WEEK 4

[bathymetric]

Another trial, another week, and still you're probably running lower on answers than you'd like. And on people - you lost three since last Sunday. By the end of this week, you'll have been here for nearly a full month, yet still the days crawl on.

You wake up Sunday, again with no memory of Saturday, but this time with a simple message on your devices: You may resume requesting items, if you like. Enjoy. Guess it really was just a stealth motive after all, but at least it's being communicated that it's over! That's something, at least.

And when you leave your rooms on Sunday, there's another new area to explore! This one is... certainly more ambitious in its construction than the last one, to say the least. But hey, you have a pretty neat place to host parties, if you feel so inclined! That's... fun...

Hey, you gotta find the fun in situations like this where you can! Silver linings, right?



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 4! Remember to turn in AC here, threads for regain coins here, and if you feel so inclined you can visit Angel's office hours over here! ]

Comments

[hardnosed]

[ Then she immediately sprays it out of her mouth, either missing or hitting Therion at your discretion. ]

Ugh — disgusting.

[bolderfell]

[His title ain't Dodger for nothing! Miss.]

So--what? Not salt, right? Is it anything you recognize?

[hardnosed]

[ She's absolutely making a note of that reaction time while wiping her mouth off with the back of her hand, which is totally fine. ]

There might be some salt, but mostly it's just... chemical. The water only dilutes it so much. [ Jasper pauses, trying to think back, but— ] No idea.

Nice dodge.

[bolderfell]

What, were you trying to hit me?

[Evasion is his one saving grace, look at him, he's puny.]

[hardnosed]

Ch. If I was trying to hit you, you wouldn't be asking.

[ IF YOU CAN DODGE A SPITTAKE, YOU CAN DODGE A BALL ]

I just don't get why they'd alter the water in a pool like this. It's so obviously tainted, it's not like they'd catch anyone by surprise.

[bolderfell]

Maybe... you're supposed to push someone in from up there?

[He points to one of the slides.]

If they're stupid, they'll swallow some when they hit the surface.

[hardnosed]

They'd have to be stupid to go to the top of the chute in the first place.

I've been looking for abnormalities. Seems like everywhere else has some secret hiding place, here.

[bolderfell]

[Nod. Srs bzns time.]

Find anything yet?

[hardnosed]

There's something trapped in a pump. It's just a matter of getting it out.

[bolderfell]

...This pump. It's underwater?

[hardnosed]

Why else do you think I'm soaking in this swill?

[bolderfell]

I was just thinking I might offer my talents, but I'm not sure I want to soak in the swill. Especially if I'd need my eyes open while I worked.

[hardnosed]

You would. And even if it's just foul and not dangerous, you definitely need to breathe.

[ Therion's occupation is listed as thief, and he does seem to inevitably show up to meetings with a whole bunch of stuff he's managed to locate... ]

What talents?

[bolderfell]

[Rose knows what a thief is. Jasper must, too, so Therion shrugs casually.]

I've got a knack for retrieving things from difficult to reach places.

[hardnosed]

[ Ah, a lowlife! ]

Like the pockets of a higher-ranked human?

[bolderfell]

Wouldn't call that difficult, but sure. That's the general idea.

[Occasionally, he'll pick the pockets of lower-ranked humans, too. Equal opportunity!]

[hardnosed]

[ Shrug!! ]

They're just the ones most likely to have guards.

[bolderfell]

Right. And traps. And dogs. And locks with fancy wards.

[Shrug (x2) combo!!]

But a pocket's a pocket, in the end. And sometimes, those expensive measures turn out more decorative than useful. Embroidery, if you will. I couldn't tell you how many times guards made it easier to get past a gate than a good old barred door would have.

[hardnosed]

... I can see that. It's never a good idea to put all your trust in individuals over other safeguards — they're fallible in different ways, and their presence inspires complacency.

[bolderfell]

Yeah. And even for those who pull out every stop--if you've got that much to lose, it might be better not to trust anything at all. The second you let your guard down's the second you could lose it all.

[hardnosed]

That's true anywhere.

[ not only do therion and jasper share one brain cell, their combined emotional age is like, six ]

Especially here.

[bolderfell]

[Six and a HALF!]

Yeah. It's insane, how willing so many people are here to tell anyone anything. Secrets, weaknesses... How have any of them survived long enough to get here.

[hardnosed]

I don't care what kind of soft world they came from before — they're here now. It's delusional for them to keep acting that way after two of those trials.