[ As he comes on-screen, Gabriel looks just as disheveled as anyone in this town who has been here awhile. He doesn't try to hide the scars the Noisy Black gave him- it'd be impossible anyway, considering the large horizontal one in the middle of his forehead. At least the color has faded. He's leaning up against some lockers, giving the camera a slight smile. Unfortunately, the lights keep flickering on and off, so occasionally the view of him drops out almost entirely as the tablet camera struggles to compensate. ]

Hi, everyone. This is Gabriel Gray, if you haven't met me yet. I've had a couple good ideas, so I thought I'd share 'em.

First, me and Flynn- at-Librarian- have a book exchange going. It's simple- I'm just taking pictures of the book I have, ten pages at a time, and sending them over. But it's getting me and him new material to read. I thought I'd offer it to whoever was interested. It's for a biology text called Activating Evolution, from my home world. But it's not porn or a self-help book, which are the only two things I've found here, so maybe someone would be interested, too. Let me know? And go ahead and list your books up in the comments if you want to try the same thing. People can sign up to get them, or something.

The other idea is more involved, but I'll handle organizing it. I want to make a database of a list of skills. It's important to keep our doctors up to date, of course, but- we've had a lot of different puzzles and challenges, so we should know who to contact if something specific pops up.

So, please- tell me what your personal skills are. Anything that we might be able to use to get further and/or get out of here. Do not tell me about powers you used to have that aren't active anymore. That's- [ He looks to the side for a moment, clearly thinking his phrasing over. ] Let's just leave what's outside this world there, for the moment. Okay?

I'm not going to put anyone up there who hasn't volunteered themselves, but I did put people who were already on the guide up. I feel like I'm missing some medical help, in particular. Could also use some people who know computer programming, or supernatural things. Hate to admit it, but we keep running into that crap.

Anyway, that's it. Let me know what I can add.

[ After he turns off the camera, he attaches a link to his newly-deemed Norfinbury Skills database. ]

Characters: Hugo Vasquez and Manuel Laurin
Location: Building 146
Date: Day/Night 271
Summary: Meeting up after Noisy Black. Hillairty ensues. Or, more likely, doesn't.
Warnings: Likely discussion of torture and violence

( I hope this at least makes you feel better )

[It's been a while since Al has addressed everyone, since he's helped the newcomers out as much as he should, since he's been himself. But he's here now, voice still young sounding but having lost the weariness he's had over the past few weeks. There's determination there again now, a fire that won't go out.]

I owe an apology... actually, I owe a lot.

There are people that I hurt when I wasn't myself, people that I scared, and I'm sorry. I should have said that earlier but-- but I was scared, I didn't want to see what I'd done, and I thought it was best if I just left you all alone. I understand that some of you might not want to see me again, or talk to me, or trust me; that's okay. I'll let you come to me, or not, it's your choice.

There are also people who tried to comfort me and tell me that it wasn't my fault, and I turned my back on them and ran away. I'm sorry, you were right. It wasn't my fault, just like it wasn't the fault of anyone else here, and I only realised that because of some things two people said to me. Dr. Watson told me that I'm not special, that I shouldn't have thought I could fight it if everyone else couldn't, and he was right. None of us are exempt from this, and we need to stop behaving like when it's us, when it's personal, then it's different. And the Cat told me that he knew it wasn't me, because he knew I did everything with my whole heart so if I'd been fighting it, then I'd been fighting with my whole heart too and that meant there was nothing else I could do.

He's right.

And I'm still going to put my whole heart into fighting this, and I'm not going to break, I'm just not. I've lost too many people who would be so angry with me for giving up, I don't want all of that loss and all of this pain to be for nothing. So I'm still here to help if anyone needs me, and I'll still try to protect everyone if I can. And I hope... I hope you'll all do the same.

Uh-- that's it.

[It's been over a day now since the event in the tower. A day hardly seems long enough. He's been wanting to say something ever since. He wants to touch everyone and tell them not to let this town win.

He wants to say he's proud of everyone but nobody here really knows him very well, his words would be meaningless. He wants to say their pain will dull with time but that's not true, some wounds never heal, one only learns to live with them and not let that suffering define them.

Really, he decides, there is nothing to say about what happened. He cannot offer comfort in words but maybe he can at least still reach out to people.

The audio starts with the sound of him playing his flute. This time it's not "Lavender's Blue"; it's a long, soft tune from the planet Keltia. It almost sounds like a mixture of cultures created it.

When the tune is over he chuckles, and speaks.]

You know, I've been here a few weeks now and I'm not sure I ever really introduced myself. I'm chaos.

I work on a transport freighter in space. My time is in the distant future...

...Hm.

That's odd to say, but it's true. If this place's calendar is to be believed I've traveled almost four thousand years into the past.

[There's a shuffling sound as he adjusts his weight against something.]

Other than that, there's not much more to say. I'm not very interesting, I'm afraid...

I'm more interested in knowing more about all of you. What sort of worlds are you all from?

Consider this a chance to just share that sort of information with one another. History, music, art...

Well, anything you think is interesting.

[OOC: To be clear chaos intends this to be a sort of Network mingle to help people connect after the convertpurge.exe event. More astute characters are totally welcome to catch on to that because it's not super subtle, especially in its timing.

Being a mingle chaos may not always respond but he'll always be watching. Everyone is encouraged to tag and threadjack each other at will.]

The fuck is going on?

[He sounds exhausted, as per usual, and his voice is hoarse and raw - he's been doing a lot of non-stop talking these past few days, trying to keep Royce engaged.]

Right - the lot of you, sound off. What happened, and what needs to be done?

Characters: characters participating in the noisy black event
Location: An office building.
Date: Night 261 - Day 262
Summary: Conversion and exploration.
Warnings: body horror, body trauma, medical horror, psychological trauma, forced IVs/forced feeding, note specifics in subject lines please

Sinners
Converted
Exploration

Characters: anyone signed up for the noisy black event
Location: an office building
Date: Night 260, Morning 261, and Day 261
Summary: You give, or are given, medical treatment.
Warnings: body horror, psychological trauma, serious body deformities, please warn for specifics in threads and make sure to note the night/morning/day your thread is taking place

Sinners
Converted

Characters: anyone who signed up for the Noisy Black event
Location: an office building
Date: Morning and Day 260
Summary: You wake up in a room.
Warnings: nothing of note for this part, please note any specific things that happen in the comment sections of your posts

Sinners Top Level
Converted Top Level

Hey, ah, for those of you I haven't talked to yet I'm Manny. Manuel Laurin. Pretty new here.

Anyway, I was wondering if anyone would be willing to tell me about Winter. I've read up on her in the guides but if anyone has anything to add it'd be great.

Thanks.

[ Castiel's message begins as almost a solid block of static before he manages to orient his tablet's camera in a more useful direction, thanks to the number of shadowy figures around him and the now constant distortion and artifacting that now follows his face whenever he tries to record himself. His voice, at least, comes across as clear as anything. ]

In light of recent events and revelations, there's something important I want to share with the rest of you.

[ He fumbles with the tablet for a moment, turning it so the camera is focused on a series of complex geometric symbols drawn in chalk on a nearby wall. ]

These are warding sigils. Some of them are meant to repel evil spirits. Others are for purifying ones that have been trapped against their will. Some have more esoteric purposes. I've been leaving them in the thresholds and near the windows of buildings as I pass through them. I think it might be a good idea for others to do the same, especially in areas where the ghosts are very active. We may be able to do something for them.

[ Though he doesn't sound terribly sure of himself, even as he says it. ]