Video: UN - JustD

[distant_one]

[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.]

Comments

voice; un: ghostking

[umbraportation]

[ Did someone say fight and plants? Welp... ]

I can fight. I also have a tendency to kill plants within a radius around me.

voice; un: ghostking

[distant_one]

All the time, or only when you're fighting or unhappy?

[D is not at all put off by that statement and doesn't seem to think it's strange at all. They might as well be making pleasant smalltalk.]

[umbraportation]

Any negative emotion will do. Anger, sadness - that sort of thing.

[ There's a wide collection of people here, he's not surprised when someone kind of guesses how that particular power works. ]

[distant_one]

As long as you don't kill the blood roses or too many of the nonviolent plants that's not a problem.

[D has a similar problem keeping his own aura in check when he's unhappy, but he can usually keep it out of 'kill the nearby plant life' levels]

[umbraportation]

It's not really something I can control well enough to pick and choose, but I'll save it as a last resort and avoid the blood roses.

[ He'd like to be better at it, but unfortunately life likes to throw him curve balls. ]

[distant_one]

I see.

[There's a long, heavy pause.]

I can help you with that.

[umbraportation]

[ A pause on Nico's end, as well. ]

You have experience?

video; un: v

[mehanizovati]

[he looks curious, but business first.] I have the centrifuge ready, for the capsules.

But this is intriguing, I'll admit. [the attitude of the natives this month makes him. hm. concerned.] If the working conditions can be made safe I may be able to help on a few matters. Defenses, general construction matters like lighting, even heating or cooling.

[distant_one]

Yes.

voice; un: JustD

[distant_one]

Good. I can make arrangements for a supplier if you need one.

[Going back to blood capsules is enough make D sound relieved. He spends a few moments considering his options, or perhaps just deciding if he wants to continue talking over the network.]

Aside from defenses, those are all luxuries that can wait. I have something to show you.

[umbraportation]

[ Another moment of silence. ]

Yeah, sure. I'll take all the help I can get. Fair warning, it should be somewhere that there aren't other people. Killing plants isn't the only thing that can happen if it's bad enough.

[distant_one]

[That is very out of control, or perhaps the kid is simply much more 'Death' than D is on a mystical level.]

There are plenty of places. How much room do you need?

[umbraportation]

[ He would be more willing to explain in person, rather than over the open communication. ]

Not too much, ten or twenty feet. I just don't want some bystander walking into it on accident.

[mehanizovati]

It would be helpful. [then a pause, an unseen cock of his head, curious.]

Oh? Is it something you can bring to my lab? I'm there now.

[distant_one]

That's easily doable. I'll meet you at the waystation lamp.

[D does not like going out in the rain at all but he will do it to investigate someone he thinks might be like himself.]

[distant_one]

[D has to spend a moment weighing the misery of carrying the coffin through the rain against making the Viktor come to him, or worse still, trying to talk his new steed into accepting a second rider.

He'll just get the massive nightmare to help.]

Yes. I'll be there soon.

[The coffin will fit through the front door at least.]

[umbraportation]

Yeah, sure. Give me a few minutes to get there.

[ He's got nothing else going on, and has to find his way there. Nico will be pretty easy to pick out of a crowd, wearing all black while his t-shirt has a skeleton pegasus and the words "Camp Half-Blood: on it. ]

[distant_one]

[D is also wearing all black. Black wide brimmed traveler's hat, black great coat. Black scarf.

And now that he can get a better feel for the kid D can tell they're on a similar mystical wavelength. They both have an air of death and doom about them, even if D keeps his suppressed to the point that most people can't sense it, he can never quite get rid of it entirely without hiding himself completely.]

You're young. Wouldn't ghost prince have been a better choice?

[Not that D looks like he could possibly be older than 19 himself.]

video -> action

[mehanizovati]

[viktor, like a fool, assumes this is going to be something that fits in a bag and not an entire coffin. one day he'll learn.] Excellent, I will see you soon then.


[and he will be in the lab as promised, mostly scribbling in his notebook, going over what looks like weird magic formulas. the centrifuge sits proudly on one of the tables, tested and ready for use.

he's actually quite enjoyed the whole process. the capsule business has been an interesting project.]

action

[distant_one]

[D, as usually, doesn't bother with things like 'goodbye' or 'see you soon' and just hangs up.

The coffin comes through the front door easily enough. But then D's nightmare steed decides to try to come through and D has to push it back out with a scolding 'No. wait outside. I'll get you another beetle if you're still here when I'm done.'

Getting the coffin further than that will be difficult, so D leaves it there and opens the lid to fiddle with it for a moment until the surface distorts. Looking down into the open lid gives the impression of looking up into a room, ornate chandelier and all.]

[umbraportation]

[ Ah, someone who could understand his fashion sense.

Somehow, he isn't all that surprised that Just D bring Nico the sensation that he just walked into the Underworld. Though he can't quite put a finger on why or what D might be, having never experienced this before. ]

I'm older than I look. An Oracle called me that once, and I couldn't think of a better one.

[ Nico certainly wasn't going by deathboy. ]

[distant_one]

[D spends a moment studying the kid very intently, as if he's looking into him more than at him.]

An Oracle. Are you bound by fate, or can you break free of it?

[Actually important questions here.]

[mehanizovati]

[yup, that's a coffin. viktor looks up to greet his guest and has to face the fact that yes, that is a coffin being brought into his lab. just casually. he takes a moment to tell himself the man is a vampire (sort of) so this is... well, on point. probably not bringing a dead body to show him.

the nightmare steed also gets a good long look of what he can see before he's grabbing his cane and walking over.]

... Ah, a coffin. [he says, a touch dry, though the moment he looks down into the open lid he blinks. oh. ok yes he is fascinated, all snark forgotten.] My word, does this hold an entire room in it?

[umbraportation]

[ That's an intense stare, and he shifts a little, but shrugs at the question. ]

Sometimes she's vague enough that some parts could go the opposite or different way. That prophecy's old, though. She's come out with a bunch more since then.

[ Let's not say that there were actually like 5 Oracles up until recently. ]

I think that particular line was "You shall rise or fall by the ghost king's hand".

[distant_one]

[Not a concrete answer either way. That's fine. D starts walking to lead the way further away from people. It's daytime and it's raining and D is very miserable but barely shows it except as maybe the slightest hint of being tired.]

We're closer than I thought.

Stopping my aura entirely is extremely difficult, but keeping it from killing plants every time is more practice and habit forming than anything else.