WEEK 6

[umbralant]

WEEK 6

monday

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

Five weeks. It's been five weeks, and twenty-seven has now dwindled down to eleven. And while only two passed this week, this trial may have been the most devastating in its own way, as threads of patience frayed and fragments of trust fractured. Nevertheless, if The Lady is to be believed, that may very well have been the final set of sacrifices that she was waiting for, so perhaps the end is in sight.

Of course, the fact that everyone is still stuck in Krakow means that it's not over yet, and who even knows what's happening over in the Twilight?

And so, some more changes are in store for this week, even if it may not be the same ones that you've gotten used to. For one thing, the fog stays put and no new areas of the city are revealed under the light of the lampposts. Secondly, The Lady is nowhere to be found in the city, with her bookstore office vacated and abandoned with nary a trace as to where she went. And third, the clock tower will no longer operate, which-- well. Actually that's not new at all, but it certainly may make it difficult to keep up with the facade of passing days. At least the moon still serves as a reminder of that, gibbous phase waxing into something fuller over the course of the week even if the color looks a bit off.

It may not be a fresh new start, but it's not time to give up yet, is it? After all, you are all Survivors.

[[Welcome to Week 6! Note that there are no new locations this week, but feel free to make top levels at your discretion, and remember to note it in your header if you plan on investigating any locations. As alluded above, The Lady will be unavailable, while Rembrandt will still be around on Monday and Tuesday before disappearing for the rest of the week.]]

navigation

profiles

rules

locations

shop

location changes

full navigation

Comments

[deadlygoals]

Yare yare... I hope I don't disappoint then.

[ Thinking thinking. ]

Once upon a time, there was a monster searching for a world that could be useful to her. She hopped and hopped with her pet crow until she found one with a secret. This world had a parallel dark world, which was home to many shadows. Upon further investigation, the monster and her crow found that these creatures had a taste for human souls.

The creatures would come into the normal world and leave many, but not all, in a coma like state. There were rare cases of someone waking up from the coma with new powers. The monster and her crow decided they needed to investigate this further and further.

[ There's more, he's just pausing because you do that in stories. ]

The dark world, or the Night, was useful for her to conduct many experiments. However, she didn't like that she could only remain there for short periods of time. So she set about to make sure her work didn't get interrupted. The story doesn't share how she did this, since we're missing a couple of reports, but it does touch on some of the deeds the monster did while int he world of dark.

[ A pause. ]

We found reports of what she did to us. We all might have been in this world for a long time, put to sleep until she can put her plans in motion.

1/2

[tokihanate]

That's pretty in line with some of the things we've found out. That coma talk is familiar as well...? I feel like I've heard from somewhere. [ Is that a serious mode here? ] ... does that imply that she could move to Day? I can't imagine how furious ojou-san will be.

[ At the last bit... ]

2/2

[tokihanate]

A long time.........

[deadlygoals]

I can't tell how long we've been here. [ A pause. ] I was patient number 89 and the first one to be a success to what she was doing. She kept me asleep, while she worked on others.

[ Pausing as he thinks about the words on his own page. ]

The subject has gained powers and survived. Power has been labeled as Gravitas. This is it. I have hit the right set of circumstances that will increase the odds of the subject surviving! The subject is the first one of the many I will need. I just need to replicate the same conditions in order to get more subjects who will be of use to me.

In the meantime I will keep the subject comatose until the time comes for him to be awake. Perhaps I could get Rembrandt to help me get as much personal information about him, while I use my machines to peer into his world and see who else there I could bring.

[tokihanate]

[ There's just ragged breathing for a little bit. ]

Right. Is there more of it?

Also, I'll get the manager. [ He means you Quarter. ]

[p_q]

[Manager bat reporting. Tone smooth and unruffled as always. It’s hard to tell whether he’s displeased at all this graphic mention of experimentation, but that’s middle management for you, eh?]

Hmph. To think she fancies herself a scientist with such imprecise information.

[Unless of course it’s just a side effect of Dazai’s colorful narration, but at present the Lady may be taking more of the spiteful aggro here. Anywho.]

It more or less lines up with what we’ve learned or been able to infer in the Twilight and the Night. However, I will correct one assumption: if the information we were given here is correct, the modifications to the Night began not more than several years ago, and not less than a month ago. If the calendars are to be believed, rumors of this rash of comas began in the summer of this year, and we can now assume we are in winter.

If the Twilight is a temporal branch of this Night, it is more than likely she began her experiments in earnest sometime between those dates.

What was the total number of experiments? Be more detailed.

[You’re free to just start reading reports at him, too.]

moving it here

[deadlygoals]

There's more. There were about three hundred reports. [ Which matches up to what they found before.] We found the names of everyone here, but most of those lacked any details besides powers, skills, and how their new abilities may impact them.

There were notes about the first few tests, which weren't to any of us. The only interesting one was Noelle's, which was towards the end.

[ Thinking of the words that he saw on those pages... just going to repeat it line for line again. ]

This is the last of the subjects I need. I will get a few more test subjects to test a few details more related to the creatures, but I believe I have all the subjects I will need. They all fit the requirements I pinpointed during my testing, their personality increasing the odds of a successful power gain. Despite that, Rembrandt's examination of the subject has revealed something:

Those subjects who had powers before arriving here had their powers suppressed drastically. They're still intact, but the creature-induced powers smother their original abilities. I believe as long as they're in this world, this state will stay. Leaving the world should make their original abilities return little by little. Rembrandt has another opinion, though: that only those who are determined enough will get them back.

Then the odds aren't on their favor! I believe I will be able to guarantee the return of their powers, given the information I have gathered. That may be of use to me. In the meantime the subject must be kept restrained.

[ A pause. ]

Noelle's was patient 294.

[tokihanate]

But.. this long night has only started several weeks ago. It can't.. be that long ago that this has been going on. Ojou-san said even several months ago, it's only been occurring every full moon. And even a year ago, she said it only occurred just every other month. That can't be enough time.

[p_q]

[There's a few seconds of pause, like the owner of the pause is pondering the exchange of three lives for a slice of that information, or like they might have pondered three lives for the space of a few seconds. Who knows.]

I see.

I am aware of the timeline that girl gave, and that is the information I was referring to. So long as the woman was carrying out her experiments in secret, and so long as information about the Night was strictly controlled -- even during the Day, she could have completed a number of her preparations or modifications, particularly with a being like Rembrandt at her disposal.

[Another pause, thoughtful instead of murder-flavored this time.]

Though we don't yet know the normal means by which Night and Day are connected, I suppose.

[tokihanate]

[ There's a sigh mixed with relief and resignation. ]

Well, we don't have much time to worry about it now I suppose. We won't be able to go to Night once we're there most likely. We've only probably bought a reprieve and not our original states. I do wonder... if Twilight disappears if she can access Night at last.

[p_q]

If the notes are correct...

[And there's still a shade of doubt there, but who wouldn't be carrying it after all their wonderful time under the Lady's (and Rem's) delightful tutelage--]

It will take more time and resources to regain our original worlds and abilities, even if the Day is cooperative. If Twilight disappears, then the girl may be able to access the Night, but the woman will also be able to access the Day. There must be other factors as well, yet undiscovered. I have my doubts that this world is her primary target, but it can continue to be a convenient stepping stone.

[Not their problem yet, but you can bet he's watching for it.]

[deadlygoals]

[ World's and abilities. ]

According to her notes there may be a second way to regain abilities. With enough determination.

[ Tossing that out there ]

Who is this girl you keep bringing up anyways?

CW: Body horror, per usual...

[twoasone]

[ If Dazai listens carefully, he might hear something in the background.

Then the something decides to go on mic. ]

If you guys manage to find where she's keeping her real body, let me know.

[ Uh oh. The local sicko does not sound happy about this. ]

[deadlygoals]

It might be in the castle. It could explain why she didn't do her experiments there.

CW: dismemberment. Sorry.

[twoasone]

Oh! And here I thought she simply wanted to live a luxurious life, waited on by a handsome fellow who just so happens to be a literal devil, and spending her days lovingly tending to her collection of severed heads and an arm.

[ Is he... Jealous? Or does he just hate this woman as much as you do now? ]

Speaking of demons, did you find any notes explaining why Rembrandt held so much power over those... Blue eyed beings?

[deadlygoals]

Ah, so you wish to be waited on a handsome fellow with a bunch of body parts.

[ He isn't surprised at all. ]

I haven't found anything. The Lady seems frustrated that she isn't able to. It may have to do with his nature and the nature of the shadows.

1/2

[twoasone]

What?! NO! I was happy with what I had before all this, why would I want a servant!?

[ Shin is a humble artist, not a spoiled brat! ]

2/2

[twoasone]

[ ... Oh, right. Rembrandt. ]

Odd. I thought she'd know more about the man she had working for her.

maybe this is like kingdom hearts and he's the disney villain with heartless obeying him

[deadlygoals]

[ That's the part he takes issue with. ]

I think she only cares about is how he's useful to her. He's the best assistant she has had so far. If he is a demon, then these shadows may be something similar, but to a lesser degree.

If that actually happens I will laugh

[twoasone]

[ Is Cumore the only person who likes his art??? ]

... I wonder what might happen if he was convinced to turn on her.

Lady rips off her mask and she has gray hair and yellow eyes. Ladynort

[deadlygoals]

We would need to know what he's actually getting from their alliance. If he is a demon, then he may be getting her soul after this is finished. Which could explain why she's planning on leaving everything to a younger her.

I don't know if any of that is real though.

[twoasone]

Considering she can already weasel her way into other worlds, I wouldn't put that past her.

But what do I know? I didn't have to put up with demons and ghouls in my world!

[deadlygoals]

They are just stories in my world.

[ Just ignoring Chuuya here ]

[tokihanate]

[ coughs over here. ] Dist says it's true. Iago probably has more info? I'll leave the grilling to you all. I've also read the books and one was definitely talking about Faustian contracts.

[deadlygoals]

We're holding a meeting tomorrow, so maybe he'll share then.

[ Grilling Iago...isn't going to be a smart move for him at this moment, so he'll leave that to others. ]

Is there anything related to birds in that book?