2 - dictated

[deathscript]

Has anyone here bothered with any of the games on CastleNet? Namely, I'd like to know about the one called "Epidemic." If anyone else has any experience with it, some tips on how to beat it would be lovely, since I've wasted away a good chunk of my week on this game, and I'd love to finally see some payoff.

Is it even possible to win?

[a long pause, and then, in a low voice]

Would it be cheating if I kept rerolling until I got Madagascar as my starting region?

Comments

dictated;

[freeslider]

I honestly haven't done much with CastleNet yet. I really should. I don't remember there being games like this on the internet back where I came from. Or I guess I should say "when".

[deathscript]

Oh, really? In my world, we were just starting to get games like this. What year is it in your world?

[freeslider]

1999. You?

[ooc: give or take a year. The timeline on the series is a little fuzzy]

[deathscript]

Looks like I'm just one year behind you. It's 1998 where I come from.

[freeslider]

Huh. Well, to be fair, I've been a little out of touch. Half the places I've been traveling to don't even have the internet. Sometimes not even computers. [Or any idea of what they were, even]

[deathscript]

I see. We come from very different backgrounds, then. Before I ended up here, I was living in the only city in my country where every household was connected to the net, so I guess the people there have always been a bit ahead of the curve when it came to anything having to do with computers.

[freeslider]

I wouldn't doubt it. I've met a lot of people from different Earths, and sometimes the differences are huge and sometimes they're so small you wouldn't even notice at first.

[deathscript]

Interesting. Have you been here for long?

[freeslider]

Um...nine or ten months, if that's long? I don't know anymore. But that's only part of the reason...

[deathscript]

What's the whole reason, then? If you don't mind me asking.

[freeslider]

This is usually the part where people think I've gone crazy, but it's maybe less of a problem here. When I said I was traveling, it wasn't to different countries, but to alternate versions of Earth. Parallel worlds.

[deathscript]

[He's not terribly surprised, at this point.]

What does that mean for you here? Can you freely leave the castle, or...?

[freeslider]

I wish, but no. I didn't have the timer on me when I got here, and even if I did, I doubt it'd be that easy.

[deathscript]

So it's a timer that lets you travel? Interesting.

As someone who's visited so many worlds, what do you make of this place? This whole business about different worlds is kind of hard for me to wrap my mind around, I'd love to learn more.

[freeslider]

I'd tell you more if I could. It was my friend Quinn that designed it. It's what opens up the tunnels. But I'm not a scientist. Just someone along for the ride. Honestly? Not a whole lot I've seen surprises me, but the whole magic thing is what drives me for a loop. Not that it exists, so much, but how it changes everything. At least we had some control over part of it before. Now I never know what I'm going to wake up to, so to speak.

Dictated

[onlyanapple]

As the fine purveyor of entertainment that brought you those delightful little games, I promise you that you can, indeed, win.

Seems the whole plague business was easier for Moses, hmmm?

[deathscript]

So you're the one I should be blaming for the fact that I've been glued to a screen for the past week or so?

I'd imagine that everything's quite a bit easier when you have a deity on your side.

[onlyanapple]

I am, and that's good to hear, that's exactly what I was aiming for.

Oh, I don't know so much about that. They also get in the way. Pushy, and all that.

[deathscript]

You know, the last time I had a conversation with a guy who dealt in incredibly addictive games, he turned out to be working with demons to extract human souls. You wouldn't happen to be after my soul, would you?

Are you speaking from experience?

[onlyanapple]

Well, I am a demon, no point in denying that. But I'm retired at this precise moment in time, I'm not interested in your soul.

Yes. Unfortunately.

[deathscript]

You actually are a demon.

[wow, he sure didn't see that coming.]

And you're... retired. Huh.

Well, I can see why you wouldn't be a fan of gods, then.

[onlyanapple]

Bona fide and everything.

Just know the one, and we don't exactly have the best relationship. You know how it is.

[deathscript]

Can't say that I have firsthand knowledge, since you're the first demon I've talked with to bring it up, but I can imagine.

What does it mean for a demon to be retired?

[onlyanapple]

Oh lucky me, I'm your first.

It means I don't try to taint your soul so you end up going to Hell. [Not that he was especially good at that anyway, but still...]

[deathscript]

I didn't think that was something you could just retire from. Shows how much I know, I guess.

[onlyanapple]

You can retire from just about anywhere, if you have the know how.

[deathscript]

Is that so? I don't suppose you would be kind enough to impart me with this knowledge?

[onlyanapple]

I don't know, I'm not very good at sharing.

[deathscript]

I figured. Guess I'll have to try to figure it out on my own.

[onlyanapple]

Good luck with that, you'll likely need it.

[deathscript]

Will you consider giving me a hint?

[onlyanapple]

You can phone a friend, if you like.

[deathscript]

I doubt an interdimensional phone call would go through.

[onlyanapple]

You never know until you try,

[deathscript]

Are there even phones here?

[onlyanapple]

Sure, a bloke called Tony Stark put a network up.

[toobravehearted]

Oh... Dear.

I've tried to avoid the games on CastleNet.

[Guess what he's playing right now.]

[deathscript]

That's probably a wise decision, I think.

[toobravehearted]

Right. Absolutely. Couldn't agree more.

[Except in muttered words and a tad irritated as he plays,] Oh, come on!

Who put you up to advertising this?

[deathscript]

[He laughs.]

Unfortunately, I'm not receiving any money or other form of compensation for this. It'd be nice, though.

It would certainly help ease my frustration.

[toobravehearted]

Hmm. There's a reason why parents say children shouldn't play video games all day.

Why are you playing the games? You say you've been at this for most of the week, I'm imagining that you've forgotten what walking and sunlight are.

[deathscript]

Well, I was a contract coder before I wound up in this place, so I'm used to spending most of my time in front of a screen. I guess I missed my computer just a bit.

And maybe I'm just not used to how CastleNet works yet, but I couldn't find much else to do on there. Aside from playing games, I mean.

[toobravehearted]

I think that's the point of it really, for one to waste their time on. A contract coder, hmm. Feel like making an improvement of this network do you?

I'm the Doctor, by the way. Hello.