Bodyswap at the House on the Hill: Liminal Space

[hot_mess_express]

Wherever you are in the house, whatever you may have been doing right in that moment

You hear a chime, like a clock sounding the hour. Has it only been that long? No, it can't have been, it must've been longer ... right? Oh well. You're out of time, and now you're here.

Here is a liminal space. It's like a washed out version of the Entrance Hall, so big and fancy, with its high vaulted ceilings and polished oakwood floors, intricate detailing, and the ornate front door. Everything else is shrouded by fog. You can try to find the other doors, you can try to find the foyer, but ... they're not there? Walk more than a minute into the fog and you'll find yourself right back where you started.

Comments

[bestbrothernever]

I still have no idea what it wanted. I think it was just a trap to waste time.

[gingerdiligence]

It did have a key behind it when we investigated, so it was not purely a trap. For us one of the crates was nothing but a distraction and a trap.

[bestbrothernever]

Was it the one with the annoying plant?

[gingerdiligence]

The dangerous crate? No, that was the one with the... tomato, I believe it was called. The strange plant was on top of the crate with party supplies.

[bestbrothernever]

What's so bad about a tomato?

[gingerdiligence]

I am uncertain. But the crate was meant to ensnare any who opened it.

Perhaps the plants on the crates indicated the opposite of the level of danger. The most dangerous plant was on the most harmless, and the most mundane plant on the crate that was nothing but a trap.

[bestbrothernever]

I don't think that happened with us.

[gingerdiligence]

Strange. We encountered the same room, but the contents were different? What did your crates contain?

Our final crate was topped by a cactus and contained robes and the sort of clothing doctors wear, along with a few other items. I am fairly certain that whoever wore the robes killed others while wearing them, and the crate had photographs of the likely victims.

[bestbrothernever]

A lot of nothing. Dusk said they were birthday items.

We did get the robes and pictures though.

[gingerdiligence]

Same items, but configuration. And none of your crates were empty save for a trap to entice whoever opened them?

The party items included candles. Not the same type as in the room where we arrived, but they might have worked if we attempted to reverse whatever ritual brought us here. Though as all signs indicate that death is part of the ritual, we naturally did not attempt anything of the sort.

[bestbrothernever]

That's probably good since you're in someone else's body.

[gingerdiligence]

Yes, Mao was kind enough to warn me what I could withstand while in this body and the harm I could inadvertently do to others by underestimating my strength.

[bestbrothernever]

Good. I don't think this trial is supposed to hurt us that much.

[ It still hurt him some. ]

[gingerdiligence]

I did not think we were meant to be so- handicapped! We were given no instructions and we had our bodies taken from us! My group was fortunate enough to contain a magic user who received a body with magic potential, but we were still at a huge disadvantage!

[bestbrothernever]

Yeah, I can still use mine. Not that it helped much when we didn't know what we were doing. That stupid elevator...

I don't get how this helps save anyone.

[gingerdiligence]

I should hope so. That body has quite the capacity for magic.

You attempted to use the elevator? We did not investigate it when there were other doors that opened easily.

If nothing else, destroying this building and the warlocks who use it will prevent them from abducting and likely killing others. That would be saving someone. Though it may also be dooming some "her"...

[bestbrothernever]

Oh, does that mean it's yours?

The elevator was all that was left since I couldn't figure out the mirror. I really just wanted to find Dusk. I hope they're okay.

Who do you think the "her" is?

[gingerdiligence]

[She's unable to say so, but can give a characteristic grin.]

We did not run out of options. The office opposite the store room appeared to be a dead end as well, but we discovered a secret door leading to a staircase. Down, unfortunately.

Others in my group thought it might be whoever the party items were meant for.

[bestbrothernever]

How did you find the secret door?

[gingerdiligence]

It was within the fridge. I had been looking for a cake, like the one I had briefly seen in the mirror. I found another ingredient for cake, and the door in the back.

[bestbrothernever]

Huh. I just took the salve. You're good at this.

[gingerdiligence]

You took the salve as well?

[bestbrothernever]

A lot was going on. I thought it might help later on.

[gingerdiligence]

That is not what I found interesting. Both of our groups found the same item in the same place, and we both took it. How is that possible? Is someone resetting the rooms and replacing the items, or do we somehow both possess a version of the same item?

[bestbrothernever]

They could not be real room. Illusions. You can put whatever you want in those.