Voices Past, Voices Present

Sep 17th, 2017 03:20 PM

Oculus' gray hoodie and jeans look older than him, but his small backpack is sturdy and well kept, filled with some calories for the evening. If Lady Luck favors him today, someone got sold on the idea thanks to his note, and the detective won't have to eat it all by himself.

Anyone who appears at the designated location can spot an open eye drawn crudely in red chalk. One of its corners turns into an arrow, leading to another similar sign nearby, and another, and another... until eventually one finds himself in a building that used to be a post office decades ago, but now remains little more than a ransacked concrete skeleton. Through a doorway and down the stairs the trail proceeds. After long minutes of descent one is able to hit the floor, finally at their destination: a large room, still lined with survival supplies, but more importantly: equipped with garden chairs and a table - in one of the corners, a battery-powered lantern can be found, dispelling most of the local darkness, but giving everything a long shadow.

Sitting in one of the chairs and sipping tea from a plastic cup, Oculus wonders who, if anyone, will arrive.

**Campanella** · Sep 19th, 2017 03:37 AM

Campanella drops out of the street. He has missed Oculus but undeterred he searches out the crucial signs and hints of passage. His progress is slow but certain. In the bones of the post office he pauses to reflect and enjoy the ambience of the silent concrete space.

"So there you are," the Moros comments as he moves from the gloom to the light. Campanella has switched out of his usual business attire for this journey. He is in jeans, a chequered shirt and durable looking jacket. Fingerless gloves are on his hands. Boots crunch on the dust strewn floor, creaking faintly with newness. Like Oculus, he had bought a small backpack with him.

"I am glad you're here. I'd feel pretty foolish if turned out to be the only one down here." His mouth formed a smile.

Reaching out to the pitted wall, he added: "You picked a very good spot. I approve."

**Sand** · Sep 19th, 2017 09:49 AM

Attire: Jeans. Tee Shirt. Sneakers.
Accessories: Back pack. Water bottle. Flash light.
Hair/makeup: Messy bun. None.

"Don't worry- you wouldn't have been alone," chimes in.

Treasure hunting the marks had been fun. But also a relief that there had been something at the X.

"So... for real a cold war bunker?" Dubious looks of authenticity given toward survival supplies.

**Tuesday** · Sep 19th, 2017 05:22 PM

Her Walmart cheap, but well used/loved boots stamp a pattern as she walks. Camo cargo pants -- pockets filled with Things -- hide her totally appealing and totally not chicken legs from the air, a randomly picked tee (that probably said something about fairies, unicorns or Tinkerbell), under a green jacket. Which was new. Because September. Also backpack. Filled with other Things. Because. Prepared and stuff.

"Sup my dudes~!" comes a Tuesday rasp before any of her is viewed by any of the other wise. Since, voice. Echo. And she might have greeted the air anyway. This was Tuesday.

Once she's stopped the descending part of the trip she gives a grin. "Ooooh~" comes her, half vocalization and half whistle.

"So. Like. Cool. Props." head bob at the Shaman. "Soooooo. Waitin' for Faye ?"

Sep 20th, 2017 03:54 AM

Campanella is the first one to come out into the light. His attire is a sharp turn from the one he usually wears (around Oculus, at least), and the young mystagogue can't help but wonder if the trend will continue to the point of a t-shirt. In, say, a decade or so.

"In the flesh!" He replies cheerfully to the Moros' initial comment, making no effort to conceal how grateful he is for the company "See you heeded the fashion advice. Nice boots. And I'm glad you like it... figured we can use a little break from the fancy and take a nosedive below"

What the Necromancer says next is met with a look that is in equal parts puzzled and mockingly accusatory, with a little 'suspicious' seasoning "Would you now? Come on, the goal is only half the prize, the path you take is at least as important, if not more. Also, there's plenty more interesting things here than just little ol' me" He smiles and makes a movement to offer the Councilor a seat and some refreshments for his trouble, but is interrupted by another breach in the dark veil, and through it comes a voice and a figure.

"Hey! Sand, right? Gotta say, I hoped you'd come" Only then did he notice the T-shirt inscription and chuckled "Of course the place is for real! Don't tell me you don't have these where you are from" He looks like a kicked puppy. It's not like he's put all this radioiodine here for laughs!

An echo comes down at Oculus like an avalanche, the unmistakeable voice and way of being of Tuesday. She makes a sound indicating appreciation (he hopes), grins and actually approves. It'd be a pretty big lie to say it didn't pleasantly tingle all the right places in the Shaman's ego.

"I didn't find the place by myself. Thunderflash and his fellow electricity spirits kinda pointed me to it" He says matter-of-factly, like it's the most natural thing to receive guided tours from Twilight beings "Guess it was a pretty big shock for them when the place went offline." He sips from the cup "We're not waiting for Faye, technically. There was no guest list or anything. But I hope she finds her way down here"

He blinks at those gathered. He hasn't been playing host for anyone anywhere for years, meaning he's a little out of his depth "Come on, sit! If you're hungry, here are some remedies, and if you're thirsty - here's some tea" The mstagogue says as he unloads the contents of his backpack onto the table. There's a thermos with some plastic cups, energy bars and sandwiches with various fillings. "Also, what's with the backpacks, everyone? You do realize we're not staying overnight, right?"

**Campanella** · Sep 22nd, 2017 05:25 AM

"Never know what you might find down here. Besides, consider it part of my urban disguise."

The Moros moved forward and took a seat, the light metal scraping across the floor with a tinny cadence.

"You've been talking with the spirits? That sounds good practice." Campanella spoke easily as he poured himself some tea. "So. Did you bring us down here for the unique ambience or do you have something planned?"

There was a twinkle in his eye.

**Sand** · Sep 26th, 2017 09:08 AM

Affirmative nods at the question. Grins, "Did you now? Well I am doubly glad I could make it then. And no... poke your finger in the ground of Florida and you hit the water table so underground bunkers are definitely not a thing there." In truth, basements of any kind still sorta amazed/creeped.

Hand lifts and falls in the gesture of a wave at Tuesday before accepting offer of drinks. Pouring first for anyone else, and then her own. "I usually carry a backpack. Better storage than the shitty excuse for pockets in women's clothing and much more ergonomic than a purse. Plus my movement isn't limited... just in case."

And fanny packs just didn't have the space reqs she demanded.

**Tuesday** · Sep 26th, 2017 11:15 AM

Tuesday nods once for Faye stuff. Since. She didn't sign up or anything. But she just showed up. Which. Guessing everyone did. So. Faye might show up. Or she might not. Either was cool.

Twice for Spirit talkin' "Cool. I haven't. You know. Spirited enough to full on convo. But. Gettin' there.....eventually." laugh~

"Oh?" pats her bag, "Mostly because reasons." she sticks her tongue out. "Sandwiches. Also. Water. And. Cloths. Since. Have a feeling that. Welp. Might need a change o'cloths." head bob at Sand's words. "Also. That."

Sep 26th, 2017 04:27 PM

"Disguise?" He now sounds genuinely surprised "A strange way of putting it. You're not in trouble with those artsy types you deal with, are you?" He's not really concerned for the Moros - tha man can handle himself after all. Still, some part of Oculus wished for an opportunity to go full John Tillman on their private collections.

Campanella's next remark brings out a chuckle "Good practice, yeah. In patience and weirdness tolerance mostly" A sip from the cup "I mean, these guys are pretty weird. In an amusing way or a very fucking creepy way. Worst thing you can do is apply human patterns of behavior to them or try to form any lasting relationships. I've seen people try... never ends up well for them" A lot of pain in the end. Emotional... and physical. The mystagogue's face is overshadowed with gloom for a moment

"Aren't you the resident party planner, boss? I only figured the place is interesting and private enough for any talk we might wanna have. Something fresh. Also, hundreds of stories here. Not just spirits, but..." he stands up and disappears in the shadows for a while before returning, a bunch of old envelopes in his hand "...this. Letters. Most of the senders are likely long dead or moved away, but that damn paper persists. So I figured: why can't we do it? People come and go all the time, history's being fucked with... maybe it's time to put our stories to paper?"

Okay, he's poured his heart out. While he waits for their thoughts - break time.

"But you gotta have abandoned buildings of other types, right? 'Sides, what about Hawaii? You said you've lived there for some time - did you get tired of all the tourists?" A barrage of questions, more than enough for one go. Here's hoping he didn't appear too nosy.

Tuesday sticks out her tongue at him, and in an odd way he expected something like this. Still, it's as good an excuse as any to do what he's wanted to do for some time now "Uh... you sure there's no one else along for the ride?" Of course, the Unicorn is just being herself. And Oculus is just being decidedly un-funny.

3 successes

Date	Action	Roll	Result
2017-09-26 15:51:32	Oculus rolls 5 to Exorcist's Eye (10 Again)	3, 8, 10, 1, 3, 8	3 successes

"Okay, you're not possessed. Just crazy" He smiles, hoping she'll smile or talk back instead of taking offense "Been that way all your life?"

**Campanella** · Sep 27th, 2017 04:41 AM

"Party planner? Oh yes! I believe it was decided that I was." Campanella chuckled.

He shook his head. "No. Not in trouble. But I don't want or need to go out in a suit all the time. And this place... Well, it does not seem the place for a suit." He paused while Oculus continued on about spirits. "I shall have to take your word for it. Spirits and such things... They are beyond my skill and knowledge."

The Moros eyes lit up when his fellow mystogogue disappeared and reappeared with... paperwork. "Now this is fascinating..." He delicately opened up one later, read it, admired it, returned it to its envelope. He placed the sacred relic on the table. "Beautiful object. Very... Stygian."

He sat back in his chair, now holding his cup.

"Not sure what you mean here. Are you suggesting we leave a written record of our activities down here. Or that we make use of the space as a means of communication. A second circle or... oh I'm going to hate this... A letter drop? We could hide correspondence down here? Is that it?"

Voices Past, Voices Present

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