moustre: (Default)
moustre ([personal profile] moustre) wrote in [community profile] middaeg2019-10-12 01:50 pm

☆ Event: Fright Night

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.

showsnopiety: (always)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-10-14 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
[She stared up at him. Dog eared, android or not, she would push him right back and meant it if he tried. Instead she waited until he stumbled back-and she moved forward.

More carefully now. Gently, so she could lightly touch his sides with her hands, not her claws.]


I'm sure you have a more violent side, a side I haven't seen. However...

this isn't right. We can't do this.
plasticasshole: (✦ sending out my heart)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-10-14 06:39 pm (UTC)(link)
I know.

[His eyes are wide, and he looks down at the man on the floor before looking back at Caren.]

I don't know what happened, I-- I lost control.

[Which is jarring, because he Bonded early on specifically to stop himself from losing control. He prides himself on not being provoked easily. So... why did he just lose his temper so quickly?]
showsnopiety: (your little girl)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-10-15 07:12 am (UTC)(link)
I know. I know.

[She made to take his hands. There might be people around them but-it wasn't important. The two of them were.]

I don't-Connor, we need to fix things. We need to take him to the Coven.

[If Justine saw this...she might be traumatized. She was a lovely woman, but she was delicate too.]
plasticasshole: (✧ unit one's in trouble)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-10-15 06:58 pm (UTC)(link)
[If she didn't know him any better he might have looked like he was about to cry, but he doesn't. He just has the big, sad eyes down really well. He nods numbly, letting Caren take his hands. He can't be standing here feeling sorry for himself when there's a man in pain on the floor. Someone who didn't deserve the beatdown Connor just gave him.]

Are there any carts we could load him into?

[That's generally what people have used to move him when he has a tail, and can't move for himself.]
showsnopiety: (You always)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-10-17 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
[If she thought he could cry...but he does look upset, the most upset she's seen him. Then again-this is the worst thing she's seen him do. It still didn't make sense, and there was a disconnect through the man that snarled at her, and the one that loved to lean against her and listen to songs.]

I don't know. I wasn't paying attention.

[She started to move towards the curled up ball of a man, still moaning on the ground.]

But I can carry him until we find one.
plasticasshole: (✦ my memory's slim)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-10-17 03:59 pm (UTC)(link)
[Connor almost protests, but he supposes that man doesn't want Connor anywhere near him after that. So he just nods. People are still standing around them, and he's acutely aware of how they stare at him. He wants to leave.

He goes silent for now, unsure of what he could say to make the situation better. He wants to try to defend himself, to say it wasn't him beating that man, not really. But Caren must surely understand that... right?

When she picks the man up, Connor turns in the direction of the Coven.]
showsnopiety: (to show you)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-10-18 07:25 am (UTC)(link)
[He'd likely scream for help, thinking that Connor would do terrible awful things to him. And no one would blame the man, after all those wounds.

Caren doesn't demand an explanation. Not here. Instead she starts walking towards the Coven, the noble in her arms. And it'd be funny, with how petite she is but...she's not in the mood for jokes.]


Connor? Maybe you should sing for us.

[It's something he likes to do. Surely he's collected more by now, and it might soothe all who see.]
plasticasshole: (✯ i'm in the system)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-10-20 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
[He glances over at Caren. He really isn't in the mood to sing, and it won't soothe anyone since he isn't in Merrow form, but he chooses a song anyway. It makes him feel a little better, since it's a song that Justine sang to him. He focuses on that as they walk, even if he's quiet and not all that expressive as he sings.

When he's done he just sighs, looking down at the man who is clearly not soothed despite the song.]

I don't think it helped him much.
showsnopiety: (your lord)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-10-20 05:55 am (UTC)(link)
[She knew he wasn't, which was why she only gave him a rather calm look. The song is lovely, and it's not one she knows. And in its own way, it's soothing. But...well, she's not surprised.]

Likely not. But one song may not do much. We may just have to sing more before we go to the Coven and deliver him into their hands.
plasticasshole: (✦ and come to you)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-10-23 09:06 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm going to run out of songs.

[He still doesn't know that many... he really needs to find some more.]

Why don't you sing for a while?
showsnopiety: (alone)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-10-24 03:55 am (UTC)(link)
We need to get you more songs.

[Her voice was fond, and her glance was too. But...ah, she supposes this might make him feel better. so she took in a deep breath and started to sing. It wasn't like some of the ones she'd song before, but the mood seemed to work with it. Which was impressive since she was carrying a man larger then herself.

Before Connor could react to the last of it, she started singing a different one. Maybe one that was a little on the nose but...still.]
plasticasshole: (✯ the lights are on)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-10-30 06:04 pm (UTC)(link)
[It does help, he finds. He could honestly listen to Caren sing for hours. Maybe when they've dropped this man off at the Coven he can just curl up in her lap and listen to her. He'd like that.]

After we've taken care of this... do you want to go somewhere and teach me some more songs?

[It'll distract him from the shame he feels, he hopes.]
showsnopiety: (You always)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-10-31 09:40 am (UTC)(link)
[It's their thing, it's what they do-or rather, what she does for him, in or out of the water. Maybe she'll just pet his hair while singing to him. Even if he doesn't sleep...he can pretend for a little while.]

We can go back to my place if you'd like. I don't think you've been there.

Unless-do you need to go back to the water? I do have some large tubs, but it's not the size of your pool.
plasticasshole: (✦ throw the software to the fires)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-10-31 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
I haven't been there before, no.

[He shakes his head.]

I don't need to return to the water just yet... and especially not while singing.

[What if he lures in Caren by mistake? What if he hurts her?]
showsnopiety: (Papa I know)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-10-31 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
If it's just in the bathtub, and if you want to sing with me...I can just lay on top of you in the water.

It may make things smell a little like wet fur and feathers but if you don't mind...

[She might be small, but she is strong. She'll break the tub if she has to.]
plasticasshole: (✧ but programmed to seem)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-11-02 01:22 am (UTC)(link)
I don't mind. Do you live with anyone else? They might get lured to the bathroom if I sing while wet.

[It's the only problem with his Merrow form... singing or humming entrances people and draws them in. He won't be drowning people in the tub, but it might be inconvenient for any of Caren's friends to have to stop what they're doing just to stand and gawk at the two of them.]
showsnopiety: (I close my eyes)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-11-02 04:46 am (UTC)(link)
No...I don't live with anyone anymore.

[She still misses Somnus. But...at least this means that Connor and Caren can cuddle and sing in the bathtub. It's a little strange, even for her but it works.]

So it's fine. It's safe.
plasticasshole: (✦ there's a surge in my psychosis)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-11-03 02:10 am (UTC)(link)
Oh... I'm sorry.

[He frowns as they walk.]

I should visit you more often. You're always welcome at my cottage, too.

[He doesn't like to think of Caren being on her own.]
showsnopiety: (You always)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-11-03 06:50 am (UTC)(link)
[She's still carrying the noble in her arms, funny as it may look. But they should at least be getting close to the Coven soon.

Or so she hopes.]


I know. I'm not good at this...friend thing Connor. You don't have to offer out of pity. I've been alone before.

I can do it again. I know you have precious people you need to keep safe and cherished.
plasticasshole: (✦ a minor miracle of medicine)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-11-04 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
I'm not offering out of pity, I'm offering because you're my friend.

[It's true he's been preoccupied lately, but... Caren is important to him, too.]

You don't need to be alone.
showsnopiety: (You always)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-11-05 01:46 am (UTC)(link)
[She winces, and glances away briefly. This was...feelings are hard Connor.]

...I suppose.

I apologize. I'm...I'm not sure what to say Connor.

[She's not sure what do. Well. Her jaw sets, and looks away. Too many feelings.]
plasticasshole: (✦ no turning back)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-11-08 01:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Let's just focus on getting this man to the Coven, then.

[Luckily, it seems like they're practically there. And for what it's worth, nobody seems to be asking questions right now.]
showsnopiety: (always)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-11-10 12:16 am (UTC)(link)
[She nods, and tries to keep her grip gentle on her charge. It'd be just the thing if they arrived and she accidentally squished them to death.

They arrive, she passes off the beaten noble, and when asked what happened...she shrugs, her expression neutral.]


We found him like this. We noticed there were some people running away but...not close enough to see their features or faces.

It may be completely unrelated.

[She just lies with a straight face. Even if someone could and would question Connor's hand, it's a rather typical story for the night.]
plasticasshole: (✦ if this machine is a pawn)

[personal profile] plasticasshole 2019-11-11 02:19 am (UTC)(link)
[Connor is, if nothing else, a convincing liar. So it's easy for him to maintain his composure while he's asked a few questions. When they're given permission to leave he nods, wishes the man a speedy recovery, and walks out with Caren.

He does go back to looking mildly guilty as soon as nobody but her can see him, but it's for beating up that guy, not for lying.]

I'd like to see your home now.
showsnopiety: (broken down)

[personal profile] showsnopiety 2019-11-12 04:10 am (UTC)(link)
[She's a little surprised that he could have such a stoic face, and be such a good liar- but maybe... well. It's not as if she knew everything about him.

At least he seemed to regret his actions, even if neither of them understood what caused them in the first place.]


Of course. It'll take a bit of walking but- between the two of us, we should get there, no problem.

[More gently, she adds:]

And it wouldn't be a terrible idea for someone to look at your hands tomorrow morning.

[She can bandage them for now. She always makes sure to have them. Just in case.]

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