Mesdames et Messieurs, Voilà, C'est Vous

[lesmodsalouette]

Bievenue

You're wrapped in a soothing, all-encompassing darkness.

Well, perhaps not perfectly all-encompassing -- you can see some slivers of light here and there, just enough to realize that your current space is literally wrapped in something, and that you are a highly customized burrito at the mercy of an entirely too fluffy bed and set of blankets. Moreover: you are definitely not alone.

Depending upon the contents of your bed (two of you, waking up dressed exactly in what you wore last you remember back where each of you came from, in the exact same state as those last moments no matter how illogical or disjointed), it may not be comfortable or feasible to stay cocooned up for much longer. There's a low, muted GONG, GONGG coming from not far away, your bed creaks like a beleaguered ship in an unannounced storm, and it is joined by even more noises of movement beyond the bed canopy as you try to take stock of where you are.

Eventually, you either fall out of bed or drag yourself into this world: your new and strangely crowded personal rooms, the clock insistently sounding out the hour, and the halls and heraldry of the venerable Château Ambregris -- a lavishly decorated and fully furnished version of a more-or-less authentic French castle (assuming you know what France or a castle are).

Left to your own devices for the moment, you may find it helpful to explore the castle for your own purposes, check out the suspicious statues and personalized plaques in the Promenade of Reflexion, or perhaps to try to get to the bottom of the mysterious and frankly alarming amount of bread piled up in front of the place settings in the Banquet Hall. (Were you thinking of escaping? Any attempts to leave the property will be met with no forward progress at all, treadmill style). There's just about every kind of loaf, roll, boule, baguette, croissant or even animal-shaped bread you can think of stacked in baskets. There's absolutely nothing else save for plain bread, but at least you won't starve.

[OOC: Welcome to Château Ambregris, a perfectly normal castle receiving perfectly normal guests. Feel free to ask any questions in discord! The NPC Meet & Greet will be later today, March 8 at 6 PM EST/3 PM PST.]

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[littlegentleman]

[Junior glances at the knife again, but then back to the woman, hesitating. While he doesn't feel safe or comfortable without a weapon, he also recognizes that everyone else must be feeling similarly. When he speaks up, his voice is soft and uncertain.]

You aren't going to admonish me?

[the_obedient_servant]

If they wanted to eat us, they'd almost certainly take the time to butcher us into more adequate servings. Boiling an entire animal - human or not - sounds like the work of a lunatic.

[All with the tone of someone commenting on the weather.

They bite the head of the bear off. They'd forgotten what it tasted like. It's a dull feeling, but it is a feeling.]

plaques

[frostlight]

[She hums in the affirmative, though it's a tight sound.]

You don't happen to know who's responsible, do you?

[simulacres]

I don't know... probably not.

[ her memories are so jumbled, after all. ]

But this place is so nice. You would think that they would have a lot more stuff than just bread.

[frostlight]

[She points to the doors on another wall of the vestibule.]

That's the exit. I doubt you'll find a good place to hide here.

[They're pressed for space, what with all the clutter. It's debatable how much of an exit that really is, though.]

[simulacres]

[ 'i don't care what you are'. hilarious. if she weren't so terrified, she'd laugh in her face.

but the mysterious woman is right. if they're free to go then... that means that she's not trapped. or does it just mean that the cage she's been shoved in is just a bit bigger than she thought?

without resistance, she nods, and turns around to turn the knob. and it does, without resistance. ]

It's...open?

[ she steps out, and looks around. ]

Is there anyone here?

[simulacres]

Thanks.

[ said sullenly, as if she hadn't just had the best sleep of her life. faced with the possibility of the world outside of this door, she wonders if it's actually better to hide under the sheets and never come out.

but considering the woman that she woke up with... it's like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. ]

Are you from here?

plaques

[the_obedient_servant]

[They cross their arms in contemplation. Looking at this girl's profile, they don't spot anything all that incriminating. Things to judge, sure, but nothing overtly negative.

Ah, wait this probably isn't a case of dangerous secrets getting out, but rather a cliche moment in which a crush is revealed. Yona, maybe. Or just "older men" (gross). Not their favorite genre convention, but sure.]

Is Yona your boyfriend? [They might as well play into it.]

[frostlight]

Why? I'm not the king of this place.

[She comes to a halt with the decisive clack of a heel before the hearth. A thought occurs to her, and her sharp gaze snaps toward him.]

Do you know such a person?

[frostlight]

[Her face crinkles in displeasure.]

No. Are you?

[The jitteriness can be anything. Maybe they're in the same situation as her own rise from slumber would imply. Maybe the girl knows something. It's best to ask upfront.]

sitting room

[stygiomedusa]

[Hamel pauses, frozen midstep, unsure if she's the one being addressed as Tia stares down the fireplace.

There's a bit of an awkward pause.]

Were you speaking to me?

[allrounder]

[ A shake of his head. ]

I do not, though not for a lack of effort on my end.

[ He simply hasn't found anything. ]

reflexion

[the_obedient_servant]

[They furrow their brow. Watching the reactions to these plaques has been broadly informative so far, few people even notice the creepy child looming in the background.

This, however, feels like a clue.]

Do you see someone that you know?

[frostlight]

[She whips around to an unfamiliar face, her expression placid. It figures that this is the answer she'd get.]

. . . My mistake. I thought you were someone else.

[distain]

Just call them right to us, why don't you. If you're so scared of being caught, shouldn't your eyes be hidden?

[Maybe it was all lies, and she serves this household after all.

She follows the Sanrit(?) girl out, fussing with the tight cuffs of her sleeves around her wrists and making sure each button is secure in time.]

How lavish. Are we guests, do you suppose? [She chuckles as if it's some secret joke.]

[fourtuity]

1. welcome to the primrose suite

[ The last thing she remembers is riding a high, simply happy for life.

So of course she's unbelievably pissed when she wakes up somewhere unknown yet again. With an annoyed grunt, she rolls her somehow burrito-fied self around to escape...and crashes to the floor. Hopefully not on someone.

Either way, she's stays on the ground for a hot minute, seething and pondering. ]

This sucks. Ugh, when I get outta here, there better not be another puzzle, I swear...

[ Clover knows she should immediately get up, but the fear of what she'll find has taken hold. If he's not here...

She doesn't want to finish that thought. ]


2. clown theater

[ Who knows when this happens, but she ends up backstage at the theater, rummaging through the costumes. Not that she thinks they should be described as costumes. More like abominations. ]

Are we here to make the worst-dressed circus in human history or something? Ew.

[ Anyone remotely around is getting the same question though. It's important, she swears! ]

Tell me you found something good!


3. a chapel once more

[ When Clover reaches the chapel, she pauses at the middle of the aisle to stare at everything around her. It wasn't so long ago she's been in one. This one definitely beats the cake in looks though. Not that that's important.

Even if she doesn't see it, she still walks up to the altar with a small hope in her heart.

Unsurprisingly, it's in vain. ]

...No coffin, huh?

[ It was a long shot anyway. Not that the thought stops her from biting her lip hard enough to draw blood.

Once again, this sucks. ]

weaponry

[the_obedient_servant]

It's better than nothing. [The child approaches the weapons, not yet touching them but examining them for sharpness, practicality...]

I don't want to be trapped in a house full of a disjointed collection of strangers ranging from suspicious to blatantly evil with no weapons. Not to mention possible threats from outside the house.

[The key to safety, everyone having a murder weapon.]

[frostlight]

[Great. But her ire isn't for him to bear, so she lets it go with a wordless sigh.]

That seems to be the case for all of us.

[Frankly, it's absurd. She doesn't know any of these people. And this many? Just what's going on?]

[stygiomedusa]

[Okay, good, she doesn't need to worry that there was something important she was missing.]

It's alright, miss. Though... if there's anything you need, I can try to help.

[Not that she knows more than her about what's going on, but??]

[snakeblood]

[ Yoonhee stirs, shivering. It's cold. He opens his eyes and mumbling a hyung...?, but when unfamiliar colors swirl into view as he wakes, he's silenced. This isn't the car. Nor is it Seojin's small apartment. Or his bedroom back home. And that is definitely not Seojin next to him.

He's silent for a long moment, which is usually a sign of bad things. Then he adjusts himself to literally, violently, kick the person next to him out of the bed. ] Don't touch me!

[ What's worse is there seems to be a lot of beds in this room with a lot of people. Something's strange though. But the queasiness he feels is proof enough he's still himself, even if he's hallucinating. Is he hallucinating? And where was Seojin?

After what's surely a hectic wake up, he leaves the room to get away from all the filth, he goes looking for somewhere uncrowded. In his search, he comes by the promenade, to which he flatly remarks: ] Great way to attract wandering spirits, this.

[ This place seems old though, and he can't see anything? Or even sense anything. Even from the people he passes by. He gives a once over on the plaques though, to which he rolls his eyes or laughs at certain things. But especially (loudly and obnoxiously) at someone disliking snakes. He doesn't laugh that often, so thanks for that. Someone doing a check on him is a bit concerning too, though.

After, he passes by the kitchens and grabs himself a knife, because why would you trust anyone here. And if he has to share a room with people, he needs some assurance. And he also gives a derisive snort at the chapel next to it. Churches were certainly everywhere, huh. Even when you didn't want them to be.

Finally, he settles in the solarium, just shivering on some uncomfortable chair because it's so damn cold here. His phone's gone, which makes him antsy. Can't call Seojin, who the fuck knows where he'd gone or Yuri for help. Where's his mask too, there's so many people around. And his cigarettes and lighter. He wants a smoke right about now.

He thinks to himself, simmering, and mumbles out loud: ] Weird.

primrose

[fourtuity]

[ If by approach, she means rolling on the floor in a blanket burrito, then yeah. Clover's approaching. ]

That's what I wanna know! But ugh, since you asked first—Clover.

[ She's wriggling out of the blankets as she talks, obviously irritated. ]

[frostlight]

Call me Anna.

[This is definitely her name.]

Do you know where this is?

[allrounder]

[ He understands that sigh deep in his bones, and honestly has half a mind to let a similar one out himself. ]

You awoke in the same manner as me, I presume? In a luxurious bed, wrapped up in entirely too many blankets?

[obtect]

[Huh. So it's really not the byproduct of watching too many cartoons.]

And kidnapping a bunch of people is completely sane?

solarium

[fourtuity]

[ She blinks when she hears that, turning as she repeatedly throws a queen piece into the air. ]

Talking 'bout yourself there?

[ What filter? ]