely turned his back. Resisting a strong urge to roll his eyes, Fierce leveled a look over to Fisheye.

"Do you need anything?"

@Appeal

[Scaramouche Fandango]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... ncert3.png[/imgleft] Riding high on thermals above the lagoon, an eagle that wasn't an eagle watched the goings-on below her with a well-trained eye. She watched the sandbars and swells, watched the waves break and crest and surge, kissing the shore with lips of white foam. She watched a pair of kimeti interact, watched their shuppies play alongside them. This tribe, the one she'd chosen to watch, to join- they were good people, diligent with their fishery. Small, but they'd grow, and she'd help in her way.

She spiraled lower and lower, approaching the fisherkin on the shoreline. Today was a bit of a challenge- a live fish was needed, and while she could certainly provide a dead or dying one quite easily, catching a fish without harming it was more challenging than most kin thought. Her talons would be of no use here, and so she used her wide wings to bank into a lazy turn and a slow landing. Langorously, she stood up, feathers lengthening, talons contracting, and soon the eagle that wasn't an eagle was once more a totoma. Real Big Fish's form was fluid; she liked being an eagle just as much as she liked being a totoma. With a nod, she greeted the tribe's leader, Fisheye.

"A perfect morning for fishing- though, aren't they all?" She lumbered over to a pile of nets, then began to arrange them. When others arrived to fish, they'd find them separated, easy to lift, and not tangled up amongst each other. The last one out, she kept for herself...

[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 6, total 6[/blockquote]

[fluo]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... ncert5.png[/imgleft]The tribe was great. No one demanded nor expected anything of Look-See and so when the festival came about, Look-See shfited to her flox form as a reminder to all to leave her alone. Festival prep was a young kin game afterall. She floated on a broad leaf under the warming sun to catch some extra sleep. The commotion and waves brought her closer to Fisheye. She said her greeting, rolling onto her back to stretch out to the sun's seductively warm rays.

"Meow."

She looked at the others from her upside down vantage point. Hard of seeing, some forms were more noticeable than others. If not their sound, definitely by the telltale sounds of their accompanying shuppy. But that eagle was always different and welcome. She threw a chirp over there as well while safely ensconced on her leaf boat, briefly wondering what it would be like to fly. Could the eagle carry her?

[Appeal]

[imgright]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/images/blue/fisheye_uncert.png[/imgright]

Fisheye was looking around like a lifeguard on a beach, diligent and protective, but there was a smile on her face as she watched the two shuppies splash around like morons. It really reminded her of while she chose to form this community and the beauty of living here.

She was well into her thoughts when Fierce Warrior had come over. She had come to know him a bit in his time here. He was quite a focused buck so it was no surprise when he'd come over to ask if she'd needed any assistance with anything. She thought about it momentarily, watching his shuppy Breakwater with amusement as Surge and Swell tried to dogpile them

"Well, the fisherkin seems to be well on their way to getting the annual moonfish," she said, making a nod to the eagle who had returned to being a totoma. It would have been quite strange to think that this small community would have a legendary kin... but in fact, it had two. One was a strong fisher, and the other was simply too cute. In fact, Fisheye caught a glimpse of what she thought was Look-See floating toward her.

"Set up could always use a hoof from a strong buck like yourself if you can make it over to the island. Are you a good swimmer?" She asked him, not entirely sure since scouts weren't generally required to be able to swim.

"It'll be easier once the tide is down, though. That's when we'll need someone to drag the larger logs over for the bonfire."

It was at this moment that it was increasingly clear that Look-See, so close to Fisheye now that the doe was practically panicked. That form was way too small to get caught in the current of tides lowering. How bad would it be for the tribe if a legendary went and floated out to sea on their watch? There was no luck the moonfish could provide that wouldn't horribly doom them, right? How sturdy was that leaf boat? Look-See was definitely a unique character.

"How are you doing over there, Look-See? The tide is stronger over here today with the water receding like this."

Not as if a flox could reply but she knew she could understand.



@kuropeco @fluo

[tatterpixie]

[imgleft]https://matope-swamp.com/images/araucana/silentghost_uncert.png[/imgleft]
It was good to be home, thought Silent Ghost as he made his way down to the beach in search of Fisheye, two baskets full of sweet buttery freshwater fish across his back. He'd had a productive fishing expedition up into the heart of the Swamp and was delighted to have timed it so he could make it back for the Festival of the Moon Fish. Ghost loved his tribe; he felt truly blessed that he had been accepted into the Crescent Bay tribe. Everyone was kind and fun and loved the sea so much, and the bay itself was a bounty. And the shuppies that several of the tribe had as pets were a source of endless entertainment.

He found the tribal leader talking to an adorable flox; he knew by their markings that they were in fact Look-See in their other form. Approaching Fisheye, he gave the tribal leader a small bow of his head. "I made it back in time," he said with a smile. "I have some special treats for the feast -- perch and catfish and other delicacies from the Swamp. My nets were blessed by the Motherfather this trip." Shrugging the twin baskets off his back, Ghost looked around, taking in how preparations for the festivities were going. "This traveller is home and ready to assume his other duty, that of fisherkin." With a grin and tilt of his head, the dark buck glanced over at Real Big Fish preparing nets. "If you wish, I can take my freshwater catch to those preparing the feast before I begin casting my net..."

[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4[/blockquote]
@Appeal

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"Lots of fish!" Fish called in response to the flox, who she knew was one of her own. "This one's real little, if you want it!" The others were much larger, and she made use of a convenient shuppy hole to stash the small school. It floundered in the shallow water, but the sides of the hole were too steep for them to flop out. Eventually her catch settled into a vortex of sullen motion. Damn useful, those shuppy holes. Sure, tripping in them wasn't always pleasant, but they were a very, very convenient way to keep fish alive and secure until it was time to eat them. Her usual methods were either more labor intensive or less effective- tortoise shells were typically fairly shallow, and large fish could escape them. Weaving was next to impossible to use- you had to get a mongoose or lemur to do it for you, and that was a nightmare- and digging a hole on a riverbank typically meant the water just drained right back into the soil. But here at the beach, the looseness and hypersaturation of the sand meant that the water maintained equilibrium, more or less- and that meant your catch stayed fresh.

Like she'd noted. Damn useful, these shuppy holes.

With a grunt, she tossed her net again, keeping an eye on it while she gestured to Silent Ghost, who reminded her quite a bit of a sea slug. This was a compliment, should she ever voice it, but she certainly didn't know him well enough yet to know how that would be received. "Saw you coming from inland. Good haul?"

[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5[/blockquote]
@tatterpixie

[fluo]

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... ncert5.png[/imgleft]Damn this limiting form, but the tribe had kin from all walks of life, some more chatty than others, and Look-See's flox form was right at home with her limited speech pattern of sounds. Understanding Fisheye's concern, she pawed at the water to move closer to Fisheye and attempted to latch on the kimeti's long tresses as a makeshift anchor. It was then she saw the inky buck on the shore with the mighty bounty. She drooled a little bit on Fisheye's hair. Two baskets meant lots of feasts and revelry. If there were fermented fruit nectar, perhaps she could even persuade the totoma to give her a ride through the air. Maybe. Setting aside her lofty goals, she dropped Fisheye's hair from her mouth and meowed enthusiastically at the totoma's offer, her stomach growling with its own fervor.

"Meow." Yes. "Meow." You. "Meow" Better. "Meow." Believe. "Meowwwwwww."

And promptly ducked her head underwater to see the Real Big Fish's magic at all things fishing and trapping as the shuppy holes were transformed as a temporary holding place for the festival's supplies. She came up for air and repeated the cycle a few more times, fascinated. By the time she finally surfaced for air for good, she was a mess, but the sun's rays were welcoming and the breeze pretty damn handy.

[tatterpixie]

"Great haul!" Ghost replied to Real Big Fish. With a pleased smile, he dragged the baskets over for her to see. The fish inside were still nice and fresh; the insides of the tightly-woven baskets were coated in hardened tree sap, so some of the catch sat at the bottom of the baskets in freshwater. "I figure these will be a nice treat to go with the sea's bounty."

The tide was receding, so he would be able to make his way to Moonpool Island soon and deliver his catch to those kin who were preparing the feast. In the meantime, he decided to cast his net to see what he might catch in the bay. (There was always the challenge, too, of catching the Moon Fish for the festival tonight.) Keeping his baskets close by, he retrieved one of the neatly laid out nets and with all his might hurled it out into the water.

"That's clever, using the shuppy holes to store your catch," he remarked as he nodded at one of the caches Fish was using. "Guess they're good for more than just falling into." His wry smile indicated that he was joking.

[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 2, total 2[/blockquote]

[Appeal]

[imgright]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/image ... uncert.png[/imgright]

Fisheye's face cracked a smile from the rather serious expression that was painted across it when Silent Ghost returned with his bounty of freshwater pleasures. It would be a delightful treat for the festival! Saltwater fish were delicious and abundant here but freshwater fish was something special! Mentally she made a note of how they'd have to ensure that none of the shuppies found their way into that basket when she caught Swell and Surge circling Silent Ghost with a particular interest as they yelped and yipped, the shuppy form of begging for food.

"That sounds great! I haven't had catfish in ages..." She said, reminiscing on the thought. "The tide should be down far enough for people to start bringing things over without trouble soon!"

She gestured her head toward the water that was lowering at an encouraging rate, catching sight of Look-See hanging onto her hair like an anchor. Well, it was definitely better than the flox being washed out to sea with the tide. The drool should wash off without too much trouble as a blessing from the sea. Of course, Look-See then proceeded to confuse Fisheye as she began to repeatedly duck her head in and out of the water with excitement. Unsure of what the flox was doing, Fisheye's gaze followed the direction of Look-See's excitement seemed to be looking toward.

Ah. Fish. Yep, Look-See definitely belonged here. Fisheye couldn't help but chuckle a little. The tribe was so full of kin, from all walks of life, and everyone all fit together so nicely with the bay as an anchor.

Fisheye kept watching, making a note of the surroundings, trying to keep track of everyone while the tide was still receding. It was something rescuers normally kept track of but on festival days Fisheye was often over here due to the high traffic going in and out of Moonpool Island for the festival setup. It meant her gaze was drawn directly toward where Look-See had been looking, at Real Big Fish as they utilized the shuppy holes as a measure to store fish. It was definitely clever!

"Brilliant job, Real Big Fish!" Fisheye called, encouraging the totoma. Her success was the tribe's success!



@tatterpixie @fluo @Scaramouche Fandango

[Scaramouche Fandango]

"You'd be amazed how much fits in a shuppy hole!" Fish said to Ghost, hauling in her net and inspecting it for tears before tossing it again. "Of course, if you store things in 'em, sometimes they come back around and think your catch is theirs now." She watched as the shuppy came closer, a bit wary but curious- and clearly hungry. "Like that one. It's been following me for a while now. You'd think it likes me or something." She flipped a small fish from her cache. "Come on, fishface, it's ok. I'm not gonna bite you." Maybe if she didn't look directly at it, it would come closer and she could get to know it a little better. [imgright]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... dbar-2.gif[/imgright]

[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 4, total 4[/blockquote]

[fluo]

All the commotion and scent of fish in the air and water had all the markings of a feeding frenzy for the shuppies. As Fisheye's two shuppies were joined by the Real Big Fish's, Ginger came out. As did Strawberry her toothy friend. Abandoning Fisheye's long hair, Look-See would prefer if others thought she gracefully jumped into the water, but it was more of a falling out of her little broadleaf boat. Using her teeth to hang on the shuppy's top fin, her little claws knew better than to seek purchase. A leisurely pace was adapted by the kind shuppy as the small trio made their way to shore. Freshwater fish were uncommon and they were all curious. Midway through their journey, Ginger tugged and tried to veer towards the nets that were being cast by the Totoma. Damn this limiting form, they were headed towards the nets and would get caught in them if her shuppy didn't stop. She bit down firmer hoping to course correct, but hungry shuppies were stubborn and it's not like Strawberry was the voice of calm and reason as her toothy companion swam ahead.

[imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... ginger.gif[/imgleft][imgleft]https://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/imag ... erry-1.gif[/imgleft]

[tatterpixie]

Ghost smiled at Fish. "Wish I could stick my catch in a shuppy hole, but the salt water of the Bay would ruin the taste." He kept an eye on the inquisitive shuppy that was nosing around Fish; it was definitely hungry, and bold enough to want to investigate what the totoma was doing. "Frankly, I think it does like you," he told Fish softly, hauling his net in slowly so as not to startle or scare off the shuppy. Didn't want to ruin Fish's chances of bonding with it, after all. "Go on, little guy..." he added encouragingly.

[blockquote]Rolled 1d6 : 5, total 5[/blockquote]

[Appeal]

The sun was setting and the tides were washing out, leaving the Moonpool Island easily accessible again. The fisherkin had been busy all day and were quite successful. Many fish were caught, and thanks to Real Big Fish's ingenious shuppy hole storage pool system, she would be able to bring one of her fish live back to Moonpool Island. Soon all of the kin would be heading over to the island for the final set up and then celebration.

(( @kuropeco @Scaramouche Fandango @fluo @tatterpixie THANK YOU ALL FOR RPING! Things didn't go exactly how I wanted them to but you guys made it all work out. If you guys would like, we can continue with the actual party but we can consider it complete, too. If you haven't gotten your 500 words in, please write some more and get those done! <3 ))

[imgright]http://matope.pixel-blueberry.com/images/blue/fisheye_uncert.png[/imgright]

Fisheye waved over everyone who was on the beach waiting, signaling that it was more than safe now for everyone to make it over without assistance. Most members could swim so getting to the island wouldn't be particularly difficult but most kin would bring something with them to the party. She looked at Fierce Warrior, smiling at him in a way that didn't typically reflect her serious mannerisms. It was truly a great day, and she was very excited to take part in the celebration.

"I could use the help of a big, strong buck like yourself to these baskets over," she said. Was she... flirting? Couldn't be.

"It's the perfect time to go over now," she said as her eyes fell to Silent Ghost, "I can't wait to try that freshwater fish."