WEEK 7

[bathymetric]

Another Saturday gone and just like that you wake on Sunday, down five of your number. The largest dent taken out of you at once so far - it's surely noticeable, the head count being cut by a third. Almost enough to make you wonder how many of you will even be left by the next motive or two. Surely this isn't a sustainable rate for body counts to increase... right?

There's a new and, it looks like, final wing of the building to explore, bringing everything full circle. Maybe you'll get some more answers to some of the questions and mysteries of this place there - or at least, you can certainly hope for them. Time to turn your investigative eyes towards one last batch of rooms, who knows what you might find?

Angel remains around at night, her appearances much more common now that... well, she's certainly seen a downtick in necessary surveillance work, hasn't she? The app giving you a line to The Professor remains open, and well... whatever's going on with that ouija in the library continues to happen! You're not suffering from a shortage of leads, at least, even as things get more bizarre.

Something's going to have to give here, eventually. Right?



SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to your last player case week! AC is over here, regains as always are over here, and... well, enjoy! After this we get to take our big turn towards the Serious. ]

Comments

investigation maybe...???

[bogwife]

[Thursday morning sees Zerinda going straight from her and Mira's room, a homemade cloth pull-string bag of jingling coins that she...absolutely has not been keeping for several weeks because she forgets they're in her drawer. She puts in the coins one at a time and she gets mostly junk until the thief's tools make their appearance. It takes her a minute of examining them for it to click who they belong to and a grin instantly spreads across her face. She looks at the vending machine and gives it an excitable pat.]

Thank you! [If it really is haunted there's no reason not to be polite to it. Unfortunately at the same time lightning sparks from her fingertips and she has to pull her hand away quickly before she shorts out the poor machine.] Sorry, sorry!

[Once she's finished with the vending machine, next stop is the craft room. She's in here for a little while, rolling the the piece of odd purple glass between her fingers while she wraps a thin piece of wire around the top and cuts herself a length of cord long enough to comfortably wear around her neck. With the necklace pieced together she holds the pendant in her hand a little longer, studying it and seeing if maybe she can pick up any kind of magical signature on it or if it's just pretty.]

What are you...?

[Finally, a little closer to the evening, she's at the water park. She's brought Gregor the Adopted Groaning Skull with her this time and and carefully sets him on the ground next to her on her bundled up cloak as she kneels beside the wave pool. She takes a deep breath, closing her eyes and then rubbing her hands together.] Okay...focus. You've been doing this forever, Zaza. [She lowers her hands to just touch the surface of the water and waits.

And waits.]

Honestly? Not even a snowflake?

[ooc: so with Zerinda's magic acting up, this includes her entropy spells! Her spell tree is here and if you want your character to be affected by a spell, hit me up and let me know! This will only happen with permission and the effects will last ten minutes.]

investigation results!

[bathymetric]

[ The Cassandrium is just some weird cool glass, basically! Maybe its creator thinks it's something else, but there's certainly no magic here.

The vending machine, meanwhile, emanates a slight comforting warmth upon the apology. You Are Forgiven, Child. ]

[bogwife]

[Good to know, good to know! She's going to assume it's safe for jewelry making and keep that thread continuity.

Love you too, Haunted Vending Machine.]

[bathymetric]

[ It should be! No ill effects.

<3 ]

water park, THIS IS GONNA INVOLVE SOME NIGHTMARE HEXING

[nothingcanstop]

[ After Della's gotten thee whole issue with her leg sorted! She winds up back at water park, just as Zerinda's trying to...well, do her thing. ]

...You, uh, doin' okay there?

[bogwife]

Yes. [She pulls her hands away from the water, heaving an annoyed sigh.] Just trying to get some kind of control of my magic.

[nothingcanstop]

Oh! That whole...thing. [ Della's going to...well, carefully sit a bit away. She doesn't want her leg, already acting up, to rust or something. ] Just what all can you do? I feel like...I should've asked before now.

[bogwife]

[You know what, Della? That's fair.]

I haven't really talked about my actual magic since we've been here. Or...ever really. Magic isn't exactly something you want to brag about where I'm from. [She reaches over and lays her head on Gregor the Whiny Skull, who promptly groans.]

I know primal magic, which is all elemental. I know a few summoning spells. [She turns her head into her shoulder, muttering the last one.] Entropy magic.

[nothingcanstop]

Oh... I mean, I know some bad mothers with magic where I'm from, but it's not like...a sign you're bad or anything. I hadn't thought about it. ...'Scuse me, what was that last one?

[bogwife]

Tell that to the Chantry and literally every Templar. [She reaches a hand out over the water again, looking a little sheepish.] En...tropy...it's surprisingly effective against undead despite their, ah, lack of natural life force.

[nothingcanstop]

[ Undead... She laughs, lightly, remembering... Well, Alice and Brian. ] That must've made this place a little...weird, huh...? I've never heard of magic called that before, but...well, different strokes for different folks, huh? What kinds'a things can you do with it?

Craft room, hex me up

[bolderfell]

Zerinda. I was looking for you.

[Ya boy is just in the best mood since yesterday's heist. He enters the room, holding out what must be a familiar-looking notebook.]

Been meaning to give this back. Got something else for you, too, if you want it.

[bogwife]

Therion! [Zerinda looks up from her art project with a bright smile. When he holds out the book she gives a little gasp of excitement and takes it from him, happily hugging the notebook to her chest.] My journal! I wasn't sure if it was even in there-

You know, it's funny. I was going to track you down once I finished this to return something to you.

[bolderfell]

[He pauses in the middle of drawing out a woodcarving.]

To me? Huh.

[Is he missing anything else? Well, his sword, the dancer's garb Primrose loaned him... He hopes it's not that.]

Is it my coinpurse?

[bogwife]

Nope~! [She leans down to dig through her bag, pushing aside some of the other junk she got from the vending machine, before presenting the thief's tools to him.] I had a hunch these belong to you.

[bolderfell]

--!

[He puts the carving down--a nug with wings, by the way--with the rest of her spoils and eagerly takes the jangly ring.]

These are mine. Hah, didn't think I'd ever see them again. Would've been a pain to cobble together a new set.

[bogwife]

Thought you'd be happy to see them again. What's a good thief without his tools? [She then turns her attention to the little wood carving he made her]

Therion, this is so sweet! I could just-! [She stands up, ready to throw her arms around him in a hug but stops herself, pulling her arms back in against her chest.] -But I know you're not a hugger so I won't.

[Underneath his feet a very faint glyph begins to glow.]

[bolderfell]

[He chuckles, wry and relieved.]

Thanks for considering my delicate, maidenly feelings.

[He says it dryly, but it's also some percentage sincere. In the meantime, he's flipping through the picks and keys by touch, familiar and sure-handed, checking that each is there--until his fingers miss the set completely.]

...Huh?

[It begins.]

WASSUP WITCHY BABY (hex me)

[philoxenia]

Zaza?

[ It's later when she finds her at the water park. Mira watches her, then approaches and kneels down; she keeps her distance somewhat, considering Zaza's magic acting up.... and how Zaza's been keeping her distance somewhat, too. ]

How are you doing?

[bogwife]

[Zerinda glances over her shoulder when she hears Mira's voice and gives her a hesitant smile, pulling back her hands from over the water.]

Doing my best. Trying to see if I can get the pool to freeze over and it's going about as well as you'd expect. How about you?

[philoxenia]

[ Oh, Zerinda... Mira doesn't hesitate before moving closer and hugging her. ]

About as well as I can be... At least I've had excellent company today.

[bogwife]

[Zerinda stiffens when Mira hugs her, the first time she's ever not enthusiastically returned a hug in several weeks. She hesitates for a few long seconds before finally relaxing and trusting herself enough to return it. Mira might feel few small shocks of static electricity on her back but nothing painful.]

Good, good... [She sighs a little and rests her chin on top of Mira's head.] I'm sorry I've been so distant, Mia. I'm just so afraid of hurting you or someone else. If I had actual control it'd be different but...

[A shame she's too distracted to notice the soft purple glow in her hands as her magic acts on its own.]

[philoxenia]

[ It's a little startling, but she doesn't pull away. And she lets Zerinda talk--yeah, it has to be scary, not having control... She can relate, considering she's not sure when her own powers will set off. She's about to say as much when--

Huh.

She blinks, pulling away, and she sure looks confused. ]

Um-- sorry... what were we talking about?

[bogwife]

[Zerinda cocks her head, frowning in concern.]

I...was saying I was worried about hurting you. [A knot of concern is forming in her stomach.] Are you feeling okay, Mia?

[philoxenia]

Zaza?

[ Her eyes look a little unfocused, and she blinks. That little nugget of worry registers, but just barely, as she looks around. ]

... When did I come in?