Lyra visits Faerzen

[15:30] <Lyregent> So, Faerzen just noticed Lyra at the front door
[15:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> There was a pause from Lyra's point of view
[15:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> Inside Faerzen hangs up on Nick and puts the book in his backpack
[15:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> Then goes to the intercom
[15:31]  * Faerzen_Norstov buzzes exterior holocom
[15:32] <Lyregent> "Hello?"
[15:32] <Faerzen_Norstov> <a salmon colored floating head of a short haired teenage guy appears by the door >
[15:32] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hello?
[15:32] <Faerzen_Norstov> Who might... you be?
[15:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> I am afraid I do not recognize you
[15:32] <Lyregent> "Is this Faerzen?"
[15:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes, this is him
[15:33] <Lyregent> "This is Lyra! We talked earlier, as you remember."
[15:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> Lyra?
[15:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> Oh
[15:34] <Lyregent> "Well..."
[15:34] <Lyregent> "Yes"
[15:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes, I suppose we did
[15:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> How did you get those wings?
[15:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> Nick didn't mention them at all
[15:34] <Lyregent> "I drew them!"
[15:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> They're... quite gorgeous!
[15:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> You drew them?
[15:35]  * Lyregent adjusts her green tiara with one hand
[15:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> I am not sure I follow
[15:35] <Lyregent> "I did, I have a magic pen"
[15:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> Well that is exciting, I suppose
[15:35] <Lyregent> "May I come in?"
[15:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> You seem.... much more cheerful than the last time we talked
[15:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> Is everything okay?
[15:36] <Lyregent> "I'd rather tell you inside, I'd rather not talk out here."
[15:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> Oh dear
[15:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> Ummm..... Okay, let me come get the door.
[15:37] <Lyregent> "Thank you"
[15:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> I apologize for my rudeness
[15:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> After our previous conversation I am only trying to be careful
[15:38] <Lyregent> "No problem, don't worry about it."
[15:38]  * Faerzen_Norstov closes holocom and goes over to the door
[15:38]  * Lyregent waits patiently
[15:38]  * Faerzen_Norstov turns off dress, opens the door, and flings himself into a hug with Lyra, careful about her wings
[15:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> Greetings!
[15:39] <Lyregent> "Hey!"
[15:39] <Lyregent> "Please, I'm not the hugging type"
[15:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> You sounded like you could use a hug last we talked, so I am obliging
[15:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> Too bad
[15:40] <Faerzen_Norstov> :)
[15:40]  * Lyregent breaks out of Faerzen's death grip chokehold
[15:40] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hmph
[15:40] <Lyregent> *ahem*
[15:40] <Faerzen_Norstov> You can come into the den here
[15:40] <Faerzen_Norstov> There are some quite comfortable chairs
[15:41] <Lyregent> "Nice place you have here, I've not seen much like it ever before!"
[15:41]  * Lyregent follows Faerzen and sits in chair she is directed to
[15:41]  * Faerzen_Norstov turns to the wall after closing the door behind Lyra
[15:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> Eva, light the fire
[15:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> <a fireplace appears and jumps to life in the wall, digital but realistic>
[15:42] <Lyregent> "Ooh. Fancy."
[15:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> Can I get you anything to drink?
[15:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> I have..... water
[15:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> And some milk, I believe
[15:42] <Lyregent> "Do you have anything alcoholic?"
[15:43] <Faerzen_Norstov> Alcoholic?
[15:43]  * Faerzen_Norstov looks at Lyra, taken aback
[15:43] <Faerzen_Norstov> Perhaps?
[15:44] <Faerzen_Norstov> I have very little knowledge on alcohol, but my mother should have something around here
[15:45]  * Faerzen_Norstov looks through top cupboard
[15:43] <Lyregent> *You there Lyra?*
[15:44] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *What?*
[15:45] <Lyregent> *You alright with Alcohol? I should've asked you first*
[15:45] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *Doesn't matter.  You're the one with the plan, here.*
[15:45] <Lyregent> "Errm..."
[15:45] <Lyregent> "I think I'll need it for our upcoming conversation"
[15:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> Well, I found some Brennivín
[15:46] <Lyregent> "Anything with alcohol is good. No need for fancy stuff."
[15:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> I've never much cared for it myself, but my mother sometimes likes it after a long day at work
[15:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> It
[15:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> I don't really know what it is, but it is very strong and tastes of caraway
[15:47] <Lyregent> "Sounds perfect, thanks"
[15:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> I believe it is around 40% alcohol by volume. I'll pour you a small glass.
[15:48] <Faerzen_Norstov> I think I will just have water myself
[15:48]  * Faerzen_Norstov pours beverages
[15:48] <Lyregent> "Leave the bottle out, I may come back to it later, please"
[15:48] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *Seriously?*
[15:48] <Lyregent> *This will hurt you more than it will hurt me. I want an anesthetic just in case*
[15:49] <Faerzen_Norstov> Ummm, sure?
[15:49] <Faerzen_Norstov> I'm not so sure that is a good idea though
[15:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> I would much prefer to not have a wasted Lyra in my living room
[15:50] <Lyregent> I promise you I will control myself as best I can
[15:50] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *Ha ha.  Funny*
[15:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> I'll put it in the cabinet for now, but let me know if you want more
[15:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> It's just right here
[15:50]  * Faerzen_Norstov points at cabinet
[15:50] <Lyregent> That is fine
[15:51]  * Faerzen_Norstov returns to the den and hands Lyra a small tumbler with a clear pungent liquid in it
[15:52]  * Lyregent sets tumbler to the side for now
[15:52]  * Faerzen_Norstov sits, sipping water
[15:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> So, what is it that brings you to my door?
[15:53] <Lyregent> "..."
[15:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> Dare I inquire what was so important you could not discuss it with me over chat?
[15:53] <Lyregent> "I'm worried for Lyra's mental health"
[15:53]  * Faerzen_Norstov looks quizzically at Lyra
[15:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> You?
[15:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> Why are you talking in the third person?
[15:54] <Lyregent> "Sorry, It's Regent here right now"
[15:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> Ah
[15:55] <Faerzen_Norstov> Wait, you can possess her?
[15:55] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's not right!
[15:55] <Faerzen_Norstov> You are simply forcibly bringing her to talk to me about these issues?
[15:56] <Lyra[Strategist14]> Lyra mumbles "S'not that bad."
[15:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> What even makes you think I am qualified to help?
[15:57] <Faerzen_Norstov> I am up to my ears in problems to deal with, and I have hardly been more than moderately successful in alleviating most of them
[15:58] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "That's how it works."
[15:58] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Can't do everything."
[15:58] <Lyregent> "Sorry to bring this upon you Faerzen"
[15:59] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes, well what is done is done
[15:59] <Lyregent> "Lyra was giving up and letting herself die."
[15:59] <Faerzen_Norstov> But I still fail to see how I can be of any assistance
[16:00] <Faerzen_Norstov> I wouldn't consider myself a therapist by any means
[16:00] <Lyregent> "..."
[16:00] <Lyregent> "You can help her. I can't"
[16:00] <Lyregent> "I don't know anybody else that she could talk to."
[16:00] <Faerzen_Norstov> I suppose anything is better than nothing
[16:00] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *Tarane?  I actually know her.*
[16:01] <Faerzen_Norstov> But why me?
[16:01] <Faerzen_Norstov> I've only just met Lyra
[16:01] <Lyregent> "You were the closest"
[16:01] <Faerzen_Norstov> I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment of her mental health, however
[16:01] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Thanks."
[16:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> The closest?
[16:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> With wings, you could have easily gone one gate further to Tarane
[16:02] <Lyregent> "Lyra was traveling through the gates"
[16:02] <Lyregent> "In such a self destructive manner that she was close to dying"
[16:03] <Lyregent> "I drew these wings and flew here"
[16:03] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *Was not*
[16:03] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *I could have made it*
[16:03] <Lyregent> *No comment*
[16:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> Can Lyra hear all of this?
[16:03] <Lyregent> "Yes, she can control and sense everything this body can do"
[16:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> Then I will try to avoid talking about her in the third person
[16:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> Lyra
[16:04] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Mm?"
[16:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> You have shown over and over again in the short time I've known you a surrounding disregard for the value of your own life
[16:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> You would even give Byron a run for his money
[16:05] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Can't die."
[16:05] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Too easy."
[16:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's not necessarily true
[16:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> You don't know that
[16:06] <Faerzen_Norstov> And even then
[16:06] <Lyregent> "Lyra is a tad delusional, I believe"
[16:06] <Faerzen_Norstov> When this game throws so much twisted crap in our faces, why make things even worse for yourself?
[16:07] <Faerzen_Norstov> We're caught in a terrible storm, and you dump buckets of water on your head and complain about being wet.
[16:07] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I'm trying."
[16:07] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Better I'm wet than the boat."
[16:08] <Faerzen_Norstov> I'm not sure I follow
[16:08] <Faerzen_Norstov> How is dumping buckets of water on your head beneficial at all?
[16:08] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "If the boat's in a storm, then I'm taking as much water as I can away from it."
[16:08] <Faerzen_Norstov> You are going to get soaked regardless
[16:08] <Faerzen_Norstov> And so is the boat
[16:09] <Faerzen_Norstov> Why don't you help steer the boat out of the storm?
[16:09] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Cuz every time I try, I end up ramming into, I dunno, a shoal or something.  Or an iceberg"
[16:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's because we can't see where we're going yet!
[16:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> We're trying to plot a course
[16:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> Navigate with a compass
[16:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> Find a map
[16:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> Experiment with trial and error
[16:10] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Keep on hitting errors."
[16:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> It's a storm. It's not going to be easy
[16:11]  * Lyregent fidgets a bit in place
[16:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> But giving up and just sitting there in the storm, drinking water on our heads isn't going anywhere
[16:11] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *You got an issue, Regent?*
[16:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> This game is always going to fuck with us
[16:11] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "No kidding."
[16:12] <Lyregent> *A bit*
[16:12] <Faerzen_Norstov> We don't need to make it worse
[16:12] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Trying not to."
[16:12] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "That's this."
[16:13] <Lyregent> "Only because I made you come here, Lyra."
[16:13] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Yeah."
[16:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes, our escape route is fraught with obstacles like stormy seas, icebergs, and rocks, but if we just sit there then we have no hope of navigating it
[16:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> Do you really expect this game to happen to set things up to work out on they're own?
[16:14] <Faerzen_Norstov> There's no way this game is that kind
[16:14] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "So you're telling me to go back to the panicked flailing."
[16:14] <Faerzen_Norstov> We are going to have to work for it
[16:14] <Faerzen_Norstov> What do you mean by that?
[16:14] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Cuz this is standing around, right now.  We could be accomplishing something."
[16:14] <Faerzen_Norstov> Doing that isn't helping the boat go anywhere either
[16:14] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Alex is dead, didja know?"
[16:15] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I maybe coulda made it to him, but Regent decided this is more important."
[16:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> Why do you say that?
[16:15] <Lyregent> "He isn't dead for sure"
[16:15] <Lyregent> "Probably not dead at all"
[16:15] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I dropped him out of a Gate.  That seems pretty fatal."
[16:15] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Then never made it there to help."
[16:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> If regent thinks he is probably okay, then I believe him
[16:16] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Regent's a self-professed liar."
[16:16] <Lyregent> "That is true"
[16:16] <Faerzen_Norstov> Oh really
[16:16] <Faerzen_Norstov> Interesting
[16:16] <Faerzen_Norstov> That is blatantly contrary to the Regent I know
[16:16] <Lyregent> "Excuse me, I'm stopping out to think about things as this is none of my buisness"
[16:17] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Doesn't really matter.  Point is, what I'm doing now is standing around in the rain."
[16:17] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes
[16:17] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Trying to find a way out is what I was doing before Regent stopped me."
[16:18] <Faerzen_Norstov> But if pausing to think and collect yourself allows you to not flail around later our dump water on your head then it's worth it
[16:18] <Faerzen_Norstov> Very often stopping to think and plan leads to much more effective and efficient plans than brash action
[16:19] <Faerzen_Norstov> Perhaps that is what Regent was trying to show you
[16:19] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Sure."
[16:19] <Faerzen_Norstov> Even with incomplete information, just thinking through things can avoid a lot of mistakes down the road
[16:19] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I'm trying to think things through.  I had plans."
[16:20] <Faerzen_Norstov> Many of my personal regrets are from just diving in too quickly
[16:20] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "But fundamental rules of the world keep on screwing me over when they don't *quite* mesh with the ones I know."
[16:20] <Faerzen_Norstov> Such as?
[16:21] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "The Abyss needs to make a contract, but doesn't actually need to fulfill it to get his side of the benefits."
[16:21] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Horses can talk, because reasons."
[16:21] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Random teleportation is a thing, for absolutely no reason."
[16:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> Lyra
[16:22] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Mm?"
[16:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> This game has generated a copy of my mom and violently tortured and murdered her in front of my eyes just to fuck with me
[16:23] <Faerzen_Norstov> Nick has had to kill a copy of me
[16:23] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "And worse."
[16:23] <Faerzen_Norstov> The game showed my future self dying in my arms
[16:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> The game seemingly randomly exploded the tower I was exploding
[16:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> I've hallucinated terrible things
[16:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> This game inherently doesn't follow the rules of earth
[16:25] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I got that, yeah."
[16:25] <Faerzen_Norstov> And we shouldn't expect it to
[16:25] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes, unexpected things crop up and screw us over
[16:25] <Faerzen_Norstov> But that doesn't mean that everything we ever do is doomed to fail forever
[16:26] <Faerzen_Norstov> This game has no interest in making it unwinnable
[16:26] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "How d'you know?"
[16:27] <Faerzen_Norstov> What sort of reproductive cycle would that be?
[16:27] <Faerzen_Norstov> A flower that booms and goes to seed
[16:27] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Already reproduced.  This is Darwinism, right?"
[16:27] <Faerzen_Norstov> Only to kill all the seeds
[16:27] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "We've gotta keep this one alive so it can grow up into a big strong grown-up world."
[16:27] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Fighting against Derse and the Abyss and whatever other stupidity shows up."
[16:28] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes
[16:28] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Well so far, the only bad things that have happened was because I tried to fix something!"
[16:28] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's fine!
[16:28] <Faerzen_Norstov> We screw up
[16:29] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "If we're in a boat in a storm, then we're *surrounded* by icebergs.  Every step forward is a dozen steps back."
[16:29] <Faerzen_Norstov> No we're not surrounded
[16:29] <Faerzen_Norstov> Everything in this game originates from the thing trying to reproduce
[16:29] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "How do we even know it's a storm, and not a leak we already caused ourselves?"
[16:29] <Faerzen_Norstov> The boat put those icebergs there
[16:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> Why would it doom itself to no escape?
[16:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> We're bound to hit icebergs on our way out
[16:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> There's no avoiding it
[16:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> But the best we can do is patch the holes and keep trying
[16:31] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Well I'm sick of it.  I'd rather take my chances weathering the storm we've got than opening another breach in the hull."
[16:32] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Which was *supposed* to be the idea behind letting Regent take over."
[16:32] <Lyregent> "I'm sorry, this is really uncomfortable for me."
[16:32] <Lyregent> "As in Regent"
[16:32] <Lyregent> "Could you set me aside for a minute Lyra?"
[16:32] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Whatever."
[16:33] <Lyra[Strategist14]> Lyra tosses the crown to a nearby table
[16:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> How is taking your chances weathering the storm ever going to work though?
[16:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> You've seen this game
[16:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> Things aren't just going to happen to solve themselves
[16:34] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Still means we last a bit longer than ramming ourselves would."
[16:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> But at least we tried
[16:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> We have no chance if we sit here
[16:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> But we at least have some if we try
[16:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> And that is good enough for me
[16:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> I've never considered myself a lucky guy, but any chance is better than none
[16:35] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Fine.  You take the wheel, then."
[16:35] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Tell me what to do."
[16:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> What are the problems right now?
[16:36] <Lyra[Strategist14]> Lyra shrugs.  "Everything?"
[16:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's entirely unhelpful
[16:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> You're dumping water on your head again
[16:37] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "No, I'm standing still and weathering the storm."
[16:37] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "That's the only thing that hasn't gotten me hurt yet."
[16:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> You still have not properly answered my question
[16:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> What are the problems right now?
[16:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> We need to start somewhere
[16:39] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Derse sucks.  Me and Nickolai are both the antichrist.  Alex is dead or worse."
[16:40] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Regent hates me.  We have no idea how to 'win' this game, if it's even possible.  I've still got a dozen things I wanted to do in cliff-land, but keep on getting teleported away."
[16:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> Okay, let's start with you and Nick
[16:41] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I had more to say, but sure.  Go for it."
[16:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> Those are the easiest to deal with at the present
[16:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> I'm already working with Nick
[16:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> There isn't much we can do about you since we know so little other than be careful
[16:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> So be wary
[16:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> Let me know if anything is up
[16:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> Ask Regent for help
[16:43] <Faerzen_Norstov> Regent hates me too, but he still had my best interests in mind
[16:43] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Sure."
[16:43] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's all we can do for now
[16:44] <Faerzen_Norstov> Next
[16:44] <Faerzen_Norstov> Alex
[16:44] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Dead or worse."
[16:44] <Faerzen_Norstov> You said he fell through a gate?
[16:44] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Yup."
[16:44] <Faerzen_Norstov> Where to?
[16:44] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Cliff planet."
[16:45] <Faerzen_Norstov> Judging how far my gate is above my house, I could see it being reasonable if he survived
[16:45] <Faerzen_Norstov> But also equally reasonable otherwise
[16:45] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "And the chances of bleeding out without help?"
[16:45] <Faerzen_Norstov> Regent says he is okay
[16:45] <Faerzen_Norstov> But you should still go check
[16:45] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I was TRYING to do that!"
[16:45] <Faerzen_Norstov> Regent says you were hurting yourself
[16:46] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I could have made it."
[16:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> Made what
[16:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> What was happening?
[16:46] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Made it to him."
[16:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> Why did Regent say you were hurting yourself?
[16:46] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I was trying to use the mask's wings to get through the gates.  Kept falling."
[16:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> Regent seems to have developed an excellent alternative here
[16:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> It sounds like you were desperately trying to reach him in time
[16:47] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Yep."
[16:48] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "You wouldn't?"
[16:48] <Faerzen_Norstov> Natural
[16:48] <Faerzen_Norstov> I would
[16:48] <Faerzen_Norstov> But
[16:48] <Faerzen_Norstov> I would stop and think first
[16:48] <Lyregent> *Tell her that I said you were close to breaking bones or worse*
[16:48] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "There wasn't time to think.  Planning doesn't work anyway."
[16:49] <Lyra[Strategist14]> *I thought you wanted out of the discussion?*
[16:49] <Faerzen_Norstov> You could have easily drawn functional wings like this or come up with some alternative
[16:49] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I tried to draw wings before.  They didn't work."
[16:49] <Faerzen_Norstov> Thinking does take time
[16:49] <Faerzen_Norstov> But mistakes take more
[16:49] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I tried to use the pen.  Things kept falling apart."
[16:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> Were you panicked in drawing them?
[16:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> I don't know how your pen functions
[16:50] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Gotta focus to keep things stable."
[16:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> There you go
[16:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> It was a fine idea
[16:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> But you were to panicked to focus
[16:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> If you had taken some time to think and clear your mind, it would have weirded
[16:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> Worked
[16:51] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Well I obviously wasn't panicked.  That's not a thing for sociopaths."
[16:52] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Which I apparently am now."
[16:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> Okay, well you were at least distracted enough to the point where you weren't thinking clearly enough to focus
[16:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> Call it panicked or not
[16:52] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Fine.  So I need to stop caring."
[16:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> No
[16:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> Caring is what keeps you going
[16:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> It's what gives you direction
[16:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> And motivation
[16:53] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "You sure?  It's easy to focus when nothing else matters."
[16:53] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "You and everyone else could be dying around me, and I'd be fully engrossed in drawing a ladder."
[16:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> What is there to focus on if nothing matters?
[16:54] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I dunno, making the best of my short remaining lifespan?"
[16:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> That would also be equally foolish
[16:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> The ladder I mean
[16:55] <Faerzen_Norstov> Do you really think you can make the best of a life in this game?
[16:55] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Course not.  That's what makes things get worse."
[16:55] <Faerzen_Norstov> No matter what we do, things will suck
[16:55] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "And the more I fight it, the worse it gets."
[16:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> So the best we can do is to try and make that sucking worthwhile
[16:56] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "By weathering the storm."
[16:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's not worthwhile
[16:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's us giving up and sitting there while the boat sinks
[16:56] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "What, hope we last through enough torture for us to make it to the end?"
[16:57] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Seems to me like having a clear escape there counts as trying to improve things.  That'll just make it worse."
[16:57] <Faerzen_Norstov> Trying to make it through this is the only way out
[16:57] <Faerzen_Norstov> Survival of the fittest
[16:58] <Faerzen_Norstov> We need to show we're the fittest
[16:58] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "I'm still not convinced there IS a way out."
[16:58] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "You haven't explained how you know that."
[16:58] <Faerzen_Norstov> Why wouldn't there be?
[16:59] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Why would there be?  Every other opportunity to fix things just made it worse."
[16:59] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "What even gives you the idea about universe reproduction?  That doesn't even make sense."
[16:59] <Faerzen_Norstov> What does this game stand to gain from making itself impossible?
[16:59] <Faerzen_Norstov> It's hardly a game then
[16:59] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Us suffering.  It's a game for it."
[16:59] <Faerzen_Norstov> My sprite
[17:00] <Faerzen_Norstov> My deduction
[17:00] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "We're the game pieces.  The goal is to break us."
[17:00] <Faerzen_Norstov> And several conversations with someone I met who had been through this before
[17:01] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Ah.  The mysterious self-declared God."
[17:01] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hmm?
[17:01] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Creator of the universe.  You mentioned them before, right?"
[17:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> Creator of our universe?
[17:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> Perhaps
[17:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> I do not know
[17:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> Someone beat this game to create it
[17:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> But not necessarily them
[17:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> But they have been through this game at least once and have come out alive on the other side
[17:03] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "That poor person."
[17:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> Indeed
[17:04] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Ask them, then.  Is it a matter of transcending the pain, or of enduring it?"
[17:04] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Keep on fighting when things get worse and worse?  Or submitting to the game's will?"
[17:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> Alas, I expect them to have no answer
[17:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> But I will ask regardless
[17:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> They unfortunately lost their memory recently
[17:05] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Of course."
[17:05] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Can't get help, can we?"
[17:05] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "That'd ruin the purpose."
[17:05]  * Faerzen_Norstov pulls out a large, ancient looking tome
[17:06]  * Faerzen_Norstov pulls a quill out and begins writing

* Starting conversation with Lyregent
<Faerzen_Norstov> Yo
<Lyregent> Yo
<Faerzen_Norstov> I don't know if you have an answer to this
<Faerzen_Norstov> But I want to ask you anyways for Lyra
<Faerzen_Norstov> This game
<Faerzen_Norstov> Is it a matter of enduring the suffering it places on us
<Faerzen_Norstov> Or of transcending it and achieving something greater?
<Faerzen_Norstov> To continue fighting no matter what or to submit to it?
<Lyregent> Do you want me to tell you the truth, or what I think your friend needs to hear?
<Faerzen_Norstov> So you know the answer then?
<Lyregent> I have a feeling of which the answer is
<Lyregent> I can't justify it though with proof
<Faerzen_Norstov> Okay then, I will take your answer with a grain of salt
<Faerzen_Norstov> As a hunch
<Lyregent> Your friend needs to hear that of course the game's purpose is to create a new universe, and that without suffering there cannot be growth
<Faerzen_Norstov> You were the one that told me about the universe rebirth, by the way
<Lyregent> Acknowledged
<Faerzen_Norstov> And your hunch...?
<Lyregent> Focus Faerzen
<Lyregent> It doesn't matter right now
<Lyregent> Because a hunch isn't what they need to hear
<Faerzen_Norstov> Okay
<Faerzen_Norstov> It is done
<Faerzen_Norstov> I passed on your message
<Faerzen_Norstov> Would you like to talk with this Regent?
<Faerzen_Norstov> You can write in your pages and it can think to you

[17:10]  * Faerzen_Norstov attempts to direct thoughts at the Regent crown now that Lyra isn't wearing it
[17:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> *Hello?*
[17:11] <Lyregent> *...*
[17:11] <Lyregent> *Yes?*
[17:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> *Have you been listening?*
[17:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> *Do you have anything to say to Lyra's question?*
[17:12] <Lyregent> *Kid, this is your business. Not mine.*
[17:13] <Lyregent> *I'm afraid of what I might have done to her already*
[17:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> *Yes, but you are still a part of this game and I would like your opinion in this one matter*
[17:14] <Lyregent> *No comment unless you ask me to provide one*
[17:14] <Lyregent> *Frankly, I don't care what it means for you either way*
[17:15]  * Lyra[Strategist14] takes a sip of the alcohol, then winces and puts it back down
[17:15]  * Lyra[Strategist14] regrets her poor decision
[17:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> *I do ask you to provide me with one*
[17:16] <Lyregent> *What do you think would be better for her to hear?"
[17:17] <Faerzen_Norstov> *i honestly do not know. I would think that we need to fight, but I also do not want to lie*
[17:17] <Lyregent> *I have no opinion on the matter and can't prove anything.*
[17:18] <Faerzen_Norstov> *very well*
[17:19] <Faerzen_Norstov> He says
[17:20] <Faerzen_Norstov> "The game's purpose is to create a new universe, and without suffering there cannot be growth."
[17:20] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "So transcendence."
[17:20] <Faerzen_Norstov> Indeed
[17:20] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Fight back until there's no way it can hurt us any worse, then keep going."
[17:21] <Faerzen_Norstov> Or until we've beaten it down enough to crush it for good
[17:21] <Lyra[Strategist14]> "Sounds like taking the Abyss's deal was a good call, then."
[17:21] <Faerzen_Norstov> Maybe it was
[17:21] <Faerzen_Norstov> Maybe it wasn't
[17:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> Only time will tell on that particular front
[17:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> It was hasty though

------

[00:17] <Lyra_Bel> "Hasty, sure.  But what if it works?"
[00:18] <Faerzen_Norstov> Then it was worth it
[00:18] <Faerzen_Norstov> But if it doesn't, then it was a mistake easily avoided
[00:18] <Lyra_Bel> "And you don't think it's worth the risk?"
[00:18] <Faerzen_Norstov> In the case of that mask, no
[00:19] <Lyra_Bel> "Even if I've got a plan?"
[00:19]  * Lyra_Bel grins
[00:19] <Faerzen_Norstov> Honestly, that mask terrifies me, but I think that is more of a personal emotional response rather than a strictly logical one
[00:19] <Faerzen_Norstov> What is your plan?
[00:19] <Lyra_Bel> "Shenanigans, mostly"
[00:20] <Faerzen_Norstov> Lovely!
[00:20] <Lyra_Bel> "But first I gotta get to Nickolai"
[00:20] <Faerzen_Norstov> What for?
[00:20] <Lyra_Bel> "Me and Carl need to have some words"
[00:20] <Faerzen_Norstov> Carl?
[00:21] <Lyra_Bel> "Oh yeah, I decided on a better name for it"
[00:21] <Lyra_Bel> "Now the mask is Carl"
[00:21] <Faerzen_Norstov> Ohhhhhh...kay?
[00:21] <Lyra_Bel> "Seems fitting for the herald of the apocalypse, dontcha think?"
[00:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> What would you like to speak with it about?
[00:22] <Lyra_Bel> "The big issue is that I don't trust it to follow its end of the deal.  I wanna know what happens if it fails to act"
[00:23] <Faerzen_Norstov> Honestly, I think putting yourself in further contact with it is simply providing additional opportunities for it to take advantage of you
[00:23] <Lyra_Bel> "Or for me to take advantage of it.  You said yourself, we need information if we aren't going to ram into another iceberg"
[00:23] <Lyra_Bel> "That means not hiding from the issue"
[00:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> I agree, but I don't think that that mask is something you can take advantage of
[00:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> How do you plan to do that?
[00:24] <Lyra_Bel> "Even more shenanigans"
[00:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> It is literally a powerful dark force we know almost nothing about
[00:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> Care to explain?
[00:24] <Lyra_Bel> "I'd rather not, actually.  I don't really trust Regent - either of them"
[00:25] <Lyra_Bel> "No offense."
[00:25] <Faerzen_Norstov> Care to go into a different room?
[00:25] <Lyra_Bel> "Eh... kinda iffy.  But yeah, sure.  Not like things can go much worse, right?"
[00:26] <Faerzen_Norstov> With something as dangerous and unknown as the mask, I don't want you just diving into something again, especially if nobody else knows what is occurring and if you haven't discussed your ideas with anyone else
[00:26] <Faerzen_Norstov> Here, let's head upstairs
[00:27] <Lyra_Bel> "Fine, fine."
[00:27]  * Faerzen_Norstov locks the exterior doors
[00:27]  * Faerzen_Norstov heads up a spiral staircase
[00:27]  * Lyra_Bel follows Faerzen upstairs, bringing her drink with her
[00:28] <Lyra_Bel> "The idea is, Carl's already made one promise.  If he can't keep it, then that could solve a whole bunch of issues"
[00:28] <Lyra_Bel> "Especially if the result ends up being what I think it will be"
[00:28] <Faerzen_Norstov> What was the promise again?
[00:28]  * Faerzen_Norstov enters a room on the third floor
[00:29] <Lyra_Bel> "When I next go to Derse, he'll help me."
[00:29]  * Faerzen_Norstov pauses with his hands on his temples and then walks in
[00:29] <Lyra_Bel> "Then we'll agree on a repayment later on."
[00:29] <Faerzen_Norstov> Sorry about the whole room being slanted
[00:29] <Faerzen_Norstov> It can be quite disorienting
[00:30] <Lyra_Bel> "I'm sure I'll manage"
[00:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> What is the problem on Derse?
[00:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> You never actually said
[00:30] <Lyra_Bel> "Oh, sorry.  The Black Queen has me captive and is torturing me."
[00:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> Ah
[00:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> Lovely
[00:30] <Lyra_Bel> "It kinda sucks"
[00:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> You don't say
[00:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> Given what the mask has done in the past
[00:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> Here is my prediction
[00:31] <Lyra_Bel> "Shoot"
[00:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> But given the number of unknown variables, I am not terribly confident in it
[00:32] <Faerzen_Norstov> When you wore the mask before, it made an impression on you
[00:32] <Faerzen_Norstov> I think you might have mentioned that earlier?
[00:32] <Lyra_Bel> "I guess"
[00:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> It has, in the past, manifested itself in dream worlds on dream selves where that person has some sort of mental connection to the mask
[00:33] <Lyra_Bel> "The mask has?"
[00:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes
[00:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> Nick
[00:33] <Lyra_Bel> "Alright"
[00:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> My guess is that it will do something similar to you
[00:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> And grant you many or some of its boons
[00:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> Most of which are useful in combat
[00:35] <Lyra_Bel> "So it'll let me just straight-up kill the queen"
[00:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> Maybe?
[00:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> Probably not, since it is my understanding that the queen is powerful
[00:35] <Faerzen_Norstov> Quite powerful
[00:35] <Lyra_Bel> "Not very smart, but powerful sure"
[00:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> Just as the monsters gain abilities from what we threw into our sprite, so does she
[00:36] <Lyra_Bel> "Wait, what?"
[00:36] <Lyra_Bel> "Okay back up"
[00:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> What did she look like to you?
[00:36] <Lyra_Bel> "Can we redo that whole sentence?"
[00:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> Ummm
[00:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> Okay?
[00:37] <Lyra_Bel> "Monsters gain abilities from what we threw into our sprites?"
[00:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes
[00:37] <Lyra_Bel> "Okay.  So... what's a sprite, then?"
[00:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> Haven't you noticed?
[00:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> I've been keeping a list of all the odd characteristics I've noted on enemies
[00:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> Pixelated
[00:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hats
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> Food items
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> Santa clothing
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> Skulls
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> Makeup and cosmetics
[00:38] <Lyra_Bel> "O... kay?"
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> Every single one correlates exactly to an item thrown into their sprite
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> Minecraft
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> A hat
[00:38] <Lyra_Bel> "But what *is* a sprite?"
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> A massive blob of food
[00:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> Santa hat
[00:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> Skull
[00:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> Makeup
[00:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> It's that floating flashy orb
[00:39] <Lyra_Bel> "The lamp?"
[00:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> I know not what object you tossed into it
[00:39] <Lyra_Bel> "A skeleton."
[00:40] <Faerzen_Norstov> Which item was first?
[00:40] <Lyra_Bel> "Hmm?  It was just the skeleton."
[00:40] <Faerzen_Norstov> Have you added anything else yet?
[00:40] <Lyra_Bel> "Don't think so, no"
[00:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> Have you noticed any enemies at all having skeleton related properties?
[00:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> Or anything else for that matter?
[00:41] <Lyra_Bel> "None, except I guess the exoskeleton"
[00:41] <Lyra_Bel> "But they had that before I gave Kek the skeleton."
[00:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> Have you noticed any other odd things about the enemies?
[00:42] <Lyra_Bel> "Uh.  I don't really know what the original is supposed to look like, so no."
[00:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hmm
[00:42] <Faerzen_Norstov> Okay, well keep an eye out
[00:43] <Lyra_Bel> "For what, exactly?"
[00:43] <Faerzen_Norstov> You named your skeleton thing kek?
[00:43] <Lyra_Bel> "I asked him what he wanted to be called, he laughed at me.  So that's what I started calling him."
[00:43] <Faerzen_Norstov> For enemies and differences between them. It's easiest to spot comparing multiple imps
[00:44] <Lyra_Bel> "Got it.  Spot the differences"
[00:44] <Faerzen_Norstov> If all you have done is thrown in one object, it will be unable to speak with you
[00:44] <Lyra_Bel> "Well, Kek definitely talks"
[00:44] <Lyra_Bel> "He doesn't *explain*, but he talks"
[00:45] <Faerzen_Norstov> What was kek before you gave it the skeleton?
[00:45] <Lyra_Bel> "A glowy lamp"
[00:45] <Faerzen_Norstov> Ah
[00:45] <Lyra_Bel> "Then it possessed my earbuds for a bit and helped me strife some imps"
[00:45] <Faerzen_Norstov> Okay, that lamp must have been what was added first
[00:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> If you didn't add it, then it must have been your server player
[00:46] <Lyra_Bel> "What, no.  The floaty orb that functioned as a lamp, not an actual physical desk lamp"
[00:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> Oh
[00:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> Okay
[00:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> Well I find it unusual that your sprite can talk
[00:47] <Lyra_Bel> "I still find it unusual you know it's called a sprite."
[00:47] <Lyra_Bel> "Is there a guidebook or something I can learn all this terminology?"
[00:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> None of the others I've encountered have done anything other than make noises and laughs until a second object is added
[00:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes
[00:47] <Lyra_Bel> "So far, I've just been copying you guys.  Planets, imps, sprites..."
[00:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> It's called your sprite
[00:47] <Lyra_Bel> "Bluh.  Kek doesn't explain anything, though"
[00:48]  * Faerzen_Norstov gestures out the window at a massive blocky castle
[00:48] <Faerzen_Norstov> See that
[00:48] <Lyra_Bel> "Eeyup"
[00:48] <Faerzen_Norstov> My sprite is really quite excellent, and he has explained a great deal about this game
[00:49] <Faerzen_Norstov> The sprite seems to be intended as a sort of guide
[00:49] <Lyra_Bel> "You wanna trade?  Mine's broken.  He just says stuff like 'why don't you go check over there?' then giggles on away"
[00:49] <Lyra_Bel> "No exposition whatsoever"
[00:49] <Faerzen_Norstov> But it takes on the characteristics of what you throw into it, so it may or may not actually be helpful
[00:49] <Faerzen_Norstov> Byron
[00:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> He added a blob of junk food to his
[00:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> Now all it does is moan and puke everywhere
[00:50] <Lyra_Bel> "... Huh."
[00:50] <Lyra_Bel> "That can't be much worse than giggling like a schoolgirl"
[00:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> Do you have anything that you think would be particularly helpful if your sprite became more like?
[00:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> I tossed in a top hat and monocle and so my sprite is very gentlemanly
[00:51] <Lyra_Bel> "You sure you don't wanna trade?"
[00:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> Which, in retrospect, was accidentally a very good thing to do it seems
[00:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> Quite sure
[00:51] <Lyra_Bel> "I'll throw in a broom"
[00:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> GCS is the best :)
[00:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> A broom?
[00:52] <Lyra_Bel> "Yeah.  I have a broom"
[00:52] <Lyra_Bel> "Also a shovel, if you like"
[00:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hmm
[00:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> Let's try and think of something that could be helpful since its personality is affected by what you add
[00:53] <Lyra_Bel> "A book"
[00:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> For example, the gentlemanly things made mine very polite and helpful
[00:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> You could try the same thing, actually if you want
[00:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> I wrote down the code for them before I tossed them in
[00:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> A book?
[00:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> Which book?
[00:54] <Lyra_Bel> "Not gonna lie, turning Kek into a Player's Handbook for Sabath would be pretty helpful"
[00:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> It would probably be highly dependent on that
[00:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hmm
[00:54] <Lyra_Bel> "Get a glossary in the back"
[00:54] <Lyra_Bel> "Figure out what to call... everything"
[00:55] <Faerzen_Norstov> Do you have any guidebooks at home?
[00:55] <Lyra_Bel> "Not really"
[00:55] <Faerzen_Norstov> To...anything I guess?
[00:56] <Lyra_Bel> "I didn't happen to bring a house with me, and I'm pretty sure if there were any books in the gas station, they're gone by now"
[00:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> I probably have a tourist guide to Oslo around here somewhere but I don't know if that would be the most prudent choice
[00:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> You came in a gas station?
[00:56] <Lyra_Bel> "Yeah"
[00:56] <Lyra_Bel> "I wanted wifi"
[00:57] <Lyra_Bel> "Okay y'know what"
[00:57] <Faerzen_Norstov> Well then
[00:58] <Faerzen_Norstov> What?
[00:58] <Lyra_Bel> "I'll just throw a rock at him"
[00:58] <Faerzen_Norstov> A rock?
[00:58] <Lyra_Bel> "It won't help, but I *really* wanna do it anyway"
[00:58] <Faerzen_Norstov> That doesn't seem terribly helpful for your sprites intelligence
[00:58] <Lyra_Bel> "He deserves it"
[00:59] <Faerzen_Norstov> Perhaps, but if ask that does is screw you over even more in the long term, it hardly seems worth it
[00:59] <Lyra_Bel> "Bluh, fine"
[01:00] <Faerzen_Norstov> The gas station
[01:00] <Faerzen_Norstov> It almost certainly has newspapers, right?
[01:00] <Lyra_Bel> "Really old ones, yeah"
[01:00] <Lyra_Bel> "Oh, that might work, if they aren't too moldy"
[01:00] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yeah
[01:00] <Faerzen_Norstov> Newspapers are generally very informative
[01:01] <Lyra_Bel> "Good idea.  I'll try that when I'm at cliff-place next time"
[01:01] <Faerzen_Norstov> It might not work because you never know with these things
[01:01] <Lyra_Bel> "Of course.  Can't have that"
[01:01] <Faerzen_Norstov> But especially if it is a good newspaper, our chances are better
[01:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> Like the New York Times
[01:02] <Lyra_Bel> "That probably won't be an option, but I get the idea"
[01:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> Indeed
[01:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> Where are you from?
[01:02] <Lyra_Bel> "Ontario"
[01:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> And where were you when you were at the gas station?
[01:03] <Lyra_Bel> "... Ontario"
[01:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> Okay
[01:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> I always found Canada to be a beautiful place :)
[01:03] <Lyra_Bel> "You clearly haven't been to the gas station"
[01:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> In the parts untouched by the ewars, that is
[01:04] <Lyra_Bel> "Ewars?"
[01:04] <Lyra_Bel> "Oh wait Alex mentioned them a while ago, yeah"
[01:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> Well Ontario is close enough to America that the LA Times or the New York Times or the WSJ should be available
[01:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> When in doubt it is one of those three in north America
[01:05]  * Faerzen_Norstov shudders
[01:05] <Lyra_Bel> "I guess I'll find out when I get there"
[01:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> The ewars were terrible
[01:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yes, I suppose you shall
[01:05] <Lyra_Bel> "You lived through them?"
[01:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> Only when I was very young
[01:06] <Faerzen_Norstov> They were mostly before I was born
[01:06] <Faerzen_Norstov> But the worst part of it was at the end
[01:06] <Faerzen_Norstov> And we're all facing the consequences of them now
[01:07] <Faerzen_Norstov> Corporations had basically monopolized the world
[01:07] <Lyra_Bel> "Megacorps, right"
[01:07] <Lyra_Bel> "Renraku and Ares and whatnot"
[01:07] <Lyra_Bel> "Faucet"
[01:07] <Faerzen_Norstov> Before they got obliterated by meteors, that is
[01:07] <Faerzen_Norstov> NorwayNet
[01:07] <Faerzen_Norstov> That was the big one in my area
[01:07] <Faerzen_Norstov> One of the more benevolent ones, it seems now
[01:08] <Lyra_Bel> "Doesn't really matter now, I guess"
[01:08] <Faerzen_Norstov> Indeed
[01:08] <Lyra_Bel> "My home had this big global warming scare.  Also not an issue"
[01:09] <Lyra_Bel> "So I guess hiding from your problems really does solve them"
[01:09] <Faerzen_Norstov> Only sometimes
[01:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> When the problems aren't actually that significant
[01:10] <Lyra_Bel> "Yeah, yeah"
[01:11] <Lyra_Bel> "Okay.  Can I go now?  You and Regent have gone through your intervention spiel?"
[01:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> So what is your idea¿
[01:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> You still have yet to say ;)
[01:11] <Lyra_Bel> "Bluh.  Hoping you wouldn't catch that"
[01:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> Seriously?
[01:12] <Lyra_Bel> "A little, yeah"
[01:12] <Faerzen_Norstov> Are you that desperate to just dive in?
[01:12] <Faerzen_Norstov> Or
[01:12] <Faerzen_Norstov> Is it that deep down you know it's probably foolish and you don't want me to say no?
[01:12] <Faerzen_Norstov> Something else?
[01:13] <Lyra_Bel> "Out of curiosity, if I were to say the answer is both..."
[01:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> Then that would be the answer I was electing
[01:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> *expecting
[01:13] <Lyra_Bel> "Realistically, there isn't that much you can do to stop me.  It kicks off when I switch to the other one, and you can't really stop that."
[01:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> I agree
[01:14] <Faerzen_Norstov> I can't really control what you do
[01:14] <Lyra_Bel> "But?"
[01:14] <Faerzen_Norstov> Only provide counsel
[01:14] <Lyra_Bel> "I'm not gonna do anything stupid."
[01:14] <Faerzen_Norstov> We hope
[01:15] <Lyra_Bel> "Okay?  I'm trying to fix a thing.  It can't get any worse than it is."
[01:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hahaha
[01:15] <Lyra_Bel> "Or at least, not because of what I'm doing."
[01:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> :)
[01:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> "It can't get worse"
[01:15] <Lyra_Bel> "And yes, I know *exactly* how much worse I just made things."
[01:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> Never say that with this game :O
[01:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> It can always get worse
[01:15] <Faerzen_Norstov> I'm sure you won't actively try and make things worse though
[01:16] <Faerzen_Norstov> Which is what counts
[01:16] <Faerzen_Norstov> Just a bit of caution goes a long way
[01:16] <Faerzen_Norstov> So what is your idea?
[01:16] <Lyra_Bel> "Y'know, the longer we talk the better the chance I'll switch halfway through."
[01:18] <Faerzen_Norstov> Then hurry up :)
[01:19]  * Lyra_Bel pauses a moment, then sighs.
[01:19] <Lyra_Bel> "All I'm gonna do is argue semantics at it.  Lawyer up, try and argue a different deal than the one I said"
[01:19] <Lyra_Bel> "Change the definitions."
[01:19] <Faerzen_Norstov> What will be your argument?
[01:19] <Faerzen_Norstov> That sounds a reasonable plan of action
[01:20] <Faerzen_Norstov> If you have a sound argument
[01:20] <Lyra_Bel> "I've got a couple ideas.  Firstly, since I've already got a body on Derse, I'm not going to really 'go' there.  I'm already present."
[01:20] <Lyra_Bel> "Alternatively, unless it's wreaking havoc at the exact time I awaken, it isn't helping me when I go."
[01:21] <Faerzen_Norstov> You could make the argument that your consciousness goes there, but continue
[01:21] <Faerzen_Norstov> Interesting
[01:21] <Faerzen_Norstov> So you are saying then
[01:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> That you'd interpret "when I go to Derse" to be "immediately when I arrive in Derse"
[01:22] <Lyra_Bel> "If it has a chance to work?  I'll interpret anything."
[01:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> I soar
[01:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> Suppose
[01:22] <Faerzen_Norstov> It has a chance to work
[01:23] <Faerzen_Norstov> Those arguments seem reasonably easy to counter
[01:23] <Faerzen_Norstov> But they do have some substance
[01:23] == KE [uid76541@id-76541.charlton.irccloud.com] has quit [Quit: Connection closed for inactivity]
[01:23] <Lyra_Bel> "I think you're underestimating how persuasive I can be."
[01:24] <Lyra_Bel> "Especially if it really functions as a splinter of my own mind."
[01:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> I think you're underestimating how powerful that mask is and how it doesn't necessarily play by the rules it thinks it does
[01:24] <Faerzen_Norstov> Or by any rules, necessarily
[01:24] <Lyra_Bel> "Nah, this whole thing is gonna crash and burn spectacularly."
[01:25] <Faerzen_Norstov> Almost certainly :/
[01:25] <Lyra_Bel> "Ah well.  Not much else we can do, right?"
[01:26] <Faerzen_Norstov>  As long as you are very careful with what you say
[01:26] <Lyra_Bel> "Besides.  It'll be easier for me to plan once I actually get access to the mask again"
[01:26] <Faerzen_Norstov> (Keep in mind it can play the same semantics game right back at you with what you give it)
[01:26] <Lyra_Bel> "Oh shoot"
[01:26] <Lyra_Bel> "Good point"
[01:27] <Faerzen_Norstov> It has a chance of working
[01:27] <Lyra_Bel> "Meh.  I guess I'll ad-lib once we get to that point."
[01:27] <Faerzen_Norstov> But I fear it will end up trapping you further
[01:27] <Faerzen_Norstov> We shall see, I suppose
[01:27] <Lyra_Bel> "All I gotta do is stall for time, right?  If it's too busy arguing to help me..."
[01:28] <Faerzen_Norstov> What if you wait to talk with it until you get to Derse?
[01:28] <Faerzen_Norstov> Sorry
[01:28] <Lyra_Bel> "Ooh, good idea."
[01:28] <Faerzen_Norstov> Wake up on Derse
[01:29] <Lyra_Bel> "Good choice of words."
[01:29] <Lyra_Bel> "Buy me some extra time.  Sweet catch."
[01:29] <Faerzen_Norstov> Then you will have more concrete facts to support your argument
[01:29] <Faerzen_Norstov> And if you get there
[01:29] <Faerzen_Norstov> And you're already fucked
[01:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> Then speaking to the mask beforehand wouldn't have helped anyways
[01:30] <Lyra_Bel> "Yeah"
[01:30] <Lyra_Bel> "And at least then, everyone else is out of the fallout zone."
[01:30] <Faerzen_Norstov> You have a computer in your dream room, no?
[01:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> Oh wait
[01:31] <Lyra_Bel> "Yeah.  I'm not in there, but yeah"
[01:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> You're not there
[01:31] <Lyra_Bel> "Nope"
[01:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> Do you have any way of communicating on you?
[01:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> Like a phone
[01:31] <Lyra_Bel> "Shades, I guess.  Phone too, yeah"
[01:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> In your dream self?
[01:31] <Faerzen_Norstov> Excellent
[01:32] <Faerzen_Norstov> When you wake up on Derse, contact me and let me know what's up
[01:32] <Lyra_Bel> "If I can, yeah"
[01:32] <Faerzen_Norstov> If need be, Nick and I can go to sleep and try and help get you out
[01:32] <Lyra_Bel> "No.  Definitely don't do that."
[01:33] <Lyra_Bel> "Keep everyone else but me away from Derse."
[01:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> I believe approximately half of our team is already there
[01:33] <Lyra_Bel> "I don't wanna give the queen any fodder for two-person torture.  Already sent Tarane away to Prospit"
[01:33] <Faerzen_Norstov> Wait
[01:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> I don't know if I can help you actually
[01:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> You are in a different Derse, I would presume
[01:34] <Lyra_Bel> "Awesome.  So stay on your one."
[01:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> Unless shenanigans have occurred
[01:34] <Faerzen_Norstov> Which they very well may have
[01:35] <Lyra_Bel> "Derse is gonna be a warzone when I'm there next.  Keep your distance, alright?"
[01:36] <Lyra_Bel> "Last thing I need is someone else to deal with"
[01:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> I just wanted to help
[01:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> Actually
[01:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> I have an idea
[01:36] <Lyra_Bel> "Mm?"
[01:36] <Faerzen_Norstov> I have no idea how effective it will be
[01:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> But I can at least try
[01:37] <Lyra_Bel> "Sounds par for the course so far.  Whatcha got?"
[01:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> I don't see how it can hurt, AT least
[01:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> I can talk to the white queen
[01:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> See what she knows about our two Derses
[01:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> The black queen
[01:37] <Lyra_Bel> "Not gonna lie, seems like it's best to focus on one team instead of taking them both on at once"
[01:37] <Faerzen_Norstov> Maybe they gaff a weakness
[01:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> Definitely focus on yours first
[01:38] <Faerzen_Norstov> But I would imagine they are very similar given they are the same game construct
[01:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> Perhaps she knows how the two Derses are related, if at all
[01:39] <Lyra_Bel> "Worth a try, if you think she'll help"
[01:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> Maybe she can send in some reconnaissance troops to help out
[01:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> She may be too busy
[01:39] <Faerzen_Norstov> But it is my understanding that the white queen is quite invested in our success in this game
[01:40] <Lyra_Bel> "Wait, really?"
[01:40] <Lyra_Bel> "I thought Prospit was just supposed to be the next team to take out after Derse"
[01:40] <Faerzen_Norstov> No
[01:40] <Faerzen_Norstov> Prospit is the good side
[01:40] <Lyra_Bel> "Huh.  Good to know"
[01:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> Well
[01:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> Maybe good isn't the best word
[01:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> "The side of Light"
[01:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> They want a new world to be created
[01:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> So that has to count for something
[01:41] <Faerzen_Norstov> Whatever that means
[01:42] <Lyra_Bel> "So they want us to win the game"
[01:42] <Lyra_Bel> "Worth looking into, then"
[01:43] <Faerzen_Norstov> If you want, we can commence executing this plan now
[01:43] <Faerzen_Norstov> My house is quite safe
[01:44] <Lyra_Bel> "May as well."
[01:44] <Faerzen_Norstov> And I have an extra bed you can sleep on
[01:44] <Lyra_Bel> "Well, I gotta swap over first"
[01:44] <Lyra_Bel> "Need to take the mask"
[01:44] <Faerzen_Norstov> What do you mean?
[01:44] <Lyra_Bel> "Nickolai has the mask on cliff-land"
[01:45] <Lyra_Bel> "I gotta swap bodies to the one in ash-planet, then go grab the mask"
[01:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> I don't think you need the mask
[01:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> It said it would help you
[01:46] <Faerzen_Norstov> So why bother getting the mask outside of dream land and giving it more opportunity to fuck you over?
[01:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> If anything, not getting it makes your semantics argument easier
[01:47] <Lyra_Bel> "I guess"
[01:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> Because maybe it can't help you
[01:47] <Faerzen_Norstov> It never said you needed to wear the mask when you go to sleep
[01:48] <Lyra_Bel> "I guess not, yeah"
[01:48] <Lyra_Bel> "Fine.  Spare room?"
[01:48] <Faerzen_Norstov> Here, let me show you
[01:49]  * Faerzen_Norstov walks up the slanted floor back out the door
[01:49]  * Faerzen_Norstov it's on the second floor
[01:49]  * Faerzen_Norstov heads down one flight of stairs on the spiral staircase
[01:49]  * Lyra_Bel follows
[01:50] <Faerzen_Norstov> <you end up in a large room with a big bed in the center. There is a private bathroom and office, the walls are covered in bookshelves with computer science and math books, as well as geometric art>
[01:51] <Lyra_Bel> "And this is the *spare* one?"
[01:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> Here, let me go get some clean sheets from downstairs
[01:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> Well
[01:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> It's.... spare now
[01:51] <Lyra_Bel> "Dude."
[01:51] <Lyra_Bel> "You could not have possibly phrased that any more ominously"
[01:51] <Faerzen_Norstov> Now that my mom is.... gone
[01:52] <Lyra_Bel> "Oh."
[01:52] <Lyra_Bel> "Welp."
[01:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yeah
[01:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> Sorry
[01:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> It isn't a big deal
[01:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> Do you mind sleeping here?
[01:52] <Lyra_Bel> "Sure, yeah.  Sorry about your mum."
[01:52] <Faerzen_Norstov> It's okay
[01:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> I know she is still alive
[01:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> Or so Regent says
[01:53] <Lyra_Bel> "That so?"
[01:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> But I don't know where
[01:53] <Faerzen_Norstov> Regent wouldn't say
[01:53] <Lyra_Bel> "Well, screw that guy."
[01:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> She was always one step ahead of me, so I'm sure she has something up her sleeve :)
[01:54] <Lyra_Bel> "Heh.  Of course."
[01:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> I hope :/
[01:54] <Faerzen_Norstov>  Sigh
[01:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> Let me get those sheets
[01:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> You can use the shower if you want
[01:54] <Faerzen_Norstov> The touchscreen on the wall controls the water
[01:54] <Lyra_Bel> "I, uh... probably should.  It's been like a week."
[01:55] <Lyra_Bel> "You're sure you don't mind me kinda desecrating your mom's room?"
[01:55] <Faerzen_Norstov> Oh no, don't worry
[01:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> Nick stayed here earlier when he was here
[01:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> He had a hell of a time uhhhhh
[01:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> Getting the shower controls to work
[01:56] <Faerzen_Norstov> You seem like you can handle then though ;)
[01:56] <Lyra_Bel> "I'll figure it out."
[01:57] <Faerzen_Norstov> I'll be back
[01:57] <Lyra_Bel> "Sure."
[01:57] <Faerzen_Norstov> Enjoy your shower
[01:57]  * Faerzen_Norstov leaves and shuts door behind him
[01:58]  * Faerzen_Norstov heads downstairs to get sheets
[01:58] <Lyra_Bel> "Enjoy your sheets-collecting oh and you're gone."
[01:58] <Faerzen_Norstov> *now where were they.....*
[01:58] <Faerzen_Norstov> *the garage....?*
[01:59]  * Faerzen_Norstov heads to laundry room
[02:00]  * Faerzen_Norstov quickly finds sheets and returns to den, listening for water upstairs
[02:00]  * Lyra_Bel takes a shower
[02:01] <Lyra_Bel> Taking care to lock the door
[02:01] <Lyra_Bel> Because apparently someone neglected to specify that once
[02:01]  * Faerzen_Norstov talks with both Regents in the den about things
[02:01]  * Lyra_Bel dries off, gets dressed, and lies in Mom's bed watching YouTube videos until she falls asleep
[02:02]  * Faerzen_Norstov waits for shower to stop and then heads upstairs
[02:02]  * Faerzen_Norstov knocks on bedroom door
[02:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> Lyra?
[02:02] <Lyra_Bel> "Eeyup?"
[02:02] <Faerzen_Norstov> Can I come in?
[02:02] <Lyra_Bel> "Go for it"
[02:03]  * Faerzen_Norstov opens door
[02:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> Here are the clean sheets
[02:03] <Lyra_Bel> "Awesome, thanks"
[02:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> I promise there aren't any feathers in them
[02:03] <Faerzen_Norstov> Can't make any promises about those
[02:03]  * Faerzen_Norstov points to the sheets on the bed
[02:04] <Lyra_Bel> "Why would-?  Never mind."
[02:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> Nick
[02:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> He has feat--
[02:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> Oh god
[02:04] <Lyra_Bel> "Right, you mentioned he was here."
[02:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> That's not what I meant!
[02:04]  * Faerzen_Norstov blushes
[02:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> Sorry
[02:04] <Lyra_Bel> "What?"
[02:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> Never mind
[02:04] <Faerzen_Norstov> Don't worry about it
[02:05] <Lyra_Bel> "O... kay?"
[02:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> Forget I said anything!
[02:05] <Lyra_Bel> "Just gimme the sheets, dude."
[02:05]  * Faerzen_Norstov hands Lyra the sheets
[02:05] <Faerzen_Norstov> I also have something else for you
[02:05] <Lyra_Bel> "Mm?"
[02:05]  * Faerzen_Norstov pulls out a necklace, noting the captcha code on the back
[02:06] <Faerzen_Norstov> <It resembles a chain necklace, but is gray and seems a bit heavy for jewelry>
[02:06] <Lyra_Bel> "Uh."
[02:06] <Lyra_Bel> "What?"
[02:06] <Faerzen_Norstov> Here, wear this if you don't mind
[02:06] <Faerzen_Norstov> I believe it will allow me to communicate with you
[02:07] <Faerzen_Norstov> I'm not positive, but we may as well have a backup plan
[02:07] <Lyra_Bel> "Hey, anything's worth trying."
[02:07]  * Lyra_Bel dons the necklace and makes the bed
[02:10] <Lyra_Bel> "Anything else, then?"
[02:10] <Faerzen_Norstov> No, I think that should be it!
[02:11] <Lyra_Bel> "Alright then.  Guess I'll see you in either half and hour, or never"
[02:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> Indeed
[02:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> I shall head upstairs
[02:11] <Faerzen_Norstov> Good luck!
[02:11]  * Faerzen_Norstov briefly hugs Lyra
[02:11]  * Lyra_Bel absconds
[02:12] <Lyra_Bel> Roll 1d20+1 to escape grapple
[02:12] <`DICE> Lyra_Bel rolled 1d20+1 to escape grapple [ 1d20=11 ]{12}
[02:12] <Faerzen_Norstov> Maybe luck will be on our side this time
[02:12] <Lyra_Bel> "Let's not kid.  We're toast"
[02:12] <Faerzen_Norstov> Roll 1d20-1 hug strength
[02:12] <`DICE> Faerzen_Norstov rolled 1d20-1 hug strength [ 1d20=15 ]{14}
[02:13]  * Faerzen_Norstov releases Lyra
[02:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> Yeah, probably
[02:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> But who knows
[02:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> It will be an adventure!
[02:13] <Lyra_Bel> "Sure, whatever you say."
[02:13] <Lyra_Bel> "Wanna place bets on what limb I'll lose next?"
[02:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> Hopefully talk to you soon
[02:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> Oh god
[02:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> Let's not
[02:13] <Faerzen_Norstov> Please
[02:14] <Lyra_Bel> "Fine, fine.  See you soon."
[02:14] <Faerzen_Norstov> Good night
[02:14] <Lyra_Bel> "G'night"
[02:14]  * Faerzen_Norstov leaves and closes door
[02:15]  * Lyra_Bel turns the Shades back to YouTube and lies down to wait for sleep and/or body-swappage
[02:15]  * Faerzen_Norstov heads upstairs and plops on his bed/pile of pillows after changing out of this stupid dress