deercountry | [OPEN] OUTPOST HAVEN [player plot]

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[OPEN] OUTPOST HAVEN [player plot]

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.

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[it's possibly the first time vi has noticed her increase in general banter - though the fact that her emotions are escalated? it's going to take a while longer for that idea to bloom.

the slight change in maria's expression - well, that makes vi feel a bit better - she's successfully talked up d.]

Total sense. Sounds crazy on paper, crazier when it's explained in words, at least when I try to do it, and yet ...there's too much [???] order for it to feel like I've actually lost my damn mind. Too much detail, too. I could never come up with... [a vague gesture to ...all of this.]

Some days it'd be easier if we were all just ...dreaming, or hallucinating, or whatever. I'm Vi. [a nod to the building behind her] Did you put your blood in yet?

[Yes. That's it precisely. Maria nods along, glad there's at least one other person here besides Altaïr who feels the same as her.]

No, not yet. I'm...I understand the purpose of it here.

[Or at least, she believes that what she's been told is true. Understanding is farther down the road.]

It's just that I'm very accustomed to trying not to spill my blood. It's perhaps one's first priority, coming from a time of war.

[war. maybe that's a theme. half the people she's talked to have come from such times - and she has wondered if that's part of the why? is it soldiers they need or people to somehow bring peace? do the pthumerians even have understandable motives at all? could be useless to bother trying.]

Yeah, I get it. I'm usually trying to spill someone else's, but mine ends up on the floor anyway. Notsomuch, here, though. I've got the poison blood.

Never heard of a place that runs on blood before, though. Not even in a bedtime story. But ...I don't hate it here. You're obviously a fighter, too. Were you a soldier?

[disturbingly, vi has met more child soldiers than adults. which is ...something.]

[That would make something a silver lining to having poison coursing through one's veins, Maria supposes, although she's glad not to have it in hers. She wonders if those more accustomed to living in this world that turns on the power of blood can tell at a glance what type a person has, and whether that keeps the vilebloods safer.]

I was. When I was younger, I spent four years as a wife, which was a much more disagreeable role, in my opinion. When my marriage came to an end, I disguised myself as a young man and ran off to join the Crusades. I thought I could achieve glory and knighthood.

[The ironic set of her ensuing smile says a little about how that turned out.]

A short time ago I set out to learn what else I might achieve. And then I washed up here.

[vi is unsure about darkbloods, or even coldbloods, but she can recognize other coldbloods when they blush - and sometimes, when other creatures sniff at them in a funny way, or flat out refuse to bite them.]

'And then I washed up here', the one thing we've all got in common. What a way to have that question answered, right? Nothing like the crystal clear answer of being a squid and then ...not to give a person a real sense of where they fit and what they can do. [another roll of her eyes, but it's a slow slide into seriousness again as she adds,] I have a real answer for that, if you want it.

If battle was better, your husband must have been a real bummer, huh? [she has only talked to one other person about marriage thus far, but they didn't paint so fair a picture, either.] Are you from one of those places with dumb rules about ladies inheriting stuff and ...doing things, like being a soldier?

[she has been hearing all about these sorts of places from sansa. and reading about them in books. it's weird and it sucks.]

[That prompts a small huff of laughter. What a way, indeed. It isn't so terrible to have it in common with the other Sleepers, though. It's almost a novelty. Maria has so rarely had anything in common with anyone.]

Peter was...fine. Not a bad man. But not someone who could understand me, or understand why I was interested in more than bearing him sons and managing the household. He didn't even realize that he should try. Certainly he would have been scandalized by the idea that his wife might want to pick up a sword.

[She laughs again.]

'Dumb rules' sounds exactly right. And I wouldn't mind getting a real answer.

[vi - at least for the last seven or so years - has only had the commonality of being in prison, though she's spent a great part of her time in solitary, so that's not much of a commonality.]

Scandalized? Wow. I guess I just don't see what the big deal is. Where I come from, anyone can pick up a weapon if they want. Now, they might suck at it, or even get themselves into trouble, but for just being a woman? No one's gonna side eye you for that. Shit, some of the best fighters I know are women.

[squinting at maria's gear ....does she have a sword on her? vi is being super obvious and not trying to do this slyly.]

Most of 'em, actually.

Real answer: I think we're here for a coupla things. Second chances, sure. We feel that part, right? When we're all squiddy and stuff. But I've listened to a lot of smart people, and some of them have been here a lot longer than me, and it seems like it's also to "learn lessons". Now, how much sense that's gonna make depends on what asshole Pthumerian's doing the teaching. Sometimes? It's absolute bullshit, not clear and a super dick move.

[please let her rant about the reckoning. her favorite so far.]

For instance: if you're say, the personification of Justice, wouldn't it make more sense to, I dunno, punish actual wrongs instead of turning up the anger dial on this place, making everyone go fucking berserk killing each other and committing crimes and then selectively punishing people for stuff you made them do? Or not punishing some people at all?

Tch. That one can suck it.

[thank you, maria. for coming to her ted talk.]

Edited 2022-09-07 22:09 (UTC)

[Maria is surprised by Vi's sudden passionate rant, and doesn't try to interrupt. There's still a lot she doesn't know or understand about what it means to be here, why they were brought here at all — there's not much she could offer in the way of informed opinion. Or maybe she's just been conditioned from too many years of keeping her own counsel outside of Robert's presence, loathe as she is to admit it.

(She does in fact have a sword, always sheathed by her side. She'd feel naked without it.)

When Vi seems to have wound herself down, Maria is quiet for a moment longer; then her expression shifts into a genuine smile that's only a little amused.]

I hope it doesn't sound as though I'm only trying to curry favor if I can only add...well said. I doubt I can disagree with any of that.

["has a sword" has now been linked to "from one of those bullshit places with dumb rules" in vi's mind, and though there are likely to be exceptions to that, she hasn't met any so far, unless you count blades inside other things, or as attachments.

she's good at telling genuine from fake almost all of the time, so she'll meet that smile with its mirror, an appreciation of being listened to, of being given the space to share.]

Nah. I mean, this whole thing is---

[interrupted as her omen pours from her chest and into a more solid presence, albeit still smoky. fang's golden eyes fix on the street in front of them - on the small cluster of trees not very far away, the worn and empty building behind that copse, and growls, grows, their hackles raising.

okay. not the usual in crenshaw, but it's not unheard of.]

---oh, good. Looks like we've got a friend.

[par for the course? but it's not an outpost level beast, so how bad can this be?]

[At first Maria is more startled by the unheralded appearance of Vi's omen than whatever it's reacting to. She's only seen a few of them so far, and never quite like that. Truth be told, it's a little disturbing, but she's made of stern enough stuff that she won't show it.

What comes next is more important, though, and she reacts quickly, snapping to attention and drawing her sword immediately. Maria's own omen, a goshawk, bursts into being and takes to the sky, but the aerial reconnaissance isn't immediately fruitful.]

It's about time we had something to guard against. [Is she actually happy about this? Maybe. Maybe not. She puts space between them so they can take different angles against whatever's about to appear.] Any idea what it'll be?

Nope. Not a lot of 'em out here. Might be a Sleeper. There's some weird shit going around. I'm gonna guess tenta---

[an easy shrug - and that's the fun of this place. though, fun might be a little strong of a word to use, it's not that far off the mark.

a flurry of birds eject themselves into the sky from both trees and roof, some shouting loudly as they pass (one is a raven, and that might be a swear that it yells) and are soon gone - before the creature steps forth onto the street looking at the pair of them with glowing eyes that seem to churn a storm beneath, its fur is damp with both water and blood as it shakes out its coat and howls. eyeballing it, it's not exactly tiny, but it's not as tall as either of them, though it comes close.]

---huh.

[vi's omen considers the thing for a moment before dissipating into smoke once more - a black trail that splits in two and encircles each of the woman's fists before seeming to ...sink into them. a quick look over to maria and a smile - they've got this, right? you get it from one side, i'll come in from the other, yeah?]

Well. That's something new.

[Blood aside, it doesn't look all that dangerous, but Maria knows better than to assume this is truly the case. It often isn't; few men had ever looked at her and considered her to be much of a threat, for starters.

She's not sure if there's a greater meaning to the black omen smoke beyond what's obvious, but it doesn't matter. Already, the corners of her mouth are curling up as she meets Vi's gaze. Maybe it's the lingering goodwill from the other woman's very welcomed rant, maybe it's a more nebulous recognition of a kindred spirit — but she understands completely what they need to and will do.]

Go.

[She moves immediately, not waiting for acknowledgement. Maria isn't the speediest fighter around, but she moves with alacrity and intention, stepping forward and away from Vi in the beginnings of a pincer formation, sword raised and ready.]

[she's glad to see maria just go, and it's clear from the way she goes she know very much what she's doing with that blade.

vi goes in without hesitation, targeting one of its back legs with her fists, going straight for the bend and striking true. it doesn't break, but it's a solid hit, and the beast stumbles, tipping toward vi's side as it regains its footing and swings at her with a front paw. which is also a ...solid hit, though vi has managed to avoid the claws, she's down and rolling for a moment before she can get up again.

the catlike head swings round to find maria, twisting itself to snap at her before its narrow tongue shoots out toward her sword arm. (what kind of mouth even is this?)]

[Maria is already charging in before the beast turns its attention to her, aware that if Vi has gone down, the only way ensure she's safe from its teeth is to give it something else to snap at. But the other woman isn't so easily felled; though her focus remains on the monster, she can see Vi getting back to her feet out of the corner of her eye.

That's good, because her experience is still largely in killing men, not beasts. The sudden assault-by-tongue is a surprise, and she barely manages to dodge it in time — was it really so prehensile that it would have grasped her arm, or would its foul spittle have had other unpleasant effects? She swipes back at it in response, but it too is fast; instead of cleaving its head in two, she only manages to inflict a bloody vertical wound down its face. Nothing life threatening, unfortunately.]

[first step: making it angry. happens sooner or later, and half the time they're angry to start with so "making it angrier" is probably more correct. and maria's blow has done just that - it is now angrier, shaking its great head with another howl - blood hitting the street to seemingly only be blood - no smoke or hiss from the ground, which is not terrible.

vi doesn't see the hit as she gets up - doesn't need to - she hears it in the roar, and if that didn't confirm the hit, the spatter and spray of dark liquid certainly does. the wet sounding thwack raises her brow, but she's also raised a fist, and another, and she's going for that leg again, right where it bends - now that she's seen the thing move she's got a better feel for it - so it's easier to dodge when it (mis)steps - easier to hit again until there's another yowl and a crack and that leg? out of commission. she calls out after the hit:]

Not going anywhere now unless it can fl---

[it can still swing a paw, though. dammit vi.]

[If it could fly away and leave that alone, that would be the theoretical ideal. Maria's no idealist, though, and she suspects that having gotten a taste for humans — or at least the desire to do so — it would only retreat temporarily to lick its wounds and bide its time for another attack on the outpost. Better they dispatch it here and now, to be done with it.

Which is easier said than done, but she's never shied away from a difficult task. The thing is fast and strong, but is disadvantaged by its singular status. They've been able to take advantage when its focus turned to the other one, and Maria does so again now, hurtling forward and swinging her sword in mighty arc before she can even be sure it will land where she wants it to. She has to count on her sense of timing and refuse to hesitate—

And there goes the paw, flying off the end of the creature's limb before it can harm Vi.]

[close call. as the paw sails past and downward vi shoots maria a 'thanks for saving my ass' grin that the woman may or may not see - because she's learned her lesson (today) in making glib commentary when she should just be fighting.

(will she ever truly learn that lesson? eh, depends.)

right now vi is assessing the thing as she moves - the one leg's in a bad way, and the loss of a paw means regaining its footing is near impossible, though it's doing its damnedest. it has reared up, bearing most of its weight on the uninjured leg, the one vi now circles around to, bringing herself closer to where maria stands - beast screaming into the air and loosing its tongue to wrap around vi's left gauntlet, spittle dripping onto her sleeve and making the leather smoke. as she's lifted off her feet, her other fist lands a blow onto the lower jaw - shattering one fang into splinters and cracking another two. shoves her elbow in to rest on the jagged break she's created and pushes up hard one of the large teeth above - it starts to crumble.]

[The advantage is theirs. The soldier in Maria can feel it, the way she can feel the turning tide of battle well before it is truly lost or won. The beast is clearly still dangerous, evidenced by the smoking leather of Vi's gauntlet, but momentum is on their side. Which means this is an excellent time to bring the conflict to an end.

There's a balancing point, a single moment in time when the creature will either clamp down with shattered teeth and leave Vi torn and bleeding, or it will falter and fall. It could go either way. But it won't, because before it can decide whether to lash out in pain in fury, Maria is there, slicing through its neck with her sword — separating its head from its body in one powerful blow.

(The sudden lack of resistance will undoubtedly set Vi off balance, but Maria trusts she can handle that. She did make sure her new companion would not be cut by her swordstrike; that'll have to be enough.)]

[vi has considered the odds and decided that the chips can fall as they may. all being said - this is a better ending. there had been a good chance it might have bitten into her, though it had been reluctant to try - sometimes a cornered beast is not rational about even its own safety. she'd rather not have been bitten, but if that had happened the beast would also have died an agonizing death.

maria's way: easier. better. less bleeding and tearing. for them, anyway.

so the head goes one way, and vi flings herself back when she starts to go with it, not quite landing on her feet, but close enough. she flashes a grin at the other woman - good swing - that was a clean cut - and the head has now come to rest and staring sightless as the clip-clop sound of steady hooves approaches. it's slow enough that it almost sounds like a golf clap. the face of the nightmare steed attached to those hooves looks underwhelmed as it eyes them before lowering its head to tear at one of the dead creature's eyes.

vi stares at it a moment (and the murder horse does not look up) before brushing her knees off and making her way over to maria, holding up a hand for a high five.]

Good job, us. That was some swing.

[the steed snorts, still eating, but watchful as it chews.]

[Panting and lightly sweaty, Maria unknowingly mirrors Vi, staring hard at the beast to make sure that it will not move again. She's never known a man or beast to return to life once its head has been removed from its body, but there are many strange things about this land and she's taking no chances.

Once she's satisfied that the fight is done, she moves to meet Vi halfway, grinning and raising her hand in an inexperienced hand-touch once she gathers from context what is expected of her.

(The horse immediately moving to consume at least some of the monster is unexpected, but practical; cleanup is cleanup. And perhaps it isn't that unexpected; Maria has known some truly foul-tempered steeds.)]

At least I haven't lost any of my strength here. I'd worried about that. [She's tried to maintain through exercise, but it's not the same as the drills she's used to.] You did well yourself. I could almost believe you're a professional.

[a thought vi has also had before: because things here do not make a lot of sense. and some things are not dead when they seem dead, but this? if the nightmare's eating it ...definitely dead.]

Almost? [she cocks a brow, laughing.] Thanks. It was pretty reckless of me, but I'm poison, too. If it'd bitten me it woulda got a mouthful of death. 'Course, I might be down an arm, so...thanks again. One less worry for me, and good to hear less for you, too.

[she looks at the horse, and it meets her gaze. it's almost as if its chewing more aggressively now. no ...that's exactly what's happening.]

Weird. I know that nightmare. We've got...

[beef. the horse has a grudge. but maybe not as much of one as she'd thought.]

You should avoid situations where you might lose an arm. There are only so many to go around.

[Unless Trench also has monsters simply teeming with arms, but then it's unlikely they'd want to loan one out.]

Oh? [She eyes it a little more suspiciously.] Well, keep out of kicking range.

You're not the first person to tell me that. Probably means I should listen more. Working on that, middling results.

[self deprecating smile.]

That one's got a nasty kick. Don't ask me how I know. Maybe the free lunch will smooth things over a little, who knows.

[also a joke, but maybe not? it doesn't look grateful, but it's not attacking.]

[That gets a laugh. Maria believes it, though. She's only just met Vi but she already feels she's starting to know her.]

Maybe it'll feel it owes you then, hmm? Or at least call things even.

[If it has enough sentience to hold a grudge, it really might work.]

[she might be right. maybe it's the start of something ...well, not beautiful, but better. less embarrassing. vi can hope.]

Speaking of owing, I think I owe you a drink for that save, yeah?

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givetheslip - 2022-10-28 00:30 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[OPEN] OUTPOST HAVEN [player plot]

Wall Complete

Staging Point

Tree Clearing

Excavating

Construction

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should i inject a beast because FIGHT

yes definitely

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cw tooth stuff

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