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: (Bullseye)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2014-01-02 04:34 am (UTC)(link)
....!!!

THAT'S A LOT.

... How about half.

Only half of it broke.
timehalt: (pic#6290226)

[personal profile] timehalt 2014-01-02 05:53 am (UTC)(link)
Eh?

[ What on Earth is he talking about? ]

I--I don't know. I just found you here about to collapse. Do you not remember it?
retraced: any icon marked "please do not take" was given as a gift from my RP partners; please don't repost/use on tumblr (on a cloud of pink has turned to grey)

[personal profile] retraced 2014-01-02 05:58 am (UTC)(link)
[Too exhausted for a long explanation, he takes hold of the cup with one hand and uses the other to point at her.]

Your hands.
timehalt: (Default)

[personal profile] timehalt 2014-01-02 06:02 am (UTC)(link)
My--[ OH. ] Oh! Oh, it's nothing, I just spilled the coffee.

[ And soup. And forgot her gloves before she left. (For which she is thankful, the soup would have ruined them). ]
senseandcecilbility: (what is my life)

[personal profile] senseandcecilbility 2014-01-02 08:39 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh no, Mister Gilbert is cold too.]

Yes, yes I do.

[He offers his notebook, hoping to use the brief touch of their fingers to discreetly convey a little sunny heat.]
payback: (alert; as far as the future spans.)

[personal profile] payback 2014-01-02 09:19 am (UTC)(link)
Ohhh, does he have many soldiers?

[Of course a baron must!]
payback: (da fuq)

[personal profile] payback 2014-01-02 09:20 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, why is that? [Dropping the subject of Break to discuss this subject. It just sounds sad to her. Though...]

Now that you mention it, maybe I don't either...
soul_sister: (Neutral)

[personal profile] soul_sister 2014-01-02 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)
[She takes another second or two to gulp in air before she pushes up away from the door.]

Okay, maybe the texting thing...




.... what should we do about that floor....
timehalt: (pic#6290191)

[personal profile] timehalt 2014-01-02 07:34 pm (UTC)(link)
Eh? N-no! Of course not!

[ Of course she'd want to be safe with him! She's too surprised and intent on reassuring him to protest when he takes her hand. ]

Huh? What--what is it?

[ Please don't let it be another of those statues. Or--or those portraits. ]
retraced: (it's driving me mad)

[personal profile] retraced 2014-01-03 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Not particularly.

[As always, Break's sneezes are as girly as the rest of him. Gil might even chuckle under his breath if he wasn't concerned about the air quality in here now that there's heat starting to kill the chill in the air. Especially with the state that Break's lungs are already in.

He pulls his handkerchief from his jacket pocket and brushes his fingers against Break's hand with it to indicate that it's there for him to take.]


But we should at least find out what's in there. [If it's a theater, then it might have weather appropriate clothes and costumes.]
bunnivore: (♚ but where did all the meat go?)

[personal profile] bunnivore 2014-01-03 11:36 pm (UTC)(link)
[ and despite his recklessness, it explodes

right in her

face.








she stands there, stunned. there is only silence. ]
velveteened: (} I GOT THIS)

[personal profile] velveteened 2014-01-04 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
I didn't, don't worry!

( how are we defining "too much" )
bunnivore: (♚ look it's meat!)

[personal profile] bunnivore 2014-01-04 03:09 am (UTC)(link)
Right!

[ she throws another formed snowball at him!

it leaves her unguarded and so his snowball ends up exploding on her shoulder. ]
Edited 2014-01-04 03:09 (UTC)
velveteened: (} unpleasant truths)

[personal profile] velveteened 2014-01-04 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
( when one was "never supposed to exist," supposeds become more and more important. they were never supposed to be here, were they, and the old exsilium would still be around, wouldn't it, if they never had.

(he's not forgotten the names, all his favorite vendors and the little orphans, and it seems like even if they go back the list will follow them there.)

closes his eyes and shakes his head. )


Isn't changing the past exactly what we've been doing here? I don't think this ( this place, the snow ) was anyone's intention.
retraced: (nobody feels me cold)

[personal profile] retraced 2014-01-04 04:34 am (UTC)(link)
Hmph.

[Anything beyond "good morning", "please" and "thank you". :|

They make another turn in the creepy castle halls and then there just ahead are the doors that lead to the kitchen. Even after being here a few weeks, Gilbert still eyes the weird paintings on the walls like he expects them to come to life and attack.]
retraced: (snerk)

[personal profile] retraced 2014-01-04 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh.

He hadn't actually expected it to hit.

And now that it has, he has no idea what to do............




So he ends up chuckling behind his hand at the absurdity of it all.]
retraced: (stfu Vincent)

[personal profile] retraced 2014-01-04 04:44 am (UTC)(link)
[Modern ovens, man. He can never go back.]

Can't we just lock the doors and hope they starve to death?
retraced: (and my head splits)

[personal profile] retraced 2014-01-04 04:50 am (UTC)(link)
I don't really sleep that much.

[His body has never needed much, so what little sleep he does get is probably too deep to properly dream. He sighs softly and turns towards the door.]

Let's figure out how to get back upstairs.
retraced: (not sure what I'm looking at)

[personal profile] retraced 2014-01-04 04:53 am (UTC)(link)
[Gilbert takes it, frowning a little at the sudden rush of warmth. Well, that's strange. Flipping it open to the back, he tears out a sheet of paper before handing it back over, no longer shivering. Maybe he's finally getting used to this cold weather.]

Ah. Thank you.
retraced: any icon marked "please do not take" was given as a gift from my RP partners; please don't repost/use on tumblr (dreaming of butterflies)

[personal profile] retraced 2014-01-04 04:56 am (UTC)(link)
[He takes a sip of coffee before answering, frowning through his exhaustion.]

You should run them under some cold water...

[Slowly, he starts to rise to his feet so that he can guide her back to the kitchen sink.]

Page 31 of 40