WEEK 1

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 1

[Awaken.

Fifteen strangers have been gathered to the Depths.

When the strangers awaken, they will feel nauseous in their stomachs. No doubt confused. Maybe a little sick, Perhaps, even terrified. And certainly, there is a good reason for it - they are not where they were before. If they had powers back where they came from, they seem to be all gone. And it appears that someone has left...guidelines for them. All of them addressed to a specific Title.

Their Title. Somehow, each person knows, upon seeing this, this is their Title, even if it seems to make no sense whatsoever. And its clear that whoever wrote these things knew it as well. Who was it?

Its uncertain. So far, there seems to be no one else save for them, and those who dare to venture out of their rooms - save, for some reason, the individuals in rooms 1, 8 and 7 - in this hot and stuffy place. No...'intercessor' to be seen yet, certainly. No outward signs that there's anyone else aside from the people with 'Titles'.


So, Titled: welcome.

There are fifteen strangers in this place.]

Comments

[intercessing]

Of course.

[Taking a small slurp of soup.]

Are you a reader?

[carries_war]

Reading is fun. I...don't get to leave the Institute much, so I read a lot of books about places outside, and about ancient history.

[intercessing]

I see.

...I, too, enjoy reading. I learned when I was quite young. Perhaps that is why they granted me the mercy of a few books down here.

[carries_war]

[He tilts his head slightly after grabbing the first book he saw with a title he could read. To Kill a Mockingbird...he remembers that title.]

Are you stuck down here, too?

[intercessing]

I am. I may not be Titled as you are, Decayed, but as long as there is even one of you alive, I am to stay here.

[carries_war]

[Grabbing another book...this one he doesn't recognize, that goes at the top of his 'to read' list.]

My title is the Red Dragon. I don't know why that letter called me Decayed.

[intercessing]

It is the Title granted to you due to the power you posses.

[Shrug]

And it is the Title I know you by.

[carries_war]

Yeah, the Red Dragon Drive. Except...it's gone now.

[Grabbing another book. Hitchkhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...that one isn't familiar, but it mentions space, so ???]

But one of the other guys, he could use fire like I used to, except he seemed like he didn't know he could do that.

[intercessing]

Yes, I know. Question had mentioned it, as had Dealmaker. Apparently, some of you did not have these powers, before coming here.

[carries_war]

But you said we were brought here because of our Titles, didn't you? How can that be the case if we didn't have them before?

[intercessing]

[A small slurp of their soup.]

I had assumed you had them before you arrived. That was...the impression I was given, certainly.

[carries_war]

Your superiors didn't give you a very good briefing if you didn't know that. If you're supposed to be watching us, shouldn't they try to give you accurate information?

[Wait, did those books just change? Just a second, blinking at the bookshelf.]

[intercessing]

...My...superiors...

[Ugh, just saying that word. They just want to grind their teeth.]

It would not surprise me if they lied to me. They told me there would be no children, and there are children. They told me your Titles reflected your one, true power. That you needed to be here, though not why.

They told me many other things, that I'm not so certain are true now.

[carries_war]

[His mouth doesn't change, but the way his eyebrows knit suggests a frown. Whether it's at the Intercessor's statement or his puzzlement with the bookcase, however...that's harder to say, though the way he casually grabs two books might indicate the former.]

If you can't trust information from your superiors, how can you be expected to fulfill your mission properly?

[intercessing]

I can't. I can only fulfill what you're able to, I suppose.

[With that, they finish their soup, setting it aside.]

I see you're finding books, at least.

[carries_war]

Yeah.

[Blinking again, then peering at the bookcase. H...uh.]

Can you read all of these languages?

[intercessing]

[Blink.]

Can't you?

[carries_war]

A few. I know a handful of major languages, but most of these aren't familiar.

[He's. Not going to bring up the 'can suddenly read more languages' thing just yet.]

[intercessing]

They aren't?

[That actually sounds very concerning, Decayed...they actually stand at this.]

How can that be?

[carries_war]

[His brother is even less expressive than he is, so he knows a major reaction when he sees it.]

I don't know...someone else thinks we might be from different dimensions. Other people didn't understand what a bioweapon is, which is really weird.

[intercessing]

Different...all of you from different places?

By the...

...

[A hand goes to their temple.]

...I shall have to ask those who brought you here about this. Though it's obvious I can't trust them to be forthright...it is all I can think of to do.

[carries_war]

[He looks up at the Intercessor, then back at his books. If nobody here really knows what's going on...he looks back up at the Intercessor.]

Can I have some paper and something to write with first?

[intercessing]

Mm.

[They retreat to the writing desk and bring these items forth.]

Here you are.

[carries_war]

Thank you.

[Hmm...]

Is this the kind of technology you're used to?

[intercessing]

Yes.