WEEK 1

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 1

[The train wouldn't stop. Not until very early the next morning. The few who might have been awake would be able to exit the train, entering the cool twilight of the dawn. The star is dark, and few stars can be seen in the sky as a cold breeze begins to blow from the mountain beyond. You can see some chunks of rock floating idly nearby, far away from the station that it won't hit trains, but near enough that one can see they are larger than the train they just disembarked.

Lastly, laid out in front of them, the first port of call: Menahoven. The mountain: The Throat of the World.

But which world? Who knows. Not any of yours. Maybe it doesn't matter. Not when you are so far from home. Not when you have no way to get off this rock without the aid of the trains-and they will not let you pass.

It looks like you're stuck here until the Conductor decides to leave. In the meantime, everyone will need to get comfortable.


There are fifteen strangers left in this place.]

Comments

[overworker]

If not, then we'll just have to wait until we can get you back home.

[As much as she'd like to see her friends again she knows that ultimately she'd rather work to get herself back to them than have them wrapped up in anything this trip could involve.]

[katzenpfote]

He is. Frumpkin, come.

[He snaps his fingers, and then huffs in annoyance. Right, it doesn't work here.]

Put him down, please.

[overworker]

I don't know, actually. You'd have to ask him yourself. He doesn't talk about himself much.

All I really know is that he's the strongest member of an organization with a bit of a bad reputation.

[eternaldivide]

Here, I'll bring him over.

[ Mithos sets the book aside and stands. He scoops Frumpkin up and brings him over to Caleb so he can take the cat from Mithos. ]

[unwittingking]

Yup. Be careful, he breathes fire.

[Despite the deadpan delivery, he doesn't seem to be joking, considering he stopped looking at the book to tell Proto that.]

[dragonmouth]

[ Aaaaand it's open! Revealing a cross-section of yellow flesh inside; there seems to be a clear separation between this gross-looking rubbery sort of flesh and these nuggets of edible-looking fruit flesh encasing a large seed. ]

A couple of the other girls back home would gag whenever one of these was cut open, and I admit it's a bit of an acquired taste, but... I personally find the texture to be exquisite.

[ She'll pop one into her mouth, chew, and swallow, before sticking her hand in and ripping out another piece which she promptly hands to Caleb. ]

Here.

[ Make a Constitution saving throw. Or don't. ]

[otherworldlyking]

[ Rude.

Anyway, after he's gotten a name, he seems to turn around at least, preparing to leave. ]

...Got it. Since it's settled, see you later.

[ He'll turn on his heel and just walk right out of the forge. ]

[katzenpfote]

[Frumpkin jumps over to Caleb's arms as soon as he can, draping around Caleb's neck and purring. He sighs, visibly relaxing, and then glances over at where Mithos was sitting.]

What were you reading?

[eternaldivide]

[ Mithos couldn't help but smile at the scene. It must be nice to have a companion like that ... ]

Hm? Oh.

[ He'll go back and pick up the book and show it to Caleb ]

I had just opened it, so I don't know the contents of it yet.

[notthebreakman]

...Huh. This one's smaller than the fire breathing ones I've seen.

[He crouches down and extends a hand toward the (non talking) dog. Even if they're both robotic, Proto still has a scent that the dog may be able to pick up.]

Hey there, friend. You have a name?

[katzenpfote]

[... He pauses, blinking in surprise.]

That's mine as well. I've read it, so I don't mind if you read it, but it might not make much sense to you if you are not from my world.

[katzenpfote]

[He shrugs.]

I don't mind the smell. I've smelled worse.

[He takes a bite of the piece he grabs from her hand. Huh.]

It's pretty good.

[overworker]

Thanks for sharing. I actually haven't had a chance to see it yet for myself so this is really helpful.

[It certainly uh. Seems like an interesting structure.]

Was this shiny rock... smooth like metal or...?

[One thing at a time.]

[katzenpfote]

Of course. I'm sure she'll be glad to have it. ... Do you even know what a goblin is?

[eternaldivide]

Really?

[ Getting someone's cat was one thing but a book of theirs as well? Wow .. ]

Would it be possible for you to explain some to me? So I could understand it better?

[ it's fine if caleb doesn't but a book would be a really good distraction right now from... other things ]

[telecosmetic]

[Aw...and that uses up the entire bottle of potion?]

[unwittingking]

[The dog does not seem aggressive, at least. He sniffs Proto's hand curiously, probably giving him the chance to see he doesn't have any sort of collar on.]

He doesn't seem to be much of a talker, really.

[telecosmetic]

We can totally encourage it, though, right? It already looks like not everyone loves the queen, from that graffiiti you shared.

[Eliza loves...REVOLUTION]

[overworker]

Not precisely, no. Erebonia has a very strict class system, but for us there are people like us and there are monsters. We don't really have different races.

[But they have a TV-person here so uh. You know. She's come to terms with it.]

...well, I suppose there are people like McBurn as well, but we don't exactly have a term for what he is. I don't even think he knows. Or if he does, he doesn't talk about it.

I can't say I'm not a bit curious though, if you're willing to tell me about them.

[biddentodance]

...

[He doesn't want to say what part of him thinks.]

Said it's a tree? And Mithos Yggdrasil is planting it....

Interesting coincidence. Old myths from part of my world tell of a giant tree holding nine worlds together. Called it Yggdrasil, the World Tree.

[overworker]

Thrice-Renewed...

[That's a strangely worded title.]

A monarchy wouldn't have elections, so I wonder what that's supposed to mean. Unless it suggests several attempts to overthrow her...

[But the second statue is important too.]

What could have happened to her? After all, we all must have been there and yet... I can't remember a thing about her or what may have happened to her in that time...

And that would also mean that we've been involved in this... for more than six months at least now too...

[eternaldivide]

[ ...... wait what ]

Do you ... know anymore about those old myths?

[biddentodance]

Know some.... Better versed in Greek than Norse, but some. You....want to know more?

[overworker]

Yes! Charlotte helped too actually. We wanted to make sure there was plenty for everyone, and something that everyone would enjoy.

[eternaldivide]

If... you don't mind.

[ he doesn't believe it to be more than a coincidence but he's... still curious. he didn't expect to hear his last name being in some myth from someone else's world? ]