antumbrac | WEEK 1

WEEK 1

Your hosts have come and gone, and have left you with nothing but more questions and a key. Regardless of how you reacted or what you decided to do soon after that, it’s a fact that the day must end eventually.

And so it does, with the striking of the clock. As the twelve gongs reverberate and disappear into the night, the rest of the city is left silent save for a chilly wind that skims the streets. Those who have retired to their assigned rooms will find that the furnishings are decent enough to get a good night’s sleep, while those who wander the city will only continue to see empty streets and fog. But regardless of how you spend the night, eventually it will become readily apparent that dawn will not be coming any time soon as the waxing moon continues to hang in the sky even as the clock strikes six or seven or eight.

No one’s stopping you from wallowing in bed or holing up in a building during this perpetual night, but there’s a whole city out there to check out and some interesting additions to the Opera House decor; don’t forget though, a cage is a cage and every good cage needs its bars. While a portion of the streets and buildings are clear, any intrepid explorers won’t find themselves able to get very far through the fog that surrounds them; anyone who tries to venture through will end up getting turned around and end up right back where they started. Still, there’s plenty of other places to check, even if the fog-shrouded buildings are more or less off limits. Fortune favors the bold, after all.

[[Welcome to Week 1! Feel free to make top levels at your discretion, and remember to note it in your header if you plan on investigating any locations. You can also now privately contact The Lady or Rembrandt at your leisure!]]

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[He looks down at the pew next to him, picking up something from the small stack of stationary he's got with him; he passes over a photograph, the gesture far calmer than he feels.]

That's my sister, Mimura.

[She certainly does look it; the woman in the photo is remarkably similar in appearance to Cumore, down to the fashion choices. She doesn't seem aware that she's being photographed; she appears to be in some sort of upscale neighborhood, a backdrop of opulent homes and gardens visible behind her, and she seems to be looking at something just out of range of the camera.

And of course, there's Rembrandt watching her, because of course he is.]

She's slightly older than I am, but not by much.

[He takes the picture, holding it carefully as he studies it. Mimura, huh? Cumore's older sister... It's sort of strange to think about, and he's not sure whether it's because Cumore having a sister is a strange idea in general or because they look remarkably similar.]

I see. [He passes it back.] I can only imagine how difficult that is.

[It's not dismissive or sarcastic; it certainly does seem dreadful to have that threat aimed at family.]

Please. She likely told him off for stalking her shortly after this was made.

[He'll accept it back, though, setting it back where he had it.]

I'm certain she's fine.

I can't really say I'm surprised to hear that...

[Given her looks, she probably is a lot like Cumore...]

I don't believe they'll harm them - yet, at least. Still, it's agitating that they decided to taunt us like this.

[Iago pulls his own photo from a pocket and passes it over.]

They chose King Garon, of course.

[So this is King Garon, huh. He's...

...He certainly is, isn't he, uh.]

He seems...

[He has never seen a more blatantly evil person in his life.]

...Unwell.

[Nailed it.]

[honestly the one true mercy here is that he now has a picture of garon so he doesn't have to try to describe him, because the only description he has is "evil-looking" so it's fine!!!]

He is. His health has been deteriorating over the past few months.

[He's no longer looking at Cumore, instead glaring off to the side.]

...I was the only person he was allowing in to see him before I was dragged here.

[Which is just making this whole thing even more complicated than it really should be.]

[Ah.]

...That's unfortunate.

[You don't fucking say, Cumore.]

I'm sure someone will break over the next few days, at least.

[It sure is.]

Oh, I know they will. It isn't likely to be a concern now, but I doubt they'll simply leave them be.

[just threaten them again later down the line as another motive, why not!!!]

[He just...goes quiet at that, really. Writes a few more words down.]

We'll come up with something eventually.

[A soft exhale and he moves to straighten the stupid priest's robes.]

Of course we will. There's always something that can be done.

[Ugh, just...let him lean forward a bit. Bury his face in his hands again. At least he's not screaming this time, just. Give him a second before he manages to straighten up a bit.]

It's been such a long day.

Hasn't it just.

[Gods, he feels you, but he already did enough screaming earlier today so he'd prefer not to do any more and risk ruining his voice.]

How have you been entertaining yourself today? Aside from this.

[He inclines his head a bit to indicate the writing.]

[god.]

Bluntly put, I haven't been. I've mostly just been keeping myself occupied with busywork.

Fair enough. Keeping busy does seem like the only way to deal with this.

[besides, y'know. screaming into a pillow all afternoon.]

I assume you've been doing something similar, then.

Yes, of course.

[.................yeah, that's... definitely what he was doing...]

I almost miss all the busywork I was constantly dealing with.

[right though...]

Oh, likewise - at least there was usually sone merit to it, even if it was duller than dirt to execute half the time.

Exactly, it was at least accomplishing something, even if that something was far beneath my station.

I imagine things will have to change eventually around here. One way or another.

[Like, this is great and all but we're on day 3 and he's already done.]

Oh, of course. I wouldn't be surprised if someone's been killed by tomorrow morning.

...I would strongly consider if I didn't suspect some kind of catch.

[...JUST...GONNA PUT THAT OUT THERE IN FRONT OF GOD AND EVERYONE, HE SUPPOSES.]

[you just....... went ahead and said it.............]

I'm very curious about the catch as well. They certainly didn't give us very much information about how this would go.

[He does that a lot.]

I doubt it's really so simple as killing someone and being immediately permitted to leave.

Of course not. That seems like a waste - if they want us dead for her plans, why would they let any of us go?

They said we wouldn't be in danger of dying if we did as they said. That they don't need all of us dead.

[...]

It seems a nice prospect, at least. To not have to be concerned about that.

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