Ciaran

Vivid Recollections: Into the World Unknown (Season 1 COMPLETE)

I'll get a post up after I'm back from holiday, probably Tuesday or Wednesday.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Master Tack

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Location: Grand Vestibule, C7
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 5
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Master Tack's litle joke got very little reaction from the people he adressed. Disappointing, but fair, given the circumstances.

The gentleman who had now entered immediately interested Master Tack. Like both himself and Mauve, the lord of the manor was dressed in black and red. Tack could've sworn he could hear the twin sisters, Fate and Fortune, laughing at their little joke to his expense. Anyway, the lord seemed to have a powerful air about him, despite not having a very impressive physique or build, as though he were used to authority and knew how to command respect. Reasonably handsome, too, for someone of his age. Overall Tack had a positive but somewhat intimidated first impression of the man, and especially considering the influence this lord wielded, decided it would be best to do as he was told while he was present here.

Still, the lord's appearance was not anywhere near as interesting as the words he spoke. According to him, they had all been manipulated like marionettes by whoever had sent those invitations, and so he had made the logical decision of keeping them all here, in the aim of discovering who was behind this. And so they were trapped in Shadowell Manor, with the only way out they knew of leading to instantaneous death. Which of course, the lord reminded them of.

It was a distressing thought that so many people could have been caught in the net that the mysterious Ardad Lily had thrown. Had they all been forced here the same way he had, by blackmail? If so, how had Lily discovered so many secrets? Surely, it would require huge amounts of resources to gain access to such personal information. And clearly, the money wasn't the important part. For some reason, Ardad Lily wanted this particular band of very specific strangers all gathered at one place, in the home of Lord Ambesire. Why? Well, Master Tack wanted to know, but he didn't think he could find out alone. Cooperation would make success more likely. And so, though he did not speak a word, he nodded deeply, the slowness of the movement making it seem almost like a bow.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Master Tack

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Location: Front of Manor -> Grand Vestibule, C7
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 5
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Master Tack wordlessly followed the man's instructions. He was more than happy to come inside - like everyone else, he did not enjoy spending any more time in this unpleasant cold than necessary. Then the guns were cocked, and he felt suddenly felt an awful lot less comfortable. Tack looked over his shoulder at the guards, on edge once more and wondering what he might find inside the manor that he had to be threatened with death to stop him leaving it. He then realised that delaying was only giving the guards a reason to shoot him, and so he hurried up and followed the other guests into the manor.

Now that Master Tack was relatively isolated, and had little to occupy his thoughts with besides the bitter reminder of what kind of people he was staying in the home of just a moment ago, his thoughts went back to the unfortunate Director Kindle. It seemed like everyone else had forgotten her already, which only added to his discomfort. It could've been any of them, it could have been him, and there wouldn't have been anything anyone could have done to save that life. It felt intrinsically wrong to just ignore something like that, even if nothing could be done about it.

But regardless, he had arrived now. Hopefully there would be something more urgent, if only to occupy his thoughts with something less unsettling.

The grand vestibule was very impressive. It wasn't Tack's first time in the home of someone this wealthy (or thereabouts), but it certainly wasn't a regular occurence. He joined Mauve and her friend, standing and facing them while still looking around and admiring the room. After a moment more, he stopped and faced them both, saying "The Ambesires seem to be taking our security very seriously," with a wry smile on his face.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Master Tack

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Location: Shadowell Manor, Seat N -> Front of Manor
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 5
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Master Tack had been about to reply to Mauve when the contraption started, immediately cutting him off with the noise. He paused, hoping it would die down after a moment, but frustratingly it didn't. It would have been much more pleasant simply to walk, and not much slower, either, judging by the relatively easy pace of the dogs alongside them. Tack's first conversation had been killed by a mad poet, his second by this machine... he didn't know what would happen when they arrived, but he had a strong feeling he would need friends he could rely on. So far, acquiring them had not gone very well.

At last the strange vehicle came to a stop. Tack got up alongside Mauve, more serious than before, and walked forwards a small number of steps before stopping and watching the man at the top of the steps. He seemed to have more to say, if Tack wasn't mistaken, and Tack wasn't going to interrupt him, though he would have liked to enter as soon as possible, thanks to the cold.

Either way, it seemed they had picked up an additional companion. A tall, thin man with long, brown hair who offered his arm to Madame Mauve. Tack's face twitched slightly at the sight of the thin man's clothes; an acceptable jacket, yes, but the same could not be said for his shirt. He made a mental note to give the thin man some advice later, since it would be inappropriate right now. Tack also made sure to give the pair a little extra space. He was still walking alongside them, but the extra nine inches or so distance from before now made it perfectly clear which man was interested in Mauve and which was not. Master Tack had dealt with the wealthy a lot in the past, and he knew how easily some would take offence, so he made an effort not to imply anything but the truth.

Vivid Recollections: Into the World Unknown (Season 1 COMPLETE)

---

Hillview High

---

It was a bizarre feeling, entering this world of faded colours and murky shapes. Paige had had no idea what to expect - in fact, she'd not even known what Nate's plan was - and the whole effect was frightening and disorienting. But she knew she was in danger, and so she needed little enouragement from Nate to get a move on towards and then into the wall. So this was what it was like for Nate whenever he used his Abstraction? Shadows flickered at the edges of Paige's view, shapes that looked vaguely humanoid, but impossible to identify, at least for her. No one had died who she ever had really known, and so the spirits weren't anyone she would have recognised anyway.

Through each wall, then out the other side and suddenly in the open air again. Paige released Nate's hand and stumbled forwards slightly, before regaining her footing. Then she looked behind her, in time to see that they were still being chased by the Glutton. It seemed as if nothing they could do would work, and she almost cried out in frustration. She watched Hagan rush forwards, stupidly. Then die. Apparently, he hadn't got the message that both she and Britney had relayed. Not that she was unaffected by his death, of course it was a horrific thing to watch. It just felt as though she could do everything right and still fail because people didn't have the sense to make the right decision.

And so Paige was left in the same situation again. It would be comical if it weren't so terrifying. Limping away at her pathetic top speed, Paige made her best attempt at escaping the Glutton, which, as usual, meant that she was relying on someone else's compassion to save her. Well, that, or just the Glutton somehow not noticing her or some other miracle. Her situation was severely fucked and she knew it.

Vivid Recollections: Into the World Unknown (Season 1 COMPLETE)

Paige will be in real trouble once the flying shark enemy comes into play.

@Surtr Inc

oh no

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Master Tack

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Location: Shadowell Manor, Seat C -> Seat N
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 5
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As the mess of blood and limbs that had once been Director Kindle was cleared away, Master Tack's mind began to return to functionality. He blinked a few times, and his eyes focused again. He released his grip on the chair, and slowly returned his hands to where they had been resting before. Equally slowly, he leant back into his seat, freeing his back from the uncomfortable, perfectly rigid position it had just been in. He swallowed and adjusted the position of his left sleeve slightly, checking that it matched the right, and was back to normal, except considerably less mentally comfortable, just in time for the chairs to rotate into a bench.

Tack decided he needed some conversation. With the woman on one side occupied once more with her companion, and the man on the other unlikely to be the kind to be comforting in this or really any situation, Tack felt he was sitting in the wrong seat. He got up and moved along, closer to the middle of the bench, and sat down next to an attractive woman in an excellent black and red dress. Oddly, but quite amusingly, this matched his own colour scheme, and he smiled kindly but politely as he took the seat next to her.

Good evening, my lady," he said, speaking seemingly with a slight deferrence. "My name is G-" he stopped himself there, almost forgetting not to use his real name. The 'G' was pronounced like a 'J', as in 'gentle' or 'gyroscope'. -Master Tack. If it wouldn't displease you, I would very much like to sit here, next to you. Where I was, the company is excruciating dull. Something tells me you won't be the same." The smile on Tack's face had changed from polite and kind to somewhat playful.

Vivid Recollections: Into the World Unknown (Season 1 COMPLETE)

At this point I'm going to need a running counter for times that Paige has had to be rescued because apparently running is a pretty big thing for this rp, huh.

Vivid Recollections: Into the World Unknown (Season 1 COMPLETE)

Me too.

🦄 Machiavellian Masquerade - Chapter 1

Master Tack

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Location: Shadowell Manor, Chair 14
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 5
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Master Tack had been so intrigued by the character behind him that he had entirely failed to notice the strange and unfortunate fate of Director Kindle. Listening intently to the strange man's verse, Tack nodded in response to his final line, as Tack, though prepared for the weather, was still not enjoying it, and thus was looking forward happily to the idea of warmer climes. Turning around calmly, he was about to return his head to its prior, relaxed position against the chair, when he saw it.

The director, flung up into the air. Rising, falling, dying. Tack's reaction was one of profound terror, though he did not get up, and he did not run or scream. Instead, he was perfectly still, pale as death itself, hands gripping the sides of the chair so hard it seemed he might snap a piece off. He was fully sat up, back perfectly straight and rigidly fixed in place, a total contrast to his relaxed position just a second ago. He had never seen someone die before, and now he saw not only a death but a spectacularly violent one, and as he sat with his eyes locked on what was left of Director Kindle, the only thing he could think of was that he had almost taken that chair, the one which in an instant could have sentenced him to death. It was not a pleasant thought.

Master Tack would remain frozen for maybe thirty seconds after the impact before he could begin to regain his composure. It would occur to him a few minutes later that he should have moved, that the two falling masses could have been lethal projectiles had they hit him. It had been stupid to stay still like that, when he could have died. But intelligence had nothing to do with it. Fear had simply frozen him to the point where logical thought was entirely impossible.