It's, of course, entirely your choice if you want to include something in your vote, but I'd be interested in what makes @esktasy's write-in inappropriate.
(I thought it fit rather well, but if what I wrote doesn't give this impression... well, I don't want my character to become disjointed.)
Mostly that we've been stranger places and seen stranger things.
The sense of wonder I think will kick in when she realizes this is her home city, but a hospital room is not inherently wondrous to someone who had been in Arcadia.
Mostly that we've been stranger places and seen stranger things.
The sense of wonder I think will kick in when she realizes this is her home city, but a hospital room is not inherently wondrous to someone who had been in Arcadia.
In that case I think it works out whichever way the vote goes - Arcadia she has mostly forgotten, there is just this sense of "I have seen weirder", and also this is for once a non-hostile weird situation.
Now that she is not concerned with immediate survival any more, being indifferent or curious should both work. (And I'll try to do something in-between, in case the option is somewhere in the middle of the winning order.)
[2][Ropes] Let her.
[1][Ropes] Try to remove them yourself.
[3][Ropes] Just shake your head.
What will you do after?
[2][Later] Try to communicate with Anna some more.
[3][Later] See if they let you explore the place you are in.
[1][Later] Gesture that you want something to eat.
[4][Later] If your ropes do end up removed, try to get a hug.
[2][Later] If you do try communicating with Anna, try to learn some more words - what is bed? Walk? Try the tried and true method of charades and pointing to improve your vocabulary; also include other vital words like "eat", "I", "you", etc. Enough you'll be able to start getting by.
[2][Later] Touch all the things. Aside from maybe the small man's domain, you have never seen or felt fabric this light before - it is neither linen nor silk. Same for the glass in the windows, it is more even than you have ever seen. And the frame of the bed? You are sure that you have never worked with this metal before you left your former life.
Still no update, hopefully tomorrow.
However, I added a little something to the beginning of the first three chapters and will do the same for the rest. Is this something you'd like to see continued? (The one in the third chapter might be replaced soon, I'm not quite happy with it.)
Also so far we had nine votes and it seems you gave Anna your True Name. You generally seem to trust her a lot, seeing the other votes. (Though I can't tell you the winner of the "Later" vote, as Condorcet.Vote doesn't seem to work currently. I suspect it's "Try to communicate".)
I'm not quite sure if you're joking, so: Of course I'll continue the quest, I meant the verses at the beginning of the chapters. (Well, three chapters so far.)
However, I added a little something to the beginning of the first three chapters and will do the same for the rest. Is this something you'd like to see continued? (The one in the third chapter might be replaced soon, I'm not quite happy with it.)
Since Condorcet.Votestill isn't working, I'm working on an alternative (using the same library). A basic fix shouldn't take too long, but I have other things to do as well, so it won't be tonight.
If it takes too long, I'll just use the Schulze method (included in NetTally) instead for the time being.
Also all chapters have verses at the beginning now. Further feedback appreciated.
Okay, I have finished at least a basic version of my Condorcet.Vote replacement.
I guess voting is closed...finally.
Name
Condorcet Winner:
None. Still.
Kemeny-Young Orders:
All. Possible. Permutations.
Really?
However, if we get a bit tricksy and include the previous votes to the topic for the people who didn't vote this time, we get a
Condorcet Winner:
[][Name] Beatrix Sorry [color=Transparent]esktasy[/color]!
Ropes
Condorcet Winner:
[][Ropes] Let her
which is also the Plurality Vote winner, with 4 points out of 9 votes.
The Condorcet Loser is
[][Ropes] Just shake your head.
though it was only placed last three times, third by the rest.
There were 9 votes, 6 of which were unique.
All options but the winner were placed last at least once.
All votes were total orders, feel free to use Democratix.
4
1,Let her.
2,Try to remove them yourself.
3,Just shake your head.
4,Deliberately give her access to them so she can remove them more easily, try to communicate (mainly through gesture, but also through word) that you want them removed.
9,9,6
1,1,4,2,3
2,1,2,3,4
1,1,4,3,2
2,4,1,2,3
1,4,1,3,2
2,2,1,3,4
Later
Condorcet Winner:
None.
Kemeny-Young Orders:
Only differ in the first two places
[][Later] Try to communicate with Anna some more.
[][Later] If you do try communicating with Anna, try to learn some more words - what is bed? Walk? Try the tried and true method of charades and pointing to improve your vocabulary; also include other vital words like "eat", "I", "you", etc. Enough you'll be able to start getting by.
[][Later] If you do try communicating with Anna, try to learn some more words - what is bed? Walk? Try the tried and true method of charades and pointing to improve your vocabulary; also include other vital words like "eat", "I", "you", etc. Enough you'll be able to start getting by.
[][Later] Try to communicate with Anna some more.
Rest:
[][Later] Gesture that you want something to eat.
[][Later] Touch all the things. Aside from maybe the small man's domain, you have never seen or felt fabric this light before - it is neither linen nor silk. Same for the glass in the windows, it is more even than you have ever seen. And the frame of the bed? You are sure that you have never worked with this metal before you left your former life.
[][Later] See if they let you explore the place you are in.
[][Later] If your ropes do end up removed, try to get a hug.
Well, that combines nicely.
The Plurality Vote winner is
[][Later] If you do try communicating with Anna, try to learn some more words - what is bed? Walk? Try the tried and true method of charades and pointing to improve your vocabulary; also include other vital words like "eat", "I", "you", etc. Enough you'll be able to start getting by.
with 3 of 9 people voting that way.
The Condorcet Loser is
[][Later] If your ropes do end up removed, try to get a hug.
Won't do that then.
There were 9 votes, all were unique.
All votes besides
[][Later] Try to communicate with Anna some more.
were placed last at least once, all but
[][Later] See if they let you explore the place you are in.
and
[][Later] If your ropes do end up removed, try to get a hug.
were placed first at least once.
Votes are not single-peaked.
6
1,Try to communicate with Anna some more.
2,See if they let you explore the place you are in.
3,Gesture that you want something to eat.
4,Touch all the things. Aside from maybe the small man's domain, you have never seen or felt fabric this light before - it is neither linen nor silk. Same for the glass in the windows, it is more even than you have ever seen. And the frame of the bed? You are sure that you have never worked with this metal before you left your former life.
5,If your ropes do end up removed, try to get a hug.
6,If you do try communicating with Anna, try to learn some more words - what is bed? Walk? Try the tried and true method of charades and pointing to improve your vocabulary; also include other vital words like "eat", "I", "you", etc. Enough you'll be able to start getting by.
9,9,9
1,4,2,1,6,5,3
1,4,2,6,1,3,5
1,1,2,3,4=5=6
1,3,1,2,4=5=6
1,3,1=4=6,2,5
1,6,1=4,5,3,2
1,6,1,4,5,3,2
1,6,1,3,5,2,4
1,1,3,2,4=5=6
Update probably somewhen tonight.
I have a lot to do, but really don't want to...that makes the update more likely.
[][Name] Beatrix
[][Ropes] Let her
[][Later] Try to communicate with Anna some more.
[][Later] If you do try communicating with Anna, try to learn some more words - what is bed? Walk? Try the tried and true method of charades and pointing to improve your vocabulary; also include other vital words like "eat", "I", "you", etc. Enough you'll be able to start getting by.
What they speak, it seems familiar.
Not quite what you have heard before,
but close, should it not be clearer?
Have you lost all that you cared for?
For a moment you consider helping Anna remove the ropes from your skin, but it does not take you long to dismiss that thought as silly. You have no idea how the magic behind the boxes you are connected to works, meddling with it would not help and may even cause problems. Instead you just hold still and let Anna do what you assume to be her work.
Most are just pulled from your skin and you only feel a slight resistance, their removal does not appear to involve any special ritual. Another is clamped to your finger, you did not even feel it before.
The last one is more surprising. Slowly Anna unwraps the bandage the rope leads under, to reveal it is actually piercing your skin. Strangely the rope is filled with a clear fluid instead of your blood that you can very well see to be still red, except for some black flakes.
Whatever it was for, you still do not think the people here wish to harm you, so you continue to hold still, and soon this rope too is removed and the wounds it left are bandaged again.
All the while you just watch silently, once again thinking about your situation. You had already decided that this was probably outside the small man's realm and surely not heaven. But where was it then? A far away city you have never heard about? But why did the people then look and sound familiar, whereas every traveller from distance countries you have ever seen was so different?
"Beatrix?"
You look up to Anna, wondering what she means, until you remember giving her that name. Giving her your real name was too dangerous, you do not know if you are still hunted and if wounded people were always brought to places like this, it was also the first place a pursuer would search. Beatrix seemed fitting somehow, even though you do not even know where you might have heard it.
"Yes?" you answer, the word being the same as in your language¹.
She smiles and starts talking again, and stops soon after, when she sees the confusion on your face. You do not want her to stop though. Communication is good, you do not think you had many opportunities for it lately, and you might even pick up a bit of her tongue. Not literally, where did that thought come from? Ah, you are getting hungry again.
Before you sink too deep into your thoughts, you gesture to the bed you are lying on. "Bed?"
"Bed." she answers, though her pronunciation is a little off.
Shaking you head, a gesture you already learned is the same here, you try again. First you point to yourself, then to the bed. "Bed." Next you point to Anna and to the bed, and look at her questioning.
Again she answers, "Bed."
Another word that is the same in both languages or did she not understand what you mean? To find out, you can only try again. This time you attempt to indicate the whole room and say the word, then you point at her.
Anna makes the same sweeping gestures you did, then says a word you do not know. Apparently she did understand what you want.
This goes on for a while, you pointing out objects and saying your word for it and Anna repeating it in her language. Since there are only so many things in this room you recognise, you soon also try to learn how to translate certain movements or actions, like walking.
After what must have been a bell, your stomach reminds you of your hunger. Anna seems to have heard it as well and tells you her word for it, again the same as the one you know, before indicating for you to wait and leaving the room.
It does not take long for her to come back, bearing a bowl of fruits, only some of which you recognise. Hesitantly you take what you think is an apple, though it looks juicier and fuller than any you remember. The by now nearly habitual exchange of words tells you it is even called the same.
Somehow it does not look very appetising to you, but you take a bite anyway, only to nearly spit it out again. In place of the sweetness you expected, it is only slightly sour and watery². Luckily it seems you could hide your disgust from Anna.
Still, you were given food and you are a well mannered girl, even if you sometimes pretended otherwise. You will eat up what is on your plate.
When you are done with your fruits - none of them tasting any better than the apple - your stomach growls again, eliciting a small laugh from Anna, who then pulls something out of one of her pockets and puts it on the table. It looks ... nice, you guess? A small block of some purple material you do not know with a depiction of a purple cow, besides the colour it is very true-to-life³.
After observing the block for maybe half a moment, you turn to Anna gain, looking confused. She looks baffled for a bit, but then smiles again and begins unwrapping the block, revealing first something that looks like metal, but is far too thin and tearable, and then a brown, well, block, split into rows and columns. You continue to be and look confused, prompting her to break of a piece and put it in her mouth, then pointing at you.
More food then? Hoping it tastes better than your last meal, you take a piece as well and chew slowly. It has an interesting texture, easily melting in your mouth, but the taste is even worse than you expected, extremely bitter and not much else².
Barely able to swallow it down, you do not manage to hide your disgust this time. Looking slightly crestfallen, Anna puts away what she identified as 'chocolate', but soon smiles again and continues your previous of pointing and telling. You think she wanted to do you a favour, the bitter food is apparently a treat for the people around here.
This continues until you get tired again and Anna leaves you alone to sleep.
When you wake up again, you remember little of what you have dreamt. Only the phrase 'Remember, the prices change at dawn and dusk!' and a trade of sorts. It involved 'The last thing your parents gave you that you did not let burn away.' and
[][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
What do you want to do today?
[][Day] Get better food. Maybe some more meat?
[][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[][Day] Write-in.
Write-ins so far:
[][Day] Focus on figuring out the language, with Anna or anyone willing to entertain your efforts.
The winning order gives me list of priorities, but there might very well be time for multiple options. Though remember that you are still in a hospital, not a hotel.
Or do you want to leave? It is dangerous to stay in the same place for long after all.
[][Leave] Stay.
[][Leave] Just try to leave.
[][Leave] Take the form of a random person and try to leave.
[][Leave] Take a new form, get some different clothes and then try to leave.
[][Leave] Write-in.
Write-ins so far:
-
¹ This is true for both, the English "Yes" and the German "Ja". ² Many (pure) carnivores cannot taste sweets.
³ I would have said "realistic", but I fear esktasy would have hit me.
I discontinued the project I was busy with, so there should be time for two or three more chapters this month. Afterwards there will be a short hiatus, since I'll be travelling in August and a conference in early September might keep me busy as well.
The chapter is not quite as short as I feared it would be, but not very long either. (Also I stayed up way too long again.) Honestly, I hope we will get out of the hospital soon, I have no idea how to write the scenes there.
(If anyone knows anything I could use to make it more realistic, please tell!)
Since it came up in the comments, about dream votes: Generally all options are things that happened, you only choose which one you remember. This vote is not a general case.
The option to leave is only available because you decided to be careful by choosing a fake name.
[1][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[2][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[3][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
[1][Day] Write in: Focus on figuring out the language, with Anna or anyone willing to entertain your efforts.
[2][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[3][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[4][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[5][Day] Get better food. Maybe some more meat?
[1][Leave] Stay.
[2][Leave] Take a new form, get some different clothes and then try to leave.
[3][Leave] Just try to leave.
[4][Leave] Take the form of a random person and try to leave.
Lost brother I think, is a thing.
The fruit is a nice touch, modern fruits have been cultivated for appearance more than taste, since it sells better in the mass market(where getting people to buy is big), though premium cultivars CAN taste better than past fruits...they're also super expensive.
Meanwhile, staying makes a bit of sense IC, in that we're safe, food is provided for us, and all that.
Learning the language in this safe environment is valuable, so that we aren't totally lost when we move(IC motivation anyway)
But if we're leaving, then we should leave properly, drop everything, change everything and walk away, rather than just reveal a shapeshifter to any security cameras
[2][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[1][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[3][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
[3][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[1][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[2][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[2][Day] Write in: Focus on figuring out the language, with Anna or anyone willing to entertain your efforts.
[1][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[2][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[3][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
[1][Day] Write in: Focus on figuring out the language, with Anna or anyone willing to entertain your efforts.
[2][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[3][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[4][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[5][Day] Get better food. Maybe some more meat?
[1][Leave] Stay.
[2][Leave] Take a new form, get some different clothes and then try to leave.
[3][Leave] Just try to leave.
[4][Leave] Take the form of a random person and try to leave.
[2][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[1][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[3][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
[2][Day] Get better food. Maybe some more meat?
[3][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[5][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[4][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[1][Day] Focus on figuring out the language, with Anna or anyone willing to entertain your efforts.
[1][Leave] Stay.
[4][Leave] Just try to leave.
[3][Leave] Take the form of a random person and try to leave.
[2][Leave] Take a new form, get some different clothes and then try to leave.
If you read between the lines you might find other reasons for their dislike of fruit...
[1][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[2][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[3][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
[1][Day] Write in: Focus on figuring out the language, with Anna or anyone willing to entertain your efforts.
[2][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[3][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[4][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[5][Day] Get better food. Maybe some more meat?
[1][Leave] Stay.
[2][Leave] Take a new form, get some different clothes and then try to leave.
[3][Leave] Just try to leave.
[4][Leave] Take the form of a random person and try to leave.
[1][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[2][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[3][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
[2][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[3][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[1][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[4][Day] Get better food. Maybe some more meat?
[1][Leave] Stay.
[2][Leave] Take a new form, get some different clothes and then try to leave.
[3][Leave] Just try to leave.
[4][Leave] Take the form of a random person and try to leave.
The fruit is a nice touch, modern fruits have been cultivated for appearance more than taste, since it sells better in the mass market(where getting people to buy is big), though premium cultivars CAN taste better than past fruits...they're also super expensive.
[1][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[2][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[3][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
[1][Day] Write in: Focus on figuring out the language, with Anna or anyone willing to entertain your efforts.
[2][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[3][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[4][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[5][Day] Get better food. Maybe some more meat?
[1][Leave] Stay.
[2][Leave] Take a new form, get some different clothes and then try to leave.
[3][Leave] Just try to leave.
[4][Leave] Take the form of a random person and try to leave.
Not the sweetness part, was referencing the flavors, which would have been the part hardest hit(sugar content varied but part of a fruit investing into shiny skin is that it's not investing into the complex flavors).
But then a carnivore's tongue would probably have difficulty appreciating that.
[3][Dream] A small trick to help you burn things into your mind.
[2][Dream] The whereabouts of those dear to you.
[1][Dream] The knowledge how to utilise fear more productively.
[1][Day] Get better food. Maybe some more meat?
[5][Day] Spend time with Anna, if she is available.
[2][Day] Explore the building you are in.
[4][Day] 'Talk' with other people.
[3][Day] Focus on figuring out the language, with Anna or anyone willing to entertain your efforts.
[3][Leave] Stay.
[4][Leave] Just try to leave.
[2][Leave] Take the form of a random person and try to leave.
[1][Leave] Take a new form, get some different clothes and then try to leave.
