[center][h3]Riventor[/h3][/center] [center]~[@Rune_Alchemist], [@Lunarlord34], [@Kuroakuma]~[/center] [quote=Will-O-Wisp]"I-Ibon I uhh...."[/quote] "[color=springgreen]Huh? Oh dear, what happened to you?[/color]" Ibon was alarmed upon showing cuts and wounds. "[color=springgreen]Hey, hey! Come on, Will-O-Wisp, let me treat you before you go talking to anyone.[/color]" The Liberi Medic stopped [u]Will-O-Wisp[/u] before using her healing Arts on the Vulpo Operator. Within moments, all of [u]Will-O-Wisp's[/u] injuries closed up and left her energized. Ibon produced some napkins and wiped away the blood stains left behind. "[color=springgreen]There we go. You be careful next time, okay?[/color]" The Medic then patted [u]Will-O-Wisp's[/u] a few times on the head. [quote=Zasada][color=f6989d]"Privet, friend. We are simply some humble researchers from the Haynek Institute. Crash landed thanks to some bad weather and some of our operators missing. Mhm, and if I might inquire, my comrades here seem to smell something most foul! You wouldn't happen to know what that is would you?"[/color][/quote] [quote=Will-O-Wisp][color=F0A485]"Finally, someone who wants to talk! I'm [u]Will-O-Wisp[/u]! As [u]Zasada[/u] says, we're from the Haynek Institute. Hey you wouldn't know anything about the strange happenings around here would you? First a weird storm, then this weird smell. Let alone the reports of other strange orignium happenings! Oh, oh are you infected? What's with your hands and feet? Did this happen as a result of the orignium reports of the other? Unrelated? Hey, why is everyone avoiding us? Also-"[/color][/quote] "[color=green]Oh, this?[/color]" The Archosaur boy gestured to his hands and feet. "[color=green]Had 'em since I was born. Something about being a subspecies or something.[/color]" He shrugged. Listening to their experience of the crash and the missing teammates, the Archosaur replied. "[color=green]Mmm, sounds like the forest got you.[/color]" The answer raised some eyebrows from Wu and Ibon. "[color=green]You probably don't know. The woods around this town? It's cursed. It's evil. Some outsiders before you insisted that there's probably just a super predator lurking there but don't buy that. The forest itself is the evil. I don't doubt that it probably sent that storm that made you crash.[/color]" "[color=orange]That sounds... superstitious.[/color]" Wu voiced his thoughts. "[color=green]Hey, it's the truth. Whether you like it or not.[/color]" The Archosaur shrugged. "[color=green]And sorry about your other folks. They were probably taken by the forest. Not exactly an unusual occurence here.[/color]" He continued. "[color=springgreen]Taken? What do you mean 'taken'?[/color]" "[color=green]Taken. Spirited away. Disappeared. Gone. Poof. The forest is like that.[/color]" The Archosaur shrugged. "[color=green]Don't ask me where they're taken to. No one here knows but if you're lucky, real lucky, you come back. Usually in a bad state but coming back is lucky enough.[/color]" He paused for a moment before continuing. "[color=green]In the worst case scenario, the forest twists you into its servant. We call 'em 'savages'. You'll know one when you see one.[/color]" "[color=orange]Is there a precedent for getting... taken?[/color]" Wu asked. "[color=green]None, at least nothing concrete. But from what I've seen, it's usually got something to do with the mind.[/color]" The Archosaur boy continued. "[color=green]Again, nothing concrete. Take the owners of this house for example...[/color]" He stopped leaning on the dilapidated house and joined the others in looking at it. "[color=green]There was once a family of three there. Wife, husband, son. They've been living normally for years now then one day, they just got up and walked straight into the forest. Never to be seen again.[/color]" When the Operators said something about the smell, the Archosaur glared at the group. "[color=green]Ah, so some of you has the Sickness. You know, where the Cursed Rock grows on you.[/color]" "[color=springgreen]The 'Sickness'? You mean Oripathy? And I'm guessing 'Cursed Rock' is Originium?[/color]" Ibon replied. "[color=green]'Oripathy', huh? So that's what they call it out there.[/color]" The boy then continued. "[color=green]Anyway, there's something in this village that repels the Cursed Rock. We call it the 'Miasma'.[/color]" The revelation made Wu's and Ibon's eyes widen. "[color=green]The Miasma keeps away the creatures and the savages, thereby keeping Riventor safe despite the evil forest surrounding us. Don't know what it is exactly but whatever the Miasma is, it's coming from the mayor's mansion. It doesn't reach the village's outskirts though but there's something else there that keeps the dangers away.[/color]" "[color=green]It may not keep away the forest's influence, but it's kept the rest of us alive. To be honest, I don't really trust it but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.[/color]" The Archosaur said. "[color=green]Anyway, those afflicted with the Sickness get nauseous because of the Miasma. Best that you leave the village as soon as possible. The closer you get to the mansion, the worse the stench becomes. Do you have anywhere here to stay in? I've heard that there's a radio tower near here that houses a military bunker or base or something.[/color]" "[color=green]I'll let the mayor know you've come but it's best that you formally meet her someday. That way, you get the villagers' trust faster. They're not the friendliest bunch, I know, but they may have something that you'll need.[/color]" [hr] [center][h3]North Riventor[/h3][/center] [center]~[@LiverisGood], [@TinyKiwi]~[/center] [quote=Medivac]"[color=808000]Ma'am, are you alright? Let's move you away from that building in case something tries to collapse alright?[/color]"[/quote] The woman paid no attention to [u]Medivac[/u], still rocking back and forth and uttering her mantra. ""[color=burlywood]Destroy the fire... Destroy the fire... Destroy the fire... Destroy the fire... Destroy the fire... Destroy the fire...[/color]" Since they were close now, [u]Radiant[/u] and [u]Medivac[/u] saw that the mad woman had a shiny key with her. With both hands, she held it just above her knees and stared at it as she rocked and uttered her phrase. The key appeared too fancy to belong to her. Should [u]Radiant[/u] or [u]Medivac[/u] attempt to take it, they would find that the woman's grip on it was strong. Extraordinarily strong that neither [u]Radiant[/u] or [u]Medivac[/u] or both of them could take it by force. Extreme measures must be used to take the key from her. Not much was left of the burned house save for its charred remains. The next point of interest was the house next to it. A very strong odor of poultry and chickens and droppings emanated from it. The two Operators could hear the bawks and the clucks of the chickens apparently living there. *SLAM* A door swung open and out came a small boy with a violin followed by an angry Kuranta woman who yelled at the former. The boy fled from the mansion and hid below a ruined farm tractor nearby. The woman did not chase and instead, went back into the house. [u]Medivac[/u] and [u]Radiant[/u] were too far from the commotion though to see anyone in detail though.