the "p" doesn't stand for pretentious, FYI. [art gallery, may 6th—??? ]

[theearth]

[ Welcome to Locke's very own Taste de Louvre, everyone! Predictably, the unveiling of the new set of statues at the magnificent Hugh P. Thadson Gallery of Fine Art has turned out to be a rather fanciful affair. The upper echelon of snobby society, in their snobby society attire, has come to mingle amongst one another—and is endeavoring to ignore you, fair citizen, as much as possible—and discuss this fantastic addition to our city's fair culture.

The first statue is a touchingly metaphorical piece, the prominent carving of a snake coiled around a human heart that looks so real you can almost hear it beating within your ears. This statue appears to be the most popular; the crowds drawn around its base simply can't stop going on and on and on about how wondrous it is, along with the rest of the works on display tonight.

The second statue also depicts a snake, but has its blush-brushed scales cut dramatically open to display its own wicked black heart. The Thunder Corporation and its latest line of tacky memorabilia is the primary subject of discourse here.

The last statue is strikingly different from the other two, and features a wolf howling at the open sky,* dying in apparent agony with a sword driven through its chest. You get a distinctly unsettling impression from it that the other, ordinary folk don't seem to notice—that perhaps your adventure to meddle in recent affairs is ill-advised. Inscribed below the pained wolf's paw is a link of sorts to a peculiar forum that, when accessed, bears only the topic "Let's Negotiate" with the same message enclosed within. Strange, but since no one else is talking about it, you wonder if you can't have just imagined the whole ordeal... and yet stranger things have happened, right? Perhaps it's worth looking into, in any event.

There's plenty to do with the statues about and the gift shop buzzing, with lots of familiar faces to run into. So what's your agenda for the evening? ]

(( General mingling post for the plot as related to art gallery affairs! There will be base threads for OPEN INTERACTIONS, open to all as implied, CLOSED INTERACTIONS, for planned out one-on-one interactions between player characters, and a general purpose EVERYTHING ELSE, for characters who wish to explore the gift shop, just mull about. Just as a general reminder:

1) Touching one of the snake statues will grant you one (1) Echo, for two (2) Echoes max. However, touching a second statue will definitely arouse suspicion, so be prepared for that. One safe Echo, two potentially risky ones up for grabs here! No Echoes from touching the wolf statue, though, so slither your way towards the snakey-snakeys for those.

2) If you'd rather not touch the statues themselves, hanging around them for awhile -- about an hour or so -- will grant one (1) Echo.

3) Accessing the webforum will not grant an Echo, but posting a reply to it will. It will be possible to get a second during conversation, but as for how it happens... it's a secret to everybody!

4) Little statuettes are available for purchase in the gift shop, but do not grant an Echo themselves in any way.

You may also handwave the mingling NPCs being snobby snobs at you, just for fun. Because why not.

As before, please wait for all base threads to go up before posting. OPEN FOR BUSINESS! In your character's subthreads, please put your character's name, the day, and optionally the time you are visiting in the title so things remain nice and neat. Remember, open to all interactions in the open section and one-on-one time in the closed section. Everything else goes in Everything Else. This post will remain stickied throughout the entirety of the plot duration, for easy finding.

The plot post for this week, detailing about the art gallery and more, can be found here.

*This awesome picture drawn by our very lovely Lucas-mun! Thanks, MC! ]

Comments

Aaron, May 7, late morning

[elfstoned]

[Blending in? With high society? You're talking to the wrong person. Aaron is in his shabby gray coat, sitting on a low wooden bench against the wall, facing the statues. He seems lost in his own thoughts, and is apparently ignoring any displeased glances or mutterings turned his way.

He's made a note of that website, though. Let's negotiate. If whoever was behind this intended to pay them off, Aaron was not interested. However, if information could be gained...

Anything was better than groping around in the dark, and that was exactly what the Numbers Club was doing.

Aaron Strider watches the socialites mingle, silent and more than a little creepy. Maybe you catch him watching you?]

[espigeonage]

[Julien enters this room with a gaggle of college students. He's dressed similarly to the waitstaff, though a bit shabbier and with hair and bright gold-colored hairclips which probably don't fit the staff dress code.

Immediately after he splits off from his friends someone tries to hand him a dirty plate, and he tells them they're mistaken and he's not part of the staff quite politely, but with enough careless cheer that one might intuit he's mocking them. The real waiter-type who takes it seems to be a friend of his; they chat on the way out and come back in a minute, the waiter with a tray of little things with toothpicks, Julien with a plate of the same. Julien dodges socialites and brings the plate to his friends gathered around the first statue, and without ever obviously looking Aaron's way he comes around to the bench as if by chance, sits next to him, and holds up the almost-empty plate.]

Good morning, Master Strider! Want a canape? ...I think it's a canape?

[elfstoned]

[Aaron doesn't reply to the canape offer. He doesn't even comment on Julien's choice of dress, or his social hijinks. Instead, he looks forward at the statues.]

What do you make of them, Julien?

[espigeonage]

[Completely unperturbed, Julien smiles, leans back a bit, and eats it himself, talking with his mouth full - which makes it hard to read his lips, but that's gotta be coincidence, right?]

Very unsubtle, sir. The last one in particular! And I think if not for that certain je ne sais quoi people might be calling them tacky - well, some people. There's enough money here that half these guys would call them the greatest art of our age just for that.

[elfstoned]

Beauty in the mind of the beholder?

[espigeonage]

[He swallows his mouthful and indicates a random NPC - a man who's constantly surrounded. He doesn't come to people, people come to him and leave and are replaced.]

"If he likes it, well, he's important, I want favors from him, et cetera. I'll either lie so he thinks I share his opinion, or convince myself he's actually got great taste." It's more complicated than that, but it's part of it!

[And shrug]

I was born in this kind of circle, believe it or not, but it's probably more relevant that I've been on the staff for something like this once, and I was kind of, ah, fixated on the ways of the high and mighty at the time.

[elfstoned]

[Aaron gives Julien a look of genuine interest.]

You have the advantage of me here. I've little experience in high society, and its finer points are utterly a mystery.

what luck, same day Lyall's there :)

[professorwolf]

Lyall at least looks decent. Like a teacher, but a well-dressed teacher. He's been here an hour almost already, picking up scents and running into various people. Spotting Aaron isn't hard, really, considering the fellow doesn't look well-dressed, and he knows that scent well by now, anyway.

So he wanders back to see him, looking vaguely amiable, if a bit wearied by it all. "Seeing anything of interest from all the way back here, doctor?"

a++!

[elfstoned]

"I'm trying to pinpoint what each of them is for," Aaron replies, then lowers his voice to an undertone. "What effects they are meant to have, I mean. The wolf's meaning is as clear as day, but..." He shakes his head. "I'm not sure. They only look like mediocre stone-work to me, though I admit I'm no expert on art. But I don't see why they're so popular." He laughs as a thought strikes him. "Maybe one of them is meant to utterly destroy the aesthetic taste of anyone who looks at it."

[professorwolf]

"While I could certainly see that, ugh-- I think it's more specific than that." Lyall looks about for anyone who might appear to be listening to them before explaining. "I've been here for almost an hour now... I think their purpose is just to make them seem more amazing. That, and to advertize."

He's a little disgusted at that one. Not as disgusted as the wolf warning statue, but in a very different way. Using "magic", or whatever it is, to sell a product? Either that product must be awfully involved in this whole "invasion" thing, or else this Thunder Corporation was even more petty and unscrupulous than most other big businesses. He's almost curious what that product is, if just to see what might be so important about it.

[elfstoned]

"The discussions of the Thunder Corporation do seem to be happening around one statue in particular," Aaron noted. "You may be right. But--why? What does advertisement have to do with the bigger picture? Is it just a profitable -- if unscrupulous -- business venture?"

[professorwolf]

"It can't be only that. This is far too much trouble. And there's that... invasion that was mentioned. And those things that should be impossible, but happen anyway." Lyall settled down on the bench beside him, finally, and dropped his chin onto his hands, murmuring, "I wish I knew more about this Thunder corporation and how it is connected to the other things we know...."

[elfstoned]

"Personally, I want to know what they know. And fortunately, they've given anonymous means to contact them."

Aaron fully intended to negotiate -- to speak with them, at the very least.

[edhwierfan]

[With the crowd that had been around the statues at all times the night before, Aeron hadn't had a chance to get a closer look. Not that he would have minded all that much normally, but he actually has a reason to examine the statues more closely now.

He blends in with the people already circled loosely around the displays until he can lean in and read the inscription he'd noticed on the wolf's statue before. What on Earth? It looks like a web address, though Aeron can't imagine what it would be doing on a piece of art like this.

He's just about finished memorizing the inscription when he feels a prickling sensation on his neck and back. Aeron glances behind him, catching the gaze of the man who looks so out of place in the gallery, the patrons around him are visibly put off. Hmm.]

[elfstoned]

[Aaron recognizes him, if only from the press. Aeron Penning, of Penning&Co. No wonder the young man was paying such close attention to the wolf statue. Aaron thinks back -- no, he hasn't made any video posts where Penning could see them, always favoring voice. He'll have to introduce himself, he supposes.

He nods at Aeron, then jerks his head back just a little in a way that says come over here.]

[edhwierfan]

[The gesture is so unexpected, Aeron doesn't have the wits to cover up his surprise. Instantly, he's suspicious and wary, wondering if it's a trick--all that time on the network's really made him paranoid.

But Aeron figures it's a public place, and the man wouldn't try anything so obvious, if he means trouble.

He strolls over, then takes a seat on the bench, looking as unconcerned as possible.]

I assume you wanted to speak to me?

[elfstoned]

[of course, Strider has to do this in the creepiest way possible

He approves of Aeron's caution, though. A corner of his mouth twists into a wry smile.]

Aeron Penning, if I'm not mistaken. It's a pleasure.

[Aaron isn't going to bring up network stuff, though, not until he's sure of Penning's identity.]

[edhwierfan]

You aren't.

[The wariness in his eyes doesn't fade. He's certain he's never seen this man before, and he isn't well known enough to be recognised by strangers like this.]

I wish I could return the sentiment, but I don't recall making your acquaintance before.

[elfstoned]

Good, good! We should all be wary of strangers, especially in times like these.

...

...but in this case, your caution is unnecessary. I'm Aaron Strider.

[He holds out a hand.]

[comparative_insanity]

[Well, compared to being stared down the nose at by the elite, he rather prefers just plain old creepy staring. Hell, he's a stripper, he kind of makes a living being stared at in creepy ways, he's cool. And so he comes and sits down next to the other man, folding one long leg over the other and smiling brightly.]

It's a pity for all of them that this thing is open to the public, huh? But I mean, if I was an artist, I would want as many as possible to see my art. Especially this kind of artist.

[He'll just leave that open enough.]

[elfstoned]

[Aaron recognizes him -- Fay, someone he's dealt to before. And someone who had appeared on the network, as he recalls.]

Hello, Fay. It's been some time, hasn't it?

[comparative_insanity]

[That gets a wry little laugh in return, and possibly a guilty look in Youou's direction too. It had been a long while, mostly because he'd moved on to some harder stuff for a while.]

Oh yes, you know how it is. But I think I should remember to fund "the cause", shouldn't I? Besides, I should cut down on... you know. [An airily waved hand. God, he hopes Youou won't come this way right now.]

[elfstoned]

[Fay doesn't have to explain, and Aaron doesn't comment.]

I suppose you'd like to know why I'm here.

[comparative_insanity]

[It's nice to be around someone like that every once in a while. Fay chuckles, tilting his head a bit.]

A little bit, yes. Unless you came to inadvisably poke the statues too?

[elfstoned]

No, I only came to look.

[And in an undertone that's both quiet and casual:]

And to look at the people who are looking.