video; un: charlie

[kingoftherats]

[The video opens with a middle-aged man sitting at a bar and eating shelled peanuts out of a bowl, stopping to reach over and pass one of the nuts to the little rat sitting near him — not to be confused with his rat omen Danny, who is currently off doing god only knows what. There's a few scabbed over cuts on the man's particularly dusty face, like maybe he'd spent the afternoon crawling through some vents (spoilers: he was). Anyway...]

So, like. What's the deal with this place, anyway? Someone called it 'Lumenwood' the other day, and then someone called it 'Poofrock' or whatever, and there was someone complaining about something happening at 'Crenshaw'...? Then some other weirdo said Cassandra, which is a chick's name.

Is there actually an official name for this place or what?

Like — wheeeere the hell are we, exactly?

[Don't mind the line of rats suddenly running up to him, squeaking from where they've made a half-circle by his arm. He turns his attention to them suddenly, and talks to them instead of the video camera.]

Noooo way. It's not actually named Trench. No, dude, a trench is something you crawl through to collect possum pelts, nobody'd call a place Trench, that's lame as shit. [He stops, nods at the rats.] Okay, no — Leroy, seriously? I think I'd know what a real city name is. Especially a human one, thanks. If it were Trench, it'd be, like... Trenchadelphia. Or New Trenchy. Or, shit, maybe Trenchburgh?

[He snaps his fingers at one particular rat trying to sneak in a grab at his bowl.]

Heyheyhey, I see you eyeballing my peanuts, Susan! Back up! Back! It! Up! [He listens with disappointment intent to her small squeaks.] ... Ugh, old man still not doing too hot, huh? Fine, take some, but don't you go trading that shit for drugs; I know how high the currency is for shelled peanuts is down there. Tell Ricky I said hey, congrats on making it to four years — that's wild for a rat, man, he's gotta have some kind of deal with the devil.

[Sorry, what the fuck were we talking about again?]

... Oh!

And stop leaving your goddamn bear traps around the town, huh?! [He reaches down under the bar, picks up a particularly bloody bear trap, and shakes it at the screen.] I'm sick of stepping in them!

Comments

un: agentmothman

[zib]

... Wait, are you able to talk to rats?

[That's kind of cool if he can.]

[kingoftherats]

Uhh... Yeah! Not really sure when that started. Maybe I've been able to do it all along?

It's not like I ever tried to. I mostly just used to bash 'em in the basement.

[Respectfully.]

[zib]

... Okay?

[Because that's a totally normal thing to do? Sure.]

But now you know what they're saying, so I guess that changes things.

[Unless Charlie still kills rats even with the knowledge he can speak to them... he's not sure if he wants to inquire on that, so instead--]

Do you need a doctor or are you actually okay from having stepped on a bear trap here?

[Video][UN:<Blocked>]

[subject_013]

[A view of an attic room, snow falling past one visible window, and a tall, muscular but graceful figure in a raven-like mask over a black balaclava that hides their head, a black long-sleeve tee shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows. They're currently running a bit of oiled leather along the length of a sword blade.]

Traps aren't mine. Sounds like amateur hour antics.

[The voice is deep and rasping, as if the speaker is recuperating from a bad sore throat.]

Lots of districts make up this town. Lots of names for them.

[Video]

[kingoftherats]

[........................................ huh.

That's an interesting aesthetic. He stares for a moment, then carries on:]

Okay, well, that's harsh. I'm sure the guys are trying their best to catch marsupials and such.

... Do I know you?

video | un: P.G.

[possessum]

( Charlie might recognise Peter, or rather, his mole. Unfortunately Peter's kind of left the building this month, and it's mostly a demon watching this display with a very intense curiosity.

And a slowly-growing sense of..... awe.

Because this man has so many Familiars. He must be an extremely powerful witch, or other such magic-user. He also mentions "deal with the devil"..... He's clearly in the know. )

Such plentiful Familiars.... They serve you so faithfully....

( He says, solemnly, gazing at the group of rats so attentive to the man. )

video

[kingoftherats]

Oh, molekid! 'Sup man.

[He has absolutely no sense of anything being weird or off about him, wouldn't consider for a moment that the kid has a possession problem; honestly, if you tried to explain, he might just assume you're not you when you're hungry and offer a snickers.]

Familiar what? What's familiar? You got a lot of rats in your place, too?

( video | un: duckling )

[danserai]

Ah!

[ he looks human but — it's christmas time and he's here. ]

The Rat King!

( video )

[kingoftherats]

[He blinks, looking around for whoever this 'Rat King' is.

But then he points to himself.]

You talkin' to me?

[Wait, is he being crowned or something? Duuuude, he would absolutely stick his leg in another bear trap if it meant being King of a crew. He was totally king of online games years back, so this is just a step up.]

un: trienemybest; voice

[droptheious]

[No video for Varian today, sorry buddy. But he can't just...not comment on any of this madness. ]

Cassandra and Lumenwood and all that are districts. Trench is the city, then it's split up into smaller parts. And yeah, it's...not the best city name, kinda agree there. There's no way you can say "welcome to Trench" and make it sound even halfway pleasant.

[He doesn't even comment on the rat thing. Look, talking to animals is a NORMAL thing for him, he doesn't even think twice about it. ]

...

Do you actually need medical help from...stepping in he bear traps?

voice

[kingoftherats]

Districts? C'mon, that sounds so fake. That's not even English.

[Snort. Scoff!]

... Y'know, it hurt a lot and all that, but it doesn't really hurt anymore?

It's just oozing some green. Which might not be good, right?

[He doesn't exactly know his body is going through a, uh... transformation.

Yet, anyway.]

Video UN: blackmoths

[blackmothwings]

Charlie.

[Okay, there is a lot going on here, but we're going to address the bear traps first. She sees the blood painted all over sharp, angry-looking metal, and she feels... concerned?

She looks a lot less elegant and a lot more disheveled and tired, thanks to the worsening paranoia, but she's pretending that all is well because it's better than admitting that she has a problem.]

Are you all right? Would you like me to help you with your wounds?

Video

[kingoftherats]

Oh, hey, Lucy!

[He waves at the screen, looking super pleased to see her. It's hard not these days, especially when he's got a very important handful of people who seem to tolerate him (or, uh, try to, anyway).]

Man, maybe? It wasn't bleeding so bad earlier, but my bandages are getting kinda... greenish? Probably not the best sign, but I thought I'd leave it a little longer, just in case that's part of the ol' healing process.

[The good news: that's just his warmblood shifting into vileblood.

The bad news: it's not like anyone fucking knows this.]

video; un: seeingtheworld

[schoolingfish]

Oh! Your little furry friends are so cute! I've never seen anything like them before!

[Mostly because while rats can swim, they generally aren't going to go for a dip in the ocean.]

And I know this place definitely isn't a real trench. If it was, there'd be no light and anyone who didn't have any gills would drown. I think it's just named the Trench, because it's weird and creepy like a trench.

video;

[kingoftherats]

See, that's what I'm saying! Like, I've been in some slimy places that deserve to be called Trench. But this above-ground crap is total B.S., it needs a whole new name!

So new people showing up don't think we're a dark, dangerous place all the time!

[threelayers]

Trench. Actually, Trench.
And that's pretty lame as name goes, but I think it's because they think they're in the trenches?
But sure, all it Trenchburgh if you want.

Those are districts, doofus.
You know, they're parts of a larger town.

No.
Look where you step if you don't want to.
And I'm more sophisticated than bear traps.
Those are someone else's.

Also.
And more importantly.
WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO RATS?!?

[kingoftherats]

I was gonna complain at you not using your words from your mouth, but then I remembered you're like Link from Legend of Zelda, so I'll let this one slide. I still think 'district' is totally not a real word, but Trenchburgh's cool; I can work with Trenchburgh.

What's wrong with talking to rats? You racist against rats, Ice-Cream Sandwich?

text; un: dovahkiin

[fusrodaaaah]

I think it is actually named Trench.

Maybe it was built in a trench?

his will never be text and everyone should be thankful

[kingoftherats]

That's stupid, man. That's like my mom naming me Abortion Attempt Jr. or Lil' Womb.

A name like Trench is one step away from being a sweaty, leathery dude doing squats in a gym.

text | timaeusTestified

[givehead]

Post-apocalyptic scenarios always have weird ass names. It's the rule of thumb. If we were in the desert it would probably be some stupid shit like "Mother's Vagina at 69" or something equally descriptive.

text

[kingoftherats]

Hooooly shit, bro, can you make your text burn my eyeballs any worse?

... I do dig the cheese-colored theme, though. It's a solid style. I might steal it later.

Let's just, like. Rename this place ourselves, man.

video; un: morningstar

[morningstud]

I do believe it's called Trench. An appropriate name, given how dangerous everything about this place is.

[As for the rats...]

Are... are those your Omens, or...?

video;

[kingoftherats]

Bleeegh. Trench needs to be renamed, dude... Something funner, like Trenchland.

What're Omens? Isn't that some movie about a kid possessed by Satan or something?

voice; un: grollschwert

[hauntedsavior]

[anna clears her throat before starting the recording and affects the most new york accent she possibly can. recollé is of course a real city that she really comes from on the real world eastern seaboard, but it's close enough to new york that she can fake it.]

Hey, I recognize that accent. You from Philly? You better watch out, dude, we ain't got Jersey to keep us separated around here.

voice; sorry for taking a bajillion years :')

[kingoftherats]

[Oh? Oh! He points to himself, as if to say 'you talkin to ME?'.]

Philly? Hell yeah, I'm from Philly! You got a problem with that?

And for the record, Jersey's pretty cool; I've only been there once, but it was pretty a pretty sweet deal. Lots of fireworks and magical love stuff and drinking sea water.