____ Dorian grimaced as he bit into a hard food ration. Were they hard from the cold? Or did they always taste flavourless and bland? He didn’t know, and certainly hadn’t intended on finding out. He may have paid for Dyer’s expedition, but he expected they would hunt some pheasant, or at least indulge on cocoa and exotic sweets. Alas, most of his more eloquent supplies didn’t make it past the wolves. Those foul beasts would indulge themselves tonight.

____ In the front foyer, Moria’s party had lit a fire and it provided most of the heat and light for everyone else. Except most everyone had ventured off, down the thickly dark halls in search for supplies. The torches were being used, so if Dorian wanted to search he’d have to do so guided by slices of moonlight, shattered by the blizzard.

____ He started West towards the living room, which was populated by antique couches, chairs, beautiful cashmere curtains and a grand piano, which teased Dorian and begged him to play. He reluctantly strolled past it, feeling a soft fur rug underneath his feet, towards another corridor to the left. Two voices struck his ear, and he immediately flattened himself against the wall to listen.

____ “I’m just searching for the truth,” said Lois Quatermain.

____ “The truth is relative,” said Nim Taylor. “Facts come if you watch for them.”

____ “Facts come when you search for them. You can’t just be passive about everything.”

____ Nim stretched his arms. “It’s worked so far. Besides, I’m not that passive, I just focus on the...little details.”

____ “So do I. The patterns of animals. The patterns of people.”

____ “Yeah, but you do it actively, to hunt. Me? I just pay attention, and I learn what they can do. What they’re capable of.”

____ Dorian shifted his weight, and a floorboard underneath him creaked. Lois and Nim immediately went silent.

____ “We need to keep searching for supplies,” said Lois, as she gazed at the doorway, in which Dorian hid around. “I don’t trust any of these newcomers.”

____ “You trust Moria more?”

____ “I don’t trust anyone,” then they turned and went down a corridor to the right.

____ Dorian peered after them, but they slowly disappeared into the darkness. Seems the others wanted to keep to themselves, well that’s fine, he was used to such behaviour. Not wanting to start an argument, he turned left and into a different hall.

____ Such behaviour always seemed so childish and rude, and the more he thought about their whispers and their jabs, it reminded him of the way his two brothers would tease him and talk about him behind his back. They used to call him Dorry and he despised it. Such tyrants they were.

____ Dorian turned a corner and saw a dim light from a sliver of a window above him, just enough to reveal a row of crests lining the wall. They were almost as shields, crimson and copper colour, sturdy but not for defense. He ran his finger over their sides. Why were they here?

____ He studied the crests for some time, until an odd feeling began to permeate in his mind. He shivered and goosebumps ran across his forearms. It was like he was being watched. Yet, he was the only one there. Beyond the sliver of light and the crests, the hallway darkened to a pitch blackness, and here he turned his attention. He gazed into the dark void, wondering if someone was indeed staring back. Was he alone? He didn’t feel alone. He stared harder, trying to see the slightest detail, the tiniest movement or hear breathing. Nothing.

____ “Don’t be a child,” he said, agitated that someone would dare think such a thing was humorous.

____ Then the shadows flickered, darkened, as if just for a second. Movement? No, he imagined it.

____ He took a step back, and as he did a cold voice in his ear whispered “Dorry”.

____ He screamed and fell forward, stumbling to the ground and then regaining his footing, he pushed his palm against the wall, knocking a crest to the ground with a rattling clang, and then he bolted forward away from the voice and into the unknown hallway. He turned, rushing through the dark shadows, illuminated occasionally by daggers of light, until he found the living room once more, raced past the grand piano and back to the main fire where he collapsed and breathed, and breathed, and breathed.



____ Mrs. Amora Dyer heard Dorian’s screams and wanted to rush back to the main room, but she was lost somewhere in the East wing. She had set out to do something, but lost sight of where everyone was, and now she couldn’t find her way back at all. She came to a wooden door, locked, with a padlock fastened tightly to its ornamental handle in the shape of a viper.. She continued on, trying at more doors but they too were locked.

____ “John?” She shouted for her husband, wondering where everyone had ended up. They had left together, yet how could they have split up?

____ She came to a fork then, with dimly lit passages to the left and right, and pitch black hallway before her. She considered turning left, until an odd flicker in the black hallway sent a quasy feeling into her stomach.

____ “John?” She asked.

____ Then something appeared from the right, shorter than her by a foot, with a mangled ear and walking with a slight hunch. “Mrs. Dyer,” it said. “Come with me. Now.” It was the creature that Mr. Mont found previously.

____ She looked again at the darkness, and seeing nothing she wondered if she could trust this creature that she knew nothing about. Before she could decide, he was pulling her by the arm, and dragging her away into one of the locked rooms. Wait, how did he unlock it?

____ “You’ll be safe here,” he said, locking the door from the inside, behind them.

____ “Safe from what? Clearly not from you.”

____ “Your words do sting, but I am used to such abuse. Perhaps if I introduce myself, you will trust that I have your best interests at heart. I am Kirk Usher.”

____ “Well Mr. Usher, I do not appreciate you dragging me into this small room alone with you. Who are you? How have you survived here?” She looked around the room briefly, discovering the bare minimum. Despite the lavishly decorated main rooms, these small ones had but a wooden plank built into the side of the wall, a wide pot in the corner, and discarded trays on the floor.

____ “Now is not the time,” he said, holding a finger to his lip to be quiet.

____ She did as she was told, and sat upon the wooden plank. They remained silent for some time, and she closed her eyes. She must have fallen asleep, because when she opened them again he was gone, the door was open, and light shone in from a barred window.

____ Amora shuffled out, confused, and eventually found her way back to the main room, thankful that everything was lit up with the rising of the sun. Yet the blizzard raged outside, angrier than when it began. She found Professor Dyer and they greeted eachother with open arms, and a strong hug. Yet the expression on his face did not feel welcome.

____ "What's wrong?" She asked.

____ "It's the other fifteen supplies we had left...they're gone."

____ They had no food, no idea where to find more, and no way to leave.





____
____
____

During the day, in addition to voting, you will need to locate supplies.
A list of locations will be given, and the supplies/items they provide will be listed.
At some point during the day phase, you need to post in bold that you will go to that location, and it will occur immediately.
You will then gain one supply/item at that location, and if it's a food supply then you will automatically consume it.
Multiple people can (and should) visit the same location, but the max amount of people is equal to the number of supplies/items given.
If the reward is unknown at a location, the results will be PM'ed to the player(s) at the end of the phase.

Anyone can carry a remaining torch to a location, and it then stays at that location until it's moved.
The fire in the foyer is always active, and the foyer can hold any number of people.

Visiting a location opens up new locations during the next day phase, like a map.

Remember, moving to a location that doesn't end the phase with a torch, or fire, will cause you to lose sanity.

Also, Day Phases are now 48 hours to account for the season. Night Phases will be up to 48 hours, but probably less if all actions are early.
____
____
____

https://imgur.com/LqA0vAf

Food Supplies:
Kitchen: 3
Dining Room: 2
Living Room: 2
East Wing: 2
Fireplace Room: 2
West Hall 1: 2
West Hall 2: 1
Landing 1: 1

Torches:
Landing 2: 1

Unknown:
West Hall 3
Landing 3
Landing 4

Before we go too far, John, my offer to you and - shall we say Polidori until you tell us some other preference, friend? - still stands. As do my questions.

(just to clarify we only currently have one torch and it's on landing 2 or do we still have the 5 torches from the beginning of the game?)

You still have the five.
I'll be asleep now, so...goodluck.

I am assuming the foyer counts, since the fire is always going there.



Ah, Lois. Ever the try-hard. Though admittedly, being in an unknown manor with limited light source, I'm not so certain my eyes will be the best aid to me this time around. Perhaps her active stance is a bit more... prudent.

He looks around the room he was currently in, then over to Lois.

"Perhaps a two-pronged effort would be better suited for us. I imagine the night is only going to grow colder, and therefor, we may wish to grow bolder."

He gestures towards one of the doorways. "In times of distress, I've heard it's always better to go west. Life is peaceful there. Feel free to stay close to me, if you like. There's a chill in the air. " He wasn't intending to rhyme as much as he was., but sometimes words work in mysterious ways.

I will go to West Hall 3.

Charlie woke up cold and confused, still suffering from frostbite. He needed to go somewhere warm and needed some food, but wanted to understand more about what happened. And if it was wise to go alone in his condition.

Was this a dream, a nightmare? If only the voices would stop.

Well, if we need supplies I'll

go to the kitchen

Be warned, any pb&j Sammiches are mine!

I will take a torch and move to the kitchen

Dr. Victor, what did you get up to last night?

Nothing more than fitful slumber. I attempted to begin journaling some ideas that may help us in this godforsaken place but apparently my will to remain awake was overcome by my subconscious desire to sleep... not that it did me any good. Of course the bumps and shrieks of whomever saw it fit to wander about like children in a fun house didn't help either

Franklin stood, ran a thick hand down his jacket in an attempt to smooth the wrinkles that seemed a part of it after years of wear. In truth his sleep was plagued with visions of dark specters and hideous abominations. Not that this was uncommon for the good doctor... but these nightmares felt almost-- no. Just nightmares. Dr. Victor followed the detective into the kitchen.

And you, detective? Perhaps you have a bit of insight as to what may have happened to our supplies? Or is that beyond your deductive reasoning...

(whoops forgot)

I will move to the kitchen

(I can also use a different text for my speech, figured bold was a good fit but if that messes with actions I'll switch it up)

Would anyone happen to know who visited me last night? I have a lovely present to share with them. I made it myself, in the spirit of the holiday season. The good Master Blackadder, of the fine moustacherie, made one for his manservant and I thought it a fine gift for my companion from last eve.

[Due to the WiFi getting knocked out by the blizzard and only reactivating for a couple hours yesterday - and now the company says they’re on vacation so I suspect a few people getting new tech toys will be upset tomorrow - I don’t know how much I’ll be participating this phase. As such my RP and actions may be jumping ahead so I can submit even though I was awaiting responses.]

“I know this will likely seem as if it’s petty rivalry but I do have reason to want to hear from my dear competing expedition leader. While he was probably not involved in the foul perpetrations towards the Mrs and Dory, I do have concerns the wear and tear of the evening may be pushing the Professor a bit far, though he withheld himself. Perhaps now is the time to sit and have that offered drink and tell us some of what preys upon your mind?”

Vote: JoH

*take a swig from the flask and offers it again to the Professor and the creature. If they don’t partake, I take a torch and head to the West Hall “Oly, I don’t suggest tinkering around by yourself and hopefully your sharp eye can help me find the study, unless “Polidari” would share its’ location.”