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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Comments

[calamitish]

...yes?

[ question mark very much heard.

what is this conversation, he doesn't deserve this (he does.) ]

[spotsalone]

I don't see how.

[ Weird, but okay! Hickey returns to his clothes, pulling on his socks and boots as he introduces himself. ]

Cornelius Hickey. Am I correct in assuming you have no memory of traveling to this place, as well?

[baebladie]

[ Blade senses the unease, especially with him nearby.

It's like a shark smelling blood in the water. But, he is used to Dan Heng feeling unsettled around him. It doesn't make the incidental feeling nonexistent, though.

Thanks for approving of him going murderous, however. ]

How long?

[ ... ]

If you think it will ever be a problem, you could always try to subdue me. Permanently.

[baebladie]

[ Welcome to reaping, buddy. ]

Would you like for me to do more than just stare? I could...

[ ...That totally doesn't sound like a threat. ]

[calamitish]

You could—?

[ uh-huh!! well it seems like witch wants clarity either way. ]

1/???

[baebladie]

[ ... ]

2/???

[baebladie]

I could.

3/3 i'm very sorry i'm backtagging this kind of reaction, lmao

[baebladie]

[ Blade runs straight on over to him, reaching out to try to grab him by the front of his cloak and heft him up against the nearest wall. Emphasis on try; let's see if he is as defenseless as he appears. ]

You tell me to wait. That only gives you more time to prepare, doesn't it?

It doesn't matter what happens to me. I have nothing to lose. I could kill you right here and right now. Remember that.

[uiscebeatha]

[ The tiniest flash of a wry smile at that. Well. He's not going to talk about it, if he can help it. But maybe Hickey will find out one day.

Hickey goes back to his clothes and Cain idly looks back out at the baths. ]

Yeah. I wasn't even going anywhere to begin with. We were...having a picnic, I guess. And then I blinked and I woke up here.

[ He turns to look at Hickey. ]

What about you?

[uiscebeatha]

It is kind of empty, isn't it? You'd expect more signs of life in a lavish mansion like this, but they don't even have servants...

[ They're kind of crucial to keep a place like this running. It's simultaneously lived in and empty. But not abandoned. It's weird, and he can't shake the feeling.

...Unless the mansion's serviced by magic. With his own meager abilities cut off, he doesn't have much to work with. Unless...

His head snaps up to Blade. ]

Hey, you know much about magic?

[uiscebeatha]

[ Someone who names their friends right away is probably a good person. The wry smile turns into something kinder because of it. ]

Just one other. Yoru, he said his name was. Black hair, about this tall? [ He cuts the air with a hand to show Yoru's height, approximately. ] Dunno if you saw him, but...I haven't seen anyone else. Well, besides you, now.

[uiscebeatha]

[ that means cain's special because he's not human right,

Cain bursts out laughing. He lifts a hand, like he's about to smack Yoonhee on the shoulder again, but he successfully resists the urge. He does look pretty silly doing it, though. ]

Oh, okay! Good, then. [ He will stop laughing eventually and stop filling this echo-y hall with his loud-ass voice. ] I think we'll get along just fine, then.

[snakeblood]

[ ... He saw that hand. Where's your boundaries man, do you touch all the strangers? ]

If by "getting along" you mean, I won't kill you if you keep your hands to yourself, sure.

[uiscebeatha]

[ He does!! ]

You got yourself a deal. [ He pauses, and then laughs again to himself. ]

I was gonna say we shake on it, but that's also touching. You gotta forgive me if I slip up, but I'll do my best!

[arbalestrier]

The decor?

[Sousuke puts a hand up to his chin as he considers G'raha's observation.]

I see. The furnishings are excessive and have no practical value in deterring intruders. In addition to that, there are multiple undefended entrances, including a room with a large window. The location of this armory is also unwise--if the enemy pursued, you'd be trapped like a rat.

[And that was only the beginning. He had yet to explore the rest of the rooms in the building. Who knows what other poor decisions were made in furnishing this castle??]

An owner that foolish couldn't possibly understand the tactical value of firearms, correct?

[The idea that guns could be illegal here doesn't even cross his mind.]

[antemeridian]

[ here they are, both free from blanket burrito hell... ]

Would you like it any better if we've somehow found ourselves caught within a labyrinth instead?

[ Mazes or escape rooms, Clover, what'll it be. ]

[arbalestrier]

[Sousuke remains unflappable even in the face of Witch's very understandable agitation.]

So you allowed us to keep our clothes. Is that correct?

[calamitish]

Right.

[ sousuke is the hero we all need. ]

[calamitish]

[ it would be gratifying to :ratshake: him, but as blade runs to him, witch teleports out of his range. he'll keep teleporting if blade keeps trying because he's annoying like this. ]

Yikes! Normally I'd say give a guy some warning but I guess you did—

[snakeblood]

I don't have to do anything, you're the one who shouldn't slip up.

[ You can't tell him what to do! ]

[allrounder]

[ What feels the best? Hm... ]

Protective magicks, I suppose. It does come more easily to me.

[ And what better than to have the ability to summon a shield to help a friend that's in danger? It's a relief to know he has that skill, that it isn't entirely fruitless to jump in between friend and foe. ]

[littlegentleman]

[There's an impulse to ask Hickey why it even matters what kind...but after a quick moment of quiet consideration, Junior answers the question.]

Semi-automatic pistols, mainly, but I can work with any kind of handgun.

[He was decent enough with a sniper, as well, but simply by virtue of his small build, bigger guns were a little too unwieldy for him. Junior was at his best when he could remain quick on his feet.]

[allrounder]

[ HELP

G'raha doesn't take any bread for himself, but he waits for them to get settled before motioning out of the banquet hall with a warm smile. ]

Now, do not fault me if I end up leading us in the wrong direction. I've only visited the solarium one time thus far.

[ He'll turn down what he thinks is the correct hallway. ]

Mayhap the wrong destination would be a bit of an adventure in and of itself anyway.

[allrounder]

To tell you the truth, I had looked for his plaque with the full expectation that he would have been taken along.

[ And he was disappointed not to see it. ]

It will be strange, navigating a strange circumstance like this without him.

[ But that is an adventure in and of itself... isn't it? A story to tell him when they both return, perhaps. ]

[baebladie]

I would.

[ No indication of henchmen. But clearly they were awaiting somewhere - or perhaps there is an immense lack of them. Blade doesn't even see a single shred of evidence of people around. There's something else about it, though he can't quite...grasp the thought.

Regardless, he turns towards Cain when he asks the question. ]

...Magic exists in my world in various forms.

Why ask?

[ Blade's questioning is short to the point, but he figures Cain is angling to deliver an observation of some kind...maybe. ]