video | joint info post!

[whitestonelives]

We’re rather later than we meant to be, it seems. [Percy tugs somewhat self-consciously at the collar around his neck, not entirely comfortable with not being at his best for this video, but needs must.] So, we have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is, Viveca made a mistake. The good news is, we have a good idea where the orb is.

Viveca dropped us off directly in the water purification camp, and it is massive, [ Gwen chimes in beside him, looking considerably more at ease with their current appearance–at least the collar this go-around is fake. ] Most of the land is either dead or taken up by tanks containing the only remaining freshwater.

[ attached: photos of the tanks (each one a beast), the wasteland surrounding the earthquake site, and the site itself: now a deep, infected reservoir. ]

That last photo was the site of the earthquake. The “volunteers” here, [ the tone with which she pronounces volunteers makes clear they are anything but, ] are put to work digging for new aquifers or trying to neutralize whatever’s in the water when they’re not being used for lab mice. Consuming the water leads to deposits of something that, over time, results in organ failure.

[ her mouth twists. ] The infection is not natural. No, we will not be going into details regarding how we know. But trust, it’s not.

They haven’t tampered with the water themselves, that much I’ll give them. [Percy’s voice is dripping with disdain, and he crosses his arms, taps a finger on his elbow.] But I would like to have some words with Bahiti Fouad. As I’m currently, hm, indisposed, I’ll leave it up to the rest of you to find a way to get information out of her. She’s the lead scientist here, she may have something of use.

But I digress. The orb is in one of the camps. Which one, we’re not sure yet. Movement between the camps is difficult, and while Gwen and I came here with duds already attached, [and he tugs at the collar again,] the exploding collars around the other prisoners’ necks are very, very real. I advise caution in breaking in. [Said with the voice of someone who is judging just a little bit.]

[ Gwen continues the thread, ] Doubtful it’s a coincidence that this is the site where this entire mess started. We’re monitoring the movement of the guards and the presence of military officers here, and we have reason to believe one of the prisoners is part of the Fables and may be in contact with them. Orbers in the other camps, see what you can dig up.

[ooc: blue is Percy, purple is Gwen.]

Comments

text ↪ 朱

[blackfire]

( hm. )

I have not seen any sign of the orb in the camp I am in. However, I cannot sense it as some of our allies can, and could have missed its presence or influence.

Given the quake and its origin as much of the chaos on this world — which we believe to be an alternate of Earth — I suspect that the orb was at the very least in your camp initially. It is possible it may have been moved by one who did not know its true nature, or that it yet remains. It may serve us to have one of those that can sense the orbs join you there.

Once we eliminate the water purification camp, we can focus on the others.

[construing]

〈 want to bury the lede earlier, man. true pal. 〉

Unfortunately, it's real easy for me to break out, not as much to break back in, and I am not jazzed about getting a real, functioning collar.
But if our suspicions are right, the Fables have a way in here, which could hypothetically be used to move one of our own.
Anyone in good with them?

[blackfire]

( eh, need to know. he didn't even tell people he was actively in a camp in his own address, oop. )

@stardust and @s.wilson are two that have made prominent connections with members of the Fables.

Alexandra Reman likely also retains some contacts among their number, though I cannot speak to the frequency of any communications. I will ask her.

text; un: p.derolo

[whitestonelives]

We'll keep looking on our end. We're rather limited in our movements currently, so if anyone here has joined the guards, I'd like to get into contact with them. Their access will be far less restricted than a prisoner's.

[blackfire]

@009720.

This man has impersonated a guard.

@009720, text—

[shumi]

i have access to all four camps

[firstroar]

That must be the sickness Sabriel was speaking about. Or a variant.

[construing]

Not a scientist so can't confirm that second part. There is definitely something in the water, though, and I will be having lingering nightmares.

〈 so…same as always.

and switching to private: 〉

Turns out I missed out on chunk of time. How you doing, buddy?

private

[firstroar]

Medicine is keeping me upright. Put me out of your mind and make sure you are safe as you search.

[whitestonelives]

The one from the first mission? Perhaps. I wasn't there, so I can't say for certain, but if this was caused by an orb as well, I'm expecting to see similar symptoms displayed between them.

[firstroar]

No - the matter of a plague here, rumored to have originated at the site of an earthquake.

audio; un: Sabriel.Abhorsen

[bindsthedead]

Newton and I have notes from the first mission, which also involved an infection that turned out to not be entirely natural.

[And hopefully, like that time, the bargain is long-concluded and they're just dealing with the consequences.]

Unfortunately, in addition to our talents, the cure also involved a local making another bargain with the orb. But more mages have joined our group since then and that may be enough.

I've infiltrated the guard. If you're certain the orb is in the Seventh Circle, I can get myself transferred and try to speak with this scientist.

permatext.

[construing]

Yes, we all know you have notes, they're very impressive.

audio; un: p.derolo

[whitestonelives]

I'll send you my notes if you give me yours. There might be something we can glean from then.

[A nod.] Please do. She sounds like an awful woman and a terrible scientist. [This is coming from the guy who invented guns for vengeance.]

un: mccoy

[homeostatic]

Gwen!

( Does he sound a lil stricken? Yes? It's fine, continuing on, all-business: )

I'm glad to hear from you both.

Jim and I tried to find more specifics about the research they're doing out there, and the particulars of the infection, but no dice. We were contacted by the Raccoon instead.

[construing]

My life is such that, even knowing there are animal code names in play, I really thought for a second there you meant an actual talking raccoon. 〈 the absurdist portrait that is her life aside, however— 〉

Percy has the notes on what we’ve found. 〈 including the effects of the water on venom. 〉

〈 and switching to private: 〉 I was informed you have something of mine.

un: p.derolo; private

[whitestonelives]

As are we.

I'll send you the notes, and reiterate Gwen's point that you do not want to know how we figured out the water's effects. [And he sends over some information.] I take it you don't know who this Raccoon is? We've a suspected Fable as a fellow prisoner here, he might be a candidate.

text | un; mal

[tochnyy]

i was wondering if with all the technology here, no progress has been made with food and water. sounds like maybe something, maybe the orb, is really interfering.

[construing]

Yeah, it's very weird. Tech can advance by leaps and bounds in a century, let alone five of them.
Instead, we get food pills. 〈 she hates 🙃 this 🙃 〉

text; un: p.derolo

[whitestonelives]

I wouldn't be surprised if part of the deal this time was to prolong the decay somehow.

audio | un: spade

[pursuit]

And I thought Off With Your Head was bad.

[ It's little more than a mumble, as he's once more reminded how rough circumstances can be in these places they're sent to. ]

Still can't believe they're treatin' people like this... But there're people working on the whole collar thing, right? D'you have a way to get one to work with?

[construing]

〈 a link appears first. 〉 Resident mechanical genius is on it.

audio; un: p.derolo

[whitestonelives]

I can. I'm only surprised they didn't summarily execute any captured Fables immediately. [He recognizes that arrogance, the belief that time in a labor camp will break them. He's seen it before, in the Briarwoods.] Newton's working on it, so far as I'm aware.

text; un: Ambus

[legalcy]

My theory is that the Orb remains in the epicenter of the earthquake, unless someone was able to steal it away before the camps were built. Have you seen anything that could help us travel deeper into the reservoir?

text; un: p.derolo

[whitestonelives]

Gwen technically has the ability to leave, but doing so without raising the alarms would be a different story. The guards can freely move between the camps, though, so if you mean to travel into the reservoir, you'll have to find a way into their ranks somehow.

Also, the waters are dangerous enough that the guards here wear very thick protective gear. You'll want something on that level.