MISSIONS - Outskirts Investigations

Beasts From Beyond

Read the introduction from May 2025 here!

With thanks to our incredible staff artists for the new NPC icons!

(Click for artist credits!)

✦ Stein icons by tomcatblep (Discord)

✦ Evil-Eye icons by StarlitMayorKillager

✦ Wynton icons by Sungeist

✦ Wyndam & Orion icons by littleforestcritter

✦ Cassiopeia icons by Star_Shine

Several weeks have passed since the GCSF has sent their members out to investigate strange occurences and various sudden disasters across the Great Ocean.

Gathered in their main office, the branch leaders discuss what their numbers have been able to accomplish thus far...

Evil-Eye

The Ashborough lass is still at large 'n those culprits from the Den have been givin' my people the run around. S'not my fault we haven't had the chance to look into whatever bloody ghosts might be hauntin' the area.

Stein

On the rescuers's side, we've been putting all our attention into containing the wildfires and helping the injured. A handful of my teams have reported back with some of their findings but there isn't much to go off of.

Stein

But given what we're dealing with, whoever or whatever it is is bound to show itself eventually. But trying to lure it out is a big risk I'm not willing to take until we find something more concrete.

Evil-Eye

You mean, the bloke who's been blowin' up the civilians? You'd think someone like that wouldn't be too hard to track down.

Stein

You'd think...

In any case, how have the Wayfarer missions been going?

Wynton

So far things have just been getting weirder and weirder... guild members were able to track down the walls and some have made some head-way into finding the thing that crushed all those buildings.

But... you want to explain this one, Wyndam?

Wynton

Well... we did get some news. There was a wall found in a dungeon just over on Pele Island. Since the trip wouldn't take us too long, Wynton and I asked the group to hold down the fort so we could come and check it out ourselves.

But as soon as Wynton and I went out to one of locations a team marked out for us, there was... nothing.

Evil-Eye

What. What d'ya mean "nothing"?

Wynton

No walls, no bricks -- nothing. And the team insisted that there had to have been something there. They were pretty upset about it if I remember right.

Wynton

And that's not all. As far as investigations go on the side of the ruined settlements...

As the conversation continues, there's somebody listening from the hallway.

Cassie is seated on the floor with her ear pressed up to the door. Following shortly behind her is Orion, having noticed her absence and come to find her.

Orion

(Cassie? What are you--)

Cassie

SHHH!

(They'll hear us!)

Orion

(They won't be mad... what are you--?

You're not listening in on their private meeting again, are you?)

Cassie

(Of course I am!

They're talking about the missions. The ones about the wormhole monsters!)

Cassie

(Come on... you want to know about them too, don't you?)

Orion

(Maybe... but... those guild members we asked seemed really serious about what they were doing this time. I think people are getting hurt, Cassie.

And last time we snuck out, Mr. Stein talked to us for a long time about being responsible.)

Cassie

(Ugh, you don't need to remind me.

But... who said anything about sneaking out? What, were you thinking about it too?

Orion

(Huh? I thought you said...)

Cassie

(I was right! You are thinking about sneaking out to go find them, aren't you?)

Orion

(Um... n-no, I'm not!)

Not long after the two Cosmogs start to whisper between themselves, the door to the branch leaders's meeting room creaks open.

Stein stands before them, and they stare up at him with the guilt of children caught up past their bedtime.

Stein

Orion? Cass? What are the two of you doing here? Is something wrong?

Orion

Sorry, Mr. Stein... me and Cassie were--

Cassie

I want to see the wormhole monsters! I want to go on the missions!

Stein

...you were listening to our meeting.

There's a moment of silence as Stein looks back towards the other branch leaders. Wordlessly, he ushers Cassie and Orion into the office and shuts the door behind them.

Every other adult looks to him to be the one to break the news to the kids. He eventually concedes.

Stein

The missions everyone's going on right now are pretty dangerous. The bounty hunters are after some serious criminals, the rescuers are trying to take care of a really big fire, the wayfarers are exploring really far into the dungeons...

I'm sorry, but you can't come along this time.

Evil-Eye

And besides -- we do a lotta cool stuff here at the guild, but wormhole monsters? The crooks we're goin' after right now are just plain ol' ruffians. Riff-raff. They're nothin' special.

Cassie

Nuh-uh. I heard the Water Woman say that they were like us -- like me and Ori! She said that they came out portals or something!

I want to meet them!

Evil-Eye

Well, t' meet 'em, we gotta find 'em first--

Stein

Evil-Eye.

Evil-Eye

Sorry.

Wynton

I don't know what you've heard but... it's like Stein said, it's too dangerous. There are people getting seriously hurt out there right now, Cassie. And they might be getting hurt by the people you want to meet.

You and Orion are still little, so we just don't want to put you in harm's way.

Cassie

But we used to be big! And you still don't know why, do you?

Ori has been here for one year, and he still doesn't know who he is or where he came from. An-and I don't know who I am, and you don't know either! You people don't know anything!

Cassie

But the wormhole monsters have to know! Maybe they know who we are!

Maybe they can tell us how to get home!

.................

The branch leaders all look away from one another, now realizing what the situation entails. Everybody tries to come up with something to say to Cassie, and yet nobody speaks up for a while.

Eventually, Orion comes up to her and puts a hand on her shoulder.

Orion

I-it's okay, Cassie. They can tell us when they find something, right?

Stein

Of course. I know you miss your home, and I know we haven't been able to come up with much. You're right, we should be doing better.

Wyndam

This time, we might really have a chance at finding something out! And as soon as we do, we'll send for the two of you! Promise!

Wynton

But... it's still too dangerous to join the rest of the guild right now.

Evil-Eye

You rascals need t' stay in one piece so you can get back home after all!

Orion

(We just have to wait until then. We still have each other!)

Cassie

(...they don't know anything, Ori. They can't help us.

You can follow me or stay here. But I have to know.)

Cassie disappears in a flash, teleporting away. In the next moment, Orion cries out something in their alien tongue... and promptly vanishes after his friend in a similar manner.

Before anybody could even leave their seat, the Cosmogs have escaped.

Wynton

Dammit! What are they thinking?!

Wynton

We need to get a message out to any teams in the field! If they know where we sent people for their missions, they'll be headed right towards them!

Evil-Eye

Oh, for the love of... we don't even know which one o' the islands they're goin' to!

We don't even know if they'll be in the same place!

Stein

Enough! We need to act fast!

Evil-Eye, find Mary and charter a course to the islands we have leads on -- all of them. We'll take the airships for expedience.

Wynton and Wyndam, the wayfarers have the widest reach right now being so spread out, so get the word out to them first. Bounty hunters will be alerted next.

I'll get in touch with Beethoven and have the message passed along to the rescuers.

Each leader chimes in with their plans to take to the field in search of the Cosmogs, building off of Stein's initial orders.

In the midst of their frantic planning, two familiar faces arrive and watch as the chaos unfolds...

Miliani

Perhaps we've caught them at a bad time?

Leilani

Oof. They are not gonna like what we have to report...

A new set of missions are now available for each branch of the GCSF!

As this is a departure from the usual mission format that members are used to, be sure to read up on all of the details on both your respective branch's missions page below, and on the usual Missions page!

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