Outside XIII: Spores of Corruption Dance in the Wind

[Reinholdt]

This place is just as it sounds. It's outside.
Want a change of scenery? Go outside.
Always wanted to visit the beach? Come outside.
Looking to have a climatic fight on clifftops? Attempt outside.
Secret meetings being held where there's no cameras? Try outside.
Want an ambush without nasty base defenses? Yep. Outside.

Any and all are welcome here. There are no NPCs unless you bring them in. The major exception is the creepy eyed squirrel. The creepy eyed squirrel does not interfere with anyone. The creepy eyed squirrel is everywhere outside. The creepy eyed squirrel is always watching. The creepy eyed squirrel never sleeps. The creepy eyed squirrel can not be damaged, manipulated, or killed by anyone. The creepy eyed squirrel will eat anyone's very being who attempts to do so. Anyone can god-mode the creepy eyed squirrel. You may pet the creepy eyed squirrel at your own risk.

Other NPCs currently include:
The menacing crabs. These intimidating creatures are usually found by the shore.
The non-existant duck. You'll miss every time you shoot at it.

There is very little you can't do outside. However, like always, please follow the forum rules and general rules of conduct. Private conversations can be held outside. If it seems like a private (secret) conversation, please respect that. Those having such a conversation should do their best to indicate it as such. Otherwise, other characters may stumble upon you. Those desiring to spy in on private conversations should first PM those holding the private conversation, more out of courtesy than anything else.

There are many areas outside, and people can be in multiple places outside. In order to keep areas outside separated so there's no confusion, consider bolding your outside location at the start of each of your posts, like so:

The Fields

Reinholdt sets up various targets and practices his sharpshooting. All these events recently has made him a bit rusty. To his left, he notes the creepy eyed squirrel. Giving him the heebie-jeebies, Reinholdt decides to head somewhere else.

The Cliffside

Calublufiok broods over his latest scheme as he flies over the cliffs. The creepy eyed squirrel is watching him again. He finds occasionally landing and telling the creepy eyed squirrel his plans helps him find holes in his plotting.

Note Reinholdt and Calublufiok do not interact because they are in different areas outside. They could interact, if Reinholdt moves to the cliffside. Of course, various things like telepathy help bypass this. Also, please note outside has no major buildings, though minor ones crop up from time to time.

And most importantly, enjoy outside. That's what this is all about.

Outside now contains various Outside locations! Such as...

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[Dead Pine Lake]

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This lake lies in the middle of the forest. On the eastern shore, woodpeckers feast on the dead pines that give the lake its name. Sometimes one can find Lady Death here, the Aspect of Eve also known as The Grandmother, or Jedwiga.

(Please PM happyturtle if you wish to interact with Jedwiga.)

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[The Islands]

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An island cluster forms an archipelago along the coast. Some of the islands are settled, some not, but most are at least occasionally visited by the fishermen who work these waters.

[Gersemi's Island]

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Gersemi the seighkona lives on a small island in the archipelago with a single hut and a few sheep. Inside the hut, there is a single room, and a fireplace. A loom rests in one corner.

(Please PM happyturtle if you wish to interact with Gersemi.)

[Redbrick Falls]

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A mountainous, cliffy region with a prominent waterfall. A large quarry once was worked in these cliffs. Now, only a few scattered villages and solitary dwellings remain.

[Castle Silhouette]

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Genesis' base of operations.

[Club Banana]

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Here be primates of all sorts and much silliness? An aircraft hanger turned into a club used exclusively by intelligent apes.

PM Reinholdt if you wish to add locations to Outside.

Special: Reinholdt will update the Outside threads and post new ones when it is time. Please don't post a new thread without his permission or he is away for an extended period of time.
Thank you.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Riverside]

Kirana, Caros, Salvation, and Avatar arrive.

Where once stood a village surrounded by crop fields, now there is only flame and smoke. The bodies of a man and an infant lie on a path between fields, each struck down by a single arrow, their bodies slowly cooking in the heat from the fires on either side.

Wenomir and the survivors will be able to see the new arrivals from the far side of the river, but they are hidden from Kirana and her party by the trees.

"Oh gods..." Kirana whispers in horror.

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

Oi...

What a mess...

Avatar, heedless of the flames, trots through the field to collect the bodies of the fallen man and infant alike. A task carried out in silence. Corpses carried to a relatively clear spot on the ground.

He isn't equipped to bless the burial of these people. That would be something his old counter part would do. But at the very least he can keep them from being slow-roasted away.

He's getting more than a few burns and scald-marks for his trouble.

Ouch...

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Riverside]

Kirana circles the blazing village on her Windblade, peering into the flames for anyone who might miraculously have survived. Finding no-one, she lands near Avatar. "Who could do this?" she asks, tears running down her face.

[horngeek]

Caros clenches his fist. Someone is going to pay for this. I swear it.

Salvation looks around for any survivors.

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

"Someone heartless" the Chimera comments as he examines a number of arrows that he yanked out of various corpses, trying to see if he can't pick up the scent of the owner on them. Something to track by, you see.

Because if he can find them then no doubt unpleasant consequences will shortly follow.

"These don't look like the arrows of some band of orc raiders. The quality is too high. A band of evil adventurers maybe..." Avatar reasons as he paces around the village. "If we can find someone that survived we should be able to ask what happened here."

He's not pleased about this.

Not in the least.

Someone is going to be getting their head eaten.

[horngeek]

Caros kneels down and looks at the arrows. Given this place's proximity to the cave, they could have been from Creation.

Having said this, he turns on his Essence-vision!

[Morty]

Wenomir undeadtimes near the burnt Riverside Village. Only a handful of the villagers escaped, but it's better than nothing. He could probably take one of those guys, maybe two with right tactics, but not five.

[horngeek]

Salvation goes to the fields.

He looks around. Any survivors at all? Hello?

[Morty]

A dozen people escaped, says Wenomir. With any luck, they're stil alive, but far away.

[horngeek]

Salvation looks at Weomir.

Weomir might notice how he looks very... well, his body looks like a human body might if you crafted it out of gold and clay and then managed to animate it that way. He also has a gem set in his forehead. Do you know who did this?

[Morty]

Some people who looked like they'd ran out of a circus. I think there were five of them, but it all happened rather fast.

[horngeek]

Caros walks over. Can you describe them a bit better?

[Morty]

Wenomir rolls his eyes. One of them had a green skin, used a bow and healed immediately when I slit her throat. There was also a white-skinned guy who flied around and threw blades at me. I think one of them was red and used fire.

[horngeek]

Crap. Immaculates.

What, exactly, are Immaculates?

They're monks of the Immaculate Order; charged with putting down rogue gods- which they define as any that don't follow the Immaculate Philosophy- and killing Anathema. Their term for Solar and Lunar Exalted.

[Morty]

I can't say I give a damn about any of this bullcrap, but I'd like to know why they burned that village. None of the villagers looked like a god or Exalted, whatever that is.

[horngeek]

Exalted are basically humans empowered by the most powerful of the gods in our world- for example, I'm a Solar Exalted, empowered by the Unconquered Sun.

They're actually technically Exalted themselves, but of a different type. But let's focus on finding them... I'll give you the more complete course on Exalted 101 later if you ask me to.

Did you see where they went?

[Morty]

Wenomir waves his hand irritably. What part of "I don't give a damn" didn't you understand? And I'm not sure where exactly they went. I think it was that way. He points in the general direction of Taverna Generica.

[horngeek]

All right...

Caros looks that way.

Salvation heads back to fetch Kirana and Avatar.

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

Avatar is thusly fetched!

He looks... grieved for one. Angry for another. Generally in a bad mood. Wendy might recognize him as one of the people that went on the phylactery hunt into Callyworld. Assuming mister golem guy decides to give him a rundown of the present situation he'll probably look even more irritated.

Crazed zealots.

That's totally what the Nexus needs more of.

"Got here first, Wenomir?" the fox-eared fellow inquires as soon as the demon hunter is in view. "Thanks for helping out those that you could."

Because a handful of people saved is better than none.

[Morty]

No problem. It's what I do. Wenomir, as it happens, recognizes Avatar. I'm surprised it went that well, given that I was outnumbered by people who regenerate slit throats.

[horngeek]

Salvation did give a rundown!

Caros looks at Weomir. Not all of them- you were probably just unlucky in who you picked.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Riverside]

One of the survivors - a teenaged boy - returns in time to hear the conversation between Wenomir and Caros. "You're a Solar?" he asks Caros.

[horngeek]

Caros nods. Yes, I am.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Riverside]

"I was near the chief when the monks came. He told them about the other Solar who came through a few months ago - looking for her." He points at Kirana. "The monks said he was lying, that Anathema really were demons, and then they started killing everyone."

[Morty]

Wenomir rolls his eyes. More amateur demon hunters. I swear, we should form a labor union. How did he hear about a labor union in an early medievalesque setting? It's a mystery.

[horngeek]

Caros clenches his teeth. I swear to you, as a Lawgiver, they will be brought to justice.

Salvation simply nods.

[Lord Iames Osari]

[Riverside]

"They're not amateurs. The Wyld Hunt is hundreds of years old."

"Thank you," the teenaged NPC says. "Do you think you could put the fire out? We'd like to see if there's anything left..."

[horngeek]

Kirana's right. The Wyld Hunt is very, very good at what they do.

Caros raises his arms, and chants for about five seconds, the mark of the Twilight Caste flaring on his forehead.

The flames splutter... and die. There we go.

And deadtime for a bit.

[Rebonack]

[Riverside]

Fire put out just like that? Think I like Super Man's method of clapping really loud more.

"They wouldn't know a real demon if it was gnawing on their leg," Avatar grumbles at the commentary regarding the Wyld Hunt. Seems as though this topic is irksome in some fashion or another.

A sigh as he turns his attention to Wendy once more.

"They probably left since their real target isn't here. I'm willing to bet that this was a sort of heretical cleansing. The monks come in, find out that the people here agreed with what they believe to be heresy, and then wipe them all out."

Isn't that nice?

"If this is how they react to innocents I can imagine that they'll cause a fair bit of trouble as soon as they get anywhere else populated with the weirdness of the Nexus."