Unfinished Business - Modern Horror - Small Group Guided Story

Started by GnothiSeauton, October 21, 2018, 09:19:48 PM

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GnothiSeauton

Unfinished Business




Introduction and Overview


Welcome to Unfinished Business

This group is intended to be a small, guided freeform group of a horror vibe.  It will be placed in the Extreme Section, so please be mindful of this when declaring interest.

Your characters will receive a certified letter in the mail, stating that they have been named in a last will and testament of a wealthy individual.  They will also be notified that to obtain their share of the inheritance, they must attend in person for the reading of the will, where airfare and other travel expenses will be taken care of via the Estate.  Who is this mysterious man who has named your character in their will?

Your characters will arrive at the manor located upon a private island just off the Norwegian coast.  They will be chauffeured there, and will arrive by ferry or across the lone bridge that links the island to the mainland.  This gathering of strangers will be where our story begins, and the only semblance of sanity.

The Will will be read, with your characters given a simple challenge:  Stay the night in the Manor.  Those who do will receive their share of the ten million dollar inheritance, tax free.  Simple enough, perhaps...  But can they survive the night?



Key Info for Interested Players



  • This is intended to be a small group, of no more than seven characters and writers at the very most.  Why?  It's to make it more manageable to follow, less of a hassle of waiting on a number of characters, and creates a more intimate setting between the characters in addition to making it more easier for things to happen to your characters.  It is asked that you be able to post at least once a week, but real life always takes precedence.
  • Just because you submit a character does not mean you're automatically approved or guaranteed a spot in the group.  I'm sorry, but as stated before, this intended to be a small group, and I'll only be accepting characters that have good skeletons in their closet (i.e. something I can work with), in addition to how well those characters will connect with the others that have already been approved.
  • Each character will have a skeleton in their closet.  Literally.  Somehow, in some way, at some point in their lives, someone died because of them.  It can be by accident, but I would strongly suggest and encourage that it be something personal.  The more personal it is, the more your character knows their ghost, the more fun it'll be for all involved.
  • The house, and it's ghosts, will hunt you, play tricks on you, toy with your mind.  They have unfinished business, after all, and want to see it completed.  Your characters won't be able to leave the island, and won't be able to leave the ghosts, until sunrise.
  • If you choose to resign from the game, your character will be played by the GM until their demise.  If you come back before your character dies, you are certainly able to play them.  But you're not coming back as a ghost, and no characters will be jumping in mid way through the story.

I expect to take a heavy hand in the guiding of this group story.  There will be twists and turns, and (hopefully) some good scares and creepiness along the way.  Your characters will be put through the ringer, and whether they survive is up to you.


If you're interested, please send me a brief message detailing your character's Skeleton before starting a character sheet.  As stated before, only a select number of applicants are going to be accepted.
If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories

GnothiSeauton

Story and Setting Background


Frederick Schmidt, the Deceased

If you were to do a little digging on your mysterious benefactor, you'd be hard pressed to find much dirt on Frederick Schmidt and possible connections to you.

Born in 1919, he grew up in the Austrian countryside as the son of a farmer.  Most of the biographical information on the illustrious philanthropist say he had a modest upbringing at best, with no siblings or extended family to his name.  During the War, he was reported to be conscripted into the Third Reich's war machine.  After the war, he left the remnant of the Reich, and it's war-torn landscape, for Norway.

It was here, in the streets of Oslo, that Fredrick met his future wife, Hannah, and married into the Olson Family.  Naturally he took on a role in the Olson family business of transportation via railways.  The young man showed promise and ingenuity, helping to turn the family business around from it's struggling earnings into a leader in the industry.  Soon Olson Transit earned contracts throughout Northern Europe, becoming a force to be reckoned with in the transit industry.

After the death of his wife in the 1970's, Frederick continued the Olson tradition of giving back through charitable foundations across the world, leaving behind a legacy of a man who simply wanted to give back to the world.



The House


The Olson Manor was built not long after the dawn of the twentieth century.  This two story mansion has attracted architects and art historians over the years for it's unique designs, and holds six bedrooms, in addition to a den, library, and salon.  Behind the house sits what has been described as a picturesque garden, containing a variety of flora that has on occasion been featured in horticultural periodicals.

It is secluded and removed from the mainland.  To reach Olson Isle, one has to arrive by ferry or helicopter.  The mansion is located near the northern edge of the island, on the opposite end from the ferry depot.  The only structures of note upon the island is an old, condemned servant's house, and a small hunting lodge in the wilderness of the island.  A single two lane road winds it's way from the ferry depot to the front entrance, cutting it's way through the rich vegetation and forest of Olson Isle.



Click to Expand

Links to Images of the House Interior

With the story taking place on December 14th, 2018, the house, and it's surroundings are in the midst of a winter storm.  While the roads have been plowed as best as possible, in the wilderness and grounds, the snow is about a foot and a half deep, with strong winds and white out conditions.

If your character tries to use a cell phone, or computer, they'll be out of luck, with service being almost non-existent on the island on a good day.

Inside, as it is taking place in December, the interior has been decorated for the holidays.  In the Salon sits a large, decorated, and illuminated Christmas tree, along with classical Christmas music playing lightly in the background.= from unseen speakers.


How It All Begins


It all begins with a letter.

One day, in early December, a letter will arrive at your character's residence (or place of employment, if no residence is found), certified and insured and addressed to your character from a law firm in Oslo.  Inside, they will find a letter, explaining that they have been named in the last will and testament of a Frederick Schmidt.  A quick Google search of the man will bring about numerous articles of the transportation magnet, as well as more than a few articles about his wealth.

The letter, and everything else seems to be in order and legit.  If they take it to any lawyer, they'll be told everything seems to be real, and a search on the internet will tell them that the Law Firm of Berger, Wagner, and Jansen is one of the top legal firms in Norway.  However, the letter contains one cautionary note:  Failure to come to the reading of the will results in automatic forfeiture of any claim to the inheritance.

They will have one week to decide whether they will come forth to claim their inheritance.  If your character comes to the reading of the will, all they have to do is to inform the law firm, and lawyer of note, Hans Berger, that they will come to the reading of the will.  Travel and accommodation arrangements will be made, free of charge by the request of Mr. Schmidt. 

From there, another week will pass so that your character can make arrangements and pack.  They will be flown first class to Oslo, and placed in a hotel room in one of the various hotels in Oslo.  Each character will be placed at a different hotel to help keep them isolated and insulated from each other.

On the Fourteenth of December, 2018, your characters will be chauffered to the isle.  A ten mile ride across the island from the ferry and bridge leads to the house, Olson Manor.  There they will be given drinks, food, and spirits before the reading of the will. 


If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories

GnothiSeauton

If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories


Neo In Matrix

Nice idea. I'd love to play it out. :).

May be as a guy or a girl who hadn't tied his/her girlfriend around her waist during a bungee jumping or simply the rope couldn't hold her weight as she fell down and died.

| O/O Thread | O/O - F-List (Male) | O/O - F-List (Female) |


| Ideas (All Genders) | Face-Claim List and Galleries |


| a/a | RPs |
Apologies. Slow posting due to workload. But trying to match uo will quickly do. Thanks for your patience. .!!! :)

GnothiSeauton

In terms of skeletons/ghosts, it's completely up to you as to how you'd like to do it. My intent is to keep it private and have it come out in the story, or if you'd like, have your character reveal it to everyone on their own accord.

I'd say the more personal, the better. Something that the ghost would hold a big grudge over. It doesn't have to be personal, like an accident, but I encourage everyone to make it personal.

Also, I will ask people to tweak their ghosts/skeletons if they're too similar to what someone else already has submitted and has had approved.

More than happy to help people come up with ideas.
If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories

GnothiSeauton

Unfinished Business

Character Creation




Rules and Guidelines

Only 1 character is permitted per writer.

Your character must be eighteen years of age or older.  This is non-negotiable, and for the comfort of the entirety of the group.

Character sheets must be complete and PMed to me.  I will review and get back to you with edits if needed.  I will post your character sheet, sans the Skeleton and Trigger fields.  This is to help keep control of the active/alive characters.



Skeletons In Your Closet and Triggers:  A Description


The Skeleton in Your Closet field, and the Triggers field are special fields in the Character Sheet that are vital and important to getting involved in the story.

This is supposed to be where you describe anyone in the afterlife who might hold a significant grudge against your character, someone that might blame your character for their death, or a miserable ending of their life.  While it can be a random person, it is strongly encouraged to make them someone they would know, someone personal, or someone that isn't a total stranger at least.  Why?  To make it more fun to write.

The Trigger field is equally important.  This ties into your Skeleton, and can be as something as simple as a particular scent, a certain song, and the like.  It's supposed to make your character think about their Skeleton, and fuck with their minds.

Your character's skeleton may interact with others.  It may alter your character's reality, make things happen around them, scare them, torment them in a way that they felt tormented.  They want revenge, and they want death.

No one will know about your character's skeleton and triggers right away.  They are primarily for GM use and knowledge, and will come out in the game slowly.  If your character, IC, chooses to talk and share the story, that's up to you.  The more detailed you are in your Skeleton field, the better.  Please include any potential face claim/resemblance or particular quirks about your character's Skeleton.

As a GM who will be heavy handed in story telling and putting in odd twists and turns, I strongly encourage you to have your skeletons be personal to your character.  Sure, you can have it be an accident, ala a hit and run, with a perfect stranger, but the more personal the skeleton in your character's closet, the more fun and interesting things will happen to your character.

If you have multiple skeletons in your closet, I would suggest focusing on one or two as your main skeletons.




Face Claims and Sheet Links



Character Name
Amelia Esporza
     Face Claim
Oona Chaplin
     Status
Alive
     Writer
GnothiSeauton

[float=right][img height=300 padding=10][/img][/float]

[b]Writer Name:[/b]  Your Elliquiy Screen Name

[b]Character Name:[/b]  Your character's legal name

[b]Age:[/b]  How old your character is

[b]Occupation:[/b]  What your character does for a living

[b]Last Place of Residence:[/b]  Where your character is from

[b]Physical:[/b]  Short explanation of your character's physical appearance.  Note any special birthmarks, body modifications, etc.

[b]Personality:[/b]  Brief description of your character's personality.

[b]Biography:[/b]  A brief history about your character.  Please keep it between one and three paragraphs.

[b]Skeleton In Their Closet:[/b]  The person(s) your character could be considered responsible for their deaths.  These are supposed to be people that would hold a grudge with you over their death.  The more detailed, the more personal, the better and spookier.

[b]Triggers:[/b]  What might set off your character?  What might freak them out?  This is supposed to tie into your skeleton in the closet.  A particular scent/perfume.  A special song.  A particular movie.  Etc.

[b]On's:[/b]  Character's Ons

[b]Off's:[/b]  Character's Offs

[b]Hard Limits:[/b]  What don't you want to see happen to your character?  Mutilation, death, etc.?

[b]Special Notes:[/b]  Anything you think should be made clear to others in the group




Example character sheet:


Writer Name:  GnothiSeauton

Character Name:  Amelia Esporza

Age:  33 years old

Occupation:  A little of this, a little of that...  Mostly prostitution.

Last Place of Residence:  London

Physical:  Amelia stands at about five feet, eight inches.  Her olive complexion is complimented by her long, dark hair and mesmerizing dark eyes.  A tattoo of a white oleander is placed upon her inner thigh.  Apart from her ears, she possesses no other piercings.

Personality:  Charming is easily the best word to describe Amelia.  In her line of work and passion, it's something that is essential to maintaining the way of life she's become accustomed to.  She's friendly and welcoming, inviting, and can help light up a room.  She speaks what's on her mind, with a polite filter when it's appropriate, and can adapt to whatever the situation calls for.

Biography:  Amelia grew up in a humble, rough neighborhood in Spain.  She was raised by a single mother who did her absolute best to try and give her daughter a life that was different from her own.  At thirteen, her mother passed away, and without any family to call her own, Amelia was on her own.  Having dropped out of school, she sought ways to make a living for herself, before finally finding a way out of her poor neighborhood. 

It made her sick at first, doing what she had to do to survive.  It disgusted and disturbed her.  But as much as it did, she could not argue with the life it had given her, the opportunities it gave as she sought to find a better life for herself.  Over the years, she has grown to enjoy what she does, more than she would care to admit, perfecting it to a near art in her mind.

Skeleton In Their Closet:  Wouldn't you like to know...

Triggers:  Wouldn't you like to know...

On's:  Sexually, Amelia enjoys things a little bit on the rough side.  She's adaptable, but enjoys it a little rough.  Beyond sexual elements, she enjoys the finer things in life.

Off's:  Sexually, there isn't much she won't at least try, but isn't personally into bathroom elements.  Other than that, she dislikes arrogance and holier-than-thou people.

Hard Limits:  Bring it on.

Special Notes:  None.
If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories

Lady Lunarius

I will be sending in an idea to you here soon as soon as I get home actually.
LaLu's updated A/A's Updated
LaLu's Delicious treats!
LaLu's O.O's/Current Interests Updated 3-11-23
I am currently NOT open for a few new RP's

GnothiSeauton

Okay, so...

I've talked with a couple of people through PMs, and so far have given the go-ahead for four character sheets, including my own.

I'm going to say that there's two or three slots left, and I'd like to see some more male characters.  Right now there are tentatively four female characters, so a little testosterone in the group wouldn't be a bad thing.
If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories

Lady Lunarius

Quote from: GnothiSeauton on October 23, 2018, 01:08:41 PM
Okay, so...

I've talked with a couple of people through PMs, and so far have given the go-ahead for four character sheets, including my own.

I'm going to say that there's two or three slots left, and I'd like to see some more male characters.  Right now there are tentatively four female characters, so a little testosterone in the group wouldn't be a bad thing.

I might have an idea for a guy if you'd rather me play a guy for you
LaLu's updated A/A's Updated
LaLu's Delicious treats!
LaLu's O.O's/Current Interests Updated 3-11-23
I am currently NOT open for a few new RP's

EvieFrye

I sent my skeleton in the closet, yesterday, have you seen it yet?

GnothiSeauton

Quote from: EvieFrye on October 23, 2018, 02:06:34 PM
I sent my skeleton in the closet, yesterday, have you seen it yet?

Working on a PM to you now.
If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories


GnothiSeauton

Quote from: Remiel on October 23, 2018, 04:49:41 PM
Are we rebooting this?

I'll submit Mike for another go-round.  :-)

Indeed we are :)

If you're not making any changes to him, I'll go ahead and put him up in the character roster.
If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories

Remiel

I kinda want to play a charming psychopath, a la Mads Mikkelsen's Hannibal.

But nah, I'll stick with Mike. :)

Chou chou rheastar


GnothiSeauton

So with a final count, we have three male characters that I'm in the process of approving, and am waiting on sheets from three other interested writers playing female characters.  That brings us to a grand total of seven characters, and I think that's good for now.

Thanks to everyone who reached out with interest.  I'll be sending out PMs to those who have been accepted.  I may allow one more character, if the concept is phenomenal, but right now, I think seven characters gives us plenty of good characters.

For now, the group is closed for recruitment.
If I can't have you, my love...  I'll destroy you
~World Building Workshop ~ Current Ideas and Requests  ~
~ Preferences ~ Status  ~ Nightmares and Inspirations~
~Gnothi's Stories Without Homes~
A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies... The man who never reads lives only one.

Seeking New Stories