un: Oracle, video

[adaine]

[The video opens up on Adaine, stood in front of a board with a map on it. The map is of Trench, but it's old and worn and brown. Still, she has helpfully marked the part of interest with a red X, over a temple in the Trenchwood.]

I think it's been a rough couple of months for us. We've had local assholes stabbing the ocean, we've had the ocean being really mad about that and blaming all of Trench for it because she's kind of an asshole too, there were a lot of murders, houses burned down, uh, been tossed into alternate universes where everything sucks - [She's maybe regretting her choices to bring that all up.] Anyway. One positive thing is that we've established a lot of good things in the last six months or so too. The Sanctuary, the Outpost, now the Academy.

I - and a few others - have a similar venture in mind. An archive where we can research and compile information about Trench, so that even if people disappear into the ocean it's not, you know, lost forever. To start with however...

[She points at the map, tapping on the location in question and bringing the Omni closer.]

A while ago - back in April - there was an expedition into a temple called 'The Temple of the Forgotten Mother'. We didn't get far, barely cleared out the entrance before we had to leave. But I've done a bit of research and there's a giant labyrinth of dungeons beneath it, and beyond that, it was the domain of a cult older than Trench as we know it that worshipped Mother Superior. [And, because she's a dramatic bitch, she smirks for emphasis.] Which brings me to the point.

We're going to put the archives - our archives - The Sleeper's Archives, right on the top level of her system of dungeons. [Objectively an insane idea BUT, consider... it would also be cool as hell.]

So basically, all I need is people who are interested in helping with research, clearing the top level of monsters and traps and treasures and warding away any influence from the lower levels. We'll be going deeper, but it'll take some time, so for now I'm only asking for help with the top level. We need excavators, people who are good at bringing others back from corruption, fighters, architects, investigators, seers, healers... If you think you can help, just let me know and we'll figure something out.

Comments

un: younghuman | voice

[terriblepurpose]

[The voice that comes through in answer to Adaine's question is husky with tiredness, but otherwise calm and thoughtful.]

I think that's not an entirely fair assessment of the sea.

[Said as anyone offering a gentle correction to a slightly unfair assessment of a relative might say it, as opposed to someone speaking of an entity that unleashed a storm full of Beasts as collective punishment on a city.]

But that's a matter of opinion.

I'd be interested in helping with research, I know how to fight and deal with traps, and they may not like to see me around the Pale Sanctuary, but I haven't forgotten how to minister to Corruption.

Paul Atreides. It's a pleasure.

private

[adaine]

Eh. The sea kind of gets away with it by virtue of being the sea. The one we had back home was worse, she would drown your entire ship if you didn't fear her enough, so people had to have shrines to her at every port in the world.

[She furrows her brow thoughtfully, before snapping her fingers.]

Oh, I've heard of you. You're a friend of Lazarus, right? He's actually already working with me, so that works.

[She doesn't remember if that was ever mentioned to her or if it's just something she knew.]

video | un: sharpshooter

[azurestar]

Careful, the ocean might think you're complimenting her.

[He says it with a slight, crooked grin. One that doesn't go away and has a bit of a wild edge to it, because that idea sounds like the craziest and stupidest thing he's heard-]

Sounds crazy and probably illegal. I'm in.

Re: video | un: sharpshooter

[adaine]

She can take it however she likes.

[She returns the grin with one of her own. No fear in this one. Good.]

Thanks, we appreciate the help. What's your name?

Video; un: darkness

[survivalthroughhate]

You people. Always with your little projects.

[Here's Maul to be contrary as ever.]

If you need someone to help remove corruption from people, I suppose I might be able to help. So long as no one actually in an especially foolish manner like waiting until they're about to go into full-blown Beasthood before they're ready to get rid of their corruption.

Re: Video; un: darkness

[adaine]

[She decides to ignore the you people comment. She's aware enough that Maul is just like that.]

I'd appreciate it. It's not really a matter of anyone desperately needing it presently, but in Trench there are traps that just sort of skyrocket corruption, so it'd be good to be able to clamp down on it fast.

Video; UN: EternalMoon

[lightthedarkness]

[Sailor Moon despises Mother Mercy. So she happily responds in her senshi form:]

It would be my absolute pleasure to assist with this endeavor. I am able to heal, purify, and fight.

[Get fucked, Mother Superior.]

[adaine]

All of the above sounds perfect. We'd love to have you.

[Spite, the most powerful motivator. She appreciates it.]

voice | un: sds

[fogsong]

I am down to help you guys clear shit out but, uh... [ she sucks some air through her teeth ] I'm curious: why the fuck are you putting it there? That doesn't seem like a great place for a bunch of archives.

voice, un: Oracle

[adaine]

[This is justified, but also, Adaine smiles in amusement.]

Primarily spite and irony's sake given Mother Superior's whole history with Sleepers, but also because we're interested in what's below and figure it's a good launching off point if we set up shop at the top of it.

The building itself is extremely sturdy and secure, and I think with some work we could reverse engineer it into a safe place to hold dangerous artefacts and such. The old residents had a lot of their equipment already set up too.

video; un: rider

[kaientai]

Hehe, that just makes the ocean more interesting, don't you think?

[ he gravitates towards people and things others consider assholes, so this tracks. ]

I just got here, so I'm not sure what a lot of that means, but I'm willing to help out where I'm useful! Until I start figuring out what's what around here, I s'pose the best thing I know how to do is fight.

[adaine]

I've had my fill of the pirates life, thanks. [Eugh.] But, if you're new, that probably doesn't make a lot of sense. Basically, back in August she spat a bunch of disasters and monsters at us and tried to drown some of us. She's basically a god, and gods are always kind of petty like that at the end of the day.

Anyway, yeah! Fighting is definitely welcome. What weapons are you proficient with?

voice; un: shiro

[shiro2hero]

She has a shrine?

And we're not razing it to the ground? We're putting archives on it?

[adaine]

...Well, it's... an underground complex.

[How would they raze it...]

And it's ancient. Like, thousands and thousands of years old - older than Trench itself as we know it. If we do end up wanting to destroy it instead of reclaiming it for ourselves - which from what I understand is a giant fuck you to her since she hated sleepers so much - then the way to do that is probably deeper within the complex.

[ voice | un: keith ]

[tempredmental]

[This sounded... potentially unadvisable.]

I can fight.

[He was in.]

[adaine]

Perfect. Welcome aboard, Keith.

...I assume Keith is your name.

Video | Clickclickbloom

[onekindsoul]

Count me in on anything that involves sticking it to Mother Superior.

I'm probably best suited to take care of clearing the place out and scouting. But let me know how I can.

[adaine]

Great. Scouting's always important. We'll have a chance to iron out actual strategies once we know what we've got.

( VOICE; UN: BOMBSHELL )

[opheliac]

Uuuughhh, you people really need to learn how to wrap it up to what you wanna say in shorter words.

Anyway, somethin' about fighting and monsters? (there's a very big yawn on her end.) Yeah, sure, whatever. I can do that.

[adaine]

I get wordy when I'm nervous, I guess.

[She smiles.]

Thanks, Jinx.

video; un: lady; private

[dohaeris]

[sansa has on her raven makeup again; she seems concerned.]

Of course I'll help you, and it does seem important that we secure this place, but wouldn't it be better to house our records within the city? It would be easier to defend, and some people might find it difficult to study with dangerous creatures always swarming the gates.

[adaine]

Easier to defend against beasts, yeah, but I'm not super worried about beasts. There's ways we can ward them away. The worrying monsters are the ones actually inside the complex, so the immediate priority is to wipe the ones at the top floor out and then prevent anything from getting out using powerful blood magic.

It's not really beasts I'm worried about, though.

text; un: _unregistereduser

[poorlittlesange]

[he is going to need to create a username at this rate.]

Greetings. I would be pleased to aid your research efforts, or provide talismans and spiritual arrays to repress and repel evil--

[he pauses while typing and considers his words. 'monsters' seems an oversimplification. oh well.]

--monsters.

[adaine]

[What an odd username...]

That'd be great. Do your talismans work against beasts? That'd be really helpful if so. [Since she knows beasts aren't the traditional kind of evil she's used to.]

voice: un: vi

[faceblocks]

Sign me up for clearing out monsters, moving stuff around, a last resort for a patch up.

Oh, and I promise to cart Jinx around if she falls asleep on the job.

( VOICE; UN: BOMBSHELL )

[opheliac]

Hey! — I can stay awake!! I don't need help. How about you keep a better eye on your big meaty hands? 'Cuz that's the FIRST thing these monsters are gonna go for.

video | un: dito

[syncopathic]

...So is no one gonna ask the obvious question? Anyone? No? Fine. Guess it's up to old Dito to fall on that sword, as usual.

What's in it for us if we help you? I mean, I hope you're not assuming everyone's just gonna do this out of the kindness of their hearts.

[adaine]

[She carefully avoids rolling her eyes. It's a valid question, just phrased in an impressively annoying way.]

The answer is a share of the loot we find and the establishment of another base of operations for all of us. A base of operations at the entrance of a giant dungeon complex with who knows how much treasure once we really dig into it.

video; un: clarke

[romancekiller]

You can count me in. I can help with healing and anything else you need for this.

text; un: 3167

[lludw]

[It's not that he doesn't approve of doing things purely out of spite (he does). And it's not that exploring the labyrinth isn't a good idea (it probably is). However-]

You should at least make copies of everything that can be stored somewhere safer.

[anagnorises]

...I can help.