epidemiology | EVENT ★ LOST IN TRANSLATION

RETURN TO OSKA

Upon arrival in Oska, new and returning recruits alike will find that something strange is going on. Any attempts to communicate with someone who doesn't speak the same language as you will be just that -- like you don't speak the same language. Let's hope everyone is good at charades, because you're going to be out of luck for a full day.

On the second day, a text comes across -- surprisingly intelligible to everyone. Is it over? Well . . .

crowley:
Hello, Audentes. We are currently experiencing magitek difficulties, as you may have guessed already. Temporal insects have arrived with our latest arrivals, and as you may imagine, we have had our paws full.

cherenkov:
We are working out how to mitigate the pest problem for good. For now, please put your unpleasantly huge feet to use and stomp them out. Or other such methods.

crowley:
We have created a quick patch to facilitate text-based communications, but verbal translation will continue to be down until the insects are exterminated. Thank you for your patience.

It's not over.

TEMPORAL INSECTS

This invasive species has worked its way in through the rifts along with the newest batch of arrivals, and information on them is available in the library (provided you can read the language it's written in!). It seems they behave like locusts, living quietly within the space between rifts for many years until their numbers suddenly balloon and they begin to swarm in search of food.

These bugs move fast and pack a nasty bite, but are unarmored and easily squished. Each one is about the size of a football, and leaves a little tell-tale slime trail that makes it easy to track. They can cling to any surface, and won't hesitate to leap onto attackers and bite if they feel threatened. One can take a decently sized but non-lethal bite out of someone, but a number of them together will pose a real danger. If punctured or squished they tend to explode into moderately acidic goo that can cause caustic burns if not immediately washed off.

They are attracted to any area of high temporal energy, which can be literally any surface, corner, or point on or within the castle and its grounds. As they begin to feed they cause temporal distortion in the area. This manifests as the immediate area seeming to flicker backwards and forwards through time. An insect gnawing at a table leg in the dining area, for example, might cause the area to stutter between years and years of dinner parties, ghostly attendants of all fashions and species appearing and disappearing as they enter and leave the affected area.

An onlooker can't interact with temporal distortions directly, but if the insect is left to its own devices, it will eventually eat through all of the temporal energy and render the immediate area gray, frozen, and completely inert. It's highly recommended you kill or otherwise chase off an insect before it manages this, as it can do irreversible damage to a world.

For affected Oska locations, please see this post.

OOC NOTES

The translation errors will continue through the rest of the month. For more information or to ask questions, please check the plotting post here!

New bounties are available in Oska!

Please remember to fill out your squidge success form before August 31, 23:59 UTC! Filling the form out is mandatory, even if you do not have the 3 squidge threads. You will not pass AC if you do not fill out the form. Characters who have been accepted on August 20th are exempt. Please direct questions relating to the success form here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Serene has spent the last few hours reacquainting herself with the castle after her two years away. She looks very much the same as she did when back in on Zeta-12, save for the fact that she has a deep tan on her face and hands. She startles when she sees Papyrus sitting bare-boned in the courtyard. Over the years she's thought to herself that perhaps under his shirt lived some organs or a lifeforce that propelled him but no, he's still a skeleton. She approaches slowly, clutching her spear]

Papyrus!? What happened? Ahh... [She realises that he may not understand her at all, for she has yet to understand anyone she's spoken to, and so laboriously types onto the small keyboard of her bracelet as she approaches. She crouches when she's near enough and holds out her arm for him to read from her screen]

Papryrus, I remember you for you aided me in the swamps. Are you injured? Can I help you?

Oh! Hello, Serene!!

[Although he squints (somehow) as she gets closer. She looks different.]

Wow, you look older!!

[Maybe it's a good thing she doesn't understand what he's saying right now. But yes, right, she doesn't speak English, does she? Instead, he takes out his communicator as she does, to reply back. ]

HELLO AGAIN!! TIM GOT ACID ON ME, BUT I CAN HEAL MYSELF, SO IT'S OKAY! ALTHOUGH HE DID GET AWAY AGAIN... HE'S WILY FOR SURE!!

[She can't make out a word he's saying but he sounds cheery enough, which belays her worries somewhat. She leans in to read his message and frowns]

Tim?

Have you made one of the insects into your prisoner?

HE'S NOT MY PRISONER!! HE'S MY FRIEND!! AND HE'S GOING TO DIE IF I DON'T SAVE HIM!!!

[With that, he puts his phone back down and starts healing himself with a renewed effort. The faster he can feel better, the faster he can get back to catching Tim.]

Then I will help you to save him!

[She grimaces, hoping that none of the bugs that she's stabbed or set alight since venturing from her room had been Tim. She's now starting to feel guilty about ever taking part in the extermination]

Does he have any features that distinguish him from the other insects?

[Once she starts typing again, he glances back at his communicator, and responds.]

WELL, I GOT A COLLAR ON HIM AT LEAST. IT'S RED. I APPRECIATE THE HELP!! BUT I'M WORRIED YOU'LL GET BURNED TOO. IT DOESN'T HURT ME AS MUCH AS IT MIGHT HURT A HUMAN.

[She nods acknowledgement and types a message back.]

I can be a look out and point you on your way. Two sets of eyes are better than one

OH! YES, THAT WILL WORK!

[ Papyrus agrees with a vigorous nod, and continues to heal his bones. His chest ones are mostly better, to which he then begins to put his shirt back on. ]

I CAN FIX MY ARMS AS WE WALK! I DON'T WANT TO WASTE ANY MORE TIME!

Good!
Lead me in the direction he scuttled off in

[She stands and stares at him, visibly gearing herself up to offer him her hand to help him stand. She was a coward about him last time she was here and she doesn't intend to be a coward any more.]

Oh, thank you!

[Forgets to say it through text, but surely, she understands what he means as he takes her hand to lift himself back to his feet. From there, he points north-east- towards the village.]

IT WENT THAT WAY, BEFORE I SAT DOWN.

[She nods as she reads that message and sets off in a stride, tucking her spear into the crook of her arm so she can type. She'll have to remember to use the wooden shaft if "Tim" attacks her and hope that she can be soft enough he won't crack]

There is an abandoned village down here, yes? I remember there being a lot of hiding spaces for possible enemies

I THINK SO! I HAVEN'T BEEN THERE IN A LONG TIME THOUGH. OR MAYBE EVER? NO, AT LEAST ONCE.

[ Papyrus continues to ramble, even through text, as he makes sure his clothes are all adjusted properly. Coat, in place, scarf, wrapped properly, gloves on, etcetera... ]

UM... I DO HAVE SOMETHING, I SHOULD PROBABLY SAY... TIM ISN'T VERY... WELL TRAINED YET. AND UH... COULD BITE YOU. OR SOMETHING. SO MAYBE LET ME HANDLE GETTING NEAR HIM, OKAY?

[She grimaces lightly at him as they walk out the courtyard to the open area beyond]

I shall stand far back and point if I see him. I do not heal as easily as you!

Papyrus! [She points urgently as she spots a bug skittling under a bush]

Is that him?!

Oh!

[ IT MIGHT BE? He didn't get a good look, but dives into the bush headfirst regardless.

... It is not the right bug, and skitters away unharmed, as Papyrus spits out dirt. ]

...NO, IT WASN'T HIM...

Urgh...

[She trots out past the bush, scanning the surroundings by the trees]

I see three bugs! Look

[She jabs her finger first at one gnawing on a rock, then at one climbing a pillar by the gate, and then at one disappearing into the distance.]

WHICH ONE HAD THE RED COLLAR??

[ He manages to think quickly, while chasing after the one disappearing into the distance. Or maybe none of them have a red collar. This is probably a wild goose chase. ]

[Too late she spots a flash of red around the neck of the bug twining up the pillar. She waves her hand urgently at him]

Papyrus!

Wait, he's there, the other... [But the skeleton is running off into the distance] way.

[She scratches her lips and considers running after him... but she really doesn't want to risk getting acid spat. Tim is gnawing away at the pillar, seemingly happy indulging in property destruction and Papyrus is able to heal himself, so she shrugs and whips off one last message before leaving]

Papyrus, Tim is on the pillar by the bush. I am retreating for my own safety! He appears to be content here. Good luck!

EVENT ★ LOST IN TRANSLATION

The Aftermath

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