[elevator] [sphinx]

[guillotineroom]

[ When you open your eyes again the first thing that you, and your teammates, may notice is that you are confined within an iron cage, rectangle in shape. Further inspection will reveal that outside of the cage is a large structure of sorts, reaching far above you. It kind of looks like an unfinished clock tower, really... there are spots that look finished and bolted tightly, and others that look like they had been left once and the work never thought of again.

Also, it's pretty chilly. You might get to notice that.

It's foggy and windy—the kind of wind that howls and roars, jostling your cage against the tall shaft, and every so often you feel as though you might have had the ghost of a raindrop on you. The tower-like build creaks horribly ominously in the wind, and you can see the rusted metals swaying slightly. But if you decide to look around...

Flapping above you (and not helping with the wind) is a harpy-like creature, iron chains wrapped around their talons. Though, maybe it's more like a lion? The chains are bolted to the top of your cage. There are also little indicators on the structure, the same distance apart, that seem to be declaring different levels or heights. They look horribly unhappy to be here, but they're also impressive at ignoring any call you might have for them.

There's a door to the cage, but it won't open, even if it's just a simple-looking locking mechanism. If you peer out, it's too foggy on the ground to make out very much, but you can make out nine other, tower-like structures with similarly flapping harpies. Each one, including your own, has an emblazoned emblem of every team's patron monster, so that you can see where everyone is—it's just difficult to make out exactly who may be in each one. Even more difficult to try and communicate like this.

Attached to the door is an aged metal panel with a screen and four buttons; two to choose between the team names that appear on the dark green and black screen, and two to choose whether you wish for that team to go up or down.

After a moment, a little speaker in the corner starts playing an incredibly bad quality version of this.]

Comments

Re: DISCUSSION

[pagereturner]

[Eventually, Yu Junghyeok gets tired of second guessing himself and debating and listening to the debating and just says:]

We should raise Tsuchigumo and lower Kraken.

Nobody has touched Tsuchigumo the entire game except us. We just saw what happened to Nymph, which means the teams at 7 aren't immune from getting raised.

If we can't predict what other teams are going to do, the only thing we have left is the patterns of what have unfolded so far. Which means Kraken isn't safe, but Tsuchigumo probably is.

[davincible]

I would agree with raising Tsuchigumo, but I'd be considering lowering ourselves or Basilisk more. I doubt most teams will want to touch Kraken, given all their efforts to lower them this far. If we're sure people will leave Unicorn alone, given their high status...

[ She shrugs from where she's chilling by Ingo. ]

In the end, we've learned we can't predict all that much.

[ambiography]

We can't be positive they'll be left alone or that they'll lower themselves to be safe if they aren't, but they should. With any luck that'll save them from being picked once.

Their position does still worry me, though. I'd say it makes sense for most of us up here to choose their own team, but it's not as if we're sold on it ourselves.

[pagereturner]

If you really want to know my tiebreaker between Kraken and Basilisk, it's that Kraken appears to have five children on it.

[ambiography]

That's why I'm willing to choose them again, as well. Otherwise I'd think it would make more sense to pick someone we didn't already lower, but...

[well. hard to leave them at risk.]

[ambiography]

I do agree with Tsuchigumo, but none of us up here have exactly been left alone. If teams at 7 aren't immune then it makes about as much sense for any of us.

I could agree with any of us three or Unicorn.

[pagereturner]

Unicorn should lower themselves. I can't imagine anybody being that lacking in self-preservation skills.

[Says the guy who's currently steadfastly against lowering themselves.]

[ambiography]

Ideally, no, but here we are in the same spot as Nymph, who either got chosen three times or didn't lower themselves and had two votes, and we're not set on it either.

...they really should, so we might have to trust it in the end. I'm willing to take Ingo's word on that.

[hearthwarming]

[ Looking up at Unicorn and then out at where they are, level with Kraken and Basilisk... ]

I agree with raising Tsuchigumo, given what you've said... But I'll support lowering Basilisk or ourselves.

[pagereturner]

[Yu Junghyeok just grunts.]

Basilisk is fine.

[hearthwarming]

Good.

...After all of this is over, I'll have plenty of healing spells to spare for any of us who need it. I promise.

[naturalcauses]

Let's raise Tsuchigumo, sure. I have no preference between Basilisk and Kraken so it's whoever you all think is most likely to need it. I suppose if anyone wants to prioritize a unit for personal reasons that's also a factor, but I have no dog in that fight.

[pagereturner]

It appears to be Basilisk.

[naturalcauses]

So be it. As long as we're in as much agreement as we all can be.

[derailer]

[Muffled from the corner where he has wedged himself, facing away:]

Please... Please stop. If we don't lower Sphinx. At least lower Basilisk? Please? I can't—I can't just let you try to do this again. I can't...

[pagereturner]

[Yu Junghyeok looks at him.]

[He doesn't say anything and, eventually, looks away.]

[derailer]

[He at least can hear the other conversations enough to be relieved to some small degree. He grips onto the bars to break down crying now that he is hopefully safe from talking for real.]

[ambiography]

I'll accept either of those. We did already help Kraken once.

[she's quiet for a few moments.]

...I don't exactly want any of us to just-- have to accept risking ourselves if they're unwilling.

[derailer]

[Oh. Talking is still happening. He struggles to speak normally and without sobbing, with mixed success.]

It is—not as if we are attacking ourselves. As long as we are protecting someone, out of love. Then I will believe that our vote, is being used wisely. And I will believe... that we will be safe. I will believe that we will be safe...

[naturalcauses]

[he's concerned but Da Vinci is there and his last attempt to support Ingo went so poorly so he's just going to hang back]

[derailer]

[The time for making cold-hearted decisions has clearly passed. Either way, for better or worse, Ingo is faced away too steadfastly to notice what people are doing unless they're talking. He is crying to himself now.]

[hearthwarming]

[ Though he's facing outwards, Ori can't bring herself to look at him as she hears him struggle through the words he says the others; and as empathetic as ever... as soon as she starts to hear him cry in earnest, she's unable to keep herself from doing the same. ]

[inklongdry]

Ingo... I am so sorry.

[inklongdry]

I... would also like to lower Basilisk. Someone I care bout greatly is on that team. I will concede, however, if more people are in favor of lowering Kraken or ourselves.

[pagereturner]

[Grunt.]

Fine. Basilisk.