transmission // audio

[ateratmods]

[Regardless of where your character is or what they're doing, they will hear their Tell Phones ringing to life. The voice that comes through isn't the warm comforting tones of Halcyn's voice, but a deep, almost hoarse man's voice, clipped and somehow cold.]

Greetings, Aterat. It's been some time since we've had cause to contact you. I am Athony. Some of you may know me, but we've never met under good circumstances.

[He clears his throat, and there's a pause, as though this much explanation at once is tiring.]

Whether you've all been wondering or not, the explosion a few days ago was the result of sealing and redistributing power. The Cemetery should be safe for exploration now, though I don't know why you'd want to go there, and the harbor district has also been cleansed. There was...some feedback which resulted in the destruction of the Directory in the Historium. The library itself should be fine, and we're working on a replacement. It shouldn't cause anyone any problems.

[There's a pause, and then there may be the sound of another voice, distant and feminine, before he continues.]

If you have questions, I'm here to answer them.

Comments

[Audio]

[gadaboutdetective]

[On the one hand, great that some areas were more safe to go… On the other hand, given what he’d been told about the historium and directory recently? Llewellyn forgot introductions entirely.]

The directory has been destroyed…? Uh- Do you mean the entity itself or what was containing it in the historium? [A pause, before he added,] At least, that’s how someone explained its existence to me before…

Re: [Audio]

[ateratmods]

The containment system. [Simple enough, right?]

...the entities themselves. There were many of them. They've...escaped, but they shouldn't cause any problems.

[gadaboutdetective]

['Shouldn't' wasn't 'Won't,' so colour him concerned about that.]

Mm... Even though they apparently weren't overly fond of us? The last time I spoke to them, their mood seemed more short than usual. [It's great that there is no video, because Athony cannot see the skeptical look on the detective's face.] And I presume there was a reason for their containment to begin with?

[ateratmods]

Things aren't usually imprisoned without a reason.

[Which isn't much of an answer.]

And they aren't usually happy about it, either.

[gadaboutdetective]

[No? They don't? Thanks, Athony.

Llewellyn took a breath for a moment, used to vague responses from people in charge. Not that he likes it...]

Nope. They certainly don't. Which is why I wonder if perhaps we should be more concerned than you suggested on the point of them being loose. [He decides to ask point blank, in hopes the man would be at least a little less vague on one point.] Why were they contained?

[ateratmods]

Being loose is what they wanted. I'm sure they're happier now.

[He breathes a sigh.]

I don't know.

[gadaboutdetective]

[Happier, sure... But people who got out of a confinement that they didn't want to be in did, on occasion, seek revenge.

Humming a little, he recalled being told that their hosts were almost as in the dark as they were. His response made that feel pretty accurate.]

Their confinement was put in place before your time then...? Do you know anything about them at all, or about uh- what they might be when not contained in the directory?

[ateratmods]

Yes. [Halcyn had wanted to tell them everything. Athony had felt they wouldn't believe them, even if they had. Maybe she'd been on to something.]

They are spirits of the dead that were too fragmented to be made whole again, so they were...repurposed I guess you could say. I can confirm they're souls, but otherwise, I can only trust what I was told.

[Audio]

[faithfulsupport]

I take it there are still unsavory denizens running about?

[Audio]

[ateratmods]

Yes. I only dispensed with the most dangerous ones. The lot of you have proven capable of taking care of the rest.

[gadaboutdetective]

[Criminy... That made an eerie amount of sense and was horrible to think about at the same time.]

I guess that may be the reason why they apparently didn't like us much... [Repurposed spirits, replaced among the population by new arrivals in the world remade. Sure, they didn't think of themselves that way... But maybe that's how they were seen.

He has to ask now,] Have you considered that they might seek out some kind of retribution for their imprisonment now that they're free? Or were you both told that they'll be just as happy to find some peace in the event that they were freed?

[audio]

[soulsword]

Just as your help last time didn't cause us any problems?

[Audio]

[faithfulsupport]

So the usual riff raff.

[Ignis' voice trailed off for a moment before returning his full gaze to Athony.]

Do you have an estimate as to how many are running about?

[ateratmods]

It's occurred to me, but they seem to have dissipated. [Another pause.] I wish I could tell you I have influence over them, but my presence doesn't extend to them.

[gadaboutdetective]

Might still be a good idea to keep an eye out for anything that might be a bad sign... Sometimes those who intend ill like to surprise. [Spoken as someone who'd nearly been murdered a couple times now. At least everyone in places like these tended to speak up the minute they found something odd or new.

Hmm... That was an odd way to put that, at least it was to him.] You have influence on some things, then?

[audio]

[ateratmods]

You'd rather a lich in your cemetery and a siren in the lighthouse?

[Audio]

[ateratmods]

How many of what? Those released from the Directory have no physical forms to my knowledge.

[ateratmods]

And we are. I don't like repeating myself, but as I said, they shouldn't bother you.

I do, and if you ever run afoul of anything here, you might see it.

[gadaboutdetective]

Shouldn’t isn’t won’t, but then I suppose I’ve got rather complicated experience with bad luck. So you’ll have to pardon my concern on that subject.

[He appreciated the reassurances, of course, it might do wonders for others… But there are plenty of people he’d be worried about if old paranoia sank in… which it might have a little already.]

That’s a bit vague for an explanation, you know.

[audio]

[everybodypanic]

Who are you again?

[audio]

[soulsword]

Whose to say what you'll bring will not be of equal consequence?

audio;

[cetrary]

Thank you for your help, Athony. Is there anything we can do for you?

[ateratmods]

You can have whatever concerns you want.

I know. If it makes you feel better, just prepare for anything.

Re: [audio]

[ateratmods]

Athony, the Aspect of Death.

[audio]

[ateratmods]

I haven't brought anything. I sent things away.