libraryassistants: (Default)
Unfinished Library Mod & NPC Account ([personal profile] libraryassistants) wrote in [community profile] unfinishedlibrary2026-02-07 12:20 pm

do you bare your fangs at us, sir? MOONLIT RIVALS LOG 2, SCENE 2

Who: Readers and Actors
What: The werewolves who are not sneaking into the party cause a bit of mischief... and did anybody actually agree to keep the peace tonight?
When: The night of the ball itself. [ooc timeline: Feb 6th - 19th]
Where: The city of Montica.
Content warnings: Please include any warnings in headers.


Waxing Gibbous Moon

In Town

Above the city, the Umbra Mansion stands tall. Its grand doors and windows have been opened, spilling light like a beacon. Music lilts in the air, drifting so far as to be faintly heard even in the neutral centre of the city.

The streets have emptied, particularly in the vampiric half of town. Most of the vampire loyalists have joined the masquerade, leaving their homes and shops unattended. Tonight is a special night - a once in a century event, and they wouldn’t miss it for the world.

Even some werewolves and neutral citizens have been enticed to attend. Jadis the Mystic has created a lotion that will disguise the scent of a werewolf; an effect that is broken by shifting, breaking the skin, or the gradual passage of time. It is not widely distributed, but rumours travel fast. The lotion is only given to any Guildulf-aligned werewolves, but… well, there’s nothing wrong with a little trade here or there. Right?

For all of the wolves in town - with the moon so close to being full, it’s natural for them to feel a bit more excitable. Energetic. Ready to take on the world. And seeing as Montica is so empty, it’s like a playground has just been opened up. The young wolves in particular are eager to take advantage of the empty streets, the sound of not-quite-mature howls breaking through the air in their excitement. There are hardly any people around to be scared if they play too rough or run too fast, and they are taking advantage of this with great enthusiasm.

In the highly-debated 'neutral' zone, some small packs of adolescent werewolves are gathering. There's banter and roughhousing, the not-quite-adults playfully shoving each-other over the invisible line where the vampire territory begins.

Some of the bravest amongst them take the challenge to dart over and brush their fingers over silver doorhandles - their yelps spurring courage and adrenaline in the others. What starts harmlessly enough quickly escalates as they urge each-other on, teenage excitement and the thrill of the moon encouraging all sorts of bad choices. The longer they go without reprimand, the more bold they become; and somewhere along the way, bulbs of garlic start winding up in places they wouldn't normally be found. (There is at least one group who is excitedly challenging each-other to leave the garlic in more and more absurd places. If they happen to sting themselves on some silver ornamentation on the way, all the better.)

Not all homes are unoccupied, though - sooner or later someone’s going to disturb someone else’s peace, and tensions are already so high. Hopefully there are some Responsible Adults around to curtail the worst of the mischief before someone’s temper is sparked.
steelfeathered: (Jadis flame)

[personal profile] steelfeathered 2026-02-22 01:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Amalia's not wrong.

"So there would only be a number of drained werewolves as a statement, or... what, vampires who can't get at humans?" Jadis starts to scratch her head, encounters the headscarf she's wrapped around it, and lowers her hand. "Hmm. What are your ideas?"

She's not going to not keep Roberte informed. This is stalling a bit though. They're in disagreement about something, on top of genuine rage, and the way Jadis usually has of being an exception to the harsh face he presents is not going to be quite as effective.
Edited 2026-02-22 13:14 (UTC)
birdchasingecho: (hard-nosed)

[personal profile] birdchasingecho 2026-02-22 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
"... Which fits the profile of these vampires not being Umbran." Damn it all. This is getting out of hand. "I think there's at least one group out there, likely more, who have been organizing these strikes.

"... I owe Lord Umbra a personal apology, much as it pains me to say. If these are what's been riling the werewolves, he's not directly involved."
steelfeathered: (Jadis flame)

[personal profile] steelfeathered 2026-02-22 06:35 pm (UTC)(link)
"Umbra was very harsh to whichever clans they were contending with before, weren't they?" Jadis is frowning. She's not really up on Montica lore from that far back, she just has some awareness that the Umbrans can resort to far greater brutality than they try to let on. "So any others would want to lie low as they can."

Amalia wouldn't say personal apology if she'd merely felt Lord Umbra was behind various issues, would she? "Why, did you confront him about it?"
birdchasingecho: (Annoyed)

[personal profile] birdchasingecho 2026-02-22 08:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"I went to his court with the express intention of learning and exposing the cracks in his rule, in the hope of seeing where his stake in the violence lay." She huffs. "These countering facts, they're too important. I can't leave this be."

She takes up an arrowhead made of iron, and clutches it. Jadis can feel the familiar weight of fate being called upon. She means to swear an Iron Vow, a promise to pursue the matter to death-- and perhaps after it, if oath be dire enough.
steelfeathered: (Jadis flame)

[personal profile] steelfeathered 2026-02-22 09:15 pm (UTC)(link)
An invisible weight on the world, which bends Amalia towards it.

"A moment first. Are you sure you want to swear by that?" Jadis asks softly. She's not saying don't, just urging her to pause and think. Honestly, she wouldn't swear so for almost anything, but, after all, Amalia does stand to gain quite a lot. "Can you do this without swearing? If it's another who ends up taking the fore, will that harm you?"

She's aware that Amalia's got that particular intuition for finding herself in the right place at the right time when something matters enough to her. It's very probable she will be the central figure here, but not guaranteed, especially if outsiders involve themselves. Jadis has the unhelpfully vague sense that they're going to find something, whoever is responsible won't just slip away entirely, anyway.
birdchasingecho: (amalia intro)

[personal profile] birdchasingecho 2026-02-22 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"... Someone has to get to the bottom of this. These strange stories. And the iron vow grants a measure of protection, for as much as it pulls you along with it." She pauses. "There is a strange sore upon this city, and I want to see it out, if ever I can."

Another faint pause. "You are right that I should be careful with my vow."