graveyard

[productions]

the theatre



You awaken in a darkened theatre.

In front of you is an enormous cinema screen. On it plays everything that's currently happening in the castle, accompanied by appropriate sound effects and background instrumentals when fitting. The seat you're sitting on is large and plush, and while there's many of them, there's enough room in the theatre for you to fully recline the seat into a comfortable bed if you wish. Under each seat is a sleeping mask and noise-cancelling headphones, in case you'd like to take a break from watching the show.

Follow the stairs up and you'll reach what should be the projection room. There are no projectors in here, however; it is simply a large and well-lit room above the main seating area, and a good place to hang out with your fellow eliminated contestants if shouting at each other across the aisles proves too much to handle.

If you leave the theatre through the door in the back, you'll find yourself in a hall. On one end is a concession stand. It's stocked with standard movie snacks - popcorn, candy and the like - but if you're feeling the urge for something else, you'll be able to find it stocked somewhere in the back. On the other end is a table with thirty wrapped bags and a placard reading 'A star for our stars! Please accept these lovely giftbags as a token of appreciation for your hard work, sponsored by [illegible smudge]'. Each bag has a tag bearing the name of someone in the mansion; you will only be able to open the bag with your name on it. As soon as you open it, any memories that have been taken from you, including those of the other people in the mansion that you may have forgotten, will be returned in their entirety. Within the bag are also objects from your home that you may want for your stay here, though you will find no weapons.

Past the hall is another door, this one wooden and seemingly decayed. If you go inside, you'll find a fairly simple, wooden room, that is empty except for a very large machine. It is difficult to tell what the machine is for; it has a touch screen that appears to be a control panel, as well as a large open space that seems to be part of the machine, but the machine is dead and won't turn on no matter what you do.

Still, at least you aren't alone here. You have your fellow players, as well as a few guests to keep you company.

Oh, and one more thing. At midnight following each execution, once all those who've died that week have woken up, a video will begin to play on screen.

Comments

A

[throe]

[ She's leaning over, looking at the composition. ]

Do you need someone to do vocals?

[ladyofthehouse]

I don't think you want your name attached to this monstrosity Frau Rapture, honestly.

[She regards it rather fondly despite herself. It's her monstrosity.]

[throe]

You flatter me, but really I haven't done a song in a new while. A fresh one will get everyone going.

I can play a secondary instrument if you'd rather I not sing.

[ladyofthehouse]

I can't sing myself, so your vocals would be welcome if you insist!

Do you have another instrument? [Not because she wants you to play it, she just wants another option that isn't this damn flute.]

1/2

[throe]

[ Rapture opens her mouth to say something, then closes it and smirks. ]

I'll be right back.

[throe]

[ She heads back to where the concession stand is. There's a loud clanging sound and some other indeterminate sounds. It's a good ten minutes when she returns with a medium-sized rectangular square of metal with a plastic spoon.

She firmly stands her place in front of Austria. ] Replicated after a dangerous, yet most beautiful sounding instrument... I give you: the rain chime!

[ She lightly taps the spoon against the metal in a variety of places, then gently runs it along the smooth metal as if to replicate the sound of rain. ]

Typically it's meant to bring rain when there's a drought, but it's not instilled with my ancestor's sacred powers.

[ladyofthehouse]

...

[She's not sure what she was expecting, honestly.]

Oh thank goodness for that. It'd be terrible if I managed to flood the theater and drown us all playing it.

[throe]

Exactly. [ She wiggles the metal, but it's very stiff. There are a couple of lose screws back near the concession stand now. ] If you really want to get your anger out, having only a flute won't work — you'll need much more than that to really get those feelings across!

[ There's something that's almost like... a childish excitement when she talks about this. It seems music changes her entire demeanor. ]

[ladyofthehouse]

The flute has never been to my tastes. [Austria sets down the flute and holds out her hand. Give her the spoon Rapture, she'd rather bang on a piece of metal.]

So then. You just tap it?

[throe]

By all means, Fräulein.

[ Rapture smirks, then hands her the spoon. She holds the metal a little further away from herself and closer to Austria. ]

The different ways you hold this also help give it 'pitches' in a way. So, if you want a deeper, stronger sound... [ She takes the end diagonally across from the one she's already holding and grips it hard between her thumb and pointer finger. ]

[ladyofthehouse]

Frau, bitte.

[Austria taps the spoon against the metal sheet while Rapture holds it, trying to keep from laughing at the noise.

This is ridiculous.]

Where exactly did your ancestors get sheet metal?

[throe]

Oh they didn't use sheet metal, this is obviously just a poor substitute.

They used the finest tortoise shells and fashioned their own drumsticks! Of course, their chants had given it a certain power to sound ethereal like the music was created by the sacred gods themselves! Only very few people can truly pull it off.

Thankfully, this isn't the real one, so you can play it however you wish.