The Split Crashed Houses

[Gelquie]

You were casually walking down the path, looking for more houses, when a strange sight gave you pause. For the next housing plot before you could be best described in two parts. The first part looks like a New England old Victorian house, complete with white columns, a brown facade, high windows, and pointed roofs complete with a tower. The second part looks like a Georgian house, more rectangular and symmetrical, with a slanted roof and a high chimney, and regularly spaced moderate sized windows.

And the two houses appear to have collided and split into two, and is somehow still standing despite both houses being slanted.

You find yourself walking closer to the split houses to investigate further. Where a Victorian column ends, a Georgian window begins. Where the Victorian house spikes, the Georgian house's slanted roof is precariously not too far. And the tower rising from the Victorian house seems to be slanted to that the tip is perched on top of the Georgian house's chimney.

Both houses are decorated for Halloween. The Victorian house seems to be fond of cobwebs and bats, with little witch decor among them. The Georgian house has a sign near their door say "Happy Halloween," followed by pumpkins, colorful skeletons, and... streamers?

You approached the shared porch, where you can find the entryways to both houses. And among them, you see three semi-translucent people, arguing two versus one.

"I know I got the reservation right this time!" Fumed one of the ghosts.

"Gertrude, I checked your work, I know you did," replied the other ghost, putting a hand on her shoulder before turning back to the Georgian resident.

"Well, whether you did or not," started the ghost with a tweed suit and hints of sideburns, "I made the reservation for this place! Halloween, this lot, right on time!"

"...Gertrude, this is Halloween, right? We didn't mess it up this time?"

"I triple-checked, Ethel, I know this is our place!"

"Well kind of a moot point now, isn't it?" the man argued as he put his arms akimbo. "Look at my place! I had mine all nice and set up and now it just clashes with yours! Bet half our rooms are destroyed!"

"Oh I wouldn't say it clashes..." Ethel started...

"I would! Look at our tower!" Gertrude gestured towards the tower in question. "It was supposed to point to touch the moon at midnight, and now it's just a mess! And symmetry is just a shortcut, it doesn't replace originality!"

"Originality? Your place looks utterly drafty!" The man fumed. "Well what do we do now? I had this elaborate plan set up, but I bet it hasn't survived with your house in the way."

"Well we could say the same," Gertrude said.

"Given how busy the offices are, they probably won't be able to sort our places out till after Halloween..." Ethel mused.

"They will if I complain enough!" Gertrude exclaimed. "Think my writer's room is still intact? Eh, even if it's not, I'll just find my typewriter!"

"I'd join you on that, but I bet my office is in shambles too! Right in the middle of notetaking for my latest experiment." The man shook his head. "If I don't get that back, all my preparations were for naught."

"It'd be good to take a break anyway, right?" Ethel said. "What about our candies, at least? It looks like you were preparing too."

"Sure, I like Halloween," the man shrugged. "But I left my bowl inside."

"So did we," Gertrude mused. "So now we're completely unprepared for trick or treaters too!"

"Speaking of." The man jerked his head towards you, then turns to face you. "Well, greetings, I suppose. I'm Dr. Daniel Elm. I suppose you're here for trick or treating? How much have you heard?"

"Probably the whole thing," Gertrude waved a hand.

After affirming this, Daniel sighed. "Well, you caught us at a bad time. And you're rather early too."

"Early nothing, the night is young, not in daylight!" Ethel beamed.

"...Point being, we're not really ready for you. Our candies are inside, and we have some crucial supplies we'd rather be searching for."

"Well why don't they come in," Ethel offered. "Make a house of it!"

Daniel tilted his head. "...You want these mortals or maybe-mortals to investigate these houses? As it is? I went right out as soon as the collision happened."

"He's got a point," Gertrude said. "We don't know if it's safe."

"That may be true... But tell you what, we'll be close by! Besides, I know some of these folks. Some of them are rather scrappy, and good at problem solving!" Ethel smiled and waved at you. "The other ones look pretty resourceful too!"

"Be that as it may, my lab-!" Daniel started before sighing. "Guess I'll look into it right away. Sooner I secure that room, the better."

"And I need to find my typewriter," Gertrude said, "So I can offer a strong word to the ones in charge!"

"Ah, well, I guess I'll look after our trick or treaters, then," Ethel offered.

As Gertrude and Ethel went into their respective homes, Ethel turned to you. "Well don't worry. I know a fair bit of magic, actually, so I can ward you against some calamities if you like. I don't know the nature of all of them, especially Dr. Elm's experiments, but I can at least keep you from falling. So if you'd like, come on in! To one or the other, I presume. Otherwise it'll take us a long time to get you your candies. Let me know if you'd like a ward, and let's get started!"

You stand before Ethel and the split houses. To your left is the entrance to the slanted Victorian house, to your right is the entrance to the slanted Georgian house. Both of them look precarious, and that Ethel's falling ward might well be warranted.

Do you go in? Which way do you go? Do you want a ward? Or do you just want to talk to Ethel? Do you want to ignore it all and go house climbing?
Either way, the slanted split house stands before you, waiting for the next action.

((If you want to just go in but want a ward from Ethel, you can assume she gives it to you. It's basically a spell that'll make you immune to damage to falls... for a time.))

[downrightdude]

Wearing a stunning poinsettia-themed gown, Snaw is eager to explore the Victorian-style house. Why, wouldn't that house look pretty decked out in Christmas decorations?

"I am here to bless you all with some early Christmas cheer as I get myself some candy," said Snaw, twirling again.

Wearing a Santa hat, Charlie the llama asks for a ward.

[Stephanie (swordlilly)]

In their shared purple dress, Sery and Vina look around. Vina is immediately attracted to the Georgian side of the house and begins tentatively moving that way. Sery, feeling the tug, yields and goes along with her twin.

"Vina, slow down. We should get a ward first," Sery says.

"Alright," her sister replies, barely able to contain her excitement. And so they wait behind Snaw and Charlie. Sery looks pensively into her pumpkin-basket, while Vina's eyes dart this way and that.

[June Scarlet]

A girl in a rather depressing dress approaches. She carries a basket in one hand, and a top hat with a guinea pig in it in the other. She looks at the houses, and shrugs, "I don't know, which one do you think I should go in, Taffy?"

The guinea pig chitters nervously.

"Taffy doesn't want to go into either house. I kind of do, though. Can I leave Taffy and her hat out here, maybe?"

[Gelquie]

"I'm glad to see you all willing to be so adventurous and helpful!" Ethel beamed. "For those who asked, you are wise. Here is your ward. It'll last about an hour. You could fall from any height or bump into any thing, and you'll feel nothing more than an 'oof.' You'll need it. Trust me.

But that's the main thing, I think. So don't be shy! And if your hour is about up, come back out first. I don't want you breaking you legs. Oh, speaking of. If you can't otherwise traverse this place, let me know; I have another spell that can help with that."

((An hour long is in-universe; just assume it lasts the whole time unless you really linger. xP
And this would be the part where I usher you all into the houses you stated interest in, but bedtime is nigh, so I need to do it tomorrow.))

Oct 29, 2023 20:14:32 GMT -5 June Scarlet said:

A girl in a rather depressing dress approaches. She carries a basket in one hand, and a top hat with a guinea pig in it in the other. She looks at the houses, and shrugs, "I don't know, which one do you think I should go in, Taffy?"

The guinea pig chitters nervously.

"Taffy doesn't want to go into either house. I kind of do, though. Can I leave Taffy and her hat out here, maybe?"

"Oh, of course!" Ethel nodded fervently. "With the ward it shouldn't be dangerous, but I wouldn't ask anyone to go in if they don't want to! Here, leave them on the porch. We can talk, or something similar!"

[June Scarlet]

"Thank you," says Jess, accepting a ward and setting down the top hat and Taffy next to Ethel.

"I think I'll explore the house with the science stuff going on. There's something I'm trying to understand, and maybe that can help."

[downrightdude]

Snaw leads Charlie the llama into the Victorian half of the house. The parlor to their right is brimming with a variety of antiquities and frilly furniture.

"I would love to take all these things home for my parlor!" Snaw eagerly grabs a mantel clock.

Charlie the llama wandered in the foyer, admiring a lone of portraits that ascend up the stairs. Unfortunately, none of the portraits feature llamas.

[Gelquie]

downrightdude - You feel a brief sensation of rewinding, and once again, you enter the Victorian house, stepping into the Foyer. And immediately you feel shunted to the right side, for that is the direction the house is tilted. Yet oddly enough, the furniture and antiquities seem to be intact. The ceiling and portraits are decked with fake cobwebs and fake spiders, and there's a light and source from from nowhere displaying the shadow of art of a witch on the left side of the wall. All of this among light, comfortable furniture including couches and soft chairs, with portraits of Ethel and Gertrude, a young child, and paintings of soft, gentle landscapes.

You hit the right wall, thankfully with no injuries as Ethel promised, just narrowly missing the door into the Den. On the other side of the wall where the witch image is stands another door, which you suspect might lead into the Living/Parlor room... If you can get up there, for it's upwards relative to you.

Or you can continue on to your right, towards an open circular and stairs going up what seems to be a tower. Narrow stairs, but perfectly climbable... were everything still not tilted to the right.

====

June Scarlet Stephanie (swordlilly) - You enter the Georgian side of the house and enter the Foyer... and yup. Everything is intact. You aren't shunted anywhere. You just feel a slight tilt to your right. And you feel like your path forward has an upward gradient.

Still, all the furniture and trophies are somehow intact, including chairs, benches, a table, a bookshelf full of extremely light reading, and trophies and accolades. A diploma awarded to Dr. Daniel Elm, though you can't make out what the degree is for. Awards of merit. And newspaper clippings of scientific discoveries, including those for physics, psychology, medical, and etheric sciences.

To your right is an open area to the dining hall. You feel like the gradient downward gets steeper there, like you might fall in. To your left is the living room, which is further up but which you could walk to without trouble. And up ahead, steep to the point where you'd have to climb, you see an unknown seating area, and to the right of it, some stairs, further complicating the climb.

Which way do you want to go?


((Newcomers, if you want to assume Ethel gave you the ward and that you entered a house, you can fast forward to this post.))

[downrightdude]

Snaw is tempted to re-enter the parlor and swipe a candelabra. But when Charlie the llama chooses to go up the stairs, Snaw relents and follows.

At the landing, Snaw opens the door and steps into a stone room. Yes, this must be the tower! Looking around, Snaw notices the room is mostly bare; there is only a barrel, a crate, and a window that gives one an airol view of a wide green lawn.

"This room isn't good enough for my beautiful red poinsettia gown," Snaw proclaims, turning around. Just then, the door slams shut!

Charlie the Llama is startled by the noise. He tries to turn the knob, but the door is locked.

[June Scarlet]

Jess decides to try the dining hall inside the house. She mutters to herself, "I wonder if anything here could help me figure the hat out."

[Stephanie (swordlilly)]

In unison, without needing to talk to each other, Sery and Vina move toward the bookshelf to inspect the books, accolades and clippings. They love reading. As Vina reaches toward one of the clippings, however, its headline seems to glow eerily in the dim light.

"Shhh, maybe don't touch it," Sery whispers.