[It's Peter, holding up his tablet to his face, and he's outside in the snow, walking.

He's also got a nosebleed.]

This is DJ Star-Lord coming to you from live from Norfinbury!

Anyway, I thought you guys might wanna see this.

[He turns the tablet around to show his anomaly, which is...well. It looked like he was made out of rock and mud, but there's like, all this crap on top of him. He's got tendrils that are hanging onto things--bits of rubble, mostly, and a pair of bath slippers that Peter threw at him to see if he'd catch them. The only thing recognizable about the slug-like creature is its the top part of its head, which looks like Peter's, except that its mouth is large and muddy.

And his anomaly is yelling at him. Mud is spewing everywhere.]

Hey! Give me that, that tablet's mine! You suck!

[And he's yelling back.]

You suck, you creepy-ass trash compactor! And it's mine.

[Peter turns back to the tablet, shrugging.]

He's been following me around but he's actually not that bad company? He's cool for an anomaly version of myself. We've been mostly listening to music and chilling while I've been trying to get over my death price. Which...I'd kinda like to apologize for and I'm really sorry if I said something I shouldn't have?

You were drunk as all get-out, bro! And I'm the real deal! You hear that, Norfinbury? I'm the real DJ Star-Lord!

Shut up!

[A pause.]

I'm not gonna lie, I was super creeped out by him at first, because like...look, it's me, but pancaked? But he hasn't tried to kill me or anything. He says he just wants to like...run stuff over a lot? It's weird. I dunno. So I guess if you're fast enough you can avoid this one.

But has anyone actually tried making friends with their anomaly?

[Another body bag, another day.

Sherlock has gone through this enough times now that there's only a brief moment of terror and claustrophobia before he overcomes it and wrestles his way out. He mentally checks himself over for changes - nothing obvious - and then does the same physically - also nothing obvious. Annoying, that means it's likely to be something that will manifest without him being aware of the change.

He checks the network and sees that John and Mycroft both revived several days ago. Interesting. He feels a sudden overwhelming urge to share this with the network at large.]

So, it appears that I've taken rather longer to wake up than my compatriots, I suppose that makes some logical sense given the amount of times that I've been revived, it may take longer to repair me. Much like a car that's had to have multiple repairs and now fails its MOT, perhaps that means I won't be revived many more times if I continue to die.

[Hm, that was a longer ramble than he might have preferred. Death price? Possibly.]

Irrelevant, just theorising. On a more practical note, it would be sensible to compile a public list of the current "resident anomalies", their particular attributes, and their ways of attacking, to make it easier for others to avoid them.

Characters: infected characters
Location: ???
Date: ???
Summary: Something is wrong.
Warnings: severe sickness, nausea, vomiting, blood, things moving under the skin; make sure to warn for what's specifically happening in your thread

Characters: John Watson, Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock Holmes, England, America, Ginger Hale, Roland Crane, Bucky Barnes, Peter Quill, Flynn Carsen
Location: High school, Building 34/35
Date: 407-409
Summary: Watson and co, the Country Crew, and the MCUs plus a Librarian collide.
Warnings: References to recent event things are likely! Please add to subject lines as they come up.

( That's what they say when we're together... )

So, um, like...

[Ginger clears her throat. It's been awhile since she's posted anything to the Network, so she comes off a bit unsure of herself or how to start. Of course, a good majority of Norfinbury was just in a coma, so she could still be in a weird place from dealing with that whole mess.]

Maybe this is coming out of left field and maybe kind of a weird time to be asking but, like, doesn't it seem like it's been awhile since we've heard from any newcomers?

Characters: John Watson, Mycroft Holmes, Sherlock Holmes
Location: Building 138 & 137
Date: Day 402
Summary: Watson and the Holmeses explore during the event.
Warnings: Event-related effects, references to murder/child murder, mind-control

( Something Lavender's Blue... )

--back up? It's back up!

[Stephen sounds so relieved it borders on outright joy.]

This is Stephen Strange, broadcasting on day three hundred ninety-eight. Can you hear me? Is this message coming though? Was anyone hurt during the seance? Did all of your tablets lose power, too?

Characters: Everyone listed here
Location: All around Norfinbury
Date: 395 (night)
Summary: A bunch of snobos try to replicate the success of the seance hosted by Will Graham on night 320.
Warnings: General Norfinhorror warnings/unknown. The previous seance event included descriptions of dissociative episodes and loss of bodily control.

( Read more... )

[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.]

[There was the usual panic, of course. The usual frantic escape from the bodybag into the cold air of the morgue. No new memories this time, no mistaking this waking life for a dream. No forgetting what had happened--what he had allowed to happen. Stephen isn't even out of the morgue before he gets on the network with a pressing question.]

This is Stephen Strange; I'm alive again. Has anyone seen David? Did he make it out?

((OOC: The first and third parts of the message is OPEN. The second part is SEMI-CLOSED to anyone with access to the Shadownet - a text only app created by Winter. It works within the Bunker. Please see this post about Shadownet distribution.

John's death price is that he can't interact with anyone. He won't see/hear messages, so he won't be responding to anything.))

Part 1 - OTA
[John wakes with a start inside his body bag. There's a momentary sense of absolute panic as he claws his way out of it, and gets off the slab he's been lying on. It's a moment to get his bearings and realize that he's in the hospital morgue. That's... not as bad as it could be. And he's fairly certain all of his memories are intact. At least one of the most important ones. John goes for his tablet first.

It doesn't even occur to him that Mary's been silent since he woke up. He can occasionally see her standing off to one side, but other than that, he's focused on the present, not the past. John double-checks the network, but there don't appear to be any new posts. Good. That means he's probably woken up the morning after being killed. As far as inconvenience goes, that's a minor one.]

Everyone, this is Dr. John Watson. Please listen closely. Rhys is in severe danger. His last known location was Building 317 on Dr. House's map. Please, if you're anywhere near there, go and check on him. He was injured during a fight a few days ago and Mr. Beckett attempted to kill him last night. I tried to stop him, but was killed in the fight. I don't know if Beckett succeeded. If Rhys is dead, Beckett may be a danger to others, particularly Enoch. Please watch out for him and please someone check on Rhys and Enoch, physically, if you're able to do so.

[He sends that out and waits for replies. And waits. John gathers his things and leaves the morgue, heading upstairs. When there still isn't a reply, he decides that maybe everyone has... somehow headed to the bunker.

'Or there's something wrong with the network,' Mary suggests. It's the first time she's spoken since John had woken up, and he glances over at her with a furrowed brow before switching on the Shadownet.]

Part 2 (half an hour later) - Shadownet Access Only
Hello? Is anyone there? This is John. There's been a serious incident. Beckett attacked Rhys last night. I died while trying to defend him. Rhys may still be alive and Enoch may be in danger. Please, could someone respond?

[Another half hour goes by as John begins walking. And then another. It's two hours later before he switches over to the regular network again. Mary's close to him now, fingers laced with his free hand.]

Part 3 - OTA
Please, I don't know what's going on, but this is Dr. John Watson. I'm heading toward Residential Zone 3. If anyone can see this message, please respond. [He looks to the side as Mary speaks up, the woman only in his own mind.

'John, I don't know there's anyone there.'

But they have to be there. The whole bloody town can't disappear overnight.

'Why not?' Mary asks.

It's a simple question, but it's absolutely chilling.]

Sherlock? Please, answer me. Alfie? Royce? Bucky? England? Stephen? Tess? Kunsel?

Anyone?

[ It takes several false starts before Wilson finally gets the message out. He's forgoing voice and video in favor of text. It's easier that way, if only marginally. He didn't need this to remind him that life here (if it can be called that) sucks, but it's been thrown into sharper relief now. ]

Hey, in case anyone wanted to know: House is dead.

An anomaly got him.

[ He's not really sugar-coating it, because how do you sugarcoat something like this? Even his best bedside manner and talent for knowing just how to deliver the worst news isn't really any use here. ]

I just thought you might want to know.

[ Maybe a more general "you", since he's quite aware of the public feeling House stirs up. But he said what he wanted to say, so that's that.

He figures he might as well try to say something else not related to House's demise, though, so he asks a question that he feels might be largely pointless in the long run: ]

Other than that, how are you all holding up?

[ Of course, he's certain the answer is "not well", but old habits die hard, and he still does genuinely want to check in with them. ]

Characters: John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, and Will Graham
Location: Ice Tunnels and Hospital
Date: Day 368
Summary: Meeting up with Will and hanging in the hospital after Hannibal is killed.
Warnings: General Hannibal-related warnings

( Misery... )

[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've found that a copy can be made for a character at the elementary school provided they have an existing copy and the keycard currently held by Ecks, which allows the characters to use the copy machine there.]


Shadownet Access Only
@dulcedeleche
Winter, it's John. I don't know what you did, but whatever it was, thank you. I honestly thought the Admin might be shutting everything down on us. I hope you can get back in contact with us soon and that you're okay. We did find Andromeda. Her body, at least. It's very likely there's a back-up of her elsewhere like you. I'm so sorry, but she was attacked and killed by the cultists. We downloaded some sort of program from her, though. We're trying to get it decrypted. Hopefully, that will happen soon. She gave this to us. Whatever happens when we make it through the bunker, she made it possible for us to keep going. We're going to make it to the center of Norfinbury and we're going to stop this for her and for you. I promise. Bullet points below covering Day 357 through Day 367.

Open to Everyone
This is Dr. Watson. Please find a summary update of recent happenings below. For anyone new, an archive of my previous summaries can be found HERE. I'm 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 poisoning symptoms for up to two weeks.

( Additional Information )

Characters: John Watson, Sherlock Holmes, Mycroft Holmes, and Hannibal Lecter
Location: Building 101
Date: Day 365
Summary: Meeting up with Hannibal and Mycroft during the event!
Warnings: Coughing up blood, general Hannibal-related warnings

( His teeth were razor blades... )

[While the format's a video, Junpei isn't on screen. He doesn't intend to be, either. All he's recording is part of the building he's in-- recognizable as one of the convenience stores. That's not the focus, of course. For now, his voice is.]

Hey.

Anyone else think that whole instant tattoo removal seemed like some sorta cover-up?

I mean, don't get me wrong-- even though I'm pretty sure red's my colour, I don't miss the look at all. It's just.. the timing? Getting rid of whatever that was when Miller wanted to use it and the admin couldn't see it? There's no way that's not suspicious.

So, I'm gonna keep this short and get right to the point. I need five people to meet me in Zone Two in a few days. And one of you should probably.. know how to draw blood...

[The point of recording like this soon becomes apparent, as he props a notepad up in front of the screen. Maybe he could've made it a text attachment instead, but, well, he didn't. There's a list written on it, as follows:

1. No lines, no light -- @magenta2?
2. Lines only, no light -- @beyonce?
3. Red eyes, no light
4. No lines, with light
5. Lines only, with light
6. Red eyes, with light

... He'll just leave it there.]

I'm sure nobody's gonna have a problem going by memory? House already volunteered a couple of you, but it's fine if you'd rather be a baby and skip out.

[... After all, he's already ignored one of the suggestions, himself, by refusing to put Quark up to it...]

At least listen to what we're gonna do, alright?

Back when we got who knows what pumped into us down there, I was thinking, what if that wasn't just drugs? The goal was to "fix" us, so what if we were given more nanomachines? Maybe with new programming, to fix an imbalance. Or, you know, cause one. What I wanna see is if the concentration's different between those of us who had the markings, and those who didn't. Hey, maybe even throw in someone who never got brought down. And while we're at it, we may as well see if our lights make any difference, too.

Who's in?

Characters: the marked, the unmarked, and their rescuers
Location: ???
Date: Morning 356
Summary: Time to get out of here.
Warnings: gore, psychological horror, warn for specifics in the subject lines

Part Six OOC Post

Characters: red-marked characters and their new friends
Location: ???
Date: Morning 354, Morning and Day 355
Summary: A quiet morning and a confusing morning, or maybe they're both, or maybe they're neither.
Warnings: gore, psychological horror, warn for specifics in the subject lines

Part Four OOC Post
Part Five OOC Post

Characters: red-marked characters
Location: ???
Date: Morning & Day 353
Summary: You wake up in a cell.
Warnings: general horror warnings; please note in subject lines for anything specific that comes up

Consolidation Theory OOC Post
Part Two OOC Post