snowblindrpg | [network] @carcinoGeneticist; TEXT; MORNING 267 [open]

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[network] @carcinoGeneticist; TEXT; MORNING 267 [open]

ALRIGHT, SO I TOOK THE MAINTENANCE TUNNELS FROM THE RADIATION ZONE UP THROUGH TO THE NORTHWEST RESIDENTIAL AREA. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYONE ELSE MENTION THIS SHIT SPECIFICALLY YET, SO HERE'S A BASIC OVERVIEW OF WHAT I FOUND:

1. A WHOLE FUCKLOAD OF NOTHING. THERE ARE NO SUPPLIES DOWN THERE SO DON'T BOTHER CHECKING. THERE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE ANY ANOMALIES EITHER, BUT I DON'T WANNA JINX THAT? SO BE CAREFUL.

2. YOU CAN TRAVEL AND STAY IN THEM OVERNIGHT. BE FREE FROM THE CONFINES IMPOSED BY SNOWHELL'S INFURIATING LOCKDOWN. GOD THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A THING SOONER, WHY WERE THE TUNNELS EVEN *LOCKED* WHEN THEY'RE THIS USEFUL? IT'S NONSENSICAL.

3. THERE IS A GIGANTIC FUCKING MAZE UP NORTH WITH A TRULY ABSURD ABOUT OF TWISTS, TURNS, AND DEAD ENDS. I *THINK* IT'S ROUGHLY UNDERNEATH THE SPLIT TUNNELS? SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE. I TOOK THE LIBERTY OF MARKING OFF WHERE THE DEAD ENDS ARE, BUT WHO KNOWS IF THOSE SIGNS ARE STILL UP. I HAVEN'T GONE BACK TO CHECK BECAUSE I'M FUCKING BUSY, SO IF THEY'RE MISSING NOW, SORRY, AND IF THEY'RE NOT, YOU'RE WELCOME.

OH, AND 4. THERE ARE NO GODDAMN LIGHTS DOWN THERE, SO BE SURE TO BRING A HANDHELD ILLUMINATION DEVICE OR SOMETHING. THE LIGHT FROM YOUR TABLET SHOULD HELP BUT IF YOU'RE TRAVELING WITH PEOPLE IT'S BETTER TO HAVE TWO OR MORE OUT SO YOU DON'T GET FUCKING LOST.

I HAVE SOME PICTURES, BUT THERE'S NOT MUCH TO SEE DOWN THERE. OH, AND IF ANYONE ELSE HAS SOME EXPERIENCES OR INFORMATION TO SHARE, YOU MIGHT AS WELL DO IT HERE SO IT'S ALL IN ONE PLACE? AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN THROUGH THE WHOLE THING SO SOMEONE ELSE MIGHT HAVE TO ANSWER OR WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WAIT AND FIND OUT.

[And, as promised, he'll be including some pictures of the tunnels, the hubs, and a few of his scrawled warnings about an upcoming dead end. In some of the shots, a pair of luminescent cat eyes can be seen peering through the dark; others are lit up by a tablet or the flickering flame of a solitary lighter.]

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*Included without comment are videos of the tunnels and one of the hubs. They're lit by the same tablet doing the recording and there are occasional glitches (mostly tearing).*

Edited (movements fixed so day correct now) 2017-08-08 16:56 (UTC)

My group found a tunnel in the radiation zone. Followed it to a building I'm fairly sure no one here has been to before. A little south of the center of town, if my sense of direction and distance down there was right?

I'm sure you'll understand if I'm not one hundred percent positive about that.

[... Well, that would explain why the tunnels weren't open until now. Fucking video game mechanics.]

UNDERSTANDABLE YES, BUT IT SOUNDS LOGICAL. YOU HAVEN'T SEEN ANY FAMILIAR LANDMARKS, RIGHT?

[Might as well switch to text to match.]

Nothing so far, but then visibility isn't that great.

[It never is, and even more so for someone who used to be able to see even more clearly. He's had time to get used to that, of course, but even unenhanced, he knows he should be able to see farther than he can now if only the clouds would let up.]

I wonder if another of the tunnels might lead to somewhere else we haven't been.

THEY MIGHT? BUT IF THEY DO, IT'S PROBABLY BEHIND A LOCK OR SOMETHING. FOCUS ON EXPLORING THE PLACE YOU'VE FOUND FIRST.

Of course.

On another subject, don't suppose you've had a chance to scan another chapter of that book?

[Hey, quality of the books aside, they're still entertainment in a time when everyone could use a little distraction.]

[... Oh.]

FUCK, SORRY. I'VE BEEN UH
KIND OF PREOCCUPIED. I'LL TRY TO GET IT TO YOU SOON? LIKE WHEN EVERYTHING DECIDES TO STOP BEING SO SINGULARLY GODDAMN AWFUL.

It would definitely help things if we could go back to the regular goddamn awful, I won't argue with you there.

[Kunsel's hope for things going to a state that isn't awful is clearly the highest there is.]

Well, when you can. I'll see about typing up something from memory for you, too, since I haven't had much luck with finding new books yet. Just stories from my world.

I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO. STORIES FROM YOUR WORLD ARE FINE ANYWAY.
I HAVE A NEW ONE THAT'S PRETEND-ALTERNIAN ANYWAY BUT I'M STILL READING IT. IT ISN'T BAD BUT IT'S NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS SOME OF MY BOOKS FROM BACK HOME.

I'll get to work on that, then. I have a pretty good memory.

[Hell, he's already reproduced LOVELESS, even - although, to be fair, he knows that one better than any other story. Still, not like it really matters when they're just doing this for distraction.]

Think you'd be any kind of a storyteller? I'd be interested in hearing or reading one of those, after you're done with the current book.

UH
FUCK. MAYBE? I COULD TRY BUT MOSTLY WHAT I HAVE MEMORIZED ARE MOVIE PLOTS. WOULD THAT WORK?

That'll work.

Honestly, I'm not exactly inclined to be picky here, Karkat.

[Beggars can't be choosers, after all.]

WELL YEAH BUT YOU HAD A WHOLE DAMN PLAY MEMORIZED. IT'S NOT THE SAME.
ANYWAY I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO.

I hate to say this about myself, but you DO know that's not normal, right?

Thanks, though. I appreciate it.

DON'T CARE. IT'S BETTER THAN NOTHING HERE.
AND YOU'RE WELCOME I GUESS.

[Well, nice to know someone doesn't care. He'll have to tell Zack about this next time his friend tries to give him grief about how much he likes that play.]

Alright.

Well, we're about to head out. Talk to you later, then.

[And with that he'll hang up for now.]

Whoa! So it goes all the way back? That's really cool.
Yo, man! How are you?
I'm still traveling with Kunsel. I can get you pics of the new area but there's a lot of prophet stuff.

[ And he's not sure if that's a good idea considering... ]

EVIDENTLY YES. I THINK IT GOES BACK EVEN FURTHER BUT I WASN'T PLANNING ON CHECKING. MAYBE LATER?
AND I'M. UGH. BETTER NOW THAN YESTERDAY, I GUESS. WHAT ABOUT YOU?
AND YES SHARE PHOTOS BUT LEAVE THEM AS ATTACHMENTS OR WHATEVER. OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT WANT TO CHECK THEM OUT.

How cool would it be if it went all the way to the grocery store!
I miss the food from there.
Great that you're better.

[ He's pretty sure anything could be better from all the shit and the days following... ]

Pretty much the usual with me.

OH. HUH, YOU KNOW IT MIGHT? I MIGHT NEED TO LOOK INTO THAT.
HOPEFULLY THE FOOD OVER IN THAT NEW AREA ISN'T SO UNIFORMLY AWFUL AND/OR IRRADIATED THOUGH. I GUESS WE'LL SEE.
IS THE USUAL GOOD OR JUST MEH?

You definitely should.
At least a shorter way from there would definitely be good.
The radiation app isn't getting a reaction over here. I think we're in a better place.

[ Better-ish place ignoring the decor ]

Right now? I think meh.
I'm still alive and still have the others with me.
Still want to punch whomever is holed up in that building.

IF THERE'S A BUILDING WITH A TRAP DOOR AROUND THERE, IT PROBABLY DOES. I'LL HAVE TO ASK THE PEOPLE I'M TRAVELING WITH ABOUT HEADING DOWN THOUGH. WE HAD OTHER SHIT WE WANTED TO GET DONE FIRST, YOU KNOW?
AND YEAH, I CAN RELATE. OR MAYBE BLOW THE BUILDING UP, THAT WOULD BE A LOT MORE THERAPEUTIC. MAYBE BOTH.

Don't recall any trap doors downtown.
There were some around the hospital I think.
And yeah, I get you. Let me know if you guys do a run that way.
Definitely like the idea of blowing it up.

THEN WE'RE PROBABLY FUCKED. WHATEVER, I'LL CHECK HOUSE'S INFO LATER AND SEE WHATEVER ELSE HAPPENS.

You would think there's maintenance tunnels that way. Maybe they collapsed or Miller is hogging them.

[ Totally is Miller hogging them. ]

Rhys was thinking about heading that way.
The new Rhys.

PROBABLY? I DON'T FUCKING KNOW, CHECKING THAT AREA WASN'T MY CONCERN AT THE TIME.
I AM PERIPHERALLY AWARE OF WHO THIS NEW RHYS IS BUT WHERE ARE YOU GOING WITH THIS EXACTLY.

Just so you don't sweat it or anything.
Or in case you see him. He's a cool guy.

IF I SEE HIM, I'LL SAY HI, BUT WE'RE NOT EXACTLY LOOKING TO EXPAND OUR GROUP AT THE MOMENT.

Didn't think you were.
He's thinking of making cookies.
Maybe you can get some from him.

[ Look things to look forward to that aren't prophet related! ]

[What.]

COOKIES? COOKIES. HE'S THINKING OF MAKING SOME GODDAMN COOKIES.

[He did not expect this particular announcement because what the fuck even. That being said—]

SURE, WHY THE FUCK NOT! TELL HIM TO GIVE ME A CALL WHEN THEY'RE DONE. CAN'T GUARANTEE WE'LL BE IN THE AREA BUT WHO KNOWS! COOKIES MIGHT BE JUST THE THING.

Will do!
I'll keep GH and people updated on anything found.
Let me know how exploration goes of the tunnels and stuff, okay?

IF I EXPLORE THEM MORE. *IF*
THIS WAS JUST TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THEY'RE NOT IN IMMINENT DANGER OF DEATH IF THEY HEAD DOWN THERE SINCE NO ONE HAD REALLY BROUGHT IT UP. THE TUNNELS SEEM ODDLY STRAIGHTFORWARD ANYWAY EXCEPT FOR THAT GODDAMN MAZE.

If you do.
Let me know either way.
Even if you don't.
It's nice to hear from you :)

I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO.
NOT MAKING ANY PROMISES JUST BECAUSE YOU KNOW HOW FUCKED UP THIS PLACE CAN BE, BUT I'LL DO MY BEST.

Awesome! Thanks.
Talk to you later, man.

[ FRIEND ]

[God, he doesn't even know how to handle this sort of enthusiasm anymore. He misses Feferi.]

YEAH. LATER.

Are the conditions of travel identical throughout? No particular changes in elevation, no obstacles? If so, I can teach you a method to create an accurate map of your maze. You'll need something handy to count on.

AS FAR AS I CAN TELL? BUT I WASN'T GOING TO BE HEADING BACK IN THERE JUST YET. YOU MIGHT AS WELL LEAVE THE METHOD THOUGH FOR ANYONE ELSE OR FOR ME IF I DO WIND UP GOING BACK.

Oh, I'm certain you and all of us will be headed down there at one point or another. Dark empty tunnels are unpleasant, but you know what is even more unpleasant? That's right. Freezing to death.

[Because that clearly needed to be reiterated.]

The principle is simple. Practice taking steps of identical length - practice until you are as sure as you might be that each step is the same. Then count your steps. Ideally you'd be able to measure your pace and know exact distances - you can probably figure out how to do that if you know your height.

[... Uh huh.]

FRANKLY THAT SOUNDS LIKE A PAIN IN THE ASS, BUT I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO.

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[network] @carcinoGeneticist; TEXT; MORNING 267 [open]

@totheark; video; night (post-lockdown) 268

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