Trump-Talk

[someonetocarry]

So somebody wanna tell me where the Trumps were hidin' this Jaunt? My other self in there was kinda on the sidelines of whatever action went down, given the whole havin'-a-baby thing, and I don't remember talkin' to anythin' that might fit a Trump in disguise.

[Little does she know... still, it's a place to start the conversation for various interested parties, right? Including herself. Because she's not actually even sure which Trump marked her.]

Comments

[awitchdidit]

Oh, is this where we're talking about Trumps this time? I got some information out of the last Liminal that I wasn't able to share before the scenario started.

It doesn't surprise me that a Trump seems to have snuck into someone else's Jaunt - Magician marked me similarly during last Liminal, apparently in acknowledgement of my curiosity and proactiveness. She said it was against the rules, but that those rules had already been broken anyway, more or less.

[solvethepuzzle]

Not the first time Magician broke the rules, even.

[awitchdidit]

Well, she'd naturally be aggressive and creative.

In my case, specifically, it was some precedent where it was technically allowed to Mark people off her turn because we were in Liminal Space. I'm not sure what excuse Empress used here.

[solvethepuzzle]

Naturally. [Technicalities and cheating don't particularly bother him, really. They're a part of any game, and things he's not above himself. Just not in such aggressive fashion.]

The baby likely factored into Empress's actions in this instance.

[awitchdidit]

[...brb checking back over the Network Archives.]

Huh. That actually happened. That's definitely Empress, too.

I should have started this communication with a "Congratulations!" I see.

[solvethepuzzle]

I'm sure you'll be forgiven for the lack of it. [He hadn't congratulated the parents despite being well acquainted with one of them, but he's not the pinnacle of proper manners anyway.]

Empress sees to the safe birth of a child, as would be fitting for her character regardless of any rules.

[awitchdidit]

There'd be no keeping her out, to be sure. Marking the mother was likely enough to get her in trouble, if my impression of their rules and courtesies is correct.

[solvethepuzzle]

Marking someone on another's Jaunt is doubtless bad form. [A brief pause of consideration.] Marking them on a Jaunt we weren't supposed to be on would be more of a grey area, probably. Could argue a technicality on such a thing.

[awitchdidit]

A Jaunt we weren't supposed to be on? Are you referring to when the Trumps made a mistake in destination?

[solvethepuzzle]

The aborted Jaunt could count for that, though it was before my time here and I can't speak personally on it.

I was referring to the Grid, actually. It wasn't Magician's turn, apparently, when she took us there.

[awitchdidit]

Aha. And that's why it turned into what, a four-way Trump brawl?

[solvethepuzzle]

At least four Trumps were involved, but the conflict was not four-way, I believe. Magician sought to bring Hermit back into the game, and the Devil and the Lovers were in opposition to this move.

[awitchdidit]

Hm. So Magician heads off on her own, and drags Travelers with her. Then two other Trumps go to stop her. I wonder whose turn it was at all...

[solvethepuzzle]

Assuming one turn each per round, there is at least a way to eliminate a few from the list. And the round must be drawing to a close soon.

[What that means . . . well they don't know that, do they?]

[someonetocarry]

What's your information, then? What was in liminal that could've had to do with Trumps?

[awitchdidit]

I managed to get Magician's attention, although she introduced herself as ROSE, her alias from that computer Jaunt.

I learned a few things from her that might be old news, such as the fact that the Trumps are taking turns and are only supposed to Mark people on 'their' Jaunts. Obviously, Magician and Empress and a few others have found their way around this.

She also mentioned that Phase Three will happen once every Trump has had their turn, though obviously no indication of what that might entail.

Oh, also, congratulations on your child. Do be careful with her in Liminal Space - lots of sudden drop-offs and such, even in a friendly one like this.

[detectivewonder]

Justice, Strength, and Death are the only ones I can't find any direct reports of in the last two years.

[awitchdidit]

Hm. There may be others that haven't "taken their turn". It's unclear to me whose "turn" it was on the Grid to begin with, although Magician mentioned having already taken hers.

Nonetheless, I think it might be safest to assume that any upcoming Jaunt could be the last in Phase 2.

[detectivewonder]

Probably second to last, but we're getting there, yeah.

Then we find out if the next part is Battle Royale or not.

[awitchdidit]

I don't deny the possibility, but that would be a bit of an anticlimax to all this mysterious buildup, wouldn't it?

[detectivewonder]

I'd rather not rely on alien beings' sense of narrative theory to keep me safe.

[awitchdidit]

I don't assume anyone does anything without a purpose, with the possible exception of a man named Battler Ushiromiya, but I'll admit I may or may not understand a given purpose.