Day 1 Night

[12npcs]

[ Over the murmur of conversations, explorations and violent attempts at escape, there comes a sound tick tick tick tick tick.............. CLICK.... The sky above snaps across the dome from blue to black... and everything goes dark.

A glow comes from the front door of each of the inns and one by one, you can see street lanterns begin to light up steadily past each of the gates.

The only flickering, organic light comes from above in the tower, spluttering high, high above everyone, through the slats of the closed shutters. After a moment, it's gone. ]

Comments

[beeductionist]

I spend most nights on the floor downstairs. It would hardly be much of a change.

[dedoctionist]

Then at least you can be on the floor inside my room, if it comes to that.

[beeductionist]

[ ... Raises his eyebrows, surprised ]

Wouldn't that be a violation of your privacy?

[dedoctionist]

It's not ideal, but if you're bound and determined to act like a watchdog for me, the least I can do is let you in out of the hallway.

[beeductionist]

I am merely attempting to simulate our previous living situation.

[dedoctionist]

[shrugs a bit]

Let's see if someone will switch before we make any grand plans.

[beeductionist]

Agreed.

Hungry yet?

[dedoctionist]

Not yet, but I ate before going to bed. You?

[beeductionist]

Approaching famished. Tiring as well.

[dedoctionist]

So this really is reality. Somehow.

[beeductionist]

Indeed. A close examimation of the underlying rules of this place is likely the next step, as it clearly does not follow any that we would consider normal.

[dedoctionist]

Well hopefully it still follows the rules of a kitchen having food. Whoever runs this place can't expect us to eat wooden food like the tray I was holding earlier.

[beeductionist]

Starvation would be a rather quick way to remove us "thieves," hmm?

[dedoctionist]

But killing us off would hardly be a way for us to help them.

[beeductionist]

[ a pause. that piques his interest. ]

You believe they want our help.

[dedoctionist]

Well yeah, the hands dealing the cards said "Help me, thief."

[beeductionist]

... Interesting. I wonder why the variance in introductions.

[dedoctionist]

Why, what did it say to you? Did you have those different tarot cards, too?

[beeductionist]

Tarot-esque cards, yes. "Welcome, Thief. Shall we see what you - " a break there, "You may choose." And after the presentation of the cards, the voice wished me a pleasant dream.

[dedoctionist]

With me, it said "Shall we see what has been taken?" Then it laid down cards, but only three stood out. It said "help me" when it held out the corridor car, and then "Have a pleasant dream" when it began to crumble.

[beeductionist]

What were the other cards, then?

[dedoctionist]

[puts her hand to her forehead, closing her eyes to remember more clearly]

They were ... a three card with an empty symbol, a queen of joy, and they were both intersected by a death ace.

[beeductionist]

Three of empty, ace of empty, king of joy and ace of flame.

[dedoctionist]

Maybe there's similar symbols somewhere in this town, like a coded lock or something.

[beeductionist]

[ nods, considering ]

Have you seen any of the symbols repeated since then?