Week 57

[scurveydog]

Well--ah ha ha rather spooky isn't it, lately? I do so hate this time of year. I really do. I would rather hide in the villa, if you must know, though I do get ridiculously dehydrated and the...the beings seem more than willing to go further inland and even to protected spaces!

Well--the fact that the villa is no more certainly doesn't help and my mistress... well she is beside herself. I don't know why except that she was touched by one of the...beings and now won't stop screaming.

It's very unsettling.

This humble Meep is quite properly terrified.

There ah...also seems to be...something bubbling out of the sea. I can't say for sure what it is but it's quite massive and wreathed in black mist. It may even be the source of it. I'm unsure. I don't want to go near it. In fact if I could go to one of your worlds, I almost think I would prefer it. This soft fragile Meep doesn't do well with nightmares. Or terror of any sort.

I wish the mistress hadn't meddled. I surely do. But now that she has well--

Let's hope the consequences end at this.

I don't think my constitution can bear it otherwise.

At any rate I am here for questions as long as I can stand it.

Comments

[forhylia]

You say this black mast is the source of this madness? Then what do we do to be rid of it?

[scurveydog]

Well we are working on a solution. Or...rather we were working on a solution until the Mistress...succumbed. It's very difficult you know with one thing going on and another. However...I will be certain to keep you in

[there is a clatter and a quiet meep. Rapid footsteps. An opened door, a closed door and then]

informed.

[forhylia]

That is a problem... There is simply no getting through to her?

Thank you for your information, regardless.

[scurveydog]

I have tried. She is incensed and seems almost ill. In fact I am quite worried. If things take a turn for the worse, well, I don't know what I would do.

Your welcome though I can't imagine I was entirely helpful. Still if things do not improve I may... venture myself to try and wrest a solution from the jaws of terror.

[forhylia]

Is it the same madness that overtakes the rest of us? Almost like a living nightmare?

We know that there is a source. That alone is better than nothing.

[scurveydog]

It must be. It seems to be. I do not pry but I have never heard her scream so. Is it really so hard, these nightmares? What kind of visions are there? Is there any form of waking from them if nightmares they be?

[forhylia]

I... have yet to be able to "wake" from mine, if that is what you are asking.

[scurveydog]

Do you mean metaphorically or is this an actual nightmare that is occurring at present?

[forhylia]

It is like a manifestation of something that has haunted my sleep for years. It does nothing but wait and watch me. It is here, before my eyes, as I speak.

[voice]

[yourotherleft]

What the hell did you do?!

[scurveydog]

You're voice is quite loud, good sir, and if it would so please you, good sir, do not yell at the Meep. He was just following most implicit instructions, most of which he didn't understand. Or at least understood in words that cannot be expressed to one of varying intellect so please do not harm this humble and oh so fragile Meep, good sir.

[yourotherleft]

I ain't takin' it out on you, I'm just pissed because my crew is losing their damn minds and now you're tellin' me something covered in that shitty black mist is rising up out of the sea?

If you guys made this worse, I swear you're gonna have more enemies than you did before.

[scurveydog]

I wouldn't say we made it worse. Hardly that. It was an unexpected consequence of something a few months ago which I am not at liberty to divulge unless it makes things a great deal worse in which case we are all in very real danger-- however I am far too used to having enemies because of my Mistresses doing. I am well situated for a quiet life not all this gallivanting around and terror.

Though I am sorry for you and your crew's misfortune. Have you tried a nice cup of herbal tea?

[yourotherleft]

Tea? Buddy, there isn't enough rum on this ship to deal with what's going on.

We can handle real danger, it would be nice if we got more than just an 'oops' as a warning.

Voice;

[thetruehistorian]

Actually, I'm quite curious what was understood and what-

[Robin clears her throat. That fire probably isn't real.]

... What precisely this oops might entail.

Voice;

[yourotherleft]

Go ahead, Robin. You're better at cracking tough nuts than I am.

Voice;

[thetruehistorian]

It isn't about cracking a tough nut, as it were. It's simply doing what we can to learn the nature of things that have happened and can no longer be helped, so that we can better face the present situation.

Voice;

[yourotherleft]

I meant getting around his ramblings, but you're right either way.

[scurveydog]

You are living the oops now I am afraid and have been for a few months now though we had thought that it wouldn't be quite so damaging, alas it was, and more of a detriment than help.

[thetruehistorian]

If you wouldn't mind explaining a bit more about what exactly happened, it may- ah!

[There's the sound of Robin smacking the book several times. A few seconds after the hitting stops, Robin clears her throat.]

It may help us understand how to face the ghosts and... other things... we are now experiencing as a result of your Mistress's tinkering.

[scurveydog]

I am reluctant to say. There are some things Mistress does not wish to be revealed considering there are several unsavory people among your number and should information get in the wrong hands, it could prove quite devastating.

Suffice to say that through certain means she attempted to do a certain thing which would make the lives of outworlders much easier. However, because of a certain backfiring of a certain object-- she either created something dark which men may not speak of or--woke it up. And there was some question of whether or not Jones himself is feeding or being fed by that raw evil power.

[thetruehistorian]

Am I one of them, I wonder?

[Her tone is teasing, but curious.]

It sounds like your mistress took a big risk on our behalf. Do you know of a way to shed a little light on this creature that may or may not be directly connected with Davy Jones through some means? Light tends to vanquish darkness, or at least confine it.

[scurveydog]

I do not know. Not as of yet. There's even some mystery as to whether there is true sentience or not. Some things make it difficult to tell. Others have sentience but no purpose and vice versa. However, I will keep people informed as I may, especially if Mistress is going to be this way for a while.

[a long wail can be heard ending in a shriek that sounds almost angry and though Meep is mostly writing his responses, there is a sigh]

Light may help. I shall keep it in mind. Though at this time of year light is scarce. Thank you for your help. I don't know what category my beloved and tormented Mistress would place you in, but if it comes down to the wire, as they say... well, we shall see.

[thetruehistorian]

Does the creature have a specific location? If it's stronger in certain areas, perhaps those less inclined to face a creature such as you described might appreciate a head's up.

[scurveydog]

So noted. I will certainly press my Mistress to be completely forthcoming should she recover. Whatever she's seeing must be truly horrific so I cannot begin to guess what you and yours may be experiencing.

Hopefully it will go away on its own? Hopefully the ghosts will take it with them? Hopefully my Mistress will not die without providing us with her solid yet oft questionable leadership?

Oh dear. Oh dear.

But of course, I understand, more forewarning, less oops.

[om_nom_namur]

She's always screamin' 'bout somethin', far as I can tell. Worst we got is, uh. There's bigass holes in the ships an' we're sailin' in the sky.

[Untrue, but not exactly a lie- he just thinks they are.]

But y' know, if y' ain't 'fraid a heights an' yer pretty good 'bout not trippin' over yerself y' can come on over. Ain't doin' too bad 'round here, if y' need somewhere safe t' harbor.

[scurveydog]

I would love to visit only it is more relatively safe here than it is there, you see. Are you quite sure it's safe to be sailing with holes in your ship, Master Namur? And how precisely are you staying in the sky? The Cloud Islands have long been cordoned off by now. It's most curious and I'd be obligated if you could tell me. It would certainly keep my mind off things.

[om_nom_namur]

Hell if I know! Jus' woke up with wind screamin' 'round my room an' found myself hangin' over a bigass hole! Nakama keep fallin' through 'em like they don't even give a shit, then awhile later they'll be back on the ship somehow. Makes no damn sense, an' no one believes me 'cept Marco but I half think he's playin' me.

[scurveydog]

Well that is...quite an unusual phenomena. Perhaps...well...perhaps it is all in your head? As, I can think of no other explanation... Have you tried stepping through one of the holes yourself, with a line strapped to you thus, of course, and see what happens?

[om_nom_namur]

Ain't smart 'nuff for that kind a shit, Meep, c'mon! Like I got the power t' make shit happen jus' with my head.

[Though... maybe there's a truth to that. Nothing's truly impossible when you've got a strong enough Will, but...]

This's like, opposite a my Will. Maybe one a the birdbrains wanted t' fly 'gain or some shit. Maybe I'll ask 'em, tell 'em t' knock it the hell off. Thanks, Meep!

[scurveydog]

Ah...you're welcome? Wind at your sails, Master Namur, and do try not to fall off anything--if indeed there are things... to fall off ...of.

Written;

[aphatos]

I was wondering who was responsible for that creature, if anyone at all.

Written;

[scurveydog]

Which creature do you mean? There are creatures involved aside from the beings? Those are not the fault of the Mistress, no hardly, this is something that happens at the time of the year like the tides or the phases of the moon or the mold that grows in the clothes you put at the very back of the closet because they have unpleasant memories.

Written;

[aphatos]

I was speaking of the mist-thing, assuming it is a creature and not just some sort of

Other thing.

Feel free to explain these beings.

[And let's take this topic as far away from unpleasant memories as possible.]

[scurveydog]

Do you think the mist has sentience? That's quite a proposition and one I hadn't considered. I must take note of it provided we don't all die horribly if the Mistress loses her mind-- which isn't likely to happen, mind you, but this dutiful, sensible, Meep, likes to prepare for the worst.

And by beings I mean the ghosts... I do so dislike that term. But it is what they look like and perhaps may be! The ghost ships come up every year at this time though none can say why or from whence they came or where they go when the sun finally rises.

[aphatos]

It is an option. Far be it from me to try and comprehend such things.

[Oh, how wonderful. More occult occurrences are just what he needs and wants in his life.]

Tell me about your Mistress.

[scurveydog]

She is the sun! She is the air! She is slightly tempestuous but with a good heart even though it is more tried than most. She is the most brilliant creature I have ever met and she doesn't even make me break out in hives! I adore her as much as I am frequently terrified of her. She is as gentle as she is harsh, as graceful as she is sinister and as good as she is cruel. I adore her. What more could you need to know?

[aphatos]

That will suffice. I understand the sentiment well enough.

[cherrybombpie]

Can't you strengthen your constitution and do something?

text;

[secondsmarch]

Running away isn't going to solve anything.