A.Journal

Checks

817 checks

Challenging

The final stage of colonisation -- the oppressed become strange parodies of the people that colonised them.

Medium

That stone is smooth. She did it to herself.

Easy

Trying to displace herself again.

Trivial

And as you've established, it's possible that hiding somewhere within it is a secret jail.

Easy

Congratulations. You're as complicated as an inanimate object that literally has nothing in it -- it's completely hollow.

Challenging

Better for everyone that you just take him at his word. The alternative... well, there's a recently vacated room at the bottom of a silo, if you're interested.

Legendary

He's been out staring at the sky every night since you forcibly inserted that drill into his skull.

Formidable

The narrow space where anything which is not can safely exist within his mind.

Medium

His infallible recall must distort time. With every memory the same weight, they become the unit of measurement -- and down here he's not making many new ones.

Medium

It remains unclear what exactly is 'on' in this gutted space pit.

Challenging

Hold on. Monoaxial... Hermetic... this is literally just him. Your old bandmate's gone and tried his hand at a solo career.

Medium

A nonchalant tone disguising obsessive amounts of research.

Medium

That explains communicating through cipher... though we may soon be rezoning the boundaries of 'explanation'.

Medium

'HOLOCENE' is already a cryptonym...

Medium

How did he know you were there?

Medium

Paycheque from the literary magazine, followed by several copies of the magazine itself. So somebody paid by them who doesn't care to read the mag...

Easy

You cannot erase what does not exist.

Easy

Easy

Medium

Speculative freelancing. Your old asset had no authority to make offers on behalf of the Opera.

Easy

... like your unfortunate double, for instance.

Easy

You can't betray what you don't know.

Medium

Where is that 'subeditor'? When is she going to spring the trap?

Easy

Here it is, the side deal. First of several, potentially.

Easy

Is this the sound of the trap springing?

Medium

The document has to be displayed, by law. Operating an unlicensed clinic inside the city limits is strictly prohibited.

Easy

You have no idea what this treatment will do to you. It could cause harm as much as help.

Easy

Trivial

A Pocket Combatant -- a type of miniature army which reached its sales height in the 50s. Recalled, discontinued, sued into bureaucratic oblivion when the figures were found to be made of lead.

Legendary

The stakes have been established, the playing field set.

Legendary

What was a lie upon utterance may now be a half-truth.

Legendary

The last refuge of fading intellect. As it prepares to be snuffed out, it hones in on death as both condition and subject matter.

Legendary

Did he actually perceive something in you or is he just trying to scare you?

Easy

The luggage rack on the lower floor is your safest bet to stow it. The floors are very thin.

Legendary

What about tuktuks? Moron.

Easy

Don't forget why you're here. Who- or whatever this MIHO is still awaits you, all the way down...

Easy

There's also the matter of who- or whatever this MIHO is, waiting for you all the way down...

Medium

Doubtful. They've entrusted you with a hopeless assignment. Why set you up when they can just wait?

Medium

You once heard that fear makes meat spoil.

Challenging

Questions that some would attribute to life's meaning.

Easy

It's all in your head. Inanimate objects definitely cannot eat you.

Easy

You can't quite place the accent, but it's definitely not Luzian.

Trivial

Are they attached somehow? Might be worth taking a look.

Easy

An interesting slip.

Easy

Whatever 'explanation' you offer is only going to result in more questions.

Medium

The type of enquiry that should be far beneath an operant, especially one with your level of experience.

Easy

Pray that the technician knows of an alternative way in.

Trivial

Pelota balls are not designed for use as door-stops. Someone has elevated this ball to contraption status.

Easy

Easy

Spoken like a scholar and a gentleman.