[network] @rephaitemercy; video; night 317 [Open!]

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ The user name on the tablet might not be one that many people are familiar with, but that's why it's Will's face that shows up in the video.

He looks about usual, like death warmed over and yanked through a knothole; backwards. Though his hair has been recently washed and except for his ever present scruff, he looks recently scrubbed. His glasses are perched on his face, perhaps in an effort to hide the bags under his eyes, perhaps as sort of mini shields against what he's psyched himself up to do.

Or maybe he's just tired of straining his eyes.

Regardless, he ruins the hair by scrubbing his fingers through it in what is obviously a nervous tick. ]

Uhm, yeah hey. [ Come on boyo, you can do better than that. Clearing his throat, Will gets his fingers out of his hair and makes himself look at the tablet, starting again in a more firm tone. ]



I mean, good evening ... to everybody because I'm sincerely trying to reach, everybody. Even if we haven't talked yet. My name is Will Graham, which probably most of you know but if you didn't ... hi.

[ Get to the point Graham. ]

Okay, look. Let me get right to it. There is an experiment that developed as a conversation between Beckett -@Mnemonsyne for those of you keeping an address book- and myself and we want to see about executing on it. However this is something that would best benefit from group participation.

The idea is pretty simple. We're a large group of very different personalities and some of us have an affinity with the local data ghost population, more so than others. For example, I got along with the data ghost of the dog in building 31, because I love dogs.

Beckett and I were thinking that maybe the data ghosts would react better to some people than to others and while it would probably be best if people could visit the locations where some of these data ghosts have been experienced, that isn't practical. Not given how hard it is to move around, and how much time it would take to coordinate such a attempt. Not to mention the logistics.

So that leaves us looking at plan B. Try to coordinate an effort of establishing a connection across our tablets, and see if we can help bridge a technological link between data ghosts in one area, to the person they might best resonate with, even if that person is in another area.

[ Here he looks a little pained, but pushes on regardless. ] Kind of a seance but across technology, so a ... technological seance?

[ He can't help it, his hand goes into his hair again as he looks down. ]

I know it sounds weird, but we've been instructed to 'speak with those who went before' and this is what I believe is our best shot to cover as much ground as possible, in a short amount of time. I'm hoping that you will be open to the idea, but even if you're not willing to participate -I believe I've heard there were issues the last time a large group project was attempted- I'd like to ask for your input and suggestions of data ghosts we could try to reach out too ... even specific questions we could ask, or statements we could make?

[ Insert awkward pause, during which he glances off screen as if looking for input about anything else he should be saying? No? Okay. ]

Thank you, in advance.

[ He reaches and does some typing, swapping over to the ShadowNet.

This message 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.

This might also explain why Will is broadcasting from Hannibal's user name and tablet. ]

@dulcedeleche
Winter I've never tried to contact you before. Hello?

I just wanted to know if this attempt to contact 'those who came before' is something you can help with or if you have any input into how we could make our best effort in this?

I don't know if you'll speak to me, and that's okay. Maybe you'll speak to someone else on this network, which is why I wanted to try.

Thank you.

[OOC: Hello fellow snobos!

This is the first part of the player plot here proposed by Beckett's player and myself. It is open to everybody, the more the merrier and if you have any questions, hit up the OOC post, shoot me a PM or you can also ping my plurk Laekhund it is open to private plurks from anyone!

Once we have an idea of who all is participating and a game plan of what the characters will be attempting ICly, I will take that to the mods and we'll see if we all end up dead what happens! \o/ ]

Comments

@jwatson; text

[jumpthegun]

[...

Why is Will posting from Giac's username? There's an immediate thought that Will's done something to the other man, but John's trying to be a little more charitable than that and assuming Will's killed someone and stolen their tablet to... what? Ask for assistance? That's just stupid.

John's going to try to treat it like nothing is wrong with this and that he isn't now concerned about the actual owner of the tablet. This is a good idea. John can't deny that. He can keep it civil. He can do that.]

May I ask who told you to 'speak with those who went before?' I don't remember hearing about that.

@rephaitemercy; text

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Watson.

Your concern is sweet, adorable even and Will would be smirking ruefully were he aware of it. ]

It was a recent development. We were in the shed next to the highschool, the one with the Russian words. House tried asking about how to get to the bunker, in Russian, phrasing it as requesting a consult.

He was answered by a woman's voice, speaking Russian and saying...

[ Will briefly pauses, because he'd paraphrased and was now getting told the exact wording. ]

'Look to those who were here first.'

@featherydouche; text;

[mrcreamsicles]

oh hey
i can help with that
andromedas given me sd cards pretty reliably when i asked her about stuff at her place though she doesnt exactly answer directly
or i could try that sparrow kid up on the northwest
she had a pet bird right
im part bird
might see if it turns anything up

@rephaitemercy; text;

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Any of those sound like viable options.
I was kind to a dog and got a blanket.
So we definitely should not leave out pets.

@godsend, video

[termineur]

[ He smiles as he comes on video. He doesn't look quite as bad as Will, but he does look somewhat less like he's filling up the space he occupies than usual. That day of illness really took it out of him. ]

You got a dog and I got a cat. There was one in- building 83, I think, on the new number system House's got. I talked to a cat under the floorboards all night and found a can of tuna. I'd be happy to try it again.

I talked to Andromeda, too, and got a couple blankets and some earmuffs. She hands out the nicest stuff. Think it'd probably be best to get someone to talk astronomy at her for the best results, but I don't know if we've got any astronomers around here.

@rephaitemercy, video

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Alive is a good thing to be though, right? ]

Like I told @featherydouche, I don't think we should exclude the pets. I don't know what was actually responsible for my blanket, but the connection was obviously kindness to the dog ghost.

[ He goes quiet then, thoughtful, before saying in a pensive tone. ]

What about one of us from ... well from another world entirely? Like Quill?

@hexappeal; voice

[sleight_of_fate]

Yeah, House talked to me about this a few days ago.

I did a funeral in building 89 to try and lay the spirits there to rest, since I'm clergy. I got a blanket for it.

[Yes, he's a priest of his religion, no, it's not weird.]

I think there's also a ghost in the office building in the Northwest corner of the industrial zone. There's a desk with "Worlds Greatest Dad" there, and a feeling that you have to stay and work. I was there for a few days, but I was really sick at the time so I couldn't explore.

@rephaitemercy; voice

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Ah Rhys ... he just mentioned your name.

Which makes this a little awkward. ]

Would this be something you'd be willing to give a try? I know you've had some less than pleasant responses recently, but you're also a lot more experienced in this area than someone like me.

@quark; video

[averytinyparticle]

I can help. I've had a lot of luck at the elementary school since I'm the right age there--that means with the Prophet, Samantha, too. She's talked to me before from there, but I could try her actual house, too.

[He frowns, thoughtful.]

I've also made a connection with Shelley Derricks before, when she possessed me, but I don't know how much luck I'd have trying to reach her again. Someone who maybe reminds her of her adult children might have a better shot. They were always the ones who could get the biggest reaction out of her.

@rephaitemercy; video

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Will has seen the user name around, but this is the first time he's spoken with Quark. ]

Hello, it's nice to meet you, Quark.

This is good information. Can you tell me more about these adult children?

[ He'll circle back on a couple other points, but this is the first he's really hearing about Shelley and her adult children. ]

@superbia; voice

[sharktrash]

[ The voice that comes through is loud and scratchy. ]

I haven't actually seen any of these... data ghosts.

[ Squalo would clearly doubt their existence under normal circumstances, but this place had already demonstrated it had some weird shit going on. ]

But if there's the slightest chance this begets anything useful, I'm in.

[ Is this where he's supposed to describe his personality? That's more awkward than a goddamn dating site. ]

@rephaitemercy; voice

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

In the spirit of full disclosure, I've only had interactions with a data ghost of a dog. [ Will admitted. ] The rest have been accounts I've read from what's publically available.

We need as many people willing to participate as possible, even if all you feel like doing is opening a communication line on your tablet.

[ Don't worry, Squalo he's not going to ask you to answer a hundred question to find your perfect match. ]

But if you see something from the descriptions that you feel you'd like to try to engage, let me know?

@Spoiler; Shadownet text;

[spoileralert]

She won't respond, but she can read your messages. She's only able to contact us every now and then.

@rephaitemercy; Shadownet text;

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Thank you for the update, Steph.

Hopefully it will be enough that she can read the message. She doesn't need to respond.

[ It would be nice, but Will honestly hadn't held out much hope. That was part of why he agreed with Beckett that it was important to try to contact as many of the data ghosts as could still respond. ]

@magenta2; audio

[himalayanyeti]

You met a dog?

[It's all he can think to say, in awe and disbelief, before he pipes back up a few minutes later.]

I mean, I'll try to help. I guess. I don't think I've met any of these ghosts, but if you just need...I don't know, extra hands, or somethin', I'm here.

@rephaitemercy; audio

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

I did.

One that liked to give wet dog kisses. Heaven to me, probably gross to most people. I found a chew toy that, from the smell of it, probably had been a favorite so I tried some kind words, then left the toy and a blanket showed up.

[ It wasn't lost on him that a little kindness and one well worn hedgehog chew toy had gone a long way. ]

Like I told @superbia, even if all you want to do is connect your tablet to the ... networking attempt, it would help.

...

I think.

...

I hope at least.

@jphawkins, audio; Likely discussion of murder/suicide

[rattlingthestars]

Alright, I'm in.

[ It's better than the endless feeling of spinning wheels Jim's had since the classrooms at the high school unlocked without any apparent way to progress, and Jim's always restless. The excitement and impatience tinges his voice. ]

Not sure if I've got any kind of special connection with any of them, not like Kesara - this girl who used to be here - had with the prophet. There was this one really messed up house, though, where we found a mother and child.

@rephaitemercy, audio; Likely discussion of murder/suicide

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ While academically Will knew there are children involved in all of this, after his incredibly visceral reaction to what they found in building 322, he was having a harder time choking it all down. It took him a minute to get himself pulled together enough to respond to Jim. ]

Hello, uh ... I'm sorry, have we met? If not, I'm Will Graham. [ Introductions were a good thing. ]

Really messed up house? [ He doesn't want to know, but he knows he has to ask. ]

@standardissue; video

[deus_ex_phs]

There's a cat ghost in a house we suspect belonged to Jia Xú. It responded when my group was there and tried to feed it, though the person it responded best to isn't... here anymore. Friendly thing, even gave her an app for her tablet. Maybe it would respond to another cat, or someone who cats tend to like?

Here.

[He sends along a screencapped image of a map with building 117 circled on it.]

@rephaitemercy; video

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Will reviews the screencap, before he responds to message. ]

It does seem as if interacting with the animals is just as beneficial as their human owners. I've heard there are a few sentient cats in our numbers, I haven't met them but perhaps they would be a good fit.

If they are willing to help.

[ Because cats were ... cats. You just never knew with them. ]

I'm Will by the way, Will Graham if you want to be formal, but Will's fine.

@user; voice

[cosmicwords]

...It's not a bad idea.

Like many others I've spoken to Andromeda but I've only once received a response. I don't know that I particularly resonate with anyone, but if there is a way I can help, I'd like to do so.

I am, at least, fairly familiar with both technology and spirits.

@rephaitemerc; voice

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Thank you. [ His tone is sincere. ]

Being familiar with both technology and spirits is a huge help, to be quite honest. I'm not exactly an expert with either.

As I've told others, it's not just being able to identify a ghost you might have an affinity with, I believe being part of the network is going to be just as important. [ The more tablets, the more connections they can make around the entire town, the better. ]

It's all together possible, even hopeful that you might connect with someone who hasn't been encountered yet.

@professional-asshole \\ video

[procyon_lotor]

Did I just hear you say that one of the ghosts likes space?

@rephaitemerc \\ video

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Not going to lie, Rocket. When faced with a talking racoon, Will is going to star at the screen for a very long moment with an expression that suggests he's trying to measure his level of crazy.

It's pretty high, to be honest, but he's been talking with people about speaking with cats, dogs, birds ... so why not a talking racoon. ]

Technically it was Gabriel, but yes it would appear that one of our key points of contact in all this, might be a big fan of space.

I'm going out on a limb here but ... would that appeal to you?

@Enoch, voice

[warriorscribe]

[Two options come immediately to mind. He picks the less upsetting one.]

If anyone is going to be near the park on the eastern side of the residential area we all began in, there's a house immediately west of it. It was-...where I arrived, actually. The person there loved to travel. And, judging by the pictures she chose to save, she loved ancient ruins. Your "ancient" is my present - I would be glad to tell her about the places she visited when they still lived.

[If nothing else, it would certainly entertain Beckett and Flynn to hear.]

@rephaitemerc, voice

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Hello, Enoch.

Could you identify the house on Dr. House's map? It could help to coordinate with people when the time comes to try this.

@hotstud_xxx; text

[rubikscomplex]

for reference
data ghosts i've run into or heard about
there are more than this
but i'll have to think about it:

- building 2 (her house)
@sparrowlangley
birds, kids, probably computers (she has an app named after her that can access some video feeds around town)

- building 26 (her house)/building 129 (her retirement home)
@shelleyderricks/@shesellseashells
computers, protests, parents, music

- building 30
@katethegreat
hates math
other elementary school kids

- building 42
i've never met a data ghost here
but these people were freakishly obsessed with clowns

- building 62 (her house)
@sportysam
soccer, kids, the prophet, psychic abilities

- building 83
cat lady's house
cat under the floorboards

- building 89
mom and kid shadowy figures who took themselves out before the cultists could get them

- building 100 (her house)
@andromeda
stars/space, winter, artificial intelligence, lesbians (probably)

- building 101 (his house)
@rileysung
journalism, college/university, protests

- building 108 (her house)/building 117 (friend's (?) house)
@jiaxú
cats, medicine, nima, pediatrics, murder victim

- building 125
freaking demon wolf shadow bastards who bite you when you light a fire

- building 130
hand knocking on the door from outside
pharmacy tech who kept dropping pills
addict looking for a fix

- building 131
patients calling out for help

- building 138 (his house)
@robertmiller
computers, assholery

- building 213
prophet shrine house

- building 216
some idiot who fell into the empty swimming pool
you can still hear them cracking against the bottom

- building 241
police douchebag with a gun

- building 242
annoying dog that barks forever

- building 257
victims of the cultists
buried in a garden with prophet eyes carved on them

- building 265
no data ghosts encountered
but someone who knows about geothermal energy should try talking at the guys who might've worked there

- building 274
victims who were burned by the cultists
beckett saying prayers got him a copy of the eye app
burning a body for the prophet got scratches to hell and back

- building 310
cultists are hanging out in the attic
ready to whip any heretics

- building 326
high school kids
cultists

- building 327
russians who were in a previous session

@rephaitemercy; text -- > Action

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Noted.

[ Just a quick note to let House and anyone reading, and hopefully being inspired by this, know that Will was aware and would be trying to track what he could. ]

Action

[ Not for the first time, the ex-profiler began to feel overwhelmed by what he'd suggested. He started to have to set down his tablet, get up and walk away from it as he struggled with not only the volume of information, but also the questions. ]

@curiouschloride | audio

[motherserpent]

So...is running a seance something you've done before? How's this going to work?

[She's halfway reluctant to even participate. She's got an appointment to keep with the Actual Food down in the grocery store, and she's entirely sick of whatever game her captors are playing with her. She doesn't want to engage, not when she's unconvinced this is even real, but damn him for making it sound interesting.

She's eyed that list House put up, too. Seen ways she could relate to some of the ghosts, but all things she hasn't exactly shared with the class as of yet.]

What if I'm not at any of those buildings at all?

@rephaitemercy; audio

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Never in my life. [ Will doesn't hesitate or try to sugarcoat the truth. ] And I have no way of knowing if it will work at all.

The idea is to try to cast as broad a net as possible with the tablet network, so that if someone in Residential Zone One, would connection with a data ghost located in Residential Zone Three, maybe the two can catch up over someone else's open tablet connection.

[ At least, that's how he pictures it in theory. Will had no clue how it would actually pan out in practice. ]

So it's worth trying, no matter what building you're in. Perhaps your building has a ghost that simply hasn't found the right ... match yet.

[ He's really trying to not make this sound like Love Connection for the Incorporeal. He's failing. ]

@prettypinkflowers; video

[lacecase]

So, like, the houses with sewing supplies was already mentioned, but this reminded me of it! What about that house with the, like, huge quilt? We actually had a video of the woman sewing it, and we know that she left the password that opened up the post office to the downtown area...? So, like, maybe she'd totally have something to say?

[She's helping!]

@rephaitemercy; video

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ It was always good to hear from Ginger.

Though Will was looking ragged, his small smile was still genuine when he went to respond to her. ]

Hello, Ginger.

I think that is exactly the type of thing we want to try to explore, if at all possible.

@beyonce | audio

[thewarningafter]

[Stephen sounds a little raw today, but he rallies as best he can to address the topic of discussion.]

I can work with any ghosts who were medical personnel. Ghosts who need medical personnel. Maybe Sam, if she was really psychic.

@rephaitemercy | audio

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

This whole situation really is, throwing it all at the wall and hoping something sticks. If you're up for trying those options, keep all of them on the table.

[ Will really isn't a particularly comforting sort, and as such he's not going to poke at Stephen. But he will offer one out, if Stephen needs to maintain some level of perspective on all this. ]

Unless there is one in particular you'd like to specifically attempt?

@Ecks | text

[ecks]

one time in building 42 I put the clowns back together and then there was a pie
someone else broke the clowns again and now the clowns are too broken to put back together

@rephaitemercy | text

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Is that the house, Dr. House called the Clown House?

@guardian; text;

[phaseshifter]

Iunno if Beckett mentioned it, but Rhys (cyborg Rhys, not witchy Rhys) and I have made contact with Andromeda multiple times. We're both hackers with robotic enhancements from planets that aren't Earth, so we kinda have her covered on a few levels. ♥

I also tricked the ghosts in the high school into thinking I *was* Andromeda once
(It turned out about as well as you might expect)

@rephaitemercy; text;

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Reading through the text, Will's eyebrows arch upwards as he hears about someone tricking ghosts into thinking they were Andromeda. That was ... stupidly ballsy. ]

I'm going to be honest here. I'm hoping we're all going to avoid getting killed.
At the same time, this isn't without risk, I don't suppose.

Would you be interested in trying to reach out to Andromeda again, or do you have something else in mind?

@SceptredIsle, text

[keepscalm]

John has already mentioned my connection with Andromeda, so I shan't beat a dead horse.

However, I would like to posit that those of us who were converted may have better luck speaking to any spirits of the cultists. The ones experimented upon heard the voice of Samantha, as well, I believe.

Ginger mentioned above that the woman sewing the blanket left a clue to open up the post office. However, it was a cipher that needed to be decoded. There may be reason to believe that those resisting the town's administration had to be a bit more clever than we've given them credit for; those of us with experience in subterfuge and spying may have an affinity with some of the protesters as a result.

@rephaitemercy, text

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

That is an excellent suggestion.
Though it is my understanding that those events were very difficult for the people who went through them.

[ He's trying to be a little sensitive, or at least make the appropriate noises. Because @SceptredIsle has just brought up a very very intriguing approach and Will would be lying if he didn't admit to being curious as to what results might come of it. ]

I wouldn't want to insist anyone pursue such a route, unless they were genuinely willing to take on the potential risks?

I also agree with you on the suggestion of people with a skill for subterfuge may be enticing to the protesters.

@theiceman, audio

[holmesice]

[This is all...very interesting. As ridiculous as the concept of ghosts would be normally, data ghosts were apparently very real and oftentimes helpful--or worse, harmful. Still, this was actual progress. He didn't want to be too particularly optemeistic, considering how badly experiments usually went around here, but if he could assist, he would.]

Besides the lurid name, you might be onto something. And as for assistance, I am fluent in Russian and familiar with--well, 20th and 21st century Russian culture and politics, if you need it.

@rephaitemercy, audio

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ Quite honestly, Will's vacillating between having high hopes, and simply hoping they don't all end up dead with this attempt. ]

There seems to have been a heavy contingent of Russian speakers in 'those who came before', it can't hurt to have those fluent in the language and familiar with the culture to step up and reach out.

Particularly given the response we got in the school shed.

@librarian; audio

[cahooted]

[Last night was... okay, hell, pretty much. There are no words, really; Peter dying was horrid and heartbreaking and Flynn is still worn out from shock and grief. But he watches the discussion unfold, reading through other people's replies. And it... helps. It's a familiar routine, busying himself with work to keep his mind from spiraling.

It's better than spending another night wrapped up in his own head.]

I'm fluent in Russian as well. If you still need people.

@Wayne, audio

[gothamiteknight]

[He'd seen the debacle on the 'obituary', and he knew--maybe more than other people--of the burden grief would bring.]

How are you doing?

@Wayne, audio

[gothamiteknight]

[He's been reading the network over the past few days, trying to get a better picture of just exactly what they were dealing with here, and all of it was making things look even more desperate than he'd initially assumed. In any case, he wanted out of here just as much as anyone else, get back to Gotham because who knows what was happening without him--if time even worked like that with this thing--at least someone was being proactive about this situation they were in.]

I'm willing to help, especially with anything to do with finances, running a company, crime, martial arts, and engineering. Another Russian speaker here, too.

I'm Bruce, by the way. [No point in hiding what he did as a 'night-job', either.]

@rephaitemercy, audio

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

[ He's seen the conversation this man had with House, at least pieces of it. Had considered intervening but had then left House to his fun. ]

Nice to meet you, Bruce. I'm Will Graham, but please call me Will.

Someone with corporate experience, I think we've got a ghost who appeared to have some corporate ties.

[ They had been approach that ghost from the 'World's Best Dad' angle, but would it hurt to also offer a peer?

But as he sits there and thinks for a moment, an idea comes to him. ]

You said finances? Like, the sort of finances it would take to run a high level A.I. experiment out in the field?

@noone; audio

[slapthelibrarian]

I'm relatively new here, so I'm not as aware of all the things going on here such as ghosts, but if there's anything I can do to help, I'd like to.

[ She might not be really well-versed in the area of technological seances, but she wants to help, if she can. ]

I'm Nicole Noone. I don't believe we've met.

@rephaitemercy; audio

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Hello Nicole, I'm Will Graham. Nice to meet you, except for the circumstances.

[ Because let's face it, most of them would be better off back home and having met none of these people. ]

Any level of participation is helpful, even if all you feel comfortable doing is turning on your tablet and being part of the link.

@ASolomons; audio; not ICly late I just suck

[devoutish]

I said a prayer for a few of 'em after I buried them, and got a nice blanket in return. Might not be a proper affinity, but--

[Maybe???]

@rephaitemercy; audio; \o/

[ex_this_ismydesign36]

Still a kindness that some of them might be willing to further repay.

[ He finishes the thought. Definitely thinking along these lines after his conversation with Enoch.

However, he also feels the need to mention the other side of that coin. ]

Though there might be a few who are still feeling generally hostile.