July 3rd, 1888 - ? Dovecote District

Alfred Clearwater Barnabas Skeeter Tybalt Kirke Nectar Shinnick Durant Lécuyer Anne Devon Asha Bilton Tilda MacFusty

When the train pulls into the station, the conductor announces, "Stay sharp out there. It's like it knows."

And perhaps it does. The locusts have settled but crunch ominously underfoot if you step on them, the fog is thicker than ever, and there is something eerie going on. Group D is sent to Dovecote District, and the area around the mark-point, at the outskirts of the district, is nigh-silent when they arrive. When they reach the flag, they are left at somewhat of an impasse: do they continue towards the outskirts of the district, or head back towards town?

Members of the group may start to notice their skin itching.

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The next 'prompt' post will be after either 48 hours have passed from the time of posting (3 PM EST on July 5th*) or after every member of the party has posted one time if this occurs before that deadline. Please remember that you must post within 72 hours to continue participating. :)
*Beanie has to work until 3:30 on Thursday; this may be a bit later.

  

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Are your characters stuck in the smalltalk loop?
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Known side-effects include: chronic ridiculousness, immense satisfaction, itching, uncontrollable laughter, burning, deep regret, despair, shock, horror, incidental dismemberment, joy, and death. Use at your own risk!

Bemused by the conductor's words Alfie disembarked with his fellow adventurers, his pack and medical kit attached skillfully to his back and full to the brim with enthusiasm for what was ahead. It might be treacherous but he was determined to do his part and thus far it was simply thrilling and he was ever so impressed with the fortitude of the ladies on the train, though he had made a silent vow to himself to protect them above all others. Especially Tilda*, though she was likely better suited to all of this than he was!

The fog seemed to thicken as they walked and Alfie lit his mother's spare lantern with matches that the very helpful muggleborn mediwitch he worked with had shown him how to do and tried his best to see further than foot in front of his. A task not helped by his skin feeling as though ants were crawling all over him. It was just nerves: it had to be. There was nothing to see apart from an eerily still flag.

"Does anybody know what might be out there?" It was, most definitely, off-map.

*I didn't dream them being friendly did I?

The following 1 user Likes Alfred Clearwater's post:1 user Likes Alfred Clearwater's post
   Tilda MacFusty

Wearing her sturdiest boots, most adventuring clothes, and having packed her bags with things she thought she would need and a few cosmetic potions extra 'working class' clothes, and her diary, Anne thought she was ready. Thank goodness I'm getting paid she thought as the conductor spoke. And the amount of handsome men on the train certainly helped. She recognized a few from around Hogsmeade, and mostly they seemed nice. She hoped that they would be up to the task of carrying a young woman such as herself, should she faint out of shock.

She wished she'd brought a lantern like that young Mediwizard had, so she stayed closer to him so she could see through the darkness, or at least around them. She fidgeted a little, but she didn't know why. She was uncomfortable already, the crunch of dead bugs under her boots made her anxious. The fog settled heavily in her lungs, as she spoke, "No, but it could be something interesting. Something to stop the fog." Anne wanted to continue onwards. She didn't much like it, but if there was something in Dovecote, surely one of the residents would have noticed it, right?

  

Nectar hadn't been able to help herself but to go on this expedition. Putting the pieces together in a rather mysterious puzzle was just something that she couldn't pass up on. The group around her were interesting in their own right. She couldn't help but notice a rather grumpy man among their group that she could only hope wouldn't cause trouble.

Having heard that there were at least a few healers in this group did give her more confidence that they may succeed without too much trouble. It also meant that they could at least be a bit more risk taking while finding answers with healers by their side. As long as the healers remained safe anyway.

Though the man who spoke probably couldn't see her, she shrugged lightly. "Perhaps some animals got out of Irvingly's zoo? We shouldn't be too worried." She said. Hoping that her words were true, she tried to stay optimistic in an effort to try and keep her group calm. Panic would only provide more trouble.

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Elaine Made Pretties

The group he'd found himself in seemed like a decent enough group so far - in personalities, if not in skill. (Though he was pretty pleased to see both the mediwizard and the healer. That seemed like a positive sign against them all dying.) Tybalt laughed out loud at the idea of animals escaped from the zoo as a good reason to be not worried. "That might depend on whether it's a herd of mooncalves or more flying tigers," he pointed out, though he was grinning still. Not that he wanted to look like a thug, but he'd brought his Beater's bat, just in case, since at least that'd be more useful fending off things than his wand.

The bat wouldn't do much about this odd itching he was starting to feel, though. Was it just him? Was it something in the fog?

"Hopefully my good luck will cancel out your magnetism for disaster," Tybalt joked to Mr. Skeeter, whom he'd never met directly; but Mr. Skeeter's track record was quite notorious, and they'd both been on the cover of the most recent Witch Weekly about this expedition, so he felt like they almost knew each other, somehow. Hopefully Mr. Skeeter had a sense of humour.

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The following 3 users Like Tybalt Kirke's post:3 users Like Tybalt Kirke's post
   Benedict Sterling, Elladora Black, Elsie Kirke

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She'd deigned to wear her healer's robes today; while not actually clocked in for Hospital work, she knew going into this fog that being a healer – and easily identifiable, at that - would come in handy to the group. It also might settle people's nerves a bit, not that her nerves were any less roused.

Sitting on the train, Tilda was glad to see that Alfie* was among the group - though she had no problem with the idea being the only healer in the group, she was glad it wasn't a task bestowed solely on her shoulders. It helped they were from different divisions as well - their first aid kids, while most likely similar in essentials, would come in handy with encountering all sorts of situations. In addition to her healer's first aid bag, she brought along her throwing knives and a few extra bits and bobs.

She let out a small whine of sympathy as the crunch of her boots told her locusts were being squished. She hated locusts, but she didn't want them dead. Shaking off the goosebumps that had risen with stepping on the insects, Tilda stepped forwards alongside Alfie. She would have craned her neck to see, but that was already futile. Looking at the woman with the curly brown hair, she nodded. "If they did," she cast a worrying glance towards where she thought the zoo might be. "they'd be more scared of the fog than us."

She glanced at the man with the Beater's bat, and the Quidditch enthusiast inside of her couldn't help but appreciate the ingenuity of the choice. At least the Beater's ingenuity would cancel out the stupidity of Mr Skeeter's track record. Magnetism for disaster was the much nicer version of what Tilda would call it. She huffed a snort in response before glancing at the rest of the group. "Only one way to find out what's out there," she said definitively, before taking a step forward.

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*Nope, they had a good thread that (unsurprisingly) I (stupidly) let go dead xD

The following 1 user Likes Tilda MacFusty's post:1 user Likes Tilda MacFusty's post
   Elladora Black

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Durant was not happy. The only reason he’d signed up for this ridiculous venture was because his two eldest had insisted they be allowed to go. He wasn’t going to stop them from trying to prove themselves – in fact, he was quite proud – but when he was split from them, all Durant could do was pout almost. He was furious. Livid.

He had nothing but his suit and fobwatch and glared as the others spoke. He wasn’t going to engage. Not unless he had to. It made no sense. English wizards had gotten themselves into this mess and they could get themselves out of it.

This wouldn’t ever happen back in Africa.

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After being stranded in Hogsmeade and then his camera crashing in a broken mess Asha had had no other options but to go on this venture. Besides, he supposed it was a good way to help out. Better than just recording what was going on. Sure, his income was going to suffer, but he was doing something that was useful for a change. Perhaps his luck would change with this venture.

Their group left the train and made their way forward, the locusts that crunched under Asha's feet hardly bothered him. He'd grown up poor - he knew what cockroaches sounded like when crunched underfoot. This was no different. His pack bounced on his back, relatively light with the camera missing - and the fact that he'd been, you know, stranded and all that. But in it contained his knife, matches, a candle, his now useless wand, a lucky piece of flint, and several items that he'd used since a child. Being muggle born did have its advantages in a magic-less fog after all. Unless it was against itching, that Asha couldn't help as they got deeper and deeper into the fog. Perhaps being without magic had led to a lice invasion?

As they reached their destination people began to consider what was out there in the fog. One gentleman was pointed out as bad luck, clearly none of them had encountered Asha before to be able to accurately determine the truth of their statements. The healer suggested a course of action and Asha nodded, "Yes, let's head this way." He agreed with the healer and pointed deeper into what he hoped was the district before them. For all he knew it could have been the outskirts of what what with this fog fogging up the view.

  

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Amazing Elaine set!

Barnabas was unimpressed with the group he’d been assigned to. At least there was a healer, but with her being female he had his doubts about her abilities. His brows raised at the quidditch player’s jest. He’s opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the others speaking.

”The fog started within the village, not outside it,” He interjected knowingly. At least he had been dealing with the fog longer than the others. It was reasonable to expect that he had an expertise on the topic. ”We should go into the village”

  

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set by MJ | Kindly tag Prudence Browne in replies

Alfred Clearwater Barnabas Skeeter Tybalt Kirke Nectar Shinnick Durant Lécuyer Anne Devon Asha Bilton Tilda MacFusty

While the group bickers over which direction to go in, a red itchy boil appears on Miss MacFusty's cheek.

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The next 'prompt' post will be after either 48 hours have passed from the time of posting (Midnight EST on July 6th*) or after every member of the party has posted one time if this occurs before that deadline. Please remember that you must post within 72 hours to continue participating. :)
*ish
Please note that you may post multiple times per 'round' within reason; I trust your discretion!
Rolled 5/8 = Tilda

The following 1 user Likes The Suggestionizer's post:1 user Likes The Suggestionizer's post
   Tilda MacFusty

---

Are your characters stuck in the smalltalk loop?
Does your imagination feel like it just can't perform as it used to?
Mid-thread crisis getting you down?
Unable to get that post up?
Is your relationship suffering because of your inability to satisfy your partner?
SUFFER NO MORE!
With a little intervention from The Suggestionizer your RP life could be back on track in no time!

--> Click here for more details <--

Known side-effects include: chronic ridiculousness, immense satisfaction, itching, uncontrollable laughter, burning, deep regret, despair, shock, horror, incidental dismemberment, joy, and death. Use at your own risk!

While several of her group bickered, Nectar couldn't help but become more and more annoyed by their tension and stubbornness. Looking between each, she listened to each person's reasoning before making any comment of her own. It would be such a waste of time if she just added useless words in a useless conflict. She had only tried to be optimistic. Now even that seemed to be the wrong move. "I agree with Mr. Skeeter. We should stick to the place of origins." She said, looking at each of her group members. Her eyes landed on Miss MacFusty and her eyes widened in slight horror. Too shocked to speak, she couldn't help but stare.

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Elaine Made Pretties

Anne frowned. This Mr. Skeeter did have bad luck according to rumors, and perhaps a 'disaster magnet' might have the wrong idea. But he was a handsome disaster magnet, so Anne weighed her options carefully, "I'm not certain. Perhaps it would be best if we..." Anne's eyes widened as she noticed a boil appearing on the young Healer's face. She discreetly opened one of the pockets in her bag and picked out a cosmetic potion. A good thing she had brought them, too!

  

The discussion - Alfie didn't want to be ungenerous and call it a disagreement just yet - seemed to come to a juddering halt and he soon spotted the cause on Tilda's usually perfectly pretty face. Perhaps it was just something in the air? He certainly felt the need for a good old scratch himself but he had not seen Tilda do anything that might have inflamed an already raw spot.

"Erm...Tilda," he took a step towards her and lowered his lantern. "Are you feeling well? You've got something...just...erm...there," he nodded towards the offending boil. Merlin help them if their healer became ill!

  

Barnabas was immediately annoyed that the others had not agreed and followed his lead. He was going to continue to hassle them about it, but attention was suddenly directed toward the healer. A disgusting red boil had appeared on her face. She hasn’t had that just a moment ago, he would have noticed. Barnabas was sensitive to flaws; particularly when it came to women’s appearances.

He scratched at his own arms and face, aware of how itchy he had become.

“What did you bring?” He asked the girl who seemed to have brought some potions with her, “Anything to fix...that?” He glanced at the book in question and had to look away before he gagged.

“We should get moving,” He looked at the others, “I’m going into the village. She seems well enough to walk. We can figure it out as we go.” One didn’t need a perfectly spot free face to walk, right? Grimly, he grasped his cane and headed away from the group. If they were smart, they’d follow.

The following 1 user Likes Barnabas Skeeter's post:1 user Likes Barnabas Skeeter's post
   Tilda MacFusty

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set by MJ | Kindly tag Prudence Browne in replies

Anne nodded, "I sure hope so! Here, use this." she offered one of the potions labelled 'boil and blob control' in her own messy handwriting. If the healer woman wouldn't take it, she could just put it back in her bag. Hopefully it would help with that. Anne couldn't imagine how itchy it must have been.

She frowned at Mr. Skeeter taking off on his own. They were a group, after all. Not much had happened. And as of right now, she trusted the woman more than him. She stepped closer, rather than following him immediately. That's what her chaperone always said. It's more proper to stay with other women. And now she could actually listen!

  

The boil on the woman’s face truly didn’t look great, but Asha doubted they would accomplish anything by staying in one place over a boil. “We probably shouldn’t split up.” He commented knowing the man who had taken off wouldn’t stop. “Miss could you walk while we try to figure it out?” Asha asked, already stepping forward after the man. It probably wasn’t a good idea to let anyone go into the fog alone, if the rest of the group didn’t follow well then he and the ‘bad luck’ gentleman were going to have to attempt a go at this themselves.

  

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Amazing Elaine set!