ashcroft university.

the following students should submit short descriptions of their picnic baskets HERE. not all items have to be food, but try to avoid any items that would be a dead giveaway about who your character is.

lana marseille ( @marscille )

laurel mattison ( @laurelmattison )

parker ainsworth ( @aiinsworths )

mallory brennan ( @oizysprotege )

calixte thyrsus ( @calixtcrian )

luca bergmann ( @stoptalkingluca )

odette cromwell ( @viclinists )

juniper alexander ( @juniperalexander )

cleo graham ( @cleograhm )

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR BASKETS ASAP.

the following students will be bidding:

jovan reyes ( @suncomely )

monica della vega ( @monicadvx )

cyrus d’angelo ( @svintcyrrie )

ace wolsey ( @acewolsey )

joshua lauder-holmes ( @lauderholmes )

mason harrison ( @masonhcrrison )

ren de reignier ( @missusorpheus )

emma woods ( @emmaawoodss )

mini event –

hi all. just a heads up that this is totally optional and it’s more like a fun game/thread prompt than “event.” essentially, i’m nostalgic for gilmore girls, so have this bullshit. i’ll twist something creepy into the plot as a result of this:

annually, as a private university, ashcroft does it’s picnic basket fundraiser. certain students that sign up submit picnic basket lunches anonymously and other students bid on the baskets without knowing who they’re bidding for. this year, the fundraiser will go to benefit the remodeling of the infamous east wing. thank you all for your participation and community spirit – we’re really excited to kick off our twenty-fifth annual picnic day.

how will this work?

if you’re interested in participating, please like this post by saturday, july 27, 8pm est. if you have multiple characters but would only like to participate with one of them, please clarify that ASAP otherwise i’ll assume that you want to participate with all of your characters.

on saturday night, i’ll divide the people participating with a random generator, and half of the characters will be “bidders” and half will have baskets. if you have multiple characters, i’ll try to make sure you can have one in each category, math permitting. 

people with baskets will be notified and required to submit a description of their basket by sunday, july 29, at 5pm est. 

following that, the baskets will be posted and “bidding” will begin, i.e. the bidders will send me their top 2-3 baskets (number fluctuating depending on how many people participate). 

on either tuesday or wednesday, depending how quickly people get back to me, i’ll post who got whose basket and you’ll do a picnic day para with that person. 

quentin cromwell lost his life in a way that was planned and methodical. a killer that seemed to come out of the woodwork, unexpected – perhaps the clues lay in history, in a series of deaths from long ago. but lydia? her disappearance was almost expected, everyone had their guard up for another attack. police patrolled the campus at the time and it seemed simply strange, that a girl could disappear under the noses of everyone’s watchful eyes. what was even more strange was that although no one said it, no one expected her to survive.

so, when she’s found alive, it’s all a little unexpected. even the police remark that they didn’t expect her to be so lucky. 

lydia is found in the exhumed graves of the imperium members who died 100 years ago, graves that haven’t been touched since. it seems like a sick joke that someone would want bury lydia alive along with them. lydia herself has gone blind from the shock and trauma and is currently being treated in ashcroft’s hospital wing. she is not allowed visitors and currently, she’s not making much sense. investigators know it will take time, but they believe it’s now just a ticking clock between now and when they can gather lydia’s story and put together the pieces of the puzzle – she might be able to tell us what connects the past and present. 

and the secret of the infermi society and what the attacks on imperium mean. 

but for now, students remain on edge, knowing that with lydia’s survival, the killer or killers must be growing desperate – tensions are high and it’s a race to the finish, wondering if there’s a chance that they’re actually close to conclusion. 

hello and welcome to the FOURTH character development task. as always, these are totally optional and you can pick and choose what sounds fun to you. this task is about family. so, this is a look at your character’s family relationships – cast their immediate family members and provide a short description of your character’s relationship with them and what they are/were like. here’s some of my old writing to use as an example? (don’t judge) but that is an idea of what i’m thinking of for this task. as always, you can tag your posts with #class:task and i’m so fucking excited to read about everyone’s ic families. 

previous tasks

task 01: moodboards.

task 02: playlists.

things wind down around 2 a.m. masks are taken off and the last of the guests file out of the great hall and retire to their beds. people leave stumbling drunk or beyond tired, with friends, roommates, lovers, or alone. it’s peaceful, for the most part, a quiet night not at all representative of the events of the party, and it seems that things have gone well without a hitch. the cromwell parents will take the next train out in the morning.

it’s 5 a.m. when the janitorial staff rolls in, cleaning up trash and spilled drinks, and even the occasional bloodstain off the floor from a fight that broke out during the night. they’ve been briefed one what happened and no one finds the blood suspicious, even when maybe they should. so, they clean it up. they find nothing too unusual until they get to cleaning one of the caterer’s tables – that’s where they find it. the knife. 

beside it is a message in red. the words: don’t look for answers that you don’t want to find. 

first, there’s a quick survey of campus, a census to make sure no one is missing and everyone made it back to their dormitories safely. for the most part, this is true. students file out into the hallways and everything is fine. the most damage that’s done is now everyone knows who went home with who. gossip spreads like wildfire, but it’s about more than hookups – it’s about what’s happened and whether anyone is safe at all. 

Dear students,

As you may imagine, I’ve been in close contact with the Cromwell family over the past few weeks. We’ve found it to be quite fitting to re-do the East Wing and create a memorial for Quentin on our campus. I think most of you will understand why that’s necessary, and the memorial seems a fitting tribute to a student who touched the lives of so many of you. Quentin is still greatly missed, perhaps even more so as time passes. 

There will be several fundraising efforts throughout the next few weeks – the Cromwell family is contributing to the project, but it will require your contributions as well. As a result, our regular summer semester dance will be a ticketed event. Student council has decided that this year’s theme is masquerade, so suit up (or mask up) and come out to support the cause, I suppose. 

I know that this has been a difficult and confusing time, and I appreciate all of you for sticking to your studies and reminding me why Ashcroft is such a wonderful school full of the most driven people I have ever come across. Unfortunately, I do not have any updates as to the whereabouts of Lydia Tran, but please contact the authorities if you know or hear anything at all. 

Best, Warren Ashcroft. 

okay, here’s our third task ! ashcroft is putting together a TIME CAPSULE, to be opened 100 years from now. every character gets to put 3-5 things in the capsule of their choosing, along with a note. what will your character put in the capsule for people 100 years from now? these would be things that are important to them, things that they would really want people in the future to know about, things about this world that matter to them now. so, if your character will participate, post what things they would include in the capsule and if they’d write a note, include that too ! tag your posts with #class:task.

previous tasks

task 01: moodboards.

a note from your headmaster

Dear Students,

Despite rumors you may have heard, there is no cause for panic. Lydia Tran’s recent disappearance likely has no relation to other recent incidents, however, we can’t say for sure. Investigators are treating it as a separate investigation, and I will remind you that it’s not at all unusual for students to be absent from campus for a while. It is only recent circumstances that makes this in any way suspect and I promise that investigators are taking careful precautions.

I will be frank: it was likely unplanned. All of her belongings were found still in her room, and one of her bracelets was found in the woods bordering our campus. If you have any other information about Lydia – a boyfriend, a conflict, anything small you might’ve noticed. Sometimes things seem like nothing, but when you reflect back, they weren’t nothing at all. 

I am hopeful and confident that Lydia will return soon and you’ll see her in your classes in no time. Imperium will continue to meet as usual, but I’d appreciate if we could discuss the matter at hand at tonight’s meeting. With the help of the best and brightest on campus, I’m sure we can discover her whereabouts.

Best, Warren Ashcroft

------

Dearest Imperium,

As I’m sure you could tell from my announcement, the situation is more dire than I’d like to admit freely. The concept of a missing student amongst the other events of this semester is quite dire. Please be sure to notify me and the authorities if you know anything at all.

We found a threatening note that referred to an Infermi Society – this is not a school sanctioned society such as Imperium, and I ask that if you’d heard anything about this supposed group, please come forward. 

- Warren

hey all ! i don’t know about you, but i’ve been doing a deep dive into my spotify playlists as i do my replies, so that brings me to our second task: character playlists! you’re welcome to interpret this however you like, if you want to make a playlist that displays your character’s music taste (i probably won’t do that for obvious reasons, but for other characters it could be fun) OR a playlist of songs that make you think of your character, a real character playlist. so please, go crazy, go stupid & i can’t wait to get all kinds of new music out of this. please tag your playlists with class:task ! 

previous tasks.

the night is, of course, awkward at best. how can you be expected to celebrate so much when there’s still so much to mourn about? alcohol only numbs the pain or soothes the awkwardness of small talk, but it doesn’t heal all of the broken relationships or all of the tensions that have been created. funny to see the imperium society splintering apart at a time when they should be brought closer together. they should be protecting one another.

after all, who was looking out for florence vanzin? when everyone trickled out of the party, whether with friends, enemies, or perhaps with their prospective hookups, florence went back to her dormitory alone. she was attacked by an individual – she was lucky, a sophomore boy happened to be walking his one night stand out at precisely the right moment for the two of them to run to florence’s aid. however, the attacker’s retreat was too quick and the couple was too distracted by making sure that florence was alright.

florence was alright, and currently sustains injuries in the hospital wing. she was knocked on the head quite severely and maintains a concussion and has lacerations on her arms. no trace of poison was found in her system. police suspect that the lacerations are from the same knife used on quentin cromwell, but have no leads as to what was used to cause florence’s concussion. florence has a difficult time recalling exactly what happened, but the couple in the sophomore dorm remember being surprised that the figure was so short. 

despite the use of the knife, police are baffled at how this attack differs from that of quentin cromwell – quentin’s murder seemed methodically planned and executed. this attack seemed rash and risky, like another mind entirely.  either way, the killer’s message remains: the imperium society is not safe. 

isolation can be dangerous. 

finally, what everyone’s been long anticipating: the lockdown has been lifted. it seemed to have no real benefit to the investigation at hand, and aside from the key incident (which police now suspect was a prank), there hasn’t been activity following quentin’s murder: there is no reason to believe the students are not safe. at least, that’s the administration’s message. 

a huge part of the reason the lockdown has been lifted is thanks to headmaster ashcroft’s return to campus. after many board meetings, he’s finally free to return and oversee the school as he sees fit. upon his return, he plans to meet with members of the imperium society, but this will not be their traditional monday class. he’s sent them formal invitations to a cocktail party event in his office, which serves as a “celebration of life” for quentin cromwell in addition to a reunion with him and his students. it’s important that after what’s happened, he’s able to check in with everyone and make sure that they feel safe. it’s also a good way for the students to celebrate that the ban has been lifted.

unfortunately, the investigation is still ongoing, but it almost feels like efforts are slowing down, as they do in cases that have been open for several weeks with no new leads. however, warren is also hoping that perhaps putting everyone in one place will cause new leads to arise. either way, it’s good to have the lockdown lifted and the headmaster back on campus.

a note from your headmaster

Dearest Imperium, 

There is nothing else to do in this letter but be frank. The autopsy on Quentin’s body has taken some time due to complications. It has delayed the funeral, it has delayed your mourning process. However, I thought it was important to give the investigators the time that was needed. As his family has been informed, I feel it is best to inform you also: Quentin, was stabbed, however he was weakened by a slowly administered poison. He was clearly targeted.

I cannot reveal much more than that due to the fact that it is an open investigation. The police were loath to let me reveal that much to you, however I think it is crucial. You were the ones who spent time with Quentin in his final weeks. This is the time to think back to things that might have not seemed important then, but now seem curious in retrospect. 

This news does mean that Quentin’s family will finally be hosting his funeral. It will be in his home of Yorkshire, but as we are a small school full of students who cared deeply for Quentin, we’ve arranged for a shuttle service this weekend for students who would like to attend. Sign-up for the shuttle will be available in the dining hall throughout the week. I encourage you to attend, despite how hard it may seem. Saying goodbye is important.

In other news, I shall return next week following the funeral. I am optimistic that the lockdown and curfew can be lifted upon my return, so at least there is some good news to be presented in all of this. I am looking forward to meeting with all of your again.

Sincerely, Warren Ashcroft 

predictably, like every other rp you’ve ever been in, this is our first task: moodboards. it’s a fun way to give others a glimpse into your character and get you thinking a little more. you can either do them by selecting 9 gifs (this tag is helpful for searching) or by making an edit from a template or from scratch ! some of my favorite templates are under the cut. let me know if you have any questions and please tag your moodboards with class:task !

the next morning, students pack up their bedrolls and pillows and reset the classrooms with supervision. there’s an ominous cloud hanging in the room, since everyone knows that the reason that the sleepover isn’t lasting another night is that the keys have been found. most students on campus have no clues as to how or where, but the imperium society knows different.

they were woken from their slumber at 4 a.m. when alessandra dinah carrington was carried out of the south wing with a police escort. in searching the rooms of every student, they’d found the master keys, hidden away under a floorboard in her room along with the missing books used to write the threatening message.

they’ll only keep her in custody until they can verify her alibi, after all, anyone with master keys can get into her room, but why would anyone want to frame lissa carrington? is it possible that the duke of sommerset and his family have a vendetta against the society that was swept under the rug until now? the police will be conducting a full investigation and following up on every end of this potential lead. 

warren ashcroft’s office has always been a place of solace for members of imperium and where he held weekly classes. warren always attempted to get to know each of the members of the class, to mentor them and help them transition from childhood into adulthood as best he could. some said he collected members of the society, they were like trophies, and that was why he wasn’t able to let the tradition go, even with its sordid history. 

his office was usually a little unkempt. a large library with dozens of classics and first editions always had books scattered around and left open from frenzied late night research. ink remained permanently spilled across his desk, the mark of a man too busy to take care of such small messes. empty whiskey bottles lined the walls like decoration, or perhaps a shrine dedicated to a socially acceptable form of alcoholism. however, it was a state of organized chaos, and warren always seemed to be able to find exactly what the members of the society needed.

for the first time in history, warren missed the society’s regular monday meeting. members still filed in, whether it was out of habit or desperation for routine. however, when they entered, the office was in a state of disarray that in no way mimicked the warm chaos they were used to. books were destroyed, pages ripped and flung across the room. chairs were overturned, drawers were pulled out, papers were ripped and crumpled. someone had been looking for something.

and they’d found it. 

master keys to the grounds were no longer locked in the headmaster’s top desk drawer. in their place, there was a note, pieced together from the ripped pages in the headmaster’s library:

imperium – 

this isn’t over.

the most popular theory and hope by the police has been that the crime was committed by an enemy of the cromwells and artfully disguised to look like the killings of one hundred years ago as a red herring. they hope that this theory is still true, but the missing keys are an ominous turn. for the student’s safety, while the locks are being changed, students will stay and sleep together on the academic part of campus. imperium society members will stay in the south wing. professors and law enforcement will be able to look out for the students there overnight. check under the cut for details about this dashboard event. 

a note from your headmaster.

Dear students,

In lieu of recent events, there will be a few changes around Ashcroft in the coming weeks. As always, our first priority is the safety of our students, and I’m deeply saddened by what has occurred. Quentin was a pupil of mine and I got the chance to know him well over the past few years. He was bright, charming, and I had high hopes for him. 

You may notice a few unfamiliar faces on campus. The incident is still an open investigation. However, all investigators are required to have a visible badge, please report anyone you see without one. There is no immediate danger, but as a precaution, the school is currently in a lockdown state. The gates are closed and visits into the city will not be permitted at this time. Once the investigation has ended, this privelege will be returned to you.

Additionally, Ashcroft will be enforcing a curfew. Students are expected to be in their dormitories by 10pm, no exceptions. With the ongoing investigation, disobeying new regulations will put other students at risk and may result in your temporary or permanent removal from the school. Out of respect for the seriousness of this situation, I hope you will cooperate.

While safety is our first priority, education is our second. This is why classes will resume on Monday. I will be out of the office this week on business, so any meetings you may have with me are cancelled. Those with access to my office may use it as you wish.

Please leave any questions you have for me in my inbox and I will respond to your letter as quickly as I can.