Dangerous Marsh [OPEN]

You are that awkward jade blood, and right now you are looking for a rare specimen: a carnivorous plant able to talk in troll's language, that's not a very common trait in plants... actually, is the first time you read about a talking plant. Is incredible the weird stuff you find in the old encyclopedias. And now you are exploring the unpleasant swamps looking for the precious talking plant. Is the first time you visit a swamp and you already hate it, so gross and the enviroment makes you feel kind of sick.

Even if thw swamp is a disgusting place to you, leave your hive again wasn't a bad idea! Explore unknown lands searching for special plants for your lovely garden... and make some new friends, when you feel in the mood of course.But there's something bugging you... what if you found a highblood this time? You don't like them, they are so nasty... and scary, especially scary.

You are now Sersen Bailic, an incredibly capable witch doctor trying to catch fish for the gumbo your lusus was insisting you make. You knew this swamp like the back of your hand, you had grown up here and you knew every single living thing that resided here. But for some reason, you were having no luck catching fish tonight. Sighing, you put your net back into your syladex and wipe the sweat from your face. It was hot and muggy tonight, even for you- you were typically used to the climate. But tonight it was just gross.

As you stretch and wonder if you should try fishing in a different part of the swamp, you spot another troll. You watched him for a moment, eyes widening when you saw him walking towards quicksand. You cup your hands around your mouth and shout at him. "Back up! You're gonna step in quicksand!" You started heading towards him, soon realizing that the other troll was not a local. After all, all of the locals knew exactly where the quicksand was in the swamp.

You were walking around the swamp with no problem when, suddenly, a voice from nowhere command you to back up. Your first reaction is jump back, obviously scared. It was a ghost who said that? You start to trembling waiting for the worst thing ever... then, you notice a troll heading toward you, it was him the one who tell you to back up? If is, then he saw you act as a little scared wriggler... great, just great.

You try to not have visual contact with him, you are to embarrassed to face him. For sure he thinks you are naive or stupid for explore those swamps at that time of the day. You don't want him to noticed how scared you are right now.

"8o I'm... completely fine. Thanks for the advise... even if I have no idea of Where the risk is... o8"

You point a few feet ahead of him once you get closer. "If you look really hard you can see the quicksand is lighter and drier than the dirt around it. A couple more steps and you'd be stuck." You study him for a moment, you definitely hadn't seen him before. He also looked a tad proper to be from these parts, the locals were... well they weren't proper in the slightest. "Are you from around here? Most everyone knows how to tell where the quicksand starts." You shrug, it wasn't exactly your business, but hey it was your swamp. Not that you were territorial or anything, you just liked to know what was going on.

Quicksand? Is the first time you hear that word, are quicksands dangerous? Well, he said you would het stuck... is that really bad? For you is not the great deal. Oh, now you noticed him correctly. Is a highblood! And a purple blood highblood! Great, you despise that caste even more than sea dwellers; but you can't be rude with him, otherwise you'll have serious problems.

"8o Yes... I'm not from here. I live in a peaceful and idyllic place. My name is Vitreu Magnus and I have no idea of What quicksands are. May I knoW the name of my hero? o8"

Always polite. That helps you to avoid problems with trolls.., sadly it not always works in the way you want. You just hope this highblood doesn't have intentions of kill or hurt you. Maybe not, after all he saved from something you don't really know.

You chuckle, "What on Alternia are you doin' 'ere den?" The swamp was nowhere near peaceful or idyllic, it was inhabited by alligators (one of them being your lusus) and a host of bugs and slightly strange smells. But hey, it was home. "And quicksand... Ah how best to explain dis... Jus' watch." You scoop up a rock by your feet and toss it into the pit. In three seconds the stone is gone, sunk into the quicksand. "It sucks ya down." You roll up your sleeves, by glob it was hot today, but you are careful not to reveal your tattoos. Those usually freak others out. You laugh when he calls you a hero, "I dunno about bein' a hero, but my name is Sersen Bailic."

Oh... now you understand why quicksand are dangerous, you wouldn't like to be sucked by one.You have a lot of excellent plans for your brilliant future and... oh, his name is Sersen Bailic... mmm, you'll call him Mr. Bailic, sounds like the most proper term to your hero. He looks like a not dangerous highblood, if he were, he would try to kill you right now. Well, now you know swamps are more dangerous than they look. They were gloomy and all but you never though it would be the home of dangerous beings as the alligators or mosquitoes; or strange phenomena like the quicksand.

"Well, Well. Sersen, I need to find a special floWer for my garden... you knoW this sWamp better than I. Would you like to help me in my searching?"

Ok a special flower for his garden? You were starting to wonder how Vitreu had survived this long in the swamp. The place was crawling with 'gators, you were surprised one hadn't tried to bite his leg off yet.

"I know everythin' dat lives in dis swamp, whats it look like?" Would you normally help someone trudging through your swamp? Not really, then again most of the trolls that came through your swamp were locals who knew their way around. Besides, you didn't really have anything better to do.

Oh great, he's going to help you! Two heads work better than one! no matter if one of those heads is a genius... whatever. You proceed to show him an illustration -more exactly, a page from an encyclopedia-of the talking carnivorous plant. It looks like a little cabagge with a flower that looks, actually... like a pink cabagge with sharp teeth. Wow, what an interesting plant...

"8o Looks exactly like this. The encyclopedia where I took the illustration said this plant just grow on sWamps or certain ponds, and I want it for my pond. I'm completely sure you knoW hoW to avoid alligators and mosquitoes. In exchange, I'll gift you some of the seeds for bake desserts, prepare beverages, feed your pets with them, Wathever you Want o8"

Well, that's a good deal in your opinion

The plant:

Sweet jegus how could you forget that weird looking thing. The memory of your first run in with the plant quickly came to mind. You were a few days shy of your first anniversary of your wriggling day and you were exploring the swamp with your lusus. Or more so you sat on your lusus's back as he swam around. He left you on the shore of the stream to mess around in the mud while he caught some fish, and you found the most weird thing you'd seen in your short life. You watched it, and then its jaws snapped shut on a bug, and since you were only a sweep old of course your reaction was to wail loudly. You sigh, "Yep I know dat ting. And don't worry about any kinda a' gift okay?" You motion for him to follow you and you begin to wander the swamp."

"8o Ey! Wait for me! Is difficult to folloW you With all these mud! o8"

You try to follow your new guide, but the mud doesn't let you go more faster. Someone who doesn't know you would say you hate the mud and you can't stand the idea of get stained by it. Wrong. You don't think mud is disgusting or something. Actually you're used to it, you interact with mud always in the rainy days. Plus, mud can help to keep your skin healthy. Sadly, in the swamps, right now, mud was really annoying in that moment.

"8o Sersen! Wait! I think my leg get stuck With something! o8"

Try to struggle and go foward, but, whatever had caught your leg, release it and make trip over and fall over all that mud. This so humilliating. You look like a complete amateur botanist.

"8o Uh... Sersen? Can you help me...? o8"

You slow, not only are your legs longer than his but you have no problems transversing your swamp. You turn just in time to see him fall over, and you bite back a chuckle. Seriously, this fancy kid trying to get around the swamp was rather entertaining. You walk over and grab him by his collar, easily hoisting him up and onto his feet. "Up we go!" You toss him over your shoulder like a sack of flour and carry him over to more solid and dry ground before setting him back on his feet. "Pahaps it is bettah to take the path to our destination instead of cuttin' across da swamp."

Great. Just great. Now your precious clothes are stained with mud, even your lovely jade bow! Alright. You'll do all the possible to avoid swamps... unless you need it, of course. No matter how dangerous, spooky, foul, boring, hot, cold or whatever is the place, you're gonna visite them as long you can obtain a new plant! That's all you need to remember, the special plant! The talking plan has to be yours! Also, maybe they can be a good company for Rosebelle. She is tired of talk with the other flowers decorating your windows.

Sersen rescued you just in time. Seriously, without this guy you'll be really lost in that nightmarish swamp... and perhaps yoy would have be eaten by an alligator. Oh no no no no no, you are too young, intelligent and beautiful to die there.

"8o Thank you... uhh... there Was another path? An easier one? o8"

Now you feel stupid, but there's no time to waste! Get up and look for the plant! Show the highblood how you handle this situation without any problem! Be brave, be strong, be...

"8o Guide me, Sersen! The talking plant aWaits for us! o8"

How did this kid even manage to make it to the swamp? He seemed way too... whats the word your looking for.... Fancy. Yes, way to fancy to even think about trudging to the swamp. But he wants that weird ass plant. Best get him to it and get him out of here before a 'gator decides he'd make a nice afternoon snack. 

"Well, I suppose it's easiah, it's longah though 'cuz we gotta go around bogs instead of goin' righ' through dem." Could this kid even swim? You'd been swimming before you could walk, then again that's because you grew up here and you would spend your nights riding on Caimon's back as he swam around the swamp. "Dis way, tell me if I'm goin' too fast ok?" Your legs were much longer than his, after all. You lead the way, sweat dripping down your neck. It was so incredibly hot today, how Vitreu was walking around in a jacket was beyond you. You'd actually worn a sleeveless top, which was a little odd for you since your arms were covered in voodoo charm tattoos. You liked to keep them covered up. You pull a hairband from your pocket, a yellow one (which you nicked from your mate), and tie your curly hair up in a bun.

The place is really hot and humid. The worst mix ever. How someone, like your guide for example, can even consider the swamps as a home? Well, efter all he has his reasons and honestly you don't really have interest of know them. This time keep walking and try to not stay behind your guide! Otherwise you'll never find the talking plant.

Those tattoos in Sersen's arms caught your attention. Why he have them? He lost a bet or...? Whatever. Don't forget the reason of your visit in the swamps, but... you really want to know more about those peculiar tattoos.

"8o Sersen, I knoW this question has nothing to do With our search about the plant, but... Why you have those odd tattoos in your arms? I don't like to make such personal questions, but I'm really interested in them. Is the first time I see too many tattos in an arm... or the arms... o8"

Walk quickly. His legs are longer than yours and he can leave you behind with no problem. Honestly you don't want to end lost in that... foul place.

You shorten your strides so the jadeblood can keep up. He looks pretty miserable from the heat and humidity. You consider suggesting he jumps in the cold river to cool off, but by the way he dresses you doubt he would appreciate that thought. Mulling over his question you crack your knuckles, glancing at your tattoos. You had three on each arm, all of them rather large. Chuckling, you rub the lowest one on your right arm, a healing charm.

"Dere charms. Voodoo charms, each time I use one dey fade a liddle. I got some for healin', some for power and strength. Ones a booster charm for psychic abilities." It wasn't that you minded others seeing your tattoos, it was that they usually freaked others out or scared them off. Then again, this worked in your favor on occasion.