☆ 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

[hearthebell]

[L's not sure what he expects when the city is in a state of veritable insanity and no one is as they should be. As it is... no one is around at the moment, there's no one to witness or take notice or alarm. If Jeremy himself wouldn't even be aware of L just taking enough to get by, would it really be wrong?

He wouldn't even miss it...]

...blink twice if you don't want me to bite you.

[He peers closely.]

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[Jeremy's eyes slip to half-mast, his voice monotone and empty.]

A war that's fought for causes null fails bargained, bought, and buckets full.

[And yet he doesn't blink.]

[hearthebell]

[L stares. Considers. Continues to stare.

He reaches for Jeremy's wrist, holding it up, staring at the veins there. He can practically feel warm blood in his mouth, already, soothing every ravenous instinct he feels as it slides down to put liquid life in his cramping belly.

It would be so easy to take a bite like an apple and just drink his fill. He could be full, instead of just taking what he needs to remain pale and weak and just managing to remain on his feet.]

You look so stupid and helpless right now. Do you even realize that?

[No, probably not. L lets Jeremy's hand drop at his side with an annoyed roll of his eyes.]

Something really horrible could befall you and you'd probably still have that stupid look on your face. And nothing to say about it, outside of "The earfall of the maize barleycorn whispers limpidly in the recollection of tonally dissonant curfews." Or something like that. Am I right? I'm usually right.

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[Then... Jeremy blinks.

He shakes his head gently like he's trying to nudge something loose inside of it and he focuses on L's face properly.

A question forms on his lips, maybe even an accusation, but he realizes without prodding that the same strange thing from before was happening again. He's outside the house and he doesn't even remember leaving it.

Self-consciously, Jeremy takes a step back from L. What's Jeremy been doing to this guy?]

Was I bothering you?

[If the SQUIP is somehow taking Jeremy over again, this guy would be the one to notice, right? He'd be furious.]

[hearthebell]

[L makes a vaguely impatient, slightly disgusted sound.]

Oh, you were just almost helpful.

[Maybe his disdain and annoyance has more to do with his own hesitation than Jeremy's mere existence. It doesn't really pay to be decent; he's learning that more and more lately.]

You actually don't remember any of that?

[He sure is envious.]

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[Jeremy's puzzled, but also sort of relieved?

If he's been channeling the SQUIP, then this guy would be biting his head off for getting between them... assuming he's going to stay consistent in what he wants from Jeremy. That might be too far of a leap of logic.

If he can assume this isn't SQUIP-related, then it's way less sinister.]

Sorr--No. Something weird's been going on. Rich called it second puberty but I don't think that, um, explains how everyone's acting odd.

[Including himself.]

[hearthebell]

[L's fickle and strange, but when it comes to motivation, the goals and outcomes he puts above all else? It can absolutely be said that he is extremely consistent. He's not biting off Rich's head, or biting any other part of him, which is... actually not super desirable. He needs to feed soon or he's going to actually pass out. His balance is suffering, his ears are ringing, and his vision is blotching... and there's a headache to deal with, too, named Jeremy Heere.]

That's putting it mildly, and asking Rich to explain anything is like asking a rock to do backflips. From what I've gathered, it's related to that mist, and...

[He stares. His hand is planted against the gravel, and he's kneeling on one stinging knee. He doesn't have any memory of it, but he's pretty sure he just fainted.

Just a bit.]

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[The mist! Yeah, he knew it! Although that still leaves a lot unanswered.

When L falls, Jeremy jumps back.

He knows that for someone like L--or, at least, for one of the jerks at school, which is the only category he figures he can interpret L through--helping him up would be an insult at best. Still, he instinctively crouches, a hint at the offer of the gesture if L decides to grab onto him for balance.

The thoughts ooze through Jeremy's brain, trickling and slowing to a stop as L gets fuzzy.

His shoulders slump. His eyes are going blank again. The fog's permeating the air so thoroughly at this point, Jeremy's having trouble hanging onto lucidity.]

[hearthebell]

[It is insulting, in a way, but given L's current weakened state, he probably wouldn't outright reject the offer of help. Hell, just the fact that Jeremy didn't take the opportunity to kick him while he's down, instead crouching out of some kind of stupid, soft, empathetic concern, is something L grudgingly has to admit is pretty kind.

He's parched, and starving, and he can smell Jeremy's blood again. This time, he can fight it off, barely. Next time? He has no doubt that he'll wake up standing over someone, hopefully still alive, after going way too far.

He reaches a hand out and slaps Jeremy sharply across the face, intoning loudly]

You're an idiot. Something's going to eat you out here.

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[Jeremy's head snaps to the side with the force of the slap. He bites his tongue--the cut isn't deep enough to bleed deep and freely, but it's enough for L's heightened hunger to surely be able to smell.]

If p-prophecies you further need, you must not seize nor show your greed.

[hearthebell]

[L groans, low and throaty and deep.]

You're not hearing me.

[And his voice has the same heavy, thick quality. There's something brisk and almost businesslike about the way L pushes the oraclized Jeremy over, straddling and pinning him and sinking his teeth in just below his ear.

The first pull is hot and sweet, and L should stop there. But his fangs sink more fully into the flesh, digging into the muscle as blood pools around his lips, and his fingers knot in Jeremy's hair as he takes more, swallowing more rapidly to account for it all.]

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[Jeremy tries to say something, but it's muffled and his voice is weak.

He doesn't even fight back for a while--too long. At some point, the fugue breaks again, but Jeremy doesn't scream. He's breathing fast (his quickening pulse only helping L's cause) and his skin feels cold and numb. Somehow those are the first thing he notices, not the unidentified person who's attached to his neck. Is it the guy he was talking to a minute ago, the one he's only met a few times? Maybe. Maybe not.

The pain's not there yet either. Jeremy assumes, with dry mouth and shaking hands, that the person is ravenously mid-make-out with him. It's happened before.

Jeremy's hands flutter up to L's mouth, brushing at him gently at first, then pushing away with force.]

[hearthebell]

[At first, all L can do is cling tighter as he drinks his fill. The process is sloppy, not as streamlined or efficient as it would be for an actual vampire, and a fair amount of blood is going to waste, down the front of L's shirt or dripping onto the ground beside Jeremy's head. It goes smoothly and easily otherwise, unexpectedly so; Jeremy should be fighting for his life, and instead, he's just lying there and taking it as L feasts.

He'd never admit that Jeremy tastes as good as he does, or that there's something charged about the embrace beyond just the fact that he's drinking down Jeremy's life force. In a way it makes a twisted amount of sense that the chemistry L shares with the SQUIP might extend to Jeremy, considering how closely they were linked in a past life, but it will still nauseate him later when he's had time to reflect on what it means.

He turns away from Jeremy's hand at first, resisting its push... but there's enough force that he is effectively dislodged. No longer driven by intense and demanding hunger that outstrips rationality, he blinks rapidly in dazed confusion, drawing a hand up to wipe a significant amount of blood from his chin.

It's down his neck. His jacket is outright ruined. He stares, piecing together what just happened more slowly than his mind should be capable of.]

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[Jeremy's sucking in air now. His feet kick at the ground, pointless for a couple seconds until they find purchase and he scrambles away from L.]

Wh--y, you!

[He instinctually puts his hand to the side of his neck, feeling something hot and wet. He's so dizzy. He thinks he might throw up.

He sits in place, slowly becoming aware of the mess of blood that they're both covered in. What did he--what? What?!]

I still don't even know your name!

[He forces that out before he twists to the side sharply with a forceful dry heave that leaves his head spinning. His shirt is sticking to his shoulder and below, parts of it completely soaked through.]

[hearthebell]

[L's also recoiling, wary of a will that he resisted until it was too strong and still not his own. He's successfully pared his frame down to bone by merit of his lifestyle and habits; it's not like him to go overboard on this kind of physical indulgence. Jeremy is still bleeding, both of them are breathing hard as if they'd just run a mile together, or...]

You never asked...

[A little bit of Jeremy's blood, still in L's mouth, leaks out as he speaks the words in a state of numb shock. He stiffens as Jeremy dry-heaves, hand reaching up to twist roughly at a strand of his dark hair. ]

Do you... know that you lost a lot of blood, and should probably seek medical attention...

[How much blood? His own cheeks glow with warmth, appear bright and pink to those observing him. So... yes, probably quite a lot.]

[heerequeerandfulloffear]

[And he still doesn't ask, for the simple reason that he's too preoccupied to think clearly.

Jeremy sputters toward the ground, L's words washing over him blankly. Blood. Medical. The hospital? He's going to wake up in a hospital bed again? With Rich and Michael and his dad and...

He should lie down. They'll come get him soon.]

Okay.

[He's muffled, tongue slow and stumbling as he sucks in air around it.]

Got it.

[HIs arms shake as he struggles to hold himself up, so he gives in and drops onto his side. It hurts. He twists around, switching sides. Jeremy's so tired.]

Hospital. See you there.

[hearthebell]

[L's not quite got a vampire's strength. He's still a desperately anemic human being who looks like he's languishing on the edge of starvation. But he's just had a huge nutritious infusion of what his body was desperately craving, and it absolutely gives him the ability to stand under his own power. Maybe a little extra; his stomach hasn't been this full in ages, even if it's all viscous fluid that sloshes uncomfortably. It is like having drunk a full pot of coffee, except instead of the empty staring jitters, there's actual substance to it.]

No, you won't.

[He speaks it stiffly, but it's not because he intends to just walk away. He pulls at Jeremy's arm, working to drape the guy's body over his shoulders like an exsanguinated stole. Fortunately, the nearest medical station isn't far.]