Network - Is This Thing On?

[apocalypsehownpcs]

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Is This Thing On?

(cw: reference to skin-related body horror)

The message that pops up on off-worlders' ADI-issued phones phones likely comes as a surprise given that the network has been down since May 25, along with all of ADI's other fancy tech. It's similar to other network notifications at first glance and looks like an official notification from the higher-ups saying that the network has been restored, but anyone who clicks it will find their phone redirected to automatically download a new app from a shady-looking URL that ends in the phrase "its-ya-boy-pyre".

Upon loading, the app turns out to be a private chat program with most of the same features as the ADI network, though the user interface is much, much less polished. It immediately shows a longer, less deceptive message from a user named "thecolepackage":

Sorry for the trick guys but I don't know if I can get the old network to do like back and forth and I wanted to send something you'd all click open on the first shot. And like if you know someone who's better at cyber security than you and didn't open the message maybe let them know it's okay? It's ya boy Pyre and I figured out how to get this app linked up with your phones, it should be private and safe and all that stuff. I only sent it to you offworlders for now, I'm still not so sure ADI'scool with the whole ex-desolation monster thing. But I thought maybe you could use this and also maybe I was getting lonely because it sounds like y'all have a lot going on right now

And Bonnie's telling me there's all kinds of arguments about what to do?? That's rough man I know what it's like to find out you're kind of doing the wrong thing and maybe feeding something that's going to end the world. And maybe it'll be good if you can all talk about that and figure out what YOU want to do without your bosses telling you since Bonnie says none of your bosses are agreeing on anything and it seems to me like its maybe important to figure out if you're still going to be in the apocalypse disruption gig. Youre in a tough spot and I'd say I don't envy you but also I miss having skin so I do envy you a little bit.

Anyway like I said have at and let your friends know this isn't a virus. Or it's a friendly virus I guess. Also I kind of want to go by my name Cole now instead of Pyre? So if you could call me Cole now I'd like that.

Peace.

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Comments

NPC Responses - Cole Guttuso (aka Pyre)

[apocalypsehownpcs]

This section is for players who wish to interact with Cole/Pyre over the new hidden network. Please be aware that the primary purpose of this network post is for player characters to communicate with one another, and that Cole does not have any new plot information to offer.

At time of posting there is no deadline for tag-ins, but please be aware that the mods may close tag-ins to this thread at a later date in order to manage the volume of NPC responses needed at any given point in the event.

[edalyn]

hey, kid. Glad to hear you're holding up. I mean, aside from the still not having skin I guess

this... actually ought to help a lot
thanks, Cole

[punched_hitler]

Thanks for doing this.

You know we'd like to hear what you have to say, too, right?

[failedpromise]

Thanks, Cole.

You wanna weigh in on this?

un: Pegasus OTA

[ferriswheelsandfootball]

First off, shoutout to our boy Cole for getting this done for us—

And secondly—

Okay. Like, things suck really bad right now and I get it, I don’t fault anybody for wanting to get out. Hell, I wanted to get out. But I think that sticking with ADI—I can’t believe I’m saying this—will be the best bet. Nia isn’t a danger—in fact, having an Avatar on our side, with Avatar powers? That’ll be a huge help. If you’re worried about her, then we should have a monitoring system. Someone always keeping a watch.

I’ve also been doing some research, and it looks like whenever an ADI Warden dies, Dogtown gets…worse. If that’s before or after or because, who knows. But we’ve got enough on our hands already and having Dogtown get worse is…y’know. Not good.

Un: bright

[abrightboy]

Nia isn’t a help, either. She’s given up. I tried to get her to think of ideas, plans, outside the box stuff. She wouldn’t even entertain it. So it’s all on us. ADI is just us now, for all intents and purposes.

un: jelica

[musicdied]

Nia is maybe a useful source of information, or an ally if things are very desperate, but if we keep following her, then we're no different from any other cult.

As for Dogtown, if I had to hazard a guess, I would say that it is a feeding ground for the ADI Warden, either directly or through the people they inflict it on. When they die, there's nothing feeding there until a new one turns.

[edalyn]

I hate to say it too, but we're on the same page.

un: Chosewell

[failedpromise]

While I agree on sticking with ADI - we need the infrastructure - I think knowingly having an avatar in charge just invites further influence from the entities.

un: ceasetherain [OTA]

[wewillwewill]

[Look, it's a new version of network! Soon after it comes back up, there is a message from Elidibus.]

I would like ask everyone to list the options we have at our times. Why it is an option. Their strengths and weaknesses. And if you should wish, your perspective of options others may not have thought of.

I have started this in order to collect this information in one place so it may be referenced by all the visitors to this world. I will likely respond to ask questions about options I am unfamiliar with and to any who have questions for me.

-Elidibus

un: Pegasus

[ferriswheelsandfootball]

Well mine is up there, but basically I’m for sticking with ADI and Nia. It’s safer, we know how the Hunt operates, and Nia has the same goals as us. The Hunt isn’t as bad as other entities.

Weaknesses, I guess there’s the potential of it all going horribly wrong, but what else is new.

un: jelica

[musicdied]

I'm thinking it's beyond time to break with ADI. Even if someone replaces Nia, even if they manage to weed out every single operative who was corrupted along with her, there's nothing guaranteeing that the next leader will not end up exactly the same. There is obviously something fundamentally flawed in how ADI operates, and that can't be fixed with just a changing of the guard.

It will be difficult walking away from ADI's resources, but that isn't a good enough reason to stay. And neither is the hope of getting home. That was never going to happen, and I think all of us know that, if we're being honest. It was just another lie to keep us compliant.

un: rue

[ruevealing]

I fear that you are correct.

But even still, what are we to do if we walk away from ADI? The danger still exists.

un: sgr

[punched_hitler]

I agree. ADI is starting to feel way too much like SHIELD. At some point, the rot goes too deep. I think we can do better without them.

Although I still think there's a way home.

[Sorry, he may never give that one up, but it's not important now.]

un: badgirlcoven

[edalyn]

I'm not ready to give up. If there's a way to get here there's a way to get back

and from everything I can find it really is true that splitting up, going out there and spending time around the natives, that just puts them in more danger. You want us all just trying to make a living out there? People are gonna get hurt.

No one's stopping you from walking away but I don't think shutting this place down is gonna fix a darn thing

un: 13371uk@

[cuttypie]

I agree.

Though I still wish dearly we could return home.

[The thought of it pains him, but at least Carter is here, and that helps mitigate it.]

What do you propose instead? Our own organization?

text | un: badgirlcoven

[edalyn]

I never thought I’d be the one to say this but I think keeping the ADI around might not be the worst thing

I want to get home. I need to get home

I know it’s the same for a lot of us

we won’t have the resources to try if we’re spending our time just trying to make a living here. And we’d probably be putting people in danger working other places. At least with them we’ve got ways to research. We can try

and you know what? I don’t think Nia’s the worst, either.

She shouldn't have trusted Steel, but that part’s not even on being an avatar. Believing someone’s your friend is… well I saw how much trouble that can cause back home. She’s not the first person to fall for someone’s lies. But it’s better than her knowing what Steel was up to

at least she’s turned on the guy. At least she’s trying to fix things.

I don’t think the ADI’s lying about the big stuff, as much as I wish they were. And she’s part of the reason it’s not worse–that we’re not all dead or locked up. That they’ve helped any of us

as for what she is. Well, it took her long enough to figure it out but at least she knows. And at least we know. I’d rather know what we’re dealing with than have someone who says they’re not mixed up with an entity at all because I don’t believe that for a second in this place

besides. The Hunt? I’ll take that over some other things it could be.

The way I see it… the Hunt’s part of nature. Well it’s not, not the actual entity or whatever. But the thing it feeds off is.

I’m not saying it’s good, don’t get me wrong. I just don’t think it’s going anywhere. As long as there's life here it's going to feed whether we feed it or not, right? Things are always going to need to eat and things are always… not going to want to get eaten

Not saying we should feed it any more than we might have to. But I don’t know how much difference she’s gonna make.

And I mean, even if we got rid of her, do we stop fighting things at all? Tracking down cults? Anything that could feed it? Then something else just wins and the world ends before we have time to figure out how to take them all down

I WANT it gone. I want them all gone. But that’s gonna take something smarter, something bigger than nothing feeding it because that’s… never gonna happen. We have to take ‘em out directly and I don’t know about any of you but I don’t know how to do that yet. Which means we need to buy time.

We’ve gotta be careful but we can’t make not doing anything in case it feeds something our top priority. It’s not realistic

we know what she is and we can keep an eye on her. At least she’s not someone who wanted it. And she’s not someone who wants it now. That takes some strength

I don’t think we should crack down on using powers and that stuff more either. It just makes people sneaky. And maybe so hungry they’re less reliable. If everyone owns up, if they admit what they have to do sometimes, we can keep an eye on each other. And we can use what we can do to keep people safe when there’s no other way

anyway doesn’t them being scared of us, of what we can do, of everything to do with the entities just feed the things another way?

I say we for now we accept we’re all mixed up in this and we’ll get less things like her not figuring it out sooner.

It would be nice if getting rid of this place would fix everything. But I think it’ll just make things harder than they already are. Together we can try and do some good. Try and get everyone home.

It’s something.

un: Pegasus

[ferriswheelsandfootball]

+1 to all of this

You know what Nia told me? The Hunt sucks at ending the world. Hunt Avatars don’t really do rituals and apocalypses very much, and the ones that do suck at it because they just end up chasing their own tails, as she said. The chase is what the Hunt is after.

You’re right. It’s in nature. And really, everything we’re ever gonna do for ADI is gonna feed it anyway. It’s been feeding it this whole time.

The way Nia spoke it’s like…there’s nothing we can really do to stop the entities, stop Avatars from existing. It’ll always happen. What we can stop is the apocalypses and rituals.

And if there’s any way to get home, I’ll take it.

un: sgr

[punched_hitler]

I know there's a lot to talk about, and I'm sure we're all going to have a lot of thoughts about all of it. We're going to talk a lot. And we all need to make our own decisions.

So, all I really want to say is that I have seen organizations go to rot from the inside out. I have seen good people take a stand against it and I have seen them come out ahead. But the thing about rot is, it's pervasive. Sometimes, you can't slap a new coat of paint on it and carry on. Sometimes you have to take something down completely, and sometimes maybe you shouldn't rebuild.

I've never trusted ADI completely. Not the way it is now, and I don't think the way it will be in the future. Maybe what I've seen has stopped me from being able to trust an organization like that ever again. But I do trust people. We've all been brought here against our will, but we're all still here, fighting. I don't think we need ADI to do that. Just each other.

un: Pegasus

[ferriswheelsandfootball]

Normally I’d agree with you. I’m not even sure I actually disagree on anything. But the reason I’m sticking with Nia is because we need supernatural firepower. We can’t win against Avatars and apocalypses with conventional anything, as much as I wish it were otherwise.

I trust Nia, as long as she has the same goals as we do.

un: mercyme (cw: discussion of murder, cults)

[graveyounglady]

My friends, these are grave times that we live in. The gravest we have yet faced here, I think. Despair seems an easy option. Breaking all that exists may feel good or righteous, but I would beg your caution in such matters.

When I was a child, a plague of murders fell upon Evergreen Abbey, my home. Old and young, strangers and close friends. We knew not the source of these at first, but my brother and I happened upon a clue that led myself and several other comrades to the Abbot of Evergreen, himself. This Abbot was, we thought, a kindly man, one who had always placed the good of our community first.

He was a wicked man, one who had ensnared the minds of good people and was using them to further his own ambitions for power. The Head of the Guard was one of his most stalwart defenders until near the end when his madness and tyranny were revealed. IN our efforts to figure out what was going on, my comrades and I discovered that much of the history we knew of our home, the heroes of the Blind Mother's followers who had fought back terrible foes... all of it was a lie. A fabrication of one of the oldest abbots who thought to consolidate power for his faith. A secret society had formed around it that our current Abbot used for his whims.

Much occurred, and in the end, myself and many other people rose against the Abbot and struck him down, along with his confidants. The truth of our history and the lies that had been woven through it were lost in a great fire, though. Myself and one other who had found that truth were faced with a choice: reveal the truth and destroy everything in our home; or hold it close to our vests, allowing that false history to maintain and starting anew with those who had been complicit in the Abbot's actions, but who had not known his true character, and who turned against him when he was revealed as a killer.

This is the first time I have spoken the truth I know in five years. I only speak it now because no one from my homeland is present to read it. Sometimes, something is bigger and more important than a single person or one's distaste for them and the system they are a part of. Sometimes, there are still good and decent people who are part of that system and see value in it.

All of this is to say that I believe, whatever choice is made with regard to Ms. Nia, that some structure is still needed. To scatter ourselves to the four winds is to scatter the influence of the Entities that already dog our steps. We are stronger together than we are apart.

un: rue

[ruevealing]

I must commend you for your bravery, young one. You are, as always, wise beyond your years. We will always be stronger together than apart.

un: zenik

[pinionedheart]

Everyone's busy talking about how to go on fighting monsters. The person you've been following has just been shown to be exactly what you've been fighting.

Maybe it's time to stop and think about whether or not this is even the right fight.

[graveyounglady]

What would you propose is the correct fight, sir or madam?

un: Winter

[worthallthis]

[Winter has been following along with the conversations and he is... alarmed. And unhappy. And he had no idea so many of his co-workers thought feeding entities was a good idea.

He makes one statement. He may or may not reply if anyone tries to engage him. He's not really an online talker, okay. But he does feel like he has to say this much.]

we should not b working for an entity or its avatar

period

[hellojon]

I'm afraid it is far too late for that sort of dogmatic thinking.

You HAVE been working for an Entity. Half the people here have been working for an Entity. They may try to resist it, but they're marked all the same.

Drawing such hard and fast lines in the sand will leave you alone and powerless - a poor position to be in for the inevitable battle.

un: 13371uk@

[cuttypie]

You cannot trust an Avatar even if she means well.

[Says a former Avatar]

She may be lying or she may just be deluded, in any case, they will always turn.

We do not want to be there when she turns.

[hellojon]

How dogmatic of you.

I hope that you are speaking from experience and not mere prejudice.

text; un: cupkate

[bossyboiler]

Isn't it better to deal with the devil you know?

text; un: architect

[unnecessaryflourishes]

I have often found it to be so.

un: rainey.day | OTA

[rainestorms]

First off, I need to thank you, Cole, for fixing this. Human technology is beyond me, so... having another place to talk amongst ourselves is good.

I want to address something- specifically, something about Nia. I know that her position as an avatar is.. surprising, and concerning.

But I think those that have given up on her? Are giving up on her too soon. I know others have already posted here saying that Nia was unresponsive.. or at least unhelpful. I'm not sure why I ended up seeing a different side of Nia than certain people. Maybe the wrong questions were asked. Maybe I'm just that good.

I know that she wants to help. She's dedicated to helping us get home. She told me herself that she’s been dedicated to helping since the beginning, and she’s open to new possibilities once things settle down. I.. I believe her. I don’t want to claim that the others don’t want to help, or that they won’t try, but I don’t have faith in our other options.

I mean, if we go with Neil, we’re putting the person whose job was only to watch us and send people after us when we aren't acting the way the ADI wants. That’s a little too familiar for my tastes, and it’s not like he doesn’t have the potential to fall into Nia’s position as an Avatar. In fact out of everybody he seems very likely.

And the only alternative to that? It’s what I assume would be complete chaos. People would get hurt. More than they are now.

That’s not to say that we shouldn’t keep an eye on Nia—some sort of checks and balances to ensure she’s not acting in favour of the Hunt. But I think that these checks and balances should be applied to ourselves too. Because as much as I dont want to believe that it’s true, it’s not like there aren’t people among us that don’t have their own agenda to fulfill. Especially. With the ADI in the state that it is.

un: 13371uk@

[cuttypie]

That’s how it is in the beginning.

Some control. Optimism. A certainty that they can control it.

But it’s an illusion.

She will turn. She will hurt people. It’s only a matter of when.

un; mkblackwood | ota!

[lowficharm]

Okay, look. I know this isn't going to be a thing anybody wants to hear, but not every avatar is terrible and trying to kill everyone. When you get involved with these things, you get claimed by them. Marked. It's why wherever we go it causes problems.

Being an Avatar doesn't make you a bad person inherently. It's always about what you choose to do with it, just like being a regular person. I don't want anyone to do something they're going to regret. And we need allies.

So... yeah.

un: ebouchard

[hellojon]

A very wise sentiment, Martin.

[ someone's just here to cause trouble! ]