☆ 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

Great Escape! (A)

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ If this were another time, another situation, being half-naked would have been a fine distraction. Fire was a good distraction from it, that was for sure. Right now, it was pretty much one of the last things clouding the faun's mind. He'd been ready at some points, doubling back, to make sure the group had gotten out.

So when the pale-haired dragon went the wrong way, Judar walked through the illusion hiding the path to reach out; saying something before actually grabbing her arm. ]

Not that way, firebug.

[ It's a gentle grab- mostly because his hands were in no shape to manage an actual grip, so they were just barely curved for the redirect. At least with a faun, you know you're going in a set path, or towards the right direction. Not that he completely gets it, but Judar's just working with what he's got so far. ]

There's some fake walls to turn people around.

[freeing]

[ This place was deceiving as much as it was dangerous. It reminds her of the Warlocks of Qarth and how their halls twisted and turned into nothing and everything all at once. She is almost separated before her arm is gripped upon and she stumbles weakly to a halt and then redirects to face him — ]

Are you — [ And in the right direction she goes. ] Are you certain that this way is the right one, then?

[kuroi_taiyo]

Enough of me remembers.

[ He can't really explain it, and so it went into the bag of 'faun things' that he's decided must be the source of it all. Not that he's ever really been lost before, but this was more concrete than before. It really helps that Judar's legs were in pretty bad shape; it meant he was lingering enough to catch when people broke off from the group. ]

I think it's a faun thing. Which means something worked out well for us to get out.

[freeing]

[ Little Faun Things sounds like a daily motivation blog, but hey. It works. Daenerys didn't expect a true answer — it was all heat of the moment and if she's half-lucid in her thoughts. Asura's invigorating spell was losing its power and she gets sloppy — makes mistakes.

Nonetheless, Dany isn't going to fight him on it. She is shaky in her steps to him, cautiously looking every which way to ensure nothing else had been amiss. ]

Then I pray that something continues on until we see daylight.

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ She got a true answer because they've been getting messed with enough lately and he thinks any joke would go over someone's head right now. No one was in the shape for it. At least being in similar states meant that Judar was able to stay in the same pace. ]

Do you think it is daytime right now? If there were any windows in any of the cells, I think they only put vampires in them.

[freeing]

I don't know what it is – pardon for some optimism. [ It was true, however, days blurred together and any cell she had was dark and cold. She still trusts Judar – someone escaping with her as well, and despite the fatigue setting in and getting twisted around in this maze, she hoped to have proven valuable. ] Were you or anyone awake when they brought us here? How much longer we may have?

[kuroi_taiyo]

Not like you need to pardon. It made me actually wonder.

[ They've all gone without a sign of what time of day, or how many, had passed since getting taken. ]

I was mostly out of it when getting brought here, because I really don't remember much. Just that it's the way to go with where we were brought in.

[ Meaning he's going by instincts while going through, indicating when there's a turn, or when they're about to go through an illusion or door. ]

[freeing]

[ Dany seeks guidance when she needs it most, even instinct was welcomed to her fevered rush. She needs warmth, even the fire she cast had done poorly for her to bring her temperature up. The spell Asura cast on her dwindling over time. She gives Judar a nod, trusting him in her own moment of weakness. ]

So long as we do not end up in cells again, we must keep going. Please. [ The last bit was a crack in her voice, showcasing her desperation. Whatever garments remain on Dany, she begins to tear small strands of fabric from her gown – dropping one every so often. ] The others should be able to follow.

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ He would've been a welcome distraction in the cells, if that were the case, as well as any other fauns that were around (if there were any.) Not for the company or to do anything, but because they were running a little hotter than usual due to their mating season, even if it was already fizzling out its end. With fur coats, they made for decent chances to warm up. Which... The Rathmores probably knew and tried to keep such things from reaching those who needed the warmth the most.

Also, he is very glad that his focus is on getting out, and the pain in his legs, because otherwise this would be quite a distraction. ]

No one's stopping. I'm making sure to get you out of here. Everyone out of here, really.

[ If he could as well, great, but if not? He wasn't in any shape to lead people back, anyway. This was a one-way chance for acting the 'hero.' ]

[freeing]

[ Dany wanted freedom above all else – the others would be lost if they did not find it themselves at first. Through her own pain, she continues to drop scraps every so often to provide a cookie trail in a sense, stumbling close enough to ensure he does not fall behind either – or succumb to the pain. ]

You're doing well enough.

[ They were further along than being trapped in cells, at least. ]

[kuroi_taiyo]

Yeah, for now.

[ He was used to the kind of luck where something might just pop out of nowhere and ruin everything that's been worked on so far. Luckily that isn't quite the case, and given some disabled traps, there was someone who had also gotten this far. Eventually, after making a final turn, he points ahead to a wall. ]

Feel along that for a doorknob or something. I think it's the exit.

[ Either that, or very close to such. With broken hands, it's obvious why he couldn't do that much. ]

After that, go straight out, and try to keep going as fast as you can.

[freeing]

[ Daenerys may not have any instinct to help her navigate – her skills were all apparent in the flames she summoned and the judgment she dishes out. She helps when she needs to, not above taking a few stumbling steps forward and beginning to try and find anything that could indicate an opening. Bricks, dips in the wall, breaks in wood – something hidden as much as a doorknob would reveal itself. When she fingers a small groove, she presses into a button that begins to rumble stone and part itself.

There were voices in the distance – not too far behind them with the same anger the Rathmores had their entire stay. ]

And you? You're hurt – you will follow me?

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ There's a way that the ears tilt and raise towards the source of the wrathful voices. Decisions were going to have to be made, and at least Judar had some means of defense, even if the antlers weren't the largest they could be yet. However, it's a quick glance, from the source of the voices, and at Dany's current state. ]

I'll follow and fall a little behind to make sure things go fine. That way you have a chance to make sure there is an opening to get out.

[ And with the stone parting enough to show the outside, Judar gestures her to go along. ]

C'mon, we need as much a lead as we can get.

[freeing]

[ She isn't to argue. Some may think it is less noble to offer yourself, but she is a Queen. She has guards and people who were willing to die for her if need be. There would be no hesitation as she finally steps into the revealed opening. ]

Alright. Please, guard yourself. If we are divided, I will — I swear I will return.

[ That much is certain. ]

[kuroi_taiyo]

I mean, you don't have to. Just make sure that someone does.

[ This is less concern and more a faith thing. Typically, Judar would expect anyone getting out of this to be hospitalized or just unconscious and recovering for a few days before getting anywhere. They'd need people faster. Then again, Judar's letting his intentions sound more noble, with things like making sure there's a confirmed escape, when really he can feel that his legs won't get him much further past this property. So he may as well make things hell for the Rathmores. ]

Don't wait for me to catch up. Like I said, we need that lead.

we can wrap it up shortly and plan for next month if you'd like!

[freeing]

[ Daenerys is the type of woman who would want to see things through – but spoiler, she won't be able to return to Judar. Her body feels tired, bones ache and she'll need rest shortly but her fire still burns. ]

R-Right... Right.

[ And she's creating more of a distance, sadly – looking back every so often to him when the voices get louder and more desperate behind them. ]

That works for me! This makes for a great wrap-up point, with the trial and things up now

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ The first time she looked back, Judar kept waving for her to go on, while keeping an ear towards the voices. The second time she did, he shook his head, gestured again and started going back the way they came. Which said enough for how little she'd see him any of the following times, as he led them around to skirmish a little and keep the Rathmores occupied. Well, he either skirmished or ran- it'd piss them off enough to focus on him either way. ]