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

[espigeonage]

[Julien takes a napkin out of a breast pocket and polishes his glasses with it, to try and cover that he's pleased.]

Well, really, people always want to look good to someone who has something they want, whatever it is - resources, recognition, whatever. And something like this is basically an excuse to do that.

This is to see and be seen. It's a success - it makes the host look good, and others hope a little of that will rub off just because they were here, moreso if they like the same thing. If it was a failure it'd make everyone look bad.

...haha, I don't know as much as I make it look. The edges, really.

[elfstoned]

[There's a thoughtful look on Aaron's face as he listen to Julien talk excitedly, but he keeps his thoughts to himself.]

And what turned you away from the high life?

[espigeonage]

Well, I didn't choose to leave it as a kid - custody stuff, I don't really remember. More lately... umm... well, it's a lot of things, but I was filling in for the bartender at this function, and uh...

[Pause. Pause, and although he's facing ahead he glances at Aaron and away.]

...I look like my father, sir, when he was younger. I sound like him, if he ever babbled on and on. He's really more big closer to Canada but sometimes you get someone... Wait, did I ever tell you... Guess not. Haha. He's uh, in business. Politics too, off and on. Part of the Argentan family, actually.

[He's hunched his shoulders slowly, without realizing it.]

So at this thing, there was someone who knew him, and - talked to me about him, and it was all very polite, but it creeped me out. She was talking like - well, I haven't seen him since I was five, but it's - I don't know. Hah, this is me and my stupid daddy issues, sir, not important.

[elfstoned]

[Quietly:]

Talking to you like you were your father?

[espigeonage]

Hah, you always know when to press, sir.

[He ducks his head.] ...I guess. I mean she knew I wasn't him. Said she might be able to get us back in touch. But she did call me Argentan, or Argentan's boy a couple times.

[elfstoned]

So you want to be as unlike your father as you can, is that it? And that happens to include high society?

[espigeonage]

[Julien looks up at him through his bangs, then raises his head again.]

Sounds pretty silly laid out like that, but yeah. Much as I can without becoming antisocial and looking careless and not smiling, anyway.

[Then he tilts his head and grins.]

Not that there's anything wrong with that, sir.

[elfstoned]

[Oh really.]

Who said I never smiled?

[And that's deliberately the only part he denies.]

[espigeonage]

[Julien's eyes dance even as he valiantly tries to look serious.]

Hang on, I have to decide what to say-

I don't know, sir! You know how the grapevine gets. If you like I can track down this scoundrel and set him straight for you, though!

...anyway, that was quite a tangent! Sorry. You want me to leave you to what you're doing?

[elfstoned]

[Aaron waves a hand carelessly.]

If you like. I wouldn't dream of keeping you from your friends, and you have quite a few of them to see to.

[espigeonage]

In a bit, then. I can see them any time, I don't see you much outside the clinic or the dead zone, sir.

[He often comes with when a friend or a friend-of-a-friend wants to buy, since even though nothing about him says "good protection", it tends to make them a little less uneasy. Business may have picked up modestly.]

[Julien props his foot up to retie the laces of his semi-dressy shoe and speaks more quietly.]

-you ever worry that these things can influence us, we just don't notice? Like how none of these normal people notice?

[elfstoned]

[...oh, Aaron is actually kind of pleased about that. He can't suppress a small smile, for just a moment, until Julien asks his next question. Then, he frowns.]

I can't say it hasn't crossed my mind. I know I haven't been myself lately.

[espigeonage]

...sir? Can't say I've noticed anything, but well... [Vague shrugging gesture. Julien does only tend to see Aaron in the same few situations.] How so?

[elfstoned]

This isn't the time or the place to discuss it. It's not exactly fit for the gallery hosting the statues that are the talk of the city, if you know what I mean.

[...but he'd be willing to tell you, if you asked.]

[espigeonage]

[Julien flashes a brief smile.]

That's true! I think I'm out of cute ways to foil lipreaders, anyway. Assuming anyone's watching that closely.

[And sobering again. He's certainly facile.]

Another time, maybe? I do worry, even if I don't act like it.