Oblitus Magia: Verse 1 - Fateful Encounter in the City of Fools

[MrSandman]

His face twisted slightly, "That does not sound very appetizing. As much time as I spent in the wild, I never considered eating anything from there except the occasional wild plants that I knew weren't poisonous."

"As for the natives, I was warned at an early age to avoid them whenever possible. Not that I've never seen one from a distance before." Matthias gave Mulvric a questioning look, "I had heard many stories about them, about how dangerous they were. Were these stories fiction? It does surprise me that you were able to spend as much time with them as you did."

"Stories ain't wrong....when you live out here you either do so with a purpose or your off your rocker." Mulvric nodded. ".....and I've to see a purpose behind the wild ones, not one we'd understanding...even En clings to the vestiges of civilization out here. But not the wildmen.....some of em would sooner skin and eat you alive then talk to you. I can't even tell you how many chased my groups away or tried to kill us, but every so often....we'd come across some with enough understandin or curiosity to parley. Though I learned much, I've learned just as many things I wish I'd never.....blood rites, cannibalism, pyres of flame cast around idols....."

"Have you been fortunate enough to be able to test either the wildmen or their food for why that is?" Lucifer asked, curious of a few things- particularly what materials were able to resist the spread of the Ruin- but most interested at the moment in the last bit. "In particular, whether it's the presence of something within them or the concentration of something within them that provides the enhanced resistance."

"Difficult to test....only been able to witness them doing it, beyond that I could only make educated guesses from what I knew of them." Mulvric explained. "All the research so far seems solid...but until someone is willing to try it'll be nothing more then an hypothesis."

"...you'd know all about it, wouldn't you good EN boys and girls? It's why you said you were out here in the first place," she said. "You also say you've questioned the Wildmen, right Mulvric?"

Plucking her finger from the surface of scratched leather over her arm, Kinu's dark eyes narrowed at the researched.

"Now I got a question for you. How deep are we standing in their territory, right now?"

"The wildmen never come this close to the Enterprize......could never understand why either. The closest group is aggressively territorial....and by all account we close enough to the edge of their territory to be poking the hornets nest. Yet they never bother with us....Hell, only reason I found this place was being chased by a hunting party that backed off the moment we got close."

[MrSandman]

Arx grinned after hearing what Mulvric had to say. "Sounds familiar, that diet."

"Maybe....how long ya had a taste for witches?" Mulvric raised an eyebrow. "You'd make a good test case...if we had the time to test."

She understood the core concepts well enough to know that Mulvric wasn't talking out of his ass.

"My master taught me a similar concept. Calm Mind, Centered Being; empowering the Body with the Spirit by calming the Mind. It's different, but the concept is familiar. Similar enough that I know you aren't talking out of your ass."

The only question she had was how to unlock this Mundus. She had been meditating for years and hadn't. Unless she had and didn't know it. "So, how do we unlock it? Eat the Roach over there?"

"In theory.....but we'd be a terrible hosts if we let our guests eat the other guests." Mulvric cracked a smile. "Besides....not that simple. Wild men have been surviving on this sort of diet their entire lives, its changed them over time.....we can't expect the same results just because we roast up a few critters and eat em. Maybe the dragon girl could pull it off....but for the rest of us....We've been working on something more, potent. It may be possible to temporarily inoculate people against the infection with a concentrated dose of distilled essence....it won't make you a witch, but it'll boost you enough so you'd be able to resist like one."

"The components are hard to come by, but medical has synthesized enough injections for a test group....we just never had a good time or the right people." En added. "The injection itself is safe....but without combat experience the user would just die to whatevers in the ruin instead of the ruin itself."

[MrSandman]

That snapped Selma out of her building anger at both Mercer and that other guy.

Selma stared at Mulvric in shock as she asked "So what you're telling us is that you believe that, like these wildmen, Witches gain strength by eating magical beasts and mascots like the giant centipede over there? That just raises several different questions. Such as, are those magical beasts and mascots even safely edible? Are they toxic? Or is their flesh capable of being digested if it is consumed by humans? And if its not toxic, does it have any kind of effect on the mental state of a human consuming it?"

She brought a hand up to hold her chin as she thought aloud "... Though that would explain the rather demented personalities seen in Administratum Witches. The properties of the magical beasts and mascots flesh caused their minds to be twisted after they consumed it. But the Administratum considers the trade-off of mental stability for greater ability a worthwhile trade-off."

"And I would ask about the morality of eating things that can have human-level sentience, but the fact that the Administratum uses Witches kind of says how they feel about that already."

"Can't say.....as I said, witch program is classified. They could be doing something entirely different." Mulvric sighed. "Chances are its edible....if the number of wildmen not dying from it is any indication. Also....not all mascots in the wild are.....sentient. Some are wild, starving beasts...just as likely to eat you as you eat them."

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

"Not sure." Arx replied, and she was technically telling the truth. "That said, magic is all I can metabolize. Doesn't matter how it's packaged... though I have my obvious preferences."

[MrSandman]

Morgen weakly raised her hand. "Make that two appointments..."

The young woman sat with her back to the wall, having enough energy to listen to the conversation but maybe not enough to engage with it; it seemed to get rather heated at points, with accusations being thrown left and right between the rebels and the... concerned citizens. Resistance to the resistance. She talked big game to herself earlier, but truth be told, she wasn't exactly sure what her plan going forward would be. It was troubling to have such incomplete information about her own predicament... The skyport footage had brought her down another peg, and now, she was paranoid that the device she'd been entrusted with was some sort of surveillance. Or, even worse -- a bomb. Just the thought crossing her mind made her want to chuck the thing overboard, but the consequence of doing so seemed equally terrifying.

She fidgeted with the device in her pocket unconsciously. Being alone with these thoughts was probably the worst of it all. Surely Alice must have anticipated the possibility that she would reveal her situation to EN -- if she spoke up, would she know? And even if she did, would she ever be seen as anything more than a traitor? It hurt to admit, but being killed as a liability to the group was likely the most sound choice for their operation. She'd seen enough of this little crew to know that nobody would object.

Morgen swallowed.

She looked to Lucifer. Perhaps... No, that was still too risky. She thought it was possible they would sympathize if only they could read her memory to understand her position -- that she tried to help, before her hand was forced -- but she had little faith they'd see it the same way. First, she had to build trust -- trust that wasn't easily broken. Then, maybe, sharing her secret could withstand the brunt of their scrutiny. She just had to hope that it wouldn't be too late by then.

At any rate, the rich girl continued to lend her ear to the conversation. She had some questions of her own, but she decided she'd ask later; they were getting barraged with enough of them already.

"Yes, you could definitely use some medical attention....I heard you were hurt rather severely." En voiced her concern with a sad look. "I can fill you in one things later if you wish, and have mercer bring you to the infirmary along with......Hmm?" En looked around. ".....Oh, is he.....Oh, hold on a moment..."

Jacob continues to look around for the ship's doctor. (Hmm, maybe I should have asked EN where the medical bay on this ship is located?) Jacob thought.

"Excuse me, are you looking for the infirmary still?" En voice came over the speaker, followed by a light attracting his attention down a corridor. "Please follow the lights."

[Tami]

"Maybe....how long ya had a taste for witches?" Mulvric raised an eyebrow. "You'd make a good test case...if we had the time to test."



"In theory.....but we'd be a terrible hosts if we let our guests eat the other guests." Mulvric cracked a smile. "Besides....not that simple. Wild men have been surviving on this sort of diet their entire lives, its changed them over time.....we can't expect the same results just because we roast up a few critters and eat em. Maybe the dragon girl could pull it off....but for the rest of us....We've been working on something more, potent. It may be possible to temporarily inoculate people against the infection with a concentrated dose of distilled essence....it won't make you a witch, but it'll boost you enough so you'd be able to resist like one."

"The components are hard to come by, but medical has synthesized enough injections for a test group....we just never had a good time or the right people." En added. "The injection itself is safe....but without combat experience the user would just die to whatevers in the ruin instead of the ruin itself."

A slightly raised eyebrow was followed by a measured question, "And that is where we come in, or at least some of us. What happened at the docking tower and the prison, while perhaps not intentional, provided an opportunity to test or identify certain individuals with certain talents. Talents that could be of use in a trial run of your ruin vaccine."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

"Yes, you could definitely use some medical attention....I heard you were hurt rather severely." En voiced her concern with a sad look. "I can fill you in one things later if you wish, and have mercer bring you to the infirmary along with......Hmm?" En looked around. ".....Oh, is he.....Oh, hold on a moment..."




"Excuse me, are you looking for the infirmary still?" En voice came over the speaker, followed by a light attracting his attention down a corridor. "Please follow the lights."

" Yes, I am, and thanks for the assistance," Jacob said as he follows the lights.

[MrSandman]

A slightly raised eyebrow was followed by a measured question, "And that is where we come in, or at least some of us. What happened at the docking tower and the prison, while perhaps not intentional, provided an opportunity to test or identify certain individuals with certain talents. Talents that could be of use in a trial run of your ruin vaccine."

"It wasn't our intention....but considering you people seems to wanna know as much about what happened in A9 as we do, and you all of ya seem to have some measure of skill in something or another.....the logical leap isn't far." Mulvric nodded. "Still....its a leap non the less....and I won't blame ya if its one leap too far."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"In theory.....but we'd be a terrible hosts if we let our guests eat the other guests." Mulvric cracked a smile. "Besides....not that simple. Wild men have been surviving on this sort of diet their entire lives, its changed them over time.....we can't expect the same results just because we roast up a few critters and eat em. Maybe the dragon girl could pull it off....but for the rest of us....We've been working on something more, potent. It may be possible to temporarily inoculate people against the infection with a concentrated dose of distilled essence....it won't make you a witch, but it'll boost you enough so you'd be able to resist like one."

"The components are hard to come by, but medical has synthesized enough injections for a test group....we just never had a good time or the right people." En added. "The injection itself is safe....but without combat experience the user would just die to whatevers in the ruin instead of the ruin itself."

"You have a super drug that can possibly give the user the same high that these wild men have, but you never had a test group. Until now, that is." Xia sighed heavily. There was always a catch with this sort of thing. They do work for EN and they got to be guinea pigs for their untested super drug that may or may not give them some kind of otherworldly abilities. Outside of the ones they already had, that was. At the very least, it may allow them to last a while longer while exposed to Ruin.

She sighed again. "Doesn't sound like we have much choice. We're the only ones around here with any combat experience."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Owen nods slightly, taking it all in.

“And what of my previous question?”

[MrSandman]

Owen nods slightly, taking it all in.

“And what of my previous question?”

OT: Which question we talking about? Last one I see is the "how long can humans last" one and there is an answer out for that.

[grampagen]

"Stories ain't wrong....when you live out here you either do so with a purpose or your off your rocker." Mulvric nodded. ".....and I've to see a purpose behind the wild ones, not one we'd understanding...even En clings to the vestiges of civilization out here. But not the wildmen.....some of em would sooner skin and eat you alive then talk to you. I can't even tell you how many chased my groups away or tried to kill us, but every so often....we'd come across some with enough understandin or curiosity to parley. Though I learned much, I've learned just as many things I wish I'd never.....blood rites, cannibalism, pyres of flame cast around idols....."


"Difficult to test....only been able to witness them doing it, beyond that I could only make educated guesses from what I knew of them." Mulvric explained. "All the research so far seems solid...but until someone is willing to try it'll be nothing more then an hypothesis."


"The wildmen never come this close to the Enterprize......could never understand why either. The closest group is aggressively territorial....and by all account we close enough to the edge of their territory to be poking the hornets nest. Yet they never bother with us....Hell, only reason I found this place was being chased by a hunting party that backed off the moment we got close."

As Mulvric described life outside of the walls adjacent to the roving bands of those slavering denizens among the mist, she nodded along slowly, eyes closed with a smug smile as if his statements were everyday, simple matters of fact. The fact remained that they were on the cusp of Wildling territory, yet they remained safe.

"A huntin' party, huh? Is that what you'd call it?" she chimed in, "They're a superstitious bunch of freaks, and 'round these parts, it goes without saying that the law of the land, that's fear."

In her experience, the only language a Wildling still knew enough to understand was a thing loosed from fine reason. Something an understanding of what was best in life:

To clutch the enemy; To see them driven below you; and to hear the lamentation filled witness. They don't understand words...but a twist and a choke, heh heh heh... For a second, her eyes glazed over and she pat her bicep.

"I've seen some before, but a different band from these parts. They cluster together, afraid of what they don't understand, or they try'n kill whatever gets 'em spooked, thinkin' it'll give 'em power. But a Wildling who's got enough still brains rattling around to haggle for their life? Now this, I gotta see."

Mulvric seemed to make a solid case, but it was largely conjecture as far as she knew.

"But like you said, an educated guess...still just a guess. We're gonna need something sure, yeah?" Kinu said.

Snapping her finger, she then pointed to Mercer.

"Roll up your sleeve, chief."

[Noldere]

OT: Which question we talking about? Last one I see is the "how long can humans last" one and there is an answer out for that.

Maybe this one:

Owen pauses a moment, thinking.

“A few more questions: do you have any safety gear or equipment that would help someone survive inside even a bit longer, and is there any photograph or image or video of what the inside rooks like? Or anywhere near there?”

The first part got a response (though that can be expanded on); the second part didn't as far as I can tell.

[MrSandman]

Sigourney was quiet, almost to the point where Ange might have suspected that her words had been ignored. After some time, a soft sigh could be heard, "Your men mentioned that they were looking for one man in particular when they came across our cell back in the terminal. Lucifer, I think his name is. "

Closing her diary, although much more gently than the last time she had in the other's presence, the girl continued, "Regardless of how the assumption was formed, I clung to it and let it boil over because I had no one else to blame in the confusion. I don't believe I can trust anyone at the moment, but I... yeah, I lashed out too harshly at you earlier. I do not envy your position; having to wrangle so many who have lost their homes and loves ones... and one who is a dragon? I need to look more into that..." Preparing to open her notebook again, she made a frustrated huff as she realized she was trailing off. Standing atop the boulder, her eyes finally met Ange's.

"I am not going to ask for your forgiveness, nor do I expect your opinions of me to change. What I will do is... compromise. I'm not going to stand at attention and salute like a good little soldier, but I will assist in what way I can to prevent others from experiencing what I've gone through. That, and your group is the only possible way I can find out who deserves my vengeance."

"To be perfectly honest, I'm happy your not saluting either...." Ange chuckled. "....looks stupid."

"In any event....if your going to stick around for awhile longer then, we'd best get you back up where the others are waiting huh.....otherwise they're gonna hit the feast later without out." Ange offered her hand. "And...we got a mystery to solve, don't we."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Maybe this one:



The first part got a response (though that can be expanded on); the second part didn't as far as I can tell.

OT: yep, that’s the one, Sandy.