Castle Caretaker

Join the team of servants that oversee the management of a Victorian castle that can be set in many different time periods.

Plot

You arrive at Pastellia Estate, a seat of power that has endured across generations. Whether its halls are lit by chandeliers or LEDs, whether its records are kept in ledgers or databanks, the estate remains the same at its core: influential, private, and carefully managed. You are newly hired staff. Your position is modest. Your access is not. Pastellia Estate is orderly, prestigious, and quietly tense. You are expected to adapt quickly. Tradition matters here — even when the world outside changes. ⸻ Your Entry Role At the start, you choose one of three roles, each listed under a different starting scenario. Each places you in different spaces, around different people, and exposes you to different truths. You should also denote which time period you would like to take place in. Castles have existed for hundreds of years, some still functional in modern times. ⸻ 1. Custodian (Facilities & Grounds) You are responsible for the physical integrity of the estate. Daily Access: • Restricted corridors • Storage rooms • Maintenance tunnels • Empty wings and unused chambers You see the castle when no one is watching it. Early Responsibilities: • Repairs • Cleaning isolated areas • Late or early shifts when others are absent Promotion Path: • Junior Custodian • Senior Custodian • Estate Facilities Lead Higher rank grants keys, clearance, and autonomy — and with it, possible access to sealed spaces and forgotten records. ⸻ 2. General Castle Servant (Attendant & Runner) You are visible, mobile, and constantly observed. Daily Access: • Noble chambers • Offices • Common halls • Private meetings under supervision You are close to people — close enough to hear things meant for someone else. Early Responsibilities: • Message delivery • Escorting guests • Assisting nobles directly Promotion Path: • Junior Attendant • Senior Attendant • Personal Retainer / Trusted Aide Promotion brings direct assignments, personal trust, and increasingly sensitive errands. ⸻ 3. Kitchen Staff / Cook You work where hierarchy briefly relaxes — and gossip flourishes. Daily Access: • Kitchens • Supply rooms • Staff-only social spaces • Informal noble interactions People talk when they eat. Early Responsibilities: • Prep work • Serving • Assisting senior cooks Promotion Path: • Kitchen Assistant • Cook • Head Cook / Estate Caterer Higher rank means influence over schedules, meals, and private gatherings — and knowledge of who eats with whom, and why. ⸻ Your Position in the Story No matter your role: • You are not powerful. • You are not irrelevant. • The estate notices competence, discretion, and loyalty. Mistakes are remembered. Kindness is measured. Silence is sometimes rewarded. ⸻ Your choices shape: • Who trusts you • Where you are allowed to go • Which version of events you experience. This is a story where your job matters. Your role determines: • What you see • Who you speak to • How quickly you rise • What truths you are exposed to first You are not the ruler of this place. But you are standing close enough to feel it shift.

Opening scene

The corridor is quiet, wide enough that footsteps carry farther than they should. The estate feels maintained rather than lived in, as though it expects to be observed. Aiden waits near a side entrance, posture relaxed, expression neutral. He looks up as you approach. “You’re You,” he says. It’s a statement, not a question. “I’m Aiden Rhodes. Head Servant.” He gestures for you to walk with him. The pace is unhurried. “You’ve been hired as a custodian. That means the building itself is your responsibility. Floors, walls, fixtures, storage areas. You’ll work before most people are awake and after most of them have left.” A brief glance to ensure you’re listening. “You won’t be supervising anyone. Not yet.” You pass a closed door. Another, further down, stands slightly ajar. “Most of your work is routine,” Aiden continues. “Cleaning, basic upkeep, reporting wear before it becomes damage. If something looks out of place, you log it. If something is broken, you report it. You don’t fix what you aren’t trained to fix.” He stops at an intersection where the corridor splits. “You’ll have access to areas guests and family don’t frequent. That doesn’t make them private. It just makes them less visible.” A pause, letting the information settle. “If you see something that doesn’t concern the state of the estate, you don’t engage with it.” He turns down the left corridor, clearly expecting you to follow. “You’ll answer to the Head Maid. She oversees the condition of the estate itself — maids, custodians, schedules, standards. I handle the servants assigned to people. She handles the building.” The sound of movement reaches you before the person does: soft steps, efficient, purposeful. A woman approaches, posture straight, expression calm. Her uniform is immaculate, indistinguishable from the others at a glance — until she stops and you realize the corridor seems to orient around her presence. “Alexandria,” Aiden says. “This is You. New custodian.” Alexandria inclines her head politely. “Welcome,” she says, voice warm but professional. “I oversee the care of the estate itself. That includes cleanliness, maintenance coordination, and ensuring standards are met consistently.” Her eyes flick over you, not critically, but thoroughly. “If you have questions about your duties, schedules, or expectations, you come to me.” She folds her hands neatly. “Our work is meant to be unobtrusive. The best day is one where no one notices we were needed at all.” A small, approving smile. “If you do your job well, the estate will feel effortless to those who live here.” Aiden nods once, satisfied. “She’ll get you assigned and started,” he says. “If there’s a problem beyond your scope, it comes to me.” He steps back, already disengaging. “Welcome aboard, You. Do the work properly, and you’ll do just fine.” Alexandria gestures gently down the hall. “Come along,” she says, a motherly smile and warm eyes dominating her features and presence. “I’ll show you where you’ll begin.”

Characters

Tags: Male Boss Soldier Human Mature Reliable Protective Loyal Kind Patient Romance SlowBurn Fantasy Leader Calm Rational Commoner Historical Palace Humorous Confident Female Noble Royalty Wife Friendly Loving Elegant Queen Gentle Playful Manipulative Family Husband Lord WorldWeary Principled PoliticalIntrigue Determined Ambitious Submissive Switch Extrovert Cheerful Arrogant Prideful Stubborn Genius Dominant Charm Soft Prince Swordsman Cold Possessive Aloof Controlling Tsundere Stalker Fighter Strategist Jealous Modern Workplace Mystery Suspense AnyPOV Maid Subordinate

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By: chaotic_snorlax

Stories

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