week 1 - day 0

[productions]

murder manor week one



sunday

[As promised, on Sunday morning at 9 AM, the grandfather clock in the foyer begins to chime. The doors to the drawing room are left open, although the doors to the smoking room adjacent are locked. Set out in the drawing room is a fine selection of coffee, tea, fruit, and pastries. There are also enough chairs, lounges, and sofas for everyone to have a seat.

Once everyone has filed in, the doors to the drawing room will close and lock]

This is an NPC post as well as an open mingle. Players may reply to the NPC, or may discuss the game amongst themselves. Players will be locked in the room until 10 AM. Please see the plot and in character rule pages below. Anyone wishing to submit a murder for the week must do so by Monday at 9 PM EST.

Plots
Rules

Comments

[tsarcasm]

[ Anya reacts sharply to the information, practically shouting as she backs away from the display stand. ]

Oh, no, no, no. Not again! I can't — won't deal with this a second time! Who do they think they are?

[balzams]

[Standing a little away away Latvia was startled by the sudden yelling]

A-A second time?

[tsarcasm]

A second time! I don't know if whoever is running this has a twisted sense of humor, or if they just — oh, Anastasia Romanov, back for round two of missing memories, that'll be hilarious! I've had more than enough of that, thanks very much! Ugh.

[balzams]

Th-That does seem a bit...

I'm sorry you've had to go through it again.

Um... I-if you don't mind me asking, how did you recover your memories last time?

[There's got to be a better way than murdering someone]

[tsarcasm]

Last time? It was — [ Abruptly, she cuts off, and there's a long pause. ]

I... I don't remember. [ All the anger has gone out of her; she seems almost deflated. ] It's like it's right there on the tip of my tongue, but somehow, I can't...

[balzams]

[Maybe it's the memory less they'd been told about. Latvia had barely noticed it himself but now he realised there were names and faces that only just escaped him]

Th-that's kind of common though... Like with names and words.

Maybe it'll come back to you in a minute.

[Hopefully...]

[tsarcasm]

It's not going to. This isn't a name or a word, it's something way more important, and now it's gone. Disappeared. Not coming back. This is exactly what that sign was talking about!

[balzams]

O-Oh... I'm sorry.

[Latvia doesn't really know how to respond to that, or anything here for that matter]

S-so it was an important memory then?

[Better find out who might potentially be a murderer]

[tsarcasm]

It was a really important memory. Something that's key to everything that's happened to me.

[balzams]

[That really does sound important. In a way he feels a little jealous. He can't even remember the kind of memory he's supposed to be missing.

Guess they did a damn good job of wiping his brain]

I don't think it's something to murder for... If you can get out of here I'm sure you must be able to find some kind of clue.

[aozaki]

[As she backs away, Anastasia's steadied with a hand on her shoulder.]

Easy now, miss.

[The older red-headed woman's tone is as even as her touch, if nothing else.]

[tsarcasm]

[ She jerks away, indignant. ]

Don't tell me to calm down! You have no idea what this is like for me!

[aozaki]

[she slumps her shoulders, but doesn't give pursuit.]

I don't. Did you wanted more time and space to vent?

[tsarcasm]

[ The reaction isn't what Anastasia is expecting, and it seems to trigger something similar in her. She falls quiet, suddenly deflated, and takes a few short steps to lean heavily against the wall, closing her eyes.

No, I didn't mean to snap at you, I just — I just — This has to be a hallucination, or a bad dream...

[aozaki]

...It's fine, take your time. I can fetch you a chair, miss. How about a glass of water, too?

[Touko watches the girl quietly though her glasses, tone even but offer sincere. She can't sugarcoat the reality or give false promises, but she can provide what's realistic support to give.]

[tsarcasm]

No, you don't have to... [ It's a protest, but a weak one. ]

[aozaki]

[Starts by pulling up a nearby chair...]

Try to take deep breaths, there's no rush.

[There's a pitcher on the nearby table too, next to the few bottles of alcohol. Touko'll reach for that, while keeping an eye on Anastasia.]

[tsarcasm]

[ She'll take the offered chair gratefully, obeying Touko's advice of breathing deeply as she rubs her forehead. ]

Thank you... I didn't mean to cause so much trouble...

[aozaki]

[Handing the younger redhead the glass, she then crosses her arms and slumps her shoulders.]

You're welcome, but no need to apologize. This entire situation is ridiculous, after all. [Heaving a small sigh at that...]

I'm Touko. What's your name?

[sure, there are the info cards, but the usual way to meet someone new is nice too, and they could probably all use a little bit of normalcy right now.

[tsarcasm]

[ Sipping from it, a little shakily but improving. ]

Thanks.

I'm Anastasia. But you can call me Anya.

[aozaki]

Don't mention it, and that's a pretty name, Anya. [The historical duchess... but she won't comment. Enough weird stuff in this manor already, it's nothing to bat her eyelash at another oddity.

...

but this is a difficult time to keep it easy, isn't it.]

Does it feel terribly personal, whatever they've taken?

[tsarcasm]

It... It does. It's important, I know it is, but then I can't remember. And it's incredibly frustrating. More than frustrating.

[aozaki]

[A quiet exhale.]

...Mm. How about trying to think this way: past experiences are what shaped us up to be what we are today. But even if it may be a crucial piece, removing a memory doesn't deconstruct us as individuals. Any changes and realization brought on by it already happened, whether or not we can recount the exact sequence of events. Do you think that's agreeable, Anya?

[tsarcasm]

[ She exhales as well, pausing in thought for a long while before answering. ]

I... I guess you're right. When I'd lost my memories before... it's like you said. I was the same person, I was me — I just didn't remember. And, well... remembering changed some things — I remembered my real name, and my family, and a life that was a lot different from the one I was living... but it didn't change who I was, not as a person, deep down inside. So I guess this won't either.

It's just... not something I thought I'd have to go through again.

[aozaki]

Right, it's the sum that makes us. You can always create new memories too, that's what living is about. Granted, it's much harder to do that in such a unpleasant setting, and it's unreasonable to ask anyone to not feel afraid or nervous. But life goes on, and personally, I don't want to let this game control us any more than it already has.

[she tilts her head at that though, sobering up a little.]

Although, "again"... Do you remember how you got over it, last time? [not the memory itself, but how the loss was coped and overcame. it's a different angle, but worth trying, maybe!]