△ First. [ Dictated ]

[explodium]

[There is a slight bit of rustling as the journal is picked up and the pages are briskly flipped through.]

Hmm. Tell me, how many of you are writing in this book?

[As his words form upon the page, Kimblee takes note of their presence with idle curiosity.]

Or speaking, as it may well be. I would suspect at least a hundred, judging by the most recent pages, but perhaps one of you could humor me?

[There's a very slight pause, as he examines his surroundings better.]

The architecture of this building is not Amestrian. In fact, it isn't like anything I've ever seen before. This entire place feels off.

... I would like to know where I am.

Comments

dictated

[heirofficium]

You're in Paradisa. Dunno how many of us are here, though.

[ Ohoho have a jaunty Londoner yakkin' at you, Zolfypoo. ]

Where's Amestria? Not on Earth, I imagine.

Dictated

[explodium]

Paradisa. That's the name of the castle, then?

[That's what he gathers, at least, since Sirius said "in". He chuckles darkly.]

If you haven't heard of Amestris, then I must be farther from home than I thought.

[whistles_the_blues]

A pocket dimension called Paradisa, castle goes by the same name.

Re: Dictated

[heirofficium]

The formal name is Cair Paradisa, but generally one forgets the 'Cair' when they're complaining about this Merlin-forsaken brick heap.

[ Yes yes, you are very smart, Mister Kimblee. :> ]

I'm told it's a world all its own. Just the castle, and there's a pretty big town outside the gate.

Dictated

[explodium]

A completely different world...

Interesting. Could you tell me how I got here, then?

[explodium]

I guess it's common knowledge. Another person already answered that question.

But I'd like to hear more about this, so please, go on. What is this Paradisa like?

Re: Dictated

[heirofficium]

Far as I know, the castle itself takes you. It takes something important from you too, in order to come here.

[ Not that Sirius has even figured out what the castle took from him. ]

Dictated

[explodium]

That doesn't make any sense. You're saying the castle is sentient?

[Takes something important... he thinks about it for a moment, going quiet to put a hand on his stomach. When nothing comes up, his face goes cold, and it takes him a minute to respond; when it does, his voice sounds irritable.]

I didn't ask to come here. And I certainly didn't have any intention of paying a price.

[cyan_maid]

How many people use the journals? Gosh, I wouldn't know.

[Huh. She's never thought of that before. That's a good question though!]

Well, for starters, this is a castle called Paradisa.

[explodium]

Right now, I'm looking for answers. If you don't know, you don't need to say anything.

I've already been told that it's a castle, as well. Maybe there's something else you could tell me about it?

1/2

[heirofficium]

More or less! Turns people into things sometimes too. The whole castle became an old folks' home a couple weeks ago, sometimes people turn into animals...

2/2

[heirofficium]

[ He laughs, but this time, it's definitely more mirthless. ]

In't that a shame. Neither did we.

[explodium]

Hmm. I'd ask how to get back, but judging by what you're saying...

[He sighs.]

It isn't that easy.

[cyan_maid]

Well you don't have to act like that. Not everybody knows everything, sir.

I can certainly try, though I don't know what you've been told. The castle feeds off of people's souls and makes them miserable by throwing them into awful, frustrating situations. How's that?

[explodium]

[Well he definitely hasn't heard THAT one yet. His voice sounds bemused, but there's a hint of anger beneath the surface.]

Really now. And it forces us to pay a price for that kind of treatment? That doesn't sound very reasonable at all.

[cyan_maid]

[Oh snap, this is why you go for the gold at the start.]

To be fair, it at least acts as a hospitable host. It gives you a room you can keep however you like, and you can wish for most anything you want. There are ghosts that work to keep everything in order, although you don't have to have them do things for you.

[explodium]

The wishes must be powered by the things it takes from us. Unless equivalent exchange no longer applies here...

You said "most anything". What are the exceptions?

[cyan_maid]

I don't know about equivalent exchange, but that makes sense.

The exceptions? Well...I'm certain you can't wish for anything big, or something extremely destructive. You can wish for the materials to make something big, but not the materials itself. I haven't really tested the limits myself. I'm not much of a wisher.

[explodium]

Can you wish for the thing that was taken from you?

[cyan_maid]

You cannot. Did the castle take an actual item from you? Sometimes it takes memories or skills.

[explodium]

Sure, let's say that.

[He definitely doesn't want to get into the details of what it is, though.]

What a shame. This place looks so nice on the outside, but it's hiding such filth underneath. And it even supposedly feeds off of our souls... something like that seems to suggest that it will kill us all, with enough time. Or am I wrong?

[whistles_the_blues]

Kind of like any other place for the most part. Though the castle is sentient to a degree and likes to mess around with the people it pulls in.

[explodium]

Could you expand on that? Tell me what, exactly, it does, if you would.

[ofhope]

You want a head count?

Dictated

[wizard_redfive]

The number was around 200 last I checked. It's difficult to keep track of though, with everyone coming and going so frequently.

Amestrian...?