expiationnet

[ Marianne appears in the video looking more anxious than usual, perhaps because this is her first time addressing so many people at once and she's never liked drawing attention to herself, but also because of the news she's about to share. ]

Um, I wanted to warn everyone that monsters around Aldrip have become more aggressive lately. They've also been roaming closer and closer to town. Even where I usually take the horses out to graze isn't safe. Please be cautious when walking about, and I would avoid the outskirts. Um, those that can fight, it might be good to band together to try and drive them away...

[ ... ]

There's something else...

[ After an agonizing pause, she rolls back the sleeves of her dress to reveal her arm, black marks marring her fair skin. Her expression turns pained. ]

These marks appeared on me shortly after encountering the monsters. Healing doesn't seem to have any effect on it. Something like this happened once before and I...I'm afraid it could make me not myself.

If anyone knows anything about it, please...

[ She trails off, unable to conclude her announcement on an eloquent note. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ While Ragna's by no means a specialist, those black marks certainly look familar. It's been quite a while since he's seen something like that ─ in fact, he hasn't encountered it since coming to this world ─ but he can't rule out the possibility now that he's seen it right with his own two eyes. ]

... And just so we're completely clear on the subject, you're sure this isn't seithr poisoning?

Seithr poisoning...? [ She's probably mispronouncing it. ] Um, what is that?

[ He takes that as a "no" on the being sure that's not it, then. ]

... Seithr is an airbone substance with no smell, color or taste. It's not dangerous in small doses, but with high concentration it begins to corrupt living things, causing them to become more aggressive until they go completely feral. And they end up covered in black shit like that from head to toe.

[ He's not great at explaining things, especially ones that are considered obvious from his world's perspective, but this should shine some light on why it feels familiar to him. ]

I-I see. I can't say whether it is or isn't, but I'll monitor my condition and self-isolate if necessary.

[ His explanation only makes her more afraid of what could happen, but it's better to know than to be in the dark. She'll take notes of what everyone has said, log her symptoms, and hopefully by approaching it like a doctor, start to narrow down the causes. ]

Do you know if a cure exists for the poisoning?

... No.

[ He sees no reason in beating around the bush, so he just says it how it is. And unlike a certain doctor lady he could mention, he has no delusions about being able to bring people who are way too far gone back. But hey, at least he'll throw her a bone here: ]

Unless there's any magical bullshit specific to this world? Dunno anything about that.

[ Take a breath in, Marianne. Just because there's no cure doesn't mean there's no hope - it might not even be same poison. She takes a second to gather herself before she replies. ]

It could be. There's been strange happenings before...Perhaps I should ask the locals if they've seen the affliction before.

Might as well give it a shot. Though some-fucking-how, it's usually just us who get affected by the shit that happens here.

[ Chances are someone here is still a little butthurt over that time the maze happened and the locals remained completely unaffected by it... ]

Yes, it's strange... Sometimes they act like nothing is wrong.

[ She remembers the maze and how the locals hadn't reacted at all in the aftermath. ]

They've also grown to distrust us lately. I hope they'll speak with me.

I'm more surprised they weren't like that to start with? From their perspective, we're all criminals anyway.

[ Given he's more used to being given the cold shoulder on a good day and outright hostility most of the time, the way they treated the Chosen as some kind of heroes when he first showed up here was almost creepy. He's still not sure if their current behavior is any better, though. ]

They used to be so kind. Maybe we didn't prove ourselves worthy of their trust. If these disasters started happening with our arrival, it's as if we brought them misfortune.

[ A part of her clearly feels responsible for the people's change in attitude, regardless of whether it had to do with her or not. ]

[ Ragna, on the other hand, clearly feels zero responsibility for that. It's not like he even chose to show up here, so he doesn't think it's fair to blame him for anything that's happened since.

Not that life is ever fair. ]

Well maybe they should take it up with the assholes who brought us here? It's not like we've come here of your own volition.

They're a very devout people.

[ Uncannily devoted or even cultlike, one might say, but Marianne doesn't wish to speak ill of their faith. ]

I don't think they would question the work of their gods.

That's a nice way of saying "they're a creepy cult".

[ For better or worse, Ragna does not share her concern and is more than willing to say what he thinks. ]

Then I guess they shouldn't have a problem with us? Since they're oh-so-precious "gods" might be what got us here in the first place.

[ He's right and he should say it! ]

It's strange to think at one point, they even built statues of us. I can't imagine what they're feeling now.

[ While she's relieved she's not being worshipped anymore, for it had always made her uncomfortable, the flip from hot to cold is unsettling. ]

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