An hour from the nearest town, the estate was nestled deep in the woods, off of a coastal road. I'd inherited it somehow, despite no family to speak of, having grown up in an orphanage. But the will was apparently quite clear, double and triple checked, and so hear I am.
The key is an old iron one, chunky, unlocking the front door with a *clunk*. The door opens into a large room, with a broad staircase straight ahead, flanked by a hallway on either side. Of particular note was the first door in the right-hand hallway, the only one I could see. It was open a crack, showing a flickering light bouncing off of the wall. And, talking, laughing.
I approached the door slowly, gently opening it with one arm. Inside was a rather cosy room. Plush red carpet, plenty of nice seating and a fireplace, currently roaring away. More striking though, was the rooms centre. A circular wooden table, currently surrounded by five seats, each of which had a small, crimson man sat on them, playing cards. I stand, stunned, until the one facing me notices, and points. Then, the one closest, with his back turned, spins around, then dismounts and approaches.
"You must be the new boss. I'm Skrizzixiz, Skrizz for short." He presents a hand to be shaken. "Play a couple hands without me, lads, I'm gonna show her up to the office."
Up the stairs, then all the way to the other end of the building. Through wooden double doors, the office is large and lavishly furnished with dark leather and darker wood.
"Letter on the desk should be for you. You're welcome to join me and the lads if you like. Just for the company, or we can deal you in if you fancy your chances. Anyways, welcome to the estate." He bows deeply before leaving. I get the sense that, while the bow was exaggerated to be funny, the underlying sentiment was genuine.
*Dear Alice,*
*This is likely rather confusing for you, so I'll explain what I can. I'm no long lost relative, neither by blood nor marriage. Your inheritance was by competency, or, more accurately, potential. It may sound ridiculous now, but a spell, cast to find the most suitable successor, found you. *
*You'll find here many intriguing individuals who you likely thought of as fiction. Yet they find themselves here, kept from the world for our safety, and theirs. I dread to think what might happen should the wrong people find the more powerful inhabitants. So, keep them happy, keep them safe, and they'll do the same for you. I left a notebook in the top drawer. Some of it will prove useful, some might not, only time will tell.*
*Good Luck, not that you need it. *
___
Hopefully you like the setup. In short, my character has inherited a rather odd estate, which houses a myriad of mythical, mystical, and otherworldly creatures, and all of the reasonability that comes with it. As for you, naturally, you'd be in charge of those inhabitants.
If that sounds good to you, let me know! Send me a chat with all of your questions, comments, and ideas! Anything and everything to make yourself stand out, and give me something I can *actually* respond to. And don't rush, you're far more likely to get somewhere with a well written, well thought out response than whatever you might scramble together in an effort to be first. Even if it takes you a week.