NIGHT 023: FIRST HOUSE

[allthemonsters]

|| FIRST FLOOR || SECOND FLOOR || BASEMENT || GREENHOUSE || THREAT DOWN
|| FIRST FLOOR The door to the Study is open, but the room is empty for the moment. Those that continue to move through the area to the Nursery will find the Mother’s Ghost, she holds a bundle in her arms, offering whatever hides within it a bottle. From the soft sounds that are made, it seems to be a baby, though no one will be able to get close enough to check. Those who step through the doorway into the room will find that the baby has relocated to the crib, and that the mother moves towards them, a bloody smile stretched across her face and a knife in her hand. Though it wasn’t there when they entered, a rope now hangs from the doorframe, folded into a noose, and those that step back to escape the woman will find themselves becoming entangled in the heavy rope as it drags them from the floor. For just a moment as they die, the silent form of Danielle will seem to stand in front of them, her head tilted very slightly to the side. She does not smile, but her eyes never leave their faces. The expression stays with them for the rest of the night, a cold look of apathy and interest. Tyler has vanished from the Ballroom as the young guests there start to wake. Those stepping out of the doors will discover that the other side is covered with bloody handprints, as though someone has been pawing at the door for quite some time, leading away from the doorway are four distinct sets of prints, all clearly human. What seems strangest of all is that the people who made them are running on all four, trailing blood in their wake. A close study of the prints might reveal that all four sets seem to be quite small for an adult, and a distortion seems to imply that there is webbing between the fingers and toes. As the prints meander through the houses, they are joined by a fifth set, though they take time to form, almost as though the skin has taken time to wear down enough to bleed. The five sets of prints vanish over the crumbling wall in the Courtyard of the Fourth House. Most of the children have vanished form the Theater though Nicholas and Shion remain on the stage, seemingly waiting for their guardians. A man recognizable from the dreams stands in the Parlour—Carver to some, though identified as March in the dream. His broad shoulders are hunched, his head low, and his hands clenching in and out of fists at his sides. He stands directly in front of the fireplace, staring in past the grating, a scowl on his face. If he sees any who approach, he ignores them, instead focusing on his task as he begins slowly building a fire, adding kindling and fuel to the pile. He douses it in much more oil than necessary, and then coats himself with it without protest but instead cold defiance, pouring it over his own head and letting it drip to the floor. Pulling a matchbook from his pocket, he stoops himself and fits himself into the mantel. The fire burns slow and hot, growing large but never escaping from its hearth, without even the splatter of oil on the floor outside igniting. The figure of the man remains for the night, dripping oil and stoically burning away, even as his flesh melts and the scent of burning hair and skin fills the air. When the flame dies, his charred and blackened body crawls out to begin the process anew. It is only once he is completely burned away, after many long hours of this grotesque ritual, that he becomes an aggressive force, standing guard at the place of his death and lunging for those who come near his place. [ Back to top ] || SECOND FLOOR The lights are flickering in the upstairs of the First House, though there seems to be no real cause for the short. When the lights go out in the Cherry Hallway the shadows writhe upon the floor, and will quickly surrounded the house-guests. Strangely, they cause no harm, though they are very cold to the touch. Instead they settle around shoulders and upon the laps of those willing to hold still like needy cats. In the hall just outside the door to the Student Bedroom stands the Shadow Man. His head is tiled ever so slightly to the side, and those who come near to him will be left with the uncanny feeling that he is smiling, though he has no face to display the expression. When the lights are on, he’s utterly harmless, standing passively in front of the door. Anyone standing within the hallway when the lights go out will die. The Art Enthusiast has returned to his Gallery, only tonight he looks considerably more whole than normal, more like the man many know as Don. His eyes are vacant, however, and he does not seem to register that there is anyone near him no matter what they say or do to catch his attention. Using one hand to guide himself, he climbs the stairs to the Attic, slow but determined in spite of a fear that he wears. Once at the top he turns to face the way he came and takes a few steps backwards before hesitating, uncertain about whatever it is that is to come next. His eyes do not focus on anything in particular, but he seems to sense something that builds the anxious tension taut in him. A moment later he begins to move swiftly, forcing himself forward briskly, but disappears just a moment after his feet leave the top steps and he begins to tumble. He re-materializes at the start of his climb, holding onto his hand as if in pain, and he begins his ascent anew, seeing out this morbid chapter to the end. He continues this cycle throughout the night until his bones are broken and his neck snapped. At this point he sits down at the base of the stairs and begins to weep, cradling his lolling head in his hands. The ghost remains passive, paying little attention to any who speak or appeal to him though he does seem to respond, tonight, to touch. All three doors in the Floating Hallway are decorated with wreaths of laurel, black lace and a smattering of human hair. The wooden planks in the back corner of the Attic have been removed, revealing a non-descript wooden door. It is similarly decorated, but locked fast against passage. At the top of the Corkscrew Stairs there is a woman peering down into the blackness, her eyes focused on the water below. She is a pretty young woman, with short blonde hair, and though her face is marked by the tell-tale signs of normal laughter, she is extremely intent. Eventually, resolutely, she nods and begins to climb the stairs, disappearing into the water below, her skirts and dress quickly clinging to her before she disappears entirely. Seaweed floats up after her, and she vanishes from sight for a long time before her body floats back to the surface, as if some tether has been undone. The corpse of the Drowned Woman emerges, washing up onto the steps. She claws at the ankles of any passing her by, grubby fingers desperately trying to find a hold, her vise grip deadly. Eventually she sputters, gagging on water and taking a ravaged gasp; she drags air into swollen and bloated lungs. It takes some pains and effort for her to return to her feet. Immediately she looks back over her shoulder with resignation, knowing full well what would come next. In shaken strides, she returns to her watery grave. [ Back to top ] || BASEMENT Lock sits on the floor in the basement, his head leaning back against the dirt wall. His firepoker lays across his lap, and he is clearly ready to go. He seems to be waiting for someone to accompany him on whatever journey he is about to start. [ Back to top ] || GREENHOUSE Just outside the doors to the Greenhouse waits the carriage, the horse stamping his foot from time to time as though impatient to be off again. They seem to be waiting for something, though the driver seems willing to chat if approached. In a spot not far from the entrance of the Greenhouse, the fog seems to have cleared more than usual, though for only a several meter radius. Here, the grass has apparently died, turning crisp, brown and old without warning. In spite of this, a single bloom of a red, star-shaped flower has emerged from the ground. [ Back to top ] || THREAT DOWN 1. Front Door 2. Entry Way 3. Coat Closet 4. Parlor 5. Formal Dining Room 6. Blue Kitchen 7. Doll Bathroom 8. East Hallway 9. Library 10. Study 11. Dawn Room 12. Closed Closet 13. Nursery 14. Dollhouse Room 15. Dollhouse 16. The Crack In The Wall 17. Maid Hallway 18. Clean Bedroom 19. Dirty Bedroom 20. Closet Room 21. Smoke Room 22. Yellow Bedroom 23. Vanity Room 24. Ivory Bathroom 25. Door to Basement 26. Supply Closet 27. Ballroom 28. Oak Hallway 30. Theater 31. Backstage 32. Locked Door 33. Music Room 1. Hallway 2. Student Bedroom 3. Student Closet 4. Mirror Bedroom 5. Journey Bedroom 6. Fairy Bedroom 7. Red Bedroom 8. Mask Bedroom 9. Trophy Room 10. Gallery 11. Observatory 12. Sewing Room 13. Glass Bathroom 14. Perfume Bedroom 15. Library 16. Cherry Hallway 17. Thin Bedroom 18. Dark Bedroom 19. Light Bedroom 20. Loft Bedroom 21. Ink Bedroom 22. Mosaic Bedroom 23. Day Room 24. Narrow Hallway 25. Store Room 26. Open Bathroom 27. Blind Bedroom 28. Door To Floating Hallway 29. Corkscrew Stair [ Back to top ]	|| LOCATION SPECIFICS NIGHT 023 MAIN FLOOR ONE: Front Door, Entry Way, Coat Closet, Parlor, Formal Dining Room, Blue Kitchen, Doll Bathroom, East Hallway, Library, Study, Dawn Room, Closed Closet, Nursery, Dollhouse Room, Dollhouse, The Crack In The Wall, Maid Hallway, Clean Bedroom, Dirty Bedroom, Closet Room, Smoke Room, Yellow Bedroom, Vanity Room, Ivory Bathroom, Supply Closet, Door to Basement, Ballroom, Oak Hallway, Theatre, Backstage, Music Room FLOOR TWO: Hallway, Student Bedroom, Princess Closet, Mirror Bedroom, Journey Bedroom, Fairy Bedroom, Red Bedroom, Mask Bedroom, Trophy Room, Gallery, Observatory, Sewing Room, Glass Bathroom, Perfume Bedroom, Library, Cherry Hallway, Thin Bedroom, Dark Bedroom, Light Bedroom, Loft Bedroom, Ink Bedroom, Mosaic Bedroom, Day Room, Narrow Hallway, Store Room, Open Bathroom, Blind Bedroom, Floating Hallway, Corkscrew Stair, Upside Down Observatory, Attic BASEMENT: Basement, Dirt Hallway, Waiting Room, Doctor's Office, Supply Closet, Recovery Ward, Examination Rooms, Treatment Room, Surgery Room, Ward, Morgue GARDENER'S WING: Main Room, Green Room, Half Bath, Small Kitchen, Garden Closet, Empty Hall, Radio Room, Carpenter's Room, Painter’s Room, Shared Bath, Glass Blower's Room, Tapestry Bedroom, Dollmaker's Workshop, Pottery Room GREENHOUSE