☆ Event Log: Snatched, Part Two

[faileas]

Event Log: January, Snatched - Part Two

I. A Great Escape (20th, Evening) It's been a miserable six days for the Mirrorbound and refugees kept locked away in a basement cell block, subject to all kinds of torment and experimentation. They're a resilient sort, though, and their efforts to organize and bolster each other are not in vain. As the time passes with no sign of the City Guard drawing close to their operations, the Rathmore family grows overconfident, and characters can hear them talking to each other about another mass-kidnapping in the works. The best opening comes late on the night of the 20th. A few of the family's numbers are out - notably, Thomas Rathmore, his wife, and his mother are attending an emergency meeting of Parliament, and Constance is making an appearance at the Coven. This leaves the more inexperienced cousins in charge, the lesser known Rathmores with no particular skill outside of cruelty. Changing of the guard begins as usual, a handful of Rathmores delivering some sparse rations and taking their time to choose a few prisoners to remove from their cells, but this time, the Mirrorbound bite back. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of Daenerys and Asura, along with the prisoners preparing an organized revolt, a fire started in the torture room provides chaos and cover - and one dead Rathmore cousin, whose body gives up some of the keys to a handful cells. Time to play the cards you've held close to your chest over days of torture, your held-back spells, your tricks, your items that weren't confiscated. A mass escape isn't likely, with so many people still present in the building and so many of the captives injured and tired, but with enough of a distraction in the form of a prison riot, which may be enough to overpower the three Rathmores initially left in the cell block, a handful of scrappy Mirrorbound may make it out to safety before reinforcements arrive. a. The Escape Attempt There is one door out of the cell block, the main, heavy, warded door that the Rathmores enter and exit from every few hours. It's locked down tight - but it's possible to power through it, pick the lock, or charm it open. On the other side of the door, in the greater basement area, they'll find themselves free of the Bond dampening. Witch magic make take some time to return, depending on whether they were drugged or only charmed, but it'll be important to move quickly. The Rathmores' basement area is large - the size of the mansion above and the grounds put together, and they'll find themselves on the lower of two levels. The cellblock turns out to be a room within an even bigger room, with the stairs at the opposite end. The dangers are numerous: magical and mechanical traps set in areas marked off-limits, illusions intended to confuse and turn people around. There is only one completely safe path from the cellblock door to the stairs, unless they take the time to disarm the traps and illusions with their returning magic and abilities. That safe path is faster but more exposed, with two or three Rathmores in pursuit, and also the other people that could occasionally be heard outside the door - young aristocrats in on the kidnapping, who thought the Mirrorbound would be sent home. They're just as surprised to see you as you are them. In fact, it's not difficult to overpower these non-Rathmore kidnappers; they're obviously shocked to see Mirrorbound still here, in such states, and some are quite angry, or scared to learn what they've inadvertently gotten themselves into. A good handful flee instead of fight, but some others follow through on the shouted orders to go after you. Use the chaos your appearance causes to your advantage. Once escapees reach the upper basement level, up the stairs and through a hidden door, a few more traps remain, but up here, it looks more like a normal basement; servants' quarters, empty for some time now, storage rooms full of antiques, and winding hallways connecting them. It's easier to hide in this dusty maze to escape any pursuers, and eventually, they find the servants' exit out onto the back grounds. From there, freedom is just a run and a decorative, wrought-iron fence away. b. The Chaos Back in the cells, everything descends into chaos. The Rathmores are furious; while two or three of the cousins go after the escapees, the rest begin to gather down in the cell block, put out the fire, and the interrogations begin. They don't bother taking prisoners out to torment them now - they can't, with their torture room charred and smokey. Their main focus is forcing prisoners back in, and locking everything down with magic and heavy chains, to ensure no one else gets out. They grow more vicious now, and they begin speaking directly to the captives - they want to know which ones got free, how they managed it, who helped them, where they're going, who they're going to tell. Those who refuse to talk will be gagged or muzzled or simply beaten without finesse, and they'll move on to the next captive. Preying on the Mirrorbound's camaraderie with each other is the tactic they quickly turn to, hurting one to try and make another talk. The talk outside the main door grows louder in these few hours, angrier. Occasionally one of the Rathmore cousins will go out to spin some lies, or simply shout down any protesting. Some of the enchantments were damaged in the riot, though - they can hear you, just as well as you can hear them, muffled but still mostly clear. The more they hear from within, the more the confusion outside grows; all the better for the escaped Mirrorbound. ..."What's going on? Those were Mirrorbound that got out-" "We thought you were sending them home!" "You told us there was no risk, that this would make them leave-" "You don't need to worry about that! Go back upstairs!" "Someone needs to get a message to our Uncle Thomas immediately-"... They're all panicking as their grand plans, flimsy as they may have been, start to crumble around them. It's just a matter of time, now. The OOC post for the escape plotting is here if anyone needs to refer back to it! Eight characters will be escaping first thanks to a joint effort. The rescue will be underway within two hours of their escape, but those two hours are likely to be unpleasant for characters who remain in captivity. Any NPC maimings or proposed deaths need to be reported on the City Tracker; please note that mass murder / killing NPCs will still have consequences and needs mod approval first, but we're happy to work with players however we can.

II. The Cavalry (21st, Very Early Morning) The City Guard is closer than the Rathmores think. Thanks to Mirrorbound investigative help, not always strictly legal but still appreciated nonetheless, they've all followed the clues back and determined a possible address. By the evening of the 20th, several members of the Guard and Witches from the Coven, along with any Mirrorbound who followed the trail, are camped out at a manse nearby, the home of a wealthy widow eager to see her nasty neighbors knocked down a peg. Without solid evidence, the Guard can't get a warrant cleared to search the property owned by a Mr. Barclay, assistant to Thomas Rathmore, but solid evidence comes as soon as eight Mirrorbound manage to fight their way out of captivity, returning to friends and Bonded. They are the last piece of the puzzle, and now legal action can be taken. Theodore Rosethorne, leading a small group from the Coven, sends out a magical message to just the Mirrorbound - they've been found. Anyone who wishes to help bring their missing fellows home, anyone who can help with much-needed healing, or anyone who wishes to bring their captors to justice needs to show up now, because time is of the essence. The Guard can't mobilize more men quickly enough in the middle of the night to be useful and they need all the hands they can get, without a floor plan of the mansion or solid ideas of the captors' numbers. They can barely wait an hour for more hands to arrive before it begins. a. The Rescue Sowilo, Theodore's Bonded Fae and a skilled hand at illusions (and seeing through such), leads the rescue efforts, along with some of Theodore's Witches from the Coven. With information from the escapees, they plan to go through the back, take the servants' exit, and make their way down to the basement levels, while Theodore's assault team will go through the front doors, making as much noise as possible. Sowilo's illusions will keep their presence masked at least until they get into the house. The aim is to get through as quietly as possible, find the cellblock, and secure a safe route to take the prisoners out without them getting hurt any worse than they are. It's easier said than done. Magical and mechanical traps of various types litter both basement floors, and heavy illusion work has been placed to obscure the way. Splitting into smaller groups to disarm the traps and deal with the illusions will be necessary, as the entire group will make its way down to the cellblock as quickly as possible. Sowilo hopes they face little to no resistance, with Theodore's group doing their job, but a few, Rathmores and otherwise, are bound to try and stop them; in that case, they will have to fight. "Make sure you can argue a case for self-defense, if you have to hurt them," Sowilo will tell the rescuers and later the freed prisoners on the way out, wings fluttering agitatedly. "Let them be arrested and publicly humiliated in court - ruin their whole family line for generations to come." He's not happy about it either, and will overlook some of the captors getting a taste of what they deserve, but deaths are not permitted on his or the Witches' watch: anyone who takes things too far will find that the person they're attacking has simply vanished - a convincing illusion - before they're handily knocked out with a spell. They face less resistance than the assault team, but less is not none; a few of the Rathmores are determined to salvage their efforts, and some of their unwitting aristocratic cronies have sided with them. Once they reach the cellblock, dismantling the enchantments that keep the prisoners restrained and addled is the first order of business for some. Others can start unlocking cells and helping people out of their restraints. Protection for the escapees on their way out will also be necessary, as well as medical attention back at the temporary base camp. The main focus has to be on those lost friends and loved ones, bringing them back out to freedom and making sure they're tended to - not on revenge. b. The Assault Theodore Rosethorne, along with some members of the City Guard and some Witches from the Coven, leads the assault. While the rescue team goes around the back, they plan to go through the front door, as loudly and conspicuously as possible. The mansion is large and needs to be swept from top to bottom for perpetrators and evidence that can be used in court. Those joining up with this team are warned that it needs to remain legal - the Mirrorbound and the refugees, all of them, have a very shaky, uncertain legal status within the city, and a mass murder could severely harm what good will they have from the locals as well as their status here. After all, many are still neutral to positive on the Mirrorbound, but that could change in an instant. The Coven will take as much responsibility as they can, but they cannot accept the blame for a senseless slaughter. Splitting into smaller groups will be necessary in order to cover more ground quickly. The aim is to locate, subdue, and arrest as many of the culprits inside as they can. The Guard provides magic-suppressing cuffs, and the Coven a basic knock-out spell, but since many will not go so willingly, some degree of force may be unavoidable. If there's one thing the rich fear, it's a legal black mark on their family name and reputation - the Rathmores will fight back harder than their underlings, but they're also the ones they need alive to face the justice system. Those outside the family, those who only knew about the kidnapping portion, are a mixed bag - some might fight back, siding with the Rathmores, but some might give themselves up once the realization of what happened in that basement sinks in. Once they make their entrance, things move quickly. Several wealthy aristocrats either flee or fight, but their attention is thankfully pulled away from the basement and toward the upper levels. There are dozens of rooms to search, and many are cluttered with an old hoarding family's antiques, furniture piled against doors and windows blocking access to some areas, hundreds of nooks and crannies among the sheer amount of stuff provide cover for culprits to hide in. It's going to be work to ferret them all out and bring them in. Worse still, the Rathmores have collected dozens of cursed or enchanted objects that may be used as weapons against the forces of justice. Some degree of force is expected, but still if anyone tries to take things too far, they might find themselves slapped into cuffs or knocked out with a spell themselves. Any NPC maimings or proposed deaths need to be reported on the City Tracker; please note that mass murder / killing NPCs will still have consequences and needs mod approval first, but we're happy to work with players however we can.

III. The After (21st On) Activity continues all through the night and late into the morning at the former Rathmore estate. All the Rathmores and a couple dozen other wealthy aristocrats are brought out in cuffs over the course of several hours, while all the prisoners are liberated to receive medical attention and reunite with their loved ones. The Guard take statements from everyone who will give one - what they witnessed, what happened to them, what they know - and all who were affected are told they will be invited to testify at trial. A gathering crowd forms at the end of the street, wealthy neighbors aghast at the horrors they're learning had occurred right in their District. Most are disgusted with the once-prominent family. On the steps of the Parliament building, Thomas Rathmore, his wife, and his mother, all sitting members of Parliament themselves, are publicly arrested in front of colleagues and on-lookers early in the morning. Constance Rathmore is taken out of the Coven roughly in magic-suppressing cuffs, surrounded by a small group of furious Witches, students of the Coven who spent the week trying to find the missing Mirrorbound and refugees with Divination. They escort her to the prison themselves. All who are arrested are transported to holding cells of their own within the City Guard - all except those requiring urgent medical attention, who will remain cuffed to their hospital beds until trial. Nessie and Mhairi make an appearance at one point to give the Mirrorbound their sincerest apologies for what happened, and Mhairi delivers the news that they're pushing for an expedited trial in Parliament, in order to keep Thomas Rathmore from bribing any contacts. They, along with Theodore and Sowilo, and the Guard, are all open and forthright with what will happen next: public trial and a certain conviction, followed by sentencing. They don't expect that the Rathmores will get away lightly; what they did is too public and too horrific for even the anti-Mirrorbound wealthy to stomach. Those others who were involved, who weren't aware of what was going on behind that metal door, they'll still face justice themselves, no doubt. In the meanwhile, those kept hostage will need all the help they can get to reach something resembling normal again. Hug your loved ones, nourish your Bonds with each other, and begin trying to heal together.

Welcome to Part Two of January's event log, Snatched! An aftermath summary of the trial and sentencing will go up on Feb. 4, the day after the City Tracker deadline, so get your submissions in if you have them! More politically-oriented characters may find an opening in the near future to enact change within Parliament and provide their own representation within the city...

And as a general reminder, please make sure to use content warnings where necessary in your headers!

Comments

[darkcharge]

[ The entirety of what had transpired here doesn't actually bother Vanitas. He doesn't quite possess the ability to show much, if any, degree of empathy. He had come to get back someone that he sort of perceives as his in a way and not much else mattered. Everything else, like seeing rescuers in a furry and losing themselves in some feral rage, had actually been enjoyable to him.

So now that it is all over, there really isn't anything left for him to do. There isn't an actual reason for him to linger other than the fact that he won't leave until Mira and the others do.

His eyes catch sight of his "teacher" as he approaches and man does that guy look like he's been through some things. ]

Please. Why are you asking after me when you're the one that can barely stand and seems to be covered in blood? Is it even yours?

[ The only thing about Van is the fact that he looks tired with the dark circles under his eyes. He has a few cuts and scrapes from his own indulgences, but nothing that is critical. ]

[exarchal]

[At being so called out, he does take a moment to... absorb the state of his dress. He hasn't spared a prestidigitation spell for this. He doesn't have the energy.]

Ah...

[His smile turns to a grim one.]

Fear not, none of this is my own, though I appreciate the concern. I have been with several patients, but there is much work and not nearly enough hands, as you well know.

[He shuffles closer and sits on a crate, then pats the spot next to him as invitation.]

[darkcharge]

Who said it was out of concern? For all you know I am politely telling you to mind your own business.

[ Which is a partial truth. He really hadn't been asking out of concern. Just calling him out. His eyes dart from Exarch to the crates. Should he? Should he not? Vanitas sighs and decides to just go ahead and take a seat. ]

Figures you would be exhausting yourself for all of these people. You do seem like the type.

[exarchal]

Perhaps.

[He smiles a little-- always that smile, like he knows something. It brightens when Vanitas comes to sit down beside him, though, even if his words are biting. They're nothing he can't weather.]

The only way to move forward is to do so together. Just as I fight for my people at home, I must fight here.

[He lowers his head.]

Though, I... do know I should be mindful of my limits. I am not quite at that point. Not yet. [He can sleep later. He sighs, and his shoulders slump, and he suddenly seems much younger than he acts-- smaller, too. He's a delicate thing, easy to miss save for moments like this, when he reaches up to rub at his face with translucent crystal fingers.]

Now the real work begins.

[darkcharge]

[ Augh that little smile. Sometimes Vanitas just wants to take the man and shake him. Rattle him like a rag doll just because it's so arrogant. Thankfully Vanitas can control most of his impulses.

He makes a scoffing sound even as he looks off to the side. ]

I can understand going the extra mile for you and yours, even if that's just not something that I, personally, am up to doing. [ Though some could point out that he HAS. ] But the rest? You don't owe them anything and you most certainly don't owe the natives anything at all.

[ His gaze shifts, noticing how the guy is half curling into himself. Vanitas really just doesn't understand random acts of kindness. ]

Pretty sure that interfering with other worlds is some kind of taboo.

[exarchal]

[He does not point out that Vanitas has labored to learn the art of healing, because he might get mad about it. Still, he patiently takes in Vanitas' words. They are the words of someone who puts himself above everything else-- not a narcissist, but a survivor. It's a point of view that isn't necessarily wrong, but also not quite right, either... It isn't one he subscribes to.]

I may not owe them anything, but lives cannot be quantified. They are far too precious for that.

[That last part, though-- that gets him to chuckle.]

While I would normally agree, the situation is more complicated than that. To wit: they interfered with us first.

We are connected, one and all. Such is the way of worlds, who may lean on each other, however invisible the barriers may be. And such is the way of the people around us. [He turns his gaze outward, watching a runner jog through the camp with supplies for the next batch of victims.] These people have tolerated us to live in their city when others would not. If we allowed the seeds of distrust to sprout and stood idly by while atrocities continued to happen, we would be alone and helpless against the Cwyld.

In a roundabout way, one could say that helping others is a form of self-preservation.

[darkcharge]

[ Well yeah he had "labored" to learn it because it is beneficial to himself. It's good to be prepared. In the end he still gives the man a funny look. Lives can't be quantified? Sure they could... Some hearts are simply better than others. Stronger and more capable.

It's true that the Exarch has some good points. And yet Vanitas is rolling his eyes all the same. ]

Don't start lecturing about the way of worlds as if you know anything about it. This is hardly the first or even second one I've been to.

[ Vanitas has traveled to plenty of different worlds. Mostly it had been to spread his Unversed around, but the fact remains. He has been to more places than most people that have been transported here. Vanitas already knows about how worlds are connected and what sort of barriers they have.

So, really, the only point that the Exarch has is he fact that working with these people is an act of self-preservation. He can get that. ]

Is that all that it is though, that they interfered with our lives first and have tolerated us? I know I never received any answers as to what we were brought here for. For all I know this really is just some form of prison and they're using us.

[exarchal]

[Now that's interesting. He cants his head toward Vanitas, curious about what circumstances would allow a bitter boy like him to hop realms.]

I should like to hear more about your experiences, then.

[It takes a lot to try his patience.]

Unfortunately, we do not know for sure that, at the beginning of it all, there was not someone tugging the strings. But having met the various faces of the Coven I can say that they are telling the truth-- or they believe they are telling the truth. Casting suspicion on them will not help us, or our situation.

In any case, I do believe we must have a greater part in our own rescue... whatever that might entail. I think we may have an opportunity for a louder voice given recent events.

[darkcharge]

[ Vanitas knows it can catch other peoples' attention. That's not why he said what he did, but it doesn't surprise him that he Crystal Meddler should want to hear about such things. It's not as if Vanitas will keep things to himself... ]

No promises you'd like what you hear.

[ Because his visits had been purposeful. Seeding worlds with Unversed. Scaring children to empower his heart once more.

Otherwise, it isn't as though Vanitas thinks that the majority of the Coven are in on it. It's still just awfully convenient that they're so helpful. ]

I don't see where they are necessarily doing anything to help our situation at all. Thus my suspicion isn't going to be much of a roadblock.

[ Trusting people is... Hard. ]

As for recent events... We'll just have to wait and see what comes of it.