vestige network.

Hi, everyone!

[ Right now, he's in the kitchen of his cabin. Behind him, there's a whole lot of boxes beneath the kitchen counters, and another whole lot of jars and various containers for food on the counter. More than is reasonable for him to eat, and it's a logical assumption that the boxes contain the same things. ]

We've got some new arrivals, so let me introduce myself. I'm Rhys Strongfork. I'm getting ready to move out from this cabin because it's way too big for me. We used to be five in here. Because we used to be five, I also have a bunch of food left over. Enough for four people.

So, let me know if you want some of that. It's all stuff that lasts for ages if we get snowed in again or the Technicians decide to stop stocking up Foodland.

If you have any questions about this place, I've been here from the start, so feel free to ask anything. And since there's some new people, if anyone knows stuff about gardening or cars or anything else you think might be useful, there's probably some stuff you could do around here.

All right, err. Rhys, out.

[ He makes a somewhat awkward-looking salute, then cuts the feed. ]

[ that’s cool. hours after being revived through what will only be referred to as space magic, shiro here has been abducted and unloaded for some good ol’ torture an’ death. hold up, let him get out his tally sheet:

abductions: III
fodder for ptsd: ∞
maiming: III
deaths: I

rookie numbers but chances for boosting those tallies are lookin’ good!

speaking of lookin’ good: the video feed opens to shiro’s face. a bit disheveled, a touch exhausted, a whole lot perturbed, he keeps it together for roughly two seconds before he breaks on a sigh. okay, maybe he wasn’t as ready to make an announcement as he’d originally thought. ]

I guess it was too much to hope that this time Earth’s welcome would be better than my last return.

[ dry, very dry, the humor helps dispel his spiking annoyance. ]

Points for originality. [ been there, done that comes to mind, nonetheless. just another dire circumstance to add to the pile. ]

Right. I’m Takashi Shirogane. I’m a new arrival.

[ features setting to an expression more neutral, it’s easy to fall into the more reliable routine of diplomacy. authoritative, matter-of-fact, he sums it all up rather quickly with: ]

I have the pamphlet. The archive. The general gist of what is… happening. [ supposedly happening - but he won’t voice that. it seems far-fetched… though, being abducted by purple aliens waging a ten-thousand year long intergalactic war to take over the universe would have sounded like a b sci-fi movie a couple years ago. so.

clears his throat, refocuses and-- there’s the slightest tell in the waver in his voice and the half-curl of his mouth, the wisp of a smile self-deprecating. ]

Anyway. I’m what you’d call… a little rough right now. [ and he angles the phone, the angle showing more of himself, namely the hub at his right shoulder. ] But even if I don’t have two working hands, I’d like to lend one, in any way to help.

[ Her voice comes through first, as she fiddles with settings on her phone, grumbling as she does so— a voice that sounds like it's coming through a mechanical filter, with a metallic hum behind it. One might assume that there's something wrong with her microphone. ]

What in the Maker...? Who designed this comm unit? It doesn't even have a holo function! Where is the bloody... Ah, there we go.

[ Finally, she manages to turn the camera on, and one can see that the reason her voice sounds like it's coming through a vocoder is because, well... It is. ]

Yes, hello, I've read your entirely unhelpful pamphlet. On paper, no less. How primitive! There's only one part of it I find even remotely interesting, and that is, why is the moon haunted? What is it haunted by? Why has no one gone up there to put an end to the hauntings? It's only a few hundred thousand kilometers, judging by what I can see of it, give or take some, depending on the moon's size.

[ Look, she's the best navigator in the galaxy, but there's only so much you can do by eyeballing it. She needs sensors, readouts, data, something! ]

And another thing. While trying to access the communication function on this horrid little device, I found what appears to be a dating profile? For me, about me, definitely not written by me. And just to head off any potential takers— unless you're inorganic, I'm not interested, so you can stop such foolish notions right there.

Now. If someone could direct me to the nearest hot oil bath, it would be appreciated. This cold weather is hell on my circuits.

[Now that everyone is awake and not shared dreaming. Have a talking gorilla on the network!]

Uh, hello there. To hopefully get a few things out of the way, yes I can talk, no you're not imagining it. How can I talk? It's complicated.

My name is Winston, nice to um, meet you all?

[He winces with an awkward smile.]

So I've been having a look at the network set up here through the device provided and it's interesting to say the least. A few of my major questions have been answered looking back at things, but gotta ask just in case. Are these Technicians available for a chat or is this on a "them" basis?

[The camera captures him from a downward facing angle, like he's holding it up to take a selfie. His expression is almost entirely blank. Devoid of emotion]

Hello. My name is Kane. I woke up here maybe three hours ago, if my sense of time is correct. I've been exploring around my cabin, but most of what I've found is trees.

Can someone, if there is someone out there, tell me where I am?

( a post arrives on the network with no identification, much like the alerts regarding the visitors and the feast in late november. this one, luckily, is more like the latter than the former. )


etc etc.

So! Back in the good old days of Containment Zone Uno, we had some yearly holiday traditions. A little bit of cold, a little bit of potentially mortal injury, a little mistletoe, and some good old-fashioned magnanimous gift-giving. Unfortunately, we were unable to secure the mistletoe this year, something something flesh-eating accident down in Botany, but we're right on track with the rest.

Beginning with gifts.

HOW THIS WORKS: You tell us what you want. We give it to you. We give you the actual thing, not some fucked-up version that teaches you to be careful what you wish for.

HOW THIS DOESN'T WORK: You wishing to go home. You wishing to change your reality at home. You wishing to bring someone from home here. You looking a gift horse in the mouth by asking fifty questions and wasting our time. This is how you lose your wishing privileges, and then you'll be sitting there in bed thinking, "God, I wish I'd just shut up and asked for a unicorn."

WHAT CAN WE DO: Basically anything. We've given you 164 tubs of ice cream and made your arms rot right off their stumps. Just try us.

Offer closes in 72 hours.

( all wishes, once accepted, will arrive (in whatever form they take) on december 20th. )

OKAY so it has come to my attention that some of you lot haven't had elementary sex education, so I'm just a tiny bit curious about what all you do and don't know about getting a legover.

Tell me if any of this means anything to you:

( Read more... )

This is especially for all you ye olden folk out there, since there seems to be a lot of that going on. But Especially Especially for all the ancient Chinese cosplay blokes out there. I refuse to believe my ancestors were so fucking vanilla LMAO like you HAVE to have different words for it or something PLEASE.

[ There's a sudden blue line that appears around people's screens. It illuminates the dark space dimly; when a voice starts coming through, the line wobbles in time with the cadence of it. It's a woman speaking but there's a certain synthetic quality to her voice that can't be overlooked. ]

Hello, everyone! My name is R.O.S.I.E. That stands for the Reactive Overseer of Situationally Interesting Experiments. Since that's a bit of a mouthful, please feel free to call me by my acronym!

[ What's a name. ]

I'm an AI that was designed as a helper bot. Basically, that means I'm made to assist people in whatever ways they may need! Please, if you need anything, don't hesitate to ask me. I'd be happy to do what I can to improve your quality of life.

[ That might be a little creepy to some, maybe, but she sounds so happy about it. ]

But first- I'd like to get to know you all! Let's try an icebreaker question.

When you die, what do you want to be remembered for?

To: The Good People of This Lake, Our New Spirits in Attendance, and All Others Whom I have Not Yet Come To Know,

It has come to my understanding, that we have no taken proper stock of all items we shall need for the coming winter. This worries me, if we have no stores, what might become of us, or any others that seek shelter here? There is no crops in the fields to take in, when it so near to harvest time.

So I have taken it upon myself, to take full account of all products of food, grain, drinkable liquids, ales and their similarity, spices, livestock, both that I have seen kept and could be capture and kept, hides, lathers, cloth, and other such items that I have seen but do not wholly know the purpose of.

Please find included the list thereof:



[ The list is just that as follows, and it is long, it is detailed, and she hasn't slept thanks for asking, she has had to count everything. Some of it she clearly has no idea what it is for. All the things you'd expect her to know have been given with notes beside them about the best method of storing: whether that's pickling, salting, smoking, dry jars up high to keep away from moisture in well-airated rooms. Do you people know you have literal, WHOLE CONTAINERS OF CINNAMON?!?!?!? DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THAT IS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Then there are other things that she has simply placed a question mark next to: chocolate, candies, whatever the fuck a 'bleach' is. Do you eat that? ]

Much of this food is fresh, clearly a harvest from another place. But none of it will last more than two weeks more if we do not preserve it. Which is where I must request for any one of able body who can assist me. I fear what will come of us if we do not immediately seek to preserve the food we have been given. If you have not the knowledge of how a task should be done, please do but ask - I am Second Child, and it is my duty and task to see after my people's good, and see to our winter stocks every day for our entire island, to which I can provide instruction in the preserving of all food and other items.

I hope you can find the time to help me in this endeavour as I pray you know it is for all our goods over the season yet to come,

Gilia St. Loe, Second Child of the Sea, Daughter of the Sea-Father.

[ When Rhys starts the feed, he's leaning against the hood of one of the trucks between the warehouses in town. He's got a new shirt on, courtesy of Foodland, and has decided to forego the vest and tie, at least for the time being. ]

Hi, fellow captives!

[ He probably shouldn't sound so cheerful with a greeting like that. ]

For anyone who doesn't know me, the name's Rhys Strongfork. I've been exploring the town since yesterday and I found a few things that might be useful. First of all, I found these things.

[ He gestures over his shoulder with a thumb. With his metal hand, for anyone who might react to it. ]

If anyone's good at cars, maybe we could take a look at them and see if we could use them. It'd be an efficient way to cart supplies from the town to the cabins, if nothing else.

I also found greenhouses! Only one was actually whole as far as I could see, but there are seeds and everything, so if there's someone who likes gardening, we could try growing our own food.

Lastly, I found an abandoned train. I managed to open a couple of the cars and found beer and toasters, and also lots of boxes? But I couldn't open all of them, probably because they've been standing there for a while. I don't have a lot of brute strength so if anyone would like to help me open the others, I'd appreciate it!

Rhys, out.

[ He makes a salute, then ends the feed. ]

To All Whomst Live about This Lake, Most Kindly Residents, and their Spirit Kindred.

I write to you in the most sorry state, and I must beseech your goodwill to my lacking knowledge and skill so if that I write boldly with no invitation to do so you will look upon me with mercy if I have mistakenly given offense. You will do me the greatest kindness if you will take pity upon me, as I am now so far from home and so wholly without that which I know well. It is no small matter for me to be gone from where I came, I would not trouble your good humour with myself on anything less than the direst of situations.

It is paramount that in all haste that I send word to my homeland, as I have been assured no return is possible. There is a great matter for which it is my duty to attend and in such present circumstances as these, my absence will be a great misfortune. As I cannot leave in good time, I must at least send word to my Fathers that the succession has to pass to my sister due to this present situation.

I ask most heartily how I may do such a thing? I am at your mercy, please, take pity upon my lands, if not myself, for their are good and innocent citizens of the Isle that must be guided, as has been my family's duty for near 500 years.

Simply give me the means, and I will owe you a lifetime of gratitude, I have no more than the clothes on my back and the shoes on my feet and the love of the Great Sea-Father in my heart. Ask and whatever you wish that I can give is yours if you will but help me with this.

In salt-air and In ocean wave, I plead as a faithful if a helpless servant of the Sea-Father,

Gilia St. Loe, of the Isle St Loe. Daughter-Sea to the Spirit of the Great Ocean, Second-Child of the Isle, She Who Sings with the Ocean to Give Prosperity.

[How Jingyi discovered this is irrelevant. That he does not usually celebrate is also irrelevant, considering their circumstances. The important thing is that today is Jingyi's birthday and he is not dead of something horrible! If that is not cause for celebration he does not know what is.]

It is my birthday!

What do you do for birthdays where you are from? Are they things that we can do here?

I just want to know if I've gotten this right:

We've all been kidnapped, and are being held in some weird outdoor experiment, right? There's that tree with the people or whatever in it just hanging out near the gas station, that's weird. Also, these cabins are a mess and the cake?

Fuck the cake, really, thanks but no thanks, and with these...little flesh party hats? Those are fucking gross.

Points for being gross, I guess.

I'm looking for two things: more information on our situation here and my siblings. Vanya, Luthor, Diego, Five, Klaus, Ben? Maybe.

Thanks.

Oh and if there's a doctor around we can trust I'd like to speak to them too.

[There's a moment of fiddling as Crane works to get the camera at the right angle, before he sits back to address it.]

Apologies to those who have wanted to swim lately, something strange seems to be going on with it. Personally, I'd stay away from it all. Like everything in this place, it looks suspicious to me.

[It takes him a moment to get the phone to balance well enough so that it shows his face, instead of just the ceiling. He's managed to prop it against a few cans of food, and seems satisfied with the result.]

Uh, hello. I guess if I'm showing my face, I might as well introduce myself, even if this channel isn't secure. Which it probably isn't, but -- anyway.

My name is Doctor Simon Tam. I just arrived here a day or so ago. I'm still... adjusting to this place. It certainly is interesting. I guess... if any of you require medical help -- I don't have my kit with me, but I'll do the best I can. I'll be around, if you need to find me.

Um, thank you? [Not knowing what else to say, he ends the video.]

hello, i am pressing the buttons very slowly so i don t make many typing mistakes.

every one has been through a lot lately. if you are hungry or cold or upset by these events, i have made a large p ortion of soup if you would like some. it is a simple soup so there is quite a bit. it has no meat if you are concerned about this.

i'll show you the soup !

❰ here is the soup! ❱

i can bring you some if you would like. our residence is very out of the way. there are many bowls with lids here so it will not be any trouble.

i am very impressed by people who use phones well. the letters are very small!

regards
jiang yanli

cw: blood, event related body horror

[Fran waves at the camera happily, looking excited. A part of her upper arm is wrapped tightly in a neon strip of t-shirt she'd torn from her last gas station haul, though the rot has crept down below where the bandages end.]

Everyone, I think I may have solved it. It's in this book. [And she holds up the book, open to the pages with the illustrations in question.] Does everyone have this?

You see, everyone looks so upset at their limbs being eaten away by whatever it is. But then they put red on it and they're happy and whole again.

Friends, I think the red might be blood! I think we need to get blood on the parts of us that are rotting. Or simply shattering, in some cases.

Has anyone encountered a man named Markus here?

[ For a moment that seems to be the entire extent of the message but about ten seconds later, another one follows. ]

Please disregard this username.

[ Okay, that's the extent of the message.

Oh wait. No it's not. One more: ]

I have an additional question: have any of you ever experienced something like this before? I have reason to believe this isn't an isolated incident.

[ Reason being this is the second dang time it's happened to him and North. ]

Hello. My name is Graham Casner, and as we all seem to be stuck here for the moment, I'd like to get a headcount and collect a few other potentially useful details. A record of who's here will let us know if anyone goes missing, and the benefit of cataloging what skills we have amidst the group should speak for itself.

In my day to day non-bullshit life I work as an adventure/survival guide; while I can't say for sure how much call we'll have for those services consider me on call for any questions about how to use what we have on hand. I also possess some experience in basic home maintenance, though for anything beyond simple electric/plumbing issues you're out of luck.

To sum up: please reply with your name and any skills, abilities, or otherwise you see as beneficial to our survival. Don't discount what might seem frivolous at first; creature comforts can go a long way.

Thank you for your time.

[There is a man wearing a three piece suit, despite the heat of the summer, sitting in a chair in front of the camera]

Good evening to all residents of this... admittedly very beautiful place. If slightly odd, seeing as I merely woke up here with no recollection of my journey.

That being said, since I am here, and will be for the foreseeable future, I would like to offer my services. My name is Doctor Hannibal Lecter, and I have been both a doctor of the mind and body for many years now. My primary interest would be in continuing my psychiatric practice here, if anyone would like to continue or even consider beginning talk therapy.

I was also a surgeon, before I was a psychiatrist, so if you have any physical wounds, I would be able to take care of those, as well.

[He leans back in his chair, steepling his fingers.] I think that is all, by way of introductions and offers. Do not hesitate to contact me here, or if you see me in person.