Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

Yes

13 (46.4%)

No

15 (53.6%)

Total Members Voted: 21

[Glass]

*facepalm*

Is he certain that it's not our fault rather than Erin's? At least to some degree.
I mean, Erin was, last we heard of him, in a jail cell. Unless he's gotten out, I don't think he can be breaking the timeline too badly.

…everyone clap for Glass, he just uncovered the big piece of information I embedded in this one. Yes, Quill being in jail means that Antarctica is no longer off-limits. Fluff writing has begun.

... OH, nice.

I swear to God I don't do this on purpose I just say the stuff that seems obvious to me ._.

[blueturtle1134]

*facepalm*

Is he certain that it's not our fault rather than Erin's? At least to some degree.
I mean, Erin was, last we heard of him, in a jail cell. Unless he's gotten out, I don't think he can be breaking the timeline too badly.

…everyone clap for Glass, he just uncovered the big piece of information I embedded in this one. Yes, Quill being in jail means that Antarctica is no longer off-limits. Fluff writing has begun.

... OH, nice.

I swear to God I don't do this on purpose I just say the stuff that seems obvious to me ._.

I made it fairly obvious as I didn't want to risk losing a whole segment of plot if the readers were dumb. I considered spelling it out, having David say that Quill secluding himself from society might help, but that was a bit too far.

[Glass]

Oh, hey, by the way, how did NaNoRiMo go, Blue? That was, what, last month?

[blueturtle1134]

Oh, hey, by the way, how did NaNoRiMo go, Blue? That was, what, last month?

Yep. Gave up a week in. Combination of not enough time + got disinterested.

If SPAMOVERLORD continues until April, I'll count it as my Camp project.

[blueturtle1134]

“But we need more information. Can we slow the spread of the plague by, say, encouraging hand washing?”

“I’ve tested that. In 68 of the 87 potential timelines, making any public statements about health just encourages panic and actually spreads the plague further, as well as causing social and economical disruption. Only 4 timelines actually contain a decline on plague spread from telling people to wash hands. It’s highly contagious and spreads by air and seems to be mostly moved by carriers traveling long distances. I’ll inform you if these odds change in any way.”

“What do you mean it starts in Santiago? Is it first produced there?”

“No, the first cases are clustered there. I have no clue where it’s produced. As I’ve said, I can only track decisions. Without some initial information on who’s making it for what reason I can’t find where it was first produced.”

“Wait, so if Quill comes here will that fracture the timeline and make your previous prediction of doom incorrect?”

David thought for a moment. “Yes. If he comes here all our predictions are invalidated as he might come up with solutions that we have not, and can not, foresee.”

“But wait. Quill’s in jail. Is he really messing up the timeline that much?”

David stopped in his tracks.

“Quill’s in jail?” he asked.

“Yeah. Padelheb had him jailed on false charges of treachery.”

“And this happened when?” David asked, shocked.

“Uh… a day or so ago?” Celling answered, stunned at David’s response.

David turned around and sprinted down the hallway, hooking a left and running down a side corridor. Celling ran after him, finally catching up as he came to another door on the other side of the building.

“What’s up?” said Celling.

David ignored him. He threw open the door and dashed purposefully outside. “HEY GUYS!” he screamed. “Break time’s over, I want everyone inside right now and ready to sweep the timeline!” He stopped midway down a large hill and turned back to Celling.

“Who are you talking to?” Celling asked.

“You don’t really think I man the listening post by myself, right?” David asked. “There’s around fifty other people that do this for a living.”

“So why didn’t we see anyone?”

“They were all down in the valley playing tennis. We’re on break. I stayed behind because I knew you would come. Well, that you might come at this time.” David looked at Celling again. “Wait, are you absolutely sure that Padelheb has something to do with this? Cause if he doesn’t, we’re wasting our time.”

Your response?

A: “I am absolutely certain that he’s behind this.” (SAN -4)
B: “I don’t know. It absolutely sounds like something he would do.” (SAN -2|0)
C: “He’s a bastard, but wouldn’t stoop to the level of committing genocide.” (SAN -1|0)

(sanity loss from this decision corresponds to Celling’s trepidation at making such a damning accusation to anyone, even an enemy.)


Sanity check

Chose to go unarmed: SAN -3%
(fame carryover only happens when you are in the presence of your colleagues.)

Sanity: 97%
Influence: 98%
Fame: +2

[Glass]

He absolutely was involved in imprisoning Erin. We're guessing that he's going to be involved in the bioattack, but we don't have a way to be certain right now.

Could we maybe give these guys a rundown of recent events in order to make sure that they know which branch we're on?

[blueturtle1134]

He absolutely was involved in imprisoning Erin. We're guessing that he's going to be involved in the bioattack, but we don't have a way to be certain right now.

Could we maybe give these guys a rundown of recent events in order to make sure that they know which branch we're on?

Rundowns do not work. They are precogs only, they can't see the past or present. The only way to verify timeline is by future events, predicted and tested.

I put some real thought into this, remember.

[blueturtle1134]

And yes, David was asking about the bioweapon.

[Glass]

...now here's a question: can he narrow down the multiverse based on what we answer with?

[blueturtle1134]

...now here's a question: can he narrow down the multiverse based on what we answer with?

He's made no predictions even relating to anyone in Antarctica, so no. Everything else you've done since geiing there helps slightly, though.

[Glass]

Would asking him to draw out what actions might show we're in a specific timeline help? Because I'd like a rundown of what the different timelines have in store for us, and signs that we may be in one or another.

Also, B.

[blueturtle1134]

So I didn’t say this before, but it’s relevant so I will.

The way Protinam powers work is “ask a question, get a multitude of answers”

So David might go, “If I tell Celling to come unarmed, will he listen?”

And the timestream will answer, “Timelines 1-78 say he won’t. Timelines 79-343 say he will. Timelines 343-569 say he won’t.” etc.

Or “If I send Celling the note at 9 pm, when will he get here?”

And the timestream says, “Timelines 1-192, 8 am.” etc.

But this is just another way it’s limited. For example, if he wants to gain information on the bioweapon, he can’t go, “Who created the bioweapon,” or “When was the bioweapon made,” or “What was Padelheb doing 3 days ago,” because those don’t include cause and effect.

Nor can he go “What circumstances led to timeline 94,” because he has to ask about something in the future.

Which is why it takes time to scan a sector of the timestream. He has to indirectly garner information by asking things like,

“What if I have Celling provide antivirals to everyone in Antarctica?” (confirms if the virus is natural in Antarctica, but also influenced by distribution speed and travel of information)

“What if I shut down laboratories?” (confirms if was created in a lab)

“What if I restrict Padelheb’s access to test tubes?” (information about how it was created)

“What if I tell Padelheb that committing genocide won’t help?” (motives)

So if you tell him that Padelheb’s responsible for sure, he can start scanning more specifically.

Please continue voting on what to tell him.

Would asking him to draw out what actions might show we're in a specific timeline help? Because I'd like a rundown of what the different timelines have in store for us, and signs that we may be in one or another.

Also, B.

It will be hard for me to simulate ALL the timelines byecause I've already claimed there are hundreds. I'll have a rundown of what proves what in a while, though.

[Glass]

Ok, wait. Let's think of this in terms of probabilities, instead.

Here's the test: if we do something that indicates to Padel that we know about the bioweapon, is the proportion of timelines in which

Aaaaand I had forgotten that it's happening in 100% of timelines. I wanted to do a test for independence, but that's not useful in this situation.
Specifically, I wanted to determine if the proportion of timelines in which it happens is equal to the proportion of timelines in which it happens given we try to get Padel to not do it... but since it's 100% either way, that won't work.

We could try to bluff Padel into revealing that he's involved, but that could run the risk of him doing it even worse, of us getting arrested/invaded/whatever, or worse, actually being wrong.

[blueturtle1134]

Ok, wait. Let's think of this in terms of probabilities, instead.

Here's the test: if we do something that indicates to Padel that we know about the bioweapon, is the proportion of timelines in which

Aaaaand I had forgotten that it's happening in 100% of timelines. I wanted to do a test for independence, but that's not useful in this situation.
Specifically, I wanted to determine if the proportion of timelines in which it happens is equal to the proportion of timelines in which it happens given we try to get Padel to not do it... but since it's 100% either way, that won't work.

We could try to bluff Padel into revealing that he's involved, but that could run the risk of him doing it even worse, of us getting arrested/invaded/whatever, or worse, actually being wrong.

With Antarctica unblocked, the chance may no longer be 100%. Your test of independence will work, and it's likely something David will try.

Thanks!

I was a tad fuzzy on the details of how to examine the present via the future, so thanks. In character, I'll probably pretend David knew this all along.

[FallacyofUrist]

B. Padel's the villain here. Only reason it's not A is because it being Padel seems too obvious.