maddeninghatter: (debonair)
Xerxes Break ([personal profile] maddeninghatter) wrote in [community profile] exsiliumlogs2013-12-15 12:10 pm

[ Open ] A Home for the Holidays

Date & Time: December 10th - 21st
Location: The Museum of Old and New(ish) Art
Characters: Xerxes Break and you. Information about and a map to the castle has been left in the Transporter Facility, so anyone interested in renovating a warm and secure (if weird) place to stay is welcome.
Summary: An eccentric billionaire’s 27th century medieval-replica castle/art museum/hotel lies abandoned and half-buried in the snow. It’s going to take a lot of work to renovate, but hey it’s more kid-friendly than a brothel. Right? Right?
Warnings: None.

The 1980's ski-wear themed snow suits Break brought back from this mission proved to be a hit with the local population (so stylish!), as were Mister Cecil's ugly Christmas sweaters, so they have been able to trade for goods and some technical services, to help make this place more livable. Supplies from the DITR have also been a great help. However, a lot of work needs to be done: cleaning and vermin-smiting and clearing away snow. Come and help, or simply explore.

(ooc: feel free to start threads willy-nilly, action-spam or prose, name your time and place, threadjack and mingle.)


(1) Museum:

The stairway forces you straight down, past four floors, into the very dungeons of the castle. There are no windows; it was artificially lit, although the electricity isn't on at present. However, the old geothermal power generation system in the structure is simple and robust, so only a small amount of tweaking will be required to get it operational once more. In the meantime, the DITR has kindly supplied you with bright uber-LED flashlights and batteries with advanced energy storage, meaning they should stay lit for weeks. Should.

As soon as you emerge in the dungeons, you’ll find yourself lost in a maze of gallery after gallery. High sandstone walls rise up, towering over everything. What was once a set of opulent velvet curtains lining the art spaces hang in rags, having long since been devoured by rats.

Many of the paintings are destroyed, but most are intact, as are the sculptures and installations, preserved in the deep freeze. The subject matter is bizarre and disturbing. Take this human centipede for instance. And what on earth does this machine do? What’s that smell….

However, some of the “artworks” are playful and interactive. Try a game of ping pong on an accordion-shaped table; or jump on a trampoline in a cage with bells underneath; or find the white library, full of blank books (don’t deface the art!).

Try not to get lost.


(2) Castle/Hotel:

The upper levels of the castle were hotel rooms, long ago. Alas, all of the sheets and bedding were made into nests by rats. Here too, the lush velvet curtains hang in rags, and the wool carpets over the stone floors have lost their battle to the moths.

Yet most of the furniture remains intact, as well as the elaborate chandeliers. Compact heaters will keep the spaces at a near-comfortable temperature, and sleeping bags will do for now.

Let’s get cleaning!


(3) R&R

All that hard work has finally paid off. The geothermal power system is now providing electricity and abundant steam heat, and multiple hotel rooms are in habitable shape. Most importantly, the kitchen is functional. it's time to relax with a cup of hot spiced wine (or chocolate) and pastry. Some mischievous person has hung mistletoe over various random entranceways, so look sharp!


(4) Playing in the snow

The weak December sun makes an appearance, illuminating the ice crystals in the frigid air, creating a sun dog. The snow sparkles like white diamonds. It’s still freezing, but how can you stay inside on a day like this? Anyway, the snow needs shoveling, but perhaps there’s time to make a snowman (or snow angels).


(5) Penguins:

In addition to vermin of the four-legged, tailed and whiskered variety, this castle is home to a flock of penguins. These might be the principal reason the castle has lain abandoned all these years. They can be found anywhere in or around the structure. Approach with caution. Or better yet —



— run away.
soul_sister: (That's NOT MINE)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2013-12-31 08:10 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a moment when she freezes, as if to realize JUST NOW that she has been caught.


And stuffs what remains of the cake in her mouth all at once, cheeks bulging as she chews.]


Whawt?
overclocking: (BULLYING!!!1)

[personal profile] overclocking 2013-12-31 08:13 am (UTC)(link)
[ With all the indignation of the terribly misunderstood; ]

She stabs first! Don't be tricked!
overclocking: (that's dumb and so are you)

[personal profile] overclocking 2013-12-31 08:16 am (UTC)(link)
Exactly! And sweets are bad for her!

[ Pauses, squinting suspiciously through the dark. ]

You should mind your own business anyway.
overclocking: (that's terrible. you're terrible.)

[personal profile] overclocking 2013-12-31 08:18 am (UTC)(link)
.... How much have you had?

[ GUESS WHO ISN'T GONNA BE SYMPATHETIC WHEN SHE'S SICK LATER ]
overclocking: (but I am LE TIRED)

[personal profile] overclocking 2013-12-31 08:18 am (UTC)(link)
The kind who's always hungry.
senseandcecilbility: by roleplay-reaction-icons (objection)

[personal profile] senseandcecilbility 2013-12-31 08:26 am (UTC)(link)
[Okay. Maybe sweets are bad for children. But what is wrong with spoiling them a little? Besides...]

Shame on you, [demon!>] How dare you imply that the well being of a friend and a daughter of the church is not my business?

[Catholic, but that is just a detail!]

Not to mention that you stabbed Mister Break's lovely hand!
Edited 2013-12-31 08:30 (UTC)
overclocking: (oic)

[personal profile] overclocking 2013-12-31 08:32 am (UTC)(link)
[ He doesn't deign the first bit with a response because that is entirely unworthy of either of their time, but his eyebrow does creep up at the second part. ]

... "Lovely" hand...?
senseandcecilbility: (This time I messed up)

[personal profile] senseandcecilbility 2013-12-31 08:42 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh.

Oh.
]

JUST LOOK AT THEM!
senseandcecilbility: (William)

[personal profile] senseandcecilbility 2013-12-31 08:48 am (UTC)(link)
[M-mister Cecil sits by Mister Break's side and attempts not to die of shame.

He whispers:
]

My apologies.

[They are lovely, okay.]
soul_sister: (Yeah... so about that.)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2013-12-31 08:50 am (UTC)(link)
[She swallows. She it TOTALLY getting sick later.]

Some...
overclocking: moriyama would never do that (not from a shameless high school AU)

[personal profile] overclocking 2013-12-31 08:51 am (UTC)(link)
I did. They look like... hands?

[ DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER, BREAK ]

Do you normally think this hard about these things?
senseandcecilbility: (Totally caught red-handed)

[personal profile] senseandcecilbility 2013-12-31 09:05 am (UTC)(link)
[What is he supposed to say in his own defense without ruining Mister Break's honor?]

Y-yes! And you should be extremely careful about them!

[Stop hurting my humans, sir.]
senseandcecilbility: (Totally caught red-handed)

[personal profile] senseandcecilbility 2013-12-31 09:09 am (UTC)(link)
[The tragic part is that Kevin would really like that. No. He would, in fact, love that.]

F-fine then.

[He is blushing so hard the rest of his body could probably use a transfusion.]
retraced: (it's only in your mind)

[personal profile] retraced 2013-12-31 04:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Electricity?

[He sits up a little straighter.]

If an oven were broken, would you be able to fix something like that? Or a coffeemaker?
retraced: (til the war came)

[personal profile] retraced 2013-12-31 05:02 pm (UTC)(link)
[There's no time to sit and be impressed by Kevin's aerobatic skills (though he does silently think it to himself as he watches) and as soon as that broom handle touches his palm, he immediately springs into action himself. Leaping onto the pulpit, he grabs the broom like a bat, arches it up over his head, and then leaps forward, swinging it in a long and heavy arc right towards Creepy Jesus' midsection. The angle that he hits it allows for a good deal of glass to shatter, and also causes the penguins to scatter away from the falling debris. A few of the less intelligent ones attempt to peck at it, testing the age old question, "Is it food? Can I eat it?"

They cannot.

The broom is then arranged in his hands normally so that he can frantically sweep the edges of the window outward, giving the men a chance to climb up into it and then out of it without getting cut on any shards.]


Hurry! While they're distracted!
soul_sister: (ALL I HEAR IS THAT YOU'RE A JERK)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2013-12-31 05:09 pm (UTC)(link)
WHAT?! HOW IS THIS MY FAULT!

[She backs flat against the wall.]

Maybe we should throw dirt to distract them... CAN I JUST SHOOT THEM NOW?
soul_sister: (Interested)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2013-12-31 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
That hardly matters as much.

[STILL, she sure does let him go to scrabble it open.]
retraced: (holy shit he's not wearing his glove)

[personal profile] retraced 2013-12-31 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[Oz might never forgive him if he shot and killed a penguin....

Muttered quickly under his breath as he pulls his own weapon from beneath his coat.]


Do you really think they'll explode?
soul_sister: (A way out)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2013-12-31 05:21 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm sure of it.

Aim low on them.
retraced: (bang bang you're dead)

[personal profile] retraced 2013-12-31 05:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[The whiiirring grows louder as Gilbert also braces himself against the wall and aims for the one closest to him. This might just be the only way -

Even though it's going to require so much cleanup later...



BANG!]
soul_sister: (You may call me Queen)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2013-12-31 05:27 pm (UTC)(link)
A rail baron is a dashing young man who's made his fortune from rags to riches on hard work alone~ And now owns a huge portion of transport so he's looking to find the lady of his life~

[Someone has been reading dime novels. A lot of dime novels.]
soul_sister: (I will do this)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2013-12-31 05:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[Her own shot follows. For all she's a natural bad luck magnet, her aim is ridiculously precise.

Both shots find their mark, at first, simply destablizing the hovering vacuum gone diabolical, when the pieces of plastic blown from the casing seem to hover a moment, still in the air, before being sucked up into the intake.

They drop, whirring sadly a moment before a single spark heralds a small but flashy broomba explosion.]

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