EARLY STORY CHECK-IN

[highsteaks]

WHY ARE THERE SO MANY GHOSTS HERE?

[Chie's handwriting is a messy Japanese scrawl that nonetheless all of the Readers should be able to, well, read.]

Right, sorry, this is Chie Satonaka? Sumire said that last time there was a story, she accidentally did a check-in for everyone in the journals, so I thought maybe I could do one on purpose. Maybe we can pool information about who we know is a story character and who we know is still normal? And figure out what we're here for.

So I'll start. I'm Chie and I'm myself and so is Sumire—we ended up going into the book together and came out in the same place. I think maybe the girl fairy is a story character? I saw someone who looked like she might as a human working at a stall at the festival, along with some other guy I don't recognize in a witch hat. Also Nabiki is definitely a story character because I found her at a booth for one of the gods and she's like nearly twice her regular age and has reading glasses.

OH also Claire is here playing music for money and she asked me if I was a Chosen of the Librarian and I think that's a really good question for us to use to signal we're us if we think we see people we know in the story.

Comments

[keytarheroine]

I admit that I was inspired by the nonsense backstory that Montica came up with for me.

Claire Ryland, for the record. I'm going as far as to go by the alias Lucia Amaranth while I'm here and I am very glad I kept Ryefield's acting skills. If anyone needs help blending in, I'm your girl.

I'm going to volunteer at the church of the Advocate's soup kitchens - he's the god of lawyers, specifically defense lawyers, and they organize most of the mutual aid to the poorer parts of town; I figure it's a good place to gather information about the most vulnerable people here. I heard mention that the Advocate's temple took in those Chosen by a god that later died, the Thing With Feathers, a god of birds and of hope.

Which did not surprise me given the recommended reading, by the way.

[highsteaks]

Oh crap. Did they go berserk like in the reading?

[keytarheroine]

I’m going to check. If they did, it’s probably a very sore subject.

And, uh, mix on using the “Chosen of the Librarian” shibboleth. Someone looking a lot like Sigrid’s human form said “oh, send them to the Galanos clothing tent, my husband studies different gods.” Maybe we shouldn’t have a large, suspicious population claiming to follow the Librarian.

[curzed]

I have to agree. Painting a metaphorical target on all of us when inevitably something goes wrong seems to be unwise.

[keytarheroine]

We’re going to need to find another way to signify we’re Readers to each other. This check-in might do, honestly.

Also, yes, Sigrid Galana is Siobhan Greenwood. The town of Goodfort near Salmon Lake and the Greenwood Forest are all remixes of Beauforte, the Lachfuss and the Verdholtz, the same way I somehow did security for the Laurelthirst in Montica.

[curzed]

This checkin will do. Other than that perhaps start a book club. Involving false gods in a place that believes in them, when there's a conflict going on between said 'divines', is a very poor strategy.

None of those locations mean anything to me. Are they relevant to the Story at hand or merely a "fun coincidence"?

[keytarheroine]

They’re taken from Siobhan’s history, but probably not otherwise relevant. The action will happen in the city of Two Rivers.

[curzed]

If it's not relevant then I don't care. If we have a Story based on her and her reality then this will prove relevant and dispense knowledge then. Before then, it's meaningless clutter; focus on what is relevant: our predicament, identifying each other, and finding our wayward Editors trapped in other lives.

[defyingreality]

Yeah, I agree. Unfortunately not all of us can say we're from the same area with a local god as a cover. I know my clothing is extremely different enough, but that's probably not the same for the rest of the Editors not swept into the Story.

I'm easy enough to find - just look for a poor not Veiled fortune teller.

[curzed]

I'll be looking, in that case. What do you use for divination? Do you need something else to wear? I'm certain someone here can find you something.

[defyingreality]

No, I'm good for now, though I think I will need to have something more local flavored later on.

I will need something other than these smoke quartz glasses for my eyes. They're far too distinctive for blending in, and I can't go without covering for my eyes.

[highsteaks]

Oh. Um. I've already done it a few times already. Hopefully that won't come back to bite us on the butt, I guess.

[keytarheroine]

I think a handful of us that doesn't make it clear that there's a huge group is fine. That's on me for not thinking of this earlier.

[highsteaks]

Right, right. Makes sense.

[aetherweaver]

I've heard similar in relation to the Thing. I'm getting by with more or less saying I'm a paladin - which I am - though I don't quite know who to say I'm a paladin of...

I'm not surprised to hear of a god dying, but it seemed to have affected people. How, I'm not quite sure. Most people don't seem to want to talk about it.

[keytarheroine]

I think it might be okay to talk about our own gods, or, like, our own mythology, so long as we don’t refer to one we can all be identified by.

I’m going to speak of my sisters who are called to the Maidensong, if I’m pressed on my background.

Endwalker alliance raid spoilers

[aetherweaver]

That's... a problem. Considering the gods are pretty much all dead where I'm from.

Though I suppose that means they won't care much about me using their names.

[wantinghope]

Katara is going to SPIDERMONKEY, or more accurately Momo to her face. Because she has no idea what she's supposed to be doing. ]

Can I join you? I am not good at being someone else. [She's good at being herself, though!]

[keytarheroine]

The trick is to know the subtle things who you’re pretending to be has in common with you.

You know, what’s it like to be like you.

I’d be happy to help out anyone who needs to settle in. Do you have a place to stay? If not, the Advocate’s temple has a hostel.

[wantinghope]

I don't know! I'm just...me! [Give her a second, she'll get over the frustration.] It's like the game back at the party, kind of? Where I'm someone else?

We're supposed to get information, right? See how it matches the readings?

[She will file that away. A place to stay is good!] Can anyone go there or do I have to say you sent me?

[keytarheroine]

You mean the tabletop game? A little, or like acting in a play. In this case, “If I were from here, what would I be like?”

The hostel is open to anyone willing to do some chores there. I’m given to understand that the Advocates followers want to help as many of the poorest people in the city as they can.

[wantinghope]

Yes! I learned some of it at the party. [And if anyone messed with her Kobold archer who lost her sister, she will RIOT.]

I guess if I were from here I'd just be normal. Well. I mean, I don't have a family here. And I can't really do any bending if they don't have it here, so I guess I'm just a regular person?

[keytarheroine]

…I don’t think I know what you mean by bending. Tell me a bit about it?

And all of that makes sense to me. Normal kid, possibly orphaned, hence the need to stay with the Advocate until you get your bearings.

And if you can sing or dance a little, I can use that as an excuse for Lucia to take you under her wing.

[wantinghope]

It's...bending? It's something each tribe does differently. I'm from a waterbending tribe. I can...uh, make water do things?

It's easier to show than explain. [Well, at least for her.] Fire benders can summon fire and even lightning!

That's a good cover story. I can try to dance? I watched the Kyoshi Warriors for a while.

[keytarheroine]

I'll be happy to teach you more at the Advocate's temple.

And I would love to see a demonstration of waterbending. Though maybe not in public, until we know what the local magic can do.