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🛎 ([personal profile] guestservices) wrote2022-07-11 08:16 am
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GRAVEYARD.






GRAVEYARD


Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today...

...to be super dead. No, did you think you were getting a funeral? Sorry.

When you wake up, no matter how you died, you'll find yourself all in one piece, inside of a fairly large box that upon further inspection may in fact be a coffin. However, throwing the lid off isn't too difficult, and as you step out of your own grave, you'll find yourself standing in a cemetery behind a large mansion, where an iron gate stands between you and the entrance. Thankfully, the moment you approach, dirty and tired as you are, the gate swings open, and you're allowed immediate entrance into the mansion.

The mansion itself is a little dusty, and the furnishings are vintage at best, but... hey, it's home. Why don't you explore a little?




★
FIRST FLOOR.

★ On the first floor is a parlor and sitting area. On one of the tables is a phone, which as of Week 3, Saturday has a dial tone and can be used to contact hotel staff. In addition to that is a kitchen stocked with food - not to mention a large wine cellar full to the bursting with every kind of wine you could imagine. Vintage!

★ Walking down a long hallway, you'll find a laundry room with a washbin and a washboard, a few closets full of dusty old clothes, a large library, and an ornate dining room with a crystal chandelier.

Of note, the dining room in particular has a very tall wall of what look like portraits to one side. If you walk closer, however, you may notice that the portraits are moving - and appear to actually be holding black and white images of your friends (and enemies?) back in the hotel, so you can monitor their activities. That's nice! There are record players set up beneath the portraits, which come with blank records set in there already; if you turn them on while the blank records are set there, you will be able to hear what is being said by the people in the portraits.

★ At the very end of the first floor hallway is another door - it is locked up tight with a padlock, and has a message painted on it.... Don't dead? Inside here is the basement that the dead locked Qi Rong into on Friday of Week 5. In theory you might be able to take the key from someone and go in, since it hasn't been returned to Virgo; inside here is a dark, dank basement illuminated by a lantern giving off a dim green glow. There are barrels of stale water and sour wine, boxes containing stale crackers, extremely questionable jerky, and other rotted foodstuffs, and... uh... there are some unpleasant-looking rats skittering around. Icky. In practice, why would you want to? Just keep it locked.

1, 2, 3


★
SECOND FLOOR.

★ On the second floor of the mansion is a series of bedrooms. Just like the hotel, you'll find a room already booked with your name on a nameplate on the door - and a portrait of yourself, as well as your hostage, hanging just above the nameplate. The inside of the rooms are simple - a bed with red covers, a desk with a typewriter, and a small bathroom with a toilet and a clawfoot tub. Provided that you didn't give your belongings away, you'll find all of them on your bed, waiting for you upon your arrival. This includes tickets (so long as they weren't looted from your body and used to pay for hints) and other things that may have been evidence in your case but belonged to you beforehand.

★ A dumbwaiter sits at the end of the hallway of bedrooms. Inside of it is a typewriter, and a space where there once sat a golden bell labeled as Virgo's; however, the bell is currently missing. An unlabeled bell sits to the side of it. A small sign above the dumbwaiter says: PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT STAFF BY LEAVING A MESSAGE. VIRGO MAY ALSO BE SENT A TIP AND RUNG. PULL THE LEVER TO PRESS SEND. - STAFF

It seems you can reach out to the hotel staff by leaving a message or ringing the bell, though your options are limited for the latter. Sure enough, a lever in the wall next to the dumbwaiter is currently set to the "down" position. Push it to "up" and watch your message disappear.

★ Beside the dumbwaiter is one last bedroom. This room is marked with a plaque that says "Dream Suite", and has several familiar constellations decorating the door. Occasionally, when you ring the bell by the dumbwaiter while thinking of a member of Hotel Staff on the living side, the corresponding constellation on the door will light up, and you'll feel as though you should walk in. Inside, there is a line of comfortable beds. Lie down in one, and you'll have a dreamlike "in person" audience with the NPC you had attempted to contact.


★
OUTDOORS.

★ Outside of the mansion is a small garage. The ground here is worn down and thin, and you can almost make out what look like railroad tracks embedded in the dirt. Inside of the garage is a rattly old car that moves along those little railroad tracks, from the garage to the mansion front, and then back all the way around to the cemetery.

★ On the grounds, there is a garden full of flowers. There are also the remnants of gardening supplies and supplies to package and send bouquets, but none of these supplies are in useable condition now.

★ A "bumper cars" rink has been made by clearing out all of the rocks, weeds and grass in a sizeable area. There are some small slopes and dips, and a bumper barrier along the outside of the rink which was made by piling up compacted dead leaves from the graveyard. There are two "cars": laundry baskets that have rudimentary jar lid wheels with ladle axles and nails stolen from a dining room chair. They have been padded with some old clothing, like that will save anyone. Since we don't have electricity in hell, each "car" has one paddle made from tree branches broken down into the appropriate size, presumably used to push the cars around.

★ The cemetery where you first awaken is a direct copy of the cemetery outside of the hotel - right down to the placement of statues, mausoleums, and the creepy atmosphere. Your grave remains after you wake up in it, in case you want to take a dirt nap.

1, 2



callalilies: webtoon. (â„ī¸ hmmmm.)

[personal profile] callalilies 2022-07-11 09:33 pm (UTC)(link)
That's right. We can afford to be brutal, in truth. He's a Wrath level ghost, and he certainly won't take it easy on us.

[ he? looks at hand for a moment before taking it? ]
illomened: (from a lost and lonely world)

[personal profile] illomened 2022-07-11 09:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[After he explains:]

I don't think it's so much about tracking as it is, you know. [Tapping below an eye.]
illomened: (sakura)

[personal profile] illomened 2022-07-11 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
A Wrath level ghost that can't get through a lock... Strange, indeed. Not to underestimate him, of course, but he may not have access to his full abilities here.

[His hand now, thanks! He shifts to hold it between his own and he's just sitting here vibing very comfortably with it?? TACTILE WEEK IS NEVER OVER FOR SOUJI it's fine everyone gets used to it sooner or later.


Except after a second, one of his hands very subtly moves so his fingers are poised over the exposed skin between Kaeya's glove and sleeve, k-kyaa... He'll trace out some shapes, which Kaeya might be able to tell are letters forming some words! These words, specifically, are: For risky topics method of talk > location. More subtle = better.]
dms: (oya?)

[personal profile] dms 2022-07-11 09:55 pm (UTC)(link)
If that's what we want to do, I can make it look realistic as long as I know what it needs to look like, so don't worry about that.

[ he has sick anime artist skills so he can do just about anything you ask for, babey. ]

Making one is an option, too. I'm not much of a sewer, but we could maybe use some of Bucky's extra bedsheets for it, and just make some dyes from the flowers we have or whatever else is around. It'll just take a bit of time.
agleam: vyco (pic#15706129)

[personal profile] agleam 2022-07-11 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Right. Got it.

[a little apologetically... before:]

So - in the one I went on a few weeks ago, the idea of making a deal and providing entertainment was really important. There was a big party, and the hosts of the party promised us something important if we went along with their game in an entertaining way. But - at the very end, they agreed we had done what they wanted, but they just tried to kill us instead of giving us anything they had promised. And Harrow said that during hers, she was on a really awful show, and they had to find a way to stop it from being extended for another few seasons. It seems... relevant to our situation.
sageguidance: (pic#15739186)

[personal profile] sageguidance 2022-07-11 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Aye. 'Tis better than blindly running at him, at any rate, as you are the only one currently present who is familiar with his like. Aquarius claims so long as we do not provoke him, we... should be okay.

Probably.
sageguidance: (pic#15739272)

[personal profile] sageguidance 2022-07-11 10:01 pm (UTC)(link)
They know about Qi Rong, but that may be all they know. Unfortunately, no—I had not asked, but I can make it a point to inquire about it today. My apologies, but yesterday was quite frenetic...

[ as you know ]
sageguidance: (pic#15739222)

[personal profile] sageguidance 2022-07-11 10:17 pm (UTC)(link)
A... a "wrath level ghost", you say....

[ the dread in the room suddenly grows so thick you could cut a knife through it ]
callalilies: webtoon. (â„ī¸ speak up.)

[personal profile] callalilies 2022-07-11 10:28 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, but if he's as de-powered as we are here then... well. He's like us.
sageguidance: (pic#15711730)

[personal profile] sageguidance 2022-07-11 10:30 pm (UTC)(link)
I... do not know.

Aquarius had mentioned he was different from the rest of us.
callalilies: webtoon. (â„ī¸ hm?)

[personal profile] callalilies 2022-07-11 10:39 pm (UTC)(link)
But not in what way he was different... I see...

That could be trouble, but I agree that we should, perhaps, observe his habits for now. Maybe take up different parts of the area for monitoring carefully, see where he lingers most often, what he does, how he does it.

As long as we proceed carefully, we can do this. We outnumber him, as they said.
highestheim: (pic#15726218)

[personal profile] highestheim 2022-07-11 10:59 pm (UTC)(link)
I still feel as though I hold a sizable amount of the culpability—I'm not sure if we would have rallied together the way we did if I didn't put out the call.

[ ... ]

You're right, though. Even though I would be loath to say I'm glad to see you here... I am grateful to have your experience on hand. [ aka thank you for knowing the stink... ]
callalilies: (â„ī¸ heehee.)

[personal profile] callalilies 2022-07-11 11:05 pm (UTC)(link)
You're certainly not the only one... for sure...

[ resting his chin in his hand. ]

All the same... seems we'll have to take care of him. I'm sure Xie Lian won't mind.
callalilies: webtoon. (â„ī¸ explain.)

[personal profile] callalilies 2022-07-11 11:07 pm (UTC)(link)
[ hahaaaaa ]

I wish I didn't, but apparently it's coming in handy. Qi Rong is someone I wish I could truly forget.

[ watch him forget tomorrow ]
decaptych: ([046])

[personal profile] decaptych 2022-07-11 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He's also looking at Kaeya a little funny when he says 'wrath-level ghost', though then he just holds his head quietly. Ouch... ]

Oh...
callalilies: webtoon. (â„ī¸ curious.)

[personal profile] callalilies 2022-07-11 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
He has laid traps all over the place... I'd hardly call that provoked considering we at least let him out. Not that I expect gratitude. I want to get him back in that box.

[ mmmmmgh ]

But I suppose for now, keeping our distance and watching is a good plan. How long we watch should likely be just long enough to get the idea of what his schedule is like... we can't take too long. But we need just enough information.
callalilies: webtoon. (â„ī¸ suggestion.)

[personal profile] callalilies 2022-07-11 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
[ oh no aikawa... ]

Maybe... more of a rat at this point though. A Wrath-level rat.
Edited 2022-07-11 23:26 (UTC)
frostythehitman: (eugh)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2022-07-11 11:30 pm (UTC)(link)
So they found an employee's room, but not the mailroom.
frostythehitman: (why do i have to listen to you)

[personal profile] frostythehitman 2022-07-11 11:32 pm (UTC)(link)
If we can't physically harm him, that might be our best bet. He doesn't seem like he'd be all that hard to trick into a trap, either.
dms: (farmboy)

w5, monday

[personal profile] dms 2022-07-11 11:33 pm (UTC)(link)
for Rin:
(3) I can hear you, RinRin. Even if it's complicated, it's still worth trying, right? So don't give up. -333
decaptych: ([005])

[personal profile] decaptych 2022-07-11 11:54 pm (UTC)(link)
[ He manages to laugh it off a bit, though slightly strained. ]

Right, sure yeah. Well, pests need to be taken care of and all that...
callalilies: webtoon. (â„ī¸ peace.)

[personal profile] callalilies 2022-07-11 11:56 pm (UTC)(link)
[ just small pat pat pat. polaris also is here and pushing his head up to say hello and make sure he's okay. ]

Indeed. As much as I'd like us to use our words to avoid any unnecessary injury, I don't think it's going to work this time.
illomened: (helleborus)

[personal profile] illomened 2022-07-12 12:27 am (UTC)(link)
[He just inclines his head a little, smiling reassuringly in response to the apologetic tone before focusing on the REST OF THIS help.]

I see... They do seem relevant. I think these ventures usually provide useful information in that way, so... --Do we have any other information on the contracts, beyond reading them?
agleam: vyco (pic#15706129)

[personal profile] agleam 2022-07-12 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
Let's talk about the Thursday part instead, I decided!

[with a glance towards souji.......]
agleam: vyco (pic#15706129)

[personal profile] agleam 2022-07-12 12:59 am (UTC)(link)
Ah - yeah, we have a theory about how he might be trying to create a loophole to keep us here because of something written in it, but...

[giving him a questioning look and waiting for him to say that's not off limits,,]