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[ this is the first time he is making a video post, and honestly he isn't very sure how to go about it. Maybe he should have gone with text... in any case, that's not important right now! because he is already using video.

Rimuru waves at the camera for a second, trying to figure out how to start this ]

Hello, I'm Rimuru! The slime... [ he knows some people only met him as a slime, so it's better to make it clear he can look human too.]

This whole place looks like it came out of a video game. It's kind of creepy... But anyway, I know I just arrived and I'm not experienced in this at all, but I'd like to help in what I can. Is there any sort of planning going on? [ hopefully there is! ] Water should come first, then food... Perhaps defenses next.

Speaking of that - I know how to use a sword, but I don't have any. It might be a long shot, but can anyone make swords? Or does anyone have an extra sword? I have a feeling my slime powers are going to be a bit useless if we find a xenomorph...

Hello? Can everyone hear me? I knew I should have asked Connor to make sure...

Hello... again. This is Konoha. Maybe a lot of you know me, but there's... lots of new people, too, so- I'm... the "centaur". That's me. Mikuni's gone, so. I'm the only one, you can't miss me.

[Her voice trails off, spooked by something that makes her lower her voice when she finally resumes speaking, a faint rustling in the sound from her fingers rubbing anxiously along her watch.]

I just wanted to know if anyone has found any food... Or water, actually, that's more of a worry... I've been looking around the kitchen since we got here, and there's... not that much. And all I can find for food is the kind of goo like there was on Struxta...

But- But don't worry! I can make food if we can't find any! Or- "summon" food, whichever, so, we're not going to starve or anything, I can... I guess I should start making preserves... ?

Well, I can handle food in the kitchen and serve meals, just- Let me know if anyone finds anything else or more water, please. I don't... actually know how much food I can make, so. There's room for like... this is more than triple the lumber yard crew, so- a few hundred people to sit and eat, so... There has to be more food stored somewhere, right?

[... Right?]

[ Shortly after their return from Akvos - ]

Pardon the intrusion. For those who do not know me, my name is Lucina.

I think, considering the perilous nature of our return, it would be prudent to conduct a head count of our own.

[ As she's saying this, her voice is a bit grave - respectful of the circumstances, certainly, but not wasting any time tending to the here and the now.

What she doesn't say is that the erratic nature of Astoria's broadcast wasn't especially reassuring. ]

A quick reply with your status will suffice. Does anyone need aid? Is anyone you know of absent?

Hello. For   of you who don’t know me, my name is Conno

[His name is ‘Conno’. Thanks a lot, network.]

I’m going to keep this     since the netwo    only appears to be working intermittently.

This is a   for those of us looking into the issue of the     princess. According to the Queen, her last known       were the Fields of Akvosia. I     that a portion of our group has been     there upon our arrival, and I encour    all of us to share what we might have uncovered about the princess in the interim. For the sake of pushing this investi    forward, discussing what we've     will be the     way of securing a potential, solid lead.

  of note: the princess had been acting strangely before her disappearance. Despondent and       , constantly referencing the “dark  ” encroaching on Akvos. And weeks prior to this, two “menfolk” had visited the palace, claiming ties to the Cir    and asking after this same darkness.

I believe one     Katha    , whom the Queen claims to have cultivated a friendship with her daughter. The other   remains unspecified and unnamed, and both had van    days before the princess had gone missing.

Again, if those of you avail    in or around the Fields can focus your search

[Shut up, Connor, says the network probably. Because it’s cutting him off rather unceremoniously here.]

So.

[It's a wonderful way to start a video out, Cayde's quite aware of that; eloquence, thy name is Exo.]

Anyone feeling a little...strange recently? Perhaps a bit normal?

[He's weedling for answers and not being subtle about it, no apologies ever. Not when he can feel his Light racing through his veins in sharp pulses. The start and stop nature of it, and what Astoria had said previously about the temple itself, is equal parts comforting and horrifying. One moment he feels alive and the next nothing, back to nothing more than a dulled machine.]

I know our lovely lady in the sky supposedly gave us all magic, I don't know I've only seen it, but I mean. Anyone feeling a little bit more like themselves then they have in a while?

[This is way too much of a coincidence.]

A riddle for everyone: "what's something you can show, but can't see?"

Think of it as a distraction from whatever that's going around, so take your time. I don't expect an answer right away. [Because there isn't just one correct answer.]

[The video opens on a patch of dirt, a leg stretched out along one edge of the screen. Next to the leg a number of very small muddy spots map out a connect-the-dots picture that more creative minds - or just anyone who's ever been a bored teenager - might recognize as a sort-of accurate depiction of one particular x-rated body part. A voice, cracking and hoarse like it has to drag itself over gravel to get its words out, starts speaking immediately.]

Hey, you know what makes me-

[His coughing is harsh and wet but it's only a few seconds before it stops. Hank mutters a curse under his breath, just audible, and hacks up a loogie, spitting it so it lands just so off the end of the art in the dirt next to him. The dirt there goes wet and dark, and with this artistic rendering of a drop of splooge, his masterpiece is complete. When he leans back the camera's in a different position; in the opposite corner from the dirt the screen shows the massive head of a Saint Bernard, taking up a good part of the screen and the majority of Hank's lap.]

You know what makes me feel better when I'm feeling like shit? Bitching about it. Let's bitch, guys. Tell me how shitty you've got it right now. It's not like anyone's got anything else to do here, right? I mean, not unless someone can get this big furry boulder to unglue itself from my lap. I'd have something to do if he'd just play. Look, watch this, it's pathetic.

Hey, Sumo. Fetch. 

[Anyone with motion sickness might want to look away; the screen jerks around wildly as the arm with the camera on it moves to grab a rock and hold it in the air like Hank's going to throw it. Then the screen goes still again as Hank has to lean forward to cough, his dog's big, placid face now taking up the whole view. Sumo gives a single low whuff, lifts his head, and apparently settles himself right over the camera because the screen goes dark. There's the muffled sound of Hank cursing, trying to say Sumo's name between coughs, and then nothing as Hank manages to work his other hand under Sumo's jaw and shut the recording off.]

Soooo how's everyone feeling?

[THIS MESSAGE HAS A PURPOSE HE SWEARS]

Serious question, by the way. I talked to Astoria as soon as we got back, and she was pretty worried about the way I. . . felt to her?

[GOD PUTTING IT THAT WAY SOUND WEIRD]

She said that I brought something back with me from Struxta. Something dark, evil, heavy. . . wrong? I don't know about you guys but absolutely none of that is confidence inspiring. Wonder why.

[AHA]

She also told me that the wilting plants around the temple aren't normal. "Everything here seems to be just here. Present, alive, blooming," is what she said, word for word. She's never seen anything here die before.

[. . .]

I don't really know what she's talking about, especially because I feel just fine. I don't think she does yet either, though I imagine she's going to investigate. Just be careful, all right? And if you notice anything off about yourself, let me or someone else know.






Because if we all came back possessed by space demons or infected by robot tuberculosis I'm gonna be pretty pissed.

[the video starts of as nothing but static and white noise, a few seconds of black and white chaos that seems like nothing. but then a voice, distant at first, cuts through]

-- ing on? Helloooooo. . .

[a few moments later an image flickers into view along with the audio, although it's grainy and of poor quality. but everyone can see Akira front and center! he seems to be somewhere dark, judging by the poor lighting, and he's seated on the ground with a metal wall (???) behind him]

Oh, perfect. Stay that way for about five minutes? Cool, thanks.

[is he talking to his watch? anyway]

Remember that underground Connor-san was talking about a few days ago? Fooooound it.

[he gives a two-fingered salute as to emphasize his point]

If anyone wants to come tunnel camping with me, I'd appreciate it. It'll be fun. Probably? Probably. Bring food and water though; I haven't eaten or drank anything all day. Maybe also bring tools and explosives and other things that can break through thick metal walls?

[he angles the camera to show the wall against which is sits. it looks pretty sturdy, and it's clear what he's asking in so many words: please break me out of here]

That'd be pretty cool, too.

[somehow, he manages to sound so extremely blase about, um. being trapped in underground tunnels?? he pauses for a moment, as though thinking, before he perks up to speak again]

Oh, right. This place is huge. Probably about as big as the city itself. I wasn't able to wander too far in, but once we manage to break down the entrance, I think we should gather up a bunch of teams to come explore it. If we dive far enough, maybe we'll find something interesting.

[there's a pause as the video feed glitches out for a second or two, Akira's face replaced by more static, more white noise. but eventually he returns, brows furrowed as he flicks at his watch like he's trying to make the damn thing work]

Let me know if you need directions. You'll know you've found the place if you see two people-- [Ryuji and Ann, probably] -- standing outside a giant metal wall yelling at me for getting stuck.

[and that's when the feed cuts out entirely]

((a network post for this here! I don't plan on posting a tunnel exploration log, BUT once Akira's free you can totally handwave and/or thread out your characters exploring the tunnels and finding what's inside that post c: have fun everyone!))

Hello. For those of you I haven’t met, my name is Connor. And as many of you may be aware of, a handful of Circle members have devoted their time to researching and uncovering the endless amounts of data stored in the Library; I am one of them. To expedite the process, I connected directly to their servers, and though the experience was difficult, I did come away with workable data that might act as a lead to further investigate the state of Struxta. To those who aided me in coming back online afterwards: you have my gratitude. I’m in your debt, and if you ever need me to return the favor, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

I’m sending this message to summarize, to the best of my ability, the information made available to us through this research, as well as any data I’ve pieced together personally. I think it only makes sense for everyone here to be on “the same page” if we’re all meant to work together as a team. If you have any questions, or wish to discuss this information between yourselves, don’t hesitate to do so. Especially if you have something more to contribute, or if you believe I’ve missed something.

The research as a whole focused mostly on a few points of interest: what happened to organic life, the origins of AI in this world, and the nature of the Mass Subconscious.

( cut for a big ol' info dump )

((ooc; This post is quite obviously just one big general info dump for what was uncovered at the Library. The ooc info post can be found here, but this is an opportunity for your characters to ICly consider the implications of… all of this, and chatter amongst themselves! Feel free to use this post as a means of discussion if you like!))

Due to Chelseamod's ineptness with Dreamwidth communities, the tag post is now awkwardly floating around amongst your entries.

VIEW IT, IN ALL OF ITS GLORY.