Eridanus is currently Infested with the fungus that contaminates with Order.

White threads hang in sheets from the higher canopy of the trees. White-eyed Lessers move like zombies, securing and feeding the nodes. Webbing curls along the trunks like vines, blanketing bushes and grass, and drifting in the water. The effects of Order magic are empowered in this cave, with the power of Corruption slightly weakened.

Lesser Gembounds are far more likely to carry the fungus, serving as eyes for Mother and vectors of infection for Greater Gembound predators. Fruits, berries and foliage are also often infested, with fruits full of threads of fungus, and wisps dangling amongs leaves. The fungus, though it stinks of putrescence, may hide in these foods sufficiently to be ingested.

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Characters are welcome to become infected in threads within this cave (either deliberately or accidentally), or to make attempts to purge the cave of Order's influence. Order characters may return to this cave to attempt to reinforce Order's influence in turn. All threads which attempt to remove or add Order should be posted in Update Me with a request to update the Order levels after the thread is complete. All Barely+ rolls will be subtracted or added, as needed, to the total. Should the amount of Order in the cave reach 0, it will be considered cleansed, its Infested status removed.

Astraea can currently be found in this cave, if desired, working to purge Order himself. GM tag for encounters.

The last of the major Infestation was cleansed over time, despite the vicious back-and-forth between Order and Chaos.

That wasn't to say Eridanus was fully cleansed of all traces of the fungus or its drones or hosts, of course. Just as in almost any cave, the occasional twist of white or dead-eyed Lesser could be found, here. But it was no longer pervasive, no longer sheeting the ground in long, tangled webs of infested earth.

Mother had watched it happen, over time. Right now her attention was drawn in many directions, but she noted the gradual decline of her grasp here. It gave her some ideas, of course. She'd learned from this.

It was almost time to put that information to use. She drew back her sentient Hive members, the Gembound who served, reassuring them that retaking Eridanus right now was not their goal. Their goal, soon, would lie elsewhere.