[network] @beyonce | night 392 | audio | Check on It [open]

[thewarningafter]

[As usual, Stephen doesn't show his face on the network. He sounds tired, but that isn't new, either.]

Good evening, Norfinbury.

As most of you will recall, two months ago we were able to contact the...remnants of the former residents of Norfinbury and of the people subjected to former sessions. We discovered that they had become a kind of digital hive mind; they were interested in helping us, though they were limited in the ways in which they could interact with us. Since then, particularly since we located Andromeda's body, the town has been going quiet--you may have noticed the feeling of emptiness in many of the houses, particularly those that formerly may have seemed to be haunted.

I propose that we attempt contact again. It's possible that the data ghosts are...dead...but if there's still some remnant of them residing in the recesses of the network I'd like to re-establish that contact, ask their advice, ask whether they have any additional assistance they can offer us at this time...and ask whether they have any final wishes we can still carry out on their behalf.

The seance will take place in three nights' time, on the evening of day three hundred and ninety-five. I have...some experience in spiritual matters, and can provide guidance for anyone who is unsure how to open themselves to that form of communication. Those who volunteer should be aware that the process was...unpleasant for some of us. You may have an out of body experience or undergo an upsetting vision. Those who participated before can share more details if you are concerned, but as far as I'm aware no one was injured in the last attempt.

...And thank you, in advance.

[The OOC post can be found here.]

Comments

[thewarningafter]

Do you mean they became possessed? That was before my time here. That's...a possible outcome, but as far as I'm aware it didn't happen to anyone during the last seance.

[ninjainviolet]

Well, I didn't want to put it that way, but they were possessed, but it's more than that. They were also not seeing what was around them.

I had a conversation with someone who insisted there was no snow, and the trees were full of leaves and it was fall.

I'm thinking this might have been right before the missiles hit.

[thewarningafter]

...Ah. Yes, I recall something about that, longer ago. That would have been one of our earlier encounters with the previous residents, before we were able to speak with them directly. We found that they've become a sort of...collective. All of the people who were here when the town was destroyed, all of the people from previous sessions...trapped here as remnants of themselves, together....

They want to help us. Keep us from joining them.

[ninjainviolet]

Yeah, it was a long time ago. I wish I could remember when. [ She pauses and thinks for a moment. ] A collective? Like the nanites? Are they working against, or using the nanites in some way?

[ Another pause. ]

And they helped with the last seance? What did they say?

[thewarningafter]

They're in the nanites. Or the central hard drive...if there's a difference between the two. They're remnants of data saved to the system. Or...remnants of souls....

[Sorry, he's distracting himself.]

They answered when we called. Said they wanted to help us, wanted to put an end to all of this.