bellelurette | WEEK THREE

WEEK THREE

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You awaken smothered in wonderfully soft blankets. If you are lucky, there is a warm body next to you, but... those are becoming shorter and shorter in supply, aren't they?

It's Monday at Château Ambregris, and you have just arrived here. Whatever clothes you are wearing, whatever injuries you are sporting... They are once again accurate to how you were before this tale began. Whether this leaves you with any urgent matters to take care of or relieved of ailing you had contracted in the 'last' week, the gong of the numerous clocks chimes out indifferently to the hour. Gone is the urgent summons of the past two weeks, with no Witch to greet you.

Rise and shine, and face your 'first' day in your 'new' home! And though you may now think yourself quite familiar with it, maybe another look around wouldn't hurt?

TIME LOOP:

-Characters wake up with the clothes they had with them at their canon point, like in the intro log.
-The state of their bodies is exactly the same as it was on the intro log (for better or worse).
-Any items they accumulated last week are also reset (sorry you'll need to build up your weapon cache again), except items that were given out as event rewards. Please note that the item uses are not reset.

LOCATIONS UPDATED:
- library, gardens
- mud bath → aquarium
- menagerie → photography studio
- grotto → greenhouse

WEEKLY EFFECT

This week every character will have a spirit animal that follows them around like a familiar. The choice of animal is up to you (natural or supernatural), but it should represent them in some way. The animal is restricted in size to that of a large dog and is incorporeal, though it can interact with other spirit animals. As the animal is a representation of their heart and inner self, it might be better at expressing itself than it's owner.

Yes, this is basically daemons. This palace clearly needs more animals for emotional support!

(OOC: Murder proposals and counter proposals are open! )

MONDAY • TUESDAY • WEDNESDAY • THURSDAY

Locations Proposals PCS Curfew Witch Contact Main Nav

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Mayhap... he is testing out different methods? I admit I cannot fathom his aim with these particular spells.

[ Though he thinks that they've found the connection here, being that they're all exposing their internal thoughts in one way or another. ]

A means to show our true colors, perhaps? If the intent was honesty, then it's obviously failed.

[But also... why would it matter? Most people put up a facade. She'd said it herself to Hwylryn when he'd pressed her (though, ironically, she had been honest then): Most people here are surely hiding something.]

The outcomes of the two carnivals we recall were different. We've been asked to bare our souls and romp with animals. Surely people have spoken with Ish separately even if they can't remember it.

... It can't be something someone said to him, can it?

It could very well have been a suggestion that we do not recall.

[ And try as he might, he knows he could never recall such a thing.

Hmmmm.

Hmmmmmmmm. ]

Or mayhap it has relevance to that Akashic Record? Filtering our emotions through magic that would feed into the resources he needs to access it.

[She kind of makes a face at the term "Akashic Record" - this would be much easier if there weren't so many things involved that went over her head. None of this feels like it's sinking in at all. Even Herta explaining it to her might not fully fix it.]

Maybe ask the question from the other side and see where these things converge.

It's speculated the game "resets" when it's rendered "unplayable." Too few people remaining, or those remaining too desensitized to death and violence... but what could we do, even prematurely, to lock the progress of this game?

[ Hm. He has to think about this, taking a moment... two moments, to give it some real thought. ]

Agree to forego killing one another. It would mean that we must trust that all of us will follow through with that, but that would lock the progress indefinitely.

[She sits back, crossing her arms. The bird leaves her side to fly higher than the group, looking down at them from its literal birds-eye view.]

Impossible, I think, with our number. Almost everyone has their breaking point.

[She holds her fist to her chin in thought.]

... Which means we can't rule it out, since the question then becomes how we could reach that agreement. .

[ His carbuncle, meanwhile, winds around Andrew's feet curiously. ]

A deal, mayhap? We divulge our most desperate wishes and work to ensure that they are resolved.

That would require a very specific population of us - namely, though whose desires can be achieved without miraculous intervention.

And who could say who would tell the truth about that? [For all they know, even someone like Andrew could lie. She has never asked to be cured, but such a request would take a miracle.

Even if all seemed well and all seemed to agree, there'd be no telling who might hide their secret desire for a wish under the pretense of cooperation.]

Do you think we could ever reach a point where we were all so trusting?

I would... hope that we could.

[ But that is not a direct answer to her question, not at all.

Because she's right. They can all divulge their wishes and work out solutions to getting them granted as a group, but not everything can come to fruition without specific wish magic.

It's why he eventually relents, shaking his head. ]

However, I do not think so.

No... neither do I.

[Despite their best efforts and the teamwork that went into Sabo presenting his profile of the situation, it doesn't seem like an obvious answer will make itself clear right away.]

Is it impossible for us to work together? If we no longer gave a damn about one another, then perhaps then...that could also end the game.

[Does she give a damn about anyone, still, at all?]

I think you may be onto something with that idea. However, there is a significant flaw in that plan.

[ One that she is probably aware of, he would think. ]

Take a look at your surroundings, Andrew. There is care in the movement of every individual here. Whether that be towards everyone they know or a select few... attachments have already formed, for better or worse.

[Her expression becomes dark and almost unreadable. It's true, isn't it? Even if they had fought it, especially after that first week of knowing their emotions were being manipulated, they've ended up entangled in each other's lives. Even if she can't really tell what it means.]

Then it'll only get harder. We're probably running out of time.

[Boy, are they.]

[ He lowers his voice. ]

I think we are. This feels somewhat like a tipping point, does it not? Many of us have forged strong bonds, and have suffered from the loss of someone here.

[ It stirs up all kinds of emotions. ]

If anything, we've just made the pot boil faster.

[The last week had been a culmination that might otherwise have been many more days in the making. The magpie accompanying her swivels its head curiously; it looks across the entire crowd as if trying to appraise them all at once...as if wondering which of them will boil first.]

Mm, indeed.

[ His gaze follows the magpie's, and his carbuncle looks up at Andrew, curious. ]

Trauma has a tendency to give forth to stronger bonds. Given that we have indeed been through much and more already...

"Only those who've experienced the same pain can understand each other."

[She says it like she's repeating something very important, and the far-away distance in her voice only underscores that she is thinking of something far beyond their circumstances.

Maybe that's why even she, despite herself, had those fleeting moments where she sought the connection of others. Even Andrew Grace, who had spent her entire life isolated and dependent only on the care of one other person to survive, might have fallen into that trap.]

We should be thankful if it can still unite us after all of this. [That's...probably the last string she has to pluck on this topic for now. She's too blind to figure it out, too separated to intuit what possibly could have united them.]

[ He looks at her for a long moment, wondering where that inflection of repetition comes from, and what it might mean. Is it something that reminds her of Herta?

…

He doesn’t know, and he feels asking isn’t the right move either. ]

I believe it will, at least in some way.

[ It has to. G’raha won’t allow anything else. ]

[She wishes she could have as he does. The fractures are too deep for them to ever fully cooperate, Andrew thinks, but she won't mock his hopefulness just yet. She just can't imagine or embrace it. She closes her eyes, seeming tired now, and leans back with her arms crossed.]

Then we're at a crossroads. The only way to get there is through trust, but it's too dangerous to trust each other blindly.

...Don't forget that. [He is too kind, she thinks. But maybe she's too paranoid.]

I assure you, Andrew. That is something I will never forget.

[ Trust is hard-won, after all, and he understands why that is.

To say it's even more difficult to earn it in a place that breeds distrust like this goes without saying. ]

I have lived far too long to allow the danger of it to slip me by.

[ And he can tell she's tired now, so he's happy to continue a whispered conversation, or to save it for later.

🎀 ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

WEEK THREE

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can't wait for graha's townhall next week

please

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