006 - Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives

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Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives New Imprints ▲ Comments The Ground Shakes
It begins unremarkably enough, with the light tremors of the ground so small they might easily go unnoticed, or else dismissed as the movement of some creature nearby. As time goes on, however, those little tremors begin to grow in both strength and duration, the length of time shortening between each one. To begin with only small, light, unsecured objects are rattled loose by the rumbling of the ground, but as the tremors grow in strength there is a growing danger of much larger things being moved.

The realm’s clear lack of understanding of how things work cannot be relied upon in such a situation. If the tremors have grown strong enough to throw all the books of Hammerhead to the ground and throw over all the clothes rails and capsule machines and furniture in the Academy, then what if they grow strong enough to move the heavy blanket of snow atop Mount Silver? What if they grow strong enough to damage the caverns within?

Then there is the question of how, or why, the realm has made the land shake. It must surely have picked up the idea of an earthquake from someone, right? An answer to the question is not immediately forthcoming, but should one stay low to the ground and listen, they might well hear the muffled, distorted sound of screaming.

Creature Chaos
As the rumbling and shaking continues, it is clear to see that the local wildlife has been disturbed, and they seem remarkably active. Critters can be seen running and flying to and fro, and any who go out to investigate may find themselves the center of attention. Brushboys may paint arrows on the ground in an effort to lead them somewhere, or bluurgobos might actively offer rides, or the flying cat-like creatures will excitedly circle someone before attempting to lead them somewhere. Going along with them will lead to one of two places:

1. The meaty, pulsating, cavernous tunnels of Mementos shudder and convulse in a way quite unlike before, and closer inspection will quickly reveal why. The flesh has been cut and torn, hacked apart, leaving gaping and bleeding wounds to spill over the subway tracks. Whichever critter has brought someone here excitedly gestures towards the wounds, and as it does a giant and painful shudder goes through the tunnels and shakes the earth. All those earthquakes… could this be the source?


2. The road to the Hammerlocke Citadel Ruins are as long as winding as ever, and precarious with the risk of an earthquake dislodging snow and rock from the mountainside. The animal that has taken the lead is on a mission, however, as unclear as that mission might be. On arriving, it turns its attention to a group of the spiky, bear-headed beasts that are lazing about as though the land is not currently shaking and quaking around them, and tries to draw their attention. Clearly, these bear heads are expected to do something, and they aren’t doing it.

First Words
Though the tremors have finally stopped, they have left a significant change to the World in their wake. Where the ground above was once flat and untouched, there now lay cracks and fissures that glow with a strange, but enchantingly warm light. There doesn’t seem to be a single area that has been left untouched by them - though the number of cracks are denser in some places than others, it’s difficult to find a place completely devoid of them. Could this be the world’s attempt at trying to heal itself?

If all of that wasn’t enough to warrant investigation, the sound of whispers that appear to be coming from they might do the trick. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent that the whispers aren’t coming from the lights, but from inside your own head. Focus a little more, and some of the voices may sound familiar…

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Comments

[fluffyharpy]

1. Roc and Roll

[The quaking earth affected even those living nearer the sky. Lysandra's nest in the Aerial District shook more than enough to knock several decorations she had found and/or been given to the ground and Lysandra fell with. One of the precious items breaks into shards upon contact with the ground. Into the aether many a curse word is uttered by the bird girl.]

2. AiM

[Well this was all odd. But what to do with this new sensation? May as well literally shout into the void.]

hello? is this really happening? hello?

Net

[bridge_princess]

Is what really... oh right, the brain thing. Gah, this is so weird. Every time I come by this mist thingee I keep hearing your voices in my head.

...

Uh, Lys is that you?

[fluffyharpy]

Yes, this is Lysandra. I don't know how this is all happening but it hasn't been a good day so far.

[The broken things on the floor could speak to that.]

Are you Miss Parsee?

[bridge_princess]

Yeah, it's Parsee. I thought I recognized your ... I guess it's voice right now? I think these blue lines are connecting us when we're in them? It's really weird.

Do you think this is what the internet is like?

[Parsee, there are so many things wrong with that statement...]

[fluffyharpy]

Oh hello, Miss Parsee! It is very strange.

Sort of? You can talk to all kinds of people through the internet but not on a mind to mind level like this.

[bridge_princess]

No, that ... makes sense. That seems a little too advanced for how far humanity came from the little I know about. So, maybe this is magical. I'm not really 'in tune' with magic to tell you more than the abilities I use normally.

[fluffyharpy]

Magic is something I've only had exposure to here. But I'd bet you're right.

Now that I think about it, we actually do have the technology to connect people mind-to-mind where I'm from. But it was banned by the government decades ago for being far too dangerous for its own good.

[bridge_princess]

This might sound weird, but I can see why they would. If you get too deep in there, you start losing you, and they lose them. I had a little bit of an experience with that with someone here.

But this seems to just be talking? So that's ok? Hopefully.

[fluffyharpy]

I don't know much about how it worked, but that seems about right. I have a book written by the man who invented the machine so I'll have to do some research on exactly what went wrong.

I hope so. It is very nice to be able to talk to people remotely.

[bridge_princess]

It's not a terrible thing, but we can't do it privately so it's kind of like shouting out into the void. And the island isn't really that big, but still it's something. It could have been a lot weirder.