September Mini - Ghost of the Past

[pumpkinhollow]

code

GHOSTS

OF

THE

PAST

The Visitor's Center

Just where the sands of Tawny Beach begin to fade into soil, grass, and cobbled roads, there is a new building. Much like the House of Cards, it seems to have appeared from nowhere overnight. A large and round structure of tastefully stacked stone, it seems to fit perfectly in between the town and the marina, with an exterior door facing each side and at both entrances. It reads, "VISITOR'S CENTER," in bold letters.

In mailboxes throughout town, there are flyers, advertising "offworlder visitation" running from September 6th to 19th. "Make appointment today!" it advertises cheerfully.

Regardless of which side you enter, the same receptionist sits at the desk on either side--- a pretty-faced young man with braided black hair, wearing dozens of pieces of delicate golden jewelry. He is working hard on some sort of paperwork or taking some phone call when you come in, but he quickly sets it aside to welcome you. "Hello! Welcome to the visitor's center! Would you like to make an appointment?"

Your host artfully dances around questions regarding the place, its abrupt construction, its purpose, and what your appointment actually entails, assuring you it's "self-explanatory." He'll gladly inform you that "people you know" are here for a visit, but won't say who or why or for how long. But you'll sign up for your appointment anyway, for one reason or another. Perhaps you don't even really know.

At the time of your appointment, you are sat down in a tasteful meeting space of your choosing (the options are listed below) and your guest is brought in. But it is not who you expect. In fact, in all likelihood, you do not know this person at all. But don't worry, they've been briefed, and they'll pass the information along to you if asked.

You see, you are not here to meet someone from your own past, at least not at first---- you're here to meet someone close to one of your friends or neighbors. And they're here to speak about that person to you.

Take as long as you need. The Visitor's Center does not close.

How It Works

Visitors.
Each offworlder on the island can have up to 2 "ghosts of their past." This is not meant to be literal, as these so-called ghosts will generally be no more dead than any other offworlder. Your ghost can be anyone who "haunts" you in some way, which can mean whatever makes sense to you. It does not necessarily need to be someone with a negative opinion of you--- it can be someone who loves you very much! This person can be from any point in your timeline, including after the incident that brought you to Pumpkin Hollow. It can also be a past version of yourself. Regardless, your own visitor is not actually the person you are here to meet. Your visitor will be meeting with one of your friends or loved ones from the island, and you will be meeting with someone else's "ghost."

When speaking to a "ghost", you will notice a few things about them. The first is that they do have a sense of where they are and what they're doing---- they know that they're here temporarily, and that they've been asked to speak about or on behalf of someone they know. They're aware of who the person is that they've come to speak about as well, and they seem to have all of their memories intact aside from being a little fuzzy on the actual process of getting here. The second is that in most cases, they seem to have regular needs like any living person. The upper floors of the visitor's center have hostel-like sleeping areas, bathrooms, a cafe, everything a person might need. The third is that they seem to be weirdly forthcoming when asked questions. Perhaps you're not familiar enough with the individual to notice such things at first, but it becomes evident that they're pretty open about the person they're there to speak about even when they don't seem to want to be.

Want to speak to your own visitor? That can be arranged--- but your ghost must speak to someone else first. But not to worry, there's plenty of time. (Despite the IC dates, OOCly this can be backtagged as long as desired!)

Locations.
There are plenty of places to meet with visitors within the Visitor's Center. If you'd prefer a more public meeting space, some lounge areas have been set up on the beach, or the cafe or recreation area within the center are all available. The beach meeting spaces consist of clusters of folding beach chairs or picnic blankets, and while swimming season is largely over, the view from the beach continues to be stunning this month. The cafe is a quaint bistro on the rooftop of the center with a round serving station in the middle and outdoor tables around the outer walls, which feels both spacious and intimate at the same time somehow. And the recreation room is an interior space on the second floor full of spaces for communal games, some of which are too modern to be there. (Not electronics, but definitely Cards Against Humanity.)

If you'd prefer a more private space, there are a number of tasteful meeting rooms, including those with tables as if for a more formal meeting or those with couches or chairs. One of the latter sort even has a fireplace!

However, visitors are not able to go further afield than the beach. If they attempt to go into town, their feet will plant themselves firmly to the ground outside. They will not be able to be pushed or lifted to get around this, and anyone who attempts to force it will be summarily accosted by the staff and their appointment will end immediately. They may not be eligible for another.

Rules.
As far as OOC rules go, there are a few perks and limitations worth knowing. Any "ghosts" that you write are eligible for AC bonuses for the characters they are attached to. If you are writing a ghost for another player's character, you may decide where the AC bonus goes, but please make a note on your activity check indicating what you're doing. You may write your ghost from your existing journal (with or without a unique icon for that ghost, just as long as you make it clear), or create an independent journal for the character. As mentioned before, you can absolutely play a ghost for someone else. If you would like to have a non-member friend drop by to play your ghost, you may absolutely do so if you clear it with a mod, preferably by having said friend send the mod journal a PM. Be aware that if you recruit an outside player to write a ghost for you, you are responsible for their behavior, and any AC-length threads on their end will not be eligible for transfer because that will just kill Drake probably.

Characters appearing from Ghosts of the Past can also appear in the Villain's Lounge or be apped in later as permanent characters (but not both, as the two are mutually exclusive) and will have some unique lore from entering the game this way!

Ghosts are not capable of lying and will generally feel more compelled to be forthcoming when speaking to anyone OTHER than the person they're here to represent. However, they cannot be forced to meet with anyone they do not want to see or to answer questions they adamantly do not wish to answer. The compulsions are relatively subtle. They also do not have to volunteer information they weren't asked for if they don't want to. None of these compulsions are present if they speak to the person they are there to see. Their memories are generally accurate to whatever point you bring them from, meaning that they can be whatever you want.

If you're visiting with your own ghost, please be aware that threads between two characters played by the same person are never eligible for AC and this is still the case in this instance.

Staff.
Last but not least, there's a chance that you may encounter the staff of the Visitor's Center around. There are two men and two women--- Daanon, Caspian, Reyelle, and Nephera, respectively. Those here in February may recognize them from Merrymeet. They look fairly normal, generally appearing as humans (or an elf, in Nephera's case), but in reality they are the members of the Court of Betrayal. Whenever they speak about their "Manager," they are referring to Eligos. However, this is not immediately obvious, especially to those not familiar with these particular demons. If you know, you know! [ I will be keeping my demon thread load super light, so please feel free to handwave interactions with them as you see fit! If you want a demon thread, please reach out to me for plotting. -Rose ]

CODE BY MARWOOD

Comments

Ghosts of River la Croix

[somebodychildofanyone]

This is a placeholder for River's two ghosts, only one of whom will have their own icon b/c that's who I am as a person.

Brianna la Croix, Master Necromancer

[somebodychildofanyone]

Odds are good you've heard River talk about her adoptive sister; here she is, doing her best to take this chance to relax. This whole situation stinks of something untoward, and Brianna isn't sure what; still, it wouldn't do to be rude and push those suspicions on River's friends. Not immediately, anyway.

If you meet Brianna outdoors in any capacity, she is smoking a pipe; indoors, she favors the game room (where you probably find her puzzling over a rule sheet with an unguarded expression of interest) or a private meeting room, monopolizing the one with the fireplace via the Power of Calling Dibs if she must.

For those of a magical persuasion, though, this gentle lass with her warm eyes and soothing voice reeks of death. One can taste it from as far out as the front door.

Come meet the family.

[cacophonish]

Jeff's lingering outside, not intending to meet with this woman, but approaching her nonetheless. It's the stench of death that draws him near. Like, stench on a magical, metaphysical level, and no matter the changes he's gone through, Jeff always has been, and always will be, drawn to magic.

"Heeeey..." He smiles, and with a little twist of magic, the smoke from her pipe morphs into what seems to be a face, laughing before it dissipates. "Who's your person?"

[somebodychildofanyone]

The lass's eyebrows raise at the magic trick; she sets down her cup of coffee, gestures for the beach near the one she is absolutely monopolizing. There's a cane propped up against her shoulder, and from the way she keeps rubbing at one leg, maybe it ain't just for show, though it certainly is also for show, what with its fancy silver skull topper.

Her voice is a little husky, and a little hoarse; a lifetime smoker. "I'm here for my little sister, River la Croix. I think, anyway." She gives a thoughtful frown, pushes her top hat back on her hair. "Last I knew I was trying to resurrect her."

[cacophonish]

Jeff accepts the offered patch of sand, sitting down beside the woman.

"Maybe you succeeded." He makes a grand, sweeping gesture at the island around them. "Voila! The dead lives!"

Then, a little more seriously, he admits, "I don't know her. But I've seen her around. She's, like, a friend of a friend." That friend being Smiling Jack.

[somebodychildofanyone]

"It's good to hear she's making friends. River was having some trouble with that, back home...though in her defense we were really busy." A puff on her pipe; she blows a ring of smoke, which goes odd at the edges, like a wreath of bones. "Spending months putting down a shitload of zombies doesn't really leave a girl a lot of time to put herself out there. Now, mister, you wanna tell me why the mind shielding on my hat has been twigging ever since you got close to me?"

[cacophonish]

"I guess it's hard to meet people when they're all dead," he concedes, though there's a somewhat distracted note to his voice as he watches the smoke shift form. And then he pulls his gaze away, shifts his attention back to Brianna, confused and a bit curious.

"Aren't those kinds of hats supposed to be covered in tin foil?"

[littlefairytale]

There is a young woman with one eye and the shoulders of someone who works with her upper body 90% of the time coming in to meet Brianna in the private meeting room. She is, as Ruby Rose always is, being extremely awkward about it.

"Uhh— hi?"

[somebodychildofanyone]

Brianna has been waiting with a storybook. She looks up immediately when her visitor comes in, setting the book aside (she does not mark her place, nor does she need to) while offering up a warm smile. It is a welcoming smile, from someone born to be a teacher.

"Hi yourself," she greets back, in a voice roughened by a lifetime of smoking. She tips her top hat to Ruby, a handy cover for analyzing what she's sensing. This girl...didn't die. It's an interesting feeling, and one Bri's mostly heard about in oral tradition rather than experienced herself. "If River's been here long enough that you're her love child I'ma kick her ass."

[littlefairytale]

Honestly the roughness reminds her a bit of Qrow's kinda messed up voice, which isn't a bad thing in her eyes.

She laughs and rubs the back of her head, "Oh, no, I've only been here about six months and my mom is very, uh, missing back home. I'm just one of her apprentices at the forge. Ruby Rose."

[somebodychildofanyone]

"Brianna la Croix," she answers back with a laugh of her own, warm and smooth. "River's adopted sister. Glad to hear she's teaching, it's a bit of a family tradition. You doin' the full package, smithing and diabolism, or just the smithing?"

[littlefairytale]

"Just the smithing! I don't think my other powers go well with the other stuff, heh," she's mostly thinking of the eyes of 'obliterate anything the God of Light considers opposite to him', here, "but I've been working with metal and weapons for a long time just with different tools."

Outdoors

[theydrewfirstblood]

John sees the woman smoking a pipe, and he can hazard a guess--even without a clue. Knowing he's got a date to talk to someone who knows River...

He makes sure to make noise as he approaches, out of courtesy. He's not a fan of smoke from tobacco, but he can't help giving the air a sniff. This stuff isn't so bad--least it's not making him cough.

"Hi...any chance your name's Brianna?"

[somebodychildofanyone]

She tips her top hat with a warm smile, takes the pipe from her mouth. "Brianna la Croix. 'Dread Master' Brianna la Croix on the tax forms, at your service."

[theydrewfirstblood]

John can't help but smile at that, drawing closer to offer her his hand.

"John Rambo--I'm a friend of River's. Well...we kinda adopted each other, more accurately. She's very important to me, and she's talked about you, so I'm really pleased to meet you."

[somebodychildofanyone]

Brianna's handshake is firm but she's not the physical powerhouse her younger sister is; frankly with the way she's favoring that leg, her cane ain't exactly for show either. Still, she's smiling. "Glad to see she's keeping the family tradition. We can be a bit aggressive about that." She lets go of John's hand and breathes in the fresh sea breeze before taking a puff on her pipe. "What can I do for you, John?"

[graveling]

Angel enters the private meeting room, and then stops. Oh, she feels like So Fucking Much and it is.

scared

Wouldn't you be? Wouldn't anyone be, faced with someone who feels like The Power What Made You?

Don't tell Angel that it feels like that to certain religious sorts.

[somebodychildofanyone]

Oh. Oh that's a fascinating sensation. Brianna's head tilts; no greeting from her, not at first, but her eyes are steady, gentle even.

She has no shadow.

Her voice is rough from a lifetime of smoking and injuries that even healers couldn't fully erase, but her words are gentle: "I extend my hospitality to you, Thirdborn child. Be welcome and at ease."

[graveling]

"Ma'am, I'm not sure I've ever truly been at ease." Which is a fact that has nothing to do with her. But he does make a slow, careful approach, lips curling so briefly in an approximation of a smile.

[somebodychildofanyone]

"Ain't that just the way though," Brianna agrees with a soft sigh. She doesn't get up from her seat; in fact she's kinda rubbing one leg, a deep one-handed massage that bespeaks habitual pain. "But where are the rest of my manners - Brianna la Croix, master necromancer, apprentice sister, at your service."

The joke comes with a cheeky smile.

Outside

[lordoftheozarks]

The scent of the pipe smoke prompts a small, private, smile. He used to despise it, but thanks to River, it's now a comforting aroma.

"It's a pleasure to meet you in the flesh," Erik says, offering out his hand to her. "My name is Lord Erik Osborne. I've heard a great deal about you already from River."

[somebodychildofanyone]

She returns the handshake with an easy smile. "Lord, eh? There's gotta be a story here - begging your pardon but you're not exactly concealing your living death. Do tell."

[lordoftheozarks]

"I am a vampire Lord, but not of your world. It works very differently, however, a full explanation would be lengthy," and potentially not the best use of the time is implied.

"I have already been fully vetted by your sister, I can assure you. I do not think she would call herself my girlfriend if I didn't meet her family's exacting standards."

[somebodychildofanyone]

Brianna chokes on her pipe smoke immediately; she thumps her chest, coughing and hacking, tears in the corners of her eyes.

It'll be a moment, milord. This may be your opportunity to add specific details.

The Hatchet Man, Dungeoneer

[somebodychildofanyone]

He's an unusual one. By his own admission, he doesn't know River particularly well, and yet, here he is. He's a lean thing, all wiry muscle and scars, with shaggy brown hair and a tendency to make extremely intense eye contact.

He probably shouldn't have the hatchets on his belt. Where they even came from is up in the air.

The Hatchet Man takes his meetings in the cafe and in the cafe only. There will be food, and he will be eating it. Food is a scarce resource in his life right now and also for most of his life to date, and little treats or bits that'll keep are forever being slipped into his pockets from his plate.

He will not speak first. That's your job.