+ setting +

[vitaelamorte]

+ places to see +

MANSION Entrance Hall Bedrooms Stairs & Halls Library Kitchen Dining Room Tea Rooms Ballroom Music Room Pool Attic Roof Basement

GROUNDS Gardens Hills Fences Vendors Forest Beach Ocean Lake MIRRORS Mirrors Interior Exterior Rabbit Hole

The Map

+ The Mansion + The exterior of the mansion is hard to focus on: like a mirage in the desert, it seems to shift its appearance depending on who's looking at it and what they expect to see. Regardless of the shape of its facade, from the outside it's large, but not imposing. [ ♥ ] The Entrance Hall Boasting a high, domed skylight showing blue skies (despite the fact that there are floors directly above it), the entrance hall has marble walls with solid marble pillars, and is lit by candles that never burn down. They give off the smell of incense. [ ♠ ] The Bedrooms Situated along the long, unending hallways on all ten floors of the Mansion, odd numbers to the left and even to the right, the bedrooms start out very basic. All empty rooms contain one bed, a closet, and a bathroom attached, as well as running water and electricity. Once claimed, however, the room will change to accommodate the person or persons living there, from a traditional Japanese tatami room to a school dormitory room to spaces that don't resemble any world's idea of a traditional bedroom. How do you claim a room? Just pick one that's empty and walk in! It's yours for as long as you choose to stay. The closets respond to your will, as part of an attempt to keep you comfortable and happy. Simply reach into or walk into the closet and think about what you want and it will appear for you. Naturally, you need to know what the item is and picture it in your mind to be able to ask for it. The closets won't fulfill wishes for specific personal items, people and specific animals, money, or intangible objects. Good try, though. [ ♦ ] The Stairs and Hallways The only way from one floor to the next is by the stairs. Can't navigate stairs? Don't worry! If a person who is in a wheelchair or otherwise unable to climb stairs approaches, they will find the flight in front of them turning into a ramp before their eyes. The ramp will extend about the distance of one floor and when no longer needed, it will turn back into stairs. This place is so accommodating, isn't it? ♥ As for the hallways, they're long, lit warmly by the same candles that light the entrance hall. The floors are hard wood and the walls are covered in ornate mirrors of all shapes and sizes, interspersed occasionally by an odd piece of art or two. In another physics-defying move, some hallways have windows spaced along the walls that show picturesque views of the grounds regardless of which side of the mansion they're on or the presence of rooms behind them. [ ♣ ] The Library Like the Mansion, the library's appearance, size, and shape will change depending on who is looking and what he or she is looking for. Sometimes two stories, sometimes three, its shelves contain every book ever written in every world that ever existed. And it's not just books: you'll find everything from microfilm readers to eight-tracks to any other recording device ever invented. Just don't expect it to offer up anything about Wonderland or the Mansion itself, and certainly not anything that will explain how to get out. Though if you look very, very carefully (and ask the moderators ♥), you might find your own story among those on the shelves. [ ♥ ] The Kitchen With ample seating, expansive counters, and cupboards and freezers that hold anything you might need--and plenty of things you don't and never will--the kitchen changes its layout and size from day to day. It's almost impossible to step into the same kitchen twice. It's not fireproof, though, so make sure you note the locations of all fire extinguishers and the exit. The Mansion's garbage chutes all empty out behind the kitchen (ignoring all the laws of physics that this system is breaking), and the refuse disappears at the end of the day. To where? Who knows. [ ♠ ] The Dining Room Don't want to cook or clean up after yourself? Head up to the second floor and take a seat at one of the large tables in the dining room. The room is opulent--vaulted ceiling studded with chandeliers and fine china and silver--but more impressive than that is that the table fills up with food on its own and then clears itself when you're done. Whatever is doing this for you, all you have to do is tell it what you want and leave when you're done. [ ♦ ] The Tea Rooms Located centrally on each floor, near the stairs, the tea rooms offer an ideal setting for small, intimate meetings. Their number changes daily, depending on how many are needed and who wants to use them, and while they'll provide snacks and drinks, don't expect to get a full meal from one. That's what the kitchen and dining room are for. [ ♣ ] The Ballroom The ballroom's high, arching ceilings seem to reach up at least two stories above your head, despite the fact that there are definitely second and third story rooms above this spot. High, wide windows let in sunlight during the day; at night, chandeliers and wall sconces light up with so many candles, it's hard to believe the light isn't from an electric source. The ballroom mainly features during events, but of course you're welcome to use it for parties or games of indoor football or whatever else you can think up. [ ♥ ] The Music Room Somewhere on the first floor--though it might be a bit hard to pin down some days--is the music room. With a fireplace for cold, late nights, a grand piano, and a wall lined with cupboards full of other instruments, music, and tools, this room is a haven for any musician. It's not too well insulated, though, so try not to annoy the neighbors too much. [ ♠ ] The Pool Inexplicably located on the second floor, the pool is heated and lit. How it remains clean and running year round is a mystery, but not one that warrants much investigation. There's also a small sauna room and a hot tub sunk into the floor, along with lounge chairs and a few stray pool toys. If you wake up floating in the water, and your last memory is of swimming in the ocean and being snagged by some creature of the deep, don't fret too much. Just mark one life off of the ones Wonderland has so generously gifted you with. ♥ [ ♦ ] The Attic At the top of the stairs are two doors. The one to the side leads into an extensive but cramped attic, where seemingly useless bric-a-brac has been collected under the Mansion's eaves, forgotten in the dust. Where did it all come from? Years and years worth of departed residents, of course. Don't expect to find much of any value, though. Not unless you like used junk. [ ♣ ] The Roof The second door at the top of the stairs, the one straight ahead, leads out onto a broad, flat section of the roof. It will afford you a panoramic view of Wonderland in all directions, but little else. Don't bother looking for the skylight from the foyer--you won't find it. [ ♥ ] The Basement While there are a few inhabitable rooms near the stairs, complete with the requisite closet and bathroom, the rest of the basement is a honeycomb of hallways and musty storage closets. Look hard enough and you might find a generator and boiler chugging away faithfully, but there's no indication of who or what keeps them running. The only other thing of note in the basement is the entrance to the caves and tunnels that run beneath the grounds. Situated near the stairs, it's easy to find, though the exit, behind and outside of the mansion, isn't as easily located once you're inside.

+ The Grounds + Of course, there's more to Wonderland than just the Mansion. Generally, the weather stays pleasant and the skies remain clear (though exceptions do happen). Seasons change abruptly, all at once in Wonderland, and the temperatures can change overnight, though between these changes they remain steady and pleasant. In the spring and summer, rabbits, squirrels, and all manner of birds can be seen, though they avoid the forest. Where they go in the winter is anyone's guess. For reference of the layout, just consult the map. [ ♥ ] The Gardens In front of the Mansion is a large fountain, populated by water lilies and goldfish. Neatly-trimmed hedges line paths and lawns that wind around the Mansion. To one side is a green house, to the other a stable, and at the edge of the grounds, encroaching slightly on the forest, is a large hedge maze. Behind the Mansion, near one corner of its foundation, is the entrance to a series of underground caves that stretches below most of the grounds. A second exit can be found near the stairs, inside the Mansion's basement. Back above ground, there are a few garden plots here and there, their modest produce tended and harvested by unseen hands. An orchard behind the Mansion yields fruit appropriate to the season, though it's worth wondering if any of it reaches your plate. [ ♠ ] The Checkerboard Hills At the edge of the grounds, across a lush, grassy field, are a series of hills where the grass grows in unmistakable square patches of alternating light and dark green. Not far from the hills is an elongated, misshapen patch of ground where nothing will grow. Loitering too long in its vicinity isn't suggested. Who knows what lingering effects the Jabberwocky might have left behind. [ ♦ ] The Fences Bounding the grounds on two sides, the fences may look ornamental, but they're tall and thick, and no matter how long you walk, you never seem to reach them. You just find yourself back on the paths of the garden, staring at the Mansion's front door. That's fine, though, because there's nothing beyond them worth seeing, is there? [ ♣ ] The Vendors Behind the Mansion, among the orchard trees, are vendor stalls of varying shapes and sizes, selling everything you could possibly imagine and a lot of things you couldn't, from your world and from beyond it. The closets only give you things you already know about; the vendors can provide much more specific and unknown wares for your needs. Their items are of higher quality than those that can be retrieved from the closets, too, but they can get a bit pricey. The vendors are a strange, silent lot wearing motley, shapeless masks. You might just be grateful for those masks if you ever catch sight of a vendor without on; their faces are completely smooth, as featureless as a blank wall. The vendors will take any imaginable currency, but if you don't have any cash in your pocket, not to worry. They'll gladly barter if you have something that interests them. [ ♥ ] The Forest The forest is dark, deep, and not unlovely. It might take you a while to realize that there isn't a single living thing among the trees except yourself, though. The further in you venture, the darker and denser the forest grows, until the light is too dim to see what's in front of you and the brush will keep you from progressing, snagging at your clothes and blocking your path at every turn. The forest is lush, verdant, and absolutely impossible to navigate through to the other side. If there is an other side. Sure, the first five miles or so go okay, but those who try to go much further eventually collapse from dehydration, unable to find the way out, and they wake up in their rooms back at the Mansion, with one less one death to their names. [ ♠ ] The Beach The beach is a broad, empty stretch of sand looking out onto clear blue waters. With very rare exceptions, there are never storms to spoil the sunlight. There's a dock with a few small boats at the edge of the water. Palm trees dot the landward edge of the sand, with beach chairs and umbrellas waiting to be occupied. You'll have to bring your own towels, though. [ ♦ ] The Ocean The ocean seems to stretch into forever--swim out too far, and you'll be dragged under and wake up floating in the indoor pool, no matter how good a swimmer you are. Other than whatever creature keeps you from swimming out too far, the waters are home to colorful fish and there are plenty of shells along the water's edge. [ ♣ ] The Lake The lake has a familiar shape and is flanked by trees with a small boathouse at its north end. It is fed by a small river that runs into the woods, its origin unknown. On some days the lake is clear enough to see all the way to the bottom, on others its waters are murky and dark. Beautiful red water lilies dot the lake's surface, and frogs make themselves at home on big floating leaves. Wander alongside the shore, and sit down on a bench to admire the peaceful sight. Or take a boat, cast a line, and you might even catch a fish!

+ The Mirror side + [ ♥ ] The Mirrors The walls of the Mansion are home to countless mirrors of all shapes and sizes. It's almost impossible to escape them. At first, they seem curious, but probably not sinister. What isn't readily apparent is that beyond every mirror--every reflective surface, really--is the Mirror Universe, also called the Mirror side. It is exactly as it sounds: a mirrored version of the Mansion, complete with mirrored versions of every character residing in Wonderland. They are identical in appearance, but differ in personality. Some are polar opposites, but this is not always the case. Many simply have some very crucial personality traits reversed. Deep down though, they are all recognizable as alternates of the original characters. They exist to serve and obey the Queen of Hearts. Or else. ♥ For a full explanation of the Mirror side's mechanics, check the mirroruniverse community's profile page. [ ♠ ] The Mirror Side Interior The Mirror side Mansion looks exactly the same as the Real Mansion, in reverse, except for a few things. First, there are the Queen's chambers, which do not exist on the Real side and have no equivalent space. (The other residents, like the Dormouse and the Cheshire Cat, also have their quarters on the Mirror side. Mirrors cannot find these without the prior invitation of the resident in question.) Second, the space that is the ballroom on the Real side is the Queen's throne room on the Mirror side. It is separate from her quarters. Third, the Mirror side tunnels lead to a series of dungeons that would give the Inquisition nightmares. Finally, somewhere on the fifth floor (usually), as close to the physical, three-dimensional center of the Mirror side Mansion as possible, is a room filled with blinding white light. It's best to stay away from it. ♥ [ ♦ ] The Mirror Side Exterior Wonderland on the Mirror side differs in three ways from the Real side. First, the grounds are in black and white. Only the Mirror side mansion and its contents--mirrors and residents included--are in color. Second, the seasonal animals that inhabit the Real side grounds don't exist on the Mirror side. Third, Wonderland on the Mirror side only extends to the edges of the gardens; there is no Mirror side beach, no checkerboard hills, and no forest. [ ♣ ] The Rabbit Hole Mirror characters can cross over at will (with the Queen's permission, of course), simply by stepping through the mirrors. For the real things it isn't so easy. But it isn't entirely impossible, either. The Rabbit Hole is a path between the Mirror side and the Real mansion. It is the only thing that remains of the deceased White Rabbit: a path he created. However, it is not so easy to get to as it may sound. The Rabbit Hole constantly changes location and if you found it in one place before, you can guarantee that it will never be there again. The Residents all have instinctive knowledge of where it is, where it was, and where it is going to be, so if you obtain their help, they will lead you to the Rabbit Hole. The Rabbit Hole currently cannot be found any other way, so you may not stumble upon it by accident without mod permission.

Navigation ♦ SETTING ♠ RESIDENTS ♥ STORYLINE ♣ BULLETIN BOARD ♥ entranceway ♣ mirroruniverse ♦ entranceooc ♠ ♥ entrancelogs ♣ entranceworks ♦