those tangled weeds

[debug_mode]

WHO: weeds
WHERE: Weeds Clubhouse
WHEN: day 55, morning-midday.

[Your Name has a little speech for anyone in the weeds clubhouse common room.]

Okay, everyone! It's been a rough few days for us. Going out into the mist. Rescuing the abducted sheep. Being... controlled, if you were unfortunate enough to have that happen to you. And then the return, and then the ritual to 'punish' us.

Does anyone have anything they particularly want to share? About what they saw, or what they experienced? Maybe... [a long pause and a sigh] ...maybe it's best we were all on the same page.

--Oh, if you're new, my name is Your Name, by the way.

[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]

All good ideas.

Of course, there's the safeguards we have on our side but I doubt there's enough trust to utilize that. If it's even possible.

[debug_mode]

"Safeguards we have on our side?" What do you mean? The sheep?

[jerkalope]

The Wolves can control our collars and our bodies, but not our minds, right? And we found out that we derive our powers from the Wolves...so maybe that means they share the weaknesses too.

[ he narrows his eyes, dropping his voice low ]

Hmm, when you arrived here did you suddenly realize there was a particular word or phrase that seemed sensitive to you?

[debug_mode]

... [she nods]

You're right to whisper about that taboo subject, but yes, everyone has one. However, to my knowledge, no one has ever been 'found out.' Even if you were, a lot of the flocks are so occupied with 'freedom' that they wouldn't use it, unless you were actively a threat. Did you know Shepherds have the power to compel the other sheep to gather around them? A lot of Shepherds don't use it, though.

[jerkalope]

I suspected that of the shepherds. Which is why I wondered if there was any examples of pitting their powers against something like the Wolves' influence. Not saying it would have made a difference, but if Zenith could have stopped you back in the mansion...

[ he makes a shrug, as if to say nothing to be done about that now, but it's still curious isn't it? ]

—it's too big a risk, obviously. When I first arrived I thought it was some sort of safeguard that the Snake put in. Now...

[ now he realizes the Snake is a tiny child way out of his league ]

...we know he borrowed the Wolves' powers. Which could mean our weakness is also theirs. What if the Wolf you fought was their version of a Shepherd? That could suggest the ones the other groups fought have a trigger word as well.

[debug_mode]

The Snake definitely didn't include that as an intended safeguard. He considers it a terrible thing. [At least that's how she's choosing to remember that talk.]

Ahaha. No way am I ever giving any Shepherd that sort of power. You shouldn't either. Even if you 'think' they're trustworthy, or have a healthy personal relationship. Shepherds talk to each other. And, you may find yourself in a situation where you have no choice but to do something, shall we say, "not nice." Then, where will you be?

Let me give you a tip. Truth powers exist beyond what we can do. Do you want a Shepherd to make you confess everything you know about anything? Even if you don't care, someone might.

...But, you might have a point with the wolves. We don't really know anything about them. Are you suggesting we should've said random words to the wolf, in hopes of hitting their 'code word?'

[jerkalope]

[ sounds kind of affronted at the suggestion to just give information like that away ]

Hey, I'm not suggesting you do it. Only that we keep it in mind when stuck between "not nice" choices. If it was really about preventing us from being used against our will, there are easier ways. Like sleep commands...

[ waves a paw like "yeah instant commands to make people sleep, that's normal" ]

And random words wouldn't work in a situation like we escaped from. Too many possibilities, not enough to go on. But it does make me think that's something to ask if we ever have the opportunity to interrogate a Wolf like the ones the others fought. I thought that because they could operate independently they were somehow free of whatever cult nonsense has taken over the flocks. But it seems it just might be a different type of control, and if we can find that out then we'll have the upper hand.