WEEK 1

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 1


[So, once Zero has said his peace, everything is quiet as the week dawns. A new Game. Nonary, Decision, Murder. All three. It doesn't matter. Everyone is here to kill or die. The coin has been tossed, the die is cast. The rules are set; the watches are active.

The question now is, why? Why is this happening? Why you? Surely no one is so desperate to kill on this ship, right? Not when the people onboard are so interesting and varied. Perhaps everyone can get along; perhaps there's a way off the ship without bloodshed. Of course, if there is, it might be be best to be prepared for a long stay-there's no doubt Zero won't make it that easy to escape. Then there's the matter that-apparently-people have new powers they did not possess before, while those the strangers once had are gone. Perhaps it's time to test those out and see what they can do if you're not Kira.

So, let's see what happens this week. Hopefully it will be a peaceful one.

There are currently 19 strangers on this ship.]

Comments

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[So. He's not going to participate in this chaos, but he's also not going to stand by and let others just harm him without reprisal.

And, well - Zero did only mention stabbing as a viable way to gain points. and if they can feel the sensation of being stabbed, then wouldn't they feel any kind of pain?

Moriarty begins testing his hypothesis by slapping the hermes doll upside the head.]

[somuchshipping]

[!]

[What... was that...? ...Very weird. Moving on! NYOOOOOM!]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Hmmm...

[It'd help if he could actually see the person's reaction to this.

Regardless, he'll give one of those legs a pinch before going off to see if he can find the robot in question. Worth a shot, right?]

[wheel_of_fire]

[A distant crashing can be heard seconds after the leg gets pinched. Sounds like it came from the mess hall.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Oh ho, it looks like his hypothesis showed dividends after all! Time to head to the mess hall...]

Did you happen to trip? Such a pity - be more careful next time, won't you?

[Hey. Hey Hermes. That just came from right behind you. When the fuck did Moriarty get here??]

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes whips around to face Moriarty. Hi, there!]

ThereWereThese WeirdFeelingsOnMyHead AndLeg! ReallyReallyWeird!

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He very quickly makes his face into one of surprise, though internally he's happily noting his hypothesis was correct.]

Hm? How odd! Do you think your doll was stabbed, then?

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes looks even more confused now?]

What would that have to do with me feeling those weird feelings?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Does. Does he really have to explain this.]

...The dolls are akin to 'voodoo' dolls, in that what happens to them physically is transferred to the one they're made after mentally.

Or in even clearer terms, you're feeling the pain your doll 'should' be experiencing.

[somuchshipping]

Huh... That's kinda neat that you humans can have magical dolls like that!

[Wait for it. Waaaait for it....]

Wait, is THAT why everyone was screaming after I stabbed the dolls? I thought they were just being dramatic! AndINeverReally FeltPainBefore! It's such a weird and distracting feeling.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

It's not commonly known or believed - but yes, it exists.

[It exists in the Nasuverse anyway lmao.

And oh good god, this poor AI. He nods at the question, though a bit chagrined.]

Yes, that would be why everyone was screaming. Being clawed hurts, you see. I also assumed you hadn't felt pain before, thus it would be an entirely new sensation to you.

[somuchshipping]

It is. It felt like my leg was getting both compressed and pulled apart at the same time. Nobody ever screamed out like this in my computer game.

And at least nobody's dead.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Your Computer game?

[Considering Hermes didn't EXPLAIN in the intro why he was so freaked out about mentioning stuff like Class Containers, Moriarty has no goddamn clue about Hermes's real nature.]

And yes, that is something good about this at least. Though later games may not be as...'gentle', so to speak.

[somuchshipping]

No, I mean I come from an actual computer game. I'm a fictional character. I didn't know I was in the real world when we first met. It took until Zero told me I wasn't in Fortuna anymore.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[A fictional Character...

Why did that somehow resonate with him? Questions for later.]

...Then I suppose your...response to all of this is much more understandable, then.

[Since lmao he didn't even know what pain was.]

Though you may have lost a bit of favorability in most's eyes because of your behavior here.

[somuchshipping]

I kiiiiinda freaked out a little when you were throwing video game terms my way like class and such when we first met. The game I'm from has this hardcoded-in protection where NPCs that can't see the player attempt to cause as much destruction as possible when told they're in a computer game and they're fictional.

Sorry...

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Not like he can blame him with that kind of programming hanging over him, jesus christ.]

No, you needn't apologize. With that sort of thing being commonplace where you were before, I can hardly blame you for reacting how you did.

...Though they weren't Video Game terms - but I suppose I shouldn't get into that.

[...You could ask though. It does seem like he might take a while to explain, but you could ask...]

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes has time.]

So what are they?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

I mentioned that Archer is a Class Container, did I not?

[Hypothetical question, he'll keep going.]

My purpose is, technically, to be part of a game...though not one that's in a computer game.

No, I am what is known as a 'Heroic Servant' - a familiar summoned from a place called the Throne of Heroes, where the shades of past humans that have made their mark in some way on humanity are stored. In most cases, a Servant is summoned to be part of a Holy Grail War - an object that is, in effect, a large wish granting object that is capable of doing whatever the victor desires of it.

During the war, 7 masters summon 7 servants, and fight among each other for the prize. The last 'team' standing - that is, the Master and Servant who win - get their wishes granted.

The Class Containers, then, are the 'classes' each Servant in the war is 'slotted' into, with only one of each class allowed.

[He tallies them off, raising a finger each time he names them.]

The first three are what are considered the 'Knight' classes - Saber, the Servant of the Sword, Archer, the Servant of the Bow, and Lancer, the Servant of the Lance. Fairly straightforward. The next three are the 'Cavalry' Classes - Caster, the Servant of Magecraft, Rider, the Servant of Mounted Combat, and Assassin, the Servant of Assassination.

Finally, there is Berserker - the Servant of Madness. That one's capabilities should be rather apparent.

[He lowers his hands.]

I did say before that I am not a 'true' Archer, as I should be in the Caster class...but here I am as Archer, for reasons frankly unknown to me.

Either way! I hope that wasn't too boring to sit through, hmm?

[somuchshipping]

Heh, no, not too boring, though I'm the one usually giving the tutorials.

Hey, you have a prize and the prize is getting one of your wishes granted? That'sWhatTheMainGoalOfFortuna! A group of Adventurers with the first-gen Fortuna found a box capable of granting your heart's desire. Unfortunately, they ran into trouble and crash landed on a strange planet. They had enough time to send out a signal for help. And the goal of Fortuna is to reach that strange planet and have the characters you control open the box up for their rewards! And it's a roguelite, so there's a lot of replayability.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Oh - I see, that does actually sound quite interesting. A shame I can't play it, but perhaps that's for the best.

[Since, well, it's technically Hermes' world and all that.]

Unfortunately with my 'game', there's much more chance of real world colateral damage...and death.