the mark of those who cannot be saved

[stagemanagers]

[You remember dying. Maybe the memory is clear and bright and your body still aches from the cause. Maybe it was fast enough that you didn't feel it and don't remember what you went through. But no matter how you went out, that's no excuse for truancy! Which is to say: you are still in the school.

For those executed, you will wake up in your beds. The dormitories look exactly as they did when you first arrived, without any of the changes or personal effects you and your dormmates might have made. The only real difference is that the little cot in Ambassador isn't there.

For those who were victims, you will wake where your body was discovered. All of your injuries are gone, and you feel fine. It's almost like you're still alive - but you remember what happened to you. It couldn't have just been a dream, could it?

The school looks much as you remember it, save perhaps for a few key differences. For one, there's no groundhog murals anywhere. Where things were green on the other side, like banners or paint, you'll find that here they're blood red.

The doors, for the moment, are still locked. Looks like even death couldn't free you.]

Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5

(( ooc: Welcome to deadland, everyone! It mostly resembles the school here, and new floors will be revealed after new people die. For example, the second area will unlock after the week 3 dead arrive, and so on. Also, all dead characters will wake up at their actual canonpoint, with all lost memories restored. Have fun being dead! ))

Comments

[voicerights]

There is a clear choice. [But it's following her] But I will admit that gaining more data would be productive.

[To the doors?]

[wanderlusttitania]

"Any moment might be our last.
Everything is more beautiful
because we are doomed."

I don't like it, either. But...we must make sure.

[To the doors!]

1/2

[stagemanagers]

[You can make it as far as the lobby, before all of the external doors slam open simultaneously. There's a burst of warm air and bright sunlight from the outside. Where it lands, the red banners turn to a sparkling gold.

You can hear music fading in.]

2/2

[guardianofsplendor]

[A woman appears in the front doors - very literally, appears. You didn't see her walking up the stairs out there; she's just There, all at once. She strides in as if she owns the place, a slow smile spreading over her lips. Though she's dressed entirely in black, and it seems warm outside, she's got a large grey wool coat thrown casually over her shoulders.]

You look frenzied, you look frazzled.
Peaked as any Alp.
Flushed and rushed and razzle-dazzled -

[Entirely heedless of personal space, she brushes some of Sissi's hair forward with her fingers, and straightens the SQUIP's lapels. Even if they were straight to begin with, quite frankly.]

Dry your lips, damp your scalp.

Now I can see you're in a rut,
In disarray.
And I'm not one to butt in,
But in fact, I must say.

If you'd take it easy, trust awhile.
Don't look blue - don't look back.
You'll pull through in just awhile,
'Cause you're on the right track.

Ah...it's about time I got a little company here. And just look at you two...

[She circles you both appraisingly, her heels clicking on the linoleum. ]

Another empress, I see. [She dips smoothly into a bow that does not feel, perhaps, entirely genuine.] And another SQUIP. People do like their sad robots around here, don't they?

[She bows again, theatrically.]

And I am the Leading Player. I think you've heard of me. I'll be serving as your deadland NPC for this round, so why don't we all just get acquainted? Settle down, have some wine. I hear you didn't get any before, SQUIP.

[Were there always lounge chairs and tables with wine bottles in the lobby? It's probably fine.]

[voicerights]

[The SQUIP is entirely stock-still throughout this, even as she also ignores the meaning of 'personal space'. And yes, they were already straight. Probably one of the few things in this place that were, tbh]

You know what this is. [Not a question. Not quite an accusation. But even it can tell that the proper thing to do would be to - how do humans put it? 'Play along'. But while it will take that seat, it will only eye the wine as it calculates social norms vs data accumulation. Elizabeth should be able to get enough on her own, but would she know to ask the correct questions...]

[guardianofsplendor]

Of course I do. Ran a couple of these myself, once upon a time.

[voicerights]

[If the SQUIP is bothered by this, it's showing no sign. Instead, it's reaching for the wine, and- pouring Elizabeth a glass. Isn't it nice.]

Then what is your goal here?

[After a moment of calculation, it pours a second glass, but makes no move for it.]

[guardianofsplendor]

I came here to shut down the Wizard's little game.

[She takes a contemplative sip of wine.]

I would've, too, if the Balladeer hadn't shown up. I got a little distracted, ended up here. [...] But that's alright. It'll be a little vacation.

[voicerights]

You have a plan. [Not a question. Statement of fact. Because game, you say? THEN THIS -IS- A SIMULATION AND THEY -DO- HAVE EXTRA LIVES, it's so smart why does anyone ever doubt it, freakin' humans

but wait, speaking of such]

How did he interfere?

[guardianofsplendor]

[She laughs.]

Oh, don't get the wrong idea - he didn't do anything to me. He never could. [.....] Just showed up when I didn't expect him, that's all. Bad enough, bein' here on the Wizard's home turf - neither of us needed that kind of distraction.

[voicerights]

[It was more wondering how he got in the way, but, y'know. It considers this, then]

You are fond of him. [Considering she 'ended up here' because of getting distracted because of him in turn, it's a pretty logical conclusion. Still irrelevant, tho.]

Is the Wizard aware of your presence here?

[guardianofsplendor]

[She hums idly, not gracing that first comment with a response.]

Of course. It's his place, isn't it? Made this one from the ground up.

[voicerights]

[SIMULATION CONFIRMED]

And you have administrator access to it, which is how you were able to route in to the computers. [wait tho-] Are you able to move freely?

[guardianofsplendor]

[.....]

Baby, you're gonna have to learn real fast that not everything here's about you. This isn't a simulation. What are we, Airlocked?

[voicerights]

[excuse] You said that he had created this place. Humans do not have th-





[are you fucking telling it the Wizard ain't human]

Excuse me while I recalculate.

[wanderlusttitania]

Wait...what?

[Wait a second. Hang on, she needs to process what was just said. Leading player...round...NPC.

Yeah she's going to sit.]

Mademoiselle...forgive me, but how long have you been here? I have been trapped here for at least a week, but I've never seen any sign of you before!

[guardianofsplendor]

Oh, since he started setting this little thing up. Maybe a month or so now.

[The Leading Player drapes herself over one of the chairs and pours herself a glass of wine.]

But I wasn't just gonna come to you, Sissi! You've gotta do a little investigating yourself!

[wanderlusttitania]

A month or so...

[F r o w n. Wow, rude.]

Well, since you have shown yourself now...I suppose I must ask then how you ended up here with us. You don't have to give any particulars of how your death happened, if you aren't comfortable with it, of course.

[guardianofsplendor]

Oh, honey. I'm not dead. I'm just a little displaced at present.

[wanderlusttitania]

[Was SQUIP right

yeah she's

going to very gratefully take the drink SQUIP has poured for her]

Are we not dead, then?

[guardianofsplendor]

[She laughs.]

Oh, sweetheart! No no no no no - you're dead! You got your neck snapped!

[wanderlusttitania]

[So she was right. They were dead.]

...But if we are dead, how are you here? You will have to forgive me, mademoiselle, for thinking that...generally only dead people would reside in a realm of the dead.

[guardianofsplendor]

You're forgiven. [She smiles and sips her wine.] I'm just a little displaced right now. Happens to the best of us. But I've still got one agent on the outside, at least.

[wanderlusttitania]

[At this, her eyes widen.]

A spy? You mean...one of us is-

[guardianofsplendor]

No, no. I didn't bring her here. But she's a smart girl - I'm sure she'll figure out where I went.