[OPEN] OUTPOST HAVEN [player plot]

[distant_one]

Who: Anyone and Everyone
What: Open Post for Player Plot
When: Early August and Onward
Where: Staging Point in Crenshaw and Outpost

Content Warning: None in the main post

[Ooc: This is an open log place for the Outpost player plot, plotting post here and location post here. Feel free to post starters here and tag one another.]

Wall Complete

On one of the days after the wall is finished but before the gate is added D schedules a section of time when only a few people will be at the outpost so a hazardous construction project can take place, just a handful of guards.

When the all-clear is given for construction crews and day shift guards to return the outer wall is practically glowing with heat and the individual stone blocks have been fused together. The ground around it is scorched but there's no lingering fire anywhere despite the smoking and blackened trees and greenery.

Staging Point

On the main floor of the house D has chosen to use as the staging point is an area set up for collecting and preserving blood. Darkblood and coldblood keep easily enough but more care is needed when dealing with vileblood and there's an abundance of dried plants ready to be ground to a powder and added to collected vileblood in the first stage of making the special blood mortar.

In one of the rooms upstairs are scales and measuring devices and glass and metal jars ready to receive the mixture of all three blood types in specific parts along with another plant mixture, the last stage before it's mixed into mortar, which is better done in large batches at the outpost itself.

Tree Clearing

One of the tasks to start off the next step of construction is clearing trees for fifty yards in every direction outside the wall as well as any bushes that are large enough to obscure vision. Felled trees are moved inside the outer wall to be processed mostly into logs for use in construction.

Simple wooden watch towers will be erected at the corner of each wall and wooden stairs in a few other places to allow rapid access to the walls for defensive purposes.

Extra wood and other plant material will be processed for firewood and any other purpose it can serve.

Excavating

Digging and leveling start for both the eventual large basement as well as long trench corridors to run under what will be the kitchen and bath house and clean up area to provide places to run pipes or access the foundation from below. Both buildings share a wall with the already completed bunk house and form the basis of what will eventually be expanded to become a barracks.

Construction

The main focus in this phase is making the place livable for people full time. Getting clean is especially important with blood pollution and corruption still being large issues. There's a bath area to be constructed with six individual bathing areas and a pair of large fireplaces to heat water until more permanent systems can go in. Before plumbing and other things can be done the baths will drain into a set of underground paths and from there to a gravel-filled pit beneath what will be another rose garden.

A kitchen will also go up with a pair of fireplaces and room for people to cook and clean with room for plumbing and more advanced options to eventually be added but for now all food and water will come from storage barrels brought in from the staging point and taken back when they're empty.

Comments

D | Vampire Hunter D | Open

[distant_one]

1. Wall inspection:

When everyone is given the all clear to return, D is already inspecting the still glowing hot stone wall, making a circuit outside it first and then inside to be certain nothing has gone wrong in the process to fuse and harden it.

It's very rare that he's at the outpost before sundown, and never this early in the day. But this is clearly an important step in construction and while D doesn't show any emotion, it's clear he also hasn't found any problems so far.

2. Staging point

In the morning or later afternoon D can be found at the staging point ready to handle blood collection, to teach people to collect blood and mix plants into collected vileblood or mixing the first stage of the mortar upstairs. He'll also offer lessons on the entire process, which is written out on multiple sheets of paper as well.

Wearing something to cover your mouth and nose is advisable as even with the windows open the process smells like a terrible mix acidic fumes, burning hair, and an entire crate of flower-scented perfume has been dumped in the room. D keeps his scarf over his mouth and nose for the mixing process but by the end of it he always looks a little paler than usual. It's that awful.

3. Construction

The only part of construction proper D works on now is excavation, working at the edges to get them perfectly straight and properly reinforced by wood. At night he's nearly invisible in the dark pits of what will be a basement or an access tunnel, but he's quick to abandon the shovel and leap out before the first sign of combat.

It's rare that anything gets past D's senses to approach the walls without D knowing it's on its way, and the time when he puts his shovel down and jumps out is a good indication everyone should get ready for a fight soon.

Wildcard

[aetherweaver]

One night, while watching out for danger, D will find someone else approaching and sitting down next to him. Nara'a sighs, and turns to the other with a bit of a smile. It's... not an easy conversation to start, but he has to.

"... You're hard to find when you don't want to be found." He'd thought to check the outpost, but missed the dhampir every time. Tonight he simply got lucky. "... I don't hate you, before you even start to think that I do."

Was he angry at first? Of course. But between Gaia's explanation and the realization that everyone had been more aggressive and ready to start trouble last month... he's a lot less mad than he was at first. "You were trying to protect her, right?"

[distant_one]

The night is D's natural habitat, and he can easily enough fade into it. He's relieved to hear that Nara'a doesn't hate him even if it's hard to believe. What he did is unforgivable even if he was under some influence when he did it.

And of course Nara'a has figured it out, the thing D hadn't been able to admit to Gaia. "Yes. It seemed to make sense at the time. I'm sorry that it happened, and sorry that you got dragged into it."

All he can do is apologize now and keep his distance in the future. D has already done the only thing he truly could do to fix what he'd done.

1. Wall Inspection

[martyrofduty]

Duty returns with everyone else. It's rare for nearly everyone to get sent away, but most tasks don't involve whatever powers leave the wall hot and the surrounding areas clearly burned. Unlikely to be strictly a Coldblood ability, or else Duty's been slacking in that department, he supposes. Simply one more thing someone in Trench (or nearby) can do.

He eventually reaches where D is inspecting the wall and says, "Hmm."

[distant_one]

"It's should be much harder than it was before once it cools." D hasn't had a chance to test the strength of the finished product, but there's a definite mystical component to the fire used to heat it.

3

[survivalthroughhate]

Maul is helping and not shy about grumbling where the work is concerned. He's a complainer by nature, seeing it as one of the few things in his unpredictable life that he can control. He may not be able to predict what will happen tomorrow but he can bitch and moan about it to his heart's content.

"There's something about this place I don't like," he says while helping out one evening. "Reaching out with the Force makes it feel all the worse."

[distant_one]

D is not one to complain much and he tends to ignore it in others, but supernatural senses aren't something two write off quickly.

"You're sure it's this place?" D isn't quite going to ask if it's related to his own unsettling presence. Maul has been around him a few times before.

pretend this isn't a month late

[warminded]

Following their earlier conversation, Felwinter comes to find D once night falls. He looks much the same as always, from the tattered greatcoat to the ever-present helmet and the bronze shotgun hanging at his hip. But there's something about him now — perhaps in the way he carries himself — that suggests an underlying tension or unease.

He is accompanied this time by a small drone, which floats along at his shoulder and levels an unmistakeably suspicious look at D as they approach.

"You had something you wished to discuss?" No time wasted on sociel niceties. Not that Felwinter had ever really cared for such things.

[distant_one]

"Yes. You mentioned scanning abilities when we met. Can you use them to determine if a beast was once human?" D is straight to the point and he only asked to have this discussion in person because Felwinter seems like the type to be cautious about speaking of himself in public.

falco grice | aot | open

[grice]

ᴛʀᴇᴇ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀɪɴɢ & ᴇxᴄᴀᴠᴀᴛɪɴɢ

[ to clear the trees, the titan that helps slice them from their stumps with uncanny ease is smaller than the one with wings, if any have ever seen it— falco dawns the same bony beak mask, albeit on four clawed limbs made perfectly for maneuvering on the ground. he'll either cut with his talons or bite with his jaws, only requiring some guidance from his fellow sleepers on which trees to go for. need something to soften the fall of the tree you've sent to timber? he's got you! did you think you'd have to pull them all back, too? nonsense. he's got some pulling power in these legs, and could definitely haul away a day's worth of logs in one go.

as for digging, it seems that falco is quite suited for speeding up the process! with the jaw titan being quick on its legs and capable of copious amounts of dirt in a single scoop, they may be able to get the bulk of the cavity done it no time. ]

ᴄᴏɴsᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴ

① [ the most he could do here is perhaps aid in the building's skeletal structure, or get people and material onto certain levels without the use of an elevator. he can check for stability if pointed in the direction of such activities. but sooner rather later . . . ]

② [ a little less than an hour into any type of endeavor per day, the mass of what looks like a dead titan's body is left farther away from the outpost in favor of making sure the hot steam lifting from it wouldn't obscure the vision of any watchers. falco comes out from the vast deforested plain they've creating, with steam still rising from his frame and scars riding his eyes and jaws. he seems fine and capable of walking on his own, finding a quiet spot to rest and observe the bustle. he's brought a book he's halfway through to read, as well as a notebook to jot down anything interesting.

he feels something wet on his lips right before it pelts his pages— vileblood, fresh from his nose, drips unnaturally fast for one simply sitting there— putting either book down quickly, he does his best to wipe with the back of his hand without thinking of it, wanting to cover it up before anything else. it stains his face and shifter lines with a dark green smudge that smells of flowers— an instant regret that makes the accident seem alarming. the color drains from his face, he cups the bottom half of his mouth, and searches through his belongings in his chosen messenger bag for loose fabric to use. ]

[not here but looking]

[faceblocks]

[the form is horrifying in a way - and something sometimes in transformations triggers an unwelcome memory in her - but she finds she's able to swat that memory away (mostly because it has nothing to do with this) and straight up marvel that this is falco making short work of the trees, and just ...don't mind the staring, kid. it's turned into a stare of wow, holy shit that she will shoot over her shoulder every now and again.]

Construction ②

[martyrofduty]

Duty crouches and holds out a clean cloth rag for the boy to use to clean up his blood. Vileblood, not always looked upon the most kindly. He doesn't say anything yet, only offers assistance. His dark eyes watch and observe. What's seen is unable to be unseen.

cw: nosebleeds, something akin to terminal illness

[grice]

It was happening. Something to expect, but something his living, young heart still dreaded anyway. His thin, bloody fingers were shaking by the time he lifts them to accept the offered aid, his lips nearly paper pale with a hint of purplish hue. There’s warm remembrance when he sees that it’s Duty, but a soft sadness that pools in his chest because it’s— for this.

“Thank you,” he answers, his eyes only fleeting upward to briefly meet Duty’s gaze before sinking to an absent spot in his lap, as if ashamed of something he’s done wrong. The cloth is pressed to the clip of space between his upper lip and nostrils, soaking the blood that was still dripping, then tipping his head back to stop the rest.

Whatever remains of it is swallowed. A bitter taste of flowers slides down the back of his throat and does him no harm. To anything else, it would stiffen their limbs and strangle the muscles of their heart until they stopped breathing.

Duty | The Locked Tomb | Open

[martyrofduty]

1. Staging Point

Somewhere bordering early in the morning or late at night, depending on one's schedule, Duty arrives with supplies of Darkblood and/or Coldblood—whichever is in critical demand. The times when both are plentiful, he's blood free. This month, blood powers are acting up, but Duty can be counted on predictably and reliably. It's easy enough to deduce it isn't all his, but he isn't chatty on the topic. Not that he's known for using ten words when two would do at the best of times.

Still, he's polite and provides the supplies where they are needed. At the end of the day, he returns to gather his containers and check on what's needed.

2. Tree Clearing

The team gets split into groups for clearing trees and processing them to lumber, assignments based off abilities, skills, and need. Away from the protection of the wall, Duty enlists some guards to serve as protection to the construction crew. Yes, they know how to fight, and some of them serve double duty. It's still harder to focus on a job well done when something might jump out.

Duty's face is impassive at the best of times. When clearing trees, it could be carved from the wood they're moving. There's still no rush, and his hand doesn't reach for any of the weapons he carries when kerfluffles arise.

3. Excavation

First thing Duty does every morning is check out the excavation work to see where it has reached and plan the day's work. It's a reliable way to find him if there's something on your mind. He's in the trench alongside the rest, evening out the walls, and securing them with planks. The only time he immediately hops up and out is when someone arrives via the lamp, a quick check whether someone new has shown up.

4. Construction

For stone work, Duty often works with the time sensitive mortar, one more way to ensure all the work gets done in a timely fashion without wasting the valuable and somewhat polluting mix. When conversations arise then, he continues to work with, rather than stepping away.

5. Wildcard

At the end of the day, it's where the team is that matters. Duty can be found at any step along the way, stepping in at the choke points. He doesn't use magic or any other ability beyond the upper bounds that could fit any person—strength, endurance, and years of experience. He takes breaks when the whole team does or when he needs to check in with someone. That he does, regularly enough, so everyone gets a chance to be heard, ask questions semi-privately, and the like.

He's usually one of the first to arrive in the morning and accompanies back anyone sleeping at the Outpost, after the daily trip to Sanctuary. Duty greets new people when they arrive, and can be found when the construction crew is there.

1. Staging Point

[hammerbearer]

Gaia can be considered a fixture at the staging point when it comes to dealing with the blood compound. While her blood type- and therefore abilities related to it- hasn't been reliable this month, the spell she casts is not reliant on them. Or more precisely speaking, she can cast the spell to manipulate the storage container's time without the benefits of Darkblood.

The problem is with consistency and therefore more regularly Duty will find the teen girl present when he's come to claim the containers as well as during the morning delivery. She seems surprised to see the man arrive.

"Oh are you early?" Spoiler alert: he probably isn't, given she squints at the sky and then grimaces. Though she Gaia looks a little preoccupied, Gaia offers a wry smile. "The containers are over there, as usual. I think I'll be here a bit longer."

[martyrofduty]

Duty raises an eyebrow and lingers a moment. On either end of their day, people are usually exhausted. Gaia fits many roles, but the mortar and it's critical steps aren't easy to substitute others for.

"When did you last sleep?" Duty asks. Implied–for how long? How well? He isn't judging. His schedule is busy, but they cannot burn themselves out needlessly.

Luke Skywalker | Star Wars | OTA

[faithfulson]

1.) Guard Duty
Luke had to admit he was a bit surprised that D wanted him for guard duty; after last month, he was pretty sure his opinion of him was pretty close to, "helpless, fairly useless, and annoying." Maybe it was the fact that he was a Jedi that had him think he would be competent enough to handle a little bit of monster wrangling.

For his part, Luke was taking that seriously. He took his guard duty times either in the very early morning after just waking up, or late in the night, sacrificing some sleep to make sure the people working on the construction stayed safe. After what it took to get Hoth base up and operational, he definitely understood the need for round the clock patrols, and so he took his role in this very seriously.

Day or night, he can be found within sight of the construction, all senses on high alert, either prowling a wide range of territory or seated in a place where he could sense the most danger, waiting for it to come to him.

2.) Construction
When not on duty, Luke can be found around wherever he's needed, helping with the construction as needed. Admittedly though, he is definitely more focused on the kitchen; he has some of his own rations that he brought with him, but he was already craving the urge to make proper food in a proper kitchen. Sure, building a fire and pulling together some makeshift cooking tools was something he could do in a crutch, but being able to cook for everyone easily was so much better.

3.) Wildcard
Luke's a jack of all trades and a natural survivalist, so he can easily be talked into just about any endeavor around the construction site.

1

[subject_013]

Late in the night, if he's patrolling the wall, Luke might sense something walking along the top of the wall, something tall and dark, moving with a careful grace. If he looks up, he might spy something crouching on the parapet, humanoid in shape, dark against the night sky, adjusting something that clinks and clacks.

[faithfulson]

Luke frowned as he looked up, sensing the strange presence before he saw it. All Sleepers, he noticed, had a certain sense to them, a sense of something that both belonged and didn't, so at the very least the presence didn't belong to one of the creatures they had to worry about out here. But beyond that, something about the person was... unsettling, not in a way he could put into words either.

After a moment of debate, Luke eventually opted to approach the person, though not alone; his krayt dragon omen lurked in the shadows of the wall, hidden from the view of normal eyes, though a comforting, protective presence all the same.

"I wasn't aware I'd have a partner in this area tonight," he spoke after a moment, making the person aware of him being there, if he didn't already know.

2. construction

[martyrofduty]

Duty's pattern is routine. He drops off blood at the staging point. He comes to the outpost and checks the progress. Just like any other morning. With some time before everyone shows up to start, Duty has time for those who help with construction and already live out here. They're usually the only ones to beat him here in the morning.

Luke, spotted earlier, is in the same spot. Duty comes around to be comfortably near but leaving some space, sits, and removes a warm container of food from the bag he received upon arrival. "Morning," he says quietly.

[faithfulson]

Luke glanced over at the quiet greeting, about to return it, only for his eyes to be drawn down to the warm food the person was getting out. The rations he had gave him the nutrition he needed, of course, but he had brought them solely so he could dedicate the majority of his time to either patrols or construction work. A warm meal (or his idea of a good warm meal anyway) involved going to a place where he had access to a full kitchen, that he could work in himself, and put together a giant meal for everyone. Right now, that involved travel time between lanterns and houses, not to mention the actual time for cooking, that he just didn't have at the moment; it was why he was so focused on getting the kitchens up and running when he was doing construction work.

So, naturally, the sight and smell of a fresh warm meal made his stomach rumble with want.

Luke's face turned a vibrant shade of pink, and he barely managed to mumble out a, "G'morning," before turning back to what he was doing.

1

[survivalthroughhate]

Maul was not an easy sleeper at the best of times but Luke already knows this. One night he couldn't close his eyes without images of his master shocking him with Force Lightning and Savage's dead body close by. So he gave up and went out to be on guard duty. At least he could do something useful with his insomnia.

He approached Luke on silent feet. "Are you up willingly or unwillingly?" He asked.

Vi | Arcane | Open

[faceblocks]

[fuck a nose and mouth covering because (#justzaunthings) while yes, it is horrible, she has smelled worse. what's a little toxic gas? pffft. that's called air where she's from. doesn't mean she likes it much, though. she'd given her blood easily enough (not as much as they'd taken at the blood drive) but just now she's standing outside the building trying to decide if she wants to subject herself to mixing lessons (a plus: possibly impress d. a minus: this is likely not her forte, so chances slim.) she is weighing these options into her omni: making a pro vs. con list.]

[givetheslip]

[It's Maria's first time visiting the outpost and she's not sure yet what she thinks of it. Acre Castle had been a much stronger fortification, but then it had also been much older. This...is a start, perhaps.

She finishes her first circuit of the site and comes nearer to a woman who triggers a vague sense of familiarity and has an expression that appears even less impressed than Maria. Then again, maybe that's just how her face looks. Or maybe it's something on the rock device that's displeased her.]

Are you waiting for someone?

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul approaches on silent feet, coming up right next to Vi. He looks like an escapee from a death metal band but his voice is soft-spoken and even a little soothing with how smooth it is.]

I have not seen you before.

[Either in Trench or here at the outpost. But he knows if she's here she must be a Sleeper.]