[open to all] Trump speculation + calling

[howexciting]

... Perdonatemi, I have an announcement.

I am not sure anyone else is aware of this, but the payphone by the door can connect to the Trumps. Or at least, when I attempted to call a Trump, it went through. I am not sure if all the Trumps are available for a call or not. I have heard some of them are dead, so they are likely not, at least. In truth, I am not really sure why they are allowing us to speak to them, now. We should all proceed with caution.

Further... if anyone has information on any of the Trumps that appeared this past Jaunt - The Magician, going by ROSE; The Hermit, going by SAGE; and The Devil - please, share it. I am not well versed in the mystical meanings behind the Tarot, only the cards and their numbers. The Magician is one, The Hermit nine, and the Devil fifteen. While I cannot say I know much about The Hermit, I am aware of many aspects of SAGE, as I was a Crypto this past Jaunt. I... I can tell you what little I know about him, if it would help.

... lastly, if anyone was Marked and feels comfortable coming forward with that information, I would be much obliged to hear it. Private or public, it does not concern me; I shall not come forward with that information unless you are comfortable providing it publicly. With so many Trumps amongst us, I cannot believe any of them would leave empty-handed, as it were.

Comments

[howexciting]

Y-yes, I... I am well aware.

[The physical shiver he feels, thankfully, cannot be sent over the Network.]

Well, the why is rather simple - we seem to have triggered many of their attributes, when we speak to them, and that is why they mark us... because we suit them.

Re: private

[howexciting]

... The Magician. I see. Did she kill him because he had become an Automata? From my understanding, the Devil and the Lovers started the Automata corruption on the grid, and The Magician was attempting to rescue The Hermit from the Automata corruption.

[howexciting]

... that, I do not know. KALI had... never been known to follow convention. None of us had.

[purseownerisme]

...it was a deal.

In exchange for information, I would be one of hers. She told me she could claim up to five per round and I would be able to ask a question with full truth. I still have doubts about it but then again I seem to have an issue with trusting others when it comes to puppetmasters.

Were you...told about the four Trumps that are dead by any chance?

[thezerothlaw]

I had opportunity to speak with SAGE during the jaunt. Perhaps he is a Trump, but he also spoke to me of acting in harmony with the situation in order to find my Purpose. The nature of the Programs is perhaps closer to my own nature than anything else I have experienced on Jaunts. There is some comfort in the wisdom he was able to give me. If being chosen by a Trump is inevitable, then I am content with the Hermit over some of the other choices. I am aware that the Devil is a malevolent religious figure, after all.

[howexciting]

That, I am unsure of. The Hermit clearly did not seem upset by it - did he not mention that he would return eventually?

[timelesssurprises]

Yo, I'm Tsurumaru Kuninaga.

Nope, but what happens when you get marked? Are the Trumps meant to be that dangerous?

[wholeheaded]

And fighting each other over us… [ yeah he’ll let that trail off too. He remembers the discussion at the Gateway, talk of the rules and the matter of profit. ] This was a terrible jaunt to be infiltrating, I feel like I missed more than usual, or saw more than I think I did.

[morbirdinterest]

Indeed. And he seemed quite sure of his ability to return. Perhaps the Cryptos' intervention was never needed, and he was merely biding his time.

[nicotinized]

I knew about almost none of them, so... [it's the mental equivalent of trailing off to a shrug. Leo's more personable than he is.]

[nicotinized]

[There's just pure confusion coming from Toshi] ...Who?

[thirdarrow]

I see.

[ That complicates things greatly. ]

I suppose we will just have to pray for the best possible outcome, then.

[wholeheaded]

Right. And if we can make our best guess at who would suit which Trump, and which Trump we may be dealing with on a Jaunt, we may stand a chance at keeping them from getting recruited.

[theanguissette]

No, I was not. I would be much obliged if you could elucidate for me.

[howexciting]

I... yes, I believe I understand. I'm... glad.

[And that is all he'll say on the subject, for now.]

It seems that way, yes. Do you think they might be competing amongst themselves over their attributes? As I understand it, each of their interpretations is broad enough that it is bound to conflict with another Trump somewhere.

[howexciting]

The Magician mentioned some, it seems, to Yua - that she can only claim five per round. I assume this means the other Trumps must do the same.

[howexciting]

That is wise. Thank you.

[And his mental voice in return holds new passion and tenderness within it.] I am glad for it, tesoro. But I would argue we found each other many months ago.

[howexciting]

... I suppose this is true, but I do not think our goal here should be purposefully obtaining marks. Once we are all marked, we may be pitted against one another in this competition. I dread that day.

He had to leave the grid for The Magician to win, I believe, who was intending on returning him to the Game. It is not that he wished to leave the Grid - it is that we had to take him off the Grid in order to succeed. I know several of us Cryptos did not want to leave, but if he had left... we likely would have left with him.

It is understandable why we thought they were bad, and why they thought we were bad. I do not believe there was really a "right" side here.

[howexciting]

I... did not. She did not speak about herself much to me. I agree that roses are beautiful. But not all flowers are completely symmetrical, and roses can be imperfect... though they can all still be beautiful.

[He gives a deep, mental sigh.]

... I did not say she was bad. Merely intrusive. I am sorry if I offended you.

[howexciting]

Perhaps... but the Magician sped up the timeline. She wanted him out of the Grid now.

[howexciting]

I am not sure there even is as "best" possible outcome. It's clear the Trumps are competing and that we are their pawns, though we do not know the rules nor the condition required to win.

[howexciting]

... that may be our best bet should those of us already marked intervene and fail to gain the information we need. But I am unclear how to go about it.

[howexciting]

There is no question that he is a Trump, if he marked you and others.

... yes, it... what you say does make sense. I am pleased you were able to find some comfort in it, then. You are a dear friend, and your happiness means a lot to me.

[howexciting]

Well I can tell you for certain that I was one of the first marked, all the way back at the Labyrinthine Shoal, by the Fool... he was the marooned bandaged man we found in the Shoals.

[howexciting]

Ah, forgive me, I was connecting the point you had made earlier. The Devil was the one who intially contained SAGE. That was his punishment for being a criminal, I presume. But I wonder what his crime might be. I think it is because he tried to leave the game by forming the Grid.