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00005 - Just got home from Illinois...

Day 2, awakening

Everyone met the next morning, all arriving within minutes of each other at endekks' portal. Nobody reported any digestive issues, but they all complained of a crappy night's sleep, and resultant stiffness.

Feed me!

It was obvious that everyone had the same idea upon arrival, to go back to Frank's portal and gather more food. They all remarked that that they would feel much better knowing their mahrhee was taken care of. A check that morning by each of them revealed that almost the entire stock of roots had been carried off during the night. Everyone said they would feel much better if their mahrhees didn't seem so desperate for food.

They all agreed that Frank's portal was a sure thing for gathering and the area seemed relatively safe. It did seem best to everyone that they take advantage of a known resource, at least enought to get a few weeks food stored up.

Guttyr cautioned that they should be careful not to 'over-graze'. He said that we may have to rely on that meadow for a while, so we should think about managing it long term. He said that we should never take more than 50% of the berries from one bush, or harvest 50% of the plants in one clump. Endekks said that sounded like a smart idea to him, and suggested that we use Frank's technique of setting up sticks, or some kind of marker, to indicate where we had already harvested.

Everyone thought this was worth more discussion, so the group kicked around assorted thoughts on how to best manage that meadow for the long haul. They decided that almost any markers they set up could be moved by animals or weather, so they settled on a simpler system. They mentally divided the meadow into sectors of 20 paces by 20 paces, with the southernmost edge of sector 0.0 being centered at the portal. Everyone agreed that we would forage only in every other square, using the example of the red squares on a checkerboard, and that we would just start at the portal and work outwards. We'd figure a way to know where we left off.

That sounded good to everyone. Scot then said: "Ok and we should pee only in the black squares. I know my bladder is full. I don't plan to empty it here in your hallway, endekks, but its gotta be emptied soon. We probably ought to bring that out in the open, too, so we don't end up pissing in each other's gardens."

Frank said that we should discuss how we're going to handle that issue, since it could cause us a lot of problems if we don't manage it correctly. He suggested that we dig some holes in the black squares quite a distance away from the portal and use those for one day each, and then fill them in. Tyler said that we might get some benefit if we do it a bit different. He suggested that we pick black squares at a fixed distance from the portal all around it and have everyone pee in them. He said that the wolves may consider that a territory border, and leave us alone inside it. Scott said they might consider it a challenge instead, but he agreed that was a good idea. Everyone else agreed as well. Mark said he was ready to try it now, and volunteered to be in the first group!

The group decided to go out 6 at a time, to allow for two watchers but have maximum people gathering. They agreed to make 4 such runs, varying the two people left behind each time so that everyone stayed back once, and then see how they felt about the level of supplies. That sounded good to all concerned. They drew straws to determine who stayed behind. Selecting the best digging sticks and clubs, the first team took off, leaving Dale and Guttyr holding the short straws.

Round 3... and 4... and 5... and 6

It was early morning when they arrived on the bluff, maybe 1-2 hours after sunrise.

Frank volunteered to dig the first latrine hole, but he had a specific spot in mind to start. He suggested they pace off 400 steps to the west along the ridge, and make the first boundary marker latrine in the center of that 20'*20' square. Then they could start due north and dig another every 40 paces, and work their way arond in that pattern until they finished 400 paces to the east along the ridge. He figured he could dig the first one, while three other people foraged in the next square and two watched, and they could switch off for the next hole. That sounded good to everyone.

After the first person had a chance to shit, there was a unanimous decision to go ahead and fill in that hole immediately. Apparently a dinner of lots of fruit and strongly flavored roots makes for a difficult first meal to process for a clother's digestive system. Frank, who went first since he had dug the hole, made a mess of his legs and buttocks while discovering this fact. It took some effort, and help from endekks and a big pile of leaves gathered quickly by everyone before he felt comfortable again. The smell ... unfortunately... remained.

The group figured, on the plus side, that these latrines would certainly get the attention of any olfactory-enhanced predators, but that might not be optimum because they would know from the smell that we hadn't eaten meat. They might conclude from the smell of our fesces that we were food, not rivals. That thought prompted Jody to remark that he already had good reason to want to get some meat in a meal soon, but he was OK with having another one.

The remaining people were exceptionally cautious while emptying their bowels, and took help from others in steadying themselves in positions they could never have held otherwise, so they avoided any major self-coverage. Frank continued try to get the smell off him. He mostly succeeded in staining his butt and legs green from all the plants he rubbed on himself. Endekks noted the stain, and decided it would figure in his own camoflage scheme.

The rest of the trip was uneventfull. They all ate their fill of berries, noting that the one plant from which they all ate still seemed completely full when they had all eaten as much as they wanted. They gathered large arms-full of the roots and berries, and returned through the portal.

Upon arrival, they all placed their bounty along the corridor, sorted by type of food. There was an implicit agreement that they would again divide the total equally, in case any individual encountered an obstacle to gatherng a full load. The team explained the plan for placing the initial latrines. Everyone agreed it was a good gamble to take, so the next team would pick up where this one left off.

Frank asked to go again, so he could try to get the rest of the smell off him. By this time it was mostly gone, but someone joked that it was a good thing we were in Frank's heelafaq because he didn't want that odor in his. The next team agreed that Frank should be allowed to go as requested, so they assembled and left. Scott and Mark holding the short straws that time.

This trip was uneventful. Frank showed the new folks the tricks that the previous team used to avoid soiling themselves. The people with the clubs tried a few times to smack the occasional rabbit they saw, but they had no luck with that. Everyone ate their fill of berries. They dug a few more latrines which they used and then filled in. They all gathered a full load of roots, and returned.

The final two trips were also uneventful. Frank had managed to lose the smell, and the group had gathered sizeable quantities of berries, scallions, and radishes. Not exactly a balanced meal, but plenty of it. By then we estimated that it was early evening.

A few people suggested that we make a few more runs, and start fresh tomorrow exploring the next portals. Everyone agreed that was cool, so everyone made a few more trips in groups. Everyone ended the day tired, full, and feeling much better about the shape of their respective pantries. They each spread the new items through a multiple compartments, so the insects would become accustomed to finding food in more than just one place.

Overall, everyone decided that it was a good, productive day. But it was also another crappy night's sleep on the same uncomfortable table.

G.U.T.S.™ * M.A.R.S.™ * Hexes Nexus™ * Players * Chronicle
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