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[syvarris]

...Right.  Is Celosia hungry?  A quick stop to demand a treat would be fine if so.  He won't demand a second if the treat disappears in sparks (though he willvbe annoyed).

Continue trying to find a way upward, or... really, just any dead-end room is fine.  Ideally with a doorway that could be blocked shut by shrinking the world down.  Assuming such is found, and it is unoccupied, lead the woman inside, then headbutt the door closed, and sit down in front of it.  Then ring the bell with the intent of shrinking the world again.  If successful, and the woman isn't screaming, Celosia will say the following:

"Thank you for your hospitality.  I have a warning for you, and your allies.  I believe you to have been mislead about the nature of the ritual you have gambled so much on; tell me of it, and quickly.  We have little time."

[Lenglon]

Spoiler: Duh? action (click to show/hide)

"Excellent.  Now, for us to discuss this map.  Do you have a second copy we can use to discuss, Duh?  It seems the map you've provided shows a portion of a fairly large city, predominantly featuring an irregular grid layout and perhaps two thousand building-like or distinct mostly-rectangular areas within a grid layout that may represent roads.  Almost all 'roads', if that's what they are, run straight north-south or east-west, forming smaller grids, square or rectangular, that seem to contain possible structures.  These structures are mostly rectangular but unevenly sized.  Perhaps 80 are considerably larger than the rest, or those may represent open spaces.

The most obvious landmark, to me, is what may be a park, at least it appears green and to have crooked paths throughout it, and it's within what I'd call the north-east quadrant.  Those paths are very distinctive, they're the only truly non-ordinal lines on this map, Duh?

There is a second most distinctive area aligned with what I would call the east side of the park but some blocks from it towards the north.  The distinctive area seems to have either much larger buildings or large cleared space devoid of buildings, in a fairly clumped area, and within its distinctive space is a cluster of what may be more typical buildings.

There's a third most prominent landmark, to my mind, along that same east 'road', far to the south, there two larger buildings or cleared areas are next to each other, with just a 'road' separating them.  Otherwise the edges of the map end abruptly, as if it were a page taken from a far larger layout, and as if the city it appears to show is larger than any boundary of this page.

Or so I'd describe and read the map.

We need to know where we are, and what the important structures are, and what information you can provide us, such as available transportation and whatever other authorities may be interested and get involved as we take action, Duh?"

As he talks, Duh? crouches and sketches the rough position of the features he describes with his finger on the not-totally clean floor:

"Um, yeah, I think we can get another, right?"
he glances at the others, one of whom calls out "I got it!" and sprints for the stairs.

"Anyway yeah, the park's just across the street from us, we're on the south edge. We sometimes... anyway, yeah. It's close, we go there all the time."

"As for transportation, well, everyone here walked here. Didn't want to give the location away."

"And authorities? Um... if they bother... well, they tend to shoot first and ask questions never. Lets hope they stay away. They usually do."

The one that ran for a map returns, gasping for breath, and starts to hand it to you before the leader reaches over and takes it from her grasp, not letting you touch it, and instead unfolds it for all to see.

((Map posted on the CM discord server under #game-discussion))

Spoiler: Esselez and Taarkara action (click to show/hide)

Esselez stares at Duh's dust-scribbling. "<Blah, blah.>"

She holds the tag up in front of her face. "<Uhhh, Mirror?>"

"Oooh, shiny!"
Taarkara hops onto the plush to investigate the shiny tag.

Neither the tag, nor any of the people around you, seem to have an explanation for you. There is a lot of staring at you going on though, and the crow seems fascinated by it.

Spoiler: Hireshite action (click to show/hide)

Observe an impromtu strategy meeting, so to say, do nothing.

you do nothing and so nothing is done. Though apparently Duh? managed to get another map, so this time you get to see it at least.

Spoiler: Celosia action (click to show/hide)

...Right.  Is Celosia hungry?  A quick stop to demand a treat would be fine if so.  He won't demand a second if the treat disappears in sparks (though he willvbe annoyed).

Continue trying to find a way upward, or... really, just any dead-end room is fine.  Ideally with a doorway that could be blocked shut by shrinking the world down.  Assuming such is found, and it is unoccupied, lead the woman inside, then headbutt the door closed, and sit down in front of it.  Then ring the bell with the intent of shrinking the world again.  If successful, and the woman isn't screaming, Celosia will say the following:

"Thank you for your hospitality.  I have a warning for you, and your allies.  I believe you to have been mislead about the nature of the ritual you have gambled so much on; tell me of it, and quickly.  We have little time."

Eh, you aren't exactly hungry, but a tiny bite wouldn't hurt. Treats are nice, lets get a treat.

Upon giving the appropriate stare at your adopted human, they seem to get the message and lead the way upstairs, rummaging around the pantry and fridge for a while but without finding anything appropriate.

Still, upon you choosing to continue to explore, they give up and follow, opening doors for you and letting you into the upstairs where you find a bedroom, not quite ideal since it has a window, but being on the second floor it'll do, and coerce her into entering it with you.

as you return to the doorway and turn around to look at her, you ring your bell, and once again the world shrinks. However, before you get your speech out, the woman shrieks and backs away blindly, bumping into the window behind her, her eyes staring at you wide with terror.

[MCreeper]

"Where is your other sanctum, then, and their own territory and base of operations? How long will it take to go there by foot?"

"What do you think they will do once they realize they have been tricked, tonight?"

Head to the exit and out of the house if it looks like we are finished there by the end of this round (which it probably won't). Check a clock on the way, if there is one.


((No clue what can I even do there besides just seeing things to the end. Esselez has no use for even that. Exit Esselez!  ))

"<Blah blah, let's get a move-on.>"
Esselez possesses her doll and looks up to the maid with her dolly arms raised, the universal nonverbal signal for uppies.

"Hm? You want to go?"
If the silver tag falls down to the floor and Taarkara doesn't care about it, put it in a quantum uncertainty that are my storage compartments or at least a purse before picking doll up by the sides with both hands. Hireshite then turns to Duh. Making up that speech on the spot was admirable, but what the fellow is even prattling about now?
"Retell me everything later. What is important. I won't go far."

Hireshite's smile and haughty attitude vanish as soon as the hatch closes behind her, replaced by a rather sad look. She tries to maybe more comfortably sit the doll down on a single palm and whispers "Esselez? Is that your name, Esselez?" , then points at herself. "Hireshite." Pauses. Traces an image of a crown in the air with a finger, with a moment's hesitation angrily strikes it through, then points at her eye, at herself again, then at the doll. Shakes her head.
Look around the first floor and out of the windows, to see what's out there and if there is anybody about. Find a clock to see at least roughly how much time we have. Check if dagger is still there and has not disappeared for some unfathomable reason. If I hear yelling from upstairs (figure simple speech is unlikely since there is whole floor and undefined horizontal space between us), scratch all that, put a finger to my lips and try to quietly find the source.

[Imp]

Duh?'s tone remains reassuring, focused, and calm as he stands back up, already answering.

"Duh?  Maybe show us which of the south structures is here.  And which one's the headquarters you think is being raided now.  Know where your enemy tends to hang out, either territory-wise or actual buildings?

Any other buildings/forces we should be aware of?  Parts of this city the authorities tend to bother more about or less about than others?  What marks authority here, uniforms, vehicle identifiers, whatever?  In some places authority has a distinctive set of identifiers, in other locations authority tends to appear like everyone else, and it's useful to know what's done here.

If we have to go very far, is there a form of public transportation?  Is private transportation common here, and available to us?  No idea how much larger this map is than it needs to be, and Duh?  But that's fine, just need to know what we're dealing with and should be aware of.

Like are there additional factions that might get involved?  Are you familiar with cameras, tracking devices, sattelite observation, computers?  Is there a wealth of information we can use to help see what you're facing and what we're likely to need to deal with as we handle what we do?"

[Egan_BW]

"<Blah blah, let's get a move-on.>"
Esselez possesses her doll and looks up to the maid with her dolly arms raised, the universal nonverbal signal for uppies.

[Egan_BW]

Hireshite's smile and haughty attitude vanish as soon as the hatch closes behind her, replaced by a rather sad look. She tries to maybe more comfortably sit the doll down on a single palm and whispers "Esselez? Is that your name, Esselez?" , then points at herself. "Hireshite." Pauses. Traces an image of a crown in the air with a finger, with a moment's hesitation angrily strikes it through, then points at her eye, at herself again, then at the doll. Shakes her head.

<"Okay, Hireshite."> The doll whispers.

[Imp]

Hireshite then turns to Duh. Making up that speech on the spot was admirable, but what the fellow is even prattling about now?
"Retell me everything later. What is important. I won't go far."

Duh? nods confidently towards Hireshite in response to that while keeping his interested gaze on the leader Duh? has been speaking with.

[Crystalizedmire]

"I will scout ahead when we get near the building."

[Lenglon]

Spoiler: Esselez action (click to show/hide)

"<Blah blah, let's get a move-on.>"
Esselez possesses her doll and looks up to the maid with her dolly arms raised, the universal nonverbal signal for uppies.

Hireshite's smile and haughty attitude vanish as soon as the hatch closes behind her, replaced by a rather sad look. She tries to maybe more comfortably sit the doll down on a single palm and whispers "Esselez? Is that your name, Esselez?" , then points at herself. "Hireshite." Pauses. Traces an image of a crown in the air with a finger, with a moment's hesitation angrily strikes it through, then points at her eye, at herself again, then at the doll. Shakes her head.

<"Okay, Hireshite."> The doll whispers.

Focusing upon the doll in her arms, Esselez finds her point of view once more rushing towards it, and in the next moment, she finds herself falling, her now-tiny form crashing quietly into the ground with a suprising lack of pain or harm. glancing about, she looks up at the maid that had acompanied her, and gestures with her arms, which is responded to with glorious uppies, followed by the maid saying something before carrying her out of the room. In the solitude of the pantry at outside the meeting chamber, a conversation of pantomime follows, and basic communication seems to be successfully established! An excellent, though slow, start.

Spoiler: Hireshite action (click to show/hide)

"<Blah blah, let's get a move-on.>"
Esselez possesses her doll and looks up to the maid with her dolly arms raised, the universal nonverbal signal for uppies.

"Hm? You want to go?"
If the silver tag falls down to the floor and Taarkara doesn't care about it, put it in a quantum uncertainty that are my storage compartments or at least a purse before picking doll up by the sides with both hands. Hireshite then turns to Duh. Making up that speech on the spot was admirable, but what the fellow is even prattling about now?
"Retell me everything later. What is important. I won't go far."

Hireshite's smile and haughty attitude vanish as soon as the hatch closes behind her, replaced by a rather sad look. She tries to maybe more comfortably sit the doll down on a single palm and whispers "Esselez? Is that your name, Esselez?" , then points at herself. "Hireshite." Pauses. Traces an image of a crown in the air with a finger, with a moment's hesitation angrily strikes it through, then points at her eye, at herself again, then at the doll. Shakes her head.
Look around the first floor and out of the windows, to see what's out there and if there is anybody about. Find a clock to see at least roughly how much time we have. Check if dagger is still there and has not disappeared for some unfathomable reason. If I hear yelling from upstairs (figure simple speech is unlikely since there is whole floor and undefined horizontal space between us), scratch all that, put a finger to my lips and try to quietly find the source.

The pale girl mutters for a moment before fading into translucency and seemingly imploding, collapsing into the doll in her arms, the tag she was holding disappearing with her, its new location unknown, and the doll plops onto the ground at her feet. It then, apparently now animated, begins to communicate with you through pantomime and whatever that strange speech was that the girl uses. You take your leave, and arrive in the pantry just outside the chamber to further your conversation.

Once your conversation of pantomime concludes, you bexplore together, finding yourself in a pairly plain and likely mass-produced suburban home, excluding the open trapdoor in the pantry. You do still have your dagger, and you find that there is some kind of poorly-maintained park just across the street from your current location. The brush there seems quite overgrown, and though you can tell there are supposed to be trails through it, they don't seem to be maintained. Looking around, you do find a clock, and it seems to be precisely midnight. How convenient.

Spoiler: Duh?'s action (click to show/hide)

Duh?'s tone remains reassuring, focused, and calm as he stands back up, already answering.

"Duh?  Maybe show us which of the south structures is here.  And which one's the headquarters you think is being raided now.  Know where your enemy tends to hang out, either territory-wise or actual buildings?

Any other buildings/forces we should be aware of?  Parts of this city the authorities tend to bother more about or less about than others?  What marks authority here, uniforms, vehicle identifiers, whatever?  In some places authority has a distinctive set of identifiers, in other locations authority tends to appear like everyone else, and it's useful to know what's done here.

If we have to go very far, is there a form of public transportation?  Is private transportation common here, and available to us?  No idea how much larger this map is than it needs to be, and Duh?  But that's fine, just need to know what we're dealing with and should be aware of.

Like are there additional factions that might get involved?  Are you familiar with cameras, tracking devices, sattelite observation, computers?  Is there a wealth of information we can use to help see what you're facing and what we're likely to need to deal with as we handle what we do?"

"Um, sure, here, let me show you."

The man gestures, and points out some of the requested landmarks, focused upon the immediate area.

"So we're here (red), and our other sanctum is here (maroon). We think their main hangouts are here, here, here, here. here here, or here (navy), but the most important is here (cyan), because that's an old warehouse, best place around for them to stash stuff. There's a bus system, but they shut down about an hour ago, and taxis refuse to provide service around here. They claim their territory is all of this (purple)."
((Map updated with landmarks))

Also, as the man points out landmarks for you, you find the minimap in the corner of your vision updates with them on it as well, and an indicator shows up for your current location as well. How convenient.

"As for other factions? There's a bunch that could get involved if they wanted to, but I wouldn't count on it. Best guess is they're going to just wait and see what happens."

"And for tech, we know what that stuff is and all, but it's expensive. We don't have anything like that to work with."

Spoiler: Taarkara's action (click to show/hide)

"I will scout ahead when we get near the building."

You declare your intentions, yet are seemingly ignored in favor of watching the people playing with the map. How rude!


((Am holding off on progressing what's happening upstairs for a turn to ensure Celosia (Sy) is able to respond to the situation.))

[syvarris]

((...Right, that was a stupid conditional to put in there.  Sorry.))

"Be not afraid." Celosia invokes, lazily bringing up a large paw to lick at it.  "I will not harm you, unless you would do harm."

Wait for the woman to stop screaming.  If she tries to climb out of the second story window, point out that it is a mildly foolish idea, but let her do so.  Then turn back into a cat and jump down next to her, and check her for injuries (from outside arm's reach).

If she does stop screaming, do the speech from before:

"Thank you for your hospitality.  I have a warning for you, and your allies.  I believe you to have been mislead about the nature of the ritual you have gambled so much on; tell me of it, and quickly.  We have little time."

((Edit from awhile after original posting: I've been a pretty delinquent player in all forum games lately, posting late and procrastinating far too much.  And I've certainly been annoying other places too (Celosia is literally being kinda disruptive to the explicit mission goal here, ferex).  Leng, if you think the game would be simpler or more comfortable to run if I stepped out, that's fair and reasonable, and I won't complain.  It occured to me I'm taking up a slot someone with more time could quite possibly enjoy more.  >.<))

[Egan_BW]

<"So, where are we going?"> Esselez cranes her dolly head around the kitchen. <"Not just defending this place, right? I think we were to go beat some people up.>"

[Crystalizedmire]

"Do you know where the chained box, jade flower, gold tablet, mummified frog, and anomolous baseball bat are located?" Taarkara asked to a random cultist.

[Imp]

Duh? stands with a calm, almost casual posture as he replies, his gaze mostly on the map everyone can see, occasionally looking up to make eye contact with the leader, various other followers, and those that came with him.  "Duh?  Nice.  So, how long to walk along the park, both the shorter way and the longer, for a normal person just walkin' and lookin', relaxed and feelin' safe there?

Are there reasons why people wouldn't walk like that around here?  Do most people feel safe on the streets, or expect to maybe be kidnapped or shot if they're out there?  What's the main rules or laws we gotta know about here, written or not?  Someone who just lives nearby, they see any of us that just came, would they ignore us, faint, scream, call authorities or reporters?  Need to know what's normal here."  Duh?'s fingers briefly tap alongside his leg, then slow and still, then he speaks again, his tone warm, friendly, and interested.

"Also, when do you think that raid on your other sanctum started, Duh?  And any idea how much more time we likely got before that large street gang would probably decide they're done there and start to leave?

How organized are they, are they likely to leave in ones and twos, as the full group, something else?  Are they probably walking when they leave?

Are there subways or other underground paths commonly used, or are we likely all on the surface?  Any flying stuff common here that I should know about, from authority drones to trained birds that might take an interest or be involved?"  Duh?'s face quirks into a smile as he asks that, his gaze sweeping the room, especially its entrance, before he looks back to the leader again and asks, "Did you trap up that other sanctum or just leave it empty?  We really need to know about surprises you might have left them; that's a hint for the future too, by the way, you can do all kinds of stuff to a place before you leave it if you know someone you don't like's comin' in after you, Duh?  Some of it's even nice and gentle so you can enjoy the place still later after some cleanup; authorities might not even notice the mess.  Other things you can do would mean there isn't even a place there anymore - but they lost all those members too and might never wanna storm you again elsewhere, but 'course the authorities might be quite interested - or not, every place's different and you know here."

He leans slightly closer, voice lowering just a fraction, as if sharing a secret.  "Another hint; be careful going back there.  We may be setting stuff up as they leave if that seems a good option.  Worse, Duh?  THEY may, uh, set stuff up for you when you go back.  I guess you only need to worry about that if that's the kinda thing they've done before and if you even intend to go back there at all; stuff we set up would probably be near the entrance/exits only.  However, how you feel about that other sanctum building going down if there's loads of them inside and we got time and means for that?"

Duh? straightens, his posture now more relaxed.  "We're probably going into 'their territory' at some point, need to know if the same 'rules' apply walking around and how people would likely react if they see us in there too."  A small shrug, casual motion but Duh?'s gaze grows more intense.  "Been to places with like 'gang law' and one side of the street it's all buisness and even a little nice; nobody's gonna hurt you there, there's truce and deals.  Literally the other side of the street people do crimes in sight and could even be murder; but if you're on the 'good' side worst that's likely to happen is someone walk you to the bad side then hurt ya, and that just if you're already a local enemy to that gang's turf that ain't even supposed to be there at all.  Good for business to have customers and even tourists come, gang might even have fun puttin' on a show and gettin' cred that helps bring more business; nice clear 'laws' that get concessions and allow for more options for all factions involved.  That can happen when the authority can wanna not take the damage to fix a problem and decides to make it livable for everyone; what's going on here and what we gotta know?"

[MCreeper]

Upon looking out of the window, a fleeting thought crossed Hireshite’s mind about what may happen to her clothes if they will have to trudge through those bushes.
A light might come in very handy. They will surely need a bag at some point, but definitely not a trash bag. But as it does not look like there are such things around… Are there?

Leave the house, warily looking around, and try find a reasonably lit spot that is, at least, out of view of the main road.

<"So, where are we going?"> Esselez cranes her dolly head around the kitchen. <"Not just defending this place, right? I think we were to go beat some people up.>"

What is the doll asking about, exactly? Whatever it is, she has few answers.

Hireshite points straight towards the park, vaguely waves an arm to signify something big, makes a gesture as if picking something with two fingers, then points back towards the house. Points somewhere towards where northwestern corner of the park should be, squeezes a fist and makes a criss-crossing motion with a finger, then points at the house. Makes a quarter circle motion towards enemy territory with an arm, makes a fist again, then puts a hand to her chin and tilts head to that side. Shows four fingers put together, then closes and opens palm twice.

...What does it mean, that doll? For a long time Hireshite believed, hoped, that there is no such thing as soul, that once body dies, nothing can cause a person any more harm. But what is this girl is if not a spirit, moving between bodies willy-nilly? Hireshite looks at the doll thoughtfully for a long moment, slowly raises her hand... No, she doesn’t know how to ask that question now.

[Lenglon]

Spoiler: Celosia action (click to show/hide)

((...Right, that was a stupid conditional to put in there.  Sorry.))

"Be not afraid." Celosia invokes, lazily bringing up a large paw to lick at it.  "I will not harm you, unless you would do harm."

Wait for the woman to stop screaming.  If she tries to climb out of the second story window, point out that it is a mildly foolish idea, but let her do so.  Then turn back into a cat and jump down next to her, and check her for injuries (from outside arm's reach).

If she does stop screaming, do the speech from before:

"Thank you for your hospitality.  I have a warning for you, and your allies.  I believe you to have been mislead about the nature of the ritual you have gambled so much on; tell me of it, and quickly.  We have little time."

The woman stares back at Celosia, hyperventilating, but holds still, and silent, watching Celosia warilly while he shirnks back down to his normal size, shrinking back when he advances upon her, causing him to halt. Still, she doesn't seem visibly injured.
"Thank you for your hospitality.  I have a warning for you, and your allies.  I believe you to have been mislead about the nature of the ritual you have gambled so much on; tell me of it, and quickly.  We have little time."
...
she waits in silence, then wets her lips before carefully responding.
"As far as I know, the ritual was a ritual to summon an ally, a representative of the true god in our time of need to be our oracle and provide us with guidance."

Spoiler: Taarkara action (click to show/hide)

"Do you know where the chained box, jade flower, gold tablet, mummified frog, and anomolous baseball bat are located?" Taarkara asked to a random cultist.

"Not really, but they probably were taken to their warehouse, they sell stuff there sometimes."

Spoiler: Duh action (click to show/hide)

Duh? stands with a calm, almost casual posture as he replies, his gaze mostly on the map everyone can see, occasionally looking up to make eye contact with the leader, various other followers, and those that came with him.  "Duh?  Nice.  So, how long to walk along the park, both the shorter way and the longer, for a normal person just walkin' and lookin', relaxed and feelin' safe there?

Are there reasons why people wouldn't walk like that around here?  Do most people feel safe on the streets, or expect to maybe be kidnapped or shot if they're out there?  What's the main rules or laws we gotta know about here, written or not?  Someone who just lives nearby, they see any of us that just came, would they ignore us, faint, scream, call authorities or reporters?  Need to know what's normal here."  Duh?'s fingers briefly tap alongside his leg, then slow and still, then he speaks again, his tone warm, friendly, and interested.

"Also, when do you think that raid on your other sanctum started, Duh?  And any idea how much more time we likely got before that large street gang would probably decide they're done there and start to leave?

How organized are they, are they likely to leave in ones and twos, as the full group, something else?  Are they probably walking when they leave?

Are there subways or other underground paths commonly used, or are we likely all on the surface?  Any flying stuff common here that I should know about, from authority drones to trained birds that might take an interest or be involved?"  Duh?'s face quirks into a smile as he asks that, his gaze sweeping the room, especially its entrance, before he looks back to the leader again and asks, "Did you trap up that other sanctum or just leave it empty?  We really need to know about surprises you might have left them; that's a hint for the future too, by the way, you can do all kinds of stuff to a place before you leave it if you know someone you don't like's comin' in after you, Duh?  Some of it's even nice and gentle so you can enjoy the place still later after some cleanup; authorities might not even notice the mess.  Other things you can do would mean there isn't even a place there anymore - but they lost all those members too and might never wanna storm you again elsewhere, but 'course the authorities might be quite interested - or not, every place's different and you know here."

He leans slightly closer, voice lowering just a fraction, as if sharing a secret.  "Another hint; be careful going back there.  We may be setting stuff up as they leave if that seems a good option.  Worse, Duh?  THEY may, uh, set stuff up for you when you go back.  I guess you only need to worry about that if that's the kinda thing they've done before and if you even intend to go back there at all; stuff we set up would probably be near the entrance/exits only.  However, how you feel about that other sanctum building going down if there's loads of them inside and we got time and means for that?"

Duh? straightens, his posture now more relaxed.  "We're probably going into 'their territory' at some point, need to know if the same 'rules' apply walking around and how people would likely react if they see us in there too."  A small shrug, casual motion but Duh?'s gaze grows more intense.  "Been to places with like 'gang law' and one side of the street it's all buisness and even a little nice; nobody's gonna hurt you there, there's truce and deals.  Literally the other side of the street people do crimes in sight and could even be murder; but if you're on the 'good' side worst that's likely to happen is someone walk you to the bad side then hurt ya, and that just if you're already a local enemy to that gang's turf that ain't even supposed to be there at all.  Good for business to have customers and even tourists come, gang might even have fun puttin' on a show and gettin' cred that helps bring more business; nice clear 'laws' that get concessions and allow for more options for all factions involved.  That can happen when the authority can wanna not take the damage to fix a problem and decides to make it livable for everyone; what's going on here and what we gotta know?"

"Well, to just walk around the park calmly? A few hours-""You're slow old man!""Shut it!"

"Anyway, the park isn't really maintained is the problem. There's some people that camp around there, but the area as a whole isn't maintained and the streets aren't the most safe. Generally the rule around here is to keep your head down and mind your own buisness. Nobody sees anything, nobody says anything."

"The problem with guessing when the place was raided is we don't have anyone watching it. So we don't know when, or even if, it got hit. So it could be anytime really. For what it's worth they don't seem to be the most organized. A lot of them just do their own thing without waiting for orders."

"There aren't any subways around here, so no, it's all surface, and generally people walk from place to place. Cars don't fare well around here."

"You mean demolishing the place? Could we not? We haven't done anything traps or demolition or whatever. But okay, we'll look out for any traps that might have been left behind."

"The rules of the streets don't really change much. You saw nothing, and you have nothing to say, simple as that."

Spoiler: Hireshite and Esselez actions (click to show/hide)

<"So, where are we going?"> Esselez cranes her dolly head around the kitchen. <"Not just defending this place, right? I think we were to go beat some people up.>"

Upon looking out of the window, a fleeting thought crossed Hireshite’s mind about what may happen to her clothes if they will have to trudge through those bushes.
A light might come in very handy. They will surely need a bag at some point, but definitely not a trash bag. But as it does not look like there are such things around… Are there?

Leave the house, warily looking around, and try find a reasonably lit spot that is, at least, out of view of the main road.

<"So, where are we going?"> Esselez cranes her dolly head around the kitchen. <"Not just defending this place, right? I think we were to go beat some people up.>"

What is the doll asking about, exactly? Whatever it is, she has few answers.

Hireshite points straight towards the park, vaguely waves an arm to signify something big, makes a gesture as if picking something with two fingers, then points back towards the house. Points somewhere towards where northwestern corner of the park should be, squeezes a fist and makes a criss-crossing motion with a finger, then points at the house. Makes a quarter circle motion towards enemy territory with an arm, makes a fist again, then puts a hand to her chin and tilts head to that side. Shows four fingers put together, then closes and opens palm twice.

...What does it mean, that doll? For a long time Hireshite believed, hoped, that there is no such thing as soul, that once body dies, nothing can cause a person any more harm. But what is this girl is if not a spirit, moving between bodies willy-nilly? Hireshite looks at the doll thoughtfully for a long moment, slowly raises her hand... No, she doesn’t know how to ask that question now.

Digging around finds a trash bag. Because of course it does. You shove it into a pocket for now and hope for something better to come up.
heading outside, the two of you find that most of the roadway is unlit, and though there are streetlights a quick inspection reveals that someone made a project of smashing the things, and there aren't any currently working nearby. Luckilly there doesn't seem to be much cloud cover, so you're able to see okay despite the... no, actually, there is cloud cover. Just... you don't seem to be having any trouble seeing anyway. It's not that it's lit or anything, it's more like your eyes have adapted to the darkness very, very quickly. Neat.