mistakes were (probably) made

[divus]

Comments

[divus]

[The two-story house in the desert town stands there, quiet and unassuming. But... is there someone inside of it? There might be a shadow crossing one of the second-story windows, or maybe it's just a trick of the light.

Either way, Luke and Ludger are here. I'm ready for a disaster if you are.]

[dupelicate]

[Luke, mid-wiggling the window, manages to actually raise it, completely missing any shadows that might be sliding by. Flush with success, he shoves his hand in, holding it for further leverage, and turns back to Ludger, positioned just behind.]

It's open! I think we can get in, here!

[chromatized]

[ ludger has, somehow, been assigned lookout??? this isn't a good idea, because even when he thinks he sees something in the window... he completely dismisses it. they'll find out sooner or later what it was! ]

Maybe we should try to keep it down? I don't want to let anyone know we're here.

[ anyone being the other contestants, they might try and take the sweet loot first. ]

[dupelicate]

Why would anyone be here? The whole town's empty.

[That's just logic, Ludger. Wiggling another hand under, he starts to heft the window open, or at least open enough for them to get through it.]

Maybe the front door was a test, or something like that? We're supposed to... explore everything, aren't we? [His brow furrows, partially from consideration, but mostly from the window attempt.]

Hey, come give me a hand with this.

[chromatized]

Maybe there's ghosts.

[ that is also just (tales) logic, luke, check and mate.

ludger gives one last glance around before drifting closer to help shove the window frame up. hm, kinda got a sticky frame, don't it? ]

Are you even pushing? Here, let's both go on three. One, two-

[dupelicate]

I can beat a ghost. [Said so matter-of-factly, it's laughable.]

I'm pushing plenty! It just needs a little extra, that's all! One, two, threWOAH!

[The window bursts open just before the final count, dumping both of them unceremoniously through its frame, and into whatever lies within.]

WEEK 3, THURSDAY NIGHT

[divus]

[So it's Thursday night and someone is probably going to die soon, but hey, there's a fire going in the kitchen and some tasty-smelling stew in the cooking pot. Also, there are games. Lots and lots of games that they've pilfered from the game room, probably without Merriment's permission.

Whoops. It's fine. Anywhere, there's nowhere safer to be than in a secret locked house with three gods on murder night, right? Fortune is thumbing through a book labeled Dungeon Master's Guide, which she holds out to Piety while Ambition is rifling through the dice looking for the fanciest-looking ones, because of course she is.]

Here, Piety. You're in charge.

[Then, to Luke and Ludger:]

We have to make characters now, right?

[chromatized]

[ ludger is just. squinting at the Player's Guide. this seems like it's going to get complicated very fast??? what has he signed up for. ]

I guess so. [ ... ] Can I be a merchant?

[ at least he can avoid debt in fantasy land. ]

[divus]

[This really does seem like it would take...a lot of work to set up. But, um, they're here, and Piety doesn't complain as he starts reading all of the instructions.]

I...suppose I'll draw the map while you all decide on that. I'm sorry if it's a little basic.

[He reaches for the fold out map and a set of markers as he flips between the story and the setup.]

[dupelicate]

[Luke is flipping back and forth between a few pages, frowning at them.]

What kind of character is the strongest? Warrior, right? Whichever one has swords.

1/2

[divus]

[Ambition looks up from where she's rooting through the dice to chime in:]

I'm going to be a Bard. You can be a merchant if you want to, Ludger.

[Why a bard... oh well. She glances over at Fortune, who scoots over to look at the book over Luke's shoulder, then shrugs. Whatever, it's fine.]

2/2

[divus]

I think I want to be a Sorcerer...

[it's a little on-the-nose, but, eh]

Oh! Should we make up names or use our own?

[chromatized]

I'd rather not be me, if that's okay.

[ let his character live free of his burdens... untouched by his curse of debt....... ]

I guess his name will be Ro- Al- Er- [ quick, think of the smartest, most charismatic people you know- wait that's too many- ]

Ro...stin?

week 3, friday morning

[chromatized]

[ you know how some days you wake up and know it was a mistake?

yeah. that's what ludger's feeling right now. ]

... Luke...?

[ he doesn't. mention fortune. because fortune is... ]

[dupelicate]

[Jerking out of the dream, he looks around the empty room—empty, except for the two of them, and the remainder of their game.

It feels... bad. Wrong, like a mockery of their efforts. To befriend people. Help people.

Save people.

He pushes himself to his knees, and locks eyes with Ludger—who looks like the world has just dropped out from under him.]

Ludger!

That was... [they both know who it was.]

[chromatized]

[ ludger knows who both of those figures were, too. ]

... What the hell.

[dupelicate]

[For a minute, it feels like they should rush there.

But what good would that do? They'd come to keep Fortune company, and make her feel less alone... to protect her...

...and not only had she been killed, but Julius...

...]

What do you want to do?

[It was his call. He would leave him alone, or stay with him.]

[chromatized]

[ ludger is going to take a minute and. press a palm over his eyes. hard. ]

I had to beg the gods for a chance to save him the first week we were here, and now he's gone anyways...? This isn't fair-

[ his voice breaks. ]

[dupelicate]

[stay.

he scrambles over to Ludger, unsure what to do with his hands for a minute—and realises he's just being stupid.

as gently as he can, he wraps an arm around Ludger, giving his shoulder a squeeze.]

No, it's stupid.

It feels like... like they were trying to get Julius from week one. [whoever "they" is.]

It's all stupid.

week 3, post-trial

[dupelicate]

[It was something of an unvoiced simultaneous decision. They'd found each other, somehow, just near Fortune's house, as if they were both headed there. They were.

Together, they clamber their way up, up—not to the second floor, this time, but past it—all the way to the roof.

The sky is completely clear, the perfect early evening blue, with wisps and puffs of clouds moving slowly here and there on the horizon.

For a long time, they just lay, not talking, watching the clouds.]

[chromatized]

[ cloud watching is perfect for not thinking. very meditative. extremely soothing.

also something of a distraction. ]

... That cloud looks like a rappig.

[ a rappig drawn by a blind 3 year old. ]

[dupelicate]

[...]

Yeah, it does.

[just like how he drew rappigs, come to think of it.

after another moment, he points up at another, drifting lazily across the sky.]

Apple gel.

[it's a lump.]

[chromatized]

Huh.

[ ....... man, ludger feels smaller than a lump, right now. ]

... That one's Rollo.

[ it looks nothing like rollo. ]

[dupelicate]

Not round enough. [opinions.

...]

...Hey, Ludger?

[chromatized]

[ yeah, fair enough. ]

Yeah, Luke?