W̧E̷E̡̕K ͡3̴

[strangerpeople]

W̛E̷͞E̶̵K͏͘͠ 3̸̡

[You got a phone call that morning. It wasn't the realtor for the vineyard, like you had thought. Instead, it was a scientist.

She offered you something you hadn't ever expected: hope.

"I think I've pinpointed where this blight has come from, and how it became so virulent. You were among the first whose crop was infected-I wish to speak to you personally about it."

You meet in a car, and drive to an isolated road. She will not take any chance to speak publicly about it-not yet. She doesn't want to release the information until she is certain. But she felt honor-bound to explain to you, given your own importance in her research. You hadn't known she had sampled your dead and dying grapes, but she did.

"This blight..." She opens a folder, showing you the photos. "Started with a gopher, several years ago. I know, it sounds insane. This disease should only affect certain animal species. But one day, it jumped into vines...the original gopher died a long time ago. But not before it had eaten an entire cluster of grapes in one swallow. It ended up scratching itself on the trellis of the grapevine as it choked to death. Its blood, its body decayed, and helped to water and fertilize that strain of grapes the next year or so, and...well, the seeds from those buds that resulted were sent out to every farm in the area. Then, to every farm in the country, different regions..."

That sounded insane. This woman's theory sounded utterly bonkers. But you can't dismiss it out of hand-you have no better answer.

Before you can say anything more, the woman's phone rings. She answers, and you see her face turn white. You don't have to guess why.

Before, the theoretical gopher had infected the grapes with the blight.

Now, the blight had claimed its first human victim.


-


[The morning hurts. It hurts to know that, even dead, there was that final, terrible moment for the Embarrassing and the Nagging. It must hurt more to know that this will continue, and that there is something out there that is invested in ensuring each and every last one of the Strangers are, if not dead, than broken.

And then, there is IT. IT is the enemy, it seems. But...what is IT? Is IT the one truly responsible? How?

As you try to think on it, you remember your truths, and suddenly, you realize, another has changed:




[That you would. Can you? You know that, whatever your answer, you must find a way to the truth. The alternative is too horrible to even contemplate-if it is even possible to be comprehended. After all-if what you saw is what happens to the dead and condemned, what will become of the living at the hands of the terrible, unknown IT who is your jailer?

Hope that you do not have to find out. Hope there is an answer in the new floor that has opened up in the Building. Otherwise...otherwise you really are doomed.


There are 13 strangers in this place.]

Comments

[katzenpfote]

How can they be defeated, and can we support you in any way?

[comesaround]

From my experience, they can be taken down if two people form a pact and they use something called psyches on the Noise They're the most effective when it comes to them.

[ Karma closed his eyes, deep in thought for a minute. He is glad Caleb wants to see how they can help but then there's a problem.. ]

There's a lot here, though. Even if everyone paired off, I'm not sure if things would even work the same as it had back in my game or if we could defeat them all.

[poorlovefool]

Pairing off... should we try that?

[he's a bit skeptical but it sounds like a low risk idea, maybe]

[incendiarize]

Those of us from the mansion can't necessarily pair off with just anyone. It's probably best for us to find someone we can resonate with, who can wield our weapon forms.

[poorlovefool]

Weapon... forms??

[Eric can kind of get where a weapon thing comes from. He himself has been fused with a sword. But it doesn't mean he can turn into one, he THINKS.]

[incendiarize]

Yeah. We got turned into weapons. I don't know a lot about the process.

[But he can demonstrate. Flash! Suddenly, a pair of glasses. Chillin' on the ground.]

Only people who resonate can even pick us up, like this.

[Talking glasses. And faintly, in the background, something honks.]

[poorlovefool]

No way...

[welp better pick him up before the goose runs in for the steal. He's fairly light, but Eric isn't really thinking about what he just said about that.]

What can you do as glasses?

[incendiarize]

[He weighs as much as a pair of glasses ought to...thanks for the protection from the goose.]

As far as I've tried it mostly means I can show visions I've already had to whoever's wearing me. They get to share any new ones, too.

[poorlovefool]

I guess that could be useful. You don't have any offensive capabilities though?

...Wonder if I could make my light more burny if it's through the glasses...

[incendiarize]

None that I know of. Doesn't mean they don't exist - I just haven't played around with it much.

Couldn't hurt to try? Unless there's a vision the second you put me on, those can hurt a lot sometimes.

[poorlovefool]

Uuhh... umm.... what if we think about happy thoughts?

[incendiarize]

Hard to say. The random ones are kinda.....random. And I wish I could say I only get deaths when I try for them, but I don't.

[To die will be an awfully big adventure?]

[poorlovefool]

Well is it least easier to control with better resonance??

[wait he said he hasn't played around with it.]

...You have no idea, do you.

[incendiarize]

No clue. I've only ever tried resonating with three people, once each. That's no way to find patterns.

[katzenpfote]

It doesn't matter how close you are with them?

[Not that they're like the bestest friends to ever friend but.]

[relieable]

[you think glasses are cool? what about a scythe?

with a flash, he changes, as well. he's just doing it to show off]

[katzenpfote]

... I do not think I could even lift you.

[Stick! Arms!]

[relieable]

[it's okay. he'll just lie here on the floor]

But it's cool, right? I'm awesome!

[comesaround]

Actually that is pretty damn cool. Think I could try picking you up?

[ He genuinely looks interested about the prospect of this, taking a step forwards. ]

[relieable]

[ah? AHHHHH? EXCITING]

You can try! I'm not sure it'll work.

[but he hopes it does? also where is his voice coming from? he doesn't have a mouth]

[comesaround]

Only one way to find out.

[ Karma grinned a little and moved over to try, and found out he was actually able to lift the scythe properly.

With very relative ease, too. ]

Whoah! Looks like it works pretty well, if you ask me.

[relieable]

[should he be letting a kid carry him around? well, Osomatsu thinks he'll be okay, considering what Karma has confided in him.

he's just happy to be useful]

Heh. Just don't poke anyone's eyes out.

[comesaround]

[ At least it seemed like he wasn't the type to just swing things around without thinking of the repercussions first. He's at least just seeming to test the weight of the weapon, wishing he could try some test swings but knowing there's not enough space in here to do so safely. ]

Don't worry. I'll be careful.

[ He inspected the scythe with a small whistle of appreciation all the same though, eventually setting him back down on the ground so Oso could change back if he wanted. ]

Remind me to catch you again later. I'd like to try seeing how it feels to swing you around outside.

[relieable]

[once he's out of Karma's hands, Osomatsu changes back to himself with ease. he tucks his hands into his jersey jacket pockets, looking right pleased with himself]

Yeah, sounds fun.

[he bets they could do a lot of damage........ not that they would, but Osoamtsu knows he's working with a skilled kid]

[katzenpfote]

It is pretty cool.

[The tiniest smile?]