Fugue Why

Ask him how he ended up here. It will give you clues about where you are, who is in charge, and maybe even what may happen if you let him out.

Ask him what this place is.

> "What are you going to do once you are out of the shackles?"

>since you arn't in any immediate danger I would like to ask, what did I help you remember?
>ok I think it's best to tread lightly. while this guy isn't dead, they're certainly chained up for a reason. However, even if your question is why is he shackled down here they might just lie.

Stefervin: "FEEL FREE TO TAKE YOUR TIME, HARVESTER. CONSIDER IT CAREFULLY.
Kevin: "Uh. Just let me, um, confer with the voices... for a bit."
Stefervin: "OF COURSE."
Kevin: "Right, so the memory... uh, Stefervin could you... um... step back a little. You're, maybe, uh, just standing a little closer than I'm, you know... comfortable with."
Stefervin: "OF COURSE... ... BETTER?"
Head Thing: "nyehehehe!"
Kevin: "Yeah... Thanks. Uh, so I remembered a conversation with my... well, either my boss or my commanding officer... or... something... She said I had to bring... uh, someone I can't remember along... uh, I guess I wasn't happy about it. I don't know who she wanted me to bring, though... or uh, you know, where they are now..."
Kevin: "Wait... no. I do remember they didn't like me much... So... uh, yeah."

((I won't be updating for a few days, so here's a poll for the question suggestions.))

i would like to implore you all to Vote Comedy Option 2016. down with the tyranny of relevance and straightforward plot advancement

Nah, the mikar joke got tired already in the first post, it just isn't very funny or clever.

Besides Kevin is a sympathetic character, I want to help him find his way back home.

>ok, so you were taking a person that didn't like you and you weren't happy about bringing. perhaps a prisoner? maybe a new harvester? You could have gotten into a fight, they bash your head in, intentionally or not, and boom you got memory loss. they flee the scene while you're unconscious. only problem is that there weren't any bone fragments, at least that we could see, in that cave.
>ok so here's another little exposition dump about us. time doesn't move in the same way for us that it does you. this could be advantageous to you because we can look things up for you, while our worlds differ I doubt things like science do. for instance It requires approximately 1,100 pounds of force to fracture a human skull at its weakest points, which are located around the temples. you're not exactly human, but i think my point is made.

The thing I feel is most important is to ask about the marbles. You feel the desire to protect them and wouldn't sacrifice them to reveal the invisible bridge to freedom.

Maybe ask the spider thing what their significance is, or possibly the significance of the missing one

I believe it'd be better not to ak about the Harvesters or the Marbles if we have but a single question.
Not because it's a bad question or because they aren't important, oh no, they obviously are, but because for that very reason, it feels like something you could easily learn about by others sources.

Besides from the spider words, we can already guess harvester indeed reap the souls of the dead and therefore it seem pretty logical the marbles be connected to such a task, no ?.

And seeing as the spider isn't a Harvester themselves (presumably), i see no reason they'd know that much about them.

>So Kevin, out of curiosity,can you actualy distinguish between us voices is it more of a chorus to you ?

>ok, so you were taking a person that didn't like you and you weren't happy about bringing. perhaps a prisoner? maybe a new harvester? You could have gotten into a fight, they bash your head in, intentionally or not, and boom you got memory loss. they flee the scene while you're unconscious. only problem is that there weren't any bone fragments, at least that we could see, in that cave.
>ok so here's another little exposition dump about us. time doesn't move in the same way for us that it does you. this could be advantageous to you because we can look things up for you, while our worlds differ I doubt things like science do. for instance It requires approximately 1,100 pounds of force to fracture a human skull at its weakest points, which are located around the temples. you're not exactly human, but i think my point is made.

Kevin: "Oh... uh. Right. That's a little, um, disturbing to know. But probably helpful. Thanks. Uh, also I didn't see any bone fragments either. Did... why would someone take them?"
Stefervin: "IS THAT YOUR QUESTION, HARVESTER?"
Kevin: "Um, no. Just, uh... asking rhetorical questions... to myself... and the voices I guess only I can hear..."

The thing I feel is most important is to ask about the marbles. You feel the desire to protect them and wouldn't sacrifice them to reveal the invisible bridge to freedom.

Maybe ask the spider thing what their significance is, or possibly the significance of the missing one

Kevin: "I've been, uh, thinking about that. You'd have to take almost the whole rack apart to take out any marbles that aren't in the top row... Uh, and putting it back together with one from the center row missing seems, um... really deliberate. Uh like, I'm not really sure why someone would do that..."

I believe it'd be better not to ak about the Harvesters or the Marbles if we have but a single question.
Not because it's a bad question or because they aren't important, oh no, they obviously are, but because for that very reason, it feels like something you could easily learn about by others sources.

Besides from the spider words, we can already guess harvester indeed reap the souls of the dead and therefore it seem pretty logical the marbles be connected to such a task, no ?.

And seeing as the spider isn't a Harvester themselves (presumably), i see no reason they'd know that much about them.

>So Kevin, out of curiosity,can you actualy distinguish between us voices is it more of a chorus to you ?

Kevin: "Yeah I can tell you apart. You, uh, wanted me to do gymnastics right?"

Kevin: "Alright, um Stefervin. I think we've pretty much decided what we want to ask you."
Stefervin: "DELIGHTFUL, AND WHAT WOULD THAT BE?"
Kevin: "What, uh... Why were you chained up down here in the first place?"
Head Thing: "yeeehehehehehehehehe" *plop*
Stefervin: "OH MY, WHAT AN ASTUTE INQUIRY. A SPECIFIC ANSWER REQUIRES CONTEXT THAT MAY CONFIRM OR REFUTE TANGENTIAL THEORIES YOU MAY HAVE, AND A VAGUE ANSWER WOULD IMPLY I AM NOT TRUSTWORTHY. EXCELLENT JOB, I MUST SAY."
Kevin: "Uh... yeah."
Stefervin: "APOLOGIES. I MERELY MEAN TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE THAT PEOPLE AS CAPABLE AS YOURSELF AND YOUR ADVISERS WILL BE UNDERTAKING THE TASK OF SECURING MY FREEDOM."
Kevin: "Thanks, I guess... um, but... the answer?"
Head Thing: "nyehehehehehehehehehehHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE!"
Stefervin: "OF COURSE, OF COURSE. A DEAL IS A DEAL, AFTER ALL. BUT THERE IS A WAY THESE THINGS ARE DONE. FIRST WE SHAKE ON IT TO CEMENT OUR PARTNERSHIP VIA THE UNASSAILABLE INSTITUTIONS OF PERSONAL HONOR AND GENTLEMANLY CAMARADERIE. THEN, MY DEAR HARVESTER, YOU SHALL HAVE YOUR ANSWER."
Kevin: "Uh... sure alright... You don't even have hands, tho- oh... you want me to shake your... side-mouth... appendage... thing... ... uh..."
Stefervin: "A PALP, FRIEND. AND IT SERVES A ROUGHLY EQUIVALENT FUNCTION."
Kevin: "...K."

Yeah okay, go ahead and shake on it, but be careful of any possible fangs. Well, not that your bony wing hands would mind.

It's certainly suspicious, but what else is there to do, really

rub his nose instead. or, well, the place between his eyes

Approaching it's food hole, despite being basically inedible seems kind of dangerous for someone we haven't established trust with yet. Act like you're going to leave, if he truly desires freedom he'll relent...

Better to be an ass than dead...er

>hmm obvious falttery is suspicious but not enough to outright reject the deal. They could be sincere, the spider traits are had to read i'm afraid.

>You can shake the pedipalp just fine, just watch out you aren't shaking the chelicerae instead (those are the shorter ones who are right in front of the mouth and end up in fangs). Just be carrefull.

>Immediate betrayal woudn't make much sense, if it betrayed you now it wouldn't get it's freedom.

>Let's hope however that this 'handshake' doesnt become some kind of honor or magicaly binding contract or anything because that could be a bother.

It's certainly suspicious, but what else is there to do, really

Well there's still the tunnel leading to the light.

We could hold off the deal untill we've seen that but then gain first, if they is honnest bout being helpfull, we might offend them which therefore would make then reluctant to share informtion and two, as we have no idea what's outside, it's possible we might loose the possibility to makke that deal at all.

> Well dudes promised you answers, & he needs your help too, no reason to be shy about it.

Go ahead and shake, then. It's the only lead we've got, for now at least.

> I fail to see anything bad with shaking the palp.

Incidentally, I seem to have misplaced my glasses and can't see anything whatsoever.

Yeah okay, go ahead and shake on it, but be careful of any possible fangs. Well, not that your bony wing hands would mind.

It's certainly suspicious, but what else is there to do, really

>hmm obvious falttery is suspicious but not enough to outright reject the deal. They could be sincere, the spider traits are had to read i'm afraid.

>You can shake the pedipalp just fine, just watch out you aren't shaking the chelicerae instead (those are the shorter ones who are right in front of the mouth and end up in fangs). Just be carrefull.

>Immediate betrayal woudn't make much sense, if it betrayed you now it wouldn't get it's freedom.

>Let's hope however that this 'handshake' doesnt become some kind of honor or magicaly binding contract or anything because that could be a bother.

It's certainly suspicious, but what else is there to do, really

Well there's still the tunnel leading to the light.

We could hold off the deal untill we've seen that but then gain first, if they is honnest bout being helpfull, we might offend them which therefore would make then reluctant to share informtion and two, as we have no idea what's outside, it's possible we might loose the possibility to makke that deal at all.

> Well dudes promised you answers, & he needs your help too, no reason to be shy about it.

Go ahead and shake, then. It's the only lead we've got, for now at least.

> I fail to see anything bad with shaking the palp.

Incidentally, I seem to have misplaced my glasses and can't see anything whatsoever.

Kevin: "Alright... uh... here we go. Shaking... uh, a palp.
Stefervin: "YES, LIKE GENTLEMEN."
Kevin: "Yes... Exactly like those... uh, also I hope you find your glasses."
Stefervin: "MY WHAT?"
Kevin: "Um, nevermind."
Head thing: "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHEEHEEHEEHEEHEHEHEHEHEHEhehehehehehehehehe"

Kevin: "Ow! What was-
Stefervin: "OOH! NOW THIS IS INTRIGUING..."
Kevin: "What did... uh... what?"

Stefervin: "HA! BRILLIANT! THOROUGHLY IMPOSSIBLE, BUT BRILLIANT!"
Kevin: "What did you do? My hand still hurts. And... uh... what's brilliant? Also are you ever going to, um, answer the question... thing? What's going on?"
Stefervin: "PARDON ME, HARVESTER. IN ADDITION TO THE MORE GENERAL MANIPULATION RELATED FUNCTIONS MANY FORWARD-FACING APPENDAGES SERVE, PALPS FUNCTION AS TASTE-SENSING ORGANS."
Kevin: "... You... uh... you were tasting me."
Stefervin: "FUNCTIONALLY... YES. IN ACTUALITY, NOT REALLY. IT'S A CLOSE ENOUGH ANALOGY, BUT YOU'LL FIND THAT LITTLE IN THIS PLACE IS AS IT SEEMS."
Kevin: "I... uh... well I've remembered that showers are a thing. Uh, also I feel like I need one. Also my hand still hurts... just... why?"
Stefervin: "HAVE I MISUNDERSTOOD THE FUNCTION OF A HANDSHAKE? IS IT NOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEST GRIP STRENGTH, HAND POSITIONING, CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINED EYE-CONTACT, AND TO SAMPLE BODY ODOR - THUS ALLOWING YOU TO GAUGE THE DEMEANOR AND CAPABILITY OF YOUR CONVERSATIONAL PARTNER?"
Kevin: "I- ... I guess?"
Stefervin: "AS I SAID: FUNCTIONALLY EQUIVALENT. MY METHOD IS MERELY MORE DIRECT."

Kevin: "Alright. Well... that's weird... and a little gross... and, uh I wish you had told me before, but, um, my hand is hurting a little less... so, um I guess it's harmless enough..."
Head thing: "Nyehehe!"
Kevin: "But, uh you didn't answer the question... and you said something you... tasted... was impossible."
Stefervin: "OF COURSE. THE DEAL IS DONE SO LET'S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS."
Head Thing: "Nyu neheed neh heheheheuns!" *gurgle*
Stefervin: "THE ACTUAL STORY OF MY IMPRISONMENT HERE IS LONG, REPETITIVE, AND FRAUGHT WITH THE KIND OF STORYBOOK PSEUDO-LOGIC ONE ONLY RELIABLY ENCOUNTERS IN THE FOLK TALES OF OLD. LUCKILY FOR BOTH OF US, YOU DIDN'T ASK HOW I WAS IMPRISONED, BUT WHY."
Kevin: "Then, uh, why did you even mentio-"
Stefervin: "THERE ARE TWO SUCH 'WHYS.' PRIMARILY, I AM HERE BECAUSE A PETTY TYRANT NEEDED A SCAPEGOAT FOR THE CRIMES OF A MAN HE NEVER COULD CAPTURE. ALSO, THOUGH, I'M HERE BECAUSE MY GIDDY COMPANION AND I MUST FEED ON THE CORES OF SENTIENT CREATURES."
Kevin: "Oh... alright... What's a core?"
Stefervin: "HAVE THEY CHANGED THE LEXICON AGAIN SO SOON? I COULDN'T SAY WHAT THEY'RE CALLED THESE DAYS. MAGIC BECAME ALCHEMY BECAME CHEMISTRY. SOULS BECAME CORES BECAME... WELL WHATEVER YOU'RE CALLING THEM NOW."
Kevin: "Oh... uh... wow... K."
Stefervin: "THERE'S NO NEED TO BACK AWAY, DEAR HARVESTER. AFTER ALL - AND IN SPITE OF ALL THAT SHOULD BE - YOU HAVE NOTHING I WOULD WANT. OUTSIDE THE CONTEXT OF UPHOLDING YOUR END OF OUR BARGAIN, OF COURSE."

Is he implying that you don't have a soul? That's a teeny bit rude.

....are souls those marbles you have? Do NOT show them to him, just in case. Don't want him snagging your orbs!

Hey good news Kevin, you don't have a soul! (either that or you aren't sentient)

Anywhoo, If we're gonna free a soul-beast might as well do it right.

So where do we get that key from and what are the time constraints you're under. If this guy "must" feed on souls and their imprisonment is keeping them from doing so then it's likely they might perish if we don't get them some soul food in time.

Oh and would they care to elaborate on this "man that could never be captured?"

Oh great, you don't have a soul. Add one more thing to the list of things to recover, after your memory and purpose and pants.

Add one more thing to the list of things to recover, after your memory and purpose and pants.

I contest the necessity of souls and pants.

sentient or sapient? makes a big difference. if it's only the souls of animals and the like then that might be ok, but feeding on the souls of highly intelligent creatures? that's bad.

> Bid them farewell.

> Or ask them how one would help them.

> Okay, time to fulfil your end.