[audio] @HK; set during the middle of the event! [open]

[catholicisms]

( Matt isn't big on the devices, for a multitude of reasons. he'll answer on occasion but most of the time he observes and doesn't participate. his username might not be familiar, even to the people who have met him. maybe his voice will be; that's the medium he chooses, it just makes delivery easier. )

I am sure we've all heard what is going around, that plenty of us are suffering from hallucinations. I know how real they must look, or hear, or sound.

( he's had at least a little of his own issues, mostly voices in his head. touches he can't explain. Matt thinks he might be getting off a little easier on this round of misery because he's blind. that's a first, but it also means he has a different perspective on the situation.

and while he's generally not big about talking about how he uses his other senses, in this instance? he feels like he should. )

If you don't recognize my voice, my name is Matt. If you don't know me yet, I'm the one with sunglasses and a walking cane. ( hopefully this is obvious enough a cue to imply he's the blind guy wandering around. ) I can't see what you are seeing, any more than anyone else can. But I can tell you that your other senses could help you decipher if what you are experiencing is real.

If you see blood, something dead, rotten, you'd smell it as much as you'd see it. If you can feel things on you, they can't just come out of nowhere. When things come towards you, they leave an audible clue, and it means something if you can't hear it.

The things you are seeing, hearing, feeling — they're terrible, and horrifying, but they also aren't real. Try muffling the sense that is troubling you most. It's already dark here, but a blindfold could help you ignore what isn't there.

( and because he realizes it isn't easy to rely on senses without practice, ) And if it seems real and you need help figuring out what you can trust, maybe I can help.

Comments

@subzero; voice

[saibot]

The hallucinations are more distracting than anything else.

[catholicisms]

Depends on who you ask. I've run into plenty of people terrified for their lives of things that aren't actually there. We all seem to be reacting differently.

[saibot]

Such things are common in the Netherrealm -- screams of lost souls and demons. But I will admit what is happening is different. I am curious to what is causing them and if it can be stopped.

[catholicisms]

( netherrealm is not a term he's ever heard, though Matt can easily equate the screams of "lost souls and demons" to hell, so that's fine. )

I have no proof it's a spirit, but at this point it seems a safe assumption to make. I don't know what else could cause all this, unless there's some sort of chemical leak causing mass hallucination.

[saibot]

A chemical leak is unlikely. A spirit as a cause is more probable and something that should be looked into.

[catholicisms]

It's unlikely, but the only other alternative I can think of.

( well... maybe some resident of Beacon having powers that could cause this sort of reaction, though Matt does hope that none of them would do something like this intentionally. )

I'm not sure how much looking I can do, but if you want to try and find the cause I'd be willing to join you.

[saibot]

I assume you cannot do any 'looking' at all.

[Was that a joke? No it couldn't be]

But I would be interested in finding the source.

[catholicisms]

( Matt thinks it's a joke, if that counts for anything. )

So would I. It could be good to know what caused this, if we know we could have an upperhand if it happens again. I don't need to see to help search, if you want a second.

[saibot]

Agreed. Many uncertain factors exist in this place, the more we know the better prepared we will all be for future situations.

[catholicisms]

Exactly. If this sort of thing has a renaissance, we could hopefully stop it before it escalates to this point.

( that might be wishful thinking, but hey. doesn't hurt to try. )

[saibot]

A spirit who can cause distress for so many at once has to be powerful.

[And well, power is something he wants so that is also why he wants to find out the cause.]

Magic that affects many is not an easy task.

[catholicisms]

Some spirits seem far more powerful than others. The one under the church, or the one that made an appearance at the festival a few months ago.

( he wouldn't be surprised if there are more spirits of the like out in the dark. it's easy for them to hide in the forest, to only pop up occasionally to make their lives a nightmare for a few days. )

I don't know much about magic but I imagine if whatever can cause this sort of reaction from a distance, it'd only be stronger the closer you are. Something to keep in mind.

[saibot]

Perhaps that will be a way to track it. Has anyone reported stronger effects in any particular area?

[catholicisms]

Not to my knowledge, but I suppose those suffering the worst are likely unable to report much of anything.

( thanks to the severe hallucinations and everything. )

[saibot]

Cowering somewhere no doubt.

In any case, I will see what I can find out. I assume you will do the same.

[catholicisms]

A safe assumption.

( since he's not as affected by hallucinations, Matt figures he's better able to poke around than most. )