EVENT ★ LOST IN TRANSLATION

[futurologists]

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.

Comments

[ex_adept136]

[Haise will ruminate over whether Arima's smile was genuine or something to be concerned about, later]

It's sort of lucky for us that this place is pretty small.

[And so it's easy for them to get accustomed to their surroundings, at the very least]

Although I'd say our missions are more...exotic than those back home.

[strictdiscipline]

[Arima please....it's okay to show emotion! (Though admittedly only in small, controllable doses.) Riza, having only just met Arima, isn't too sure what to make of his strange mix of emotions but he seems content enough with his situation for the moment that she lets it pass.

Her next message is broader, sent to the both of them.]

What types of missions did your team participate in? If you have the liberty to say.

[prodigism]

[ Arima doesn't want to emotion. That means opening up to people who actually want to learn more about him?! He's never done that sort of talking to people before...

He does turn towards Riza with a blank look however at that question. Speaking about their missions was something that remained classified to all public knowledge. Even the news reporters were given false details on ghoul cases. But here it hardly mattered as to who knew. The more people were aware of ghouls the better it would be. ]

Our missions back home mostly dealt with exterminating ghouls.

[ He doesn't seem too thrilled when typing that or even proud of the fact. He never liked his line of work, never would, if he could never have done it he would have chosen that path over what his fate had made for him. ]

I am curious as to the types of missions we're given here. Haise hasn't had a chance to speak about them with me yet.

[ It's always good to understand and know at least what one was getting into when it came to this type of...employment. ]

[ex_adept136]

[The reply Arima provides is a little clipped, although it's not entirely surprising to Haise. He supposes it bears some elaboration, and that's something that he can follow-up on.

Shame they're all unable to simply speak the same language, but at least they're not stuck with pantomime and drawings now]

As investigators, we're also responsible for following up on leads regarding dangerous ghouls, and ghoul predation.

[If Riza wants to know more, he trusts she'll inquire]

Admittedly, with only two missions under my belt with ALASTAIR, I might not be the best person to explain the scope of our employ.

[strictdiscipline]

[For the most part, she understands just about everything said except for—]

Ghouls?

[The lack of any speech means her voice is unable to convey her confusion over that particular term, but her expression valiantly tries to make up for it, brows furrowing together and lips pulling down.]

[prodigism]

They're humanoid type predators that eat human flesh in our world.

[ Typed really nonchalantly and without a lot of concern there. But it's the truth and there's an active war going on back home that he's been apart of since he was 16. He doesn't really care much when discussing it anymore. ]

[ex_adept136]

[There isn't a response at first, as Haise waits to compose his thoughts. Having communications that rely on thought can, at times, be difficult to work with. But that's simply a matter of his own mixed and troubled sentiments surrounding this particular subject.

He's easily stated this truth about ghouls in the past, but it's almost harder having it put so plainly]

That or other ghouls. They're unable to process human food.

[strictdiscipline]

[How straightforward and calm, the complete opposite of the frown that settles quickly on her face. But perhaps that's to be expected. Just because the thought of a creature that preys on human flesh sends a chill down her spine doesn't mean it's not something that the two of them have had to deal with for years on end.

She glances between the two of them, noting Haise's slightly less composed expression, though she chalks it up to less experience on the matter. (Or so she assumes.)]

Are there many of them where you come from?

[prodigism]

That's correct. The number of ghouls in our world is possibly in the thousands, if not more. We don't have a clear number in other words.

[ But he's been fighting ghouls since he was 16 and he's lost count of the amount he's put down. ]

They blend in with society, so it's hard to tell just how many there are.

[ex_adept136]

[Haise nods along, though the stiffness about his posture remains]

Unless they're hunting or attacking, you're unlikely to know them when you see them.

[Unfortunately...and he does feel some mingled guilt and regret for this fact, he's proof of this very thing. True, he's a half-ghoul by way of some mad scientist's machinations, but that doesn't change the bottom line]