{As of this point, everyone is now in the castle - if you didn't get a post in before, sorry!}
Madison and Hyperion walked through the portal in step - one in search of knowledge, the other to help her dearest mistress. The gaping black abyss beyond the door swallowed them up as it had everyone else who cross its threshold. Bringing up the end of the back were the two who had been linked arm and arm as they walked and talked - Sketch and Ezra. The duo had stuttered a moment when their friend vanished, but had pressed on as others moved through the strange portal. Even walking through together, as soon as they reached the edge of the Black wall, they lost sight of each other -
Dark shadows leech away from the eyes of the people who walked through the portal, letting their vision return to them. Stepping through the threshold had been like walking into thick black ink - it wrapped around you cutting off the outside world as you felt a wrenching, twisting motion across your entire body and a powerful tug in your gut - clear signs of spatial magic at work.
The room that the assembled people found themselves in was about ornate grand hallway. Behind them was a smooth stone wall with tapestries hanging down - no sign of the door that they had come in through. The chamber was richly decorated with delicate wood tables with ornate flowerpots on top, and a series of stained glass windows on one wall let reddened moonlight shine in, accenting the fluttering flames that danced in decorative sconces.
In front of the group, and half a story up above their heads, was a balcony that had am iron railing with a pattern of blooming flowers worked into the rails. Back beyond the edge of the rail, almost obscured from sight, was an ornate door - the only door anywhere to be seen in the grand entrance. The group was left to their own devices for only a few moments - long enough to see that there was no way out beyond that door above them, and that the interior of the castle was completely at odds with the exterior.
Then there was a loud clapping, applause that drew their gaze up to the balcony l. Even for those who had been watching the spot, none would have seen the man appear - between one blink and the next he was just there. He was dressed in rich finery - an elegant black mantle sat atop a crisply pressed pure white shirt and a vivid red cravat sat in his throat. The man bower, sweeping a hand out to one side as he did so, showing that he wore pure white gloves that seemed to be leather, but not quite. His face was clearly aristocratic as he straightened back up - sharp, prominent nose and almost gaunt cheeks.
"Welcome, welcome to my most humble abode. I am so pleased to see that there were so many richly qualified individuals tonight. You are not like the rest of that riff raff that has been coming sniffing around my home of late." The man's voice was rich, languid - and had a strange cadence, an unnatural rhythm that drew the ear, making one listen to him.
"Oh yes, this group is most assuredly a cut above the other wastrels that have been occupying my attention of late. Ah, do forgive my rudeness. My name is Duke Edelweiss, the master of this castl. It is a pleasure to make the acquaintance of such fine, upstanding individuals." The smile that Edelweiss beamed down at the group was full of teeth that were entirely too sharp. He waved one hand, and a glowing reddish rune appeared, hanging in the air beside him.
"Now I am a busy man, but I would be a terribly ungracious host it I did not have festivities planned for my guests. So then, a contest, between your fine peerage, and my staff and companions. In a moment, you will be whisked away, but before I do, the rules are simple. Whenever you end up, one of mine will be the bearer of one of these sigils. You simply need to collect the sigil to progress - and once enough are gathered, you can meet with me directly. If you desire, at that point, that is." Another sharp, hungry smile, and Edelweiss clapped sharply.
Dark shadows sprang up from the ground, wrapping everyone in inky blackness once more. A sharp, powerful wrench - and the entrance hall was eerily quiet and empty.
And we are split! Shortly individual threads will be coming up for people - you'll either be by yourself or with one other person. These gave been predetermined -
when the thread goes up, I'll out who is in it in the initial post along with a description of the location. Keep an eye out!
