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[Glass]

How do we know our current character knows of another universe? Is this the one who found a fourth wall break that summoned a meteor? I came in late, but I do remember the ship

Yep, both Erin Quill (our character) and David Eborrenial (person you are talking to) have seen the fourth wall break, and thus know about the other universe.

they might know of our universe, but thst doesn’t mean they know of whatever universe Glass is talking about

Erin Quill knows about the Order of the Stick universe because we know about the Order of the Stick universe, and also Celling has likely briefed him, or at the very least they've pretended Celling briefed him to cover for knowing it via the fourth wall.
David knows about the Order of the Stick universe because he could read stuff that had happened previously in the thread, and the OotS stuff had already happened.
Everyone is on the same page about the basic facts, I believe.

[blueturtle1134]

Quill raises his hand. “Hold on, David. You’ve got mail.”

Hello again, David. I’m going to assume that you know who is sending you each message, because I really don’t want to have to preface each one with “This is Glass”, and I especially don’t want everyone else prefacing their messages with “This is Glass” and you not knowing that they’re not me.

Anyway.

Yes, I do still want to resurrect her, because 1. I feel like it’s the right thing to do, 2. I generally prefer to hold to my previous intentions unless I’ve been given a good reason not to (which in this situation I do not feel I have), and 3. Despite what it may seem at times, I do not want you angry at us.

As for how, I believe you’re aware of the other reality, Order of the Stick? Magic is commonplace there, resurrection is commonplace there. While I cannot say for certain that it would be easy, given Anna’s soul is inside the Key, there are even ways around that, given a powerful enough spellcaster, and I believe that we have the resources to acquire the services of one, at least for this.

If I may ask my own question: do you have access to here only, or can you also see our other channels of discussion? I wouldn’t be surprised if you’ve answered that before, but I honestly don’t remember.

This is Glass Ceiling, Glass Celling's distant cousin. We want to resurrect Anna because we keep our word and know of a place where this can be arranged with fewer side-effects than our technology alone can accomplish regardless of inconsequential things like brain damage and severed limbs. We need only diamonds and money to put this plan into action and thus wrap up a near-abandoned plot thread/snarl

David nods. “I’ll take you on your word then, Quill - and company. I’m guessing that your resurrection methods - the one devised by Dr. d’ Florist - wouldn’t work in this situation? So we’ll need a diamond, and some part of her body, as well as the cooperation of… Durkon, right? And are we going to be doing this in secret, or do you plan to convince your government to clear the way?”

How do you respond?

[Kilojoule Proton]

"I defer to your considerable expertise on the future. Let's go with the plan least likely to fail horribly."

[Glass]

Seeing as Anna's soul is trapped inside the Key, yeah, I'm pretty sure d'Florist's method wouldn't work - or if it could, the product likely would not be Anna.
Your understanding of the process is correct, to the best of my knowledge, though it'll need to be an expensive diamond - not that I could tell you right now how expensive, because I don't believe that we know the exchange rate between gold in the OotS-verse and... whatever the currency here is? I don't know if that's ever been addressed.
I believe that it would be best for us to clear this with the government, or at least attempt to to begin with (note: this does not mean it needs to be something public, just making sure it's approved). If they don't approve it, you could teleport yourself and Celling over to where the gate is and he can say it was cleared; our message can get through before the official message does if we do it that way, I think (Blue hasn't been very cooperative with how quickly information can get from Antarctica to South America and vice versa before, and that helps us here).

Pre-post edit due to KJP: Yes, if you could give us some information on the likely outcomes of various ways of doing this, that could be useful for actually deciding how to go about doing it.


EDIT: Ah, an additional note. Azure City has a variety of other reasonably high-level clerics, so we need not solely rely upon getting Durkon's help. It may still be welcome, due to his status as a main character, but that would also come with the risk of dramatic complications.

[Naturegirl1999]

What is Florist’s resurrection plan?

[blueturtle1134]

"I defer to your considerable expertise on the future. Let's go with the plan least likely to fail horribly."

David sighs. “I don’t have knowledge of the future. Even if the beacon was up - which it’s not - all of our timeline data is invalidated because of all the decisions made recently with precognition - and fourth wall knowledge. And even if they weren’t, we’d probably only get static because of how much fourth wall knowledge you plan to use in negotiations with the world beyond the rift. I’m just as clueless about the future as you.”

Seeing as Anna's soul is trapped inside the Key, yeah, I'm pretty sure d'Florist's method wouldn't work - or if it could, the product likely would not be Anna.
Your understanding of the process is correct, to the best of my knowledge, though it'll need to be an expensive diamond - not that I could tell you right now how expensive, because I don't believe that we know the exchange rate between gold in the OotS-verse and... whatever the currency here is? I don't know if that's ever been addressed.
I believe that it would be best for us to clear this with the government, or at least attempt to to begin with (note: this does not mean it needs to be something public, just making sure it's approved). If they don't approve it, you could teleport yourself and Celling over to where the gate is and he can say it was cleared; our message can get through before the official message does if we do it that way, I think (Blue hasn't been very cooperative with how quickly information can get from Antarctica to South America and vice versa before, and that helps us here).

Pre-post edit due to KJP: Yes, if you could give us some information on the likely outcomes of various ways of doing this, that could be useful for actually deciding how to go about doing it.


EDIT: Ah, an additional note. Azure City has a variety of other reasonably high-level clerics, so we need not solely rely upon getting Durkon's help. It may still be welcome, due to his status as a main character, but that would also come with the risk of dramatic complications.

David nods. “Alright, let’s go ask Nest.”

Quill is taken aback as David walks behind him and turns around. “Wait, you don’t-”


Enir Nest is talking with Baron Stevenson when he hears a crackling whoosh behind him.

Erin Quill stumbles out of the portal, pushed by the warped gravitational forces. David steps over the threshold. The whirlwind of light winds dies down behind him.

Nest takes a second to recognize David from their brief encounter on the Etna. To his credit, he reacts immediately after that, shouting an order for the Baron’s guards to hold David at gunpoint. David takes a step back, extending his right arm in front of him to point at Nest, while the Key opens up and pulses a dull red in his left. “Don’t shoot,” he says. “In fact, don’t even think about shooting.”

“David, what do you want?” Nest demands.

“I’ve been conducting my own survey of the world beyond the rift in Andes High Command,” David replies smoothly. “They have access to a form of magic that can restore a deceased person’s body given their soul. Anna’s soul, or something like it, is trapped in this Key, and I wish to resurrect her.”

Nest seems to consider this for a moment. “And that would remove her soul from the Key, thereby depowering it?” he asks.

“Yes. I don’t trust myself with this power, and I don’t trust anyone else either.”

“I agree,” Nest says sharply. “I will assist you in this endeavor. What do you know about this resurrection power?”

“Certain priests in the world beyond the rift have access to it, including one Durkon of the Order of the Stick,” David answers. “You will also need a catalyst - a diamond of significant size.”

“We’ll find one,” Nest assures.

David seems to think of something. “Oh, and Anna gets pardoned, along with her friends. I’m not letting you resurrect her and immediately execute her.”

“Don’t push your luck, David,” Nest replies. “We aren’t letting you dictate arbitrary demands to the government.”

What do you say, if anything? (This is really because I realized that reducing the rebels' sentence was actually one thing you were talking about but I didn't give you a chance)

[Glass]

"First off, please at least tell me when you're going to pull me through a portal. Ignoring everything else, that was just rude.
Second. We're not pardoning them. Whether or not they were actively attempting to undermine the Republic -" roll eyes at having to call it that "- is not a topic that is up for debate. However, I am inclined to agree that an execution is not the correct punishment. They're clearly intelligent enough to have not been caught and stopped immediately, and for all that their methods were absolutely terrible, their complaints were not invalid. The Republic is in need of reforms; it's simply that there are proper avenues for making them happen. And besides, if we execute them, dozens other revolutionaries would crop up - you know how these things work, martyrs, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine", and all that - and then hundreds, and now we have a much larger problem on our hands. Best to avoid that.
The surviving rebels - including, hopefully, Anna - should see punishment for their crimes. A number of years in prison would seem sensible to me. But, I also believe that it would be appropriate for them to be able to do service, both as part of the sentence and as a manner to reduce it. Community service, so they can get to actually know Antarctica and stop seeing it as some monolithic bastion of oppression - and advising us on what life is like in South America, because I doubt that they're the only discontented members of that society. We all know the good we do, but how much do they see, especially through the lens of the conquered nation? If we ignore their grievances, this can only happen again."

[Madman198237]

"First off, please at least tell me when you're going to pull me through a portal. Ignoring everything else, that was just rude.
Second. We're not pardoning them. Whether or not they were actively attempting to undermine the Republic -" roll eyes at having to call it that "- is not a topic that is up for debate. However, I am inclined to agree that an execution is not the correct punishment. They're clearly intelligent enough to have not been caught and stopped immediately, and for all that their methods were absolutely terrible, their complaints were not invalid. The Republic is in need of reforms; it's simply that there are proper avenues for making them happen. And besides, if we execute them, dozens other revolutionaries would crop up - you know how these things work, martyrs, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine", and all that - and then hundreds, and now we have a much larger problem on our hands. Best to avoid that.
The surviving rebels - including, hopefully, Anna - should see punishment for their crimes. A number of years in prison would seem sensible to me. But, I also believe that it would be appropriate for them to be able to do service, both as part of the sentence and as a manner to reduce it. Community service, so they can get to actually know Antarctica and stop seeing it as some monolithic bastion of oppression - and advising us on what life is like in South America, because I doubt that they're the only discontented members of that society. We all know the good we do, but how much do they see, especially through the lens of the conquered nation? If we ignore their grievances, this can only happen again."

This but the punishment for all the remaining rebels is determined by a good old fashioned trial by jury.

[Glass]

"First off, please at least tell me when you're going to pull me through a portal. Ignoring everything else, that was just rude.
Second. We're not pardoning them. Whether or not they were actively attempting to undermine the Republic -" roll eyes at having to call it that "- is not a topic that is up for debate. However, I am inclined to agree that an execution is not the correct punishment. They're clearly intelligent enough to have not been caught and stopped immediately, and for all that their methods were absolutely terrible, their complaints were not invalid. The Republic is in need of reforms; it's simply that there are proper avenues for making them happen. And besides, if we execute them, dozens other revolutionaries would crop up - you know how these things work, martyrs, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine", and all that - and then hundreds, and now we have a much larger problem on our hands. Best to avoid that.
The surviving rebels - including, hopefully, Anna - should see punishment for their crimes. A number of years in prison would seem sensible to me. But, I also believe that it would be appropriate for them to be able to do service, both as part of the sentence and as a manner to reduce it. Community service, so they can get to actually know Antarctica and stop seeing it as some monolithic bastion of oppression - and advising us on what life is like in South America, because I doubt that they're the only discontented members of that society. We all know the good we do, but how much do they see, especially through the lens of the conquered nation? If we ignore their grievances, this can only happen again."

This but the punishment for all the remaining rebels is determined by a good old fashioned trial by jury.

Fair. But I would prefer that they not be executed.
Could you write up an alternative to the second paragraph for that, though?

[Madman198237]

Here's the whole deal with a replacement second paragraph so we can get this game moving:
"First off, please at least tell me when you're going to pull me through a portal. Ignoring everything else, that was just rude.

Second. We're not pardoning them. Whether or not they were actively attempting to undermine the Republic -" roll eyes at having to call it that "- is not a topic that is up for debate. However, I am inclined to agree that an execution is not the correct punishment. They're clearly intelligent enough to have not been caught and stopped immediately, and for all that their methods were absolutely terrible, their complaints were not invalid. The Republic is in need of reforms; it's simply that there are proper avenues for making them happen. And besides, if we execute them, dozens other revolutionaries would crop up - you know how these things work, martyrs, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine", and all that - and then hundreds, and now we have a much larger problem on our hands. Best to avoid that.

All surviving rebels are to be tried for any actual crimes they committed, with the question of treason and its obvious extreme punishment set aside. Disagreeing with the government is one thing, murders and robbery and attempting to set off a device that would level a large portion of a continent are another. Their grievances will be considered; they'll have to be if we're to move forwards and not disintegrate into a factional civil war as barons and loyalists and people who have been mistreated all try to take part of the country for their own. But first, justice must be served or we will just become a different form of lawless, where the ends justify the means no matter how terrible."

Say the above.

[Glass]

Here's the whole deal with a replacement second paragraph so we can get this game moving:
"First off, please at least tell me when you're going to pull me through a portal. Ignoring everything else, that was just rude.

Second. We're not pardoning them. Whether or not they were actively attempting to undermine the Republic -" roll eyes at having to call it that "- is not a topic that is up for debate. However, I am inclined to agree that an execution is not the correct punishment. They're clearly intelligent enough to have not been caught and stopped immediately, and for all that their methods were absolutely terrible, their complaints were not invalid. The Republic is in need of reforms; it's simply that there are proper avenues for making them happen. And besides, if we execute them, dozens other revolutionaries would crop up - you know how these things work, martyrs, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine", and all that - and then hundreds, and now we have a much larger problem on our hands. Best to avoid that.

All surviving rebels are to be tried for any actual crimes they committed, with the question of treason and its obvious extreme punishment set aside. Disagreeing with the government is one thing, murders and robbery and attempting to set off a device that would level a large portion of a continent are another. Their grievances will be considered; they'll have to be if we're to move forwards and not disintegrate into a factional civil war as barons and loyalists and people who have been mistreated all try to take part of the country for their own. But first, justice must be served or we will just become a different form of lawless, where the ends justify the means no matter how terrible."

Say the above.

+1

[blueturtle1134]

…since no alternative is forthcoming, I’ll just go with Glass’s idea again. oh wait

"First off, please at least tell me when you're going to pull me through a portal. Ignoring everything else, that was just rude.
Second. We're not pardoning them. Whether or not they were actively attempting to undermine the Republic -" roll eyes at having to call it that "- is not a topic that is up for debate. However, I am inclined to agree that an execution is not the correct punishment. They're clearly intelligent enough to have not been caught and stopped immediately, and for all that their methods were absolutely terrible, their complaints were not invalid.”

“Quill, I’ve heard whispers about you being a rebel sympathizer, but I decided to ignore them,” Nest interjects. “Watch what you’re saying.”

‘The Republic is in need of reforms,” Erin Quill notes. “And there’s proper avenues for making them happen.”

“The rebels lost any claim to those avenues when they decided to launch a rebellion,” Nest replies. “They could have petitioned for change, but instead they became criminals.”

“If we execute them, dozens other revolutionaries would crop up - you know how these things work, martyrs, “If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine", and all that,” Quill continues. “Best to avoid the whole mess.”

Nest thinks about this for a moment. “You have a point, Quill. Better repentant prisoners than defeated heroes. What’s your proposal?”

“All surviving rebels are to be tried for any actual crimes they committed, with the question of treason and its obvious extreme punishment set aside. Disagreeing with the government is one thing, murders and robbery and attempting to set off a device that would level a large portion of a continent are another. Their grievances will be considered; they'll have to be if we're to move forwards and not disintegrate into a factional civil war as barons and loyalists and people who have been mistreated all try to take part of the country for their own. But first, justice must be served or we will just become a different form of lawless, where the ends justify the means no matter how terrible."

Spoiler: Rolls (click to show/hide)

Nest’s reaction: roll 2d6, -1 political, where:

2 or lower = Complete rejection, and now Quill’s under suspicion.
3 to 4 = Complete rejection, they will stand trial for everything, including treason.
5 to 8 = The charge of treason is forgiven, but nothing else.
9 or higher = Charge of treason forgiven, and Nest’s on their side regarding the other stuff.

3 or lower = Nest recommends harsher control of the colonies.
4 to 6 = Nest is quite unwilling to consider their grievances.
7 to 9 = Nest is somewhat willing to hear grievances.
10 or above = Nest recommends that we fix what they complained about

Results: 5 + 4 - 1 = 8 → Moderation, it’s a thing!

Nest listens to Quill’s suggestions. “I accept your proposal,” he finally replies. “In return for David’s cooperation in extracting Anna’s soul from the Key, we’ll drop the charge of treason and hear the grievances the rebels come up with.”

David considers this, then nods. “I’ll take that.”

“We’re still going to charge the rebels with related crimes,” Nest warns. “Murder, larceny, breaking and entering…”

“And I’m sure they’ll get a fair trial on those grounds,” David says darkly. He lowers his hand and turns to leave.

“There’s still the matter of actually getting the soul out of the Key,” Nest calls out. “We have little idea how the Key works, and when it was broken, it killed the person who broke it and opened the interdimensional rift. We have no idea how to safely extract a soul from the device.”

David stops and seems to meditate for a moment, closing his eyes. "Based on my own surveys, the magic we intend to use only requires that the soul be freed. We can blow the Key up with a bomb or something."

"The explosion might destroy the soul," Nest counters. “I’d like to do more research first.”

“What, so you can find a way to replicate this technology?” David asks, gesturing with the Key gauntlet. “If you’re going to ask me to give you the Key, forget about it.”

“Then how about giving it directly to Erin Quill? You seem to trust him,” Nest proposes. “Or we could study it while you maintain control of it, although that might limit the tests you can do.”

What does Quill suggest?

A: That David keeps the Key.
B: That David allow Quill to study the Key but doesn’t surrender it
C: That David give Quill the Key so he can study it
D: Something else…

And what will your actual goal be if you picked B or C?
A: Determine how to safely extract Anna’s soul, and nothing else.
B: Attempt to learn enough about the Key to replicate the technology.
C: Steal the Key!

(Replicating the Key will be a scientific roll, with a 10 required for full replication, and option B in first inflicting a -2 penalty.)
(Stealing the Key when you have control of it is an auto-success.)
(Stealing the Key while David has it will be a fun scene to write.)

[Glass]

BA.
However, also study - as a backup and interim measure, for before we figure out how to safely release Anna's soul/if we figure out that we can't safely release Anna's soul - methods with which to allow a soul that is trapped within the Key to exert an influence on the outside world. For example, a robot body.

We can ask about studying it for other applications - for example, keeping terminally ill people in stasis until we can try to treat them - at a later time, when/if David trusts us more. Studying the broken pieces could also be valid for that part.

[Rockeater]

Just BA

[Kilojoule Proton]

BA