Watch Your Step — Netbook

[bajamutblast]

[Early in April, a note appears in everyone's netbooks. It's written with a steady, if fanciful hand.]

In a few weeks, a number of flowers will begin to propagate within the woods. I have laid these out along the perimeter, just a few feet within the start of the trees.
These flowers will be either white or purple, I know not how they will develop. I will include a sketch below of what they will look like.
Whatever color they are, they are dangerous when consumed and deadly when applied to wounds. Take heed and do not pluck them unless you are adequately prepared.

[True to his word, Dion draws a flower below. It isn't professional by any stretch, he's no artist, but it gets the job done.]

Comments

[sailingfor]

Perfect. Thank you. Do you believe they can be properly distilled into a poison, or should I utilize them as they are?

[bajamutblast]

You should have no issues with distillation. One of the comment uses of the roots were to produce tattoos that were both vivid on the skin and deadly to remove.
I will warn you, though. If I find you have used this knowledge in a way that might harm anyone of the grove, I will personally run you through.

[sailingfor]

I have no such intentions. I work in pharmaceuticals; neurotoxins are something I use in combat with an enemy. Provided no one here becomes an enemy of us all, you won't see anyone here fall to its effects due to me. No te preocupes por eso.

[bajamutblast]

Then we are on the same page, then.
Good. I may have need of your talents in the future.

[sailingfor]

¿Ah sí? Then I'll introduce myself here — Thorns of Rhodes Island, or Captain Isidor of the Darling's Cradle. I go by both.

[bajamutblast]

A pleasure, Captain Isidor. My name is Dion Lesage.

I suspect our first crop will be ready in a month's time, or at the very least their roots shall be. Is there anywhere in particular I should deliver them?

[sailingfor]

Just to my room at the inn. Top floor, three doors down from the lefthand side. I would say to deliver them to the clinic, but I fear someone getting poisoned by being careless, if it's as dangerous as you say.

Is there any particular reason you chose to plant such deadly flowers?

[bajamutblast]

[The instructions are carefully underlined. Dion will remember that.]

Understood. I will remember that.

As for the why... they are a very important flower to me. There are other reasons, but I get the feeling it would be better to discuss them privately, at a later date.

[sailingfor]

I respect it. As long as people are informed of the basics, I don't particularly care if you choose to keep your reasoning close to your chest. I wouldn't pry for anything other than the scientific information, personally.

When you say "dangerous when consumed", relatedly, does that mean deadly as well?

[bajamutblast]

And I appreciate that. I suspect we will make for excellent comrades, Captain.

I suspect they would be deadly in large quantities, but not with a single dose. You may wish you were dead due to the stomach issues you will experience, but it will not immediately kill you.

[sailingfor]

Perhaps so, but I've been hung from the mast and eaten charcoal before. Not that I'm going to test my tolerance to poison, of course.

[bajamutblast]

I understand the charcoal but... what does hanging from the mast have to do with anything?

[sailingfor]

Oh, I forgot to say — I was upside down for eight hours. Causes stomach issues.

[bajamutblast]

Dedicated to your craft then, I see. Your efforts are admirable. Truly.

[sailingfor]

Less "dedication to the craft" and more "pirates captured me".

[bajamutblast]

My mistake. From your initial phrasing, I assumed this was all intentional.
How did you manage to free yourself, then?

[sailingfor]

I was let down after I agreed to do work for them.

I wasn't pressed about my escape. Since they were unlikely to kill me, I imagined they'd free me eventually — and they did.

[bajamutblast]

How were they as employers after that? If you do not mind me asking.

[sailingfor]

Some kind, others not so much. They had wanted my help as an Alchemist to fix a "Compass" — not a normal compass that shows you north and south and all, mind, but merely a name for an object that can search for anything the wielder desires. Alchemy is quite illegal in Iberia, and not assisting would see me starving to death in our salt desert.

Long story short, the unkind and impatient section of the crew would betray most of their peers and the captain in the end, and then-captain Juana was never a particularly bad woman to follow after besides. I was quite willing to work for her. We reformed the crew ourselves with my partner and a few friends, and I took over as captain while Juana took mantle as my first mate. Now we mostly work in reconnaissance instead of piracy.

It's a shorter version of the tale that does not include several near-death experiences nor attacks from the Iberian Inquisition, but I hope that generally explains it.

inflicts you

[rabbithearted]

[after avoiding the netbook for days because YIKES --]

Why would you plant deadly flowers willy nilly where we go about our lives?

[a few seconds, before he adds below "we":] (and a bunch of people's pets, I GUESS)

ew

[bajamutblast]

If you would not mind re-reading, you will find that I specifically said "within the woods." This is a place that we should not be going about our lives, given the inherent danger. Nor should their pets.
As for my reason, I would rather not spout it off where certain forces may seek to interfere with the plans I have put into motion

rude

[rabbithearted]

I'm sure people forage just inside the woods.

Have YOU ever tried telling a dumb dog or a stubborn cat what to do?

yea and

[bajamutblast]

No? But I am rather proficient in commanding dragons and their ilk. I cannot imagine you would tell me they are easier to handle than some domestic creatures, hm?

[rabbithearted]

[ohhhh, this guy. val isn't an animal person, himself (i mean literally he is but he isn't a PET ENJOYER) but he knows. he knows.]

Get a cat and try to train it.

Also who the hell COMMANDS dragons?

[bajamutblast]

[If he knew what Val was, he would have a very pithy comment to offer. Instead...]

The leader of the Holy Order of Knights Dragoon, of course.

[rabbithearted]

You just made that up on the spot.

[bajamutblast]

Nonsense!
I made it up eight years ago, when I founded the order myself!

[rabbithearted]

Okay, sure. So that makes you about, what, 12?

[bajamutblast]

No?
28, if you must know.

[rabbithearted]

Eh, that puts you close enough to an edgy teenager at the time.

[bajamutblast]

Yes, that math was correct. I believe I was eighteen at the time!

[outofsynth]

That sounds like a terrible idea.

[bajamutblast]

And why, pray tell, do you feel this way?

[outofsynth]

Not everyone avoids the woods because they're dangerous. If you have to grow something poisonous why wouldn't you do it where you can watch them?

[bajamutblast]

They will not grow as they should without a hostile environment. Nothing is more hostile here than these woods. Besides, my hope is that danger they pose will prove to also be a deterrent to any sort of predators in the area.

[outofsynth]

Would they even know? From the way you're describing them it doesn't sound like they're exactly native to this place.

[bajamutblast]

Ideally, no. Thus, if any creatures were to attempt to eat them, or cut into them, they would be caught unawares.

[outofsynth]

What about animals that aren't predators? Or one of us who doesn't see this?

[bajamutblast]

I will ensure that the warning is placed somewhere within the inn as well.
I assure you, I am no fool

[outofsynth]

[Min remains unconvinced, but it doesn't sound like he's about to be swayed and at least he's taking some precautions.

Besides, he really needs to stop getting into arguments on the netbooks.]

Okay, but it still seems pretty risky. I don't think you should replace them once you've picked them.

[Which seems to be what he's planning to do? Min-Gi isn't sure whether that's a relief or not.]

[bajamutblast]

[Sorry to disappoint, Min-Gi but....]

if the plants prove to be useless, i will diminish their crop to a more secure, less trod upon area.
if they prove to be useless.

[outofsynth]

But you don't actually plan to stop growing them even if they're not?

[bajamutblast]

They are important to me. So no.

[lilyberation]

I'd like to know more, if that's alright? Mostly out of scientific curiosity.

[bajamutblast]

For obvious reasons, I would prefer to keep such conversations from being written in full view of whatever untrustworthy entities that may be monitoring these books. That said, I will gladly come to wherever you prefer.

[lilyberation]

Of course.

I'm at my house right now, if you'd like to visit? It's the one that looks like baked goods.

[bajamutblast]

Very well then.

... Is there anything you might need before my arrival?

[lilyberation]

Thank you for asking, but you don't have to.

[bajamutblast]

I am aware that I do not have to. I am asking because I wish to.