Round 2 [open]

[pure_havoc]

characters: Cao Pi and everyone who wants to show up
location: town hall
date/time: Dec. 8, starting at moonrise
content: Community meeting, take 2! After the Dreamer/Defender incident, there's a lot to talk about and Cao Pi has encouraged everyone to come and publicly share what they learned while asleep or what ideas they have to make the next massacre less massacre-y. Feel free to handwave catching his post or hearing about it from a friend.
warnings: none likely but lmk if that changes. Threadjacking likely; if you don't want to be threadjacked, make some sort of indication.

As before, Cao Pi arrives ahead of time to ensure the town hall is ready for a session, righting any chairs that might have been thrown about in recent melees and checking the logbook for recent information. When a fair amount of people have arrived and he can see the waxing moon rising through the leafless trees outside, he rises to begin with a short intro.

"By now we know that those who succumbed to the food at the feast had a strange experience - they shared dreams with each other, in which they found themselves seeing Beacon as it was in the past. I encourage all those who dreamed, and remember it well, please tell us all what you saw. There may be considerable clues to our purpose and progress in even the smallest detail.

"The rest of us, well. We managed to make it through and I believe those who were killed are whole again, but for our part we can go over what worked and what didn't. Defending ourselves isn't merely a matter of being trained to use weapons. The spirits which attacked were formidable, powerful. We will need more than just our strength to outlast another attack. Ideas are welcome, as is any new information we have on everything from communications to threats."

That's all he'll ramble about this time, he'll take a seat and allow others to have the floor before he makes any more grandiose speeches.

Comments

[sunborne]

[ day knows it’s impossible to stop a fight but he’s gonna try and give his hopefully peaceful two cents— ]

To be fair— It’s hard to get a read on the spirits. After, um, what happened a few months back… [ he falls quiet here, crossing his arms over his chassis as if to protect himself from something or someone. ] I get why some of others weren't eager to eat. I mean... Don’t take candy from strangers and don’t eat offered feasts foods from spirits. Things like that. It's practical but I think that's the issue.

We're not, um, completely jiving with the spirits, you know? But it's possible! Ms. Luna and Riku proved that when they spoke with the spirits.

It’s why I want to make contact with them after this meeting. To see if we can make further progress with them if we’re, um, on the same page and we're on the same grounds, so to speak.

[pearlstrings]

[It is impossible not to recognize Daylight. He's a very distinct figure in both shape and size, and he's made himself consistently available to help others. To serve the interests of the group. Time will tell if his viewpoint is optimistic, but despite Bruce's reservations with looking at anything through that particular lens- he appreciates that it exists in others. It's valuable, and worth protecting.

His gaze lifts.]

Make contact how?

[sunborne]

... Go into the woods and say hi?

[ okay. no. seriously. ]

-I attempted to make contact with them by sending them a package and a letter, letting them know I plan to go to a particular area and I'd like to speak with them. I saw on the network that someone - Ms. Luna, I think? - gave them a name. So I addressed the package to that spirit in particular.

Still waiting to see if something happens so... [ he shrugs, trying to look hopeful with his sheepish smile. ] Thought it didn't hurt to try and show we're willing to help. They're just... scared, you know?

[pearlstrings]

[Fear is a response all creatures feel, human and otherwise. It isn't unreasonable or unfounded to believe that the spirits are acting from this perspective, or reacting for that matter.

Further- as far as stances are concerned, Bruce believes that their significant prospects will lie in communication and cooperation with the spirits. They've demonstrated their abilities several times; the residents of Beacon are unmatched in every conceivable way, it would be a waste of time, resources, and energy to pursue a military strategy.]

And if they don't reply?

[sunborne]

[ daylight tilts his helm at the question, optics flickering in his equivalent of blinking. ]

When you say they 'don't reply' - Do you mean if they don't give an answer or if they... you know... turn kinda murderous? [ 'kinda' is a bit of an understatement, daylight, since they've proven themselves to be very murderous on the best of days. ] I feel like that's important to differentiate.

[ and yet he pauses at that point, looking thoughtful when something occurs to him now. ] Actually. No.

I think it'll be the same answer for me no matter what- I'll keep offering them a hand, keeping showing I want to work with them.

[pearlstrings]

The intention is noble, but for the sake of clarification I suppose my question is: do you intend to seek them out in the woods directly?

[There is perhaps a precedent that would give Bruce every reason to frame the question as an accusation. But he doesn't. Criticism when for constructive purposes is a good thing- it allows the seeker to test their theory and for those listening to reframe it, return it, and hear a revised result. They make each other stronger this way.

Bruce, for his part, looks only curious. Thoughtful.]

I know you're aware of the danger they present, but I ask from the perspective of the spirits themselves. An uninvited guest may be considered a hostile act. Trespassing.

[sunborne]

[ daylight doesn’t seem to mind the question. in fact— he seems happy? maybe because, so far, the others have been nothing but either supportive or serious of him taking this endeavour. he wants to believe it’s a sign that this idea of his has some merit. ]

Yeah— I do. I’m going to their neck of the woods and try to meet them on evenish grounds. I... I know what I'm doing might upset them, given what I know of them so far. [ and what they’ve experienced from the spirits. ] It’s why I sent them a, um, peace offering in advance.

Just a bouquet of flowers and a letter. [ he ducks his helm a bit when he says this, feeling a bit embarrassed but trying to stand by his action. ] I tried to explain I only come as a friend and I want to help them. And, if that doesn't work, I at least let them know where I plan to go. So if they don’t want me there or anywhere in particular, they’re more than welcome to give me a heads up.

[ in a hopefully non-murderous way but day will take what he can get at this point. ]

[pearlstrings]

[The peace offering in advance is a good sign, not simply because it helps announce his presence ahead of time but also because it demonstrates that he's thinking about the perception of his actions. Bruce has heard a great deal of talk around Town Hall about actions and consequences, but few people seem interested in trying to view their decisions through the lens of the spirits. The residents here know almost nothing about their way of life, their values, their customs. They can only marginally communicate.

Bruce considers this, a small furrow creasing between his brows.]

Have you tried asking any of the other spirits for input or advice? Like the postmaster?

[sunborne]

[ daylight pauses at the question, taking it into serious consideration... which is, admittedly, a worrying sign for his trip into the forests. if he's just taken that into account now.

but, finally, he answers with a surprising amount of confidence: ] If anyone can get a lot of info from the spirits, it'll be my partner- Soldat. Broody but really nice. He's going to be with me when I go in there because, um, the buddy system and stuff. I know he made good friends with a spirit or two. He gives them coffee and everything.

[ because if you know the preferred drink of someone, you know them pretty well at that point. ]