We didn't find anything on our list when we searched the cloaked guys, and when we set off their beacons they all got picked up quick as could be, so we headed back to the hatchery with our spoils. Spoils which included the Humminbird Blossoms and a fairly rare golden pear called a Calamity Fruit, that was at the very least worth money given how rare it was. The thing looked delicious too, but I was warned against eating it by my girlfriend.

She plucked it out of my hand when I found it before I even got a good look. "Careful. That's a Calamity Fruit. Staring into them too long can cause hysteria, and eating them causes delirium. Still, bet it's worth a pretty penny. Plus if we run across someone else with a stockpile who has it on their list we might be able to trade for it." That had been something I hadn't considered, so I stashed it for later, and once we got back we checked in with Jessie about the missing two members of the cloak brigade.

Our enthusiastic overwatch was excited to see us as always. "Hey guys! You're back pretty quick, it's only been an hour or two. I don't really have any new info for you. That last raven hasn't found anything yet. Well, no other people anyway, there was a weird building I was going to report." She was sitting on the floor, playing cards with Cassidy, who based on the large pile of acorns in front of her, was cleaning up in their friendly game, not that Jessie seemed to care.

Callie was fighting down a smile as Cass slammed down a full house with a cheer and scooped up another pile of acorns, but she shook off her amusement to focus. "Not a problem. We wanted to check in on the cloaked pair you were watching. We ran into some of their friends. Also what do you mean a weird building? What kind of building? We're in the middle of the forest, there shouldn't be any buildings around here." She paused, looking around. "Well, current location excepted anyway."

She looked up from her most recent hand, accidentally showing her cards to the nine year old in a way I somehow doubted was a surprise to the smirking kid as she turned to us cheerfully. "Oh! Those guys freaked out about thirty minutes ago. They've been running non stop towards some random spot, but they haven't gotten there yet. I followed them and figured I'd tell you where they ended up. As for the building, it's pretty weird. It's like an old crypt or something. It's in the middle of this huge empty field of black grass full of graves though. Seemed weird and out of place."

My eyes widened and I turned to Callie, who had hurriedly pulled our list out and was searching through it. She finally shouted with excitement when she reached a specific entry. "Hundred year old corpse eating grass! Plus a Bone Goblet that might be in the mausoleum! That biome is probably crawling with valuable materials we can stock up on too, either to sell or trade! Agria, where did you see this place? Also, were there any bodies around it? Skeletons? Really pale people with fangs?"

That brought me up short. "Wait, are you asking about vampires? Those are a thing?" Like Skeletons I get, that's power shit, but how the hell does someone become a vampire?" I knew about fae and devils, but the revelation that vampires existed was just...weird. Like I guessed it made sense, but at the same time it just didn't fit with my worldview. What was next? Werewolves?

Zeke's voice cut in from behind me. I hadn't even noticed him there, though given he was guarding Cass I should have expected him. He was lying on a couch I knew hadn't been there before, eyes closed. "There are no vampires here. They do exist, but they're stupidly rare. They're all descended from an absolutely terrifying S ranker named Morgan Lark. The Vampire is considered the most likely candidate to ascend to godhood next, and his clan is usually treated as the next best thing to their own faction. No vampire would be caught dead on this hellhole."

That news was disturbing and relieving all at the same time, but I didn't necessarily share his confidence. "And you're sure there isn't one here? The Black Sorrow Cult aren't exactly all over the place, but we've met a few of them? What's to say there isn't some distant vampire cousin around here snacking on people? If Nightstrike is bringing them up they have to exist here in some form?"

Zeke snorted, opening one eye. "No. The Vampire and Unity aren't fans of each other. They've fought several times, and The Vampire has managed to get away every time, and usually gives the youngest god a run for his money. His spawn steer clear of the conglomerate for that reason though. Regardless, she wasn't talking about vampires. She was talking about ghouls. THOSE are fairly common actually. The fangs aren't for sucking, they're for chewing, think shark. It's a racial trait, though with more in common with devils than fae."

Callie nodded. "Yeah, I've heard about ghouls in cemeteries a few times. They're known to be kind of a menace. They're pretty Might heavy. But the place Agria saw sounds like a Necropolis. They extend a ways underground. Usually pop up in graveyards, but if there's one in the area the Academy must have taken it into account. There's probably some seriously useful materials there." She turned to Zeke. "Don't suppose you can tell us anything useful about them?"

He just shrugged. "The Vampire and his clan fall in the category of 'so far above your paygrade it's not covered under my geas' random graveyard monsters very much do not for the most part. If you want info then do your research. I'll stick with the kid like I said, so it's not like I'd be along for the ride to ask anyway. Freebie though, take the firebug, his kind are usually useful in death traps. Same with the churchie." Then he rolled over and faced the couch, clearly no longer willing or maybe even able to talk.

With that information Callie decided it would be easier to involve everyone. "Ok, Cass, Agria, go get the others please? I think we know our next move but I want to get everyone's input here." She wanted feedback before sending out a bigger party, which made sense, so I settled in to wait for the others as Cassidy and Jessie bounded off to collect everyone from who knew where.

As I waited though I took in the changes to the hatchery. I didn't know if Benny had been inventing stuff or if one of the others was a crafter or if Zeke just traveled with a whole furnished house on his person but someone had scattered furniture all over this place. Aside from the raven baskets which were mostly still full of eggs, the back half of the building farther from the open side exposed to the clearing was mostly just empty space and wooden floors. It seemed ever bigger than the other floors, and it took me a bit to realize it was, they'd just moved some of the egg baskets closer together to make space.

The empty section was all wooden floors and rock walls just like the rest of the building, set back into the cliff to provide some room. Aside from Zeke's couch there was two big ass chairs and a love seat scattered around to create a nice homey atmosphere, and I ended up slumping in one of the chairs to wait as I watched the treeline out the open side of the building. Even at this angle it was a beautiful view, and once again I basked in being in the outdoors. Letting off some steam in that fight and talking to Callie last night had helped me a ton.

I wasn't magically feeling fine now or anything, but a bit of that pressure taken off let me focus on the good a bit more. The other stuff I could unpack little bits at a time instead of wallowing in it for ages. I'd always been like that. The kind to repress and then let off steam in little bursts instead of blowing my lid when I had a problem, and it had been working out for me so far.

After a few minutes of staring out into the wide open wilderness I heard sounds and everyone came filing up the steps. Benny looked noticeably annoyed even with his mask in the way, and I guessed he'd been talking to Celine, who was as blank faced as ever. I genuinely couldn't read that girl, Perception or not, and it made me wonder if she had some noble skill for keeping a straight face. Still, whatever the case might be I hoped Jessie and Cass didn't invite her to their card game unless they were ok with losing some serious acorn.

My best friend scowled over at my girlfriend. "Weren't you guys supposed to be out...doing something." He sounded frustrated, but more grumpy than actually mad. I thought I detected a slight twitch at the corner of Celine's mouth. Apparently he was making her smile, or her version of it, which seemed like a good sign to me. Callie just rolled her eyes and ignored him for the moment as Martin and Sarah made their way up behind them.

Callie gestured over to Jessie. "Now, Agria has informed me there's a necropolis nearby, and we have some death related materials on our list. I was planning a trip down there, both for the things we need and for whatever else we find and can sell. Given the area I think this should be safe to bring Grimmengap along for this trip, which is good because Sarah's holy hand skill will probably come in handy. Tony, we were hoping you would come along as well, if you're willing to be backup on this?"

She directed that at Cark, who had followed the others up here when Cass and Jessie called them. He just shrugged. "Yeah, I stayed so I could help. Zombies or heroes, doesn't matter much to me. Hell, if anything this works better. I don't have to hold back and worry about burning some school kid, I can just burn the bastards to ash." He paused. "I...can just burn zombies to ash right? They're not like...sentient or something? Because I don't know how that would even work but it seems awful any way I can picture it."

Sarah, surprisingly, was the one to answer that. "Not at all. Zombies are animated remains brought to a semblance of life by necromancy. They have no consciousness aside from the crafted spirits the necromancers can imbue them with at higher levels. Unlike some other variations of undead that are transformed from former living people like Ghouls or Liches there is no moral questionability to destroying a zombie. Same with skeletons." We all turned to stare at her and she blushed. "The church is often called to deal with the undead, so learning the particulars of their existence is one of the first tasks for Initiate clergy."

Callie just nodded dumbly. "Ok, well it seems like we found our resident expert, discounting Zeke who can't come with us because he's going to be staying with Cass." I felt a surge or gratitude to her for heading off any complaints by reminding everyone he was on guard duty. Zeke was unable to help but I knew that wasn't by choice. It meant a lot to me that she took his feelings into account. "With that out of the way I guess it's time for us to head out. Who's ready to go destroy some undead?"