Half Past Midnight

Who: Davie and Cathryn
When: Anesus 2, After the meeting for the new arrivals
Where: In the Courtyard

When Davie had made his way to the evening's large meeting, he had wished he could go to bed instead. Now the meeting was over, rules had been explained, chores had been assigned, people had very vaguely met each other, and Davie found himself frustratingly awake. He had actually gone back to his room long enough to lay down for about a minute before deciding that he wasn't able to keep his eyes shut even that long and would be better served familiarizing himself with the complex.

Who: Tabrika and Kierban
Where: The Main Hall
When: Anesus 2, just after the meeting

By the time the meeting was over, Tabrika had managed to wedge herself into the corner as tightly as he could, eyes wide open and hands pressed over her ears. The only reason she hadn't wound up bolting was some mix of the certainty that if she did, she'd be ridiculed and dumped to the bottom of the compound hierarchy, and the plain fact that she'd have to get through that horrible, noisy crowd to do it. And with how hard it was to see, she'd make a commotion doing it.

Who: Tayne and OPEN TO ALL
Where: Anesus 2, The main hall
When: Shortly after sunset

Though Tayne had been early, other people had been earlier still. There had been a small variety of people already in the great hall-- including a few "repeats"; he recognized poor Kierban, shooting him a little wave, though he didn't expect to get one back, and the sight of Remy already waiting made him want to groan, though he didn't. That Vrykola had made trouble for Torehl the whole year previous, and he had a feeling the spoiled brat was going to cause him no end of trouble, as well.

Who: Jacta and Remy
When: Anesus 2, Around Sundown
Where: Kitchens

Though the day had been an eventful one for Jacta Serosum just like the first of the month, things had become no less clear; the notices that littered the compound (by magical means or otherwise? Was there a mole amongst them?) only served to tantalize the human to events yet to come. One 'Tayne Peregrine', she had learned, would be revealing the days to come to them. Chore lists, rules, useful information... Jacta couldn't help but wonder why it hadn't been given out on the first instead of tonight. 'It figures, coming from a man,' she didn't voice, but couldn't help but think. With a name like Peregrine, she doubted that the leader was a lowbrow worker, which was a double-whammy against the as yet unmet man.

Who: Harlan and Elanna
Where: The basement hall
When: Anesus 2, Late Afternoon

After food, drink, and a very long, deep sleep, Harlan felt as recovered as he ever did after feeding a Vrykola, and better, he felt he'd made a new friend-- or at least ally and possible mine for technological information. Paziter seemed a good boy, Vrykola or not, and someone who probably needed friends.

Who: Harlan and Alarie
Where: Harlan's room
When: Anesus 2, Late morning

It was late when Harlan finally dragged himself out of bed. Far later than the morning before-- far later than usual. He'd been up late first for the test-- which had been nothing, mostly for Tayne, Gochin, and the first years, and not even happening until that evening-- then with Paziter, and even with the food and drink the grateful, helpful Vrykola had brought him, the best cure for feeding a Vrykola was sleep, which he'd taken in plenty. He'd need more food and drink to dispel the headache he'd woken up with, but otherwise he felt surprisingly good when he first opened his eyes.

Who: Marcus and Tayne
When: Anesus 2, mid-morning
Where: the Oratory

Marcus lay on his back on one of the benches in the Oratory, gazing calmly up at the high windows that were set with stained glass of all colors. Although it was chilly outside, the sun was high, and he was striped with bands of colored light. Green, purple, red, blue, yellow. He could see the hues as they hit his clothed body; idly, he lifted a hand up to within two inches of his nose to view the near-turquoise and green light play over his fingers. He was dressed in pants and his usual layers of shirts, his blond hair still damp from the bath he'd taken shortly before coming down here.

Who: Kierban and Raven
When: Anesus 2, around 10:30 AM
Where: The main hall

Another day, another chance to meet more of the compound's newest residents. Kierban had been up all of the previous night, anxiously flitting about all three levels of the building, subconsciously memorizing each new face he spotted but consciously looking for people in obvious need of aid. Of course all the new arrivals had been lost and drifting, but some rose to the occasion and handled themselves just fine, whereas others looked obviously aimless and unhappy. It was these latter examples to which he had cautiously allowed himself to be drawn, to render assistance if they would allow it.

Who: Desdemona and Rémy
When: Anesus 2, 5:30 AM
Where: The Main Hall

When the fliers went up at half past midnight, Desdemona wasn't sure what to make of them. First there was an overwhelming sense of relief that something would be explained to them, then there was the anticipation that followed. She had over twelve hours to wait and speculate, her mind too busy to concentrate on the book she'd acquired. 'Common practices', they'd said. 'Rules'. What if they required that the Vrykolas feed on animals? Would she be reduced to chasing rabbits through the woods on foot? Such thoughts turned her stomach, already nervous from the number of pounding hearts around her. One more day. She was sure she could at least make it till the third. By then she'd have to come up with some kind of solution. Maybe one of the common practices would be this whole 'asking' thing she'd been hearing about. At least, in that case, the blood was Human. Or Lykos. Desdemona still wasn't sure what she thought of that. It left a bitter taste on her tongue, just thinking about it.

Who: Harlan and Paziter
When: Anesus 2, 12:30am
Where: Main Hall

While Elanna's presence had been fortifying earlier in the night, Paziter had apologetically unhooked himself from her and set himself to wandering alone, intent on the only kind of hunt that he knew how to negotiate. His stomach was all but rumbling; it had been getting towards three days since last he'd fed and he really wanted to set some kind of connections up before he had to resort to something completely ingratiating, like begging. Or worse (and he prayed to Rapemi to leave him be) succumbing to blood-lust over an accident in the kitchen. That had only happened to him once before, as a child, and he had been on chicken's blood for a month. It had been a foul month.

Weather: The tail end of winter is still holding tight to the grounds, and though there is no snow, cleared by a brief thaw the previous week, it is even colder today, and everything has a light frost over it. An even colder wind picks up around sundown, though the sky is still cloudless all day. Anyone going outside would be wise to take a thick cloak and dress in layers, or to stay on one's animal form so make good use of the fur.

12:30 AM
This day's "challenge" is mainly for the first years and one rather nervous sixth year. The only obvious change at half-past the hour is the sudden appearance of notices all over the castle for a meeting that day, just past sundown, in the main hall. All newcomers to the compound are strongly urged to attend, though anyone is welcome. The notices say plainly that common practices, rules, and functions at the compound are to be explained, and an order of duties will be set.

Who: Paziter and Desdemona, then Elanna
When: Anesus 1, 9pm
Where: Lounge

After his first encounter with one of the compounds host of residents, Paziter's gleaming enthusiasm for socialization had all but guttered out. The Vrykola was feeling down-trodden. His feelings and what little ego he possessed were hurt and it hadn't even been a full night, yet. He'd spent the rest of the evening confined to solitary quarters, moving his belongings around until he had enough space to get between the door and his bed, with a make-shift bench set over one of his trunks, a complicated looking contraption of glass and metal balanced atop that, and a locked box of tools nearby. Candles had been placed over ceramic tiles, glued to their spots with dabs of wax (though now most of them were melted down, having seen use right through dawn and into the day.)

Who: Jacta and Tabrika
When: Anesus 1, early evening to later evening
Where: Around the castle, indoors

The day spent exploring with Cathryn had opened Jacta's eyes a little, and she thought that she was beginning to understand how the compound worked. At least... how the compound worked in between those ominous challenges that Harlan had mentioned. There were orchards and tillable land, there were forested areas farther out and she was pretty certain that the river that she'd had to ford to get to the compound gates last night (a thousand years ago) ran through the compounds lands somewhere further East than she'd had a chance to explore today.

Who: Desdemona and Alarie
When: Anesus 1, 7:00PM
Where: 2nd Floor, Sitting Room

The day passed quickly, as it usually did for someone who slept through the daylight. Desdemona had been exhausted from her journey, and if that wasn't enough, there was the emotional baggage that came with being locked inside a compound for six years. She woke slowly, not particularly eager to explore her new home, but eventually deciding she didn't want to stay locked in her room. After pulling on a crimson silk gown and fixing her hair, Desdemona departed from her room, locking the door behind her.

Who: Raven and Paziter
When: Anesus 1, 2am
Where: The Courtyard

Raven was in no mood to sleep. She'd always been a bit nocturnal and all the night's activity only made it worse. While the others had gone about finding their rooms or uniting with family, she'd taken the time to explore the grounds outside the castle. The full moon pulled at her, encouraging restlessness, even if the moon was not her own. It made her wander, urging her towards curiosity that only seemed natural in a new setting. Rather than poke into people's rooms at the late hour, she acquainted herself with the land. There seemed to be decent hunting in the area, but she wasn't hungry enough to track down a catch; it just seemed good to be aware of her surroundings. She'd circled the castle walls, noting the windows and the single entrance and exit, and eventually made her way into the courtyard, pleased to see there was an outside area protected within.

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