Run, run, follow me [Open Mingle]

[saveournpcs]

Date: Saturday, 4.1.2020
Characters: OPEN

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I.

It's midday when trouble seems to brew underfoot. Literally underfoot, in cases - wherever the Numbered are, they'll suddenly find dormice approaching them, running around their feet, in some cases up their legs, aiming to get their attention, and then running off - coming back again, running off once more in the same direction.

Trying to get the Numbered to FOLLOW.


II.

If Numbered decide to follow the mice, they'll be lead through the streets, fields, or whatever there is (in some cases, this might mean that the mice are trying to lead them through the military area aroudn the air base). Perhaps they'll run into other Numbered on the way - all mice seem to be leading those that they lead into the exact same direction.


III.

The direction of, it turns out, the tunnels under the cliffs. The mice will easily slip through the grates that bar the entries - the grates were made to keep humans out and let a tiny mice through easily. The Numbered, however... well, the grates were installed solid and sturdy to keep humans out. The mice will vanish in the tunnels and not come back.

Comments

[saveournpcs]

The tunnel goes mostly straight from here, on a slight downwards slope. The walls are made up of chalk with flint layers, same as further up.

As he directs his flashlight forth and back, he will, however, discover something.

Paintings. Black and ochre stylised shapes depict two humans and what seems to be a human with a wolf's head arranged around a giant mouse. Below them, three hand stencils can be spotted, though they are more faded. Two of them seem to be perfectly normal left hands, while the third looks odd in shape, the fingers very short and plump with a short, thin final digit, the palm very broad.

[spaghettimonster]

The longer the tunnel goes, without anything that explains why the magical mice want the Numbered coming down here, the more Russell gets nervous.

He's halfway convinced himself to turn back and risk running past the mice when he comes across what are, clearly, old cave paintings. Strange ones, too. The humanoid figure with the wolf head... like depictions of ancient Egyptian gods. The giant mouse... Well, that's interesting, given all the mice leading them down here.

He takes a minute to snap a few pictures of them with his mobile's camera - the mundane setting, not connecting to the Network - in case there's anything he's missing about this right now.

And after a moment's consideration, he gently places one of his left hands against one of the seemingly-normal humanoid left hands.

[saveournpcs]

Nothing happens when he places his hand there, but he'll find that the hand is smaller than his. Was smaller than his, considering that if the paintings are as old as they look, the owner definitely hasn't been alive for a while now.

[spaghettimonster]

Not unless they're some sort of lich, zombie, or other variety of walking talking skeleton, anyway... Well. At least the mouse art implies he's on some sort of right track. Hopefully one that'll stay safe.

Russell continues forward down the tunnels, keeping eyes and ears out for anyone else who's down here ahead of him - or signs of trouble.

[saveournpcs]

As he heads down the tunnel, he'll notice that the breeze grows stronger. When blowing into the direction that they came from, it also becomes warmer, and more humid.

Otherwise, there isn't much to say; the tunnel continues, down and sloping slightly downward.

Eventually, he'll hear a faint rumbling in the distance.

[spaghettimonster]

"Oh god, what now," he asks the tunnels, feeling a cold sweat washing over him despite the warmth of the humidity down here.

Hey, omniscient narration? Please don't tell him it was a rumbling like a cave-in from, say, the direction he came from.

But if there's anything worse than venturing illegally into the tunnels on a lark because mice bullied him into it, it's doing all that and not even finding anything worthwhile. Might as well press on and hope he learns to teleport or something.

[saveournpcs]

The rumbling comes from ahead, and if he listens closely... it sounds more like that time when you went camping with your family and your dad started his nightly snoring, just that now there wasn't any walls between you and him and you started to wonder how the hell your mother ever got any sleep.

And then it decreases and quietens.

[spaghettimonster]

Oh, a mysterious snore is much better than a cave-in. Come to think of it, they likely did have an outing like that. The last few years of them trying to make it work, they made a point of getting everyone together for special family events... Really, the question answered itself after the divorce. She probably hadn't gotten any sleep, and after too many years she couldn't take it anymore.

But distracting himself with memories like that won't keep him from noticing the snore, or realizing there's probably some kind of hibernating bear in the tunnels ahead.

He slows his approach, keeping the flashlight more steadily directed at the ground a ways ahead of him, so the flickering's less likely to grab the attention of anything - or anyone - ahead.

[saveournpcs]

Finally he reaches what seems to be the end of the tunnel and steps out into - actually, does he step out? The tunnel ends, but there's no wide empty space. There's a space that might be huge, but a wall blocks the way. A wall covered in giant brown fur. A wall that is moving very slowly in synch with the breeze.

[spaghettimonster]

No, he does not step out into the furry wall. Thank goodness for these flashlights, giving him warning... Of a furry cave wall, moving slowly with the mild breeze and snoring sound...?

Russell may not have spent long in America, and he may not recognize all the signs of a hibernating bear in a cave when he sees them, but he's seen his fair share of media. And there's most definitely a few signs pointing that way.

He carefully backs up a few steps, makes certain his mobile is silenced, and begins typing his number with every intention of writing a warning for everyone else. What he finds instead baffles him, and he replies to it with his heart racing over the fear that the bear? mouse? might hear and turn to him.

[saveournpcs]

The fur wall doesn't react to the quiet sounds he makes, continuing to snooze away quite happily.

[spaghettimonster]

The Networked conversation takes an oddly philosophical tone, as they mull over the possibility of being sacrifices to ancient mice gods, the nature of giant tunnel mice, and the loneliness of dreaming of being alone.

By the time the conversation resolves itself, Russell has time to calm down a little and notice a couple things. Such as: whatever gigantic mouse-like creature is forming the wall of this tunnel is, as evidenced by blocking the tunnel, too large to fit in it. So, if he retreats, it probably can't give chase.

With that steadying his backbone, and the thought that maybe it's just lonely and trapped pushing him forward, Russell clears his throat and knocks on the stone near the furry wall.

[saveournpcs]

The knock isn't particularly loud - it's just a hand against stone. No sounding body.

There's no reaction.

[spaghettimonster]

"Well," Russell rationalizes in a mutter to himself, "I gave it a try. Couldn't puzzle this out alone."

There's a lot more he could do. Shout a bit. Knock on the mouse, and risk its body sounding quite loud and perturbed about being awoken that way. Leave - or at least leave temporarily. And the last option is the most appealing, at this point.

If unimpeded, he'll walk briskly back up the long tunnel toward the section the silent staring mice had congregated in, and ask them what they want done now.

[saveournpcs]

He won't be stopped.

The mice sit where he last saw them and some turn to look at him when he comes back. They are quiet, but he might be able to hear squeaking in the distance - and then a different mouse comes from up-tunnel and runs up to him, turns around and runs a few metres, then looks at him expectantly. Follow?

russell: complains more than any of the children in this game

[spaghettimonster]

Through his walk back, Russell mutters to himself about how best to convey this question. Yes-or-no questions, like Walter was using back at the flat. Simple words, like talking with a fairly intelligent dog. Not intelligent like some of the dogs he knows, but... simple words. He just needs to ask them what they want, so they'll do more than stare and part - or block him - this time.

Or not, it turns out, as he notices the distant squeaking and the solo mouse signaling for him to go in another direction.

"Oh, what's this, then, you just wanted me to see it?" Russell complains, hands spread in an agitated gesture every inch his father's son. "Just wanted to give me a good scare? Well, fine, I saw it, what now."

Sure, he'll follow. But he won't like that, either.

[saveournpcs]

The mouse will lead him to a tiny sleeping beauty with a glowstick.