UN: dominant_da | Open video | Open text

[can_fight_ugly]

[A video feed opens on Anne - her hair tamed and sleek, thanks to Zevran, sitting in the living room of a newly claimed house. There's the crackle of a fire in the background as she smiles into the camera.]

Good afternoon. For those who were interested in meeting for a 'Stitch & Bitch' session - or more simply a chance to meet for some fiber arts activities and general discussion, I have everything set up for a meeting starting after lunch, in House 53.

I'm not sure what materials people have been able to find so far, so this may just be more discussion and less yarning, but if anyone has any supplies they would like to donate beforehand for newcomers, let me know.

Either way, I hope to see you here, and if you have any questions, please let me know.

Later, Unrelated
I was wondering if anyone had experience with the fauna here? I'm looking for a pet for my friend, but it needs to be special.

[Video] UN: التاير

[eaglesonofnone]

[The video opens on a blur of colour, the sound a brush of fabric against a microphone.]

--arts to record?

[Another voice chimes in, more distant, less audible, saying, "Yes. It's actually recording now."]

...Ah. Then I have begun this very poorly indeed.

[The image shifts, proving that there had been a finger partially in front of the camera. Even now, a part of the image is obscured by a white sleeve - but Altaïr's face becomes visible, as does Wanda's partially behind him. They're in a room in the town hall, well enough lit by a window, though the sun is starting to go down.]

Greetings to you all. As I know I have not met everyone, I shall introduce myself. I am Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad. I am recording this today as a request for assistance.

I have been patrolling the edges of the village of the nights, alternating with the Iron Bull. After having read the codex of the village's history, I could not in good conscience do anything else. It occurred to me, though, that many of us here in the village are fighters, and while there is hunting to do, and many other things that can use a strong arm, many would be suited to helping the village stay protected.

What I propose is this:

A series of regular patrols, each one around the village's perimeter. Not only to watch for dangers from without, but also the condition of things within - if a home needs repair, for instance, or if an animal has wandered away.

Within this room--

[As he said that, the image swung, his wrist rotating to show the room - and it succeeded in doing so, albeit upside down. It was a meeting room, a table in the middle, chairs gathered around it, the walls bare.]

--I hope to have a map on that far wall. I will seek out slate and chalk that we may make temporary notations on findings such as animal tracks, or missing shingles as well as people claiming what patrol they wish to claim. For now, we will use this wall beside the door.

[Still upsidedown, the image swung again, over to the entrance of the room, where he pointed with his free hand at an empty space beside the door as Wanda tried to edge out of frame.]

I have a bit of charcoal that can be used for writing and the wall can be washed at the end of each week so people can alter their claimed patrols as they wish.

[He looked satisfied when the camera came back to him, confident in his arrangements so far.]

If even one soul adds to the effort, this will have been worthwhile. I am grateful to you all. Safety and peace.

[And at last, the video ends. It ends with a close-up of his fingertip, but it ends.]

UN: A. Price, Text, Photo, Video - We Have Internet, Now to Fill It With Cats (Also: Snakes)

[cryptoherpetology]

Free To Good Home
The litter of peakittens we found on the expedition now have a clean bill of health, and I'm sure my housemates would very much appreciate not having 8 of these little guys around. Dorian's already spoken for one of the boys, and Tony has already adopted Elton, and Rinoa also wanted one. You've already been introduced to Boudica in my last video post. That leaves these four in need of loving homes.

They're a little more high-demand than the usual housecat, but they're at least flightless and easy to feed.

Also, Boudica has killed at least one of the ice mice- though I suspect what I found was more like about one mouse's worth of remains. And one mildly frost-covered cat looking both annoyed and proud.

[A picture of 4 baby(ish, kittens grow fast!) peacock cats. People who talked about wanting them, opt in here to ICly claim your peakitten. Peahen or peacock status tbd by adopter.]

Meet the Snakebat
[ Alex alternates between pointing the camera at a strange-looking... creature and himself as he talks- though it's clear he's a lot more comfortable pointing the watch's camera at the injured (but recovering) snakebat he found and built a small enclosure for. ]

Hey, I thought I'd start doing some short videos on some of the animals here, starting with the ones I already have live specimens of.

So, this guy here, despite his reptillian appearance, is actually a bat. They are warm blooded and mammilian, but their resemblance to snakes doesn't end with the elongated neck and forked tongues.
[He takes a moment to hold the camera a little closer to the snakebat, to let people see its (in his opinion) adorable features.]

What's really interesting though, is the effect of the bite. In humans, it induces blindness for about 24 hours, but the victim will also experience bat-like echolocation. I haven't experienced this for myself but I am willingly keeping this thing in my room in a cage, so I guess we'll see how that goes once his wing is healed up enough he's an escape risk. Uh, by the way, as a note to my housemates, don't worry, I keep the door closed.

[He goes on for a few more minutes about their diet and sleep cycle before cycling back to the effects of the saliva.]

Now, I'm not sure what purpose the venom serves them- I assume it's primarily for self-defense since none of the prey they eat is large enough to warrant needing that sort of advantage- unlike snakes, and like us, they're unable to dislocate their jaws. I'm pretty sure I've seen him try, but sadly for him, that is one evolutionary adaptation that he didn't get in the mutation grab bag.

Nope Rope

[It's another wildlife video! This time he's pointing his wrist-camera at a really fucking big fever snake ]

This is one of the larger male fever snakes we caught to help deal with the illness. I don't think I have to tell too many people what the effects of the venom are- and I'd warn you not to do this yourself, but we just literally went out to the mountains and did exactly this.

[The camera goes shaky as he picks up the snake to show a closeups of the scales. ]

This is actually pretty cool- see how the coloration on this one is dulled, almost a bit milky in some places? It's going to be shedding soon. According to what's in the town hall records, the scales and skin have some useful properties on top of the medicinal use for the venom. I'll be passing the samples along to the doctors here capable of treating humans. You'll probably have a better understanding of what properties in it are beneficial than I could.

[OOC note: 8th kitten added for Rinoa!]