lifeaftr | Nothing like the smell of rotting ape corpse in the morning

Entry tags:

Nothing like the smell of rotting ape corpse in the morning

Who: Newt and Everyone Who Either Commented or Is Listed in This Post
What: Searching that Monkey Compound
When: 10/7
Where: Everyone's on a D8
Warnings: Rotting monkey corpses? IDK, tag ur stuff, friendos

"Picking over the remnants of that bloody battle will prove quite advantageous, as long as you don't mind the smell. Not only did the monkeys fashion several abodes mounted in the branches of the trees in the compound, but they had quite a supply of various items on hand. For those who may have been concerned about islet over-crowding, it seems they need not worry; most of the homes remain undamaged, and aside from the strong smell of monkey, are completely habitable."

"Investigating the back of the compound will reveal a very small plot of farmland, where several rows of plants with dark green leaves can be seen growing. Anyone with a knack for identifying useful plants - or anyone who's simply willing to take one for the team and give them a taste - will soon discover that these leaves are the plants from which the monkeys drew their sedative. It makes quite a useful anesthetic in a pinch!"

"The sigil etched deeply onto the door itself will, as the Storyteller warned, be quite effective in keeping people out. The door repels any and all efforts to break through it; those sensitive to magic may note that it does indeed exude a very powerful and dense aura that makes its origins difficult to discern. One thing is clear, however: it will take a great deal more than teamwork between mortals to get through it." ( x )

[Welcome to the Mingle Log, Fam. Around you are the rotting corpses of many dead apes. There's also many items for you to lay claim to. Or you might feel like checking out those sweet sweet monkey nests. Or checking out that door. Whatever you feel like doing, leave a top level for people to pester you with. Or pester other people with top levels. The Mingle Log is your Oyster.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Consider this an open prompt for what your character would infoshare about the door. No order, chime in whenever peeps.]

So here's what I got. [may as well start this off with a bang, right???] No idea who or what wrote that sigil, but it's powerful. They think that it's more complex and powerful than the apes had the ability to do, so signs point to the apes having help from one of EssTee's enemies. They were shockingly unforthcoming about which enemies they think it might be--[heaping amounts of sarcasm right now]--but basically it'd have to be something pretty powerful. Which means whatever it's keeping out or in is important. Also, destroying the door will destroy the seal, but I'm super not interested in doing that just yet; not until we figure out more about it.

Edited 2017-10-12 20:29 (UTC)

Looks just like the one up on the mountain.

[He got a pretty good look at that, after that hell with the lungblossoms. Didn't take a rubbing or notation of the symbol in question - advisable, given his memory - but this would be the first sigil he's encountered aside from the identical one on the mountain door.]

You think maybe they lead to the same place?

Um....

[She's slightly hesitant, but confusion wins out over any nervousness]

For those of us who are more newly arrived, do you mind explaining some of what you've found prior to this point?

[The parts about a door in the mountain, or the Storyteller's enemies, all of that is a context which she certainly and others probably are missing. She isn't sure that she'll even understand all of it, but hopefully others would.]

There was a door just like this one with the same symbol and everything. It was...opposite side of the island. Wouldn't head there alone, by the way, [he adds hastily.] There were some pretty nasty plant things that felt like jumping us in the middle of the night.

But, uh...basically, we couldn't figure out how to open it either.

Yeah, also it's really hot during the day and there's lots of nasty stuff out at night.

[but as for that door--]

I'm honestly half curious what's behind this door, and then half of me wishes there was a way to find out without trying to break those seals. Because that's there for a reason, y'know? Especially if it's got EssTee worried about it. I mean, that's kinda vote for both figuring out what it is to see if it gives us a bargaining chip but also for leaving it the hell alone because they seem to want in there pretty badly.

Edited 2017-10-13 14:12 (UTC)

"They want in there so badly because they think it could be the solution to the shitty puzzle of why we're all here," Lup sniffs, arm that isn't in a sling propped up on her hip in general displeasure at the whole thing, just all of it. "They're in such a fucking rush they'll send all of us in there as soon as they can. And by all of us? I do mean the whole damn island. Shithead gives nooo fucks about the consequences, mostly for us."

Newt's attention definitely jerks to Lup at that--eyes going first to the arm in a sling, and he looks about ready to ask about it, but is quickly derailed by what she says. And he blinks, before his mouth twists into an angry scowl. "Are you fuckin serious?" Yeah he does not look happy about this at all.

"They're gonna just toss us to the wolves as soon as they can."

His hands go to his hips, then, mouth twisting into a deep scowl.

Don't worry about the arm or how stiffly she's holding her side, Newt, you should see the monkeys. Or smell em. "That's exactly what I said?" and if you think the week between that dream and now has cooled off her temper about it, you'd be dead wrong.

"The fuck do they care, when they can just resurrect any casualties. I asked them really fucking politely to give volunteers a shot before sending every single little kid in there, but no dice." God she's just, still so mad. "And dying sucks my dudes, so I'd recommend getting whatever weapons and supplies you can before this shit pops off one way or another."

There's something that's tightening in Newt's stomach, making his face twist into something like fury, lips curling up into a snarl.

"I knew it. I fucking knew it!" His voice is climbing up the octave, getting close to a screech. "I knew it was just a matter of time before that piece of shit pulled something like this! Because of course, what the hell do they care if anyone dies?! We're completely expendable to them!" It's spit, and he's running hands through his hair, pulling at it, clearly agitated as he starts to pace the space in front of the door. "You've met one god-like being, you've met them all! Fuck!" He pauses in his pacing, turning to face Lup again. "I bet they didn't even give us a clue as to when they're tossing us in like cannon fodder, huh?"

[Muffet doesn't comment on the direction the conversation is taking, although she looks less and less pleased with the situation with each new piece of information.]

[Instead, she sighs softly, and looks ruefully at Tataru.]

It occurs to me we may be giving too little context, still. So, to start with: have you met the Storyteller, yet?

[She actually appreciates Muffet taking the time to offer more information. The bit about the other cave helped some but there was still a lot she felt lost on, and the topic had shifted so rapidly away, and in directions that did not leave her feeling comfortable in the slightest.

She nods gratefully in the monster's direction before replying.]

There was an odd sort of dream that I vaguely remember, right before waking up. I don't know much else besides that, however, nor have I heard much, besides that they supposedly gain power from our stories.

[And that she really, really, really hopes that the Storyteller isn't a primal.]

[She nods.]

Yes, that's accurate as far as we know. They claim to be the god of this island, who was 'asleep' or otherwise dormant somehow for a very long time, until the first group of us arrived and woke them up. If they're telling the truth, they were not responsible for our being taken to this place, do not know how or why we were, and would be quite happy for us all to return safely home, although they don't have the power to achieve that.

They hold storytellings on a regular basis, which are essentially all of us having a shared dream in which we meet and tell stories of what we've done on the island. One can request useful items or other favors in exchange for a story of sufficient value. They will also occasionally act unprompted- the islets a large portion of us are currently living on and the mana pools that can be used to travel there are apparently their doing, for example.

As for their morality...

[She makes an uncertain gesture.]

None of us really have the knowledge to be completely certain about their truthfulness or intentions. Personally, I suspect that they aren't actively malevolent, but they do have a fundamentally very different viewpoint and set of priorities than the rest of us- and ultimately, they will follow their own priorities, not ours. Regardless of what trouble that may bring us.

Edited 2017-10-14 04:13 (UTC)

[Tataru listens attentively to the explanation. It's a good deal better. Still, she can't keep a resigned sort of grimace off her face.]

I suppose that would make a sort of sense, for a god.

[She can't say she's had much personal experience with gods herself, though she knew plenty of people who did, and had their secondhand stories. Certainly Muffet's description could very likely have described what happened to Minfillia, though she isn't certain if the other Scions, or even Minfillia herself, would all agree with her.]

The others mentioned that the Storyteller may have enemies?

Edited 2017-10-14 04:35 (UTC)

Nothing they feel like talking about, I guess.

[Tim's voice is flat. He slides a cigarette out from the tin in his pocket - one he notably didn't have prior to just a few days ago - and clicks his lighter until its end goes up with such a fluid unconcern that it's apparent he doesn't quite realize he's doing it.]

They're just gonna send us in there? Just...no questions asked, no volunteers, nothing? [He doesn't sound surprised, or even disappointed. Just - annoyed.]

Alright, she's mad as hell at the Storyteller, but Newt's little fit is kind of on another level and definitely worth two raised eyebrows. She lets the unlucky newcomers get caught up before giving this other dude a 'bingo' finger point.

"Nada! I wouldn't count on getting a warning before it's party time either. Seems like they're gonna have a metaphysical stroke if they have to keep us around for even one more day than absolutely necessary." She rolls her eyes at how incredibly ludicrous that is, like, even she is immortal enough not to consider a couple more days that big of a deal generally.

"They've got beef with water I guess? That's what you said, right," she addresses Newt again. "So maybe they're in trouble with some other rude concepts too."

[Muffet blinks in surprise and looks curiously at Newt and Lup.]

With water? Color me curious, that's the first I've heard of this.

[Newt folds his arms over his chest, mouth still twisted into a scowl] Yeah, apparently they really really hate water. Won't tell me why, but every time I bring up water, they talk about how much they hate it. Or anything that comes from it. They even disliked Godzilla because he came from the ocean!

[he huffs a bit] I mean, they did give me that--[and now it's time for airquotes yes he is really doing those] "something as old as me has a lot of enemies" bullshit.

Hhhmmm. It does occur to me that their domain is, notably, an island- in other words, bordered by water on all sides. I wonder if that was meant to... keep them in and contained, somehow.

Or they might be the island. [Hinata offers from where he'd been listening silently to the whole conversation.]

They told me they can't see into our minds or memories. They just know our stories. ...it was the same about the apes. I think anyone with thoughts and feelings they can't predict at all.

Well, at least they can't read our minds, that's something. [Newt folds his arms over his chest, still scowling and looking sincerely Not Pleased by this situation.] But yeah, I've considered the containment idea. There's also how they got here in the first place, but according to them, they aren't trapped here, they just live here. Or something. Hard to tell because ambiguity seems to be their preferred flavor of discussing anything which is super not helpful at all.

Have you tried asking where their limits are? That's how I found out about memory and thoughts.

I don't know if they are being contained. They said the apes rejected them long ago. I can try to give you word for word what they said about that if it will help.

Funnily enough, I actually can confirm that they aren't an incarnation of the island itself- the thought occurred to me when I last spoke to them, and I asked.

They seemed a bit baffled at the idea, to be honest.

[He blinks, and crosses his arms over his chest.] So, so far we know they're not able to see everything. Don't know why we're here. But they're not the island itself.

That's something.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Nothing like the smell of rotting ape corpse in the morning

Door Info Sharing

Noot

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject