acatalepsy_rpg | [Video]

[Barabas appears on the video -- fully clothed, thank you -- with a sedate expression, cordial enough. Bright red hair is less styled than he'd prefer it (his kingdom for decent hair product, really) but he still looks sharp, put together. He's set his watch somewhere so that he's in fame, seated at a table, from about the chest up, hands folded in front of him.]

Hello. I've already met some of you, but for those of you I haven't had the pleasure of encountering yet, my name is Barabas. Everyone seems fairly alive, which is better than the alternative. There's a new vacation spot in town, complete with an off-brand Loch Ness Monster. What more could anyone ask for?

[He spreads his hands.]

As... charming... as this place is, there is a disturbing lack of information infrastructure. Even Astoria doesn't quite seem to be able to keep track of who is coming and going at all times -- since the last bunch of us were apparently unexpected guests. I don't exactly find that reassuring. It does not make me feel warm and fuzzy.

[At all.]

In that vein, I think we should address this, put in place some way to keep track of who is here, who is no longer here, the abilities we each possess. [He ticks these items off on his fingers.] And a collection of information of the places that Astoria has sent us, and the general outcome of each trip. And really any other useful things to know, for all of us, and those who may be brought here in the future.

[A smile now, no teeth, but still pleasant.] Sadly, I'm only one man, so I suppose what I'm looking for is twofold:

First, would anyone be willing to help gather and compile this data?

Second, those of you who've been here longer than I have, perhaps we can chat about your experiences.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Before everyone got sick, Ling and I were hoping to find a way to help newcomers whenever they showed up— make sure they had basic necessities and everything on hand, and people who were willing to help them settle in. I have some information about other Circle members from that, but I don't feel right handing it over without their permission— still, proof enough that they're willing to offer it, right?

[Right! The rest of it, however, she can help with herself.]

If you wanted to talk about experiences, though, I was with the first batch of people to show up here at the temple.

Basic necessities would be great too. Like a welcome package.

[Barabas nods.]

Hopefully they will. Though... if they gave you that information to help people, wasn't it given with the understanding and intention it would be shared?

[A momentary pause and he nods.] Another here from the first then. I wonder how many there are still here who were in the first group to arrive?

Yeah! That's what we're working on putting together, just to make sure everyone has what they need. A lot of people have powers that can contribute, too, but it's kind of been a whirlwind since we got back from the last world, with everyone being under the weather.

[Thankfully, that's cleared up now.]

A bunch, though— my friend Akira was here at the beginning, too, and so were Rion, Kou, Prompto... lots of people. Some people have disappeared on us— gone home, hopefully— but not too many.

I'm pretty curious as to that number though, and if there are any common trends with those who have come and gone, but that'll be putting together data backwards, which is always a little more complicated.

[Not impossible though.]

For now, focusing on the people who are here... I think whirlwind does describe it. Hopefully if we can assemble something it'll be less of a whirlwind in the future if anything else does come up to set things into chaos.

[No more plagues, hopefully. That was unpleasant, and he'd like to not see it repeated.]

I don't know if anyone's thought to keep track of who's been coming and going, either... Astoria probably knows, if you can get in touch with her? She's been pretty wiped out lately, though.

[Understandably so, given the circumstances.]

Before everyone got sick, there was kind of a pattern to the way things worked, if two visits to other worlds is enough to make a pattern— but at least it's enough to help us figure out what to expect for the next time?

Maybe. Then again, she was entirely surprised by our arrival, apparently, so I wonder if all of it is in her conscious control. Or if she bothers to remember.

[That and Barabas hasn't decided entirely what to think of their witchy abductor yet.]

It's certainly enough for a theory, and a third go around will help test that further.

[Ann had been in that same boat herself for awhile, hesitant to make up her mind one way or the other, but Akira has helped to nudge her into the pro-Astoria camp over the last few months.]

She did mention that what's happening now wasn't planned. Makes sense, since she couldn't plan for us to bring something back with us.

[The revelation of new places to explore had been pretty huge, though.]

Have you been out to see the lake yet?

Couldn't she though? She sent you to this place. It's alarming that she didn't see this possibility.

[Are they really being dropped places blind?]

I have, yes. To the shore of it anyway. That seemed far enough for the time being. What about you? Enjoying the beach?

I mean, maybe she could have, but she seemed as surprised as the rest of us... I don't think she's as omniscient as some people want to believe?

[But it's hard to say. It's tough to get a straight answer out of her, sometimes.]

I don't know if I would say enjoying, but it's definitely interesting. I've been here awhile, so having a whole lake suddenly appear has been pretty surreal. I don't think the mermaids are all that fond of people trying to swim in their home, though.

Omniscience is terrifying, honestly. I'd hate for that to be true. But if she's dropping us places, the fact that there are such dangerous, glaring blind spots is worrying.

[Plague this time, that they survived. What happens next time there's something that Astoria doesn't see?]

Ha. No, they don't seem too thrilled at us. I suppose I can't blame them.

Mmm... it is something to think about, isn't it?

[He's definitely not wrong, and that in itself is disquieting.]

I can't really blame them, either. Makes me curious about what might be down there, though. It's like they're trying to keep us away from something in specific, isn't it?

[That cave with the wards around it, for one.]

It is. And something to keep in the back of our minds. We should be cautious - though I imagine most of us are aware of that.

[hopefully.]

It's possible. I'm not sure I'm up to the task of cave exploring, especially aquatic caves, but it is definitely interesting. Especially the idea of being actively discouraged from looking.

Kind of seems like rule number one around here, honestly.

['Be cautious.' It should go without saying, but Ann knows there are at least a handful of people here who are a little too carefree for their own good.

She smiles wryly.]

Not much of a swimmer?

One would hope.

[But common sense is always less common than would be ideal.

A shrug at the question.]

I swim well enough. And I don't mind small spaces. But the idea of both of them together is... less than appealing.

Can't say I find the idea of both of them together all that appealing either, but...

[She frowns a little bit, thoughtful.]

Seems like whatever is down there is probably worth looking into.

It undoubtedly is. And it seems there are people willing to go look. And should anything go wrong, I will be the first to go in after anyone who happens to run into trouble. We do our best work by dividing and conquering, I think.

[He'll be shoreside if needed. But neither his skills nor his magical abilities make him particularly useful in this circumstances.]

Probably best. There's enough of us that if we all tried to go down, it'd just end up being a mess. Better to split up and play to our strengths, make sure we have each other's backs.

[It's still teamwork.]

I don't know if I could stand to hang back, though. I want to see what's down there for myself.