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Sam Whittaker FP: 5, Boost: Quick To Deny, Moderate Consequence: Awkward Tension I art thou and thou art I and I do not have the time to think about the web of connections I'm weaving myself into right now so I won't. Instead I'll focus on how I actually failed to shoo Sabrina off in the slightest and Christie is just talking about bugs for no good reason. This shouldn't be this hard, but I guess we're all a bunch of incompetents today. Which is fine for Christie, but me? A vague awkward feeling isn't enough to justify that sorry performance. But that's done with. I'm going to go out there and get this set straight now, before it gets any weirder. "Okay. That's enough of that, Chris." I gently nudge Christie out of the way and try to put on my best serious-but-not-mad face. "So. Here's how it is. It's not that I, which is to say we because I'm speaking for everyone here, don't want you to come. It's just that I, which is still we, planned on this being a six person thing and adding a seventh to said plans is potentially the most awkward thing in the world. Alright? Alright." And that was... Oh, good. Laurel's taking over. That's a weight off my chest.
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Sep 30, 2016 05:13
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Biology Lab "Oh...Well if it's that important that there's only six people, I guess it's a ritual sort of thing, huh? I get it. Same reason why I never have any more than five or six players at a table. A-anyway, if you're sure about this, I guess I should head off. The next train's gonna take off any minute now." She scoops up her belongings and stumble-runs her way out. Looking at the clock, she's got about six minutes to make it to the train from here if she doesn't want to wait an hour on the next one. Either way, this leaves you all free to congregate now that class is over and the interloper is removed from the equation. [After School -> Evening] The sun sets on the horizon. Soon it'll be night. But you don't have to worry about that at the moment as, for at least another half-hour, the school power's still on! The street lights have yet to activate, but they likely will soon. Roughly six hours remain until you either take the last ride back to the other side, or stay here overnight.
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Sep 30, 2016 19:14
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 FP4/4"So that's what it is--" I mutter as I look at the bubble algae, before a ringing voice in the back of my head intensifies my headache. Thou art I, and I am thou...wait, is Dr. Cleaver a Persona user too?! Crud, Igor mentioned that anybody with a card...does Dr. Cleaver have a card? I don't know, but I don't think now is the best time to ask, so I sign the sheet, wave Dr. Cleaver goodbye, and head outside. Looks like Sam convinced Sabrina not to come with, so that's fine. It gives me a chance to look up the Velvet Club's Honey Bee address. ------- Once we're well out of the building, I turn to the other four and smile nervously. "Sorry for holding you all over again..." I say apologetically as I confirm some directions on my phone. "I mean, we don't have to do this if you don't want to, but...something tells me it's important. Uh, does anybody here have Jester Girl's number?"
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Sep 30, 2016 23:38
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 The group doesn't have to ponder whether or not the jester-girl even has a cellphone for long because after killing time at the Lucky 7 and bumbling her way into a part-time job Viola makes her way back to the school to meet up with everybody. And thus she comes skipping down the road towards the five of them waving as she does. "Hello again! I do apologize if you had to wait long. I was making friends and spending Dollars." she grins proudly.
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Oct 1, 2016 18:10
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 FP: 4/4 "I don't even know if she has a pho-- oh. Hey." At least Viola found us herself; that's one less thing to worry about. On the other hand... "Where were you spending money? There are a lot of chintzy places downtown, but... what did you buy?" Not that it matters -- well, no, maybe it matters? I kind of feel like Viola is our responsibility, now, as much as she is our colleague. She's totally out to sea, and if she wastes all her money buying snowcones or something, that's a problem. "Also, uh, what are we doing tonight? Going to the thing Stefan talked about, but after that, when do you guys need to catch your train back to Norton?"
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Oct 1, 2016 18:47
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"I found this amazing place where you put tokens in machines to make them spin. It's great, the guy working in the little glass box there even said they'd pay me to spend time there!"
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Oct 1, 2016 19:03
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FP4/4 Ah, there's the Jester Shadow Girl right now. Speak of the...heh. Wait... "There's a casino here? How did they let you in?" He shakes his head in confusion. Human or not, she definitely doesn't look 21. She barely looks sixteen, honestly, and she certainly doesn't SOUND sixteen. A sixteen year old doesn't go right up to someone and scream about marks of death like it's Invasion of the Body Snatchers. "Well...nevermind. Viola, does this address sound familiar to you?" I whisper the address of the Honey Bee Velvet Club her way.
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Oct 1, 2016 20:15
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"Oh, yeah! That's the club that's never open even though the lights are on during the Dark Hour." Viola nods. "Have you seen it too? I thought you were from Norton."
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Oct 1, 2016 20:25
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Christie Fairchild FP: 5/4 I glance down at my watch at Laurel's words, still somewhat shaken up from what happened in the lab. "If I remember right, the final train leaves from here at 11:30, so we have about six hours. Still, I'd like to get home before it gets too late- Hold on a second, you're taking us to a club? What for?" From what Viola had said, it didn't exactly sound as if it was a lively place. Not that I thought Stefan was taking us there just to have fun; his demeanor was way too nervous and worried for that. So rather than mistrust or hesitation, I was more confused than anything else.
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Oct 2, 2016 01:24
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James Morganson FP 4/4 I frown in confusion. A club? Honey Bee is a bit to small for that sort of thing. One or two pubs for the adults, sure, but actual clubs were a city only thing. Then again, Viola seems like the expert in all things Dark Hour related so if she says it's weird, it's probably not normal. Well, when Viola is the only expert how normal could it be in the first place. "If you've got to be home sooner rather then later, we should get a move on now."
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Oct 2, 2016 13:43
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FP4/4 Alright, Jester Shadow Girl knows about the place. Somehow I'm not surprised. "Uh, well, I don't think it'll take too long," I say to calm Christie's and James' fears. Time worked out funny in Igor's bedroom thing after all. "The place is a little bit off the main roads, but I think we can get there and have plenty of time for the trains and stuff."
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Oct 3, 2016 03:18
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Sam Whittaker FP: 5, Boost: Quick To Deny, Moderate Consequence: Awkward Tension Well, that was a mess. Enough of a mess that I haven't said anything since that conversation finished. Not that that matters now, anyway. That chat is resolved and I can focus on... whatever it is we're doing now. "I'm not that worried about missing the train. What's the worst that could happen, we disappoint our parents more?"
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Oct 3, 2016 05:29
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Travelers Having gathered back together, it seems your destination is known to Stefan and Viola. It only takes a few minutes to walk from point A to point B. What you find is, indeed, what appears to be a club, with a single blue door barring entry. Above it is a simple marquee stating that it is "The Velvet Room". On the window is a sign stating that it is a members-only lounge, with its hours being "0:00-0:01". The windows use tinted and ultimately reflective glass, keeping you from seeing in. The lights don't seem to be on, either. However, upon Stefan approaching, the key resonates in a visible hue. Shortly after taking it out and putting it in, the lights turn on. The marquee begins to scroll, stating "Welcome to the Velvet Room. The outside is definitely giving off a blue light from the lamps they've got going on, and there's these little blue butterflies gathering around them. Obviously, you probably don't want to spend all day standing outside, though, so you step inside... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAgWajJrBuk True to Stefan's claims, this place appears to be a club. A bar with built-in barstools, an electronic piano with matching (blindfolded) pianist, a lounge singer, a lounge area with tables and couches, a set of spiral stairs towards the back, and, just before the bar, a large-nosed individual at what is definitely an owner's table and seat.  "Welcome to the Velvet Room. I see you've brought guests. Rest assured that they will be able to enter without the use of your key in the future. They need only use their cards. But I'm getting ahead of myself: I'm sure you all have a great many questions to ask that need answering. If there's anything you wish to know, feel free to ask whatever's on your mind to me or my assistant." Manning the bar, is a short young man, definitely somewhere between 10 and 13 in a schoolboy uniform in a most curious set of blue and yellow, is flipping through a book and shuffling cards around on the bar. When he's mentioned, he spins the cards about a bit and puts on a smirk.  "'Sup. So, you're the new Wild Card, huh? You can call me Christopher. I'm the one who manages the book. Shoot me anything you wanna know about Personas. If it's not about a Persona, though, ask the old guy upstairs and his lady friend. Anyway, what can I do ya for?" Unknown Quantity fucked around with this message at 06:20 on Oct 3, 2016 |
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Oct 3, 2016 06:11
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FP4/4 Despite having only learned about the place a few hours ago, stepping off the streets and into the Velvet Room feels almost like coming home, static and headaches going away and everything. "Hi Igor!" I say, with freakish familiarity. "That's Igor, he's good people. So, uh...yeah. This is kinda sorta where I ended up during lunch. I didn't see Christopher there, though." I give a nervous giggle--what is it about this place that makes me open up?!--and shrug. "I kinda talked Igor's ear off earlier, so, uh..." My eyes turn towards Jester Shadow Girl unconsciously. "Why don't you all break the ice?" Davin Valkri fucked around with this message at 06:55 on Oct 3, 2016 |
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Oct 3, 2016 06:46
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Viola marvels at the room as they all file inside, aimlessly wandering a couple steps as she gawks at the place until her eyes land on Igor. It's not all that strange to her, but it's new and fascinating none the less. "Oh! I have a question." she pipes up when prompted. "Why is your nose so large?" she asks, leaning forward a little as if this was the most important thing in the world.
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Oct 3, 2016 16:18
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Sam Whittaker FP: 5, Boost: Quick To Deny, Moderate Consequence: Awkward Tension So this is it. The Velvet Room. The one place that knows what's up with Stefan being marked by death. Also the one place that uses the nightlight I had when I was six as ambiance, but that's not important. What is important is that there's a strange old man that Stefan's being buddy buddy with that just offered to explain what's going on, and I'm going to get every drop of knowledge out of him I can. I can't help but smile as I step forward. "I" Atropha posted:. "Oh! I have a question." she pipes up when prompted. "Why is your nose so large?" she asks, leaning forward a little as if this was the most important thing in the world. "Am going to get a drink. Don't wait up." I pivot in place and start walking to the bar. The bar with an illegally-employed bartender. I hope this isn't a sting. Not enough to not lean on the bar and wave this literal child over, but still. "Hey, kid. What is it you do here? The stuff with shadow magic and dark hours, I mean. Not the incredibly shady nightclub shtick you got going here."
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Oct 3, 2016 21:51
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James Morganson I would be worried, if this whole thing weren’t so ridiculous. Blind Piano players, little kid’s tending bar. It’s so… opposite? Or reversed from how things should be? I almost burst out laughing at the whole thing when Viola pulls out another classic Violaism. “Er, Viola. Remember when we talked about tact? Perhaps insulting our host isn’t the most polite thing in the world.” Someone is going to have to put that girl on a leash. I raise my hand partially, trying to distract this Igor’s wrath from the tactless girl. “I have a question. A few questions, actually. This whole dark hour business. What exactly is the point? I mean, why does it exist? How does it exist? What changed that allowed us to start being aware of it? And why us?!”
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Oct 3, 2016 23:33
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Christie Fairchild FP: 5/4 ...If I was being entirely honest with myself, I did find this "Igor's" nose to be curiously large. But there were definitely more important questions to be asked right now, and James had taken most of them right out of my mouth. I almost felt bad for Igor for the sudden barrage of inquiries shot at him, although he seemed like the always composed type. "Hold on, James, give the man a moment to answer. Um, you do have answers, right? This whole Persona business has me a little confused, truthfully, and I find it pretty strange that we all happened to meet each other like this." My eyes take in the surroundings and my ears the music. It wasn't really my kind of place, but it did have an odd charm to it. There was just...something about this "Velvet Room" that I liked. A certain je ne sais quoi, as the French might say. "For my own question...what exactly is this Velvet Room for? Are you here just to answer our questions, or...?" I end with a vague motion, unsure as to what function this Velvet Room could have. Other than atmosphere and drinks, that is. Speaking of, I was keeping a close eye on Sam. I really hope she wasn't planning on actually drinking. Did they even serve actual drinks here? Possibly? The bartender was just a boy though. Admittedly, a boy bartender was far from the weirdest thing I had seen today, but still. It wasn't exactly my place to stop her either, but I couldn't help but worry nonetheless.
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Oct 4, 2016 02:44
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"I didn't insult nobody." Viola mumbles defiantly. "I just wanted to know how he got his nose to be this amazingly long..."
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Oct 4, 2016 04:45
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FP: 4/4 Oh, lord, where to even start? "I'm with Christie," I say. "What's this place for? Is it just information, maybe neutral ground to meet others like us? Because there have to be more like us, if we found this many of us at school. Right?" I'm not entirely sure about that -- I still think we were drawn together, and that this isn't a coincidence, but a whole club makes me think there have to be more people. "And what's this Wild Card stuff, anyway?"
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Oct 4, 2016 05:47
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The Velvet Room, Igor's Desk Igor simply mouths "no" in response to Viola's query while maintaining his...smile? before moving onward. "To answer your queries in the order they were received...The Dark Hour is a manifestation of intense latent desires meeting a strong supernatural influence. It is safe to say powerful forces are at work to provoke such a mood. You, as well as everyone else who accompanied you, had an innate sensitivity towards the supernatural, and, upon reaching an emotional peak, achieved a sort of enlightenment when your Persona formed. It's formation has made you acutely aware of this phenomenon. As for a 'why,' I cannot say, as there are several possibilities." The Velvet Room, The Bar Christopher grins and picks up a bottle of what looks to be tomato juice from the shelf. "My appearance, as well as the appearance of the Velvet Room itself, is different from client to client. His personality and subconscious has influenced the form this place has taken. As for what I do..." He pours the aforementioned juice into a glass and pushes it on over towards Sam's side before scooping his book up again. "I am one who governs power. This book here is the Persona Compendium, a record of all the various forms and psyches that a Persona can take the shape of. As-is, however, it's records are blank. We aim to help with that, though." The Velvet Room, Igor's Desk Glancing over at Christie and Laurel, he gives a reassuring nod. "I can imagine that this place's presence alone must be quite confusing. The Velvet Room is a place between dream and reality: mind and matter. Those who enter here have certainly been chosen by fate to undergo a journey to find themselves, and achieve self-actualization. The Velvet Room's purposes are quite simple: firstly, this is a safe haven. By its very nature, you may come here, either here specifically or in our Norton locale, any time you find yourselves in need of a moment to think and catch your breath. Speaking of thought, the second purpose is to help in the creation of new aspects of a personality, new Personas, by combining existing representations. Before you ask, however...Your current ones are here to stay. You will need to go out and find new ones to use for this purpose. By overcoming adversity and having new experiences, you will, in time, come across them. Lastly...While there are certainly other Persona-users within these two cities, their identities are unknown to me. I will, however, note that those whom you have formed bonds, Social Links, with, are not awakened to this power and likely will not ever. Fostering your relations with others will assist you in several ways, not the least of which enhancing the power of our services using Personas of the corresponding Arcana. As for the Wild Card..." The Velvet Room, The Bar "I'll field this one, pops. The Wild Card's kind of a special designation. It means they're someone who's got theoretically unlimited potential. Basically? Most people can only ever awaken to one Persona, and will stick with it forever, although it can change forms over time. A Wild Card, on the other hand, can awaken to Personas of every Arcana, wield anything, and to ensure the process is as simple as possible, we're here to help. From the way the Wild Card is manifesting itself, it looks like you all might be able to, to an extent, have a 'secondary' Persona attached, assuming you can get one. Wild Card over there's got both primary and secondary free to swap around, but it'll probably take a lot more work messing with the former than the latter. Now, I know what you're all thinking: but the voice of the sea of souls told us that he was Marked By Death. What's that mean? Well, here's the short answer: Death hates Wild Cards. Their infinite potential and ability to overthrow fate fly in the face of their role of being the ultimate end to everything. A manifestation of Death itself is probably somewhere in his hometown, wandering around during the Dark Hour. Good news is, if you're not with the Wild Card and don't get in its way, The Reaper isn't gonna bother with you. Bad news, if it spots him, you're gonna be running for quite a while. So uh, I'd say be careful where you go searching. If you intend to go out exploring during the Dark Hour at all. After all, there's Shadows and Demons out there. Oh right we didn't explain those, did we? Pops?" The Velvet Room, Igor's Desk Igor clears his throat. "Yes...Shadows are the manifestations of thoughts hidden and locked away, given a monstrous form. A Persona is one and the same as a Shadow, albeit tamed and more refined. A demon, on the other hand, is a supernatural being created by magic, usually quite old. However, demons are not my specialty. I would recommend speaking to Doctor Victor upstairs if you wish to ask about those. A Persona should be quite capable of dispatching either, however, as can sufficiently potent weaponry. Now, is there anything else you wish to know? If not, I welcome you to make use of this place at your leisure. Time is no factor here: the speed of thought is quite quick, and what is minutes in here is merely moments out there."
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Oct 4, 2016 06:48
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FP: 4/4 I take a moment to think it over. Those voices I heard after talking to Dr. Cleaver and Flynn... those were the Arcana, weren't they? Establishing some kind of connection? And we can take that on... that's kind of eerie. On the other hand, I'm glad nothing's going to happen to the Hitchhiker. Whatever else I'm doing, I've got to help her get home, right? "Okay, so," I say. "Tell me if I'm wrong here. The Persona we have now, that's bound to us, but we can get another one? Is that gonna change what we're like as, like, people? And what about..." I glance at Stefan. "... well, I guess that's his business. But how two-way is this whole Persona changing thing for the rest of us?"
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Oct 5, 2016 05:11
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Velvet Room Bar Christopher chimes in again. "Okay, let me try another pass at explaining that to all of you. Personas and demons often take the shape of stuff from popular mythology because that's how humans explained the world around them and told stories: through larger than life characters. Each of you has a Persona that's unique to you because their story resonates with you in a way that almost no other story ever could. The exception is evolution but that's way beyond the scope of the question. Anyway, other Personas you come across/put together? Odds are there's just one or two little bits about their lore that you identify with. It's not a perfect fit, so it's not going to be as big a part of you as your main. Enough that you can just sort of freely trade them amongst yourselves. They're not bound to you in the slightest. Like accessories, really."
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Oct 5, 2016 13:03
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Christie Fairchild FP: 5/4 Emotional peak, huh? That was one way of putting it. Wasn't so sure about the enlightenment part, but maybe Igor knew something I didn't. Sure gave off the impression that he did, anyways. But, did that did mean everyone else went through something similar to what I went through? Something worse, even? It was unpleasant to think about, so I stopped; if it came up, I'd worry about it then, but there were other issues to consider now. Like the fact that apparently Stefan was being stalked by the literal Reaper! And that said Reaper was just hanging out in Norton! Also demons were apparently a real thing too! Hearing all of this back to back was stressful, to put it lightly, and I wasn't even the one Marked. Laurel seemed intent on leaving the Reaper matter to the man himself, but I couldn't help but ask, "This "Reaper," is there something we can do to make him stop hunting Stefan? I'm not expecting a game of chess to work or anything, but...something? And these Shadows and demons, are they a threat outside the Dark Hour? ...Do we need to be worried about them attacking people we know?" My throat tightens as the last of my words comes out. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind until I started talking, but there it was, ready to give me a panic attack. Please say no, I thought, please say no.
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Oct 5, 2016 13:06
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Sam Whittaker FP: 5, Boost: Quick To Deny, Moderate Consequence: Awkward Tension "Well, his subconscious needs to stop giving bartending jobs to freshmen." I grab the juice and just listen to the rest of the explanations. It's all stuff that I wish someone explained to me three months ago, to be honest. I'd be almost tempted to make a website or something about all this if I didn't know that was the worst idea in the world already. Unless... "Hey, I got a question. Is there a way to... prove any of this? I'm not saying I don't trust you. It's just that this stuff isn't exactly easy to explain to the layman, y'know?"
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Oct 5, 2016 19:26
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Velvet Room "Stopping The Reaper?" An impressed whistle leaves Christopher's lips. "That's a tall order if I ever saw one. Considering the track record of our previous occupants, while killing the physical form of The Reaper certainly is possible, The Reaper will only stay gone of it's own accord if it kills a Wild Card. We don't get out much, though, so if there's another method, it's lost on us. Maybe try someone with a background in the occult and old-school magic. Speaking of old-school, I got nothin' on demons either. Shadows, on the other hand, definitely can't exist outside of the Dark Hour. This includes The Reaper, and considering he's got no interest in causing collateral, he's not going to murder you in your sleep or something. Unless of course your bed is within line of sight to them anyway." Meanwhile, Igor looks over at Sam and seems deep in thought for a moment. "Hmm...While it is certainly possible to summon a Persona outside of the Dark Hour, the amount of effort to achieve even the slightest effect might be too much for you. With years of training or specialized summoning equipment, you might be able to, though I do not own such equipment. Those not awakened to a Persona and brought in as a guest of our current occupant can neither see nor enter this place, either. However... There have been cases where those without a Persona, either through an especially potent spiritual awareness or special training, can become aware of the Dark Hour and can act during it. Without a Persona or magical aid, however, they don't stand good odds to repel the creatures which wander around during this time. Not to mention their electronic devices would cease functioning. Still, they'd be the most likely to believe you, considering they've seen at least some of this first-hand."
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Oct 5, 2016 20:47
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FP4/4 I've decided to sit with Sam at the Bar and have a drink as Igor and Christopher both take questions from my...friends? party? acquaintances? total strangers?...let's go with new friends for now. I nod along at the stories being told--some of them Igor already told me, some of them are kinda new. I see Laurel look at me, though, and I can't help but answer. "Hey, don't look at me, I've never been in a nightclub in my life," I say with a shake of my head. If this place were based on my subconscious, I'd have guessed a doctor's office, not a club--god knows I've spent enough time in those. As Christie's next question--and Christopher's response--reminds me. "So if Igor's hope doesn't pan out, guess he'll screw off in a few years anyways," I mumble into the bottom of the glass. Not loud enough for anybody to hear, I hope. Time for an awkward subject change, as always! "So, uh, before we go up to meet him, how did you guys come to meet Dr. Frankenstein? Or how did he come to meet you, however it happened."
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Oct 5, 2016 21:14
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James Morganson FP 4/4 Maybe the full weight of all… this still hasn’t settled in because I’m still in a pretty good mood. Though if the story of some ancient Scottish rebel from nearly nearly a millennium ago resonates with me like no other ever could, what does that say about me? Even I feel the mood of the room souring when Christie brings up The Reaper; a selfish little bit of me worries about the risk I’m putting myself in going there most days of the week but I squash it down. If Igor can be trusted The Reaper is only a threat to Stefan. But even if that is the case, it’s not something that can be ignored. No one deserves that sort of threat hanging over their heads. “If “old-school” magic is what it’s going to take, then old-school magic is what we’ll get! You can count on it Stefan” I turn to him and say, hoping I don’t sound to over-eager. And then Igor says something. It’s pretty innocuous on it’s face but despite that, it niggles at me uncomfortably. I can;t quite put my finger on it and I find myself gravitating towards the bar like Stefan and Sam for a steadying drink… but Dad’ll kill me if he thinks I drank anything from the liquor cabinet again. “Igor, you mentioned electronic devices. So that’s stuff like phones, computers, tablets and the like right? Simple stuff shouldn't be affected. Light bulbs are just electrical currents going through a filament so street lights, lamps, erm, house lights... simple things like that should still work, right?”
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Oct 5, 2016 23:15
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The Velvet Room Igor continues to field the questions while Christopher offers to fill Stefan's glass with grape juice. "Doctor Victor is a demonologist with over a century of experience in his field. His work takes him all over the world, to wherever demons seem to congregate. His work is not unlike my own, although he deals more in the physical and myself in the metaphysical. Speaking of which..." He looks back over to James. "Doctor Victor would be a better person to ask a question of that nature, as modern technology is not in our purview."
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Oct 6, 2016 00:15
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Christie Fairchild FP: 5/4 From the sound of it, it seemed like a visit to this Dr. Victor was in order; there were a fair number of questions that Igor and Christopher didn't have the answers to. Plus, I was a little curious on what the resident demon and apparently tech expert was like. Looking around, there was a set of stairs in the back that curved upwards. I glanced around, saying, "Then, I'll be going to speak with this Dr. Victor then. Did anyone want to come with me?"
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Oct 6, 2016 18:59
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James Morganson FP 4/4 I'm pulled out of my thoughts by Christie and eagerly respond. "Sure, let's go up and meet him. Not like we can't come back later on, right?"
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Oct 6, 2016 23:42
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FP: 4/4 I nod. "Yeah, no reason not to. The more we know, right? I feel like we need to be ready. Especially if there's a Reaper out there..."
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Oct 7, 2016 03:57
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FP4/4 I wonder if this grape juice is actually spiked or not. Not like I'd be able to tell--I've never had alcohol so I wouldn't be able to imagine the taste, even subconsciously. "Does the doctor ever come downstairs here? We can all chat together. But if he's a bit of a recluse we can go up to see him too."
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Oct 7, 2016 04:03
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Sam Whittaker FP: 5, Boost: Quick To Deny, Moderate Consequence: Awkward Tension It's an answer. It's not an answer I like, but it's an answer. That's all you can ask for, when you're talking to tarot club owners and being chased by death-by-association. And now we're just talking about whether we should go upstairs and talk to Frankenstein, which is dumb because of course we should. I down the rest of my juice for unneeded confidence and very pointedly not look at the others. "Oh, who cares. Let's all just go upstairs and talk to Vic together. He knows enough that we'd regret not talking to him."
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Oct 7, 2016 04:32
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The Velvet Room -> Goumaden You head up the spiral staircase. It goes up about a full flight's length to reach another floor. The club music begins fading out into silence as you finally reach the top. What you find is... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-Xm7s9eGxU A well-populated study, lit by candelabras along the walls and a few along the tables. Countless books on several walls of bookshelves line the perimeter of this location. This is a well-used quiet space used for deep thinking. Or at least, it seems to be. Although the biggest feature of the room at the moment is a single large supercomputer-like structure in the center. Once you all step beyond the threshold of the stairs, however, despite having scanned the room before, the voice that responds to your presence is from some spot out of your collective vision. "Do you have an appointment?"  A lady of pale white skin and red eyes in classic maid garment appears from a heretofore unseen location. Her skin seems perfect...too perfect, until you see the metallic sheen that it has. Combined with the fact that it shows no sign of blinking at you or significant change in expression, the idea that this is a human quickly slips out of the realm of possibility. "I'm afraid my master is quite busy, and cannot see anyone without an appointment first. If you would kindly turn back around..." She begins stepping forward seemingly ready to urge you out. "Hold on. Mary. I believe this may be the guest I was anticipating."  From behind the large computer tower steps out a similarly pale specimen, albeit dressed like they came out of the 1800s. His gaze glides over to your group. Their skin seems human enough, albeit the red eyes definitely tell an otherworldly story of their own, especially given Igor's descriptor. He begins giving a quick once-over of everyone in the group until his eyes settle on Stefan. His steely gaze softens significantly after a few moments. "...Yes, this is the one. Mary, brew a new pot of tea. I believe this young lad and his friends have business with me." "Yes, my master." The pale lady bows and heads over to a small kitchen area to prepare the stove. In the meanwhile, he gestures for you all to gather around a large table with several well-crafted wooden chairs. He takes a seat at the end. His mood seems relaxed. "I believe we did not a chance to be get properly introduced. If my business associate Igor downstairs didn't tell you already, my name is Victor von Frankenstein, and you just met my mechanical servant, Mary. While I'll be the first to admit that this 'Persona' business is completely foreign to me, it's similar enough to my own research into COMPs and demon summoning to get the gist. Now, besides introductions, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
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Oct 7, 2016 05:05
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Christie Fairchild FP: 5/4 I can't help but stare at the woman as she first greets us. Somehow, I really didn't expect a maid of all things to be here. To be fair, she was almost definitely not human, what with the skin and red eyes and all. Thinking of it, the boy downstairs had yellowish eyes, didn't he? How strange. Then a man comes out, the Dr. Victor we were looking for. He was a lot less mad scientist than I was expecting for an expert on demons. Kinda reminded me of a ship captain or something, actually. "Um, hello, Dr. Victor. I'm Christie, and we had a few questions about demons; we asked downstairs, but they said you'd be the best person to ask? I guess first and foremost...are we talking about actual, literal demons here? Fire and brimstone and all that? It sounded like there was more to it from what Igor said, but I figured I should ask. My main question though is whether or not these demons are dangerous outside the Dark Hour." I had more to ask, but that seemed like the most important concern, at least at the moment. I'm sure once he inevitably dropped a bombshell or two on us, I'd have something else to ask, judging by how the rest of our conversations in the Velvet Room had been going.
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Oct 8, 2016 05:57
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After pouting a little about her nose-question being taken the wrong way Viola soon bounces back to curiously listening to all the questions and answers, occasionally nodding along. Not that she knows all of this, far from it, but it seems to confirm what she's already figured for herself, which is that she must be here to help her newfound friends. And more specifically, Stefan if the Reaper is out there hunting him. When everyone heads upstairs she follows them and stares in wonder and a little bit bewilderment at the giant computer. For a moment she wonders if that thing could play Flynn's game when her train of thought is interrupted by a metal-skinned maid and her eyes go even wider. Somehow amidst everything, this is the first thing that stands out to her as unusual and strange. When she goes off to make tea Viola blurts out an "I'll help!" as an excuse to follow the strange girl. "You're not a Persona, are you? Then how's your skin made of metal? Isn't that cold? How do you walk around so easily? Isn't that heavy? Can I have some lemon in my tea? Are you a com-pu-terr? Where's your keyboard? Where do you and Dr. Victor get your clothes?" she rambles off questions as she trails after the poor machine.
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Oct 8, 2016 16:46
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James Morganson Fp 4/4 Poise, decorum, eager to look after her employees interests, well kept; however, the fact that she didn’t know her employer was expecting someone shows a lack of care and attention to his schedule. And she didn’t have tea ready beforehand! At best, a C+ maid. Dad would have her tossed out of the manor in a week. Then I catch onto the fact that she doesn’t seem quite human and I decide to keep my thoughts to myself. Christie seems pretty on the ball with his question so I hesitate to interrupt and ask my own until Viola comes up with another… Violaism? Well, at least the questions aren’t incredibly insulting this time around… I think? Well in any case I doubt Viola would be in too much danger in this place so we may as well let her run free for a little bit, get rid of some of that excess energy. And if someone has a problem with that, they can be in charge of clown watch duty for the rest of the day. “Igor did mention that you were the expert when it came to the Dark Hour. Christie has a fair point about how dangerous it is to other people outside of the hour itself, but I have other questions. According to Igor, electronic devices don’t work in the Dark Hour. I know that likely accounts for phones, computers and things but what about simple devices like say… light bulbs?”
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Oct 8, 2016 18:28
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Goumaden Mary's pace does not change as the plucky Pierrot follows her. She's already prepared the hot water, based on the bubbling hot water in a small kettle on the stovetop. She begins pouring some of the water into the teacups and pot and pouring it out a few times to ensure the proper consistency in water temperature. She points Viola towards the rack of various tea leaves in the meanwhile. "Please get me two teaspoons per cup per person." As she finally finishes warming the cups and merely waits on Viola's input, she continues without any change in tone. "I am an android, an artificial life form, made of metal, circuitry, and a self-sustaining power supply given sentience. I do not feel pain or temperature the same as a human, nor do I feel physical strain, as my physical limits are predefined." She opens a small compartment and places a small bowl of lemon wedges down on the counter. "My operating system is classified, but I do run off an internal CPU that operates independently and without input. Our outfits were purchased during my master's travels. I believe his dates back to 1887..." She continues answering questions with no signs of approval or disapproval. Then again, as a machine, perhaps she simply does not have the capacity for irritation. Meanwhile, Victor ponders the questions asked. "Demons and magic are indeed quite real, although usually they gather around locations that were host to major supernatural events, such as Tokyo. Demons typically cannot be seen by or affect the average human unless they are especially powerful, the person especially sensitive to the supernatural, or the location particularly saturated in magical forces. That doesn't, however, stop them from running around the place, potentially playing pranks or causing other forms of indirect trouble. Youkai are quite famous in this regard. Again, unlike these 'Personas,' a demon can function during any hour, meaning if you could convince one to join your side, they'd be quite capable of dealing with other demons. Of course, as demons come from myth and legends from all of the world, they speak the language of their country of origin. There are ways of dealing with that, however: with a COMP, a type of miniature computer using an advanced algorithm that will persist even in this strange dimension, used to translate for, scan, summon and store demons." Halfway through this, assuming Viola actually complies, she and Mary will bring forth the teapot and the corresponding cups of tea: one for everyone, including Mary herself, although she will abstain from pouring herself a cup. "Thank you, Mary. As for questions of electricity, the Dark Hour is a new concept to me. However, alternate states of the world are not. I'll be frank: anything relying purely upon direct or alternating current to function is doomed to failure in this 'Dark Hour.' Street lamps, cell phones, any computer running a basic operating system. However..." He steeples his fingers and actually gets a bit of a wry smile. "This is where older technology has managed to pull ahead of newer advances in a few instances. Things that run off of burning fuel, or that are connected to something doing so, can function well enough. A chainsaw's petrol-powered motor would operate perfectly fine, as would a steam-powered locomotive. In fact, the only thing stopping older cars from working in this Dark Hour is the inability to create a 'spark' with the spark plug to turn over the engine. Another exception is sentient artificial intelligence or arcane code. Mary, a machine capable of perceiving the Dark Hour, is capable of retaining her functionality within it.The emulated magical subsystems within a COMP would also keep it from being simply shut down as well. Speaking of which, I might be able to locate some COMPs I have stored in this study if you'd be willing to assist me in my research."
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Oct 8, 2016 19:27
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| # ? May 11, 2024 05:29 |
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Sam Whittaker FP: 5, Boost: Quick To Deny, Moderate Consequence: Awkward Tension Okay, Vic. You've impressed me. I came up here expecting Universal Pictures and you gave me Captain Harlock with a robot maid. And he's even giving us the best explanation he can for all this. It's not exactly calming to find out that the mysterious supergenius answering all our questions doesn't actually know how the Dark Hour works, but he knows more than I do and that's enough for me. And he's giving out presents too! This just gets better and better. "So. When you say 'miniature computer', how miniature are we talking? Because the only other computer you have is, uh." I wave vaguely at the supercomputer dominating the room. "That."
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Oct 8, 2016 20:55
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