[Video]

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin image appears suddenly, and though his face is composed, his thoughts are both cautious and alarmed.]

Everyone - be alert in liminal space, and avoid the men's bathroom four floors above where the portal let us into liminal space. The sign of the King in Yellow is still with us.

Comments

[creativefool]

...Okay, that's the second time I've heard someone sayin' that name. Who's this King? What's goin' on?

[neverfeltthatway]

...I'm not really the best one to talk to about these things. It's not part of the mythology of my world, and I wasn't present for most of what happened.

However, as best I understand, the King in Yellow is some kind of god or demon, a being of fear and madness. Three jaunts ago, in H-Harrogate, he tried to manifest into a version of Earth. We stopped him, but only narrowly.

[He stumbles over the word 'Harrogate' a little, and the 'we' is generous, but he really doesn't want to get in to his role in that jaunt.]

There's evidence that his power is such to rival the Trumps. He interfered with both liminal space and the telepathic network during that jaunt, and this is the third time his sigil has appeared in liminal space since - every time on some sort of pipe or drain. And both times previous there have been some sort of creature in the drain, though last time it was never fully released.

[It's not an easy subject, but Armin delivers it all with a crisp military tone and discipline.]

[creativefool]

Well, shit.

[There's a mental sigh.]

So there are things out there that could be worse'n the Trumps, who ain't even as cooperative as they are... and they're screwing with us too. As if gettin' dumped on the edge of hell wasn't bad enough news.

Stay clear of any weird signs on the plumbing. Got it.

[neverfeltthatway]

More likely they're screwing with the Trumps, and we're stuck in between. [There's a dark humor in his voice for a moment, though he's not truly amused.] That should be a familiar enough feeling, after the last jaunt.

Though I suppose they might be holding a grudge against us for stopping them. I suppose it's likely we'll find out - and sooner than we'd like.

[shiroganeheir]

I have been wondering if this so-called King is the outside influence Sun spoke of to me. Or at least that influence is related to this entity.

Does anyone know anything at all about it other than the fact that the sign keeps appearing? What is its mythology? Does it have any background other than a mysterious nebulous powerful entity? We know more about the Trumps than that.

[neverfeltthatway]

The influence that killed one of them? It's certainly possible.

...I'm not sure if I'd find that alarming, or comforting. If it's not the King in Yellow, that'd mean there's still something worse out there.

[shiroganeheir]

Not necessarily worse, but at least equal. It does seem that this entity would kill a Trump if possible. The question is, did it?

I apologize for my mis-placed frustration. I do not do well in heat.

[neverfeltthatway]

Circumstances differ, of course - but in the case there's something else, whatever it is has managed to kill a Trump, and the King in Yellow hasn't. The implications are troubling either way.

[howexciting]

[Leonardo takes a long while to respond to this. A long, long while. It makes him horrendously nauseous and light-headed, while prickles of angry heat mingled with prickles of terrified despair slowly crawl up his neck and down his spine. Now, of all times, the Yellow Sign would return.

When he finally responds, after fighting with his stomach to not vomit, there is no usual kindness to his mental voice.]

The King in Yellow is one of the most dangerous of the Old Ones, who were said to live ages before the first man walked the Earth. He resides in Carcosa, and can enter the world through a lake which is called Hali. He is clothed in tattered yellow robes, which smell of corpses and putrid moss and damp earth, with a pallid, mortifying mask. To look upon his unmasked face is to know true madness, and none have survived the ordeal completely intact.

But The King in Yellow is merely an Avatar of Innominandum - He Who Is Not To Be Named, for speaking his name three times will summon him, and it will most surely spell your doom. His second avatar is the Feaster from Afar. He is described as a monstrous mass of tentacles and eyes that can drive you to insanity with their gaze, each tentacle possessing razor-sharp claws which can easily pierce into your skull and remove your brain. I do not think I need go into further detail.

What is on the drain is called the Yellow Sign. It is the symbol of his cult, as well as his sigil of power. To wear it upon your person is to give the King in Yellow a conduit to your mind, where he may then speak through you, or more likely, possess you to do his bidding. I highly suggest none of you do so, or I will not be responsible for what happens to you.

... does that answer your question, Naoto?

[shiroganeheir]

Damn.

[There is a long moment before Naoto responds. She still has questions, but this is not the time for them. This... entity does seem the sort to kill a Trump, but she keeps her own counsel for now.]

Thank you, sensei. You needn't say any more. I understand. Certainly not an entity that we wish to tangle with.

[shutupandwalk]

[Joshua's modern day and reads a lot- he knows what the King in Yellow at least is a reference too.]

'Still' with us? [that's kind of concerning.]

[neverfeltthatway]

We stopped him from manifesting himself in a version of Earth several jaunts ago. His sign has been haunting liminal space since then. This is at least the third time it's appeared.

...Everyone should be sure to leave it alone. From what we know, the presence of the sign indicates the presence of creatures of his that we do not want to let out. [Armin has the scars to prove it.]

[shutupandwalk]

If you're talking about what I think you are, then I'm inclined to agree. [Lovecraftian mythos is not something Joshua knows a lot about, but... yes, it would be bad.] He certainly seems persistent.

[hakodate]

Not this shit again.

[Hijimama is not amused.]

Only the sign? Or does it look like anything's ready to come busting out of there again?

[neverfeltthatway]

Hijikata! No sign of anything else yet. [Despite the grimness, Armin's tone brightens, just a little, at hearing Hijikata's thoughts in his.] But I wouldn't touch it. As far as I know, there was no sign either of the other times - until someone interfered and let them out.

[hakodate]

At this point, I'm half tempted to stake the place out just to make sure nobody slept through this message and tries it later.

[Except there's still shit to be done, jauntwise, so he knows he probably shouldn't take himself out of action like that. But this is worrisome.]

[canbebrave]

You always find the dangerous things.

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin bites his lip when he hears her thoughts, not knowing how to feel. He still doesn't really understand what happened down there. Why was Phedre naked where anyone could see? Is Sansa still angry with him?

...It doesn't seem particularly prudent to bring that up right now. Though he tries, he can't stop his voice from being uncertain and nervous when he replies.] What do you th-think I was looking for? It's b-better to find the dangerous things than wait for them to find us...

[canbebrave]

It's just always you.

[tealeafs]

.. Eh..? It's still there?

[ Chizuru has seen - and heard of - it appearing again in Liminal Space before, yes. But it's been several Jaunts, and it's still appearing over and over.. it's unsettling, especially since that was one of her worst (and probably for everyone else too) Jaunts to begin with. ]

W-.. why won't it go away..? [ Yes, she does sound legitmately scared. Because if the power of the King could make her snap before, then she doesn't even want to think about the risk of it happening again somehow if he keeps being involved with Liminal Space. ]

[neverfeltthatway]

[Armin hesitates, hearing that fear. It echoes his own, so he understands it. But though he wants to allay her fears... he also knows how dangerous it would be to do so without cause. The peril is real, and they can't underestimate it]

...We were so close to losing that jaunt. I... I'm guessing he gained a foothold here in liminal space.

[tealeafs]

[ Chizuru has to swallow thickly before she can even reply mentally to that statement. ]

That's bad, though.. [ For obvious reasons. She knows she doesn't have to mention it to Armin of all people, who ended up as a victim of all of it as well due to her. ] Don't you think there's some way to get rid of it..? Maybe we can ask a Trump for help.

[ Because she's sure not going to rest easy, knowing it's always just there. Like it's waiting for strike. ]

[howexciting]

... I'm on it.

[Don't mind Leonardo, he's just going to exit the conversation quietly and go to lock that shit down.]

[neverfeltthatway]

What are you planning to do?

Action

[howexciting]

[He doesn't respond.

... but Armin will see him stepping into the bathroom only a few minutes later.]

You haven't touched it, have you?