unknownseas | And with the sweat of your brow...

Fun Fact: Did you know that if the multiverse is real, there could be an almost infinite square mileage of completely unexplored ocean out there?

No reason.

...

You wake in one of 25 rooms with a sense of unease that doesn't quite track with how nice the accommodations are. Maybe it has something to do with the giant window leading out to the sea. The temperature is low, which might make you wish you had woken up under the luxurious covers instead of atop them. The lights, too, are low. But next to your bed is a small personal radio, and it's playing a song for you. There's also a small note printed on folded cardstock next to it.

Dear Prospective Citizen,

Welcome to the Helios Suites at New Rapture. The time should currently be 12:00 PM. Please take a moment to get your bearings and become acquainted with your new environment, then meet in the hotel lobby at 1:30 PM sharp for an orientation with Mayor Fontaine.

With only that for guidance, there's only the one thing to do: get out there and start exploring... well, it's hardly a full city, but it's something! And in the halls (or on the wall of your suite or the lobby), you very well may find up to 24 other captives.

What you do until your meeting with Mayor Fontaine, well... that's up to you. Every room certainly gives you something to talk about.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

They definitely did their research.

[Brett's lips thin for a moment as he looks at his own profile - seems like something there might have hit a nerve, too? But if so, he doesn't say anything about it.]

Not to mention, apparently they can reach into alternate universes. Which I'm now learning are real.

[She blinks.]

Really? I mean, I don't know if "alternate universes" is the right word for it, but it's pretty common knowledge where I'm from. [Having said that, she's not exactly an expert on planar cosmology... this might be the elemental plane of water, though? Maybe? She'll keep that to herself for now.]

[Brett chuckles. It's a little nervous, but...well, unreality isn't something he's really struggled with; as bizarre as it all is, he trusts his own perception. This is actually happening!!! Somehow!!!]

This kind of thing only happens in movies or books. Actually, most things here are like that. [Gesturing over his shoulder, back towards the dorms.] There's a sentient robot back there.

You mean, like a war-forged?

[Brett might also notice that Penelope's ears are pointed and sharp, like an elf. They're not immediately noticeable, because her hair is thick and her ears aren't extended, they're just sharp.

Currently, she's just wondering if she's witnessing fantasy racism. She can't really begrudge him for being mystified by a war-forged existing. She doesn't think she's ever met one, for one thing.]

I don't...know what that is.

[For the record, he seems sort of between mystified and delighted about the robot. It's not like Misfire tried to do anything to him, and he was friendly, so - kinda cool!]

Oh! They're these large sentient robots which were originally created as weapons of war by the dwarves.

[Imagine taking Tolkein and then cramming it into a John Hughes movie. That's Penelope's perception of the universe.]

Edited 2022-06-12 20:12 (UTC)

...well, I don't know about that. He did say he's usually a lot bigger than humans. Right now, he's about my height.

[Brett already knew he was out of his depth here - that was apparent pretty much immediately. But like. He is way out of his depth here!]

There's probably giant war-forged, but I'm not exactly an expert. Guess I'll ask him about it.

So, you're just human, I'm guessing?

Uh...yeah, are you not?

Half human, on my mother's side. [She gestures to her ears, which are visibly very pointed.] And then half elf on my father's.

Oh, like Elrond.

[He says unthinkingly, and then looks a little embarrassed!]

Sorry, uh - wow, we don't have elves where I'm from, either.

Well, now you've met one.

[She's never heard of a world only for humans, that sounds... strange. Like something that the Harvestmen would daydream about.]

I feel like the more fantastical thing here might be the underwater city. Which honestly feels a bit impractical to me, I guess.

Oh, don't worry, that's also on the list.

[He casts a glance at the walls.]

I'm - honestly trying not to think about that one too hard. It seems dangerous. People can barely...get the potholes filled, in all the cities I've ever lived in. [So like, does he really trust the walls and windows keeping all that water out? Nope!]

I'm not an expert on it but I feel like there's a kind of magic that could probably achieve it. But on this scale...

Well, it'd be something only really achievable for a god. Or a demon prince.

Well, as long as it's only a demon prince.

[jesus christ]

I think people could do something like this. It'd take a lot of time and money, but it could probably be done. They've already got luxury hotels carved into icebergs.

Well, maybe the city. I guess. I don't know why you'd do it naturally when you could use magic, though.

The whole reaching into people's worlds and dragging them to your city while also learning enough intimate info to come up with mean nicknames thing? That's less humanly possible.

Yeah, that's...that's like a contrived setup for a movie.

Mhm. I mean, most of the shit I've been involved with could be a setup for a movie. They typically make movies about adventurers anyway.

But this is a first, for sure.

I guess you could say I've been a bit character in a movie. Maybe the guy off to the side who narrates it, just because he sees it from the outside.

[curtains shout-out here]

But I've definitely never seen anything like this.

[What an odd thing to say...]

My friend actually was an actress, back when she was a kid. [She doesn't like talking about it, because of the obvious implications from someone looking her former character up and seeing her before she transitioned and came to live with Penelope. It's much easier to avoid the judgement of the public that way. But this human has approximately zero way of knowing about any of that, so Penelope feels safer talking about it here.]

I think I'd much prefer to be the star, honestly.

Oh, yeah? In movies, or on stage?

[He's just making conversation, really.]

I'd be happy enough being the writer. Not that I've actually done any scriptwriting. That's something entirely different.

And with the sweat of your brow...

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cw for mention of transphobia

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