Encampment Under the Sea [Open to All]

[applesaucemod]

Since the dreamers of Manhattan had such a lovely time at the last vaguely-nautical-themed party, the Rift has decided to step things up a notch. Tonight, the dreamers will find themselves in what appears to be a city very much like the one they inhabit in the waking world, full of towering skyscrapers, neon signs, and heavy traffic. But there is one rather crucial difference: this city is located deep underwater, and the aforementioned traffic is mostly whales and fish, with the occasional submersible thrown into the mix.

The walls and windows are heavily reinforced to withstand the pressure of the water outside, and the people who dwell in these buildings seem to be doing rather well for themselves, for the most part. Buildings are connected by enclosed walkways, so barring any horrible accidents, the dreamers should have no problem getting around without getting too wet.

Much like the city they inhabit in the waking world, some areas are more obviously affluent than others, and the dreamers are as likely to stumble upon an upscale club as an underwater pub. But while the chances of a full structural breakdown are slim, there are definitely some areas that are on the leaky side, and a general sense of claustrophobia pervades the city wherever you might find yourself.

Explore. Or, if you're feeling particularly ambitious, attempt to escape. Either way, take care - it's hard to say what might be lurking in the darkness just beyond the city lights.



[ooc: Y'all know the drill. All characters are welcome, whether they are in the game or not. Characters can remember or forget the events of the dreaming at the player's discretion. And the party never stops - backtag into infinity!]

Comments

[etherthief]

Iman doesn't remember how she got behind this bar, but whoooooo caaaares. No bartender to tell her off, so she doesn't mind mixing a few drinks for some fancy-dressed NPCs civilians of whatever the hell this place is. Underwater city, looks like? North Atlantic, they tell her when she asks, but nothing more helpful than that. Well okay then. Did she somehow cross the barrier out of the Rift universe and into this one? That wasn't very responsible of her. But what a crazy cool universe. There's a little bit of mad scientist in Iman that would fucking love to live in an underwater city.

She's drinking about half the drinks she's made, and taking every order and making them more interesting, so she's having a great time.

[eliotwaugh]

Well this is a damn sight nicer than the last dream, and Eliot is making the most of it. There's dancing, there's good food, and this time he's wearing something that doesn't need to be taken out back and burned shot. And oh look, a bar!

Eliot saunters up and sits on a stool, taking in the sight of all the glorious fancy bottles. "So!" he says brightly, catching the bartender's attention, "What's good around here?"

[etherthief]

"Hey there, good lookin," she replies, looking him up and down, ooh he is nice, she wouldn't mind taking him out back, definitely not to be shot. "Whatever you like. I been makin some fierce cocktails. This is brandy and orange juice and ginger syrup and a 1924 Merlot I found hidden under the counter. I call it Fuck-You Sangria. It's like a bomb went off under your sternum. You want some?" She's already drunk about a third of the pitcher she made.

[eliotwaugh]

This is probably the most blatantly anyone's checked him out in a while, let alone any lady. Eliot smirks. What a good bartender.

"Well that sounds fucking delighful," he replies, though he does wonder how drunk he can get in one of these dreams. No time like the present to find out! "Lay it on me."

[etherthief]

Iman smiles a pleased little smile and pours him a generous helping. She slides it over and plunks a chunk of lime in it for good measure. "I'm gonna level with you," she says, leaning across the counter as though about to impart a clandestine secret. "I am not the bartender."

She waggles her eyebrows and takes a good long sip. Fuck that is good shit. It's the ginger that makes it. She was pretty heavy on the ginger. Spicy ass sangria.

"I just sorta woke up here," she says. "Kinda funny, huh? But the people seem pleased." She watches appraisingly as he tries her concoction. "So, you got a name? Mine's Iman."

[eliotwaugh]

Eliot raises his eyebrows at the admission, but takes an appraising sip regardless. Ooh, that's got a nice kick to it. Hurts so good.

He's a little preoccupied exploring all the drink's flavors, and it takes him a moment to register that she's probably a Riftie who doesn't know about the dream weirdness yet.

"Oh," he says, not unkindly, "you must be new. The name's Eliot, and this is this...Dreaming, thing, you came through the Rift, didn't you? I guess it tends to toss people into a collective unconscious grab bag once in a while. This one seems nice enough, since there's liquor and pleasant conversation." He stretches an arm across the bar and offers his hand for a handshake, still sipping at the marvelous sangria. "Excellent drink, by the way."

[etherthief]

"Oh," she says. Then again, slower. "Oh."

A dream? That... sort of makes sense. Except not really at all. But she supposes it accounts for why she has no idea how she got here. And this kinda shit sounds like something her subconscious would say to her. And this fine piece of ass is the kind of thing she would probably concoct for herself. She takes his hand and gives it a brief, firm shake. Weird how real he feels. And how real this alcohol tastes. And how real her drunkenness seems. Hmm.

"Thank you," she says about the drink, sort of distracted. She takes a thoughtful sip, then looks back up at him and replaces her smile, sinking her chin down into her palm, elbow resting on the bar. "So if this is a dream," she says gamely, "does that mean we can make out?"

[eliotwaugh]

Eliot is prepared to give her a minute to process this, since it's a bizarre infodump to lay on somebody, so he sips calmly at the drink and waits.

...until Iman tosses that question at him, and it takes all the fortitude he can muster not to do a ridiculous spit-take and shatter his carefully cultivated aura of cool. The drink burns even more as he coughs, and he wipes his eyes, trying to get his voice back.

"Well," Eliot begins, laughing a little, "It may be a dream but it's not your dream, it's...everyone's dream. I'm a real person in the conscious world, just like you. And uh, just like out there I'm...pretty much only into dudes." He gives her a 'no offense' smile, because she is totally adorable.

[etherthief]

"Ooooh." Welp, so much for that. Iman sighs heavily and drops her chin into her hands. "Well. It's a shame. I'm a pretty good kisser."

Meanwhile. "Everyone's dream, huh? That's a trip." She frowns thoughtfully, leaning back to consider him, and it, and everything. "So is this like a Rift thing? Rifty hangout? How long have you been in these parts?"

[watchesthebeans]

Where's the food? All Aglet can find are these enormous bottles he has no hope of being able to open. He's seen this stuff before and he knows beans drink it, but it's nothing he ever had access to when he was growing up.

And then the bottle next to him suddenly lifts up into the air and away, leaving Aglet exposed to view in a room that's a lot bigger than he was hoping it was. He freezes like he's hoping the bean just won't notice, and then conflicting instincts kick in and he tries darting for cover instead.

[etherthief]

What the - hello. There's something you don't see every day.

"Hey, hey, hold on a minute," says Iman, as soothingly as she's capable of with this much dream-sangria in her. She leans down to look at the tiny man - boy? - tiny boy on the shelf behind the scotch. Well, well.

"Don't be afraid, little guy," she says, relatively genially. "You're not from around here, are you?"

[watchesthebeans]

Aglet sucks in a breath and holds it for a moment as he watches her in return, clearly debating internally as to what he should do. Prior to the rift he would have panicked and fled on principle, but in more recent months he's met enough beans to know that she's probably not going to squash him the moment she gets a chance. Probably.

"I'm not," he says, not coming out from behind the bottle. Then he clarifies, "from around here, I mean."

He's absolutely afraid, though.

[etherthief]

Iman catches the specificity of the statement - not denying any fear, then. Poor thing. The world must seem terrible like that.

"Are you always so small?" she asks. "Must be a pain in the ass. Want a drink? I'm sure I can find like a thimble, or something..." She pokes around a bit, then sets an olive gingerly on the corner of the shelf. "You can have that, in the meantime, if you like."

Size makes no difference to her - a customer is a customer is a customer. Bartender though she is not; as if she's getting paid. It's a living no it's not.

[watchesthebeans]

"I am thirsty," admits Aglet, hanging back and watching her a moment before cautiously stepping out from behind the bottle to grab the olive before retreating again. When he speaks again, his tone is even, as if it's totally normal for him to carry on this conversation while acting like she's about to grab or smash him if he doesn't stay out of reach. "I'm a borrower," he explains, deciding not to share the part about how he can be big sometimes if he tries...or has an accident.

[etherthief]

"Oh," she says indulgently, as though it is a very interesting and elucidating explanation, although that means absolutely nothing to her. "Well, I'm a scientist. My name's Iman. What's yours?"

Oh hey, would you look at that: a thimble. Oddly convenient, but she shrugs it off. Oh hey and an eyedropper too. It's like this bar predicts everything she might need before she needs it. Magical.

"What'll you have?" she asks.

[watchesthebeans]

One might almost begin to think that beans are kind, helpful people. Aglet lets himself come far enough out from behind the bottle to watch her directly rather than through the glass and the liquid inside. "I'm Aglet Bottlerack," he replies as though that's a totally normal thing to say.

He balks at the question, taking a moment to think of the most extravagant drink he can come up with. Food is less of a big deal since he came to live with Jennifer and was introduced to things like regular cups of cocoa made with real milk, but he still savors the opportunity to try something he doesn't normally get. "Eggnog?" he suggests, because that's a thing he's heard about and clearly this place has enough kinds of drinks that maybe she has that.

[etherthief]

Iman grins indulgently at the name. Weird little guy. She does not, however, laugh at his drink suggestion. He seems extremely skittish, wouldn't want to frighten him off or insult him into hiding.

"I don't know if we have that," she says. "Here, let me make something for you and see if you like it. I've never mixed a drink this small before. It'll be a fun experiment."

With the eyedropper, she fills the thimble with portions of Kahlua, Bailey's, Amaretto, and some cream. It's about as close to eggnog as she thinks she can get. It'll be sweet and almondy and delicious. She hopes.

"Here you are, good sir," she says proudly, offering the thimble. "Try that on for size. If you'll pardon the expression."

[has_a_horn]

Gabriel appears a little ways off, but the noise in this room draws him in. There are plenty of people, but so far, the only one that's real is the one standing behind the bar. That's promising, anyway. He could use a drink- even an imaginary one.

He casts a suspicious glance up at the ceiling at it groans, then walks over and settles his elbows on the bar, trying to get an idea of what it's stocked with. "Find anything good?"

[etherthief]

"You have no idea," says Iman as she turns around to get a look at her latest victim. Ooh, cutie. She smiles a winning smile and leans across the bar, resting her elbows on it and her chin in her hands. "Pick your poison, or I could make something up. I been doing it all night. I'm very creative."

[has_a_horn]

"Ooh." He smiles and nods, then settles himself onto the bar stool. She seems like she'll be fun. "Yeah, I'm definitely going to let you be creative. Lay it on me. The sweeter the better."

[etherthief]

She grins and starts lining up the various juices and syrups she's been accumulating/muddling throughout the night. She sets out a martini glass, to which she adds a healthy portion of lavender gin, and equal parts strawberry, lemon, plum, and a little spritz of ginger syrup to finish. Into this, a strawberry on a toothpick and a twist of lime.

"Martini d'Asadi," she says, "with a kiss." She clinks the gin bottle gently against the rim of the glass - the martini 'kiss' - and slides the drink over to her new friend, before leaning up onto the counter and giving him a little peck on the nose.

"Enjoy," she says as she slides back down to the floor and starts casually cleaning up. "You need anything, the name's Iman."

[has_a_horn]

Gabriel is a little busy examining the martini when she leans across the counter, but the peck definitely gets his attention. Well, then. Very promising.

He plucks the strawberry out of the glass and eats that first. "Iman, I don't have many needs, but I'd be happy to give you a list of wants." He lifts up the glass, smiling behind the rim, then takes a sip. "Not bad at all."

[etherthief]

Iman chuckles warmly and wipes down the counter. "More where that came from," she says. She leans onto her elbow again, affecting the air of a good, accommodating bartender. "So, stranger." She runs her finger through a missed puddle of juice and licks it off tidily. "Tell me all about it."

[has_a_horn]

"Gabriel," he offers. "You this nice to everyone, or do I get special privileges for being very handsome?" He chuckles, thinking that just flirting with someone again is nice. It'd be even nicer if it actually went somewhere, but he's not too picky.

[etherthief]

"I'm extremely nice," says Iman with an arched eyebrow. "And you're very handsome." This is great, meeting someone as casually flirtatious (and obvious about it) as she is.

"You know, that looks delicious. I'm gonna have one too." She sets out to make a second, pouring it into the same highball glass she's been using all night. Lots of flavors and residues mixing in there. Delicious.

"I'm not a real bartender," she says with an exaggerated wink. "So I'm ALWAYS on my break."