In Darkness - Network

I really don't want to add to the horrific that is today, but ... Well, the only person who could make the potion that keeps me from going savage is dead.

So, we need a plan, and working with the assumption we're stuck here through the moon ... It should be a plan we can act on quickly.

I suggest some wizards warding off a couple of rooms for me and Remus so we stay safely locked up Friday night, but I'm open to suggestions.

I'm new here, but I'm sure that those people meant something to all of you. If anyone needs anything, let me know. I'll take care of anything you need.

[Matt is seated in the hospital/lab area. Behind him are an array of exam tables, each with a body covered with a sheet.]

So, oops. Man, we've really got to stop making these mistakes. See, we meant to send the bears to you guys, but accidentally sent them to Algul Siento. Well, the armor wasn't there, obviously, because hey -- you guys have it -- and before we could get the bears back, they ... well, they went on a rampage.

We recovered the bodies and cleaned up some of them.

[He moved away from the camera, and it pans to the first covered body. He draws the sheet back revealing "Lily" in torn, bloody clothing that clearly displays her torn-open throat and a series of six criss-crossing slashes on her middle.

The next body displayed is that of Severus in a similar state, though his middle is significantly more savaged.

Last, but not least, he pulls the sheet away from the shortest body, revealing Lizzy, recognizable only by her face as the rest of her is composed of so many scratches and nearly detached limbs.

The camera then pans over the rest of the bodies; faces and hair are exposed to imply the remainder of the population is gone as well, though no one else gets a close-up.]

Sorry. Such a shame; these were some of our best subjects. Anyway, we're working on getting the island cleaned up and ... we'll move you guys there this weekend. We'll try not to put you in any of the rooms that have blood in them, all right?

Excellent. See you soon.

[He reaches forward and turns off the camera]

Dug found a very large helmet, sort of fit for a bear, in the library.

Who wants to play hide and seek to find any of the rest of it?

And do we think this means we get bears here?

This is seriously messed up.

His-- the helmet-- who thought it would be a good idea for this?

I don't even know how to respond, or think or... what?

Galaxies!

Given that the clues of the lottery seem to point toward the panserbjorne of Svalbard, I will tell you what I know of them.

The two riddles seemed to imply "ice" and "bear". The map was fairly self-explanatory; it had Svalbard circled. I'm not certain what the alethiometer is meant to represent in the theme present. The bears don't use them. The prophecy child, Lyra, had one, and she did trick the bear-king into agreeing to engage in single combat with a challenger. Perhaps we're meant to trick the bears, but I won't speculate on that.

Alethiometer are used to detect the truth in things. The explanation is lengthy and I believe pointless in context, but perhaps someone else may be able to work out the relevance of one in the theme of clues. I'd be willing to go into what I know of them if anyone believes it would be helpful.

The panserbjorne are generally solitary creatures, though their kingdom is in the far north, centered near Svalbard. They have a monarchy, though the king can be displaced by losing a challenge of single combat to another bear. The bear king when I was taken was Iorek Byrnison, who was a friend to the prophecy child. There may be some connection there, but again, I won't offer any speculation.

The bears are known as armor-bears because of their skills as metal smiths and their ability to form intricate armor from a substance they call 'sky-iron', or metal obtained from meteorites. Their armor is to them what dæmon are to us. They pour themselves into their armor; it is their protection from other bears and it may bear some symbolism, but any other superstition attached to the armor remains a secret from me.

It did once reach my ear that Iorek's armor was stolen from him and the men who took it did not live to tell of it, but that is third or fourth hand knowledge and I don't know how reliable it is.

I don't know if any of this is helpful, and I'd be willing to expand upon any points anyone thinks may be relevant.

- Isadora

What is this weird thing that shows the letters I am typing? Is there a limit to the number of letters and words I can type? It has a bunch of funny looking keys, too. And what about that Enter key? Does that mean I go through this screen? Is that the way I go back home and how I got here? Or is some type of journal thing? Well, here it goes!

Oh. That was boring. Enter just made a new line. Maybe that send button over there? But how to I push it? The arrow buttons aren't doing anything. What is the point of non-working arrows, anyway?

Oh! What was that pointing arrow on the screen!?!? It moved when I bumped this thing to the right. Oh, I can push the buttons and it does stuff!

Okay, clicking send now! Maybe this will send me home!

I would just like to inform everyone that contrary to what you might hear otherwise, I did not spend the majority of the week huddled in the corner of my closet.

I've been out and around. Just ask anyone who saw me.

Oh no! I didn't win the lottery that the people who kidnapped me held! That just blows all doesn't it.

And you know kidnappers give the best prizes.

You know. I was just thinking to myself how fun it would be to get kidnapped and see what it's like to live in a shitty movie. Dream come true, huh?

For real though, give me my guns and let me go.