ROLE - SCIENTIST

[maladied]

Greetings Scientist.

Are you ready to get to work? I certainly hope you are; everyone here is depending on you. After all, your role, your goal is to develop the cure for the raging infection. And if you're not ready to work or don't know where to start, both very understandable, there should be a notebook somewhere that will be of help to you.

Don't worry, you won't have to do this alone. You get to pick an assistant to help you! Maybe even one of those shady figures that go into hiding. Rumor has it that they'll either give you one (1) item to check someone if they are infected or not; it'll take the shape and form of whatever you want. Or, they'll help you create the cure once you know what to do. Isn't that handy?

Except, unfortunately, it's only one or the other. Bummer.

NOTES:
- This is NOT a secret role, however it would be beneficial if you did not make your role public.
- You may request help from one (1) other player and one (1) NPC of your choice. You cannot change your choice.
- If the item is chosen then you may check one (1) player at any point during the week, however, you MUST contact a mod before doing so. The number of players may change depending on outside circumstances.

♡

Comments

[siriuspuns]

Sure!

[ Despite the pain, their smile stays on their face as they happily recount the events to her. ]

Ludger and I decided to look at the museum, since it was new. The doors were closed, and we couldn't find a way in it, but that's what walls were made for. And you know what happened as I was going up? I could feel myself getting weaker and weaker--

[ They stand up and, despite the pain that makes them think that their head is being split open, their stomach is caving in, and their throat ripped apart, they look energetic to the point of mania. ]

Something's there, Sage! I know there is! It's some coward that would rather knock me out without showing their face! Ludger said he asked about a priest too! A priest! This first one!!! [ He grabs the notebook and points to page 1. ] He called himself a priest, too! Maybe he didn't die! Maybe he lived and is now running this behind the scenes like a director!

[ (You would know that! You would know what it's like to act from behind the scenes, to pull the strings to get people to follow their script!) ]

We need to go inside there! Ludger didn't get it, but I'm sure you would! Right!?

[avocations]

A deep breath, Siffrin.

[ First and foremost, they need to breathe.

It isn't that Y'shtola doesn't believe him either, because she thinks there could very well be something there. Something that they'll eventually need to examine. ]

Now, tell me what occurred. Slowly. You felt weaker as you climbed? Was it your limbs, or something else?

[siriuspuns]

....

[ Breathe in. Breathe out.

...

It helps calm them down, but calming down makes them be more aware of the pain their body's in. But the pain helps them feel real. It helps them feel here.

(What a vicious cycle you're trapped in.) ]

It was... whenever I touched the building. My entire body felt weak. Lightheaded, my vision was blurry and... and I think I yelled out to it, whatever it is. I wanted it to just come out and attack us instead of hiding wherever. And both times I did, it was as if it was trying to get more of my energy. In the end, I got knocked out. Felt awful for the rest of the night and yesterday but...

[ Breathe in. Breathe out. They have to reassure themselves that she doesn't think they're crazy. ]

Ludger didn't go through that. He only heard scratching from the wall and a voice.

[avocations]

[ She falls quiet, though it's the sort of silence that accompanies deep thought. It seems like she's seriously considering what they say.

She wants to ask about the voice, but first: ]

It was taking your energy, you say... Not unlike the hands that reach up from the earth and sap the life force of our unfortunate few.

[siriuspuns]

[ (…Oh!

You could have ✨ died ✨! You could have died and it would have been permanent, because you can’t loop in this place!)

Someone laughs— a quick, broken chuckle, but it’s not Sage. So it must be them. ]

But there were no arms or hands.

[ But the scratching… ]

Were the walls holding them back somehow?

[avocations]

[ Ah, that laugh. Realizing he was in actual danger must come as a shock, and Y’shtola feels a little bit bad for them. ]

You say Ludger mentioned scratching… while I hesitate to leap to conclusions…

[ It’s still concerning. ]

Did he tell you what the voice spoke of?

[siriuspuns]

I think he said they were mumbling stuff. Nothing coherent, except for the word “welcome.”

[ So clearly they were trying to get their attention. ]

Ludger told me… that when asked if the priest was there, he heard someone respond “who’s asking”.

[ Actually, ]

I think I heard something, too. When I got knocked out, I heard it say “welcome”, too.

[avocations]

Certainly concerning, and something I intend to look into.

[ Because yikes. ]

I fear my burgeoning theory may be closer to correct than I had thought. [ Sorry Siffrin. Don’t let that mess you up too much, now. ] I do appreciate that you’ve shared this. ‘Twould only be fair if I did something with it.

[ She pauses. ]

And I imagine that it is even more reason for us to usher in a cure. Have you given thought to inviting someone into our efforts?

[siriuspuns]

Your theory…?

[ They’d like to hear more about it, but…

At her question, he shrinks back, as if it were something he was avoiding. ]

I have… someone in mind. [ They grip their arm with a gloved hand. ] What if he dies tomorrow? Or… or what if he says no?

[ He has to reach out. But the thought of that is as mortifying as the pain in his body right now. ]

[avocations]

That you almost succumbed to the same fate as some of our dead, which would speak to a connection between what occurred there and the loss of those lives.

[ She at least answers him for that, quickly, before crossing her arms. He deserves to at least get some more of her thoughts, after all of that.

But, her focus stays on this new subject. ]

Should something happen, we will continue on. That is all we can do.

[ While she isn’t the sort to say everything will be okay, this is as close to it as she’ll get. ]

We know naught of the future, so act with the intention to see towards a brighter tomorrow.

[siriuspuns]

[ Seeing it spelled out so neatly is a very sobering moment for Siffrin. They almost died. They almost died and threw whatever little process they had made down the drain.

At the very least he does need someone to help him. She's already busy doing other things, the last thing she needs to do is babysit them, too.

(If only you weren't so useless...

But you are. So you need extra help.) ]

I'll... talk to him. It's Hansa, who I'm talking about. I know that there's probably people that are more skilled with medicine and stuff, but... he's good. I think.

[ (You hope that the will of the Universe is leading you to a solution, and not off a cliff.) ]

[avocations]

[ Y'shtola nods. ]

Very well. I trust your judgment of others, and if you feel this is the right decision, then I will stand by it.

[ Oh, and before she forgets— ]

While it is top of mind, we have retrieved the blood of the two infected, Lynne and Yukinosuke. Is there aught else you believe we should gather samples from?

[siriuspuns]

[ Glad to see one of them trusts Siffrin's judgment. Siffrin won't comment further, because he's certain that whatever else they say will probably not help the conversation.

As for her question... ]

Um... I'm not sure. [ They're a traveler! A rogue! ] Uh... maybe something to compare it to?

[ If they have the blood of someone who's sick then... maybe they can get blood from someone who isn't? ]

You can use me, if you want. I don't think I'm sick.

[ Even if so many of the symptoms match with everything wrong with you. ]

[avocations]

If you do not mind. I could draw my own as well, if we want to examine potential differences between them.

[ It's certainly something she doesn't mind doing. ]

Though I agree. You seem rather well to me, rattled by your experience at the museum as you are, so there may be no difference between ours at all. Even so... a worthwhile endeavor nevertheless.

i may be stupid bottom text

[siriuspuns]

Really? Okay!

[ Yay!!! He's gonna get a good grade in role which is a totally normal thing to want to excel at! ]

Well, how do we do this? With a knife, or...?

[ Only the Universe knows when was the last time Siffrin stepped into a doctor's office. ]

aGHAERDSLKGHASDFLKJ

[avocations]

[ Who doesn't love getting a good grade in role!! ]

We could use a knife, yes, though I imagine the infirmary has better tools on offer. If only I could develop a spell to more easily gather it.

[siriuspuns]

[ (YOU REALLY DON'T WANT HER TRYING A SPELL ON YOU.) ]

The infirmary it is!

[ And just to change the topic completely so she doesn't get ideas... ]

So you guys are all working together on this, aren't you? Do you like your team?

[avocations]

[ COME ON JUST ONE SPELL....

But fine, she'll get up and start heading towards the infirmary. ]

We are. I suppose I do, though there is one team that truly has my heart.

[siriuspuns]

[ He'll follow behind her, looking up when she mentions a team.

(You think of your family members, and your heart aches.) ]

Are they... a team that you had back home?

[avocations]

Indeed. The Scions of the Seventh Dawn. Thancred and Urianger themselves are part of that team.

[ She smiles, and it's clear that she's fond of them by the way her voice softens into something much less stern. ]

Though many of our members remain on our star.

[ She misses them terribly, those fools. ]

[siriuspuns]

Urianger and Thancred both?

[ Oh. So that's why Thancred said... ]

So they're your teammates... how did you meet them?

[avocations]

It feels so long ago now... however, we were initially members of the Circle of Knowing under Louisoix Leveilleur. Our aim was to save our realm.

When he passed and was no longer able to lead us, we created the Scions.

[siriuspuns]

Heh, that sounds like more than just some team to me.

[ cracking a smile, Siffrin can’t help but think of their own family members. Odile, Mira, Isa, Bonnie…

Oh, how they miss them. ]

[avocations]

Well, we have managed crisis after crisis together, with new members joining our ranks along the way. So, I suppose you could call us allies as opposed to a team.

[ People she also feels close to, Meteor among them in particular. ]

Have you some familiarity with allies yourself?

[siriuspuns]

I... met some people who became very important to me.

[ Allies at first, turned to friends, turned to family.

They're all they have. ]

They were going to save the country from the King, and I ended up joining them. I'm a traveler, so it's not like I had anything else to do... but we grew close.