text @Ultra_Magnus; We're Not Alone

[legalcy]

[This storm cloud that randomly shoots lighting at him makes any sort of work inefficient, but as least no one can tell that he had to pause his typing once he hits "send".]

Re: Presence of Others on This Planet.

I have spoken with the Hint Machine at the Night Market regarding the presence of other sentient beings apart from ourselves, and while its answer was not entirely helpful, it has confirmed that we are not alone.

However, it has refused to provide any specifics apart form printing a crude image created from writing symbols.

[Attached is an image of the Hint-O-Matic's readout, edges aligned with the sides of the camera. He took his time ensuring it was even.]

Does anyone recognize these faces?

Signed,
Minimus Ambus

((OOC: feel free to threadjack and share info!))

Comments

text. | daylit.

[sunborne]

They look like theatre masks - Representing the genres of Comedy and Tragedy. Got picked up as one of the symbols of acting and theatre since Ancient Greek actors used exaggerated masks when depicting characters or emotions, for the sake of their audience.

[ daylight was forced to go to a lot of fancy plays when growing up - thanks, auntie imogen and auntie chris - and learned a lot about acting and theatre due to it. ]

Definitely not the mines. Even though the Hint Machine told me that's where the Fire Snatchers can be found. [ so... separate beings, clearly, but the fire snatches aren't considered sentient?

worrying. ]

text, @hello

[lunchbreaks]

Ultra Magnus,
Yes, those are the masks of Thalia and Melpomene, the Greek muses of comedy and tragedy. They represent the extremes of human emotion and were often used in stage plays to be highly visible to those sat further away in the audience.

In more modern times, they have come to represent all sorts of theatre in general.

I am not entirely sure what the masks are supposed to represent here, or why they are drawn in the format of concrete poetry. Generally, this form of typography is most meaningful when what is written is further illustrated by what is drawn with the writing. Perhaps it is some sort of code or cipher.
Sincerely,
Aziraphale

Text; @aetherblade

[redtwin]

the spirits wear masks. maybe it means them.

or a specific group of them distinct from the ones nearby.

text, threadjacking

[lunchbreaks]

Daylight,
Are you quite sure that this isn't referring to the fire-snatchers? It is the only theatre production they've shown us, and there were masks involved. They did tell us to beware, and I am not quite certain the answer to Ultra Magnus' question is supposed to be inferred as an invitation to go see them. I, for one, would not want to go to the mines outside of the dream. It was quite horrendous.

But perhaps we are meant to interpret the play instead! Or ask one of the spirits - they have more interaction with the fire-snatchers and we could start there.
Aziraphale

text, @quicksilver

[techtype]

Whoa, i didn't know the masks had names. Or the beings behind the masks, i guess.

Maybe they literally represent a theater?

@hamada, text

[tadaishi]

Nice, ASCII art.

Re: text, @quicksilver

[lunchbreaks]

Quicksilver,
Yes, I think Daylight was onto something when he mentioned that play the spirits put on for us to warn us of the fire-snatchers.

Had you seen it?
Aziraphale

[techtype]

a bit of it?

what if the machine's talking about the fire snatchers? what if they're lurking around somewhere?

[lunchbreaks]

Quicksilver,
I believe they are in fact lurking around. According to Daylight, they are in the mines - he is on this conversation somewhere. I advised him not to go. The mines are dangerous. Please take this into consideration.
-Aziraphale

[techtype]

ya know, Prompto is fine.

Mines are definitely dangerous, i speak from experience. You guys know where the mines are?

Not that i'm planning on going in them.

[lunchbreaks]

Dearest Prompto,
Ah, right. And no, I do not know where the mines are. Hardly think I would encourage anyone to go to them after what happened to us in our dream, anyway.
-Aziraphale

[ He does know that Molly was looking for them and thinks he might have found them, but he also doesn't want to share this over the network and have a bunch of people go and be responsible for their deaths. ]

[sunborne]

Mr. Aziraphale

Oh whoa! That's a really good idea, Mr. Aziraphale!!!

Actually- Give me a second. I remember making some sketches while the play was going on. Something about it stuck out for me and I drew some things down. Just need to find them.

- Daylight.

REACTION. / A PEEK AND A PEEP.

[sunborne]

[ during his conversation with aziraphale, prompto may notice a strange sound coming from nearby where he is. and it seems to be- peeping?

yeah. the sound is a spirit making curious, piqued peeps from wherever they are.

if he's fast enough and looks at the direction of the source, he'll notice a spirit staring at him from behind some trees at a distance. they stare at him with wide, wide eyes behind their mask before ducking behind the tree and vanishing. ]

[plentystrong]

hint machine? seriously?

[legalcy]

As was advertised by the Night Market.

[legalcy]

Ah, so it was an attempt at art.

It's an an odd choice of medium.

[legalcy]

According to Daylight and Aziraphale, they may reference a group called the fire-stealers due to a play the spirits performed months ago.

If this is the case, this group may be far more dangerous than simply a gang of single-minded spirits.

[tadaishi]

It might not be able to display pictures, so it did the next best thing.

[lunchbreaks]

Daylight,
Yes, that would help immensely. Perhaps we could ask everyone else what they remember. I was so distraught by losing my ring that I had completely forgotten about the play!
Your friend,
Aziraphale

[redtwin]

do the fire-stealers have a connection with the world-eaters, i wonder?

still, it could be worse than spirits. even very organized spirits.

@lonk; audio

[sublimebeast]

Fire Snatchers?

Are they only in the mines?

They don’t wear mirror masks do they?

[sunborne]

[ some time will pass before daylight responds to the post again and it's in a series of messages.

the first few messages of quick snapshots of the sketches that he made during the play. they're messy, smudgy things, with some only discernible from notes and comments day made after their creation.

one sketch shows two group of the spirit actors appearing to be in mid-tussle, seemingly in a fight over the 'lanterns' that the spirits-depicting-as-people have. the other group sport animal masks over the ones they already are wearing and that group consist of a a deer, a fox, a raccoon, and a rabbit. the animal-masked group gave the words 'the fire snatchers?' over them, a thing that daylight had jotted down that day.

the second sketch shows a spirit apparently dressed up to be rastus, waving a real torch around as the animal-masked spirits are attempting to mug 'rastus' for the torch.

the last sketch is of a banner that's been unfurled from the eaves. on it are the words BWAR FIRE SNACTHERS!!! in black paint, with two X-ed out bonfires on either side of the warning.

the last message is an actual message, with day simply going: ]

That's all I can find but it matches up to what I remember from the play.

[sunborne]

Seems to be the case since that's the only location the Hint Machine gave me. And no- I don't think they're related to the one who tried to take your lantern. The sketches I have of the play show the Fire Snatches wearing animal masks.

[ and something occurs to day- ] Oh hey- Have you told anyone else about the onion-smelling spirit trying to steal your lantern? I think it might be a good idea to give others a heads up about this. Especially the ones who do patrols.

[ since they're at the biggest risk of that happening to them, thanks to their set routine. ]

[sublimebeast]

I haven’t, no. I’m not very good with this device yet, so reaching out is a pain.

[sunborne]

Oh oof- Yeah. That would make it difficult to hit others up.

[ day forgot that not everyone is from a world with similar technological advances that he's used to.

hmmm- ] Do you need help in learning the basics or maybe some tips? So it'll be easier for you to use it.