CHAPTER 5

[faentasy]

CHAPTER 5

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Almost half of the non-fairy population of Aira Niluc is gone.

Some may be feeling the absence of their fellow participants in this story. Others will stay focused on the wish they want to get. What never changes is that the story goes on, bringing you closer to the end -- and to another chapter. What will it bring this time?

Snow!

Snow as far as the eye can see, a cold blanket covering the new area. Some winter amenities are now available, ready for perusal! But that's not all there's to find: everyone also will find reminders of their homes, of people they know, of happier times.

Of their wishes.

Who will try to reach their wish this time?

[[Welcome to Week 5! Feel free to make top levels at your discretion, and remember to note it in your header if you plan on investigating any locations. However, please try to keep investigations to Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday! You can also privately contact Hamelin at your leisure.

In addition, a reminder that any Murder Proposals for this week are due by Tuesday 3:00 PM EST/12:00 PM PST! However, please note that you have the option of submitting murder proposals for a later week as well.]]

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MEETING - Ballroom

[biyishuangfei]

[ Huaisang has probably at some point mentioned to others he'll be having a meeting on Wednesday at noon, or left colorful notes places asking if they can all meet in the ballroom for a lovely get together.

Once people show up, The Sect Leader will be standing there with a borrowed prop fan, fanning himself. ]

I don't know what's been going on, but we always have a meeting around this time of the week, right?

[ He'll blink, tilting his head, before smiling a little. ]

I think we should share some things if we happen to know anything.

A VISION

[biyishuangfei]

[ Anyway at some point, Huaisang's going to look thoughtful, fanning himself again. ]

Oh, I almost forgot to mention something.

Last night, I experienced the strangest thing—like what Phil and Edelgard described. But, since this is rather detailed, I'm going to have to ask for your patience.

[ He'll close his fan. ]

I was sent into the body of an apprentice of a poor fisherman. I suppose since he had taken the apprentice in, it was several years of work we had been making towards catching this "Salmon of Knowledge".

Where we were was in some kind of isolated area, with trees and hills, as well as a river. Apparently this Salmon could be caught over near a waterfall, so while he headed downstream to stop it in the event I was unsuccessful, I put my efforts towards catching it.

I set up something to stop the fish, because I'd been given materials for that, and then went to grab the fish with my bare hands since it was struggling so hard. After, I managed to drag it to shore. Following that, the fisherman hugged and congratulated me [ a flicker of confusion here ] before bringing out a pan I think? And leaving me be to cook the Salmon as he headed off to get some plates.

Then, I kind of just threw the fish into the pan and wandered around a bit.

Behind the trees it looked like there was a white void, as if it was a blank canvas, like the appearance Morgan described the inside of the shrine had, you know? I also felt something some presence that was kind of smug about all of this. I guess someone who felt confident about their power or something?

[ He doesn't look pleased by this but it's not something he lingers on as he explains the rest. ]

Around this time there was a lot of smoke coming from the pan but I didn't think much of it at the time.

Also, in this white space the trees look like painted cardboard. Also the waterfall looked odd—like its water was appearing out of thin air. All of this made the surroundings appear kind of fake.

When I headed back to check on the fish, it was somehow all chopped into pieces and charred black. But it was just only a few minutes, so it was strange.

I guess the sight was enough to shock the body of this person I was in, because it moved without much thought to run away and everything began to collapse into the white void. Trees began to grow up from the floor, and there was a lot of...noise with um, songbirds and everything. There was also so many emotions this person went through...

There's this black rectangle in my line of sight that turned into a cellar door.

Then I had to decide whether to go through the cellar door or back into the nothing that's now behind me. So, I went through towards the open cellar door.

Once going through it, there was some kind of tunnel I entered into, which also led to a place of almost endless darkness. But then I saw something...

Scenes of these children I didn't know that looked to be in trouble. They'll sound familiar, though.

First, I saw a young girl going into a forest, searching for an abandoned cabin in the middle of it. There were images of a family who didn't care about her that she saw; s-she was...uncertain what to do.

Then there was a young prince who hid behind some bag of oats while guards looked for him. I saw images of a...traitorous queen who made unreasonable demands. He appeared cornered.

I saw a young boy with the head of a toad, and covered in scales looking for gold in a forest. Then flashes of a man who had him chained in a dungeon...and the boy looked resigned to this.

I saw the fisherman's apprentice fleeting into the forest in a panic. I saw the images of the kind fisherman and the ruined salmon...she looked like she was ashamed and full of guilt.

Then the images changed. They became brighter, a bit idealistic. I noticed that other than the kids and someone else, everyone else who appeared had their faces blurred out, as if something about them was trying to be obscured.

That forest the young girl was in now looked bright, though she was bringing a skull-shaped lantern with her. Followed by the young prince was escorting a horse with bells, and the courtyard he was in appeared cheerful. Next up, that young boy rescued by the beggar was now holding the gold in a town that looked welcoming. And finally, the fisherman's apprentice shared the salmon with her master in a cozy-looking cottage.

[ Phew, he takes a moment to drink some orange-flavored tea he's conveniently brought with him. Don't judge, he's just a little tired for talking that long without a little break, and needs a moment because this is a long story. ]

And in those images, there was now someone else with them, a woman who appeared to be lovingly assisting the child. She never appears the same, even if I don't really ever see her face, but I always know it's her.

Which is because her shadow is always the same, and the shadow is not anything good. Even if she appears normal, her shadow is far too thin as well as tall, and sharp—angular.

Then the images before me changed one more time...and somehow even in those idealistic images, everyone's fate had turned to something gloomier. What with the children looking withered and exhausted...even if they're where they want to be, they look like they're at their limit. Of course here in these images, there's no one else except the child and that woman.

Even when she has her back to me she looks sad, but somehow satisfied, and then she...approaches, taking all the children in her arms.

With that, the images start fading, like watercolors being washed away? Then I saw that the woman's shadow shifted into some warped shapes, growing so tall, a-and her hands extend into ... I don't know how to describe it but the shapes—they're terrifying, alright? And she's hunching over while her grip tightens onto them.

Then everything faded into black and I woke up in Room 5.

[ He's a little pale because that shit is scary, but he looks so relieved to be finished. ]

[vogelfrei]

[ That is... a whole lot. McGillis listens carefully, his frown growing ever deeper as Huaisang keeps talking. ]

Maybe you should stay away from the mirrors from now on. These visions seem ever more involved and more foreboding. Don't get sucked into them.

[crimson_flamel]

The monster behind this is some form of skinchanger, then...? Hm.

[HMMMMM. Don't like the implication behind that.]

[biqe]

Ah... The one you mentioned with the prince and the queen and the horse with all the bells — that was the story I went through.

You're saying that woman was present with him at the end when he was bringing the horse back, though?

[scythegun]

[Hmm, don't like that!! He was going to discuss it this week anyway, particularly with what he found in the ice maze, so Yeager sighs.]

The first one - the one with the girl in the forest, who eventually found a skull-shaped lantern. I experienced that one at the start of our second week here. Like all of you, I entered the mirror and experienced a slightly different version of that story.

[...Considering the face he's making, it sure was a time, apparently!!]

[kowashi]

[ That's a whole lot... But more importantly: ]

The last one is really foreboding, are they usually like that? Should we keep an eye on shadows?

[ Her attendance here ain't great, okay. ]

[crimson_flamel]

I found this note in the church. Hidden inside some form of religious urn.

[She'll present it by dropping it on a table.]

[biyishuangfei]

I guess this means we're coming to some sort of finale soon.

[incompletely]

...That doesn't surprise me.

[ Given, uh. The rate at which they've been dropping and all. Still, how spooky. ]

1/2

[heroicact]

I do wonder why this one seems so separated from the others... Strange.

[scythegun]

Oh, I also took a look around the ice maze while I was in there.

[And considering the story he just told about his mirror adventures, this is relevant.]

I found a ghostly girl in the maze. When I got close, she fled through a wall - but not before I noticed that she was carrying a skull lantern. She seemed frightened, but it was like she hadn't noticed my presence at all.

I found other ghostly children in there as well - they were all quite young and all of them seemed afraid of something, but when I backtracked through the maze, I found more of them and they were playing together happily. There were also several distinctively nonhuman children; one with the head of a frog, and one with fairy wings, for example.

Also, within the deepest parts of the maze, [the eldritch-y sections] I found a carving of one of those claws I saw in the mirror. It wasn't any different from the rest of the ice sculptures, so I imagine there were some that might be relevant to others here.

[With that, he shrugs!!]

I'm not entirely certain how relevant it will be, but it may at least spare anyone else from getting lost in the maze forever!

[incompletely]

Good thing I decided against going in there…

[ YIKES ]

[ideismo]

[Alexei is here, seeming...not great. The sort of pale and tired that happens when eating and sleeping haven't been happening too well, if at all. But the point is that he's here.]

It seems our friends left us some more letters.

[Or, well, beings that are ostensibly our friends.

Anyway, he's got three of them, which is more than he usually contributes to these things.]

The message in the second letter reads "try salt everywhere, other things too"; there's a drawing on the back containing a symbol I don't recognize.

mods

[gemuinemanagement]

It's a maneki neko
A symbol of good fortune

[Given that Suga reads Japanese, what is that word?]

[reallyfishy]

[...yeah, that's not good. Raven's going to be checking up on Alexei later.

(Not that he's doing much better himself.)]

Huh, now I'm curious what the salt's all about. Maybe I'll grab a bag later and do some tests. Ain't got much better ta do.

[And it would be a good distraction from reflective surfaces.]

[crimson_flamel]

[Edelgard makes no sign of emotion beyond looking over the first note with an aggressively neutral side-eye.]

[sempiternel]

May I?

[ Yuri reads through the notes, faltering immediately at the very first one. She makes an aborted gesture, as if to touch her chin, before letting her hand drop slowly. By the time she reads the last letter, she seems... tired and sad. ]

... I see.

[ As disappointing as it was to read those letters the first time, it doesn't stop her from rereading just to be thorough. If nothing else, the letters seem to have confirmed something for her as she nods and hands them back to him. ]

Mods!

[incompletely]

…”Nyaotome…”

[ squints. Can he recognize this handwriting, mods? ]

[biyishuangfei]

[ His eyes flicker over him, noting his appearance...because he's definitely been there before. But he's going to put it aside for now.

Then he will read the rest with interest. ]

[biqe]

Yes, I found these letters as well.

[ Presents these three letters... he passes around the two that are readily readable, but holds on to the coded letter, which he just holds up for everyone to see instead. ]

This one was in code, but I was able to figure that out and wrote down the translation —

"Word is traveling too wide and too quickly. Be careful of the company you keep and who you speak with. Trust is a traitor's greatest weapon.

I hear the sculpture in the fountain is fascinating and would appreciate another look through a different lens, and perhaps some seasoning for good measure.

Do not dwell too much on the mirrors, you are running out of time."

[ Part of this is not actually what the original said, but he's banking on no one trying that hard to decode it in the middle of a meeting. ]

There's also this drawing of a clock face showing 5 o'clock on the original... perhaps an indication that we should try conducting this investigation at that particular time.

[gemuinemanagement]

That's not right
The 'sculpture in the fountain' bit
That's the wrong number of letters?

[biyishuangfei]

Oh, so ... if we're to try some of these investigations, maybe it should be done at 5...

Let me know if you or anyone else needs any help with those. I do have some items.

[amortristis]

[ Morgan doesn't exactly look great, if the bandage on her hand is any indication of that. But it's unimportant! Especially with the letters she ended up finding with Alexei and Phil. ]

There were these letters as well.

[ She frowns, and shows the two letters that she ended up finding.

When she passes the second one to whoever's nearby, she'll look at Yuri with a degree of concern. ]

You said during the last trial that you did not have any problems with moving around that most of the others did, correct?

re: trials

[incompletely]

There's something I wanted to bring up, actually. I think we need to start bringing evidence to trials. The cookies, for example, would have saved us a lot of time if we had them on-hand to inspect to confirm their quality and measure it up against the bakery's.

[ Sorry, Suga... He's not trying to sound accusatory, he promises. ]

Be careful with the more soiled pieces, of course, but if we don't have these things on-hand, it feels like we're doing a lot more guesswork than we actually need to. So my suggestion is to bring whatever you can.