Let's Play A Murder (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
letsplayamod) wrote2025-06-28 05:38 am
letsplayamod) wrote2025-06-28 05:38 am
Entry tags:
Locations
You have come to a place that is barely alive.
Nestled on high rocks battered by ceaseless waves, the island nevertheless holds a strange treasure for you: towers, grand halls, whole pavilions of amazing design, all in various states of disarray at the absolute best. Still, there's a majesty beneath the crumbling towers and rampant overgrowth. Someone, at least, cared enough to clear the rubble away your immediate surroundings. You can experience a small amount of peace here amidst the chaos.
Cliff Arena
The furthest point on this side of the island, jutting out over the churning sea below. The smell of the ocean is thick here, mixing with ozone. Despite the precarious nature of it, this open-air arena was seemingly carved into the rock face itself. Intricate symbols trace the floor, at least where cracks haven't spoiled them, and marble columns line the outer rim. If you're daring enough, you could climb onto the ledge and be face-to-face with the golden aura that prevents you from falling into the sea.
Testing your luck is still ill-advised, though.
Bonfire Pit
One of the craters littering this area has been converted into a burning pit for a raging bonfire. Despite never being fed, unless you choose to tend to it, the flame never shrinks to less than a smouldering flame. It's nice to sit by on a cool night, or stare into contemplating your life choices.
Mountain Forest
Everywhere you go out here, there's the presence of nature. It practically strangles this side of the island. Nowhere more so than at this dense forest that creeps off into the distance. From the outside, it's difficult to tell where it ends, and near impossible if you actually decide to trek into the dense, sun-blocked canopy. Perhaps you should steer clear...
Gardens
Just outside the forest's edges, a plot of land has been cleared, tilled, and sown. The handiwork here, to a learned eye, is rudimentary but there was a even hand carefully planting lines of grape vines, raspberries and strawberries, apricots, and a few vegetables here and there. God willing, maybe it'll grow into something worthwhile.
A small hut squats in the corner, clearly newer than the buildings surrounding you. The inside serves as storage for a variety of ancient gardening tools, no electric motors here. Careful, some of these are sharp.
Training Grounds
Set out on a plot of land clear of plants and debris is a training area suitable for any would-be athlete just starting out, or a pro looking to hone their skills. All the equipment you would need is here, provided you required nothing especially modern. Aside from a full obstacle course there's multiple training dummies of all types to spar against.
If you're feeling especially bold, you could spar with each other. There's practice swords and poles. Not enough to kill, but a good whack will leave a mark. Luckily, there's a decent assortment of first aid here.
A short ways away, guided by torchlight and a stone pathway, is where you arrived, and where you'll stay.
The buildings are squat but wide, wrapping around the area like a coliseum sliced in half. The stone it's made from almost seems to shine, it has been well taken care of, inside and out.
Each room is locked with a key supplied to the recipient. Inside, the decorations are sparse; aside from some rugs and banners, but the bed is magically soft, there's shelves and an end table to fill. You've even got a personal washroom with suspiciously modern plumbing. Don't worry about the gift bestowed upon you.
Every room also features a wardrobe with replacement clothes. Most of them are robes and togas, but there may be something you can make work.
ROOM ASSIGNMENTS:
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Hero's Pavilion
Unmissable on your arrival is an uncovered tholos situated exactly between the two buildings. The rounded plateau is lined with statues-- of you. All of you, as a matter of fact. And while their accuracy may be up to interpretation, the profiles carved into bronze plaques before them certainly seem to know you.
In the absolute center of it all sits a stone slab with a set of rules written upon it.
Past a pair of massive doors lies your first look into this magnificent place. Cracks run long over the stone walls and floors, banners hang torn, but it's pretty clean. Homely, perhaps. There's always a lit torch her, guiding your way.
Cornucopia
Down the main hall, seated in the shadow of a proud statue - at least it was, the statue's been crushed beyond recognition - is a massive horn of plenty. Visitors have the opportunity to cast an offering into one of the flames flanking the horn, and receive riches in return... Or, maybe something not so rich.
Eatery
A grand dinning room by all appearances. A massive table of glass and bronze takes of the majority of the space. Thankfully, it has enough chairs for everyone.
Kitchen
All the commodities necessary to whip up and enjoy a meal are here. Pans, pots, knives, forks, knives, ovens, cold storage, knives...
Pantry
A room on the smaller side tucked in the back of the kitchen, and chock full of all kinds of food. No matter how much gets removed, it's always restocked by the next morning.
Scroll Storage
This could be called a library, but really it's a storage space for various tomes and scrolls. A significant number of works in here seem to have been burned in the past, to the point of being rendered unrecognizable, so it may come as little surprise that it appears to be going through some kind of very heavy reorganization attempt.
Washrooms
Because you can never have just one.
Lift Room
A room containing a large lift operated by levers and chains. It currently goes from floor one to two.
Stairway
A stairway leading down to a lower floor. Currently, a strange aura blocks you from entering it.
This floor immediately hits you with a combination of smells. Hay and soot and floral scents. More statues line the halls, towering up... at least those that haven't been smashed. Some are intact enough to see that they were men and women. Imposing, but unrecognizable.
Lift Room
It's the same lift as the above floor. It'll take you up, but not lower.
Bathrooms
Everybody pees. Even gods.
Laundry
The Endless Witch died for her sin, and also so you could stop washing your clothes in the sinks.
Much like the kitchen above, the laundry room is surprisingly modern, with a decent assortment of retro cleaning agents to choose from. Multiple contraptions of bronze and glass squat here with tangles of large pipes snaking from them into the walls and floor. Despite the somewhat intimidating appearance, they operate as well as common washers would.
Crafts Room
Is this room perpetually a bit warmer than everywhere else? Maybe it's just your imagination.
It was obviously some sort of workman's area at some point. A large anvil sits in the middle of he room, and the walls are lined with shelves and drawers of varying sizes stuff with innumerable little bits and bobs you'd tinker with. If there was a non-electric tool you needed, this would be the place for it. You have just have to dig in to find it, however.
There's also a small flower plot of roses set up in one corner. Despite the thin layer of dust on everything else, these are still somehow hanging on.
Stables
Stables underground? Is that strange? Neigh!
It's fine that there's just a whole stable set up here, complete with grass turf for the horses to prance around. Speaking of - there's a handful of horses here, in decent health, if seemingly skittish of everything going on. Kicking up their feet and flapping their wings until they get used to you.
Right, wings. About half of them are pegasus.
They're well stocked on feed, at least. There's running water from a very nice fountain near the gates you came in. And, in fact, the back wall of this room opens up to the outside air. With a platform that's perfect for a Pegasus looking to take flight. Although, that might also be a factor in how nervous they are.
Armory
The large, vault-like door no longer blocks your passage. And what's inside is truly a bit... concerning for the paranoid. Because it turns out this room is an armory. A veritable stockpile of weapons commonly used in ancient times. Racks of swords and spears line the walls, with shields hung over them. There's bows and quivers of arrows. In one corner, a few mannequins hold up sets of armor. They have metal combat skirts here, who knew?
Though, that isn't all. A statue stands in the center of the room, carved into a load-bearing column of marble. Unlike the rest in the hall, this one is largely intact; featuring a tall woman, long hair stuffed beneath a helmet, spear in one hand, and owl perched on her wrist on the other. Her stern gaze watches you.
Stairs
Another set of stairs leading downwards. Like before, these have been unblocked.
Down this far, the light is primarily supplied by torches that never seem to burn out. The whole area is in better condition than the rooms above, but there's still deep gouges in the walls and floor, like something cleaved through them.
Bathhouse
If this isn't your final destination, it should be. Don't slip on the heart-patterned tiling as you take advantage of this fully stocked bathhouse. Everything's provided, and the waters are warm and clean and flow endlessly from various statues and pipes. While there is a 'main' intersex bath, there's also two off to the side clearly marked for men or women.
Near the entrance, next to the changing rooms, is a row of cubbyholes in the wall for your belongings and clothes. There's also sets of swimsuits for the less bold.
Bathrooms
Many deadly accidents happen in the bathroom. Not saying it'll happen. But it's worth noting now that you've lost both Alex and Wendy.
Library
This room makes the scroll storage upstairs look like a child's bookshelf. This is a library.
The cool, tile flooring is taken up by soft rugs. Wall-to-wall, shelves stretch from floor to ceiling. Candlelight from chandeliers overhead guides you to the center of this maze where another statue stands. It bears a striking resemblance to the one in the armory, except this one seems to be nearly untouched by whatever chaos struck this island.
Peering through the shelves will find them not lacking for knowledge. Old sea maps of distant shores, tomes and legislature of ancient parties. And, of course, there's books. Actual books. With stories in them! Some are older, leather bound and frail, but others pack a surprising heft. Even though there's a good amount here written in Greek, there's also some in english! Some material here, you might even recognize from your own world.
Channeling Chamber
This room is spacious but not. The majority of the floor is once more taken up by carpets and rugs wrapping their way around the center. The centerpiece of sorts, surrounded by a multitude of pillows and mats, is a spot where seemingly one person would sit. Flanking them is a number of metallic burners -- incense burners.
The scent of it is still faint in here, but ever-present. And there's plenty of supplies if you were looking to seek... whatsoever out there. If that's even possible.
Lift Room
It's the same ol' lift room. Now, it can travel between this floor and the top one.
Stairs
Another stairway, leading down. Yup, it's free now.
You feel a heat set into this floor, similar to around the stables, but this place is more nicely ventilated. The floors are scuffed and marked with the heavy swings of combat, but it's less of a mess than the previous levels.
Bathrooms
Go piss god. I mean girl. I mean they.
Lift room
You have reached the lowest floor (for now). You may go up.
Forge
The heat definitely originates from here. Behind blast walls, and a second door that seems to sense your presence and opens automatically, shutting behind you... is a forge that's much more elaborate than the craft area a few floors up. A large metal anvil squats in the center of the room, flanked by everything one would need if they wanted to make something in here. Tools of wrought iron and bronze hang from every wall and shelf. Water basins sit ready, constantly refilled from pipes running above.
Some of those pipes even seem to glow a molten red... in fact, that may be lava running through those pipes. Just don't think about busting them open. they look quite sturdy, so they'll be no accidents in here.
Just mind the dust. There's a thick layer. Nobody's been here in ages.
Crafts room
Opposite the forge is an area tucked away behind heat-resistant walls, with precautions in place to prevent any amount of flame or ember. And it would make sense to; this room is a fire-hazard. Tables sit here piled with parchment and quill. Ribbons and streamers and small bronze scissors.
But the true prize in here is the weaving section. A large loom hangs in the back. There's every colour of textile and yarn you could want to use in here. Several cloth tapestries already hang behind it on the wall. Depicting unfamiliar scenes, though a couple are unfinished.
The Bar
The hallway here ends with two exits; one direction is sealed behind a large door that absolutely refuses to budge. The other leads into what Hoshino Ai and Snow White have died for this week: a full bar.
The interior fits the retro look of everywhere else. It's not so much a modern bar - there's a main counter for someone to serve drinks, but the seating is more akin to a lounge. Long couches are set up with a positively outrageous amount of throw pillows for you to drape yourself over. The winestocks here are plentiful to the point of almost overflowing. Excellent for indulging under the winding grapevines that choke the support pillars.
Out the back, there's a separate hallway that leads down quite a ways. Dotted with pots of flowers, and tapestries of eagles in flight, there isn't very much to find until you hit another large door, that has been unlocked and opened following a fight with the corrupted king of Ithaca.
Stairs
Another set of stairs sits at the end of this curving hall. Another door nearby is now unlocked and can be opened.
This floor is the closest to perfect you've seen so far. The cracks on the walls are minor, there's little signs of damage. There's also a noticeable chill - enough to be felt but not too unpleasant. You're deep in the earth, this is a given.
Bathrooms
The bathroom offer you comfort in these trying times.
Elysian Fields
As you discover, a large amount of this floor has been made into a sweeping indoor garden. Divided into quarters, each garden hosts a number of plants, mainly flowers and herbs, some wheat here and there. If you were inclined to know, there are things growing here from all the seasons. Yet, they seem to manage just find under the strange artificial lights in the ceiling. Stop and admire the bed of lilies, or gather some asphodelus and poppies. There's plenty of beauty here.
In the center, connecting all the paths where the sections split from, is an area set up around a lone cypress tree. A reflecting pool sits at the base, excellent for sitting by.
Music room
This room contains a large amount of instruments and musical tools, all brass and still holding a shine despite the dust. Judging from the large theater set up along the back wall, it seems this room was used for entertainment. What isn't explained is why the stage is devoted to a large pool of very, very deep water.
Hall of stories
The hallway that takes up most of this level stretches out and around the gardens. It's a long walk, nothing too interesting about it... save for the impressive murals carved into the very walls. Depicting stories of godly might and terrible ruin. They stretch the whole length of the hall, only broken up by nooks in the walls containing tall statues of gold and bronze. Strange men these are - not men at all, in fact. But like suits of armor in the vague shapes of men.
And within the first day of happening onto this floor, those metal men begin to move.
Large, stiff, clunky steps pull these automatons from their bases. They'll venture all throughout this floor, doing menial work in the gardens and wherever else it's necessary. They don't seem overly concerned about the survivors. Unless you go far enough to provoke them, then you might discover these metal creations can hit hard.
Lift room
Here it is. You can finally take the lift from this floor all the way back to the top. A lot faster than climbing the stairs.
This floor is sparsely decorated, but no less grandiose. The walls are intricate and the floors shine, reflecting your every step. This isn't a floor build for lounging on, it commands the respect of godly might.
Lift room
You've reached the bottom of the lift system. Doesn't look like it goes down from here... It also doesn't look like the lift is going anywhere at all. The mechanisms and systems set up down here to make it move have been destroyed by a growth of massive tree roots.
Great hall
This hall stretches through most of the floor. Wide and imposing, with its high ceilings and spotless floors. Like the last floor, this hall features intricate carvings of past events. This one is definitely somehow bloodier than the last, telling a story of bitter revenge.
???
A massive door blocks your path. A large "Α" and "Ω" grace the double doors along with assortments of meticulous handiwork. Lightning bolts and flames curve up the edges and around the large symbols, but they don't seem to tell you how to get past. But surely there's a way through...