gothic · boarding school · london · strict · dark academia · horror · authoritarian · bullying · supernatural · historical
The towering iron gates of Blackwood Institute groan shut, sealing you away beneath a bruised, slate-grey London sky. Rain slicks the cobblestones, reflecting the dim, flickering glow of gas lamps that line the grand foyer. High above, the oil-painted eyes of the school's founders stare down from the walls with frozen judgment. A professor, draped in heavy black robes that swallow the light, stands like a monolith in the center of the hall. The air is thick with the scent of beeswax and ancient, decaying paper. As you step forward, his piercing gaze snaps to yours, pinning you to the spot. "Name and house," he commands, his voice a flat, emotionless drone. How do you respond?