☆ 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

Fie Claussell | OTA!

[sylphid]

( a. - the natural order )

[Her friends are her first priority, but after checking in with (most of) them, the bracer knows it's her job to check on the city at large. And boy, it's a piping hot mess. Her first stop is the bracer guild to make sure no one's ransacked anything there yet. Luckily, it seems to be okay for the time being. Maybe most of those running wild either didn't think of it or didn't care. Whatever it is, she's all right with that, fixing this up would be annoying when there's other things to do. Better not to draw more attention to it, so she leaves through a window, making sure it's shut behind her.

A few blocks away, she's perched on a third floor window ledge trying to keep track of people running and looting below. Fie knows she can't stop it all, not by a long shot, so her attention is focused on bigger problems: physical altercations, potential violent outbursts, anything escalating too quickly. Jaeger and bracer training has her prepared, as much as she can be.

Not too far in and, oh look, that seems bad. Better go check it out. Fie leaps down from the ledge, landing with ease, to head in and see what she can do.]

( b. - laying the smackdown )

[Bless those knock-out spell papers. Once she's gotten ahold of those, Fie's ready for her new focus. The chaos from the shock of transformations and looting has mostly died down to be replaced with... ferality. Wonderful. It should be similar enough to the previous night, just on a larger and more dangerous scale. At least she got a couple hours of shut eye in there. Her ability to fall asleep almost anywhere really comes in handy on occasion.

So Fie's running and all around the city, smacking those paper on whomever seems to be causing trouble of the violent kind. More often than not, her technique is to come in quickly and quietly, though sometimes the latter isn't really doable. Stopping a feral monster (or witch) mid attack isn't unheard of, and she'll always stop to check on who they might've been going for if the they're still in their right mind.]

You good? Make sure you get somewhere safer.

( c. - this shit is b-a-n-a-n-a-s )

[Every now and then, a girl's gotta rest or at least not be fending off angry creatures every minute. So sometimes, sort of briefly, Fie's going to be finding a spot to sit or lean or lay down or whatever. If there's anyone else around, she'll offer a nod or a greeting. A full on conversation isn't out of the question, depending on the circumstances, however almost every time, she'll ask the same thing.]

Got anything to eat?

( d. - wildcard )

[You know what's great? Other people's creativity. Use that here!]

((ooc: hmu at retort if you wanna plot anything!))

c

[proficience]

[Having had an atrocious evening, Dazai is now sauntering about, exhausted and physically weak. He had just died and returned to life, after all, completing his transformation into a vampire.

Which, of course, was a mess and he'd rather not even think back to it, but --

Thoughts still linger in his mind.

Spotting an unfamiliar face resting against a wall, he wanders over slowly, and then shakes his head at the question.]

I'm afraid not. I can't eat food, so I don't carry any on me.

[sylphid]

Well that's unfortunate for both of us.

[Fie's tired, but it doesn't seep into her tone. Instead, she sounds pretty chill right now, like she's just relaxing because she can.]

Mainly me, I guess.

[proficience]

[If she needed bandages, Dazai would have a myriad of fresh ones in a pocket to offer her. But food --

Food is always an issue.]

I could find some for you if you'd like. Have nothing better to do, anyway.

[Plus, the wings he has will allow him to avoid most of any mess caused by the previous chaos.]

A store should still have something, even after the looting.

[sylphid]

As long as you're willing to pay for it, I'm game.

[Because like hell she has any money on her right now.]

Wildcard because I love you

[fiddlestick]

[ The good news is Elliot isn't dangerous enough to be one of the big threats causing havoc around town. Monstrous features weren't enough to make up for his complete lack of physical ability. So Fie really didn't have to worry about Elliot actually hurting anyone while he struggled to get under control.

The bad news is that while he wasn't dangerous, he wasn't exactly useful either. The new instincts were too sudden and too loud for him to have an easy time ignoring. So he keeps wandering off, coming back later with some odd musical equipment he found. Trying to get him to focus is also a real trial, as he's easily distracted.

Like right now, as a very good looking guy passes by. His head perks up and he starts trying to flap his blue feathery wings at him, trying to attract the guy's attention.

It's not working.]

[sylphid]

[Fie's only on a second story ledge right now, so her view is even better. Of course there's stuff to be done. Corralling rioters, keeping civilians out of harm's way, stuff like that. It's all important and vital and whatever, but! But!!

This is enough to make her sit down and simply watch. No way in hell is she missing this show.]

[fiddlestick]

[If Elliot knows Fie is up there, he is totally too distracted to even notice. He keeps flapping his wings, but the guy is not noticing.

Maybe he needs to draw more attention to himself? So his animal instincts tell him the best way to do that? Is hold out his wings and hop around like some weird awkward bird.

Bright side, the guy notices. Not so bright side, he is immediately leaving]

[sylphid]

[Oh. Oh no. This is both sad and utterly hilarious at the same time. By now she's taken out her comm to film this for later. Sorry, bro, stuff this bad is always fair game. Fie keeps it rolling as she attractive man notices and seems to scurry away as fast as he can.

Focus is back on Elliot.]

c!

[stellung]

[ Machias has at least dodged the feral bullet, so to speak. But he's not completely free of behavioral changes! Fie asks that, and Machias crosses his arms and looks thoughtful for a second. ]

Maybe. Do you have anything for it?

[ And immediately after that comes out of his mouth, he makes a face and sighs loudly, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. ]

Oh for--! Just... pretend I didn't say that. No, I don't have anything to eat. Sorry. [ He grumbles. ] I don't know what's worse, the pain or this ridiculous impulse...

[sylphid]

[Fie only stares at him as he goes through his one man argument with himself, amazed she didn't even get to respond before he corrects his words.]

What just happened...?

[stellung]

I don't know! It's the strangest thing, I keep wanting to... make deals with people?

[ Does that make sense to you? Because it does not make sense to him. He just hates it. ]

[sylphid]

[Fie shrugs. She's sitting against the wall of a house near theirs, so it makes sense they'd run into each other. She pats the ground beside her for him to take a seat.]

Any takers yet?

c

[mantiger]

I do, actually!

[ Even if it's an unfamiliar face, he doesn't mind if someone strikes a conversation with him -- and unlike most, he actually carries quite a bit of food around with him just in case he gets hungry.

He's a black hole of a stomach, sometimes. ]

Ah -- are you allergic to anything? I have cookies, but there's nuts in them.

[sylphid]

[As soon as he says those magic words, Fie's holding out her hand with a much delayed "please" following shortly after.]

Nope, and even if I was, I'd still take them.

[She's not even joking right now.]

a

[overworker]

[Like Fie, once Towa realized how chaotic things were getting on the outside, she started for the guild office first to make sure that there was no damage, and to reenforce the locks before something could go wrong. But it looks like Fie beat her to it.

She’s not surprised. For a change, Towa is anything but her normal self. But cat naps be damned, this is one thing she will not compromise.]

Oh! Hey.. Is everything alright?

[sylphid]

[Fie's just leaving out the window when there's a familiar voice checking up on things, too. She turns and slides to the ground to make her way over to Towa. The question gets a nod as the shorter girl's looked over.

Those sure are some new additions.]

So far so decent. I was just about to get out of the area to not draw attention to this place, but maybe we should go inside instead? It might be a better place to talk if you want.

[Since Fie's never averse to talk with her, and it's likely going to be easier to catch up in there versus out in the open chaos.]

[overworker]

[They sure are. Towa can't say she's surprised even Fie has to take a moment to take it in. She's still trying to get used to it herself.]

Right. I wanted to check on everything inside as well anyway, just to be certain.

[Chaos or no, there could be smart criminals. She'll feel better once she knows for certain that things are alright on the inside too. And they do have a few things to catch up on she supposes.]

[sylphid]

[Once they're inside with the doors firmly closed, she looks at Towa again, a little more openly this time.]

So you look different. [Leave it to Fie to remain all casual about it. Maybe it'll make things easier for the other girl, maybe not. It's not in her nature to yell about things suddenly like that. She's not Machias.]

You okay?

joins the C party

[amurder]

... Doubtful, but I can check.

[Salieri has been busy with his own damage control after all– attempting to help both those terrorized by the newly transformed and aiding said newly transformed with their burgeoning changes. He's spotted her just as he was considering calling it a night, and recalls an almost familiar way in which the conversation starts. She really does seem very relaxed... even at a time like this.

Salieri envies her a bit. He searches within the confides of his suit and from his pocket produces–

–a bag of candy. Ok???] Ah.

Will this suffice?

[Maybe for you it would, Salieri.....]

give her all the garbage food

[sylphid]

Cool.

[She'll be patient, there's not much else she can do right now, anyway. Little sporadic naps here and there between her efforts to contain what she can are all she has to go off. Luckily her way of life back home's prepared her for this, the whole functioning on minimal rest and nourishment until the job is done thing. Pros and cons.

Fie glances up and nods. One thing she isn't is picky. Plus, who doesn't love candy?]

Yeah, it would. You don't mind sharing?

[And maybe, right now, she's a little too tired for her normal insertion of herself into things. Better to check this time.]

it's time to d-d-d-d-d-d-d-duel

[hoboagogo]

[Stealth can only go so far when the one you're trying to slap a sigil on has an empathetic bond. And while Shinjiro hasn't been in his mind at all, for most of the dark night, something in him had been able to react to that proximity and feeling, removing that initial advantage.

Even exhausted and bloodied in places from previous fights, the beast he had fully succumbed to showed no sign of stopping, even with Fie's darting, quick attacks. While fights typically don't last long in general-- but it had been several minutes since this one had begun, all quick dodges and thin knives and massive claws raking anything they can catch, jaws snapping at any movement close enough.

Finally, though, he catches her with the swing of a paw. It's a backhand, at least, as he's still trying to catch up with her quick motions, so his claws don't catch flesh or bone-- but it's still enough to knock the smaller turnskin back into the side of the closest building with a dull thump.

But rather than wait or feel victorious, he immediately starts ambling towards her, jaw hanging slightly open, thick canines bared as he breathes heavily.]

my grandpa gave this card!!!

[sylphid]

[Sleep hasn't been a real companion to her this weekend, not with everything going on. From keeping safe who she can to knocking out feral monster and witches alike, Fie's running on close to empty. Her limits are being tested. While she knows she's grown since her days in Zephyr, it also puts into perspective how much more she still has to learn and grow. Thinking of what the boss or Sara or even Rean can do keeps her motivated, and now is no different.

Mentally at least. Physically, it's another story. No matter how motivated she is, her body can only manage so much for so long, and it's that eventual sluggishness that allows him to get her off guard. Slashes and dodges and rolls and swipes keep up for longer than she'd like, so when it happens, she's as prepared as she can be.

It's not so much a knock back as it is a small flight. Her training kicks in, and she forces herself to relax and not tense up as she hits to soften the blow as best she can. It still hurts like a bitch. A cry escapes her, and she slides to the ground with a curse. Fie knows her leg is messed up now, likely broken, making it basically impossible to move from her landing spot. She shifts as best she can, a gunsword still in each hand, readying herself for his frontal assault.]

Come on, Shinjiro. That all you got?

[In each palm, beneath the weapons' handles, she holds a magical slip of paper. Here's hoping she gets a good chance to use it before much more happens.]

nothing can stand up to my blue eyes white dragon!!!!

[hoboagogo]

[The words are pure noise, lacking in meaning the moment they moment they reach him. For a moment, one long ear twitches, almost as though aggravated by a mosquito, but other than the faint flicker, there's no visible reaction to Fie's challenge spoken.

All night, the hunt had been denied to him. Intervention after intervention, be it by other predators or prey-beasts, managing to drive him to look elsewhere, rather than continue useless fights. But at least he's now found one weary enough, one small enough that the force of the throw had ended with a satisfying crack and the soft smell of blood pooling below the surface of the skin, just needing to be opened.

The approach is steady, recognizing enough that she can't rise, and that using more energy to move quicker won't be necessary. There's still the blades in her hands, but with more more solid crunch, jaws over skull, those will be worthless too. Finally, he lunges, lips peeling back from off-white fangs and grinding teeth, moving to close down on the first obstacle they encounter- one of those gunblades, surely, but hopefully the hand and arm with it.]

EXCEPT THE HEART OF THE CARDS!!!!

[sylphid]

[His reactions, complete lack of visible comprehension, and type of approach tell her clear as day he's lost to the ferality right now. In a sense, it makes it easier for her to do what she's about to. On the flip side, this will hurt like nothing else so far. She's weighed her options, and while the most risky to her being, her plan is also the most feasible to work for what she needs it to. Which is to get him back to normal.

Shinjiro's never spelled out specifics, but their talks and the bond have clued her into a few things. One is that he'd absolutely detest it if he did something to an innocent when he's not in control. Focusing his attention and attacks on herself give her time to prevent that somehow. At least this way, she has a better chance of being all right in the end. ... after some healing and rest.

Fie lifts her right arm to meet his gaping maw, blade in hand. Instead of meet those razor teeth with her weapon, she inserts her right forearm sideways into his jaw. It clenches and shuts, teeth sinking into her flesh with the ease of a white hot knife. Blood starts seeping out immediately. The pain is almost unbearable as it sears the edge of her vision. A cry escapes her, but she maintains focus. With his jaw locked, she's free to move her other arm.

So she does, slamming her blade into his oncoming clawed forearm on her left. With that amount of force, he should be feeling some pain as well. As he draws it back, Fie lets go of her weapon, leaving it lodged in her friend. The sigil is her palm is still there, and she leverages her weight with her trapped arm (ouch), ignoring the crimson leaking everywhere, to hoist herself up enough to attempt to slap it on his head.

Please let this work.]