Happy New Year, folks! The Hotel is settling into the New Year with little fanfare. Mr Bennet remains at his post behind the hotel desk and helps check guests in and out daily. The Hotel continues to hustle and bustle and nothing seems to be going too awry beyond the usual shenanigans. In fact, one might even call this the slow season for the Hotel.
THE FLOOR IS LAVA
That is until the second week of the month where the intercoms start with Mr Bennet's pleasant voice coming through.
"Hello, hello! This is just a small warning that one of our floors, the current 79th floor to be exact, has had a small... malfunction, I suppose, and will be affecting the other floors of the Hotel. No word yet from maintenance when this will be over, so stay on your toes, my dear guests!"
And that's it. No indication of what the problem is, or anything like that. It's up to you to figure out what's going on! And what is going on? Well, it'll become obvious very quickly when wherever characters happen to be in the Hotel, they'll soon start feeling a very obvious warmth on the floor below them. It'll increase the longer they stay standing in one spot until it's almost burning their feet.
The only salve for this will be hopping onto a nearby piece of furniture and getting their feet off the floor. It'll soon become obvious that the entire Hotel has been wrapped in a game of The Floor is Lava, including the floor turning into actual lava on some of the floors.
SAFETY SLEEPOVER
Of course, the Hotel is not cruel enough to make the entire Hotel unsafe and soon enough Mr Bennet's voice will come through on the intercom again.
"For those looking for respite from our current Hotel wide game," because clearly it's a game now. "We'll be serving tea and cake in the lounge on the ground floor. Maintenance has been able to fix the lounge for now so feel free to come by when you can if you'd like to rest. We have sleeping bags!"
As folks enter the lounge, they'll find that Mr Bennet is true to his word. The lounge has been converted into a giant sleepover, with sleeping bags lining the floor and a long table off to the side where people can eat their tea and cakes. Mr Bennet is near the food table, handing out pajamas, toothbrushes, and sleep masks to those who request them. There's some new doors off to the side leading to some restrooms, at least, so guests can change in private.
Though, one thing to point out is when Mr Bennet says there's tea and cakes, the cakes happen to be lava cakes. He thinks he's funny.
THE FLOOR IS ICE
It'll take about two days for hotel maintenance to fix the Hotel and return it to normal. So that's two days of living out of the lounge or hopping around the Hotel to get places. What a headache. Mr Bennet will make another lively announcement on the intercom.
"We are back in business, folks! I've just been given word that everything should have return to normal now. Though, there is a warning to make sure not to walk around barefoot for at least another day or so while the Hotel settles. Thank you for your patience!"
What that means becomes obvious soon as anyone walking around now will feel that the floor is especially cold. That's a bit better than the heat, at least, but still kind of a pain in the ass. Anyone who tries to walk around barefoot will find that their feet quickly start to freeze but any permanent damage is easily avoidable by putting on some socks or getting off the floor entirely.
Though that said, the ice does lead to some furniture sliding around and even with shoes on, characters might find themselves sliding too.
What a lovely end to the holidays.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
caelumstaff) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
hotelcaelum2024-01-12 09:44 am
no subject
[Perhaps to his surprise, Amelia puts her hand over his when he squeezes her shoulder and takes it so she can just hold it between them.]
I wouldn't expect any less from us.
[She is however inspecting his knuckles and then turning over his hand to look at his palm and fingers as if looking for burns. Although her expression is calm, how she examines him and the slight squeeze from her hand indicates her underlying worry.]
No injuries?
no subject
No injuries, I assure you. Unfortunately, not my first time encountering pools of molten lava, though luckily for me, this round was free of any irritable elementals or mischievous magma mephits.
[Once he's certain she's seen her inspection through, he rests his hand against the side of her face and leans down to press a chaste kiss of reassurance against her forehead. They may be in a public space, but it's innocent enough, and it's hardly as though they're a secret.]
I'm just fine. I was more concerned about you; I don't imagine you see many volcanic caverns in Blackgale, but we do both have our own ways of getting around.
no subject
We don't have volcanic caverns, no. The most dangerous place would be the lake. So instead of getting burned, you'd get wet. Or eaten by the lake monster.
[She's being candid but hasn't let go of his hand yet.]
... But I'm glad you're not hurt. Our other floormates, I'll assume made it out too?
no subject
Remind me not to go swimming when the time comes to visit.
[When, not if.]
Everyone made it out safely. Astarion is here somewhere, and I saw Nico when I arrived, as well— I believe he and I have both been using our alternative methods of transportation to assist people in making their way here.
[It's really quite nice, being able to fly on command at a time like this.]
no subject
[She tries not to smile at the implication of when.]
Thank you for the relatively good news. It looks like everyone we know is in the lounge is accounted for.
... Nice pajamas, by the way. It's... Bold.
no subject
[Even if he hadn't already known that she tended to look after all of the town's various magical beings, he can't say that reveal would have come as much of a shock to him. Something about it seems right.
He looks down at his pajamas and laughs warmly. They do stand out, but it's much better than what he'd been given on the birthday floor.]
'Bold' does seem a good word for it. They were chosen for me, but actually, I think I quite like them. They may make it into my regular rotation. [How often does he even wear full sets of pajamas? It's a mystery.] I see you are taking the opportunity to represent your school, in the meantime.
no subject
[She'll lead him over to the wall where they're mostly out of everyone's way and near the snack and tea table. It'll be nice to wind down before the lights are out and they go to sleep.
His remark at her hoodie makes her look down and pinch the logo of it before she looks up again.]
Well, if I had to choose something to sleep in, it would be this. It's less school pride and more that it happens to be very comfortable for everyday wear. I have several shirts from over the years as well.
I could get you one that suits your size if you'd like.
no subject
[He teases easily as she leads him towards the wall, leaning against it once they arrive and have themselves a space to chat without putting themselves in anyone's way.]
I don't know that it would suit me as well as it does you, but I wouldn't say no— it does look comfortable. Besides, I like the idea of having something from your neck of the woods, as it were.
[He's a sap, there's no denying it.]
no subject
[Amelia also leans her back against the wall with a small sigh.]
First those shadows and then the lava floors... I'd say you and I don't even need to seek out danger on the other floors if the hotel services keep going awry every other month.
no subject
[Plenty more exploration, as well, which means their thrilling ventures aren't going to end anytime soon regardless of her observation— at least, not if he has anything to say about it, but he feels he knows her well enough. They're both too keen to learn things about their current residence to stay still for too long.]
Not all of the happenings have been dangerous, at least. Mistletoe was particularly nice—
[He cuts himself off, clearing his throat so that he might correct himself.]
Well, parts of it were. I can't say I cared much for the white variety.
[He electrocuted a level 3 wizard. :c]
no subject
Well, in these cases of clear and imminent danger, I should follow your lead about making sure to send a message so we can take each other's well-being into account.
[Amelia fiddles with her fingers.]
I wouldn't want to worry you in the future.
no subject
[He smiles broadly, his tone of voice taking on an amused lilt as though she'd just offered him a delightful bit of gossip, and he takes her hand in his so that he might raise it and brush his lips against the backs of her knuckles. He can't help but tease her a little; she's normally so buttoned-up that he'll take every opportunity he can to coax another smile out of her, even if sometimes it comes with a roll of the eyes.
He thinks he might actually be the only person in this entire hotel who's ever heard her laugh, although he can't be certain. Not the sort of thing one takes a poll on, exactly.]
That's terribly sweet. I am the worrying sort.
[She knows, Gale.]
no subject
Gale may be one of the few people in Hotel Caelum who has been able to unearth a range of reactions and emotions from the Emerald Witch, but it's going to be one of those evenings where she maintains her stoicism especially when there are other people around.
Though, the kiss to the knuckles almost, almost, gets a smile out of her.]
Then you'll have nothing to worry about since I'll be sleeping on the other side of the lounge.
no subject
[Wait a moment, did she just say she would be sleeping on the other side of the lounge?
He deflates quite visibly, his eyes widening slightly. Had he teased a bit too much, perhaps? He's suddenly reminded of the very cold shoulder he'd been given in the days leading up to the first meeting of book club, which now seems an entire age past.]
The other side of the lounge. I thought we might—
[Well, nothing risque, of course, but he thought it might be nice to put their sleeping bags next to one another...
He clears his throat softly.]
Have I done something, dear heart?
[Is he being given detention again?]
no subject
She's clearly taken aback by his question and when she realizes what he's getting at, Amelia wrinkles her brow in confusion over how to reply.]
No? You didn't do or say anything within the past few minutes.
[She gives his hand a reassuring (confused) (?) squeeze.]
What was it that you thought we were going to...?
[She pauses to give him time to answer.]
no subject
His next guess, however, would have been that his pajamas were too off-putting to be seen sleeping beside. He maintains that they're delightfully whimsical and thus exceedingly charming.
His face flushes, color also creeping down his neck, embarrassed that he'd made the wrong assumption— twice in a row, even.]
I thought we might sleep near one another, is all, sleeping bags being easily rearranged and the like.
[Now that he thinks about it, it does make sense. She can sleep next to him anytime she wants, but staying the night in the lounge with friends is a rather singular opportunity... he supposes.]
no subject
Ah. I see.
[She coughs into her hand and tries to compose herself.]
I didn’t assume that you would want to be next to each other and normally I don’t think I’d object, but…
no subject
You want to spend time with some of the others, yes? I understand.
[His remark does seem to be genuine, though he feels a slight pang of disappointment. Unreasonable expectations, he supposes; that's hardly her fault.]
I suppose it is a bit public. [Not that anything even remotely untoward would happen, but still.] All of that time spent camping in what often amounted to a well-appointed ditch may have skewed my perspective a bit, I admit.
no subject
We have plenty of other opportunities to share the same space.
[And the same bed even but that’s absolutely inappropriate to mention with other people around!]
And we can make up for it once this whole debacle is over.
no subject
Yes, yes, you're quite right.
[He laughs a little at his own expense, realizing his initial reaction may have been a bit much.]
I suppose there's also propriety to consider. [He smiles wryly; it's a valid concern, he realizes, even if his own intentions had been innocent enough.] I'm just grateful it's not because you're ashamed to be seen with me in these pajamas.
no subject
And then, in her most neutral expression, she says:]
They’re very cute.
[Is this An Attempt? Yes.]
no subject
You know, even now, I truly cannot tell if you mean that.
[Usually, he would like to think he speaks Ameliaese quite well, but now and then...]
I'm going to choose to accept the compliment; I like it better that way.
no subject
[She puts one hand on her hip raising a brow at Gale.]
I’m not exactly the type to coo over “cute” things though.
no subject
[He laughs, drawing back up to his full height.]
I think I just may add them to the rotation, in that case. Give my wardrobe a bit of variety.
no subject
She glances down to hide her smile.]
As long as it’s comfortable and you like it, that’s what matters.
[They should start retiring for the night. Amelia takes one of his hands and moves it so that it cups the side of her face.]
Try to rest well, alright? I’m sure we’ll have our floors restored sooner than later.
(no subject)
(no subject)