GRAVEYARD.

[guestservices]

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!

★ At the very end of the first floor hallway is another door - this one is locked with a padlock. It has a message painted on the door.... Don't dead? Anyway, it seems you can't check just stroll in there! From the looks of it it would be ill-advised to attempt to break in. Occasionally there are muffled shrieks coming from beyond the door. Hmm!


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★

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.

★ A dumbwaiter sits at the end of the hallway of bedrooms. Inside of it is a typewriter, and a golden bell labeled as Virgo's. 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.

★ 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.

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N̸A̵V̴I̶G̶A̶T̴I̴O̸N̷.̷

█ LOCATIONS █ STATUSES █ PROFILES █ AUDIENCES
█ REPORTING █ PRIVATE CONVOS █ MURDER

Comments

[sageguidance]

[ A little sympathetic piggie goes a long way in healing the soul... Adorable friend.

He doesn't get to puzzle the presence of a pig for long, however, when another voice chimes in from ahead. With another sniff, Alphinaud quickly rubs at an eye with the back of his hand and looks up. ]

... Hello. [ He begins tentatively, voice somewhat hoarse. He stares at the other half of this welcoming crew, trying to put a name to a face. ] I... could use that, yes. My apologies, however, but I do not seem to recognize you.

[illomened]

[Everyone could use a little mascot to brighten the gloom of being hella dead...

There's a little sheepish laugh in response, though, as Souji moves to open the gate.]

Ah, yes... I'm afraid I don't have many answers to give regarding how and why I ended up here. I only know that I also died shortly after waking up in the hotel at some point. [HIS AMNESIA.] My name is Souji! And this here is Saizo.

[A nod toward the pig, who bukii!s in response, nudging Alphinaud's foot once more.]

Shall we, then? I've been here since a little bit before Si-san, so I can show you around as well, if you'd like... Oh! And if you get hungry, I made food, too. Though I had to guess at what you might enjoy...

[Dying sure does suck but he is trying his best to make it suck a little less.]

[sageguidance]

[ That... is a concerning thing to say, but with how overwhelming everything is at the moment—and the completely blasé delivery of it—Alphinaud decides that's something for later. He's only just awoken again, yet he feels exhausted. ]

Well met, Souji—and you as well, Saizo. [ At the little pig's nudge, Alphinaud follows. ] I shall not complain about aught you've decided to cook. Your thoughtfulness is appreciated—afore we met you already had thought to extend such kindness...

[ Maybe it's because of like, everything right now, but this feels like the nicest thing ever :( ]

[illomened]

[Yeah! That's something for a later talk! Or a never talk, perhaps. It's fine, he's fine if no one ever addresses his weird amnesia ever, actually.

Alphinaud is actually the sweetest though, damn. Souji's little goblin heart is touched...]

Think nothing of it, it's the very least that I can do.

[Considering none of them can really do anything that Matters For Realsies, and he'll have more bad news to deliver in the form of their sketchy record message sooner or later... For now, though, he'll lead the way into the mansion - stopping for a moment outside of it to indicate their sprawling garden.]

Vi-san collects letters that they may bring to the other side, but we were given the tools to care for these and bundle them up as we'd like, too. I can show you thinks in more detail a little later, though - after you've had a bit of time to rest.

[sageguidance]

[ As Alphinaud pauses to take a look around, he nods. ]

Yes, thank you. I would like that.

[illomened]

[*things... closes me eyes

A little nod! And then he'll move into the mansion proper, Saizo trailing along but sticking somewhat near Alphinaud for the time being. A gesture toward the stairs as they pass:]

You'll find your room up there, with your belongings. The washroom with extra clothing and linens is this way, though.

[Which he'll lead the way to first! There's a bunch of clothing in the closets here which are all fortunately cleaned because Souji truly had nothing better to do than go through here and scrub everything.]

[sageguidance]

[ pats ur little head ]

We—have our belongings? That is a relief... I am surprised we have such comforts here, as well.

[illomened]

[cries fastly]

Mm - things aren't so bad here, I would say. Vi-- Ah, that's Virgo-san, they're around fairly often as well and do what they can to help. They're a bit prickly and loud, as I'm sure you've seen, but they really do try their best. Ah - but you can take anything you'd like from here, of course.

[sageguidance]

[ ah... ]

Virgo is—indeed, prickly and loud, but I do not find them terrible... I will be sure to speak with them next I am able.

I shall make myself at home, as well. We will be here for a while yet, after all.

[illomened]

They're very partial to snacks, so if you offer to share something with them, I'm sure they'll warm up all the faster.

[Said with a little twinkle in his gremlin eye... He also leans down to scoop up Saizo, since said piggy's just vibin around Alphinaud still.]

If you've picked what you'd like to wear or some clean towels, I can show you to the area where we can keep an eye on the living.

[sageguidance]

[ Sharing snacks... this checks out, from his previous experience.

He'll grab a handtowel though, because his face is kind of gross still... ]

I shall grab aught else I require later—let us proceed.

[illomened]

[He won't judge his kinda grody face... Be free, Alphinaud. Cry your little sadge heart out.]

Very well, then! Just this way--

[Down the hall! He'll point out the kitchen as they go, which probably still smells like Freshly Baked Things and something vaguely savory.]

The kitchen is here, where you'll find plenty of ingredients and wine, if you like it. I tend to do quite a bit of cooking, so you're free to help yourself to anything already made, as well.

[That's just a little bitty detour though, before he heads to the dining room proper so he can gesture to their big ol' wall of moving portraits.]

These are where you'll be able to keep watch over the goings-on back there.

[sageguidance]

[ you're a pal, souji.... ]

I see...

'Tis not unlike how the dead were able to look upon us before, as well. It will be good for keeping up to date on the findings they wish to share in public.

[illomened]

Mm - I've heard it was like that in several places. We were only recently given these record players here, so we can hear what they're saying, too. They're very useful.

[For spying and also listening in on juicy gossip including sweet Alphinaud's trial. Which, like, speaking of. There's a little brief pause as he glances toward the portraits.]

...I do hope that it was quick.

[Alphinaud's death, for what little it's worth. BUT CONSIDERING THEY'D BEEN WORRIED ABOUT VORE AND HIM BEING WASHED TO DEATH.]

[sageguidance]

[ If I could have feasibly done vore I would have 100% done it. I shamelessly admit this in front of god and everyone.

Anyway, Alphinaud glances Souji's way before his gaze falls, hands wringing together. ]

...

I cannot quite recall.

[illomened]

[honestly you're powerful and i believe in your someday vore death or murder :amen:

This is a very unfortunate thing to hear, though! There's a little part of him that's curious, but even as tactless as he can be, he's not bad enough to ask a freshly murdered dude how his murder went.]

We don't have to speak of it. [A quiet little look.] If you should later want information about how your trial went, too, we can answer as best as we can, but the outcome wasn't desirable.

[sageguidance]

[ There's a little pause, and then a little nod. ]

If I may, then I shall ask of it later. Forgive me if I am... out of it, of sorts.

[illomened]

[He's immediately just waving a hand in gentle dismissal.]

Most people would be, given the circumstances. It's entirely understandable, of course! [SWEET ALPHINAUD...] Ah... But while we're on the topic of less pleasant things, there's a recording that I would like to show you, too. At your leisure, of course. I know that it's a bit to take in...

[He just popped into existence here with his amnesia by himself, so he knows The Disorientation.]

[sageguidance]

[ ... ]

No, 'tis all right. You may show it to me.

[ It isn't about his own murder, probably? So. ]

[illomened]

[There's just a beat, before he nods.]

One moment, then--

[He'll set Saizo back down so he can nyoom off to get the record. Saizo will helpfully sit on one of Alphinaud's feet, just vibing there even as Souji returns.]

...Here. We've been keeping it in Si-san's grave, since it doesn't seem to be something we should share with any of the staff.

[At which point, he'll set the record in the player and set it to play.]

[sageguidance]

[ Oh. Oh....

... Oh........ ]

... I now understand why we are not to relay this to them.

[illomened]

["Oh" is just the big mood. His head dips a little into a nod, and he removes the record once it's done delivering it's Unfortunate Message.]

Indeed, it seems like something to keep to ourselves for now. Though I should note that we don't know exactly where this came from or how it found its way to us.

[Souji, pointing, immediately sus: HOW DID THIS ESCAPE THE OVERLORD'S NOTICE.]

--What do you think of it?

[sageguidance]

[ For all that he wishes he could appear Totally Composed, Alphinaud still absentmindedly fidgets with the hand towel between his fingers. He pauses for a moment, thinking, then: ]

... I do not believe it has made it to you on accident. That is too—convenient, I would say, and I am of two minds:

That there are truth to these words, and this record is meant to dishearten us. Or that 'tis but a lie, spoken in hopes we lose the will to fight back. Either way... this whole cruel, terrible game is meant not to be won, but to instill despair within our hearts, and this is yet another way to do so.

[illomened]

[It's a hard thing to stay composed in the face of. Sieghart is an exception for being a bonkers weirdo, and Souji is an exception because he is also a bonkers weirdo, so this is probably his first look at a relatively normal reaction...

He seems to be considering Alphinaud's words, though, and eventually nods as well.]

I would agree with all of those speculations. Would you agree, then, that the best course of action as our options lie right now would be to continue pressing on regardless of the truth that may or may not be spoken here?

[sageguidance]

[ Silence follows. It's long and contemplative; Alphinaud seems to be struggling with himself, and towards the end, he opens and closes his mouth a few times in false starts, but eventually, he exhales deeply, long and slow. ]

There... is only going forward. Should we succumb to that despair now, then we may as well give up.