air. i ask you to ponder that. (week 8 meeting)

[fillets]

[ Riful of the West keeps her promises, even if Quark is no longer able to deliver on his end of the bargain. After the group has a few days to recover from All Of That, and it becomes clear no fresh motive is coming down the pipe on Tuesday, she decides the time is right for a meeting and spreads the word with unerring, unsettling positivity. No is not an answer she'll accept when it comes to attendance. She's similarly pushy about getting help! If the answer is anything but a flat refusal, and you mention something you could potentially do, you're committed to doing it now! Thank you so much!

The bonfire burns low this afternoon, and she's in the middle of roasting meat* over it when people show up, carefully diced into kebab sized pieces and skewered on... yeah, those are definitely just straight up rapier-style swords from the armory. She rotates them ever so often, like the hot metal doesn't bother her, because it doesn't. Thankfully, group efforts have led to this meat being well-seasoned, and thankfully??? Cerejeira's comment about going vegetarian last week has led to a single skewer with a bunch of halved onions and tomatoes on it. You're welcome. The understandably squeamish are in luck—Ranma, Luna, and Velvet have cooked various things that are not red meat being handled by a giant monster who eats people, Leb's brought bread, and Aoi and Vanity, who are also taking care of the drinks in Quark's stead, know their way around the replicator. Chairs and tables have been moved from the eatery, a few bottles have been brought up from the bar, the materials for note-taking are present... and also there's some blood on the side for Astarion. Again, you're welcome.

Riful, who mercifully ate before any meal prep began, leaves some time for everyone to get their food and take their seats, but no more. After she slides the last of the meat off the skewers, she settles back in the (fully upholstered) chair she brought here herself and claps her hands together. Her voice is as high and cheerful as it ever is, in this form, but something about her tone commands attention. ]

Oh, it's wonderful to see you all came, [ she says, like not coming was ever an option! ] Welcome, everyone! This may not be quite how we've done things in the past, but I do hope it satisfies. Now, there's a great deal to discuss... so we should get right to it, don't you think?

navigation
WHAT NOW? ✧ INFOSHARE ✧ INVESTIGATION/"THE CENTER" ✧ GENERAL CHATTER





*it's lamb, guys, it's fine

Comments

what now?

[fillets]

Ever since Typhon disappeared at the last trial, there's been no sign of him. He said—what was it? Ah, yes, that he was going to deal with his former accomplice. The fact that he hasn't returned means that she's likely overpowered him, but we don't know anything further than that, nor anything about her motives. He wants us dead, certainly, but she mentioned his "traitorous whims" against us.

Then there's the matter of the ocean receding. Every week, after some of us die, the island becomes more vibrant... and now we know for certain it's not an island at all. It seems more likely than ever that revitalizing the world we're trapped in was always part of the goal of this game, but we don't know anything concrete about that either! Honestly, it's so frustrating...

Either way, no motive has been delivered. Even Seymour's body is still there on the tree, unclaimed. Whatever they kept us here for, it's been interrupted, and our powers have had plenty of time to develop. Now, before they can return to harvest us, is the time for us to act.

[ She knots her hands together and wraps her arms around her knees, leans forward. ]

So! Where do we go from here?

[ THANK YOU FOR THE YAPPING WITH NO HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS, RIFUL, VERY COOL ]

[sweetsynergy]

We could try another seance. Try to get some better answers from Athena.

[Vanity's here. She's been mostly wearing the combat uniform since the trial, just in case.]

[fillets]

We could... if that woman keeps us from making contact, it's an answer in itself, isn't it?

[sweetsynergy]

That at least one of us has information she can't risk the other side knowing, at least.

[She sits, slowly turning a lamb kebob in her hands.]

Might be a chance to try grilling her too, if she shows up.

[Pause. Glance down at the meat.]

Grill for information. Not that I'm especially opposed to the other option.

[fillets]

She doesn't seem inclined to conversation, does she? I wouldn't be surprised if she makes another ominous pronouncement and disappears, but it's worth a shot.

[sweetsynergy]

Maybe she'll be chattier now that Typhon is AWOL. Can't hurt to try except for the possibility of her killing us all to death.

[fillets]

Well, she's certainly free to try.

[sweetsynergy]

You're right, I apologize. Killing SOME of us to death.

[weeeeeee stay silly]

[pariunt]

That's not a bad idea. At the very least, it would rule out whether or not we can contact her presently.

[sweetsynergy]

Might even draw out our mystery bitch of water, too, if we're really lucky. Or unlucky, I guess.

[pariunt]

Indeed.

I must admit, I am curious about the woman who Typhon seems to fear.

[fillets]

She's already proven herself far more interesting!

[sweetsynergy]

If nothing else she seems more cunning and intelligent. The bar is six feet underground, but still.

[stringup]

It wouldn't hurt, at least.

[sweetsynergy]

Worst case scenario it's- well no, worst case scenario is Typhon explodes out of the ground and eats us, most likely bad outcome is wasting time.

[stringup]

Let's hope we don't somehow catch his attention, at least...

[sweetsynergy]

I don't think we'll be lucky enough for him to keep missing that we're still alive forever. Especially if all this nonsense is actually tied to the planet's restoration somehow.

[stringup]

Alex mentioned hearing her say that we're "key to a plan", but in light of all this...I think it's likely that her goal and his weren't ever aligned.

Typhon has made it clear he wants to get rid of us so he can have absolute control over this world, but it looks more and more likely that woman wants us around to revitalize this world. Though I can't say whether it matters to her that we're dead or alive for it.

[fillets]

Hmmmmm. That's exactly what Athena recruited us for in the first place, isn't it?

[stringup]

Yeah. I can't say Athena would have wanted us to die for it, but...

[fillets]

... But things are playing out as she'd hoped, in a sense.

I'm saying no more and no less than that, mind you. We won't get anything of value by suspecting her without evidence.

[stringup]

Fair enough. I suppose the next thing we can do is have a look at that door and try to open it.

[sweetsynergy]

...hm.

[That is a point, isn't it.]

Typhon's "accomplice" mentioned Athena being in some kind of stasis. How hard do you think that would be to fake to an egotistical Titan who really wants to believe he's hot shit?

[pariunt]

Something like that might not be impossible, though it remains to be seen if the two are working together.

[sweetsynergy]

I'm just saying, I'm not gonna try to kill her on sight or anything? But I'm gonna keep being suspicious until we know for sure.

[pariunt]

I agree.

We've no reason to trust her, not unless she proves she's willing to help us.

[Even then, Astarion wouldn't really be interested in trusting her.]

[sweetsynergy]

Even then we should probably, you know. Keep an eye out. If she's actually behind all this, it means she's playing a REALLY long game.

[You know, like an immortal.]

[pariunt]

...Indeed.

Whoever she is, I can't imagine she's on our side. Not now.

[sweetsynergy]

Whoe- oh, I was. I meant maybe she's Athena and all this has been a ridiculous con all along. On both us and Typhon.

[Even in this hypothetical case she still wants to kill Typhon, mind.]

[pariunt]

...You think it's Athena in disguise?

[He'd been assuming it was a different being altogether.]

I suppose that's just as likely as anything else.

[sweetsynergy]

I think it's a possibility, if we're also positing that all these deaths are what's somehow been restoring this place. Maybe not likely, but I'm gonna be on guard about it.

[pariunt]

[He can't suppress the dark laugh that escapes him.]

That would be... twisted.

[And if true, he'd have no problem with violent revenge.]

[sweetsynergy]

Very. But it would make a kind of sense, if you were ruthless enough. Get a bunch of people to agree to help, keep the terms vague, then manufacture a crisis to keep you away while a power-hungry stooge instigates the dirty work?

[She frowns.]

Fucked up and twisted, but if you care enough about the end goal and want to come out of it looking like the good guy it'd be worth it.

[pariunt]

[Astarion hisses.]

It's a possibility we can't ignore.

The others might not take so kindly to the idea.

[literarybehemoth]

It does seem in line with what Athena said during our previous seance, though. She seemed to have... lost some time, shall we say. It is possible our attempt to contact her broke her out, at least temporarily.

[sweetsynergy]

It did. But that could also easily be faked, not like any of us can confirm or deny it.

[Not without getting caught in the same trap, at least.]

Guess the real question comes down to, is this place being restored because we're dying, or because we're staying alive?

[literarybehemoth]

It could, yes.

...and that's the question, isn't it? I doubt it would be intentional if it were the former, but...

[sweetsynergy]

I don't have enough good will to assume it's unintentional right now. Like, I'm also not actually assuming some convoluted conspiracy yet? But it's on the table at this point.

[literarybehemoth]

I am more willing to assume fallibility and a touch of incompetence than malice here, honestly.

[sweetsynergy]

Maybe. But until this is all settled. I'll stick to expecting the worst so if we're surprised it's a good thing.

[literarybehemoth]

Fair enough. I suppose it is best to prepare for the worse regardless.

[sweetsynergy]

I figure if nothing else I can hoard the paranoia and worrying so other people don't have to.

[literarybehemoth]

Thank you for your service. There should always be one.

[sweetsynergy]

Thanks, feel free to tip.

[yourheroine]

Whoever it is might be keeping Aoi from calling Athena too...my signal's been blocked this whole time, but you all were able to call God and bring back Aoi while Typhon and the lady scolding him were busy.

[fillets]

... Oh, I almost forgot! Seymour did say something at the trial about how you couldn't be allowed to contact Athena. No doubt Typhon told him as much.

infoshare

[fillets]

[ Okay I give up on writing a conversational header for each of these, she talks too much, let's just pool what we've found out since the last meeting! However it is important to note that she does in fact clap her hands together again and tells everyone to report their findings. The vibe is not dissimilar to a show and tell session being directed by a haunted doll. ]

investigation/the center

[fillets]

The lift doesn't go any lower than what we've seen, and the tree growth around it makes it unlikely that burrowing deeper will be of any use. The center Athena wanted us to reach must be behind that door at the end of the hall. So, how are we going to get it open?

Ah, and there are almost certainly places on the island and in the temple that we haven't checked as thoroughly as we should have. I'm not even sure we've gone through the entirety of the deepest floor yet, really! My sensing hasn't picked up on anything interesting, but maybe we should do a final sweep, just to be sure...

general chatter

[fillets]

[ There's definitely stuff I'm missing! Let's bring it up! Or just talk about nothing and everything, all subjects are welcome here. ]