Outside III: Beware the Non-Existant Duck

[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.

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. Thank you.

[Neon Knight]

Last time, on [Greensbrook Swamp]

Judy and Johnny were feeding the Gray Render while Plotz watched.

[Lex-Kat]

Just so no one misses Jacklu's post in the previous thread.

[tower]

Latalla shrugs and tosses the coin in herself, making another wish for good measure. She then turns her attention to helping the undead lady investigate the fountains.

[nightmare central]

The girl's hand is cut by the talons, but it fails to bleed. She looks at the wounds for a moment before withdrawing her hand and studying it intently. She then turns her gaze onto the eyes looking at her. She reaches out to grab one, her hand moving with a marked swiftness.

[Greensbrook Swamp]

Judy takes another piece of meat and walks a little bit away from the Render then holds it up, forcing it to come to her.

[Neon Knight]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

The Render tilts its head curiously, following Judy and reaching out with a claw for the meat.

[ThePhantom]

[Route to Monument to the Efficacy of Steam]

Marley runs along, trying to make up for lost time.

"I hope I bought enough to let me get what I need."

[Rebonack]

[Meteor Field]

The eyes, being both small and within the crown of tentacles, prove to be rather hard to grab. Especially since all the tentacles lash out to sink both talons and cnematocysts into the woman's hand as soon as it gets too close.

Should she get snagged a rather unpleasant paralyzing neuro-toxin will be pumped into her.

Several more polyps on the ends of tendrils begin pushing their way from the surface of the 'tree' slithering through the syrupy air to similarly latch onto the woman.

[Lex-Kat]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

Before the Render can grasp the meat, Judy tosses up into the air just in front of it's mouth. Catch!

[Neon Knight]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

The Render lunged forward, catching the meat in its jaws and eating it hungrily.

[Jacklu]

[meteor field]

As the toxin begins to flood her system, the girl pauses her attempts to snatch one of the eyes. She focuses for a moment and her body ripples slightly. The neuro-toxin's effects cease and she takes a step back from the stalk. As the polyps approach her, she takes a step back and attempts to maneuver to grab one by the tendril just below the tentacled "head."

[Lex-Kat]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

What do you think Johnny, think they'll let us keep him? She says as she tries to imitate sitting for the Render. Sit. Sit.

[Neon Knight]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

The Gray Render tilts its head this way and that, trying to figure out what Judy is doing.

[Lex-Kat]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

Judy sits all the way down. Sit.

[Neon Knight]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

The Render sits down. Since it weighs 2 tons, this might be a bit jarring.

[Lex-Kat]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

Judy claps her hands softly, trying not to scare it. Good Boy!! Good Boy!! She then tosses it another piece of meat.

[Rebonack]

[Aberrant Arboretum]

The woman does a pretty nice job of snagging the snake/anemone/pointy thing with her quick snagging motion. The tentacles begin to flail about violently as they apparently aren't too keen on this treatment.

From the mists a shape begins to approach. Only a vague outline now. An outline that looks almost... human?

Maybe another traveler lost in this syrupy sea?

"Greetings!"

Hey look!

It's a deranged cultist!

He's got tentacles in place of one arm. They're all squiggly.

"Have you come to admire the work of the Holy Mother?"

[Neon Knight]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

The Render catches the meat, tearing into it quickly.

One must wonder what one names a pet Gray Render.

[Lex-Kat]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

Judy walks over to it and pets it again. Good Boy.

Judy is thinking of calling it Rocky.

[Neon Knight]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

It accepts the petting docilely, perhaps realizing that it is a gesture of affection.

Neon would have named it Rendle, but Rocky is cool too. He has the heart of a champion.

[Lex-Kat]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

Judy continues to pet it and says, Good Rocky. Good Rocky.

[Jacklu]

[field of dreams]

The woman hold up her hand and it shifts, flowing together and flattening into a sharp blade. She sweeps it upwards, trying to sever the tendril. At the same time, she looks at the cultist. Unknown. Identify "Holy Mother."

[Rebonack]

[Aberrant Arboretum]

The tendril is removed with a nasty *slitch!* sort of sound. And in being removed it begins to hemorrhage brilliant opalescent white inchor. It also kinda smells gross. The thing continues to flail about despite being removed from the main mass.

The deranged cultist looks all to happy to answer that question. "Why, the Holy Mother is the planter of this garden of wonders!" he motions at the surroundings with his icky squid-arm. "In her divine wisdom she saw fit to give this land a taste of her paradise beyond the heavens! Is it not glorious?"

Now that he's a bit closer...

The man is clad in an earth-tone robe. The itchy sort that is no doubt made specifically to be uncomfortable. For the most part the fellow looks rather normal. Except his hair has been replaced with a mane of silvery cilia. And of course his arm is now a nest of a half-dozen or so gray rubbery tentacles. Otherwise he looks fairly normal.

If deranged.

[Jacklu]

[still there]

The young woman looks at the tendril in her hand and studies it. She smells it. She turns it over in her hand several times. She even goes so far as to lick it thoughtfully. After her examination, she drops it and looks at the cultist. Unknown. Glorious? She hold up her arm and looks at the cultists carefully. Her flesh ripples and shifts and her arms becomes a mass of tentacles identical to the cultists in appearance. She flexes the tentacle arm curiously and holds it up for the cultist to see. Glorious? Confusion. What is the purpose of "paradise beyond the heavens?" She tilts her head slightly, the first hint of expressed emotion on her part.

[ThePhantom]

[Route to Monument to the Efficacy of Steam]

Marley walks back to GLoG, thinking.

Okay, I think I can trick Reinholdt into being in the same room as me, and I know of at least one thing that he shouldn't see coming, and if I get lucky and knock him out, I should have no problem getting out of the citadel with him. Then, he can stand trial for his crimes.

[Rebonack]

[Aberrant Arboretum]

"Oh very nice!" the cultist laughs as the tentacles are formed, clapping his hands... eerr... hand against his rubbery limb. "Why, it is a reward for all those who follow the ways of the Holy Mother. When our life is near its end we are carried to her paradise! It is a most wonderful thing, I assure you."

By 'carried' he means 'eaten alive'.

The tentacle just sort of... floats in the syrupy air. It isn't moving anymore.

[Jacklu]

[over there]

The girl takes this information in. She considers it. Understanding. Define "Life." Her attention turns back to the floating tendril. She squats down to look at it intently. She holds her hand in front of her and sweeps it through the air, determining just how thick it has become.

[Neon Knight]

[Greensbrook Swamp]

Rocky the Render watches Judy, curious.

[Connor Darkdart]

[The Fields]

Normally, a powerful entity arrives in a new universe in a fiery meteor or other such amazing feat. The Foot on the other hand, arrived by slowly walking down from a small door he made in the sky. Once he reached the floor he said I wonder where my twin is.

[FireFox]

[The Fields]

Angela leaves the Taverna, and wanders through the grass.

[Rebonack]

[The Aberrant Arboretum]

"Oh, life is a most wondrous thing! Life separates us from the stones!" the deranged cultist declares proudly. "But in the domain of the Holy Mother all is life! Even the stones! The land itself has a heart-beat, or so I have been told. Does that not sound glorious?"

He seems to be very enthusiastic about this subject.

[Jacklu]

The woman considers his words. She holds out her tentacled arm and her flesh ripples, turning into stone. Or at least taking on the appearance of stone. Glorious? Her body shifts more, flowing to mimic the cultist's down to the finest detail. Oddly, she is covered with patches that seem to be made of stone. Is Holy Mother?