Campaign, Ike!
"There we go! Now that's proper medical-like."
Make sure Alan's bandaged, then do a headcount. Correct any conspicuous absences to the best of my ability.
Alan is indeed bandaged.
You also draw a stick figure with three tails on the dirt and call it Irine. Problem == solved.
More booze for Nikolai! I sure have learned from irresponsibly spamming my unreliable powers, haven't I?
You summon a gigantic barrel that comes to rest on the ground with an earth-shuddering thud. It will be hard to move around, but you can probably refill your bottles from it. Assuming it has booze in it and not nitroglycerine or something.
I chuckle as he calls me his favorite.
<It's nice to speak to you again too D. Are you okay?>
annnnnnnnd he's pretty much guarenteed to talk my ear off in response to that, but that's okay. He needs a chance to vent.
anyway, when he finally finishes:
<How's Stellar? Is she okay?>
and after he tells Irine something Lenglon already knows - that he doesn't have communication with the staging area.
<Oh. Okay. Um, D? What is a Bond-Former? River can't explain it very well, and I really need to know.>
<It's nice to speak to you again too D. Are you okay?><Yeah, well, OK is relative. I'm trapped here. I'm just a prisoner watching helplessly. I have no mouth and I must scream some incredibly funny jokes I've thought of while watching you guys. Kinda hard to be chill with that. It messes with my awesomeness. But I'm still alive and you're still alive and the others are still alive, so I guess that's something. And I can talk now, so that makes things better. I'm hoping now that you know about me, things will get better. You know, stay positive and all that.><How's Stellar? Is she okay?><She's still alive and mostly fine, that much I can tell. Our bond can never be completely severed. Well, it can, but it's very very very difficult without... well, doing bad things to her.> he says with disgust.
<And it would be wrong.><Yeah, no, I'm not having that conversation again, so stuff it. Anyway, can't really do much more than feel our bond, he's not letting me contact her, says it's too dangerous or something.><It is too dangerous. For you, for me and everyone else here. And it is wrong.><See? He's such a weener. Not that I'd have much to say other than we're fine and he's being an idiot. My stay here hasn't been exactly 'mission accomplished', ya know? But it would be nice to talk to her, see how she's feeling. Bond is fine, but it doesn't hold up to a good face to face or mind merge.><The one I have bonded with should feel that I have regenerated. They should all know we are still here.><Yeah, cause he's so trustworthy. And that's what she really cares about, whether or not you're alive.> he responds sarcastically.
<Oh. Okay. Um, D? What is a Bond-Former? River can't explain it very well, and I really need to know.><Sure, I wouldn't expect him to do a good job at it, that's a pretty broad subject for his mind. What exactly do you need to know? We're as complicated as we are simple. And we are really diverse. Probably because we're magical creatures. All that's really constant in bond-formers is how part of their soul works. Some basic instincts, how we bond to others and how we procreate. After that, we have all sorts of weird things. Some are almost almost fully mundane and biological, almost no magic involved, some are completely magical, made out of impossible materials, with gifts that make them the most powerful and awesomest of them all (that's me, by the way). Some are as big as small moons, some are smaller than humans. Some can fly, some can swim, some can run, some can become trees, some can survive in space or deep underground...>"Fair enough. I've been here enough to know there's no real point to question weirdness like that. I mean, if I really wanted a laugh, I could ask Zero. No offense, bud, but you're tricky to get an answer out of- at least the one I want. Anyway, we gearing up for another round yet? Seems like we're always go go go, especially with no one to summon us couches."
((Hmm... is it possible for a player to become an entity?))
((Possible, yes. Plausible, no, not unless you end up in some really weird mission. Not to mention that then your character would have to leave the games, at least as a participant. You could always become an entity like the others, the one that chose another player, if that's something you'd find fun. Maybe gain an extra vote and extra say in what mission I'm going to run or what's going to happen during each mission or making up rules. Don't know what else, haven't thought about it too much, since like I said it's not very plausible.
But it would definitely be an achievement. I'd find a way to reward you. Put you in some kind of hall of fame, maybe let you start the game with a new character with some extra points so you can get a much more powerful or complex character.))
"Not my fault man. I tried my best. Maybe you're just not asking the right questions. And yes, we're working on a challenge now, although I think it would take around ((15 days)) or more for us to start."((Hmm... is it possible for a player to become an entity?))
((Probably not without something special happening, like how Irene gained the power of Amethyst back in Mission 2A, and used it to provide Stellar with more power and save a few folks. Under normal circumstances, I doubt most of the entities would let their "champions" become more powerful than them. Of course, I'm not Parisbre56, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.))
He points towards his chest.
"Guilty as charged on both counts. Sometimes we get an avatar like Sir Smokesalot over there" he says, pointing at Charlie "or Nick here" he continues, rubbing the crow on his shoulder under its beak, which responds by closing its eyes, cawing and biting his arm softly "but most of the time it's just telepathic comments. As long as someone is powerful enough, abides to certain rules and... let's say 'signs an agreement', they can be an entity."
George takes a deep breath and closes his eyes in concentration. After several seconds, he opens his eyes and says:
"Ok, so you, Nick, and the smoking guy are powerful entities. Is everyone else here in the Staging Area some kind of entity too? How many entities are there?"
George listens to the answers, and says afterward:
"Well, I've still got dozens of questions, but I think I know enough and I'm tired of talking. Thanks for telling me all this. I guess I'll just go along with whatever happens next. Eh, not that I have a choice anyway."
((Even in entities there are differences and not all of them are the same. Even if someone somehow became an entity, it would still take them a while to become more powerful then some of the entities in the games. Unless you became an entity under some really, really, really weird circumstances.))
"Right now, around 20, with an equal number of players. Although some of them are missing in other challenges. I think there's 6 of you here.""Yeah, that's the spirit! Don't let life get you down! There's not much you can control in it. Things could get better or worse in an instant. So just enjoy yourself while you can!"((Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum I choose.... Nick.))
Adam nods courteously when the being compliments him, "I was always taught to be.", but then raises his eyebrow but a fraction when told about the challenges.
"The right man for the job? I'm flattered, though I assume these aren't any normal challenges?"
((Good. We have a tie breaker. Otherwise I was going to have other people vote as well in a poll.
Okay then, Nick it is. Looks like there's a storm coming...))
:Correct once again. You see, the problem is that there is a committee picking those challenges, a committee I am part of. And members of said committee sometimes have ulterior motives or are not very sane. And they are very powerful, so whatever insane challenge they can think of, they can create. However, this time you are both lucky and unlucky. You are lucky, because the challenge is simple. And unlucky because it appears that you are going to be fighting someone. Specifically, one of the people in said committee. But there is no reason to worry, for you will not be allowed to die.:
:You are free to leave through the door on your left when you are ready to meet the other participants, those who will join you in the coming fight.: he adds, pointing at one of the doors.