@silent | text | Sept 6

[callada]

Soldat, Law and myself just got back from trying to find some sign of the Wild Hunt. Ran into a few roadblocks and thought we'd come back, go over what we found, see if anyone here has ideas.

We did find a building full of spirits. A train station I guess, with a train in it but it doesn't look like it's going anywhere any time soon. The rails kept going into a tunnel but it was closed off with locks we couldn't get through or even break, and another branch had some little hand cart that needs wheels to get going. If anyone knows a thing or two about locks, or has ideas for that cart, we're all ears. Might go dig through the scrap yard later.

We also found a notebook. We're all in it. Looks like it dates back decades at least, with detailed notes on everyone who's ever been in Beacon. I've got it at Solis' lab for now so we can compare it to her lantern notes but if anyone wants a look through, feel free. It was inside the train for some reason and it's been written in by lots of different people but I don't know anything else about where it came from or why it exists.

I'd like to go back out eventually. I feel like if those people were still around we'd have heard from them by now but I hate the idea of abandoning them to whatever fate found them before we did. We could use a few more eyes on the ground.

Then again maybe we have bigger priorities. Anyone been back down to the Helix Station with Weaver yet?

Comments

[pure_havoc]

[well a notebook like that sounds absolutely important. But also wow. Ahem.]

I would like to lead an expedition to return to the station, though I have been remiss in any sense of urgency. Perhaps I should do something about that.

[callada]

I think we should get back down there soon. I want to know what they knew about World Eaters. Must have been more than we do, since they had decades to work on it.

[His problem is not one of a lack of urgency but rather that he's still trying to do everything himself. Sure, with help, especially now that Law is here, but even with Mary putting him in time-out he hasn't really stopped working all the last month.]

[pure_havoc]

I had originally wanted to go back right away, but then it seemed that maybe it was too soon for too many. That is, for those who had far worse experiences than I.

I suppose the information has really not gone anywhere; the only thing that might have been time-sensitive depends on whether the body of that great beast would decay as quickly as it would above ground. If not, I'm sure there is still plenty to learn from it.

[callada]

I hope it's still there. I didn't get to see the aftermath myself, given all that happened. If there's anything there at all I'm sure Law can gain something from studying it. Or there's also whatever is left of the room you saw.

[pure_havoc]

Given that he is a doctor, I would like very much to drain that room of water so he can find anything of use. His expertise would come in handy.

This notebook you found. What do you speculate might be its purpose? Or who may have written in it?

[callada]

Now that we know the room and hall is flooded we can come prepared. A siphon, a hose, something.

I admit I'm at a loss when it comes to the notebook. It wouldn't have been Dr. Solis' at any point, as she wouldn't have needed to take these notes. Same with any lighthouse keepers. And as far as we know the spirits can't write clearly - you've seen the Librarian's efforts and that one is one of the few that's almost literate.

Decades' worth of people, taking notes on every one of us to come into town. We never noticed, and I'm not sure how impressive that is given all the darkness, but it's unsettling.

Found an entry in here that must be about you, by the way. "Black-haired male, probably archaic Earth-Asian. Well-dressed, well-armed, posture and tone suggest education. Nobility? Ruler? Watch this one."

[pure_havoc]

[oh that's just. amazing good work Rosinante]

Ohhh? Yes, that does sound like me. Archaic, how insulting. [dryly; he knows he's from an ancient timeline compared to most] But if they were watching out for the likes of me...is there any chance this might be a relic of the Hunt?

[callada]

I did wonder. Hard to picture who else here can write and would have been watching us all this time.

If that's the case, then it means we were on the right track. ... If you'll excuse the pun. We need more eyes out there searching. I'd like to see what else they had gotten away with that nobody knew about.

[pure_havoc]

Ideally, assuming our assault on the World Eater at the station has not put us onto a strict deadline, I should like to fully dig out every part of this town top to bottom, whether previously discovered or not. There could be small details like this hiding almost anywhere.

But that's a goal for another time. I suppose I had best stop fretting about other circumstances and start putting together a team for the station.

[callada]

I do wonder if that thing was able to call its friends for help. Let's hope not.

Helix Station first. Upending the town after. There's a lot of forest out there still to comb through, I agree, but the station feels like a high priority given we do know how to get there now. Deal with what we know first before wandering off into the woods to look for the unknowns.

[pure_havoc]

Agreed. I shall work towards that goal immediately.

I don't know what the status of the portal was, when it was wedged inside it. Such matters of technology are admittedly well beyond my understanding. If there is anyone currently here with better insight, I should like to hear from them.

[callada]

Unfortunately most of us trying to use the portal technology at Solis' place are fumbling our way through it with trial and error, but if we're fortunate, Dr. Ingram will decide he's in need of a good technological mystery to solve. I'm not sure how much of a look at the station's portal he got before, considering the state of that room at the time.

[pure_havoc]

How amenable, do you think, he might be to taking another look at it?

[nudge nudge convince your friend to come play]

[callada]

Now that there's not some world-ending monstrosity there? I'm sure he'll be interested.

[Especially with other people going because look, he knows well by now, Will doesn't put himself at risk if he can help it. That's probably why he hasn't been down there the whole time.]

[pure_havoc]

I shall have to make sure to find him and mention it, then.

[or call him out on the network, whatever works]

[callada]

Just message him if he doesn't see this himself. He's always on his tablet.

Text @ Soldier

[worthallthis]

I have been thinking. The journal might be from the Hunt. No one else has skipped resets.

Also I promised Weaver I would talk to the big spirit with the bodies. I have not gone yet.

[callada]

Yeah, that's a good point too. It seems like it's a strong lead we were going in the right direction.

If you go, maybe go at the same time as Cao Pi and myself, and whoever else. Even if we spread out to different parts of the station, if someone's in trouble at least there's a chance of calling for backup.

[worthallthis]

Probably yes. And the spirits said they were in the mines. Those caves looked like mines. We probably walked away from them.

[They knew they should have gone in, wheels on the cart be damned.]

Agreed. Good tactics. Also saves power on multiple trips in the submarine.

[Even if they'd rather not share a submarine with Cao Pi. They can be calm. They can.]

[callada]

Maybe so. I don't think being cautious was a bad idea though.

[Not after Mary sat him down and gave him the fiercest talk of her little life.]

A trip down to the Helix Station shouldn't take more than a day or so to get what we need. There's time to accomplish both, especially if enough people take an interest in one or the other.

[worthallthis]

Yes hopefully. I can't sleep down there. Weaver said it could just be a day or two which would be fine.

I plan to stomp on a lot of the mimic spirits, too. They were annoying and didn't talk.

[callada]

Got my full support on that. If they don't want to talk to us and are more the type to try and carve us up, no sense keeping them around. Especially since Weaver seems determined to stay there.

[worthallthis]

I know. It would be safer and healthier if she stayed above the water with us but it is her choice.

[Text can't show how unhappy Soldat is about that, thankfully.]

Maybe it is just what she is used to.

[callada]

Home is where the heart is, and all that. If it's where she wants to be, at least we can make sure she's comfortable there.

Probably in our interest to have someone there consistently too to keep an eye on things and make sure everything's maintained. If it wasn't for the state of the place, I would guess we'd have some of our own wanting to move in down there.

[worthallthis]

[Thankfully no one can see Soldat shudder at that idea.]

not me who would even want to do that

[callada]

Probably someone who didn't mind being stuck underwater if it meant access to everything the station has. But nobody currently here other than Weaver, I guess.

[worthallthis]

[That's something. As much as they don't want Weaver to be alone down there, they're not sure they'd want anyone else to up and move, either.

Well. That's enough of that, anyway.]

Let me know when plan to go once you know. I will make sure Javert and Misty know I am going, and I'll come with you. Will it be before or after we try the mine again?

[callada]

Depends on how ready Cao Pi is. Maybe after, unless enough people want to help with either, in which case we could probably split into two teams. If we don't find wheels for the cart and can't work out how to deal with the locks, then we're walking and I'd like to make sure the people here who don't feel safe enough going down to the station have access to everything in it before we take off into the tunnels. Just have to balance the risks.

[worthallthis]

Have you had a lot of people express interest?

[They're, uh, not seeing a ton of responses here... is everyone so busy that they don't want to help? :( Maybe they should ask a few people for help in person... hmm.]

[callada]

No. But maybe by the time we're ready to head out. Might ask around, in case people just aren't watching the network.

[worthallthis]

Or don't like using it. I'll do that too. Maybe Merwen would like to help look.

[It would keep her from getting into trouble maybe. They love that gal, but good god.]

[callada]

She'd be welcome. It's good to get the newer folks familiar with traveling outside town since it has some... unique risks.

[worthallthis]

[They switch the mode to private, next.]

I talked to her. She promised not to seek the green eyes out alone, and not for a while. Until she knows the language better and I can learn more from Diode. And said she would try to run if they try to hurt her. So that's something.

[callada]

Good. Between us both warning her, and maybe others, hopefully she'll keep to it.

[worthallthis]

She made me promise to try not to die again in return. I think she'll keep to it. Unless I manage to die again I guess.

[callada]

If your promise was to try not to die, it gives you deniability if it does happen. Especially since that's something hard to make guarantees about here.

[worthallthis]

Her promise was also to "try" to run away from the green eyes if they tried to hurt her too. Though her promise was real to not seek them out alone or before we're ready at least.

[callada]

If she gets as far as running across them and she's on our own, trying to run is all I'd ask of anyone anyway. That and the emergency button on the tablet.

[worthallthis]

Wouldn't be surprised if she'd want to stick around and try to talk them down instead of run if it happened. Not sure she's scared of anything.

If we do another meeting with everybody should go over the emergency button.

[callada]

Agreed. Make sure people know to use it. Should go over all the usual emergency stuff, too, since we've had enough show up since there's been any sort of disaster. Where to go, making sure to check in and out, buddy system and all that.

[worthallthis]

[Sigh.]

I hate group meetings. But we should have one.

voice; @lonk

[sublimebeast]

The Wild Hunt...

I dunno if most people would want to find them.

But I might be able to help them track them down....

voice

[callada]

Just because their outlook isn't popular or wanted here doesn't mean they deserve to be forgotten. They're still people like us. I'd certainly appreciate your help.

voice

[sublimebeast]

You don't have anything that belonged to them, do you?

[callada]

The notebook we picked up. No guarantee it's theirs, but it's the best we've come up with. If it's someone else's, then that's also worth knowing, considering the people who wrote it have been spying on people in this town going back decades.

[sublimebeast]

I might be able to use that to track 'em, but I'll need help.

[callada]

If you mean people coming along with you, that's guaranteed. Going alone is too much of a risk. I'm eager to get back out there and I'm betting Law and Soldat will also.

Anything else you need, though?