Text; username: JustD

[distant_one]

My name is D, for those of you who aren't familiar with me, I organized and designed the Outpost.

For several months Snow White and I have been speaking with the beast commonly called Deerlona, the first Sleeper to arrive in Trench, named Ramona.

She says that when she was released from the nightmare world the waking world was already soaked in blood pollution but beasts were just beginning to emerge, but she could tell they would be permanent. Most things were in chaos, but that as corruption and beasts became more common the world became more balanced.

When we asked, Ramona also said she believes Pthumerians are part of maintaining that balance.

She hated Riteor as well. She called him a power hungry hack and she's glad that we chose to get rid of him.

I have sent further questions to her on the possibility of Hali's offer, but Ramona doesn't always respond quickly.

Anyone who wishes to ask her anything should seek Deer to act as messengers; She is very protective of Sleepy Town and also feels a compulsion to attack people.

There are more construction projects this month at the Outpost, but I also wanted to announce that Manabu will be leading a project to construct a road between Trench and Riteor's city.

And on that subject, I am going to ask Hali to take over or prevent Pthumerian influence on that city.

Comments

[Text] un: 008

[hachitaro]

you trust one of them? to do anything like keep their word except in the most dickish way possible?

Voice; un: justD

[distant_one]

Whether I trust them or not doesn't matter.

I think this is a valuable learning opportunity, regardless of the outcome we'll have gained more than we stand to lose by having Hali take over or ward Riteor's city.

[hachitaro]

Uh huh. 'Learning opportunity'.

So we get a city that's under someone else's control - either keeping in or keeping out, doesn't matter.

Unless they decide to claim more than what they've got. Apparently we have 'patrons' - who's to say this one's not going to start trying to claim us too?

text; un: polaris

[anbaric]

Yes, because we can trust the word of a Beast steeped in blood Corruption as long as anyone can remember. The Pthumerians surely haven't tampered with her memories in all this time.

[ he's texting, but anyone can tell he's being sarcastic. ]

Do you ever consider that you are being fed information intended to trick you?

Voice; un: justD

[distant_one]

The Pthumerians are subject to corruption amd beasthood as well. The fact that they are unable to prevent it or reverse it in themselves makes me think she might be one of the few we can safely say have not been tampered with.

I could be lying to you about speaking with her. Do you have less suspicion that I am trying to trick you than she is trying to trick me or is it merely that you won't accuse me of such deception to my face?

voice;

[anbaric]

[ he's also happy to have the rest of this conversation via voice. ]

No, I would accuse you directly just as easily if I believed that was the case.

The Pthumerians manipulate our lives according to their whims. It is in their nature. Like all living things, they desire to survive and propagate, but acknowledging the existence of parasites doesn't mean tolerating them.

Text UN: ClickClickBloom

[onekindsoul]

[Oh hey. Ruby's starting to feel more like herself again. And then she sees this.]

We didn't exactly leave the dream on the most peaceful or terms with Ramona. I think that might have a little bit to do with why she's so protective of sleepy town.

I don't know exactly how trust worthy she is. But it's nice to have the some insight between what happened then and now.

Voice; un: justD

[distant_one]

She's been reasonable, but that does explain why she hasn't been interested in coming back from beasthood.

text; un: lady

[dohaeris]

[deerlona spoke coherently? that is pretty impressive. sansa wonders if she'd be able to speak to her as a deer...]

It's very interesting that you spoke to Deerlona. I know several people have made a study of the history of the Dream, and of Beasts, that may like to know what she's said. I agree that it may not be possible, or wise, to try and separate Pthumerian influence from the life force of this planet, and I also agree that we ought to seek Hali's assistance with the new city rather than anywhere else. I shouldn't like to hand over a city to any one person, but it may be our best chance to secure it.

I would counsel anyone to try and speak with Hali and determine what they can of their character before deciding what form that assistance should take.

Voice; un: justD

[distant_one]

The deer can speak with and understand her.

text | un: younghuman

[terriblepurpose]

Interesting. Thank you for relaying this information.

What are your intentions for safeguarding the road?

Voice; un: justD

[distant_one]

[D is glad that people can appreciate this for what it is; sharing information and not an endorsement of Deerlona's answers. People can judge the information for themselves.]

It's too much distance to be guarded in its entirety by Sleepers or warded with any reliability.

If we're able to construct it, we will put fortified shelters a day's travel apart and keep them repaired and supplied to the best of our ability, and place lamps as far as we can.

text; un: quibbler

[creidim]

I didn't know Ramona could be spoken with. She certainly couldn't be reasoned with when several of us ventured to Sleepy Town and encountered her there.

We were wrong to Awaken her. I know it's what a lot of people chose for her, but I didn't want this for her. I suppose I could hardly blame her fear of returning to being nothing more than a fictional character. Julia made her real. She should have been Sacrificed.

[ Luna will probably always bitterly regret how things turned out for her. ]

Is it just the deer who can communicate with her? I once had this power in Deerington, I don't know if I can do it anymore. But Ramona gave those who died in the Dream the power to turn into deer. Maybe that could work with communicating with her.

Voice; un: justD

[distant_one]

I haven't tried to speak with her in person due to her aggression.

It's worth an attempt if you can still transform and if you're willing to risk it.

Text; UN: FilledwithSunshine

[onebadapple]

That was a very nice explanation, D! You made it very simole and succinct!

[Yep, that is literally all Snow has to say since, well, she already knew what the deer had told them.]

voice; un: JustD

[distant_one]

Thank you. I hope you don't get all of your time eaten up being a messenger with deer now.

text - un: 30hotdoglimit

[stilljustyou]

She's probably happy to have someone to talk to.

voice; un: JustD

[distant_one]

Perhaps.

It's hard to say if she's happy or not with the conversation when I hear everything third hand through someone else speaking with a deer.

[But it's a nice thought, even if she hasn't seemed interested in coming back from being a beast.]

audio | un: sds

[fogsong]

And you don't have any doubts about what she's told you? [ It's evident by the mild tension in her voice that she has a wealth of it. ]

voice; un: JustD

[distant_one]

It lines up with much of what I've observed, at the very least I believe she believes.

Simply removing the Pthumerians without dealing with beasthood and corruption at the same time seems likely to kill this world. You saw the effect that The Tower being sick had.

voice: un: vi

[faceblocks]

Count me in on the road thing, and whatever else you've got.

I'd like to see what no influence shapes up to be. It'd be kinda nice to have somewhere to go when shit gets real crazy, but I dunno about the whole binding part.

text; username:mariathorpe

[givetheslip]

What is it about her word that brings you to put stock in it?

text | un: hoody

[theflyingone]

what do you mean when you say the world became more balanced? are we, as sleepers and pthumerians and whatever other corruptible beings, meant to take on corruption so the world does not truly perish?

[ He knows it's all theory of course, but facilitating scholarly discussion is what he likes doing. ]

un: GoldenFlowers, text

[the_obedient_servant]

You said to one of the others that we are guests here, and that the people should get to decide on this.

They do not know what it is to have free will. That is another assumption that you and many others have inflicted on them, believing that they have ever been given a choice or that indeed this world gives a shit about them. The Patrons butcher them to their hearts content, driving them to madness intentionally, toying with them, trapping them in other realities to go mad and be fed upon by nightmares, they have accepted this as inevitable, and you think the decision is theirs?

This world was never designed for the living inhabitants. It was designed for their toys to play in. We are their toys, the humans aren't even that. They're little more than props.

We will never escape this world. The most we will ever manage is to return to the ocean and lose who we are, embracing death instead. We are not guests. We are prisoners. A prison without jailers is going to be unbalanced. It might even be bloody. That does not mean it would be preferable to being controlled.

Text; un: darkness

[survivalthroughhate]

Oh, you're still around? Wonderful.

[It was definitely hard to tell just what tone was being conveyed through the text.]

Did Ramona mention anything about the gift she once gave the Deerington Sleepers?