☆ 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

[selfishwish]

[Even as flat as the question comes out, Momiji flinches all the same. It's not like he thought he was being especially stealthy about his decision, but he had kind of hoped that everyone was all so shell-shocked at this point that no one who noticed would have the energy to ask.]

Sorta. I think...

[And, judging by the handful he produces, his own pockets are now laden with 500-cune coins, assorted baubles and jewelry, unidentified keys, and...a few little sweet-shop parcels of chocolates and marshmallows.]

I don't remember who I took any of it from.

[He admits softly, not actually looking back at the vampire. Though that's not true, exactly: He remembers a lot of the who and just very few specifics about the what.]

[judgementor]

Mm... and disposing of it all was the first thing that came to mind?

[No judgement, there. Or, very little. Red Wine hasn't been himself lately, either, and he would be hypocritical to place blame onto someone when he might have been doing the same thing.

Though his pockets, at least, are empty.

He sighs, leaning his head back briefly, then he moves to close the space between them and rests the palm of his hand lightly against the pommel of his rapier.]

You might hand it in anonymously to somebody who could locate the owners for you.

[selfishwish]

I don't want to take any of it home.

[It's not entirely rational--but it'd feel more like stealing, if he held onto it after coming to his senses?

He wilts back just a little at Red Wine's alternative suggestion, though, hesitating from dumping the contents of his cupped palms into the water. That does sound more responsible--but also scarier. Going home and falling asleep and pretending this was all a very bad dream sounds much better!!]

I dunno if I know anybody like that. I mean...I do, kinda, but I don't want to get them in trouble--

[He literally works at a place with "Finders" inscribed over its door. But the twin risks of the puca-detectives there either being accused or else investigating and finding out he was the guilty party are both too terrible to contemplate!]

[judgementor]

I'll take it.

[Said with something of a sigh, but the drive to assist others is built into him like an instinct and he's genuine in his offer despite the dry tone in which its given.]

If you know someone, I'll take it to them. If not, I'll find somebody.

[Red Wine glances off the edge of the bridge, down at the water flowing beneath.]

The people those things belong to deserve better than having their possessions and money thrown into the river.

[selfishwish]

I know.

[That answer comes out somewhere between a defensive whine and a wail. The Rabbit's voice threatens to crack on the last word--because, of course, Red Wine's right. The really, really right thing to do would be to try his best to remember everywhere he'd "borrowed" from over the past nights and return everything himself.

But he just can't. Not just now, anyway, and if he waits there's no way Kyo won't find out all about it, and what if he waits and tries and gets arrested?]

...you really would? [He asks, after clawing back a little bit of composure, and reaches his cupped hands out towards the vampire. He'll hesitate to actually dump out their contents just yet, though.] Promise? ...you can't just keep it.

[No, it doesn't make much sense to bother worrying about that when he was just going to throw it all away, otherwise. But Momiji does not let that stop him.]

[judgementor]

[His eyebrows raise slightly but he's said his piece, and now it's up to Momiji to decide if he's going to take the offer or not. He holds out his hands, carefully cupped beneath the youngster's when it looks like he's going to accept.]

I wouldn't even think of it. ['I'm no thief', he almost adds, but it seems like a low blow considering Momiji is likely not ordinarily a thief either.]

You have my word of honour as a knight. I will ensure everything is returned to its proper owner.

[selfishwish]

[Momiji squints back him for just a second longer, scrutinizing, and then finally gives a slow nod. He guesses this guy seems...about as trustworthy as he can hope, under the circumstances?]

'Kay, here--

[He dumps the contents of his hands out, then promptly reaches back into his pockets, fishing out leftover coins, keys, a necklace, a little bag laden with some kind of dried flower...he had a busy night, okay?

He drops those on top of the little pile he's already made, sighing. It is kind of a weight off his chest.]

...are you really a knight?

[judgementor]

Yes.

[He goes about carefully tucking the items and money handed over into his pockets (different pockets, depending on what he's given) and brushes his hands together when all Momiji's misdeeds are - at least for now - tucked away out of sight.]

When the human who summoned me died, I decided a noble path was far better than one spent in pursuit of selfish interests.

[And he smiles, and it's kind, putting a small spark behind his eyes.]

So don't worry. Your faith isn't ill-placed.