♫ contractors

[falsehymn]

❝But I tell you, do not swear
an oath at all:
either by Heaven, for it is God’s throne;
or by the earth,
for it is His footstool;
or by Jerusalem, for it is the
city of the Great King.
And do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make even
one hair white
or black.
All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No';
anything beyond this comes from
the evil one.
—Matthew 5:34-37

Comments

WEEK THREE, TUESDAY ❤︎ EVE MEMORIAL HALL

[falsehymn]

( Dear contractors, at the request of the Audience, your presence has been requested.

Somewhere along your character's path, they will find a set of black elevator doors, overgrown with black roses, appear before them— a doorway in the middle of space, connected to nothing and going nowhere. With a gentle ding, the doors open. Despite yourself, your bond compels you to give it a look. There are only two buttons: Eve Memorial Hall and Return.

Visiting the Eve Memorial Hall takes you Backstage, and opens into what appears to be a comfortable, red-hued lounge built into a crypt. The bar is well-stocked, the music really isn't bad, and the stained glass depicts Mucha-esque maidens bearing white roses and apples. You may find yourself dressed in simple(!), black tie attire upon arrival, as if a costume change.

You can return and leave the Memorial Hall as many times as you'd like today, but you can take nothing in and out of it. This lounge will only last until midnight tonight; remain a moment longer, and you'll find yourself in the watery Backstage hallways. )

[falsehymn]

( Sika Madu is in his humanoid form, behind the bar, apparently bar tending? wearing something simple and, unusually, black. He looks pale and a little tired, and the burns visible across his skin seem to be less severe relative to the ones on him last Tuesday (for those who saw him then), but seems to be in a generally good mood. Mikaela is on the counter in a black/black hair bow and bow tie ensemble, numming on an orange slice. Sika Madu will only be here for a little while, as he's quite the busy bee!

This post is more or less an easy meeting point for the PCs, per request. OOCly, I will actually not be here for much of the week, so Sika's gotta bounce before I gotta go! But do feel free to try to body him before then, he deserves it. )

[impacter]

[Solomon is staying carefully neutral as he steps into the lounge all dressed up again, one hand bandaged at the palm. Black spirals up from the back of his neck like a spreading inkstain, growing worse since Monday, with a familiar pen twirled absent mindedly in his fingers.]

Here if I'd known they found so many of you, I'd have had some slightly different words for our host. [The tone's very, very hard to place.]

[impacter]

[He'll slide to the bar in silence. He's already said everything he felt he needed to earlier today - there's no need to hash it out further. But to see how many people are down here visibly frustrates him.]

Are you pleased with yourself?

[hjadningavig]

[ Looking from over here with a drink or two at the bar, just like this again.

Dainsleif looks remarkably tired, though fortunately not injured. ]

...there is still time.

[ That's all he says for now. ]

[hjadningavig]

[ Dressed just like this, hanging on over at the bar.

He is nursing over a drink as well.

He doesn't say anything immediately, because he's probably one of the quieter people here.

But, he will not protest if someone wishes to approach and speak with him. ]

[impacter]

Here I thought you were against the abyss, Dainsleif.

[Aka what the fuck are you even doing down here, man.]

[hjadningavig]

[ He grits his teeth, hearing this, and he tries to control his voice, but this is a situation wherein that is difficult as it is, considering the circumstances. ]

I am...that hasn't changed.

[ ...

Give him a moment, but even that isn't quite enough. ]

I was unaware that matters would turn out this way.

[impacter]

Then what, exactly, did you agree to?

[This is unfortunately his realm of expertise. He is judging every single person in this room right now.]

[hjadningavig]

[ Dainsleif can be handling this a bit better, but considering everything, he has a good reason not to.

He downs a drink, still leveling him a glare. And then: ]

...Sika phrased it as a matter of needing protection just in case, not going around and killing people.

What did you agree to?

[falsehymn]

( hehe )

In truth, I'm quite anxious. But, what was it you said? So long as you don't give up, there's still a chance?

( They tilt their head. )

Would you like a drink?

[impacter]

A pact, of course. [Says the one covered in said pacts.]

[hjadningavig]

...I see.

It already sounds different.

[ Dainsleif doesn't trust himself to not be on edge in his commentary, but he gives it his best shot, and so he just pours himself another drink. ]

[impacter]

[...]

No. If it's all the same to you, I'd rather stay clear headed right now.

[There's only so much overthinking of the details he can do. But he's not a fool. He knows what Sika has hanging over his head.]

[impacter]

That depends. Did you ask for anything in return? Or just out of the goodness of your heart?

[hjadningavig]

[ He takes another sip, closing his eyes, and then reopening them. ]

...There was still a trade.

Well? What about you?

[impacter]

Of course. A pact requires as much. Requirements of both parties, to be held regardless of ability or future consent.

Cruel, perhaps, but necessary. A demon does not play fair.

[hjadningavig]

[ His eyes narrow when he hears this...which is on a topic that unfortunately is beyond his realm of expertise in personal experience.

But, he's barely in a mood to discuss this further.

So, he simply goes quiet, turning away. ]

[falsehymn]

It doesn't really matter.

( He smiles. )

You're rather upset for a man who hasn't been made to do anything.

[impacter]

[Then Solomon won't press him. He still doesn't look happy in the slightest, especially not knowing what Dainsleif might have at risk. But there was no taking it back now.

Let him wallow in the decision, and come out the other end motivated to do what had to be done.]

[impacter]

You know exactly why I'm upset.

[DON'T RUB IT IN....]

[trollophoroi]

[ So, they are all summoned to meet, is that it?

Fandaniel is already aware of Don, but the rest? He could likely give it a guess, but after yesterday, he simply cannot find it within himself to care. It doesn't matter. This doesn't matter. The tower, Father, any of them; this is meaningless.

He arrives a broken man, although perhaps that was what he deserved to be from the very start, assuming one had not considered him such before. Fandaniel is dressed in a simple outfit of a white shirt and black vest, tie, and slacks, sleeves rolled up to show a clean-ish bandage wrapped about his right forearm, but numerous band-aids populate both arms, as well as a few on the left side of his face.

He won't return any looks he gets from the rest. He just... goes up to the bar and takes a seat. If he must be here, he thinks he will spend the time drinking. Perhaps someone will stir him to care again, to interact; feel free to try.

But until then, he strikes a sullen figure, unhappy, without a smile — cruel or not — or laugh. There is nothing. ]

[legendofthelion]

[🧍‍♂️🧍‍♂️]

There's a lot more of us than I thought.

[hjadningavig]

...there are.

[ Despite this, he turns to face Dehya. ]

Though, it doesn't exactly surprise me. I did at least anticipate I would not be the only one.

[ Surprising, maybe, to hear him say this - but, he thought it was a reasonable expectation he wouldn't be the only assigned 'protection duty'...and then, he sips at his drink. ]

[impacter]

[hello guess who's here :)

Just sidling up the seat next to him, though his tone is hard to place.]

What a difference two days makes... What happened to you now?