WEEK 3

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 3

[Well. Good morning, Strangers. When you wake up, you will realize two things.

The first is that something has changed with your memories. One of them is different from when you recall it being before. Clearer, more coherent, more...correct, somehow.

Could it have been an effect of what happened with the trial? You don't know. What you do know is that the staircase outside of the bedrooms has also changed-the way is no longer blocked. There is a new floor above to explore, now.

What do you do, now? Will you eat anything that had been offered by the Stewards, if you'd managed to snag some of it during the trial? Will you continue to dive into the mystery of this place? And if you do-how much more will it cost you?

There is, unfortunately, only one way to find out.


There are twelve strangers in this place.]

((OoC: Please remember to do activity check!))

Comments

[hexposition]

[So it was Mrs. Parham. Probably.

...Perhaps it's better not to tell Excalibur what's become of her just yet.]

Yes, of course.

The room you're in is the game room, as best as we can tell. We only ever really come down here to use the wheel you ran behind, because something... vile happened down here. Across the way is the music room, but none of us are really that talented with the instruments and it doesn't get much use.

[She'll head over to the staircase, checking to make sure Excalibur is following.]

[15unknowns]

Hmm, hmm! Not enough video games. I shall have to find a way to invent them.

[A slurp from his cup as he ascends the stairs, feet making strange squeaky sounds as he hops upwards.]

Perhaps later, I shall regale you with the symphonic sounds of my dulcimer solos! I remember it well...it was a festival, where the King and Queen of the country presided over a merriment and euphoria that would be unmatched for centuries-...

[hexposition]

Video games? I can't say I know what those are. You'll have to invent them and show me, so that I might be less of a fool.

[It... sure is strange, but kind of cute?]

Ah? I'm sure it would be splendid to hear music!

[Once they're upstairs:] Over this way is the dining hall, although being as we've not been given access to food, it doesn't often see much use. The parlor is opposite, but it's fairly covered in cobwebs. It leads into the sanctum, although I can't say I've been in there. I've no interest in their vile goddess.

There's a garden and a well outside, but I won't take you out there now if you have no interest in seeing them. It's sort of overgrown.

[15unknowns]

NONSENSE! I love flowers! How can one appreciate life, if one cannot frolic through a field of them once in a while!?

Of course, I also have a green thumb. They did not call me the King of Tulips, back during the heady days of the Tulip Mania! Thousands upon thousands of bulbs, worth more than an entire farm! But the crash after left me in a state of destitution! It was devastating, and thus, the lesson I learned was to never trade stocks in futures.

Do you understand!

[icanhearscreams]

[ Uh. ]

Emma, what the fuck is that?

[ A wild Jun appears! ]

[15unknowns]

FOOL!

[And here comes the cane pointing at him]

...Do you understand the importance of stock stability as well?

[hexposition]

[oh hey Jun]

Ah... Jun. This is... Excalibur? I found him down in the game room. He is apparently an ancient legendary weapon, and he seems to understand our powers.

He's... quite loquacious, but he seems friendlier than the Stewards?

[15unknowns]

That is correct! They do not call me a friend to all living things for nothing!

[wait do they]

Or is it a fiend? Either way! TO ALL LIVING BEINGS!!

[icanhearscreams]

[ ... It's louder than Dung Beetle, but it doesn't seem to wish them harm. Yet. ]

I've only taken a basic economics class, so I don't know detailed information in the stock market, but I do know that I've heard you need a mix of high, middle, and low risk stocks in your portfolio if you want to be able to make any money before you retire. Stable stocks are important but not all that lucrative, though they tend to be low risk.

[ ... ]

I read the newspaper and ask questions, okay?

[15unknowns]

FOOL! Those have nothing to do with futures!

But you are correct: it is always important to ask questions when one is a weapon. For, without questions, how will one have the answers?





The answer is you won't! Because you don't even know there is a question to be answered! Remember that!

[icanhearscreams]

... I'm a person, not a weapon, you moron.

[strangerpeople]

FOOL!

[Points his cane to Emma.]

Your friend here is a fly swatter! You surely must have a weapon form as well!

[icanhearscreams]

She's a human, not a fly swatter.

[ He looks over at Emma. He's gonna throw this thing into the wall if you don't intervene.... ]

[hexposition]

[wow thanks excalibur...]

N-not... a fly swatter, quite. More like... some kind of oar-turned-weapon?

If I concentrated on my power, I turned into that.

[Gently:]

Please, try not to fight too much with him. He's given us the most information of anything thus far.

[15unknowns]

Correct! If you concentrate on your power, your weapon form is nothing but easy to obtain!

Your friend has listened well!

[icanhearscreams]

[ Deadpan: ]

Okay.

[ And he concentrates on his power to throw this thing into the wall. ]

[1/2]

[15unknowns]

HEY-

[2/2]

[strangerpeople]

[And the next thing Emma knows, a freaking catapult is tossing Excalibur into a wall with an audible NYOOOOOOM, resulting in an Excalipancake. There is no sign of Jun.


Huh.]

[hexposition]

J-Jun!

[Emma's just gonna run over to try to peel Excalibur off the wall... poor thing...]

[icanhearscreams]

[ Um. ]

[ Well. ]

[ He can't move. ]

What the fuck?!

[15unknowns]

Mrrmrrmrrmrrrrpf!

[He unsticks from the wall with a POP.]

Such a strong form! Hopefully tendonitis or arthritis doesn't run in your blood...!

[silvertongueheir]

[Franciscus hears an unfamiliar voice and heads towards it-and finds this scene.]

...is that Snivy talking?

[15unknowns]

FOOL!

[Even in Emma's arms, he points his cane at Fransiscus.]

Snivy isn't even a word!

[hexposition]

[Emma catches the "Snivy" in her arms, cradling Excalibur there as she turns back to Jun.]

Jun, if you just concentrate, you can turn back! I did! Don't panic!

[....ah]

Oh, ah. Hello, Franciscus. I found a... friend? I think? This is Excalibur.

[icanhearscreams]

I... uh...

[ Focus. He can do that. Yes? Probably. ]

[ He attempts to concentrate on being himself again. ]