☆ 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

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ The past few days have been an absolute nightmare for the entire staff at the hospital, given the various types of treatments being done lately. Some worse than others, then the protection staff to make sure the Rathmores (and their accomplices) got their due. Really, Judar hasn't made it any easier on them. It's just not an uncommon response, given what had put so many mirrorbound in the hospital in the first place.

Judar's easily seen in the bed, resting as he could, with pillows keeping his faun legs raised and supported properly while in the best bandages that could be managed. Given the set up, it was certainly both legs as well, which explained why there wasn't going to be much of an escape for a while. Even the hooves looked to be in a bad way, with splits along them, and pieces missing. ]

It's Judar, yeah. Ah, you could just leave it...

[ He wasn't really thinking about that. No room on the bed, not much here save for the bedside table and a chair... So he gently gestured over towards the window, with a hand that was heavily bandaged and splint, to keep it from moving in any particular way.

With a bit of rest, it seems he's used to people just giving shit sometimes. ]

By the sill, I guess.

[hoboagogo]

[Shinjiro's not subtle enough to mask the way his eyes dip over Judar-- and it's about what he expected, really. By the second day, those with minor wounds would have no reason to remain in the hospital, under watch and constant care. So seeing those ungulate legs splinted and wrapped, his hands in similar condition-- It isn't really surprising.

But there's no change in his expression, even as he looks at the other man's injuries, and no hint of sheepishness or shame for it when he glances back up when the guy talks.]

You sure you're good with it so far?

[It's a half-tease, but he's already shifting the guitar around, holding it by the neck as he goes and places it where Judar had indicated.

And at Fie's comment of fauns and friendship, he lets out a short laugh.]

Hey, just 'cause we both got hooves don't mean we wanna keep hanging out. I don't see you going around and makin' a pack with all the turnskins you see.

[To Judar:]

You need any of the potions right now?

[sylphid]

[Ignoring the guitar now, Fie separates from Shinjiro and just slowly makes her way around the lackluster room. She's not expecting much, but it's still more basic than she imagined.]

Because my sneaking is way better than yours. You don't always know what I'm doing. [Fie removes her gaze from boring looking books to look at him, then at Judar.] Besides, you both are the type that can use all the friends they can get.

[Whatever that means to either of them, she doesn't really care. Now she turns to fully focus on the faun laying in the bed. Walking over, Fie peers in close at him, giving him a once over.]

So how's the food here?

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Yeah, yeah. He's gonna let that tease just go on through. Just as he'll watch the little bit of back-and-forth, because... Well, actually, mostly because he gets distracted. Look, he's got plenty of friends. If you count all the people who like listening to his music and sleeping with him. He may also not want to get caught into something that has him naming the people, because... The names he remembers is a short list. ]

All those potions are for while I'm out. Either they aren't relevant with me like this, or it's something already being handled by the hospital.

[ As for the food... Well, he'll just shift his back against the pillows a little. ]

And I wouldn't know how the food is here. I think they've got a kitchen if you wanna find out.

[ He's been stubborn, irritable and paranoid. Which led to him refusing food from the native staff here. ]

[hoboagogo]

Harsh. [It's a deadpan response to Fie's tease, but not one he's going to argue. Because while he doesn't know for Judar, it's... probably absolutely true for him. He may not want as many friends as he could get, but he likely did need them, to fill in all the gaps and help curb those unconscious self-destructive tendencies.

he does pull a face at Judar's comment on not knowing about the food, brows furrowing together.]

...What, they not feeding you?

[He does have to look over the man again, just to make sure he's not missing something obvious. A feeding tube in his nose or something else. But he can't really see any reason they wouldn't be giving him food. Uninvited, he leans at one of the few bare patches of wall, arms folding over his torso.]

How the hell're you gonna heal up if you're starving?

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Oh, great. Was he going to get the same flack that the attendants were giving him? ]

Does it look like I'm starving?

[ Actually, wait. He doesn't actually want the answer to that. Which is why he continues right on, because while there's no feeding tube or anything, the practical side of him says that there's no way that he looks fine, just because of how little they fed everyone in that dungeon. ]

If you saw the stuff they give patients, you'd lose your appetite too. It looks so bland, I might throw up.

[hoboagogo]

[It's good that Judar doesn't want an answer to that first question, because based on the unimpressed glance Shinjiro gives him over, it wouldn't have been anything good. And he outright rolls his eyes at the second comment.]

Y'know, I'd buy that if it hadn't been two days. And I'm sure they weren't giving you five star meals in that hellhole, either.

[As sturdy as he looks now, with nearly six months of living fairly comfortably here in Aefenglom, he hasn't forgotten the two years he'd lived on the streets. It doesn't take too long for your standards of taste to drop considerably. So he's sure there's way more to this story.]

It ain't my business whatever issue you have. But if there is something you'd eat, lemme know. [He stands up a bit straighter, unfolding his arms and resting one on the hip.]

That way you don't gotta go begging on the network in a day or two and lose whatever rep you're trying to keep.

[sylphid]

It does. [Look like he's starving. Never one to shy away, Fie answers for everyone in the room. By now she's moved to a nearby stool, almost perched on it with her feet held in front of her and knees out to the sides.] Bland or not, refusing food here is stupid, especially if you want to leave sooner than later.

[Now that she's answered the clearly rhetorical question, she glances at Shinjiro with a grin. The hand on his hip is especially entertaining for her.]

Aww, that's sweet. Offering to cook for our new friend. [Back at Judar:] You should take him up on that. He's skilled.

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Fie, he didn't actually want the answer to that. Shinjiro's look said enough, but he didn't want to hear those kinds of words actually come up. It seems like they're getting their own way of comfortable, though, so the usual methods might not work out so well. ]

You say that as if I have a rep- aside from the one assumed onto all fauns, that is.

[ You know the ones, goat boy. It's not that they're all wrong, as some have made themselves true by the transformations alone, but it's probably one they've both gotten at this point. With what Fie added, though... ]

But sure, if you wanna make something. I'd trust whatever you put together before whatever they bring here. It just has to be easy to digest at this point.

[ Meaning Judar wasn't being picky, given that statement. He was ready to trust these two before he'd take most things from the native hospital staff. ]

[hoboagogo]

[He has to laugh slightly at Fie's outright comment-- though he waves a hand at her suggestion that he's offering to cook for a new friend.]

Like you'd just leave a guy to starve to death from his own stupidity.

[Well. Actually. She might. But either way he glances back to Judar, lips curling up in amusement. There's definitely a lot of assumptions people make about fauns. Like assuming they all have drunken orgies all the time. Which a lot of them probably are. Or:]

Yeah, guess so. I'm shit with music, though, so looks like you're the only one of us fitting that bill.

[A willful misinterpretation of what Judar was probably implying, but hey, whatever. And at this point, it seems like he'll be making a repeat trip to the hospital sometime later in the day.]

Alright, I got it. So, do you got any idea how long you're gonna be here? 'Cause I'm not gonna fetch your ass some soup three times a day.

[sylphid]

Who'm I to take away someone's choice in the matter?

[Her grin's still there, but it's said in jest. She never would. Probably. Depends on how stupid the person was in the end. But Fie outright snorts at Shinji's comment about the music, and, for once, chooses to deliberately not comment. And spare everyone (but her) some uncomfortable situations.

Though, she does have to give Shinjiro more of a hard time.]

Wow, he's never fetched me soup even once. Consider yourself honored or something.

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Ah, yes. Music. If that's what he wanted to interpret as, Judar'll keep mum about the other stuff. Though amusingly enough, he was already good at music before having come here. This just made him more inclined to take advantage of it for... various advantages. ]

Lucky me.

[ It's said with a nearly flat tone of voice, to avoid making it too much of a big deal. The only reason why it's not completely flat is because Judar is kind of grateful for that chance. ]

Not like I ever really ate three times a day to begin with. I'll probably be out when I can walk out of here. So probably just another day or so.

[ This... Is a lie. However it's a lie that's obscured thanks to the blanket and the way people seem ready to think that the healing magic of this world was incredibly fast. Oh sure, it's definitely fast, but it has the limits based on the body being treated. Only so much could be done at a time. ]

[hoboagogo]

[It sure is a lie- And again, Shinjiro won't call him on it, even as he glances to Fie with an eyebrow raised and a expression implying an unspoken can you believe this guy? After all, after he'd broken her leg and damn near chewed her arm off, it had taken a good bit of time for her to get back to normal. And that's even with her other bonded being a healer.

But it's better to choose battles, so he instead rolls a shoulder and waves a hand dismissively. He's told the same sort of obvious bullshit lies before, so he won't ruin it.]

Awesome. If that changes, just lemme know.

[A pause, and to Fie:]

And I totally brought you some. That time you were dragging a huge dead pig back to town. Don't try and make him feel special.

[sylphid]

[Wow, totally huge lie. Even Fie's impressed with the audacity on that one, enough to not address it either. Respect, man. She just shrugs in reply to Shinjiro. The guy's got guts... or is a complete idiot. Either is commendable on some level.]

You like eggs? I make a mean scramble. [Even if it is a little runny.] The people at my place are tired of eating them.

[Now she looks offended!]

It was a boar, and I didn't need you to. [But she did appreciate it.] Besides, you'd known me long enough by then. You two just met!

[kuroi_taiyo]

[ Maybe he just has that much faith in the hospital. Wow! (No, it's a bald-faced lie, plain as day. He's not even trying to fake it.) Dismissing important details and things just seemed to be the thing to do, so a bunch of strangers didn't feel like he was suddenly a project or pet to take care of. It's weird. ]

Sometimes I like eggs? Never really go out of my way for them, though.

[ Maybe he should be saying that the hospital is easing him onto regular food with broths and soups first, but fuck that. It's barely been any time and he's sick of them trying to shove that towards him.

Ah, but that. That he could shrug and ease into some jokes for a bit. ]

Maybe I'm just his type. Pretty and crippled.

[hoboagogo]

[Judar's comment has him furrowing his brows, but he keeps from outright grimacing. It's a blunt, obvious truth (for the time being-- and who knows, after this. Shinjiro doesn't know the extent of capability of healing here, but back home magic couldn't fix his friend's broken ribs, so--) but a part of him has to commend the fact that Judar doesn't try and hide it or turn away from it.

And so he just waves a hand dismissively.]

Hell no. I need someone who can throw me on my ass, not one I gotta look after.

[He finally tucks his hands into the pockets of his coat, nodding towards the door.]

Alright, I'll go see what I can't smuggle you. Don't be too much of an asshole to the people here while we're gone. I'm sure they're the ones who decide what size tube you get shoved up your dick to piss, so play nice.

[kuroi_taiyo]

Think of that as something to look forward to, I guess.

[ When he's healed, maybe. He's actually pretty experienced with some things, despite how he may look in this bed. A look that makes it very easy to fall into a trap of self-pity, but he gets distractions where he can get it. ]

Yeah, yeah. They also decide if I actually get my ass cleaned or not. I know how this works. It's not like I'm actually a dick while refusing to eat their... slop.

[ It's bland and the texture is a mix of questionable and liquid, with varying points on that spectrum. ]