un: stanford | voice

[cryptograms]

Greetings, Trench! This is Stanford Pines speaking. Many of you I met in Deerington, and others I only met after arriving in Trench.

For those of you I haven't met: I worked as a researcher of all things paranormal and anomalous in my home dimension, and after I arrived in Deerington I used my experience in that field to research and catalogue the events, creatures, history, and metaphysical inner workings of Deerington, the Dream, and its residents.

Now, I wasn't the only person gathering this information. Several other individuals compiled their own documents on the same subjects and made them available to all of Deerington. Several of the authors vanished, however, and the distribution of their works depended on other Sleepers already having their own copies to share.

Which brings me to a proposal I have for the entire town.

[ There's the brief sound of shuffling paper before Ford continues. ]

Assuming no such other project is underway I'd like to begin keeping a publicly accessible archive of information gathered by Sleepers, particularly as it pertains to the Sleepers as a whole, as well as the nature and history of this dimension.

So, I'm looking both for individuals willing to contribute their own research, as well as any ideas as to where this archive could be housed. We may be able to requisition our own wing within the School of Mutter's Archaic Archives, but it may be preferable to select a more neutral location, outside of the immediate influence of any of the Patron Pthumerians.

[ Ford pauses for a moment, clears his throat, and continues. ]

Thank you all for hearing me out. And if you ever encounter anything especially weird, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Comments

video

[cryptograms]

Exactly. It doesn't seem like there was any trouble keeping the information circulating in Deerington, but there were fewer residents and we were comparatively more interconnected.

[ He perks up at the mention of Varian's binders. He knew he could count on him. ]

Actually, if you have time I'd like to eventually get your assistance in organizing the information I have collected. I've been told my cataloguing methods are a bit... obscure.

[ Which is to say he writes his notes down as he encounters the information and just memorizes where in his journal each page is. ]

video

[droptheious]

Yeah, we've been spread out a lot further here. And you're right, there's definitely more of us. And more and more people who've never been in the dream at all. Have you been noticing the new arrivals? The percentage of them who were in the dream first to those who are fresh from their home worlds is much smaller than the month we all came in together.

[That, in of itself is rather worrying. At least they're used to Deerington, these newcomers have no idea what they're dealing with. It makes the easy flow of information so much more important. ]

Oh, sure! I don't mind helping with that. I get told mine is too extra [Fern's words, not his] so maybe between us we might find a happy medium?

[cryptograms]

I have. I thought that sort of rebalancing of the population might happen eventually, but not so soon, and not as abruptly.

[ He mentioned Cynthia by name the other day and only got a blank look in return. It was... offputting, and not in the way Trench typically is.

But, no time to be sentimental when we just heard something he doesn't fully understand! ]

Extra...? As in, extra organized?

[droptheious]

Yeah, it's happened all at once. And if Sodder isn't bringing people here...well, something else must be- because at least we all had the choice to come here.

[That's definitely not fun when you talk about "the dream" and people look at you like you're a crazy person. ]

No. That's what I thought! But apparently, it means it's a lot like...an excessive amount of something that doesn't need to be that excessive. [He snorts lightly.] Which, uhhh, I beg to differ!

[cryptograms]

Indeed. I've begun to wonder if Julia wasn't so much bringing us in directly as she was manipulating an existing phenomena. Though... it's hard to ask.

[ Since she's... you know, gone for good. ]

... How could you be excessively organized?

[droptheious]

I know, there's so many variables we need to work out first. But at least we have those experiences to move forward from.

[Oh my god, he appreciates you SO MUCH, Ford!!]

I KNOW!! That's what I said! He just doesn't get it because his idea of organisation is to just dump stuff in a big pile on the floor and leave it there.