That One With the Meeting [OPEN]

[pure_havoc]

characters: Cao Pi and OPEN!!!
location: the town hall
date/time: appx moonrise Sept. 2, for a couple of hours
content: Cao Pi proposed a meeting for everyone to talk about what ideas they have for organizing, protecting the town, and safely exploring their confines. This is that meeting. Newcomers are welcome as well! Assume characters have heard about it through the grapevine, but especially on Sept. 1 as Cao Pi makes the rounds and tells people this is happening. He will have a moment to orate but after that the floor is open, threadjacking is encouraged, and whatever comes of this is a complete free-for-all!
warnings: probably some discussion of character death. lmk if I need to edit this.

Despite the fact that Will Ingram's messages providing further information were yet to come, Cao Pi had made a public promise and he would hold himself to it, carrying out his meeting as described. At moonrise on the 2nd, he is already present in the town hall, hoping to see not just those who told him they would be there, but also some of the unfortunate newcomers freshly thrown into this situation. He had done his best to prowl around the Invincible and the bonfire, mentioning that the meeting would happen, but he still had to rely on word of mouth to do its work.

When he decides there are enough people present to begin, the Lord of Wei steps up before the assembly, clearing his throat importantly. "For better or worse," he begins, "we are a community. A town, if we are not a country. The hints and cryptic comments from the Lighthouse Keeper have suggested that we have a job to do, but we're still waiting on information as to what it is and why - why us, why the dead stolen from their worlds or their respective afterlives. But the recent mission to connect the Keeper to the network our tablets can access has shown a number of weaknesses that may hamper our ability to do any job, let alone the one which will keep us all from being permanently obliterated." Is that harsh? Too bad. He doesn't care. "We know a few things for certain. One, that we must carry out the purpose which the Keeper understands and encourages. Two, if we fail in any way, she will kill us all by ordering the spirits to destroy us. Three, the spirits deep in the forest are not just her weapon against us, but they have their own will and may attack or destroy anyone who simply wanders out too far. Our explorations have uncovered a number of things but not everything, by far. If you are new or simply haven't kept up on the recent developments, the record is here." He holds out a hand to the logbooks kept there in the town hall.

"I've asked you here to discuss the issues facing us in Beacon, and to offer up any ideas for how to solve those issues. There are quite a few of them, some that even I, perhaps, haven't considered yet. Please be orderly and take your turns, but I should like to hear from everyone. Whether you have questions, or have an idea you wish to share, please. Speak up. We will all be better for the sharing of ideas and discussion of pros and cons, rather than just waiting and hoping that someone will take charge and give us orders."

With that, he steps aside, inviting anyone and everyone to come up and speak. Or simply rise from their seat and speak. The floor is open, Beacon, use it to say things that you might not want anyone connected to the network to overhear. Sass the Keeper, gush about the Postmaster, whatever you want. Hopefully by the end of it all, someone might have some plans that can be brought about. For his part, Cao Pi is not putting himself up as any sort of authority or the one actually in charge, he literally is only there as organizer and moderator and nothing else. At least, so his cool half-smirk and perfect manners would suggest...

Comments

[axegirlfriend]

Yeah, sort of.

[He flexes his hands. He could be more specific, probably, but does he want to? Not really, because his life is a series of endless embarrassments.]

I could probably do that, yeah. I mean, I can't really promise perfection but I've had to repair some of my own tools enough that I could probably manage...

[itselbitch]

[ that's actually really reassuring. there's a quality to wood that can't be replaced. and if this guy has fixed up some of his own tools, it probably means he understands the weight and shape it takes to hold it all together too. or at least for things like his tools, which is better than any stick eliot could shape. ]

Do you need special tools to work with? I mean. You probably didn't come here with them, right? Your tools.

[ sorry, did you want to leave this conversation? because eliot isn't going to let you. ]

[pure_havoc]

As to that second question, Cao Pi's eyes shift rather deliberately toward Rosinante's tall figure over there. He doesn't know who died and came back this most recent round, but he sure as hell knows that dude did once and could tell you all about it. "...you'll have to ask them, I haven't personally pried into their experiences."

But the rest, he knows about. "It was to connect the Lighthouse Keeper, who is more or less the one who controls the resets, to the network of tablets. She was out of contact and needed the access. It was a worthy cause, but it came at great price. The man who planned and organized the whole thing is dead, and has not returned. The others were divided into parties for protection. They disappeared in the forest, and given the savage spirits which attacked us here, it is likely they were killed by the same."

[policier]

Very well.

( It's not as if Javert can refuse her. Mary may be a child, too small to fight, and too young for it to sit well on anyone's conscience, but she still must learn how to defend herself. Javert seems to consider it for a moment before saying, )

I shall teach you, but not with weapons. You are much too young for that.

after the meeting

[worthallthis]

[The Soldier has been watching and listening to the meeting from outside, because no way in hell is it going inside with all those people all crammed together. That's a recipe for a knife outbreak, right there.

But the Soldier does like Javert's idea. And when the inspector is leaving, it's waiting outside in a military-style parade rest, lantern at its feet, metal arm reflecting a little in the light.

Without preamble, it reports,]

I can teach. Hand to hand, knives, knife throwing, guns. How to fall, how to block, how to dodge. Just tell me when.

[policier]

We won't know unless we ask.

( And Javert will ask, if he has to. It may be a little disconcerting, having one man come up and request a near arsenal of weapons, but Javert doesn't care. He's a police officer, it's fine. )

He has procured weapons for people before. As far as firearms go, though, we can make the bullets ourselves. We only need the proper casts and materials. Do you know how to use a bow, monsieur? I admit I have never learned.

[axegirlfriend]

Yeah...I have an axe but that's it, nothing else was on me when I got, uh, you know.

[Munched, basically. Tools is also starting to not feel like it's a real word anymore.]

There isn't a whole lot to choose from at the store right now, but I can make due. I figure I can talk to, um, Rastus? About getting some more specific things...

[withsadness]

Okay! Weapons when I'm older!

[It's a funny joke because haha she's never getting older. It's fine, she'll get someone to teach her how to play with knives, surely.]

When can we start? I'm excited!

[withsadness]

Could Mary possibly get any happier and prouder of herself than in this moment? Probably, but she'd be pretty hard-pressed. To be honest, she wasn't sure if anyone would listen to her if she decided to come to the meeting--at least not in any real, concrete way. But people are putting down ideas, and telling her they like what she's suggested! And they mean it! This is incredible!

Naturally, she's beaming from ear to ear as he picks a crayon and gives the welcoming committe a tally. "Hooray! Thank you!" She clasps her hands together. "Blue is a pretty color. I have a lot that I like, too, but my favorite is red. I'm going to bring this with me at every meeting, so if you think of anything new later, you can always come back to add your idea!"

[pure_havoc]

I do. [quite naturally proud of it, too] I've been trained in archery as well as swordsmanship, both mounted and on foot.

You are correct, though, inspector. First step is to ask Master Rastus. If he says no, then we can deal with how to make things ourselves.

[with builders and crafters coming out of the woodwork, that may not be as daunting a task as he thought at first]

[pure_havoc]

[WHAT A FIND! He's so pleased that this shy fellow spoke up]

We will need that. After all, we have this whole town to our use, if we could only fix up the buildings to make them habitable and usable.

[originallutece]

We aren't speaking of literal doors.

[pure_havoc]

[a fellow king you say...]

All of these things are needed, and sooner rather than later. In the absence of tacticians, it may fall to people like us. [you know, kings who listened well to their tacticians] Are you versed in the use of the tablets given to us, at all?

[he really thinks the network can totally be of use but you know, third century China wasn't big on the internet]

[policier]

It would seem so.

( He's honestly a bit overwhelmed, but in a good way. It means people are taking this seriously, and he's thankful for that. He doesn't want to witness another pointless massacre, not again. )

If you wish to show me what you know, I can show you how to improve. Practice is just as important as learning, and both of us can benefit from that.

[pure_havoc]

[if it were possible for Cao Pi to vibrate with excitement, he would be right now. This guy...he's practically a Han retainer right out of the gate. Don't worry Jason, there've been younger than you in his own army before...]

So you're saying you have experience organizing a military force. A general of sorts, perhaps? That could be extremely useful, particularly as we work to get defenses and protection in place. Moreso than the, ah, flight, although I don't deny a bird's-eye perspective on the town and the forest would exponentially add to our maps and understanding of the land in an instant. Have you attempted your powers at all, since arriving?

[originallutece]

Shall we start tonight?

[The bonus of rooming with her teacher: she can just bother him 24/7 for lessons.]

I'm accurate. I'd like to learn more hand-to-hand combat-- how to defend myself, yes, of course, but offensive as well.

[pure_havoc]

[Thank you Rosalind. He addresses her directly instead of this rude butt over here]

I do not dismiss your expertise, my lady. This is the first I'm hearing of an attempt to escape this land of darkness and death, perhaps most of us were quick to accept our deaths and not question it.

That said...Dr. Ingram and Captain Winters mentioned there being a task we need to complete by existing here. Is there any chance that doing so may be the 'trick' to getting out?

[consecrates]

[ all this talk about putting together committees and learning how to fight and welcoming teams—davina doesn't really want to dip her toes in it, having experience in it and the experience is not necessarily good. and while she's capable of certain spells that could fight and protect, she'd rather not use it when their opponent is the complete unknown.

at the very least, diplomacy towards the spirits is something she'd like to try out this time. she lifts her hand from the sidelines, sitting away from the group that's talking. ]

I can play the piano. [ and figured out how to play the ocarina in a few attempts or so. ] so I'd like to help in this venture.

[moderatelymaladjusted]

Hmm?

[And he doesn't even look up at first, still too caught up in the whole thing about this and when he does, he just sort of blinks at her. Like something caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck. God. Pretty, is all the helpful advice his brain manages to come up with before his attention is snapped back to the room and to the people talking about trying to find some smidgen of reason in madness.]

Uhm? No? It's-- there's-- no one? Sitting there, I mean.

[unpredict]

The lady. Usually it's Kol stirring people up, but seeing Cao Pi do it unintentionally is amusing. But he'll behave, so he doesn't try to rile the lady up anymore.

Despite feeling like he's being baited, Kol doesn't immediately put his hand up. What can he help with? Jokes? Pranks? He hardly doubts what he knows will be helpful, and he sincerely doubts anyone would care to learn it from him. Every time he's had his own independent thought, straying from the council of Elijah and Niklaus, he's ended up punished for it.

In some ways this may be a new start, but Kol has many bad habits and insecurities to shed.

Nodding at the suggestion of unmet skill sets being able to volunteer themselves, he continues easily, "You should consider having more than one person heading each section of this council. More than one medic is going to be needed—" he looks to Clarke and not unkindly continues, "— and I mean no offence, but there's going to be something you don't know that someone else will.

Same with defence, and whatever this training happens to be. If you don't want a reset, then we should use our best resources."

Themselves. Each other. It's common sense to him.

[mutterseelenallein]

[ at least he's speaking up- ]

Do you have any suggestions on what we should build first or gather resources for? You must have an idea or two after seeing the state of the town.

[ not a total condemnation to those before them but she is also surprised by how there's... not much for them to work with, to be blunt. aislin wonders if there'll be any vital items or things he'll note that she or others hadn't thought of trying to acquire. ]

Ignis Scientia | Open

[reigniter]

[As he promised Cao Pi on the network, Ignis arrives to the meeting place, just in time to hear the speech. He doesn't have much to add here. He's never been a type to lead, merely advise, and while he will work with the others, he would probably obey direct orders from one person- even if they clashed with everyone else's opinions.]

Without Captain Winters around, we definitively should have a way of informing new arrivals. It would be easier if we could distribute this information the same way bulletins are sent to every person.

While it makes things less personal, it would be [less biased, Ignis has been fighting this feeling] much quicker and precise.

That being said- I am not a technology person. I can only offer help in writing the summaries and explanations.

[He will not share his opinion on the Keeper unless asked directly about it.]

[sauntered_downward]

I don't think so. But then again, I'm not about to do any sort of task. Not much for doing work for the place that trapped me.

[sauntered_downward]

Where?

[sunborne]

Oh! Maybe Daylight could help here!

But first- Daylight raises his servo, again, before he speaks up. He doesn't want to butt in if someone's going to speak up first. Once he's sure he's not going to trample over anything, he begins with, "I was stationed on the Lornful Light and for each department and its crew, we had a Chief Officer and around two to three Major Officers.

"Chief Officer was the leader overall, sure, but the Major Officers were always selected because they, um, usually had a specialisation or skill that the Chief Officer didn't." Daylight looked nervous at the start of his explanation but the more he spoke, the more confident he sounded as he recalled his experience on the starship. "It helped round them out. Not only that but it helps address the issue mister pointed out: They can give insight and information to things others don't know."

Maybe they could use something similar for their situation.