Backdated to 2 days into the second week of the month of the goat

[papacerberus]

As many of you already know, I retained the ability to discern the will of other creatures, and I have been employing that ability to gain knowledge of the Singer of the corrupted Song. It is a draining process, so I had to split it into two forays, and I reported the first a few days ago. I just finished the second one.

Just for the ease of listeners, this was what I discovered the first time: There were two wills, and one was dominating the other. The dominated will was bitter and anguished.

This time I focused my efforts more deeply on the dominated will. These are the results. The Singer has been...programed by that other will. There is room for disobedience to that programming, but the Singer shies away from contemplating it because of the painful consequences. The Singer also wills for an end, either for healing and freedom from the demands of the other will, or for death and the rest that brings, but does not strive towards those because the Singer believes both options to be impossible.

We can give the Singer hope for an end, and I believe we must. That anguish must be stopped, one way or another. Who is with me, and does anyone have ideas on how to undo programming of that kind?

Comments

[thornsofmalkav]

Oh Jesus fuck.

I'm in. I have no idea how to deprogram people, but I'm in.

[papacerberus]

The more people we have, the better our chances at finding some solution. If it must be death, I will endeavor to find out the Singer's name and Sing them to the Deep Currents myself.

[thornsofmalkav]

Yeah. I'm thinking, we should probably do this as our own thing and not with the Crownbreaker expedition to the Deepsinger, just in case things go belly-up. If we die taking it down, we'll probably go back to liminal because Jaunt death is cheap, but if they die it's really death.

[awitchdidit]

...the one the mermaids call an Empress is a real piece of work, even by my standards. Assuming this is her work.

[It almost makes her want to be nicer to her Goats, but then again, there's a difference between hurtful sarcasm and brainwashing.]

I don't have any experience with this, but I think I can help get people who do close. I seem to be somewhat more resistant to the Deepsong's effects than other non-mermaids, I just need the ability to breah underwater to reach it.

[thornsofmalkav]

There's a mermaid Song for that. I'm learning it.

[awitchdidit]

Oh good, normally mermaid legends are a lot more intimate than that.

I'm considering honing the few Psychic abilities I have to help me protect others. Aside from that, my main plan is to concentrate on a Calm Emotions spell to protect the more vulnerable Travelers.

...I'll be able to speak underwater with this breathing song, right?

[papacerberus]

I can Sing the Song of Breath for others easily enough. I'm just not sure I could sing it for myself...

[Lupa pauses for a moment, thinking over the admittedly a little bit absurd image.]

We may be able to convince the Singer to stay near enough to the surface long enough for what needs to be done, although we shouldn't rely on that.

[awitchdidit]

As long as we have at least one mermaid on hand, you should be covered. Redundant Singers are going to be important, there, especially since you're more vulnerable to its Song, apparently.

Although, frankly, if you can think of any strategies that keep my head above water, I'll thank you immensely. This is the worst Jaunt about that...

[memoryandtheft]

Programmed how? Are we talking brainwashing, or some kind of magical binding?

[papacerberus]

I'm not sure; I wasn't able to get that much detail. I'm sorry.

[A pause.]

If we have enough time, I could make another attempt in a few days, but I'm worried that time is something we're short on.

[memoryandtheft]

It could be important. I don't know if we can dismantle it either way, but magic might have failsafes brainwashing wouldn't.

[loyalrebel]

There is a chance that I may be able to change the programming in place.

I do not know how large of a chance it is however.

If not, well... Auriel is a being of thunder and may have enough power to do the deed quickly.

[thornsofmalkav]

... oh my god, you're going to Interface a giant zombie whale.





Do it.

[loyalrebel]

In order to try to use Convert on it, yes.

[chalicejoker]

If you can't change the programming...

...I'll try to help you finish it as quickly as possible.

[papacerberus]

If there is even a small chance, and it's possible to implement it, I am willing to take the risks. How are you suggesting to try it?

[A small pause, and Lupa sounds almost amused.]

A successful Dormina followed by Calm Death would also be an option for either of us, and less likely to interact badly with the water. I suspect my fire won't work at all under water. But if it comes down to Ziodyne, I will make that sacrifice to support you. Magic Repel might be enough to save others in the area.

[awitchdidit]

I ask this as a respectful advocate here, but are you sure swapping one sort of mind control for another will actually work?

[theflyingone]

Explain for those of us who were not tiny people in computers how Convert works.

[ He knows Interface, but as far as his own context, he only knows "conversion" as switching from one religion to another. ]

[goestoextremes]

I don't know anything about programming or deprogramming but I can try my healing skills on it.

[papacerberus]

All the healing we can gather is welcome. It may be that the healing I know won't work, but yours would.

Are you equipped to travel under water? That may end up being our biggest obstacle, truly.

[awitchdidit]

That's along the lines of what I was thinking for this situation. There are a few people around who can heal wounds of the mind and spirit, I believe.

[claudiometer]

...If we can't heal it and break the Dread Empress' hold that way, I'd back the mercy kill option before trying Convert on it, honestly. Best case, that'd just make the poor thing beholden to a new master; worst case, from what I remember from the Grid, wouldn't be good for its sanity.

It deserves a proper break, one way or the other.

[thornsofmalkav]

...

Ah shit, you're probably right.

[AND NOW SHE FEELS EXTRA GUILTY because c'mon, Thorne, you of all people should know better.]

[papacerberus]

I'm choosing to trust Malik's judgement where changing the programming is concerned. I believe you can guess my reasons why.

[Malik's dungeon and all. But Lupa isn't willing to say that outright, in case Malik might take it as a breaking of secrecy.]

But it is a risk, I'm aware. I just... I've been working towards a way to heal the mind, but I haven't achieved it yet. I don't know of anyone else who is themselves right now who has. Do you?

[naturaltwohands]

I am afraid I am at a loss in how I can help this endeavor, unless it is through sailing. All I know is that we cannot let this continue. The Singer must be brought to a peaceful end, whether through a cure or death.