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Midnight Update
Mar. 16th, 2012 10:48 pmMidnight arrives on the house with the fading notes of the clock.
In the Doll Bathroom a girl has appeared. She sits in the center of the floor, red hair flowing to the middle of her back. At first glance she could be easily mistaken for the The Little Girl but she seems older. Her face is completely obscured by hair, shadows and strange ripples that seem to offer glimpses of something else entirely. Many might even see the face of someone familiar settling over her features or a glimpse of home through the seething shadows on the wall. She does not respond to any attempts to speak to her, instead humming softly to herself, scrubbing her hands with a hard bristled brush. She does not seem to realize that she has scrubbed her hands bloody, focused on washing away something only she can see. She pauses from time to time in cleaning, studying her work, before beginning to scrub again.
Anyone who has started to hum the song first heard in the Perfume Bedroom will discover red spots of blood appearing on their hands, seemingly without cause. A faint, sweet smell follows any of the singers. The music is audio viral, anyone hearing it from someone else will pick up the tune without realizing it.
The mirrors in the house have begun oozing a thick, viscous liquid. To the sensitive it looks like fresh blood. To anyone not sensitive, it looks like a black ooze and smells absolutely foul.
The smell of fresh blood overwhelms the rotting smell that clung to the sensitive during the first part of the night, unpleasant, but no longer enough to overwhelm them.
Any Sensitive entering the basement is still subject to the same effects as before.
The Rats return, slinking from wherever they had hidden themselves, placing themselves in every room. They do nothing to the house guests, merely watch, but one always seems to appear wherever someone lingers.
If anything, the ghosts haunting the house seem to have grown more irritated as the night begins to wane.
The pianist's frustrated, halting playing has given way to the sound of music both elegant and beautiful, the Parlor filling with the pure sound of uninterrupted melody. He is deeply engrossed in his music now, and will be much harder to interact with.
The sound of a baby crying drifts into the house from the basement steps, and Nicolas in his mother’s arms will shortly join the forlorn cries. The cries fade as the last chime sounds.
For any of the sensitive among the house guests, something new and strange seems to be permeating the rooms of the house. Perhaps familiar to anyone who has been within the Fairy Bedroom, shadows seem to flit around the walls. Out of sight, simply a glimmer in the corner of their eyes -- gone before it can be seen. The bedroom itself is now empty, devoid of its decor. The wallpaper seems to have been drained of color, and the room itself seems lifeless, though the bed and other furniture remain within the room.
The statues are not gone from the house, however, they've simply relocated -- and guests might find them on furniture throughout the house. Leave a room and return, however, and they might have moved on.
In the Doll Bathroom a girl has appeared. She sits in the center of the floor, red hair flowing to the middle of her back. At first glance she could be easily mistaken for the The Little Girl but she seems older. Her face is completely obscured by hair, shadows and strange ripples that seem to offer glimpses of something else entirely. Many might even see the face of someone familiar settling over her features or a glimpse of home through the seething shadows on the wall. She does not respond to any attempts to speak to her, instead humming softly to herself, scrubbing her hands with a hard bristled brush. She does not seem to realize that she has scrubbed her hands bloody, focused on washing away something only she can see. She pauses from time to time in cleaning, studying her work, before beginning to scrub again.
Anyone who has started to hum the song first heard in the Perfume Bedroom will discover red spots of blood appearing on their hands, seemingly without cause. A faint, sweet smell follows any of the singers. The music is audio viral, anyone hearing it from someone else will pick up the tune without realizing it.
The mirrors in the house have begun oozing a thick, viscous liquid. To the sensitive it looks like fresh blood. To anyone not sensitive, it looks like a black ooze and smells absolutely foul.
The smell of fresh blood overwhelms the rotting smell that clung to the sensitive during the first part of the night, unpleasant, but no longer enough to overwhelm them.
Any Sensitive entering the basement is still subject to the same effects as before.
The Rats return, slinking from wherever they had hidden themselves, placing themselves in every room. They do nothing to the house guests, merely watch, but one always seems to appear wherever someone lingers.
If anything, the ghosts haunting the house seem to have grown more irritated as the night begins to wane.
The pianist's frustrated, halting playing has given way to the sound of music both elegant and beautiful, the Parlor filling with the pure sound of uninterrupted melody. He is deeply engrossed in his music now, and will be much harder to interact with.
The sound of a baby crying drifts into the house from the basement steps, and Nicolas in his mother’s arms will shortly join the forlorn cries. The cries fade as the last chime sounds.
For any of the sensitive among the house guests, something new and strange seems to be permeating the rooms of the house. Perhaps familiar to anyone who has been within the Fairy Bedroom, shadows seem to flit around the walls. Out of sight, simply a glimmer in the corner of their eyes -- gone before it can be seen. The bedroom itself is now empty, devoid of its decor. The wallpaper seems to have been drained of color, and the room itself seems lifeless, though the bed and other furniture remain within the room.
The statues are not gone from the house, however, they've simply relocated -- and guests might find them on furniture throughout the house. Leave a room and return, however, and they might have moved on.
As the first chimes of nightfall sound through the house, the heater stutters to a loud, smoky halt. No rooms will have heating tonight unless there is a fireplace. In the Maid Hallway the Supply Closet is filled completely with smoke, thick and acidic as though something is burning in an unseen room. The locked door in the Basement also oozes smoke, making it hard to breathe if anyone lingers for very long.
As night falls, the noise of construction begins again, loud enough to confuse and distract. The attention seems focused on Empty Hall in the Gardener's Wing and the locked door in the second house. But though the noise is loud, and occasionally seems to be happening right next to the guest, the workers remain unseen.
The temperature outside lingers just above freezing for the first time in months. The rising temperature causes the piled snow to begin to melt and work its way through cracks in windows and under doors, leaving giant, cold puddles waiting to catch any unwary runners. The first hint of spring arrives in the house, though few will realize that the weather outside is changing.
The night is chilly, but not quite dangerously so.
For the sensitive, the house is as cold as ever, and tonight a smell intrudes on their waking moments; the smell of old blood, decay, and rot, as though the snow melting has loosed something else into the air. None but they will smell it, though at times it will become strong enough to make them wish to gag. Many, unexposed to such things, will find themselves retching. It will be difficult for any sensitive to eat or drink anything outside of a safe room, though luckily the fact that the smell stops at the door will let them find these safe havens more easily than ever.
Any sensitive entering the Basement will feel the overwhelming need to clean themselves, this will not fade until they have taken a hot shower and scrubbed themselves completely. Anyone trying to avoid taking the shower will find the urge increasing, as though something filthy is climbing on their skin, sinking into their pores and making them dirty. The longer they go without washing the filth from their skin, the more they will feel the compulsive need to scratch.
The Burning Man has returned to the fireplace in the Parlor, the fire hot enough to burn anyone coming within a few paces. He will be triggered by any heat tonight, including the heat from hot water. Any sensitive who has a power to sense spirits will feel that he seems very sad tonight, almost longing, but getting close enough to allow him to explain himself is a dangerous task.
In the Perfume Bedroom the Perfume Ghost has reappeared; she does not sing tonight, or move, staring at herself in the mirror in complete silence. The Red Mist is absent tonight, leaving her alone and silent in the room. Bizarrely, though her lips do not move, the constant sound of humming can be heard throughout the room. The song is addictive, and anyone hearing it will find themselves humming it as well, carrying it throughout the house.
Anyone attempting to eat anything from the Blue Kitchen will find the food has gone bad. Maggots, rot, and mold have invaded the food supply, though at first it may be difficult to tell. An unwary bite might find the houseguest with a mouthful of maggots. It is advisable not to eat from this kitchen tonight, but the others remain unaffected. Turning on the tap will produce something that could hardly be called water. The fluid oozes out far too slowly, and it is viscous and dark. Tasting it proves that it is as vile as it looks
In the Dawn Room a child has appeared, though some have seen her before. She runs, smiling, from one end of the room to the other, hands tapping against the walls with childish glee. With her is a small, grey kitten. The kitten’s bell sounds abnormally loud in the room, as it chases the silent child’s skirts. Its tail twitches as it pauses behind ottomans and couches to crouch, watching the child before it pounces. Their game seems innocent, though the child does not laugh. She will run and hide if anyone enters the room, apparently afraid of being caught at her game.
Sitting almost casually on the stairs above the pair is the Young Woman from the party. Her lantern rests between her feet and she watches the child playing beneath her almost absently, as though she very nearly does not see her at all. Her small companion is nowhere to be seen. She does not speak to anyone who passes her, and barely seems aware of them at all, though perhaps the most welcome discovery will be that the Hellhounds will not enter the stairwell. Anyone running from a monster will be perfectly safe so long as they stand near her.
The door to the Doll Bathroom is open once more. Within the bathroom the shadows cling to the walls, resistant to being banished completely, though they make no move to attack. Those who enter will find themselves feeling most unwelcome. The dolls have changed since the last time anyone was able to enter, though their faces are still white and perfect, their eyes have gone completely black. As though, while the door was locked, some time has passed. Where the mirror on the wall once was is a black, seething mass of shadows, and anyone standing in front of it will feel air move, as though it is an open door. The dolls giggle and laugh when anyone turns their backs to them, but do not seem willing to move from their shelves. To the sensitive, this room feels wrong, and any remaining inside for longer than a moment will feel the need to run, screaming, from the room. The impulse will not fade until they have placed at least three rooms between themselves and the room, though passing by it in the hallway seems to have no effect.
The tub in the Ivory Bathroom has overflowed, flooding the hallway with yet more water. The water is brackish and filled with debris, and the slick, soggy sound of a single boot walking up and down often fills the hall. The Drowned Woman haunts here tonight, though she will not follow anyone out of the circle of the water. She holds an unlit flashlight in her hands, staggering about in confusion, empty eyes staring at something only she can see. She seems distressed about something, though it is difficult to make out any expression on a face swollen with sea rot. Her mouth opens, but she can still produce no sound, only bubbles of water that drip to the floor. If one manages to find their way past the Drowned Woman, and into the bathroom from which her water comes, they will find that the door-- despite its lack of locks-- closes quite securely behind them. Turning the taps off does not cease the flow of the dark water, and, with the door closed, the room begins to fill quite rapidly with the liquid. One the room has filled, the door will unlock again.
In the Dirty Bedroom the Electric Ghost has appeared again. It sits on the bed as though waiting for something, head bowed in a way that almost hides the lingering sparks of energy dancing behind the blindfold. Anyone entering the room will be quickly attacked, and tonight the ghost seems almost vicious, ignoring its lack of vision to attack anyone who stays in the room. It will attempt to corner them and block the door. The touch is searing, like being struck with a lightning bolt, and anyone it touches tonight will die almost instantly. The smell of burning flesh is overwhelming, even in a room so full of filth that it is difficult to see the floor.
The Surgery Ghost has appeared once more in the basement, staring into the hall with a strange look on his face. He makes no attempt to move into the hall, but his attention seems to have been caught by something. Behind him, the Nurse at the desk once more has a face, working on her computer with almost programed perfection. The other nurses walk the halls, carrying files from one room to the other. They seem almost normal, as though this has morphed into a proper hospital.
The Doctor has appeared again, sitting at his desk Anyone Entering the Hospital Wing will be admitted to the wing by the nurses and taken to the Surgery Room for treatment. The nurses are hard to escape, and once anyone reaches the Surgery Room it will be impossible for the house guest to leave without outside assistance.
In the Floating Hallway, the Wallcrawlers have appeared, clinging to the walls. Though they are sightless, they can hear even the smallest sound made beneath them and will drop on anyone attempting to pass through to the other house. They are quite strong, despite their human like sizing, and quite hard to escape once they have managed to gain a hold.
Drifting among them like a darker shadow is Spider, though he seems at loathe to stay close to them for very long. He travels from room to room in the houses, seemingly looking for something. As the night wanes, he becomes more and more frustrated and more and more brutal in his attacks. He seems more than willing to attack anyone that crosses his path. As always, he is contagious; any house guest being clawed by this creature will find themselves growing scales, and any who is bitten will find themselves turning into a very similar creature, should they survive until the next nightfall.
In the Parlor, the boy from the Beggar’s Feast has appeared, sitting at the piano. He plays softly, barely brushing the keys with his fingertips. Very little actual music comes to life, songs started and stopped without finish. It as though he is almost hesitant to play, fearing that the gift of music might be taken away. His eyes are obscured by the same dark glasses from the night before, and he will pay little attention to anyone without musical talent that approaches him.
In the Study, the Photographer Ghost has appeared.
Unlike most nights, tonight he is clearly hostile. His normally plain face is twisted in almost unnatural fury. He steps in front of any who try to make their way into the study, blocking them from entry; any further attempts to go in will be met with a full blown attack. His viciousness is desperate and relentless, and his attacks will be lethal to anyone who does not abandon their attempts.
Anyone who has managed to befriend Lock will be allowed passage, but anyone else will find that though the man looks very human, lacking even the horrific wounds that his fellows display, he is quite vicious and capable of dispatching anyone who tests him. He seems almost manic, as he was the night before, focused entirely on keeping anyone who attempts from entering the room.
Those who enter will soon discover just what the man is so determined to protect.
The child Lock sleeps curled in a ball under the desk. His feet are bare of any shoes and he has been stripped of all his protections, dressed instead in a simple white hospital outfit. The clothes are little more than paper thin pants and a shirt, the pale fabric draining what little coloring the child had from his face. His elbows and his hands have been wrapped in a light layer of bandaging, freshly spotted with blood, though he doesn’t seem badly injured beneath them. His head and face are covered in bandages; hair shorn away in places, little circles of shaved skin left, each ringed in tiny stiches. The circles of skin are only just beginning to mottle with bruises, whatever was done has only recently happened. There are eight of them, circling his head in an incredibly precise pattern.
His eyes are covered with thick white bandages, blocked completely from view. Around his wrists are two cuffs, though nothing connects them, filled with a strangely luminescent amber liquid. The cuffs will not turn, and the attempt to do so seems to cause him pain: they are quite tight and seem to have no obvious latch, fitting closely to the skin of his wrists. Moving them too much results in faint trickle of blood and fluid escaping, but they will not move far enough to do anything else. He will not wake, despite any attempts to make him, and will do little in response to anyone speaking to him. He is hot to the touch, and shivers constantly, as though caught in a fever dream.
Anyone who manages to find passage will be allowed to sit with Lock, though any attempts to remove him from the room or move him from his place will be greeted with hostility.
The hellhounds once again stalk the halls, though they have returned to their normal patterns, only attacking only those that are injured. One pack even has two puppies trailing along behind it, minded by a female who seems far too tolerant of their antics to be entirely dog-like.
The Safe rooms tonight are The Library, The Observatory, The Gardener’s Room and the Viewing Room.
( Threat Down )
As night falls, the noise of construction begins again, loud enough to confuse and distract. The attention seems focused on Empty Hall in the Gardener's Wing and the locked door in the second house. But though the noise is loud, and occasionally seems to be happening right next to the guest, the workers remain unseen.
The temperature outside lingers just above freezing for the first time in months. The rising temperature causes the piled snow to begin to melt and work its way through cracks in windows and under doors, leaving giant, cold puddles waiting to catch any unwary runners. The first hint of spring arrives in the house, though few will realize that the weather outside is changing.
The night is chilly, but not quite dangerously so.
For the sensitive, the house is as cold as ever, and tonight a smell intrudes on their waking moments; the smell of old blood, decay, and rot, as though the snow melting has loosed something else into the air. None but they will smell it, though at times it will become strong enough to make them wish to gag. Many, unexposed to such things, will find themselves retching. It will be difficult for any sensitive to eat or drink anything outside of a safe room, though luckily the fact that the smell stops at the door will let them find these safe havens more easily than ever.
Any sensitive entering the Basement will feel the overwhelming need to clean themselves, this will not fade until they have taken a hot shower and scrubbed themselves completely. Anyone trying to avoid taking the shower will find the urge increasing, as though something filthy is climbing on their skin, sinking into their pores and making them dirty. The longer they go without washing the filth from their skin, the more they will feel the compulsive need to scratch.
The Burning Man has returned to the fireplace in the Parlor, the fire hot enough to burn anyone coming within a few paces. He will be triggered by any heat tonight, including the heat from hot water. Any sensitive who has a power to sense spirits will feel that he seems very sad tonight, almost longing, but getting close enough to allow him to explain himself is a dangerous task.
In the Perfume Bedroom the Perfume Ghost has reappeared; she does not sing tonight, or move, staring at herself in the mirror in complete silence. The Red Mist is absent tonight, leaving her alone and silent in the room. Bizarrely, though her lips do not move, the constant sound of humming can be heard throughout the room. The song is addictive, and anyone hearing it will find themselves humming it as well, carrying it throughout the house.
Anyone attempting to eat anything from the Blue Kitchen will find the food has gone bad. Maggots, rot, and mold have invaded the food supply, though at first it may be difficult to tell. An unwary bite might find the houseguest with a mouthful of maggots. It is advisable not to eat from this kitchen tonight, but the others remain unaffected. Turning on the tap will produce something that could hardly be called water. The fluid oozes out far too slowly, and it is viscous and dark. Tasting it proves that it is as vile as it looks
In the Dawn Room a child has appeared, though some have seen her before. She runs, smiling, from one end of the room to the other, hands tapping against the walls with childish glee. With her is a small, grey kitten. The kitten’s bell sounds abnormally loud in the room, as it chases the silent child’s skirts. Its tail twitches as it pauses behind ottomans and couches to crouch, watching the child before it pounces. Their game seems innocent, though the child does not laugh. She will run and hide if anyone enters the room, apparently afraid of being caught at her game.
Sitting almost casually on the stairs above the pair is the Young Woman from the party. Her lantern rests between her feet and she watches the child playing beneath her almost absently, as though she very nearly does not see her at all. Her small companion is nowhere to be seen. She does not speak to anyone who passes her, and barely seems aware of them at all, though perhaps the most welcome discovery will be that the Hellhounds will not enter the stairwell. Anyone running from a monster will be perfectly safe so long as they stand near her.
The door to the Doll Bathroom is open once more. Within the bathroom the shadows cling to the walls, resistant to being banished completely, though they make no move to attack. Those who enter will find themselves feeling most unwelcome. The dolls have changed since the last time anyone was able to enter, though their faces are still white and perfect, their eyes have gone completely black. As though, while the door was locked, some time has passed. Where the mirror on the wall once was is a black, seething mass of shadows, and anyone standing in front of it will feel air move, as though it is an open door. The dolls giggle and laugh when anyone turns their backs to them, but do not seem willing to move from their shelves. To the sensitive, this room feels wrong, and any remaining inside for longer than a moment will feel the need to run, screaming, from the room. The impulse will not fade until they have placed at least three rooms between themselves and the room, though passing by it in the hallway seems to have no effect.
The tub in the Ivory Bathroom has overflowed, flooding the hallway with yet more water. The water is brackish and filled with debris, and the slick, soggy sound of a single boot walking up and down often fills the hall. The Drowned Woman haunts here tonight, though she will not follow anyone out of the circle of the water. She holds an unlit flashlight in her hands, staggering about in confusion, empty eyes staring at something only she can see. She seems distressed about something, though it is difficult to make out any expression on a face swollen with sea rot. Her mouth opens, but she can still produce no sound, only bubbles of water that drip to the floor. If one manages to find their way past the Drowned Woman, and into the bathroom from which her water comes, they will find that the door-- despite its lack of locks-- closes quite securely behind them. Turning the taps off does not cease the flow of the dark water, and, with the door closed, the room begins to fill quite rapidly with the liquid. One the room has filled, the door will unlock again.
In the Dirty Bedroom the Electric Ghost has appeared again. It sits on the bed as though waiting for something, head bowed in a way that almost hides the lingering sparks of energy dancing behind the blindfold. Anyone entering the room will be quickly attacked, and tonight the ghost seems almost vicious, ignoring its lack of vision to attack anyone who stays in the room. It will attempt to corner them and block the door. The touch is searing, like being struck with a lightning bolt, and anyone it touches tonight will die almost instantly. The smell of burning flesh is overwhelming, even in a room so full of filth that it is difficult to see the floor.
The Surgery Ghost has appeared once more in the basement, staring into the hall with a strange look on his face. He makes no attempt to move into the hall, but his attention seems to have been caught by something. Behind him, the Nurse at the desk once more has a face, working on her computer with almost programed perfection. The other nurses walk the halls, carrying files from one room to the other. They seem almost normal, as though this has morphed into a proper hospital.
The Doctor has appeared again, sitting at his desk Anyone Entering the Hospital Wing will be admitted to the wing by the nurses and taken to the Surgery Room for treatment. The nurses are hard to escape, and once anyone reaches the Surgery Room it will be impossible for the house guest to leave without outside assistance.
In the Floating Hallway, the Wallcrawlers have appeared, clinging to the walls. Though they are sightless, they can hear even the smallest sound made beneath them and will drop on anyone attempting to pass through to the other house. They are quite strong, despite their human like sizing, and quite hard to escape once they have managed to gain a hold.
Drifting among them like a darker shadow is Spider, though he seems at loathe to stay close to them for very long. He travels from room to room in the houses, seemingly looking for something. As the night wanes, he becomes more and more frustrated and more and more brutal in his attacks. He seems more than willing to attack anyone that crosses his path. As always, he is contagious; any house guest being clawed by this creature will find themselves growing scales, and any who is bitten will find themselves turning into a very similar creature, should they survive until the next nightfall.
In the Parlor, the boy from the Beggar’s Feast has appeared, sitting at the piano. He plays softly, barely brushing the keys with his fingertips. Very little actual music comes to life, songs started and stopped without finish. It as though he is almost hesitant to play, fearing that the gift of music might be taken away. His eyes are obscured by the same dark glasses from the night before, and he will pay little attention to anyone without musical talent that approaches him.
In the Study, the Photographer Ghost has appeared.
Unlike most nights, tonight he is clearly hostile. His normally plain face is twisted in almost unnatural fury. He steps in front of any who try to make their way into the study, blocking them from entry; any further attempts to go in will be met with a full blown attack. His viciousness is desperate and relentless, and his attacks will be lethal to anyone who does not abandon their attempts.
Anyone who has managed to befriend Lock will be allowed passage, but anyone else will find that though the man looks very human, lacking even the horrific wounds that his fellows display, he is quite vicious and capable of dispatching anyone who tests him. He seems almost manic, as he was the night before, focused entirely on keeping anyone who attempts from entering the room.
Those who enter will soon discover just what the man is so determined to protect.
The child Lock sleeps curled in a ball under the desk. His feet are bare of any shoes and he has been stripped of all his protections, dressed instead in a simple white hospital outfit. The clothes are little more than paper thin pants and a shirt, the pale fabric draining what little coloring the child had from his face. His elbows and his hands have been wrapped in a light layer of bandaging, freshly spotted with blood, though he doesn’t seem badly injured beneath them. His head and face are covered in bandages; hair shorn away in places, little circles of shaved skin left, each ringed in tiny stiches. The circles of skin are only just beginning to mottle with bruises, whatever was done has only recently happened. There are eight of them, circling his head in an incredibly precise pattern.
His eyes are covered with thick white bandages, blocked completely from view. Around his wrists are two cuffs, though nothing connects them, filled with a strangely luminescent amber liquid. The cuffs will not turn, and the attempt to do so seems to cause him pain: they are quite tight and seem to have no obvious latch, fitting closely to the skin of his wrists. Moving them too much results in faint trickle of blood and fluid escaping, but they will not move far enough to do anything else. He will not wake, despite any attempts to make him, and will do little in response to anyone speaking to him. He is hot to the touch, and shivers constantly, as though caught in a fever dream.
Anyone who manages to find passage will be allowed to sit with Lock, though any attempts to remove him from the room or move him from his place will be greeted with hostility.
The hellhounds once again stalk the halls, though they have returned to their normal patterns, only attacking only those that are injured. One pack even has two puppies trailing along behind it, minded by a female who seems far too tolerant of their antics to be entirely dog-like.
The Safe rooms tonight are The Library, The Observatory, The Gardener’s Room and the Viewing Room.
( Threat Down )
