☆ 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

Sokie Undertown | Dorchacht Dignitary | OTA

[weirdnecro]

The Ride there

A

[The captain isn't the only one that's excited about being out on the ocean. Sokie left with the first batch-was rather insistant on it really-and while she had to cast the spell that Nessie gave her before they left the Bright Walls of the city, she was in high spirits. While she did try to keep out of the crew's way, Sokie was constantly going to the prow, her hands gripping the edge of the rail.

Does it look like she's going to do something like climb up on the line? Or even just sit on the edge of the side? She might from the way she was tensing up to climb...]

DORCHACHT

A quiet chat

[Sokie might have found a witch, a sympathizer or a guard, perhaps a mix of both. It seemed that she was feeling rather friendly, filled with smiles and charms, and she noticed company coming closer.

With a widening smile, she motioned for them to join in.]

Come on over! We've been speaking about how it's like in the city. It's really quite the interesting place, don't you think? Far more foggy then you'd expect, given all the particulars.

[Was she waiting for others to pass by so they could have a real conversation? Heck yeah.]

Swooping in

[Maybe it was just the locals gathering too much; maybe it was how Sokie saw they were getting angry and emotions were starting to arise on both sides, particularly on One Topic or another.

In came Sokie, all confidence and lazy smiles. One would have thought she was more then an amateur witch on the rise, with the way she carried herself. And here she offered the most polite of smiles and a:]

Pardon me. I just remembered something, most vitally important that we've forgotten to take care of. Do you mind coming with me for a few minutes and taking care of it?

[She smiles. This is the face of a person who will be very politely insistent and may play dirty to ensure things go her way.]

Words words words

[Sokie can be found in the library or the classes. She's taking the magic classes very seriously, and she's determined to catch up and be who she's meant to be. Or at least, who she thinks she's supposed to be.

Which means she takes extensive notes, and copies those notes for those spells that may be of interest-that of raising or calming certain emotions, barriers and manipulation of dispelling magics.

She can be spotted making these notes in various places...or she may be passing wordlessly a copy of her written notes. Or dropping them in a pile and pleading for help to have them picked up.

But that's usually when she has Runes written down, like that for manipulating sound, for barriers, and such. Maybe if she was lucky, the rune the resistance is using fir dispelment. ]

Bath house meeting CW: possible exposure

[It felt like for all they had travelled, she had been trapped inside of the Coven. Walking the streets were all right and all but...the smell of the industral fog got to her in time.

Hence her going to the bath to clean up. What she hadn't expected was to find company that she hadn't seen on the ship. Her eyes widened, and she leaned forward to touch them on the wrist, lowering her voice.]

Isn't this a little public for you?

[Just making sure you're not too exposed to the guards and all.]

Wildcard

(If you wanna go a different route, lemmie know! You can catch me on discord at nammah#9659 !)

swooping in

[bloodwit]

[ viren's all for getting emotional on One Topic or another - as it stands, not so much the subject of monster enslavement, particularly as he's acting as espionage. ha. ha. had he been getting testy with another on the topic of some other endeavor?

sure. at being addressed, he turns away from the individual (who gleefully takes the opportunity to scamper off, immediately), and viren gives sokie an appraising look. his tone predictably annoyed with the interruption, ]

Yes...? Can I help you?

[weirdnecro]

[Yeah that's not smart, no matter what he is. Thank goodness the other person fled rather then argued one thing or another.

Sokie just offered a bland little smile as she strode up to Viren, just inches away from invading his personal space.]

No, but I can certainly help you. And the rest of us.

[She tilted her head, still watching him.]

What was that?

[bloodwit]

That?

[ a very fleeting smile, an eyebrow inching upward. while he can appreciate she didn't invade his space, he holds his ground. but, before he supplies an answer, gesturing toward her - ]

You're a dignitary, I'm presuming?

[weirdnecro]

Does that really matter?

[She smiled at him. It wasn't a pleasant one, but it was there, and she lowered her voice to pitch for the two of them.]

Please. I would love to hear what the hell you were doing.

quiet chat

[freeing]

[ Out of obligation, Dany tries to keep herself busy learning about the city. To parse dream to reality. To understand the customs and the lifestyle anyone – especially monster – would partake into if born here. It doesn't sit well and she wears that kind of disappointment on her face clearly.

The Witches in the Coven were the ones who house them, the ones who keep them informed on the schedules and when they are free to leave. It feels like a disappointing fact that they can not do much – not yet.

When Sokie calls out, she isn't so impolite or noble-blooded to ignore. Dany enters into the fray with a polite expression, but still guarded. ]

It is. It feels as if there is a haze cast over every inch of the city. It's... homely?

[ She hates it, actually. ]

[weirdnecro]

[They're babysitters and guards is what they are. And really all of them are glorified tourists-unless they're considered monsters. And then they're just something considered to be a possible problem.

The witches are too but in a different way. They're expected to have some matters.]

It is that.

[Sokie waits for a moment, watching as someone walks away down the hall. And then she continues. Interestingly enough, their 'friend' had also done the same thing, though perhaps more subtly then Sokie did.]

Though there is one thing that I do miss, and that is the stars. There's a constellation that I kept trying to find...

The one with the three stars. Do you both know what I'm talking about?

[freeing]

[ It was interesting that they dance on a tight-rope. Toeing a line they are not quite sure of. She had heard of the resistance members and monster sympathizers sprinkled throughout the city and Sokie's words make her stiffen. ]

The stars are beautiful, it is true. [ Careful with her words, her eyes look lazily past the two of them, as if she was bored with the conversation. Far from it — just simply acting the part. ] The guiding stars, correct?

[ It was coy enough, enough to act as if their conversations were almost longing. ]

It's only on nights like this that they're visible, but...

[weirdnecro]

I think that might be it? Could be it.

[Sokie smiled and shrugged. She thought, from the look of the young woman, she'd be interested in such talk.

"Sometimes, if you look in the right place, you can see them any night." Supplied their native companion. Sokie hummed.]

That would be something. Sometimes, with all of the fog-

[She shrugged. It was all coy and casual. Nothing to worry about here.]

A Rider for The Ride there - A

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar could easily be counted among the just delighted to be here crowd. He saw her at the front of the ship more regularly than most. Almost as if that was not an accident.]

Enjoying the journey so far?

[weirdnecro]

So far! It's a little bit of adventure with the sirens on the rocks, there's a nice sea breeze...it's a little crowded below, but who needs to sleep below?

[She was excited. More animated then she normally was inside of the city walls.]

What about you? Is this your first trip out of the city?

[She might want to stand on the prow but. She's mostly trying to behave. Mostly.]

[towards_okeanos]

Ah! The sirens! I am seriously tempted to repeat the feat of Odysseus just to hear them.

[Sometimes Iskandar can get so carried away by his own idea that he forgets this is not Greece anymore and not everyone would get his cultural references.]

Almost. I made a very short trip out once but apart from that, I spent most of the time stuck behind the walls. It's a nice city but ...

[He sighs and lets that one sentence to go unfinished. There are many reasons.]

I don't want to sound like a complete ingrate, the people of Aefenglom has taken us in, offered us food and shelter. Yet, it is also true I'm not used to being confined to one place for too long.

[weirdnecro]

If only eh? But I don't think everyone else could keep working while you yelled to be untied. Bet you have a big voice.

[Thankfully Sokie is rather well cultured and know his references. But...oh, she feels this so intensely. Being stuck in one place, for a reason...]

Neither am I. Oh, there are times where I settled for awhile because I had to but...this is different. And generous as they are, it's not the same as being on the open road.

Or this case, ocean.

Bath House

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex knew she shouldn’t be here, but she couldn’t help it. Swimming in the waters outside didn’t feel safe, but she was starting to feel so dry. The bathtub where they were staying at could only do so much. She needed more room.

The relief she felt the moment she submerged was worth it.

She tries to keep to a corner where no one would hopefully notice her or the tail beneath the waters, but clearly that didn’t go as planned. She jolts at the touch, but relaxes when she sees who it is. ]

I’m sorry..I just..I wanted to just stay for a little bit..

[weirdnecro]

What? No no. I'm not trying to guilt you out of here.

[Sokie smiled, and shook her head. She didn't remember her on the boat but...she'd also been trying to climb all over the ship and harassing the sailors about their magic, so.]

I'm startled, is all. Sorry.

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex had seen her moving around the ship, but she seemed so busy, she wasn’t sure she should disturb the woman. But the merrow was glad it was her she bumped into at the bath. Her features were more prominent here, her finned ears much larger, the black scales that covered her shoulders and spread along her arms and back, her blackened eyes and most definitely the tail that Sokie probably had a better look at from this distance. The most notable difference from their last meeting, however, was the collar that rested around Alex’s neck. ]

I don’t want to cause any trouble for you though. It might be best if you don’t stay so close to me.

[weirdnecro]

[She had been basically a hyperactive toddler who'd been given a shot of chocolate milk. She'd been really happy to be outside of the city, even if it meant that she would be having to go around this dank place.

Sokie might have taken some time to enjoy looking Alex over and make a few comments about her tail, being a giant flirt but something made her go still.

The collar.

Gently, Sokie came closer, and gently hooked her fingers under the collar resting on Alex's throat. ]

You're not causing trouble. What is this?

[Sokie's voice sounded pleasant enough, but her demeanor changed. No more flirt, just someone who was...very quietly angry.]

baaaaath

[guillotine]

[ Nel's not terribly worried for herself, even naked smack-dab in the middle of enemy territory. Some subtle illusions take care of the most easily remembered features: her runes are nonexistent, her hair appears to be cropped short and a pale blonde, and even the faded scars littering her body have vanished.

So when Sokie intimates that she ought to avoid this location, her reply is a slow blink, followed by a rapid up-down eye flick to get the measure of her. ]

No more than for you. Why so worried?

[ Nel sounds relaxed and unaffected, but those eyes... those eyes are freezing cold. ]

[weirdnecro]

Not worried. Curious.

[She tilted her head, and offered a slow smile. What cold eyes! As if Nel would try to even grab her by the hair and drown her in the bath. Illusions? Did not see through them. The facial features? Those she'd know. The scars and runes? Sure, remarkable, but easily faked.

She'd done that herself to throw people off after all.]

You don't seem the type of person who likes to expose their back to others.

[guillotine]

[ One defining trait that she hasn't bothered disguising is the heavy muscle down her arms and shoulders, visible above the bath's water line. It can be deduced that this woman is neither court decoration nor a lily-fingered bureaucrat. ]

I'm only as exposed as I care to be.

[ An attendant here just so happens to be a Resistance contact. They pass along the gossip and business that goes on behind these very private walls. Nel is rather pleased with today's news; after this wonderfully reviving soak, her next stop is the home of a bathhouse patron with more slaves than they can be expected to handle. All of them are going to mysteriously vanish overnight. ]

What else are you curious about?

[weirdnecro]

Oh my dear, dear blonde...that's the wrong question. Because I'm curious about everything.

[Sokie slowly made to stretch her arms over her head, making a satisfied grunt. Her own arms were well muscled, like her shoulders; whatever she did, she also worked out. And she didn't seem to have problems in being exposed, one way or another.

It's just interesting how the resistance seems to have taken a bathhouse or two. But then again-they had brought the mirror bound to the sewers after all. There might be a connection there.]

But things that you may want to know, or what I want to know...that's something else.

wildcard, as always

[mirshikar]

[ On the first day, they had been frightened of him, the residents of Dorchacht. Even before he'd the chance to open his mouth and speak a gentle message in support of Aefenglom's state of peace—across the sea, life is different, Witches and Monsters thrive together, and their community is stronger for it—the locals, somber and bleak in all other facets, had recoiled from his presence, sighting his aurous scales, talons, and horns as something distinctly draconic. And upon returning to the designated quarters for dignitaries, Asura found... he could neither abide by it or accept it, the dispirited character that seemed prominent wheresoever he happened to look, a trait shared by all those enclosed within the city's onyx walls.

And so: on the second day (and on the majority of those that follow), he takes to the lesser-traveled paths of Dorchacht with a particular necromancer in tow. The pavilion isn't the the correct stage for their act (there's too many people, too much of a chance for mob mentality to impede the mission both Mage and Changeling share), it's not personal enough; not up close like smaller thoroughfares and boroughs, where Sokie can sing (and be heard) and Asura can accompany her on a wooden flute, the instrument (delicate and small) softening his appearance when he plays in flawless, upbeat tempo to his friend's turn of lyric.

("Open up my eager eyes, 'cause I'm Mr. Brightside.")

By the end of the week, they've encountered each and every sort of audience. They've been told to leave, lest a formal complaint be filed with the city guard, and there's been outright violence in the form of a rock catching Asura's face, though he'd continued through with the performance as though he hadn't been interrupted. And sometimes, there would be those who slowed to a stop, standing still in silent acknowledgement of Sokie and Asura's chosen tune until the music arrived at its conclusion—then and only then, would they take their leave, and Asura could swear he'd glimpsed a mild appreciation for the entertainment in their eyes.

And then, on days like today, nearly two weeks into taking to the streets for a handful of hours, their presence is far from welcomed (no, they remain an anomaly in this city, Mirrorbound as they are), but... it's expected (with all the familiarity of a humdrum routine) and not met with immediate scorn.

Sokie sings with husky intonations; Asura's flute is sharp in contrast, resonant and bright as it balances her voice, and... they draw something of a crowd (two, three, four and a child collecting at once), and even if the locals have only come to gawk and dignitaries on break from their duty, it's progress.

Today, no one looks at Asura with outright fear, distress, or scorn, and that's enough.

When their song comes to a close, this time, a woman asks of them both: "Why are you here? Should you not be treating with others at the Coven?" ]

Seems a shame, to meet just leadership and not the people of a city. Locals are the beating heart of any place, you know? [ —Asura drawls in careful response (see, Sokie, he can behave! he can keep that wrath of his leashed.), before looking to the necromancer herself. What's her response? ]

[weirdnecro]

[He was an untethered dragon after all. He couldn't be considered anything but a wild creature without a master-though he was, funny enough, supposed to be a master himself, according to their rules.

But thankfully, outside of Sokie's own wanderings, she went along with Asura's ideas. They needed a presence; they needed to gently push without getting too hostile. It was a good way to be in the city, and make it seem that the dignitaries weren't so bad. And it was certainly better then just the lullabies that were throughout the city (which, Sokie thought, was fairly strange).

It was a careful erosion, and they were getting somewhere, bit by bit. With the flute and the songs that they were giving-those of freedom, catchy by nature, and a reminder of home.

The question wasn't unexpected, and Sokie-still smiling, still at ease-propped an elbow up, and made to use Asura as a lean to, much like she did whenever they were somewhere together. Intimate friendship, rather then ownership.]

It doesn't seem right, staying cooped up in one building. We won't be able to see anything, enjoy what the city has to offer, if we stay in one place. How can we learn from each other if we stay away?

It seems rather rude.

[mirshikar]

So in that very spirit – of learning from and burgeoning alongside one another – if you are so inclined to ask more questions of us, we'll oblige them with answers.

[ In the hopes of creating a dialogue that'll stick, reinforced by their not-so-impromptu street performances. Every day, Asura takes care to map out the locations of their concerts, detailing the descriptions of the residents who take even a passing interest in the music, and sees the information into the hands of both sympathizers and the Resistance. Well aware that both parties did not so simply crop up overnight, and were comprised of locals no different from the woman who'd engaged him and Sokie both, Asura does what he can to bolster the numbers of those most likely to make a difference; to question a leader who held no confidence or trust in the people at large.

And it is this notion, that the residents who stop to listen may yet further the cause of the Mirrorbound and the Resistance, which keeps Asura's rage at bay. He has yet to dissolve into the force of fury that had seen a string of Coven witches slain (in the dreamscape of before) and comatose (in the present), but...

That potential is always there, no different from Sokie's own dubiety and propensity for deceit.

"How did you subdue a dragon without a collar? How did you make it listen?" another asks, directing the question toward Sokie, and Asura shifts to better support the necromancer as she leans against him before...! He shakes his head with a genial laugh (to hide the clench of his jaw and grit of his teeth), before his expression settles into something that is forthright and open, however lacking a smile. ]

She didn't. [ And that garners surprise (!!) and confusion from their audience. ] She and I, we work together and look out for one another. When we first met...

[ He thinks back, then, to that rooftop in Venice; to the very thing which brought them together. ]

I asked her to trust me— [ And tie a pledge with him into the strands of fate itself. When he finishes articulating a sentiment, his eyes crinkle at their corners with an old sort of fondness: ] —and she did.

Have you ever asked any of the Monsters here that? If they trust you?

[ Hushed murmurs overtake the small crowd, wavering and uncertain. ] That sort of confidence is stronger than any collar, take it from me and from the rest of us hailing from Aefenglom.

[ "How preposterous! Trust can be broken at any instant, and collars do not yield. How can something so fragile be strong?" a newcomer interjects, and...

Well, Asura will leave that one for Sokie. It won't settle well with the locals, if the "Monster" does all the talking. ]

[weirdnecro]

[A dialogue that they'll remember without it going fuzzy and lost in their memories. That is the hope, and they're not here to grind them into the dirt, but to bring them up. Morgana might spot them, but would she say anything to these two witches? Even if one has the look of a dragon?

That would mean they were somehow important in her eyes, one way or another.

This subtle way of sticking it to the head witch suits Sokie just fine as she listens to Asura speak, knowing that he'll need to do some sparring once behind closed doors.]

If you keep a bird in a cage, and you open the cage's door, the bird will fly away.

[Her voice is light, easy; some might relax without realizing it, as her tone was that of a gentle teacher, a respected adult. Not some revolutionary visiting from a weak city.]

I would rather have a friend who can think and look out for me, and for me to look out for him in turn. Trust and love are far more powerful then a collar could ever be.

[And she takes his hand, squeezing it.]

I've never needed obedience. But I've always needed a friend.