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nero

A MEASURE OF TRUTH

On Monday, at 7 PM EST / 4 PM PST / 5 PM MST and later in the week on Friday at the same times, Disce catches Nero's attention. Both will innately know that they have somewhere to be, and Disce will be able to lead the way—even if they've never been there before. Her form changes, as they're both accustomed to, but takes that of a pine marten, and upon reaching their destination, they will be greated by the Watchers.

After finishing their business, Nero and Disce will not be able to return to this location again without being invited back, regardless of whether they attempt to return on the same day or in the same week. Disce will be able to take her pine marten form again on her own, but will revert to one of her original forms upon leaving. Nero and Disce both will know that this form cannot be shared openly, and that caution should be practiced with sharing it privately, as well.

As the reader, Nero will be given the opportunity to ask two questions each week, using the alethiometer to find an answer. They will have two meetings with the Watchers a week, on Monday and Friday, after awakening. They may ask both questions on Monday or save them until Friday, or they may split their questions between these meetings. Any further questions they ask of the alethiometer will remain unanswered.

The questions asked will be Nero's own choice, and any answers will be given in a series of symbols from the alethiometer. Nero will be granted only one initial meaning for each of the symbols on the alethiometer, and any others will have to be discovered on their own. Keep in mind that this leaves room for some answers to be interpreted incorrectly, leading to a false reading; while the alethiometer can be used to find the truth, it will by no means give an easy answer.

Additionally, Nero may use this time to speak directly with the Watchers each week. He may ask questions, receive small hints, or simply chat with them, though any information received will be subject to the Watchers' own discretion.

★ Keep it secret.
★ Use your daemon’s pine marten form sparingly.
★ Never let anyone else use the alethiometer.
★ If too many participants learn about the alethiometer, it will be requisitioned.
★ The alethiometer may answer up to two questions per week.
★ There are other meanings to each symbol beyond the basic meanings. You must learn to interpret them on your own.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Maybe. Or they were the people who were disobeying and were punished for it.

[helmet, bread, bread, angel, marionette, marionette, ant, ant, alpha & omega, alpha & omega]

Okay so the helmet's not weird. Kinda figured it was part of whatever conflict we're here for.

Bread is "sustenance" or maybe... food? [DON'T LIKE THIS.] Angels are "messengers", but it could mean somethin' else. The marionette is "obedience" and "disobedience". [Guess what else came back.] Ant means "busy". Alpha & Omega is "finality"... or maybe "eternity".

[How does he construct this into an answer.]

Does the order of the symbols on the alethiometer matter? Or should I just take it as a whole?

The order helped you figure out the answer before, didn't it? Maybe it could help you again.

[ ticking off on their fingers: ]

So you've got war, maybe food, a messenger, obedience or disobedience, busy? [ that one seems out of place? ] And finality or eternity. War and food supposedly go hand in hand, but you guys haven't had that much trouble with getting supplies, have you?

[ you had a crab feast the other day? ]

Nah, we've managed okay so far when it comes to food. Got pelted by fish on that treasure hunt thing too.

[He still has some bruises from that.]

So... People are bein' killed because of the war for... sustenance? [Did you guys really make a deal with a devil or something, what.] And there's a messenger tryin' to get participants to act obediently to reach a final resolution?

Busy doesn't seem to fit that read.

Yikes. Dodging are harder than it sounds, huh?

[ weighs hands. ]

I think you're getting there, but "sustenance" and "busy" sound a little weird in this context, don't they? There could be other meanings that aren't as obvious. Like... maybe these messengers are trying to keep people moving? So it's not exactly "busy," but similar?

When you're trying to do other stuff at the same time it's tough.

[ hmm ]

Are you sure sustenance is weird after Marius's leg got eaten? Could be "sacrifices"?

So the messengers are trying to make sure the war doesn't stagnate 'cause of a lack of "action"?

I'd really like to believe that there aren't more cannibals in this group, thanks. Let me have this one.

[ did you have to remind them? ]

Sacrifices could work with war. [ still leaning against the wall, but they cant their head to the side in thought. ] You could be on the right track. But it came right after the marionette, right?

I'd be real worried if there were more of 'em around. [Nero is literally sitting right here?]

No, bread happened right after helmet. Helmet, bread, bread, angel, marionette, marionette, ant, ant, alpha & omega, alpha & omega.

[He pulls out the notepad Satariel gave him.]

[ shakes dw our notifs!! they lean over to see as their daemon, in goshawk form, glides closer to shift into a polecat and land in their lap, nosy little creature. ]

So you think the ones being killed are sacrifices for the war. As much as I hate it, that sounds right to me. A messenger pushing the participants to act obediently... like, forcing it?

[Disce pokes her face up and regards the polecat in her pine marten form. Who's this now?]

That might be it? It's hard to say if the locations and the killings go together. Like "Look what happened to those that disobeyed".

Eh... Dunno about that one. It's a leap.

[ it peers back, crawling a little closer to nose at disce. ]

Killing people for disobeying... But what are they even supposed to be obeying in the first place? Those messengers have to be coming from somewhere, and it isn't us.

[She ducks back into Nero's lap, with just her head peering over the thigh... before slowly approaching.]

Sure there isn't a seventh, secret angel guy? [Who even knows at this point? It's been one week and all the answers he's gotten have been Complicated and Heavy.]

Maybe they're gettin' a direct line from the powers that be? What were they like when you talked to 'em?

There aren't any more Watchers, if that's what you mean.

[ they say that with confidence, as their polecat waits for disce to calm before trying again. ]

Mm... Could be, but they've never spoken to any of you directly before. It's just been through us so far. They're... Well, they're angels, still. But they don't have the masks or the cloaks like we do, but they have the wings and glow like us.

[ holds out their hand? their fingertips peek through the gloves, glowing the same gold of Dust. ]

Six Watchers and no more.

[There's a little pause before she makes her way onto the floor between Yomiel and Nero.]

How do you know they haven't talked to anybody else for sure?

[He takes a look at the gold Dust.

Wait.]

What are the masks and cloaks for anyway?

[ the polecat doesn't appear to be so shy, but it waits for disce to come this time, as if making sure that this is okay before making any further movements. you good, disce? ]

I... guess we don't have a way of knowing for certain. [ clearly unhappy with admitting to it, but facts are facts. ] But they have been talking to us, and none of you have mentioned anything like that to us.

[ pause. oh, right. ]

It's something about not forming biases too early, I guess. [ voice quiet, unsure. ] Kind of pointless, if you ask me, but it's one of the rules.

[She's okay, she's fine, she doesn't seem like she wants to go back to hiding in Nero's lap again.]

Hmm... You guys are under a lotta secrecy, and... So am I, with this thing. [He could talk to at least one person about it, but probably not any time soon.] I wouldn't be surprised to hear some other group not being allowed to talk.

[He watches the two daemons for a moment.]

What a weird rule. We're gonna form biases anyway from how we click with you guys. Mask or no mask.

[ in that case, they'll go over to gently bump their head against hers. ]

Fair enough. There's no rule saying there can't be others, but I'd have expected that they'd be like you and go through us if there are.

Right? It's stupid. Maybe it was some kind of insurance in case any of you are familiar to us, but I don't know. There had to be a better way to do it.

[He goes quiet for a moment.] Think it'll give an answer if I ask who the "messenger" related to the killings is next week?

What d'ya think would've worked better?

It's worth trying. "Messenger" isn't much to go off of, all on its own.

[ huffs. ]

They could have handled it themselves, if they're so worried about biases and interference. Having us here makes it more complicated for everyone when we can't even tell you anything useful.

[ Disce allows this head bump and gently does one back. ]

It'll go on the list.

Maybe they wanted to avoid gettin' yelled at by 40 people.

So they made us take the brunt of it instead? I hate that kind of person.

Not really fond of that either.

Can't speak for 'em. But... It's hard to trust when they only talked to the Watchers and didn't bother talking to us.

Especially when you guys all thought we signed up for whatever this is.

No kidding. None of it's adding up.

That's where this compass of yours is going to come in handy - as long as you can interpret it, you'll be able to get the truth the rest of us can't.

I'm doing my best. Just feels like a test I didn't know was comin'.

[ At least he hasn't gotten anything about countries yet. ]

For what it's worth, I think you're doing okay.

[ ... ]

Even if the answers are awful.

[Nero internally: I wanna stop finding out
Nero externally: I will keep fucking around]

I'm two for two on terrible answers so far.

[will it be 14/14? Will he even make it that long? Only the gods know.]

Pretty sure they ain't gonna get better from here.

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