groundrules: (Default)
let's set d o w n some ([personal profile] groundrules) wrote in [community profile] westwhere2022-10-22 07:42 pm

the clock tower


Happy Hallow-elevator! The clock tower event lasts between 22 October and 8 November. ICly, the tower incursion stretches around a week, and you’re welcome to have your character investigate something else, if they finish early!



THE CLOCK TOWER




ALL IS AS ALL WAS| TRIAL & NO ERRORS | THE TOWER




ALL IS AS ALL WAS

Play it cool, as Serthica’s customs officers pore over your passport papers, before grudgingly allowing you overground. Minaras, you hear, is hunting a delinquent.

Both it and Eidris fare well, with no sign of the damage that preceded the Unwinding. Locals no longer behave eerily, dragons and clockwork droids roam freely, and everyone hates taxes.

Yet perfect strangers insist they know you. Your assigned address leads to a different house. The roads, buildings and architecture look ‘lived in,’ but changed.

No one remembers the Unwinding.

Burlap mannequins sometimes watch from mirrors, windows and reflecting surfaces.

■ You might hear shifting and scratching in Eidris walls.

Minaras has doubled its bounty for a man not unlike Leonard McCoy.

Black fungal spores are found on the increasingly voluminous experiment vials, specimens and supplies thrown out by Minaras medical facilities.

■ Frail and confused, Ellethia survivor Zenobius finally awakens. A short thread is up for RNG grabs.




TRIALS & NO ERRORS

The guard troops that Eidris and Minaras assign to the Neutral Zone now protect King Thivar and High Councillor Arabella during the annual Sanctuary Reckoning trials. Both adjudicate cases that violate the ceasefire.

Prolonging the trials buys time for your companions in the clock tower.

■ Create a distraction — flood the judgement hall rooms? Fire? Illusions?

■ Pose as trial participants: perhaps you are of Eidris, and you caught this wicked Minaraian raiding your home? Mayhap this wretched man of Eidris stole your girlfriend? Wait, you’re a Minaraian who wants to kill King Thivar?

■ …organise breakouts, if Thivar or Arabella have your jailed. You are first imprisoned in makeshift Sanctuary cells — all but poorly locked, glorified closets. Get a trial sentence!

Thivar and Arabella treat the trials as a box-ticking exercise.





THE TOWER

As Eidris and Minaras play court, you can infiltrate the Neutral Zone clock tower of Vassarizhia.

■ Only token security remains. The door is unlocked.

Karsa supplies paper talismans that must be burned in the watch fire at the tower’s top level.

■ Each burned talisman amplifies the reveal spell that Karsa activates. Link a finished burning thread by 8 November to help the cause.

■ A November mod post will describe how much of Serthica’s ‘undeath’ characters can see.

■ Placing Magnus’ dragon eye before the tower’s telescope will allow characters to always see Serthica’s undeath, moving forward.




✘ ELEVATOR ETIQUETTE

Imperfect stillness dominates Vassarizhia: your footsteps do not click, words die in your mouth. The tower’s rickety gear slither silently. Your heartbeat aligns with the clock’s tick… tock.
You have the growing, gnarly certainty that you have invaded something ancient and alive.

The tower’s entryway level is large, deserted, stacked with gears. At its core is a dilapidated open elevator shaft.

A large sign says to find and pull the floor lever, if elevators stop.

■ There are two elevators. Each narrow lift can hold up to four people, crammed. The upper half of the carriage is chain-link fence, while the floors contain hatches that sometimes open mid-travel for 30 seconds. Hold on to ceiling-bound leather straps.

■ The ropes holding the elevators are thick, but tattered.

■ The elevator’s creaking squeals can awaken swarms of 1m-tall bats and bat wyverns. They rattle the lift, but ultimately withdraw.

■ The elevator can stop at as many levels as you want (or none!).

■ Beyond the second level, you feel intensely paranoid and see your companions as the persons you most hate/fear for five to 10 minutes. Reaching the top, you are tempted to cut the lift ropes of those who follow. (The ropes and elevators recover, after crashing to the bottom. )

■ On each floor, as you exit the elevator, a nearby wall shows a different scratched instruction, signed by DAVID.


LEVEL I: THE LABYRINTH| LEVEL II: THE ANCESTOR | LEVEL III: TAG! YOU’RE IT
LEVEL IV: THE ROOM WHERE NOTHING HAPPENS | LEVEL V: IT’S RAINING (AGAIN)




LEVEL I: THE LABYRINTH
CONTENT WARNING: MINOTAUR, BODY HORROR

Step into a jail maze, flooded to knee level. Confusing corridors narrow, widen and contort, while wall torches dim.

Intermittent howling reveals you’re not alone. Hiding, you see child-like chalk drawings of forest animals on walls — and a great minotaur. Keep silent.

■ David S P’s wall scrawl says, IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY.

■ Collect some of the many discarded daggers or axes. Rope bundles float in water — use them to paralyse your captive or briefly force them under your control.

■ Don’t linger in one place: rotting, bodiless hands surface to restrain you.

■ Bad news, if you swallow water when the minotaur or dead hands try to drown you: your skin stretches and bursts, while your bones pop and extend. You mutate into a half human, half woodland creature, all bloodlust. ( Inspiration, anyone? ) Your companions should still recognise you; between hazy memories and constant pain, you might struggle to remember them and even attack.

■ Morphed characters can (painfully) return to normal within minutes of re-entering the elevator.

■ A smaller and distressed three-headed minotaur also roams the labyrinth. Two of its heads sob, while the third urges you to hide with it when brother approaches. It tries to throttle you with a noose to make brother happy, if you follow. David did say.

■ The minotaur and its sibling have poor sight. They cannot enter a corridor where you’ve drawn or laid down a line.

■ Pull the lever, and a straight corridor leads you to the elevator.


TOP | LEVEL II | LEVEL III | LEVEL IV | LEVEL V




LEVEL II: THE ANCESTOR
CONTENT WARNING: GIANT SKELETON, BLOOD DRINKING

Here, only barren stone and thin rivulets of fresh water pouring from wall fountains with sharp-tipped ornaments — your spilled blood quickly infects the basins. Knives, pins and bowls have been abandoned nearby.

High pressure and vertigo overwhelm you. Follow a rhythmic heaving to where the upper half of an enormous skeleton — the Ancestor — has broken through a wall. White, silk thread fetters it. Dried blood rims its cracked mouth. Before it, the stone floor has been tarnished, up to a 5m radius.

The Ancestor appears dormant, a crown of iron thorns on its head. It clutches the lever tightly in its right hand. Above it, an engraving urges, SPILL WINE FOR YOUR ANCESTOR.

■ David S P’s elevator scrawl says, WATER TO WINE.

■ Dally staring and you feel dizzy, nauseous, depressed and compelled to share your close-death encounters. Before you know it, you are stepping into the Ancestor’s radius…

■ …where it plunges for you, if you don’t bear a filled cup. The silk ropes keep the Ancestor from reaching beyond 5m.

■ Two carvings under his fists read HONOUR THY FATHER and DISHONOUR THY MOTHER.

■ Quickly distract the Ancestor from crumbling his captives, tearing their arms or attempting to eat them.

■ The Ancestor is instinct-driven, consumed by thirst. It cannot see or smell, and only remembers taste. Sounds divert it.

■ Improvise: there is no actual wine here. Infuse water, spill blood, or vocally pretend you are delivering wine, and the Ancestor might spare you.

■ If sated, the Ancestor releases the lever.


TOP | LEVEL I | LEVEL III | LEVEL IV | LEVEL V




LEVEL III: TAG! YOU’RE IT
CONTENT WARNING: SCARECROW, SKINNED CREATURES

Enjoy pitch dark, dread and bile spreading in your gut. Take a candle from near the elevator and roam through small, unlocked rooms that feature tattered beds, strips of tanning leather and blood or wax spilled on the floor.

■ David S P’s wall scrawl says, O CATCHES IT.

■ Ahead, you see candle-bearing mannequins that dance a hora to the same song played by Jim Kirk’s music box: “Up the mountain, in the grove, hand in hand to Ke-Waihu, fresh harvest’s a treasure trove, each fall we feast anew.”

■ The creatures are patched abominations of wax, skinned flesh and burlap. In the middle of the hora is a wiry scarecrow, eyes blazing with candle fire as it points a large cleaver. In certain lights, the scarecrow’s face briefly contorts into that of your mother. It wears priestly robes that Arc III survivors may recognise from the House of Ravens.

■ As the dance finishes, you notice the lever in the middle of the circle, where flame spells out TAKE THEM, NOT ME. The game begins.

■ The abominations run, gleefully manic and screaming TAAAA~AAAAAG. YOU’RE IT! The scarecrow unflinchingly cuts them down while pursuing you. Hide in the abandoned rooms, or risk snuffing your candle to avoid detection.

■ Some abominations slap you, hold you, or alert the scarecrow. Others offer shelter. A few peel off wax skins from their limbs — showing black fungi beneath. They murmur, IT NEVER GOES AWAY.

■ Parchment strips fall from the scarecrow’s sleeves, reading, HAPPY NAME DAY, MOTHER KNOWS BEST, THE SIN RAN DEEPER THAN SKIN, IF YOU CAN BEAR IT, IT’S A GAME.

■ Bless David: draw the scarecrow into a drawn or makeshift circle to trap it.

■ Intense, paralysing fear arrests you, if the scarecrow catches you. The wax abominations chant, TAKE THEM, NOT ME. One might even take pity and move your numbed mouth to utter the words. Say them — and the scarecrow lands deep cuts on your arms, then pursues your companion.

■ If you betray someone, the abominations take the appearance of your worst version: whether physically mutated, with a temper that amplifies your worst features, or both.


TOP | LEVEL I | LEVEL II | LEVEL IV | LEVEL V




LEVEL IV: THE ROOM WHERE NOTHING HAPPENS
CONTENT WARNING: MANIPULATION, MENTAL COERCION

You enter a quiet room. The lever sits on a table, beside rope and a dagger. As you approach, your surroundings transform: perhaps your dearest dead appear to warmly welcome you. Crowds of your doubters celebrate your success. Or you are in a calm oasis, where nothing hurts.

■ David S P’s wall scrawl says, THIS DREAM IS A NIGHTMARE.

■ Whatever your deepest wishes, the room’s vivid illusions provide. With time, your beautiful dreams deteriorate into horror. Sometimes, you hear whispers of, Make a wish.

■ The room increasingly drains your life force. Within half an hour, you have gaunt flesh, brittle bones and a hunched back. Or you might feel compelled to harm yourself, clawing your arms and face, or pulling your hair out.

■ The damage comes undone minutes after reaching the elevator.

■ The room focuses on one person: if someone joins you, they see fainter echoes of what the room shows you, but they are not enthralled. They must coax or drag you away.

■ If you are under the room’s influence, it forces you to make any later intruders stay.


TOP | LEVEL I | LEVEL II | LEVEL III | LEVEL V




LEVEL V: IT’S RAINING (AGAIN)
CONTENT WARNING: PLAGUE, THE CHILD

At the tower’s open-sky top, fire crackles from a small stone pit, shielded by a familiar, immovable blood-spattered white umbrella. Nearby, discover an immense rusted telescope and other discarded astronomy tools.

You trip on rain-battered yellowed bones at every step. One skeletal hand holds a watch piece, engraved for Mr. David Sebastian Pumpkins.

■ David S P’s has only scrawled his signature.

■ You might reach the flame easily, or be overwhelmed by sickness, black fungal spores blooming on your fingers, while you cough blood and experience intense fever. The symptoms wane once you reach the fire.

■ Burn paper talismans and link finished threads to help Karsa’s spell.

■ The child with a fox mask from the Unwinding could appear. Sign up for one of three short threads, which must finalise by 3 November.


NOTES

■ Some of the bigger plot clues have been emphasised, to help navigate through the horror details.

■ You can hit up some NPCs during the trials.

■ Check out plotting posts for last-minute team-ups.

Back to the top.

QUESTIONS

vdovy: (ASSEMBLED 00:45:06)

[personal profile] vdovy 2022-10-22 08:46 pm (UTC)(link)
ALL IS AS ALL WAS
— RECON
Yelena has been cooped up in the orphanage for too long with nothing but the clock tower mission to occupy her time. She is brimming with bottled energy when she finally gets to leave. She dedicates her first night out to reconnaissance, not just on the tower but the neutral zone and the citadels as well. Everything here is new to her and she is too well-trained to attempt a mission without first getting to know the terrain.

Throughout the course of the night: she makes her way through Minaras, kicking at piles of garbage that seem like they belong in bio-hazard disposal; stops by the neutral zone and perches like a gargoyle atop a nearby building to watch for activity at the clock tower; and at daybreak, she sneaks into Eidris to find out if the dragons live up to the hype.

TRIAL AND NO ERRORS
— JAILBREAK
Knocking out the first guard she comes upon is easy. Dragging his dead weight into the nearest room is more challenging. Anyone approaching could easily miss the sight of a prone pair of legs disappearing behind the door— but for the eagle-eyed observer who cares to investigate, they will walk in on Yelena tugging forcefully at the guard's clothes. In a small pile beside her are the few articles she has already managed to remove.

THE CLOCK TOWER
— ELEVATOR
Yelena expected security to be tighter given the supposed importance of this tower. That it was so easy to get inside doesn't bode well for what awaits. A feeling of deep unease begins to settle in as she steps into the elevator. So naturally, she cracks a joke, nudging her elevator companion in the shoulder to say: "Imagine if one of us had to fart right now."

— LEVEL ONE
Having made the brief mistake of stopping to orient herself, Yelena swiftly defends herself against the rotting hands with a swing of the axe she claimed just seconds before. The rotting appendage plops into the flood waters with a splash. She tries to wipe droplets of spattered blood from her face but succeeds only in smearing it across her cheek.

— LEVEL TWO
Fighting the sense of vertigo that has plagued her since arriving at this level, Yelena marches back until she is beyond the great skeleton's reach. The bundle of rope she kept from the previous level may prove handy yet, as she gets to work fashioning a lasso to try pulling the lever from within the skeleton's brittle grip.

— LEVEL THREE
Yelena's betrayal is unintentional, but it matters not. Her worst version appears: a ruthless killer with red eyes and an insatiable thirst for violence. The dark Yelena moves to pursue the nearest target as if killing them were not just her job, but also her profound pleasure.

— ELEVATOR SHAFT
"Screw this," Yelena spits as she returns to the elevator. This time, she waits for the bottom hatch to open again and jumps down into the elevator shaft. She would rather climb the rest of the way than stop at another one of these haunted floors.

By the time the bats come to demonstrate why this was not the genius idea Yelena hoped, it will be too late to back out.

— LEVEL FIVE
Drenched in sweat, blood, monster guts and now rain, Yelena is undeterred. Wet bones turn to dust under her boots as she heads for the fire pit. Uninfected, she will endeavor to help others fulfill their mission.

(OOC: The Recon prompt is intended as a catch-all for characters to run into Yelena around town, but I'm happy to do individual starts as well. For plotting and anything else, cosmology#1563 at Discord is the quickest way to reach me.)
traaaaaash: (prepare for trouble)

Eda Clawthorne | The Owl House

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-22 08:48 pm (UTC)(link)
traaaaaash: (mischief)

ALL IS AS ALL WAS

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-22 08:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[ A distraction, you say? Well, Eda is a lifelong expert at causing chaos and mayhem, so this is her time to shine. She has kept making potion bombs since she accidentally made some on their pirate adventure, and goes to collect some fireworks at the Mouse House. She remembers sticking it to Belos with a message in fireworks at the Day of Unity, and, well, she completely intends to repeat that one.

Maybe she's even talked to you and let you have some creative input!

Right now, she's hiding out in a corner of the courtroom, waiting for the perfect chance to strike. She's definitely smirking with great mischief. ]
traaaaaash: (not today satan)

Level I | cw: for creepy image (creature with blackened-out eyes and sharp teeth)

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-22 09:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Eda makes a decent showing for a while, fending the minotaur off with an axe she picks up off the ground and kicking at the dead hands -- but eventually, in a split second of inattention, they get her, and her body cracks in all the wrong places to reveal... something familiar.

You might see her trying to fight it, for a moment, but the curse overtakes her and she'll probably start chasing you. Better run, or maybe try to get through to her? ]
Edited 2022-10-23 17:24 (UTC)
traaaaaash: (points at u.)

Level III

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-22 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Okay, so. Pitch dark. That's fine. Eda takes one of the candles and looks around. As she discovers the abominations, she shudders. ]

Ugh, gross.

[ It's only a momentary reaction, though. Stepping closer to them, she recognizes both the song and the scarecrow's robes. ]

Hey, you look like the priest guys! Didn't we kill you guys dead enough?

[ But then the chase begins. Eda will defend herself and her companions valiantly while trying not to get caught herself.

Until she remembers what she read at the beginning. O catches it. ]


Can it be... ? [ The scarecrow is quickly approaching. ] Well, better try it!

[ She goes the extra mile and draws not only a circle, but a plant glyph on the floor, designed to entrap the scarecrow in vines. ]

Hey, bonehead! Over here, you dingus!
Edited 2022-10-22 21:06 (UTC)
traaaaaash: (serious business)

Level IV

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-22 09:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Well, this one seems easy. Just get to the table, right? Eda flicks a dismissive hand and snorts a laugh. ]

Hah! Piece of cake.

[ But as she approaches, she's suddenly not in the tower anymore.

She's in the Owl House, in her living room. Luz is lying on the couch, practicing glyph combos and King is on the floor arranging his plushies in what is no doubt another of his tyrannical schemes. Hooty is talking at King incessantly and King occasionally tells him to shut up. Lilith is practicing calligraphy and having fun watching the ink dry. Faint conversation must be taking place, but Eda can't hear it.

Brow furrowing in confusion, she reaches out a hand toward the illusion. ]


Oh -- hey. Hey, kids? Hooty? Lily? I'm... I'm home.

[ But alas, it doesn't stay so idyllic. They can't seem to hear or see her, and as time goes on, Luz starts poring over ways to open the portal door. Eda can see her screaming and tearing at her own hair in frustration.

Meanwhile, King stomps up to her angrily, suddenly focusing on her exclusively. He stomps his foot and says I'm leaving! I'm going to my real family! ]


No. No no no no no.

[ As the room starts eating at her, Eda falls to her knees, tearing at her own clothes and hair and shaking her head in desperation. She's caught in the vision, pain both physical and emotional coursing through her, filling her senses as uncontrollable tears splash down her face. ]
traaaaaash: (not today satan)

Elevator

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-22 09:23 pm (UTC)(link)
[ As they rise in levels, so too are her companions morphing to Eda. She might see you as the evil Emperor Belos who has her homeworld in his thrall for nefarious purposes, her punishingly strict old school principal, or even... herself.

She blinks at you owlishly and might growl for a second -- before she catches herself, shaking her head in hopes of shaking off the vision. ]


Ugh, stop playing games with me, you weird tower!

[ The hardest illusion to resist is that of a shadowy figure from her dreams -- the Collector who once captured the Owl Beast she shares her body with. She feels it stirring within her, ready to strike. Feathers sprout on her arms and neck and darkness laps at her eyes. ]

Ugh... no.
traaaaaash: (HEY!!)

Elevator

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-22 09:32 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Eda's eyes widen when she sees what Yelena's up to. ]

HEY --!

[ But too late, Yelena's already gone.

Eda should probably go after her. She hesitates for a second; after all, that is a random stranger. But then, they need to work together if they want to make it here. Eda takes her staff out of her hair and jumps out the hatch after Yelena, mounting the staff once she's out and gliding down to find Yelena. ]


Hey, you better not die on me!
hatejakku: (Default)

Finn | Star Wars

[personal profile] hatejakku 2022-10-22 10:18 pm (UTC)(link)
hatejakku: (they changed the layout)

closed to Vanessa;

[personal profile] hatejakku 2022-10-22 10:27 pm (UTC)(link)
[ His heart is pounding, and it feels like the sound echoes in this claustrophobic box. There is nothing safe about this entire tower, it's true, but he somehow feels in even more danger in the damn elevator. Let's just say it's not made well.

But it still provides some sort of respite. Finn's chest heaves while he tries to catch his breath from that last floor, his back pressed against the wall while the elevator creaks along ever higher. This time, he's not alone in this death trap, and Vanessa-... Well, she's looked better. ]


Are you all right?
vdovy: (BLACK WIDOW 00:51:35)

[personal profile] vdovy 2022-10-23 01:20 am (UTC)(link)
[ There are few things more amusing than free-diving out of a window— or down a hatch— in front of unsuspecting company. Yelena isn't all that worried about traumatizing the woman from the elevator; this tower is doing a fine job of that already. But when the woman follows after her, Yelena does feel a tiny pang of guilt. She certainly wasn't expecting that.

She also wasn't expecting the woman to be riding on a staff like some kind of storybook witch. Yelena belays her fall by grabbing hold of a rusted chain and is waiting there, swaying slightly as she hangs suspended, when the woman catches up. ]


Did you really jump after me? That is very nice of you!
Edited 2022-10-23 01:25 (UTC)
strewth: fowler & taillefer; bad influences. (round the white slab of the telephone)

john constantine | ota.

[personal profile] strewth 2022-10-23 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
a. LEVEL I.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck."

John is not what anyone would call an athletic man. Neither is he particularly well versed in physical combat. He makes a loud, splashing ruckus, running through a rancid maze. You can hear him swearing, hear him wheezing, hear his smoker's lungs bellow.

He turns a corner, and there you are. Eyes meet in darkness. Will you fold him into your hiding place, run with him? Do you trust that he won't bring the monster closer?
b. LEVEL II.
John knows he has an audience, and this is where he shines. Staring into a nearby fountain, John murmurs, "reckon Christ had some magic to him, the bastard."

But John doesn't know that spell. He holds up a cup of what is clearly water.

(1.) And the fist comes speeding down. Save him? He doesn't seem to be running fast enough.

(2.) And John begins a conversation on the nature of wine. Is its taste not mellow and clear? Does its coolness not parch thirst? "C'mon, mate, this is wine of the skies. Dragons drink this, don't you know? Tears of the moon, it is."

With some consideration, the Ancestor takes a sip. John looks to you, beckoning with an outstretched hand.
c. LEVEL III.
John does not remember the face of his mother, a dark-haired woman with sad blue eyes. He passes by it without comment, and then the chase begins. He bolts, with the same lack of athleticism he always seems to come to. Running, screaming, "bugger all, fuck-"

He runs and he runs again and he finds a room to hide in. His deep breaths, gulping for air, reveal his hiding spot handily. Luckily for him, there's another-- you-- in that spot with him. He looks shocked at your existence.

(1.) John bolts, his hand latched to yours. You both run together, and he seems to be just at the point of screaming.

(2.) It's too much. He says the words-- "Take them! Fuck, not me!"
d. LEVEL IV.
In a room with nothing much of interest, there is a woman sitting at the table across from John. She seems casually comfortable, and her resemblance to John is unmistakable. This woman is family, in one way or another.

Tears prickle at John's eyes. His breathing goes uneven. He reaches for the knife, cuts a gash across his hand, and hot blood flows down his wrist. He begins to speak in another language, alien-- unless you know Enochian-- asking or praying or wishing for something.

He begins to draw shapes on the table in his own blood. He has forgotten entirely about the lever.
e. LEVEL V.
John is choking with death. In this black pit of a moment, he doesn't remember how he got here, only that he needs to go forward. His skin rots, his lips grow thin over yellowed teeth, and all signs of plague stand obvious and evident on his mangled body.

Still, he crawls toward that bloody fire.
f. WILDCARD.
[Seriously, I'm up for anything. Combine prompts, mess around with stuff I didn't mention, go for it. Here is my plotting comment, if you wanna go over anything.]

→ kim wexler

[personal profile] sansdoute 2022-10-23 02:26 am (UTC)(link)


( A day's bread, hard won on her feet when she's seven filled moons, swollen with child. Not her first. Won't be her last, if Mr. Fairley's to have his way of it, and truth told, Elizabeth's found this one easy. Improved, when she's settled on a bench in the yawning waiting halls of the Sanctuary, kindly shielded from the hurricane of public opinion and the mighty shrieking breeze they never seem to stay, from that there northern window.

Eight years she's worked the archives here, and this is her third set of the trials yet. First when she heard, gossip be a merry saint, there's some woman asking her good friend Thaddeus, same of the just court's record keeping, for her name.

So, suppose Elizabeth were to cut the chase short and intercede, before the gentlewoman keeps prodding. Might as well. )


Good day to you. Said our man Thaddeus, you were asking after me. Asking after the name of me.

( ...possibly, not with intent of Elizabeth pursuing the conversation, thereafter, but she's agreeable at least, softening the blow of her abrupt presence with a sweep of her hand where the bench is cold and waiting and silent. ) Well, you've got it. And you've got me, and — I'm sitting, you might as well. How can I help?

fushichou: (10)

[personal profile] fushichou 2022-10-23 03:54 am (UTC)(link)
can.......can mr. spooky scarecrow get set on fire at all

oh or the henchmen fellas
Edited 2022-10-23 03:54 (UTC)
fushichou: (58)

izuminokami kanesada | touken ranbu

[personal profile] fushichou 2022-10-23 06:49 am (UTC)(link)
Level II

[Right. Giant skeleton stuck in a wall. This is totally normal and fine. Especially all that old, darkened blood - of course, it's blood - dried around its teeth and jaws. But Kanesada stares a little too long and finds himself walking toward it, as if to get a better look at the whole thing.

Good thing he's fast on his feet, though, because as soon as that skeleton takes a swipe at him, he's rushing out of range, a hand immediately resting on the hilt of his sword.]


Woah, there, pal. That's not very nice.


Level III

[Okay, fighting? This Kanesada knows how to do. He's abandoned his candle at this point, having chucked it at one of the mannequins in the hopes of setting something on fire, and now hides in the darkness. Thankfully, he can see somewhat well in the dark, though this is far from preferable. It means he can easily pinpoint the mannequins and the scarecrow whenever they come close, thanks to their own candlelight.

One of the mannequins does and he cuts it down, his sword slicing through the patchwork of its "flesh" with very little resistance. He follows through by piercing it in the chest and wrestling it to the ground to drive the blade in deeper. Maybe it's dead, maybe it's not, but hopefully it will learn not to mess with him.

Unfortunately, these sorts of takedowns aren't silent and another creature comes up behind Kanesada while he's distracted.]



Level IV (CW: mild body horror, implied drowning)

[By this point, Kanesada is looking a little worse for wear. His clothes are dirty with some much, maybe blood, and his hair could use a good brushing and wash. He's not too tired yet, but he is annoyed. How much longer until he can get to the top of this damn elevator?

This floor, however, reveals a wide open beach at sunset, the lapping of the waves creating a relaxing sort of repetition. Tide in, tide out. Tide in, tide out.

Kanesada knows he shouldn't trust it, but it's...it's really nice. He lets his eyes fall closed and simply breathes

And then, behind him comes a voice, one he hasn't heard in so long now. "Kane-san!" it calls to him. Not Izumi, as anyone stumbling upon this scene might know him as. Kanesada's eyes open and he turns around so quickly, gaze falling upon the owner of that voice, and he laughs a little with relief.]


Kunihiro!

[His partner, his wakizashi, his match, arguably his best friend, definitely the sword who knows him best. Suddenly, everything feels right again.

But the longer he remains on that beach, the more things start to go...wrong. At some point Kunihiro has waded into the tide, his smile gone from his face. He draws his own blade, only to show Kanesada how it has rusted, how there are barnacles clinging to the hilt and sheath. His own flesh reflects this, as well. He keeps walking farther into the water. Kanesada chases after him, but he's always too far behind.

Kunihiro disappears beneath the waves entirely and Kanesada is soaked from head to toe. And, despite his desperate efforts, every time the waves crash upon the shore, they drag him back to the sands, as well.]


No! Kunihiro!

[Until, finally, he collapses on his hands and knees, tears joining his already-wet face, and screams.]


Level V

[Fuck this tower.

Fuck this elevator.

Fuck this world.

Kanesada reaches the top, but he looks ready to fall over where he stands. Or murder the first person he sees. Still, there's a job to be done and he's not a quitter.

All the bones and skulls trip him up, though, and he falls more than once on the way to the firepit. His fingers are worn raw, the knees of his hakama are torn, and after falling for the fourth, maybe fifth time, he coughs up some blood. Great. Wonderful. This is hell.

He doesn't pay attention to his own injuries, though, concerned only with getting to the fire. But his fingers, once bleeding, now turn black with sickness. If he has to crawl the rest of the way, he'll do it. Even if it takes him a while. He simply has to.]



Wildcard!

[hit me up for an alternative take or whatever your heart desires baybeeeee]
beitangmoran: (intense)

Beitang Moran

[personal profile] beitangmoran 2022-10-23 07:58 am (UTC)(link)
I. ALLIS AS ALL WAS.

[Well, if they needed any more confirmation that something is indeed not right int he city, this would seal the deal.

Everything looks fine. Everything is not, in fact, fine.

Moran takes to the street, followed by his recovered droid (she at least hasn't changed, somehow looking around and mentally cataloguing things as he does.]


I know that building wasn't there before all this, and I didn't have a private residence before things started going wrong... well, more wrong. And...

[A huge, disapproving look towards a pile of refuse that looks clearly infected with black fungi.]

How do they even claim this thing is contained and do this?


II. TRIALS AND NO ERRORS
((OOC: while the trials threads are mostly intended for the designated perpetrators, feel free to use them to interact with Moran before or after, he'll appreciate being complimented for his acting!)).

IIa. Trial one (Su Xunxian)
[He strides in front of the assembled court with all the hauteur and dignity an imperial prince is capable of mustering which is quite a lot.]

My Lord, My lady, I come to you to demand justice!

[His robes swoosh as he starts pacing, the very picture of indignation and agitation. Just looking at him, one glance is enough to tell he has been mortally offended.]

This man.... [He points towards Su Xunxian]. He... I can hardly bear to say it.

He put his hand on my droid! Positively almost molested her, without even seeking permission! The audacity!

[Said droid is standing demurely at his side, her 'assets' having covered by several layers of robes, but still...]

I demand justice!

IIb. Trial Two (Wei Wuxian)
[There he is again, looking, if possible even more distraught than the first time.]

My lord, my lady, I have been informed that there is a man walking around wearing my face, having people confusing him for me! My reputation is threatened unless you repair this injustice.

[He whirls around and then points out Wei Wuxian in the crowd.]

There he is! Look at him! Has he not stolen my likeness through evil means?

[The crowd is going to start murmuring because well, yes, in spite of a difference in stature and overall demeanor, they do look quite identical.]

Edited 2022-10-23 07:59 (UTC)
beitangmoran: (Default)

Arabella

[personal profile] beitangmoran 2022-10-23 08:19 am (UTC)(link)
[Inbetween hollering for justice at the trials, Moran will try to find a moment to approach Lady Arabella, giving her a bow of his head in greeting.]

My Lady, I hope you have recovered from the senseless assault that happened last time. Rest assured, if anything should happen, we will see to your safety as we did then.
traaaaaash: (uh huh.)

I.

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-23 08:48 am (UTC)(link)
[ Eda, walking the streets with him, shrugs with disdain. ]

Lazy attempt at a cover-up. Pretend everything's fine to quiet the masses.
scrapgege: (013-01)

Xie Lian

[personal profile] scrapgege 2022-10-23 09:03 am (UTC)(link)
I.ELEVATOR ETIQUETTE [ for Licyn ]

[Somehow it's only the two of them on this one elevator. Xie Lian isn't sure he's met the other person in here face to face before but he seems companionable enough.

This elevator is really slow and creaky, though. And then it stops suddenly, between floors.]


Heh?

[For a moment, the contraption sways in place and then... suddenly drops down.]

.... I think someone cut the rope.


II. LEVEL II

[It'll take a lot more than a giant skeleton, even one that seems intent to smash whatever comes within its range, to spook Xie Lian. Even the nausea and dizziness are relatively not that hard to bear and once the situation is observed with a bit more detail...]

I don't think it can reach past this stage. If we stay out of range, we should be fine, but...

[But the lever is over there... so something needs to be done to get to it, and unfortunately, wine seems to be in short supply.

Xie Lian quickly looks for whatever he is carrying in his sleeves and extracts.... a wrapped meat bun.

... Well, why not.]


Esteemed Ancestor, I do not have wine, but to sate you, I can offer you this meat bun. The meat was marinated in some wine and spices to give it flavor, I'm sure you'll find it to your taste!

[Watch him stride ahead confidently while offering it.]


III. LEVEL IV [TW for blood, gore and torture, and some TGCF spoilers]

[It doesn't take long for the empty room to disappear, the scenery suddenly an outdoorsy one. This is on a mountain, and a small wooden hut with an inscription board (Puqi Shrine, for those who can read Chinese) is sitting there quietly among the trees.

Then, one hears footsteps, and in the distance, a silhouette approaches. As it gets closer, it's revealed to be a tall man wearing red robes and an eyepatch
.

As soon as he gets into view, Xie Lian's whole face lightens up and he starts running towards him.]

San Lang!

[But as soon as he touches the red robes, San Lang 's body explodes into a million silver butterflies that zoom away, and all of a sudden, the whole place becomes dark, the scenery changing to the inside of a temple where Xie Lian is tied up on the altar. A sinister figure seems to be standing net to him and hands a sword to the first person in a crowd that is milling about there uncertainly.

That first person seems a bit hesitant, but then steps forward and.... stabs Xie Lian with the sword. Immediately, his body contorts in pain and a muffled scream escapes from his gagged mouth, but no one seems to react to it.

instead, the first man hands the sword to the next person who does... exactly the same. And then the next. And then the next. Xie Lian's robes are caked with blood, his face distorted by agony, but he is still alive, still not dying.

Suddenly, a small blue flame light sup in the temple. That gives people pause. And then, the blue flames grows bigger and bigger, and the whole place explodes, killing everyone around instantly, except for the sinister figure, who seems to have disappeared, and Xie Lian, who is now free from his bounds and struggling to his feet.

When he turns around, he is a wearing a half-laughing, half-crying mask. If you were in Taravast, you might find it familiar.]



IV. LEVEL V

[Xie Lian doesn't look too worse for wear when he reaches the top, rather astonishing if you've seen what happened on previous levels.

He does feel the sudden fever, and then notices his own fingers turning black. Somehow this is that, and the sudden coughing blood, that seems to do him in, and he falls to his knees, hands shaking slightly while holding onto the paper talisman for dear life.

So far he had managed to sort of gloss over the whole 'city decimated by an epidemic' thing, but it feels like that's not an option any more.]
traaaaaash: (hmmmm)

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-23 09:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ Eda wouldn't say she's traumatized, exactly, but she is surprised by the casual conversation being made here. ]

Well, you did kinda jump into the abyss. Gotta see what's up with that.

[ A beat. ]

So... what's your plan, exactly?
traaaaaash: (most unimpressed)

III.

[personal profile] traaaaaash 2022-10-23 09:16 am (UTC)(link)
[ Eda is very displeased when John just grabs her hand. ]

Hey, what the--? Paws off, okay!

[ She shakes him off, but clearly the guy is terrified, so she keeps close to him. She takes a look around and quickly determines the best route. ]

This way!

[ She sprints ahead, expecting him to follow, but then... she hears him utter those words. The writing on the wall is well remembered, and Eda can piece two and two together. She is... less than amused. ]

Oh, just gonna sell me out, are you? Jerk.

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