COMMENCE VOYAGE

[bathymetric]

Fun Fact: Did you know the Atlantic Ocean has a surface area of 41.1 million square miles? No reason.

...

There's something uneasy in the air as you come to.

Well, "come to" is an interesting word in this case. It implies waking up, which is not exactly what happens. None of you are in beds, nor are you really asleep in the traditional sense. One moment you're somewhere else, doing something else with your time, and the next? You're somewhere on board a massive cruise ship - maybe lounging on a deck chair by the pool, maybe getting some Gains in the exercise room, maybe enjoying the tasteful décor in the buffet - and you have no idea how you got here or how you might get back. This is not your beautiful house. If you have a beautiful wife, she isn't here.

What you do have, apart from 25 other unlucky souls, is a small smartphone-like device in your pocket with only a handful of things on it: a clock reading 11PM, a pdf of a ticket in your name on a special Atlantic Liners New Year's Eve Cruise, an app labeled Passenger Profiles with some basic information on your traveling companions, and a message:

Welcome aboard, passenger! Please feel free to partake of any of the facilities while you wait for the big event! Remember: when midnight comes, you better make your way to the theatre at the back of Level 1 for the main event! The Captain and the First Mate will be there to take care of you all personally, and to help you ring in the new year in style!

Well, that's a start. But what you do until then, it seems, is up to you!

Comments

[scouserer]

[Constantine lets out a snort.]

Whatever it is, I have a feeling that he's not going to congratulate us on winning a free getaway package.

[Clearly, he's not going to be able to gather more information other than what's been given to him--at least, not yet. With the captain going through this much effort to gather everyone in one place, he would likely be meticulous with keeping areas as inscrutable as possible.]

The least he could've done was given us drinks. Did you know that there's not a single drop of alcohol in the margaritas downstairs?

[scythegun]

Really? Not at all?

[While cruise ships are definitely not a thing where he's from, he is from the guilds and drinking is like, practically a requirement.]

Well, I wasn't expecting this to actually be a party we've been kidnapped to, but I wasn't expecting them to make it this obvious so soon.

[Because you can't have a party without alcohol, I guess???]

[scouserer]

[Constantine smirks. He fiddles with his pockets before retrieving a toothpick he'd squirreled away from the Jimmy Buffet earlier.]

What, like being kidnapped and stripped of all your belongings wasn't enough of a clue?

[He begins to chew on the end of the toothpick. It's not a cigarette, but it'll do.]

If we're going to have new year's celebrations, then we ought to do it properly. And vending machine food isn't exactly anyone's idea of a new year's feast.

[What he's saying is that they should totally ruin the captain's day.]

[scythegun]

[Ah, a fellow man of chaos.]

I suppose I really do need to take in the sights here and see what all our Captain has been generous enough to provide!

[So he'll shove the device back in his pocket and get up, then incline his head a bit.]

Would you care to give me a tour?

[C'mon, let's go see what our options are for ruining the Captain's day!!]

[scouserer]

[Constantine grins. He likes this guy. He gestures towards the stairs with his thumb, his other hand shoved in his pocket.]

I saw a few vending machines on my way up here. Can't do anything on an empty stomach, now, can you?

[Does...Does Yeager know what a vending machine is?]

[scythegun]

No, no, not at all!

[...]

What is a vending machine, anyway?

[it's just gonna be Like This, constantine.

But anyway, let's head on down in that direction!!]

[scouserer]

[Ah. Another one of these guys. Constantine grins.]

Oh, don't worry. You'll find out soon enough.

[Constantine leads Yeager downstairs and towards the array of vending machines. There's certainly an impressive array of snacks and soda, and every label that would otherwise have a price has "FREE" written on it. He gestures to the numbered panel on the side.]

See those numbers? Punch a combo in here, and it'll spit out something. Take your pick.

[He thinks it'll be funny to see what he picks....]

[scythegun]

[Huh, why is everything free... That's a little suspicious. Well anyway, Constantine explains how these work and Yeager nods. He studies the snacks and drinks for a moment before ditching that one for the... it's the office supplies. He is absolutely putting in the code to obtain one (1) stapler.]

Oh, how marvelous! It really does just drop it down!

[the stapler clunks to the bottom loudly....]

Though I must admit the selection is a bit odd...

[Okay, he's also going to obtain a pen aaaand a notepad. Those seem like they'll be genuinely useful.]

[scouserer]

[...Huh. A notepad and pen aren't actually bad choices--though, he does raise an eyebrow at the stapler. He can't see that being useful unless you unhinged it and use it, like...as a really ineffective piercing weapon.

Which reminds him, he should probably look into finding something to defend himself with.]

It does make you wonder when it gets restocked--if it gets restocked. [He tilts his head to the side.] I doubt our captain would go through all this trouble only to immediately snatch it away from us.

[WELL, the flamethrower host reveal would indicate otherwise....but it's fine. He leans over to the vending machine and helps himself to a notebook, himself.]

Better to start keeping a log early, hm? In case our bodies are found adrift at sea and we're the subject of one of those true crime documentaries.

[scythegun]

[The first part gets a nod, that absolutely seems stupid, but who knows how this will turn out. (Badly.)

Anyway, Yeager steps back to let Constantine grab whatever he'd like from the vending machine, nodding at the second part.]

Ja, precisely! Might as well leave them a few helpful clues while they're exploring whatever horrific incident undoubtedly occurred on this ship!

[oh my god.]

[scouserer]

[To Constantine's credit, he looks absolutely unfazed by Yeager's comment.]

You'll need to start your confessional early, then.

[He flips open his own notebook, tapping the pen against his chin as he pretends to think.]

Somethin' like....'Dear diary, today I was accosted by a man with a ridiculous German accent.'

[Of course, Yeager probably doesn't know what Germany is....]

[scythegun]

Oh?

[At this point he'd just be disappointed if that wasn't referring to himself, but.]

I've never heard the word "German" before.

[He absolutely does not know what Germany is.]

[scouserer]

Oh, don't worry about it.

[It's....fine. Knowledge of Germany isn't exactly important when it comes to being trapped on cruise ships.]

[scythegun]

[bless constantine for knowing when to pick his battles]

Hmm, alright! As long as it's not important!

[knowledge of germany will hopefully not be important in this game.]