Outside 46

[Gullara]

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 in the wild expanses beyond the reach of civilization. Who's going to keep you out? That's right, no one. You're already out!
Here lie vast expanses, dense forests, towering mountains, dizzying canyons, treacherous dungeons, encroaching jungles, roaring waterfalls, endless wastes, blistering deserts, mossy cliffs, illusionary oases, eldritch moors, flowering bosques, infested hills, cyclopean ruins, weed-tangled gardens, crumbling glaciers, peaceful glades, bubbling tar pits, rumbling volcanoes, teetering hoodoos, honeycombed caverns, dripping grottos, inland seas, grassy knolls, overgrown battlefields, creepy boneyards, guano-covered caves, and so much more!
The sky is truly the limit, and sometimes not even that. If you can imagine it, it's here, and something super cool is probably happening there.


Sometimes, amid the varied and fantastic landscapes, there are very specific places. Places created and maintained by one or two people. These often be visited, but don't forget to give their owner a heads up if you want to explore.

Outside contains various Outside locations! Such as...

Spoiler

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Auxiliary MagCave ^Magtok
A relic from the days of the Age of Apocalypse, this abandoned cavern was once used by the infamous cyborg Magtok as a back-up laboratory and underground fortress, should Calublufiok have ever stormed the primary MagCave.

Blind Cat's Bluff
A sheer cliff dropoff that travels straight down into the water, this is a favored point of people who commit suicide, romantics wanting to watch the sunset and anyone looking to get rid of evidence. The drop is pretty far and there are rocks at the bottom that spell almost certain doom, so watch your step.

Brillian's Baneful Bestiary
A secret series of caves where a mad scientist lives. A mad scientist who creates mutant attack creatures. These can be purchased for the right price.

Dead Pine Lake ^happyturtle
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.

Frozen Forest & Hermitage
A large forest of tall trees and once very pretty flowers lies here. The entire forest has been completely frozen over, and a blizzard constantly storms and snows over the forest, but doesn't affect even an inch past the forest border. The forest is still very pretty; the flowers and mushrooms glittering under a frozen layer. The place is pretty safe, if you're used to constant snow and cold temperatures.

Gersemi's Island ^Lex-Kat
Now more commonly known as Melody's Island, since Gersemi has long ago retired. Where once was a single hut with a few sheep, now stands a single hut, a barn, a few sheep, and a small tented community of orphans. Gersemi's loom still rests in one corner of the single hut. Melody, like Gersemi before her, is a healer for the surrounding islands.

Irradiated Wasteland ^{The Mad Hatter}
This irradiated flesh-kingdom stretches on for over one-hundred miles, a vile and forbidden place plagued by an unholy combination of severe radiation, supernaturally swift plague, and toxic gasses, to say nothing of the horrific, mutated undead which roam the cursed lands beyond, beholden to their lich-master.

Katz Motel
Located in the middle of Nowhere, our roadside motel is the only decent place for miles near the Taverna that has a bed. Run by a suave anthropomorphic cat, there is a strict No Dogs policy. A bellhop by the name of Bates is always ready to assist in carrying your luggage. Please ignore his constant mutterings about his mother. Other more unsavory employees can occasionally be found. Please try to avoid eye contact with them.

We at the Katz Motel wish to ensure you have a splendid stay. Any inconvenience due to randomly locking doors, giant spiders, secret passages, vampires, creepy paintings, and the occasional possession and subsequent exorcism are incredibly rare. Just look at our complaint cards! Not a single one mentions dying horribly in their sleep or becoming food for the monster in the basement.

And if you get bored, the owner will always be up for a game of sport, old boy.

Spoiler: OoC

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((The Katz Motel is a horror filled place with the highest casualty rate of any motel in the Nexus area. Checking in is usually pretty easy and pleasant. Checking out is rare. Anyone can play the Motel and the NPCs within, free to invent their own horror. The NPCs within that can die usually only suffer death temporarily, the supernatural force causing the disturbances bringing them back to life for its own nefarious purposes. PCs get no benefit from this.))

Norosa, Great City of the Elves
A lawful evil city with an incredibly strong military and a very charismatic leader (Archmage Tyrion Lannister). It has a few resisters, but otherwise it is a city of peace and law despite its evil nature.

North Forest
A magical forest with a mythical spring of beauty. A bit like the Weald, but not nearly as dangerous. For starters, you can find your way back out and the pixies aren't cannibals.

Redbrick Falls
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.

Rabbit Hole
The Rabbit Hole is a portal to another world, located in the forest. It looks like an ordinary rabbit hole, minus it being large enough for whoever stumbles upon it to enter. Some say it originated in a different universe, outside the Nexus, others say it shows up in different universes as a result of the Nexus growing.

If found naturally, it will take you to Underside, a world said to lie beneath the Nexus. But sometimes, you'll see a white rabbit in a waistcoat. He looks at the time on his pocket watch, and mutters the phrase "Oh dear! Oh dear! I mustn't be late!" and runs off. No matter how fast you are, you always seem to be just a bit slower than him, which has to make you wonder how he could ever be late for something.

If you follow the rabbit and find The Rabbit Hole, it will take you to Planeside. Where specifically in Planeside depends on who fell through The Rabbit Hole. Either way, you should always survive the fall, even if it seems like you were falling forever. And a warning, it's a one way trip, so if you want to get back, you'll have to do some traveling.

Troll Cave
A cave in a craggy hill. The undergrowth outside is trampled completely flat, and there's not much wildlife. There's a burned patch where a fire is sometimes there. Inside are a few large caves, linked by surprisingly smooth tunnels that look like something big has been regularly pushing through them.

PM the thread maker if you wish to add locations to Outside.

This wide world is empty, except for what you put there. People and places and animals and monsters! You name it. There are a few exceptions, as there always are, but by and large these places are populated with what you put there.

Spoiler: Inhabitants

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• 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.
• The Menacing Crabs - These intimidating creatures are usually found by the shore. Beware their mighty pincers. Beware!
• The Non-Existent Duck - You'll miss every time you shoot at it, and then your dog laughs at you.

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

---

Rules and Guidelines

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There is very little you can't do Outside. However, like always, please follow the forum rules and general rules of conduct. Respect that a scene may be private or that a plot shouldn't be interrupted. When in doubt, ask someone involved in the OoC thread or by PM.

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:

[An Epic Cliffside Battle]

The creepy eyed squirrel looks on at the raging battle with contempt! Contempt that only a squirrel with particularly creepy eyes can muster.

[The Beach!]

The menacing craps are not only menacing today, but frustrated. Their every attempt to menace the non-existent duck has met with failure. Some might ask why the crabs are trying to menace nothing, but those people would get viciously pinched.

Note the creepy eyed squirrel and the menacing crabs do not interact because they are in different areas Outside. They could interact, if the squirrel moved to the beach. Of course, various things like telepathy help bypass this.

Archive

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Outside 45
Outside 44: Baby it's cold outside
Outside 43: Where the sun hurts your eyes and burns your skin
Outside 42
Outside 41: Inside Outside, outside Inside
Outside 40: It's all downhill from here
Outside XXXIX
Outside XXXVIII
Outside XXXVII
Outside XXXVI
Outside XXXV
Outside XXXIV
Outside XXXIII
Outside XXXII
Outside XXXI
Outside XXX
Outside XXIX
Outside XXVIII
Outside XXVII
Outside XXVI
Outside XXV
Outside XXIV
Outside XXIII
Outside XXII
Outside XXI
Outside XX
Outside XIX
Outside XVIII
Outside XVII
Outside XVI
Outside 15: There used to be a silly pun here, but it wouldn't fit
Outside XIV: More animals than you can shake a stick at. Yes the PCs.
Outside XIII: Spores of Corruption Dance in the Wind
Outside XII: We number things correctly.
Outside XI: Bugs are Eating the Landscape
Outside X: The Rotting Corpses are starting to Smell
Outside IX: There are Mosquitoes
Outside VIII: We cater birthday parties
Outside VII: Open longer than a 7-11
Outside VI: Now with Locations!
Outside V: More civilized than Inside
Outside IV: The Creepy Eyed Squirrel's Domain
Outside III: Beware the Non-Existant Duck
Outside II: Now with Menacing Crabs
Outside

[Peppered]

Slaver's Camp

When Orion puffs back into invisibility, most of the slaves instantly start to mutter and curse, wondering if invisible slavers have heard any of their disparaging remarks and rebellious ideas. The exception is the six-wheeled bus, which doesn't talk at all- bar the elf's continued rants and curses in her native Elvish.

None of the slavers notice Orion's departure, just as they failed to notice his infiltration.

The slaver will approach to fire his net gun, not recognising his friend under the morphing mask. This one is a half-orc. He also approaches his captured colleague, to drag him back and possibly question him on how many friends he has in the bushes, and who sent the attackers. And why this chap is wearing nothing but a pair of underwear.

Slaver's Camp

"Meredith, I wasn't able to pinpoint the murderer. There were dozens of them caged in the buses. It might be best if I cause a large distraction while you use the time to pinpoint the culprit. I could start by freeing some of the slaves from their cages then intercept the slavers whilst invisible as they try to recapture the slaves, but you should look at them first to verify whether they're innocent or not. From what I saw, there are a few choices as to who the murderer could be," Orion whispers out, eyes wide and alert as he looks around but mainly focuses on the slaver in his underwear that's being taken away.

"While you're dealing with the slaves the chaos can be used to sneak that slaver away into the bushes. If that mask comes off they'll know that one of us are in his clothes pretending to be him. No matter what that mask can't come off or else this mission will become a lot harder for us to complete."

Meredith nods to Orion, "very well. A diversion would be welcome. The more we can release at once, the greater the chance that they will make it through okay. Just... one moment."

Without being able to touch this man, she can't burn out parts of his brain she did his colleague. But with him standing so close to her as he approaches the netted slaver, she can target specific parts of his brain in less drastic ways. Raising a hand slowly towards him, she focuses on his amygdala (the brain's center for emoitons, mainly fear) and weaves a spell of anxiety and anger. Anxiety about everything, but mainly, anxiety and fear of the other slavers in the camp and anger towards them all. It shouldn't really be based in anything though, which admittedly makes the spell a little easier to shrug off.

"Okay," she whispers to Orion, "now how do you propose to get me on those buses?"



Strange Village

The moment Kalumin and Pain appear atop the rune carved into the pavement, it should be clear that something is very wrong here.

The village is adorably rural, a small collection of modern central buildings surrounded by acres of farmland, sprinkled with animals and the occasional farmhouse. The village center is a main road, with multiple shops, and a few small side roads. The weird thing about it, however, is how many villagers there are here, and how few of them seem concerned with the fact that two people just teleported into the middle of the village.

Milling around, entering and leaving shops, eating and chatting, are about fifty villagers. A couple of them give Pain a few glances, but mostly their eyes seem to glaze over with some sort of forgetfulness when they look in Kalumin's direction. If the pre-existing telportation rune of Kalumin's design didn't give away that they had been there before, then the strange and oddly numerous villagers probably do. If Pain is observant, she may be able to tell that a good chunk of the villagers, about twenty or so, are actually undead, though of shoddier workmanship than Kalumin's own body.

"Well, here we are!" Kalumin announces, "are you feeling okay? Teleportation can take some getting used to, I know."

[Earl of Purple]

Slaver's Camp

The half-orc feels a sudden and irrational spike of anxiety and fear. Meredith might be unable to link the emotions to specific causes, but the wonders of the brain ensure the half-orc does that. He's associating the feelings with the game of cards last night, where he lost a night's wages, and the half-empty bottle of whiskey of his that went missing a week ago. Lots of little things like that, and his mind creates a narrative for him to be scared of linking them all. It's not the best narrative, and without the magic to reinforce the feelings, it wouldn't hold up to logic. He drags the netted slaver (who is still babbling incoherently from the hallucinations) up to the camp and walks to the nearest slaver and punches him. The brawl is short-lived; the man who got punched wasn't expecting it, and goes down hard. Two other slavers- rush over to break the fight up, to no immediate avail. One, a human, is loudly demanding to know why the half-orc attacked without provocation; the other, a half-orc, is just as vocal in the aggressor's defence.

If they need a small diversion, this would work; all the slavers are watching, as the hagspawn marches towards them, yatagan drawn and a furious glare across his hideous features.

[Mee]

Steve says "I would love to celebrate, but I have other business I must attend to. Don't worry, I'll get you all together soon and we'll have a good party." And with that, Steve begins leave for the exit.

"Oh. W-well. If you're sure."

"It was nice killing stuff for you. Save the party so we can join."

"Sure thing."

"They're very helpful, but having to becoming one is quite a gruesome process," he admits as the final scale burrows into his skin.

"Farewell then," Devero addresses Steve and Luvon before they take their leave.

"A tavern might do, unless you would prefer someplace else," Devero turns to Naku and Cherie, "I'm in need of a drink after all that flying," he grips his throat for a second which is slightly sore from breathing fire earlier.

Naku shrugs the tiniest of shrugs. "Perhaps. But if they're useful enough, that outweighs the gruesomeness." Spoken like someone who has a gruesome transform of their own.
"I happen to know of an inn with decent drinks. I vote we head there." Unless anyone objects, then she leads the party off to the DFI.

[Lazorath]

Naku shrugs the tiniest of shrugs. "Perhaps. But if they're useful enough, that outweighs the gruesomeness." Spoken like someone who has a gruesome transform of their own.
"I happen to know of an inn with decent drinks. I vote we head there." Unless anyone objects, then she leads the party off to the DFI.

Devero looks down to his bloodied physique, agreeing with Naku, but at the same time expressing disappointment with the endless drawbacks to his abilities.

"I don't know which ones worse the transforming, or the blades. I tend to switch between the two," he admits whilst looking around his body to ensure that they all remained intact and he hadn't forgotten anything, "things have gotten messy in the past regardless of which one I'd use."
The sack attached to my back, all six blades sheathed on my waist, and lastly my special sword...yep I've got everything, he finishes thinking while removing the blood red skull-faced necklace and putting it in his pocket.

Devero agrees to Naku's suggestion with a firm nod then follows her, eager to sit, relax, and drink.

Slaver's Camp

"That cloak of yours really is deadly," Orion admits before closing his eyes as the slaver turns against one of his own.
He re-harnesses his darkest, and most painful emotions then holds out his palm to Meredith, "I could sneak you over there," he replies before looking to his other hand that begins to fade out of eyes sight.
"It should work as long as our hands stay linked. I'll get you over there, free as many innocent slaves as possible then handle the slavers while they try to recapture the slaves. We have a small window of opportunity, we should go while we still can," he urges as the right side of his body begins to fade in a slightly creepy manner.

Strange Village

Pain wouldn't take particular notice of the rune, but she knows an undead when she sees one.
There's many, too many, her mind thinks as her eyes glaze over what her eyes can see around her. The shops, the main road, and the decent amount of people.

"There's quite a few of them," she speaks before returning her focus to Kalumin.

"I tend not to teleport, it caused a great number of issues for me in the past. I'm alright for now, but it'll be awhile before I become accommodated with it," despite keeping her eyes on Kalumin she takes notice of all the villagers that she can in her peripheral vision, ready and eager to strike.

"I am more of a sifter, moving from place to place by foot as the forces of darkness wrap around my limbs, granting me rapid transport whether it be through levitation, or moving through solid matter. It is also how I can regenerate without the need to lie on a bed."

Her eyes final move from them to the villagers whilst unsheathing her dark, and twisted blade.
"Do you have history with this village?"

[Rebonack]

[Galleon Rock]

Atop a hill, half a day's journey from the nearest village sits a rock. A rather impressive marble edifice, as it happens. A towering precipice of off-white stone that, if looked at from just the right angle, looks rather like a sailing ship.

Assuming you squint really hard.

And tilt your head sideways just so.

And really employ your imagination.

No, really employ your imagination.

This is likely why the location is known as Galleon Rock.

The rock itself isn't our focus today, though, as geologically interesting as it may be. No, our focus today is the cave-system under the rock. At the base of the hill a small stream rushes from the dripping, moss-slicked mouth of a tunnel. A tunnel from which the charnel stench of decay wafts. See, the nearby villages have been having problems recently. Animals going missing. People going missing. Graves, both fresh and old, being disturbed. The people suspect vile necromancy may be at work, but they hardly have the force of arms to overcome such a loathsome supernatural threat.

So they did what any self-respecting village besieged by horrors does.

They pooled their resources and hired people to come hit the problem with swords until it isn't a problem anymore.

((Open plawt for anyone who feels inclined to jump it. It should be pretty quick, all things considered.))

[Devixer]

Tower Precipice

Cherie sighs. "Normally, I'd prefer to celebrate with a glass of wine and a long bath at my home. But, if the good lady requests my presence, then it is only right of me to follow her." Although she may not be the most enthusiastic of the three, she still follows Naku and Devero to the DFI.

[Mee]

Devero looks down to his bloodied physique, agreeing with Naku, but at the same time expressing disappointment with the endless drawbacks to his abilities.

"I don't know which ones worse the transforming, or the blades. I tend to switch between the two," he admits whilst looking around his body to ensure that they all remained intact and he hadn't forgotten anything, "things have gotten messy in the past regardless of which one I'd use."
The sack attached to my back, all six blades sheathed on my waist, and lastly my special sword...yep I've got everything, he finishes thinking while removing the blood red skull-faced necklace and putting it in his pocket.

Devero agrees to Naku's suggestion with a firm nod then follows her, eager to sit, relax, and drink.

Tower Precipice

Cherie sighs. "Normally, I'd prefer to celebrate with a glass of wine and a long bath at my home. But, if the good lady requests my presence, then it is only right of me to follow her." Although she may not be the most enthusiastic of the three, she still follows Naku and Devero to the DFI.

"I've found things just have a habit of getting messy while adventuring. It's unfortunate, really."

Then awaaaaaaay they go!

[Deathkeeper]

[Galleon Rock]

Well, unfortunately, the villagers aren't going to get a sword.
I mean, Jace owns one, but it's very unlikely he's going to use it as he has absolutely no idea how to do that. He has a knife and a teeny-tiny gun though. That's probably worth something. And hey, he has the billowing cloak thing down, which is pretty ace adventurer material. And the shiny shoulder-animal. Which isn't really expected but it does make one look more impressive.

And notable, not any children because it is a week-day and that means good little pokemon are at school even when they can institutionally tell when Daddy is gearing up. Adorable little menace.

So. Tunnel with a stream. One- Two! Two adventurers. One dramatic entrance.
What awaits them at the base of the tunnel?

[Rebonack]

[Gallion Rock]

There's pretty much a one hundred percent chance that if Khannie knew her dad is adventuring she would insist on coming for the purpose of punching things.

But instead she's learning math.

The horror.

Jace will need to duck a bit (and probably get his boots wet) to enter the cave. He'll find himself met with absolute darkness and a pretty gross smell. Aside from the gurgling of the creek and the occasional drip of water no other sounds are coming from the cave. No rattling of bones. No shuffling of corpses. Not moans of the damned.

Yet.

That might change soon.

But first, Jace might want to light things up a bit.

[Deathkeeper]

[Galleon Rock]

When times are dark, that's a job for a pocket dragon! Well, really either of them could do a simple floating light spell, but Zebes handles this one because Jace is doing the nice thing and wading through water in a dark tunnel. That's what his thick adventuring boots are for, but still. Slow and steady, only now with light.

[Rebonack]

[Galleon Rock]

And so the sloshing begins.

Truth be told, there will likely be quite a bit of this during the adventure.

After a good ten feet of slogging, the tunnel opens up into a much wider cavern with two more tunnels branching off of it. The river flows from the path to the right, while the one to the left looks much dryer. Perhaps even worked? Though before Jace has time to decide on which path to take he'll be met with an obstacle.

Or, maybe not an obstacle.

Maybe just something gross.

A pair of corpses are sprawled out of a rocky shelf, stinking to high heaven and appearing pretty darn dead.

Though when you're dealing with necromancy, it can be hard to tell...

[Deathkeeper]

Galleon Rock

And now it's time for some dirty work.
Jace covers his nose with a cloth and gives the bodies a cursory examination. Mostly, to check out how old they are and if they could be some of the missing villagers that were mentioned or older victims. Zebes sniffs around for necromancy in the air.

[Rebonack]

[Galleon Rock]

Zebes is totally going to smell tons of necromancy in the air. It's as thick as the gross, scummy growths all over the two zombies.

Because those are totally two zombies.

As soon as Jace gets close enough to examine the corpses, they spring to their feet! The nasty things are actually pretty spry for dead guys, and the closer of the two just sprouted some really terrifying looking claws as its face split open into a toothy maw!

And not split open the correct sort of way, either.

Vertically.

Thing-style.

A rotting tendril of flesh that probably wasn't originally a tendril at all lashes out of the corpse and aims to wrap itself around Jace's neck! The other zombie seems to be more of the slow, plodding sort. By the time it stands up that's about all it can muster.

[Deathkeeper]

Galleon Rock

Ha! A predictable chara- oh gods why.
Jace's plan was to send cold through the watery muck at the zombies to immobplize and stab them with ice, and he still does that. Only now he has to dodge a tendril, which he does, waving at it with a knife in a poor excuse for a parry. He's very lucky to have been expecting an attack and prepared to jump aside.

[Shadowcaller]

Galleon Rock

A large purple falcon settles down on the top of the rock, and then spends a few moments in thought. Did the rock really look like a Galleon? Maybe if you turned your head a bit...

Didn't it look more like a sword from this perspective?

Or a bird?

The falcon turns its head the other direction, squinting its eyes. Yeah...

They shoud rename it bird-rock!

The villagers had to be informed as soon as it had dealt with the situation. The falcon lands in front of the rock and starts peering inside the tunnel underneath. Bird-tunnel perhaps?

[Rebonack]

[Galleon Rock]

The tunnel is pretty easy to find, though it's some distance from the rock proper. It should be pretty easy to spot between the creek running out of it and the sounds of pitched combat coming from within it. Should the oddly colored bird fly down to check it out, she'll discover Jace being harassed by a really freaky zombie!

Isn't that swell?

With a rather distinct sound of grinding ice, spears of frozen water stab the ever-loving crap out of the tentacle zombie. The monster twitches spasmodically for a few moments before melting into a heap of viscous fluid. The stuff is about as thick as molasses. Looks like it, too. Sadly it doesn't smell like molasses.

At all.

Jace may be left gagging from the nasty aroma.

The other zombie somehow manages to stumble out of range of the ice spikes. It flails at Zebes in a mostly pathetic fashion.

[Shadowcaller]

[Galleon Rock]

What bird? I don't see any birds.
There is a black panther though, sneaking down the newly discovered (and named) bird-tunnel. Though upon further consideration, perhaps "piss tunnel" would be a better name. The smell, the dampness, that sound of running water? Yeah, piss tunnel it is, running right underneath **** rock.
But suddenly, name considerations are interrupted as the panther spots, and hears, fighting.
It stops in its tracks and takes a moment to analyze the situation.

Oh, who am I kidding?

It runs through the watery tunnel and takes a leap, turning into a big bark bear and attempts to trash the other zombie with its powerful pawns.

[Deathkeeper]

Galleon Rock

Suddenly bear!
"Hello bear." says Jace weakly. He wasn't really expecting that. His dagger is quickly sheathed.
Though he keeps a finger ready if he has to give it additional blasting.

[Rebonack]

[Galleon Rock]

The other zombie is rather unceremoniously pummeled to (re)death.

Oddly enough, this one doesn't melt like the precious one did. No doubt there's a reason for that, though whether our heroes are aware of the reason or not remains to be seen.

So!

We're left with a human, a bear, and a pocket dragon hanging out in a cavern with a watery path to the right and a dry path to the left. And, of course, a cavern that may or may not have hidden baubles somewhere just waiting to be looted.

What do our heroes do?

[Shadowcaller]

[Galleon Rock]

Take that!

The bear watches as the zombies plummets down. You could never be sure with zombies, but that might just have destroyed it.

It then turns to look at the mage and tilts its head. Hmm...

Suddenly, in a cloud of green the bear disappears and in its place is a tall purple woman dressed in a red patched up robe. "Hello, Mr. Magican." The shapeshifter greets, offering her hand to shake. "And that would be 'miss bear'." She claims with a wide smile, her amber eyes watching him with amusement.

[Deathkeeper]

[Galleon Rock]

Jace steps away from the corpse and the goo, hoping to keep it from getting all over his shoes.
"Well thank you for the assist, Miss Bear. You here to do some heroics?" he asks, with a straight face to obfuscate whether he's fooled into thinking that's her name of just being facetious.

[Rebonack]

[Galleon Rock]

The stream continues to burble past as it has for aeons, oblivious to the presence of our heroes. Thankfully its washing away that vile scuz and taking the stink with it.

Meanwhile!

Elsewhere in the cave, atop a grisly alter of bones, a nefarious hooded figure is directing skeletons to toss another corpse atop the blasphemous monument.

"Sure this time, yes," the evil conjurer titters to no one in particular. "This time it will work, yes. I shall draw something in from the outside, yes. I will bind it to my will, yes. Yes! Already I've mastered the powers of the outside for the reanimation of dead flesh, yes! YES! And next it will be a being of POWER from the outside I will master, yes! And none of those small minded fools will stand in my way, yes!" they shriek in maniacal glee to a nearby idle skeleton.

The skeleton just stands there, about as oblivious as the stream flowing through the cave.

"They said it was impossible, yes! But look at you! Look at ALL of you! Nothing can stop me now!"

The skeleton has no reaction to this.

Which apparently upsets the necromancer.

"Applaud, you mindless heap of bones, yes! Applaud for your master, yes!"

And now the skeleton is clapping. Or at least trying to. Several bones go flying off its hands.

"Yeeeees!"

[Shadowcaller]

[Galleon Rock]

"Heroics? Nah. Just exploring." Says "Miss Bear". "Being called a 'hero' feels rather cheesy these days, doesn't it? We're just idiots on a power trip really." She turns her attention to the passage. "I do wonder where this leads though. Considering the dangers this place pose, we might be two of the very few people who ever come down here. Feels kinda exciting."

[Deathkeeper]

[Galleon Rock]

Jace shrugs. "Speak for yourself. I'm here to rescue some folks and come back with a story and juice-box money for my daughter. My ego's quite healthy. Come on now, we need to get moving before something realizes we trashed their sentries." the sorcerer suggests, moving deeper into the cave.
"Oh, and call me Jace." he calls back. Zebes is staying quiet. He likes surprising people with his intelligence some ways into knowing them.

[Shadowcaller]

[Galleon Rock]

His daughter? And here she thought people just retired when they had children. Getting to places like this could sometimes take days, so would you leave the little sucker alone for such a long time? But then again, he was a mage so he probably teleported around or something. Man, instant travel would make her life so easy. No more flying around in the wilderness for days.
"Alright, Jace. So is there a plan? Mages don't usually run headlong into things." Anika remarks as she tags along, trying to take the lead. No one would be crazy enough to place traps here, right?

[Rebonack]

[Galleon Rock]

So apparently our heroes are taking the right path, following the stream's very slight uphill grade. It's a pretty slick trek, so they had best watch their footing lest they face-plant in icy water.

Which wouldn't be fun at all.

It'll take a good ten minutes before they find anything interesting, which should give Jace plenty of time to lay out his devious and well thought-out plan for thwarting the evil necromancer that's take up residence in the cave. Because surely he has such a plan.

Right?

Right?

Regardless!

Eventually they'll come to a vertical shaft with water pouring down it in addition to a few beams of sunlight filtering through from above. It's rather pretty, honestly. Though they won't have much time to contemplate it before the air is filled with the sound of awful shrieking as a bunch of rather unpleasant looking giant bat/mosquito things descend toward them!

Stirges!

The batbugs will do their best to stab their probosces (probosci?) into our heroes and drain their blood. It may be wise not to allow them to do that.

[Deathkeeper]

[Galleon Rock]

"The plan is blasting all undead and necromancers in our path, and you two stand in front of me if things get real bad." Jace says casually, slogging away.

And then enemies! Jace reacts immediately with an outstretched hand, sending a missile of force out to five different stirges, each moving to strike like a well-thrown, large stone.

[Shadowcaller]

[Galleon Rock]

So there was no plan, darn.

It would be hypocritical for Anika to complain about the lack of one however as her plans were about on the same level. Simple, straight forward and short term. It was always a relief if someone in the party thought ahead and planned long-term though. That way they could cover every basis and wouldn't need to worry too much about say, how killing that one warlord caused a horrific civil war when the political body collapsed upon itself.

It was always nice leaving that sort of thinking to other people.

But no matter, there were more things to kill!

'Miss Bear' turns back into a bear which should have more than enough natural armor to be protected from the Stirges stings as it attempts to maul and/or bite any of the flying creatures that come too close. The bear roars loudly as it fights, trying to get the blood-suckers attention away from Jace.

[Rebonack]

[Galleon Rock]

Blast those stirges!

Chomp those stirges!

Several of the gross batbugs are unceremoniously slain. The rest promptly ignore the bear made of wood and swarm Jace from several sides at once.

Hmm.

Seems that tactic backfired somewhat.

Probably because bears made of wood are notoriously short on blood supply.

But sorcerers?

They have plenty!