snowblindrpg | [network] @jwatson; text; Weather Update [Night 308] [open/semi-open] [shadownet]

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[network] @jwatson; text; Weather Update [Night 308] [open/semi-open] [shadownet]

[The second part of the message is OPEN. The first part is SEMI-CLOSED to anyone with access to the Shadownet - a text only app created by Winter. Winter is an NPC that you'll read about in the Survival Guide, but the basic primer is that she's a Russian AI who has been periodically contacting the Snowblind characters and trying to help them to some extent. She has been encountered in multiple events and aided characters in making private messages actually private.

Please see this post about Shadownet distribution. These are also characters who currently possess Shadownet. Anyone traveling with these characters will likely be able to read messages on Shadownet through their travel companions. We're working to get more copies.]

Shadownet Access Only
@dulcedeleche
Winter, it's John. Finally getting you some new information. It's been rough lately. It's always rough, but moreso than the usual, I think. We seem to be stuck at the high school. If there's anything you can do to help, we'd really appreciate it. We were able to get the classrooms open, but inside it's just... nothing. Like whoever was making this world forgot about that piece. I think it might be under quarantine like the building where the converts did those surgeries on the 'sinners.' I don't know what you can do, but anything you can think of after reading this and looking at some of the attached information would really help. Bullet points, as usual, covering Day 290 through Day 308. Others are welcome to fill in the finer details, of course.

Open to Everyone
Hullo, everyone. Dr. Watson here with a summary update of recent happenings. For anyone new, an archive of my previous summaries can be found HERE. I'm heading to work with a patient at the moment, but I'm also available for medical consultation as one of the medics here. Please let me know if you need anything. I'm running an on-again, off-again blood transfusion service for those with severe MN Poisoning. It's only a temporary reprieve from symptoms, but blood transfusions from healthy donors have proven to alleviate MN symptoms for up to two weeks.

As always, the new arrivals continue to trickle in. It's still every nine-to-eleven-day intervals. How do we shut this down? We need to stop dragging more and more people into this. It's not right and the conditions here just keep getting worse. The Admin told us we were running low on supplies a while back and I've noticed it's harder to find items lately. Maybe we're going longer between restocks? We're still running low on pain medication, too. The food situation seems to be stable still, at least. We'll have to hope that keeps up.
Exploration of the new residential area (Residential Zone 3) has been ongoing. We still need to find a way through the bunker. Unfortunately, Robert Miller's keycard did not work (a warning that this is a message from a young man who died overnight).

We've made it into the high school fully after Jim and his mates were able to get the password to the classrooms from some sort of blood sacrifice fire. Using the Eye app while feeding blood to it brought up 'SACRIFICE', and then a series of numbers when it had enough blood.

Rhys and Beckett tried doing some magical/spiritual rituals at the school once they entered the classroom and ended up getting stabbed by something invisible. Please do not try to piss off the data ghosts/spirits/whatevers here unless you have medical staff and appropriate supplies on hand. I would think that goes without saying, but apparently it doesn't.

Additional experiments have been conducted at the high school now that the classrooms are open. Some of the most notable outcomes from all that seem to be that the darkness within the classrooms can cling to you, people branded with the Prophet symbol seem to be able to hear some song while inside, and you can't breathe in the classrooms. Like all the air's gone out of them. Or someone forgot to put it in there in the first place, maybe.
Sherlock and Dr. House tried an indescribably stupid experiment where they put most of Sherlock's blood into a corpse they'd dug up from one of the mass graves. It resulted in Sherlock reviving in the body he transferred his nanomachines to. Unfortunately with a death price that put a man from our universe in the driver's seat. Before anyone gets the bright idea to repeat said experiment, Sherlock's new body died suddenly and without warning about three weeks after he woke up from apparent heart failure or perhaps an aneurysm. We weren't able to check at the time. He's revived again in his real body and the one he was using before seems to have disappeared. Although, it might be in one of the other morgues. We haven't gone to check them.
On Day 293, something strange happened. The longest anyone's technically been here is 308 days now, but with the way things were going off, it started to feel like months longer, then years. We aged. We seemed to age, anyway. All of us were experiencing different lengths of time and we had memories from what had happened in the interim that weren't real. They seemed it at the time. They were all too painfully real. We also experienced dreams of our own universes. They were incredibly vivid and just from what I've spoken to others about, they seem to have centered on us not being there and something terrible happening because of our absence. I'm not sure what that's meant to tell us. That we really are missing from the universes we were brought from? I wish we had more information.

Castiel's post during this "imaginary" time along with Alfie's and Quark's best illustrate what happened, I think. Quark's particularly. When he made that post, he looked like a man in his twenties, not a little boy like now. We've had errors that have altered our perceptions of our own bodies before, but never quite like this.

Everything resolved on Day 295 with an injection from the Admin. We were able to still remember everything, but our bodies went back to normal and none of it felt quite as real. Just like a nightmare you were woken up in the middle of. I've lost some of the details of all of that, but I'm not sure about others.
On Day 296, Dr. House hosted a discussion on potential experiments. We at least answered one of the questions we had out of that. Or rather, we reconfirmed something Steph and Kunsel had found out earlier and a conversation with Mr. Miller indicated that the nanomachines contain some of the same high entropy alloys that the buildings are constructed from. Is this why anomalies can only interact with us and the rubble? They go through everything else here like it's not even there unless it's been coated in rubble dust.
And talking of more asinine experiments, Mr. Graham and Dr. House decided to share the results of a few of their own. Which again, seemed designed to piss off the data ghosts/spirits. They did find that you can get a Prophet eye mark on your body using the totem in Building 217. Highly useful. And apparently made one of the spirits scream in agony while they tried to burn down the place where Winter was murdered. Good for them.
On Day 300 we had another error. More false memories. This time it wasn't just the future, it was the past. Everything mixed around. People who were never here were. People who'd died were back. Or it seemed like it anyway. I had memories shoved into my head that some people who weren't around to experience certain errors were, or that events went a different way. It was confusing and disorienting and I'm still untangling what happened here form what happened in these "alternate timelines," I guess you'd call them. It's like we were seeing through the looking glass into the hundreds of other possibilities for how things might have gone. People I was friends with were my enemies and vice versa. The Admin fixed all of us on Day 302, but the memories are still lingering. I don't know what this means or why they keep mucking about with our memories like this. It's incredibly frustrating. What's the point of it all? If there's any design here, there has to be a point to it. I know there's some sort of quantum physics thing in effect. Is more of that coming out?
On Day 302, Mr. Hans Christian Andersen requested information on strange happenings by the data ghosts/spirits around town. If you encounter any oddities that bear further investigation, please let him know.
On Day 304, Stephen and his group discovered that the Admin's robotic spiders have returned. At least this means those bloody awful cloaks are gone and smashing your tablet by accident or on purpose won't be deadly. I would strongly advise against trying to smash your tablet, though. You can talk to Angel (@guardian) or Rhys (@dickcheese) if you're in need of some information about what the tablets might contain.
On Day 305, Alfie announced that he and Royce had finished putting up some storage caches around town near the entrances to the maintenance tunnels. Please only take advantage of these caches if you're in dire need and add to them if you can. Contact @ASolomons if you're in need of specific supplies. I also have some spare clothing that I'm happy to distribute to new arrivals.
No new SD Cards and Records have been added to the Public Data App since my last update. Keep an eye out, though!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Interpersonal drama aside, it's a reasonably common occurrence for such interactions with the ghosts to produce results. Completing an unfinished task, or offering comfort or friendship, has resulted in gifts before - SD cards for the most part, though Andromeda has given out blankets before.

[He's trying to stay out of the interpersonal drama, so he won't start about the ghosts vs. data question. For now.]

Good to know that, at least, is still functioning.

Thank you, Beckett.

My pleasure. I've been thinking for a while that we ought to systematically survey any haunted houses and do what we can for the ghosts there, but it's quite an undertaking for one individual, and a coordinated effort - well.

[ For a moment Will is quietly thoughtful, before tossing out a possible suggestion. ]

Might be worth asking, on the network, for an inventory of who all has interacted with the ghosts in the haunted houses?

Be a starting point to narrow down where we've been and where resources should try to go?

It can't hurt. However much people will remember. Even a blanket is not a reward to be scoffed at, here.

[Do you know what he would do for another blanket sometimes.]

Some ghosts do respond better to some residents than others - the children in the school, for example. The usual logic of hauntings. Resonance and the like.

[ He was very grateful for his puppy blanket and oddly touched as well.

But that was probably a conversation for another time. ]

I'm afraid that the idea of ghosts and the supernatural is a little outside my regular wheelhouse. That said ... what you're suggesting makes sense.

You can always tell yourself they're data ghosts. [He did notice Will's hesitation before the initial use of the term.] One way or another, something left behind. That this something yearns for completion and contact is not really magic. It's human psychology.

I didn't say magic, I said supernatural.

[ Will was starting to question his mental stability. First Watson, then Ecks and now Beckett, it felt like they were having two completely different conversations. ]

It doesn't matter. Look, I'm sure if you wanted to pursue that idea there are plenty of people who would be willing to help. Whether you want to go to the locations physically, or otherwise.

You'll have to clarify the difference. Most people haven't thought their terminology on this front all the way through.

[And by most he means everyone for whom the supernatural isn't an established part of their world. Even House. They're all afraid, of course.]

Do you think anything could be done without going to the locations physically? Most interventions would require direct action. I don't think we've ever tried to communicate with the ghosts via tablet, though... why not.

[ He had been about to try to explain his personal differentiation between magic and supernatural, when Beckett hits upon an idea for the puzzle of their lives and that catches his attention. Even above and beyond his own moping. ]

Wait. No one has ever tried to communicate with the ghosts via tablet? Because indeed ... why not?

[The topic of the supernatural is only temporarily shelved - that's how it is with Beckett - but he does perk up at that sound of realization in Will's voice. It's a sound he likes.]

How would you go about it? We have tried messaging the known usernames of previous residents, mostly unsuccessfully. If there is another way you're thinking of...

[ Will is quiet for a long time, probably long enough to make it possible that he hung up, except Beckett might be able to hear him still breathing. Eventually he spoke, slowly and deliberately. ]

I think I'd start with reaching out to all of us on the network, putting forth the idea and soliciting suggestions or input from others. See if anyone else has tried something similar or if anyone has any insight from their own experiences that might better our chances.

I'd check with the ADMIN and Robert Miller to see if they would provide any help; but I'm not counting on anything from that corner, still ... can't hurt to ask.

Then depending upon what sort of feedback we received, to implement it I think our best option would be a coordinated effort, with as many of our tablets turned on across Norfinbury to act as a relay, trying to cast as wide a net as possible, both to send our message and to possibly receive any ... anything.

You're thorough.

[He sounds a little surprised by that, and impressed in his reluctant way. Anyone can say, oh I'll just ask the network, but he sees how Will has thought about it past that. The idea of the relay, the net, he sees the logic, and likes it.]

Amplifying our voices by speaking together? It makes instinctive sense, for all that that counts for anything here. Coordination isn't easy, but it's been known to happen... but there still remains the problem of who, exactly, you'll be trying to send your message to. By what means. The usernames we have? The network at large? ... the Norfinbury Entity?

[ Will briefly considers saying it used to be part of his job, but that just seems to be without purpose, so instead he focuses on Beckett's questions. ]

That would be part of the feedback I'd hope to get from the rest of us. If anyone has any ideas of specific people, or groups of people. I mean, to this point my only interaction has been with a dog, so I doubt I'm in the best position to make a recommendation.

I suppose if you want to hold me on the spot, what I would want to do is try to lay open our tablets, with active connections and hope to entice the chatty data ghosts to come to us. Doesn't matter who, any response would be better than nothing, I'd imagine?

[ Yes, it is a question because he's just not sure. ]

[Beckett chuckles, an unusually benign sound from him.]I've known several dogs I'd rather interact with than people. Which is to say I wouldn't write it off. Animals don't lie.

[Not like people, anyway. He's silent on his own end for a while, considering.]

Well, that's what I would say, but the last 'any response' I got was being stabbed. Still. We risk our lives every day, as I keep telling people who have utterly boneheaded ideas of being so-called careful. Things have come into the network before... things I would love to be able to observe more. Do you know that once, we all spent a day seeing illusions of everyone on the network acting out scenes of personal horror? It was very creative.

[ Now it was Will's turn to chuckle, as he agreed. ]

For a long time I shared my life with seven stray dogs, rather than attempting to be sociable.

[ And still, while there were notable exceptions, Will would take dogs over people. For the time being he held his tongue and listened to Beckett's explanation. ]

Was it a genuine broadcast, or was it another trick of perception? [ Yes, he's still a little sore about the way House didn't share the Admin's video of Will mutilating himself. Instead, letting him believe the scar had just shown up on it's own. ]

I can't blame you in the slightest. Except maybe in your specific choice of animals. [He can't help it; the wolf in him, which is a small but stubborn part, takes issue with dogs. Also, he's a cat person.] I wonder if this has something to do with your ghost dog success. An affinity.

[It would make sense, whichever metaphysical system he's judging this ghostly behaviour by. To Will's question, though, he makes an uncertain thoughtful sound.] Back then, I'd have said a trick. Now... I sometimes wonder if we weren't seeing something real, just not our reality. Somehow.

[ Will is willing to accept that not everybody shares his opinion of dogs. It was part of why his pack had always been impeccable trained; they were a comfort to him but needed to not be a nuisance to others. ]

I wonder the same thing after talking with you. [ He admitted. ] Which is why I think you're suggestion of our personalities trying to interact with data ghosts we may have an affinity for is a good one. If an impractical one, given the difficulty moving from location to location.

Part of why ... maybe attempting a technological seance, would yield some results.

Perhaps more practical if we were systematic. Or had more time... though something to keep in mind when we feel otherwise against a dead end.

[It's mostly idle musings now. He knows very clearly that things in Norfinbury are rarely if ever systematic. Except the torture.]

I will admit that the combination bothers me. Technological seance indeed. But the terms are really just a convenience. The more I think of the idea itself the more I like it, if people will cooperate.

Not to be negative, but I sincerely hope we don't reach that level of dead end.

[ Though with the way things were going, hard to tell what options they might have left open to them. ]

It always comes down to people cooperating. [ Says the man who just had a knock down, drag out brawl on the network with one of his fellow kidnappees.

There is a pointed pause and then a quick follow up. ]

I'll try to work on my delivery.

Well. There is always more torture and dismemberment to try out. [Beckett's tone in response is so dry, it's hard to tell if he's kidding. Probably kidding. Who knows.]

But you are probably going to have to. No offense meant. I'm not precisely the pinnacle of charismatic persuasion myself... though I do make up for it by not terribly caring.

Usually I don't care either. [ Will admitted, visions of closing the door in Zeller's face dancing through his head. ] But in this instance it would probably behoove me to try.

Alright, I ... do you want a heads up before I pursue this further, Beckett?

I'd like one, yes. If anyone would have relevant technological insight, it's Angel and Rhys, so perhaps we can offer you some preliminary brainstorming.

If this is going to work, it needs as much active participation as possible.

[ Which was Will's way of agreeing with Beckett. ]

I'll be in touch.

[ As soon as he can figure out just how to present this to the population in a way that doesn't result in his foot in his mouth. ]

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[network] @jwatson; text; Weather Update [Night 308] [open/semi-open] [shadownet]

@Mnemonsyne; voice

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