☆ Event: A Tale of Two Cities

[faileas]

Event Log: September, A Tale of Two Cities

I. THE TRIP OUT On Septeril 5th, those who've agreed to go as dignitaries to Dorchacht will meet with Nerissa Bell in the Coven's foyer. Given the group is a little large, and the boat they've procured for the voyage would be a little crowded with all of them on it, she suggests there be two groups: the first one will go now and will return around the middle of the month, while the second will depart a few days after the first group returns, just to give them some breathing room. a. DIGNITARY: THE SHIP Those joining Nessie are led to the docks, where an old ship is being scrapped down, barnacles removed and hull shined to perfection. Sailors call to and fro from on board, buckets of water thrown off the side away from the docks and there's a tingle of nervous excitement from the gathering crowds come to wish the dignitaries and ambassadors a bon voyage. She's of a medium size, able to hold her crew and half of the assigned dignitaries with little trouble, and from top to bottom the moose-like Faun of a captain calls her a seaborn miracle; short of a sea wyrm, she's never faltered nor fled the waves, but he'll admit that she's been more a fishing boat than anything the past couple years. Judging from the way his tuffed tail lashes in excitement, he's thrilled to be out on a real voyage again -- even if it's to those notoriously unfriendly blokes 'round the corner of the map, haven't been in decades time and they've always been up their own arses about this and that. While dignitaries are supposed to relax the best they can on the four day trip, the captain doesn't seem to mind offering work to those interested in learning the way of the sea or with the know-how already, eagerly asking the Mirrorbound about their experiences beyond the glass... much more than he is about talking about himself outside of his ship, who he loves a great deal and sings the praises of up and down the hour, through sea shanty and spoken word. His large antlers don't seem to get in the way of his work nor bar him from getting in and out his quarters, but watch out! They are large and they do hurt. All's not well going to and from Dorchacht, though, as while the waters are safer than the land by far, there's plenty of dangers within the deep: Infected Merrow swim in the shallows, singing sweetly from rocks that jut out at the shore, and some more adventurous ones try their luck closer to the boat too. The captain's Navigator, a Witch with just as rowdy an attitude if more polite a tone, can manage a deafening spell on the ship to keep any from falling seaward, but asks that those who can to rid the ship of those terrible pests, whether by cannon, magic, or something else similarly ranged. Oh, it'd be perfectly alright if they killed them, plenty of them out here in the sea and growing ever more, but if they simply want to scare them off then by all means! There's also all manner of sea beasts as well, from krakens on the smaller side to the mentioned sea wyrms earlier, though the captain'll say that they're just babies compared to the mother he'd faced last year -- still troublesome little bastards, best put down before they're drowned themselves, but nothing to turn tail at. Outside of these... troubles... there's disorderly sailors of Monster and Witch alike, the former being compromised primarily of Turnskin and Faun for heavy lifting, with a Harpy in the crow's nest to help with speed, and the latter being those specializing in Divination and Astrology for directions, as well as some elemental manipulation from the Evocation course. Unlike the proper Coven trained, they seem like they're a little more unconventional with their magics, using "shortcuts" and combining spells to great effect. When they're not on the clock as it were they enjoy a great deal of ale, howling stories and song, pushing each other around whilst the journey's bright and startlingly serious when things turn south. Be careful you don't get in a fight, or perhaps you'd like to show your stuff in a little competition: They're willing to do anything to pass the time. b. ESPIONAGE: THE DEVICE Upon hearing that there are some who would be interested in investigating the device that Mhairi mentioned, a young Witch opens up the room it's being stored in now to allow them a chance to check it out. They warn that it isn't particularly cooperative, but maybe those with some knowledge of magitech - or their world's equivalent - might be able to help? While not exactly the largest device around, it's one that stands out. Something resembling a Tesla coil stands atop the piece of tech, tall enough to almost reach the ceiling of the rather tall room, and various dials and knobs and gauges adorn the outside of it. Those who are perceptive to magic - training in detection spells, or who have a good sense for it, or even a sixth sense for something poised to happen - will be able to note that there's a sort of... presence in the room. It continues to build up, the more people that come in to investigate. Anyone that tinkers with it, has active magitech on their person, or even uses magic in it, only help to build the sensation. And then, when enough Mirrorbound of both the Witch and Monster persuasion are in the room - A whirring noise fills the room, as the device comes to life. There isn't any time to vacate the room, because whether it was an intentional thing to activate the teleporter or not, it's activated. The intention of using it for travel to Dorchacht remains embedded in it, and from one moment to the next, the group in the room find themselves not in the Coven, but in the midst of trees. All around you is the forest just beneath the cliffs outside of Dorchacht. In the distance, if one looks hard enough, they might be able to spot the Black City itself. Besides the storage room of the Coven vanishing in a flash of light and electricity, the device is absent, too. Some of its smaller parts can be found scattered in the craggy grass at your feet, in the roots of trees, as if it completely fell apart the moment that the magic was activated. Whatever you had on your person, when you left? It's all that you have, now. And there's no way back from here. (Notes: Some small reminders - the boats take 2 days to reach Dorchacht, meaning they take 2 days to come back as well, and the teleportation device used by the espionage team is a one-time use only. The espionage team will be able to return to Aefenglom at the end of the month courtesy of some inside help, using a similar device that managed to bring them there in the first place. The Watches can be used on the ship, but are prone to static and dropping calls. Communication is possible from Dorchacht, though voice and video both feel a little muffled.)

II. DORCHACHT It's déjà vu. While Aefenglom is known for its dusk-hued skies, made of lustrous pinks and purples and blues, this city is dreary to the core. The streets are covered in a perpetual fog, not unlike the city you hail from, but thicker, denser, tinged with the flavor of industrial smog from the factories whose spires you can see in the distance. Magitech lights - lanterns above doors, street posts, flickering in the windows you pass - illuminate everything throughout the entire day, as if the sunshine can't reach through the foreboding fog nor the onyx walls. Even the windows are barred, offering a paranoid protection against the outside world. Doors seem hardier, and each building is reinforced and protected in a way that may feel familiar to those that have encountered the protective magic wards. They're heavier, leaving an almost ominous presence that causes unease to hang just as heavy in the air as the smog. The people of this city are just as dreary as the streets, though they do mill about with the same frequency as any city. Those from Aefenglom may recognize familiar faces, and they might find themselves looking twice at you, as if some part of them remembers you as well. Something seems... off, however. There are fewer Monsters in the streets than there were in the dream, though it isn't too hard to catch a glimpse of one here and there. The streets even seem a little more cleaned up than they once were, as one makes their way down them. At the heart of the city, dignitaries will be brought to the Coven. There, they're greeted by a slender and elegant woman, eyes bright and clever, but just as sharp as the red-lined smile that she offers her visitors. "Nerissa Bell," she begins, tone polite if clipped. There's the sense of a woman who won't waste words from her person, and she turns her eyes towards the dignitaries. "You must be the charges she spoke of. Mirrorbound, they call you?" A shallow inclination of her head, barely called respectful, as she smiles wider, in a way that would be kind if knives were made to be dull. "A pleasure. I am Morgana Drummond, head of the Coven here, and I welcome you to my city of Dorchacht, the safest haven against the Cwyld across all of our poor Geardagas." a. THE COVEN Morgana Drummond gives them a quick tour of their facilities, speaking lightly of the curriculum they have here that differs from Aefenglom's own (more of a focus in manipulation spells, be it the sort of commands that have become such a familiar sight to things such as perception and "paths" that can be seen through scrying, the other areas of practice more of "extra" than essentials) as well as allowing them to peek in on some lessons taking place. They won't be able to interact, but it is admittedly of a higher feel than what Aefenglom asks, though it's simply the seriousness of the atmosphere giving that impression. After showing them to where they'll be staying within the Coven's hospitality as well as mentioning the areas of their infirmary, library, and welcoming the Witches to try a hand at their lessons, she and Nerissa part from the characters as a whole to discuss the business of the month. There is a notable increase in guards, both around Morgana's person even within the Coven's walls, as well as the building itself. They seem to be in the business of keeping people on a kind of "railroaded" layout of the Coven building, but can be distracted for a quick peek -- the real help comes from those with triple stars hidden in plain sight, beneath the brims of hats and worn as idly jewelry and easily missed charms. These sympathizers will actively seek those out to speak with them, to let them know that even here there are those that would like to see change brought to Dorchacht, and assist in entering places that Mirrorbound otherwise would not be able to enter. Such as the library here, which contain higher level spells including the enchantments specific to the city walls. The history is just as muddled as it is in the later mentioned public library, the "when"s being vague and the like, but depicts Drummond's rise as the head of the Coven: She came to Dorchacht on a ship hailing from Aefenglom along with a number of other Witches and rose above the rest to become the esteemed leader she is now. Without her, many of the text will agree, Dorchacht would not be as it is now. Those with any notable signs of infection may be asked to step aside and allow Dorchacht's Witches to give them a check up -- better safe than sorry -- and this goes for Witches and Monsters alike. They'll be brought to the double doors that were so heavily secure within the dream, whether they'd like to be or not, and escorted inside. b. THE CITY Unlike the dream, things seem to be more... well-behaved. Auctions have been moved from the pavilion and in its place are genuine vendors to purchase from: Food, clothing, toys, trinkets, protective spell scrolls, all manners of things. There's still Monsters around, a little more tidy than before, but they hold the same stares they had in the dream, pinched expression and disinterested in conversation. There are signs that lead way to auctions if one is truly curious to see the extent of that terror, to gain insight on the situation there, but tailing someone might be hard within the twisting turns of the new bazaar. Another notable part of the city that can be accessed by those dealing in espionage include the barracks if they pose as hopefuls to join their ranks as handlers for their Monsters, which are collared in a familiar way to the dream, and seem reactionary to quick movements -- they're explained to be the essential frontline of what constitutes as a military force, very important, Mirrorbound Monsters beware you not suffer the same fate. The next place one might seek out is the library: While this is all deemed public knowledge, it offers insight into the kind of history and mindset that's been bred the past decade at minimum. Books regarding the dangers of Monsters, how to care and train them, practical spellbooks for those untrained by the Coven proper... The history books themselves are vague in regards to the "when" of things, and seem to be more contemporary in comparison to how old the city feels itself. There's a variety of more cultural knowledge such a cookbooks (including those dealing with monster parts) and floriography (more dour meanings compared to Aefenglom's flurous), but the relevant ones have been noted thusly. c. THE RESISTANCE Whether you're espionage or dignitary, those seeking the Resistance know what to look for: a trio of stars (some worn more openly than others), protests against the city's treatment of Monsters, and dispelling runes on the walls. Once proven that you're friend over foe, they're more than happy to have the assistance of any Mirrorbound in their company: A fight against the current practices is a fight they're for, after all. Riot! Disrupt the peace! The auctions, while a little more downplayed than in the dream, are still going, and the Resistance has good word on where they're being held in the grand city. Their goal? To cause a disturbance big enough to distract, but not big enough to catch Drummond's eye... that said, with her having to play the nice host to Aefenglom's associates within the main building, there's more to get away with. Free the Monsters! Whilst distracted, other members of the Resistance plan to dispel the runes in certain areas and smuggle off what Monsters they can, valuing quantity over quality. While the more mind-broken may resist heavily, it won't be hard to find Monsters of all kinds (save Dragons and Fae, which are notably absent from the auctions and city in general) accepting help to escape, eager to think for themselves once more. Find a way for them to escape the city safely, but know that the docks are heavily guarded in case of stowaways. Free the city! Kind of. A third party of Resistance members are looking to weaken the enchantment on the wall of Dorchacht itself, meaning they'll be looking for those brave enough to tread outside the city and into the Wilde just beyond its protective gates to take a look at and inscribe runes to hopefully diminish the compulsion in place right now. It won't be immediate, but it'll help in the future... just be careful, there's plenty of danger beyond the wall to contend with. As an interesting note, while the Resistances' bonded pairs are definitely unlike Dorchacht's compulsion-based ones, they're not exactly like Aefenglom's either: They call themselves comrades and partners, brothers/sisters in arms, giving it more of an equality forged from the same brass than something to do with convenience. (Notes: Those being willing, or unwilling, participants in the check-ups may reply to the top level there with how visibly infected they are for a special treat! Only for this month.)

III. AEFENGLOM Preparations for Meán Fómhair begin before Nerissa and the dignitaries head off on the 5th, but they seem a little quick even for the ever-festive people of Aefenglom: Apples begin the appear in great quantities to be used for later, some yellowed versus the red ripeness one thinks of when they're ready, there's hay bales tucked safely away for the days of, and there's little conversation to be made save for how things might be going in Dorchacht, though if any of the Mirrorbound try to join in they'll change the subject to Meán Fómhair in a split second, smiles thrown wider than the weeks before. Seems all is not quite as well as they'd like to appear. a. MARKET UP With the Parliament tense and looking westward, there starts to be gradual, but steady, increases in new appearances from some interesting individuals about the city. At face value they're no different than the vendors already found in great quantities, human and Monster alike, but one look at their wares proves different. The goblin market, as it's familiarly called, is somewhat accepted by the Parliament as something allowed to exist as part of their mercantile culture with Coven-approved medicines, alchemical practices, enchantments, so on and so forth, and only somewhat thanks to these known wares. Beneath these, with a dropped word or a curious eye, one can find things that are more than likely not sanctioned by either branch, things the vendors say can sate Monster and Witch alike without need of a Bond, though they decline to include the fact that such things are only temporary and that, like all hits, they'll need to come back for a greater quantity to get the satisfaction they need. Overpriced as they are (due to their private nature, it's high risk, surely they understand), they sell Monster parts of most kinds, Witch's Blood that may or may not be genuine, and what they call "extra strength" potions to mimic the feeling of a temporary bond without needing a second person to partake -- of course, you're welcome to share it, the more the merrier. However, this market hides a darker side, known more to those living among the aristocracy or who have the money and means to it, and characters are more likely to find themselves led there one way or another -- be it kidnapped or tricked, the black market isn't picky about how they drag their targets in. While Aefenglom prides itself in its fairness and equality, as in example with the goblin market not all is what it promises. Nowhere else is this more true than with the black market itself, using techniques familiar in Dorchacht to control their living wares, emboldened by the absence and turned heads of the government while remaining as discreet as they can be, they've ascended from the tunnels beneath Aefenglom to turn old houses into private auctions and the more deserted streets into bazaar-like adventures. Not all of these are unwilling wares, characters may find, and drawn by necessity for their own well-being or for their family's, but it's clear that a greater number are those from the Outer City. b. PROPAVANDALS Unbeknownst to Aefenglom's higher ups, Dorchacht has sympathizers of its own within this city's walls. While Bonds haven't been specifically dissuaded against, given that there's alternatives to the more permanent tethers, not all are in favor of changing completely. It's been ten years since Miss Bell gained her seating, such citizens'll say, and there's been decades prior where they hadn't needed that. That Monsterkind and Witches could be, and sometimes were better off, apart. Home remedies and extra practice, or finding a substitute, was all that was needed. More privately and growing in whispered popularity, that there ought to be more restrictions on the two in general. Once these words have started, both conversations planted as well as encouraged for thoughts already leaning a certain way, small attacks on those Bonded being to occur. They target the main populace and those with connections to the Coven itself, especially the Mirrorbound given Nerissa's alleged responsibility to them, and it seems they're well-practiced in hiding their activities because all investigations done towards the perpetrators, whether done by the Mirrorbound or officials themselves, will lead to only dead-ends outside the City. The culprits are hard to catch on foot, using the environment they'd grown up with to their advantage in escaping any manner of way -- it isn't just humans, but Monsters causing trouble as well -- but it isn't impossible... Just that they refuse anything but their right of silence on the accusations, claiming they'd had no part in anything, regardless of what proof might be found. The attacks and vandalism itself range from harmful messages appearing with magic on walls and doors, vaguely threatening letters written in ink that evaporates in sunlight, to fruit thrown and possessions left in tatters after breaking and entering. They don't stop at residential houses either, aiming for businesses held by those with any connection to the Coven, held by those with Bonds, and seek to cause any number of annoyance and distaste to those they attack. If it weren't for their Bonds, their Coven connections, they wouldn't be treated this way. That's the message they seek to send. c. UNEASY FESTIVITIES Come Septeril 21st, and lasting til the 23rd, Meán Fómhair is tentatively in full swing. The residents of Aefenglom are more on edge than during previous festivals save the red-hued Lithia, even once the first dignitary group has returned and the second left. There's barrels of apples decorating the street corners, but they don't seem as plentiful as they should. The games have a forced cheerfulness about them too, the unaffected being children who gleefully take part in each race, each competition, as well as the doctors with their cure-alls and promises of something to promote the harvest's delight, peddling medicine and medical advice to all who lend an ear with earnest grins and a profit to be made. The medicines are largely placebos with some possible side-effects for those that aren't, such as voice changes and intense cravings for various foods, but they seem to be very popular this year -- there's at least a couple merchants talking up the good fortune Dorchacht's stress has brought this year to one another, quieting down when they catch outsiders eavesdropping. With the continued attacks on those Bonded and Coven-affiliated, with one of their Speakers across the continent and the other sorely wrapped in Parlimentary business dealing with the attacks, the city holds its breath and tries to endure. Tries to be bright and cheerful while keeping obvious supplies behind their counters, to keep fright from their expressions and mind lest it invite the Cwyld to their midst, and ultimately drawing apart from one another in a time where unity is more than needed: Time will tell what actions might sew shut the new wound struck across Aefenglom.

Welcome to September's event log! The questions thread is split into two this time: one for Dorchacht, which can be found HERE, and one for Aefenglom, which can be found HERE. Please keep questions to their respective cities! This'll help both us and your fellow players in sorting information. Additionally, this event is a little special - we've prepare an OOC post to go along with it. Check it out over HERE - don't forget about it, as it'll help us see how things'll progress in the cities!

Comments

[whattaprick]

Wrong account, but fantastic! Thank you so much mods. :>

[starseedling]

"I tried that for a little while!" he says, only really remembering about it now. "I... didn't really keep it up. Pearl taught me."

He looks around the illusory image that still surrounds them, of the beach house. It makes his heart hurt.

"Pearl is like... one of my moms, kind of," he says. That's the easiest way to describe it.

[weirdnecro]

Me too. [She'd rather stay alive, thank you very much!]

If you want to show off, I'm not going to quibble.

[She grinned, even as she moved to start circling around the boxes and the dirt, humming under her breath. Well-she was prepping to have those teleported so he wouldn't have to worry about carrying the planters. Smarter that way!]

I'll take for being tied to you. I'll teleport the planters up top, and all you have to do is worry about me bumping into you-and flirting with you too much.

[freeing]

I've been across many lands, ser. Many lands that do not grow flowers as beautiful as yours, vines as encompassing as what shields us, or roots that dig as deep. Do you know why? Heat. Too much can kill anything.

[ There was plenty of it. Many that puts a threat to many causes they were brought here for. Part of her is envious – jealous he can act so easily while she shields herself and acts as kindly as she can. Ignores the chained children and tightening shackles of monsters outside of the Coven walls. All because she was pleaded to – to not start war.

Daenerys wants to advert her gaze when he bundles the roses and soon offers them. She grows angry so easily in moments like this – but this gesture tugs at her nature enough to return her back to the gentle heart she has. Not one hardened.

She is hesitant to accept the offering, slowly she reaches forward to grasp onto it firmly – still holding it with him. ]

I hope it inspires only those we want it to inspire, then.

[weirdnecro]

"Oh, did you?" Oh. Well oops. She didn't mean to do that, but she guessed if her name was Pearl and he thought of a pearl stitch...

Welp. She reached out then, and patted his hair gently. Carefully, avoiding brushing against anything sensitive. Just hair touching, tentative hair touching.

"Maybe it's because you didn't have a project in mind, or maybe because you didn't have the attention for it. I know there's a lot of things I could have done when I was younger that I couldn't concentrate on. Pearl is...kind of like an aunt? Aunt mom?"

She considered, and decided. What the heck. Maybe it'll help him forget. "I had a...dad, kind of."

[freeing]

Nor have I.

[ The wares here? And shopping? It was all work for her handmaidens. Dany still feels there has been some attention drawn on her – mainly, her own anger snapping fiercely. His question does make her perk a brow, curious and soon trying to piece together his plan. There's a nod. ]

There is a shop for soups and stews not far from here. I've missed lunch and – goodness, that sounds quite filling. Shall we go together?

[weirdnecro]

Poor angel, completely wrecked from having to get into the frey like this. Maybe it was for the best that Sokie decided to boss him around and tell him what he had to do. It's true; they're under pressure and they have to get these monsters settled if they want to hide them from sight.

"If you can't get it the first time, then you'll have to do it again." Sokie told him; in contrast she was calm as she finished her chanting and rune tracing, the shield snapping around around the pair of them.

"Because if they're awake, then we'll have to leave them behind."

[starseedling]

People pat his hair all the time, so it fits right in. It's probably the combination of being so short and having such luxurious curls. He gives her a bittersweet smile.

"Kind of... It's more like... Pearl was my mom's other true love?" Definitely not sisters, that's for sure. "So, she was there the whole time I was growing up, even though mom wasn't. The other true love was my dad."

Rose Quartz loved a lot of people... theoretically...

"What do you mean 'kind of'?" He sounds concerned. That phrasing could be very sad.

[weirdnecro]

Really, it's amazing how luxurious his hair is. When she tries to grow her curls out, they just frizzle.

"So it was...the two loves of your mother's life raising you." Yikes. That sounded like a stress and a half. And that was without knowing how charming Rose Quartz could be.

"It's...well. It's kind of complicated with how it started. My parents-I wasn't the only child by a long shot. But one day, this man came to our farm, and he knew that if I stayed, I would be in...a lot of danger. I had very strong magic you see, and it would only get stronger. So...he asked to take me away. And my parents agreed."

[weirdnecro]

[Sokie just offered the dragon a bland smile, and a slow drop of the arm. She was being polite, not being intimidated by the royal title. She'd known a few in her time, and if Morgana wasn't styling herself as a Queen, then she clearly was blind.

Their witch friend glances between them, before nodding.

"I'd be happy to show you the sights. There are some things the Coven wouldn't show you, for one reason or another." ]

Thank you. We're grateful for the tour.

[weirdnecro]

If it helps, Russia is cold. You'd see piles of snow taller then a man on horseback, and your beard would sport ice.

[He'd still want to go there. She knows he'd want to go, because she wanted to, and did. Egypt...she sighed in longing. She'd love to be there now, and hear the shouts of so many people, tourists and locals alike milling in market.]

There's too much to see in Egypt, that's why. I'm not surprised-going to Egypt feels like a dream come true.

[She makes a soft noise, her hands going back to the prow. She wants to climb it. Dare she risk the shouts of the crew? She's getting more and more tempted despite herself.]

But...it is a shame. They're all so afraid of infection that they're just...stuck. The city is nice and all, but what about the rest of the world?

We wouldn't even be going out here if it wasn't for diplomancy's sake.

[And that's a real shame.]

[niespodzianka]

[ If anyone's going to get into a fight in here, it's going to be against a Cwyld tentacle monster that leaps from a bath drain. Which I will refrain from writing ... PROBABLY ]

It's just me. [ 'What is this.' ] Turn around.

[ So he can do this properly. Once she does, he brings his other hand up to her opposite shoulder, and elaborates. ]

Dunno how I was born. I'm a witcher. We're changed as children, so that we can fight things that kill humans.

[niespodzianka]

[ Geralt lacks a lot of fine control with his magic here, an unfortunate change from his surgical precision with witcher signs, but he's adaptable. What he lacks in detail he makes up with in strategy - a forceful bubble of a shield expands then contracts, sweeping the burning bodies of the aggressive r.o.u.ses up and slamming them into the tree.

Another push, and that's about that - the flames dwindle to nearly nothing, just a smolder. Geralt approaches and slams his heel down on the head of one remaining animal, killing it, and stamping out a flicker of fire.

Things go quiet.

At least his senses are as sharp here as they are at home. His eyes shift, almost fully black to take in detail in the dark, scanning the area for more disturbances. ]

[niespodzianka]

[ All women are beautiful, though. Men are collectively unfortunate. Geralt knows these things. Source: is male.

He lets out a rough exhale, implying a laugh. ]

You'd have to get clay like covering a hole in a wall.

[ His scars aren't the pockmarks of acne or fever, but the leavings of wounds that would have been fatal on a normal human. Valleys of deadened flesh, some still ugly and red, made by things so magical or so toxic that his skin will never return to a 'normal' pigment or texture. ]

[weirdnecro]

[She'd smack his butt for that. In a good and bad way because...well because. She made a rude noise under her breath, and brought a soapy hand to lightly graze over the teeth scar on the shoulder.

It's a testament of strength, she thinks, but that's not here nor there.]

It wouldn't be that bad. But it'd be more difficult to see through then illusion. Witches and monsters can see through that.

[She gives the back of his head a good scratching. Just because.]

Because I'm not giving you my don't notice me spell.

[partnerinheels]

[It's both mildly intriguing and also terrifying at the same time. What kind of baths are these?!

She makes a soft noise at his answer and request, clearly still curious on the matter. Still, she turns around, swallowing a tickle in her throat as his other hand joins the task.]

That's quite a bit of responsibility to place on a child. [There's experience in her voice, empathy too.] Things... Like monsters? [No judgment from her.]

[fieryimpulse]

Well, yes. We did scare them. And the only thing else I could think to do would be to behead one and leave it outside as a warning, and that's frowned upon.

[Also they aren't monkeys.]

soren being harassed by kids is too cute...

[topslug]

[ Adjusting to a new Bond so soon after losing her last one feels a little strange — should she have waited longer for Ritsu to come back, perhaps? It’s not as though he’s passed away for her to mourn — but it makes it easier, that it’s Soren, someone she already trusts and has an easy affection for. He’s a kinder person than he’d like to give the impression of being, and small though it is, she’s happy she can provide him with support in this tangible way.

She’s been focused on enchanting another charm for light when she catches that twinge of distress over their Bond. It doesn’t feel like a matter of life and death, but she’ll wrap up her business quickly nonetheless, raising her head to see ... ah.

The first, reactionary twinge of emotion is amusement and affection at seeing Soren thus besieged, though she’ll make her way over back to his side in solidarity. If he’s going to suffer through nosy children, they can at least suffer together, and she’ll gently distract their attention by crouching down to be closer to their eye level. ]

What’s all this fuss about, then?

[niespodzianka]

[ Geralt is dope at massages, for the record, so Sheva's in luck. He's been well trained by his longtime lover, and his extreme awareness of all things physical gives him good insight. He knows what muscles should feel like, how fluid they should be, where the nerves need to be depressurized, how to push to encourage purging of stress in the lymph system. ]

Mm. [ A neutral sound, about the child remark. Loads of people have opinions about witchers and their impact on children, but Geralt has long since made his peace with it. His birth mother abandoned him when he was a baby; if she hadn't left him with the witchers, she may have opted to drown him just to be free of him. At a hundred years old, Geralt no longer has any complaints. ]

Yes, like monsters. Though I don't hunt sentient creatures. The titles here really fuck with talking about my work.

[niespodzianka]

I don't like having magic on me.

[ A complaint she's surely heard before. Geralt, who uses magic at home, doesn't trust magic. If it's purely a tool he can use, then fine, but when things start to change appearances, move people, curse people ... like grandpa learning to text, he digs his heels in, and distrusts it on principle. ]

Everyone uses kohl on their eyes when the days are long in the summer, but I don't need much of it, usually.

[ cuz he can control his kittycat pupils. ]

[long_live_the_queen]

[The first few streets had passed uneventfully. Keeping her gaze forward like an obedient Monster wasn't hard to do--after the third dingy, gloomy, iron-barred windowed street, the next ones were no different. A change of scenery, but still, ultimately, just as boring.

Up until they came to a street junction that was wretchedly familiar to her. Kaede's head jerked up, tail lashing.

But...this wasn't the place she remembered. No scent of fear and pain, no Orders woven into every whisper, every call of an auctioneer. No cages, no chains. Not even tethering posts to keep errant Monsters from wandering.

The Chimera stopped, ears pinned back.]

Is this really all that's here?

[weirdnecro]

[She snorts, and gives both of his ears a gentle tug this time.]

I know you don't, and that doesn't surprise me. It's also fashionable in some places.

[She lets his ears go, and tugs on his hair.]

But magic has its place, and you were just talking about glamours before. So-how are you planning to hide out? Or hide in plain sight?

[Just because he's an old man doesn't mean he won't have to make some compromises.]

[weirdnecro]

[If nothing else, Sokie knows her way of making with the bs. But whether she really means it, for all she plays up the part...that's for her to know, and for Asura to make fun of her for later. Especially when he can feel the slight tremble in her hand, when there hadn't been the week before.

She offers a little nod, tries to help Asura iron out the offer and the music that is made before...is certainly cringe for, if only because of the ear splitting enthusiasm of the child. So, so much enthusiasm. At least the adults thought them funny and more or less harmless.

Which is how they walk together, side by side, as they look around the vendor tent. She keeps expecting to see signage for pets and monsters trapped in stalls.]

I've no idea.

[Her voice is slightly hoarse, but she's been speaking, if not singing, for hours. Not just here, but elsewhere.]

But it can't hurt to look around. You might be able to find something close enough.

[tryhard]

After Geralt agrees to take him, Waver spends a while longer looking through his notes, making a few of his own. He excuses himself at some point to send a message to Iskandar that he'll be out late, a brief explanation of the research he's pursuing and assurance that he knows what he's doing. Geralt had better bring him back in one piece.

By the time they get out past the wall, it's dark-- and still the darkness of outside seems less than it was within the city, the air clearer, the stars above breaking through the deep autumn night even though the moon is just a sliver behind clouds. Waver hadn't realized exactly how oppressive it had felt inside Dorchacht, not in its full scope, not until now that he can finally take a full breath clear of the scent of lingering industrial smoke.

He doesn't know the way, but he can help those without decent vision in the darkness make sure not to trip, his own turnskin eyes shining in the dark. Occasionally, he might warn one of their companions of something coming up, or pick out obstacles in their way. He tries to remember the path. He tries not to look too long through the trees at the noises and unfamiliar, unpleasant scents further out in the nighttime wilderness beyond the wall. They make the fur on the back of his neck prickle, his claws twitch. This isn't what he's here to focus on.

Eventually, a few of the Resistance members lead him to the wall while others guard their backs, and Waver follows the harpy, leaning into the low light of one of the lanterns to examine the stretch of markings shown. Some of them are recognizable from Geralt's notes.

"Intricate... and overlapping spells." He'll point to a few runes he doesn't know, asking for explanations, jotting things down in a small notebook so he won't forget.

"Several wards. Protecting the wall from nature and attack, right? And the compulsion spell..." He's mumbling to himself. Or talking to the harpy, or whoever is around. Magic mumbojumbo, asking about the spells, what fuels them, what the Resistance has learned so far whatever's in that questions thread tbh let's just pretend he covers it all.

Hopefully, there's not too much trouble with whatever Geralt's dealing with.

[usurpers]

[ that. that. ]

Might be right under our noses.

[ he has yet to venture into the coven’s basement for the sick, but there had been talk about the compulsion being stuck to the walls of the city. it wouldn’t be too far off to stick a memory charm in between. ]

Whatever they remember only starts at the gates, when they came in.