to: everyone

[assembles]

Hey there, everyone. My name is Steve Rogers and I'm one of the people most recently summoned to the Free Cities. I'm also a good friend of Sam Wilson's — we've worked together for a number of years. I know he's made quite the name for himself here.

I've only been here for a little over a month, but in that time I've noticed a sudden increase in military activity within Cadens. There's increased drills and training exercises, equipment moving in and out, that kind of thing. I went by Fort Wilbridge and tried to ask some questions, but all they really had to say was that they were acting out of an abundance of caution. Almost like they're expecting something.

It seems suspicious, so I was wondering if anyone else has noticed a change in how the factions are behaving, whether it's something I haven't picked up on in Cadens or something going on in Thorne or Solvunn. I figure it might be a good idea to compare notes so we won't be completely blindsided if something else is coming our way.

That's all I've got for now, but it's nice to meet you all. In a manner of speaking, anyway.

Comments

[aquaveiled]

ωнεη ωε ∂яιηк тнε gσσρ ωε cαη вαηιsн тнε ηιgнтмαяε sтαтυεs.

[ Just a casual note. ]

[assembles]

[ This feels like it's completely out of left field, but Steve's doing his best to remain patient as messages appear left and right in his vision. ]

Sorry, I might need you to back up.
Goop? Statues?

[aquaveiled]

yeѕ! oĸαy, ѕo wнeɴ we were тryιɴɢ тo вαɴιѕн тнoѕe αwғυl reαlιzed ɴιɢнтмαre creαтυreѕ we нelped тнe locαl мαɢeѕ creαтe α ɴαѕтy ɢoop αт α reмoтe locαтιoɴ αɴd тнeɴ wнeɴ we drαɴĸ ιт тнe ѕтαтυeѕ cαмe тo lιғe. αɴd тнeɴ wнeɴ we вαɴιѕнed тнoѕe ѕтαтυeѕ тнe creαтυreѕ ѕeeмed тo нαve dιѕαppeαred.

[ That's a word salad. ]

sσ ιт sεεмs ℓιкε тнε мαgεs αяε cαραвℓε σғ мαкιηg gσℓεмs σғ sσмε sσят?

[assembles]

Huh. We went through a process to get rid of them in the Free Cities too, but it involved containing them in crystals. We definitely didn't have to ingest anything.

How did you banish them?

[aquaveiled]

ωε нα∂ тσ ωяιтε sσмε вαηιsнιηg яυηεs ιη cнαℓк ση тнεм. ι ∂ση'т кησω ωнαт тнεү мεαη, тнσυgн. ι'м ησт ғαмιℓιαя ωιтн αℓℓ σғ тнεм үεт.

нσω ∂ι∂ үσυ ρυт тнεм ιη cяүsтαℓs?

[assembles]

And then, what, they just all disappeared into thin air?

The crystals themselves were put in a special glass container in a lab, and then we all took turns putting on this special glove and siphoning energy into the crystals to contain them. I couldn't tell you all the specifics of how it worked, but we could see the entities inside, and we could definitely feel how the process physically drained us.

[aquaveiled]

кιη∂ σғ? тнσυgн тнε sтαтυεs яεтυяηε∂ тσ ησямαℓ cσмε мσяηιηg. ωεℓℓ, αs ησямαℓ αs тнεү cσυℓ∂ вε. тнεү ωεяε α ℓιттℓε σ∂∂ тσ вεgιη ωιтн.

нυн...тнαт sσυη∂s ωειя∂.

вυт ι gυεss ιη тнαт ωαү үσυ ωεяε αℓsσ ғαcιηg тнεм кιη∂ σғ ιη ρσssεssιηg sσмεтнιηg яιgнт?

[assembles]

I guess both methods involve forcing them into something physical to contain them somehow. Not that I'm an expert on... any of this.

[aquaveiled]

ι gυεss ιт's נυsт εαsιεя ғσя υs тσ тαcкℓε sσмεтнιηg cσяρσяεαℓ? тнαт's мү тαкε ғяσм ιт, αηүωαү.

ιт's ιηтεяεsтιηg тнαт ∂εsριтε ∂ιғғεяεηт мεтнσ∂s, тнε εη∂ яεsυℓт ωαs мυcн тнε sαмε...

[assembles]

As far as we know. Part of me wonders if those things might end up coming back to bite us at some point.

[aquaveiled]

σн, ρяσвαвℓү.

[ She's helping! ]

ι тнιηк тнεяε αяε α ℓσт σғ тнιηgs тнαт нαρρεη αяσυη∂ нεяε тнαт αяε ηεω. sσ ωнσ кησωs ωнαт ωιℓℓ нαρρεη ιη тнε ℓσηg яυη.

[assembles]

You don't seem too worried.

[ Is that false confidence or is she just that laidback? ]

[aquaveiled]

ι ωσυℓ∂η'т sαү тнαт...σηℓү тнαт ιт's нαя∂ тσ ρяεραяε ғσя тнε υηкησωη.

вυт тнαт's кιη∂ σғ συя נσв, ιsη'т ιт? sσ ωε'ℓℓ נυsт нαvε тσ мεεт ωнαтεvεя тнε ηεxт cнαℓℓεηgε ιs нεα∂ ση.

[assembles]

[ As much as Steve would like to prepare for any possibility, he realizes that isn't always feasible. Even when he has accounted for every potential contingency for a battle plan, somehow it always ended up going sideways anyhow. ]

That's a good way of thinking about it. As much as I'd like to know what's coming our way ahead of time, that isn't always an option.

[aquaveiled]

[ Steve, sometimes you just gotta #yolo. The cool kids are all doing it. ]

εxαcтℓү! αη∂ ωнү ωε cαη ωσяк тσgεтнεя. sσмεσηε cαη αℓωαүs ∂σ sσмεтнιηg тσ нεℓρ sσмεσηε εℓsε συт.

[carmesi]

Still glad I skipped that.

[aquaveiled]

ωε ωεяε sσ нυηgяү....