[network] @ADMIN; Arrival [open]

[snowblindmods]

Welcome to Norfinbury. The time is E̛̬̞͖͖̫R҉͖̯̬R̼̻͉̰͎̳̙O̩͓͔̫͇͈̯R and the date is E̛̬̞͖͖̫R҉͖̯̬R̼̻͉̰͎̳̙O̩͓͔̫͇͈̯R. This network has been provided for your use. Please interact politely with everyone else on this network.
E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫
E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫ E҉̘̩̙͢͝͡R̛̫̘̝̮̞̬͓̝̫̻̻̜̦̀ͅŖ̮̳͕̲͚͜O̷̙̖͓͙̗̰͘͟R̯̝͓̪̻̩̟̟͕̥͍̭̪͍͘:̵̛̛̝͖͓̺̥̙̝̀͜ ̧̛͙͚̱̫͇̹̙̥͎̜̖̺̻̕͠͝I͇͓̫̺͖̻͈̝͇̰͕̩̯͝͡N̶̛̪̯̤̭̻͎͚̻̟͙V̧̼͙̹͔͝A̷̸̵̧̰̱̺̗̤̤̹̙̺͕͎͇̦̫͕̣̰̪͟L͏̡͍̣̫̘̖̰̟̤̟̕I̛̜̻̖̦̥͓̟̫͡ͅD҉͏̶̴̷͔̬̗̘͖͓͚͔̗̱̝̹̻͔ ̷̢̗͉͚͓̱̫͙̱̪̥̤͢R̵̢̭͕͖̙̤̣̬̪̜͎͇̙̥̘͕̙͟͜ͅE̴̷̶͇̖̙̪̜̜̫̪̬̣̣̫̺͜F̢͏̸̳̬̟͖͉͎͉̤͉͉͎̣̲̙͉͢E͏̨̧̫̩̭̯͓̬̼̳̳̱͉̤͞R̶͉͈̪͔͈͘Ȩ̧̩͙̦̝͉͇͚̼̫̭̕͘͡N̷̡̖͇͕̻̰̯͈͕͉̯C̳̝͍̤̫̥̰͝Ȩ̴̨͡͏̥̥̯̰̭̻̳̫
E҉̨̢͎͎̗̦͈͎̘R̨̘̦̙̖̳͈͟R̢̞̺͖̩̟̻͙͕̩͜O̢̢̼͉͔̟̯̝͇̙͜͠R̴̛̗̝͕̣̘͙̪͖̀͟:̢̢͉̙̥̝͖͉̯̟͇̖̱̖͓̲̳ ͏̴͉͈͈̦̝̦͉͖̖͉̪̝̠̭I͡҉̣̼̜̩̻̜͓̻̳̼̥̭̯̭̫͉̭ͅL̶͖͖̯̝̥̬̖̤̥̹͎̟̬̻̦̜̝̻̗͟͞Ļ̸̸̸̥̺̝̜̭̘̞͈͎͚͉E̶͍͍͈̬̕͜͟G̳̬͉̙̥̩̼̭̦͔͘͜͡À̴͟҉̤͔͇̩̳͝ͅL̟͉̯̥̝̀͢͝ ͏҉͈͎͇̞̪̬͓͎̖̥̜̦̖̜O̺̹̺̜͉̠͉̠͇̭̣͔͡͞P̢͘͜҉̺̝̥͎̜Ḙ̢͔͇̰͇̯̺͇͓̜Ŗ̦̝̫̯̻̰͍͙̼̮͎̕ͅA̸̬̯͉͓̥̕͢͞ͅT̷̡͎̻̳̥Ḭ̵̡̥̭̥̀͞O̴͈̤͚͇̜͘͘͞N̢̬͕̙̫̦̳̫̭͖͙̤.̧͢͜҉̩̼̬̞̟̻͇̭͖ ̳̝̺̯̣̠̣̲͎̝̞̣̭̫͘͠S̡̧̼͈̱̳̰̰̳̻̺̫̝͈͖͎ͅH̦̖̣̦̱͓͙͓̣́͜͠͠Ù̸͎̹̼̱͈͇̼̼̕ͅͅṰ̤̝̦̞͍̮̦̞̼̪͕̹̬͈͝T͞͏̟͖͔̯̼̫̞̥̣̘͉̫̟ͅI̢͖̪̮̺̰̟͎͈͇̻͈͔͉̱̯͓̻͞N̢̨̮̱͕̣͟Ģ̸̝̟͚̩͙͖ͅ ҉̴̝̭̩̯̫̤̼̬͇͡ͅD̨͏̺͎̝̟͔͉͕̲̮͎̦͓̥͕̹͓̮̖̘̀͠Ǫ̵͍͇̝̱̖̳̦͖͡W̸̧̩͕̹̹̬̰̻̣̣͓̞̼̮̦̺͟͞͡N̡̛̫͙̠͚̠̲̙̟̤͔̦͙ͅ.҉̢̻̝̦͓̀̕͠

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Fenris | ID: fenris

[scowls]

Day 001. Morning. Voice Post.

[ Fenris' first morning in Norfinbury does not go very well for the house he wakes in or for Fenris himself. Somehow, perhaps due to the intercession of the Maker, he manages not to break the possessed... whatever it is that continues to speak to him through the worst of his rage, saying the same nonsensical thing over and over. He doesn't know where Norfinbury is or what half of the things are in the house, but he's certain there is magic and mages involved. It's the only explanation for why he isn't in Weisshaupt where he expects to be.
 
And there's a spirit in the vaguely mirror-like object that refuses to shut up.
 
When he finally deigns to speak with the spirit, an argument ensues. It refuses to tell him what's going on or why he's been brought here. Throwing the object against the wall neither breaks it nor intimidates the spirit into cooperation. Eventually, after another wasted hour, he and the spirit reach a tentative truce: it gets "registered" like it wants, manifests itself as an eye that reminds him vaguely of the Inquisition, and through some strange magic he's never encountered before, puts him in contact with other people. Fenris assumes they're people. They sound as confused, and in some cases as irritated, as he is. 
 
Of course, it's possible that they're just more spirits trapped in the object. At this point, he's unwilling to make a solid judgment.
 
With the spirit's help, and a minor frustrating argument to gain its cooperation first, he attempts to speak with them. It feels strange, speaking at a slab of odd material, but the spirit tells him to speak, so he does. ]

 I have been directed to speak with you. [ He sounds disgruntled and not entirely convinced this attempt is going to work. ] Are you trapped in this strange mirror? [ A faint tapping sound follows the question, as he taps his armored finger against the surface of the device. ] Is that why I'm here? To free you?

[ From the skeptism in his voice, he thinks he was a terrible choice and intends to make whomever was stupid enough to abduct him agree. ]

video;

[acerbic]

[ While Hawke wouldn't claim mastery of the magic slab, he's becoming slightly more proficient in using it. Sort of. (He'd say he is, anyway, regardless.) At the very least, he's figured out the difference in sending written messages, verbal ones, and ones with moving pictures. Those, he thinks, are the best of the options. With the discovery comes, of course, thinky thoughts about people who aren't here and how much they'd enjoy something like this. At least, should it turn out to not be possessed by some ancient spirit and run on blood magic.

Throughout the day, he checks things, fiddles with it, drops it accidentally a few times. He's more fascinated with it than he rightfully should be. There's plenty of shoulds he should be doing, but he's not. He's hanging around a creepy puzzle house not doing much of anything just yet.

The fourth time he drops the magic tablet is when he hears a familiar voice coming from it. It bounces off his boot and skids across the floor, knocking into an end table. Part of him doesn't want to believe it's true—if he's gotten himself trapped here, he doesn't want anyone else to suffer the same consequences. If he's actually stuck in the Fade like he believes he might be, then he has to wonder if it's just a demon trying to taunt him.

If it is, he'll rip it apart with his bare hands. There are just some things he won't tolerate.

Hawke crosses to the tablet, picks it up and taps the button for video. If this is truly his Fenris, he wants him to see. ]

Fenris. [ Hawke isn't one to hesitate in the face of anything, yet there's a tightness in his chest, a rasp to his tone that speaks of skittish hope. ] You're here?

voice until he figures out how to turn the video on;

[scowls]

[ Unfamiliar voices and the odd genderless tone of the spirit possessing the mirror are what Fenris has come to expect of this Norfinbury. Certainly he hasn’t heard anything he might even mistakenly think he recognizes. Until the one voice he could never mistake comes through the mirror, along with a face he knows better than his own. ]

Hawke. [ It’s quiet, faintly disbelieving yet not so much that it becomes a question. If anyone would find a way to this place, it would be Hawke. There’s a faint scratching sound as his fingertips, still covered in the gauntlets, touch the surface of the mirror. It isn't the same as touching him, but trapped as he is in the mirror, it is all Fenris can do. ] I see you.

[ Another faint scratch as his fingers flex against the glass. His voice hardens, becomes fierce and determined. ]

I will get you out of there. Then we will hunt down the mage who's responsible for this.

[acerbic]

[ It comes as no surprise, that even after all these years, Fenris is quick to blame a mage. And for all Hawke knows, it might be. But, he's always been a little blind to them, never had reason to fear them. So, there's a tick of a smile on his face at the accusation. ]

I'm all right, Fenris. Not in this– [ shaky cam suddenly, as he shakes the device in his hands. ] thing, anyway. I'm in a house. Bit weird, actually. Unfinished puzzles all over the place.

[ He's looking at something off screen, voice falling silent for a few beats; he turns back and points toward the bottom of the device. ]

There's a square [ or whatever ] there. Push it.

[scowls]

[ What might be the start of a frown of exasperated disgust at the way Hawke smiles—Fenris knows him well enough to know when Hawke’s laughing at him—turns instead into narrow, squinting eyes as the sight of him becomes shaky and unstable. Fenris presses a hand to the glass, trying to make it steady. After a moment, it stops shaking, though he doubts he had anything to do with it.

As much as learning that Hawke’s also in a strange house, possibly here in this place, makes him want to go storming out into the snow to find him, Fenris restrains himself and does as instructed, locating the square on the glass and pushing it.

Unbeknownst to him, what was once just audio now becomes video. Fenris is looking directing at the thing, staring at Hawke’s face as though he’s trying to will him to appear in the room with him. ]

I pushed the square. Now what? You are still not here.

voice - ID: Nobody

[promises_to_keep]

[He laughs a little. What rock has this guy been hiding under?]

It's not a mirror, and no one's trapped inside it. It's a communication device; anyone you speak to is on the other end of a similar device, I have to imagine. It's a little more high-tech than what I'm used to, but the concept seems largely the same.

As for why you're here, I haven't the foggiest, but if you figure it out, please share, 'cuz I'm asking myself the same thing.

[scowls]

[ Since the subject matter isn't the least bit amusing, Fenris can only assume that he's being laughed at. This becomes more obvious when...Nobody???? explains what this thing actually is. ]

High-tech? [ He says it slowly, trying the sound of it out, his voice wary. ] I am not familiar with that term.

[ But if what he's hearing is true, that means he's not talking to spirits. That is definitely a relief. ]

Did your device tell you that you are also in this... Norfinbury?

[promises_to_keep]

You know, high-tech. Like... fancy gadgetry, lots'a buttons and wires, good for invading privacy, that sort of thing. Never heard of it, really? [Wow, you really have been living under a rock, haven't you?]

Yeah, it said this place is called Norfinbury, but didn't give me anything useful like the date or the time or a map. I'm not even sure which way's north--not that it makes a difference when I dunno where I'd be going anyway. Least I'm in a house. Anything exciting where you are?

[scowls]

No. [ His voice is flat and unamused. ] I have heard of none of it. Where I'm from, spies are used to invade privacy, not... [ If a nose wrinkle of disgust had a tone of voice, it would be this one. ] ...buttons.

[ Fenris doesn't even know what to make of any of that. Maybe it's better to just focus on this Norfinbury business. ]

Just a house. Mostly empty. There's a room full of strange parchment and some sort of machine I've never seen before. What its purpose might be, I do not know, but it is too heavy to transport.

audio; ID: Chillinski

[figureitout]

[....... right. Stiles isn't entirely sure whether to laugh or cry at the voice, because-- mirror? Free somebody? Dude, you got some weird ideas there. (Don't blame him, he hasn't figured out that there's people here from different times and worlds, he'd get the gap in technological advancement otherwise...)]

Dude, what are you talking about? That's a tablet. You know, like Apple iPad? And this is like Skyping-- the thing where you either type or talk or record a video to people, except this is like a public network instead of a private channel, which is kinda weird, actually, but I guess it makes sense since we don't really know who else is here so we can't know their usernames.

[IT ALL MAKES SENSE TO HIM, dammit Fenris, get with the times!!] For the record, I'm just as confused as to why we're here, but I'm, like, 98 percent sure it's not to save someone from inside the tablet.

[scowls]

[ Try though he might to parse this, Fenris understands only about half of what he's just heard. Most of the words make sense, but then there are things like iPad and Skyping and video, and what in the Void is username? He already gave his name! How does this Chillinski not know it? And while he understands what a tablet is, sheets of paper glued together like a book without words, he doesn't see one anywhere in the vicinity of where he's standing.

He doesn't make a conscious decision to sound unfriendly, but his frustration at being unable to understand comes through loud and clear in his voice. ]

I cannot understand what you're saying. Speak plainly. I see no tablet.

[figureitout]

[............ wow, okay then. Clearly this guy has some entirely different idea about the meaning of tablet than he does.]

Um, you do, because you're speaking to it. That's a tablet, it's an electronic device that lets you talk to others who are connected to the network with similar devices. Others who are also here, and freezing, and confused, so-- if you're really into the idea of saving somebody, how about you save the actual people in the actual houses here and forget about the tablet?

I mean, don't forget about it entirely, because that's how you can talk to those who aren't in the same place as you are. [Alright, grandpa, figure it out yet?]

[scowls]

[ What he gathers from that is that Chillinski is calling the mirror a tablet, Maker knows why, and that he, like Fenris, is standing outside of it somewhere. The rest of that business about electronic devices and networks makes no sense. ]

I have every intention of helping those I can. [ His voice is a little stiff, not angry but on its way to irritated. ] I do not abide kidnappers.

[ And this man is likely in the same situation he is, given the conversation thus far. ]

Can you describe your location? I will do my best to find you.

video; id: LINK

[tapferkeit]

[ New gadgets weren't a problem for Link; he picked them up all the time. This thing was a little bit different from all the others, however. It reminds him of a tiny gossip stone. Fortunately, he doesn't need the Mask of Truth to know what it's saying, but when he does 'register' it and the eye pops up, he's reminded more strongly of it. For the time being, he decides that that's what he'll call it.

It was cold and still outside. Link had spent time wandering around but had taken breaks to check up on the stone. More people were here, but he hadn't seen them in person yet. Because of that, the video feed was a little startling.

Link blinked at the strange, marked face that spoke out at him, then looked around the snowy landscape.

If he were trapped in a mirror, it had its own dimension around it.

Eventually, he decides that he can't be. If he were trapped in a mirror, then that meant that this person was trapped inside a gossip stone. That sort of thing seemed a bit unreasonable. ]

No.

I'm outside.

[scowls]

[ Brow knitting in wary uncertainty, Fenris looks to the window. Outside, he sees nothing but snow. And he's been seeing nothing but snow every time he looks out there. Not people.

He looks back to the mirror, not sure what to believe. ]

If you are outside, what do you see? Anything besides snow?

[tapferkeit]

[ Link shakes his head in answer. To further underline the answer, he holds up his gossip stone and shows his surroundings. There's nothing but white expanse for miles around, with Link's footprints stretching out behind him when the camera turns that way.

It's a little worrying, honestly. Even with the coat that had been in the house, it was still very cold. His fingers were beginning to hurt. The loneliness he felt without Navi was only intensified in this silent field.]

[scowls]

[ More snow. Too much snow. Fenris sighs. That tells him nothing about where he is and it makes figuring out what this thing is even more difficult. If the voices inside do not belong to spirits trapped within, then...

He is not a mage. He should not have to figure this out. ]

Is there no shelter nearby? Being out in that might be dangerous. [ After a slight hesitation, he adds; ] I awoke in an abandoned house.

Voice | ID: Summoner

[ninjainviolet]

[ She hasn't quite figured out how to get the video working, but unlike him, she has a vague idea of what this thing is. ]

Strange as this idiotic thing is, it isn't a mirror. [ Guess who else had a problem with hers shutting up, too? ] It's a lot different than the one I saw at home, but I think it's a way to talk to people over large distances. [ she makes a derisive sound. } I think I prefer messengers. [ They weren't annoying, and they hardly ever talked back--just gave their message and left. ]

But no, we're trapped in some place called Norfinbury... Wherever that is.

[ She's a horrible liar, so she hopes he can hear the truth in her words. ]

[scowls]

[ He makes a soft sound, though whether it's a snort or a huff is unclear. ]

I prefer messengers as well. Ravens especially. They do not ask annoying questions.

[ Still, his voice isn't unduly unfriendly. Wary, certainly, and deep, but not hostile. ]

I have never heard of Norfinbury until today. Everything about this place is strange. [ A beat, and he can't help asking; ] What is this called where you're from?

[ninjainviolet]

[ Sheena can't tell which one it is, although once he starts speaking, she has a feeling it's one of derision against the annoying little box. ]

Birds are definitely a better way to go, but sometimes you just need a person to convey a message. [ Like when tone of voice was necessary.

For example, Sheena's right now. her anger is still there, but it's been tempered some by her natural friendliness.

And his answer doesn't surprise her, but his question does. ]

Oh, you mean the annoying little box? There were a couple of bigger ones back home, and we just called it a communicator since we could talk to other people.

[ She makes a small derisive sound. ]

At least they didn't talk to us first.

[scowls]

A communicator... [ He hums thoughtfully for a moment. ] Yes, that makes sense. More logical than what I was calling it.

[ It doesn't look like a mirror when it's glowing. Only when its power is dormant. And even then, the glass is dark and difficult to see inside. ]

I believe it to be possessed. That is the only explanation I know for its ability to speak with us like it has been. Though perhaps it's a side-effect of the magic that powers it. I cannot say. I am not a mage.

Voice (@Enoch)

[warriorscribe]

[He's about to explain that these are like large phones and no, the people he can hear have them too, that's all. Thankfully, he catches himself and remembers that he is odd in his familiarity with such things. When one spends 300 years in the constant presence of one...]

No, we're not trapped in your device. These devices are for communication - they can send your voice to anyone else with one of them. They're...larger than the one I know, but the voices you hear belong to people elsewhere.

[scowls]

[ People are better than spirits. Much better. ]

You are familiar with these devices, then? [ A beat of silence. ] Are you from this place? This Norfinbury?

[warriorscribe]

I am familiar enough to discern what it's for, but no, I only have secondhand knowledge of them. A friend of mine owns something like this. And, sadly, neither of us are from this place, either. If I was, or if I knew someone who was, I might be able to shed light on this situation for all of us.

[He wishes he knew what was happening. He should not, literally should not be there. He should not be without at least one of his companions.]

[scowls]

I see.

[ He can't really be disappointed by that. He doesn't know anyone from here either. Nor do any of the people he's spoken with thus far. ]

I know none from this land either. Nor have I ever heard it mentioned by anyone, and I know quite a few people who've traveled quite far. [ A slight pause. ] My name is Fenris.