Darkness Descends on the Landmark Inn

[immortalaccursed]

characters: Ardyn + OPEN
location: The Landmark
date/time: March 9-16
content: The Landmark gets a little Darker
warnings: Sickness related things including purging in the Ardyn portion with elements of body horror

Closed to Carmilla

Ardyn lies supine on the floor of his suite, gazing up towards the ceiling with clouded eyes. The bed is too soft; he feels like he'd drown in it.

The firmness against his back, however, his calming. It's real... not like the two phantoms standing in the room with him. He knows that Somnus and Aera are not really there; it's hardly the first time his fevered mind has conjured their faces, either. It's happened before out of crushing boredom or loneliness.

"Aera..."

His glowing eyes turn towards the blonde woman kneeling beside him.

"I'm dying."

"You're not dying," she scolds. "You can't die, even that choice was taken from you."

Despite the harsh words, she reaches out and touches his cheek, now damp with miasma. Ardyn could swear he actually feels her caress.

"You're just sick, you big baby. You'll be fine."

Sick? Preposterous, he doesn't get sick.

In the corner he sees Somnus move through the deepening shadows. Miasma is spread across the floor. Clouds of it rise to the ceiling only to condense around him the moment he feels sleep start to take him, when his body radiates light enough to burn the Starscourge and fill him with pain. The miasma gathers to consume that light.

I'm eating myself.

He thinks and barks with laughter.

Someone moves on the other side of the door and the phantom Somnus points in the sound's direction.

"Now, brother, I shouldn't have to tell you this but remember: Friends, not food."

Open

Ardyn's miasma seeps throughout the building, consuming light. It creeps under door frames, through windows and through areas damaged in the storm.

Shadows deepen and lanterns are growing dimmer.

[ooc: People are encouraged to make top levels and mingle among themselves at the Landmark. Go forth into the shadows and bump into each other!

If you would really like for your character to seek out the source of the darkness and locate Ardyn, drop me a PM at this journal or at PsiYamaneko which accepts PMs from anyone.]

Comments

[callada]

Kretek. Spirit with a cloak that looks like stars. Daylight introduced us.

[Sort of. Only after the spirit was stalking him for a while. It still kind of creeps him out, but he tried to be gracious about it, especially since it's not often anyone takes such an interest in him, much less a spirit that goes by a human-like name.

Poor Daylight.

He begins up the stairs, taking them slowly. At any moment he feels like he should be out of breath or something with how his lantern looks, but he's fine, and if it wasn't for that he probably wouldn't persist in this search.]

Dunno if they all have a purpose though. Some seem like they act kind of like people, but others do things I can't make any sense of at all. I'm not sure we should expect there to be a purpose for anything they do. Some of them just are.

/slips in

[immortalaccursed]

[The fourth floor is noticeably darker than the lower ones. The shadows are heavier and almost seem to have tangible weight.

The most intense shadows snake out from beneath the door to Suite 405.]

oh hey

[ultraviolents]

I think you may be right.

[ as they start to ascend to the fourth floor, elektra can hardly see in front of her anymore. she shifts to feel along the wall, listening carefully for rosi as they move and for anything else that may be out of the ordinary.

she holds her lantern out in front of her for whatever good it will do - it flickers dimly, but she still doesn't feel any change. ]

I think we've found something. [ no telling of what yet, but everything becoming significantly darker seems a pretty telling clue. ]

[callada]

[It's a wonder, he thinks, that he's not choking. The air is so thick it's practically some sort of fluid, like he has to wade down the hallway rather than simply walk.]

We're closer, anyway. It's gotta be here somewhere. Can't get any higher up.

[The shadows crawl at the edges of his lantern light as if reluctant to give way, and it's at the foot of 405 that he gets a clearer sign of their source, flowing out like rivulets in the gap under the door.]

Here. This one.

[Just so she looks his way before he tries the handle, just in case the door happens to open and he finds himself needing help.]

[immortalaccursed]

[The door is locked but after a moment there is an audible click and it flies open with force.

The room beyond is inky black. If there is a lantern anywhere within it is no longer visible.

The only light seems to come from a pair of glowing green eyes that glare from the shadows.]