(anonymous user) don't give theater kids cameras

[endcaller]

[In early July, before the glitches become more frequent and noticeable, a newcomer greets the network. He's hiding his ID, despite appearing in the center frame on camera. Light pouring in from the window casts his face in the shadow of his deep hood.

If it feels a bit like he's staged this shot, it's because he has.

The hooded man waves.]

Greetings, my fellow Chosen.

Pray allow me to properly introduce myself. I am Fandaniel.

[He twirls a hand before himself and bends forward in an elegant bow.]

That is, I am the man sitting the Seat of Fandaniel on the Convocation of Fourteen.

[Slowly, he rises again, lips pressed into a grin. He speaks of his title with pride, mustering all of his thespian experience to make the pride seem genuine.

It isn't. He doesn't feel any real attachment to his Seat. Now, as always, it's a means to an end.]

I do not expect those words to mean aught to any of you. Know only this: My title is that of the Assayer of Extant Phenomena and Overseer of Life. I am the Observer, a task I take to quite well, I must say! Why, I studied life before I ever inherited my position.

[The smirk fades slightly as he taps his chin and starts pacing.]

Consider me the one who watches. Now and always. Do not be alarmed, 'tis all in the pursuit of knowledge. To that end, you will find a survey attached to this message. Please do fill it out at your earliest convenience and be honest in your answers. Remember, this is for science. If you decide to toy with me in your responses that would break my poor heart. And why would you ever wish to do something so cruel?

[The pacing stops and his smile returns.]

I shall be eagerly awaiting your replies. Ta!

[He claps his hands and the feed ends. Attached to the video is a small file...]

<b>WHAT IS YOUR NAME?</b>: I trust I need not explain this. <b>WHAT IS YOUR HOME WORLD</b>: Tell me about the world you hail from, its politics, its geography, its people... Consider me curious about anything you wish to share. <b>WHAT IS YOUR CRIME?</b>: If you would rather not say, I cannot force you. But I hope you will choose to be open with me. <b>WHAT SPECIES DO YOU IDENTIFY AS?</b>: What are you? I hope this is self-explanatory as well. <b>WHAT GIVES YOUR LIFE PURPOSE?</b>: ___

Comments

text; un: goo

[mightymorphin]

you watch people to 'study life', huh?

I honestly don't know who would be cool with THAT. don't watch me. or my friends. or else we're going to have problems, Dan.

voice;

[endcaller]

People get so concerned about the very concept of being monitored.

Worry not, it is patterns I watch for, not individuals. What forms a culture? Why do empires fall? What you do moment to moment is of no concern to me.

Hah! Imagine having the wherewithal to watch every individual in an entire population! Oh, the drudgery...

[mightymorphin]

oh. if you're an anthropologist or something you coulda just said so instead of making it sound so creepy.

still not filling out the survey though. I already got spoilers about what happens to people like me from a couple of time travelers and none of it was good news!

voice;

[endcaller]

Will you at least deign to tell me who the "people like you" are? Hm?

text. lol.

[luneminary]

You're that really depressed guy from the boat ride! (^ ω ^)

voice;

[endcaller]

What you call "depressed" I'd call a well-earned world-weariness.

[And also depression.]

You must be the strange child. Have you found a way to resume your schooling, strange child?

swapping to voice to match:

[luneminary]

No schools, but I learn something new everyday! Hello again!

[Sure enough, the voice should be familiar enough to Fandaniel.]

I do have a job though - I'm a waiter at the Seafood Shack! You should visit sometime.

[elevatoravatar]

Would it be wrong to say you are some form of celestial bureaucrat then? Perhaps aligned with the forces of order, as chaos rarely cares about such things?

It sounds dreadfully dull either way.

voice;

[endcaller]

Ha! Celestial bureaucrat! Just so.

How very astute you are.

You have me figured out in but a single message. I shall have to add more theatrics in the future. I must keep my audience on their toes, after all.

voice

[elevatoravatar]

"Is this what the mortals call sarcasm? I'm still getting used to these things and, the worlds I have watched have never petitioned your kind for help so... I apologize if I am a bit lost."

"Still, bearing witness is a job someone must do, correct?"

voice;

[entreats]

You do realise that saying you're always watching and then immediately saying that people shouldn't be alarmed by that is kind of counterproductive, right?

[ .. though, given all of the other dramatics surrounding his initial message, Ange feels like it's probably just a part of said dramatics in the first place.

What normal person otherwise even says something like that, after all? ]

voice;

[endcaller]

Oh, you people...

If it would help, consider me something of a ...mmm... cultural anthropologist. What you do in your daily lives is of no concern to me. What you do as a population is.

I am hardly the watcher to be worried about, anyroad. Have you thought at all about your current situation? Do you truly believe that no great power like, say, one with the ability to reach across worlds and accuse you of a crime, is not watching?

I am of no consequence!

Those Who Were There, however...

[entreats]

Oh, no. I'm fully aware I've probably been watched for the better part of the year I've been stuck in this place by now. By some sort of group of celestial perverts, no doubt.

[ She sounds pretty calm about it though. Not really happy, but more like she doesn't feel anything at all in particular about it. Her tone is truly too flat to express any other sort of emotion here. ]

But at least they don't bother to announce it to everyone over the network like this. You do realise it makes you look like a creep, right? Are you that determined to ruin your reputation here right off the bat?

text; un: firelighter - I'm sorry he's a bit crabby still after his arrival lol

[howyouseit]

We already have the Council who watches our every move now you're going to do the same? Sounds pretty creepy.

you're good! (voice)

[endcaller]

You too, hmm?

Pray tell me where I said I was watching your every move. All I said is that I am watching!

Whether you spend your days sitting on the latrine or slaying great beasts makes not a whit of a difference to me.

I wish only to know about each of you and then observe you as a mass population. Maybe then, I can find the pattern that will allow me to discover the mechanism by which our captors brought us here.

He'll stop being a moody bugger...eventually.

[howyouseit]

Still super creepy man.

You think studying us will help you find a way home? Why not do something more productive and pursue after the ones who brought us here. That's what I'm doing.

video;

[enthraller]

I can't help but notice no one is actually responding to your survey.

[It's kinda funny. But this is public, so of course Saralegui sounds perfectly sympathetic.]

[endcaller]

Indeed.

[Fandaniel smirks in the shadow of his hood.]

Thus far I would say my efforts to get to know my new compatriots have ended in abject failure. Such a pity.

[enthraller]

You say "compatriots", but "subjects" feels more appropriate with your intent here. Perhaps that's the source of everyone's reluctance?

[He's certainly not inclined to answer either, no matter how pleasantly he's playing this.]

video

[grappler]

[there's a long silence as Vi gives Fandaniel the most unamused look that she can muster.]

I really think this place needs to stop bringing in nerds. What's the point of your little "survey" [air quotes], anyway?

[endcaller]

[Fandaniel flaps a hand through the air and purses his lips into a forced pouty expression.]

My intent was, to put it simply, to study your responses and identify the common trends.

Are some worlds represented more than others?

Were we in dire straits before we came here?

Are our crimes truly worth all of this effort?

Somewhere in this information, there is doubtlessly a clue as to how and why we came to be here. With this clue, I might, perhaps, determine the mechanism by which we were abducted.

...Or perhaps not.

But I will certainly get no closer to finding this mechanism by not knowing the circumstances of my fellow Chosen.

Alas, as you all seem very intent on proving something, though I know not what, not a single one of you has deigned to respond.

So I shall have to pursue my answers alone. Forever my curse, that.

[grappler]

[she shrugs a little.]

There's been a few nerds hanging around on the network thinking that they're going to figure out shit before. Doesn't really help when they start being creepy about it all...

[and she gives him a meaningful look]

And we're all "criminals" [more air quotes] anyway, so are you really surprised no one's being helpful?

text, un: levi

[solitarysoul]

whats the point of an anonymous post if you're just going to give us your name and face?

voice;

[endcaller]

To make it a trifle more difficult for you lot to send me private messages. I do so prefer to be left alone, you see.

Now...

[With a small chirp in his voice.]

Shall I presume that answering a simple survey is beneath you as well?

[solitarysoul]

its not beneath me, its just not worth the trouble.