TRAVELS // WITH // METHUSELAH

[singmod]

T R A V E L S // W I T H // M E T H U S E L A H

"Well then, Newcomer. Let us see what we can make of you."

When players go on hiatus, they may choose to have their characters go on travels with Methuselah for an amount of time. Here, out in the wilds, they will spend time honing a skill — trapping, archery, tracking, fire-craft, field-dressing, fishing. This, however, will come with a price: injury and illness are common, and the exchange OOCly is character being injured along the way, or getting ill. Rest assured, Methuselah will look after a character when something unfortunate befalls them — and he will safely return them back to the safety of Milton.

While he is a man of few words, and unused to companionship for the most part — he will talk to characters about things. He will be focused on the task at hand, the skill they're working on, he may tell stories he has grown up with — folk tales, and off the like. But he is also sympathetic to the plight of the Interlopers, and will do his best to help them in terms of information.

Characters will be able to ask Methuselah questions whilst on travels with him, but this is limited to only three. Players/characters must choose their questions carefully, and Methuselah will try his best to answer them. Characters may not like the response given, but that's the chance they have to take.

Here, you will find interactions with Methuselah: short threads that can be played out or handwaved with Mod discussion. Handwaved interactions can simply be the three questions posted by character and the response.

Please note that this is only open to players who have gone on Hiatus and chosen Option Two, and following the acceptance of this by Mods. This feature is entirely optional.

An organised list of all information discovered can be read here.

Comments

La'an Noonien-Singh | October 2023

[singmod]

[ As the sun hangs low on the horizon, and the temperature begins to drop, a shallow cave is as good a place to shelter than any — out of the. It will be home for tonight, one that has been frequented often by Methuselah as a place of refuge. The old man sits within with his newest companion, hovering by the fire — readying the caught rabbits to cook upon it. ]

You have done well today, Newcomer. [ He works the meat upon a a spit, and happy with his work. Sits back to watch them cook. The silence is easy for him, and he is content to exist within it. But the old man looks thoughtful for a long moment, and for some time it looks as if he may not speak at all. ]

... You will have questions. [ It breaks the silence so suddenly. ] The feast was not an easy time to speak, with so much to do. But I understand you must have many, all of you do.

[ There is sympathy in his expression, his brow creasing. He considers for a moment, the offers: ]

Three questions. I may not have all the answers you seek, but I will do my best to answer some of them.

[rescapee]

[ A measure of guilt clings to La'an as she stays close to the fire, ready to assist in any way she can. Some part of her feels she should have stayed in the town, especially with the strange occurrences of late, but she knows that logically this is a better place for her. She needs to learn more about how to survive here, and this man can teach her.

Also, she's been hoping she might be able to learn more about... anything involving this place. Why they're here. How. So far, he hasn't been very chatty, and she's taken the cues to know when not to press and risk pushing her host too far. (Tact isn't her strongest suit but she's managed well enough during her undercover missions.) So when he offers her answers, insomuch as he has them, she takes her own long moment to think about what to start with. ]

Those bodies we found when we first arrived. Those people lived here. There are records of them noticing things changing before they died... What did you notice back then?

[singmod]

[ It is a good question, he thinks. And he nods at it before he answers. ]

An imbalance. A decline. [ That is the short of it. The most simple answer he can give. ] People often notice things after it is too late, when things have already long since been set into motion. The Northern Territories have long suffered change, perhaps even more further afield. I cannot say for certain.

[ He does not know of the Mainland. He only knows what he knows, which is here. But she means for specifics, and he continues: ]

Colder summers and even colder winters — snow lasting far longer than it ever should. Storms more frequent, more ferocious than before — and growing at an ever-increasing rate. Nature is... disturbed. The bears awakening from hibernation far too soon, wolves and wildcats grown far more aggressive. Some even dropping dead without any notable cause. Ptarmigans abandoning their eggs, kits buried in their nests, beasts eating their young.

[rescapee]

[ An imbalance. Nature being disturbed. It's likely that there is a scientific explanation for all of this, some element or entity influencing the world in measurable ways, but she isn't a scientist. As much as she would truly hate for any of her crew to be trapped here as well, she can't help but wish longingly that someone else was here to tackle this challenge with her. Spock, Chris, Una... Hell, she'd even take Sam Kirk, at this point. None of them are here, though, so all she can do is investigate and record and hope that someone else can do something with the data she gathers.

It's clear the old man doesn't have all the concrete answers she so desperately desires, but even his opinions and theories might shed some light on the pieces she's missing of this puzzle. ]

We've heard a voice... It calls us Interlopers and preys on our darkest thoughts. I think it's tried to convince more than a few of us to end our own lives. Have you heard it?

[singmod]

[ The mention of a voice piques his interest and he frowns thoughtfully as he listens along. There is recognition in his eyes. A worry — one of that of the Newcomers. Existence here is difficult enough. He is sombre as he confirms with a nod. ]

I have. [ There is a pause before he adds grimly: ] ...It has tried to convince me not to help you. To let you fade into the Long Dark.

[ His laugh is humourless, eyebrows raising as he considers. Yes, it will try to convince him, but he remains unconvinced. ]

Interloper. The fly in the ointment. A piece of a puzzle thrown into a different box. You were never supposed to be here. It knows this, and it wishes rid of you. It will do whatever it can to ensure that feat.

[rescapee]

[ His words confirm what she'd already suspected while adding the new element of the voice trying to extend its influence even to those native to this place. The pool of constant dread within her deepens as she listens, and she wraps her arms around herself at the last.

Only one question left. She doesn't have to think about it to know what she needs to ask next. ]

If it didn't bring us here, what do you think did?

[singmod]

[ In truth, he cannot be sure. There is no good answer for such a question. His eyes look upwards, towards the roof of the cave. He means past it, towards the heavens. The lights in the sky. It seems like the only answer it could be. ]

I suspect the Auroras have brought you here.

[ There's a pause before he quietly adds. ]

... You were not the first. Another came here, long before you all. She wandered in from the wilds. Enola. But I do not know where she might be, or if she is even alive.