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

Post dress rehearsal, pre and post meeting

[violentenvies]

Pre-meeting

[If anyone wants to talk to Salieri before the meeting, he can be found in Broadhurst, where he has been, apparently, grounded. It should be noted that there are, interestingly, stacks of books both outside the room and, once one enters, inside of it, all of varying subjects. Salieri himself is ensconced in bed, reclining on several pillows, legs tucked under a couple warm blankets. There's a glass of water, a cup of tea, and the remnants of some breakfast on the side table, while Salieri sits in bed, probably reading. He probably looks the most casual as anyone has ever seen him, hair down and tucked behind his shoulders and in a simple t-shirt and loose pants]


Post-meeting

[Post-meeting, due to certain complications, he's been confined back to bed again. However, after a small argument about location, it seems his mattress, along with the sheets and the pillows, has been moved outside. Because Salieri wanted to be outside, so this was the compromise. Now outside, Salieri is sitting on said mattress, still wrapped up in blankets, but now studying a couple different scores. There's no instrument to be found, but he is humming different bars here and there. At one point, he looks up, staring into the middle distance as he repeats a certain chunk of melody, and lifts a hand, reaching out his index finger as if to almost touch something--before he pulls it back again, shaking his head, pushing that away]

pre-meeting

[voicerights]

[The SQUIP, in a word, looks like shit. But as was demonstrated last night, it's a stubborn thing. So even if its appearance is probably the sloppiest Salieri has ever seen it - which is to say, slightly less than pristine - and even if it's unsteady on its feet, it's still made its way to the most logical location for Salieri to be so they can debrief.

The state also probably explains why it doesn't notice the food and water nearby, or at least doesn't process it properly.]

Salieri? Are you able to speak?

[violentenvies]

[Salieri looks up as the SQUIP enters--and he's immediately dog-earing the page in his book and setting it aside, and moving to sit up a bit so the SQUIP has somewhere to sit]

Ah, SQUIP, of course. Please come sit.

[he motions to the other end of the bed, where there's now plenty of room]

[voicerights]

I should not interrupt your rest. [But here it is, and it's certainly approaching to sit down, slowly] However, I felt that we should discuss the results while they were still fresh in our memories.

[violentenvies]

It's no trouble. Please. I can rest and speak at the same time.

[he did observe it come in though, and there's a slight furrow to his brow]

...forgive me, but you seem like you could use some rest yourself.

[voicerights]

I do. [Unabashed] But this is important.

What did you experience, from your side? Once the song began, I was... [It frowns, faltering for words] ...part of it. I was not much aware of anything else.

[violentenvies]

Fair enough. [acknowledging]

[but yes, to this part of the conversation]

At first, I was very focused on the music. On listening to it, as I always do. However, the longer the song went on, the more things started to...change. Most musicians speak of "feeling" the music inside themselves in some way and I could say that for myself even before this but...this time, I truly felt it in a way that I never had before. Like it was inside of me, here--[and he presses a hand to his chest, right over his sternum]--that I was connected to it. To you, and to the Balladeer, and to Madame Leading Player. From there, I could start to almost...see the music. It was faint, but got stronger the longer I was involved, all the notes and melody and rhythm spinning out, weaving--

[his expression has taken on a far-away look, recalling the experience]

I could see how they flowed together, how they worked together, their direction--the structure and the chaos at once, and I could see just where to direct it. It was like conducting a storm.

[voicerights]

Synaesthesia. [An extreme form, anyway. It tilts its head thoughtfully as Salieri continues] A more complex production has a high probability of having even more of an effect on you. We will need to see what we can do to spread the strain. Even with a minor augmentation, that was...beyond what I had calculated.

[It almost sounds contrite]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri's attention refocuses at that]

...perhaps so. Though a more complex production might instead allow for the strain to be spread naturally. That being said...perhaps if I can practice with it in small doses, that will increase my tolerance for it, as will having an actual idea of just what I'm getting into.

[that part is a little dry]

However, I'll point out that I"m not the only one that experienced negative effects.

post-meeting

[disharmonizes]

[after a little while, Discord's going to just sit himself down onto the mattress, next to Salieri.]

So, how's the resting going? Very relaxingly, I hope.

[violentenvies]

[Salieri's a bit startled at maybe a bit of notes he was poking at as the mattress bounces slightly.

He huffs, glancing over, immediately going to lean into Discord's side unthinkingly]

Very, in fact. I do appreciate being outside.

[the score open in front of him is definitely a Mozart score though]

[disharmonizes]

Well, fresh air is good, I suppose. So long as you're enjoying it restfully.

[violentenvies]

[that'll earn a chuckle out of him.] I am. As restfully as I'm able, since you so graciously moved the mattress out for me.

[he quiets a moment, maybe reaching out to find Discord's hand and gently taking it in his own, looking down as he slides their fingers together]

There's...something I'd like to speak to you about. Something the SQUIP and I discussed this morning before the meeting, while you were out preparing.

[disharmonizes]

[Handholding time already? Don't mind if he does. Maybe just leaning against him a little.]

Oh? Are you two having regular chats now?

That must be exceptionally boring.

[violentenvies]

[oh. leaning good. Salieri will shift a bit into that lean, tilting his head to rest it against Discord's shoulder]

I wouldn't call it regular, however, it wanted to talk through the results of the dress rehearsal, and my own experience.

And...it did mention a bit of what happened while it was connected with it's brethren.

[disharmonizes]

Oh? Like... what, exactly? It was more than a little vague during the meeting.

[violentenvies]

It was, yes.

[boy, he knows you're not going to love this, Discord, but...]

It...didn't tell everyone else that in alerting the other SQUIPs, it started in motion a rescue from the others. Their expected arrival time is unknown, but it felt that if the others knew that there was a safety net, then they would not put their all into the performance the way that they would if they thought this plan was the only option.

post-meeting

[howtheworldwas]

[ Eurydice's first thought, when she sees Antonio outside, is why would anyone ever drag a mattress out here when the ground is perfectly fine. At least he's comfortable.

She'll sit down on the ground beside him, following his gaze to the middle distance and looking at it, confused. ]

Do you...see something?

[ maybe this is how operation a.s.s. is supposed to go, she's not sure ]

[violentenvies]

[Salieri startles a bit at that, attention jerking towards Eurydice, blinking like he's coming out of a daydream]

Ah, Eurydice--I beg your pardon?

[he may not have exactly caught that]

[howtheworldwas]

[ hm! concerning! ]

It looked like you were looking at something. [ she gestures at the empty space in front of them. ] Around here.

[ squints. ]

Do you have a fever? That wouldn't be great, not getting those is probably one of the few good things about being dead.

[violentenvies]

Oh. Ah, no, I don't. I'm fine, really. I was just...[how does he describe this]

...distracted. [moving to close that score, now]

[howtheworldwas]

[ what the fuck kind of answer is that ]

By...the music?

[violentenvies]

Yes. By the music. [he's not...lying????]

I'm, ah, just trying to make sure I'm ready for whatever comes next.

1/2

[howtheworldwas]

[ eurydice opens her mouth, about to say that that's not a real explanation


remembers how orpheus literally got distracted for an entire winter writing music and that's when she died


closes mouth. why are musicians like this she'd really like to know ]

2/2

[howtheworldwas]

You really think it's going to work, then?