Video - End of Lasohm/start of Malom, about a day after the breach is resealed

[twistedempathy]

[The city is still in a state of disarray, though the fighting is over. Everyone will surely need to pitch in for some extensive repair work to make Havenwell what it once was. Will is sitting on a somewhat mangled chair on a cafe's patio, disheveled and powdered with stone dust, looking more exhausted and discouraged than most people here have ever seen him--unless, of course, they happened to help him endure the agony of the battle's psychic backlash.

He's doing his best to smile regardless, and holds up a slightly rumpled piece of paper to show the camera; on it are some surprisingly good line art head shots of Akira, Akechi, and Kei done in pen. They may not be exactly artistic, but they're at least faithful to their subject matter; he's even helpfully tagged each with hair and eye colors, since he could only work in monochrome.]

Has anyone seen these three recently? My roommates all vanished during the fighting. I figured they must have had their hands full, and maybe they got hurt and needed to stay with someone, but.....

They aren't answering their tablets, and they're not at any of the temples. I've been searching around town, but I haven't found them yet, and Arche can't pick up any scent trails, either. I'm starting to think maybe they got sick, and..... got worse.

[Anyone who's seen or experienced the strange illness that can grip the newcomers may understand what he's talking about, and why he's so worried--people fading out of existence entirely is a frightening prospect. His voice is quieter now, as he reaches out to end the recording and submit it to the network.]

.....I'm not sure I want to stay in my house anymore.

Comments

[Audio]

[original_is_best]

Perhaps the jail?

It may be prudent to check with what authority figures are available here.

Audio

[twistedempathy]

[He'll click over to audio too, to keep things nice and tidy; Verstael already knows what all three of them look like, after all.]

Oh--you're right, I haven't checked there yet. I don't know what kind of trouble they could have gotten into during the fighting, but it can't hurt to ask.

Audio

[original_is_best]

It wouldn't be the first time. Considering the destruction, forming some search parties may be another step to take. They knew each other, after all, so it wouldn't be so strange if they happened to be together if they became trapped somewhere.

If you're heading to the jail, ask the natives what methods they use for searches. We could also do our own sweep of the city to note any damage that people could be caught in. They may not be the only ones trapped somewhere - and while I have advised asking the natives, I would not rely solely on them.

I can begin in the south. If you have some others that are reliable, begin by assigning west, north, then east.

[twistedempathy]

I've been checking where I can. There aren't a lot of places damaged enough where they could be trapped under rubble, thankfully.

[It does explain why he's filthy, at least. Digging through debris isn't exactly glamorous work.]

I don't know if anyone else wants to commit to search parties, but I'll definitely ask the natives how they search, at least.

[Audio]

[original_is_best]

Then I will start south, head east, north, and then west, while you can start west, head north and then east. We should be able to cover the entire ground in time. The first 72 hours is crucial, so it's best to do it quickly.

[twistedempathy]

R-right. If anyone else wants to pitch in, I'll make sure they take directions that haven't been covered yet.

[He's never had to be a part of something like this, honestly. Rescue attempts, search parties--it's the sort of thing he'd normally leave to the police. But how can he just sit back and wait while his friends could be hurt or sick or trapped? Maybe the local law enforcement will know something, if he goes to the jail, or be able to find them once he asks--but he can't leave them to do it all themselves.]

[original_is_best]

Contact me if you receive any updates. I will keep a log of potential areas to be scavenged, and we should make sure to have the entire area covered by tonight so that we can begin recovery efforts.

[twistedempathy]

I'll do that. Good luck, Ver.

[It's going to be a long, long day, and probably a just as long night. He's already been roaming the city, but that doesn't mean there's not still a lot of ground to cover. First, the jail, then he can get back to combing the rest of the city for likely damaged buildings and treacherous areas.....]