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

[formermagicalgirl]

Not always though. I love this dress I picked out for tonight and it is the prettiest one I own, but I doubt I'll have a use for it again. Really, it depends on the purpose. Art seems to exist for beauty, other items exist for function.

[11ady]

You could probably wear it to another function. Have it altered and change up your accessories and nobody would ever know.

[Considering her current financial situation, Elle's sort of had to grasp at every opportunity to save money.]

Creativity is intrinsic to both form and function.

[formermagicalgirl]

[Tamara can understand. Sometimes she has plenty of extra cash, sometimes she doesn't. It's a bit of a drawback of not having a stable job, she just has the advantage of not having to worry about room and board and tuition as long as she maintains her grades.]

It would also require an occasion to wear it. College students don't exactly get to go to things like this very often, after all.

[11ady]

Hm, and if given the chance to attend more occasions like this, would you?

[formermagicalgirl]

Depends on how much I have at the time. Any excuse for a new dress as long as I can afford it.

[11ady]

You're sort of a prodigy with computers, yes? I may need a bit of technological assistance. Considering our long-standing acquaintance, I feel like I may be able to trust you with certain matters.

[formermagicalgirl]

I am indeed. Mostly programs and web design, but I also do the graphics for the websites as well. [Not to mention creating viruses and hacking social network accounts and posted unflattering naked pictures of people, but that's a side job reserved for asshole boys. Though Casval Mass may be deserving of it.]

[11ady]

You're one of the select few who knows I'm on the network. This weekend, there'll be a business luncheon at the Stratus Hotel. A few of my father's old contacts will be there. They'll be bringing computers, of course.

[Hopefully Tamara knows where this is going...]

[formermagicalgirl]

[Oh, she's thinking nefarious.]

Of course. And you want to know what is on them? Or something worse than that?

[11ady]

Precisely. Something that would cost them a pretty penny to keep from the public eye. Any funds acquired would go a long way toward resources for defense of the city, don't you think?

[At this point, she's dropped her voice to a hush. One can never be too careful.]

[formermagicalgirl]

[Tamara also lowers her own voice to a hush, because yeah, illegal stuff.]

It would. And there is the one rule of internet safety. You are only safe by not connecting to the internet.

[11ady]

Then perhaps you'd like to wear that dress again soon? Chat up a few potential marks with me?

[formermagicalgirl]

It depends on how soon. [Because there is the obvious finals coming up and all and then there is the fact that she's still needing to get control of a certain obvious ability she gained.]

And that reminds me. I should send you something I found.

[And she does pull out her phone and looks over her email looking specifically for a message she sent not too long ago. It includes all the information Tamara found via a web search on Thunder Corporation. Nothing secret, just the results of some digging around the net since it seemed no one else thought to do so. It includes a summary of the information, plus reference links.]

[11ady]

Thanks, I'll definitely look over it at my earliest convenience. As for how soon, the gathering is this weekend. Saturday and Sunday. Enough time to chat them up and hack?

[Time to try some old tricks for getting passwords through security questions. What school did you go to? What's your pet's name? Oh, I knew your mother through your grandfather...what was his family name again? It's surprising what people will reveal when a pretty face shows interest in them.]

[formermagicalgirl]

[That sort of information doesn't always even need chatting to find it out. It's amazing how much people will reveal on their Facebook pages.]

I wouldn't be able to stay long. Not as things stand now. You remember that reptile problem we were having? One of them bit me before they were exterminated and I'm still feeling a bit weird from it. If I can't show up in person, I'll do what I can remotely.

[Hopefully Elle catches on that she's referring to the destroyed snake statue and the weird things it was doing to the others in the numbers club.]

[11ady]

[It's easy enough to catch Tamara's meaning and Elle doesn't raise a fuss.]

Completely understandable. Get well soon and I'll take whatever it is you can offer.

[formermagicalgirl]

I should just fine. It just needs time. Send me some names via email and I'll see what I can dig up. Many treat social media sites as being private and forget that they are viewable to anyone who happens by.

[11ady]

Count on it. For now, I suppose I should leave you to enjoy the rest of your evening.

[ooc: and we can handwave the hacking to be referenced at a later date c:]

[formermagicalgirl]

[ooc: Handwaving is good!]

It was good seeing you again, I actually should be headed home anyhow.

[11ady]

Have a safe trip.