[ Open ] A Home for the Holidays

[maddeninghatter]

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.

Comments

[debtor]

[Children.]

You just sneezed! There's no need to be stubborn about this!

[velveteened]

( GOD FINE HE'LL PUT ON THE SCARF )

Who's the one being stubborn?

[debtor]

[VICTORY IS ALLEN'S.]

Nobody, now.

[velveteened]

( he finishes tying it off with a HUFFY EXHALE )

I didn't know you were staying around here.

( to be helping, presumably; it's a large castle, though, easy to never run into someone in it. )

[debtor]

[ with a small shake of his head, ] I'm staying elsewhere. But Mr. Kevin told me that this place was being converted into a living space for people, so I came to help.

[velveteened]

Ahah, that sounds like you.

( he suspects kevin already tried offering some of the space to allen, and if allen says he's got a place to stay then he surely does )

It's amazing that a place like this exists, isn't it? Have you been inside?

[debtor]

[Glancing in the direction of the building,]

I only glanced inside, really. [ he didn't feel like getting hopelessly lost in a creepy castle and starving to death. today. ] You've been through it, right - have you seen the entire museum?

[velveteened]

Not yet! It's too huge to have seen the whole thing even by now. Would you like to come in and see some of it with me?

( doesn't getting hopelessly lost in a creepy castle and starving to death sound fun though? )

[debtor]

Ah. [ considers his shovel, for a second... and shrugs. okay, a break might not hurt. ] All right.

[Surely Oz knows his way around . . . !]

[velveteened]

( sure oz does...

he grins and gestures back at the castle, starting on returning the way he came. )

It'd be a shame to not see anything! There are a lot of interesting ( strange ) things inside.

[debtor]

[Follows alongside him!

A castle with plenty of 'interesting' things inside, sounds awfully familiar.]

Are there any rooms filled with mysterious tinctures or weird, pointy instruments?

[velveteened]

( a sunny laugh as they take a turn! )

How did you know?

[debtor]

[Gripping the front of his coat, muttering,]

Things like that are no laughing matter...

[velveteened]

Have you been to a castle like that before?

( PLEASE SAY YES HE WANTS TO HEAR THE WHOLE STORY )

[debtor]

I [ used to live in one ] have.

Sort of. The Exorcists' headquarters was a bit like one.

[velveteened]

The headquarters of the Order?

( that's a surprise. he can't imagine lenalee or even allen spending a lot of time in a place like that. )

[debtor]

That's right. Lenalee hadn't mentioned? She'd be able to tell you a lot more about it than I could.

Well, I mean - the first headquarters, anyway. We had to move, later on. But it was massive inside, and it was a castle exactly like that. [ with an air of experience, ] Not the sort of place you'd want to go wandering around, alone at night.

[Or you might come across a room like this.

And if you're Allen, move in.]

[velveteened]

( lenalee, he could mention, doesn't speak much of herself or her home at all, save for confessions in moments often fraught; but instead he shakes his head and makes one of many notes of it. she'd be able to tell you a lot more — well, she's said herself she's been involved in their war a long time. )

I don't know, ( amused, himself, as they approach the castle's doors ) it sounds like exactly the place I'd want to go wandering around. It's more exciting when you never know what you might find.

( allen why. )

[debtor]

[Allen pushes open the door, holding it for Oz.]

Trust me, there are some things better left unfound.

[Zombie potions, for instance.]

[velveteened]

( he trots in since allen's being so polite, pausing once inside for allen to follow. )

It sounds like it was a fun place.

( the building itself, of course, less the headquarters of an organization at war. )

[debtor]

[Despite himself, something quite a lot like homesickness, or perhaps regret, slips into his tone.]

...At times.

[But that's enough about that. He wanders forwards, peering about the interior of the castle.]

So, where to?