Get on the Down With Fish bus

[arrowace]

WHO: Lilybells, House Wardens, Azdaja, others??
WHERE: Lily War Room
WHEN: Day 71 morning

[ After a few different discussion, Lily and Bluebell have invited some allies to discuss a problem and make some plans. They've probably put out like. Berries and water. Mute and Ananke stand at the front of the room, them speaking and him providing large illusions of the presentation. ]

Lights please. Ananke.






This is Eph'meris. It is not my home but . . . where I was most recently before . . . arriving in the Meadow. Next.








This is Meris. Meris was once the primordial . . . sea goddess that formed Eph'meris and its people. Now she is a . . . festering mass of malice, squatting in the astral sea and longing only . . . to drag all life she encounters with her into the abyss. Next.








This is the Merisian Pillar Array, which turns one or several individuals into the "Pillar" of Eph'meris. It allows the bulk of Meris's hatred, necrotic power, and general "evil bullshit" to be visited on . . . that one or several persons rather than . . . reality itself. It also fortifies those individuals' . . . bodies to bear this malice without being destroyed. It also . . . kills them. Next.









This is a small piece of the Merisian Pillar Array, that we are . . . currently calling the "Gate". It's purpose is to . . . ensure that the energy exerted by Meris upon reality is directed at the selected Pillar, but also that . . . some of this energy may be siphoned off to the Merisian power grid. I am told . . . this is "like electricity but worse" but I don't . . . actually know what electricity is. Next.









I believe these diagrams speak for themselves. Next.









Next.








This concludes the . . . background briefing. Everything should be clear now.

Comments

[audacity]

[ this of all things is what gives him pause ]

Like, I'll try, but no promises?

[featherduster]

She's already pissed about everything, like, all the time.

Let's just not call her fat or ugly or a detriment to all living things to her face or whatever. Best we can do.

[audacity]

Okay, but if she is, and she's right there, and you want us to distract her....

[featherduster]

Tell her she's got beautiful eyes. Probably she'll be mad about it anyway.

1/2

[audacity]

I draw the line at lying.

[audacity]

Unless she really does hate that.

[featherduster]

Dunno for sure. I didn't have time to flirt with her last time.

[audacity]

What did you have time for last time?

[featherduster]

Looked around. Confirmed I can interface with the gate. Adjusted the flow rate a little bit. Got a good look at the runes. Tidied some stuff up.

[ "accidentally removed a midboss from Mute's head and dumped her into the pasture" ]

That's it really.

[audacity]

Oh, is that all. I thought you were gonna say you actually did something.

[featherduster]

My services are free and you get what you pay for.

[audacity]

[ laughs ]

Yeah, I'm getting that impression.

The Meris thing is the only part of this I can help with, but I guarantee I'll do my part with that. You guys do what you need to, so Mute can live without all the death and agonies.

[featherduster]

... And if I tried to talk you out of it, you'd tell me I'm crazy, right?

[audacity]

I'd tell you that you're wasting your time. And if you're worried about me slowing you guys down, I'd tell you that really isn't going to be a problem.

[featherduster]

I'm obviously not worried about that... I just don't want you in mortal danger if I can help it.

And before you say something like "I was in mortal danger all the time back home," that's even more reason you deserve a damn break.

[audacity]

[ the opening and then closing his mouth in real time as minuet preempts what he was about to say ]

[featherduster]

[audacity]

[ rude tbh ]

I was in mortal danger all the time back home, for the record. And unless I've seriously misunderstood something about this place, I am here too.

So it sounds to me like my choices are "do nothing, and be in danger anyway," or "be in danger, and do something good." That's an easy choice to make.

[featherduster]

[ Sighs heavily in defeat but like. With unspeakable affection for that answer, honestly. ]



I have gotta stop dragging Charon's kids into shit.

[audacity]

Trust me, I never need dragging into trouble.

[featherduster]

You're a good kid.

Even if I can tell you're also a pain in the ass.

[audacity]

Gee, thanks.

[featherduster]

It's a compliment!!