NYM

[as the gallant heroes traipse down the trap door in the terrace, they climb a ladder down into a huge chamber.



now imagine it with a huge glowing staticy tear in spacetime in the middle of it. there are four more members of exspesiat grouped around it, hoods up, chanting in unison. also, they planted trees.

temperance leads quorra by the arm to the rift.]

[the corrupted nym girls seem to be busy munching on hoo residents. the streets are clear. best make a run for the palace now before you miss your chance.]

[none of u guys are here to end the arc so the demon bitches are still swarming the city]

[eating all ur hoos]

[not dying]

[etc]

[also EVERYTHING IS FROZEN OVER BY THIS POINT. everything. house doors frozen shut. hoos turned to icicles in the street. deer mounts dead.]

[DAMN GUYS CALM DOWN]

[this is an intermission while we wait for everyone to be ready for more plot]

[a hooded figure approaches the docked boat housing most of the non-nymians. he's carrying several parcels in expensive looking wrapping.]

I've brought food. I need to speak with you.

[a huge thunderstorm is raging outside the caves. the rain is slanted enough to pour in. enjoy your spore rain.

also, the air has so much static in it that even being near something metallic is likely to get you shocked. there are little static clouds around that are visible as well. just crackling away. kind of unnatural. don't you think. maybe you should investigate that. maybe it has something to do with the weather. maybe.]

[time for your daily weather forecast]

[its DARK and COLD and your dick has FROSTBITE. if you have less than two layers on expect to freeze to death. that's all.]

[the note is laid on the frozen steps of the palace, kept from blowing away by a rock.]

Footsteps. Echoing above my head. How long have I been hiding?

I can't lose hope. You have to find these letters. If not today, then tomorrow. Or the day after. You have to come for me. Before they do.

I'll never have to hide again. I'll be safe, at last.

I don't recall the last time I so much as stepped into the sunlight. It's been so long.


This will be my last letter. If it falls into the wrong hands again, I'll have no choice.



Please. They don't know anything yet.

[its a quiet night except for the howling of beasts coming from up high. id suggest you do something about that food problem before you all starve.]

[The note is tear stained. it's the one left behind in the scuffle before all the shit went down.]

Maybe you still don't know.

Maybe it's too late.

It took me too long to understand why they were coming after me again. These things only care about vengeance. I made a mistake. I wish I could go back and undo what I've done.

I'm so scared.

[The next note is balled up, as if it had been thrown from a distance.]

Everything's going to hell out there. Nothing could make me open that door again!

I don't care who finds this letter. I made sure it'd end up in good hands, no matter what. If you're reading this, it means you can help me. We can help each other.

You must have realized by now how much of a threat they are.

[this city sucks to live in rn ngl. even if you're a legal citizen most of the city is frozen over. the areas that are most habitable are the ones that are directly illuminated by sunlight. the lowermost levels are almost completely encased. even the palace is freezing over.

the likelihood of running into a wailing hoo that has lost a son or daughter continues to increase. more notices for missing persons appear on the bulletin board.

at night, the sound of beasts roars can be heard from above. it's impossible to pinpoint exactly where from. the noise echoes through the empty streets.]

[livestock is dying. food reserves are running low. but the good news is you don't have to stay in hiding! at least, if you get married. or adopt someone. if not you can huddle there like a jew.]

[but there's still the you're going to starve thing to worry about.]

[your move, nym.]

[the city is still quiet, but most of the hoos have ventured out of their houses by now. the streets are frozen over, but populated with tightly bundled hoos who try to peddle their trade in the frigid weather.

the head of guard once again holds an important announcement in the middle of the city. she reads from a document with fancy letterhead and elegant script.]

The Order of Hyle decrees at this time, a census. Any one not registered on the census at this time will be deported post-haste. Details of the census will be posted round the city.

[she repeats the announcement several times for the entire city to hear, and then returns to the palace.]

[the document posted around the city reads like she explained, except for a few clauses left out of the announcement, which read:

the marriage clause; wherein marriage for a non-resident(s) denotes residency be it with each other or to an existing resident. Marriage constitutes the union of two same-sex sentient life forms.

&

the adoption clause; wherein parenthood denotes residency

[WILL NEVER FOLLOW JACK'S PLAN AGAIN. never. his plans are even worse than sherlock's and that's saying something.]

[cripples his way secretly to the docks because it'd make sense that people are hiding there.]

[most of the city is quiet. robot parts are strewn over the cobblestone like so much trash. the streets are completely empty like a ghost town, except for three members of the guard surveying the damage on their fruity deer mounts. the ice has gotten so bad that even the robot carcasses have started to freeze over.]

[the head guard turns to the others and waves them forward]

Keep looking.

[an official notice is being posted to every board in nym by frantic guards. in the middle of the city, the head guard is announcing something to a crowd of hoos.]

...t this time, we are prepared to offer a full pardon to any wanted outsider for the information leading to the capture of any other outsider. Any outsider who provides this information will be considered an honorary citizen of the Nymphaeum. You are encouraged to step forward at this time. We have no desire to see any more injure...


[it goes on like this for some time.]

[really you guys?]

[well the guards couldn't catch you, so they've contracted it out to bounty hunters. there are wanted posters all over town. also, the search has escalated from the prisoners to any outsider at all.]

[if youre not in hiding expect a runin with a bounty hunter.]

[seems like the rumors were right. the guards are on heavy patrol tonight. looks like they're looking for someone(s) in particular. best to stay out of their way.]

[if you listen closely you can hear some of them grumbling about the job.]

[there seems to be a strange electrical current in the air in addition to the frigid weather.

you may find yourself getting shocked if you make contact with metal objects.]