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Post by Hermes on Dec 18, 2020 7:44:18 GMT -5
I forgot BBusiness existed but it hasn't been posted in since like 2015 How do you know? |
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 18, 2020 8:44:14 GMT -5
Chapter 3. Foreboding FeedbackThe voice who had called from the archway was the man in the overcoat. Bee hadn’t recognized him in the hecticness of before, and because the hood had shaded his face, but now it was clear to all that the man was Hermes . “I apologize for my elusive attire,” Hermes continued, when he saw everyone staring at him and his large black overcoat. “I was hoping to go unnoticed.” “Hermes,” Zortegus was the first to speak, “You’re not usually here for Christmas.” “You’re correct,” Hermes replied, “Usually, I visit my Great Uncle Alfie in Canada over the holidays, but, times being what they are, and my age being what it is, I thought it would be prudent not to travel by plane this year, and, so, here I am.” “Where’s ewok40?” roxy222 demanded, not one to be distracted by Hermes’s stories of his Great Uncle Alfie. “That’s just the thing,” Hermes said, sounding astonished. “He was standing right here in the archway of the coat room, where we were enjoying an excellent discussion about cat tails and coattails and cocktails - this cocktail is quite good, by the way, though it is somewhat oakier than my usual - and then he disappeared in the darkness.” “Did you see which way he went?” Anka asked from near an exit. “These doors are locked.” “These doors, too,” tricky confirmed from another exit. “We’re trapped! We’re trapped!” Marlowe cried in despair, yanking on the door of an exit. He wore a bulbous lump of coal costume, which somewhat impeded his efforts. “I couldn’t see anything at all,” Hermes replied, answering Anka’s question. “What will we do?” Marlowe panted. “Did ewok40 say anything in the dark?” gothicarchiesfan asked. “Not that I could hear,” Hermes answered, “though it was impossible to hear much given the ruckus.” “Hermes,” Bee noted, “You said you were talking to ewok40 right before everything went dark.” “Yes,” Hermes responded. “And you were having your conversation there, in the archway,” she continued. “Yes,” Hermes agreed. “Well,” Bee said, “Why are you still in the coatroom?” “I’m in the archway,” Hermes corrected. “You barely took two steps from where you were. Everyone else was panicking and trying to find an exit, or their fiances, or peppermints. You stayed put. Why?” “In my life, I’ve found it’s best not to panic in an emergency,” Hermes replied. “The lights always come back on eventually.” Some 667ers nodded sagely at this answer, while others squinted at Hermes in suspicion. Still, everyone wanted to find ewok40, and a search party formed while everyone else agreed to wait in their rooms in the residential wing until further notice. The search party agreed to split up to look for ewok40 in the places he had been talking about visiting throughout the evening. gothicarchiesfan volunteered to lead a group to the theater, as he was the director there. roxy222 and baudelaiire offered to lead a group to the art studio, as roxy222 was an artist and baudelaiire an art critic. Bee asked Hermes to lead a group to the lounge, but Hermes insisted that he shouldn’t be in charge, so Skelly Craig took the lead. Anka and MisterM said they would stay with Marlowe to help him calm down - “Where were you going to go anyway, on this snowy night?” - they comforted him. The 667ers agreed to reconvene in the library on the fourth floor at 9pm.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Dec 18, 2020 10:02:05 GMT -5
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 18, 2020 10:23:18 GMT -5
Thank you so much for putting me in the story! It’s brilliant, and I’m excited for the next chapter. Thank you! A bold guess! |
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Post by misstastrophe on Dec 18, 2020 12:54:45 GMT -5
This is so much fun to read!
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 18, 2020 16:01:45 GMT -5
Thank you, misstastrophe! Today will be a double update, with Chapter 4 coming out tonight around 7pm ET. |
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Post by Hermes on Dec 18, 2020 18:19:38 GMT -5
Well well. I seem to have appeared sooner than I imagined. That is a very interesting portrait of me. I wonder if I am the murderer.
Library on the fourth floor - I'm now a bit confused about the plan of the hotel, and how it maps on to the real 667.
And who was looking for peppermints? Is this a clue that Peppermince is here?
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 18, 2020 19:25:56 GMT -5
Library on the fourth floor - I'm now a bit confused about the plan of the hotel, and how it maps on to the real 667. I shall be publishing a blueprint soon! For now I can say that the hotel's rooms are inspired by boards on 667, but their locations do not correspond to the locations of the boards on the site. Remember, Conflicting Conjectures and Dastardly Documents are in the basement with AAArchives. Who said anything about murder? *squints in suspicion* Zortegus, in the last chapter. I think a similar joke might appear in 667 Dark Apocalypse, in fact, or in another 667fic. |
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 18, 2020 19:28:41 GMT -5
Chapter 4. Aggravating Art@jacobm and Zortegus accompanied baudelaiire and roxy222 to the building’s art studio on the third floor. ewok40 had discussed trying his hand at painting just a few days prior, so they hoped they would find him there. baudelaiire and roxy222 hoped to use their knowledge of art to seek out clues. When they arrived at the hallway that led to the studio, Willis thought they had found him - he swore he could hear ewok40 singing “Jingle Bells'' from somewhere. “You’re crazy,” Zortegus said. They walked down the hallway and opened the door. They did not find ewok40. Instead, they found a tall, silent man in a dark blue apron sitting on a stool before a canvas, paintbrush in hand. His apron was spotless, but his hands were covered in purple paint. “ Optimism is my Phil-osophy !” roxy222 exclaimed. “What are you doing here? Why weren’t you in the lobby? “Those things aren’t for me,” Jean Lucio replied. “Plus,” he continued, “I had a strange feeling about that party. I think Terry Craig might be Daniel Handler in disguise.” “That seems unlikely,” baudelaiire said. “Wouldn’t you want to join the party if you thought Daniel Handler would be there?” Willis asked. “No,” Jean Lucio shook his head in dismay. “Ever since I embarrassed myself in front of Handler, I didn’t want him to recognize me.” “Have you seen ewok40?” Zortegus asked. “No,” answered Jean Lucio. “Why?” “We’re all looking for him,” roxy222 explained. “He went missing after the power went out.” “I haven’t seen him,” Jean Lucio repeated, “Maybe he went looking for his cat?” “What are you painting?” baudelaiire asked. “I’m glad you asked, ‘Grinchalaiire.’” Jean Lucio replied, noting baudelaiire’s festive name tag. “It’s a painting of 667 in the snow. I call it ‘Willis Wonderland.’” “That’s sweet,” Willis said. “I was inspired to paint it after hearing the Christmas carol you wrote.” “Thanks,” Willis said, “I like it.” “That’s good,” Jean Lucio replied, “Because I also knit you a vest with the painting’s exact dimensions.” Jean Lucio wiped his hands on his apron and pulled a folded garment from its front pocket and handed it to Willis. It didn’t exactly look like the painting, but there was clearly a building in the snow, and Willis put it on. “Thanks,” Willis repeated. It was only a little itchy. “I notice you’re using the impasto style,” baudelaiire commented. “I detect strong influences from the French Impressionists … are you a Monet man?” “Oh, yes, I love Monet,” Jean Lucio answered. “His work leaves a strong French impression.” Just then, the intercom system screeched to alert everyone. “Attention!” the building owner barked, “It has just come to my attention that one of our residents has gone missing. I suggest we break into search groups and investigate the rooms where this resident said he would be going next.” Willis chuckled, roxy222 rolled her eyes, and Jean Lucio asked who it was that was always speaking over the intercom. Meanwhile, Zortegus noticed something on one of the walls of the studio. “Look at this,” he called over to the others. A freshly painted red X marked a crack in the dark wood of the wall. The X was what drew Zortegus’s attention, but the crack was what held it. It went from the floor up about six feet (2 meters), over three feet (1 meter), and back down to the floor again. “What? Are you worried the wall is going to fall down?” roxy222 asked. “No,” Zortegus said, sounded distracted. “It’s too perfect. Wood doesn’t crack like this. The lines are too straight, and they almost make right angles at the top.” “Could someone have carved it here?” Willis asked. “No,” Zortegus answered again. “This isn’t a carving - look how deep it goes.” Willis put his eye to one part of the crack. “All I see is darkness,” he observed. “Exactly,” Zortegus said. “You can’t see the wood. I think this might be a door … or, used to be a door.” “Exciting!” roxy222 exclaimed. “Grinchelaiire, get over here!” But when they turned around, baudelaiire was gone.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2020 20:14:16 GMT -5
My favorite chapter so far. I love the art room and I love my vest.
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Post by B. on Dec 19, 2020 3:45:11 GMT -5
The plot thickens. I love the updates Sherry Ann, you're spoiling us.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Dec 19, 2020 7:12:43 GMT -5
I finally showed up, and I'm really laughing! That was really cool!
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 19, 2020 10:12:54 GMT -5
Thanks Willis, Bee, and Jean! Chapter 5 coming soon.
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Post by Christmas Chief on Dec 19, 2020 10:18:02 GMT -5
Chapter 5. Menacing Miscellaneous While roxy222’s group set off to the art studio, and gothicarchiesfan, Sherry Ann, and Bee set off to the theater, Skelly Craig led himself, Hermes, and bear to the lounge on the second floor. “Now I want everyone to stay close,” Terry Craig commanded. “We don’t know whether or not something nefarious is going on yet, and I want everyone to remain extra cautious.” “I might be able to help with that,” a voice sounded from the hallway. It was Antenora , wearing her usual officer’s uniform, though she had added some red and green flourishes. The nameplate on her uniform read “Santanora.” “Antenora,” Hermes said, surprised, “You’re not usually on patrol at this hour ... although I admit I cannot quite recall your usual hours.” Hermes furrowed his brow, trying to remember. “You can call me Santanora tonight,” Antenora answered. “I heard about ewok40 and thought you could use the extra protection.” She withdrew sharpened reindeer antlers from her back pockets. “Seriously?” klausfan1 remarked. “You’re welcome along,” Terry Craig said distractedly. They had reached the door of the lounge. “Now remember, team,” Terry reminded them, “We don’t know what awaits us inside. It could be evil. It could be nothing. But whatever it is, we need to -” “Let’s go,” klausfan1 said, and pushed open the door. The lounge was empty. Hermes, Terry Craig, and Antenora carefully traversed around the brown leather chairs and the burgundy couch, checked up the chimney of the small fireplace, and peered beneath the wooden coffee table. Nothing. “That was anticlimatic,” klausfan1 remarked from the doorway. “ARGH!” Antenora grunted, making klausfan1, Terry Craig, and Hermes jump. Antenora was lifting the couch away from its place in front of a tall bookshelf. “What on earth are you doing?” Hermes asked. “Help me,” Antenora suggested. Together, Antenora, Hermes, and Terry Craig heaved the couch up and set it down away from the bookshelf. “I haven’t done this in a long time,” she said, and reached down to the bottom shelf for the book she needed. “Here,” she said, and handed The Littlest Elf to Hermes. “I thought this book was banned,” he said, confused. “It is now, but it wasn’t when the book was put here,” Antenora explained. She reached up to the place Elf used to occupy and pulled on a hook. Immediately, the bookshelf swung open to reveal a dark tunnel. “I knew it!” klausfan1 proclaimed. “If only my Great Uncle Alfie were here,” Hermes shook his head in wonder. Terry Craig looked excited, but confused. “Some of us used to use these passages to vanquish our enemies when we were younger,” Antenora explained. “Most people didn’t know about them, or at least not all of them. Many were sealed off when fewer 667ers started staying in residence. See that shelf?” She pointed to the shelf opposite them across the room, a mirror of the one she just opened. “It used to be another passageway, but I tried it a few days ago. Sealed. How it used to work was that any room with a passageway would have a mirror passage on the opposite wall. The system connected all the rooms in the network. Now, things are more ... one-way.” “Do you think ewok40 could have gotten himself trapped in one of these one-way tunnels?” Terry Craig asked. “I’m not sure,” Antenora admitted. “But look at these scuff marks.” She pointed to the floor, where fresh scratches marked the wood behind the couch. “They look new,” Hermes commented. “Someone must have moved this couch recently.” “I thought it couldn’t hurt to check,” Antenora said. “If I’m right, this passage should lead us straight to the library.” And with that, Hermes, Terry Craig, Antenora, and klausfan1 disappeared into the passageway.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Dec 19, 2020 11:01:03 GMT -5
I feel like I'm playing an improved version of Among Us.
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