august mingle;

[thecommissary]

This is the general mingle log for August. Feel free to post open top levels for: new arrivals, job duties, general hanging out in common spaces, bonding with your block, and anything else you can think of. There will not be a catch all for the event, so you can put event starters here or in their own separate log!

Comments

The Countess

[callhousekeeping]

i. The Library
[ She is on library duty this month. Find her at the desk, reading magazines and not being particularly helpful. Or among the stacks, collecting any forgotten contraband in the pages. ]

ii. Dominion
[ See here for details. You can hit me there for plotting, or feel free to post a starter for whatever you want. ]

iii. Misc
[ Open to other things as well! ]

1

[killersong]

[Dinah eventually finds her way to the library. She's never been a great reader: school hadn't been a high priority once she'd ended up in the foster system and as an adult, she had never really bothered. Still, with twenty years of sitting around watching a crackling TV and trying not to get involved with anyone else stretching ahead of her, Dinah figures she may as well give it a go.
And at least the library's quiet.

She wanders through the shelves aimlessly, thinking more about how frustrated she already is rather than the books. None of this is bloody fair. She kicks out at a shelf, and then again. And again and again. And then she pulls books off the shelf, flinging them at the one opposite until the shelf is empty and Dinah is left standing, panting slightly, in the middle of a jumble of books.
It's only then that she spots the other inmate, obviously working there, amongst the books. She raises an eyebrow.]

I... uh... dropped one.

ii

[hardcase]

So, this is the place.

[ This isn't exactly how Flagg expected to see the Cortez for the first time, but he's not going to complain. He'd spent the past few nights in his own dominion and it was good to branch out. Especially if he could finally scratch some of those murderous itches he's been denied these last few years. ]

You wanna show me to my room? [ He holds up his keys, which he got at the front desk. Of course there was a reservation in his name. He just hopes there's something fun in store. ]

Steve Harrington

[damngoodbabysitter]

i;; The Laundry Room
[ Really this is where the magic happens. (Not really) It's an industrial laundry room if that toots your horn. Aside from the rumble of the washers and dryers and rolling bins of laundry, the impressive thing is that there's actually music. Too bad for you that it all seems to be pop's greatest hits from the 80's, 90's and now. ]

ii;; Dominion
[ Welcome to the Starcourt Mall, the newest addition to Hawkins, Indiana! Upon entering, it looks like any other mall stuck in a mid-80's motif. Bright neon signs adorn all the shops and the carpets are in bright colors and geometric shapes. There's even peppy, ambient music coming from the speakers. There apparently weren't enough niche malls in the world, and Starcourt aims to fill that void. At first, things seem fine. Completely normal, even! You aren't alone in this mall by any means. There are patrons milling about and the dull murmur of chatter can be heard above that cheery ambient music.

Upon closer examination, it's easy to see that all the guests are faceless. Void of any sort of identifying feature or anything at all that would make speech or living possible. They don't seem to realize that everyone else is faceless, too, just carrying on a normal conversation Listening long enough to anyone's conversation will prove one thing- it's not a sustainable conversation at all. Instead, it's the same Russian phrases with different inflection and intensity. If you're lucky enough to understand Russian, it all sounds a bit like nonsense.

The week is long. The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west. A trip to China sounds nice if you tread lightly.

To make matters worse, you're late to work, enjoy the uniform which you're now wearing. Scoops Ahoy is waiting for you! The interior of the ice cream parlor is more bright and vibrant than the rest of the mall, done in blue and white nautical striping and mahogany seating. To make matters worse, it has its own playlist which is even louder and more annoying than the ambient music out in the mall. There's a sliding glass window behind the counter that's completely dark despite the bright lighting of the shop. From behind the counter, you can see the entire shop and out into the mall and the food court across the way. All completely normal except for the pool set into the floor that seems to suck all the brightness from the mall. The only source of illumination around the pool are the lights inset in the submerged walls.

But don't let that distract you from the faceless queue that stretches out the front of the shop that seem to be yelling in that same Russian gibberish. ]

iii; Wildcard
[ Anything goes! ]

ii

[shinra_dog]

Reno hadn't heard this much Russian in a long time. He'd been there, naturally, as his job would take him just about anywhere -- but it was hardly a familiar place. He didn't understand all the words and the ones he did understand didn't seem to go together with the rest of whatever conversation was happening. It quickly became overwhelming.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling like he was severely hungover, as he sat up from... a padded booth? Was he in a diner? If he got drunk and passed out here, that tracked.

"Nu, ch... chto? Chto? Uhh, ya ne panimayu*..." he grumbled plaintively before opening his eyes and squinting up at...

No face.

Reno heaved himself back against the wall as far back into the booth as he could manage, staring in terror at the blank-faced "woman" thing. "Fuck! Th' fuck are you!" It was then, too, that he also noticed his bare knees and the strange childish sailor suit. "The fuck is this??"

[*"What? I don't understand."]

laundry~

[endlessflask]

[ Fortunately, Eliot likes the greatest hits from days gone by. He seems to know almost all the old bops that come on, and has no qualms singing along (also fortunately, Eliot is actually not a bad singer, so his fellow workers can't be too tortured). And, honestly, apart from the heat, it's not a bad gig. This is so much better than scrubbing toilets

And the guard presence is minimal at best.

Eliot glances over at Steve. A fellow cell-block inmate, but also Billy's best boy, so that makes him actually important and worth talking to. ]

Hey. Can you help me fold these sheets?

ii

[callhousekeeping]

[ Steve might be looking for more random staff members, but the woman who walks through the door looks more like she's robbed the Dynasty wardrobe department. Carrying shopping bags from the lingerie and perfume stores (this third-rate mall doesn't even have a Nordstrom, let alone a Bergdorf Goodman or Neiman Marcus. What a rip.), she bypasses the line entirely, ignoring them, and walks right up to the counter. She doesn't comment on the more bizarre aspects of this place or the people -- she behaves as if this were all quite normal.

Tapping her finger, she looks over the menu and the flavors. ]

I'll take the chocolate-vanilla swirl in a waffle cone, cutie. With hot fudge.

[ The faceless mob behind her repeats their phrase, clearly annoyed with her for skipping the line, but unable to say anything different. The woman pays them no attention and simply smiles at Steve. ]

dominion

[netflixandkill]

[The ridiculous sailor suit is exactly the sort of costume Villanelle would put on for one of her jobs, only she doesn't remember how she got to the mall or who the target might be. Touching her head to see if she bumped it or something, all she feels is a hat. ...A sailor hat, naturally, that reads Ahoy on the front when she plucks it off to look at it. Great. So helpful.

She stalks through the mall, vaguely unsettled in the back of her mind by the faceless drones, though she's not paying them much attention yet. When she sees the huge line at—oh, of course—Scoops Ahoy, she heads for the entrance and starts elbowing her way past people to get in. Which is when she finally hears what's being said clearly enough to realize that everyone is talking gibberish. Seriously, is she having a stroke?]

What?

[She's responding in English because she doesn't like to speak Russian anymore, but she understands perfectly well. Or rather, she doesn't, because none of that?? means anything??]

You're just shouting words. I can do it too! Green hippopotamus dances on tables!

—Get out of my way.

ii

[determinist]

[ It took only a little while to figure out where he belonged after finding himself in this ridiculous uniform. The legend 'Scoops Ahoy' emblazoned on his hat makes it clear, however, and when he finds the shop with that moniker, he pushes his way past the guests and marches in to his apparent place behind the counter. ]

What the hell is happening here?

[ There's no one in his apparent line of sight who can answer that question, but he asks it regardless. ]

ii

[driving]

[ Billy has spent the last few minutes trying, in vain, to tear that goddamn uniform off. Try as he might, he can't seem to remove it. It's like this stupid sailor suit is fused to him, and there's only one person he can think of to blame for this.

Harrington.

The faceless Russians don't even seem to catch his eye; like a bull seeing red he's drawn towards Scoops Ahoy, stomping his feet as he walks (which looks downright ridiculous in this stupid outfit). ]

The hell's going on, Harrington? [ He scowls, though he notices that Steve is wearing the same stupid outfit as he is. ]

Reno

[shinra_dog]

i. Fresh Meat

[Reno is brand new in Obsidian, and likely already starting trouble. Perhaps you see him in the yard running laps or sitting at one of the picnic tables watching the clouds. Or you run into him in the common area of the wards, watching tv, playing cards, picking on people... Anything goes.]

ii. Dominion

[Dominion description/Plotting post here for an idea of what it's like and any OOC planning. Feel free to arrive in the club, in his apartment, or even just in the elevator. Not all the buttons work but if you push them aggressively anyway bad things might happen.]

iii. Misc
[Want to play something that doesn't quite fit? Or want to play both scenarios? Just reply twice with the prompt in the header & we'll have 2 threads. :3 ]

dominion

[insincerus]

[ Holy shit, it's a club — this almost makes him jealous of what his dominion could have been, and he's got his own private island that could have been straight out of "rich fuck magazine". He heads straight for the bar, orders himself something top-shelf (what's the worst that can happen, he abandons an open tab in someone else's dreams?) and heads for a place to sit near the dance floor. He gets comfortable watching the crowd, appreciating the liveliness of it compared to the dump he's been forced into during his waking hours. ]

Dinah Lance

[killersong]

i. The common room

Dinah tries to get to the common room as much as possible. Not necessarily because she wants to be round other people but because at least it almost feels normal. She sits with a book that she's blatantly not reading most days, instead choosing to people watch. If she's gonna survive here for the next twenty years, she needs to learn quickly how these people work.
Feel free to come and join her: she might be standoffish, but an illicit cigarette will go a long way to break the ice.]

ii. Dominion

[The club is pumping, hits current and classic pounding through the main room as patrons sit, dance, shout and drink. All of them are grinning, having a good time. Except Dinah. She sits alone on the steps of the stage where she used to sing, in the middle of two giant plastic hands. She has a bottle of whiskey and a glass of ice with her. That's at least one perk of apparently being invisible, right? If you come and sit with her, you'll definitely be met with a raised eyebrow and a definite side eye as Dinah checks you out. She raises her bottle.]

Cheers, right?


[Find her plotting comment here/a>.


iii. Misc

[I am completely up for anything so go for whatever you like!]

ii.

[shinra_dog]

They say the human eye is most focused to catch movement and contrast. That's why there's more rods in the make-up, more spread rather than the focused central-nature of the cones -- to catch the periphery. To navigate a dangerous environment, to catch a potential threat.

Reno saw plenty of movement. So much of it that after awhile it just became a blur as he passed through the crowd. "Normal." Boring. It was natural for a club to be full of movement, loud noises, and smiling faces.

... It wasn't normal to see someone sitting off by themselves, near a stage of all places -- the scene for displaying oneself. Reno would consider it ironic if he ever stopped to think about anything on an intellectual level. As it was, he was already on his way over in classic flirt-first-think-later fashion.

He dropped to sit beside her as gracefully as a cat might and looked at her curiously. "Now what's a pretty thing like you doin' all by herself over here?"

Michael Langdon

[spawnofsatan]

i;; Dominon
[ The home is certainly beautiful, boasting a Victorian style and custom Tiffany stained glass windows. If it weren't for the blood-red sky and the crows flying overhead, it would seem like an idyllic place to live. You feel compelled to move inside, out of the weather which could be nothing more than an afternoon shower, or something more sinister. Inside is just as beautiful, but the atmosphere of foreboding doesn't get any better. There are several rooms to visit and just as many people wandering around. If you try to talk to them, they don't seem to acknowledge you, and if you get too close, they disappear almost as if they'd never been there in the first place.

There are mirrors throughout the house, but don't look too closely. It may take your notice that there is a door under the stairs that's slightly ajar, a red glow, and a staircase leading to some sort of basement. Michael can be found in one of the large, lavishly decorated rooms and he looks up when you enter, nodding in greeting. ]

Make yourself at home, though it's best you not touch anything.

ii;; Wildcard
[ Michael spent an entire week in SHU so uh, have fun with that one. ]

[violenti]

[ The first thing Rook notices is the red sky. It makes him uncomfortable at once, reminiscent of things he'd rather forget. It's enough to push him to step into the house in front of him, barely taking time to admire it.

He's not sure why- or how- he's here. A dream, he assumes, though it seems awfully real. He wanders slow through the house- he's never seen anything like it. He grew up around trailers and old cabins, some row houses in the nearest town. But this... it's beautiful. He stops by what he thinks is a mirror first, but he sees instead of himself a different young man. It almost... looks like Michael? A painting, then. But then he moves, and so does the man. ]

Jesus-

[ He stumbles back through a doorway, and turns, only to find the Michael he recognizes. ] Oh- uh, alright. [ Wait, does that mean he shouldn't sit down either? But then he remembers something else that distracts him from that thought. ]

Hey, I haven't seen you in a while. You uh- you been alright?

Ardbert

[fistpound]

general

[Someone's reading in the common room rather than watching whatever program's on, but perhaps he should be doing that in his cell instead. Or perhaps he has a book you want? Or the spot you want. Whatever the reasons for approaching him however, he'll look up and scowl.]

What.

[Pleasant fellow, isn't he?]

august 1

What in the bloody-- [Ardbert is in the yard when it happens, the ground shaking underneath them for the better part of a minute, and he has to stop, look around, and then eventually put the dumbbells he'd been using so he can put himself against the fence in case of... well, something. He's inexperienced when it comes to dealing with earthquakes, and it shows. If he did know what to do during an earthquake, he would have gotten underneath the table in the yard instead.

He is doing his best not to be scared however, tamping down on his emotions well, even if he cant quite keep the furrow off his brow... but then again, that might just be his default expression.]

You feel that? [His voice is low, furtive, as he mutters to the inmate closest to him.] Earthquake, y'think? [Are they even close to a fault line? Ardbert has no idea.]

dominion

[He doesn't know where he goes every night. The first time, he doesn't even think much of it aside from being a really strange dream. The second time, he thinks his subconscious just has an attachment to the strange and dark ruin-filled forest for some odd reason. Thrice? That is just downright strange, because it doesn't feel like a coincidence anymore. It feels deliberate. Over the following days, Ardbert wanders the forest, especially the ruins, exploring as much as he can, clambering over rocks and tree roots, scraping up his hands just to get somewhere and find something. Anything. But it's so devoid of other people to talk to, even faceless shades of dream-people.

If he receives visitors who come as themselves, Ardbert will greet them, which may come as a surprise given his normal disposition around the prison-- that is to say, just about as sunny as this place, which isn't. Just trees growing to hide the ground from the sky, and whatever patches of sky that haven't been covered doesn't look to have the pleasant blue one would expect on a sunny day, but an unnatural-looking yellow-grey with no clouds in sight.]

Do you know, I haven't seen another soul but you for a while in this place? I was starting to think this was a solo adventure.

[However, there may be visitors who find they're entirely different when they arrive-- and not in any way welcome a change. In fact, they may just seem downright wrong, or are in the middle of that transformation, a plaster-like substance crawling over their skin. Even Ardbert is disgusted, grabbing a thick, fallen branch as if to defend himself.]

Don't come closer-- don't you bloody come closer, you bastard!

wildcard
[[ choose your own adventure! my plotting post for this month is still open for others to hop into, and you can always grab me on payoncave or wildtrapinch#1171 if you want to chat before threading. ]]

August 1

[shinra_dog]

[Reno had barely kept his feet, reaching out for the fence as well to steady himself. He didn't like it in the least; it was a show of potential vulnerability. It wasn't a good look. He glanced around the yard suspiciously to see if anyone would try to take advantage of it, but they all seemed to be pretty shaken up themselves.]

You think?

[It wasn't sarcastic; Reno was actually asking. He didn't know shit about the geography around here. That hadn't been his job. He chewed his lip and shrugged.]

Yeah, pro'lly?

David Rook

[violenti]

o1.

The surroundings are a forest, with tall old pine trees dotted just sparsely enough around that ferns and small shrubs can also thrive. It seems like one should be able to see beyond the trees, but a thick fog prevents that. Faintly, water can be heard lapping at a shore. It doesn't seem like there's much to explore, outside. Of note, however, is a thick metal plate set into a rocky outcropping, fitted with a heavy steel door, currently wide open and inviting- as inviting as a set of dark steps into an even darker hole gets, anyway.

Inside, the door slings itself shut, the loud sound echoing down a narrow hallway lined with tools, industrial shelves and small construction materials- primarily metal pipes- as though this bunker is still a work in progress, or perhaps being upgraded. Several doors split off from the main hallway, leading to various rooms. The whole place is about as inviting as one might expect of a nuclear bunker. Fluorescent lights overhead fail to completely illuminate the place, leaving dark corners and deep shadows.

At the end of the hallway, an older male's voice can be heard frantically demanding for someone to answer him, and swearing intermittently. Rounding the corner, one might see an older, bald man with glasses and a camo jacket with his back to the door. Alternatively, the voice may fade away just before getting there, leaving a CB radio crackling fruitlessly in the far corner.

Alternatively, one may wake up on the cold cement floor, wrists zip-tied together around the leg of a spartan metal bedframe.

Either way, Rook isn't far, sitting in one of the rooms with his knees drawn to his chest and back firmly planted against the cinderblock wall. He looks disheveled and haggard, like he hasn't slept in days, and he'll give anyone who approaches a wordless, exhausted stare.

{ More info & pictures from Rook's dominion can be found here, along with a spoiler option! }

o2.

Rook takes his job seriously. It gives him something to do, for one, and two, it gives him a vague sense of normalcy. It reminds him of cleaning at home, in what feels like another lifetime, of cleaning while in the academy. It's not the most pleasant work, but he doesn't mind it.

So whether it's emptying trash, mopping floors, or cleaning toilets, Rook can be found hard at work.

o3.

[ Wildcard option! If you'd like to plot something, feel free to hit me up at ricorori or on Discord at Hoju#9452.

1

[killersong]

"Hello?" Dinah shouts out as she cautiously steps into the bunker and starts to feel her way down the steps. Damn She realises too late that she should probably have blocked the doors open, just in case. It seems like a nightmarish thing to happen, but hell, everything else in her life is going wrong, so why not?

She keeps going, stepping as lightly as she can as she heads further into the bunker.
"Hey -" she calls out again, hurrying to where the voice sounds from. "Fuck -" she breaks into a run as the stairs end ad the voice grows louder, more urgent.
It takes her a minute to locate the room and she barges in, subtlety forgotten. Not that it matters, because the room's empty. "What the fuck?" She groans. This better not be a fucking trap. She runs her hands through her hair and heads back into the corridor. But someone must be transmitting, right? So Dinah checks the rooms, stopping when she eventually comes across Rook.

"Hey man, are you alright?" He doesn't look alright.

Abigail Hobbs

[souille]

i. Dominion

Abigail's dominion is a vast forest, composed of endless rows of pine trees. Sometimes sunny and idyllic, other times dark and ominous, the trees stretch out endlessly in all directions, with a wide river running through them to some distant, unknown shore. The forest is full of life, plenty of fish in the river and a variety of birds, but particularly found in abundance are the deer. They roam freely about the forest, and if you stay quiet and still they'll continue to graze peacefully, though they'll run if you get too close. Should you visit the more foreboding parts of the forest, you may also see the Wendigo lurking between the trees.

In a clearing near the river is a cabin, which looks cosy at first glance, but on entering it's covered with antlers, the trophies of previous kills. And laying on a table at the back of the room is the latest prey, deer or human, waiting to be skinned.

[ Abigail's plotting comment is here, but she can be found all around the forest. ]


ii. Wildcard

[ Hit me up if you want a custom starter for your character, otherwise anything goes! ]

i

[sharktrash]

It's a lot more relaxing than Squalo expects, having been effectively losing his shit at his own dominion. He liked being around people, and a city without any just wasn't right. A forest, however? That's different. It doesn't need lights or noises or the peak hour rush. It just is, and he's actually having a fairly good time wandering about, admiring at the nature. He's never had the chance to spend much time out on the countryside, so he's a little amazed already.

He's actually a little surprised to find the cabin, but he doesn't think much of it at first. Well, sure, he'll check it out. Who knows how long he was going to be stuck here, right?

He definitely doesn't expect the sight that greets him, however. The dead person on the table is give or take; he's seen (and made) plenty of those. But the way the entire interior seems to be covered with antlers is outright creepy. He stops near the door, as if mesmerized, and slowly reaches out to touch a horn point, tracing the countour of the antler with his fingertip.

He's not aware of anyone else in the vicinity just yet.

Squalo

[sharktrash]

-- 01.

[ Despite being here a few months, Squalo had done a piss poor job at finding friends so far. To be fair, he wasn't really trying in the first place; despite everything he was still coming to terms to what happened to him and that he'd likely never walk free again, so he mostly wanted to be left alone. And he was pretty damn good at looking like he wanted to be left alone, which in addition to some of the rumors circling around did seem to keep most other inmates at bay. ]

[ Well, most. ]

[ He's looking a little more approachable today. He hasn't gotten assigned to any duties -- maybe it's for the best that he doesn't get his hands on any tools at all -- and mostly spends time lounging in his bunk, alone in his cell for now. It seems he's wandered out finally, maybe taking a while to finish his food at the canteen, chilling in the yard or half-heartedly flipping worn out magazines in the library. ]

[ He doesn't even look threatening when he spots you looking at him. At this point he's used to his hair attracting attention. ]

What?


-- 02.

[ Welcome to Palermo. ]

[ Or a twisted, mirrorhouse, flooded version of Palermo, anyway. ]

[ The city sounds and life always seem just a little bit of reach, and trying to listen to any conversations, even if knowing the language, will reveal it to be incomprehensible. The streets are strangely empty, with a sense of foreboding looming heavy. The ocean and the warehouse are always within reach, however. Take a walk in a strange blue tunnel, or try to repair one of those motorbike engines laying around. There might be some beers in the fridge and some guns tucked in unexpected areas. It almost feels homey, at least until you wander upon that blood-stained carpet or the garland of corpse parts strung up in the attic. ]

[ Squalo can be found in any part of the domain, though he looks very out of sorts. Actually, you've probably never seen him scared, and now he is. He wanders aimlessly just to stay moving and keeps trying to reach the people or the busy streets, but as soon as he's within reach it all seems to turn into decorations or seemingly move further away like a sliding scale. ]

[ He's not taking it well. ]


-- 03.

[ Well, he's utterly freaked out by the weird dream he had last night... and yes, you guessed right, he's refusing to sleep. It's all fun and games the first day or two, but going on, he looks fucking awful. There's bags under his eyes, he keeps bumping into things when walking and nearly faceplants into his breakfast, clearly exhausted. ]

[ He's a lot more bothered by the fact that he's clearly going to pass out soon regardless of his willpower, though. At some point you might find him sitting on his bunk, rocking back and forth and staring in front of himself. He'll likely snap at a moment's notice if approached or addressed, but maybe you can talk some sense into him. ]


-- 04.

[ open to anything else too! hit me up or check out my plotting posts c: ]

3

[shinra_dog]

"You look like shit."

At some point, Reno had come to sit on the bunk across from Squalo's. It wasn't his bunk, but it hadn't stopped him. He leaned over, elbows on his knees, as he watched Squalo with a curious frown.

"You know, keepin' people awake for an extended time is a method of torture. Makes 'em start to lose their grip on reality an' shit. I've never seen someone do it to themselves before."

[sampler]

i. The Common Room
Farrah's drawing, of course. He almost always is. But for the past few days, he's consistently picked a seat along the east wall for his hours-long sketching sessions. Each day he chooses a different table and he moves if someone demands it, but he's always as close to the east wall as he can manage. He doesn't refuse conversation either, and happily turns to a blank page to draw for someone should they ask. In fact, he casually flips to a clean page if anyone sits near him.

As soon as he's left alone, he's back to his quick drawings which cover the papers: gestures, body parts, animals, plants, sometimes combinations of them. Sometimes there are tattoos or scars visible, though the only faces he draws are staff. Sometimes there's a word or time scribbled beside the identifying marks before he shuffles that sheet to the back of the stack and begins a new one.

Nothing suspicious here. Just a guy obsessed with drawing, definitely not taking notes on things he hears and sees, what people are where and when. Pure coincidence that at the right angle, which happens to be along the east wall, one can see the door to the staff room.

ii. Dominion

"I know. I remember. Come back." The breeze carries the soft words up from the beach and into the treeline. Black footprints lead out of the forest towards the lake, where Farrah kneels at the shoreline. He leans over frequently to dip his fingertips in the inky lake then rises up again to paint swirls and scales along his bare arms and chest. Someone approaching gets barely a nod of greeting before he resumes his careful, focused fingerpainting.

Something moves in the water. The ripples are small and distant at first, then grow larger as whatever submerged creature is causing it nears the surface and picks up speed. Within moments, the wake crests so high and kick up so much whitewater it's tough to tell if it's merely waves or perhaps some part of the creature breaks the surface. It charges at the beach and will seemingly emerge in a matter of seconds.

"Yes!" Farrah throws his arms up in triumph, clearly unafraid, "Yes! There you are!"

[Farrah's dominion plotting comment is here.]


iii. Wildcard

[ Open to just about anything! His general cr/plotting comment is here if you want some inspo. Happy to switch to brackets if you prefer!]

[sharktrash]

Quite honestly, the sketch (heh) guy looks insane, at least to Squalo, who can't fathom staying in one place for more than five minutes and not falling asleep. Whatever he's doing, however, there seems to be a method to it, especially when he starts favoring one wall over the others.

Whatever Squalo can make out of his drawings actually look pretty good, however, so eventually he comes by, pulling one hand out of his pockets to gesture at the paper.

"Will you draw me?"

[insincerus]

— dominion
            ( plotting link. come hash out things or just jump right on in. )

[ No matter what is to happen here, where you arrive is on the dock of a private island. It appears to be larger than an acre in size, though not by a tremendous amount more. There's a lovely sunset frozen on the horizon and clean, clear water as far as the eye can see, and the occasional shadowy figure on the edge of your vision. The front door is open, though whether or not you want to enter might vary depending on what can be seen through the large windows surrounding the living space within.

On any given night, Felix's domain could take a different turn. Sometimes, he's lounging around browsing his movie options and sipping a blended drink directly out of a coconut. Others, he's busy fighting an intruder, or is already dragging the broken and bloodied body off through a door into a dark hallway after he's already finished with them. As the month goes on, it's a pretty even mix of the two — admittedly, Felix is starting to have fun killing those who would invade his domain, especially once he realised he could will his fancy suits into being resistant to blood stains. ]


— rec area
[ Those who are particularly attentive might have noticed Felix sitting out of most of the going-on's out in the recreation yard over the weeks since he'd come here, occasionally spying another loner to go and chat up with an easy and casual air, but largely keeping out of things with a party of three or more. And while he had done so largely due to not wanting to yet come across as allied to one party or another by participating in group events, he's also become bored in his time of inactivity.

So now he's stretching on the ground by the edge of the track, cooling himself down after a lengthy run. He's sweaty and breathy, but seems quite relaxed despite all the exertion. ]


— block c
[ Come bother Felix while he's chilling in his bunk? Or have come Felix insert himself into your cell unexpectedly, which he does sometimes. He's not sorry he's like this. ]


— wildcard
[ ??? ]

dominion

[sharktrash]

[ See, now that's how you do an island dream. Pleasant and perfectly not creepy, aside from whoever's always hanging out in the corner of his eye, but it's still much better than an entire empty city block. Squalo walks up to the house actually looking somewhat relaxed, though really he's prepared for an ambush at any moment. ]

[ He finds the front door open and stalks in curiously, stopping when he nearly steps into a blood puddle. ]

[ Actually, there seem to be some kind of drag marks leading behind a corner. So he does what every reasonable person would do in this situation... which is knock loudly on the doorframe to announce his presence. ]

Bad time?

AM / Alan Masterson

[adaptivemanipulation]

A. Dominion: Prosperity

To those who may not have experienced wealth in their lives, what you see now may be a dream come true. You are in an opulent mansion with everything you could likely want. The grass is perfectly trimmed, the flowers and hedges are beautiful and watered and colorful.

Inside, you come in to see a grand staircase, and to the sides you see more opulence. All sorts of fancy desserts and hors d'oeuvres dot the various tables here and there, along with bottles of any kind of wine you could want.

The kitchen is stocked to the brim with any kind of food you want, with more of the hors d'oeuvres here and there. But the dining room has a beautiful dinner display of filet and lobster, with sides in a buffet style.

You might see waitstaff flitting about here and there, but they won't bother you. All they will do is make your stay more enjoyable, from refilling your glasses or plates, to showing up with an hors d'oeuvres tray, or anything else you might desire. Should you do anything unsavory, they won't care. They will go back to business as usual.

If you're tired, have a rest on the soft, luxurious master bed or one of the many guest beds throughout the house. Freshen up in the master bathroom or guest bathroom. Relax by the fireplace or go chill in the home theater (and yes, popcorn and soda will be delivered by any of the waitstaff should you wish it!). Unfortunately, the home theater is only stocked with movies that came out before three years ago, but that's okay.

Outside, there is a luxurious pool with a swim-up bar. A bartender will make you any drink you could want. Same thing for the upstairs bar. Swim to your heart's content with the waterfalls and fountains.

Should you desire something more private, a smaller indoor pool can also be found in the mansion.

Either way, what could possibly go wrong? This is the lap of luxury. Maybe you will run into AM enjoying these luxuries. Or maybe you will see him yelling at one of his staff members and slapping them.

Or... you may feel as if the entire room is watching you. As if the house is alive. Who knows!


B. Dominion: Intrigue

But not all is paradise. You might take a wrong turn in the mansion and end up somewhere that certainly does not look to belong. You might find wires and components sticking out or blending in, or rooms entirely like a computer. Now, you can try and mess with them if you want, but some of the aforementioned waitstaff will absolutely try to prevent you, converging on you and ushering you away, or even attacking you if necessary.

Or worse yet, the machines themselves will attack you. You may hear a presence as you explore the mechanical areas, as if the room itself breathes. A large mechanical hand may grab you and wrap around your waist, lifting you in the air.

AM himself could appear, but this time he's a strange hybrid of man and machine, wires protruding from his body, half of him seemingly robotic. He rasps angrily, mechanical hitches in his voice as he lunges toward you. "What are you doing?!"


C. Dominion: Dark Ages (CW: torture)

As you explore the mansion, you might take yet another wrong turn and find a staircase descending several flights until it comes to a large bolted security door. However, it won't take much for you to open it. You might regret doing so, though.

A long hallway follows, seemingly endless. But doors line the area, each one accessible. Unfortunately, you might hear screams emanating from each one. Of course, behind each door is a torture chamber of sorts, some more modern, some medieval. Some are empty, but some already have victims bound up, begging to be freed.

You could torture them. Or, you could free them. Or, even if you end up in an empty one, AM could appear and block your exit. Blood splatters over his clothes, and his eyes and hair are wild. A sick grin paints his face as he eyes his newest victim. Or... assistant? It depends.


D. Yard Duty

When AM isn't in his dominion, he has yard duty this month. Now, he rather enjoys being out in the sunshine, sitting on a tractor and mowing the lawn. It's good, honest work in a way. In his younger days, he certainly had to take care of his own needs and yard. But as he got older and richer, he was far too busy, constantly traveling and the like. His staff usually handled these matters.

But being outside is better than being trapped in the prison walls. In fact, he almost feels peaceful, even as he sits in the hot sun and pulls weeds. His long braid is pinned in a spiral atop his head to keep it out of his face and neck - and so it doesn't get caught in the mower when he's on it.

In fact, he might even abandon his weeding or mowing sometimes to just run and feel the breeze in his face. Incredible.


E. Wildcard

[Whatever you want. AM is in B Block if that helps.]

c? hope this works

[sharktrash]

As the classy individual that he is, Squalo not only made sure to stuff his face in the kitchen -- listen, it's been months since he had anything other than the prison slop and at this point he doesn't even care if it turns into eldritch monster's droppings mid-plate -- but also carry a dessert plate of meat and snacks with him as he goes exploring.

Most people wouldn't walk down an ominous looking staircase and try to break into someone's torture dungeon. Squalo isn't most people, however, and he does it while chewing on a fancy miniatiure fishcake. Anyone wanting to (sort of) hide something had to have something worthwhile there, and it's not like he has better things to do. He's definitely not sleeping in someone else's house.

The first few rooms he checks are disappointingly empty, but the fourth time's the charm when he stumbles upon some poor nondescript sod hanging off the torture wheel. They immediately plead for his help and he thoughtfully shoves another piece of food in his mouth before gently tipping the wheel into a less comfortable position and patting the person's cheek patronizingly.

"You really gotta sell that better. A'ight, you think some more about how you can repay me and try again."

His voice is really too damn loud in a small space like this, and then there's several other voices from other doors, asking for the same thing. Squalo only looks surprised for a moment before he hops out into the hallway in something almost like a dance-step.

"Listen up, trashbags! We're gonna have a little contest. One of you walks free tonight!"

He pauses for dramatic effect, disregarding any confusion and/or horror.

"The last one alive, that is."

He's too caught up in the moment to notice anyone else approaching, and if he comes face to face with someone very much not in chains as he turns, well. He looks more inconvenienced than terrified at the moment.

"Oh."

[myagents]

1. Mess hall
[Price has been trusted with kitchen duty, more specifically serving the food. Inmates from all blocks come and go to get their trays filled. Most just get their food silently, but someone might have something to say…]

2. Block B
[Price sitting on his bed in silence, not really trying to start a conversation with anyone. Sometimes he seems to be looking at nothing and spacing out, but other times he looks like he might be staring at someone…]

3. Dominion
[Price is sitting at his desk in his dominion, pretending to read psychiatry books, which are laid on the surface along with used colouring books that look like they’ve been scribbled by a child in a fit of rage. There are big cockroaches crawling all around the place, and he does pet those that come near him. The phone is ringing, but he doesn’t pick up.]

Oh, good morning.

[He greets without looking at the visitor.]

What brings you here?


4. Wildcard
[Bring your own scenario!]

dominion

[insincerus]

My guess? Random chance.

[ He's been wandering the place for a little, not necessarily trying to find who was running the place, but now that he's come across Price, he's pretty sure that's exactly what he's got. Felix makes a face, watching him casually interact with the bugs around the area. He's not squeamish, but he's not exactly fond of the little guys, and has already made away with a couple that touched him or made their way into his path. ]

[navigating]

— dominion
          (plotting link, for convenience.)

[ The vast expanse of space beyond the open hangar door leaves no impression of what time it might be, but it feels like a late hour when you arrive. There are very few people mulling about, most of them seem to be packing up, shouting their goodbyes across the space and shuffling out at their own pace towards the door near the back.

Abel is the only one who seems to be making no move to leave, seated up on the wing on his plane, feet dangling off the side. He kicks them idly, staring out into the darkness beyond with focus and intent — that is, until he goes to blindly reach for the water bottle beside him and sends it rolling behind him and off the wing. He looks back to see it go, and notices a face that's new to this place, though he has the slightest impression of having seen it at least in passing, sine arriving at obsidian. ]

Uh. I... didn't know anyone else could come in here.

[ He's not entirely sure that he's not just talking to another construct of the dream, and it shows in his tone. ]


— block a

[ Abel will be the first to admit that he's been very antisocial since his transfer to Obsidian, and that's for a guy who was known as kind of a loner long before his arrest. But it's something he'll have to admit to himself only, given that he's been terrified of talking to a single person so far, his cell-mate included. He knows this can't keep, given that he's living here now, and will continue to do so for... well, pretty much for the rest of his life.

It takes a lot for him to steel his nerves and find someone to talk to, and even then he backs out of it twice before finally committing. With zero grace whatsoever he approaches, hand braced out for a shake in greeting before he can think better of it. ]

Hi. I'm Abel.

[ His eyes are more-or-less screaming abort, abort, abort even though he manages to keep his voice from shaking. ]


— misc.

[ Come find Abel somewhere — he frequents the library, but common areas such as the meal room and bathrooms are unavoidable truths. ]

block a

[damngoodbabysitter]

[ Thankfully, most of the inmates of Block A aren't completely insane. Steve likes to think most of them are relatively normal, his cellmate not included out of personal experience. Not like the weirdos in other blocks, at least..

He looks surprised when Abel seems to be talking to him, glancing a few times between his face and that extended hand before he actually shakes it. ]

Hey, Abel. I'm Steve. Been here long?

Randall Flagg

[hardcase]

i / library

[ Of all the jobs in the prison, Library duty was the only one he could say he actually likes. Any excuse to spend more time in the library is good enough for him. He sits kicked back with his feet up on the desk, working his way through a crossword puzzle from today's newspaper. ]

What's a four letter word for 'handbag'? [ Whoops, sorry. Were you trying to ask him a question, or check a book out? He's too focused on his puzzle to notice. ]

ii / dominion

[ Flagg's dominion is his commune in the desert, and any notions that this may be a perfectly quaint little desert town are dispelled by the bizarre behavior of the inhabitants. They all seem very devoted to Flagg, and will be wary towards outsiders.

And if you try to leave? There's nothing but desert on all sides, and some crucifixes with bodies at various stages of decay dot the skyline.

The residents will guide you towards Flagg's house, if you seem lost. They're very insistent that it's best for you to speak with him before you do anything else. ]

iii / wildcard

[ Anything goes! ]

ii

[callhousekeeping]

[ Look, wherever she shows up, the Countess is going to look the fucking part, and if she's going to wander the desert, she'll do it in style. And she does wander for a while, walking the outskirts of town to take in the bodies.

Interesting. Not exactly how she would have done it, but interesting.

Eventually, she is ushered to Flagg, accompanied by some very nice young ladies who really do not want to shut up about how great he is. They're still kind, and scatter before they can take up too much time. ]

Randall, it's lovely.

Billy Hargrove

[driving]

i / the yard

[ Billy doesn't mind yard duty, all things considered. It could be worse. He gets to go outside and do some physical work that lets him burn some energy and keep his hands busy.

Right now he's got some gloves on and is yanking stray dandelions out of the ground, making sure he gets all the roots before tossing the weeds in a bag. ]

Fuck. [ He wipes the sweat off his brow, staring up at the morning sun. ] I think that's all of 'em. How long has it been since anyone's weeded this place?

ii / dominion

[ Billy's dominion is a long stretch of empty beach.

In one direction, the sky is clear and the sun is bright. The water comes in gentle waves, rolling along the sand. It's perfect for swimming, tanning, or building sandcastles. Billy's there, surfboard tucked beneath one arm, trying to catch a wave.

In the other direction, however, the sky is stormy and the ocean is turbulent. Lightning strikes every now and then, bright and pink, and the closer you get to the storm the more ash starts to rain from the sky. Billy is there, too - or rather, something that's taken on the appearance of Billy. Unlike the active, playful Billy that would have greeted you in the other direction, this one is eerily still and silent, staring up at the storm. ]

iii / wildcard

[ Anything goes! ]

The Director

[determinist]

i. dominion —

Leonard's dominion is abnormally crowded on this occasion—it appears that he has contracted more employees to attempt the work he pays them to do. He occasionally stops into Allison's room to fawn over her a bit, and to watch her sleep, at other times. But the rest of the time he's fussing with the creation of her double.

ii. in dreams —

Leonard, like many people his age, sometimes finds himself napping at odd times. He's watching television in the common room and falls asleep, only to awaken to find the program has changed.

"Who changed the channel?" he demands as he sits up straighter, blinking the grogginess back out of his eyes.

iii. wildcard —

(( Want to do something else with The Director? Tag it in or hit me up at texelations! ))