text - UN: IceCream (CW mention of drowning risks)

[threelayers]

[Well, this one didn't put up public service messages often, did she? But, if there was a remote chance your spouse might show up one day in the heart of winter, well... you'd probably do it too.]

Right, so, if we're all done having oodles of fun running for our lives from crazy nutjobs in this maze of a town, I've got something we should all be thinking about. (Also, thank you Trench. I knew you'd deliver. I was almost bored there for a moment. Now this place feels like a nightmare.)

I saw something on my window while I was recovering from my last maze run. Frost. You know, that pretty white stuff that forms on your windowsills and makes you people all silly with this holiday spirit or whatever? Nice stuff. Gorgeous. So idyllic. Yeah, where there's frost, there's ice. And ice likes to form on top of water. If you haven't figured out where I'm going with this?

I'm taking bets on whether or not you think the coastline's gonna freeze for the next two months. Your first bet doesn't count. Everyone's a winner. Your prize? Grab a pickaxe.

That's right, dumb dumbs. Squids seem to show up at the same time we showed up in the dream. Very end of the month and first week of the month, and if that coast freezes, they're going to pound right into a sheet of ice. Get blankets, start fires, grab a pickaxe. Also, maybe flares or burning arrows wouldn't be a bad idea. Folks can come to you if you find a squid and need help. I have five I got lucky enough to have in my backpack and I intend to use them. Unless you want next month's new arrivals to drown in the water and/or freeze to death. And if you do? I recommend not replying to this. I'm not in the best of moods.

And if one of you hero types feels like actually organizing this thing, go for it. You know where I'll be.

Comments

text; un: morningstar

[morningstud]

I'd say that saltwater has a much lower freezing temperature than normal water, but somehow I doubt this world cares about details like that.

But you're correct; we cannot allow any new arrivals to suffer, given they'll already be dangerously cold even if they aren't coming out of frozen water.

[threelayers]

This place runs on rules closer to "Magic" than science I think.
So let's just err on the side of caution and assume that salt water absolutely freezes here.
And that's pretty much a given, but I imagine we'll have help at least with warming stations.
The locals have been good for that.

[morningstud]

They're quite a bit more friendly than in the last place, even though I can't fault the Wastes.

The warming stations will be vital. Perhaps we should also focus on helping staff those. Drinks of coffee and other such things could be offered.

[threelayers]

I doubt anyone could. Those folks went through a blender.

For the ones among us that can't break through the ice as easy, this is a good idea.
We're going to need a bunch of things going at once for about a week, and then it'll calm down.
Think we can handle that, with a bit of warning at least.

[morningstud]

I may be able to help break through the ice, though I'm not certain how much of my strength I've retained, but I am willing to do either task.

[threelayers]

We can test one mettle and then put you to work on the other if need be.
The Brothers only know we'll probably end up doing a little bit of both in the process.

[morningstud]

I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

We can only hope for a mercifully short winter in this place, otherwise it'll be an extremely unpleasant arrival for the next several months.

[threelayers]

We can hope for it, but I'm honestly expecting two months of hell.
It's not even that I don't trust this place so much as I know how long winter is here.
And I just don't see this town letting us off the hook, so this month and next.

[morningstud]

Winters are terrible.

It's why I moved someplace without it when I decided to live on Earth. This town doesn't seem to agree, though. Anything to keep us Sleepers miserable.

[threelayers]

Yeah. There's solutions, but the shit's still too cold.
I'd take a nice balmy beach with a mai tai right about now, if you asked me.
But we'll cope with it one way or another.

Might as well get the bonfires going right?