audio | un: wisdom | wedding day three

[mashiara]

Right, so this happened. Again. In case the lot of you who get the whole feast for a third time also see the bride go missing, a heads up:

The conductor can track any ticket or numbered staff member on board. Any. The man needs help beyond anything I have the time or ability to give, but he's far from the worst when it comes to devotions to the train. The staff serves it tea every morning. Before any of you are up. We don't all sleep, do you know? I haven't slept since I got on board.

Either way, see about asking him where she's going if she disappears again tonight.

And if any of the staff tell you about being kind to the train, praying to the train, polishing the train for the train, don't laugh where they can hear you. The chamber maids cry about it later. How misunderstood, they say, the train is. How unenlightened the ticket bearers, to not understand the train's benevolence. If I have to hear that one more time I'll scream.

Comments

un: brightsun

[stephanivien]

[ A lot of this information is interesting, and perhaps a little concerning, but most importantly... ]

You haven't slept? For a week?

[ Stephanivien has been falling off like clockwork, though he's also still in possession of his ticket... which, speaking of... ]

Would physically transferring the ticket transfer the effects of it, do you think?

[ If it can, at least he'll be able to offer one of his compatriots a solid night's sleep. If not... perhaps it could be useful in finding where Prassenze keeps disappearing off to.

Assuming Prassenze even has a ticket ]

Re: un: brightsun

[mashiara]

I haven't slept. It's driving me crazy that I'm not crazy, but there you have it.

( it's convenient in one sense, but she wants these things to be deliberate on her part, not on someone else's! )

It'll still be yours, but yes, possibly? Take your chances asking the conductor, this isn't anything I know.

un: brightsun

[stephanivien]

If it isn't having any ill effects, however, that's at least some relief.

And it's only those with the tickets who are getting the guaranteed 8-hour metaphorical conk to the noggin?

[ How, though, is the question. Tickets, tied to the conductor, and to the train? ]

I can't say I know of any sentient trains, but I suppose its not truly out of the realm of possibility, possibly the train is in possession of some sort of mammet heart? I have heard that those can grow personalities of their own, if they run for long enough, or are so heavily influenced by magic of certain types.

Re: un: brightsun

[mashiara]

Not sure, I think those without also sleep. The tickets are tracking, the train is something else.

( you know what, this isn't making her feel any better. a magic train is too much anyway, but if it's actually sentient, she wants off yesterday. )

I think you would get along just fine with the staff in their morning hellos over train tea.

[stephanivien]

I'd be willing to swap my ticket for your pass, if you think it would make a difference, in that case. Perhaps worth the experiment if nothing else.

[ Hey, a sentient train is better than a possessed, doomed phantom train. Count your victories. ]

I confess, from an engineering standpoint, I am quite curious as to how one mught go about constructing a sentient automata intentionally. I confess myself less curious into the rituals of serving said locomotive tea and crumpets.

[ On that thought... ] Would a train even like tea? I feel it would only be detrimental to it's inner cogs and components.