☆ Event: Fright Night

[moustre]

Event Log: October, Fright Night

I. The Mist It starts in the middle of the night. As the bells chime for 3 am, a slow fog creeps across the city from all four cardinal directions, swirling low to the ground, shining purplish in the light of the twin moons. It goes without notice for a while, an oddity, easily brushed off as too much rain and the changing temperatures turning it to mist over the cobblestones. The first ones to get caught up in it are the night workers, the drunks leaving the bars, the sailors returning to their ships, anyone out on the streets when it begins. In most cases, the effects are not instantaneous - it takes a little time to sink in before… a. The Transformations Even if you don’t find yourself out on the streets in the middle of the night, the mist creeps its way into buildings through cracks and openings, until exposure is almost guaranteed for everyone in Aefenglom, and even some just outside the Bright Wall in the Outer City. Though a lucky few, Mirrorbound and citizens alike, will find themselves wholly unaffected by the substance and will retain their physical forms and their own right minds, many more find themselves bent to its whims, changing in ways that could never have been predicted. There is little rhyme or reason to what changes occur or how - some simply wake with new parts, uncomfortable, while others run from their homes, panicking as wings tear painfully out of their backs or claws burst forth from their hands. The mist does not discriminate. Humans and Witches find themselves gaining the parts of Monsters, or even creatures that live outside the Wall. Monsters gain parts that don’t match up to their species - Arachne with wings or gills, Turnskin with antlers and Merrow tails, Puca with the teeth and claws of predators or the horns of unicorns or the scales of lizards, such strange sights become more and more common as morning approaches slowly. Mirrorbound may find that they can even gain the features and mannerisms of creatures from their home worlds. It all seems to happen wholly at random. These parts may not even last; plenty of citizens lose their new additions after just hours, only to gain new ones in the meanwhile. In the dark, wee hours of the morning, the city erupts into chaos. b. Widespread Chaos There’s no chance of peace tonight. Some may be lucky enough to escape the mists or its effects somehow, but the vast majority of the city hasn’t -- and it’s telling, from the sounds of people in the streets, that no one’s particularly happy about the turn of events. Many are in pain, many are blind with panic and upset. How could this happen? What’s going on? Many of the shouts attribute blame to the Coven allowing the practice of at-times experimental magics, while others turn it into anti-Monster sentiment, claiming the Monster population wants them all to suffer the way they do. Other tinfoil-hat-ists spread their conspiracy theories loudly, laying the blame squarely on Dorchacht - retribution for the Monsters the Mirrorbound stole from their city. This is an attack, they shout! The actual truth remains to be seen, however. There are plenty who don’t care about the truth and pay little attention to the rumors. They’re opportunists at heart, and a city in chaos is good for lining pockets. Some less-affected and less-moral citizens take to the streets of the Shopping and Aristocratic districts, throwing rocks through windows, banging down doors, looting shops and the houses of the wealthy of whatever valuables they can carry with them. Even a gang of kids from one of the orphanages in the Harbor District, sporting their own mismatched new features, can be spotted roaming the city, looting stores and homes, stealing from people incapacitated in the streets. They can’t pass up an opportunity when they have so little to begin with. c. State of Emergency Parliament, in contact with the Coven, is quick to declare a state of emergency in Aefenglom. A magical announcement rings out all through the city, loud and impossible to miss. Those who can keep it together are called upon to help find some sort of order before things devolve too badly and more damage is done than can be fixed. People will get hurt if things continue like this, they could even be looking at casualties. Those who have learned healing magic are asked to report to makeshift first aid stations scattered around the city to help those dealing with more violent, bloody transformations. Anyone with prior law enforcement experience are tasked with helping contain and stop the looting and the muggings. More still are called to try and figure out some way to get rid of the mist, or reverse its effects. None of the assignments are mandatory, plenty are unable to assist as they deal with their own afflictions, but any help is greatly appreciated.

II. Damage Control The chaos of the first night dies down somewhat by noon the next day. The air of forgiveness and cleaning up for the new year that was present at the beginning of the month is gone as the violet mist still spreads, wreaking havoc with the citizens of Aefenglom. Human citizens take it worse than the Monster half of the city, but one of the side-effects hits the Monster community harder. It quickly becomes apparent that the effects of this never-before-seen magic are not only physical. Fights break out over anything from minor slights to things worth fighting about, blossoming from a few thrown punches to all-out brawls that spill into the streets. Anger and agitation increase in most affected citizens, and you can cut the tension in the air with a knife. Relief efforts have to be redirected. Some can keep it together just enough to go about their daily lives as best they can with their new ‘additions’, but others rapidly start to lose their minds in ferality, even those with strong Witch-Monster Bonds. Miss Nessie is quick to whip the Coven into action to help preserve the peace as much as possible. There isn’t enough room to contain so many feral citizens, but they try to make do. All available Mirrorbound, Witch and Monster, who are able and want to help contain the people of Aefenglom or each other are taught a simple knock-out spell, or given slips of paper enchanted with the same, to literally knock some sense into the ferals. It won’t hurt them in the long term, but it will give them a time-out and help pull their minds out of their pits of animal instinct. Plenty of citizens will be thankful for this. That doesn’t mean everyone is happy to see the Mirrorbound around town. They may notice that they get more scowls while they’re out and about, more whispers and dirty looks. They come from humans the most, but especially the wealthier people of the city, dealing with their own share of terrible transformations, who mutter under their breaths words like, “Knew they would bring trouble with them. Knew it right from the start.” Known Mirrorbound may find themselves being kicked out of higher class shops in the Shopping District, or even spit on in the streets. Poorer citizens, especially Monsters, see things differently, however: they’ve seen the refugees from Dorchacht, they know what was done for some of their kind. They’ll admit that the Mirrorbound have brought trouble with them, but a little trouble isn’t always a bad thing - sometimes you’ve got to shake things up and disturb the status quo. Though they’re dealing with bizarre changes and an increased risk of going feral, they have faith that the Mirrorbound will help solve this problem. Of course, this difference in opinion just means both sides argue louder and fight harder.

III. The Refugees For those who’d found themselves rehomed, mostly Monsters and what few Witches came with, this is not what they had expected from a “full moon”. They’d been warned that certain urges would be stronger, that magic could wax and wane like the moons themselves, but this? This rampant disorder, the odd turning present in so many citizens and Mirrorbound alike, the Coven and Parliament’s bid on attempting some sort of damage control--? Is this what they left Dorchacht for, from one far too controlling city to one that didn’t seem to have any control at all? They aren’t in chains, at least. They can choose their Bonds if they’d like one. But it’s put them on edge enough that some linger by the docks, both wanting to leave to someplace “safe” in their eyes and wishing to stay. The latter wins out in most cases, seeking to help the Mirrorbound as they were helped themselves, though they may be suffering from the mists themselves... oddly, they seem to be more aware of themselves in a way that the natives are not, likely learned behavior leftover from Dorchacht to keep themselves in check; the compulsion spell had only helped compulsion, after all, there’d been a genuine want to remain secure and safe in their minds even with the situation as it was. Unfortunately, there’s plenty of locals who see the refugees as part of the problem -- before the Mirrorbound, before Dorchacht, Aefenglom had been fine, and in continuing these thoughts, they’re not... the friendliest to outsiders. Some are more likely to retaliate violently with new-found additions to their physiology and skillset when the refugees attempt to help, with whispers, conspiracy theories, and nasty rumors all the while spreading at a rapid pace. As bad as Dorchacht had been, maybe they had a point about the strange, suggestive magic used across the city. Maybe it’s something Aefenglom should look into too, during the fuller moons, should this be the beginning of something worse as the new year rises at the end of the month. But hopefully -- and this is the hope of all -- it simply remains a one-off, freak happening at the end of the year, and they pray the new one fares better.

IV. The Aftermath Thanks to quite a bit of Mirrorbound assistance, the city is still largely in one piece by the end of the day after the full moons. The mist, an unstable alchemical compound, eventually breaks down into nothing after a day or so, and the effects all fade or reverse, leaving everyone in their normal bodies and feeling clear-headed as the moons start to wane again. There are issues of property damage, stolen goods, and political discord to deal with, but the hardest to handle is perhaps the guilt of those who went feral and attacked their friends and loved ones. Samuin preparations continue with an unusual gloom hung over the city as clean-up and reparations commence. While before, though, humans and Monsters could often be found on the bridge over the River Temese, making amends with one another, the activity almost entirely ceases, leaving the bridge empty most days from now until Samuin.

Welcome to October's event log! This event takes place ICly on the 12th, 13th, and 14th. The Questions thread can be found HERE! Please help us and other players out by putting the subject(s) of your questions in your header! Investigation briefs will be going out soon on the OOC Sign Ups thread to the teams who were chosen by RNG, so keep an eye out for that. And as always, while we do encourage you to use this log, you can feel free to thread things out on your own log or elsewhere.

Comments

[sing_for_me]

Everyone else did.

[ There's a distance in her voice, as if hiding towards more than those she encountered tonight.
She presses her free hand against Fang's cheek, her scales cool from the water. It wasn't an ice pack, but it would do. ]

Let me clean them some more?

[unyieldingmarch]

[He's not the only one that's prone to late nights. Hers are less voluntary, but she knows the signs well.

She has some thoughts to go over as they eat, as well.]

Have you spoken with any others not from Fodlan? I've been attempting to make some contacts.

[kuroi_taiyo]

Having fun in a way that makes you feel good is a bad idea?

[ That's what he sees it as, at least. It seemed like she was hung up on the name thing, but maybe that whole 'anxious mess' thing is why she was backing out as hard as she could. ]

Ah... Sure. Coffee then.

[futhark]

I'm supposed to be a Witch [ There's a clear annoyance he reminds this with. A frown settles on his face but he just closes his eyes and welcomes the caress with a soft sigh. Nuzzling his cheek against the offered hand— it might feel different, but it is no different on the very reason to whom it belongs to.

Archer is on point with him being more closer to the feral side, even just in day by day. Perhaps it's a piece of small luck he wasn't made a Monster (at least until now), for he takes all new instincts and changes with (metaphorically) open arms.

When he opens his eyes, the vertical pupils are blown wide, making his eyes more black than the usual red. He fidgets and turns his head as if he was listening to something above them ]

Is this always like this? Does it feel like this with Full Moon?

cw: language

[towards_okeanos]

[Iskandar thought he needs to rescue the boy from being assaulted but now he's not exactly sure if that's what happened here. It takes him a moment to get a proper assessment of the situation. And a moment is all that Waver needs to make a jump.]

Μαλάκα! Calm down, boy! It's me!

[Iskandar didn't expect this. Waver doesn't stop nor does he seem to recognize his king at all. His sudden jump takes Iskandar totally by surprise so he doesn't even try to defend himself when Waver bites into his wrist.

Iskandar mutters another curse trying to shake him off but is it due to the sudden bout of strength the transformation has given Waver or him no trying hard enough, wary not to hurt the boy, or both, the attempt fails.

Flicking his forehead doesn't work too. Iskandar has to resort to the knock-out spell he has learned the previous day. In any other situation, he would congratulate himself on how fast he has mastered it having been instructed only once. But right now his mood is far from celebratory. Besides, he had a lot of practice. More than he would like.
Still, he's prepared to cast it again in case the first one didn't work. To his somewhat cautious relief, the spell does work and the boy goes limp almost instantly.]

Something like that happens and then people still have the nerve to ask me why in the name of all the Gods do I HATE magic so much?

[First, he needs to unclench Waver's jaw. Only then, when he'll have both hands free he can check the boy for injuries. Iskandar shakes his head. He already noticed two but there might be more.
He should probably take a look at that second kid too. Whatever happened here, Iskandar would or would not find out later, but he can't just leave him there and let him bleed to death.]

[futhark]

[ Just because they can play fair, doesn't mean they have to— no such condition was set after all. While he might have overtaken her it's a brief victory. Using buildings and other objects to gain momentum was not an idea that ever occurred to him— if anything these things were obstacles in the flight.

So imagine his surprise when the merrow grabs him by the ankle and drags down suddenly, he goes crashing. ]

[firewalled]

"Maybe that's it. God knows you've kept Jeremy from blowing a gasket enough times."

The flirting is easing off a little bit, enough for Rich to try to relax, sighing and standing to tie the hoodie with the largest portion of the fabric in front. He'll just have to hope his wings will cover his backside enough to rush back to the cottage.

"You know I can't go inside... I'll probably make something start on fire..." His wings are kinda shrinking a little, though, enough for Michael to stay close to Rich.

[gunsmithed]

[ Nothing Percy can shoot, then. Pity. The admission earns a slightly more searching look, though the easiest assumption is that he's not a witch. Fair enough. Percy tries not to let his attention linger on the man's teeth as he turns back to consider the heavy mist.

What he wouldn't give for Keyleth at the moment. But he knows what she would do, were she here, and the only remaining question is if Percy himself can manage it.

He holds up his gauntleted left hand, some vague attempt to use the enchanted metal as a sort of focus. The magic comes sluggishly, unfocused, but Percy is nothing if not determined, and whatever sharpness is in his mind at the moment is only adding to it. Eventually the wind does come, the mist eddying slightly as the air around it moves. ]

I can't clear the entire city.

[ It's half a warning, half self-deprecation. He's barely holding on to what he's got at the moment. But it's something. ]

[belligerentwarrior]

[At another time, in another mental state, without the lingering effects of the song, Fang probably wouldn't have caught that distance. It's painful, the pulse of empathy she feels, and the soft growling sigh she breathes is a little forlorn.]

[She initially jerks away from the touch, the area sensitive. After a moment, her cheek settles gingerly against the merrow's cool hand. Under her fur, that spot's warmer than the rest of her, like inflamed injuries tend to be.]

[Fang huffs through her nose.] I guess, if it buys you peace of mind. They'll heal just fine without.

[belligerentwarrior]

[The wild creature in Fang's mind also has her experience to draw on; she sees the kick coming, knows what it aims to do, but also catches her off-guard in that she didn't expect this... thing to balance.]

[Fang retracts her claws, pushing away, but not quickly enough to avoid it completely. The hoof crashes into her leg, and though it fails to break anything, it hurts. The were-jaguar stumbles backward on all fours, limping; her paw-hand tears a cobble from the street and flings the stone to discourage a follow-up.]

[sing_for_me]

[ Except she doesn't let go, instead dragging him around by his ankle as she glides in the air. She let's out a laugh, probably the most he's heard out of her. ]

How's the view down there?

[sing_for_me]

[ It will, which is why she does just that. Already by the water's edge, she leans over Fang to scoop up some water, running them carefully over Fang's arm, carefully washing off any dried off blood or dirt left on her fur or skin. She starts to hum again while she works, but softly this time, now that she had Fang right by her. ]

[belligerentwarrior]

[As she resumes the song, the cat's eyes snap wide and her ears face forward—but soon her features relax. Her eyes flutter half-closed, whiskers puffing slightly outward, and her ears lose their focus.]

[The water and touch stings, but... it suddenly seemed so very unimportant as that haunting voice pulled her in again, tugging insistently on old wounds of her heart that she desperately tried not to think about. The turnskin all but melts into the merrow's lap, gradually.]

[scatmaam]

[ Scathach was quick to leap from her hiding place in the darkness, her spear catching the ground below and allowing her to vault upwards, her new wings helping her in a similar way to Cu's, heading above him and attempting to cut him off at the ledge. ]

[sing_for_me]

[ She pauses to study the expression on Fang’s face. It wasn’t one she’d normally see on the stoic woman. She gently touches the corner of the other woman’s eye with the knuckle of her finger. ]

You look like you’re about to cry..

[belligerentwarrior]

[The fog-feral creature that used to be Fang had her hunter's caution, but also her recklessness. For an instant, it looks like the were-creature was going to scatter away from that charge—then her hind claws scratch at the street, propelling her forward towards it.]

[There was a small space between the tines of those antler's; Fang hurled herself towards that space, claws coming down at Kaede's head.]

[beariot]

... Ultimately, the responsible thing to do would be to just head back to the refugee district. [ Another sigh, giving the kid resting against her a pat on the shoulder so she could stand up properly, her ears low to her head. ]

Think you can get us back there safely? It's probably not much of an adventure, but...

[beariot]

Hey, I'm not trying to make a judgement here, it's just like I said, I... need a little more to get me to the same point B you want to land on, you know?

[ She hoped that made sense, at least. She wasn't about to give in to THOSE instincts without a little more incentive... ]

There's a cafe I like not to far from here. I guess if it helps, you can think of it as an impromptu date?

[ Fang would be laughing so hard at her right now... ]

[belligerentwarrior]

[The words surprise her, and the distant expression clears somewhat. Did she?]

[She rumbles, a noise too idle to be a growl and too discontent to be a purr.]

...Someone ran from me, too.

[Why bring that up? In the distance, Fang could hear some fog-changed fighting, but it didn't seem important at the moment.]

[beariot]

I can... [ And she wasn't sure what to make of it. The whispers were more like vague, formless suggestions at the moment, for which she was grateful, but the moons were certainly what was guiding her to just let her instincts guide her. They'd lead her to panic before, but now it felt like they wanted her to relax, and feel comfort in the presence of her beloved. She'd thought of them as a chaotic force before, but now feeling them...

She understood Fang just that much better. ]

[sing_for_me]

[ With her focus on Fang, Alex couldn't care less about the sounds in the distance. ]

Someone you cared about?

[beariot]

My senses feel more... pronounced than they used to be. I guess it comes with the territory.

[ She could have sensed it before, of course, but this was such a more keen experience. ]

[beariot]

[ Ursula hesitated at first to take the offered hand. She didn't know Chandra that well, after all. But the same instincts that had lead her to nuzzle against the woman in the first place, to select her as an acceptable and safe person to seek affection from, assured her it was fine, and with a gulp and a nod, she placed her fingers in Chandra's palm, curling them. ]

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ It's definitely a weird way to phrase things, but given the way her body was responding, it seems that part of her already wanted to be on that same point. Though he didn't think that a date was how she'd resolve that internal conflict.

Fang would be laughing hard, and Judar coughed out a laugh that he did his best to stifle. ]

Yeah, sure. If that's what you really need.

[belligerentwarrior]

Don't ignore them, [Fang warned, between licks of her partner's fur.]

Guide them. When the moons scream at me to hunt, I focus on an animal. Or a big Monster, if I can't. [Focus that call for blood away from humans, or children, or vulnerable Monsters.]

Stay busy. Tired. Easier to control that way. Appeasin' one whisper sometimes helps another.

Play the instincts against each other, if you have to. If it wants you to curl up somewhere but you don't feel safe, focus on that.

Work with it. Bad things happen if you don't.