Night 008

[allthekeys]

|| THREAT DOWN

|| NIGHT 008: PLOT As night draws in once more on the castle, Lady Night walks away from the doors. Her cloak is as bright and garish as ever, and she holds a small lap harp cradled in her arms. As she walks, she hums a strange song. It passes over the town and the guards in almost visible waves of power as she does so. The guards slump at their posts, leaning against doorways, weapons, or each other. In the town, the people who had been hard at work building sleep where they stood, laying down on the dirt and pillowing themselves on their arms. The occupants of the Rose Cottage will find themselves swaying in time to the music, though it seems impossible that they might hear it, and Sil begins to look tired and drained. Rose seems strangely invigorated by the song, and will scoop up Rowen from his resting place and begin to sing over him, her voice a breathy whisper that echoes it and seems to lessen its power. At last, Lady Night arrives at the town. She sits on the edge of the well and plucks a singular, odd cord on her harp. She continues to hum the song throughout the night, and those who come near to her will find themselves gripped by a strange lethargy, as though if they press too close they will surely stumble to the ground, unable to maintain control of their limbs. Once all within the town are asleep, the Eyeless Lads emerge from the castle and begin a methodical search. Each of them holds a torch and shoves it into dim corners of the town, seeking something – or someone – within it. They move into shops, dragging the sleeping shopkeepers out from inside. Some special attention seems to be given to the woman who cares for the cheese shop, but they eventually leave her alone. The Scarecrow at the Apothecary gets several moments of intense poking and prodding as it goes about its task, but is also left alone. The shopkeeper there is looked over for an unusually long time, one Lad even pricking his finger and leaning in to smell the blood. What they seek is impossible to tell, but they seem entirely unencumbered by the woman's song. They do not search the Rose Cottage, but they spend an extensive amount of time in the Metal Worker's Shop. They drag out tables and benches; pour over every item of furniture they have dragged from upstairs. Several of them tromp about the shop, and lights from the upper windows show that they search there as well. A sack of flour is torn, and messy tracks are left all over the interior. Still, they seem frustrated. Whatever they seek, it hides from them successfully for now. After his lads have thoroughly ransacked the town, the Lord himself makes his way down. He is grandly dressed and does not seem to care overmuch about the rain, taking his slow time in meandering past his guards. The black marks on his face are less noticeable, as though he has found some method of treatment that has caused a break in his condition. He discusses the situation with the Eyeless Lads as they walk past the sleeping population of the town, pausing a few times to admire one or another of the residents of the town. He goes first to the Apothecary, dragging the man there to his feet. Whatever they discuss, it is low and seemingly dangerous. The man looks terrified and is clearly shaken by the time the Lord leaves him. The Eyeless Lads collect the scarecrow that has spent the day gardening for him. Tanny walks with him, her pale hair pulled back from her face in a severe style that does not suit her face, wearing a black gown with feathers and gem stones scattered over a silken fabric. More feathers are tucked into her hair, though the moment the rain touches them, the black dye begins to drip onto her face. She appears largely unmoved by this, walking stone-faced behind her father. On her shoulder is the White Feathered Crow. The bird looks incredibly wary, watching around them at all times, but is not commented on by any of the Lads or her father. Another woman walks next to the Lord, though her dress is simple. Her dark skin stands stark against the pale fabric of it, and she keeps her head down, answering any question fired at her with a monosyllabic response. She seems to be taking deep breaths of the wet night air, and during a few pauses lifts her face to allow the rain to caress it. They all attend the Metal Worker's Shop, and for awhile all three go inside. ____________________________________________________ || CASTLE: GENERAL The Crows try to scatter the moment Lady Night begins to sing. They sink to the ground in feathered piles, their little bodies folded to the ground as though they have been injured. Their breathing is soft and even, and from time to time the guests will find a crow asleep tucked into an odd location. A dark cloaked figure slips over the garden wall as the Eyeless Lads leave. The figure makes their watch to the kitchen door and slips inside the castle. They can occasionally be found exploring the lower passages, careful to avoid notice and quick to vanish the moment anyone reacts to them. There are corpses scattered throughout the castle tonight, recognizable to any who witnessed the Lady’s party in the Throne room the night before. These bodies are barely alive but still so overwhelmingly dead, with their clothes damp with mold and dust and their skin leathery and loose on their bodies, something rotted and repulsive about them despite the fact that they’re breathing. Even more pitiful are the gasped moans of protest forced from their throats if anyone finds them. Where they stand, they stand still no matter what, something about them disturbingly like lost children who don’t know where to go, but they are clearly pained by even holding that much of a position since their bodies are even now slowly deteriorating once more. There are ten corpses in all. One is locked in the Cells. The others can be found in the Wine Cellar, Basement Generator Room, Collector’s Library, Castle Kitchen, Musician’s Parlor, Soldier’s Bathing Area, Silver Bathroom, Head Bedroom, and Servant’s Room. Once found by Maurice, the corpses lift their faraway gazes to him for a moment, and then disappear. Nobody else appears able to get a real reaction out of them. Hibari will find a small box holding a silver bell sitting on his bed. When the bell rings, he will find himself compelled to go the kitchen, where the Cook waits with a tray. Something is moving through the castle. What it is is difficult to say, although what is clear is the way it makes people feel: drained, shaky. Tired. Weak. Those who encounter it might feel a brush of something like a windchill, but the sensation takes a while to shake off. Seeing this being is even more difficult, as if something about it is impossible to focus on. It’s more an impression of darkness – smoky and sharp at the same time, shimmering rather than moving, flickering like the negative image of a candle from shadow to shadow and room to room. It hunts. It seeks. And those who are dumb enough to look might catch an impression of an open maw. Dist and Jimmy need beware. || CASTLE: FIRST FLOOR In all of the Servant's Hallways on the First Floor, the Sirens dwell tonight. They are more actively hostile than normal—outright aggressive to everyone they identify as men, and defensive at best to women. Those who have been kind to them in the past seem to receive a free pass tonight, but only if they don't push their luck. Something seems to have made them very wary tonight, and they look upon everyone with suspicion. In the barracks, Nidhogg has broken out of his containment. Long knots of silver chain remain where he was restrained. It would not be advised to search for him. The Jester stands at the door of the Throne Room, his harp tucked under one arm, his hair still matted with blood. He appears a bit dazed, the doorway supporting most of his weight, and he licks his lips constantly. The Grand Hallway has a strange habit of changing depending on whoever walks through it, the hangings becoming flags and banners of their own. The floors ripple into something familiar and comforting. It seems that they can hear someone familiar calling to them from just around the corner. The moment they leave the hall, the illusion ends. The Collector's Library is oddly calm tonight. The man with his baby is back, but once again alone. He cradles his bundle of cloth to his chest and looks around the library quietly. He pointedly ignores the corpse in his midst, never looking at it, but also makes a point to give it a wide berth. For those who can sense such things, the library feels strangely empty tonight, as if someone or something is missing. There is no sense of malice or judgment in anything done in here tonight, though if the man catches someone acting up he will gladly take the place of the normal spirits. || CASTLE: BASEMENT In the Common Hallway, the Steward is on patrol. He seems angrier than usual and will not hesitate to swing his axe at passersby in a fit of blind rage. He will chase for as long as they are in the hall, although fortunately, he does not move very quickly and can be easily outrun. In the Basement, something appears to have crawled out of the Pit. Piles of oily, foul-smelling mud sit on the rim, and the slick tracks move away from the hole in the ground. At the bottom, a little bit of water remains, thick with more of the foul smelling mud. Whatever came out of the pit has not yet revealed itself. The smell lingers, though it has lessened somewhat in the time that has passed. A small, dark shape sits near the Torture Chamber. It rocks back and forth, its dark form shuddering as though caught in a spasm. It has no eyes, its face formless save for a wide, white mouth full of teeth that spreads into an unnaturally wide smile. It chatters to itself, this Not-child, but it does not speak. The woman in the Tapestry Room is pacing back and forth, chewing on her thumbnail, obviously agitated by something. She stops from time to time to pick at her loom, unweaving and reweaving yards of fabric as the night goes on. She is very quiet, despite the pacing, and seems to have withdrawn in herself. The monster makes no appearance, though soft laughter can occasionally be heard from its corner. The woman in the Porcelain Room is wrapping her hands in a thin piece of silk, her face thoughtful and distant. Her ears flick occasionally, reacting to sounds outside her containment, listening to things that should be beyond her hearing. She appears sad, something in the air having ignited a memory within her that has left her unwell. The Carpenter, in contrast, appears to be almost happy. A small smile seems to linger somewhere in the creases of his face. He is working on a cradle, shaping the wood with paper, blade and with gentle applications of his palm. Under his fingers, the wood mimics water, flowing into nearly impossible shapes. || CASTLE: SECOND FLOOR A fierce wind is rushing through the Upper North Passage. It's strong enough to make keeping one's balance difficult, and to add to the inconvenience, anyone who tries to cross the hall will find themselves repeatedly tripping over obstacles that are seemingly invisible—or, worse, violently shoved into walls by a force that feels entirely unrelated to the wind. The young Unicorn is missing from the Zoo. Its disappearance does not seem have gone unnoticed by the female. She paces the small cage, often whinnying softly as though to summon her foal back to her side. The males stay out of her way, heads low and together. They nibble at the vegetables and hay that have been left in their food bin, and occasionally one will try to bring something to the female. She ignores the food, clearly focused on her missing foal. The Gryphon is sprawled lazily in her cage, watching the door intently. She does not seem particularly agitated or bothered by the fact that the cubs are not with her, but her feathers are slightly fluffed up and her gaze remained fixed on the door. The mounted animals in the Jungle Bedroom appear poised and alert, regardless of whether they were previously posed to be so. Blood seeps through the stitching of their pelts and trickles to the floor, matting in their fur and feathers and pooling at their feet. They remain motionless and silent, but should anyone wander too far into the room or stay there for too long, they will spring to attack with no warning but the sound of their claws scratching against the stone floor. They are relentless in their aggression and do not seem to tire—even though their every movement is jerky and strained, gradually tearing them apart at the seams. They are fiercely protective of the Locked Door in the corner of the room and will swarm anyone who attempts to go near it. || OUTSIDE The Gardens are agitated. Children and the blatantly nonhuman can still pass through with ease, and may find themselves led along by the foliage to various small safe alcoves, but those over 18 who venture in will find thorns and stinging nettles accosting them at every turn, making passage difficult. The Green Man is active, moving with a fluid swiftness that belies the ghost's usual lethargy, and will hunt those who try to linger despite the harassment of the plants. Those with tokens from Sil, Rose, or Tanny are not safe from the plant life, but will find the ghost stopping short of assaulting them, stalking them in confusion for a time until its attention is drawn elsewhere. The garden is once more full of the Wisps. They float between rosebushes and nestle themselves in trees, and are a relatively benign irritation. In one of the safe alcoves, Viola is asleep; while she is healthy and unharmed, nothing seems to wake her. The crow that usually accompanies the Green Man has been nestled alongside her, similarly asleep. In the Stables, the animals and their caretaker sleep. The Gryphon cubs are hiding in the loft with the Stable Boy. The male cub is curled up against the sleeping boy, eyes catching every dim flicker of light in the darkness. The female paces, clearly agitated, and squeaks often, wings spread in challenge. But neither cub seems brave enough to make their way downstairs. A monk appears by the door of the Monastery. He peers out into the town through the rain for several long moments before he notices Treasa trying to peer past him. He quickly turns and ushers her back inside, hurrying in himself. The door locks with a loud thud—a bar being put in place. No one will answer the door tonight. || THREAT DOWN GENERAL: • Crows sleeping in various odd locations • A stranger is wandering the castle • Corpses in the Cells, Wine Cellar, Basement Generator Room, Collector's Library, Castle Kitchen, Musician's Parlor, Soldiers' Bathing Area, Silver Bathroom, Head Bedroom, and Servants' room • A mysterious creature is hunting. Dist and Jimmy need beware. FIRST FLOOR: • Sirens in the servants' passageways • Jester is in the Throne Room • The Grand Hallway is casting a strange illusion • The man with the baby is back in the Collector's Library SECOND FLOOR: • The Upper North Passage is difficult to cross • The unicorn foal is missing from the zoo • Taxidermy in the Jungle Bedroom is aggressive BASEMENT: • The Steward is patrolling the Common Hallway • Something has crawled out of the Pit • The Not-child haunts outside the Torture Chamber • The woman in the Tapestry Room is agitated • The woman in the Porcelain Room is listening to something • The Carpenter seems happy GARDENS, YARD, AND TOWN: • The gardens are hostile; Green Man is haunting • Wisps are in the garden • Viola and a crow are sleeping in an alcove • The stable boy and gryphon cubs are asleep in the hayloft • The monastery is locked • The apothecary's owner is distressed following the Lord's raid 1. The Cells 2. The Carpenter's Room 3. Porcelain Bedroom 4. Glassmaker's Room 5. Tapestry Bedroom 6. The Pottery Room 7. Basement Generator Room 8. Torture Chamber 9. Basement Hallway 10. The Hole 11. Basement 12. Basement Passage 13. Stone Washroom 14. Wine Cellar 15. Women's Quarters 16. Empty Dorm 17. Common Hallway 18-27. Dorms 1. Receiving Room 2. East Hallway 3-8. Small Parlors 9. Collector's Library 10. Grand Hallway 11. Grand Dining Room 12. North Passage 13. Castle Kitchen 14. Pantry 15. Common Room 16. The Steward's Room 17. Steward's Bath 18. Southwest Passage 19. The Musicians' Parlor 20. Throne Room 21. Guard Passage 22. Captain's Quarters 23. Soldiers' Barracks 24. Soldiers' Bathing Area 1. Main Hallway 2. Silver Bedroom 3. Silver Bathroom, 4. The Storage Room 5. Upper North Passage 6. The Barren Room 7. The Sandstone Bath 8. The Motley Room 9. Collector's Library (Upper Level) 10. Head Bedroom 11. Museum 12. Colonial Study 13. Plush Bathroom 14. Locked Room 15. Glass Gallery 16. Mural Bedroom 17. Round Bedroom 18. Gem Room 19. Jungle Bedroom 20. Locked Door 21. Marble Bathroom 22. South Passage 23. Exotic Zoo 24. Servants' Room 25. Magpie Bedroom 26. Slanted Bathroom 27. Fortune Hunter's Bedroom, 28. Locked Room 29. Crystal Bedroom 30. Crystal Bathroom 31. Gold Bedroom 32. Gold Bathroom 33-34. Open Parlors 35. Music Box Bedroom 36. Enclosed Orchard