at once short of life, and long of sorrow.

[strangerpeople]

[You are dead.




Well, obviously. You remember how you died. It was...not fun, to say the least. But hey, at least you're off that ship, right?

Except...you don't know exactly where you are now. It seems like a house, but if it is, it's...a work in progress. Most of the rooms are empty, and your steps echo up through the marble columns and down faint mosaics on the tiled floor. The few windows you find have a green light gleaming through them; you can't really see anything beyond the eerie light.

It feels like you're in a temple of some kind. The columns and mosaics seem to indicate it is something like that-it's certainly reminiscent of something out of an ancient culture, perhaps even one you're familiar with. For some reason, though, it's clear someone-or something-lives here. One of the rooms to the south is stuffed with pizza boxes. Another, larger room has a makeshift futon in one of the corners. There are imprints of multiple footsteps all through the dusty floors as you look around, many of them leading to a small alcove to the west. And-

and there's a giant van. Just. hanging out there. Completely out of place with the seemingly ancient decor. And inside, there is the sound of light snoring.



Ok then. You're apparently not alone in death, after all.]

((OoC: Map for reference.))

Comments

[devilmehcry]

No.

[Finally. He turns it off.]

A certain idiot decided to turn this music on while I was away fighting a monster.

[strangerpeople]

[ An arrow whizzes through the air, right by Vergil's ear, and hits the van!

There's another note! ]

Talk to the blue eyed stranger,
Learn his true secret,
Then bring it to the pizza room.

[devilmehcry]

[He barely even flinches as the arrow flies past him.]




...

And he's still trying to annoy me, I see.

[strangerpeople]

[ Another arrow. ]

You're the annoying one.

[devilmehcry]

[At this, he turns.]




...You do realize I can see you through the window of the car, right.

[carvemyname]

...

[ Dante ducks and runs. ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[As he leaves-]

WORK ON YOUR POETRY! YOUR METER IS ATROCIOUS!

[carvemyname]

[ Beaming, shouts back - ]

Thank you!

[ .... Dante. Do. Do you know what atrocious means? ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

THAT WAS NOT A COMPLIMENT, YOU SIMPLETON!

[carvemyname]

Thank you, I think you're also attractive!

[hatesdeerstalkers]

YOU'RE ALSO A TERRIBLE LIAR!

[hatesdeerstalkers]

A monster?

[Thank god the Noise is gone, but he raises an eyebrow at that.]

There are monsters in here with us, or did you mean elsewhere?

[devilmehcry]

I assume you've not been through the portals that have been popping up in this place?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

The what?

[Answer: absolutely not.]

The only portals I'm aware of were the ones I could make myself when I was on that godsbedamned ship. I've also only been here for about two....'days', I suppose?

[And he was screaming on the floor for a while as one does when they realize they were cringe the day before. You know how it is.]

[devilmehcry]

...I see. The portals, I believe, are a side effect of the Qilphoth growing in this place. All of them have various monsters-spirits who have been twisted in some way to fight.

But, there are three types of portals. The green ones lead into a brick and mortar maze. The red ones lead to a place overrun by lava-that is where I bought the monster I referred to earlier. The blue one leads to a...rather pleasant place. Grassy, cool...

I recommend against drinking the water there, though, should you be tempted to.

[carvemyname]

Nah, they made me feel all serene and shit.

[ Popping up behind Moriarty's shoulder. ]

[devilmehcry]

...My brother knows nothing about his mythology, in other words.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

My condolences.

[On the brother thing, he means. He's just met his brother and he's amazed at Virgil's restraint.]

Regardless, then - am I correct in assuming that the Gimme is Charon, and the portals you are referring to are parts of the Greek underworld?

...Specifically, in that the field you mentioned are the fields of Elysium.

[devilmehcry]

[I N D E E D.]

Yes. Not...everyone is aware of this underworld's properties. Not everyone's been from Earth, after all. But yes. Green leads to Tartarus, and red leads to...Asphodel.

The waters in Elysium are those of the Lethe, in other words.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

....Then I have quite a few questions, mostly in why I am still here and why the dead connected to that game found ourselves here.

[Not that he expects Virgil to know everything, but at least he's being upfront about all of this.]

But first - I believe I should introduce myself. My name is James Moriarty, the man called the Napoleon of Crime and the Old Spider who held all of London's Underworld in his iron grip.

[He bows like a Victorian Gentleman would towards his conversation partner.]

A pleasure to meet you, truly.

[devilmehcry]

The rival of...well. I won't say it for your sake, then.

[He's clearly read the books. He gives his own bow.]

Vergil, eldest son of Sparda. The man who keeps attempting to annoy you is my twin. Dante. Feel free to ignore him.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He doesn't react, strangely.]

Hush, the adults are talking.

[carvemyname]

You mean the nerds are talking.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

And that would make you the 'jock' in this situation, hm?

[carvemyname]

[ Dante smiles. ]

Want a wedgie?