Estylwen

Revue of Annihilation

First post is up, please lemme know how it looks.

Revue of Annihilation

Elys Adair

Location: Oratorio, //O3
@ERode

---

This nauseating, dizzying city.

It was nothing like the wide, open dirt roads she was used to, sparse of people.

No, this. This was too much.

Elys, against her better judgment, stood in the middle of the street in the edges of Oratorio, her weight bearing on her walking staff. She could see shapes of bodies passing by her at flurrying speeds, hear the rush of the city streets as people searched for bounty and weakness of their brethren. She could smell the stench of a heavily populated area, and a poor, or entirely lacking sewage system. She couldn't see it, but maybe that worked in her favour.

She could picture well enough the deplorable state of being this side of town brought.

Yet, despite its lackluster impression, she still felt heavily drawn to the center of the city. To the Abyss. A place praised and cursed by merchants and travelers on the road.

A change in the direction of the warm wind. A stench. A slight woosh above her. A grimace as Elys side stepped past the shapes of bodies, narrowly avoiding the plummet of something quite unsavory. She checked her hooded cloak, ensuring it didn't get wet with who knew what. Then, with a slight click of her tongue, she pressed on.

She desired the centre of the city, but a detour first. All cities had watering holes, and Oratorio was no exception, even in the roughest outskirts. She held her head up, smelling the air for telltale beer, listening for the jovial, or violet banter of voices surrounding a tavern. Eventually, she found a building that fit the description, and she could see it's shape and sides.

Just where was the door, though?

She tapped her staff along the foot of the wall, moving past shapes of bodies, until she tapped out an indent. A push gave way to her discovery - a door.

She entered what she assumed was a tavern, rough and torn at the edges, the scent of sweat and stale beer coating the air as she moved past the shapes of chairs and tables. There was a shape of a long block ahead, and another shape behind it. The owner?

Elys walked up, dropping one of her last coins on the table. Her covered eyes looked directly at the shape she could see, though it was doubtful she was looking directly at their eyes or face. They'd see her robes, her staff, and the sword hanging from her hip.

“A drink, please. And a lead for a monster-slayer. I'm looking for work.”

She was looking for so much more, of course. But, baby steps. These people didn't know who she was, after all. And for now, that was preferred.

The Dark Beyond

Yooo, Lexi that's an excellent find. It actually fits so well. :o

The Dark Beyond

Glad you enjoyed reading it, Lexi. Especially the old man bit. :>

The Dark Beyond

We do fangirl. :> Love the reaction post, Days, it made me smile. Looking forward to the collab! Please let me know if you want a reaction from the lady or input on my end!

>w>
<w<

It's always Brenda.

Revue of Annihilation

My initial reaction is the ungodly chant of 'yeet, yeet, yeet.' But ultimately I'm fine either way. I have plans with and without. :> GM's choice.

The Dark Beyond

Yay, sounds good!

The Dark Beyond

Thanks for your patience, folks! New post is up! It's Days turn. :>>>

The Dark Beyond

Undisclosed Location

@WhiteAngel25

---

Von Galloes smirked triumphantly at Stella response, and offered his hand to her. “Good girl. Now, come with me.”

Whether she took his hand or not, he would lead Stella out of her chambers and down a narrow hall, and through another locked doorway.

The moment Stella would step through, the door would slide shut cleanly and quickly behind her. In front of her, the room was split in two. An observation room that she currently stood in, with a large window and another sliding door ahead.

Von Galloes moved to the console in front of the window, and pressed a button. The sliding door ahead opened up, revealing a small concrete room lit by caged lights.

Von Galloes stepped closer to Stella, gently running his hand over the fuzz of her hair where it had been shaved, before his fingers gently cupped her chin.

“You're about to perform a miracle for me, my dear.”

His eyes gestured to the room. “You're going to step inside the testing chamber, and I'm going to close the door. Today, we will bear witness to all the careful augmentations I've done to your new powers. Today, we will see the powers of beyond.”

He nodded to the door, and gave her a gentle nudge. “Off you go, daughter of mine.~”

As he spoke, there was movement in the testing chamber as a singular target marked in red circles was lowered from the ceiling.

---

Voidlight Headquarters, Basement Research Labs

@Days

---

Delving deeper into her experiences with the heart of hearts, and her subsequent experiments, Star would discover a very interesting trait. Beyond the extreme power source, off the charts compared to regular dark energy, she would discover one other key fact: the heart of hearts had a looping effect, connecting one place to another through an unknown space.

---

The Louvre, Gala, Grand Entrance

@Days, @WhiteAngel25

---

As Star and Dragon arrived in the VIP valet drop-off area, they would find attendants dressed in paper black opening the back door on Nova's side, exposing her to the flash of the cameras.

Upon exiting the car, Star and Dragon would find everything perfectly taken care of for them. Attendants and bodyguards kept the paparazzi back as they would make their way across the banner stationed in front of the steps to the inside of the Louvre.

As they moved closer to the building, however, they would see a woman ahead approach them. She was dressed in a brimmed black hat and black feather dress, and had a disarming twinkle in her eye.

“Monsier Dragon, Madame Star, what an honour this is.” She smiled, extending her laced hand in a handshake to both of them.

In front of the flashing lights of the paparazzi, she smiled, completely unfazed. “My dears, it's a special day, and you are the talk of the crowd.”

She turned to Nova. “Is it true that you've discovered a new form of dark energy? When will we hear more about this? It'll change the world, it will.”

Then she turned to Dragon. “And I heard through the grapevine you saved this angel from the depths of the sea?”

A dramatic sigh as she pulled her clutch over her chest, pretending to fan herself. “Oh, how romantic!”

She gave a light giggle before her features smoothed into an enigmatic smile. “Oh, but where are my manners.”

She gestured to herself. “Madame Veno, at your service. You are in the presence of the spokesperson of a very, very special group.”

She seemed to smile, before passing over a business card, embossed in gold. In shimmering text, the word ‘Ethereum’, a phone number, and an address were printed on the front.

“Consider yourselves cordially invited to my estate at your earliest convenience after this lovely gala concludes…”

---

The Louvre, Gala, Main Area

@Lexisheeps, @WhiteAngel25, @Days

---

Subject #3 gave a small squeal as she laid eyes on Auri. Her memories were scant from, well, before. She remembered how the woman in front of her cried and cried when Director Galloes told Auri to say goodbye.

She still didn't fully understand, but she liked Auri. Subject #3 gently untangled herself from her stepfather’s arm as she crossed the gap to give Auri a hug.

“Auri! You look so pretty.” She said, pulling back and smiling.

Her eyes glanced to the woman beside Auri - her mother. She suddenly felt sheepish and shu, her eyes drifting to the floor as she approached Sabrina.

“Hi… maman…” The words still felt foreign in her mouth, but she tried a small smile regardless. This woman cried and wept over Subject #3’s hospital bed at Star’s place of work. That had to mean something, right?

”Sabrina!”

Subject #3’s head turned, and her stomach did a little flip. Her father approached them. A smile hesitantly spead across her face before it became more genuine. Her father scared her a bit, but the time she had spent with him and her stepfather eased the nerves she felt a bit.

“Bonjour, papa…” She said softly, approaching her father, wholly expecting a pat on the head.

Before she returned to Nick’s side, and gripped his arm again. A grounding mechanism. It felt good to hold onto the one who saved her. Even better that that someone was her stepfather.

A slow clap from the side as soft footfalls clacked on the glossed floor. Pointed loafers, expensive suit in hues of black and verdant green accents. Tousled black hair and stubble. The man regarded them with sharp emerald eyes.

“My sincere congratulations, Monsier de Villiers, Madame Lennox. Your recovered family truly is a sight to behold.” His voice was husky and warm, a slight curve to his relaxed lips.

He extended his hand to the father and mother of the de Villiers, before he also offered his hand to Nick.

“The name’s Rodrigo Vandelez. I'm the representative of the Historian’s Congress. It’s truly a pleasure to meet you.”

Like the mundane world had its United Nations to keep the peace, likewise, the world of architects and history had an international government body - the Historian’s Congress - to ensure the safety of the international community.

---

The Louvre, Backstage, Dressing Room

@Days

---

As Thierry departed from the room, Céline and the girls entered the dressing room once again. She gave Theo a curious look before her eyes glanced back down at her clipboard.

“We're behind schedule. If there's nothing else, handsome, it's time to get you on stage.” She said with a glossed smirk, and gestured to the door.

The gala had a makeshift stage built on a raised platform at the end of the main area, and in front of it, the artifact in question covered in a cloth. Céline and the girls led Theo up the steps to the wing of the stage. Theo was protected by velvet curtain on both sides, and he could peek ahead to the gathered guests in the crowd of the gala. Somewhere in there, his family was waiting for him.

The MC, an older Louvre staff with a trim mustache and mic pinned to his suit, greeted Theo backstage.

“Hello, young man! How are your nerves? You feeling ready?”

---

The Louvre, Mr. Cress’ Office

@Lexisheeps

---

“Still talking to yourself, old man?” Said a sneering voice as someone just let themselves in. She stood over Mr. Cress, pink hair and goggles the telltale signs of exactly who this was. Von Galloes' right hand, no less. One of the head researchers of Hive Mind. The one who had put Stella to sleep.

She took a smug seat on Mr. Cress’ desk, crossing one leg over the other and wrapping pale fingers around her knee, glancing slyly at the Louvre's council member.

“So I've had some fun poking around my new asset, Mr. de Villiers old office. Seems he wasn't too happy about the whole ordeal - his desk is just riddled in fresh scratch marks and dents.” She gave a boisterous laugh, throughly pleased with herself.

“As we discussed, you'll allow me to come and go from his office as I please, full access to his archives and computer, and we'll consider your part of the deal upheld.” She said, pulling out a lollipop, tossing the wrapper on the floor, and sticking the cherry-flavoured candy in her mouth. She glanced at him and smirked.

“Right, Mr. Cress?”

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree [Complete]

Mr. Roosevelt

William.Roosevelt

63 | William Roosevelt | He/him [hr//]"Yes, Madame Cards?"

Description:

Mr. Roosevelt is a retired made man of the House of Cards, having served in the mafia his whole life. Now that age has taken him, he serves as the trusted bartender of Miss Vorpal's owned hideaway, The Apothecary, a half-hidden speakeasy at 2321 Ash Ave.

Abstraction:

Truth Sense - Mr. Roosevelt has the uncanny ability to detect if a person is telling the truth by how the words feel. He is also able to tell if there is a half-truth at play, exposing lies and the with-holding of information.

If a person knows they are lying, he will catch them. However, if they wholly believe they are speaking the truth, even if what they say is a lie, he won't detect it.

The Apothecary

St. Portwell Location: The Apothecary speakeasy, located at 2321 Ash Ave at the edge of the arts district.

The Apothecary is owned by Phantasia Vorpal, and manned by Mr. Roosevelt. The entrance is down a short flight of steps in the alleyway, marked by a red door. Inside is adorned with striking, elegant and plush red velvet. On the chairs, upholstering the booths, and accenting the walls. The bar is made of dark, glossy mahogany. The drinks, fashioned by Mr. Roosevelt, are themed after medicines and potions. In the back is the kitchen and the secretive poker rooms where VIPs are often seen, and deals related to the family are made.