weed cheat sheet

[debug_mode]

WHO: the weeds
WHERE: the weeds clubhouse, of course!
WHEN: Day 80, idk, sometime after the mingle but not too late in the day.

[There was a ritual that was terrifying, so that called for a meeting.]

Okay, everyone! There was a ritual yesterday, which was actually rather terrifying. Only myself and Apple were present, so it's no surprise if you didn't know about it.

[a little bit of a sigh and nervous shrug.]

That said, I can see we've got a few new faces and maybe some old who don't know the patterns. You may not know what to expect if you appear at, or are otherwise summoned to a ritual and are expected to participate. So, listen to me. I've been around for a while. I can help you prepare.

[she clears her throat!]

Rituals for weeds split up into several types. The first type is "we weeds are separate and apart from the sheep, the sheep are doing the work." The second type is "we weeds are placed in the same situation as the sheep, we share in their situation and possibly their punishment." The second type was practically unheard of until after every flock needed to travel into the mist to save a hostage. However, it does exist. These can be 'fun' and harmless, or very dangerous. The harmless ones are more social in nature, and are usually a free-for-all. For example, a ritual where everyone was a bartender and we were given the chance to judge every flock for their talents at mixing drinks.

Let's split these up further. In the case of the first type, there are two other types of rituals. "Those we passively watch as spectators," and "those we can actively influence." They're both equally common. The first usually includes some sort of predicting or 'betting' element, where if we predict what the sheep are going to do, we get a reward. But, ones where we simply watch all the way through are possible, too. As for the second, it can be a universal "we can change things to be more difficult, or possibly easier, for the sheep," or a limited "you can choose to give the sheep an obstacle."

You may have noticed the sheep that 'win' get rewarded after the ritual is over, even if it is just 'everyone revives and is no longer injured.' With us, we tend to get a 'participation' award no matter what we do. There have been exceptions, and they're generally speaking rewards for being more... 'active'.

[She lets that hang there.]

At any rate, I don't think the sheep realized at first what, or who, was altering rituals, or if it was even happening. But, they're aware weeds have their own roles in rituals now. So, if you're in a situation where you know you hold a great amount of power, possibly over life and death, and that you're anonymous, and that therefore there's absolutely no consequences for how you use it... try to be responsible? Ahaha...

[she said, guiltily.]

...Anyway! I hope that helps you understand more about weeds roles in rituals. If you take away anything, it should maybe be this: be glad you're not a sheep, because you're a lot less likely to die or be maimed.

Oh, and that our consolation prizes are usually alcohol. Which you can use, or trade as you see fit.

Thanks for the listen. Good luck, and let's be careful out there. It's a dangerous world.

[General post for weeds! Feel free to ignore Your Name's speech and have your own thread, at whatever time or place around the clubhouse.]

Comments

[jerkalope]

[ sits up at this new attention ]

Ho~ A new Weed and a ritual? I apparently missed a lot.

[manwhofelltoearth]

This ritual stuff is one hundred percent new to me.

As are talking animals, actually.

[jerkalope]

You'll get used to both of them. But there's no comparison as my conversation is far more entertaining!

I take it you don't have jackalopes where you're originally from?

[manwhofelltoearth]

Not outside of cryptozoology we don’t. Ah, it’s an honor. You’re very fluffy.

[jerkalope]

So you've heard of us, that makes you smarter than most! Even get a special classification. I'm Warden. And I am very fluffy, but I also have magnificent horns.

Have you picked out a name yet?

[manwhofelltoearth]

I’m giving it a day or two to percolate, though I’m accepting suggestions. What made you pick ‘Warden’?

[jerkalope]

That would depend on what you want to represent about yourself. That is if you don't have some kind of amnesia on top of forgetting your name!

For example, someone suggested 'Warden' because it's my job. Back home I supervise prisoners, and you might say it's one of the things I'm good at. Overseeing and keeping watch.

[manwhofelltoearth]

Ah, no, no. My memory’s fine and dandy other than my name—and a tendency to misplace keys, but that’s completely normal.

And see, Warden sounds dignified. You’re a guardian of something! Though I wasn’t expecting that something to be a jail, truth be told.

But I’m a priest, which doesn’t lend itself so well to, er, everyday monikers.

[jerkalope]

It's a very dignified jail, I assure you. No weird rituals or outside demons, just the inner ones of the prisoners as they wrestle with their choices!

As for priest, well, if you want to avoid the "Daddy" undertones, we'll skip "Father" and "Padre"...

You could go with "Bishop," "Monk," "Abbot," or "Friar"? Or even "Rector," but we have too many juvenile minded souls here for that to be mistaken for something else, hehehe.

[manwhofelltoearth]

You’re not wrong!

Mostly I think I want a non-titular name, though. Force of habit, you know? Otherwise I’ll just say the title and then fumble around trying to figure out the empty space after it.

[jerkalope]

Fair enough! Many here put a lot of emphasis on their name, annnd some just name themselves whatever they feel hungry for.

Are you fond of your religion? Maybe pick a name from that. They have tons, epochs even. Although Cain's already taken by another Weed, and I'm sure he has normal family issues about it.

[ said like he does not believe Million "McMurder Genocide" Knives has normal family issues ]

[manwhofelltoearth]

[with no particular pause or shift in his cheerful expression]


I’m sorry, what did you say?

[jerkalope]

[ stands up on his hind legs and gestures with his collared paw to indicate a tall bipedal height ]

There's someone with the name Cain already here. Little below your height. White hair, sour expression. Not the friendliest of us, but also not the most psychotic!

[ which probably begs the question on a scale how psychotic does he think the guy is ]

So unless you want to be purposefully confusing, you might want to skip naming yourself that one. But don't worry, you still have plenty of others. Seth, Isaac, Jonah, I'm partial to John myself but not for biblical reasons.

[manwhofelltoearth]

[well that’s an obvious nonmatch for who he’s looking for, and if it were that person he’d have forgotten the name Cain. files it away for future reference though]

I’ve a few too many close colleagues whose parents were Biblically-minded to make this easy. Let’s just go with ‘Father’ for the immediate future, and I’ll introduce myself properly in a couple of days.

[jerkalope]

You look pretty Catholic, but no Puritans friends, right? Some really take it out on their kids by giving them names like "Fly-Fornication" and expecting them not to get bullied.

[ settles back down onto all fours ]

Well, hopefully this will be an easier couple of days than some newbies, Father. You can sit back, take in the lay of the land, maybe run a confessional or two...

[manwhofelltoearth]

Plenty of puritan sensibilities, but no actual Puritans, no.

…you think folks would actually come to some stranger’s confessional?

[jerkalope]

We're in a confined area with lots of emotionally fraught situations and individuals who have bad coping skills.

I'm saying you would have a line out the confessional door.

[manwhofelltoearth]

Ah. Hm.

[envisioning it]

Looking for advice more than absolution, I suspect.

[jerkalope]

Yeah. I consider myself an open-minded jackalope but you're going to have a hard sell for a monotheistic god when you've got demons and demi-gods wandering around here. How's your moral quandary advice?

[manwhofelltoearth]

No one’s ever come back to complain to my face about it, so it can’t be that bad.

[jerkalope]

That, or whatever you advised resulted in some morally corrupt action they could never admit to a living soul.

But I'm sure it's more likely the first one!

[manwhofelltoearth]

I feel like being a prison warden has perhaps given you a very particular view of human nature.

[jerkalope]

Oh, it definitely has. A very interesting one too! Let's just say when prisoners confess their sins in my prison, what they say and what they reveal within their innermost self aren't always a match.

But your way can be very useful! Have you heard of the Pygmalion effect, Father?

[manwhofelltoearth]

Vaguely…? Something something expectation affecting reality?

[jerkalope]

A positive expectation affecting reality. Believe the best in someone and they're more likely to at least try and meet your idealistic goals.

My view of human nature trends to the negative side because I deal with criminals. And their view of my prison is more often than not a negative experience because I'm holding them accountable to their worst deeds. It doesn't matter if this man was a doctor who saved countless lives, he killed someone and that's what he's faced to account for in prison.

However, you're someone promising salvation instead of punishment! Sure, they may all be sinners of the worst kind, but you've got a magical judge who will forgive them as long as they play by your religion's rules. You tell them, sure, they're a sinner but they're also able to become more than that. It's the whole basis for your recruitment, right?