guillotineroom | [elevator] [kraken]

[ 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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay, so... I think we're leaning towards lowering Cerberus this time, because they're probably going to focus on trying to help Nymph, who are just as high, if I know anything about them. And raise one of the lower teams, since Lear brought up that it would take a whole lot of teams focusing on one of the lowest to put them in danger and there's three of them.

Nobara also brought up that it might be better to choose a team with more connections so they have a better chance of help next round, which I think would be Bugbear or Basilisk, and wants us to each pick one. We can go with majority.

I... said Basilisk, but we want to hear everyone else's thoughts. Also I'm okay with lowering ourselves next time if people target us.

[ She hates all of this ]

This is all logically sound.

[ a thoughtful pause, as he crosses his arms and thinks. ]

I do not have strong opinions between either of those two teams. If you want to avoid bloodshed, then we should choose the team with the most connections, and also the one that is likely to think to try to protect themselves.

You'll have to pick for yourself, like I had to. But that's why we ruled out Tsuchigumo... it doesn't feel like they have as many connections. Bugbear and Basilisk should have a lot of connections by now, though I don't know if they'll try to lower themselves or a higher team because of those connections.

[ hmmm hmm hmmm. ]

They are both in the same position, and they both have connections...

Are you aware of any alliances or what-have-you that they have?

Bugbear's probably allied with Cerberus or something close to it... I think Basilisk also has an alliance, but I don't know who with.

Is it likely Bugbear would choose to use their lower on Cerberus, rather than themselves?

They might, but I don't know... they might be worried about a lot of people targeting them for being on the lowest level too.

Hmmm.

We should pick the one who is most likely to use their lower on themselves in preparation for that possibility.

Which is more tactically minded? Which is less selfless? I am still new here, so I am unfamiliar with the team dynamics.

(no subject)

fanstheflames - 2022-11-06 21:13 (UTC) - Expand

hijinked - 2022-11-06 21:14 (UTC) - Expand

fanstheflames - 2022-11-06 21:15 (UTC) - Expand

hijinked - 2022-11-06 21:16 (UTC) - Expand

fanstheflames - 2022-11-06 21:19 (UTC) - Expand

hijinked - 2022-11-06 21:20 (UTC) - Expand

I agree with Basilisk.

[even though he also hates this.]

Okay, noted.

[ we can hate this together ]

I would not argue with Basilisk, but I feel Bugbear has more connections on the outside.

I would like to lower Cerberus.

You can pick who you want! We'll just go with majority.

Bugbear, then.

[ It's...logical? But also Basilisk is in much the same position as Bugbear. ]

I vote Bugbear for raising, but my personal opinion is we hold to the idea of lowering who we raise to continue minimizing our damage.

I won't argue that hard against lowering Cerberus if that's what the majority wants to do though.

That's what I want to do, at least-- I'm pretty sure Rupert and Venat want to do that, too. But that's two for Bugbear and two for Basilisk so far...

So it's a tie so far.

Yeah... well, we should be able to break it between Tsumugi, Megumi and Lear... if, uh, Megumi isn't too cold...

Yeah- do you think you could help keep him warm... ?

Yeah! For both him and you and anyone who needs it!

I don't know... Cerberus is pretty popular. I think everyone will want to lower them.

Will anyone want to plain lower Kraken when we're middling?

Nymph and Phoenix are in danger too, and I'm pretty sure Cerberus won't lower themselves. I can't say for sure a lot of people will want to lower them as much as you think.

But I don't know what people will want to do with us. Ignore us, ideally...

But Cerebus has Minato-kun, and he's the main character! If he dies, the game ends!

Um, Tsumugi... I don't think that's how it'd work...

You can doubt, but it's true.

Which part...? [ never mind. ]

At any rate, we're more in favor of lowering them right now. It's raising that's been the problem...