Dreaming with Abyss

[22:19] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Don't laugh at me Carl. What happens?"
[22:20] <Abyss> Abyss growls at you, it knows that that would never happen
[22:20] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Is that a promise?"
[22:22] <Abyss> The mask snarls in a way to imply that if it were to happen then it would be the first time for such a thing, and in that event who knows what could happen
[22:23] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "So if we were to make a deal that you wouldn't overshadow me..."
[22:24] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "You would avoid doing so?"
[22:25] <Abyss> The mask affirms this
[22:25] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Which raises another question.  How can you prove that you aren't lying?"
[22:25] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "CAN you lie?"
[22:26] <Abyss> The mask never lies when it comes to a contract holder. That would just be bad buisness obviously
[22:27] <Abyss> Or at least, that is what you think that smile means
[22:27] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "And what about bending the rules?  That seems like even worse business, but Regent is pretty certain you're planning to screw me over."
[22:28] <Abyss> The mask's smile broadens
[22:28] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Yeah.  I figured that."
[22:28] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Tell you what, then.  Let's find out what happens if you get forsworn, yeah?"
[22:30] <Abyss> The mask's grin disappears, how do you expect to make it agree to break its contract? It wonders
[22:30] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "You don't want to know what happens?  Seems like the information could be useful to a being such as yourself."
[22:31] <Abyss> The Mask already has all it needs from the contracts, breaking one could provide no benefit it doesn't have already
[22:32] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "So let's make a new one, then break that."
[22:32] <Abyss> The mask snarls
[22:32] <Abyss> The idea is dismissed by it
[22:33] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Oh c'mon.  What if we make a contract to make a contract to break?  I'd need to pay you something for it."
[22:34] <Abyss> But Lyra, the mask already has all the payments ready that it could possibly desire from you
[22:34] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Really?  There's nothing you can possibly think of?"
[22:35] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Come on.  You've clearly got *some* limitations."
[22:35] <Abyss> Nothing that I don't already possess :)
[22:35] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "You can't lie.  That's a limit, ain't it?"
[22:36] <Abyss> The Mask considers that lying to you would be akin to lying to a preschooler waddling around asking "wha ' dat?"
[22:37] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I didn't really mean me.  My point is, you're an inanimate object."
[22:38] <Abyss> The mask grins, and asks what you think that that makes you
[22:39] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Dude.  If I'm your puppet, your Johannes, then that's gonna end up hurting you in the long run."
[22:39] <Abyss> The mask is no inanimate object
[22:40] <Abyss> It demonstrates that by doing something that produces a sensation of hundreds of crawling insects on the inside of its self
[22:40] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Not the point.  Bad for business, right?  You need people to accept your deals."
[22:40] <Abyss> Abyss only needs one
[22:41] <Abyss> A mocking laughter rings in your head
[22:41] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "But you only *want* one?"
[22:41] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "When there could be a half-dozen more?"
[22:43] <Abyss> But Lyra, who is a better host than one of the creators of a new universe?
[22:43] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I literally just told you."
[22:43] <Abyss> The mask sighs
[22:43] <Abyss> One at a time Lyra, one at a time
[22:44] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "And you see absolutely no benefit to getting in good with the other six?  Cut out as soon as you start winning?"
[22:45] <Abyss> Unlike you Lyra, the mask cares a small amount about others
[22:46] <Abyss> No more than what is needed will be taken
[22:46] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Ouch.  Channeling Regent, are we?"
[22:47] <Abyss> No, Regent has no affiliation with the Abyss, it informs you
[22:47] <Abyss> But that doesn't mean that it isn't wrong
[22:47] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Guess that confirms it, then."
[22:47] <Abyss> *is wrong
[22:47] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Two individual opinions, eh?"
[22:48] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Follow-up question.  Are you me?"
[22:48] <Abyss> Everybody is you Lyra, you can only understand people through your own senses' filters
[22:49] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Holy avoiding-the-question."
[22:49] <Abyss> Just because something can't lie doesn't mean it has to tell the truth
[22:50] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Well duh.  Doesn't help business, though."
[22:51] <Abyss> Abyss asks how your cramping is going
[22:51] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Dude."
[22:51] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I spent three days strapped down in a car before starting this game."
[22:51] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "This is nothing."
[22:52] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Wouldn't mind a computer, though."
[22:52] <Abyss> A smirk
[22:53] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "That said, if you're so influenced by my own psychosis, then you clearly know me at least a bit"
[22:53] <Abyss> It appears that Lyra is prevented from accessing her computers from this cage's position
[22:53] <Lyra[Strategist14]> ((I don't think I even have any computers on my dream-self))
[22:54] <Abyss> < Well, no, presumably you could reach them somewhere outside of the cage. >
[22:54] <Lyra[Strategist14]> ((Wait, what exactly *is* outside the cage?))
[22:55] <Abyss> < Well, from your perspective>
[22:55] <Abyss> < A wall >
[22:55] <Abyss> < You can't turn too much with the cage restricting your movement >
[22:55] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "So.  We've got a couple minutes before I wake back up.  Wanna figure out that repayment?  I *did* sign a contract, after all"
[22:55] <Abyss> < But you think that there is a hallway you can see out of the corner of your eye behind you >
[22:56] <Abyss> Abyss giggles at you
[22:56] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Any suggestions?"
[22:56] <Abyss> Abyss knows that it already has determined its repayment
[22:57] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Well then.  Good thing I said "we", eh?"
[22:57] <Abyss> And that it is currently in effect right now
[22:57] <Abyss> While Abyss is fully aware that you specified two parties in the contract
[22:58] <Abyss> You did not specify both having an opinion of an equal weight
[22:58] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "And there it is.  You wanna get rules-lawyer-y, do ya?"
[22:59] <Abyss> Lyra chose to put aside the rules
[22:59] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Because I'm thinking you misinterpreted quite a bit of what I was saying."
[22:59] <Abyss> Lyra chose to allow Abyss to interpret its own understanding of what was implied
[23:00] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I can't be expected to know the way you'll misinterpret things."
[23:00] <Abyss> < One minute, digging through PMs for exact wording >
[23:02] <Lyra[Strategist14]> ((I've got it open.  If you like, I can pastebin))
[23:02] <Abyss> < I have it open as well now >
[23:02] <Abyss> Abyss has in mind its proposition
[23:03] <Abyss> Why doesn't Lyra propose hers first
[23:03] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Well, firstly.  You weren't actually supposed to get a say."
[23:03] <Lyra[Strategist14]> " "we" meant my team.  Alex, Tarane, Nickolai, Faerzen, and Regent."
[23:05] <Abyss> No response
[23:05] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "So, I'm mostly just waiting to burn up the last minute or two until I can get them all up in a memo together."
[23:07] <Abyss> Abyss never intended to let you choose a price on your own. There would be no logic in letting a buyer determine a sales price at a check out counter.
[23:08] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I made the offer, and you accepted."
[23:08] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I'm the seller at that counter"
[23:08] <Abyss> Abyss did indeed accept to help you. You wrote it a blank check for the price of its services
[23:09] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "No, I said I'd give you an undefined cheque later."
[23:09] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Undefined doesn't mean blank."
[23:10] <Abyss> Well what is Lyra's proposition for the payment?
[23:10] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I dunno.  Need to talk to the others so that WE can agree on something."
[23:11] <Abyss> This isn't any of their buisness. Besides, how do you expect to leave this cage to get to your computer?
[23:12] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I'll wake up in like a minute.  It's been at least nineteen of the twenty minutes my naps take."
[23:14] <Abyss> Lyra's arrogance seems to know no bounds. Since when was the game conforming to her sleep schedule?
[23:14] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Oh, good point.  Nothing goes right.  I forgot about that part."
[23:15] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "So.  We're in here for a while, then.  What d'you wanna do?"
[23:15] <Abyss> Well, Lyra could make the contract now, on her own terms
[23:16] <Abyss> Or could bind the entire group to Abyss, in eight hours
[23:16] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "What contract would that be?"
[23:16] <Abyss> The unsettled contract pertaining to help with the Dersite Queen
[23:17] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I told you, I need to chat with the others to establish how you'll be repayed.  Assuming you actually help me, of course."
[23:18] <Abyss> Contracts are of a personal nature
[23:18] <Abyss> If the group wants to make a contract
[23:18] <Abyss> Then the group will make a payment
[23:18] <Abyss> If Lyra wants to make a contract
[23:18] <Abyss> Then Lyra will make a payment
[23:18] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Yes.  But the others need to help decide the payment."
[23:19] <Abyss> Lyra implies that the group will be committing to a contract then
[23:20] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "No.  They'll be providing suggestions for me to uphold my end of the bargain."
[23:20] <Abyss> Lyra is not allowed to ask for help with her payment, Abyss won't discuss it with them
[23:21] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Then maybe they are a part of it.  Which means the whole contract is null and void, since they never agreed to it."
[23:22] <Abyss> Lyra doesn't seem to understand that she doesn't have the knowledge to attempt to use legal terms to her advantage here
[23:23] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "If you're an aspect of me, then I quite certainly do."
[23:23] <Abyss> Lyra, again, is jumping to conclusions
[23:23] <Abyss> Well, at least Lyra isn't rushing into anything headfirst this time
[23:24] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Or maybe I should sign a contract with you that requires Alex to give me his computer, without him getting informed at all.  What's wrong with that?"
[23:24] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Can't make a deal for someone else."
[23:24] <Abyss> Lyra is correct
[23:24] <Abyss> Which is exactly why her group can't make a payment for her
[23:24] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "They aren't making the payment, I keep telling you."
[23:25] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "They're deciding what *I* make as payment."
[23:25] <Abyss> By the very act of participating in the deal they are forced to sacrifice something themselves
[23:26] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Their time, their effort?"
[23:26] <Abyss> Lyra is thinking a bit Naive again
[23:26] <Abyss> Their limbs, their hope
[23:27] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "You still don't get a say, y'know."
[23:27] <Abyss> Again, Lyra makes another comment betraying the true ignorance she has on the subject
[23:28] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "So enlighten me."
[23:28] <Abyss> Now where would the good business be in that?
[23:29] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Repeat customers.  Word-of-mouth advertising."
[23:29] <Abyss> Abyss again, only wants one pact to be made
[23:30] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Why?"
[23:31] <Abyss> Abyss asks Lyra a question:
[23:32] <Abyss> Would Lyra rather have an unlimited roll of Ductape to patch a hole, or two unlimited rolls of Ductape?
[23:32] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Uh.  Two?"
[23:33] <Abyss> But the second option has risked attached
[23:33] <Abyss> One could risk losing the first
[23:34] <Abyss> And perhaps end up with none at all
[23:34] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I getcha.  You're afraid."
[23:34]  * Lyra[Strategist14] grins
[23:35] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Too afraid to try and make things better for you, eh?"
[23:35] <Abyss> Better is a subjective manner in this case
[23:35] <Abyss> < I gotta get to sleep soon, let's finding a stopping place >
[23:35] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Guess you're bound by Sabath's rules as well, huh?"
[23:36] <Abyss> Isn't everything bound by Sabath's rules?
[23:36] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "No comment."
[23:38] <Abyss> No response
[23:38] <Abyss> Lyra starts to feel sleepy
[23:38] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Ah, there we go.  Guess I miscounted."
[23:39] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Well, it's been... something."
[23:39] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Maybe I'll have reached a decision when we next meet."
[23:39] <Abyss> Abyss will be with Lyra to monitor the pricing arrangement
[23:40] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Naturally.  Good thing monitoring is all you can do, eh?"
[23:40] <Abyss> If Lyra's friends participate they will be subject to a relevant level of punishment as part of the contract
[23:41] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I'm a sociopath, remember?  I don't have any friends."
[23:41]  * Lyra[Strategist14] yawns
[23:41] <Abyss> no response
[23:42] <Abyss> Lyra drifts off to sleep