Birthday Party

[peripheries]

Who: Paul Atreides and all his CR
What: Throwing everyone’s favorite Duke a surprise birthday party
When: Forwarded dated to April 1st
Where: Bone House in Gaze

Content Warnings: Drinking, underage drinking, drugs (both fictional and not), drawings of space worms, skeletons, will add further warnings if necessary



When you arrive at the house in Gaze, (affectionately known as Bone House), a skeleton will open the door and offer to take your coat if you have one. No need to take your shoes off or anything!

The large house has been decorated with black streamers and confetti. In the entryway and hung on the railing to the second floor that overlooks the entrance to the great room are large banners that say “HAPPY BIRTHDAY PAUL” (though one looks like it used to say “Jaune” but was just painted over? Whatever).

In the Living Room, there is a large board and various colored markers for people to write messages to the birthday boy. There is also a table full of bottled water and various couches, chairs, and beanbags to collapse into if the party gets to be too much and one needs a quiet place to rest or a place to chill if you’ve imbibed too much… well, whatever you had.

It is also where all the food and drinks are.

There’s an extremely large charcuterie board with the usual meats, cheeses, and olives as well as an extremely eccentric collection of snacks ranging from individual sized Cheez-it bags, to humungous bags of Doritos and salty chips, as well as nearly every kind of Oreo one can imagine.

There are also various cakes, all angel food. Some are misshapen, some have an attempt at being frosted with whipped cream and fruit, one even says “Happy Birthday Ka-” before that was hastily covered with a bunch of strawberries jammed really close together.

At the island, a skeleton is playing bartender. Surprisingly, it can seem to take and understand individual orders, but there’s always a constant flow of tequila shots being made and sent out to the great hall to be served by another skeleton.

And, no, of course it’s not going to check your age to see if you’re legal. It’s a skeleton. Why would it care?

The Great Hall is the center of activity and where everyone is encouraged to mingle and have fun. There is a skeleton on the grand piano in the corner gleefully playing piano covers of the hits from the Shrek Soundtrack with the occasional cover of “DaRude’s Sandstorm” when it has another one to help out.

In another corner, on huge piece of paper that spans nearly 6ft wide and 8ft tall is drawing of an Arrakis sandworm and it’s giant maw. The game is Pin the Tooth on the Sandworm and it’s… very easy… because the worm maw is most of the board. Even if the skeleton spins you as you’re blindfolded, it’s pretty hard to lose. If you manage to do it, which is likely, the skeleton running the game will award you a tequila shot! If you lose, the skeletons will award you a tequila shot (but it’s rail).

(It’s a drinking game, isn’t the point to drink?)

There’s also a table that has many candelabras on it, numbering up to seventeen. They’re still lit and burning even though there is a sign that says “make a wish!” even though it almost looks like a shrine for the dead.

…It’s maybe clear that the concept of “birthday candles” was greatly misunderstood.

There is also a skeleton dealing out small doses of “Spice”, a psychoactive drug straight outta the Duneverse. However, you must check in with this Skeleton to get a dose. There will be no “permanently melting your brain with ancestral memories” at this party!

Teacher’s/God’s/Jod’s/The Emperor Undying’s study, adjacent to the main hall, is closed and locked. Though, the lock is fairly easy to break if someone really wanted to get in. There’s not even skeletons guarding.

That said, many things are warded with eerie runes of blood and bone.

So, fuck around and find out.

The upstairs is generally off limits. Party goers can climb up the stairs, and it’s encouraged if they want to look over the Great Room from above, but all of the bedrooms are carefully guarded by more skeletons who will SCREAM VERY LOUDLY if you try to enter and will become hostile if done by force.

Of course, this won’t happen if you are with someone who lives in the house.

Enjoy the party! Mingle away!

((ooc: if you have any questions or anything, please hit me up at worldtype)) or via PM.))

Birthday Board | At the Party | The Morning After | IC Party Games | Spice Dealer

Comments

[hearthebell]

[L's usually fairly keenly aware of his surroundings. Whether it's because the study dampens sound or because he was hyper-attuned to taking in its contents for potential pitfalls or traps, he startles noticeably at the sound of Chara's voice.]

Good to know. What things?

[Never mind that he's breaking and entering; as far as he's concerned, so is Chara.]

[the_obedient_servant]

[Chara takes some satisfaction in watching him startle as they look about the room with a hum.]

The journals. The boxes are also cursed, but I don't know what specifically with.

What are you looking for?

[hearthebell]

[His brows raise with sharpened interest.

Journals?]

Nothing in particular. I wouldn't want to trespass against our generous host, or disrespect his things. Honestly, I thought this was the coat closet.

[the_obedient_servant]

Then I suppose you don't need my help getting out of this study alive and with all your limbs attached?

[hearthebell]

I didn't think so, but when you put it that way... is that what the wards do? Surely there isn't one on the exit.

[As far as he's concerned, behind his round goggly eyes, Chara basically just called him out on not intending to just leave.]

[the_obedient_servant]

The exit is unwarded and unguarded. You solved the riddle. By all means, continue on your merry way to the coat closet, having neither gained nor lost anything in the process. Though, someone might notice that the lock has been broken in the meantime... Oh well, it's probably for the best.

[Their expression is almost amused at the notion that he would even consider that an option.]

[hearthebell]

Locks only keep an honest man out.

[He treads carefully as he looks around the space, keeping his distance from the shelves and desk for now and just taking it in.]

To know what you do about the wards... are you close to him? Our generous host, I mean... or are you here for Paul?

[the_obedient_servant]

Implying all thieves are dishonest... I expected better, Mr Lazarus.

[There's plenty of approaches they can take to this question, in essence something that really boils down to "Can I trust you?"

Which, of course, Lazarus has to know by now that the answer is no. Paul, for his own part, at least learnt that after Chara's own lesson, however subconsciously. It's so ludicrously rhetorical that they figure the answer doesn't even matter so much as how they answer it.

They have a shared interest in Paul Atreides, at least. For the moment.]

Not really. We're... acquainted, but I'm not a member of his little cabal.

I'm here for Paul's sake first and foremost. As for my knowledge of the wards... [They shrug, a smile playing at their lips.] Is that really the question you're looking to answer in this room?

[hearthebell]

Who said anything about thieves? One can break and enter without taking a single thing, technically.

[He's careful about admitting any sort of intention just now, although he's not getting the since that Chara is extremely loyal to the Emperor. That's confirmed a moment later, or at least claimed.]

If you're suggesting that he's listening, I suppose enough has been heard already to be considered incriminating. A warning to one curious and nosy would hardly add to that impression.

[the_obedient_servant]

[They look at him very flatly.] You're so correct, thank you for correcting me, I should have simply said burglars, to clarify that you are slandering none other than Bilbo Baggins.

[They shrug.]

I'm not. He's not listening. At least I'm relatively certain of that. He's at least aware whenever someone triggers one of the wards, though. Best be careful, Lazarus.

If you're looking for something specific, how about a deal?

[hearthebell]

Please don't misunderstand. I do not equate goodness and honesty inherently, and I feel that you have assumed otherwise.

[He has a complex relationship with both, after all, doing the most heinous things in the name of the greater good (or the selfish good, when the occasion demands it.)]

You're sure? If so...

[A pause.]

What kind of deal?

[the_obedient_servant]

I do not believe that's what you're saying. I simply disagree with the presumption that honesty and legality are in any way tied, especially in this world without laws.

[God, this is the second pedantic wording argument they've had. They shake their head.]

Putting that aside, I'd like information. In return, I'll help you.

It's a fair and simple deal.

[hearthebell]

I also disagree with that presumption.

[And with that understanding, he seems to have gained some respect for Chara. The law, after all, so often does not serve the truly good, innocent or vulnerable.]

What information are you looking for? While I think that Paul trusts me, I am not of the opinion that I am trusted by this homeowner.

[Another seeking question, to confirm that they are on something like the same side as L has defined them.]

[the_obedient_servant]

[They hum, scratching their chin. There's a hint of irritation to their body language, not directed at Lazarus himself but rather at the whole situation.]

I am in the regrettable position of being locked out of the loop on this. I don't believe the homeowner is a trusting sort, though, so that makes sense. After-all, he doesn't even share his true name. [It's a private joke, with themselves. They do share their "true name" but it's only as true as any illusion. They have no identity that cannot be stripped away.]

You asked if I'm here for Paul? You should clarify. Did you mean the party, or in this gruesome saw trap of a study? The answer is, of course, yes to either. But that implies some level of concern.

I want to know why. I have a vested interest in his wellbeing. [For selfish reasons, of course, and for reasons that spawn from a more sensitive shade of their rotten heart.]

[hearthebell]

[L nods; it's a regrettable position, but one that offers some leverage, potentially. It just comes down to what he may feel like sharing about what he knows about the situation, and why he might want to.

He doesn't need to say "yes" to either; Chara does it for him. He raises his eyebrows and nevertheless supplies, with uncharacteristic earnestness,]

Yes.

[To both.]

The vested interest in his wellbeing is one I share. Compared to some things... the worst that could possibly be in this study does not scare me.

[the_obedient_servant]

[They are admittedly a little surprised at Lazarus admitting such a weakness to them. Not only is he concerned for Paul, but it takes presedence over his own safety and life? Interesting. Concerning.

Either he is so desperate for allies that he is willing to tip his hand and show it to them, or this is another probing test, or both. It doesn't matter, like so many times in Chara's life after death, their choice was already decided from the beginning.]

And it's Teacher, the home owner that you fear, yes? [Does he mean to do Paul harm, though? Or to corrupt and control him? He's in a unique position to do both, given he plucked Paul from his death like a piece of fruit and added him to his collection. When he was most vulnerable. Even Chara was vulnerable in the wake of that disaster, and they hadn't had anywhere near as much tangible responsibility.]

If our interests are aligned, perhaps we can work together.

[hearthebell]

[L's taken a lot of gambles in his life. Usually it's beneficial to conceal a vulnerability at all costs... but other times, it's the only way to proceed. Given that a commitment to Paul's safety is common ground between them, it seems like the gamble paid off in this instance.]

So you call him "Teacher." I know that Paul calls him "Captain." There are others, I'm sure.

[Squid-scholar. God, etc. He does not confirm whether or not he fears the man himself.]

There are probably as many names as perceptions, but we do seem to be of a like mind. I'm not opposed to combining knowledge and resources.