Welcome to Night Vale

public; filtered against percy & vex.

So. I've been doing some reading up on customs and things around these parts, and apparently it's pretty standard to actively celebrate a new baby by doing something called a 'baby shower'. Since I wasn't exactly around for the last little one, I'm really looking to kind of make up for that big time with my sister.

So if anyone has any suggestions or advice, I would be absolutely open to them. I want to keep it a surprise, of course. I can only imagine how things will go if it isn't. But really. Open to anything anyone has to say on the matter.

exandrians et all (including percy & vex)

I've been having a really hard time keeping up with Tal'dorei holidays while I've been here, but I'm pretty sure the Night of Ascension is in a couple of weeks. If people are up for honoring those that we've had to leave behind. Also, there's apparently some sort of latter day Harvest Fest that they have here which seems... interesting. Mostly just an excuse to eat, but hey, it's not we've ever passed up one of those before.

So. Yes? Maybe?

Will anyone else here be celebrating the lives of their ancestors and their other honored dead on the night of the 31st? Candles in the window, libations on the doorstep, any of that sort of thing? I do not know if they will hear us, so far from home, but I mean to carry out the rites anyway, as best as I am able. Except that feasting alone sounds like a rather dreary prospect. Might anyone who follows a similar tradition want to come together for it?

In organizing the manor's library, I have found a frankly impressive - and mildly concerning - amount of erotica. Honestly, we hardly have need of this many books about handsome sea captains and naïve maidens or whatever other trite nonsense, so if anyone would like to take some off our hands, it would be greatly appreciated.

hawke.

Why do you have so many books of that nature anyway.

varric.

I much prefer your histories to your romances.

Who: Arcturus Black and Anders
What: Arcturus wonders about the housemate he hasn't met
Where: The Hawke Estate
When: Not long after they move in

( Is it that he doesn't much like young people? )

Someone sent me my school trunk. I never thought I would be so delighted to see it. Ordinarily I'd find it slightly objectionable to wear my uniform robes away from school; they're rather plain. Plain robes, however, are very much preferable to most of what is on offer here, and I've yet to find a decent tailor. There were the usual books and supplies, which may please my tutors, and a few other items from home, which I daresay I shall treasure here more than I did at school.

There is also a cake. My Aunt Alexia usually sends me a cake to share with the fellows in my dormitory, except that I am not in a dormitory here, and it is rather a large cake. If you are nearby and you would like a slice, do stop by room 211. I don't want it to go to waste.

P.S. None of it is cursed. I made sure of that. I do not know how my family managed to send it all here, but I am very pleased they did.

We're just about to when everyone starts decorating for Halloween, so a public service announcement:

Do not go to the creepy occult bookstore for inspiration, don't buy a dusty old book written primarily in Latin, and definitely do not draw any of the symbols if you ignore my advice and do the first two. Especially don't draw any of the symbols in blood -- human or otherwise.

The view from up here is quite splendid today! This is the kind of magical mischief I don't mind.

I am really writing with a serious request, however. This should have been my last year at school, and while I do think that finishing my education properly is the right thing to do, there is no appropriate establishment here in which I might do so. I would instead like to engage one or more private tutors, in the following subjects:

Magical Theory
Latin
Arithmancy
Astronomy

Potions
Charms
Transfiguration
Magical Duelling

For each subject you took up, we would meet for an hour or two once a week, and you would if you wished set me preparatory work to complete between those meetings.

My stipulations are that you do not have a dislike of young people, and that you will not ask or expect me to use any muggle machines or inventions as a part of my studies. I shall promise to be a responsible and diligent senior student and not to indulge in magical pranks or anything of that sort. And of course you would be suitably recompensed for your time and effort.

Do write if you are interested.

Well, August was definitely A Month.

I would like to thank everyone who pitched in to help during whatever that whole thing was (did we figure out a cause, or are we filing it under General Night Vale Weirdness?); however dispirate our origins, we're all stuck in the same boat.

The Night Vale Clinic remains open; please don't hesitate to seek our help if you need it, even if all you're really after is a cup of tea and a sympathetic ear. Alternatively, Chauncy the Very Small Bear is an excellent and incredibly soft listener (although not a great conversationalist) and can usually be found at The Black Emporium. I think I remember seeing we've a couple of Actual Therapists in our ranks so if that's you please consider this an open platform to advertise from.

[Caleb]
Does the offer to visit your Magical Cat Tower still stand? I think I'd like about a week's worth of kitty biscuits.

[Zelda]
How are you feeling now? Up to taking a look at something for me? It's kind of urg not particularly urgent.

[Filtered - visible to all wizards, witches, mages, and other magical people of all kinds, plus Hawke]

I don't expect we shall ever find out whose magical working it is that is causing people to see alarming things that are not really there.

All the same, if you are reading this, I want to say that I think it is very cowardly of you, and if it is a prank, it is a poor one.

[Dob]

Good evening! If it wouldn't be a terrible bother, could I come to stay with you and your associates for a little while? I have good reason to believe that I am not safe in this tower building.

[Hawke and Anders]

Good evening! I hope you don't find it too strange for me to write. I promised Miss Hawke I would inform her if certain people arrived here, and truthfully I never expected it to happen, but I saw him today. The man responsible for a great deal of awful things. He knows where I'm staying and he said that he meant to kill me and he wouldn't be quick about it. If you see a man in a dark robe with a mask on in the hall, please stay out of his way. He is, unfortunately, very skilled in magic.

[Draco]

Did you see Miss Bell's message about the Death Eater? I think I know the man. He's here for me. It's a very long and unpleasant story, but whatever you do, don't open your door to him. I shall have to leave for a while, I think.

[Sirius]

Did you see Miss Bell's message about the Death Eater? I saw him too. His name is Robert Wilkes and he is here to take revenge on me. It's...rather complicated, but it relates to James Potter and what happened in that other place. If you encounter him, it is probably best that you say you did not know I was here.

Right. So since Lance is gone and building new friendships is ultimately meaningless and everyone eventually leaves the Pour Judgment could use a new bartender. Or maybe a couple. That way when someone else just up and vanishes, we won't have to drag in someone new

If anyone has any interest, just let me know.

This is fine

corazón & prudence.

Alternately, we just...shut the pub down and just stay in Necropolis-non-Sea forever and just don't try to make new friends who will ultimately abandon us any more.

That's also a thought.

Who: Arcturus Black and Draco Malfoy
What: A first meeting
Where: Draco's apartment
When: Arcturus' first day
Notes: Mention of magical violence and conflict, more tbd

( There were other sorts of courage )

[OOC: 'Mage' here is an Incredibly Broad Term; if you think you should be able to see this, assume you can.]

It looks like we've had something of an influx of new people recently so hello, welcome to Night Vale, we are I'm Anders, and here's some things you might need to know:

- As far as we're aware, nobody has been able to willingly leave, or to communicate with their home. If you're willing to share specifics of what you've tried in that regard, we should probably start keeping some sort of communal record, but I appreciate that people may wish to play their cards close to their chest because everything is weird and confusing and you don't know me from Maferath.

- You should have found a key on your person when you arrived, which correlates to an apartment at the Last Resort. The Housing Assistants (Zelda, Wanda, Kate or Katie) are also members of The Displaced (or whatever you want to call people in our predicament) and generally a good source of useful information on things.

- Occasionally weird or confusing things will happen for no discernable reason. This could range from 'you have suddenly turned pink' through 'there's a beach where there wasn't one before' to 'carnivorous plants have taken over the Last Resort'. At least it's never dull?

- The Night Vale Clinic is run by members of The Displaced and offers both magical and mundane healing, utilise this whenever you need it. If your gifts tend towards this area, we always welcome additional staff.

- Other places you may find useful or comforting:
The Black Emporium - weird, possibly cursed curios and general magical paraphernalia
Rest & Thyme - herbs, potions, etcetera
The Paradox - tea and books
The Pour Judgement - ale, card games, sometimes bards

Anything else you need, any questions you have, please do reach out. You're not alone in this.

So I've noticed that we've gotten a few new arrivals, so I figured I'd just let everyone know that I've managed to clear out more plots in the community garden space around Necropolis Non Sea for people to utilize if they're interested.

In an entirely unrelated comment, I may have a few freshly cleaned skeletons just in time for spooky season that I need someone to take off of my hands. Utterly and completely unrelated. Yep. Nothing suspicious here.

I'm also potentially interested in hiring someone to come and tend the stables behind the Pour Judgment. Maybe someone who actually knows what they're doing with animals and isn't just guessing their way through it ninety percent of the time? If only Meril We're quite happy to provide room and board along with a paycheck. And I promise the house will probably not eat you.

Good afternoon.

I am Arcturus Black, son of Licorus Black. I appear to have developed a terrible habit of falling into peculiar realms of existence beyond the ordinary world. I don't quite know what to make of it all.

If I may turn to practicalities:

If anyone encounters my cousin Regulus or aunt Cassiopeia, please do tell them that I am here. Aunt Cassi especially will worry dreadfully.

I am magically protecting and reinforcing the room that I have been given. It is on the seventh floor. If anyone would like any of the muggle machines or electricks they shall be left outside the door. I have no use for them and it is rather wasteful to destroy them when there may be muggle paupers here who would appreciate them.

I would very much like to write to my father in London. Is there somewhere I can purchase magical ink and paper to do so?

Yours &c.

Arcturus C. Black

.