Welcome to the Program

[airlockedmods]

[Each Champion is awoken by an alarm ringing from a machine attached to their non-dominant arm. Whatever they were doing, whatever state they were in, they're in a bed now, in good health. And maybe a bit different since the last time they looked in a mirror.

There's a text note on the device attached to their arms.]

Good morning, Champions. In the interest of maintaining healthy sleep patterns, a day/night cycle is in effect. Your presence is expected in the food court in exactly one hour.

[Your surroundings look like your normal everyday space mall. But if you look at the functions of the device on your arm, there's Not-so-familiar profiles, some rules, and a mini-map that'll show you the layout of the mall.

You are free to explore at your leisure...For an hour, at least.]

Comments

[ratherdoweddings]

It's probably more likely that our captors have something none of us thought of.

[daughterofthemark]

I would not be surprised. There seems to be much here I do not understand.

[ratherdoweddings]

Maybe I can help! What's the first thing that you don't recognize?

[daughterofthemark]

[Arianna helplessly looks around, and gestures to RoombaVille.]

[ratherdoweddings]

Oh, those are cleaning robots! You've never seen one before? Don't worry, they're simple. You just give them a routine and they'll vacuum for you so you don't have to sweep.

[daughterofthemark]

So... they perform the work of sweeping on their own? How do they hold the brooms?

[ratherdoweddings]

They've got little swirling things inside them that suck up the dirt and things like that! Then you'd just have to clean them out every so often.

[daughterofthemark]

My, how clever! Like a broom and dustpan in one!

[ratherdoweddings]

A little! I don't know how society got by without them.

[daughterofthemark]

And I cannot say I ever realized there was a need for such things. It is fascinating how quickly things can change.

[ratherdoweddings]

Advancement's never done, is it? People will always keep inventing ways to make life easier.

[daughterofthemark]

Indeed! For instance, I never knew this until recently, but explorers have an item called an Ariadne Thread that allows them to instantly return to town.

[ratherdoweddings]

Wow, really? That must be so convenient! We don't have something like that back home -- and it works for everybody?

[daughterofthemark]

It does! I have used it myself on occasion. It is most useful when one finds oneself wandering, lost.

[ratherdoweddings]

So you're some kind of adventurer, then?

[daughterofthemark]

Not generally. But yes, recently I've been exploring with Guild Starlight.

[ratherdoweddings]

Wow... I have to wonder what all this means. No one's been saying anything that matches up to the facts I know, or with anyone else, either.

[daughterofthemark]

Does it seem possible that we could all simply have been mistaken?

[ratherdoweddings]

Not really likely, I don't think. Still, at this point, we should keep all possibilities in mind.