When the horrible undersea creatures cry...

[awitchdidit]

[The Psychic camera is back on Beatrice, who is under deep protest broadcasting from her mansion in the increasingly gross Liminal Space for the sake of operational security. To make herself feel better, she's magically applied her regular appearance back over her Miyo disguise, like some sort of Shakespearean comedy in magical lecturer form.]

Alright, ladies and gentlefish, we've made a few discoveries with regards to what I think we're calling the Deepsong. I'd make a bigger production of this, but frankly, the facsimile of that noise in Liminal Space sounds even worse, somehow, so I'll stick to using visuals to get your attention.

[With that, several S. Tech party poppers go off in the background and Beatrice summons a spotlight on herself.]

First, our inestimable Detective, Naoto Shirogane, has determined the effects of the noise itself - you can also thank her for the camerawork. The Song's effects are threefold: it breaks down both physical and mental resistances to disease, it "resonates" with those who have a connection to song magic, and in that area of resonance, it drastically increases the power of the "Stricken" virus that afflicts mermaids with violent, cannibalistic urges.

[Beatrice's old friend the magical blackboard illustration appears over her shoulder, with an image of a kraken-like creature, arrows pointing from it to little heads with fish tails obviously representing mermaids, and smaller arrows pointing from them to skull-and-crossbones symbols.]

So much so that it could even allow the Stricken disease to affect humans, not just mermaids.

[She flips the S. Tech blackboard over, where there is one word written in red chalk: Spillover.]

Be extraordinarily careful interacting with Stricken mermaids no matter what your species condition happens to be right now. Don't interact with them at all while the Deepsong is happening.

Now, this is a serious problem for both ourselves and the locals, including our numerous Infiltrators. This is essentially a magical spell or psychic affliction, so the only way to stop it is going to be to find the source and deal with it. To that end, I have my own plan.

[Flipping the blackboard a second time, predictably, shows an entirely different image: a stylized picture of the Haunted Isle with two five-pointed stars marked on its edges and a series of question marks sketched around it.]

Two groups of investigators camped in two different places while the Deepsong is ongoing should be able to determine the direction of the song. If we do that precisely, using some of the Cornu's navigational instruments, we should be able to pinpoint our Deepsinger's precise location.

[To demonstrate, she draws a line from each of the stars, which intersect and form an X over one of the question marks.]

We need to do this immediately. There are many Stricken mermaids around this island, and if the disease propagates to the whole population, mermaid and human, it's almost certain to be a disaster.

[She nods her head.]

I'll be leading one group of triangulators, and will take volunteers for the second. A compass and a sextant and decent ears in each group should be all we need, although actual navigational skills can only help, if we want to bring in one of the Investigator sailors on this. I'm open to suggestions.

[She sighs.]

That's all for now. Thank you, Miss Shirogane.

Comments

[fruitknife]

...fuck.

Been overnighting in Liminal anyway, but I'm definitely keeping that up now. Anyone who ain't been hit by this thing and needs to catch a portal, I'm in the kitchen.

[awitchdidit]

That's probably for the best, although we'll also need enough people around during the Song to fix the problem, if we don't want this island turning into a bloody allegory for consumerism.

[fruitknife]

You want somebody who doesn't have a crap immune system already for that.

[naturaltwohands]

[And now, a public service announcement brought to you by the generous donations of one Davesprite:]

Fuck.

[We thank you for your service, Davesprite.]

I have been... feeling somewhat off due to the song.

[A pause, and then.]

I volunteer myself for helping defeat this monster, whatever it is. My skills will be an asset, either on land or sea. I would rather help triangulate on land, but if I am the only one that can operate the ship's instruments....

[awitchdidit]

That just sounds wrong when a magical elf woodsman says it...

Anyway, we'll definitely be in need of your skills in navigation and perception. You can probably handle the technical aspects of one team, and I am seeing about talking Malik and Miss Shirogane into the others. We may need to work with the Infiltrators instead, though.

[loyalrebel]

...you need three points of observation to triangulate with actual accuracy.

[ Tri means three after all.]

Also, your map is terrible. If you give me an hour or two I can have a passably accurate one made up for the groups with markings for where I recall reefs being.

[naturaltwohands]

I thought the ship was the third, truthfully. But yes. Three groups are necessary.

You can make maps? That is an incredible asset.

[awitchdidit]

Thank you, Malik, for volunteering to provide us a map and lead the third group.

Also it's a diagram, not a map.

[shiroganeheir]

I seem to have picked up the ability to know the cardinal directions, and I can get to the top of the ship's masts, so I can at least help.

Don't know how much good it'll do, because that damn fucking thing is fucking powerful.

[Her tone is sharp and bitter, very unusual.]

In person

[awitchdidit]

...

[Beatrice ends her end of the psychic connection herself and motions Naoto to do the same.]

Are you quite alright? Have you been spending time with any Stricken locals? I'm only asking because the situation calls for caution.

[chalicejoker]

I've been...raging...

...but I'll do what I can. I'm a strong swimmer, and you can at least point me at anything that might give us trouble.

[awitchdidit]

...That's likely a problem. It may be best to keep you in Liminal Space during the Deepsong, and bring you in when it's time to physically go find its source.

[thornsofmalkav]

Oh my fucking god.

Okay. Well. I volunteer for triangulation if you need someone. And... shit. Someone really needs to bring this shit to Ginevra and Alosa.

I guess that's my job first.

[claudiometer]

Handwave handwave 'the humans have some analysis and tracking skills'? I mean, they can have those and still not know how to steer a ship.

[awitchdidit]

If you need Miyo's support, I'll be available. We may need to borrow their navigators and instruments, though, so it might be best to just give them a plan.

If nothing else, we can say we have a cartographer who just came out of a coma and gave us the idea, if Malik's okay with that.

[claudiometer]

Once we know where it is, we gotta get the other groups in on this, as much as we can. None of us, fish or otherwise, have enough firepower alone to take on something as big as was in Lyall's vision.

I personally don't care if the united front falls to bits as soon as the Deepsinger's out of the equation, and if I know Helena's body language at all, she's about ready to pack up and leave anyway. But if we leave it out there it's only gonna keep hurting people, so that's not an option.

[awitchdidit]

I want to point out that we don't know if killing it is the solution quite yet and I can't believe I of all people just said that. Regardless, we can make that decision once we find it and see if it can communicate in ways other than psychic disease.

[theflyingone]

I will go. I can lead one of the groups, unless you find someone more suitable.

[ He does not say that he's mostly volunteering in Malik's stead, or that he has some degree of psychic protection, despite also having Siren Song. He is a private person, only divulging things on a need-to-know basis. ]

I will use the stars to determine the direction, though someone will have to help me with the sextant.

[ He assumes it's a tool, but hell if he knows what it does. ]

[awitchdidit]

I'm mainly referring to those as the best means of specifying a direction that I know are available. If you, perhaps with Malik's psychic assistance, can plot direction and distance to a sound's source, that's all we need.

[vorenado]

I would like to offer myself in this endeavor. One of the skills I have retained is the ability to leave my body and travel as a wraith. This will allow me to move safely through the ocean. If we can narrow down it's location, I can scout ahead to gather intel on what we are dealing with.

[awitchdidit]

Well, that sounds like our best bet for actually laying eyes on the thing. Is this full-on astral projection where your 'wraith' isn't vulnerable, or is there some caveat?

[triggerhappytraitor]

Lyall and I are working on finding a cure or vaccine for the Stricken disease.

If there's anyone who is likely to come in contact with it who has a genetic make up different than a typical human, a genetic sample from before there's any further exposure can help ensure the safety of anything we develop.

[awitchdidit]

Oh, that's a good idea. Unfortunately the difference between Witches and humans is more about knowledge than biochemistry, but hopefully this gets the attention of all our differently-specied fellow Travelers.

[tobegood]

I can go. If it's basically a magical affliction, I suppress all magic near me ever since the Newport jaunt. Maybe I can help protect one of the groups from the Deepsong.

[awitchdidit]

Hm! As long as we're not in the same group, that could work. Although we might need some other means of communication, in that case...