[ upon stepping through the door, they’ll find themselves in another place that they will not recognize with the door behind them immediately shutting behind them. trying to open the door after it shuts will prove to be fruitless as it will not budge and the more they tug on the handle, the harder it will be to hold onto it until the knob will completely disappear into the door itself. clearly the only direction that they’re allowed to go is forward.
the new room that they find themselves presents itself as a classic victorian styled bedroom; while much cozier than the room that they left, it will still leave much to be desired in how sparsely it’ll be decorated and how the wallpaper seems to peel in certain places. there are just a few framed paintings on the walls, an elegant but worn pair of curtains covering a window, a chaise lounge chair, victorian styled dresser, a desk, and bed with a canopy. as they explore and examine the finer details of the room, it’ll start to become clear that the room would be best suited for a female than a male (though who are we to follow strict gender norms here).
across the other side of the room is a door, but it isn’t a door that they’d expect to see as it’ll resemble the door that they had come through, but this time, with a different number on its golden plaque: 665. hanging on the doorknob will be a note that’ll read:
If I stay here, then I won’t be able to hurt anyone. ]
[ He's beelining over to the framed paintings on the walls first to study them, get an idea of who it was that might have lived here, then heading over to the window after to see if he can pull open the curtains and take a look outside. ]
[ on the paintings, he'll see a painting of a family! a mother, father, and two children—a girl and a boy. the two children look close in age but the ages themselves wouldn't be clear beyond young. the painting, as well, is torn just as the rest of the wallpaper and the paint has begun to chip in certain areas.
and he'll be able to see outside of the window! in fact, he'll be able to see a whole ass world outside of the window. not that it'll give him much of an idea of what world that it is other than this place. but he'll see a quaint little garden and a sizeable front lawn, or what would be, if it wasn't so overgrown. there's a stone pathway leading towards the building (house probably) that the two of them have been located in, and beyond that, is a forest. ]
[ Somehow he half expected to just see the void, or more eternal white mist.
Just a house, probably, and not like way high up like they're in a mansion or castle right? Just because of Hansa's rich people comment. Is the clothing style of the people in the paintings all very victorianesque, and do they look happy, considering the note ... (though maybe if they're posing for a portrait that might be harder to tell, huh) ]
The outside is about as abandoned as this room is. Do you suppose this is just an illusion made to look this way, or is this place a recreation of somewhere else?
[ That aside, after he's had his fill out staring at paintings and outside, can he check out the desk? Any diaries, stray papers, is there any writing with handwriting that matches the door note or other odd knickknacks to be found on or around it? ]
Edited (actually I wanna bold things like a cool kid too) 2025-11-30 23:54 (UTC)
[ SURPRISE!! no mist for you. this time you get a whole ass world out there for touching. probably. also probably a house. hard to say from the room that they're confined to presently. and he can check the desk for anything interesting where he'll find a torn piece of paper that will read:
"It all begins with you."
the handwriting itself wouldn't match with anything in particular. at least, that julius has his eyes on. maybe hansa could help here. ]
[ inside of the dresser hansa will find a dresser full of beautiful dresses of all sorts of designs and colors—embellished with all manner of fine crystals, gold, and jewels. it won't be hard to assume that they would have costs a small fortune given the quality of the fabric and the gold and gems that decorate every dress. notably is that none of these dresses will seem to have been touched at all or show any signs of being worn.
however, in the back corner of a dresser is a bundle of what look to be children's clothing and these will look to have been worn a great but still cared for as they won't be tattered or full of any holes. there will also be a single stuffed bear. ]
[He'll rifle through the selection a bit, but then notices the bundle.]
[He'll pull it out, examining them, before he takes the bear and looks it over for any stains, weird stitching, etc.? Is it a Nala Knife Surprise Edition?]
[ the children's clothing will yield not much information other than the age of the child who would wear it be roughly the age of 7 or older if they weren't the type to grow particularly quickly (in either direction). also, that there will be a blue heart embroidered on the front of one of the shirts.
the teddy bear itself, simple and well loved (no knives, unfortunately) but embroidered with a blue rose sprawling over its stomach. ]
[Are there any dresses in the selection of clothing? He pensively looks over the bear - Hansa wonders why a bear would be in the back of a dresser in the first place.]
[Hansa will also pat over the back of the dresser for any hidden compartments (NARNIA...HELLO....), as well as the sides. He will look underneath as well.]
[ yes, enjoy the free letters and assorted blue freebies because even though their mental states are going to be impacted moving forward, maybe these blue objects will offer some sort of comfort. maybe; we’ll see quite soon won’t we? and through the door they go with the two of them immediately feeling the weight of their actions as the door behind them closes and sealed shut as soon as the both of them have made it completely through into the next room.
there’s no time for either one of them to enjoy the fact that they had been transported to another cozy home–a cottage this time for julius’ will just fully understand the context of what this monster feels and how it hurts people. in his mind’s eye, he’ll begin to imagine that whatever he touches will start to decay and melt before him. his touch poisonous and toxic. his touch equating to certain death to whatever he touches–whether that be the truth or not, it will be what julius will now believe.
perhaps there’s a chance for things to be easier for hansa given the warmth and comforting but slightly medicinal smell of the cottage. its walls decorated with various herbs hung upside down in the state of being dried out in preparation for being used. or perhaps the fact that the cottage will be completely empty without anyone else other than julius will feed into the paranoia that this will be his fate no matter where he goes. empty room after empty room after empty room with no one to greet him but only traces of someone once there. clearly someone–a family–might have lived here at one time, but they’ve left him. they’ve decided that there was no need for him. ]
[What a wounded feeling this is...festering in his chest. He's been thrown away like yesterday's trash. Maybe he should curl up in a corner, and waste away. A plant would be better appreciated.]
[He swallows, shaking his head, trying to quell the aching sorrow in his chest.]
...All so empty.
[But he'll trudge along to the herbs to take a look. He remembers some herbs his mother used when he was a boy, in that village that burned down so long ago. Are they recognizable?]
[ Oh. It's a good thing he's taken to wearing his gloves again this week. At least that way, he wouldn't...
Julius shakes his head, sharply, to try to dispel the thought. Poisonous? Surely, surely not ... but perhaps, just to be cautious, he'll linger near the more inorganic items, stay in more open, more ventilated air. How small is this cottage? Will his presence suffocate and smother those with him if they linger too long nearby? ]
So this is the kind of monster she was thought to be...?
[ Thought to be? Is? Well. Better for Hansa to handle touching anything that might have once been living. Let's keep his distance and check out the first of the other rooms, what have we got. ]
[ the cottage is rather small the definition of quaint. it's made up of only a few rooms—the living, dining, and kitchen all have been combined into the same space—the space that they are currently occupying. and the herbs will be easily recognizable by anyone familiar to earth's plant life. there will be some bugleweed, hawthorn, chamomile, lavender, linden lining the walls. though there will be a basket full of some other medicinal herbs that still seem to be fresh.
as for julius specific (and newfound concern), it's very likely that if the two of them stayed here, without any way to ventilate the air, he would be the cause of hansa's death. ...even if that is not the true reality of the situation. being that close to someone—the air around him that deadly. oh truly, wouldn't have been better had he not left at all? ]
[He will listlessly look at the herbs. Some of them are familiar. The fresh herbs he will take a few - but the feeling is worsening. Like a dull heartache. There's no point. Why should he keep moving forward? This is useless.]
[Hansa will move to sit. Maybe he should let nature take over him. No one is coming. He'll die here, rot, and the metal parts will discolor and rust.]
[While he's here, he will be looking at the floor, so is there...anything here....in his depression.........]
[ ... he's going to look for a window to open, ignoring— well, not quite ignoring the suddenly more alarmed flicker of realization that oh. This place is not well-ventilated at all. And you did this, you suggested these prices he'll die and it'll be your fault—
—No, that's just the effect of this place, right? It's all mental ... right? ... Do they know that, actually? Nothing in the previous room seemed melted or corroded... right? He's just taking extra precautions. Just in case.
Anyway, if Julius looks for a window, what's he going to find on the way. And what's the view outside. ]
[ interestingly, what julius will see when he goes to look out of the window will be a forest. it's hard to say if this is the same forest that laid beyond the last room that they were in but there will be something within him that might let him know that yes, this is the same forest that they had both seen earlier. perhaps that's why the paranoia has been settling on him as much as he had.
this was the first time that he left the house...right? no. either way, the lush greenery outside of the window is idyllic and inviting. the kind of forest that they write in stories and the kind of forest that maybe would be perfect to abandon someone if they chose to. so far away from others. isolated in the woods... why would anyone come here? who could possibly come to this remote area?
[ technically speaking, the pastries shouldn’t have been enough to act as collateral what would be asked of julius, but it’s okay, he’ll just have to pay with interest the next door he passes through. the desperate desire to have him escape before the mob and dogs come from them satisfied something as they passed through the next door. hansa will feel the pull of his tooth being removed from him but, much like julius’ injury, will not see the blood associated with it nor taste it, however the lingering pain of having it removed will be present and ache with every word he speaks.
but at least the next room they find themselves in is, once again, a nice place. sincerely this time though it isn’t a room as it is a whole city. it’s london; well, a version of london, and this time it will be full of people–existing as simple shadows and phantoms–but people nevertheless. as they remain in the open, however, they’ll get the feeling that they are being watched by someone. maybe even someones. there’s certainly enough whispers surrounding them and disembodied voices trying to make polite conversation about the way that julius’ hand is missing.
the voices whisper…should they call scotland yard? ]
[ Ohhhh he doesn't like that. Ongoing pain or not these instincts are drilled into him and etched in blood; they're too much a part of him to not take note of how everyone's watching them after that suspicious entry even with the distraction of his suddenly missing hand.
Large city, somewhat old fashioned maybe, perhaps from a couple hundred years ago. Immediately under surveillance or suspicion. It's not unlike some of the missions he might have had before, when he'd been dropped into Trigleph or Fennmont or some other large and well established settlement without preamble. There's only so much he can do about the attention they've already garnered, but he does know, at least, how to lose tails.
His first step is unsteady, but Julius shakes his head. They don't have time for this. ]
Come on, this way. [ A hiss of breath. ] We stand out too much out in the open like this.
[ Let's duck out of the spotlight for a bit. Maybe they can listen for More Interesting Details when not everyone is gossiping about them or whether they should call some sort of authority. ]
[The ache of pain lances through his jaw - Hansa clutches at it, wincing as he tries to make sense of his surroundings.]
There goes one of my tools...
[It's okay. He'll explain to the Church later when he gets home why he had to get rid of one of his teeth. In the meantime...what is all this? He's never been to London, but it sure does smack of it. And these people whispering...that feeling from before rears its head. He should be left behind in a city like this. Nobody will come to save him here. He will be abandoned to the metaphorical wolves-]
[Hansa shakes his head.]
Yes. Let's-
[As he moves with Julius to the side of the street. He really doesn't want to go down an alleyway, though they may have no choice.]
i can fucking read and process what i read i promise....
[ well, the moment that the two of them are out of sight and out of the immediate mind of the crowd, they'll be able to catch the murmurs of some of them wondering if they're working with that terrorist that the yard has been looking for months now.
there's a real unease in the air about suspicious men running around and ducking into alleyways but none that stick around too long where they seem to escalate outside of that momentary drama. (think of it like a slowly building alert system.) for now, the two of them will be fine.
the alleyways aren't empty but they have the unsavory types who aren't exactly about to call attention to anyone in fear of catching some themselves. ]
[Somehow, a familiar place (though he has never been to London, personally) and perhaps the pain makes his mind feel clearer than before. He has to regroup. He has to get him and Julius through these strange places, go through doors, to get back to-]
What a pain. [Literally and otherwise.] This looks like...London? A city from my world, but...back in the past.
[He sighs, looking at the other man's lack of....hand.]
What even happened there?
[As he muses, he's looking around at these unsavory types, all while peering out to the main street. Are there any ads/posters/anything on the walls of this alleyway?
[ casually slips this in while mauyn is trapped in capitalism hell—for hansa's eye he'll get to notice that there are a few wanted posters plastered against the walls in the alleyway. clearly someone's popular but in all of the wrong ways here.
should hansa decide to get a closer read on the wanted poster, he'll see that fran will be wanted on the grounds of terrorism and threatening the majesty. he'll also read that the yard persecuting all those who associate with him or aid in his hiding. ]
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DOOR 666
the new room that they find themselves presents itself as a classic victorian styled bedroom; while much cozier than the room that they left, it will still leave much to be desired in how sparsely it’ll be decorated and how the wallpaper seems to peel in certain places. there are just a few framed paintings on the walls, an elegant but worn pair of curtains covering a window, a chaise lounge chair, victorian styled dresser, a desk, and bed with a canopy. as they explore and examine the finer details of the room, it’ll start to become clear that the room would be best suited for a female than a male (though who are we to follow strict gender norms here).
across the other side of the room is a door, but it isn’t a door that they’d expect to see as it’ll resemble the door that they had come through, but this time, with a different number on its golden plaque: 665. hanging on the doorknob will be a note that’ll read:
If I stay here, then I won’t be able to hurt anyone. ]
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[He's squinting at the note and the lower number after a cursory look around, however.]
I wonder who lived here.
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... no, it doesn't. More just sorrowful.
Doesn't look like it's been maintained in a while, either.
[ The peeling wallpaper definitely adds to the atmosphere. ]
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Let's see what this place offers us.
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[ He's beelining over to the framed paintings on the walls first to study them, get an idea of who it was that might have lived here, then heading over to the window after to see if he can pull open the curtains and take a look outside. ]
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and he'll be able to see outside of the window! in fact, he'll be able to see a whole ass world outside of the window. not that it'll give him much of an idea of what world that it is other than this place. but he'll see a quaint little garden and a sizeable front lawn, or what would be, if it wasn't so overgrown. there's a stone pathway leading towards the building (house probably) that the two of them have been located in, and beyond that, is a forest. ]
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Just a house, probably, and not like way high up like they're in a mansion or castle right? Just because of Hansa's rich people comment. Is the clothing style of the people in the paintings all very victorianesque, and do they look happy, considering the note ... (though maybe if they're posing for a portrait that might be harder to tell, huh) ]
The outside is about as abandoned as this room is. Do you suppose this is just an illusion made to look this way, or is this place a recreation of somewhere else?
[ That aside, after he's had his fill out staring at paintings and outside, can he check out the desk? Any diaries, stray papers, is there any writing with handwriting that matches the door note or other odd knickknacks to be found on or around it? ]
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"It all begins with you."
the handwriting itself wouldn't match with anything in particular. at least, that julius has his eyes on. maybe hansa could help here. ]
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quickly sneaks this here
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however, in the back corner of a dresser is a bundle of what look to be children's clothing and these will look to have been worn a great but still cared for as they won't be tattered or full of any holes. there will also be a single stuffed bear. ]
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[He'll rifle through the selection a bit, but then notices the bundle.]
[He'll pull it out, examining them, before he takes the bear and looks it over for any stains, weird stitching, etc.? Is it a Nala Knife Surprise Edition?]
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the teddy bear itself, simple and well loved (no knives, unfortunately) but embroidered with a blue rose sprawling over its stomach. ]
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[Are there any dresses in the selection of clothing? He pensively looks over the bear - Hansa wonders why a bear would be in the back of a dresser in the first place.]
[Hansa will also pat over the back of the dresser for any hidden compartments (NARNIA...HELLO....), as well as the sides. He will look underneath as well.]
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DOOR 665
there’s no time for either one of them to enjoy the fact that they had been transported to another cozy home–a cottage this time for julius’ will just fully understand the context of what this monster feels and how it hurts people. in his mind’s eye, he’ll begin to imagine that whatever he touches will start to decay and melt before him. his touch poisonous and toxic. his touch equating to certain death to whatever he touches–whether that be the truth or not, it will be what julius will now believe.
perhaps there’s a chance for things to be easier for hansa given the warmth and comforting but slightly medicinal smell of the cottage. its walls decorated with various herbs hung upside down in the state of being dried out in preparation for being used. or perhaps the fact that the cottage will be completely empty without anyone else other than julius will feed into the paranoia that this will be his fate no matter where he goes. empty room after empty room after empty room with no one to greet him but only traces of someone once there. clearly someone–a family–might have lived here at one time, but they’ve left him. they’ve decided that there was no need for him. ]
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[He swallows, shaking his head, trying to quell the aching sorrow in his chest.]
...All so empty.
[But he'll trudge along to the herbs to take a look. He remembers some herbs his mother used when he was a boy, in that village that burned down so long ago. Are they recognizable?]
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Julius shakes his head, sharply, to try to dispel the thought. Poisonous? Surely, surely not ... but perhaps, just to be cautious, he'll linger near the more inorganic items, stay in more open, more ventilated air. How small is this cottage? Will his presence suffocate and smother those with him if they linger too long nearby? ]
So this is the kind of monster she was thought to be...?
[ Thought to be? Is? Well. Better for Hansa to handle touching anything that might have once been living. Let's keep his distance and check out the first of the other rooms, what have we got. ]
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as for julius specific (and newfound concern), it's very likely that if the two of them stayed here, without any way to ventilate the air, he would be the cause of hansa's death. ...even if that is not the true reality of the situation. being that close to someone—the air around him that deadly. oh truly, wouldn't have been better had he not left at all? ]
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[Hansa will move to sit. Maybe he should let nature take over him. No one is coming. He'll die here, rot, and the metal parts will discolor and rust.]
[While he's here, he will be looking at the floor, so is there...anything here....in his depression.........]
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—No, that's just the effect of this place, right? It's all mental ... right? ... Do they know that, actually? Nothing in the previous room seemed melted or corroded... right? He's just taking extra precautions. Just in case.
Anyway, if Julius looks for a window, what's he going to find on the way. And what's the view outside. ]
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this was the first time that he left the house...right? no. either way, the lush greenery outside of the window is idyllic and inviting. the kind of forest that they write in stories and the kind of forest that maybe would be perfect to abandon someone if they chose to. so far away from others. isolated in the woods... why would anyone come here? who could possibly come to this remote area?
one empty room into another empty room. ]
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to keep things rollin'
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DOOR 600
but at least the next room they find themselves in is, once again, a nice place. sincerely this time though it isn’t a room as it is a whole city. it’s london; well, a version of london, and this time it will be full of people–existing as simple shadows and phantoms–but people nevertheless. as they remain in the open, however, they’ll get the feeling that they are being watched by someone. maybe even someones. there’s certainly enough whispers surrounding them and disembodied voices trying to make polite conversation about the way that julius’ hand is missing.
the voices whisper…should they call scotland yard? ]
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Large city, somewhat old fashioned maybe, perhaps from a couple hundred years ago. Immediately under surveillance or suspicion. It's not unlike some of the missions he might have had before, when he'd been dropped into Trigleph or Fennmont or some other large and well established settlement without preamble. There's only so much he can do about the attention they've already garnered, but he does know, at least, how to lose tails.
His first step is unsteady, but Julius shakes his head. They don't have time for this. ]
Come on, this way. [ A hiss of breath. ] We stand out too much out in the open like this.
[ Let's duck out of the spotlight for a bit. Maybe they can listen for More Interesting Details when not everyone is gossiping about them or whether they should call some sort of authority. ]
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There goes one of my tools...
[It's okay. He'll explain to the Church later when he gets home why he had to get rid of one of his teeth. In the meantime...what is all this? He's never been to London, but it sure does smack of it. And these people whispering...that feeling from before rears its head. He should be left behind in a city like this. Nobody will come to save him here. He will be abandoned to the metaphorical wolves-]
[Hansa shakes his head.]
Yes. Let's-
[As he moves with Julius to the side of the street. He really doesn't want to go down an alleyway, though they may have no choice.]
i can fucking read and process what i read i promise....
there's a real unease in the air about suspicious men running around and ducking into alleyways but none that stick around too long where they seem to escalate outside of that momentary drama. (think of it like a slowly building alert system.) for now, the two of them will be fine.
the alleyways aren't empty but they have the unsavory types who aren't exactly about to call attention to anyone in fear of catching some themselves. ]
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[Somehow, a familiar place (though he has never been to London, personally) and perhaps the pain makes his mind feel clearer than before. He has to regroup. He has to get him and Julius through these strange places, go through doors, to get back to-]
What a pain. [Literally and otherwise.] This looks like...London? A city from my world, but...back in the past.
[He sighs, looking at the other man's lack of....hand.]
What even happened there?
[As he muses, he's looking around at these unsavory types, all while peering out to the main street. Are there any ads/posters/anything on the walls of this alleyway?
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should hansa decide to get a closer read on the wanted poster, he'll see that fran will be wanted on the grounds of terrorism and threatening the majesty. he'll also read that the yard persecuting all those who associate with him or aid in his hiding. ]
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THE JULIUS ICON IS FRYING ME
yeah that's why I swapped it
thank you....
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