The Waiting Place is a strange place. It has many, many Interesting Things and also a lot of Bang-ups and Hang-ups. there are Lurches hidden in plain sight and Slumps laying in wait. But there are Wonders and Whizzpings, too, for those brave enough ... or
clever enough to find them. Or maybe they weren't so much discovered as revealed. Or eaten. Or.. something.
Anyhow.
The Waiting Place is a strange place. It has many, many Interesting Things and, in that moment, a few more Interesting Things came in.
And as they did what they did, He smiled eagerly and She whimpered.
It had begun.
Still Waiting...
I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.
You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.
You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.
And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.
What they did in That Place made a difference. Maybe not in the way they expected, but it did. And so, their Actions had Consequences.
The Curious
Your Thread!
Nightshade asked the book if it minded, should she take a peek and it did not reply for a moment, as though thinking, then it's answer was clear.
"You may not." It said and Nightshade, being the well-behaved individual she was, followed the wishes of the book. Then, she turned her attention to the Caterpillar. He looked at her and smiled, nodding his head.
"I'd love to have a chat, but I'm afraid, I must host now! I'll keep you here later, though, when it's all finished, and we can talk for arcs and arcs!!" He seemed pleased at such a prospect.
Tio meanwhile seemed to be quite his usual chipper self as he moved to speak to the happier staircase
"Man?" It asked, with a frown at the question.
"I didn't see a man, but then I didn't see a tear. Everyone sees differently. Different eyes, different perspectives." The staircase looked at Tio with fascination.
"Will you tell me a story? Please?"
Alistair turned his attention to the Big Book of Rune Deciphering. He might find himself amused, or perhaps a little perplexed at it, but he turned his focus there. It started with a Chapter 1. What Runes Are. Runes, it seemed, were the light of fairies, which glittered and were made stronger by wishes. When enough people wished for something at the same moment, a Rune was born. Every time someone said they didn't believe in Fairies, a Rune died. As he read this, he might notice that the Runes on the Desk danced and moved. Careful consideration would bring about the realisation that they were moving in rhythm with his thoughts.
Information Unlocked: Alistair has noticed that he can, in some way, control the environment. He is not yet fully aware of how and no other pc knows or sees this. Therefore, Alistair is the only pc who should act on this at this time.
Ari'sora showed herself as curious by asking the host to answer her question. The Caterpillar smiled at her, kindly.
"You were in the Maze. You know what happened." he said, his voice quiet.
"It started something, and now everything hangs in the balance. You need to end it. One way, or another."
Information Unlocked:Ari'sora's question has provoked an answer that all should be aware of. As the Caterpillar speaks this answer, each pc is completely aware of it. You have a task to do here, until it is done ~ no one leaves.
Sephira sought to find out more in a way unlike any other. She used her magic to do so. As she did, the song of sorrow began. Each individual heard a different song, but Sephira heard them all in a discordant cacophany. This does not stop when you move on to the next thread and will remain, indefinitely. Alongside the sorrowful, mournful noise, those in the room when Sephira did this who are mages, marked or mortalborn all hear a distinct, single "POP"
Information Unlocked: Sephira has unlocked some important information about this place and the way it functions.
Amaris also turned their attention to the Big Book of Rune Deciphering. Chapter 2: Why Runes Are Very Dangerous was the chapter Amaris saw. This Chapter explained that Runes are actually Very Dangerous because, sometimes, they go BANG. When they do this, they rip away the soul of the person touching them and shred their body down to constituent parts.
Information Unlocked: Amaris has some information about Runes which may (or may not) be helpful (or true).
The Culinary
Your Thread!
Cirrina first spoke to Nightshade, then she turned her attention to the Caterpillar. He watched her pick up the piece of
watermelon and he smiled at her question. It wasn't the smile of a creature who was afraid, or ignorant. Instead, it was someone amused.
"I will be, in a moment. Someone will come and think they're even more clever than you. But long term, no. I'm not on the menu" He looked at Cirrina and smiled. He was just a chubby caterpillar, but he was very, very sure of himself.
"You are."
Patrick focused on first looking around and then, the food. Did Lions eat cupcakes? Should they? But then, this was Emea and as weird as Emea got and could get. He did not speak to the Caterpillar and so, the Caterpillar did not speak to him. But the little creature noticed and his gaze flicked over the rude Rharnian with distaste.
Rakvald took it further than even Cirrina had, actually picking up the Caterpillar and eating it. It tasted of nothing but it was crunchy however, within moments Rakvald was feeling increasingly nauseous, dizzy and unwell. He begins to turn a strange shade of
chartreuse. At no point did he, or would he, vomit. He just felt increasingly awful ... and had an urge to chew on some lettuce.
Actions Have Consequences: Rakvald has been poisoned! This is an Emean poison and will impact him in a long term consequence sort of way if he doesn't get cured during this (and related) threads. He is currently feeling awful but over the course of the next few hours he will slowly start to turn into a caterpillar. A talking one, of course.
Maxine at a strawberry, although that was not why she ended up where she did. As she tossed the book to one side, there was a loud hiss from it, and all it's siblings (or, fellow tomes) and Maxine felt a shiver run down her spine. Like, she was cold. Really cold. Very, very cold. And, the tips of the fingers which had flung the book turned icy.
Actions Have Consequences: Max disrespected the books in the library. The books are not happy. She has ice creeping up her - this post it is on the tips of her fingers - then it will be up her hand, then arm etc. She has, effectively, been cursed.
The Generous
Your Thread!
Auya focused on the stairs, on the magnificent craftsmanship and she sat, ice cream cone in hand, and asked how she could help. That seemed to perk up the rather sad staircase and it's eyes turned to the red haired woman.
"You're very kind. I just get so ... you know. Sometimes," he was talking to her. As Auya spoke to the sad staircase, the more she engaged it in conversation the more it became separate and distinct from the other with a clear personality. He looked at her and smiled, sadly.
"sometimes I just feel so downtrodden. I'd like to see a beach.. or a sunset. But no. Just feet, trial in and trial out. I like you."
Eliza meanwhile, focused on remaining well mannered, no matter how very strange the situation.
"Hello!!!" chimed both staircases, in unison. The Caterpillar, though, he gave her a smile and nodded.
"Oh, I'm glad! I like to be a good host! It makes me feel so much better. You're very old, aren't you? What's your secret!?" The small chap chuckled, obviously quite amused by his own jest.
Hart was known here and, he might notice that everything he did was treated with, and responded to, with respect. Wren was afforded what could only be described as reverence. As the books began to sing, the staircases both spoke.
"It has begun" they said, in unison. Whatever "it" was, they didn't seem unhappy about it. The Caterpillar handed Hart a cup of tea (he was the only one who got one) and he looked at Hart, seriously.
"No," he said.
"No one can. Not until you've fixed what you broke. No one will wake up again until then." There was no accusation in the Caterpillar's voice, just a knowledge.
Information Unlocked: Hart's question has provoked an answer that all should be aware of. As the Caterpillar speaks this answer, each pc is completely aware of the reality. Until you have done whatever it is that you have to do here, as people fall asleep on Idalos, they will be incapable of waking up.
The Waiting
You post here!
Praetorum looked at the sphere and he was nearly one of the Curious. But then, he simply looked ~ and in looking he saw ~ but he did not do. So, he did not interact with anything and nothing interacted with him. He saw the vision, then the events which transpired after it. But, he continued to Wait.
Dosan, too was trapped by the sphere. He looked at ~ and in looking he, too, saw ~ but he did not do. So, he did not interact with anything and nothing interacted with him. He saw the vision, then the events which transpired after it. But, he continued to Wait.
Rabu, so nearly stepped into the room of The Curious. But, no, alas, he did not. Instead, he looked, gazing into the sphere. He looked at it ~ and in looking he, too, saw ~ but he did not do. So, although he interacted with the Caterpillar, who waved in delight and thanks to the kind Tunawa, he did not Go Anywhere. Rabu, like the others, continued to Wait.
Kura was the victim of her own words. She acknowledged that she was early and said she would have waited. And so, because here thoughts are deed and deeds are done, Kura continued to wait. When everyone else had gone, she got her cup of tea, though.
Oluwanje fussed and flapped. Asked for help and sat on steps. But he didn't... actually..
do anything. Although the Caterpillar got rid of Asíwàju and smiled, quite pleased with himself. Yet still, Oluwanje Waited.
Geminus sat in the chairs, smiled and Waited.
The Brave
Your Thread!
Nir'wei saw the stairs, he ignored them other than to put his feet on them. he was a mind-maker-upper and he stepped (with great care and tact? Perhaps... but perhaps not) and he walked towards the Exit. The moment that he did, that his mind was made up, he disappeared from the room.
Kesindir made Quite A Mess when he touched the sphere. It fell into all those little bits and then, after exactly seventeen blinks of the eye, the Caterpillar spoke. Only Kes heard him.
"Well done!" The Caterpillar said, his voice showing how pleased he was that Kes had done that.
"They're not trapped any more!" Whatever the Caterpillar meant when he said that was not clear and Kes didn't have time to ask as he disappeared from the room.
Nox saw the stairs, and followed (unknowingly, because Nir'wei had already gone) Nir'wei's lead. He too was a mind-maker-upper and he stepped (with great care and tact? Perhaps... but perhaps not) on the cheery stairs - and he walked towards the Exit. The moment that he did, that his mind was made up, he disappeared from the room.
Mute saw the stairs, he ignored them other than to put his feet on them. he was a mind-maker-upper and he stepped (with great care and tact? Perhaps... but perhaps not) and he walked towards the Exit. The moment that he did, that his mind was made up, he disappeared from the room.
Toraj saw the stairs, he ignored them other than to put his feet on them. he was a mind-maker-upper and he stepped (with great care and tact? Perhaps... but perhaps not) and he walked towards the Exit. The moment that he did, that his mind was made up, he disappeared from the room.
Everyone
People did, people spoke, things happened and noises occurred. Then, one by one and bit by bit, people faded or popped or fizzled from view. Until, all those who were left in the Waiting Place was those who Still Waited. When it was only them, the sphere reformed, silence fell and the room itself seemed hung with an air of tension.
In the windmills of your mind.....