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[clavesregni]

Who: Caitlyn Kiramman
Username: piltoversfinest
Warnings: discussion of the Public Eye event, involving potential body dysmorphia and loss of control

[Caitlyn speaks quickly and eagerly as she shows off a large map of Gloucester pinned to her bedroom wall with variously colored thumbtacks. Pinned around it are all sorts of papers, covered in borderline-illegible scribblings in red and black ink, and polaroid photos, some of which have been drawn on. The whole thing is criss-crossed in red yarn.

As the camera pans around, you can see that her bed is immaculately made but the floor is a mess of papers, books, and notepads. Some of the mess has probably started spilling out into the hallway. Sorry, Donna and Callisto.]

I've been trying to document all of the supernatural goings-on in Gloucester. At least the ones I'm aware of. I've noted approximate locations, dates and times, and which Entities could be implicated by each. The more information I collect, the likelier it is I'll be able to deduce a pattern.

[She points to a red thumbtack pinned near two blue thumbtacks.]

At the moment, I'm particularly interested in the phenomenon that's resulted in certain people being trapped in various cameras around town. Here I've noted the camera I found myself looking through when it happened to me, and [She taps the two blue thumbtacks.] where I was each time it occurred.

If I can compile enough data, it may be possible to ascertain a source. Or perhaps what, if anything, has been triggering certain people to become stuck in the cameras. I would certainly appreciate any information any of you could share.

Comments

video

[abrightboy]

...Sorry... each time it occurred?

[clavesregni]

Yes, it's happened to me twice. Interestingly, I found myself looking through the same camera each time. I wonder if it's a coincidence or if there's some reason behind it. That's why I'm hoping to gather more information. The more I learn, the closer I'll be to answering those questions.

Has it happened to you?

[abrightboy]

Nnnno. This has happened to a lot of people?

[clavesregni]

At least one other person that I've spoken to. And if it's happened to two of us, I'm sure it's happened to more.

[abrightboy]

That seems a logical deduction. What… happened, exactly?

[clavesregni]

The first time, I was going to a shop to purchase film for my camera. The second, I was taking a walk just to clear my head. And then I found myself in the camera, as though the camera were my own eyes. It only lasted for a minute, perhaps less, and then I was back in my body as though nothing had happened.

[abrightboy]

What did you see?

un: Aberration

[aelwyn_aberration]

This is good work.

[She's a bit amused at how Caitlyn is diving head first into this, but like, it's nice to have someone who is also prone to this kind of conspiracy spiraling.]

Are you interested in former supernatural goings on too? The beholding is a very common guest in these parts. You saw one instance of it, the birds. It's too disproportionate to not have a source.

At least that's my theory.

[clavesregni]

[The compliment goes in one ear and out the other. She's too focused on solving the mystery to hear it.]

Yes, of course. Very interested.

I recall you mentioned that the birds were likely the The Beholding's doing. [She points to a thumbtack stuck where she and Aelwyn were on perimeter of Dogtown. There's a string leading away from it to an index card with a drawing of an eye labelled 'The Eye/The Beholding' in Caitlyn's messy handwriting.]

And I suspect what's going on with the cameras may also be related to the Beholding. Have there been other incidents? If we gather enough information, we may be able to discover the source.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Let's see... [She glances at a notebook on her desk.]

When we first arrived last year in July, they had our secrets written on the stones in Dogtown that only we could see. Beholding.

In December, there were Christmas Lights that when switched on, forced you to confess to secrets. In addition, around the same time, ADI was being plagued by these bizarre dolls that would appear literally everywhere and did nothing but watch. I dissected the damn thing, and the only magical point was the eyes.

In February of this year, the castle showed prophecies that would come true no matter what was done to prevent them, like "you will hurt your knee tomorrow." Beholding, but it's a bit debatable what else.

A fair in April arrived - I can send you the location - and it had voyeuristic elements but was otherwise seemingly harmless. Eyes in flowers, that sort of thing. Beholding.

In May, on the trail to perform an extended operation in the "Alps", there were a few incidents that bring the Beholding to mind. Namely flaunting secrets that ADI had as an organization in the form of hallucinations meant to spook us.

The suspicious items in July that were being shipped to the general store that were driving the workers mad had plenty of Beholding elements as well.

All in all, I'd say it's grown far more prominent since the end of the year.

[clavesregni]

[As Aelwyn speaks, Caitlyn is noting everything down on the map, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet in excitement.]

This is incredibly thorough. Thank you. [She's thrilled to finally know someone who is even remotely interested in this sort of thing.]

If it's growing more prominent, I wonder why now. All these people from different worlds arriving, the Beholding becoming more active... could it be connected? [She's just brainstorming at this point, more muttering to herself than really speaking to Aelwyn.

She steps back to look at the map. All the thumbtacks are starting to form a shape, but it's not clear what yet.]

You said secrets that ADI had. What sort of secrets?

[aelwyn_aberration]

That much strikes me as more... Web involvement, but it could be. There are a fair few people that arrived inclined toward the Eye. [She was close to it too, though of course, The Desolation sung to her much more sweetly. Not that it was ever a choice.] I think it's more likely that there's a growing cult of the Eye operating in Gloucester, probably connected either to members of the ADI or to the gangs on the docks. Possibly both.

The sort of secrets I have explicitly sworn against sharing. Even with our own.

[...Mostly because they pertain to her own operation, and while she's not deeply concerned in maintaining Caitlyn's opinion of her (they're sure to disagree often, Caitlyn just needs to be useful and vice versa), she doesn't want to have to deal with the moral judgement that often comes with "I ordered the murder of two people and the capture and subsequent torture and execution of another."

Aelwyn doesn't feel too bad about it. If anything, she just feels hungry. She had rather enjoyed watching Fenix's face react to liquid nitrogen.]

[clavesregni]

If there is a cult, do you think members of ADI could be actively involved?

[She's whispering, as though this is actually private and not on a public network that everyone in ADI has access to.

And she desperately wants to know those secrets. She checks over her shoulder to make sure neither of her roommates are right outside her bedroom before shutting the door.]

I'll keep the secrets confidential.

[thedoctorsmate]

Donna's right next door in her bedroom, so she just steps out into the hall to lean on the doorframe and look inside where Caitlyn's talking to her phone. "Aren't you a regular Poirot?" It's more fond than derisive. "Got stuck up in those things more than a few times the past few weeks. You want me to add them to your red strings board?"

[clavesregni]

Caitlyn hasn't any clue what a 'regular Poirot' is, and for half a moment, she worries Donna's making fun of her. But she quickly moves past that. At this point, she feels she knows Donna well enough to know that she wouldn't mock her work.

"Yes! Please do! Red is for the camera locations, if you know them. Blue is for where you were."

She smiles enthusiastically, holding out the box of thumbtacks.

[thedoctorsmate]

She takes the tacks and starts filling in the board. "I know where I was better than I know where all the cameras are, unfortunately. But..." Four blue thumbtacks go up along with two red ones. "Were you tracking where we spotted suspicious things, too? Because my mate Garner and I found some horrible little Flesh plants from when he was trapped in one of the cameras."

[clavesregni]

"Yes, of course! More information is always better than less. You can use green for those."

She's almost afraid to ask. "Are flesh plants... Are they what they sound like?"

cw: body horror, uncanny valley in the link

[thedoctorsmate]

"Yeah, they're like... like these lit'l lamb things. Just a second. Got a photo." She places her pins and pulls out her phone to show the patch of vegetable lambs she and Garner had found in the alleyway. "They baa and it's just... Ooo, I dun' like it. It's like you want to touch them, but the minute you do, they'll start eating you."

[clavesregni]

Caitlyn stares at the photo in both curiosity and horror. The things are almost... cute, on an odd sort of way.

"Hang on." She rushes to grab her polaroid camera. "May I take a photograph of... the photograph? I prefer having a physical copy." All the polaroids pinned to the wall are a testament to that.

voice; un: kruos

[whisperedone]

[He can't see the map, but he imagines it's there.

So he starts with sending, to the best of his knowledge, the blocks where he'd been standing and the ones he ascertained he was 'moved' to within the cameras.]

That first point of data, where I was standing when I was 'moved' is...most likely correct. It could be off by a bit and I could not tell you precisely where I was standing when it happened.

Each of the other three data points are precise.]

[clavesregni]

[Caitlyn is very quick to stick thumbtacks in the exact spots he sends.]

Thank you, this is very helpful.

I don't believe we've met, by the way. I'm Caitlyn.

[whisperedone]

You're welcome, I hope you are able to find something useful.

We likely haven't, I am not always apt at noticing people for a bit. My name is Garner, it is a pleasure to learn your voice, Caitlyn.

How much data have you gathered so far?

[clavesregni]

Not very much, I'm afraid. Not as much as I'd like. I've spoken with a few people, but I'll need more if I want to get to the bottom of this.

[whisperedone]

Would you like a volunteer? Someone who could help you walk around and try to replicate the phenomenon?

[clavesregni]

Yes! Yes, of course. I've been trying to replicate the phenomenon myself, but if you'd like to help me try, I'd certainly welcome it.