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

[mutterseelenallein]

[ ah.

while she's... uncertain of the spirits, given the incidents of both the lighthouse and the party, this subject is something she finds herself more comfortable tackling. the idea of leadership and taking control of things tire her. it's something she knows but-

refocusing her attention to the man who had just spoken, aislin speaks up herself, ] I'm Aislin Abendroth and I play the violin. I can help if there's a way for me to help here.

This sheet music you're talking about... Can you describe it a bit more? Does it have a composition already written on it? If so, can you tell what the genre is?

[lunchbreaks]

Oh, good. Excellent.

[ He pulls out a few scraps of paper and unfolds them. ]

I transcribed the messages from the instructions here with their notes - I haven't been able to discern anything yet about their syntax but I thought if it might be feasible to ask them to describe objects we have, then perhaps we could have a dictionary and work on less concrete subjects from there.

[lunchbreaks]

Ah, yes, sorry, what I meant was we were given those instructions and little ... bits of song, and I transcribed them to paper. Hardly more than a bar each, I wouldn't say they had much of a genre, barely a jingle.

It is nice to meet you though, Aislin, and your help would be much appreciated - I've got the instructions on my phone if you'd like a listen!

[itselbitch]

An axe is good. The trees won't fell themselves out here. [ nor will they debranch themselves and chop themselves up into nice useable boards, but that's another matter. at least the general store has saws too. ] And they're great weapons, according to. Well. Way too many horror movies.

Wouldn't you need something like a workbench too? Or is that just like. What the internet wants me to think?

[originallutece]

My laboratory. It's not too far from here.

[sauntered_downward]

I'll be there.

[pure_havoc]

Cao Pi smiles very slightly and accept the correction with a meager bob of his head. Really, it's a title of honor for when he doesn't know someone's name but now he has a name, so. No harm, no foul. At least it seems they're all coming around to more or less agreeing on a process.

To Daylight, though, he raises a finger in caution. "I wouldn't want to go so far as to install a military hierarchy. I too have generals, subordinates, and so on, but it doesn't seem necessary for a population as small as this. Still, if anyone on the council wants to recruit deputies to assist them, that sounds fine to me.

"Then," he says quite robustly, content with the conclusion, "all that remains is to actually put forth, in public, a call to volunteer. As with this meeting itself I would do it if no one else takes up the cause, but if someone else would like to, by all means." A huuuuuuge smirk crosses his face. "I have been told that some people might not like the way I speak to them."

[pure_havoc]

[he doesn't have much to add but he's still going to say something]

Likewise. These tablets seem useful, so if there is anyone capable of making the most of them, by all means. [seeing as Will ain't gonna do it...]

[reigniter]

[With Winters gone, Will is the only one left to manage everything. Rastus doesn't count, he already has hands full with orders and deliveries. So Ignis won't hold this against Will.]

We do need to discuss security, however. Someone mentioned forest spirits with green eyes on the network. Have you heard of them?

[In all of the chaos, Ignis didn't notice anything like that- for better or for worse.]

[consecrates]

[ davina gets up from her seat to move closer, lifting her lantern and peering curiously at the papers he's brandished. it's the same ones that robin has sent via network but it's helpful that it's written down on paper. ]

We could do that, [ she says thoughtfully with a tilt of her head. ] But the spirits don't use ocarinas to communicate so we'll need to translate their manner of speaking to music. [ with her last interaction with them, they were cooing and bellowing. ] ... Should we try the library and see if there's anything that can help?

[lunchbreaks]

"Oh, Robin, right? I see," he says, as he contemplates this for awhile. Well, it seemed that their venture had at least been successful, if perilous. He supposes he should be grateful for the sacrifice - but what kind of sacrifice was it? Would they end up in another purgatory, or would they have moved on to the afterlife?

He hopes it's the latter. He hopes Winters has found peace.

"Could you tell me more of the spirits? All the ones in the town seem so very cordial. Well, maybe not cordial. But at the very least, they don't seem... violent."

[colonists]

She tries not to bristle at Kol's point about her shortcomings as a doctor — as well as she tries not to be obvious about sneaking a furtive glance at Cao Pi, for that last comment — because it is a good point, and she manages to stifle anything said prematurely in response with a nod and a purse of her lips. Clarke will always be the first to admit she doesn't know everything, regardless of how she prides herself on using her mind to get her out of trouble.

"I think you should do the honors," she offers to Cao Pi. "If you don't mind doing so." She doesn't really think he'll mind all that much.

[lunchbreaks]

Oh, yes, that would be very useful. I've been looking at all the astronomical and geography books, hadn't thought the musical ones would be of any use.

But yes, we should start there!

[pure_havoc]

I saw them, while Kuai Liang and I were doing our best to evacuate the bonfire square. At a distance, though, so I can say nothing more than I saw the eyes. You may want to ask someone who came back from the mission.

[for the second time he looks rather deliberately toward Rosinante]

[pure_havoc]

Zihuan shrugs very slightly. "They are difficult to qualify, but you are mostly correct. The real danger seems to be from spirits who keep to the forest." He pauses, and decides he really doesn't care if this information prejudices anyone against the Keeper because, well, it's true. "The lighthouse blew a horn and it sent every spirit within hearing into a frenzy. Some panicked and fled, some turned catatonic, and some turned vicious and attacked. In the chaos, spirits which may have been friendly before reacted in terrible ways, there was no way to tell which of them would be afraid and which would turn violent."

[callada]

Spirit wards? Not sure that'll work here like you're used to, but it could be worth a try.

[Consider him doubtful, but he doesn't let his cynicism slip through in his voice too much. Instead, he nods, encouraging. Hell, it isn't like he knows any better than anyone else here what works and what won't, he's just not used to all this magic stuff some people seem to have. He'll keep his pistol at the ready.]

We can't really make much use of the usual things like lookout towers with all this darkness, but trenches and walls and traps might still be helpful.

[saibot]

"What's to stop her from inevitably doing so regardless?" The voice from someone who was mostly certainly not there moments earlier came from directly behind Crowley.

It also sounded very raspy, which was probably a side effect of being un-dead or something.

Noob Saibot himself was barely visible wearing all black like it was going out of style. His solid white eyes stood out the most in the perpetual darkness of the town.

"From the sounds of it, she uses the reset-button" or whatever "any time she sees fit. I highly doubt our actions would do much to deter someone with that kind of power."

[sauntered_downward]

Crowley stays lounging, looking up at the eerie, downright frightening being with a casual sort of look. He reminds Crowley of the demons he's seen in Hell, actually, and for some reason that makes him feel a bit more at home. Always better the Devil You Know and all that.

"Hi," he says.

"So what do you think then?" he says, giving his fingernails a gentle pick. "We make sure she can't set the reset button anymore?"

[saibot]

"Killing her would solve that problem though I doubt the others here would be open to the idea," he responded and somewhere behind him his shadow shrugged not that it could really be seen.

Being the show off that he is, he used a shadow portal to walk through both parts of Crowley and the chairs like none of them were there at all.

"Alternatively she could just be removed from the lighthouse. If that's where the power to reset the world lies, then simply taking that over would be another option."

[sauntered_downward]

Crowley watches the person walk through him, and raises an eyebrow, as if to say, Neat.

Conversely, Crowley remains lounging on the chair.

"Well, we don't need everyone's approval now, do we? We just need a few good people to go out on a mission to sort this business out, don't we? Go up there and see what she's about."

[consecrates]

Thanks. [ another quick smile, before davina takes a sit and refocuses on the talk before them. there are still people coming in to join, taking note of their names and their faces—at least those who decided to introduce themselves. she considers the conversation about the committees and the councils, the questions about who should lead or who should be a part of these committees.

someone mentioned about medical services and then someone offered defence classes. she wrinkles her nose, her forehead creasing as something crosses her mind. ] ... Shouldn't someone list the names to make this more official?

[policier]

( Funny that he should mention that, because Javert's job description is anything but realistic. He's not just an inspector, but a commissaire, a police spy, and every branch of the police rolled into one, for plot convenience. When the younger man speaks, Javert levels him a cold stare. )

You speak as if I cannot do multiple things at once. Rest assured, I can.

( The more he has to do, the better, to be honest. Javert cannot stand idleness. It may be his job to investigate leads, but it is also his duty to protect the public, and this is how he is going to accomplish that. As for the other the question, )

I am proficient in hand-to-hand, swordsmanship, and firearms. ( He addresses that to the rest of the crowd, as well. ) And yes, I am looking to go on an expedition, but that's a conversation for another time.

[callada]

"The library is a good choice. I don't know where people hid on that side last time, but the library stands out better than one of the cabins and should hold plenty of people," he agrees with a nod.

"Ideally then we can have people post to the network once they've arrived at one of those places. But when the network is down, at least those present can get a sense of who else is with them. Unless anyone disagrees, I think this should be something we let all new arrivals know - these two key points to meet up in case of trouble."

[callada]

All good points, Sir. My name is Rosinante. Last time I ended up making supply runs for the people staying at The Invincible so we could treat anyone with injuries. If we establish the library as the secondary location for anyone on the other side of the bridge, we'll want to make sure supplies are stocked there, and inventory kept.

Defenses, though.

[He interrupts himself to take a drag from his cigarette. This is something he's only thought a little on. Agrees it's needed, but isn't sure where to start.]

The darkness means our range is limited. Watchtowers aren't practical. Luckily, the spirits don't have much other than teeth and claws and sheer numbers. What sort of basic defenses were you used to in your kingdom?

[originallutece]

[She's rather pleased by that respect in his tone, honestly.]

Not that I know of. But Captain Winters and Dr. Ingram weren't thinking of the same things I am. Mine is an option, and even then, one I don't know I could complete in two years time. I'll still work on it, but it may be better to focus on their task.