networkinthenight | [Network - voice] @ SuprNerd- we could be heroes, just for one day

[The audio starts with the sounds of rustling papers, as if Quentin is reading this from something he's written down (he is) and his voice starts out stilted.]

Hello? This is for all of you who live here in Beacon and it's about something I've thought about since the town meeting. At this meeting, there was one thing we didn't-- okay, so there were actually two things, but I want to talk about the one thing and-- shit. Sorry. There was one thing we didn't talk about, and that's the fact that several of us can do things. I've talked to some of you and-- fuck. Hi. I'm, uhm, Quentin and I'm a magician? We're from, well, Eliot and I are from the same world? Or, the same timeline? I don't know what to call it, but we came from the same place? But, yes. I'm Quentin. Hello.

And I've talked to some of you and you could do amazing things. Brilliant, magical things and that made me think that, what if there's more? What if a lot of us can do amazing things, but we just don't know because we haven't told each other yet? So I'm proposing that we talk to each other and if you're not comfortable with everyone knowing what you can do-- and I get that, I do, because back home we weren't really supposed to talk about magic either, at least not to non-magical people. But okay-- if that makes you uncomfortable, you could always just talk to me? There's a private setting to these texts or we could meet up. Or maybe some of you will want proof of magic and I can show you?

But most importantly, we can do these amazing things and that could maybe help with some of this? Right now, everyone is searching through the forest on foot and in small groups. If we find out what we can do, maybe it's possible to make teams that can search without having to put themselves in harms way? Maybe someone out there can fly? Someone who could fly out and see which way we need to go to get through? Maybe someone is telekinetic? Or, can talk to plants? Maybe one of you can warg in to some of the spirits? Maybe someone is a shapeshifter or a skinwalker-- or, god, you're getting all of this from popular fiction and now everyone has to hear about it... sorry, where was I?

Okay, so maybe if we talk to each other about this, maybe we can find a better way of exploring this place and maybe we can find a better solution to the problem of World Eaters coming for us.

Because the X-men were better when they were a team? And-- and even Frodo couldn't get the ring to Mordor without the Fellowship. So, maybe we can do something like that. Make powered teams and use this, to defend ourselves and to explore this world.

But, uh, it wouldn't be fair to expect any of you to share with me, if I'm not willing to share myself. So, if-- I can do simple wards? For our homes. To ward places like the church, which we know has been destroyed once already or maybe the Inn? I'd need someone to cast with me, but I think we can do it. Ward it from harm or put a shield spell on it, so it's safe. I can mend things, and if anyone wants help mending small objects, I'm willing to help.

I guess that's all I have to say. I hope you'll consider this and that you'll help me keep us all safe.

[indistinct and muttered] and fuck that guy for saying I couldn't. Stupid, fuck-- [click]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And you believe her?

We're not breaking in, though. We've been invited in? Or kidnapped and shoved in.

Well, if we're just throwing things out there to see what'll stick, we could just go with the spirits are what's going to be left of us if we die too many times. Dying here, it changes you. Not everyone came all the way back.

It's not consideration or respect when we're doing it out of fear. It's being held a gun-point and asked to please help.

You don't?

I can see where I've lost you. I'm not referring to Beacon as a whole, I'm referring to the forest. Where we know people have been killed for travelling too far and without any attempt at negotiation. I do already know that people return differently from death in this place, I've kept notes.

If you want to insist that colonization is an appropriate response given the circumstances I'll take my cues from history and know that I won't persuade you. I initiated this conversation in the first place because one of your goals in collecting metahumans is for the purpose of combat, really, during explorations.

My only suggestion is that there are perhaps there are more proactive actions than reactive ones.

I'm not sure yet. I'm not sure I believe much of we've been told so far. Or, I believe it's one version of the truth and there could be others.

[So, this is guy is making his own lists.]

This is not colonization, it's exploration? Although you could argue that those two things are just two sides of the same coin, since humanity has never really explored anything without turning around just after to colonize it. Invade it and subjugate the indigenous people while slaughtering their pets. I get that and I get that this is something we shouldn't do. But the alternative, is sitting here and hoping the World Eaters will decide to just not show up this time around. Whatever the spirits can or can't do, it's not enough to remove that threat. So, that means we can do things that they can't - it could be speaking, it could eating canned foods, since most spirits seem to like things sweet and not savory. Or it could be because we can work together towards something, that we can pool our resources in a way that they can't. Or won't.

I was not looking for combat, I was looking for a way to keep us safe. You might not be able to see the difference, but that doesn't mean that it isn't there.

When exploration takes us through someone else's home and results in injury and death to us, we only have ourselves to blame. Especially given that we have ocarinas.

I agree, we should make efforts towards safety. I'm perplexed about encountering this resistance.

Did you just say that all the dead people brought it on themselves? What the fuck? They were connecting the lighthouse to the network, which seems like it was something Robin wanted them to do?

The ocarinas showed up with us, with the boat we came in on. And it's not like we can use them to ask for safe passage? And they attacked the town, that wasn't on any of us.

Maybe because you seem to insist that safety equals whistling to the spirits and blaming the dead? Just a thought.

There's been more than one expedition into the woods surrounding the town. What I've said is that there's a demonstrated tendency to get in over our heads using the approach we have thus far. You've conflated the two to level an accusation which isn't very helpful, it hasn't done very much to deepen understanding.

The ocarinas were mentioned as evidence that communication with the spirits seems encouraged, not just beneficial. And in the context of our conversation so far, my insistence has been that we diversify our methods.

But I can see that this is no longer a dialogue.

Good luck.

Yeah, you too.

Good luck blowing those ocarinas the next time something big enough and strong enough to tear the church apart blows through town.

[Network - voice] @ SuprNerd- we could be heroes, just for one day

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