oo1. mid-month lore squabbling

[thetatters]

—ello? Is it broadcasting? Can you hear me? Hello?

[ Those who've met him in person will recognize John's deep and strangely resonant voice. There is a brief crackling pause as he awaits a response, then: ]

—Oh! Well.

This is John Doe. Wait, are we supposed to say what automobile we're driving? I have a black truck.

[ It's a vintage Ford from the early 1930s, but he earnestly seems to think 'black truck' covers it. Now, in the tone of a man speaking to idiots: ]

It seems that many of you have taken to robbing the altars of unfamiliar gods. This is obviously a terrible fucking idea! To worry over 'traps' is missing the point. Studying these forces at all is a fool's errand.

Whatever entities these cults once served, they may present dangers beyond our comprehension. Some things are not meant to be understood.

Comments

Voice, sometime after they stop for the night

[solitarysoul]

[Levi barely notices the network while he's driving, but he has a lot of sleepless nights to find anything at all to distract him.]

I hardly think it matters. If the gods want to fuck us up they'll do it no matter what we do.

[thetatters]

[ John chuckles darkly. Even over the radio, it's a weirdly ominous sound. ]

Only if they notice us. Do we really wish to draw their attention?

[solitarysoul]

No, but its not like I tried to get it. Or with whatever brought us here.

voice

[slightlytaller]

It may be a fool's errand, but that's part of being human. We're just a bunch of specs on a page-- against a world that doesn't care for us.

[Waver sighed, and drummed his fingers on the shag throw rug in the back of his campervan]

This is Waver, in the bus that looks like it went through hell to reach Woodstock. I'd rather be with a bunch of fools and learn something than blindly trek North without a clear idea of what we're traveling towards.

Even if it's the Old Gods and the endless Okeanos, I'd like to know what we're driving into.

[thetatters]

[ Part of being human knocks the breath from his lungs. The phrase Old Gods is the second punch. For a long moment, John is grudgingly silent. ]

... Knowing may not make it any easier. Not if it exposes us to their attention.

Now, what the fuck is Woodstock?

[slightlytaller]

[He's dramatic-- and deeply missing his King.]

Another? I thought with a name like 'John Doe', that you'd probably know 20th Century Earth references. You can't be that much of a nobody.

[He sighed.]

It was a music festival that attracted the anti-establishment young people in the 1960s. They were into... Dropping Acid, not Bombs, and Sticking it to the Man.

Even if they'd probably call me a Square.

voice;

[justiceobjects]

Uh, hi. Apollo Justice here, in the little red car.

It's admirable? [and that questioning tone is very much audible with that word] that you're worried about something like blasphemy, but we're never going to find a way home if we don't learn how this place works. And we need supplies, too.

[thetatters]

Blasphemy? [ He sounds utterly disdainful. ] Blasphemy is a lack of respect for something that calls itself a god. No. I am worried about drawing the attention of whatever is powerful enough to be worshiped.

[justiceobjects]

With all the monsters and the weird stuff going on, I think annoying any higher powers is the least of our problems right now.

Besides, I'm a lawyer. I read incomprehensible things every single day.

[airskate]

[ Oh, hey, it's the super cagey guy. ]

Would understanding really put us in a worse situation than we are now?

[thetatters]

Perhaps.

[ John spent ten total minutes in the library of Miskatonic University and decided that books are the worst actually. Also there was that time Arthur insisted they hide in the viscera hole and read a bestiary, which was stupid. ]

It may be unwise to draw the attention of these forces, or those that worship them.

[airskate]

[ Well, Shadow can't really argue that going unnoticed is a bad idea.

But there is something else he can argue. ]

Wouldn't they have already noticed us? They're probably the reason we're here.

Voice

[wereperrito]

I don't know about this world, but I have seen people in mine leave offerings for all sorts of things. Often those things did not exist.

[Sometimes they did. He has met and/or seen a couple gods in the news. But not a lot of the time.]

Not that I suggest we take those offerings! That is disrespectful. But I do not know that it will bring the wrath of a god down on us if we do. More likely it would be the locals.

Oh, er, this is Jack, by the way.

[Jack, John knows who you are.]

I am driving an orange VW bus.

[thetatters]

Do we truly wish to risk it? Perhaps these entities do not exist. But perhaps they are the sort to strike down any who dare to disrespect their name.

[ Such behavior from a god now seems... petty. Embarrassing. He doesn't want to dwell on it. ]

Even their human followers may be a force best avoided.

[wereperrito]

Yes, the local people who put them there are more likely to be a problem.

Though we have not seen any local... people. Exactly.

[The monsters who attacked them their first day, well, he doesn't know if they count. They didn't act like people, but not all people do, all the time.]

voice

[flowersnjunk]

Well that's a bit boring, innit?

[thetatters]

Boring? [ He sounds so affronted. ] Better to be bored than cursed or dead!

[flowersnjunk]

Better than just bumpin' about in the dark, I say. How're we supposed to figure out how anything works here if we don't press a few buttons?

voice

[undyingcrow]

[Akechi heaves a heavy sigh.]

I didn't steal. I simply investigated the grounds in search for answers and was branded for my troubles.

Obviously, it was a reckless move. However, I am not one to keep my head down when there are opportunities to broaden my understanding.

[At least he took his time to look around first.]

[thetatters]

[ John heaves a sigh in return, but with an air of familiar resignation. ]

I understand the impulse. Still, we must be more cautious. In the effort to learn what we are dealing with, we may draw its attention to us.

[undyingcrow]

I'm more concerned about the emblems on the robotic mutts and the monster corpses.

[Not to say the brands of the divine aren't worrisome, and yet...]

A sword piercing the moon. It's a rather striking image, especially when combined with my own "branding."

[pomnilievable]

Oh thank GOD. Finally a voice of reason!

I must be getting old, watching folks do something obviously dangerous like that just because they're curious is beyond dumb.

[Though she is aware that she's calling the kettle black seeing as she got caught up in the tree traps.]

Though they're not really bad. It makes me wonder if being adventurous means you think you can handle the consequences.

[thetatters]

Right? Who goes around touching ancient shrines?

[ Finally someone with good sense! The two of them are truly so much smarter than everyone else. ]

Yes, I suppose while their actions are foolish, they are also well-intentioned. Perhaps they mistakenly believe they can handle any wrathful god that should descend.

Voice

[guidemyway]

[To be fair. From what Ruby knew about the gods in her world John had a point.]

They could be plenty dangerous sure, but they might end up being super useful too. You never know?

Besides when has a little danger ever hurt anyone?

[thetatters]

[ This is exactly the investigator spirit John has come to know, love, and find deeply annoying. ]

Danger always hurts! That's what makes it dangerous!