Meeting Time!

[hotpaprika]

[On Wednesday morning, all the suites will find another note slid under their door. It seems much less formal this time, but the handwriting is still very distinct.]

I am holding another meeting today, at 5 o'clock. I am terribly sorry for the the location this time, but it will be in the dressing rooms at the department store, as that is one of the few places I could find that we would not be watched.

I ask, however, that you don't all come in at once, because I fear that otherwise, it could catch Fontaine's attention and may add further security measures.

I will be providing refreshments, although I welcome any additional help.

J. Harker

[The dressing rooms are, obviously, a very not ideal place to hold a meeting, but Jonathan had somewhat set things up so that they could at least talk to each other, with all the curtains pulled back and one stall reserved for some cakes and sandwiches. He politely greets everyone who enters but it's clear that he's somewhat wary from the motive.

When everyone arrives, he once again addresses the group.]

Good evening. I am sure last week was an icy shock to everyone that Fontaine is not content to let us live about in harmony. However, it is vital that we do not give up hope that we can find a way out of here, because when we do, Fontaine will have already won.

[He's trying to convince himself this as much as he's trying to convince everyone else.]

[ INFORMATION IDEAS GENERAL CHATTER ]

Comments

[onemillion]

[Isn't this still going to look suspicious with all of us crammed in here... Well anyway!!]

I investigated the patio and found some rather odd things. The first is the layout of the patio itself: five tables, each with five chairs, arranged in a perfect pentagram.

[It was in bold so it's probably important! Also going to put it here for everyone but they were functionally identical, not an exact perfect match.]

One table had something scratched underneath it: Frank Fontaine won't save you. It didn't look as though it was recently carved in either.

I also found another tape in the bushes - here, please listen to it.

[This is one of those "it's easier to link it" things. Here you go!]

Finally, I spoke with the Mayor about the hostages and Hodaka's... execution. The girl that killed him - Hina - looked to be the same as his hostage, but he confirmed that was not the case. The hostages were real, but since he sent them home, he used a fake for the execution.

[giddyundertaker]

......

[ This is a concern. A lot of concern. ]

[hotpaprika]

...

I suppose it is a relief that I decided against using the patio for this meeting, in that case.

[WHAT THE FUCK???]

[onemillion]

[who's gonna take one for the team and try to turn it into a summoning circle—]

If it makes you feel any better, I didn't notice anything else off about it.

[But like. Yeah. It's real weird.]

[daimakaicho]

There was nothing else there that could reference if the placement was for a specific purpose? Runes or any kind of anything spell-like?

[dullshooter]

His name is Frank?

[onemillion]

Apparently so.

[dullshooter]

Calling it now: this is going to be the bit of information that blows this whole thing wide open.

[inaclearing]

New Year's again...

[onemillion]

I'm still not entirely sure what to make of all of this, but it feels like we're finding some pieces that fit together.

[inaclearing]

The piece about finding the Founders is interesting. They helped him open up supply lanes to other universes...

[Hm! Hm hm hm...he flips through a few more pages.]

People "worshipped the ground the Founders walked on", but at least the groundskeeper believed they were regular people, although apparently speaking specifically about them could be dangerous in some way. But one of them was the reason all these tapes were made. And they had that key hidden, possibly without Fontaine's knowledge? That's just a theory, but they obviously weren't hiding it from the employees.

[Infighting at the top, perhaps?]

The most information we have about any of them in particular is that one was called "Founder De Cuisine" and he oversaw the restaurant. That probably wasn't his actual name - might've been some kind of nickname or title.

[buriedstar]

New Years?

[buriedstar]

[ ... ]

Is there an actual reason to believe he's being truthful? He wouldn't admit they were fake in their entirety because then only a complete idiot would believe in the rest of his incentives going forward.

With this explanation he can save face and explain that show he put on at the end.

[onemillion]

I agree with that, yes. It is possible he was lying, but given how frequently we were looking in on the hostages... it seems likely someone would have noticed something off, correct? He said he couldn't pull the strings of so many puppets for so long - though that too could have been a lie.

[Though for what it's worth, I did get a bold "The hostages were real" so!]

[visiblepattern]

But you did confirm that he sent them home, correct...?

[He seems...particularly concerned about this.]

[onemillion]

That's correct.

[vholran]

A message to someone, evidently, who thinks he will. Or thought he would, if they're no longer alive.

[ Leave a carving, it'll last longer. ]

[onemillion]

Yes, that was my thought as well. Leave behind something that wouldn't be obviously noticed but would be more difficult to erase all the same. The question is who it was intended for. I doubt we need that reminder.

[howveryglib]

[...you know, he should probably actually make his first priority to go for the kids to explain to Allie what the hell happened here... but anyway.]

Were they attempting to summon some sort of voidsent? I... think those require some sort of medium, though...

[onemillion]

I'm not entirely sure what the point of it was. I saw nothing else out of place or any strange markings anywhere.

[So if it was some sort of horrible summoning circle, it doesn't seem to be complete.]

[sixthnonsense]

[Hagakure's takeaway:]

Someone used the patio for a satanic ritual?! I'm never going there again!!

[honeyedtea]

Does that mean this city was originally... full? Or– are we not the first group he's done this to, perhaps?

[ both of them are absolutely horrible to consider! she hates it! ]

[prompocalypse]

He said when we met him that this place used to be inhabited.

But I wouldn't be surprised if we're not the first group. It seems like with the way the game works, there can only be like, one winner if you actually play it.

[inaclearing]

Sounded like a decent number of people at that New Year's party.

[Assuming we've heard that tape by now.]

Though that may have just been the founders.

[prompocalypse]

Oh great. Demons...