☆ 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

[fieryimpulse]

Absolutely. You just gimme a shout if there starts to be too much of a panic. I know a couple of spells that can soothe emotions. Not much, but it may help.

[She regards him with a quick, but still warm smile, her elven ears twitching.]

I'm Chandra, by the way.

[cryptsleeper]

I'd rather not have to manipulate emotions, but it is nice to know that the option is available.

[To her name, Alucard only nods.]

On your mark then.

[fieryimpulse]

I'm ready.

[With a push of will, she expands the spell, pushing aside the mists surrounding the building full of people...and ripping the door free.

More mist is sucked out, adding to the vortex, and she steps into the entrance.]

You're up, Adrian.

[cryptsleeper]

[He's up indeed. Up and taking advantage of his strength's return, going to the fifth floor of the building first and banging on doors. It's not not scary, although after the bang there's no yelling from the dhampir. His voice strives to be as gentle and polite as possible given the situation, because no one needs to panic even more than they already are.

It takes time. It takes patience, but once the top floor is cleared, it's obvious to all other residents what's going on.

Alucard's eyes, once he hits the thhird floor, return to his companion. Yelling to ensure he's heard, there's only one question worth asking:]

How is your magic holding up?

[fieryimpulse]

[The people hurrying out of the building is a good start. The magic isn't as stable as Chandra would like, but the cyclone has kept up it's movements without wobbling too much. Her hands are raised up, and she's forcing the threads of spellcraft to hold together gently, a bit like trying to keep a clay pot that was cracking together.]

It's holding. Maybe another...five minutes? When you've got the first floor moving, I'm going to start letting up on the control. They're going to have to run. So are we!

[cryptsleeper]

Understood.

[Then there's no more. Alucard can account for time. Five minutes isn't much, and he hits that floor with only three to spare. When he yells Follow the others! as he pounds on doors it's with a greater urgency than he was already using, and he's counting down precious seconds in his head.

Twenty. The last door is reached.

Ten.. The occupants are out and running along the corridor.

Two.

One.

His eyes go up in Chandra's direction, hoping she can manage a few extra moments.]

[fieryimpulse]

[Chandra does her best, truly, to maintain the spell and keep the whole thing from coming apart. The cyclone wobbles, unstable, shaking and rattling the shutters on the upper floors. Several are torn free, flung like missiles into the city, but the base holds for now.

Chandra herself shakes, her arms quivering with effort, strain in her features as she presses her hands together, holding on as long as she can. The spell begins to buckle...yet with a quick spin of a finger, restabilizes a moment longer.]

C'mon...get moving...

[She can't spare more than a flitting glance over at the entrance, looking for people on the move.]

[cryptsleeper]

[One. One??

Two.

Three?

Alucard knows that they're on borrowed time now. There are still people moving, but Alucard can at least yell out the only way to buy another second.]

Release it towards the right, that's cleared!

[fieryimpulse]

[Chandra's arms continue to shake, her body taxed, but she hears him well enough and pushes it the direction he's indicated. The vortex rips free of her magical grasp, moving like a top that's about to fall on it's side, the force of the push keeping it together just a moment longer.

Leaping clear, Chandra darts towards the crowd, waving her hands to get them moving. The people start to run, seeing the spell and her wild eyed look...]

It's coming apart, so run! You'll make it if you run!

[And it does, finally, start to break apart. The winds whip wildly in all directions like snapped strings, sloshing the mists around, stirring shingles and outdoor decorations. It seems to grow stronger for a moment, beyond what she had caused, as the magic feeds on itself...]

Go!

[cryptsleeper]

[In all the madness, it works. The spinning thing of death moves in the correct, safe direction and it buys just a few precious moments more to run.

There's no stampede but it is such a near thing, and in that, everyone is cleared. Cleared of the mist, cleared of the wind, cleared of everything so that people can get to safety. Alucard doesn't question the good fortune. He just moves with everyone else, and he presumes that Chandra will touch base in due time.

He doesn't even look back. That much is a vote of confidence.]

[fieryimpulse]

[She moves as well, though, with more a murmured word to increase her speed. The spell lets her easily catch up, trotting at the side of the crowd, keeping pace and shouting words of encouragement into the wind.

The magic eventually collapses inward completely, the mist exploding outward, but they've got enough of a lead that the whole group makes it safely to the next street. With the mist already beginning to settle back into it's original place...with a few more tendrils of it reaching higher into the air from the disturbance, it's clear that it's totally not natural.

Slowing her pace once clear of the plaza, she waves and moves in Adrian's direction.]

Nice job.

[cryptsleeper]

It would have been impossible without your assistance. Thank you.

[Alucard knows that much for certain. But he also keeps moving, eyes always going back to the direction of the mist. It is a fickle thing and he doesnt trust it to simply follow everyone's escape route.]

[fieryimpulse]

I mean, we make a good team. I'd have had to split my attention too much to make that work without you.

[She continues to move as well, and likewise watch the plaza.]

You're mirrorbound as well?

[cryptsleeper]

Dire circumstances can sometimes yield positive results.

[Alucard isn't sure what else can be done at this point. The problem isn't just limited to one or two places - it's citywide, and frankly, that brings with it a few too many questions about the cause.]

I am, yes.

[fieryimpulse]

Part of the latest batch, I'll guess.

[She's got an eye for faces, and his isn't familiar.]

You should know this isn't common. And it's probably related to Dorchacht, which someone's probably mentioned to you by now. It's also probably going to get worse before it gets better.

[cryptsleeper]

Correct again.

[He's aware of Dorchacht and the...everything about it. The whole of the thing made every hair stand on end, for a system like that hit upon a fear Alucard didn't know he had. Awful. Utterly awful.]

In your estimation, what's the probability of connection to the matter?

[fieryimpulse]

Having met Morgana and visited that hellhole?

[Chandra shrugs, almost unthinkingly.]

Ninety percent. There's an outside chance that the whole thing was an accidental spell or a malicious local dissident that wanted to scare off the refugees...but Morgana seems vindictive, and we did spoil her little experiment pretty soundly.

[cryptsleeper]

[Alucard's frown deepens, and he realizes that this is not a conversation to be had while well, fleeing some deeply harmful mist. There's no other time to have it though, so he keeps moving along.]

But based on that, that suggests this move one of several, correct? Her personality, in so far as I've heard tell about it, implies there might be escalation.

[fieryimpulse]

Yes. So, if you are a warrior keep your sword arm trained. If you're a Witch, then find a bondmate and practice. But keep your wits about you above all.

[Chandra's rarely, if ever, offered leaderly advice. But she'd met with Morgana...and that woman disturbed her like few others ever had.]

[cryptsleeper]

[There's a few words in there that could be considered ironic, but Alucard doesn't comment on them. There's only his eyes ahead, and-- ah. The safe point. He slows once they both enter it, and then turns to her.]

Do you believe yourself capable of a second attempt at this routine?

[fieryimpulse]

Absolutely.

[She has a lot of experience with this sort of work, and with her own limits.]

It's not the work that's hard, it's the inherent instability of the spell. I can probably manage two more.

I think we can end here

[cryptsleeper]

[With that, Alucard can only give a curt nod of his head.]

Then let's go.