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

[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.

[carries_war]

[Interesting. He gives a slight nod.]

Then we're definitely not from the same place. This looks like something out of the history and fantasy books about Lost Jerusalem, eight-thousand years ago.

[intercessing]

Lost Jerusalem...I cannot say I have heard of such a place.

[carries_war]

It used to have a different name...I think the really old books called it Earth?

[intercessing]

...Earth.

That word I have heard before.

[carries_war]

It's the name of the planet humans came from, back before the Zohar and the incident that forced everyone to leave.

[intercessing]

...You mean...

[It seems like the Intercessor is trying to struggle with something. To try and word something without seeming...rude.]

...you consider yourself to be man.

[That is the best they can think of.]

[carries_war]

Well...not myself. I'm a weapon. But my father is human...and I'm pretty sure a lot of the other people here are, too.

[intercessing]

But, your ancestry is that of a man.

...Then there is much I will need to discuss with those who brought you and I here. If they deign to tell me the truth this time, of course.

[Flopping back onto the couch.]

[carries_war]

Did they tell you we were Realians or something?

[A pause as he remembers people here don't know what Realians are.]

That's like a sort of artificial person that's made instead of born, so they don't have any parents at all.

[intercessing]

No. I've never heard of...Realians before.

...

But...I have heard of creatures such as what you have described.

[carries_war]

Is that what they told you we were?

[intercessing]

No. They...those creatures are not anything like you, if you are in any way artificial.

[carries_war]

[He tilts his head curiously.]

What are they like?

[intercessing]

I have only heard furtive stories of them, even before I arrived. It is said they are little more than mindless constructs with little agency of their own, in the end.

But their creation is still far beyond anything other civilized peoples I am aware of can truly fathom.

[carries_war]

Then where do they come from?

[intercessing]

...A race, not man.

[They frown. Struggling.]

Their...their creators were...

...

..............

I was led to believe your presence here was...of them.

[carries_war]

[He shuffles his feet a bit, as if trying to decide whether or not to move. After a moment, he walks over and sits down at the other end of the couch.]

Are they your enemies?