Millennium City: Nova - The House That Doesn't Exist

[DapperDogman]

Walking the city, everyone would have become acutely aware of a house. It seemed to appear every few streets as they walked, no matter where they went in the city as if it was following them. But blink and it would disappear. Those who looked closely would spot a man watching from a window, his eyes following them as if acknowledging their wariness of the house.
"Come to me"
The voice came from within as if the man was stood right behind them, but turning, they would find no-one there. The eerie feel of the home was obvious but it gave way to curiosity and intrigue. The place seemed like it had been forgotten for hundreds of years, it had become run down, the gutters falling apart, and the paint drying and cracking in some places.

Despite the look of the building, it seemed inviting, as if the home was alive. The windows gleaming with life, each pane filled with a strange sense of energy. The whole place was like a mirage, haunting the newcomers as it's mysterious guardian beckoned them inside. Sooner or later, they would enter the home, and the man within knew it.
It wasn't clear why, but everyone who paid attention would know that the man meant no harm to them. If anything, he was pleading for their help.

***

Before Corvo stood a massive figure, clad in heavy plate armor. In one hand he held a massive blade, and in the other, a head wearing a hockey mask.
"Well met. You have the look of a warrior about you" he speaks, his voice deep and gruff, aged. The warrior who stood at around 7 feet tall must have been at least in his 40s. Two eyes looked him over from beneath the shadows of the massive, horned helm that sat atop the great knight's head. A massive fur cloak, now tattered and blood-soaked adorned his back. It was clear he had seen tough conflict, and somehow persevered.

Tossing the mask to Corvo's feet, he'd simply say "Do what you will with it" he sheathes his blade and sits down on the floor, his great body finally resting. "He put up a fight. But I've killed beings who thought themselves gods. One rotten shambler is nothing new" He holds the head in his hands for a long moment, before slamming his hand down, smashing the skull into the floor, reducing it to a thin red paste.

 

[domisunique]

The Stranger walked absently after the events at the warehouse and now found himself faced with another rundown and quite shabby building, exposed to the desperate clutches of time and entropy. He looked at it in quick glances, studying it for a bit before it disapeared. He got a good look at it as his perception of time was enhanced and he decided that this strange house presented some problem or some goal, something to be learned or taken. Something that may be beneficial to his quest to return to the world from which he was taken... something to help him along the road to get back to the world he protected. DapperDogman

 

[jigglesworth]

Upon first seeing the house, the odd vibe Corvo got from it and the sudden disappearances started to lead him to believe it led to the Void. At least, that's the only reasonable explanation for the assassin. However, when he went inside, it was clear that wasn't it. He even looked back at the door to see if there would be the infinite expanse of purple and floating rock. But there was none. Just a man, a notably large one, in heavy armor, holding a sword and.. a head?! Corvo gaze constantly flickered between the man's face and the decapitated head he held. The large man was quite bloody, so this must be a fresh kill. Apparently the warrior has slain those with delusions of grandeur, and whoever once had this head was not one of them.
The Royal Protector picked up the mask from the ground, and inspected it. Not at all like his old mask, this one doesn't seem to have any benefits, other than hiding his face and looking menacing. Looking menacing was always one of Corvo's fortes. Though, this was just on a decapitated man's face, so he'd much rather give it a wash before he uses it. Still, it doesn't quite match his current clothing. Maybe a paint job will do it some good, make it darker. That doesn't matter right now, though, his focus should be on the man.
"Uh, thanks," he began, albeit confused on whether he really wanted to thank the man or not, "but if you don't mind me asking, who are you? Why are you drawing me here? I doubt it was to give me the mask." The only reason he could think of is an odd job, something likely magical. Corvo hasn't seen a lot of Millennium City, but he's seen enough to know you need to have an open mind to find answers.
DapperDogman

 

[DapperDogman]

Upon first seeing the house, the odd vibe Corvo got from it and the sudden disappearances started to lead him to believe it led to the Void. At least, that's the only reasonable explanation for the assassin. However, when he went inside, it was clear that wasn't it. He even looked back at the door to see if there would be the infinite expanse of purple and floating rock. But there was none. Just a man, a notably large one, in heavy armor, holding a sword and.. a head?! Corvo gaze constantly flickered between the man's face and the decapitated head he held. The large man was quite bloody, so this must be a fresh kill. Apparently the warrior has slain those with delusions of grandeur, and whoever once had this head was not one of them.
The Royal Protector picked up the mask from the ground, and inspected it. Not at all like his old mask, this one doesn't seem to have any benefits, other than hiding his face and looking menacing. Looking menacing was always one of Corvo's fortes. Though, this was just on a decapitated man's face, so he'd much rather give it a wash before he uses it. Still, it doesn't quite match his current clothing. Maybe a paint job will do it some good, make it darker. That doesn't matter right now, though, his focus should be on the man.
"Uh, thanks," he began, albeit confused on whether he really wanted to thank the man or not, "but if you don't mind me asking, who are you? Why are you drawing me here? I doubt it was to give me the mask." The only reason he could think of is an odd job, something likely magical. Corvo hasn't seen a lot of Millennium City, but he's seen enough to know you need to have an open mind to find answers.
DapperDogman

"Me? You are mistaken. I did not draw you here" he points upwards, to the ceiling and what lay beyond "The man you seek resides above. But you won't find him by looking" he slowly lifts off his helm and places it on the floor, revealing a gruff, grey-haired man beneath the thick steel helm "Watch" he says as he stands, leaving the helm and drawing his blade, before placing it against the wall flat, and pointing into it.​

In the reflection, behind Corvo in a doorway, the man from the window could be seen, watching the royal protector with interest. If Corvo turned, however, he would find no-one there "He is trapped here. I was called here from another world entirely. This place is foreign,
but it's inhabitants are not unlike ones I met during my time in a twisted 'game' once"
He pauses, growling quietly under his breath "I hope this isn't another one of those damned games"

Blinking, he clears his throat "I'm sorry, I forgot to answer your question. I am Darv, Saltborn warrior of Markdor"​

 

[Nightwisher]

~Shilo Saga: Interacting with anyone
Location: Outside the strange house.

Shilo had left the warehouse and everyone in it, deciding to wander the city in search of answers. Why was she here? How was she here? What was the purpose of having so many others come? Were they trapped? Question after question swam through Shilo's mind as she walked, but then... "Hmmm..."
Shilo looked over the house to her left. She'd seen it before, she knew she had, not only on her walk to the warehouse, but from it. It was definitely the same house.... As she was looking over the structure, Shilo blinked, and when her eyes opened, she found the house was gone.
"Fucking... cool... whatever..." The girl murmured to herself, annoyed at the strangeness and lack of logic Millennium City appeared to have. Large groups of random strangers who obviously were not from the same universes, robot Nazi's, houses that apparently appeared and disappeared at the blink of an eye. Most people would probably find it exciting and interesting, but Shilo... well Shilo was the kind of person who liked having her feet on stable ground, as one could say. She'd spent so much of her child hood, or well, her life in general wishing and wanting for something like this to happen and now that she had finally had a decent life, finally had people who cared about her... Some magical fuck wit or whatever-the-shit and taken that all away to throw her in to some fucked up cross-over, fan-fic bullshit?
Shilo kept walking until she saw familiar looking figures standing outside a familiar looking building. She didn't actually know the individuals standing outside of the house, but she had seen them at the ware house, she knew that for sure. The assassin said nothing as she approached them, mentally preparing for a fight but outwardly she looked rather calm. Like a hard ass, but calm. Her shoulder's were back and her head was held high and there was a hint of danger that came from her, but over all she looked... rather harmless to anyone who didn't know any better. And honestly, Shilo didn't know exactly how harmful she could be to the group she had found herself with. So, the raven haired girl hoped that she would find more allies than enemies, but planned on finding more enemies to keep herself safe.

 

[domisunique]

The Stranger had been standing outside the House after he'd found from aimlessly wandering the streets of Millennium city, after the events of the warehouse he was unsure of where to go or what to do and at the most he resorted to observing the streets of Millennium and thinking. However the weird man had ended up finding this house as it had kept finding itself reappearing on the streets next to him and so with nothing better to do and without a goal to complete The Stranger went and stood outside the house, soon to be joined by two others. He didn't react much to the other who approached but watched to conversation between to two to see any interesting information was divulged. A new person seemed to have taken interest in the house and The Stranger looks back at the assassin as she approaches, recognizing her from the Warehouse and deeming her neutral or at the very least not an enemy but, hearing her approach regardless. He then turns back to the House, observing it, and looking at it with intrigue and caution, His very being constantly ready for a fight.

 

[marc122]

DapperDogman domisunique jigglesworth Nightwisher

As soon as Asuka was out in the streets, wondering whether being here is really a good thing for her or not, she was miserable. She still had a bitter taste in her mouth over the group attack Stroheim for reasons she, and arguably the mad scientist's adversaries, never came knew, other than the fact that he was a Nazi. All she wanted to do was know what crimes he did at all, so she could attack based on what he did, and her judge of character, which was still primitive at best. Worse yet, her mech, which she still operates as of now, provided her with a good chance to pummel him, yet that chance was wasted on her sitting in the corner of the warehouse. However, as she thought of the event, her thinking was interrupted when she came across what seemed to be a peculiar-looking house on the streets.

The little girl in the miniature gigantic mech received confused messages from the house. The house was desolate, as in, it looked reminiscent of a hanged photo of her great-great-grandfather's house but dead-looking, yet alive at the same time, as if there were still people living inside. As she blinked, however, the house vanished; its spot was left completely empty, leaving behind a large, open space that hasn't been occupied yet. She was unsettled by the change, so she tried not to pay anymore attention to it as she kept walking on, but this time, she was slightly uneasier than before, walking a little faster as she tugged onto her EVA's handles more tightly. Then it happened; the house did not seem interested in leaving her be.

As a result, Asuka saw the exact same house, only now she was seeing a few familiar-looking strangers wandering into it with suspicion. She could name almost all of them in particular; Agent Shilo Saga, Corvo, that was all, and she did not know about the name of The Stranger. Then, she heard a voice from a mysterious man, saying,

"Come to me."

The child shrieked in an unpleasant surprise, as she frantically looked to her sides, then to her back, to no avail in terms of finding out where he is when he said those words. Her heart raced, and she was hyperventilating, as she turned back to the house, thinking that simply going out of bounds of the house wouldn't work. Now, she thought that she had no choice but to come inside, so reluctantly, she started to approach the house itself. Corvo, Shilo, and the others looked clearer and bigger, as she got closer to the strange building. When she finally arrived, Asuka tried not to get too close to Corvo as she went inside.​

 

[DapperDogman]

Sitting inside, Darv had gathered his breath, and pulled himself back to his feet, noticing the other people starting to enter the door "Then my theory was correct. No single person is capable of freeing this man" he pauses, looking around for a moment, before taking his sword back and sheathing it into its scabbard, looking at the newcomers.

Shilo caught his eye for a moment. She reminded him of someone he met during the course of the game he was in. His eyes dropped slightly when he remembered that he wasn't sure if she had survived or not. It was like seeing her ghost, here before him.

He stared, but it was clear something was on his mind, his eyes filled with an emptiness that could only be brought on by regret "It's not her. She's probably dead" he says, at last, no-one really knowing enough to see his meaning. He sighs and looks back up, a wistful smile on his face "Sorry about that" he murmurs, at last, a tiny ring being clutched in the heavy metal fingers of his gauntleted hand "I almost wasted you" he says, before slipping it back into a pouch on his side.

For the brief moment it was visible, the group would see a band of two distinct colours, blue and grey, with a shimmering grey pearl faceted into it. "Sorry. We haven't met" the huge knight says, bowing his head slightly to the newcomers "I'm Darv. Since you're here. I can only guess that you were pulled to wherever this place is suddenly and without warning?"

marc122 Nightwisher domisunique jigglesworth​

 

[jigglesworth]

As he stared into the man's sword, he tried to get a good look at the figure. On instinct, his head whipped around, but there was no one there. It didn't make any sense. How could this man be there and not at the same time? Obviously magical, but the extent of this magic is unknown to the assassin. This WOULD have the Outsider written all over it, but he's not here. No, if he was, he probably would have made contact with Corvo. The Outsider doesn't just do things without addressing whoever he does them to, nor does he directly interfere with events. He just makes them more... interesting. Of course, not only that, but this man, whoever he is, is stuck. Trapped in some other world, or dimension. "How.." he began, but cut himself off when he realized this Darv wouldn't know. Instead, he opened his mouth again to speak, but was cut off by a woman entering the house, if that's even what it is. Alongside her was the little girl and someone else. Each of whom were at the warehouse with Stroheim.
Darv seems to think, and with good reason, that no single person can free this man, and Corvo wasn't about to object. After, though, he seemed oddly focused on the black-haired woman. Muttering some things, likely to himself, that had no meaning to Corvo. For a split second, the Royal Protector thought he saw some sort of ring in the man's hand, but paid no mind to it. An odd string of behavior, but one probably personal, so the assassin has no plans of pressing the matter. After Darv introduced himself to the others, Corvo spoke, to each of them, "Corvo Attano, Royal Protector to the Empress of the Isles." Perhaps a bit of an eccentric title to be waving around Millennium City, but he doesn't expect anyone to pay mind to it.
Nightwisher marc122 DapperDogman domisunique

 

[Jlegobot]

Subnautica guy just entered, and saw the people. Instinctively, he looked for materials and greeted the people inside. “Hi,” he says nervously, “I forgot my name. What’s happening here?” He said, with no eye contact, reaching for some broken items on the ground.

 

[Nightwisher]

~Shilo Saga~
Interactions: Asuka ( marc122 ) and Darv ( DapperDogman )
Mentions: Corvo ( jigglesworth ) and Subnautica ( J Jlegobot )
Location: Mystery House​

Shilo looked to Asuka and nodded in greeting. "Hello," she greeted the young girl she had convinced not to fight. The assassin wasn't quite sure how happy she should be about that however. Shilo was perfectly convinced that a child so young shouldn't be fighting in the first place, mech suit or not, but she also didn't know the girl's story. If it was anything like her own, Shilo could easily understand the need or want to fight. However, she also couldn't allow the child with the powerful suit to risk her life siding with someone who was obviously going to lose the fight, as she guessed that the group was not very forgiving and probably wouldn't care that Asuka was just a child, because though she was young, she was still a threat with that mech suit and would have definitely become a target of the more rowdy characters of the groups.

The twenty-one year old assassin locked eyes with the man who stood before them, realizing he had a different reaction to her than any of the others. Shilo narrowed her eyes at his words. Did he know her? she asked wondered to her self. Shilo was a splitting image of her mother, a well known Irish musician that many people had known years and years ago, who had gone "missing" randomly one day. She hadn't actually gone missing of course, but had eloped with Shilo's father, a man who by all known records "didn't exist". The assassin tilted her head to the side, watching the man closely, looking him up and down. There was definitely something off about him, some kind of somber air that reminded Shilo of regret, but she said nothing, letting the man's business be his own for now.

"Agent Shilo Saga," the woman replied, dipping her head in a respectful greeting. Shilo turned her head to look at the man named Corvo Attano, storing the name in her memory and hoped he could be a possible ally as they continued their journey through this fucked up place. "Yes-," the woman was interrupted by another guest and turned around to see as they stepped into the house. He had apparently forgotten his name, but had also forgotten his manners. She sighed, honestly a bit annoyed at the man's sudden appearance, rudeness for interrupting the conversation, and blatant disregard for any common courtesies whatsoever. "As I was saying," she murmured, turning back to Darv. "Yes, pulled rather suddenly like a blink of an eye. Do you know anything about that?"

 

[DapperDogman]

"More than I'm comfortable with," he says, somewhat bluntly "I've been through a similar event once before. It didn't end well" he looks down at the smear of gore and bone where Jason's head had been crushed, and then at his helmet, held in his hand. "I hope for my sake and yours that we are not embroiled in what I fear we may be. This place, the man here...He seems out of place for such a game" he sighs, taking in a deep breath and turning further into the house slowly "We need to move. I can feel the house beckoning"

He takes a step, his hulking frame shifting down the corridor and towards the stairs. as he moves, the group could catch glimpses of the man from before, in the reflections in the panes of glass in the paintings on the walls, in the background in the few mirrors that line the walls. He seems to be walking with the group, moving alongside them all.

As he moves, they might spy him pausing here and there, tidying something, correcting a painting's frame to be straight. The most disturbing thing was that the frame moved as he moved it. Yet he was not truly there.
He was like a ghost, visible only when not in direct sight, yet very real, and very much able to interact with the world around himself.

As the group climbs the stairs, they'd come to a small hallway, lined with doors, two on either side and one at the end "Great. I had hoped we'd find a clue up here. Downstairs was mostly empty rooms, and I saw him up here before entering." he sighs, heading to the end of the corridor, trying the door and finding it locked​

 

[Jlegobot]

Subnautica man found an opportunity and picked up a piece of metal on the floor. Before anyone could say anything, he took out his builder tool/fabricator and made a lockpick/tension wrench. “Your [yes your not you’re] welcome,” he said in a somewhat snarky tone of voice.

 

[marc122]

DapperDogman domisunique jigglesworth Nightwisher J Jlegobot

"G-Guten tag. (H-Hello.)"

Asuka said as she then watched other people around her introduce themselves to Darv.

"...Asuka, Darv..."

...

Although Asuka still did not understand English, she was now beginning to understand the words "you" and "is" as well, as if they were quite similar to the words "du" and "ist". Nonetheless, she looked down towards the small splatter of gore, and was somewhat disgusted, though not to the degree as when she faced against the four-armed buggy terrorist. Then, as she turned back to Darv, who began to walk, directing the group behind him, she followed him behind his tracks. She then surveyed the area, catching glimpses of the man from before through the reflections, which made her a little less easier. Then, as she watched the shadowy man adjust the paintings, she noticed that something was off about him.

After the group arrived at the second floor, Asuka was met with the corridor with three doors, two of which are on the sides, and the third of which has been locked and is at the end of said corridor. She then watched Darv attempt to open the door at the end, to no avail, prompting her to look towards the door on the left. She thought that there must be something that can be used to unlock the door, similar to in a puzzle where she had to slide the correct shapes through each respective hole in preschool. So she bet on the door on the left leading to a room with the key to the door at the end. She then turned towards Shilo, saying,

"Ich werde die Tür auf der winken Seite betweten. (I'll enter the door on the left.)"

Afterwards, little Asuka headed towards the door on the left and attempted to open it. If it was locked, just like the door at the end, she would try the one on the right instead. Otherwise, she would open it and then enter the room.​

 

[Jlegobot]

Since he can make a translator with his tool, he looks for something with a motherboard, something with metal, a battery, and some wire. He said “Who else knows what that person said? Here, I will try to make a translator”

 

[jigglesworth]

Corvo put the Strange Mask under his vest and continued after Darv and the others. As they walked the corridor and up the stairs, they could see the odd man in the reflections of mirrors and paintings. What could have happened to this man? And who did it to him? What was equally as odd, was the fact that the paintings moved when he moved them. So he has some sort of physical connection to this world and the other. When the group reached the upstairs, they were met with another corridor. Five doors, two on the left, two on the right, and one at the end. Darv tried the end, but it was locked, so the amnesiac crafted a set of lock-picking tools. When Asuka spoke her language, the same man then began to try and build a translator. The assassin would use the lockpick, but he doesn't know how.
"If someone can use that, try it on the door," the Royal Protector said, gesturing to the lockpick, then to the door at the end. "I'll try this one."
As he did that, Corvo looked about the corridor. The little girl went for a door on the left, so he went to the right, to the door nearest the stairs. Unless it was locked, he would open the door to explore it's contents inside. Though, judging by the rest of the house, it would be probably be nothing. Maybe some paintings and a mirror, a bed too.
DapperDogman marc122 Nightwisher J Jlegobot domisunique

 

[Nightwisher]

~Shilo Saga~
Interactions: Asuka ( marc122 ) and Subnatuca
Mentions: Darv ( DapperDogman ) and Corvo ( jigglesworth )
Location: Mystery House​

Shilo narrowed her eyes at the man called Darv, what did he mean her knew more than he was comfortable with? Was he not going to tell them? Shilo gave a gentle huff of breath as the conversation was steered away from the answers she was looking for. The assassin looked down at the gore splattered ground and stepped over the body without hesitation. She'd seen enough gore and death in her life time, it didn't phase her.

As they entered the house, Shilo remained silent so she could observe everything to the best of her ability. There didn't seem to be much on the main floor, paintings and pictures on the wall, but nothing of actual consequence. She of course noticed how the man they were following didn't quite seem all there, like he was phantom held to this world by something. The raven haired woman just allowed that to be the case in her mind. Of course there was a ghost, why wouldn't there be, after all none of these people were from the same world as Shilo, which was obvious, so what would be so hard to believe about a ghost?

The hallway that Darv had led them to made Shilo feel uneasy. The raven haired woman stepped after Darv as if to stop him from opening the door, only to find it locked. Shilo looked toward Asuka when the child spoke to her. The woman nodded. "Achtung,"("Be careful.") She warned the child. "Ich habe ein schlechtes Gefühl, aber ich bin mir nicht sicher, was das bedeutet ... Bleib einfach wachsam." (I have a bad feeling, but I'm not sure what that means... Just stay alert for now.") She turned her head when the amnesiac made a lock pick and sighed, she had her own lock pick set in her pocket, but she didn't want to open any of these doors, in fact, she just wanted out of the house. She wasn't about to just turn and leave these people though. Shilo hoped that Corvo would offer to pick the lock, but alas, he offered to go through another door. Shilo really did not like the situation she found herself in, however, she also knew that Corvo and she were capable fighters, Asuka had a mech suit, and she had a feeling that Darv could easily hold his own. The only wild card was the amnesiac, but even then... The raven haired woman sighed. "I'll pick the lock," she murmured, extending her hand out for the lock pick. "And I can translate for Asuka just fine, but if you want to waste your time making a translator, you can. I don't see how it will be helpful here, though." Nonetheless, Shilo turned to Asuka once more. "Möchten Sie eine Übersetzermaschine?" ("Would you like a translator machine?")

 

[Jlegobot]

The guy looked up and smiled, while saying “I’ll keep making the translator so I can talk with pretty much everything,” he remarked. Like it never happened, he went back to searching.

 

[marc122]

Nightwisher J Jlegobot

As soon as Shilo warned Asuka about the impending danger the house has to behold, the girl, who stopped herself from opening the door on the left side, suddenly remembered what the house is. She recalled that it was dead yet alive, and it is inhabited by a mysterious being. Then there was the translator thing. The Subnautica guy said something about building a translator, and Shilo was asking her if she wants a translator machine. The translator machine alone was a no-brainer; with one, she could no longer need to spend months, or even years, just to learn English, so she would be able to talk to pretty much anyone she wants.

“Ja. (Yes.)”​

 

[DapperDogman]

Darv turns, seeing the newcomer using some strange magical device to assemble a piece of metal into a lockpick, as he reached out to take it, however, the lockpick seemed to flicker in and out the man's hand, before the piece of metal reappeared on the ground where it had been found "I had hoped this would not be the case...This place, like it's owner," he sighs, tapping his foot as he searches for the words in his mind "It seems to be stuck in time. Things here don't, or can't change much."

He looks up, noticing a hatch on the ceiling and furrows his brows, before crouching down and hopping into the air, his massive form flipping upside down as he lands on the ceiling with surprising ease. He tries the hatch and sighs softly as it creaks open slightly "No ladder" he mutters "If I had to guess, going on the way things have been for the last few years for me. The ladder's in that room."

Dropping back down, he dusts himself off and tries the door on the far left in the corridor.

***

As Corvo entered his own room, he'd come face to face with a privacy curtain, a silhouette looking back. The slight sway it had betrayed it for what it was, something alive. After a moment, it walked towards the end of the curtain, soft footsteps echoing through the room as it did. Though as it left the area behind the curtain, it seemed to vanish entirely, sound and sight suddenly gone.

There was certainly more to this place than it had first seemed.

Now alone, Corvo could see a bed behind the curtain, a small set of dressers with a vanity mirror, and several vases, filled with dead roses. It seemed this room had belonged to a young lady, going by the racks of moth-eaten dresses lining the closet, it's door slightly ajar.
The whole place smelled stale like it hadn't felt the touch of a breeze in hundreds of years.

marc122 Nightwisher J Jlegobot domisunique​

 

[jigglesworth]

Unfortunately, the lockpick simply phased out of anyone's hand. Odd, but according to Darv, the whole place is stuck in time. Before he entered the room, he saw Darv crouching down for a moment. He turned his head around, and saw the man jump into the air, do a 180 flip and land on the ceiling. What? Not just that, but he sticks there. He doesn't mention anything about the house, so this must be his own ability. The assassin was left wide eyed as Darv came back down to try another door, looking for a ladder to reach the ceiling. This was certainly an odd city, wasn't it? Corvo focused his attention back on the room, and went inside, only to see a shadow behind a curtain. No doubt the trapped man's shadow. Nothing comes to Corvo's mind to explain this, he's never experienced something like this before. Only Emily has experience with time, and he barely understands that. The shadow walked towards the end of the curtain and suspense built within the Royal Protector. He could even hear footsteps. Eventually, though, it all ceased when he came to the end of the curtain, and disappeared.
So the man isn't just in reflections? This only confuses Corvo more, and leaves him with more questions. How can he appear as a shadow? Corvo walks behind the curtain and looks around him, nothing much, some of what he anticipated. A bed, some dressers, vases, and a mirror. The assassin walks over to the dresser and stares in the mirror at himself. So old. When did that happen? It seemed like only yesterday he was Blinking his way across a once plague-ridden Dunwall in hopes of saving his dear Emily. Even though yesterday he was really getting shot at by a four-armed psycho. Still, he misses Dunwall, and curses whoever dragged him to this hell.
Corvo shakes his head, and looks down to the drawers of the dresser. He opens each one, hoping to find a key to the door at the end, or maybe something to explain what is going on here better.
DapperDogman

 

[Nightwisher]

~Shilo Saga~
Interactions: Darv ( DapperDogman )
Mentions: Amnesiac ( J Jlegobot ), Asuka ( marc122 ), and Corvo ( jigglesworth )​

Shilo didn't like the amnesiac very much... something about his presence left her uneasy. The raven haired woman looked to Asuka as the young girl answered her question about the translator and nodded. Fair enough. It honestly did make sense that not everyone had the same love of languages Shilo did, as she had started her multi-lingual ways when she was Asuka's age, it made sense to her that the German girl would want to do the same. Apparently, she did not. The assassin looked back to the amnesiac and noticed Darv's hand reaching for the lock pick as well and the assassin immediately withdrew her own hand, taking three large steps away from the man who had, without her knowledge, intruded into her "bubble." Shilo watched as man's hand faded through the lock pick, looking up at him when he spoke. She looked back to the lock pick, which was now on the ground, and took another step back, turning on her heel and heading to the door. "I could always try my own lock picks." She offered, though she was almost hoping Darv would vote against it, or against opening any more doors.

The hairs on the back of Shilo's neck were itching the way they always did when she felt she was in danger, especially when Corvo had entered the room to the right. She almost wanted to follow him, make sure that everything would be okay, but she hesitated, wondering if it would be better if they all split up and each entered a room. That way it would end faster... however, was this one of the few cases where there really was safety in numbers? Every nerve in her body was telling her to leave the house, but she wasn't about to leave Asuka, and she could see a potential allies in Corvo and Darv she didn't want to risk losing that in such a strange place like Millennium City. When no one answered her on the lock picks, Shilo turned around just in time to see Darv land on the ceiling. "Well... that's... a thing..." she muttered to herself, rather confused how such a large man had done such a thing. He opened the hatch to the attic, but no ladder ascended down and Darv spoke what she was thinking, but didn't want to hear -- the ladder was most likely in one of the rooms, specifically the locked one which was giving her most of her bad feelings.

The assassin took a deep breath and slipped her hands into her pockets. "So... should I try to open the door or no?" She asked Darv, almost hoping he would tell her no.

 

[DapperDogman]

The armored man shook his head slowly "This house has rules. We should not try to work around them. Until we find out what the owner wants, it's best if we use only things we find in the house to navigate. So keys only from now on" he sighs as he glances around inside the room he had opened himself. He steps inside, resting a hand on the hilt of his sword as he does, ready to draw it at a moment's notice.

Dust lies atop everything within the room as he enters. Plain white sheets hang over large shapes in the room. A few were obviously pieces of furniture, but one looked almost like a person. He strides forwards, not a hint of fear in his step as he does. "I hope for your sake you're not a person" he murmurs as he grabs the sheet, ripping it from the form and drawing his sword, which barely met the side of the statue beneath.

He sighs, and turns, starting to pace the room, pulling the sheets from the other furniture. A lot of which were mirrors...For some strange reason this entire room was storage for mirrors, some drawers and a statue "It's almost like this room was furnished just to scare any intruders" he mutters as he starts to search the drawers.

***

In Corvo's room, he'd now be able to see a letter opener sat atop the dresser, a small stain along its edge. He's seen enough stains like that to know exactly what it was without needing to think about it for more than a moment. In the drawers below, he would find a single, small silver key, one that would not have looked out of place in the royal palace back in Dunwall.

In the other drawers were assorted stationary and jewelry pieces belonging to a lady of wealth. Pearl necklaces, sapphire and ruby earrings, all manner of fineries, left to gather dust in the desk of what was no doubt a dead woman. He was no doubt thankful that whoever had supposedly taken their life here wasn't still here.

Who knows what happened to the dead in a place that bore a curse like the one that presided over this one.

jigglesworth Nightwisher marc122​

 

[marc122]

Nightwisher DapperDogman

Asuka still didn’t understand what Darv meant by the words “stuck in time”, but she assumed that it was at least something bad. That said, she did see the DIY lockpick disappear, which meant to her that the house may be a little more cursed than she thought. She turned back towards Shilo, as she waved later to her before she finally went inside the room on the left.​

 

[jigglesworth]

He peered at the letter opener, and the inconspicuous blood stain along it's edge. Not too surprising, with a house like this, but ominous nonetheless. As he opened the drawers he found a key, along with multiple pieces of jewelry. He would take the jewelry and sell it to the black market, assuming there is one in this city, but the pearls, like the house, are probably "stuck in time". An attempt to take the jewelry might be thwarted by it falling out of his hand, or perhaps worse. They might not be able to leave even the house. Though the temptation is strong, he leaves them in the drawer, and takes only the key. He walks out of the room with it, and shows the others.
"Found this in a drawer. Maybe it'll work on the door?"
With that, he quickly makes his way towards the door at the end, and tries to fit the key in and turn it.
DapperDogman marc122 Nightwisher