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[beshackled]

[It's that fellow with the glowing red eyes again. And this time, he looks... tentatively happy? Quite the reverse of some of the general sentiments being posted in the most recent of days.]

Greetings. Pray forgive my neglect of checking these devices as of late. I ought to have checked more frequently... but, I confess, I became so absorbed in assisting with the matter of housing that I did little else this past moon.

On that subject, I am pleased to say that a number of small houses have been completed. Those we brought back from the desert worked hard on them, so I am sure they shall be pleased to see them put to use.

Ah... on another subject, I have yet to check over much of what I have missed, but did anyone else have an unrelated transmission involving mysteriously-appearing tattoos come up when they activated their charm?

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[whatsamada]

No, I'm afraid not, I haven't heard anything about tattoos coming up.

[...]

...What have you heard?

[beshackled]

As I was attempting to catch up on what I have missed, my charm displayed a scene of four people having a discussion. They seemed to know each other, if the jesting way in which some of them spoke is any indication.

They were located in an arid clime. I know not if it was the place we visited not long ago, but 'tis not impossible. T'would seem that tattoos appeared on two of them without their knowing... and they were deeply unsettled by the fact.

A tattoo is a manner of marking, yes?

[whatsamada]

Yes, they are and it makes me wonder how they managed to get it. If they were unsettled, I wonder what kind of tattoo they got. Especially when it might be associated with a certain group.

Do you know what they were talking about?

[beshackled]

They were discussing the sudden appearance of the tattoos. 'Tis unfortunate that the transmission did not show the actual markings, but one of them was almost certainly awake when the tattoo appeared, for they said that it was not there when they got up in the morning...

...I wonder if magicks could have been involved...

[whatsamada]

It had to have been. Especially when they somehow managed to do it overnight with no one noticing them.

I have to wonder what they're planning on doing. Is it just them testing others out to see how we would react to it? I wouldn't pass them to do something like this.

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[oracledriven]

Tattoos? [Okay, that's...kind of alarming. A bit.] No, I haven't seen anything like that. But it sounds familiar. What'd the transmission say?

[beshackled]

The first to speak asked where the mark on their body was from. I could not see the mark from the angle of the recording, but it looked as though they made to show the others. The second to speak seemed amused, and asked if they had been tattooed in their sleep.

...The first did not share in their amusement.

The third person spoke up, inquiring if it was a dick.

I suppose they were saying so in jest... though I know not what a dick is.

[Erichthonios isn't exactly a connoisseur of modern slang.]

At the last, the fourth person joined the conversation, saying they also had such a mark, and that it had not been there when they got up in the morning.

[oracledriven]

[... ... ... Okay. Alright, setting aside the dick thing --sorry man, he's definitely just gonna leave that to someone else-- the rest of it? Sounds pretty familiar.]

That happened a few months ago, but I'm not sure how you'd be getting transmissions of it now. Was it on the charm or the other thing? The tablet.

[beshackled]

The charms. I have yet to use the tablets you speak of, though I have seen others operating them.

[Large as they are, they seem somewhat inconvenient. And their fragile construction does not improve his perception of them by much… though he won’t object or look down upon others for carrying what they are comfortable with.]

How do they function? I did not notice any projections appearing from them as with the charms.

[oracledriven]

[Noel has to think about that for a minute. He's not sure he totally understands what's happening, but...it doesn't seem particularly good, does it.]

A late message on the charms about something that happened months ago. Did you recognize any of them?

[As for the tablets, he has less of an answer on them. Not none, but...he's not exactly great with technology.]

From what I understand? The tablets are more like a computer. The images play inside, instead of projecting like the charms.

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[entreats]

Yeah, people were seeing weird things over the pendants.

[ Ange says it so casually, like it's just.. a normal thing..

Though in a place like this? It might as well be. And it's easiest to skip to that most relevant part, especially when the slight oddness about the message just seems like the usual for Erichthonios to her. ]

Mostly from other people in this place we don't know or haven't seen before talking about various things, from what I've gathered.

[beshackled]

The background looked to be a desert. Could it have something to do with the place we searched...?

[He... may be pondering out loud.]

[entreats]

Probably. I also had a weird vision like that over these things, and it looked like they were in the desert out there as well.

[ It's not too strange of an idea, considering it had seemed like people had been living there.. Even if it didn't seem to end up very well for them, huh. ]

Except the people I heard were discussing stuff people like us might have discussed. People who came from other worlds. I guess it means there were probably groups like us in this place, and probably lived there, even if we haven't heard a single thing from them since we showed up.

[beshackled]

…why begs the question, what happened to them? What caused the spread of the marks, and where did the population go? Did that which marked them eventually mark all that dwelled there? Did any escape? And where might they have gone?

[This is Erichthonios, on track to become the man who asked the most questions ever.]

Mayhap those in other settlements might have some knowledge of what transpired…

[entreats]

[ At least the girl isn't bothered by the sheer amount of questions here in the slightest. If anything - she prefers it over the people who don't ask questions at all, who just accept this place without really thinking about it.

So she's willing enough to think about it right alongside them. ]

I wonder. It's not like there were that many of the marked out in the desert, right? I feel like there were less than the amount of people we have here. [ Though she could be wrong about it. Ange is willing to admit as much to herself.

Things sure were hectic out there, after all. Not really prime circumstances in which to count the amount of people. ]

Some could have escaped beforehand, even if I have no clue where they would've gone. But I've never been outside town either. [ Other than their little desert trip, but it's not like Ange went all the way over there by herself. They were all brought there. ]

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[grappler]

[Vi's eyebrow goes up.]

Nope. But we did get those tattoos before we were possessed a while back or whatever. You think it has anything to do with it?

[beshackled]

You were possessed...?

[The statement is enough to invoke instant worry for the stranger.]

I fear I was not here for that event. However, those that attacked us in the desert also bore markings on their flesh, and exhibited unusual behavior besides. Mayhap you are right, and there is a connection...

[grappler]

Yeah, or mindfucked or something. I don't really know which it was, because that shit just doesn't happen back at home.

[that she knows of, anyway.]

Probably should be glad you weren't here for it. But yeah, those guys back in the desert were pretty similar to that time in Aldrip. I just don't know what they would've been hiding or protecting.

[beshackled]

Do you mean to suggest that they held such a motive?

[Brows raise momentarily before the young man turns his head down in contemplation, free hand rising to his lips.]

If so, I wonder… would the motive be their own, or on the part of the one who established a hold on their minds… and if the latter, what could it be so important to hide or protect…

[He may or may not be lost in his thoughts right now. Which is of course to say that he is absolutely lost in his thoughts.]

…And for what reason would enthralling others be seen as the preferred course to this end…

[grappler]

Who knows. I sure as hell don't, except that the tattoo's gone and I haven't had any problems since. Maybe they really did get rid of the monster they were trying to get rid of.

[she shakes her head.]

That's all way over my head.

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[emet_sulk]

I didn't think you the sort for manual labour.

[ No judgement here, just...muted surprise, perhaps. ]

[beshackled]

[As deficient in prowess with magicks as he is, Erichthonios is actually more than familiar with at least the smaller acts of physical labor. What did the man think he did? Wait for others to do everything for him?]

We warders are not known for deficiencies in our work ethic. If magicks alone will not suffice, then we must make do. I promised my help, and so I did what I was able to. I created tools for temporary use, and assisted in matters of lifting and holding things.

[emet_sulk]

I see. I suppose this work would be easier than your usual occupation.

[ Easier than keeping highly dangerous creations locked up. ]

What is this about tattoos now?

[beshackled]

...When I used the charm some moments ago in attempt to catch up on all that I have missed, an unrelated recording displayed in the place of the transmission I was attempting to access.

In it was depicted an arid environs not unlike that which we visited, along with four people carrying on a conversation. Two of the people claimed to have been marked without their knowledge. Though I could not see the marks in question, it was plain that those who received them were... unsettled by the occurrence, even if their unmarked peers were not.

[emet_sulk]

...A pity you could not see the markings. Something similar happened a few moons ago. Mayhap 'twas from the same source.