IC Inbox (ryslig)

[improvking]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, GODKING. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 013.00.020.01 *** GODKING has joined 013.00.020.01 <GODKING> for questions about Choose the Fog, contact < Fritvælge > <GODKING> for complaints about Choose the Fog, contact < TRUTH1223 > <GODKING> otherwise have at it.

- GODKING : main handle
- Necrophades : "serious" handle
- understanding : anon/alias (polite persona)
- Fritvælge : for sub-cult business

Comments

<a.dyer>

[ohmyscream]

Richard.

You're not a four.

You're a seven. I think you're as dish best served hot. ;)

<richard>

[improvking]

[ The Ring-Spirit looks at the message in his inbox for a bit. He frowns as he considers first his username - it's boastful and tacky... but also accurate... should he use it or?? - and then how to address her.

She used "Richard" for him, so... does that count as her using his "name" or as a pet-name? What does he call her in response? HM. Truly a conundrum. Might as well ask what she's talking about while he's pondering names and their usage. ]

I don't understand. what does that mean?

<a.dyer>

[ohmyscream]

I'm in over my head with a situation. I need the right person to ask for help.

You're it. This situation has me actually... pretty freaked out.

Scratch that: I'm scared shitless. I can't predict the outcome and that really wigs me out.

<GODKING>

[improvking]

did you misdial? whoever you wanted, you got "Richard".

if you're here on purpose I have *got* to hear what you think I'd *improve*.

[ ...Er. That comment came out a tad more bitter than he'd meant it to, but he already hit send, whoops. ]

<Player1>

[knifemonopoly]

I don't know if you've been in contact with Ryou since the fog began on the 4th, but if you haven't seen him...he's feeling better.

[Literally better at feeling.]

<GODKING>

[improvking]

[ . . . ]

we met.

[ Wow so much information. ]

<WhiteWizard>, close to the end of June

[softspokenlandlord]

[Hey there. It's like 3pm Ryou should be sleeping since he's not diurnal anymore, but he has pressing concerns and wants a distraction after nightmares.

Also Atem is sleeping post cringe.]

hey spirit.

does it bother you that i call you that? I've just had a think about it and if i don't want you to call me landlord anymore then should I do something different?

Also this is a weird question and you're within your rights to say no but can you buy me something if i push solars underm y apartment door?

[There's a pause.]

*under my

The days are too long.

<GODKING>

[improvking]

I don't care what you call me. I'll answer to anything, spirit works.

[ There's a pause as he stops and actually thinks on it a little more. ]

if you want something else to use, sometimes people call me Richard.
but
actually I think I like you calling me spirit.

[ Maybe Ryou had hated having someone in his head, but the Ring-Spirit... hates being alone in his. He's figuring himself out more these days, but that doesn't make him miss being in the backseat any less. ]

I don't mind running errands, but I have no idea where you live.

[ And sure had assumed that was intentional! If it's not... then this situation is hilarious. ]

<WhiteWizard> whenever the MW stuff shows up at his door

[softspokenlandlord]

You should have told me you were leaving the book and laptop outside the apartment. I wouldn't want your things to be stolen, since I'm just borrowing.

Also I'm still not done with my board. Don't you need this more?

<GODKING>

[improvking]

those are yours. I thought Mana would leave em inside your place, not at the door. guess I wasn't specific enough with her.

<hotrod>

[vroomkeeper]

Independence has made you sloppy. Your host thinks it's allowed to have ideas.

Also, change your username.

<hotrod> sorry for doubling up but this joke was too good not to keep going

[vroomkeeper]

IS THERE A REASON I JUST HAD TO DEFINE "DUELIST" FOR THE PHARAOH?

I DO NOT SPECIFY A "GOOD" REASON BECAUSE MY HOPES ARE NOT THAT HIGH

WERE YOU PUTTING IT OFF LIKE OH I DON'T KNOW

CHANGING YOUR USERNAME

<GODKING>

[improvking]

who the fuc [ - wait. That username in combination with the context of the pharaoh...

For fuck's SAKE. ]

Marik?

Marik, you show up in my inbox calling yourself "hotrod" and expect me to value your taste in usernames?

[ The Ring-Spirit has no idea what the rest of the whining is about, but he's sure Marik will explain without need for prompting. ...Speaking of which, now that he knows who this is... ]

and what exactly were you trying to say about Ryou in that other message? include your current location with your response, as I may need to stab you with something.

> action, late September, between SASA LELE and [AGONIZED SCREAMING]

[knifemonopoly]

[It's done. Everything is settled. Ryou's been preserved well enough that Clint shouldn't figure out that there's a corpse in here, which would absolutely have been a problem if they'd tried to keep him there without mummifying him, or tried to sneak him in like oozy contrband around the start of the first October fog. The whole room's arranged, it smells nice, there's traps to protect him from any snoopy supers or hungry opportunists or anyone else who might get too curious, and now, all there is to do is wait.

Atem's seated in the living-room, in one of the chairs around the coffin-table, waiting for RS to finish putting the last touches on the defenses. He's not sure what you mean by "overkill," or how it might apply to this situation. He's going to take care of that body and make sure it revives somewhere that's familiar and not full of screams, fog, and cultists.

When the Ring-Spirit makes his way back down the hall to the common area, though, Atem speaks up.]

There's something you said earlier that I've been wondering about.

[improvking]

[ The Ring-Spirit is still going down a pair of mental checklists as he enters the living room, trying to ensure that he's both set up every trap to work the way he wants it to AND that he'll be able to disable them again quickly if necessary. ]

Yeah, and what's that?

[ Is there a couch he can sprawl across? If not, he'll just drop to the floor instead like a feathered Spolt. Important thing is being able to stretch out all his limbs, huge wingspan included. ]

<WhiteWizard>, 10/11 but late in the night

[softspokenlandlord]

Hello, spirit! It's been a while.

Since you followed me out of the apartment, I believe. Because...I definitely know you did, when I was hunting. You know, after my head grew in properly.

[Oof. This is going great, isn't it?]

So I just wanted to let you know I'm thankful for your help while I was gone, and um. Keeping Atem company. That was very kind of you.

I also wanted to thank you for your discretion when I was a child. I'm sorry I was probably a pain, since I was frightened of you. But I think you can kind of understand why...

Anyway I think that's covered it all. So. Yes.

[Ryou feels very awkward about all of this, and it's not helped by the fact that his little "quest" from Mana really did do a number on him. He might sound a little stressed out, even over text.]

<GODKING> 1/2

[improvking]

[ Oh, hm. The fuck's he respond with here,, ]

if I'd just stuck with you as a kid none of it would've happened, I had no reason to leave and you liked me fine as a swan

[ It's late enough that the Ring-Spirit feels like he responded with a keysmash at best until a few minutes after he hits enter. ]

<hotrod>

[vroomkeeper]

DID YOU SEE THIS?!?!??!

Go look at it. Right now. She did our job for us, it's amazing. There is all kinds of leverage we can eke from this. After all, nobody's plugged a drain with YOU!

[ If the Ring-Spirit doesn't reply within like fifteen minutes he will also receive: ]

Right?

right

<GODKING>

[improvking]

[ It's at least thirty minutes before the Ring-Spirit replies, so Marik's little post-script definitely makes it in. ]

don't phrase it as "well WE haven't been smited yet, therefore". focus on the fact that Tage was just *that* out of line, that even the Fog couldn't stomach it. she's not usually much for smiting.

some interesting points scattered in there.

[ The Ring-Spirit doesn't mention either of his contributions to the discussion. If Marik wants to dig for them, he'll have to actually go digging. ...Marik may or may not be aware both of those handles are the Ring-Spirit, a fact that the Ring-Spirit gives no fucks about. ]

[aquilasshadow]

[On the night of December 24 the Ring Spirit will find a neatly wrapped package by his room with a small card that simply reads:]

Happy Nattenfest thief,
Altair

[Inside is a nice wooden box with a painted chess set inside. The wooden edge of the chess board is painted to look like gold with notches along the edge like those in his millennium ring. The gold continues with the checkered design of the wooden board, the gold replacing the usual white squares. The black pieces are painted with a void like mix of black and deep purple not sparkly purple and the white pieces have a feathery look to them. The coloring symbolizes both sides to the Ring Spirit's puzzle, his dark past as a chaos god and the life he has worked so hard to make here in Ryslig.]

Christmas

[ohmyscream]

[ There is a box with a tag on it.

It reads: "FOR: RICHARD FROM ANNIE <3".

Inside is a new set of lock picks because she thought something better made for his hands would be nice. Next there is a warm looking coat made for a Harpy to comfortably wear.

The last thing is a set of tiny heavy metal figures that look like they would be the right size for an 8-person Monster World party. She had tried to get as many as she could to look like races from the game. Annie thought it would be fun! ]

Nattensmas!

[softspokenlandlord]

[Ryou has left a big-ass box for the Ring-Spirit.

No seriously. It's big.

Upon unwrapping it it, the Ring-Spirit will find many generic Monster World figures for the most common, legitimate variations of race and class. The box is actually a dark brown lacquered display box that Ryou had stained himself, with custom inserts to fit each miniature. There's two levels to the thing, since there's so many figures.

Just inside the box is a note.]

I hope that this helps you with your campaign, Spirit. There is a simplicity in what games we allow ourselves to play, and since I'm not doing a good enough job of finishing my board, it's up to you to show everyone what a cool game Monster World is!

I hope you have a good Nattensfest.

...I miss you. Sorry we haven't spoken much.

-Ryou

[Behold. One of...like...two cards that are not signed with his full name.]

~sometime roundabouts Nattentide...~

[improvking]

[ Not too long after the Ring-Spirit receives that box, there's a knock on Ryou and Atem's apartment door late in the evening. It is, of course, the Ring-Spirit. He's wearing an actual coat for once, one tailored to fit a harpy. He also has a pair of boxes wrapped in plain brown paper and tied together with twine - if no one's home or they're busy, he'll simply add a note to the package and leave it, but Ryou had said he missed him, so... ]

DEC 25 - HAPPY NATTENSFEST

[standless]

[While it is not much, Jonathan has been careful to prepare for those within his table top group; As RS is the DM rather than a player however, he will find, in addition to a small tin of biscuits, a series of rather impressive depictions of any creature or encounter that could not have a figure ready in advance. He's done his best, and even put them in protective sleeves within a small booklet!]

SUPERLATE NATTENSFEST TIME

[noasark]

[Noa is hopeful of the fact that neither RS nor Ryou realize they got rather similar gifts. The fact remains, both of them are definitely invested in tabletop and creating things for it. In RS' case, it's a lockable notebook planner for setting up such matters- there's even graph paper for that sort of thing. The Christmas card notes that he's fairly certain RS will go through these quickly. There's also a gift voucher for a crafts store- get those figurine materials yourself!]

March, before the second fog!

[knifemonopoly]

So, I was thinking about my MW character...
Now that I have a better idea of what the world is like, I wouldn't mind working out a few clues about where he came from...

[He gives it a few hours. After all, the Ring-Spirit isn't what you'd call a homebody. It wouldn't be surprising if he was out, getting up to nonsense, or working with the Choose the Fog movement....

...he only follows up if there's no response for over 12 hours.]

Is everything all right?

[It's not like the guy, to ignore something to do with Monster World...]

[improvking]

[ It's not until a bit after Atem's second message that he finally gets a reply. ]

fell asleep

[ There a few minutes' pause before the Ring-Spirit thinks to continue. ]

sorry. I'm just really tired. can't focus on the game right now.

[ There, that's a nice non-concerning response. Everything is fine! ]

<WhiteWizard> 5/6, post temp changes. good thing i waited until after the elias thread lol

[softspokenlandlord]

spirit somethings happened to atem. something awful

i might need help im messaging more people

[Ryou's texting is frenetic...and maybe the Ring-Spirit doesn't respond back, who knows what kind of monster he's becoming, or if his changes had been painful. Ryou's had been, but...he couldn't wait. They were changes he's experienced before.

...Some time after he's sent this message though, he bails to go rescue Atem with whoever shows up to the 38-8. He's not mad at anyone who doesn't, he simply doesn't have it in him to be upset at that.

Especially not after he finds Atem, blinded and in massive pain, scared and lashing out.

It's a few hours before he comes back to the computer to check anything at all, and he owes it to the Ring-Spirit to keep him informed.]

sorry. i had to leave. atem is home. hes hurt. i have to take care of him. i have to take care of him because his eyes are gone

but i'll keep this nearby. i wnat to talk to you

[It hurts very much to type right now, since Atem had bitten him on one arm, but Ryou will still leave the communication channels open.

<GODKING>

[improvking]

[ The Ring-Spirit's abrupt changes do end up occupying his attention for a while - his feathers shed to reveal new white scales, he sprouts horns and a multitude of spikes, he grows a reptilian tail... and his neck shrinking back down to a reasonable length is just. a deeply weird experience.

Ultimately, the Ring-Spirit doesn't end up replying before Ryou sends the second message. His response to that second one comes quickly, however. ]

his eyes? hell. thank fuck at least you've got him there. should I come over or go home?

[ ...Wait, "go home"? ]

ah, I got antsy when you didn't finish that first message. I'm about halfway between our places right now, brought the laptop with me.

also I'm a gargoyle now? dunno why, just kinda happened when the fog finally showed.

anyway that's why I'm still only halfway there. having to walk, don't quite have the hang of these wings yet. they handle different without the feathers.

aaaaaaaction! Bavan Historical Society!

[alchepistol]

--further information?

[ The spider paused in the doorway of the Bavan Historical Society listens carefully to what one of the humans within is asking. ]

Correct. In this building.

[ She steps back in to mark something on a map. ]

The roof caved in here, and beneath it, a bookcase. I'll await your dating of the materials.

Thank you.

[ And out she tries to go again, only to discover there is also a harpy en route. Whom - she knows.

For whom she has a name. The name that isn't a name. ]

--"Richard"?

[ "No, thank you for the books!" calls somebody from within.

"Arachne are great," says somebody else. "They're so good with details."

"You just like Ms. Lottablog!" ]

[improvking]

[ Aha! There she is - the Ring-Spirit hadn't been expecting to run into her quite this soon, but he's been keeping an eye out. He gives her a lazy wave as he alters trajectory, apparently giving up on whatever task he'd come here for originally. ]

Saint-Germain, right? I heard you've been helping with the wasteland research.

[ He glances toward the interior of the building, wondering absently if he can see any of them from this angle. ]

You brought books - these wasteland-related too?

<WhiteWizard>

[softspokenlandlord]

hey spirit.

i just wanted you to know

atem's back in ryslig. i don't know if you have time to access the network but

he's gone. from here i mean.

<GODKING>

[improvking]

yeah I saw his post. thanks for making sure I knew though.

[ Mmmm... should he ask "how you holding up" or... no. Ryou's already upset and that question? The Ring-Spirit suspects it risks Bakura-brand hysterics, he's just. got a feeling.

Atem had reassured him Ryou wouldn't be left alone - that he can ask after. ]

you got friends to stick with?

backdated to the 27thish!

[knifemonopoly]

Do you know what happened to Ryou in Felfri, yet? Why he changed sides.

[It wasn't time to discuss it before. It is now.]

<GODKING>

[improvking]

only that someone on the Fog side hurt him; badly, I'm presuming. and it sounded like it involved some sort of ambush or trap. I didn't want to make him talk about it, I said I'd get what I needed to know from you.

[ Atem plans to Do Something, he's assuming. Whatever it is, he's in already. ]

forward dated to 11/12, mid-morning to afternoon, cw; alcohol

[softspokenlandlord]

[Ryou has tried to sleep, and he can't. He's tried to drink, and now he's tipsy and sad, but can't sleep.

He should have been sleeping quite a while ago, but instead...]

sssso

you chose me right,
because

im extremley cursed. super cursed.

yeah?

<GODKING>

[improvking]

[ Oooooh boy. This feels. Landmine-y. Mmmmm...

The Ring-Spirit doesn't like anything about this conversation. It's reminding him of the times Ryou went on about how he was some ~destined vessel of evil~ and how he deserved the bad shit that kept happening to him... and Ryou sounds super drunk right now.

...What happened to him this time? ]

I didn't intentionally chose you. you were simply the only person powerful enough to host me.

[ ...That's not enough. He needs to counter whatever's got Ryou on the "I'm cuuuuursed" train again. ]

if they were still training magicians in your day you would have been able to suppress me. it's more accurate to say I got lucky that you didn't have the training.

[ The Ring-Spirit's trying to word things very carefully. He's hesitant when he finally hits send. Between Ryou's worrying message and the pharaoh suddenly discovering pragmatism, something is Wrong. ]

<KrisKringle>

[getmeoutofthedraft]

Ho ho ho! Your Secret Santa giftee is ELSA, no last name. Goes by "queenoficeolation" on the network.

Buy or make Elsa a (nice) gift by December 26, or Santa will come down your chimney and box your ears.

If you need more information, contact me C/O Hawkeye Pierce at Crowe Clinic, and I'll delegate him to tell you to do your own research.

[improvking]

[ His own research, the name "Elsa". Hm.

...Wait, didn't a "queenoficeolation" talk up her bakery a few times on those "welcome to Ryslig" posts? Yeah, he's remembering now... Well then, looks like the Ring-Spirit's off to (festively) stake out a bakery.





Who the hell even signed him up for this, was it Altair? Is this something Altair would do?? ]

sometime in december

[alchepistol]

[ The Ring-Spirit receives a package one day. It's addressed to "the god known as Richard".

Inside is a wrapped rectangular box. Inside the box is a book on how to predict the weather, for Rystrologists. It's full of actually practical and truthful tips, but dressed up in fancy pants arcane terminology.

A note with the box says: ]

From Saint-Germain.

[ seasons greasons! ]

nattensfest 2022 [secret santa!]

[gildedsaint]

[For this holiday season, a delivery: a very lovely gold collar necklace featuring a bird motif. The note attached, in purple glitter gel pen, reads: "from your secret santa."]

Christmas Gift

[aquilasshadow]

Happy Nattensfest!