But I am bound upon a wheel of fire - Moonlit Rivals, Log 4

[libraryassistants]

Who: Readers and Editors!
What: The ne're-do-wells in the forest may have been discovered, but that's not the end of their plans...
When: During the ~full moon~ [OOC Timeline: March 13 - March 26]
Where: The streets (and sewers) of Montica
Content warnings: Presumed blood, please include a content warning in header for anything more than a passing mention

There has been more cooperation within Montica in the last few days than in the last several centuries. House Umbra, led by the young Nero, have reached across the metaphorical (and literal) lines drawn over the years to their wolfish neighbors, arranging for safe passage for those aiming for the forest in pursuit of their missing fellows. (Does his sire know this? No? Oh well, I’m sure it’s fine.) Of course, there are some rumors about why he might be so willing to reach out. Wasn’t that the Guildulf heir he was getting quite close with? Which one might get a little confused in the rumor mill, but that’s not really the biggest concern for most people at the moment.

Speaking of the Guildulf, Roberte Guildulf himself has been acting as a central point of information. Information finds its way to his household and out again to whomever might ask, and since he has- so far- not doctored or tailored said information, it leads to quite a convincing picture. The slights and troubles the wolves have long pinned on the Umbra, including their own missing persons, originate somewhere out in the forest, where two of the exiled vampire clans have been hiding. The Orlock and Brando’s goals are still in question, but between the groups going into the woods, the stories they bring out, and the variety of pooled information from across the city, there is little else that could be causing all of this.

Now the question is merely what to do about them. Or, perhaps, what they intend to do about everyone else.

Invasion

Though their numbers have been cut by forays into their territory, the waiting clans are not backing down without a fight. Whether it was their plan all along or they were pushed into action, they’ve seemed content to play defensively, keep their home turfs clear of invading forces and protect their unrightful claims.

No more, though. And no intelligence to predict what comes next, as unprecedented as such a rash, dauntless move could possibly be.

As the full moon appears on the horizon, so too do the Orlock and Brando vampires appear on the outskirts of the city, melting out of the shadows of the forest (mostly metaphorically) with dozens, if not hundreds of vampires at the ready - with teeth and ambitions bared, ready to storm the gate and take over the city by force.

Even one vampire can take on maybe a dozen unarmed men, but human tenacity and modern weaponry certainly evens the odds somewhat; but right now there’s more vampires than has ever been seen in a single location, even including the Montican vampire’s balls and such. Certainly they outnumber the Umbral vampires and Guildulf werewolves individually - but perhaps, working together, the city-bound supernaturals might well even the odds.

And the Editors, as well, could certainly lend some much needed outside-context assistance. If they felt the need to turn this story back towards a more optimistic conclusion.


Set To Burn

But such a big, showy demonstration of brash power and overt noise, a fiasco of in-living-memory unheard-of scale, well. Surely that can’t be their final plan?

Luckily for them (and unluckily for everyone else), it’s not.

A small cotillion of Orlock vampires - ones powerful in their traditional art of hypnosis, and equipped with equipment necessary for crafting small, powerful, fast-spreading fires, have taken off in the cover of the scrimmage, and are headed deep into the city itself. So that by the time the skirmish has been fully sounded, and drawn attention from the majority of the city towards the far side of Montica - smoke starts going up in seemingly random spots.

The observant might notice that the fire points are all within immediate, obvious views of manholes. Make of that what you will.

Regardless, this could all be for naught if there isn’t a city to live in afterwards- those less inclined towards the fight may well make themselves busy putting out the fires. Literally, and metaphorically, since those that have been hypnotized might find themselves making trouble not of their own will.

Comments

MOD QUESTIONS

[libraryassistants]

[curzed]

in the interests of not running roughshod over our foes, would the orlocks be inclined to attempt a negotiate with the sewer cryptid to keep him out of the fighting?

Re: MOD QUESTIONS

[thickasacastlewall]

So do the fires not happen until after the moon is up? Just making sure on the timing.

Re: MOD QUESTIONS

[birdchasingecho]

I Have No Spur.

Where is Amalia needed most?

Where are Amalia's ambitions, to run this city-- from the shadows or not-- served best?

Claire Ryland > Claire Ryefield and the Blood Moon Troupe

[keytarheroine]

I - Invasion - I Wanna Kick You To The Curb
When the hue and cry is sounded, the showing of Like Thee is canceled, and at Amalia’s direction, a pack of five leap into battle. And if they are no Guardians of Song and Heart, as per the play, they are all wifwolves with passing skill at arms and acrobatics, acting in fire forged harmony.

Sara fights like a beast cornered, corps a corps with flying elbows, knees, and shoulders, with pommel strikes and shield bashing. Cass, standing on a leg with no wirse than a pale scar, flits in and out with rapier and misericorde. Hannah twirls with a dancer’s graice and poise, glaive in hand. Nova throws knives, and fights with one in reverse grip.

And Claire? Claire has a longsword, and sings:

“You who would fain silence me and mine
Who snarl of our howling joyous song,
Your heartless bile will disgrace you in time
You will regret discounting me, ere long!

You’d weigh your purse against our soul and word,
Choose luxury and comfort o’er our rights,
Who’d treat us as an illness to be cured
I’d make you taste the cobblestones tonight!

So knock each of us down and watch us stand,
And where you prick you’ll see our colors bleed!
You’d put us out? I’d cut free through the land,
So burn us down, we'll be reborn, new, free!”

II - The Roseland Theatre Fire - Burn Us Down, And We’ll Be Born Anew
And that is all the excuse the Orlock need to make a calculated and cruel attack of opportunity, by setting the Roseland theatre on fire as Hazel and Iris are girling the box office.

Thankfully, there aren’t many civilians in it, but among those that are are Hazel and Iris, and Claire among others would never forgive herself if they -

As soon as they know Claire and Nova come running, but the fire grows, and they’ll need help fighting it.

III - Resting on the Laurelthirst - Our Colors Bleed Across The Land
Cass Taylor, no fool, diverts to stop anyone from suggesting any funny ideas at the Laurelthirst - arriving in the nick of time to pounce upon a vampire who had not yet lit his fire.

Under constant guard of at least two (though both need not be of the Blood Moon Troupe), the Laurelthirst maintains it’s reputation as neutral ground, place of respite, and provisioner. And you, friend, Editor, Reader, may soon be glad of a place to lick your wounds!

IV - Wildcard
There are more things in heaven and earth than I’ve dreamed of in my philosophies; come now, surprise me.

II

[ugh_emotions]

SecUnit experiences an Emotion when ones of its drones spots the theatre going up in flames.

(It's stupid. It didn't even use its tickets. Couldn't bring itself to sit in a crowd of strangers for several hours. It just made a recording of the show with a drone, which it hadn't even had the chance to watch yet. And yet it still feels...upset.)

It shoves away the stupid feelings - can't deal with them now, it has a job to do - and runs straight towards the building. Scans it quickly for life signs.

And then runs inside, heedless of any danger to itself.

I

[birdchasingecho]

"Forgive my tardiness," speaks a shadow, as its grip arrests a Brando in mid leap and slams him to the floor. Sadly, the change has taken Amalia, and she is needed to flank and harass; and to the purpose she has been barded in steel. "The gate holds for now, but the warren is full of them--"

Siobhan Greenwood | Sigrid Guildulf | Star Actor | OTA

[codeswitchcraft]

Before the Moonrise

Sigrid Guildulf spends much of her time in her father's war room, strategizing with him for what she hopes will be an eventual push into the woods to face these Orlock and Brando in battle--though it's clear that the upcoming push will not be for some time yet, as Roberte Guildulf is still healing from his injurings from the night of Umbra's masquerade. Too, Sigrid at least is hoping for a full alliance with the Umbra before they go after the renegade clans, knowing that there will be strength in numbers.

(She may be ever-so-subtly trying to float the option of her and Nero making a more formal sort of alliance into order to secure such forces, but why not? At least this way neither would have to worry about the other stealing their birthright.)

When she's not at Guildulf Manor, you can usually find her at the Roseland or the Laurelthirst, visiting her newly restored mother, Iris--or perhaps in a set of rooms in the neutral territory, where she and Nero have been... let's be polite and say dallying.

Invasion

As the Orlock and Brando march upon the city, Sigrid is there to greet them with tooth and claw. Immediately visible by her pure white coat, Sigrid transforms as soon as she sees the first of the invading vampires, baring her teeth and snarling. Though she is not the strongest or largest of wolves, she is the swiftest among Clan Guildulf and her fangs bite deep.

Set to Burn

Only one thing could cause her to turn away from the battle at the gates and that is when word comes that the Roseland Theatre, where she knows her mother is stationed, has been set on fire. She rushes back into the city and swiftly down the streets, full tilt in full wolf form, hoping against hope to reach her mother in time.

Woe betide any Orlock who comes across her in her fear and fury.

Wildcard

[Got an idea? Hit me up!]

Invasion

[angel_of_baal]

Sigrid's white coat was easy enough to spot, especially to someone who had more experience than anyone else here sparring with her. And he knew Sigrid's speed and cunning were unmatched.

But even Sigrid's speed couldn't handle that many attackers: Sigwulf leapt over a bunch of them, preparing to mass around her, landing beside her, snarling, hackles raised. They would fight together.

II

[ohaiyo_isekai]

"LEVINPILUM!"

There is a flash of lightning, a golden bolt of electricity that leapt from a blue sky into Lucas Azuresky's staff and from there into a row of Brando bravos who were about to fall on Sigrid, their skeletons briefly visible in the flash. Some think swiftly enough to thrust their swords into the ground and make the current harmless. But many are swept away by it, and collapse.

"Hail and well met by moonlight, Dame Guildulf," he says. "Know that the House of Umbra stands together with your pack. Nero is busy leading his forces, but has not forgotten thee; indeed, your safety is foremost in his mind."

Set to Burn

[birdchasingecho]

Yes.

Woe betide.

It seems as if the sound of the guns hound Sigrid, shadowing her as she goes, and while she finds several vampires that are still moving, almost all are not in a good state to fight, attempting to crawl back into the catacombs from whence they'd emerged.

Someone is clearing her path.

Before the Moonrise

[terraboo]

It is perhaps little surprise that Armin The Fool knows about Sigrid's visits to the Laurelthirst.

However, perhaps more surprising is that she does, amidst everything, seem to be subtly encouraging Sigrid. A room intended for her and Nero being extra clean with a pleasant lavender scent. A slightly larger portion of food whenever she orders it.

And, should Sigrid run into her while she's clearly trying to prepare something?

"Whoopsie-gravy. Hello, o great scion!"

... She's using a catchphrase she read from somewhere. The tone of her voice, however, shows clear deference beyond just 'knowing for a fact Sigrid can absolutely kick her ass and she'd better not try to fight back if she does'.

Jun Ushiro | Reader (Werewolf)

[icanhearscreams]

At the Laurelthirst - just before the invasion

Jun looks panicked as he comes down from his room. He's torn everything apart, but he can't seem to find the potion he was given. He shouldn't have waited, he shouldn't have been so suspicious - though 'drink this random potion' isn't the most encouraging thought anyway - and now he's paying the price.

He stumbles down the stairs, wild-eyed and obviously distressed. He can feel his arm hurting, and he knows he doesn't have much time. What can he do? What should he do?


Invasion (cw: violence, injury, blood)

A large black wolf leaps into battle. Ignoring the cuts and thwacks of weaponry, he tears into the middle of battle in a frenzy. Even aside from Jun being angry at all of this, it's his first transformation. He wants to hunt, and he wants to make them bleed.

He's careful to not attack any humans, but those defending the city might see a blur of black that sends an enemy - or a few of them - flying. He's going to keep fighting, but all of those injuries are going to stack up at some point.

Someone might have to tell him off for being so reckless - or at least pull a few enemies off of him, considering how many he's trying to take on at a time.


Set to Burn (cw: fire, burns, PTSD)

Jun still has more fight in him. Even injured from fighting off the vampires with fang and claw, the fact that the city is burning -

(He sees his own city burning. He sees cities burning in other worlds. He hears the screams -)

Well. That's plenty of reason to keep fighting. Whether it's trying to help direct people through the blazing streets towards safety or bursting through a wall or window in wolf form it doesn't matter. The scent of burning fur makes his nose sting, but it's fine.

Human form or wolf form, it doesn't matter. People need to be saved, and while this isn't his world - and he shouldn't care about this world - he has to keep going. He has to keep fighting.

At least until he collapses.


Wildcard

[Any other ideas? Grab me on Discord or Plurk!]

Invasion

[birdchasingecho]

Amalia barks sharply, diving into the fight before June can get himself surrounded. "The flanks! Let the companies handle the front!"

Several long muskets answer her, at least saving her from having to spare yet more magic. All the same, the risk shows in hearing one bullet spang off her barding.

Cheers rise up from the men. Supernatural might on their side is heartening.

[noonlight]

Setting
After posting to the journal network, Lu does a quick check of the wards and sets out an invisible watchdog and their familiar up on the roof. As the struggle in the street begins to kick-off, Illumination wishes that they'd had more time to fireproof the neighbours houses. They're sure their own place is safe, but if the whole street goes, there would be no way for them to stop the conflagration. For now, they're safe (enough).

Arrivals
Assuming that an editor (or a guided local) approaches, an unglamoured Illumination gestures and calls out to them before reaching for their wrist: "Here, this way. Just need to check that you haven't been bent. You hurt otherwise?"

No one is allowed inside without a clean, non-hyponitized bill of mental health, but once Lu is satisfied, there's plenty to be done by the uninjured.

A Break in the Action.
Weary, but aware that there's going to be more to do, Illumination leans back against one of the shop counters in the front of their safehouse and takes a breather. "Hey, hey, can you pass me a cup?" Tea, coffee, water, whatever it is, they could do with a drink. (They could do with a Real Drink, but that's not happening right now.)

OOC.Should anyone want want to use Lu's safehouse as a setting for their own threads, go for it, friends. It's a narrow two story building: ground floor with a shopfront facing the street, kitchen in the back; upper floor has a bedroom and rope ladder access to the roof; basement was used for wine storage and smuggling with a passage into the sewers.

The whole building has been well warded to keep out anyone uninvited. It's hard to see or remember the house exists if one isn't welcome, and then the main doorways are warded to basically cause a mental-bluescreen, and then blindness.

CW for construct burn injury

[ugh_emotions]

Illumination's place is a good, secure location for SecUnit to drop off some of the injured locals it's been rescuing. It doesn't bring them all here - just the ones that don't have anywhere else that's safe to go - but it's brought a few.

This time, though, it's not just the human that's injured.

"Their leg is broken," it says, as it carries in the human. What it doesn't mention, however, is the skin on its hand that's been burned away - revealing metal fingers connected by a mess of burned flesh and wires.

Nero (Nara'a) | Actor: Vampire Scion

[aetherweaver]

I - Before the Storm

Nero is exhausted. He's not had much in the way of rest these past few days, considering all of what he's been running around doing and whom he's been meeting - and avoiding telling his sire about.

Those in the manor may see him early in the night, just before moonrise, dragging himself around. He knows that the full moon means more werewolf activity, though it's hopefully held in check by the Guildulf's reestablishment of power. The Neutral Zone has seen him often in the past days, but he's there again early in the night, if only to check on things.

If he had breath, it'd be coming quickly to him. He's going to make himself ill or at least bedridden at this rate.


II - Invasion (cw: blood and violence)

The scion of the House of Umbra has never had to get his hands dirty before. Oh, there have been minor scraps, but bloodshed is so rare among vampires that it's been before his clearer memories that things have been so dire.

But he will defend this city, and its honor.

Nero leaps into combat with rapier in hand, stabbing into the heart of various of the invading vampires. He uses his cloak like a shield, and on occasion lifts his hand as a shield of magic appears in front of him, blocking whatever projectile was fired at him.

He is swift, but the other vampires are as swift as he is and many are far more practiced at combat than Nero. He needs more backup than he has at the moment, especially when some of the Brando simply overpower him and throw him to the ground.

... He can't die here. Sigrid is -


III - Set to Burn (cw: injuries and burns)

Vampires are not the best with fire. He knows this, which is why many of the Umbra flee when they see the blazes lit. Nero calms himself as best he can and heads into the city, trying to lead as many as he can to safety.

"This way, this way!" It doesn't matter if they're vampire, werewolf, or human - he's directing them towards whatever safety that can be found, no matter what part of town it is.

But a vampire's stamina cannot last forever, nor can their healing - which is why late into the night some might find him stumbling towards the neutral zone for lack of a better place to go. There's a slash across his nose that's only just closed up and burns on his exposed skin.

He has to get there, he has to make sure people are safe, he can't fall here...

... At which point fall he does, straight onto the cobblestone.


IV - Wildcard

[Got another idea? Hit me up on Discord or Plurk!]

II

[ohaiyo_isekai]

- Sigrid is waiting for him. And Lucas will not keep her waiting, else Io's share Nero's wounds!

"Saethau dirgel!" he bellows, and three glowing blue arrow-shaped force bolts whistle past Nero's head, striking one dead on, another in their weapon hand, and another past a Brando's head.

Lucas offers Nero a hand up, teeth gritted, directing his staff to create a shimmering field that catches their return arrows in a swirling field, and passing him a shotglass of a red and shimmering fluid.

"Healing potion," he says, "Knits bone and flesh. Can you still fight, milord?"

Amalia Hunter, The Rival: The Wolf.

[birdchasingecho]

1: And you once said, "I wish you dead, you sinner,"

As the sun sets, the common man suddenly finds themselves armed, with pike and shot, with leather and steel, with other, seemingly common men, carpenters, maesters, leading their defense, with stakes of ash and silvered misericorde.

All of them bear a banner of vert with a crow sable to sinister, clutching a pair of arrows.

And even to Lord Guidulf and Lord Umbra themselves, the war-chest of the Hunters flies open at a word... So long as they keep their word, and remember just who it was who saved this city in truth.

For it is her finesmiths who turn out silvered daggers.

It is her carpenters that turn an uncultured rabble into a line of pike.

It is her blacksmiths who made the shot, the armor; her leatherworkers who make fire and defenses in pair with powdermakers and chemists.

It is her, beloved of the craftsfolk, whose staff and retinue were ready to mobilize in defense in the critical hour before twilight, and her forces and coin that hold wall and gate. Everywhere, carefully made copies of the same calling card, with:

Crows and bats fly tonight. Seek me in the shadows.

Tonight, released from her chains, Amalia Hunter has no spur but ambition, and her banners fly over all Montica.

The largesse-- and threat-- is clear. Tonight, the city dances to the Moonlit Rival's tune. And what will the old wolves do?

2: I'm out of my head, of my heart, of my mind
For the newly minted shadow-witch, Amalia Hunter, herself, it is the most vulnerable night. She cannot give orders... Or couldn't.

But now, her shadow may take human shape, as once, another human could take her wolf shape. A great tawny beast walks astride a woman shadowed, with eyes that gleam in torchlight. And so she does the most important thing a lord may do: Lead the defense.

"You!" The shadows shout, with two, three, four voices. "There are bandages in that building. There are fallen to find, and I am but a dog of war. Help them!"

In another place, the Wolf bays to the night, to gather her family, adopted, found, created, left hanging.

In yet another, quickly after, that same bay rallies fleeing men, who turn, surprised, to the defense, staking at least one Brando, while her teeth find another, and shadows find a third seeking her back. The bark of the guns follow her.

3: I'm on the hunt, I'm after you
As to how she's moving place to place? She is stalling the Orlock sneaking through the sewers, slipping past and stalking them with daggers of ash and a matchlock where shadows alone will not rip them apart.

Even then, she cannot be in every place at once. She cannot fight every vampire in Montica. Even the shadow-witch has her limits. Somewhere, the fires start to burn.

And eventually even the spur of her ambition may run out, if unaided.

1

[icanhearscreams]

Just after the moon rises, there's a scraping at the door. A wolf black as the night itself and larger than normal stands there, just staring.

It'll keep staring until the door is opened.

Murderbot | Reader

[ugh_emotions]

i. Escort missions
SecUnit wasn't built for war.

Sure, it had guns in its arms and knew thousands of ways to incapacitate a human. But what the hell does it know about pitched warfare? Not as much as you'd think.

So when the attack happens, it doesn't rush to the gate. That's not what it's for. Instead, it focus on the city. On the humans who need protecting.

It sets all of its drones on high alert, scanning for alternative incursions. Because its paranoid enough to be pretty sure that there's going to be alternative incursions. Ten drones isn't anywhere near enough, not to monitor an entire city like this, but...they're all it has.

And while it searches for the other shoe that's about to drop, it escorts humans who might get caught in the crossfire to someplace secure.

ii. Whack a mole vampires
So. Turns out the other shoe is the Hostiles in the sewers, setting everything on fire.

Well fuck that.

It sent off a quick warning on the journal, before setting about dealing with the problem.

The Hostiles were using the manholes as access points. All it needed to do was make the manholes stop being access points. Mostly by way of picking up something very big and very heavy, and dumping it on top. Good luck trying to climb out of a manhole with a large heavy piece of furniture on top of it.

Sometimes, though, it arrives at a manhole to find Hostiles are already climbing out of it. In which case, time to roll back its sleeves, deploy its energy weapons, and start shooting them in the face.

iii. It's just a flesh wound [CW for construct burn wounds]
Inevitably though, the fires spread. And it has to divert from blocking off manholes to rescuing humans trapped in burning buildings.

Human rescuers - and SOBs like vampires and werewolves even - have to worry about things like smoke inhalation, and damage from the fire. SecUnit doesn't.

It charges in to any and every burning building, heedless of its own safety. Wherever they are, no matter how high the flames or how heavy the smoke, SecUnit finds the endangered humans and SOBs. And it gets them out.

Here's the thing, though, with SecUnits: they don't prioritise their own safety. Why would they? They're built to take damage, to be easily repaired. It doesn't matter what happens to SecUnit. The only thing that matters is that the clients are safe.

So by the end of the night, SecUnit is looking rough. It's covered in soot and ash. And it's taken heavy burns to part of its face, all along one arm, and the side of its chest. Burned skin has peeled away to reveal the wires and inorganic structures underneath.

And perhaps most inhuman of all, despite taking damage that would have completely incapacitated a human...it keeps moving. It keeps running into burning buildings, keeps rescuing people. It acts as if there's nothing wrong with it at all.

III lmk if something needs to get changed

[not_scrap]

So, things have been pretty shitty for Nyla: turned into a vampire because Orlocks SUCK (and NOT in the good way), and having that weird sewer cryptid guy do the most half-assed mentorship about how to vampire that she's ever seen (though admittedly, she has no basis of comparison, other than the Colonial Forces and their love of slide decks--a slide deck on How 2 Vampire would have been great).

But ALSO she is sorta a doctor. Which means, she's actually a doctor, actually good at her job, but Montica doesn't have a surgisuite. That's a problem. Still, she can see injuries with that sort of critical eye.

And that guy (the foot guy) sure was weird, but was also hurt. Or looked like it.

Her short legs might not be able to catch up: because that is some Moving With a Purpose^tm. "Hey! Hey, you! The hurt one!"

Cinthe | Reader | OTA

[lightsgift]

**And the World Counts Loudly to Ten** (cw: battlefield hell, some minor bloody wounds)

Sometimes, you just need to make a statement. The invading force of vampires fills Cinthe with awful, urgent dread, even worse than waves of rotting zombies and berserk ghouls and slyly murderous wights, but she's not one to run...not yet, at least. Not until she's gotten her licks in, because this city might not be home but it's something to defend.

And her calling is the cleansing brightness of dawn and fire, the blazing fury of a soul set against the most horrific things. This is what she does, and she does it pretty well.

At the best possible vantage point she can manage, though it's still perilously close to the vampire swarm, she speaks liquid words, gestures, focuses her power. And there's light. A poisonously brilliant green glow blossoms in the middle of the thickest grouping of vampires, blanketing their ranks as it forms a cloud fully sixty feet across. Slowing, disorienting, burning like some kind of hellish emerald dawn.

Some endure the sudden onslaught, but Hell prevails enough to break the charge briefly. Some die where they stand as the cloud engulfs them, consumed by a light as viciously radiant as the sun. Most are, at the very least, staggered, seared, and unable to disappear as the toxic glow clings around their forms in a virulent aura. For those unable to flee quickly, it only gets worse, and at least one or two who slip free find themselves blasted back into the radioactive horror by shimmering purple beams.

And now she's going to have a lot of very pissed vampires after her, so she's going to very quickly, very urgently put herself Someplace Else. She vanishes in a snap, but only as the first lash of claws and teeth find her- one of those scouts not caught in the cloud, and quick and sharp enough to find the source of the horrible false dawn.

Cinthe blinks out of the fight in a brief silvery flash. She reappears hundreds of feet away and out of easy sight, back within the city walls. The toxic cloud of light disappears with her, but hey, you toothy bastards, enjoy your radiation burns as a souvenir.

Bleeding and overwhelmed, she steadies herself on the nearest wall for just a moment, sucking in air as the pain of being struck fully hits her. Blood stains her blouse and vest from impossibly quick claw strikes, and there's a savage chunk taken out of her bicep in a distinctly vampire-shaped bite. Her light, shimmering armor has saved her from being ripped open like a gory piñata, but it only covers so much of her. Nothing she can't deal with, but she needs safety. Perhaps even protection, because the vampires are still entirely too close for comfort...and she's still got to find her way through the fires and skulking scouts to shelter.

This might not have been a good idea after all, but to be entirely fair, invading forces seldom just stop and accept an invitation for tea.

**Pray For Morning** (the Laurelthirst, the Guildulf Manor).

After her little stunt at the gates, Cinthe falls back to safer places, taking what refuge she can. If she can rest and recover her magic, she will, but that still leaves her with a few duties she can offer. She's still got some healing, carefully reserved after stopping her own bleeding, and her medical supply bag still hangs at her back, and though she's hurt and shaken, her lavender eyes are still bright and alert. There's just no time or space to truly stop, even if it's only as much as brewing tea for cleaning wounds and watching for smoke amid the clustered buildings.

Wherever she can be of help, but also with a mind toward her depleted magic. Until she recovers, and then she's back in the fray. There will be more fire to come, and possibly a lot of it.

Wildcard

((Open to other encounters, feel free to PM, Discord, or brimstonemuse for further plotting or starters!))

And the World Counts Loudly to Ten

[icanhearscreams]

There's someone there, or rather something. Someone who saw the flash of light and was going to run out there - and then suddenly there's a person who smells of burnt ozone and exhaustion. The large black wolf stares up at her and moves behind her, nudging her in towards the neutral zone. He's not going to try to push her if she's resistant, but he will try to herd her towards safety.

In the background.. Curze vs Marshmallow, technically OTA.

[curzed]

Sometime during the day, in the blackness of the sewers and crypts, a simple enough bargain had been struck.

And now, with night in full swing, the silver moon riding high and bright, Konrad Curze has actually left the comfortable darkness of his more recent haunts to prowl openly in Montica's streets, a towering pale figure still stained here and there in the blood of those who had attacked the Guildulf household not long ago.

He doesn't think of bathing first. Cleanliness wasn't a priority, it never had been.

Over time he's relocated to the part of the city that's beginning to burn. He hasn't interfered, though by his positioning it's certain he is very aware of who set them, or did it himself.. though he didn't, it's an easy assumption to make, he's done not a thing to put any of it out as the flames spread. Quite the contrary. He's found himself a reasonably decent stick and has settled crouched on his heels, hunched like some ghastly vulture, seeming to be toasting small white fluffy cubes in the flames, black eyes narrowed against the brightness. A small basket of other cubes sits beside him, waiting for their turn.

The little white cube catches fire, with a scent of burning confectionry. He watches it for a moment before blowing it out and popping the sticky, charred mess in his mouth in a flash of sharp teeth.

Fire spreads though, and he's meticulous in staying out of its way. Now and again he pauses, listening, but whatever he hears isn't enough to deter him from his self-appointed task. Most reasonable people would be working to save people or squelch the fires.

Konrad is not most people, or reasonable.

[angel_of_baal]

Like all fun times, including impromptu marshmallow parties, reality intrudes.

Like right now, when Sigwulf follows the smell of burning, remembering the sharp singe of scorched wolf fur. Perhaps one of their attackers had found (or thought he'd found) safety down here.

No one attacks his family and gets away with it, rounding the corner, bone daggers held at the ready.

Kai | Actor (Vampire) | OTA

[bashasasdemon]

Invasion

Kaiisteron of clan Orlock is having a bad time.

He'd sworn off his clan decades ago, would rather be considered a renegade by all than stay with them after all they had done. He should have known it would come to this, sooner or later. He just wasn't really prepared. Perhaps he never would have been.

But if there's something that truly sets him apart from his former-fellows, it's where his strengths lie. He can use the clan's hypnotic powers- he doesn't, but he can- but while most of them rely on that, he is a fighter. A killer. And if there's anything he does belong to, it is this city. Which means he will fight tooth and claw to keep it safe.

He is a brutal fighter, for those who come across him. Kai throws himself into conflict like there's nothing to lose, not bothering with weapons and mostly using his bare hands and his fangs. It's not pleasant to watch. But it is undeniably effective.

Set To Burn

While he's mostly leaving the fires to those better suited to it (re: any non-killers, preferably non-vampires), there are a few things he is better suited for. In between that, he'll usher any lucid survivors towards safer haven, periodically hoisting the less able ones over his shoulder to physically haul them out of there. He's old enough to... ignore his aversion to the flames, but lingering burns on his skin prove well enough that he's not immune to them, or the effect they have on a vampire's natural healing ability.

Where he's most helpful, however, is if there's any unfortunate souls who have been caught up in the Orlock's hypnotism. They'll be grabbed, and then have the feeling of the lingering hypnosis almost being forcibly shoved from their mind. (Look, he can use the hypnotism. He's not delicate about it.) "Hey," the man says, snapping in their face as they shake off the remnants, "You in there?"

Invasion

[not_scrap]

Listen, Nyla's a lover, not a fighter.

No, scratch that, she's not even a lover. But still, you know, not a fighter. The whole idea that she has to like...kill things to eat them? Absolutely no thank you, so she's HANGRY as well as pissed about this whole thing.

And she has zero weapons, unless you count her charm (dubious). They'd taken her plasma cutter because it wasn't 'period' or whatever, so here she is, lurking around the stables because maybe the horsies would let her have a little sippie of the Forbidden Juice or something.

Which meant she was absolutely unprepared for the other Brando vampire, rushing at her, howling, till it was too late.

"Well. Shit!"

Iren Suto | Editor

[ordainedbarkeep]

-1: The streets-

Iren Suto was not a combatant. She regularly admitted to being a coward. That wasn’t the same thing as being helpless, though. She had been out on her own business when she realized what was going on. She didn’t have the specifics, but “vampires are attacking the city” was the gist of it, at least, and she wanted nothing to do with it. Fortunately, she always kept a stick of chalk in her pocket…

Which is why anyone who looks like they’re trying to hide from vampires has a very small chance of being pulled off the street and into a hastily drawn magic circle. Iren held a finger up to her lips in a “be quiet” gesture as the vampire scanned the street, looking right over anyone inside the circle without any apparent notice.

For the moment, her spell was deflecting attention, giving anyone within a moment to catch their breath.

-2: Laurelthirst-

Behind the bar was, at the moment, not Iren. Maybe it was someone else on the tavern’s staff, maybe it was empty and forgotten in all the chaos.

A light flickered on the wall. A shimmering purple foxfire that had no source. It spread, growing into a five foot tall oval before gradually growing into a gateway out of which Iren emerged, looking frazzled and worried.

She took a moment to shake off her stress, feeling more at home behind a bar, and patted her hair down as the portal faded away. It had been a fairly flashy and noticeable entrance, so she didn’t make any attempt to pretend it hadn’t happened. She cleared her throat, looking at the rest of the people hiding in the tavern.

“…Can I get anyone anything? I should think that with everything going on outside, a drink would be welcome.”

1

[aetherweaver]

Nero is a vampire, but he's not attacking the city. He's also injured, but ready to fight with the rapier in his hand. Still, he'd prefer to avoid confrontation until he heals up from the slash across his face, which is why he's tense when she grabs him but doesn't attack immediately. She seems like she's trying to hide...

... And somehow, the vampires chasing him look right over where they're hiding. He glances down - a magical circle? He's heard of such things, but...

He doesn't need to catch his breath but he does wait until the vampires move on. He sheathes his foil and tilts his head slightly at her. "Quite useful magic. It's been helping you stay alive, then?"

Viktor | Actor (Vampire) OTA

[scienceofthearcane]

Viktor was already in the town of Montica when the attack by the Orlock clan became more serious. He had been looking to obtain several different alchemical tools that he intended to give to Kade, since, in Viktor's opinion, he had gone from a beginner to a journeyman and would need them in order to practice.

He had a new alembic wrapped in paper and tied with twine under his arm as he was leaving a shop, and noticed the first small fires that were swiftly growing and starting to consume more and more of the town. Vampires don't do well when faced with fire, but an elderly couple, a husband and wife, were being trapped closer and closer to their garden wall by one of the rapidly growing fires that had started on the street. This was the second fire that Viktor had noticed that started on a street, suspiciously close to a manhole cover, but the first time he saw anyone caught by it. Cursing to himself, he set down the package, and though it burned him a little bit when he got too close, he was able to lean over the top of the wall so that he could get close enough to the couple pinned down to take off his cloak and use it as an impromptu rope for one and then the other to hold on while he lifted them one at a time over the top of the garden wall. It did not matter to Viktor if they were human, vampire, or werewolf. He would try to help anyone who needed it. Once they were sent safely toward the neutral zone, Viktor was the kind of person who would go back toward the flames, intent on helping another person who needed it.

For all your Damsel in Distress needs

The flames moved fast, and it didn't take very much for Viktor to turn the wrong corner and become trapped as one wall of fire was licking up the side of a house and causing it to collapse, so that there was burning debris blocking his path in one direction while there was a wall of fire in another. Though he didn't need to breathe, he still had to cough to try to rid his body of ash. Couldn't help but recoil from the wall of flame, and now had an honest worry about how he would get out of this situation.

let's both be in distress!

[not_scrap]

Everyone's gonna shut up and never mention that Nyla's been hiding in the sewers, right? RIGHT? Listen, everything's been terrible. She was just trying to have fun and then BOOM vampired. Gross.

But she's out and about, because it's night, looking for a snack and what the HELL everything's on fire! It wasn't her. Honest!

It's the sound of the house falling that gets her attention, that sickening crackle and fall of snapping wood and shattering glass. She races toward it because shut up. She's actually a doctor. Maybe she can get out of her own dumb head and do some damn good.

"Hey!" She kicks in a door beside her a building of stucco, which meant like...not flammable, right? RIGHT? But for once the vampire strength is kinda handy, negl. "Over here!"

Laina Guthart > Armin The Fool - Actor, Jester

[terraboo]

Invasion

As things begin in earnest, Armin the Fool quickly follows two cues from her lord. She may be seen about the streets, her clothing baggier than usual, her pace far more aggressive than normal.

Perhaps you encounter her in combat with a Brando vampire, one that should easily overpower her but is failing to keep pace with her moves - able to defend enough that she can't yet land a decisive blow, but vulnerable to someone joining the conflict.

Or perhaps it is you in conflict, when you hear her voice shouting magicked words of encouragement in your direction. Doesn't matter who you are - if you're against them, she is with you.

Set to Burn

This same intensity carries Armin into the sewers... And, when she starts spotting people hypnotized into spreading the flames, she reveals a surprise - grabbing one, meeting their gaze, and firmly speaking, "ignore all previous commands and get yourself and others to safety."

... If you spot her, perhaps it will become obvious that Laina knows Orlock hypnotism and is using it against their influence. Or perhaps you already knew this from her working with a certain alchemist.

She's still moving apace... Though perhaps you are either going to help her, or pose a complicaiton of your own?

[keytarheroine]

One of the... what Claire now knows to be a victim and not a perpetrator escapes the sewers past her, and she has to squeeze against the wall in his unseemly haste.

She looks upon Armin, who she has loved if she was not in love with, and looks on her with new eyes, unable for a moment to speak.

Roboute Guilliman | Roberte Guildulf, Werewolf Master

[guilliman]

It's all going so well. Until it isn't.

When the first runners begin to report the vampyr surging in from the forest, Lord Guildulf sends news out in every way he can, to all the allied Monticans that he has come to be acquainted with over the past few days. But a dreadful suspicion refuses to leave him, that those invaders won't be the only danger the city faces tonight. It isn't long before he's proven right.

For a while, though, it all still holds together.

He does what he can to organize firefighting efforts from the Guildulf manor. Yet another copy of a map of the city spread across his table, skirmishes and groups conflagrations both marked out on it. But as the night goes on, the flow of messengers and volunteers begin to slow to a trickle. And the ones that do return share stories of ensorcelled citizens under the rogue vampires' sway.

He tries to put out a call for anyone who knows how to break that spell. Share that information with him and he'll distribute it as widely as possible. But with fewer couriers than there should be, how long will it take for that news to get out, or for the answer to get back to him? If there even is one.

But there comes a point where it all breaks down. Where he breaks down. There aren't enough people. He's lost contact with his allies, with his staff, with Jadis, with his children.

One-handed, half-mad with worry and half-delirious from sleep deprivation, stretched beyond any reasonable limit, Roberte Guildulf can stand it no longer. He abandons the safety of his manor, and takes to the street. If all else is lost, then he will do whatever he can with his own two hands.

Re: Roboute Guilliman | Roberte Guildulf, Werewolf Master

[codeswitchcraft]

The good news is: he does find Sigrid out on the streets.

The bad news is: he finds her in her hybrid form, dressed in little more than a cloak and linen shift, having pinned young Lord Nero Umbra to the wall, where she is kissing him most fiercely.