bladesworn's Storytime the first

[bladesworn]

Nan asks everyone what year it was when they came here. She starts by saying she arrived in December of 2009.
Kim appends by saying they should also list the last thing they remember prior to all this weirdness starting.

Anna says the year is 1936. May. She went into the hotel but no one was around, so she used the elevator to get a feel for it. It started making strange noises, then the lights went out, and when they came on she felt like something was chasing her, so she fled.
Kim nods quietly and mutters something about the elevator to herself.

Anderson says the year is 1912, late July. The hotel was still partially under construction when he arrived, after several years of going up. He passed by some carpenters and laborers, all working busily as he entered the hotel. As soon as he stepped inside, he knew something was wrong.
Kim asks if anyone was on scaffolding where he passed, and Anderson says yes.

Henry says it is June of 1946. As he said, he was out on business when he stopped here. No one was at the front desk and he was exhausted, so he grabbed a key and took a room. He drew a bath, relaxed in it, and just as he closed his eyes he heard someone in his room -- Nan.
Kim asks if he was tired enough to fall asleep. Henry shrugs.

Kim nods again and wraps up with herself: 2016. August. The last thing she remembers is tripping over the threshold while coming inside. She says hit her head pretty bad.
Worse than she thought, maybe.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan grills Kim on a few more details: Why would the hotel have already been empty then? Why would they have come here, especially in Nan's case, where she would have "died" outside the hotel? What happened to the people who SHOULD be here?

Kim shrugs under Nan's barrage of questions and calmly explains that she doesn't have all the answers -- in a place like this, who could? -- but she's doing her best to piece it together. It doesn't seem logical or rational, but nothing about this hotel does. They may as well be in hell right now.

Nan asks if she or anyone else has seen Pablo or any other guests. Henry says he ran into Pablo briefly, but didn't get his story.

 

[bladesworn]

HEY!

Nan tells everyone to wake the f*** up. She was just chased by a horrible monster from a burning room into a visage of herself, so if anyone should be having a total f****** meltdown right now, it's her. But she's too damn preoccupied with getting out to worry about what the hell is going on with the years or whether or not they're dead. All that matters right now is that they're here, and they need to not be here. The only way that'll happen is if they all work together.

Nan asks if anyone knows where Pablo or the other guest absent are.

 

[bladesworn]

Anderson takes a small puff from his cigar and nods quietly by the wall.
He says he saw Pablo the first time about a week and a half ago. He seems a little suspicious, but what doesn't in this god-forsaken place? He says the other man is named Santiago. He doesn't seem to want to stick with the group though, but he'll probably be out on the second floor. That's where he said he was going.
He also saw Alan, who was later found carved to pieces by the Pilgrim.

Oh, he says, he knows the Pilgrim. And the Padre. And the Beast. Doesn't know much about them, but he's seen them. Knows they're not on the same side. Stay far away.
If you see the Beast, he tells Nan, just run. Just run, and don't stop.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan begins to formulate a plan of action. She restates that no matter what the nature of this place -- whether they're dead or alive -- none of that matters. This place is clearly not good and they need to get out now.

Nan asks Anderson what he knows about this place. He's been here the longest, he must have some insight.

He takes a puff and begins.
The Hotel was built only recently, at least for him, he says. The spot of land it was built on has been open for a long time. Before that, when he was a kid, he remembers the remnants of a Spanish Mission, but it was gone long before.
As for the place itself, it's hard to understand. Everything seems to be moving around and changing. It's hard to rely on anything. He says he's tried the doors and windows enough times to know they don't open, except to lead somewhere you probably don't want to be. But never out.
The courtyard at the center of the hotel has some windows opening to it but he's never tried crossing over into it, because that's where the Beast lives. A huge animal, as black as night, feral and vicious. Cold and unthinking. It comes into the Hotel sometimes -- he's seen it twice inside now, he says.
He states again light seems to be their only true defense from the three primary threats here.
He's stockpiled some food here from the kitchen and janitor's closet, and they have little in the way of defense. Anna has a kitchen knife, Kim has a taser she brought here, Henry has a club made from a chair leg, and Anderson himself carries a revolver with a few shots remaining.
As for Nan's inquiry about items, he says that he has a few, and no offense intended to the little lady, but he feels more comfortable holding onto them himself than giving them to a stranger.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan asks Anderson how he managed to make his cigars last 2 weeks.
He pauses a moment, glancing down at his hand.

After a moment, he replies that he doesn't know.

 

[bladesworn]

Anderson crushes the cigar in his hand. Kim and Anna seem a bit shaken by the development.

The ex-Marshall asks what everyone's plans are for the rest of the night. His pocketwatch is still keeping time, and accordingly, it's getting late. They might want to consider sleep, as unappealing a prospect as it always is.

 

[bladesworn]

Anderson checks his watch. He says it's 11:55 at night.
His watch has been running consistently. He says even if the time here is strange, he's still running on the same schedule either way.

Nan raises a point: If they're going to be sleeping, should they take shifts?
Kim says it's not going to matter much, and as long as the lights are on she's been able to sleep just fine for the week that she's been here. But if it would make Nan feel better, she's willing to lose a little sleep.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan quickly considers the bathroom, and Anderson volunteers to check. He examines it for a moment, then calls an all-clear.

Kim agrees with Nan's decision -- she'll take first shift. She's not good at waking up but many late nights at college have made her adept at staying up.
Henry volunteers for the following shift.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan glances around for a second.

...has anyone seen Anna?

 

[bladesworn]

I was going to finish up Part 4 tonight, but I'm a bit too tired, so I'm going to end it here for now. I shall post more when I get home from work tomorrow.

 

[Lige]

Damn ju! At first I was like "meh... fine, I'll skim through it.." -- Now I'm starting chapter 5 xP

Edit: Whaat?! Last posted in February, no chapter 6?! WHHHYYYY! *dies*

 

[bladesworn]

Damn ju! At first I was like "meh... fine, I'll skim through it.." -- Now I'm starting chapter 5 xP

Edit: Whaat?! Last posted in February, no chapter 6?! WHHHYYYY! *dies*

Yeah, that's kinda one of the things I was hoping to have happen. Apparently it worked.

Weaver kinda has the success of another story he created hanging over him called Ruby Quest. What came with that success is that people scrutinize what he makes a lot more and he's apparently trying to plan things better than Ruby Quest. It's why he doesn't update that often. The series isn't dead though.

 

[bladesworn]

The door to the hall is ajar.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan cautions the others to stay close, in case there's danger, then leans out the door to peer into the hall.

But there's no sign of Anna.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan takes the DECORATIVE TOTEM and returns to the room. She tells the others that there's no sign of Anna and asks what the plans are for a rescue party.

Kim immediately speaks up and is opposed to the idea. She explains that Anna may be new, but she knows the risks and shouldn't go wandering off on her own. If they follow after her, they're risking their own lives.
Anderson speculates that it may not be safe, but he wouldn't feel right about leaving her behind. He thinks a rescue party is a good idea.
Henry agrees. He says he's willing to go if Nan is.

 

[bladesworn]

All right, Nan says. If they have to split up, Kim and Henry can stay, Anderson will come along.

Henry asks if he can come along instead. He says he and Nan are in this together, and he wants to go with her.
Kim agrees, saying she would feel safer with Anderson around anyway.

She quietly adds that it makes sense to stay behind, because if something happens to the room, their only safe area, they'll all be in trouble.

Anderson says he's fine with either decision, but they should make it quickly. Every second they waste debating is another second Anna is out there on her own.

 

[bladesworn]

Kim lends Henry her TASER and Anderson lends Nan an old-fashioned OIL LANTERN.

From the collective supply Nan also takes a piece of rebar which has been ground and filed on one side to make a REBAR SWORD. It's still primarily a blunt weapon but it'll have a bit more punch.

They step out into the hall and Anderson says he'll be watching the door in case they need to re-enter in a hurry.
And good luck.

Nan and Henry step out into the hall. The way to the right just leads to a dead end. The left leads down the hall and around the corner, where Nan came from. There is also a window on the wall opposite the door, and a stairwell leading down near the corner.

 

[bladesworn]

The taser is a simple short-range type, and Henry says he already knows how to use it. It seems simple enough.

Nan recommends heading for the corner and checking the hall down where the elevator is, then trying the stairs, if there's nothing there.
Henry agrees, and together they walk in silence, slowly.

Henry speaks up after a few moments.
He asks Nan somewhat hesitantly if they've ever met before. Like... before the hotel.
He normally never forgets a face, but his memory feels strangely hazy here. And yet, there's something so familar about her.

 

[bladesworn]

Nan responds she has memories of him, but they're so strange... as though she can't tell whether they're real or just a product of this place. It's weird, but --

Nan and Henry peer down the darkened corner of the hotel hallway.