...we came in?

[strangerpeople]

POOR UNFORTUNATE SOULS


[There's no doubt that those who wake up will vaguely remember a dream.

In that dream, at least for most people, there are two figures, informing them each that they had a Title. With that title came a power. More than that, they were being given rooms, as if they were meant to stay in the dark and gloomy place where their dreams placed them. The Strangers might have found this to be a ridiculous proposition. Unless they have been through this before, then were probably not surprised in the least.

All of this, of course, ended with a sense of inexplicable dread for everyone. Especially when they woke up to find themselves in long, thin, cramped rooms, with only candlelight to give them any illumination.

Yes. Unfortunately, that dream had not been a dream at all, much as you might have hoped. You are here, now, inside an old, decrepit house where you have been given what appears to be a permanent residency. While you apparently have a power to aid you, it's no comfort. You have no option to leave, you have no way to escape, and the rules hammered to your door doesn't help the creeping sense of doom pooling in your stomach.

...

Now.

Where are those two figures that had greeted you to begin with?]

((OOC: Please remember to comment on the Mansion Guests and the Guest Profiles pages if you haven't yet!))

Comments

[silvertongueheir]

[Franciscus hasn't really slept well, since Cartesio. Still, upon waking he realizes almost instantly he's not in his own place anymore. He stumbles out of the room, looking around suspiciously. His frown only deepens upon seeing the list of rules.]

So they're not even bothering to hide it...

[He can also be found frowning by the latrines.]

At least that town had proper plumbing.

[And in the garden, studying the plants.]

Ironic. [He mutters, as he looks between the sunflowers and the sky.]

[And at the arena, a small fireball dancing in front of him.]

So that part was accurate...

[belovedsuffocator]

[Felicity is less terrified of what's going on and more angry, and it was for several reasons.

First, this was a horribly small room. Did they really expect her to sleep in it, let alone anyone else? It was less of a bedroom and more of a broom closet with some padding!

Second, those people that talked to her. That title? Seriously? How can that even be a title? It didn't even fit her in the slightest! (Though if the part about the powers is true that might be the only upside to it.)

Third, it is absolutely filthy here! Layers of dust and mold in the corners of rooms. Would it kill them to call a maid? (Then again, it might kill the poor woman.)

Fourth, the pests. There are spiders poking at the mold and she can easily notice a couple bats hanging from the ceiling. She's not sure which is worse, them, or the lack of general hygiene in this place!

So, yeah, when she's outside the bedrooms, she's looking pretty angry. If she sees you, she'll stomp over to you, keeping her glare trained on you.]

Can you explain the meaning of this?!

[Can't even say please, can she?

Later, once she realizes that most people that woke up in that area are about as clueless as her, she'll be going to servant quarters and knocking on the door rapidly. If anyone knows what's going on her, it should be the help, shouldn't it?

Finally, she can easily be found in the garden, looking over the wall, clearly trying to find a way to get over it. Once she realizes you're here, she'll look at you and speak in a commanding tone.]

Give me a boost. I'm going to try getting over this thing.

[...is someone going to try escaping already???]

[joinhands]

What is?

[Krone has been walking through the garden and just now catching sight of the other person. She walks over, trying to take his attitude in.]

It's not really a free place to enjoy nature, but calling the entire concept of a courtyard ironic would be going a little far, no?

[belovedsuffocator]

[While he's looking at those latrines, Franciscus can hear a choking sound behind him, like someone is disgusted with what they're seeing rather than choking to death.]

They...can't really expect us to use these...can they?

[joinhands]

The itsy-bitsy spider went up the water spout ♫

[There is a woman in the garden bent over the well and singing her heart out. She kicks one leg dramatically as she tugs the rope hard on the first word of the second line.]

DOWN came the rain and washed the spider out!

---

[But it took a while for Krone to get there. She didn't have a map handy. She wandered out of her bedroom, and then began to explore the mansion, such as the dining room, with its glasses in its cupboards. Her eyes are methodical, her face solemn, and her hand not hasty.]

[joinhands]

[Krone is tall enough that she can't blame Felicity for asking her specifically, but she glances at the entire tableau and then into the girl's eyes.]

...do you have a death wish?

[The tone is at least light enough she's not talking about Krone herself killing her...]

[belovedsuffocator]

Do you?

[Felicity's tone is...somewhat threatening, but mainly in that she's think this woman is being stupid.]

Staying here is not going to go well in the slightest, and considering they're left us a potential escape route, I suggest we take it.

[relieable]

[he's hoping everything he's just been told was merely a dream, and nothing more. what kind of Title is that? why was it given to him? he's too hung up on the word to even think about what power comes with it. they're talking about blades, he thinks?

so when Osomatsu wakes up in that cramped, thin room, it's with a start. he looks around, and swallows a lump that catches in his throat]

Not again.

[again?

slowly, he pushes himself up and rubs his head. he maneuvers himself into the hallway outside of room 9 to look around. it seems the hallway's a little bit wider than the rooms, but not by much, huh?

a short while later, Osomatsu has decided to explore the mansion, perhaps to search for a way out. he's not that hopeful, though. the rules said they couldn't leave, didn't they? he... is inclined to believe that, only because he's been in a similar situation.

the first place he checks is on the same floor, the arena. what is this place for? he seems to recall his dream again, about his Title holding a power. hm. Osomatsu clears his throat and sighs. he concentrates, and suddenly something happens. with a dim glow, a blade appears under his chest. YIKES. it retracts once he makes his startled squawk. okay, yeah. a curved blade just came out of his body. that's kind of awesome. but also scary. he does this several times to test the power, making various blades shoot from his arm, his leg, his knuckles... uh.

after playing around in the arena, Osomatsu leaves there to pay a visit to the main staircase. he is a bit too nervous to go downstairs alone, though. at least right now. he's just hanging out here for a while]

[notadinosnack]

[Thanatos leaves his bedroom quickly enough. He definitely isn't very fond of such a cramped space even if some actual privacy is not exactly an unwelcome change from a cave with some makeshift beds that they all shared.

First he sees the bats just outside the bedrooms. He just stops and looks at them, almost daring them to attack. They stay put and then he can't help but laugh.]

Definitely better than Primordials trying to turn me into dinner.

[Eventually Thanatos will check out the other rooms and then find the garden. While there he's going to make use of the well for a quick drink and he also fills up the canteen on his belt. He'll also quickly wash his hands and face and then take a closer look at the plants.]

Is this truly the only food and water source here?

[whiterosefoes]

i.

[When Harriet wakes up in a box, she's surprised it's not a smaller one. The dream she had was nonsense, but then.... waking up or not waking up, it hasn't changed anything about her reality for a while. This still feels different, though. For one thing, when she wakes up in one strange place, she's not supposed to remember anything about the other. And yet, she remembers both, and this place is neither. She almost doesn't pay mind to the candle, but after she rolls out of the coffin-like chamber into the rest of the mansion, the middle-ages appearance to all of it puts a sour look on her face. After she reads the rules, it especially looks like she's just sucked on a lemon.]

Stuck here forever, eh? I've heard that one before.

[She continues to look displeased as she searches her person and realizes her deck is also missing, again or perhaps still.]

ii.

[So there's this short armored woman stalking angrily around the mansion. She'd almost look like she fit in to the scenery, except the white cape clashes with the dark atmosphere and also ye olde people didn't really wear barrettes like this either. The arena is given a once-over, and she'll test the weapons just enough to determine that they're basically worthless. Searching the basement (mainly looking for these so-called stewards), she opens the door to the game room, gives a flat look to the torture devices, and ventures in anyway.]

The real "weapons" are in here, probably... [Yeah, she's. Strongly considering just taking the Stewards up on their offer to 'see them try,' despite not even being able to find them yet.]

[notadinosnack]

[As she comes stomping over to him, Thanatos doesn't seem bothered. If anything he's finding it amusing.]

Nope. I wasn't exactly in a place people can easily leave so I'm just as clueless as you.

[belovedsuffocator]

Of course it can't just be that easy...

[She grumbles and drags her-hands? Really the ends of her noodle like arms-over her face as she says that.

She tries to think of something else that she could ask that might help the situation, and an idea pops into her head.]

Well, how important are you? Maybe they're trying to hold us for ransom.

[She knows SHE'S important enough for that, so maybe everyone else is too?]

[notadinosnack]

[He chuckles at that question. Yeah, he knows how bad his situation was but the idea of asking how important he is just is funny to him.]

I've been missing for over a year now. Washed up on a deserted island no one has ever left. If ransom is their intent, they grabbed the wrong person with me.

[belovedsuffocator]

So they're just...grabbing random people from...literally anywhere...

[Doesn't help that, if he's been missing for a year already, then there's no chance people are going to start looking for him in this place.

She's about to facepalm at these thoughts, but then a question about what he said comes to mind.]

If no one has ever left that island, how were they able to get you? Or even find you?

why hello there

[15unknowns]

[from somewhere in the shadows]

Ahem. Excuse me.

hello there

[15unknowns]

[Well, in the dining room, soon after whatever may happen here, is a cloaked figure. Most will remember seeing them from their not-dream. And now that everyone is awake, they can see this figure sitting in a chair at the table, waiting calmly for everyone to just be drawn in by the sound of people talking/yelling to them.

Also, this person is tall. It's also pretty obvious they are pretty muscular under that cloak-certainly muscular enough to beat the snot out of anyone who tries to mess with them. For their part, they simply fold their arms, a dozen or so scrolls laying on the table next to them.

They don't talk. Not yet.

Looks like one of you will have to break the ice.]

ah........

[relieable]

[okay, so sneaking up on Osomatsu just makes him yell, and a bunch of those blades pop out of him like he’s a defending porcupine, or pufferfish. it would be hilarious if he wasn’t so scared of what was behind him.

he whips around, chest heaving in fright, and peers into the shadows]

Geez! Don’t scare me like that!

:)

[15unknowns]

[There is a rather tall and imposing figure in a cloak in the shadows. In their arms is a bunch of scrolls.

A chuckle comes from beneath the cloak.]

I see you are using your powers already in an effective manner, Enemy. Excellent.

Now, I shall see you in the dining room presently, won't I?

[It's almost like the figure is politely expecting-or-daring-Oso to back talk or something.]

[silvertongueheir]

Ah, of course not. I meant more the fact that there are sunflowers here, while this place gives the impression it's hardly ever seen the sun.

[notadinosnack]

More like how were they able to get me here. Finding me isn't impossible. The hard part is leaving once they do.

[Thanatos thinks a moment on how it would be possible, but there really isn't anything he knows of except that warping ability Dana gave them, but even that wouldn't work to get there or to leave but maybe they have something similar to it without those limitations.] Only thing I can think of is they have a way to get there and leave that doesn't involve a ship. Unless our captors have wings, can't think of how they did it.

[silvertongueheir]

[If he had less dignity, he'd ne doing tge same honestly.]

Unfortunately, it appears so. I haven't even found anything similar to a shower.

[belovedsuffocator]

[Well, now Felicity is looking at him like he's an idiot (And at this point, she's thinking he is).]

So, an air plane. Or a helicopter. Or even a hot air balloon.

[So many ways to leave this "unescapable" island.]

I

[silvertongueheir]

You're also been through something like this? [He turns to look at her when she says that-okay, she's not from Cartesio at least.]

[belovedsuffocator]

That's...that's barbaric! We're in the twenty-first century! The least they could do is give us some indoor plumbing!

[Kidnappers can't even put you in a gilded cage? INHUMAN!!]

[silvertongueheir]

This may not even be the twenty-first century, judging from the architectural motifs of the location.