The bullywug looked up as a human female approached his counter. Having been told earlier of the Professor's new team, he had expected some of them to start showing up. He opened his mouth, only to close it as a leonin male joined her, the same inquiry coming from him as from her. Before the bullywug could even react, three more appeared! An elven male and female, and a human female. He waited for a moment, looking over their collective shoulders to see if, perhaps, more were coming for some inexplicable reason. He opened his mouth to speak, only to look over their shoulders again with a slightly suspicious glare to his large eyes.<br/><br/>"<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(226, 80, 65)"><i>Brrrrpit!</i> Welcome to the Arrrrcaneum. I am Rrrrreceptionist Bob the Overworked. </span><i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(226, 80, 65)">Rbbbbit!</span>"</i>The bullywug said, awkwardly standing up from his chair and giving a slight, pudgy bow to those at his desk. He took the offered letter, opening it only to confirm what he had believed before handing it back to the newest arrival. "<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(226, 80, 65)">Yourrrr employerrrr is expecting you. <i>Brrpbit! </i>Follow me, please.</span>" He stated, his awkward ribbiting in his speech making his words slur just a little. He turned sharply, taking quick steps around the wall behind his desk, closing the tiny door that leads to his work area. His feet were bare, and made gentle, wet slapping noises as he strutted across the stone floor.<br/><br/>He led the team through the building at a slightly hurried pace, guiding them past a cacophony of offices and labs, each filled with lab coat-wearing researchers and philosophers deep in study and experimentation. Archeologists studying fossils, several making wild exclamations as new things were discovered as they passed them. Room after room on each side, down a narrow hallway straight towards the back of the building. After a few moments, Bob brought the team to a larger area, a portion of the building with a tall ceiling and wide corridors.<br/><br/>Small groups of researchers and scientists wandered down these halls, huddled up in quiet conversation and debate as they walked along. Assistants in varying stages of the word "hurried" made their way through the hallways, arms full of supplies or carrying clipboards of information or data. Paper birds flew high above them, books flapping their bindings like wings, and letters gleaming with magic zipping across the high ceiling to go to one destination or another, a buzz of activity in an otherwise quiet section.<br/><br/>Bob brought them to a door, and politely knocked on the door with a few taps of his large, amphibious fist before turning sharply back to the group. "<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(226, 80, 65)">Sirrrrr Wetherrrrby will be with you shorrrrtly. Let me know if you need anything. <i>Brrrrpt!</i> Wetherrrrrby knows how to rrrrreach me.</span>" He said simply, offering a snap of a bow before trundling back towards where they came from.<br/><br/>A few seconds later, the door to the lab opened, revealing a thin, humanoid automaton. Made of brass and steel, he gleamed as if he had just finished being polished. His arms and legs were simple contraptions, long pieces of bronze metal with joints for elbows and knees, leading to shoe-shaped feet and a pair of hands with four sharp, thin fingers. His head was a simple dome on the top of his rectangular torso, dials and knobs covering the large box while binocular eyes stared at the team. Small strips of metal acted as "eyebrows" while a magnetized "mustache" sat just above where his "mouth" might have been.<br/><br/>"<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(44, 130, 201)">Greetings, my new friends! Come in! The Professor will be with us shortly. Please, take a seat and make yourselves at home. I will be back shortly with some tea and breakfast cake.</span>" The automaton exclaimed, bowing regally from the waist with an exaggerated movement of his hand. He waved the team into the room behind him, which looked like another reception area. However this one was set up with a series of couches and armchairs, bookshelves bulging with books lining the walls, a short, dark wood coffee table in the middle set up with what appeared to be a map of the Everwinter upon its surface. Several areas of the map were marked with small metal figures.<br/><br/>"<span class="fixed-color" style="color:rgb(44, 130, 201)">I am Sir Wetherby, the professor's assistant and creation. It is a pleasure to meet you, and I am personally excited to see <i>all the discoveries we shall make!</i></span>" The automaton declared, hand clenching in a dramatic fashion, his metallic, robotic voice dipping an octave before he strode awkwardly through another door set into the wall. The door closed behind him as he began to whistle a jaunty, yet hauntingly familiar tune...<br/><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="4509" data-username="Ysolde" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/4509/">Ysolde</a><a class="username" data-user-id="2342" data-username="Naith" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/2342/">Naith</a><a class="username" data-user-id="8632" data-username="EldridSmith" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/8632/">EldridSmith</a><a class="username" data-user-id="6868" data-username="Merry Midnight" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/6868/">Merry Midnight</a><a class="username" data-user-id="8011" data-username="Weaver of Aces" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/8011/">Weaver of Aces</a>