[Some radio silence from Skulduggery to be expected here and there. When he texts Pal back at last, however, he has more juicy gossip to share!!]
The rain was only meant to last for 1-2 weeks. You may have noticed that turned out to not be the case. The Captain took a second dose of the truth elixir that started this mess in the first place, likely to relearn what he'd forgotten the first time around. He then promptly took a memory charm to forget what he'd learned. AGAIN. He said that he'd taken the charm a total of four times this month alone. There's no reliable way to tell how many times he really took it. "I only forget irrelevant things" he says, having forgotten too much to know that with any certainty! Turns out, he likely forgets information that is either "compromising" or "detrimental." (1/6)
He claims the only reason we're here is to fuel his magic and entertain him with our pain. He has a narrow view of his own project and I fear that's caused more grief and pain than we'll ever be able to uncover.
He said that he wouldn't use the memory charm on himself again. Furthermore, he said that Friday would keep them from him. To quote him: "If I order something once, I cannot take it back no matter what I do." (2/6)
There is a secondary goal that he has been purposefully obfuscating from himself: to ensure he cannot be controlled again. He's clearly forgotten it too many times now, and that amnesia of his has stalled out this project for who knows how long. There are hundreds of passengers who died for nothing, all because he couldn't handle whatever truth he found. We could very well be the next if we don't take more proactive steps to solve this. (3/6)
He mentioned Jenny. ("Guabancex.") She limits her power by asking for memories of emotions, as opposed to taking the emotion as the Captain does. He said that she dragged the passengers of her time out onto the pool deck and slit their throats. I think she may be trying to make up for this by hunting down ways to fight the Captain. I also think that the Captain may have started out similarly, which makes me concerned for Jenny's future. The next time we see her, she may more closely resemble the very thing we're trying to stop. (4/6)
August is likely to be a difficult excursion. "Difficult" being a massive, horrifying understatement, of course. After the events of last month, combined with what he intends to do, he'll need more power than before. I'm sure at least one person will die before the end. Perhaps all of us. Whatever happens, we'll have to accept that some casualties are inevitable. My hope is that the tentative cooperation we're all struggling with will hold. If it doesn't, and even one person turns on the rest of the group... Well. That's how Jenny wound up the way she is. (5/6)
He says that death is the most effective way to gain power. "Your worst pain will always shine brighter than your greatest joy." More confirmation that he is, indeed, a fool. (6/6)
[Drinking tea in the atrium—the water spell is broken! he can have tea again! hallelujah!—Palamedes reads the texts carefully and thinks for a long time before replying. His first text, though, is rather stating the obvious]
For a god-adjacent being who is at least a myriad old, the Captain is VERY VERY bad at this!!! Emperor’s bones, I’ve seen 7 yr olds with a better grasp on theory. And significantly more self-control. I don’t know a lot about spells and charms, but surely lesson one is DON’T SCRAMBLE YOUR BRAIN. Big yikes.
[After another minute or so, he sends another text.]
In any case.
Thank you for the updates. Given this new evidence, I am inclined to return to my previous theory: that he is a sort of necromancer who requires some something like thanergy to fuel his powers. Thus, the pain and violence. Thus, the slowly disintegrating souls. Thus, Jenny’s own need for the same. Perhaps I am trying too hard to make his powers fit my understanding of the world, but the parallels are striking. Even his obsession with control is…familiar.
[Again, there is a pause. Pal is thinking hard about what to say next.]
I know a theorem that could allow the Captain to maintain his power and his autonomy without having to continually kill people. But it’s tricky. It could make the situation worse, particularly if the captain just wanted to keep killing for fun. Also, I don’t have my notes. Let me think.
[yup, you guessed it, another pause]
I’m sure you are right that some people will die in the month ahead. But there is a difference between preparing for that likelihood and accepting casualties as inevitable. The latter may allow people to begin considering certain individuals worth sacrificing, and that way lies chaos. If we are going to maintain this unsteady alliance among passengers, we must fight for one another as much as for ourselves.
[despite their previous disagreement, Skulduggery feels a BIG MOOD over Pal's first text. in the end, they can both agree that MIND-WIPING IS NOT A SOLUTION TO YOUR PROBLEMS.]
Big yikes, indeed. I don't know what he was thinking. OBVIOUSLY, neither does he! 🙄
The necromancer angle still holds water, I agree. We know that he's from Earth, but that only limits the various cults he might belong to. Not mine, certainly. Darlington is from an Earth with magic, so he may be a good resource. There aren't many magically-oriented Earths present, however, so we may be limited in that respect.
Hmm... Best not to be hasty and give him something that may make the situation worse. Although of course, now I'm interested to know what sort of process it would entail. And would it work even if we don't know what the Captain is? Definitely something to keep in mind; let me know if you need my help, whatever it amounts to.
Ah. In this case, I mean more-or-less that, if we're faced with an impossible situation where death is the only safe outcome -- as opposed to, say, torture on the atomic level -- then we should plan to take as much of the suffering out of the equation as possible. I wouldn't suggest we simply turn each other over for wanton destruction. Although, as Natsuno has so helpfully pointed out, there are certainly people aboard who delight in the murder and mayhem. Mmm. It's a tricky position.
[he's thinking about Max, obviously. His favorite friend who loves murdering people with guns. AND SPEAKING OF MAX --]
AH! I just remembered something I need to tell you. Two things, actually.
1) Venti managed to retrieve a star map from Jinx, which was gained when earlier passengers got aboard Jenny's ship. I know your talents lie with reading objects -- would you like to take a look?
2) I learned recently that the Captain has referred to the ship as an "astral chamber." This means very little to me, except that it's like learning which of the fifteen castles in the vicinity is housing the evil lair. Maybe it means something to you?
[Up until now, Palamedes has been hesitant to tell anyone what he discovered at Canaan House, but now he has begun to wonder if what he learned there might be relevant to Captain, and may even be used as a bargaining chip. The idea has stuck, and he can’t quite let it go.]
I know a theorem, or part of a theorem, for becoming what we call a Lyctor. Lyctors are necromancers of almost unlimited power; the first necromancers to ascend did so nearly 10,000 years ago; they founded the Houses and have served the King Undying since.
As in the Captain’s case, maintaining that power requires a sacrifice. But there is a key difference: where the Captain continually requires new souls, the Lyctorhood theorem allows one to absorb the thanergy of a soul—its power—without consuming it. That single soul becomes a sort of well one can return to again and again.
I tell you all of this in confidence. I have qualms about this theorem, to say the least. It’s inefficient and purposefully cruel, and I fear it has caused nothing but harm to my world. There’s an alternative path to Lyctorhood; before I arrived here, I was so close to figuring it out that I could taste it.
Perhaps Lyctorhood will be irrelevant to the Captain. Perhaps, as you note, he is far too different a sort of necromancer for it to have any effect on him. I certainly have no intention of handing him the formula for one of the greatest sources of power I know of without additional study. But it is the closest thing to apotheosis that I have heard of, and for that reason it may be a bargaining chip we can use if necessary.
First, though, I need to see if I can recreate my notes. I may need your advice. Consulting Darlington is an excellent suggestion, and I suspect Colonel Curtis might be able to contribute as well.
[And now for the rest; wow, these texts just keep getting longer and longer]
RE: the possibility of necessary death: forgive my misunderstanding. In that case, I am inclined to agree with your assessment. I suspect the time may come when each one of us will have to decide for ourselves if we prefer to die, and potentially return whole, or if we prefer the kind of suffering you describe to the potentiality of ceasing to exist.
Interestingly, Venti mentioned such a star chart to me once! But I am afraid he was never able to retrieve it for me. I would be happy to examine it.
I’m afraid that astral chamber means nothing to me, but perhaps it would be worth examining the books aboard for references to such a thing? Given the Captain’s penchant for recreating stories, the novels aboard are turning out to be a better source of information than I had initially suspected.
You have my word that I will not share any of this information. Frankly, I wouldn't have the vocabulary necessary to truly explain it, and I don't trust spells that are designed to bring about unlimited (or near-enough) power. Too many things can go wrong, even when you know what you're doing, and with something as complicated as necromancy, where other people's lives are by necessity involved...
That said, if it isn't one of the many ascension rituals he's said to have tried, he'll likely want to give it a try. Best if we keep that one under our hats until you're certain you have something a bit less... awful.
I'll make sure to bring it to you soon. Jinx... drew on the back of it, and Venti implied she would want it back, so... temporary access, I suppose.
Yet another trip to the library. Whoopee. 💀
[HE'S JUST PLAYING, the library is great! But yeah, there's a lot of fiction and he is getting a little tired of it all.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[text] 1st of august
The rain was only meant to last for 1-2 weeks. You may have noticed that turned out to not be the case.
The Captain took a second dose of the truth elixir that started this mess in the first place, likely to relearn what he'd forgotten the first time around.
He then promptly took a memory charm to forget what he'd learned. AGAIN.
He said that he'd taken the charm a total of four times this month alone.
There's no reliable way to tell how many times he really took it.
"I only forget irrelevant things" he says, having forgotten too much to know that with any certainty!
Turns out, he likely forgets information that is either "compromising" or "detrimental." (1/6)
He claims the only reason we're here is to fuel his magic and entertain him with our pain.
He has a narrow view of his own project and I fear that's caused more grief and pain than we'll ever be able to uncover.
He said that he wouldn't use the memory charm on himself again.
Furthermore, he said that Friday would keep them from him.
To quote him: "If I order something once, I cannot take it back no matter what I do." (2/6)
There is a secondary goal that he has been purposefully obfuscating from himself: to ensure he cannot be controlled again.
He's clearly forgotten it too many times now, and that amnesia of his has stalled out this project for who knows how long.
There are hundreds of passengers who died for nothing, all because he couldn't handle whatever truth he found.
We could very well be the next if we don't take more proactive steps to solve this. (3/6)
He mentioned Jenny. ("Guabancex.") She limits her power by asking for memories of emotions, as opposed to taking the emotion as the Captain does.
He said that she dragged the passengers of her time out onto the pool deck and slit their throats.
I think she may be trying to make up for this by hunting down ways to fight the Captain.
I also think that the Captain may have started out similarly, which makes me concerned for Jenny's future.
The next time we see her, she may more closely resemble the very thing we're trying to stop. (4/6)
August is likely to be a difficult excursion. "Difficult" being a massive, horrifying understatement, of course.
After the events of last month, combined with what he intends to do, he'll need more power than before.
I'm sure at least one person will die before the end. Perhaps all of us. Whatever happens, we'll have to accept that some casualties are inevitable.
My hope is that the tentative cooperation we're all struggling with will hold. If it doesn't, and even one person turns on the rest of the group...
Well. That's how Jenny wound up the way she is. (5/6)
He says that death is the most effective way to gain power.
"Your worst pain will always shine brighter than your greatest joy."
More confirmation that he is, indeed, a fool. (6/6)
Re: [text] 1st of august
For a god-adjacent being who is at least a myriad old, the Captain is VERY VERY bad at this!!! Emperor’s bones, I’ve seen 7 yr olds with a better grasp on theory. And significantly more self-control. I don’t know a lot about spells and charms, but surely lesson one is DON’T SCRAMBLE YOUR BRAIN. Big yikes.
[After another minute or so, he sends another text.]
In any case.
Thank you for the updates. Given this new evidence, I am inclined to return to my previous theory: that he is a sort of necromancer who requires some something like thanergy to fuel his powers. Thus, the pain and violence. Thus, the slowly disintegrating souls. Thus, Jenny’s own need for the same. Perhaps I am trying too hard to make his powers fit my understanding of the world, but the parallels are striking. Even his obsession with control is…familiar.
[Again, there is a pause. Pal is thinking hard about what to say next.]
I know a theorem that could allow the Captain to maintain his power and his autonomy without having to continually kill people. But it’s tricky. It could make the situation worse, particularly if the captain just wanted to keep killing for fun. Also, I don’t have my notes. Let me think.
[yup, you guessed it, another pause]
I’m sure you are right that some people will die in the month ahead. But there is a difference between preparing for that likelihood and accepting casualties as inevitable. The latter may allow people to begin considering certain individuals worth sacrificing, and that way lies chaos. If we are going to maintain this unsteady alliance among passengers, we must fight for one another as much as for ourselves.
no subject
Big yikes, indeed. I don't know what he was thinking. OBVIOUSLY, neither does he! 🙄
[he's thinking about Max, obviously. His favorite friend who loves murdering people with guns. AND SPEAKING OF MAX --]The necromancer angle still holds water, I agree. We know that he's from Earth, but that only limits the various cults he might belong to. Not mine, certainly. Darlington is from an Earth with magic, so he may be a good resource. There aren't many magically-oriented Earths present, however, so we may be limited in that respect.
Hmm... Best not to be hasty and give him something that may make the situation worse. Although of course, now I'm interested to know what sort of process it would entail. And would it work even if we don't know what the Captain is? Definitely something to keep in mind; let me know if you need my help, whatever it amounts to.
Ah. In this case, I mean more-or-less that, if we're faced with an impossible situation where death is the only safe outcome -- as opposed to, say, torture on the atomic level -- then we should plan to take as much of the suffering out of the equation as possible. I wouldn't suggest we simply turn each other over for wanton destruction. Although, as Natsuno has so helpfully pointed out, there are certainly people aboard who delight in the murder and mayhem. Mmm. It's a tricky position.
AH! I just remembered something I need to tell you. Two things, actually.
1) Venti managed to retrieve a star map from Jinx, which was gained when earlier passengers got aboard Jenny's ship. I know your talents lie with reading objects -- would you like to take a look?
2) I learned recently that the Captain has referred to the ship as an "astral chamber." This means very little to me, except that it's like learning which of the fifteen castles in the vicinity is housing the evil lair. Maybe it means something to you?
no subject
I know a theorem, or part of a theorem, for becoming what we call a Lyctor. Lyctors are necromancers of almost unlimited power; the first necromancers to ascend did so nearly 10,000 years ago; they founded the Houses and have served the King Undying since.
As in the Captain’s case, maintaining that power requires a sacrifice. But there is a key difference: where the Captain continually requires new souls, the Lyctorhood theorem allows one to absorb the thanergy of a soul—its power—without consuming it. That single soul becomes a sort of well one can return to again and again.
I tell you all of this in confidence. I have qualms about this theorem, to say the least. It’s inefficient and purposefully cruel, and I fear it has caused nothing but harm to my world. There’s an alternative path to Lyctorhood; before I arrived here, I was so close to figuring it out that I could taste it.
Perhaps Lyctorhood will be irrelevant to the Captain. Perhaps, as you note, he is far too different a sort of necromancer for it to have any effect on him. I certainly have no intention of handing him the formula for one of the greatest sources of power I know of without additional study. But it is the closest thing to apotheosis that I have heard of, and for that reason it may be a bargaining chip we can use if necessary.
First, though, I need to see if I can recreate my notes. I may need your advice. Consulting Darlington is an excellent suggestion, and I suspect Colonel Curtis might be able to contribute as well.
[And now for the rest; wow, these texts just keep getting longer and longer]
RE: the possibility of necessary death: forgive my misunderstanding. In that case, I am inclined to agree with your assessment. I suspect the time may come when each one of us will have to decide for ourselves if we prefer to die, and potentially return whole, or if we prefer the kind of suffering you describe to the potentiality of ceasing to exist.
Interestingly, Venti mentioned such a star chart to me once! But I am afraid he was never able to retrieve it for me. I would be happy to examine it.
I’m afraid that astral chamber means nothing to me, but perhaps it would be worth examining the books aboard for references to such a thing? Given the Captain’s penchant for recreating stories, the novels aboard are turning out to be a better source of information than I had initially suspected.
no subject
You have my word that I will not share any of this information. Frankly, I wouldn't have the vocabulary necessary to truly explain it, and I don't trust spells that are designed to bring about unlimited (or near-enough) power. Too many things can go wrong, even when you know what you're doing, and with something as complicated as necromancy, where other people's lives are by necessity involved...
[HE'S JUST PLAYING, the library is great! But yeah, there's a lot of fiction and he is getting a little tired of it all.]That said, if it isn't one of the many ascension rituals he's said to have tried, he'll likely want to give it a try. Best if we keep that one under our hats until you're certain you have something a bit less... awful.
I'll make sure to bring it to you soon. Jinx... drew on the back of it, and Venti implied she would want it back, so... temporary access, I suppose.
Yet another trip to the library. Whoopee. 💀