[PRP - Forge] Shiny!

[Malis Vitterfolk]

Shiny!

While the Forgemaster is all scars and muscles, he still has an appreciation for the finer things in life. Particularly, sparkling jewels. Venture into the caverns to the East and if you’re lucky enough, you may find some shiny gems to trade for gold pieces!
Goal: Collect as many gems as you can find!
Instructions: Roll 1d6 and match your rolls to the outcomes below!

1. There is a rumbling sound and the ground begins to shake. The cavern is caving in! You better leave as quickly as possible! (End exploration!)
   
2. Something glimmers in the distance and you carefully seek it out. It seems to be some sort of crystal but it’s sparkly enough! (+2 gems)
   
3. A bat drops down from the ceiling of the cave, scratching and screeching. In your attempts to escape its claws, you lose some of your gems. (-2 gems)
   
4. You seem to be searching for hours. You’ve not sure if you even remember the way back to the exit. All hope is fading. But then you see it! The biggest gemstone you’ve ever seen. You’re not even certain you’ll be able to carry it out alone! (+5 gems)
   
5. You slip on some loose gravel and slide down a dip in the cave, tumbling as you reach the bottom. Your gems spill out and while you find most, some are still lost. (-1 gem)
   
6. As you enter the cave you notices some crystals forming. They’re not the shiniest of jewels but maybe they’ll polish up nicely. (+1 gem)

Reward: 2 gold pieces for completing.
Bonus: 1 – 3 gems: +1 gold piece
5 – 7 gems: +2 gold pieces
7 – 10 gems: +3 gold pieces
10+ gems: +5 gold pieces
Note: the bonus for RPing with another person does not apply to these bonuses!

Soquili and familiar in question:

 

[Malis Vitterfolk]

Ix'kin was in need of a new blade. He had heard about a master craftsman who was working in the area and decided to take a gander. It was his first foray out into the kawani lands since mating with the Troll matriarch, Malis, to join his small flock of Arakkoa to her larger herd. Strength in numbers had been the goal but the end result was so much more. He actually found he liked the gruff Troll, even if she was a little rough around the edges. She was actually the reason why it had taken him so long to explore further than the Vitterfolk borders; he enjoyed her company. Still, he had a task at hand and wished to not impede upon the Troll crafters. While they were skillful, he needed someone who was a little more delicate with their metalworking.

It wasn't until he had traveled quite a distance he realized he was being followed. With a small frown he looked around carefully behind him, judging the distance and angle that his follower might be located. Ix'kin was about the spin around the confront his would-be attacker except the cate slunk out of the bushes to the side first.

"Hold up, no attacking me now ya hear. Malis sent me... well, not Malis, but I was sent." The bobcat looked up at the large feathered stallion and blinked lazily. "Something about not wanting ya to get lost or anythin'. That kinda stuff."

Ix'kin recognized the bobcat immediately. He wasn't sure who the cat belonged to but Voirya was a common sight in the Vitterfolk realms. "Good thing you came out when you did, I was about to attack." His gruff reply betrayed how on edge he has been for that moment. The flock had been stalked by skin-walker so he had become sensitive to their style of movement. "So you are here in case I forget how to get back?" He wasn't sure that was possible since he had a pretty good memory, especially for landmarks, but also appreciated the company. "Well, if it is needed then a thanks is in offer."

The cat shrugged, "Whichever way ya feel, it is no mind to me. I just need to get you home safely before the sun goes under the horizon." He leaped along side for a few strides before jumping back into the trees. "If ya don't mind me I'll be back around shortly." And with that he vanished.

"Well then, I guess it's just me again for now." Ix'kin turned his sites back to the path, his ear keeping a listen out for Voirya or any other troubles. Thankfully there was no other interruptions and Ix'kin soon made it to where a large crowed was gathered around what looked to be a rather busy forge. Other soquili was bunched around the focal point while others were obviously just milling around waiting for something. Upon arrival he noticed there was a job board of sorts. After reading it over he noticed the smith needed gems and crystals for a few projects. Ix'kin was fond of bargaining and decided this would be the perfect way for him to get a good price for the blade he needed to have made. The arakkoa loved hunting for shinies in the first place so this was the perfect job for him!  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

Ix'kin made his way towards the caverns that had been pointed out on the map. He could sense he was still being followed by Voirya and slowed down a little to make sure she could get there also. After turning a sharp corner he found himself at the entrance of the cave. Already the place seemed to sparkle but nothing caught his eye until he glanced over to the side where he suddenly noticed the bobcat was already sitting. "How did you...?" He shook his head before changing the subject. "Mind if you move aside? I need that spot you are sitting."

With a small huff, the bobcat slinked off to the side and looked reproachful. "Just be glad I was told to be nice." She lay back down and washed a paw, "I was told to make sure I got you home in one piece, they didn't say you had to look pretty." She smirked and stretched out to her fullest.

"Good to know..." The stallion mumbled to himself as he dug at the spot with a sharp claw. Nimbly he pried out a large crystal. It wasn't the best but it had clarity and the gem that could be cut from it would prism rather nicely. Nodding to himself he placed the crystal carefully in his bag before looking around again. "Ready to head further in?" he asked the thin air.  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

Making his way deeper into the cavern structure he found Voirya underfoot all of a sudden. "Shards!" He stumbled, trying to catch a grip on the loose silt that had piled upon the floor. "Voirya!" The arakkoa stumbled and slipped down a ravine, catching himself at the end with a heavy thump! The bobcat was right in that she didn't expect him to be pretty when he returned, already his feathers were turning a light shade of grey from the dust. "What did you go and do that for?!" Ix'kin yelled up at the top of the ledge he had just fallen from. "I thought they told you to be nice?!"

"I was being nice..." The bobcat gestured slyly, nodding towards something that was behind him. "Who needs paltry crystals when you can have proper gems?" Voirya hopped carefully down the loose gravel and dirt before looking smug. "Tit for tat yes?"

Ix'kin glared at the cat scathingly "Not quite, I've lost the only decent gem I have found so far." He tipped the satchel over and just a few specks of dust fell out, not the larger crystal he had unearthed at the entrance. "You better hope I find something good in here and not just quartz crystals."  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

No sooner than he had spoke then the arakkoa found himself half buried by the silt up to his knees as another batch of gravel and loose stones slipped from the higher ledge above and rained down onto him. Maybe there was others in here, or maybe there was a more dangerous situation. Either way, Ix'kin knew that if he was going to look for any gems at this point he was going to need to be fast.

He decided that, unless it was because he needed to find home, Ix'kin was going to no longer pay attention to the bobcat or what they had to say and instead focus on this things he felt were important. He was pretty sure he knew how to get home, and worse comes to worse, he could go against better judgement and just fly home. With that decided he brushed himself off as best he could, and tipped out the new shale shards that had slipped into his satchel. It was time to exchange those shards for some gems...  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

It was at that point that Ix'kin suddenly spotted what Voirya had been talking about. He moved forward, away from the pile of shale and dug up a few small crystals. There had to be something better in here... he had a feeling and a glint of the low light caught his eye. He dug around the area of note, managing to uncover two rather nice gems. They had a very pretty shade of blue and seemed rather opaline in color. He knew that they would cut into very nice baubles indeed. Maybe Voirya wasn't quite so bad after all. not that he was going to let on his change of heart to the bobcat.

This made him wonder where the cat had gone to so he decided to take a quick look around for the furred familiar. He kept an eye out for other gems while he did so, hoping to find more of the pretty blue ones.  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

Ix'kin pushed forward, glancing around for any movement or glint of something that would indicate a gem or a cat was to be found. At one point he found some rather nice polished rocks but they weren't the crystals he was hoping for so he left them for another adventurer to find. He was getting a tugging feeling towards the right, there had to be a seam or something nearby. The Arakkoa squeezed through a few tight spots to find a large open spot that sparkled brighter than any star in the heavens. He had found it! The seam glinted with dark light as the crystals gleamed in the shadows. Here he could easily fill the Smith's request and more!

It was then he saw where Voirya had gotten to. The bobcat had probably gone on ahead and was now slinking around on a ledge with no way down. "What happened?" His voice echoed through the large glimmering cavern.

"Another avalanche that is what happened! Or a rockfall... whatever ya call it!" It was obvious Voirya was not secure on her ledge. "Look, this place is unstable and I'm going to get in trouble unless we get out of here and fast!"

Ix'kin figured Voirya was probably exaggerating mess with him but he also didn't want to get caught under ground with no way out. As much as he didn't mind traveling through cabins he did prefer having plenty of wing space. He looks at the cavern with all the crystals and then back at the bobcat. It was a little shaky under foot he might have a point. The shale started shifting again and Ix'kin realize that if he was going to grab any more gems he had to think fast. He followed a tight pathway towards Voirya and the glittering dark gems. As long as he was slow and careful he knew he would be able to grab a couple on their way out.

"Bugger it!" Voirya lost her footing as she was trying to make her way towards the arakkoa. She found herself slipping on the shale and was about to fall down even deeper into the depths of the cavern. "I need some help!" She admitted hurriedly.

He didn't even give it a second thought. Ix'kin immediately dashed over there scrambling over the loose gravel with harried claws. His wing-claws reached out to grab at the slipping Voirya, the satchel long forgotten at his side. With a second lunge he flapped his wings once and launched the both of them to a higher shelf where the rock face was much sturdier. "Looks like no more gems for me." He looked towards the bobcat. "At least I have the blue pair though." He added, not releasing he had lost one in the scramble.

"Hey, thanks..."

"Anytime..." The arakkoa looked around at this new, higher, pathway. "Where to next?"  

[Malis Vitterfolk]

And then the roof fell on them...

"Shards!" Ix'kin scrambled backwards as sunlight shot through the coven like bright spears. He narrowly avoided being buried by the loose rocks and looked back to see the rumbling in the ground had been getting worse. Everything was closing up fast. If he was to get out to explore another day it was now or face being entombed into the caverns forever. "Hang on!" With a leap he used his wing claws to help him push his way out, hoping Voirya was able to keep latched on tight. The daylight grew brighter as they neared the surface and when Ix'kin finally burst through the dirt he looked back at the freshly made hole and gave a small shudder. While he wasn't afraid of underground, that was a little too close for comfort.

He was reminded of that shudder when the Smith handed him three coins in exchange for his measly gem. That was way too much work for such a paltry offering. Ix'kin hoped that he would have enough to buy the blade he wanted...