Jinxer

The House of Powers

@Vocab@Gonzo@sakurasan@banjoanjo@HellHoundWoof@Lillium@Airalin@KahleenCuthald@Thundercrash@SheriffLlama@wolverbells@HecateProxy

GM Post - The Auditorium

As the new residents of the facility made their way to the auditorium a group of men and women watching from a security control centre some distance away observed the groupings of the children. Some were making notes on tablets with styluses while others were talking amongst themselves, occasionally singling out one of the faces on the screen before continuing their conversations.

"It looks like most of them are there or nearly there. Shall we begin?" The woman speaking was the one who had made the announcements in English earlier, young and wearing a lab coat like most of the occupants of the room. Her hair was long an tied back into a ponytail and her rimless glasses gave her an enhanced look of intellectualism. Her cheekbones were angular and, for many, she would be described as pretty. The man next to her was of a similar age and similarly photogenic. He was stern-looking in contrast to her bubbly mannerisms and also happened to be the bilingual announcer.

"Distribute these so that I can translate." The man said to an assistant nearby, handing over a few earpieces. Together they headed to the auditorium, entering the hallway outside through one of the locked doors and then through the same entrance as the children. Heads naturally turned at their entrance and the young woman, clearly the spokesperson of the trio, greeted them all with a cheerful and upbeat grin.

"Hello, hello all! My name is Elisa and I'm the Head Researcher here at this facility. I'm pleased to finally make your acquaintance!" The made their way down to the front of the auditorium, the assistant hanging back with the small earpieces in his hand. "Our helper here has some earpieces which will help those of you who do not speak English as your first language. We'll make a start while the others arrive, you can always pass on anything to them I'm sure!"

["I am Christopher and I am the bilingual assistant here to help you for the length of your stay. This is Elisa, the head researcher. I will be translating what she says today through the earpieces the man at the back is holding. Please take one."] The stern-looking man spoke in Russian and indicated the assistant who distributed the devices to those few who needed them, leaving a couple of spares on a desk near the rear of the room before disappearing.

Elisa was beaming at those in the room as if they were her students and she their lecturer, almost as if she were oblivious as to the nature of their journey to the facility.

"First off, we have deactivated yours powers through the use of a device we have created from previous research. This is primarily because you do not yet know how to use your powers and are a danger to yourself because of it." She glanced towards a few specific people in the room in turn. "For example, being in a room with multiple others when you can hear their thoughts could be agonising if you are unable to shut them out yet. Or being surrounding by monitoring equipment but unable to not sense them acutely." She shrugged, as if the others were not so unfortunate.

"Those of you whose powers don't manifest so passively, or so acutely, could still be at risk. A mismanaged shapeshift could be fatal, for example. Even the most benign power of accelerated regeneration could cause deformities if it activated to an excessive extent. Until you are all able to properly manage your abilities it is safest for your own well being that you have access to them in controlled environments." Elisa waited for Christopher to finish translating before continuing, now with a more serious look on her face (although one still had the sense that she was bubbling with excitement underneath).

"This facility is for the research of powers, generally, and also to act as a safe place for you to understand, control and then develop your abilities. We will, of course, be running tests but non-intrusively wherever possible. You are not the first group to have had powers and nor will you be the last. We attempt to understand your abilities better, not just the effects but also the cause and consequences, and then help you to control them. All abilities are dangerous to their owners and those around you. This is why we..." She paused, hesitating for a moment.

"Well, we kidnapped you. Let's not beat around the bush. Explaining the issues and the dangers to you posed a risk in your powers activating at a dangerous level and so we moved you here without giving you or you abilities a chance to react. Already some of you have experienced your powers going out of control, before we managed to calibrate the Nullifier to your specific abilities."

She waited for the news to sink in. It was hard to dispute what she was saying; all of them had seen one of the others, or had experienced themselves, having trouble with a power having significant side-effects due to a lack of control.

"Now, I know this all seems sudden but we need to do some preliminary tests to make sure that none of you have contracted any significant illnesses or issues as a result of your journey here. We will be pairing each one of you up with one staff member who will be both your trainer and a researcher who can help you better understand your power, and how to use it safely. To begin with there will be some blood tests and then various exercises specific to your powers... nothing too trying at the moment."

The smartboard behind the two lit up, the projector switching on without any apparent signal, and photos of each of the residents appeared on the screen. Next to each of them was their room number.

"These are your room numbers. We understand that earlier you may have been... in too stressed a state to have taken note of them. Please remember them for future reference. Now, are there any questions before we pair you up with your coaches?"

The House of Powers

GM Post - Everywhere

A buzz sounded again over the intercom as it was booted up and a new voice began to speak. To most of the residents of the facility at that time they would not be able to understand the meaning of what was said. However, to the few Russian speakers who may have missed the earlier message, having the same thing communicated in their language was a great boon.

"Hello, I am the translator for those of you who do not speak English as your primary language or do understand it well. I am fluent in several languages but for the purpose of those assembled this time I will be repeating any messages in Russian for all to understand." There was a short silence and then the voice continued. "To those who did not understand the previous message, please make your way to the auditorium as quickly as you can. You'll find it opposite the previously locked door at the end of the main hallway. Once you have arrived we properly explain why you have been brought here."

There was a quick rustle and the original announcer spoke again briefly to the whole facility.

"Oh, and we understand that some of you may have issues getting to the auditorium without assistance. We have placed some wheelchairs in the hallway outside your rooms to aid those who need them!" The message was repeated quickly by the interpreter in Russian before the intercom buzzed and went silent.

---

GM Post - The Pool

"Hello hello! This is a special announcement for those in the pool area. You appear to be having some trouble making your way to the auditorium for the first meeting so we're sending you some help. Please be aware that we have sealed off your abilities while our staff our present until we are comfortable you can exercise them safely in the presence of others."

The intercom buzzed, this time higher pitched than usual, and then the doorway opened so that half a dozen attendants in bio-hazard suits could enter the room. They had three wheelchairs between them while others carried first aid bags. The six moved efficiently towards the three in the pool and, without any aggression or use of medication moved them to the wheelchairs regardless of whether they needed them or not. Perhaps it was the effect of the bio-hazard suits but it rather lent credence to the warnings of safety to those around them that the announcer had made earlier.

"Don't worry, we're just taking you to the auditorium. You'll find out everything soon enough." One of those pushing the wheelchairs said, their voice wheezy through the filtration mask.

---

@Vocab@Gonzo@sakurasan@banjoanjo@HellHoundWoof@Lillium@Airalin@KahleenCuthald@Thundercrash@SheriffLlama@wolverbells@HecateProxy

The House of Powers

Arthur Ragnarson

Location: Cafeteria

“’We wanted to reassure you!’” Uriel repeated in a high-pitched mocking voice, “Pure intentions, my ass!”

Arthur couldn't help but smile at the other boy's reaction. Even in their dire situation he somehow found the nerve, or the strength, to satirise their captors. Arthur was not great with jokes, of any kind, so he appreciated having someone like Uriel about who could break the tense atmosphere even if it wasn't for himself; it helped Arthur to concentrate on the problems that faced them without fear clouding his mind.

The tone of the announcement might have reassured him if it were not for the violence with which he had been abducted and the fact that the announcement came a while after they had all woken up. Maybe an explanation in their room might have helped clarify things earlier rather than inflict needless anxiety and panic upon them all. Still, part of him was keen to go and find out what was going on, even if it was to find out what their 'story' was. Maybe finding out how they presented their motives would help clue the boys and the girls in the facility into a way to escape, assuming the worst and that these people were not just benevolent.

“Guess that’s our only option right now. We should go, yeah?”

Arthur nodded and stood up, easing himself off the bench and glancing down the hallway where all the bedrooms were. The hallway branched off and he assumed it was at the end of that one the lady speaking over the intercom had said the auditorium could be found.

"Yeah, I think so. For now we've got no choice but to be obedient to them. If they're speaking the truth then it's in our best interest to work with them. If they're lying and we're here for something... more sinister, there's no point resisting so early on when we don't know anything about our surroundings."

He left unspoken the futility of their trying to resist; it was clear from the size of the facility they had seen so far that these people had significant resources and were not afraid of snatching people in the middle of the day. Clearly they had the manpower, influence and wealth to sustain this whole operation and had used knockout drugs as well, Arthur suspected there were some defence mechanisms built into the facility that would prevent the group of adolescents from going on a rampage without them ever encountering a person running the programme.

He walked out of the cafeteria, assuming the other two were following, and made his way past the hallway now much emptier of people than the chaos when he had first woken up. Around the corner the hallway continued with doors placed along its length on both sides but at longer intervals to the bedroom doors, suggesting that the rooms themselves were bigger here. Arthur made a note to investigate these rooms, if they had the time.

Beyond the door at the end of the hallway was another door. Upon opening it he saw a double door immediately opposite them with a sign to the right of them declaring that this was the entrance to the auditorium. The hallway here had much fewer doors and the lighting at the far ends was much dimmer, suggesting to him that those doors were probably locked and sealed off to them for now. Arthur pushed into the auditorium and noticed immediately that, like the rest of the facility thus far, it was well furnished and remarkably like a lecture hall from a university.

Tiered seating descended down in three sections, the two side sections consisting of four seats per row while the middle section had ten seats per row, to a small platform at the front with a desk upon which a computer monitor sat. Small platforms in front of each tier provided a writing surface, assuming anyone here wished to take notes on whatever was about to happen (if they had the stationary for that). There was a projector on the sealing pointed to a SmartBoard behind the desk, obviously connected to the computer, but other than that the room was empty.

"I guess we just sit wherever and wait for the others?" He asked his companions, choosing a seat on the right hand side section about halfway down. He took the wall seat, preferring to be in a corner as it always provided him with a feeling of safety. Not that anywhere in this facility was safe.

And then he waited, whether it was for answers or the next step in this potential horror show he knew not which.

@banjoanjo@sakurasan

The House of Powers

The House of Powers

Arthur Ragnarson

Location: Cafeteria

This guy... he must be on the edge.

Arthur sympathised, seeing all the usually signs of anxiety. The fidgeting, the excessive energy with nowhere to go, the irregular breathing and the eyes which could not seem to settle on anything. If this continued then it wouldn't end well for his fellow inmate. He let Uriel make his joke, thinking how best to approach this, after all he knew nothing about the boy but he had a sense that he was privileged, like himself.

"Oh, I wouldn't put yourself down. I'm sure you've got some kind of super power in you." He returned the joke. He could feel a ringing forming in his head, the tell-tale sign of a serious headache. It was odd, though, for him to have one so soon after another and the one from his drugging had only faded in the last few minutes. This one was different, more acute and swelling at worrying rate.

Arthur winced and rubbed his forehead, a little treatment he usually found helped. Maybe it was merely the action but it felt like doing something usual like that relaxed him and the pain numbed a little although not by much at all. "A-Arthur?? A-Are you alright? You don't look well at all. D-Do you feel pain? A headache?" Allia was looking at in a concerned way, presumably she had seen him wincing.

"Hm? Oh, yes I'm fine thank you. Just a little headache, nothing serious. It's probably from all the excitement here, I warrant." He smiled to reassure her; having two people on the edge of panic was not going to help his own mental state.

A loud ringing interrupted everything, wiping away Arthur's headache as if it had been distracted. It sounded like it was sounding in the entire facility, the kind of ring that heralded a public service announcement at a station or special event. Sure enough, as the last peals faded away, a voice sounded over an intercom.

@sakurasan@banjoanjo

---

@SheriffLlama@HecateProxy@Vocab@Thundercrash@KahleenCuthald@Lillium@wolverbells@HellHoundWoof@Gonzo@Airalin

GM Post - Everywhere

There was the sound of static followed by a hollow-sounding thump, someone had just switched on a microphone on the other end of the intercom system. Then there was a brief cough, as if one were clearing their throat, a brief rustle, and then a female voice sounded. Her sweet, lyrical accent, presumably Irish or Welsh, echoed around the facility and forced those there to stop their activities and conversations to listen.

"Hello all! Now, I understand that you're all confused and scared especially due to the nature of your transportation to this safe facility. We wanted to reassure you that our intentions are pure and we have nothing but your well being, and that of your friends and family, in our hearts and minds! Still, I do apologise for the roughness with which we brought you here but explaining the situation may have made it more dangerous for you all."

There was a brief pause, a small intake of breath and then a loud buzz sounded from down one of the corridors, currently empty of people. Then the voice continued.

"I've just unlocked the Auditorium room! You'll find it opposite the previously locked door at the end of the main hallway! Please make your way there so that we can properly explain why you've all been brought here. We will meet you there once everyone has assembled."

Auditorium Image

The House of Powers

@sakurasan

Yeah that's fine.

The House of Powers

Posted!

The House of Powers

@sakurasan@banjoanjo

Arthur Ragnarson

Location: Cafeteria

The entrance of other people to the room startled the girl Arthur had been talking to and she leaped from her chair, disappearing. He blinked a couple of times, trying to keep up with the pace of events. Did she disappear like the other bloke? His question was answered when she returned, phasing back in to the visible plane.

Chameleon?

It was weird, analysing this situation so calmly. For Arthur it was like working out people's abilities was just second nature to him but he suspected that this calmness was probably merely the crust on a deep chasm of despair and fear and so he chose not to probe in case he broke that thin crust. Now was hardly the time to have a breakdown, especially if he was going to have to work together with those around him; no one would rely him to operate under pressure if it came to it.

"Ah. Umm ye-yeah. I do have powers.. S-sorry about that." The girl had spoken, although it hardly needed pointing out at that stage. Arthur smiled, as if it were the most understandable thing in the world.

"Not to worry! I think we're all on edge a little bit, in here. Although that's not surprising, really. All things considered."

Yeah, you're the weird one for being so calm. You were kidnapped!

When the girl mentioned Charterhouse he was dragged from his reverie, looking back up sharply. For some reason hearing that someone here was from a similar place gave him hope, although he acknowledged the illogicality of that.

"Charterhouse? That's not far from Eton. It's near Guildford, isn't it? I wonder if there's a connection, why we were both brought here. I mean, I don't have any powers that I know of. I heal quickly but nothing... special." Was that it then? Had they decided his ability to recover rapidly, or at least faster than others, was sufficient reason to bring him here? Powers seemed to be the likely cause for this unusual event but up until then Arthur hadn't really thought he possessed one.

“Heya! Name’s Uriel! Flashy name, I know. So uh, would you guys happen to know what the dealio with this place is? I mean, were you kidnapped too?” The loud one had joined them, dropping his various snacks on the table and taking a seat. He didn't seem malignant, just maybe unaware of their situation or, like Arthur, trying not to acknowledge it. Trying to see the best in people was one of Arthur's good traits, as he considered it, so he smiled at the newcomer in an attempt to welcome him to the small table.

"My name's Arthur. I don't know what's going on here but yes, I was kidnapped. It seems like we all were. I was at the college library and then... someone grabbed me and I think they gave me a dose of something. Then I woke up here. So far I haven't seen anyone except others like us. Oh, and this is..."

He was about to introduce the girl but then realised he didn't Want to reveal her name without her permission. Under the circumstances he could understand not wanting to give out too much information about oneself. He changed the topic, to rectify his small mistake, and spoke to Uriel.

"It seems most people in here have powers, if not everyone. I didn't think I had one but... maybe it's possible. Are you empowered as well?"

The House of Powers

@ghastlyInc

Sorry Ghastly! I must have missed your CS amongst the OOC spam.

Seeing as you applied before others I can't very well say we're full! For my part I like your character and the power potential, I'll need to check with the other GMs first though.

That is, assuming, you're still interested.

The House of Powers

@sakurasan@SheriffLlama@HellHoundWoof@banjoanjo

Arthur Ragnarson

Location: Cafeteria

It appeared as though Arthur could not put off contact with the others involved in... whatever this was. Others began to arrive the cafeteria, presumably getting away from the drama unfolding in the hallway like him or just exploring their current surroundings. His moment of solitude had been stolen. However, the simple act of eating had calmed him down and he could think more analytically about the situation.

So other people my age are here. It looks like we've all been kidnapped but the place is state of the art and they're giving us food and luxury rooms to stay in. Either this is a messed up Hostel film or we're being held ransom.

That was when the first person joined him. They were a girl, his age, with hair even whiter than his own, of average height. She had prettily formed lips and was so distracted she didn't noticed him to begin with. Like him she had gone to the vending machines and got some sweets. In this kind of situation, with only two of them in the room and him waiting for her to notice or acknowledge him, he found it hard not to stare so it was no surprise when she jumped upon realising he was sitting there.

She apologised and sat down to begin eating. Arthur sat in the awkward silence, unsure how best to proceed. After all, what was the proper etiquette here? Was he meant to initiate conversation to try and work out why there were here or was it more considerate to leave her to own thoughts; he was sure she had as much on her mind as he did.

"D-do you have powers as well?"

The question wasn't one he was expecting at all and he sat in silence, dumbfounded. How did you respond to that kind of question? Had she lost her mind? Wait, that guy had appeared from nowhere only. Maybe others in the hallway had some abilities he hadn't been around long enough to see. If that was the case it would be reasonable to ask that question. But then he couldn't work out why he was here then, assuming the possession of powers the common denominator that united them.

"I, uh, don't think so. I mean, I have pretty good powers of persuasion." He smiled half heartedly, regretting the words the moment they left his mouth. His instinct was to smash his head on the table in self-reprimand for the horrific joke; it was never funny under any circumstances and these certainly weren't optimal. "I'm sorry, that wasn't appropriate. No, I don't think I have powers. I mean, I suppose you're talking about the chap who teleported or something back there? I don't have anything like that, at least not that I know of."

Then a thought struck him. Was she asking because she herself had powers? In that case maybe she was doing the same as him, trying to work out why they were here. "Not to pry but... do you? Have powers, I mean."

Out of the corner of his eye Arthur noticed a couple of boys enter the cafeteria but they hung around at the entrance, not entering just yet. Now that there were people in the room, people conversing, it made it more difficult to just walk in as he and the girl had done, he supposed. Even the one with the mohawk would be nervous, he guessed. It was natural for them all to be apprehensive of each other, after all. They all wanted to blame someone for the situation and so far they had no one but each other.

“Heeeeeeeeeeeeeelllllloooooooooooo, everybo-day!”

That was probably about the last thing he had been expecting. Arthur twisted in his seat to see the latest entrant, a boy who seemed completely unconcerned about their current situation. Maybe he was in denial? Or he knew something. Arthur decided it was best to not reply, in case they were on the edge of sanity and confrontation might push them over it. He turned back to the girl instead.

"I'm Arthur, I study at Eton. I was in the library and then... I woke up here. May I ask your name?"