network | video

[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

[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.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Well, yes. [She's not particularly shy about that theory, really...]

If you want to keep the secrets confidential, a start might be not having this conversation over the network that ADI maintains and reads, listens to and watches every single bit of data that goes through it.

[She raises her eyebrows at Caitlyn, halfway between bemused and unimpressed.]

[clavesregni]

[Yes, Aelwyn does have a point there. Caitlyn's having a hard time wrapping her mind around the idea that all her conversations over the network are being monitored, that anyone would do that.]

Should we meet in person, then?

[aelwyn_aberration]

That'd be my suggestion. Leave your phone at home when you do.

I'll come pick you up, darling.

[She winks, because poor Caitlyn needs to be more confused, and then hangs up.]

[clavesregni]

Oh. Um. [How is one meant to interpret that wink exactly? Caitlyn's just going to spend the entire time waiting for Aelwyn to show up feeling both confused and flustered. But she does as instructed and leaves the phone on the bedside table.]