week 0 - arrival

[vicedirector]

seven vices arrival ♫ saturday & sunday 36 players remaining You remember happening upon something awful and nauseating. What it was, precisely, is lost to you, but you have the instinctive feeling that by escaping from it, you've avoided something terrible. When you open your eyes, you find yourself laying in bed in a dark, dusty room, facing a digital alarm clock. Its face, reading 12:01, is one of the only sources of light in the room. The other comes from the window, shadows flickering about. Opening the blinds will reveal that it is nighttime, and what looks to be a massive bonfire has been lit in the street at the front of the building. A wooden talisman hangs around your neck, with one of seven symbols carved on the back. Attempting to take off the talisman will result in a wave of intense dread, and the all-too-familiar nausea. A brass key engraved with a unique room number lays on the bedside table beside the clock, as well. But you won't get any answers just sitting in your room all night. >Investigate? This is an open mingle for arrival in the town. Waking up just after midnight on Saturday, characters will have the weekend to explore and socialize before the plot begins. The profiles and IC rulebooks (both the personal ones and the public one at the chapel) have not been revealed/given out yet. The kitchen will still 'prepare' breakfast on these days, and the bonfire will burn continuously into the daytime. Per items: smaller items that a character could easily carry with them will be in their rooms. Animals and larger objects will either be waiting outside or in the hotel lobby. cast setting

Comments

[symbologic]

1. Saturday, early morning
[It takes all of about two seconds to realize that something is not right. Several things, actually, each one more puzzling as more seconds tick by. But perhaps the most disturbing is the fact that none of his crewmates are here. Faize jumps out of bed quickly, relieved to find his sword propped up against the wall nearby. At least he's not unarmed on top of everything else. He doesn't linger in his room long, instead grabbing his sword and heading out into the hallway, looking around for any signs of life.]

[Should he find any such signs, he'll approach.]

Ah, excuse me. Might I have a moment of your time? I've found myself with more questions than I have answers, I'm afraid.

[Or, you might catch him peeking into the kitchen, laundry room, or lobby, calling out one of five names: Edge, Reimi, Bacchus, Meracle, or Lymle. They have to be SOMEWHERE, people don't just vanish!]

2. Saturday, afternoon
[Well searching for his crewmates was an utter bust. Not a single one of them here, as far as he can tell. He hasn't met everybody yet, sure, but...surely, if any of them WERE here, they would have met up within hours. They would have been looking just as hard for him as he had been for them, surely!]

[So he's begun exploring the grounds, with the intent of making sense of this absurd situation he's suddenly found himself thrust into. He can be found either a. at the edge of the void, contemplating the mysterious darkness. As though half expecting it to surrender its secrets if he just stares at it long enough. Or he can be found b. behind the hotel, performing a series of strange hand motions: curling his hand into a fist in front of his face and closing his eyes, chanting something before thrusting his hand forward with a cry of "Fall, O hail of stones!" or "Deep Freeze". Or something like that, anyway. He keeps doing it over and over again, though each time the effect is the same...nothing happens.]

This is most troubling, indeed...

[No matter where you run into him, however, he seems completely unbothered by the cold, despite the fact that his clothes are not exactly the most seasonally appropriate. Sure, they cover everything, but it's no winter jacket.]

2 b

[muties]

[ Roxy hears the noise from behind the hotel and stares for a moment, watching. A long moment, until she has to ask: ]

Are you a wizard?

[ SHE HOPES SO. ]

[symbologic]

[Faize turns, looking a little confused.]

A...wizard? [What the hell is a wizard.] I am not sure I understand your meaning.

[HE IS SORT OF A WIZARD. Sort of.]

[muties]

I mean, it looks like you were trying to like. Cast spells? And that's usually what wizards do.

[ So either you're a wizard or crazy. ]

[symbologic]

Oh! You mean my symbology. [He chuckles.] Yes, that is essentially what I was attempting to do. Though it seems whoever has brought us here has some means of at least partially blocking the symbological arts. I seem to be unable to perform anything than my most basic symbols...

[He's not happy about it. Who would enjoy having their level reset?? Nobody, that's who]

[muties]

Symbology... ok, whatever you want to call it but I'm calling it wizardry.

[ If it meows it's a meowbeast, if it does spells it's a wizard. Which is TOO COOL. Wizard!! ]

Yeah, my powers are kaput, too. All I can do is fly for, like, a minute. It's pretty jacked up.

[symbologic]

[There he is. The space wizard.]

It's not "whatever I want to call it," it's what it is. [Huff huff. Use the proper terminology, dangit!] But...I suppose that's less important than the other issue. Does flying make you feel tired and drained? Is that the reason you can only stay airborne for a short time?

Saturday morning

[dhaosu]

[ Dhaos is currently in the kitchen, although he's not taking to any food or anything like that. More like observing, or looking over things, when he hears the other male call out an unrecognizable name; regardless he does turn his head to face Faize. ]

I have not seen either of those individuals. Although, perhaps you may have better luck trying elsewhere.

...I am going to assume, however, you are also not from here as well? Feel free to enlighten myself as to otherwise if I am wrong.

[symbologic]

My apologies, I did not mean to disturb you. [He does enter the room properly, however, with a slightly disappointed sigh.]

But you would be correct in that assumption. My name is Faize Sheifa Beleth. [He places a hand over his shoulder and inclines his head slightly.] I awoke in one of the rooms on the next floor up a short while ago with no recollection as to how I arrived here.

[dhaosu]

It is not like I am finding anything in here out of the ordinary, either way.

[ There is the small bit of disappointment in his voice, there. He doesn't expect the polite introduction. Then again he noticed quickly this one seemed to not be human. Maybe an elf? It makes him less hesitant in introductions. ]

... I am Dhaos. Unfortunately, it seems we are both without answers for now. Although, it is unnerving one can be so powerful to do such a thing, and yet not leave a trace of themselves to locate thus far.

[symbologic]

[Nope, human! Just...a pointy eared one. And also an alien. But still totally human, otherwise.]

That it is. Assuming each room in this building is occupied by at least one person, that would make thirty six of us, minimum. Kidnapping that many people is no easy feat, to say nothing of whatever they did to make us forget the time that has passed.

[dhaosu]

[ A pointy-eared human. Well, it will take him just a little bit to figure out. Presumably the mana signatures are different... ]

And whatever accursed magic that must have used is likely nothing to be scoffed at. When they reveal themselves to us, as they are likely to do so eventually, I suspect engaging them will be a challenge.

[ Whether it be a talk/negotiation or a fight. ]

[symbologic]

[Presumably!]

[Faize sighs, shrugging a little.]

A reasonable assumption. Anyone who goes through this much trouble is clearly not the sort who gives up on their plans halfway through. Even if their objectives are unclear at the moment.

[He looks around the room. He hadn't really been focusing much on the room itself, merely opening the door and hoping for the best.]

This is a...kitchen, is it not? [So primitive! Yet more not as much as the ones on Lemuris or Roak.] Have you found anything useful in here?

2-a

[brawlhalla]

[ Ah. This is a little awkward, then, because Astrid was also examining the void! ...By flying into it, on Stormfly. Watch the hell out, Faize, there's definitely a dragon swooping in right over your head, and the over-your-head part might have been a pretty near miss. ]

Whoa! [ DON'T STAND NEXT TO MYSTERIOUS VOIDS, FAIZE??????? Stormfly and Astrid land maybe twenty feet off, and Astrid slides off her dragon's back. ] Steady, girl. Hey, you okay?

[ Dude with...green hair. ]

[symbologic]

[MAYBE HE LIKES STANDING NEXT TO MYSTERIOUS VOIDS?? YOU GOT A PROBLEM? Maybe you shouldn't be flying into them, ya weirdo. At least Faize is quick on his feet, ducking down with barely a moment to spare as the dragon soars over his head.]

[Once the danger has passed, he straightens back up, facing the girl and her dragon and looking somewhat hesitant. He places a hand on the hilt of his rapier, not drawing it yet but YOU KNOW...who is this chick and how did she come out of the void? That's hella suspicious.]

I'm alright, yes. Though I must ask that you explain yourself. Where did you come from?

[brawlhalla]

[ Ah...don't attack her, Faize, she would enjoy it too much. Battles are her jam. Also, the dragon might take offense - or might let Astrid have her fun, who knows. Astrid, however, just jerks her thumb over her shoulder. ]

The other side. We flew into it to see if that would...

[ you know. change the results????

why is astrid crazy enough to fly into a void? because she is a viking from berk. even the only sane men in berk are pretty fucking crazy when it comes to self-preservation instincts. ]

Anyway, apparently it just...I have no idea how it works. It's seiðr, has to be.

[ Magic. Norse-magic, ancient magic, stuff Gothi might know about, but which Astrid sure as hell doesn't. ]

[symbologic]

[Well at least her answer seems to put him at ease, and he removes his hand from the hilt. Okay, so...she's probably not the person responsible for this, but someone stuck in the same position.]

[Someone crazy though, because REALLY who just flies into an unknown void???]

I see. I am unfamiliar with the term...seither? [Close, but not quite. A good pronunciation attempt though.] Could you please elaborate? Whatever language you are using must be too ancient for my translator to recognize.

[Or maybe his translator is just broken? Who really knows.]

[brawlhalla]

Your translator?

[ Astrid gives him a puzzled look, but crosses her arms. ]

It's... [ She tries to think of a better term. ] Powers beyond the usual person. The ability to call storms, or see the future, or that sort of thing.

[symbologic]

Yes. [He raises a hand to one of his bizarre, metallic-looking ears.] I am only fluent in Eldarian. If not for my translator, I would not be able to understand any of you. And none of you would be able to understand me.

[Well, that's what he assumes, anyway. It's not actually the case, but everyone he's met so far sure LOOKS like an Earthling. And you guys all speak the same language, right? So he's the only oddball out, clearly.]

[He looks thoughtfully back at the void.]

I suppose that is one possible explanation. But it could also be a matter of physics, as opposed to something supernatural at play... [He turns back to Astrid.] Tell me, from your perspective, did time pass while you were in the void? Or was the trip an instantaneous one?

[PHYSICS!!!]

2b

[princessantly]

[ She doesn't mean to eavesdrop; that's rude. But all the same, when her investigation of the area leads her behind the hotel, Alisha can't help but gaze at the sight before her. From the looks of it, he's... trying to cast seraphic artes? ]

Pardon me-- I don't mean to intrude!

[ ... She says, a little belatedly. ]

[symbologic]

[He's certainly trying to cast something! Though, much to his displeasure, it's not exactly working. He'd been so focused, however, that he didn't even realize anybody else was there until she spoke up.]

There's no need to apologize, it's quite alright. Is there something I can help you with?

[princessantly]

Ah, no... I was simply wondering if you were having a problem with your abilities as well.

[ Unless it was some kind of exercise. It's too early to assume. ]

[symbologic]

As well? [WAIT, THAT MEANS--] I see. Well, it is no cause for celebration, but I am somewhat relieved to hear that I am not the only one having such troubles. While not blocked entirely, I find myself unable to use anything beyond my most basic symbology.

[It's infuriating, really. Even if he doesn't actually look all that mad.]

And such a thing is no easy feat...

[princessantly]

Symbology... I can't say I've heard of the term before... but I can also really only use my basic artes.

[ And even those make her feel oddly drained. ]

... I was wondering if it might have something to do with this. [ As she points to the talisman around her neck. ]

[symbologic]

That makes two of us, I am unfamiliar with artes in the sense you are using the term. [The word itself though, obviously he's heard of that.] But perhaps a comparison of the two is a discussion for a later time.

[Please? Please tell him about this artes thing, he is genuinely interested. He reaches up and brushes his fingers over his own talisman.]

That's a good theory though. I hadn't even considered... But it would make sense, there's something very unusual about these talismans. I take it you are unable to remove yours, as well?