undergroundmods: (Default)
The Underground Mods ([personal profile] undergroundmods) wrote in [community profile] undergrounds2017-10-09 09:30 pm

Five Years Later...



A lot can change in five years. Students who were at Redbright have now started their careers. People have moved out, moved in, started a new life together or apart. Some move on from the city while others return to it. But while the lives of its residents continue to grow and change, London remains as it has ever been: a focal point for magical power.

A tentative peace
The last five years have not been without conflict, both internal and external. The vampires have played with the politics of in-fighting and backstabbing. The werewolves have overthrown their leader and chosen a new alpha. The witches have suffered one scandal after another. And the fae have quietly engineered a small change here, a personal revenge there, until finally with Redbright and Hillingdon acting as neutral parties a peace agreement was reached between Circle Daybreak, the Islington Nest and the East End Pack. Their territories are still beholden to the same rules (e.g. vampires are still forbidden to enter East End territory and vice versa) but they are no longer in open conflict. Small steps, perhaps, but positive ones.

A delicate balance
The year is 2022. The balance of power in the city is now evenly split between the East End Pack, Islington Nest and Circle Daybreak, thanks largely to the rise of the werewolves and the new President Laura Roslin who simultaneously holds the post of Werewolf Representative.

Samantha Okeke lost her position as Witch Representative following allegations of corruption, and has been replaced by Diphylleia "Dee" Absin, a much more co-operative member of the Night Council. While Samantha has retained her title of Mother of Witches, there are rumours that she lost her powers during a confrontation with a powerful fae. Circle Daybreak firmly denies all such speculation.

The connections between the Redbright Institute and the Hillingdon Clan have grown stronger since the former is now perceived to be a more neutral force rather than tied to the Night Council, although Hillingdon certainly still has the less clean-cut image of the two.

Meanwhile, the Seelie and Unseelie Court have largely withdrawn from public life in the mortal realm except in isolated corners, though they claim the right to go where they please throughout the city. Consequently, there are no barriers preventing travel between the realms, which seems for now to be an acceptable compromise.

And after all, politics is the art of compromise.

Looking ahead
All in all, the vampire and fae presence in the city has reduced as the vampires move around and the fae decide that if they're invited it can't be that great a party anyway. The number of witches has recovered thanks to an amnesty allowing those who were once members of Circle Midnight to return (though the faction itself has not reappeared).

The biggest change that has been noticed first by staff at the Redbright Institute however is the increasing number of meta humans, in particular young meta humans, being discovered in the city. Often these are humans with no knowledge of the supernatural developing their powers for the first time. The reason why has yet to be discovered...
knowntohisfriends: (skulking around)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-14 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
"I'll keep an eye out," he promised. Course he'd manage to find something that fitted her description - he had all of London's shops to pick from.
stauncherhearted: (Default)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-14 03:31 pm (UTC)(link)
"You're brilliant," she tells him. "Maybe with a hood?"
knowntohisfriends: (eyes on the prize)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-17 12:45 pm (UTC)(link)
"Askin' a lot there." But he laughs, and nods. Yes, he'll make sure he finds one with a hood for her. It shouldn't be all that hard, after all.
stauncherhearted: (Yu081mC)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-17 06:47 pm (UTC)(link)
"Shove off!" She tells him, knocking his hat askew. She knew he hated when he did that. Too bad, because it was a habit she was never going to do away with.

"So what's the reason for your visit, hmm?" She fixed him with a look that clearly stated she was sure he wanted something.
knowntohisfriends: (grin)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-18 03:40 pm (UTC)(link)
"Can't a bloke just come visitin', Nance? There always got to be a reason other than seein' yer face?"
stauncherhearted: (Default)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-18 03:41 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yes." Nowadays, sure.

You'll have to forgive her, though. She's gotten a bit paranoid in her old age.

"My face is doing plenty well, though, thanks for checking." It's an old habit, but she's got her illusions up around Dodger. It's easy to forget that as fae, he can see past it all.
knowntohisfriends: (bad result)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-18 04:02 pm (UTC)(link)
"So I c'n see."

It's an easy comment to make, let her think he buys into the illusions. He knows what it's like now Sikes is out. He wonders, vaguely, if the wolf knows about the vampire Nancy had been shacking up with while he was inside. Wonders if Cooper would like to help out with a scheme. It would be ... fun.
stauncherhearted: (not awake)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-18 04:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, Bill knows. They'd had a long talk, and Nancy had done a lot of work to try to make sure Bill understood that her heart had never wavered from him, that she still loved him most of all. He'd taken every bite mark that Cooper had left, and dragged his claws over the wounds, making them his. Making Nancy his once more.

Bill knew, and he'd throw it back in her face when he could.

She smiles at Dodger. "Good- you doing alright?"
knowntohisfriends: (eyes on the prize)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-19 12:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"Livin' my life of luxury, if that's what you mean." It's a joke from way back when, can they even remember how it started?

He sees the claw marks. They make him angry.
stauncherhearted: (R76NaXi)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-19 01:17 pm (UTC)(link)
"Atta boy!" She beams proudly at him. She's so proud of him, honestly. The way he's grown up to become quite the handsome man, a good person, kind as ever.

Nancy rises for a moment, coming over to press her lips against Dodger's forehead in a motherly gesture.
knowntohisfriends: (always plannin)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-20 04:18 am (UTC)(link)
And, of course, it gets an eye-roll in return. "Gettin' soft, you are."
stauncherhearted: (eEEo6ej)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-21 04:11 am (UTC)(link)
She knocks his hat off balance for that one. "You keep your mouth shut, you! Ain't no way I'm going soft. Bill wouldn't have it." It's a joke, said lightly. They both knew it was true, though. Bill liked her feisty.
knowntohisfriends: (definitely done)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-22 08:47 am (UTC)(link)
He rolled his eyes, grabbing his hat and setting it back properly. "Soft."
stauncherhearted: (kbJSv7S)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-22 01:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Nancy flicks her wrist just slightly and a small wind pushes Dodger's hat back again.

"Hardly."
knowntohisfriends: (not good)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-23 07:40 am (UTC)(link)
"C'n you stop messing with a bloke's hat, Nance?" He grabs his hat again, throwing her a mock annoyed look that's tinged only with slight seriousness
stauncherhearted: (Yu081mC)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-23 06:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"It really bothers you, don't it?" She sobers slightly.
knowntohisfriends: (grin)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-24 05:15 am (UTC)(link)
"The hat's the only thing about me that weren't influenced by anyone," the Dodger shrugs. "Stands to reason I'd be a bit touched about it."
stauncherhearted: (I'm sorry for how much I apologize)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-24 05:38 am (UTC)(link)
That gives Nancy a bit of a pause, and she sits back down across from him. "That ain't so true. I've always considered you completely your own." She didn't want to look at the influence Fagin had had over their lives. Has over their lives.
knowntohisfriends: (cheek)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-25 06:56 am (UTC)(link)
He looks right at her, and shrugs. "You're the only one, then."
stauncherhearted: (Default)

[personal profile] stauncherhearted 2017-10-25 01:16 pm (UTC)(link)
She blinks. "Really?"
knowntohisfriends: (cheek)

[personal profile] knowntohisfriends 2017-10-26 01:13 pm (UTC)(link)
A nod. "Really."