text;

[hardwearing]

I'll get right to the point.

Anyone who didn't see my conversation with Hope, he recognized Harlan's picture of the creatures that attacked during the stampede. They may be the former inhabitants of this city, or their descendants, or just a species related to the one that the gods called hosts. Maybe they escaped the Null's genocide, maybe they defected, we have no way of knowing unless we can communicate with one. And the gods can speak to them.

That means if they come back, I think we should try to contain one. Take them alive but try not to get slaughtered in the process -- it sounded to me like they were scouting, and usually that means the enemy comes back in numbers and we already know their shells are very sturdy. We'll need to be ready. If anyone has ideas, now's the time. I'm really more used to killing things that don't surrender but we'll need both containment and defense.

Oh and if anyone's managed to get into those bunker-looking doors out on the way to the mountains, let me know? I'm curious if there are clues about whether or not the hosts were using them to hide from the Null. Hopefully our not being invaded means these guys aren't allied with them, but more information never hurts.

((ooc: accompanying plot post is here!))

Comments

[text]

[synthedick]

We have a member on the Guard who might be able to contain one for a time, but if anyone else has any ideas, I'm all ears. I'm hoping we can talk to them without further bloodshed, but if it comes down to defending the people of this city, you know where we are.

[Which Wash knows, but better to get it out there in the public eye, too.]

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[hardwearing]

[ Yes, better to have it known that they've spoken already -- Wash is grateful they seem to be on the same page about the whole thing, wary but hoping a plan will form that means the least violence. And that they aren't somehow aligned with the Null, but he's pretty sure they would have been invaded already if that were the case. Maybe. It's all unknown and Wash hates guessing and improvising, thus this attempt. They need intel. ]

Thanks, Nick. I'll try to organize this end a little.

[64th]

Contain one? Do you have a large leash and kennel, maybe?

[hardwearing]

I do not. Do you?

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[itsnotaonesie]

I could probably help catch one.

Like, without killing it.

[hardwearing]

Yeah? Is it a secret or can I know what you're thinking of?

[ Mostly to assess if it's safe, honestly. ]

[restinglichface]

honestly the hero we all need

[circumitus]

contain them for what exactly?
you planning to try and interrogate one?

if the gods can speak to them, then shouldnt they have the means to hold one as well?

[hardwearing]

For a conversation hopefully, interrogation is a term I would use for a known enemy. We're not 100% on what they were trying to do and if they're really related to the hosts, Hope's seemed pretty adamant that they were always peaceful. There's a chance they could just be scared, still loyal to the gods but don't know who we are, something like that.

[ Or they could have defected and were working with the Null, but Wash is hoping that the fact they haven't been invaded yet means that's not the case. ]

The gods don't know where they came from or where they're hiding, and don't step in when things attack the city. They should be able to hold one but I really think we need to be proactive here. It could prevent another front to this war.

[evocation]

would blasting through the doors work?

[Good plan, Kyna.]

[hardwearing]

Maybe. If no one's poked around them yet it might be worth a try to see what they are.

[TEXT]

[blessedmaiden]

What a headache- it looks like I missed a lot from the last time I've been here, when I left we just discovered the Null's existence and now... all of this?

Anyway, while I cannot guarantee it'll be of any help I do know hold, a binding spell that can paralyze most of the opponents I encountered. If there are fellow casters in the city I could try to teach them how to cast it? I can't assure it'd work and we'd still need a containment... something but it could help slowing one down?

[hardwearing]

I think the guide on the phones has been updated to fill you in on what's happened since the Null invaded, but if you have any other questions I can try to answer. I showed up right before the invasion.

That sounds like an incredibly helpful alternative to kill or be killed. Even if it doesn't last long, the gods can probably manage containment to talk to one once they're aware that they're back in the city. It's worth a try at least, thank you.

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[murderpotato]

can we just fuckin like... drug one up? like you do if you wanna catch elephants or whatever, i dont fuckin know

otherwise im probably strong enough to fuckin tango with one of em for a while but i cant keep it busy forever

[hardwearing]

Do you have tranqs? I don't, but if we did it'd be worth a try.

....to 'fuckin tango'? That sounds very up close, be careful if you engage like that. I was going to stick to ranged attacks if necessary.

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[standformyself]

I can dig a hole?

[hardwearing]

They're definitely smart enough to go around a hole, but thank you for the offer.

...you know, I'm not surprised at all you can read and type, but I'm curious how.

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[redcosmedic]

[ Well this all sounds like a marvelously bad idea. ]

These creatures attacked us, they're probably coming back with more, and you want to keep one?

Assuming you can capture it, contain it, and get information out of it... then what? Walk it on a leash like a pet?

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[hardwearing]

If they come back in force, this isn't an option and we'll just have to call the gods to try and step in and communicate while we fight to survive. But they don't always react to what's going on in the city quickly enough, or take the risk to appear themselves. So yes, I think we should be proactive and try to communicate, capturing instead of killing.

If Hope's right and they are peaceful, then they can be reasoned with and released. If not, we cut our losses but at least we'll have an idea of who and what we're dealing with.

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[bloodbathing]

[ Well. That's a hell of a lot of information. But, at the end of it, Maine only has one question: ]

Why?

[ Why try to contain one? ]

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[hardwearing]

Because there's a chance they're a peaceful race that just feel threatened by our presence and we can avoid a third front to this war entirely.

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[restinglichface]

count me in my guy
im more used to the like

murdering part

but i could def hold one in place

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[pocketspa]

you really wanna do some fun shit you can get the package deal yknow
two for one
and by two for one i mean i literally have a spell to fantasy bubble that shit

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[casualryder]

Capturing one might just piss off the rest, make them intent on getting them back, but I see the point of it.

[It kind of makes him feel like shit, to be honest.]

I can help defend if things get dicey.

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[hardwearing]

I agree, and it's not doable if there wind up being too many, but hopefully we'll have had a conversation with whoever we contain by the time anyone who got away decides to come back for their friend. Or just the fact that we aren't all-out attacking will help them figure out we want to communicate. We know they're out there now, we have the choice.

If I run into one I'm not shooting first, anyway.

...thanks, Scott.

[uptightness]

I do have my grappling hook, for what it's worth. Not that I'm saying it can do it all, but it's available to help.

[hardwearing]

I'm not sure it could get hold of the shells, the way the others described these guys.

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[hoperulesdespairdrools]

Man, those are amazing discoveries! As expected from both my teachers.

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[hardwearing]

Discoveries..? I just asked the right question.

text;

[battlebound]

( Steak's too new to really appreciate all of that, but... )

If you plan on confronting them, I can provide distraction.

( Drawing their attention and aggression while others capture them should be possible. )

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[hardwearing]

This is all dependent on it being another scouting group that may or may not show up. If I run into one I won't be shooting first, but if they attack people anyway... that might be useful. Are you sure? You got pretty hurt last time you encountered them.

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[dedikated]

( Kate is just going to file all of this under "reasons she should pay more attention to the network" because all of this is news to her. )

What if they don't come back?

( She agrees with the idea but perhaps there's other ways to deal with this problem. Or more proactive ways of discovering the truth. )

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[hardwearing]

That depends. I'm paranoid enough to say we should leave, but...

Are you hinting at people wandering off into the tundra looking for a deadly alien race, with limited supplies and no clues about where to search first or communicate when we find them?

[theweakhavepurpose]

what bunker doors in the mountains? what kind of bunker?

I come from the most bunker populated area in the world i might be able to help.

[hardwearing]

They're in the ground, between here and the mountains. Way out, I only tried to open one and saw other divots in the ground. I didn't have my armor at the time, though, I might be able to brute force one.



((ooc: Nate has opened up some bunkers, and I believe he should be tagging in but they can plan away until then!))

[hot_mes]

didn't get as far out as that. the terrain is awful and the weather is worse, long jaunts are going to need more work

but we do need to talk to these things. they may be of use, and given what Caedra has said I would advise against treating them like animals. they're beings like us.

[hardwearing]

Yeah, I only found the one and didn't have my armor to help brute force the door, but there were a bunch of divots in the ground like there were more.

I agree. If they are the Hosts, maybe they'd be allies rather than another enemy. Hope seemed to think it was impossible any survived but that and the first encounter is all we've got to go on... they weren't the Null and they aren't animals, that's for sure.

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[nonscriptum]

been out to the bunkers a few times now, gotten inside more than a few

there's definitely some weird shit in there

[hardwearing]

What sort of "weird shit"? Any signs of someone living there recently, or in the past for an extended period? Like say, if they were riding out a war on the surface?