WEEK 4

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 4

[After the meeting, Lilac gives everyone a small vial of something red. Those who left the meeting receive it from the rats on the crew. She gives instructions as to how to take it. Take in a drink, preferably tea. Drink it slowly. Make sure you can get to your bed once you finish. The headache will come quickly.

Nevertheless, even as everyone slips into sleep, they are visited once more by the Conductor in what must have been a dream. Or was it? It's not clear.

She is quiet as she speaks, looking out the windows, even though the view is obscured by the glass.

"I know you think me as a monster. Maybe I am after all these years. I have no illusions. But I cannot regret the things I've done.

"Nor can I regret the Bazaar...it was so wonderful. It opened my eyes to the truth of things and opened doors I never could have seen on my own. It was the first time I felt true love for another. I wasn't the only one-my daughter, too, passed through the Wicket. Saw the sea more sunless within the Bazaar's body. Learned as I learned. She sought to rival me in symbols, in marking skin."

She closes her eyes.

"She is dead now, of course. Everyone I knew in the Neath-on our Earth-is. Well. Almost everyone. London endures, naturally. But the Echo Bazaar...it's beautiful promise...it's gone. The Seventh City will never fall, and it's Message will forever remain undelivered. Of all the creatures in the universe who might remember it, I am alone in honoring it.

"Perhaps it's noble. Perhaps it's foolish. In any case, maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe it's the thought that's important. As long as I am here, there is yet a possibility that the deed may be finished, somehow.

"Still, I wonder. Maybe you have the answer.

What happens to a Message, when neither the sender and receiver exist anymore?"




As the day dawns, everyone wakes up to the sound of howling winds and darkness. Their head hurts, but they do have a new memory to accompany the ache. They are also at a new port. It is a dark place, teetering on the edge of safe space and the unknown in between void, where those who enter rarely return. Or, so you have to assume, right? Either way, that blackness on the deep horizon doesn't look particularly fun to try to drive through.

There is a legitimate fear in Lilac's expression that betrays her for the first time, as she lets everyone disembark, including the unicorn and the young man, who quickly jump onto another train to get away from this place. She also refuses to leave the train. She does leave you with a fair warning.

The Synod of Carcels is dangerous, in its own way, and everyone can feel it. Everyone can feel something hanging in the air. It's not natural. It's bending reality. It's also not something that started with you or your arrival. Yet it threatens to become that way, to become part of you. You can feel the temptation gnaw at you. You can hear the winds whisper of it. There is a hunger here-and knowledge as well.

The question, of course, is whether the price to uncover those things is worth it-and what will be found here with the price that is paid. But as the Conductor said-a reckoning cannot be postponed. Not forever.


There are eleven strangers left in this place.]

((IMPORTANT OOC NOTE: This week and it's investigations involve major Fallen London spoilers, in particular spoilers regarding Seeking Mr. Eaten's Name and one of it's endings. If you, as a player here, are playing Fallen London and do not wish to be spoiled, let us know, and we will make sure you are not given any ending spoilers to the best of our ability. We will also be marking spoiler-filled comments with tags, and we request that our players do likewise, in consideration for those who might look through this post in the future.

With that said, have fun, and remember-all shall be well.))

Comments

[strangerpeople]

[The cat licks its lips, before it's mouth opens with a strange hiss.]

The bill is almost due.

Come closer, dear, if you wish to learn my owner.

[zackthekiller]

Wha?

[Uh. He glances around, but it's just the cat. Just the fucking cat.]

Did you- Were you talking to me?

[strangerpeople]

[The cat lets out a yowl as it tilts its head.]

You're a cute little one. Curious one too. Surely you didn't come all this way for...nothing, did you?

[zackthekiller]

I...

[What. He clearly doesn't trust this cat, and yet a part of him is curious.]

Wait. I know you're up to something. You want something from me, don'tcha?

[strangerpeople]

[The cat hops off the rock it was perched on, and comes up to Zack. It lets out another yowl as it stares into Zack's eyes and, possibly, his soul as well.]

Feed me.

[zackthekiller]

[Damnit, he knew he shoulda brought his scythe!

Blaze is the first to fly up as Zack quickly backs off.]

Fuck! Geez! You want food, then don't get up in my face! I can bring you a steak or something if you give me a minute!

[strangerpeople]

[The cat hisses angrily at this. Clearly, it's not into, uh, non-fresh meat.]

Wrong.

[And that's when it lunges, lodging itself onto Zack's arm with an angry screech. It happens so fast Zack hasn't even the time to blink.]

CW: violence to cats

[zackthekiller]

Ggrh! [Zack's lucky he bandages his body on a regular basis. He's using all his strength to tear the cat from his arm and fling it across the room. Preferably against a wall. Long enough to scramble away.]

[strangerpeople]

[As Zack does so, the cat makes sure to put deep scratches into his arm with its old, dirty claws. Then, it is flung into the stone wall with a crrrak.

It's laughter echoes for far too long as Zack flees.]

[zackthekiller]

[Whelp. Guess he's gonna board the train with a bleeding arm. Somehow. Time to take a shower and see if there are any healing potions left.]

[strangerpeople]

[Probably a good idea.

He'll also notice that those claw marks...actually spell something. A word.

MILLICENT.]

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb doesn’t have a healing potion, but he does notice Zack coming through with wounds.]

... Let me see those. I have spare bandages.

[zackthekiller]

[To be fair, Zack could do it himself. But the fact that someone up and offered out of the blue is something of a comfort.]

Thanks... [You might wanna point out how the wounds spell something.]

[katzenpfote]

[He reaches out and takes Zack’s arm as he pulls out the bandages.]

... These scratches seem to spell something. Millicent?

Where... did you get these?

[zackthekiller]

Huh? They do?

[He's gonna unwrap the old bandages that probably got torn up and bloody. Enjoy the sight of burn scars.]

Urgh... I found this talking cat in this room across the bridge, and I think it said something about its owner before it tried to eat me.

[katzenpfote]

A talking cat? ... I'll have to check later.

[His hands shake slightly at the sight of the burn scars, but it's fine. It's fine. Zack's not dead.]

[He starts wrapping the arm in fresh bandages.]

Is reading not a common skill in your world?

[zackthekiller]

Yeah, a talking asshole cat that seems to want food. I'm not fucking with it again.

[Caleb might notice that these burn scars are rather old- like he got them years ago. Zack's more affected by Caleb's assumption than those.]

Nah... More like my life in particular was a load of shit. Never really got to learn how to read, myself.

[katzenpfote]

That's a shame. ... I can try to help teach you some of the basics, if you'd like.

[zackthekiller]

... Really? You serious?

[katzenpfote]

Of course. Hopefully it should translate, but everyone who wants to should be able to read.

[zackthekiller]

... Thanks.

[He... Well, he didn't know you could ask for a teacher here.]

And what do you mean by translate?

[katzenpfote]

It's not a problem.

... Well, I don't know if you're speaking Common, but I know you're not speaking Zemnian.

[zackthekiller]

... I'm pretty sure I'm speaking English.

[katzenpfote]

... I have no idea what that is.

[zackthekiller]

And I have no idea what those two languages you mentioned are either, so something's up.