(ROLE) CULT 3.0

[dormheads]

cult.

On Monday at 10 PM, Otome, Byleth, and Luxanna receive an encrypted e-mail.

d4rkness@Wiwaldi.edu

Come to classroom 1304; see attached map.

No one is in the halls as they creep to the abandoned classroom circled on the map. The normally locked door opens, revealing the room inside.

There are no windows and the lights are off, leaving the room cast in near darkness. Only a handful of candles, in what's probably a fire hazard, keep it illuminated; the fog being emitted from a personal fog machine doesn't help with visibility. What was once the teacher's desk has been pushed to the center of the room, with chairs seated around it. For some reason, there are cat decorations everywhere, mixed in with various (garish) occult items and patterns.

There is a cat-shaped bulletin board hanging on the wall, which reads:

» This world is trying to assimilate all of you, who started this year, into its setting. If it succeeds, you'll remain trapped in this school, your souls drained until you cease to exist.

» Each week, this place will make active efforts on a few select students. Once the weekend hits, they'll all be beyond saving. However, if any one of them is killed before then, they'll all be freed from the link, at least for the remainder of the week.

» Death isn't necessarily permanent. Those who died can potentially be saved. However, no such option exists for the fully assimilated.

» At the start of the week you'll be informed if you may recruit one person to join the cult. Provide a list of 3-4 people you want to recruit and you'll be told which one of them is approved. If you extend an invitation and they accept, they will join the cult the following week.

» Preventing the assimilation aside, even the original cult was meant to be a secret, so it's important that word doesn't spread. If anyone else learns about your involvement in the cult or your task, whether from your mouth or another's, this world may enact consequences. No guarantee on who they might affect, so it's up to you to decide if risking harm upon another is worth it.

As of this week, more notes have been added.

A summary of what the others were told previously:

» This world is forced to act according to an internal logic. It isn't always aware of everything going on, and it can't break whatever rules it wishes. This would presumably be why you all arrived here with your minds intact, rather than already assimilated; it's possible that this defence mechanism has manifested in other ways as well, to try and correct things to how they should be.

Comments

TALK TO EACH OTHER

[dormheads]

[momming]

... This list is...

[ wow she sure looks uncomfortable ]

[illuminance]

... I'm sure all the lists have been unpleasant.

[momming]

They have. Is there anyone you're incredibly opposed to, Luxanna?

[illuminance]

... Denji... Often says things that upset people, but I can tell he always means well. [ and his life just seems really sad, somehow?? ]

I don't know. It feels strange to make this kind of decision.

[divineimpulse]

[...]

Crow would be my choice.

[momming]

... Because the other two are younger? It's true that he would probably be more understanding...

[ she always hates this part ]

[divineimpulse]

[she nods.]

He's a good person.

[illuminance]

I... Don't have objections to it.

It has to be someone, in the end.

[momming]

It does. And that's... well, there's no helping it. Hopefully we can help him understand.

[divineimpulse]

If we're set on Crow, then let's decide who.

I'll put myself forward.

[illuminance]

I think that it's best to avoid risking any suspicion on Doctor Yanagiya, given her role as both a medic for the others and a trusted eye during body-checks at trials.

But you [ byleth ] were just injured.

I think it would be better if I went.

[divineimpulse]

[byleth frowns. it's harder to argue with the injury thing, and she doesn't even have a healer to get her back on her feet.

but. she does anyway.]

I'll be less suspect because of my injuries. You just joined us—you don't have to do it yet.

I should never have let Rupert take the fall.

[momming]

... [ She looks between the both of them. ]

I don't see why you can't both go together, if you're going to insist on leaving me out of this one.

[illuminance]

[ lux would argue more if it weren't her first week being involved in this. as it is, she's kind of the newbie, so... she nods. ]

If I can help, I will.

[divineimpulse]

Fine. Then it will be both of us.

But if anything happens, feel free to pin the blame on me, Luxanna.

[illuminance]

"The best way to keep the finger from pointing at you is to point it at someone else."

[ ... ]

No. I won't do that.

[momming]

... I could have told you she'd refuse.

[divineimpulse]

[...

she smiles.]

Then I look forward to working with you.

[and to otome:]

We'll be relying on you during trial.

[momming]

[ And once again-- ]

So how the recruiting works, Luxanna, is that we each pick two people we think might be a good fit for this, in some way or another. Out of six, Chad will select one and we're given the opportunity to explain the situation to them and offer them a chance to join, just like we did with you.

[divineimpulse]

[byleth nods, beckoning lux over.]

My picks are Dimitri and Claude. [forever on her bullshit.]

[illuminance]

I would pick Ichiro and Caleb. Though unpleasant to drag anyone into such unpleasant tasks... I don't want to drag any children into things. And I know that Ichiro is increasingly desperate for ways to help.

[ and she just thinks caleb is Neat. ]

[momming]

Then my choices would be Lucretia and Manwol. They're both very reliable and people who I'm certain would want to know what's actually happening.

[divineimpulse]

I think those are all good options.

Well chosen.

[illuminance]

I agree. I don't have any objections to these choices.