It's all happened before...

[grimgrinningghosts]

[You wake up in a plush bed, well rested but very confused. As you become more conscious, one thing becomes abundantly clear: this is not your room, nor does this look like any bedroom you’ve ever been in before. It’s relatively clean room, but immediately something feels… off about all of this.

When you start exploring, a thing you’ll soon notice is that on the bedside table, there is a room key sitting ontop of a neatly typed note.]

Dear hotel guests,

We cordially invite you to come to the downstairs library at noon for an important meeting regarding your stay in the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Before then, we invite you to make full use of the amenities this hotel has provided for you.

On behalf of the hotel staff, we dearly hope you enjoy your stay in this marvelous hotel.

-HTH Management

[But, as you leave the comfort of your new bedroom, any hope that you somehow booked a hotel room the previous night and just forgot is immediately dashed. It looks like this hotel hasn’t been cleaned in decades, and despite the mention of hotel staff in your note, there doesn’t appear to be anyone working here.

Not to say that you’re alone, however. As you explore the hotel, you’ll soon find that there are 23 others in the exact same situation as you: confused and with no memory of how they got here. And to make matters worse, if the bios you stumble upon in the dining area is anything to go by, this clearly isn't just a freak accident.

Get comfy, because you are all in for a wild ride.]

Comments

[hallotween]

[quickly figuring out that she's not anywhere like home-- because there's no chance her mom would let her have anything half as cool as a bed shaped like a car-- she immediately heads off to investigate. the dining area gets her attention first, because, hey, mysterious description of yourself. she presses the button next to her own bio, cocking her head at the song. so, they play music...

...

okay she's going to press every button at the same time, grinning at the cacophony.

well, if there's a meeting, she's sure to learn what's going on there. so, she'll be waiting in the library, browsing through the book collection with increasing excitement.] Wow, I've never even heard of half of these...

dining area

[theduck]

[So the bios are... a little creepy. And a little rude, but the worst part is that they've apparently got a song written about him? A very flattering song, yes, but it's still weird. He doesn't really appreciate it.

But what he appreciates even less is somebody disturbing his Very Deep consideration of the bios by turning on every single song at once.]

Hey! Knock it off!!

[TEENAGERS.]

[hallotween]

[the past few days she's had means she barely even blinks at the talking duck.]

Sorry! [she says, not sounding sorry at all.

all the songs are still playing.]

... I don't know how long they all go on for.

[theduck]

Didn't anybody ever teach you to not press strange buttons?

[C'MON it's like exploring 101. He guesses he's glad that nothing exploded? But the headache he's developing is pretty bad.]

[hallotween]

It's never really come up before? It's not like you come across strange buttons every day.

... Unless, are there a lot of strange buttons in your life?

[theduck]

Enough that I know you don't just go around pressing them willy-nilly.

[fair enough, though, not everyone is constantly dealing with high-tech gear in equally high-risk situations. it's kind of a unique career.]

[hallotween]

I wasn't doing it willy-nilly! I knew exactly what I was doing! [that makes it worse]

[theduck]

So you think giving everybody else a headache is funny, huh? Is that it?

[clearly we've got a problem child™ here]

[hallotween]

Oh, come on, it's not that bad! Look, most of them are already ending!

[maybe change the subject...]

Your song is pretty cool. [there, surely flattery will work.] You have to be some kind of celebrity to have a whole song written about you.

[theduck]

[you are absolutely right, flattery will work. however, you've also unleashed the gates of hell so congrats!]

A celebrity...? Oh, sure! Yeah, everybody knows me. Surprised you've never heard of me before.

[hallotween]

[she glances back at the bios, hoping that maybe she has actually heard of him... but. nope. nothing. what now?]

Well, maybe you're a little before my time or something! [... wait shit that sounds like she's calling him old.] Or, maybe even after! My tastes run a little old-fashioned. ["old" meaning "ancient"]

[theduck]

[potential problem child™ or not, she's got good senses at least.]

Well, I have been taking a break recently. From, uh, famous stuff, and all that. Autograph signing. And things. Yeah, you'd have to be a real big fan to even know I exist!

[he's sort of not lying?]

[hallotween]

What kinds of adventures did you go on? Discovering hidden places in desolate jungles, looking for cursed artifacts in ancient temples?

[higitusfigitusmigitusmum]

[Merlin is also browsing the library. Sure they're trapped, but he can't help himself. His quest for knowledge knows no end!

That's when he sees the tween.]

Quite the interesting collection don't you think, young lady?

[hallotween]

I've never seen so many cool books in one room! [she smiles wistfully] My grandma would love this place... Do you think we're allowed to borrow them? It is a library, even though I've never seen one in a hotel before.

[higitusfigitusmigitusmum]

Well generally I do believe that books can be used in the reading room while staying at an inn. I'm sure you could ask a staff member whenever they show their faces.

[He seems annoyed by the fact especially as he wipes a line of dust with his finger.]

This is just unacceptable! Books should be treated better!

[hallotween]

We're obviously the first people to be here in a long time. I wonder why it's like this... Why would somebody abandon a perfectly good hotel? The rooms all seem really nice.

[higitusfigitusmigitusmum]

Oh yes, yes. Mine was clearly prepared for my magical experiments! They at least had the good mind for that.

[hallotween]

[... you know she was super proud of her limo bed until literally just this moment?]

They didn't put anything for magic in my room...

[higitusfigitusmigitusmum]

Oh? And are you too a wizard my dear?

[hallotween]

A witch! [primly] A Cromwell witch.

[higitusfigitusmigitusmum]

Cr-Cr-Cromwell!?

[He's completely amazed! A member of such an important magical family! His family!]

Ma'dum forgive me! It is a pleasure to meet you! I am Merlin. Tell me: how is my cousin Marvin doing?

[hallotween]

... I don't know who that is. [THAT'S SARA PAXTON KNOWLEDGE]

[higitusfigitusmigitusmum]

Marvin? Well he's my cousin of course!

[He observes her again, scratching his beard.]

Oh my... well if I teleported myself to the future than you must be his descendant! How incredible!

[hallotween]

Grandma never said we were related to Merlin... Though, now some things make a lot more sense.

[she grins] Well, if we have a powerful wizard like you here, getting out will be easy as pie!