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overcome the world
Abyssal Leo in Goodcheer
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Agonized Servitor of Deception and Fear Lionborn Ashenheart, Born Beneath the Stars of the Tainted Blood of the Tormented Messiah Falling Upon Virgin Snow, in Corruption's Unholy Name Reborn From Ignoble Death by the Grace of Wuxiao the Mistress of Shadow, Dark Servant of the Most Hateful and Glorious Neverborn, That He May Bring Misery to the Hearts of the Pathetic Multitudes of Humanity ("call me Lao", he says, and accepts the prickling feeling that is the disapproval of the Neverborn) has not been having a great day. Or week. Or... he's never actually had what could be called a "great" day, come to think of it. Certainly not since taking his Last Breath.

This day, then, is exceptional less in that it isn't great, and more in that it is very, very confusing.

He got lost wandering the Labyrinth, which isn't that confusing; it's in the name. But then he exited the Labyrinth, and finds himself now in... a field? And it doesn't seem like it's a field in the Shadowlands, because it's got living plants. And he can't hear Wuxiao's sickly-sweet voice, though he can still hear the Whispers of the Neverborn crawling in the back of his mind.

Lacking a better idea, Lao wanders some more.

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There are much fewer whispers here. Just the sound of the wind rustling through the corn. It's quiet, besides that. Sometimes it sounds like there are whispers, but it's just the wind.

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Fewer whispers are good. Probably.

Idly, he smells the air to see if there are any humans nearby. 

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There are a few humans nearby, maybe. The mild rotting smell makes it harder to be sure.

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Oh good. Love that.

He heads towards the humans, regardless. He's completely lost, and humans mean shelter. And food.

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He finds them. They're standing together in the field. A few of the teenagers are drinking and laughing. The rest aren't doing much at all. They span a range of ages. Some look like children, while others might be nearly adult.

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One of them turns to look at him.

"Hello."

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Lao inclines his head. "Hello. I'm afraid I've gotten rather lost; what is this place?"

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One of the children, quiet until now, laughs abruptly. She hasn't turned to face him.

"Don't worry about them. Some people don't know how to treat a guest. Where are you from? Maybe I can give you directions."

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"I'm from Lookshy," Lao lies. "But I've never seen plants like this. I might be farther out of my way than you think."

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“You’ve landed in Alcove Springs, friend.”

It’s hard to miss the smell, now. Some of these people are decomposing.

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Charming.

"Dare I ask how you do treat guests in Alcove Springs?"

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"That depends on the guest. It's a nice place to live for most people. As long as you're willing to lend a helping hand, we'll welcome you."

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Some of the others are glancing nervously his way. The rest continue drinking, and laughing, and whispering. It's a nice way to unwind after a long day, presumably, if you're a walking corpse.

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Lao smiles wide, still not showing his teeth. "Well, I'm a helpful person. What exactly needs doing?"

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"Serve food at next week's feast. It would be the neighborly thing to do."

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"I can do that," he says slowly. "It would certainly be neighborly. Is there somewhere for me to stay until then?"

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"We can find you somewhere to make your home."

He walks past Lao. Some of the others follow.

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Lao follows as well.

This guy's pretty clearly not another Abyssal, but he could still be a necromancer. Or the zombies could be unrelated, but Lao hasn't gotten this far in life by assuming people aren't malevolent zombie-summoning murderers. He doesn't let his guard down.

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If he’s a necromancer, his zombies certainly aren’t very loyal. Most of the people who follow him are the quieter ones, who aren’t quite right.

Not all of them look like corpses. None of them look human. He can see roots growing out of fingernails, hair with the wrong consistency, and blotches of skin that aren’t decaying, but don’t look healthy at all.

This neighborly stranger looks quite normal. Very fresh.

”Would you like to stay in the church? If not, there are many warm parishioners who’ll have you for a few nights, but it’s where I would put someone in need of aid.”

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The roots... some kind of elemental infection? Are they near the Pole of Wood? That'd explain the plants he's never seen.

"I've got no objection to the church. 'Warm' parishioners?"

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“I’m taking you to someone who can help you. He wants to help you. He’s a friendly guy.”

As they get further from the corn, the smell of rot fades away. Here, what Lao notices most is the heat. The sun shines above as though it’s any other day, but the air is warm and dry. He can see a farmhouse nearby, but his guide seems to be headed somewhere else.

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"Well, that's good. I like friendly."

(He doesn't, actually, but this is no time to start telling the truth.)

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Then they'll make it to this friendly guy's house. It's an ordinary enough home on the outside. A bit on the larger side, with a well-manicured lawn. The paint looks faded, but not quite peeling. His new friend rings the bell.

"Friend, we have a visitor!"

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His new friend's friend answers the door.

"You said you would- hello. Are you...new in town?"

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Lao makes sure not to step on the grass. Blighting this guy's lawn wouldn't be neighborly, he's pretty sure.

"I am, yes. Very new. Nice to meet you," he lies.

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"Yeah. Jackson. Why don't you go help your friends plan the schedule?"

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"Of course. It was nice meeting you." And with that, he goes.

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"Why don't you come inside?"

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Lao enters the house. "Nice place," he comments.

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It's certainly very cozy. Couches and armchairs appear wherever they can be justified, and the fireplace is roaring. It's warmer in here than it is outside, where the sun bakes the earth. The colors are all yellows, oranges, and reds. There are blankets piled on top of every flat surface, including a few neatly folded and placed along the floor.

"You can sit anywhere. You should get comfortable before I start explaining what's going on. Tea?"

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"I'd love some. You must be very popular in winter," he comments. Fortunately, sensitivity to extreme temperatures is something he left behind with his Last Breath.

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"With folks like Jackson, yes. With the rest of this town, no. There's a bit of a divide, you see, between those of of us who cooperate and those who cower."

He begins preparing the tea. This makes the house a touch warmer.

"How new are you, exactly?"

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"I arrived about half an hour ago. I haven't had time to pick up on much besides Jackson's posse of zombies and that there's some weird plant everywhere."

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"They're not zombies. The decay doesn't go much further, usually, before the next feast. They heal better than we do, because they've been fully converted. I'm guessing I should start by explaining the church."

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"Yes, please do."

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"The Order of Good Cheer values honest, open living. Neighbors should never lie to spare each other's feelings, or play games, but they should always be there to support one another. Community is about feeding every member. Your tea is ready."

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"I do not think that is what I needed explained about the church," Lao says blandly. He accepts tea, and takes a cautious sip.

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The tea is warm. It's not hot enough to burn, although perhaps for the young, sick, and elderly it could still pose a danger. It's certainly more bracing than comforting.

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"Right. Maybe I should start with what the church does. They worship John Barleycorn, who died for their sins. They ritually cannibalize him once a year, and in between, they cannibalize each other. It helps with the decay, and with their power over the harvest."

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"There we go. This Barleycorn character, he's a god? I've never eaten a god before."

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“Yes, he is. It’s almost a metaphor. If you don’t think about it too hard, you can convince yourself you’re not eating flesh. Helps that it’s not all flesh. Cornmeal, too.”

Sip.

”Everyone in this town is involved, whether they want to be or not. You just have to decide what you want to get out of it.”

 

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"What's on offer? I already have eternal youth and inhuman beauty."

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“What’s the cost? I can control the weather, don’t need food or water, help plants grow supernaturally fast, feed people, regenerate, and create Husks like Jackson and his friends.”

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“The cost is my undying devotion to the Neverborn, and everything that entails. It's not a good deal. I can already live without sustenance and regenerate, and I’m not sure I’d want the rest."

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"You sure I can't sell you on it? I don't know much about this Neverborn, but 'undying devotion' doesn't sound fun."

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"It isn't. If I betrayed the Neverborn to seek a new master, I would be subject to tortures the mortal mind cannot imagine. I could partake, but not if it meant splitting my loyalties."

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"I wouldn't ask you to do that, no. What would the Neverborn want you to do here?"

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"They seek the destruction of all that is. This doesn't technically mean I'm obligated to go about killing everyone I lay eyes on, but they wouldn't mind if I did. In the medium run, I they'll want me to cause at least a modest amount of death and destruction, and in the long run I expect they'll want me to do my level best to return to the Labyrinth, assuming they didn't cause me to come here in the first place. I'd want to check with them-" he shudders "-but I can leave that for tonight."

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It's good to have tea to sip for moments like this one. Sip.

"We have plenty of things that need destroying, when it comes time to prioritize. I'd start with the higher members of the church."

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Lao smiles. "I did get that impression. What have they done to offend you?"

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"It was fun, killing people who deserved it. It's not fun when people turn kids into zombies or feed them to the corn fields. I've only got so much power. It sounds like your deal gives you more to work with."

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"Yeah, turning kids into zombies sounds like the kind of shit my boss would do. And I hate her. And I am indeed very powerful, and very good at killing people. Do you have a plan for what happens when the leaders of the church mysteriously disappear, or am I sowing chaos along with the death?"

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“Do you object to a little chaos? My plan is to skip town once I’m sure no more kids are getting kidnapped.”

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"I do not object to a bit of chaos. But I should probably commune with the Neverborn before I agree to anything."

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"Of course. You might want to do it outside. This place is sacred to Barleycorn."