Week Two

[stagemanagers]

[Last week, no murder happened! Instead, a lot of students started work on Salieri's school play, which sounds pretty cool even though it's gonna be short, several people destroyed Bigfoot and got a few mysterious clues, and Orpheus started a fire in the kitchen! All in all, not a bad first week!

Though some people might have gone to talk to Hester, she hasn't made any more public announcements. There's some new papers posted up around the cafeteria, but it looks like it's just your upcoming lunch schedule. Seems like nothing's driving you towards Rule Five except, perhaps, all of the kidnapping and how criminally boring some of you are finding the school. Maybe the Balladeer is right, and you really can just wait this out? Only time will tell!]


Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( No new locations this week, since y'all haven't paid in blood! Hester's office hours are still open, as are regains! Make sure to complete your first activity check by Tuesday! ))

Comments

vending machine

[mcfife]

[There's a tuba by the machine, another instrument to add to the collection. Why don't we wander over and check out the other treasures and OH BY THE GODS THAT IS A FIRE]

What have you done?! [don't think he didn't hear of the smoke alarm fiasco]

[themuseabandonsyou]

I don't know! [ Orpheus half-wails in distress, looking between the man and the fire and the ceiling as he waits for it to start spraying water on them again. ] It came out of the machine like that!

[ Good thing it stayed upright and contained in its crust, somehow. Imagine alcohol-soaked flaming mincemeat going all over the floor. ]

[mcfife]

Water! I'll grab water!

[By heading to the bathroom sink, of course. He wants some of the pie to be edible once they save it.]

[themuseabandonsyou]

Okay! I'll - I'll stay here and make sure it doesn't spread?

[ They don't need two people to fetch water, probably! Orpheus just continues to fidget nervously with the collar of his shirt, watching the fire like a hawk. ]

[mcfife]

[Angus returns in less than a minute, but by then, the flame begins to die down on its own. He still rushes over and dumps a cup of tap water onto the pie, causing it to sizzle out.]

There. No more setting food on fire.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus lets out a sigh of considerable relief when the fire is out, shoulders sagging slightly as the tension leaves him. ]

I didn't do it on purpose, [ he protests, weakly - and technically he didn't do it at all, it really did come out of the machine on fire. He's not the type to really argue about this kind of thing, though, so he doesn't. ] Thanks, though. My name is Orpheus. It's good to meet you!

[mcfife]

At least it's over. This had better be the last of the fires.

[Angus straightens and rolls his shoulders.] Angus McFife XIII, crown prince of Fife. It is good to finally speak with you.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus gives Angus a sheepish and slightly guilty look, though he stands up straighter when he introduces himself, looking a little surprised. ]

Oh! It's good to meet you too, your Highness. [ It's Highness for princes, right? His mother taught him these things, a long time ago, but he was very young and the memories are kind of fuzzy. ] I'm sorry I didn't get to it sooner. I've been trying to introduce myself to everybody, but it's been kind of chaotic?

[ Normally introducing himself to around 20 people over the course of a week would be easy, with them all in a confined space like this, but there's been a lot going on. ]

[mcfife]

[Angus has to introduce himself to entire courts; he's gotta be good at learning names quickly in stressful situations.]

Many people from many worlds. I've come to assume that at least half of your universes have no magic nor a kingdom of Fife. [It's not everyone, but it's enough to be discouraging.] And you? What is the name of your homeland?

[themuseabandonsyou]

Oh, I'm from the United States of America. And I guess it depends on what you want to call magic? But there's some there.

[ Mostly Orpheus is thinking of Medea's brand of sorcery, but Elsa called what he can do magic, too, so he guesses it might count to some people despite it being divine in origin. ]

I've never heard of Fife, though, sorry. But I'm not all that good at geography. What continent is it on?

[mcfife]

America! Have you a king, too? My friend rules California in my time. Which kingdom do you live in?

[He steps closer to Orpheus. At last, someone normal!]

Fife - it's on the landmass north of Europa. Others have called it Scotland.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus shakes his head. ]

We have presidents, instead of kings. The shadow person who showed up in History Club? He was our president something like a century ago. Although I don't think he was a shadow at the time?

[ But you never know! He perks up a little when Angus mentions Scotland, though. ]

Oh! I know where Scotland is. I've never been there, but I've heard it's really beautiful.

[mcfife]

Well, I suppose a president is close enough. A president should be able to beat up a wild beast alone.

[While singing about his power as electric guitars play in the background. That is the right way of things.]

It truly is. Have you ever seen such green hills, such majestic mountains, such deep forests? Such beautiful, grand citadels? Though nothing can compare to the beauty of the Land of the Unicorns...

[themuseabandonsyou]

I don't think most of ours do that, actually? But I guess some of them were pretty well known for that kind of thing. There's a lot of songs about President Roosevelt defeating the King of the Laestrygonians in single combat.

[ Very popular at 17th of Skirophorion parties. Patriotism!! ]

I haven't really traveled much, so not really. Although the desert can be awfully pretty after it rains, and all the flowers come into bloom at once. The Land of the Unicorns, though?

[mcfife]

Has he? I would love to hear the song written of that battle.

[There's so many stories he wants to listen to after all this. So many universes, so many histories. Anything good to counteract the great evil that had just left his own.]

The Land of the Unicorns, north in the valley of Achnasheen. A hidden glen where the unicorns reside and keep beautiful regardless of what happens outside. I had only been there twice, as the resistance army had their headquarters there. Most men never lay their eyes upon a unicorn in their natural habitat.

[themuseabandonsyou]

I can sing one for you now, if you want! [ says Orpheus, brightly, gesturing to the guitar on his back. ] What's a unicorn, though? Are they some sort of nature spirit, where you come from?

[mcfife]

[A hearty nod! Though his question is curious.]

It's a mighty magical beast of Fife. You may have heard tales of their power and purity, though they aren't completely nonviolent. Those that dare threaten them or have a heart pure of evil may find themselves at the end of their laser attacks.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ Orpheus doesn't really know what a laser is, but it sounds pretty serious, and he listens with a wide-eyed curiosity to Angus's description. He can't imagine someone having a heart of pure evil, though, much less a being that could sense such a thing. That seems a little hard to believe.

But he's promised to play a song, and he nods, sliding the guitar around on its strap and getting his hands into position. The song he starts to play is an upbeat, almost marching-band-esque number - a simple tune with a steady beat, repetitive and catchy. He takes a deep breath, and begins to sing; ]

There goes Mister Roosevelt
Brave explorer of the veldt
See him disembark the boat
On Laestrygonian shores

There goes King Antiphates
Ruler of man-eating beasts
See him smile with sharpened teeth
Saying "Welcome to our shores"

So said Mister Roosevelt,
"Does my expedition find you well?
I do admire your many pelts
And trophies of the hunt"

So said King Antiphates,
"Your expedition finds me pleased
They will be enough to appease
My hunger for the flesh of man"

So said Mister Roosevelt,
"That's enough, for I have felt
No kinship for you savage whelps
I'll fight you man to man"

So said King Antiphates,
"Then I will add you to the feast
Guards, his men you must now sieze"
And he rose from his throne

There goes Mister Roosevelt
A warrior like never beheld
With iron fists, the president dealt
A rain of mighty blows

Down goes King Antiphates
No worse could he have misconceived
The power up Roosevelt's sleeves
Surrender was his sole reprieve

So said Mister Roosevelt
"I hope this battle taught you well
Now scatter from where you once dwelt
Your kingdom is no more"

Away fled King Antiphates
His guards, the prisoners they released
And conflict with the US ceased
The men came marching home

[mcfife]

[Angus closes his eyes, paying attention to each line of Orpheus' song. Images form of the two men - two muscular, long-haired warriors in suits and leather armor - as they leap into battle, their armies watching and cheering for their leaders in the sidelines. A grand procession as the prisoners are set free.]

This Roosevelt...he sounds like a true barbarian king! He may be your world's counterpart of The Hootsman.

[themuseabandonsyou]

[ The hair and armor might be a little off, but aside from that it's not a totally inaccurate mental image. At least for what the song was trying to convey. Historical accuracy is another deal but that's not what this kind of thing is really for. ]

Maybe! I don't know much about him, aside from the songs people wrote. [ History was one of Orpheus's better subjects in school, but that's not... saying much. ] Who's The Hootsman, though? Maybe I'll recognize something.

[mcfife]

He's the king of California, formerly having been the king of Unst, kingdom north of Fife. A thousand years ago, he helped my ancestor, Angus McFife the first, seal Zargothrax away, and because of his heroic deeds, the warrior became king of Unst. Of course, being a cyborg, he ruled for many, many years.

[He stands with a fist over his chest.]

The land of Unst was not enough, he had to conquer more
Into the west, the hero quests to far American shores!
With his mighty battle axe he slaughtered everything
'Til all of California did call this hero king!

[themuseabandonsyou]

Wow, [ says Orpheus, genuinely impressed even without having context for much of what Prince Angus is talking about. ] I think you have to be a citizen of the United States to become the president, so President Roosevelt didn't come from anywhere else or conquer us. But your world sounds really different from mine and most other people here, so maybe that's just how his life went, there.

[ Who knows! ]

What's a cyborg, though?

[mcfife]

You know, when a man has parts of his bodies replaced with machinery. Half-cybernetic, half-organic. Cyborganic.

[Everyone knows this- oh right. Some universes are disappointing.]

[themuseabandonsyou]

With... machinery? [ Orpheus parrots, a blank look on his face before he comes up with a frame of reference that makes sense to him. ] Oh! Like a prosthetic limb, maybe?

[mcfife]

Sort of, but you control the prosthetic itself, and the new arm doesn't do any work itself.

[...]

It's like it's own machine that uses circuitry to work with the rest of your body. A kind ghost, sort of.