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askandanswer2014-09-20 04:34 pm
masked_ones) wrote in askandanswer2014-09-20 04:34 pm
about The Piazza: Setting
SETTING
You've entered a beautiful, vast courtyard. Warm cream brick and tan colored stone, terra cotta and brightly-colored ceramic tile are everywhere you look, everywhere that isn't the vivid, lush garden greenery blooming brightly under the midday sun. It feels welcoming and familiar, somehow, although you're certain you've never been here before. Long buildings with enormous open-arches in the inner walls ring the large enclosure, with many doors leading inside, and inset windows of shimmering leaded glass. Inside the buildings are restrooms, kitchen facilities, lounge areas and boarding rooms for any who might make use of them.
These facilities (and even the courtyard itself) are staffed by mysterious black-robed figures, standing out like night against day in the beautiful, bright surroundings. Their entire bodies are covered by the nondescript black robes, save for the occasional sight of their forearms and hands, which run the gamut in terms of skin tones, and are sometimes covered in tattoos of unfamiliar sigils. Their faces are all universally covered by Venetian-like masks, made of multicolored, crackled glazes covering bases of gold, silver, copper or bronze. They rarely speak, but only seem to want to help, serving meals and refreshments upon request, cleaning and tidying, gardening, and staffing the various amenities around the Piazza.
They are also self-policing, and will act swiftly to subdue and remove anyone causing unrest in the area. What happens to those who run afoul of the Masked Ones is unknown; they are simply no longer there.
There are many elaborately carved stone benches dotted around the courtyard, some basking in the warm sun, some under the shade of tall, ancient trees. There are even a few patio-style tables, black wrought-iron inset with ceramic tile on the tops, and matching sturdy chairs. At the center of the courtyard is a great classically-styled fountain, carved from solid Red Verona marble, stretching up to the cotton-ball clouds. It has the vases-and-plates shape of a classical Italian fountain, but looks as new as if it could have been carved yesterday. In front of this fountain is a small pedestal, also built of marble, with what appears to be some sort of podium or lectern in front of it, as if it is a spot where one might address an audience.
Day and Night do not work as they traditionally should in the Piazza. Many moons (and planets!) are visible in the night sky, none of which seem familiar to you. You can't be sure, but it seems like there aren't any set lengths for how much of a day is daylight hours and how much is nighttime, either-- no neat 24-hour cycles here. Vampires are not adversely affected by the light from whatever sun (or suns? None of them, if there are more than one, seem immediately visible...) shines overhead; Werewolves, conversely, seem unaffected by the light from the many visible moons at night. Perhaps it has something to do with the feeling of safety and security that the courtyard is imbued with.
Once you are familiar with your surroundings, one of the Masked Ones beckons you to the podium on the platform before the fountain. It urges you to ask a question, any question, of those assembled here. You can think of quite a few you'd like to ask. Maybe you'll get a helpful response; maybe not. It couldn't hurt to try...
You've entered a beautiful, vast courtyard. Warm cream brick and tan colored stone, terra cotta and brightly-colored ceramic tile are everywhere you look, everywhere that isn't the vivid, lush garden greenery blooming brightly under the midday sun. It feels welcoming and familiar, somehow, although you're certain you've never been here before. Long buildings with enormous open-arches in the inner walls ring the large enclosure, with many doors leading inside, and inset windows of shimmering leaded glass. Inside the buildings are restrooms, kitchen facilities, lounge areas and boarding rooms for any who might make use of them.
These facilities (and even the courtyard itself) are staffed by mysterious black-robed figures, standing out like night against day in the beautiful, bright surroundings. Their entire bodies are covered by the nondescript black robes, save for the occasional sight of their forearms and hands, which run the gamut in terms of skin tones, and are sometimes covered in tattoos of unfamiliar sigils. Their faces are all universally covered by Venetian-like masks, made of multicolored, crackled glazes covering bases of gold, silver, copper or bronze. They rarely speak, but only seem to want to help, serving meals and refreshments upon request, cleaning and tidying, gardening, and staffing the various amenities around the Piazza.
They are also self-policing, and will act swiftly to subdue and remove anyone causing unrest in the area. What happens to those who run afoul of the Masked Ones is unknown; they are simply no longer there.
There are many elaborately carved stone benches dotted around the courtyard, some basking in the warm sun, some under the shade of tall, ancient trees. There are even a few patio-style tables, black wrought-iron inset with ceramic tile on the tops, and matching sturdy chairs. At the center of the courtyard is a great classically-styled fountain, carved from solid Red Verona marble, stretching up to the cotton-ball clouds. It has the vases-and-plates shape of a classical Italian fountain, but looks as new as if it could have been carved yesterday. In front of this fountain is a small pedestal, also built of marble, with what appears to be some sort of podium or lectern in front of it, as if it is a spot where one might address an audience.
Day and Night do not work as they traditionally should in the Piazza. Many moons (and planets!) are visible in the night sky, none of which seem familiar to you. You can't be sure, but it seems like there aren't any set lengths for how much of a day is daylight hours and how much is nighttime, either-- no neat 24-hour cycles here. Vampires are not adversely affected by the light from whatever sun (or suns? None of them, if there are more than one, seem immediately visible...) shines overhead; Werewolves, conversely, seem unaffected by the light from the many visible moons at night. Perhaps it has something to do with the feeling of safety and security that the courtyard is imbued with.
Once you are familiar with your surroundings, one of the Masked Ones beckons you to the podium on the platform before the fountain. It urges you to ask a question, any question, of those assembled here. You can think of quite a few you'd like to ask. Maybe you'll get a helpful response; maybe not. It couldn't hurt to try...