FOURTH TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ Well! That's sure something, isn't it? There may or may not be a lot of you excited to get down to business, but Jones does eventually move to collect you all and bring you to the theatre. It's a familiar routine by now, perhaps even comfortingly so given the irregularities of this particular killing.

Two of you gone this week. The elevator is started to feel downright spacious, don't you think?

A shanty, as usual, echoes from the crew of the Dutchman as you enter. The room is the same as it has ever been before you as the elevator settles into position. ]

To yer positions, passengers. Chins up.

[ Three more podiums claimed by the rust and wear.

You have your evidence, and you're going to need it before long. The music outside dies down.

Welcome to your fourth trial. ]

Comments

[sivard]

I agree, but the question is, how?

None of us have access to our powers.

[magycks]

None of us have convenient access to our powers.

[scouserer]

There's clearly still some sort of magic in this place--you saw it clear enough with the seance.

[He frowns.]

I wonder if someone somehow managed to channel some sort of...greater magic in this place in a desperate attempt to save themselves.

[jibunwo]

You also said his sword was cursed. Is it possible someone else might have gotten their hands on it and been influenced by that?

[scouserer]

It's possible. Though most of the items seem to have been stolen of their original power, it's not out of the question that some effects might've still lingered.

[He thinks...it's been, like, four weeks at this point? His brow furrows.]

If I remember correctly, he said that...the sword was constructed from the pieces of a corrupted dragon that tarnished any organism it came in contact with. To any ol' Joe, this corruption could drive someone to insanity and a rapid death.

[jibunwo]

If that was the case, no doubt we'd have three bodies on our hands. The insanity aspect may be something to consider, however, if the sword had some faint echo of its intended effects.

[sivard]

I don't know how someone would get them back.

In cahoots with Captain Mask?

[That's clearly not meant as a serious suggestion on his part, though.]

[magycks]

Oh ha, ha. Seriously, though, Shard was still metal, and the blue one was still... that.

[thisaroma]

[ Thinks about this.... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

looks to Flayn, but NOT FOR ANY REASON SHE MIGHT POTENTIALLY BE FEARING, AT LEAST?? ]

Hey, Flayn, were you ever able to figure out if that core I left with you still had any of its usual power?

[cethflayn]

What? I...oh. Right, um. No, I had not gotten a chance to consult anyone.

[She was kind of distracted with Captain Jack is trying to starve us out and my roommate is ill and getting worse but she didn't forget!!]

[thisaroma]

Okay, that's fine. It's just— this is all kind of within the stuff it can usually do. You can completely transform your appearance with it — that's what I was using it for before — and it can also make you black out and do things you don't remember.

You've still got it somewhere safe, though, right?

[cethflayn]

Of course! I kept it wrapped and put it at the bottom of my storage area.

[She has so much junk, it would have been noticeable if someone had rooted through it to get the core.]

[thisaroma]

[ phew ]

Okay, good. Thanks for that.

[magycks]

[ owo what's this ]

[thisaroma]

[ PLEASE CONSULT WITH FLAYN AFTER THIS TRIAL AND VERIFY THAT THIS THING IS INERT!! ]

[cethflayn]

[If we're both alive after this Magica can do a full poke-around]

[silentscout]

[Just.

Looks at Magica.

Looks at Filbo.

Hm.]

If it's a physical transformation it might not be a power.

[sivard]

A "physical transformation"?

[silentscout]

Mhmm. Like how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly. That's not magic.

[thisaroma]

That's kind of a one-way transformation, though...

[sivard]

But that's just a one-way change, isn't it? A butterfly can't turn back into a caterpillar.

[this metaphor is going over his head]

[magycks]

[ MISINTERPRETING THIS ]

Exactly. Classic werewolf rules.

[silentscout]

[At least he decided that Magica isn't strong enough to have done this in her current form???]

If we have a wolfman they would have been affected by the full moon.

[magycks]

Well, given the time loop I'd say that's debatable, but! A moot point either way.

I don't literally mean they turned into a wolf. I mean someone kept their adventurous diet and secondary form from us until it was too late, and also the rules here are nonsense.

[scouserer]

[He could stand here and argue about werewolves and shit, but that does make Constantine think....]

It could be that the person is unaware of their own condition. Like with Allenby.