hotelcaelum | Event Log #002

EVENT LOG
number 002

The hotel humbly hopes that you're settling in well and are taking advantage of the various pleasures on offer for your stay. In Mr Bennet's opinion, things have been going quite well and he doesn't think that the guests are unhappy at all. New guests have arrived, some have left, it's all going along perfectly. So, of course, this is when the next troublesome thing pops up.

SHADOWS

One morning, characters will find the hotel to be a little dimmer than usual, a little more shadowy. Yet if anyone asks Mr Bennet about it, he will claim to not have noticed anything different than usual. Either way, as the characters move on with their day, they'll start to notice a few odd things start to happen.

PHASE ONE: Initially, characters will notice their shadow beginning to move a little out of sync with them. Discreetly at first until eventually, their shadow takes on a life of its own, mischievously playing with characters and enjoying their newfound freedom. Very Peter Pan, and completely harmless.

PHASE TWO: Now, shadows might disappear entirely, roaming the hotel to their own discretion and ignoring the characters they belong to. As the shadow takes on this free will, characters will begin to feel slightly off balance and have a hard time feeling whole without their shadow around. The shadow may become slightly aggressive as well if told they should return to their characters, fighting back in their own way from knocking things over to outright attacking other characters. It's a little hard to fight back though when your opponent is a shadow, isn't it?

PHASE THREE: The shadows have become fully aggressive now, fighting anyone who tries to get them to return to their original person. Characters will find themselves feeling weak and low energy as a result of losing their shadow. Eventually, the shadows will come back to their owners but the characters will find themselves sinking into their shadow, eventually changing places entirely with their shadow. The only way to rescue a character from this fate is for another character to pull them out of their shadow forcibly. The bright side is once a character is pulled out of their shadow, it all returns to normal and their shadow is no longer sentient.

These phases will last over the course of the week and it is quite alright to stay in phase one/two/three. Not all shadows will become aggressive, not all shadows will be playful. Feel free to manipulate your character's shadow in the way that's most fun for you.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Ah, he thinks. She's one of those. ]

Mm. "Additional movement" is one way to put it, though it's less that the shadows are out of sync and more that they seem to be trying to move on their own.

As though they're attempting to free themselves?

... For what purpose, I wonder...

[ She doesn't trust it's an innocent one. ]

Oh, very likely nothing go— ah!

[ Good is what he meant to say, but all that goes right out the window when his shadow does move on its own, grabbing a fistful of Winter's hair to pull on it. ]

Rude?

... Ah, I see. Does threatening accomplish anything?

[ Is it going to hold his hair hostage does she have to whip out the weaponry-- ]

[ Well, it's not letting go, despite Winter's attempts to tug it back. His hair!!! ]

I don't know. This is the first time it's done this. Let me go, already!

[ It will not. ]

[ Well!

There's only a short pause and then Barghest pulls out her sword. Something flickers along the blade, almost like a flame. ]

Drop it.

[ The shadow's not a dog?? ]

[ Help?? Winter has a moment of real fear that this woman is going to shear his hair or his shadow's arm off, but the shadow isn't keen on either of those things itself, so it drops Winter's hair and sinks back against the wall, hands raised. ]

Gods above. That could have gone worse, I suppose. Thank you miss-?

[ She lowers her blade, offering a singular nod. Good thing his hair is intact! ]

Barghest. Tam Lin Barghest, from the British Isles. And you are...?

Winter, from Waterdeep.

[ "The British Isles" means nothing to him, but might as well give like for like. ]

A pleasure to meet you.

Waterdeep... I'm unfamiliar with the location.

Then again, I've long since learned I'm rather uneducated when it comes to other locations outside of Britain.

[ Which can't be helped; she doesn't blame herself for it, necessarily, though she says it with a hint of ruefulness. ]

However, the pleasure is mine. [ A bit of a bow this time. ]

In some fairness, many of us are from different worlds entirely. This "Britain" of yours is just as unfamiliar to me.

[ He returns that little bow with one of his own. ]

Well, when our shadows aren't on the verge of running amok, this place boasts an extensive library. Perhaps you can fill in some of those gaps in your education, hm?

It seems I must. It would be unthinkable to be willingly uneducated.

[ She'd be shaming her pride as a member of the Fang Clan and as a knight! ]

So serious! Well, let us contend with this other business quickly.

Perhaps if we can find a member of the hotel staff, they might know what's going on.

I have been informed that they're largely useless. Is there one in particular who would be better to question?

Hm. True. Mr Bennet runs the place, though he seems fairly... unhelpful in some regards.

Then, in your opinion, would he be of use now, or is this something meant to be handled by the guests?

[ He can't help but think back to The Ninjas, and lets out a sigh. ]

It's very likely we're on our own. Ah, so much for that line of thinking.

It was a valid option and educational for those of us who have yet to meet the staff officially. I'll keep that in mind, going forward.

[ That they're USELESS. ]

Without the staff to rely on, I suggest we question our fellow guests to see what they have been experiencing.

[ It's time for a good ol' fashioned RPG sidequest! ]

Very well. I'll be certain to speak with anyone I encounter.

[ Surely they'll handle it well, this tall lady charging at them in armor-- ]

... Nicely?

[ He just. Has to make sure. ]

They are victims here. Of course I would not be so crude as to speak to them cruelly.

[ Sir, please! She is a knight! ]

It isn't cruelty I'm worried about.

... Then I'm afraid I may have to request that you clarify. I don't intend to yell, if that's what you mean?

Ah. Just... perhaps a bit of gentleness is called for?

(no subject)

likesitruff - 2023-11-13 19:39 (UTC) - Expand

icyspicy - 2023-11-14 01:43 (UTC) - Expand

likesitruff - 2023-11-14 01:55 (UTC) - Expand