IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

On the lunar calendar, it is the twelfth of July, 1920; in three days' time, the good people of China will celebrate 中元節, the festival of the dead. The great festival is an ancient tradition shrouded in dark rumours and whispered tales. Now, this festival will be celebrated publicly in Peking city, open to the gazes and inquiries of foreigners. During this month, the 阴气, the aura of death, is at its strongest; it will be during this month that the dead may influence the living realm with an eldritch plot of horror and madness...

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IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by HelplessBystander »

It was nighttime as the train whistle tooted with a cheerful vigour, and slowly shambling towards the final destination: Peking City. Taking an express train from Shanghai, William Isaac Hewitt busying himself with putting on some of the best clothing he had prepared for the impromptu dinner party that was hosted on the train and smiling into the mirror with a self-satisfied smile as he anticipated his eventual arrival and the meeting with Gang Wei's family for the first time and all the other miscellaneous events that he'll encounter in a country as exotic as China.

On the other side of the train, Miss Vivienne Grey was in thrall of a dark fitful nightmare, an ominous feeling molested her entire being as she lay trapped in a restless slumber. The feeling had been with her for almost as long as she's been in China. She couldn't quite describe what the feeling is, and she always forgets the contents of her dreams the moment she wakes up. The only thing she could truly confirm is that she feels...uncomfortable. Maybe going to the dinner party the next carriage over will cheer up her mood.
OOC:   Alright, feel free to role-play however you wish, feel free to explore the train if you want to. There's not a lot of limitations to what exactly you could do in this situation and it's a good chance for you guys to meet IC. Have fun!  
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by Mr. Handy »

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Vivienne Grey gets out of bed, not wanting to go back to sleep after such a disturbing experience. She puts on her white sleeveless dress and applies makeup, then collects her purse and ventures out of her compartment to head to the next carriage. She loves a good party.
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by crawlingchaosfan »

It had been a long but enjoyable journey. William Isaac Hewitt's first time on the Orient express and his first time in Asia as a whole. He had spent most of the journey reading, relaxing and talking to the other passengers. The party invite was just the welcome icing on the cake.

As he exited his carriage he noticed a young woman heading down the aisle toward the same destination. Despite her pristine appearance he noted the slight look of strain on her features and wondered what could be the cause. Waiting for her to almost pass him he left the cabin and doffing his cap, greeted her with a friendly yet polite "Zǎo shàng hǎo." (Mandarin for good morning)
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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"Zǎo shàng hǎo," echoes Vivienne, who knows a decent amount of Mandarin herself. She extends her hand with a smile. "Vivienne Grey."
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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The Train Conductor looked at the two and sighed deeply, "nǐ men liǎ gè zhēn shi yí duì bái chī." He muttered to himself darkly, hoping the two didn't hear him before he forced himself to smile cheerfully at the two and guided the unfortunate pair of passengers towards the 'party carriage'. "Good even, my fair sirs and madams! You two are absolutely gorgeous in these clothes. Are they the latest fashion in Europe now? Come in, come, our little complimentary soirée is just getting started. We wish you a happy night partying and a bright and happy entrance to the mystical lands of China! Our train express are simply, too-too!"

______________________________________

The room was relatively large, with some tables propped up vertically against the wall in the far corners to make way for the guests. In front of you stood a few tables filled with small desserts and drinks, meticulous placed in such a way that it is possible to acquire food and drinks from almost any direction. The floor, you noticed, was made from a distinct hard wood with it being more lavishly furnished than the average room on the train. The tables appeared to be made from robust oak with florid designs on its legs. A small music stand at another corner of the room was relatively obvious, with a few seats already laid out. It might be a safe assumption, at this point, to assume a few high-profile guests may be expected and that there may be a minor concert.

The evening meet-and-greet didn't quite start yet, you were among some of the early few to arrive, but there's a few individuals already mingling in midst of things as their chatted indistinctly. The sounds all blended together to form some hazy buzzing noise over the background as the train continued its melodious symphony of rambunctious noise exuded from the train engine and the clatter of railways.
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by Mr. Handy »

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"My, how lovely!" exclaims Vivienne as she takes in the scene.
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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OOC:   ...Alright, it seems like Crawlingchaosfan isn't going to post a reply anytime soon. Anyways, Crawling, if you're still interested please respond...  
For the next twenty or so minutes, Vivienne took in the scene, enjoying herself. William loitered around, but otherwise did not interact witht he other in any meaningful manner. The train conductor was heard making an announcement, "Ladies and gentlemen! In a few moments, our little party will start. We hoped you enjoyed our complimentary desserts, as more will be on the way. A very special guest will be making an appearance soon, for he has been a proud sponsor of our railway for nearly five years! We hope you'll give him a warm welcome."
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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"I wonder who he is?" says Vivienne, eager for the party to start.
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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The party starts uneventfully, with most of the passengers offering polite greetings and nodding along. A man of wearing a tuxedo walked in, smiling, with an intricate mustache. He smiled and said, "Hello all, apologies for my untimely arrival. I sure hope that I didn't interrupt anything, eh? My name is Cadjost Usairi Waters, you may have heard of me before."
Cadjost Usairi Waters,He was a famous oil magnate who has frequently made the headlines as a media darling for his daring investments and foreign origins. Recently, due to unknown reasons, he had removed himself from the limelight for some reason or another. It is a pleasant surprise to see him here.
OOC:   Alright...It's seriously depressing that no one's interested in my scenario here. I had originally intended this scenario for a larger group, oh well, it seems like I'll need to rewrite key events of the scenario to be smaller in scale then.  
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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"Pleased to meet you," says Vivienne. "Thank you for hosting this splendid party. I'm Vivienne Grey,"
OOC,New players may show up eventually. People join the site all the time.
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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Cadjost smiled brightly at Vivienne, "Grazie, mia signora, I'm here for nice relaxing time in Peking. The media hounds were getting on my nerves. And may I politely enquire after the reason you happened to be visiting China for? It sure seems like a place not suited to the genteel tourists."
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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"I daresay I'm not a typical tourist," says Vivienne, smiling back. "My father, Sir Arnold Grey, is a diplomat at the British Embassy in Peking. I'm on my way to visit him and my mother."
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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"That sounds like quite the story, young lady. Now, if you'll excuse me...there's a few more linin' up to greet me. Can't keep 'em darlings waiting, now, can I?" Cadjost Usairi Waters grinned patronisingly at the young woman, not quite taking it at face value. The party continued at leisurely pace for a while. Several of party-goers were whispering indistinctly at the presence of Waters. To he eyes of Vivian, it had appeared that some of the guests wore a slightly sour expression as they looked at the man.
OOC:   Roll listen if you want to engage with the socialites' whispers.  
______________________________________

Professor Endymion Porter was chatting with a man of well-educated background during the party about the ongoing political tensions in China on the other side of the room. He looked at the interactions of Cadjost Usairi Waters and the other train guests with indifference, after all, what's a wealthy man or two in the grand scheme of things?

"Good Professor, are you listening to me?" the man in front of him asked, looking slightly bored and unimpressed with the party so far. One could tell that he had expected something more. It was unfortunate that his expectations were dashed.
OOC:   Hello DrPeterson, you're up. Welcome to the party. So, feel free to look around and see if you want to talk with some of the socialites and/or other people. Again, you're welcome to do whatever you want for a while, since I want to keep the story interesting, I'll be wrapping up the scene in a few more posts. If you're okay with it, I would prefer it if your character has yet to awaken their psychic powers yet. The encounters further down the road shall do the trick quite well.  
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by DrPeterson »

Endymion lets out a small groan and leans heavily on his cane, offering his conversation partner an apologetic smile.

"Terribly sorry, old boy, it's the changing of the climes that's wreaking havoc on my gout, you see."

He looks around the room and back, grinning wolfishly.

"But it seems that despite my gouty reverie, we're still the better conversation of the room. I daresay it may improve with a refreshment of our refreshments."
"He said we were all cooked but we were all right as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it."
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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DrPeterson wrote:Endymion lets out a small groan and leans heavily on his cane, offering his conversation partner an apologetic smile.

"Terribly sorry, old boy, it's the changing of the climes that's wreaking havoc on my gout, you see."

He looks around the room and back, grinning wolfishly.

"But it seems that despite my gouty reverie, we're still the better conversation of the room. I daresay it may improve with a refreshment of our refreshments."
"Right you are, good professor! I had thought this place would've been more interesting, alas, nothing's exactly as it is advertised, eh?" He chuckled, raising a cup of wine. "The name's William, 'suppose it's a bit rude of me to have forgotten to introduce meself. William Hewitt to you, fellow traveller. Not your first trip to this place?"
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by DrPeterson »

"A good conversation is the best introduction a man can wish for, Mr. Hewitt. The name is Endymion Porter. and no, I have lived in China for quite some time." He grins, with twinkles in his eyes. "I might even guess since before you were born. What brings you to the Orient then, you seem rather well informed of the goings on here."
"He said we were all cooked but we were all right as long as we did not know it. We were all cooked. The thing was not to recognize it."
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

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"I was a part of the British forces during That War, and a good chap by the name of Gang Wei did his job alongside me. As a proper gentlemen, I delivered the news to his family, and now here I am, on the express hurtling towards Peking. Funny how life seems to always take sudden, unexpected turns, eh?" William Isaac Hewitt said, sighing slightly. "The lady over there chattin with Waters came in with me, and now, she off her head with some goshdarned rich bloke. The service here is terrible and the train conductor seems to be mocking behind my back. I swear, if it wasn't because of the fact that this was the advertised as 'the best there is' I shudda taken a rail line."
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by Mr. Handy »

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Vivienne cannot resist the urge to eavesdrop, and she is well-practiced enough that she can make out the words.
OOC,Listen roll (55% skill) to eavesdrop: [dice]0[/dice]
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by HelplessBystander »

Vivienne,The passengers of distinctive American origins muttered indistinctly in the background. You heard tiny, fragmented snippets of their conversations. It is interesting, to say the least. You determined that the subject of the conversation is [b]Waters[/b]. [color=#000000]"Have you heard the rumours surrounding...no..maybe they were false."[/color] [color=#400000]"The book auction...could he...yes, I've heard the rumours...may be inapporpriate to discuss it now."[/color] [color=#000000]"...Unsure. Never liked the man anyways..."[/color]
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Re: IC - Prologue -Train to Peking, 8th of July

Post by Mr. Handy »

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Vivienne mentally files away the fragments of gossip, keeping an ear open for any more juicy tidbits.
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