[Science Experiment] || [Collar Fluid Research Start] || [Open]

[doc_brown]

Characters: Anyone who's willing to work for SCIENCE.
Setting: The Workshop (Floor 15) for the IC questions to the scientists and the mingle thread. Then each group will be positioned on a different floor so as to not alert the administrators with a large group of people gathering at a single place for a long time.
Format: Prose or action, whichever you prefer.

Summary: This log marks the start of the research on the collar fluid! As was mentioned in the sign-ups post, words was passed around about the need of more people to help and study the collar fluid. Characters signing-up have all been divided into seven teams, which can be found here. ICly, Doc Brown made the team based on what he thinks is the most efficient. You can still sign-up here.

There will be a thread in case your character needs to ask a question or anything to the starter scientists (Doc, Waver, Sertoria or Sephiroth) and in parallel a mingle thread for all the characters during the 'recruitment', even if they end up assigned to different teams. And then obviously, there are the individual threads for each teams so the new teammates can get and know each other if they don't already.

For their first day the teams will be on different floors, but following this nothing prevents two teams from working closeby or on different floors. For reference, there are three set of scientific equipment, each containing a microscope, a small centrifuge, beakers, test tubes, many testing apparatuses, etc. They'll be shared between the seven teams depending on what they need for their researches.

Warnings: Nothing! There will be no NPC tags here, researches shouldn't be dangerous and this log is mostly for the characters to get and know each other, so this should be a relatively harmless log. Well, unless you're in the Violet or Orange team of course. In which case, good luck.

General Mingle Pre-Research || IC Questions to the Scientists

Violet Fluid Team (Floor 56 - Hospital)
Indigo Fluid Team (Floor 18 - Study Room)
Blue Fluid Team (Floor 03 - Library)
Green Fluid Team (Floor 15 - Workshop)
Yellow Fluid Team (Floor 19 - Research Library)
Orange Fluid Team (Floor 26 - Morgue)
Clear Fluid Team (Floor 27 - Laboratory)

Comments

[oathshackledbird]

Valley of life?

[That is...an odd way to put it, but then again who is he to call something odd considering his background?]

I don't know if I would say it was a holy purpose, though the focus of the war was on a item called the Holy Grail. It can grant a wish to any who possess it. The quest for it was begun with the best intentions I am sure, but something with so much power brings out the worst in people very quickly...

[He pauses and then smiles at her. Unfortunately, because he doesn't know when his curse actives he has no idea it has just bewitched her. Considering they have just met, he doesn't really know her well enough to be able to pick up on a change of behavior either.]

I'm sorry. I should not bore you with the stories of how I came to be betrayed because of greed and lust for power. Not all humans are like that and it is they I should focus on. Besides, the war is only one of the things that souls such as I can be called back for. It shouldn't be used to judge the whole system.

[sacrament_of_blood]

The valley of life is simply the world of the living. I speak in metaphors since they are the gateway to true understanding.

Your holy purpose was perverted? That sounds a terrible fate. But I will do as you say and not judge the system that you speak of by the evils of individual humans.

[She is growing more certain now. The more so with that smile. He is her destined comrade. She wants to fight side by side with him. It would be good to stick around him. This makes it a plain tragedy that they are on different teams.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid laughs good-naturedly.]

You have a bit of the bard in you then? Oisin did that to us once and a while to keep us on our toes. A battle can be won or lost based on the decisions of one man. For that reason, it was part of our duty to our lord to keep our blades sharp and our minds sharper.

Some were better at that than others...

[His smile fades a little as he thinks back to the war.]

Yes, it was perverted and not by my own doing. Perhaps that was the most frustrating part. I fought and I would have kept fighting, but my master chose another way. One that no longer involved me.

[There is silence for a moment and then his smile returns.]

I have a new master now, though. One who understands me and is also my friend. He allows me to fight the way I wish to. It is why we are here. We are fighting to help all who are trapped here and all who have been sent away and can no longer fight for themselves.

[sacrament_of_blood]

I am not only a holy warrior but also a speaker of the holy words, although I so seldom do speak them to people. As I am sacred to death and blood, I am better suited to the field of battles.

[She listens with a solemn expression and then herself smiles when he does.]

It is good that you have a better master who allows you to fight as you will. I, too, have the same cause.

[Dare she speak those words? Why does the thought of saying them make her so nervous? It is only a simple offer. Not one she would ordinarily make unless circumstances offered, but still a simple one.

The hesitation before she speaks is very visible.]

I wish to fight at your side as a comrade.

[oathshackledbird]

There are some who are blessed with great skill in both speaking and fighting. Oisin was one of those. There are those who say I think and speak better than most of my ilk, but in the end I am a fighter. The field of battle is where I am the most at home.

[He pauses a moment to think over her words, before continuing.]

But, from your words, you are more than just a fighter even if you choose not to speak. Do you directly serve Death?

[As a warrior and one who grew up during the times that spirits and gods freely roamed the land, he's not sure how he feels about that. On one hand, it is not unusual to find those serving the gods, but on the other hand few warriors tend to want much to do with Death.

Her offer of comradeship makes him smile again, though. Diarmuid might only have just met her, but in a battle such as this one, all help is welcome. Besides, he always enjoys finding new people to fight alongside.]

I would be honored to be your comrade. This battle will only be won if we work together.

[sacrament_of_blood]

I am Her hand in the world of life. I do as She wills.

[It had been a source of both blessings and sorrow. It gave her a great purpose to follow, but it also forever set her apart from others. She had been cautious around others and others had been cautious around her, least the bloody goddess enter her and leave her in a field of their blood.

It was only around others that served Her, directly via serving as Her hand or indirectly via causing death, that she felt at ease. And she had been meeting a great number of those within the Tower.

And yet she had been feeling less of that presence. In fact, she had not been feeling a trace of it. The goddess must have decided to rest. That explains why she feels less at unease around others for the moment.

His acceptance seems to please her.]

Then we will be comrades.

[oathshackledbird]

[Anyone who knows anything about the world Diarmuid had grown up in will understand why her words cause him to pale slightly. Obviously, Merciless' Death would not be the same as The Morrigan or any of the others who were linked with Death in his world, but Death is Death in any world. Whatever form She is in is one not to be messed with.

He bows his head slightly to her, both in reverence to her position and the one who she serves.]

It will be my honor to fight at your side. Too many do not give Death the respect She deserves.

[Diarmuid pauses a moment before asking her a tentative question.]

I expect you don't much like how death works in this place then, do you?

[sacrament_of_blood]

You surmise correctly. There is no true death here. Save, perhaps, for the monsters.

[The glamour makes it hard to tell the true, but she knows the prisoners are resurrected. However, she does not know what befalls the monsters.]

[oathshackledbird]

As far as I know, when killed the monsters do stay dead. Unfortunately, others soon take their place. They are not the same individuals brought back, though.

[He falls silent to think for a moment before speaking again.]

I wonder if that is because they are real when our powers and our very bodies are not.

[sacrament_of_blood]

That may very well be so.

[She is lost in thought after this.]

[oathshackledbird]

[Diarmuid remains quiet for a time, watching her think. She seems so focused that he doesn't want to interrupt her, but he finally does.]

What is it? What do you ponder so hard? Is it anything I might be able to help with?

[sacrament_of_blood]

I was merely considering the state of the souls of those monsters. And why, even as illusions, we may still slay them.

[oathshackledbird]

It is hard to say. The Administrators say that the monsters are brought here on accident from our worlds, but if that is the full truth or not we don't know. So much of what the Administrators tell us is half truths or full out lies. It is frustrating.

[sacrament_of_blood]

After all, this is the tower of deceptions.

[oathshackledbird]

Well, if you wish to be specific, it's actually a tower of souls. However, I am sure there is just as many deceptive things going on as there are souls in this place, so you are right as well.

[sacrament_of_blood]

It is a place with many facets. Hopefully we shall uncover all of them and reveal its secrets fully.

[oathshackledbird]

It is what we must do if we are going to survive.

[Diarmuid gives her a serious, though grateful look.]

I am glad for this chance to have met you, Merciless. I wish both you and your team well. If there is anything that my team or I can do to aid you, please don't be afraid to ask.

[sacrament_of_blood]

I shall do just that. Thank you very greatly. And you may call upon me as well.