deernet | Video: UN

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Video: UN - JustD

[The video isn't of D, but instead a carefully drawn map of Trench and its close surrounding areas with rough lines indicating the tunnels. The video zooms back to show a rough outline of a path leading from Trenchwood further inland, denoted as '30 miles' and then a point circled and labeled as 'outpost lantern'.]

Earthquakes and underground tunnels last month, and severe storms this month. If this city sinks into the ground or is washed away, there's nowhere to go.

[D puts another sheet of paper down in front of the video, this one showing a rough outline of ruined building and some sketched in structures and a perimeter wall.]

Last month, Manabu Yuuki led an expedition, this lantern point is as far as we went before we had to return. The wilds are full of aggressive plants and animals, high levels of corruption, and even the plants that don't attack will probably kill people.

But this is a chance to make an outpost. Every time I've gone out there I've come under attack almost immediately, but if we made it that far, we can make this work too.

I'm looking for anyone who can and will fight, anyone who can aid in building fortifications to make defenses easier, and anyone with the ability or knowledge to provide magical protection and reduce corruption, or who can provide supplies and support.

I'll provide food and shelter or items for trade to anyone who works on turning this outpost into a haven.

My name is D. I'm setting up a staging point for people and supplies in the house near the Watch Tower with the red door and cloth banners. Contact me here, or look for me there between mid afternoon and sundown.

[OOC: Plotting post for this open and approved player plot here and location post and information here. An open log post will be going up sometime in the next week.]

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I’m willing to help. [ she might not be overly confident in her own abilities but she knows she’s capable and this would be a good time to prove it to herself. ]

I can bring my guardian with me. He should be able to deal with anything out there without too much trouble, especially if I’m there.

I won't tell you not to, but I do want to go over a few things first and see your guardian.

[D has accepted a certain amount of responsibility for Sharon's wellbeing due to his offer for lessons and he takes that very seriously.]

[ she makes a tiny face when he says he wants to go over a few things. sounds like there might be rules or guidelines and she’s always been a touch rebellious. ] Yeah, all right. You’ll have to come with me to see him, though. He stays on the outskirts of the city for the most part.

[He's not very big on rules and guidelines. The few he bothers to lay out are always very important at least in his mind.]

I can do that. Any time except when I'm manning the staging point. We can talk then, too.

All right. Just let me know when. [ she’s in no rush but she is a little nervous about showing him her guardian. he’ll be the first person to actually see him aside from Rose—and that meeting had been brief, just a rush of violence before he stalked off, unable to return to the otherworld. ]

Now is as good a time as any.

Okay. Meet me here. [ she sends him a quick but detailed map of the area she wants to meet. it’s close to the forest and not an overly safe area, as evidenced by a cute monster doodle with sharp teeth and a tiny rawr above it’s head. ]

[Hopefully Sharon gets satisfaction from having drawn the monster, because D will show no appreciation of her artistic flair.]

I'll be there soon.

[And then D hangs up.

When he shows up, he is riding a very large and very dark nightmare steed and wearing his cloak as an added layer of protection from the miserable weather. The nightmare is at least behaving himself and D dismounts with any difficulty or attempts for the nightmare to challenge Sharon to some kind of staring contest or violence.]

Go on. I'll let you know when I need you again.

[The nightmare paws at the ground a little before looking around and picking a direction to wander off back towards town.]

[ the monster was drawn more as an indicator of danger than just for fun but she’s a creative type. everything she does has some tiny bit of artistry to it.

that’s in part why, when he arrives, he’ll find her dressed in typical Trench style fashion, dark leggings and a frilled shirt, but her clothing is spattered in paint, as are her hands. both bright, vibrant colors and deep, dark ones. there are even smears of it upon her face where she’d brushed her bangs back. a bright silver gun rests in a holster at her hip.

she raises a brow and lets out soft, impressed huh at his dark steed. the creature was unexpected and a touch intimidating. she feels a flash of relief when he sends it on its way. she’s never been great around animals, a remnant of fear born in Alessa she’s never quite managed to erase. ]

Where’d you get the spooky horse? [ she asks as she jerks her head in the direction of the tree line, motioning him to follow. there’s already evidence that something large hangs around the area. there are deep marks in the ground as if something were dragging around a large, sharp object. ]

I wanted to see if a nightmare would be as useful as a cyborg horse. After I won a fight with him he decided to start following me sometimes.

[Sometimes D thinks the horse-like creature is only sticking around D out of morbid curiosity and to eat the things he kills. He follows along with Sharon.]

They're very durable. Don't pick a fight with one.

[Durable enough that D's not too concerned about the organic legs it has as he would be with a regular horse.]

Everything I've shown you so far has been for tracking down a person or beast and fighting against one or a small number of opponents by yourself. The outpost won't be like that at all.

[ between the cyborg horse comment and the fact he thought to just fight a nightmare, the look she throws his direction is one of exaggerated disbelief. ]

Don’t worry, I don’t go around picking fights. [ with anything or anyone. she’s fairly passive despite her tendency to jump to sarcasm and snark when frustrated or annoyed.

when he mentions the outpost, she sucks on her teeth in a moment of thought as she leads him further into the forest, following the drag marks. ] What will it be like then?

[ her tone implies she’s not too worried but it’s clear she wants a better understanding so she can be properly prepared. ]

Unfortunately just going around might be enough to pick a fight with one.

[There's a faint hint of dry humor in his voice. He respects the strange unicorn's aggression, and that for all their strength they'd rather eat something already dead than kill for food.]

This is going to be a battlefield in one of the worst scenarios possible. Defending an unfortified location indefinitely. We lose the advantage defenders sometimes have of picking a location and preparing to our advantage, and our only objective and only means of success is to hold our ground. We'll be under attack with no choice in when or how many enemies we engage at once or how often we have to fight.

[There's not much that would be worse except perhaps fighting that kind of battle through the neighborhoods of Trench.

The trail they're following is curious. D has seen the marks from time to time before during his exploration, but has never followed them.]

Edited 2022-07-09 05:13 (UTC)

[ she’s quiet for a breath after his explanation, mulling over his words with the seriousness they deserve. she knew it wouldn’t be like anything she’s done before, not as Sharon Da Silva, but oddly enough the prospect excites her as much as it makes her nervous. ]

I think I’ll be able to handle it, especially with my guardian around. He was made to protect me from anything and everything and the place he comes from… [ she trails off, uncertain how to describe the otherworld and the horrors it encompasses. ] I know I told you there aren’t monsters where I’m from but that wasn’t entirely true. There are and they’re nothing like what you might encounter here. They exist in a separate plane of reality that your average person won’t ever see. He’s from the Otherworld, a place of darkness. To many, it’s Hell.

[ the further in they go, the fresher the marks appear and soon they come across remnants of brutal fights. days old blood. monster body parts yet to be scavenged away entirely. there are damaged and downed trees and bits of old monster flesh in branches as if something were torn apart and scattered. ] If I can’t handle something, he can and will.

This will be quick and chaotic. You can't depend only on him, and there are concerns other than just fighting.

[Which is part of why D wanted to have this conversation.]

I don't know if you've noticed, but I almost never use my right hand for anything even though I'm right handed. You should start practicing doing the same and avoid using your dominant hand, it's a common practice among my kind of Hunter to keep that hand busy to grab your weapon.

[He's ambidextrous, really, but more practiced with his right hand, and having his Left Hand makes wielding a weapon with that hand complicated. It's also why they're not working with a spear too long to used with one hand even if it's much less effective.]

It's time for new boots, too. At least up to the knee, waterproof and for your case fireproof as well. Gloves too with the problems blood corruption causes.

[D reaches into a pocket and pulls out a pair of decently sized coins, both solid gold.]

There's no money system here, but gold is gold. You'll be able to get blood-enchanted clothing with this.

[ Sharon gives a hum of acknowledgment when he tells her she needs to practice more with her non-dominant hand but she doesn't pull her attention from their surroundings until he pulls out the coins. She stops moving and looks back at him, bright eyes bouncing from the coins in his hand to his face. A tiny small graces her lips. ]

I'll work on using my left hand more and I'll pick up new gloves and boots but I'd prefer to pay for them myself. [ She likes that he's offered but she's fiercely independent when it comes to certain things and this is one of them. ] I won't even dally, I'll get it done after I get back. [ Because she's prone to put things off, as he's surely come to notice. ]

When I started teaching you I took on responsibility for more than just giving lessons. If you want to hold onto them and give them back when you start working alone as a Hunter, that's fine.

Until then, they're yours.

[D takes his commitments very seriously and the only thing stopping him from handing over a handful or two is that it would be way more than she needs and he has limited availability compared to his usual wealth.]

Get a metal spearhead as well.

[ She'll take and pocket the coins with a wrinkle of her nose. ] These are wasted on me, D, and I'll just put them away until I can return them. [ She is frustratingly stubborn at times.

It's not long before they reach an area of the forest that lacks the usual sounds of life. No insects hum and no birds sing. It's as if life knows something walks this area beyond unnatural. The drag marks are the freshest here. Sharon comes to an abrupt halt and soon an odd, tinny groan echoes through the trees in front of them. It's like a whale song but hollow and muffled.

Something large shifts ahead of them and a hulking creature comes into view. It's human in appearance but stands well over seven feet tall. Its strange pyramid-shaped head twists in their direction and its grip tightens on the overly large knife it holds at its side as it notices D. It recognizes the danger he poses but makes no move towards them. ]

The Order of Valtiel thought of him as an executioner because he would hunt them down when the darkness came and tear them apart. Anyone and anything that would harm me would die, if not by my hand or by the monsters, by his. [ There's a warm affection in Sharon's tone. ]

[D's sixth sense picks up the same thing that has the insects and birds quiet. It's similar to the aura he has that keeps birds silent and away from him. He remains still and quiet as they wait for the thing he's been hearing to approach.]

I see.

[For someone who feels hunted, D can understand Sharon's affection for the hunter chasing her tormentors.]

And he won't attack sleepers as long as we leave him alone and aren't harming you?

[This thing has a more solid form than the otherworldly horrors of D's experience, but perhaps it needs a more stable and physical manifestation.]

Exactly. As long as they're not active threats to me or him, he'll just ignore them. They won't mean anything to him. [ It was how it had handled the prisoners in the asylum that hadn't attacked her and it was how it dealt with Chris and Vincent after Claudia had been taken care of. ]

We'll just need to make sure people know to be careful when fighting anything near him. [ Red Pyramid groans as it shifts closer towards them, dragging the large, rusted knife behind it and it leaves deep wounds in the ground, tearing up dirt and root. The closer it gets, the more visible the old wounds and scars become. Its upper body is peppered with them and it becomes obvious the apron around its waist is made of stitched-together human flesh, old and leathered. ]

I think he'll be useful. More useful out there than he is out here.

[That is far from the first garment D has made from human skin, and he doubts it will be the last.]

He will be very useful. I'll get something to put on him to make it clear to anyone who sees him that he's not an enemy.

[D has a hard time telling just how much of a mind is in there. It's not mindless, nor is it a puppet. It clearly acts of its own will, but D isn't sure how it decides what to kill and what to ignore. Is he able to tell on some instinctual level when something is a threat to Sharon whether the thing he's looking at even knows she exists or not?]

Will he react if I put my hand on you, or intend you harm, or only if I do something threatening.

Good idea. [ Not even Alessa tried to accessorize Red but Sharon knows it won't care, not if she's the one to put it on. Chances are good it won't even notice. ]

I don't totally understand it, I probably never will, but... When I'm afraid, he comes, and if I need him and I'm not afraid, I can just reach out to him. It's as if there's a thread inside of me that leads to him. [ He was born with a purpose and that purpose is tied to her. Every monster in the Otherworld has a purpose even if she doesn't know them. ]

I think he can see when something could be a danger. [ A heavy pause as she looks back at D. ] He sees you. [ Her face screws up in a look of concentration. ] But he feels what I feel. I'm not afraid of you so he won't hurt you. If that were to change, though... [ She trails off. The implication is obvious. If she were to fear D or if he were to endanger her, chances are good this giant of a monster is something he would have to face if she willed it. ]

[Whatever else D might be, he can't deny that he's always dangerous. The concept makes sense in a strange way even if D has no direct parallels to draw from that kind of connection isn't unfamiliar, even if it's usually one created intentionally.]

I see. I understand now why you're confident he'll always be there to protect you, he's not a fully separate being. Remind me to tell you sometime about the witches of my dimension and their guardians and familiars.

[The implication that if Sharon ever becomes afraid of him he'll have to deal with this creature doesn't seem to bother D at all. It's just one in a long line of strange things he's encountered, many of which could have killed him, some of which did kill him.]

We should get him out there sooner rather than later when it's time to start.

Mm, I'll do that sometime. [ It's definitely something that interests her given that Christabella thought of her as a witch before she saw her as a demon. A part of her is desperate to figure out what she is though she's mostly resigned herself to the fact that she may never truly know.

When he speaks again, she nods in understanding. ] You just let me know when and I'll get him out there. [ The metal-headed creature gives a groan in an echo of her statement. ] This'll probably be good for him. I don't know if he gets bored or... if he feels much of anything but maybe he'll like having more to do.

Beings made for a purpose are usually happiest when carrying it out.

[Or reprogrammed to carry out a task, but D suspects this one came into existence with its purpose in mind.]

There are a couple ways you can use your abilities that will be more useful in the wide chaos of a larger fight as well.

[D has apparently decided that's all he needs of the strange creature, and he turns away from it to walk back towards the lamp point without any concern.]

Feet are very rarely a true vulnerability, but in a situation like this hampering the mobility of a larger number and avoiding doing so to allies will be helpful. It will also help buy you time for your guardian to handle enemies.

All this rain will make it safer to practice carpeting areas with fire. If you can bring fire up consistently in a spot behind you or in a ring around you, that will also be a technique to work on. Aside from the precision and speed work those two will be more useful in this kind of situation than anything else we're working on with your abilities.

[ D turns away and Sharon follows suit. Red Pyramid will follow them for a distance until it decides Sharon isn't in danger from the creatures in the area and wander back to its resting location.

She listens and takes mental notes. ]

I'll up the time I practice then and see how consistent I can get. I've done rings of fire before, though they were easier when I was angry and had plenty of living kindling. [ Her main worry here is setting allies on fire but she's been getting better and better with her control, especially given how often she's been working on it. ]

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