clouds came and covered the sun

[hairpining]

[You find yourself in a small, quaint little town. The architecture has a notably late-1800s bent to it, in contrast to the clean, crisp air you breathe – combined with a faint, flowery scent – it's almost as though it is not industrialized at all.

Which would be easy enough to believe. After all, there do not seem to be any people out other than you and your fellow spelunkers – in spite of the occasional whisper you might hear. Hushed and impossible to actually make out.

Far in the distance lies a towering building, similar in shape to a fairytale castle.]

(Castle Town | Atelier | Smithy | Castle Town Revisited |
Painting the Roses Red | The Golden Afternoon | Castle Corridor |
The Library of Babel | The Girl Without Hands | The Garden of Paradise | The White Bride and the Black One |
The Princess Sleeping in the Glass Coffin)

((BGM entirely for ~atmospheric~ and ~stylistic~ purposes and personal reference, feel free to listen if you want to!))

Comments

Castle Town Revisited

[hairpining]

[The prince from before is nowhere to be found. However, the gate leading to the castle is wide open!

Do you have anything you'd like to share with the group first, though?]

[fangirlitis]

[Holding the blue flowers she was sent for~~]

We got the flowers! As predicted, the prince is gone. Now to find him!

[artsistic]

So, have you been staying out of trouble?

[fangirlitis]

Of course. I want my present♥

Shark-san picked up a doll, though. She's his friend now. I think it's Michi's inner child or something, and the dollhouse we were in represented her feelings regarding her daddy always saying she wasn't good enough and wanting a new one.

And I had a vision where I think Ichiro tried to sexually harass me. It was awesome.♥

[artsistic]

It's the kind with bumps on it.

Her feelings about her father have always been very complicated. Poor thing.

...Ahh? What?

[kalahiki]

[So Sei has a tiny dollchild riding on his shoulders.]

...Of course.

[artsistic]

...What is that?

[kalahiki]

Her name's Elys, she wanted to come along.

[artsistic]

...I see.

[I hope this doesn't change anything!]

[hairpine]

[A creepy doll.

Who happens to resemble a younger version of your friend.]

Elys --

[She cuts herself off, and for a moment sort of looks like she recognizes Chieko? But.]

I'm Elys!

[artsistic]

[Creepy or not, she looks like Michi, so she can't bring herself to be mean towards it.]

Hi Elys! I'm Chieko.

[guardofsteel]

[ Elijah is just going to be. watching the doll a bit warily. He really doesn't want to get jumped on again. ]

[hairpine]

White boy! Your hair, why is it white?

Are you related to the Gray Prince?

[guardofsteel]

How should I know? It's always been this way. [ That first part is... sort of a lie. But he isn't sure how to explain genetics and mutations and albinism to a tiny dollchild. ]

Who the f-- [ He's also a bit uncomfortable with cursing in front of the tiny dollchild. ] Who is the Gray Prince?

[guardofsteel]

[ Of course the prince isn't there. Of course. ]

Goddammit.

Re: Castle Town Revisited

[artsistic]

[Carrying the blue flowers.]

Ah, he's not even here?

[provocate]

[Tucking a stolen knife inside his jacket? And looking... mildly perturbed when the prince isn't there]

Changing the rules... [How inconsiderate!!!]

[hairpine]

[Omg
omg omg omg
omg!!!

From atop Sei's shoulders, Baron, there is a creepy but very well-made doll waving at you.]

It's a monster! You're really really really really tall!

[provocate]

[...WOW RUDE. Gives her... a long curious look, wondering when they gained another person and also why she's a doll lksdfj Grins after a second though, spreading his hands in front of him]

Now now, my dear, no need for name-calling.

[hairpine]

[PUFFS OUT HER CHEEKS :E somehow. Even though she's clearly not. Made of flesh and bone or anything.]

Finee.

[fangirlitis]

This is normal. Now we have to find the NPC and deliver the item... but it may be several more hours before we do.

And I bet there will be puzzles♥

[provocate]

[Hours...]

Hours, dear? [Making a game entertaining for that long is rather difficult in his experience... |B]

[fangirlitis]

You know... like a 40 hour rpg experience? The number of hours of playtime from start to finish without going for 100%.

[artsistic]

...Did you have to take that?

[provocate]

Those, my dear. [Already put the other two away *3*]

But yes, I did.