conversations.from: system
conversations.value: Liath Manor is situated on a remote, sprawling estate a several miles from the village of Braemar in the picturesque Scottish Highlands.  It’s violent and mysterious history has given it a reputation of being one of the most haunted locations in the British Isles, if not Europe.  Lord Brandon Richards, English tycoon and multi-billionaire, has purchased the estate with the hopes of turning the dilapidated manor house into a five-star resort B&B to lure wealthy patrons to the area.  The only thing throwing a wrench into his plan is the house itself.
  
  Its haunted reputation drives all the locals to steer clear of the estate completely, while any contracting company he brings from outside never seems to stay longer than a few weeks as accidents tend to occur with alarming frequency once any attempt at work begins.  They report seeing strange apparitions, hearing voices insisting that they leave, and feelings of imminent danger wished upon their persons.
  
  As a result, he placed an ad on the internet calling for anyone daring enough to stay in the house for a month, and willing to help him dispel the myths and rumours associated with Liath Manor.  The incentives for doing so include a check for fifty thousand pounds to each member of the team, and unlimited access to the manor and facilities for the rest of the participant’s natural life.
  
  ~~~~~~~~~~
  
  **This story may contain graphic violence, coarse language, and adult content. Reader discretion is advised.**
  
  **Also, character death is a distinct possibility in this game if it suits the story.  If you’re not comfortable with this idea, please do not apply.**
  
  ~~~~~~~~~~
  
  **Some ground rules before you start**(courtesy of LovelessArachne...mostly):
  
  **1** I expect everyone to actually read the narrative and respond to any direct interactions narrator characters have with your character. If your character asks a narrator character a question during a regular move, end your move there so I have a chance to respond.
  
  **2** I can’t keep the story moving if you don’t play cards on the obstacles. Winning the challenges is how you get control! Remember, narrator characters in the scene are watching your every move, so an impression can be made on them towards completing the challenge even when interacting with other player characters. Strength and Weakness cards help you reveal character traits; Subplot cards reveal back story and motivations; Goal cards can be further motivation for your character and Assets are items that can help with challenges too, but these aren’t the way to win control of the story!
  
  **3** That being said, we want to be as creative as possible. If you are playing a card on a challenge, please describe how your actions contribute to the resolution of the challenge — posts in this situation should be no less than 100 words.
  
  **4** Please don’t write for other people’s characters without expressed permission in the commentaries (so everyone can see its okay) or I will ask for revisions. Don’t write for narrator characters unless you have both won their challenge and you have control of the story! If you don’t have control, you can’t write narrator characters. Leave them for me.
  
  **5** When you have won control of the story I expect you to take control! Use the parameters set for the outcomes on the obstacle cards and the cards you used to win control, and just go wild! As the narrator I don’t want to have complete control. The more creative you are, the more it challenges me to step up! That being said, if your move makes no sense within the setting and scene, I’ll ask for revisions.
  
  **6**  Lastly, treat fellow players with respect and understand that real life comes first, no matter what.  That being said, I want clear communication FROM EVERYONE when important subjects come up in the narrator notes/comments.  I also expect you to notify me by e-mail or in the comments when you are going to be AFK for a while.
  
  If you haven’t contacted me privately, commented or posted for your character in one month, your creation will be killed and replaced. The same will be true if I am dissatisfied with the quality of your work and you show no signs of improvement after you have been warned.
  
  ~~~~~~~~~~
  
  When you submit your character, please write your bio as though the character is applying to be part of this investigative team.  Failure to do so will result in the rejection of your application to this game.
  
  Please note that this is a modern story.  Your character will arrive at Liath Manor on September 1, 2014.
  
  ~~~~~~~~~~
  
  
  **Application Questions**
  
  
  Name:
  
  Age: 
  
  Date & Place of Birth:
  
  Current City of Residence:
  
  Next of Kin:
  
  Do you have any allergies or medical conditions?  If yes, specify.
  
  Is there a chance you could be pregnant?
  
  ~
  
  What are your qualifications?
  
  How would you describe yourself?
  
  What are your reasons for visiting Liath Manor?
  
  Why should I hire you?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Getting Settled: Once you've found your room, what do you do?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Local: You've spent your whole life in the nearby village. You've come to see if the stories they tell about this place are true.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Historian: Your sanctuary is in libraries, museums, and archives -- but sometimes you have to go afield to really understand the past
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Skeptic: You don't believe that any of this exists and you're here to prove how right you are.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Medical Doctor: Just for insurance purposes, you know?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Photographer: You live to take pictures, so what better opportunity to take some once-in-a-lifetime shots than one of the most haunted places in Scotland?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Medium: You believe you can communicate with the dead.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Clueless: Sometimes you miss the obvious.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Laptop: Whatever you want so long as it's not a Mac. There's going to be enough of those in this story.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Digital Camera: A picture can tell you what words cannot.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Horsefeathers: All this supernatural stuff is B.S. and you're going to prove that it's fake.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Ghost Hunting Kit: Everything necessary for the paranormal enthusiast: EMF Meter, Voice Recorder, Night Vision Camera, Thermal Imager, Video Camera, Digital Camera, Flashlight...
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Liath Manor: A History: Written by a local historian, this book contains a wealth of knowledge on the manor and surrounding area.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Bible: When literally only God knows.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Doctor's Bag: A beautiful leather bag containing all the necessary medical supplies you would expect to find/need.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Notbook & Pen: For writing down your thoughts and experiences.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Grand Tour: Brandon takes you on a tour of the manor and grounds.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Find Your Rooms: Instead of assigning places to stay, Brandon has you randomly draw keys from the selection of completed rooms and leaves you to find them on your own.
  
  *Please let me handle the actual room assignment in your post.  There are specific rooms I need some of you to end up in.  You can always PM me for information since all of you have some way of reaching me.*
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Perpetua: Brandon Richards: This is the wealthy patron who has brought you all here. Make sure you're as impressive in person as you were on your applications.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Haunted: Something about your past keeps coming back to remind you. Is now really the time?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Absent Minded: Oh, hey, look at that thing! Wait, what was I just doing?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Perceptive: You're really good at picking up on things, even if it isn't painfully obvious.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Denial: Your perception of the world is being severely altered. Can you assimilate what you've learned into what you thought you already knew?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Doin' it for the Money: You don't really care about the supernatural, you're just here for the 50,000 quid.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Rational: You're determined to find a reasonable explanation, even if it's just to stay calm.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Brave: I ain't afraid of no ghost.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Handy: Things inevitably break. Good thing you know how to fix it.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Knowledgeable: You know a lot about where you are and what you're doing before you set foot on the site.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Easily Scared: When it comes to fear, you have the endurance of a chihuahua.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Gullible: You have a tendency to fall for everything you hear and may be the victim of practical jokes
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Communicate: You want so desperately to believe that it's possible to make contact with the afterlife. Seeing, hearing, and interacting with spirits would make your life.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Don't Die: This house already has enough bloodshed associated with it. If you kick it here, you might not be able to leave.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Liath: House & Grounds: You're going to be living here for the next month, so you'd better get to know the old gal.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: The Lobby: This was once the main foyer for the house, but it is now one of the few rooms actually retrofitted to look like a hotel.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Pizza & Beer: You've got the main staples: vegetarian, cheese, meat lovers, lager, stout, and pilsner.  Is this fare fit for you, or were you expecting something fancier from the multi-billionaire?  How do you feel about the companions you have to share them with?  (individual results)
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: First Night: Once you've found your rooms and started to unpack, it's time to unwind and potentially even get ready for bed.  Are you tired after the long day you had?  Too excited to sleep?  Afraid of the things that might go bump in the night?
  
  *Individual results.  If you need inspiration don't be afraid to ask.*
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Chester's Paperwork:  Billionaire Brandon's lackeys lost the originals, so now you have to do it all again.  Have fun with that.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Whiskey: So what will it be?  The smoke-like peatiness of Caol Ila?  The nutty Balvenie?  Or perhaps the well aged smoothness of Lagavulin?  Or perhaps you opt not to decide...
conversations.from: human
conversations.value:  Beer: Sometimes you just want to crack a cold one.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value:  Beer : Sometimes you just want to crack a cold one.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value:  Beer  : Sometimes you just want to crack a cold one.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Whiskey : So what will it be?  The smoke-like peatiness of Caol Ila?  The nutty Balvenie?  Or perhaps the well aged smoothness of Lagavulin?  Or perhaps you opt not to decide...
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Whiskey : So what will it be?  The smoke-like peatiness of Caol Ila?  The nutty Balvenie?  Or perhaps the well aged smoothness of Lagavulin?  Or perhaps you opt not to decide...
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Smartphone: These things do just about everything you could possibly want them to...and they still fit in your pocket.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Whiskey  : So what will it be?  The smoke-like peatiness of Caol Ila?  The nutty Balvenie?  Or perhaps the well aged smoothness of Lagavulin?  Or perhaps you opt not to decide...
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sketch Book: Contains the drawings of everything you see and feel.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A Good Night's Sleep: Sufficient quantities of rest are very important if you want to be at the top of your game.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A Good Night's Sleep: Everyone needs to get a good amount of rest if they want to be at the top of their game.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: A Good Night's Sleep : Everyone needs to get a good amount of rest if they want to be at the top of their game.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A Good Night's Sleep : Everyone needs to get a good amount of rest if they want to be at the top of their game.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: No Rest for the Wicked: No matter how hard you try, you can't fall asleep.  Even the counting sheep evade you, and this is Scotland for Christ's sake.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: No Rest for the Wicked : No matter how hard you try, you can't fall asleep.  Even the counting sheep evade you, and this is Scotland for Christ's sake.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: No Rest for the Wicked : No matter how hard you try, you can't fall asleep.  Even the counting sheep evade you, and this is Scotland for Christ's sake.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: No Rest for the Wicked : No matter how hard you try, you can't fall asleep.  Even the counting sheep evade you, and this is Scotland for Christ's sake.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: No Rest for the Wicked (copy): No matter how hard you try, you can't fall asleep.  Even the counting sheep evade you, and this is Scotland for Christ's sake.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: A Good Night's Sleep  : Everyone needs to get a good amount of rest if they want to be at the top of their game.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Evil Midnight: As the restored grandfather clock in reception strikes 3AM, will you be slumbering peacefully, or daring the ghosts of Liath Manor to show themselves?
  
  *Individual Results.  I have specific ghosts in mind for each character, so if you choose to go that route let me know beforehand*
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Bump In The Night: Things are definitely happening at Liath Manor tonight.
  
  What are you going to do about it?
  
  *Individual Results*
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hung Over: Drink a little too much last night?  You're paying for it now.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Hung Over : Drink a little too much last night?  You're paying for it now.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Hung Over : Drink a little too much last night?  You're paying for it now.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Hung Over : Drink a little too much last night?  You're paying for it now.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Brand New Day: How does your morning start?
  
  *Individual outcomes*
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Crack of Dawn: The awful screeching begins at sunup and doesn't show signs of stopping.  Really?  REALLY?
  
  *Individual outcomes*
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Plan The Day: It's time to start figuring out your first day of investigation.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Setting Up: Everything needs to be done.  Will you split forces between the electronics and the kitchen?  Will you do everything as a group to get it done faster?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Pocket Watch: It tells time **and** keeps you sane.  The only thing more useful than a Swiss Army knife.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Perpetua Engles: Someone new just showed up, and it looks like she'll be staying for a while.  Why don't you get to know her? 
  
  *Individual challenge.  @keemeers will be writing your results.*
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Perpetua: Sign Language: Since the Manor has seen fit to deafen you, perhaps you need a different means of communication.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Breakfast: You guys have a busy day ahead of you!  Why not begin proving to Brandon that you can work as a team by getting the most important meal underway?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Gideon: Technology: You've worked hard to get all the computers and gadgets talking to your server.  Time to show these folks what you can do.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Perpetua: Doubting Thomas: Now that you're getting a chance to see these people in action, perhaps it's time to share your opinions.  The question is, can you do it respectfully?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Have You Seen This Man?: It finally dawns on the team that nobody has seen James all day.  Should a search begin?
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Chester & Tacita: Yes, Yes: The one thing 100% of paranormal experts and mediums tell you is to never EVER fuck with a Ouija board.  You guys remember *The Exorcist,* right?  Well, now is certainly the time to prove your expertise.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Belle: Footage: Good paranormal investigators know that evidence is crucial to examining phenomena.  Did you catch anything?
  
  **Please wait until after Gideon's Tech challenge addresses your software/hardware**
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Mechanically Inclined?: There was one functioning vehicle on the property, and now it seems to be out of commission?  Can it be repaired?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: For The Love Of History: You are obsessed with history and are staying in Liath Manor in order to try and ferret out some new historical nuggets about the place.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Experienced: This is not your first rodeo. You know your equipment, how to use it and the general procedures in this sort of investigation. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Doubt: You want all this paranormal stuff to be real, but in the back of your mind you have doubt. Sometimes this might sway the amount of effort you put into your work.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: I'm not crazy: You had an experience when you were younger, and even though you don't fully believe all of this stuff, a part of you deep down wants to prove that you aren't crazy.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: "Medium": You [convince others you] believe you can communicate with the dead.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Disorganized: You can't trust yourself to keep track of your own belongings; no one else should trust you with theirs.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Live the Lie: 1: "Talk" to "ghosts" (and "lay them to rest") 
  
  2: Wave hands a lot.
  
  3: ??? 
  
  4: Profit!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Paranormal Investigator: You’re interested in everything to do with the supernatural, whether it be UFO’s, Sasquatch, demons, or ghosts.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Well Read: You have read a great deal on your favourite subjects and can compare the goings on around you to other incidents that you’ve researched in an effort to understand your situation.   
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Curiosity: You know that little voice in the back of your mind that tells you not to poke something because it might be dangerous? You don’t always listen.    
   
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Prove it: You want to test your know-how and find new ways of gaining concrete proof that the supernatural is real.    
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Believer: None of these "facts" are going to convince you otherwise.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Perceptive: “There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” --Aldous Huxley
  
  You're really good at picking up on things, even if it isn't painfully obvious.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Morbid: "...the baby weighs ten pounds, the cannonball weighs twenty pounds. Which will hit the stone walkway first?"
  
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Vindicate: "You know, they say when you talk to God it's prayer, but when God talks to you, it's schizophrenia."
  -Fox Mulder
  
  Things definitely *do* go bump in the night. Your brother knew it, and it got him institutionalized. 
  
  Inform the world.
  
  Put the stricken spirits to rest.
  
  
  
  
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Tech Expert: You have an uncanny knack for making electronics do your bidding.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Creative: You are good at thinking outside of the box -in fact, you’re not entirely sure where you left the box, but it’s probably around here somewhere… 
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Dependent on Technology: Whether it's a power outage, dead batteries, or the lack of a wifi signal, you feel lost without the use of your gadgets.    
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Lying Through Your Teeth: You may have *embellished* the truth a little in order to be selected for the team. Let's hope no one catches on.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Obnoxious Atheist: You do not believe in God, and you are not shy about it.  You are full of distain for anyone of faith and wish then world would just mature beyond The God Delusion.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Diplomacy: The ability to tell someone to go to hell, and have them enjoy the trip. 
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sponge: Paranormal facts, experiences, rumors, speculations, campfire stories...
  
  It's a surefire way to gain your undivided attention. 
  
  You soak it up.  
  
  
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Charming: It isn't just the good looks.
  
  It's that smile, that swagger, and the fact that you actually know how to be a gentleman.
  
  You really know how to kill 'em.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Stomach Complaints: If anyone asks, the indigestion is what's to blame for everything. 
  
  Hmm....
  
  How much stretch does this excuse have, do you think?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: SHUT. UP. BRENT!: Figures. Even dead brothers can still be super annoying. He might make himself useful at some point, but so far he's mostly just been a *PPITA.  
  
  *Phantasmal pain in the ass
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Sense of Humour: It's dry. 
  It's biting.
  It's perhaps a little cruel, even. 
  But it's there, and it's what gets you through the day.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Obtuse: Despite her expansive knowledge she has little understanding of human emotion. This failing allows her to be manipulated.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Steamrolling PhD: She knows her shit and she went to school for many years to prove that she knows her shit. Here comes to the PhD steamroll!
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Not Enough Hands: The noise is so bad that my fingers are in my ears. You can't hear me.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Friendly: You enjoy meeting new people and you're usually upbeat and friendly when you do so, that is, when you don't have attention on machines.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Snark Attack: You are not afraid of telling it how it is and are not about to phrase your opinions cater to other people’s sensibilities. If they can’t handle it, then they better get out of the water.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Pyrite Tongue: Normally you're a nice guy, but sometimes what comes out of your mouth is Fool's Gold instead of the genuine article.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Youtuber: Too short to be a model. Too conspiracy theorist to be a journalist. Too self-obsessed to not want to see her face everywhere. 
  
  She films all the time. Is there life without the internet?
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Angling: She knows exactly which angle to use when spinning the news for her own benefit. 
  
  She also knows her best angles for the camera.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Shallow: Easily misled by compliments, she gets exploited time and again. Anyone can just tell her the things she wants to hear and she will believe and trust them.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: I Did It All for the Subs: Hey guys! Please subscribe! 
  
  Her whole sense of purpose and being is to get more and more subscribers to watch more and more of her videos so she can buy more and more MAC.
conversations.from: gpt
conversations.value: Skeptical: She doesn't believe any of this exists.
  
  And she has little tact.