Doggie Delivery Service

[thedogkeeper]

Get a Message to the Dog Keeper

It is entirely possible to send messages to the Dog Keeper! While the Dog Keeper seems capable of sending text messages to characters, it does not seem like characters can find anywhere to contact the Dog Keeper directly through the phones. How strange! Oh well. Guess you'll just have to send the Dog Keeper a letter the old fashioned way!

Characters will have to write up a letter and put it in an envelope with "TO THE DOG KEEPER" written where a typical address would be printed. It doesn't seem like a return address is required! Characters will then leave their letters in their mail boxes (apartments and dorms have mailboxes in the lobbies that match to room numbers). They may also send the Dog Keeper items of any shape or size. To do this, if it doesn't fit in the mail box, simply set it by the mailbox. Seems like the Delivery Dogs know what to do! No item is too big or small- and the greatest part?

It doesn't look like there's any charge on postal!

To contact the Dog Keeper leave a comment below and the Dog Keeper will respond eventually. Maybe.

The Dog Keeper sends back letters- but they're all typed up. And of course- don't always expect helpful answers. Or any answers at all.

Get a Message to Someone Else!

While you wouldn't technically use this page to send a character letters/packages, you can assume that characters would be able to use the Delivery Dogs for similar functions with each other as well as the Dog Keeper.

Meaning if your characters makes up a package/letter that they want to send to another character, you would execute this by having the character write up an address like they would in the real world on the package or letter and then put it in their mail box with the flag up (apartments and dorms have mailboxes in the lobbies that match to room numbers). For objects bigger than the mailbox, they only have to set it down near the mail box and flip up the flag (if there is a flag to be flipped)! All deliveries are made within a day.

To execute this ICly, you would just proceed with usual inbox interactions as always.

This is just an assumed background action among characters. You do not need to make requests/make it known on this page that you are using the delivery dogs for this purpose.

Get a Message to Another NPC!

Currently it is not possible to send letters/items to other NPCs other than the Dog Keeper. This may change in the future.

If a character attempts to do so, they will find whatever item or letter they have sent in the mail box the following day....

....Only it'll look strangely as if it's aged several hundred years in one sitting.

How odd.

Comments

OOC Questions

[thedogkeeper]

Have questions about how this works or anything specific? Ask away here!

To the Dog Keeper

[shuttersense]

I thought you might want copies of these photographs. My apologies for not sending more sooner.

-Rei Kurosawa

[Inside the packet is photographs of the hotel before and during the masquerade. Most have been taken with a disposible camera, mostly of the dancing, of people, scattered here and there.

But there are also a few photographs of the Unmasked world-and one of the black deer.]

A Delivery Has Been Made!

[thedogkeeper]

(It takes some time for the Dog Keeper to respond. Not without reason. The silence, in some way, seems contemplative, and Rei may have noticed some of the Delivery Dogs watching her from time to time over the course of the week.

Then one day, she will find a simple envelope waiting for her.

Inside is.....

A clump of dog hair and a small note:)

Have you ever played with a rubix cube before?

There's a lot of different sides you can make out of this town and sometimes you just need to put yourself in the right state of mind.

Cheers!

Letter to the Dogkeeper

[justbeingknife]

We've never met, but I figured I'd take a shot in the dark and write ya.

You're the one who's been putting together those newsletters, right? Since it seemed like you were tryin' to help people out writing about the rain and the lions and all, I couldn't figure out why you'd send everyone those costumes.

At least not until I climbed some of those stairs. And saw the hospital.

Were you trying to get us to see the other Deerington, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[thedogkeeper]

You might not have met me, but I have met all of you.

Do you know about trauma, Majima? Sometimes the brain will isolate an incident and choose to forget it or cover it up with something much more pleasant. Funny how psychology works!

But that trauma is still there under it all, isn't it?

I hope you didn't leave the doors unlocked while you were exploring the hospital.

I'm just a humble journalist reporting on the things I see. That's all.

-The Dog Keeper

[justbeingknife]

[ The fuck? That was like the creepiest shit ever ]

Yeah, I guess you could say I've had a crash course in trauma.

But I can't say trying to leave it all behind ever worked out too hot. It's like what they say: you look away from the past, and it'll always come back to dog ya.

Angela insisted on bringing some extra chain, and it seemed like an epicly fuckin' terrible idea to let the nurses out. So yeah, we locked up afterwards. Why?

If Deerington really is a dream, like people say, and someone's dreaming it, does that mean the crazy shit that keeps going down is a form of that trauma?

How do we 'wake them up'?

[thedogkeeper]

I didn't say after you left. I said while you were inside poking around places that shouldn't be poked.

I think you can puzzle out why the third floor of a hospital might be closed off.

Now, now. You wouldn't go and tattle all of Saejima or Makoto's secrets to a complete stranger, now would you?

Don't ask me questions I can't answer. We all have people we owe something to, and the Big Boss Lady pays closer attention than anyone else here. No getting around that sometimes.

[justbeingknife]

According to you, I ain't exactly a complete stranger.

But fine, it ain't like I can't appreciate a guy who knows how to keep a secret.

[ if nothing else, u absolute motherfucker ]

Letter to Sodder

[justbeingknife]

I wanted to thank you for the knife, only I don't really know how to reach you. I'll try this and the Basket.

??????

[sodder]

(Sodder does not respond in a traditional sense. There are times when she cannot.

This is one of those times.

Instead, one day, Majima will return home to find a curious sight on his front porch. A spider seems to have made an elaborate web while he was out, and spelled out in that web is a very simple: YOU'RE WELCOME. - S

Well, at least he knows she got his message.)

[justbeingknife]

[ WELL THEN.

After some careful consideration, he decided to send another letter: ]

Not too long ago, there was a girl in Deerington who disappeared. Her name was Max Mayfield, but others have also gone missing.

What happened to them?

If you can't tell me: is she safe?

[sodder]

(Like with the first message, it takes Sodder some time to get back to Majima.

This time the message is a bit more invasive in how it comes to Majima. On the table Majima keeps the deer statue, the statue has been turned almost completely around from its original position. On the table there is a thin layer of dust that may or may not have been there before.

In the dust, it looks like someone wrote with the tip of their finger, the writing shaky:

THEY WAKE UP.

I DO NOT KNOW HOW SAFE THEY ARE OUTSIDE OF DEERINGTON.

I CAN
ONLY FEEL SO MUCH

I AM SORRY. -S)

Letter to the Dogkeeper

[justbeingknife]

Wait, what do you mean 'sleeping through the day'? You were takin' a nap the whole time?

And why the deer're trying to eat the power lines? Seems kinda counterproductive, what with the imminent risk of electrocution.

Those dogs of yours are lookin' a little off lately.

[ Included is a package of jerky. ]

[thedogkeeper]

I didn't sleep through the day INTENTIONALLY. I've got work to do! I'm a busy body! But I was just so sleeeepy!

Beats me. I'm not a deer mind reader. It really messes with my dogs though, I'll tell you that much.

I'm trying to help them out. Thanks for the jerky! They'll hopefully be okay sooner than later.

Might need to give them a break for delivering for a while.

[justbeingknife]

Yeah? Maybe that's for the best. They're looking a lot less fisky than usual.

I really don't remember sleepin' through the day. Like at all. You sure about that?

[thedogkeeper]

I might have to do the deliveries for them! Ha-ha!

You didn't. I did.

[justbeingknife]

Be a lot of work for sure.

Your post said, 'Was it me or did you all wind up sleeping through the day too? Haha! Weird! Guess what they say about napping on those pristine summer days is true. Nothing beats it. '

Figured that meant ya knew somethin' we didn't.

Early November!

[thenovice]

[Not quite a typical message with names or questions — but Diarmuid does eventually seek out any place to deliver news to the Dog Keeper during the start of the November spectacle that is dolls and cabins. Or he'll simply give the basket to the dogs, should they prefer it. He will simply leave a basket with tightly rolled parchments, likely made of goat or deer skins, something that came with his doll box. There's a teeny note made with a sliver of the writing material:

TO BE BRIEF AND SAVE THE PARCHMENT -
FOR YOU TO USE IN CASE YOU LACK PAPER THIS MONTH.
IN THE CASE OF NEWS YOU MAY NEED TO BRING.

He doesn't leave a name, and is alright with not having a response; he just wanted to make sure these went to good use for their little town, since he's unsure if this Dog Keeper fellow even has a place or materials to write from... if he's even around right now.]

Letter via delivery dog

[justbeingknife]

It's been a while since I wrote. Hope you're doin' alright. Honestly, I don't remember what went down after we found that paintin', but...

Jesse and the others brought ya back, right? If you could tell us anythin' about how to help, or what's going on, or even where to look, it'd really help.

To The Dog Keeper

[shuttersense]

[It's been awhile but things had been happening. It was just...super busy with everything. But what Justine told her...

Rei finally wrote a letter. It was in two envelopes: one with the letter folded around another envelope. But this one was labelled: WARNING: UPSETTING IMAGES INSIDE.]

Dog Keeper-

My apologies for not keeping in touch. Things have been busy and going forward, as they always do. I'm just glad that I have paper to write you with.

But...I know you warned me. I know you warned all of us. But I went down. I went into the darkness.

I don't understand any of what I saw, but one haunts me the most.

If you want more, you know how to contact me.

-Rei.

[And inside...are two photographs. One with a disposable camera, one with a spirit camera.

They have the same caption on the back. "Same spot. Same spot. Same side."]

To the Dog Keeper, likely at the beginning of May.

[quipsandthwips]

Dog Keeper,

My name is Peter Parker, and I have a question, if you don't mind me asking.

Who was it who sent us the post cards? When we were sick from the Erasure Virus.

It ended with 'Sodder' but... the writing sounds nothing like them from the first letter we receive — and the handwriting looks like it belongs to a child. It's been bothering me ever since I received it, and I'm curious if you know anything about it. I'd just like to talk to them if I can, about their experiences (since they apparently saw this virus before), but... I'm not sure how to deliver messages outside of the Sleepers.

Anything helps, honestly.
We can all help each other if we know both sides of the coin.

Thank you,

Peter

A letter a little late in reply

[thedogkeeper]

Peter Parker -

Questions are what keep the world spinning, so ask away and I can try to answer when I can.



No it would not sound like the first letter, would it. That letter was made a very long time ago.

The post cards you received were from Sodder directly. And I mean d i r e c t l y. It takes a lot for her to do that

I can try to get a message to Sodder for you, but I can't guarantee it'll work or that she will be able to get back.

I do what I can. I can't always help. Know that when I am absent, it is because someone is making me absent.

Good luck Peter Parker

-TDK

[quipsandthwips]

Dog Keeper,

I appreciate any reply at this point, answers are pretty rare. I know there can be some hostility from the sleepers toward people who 'run' the place, or work in it, but I'd like to think you and Sodder are on our side. And the cats and deer seem well-meaning, too. I guess what I want to know most is — is there someone who isn't on our side lurking around here?

And I apologize if this is inconsiderate or rude in any way to ask, but — has Sodder been enduring health issues since her initial letter? Her penmanship and spelling had broken down, and I'm worried for her health if she's struggling to keep a connection with us.

Um. Wherever she may be. I guess that's confidential, right?

Either way, I would love to try and send her messages, if you're willing to try and deliver them.

A lot of people are scratching the walls for answers, I think.

Thank you,

Peter Parker

P.S. Do you have a, uh, name. Or is The D. Keeper your official name on your birth certificate?

[thedogkeeper]

I can't entirely say I blame the hostility, though I certainly neither run or work it. I do what I can to help sleepers how I can. Helping sleepers helps me.

The deer are probably more on your side than anyone else. Do not trust Mother Superior. The Townsfolks, as I am sure you have noticed, are not your friends.

They always listen. And watch. They do not trust any of you, which means we need to not trust them. I advise Sleepers to avoid contact when possible. Don't hold your important conversations where they may hear.

The Wastes will harm no one. They believe they will be harmed by everyone. They just want to escape too.

Sodder is not doing well, no. She has been unwell since October. Haven't you noticed how sick the town has been?

It is not that where she is is confidential, it is that where she is is complicated.

I can do my best, friend.


You are welcome,

If I have a real name on a birth certificate, I no longer remember it. I am happy to be called the Dog Keeper for it's exactly what I am.

I would think you would know about what that's like. Naming yourself something fitting for what you are.

[quipsandthwips]

Dog Keeper,

I'll think up a decent letter for her, in that case. If she's not well, I don't want to write a subpar one - better to just be as specific and brief as possible. I've noticed the townspeople are definitely not too fond of us — and since you seem to be aware of my second name, I guess it's safe enough to tell you I've been helping them, but... definitely not trusting them. At all. Even a little. Have you SEEN their fashion sense?

Mother Superior isn't someone I'm familiar with.

I'm guessing she hasn't showed up yet?

And the Wastes... the Wastes, I'd like to help, if I can. Whether it's getting them out of here or just getting them come back to a more normal state of being... I've been in the mines, and the Wastes remind me of that place and how it's... well, I think you might know.

Sodder seemed to have been familiar with the Erasure Virus, or at least the cure, so I guess one thing I've been wondering is if... Sodder and the Wastes were sleepers just like us? Were the Wastes just... sleepers who are too traumatized being here to interact normally anymore?

And I'm sorry to keep blabbering, but... Are you implying that Sodder's health influences the town's health? Or are you saying that she's too sick to help keep the town from deteriorating? I guess I just want to know as much about her circumstances as possible, so I can be of more use to her and the people trying to get out.

Thank you,

Peter Parker

P.S. Okay but what about 'Doug'? You shouldn't have to go nameless, names are a powerful thing, you know?

Doug's a pretty cool-sounding Keeper. I don't know.