[ 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

[timehalt]

[ Miranda's still got two fists holding him and she begins to shake him a little (perhaps more than 'a little') to keep him conscious. Please don't die!! ]

Stay with me! I--I'm sure you have so much to live for! Don't you want to see it? You can't die! You have to stay here!

[retraced]

[Oh no, is he dying? Had he finally made a terrible cooking error? Left the stove on? Is he trapped in the fire right now?! Cautiously, he tests his breathing only to find his lungs as clear as the fresh snow, but the few gasps of solid air help him to shake the rest of the sudden sleep from his brain. Or maybe it's her "gentle" push towards consciousness there.]

I-I-I'm not dying! [He stutters in between her violent shakes.]

I promise! R-really!

[timehalt]

[ She stops shaking him in favor of clinging desperately to the front of his shirt. You don't understand how NOT OKAY it is to die. ]

Are you sure? Positive? Should I go find someone to help you? I--I'm not a doctor but I can get one! You just have to promise to stay alive until I get back!

[retraced]

[He gets it! Really! Both hands go up, nervously hovering near her shoulders without actually touching them.]

I - I think I just fell asleep for a second, but -

[And already he feels himself starting to nod off again, and his arms fall back down at his sides. Ugh, this is unpleasant. Maybe he shouldn't have pushed himself so far.]

I didn't make enough coffee...

[timehalt]

You--you should sit down then!

[ Here, come on, she'll show him to a chair. Pushing him into it with the efficiency of the desperate. She's still half-convinced he's dying; her hands lingering on his shoulders as she makes sure he stays secure in the chair. She's no medical doctor and it's probably too dangerous to leave him right now, but she isn't strong enough to get him somewhere better. So she clings to what she's given. ]

Do you--do you think coffee will help?

[retraced]

[Sitting down is probably the best idea. A few minutes resting his eyes and he'll be as good as new. He's grateful for the help, and as soon as the backs of his legs feel a chair, he's flopping down as gracefully as a sleep deprived young man possibly can.]

Thank you. [He says gratefully with a tired blink.] I think there's still some coffee in the pot.

[The pot is just as bizarre as the rest of this place, so it might not be obvious at first what he's referring to. It looks more like a porcupine than a coffeepot, but it does have a handle and a spout and is sitting proudly on the counter.]

[timehalt]

[ It takes Miranda a few guesses and scalded fingers 'ouch!' to get him his coffee, but at the end of it there's a steaming mug in front of him and maybe a biscuit if she's found where Gil's put them. That done, Miranda stands nervously off to the side after, wringing her red hands. What should she do next? ]

Are you sure this is all you need? It won't be any trouble to find a doctor.

[retraced]

Thank you, I'm -

[He's half-dozing by the time she returns, but the smell of the coffee alone energizes him enough to sit up and take it from her. And also opens his eyes wide enough to notice her hands. No amount of exhaustion can keep Gilbert Nightray from fussing.]

Are you all right? What happened?

[timehalt]

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]

[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]

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). ]

[retraced]

[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.]

[timehalt]

Ah--

[ NOPE NOPE. This is Miranda hurrying over to push him back into his seat. Concern and distress etched in ever feature. ]

Please don't worry about it! You should rest. I'll get you anything you need!

[retraced]

[Luckily, he doesn't spill his coffee as he's shoved back into the chair.]

Oof-! [He shakes his head to clear it.] N-no, it's more important to take care of your hands!

[timehalt]

My hands are fine! You need to rest!

[ She's determined on this! Sit there and look pretty until you feel well enough to get up stairs! ]

[retraced]

Taking care of your hands is definitely more important!

[And thus begins a fuss-off that can only end in tears.]

[timehalt]

Not when you're about to collapse whenever you stand! You need to think of your own health first!

[ fight me! ]

[retraced]

I can stand!

[Except then he does the exact opposite, flopping back into the chair with his eyes half-closing against his will. Another shake of his head and he brings the cup to his lips again, drinking the coffee as quickly as he can without chocking or spilling.]

[timehalt]

[ Victoryy!! ]

P-please be careful! The coffee isn't going to run away. You need to rest and relax before we should see if you can move.

*choking my typos are so quality

[retraced]

[Shhhh.]

...Sorry. [He murmurs, the half empty cup set back down into his lap. His eyes close and his head droops forward again, words slurring back together. He might just fall asleep for good this time, despite his (and her, mostly her) best efforts.]

Thank you for your help. I really am sorry.

[timehalt]

[ There's a sense of victory, even if there's little reason for it. Miranda gently takes the cup from his hands and places it on the table before returning her attention to the exhausted man. Tentatively, but firm enough to keep him upright, she places her hands on his shoulders. ]

Careful. If you sleep here you'll hurt worse when you wake up. Do you think you can make it upstairs? Or to a lounging chair?

[retraced]

I don't mind sleeping here...

[He doesn't plan on sleeping long anyhow, but his words trail off before he can add that to the end of his sentence. His head lulls to one side, cheek coming to rest against one of her hands currently occupying his shoulder.]

1/4 SORRY

[timehalt]

[ As much as Miranda doesn't want to pressure, a chair really isn't a good spot to sleep (personal experience has proved this time and again) so she really feels she must be insistent on the bed bit.

At least until his head lolls onto her and she freezes up mid-syllable.]

[timehalt]

[ Oh.





God.


What should she do?? ]

[timehalt]

[ What is he--does he--is he okay? What should she do? Is he dead?


She should--she should check, right? She should move and make sure he's at least a little more comfortable and not-dead and--

but--but-should she wake him up? He was so tired and-and he should sleep! She can't disturb him when he needs it so badly. She can't be so selfish! ]