Event Log: January, Return to Dorchacht

[faileas]

Event Log: January, Return to Dorchacht

I. A Tarnished Reality The teleporter to Dorchacht becomes operational by the 4th and the ambassadors return to their city with the first open, ceremonial operation of the device - along with any Mirrorbound who wish to join them, and Theodore Rosethorne and Sowilo, who make the trip as representatives of the Coven to ensure that all is well. Those who missed the first teleportation, never fear! Now that both waypoints are functional, Mirrorbound and others may travel freely between Aefenglom and Dorchacht at any point they choose to. Notably absent from the group, though - most of the Dorchacht refugees originally smuggled into Aefenglom. Only three or four are going back with the ambassadors, and they're primarily Witches. The rest have chosen to stay. Upon return to Dorchacht, it's obvious that some major changes have been made with the new regime. The sky is overcast, but it's merely fault of the weather at this time of year - the oppressive fog that used to hang over the Black City is gone, along with its effects on the natural lunar cycle. The auction blocks, damaged in the fires of the event the locals now call "The Rising", have been fully torn down, not a trace of them left to sully the streets. Where the triple stars of the Resistance used to be worn in secret, a majority of citizens now bear them openly (and in many cases, proudly) on pins and on clothing. In fact, any Witches who do not display the triple stars on their person somewhere, are generally regarded with suspicion, disgust, or fear unless they're recognized as Mirrorbound Witches - careful not to be mistaken for a Drummond sympathizer. The Monster citizens won't be outwardly cruel to any Witches, but will be somewhat fearful, hurrying their children along or crossing the street to get away. Recognizable Mirrorbound, those who were there during The Rising and before, are treated a bit like celebrities on the streets, though any Mirrorbound are given a warm welcome, albeit a little less warm for Witches. Storytellers share tales of how diplomats treating one another, Witches and Monsters alike, as equals so publicly and openly within Dorchacht gave them hope that such a life is attainable, or how a band of Mirrorbound snuck into the city under the cover of darkness and helped give their Resistance a leg up in the good fight against Drummond's extremists. Others share stories of being rescued from burning buildings or cruel Witches during The Rising by brave heroes. Many of these tales are shared in the form of song, as homage to those Mirrorbound who brought hopeful music to Dorchacht through the radio, which is still operational and playing a selection of music with a little more variety. Still a bit soft, their speakers and songs are, but as time passes, they grow a little more experimental, branching out from the lullabies that used to be played. Overall, the Black City is much less black these days, a little greener and brighter from the plants left by Mirrorbound before. Where the old Dorchacht could take your breath away with its feeling of barred oppression, many of those barricaded windows have been opened, reinforcements on the doors broken down. Though things are never perfect after a revolution, and it's clear that the work continues. Armed Resistance guards patrol the streets in trios, normally two Monsters and a Witch, to keep the peace. Their first priority is the protection of Monsters, many of whom still seem anxious and scared as they go about their days - not of the guards themselves, who they often greet with smiles, but of the Witches and humans they pass on the streets. In some cases, keeping the peace means breaking up fights between their own and those humans and Witches who do not want to accept Monsters as their equals, and in some cases it means putting Drummond sympathizers in their places with intimidation and force. While they do their best to keep skirmishes out of Mirrorbound sight, it's clear that despite the improvements, Dorchacht is still no utopia, and the road to a true peace is fraught with speedbumps. As noted, characters are free to travel between Aefenglom and Dorchacht by teleporter as often as they'd like! The waypoints will remain open even after this month and travel will be unrestricted; we will note if this situation changes in the future. Dorchacht quests are also now available ICly!

II. A Few Alterations a. The Coven Major changes are still underway. One of the biggest that Mirrorbound will notice is that the new administration of Dorchacht have moved the Coven. The old building is in a state of disrepair right now, doors and windows wide open, the interior stripped of trappings. The library has shed its books to somewhere else. The basement where so many horrors took place is abandoned. Instead, a sign has been erected outside it, stating that this center of Drummond's operations will be turned into a museum to remember their unpleasant history, and to memorialize those who lost their lives fighting for freedom. It's still a work in progress, and not high on the priority list when survival and care of the citizens have to take precedence, but inside, characters may still find small shrines set up in various places to Resistance members who died there. Instead, Dorchacht's new Coven is currently based inside an old manor located just a handful of blocks from the town square, and it's a much more informal affair. Magic lessons have continued with Resistance Witches, though the subject matter has changed instead. They experiment with different types of magic based on their own interests, but many are studying plant magic, medicine, and defensive spells that can be used out in the Wilde. Anything that will prove to be practical going forward. Lessons are also open to Monsters now, so they can see what their magical brethren are learning (and know that the compulsion and control spells that Morgana loved so much are no longer being taught). With the Coven being moved, visitors from Aefenglom are offered places to stay either within the manor of the new Coven, or in various empty houses around the city. Stay as long as you'd like, they say, and apologize that the accommodations aren't nicer - reconstruction is still obviously ongoing all over the city, repairing damages from The Rising and the fighting that happened afterward. They don't really have anywhere as nice as the rooms their ambassadors were given in Aefenglom. b. The Walls One of the biggest on-going projects in Dorchacht right now is removing the Monster control spells from the set of enchantments on their city walls. High on the list of priorities is making sure that Monsters can feel safe again, secure in their own minds and bodies. As the spells are made visible, particular sets of runes have to be ground down and smoothed over. A spell is either cast or provided to soften the stone temporarily, and then it's basically going at it with magitech-powered sanders created by Hilda. The particular runes that need to be gotten rid of will be provided on reference sheets - please don't touch the others, they chide! Those are to protect from the Cwyld, and are still very important. While help is welcomed with open arms and enthusiasm at most sections of the walls, those guards posted at one particular small district, guarded with trios of Resistance members at each entrance and warded with alarm magic to warn of escape, turn Mirrorbound away; these runes are being altered, not removed, to help contain unruly Drummond loyalists, they say. The people who now live in that guarded district are all human, whether they're Witches or no, and all refuse to bear the triple stars. "Troublemakers," the guards will explain grimly. "We have to contain them for now. It isn't a perfect solution, but they've hurt people, or tried to hurt people, since Drummond was run out of town." c. Bond Lessons Bonding is a bit of a tricky subject in the new Dorchacht. Many Monsters are afraid of the idea, as it was once used as one of the collars around their necks, but the Circle of Three recognize it as an important way to wean citizens off the lullabies and calming draughts that prevent going feral during full moons. As part of encouraging others to form Bonds, partnerships at the very least the way most Resistance members describe theirs, there are demonstrations and public seminars that pop up around Dorchacht on the regular. They may be as informal as a circle in what's going to be a park or as official-seeming as a talk held inside a shop or lecture hall, but they have one thing in common. Many of the citizens are keen on getting Mirrorbound in on it -- mostly by dragging them in, asking if they have a Bonded, and if they do, they tell the Mirrorbound to talk about their Bonded. They're interested in the ups and downs (but mostly ups) of having one in order to show that if the Mirrorbound are into it, you should be too! They accept all stories but prefer the happy ones - the aim is to encourage their Monster citizens and help them be less afraid of taking that step with Witches. And for those who aren't in a Bond, or decline to talk -- well, they get what amounts to a "flour sack baby" in the form of a Dorchacht citizen of the opposite role of their own (a Monster would receive a human/Witch, a Witch would receive a Monster) that they must hang with for a day, ensuring no harm comes to them, bound by one of the temporary Bonding potions so popular in the Wilders' ranks. (As a note, for the second option, you have free reign of the NPC; do the personalities you find fun, be they cooperative or mischievous, shy or loud, abrasive to your character or someone they can genuinely get along with. They are all willing - no one is being forced into this. No Fae or Dragons allowed for Monster NPCs, unfortunately, as they are still very much not about.)

III. Ahoy Mateys! With Dorchacht opening up again after the last few months of closed off internal fighting, plenty of trading ships' Captains are ready and raring to go build business relations with the new regime and find a new market for some of their wares. There has been increased interest in finding a shorter route to Dorchacht by sea - the teleporter is useful for small groups of people, sure, but it can't handle much cargo. The only problem? Ships are being turned back, barely halfway there, with significant damage to their hulls. Brave individuals looking for a seafaring adventure are asked to come aboard and help the crew navigate tumultuous waters, hopefully figuring out along the way what's causing the damage to previous ships. It's a three day trip to Dorchacht if the waters are kind, and characters can simply teleport back home once there. On board the various ships brave enough to return to the sea, Mirrorbound find the problem halfway through the trip: a colossal squid that's made it home at this point, thrashing ships that come too close to its den. While uninfected, it does have injuries on its body, which may be the source of its lashing out. The ships are able to bring themselves close enough for longer ranged attacks, and the Harpy on board are careful not to be captured by the churning waves caused by the thrashing, but there's others who want to seek a less violent mean to end this surf and turf conflict. Killing, healing, subduing, or relocating it are all valid options, but getting in close to do any of those will be difficult, as it has a tendency to ink up the waters around it and reduce visibility to nothing. Be careful of any creatures swimming around that are interested in the weakened squid as well, such as various carnivorous fish, sea-plants, and things that appear alike to Merrow, but rely only on instinct. The Merrow cannot be spoken to, nor are they infected; the Captains of the ships will explain that they're "wild", and refer to them as distant cousins to the Merrow that sparsely populate Aefenglom itself.

IV. Back At Home Back in Aefenglom, the stir caused by the Circle of Three's arrival takes time to calm. It's the talk of the town for days - many seem happy about Morgana Drummond's apparent demise. "Good for them," is the general sentiment in the residential areas more populated by Monsters and the Harbor District. They're glad to know that things are on the way up there. Others think this is a boon; should anything happen, now Aefenglom has an ally city to stand with them, one in their debt. Others still don't really care either way, and go about their lives as if nothing's happened. The refugees, in their neighborhoods on the far reaches of the Haven, seem happy to hear news from home and find The Dragon/Starlight/Fafnir freed, and while a few of them choose to return to Dorchacht, having never put down roots in Aefenglom, more still don't wish to leave the homes and families they've formed here, or the Mirrorbound who have helped them so much over the months. Some even doubt that things are as good as they say, and choose to remain for that reason - slavery and ill treatment from the upper class in Aefenglom instilled in them a sense of (well-earned) paranoia regarding the intentions of Witches, especially those back home. They hear that things have changed, but don't necessarily want to find out for themselves. Even still, the mood is upbeat, with a general consensus that if Morgana is really gone, that's at least a solid step in the right direction. In the Aristocratic District, though, the atmosphere is sour. The general sentiment is that they wish the refugees would have left with those ambassadors. The kinder ones think Aefenglom should focus on its own citizens - the people from the Outer City brought in to weather the blizzard have never left, after all, still living in the neighborhoods with the refugees. Those who are more vocally outspoken about the Mirrorbounds' presence in the city think they should have all left to Dorchacht. Let another city shoulder all the misfortune they bring with them! Many of the people grumbling about that are ones who were directly affected by the Mists back in October, either through temporary changes themselves or through being attacked by ferals. Some of the more hot-headed young people try to spread this message - through graffiti, on homes and businesses in the Haven and the refugees' district, though if caught, they're quick to run away and not willing to enter into a confrontation. The graffiti is wholly mundane and not particularly difficult to remove, just unpleasant, telling Mirrorbound and refugees alike to "go home" or "go back to Dorchacht", in so much colorful language. Seems there's still some work to do at home, as well.

Welcome to your establishing post for the current situation in Dorchacht! This log takes place through the entire month; characters can come and go as they please. As always, you can direct all your questions HERE. This month we're also putting up a City Tracker for PC actions, both in Aefenglom's plot later on and Dorchacht's log here. Let us know what your character is doing, good or bad! The cut-off for the tracker is February 3rd.

Comments

[usurpers]

[ a gander in the queen’s direction, for he tasted the charring and brilliance of a fire through a sensitive tongue (not so much the tongue, but the sense organ responsible), the dragon’s attention keeps on her from afar, even when crouched with the child and garnering more curious little adventurers creeping along his flank and back.

they’re still cautious, but the boy taps at eren’s hide with no reaction given as before (he’s too busy it seem, getting lost in her smile and her chest alight). the child feigns losing his sword in a counter attack, and charges to tackle eren’s now bent thigh and exposed midsection. it ends up being brutally squeezed into a hug, where eren’s attention snaps back with a slow startle. it’s your weakness, isn’t it?! ]

You’ve got me.

[ one could say he says it rather flatly, but eren’s forte hadn’t been with children to begin with. either way— they seemed to enjoy it, and one by one, the boy gains a new playmate: monster children with arms extended and wrapping around the dragon in every direction you can think of. it isn’t long before the mighty beast doubles over beneath a pack of giggles and shrieks. only his chest and tail tip moves under the animation, only ceasing when one of the caretakers calls them for snack time. one by one, children peel away from him with toothy grins, some of them even missing a few baby teeth and pushing their tongues between holes. kid things.

as he rises from his grave, the boy doesn't come back to say thanks. he doesn't have to, really. he has a few new friends interested in playing with him, all monsters when earlier they wouldn't have approached, whispering and asking of the boy's older dragon friend, a dragon, and one of those mirrorbound, even! so on, so forth, children will be children. the younger waves to eren, and eren nods back. ]

I didn't think I'd find him. Or what I'd do if I did. [ something about his body language doesn't say he feels . . . well. in fact, he felt like he just deceived the poor child three times over. ] What did they say?

[freeing]

[ When they return into each other's company, it was as if the rest of the children's laughter and yelling melts away. Her attention goes to him and the awkward longing she has in her heart is pushed aside. Children were an interesting thing for Daenerys. They bring her hope and a reason to better the world, but she also wishes to rarely be in their company. It pains her, it makes her push deep down her own loss and tragedies. Dany wears the mask well, parted lips and toothy smirk — no, only a select few knew what she lost.

The boy had left the 'corpse' alone and instead, this ghost or white walker now provides good company. ]

Perhaps you didn't need to think. It simply needed to happen.

[ A pause. ]

They're unsure of what comes next. They are faced with a world unlike anything they’ve ever known — some... play games of 'monster and master' and drag the others around like dogs. [ She feels hollow saying it, her heart heavy. ]Some of the children are healing better, asking questions, asking when they’ll have new mothers and fathers to keep them safe.

[ Her can see her grip on her own clasped hands loosen a bit, nervously stroking her knuckles. ]

What if time is not enough to heal them? What then?

[usurpers]

[ “needed to happen”, hm. a long time ago, eren would defy any notion of predetermination, but now it was under a different light for him. it garnered new meaning. it wasn’t as simple as a twist of fate you couldn’t control, but— a thread you could control completely, from beginning to end. some things were made to happen, and eren knows his life, his choices, and the events that littered them were all a reaction to what he planted deep into the past he wandered, where seconds became centuries, and where his presence was like that of a ghost.

his brows raise briefly, only for him to grunt in agreement, in the end, and await her words. eren were his lips, keeps them pressed together as he readies himself to rise in full from the crouch he used to watch the children go on.

it . . . what a difficult question. ]

Sometimes time is never enough. [ a beat. ] Most times. [ he knows it firsthand. back home he never had the time he needed to fix centuries worth of xenophobia, of slavery, child labor, cannibalism— and more, all for the sake of power that man is too greedy to dismiss. ] But actions could be.

[ he’s reminded of gabi— the look on her face compared to killing sasha (angry, vengeful, brainwashed into thinking her own people were monsters—) to . . . killing him, or at least trying. she was broken, eyes filled with tears, unable to stay her hand from a high caliber gun only because she thought she had no choice. she didn’t want to be there, much less pull the trigger that sent his head flying. and caused the earth to shatter. ]

How fast it’ll take for each one to see will depend on them individually. Some are weak spirited, [ he says, regrettably, but with truth, ] and some aren’t.

[ but after a moment . . . his tail, sways, and creates a semi-circle on the ground around dany’s ankles. ]

But that doesn’t mean they’re lost causes.

[ this part, he says with certain kindness. he knows through a child himself, a lost, frightened child who had only known abuse, and horror, waiting two thousand years for change. it came the instant someone capable gave her a choice. she loved her life in servitude, without the strength to fight back by herself— but she changed as soon as the first person in her afterlife gave her what she needed. ]

They just need someone to give them that choice.

screams HOW DID THIS GET LOST

[freeing]

[ It was difficult to say nothing. There's some very powerful feelings Dany feels for what transpired here, as if the sight still haunts her. It was unfair that she still finds a bias against this world, but could you blame her? She's a realist – and there would be no thought except for how those who chained the monsters of this city could still slink in the shadows, just as the resistance once did.

Dany is, however, smart enough to focus her attention on what matters: healing. She didn't have the answers, nor did Eren. It was clear, but still the question had slipped past her lips in a frustrating huff before she could catch it. Eren sees a spark of vulnerability, but his words do well as they always did to calm her.

Her shoulder tense up a bit, looking out towards the playing children. ]

They need hope, they need to see safety. That is when they grow. The world, any world, has its turmoil to push through, but it is up to each child to leave it better than they found it. [ That is when she grew, after all. She knows little about Eren's world – of the marvels and horrors he's faced against. He hadn't let it weigh on him, there's still kindness in him. It was inspiring her as well. ] ...It is the kind of world I would give my own child.

[ The children seem happy enough – only a few seated off alone or being disciplined by the caregivers. ]

That choice is here and now, I just pray the concept of choice is not far gone.

[usurpers]

Children are the future, they say.

[ even though, that too, all depends. eren finds his attention drifting away from the children and completely back on dany eventually. there’s a light cloud of ease in feeling a short but steady change in her worry, now replaced with a growing sense of tranquility that he hopes could be further fed.

it suited her, so well, when she stood as high as she was. eren briefly considers the prospect, but can’t quite see himself with children. not his children, at least— but he considers, on the same level: ]

I’d do the same for my people’s children. After all— [ very much what he’s doing, but what he’d do again and again if it meant they’d have safety. they’d be free. there’s . . . nothing better. he’s caught himself staring again, trying desperately to maintain focused eyes to her’s, and even then— powerful pearls of blue capture him like a snare. and he’s seeing more than he should. ] They were born into this world.

[ us included, his gaze could add, intense and passionate for their own right to live as he’s always had. ]

[freeing]

Only if they're allowed to live that long.

[ Or are strong enough, she wants to say but the thought feels cruel. It was held back on a bit tongue, her focus on the children off in the distance. She was proud of the work done here, of freedom and choice given – but there was still work to be done.

They stand together, overseeing a map that many would not be able to see. Hope balanced with the realism that life was unfair. People were unfair, but also so miraculous if they were given the chance to.

Children here could be healers, engineers, caretakers, and even warriors worthy of honor. It just took a moment for Dany to gather herself a bit to finally look to Eren with a sad, forced smile. ]

They will be here long after us, I hope. We must plant the seeds to allow them to grow. That is what I wish for most.

[usurpers]

[ cruel, but true. at least eren had said so himself, but she had been correct. it’s— the rest. it’s rest that gets eren to blink, to await her gaze patiently (impatiently) upon him, and her thoughts voiced that way like a monstrous cry for the very thing he sought—

eren watches her too closely, with his heart pounding in his ears and his chest much too heated. it was . . . enrapturing, it was ideal. it was too much thought and care in one heart that eren feels it bleed and taint him. it rubs him wrong as it does righteously. he manages, softly in return and with less sadness: ]

We just did.

[ and hopes she could see it, but he hopes she doesn’t realize how fiery red his scales have become. ]

[freeing]

[ She hopes he's right. There was doubt in her heart that the tough road she travels will lead her and others to a better tomorrow — but if she did not believe it, nothing she went through would be worth it.

Nothing those children's parents went through would be worth it.

She sees it clearly as she sees his flared red scales, a small smirk on her features. The caregivers begin to call the children in for meals and she matches her gaze to his shortly after. ]

Join me for something to eat.

[ It was less of a command and more of a plea, but she'll never acknowledge it. ]

[usurpers]

[ a request that he’d tolerate more than simply standing next to her, watching, imagining— even though not all of that would truly stop if food was in front of him. he had her, in front of him.

part of him had wanted to decline, mostly to keep his distance, but would that continue on always? it wasn’t what he actually desired, either. inhaling and holding his breath, eren mulls it over, briefly looks to the side, then— back to her. a nod signals his tolerance of the demand she’d deem as one, and he’ll follow along. fulfill and respect it.

and possibly fidgeting the whole time under the table as he eats. ]