FINAL WEEK

[strangerpeople]

FINAL WEEK

[Soon after, many of the figures lay dead. They bodies are splayed all over the stage. The female, however, seems to be gone.

Where did she go? What is she planning? It's unknown. But, soon after the Titled leave the Debate Hall, they are struck with a vivid vision. It is quick, but strong. Another dream, and this time, it is a waking dream.

Another memory. The Depths haven't been cleaned, either. The halls are silent, and no new doors seem to have opened. Yet deep down, you know. The end is near.

Its time to get ready. So, get ready, Titled.

There are seven strangers left.]

Comments

[zephyranthe]

[Yep, that sure is a corpse.]

That looks pretty dried up. Wonder if it was preserved on purpose?

[carries_war]

I dunno. But the coffin's pretty fancy, so maybe? It definitely wasn't just tossed in here carelessly.

[What does the air inside the coffin smell like? Any sign of preserving spices?]

[strangerpeople]

[It smells like death. There are no signs of preserving spices or items to be found.]

[carries_war]

Doesn't smell like the spices used for mummies...that doesn't let out other forms of preservation, though. And it definitely looks old.

[He backs up and looks at the coffin again.]

I wonder if this design would mean anything to Alexis...I hate to ask them about something like this after what happened with Farkas' letter, but at this point they're the only source of information we have on this world.

[zephyranthe]

Yeah. It could've just been baked out in the sun for a time.

[Also she vaguely wonders if they should strip the cloth and rope to see if there's anything else under that stuff... eh, sure why not. It's not like it has much dignity to lose. Let's do corpse stripping?!]

Are they feeling up to talking? I haven't really checked in lately.

[strangerpeople]

[w o w

...Fie doesn't actually have to do too much stripping, as there is a piece of paper secreted under the clothing on the corpse's chest.]

[zephyranthe]

[Success \o/ Corpse stripping always pays off. Is there anything on it?]

[carries_war]

It's been a day...if they aren't up to it at all, we've got bigger things to worry about than them not being able to answer any questions.

[strangerpeople]

[Unfolded, it has a black handprint, with a message under it:

"SNOW-THROAT. IN CASE I FORGET."]

[zephyranthe]

[What the hell is this... it sounds like some kind of code.]

You know what this means?

[carries_war]

No clue. Maybe some sort of password? Or a message that doesn't make a damn bit of sense if you don't know what it's about.

[Well, why don't we compare the handprint to the corpse? Accounting for desiccation, are they about the same size?]

[strangerpeople]

[Not even remotely. This hand print belongs to someone who is big, whereas the corpse is shriveled and tiny.]

[carries_war]

Whoever made this, it wasn't them. We should probably take this to Alexis, I wanted to check in on them anyway.

[zephyranthe]

Yeah. They might know what the words mean, too.

[Is there anything else in the room, or is that it?]

[strangerpeople]

[There is one more thing.

Another door on the west end of the wall.]

[carries_war]

But first...

[We'll check if that door is locked. And not by charging it.]

[strangerpeople]

[It is not.]

[zephyranthe]

[Welp. Guess we're opening it!! What lies beyond that door?]

[strangerpeople]

[A long stone staircase that goes upward.

Just opening the door, however, sends an arctic chill into the room.]

[carries_war]

[There was a time when he wouldn't have been particularly bothered by that...but that was when he could conjure fire with a thought. He pulls his jacket shut and steps back.]

We'd better get some warmer clothes before we check this out any further.

[zephyranthe]

Yeah. Think this is the exit, though?

[Like, it's going up and it's cold, this can only be good, right?? Maybe.]

[carries_war]

Either that, or they've got a hell of a walk-in freezer. Seems too easy, though...you'd think the exit would be a bit more guarded.

[zephyranthe]

There could be a final lock.

[Wait a second...]

I wonder if that's why that guy had the lockpick on him.

[carries_war]

The lockpick? You mean that key he mentioned in his letter to Alexis?

[zephyranthe]

Yeah. Have we found anything else around here that needs something like that?