Outside -> Entry Hall
Anne made her way through the marsh, a grimace on her face. Somehow, what was intended to be a quick walk through the woods lead her here. She hadn't a clue how it happened; the place where she came from and the place where she found herself now looked completely different. For lack of a better explanation, she blamed it on the thick fog that she passed through in between. She had heard plenty of stories about fog acting as a gateway between worlds, and for better or worse she had stumbled right into such a story.
After some time spent marching through mud, her foot finally touched solid ground. She was more than happy to completely stand on it, stopping momentarily to shake off the gunk that had attached itself to her feet. She then glanced around the area, finally settling her eyes on the massive building that sat upon this ground. She didn't recognize the architecture, so between that and the fact that she knew no one that would build a house in the middle of a swamp while sane, she concluded that she definitely was in a different world now.
She hesitated approaching the place at first, mainly because someone probably owned it and she didn't know how that someone would react to her appearance. She was a girl that appeared to be around fifteen and of distinctly European descent (most likely German), with brown eyes, straight black hair that was currently pulled back into a pony tail, and a simple outfit consisting of a white (if rather muddied), ankle-length dress and a brown, short-sleeved shirt. Taken all together, she looked like someone from medieval-age Europe. More notably, there was the reason for her concern: a good part of her body looked like it had rotted away. Both of her arms were completely skeletal; her left cheek was missing completely, exposing the teeth and muscles around that area; and the left side of her neck was missing its skin. The skin that hadn't rotted away was decidedly pallid, like it belonged to someone who had been dead for a while.
Anne decided that it was worth taking her chances. For all she knew, this place could be some kind of guest house, meant to give wayward travelers such as herself a place to rest. The more pessimistic part of her mind doubted it, but then again these sorts of circumstances were similar to those when she met the dwarfs, so she didn't think it was that farfetched of an idea.
She apprehensively walked up to the house, and then stopped a few feet before the front door. By the looks of things, someone else had gotten here before her. Her worries struck up again, making her wonder if it was worth dealing with people unused to her looks, but in a few moments she had driven those thoughts back down. It was still preferable to being out in the marsh. She took a deep breath, and then opened the door and walked inside.
Immediately upon entering, she was surprised at how well-kept the place seemed. Whoever it was that lived here must have had wealth comparable to a king, given how lavish it looked. Okay, maybe "lavish" was a bit of a strong word, but a place like this didn't give off vibes of being built on the cheap.
Anne stood there for yet another couple moments, expecting somebody to come up and greet her. When no one showed up, she closed the door behind her and took a few steps in, gazing around all the while.
edited 25th Jan '13 7:16:56 PM by Yomegami
Icon by Civvi the Civilian!
[Entry Hall]
Samira and Aseyu both reflexively grimaced in disgust at the appearance of the newcomer, but a moment thereafter, Samira's left hand went to the scarred half of her face, which she guiltily ran her fingers over. I, of all people, should know better than to judge by appearances. She wasn't sure what she was looking at, but the girl didn't seem hostile.
Aseyu spoke first. Keeping her distance, she asked Anne, "you aren't... contagious, are you?"
Samira glared briefly at Aseyu, but then sighed. "Sorry," she said, "my friend Aseyu is a bit forward. Although..." she looked at Anne apologetically and murmured, "it is a good question." She cleared her throat, and hoping to avoid offending the young woman further, quickly added, "but all aside, I suppose introductions are in order. I'm Samira Hosseini, and my friend Aseyu ul'Valmoth vash'Suela. If there's anything we can do to help, we'll be happy to." She gave a polite bow, but refrained from offering a handshake.
Aseyu added, "it's not our place, by the way. We got an invitation here. Sammy was a bit nervous after what happened last time, but I talked her into it. These sorts of places attract all sorts of fun."
edited 25th Jan '13 6:49:33 PM by KillerClowns
[Outside-Entry Hall]
A tall, dark-skinned woman stood in front of the house, giving it another look. Yep. This was the place; just like the invitation said. Well, at least it meant getting away from the house for a while. She could finally wear her blue dress again.
"Mary!" Another woman called, a heavy Nigerian accent in her voice. When she caught up to her, she dusted off her green dress. She had a much darker complexion than the other women, and her dark hair was wrapped in a bun.
"Oh dear, I am so sorry for making you wait so long." She apologize, "John, Thomas, and I were still going over the invitation and-"
Mary interrupted her. "Abieyuwa, it's fine. I just got here anyway." She looked back. As she had expected, both John and Thomas came right behind them. Both men were dark-skinned and wore black tuxedo. Thomas, however, wore glasses and had a lighter complexion than his brother, John.
"So," Thomas said, stepping inside, "This is the place?"
"I'm pretty sure." John said, "Come on; let's see the inside."
As soon as everyone stepped in, they were surprised how there weren't too many people. Then again, they had no idea what they were even expecting. At least it wasn't too crowded, much to Abeiyuwa's relief.
They/Them
[Outside -> Entry Hall]
An individual walked the outside path of the mansion, paying no attention to the surroundings around him, merely focusing on being able to walk without tripping.
He was a pale-skinned, tall and somewhat built individual with a head of dark hair and blusih-gray eyes. He wore a dark gray hooded jacket and a pair of loose jeans, which were held up by a belt. Under his jacket, bandages wrappings covered his chest and abdomen, with spots of somewhat dry blood in some areas. His hands were covered in black fingeerless gloves, which seemed to have a bit of fresh blood around the palms.
He clutched his side in pain as he moved through the door of the mansion into the entry hall, finding a spot near a door to lean against. He breathed a heavy sigh as he observed the people around him, not really paying attention, but merely registering their presence.
Note to self: Pick less edgy username next time.
Entry Hall
Anne was caught off guard when someone nearby asked her a question. Granted, she knew that she wasn't the only person here; the owner had to be somewhere around at the very least, since the door wasn't locked. However, she wasn't expecting the other people in this building to also be in the same room.
After she recovered from her brief shock, she turned to face the speaker; a rather tall woman with bizarrely dark skin. Her size made her rather intimidating to Anne, but her pose didn't seem hostile at all. At the very least, being asked if she was contagious was much preferable to being an excuse to reach for the weapons.
"Er..." she started, bringing her hands together underneath her chin and folding them over each other, "I...don't think I'm contagious. At least, it hasn't spread to anyone else I've met...."
Fortunately, Anne was spared having to explain further by the other woman who was present. This one was much older (or so it seemed, anyway), with strange parallels to Anne's own state, except with burns instead of rotting. This one was also polite enough to introduce herself and her companion.
Anne simply bobbed her head in greeting. "My name's Anne. I didn't get an invitation, which I certainly hope wasn't a requirement since I got lost and seemed to stumble upon this place by chance." She stopped there; she still didn't feel entirely safe. She also wasn't sure if she wanted to know what Aseyu meant by "fun."
She looked briefly over her shoulder at the other people coming in. More dark-skinned folks, plus a man who looked like he might have been from the same place as her if it weren't for his outfit. As if she needed any more confirmation that she wasn't in her world anymore.
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Laugh and grow dank!
In the dusk, a figure strode his way up the gravel path that crossed the manor grounds. Night had just begun to fall on the Mansion, and the sun was beginning to sink below the ocean's horizon. It lit the sea and sky around it a muted amber. The man walked briskly towards the house, past the wrought-iron gates and walls that enclosed the Mansion grounds. Arriving at the door, he observed that it was slightly ajar. He found this somewhat disconcerting. What was more disconcerting however was that there was apparently a spot of blood on the doorknob.
The man quickened his pace, reached the door and pushed it open.
He entered the Mansion's entrance hall, gave a cursory sweep of the people inside, and said, "Forgive my rudeness, but might there be someone here in need of medical attention? I noticed a bit of blood on the doorknob on the way inside, is someone here injured?"
Tall, light-skinned and possessed of a sovereign bearing, he looked a bit too handsome for his forty-two years. With an immaculately-kept head of clean-cut salt-and-pepper hair, and short-trimmed mustache, his grooming suggested a nobleman, or at least a commoner with noble pretensions. The man held himself with a characteristic stiffness, the posture of an aristocrat or officer, which was also reflected in his outfit. He was wearing a rich green officer's coat that buttoned down one side, complete with epaulets and golden trim along the edges, and was adorned with a modest collection of medals pinned above his heart. White dress gloves covered each hand, and a basket-hilted saber hung from a sheath on his belt.
yey
[Entry Hall —> Kitchen]
Aseyu shrugged and said, "good enough for me." Then she looked around. "I'm gonna go snoop." With that, she headed off in the direction of the kitchen. Samira nodded, and let Aseyu be.
[Kitchen]
Aseyu spotted several of the clockwork creatures and grinned. "Ooh," she said, "I want one." Unfortunately for her, they refused to be easily caught, managing to outmaneuver even her swift reflexes. Even when she cornered one, she could only look on in puzzled amazement as it turned into a grey liquid and flowed away, reforming into its previous shape when it was safely away from Aseyu. "That's not fair," she muttered.
She finally spotted the note, and said, "okay, listen up. You guys hear me?" They turned in Aseyu's direction, acknowledging her presence. "Toss together, like, a plate of little snack-thingies. Whatever they're called. Y'know, crackers, fruit, stuff like that." They complied.
[Entry Hall]
Samira remained in the entry hall and said, "nice to meet you, Anne." She paused, briefly considering asking her about her state. But she knew better — Anne would tell her if she felt like it. "I don't suppose you'd mind telling me where you're from?" And when, she thought, but that seemed like a strange question to ask. Better to try and piece together from context: if Samira's guess was right, there was a good chance Anne came from some long-since absorbed European state. Provided she was from Earth, of course.
She looked over at the newcomers. The man with dried blood and bandages, she looked at thoughtfully, wondering how much of the blood was his, and how much was somebody else's. She was instinctively wary of violent people, but he didn't seem to have any ill intention. The two well-dressed men seemed to be related, and the women... their wives, perhaps?
Then she heard the man ask about the blood. A military uniform, more ominous to Samira than Anne's skeletal arms or the other man's blood. She instinctively moved a foot backwards, subtly putting a bit of distance between herself and the man. Still, there had been enough exceptions for her to not judge too hastily or be rude. "You'll have to ask that fellow," she said, pointing to the bloodied man. Turning to all the newcomers, she said, "while we're all sharing introductions, anybody else care to say who they are?" Pointing to herself, she said, "Samira Hosseini. Retired schoolteacher. You'll find my friend Aseyu ul'Valmoth vash'Suela around. Tall, purple hair, dark skin, doesn't mince words, hard to miss."
Giant alien spiders are no joke.
[Outside —> Entry Hall]
"Why, oh why, would someone build a home in a swamp?" Jonathan asked to nobody in particular as he and two other companions—One in a shoulder cloak with its cowl brought down to hide most of his masked face in shadow, another in a Victorian-style coat that hugged her slender figure, walked through the chilly marsh.
The fog was thick enough that Jon felt that if he had a knife, he could cut out a circle in the air and eat it. With the lack of visibility and the soft earth, it made walking very difficult for the trio, especially for Jonathan, who's braces on his legs made him walk very awkwardly. From a third person perspective, it looked as if Jonathan could not bend his knees.
Yet thankfully, the three saw lights in the distance, and hurried up their pace. They had arrived.
Walking up to the doorstep, the one in the coat, a woman named Gabrielle who appeared to be just approaching her thirties knocked politely at the door, then, waited for an answer. When there was no reply, she shrugged, and said, "I suppose we just go in?"
Jonathan shrugged, then gestured that they go in. They opened the door to see a quite beautiful, if rather minimalist, entry hall that went all the way to the back. A luxurious dark wood floor, decorated with a beautiful carpet. There were some other people already here, including one that looked like a military officer, one that looked as if he was recently in a fight, and one who looked like a zombie. The latter made Jonathan shiver, as he recall the monstrosities that attacked him and his friends created by the necromancer Cain Stellark.
In the brighter, warmer light, it was easier to make out the features of the three newcomers. Jonathan had light blond hair with heavy bangs, and blue eyes that burned with passion. He was tall, around six feet in height, and had an easy smile. Braces built with metal and plastic supported his legs—they had a very subtle hint of magic in them. He wore a plain trench coat and no hat.
Gabrielle had dark skin and kinky hair braided into corn rows, and tied at the back into a neat little twisted bun. Underneath her coat, she wore a proper red dress that was distinctly Victorian in style, although it wasn't as restrictive or heavy as the real deal.
The last companion, named Andrew wore a dark gray shoulder cloak, fastened at the shoulder, with its cowl brought down low to hide his eyes in shadow. A silver, battered mask hid his entire face. His arms and hands were wrapped in bandages, and he wore mud splattered knee high boots.
Want someone to talk to? Talk to meeee!
edited 26th Jan '13 2:52:05 PM by Tehpillowstar
"Life is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight." - R. W. Raymond
Entry Hall
"I'm from a place called Theodiscus," Anne replied, and then cast a quick glance at everyone else who just came in. "I don't think I'm still there."
The man asking about some blood on the doorknob caught her attention the most. Given that the style of his outfit strongly reminded her of the house that of the house, Anne was half-tempted to assume he was the building's owner. In response to his question, she quickly looked over her own hands for traces of blood - given her current state of being, she wouldn't be surprised if she bled slightly in some places. When she didn't notice any, she promptly shoved them behind her back. She really wasn't in the mood to receive medical attention if she didn't need any, despite appearing very much otherwise. Fortunately for her, Samira directed the man's attention to the pale man by the door, who Anne now noticed was covered in bandages and appeared to be in pain (and therefore was the blood's most likely owner).
She remained silent when Samira suggested to everyone else that they introduce themselves. No one here seemed overly interested in her, and Anne much preferred it remained that way. If someone else decided she was worth talking to, she'd introduce herself then.
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Laugh and grow dank!
He gave a somewhat formal bow, then walked forward towards Samira with hand extended in greeting. "Agustin Belkar. A delight to meet you, Miss Hosseini." His smile was broad and genuine. "But, before we continue with introductions, I think it prudent to see to our injured friend over there." He gave a glance to the bleeding man leaning against a wall near the door. He turned slightly, addressing the stranger. "All that blood is yours, I take it?" He placed a hand idly on the hilt of his basket-hilt saber, just in case the answer was no.
edited 26th Jan '13 6:25:52 PM by Gault
yey
[Entry Hall]
A man covered in blood, and a woman with skeletal arms.
It was a truly interesting sight for Abeiyuwa, but she didn't want to say anything offensive. While her friends and husband introduced themselves, she wondered where the kitchen was. She haven't eaten anything ever since she left the house, and she was awfully hungry.
"Honey?" John said, getting her attention, "Thomas and I are going to check out more of the mansion. Do you want to come with us?"
Abeiyuwa smiled and shook her head. "No dear. I'll be fine. I'll catch up with you in a moment. Mon'ife e."
After a brief kiss, she watched as her husband joined his brother. She then turned to Anne, who seemed awfully quiet.
"Um," she said, "I heard about where you're from, and I just wanted to know; what is Theodiscus?"
More people arrived, wearing mud-covered boots. Mary decided to speak to one of them-the man with the leg braces.
"Hello there!" she said, "Were you three invited to Mansion too?"
I MISREAD THE DESCRIPTION SORRY DX
edited 26th Jan '13 5:34:41 PM by Masterofchaos
[Entry Hall —> Parlor]
Samira shook Agustin's hand — she was hesitant to take it, but her handshake was firm and confident when she did — and said, "Mrs. Hosseini, actually. But I should let you tend to that fellow." If nothing else, you're better equipped if worst comes.
She nodded at the next trio of newcomers to make their way in. A man with leg braces, who seemed to be the leader. A woman in an old-fashioned outfit. A shadowy man in a mask, whom Samira studied with particular caution. She nodded politely and said, "good evening." She then absentmindedly rubbed her legs. Not as young as I used to be. Seeing no place to sit down in the entry hall, she quietly made her way into the parlor and had a seat, noting the trophies. The names below sounded like something from one of her daughter's fantasy game things. She shrugged, and fell into a comfortable seat.
Giant alien spiders are no joke.
[Entry Hall]
Jonathan nodded to the two ladies in the Entry hall and smiled, "Yes, I was invited. My name is Jonathan Feller, and these are my two friends, Gabrielle Davidson and Andrew Moore." Gabrielle did a shallow curtsy and Andrew grunted in acknowledgement.
"Pleased to meet you," she said in a warm African-American accent with hints of Oxford.
edited 26th Jan '13 6:00:27 PM by Tehpillowstar
"Life is eternal; and love is immortal; and death is only a horizon; and a horizon is nothing save the limit of our sight." - R. W. Raymond
[Outside —> Entry hall]
Two large figures circled through the air in a holding pattern above the mansion, one winged, one not. Although both reptilian, the similarities ended there.
"Xavier, I really don’t think this is a good idea," said Mai.
"Oh, come on," said Xavier. "Do you want to stay in Vermilion the rest of your life?" Although humanoid, Xavier Sunyo was anything but human. In fact, the first word that would come to mind upon seeing him was "dragon". A touch over six and a half feet tall, Xavier was covered in silver scales, a slight glint keeping them from being called gray. His head was quite lizardlike and he wore a patch over his right eye. Four faint lines, the remains of scars, ran down under the patch from above the eye, while a single near-identical line approached it from the bottom. He was well-built and wore a plain black suit and tie, holes cut in the appropriate places for his tail and wings. It had the feel of being bought for nice occasions but not particularly expensive.
Mai Xiang snapped her gaze to Xavier. She was significantly more serpentine than him and lacked wings; in general, she could be said to resemble a Chinese dragon compared to Xavier's more Western design. Her head was considerably more leonine than Xavier's, although it lacked much of the mammalian filigree normally associated with Chinese dragons, such as stag's antlers or long "whiskers". Her scales were a rich, deep green, overlaid with tiny yellow stripes. She was several inches above seven feet, almost a head taller than Xavier. Her clothes were of a slightly different make but in much of the same style. "It’s more than that," she said. "There are too many unknowns here. I don't know what it'll be like."
"You'll be fine," said Xavier in the air of having explained it numerous times before. "People here are remarkably easygoing. They go with the flow, and you should too."
Mai didn't look very convinced, but descended with Xavier to the front door. She took a deep breath and ran a hand over her head, straightening her scales a little, not that any humans would notice the difference. She looked at the door and fired a brief glance at Xavier.
Xavier grinned and couldn't resist a light jab. "Don’t choke," he said, and pushed open the doors.
Xavier's missing eye is not a retcon.
They/Them
He lifted his head toward the well dressed man with the saber
"Most of it is mine, the rest is probably zombie blood," he breathed heavily as he spoke.
He managed to lift himself up to his feet with some pain. He turned back toward the other people, "Nice to meet you all, I'm," He paused for a few seconds as he proceded to take a wallet out of his jacket, taking out and reading an I.D. card before putting it back, "Markus, at your service."
He clutched his side in pain before turning his attention to the other people. The well dress military officer, a woman who had severe burns, and a few others. He paid the most attention to the girl with skeletal arms, she reminded him of a zombie he saw once. He thought it best to keep his distance.
Note to self: Pick less edgy username next time.
Laugh and grow dank!
Agustin's eyebrow cranked up like a drawbridge. "Right. Well, since you seem well enough to introduce yourself, I'll just leave you to yourself. One thing though-" He reached into a pocket and fished out a plain handkerchief. "The least you could do is tidy up your appearance. There are ladies present, and I very much doubt the Mansion's proprietor would appreciate it if someone left bloodstains everywhere they went. Just look at this carpeting." Folding the handkerchief into a pocket of the man's clothes, he turned smartly around to take a look around the rooms. The sight of the two newest guests stopped him dead in his tracks.
"Ah, welcome!" He stepped over to the saurian pair. His smile was wide as ever, his posture resolute and unflappable, holding his left hand behind his back and his right out to greet them. "My name is Agustin Belkar. Pleased to make your acquaintance."
edited 26th Jan '13 7:12:11 PM by Gault
yey
Entry Hall -> Library
Anne remained quiet as Samira and the well-dressed man exchanged handshakes and a greeting. Now that she could see him up close, Anne decided Agustin, despite the saber, was not all that intimidating, or at least not at the moment. Then again, that may have well been because he paid no attention to her - as soon as he was done greeting Samira, he went back to check on the bandaged man.
Once he was gone, she decided that there really wasn't a point staying around in the entry hall - it was starting to get crowded in here, and the more crowded it was, the more likely people would notice her. Quite frankly, Aseyu's and Samira's reactions were enough; she really wasn't in the mood to see what everyone else would do. As such, she started to make a move towards the door that was closest to her.
Right at that point, one of the dark-skinned people from earlier walked right up to her and asked her about her homeland.
Anne just stared at the woman awkwardly for a few seconds. It wasn't so much that she had interrupted Anne's attempt to leave the entry hall; it was that Anne was rather surprised at the woman's lack of reaction to her appearance. Nothing so much as an odd look (though her voice might have been slightly unnerved - it was rather difficult to tell with the accent).
Shortly afterwards, Anne realized her apparent rudeness. "Sorry about that. Anyway, Theodiscus is my homeland." She left it at that and took another look around, taking note of the appearance of a pair of...dragons? At least, she thought they were dragons, anyway. Then again, she couldn't remember dragons ever being that small (well, relatively speaking), or ever wearing clothing. Whatever thoughts she may have had about them were quickly shoved into the back of her brain when she caught the gaze of the pale, bandaged man. It was hard to tell at this distance, but his expression appeared to be slightly apprehensive. Granted, he didn't seem well enough to actually do anything to her, but something about him unnerved her nevertheless.
She faced the woman talking to her again. "Er, if you don't mind, I'm going to go off and find a different room. Don't want to clog up up the entry hall, after all. There's still people coming in." Then, without waiting for a response, she turned around and hurried through the door that she had her eyes on earlier.
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[Entry hall]
Xavier smiled and nodded to Agustin. "Xavier Sunyo. Likewise." He shook Agustin's hand. He looked like nobility of some sort. Maybe there was still an aristocracy where he was from and Agustin was some kind of big, important person. Hopefully not a muckety-muck. But then, judging by his medals and posture... "I don't want to sound too nosy," he asked, a little hesitantly, "but are you a military officer of any kind?" He swept his hand up and down Agustin's figure. "You've got the bearing, the medals, the clothes..."
Mai nodded as well, but she didn't smile. "Mai Xiang." She glanced around the entry hall. The group definitely seemed to be eclectic. And no one was obviously hostile. Good. Maybe she was overthinking this, and it genuinely was a gathering-place of people from different universes. Of course, they had to be the unusual kind, didn't they?
[Kitchen —> Entry Hall]
Aseyu made her way back into the entry hall with a large plate of snacks. As suggested, it contained the requested crackers and fruits, plus a number of other such hors d'oeuvres. She glanced over the newcomers, eyes stopping when they reached Xavier.
"Xavier," she said, nodding. "Small multiverse?" She glanced up at his emptied eye socket. "And it looks like you've got a new story to tell. Very dashing." Her attention then floated to Mai. "And who's your pretty little friend?" She offered a quick, sharp bow, managing to effortlessly keep the plate balanced with one hand, and said by way of introduction, "Aseyu ul'Valmoth vash'Suela, at your service." Looking around at the rest of the group, she added, "my, my! It seems I need not worry about being lonely!" To herself, she muttered, "now, where did Sammy and that Anne girl get to? I should find them soon..."
edited 26th Jan '13 7:57:22 PM by KillerClowns
Laugh and grow dank!
Agustin gave a brief tip of the head, straightening up and snapping off a crisp salute. "Indeed I am! Lance-Captain, 2nd Land Army of the Newhaven Alliance. This is a somewhat formal function, judging by the invitation I received, so I thought it only appropriate that I come in full uniform. I wear my service to the Raldist powers with pride."
After a moment of holding his rigid stance, he seemed to relax, putting on an easy grin. "And you don't have to worry about causing me offense with a simple question. I know I look the part, but I'm not one of those fussy, dreadfully boring, self-entitled Arcadian nobles. No, common politesse is enough, I think. It's a personal belief of mine that anyone who fears being questioned is a poor candidate to be providing any answers. Wouldn't you agree?"
Briefly, Agustin turned to give a cursory bow to the newcomer, Aseyu. Turning back to his conversation, he said quietly, "I think Samira excused herself to the Parlor."
edited 26th Jan '13 8:21:20 PM by Gault
yey
[Parlor —> Entry Hall —> Library]
Samira stood with a groan and left the parlor. Nodding at Agustin, she said, "only for a bit. Needed to sit down for a few minutes, was all." She then nodded at Aseyu, took a bit of fruit from the tray, and said, "but I'm going to go check on Anne now. I think I saw her heading that way."
Aseyu said, "got it. Have fun."
Samira then left, following Anne into the library. "Hello?" she said, cautiously. "Mind if I join you?"
[Entry Hall]
"Ah, go right ahead then." Abeiyuwa said, "Mari e ni'gba mi."
Once she was gone, she turned, seeing Mary talking to more people. She stood next to her, deciding to interact with others. She would join her husband later.
Noticing her friend, Mary smiled. "I'm Mary Riverson, and this is Abeiyuwa Richman, a close friend of mine."
"Hello. Inumidun lati ri e." she said, "Our husbands went to check out more of the mansion. So, where are you all from?"
[Study]
Noticing no one else was in the room yet, John was the first to plopped down on the couch. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief as he got comfortable.
"Away from home." he said as his brother sat next to him. "Even if it's only for a while, I could use a vacation."
"Yup." Thomas said, a small chuckle in his voice. "This room has everything I love..." As he got himself relaxed, he suddenly wanted some wine.
edited 27th Jan '13 6:57:05 AM by Masterofchaos
[Entry hall]
Mai blinked at Aseyu, blinked at Xavier, and blinked back at Aseyu, gears turning in her head. Quizzically, she looked back to Xavier and asked, "You two know e-"
"I've met her before," said Xavier. "Part of my experience here." He turned to Aseyu. "Mai here here is one of my colleagues, and-" -you know, there are probably worse people for Mai to get to know, so- "-you two should talk." With that, he shoved Mai toward Aseyu.
He turned back to Agustin. "Sorry. Old friends and acquaintances and such." He waved a hand vaguely. "Anyway, you certainly look the part. Even if you were one of the stuffy kind of nobles, I'd know how to behave, but they're really..." He grit his teeth and mimed wringing a neck. "...you know." Xavier glanced to one of the doors in the hall. "Do you want to find a better place to talk? In one of the rooms or something?"
Mai flinched in surprise when Xavier shoved her and looked down at Aseyu, trying not to be too judgmental. "Um, hey," she said, a bit unsure of herself. "I'm a colleague of Xavier's, a- Well, to be more accurate, he's a colleague of mine, since I have seniority over him." She glanced around herself and muttered, half to herself and half to Aseyu, "In most circumstances, anyway."
edited 26th Jan '13 8:36:58 PM by TeraChimera
They/Them
[Entry Hall -> Library]
Markus took a look around the entry hall before noticing the Library door. He shrugged, limping slowly as he clutched his side in pain.
Upon entering, he immediately went to the nearest chair he could find, groaning slightly as he managed to sit himself down. He looked toward the various shelves of the library, filled to the brim with books of all kinds.
A feeling of wonder filled Markus as he looked, the back of his mind itching to absorb what lay in the oldest books. He resisted the urge as he let out a heavy sigh, leaning back into the chair.
Note to self: Pick less edgy username next time.
Welcome to the Character Development Threads! These shared story exercises allow you to develop your characters in a setting shared by other authors and their characters. No sign-up is necessary; simply look over the last few pages and hop on in. If you need questions answered or a recap, head over to our discussion thread
and ask; we’re happy to help.
The trope page for the thread is here, and comes complete with a map and description of the rooms. With thanks to Gault and Tera Chimera for helping set this all up.
[Outside -> Entry Hall]
Two women walked the path to the mansion, studying it thoughtfully.
The first was a short old woman, dressed all in black: the practical slacks and sweater of an academic, and a hijab wrapped around her head. But her most distinctive feature were the burn scars that covered much of the left half of her face, leaving an empty eye socket she covered with a patch. The rest of her face wasn't too much better: she had never been beautiful, and her light peach skin now bore the marks of much age and stress.
She studied the mansion with her remaining hazel eye. "Another one of... these places," she said, her voice weary. She rubbed her forehead and said, "I'm still not sure this is a good idea. Hopefully this time, nobody ends up having a mental breakdown and torturing a psychopath to death."
The woman she spoke to was an athletic, dark-skinned woman, standing just over six feet, with elegant features, gray eyes and dark violet hair, kept in a short, messy pixie cut. She was dressed in jeans, a tank top, and a windbreaker, intentionally chosen to show off her physique. Even at thirty, she was still more than able to attract the attention of men and women alike. Looking at her companion with an expression of sympathy, the tall woman said, "you just got unlucky, Samira. Places like this have always been fun for me." She smiled fondly. "I usually end up naked and teasing people, and nothing bad's ever happened to me yet."
Samira looked over and said, "Aseyu..." Then, deciding not to encourage her, she just shook her head and changed the topic. "On the bright side, this place doesn't feel as..." she paused, to breathe in the refreshing chill, "...intense as the last one."
Aseyu nodded and said, "I'm not sure what I'm hoping for more... a like-minded soul, or someone easily embarassed to toy with."
Samira sighed, rubbed her head and said, "Aseyu, please, do try and maintain something resembling decency." Then, realizing just how unlikely that was, she added, "or, at least make sure the people you mess with really deserve it."
They entered, and looked around the empty entry hall. "Huh," Samira said, "nobody here."
Aseyu tossed her windbreaker aside, and said, "well, the invitation did say not to worry about the host and to help ourselves to whatever."
Samira frowned and said, "makes you worry he's watching us, a bit, doesn't it?"
Aseyu grinned broadly and said, "ooh... kinky. I'll be sure to give him a show."
Samira just sighed, and brought her palm to her face with an audible "thwack."
edited 28th Jan '13 6:02:14 PM by KillerClowns