[network] @standardissue; Let there be LIGHT! [open] - Day 151, evening

[deus_ex_phs]

[The video starts off dark, with only a faint glow of tablet light to illuminate Kunsel’s face. Something’s crackling just behind him, though, and then...

And then light.

Yes, there’s something that looks like a pickle jury rigged with paper clips and nails, and it is glowing in the dark. Kunsel’s expression is slightly pained to start off, but despite that, he’s clearly excited about this.]

The electricity works here, you guys. Consistently, at least as far as we can tell. Something’s wrong with the air pressure here, though, so I can’t really recommend staying here overnight if you can help it, but think about what we could do with this.

No, really. Think about it. We’re open to ideas.

Speaking of which, what all does anyone have that could be plugged in? Things we thought were useless before might not be so useless now. It’s definitely worth it to know what our resources are.

For anyone interested, I'm including a map of where this house is.

[Attached is a map of the Entrance, with house 243 marked on D28 to indicate where the electricity is.]

Comments

@dreadnought; Audio

[bloodbrine]

Quite the trick. However, one must wonder about the aroma left behind.

[ Roasty toasty eau de pickle. It's all the rage. ]

@standardissue; voice

[deus_ex_phs]

[Kunsel has to laugh, though it's a touch ruefully.]

You know, you might prefer not wondering about that. Not unless there's something else you don't want to think about.

[If nothing else, electrocuted pickle smell does have a way to get your mind off of things for a bit.]

[bloodbrine]

[ Merlwyb chuckles. ]

At the very least, you may easily cook foods at leisure without overly exerting yourself... providing nothing is set aflame in the process, anyroad. Mayhap a side of beef or lamb.

[ jfc she'd shank a dude for a piping hot beef stew ngl ]

[deus_ex_phs]

[Kunsel's voice brightens.]

True! Though we'd really have to be careful how we did that. We're making do with paperclips as our wires. Not exactly the safest method to cook food.

[But potentially worth it. Kids, don't try this at home.]

Not that we have any raw meat to cook. We didn't pick that up at the grocery store when we were last there, since cooking takes resources we don't consistently have.

@Ecks | text

[ecks]

How did you fill a vegetable with lightning?? What do you mean by "could be plugged in"? What is this?

@standardissue; text

[deus_ex_phs]

[Hrm. A response like that makes it look like Ecks isn't familiar with electricity and electrical wiring at all.]

Lightning can travel through some kinds of metal very well. If you run wires from a source of lightning - or electricity, in this case - it can be sent to other places. Somewhere in this town, electricity is being created and sent along wires that lead it to this house.

[He pauses here to switch to video, pointing his tablet at an outlet. Then back to text.]

This is called an outlet. It indicates a point where the wires end. Many devices have a special connection called a plug that fits the holes in the outlet. You put the plug in to connect it to the electricity, allowing the device to run.

It is very important that if you are not familiar with this technology that you DO NOT stick anything in the outlet that is not a plug. Even people who know what they are doing must be careful. One mistake and you can get electrocuted.

[ecks]

[Electricity, yes. Sort of. Electrical wiring, definitely not.]

The holes in the walls are all outlets? I did not know this. I did not know that there was electricity in the walls. I did not know there could be electricity in the walls. I have seen only very small lightning bolts when I rubbed my fake cat against cloth like Doctor House suggested.

That did not look like a very small amount of lightning in the vegetable. The wires carry large amounts of electricity? There are common devices to harness it? Are those devices typically vegetable-based?

[deus_ex_phs]

[Why was House telling her to make static electricity...?]

There should be electricity in all the walls with outlets. This is the first house I've seen with outlets that work. The wiring to the others may be broken.

[And it's just as well that they're communicating in text here, because that last question makes the corner of his mouth twitch upward.]

Different wires carry different amounts of electricity. There should be many different kinds of devices that can harness it when plugged in, some that need more, and some that need less. Most of these devices are missing - probably taken by the Admin's spiders for repairs. Vegetables aren't a common component, though. They're inefficient.

@zachtastic, text

[majorlazer]

Holy shit. I've got a phone, but I don't think it'd be of any use even if it's charged up.

Is there any cabling or anything around the house? If there's overflow, you could try rigging it to another house, see if it spreads.

Also, any idea where it comes from? Do the cables go underground or something?

@standardissue; text

[deus_ex_phs]

Still good to know. Don't lose it. Could be useful at some point.

We haven't seen any cabling, just the standard electrical outlets. We're still looking around, though.

[It's just a little hard to do a thorough search in the dark with no light but their tablets and a electrified pickle.]

Since we haven't seen any sign of electrical poles around town, I imagine the cables are all underground - at least for this house. That might be why this house has any electricity at all. If other houses had cables above ground, those cables might have already gotten stripped for parts.

[majorlazer]

Hmm, true. Might be good to look through rubble a little more though - I've not seen any cabling anywhere but I haven't exactly been looking for it.

Anything else works? Heating or anything? Or just the plugs?

[deus_ex_phs]

Worth it to keep an eye out for it at least.

Nothing but the outlets. I'm sure there used to be other things here, but it's likely all been scavenged.

Huh. I wonder what kept this house from having its outlets scavenged, too.

@makeme; audio

[coyoteking]

Got a phone, too. Didn't bring my charger though, so unless someone has a spare, I'm still shit outta luck.

Just plugging a wire in there would probably fry it.

@standardissue; audio

[deus_ex_phs]

Yeah, we have a phone here, too, but no charger. A PHS, too, but same story - and even if I did have one, I don't think the plug would be compatible with the outlets here.

Still, someone might come along with the technical skills to make an adapter, provided we could give him or her the parts they need.

[coyoteking]

What the hell's a PHS? And yeah, you'd have to figure in the wattages and shit. I know it's different in the US than it is in other places, but usually that means it's less powerful, if anything.

I guess I'll keep a look out for wires and stuff. Doubt we'll have much luck. In the meantime, try not to stick any body parts into the light sockets, kids.

[snowblindmods]

[The pickle sparks with current, and the hum is audible. A moment later, the pickle explodes.]

[video/reaction]

[deus_ex_phs]

[The pickle explodes, sending bits spattering everywhere. Kunsel makes a sound caught between a yelp and a curse, but fortunately his helmet saved him from the worst of it.

Still! Steaming bits of pickle!

Once the surprise and the initial sting wears off, Kunsel's muttered curses can be heard on the other end of his tablet, which he set aside while he goes to assess the damage.]

Well, damn.

[swatsflies]

[ At the time of pickle explosion, Mochi claws his way out of Zell's arms and skitters up the stairs as fast as his little legs can handle. ]

Frickin hell! What happened?! [ The first thing he'll do? Go poke at one of the pieces of burnt pickle. ] What is all of this?

@Spoiler ; video

[spoileralert]

Overcharged?

@totheark; text

[0thingsonmymind]

tryto plug in
tab let

*They didn't need to be charged, but it might do SOMETHING.*

@standardissue; text

[deus_ex_phs]

[Just after the pickle explodes-]

I'm not sure that would be a good idea. Considering what happened to that pickle, I think we'd just fry the thing.

I'll ask to see what the others think, though.

[0thingsonmymind]

*Yeah, exploding could be a problem...but at least new tablets were easy to find.*

if youdo
show me

@Mnemosyne; voice

[bookofnope]

Well, that's exciting. First such find, isn't it? I wonder if someone forgot...

[It's either that, or this is bait. He isn't sure what he believes.]

It could be used to replicate a certain experiment - not something to discuss on the open network. We'll have to talk in person. But more to the point, just now - what do you mean about the air pressure?

@standardissue; voice

[deus_ex_phs]

First that I know about, or at least that's been confirmed.

[And he's just going to take that hint and skip over the experiment just mentioned.]

And I mean that that's what it feels like. Just being in here makes our ears hurt. Chewing, swallowing, yawning - things like that help, but only a little.

[bookofnope]

I see - so not quite the same as the effects we have encountered around anomalies and human remains. I don't suppose you have means of ascertaining whether there is an actual, physical change in the air, of if this is merely a subjective experience?