[ OPEN ]

[hurtfew]

Date: 12th~18th of October
Plot: Lambeth Territory Claim by Daybreak
Areas: Lambeth and surrounding areas!



The fae may have taken Croydon from Daybreak, but Daybreak is out to prove it is still strong -- and one Daybreak witch in particular is hoping to prove that he is the man to turn them around from the loss. Gilbert Norrell plans to bring order to the lawless territory of Lambeth, via less than pleasant means. He intends to drive out any troublemakers, anyone who disagrees with Daybreak, or have them persuaded by members of Hillingdon. Unfortunately for him, it won't be quite as easy as all that...

[ ooc; log for the Daybreak territory claim! You can give me a ping if you want to be involved and hadn't signed up already! It runs through the entire week, starting off quietly and subtly until the disappearances begin to be noticed and the fight back intensifies. Thread as little or as much as you like, start your own thread or tag what I put up for Norrell! (And sorry it's up a little late!) ]

Comments

[knowstheworld]

Childermass does not have the knowledge of the particular spellwork necessary to combat the fire raging around them. But he knows of just the man who does. Turning back to catch sight of him, he takes in the measure of the man. Of the look on his face, of the tension of his shoulders, and he understands that Norrell is frightened. He has created this scenario, now he is faced with the consequences of it. But now is not the time for nerves. There will be opportunity later to quake and shiver and hide away in his quiet library with his safe books. But Norrell has set the stage for himself, and now it is time to perform.

And so Childermass calls out to him, and thankfully enough, it seems to be the push that Mr Norrell had needed. Setting him in motion. His work done for the moment, Childermass sets himself about predicting the next task at hand, and so when Norrell casts a glance around to look for a car, he has already made the arrangements such that one is ready and waiting for him. "Sir," he says, moving to open the door for him.

[divinerighttorule]

At first, the rain seems to make an impact on the flames. Then, though, some of discharge crackles, and... a bolt of lightning comes down, striking one of the previously unaffected buildings. Which produces some more sparks, and, very likely, makes it clear that the fire is magical in origin, if it's fighting the attempt to extinguish it.

On the ground, it isn't hard to spot Azula. Despite the rain, she's completely dry. A closer look at her would show that the water is hitting her, but it is evaporating almost immediately.

[hurtfew]

Norrell is the kind of man who was old before his time. He was old surely when he was born, and most certainly the most elderly teenager you had ever met. He sits bundled up in the car as it drives, studying the fire in the distance as they approach it with wide eyes before falling to flicking hurriedly through his book.

When the car stops it is a surprise, for Norrell is not ready. He fumbles to close the book and look out the window again when he spots her. The woman standing there, totally dry.

"Childermass..." Norrell begins, and it is a nervous tone he uses now. His pale face is paler than usual, at the idea of conflict with what might be another witch -- or worse, fae. While Norrell may speak as if he has a very high opinion of his own worth, in truth deep down nothing frightens him more than the idea that someone may be better than him. Magic is all he has, and he has no wish to have it taken away.

[knowstheworld]

"I see her." Childermass has the car stop something of a safe distance away, although he knows that once they are in eyesight of one another there is really hardly such a thing as safe. He glances aside at the other man, at the nerves draining the color from his face, and he recognizes that Norrell is afraid. And for once, for a change, the other man has a good reason to be frightened. But now is not the time for that. Now is the time for Norrell to be brave in the face of adversity. He hopes that even if Norrell cannot find that bravery within him, that he will find the right words, the right fire to light underneath him to force it out of him.

So he steps out of the car and into the rain and moves to open the door for Norrell. (Opening an umbrella for him as he does. He's a servant. Old habits die hard.) "Come, sir," he says. "There is work to be done here."

[divinerighttorule]

The car that stops interests her. Agents, certainly, of the force that has ruined all her hard work. She has spent months sowing the chaos in this territory. The werewolves are rogues, and she obtained the promise of the East End pack that none of them would retaliate against her actions.

And now, someone has swooped in and snatched it from her. That, Azula will not forgive. Nor will she allowed them to take it easily, even once the fight is lost.

Azula takes a few steps toward the car, her eyes locked on it.

[hurtfew]

She's coming closer, eyes on them, and Norrell would give anything at this point to stay in the car. Yet Childermass is opening an umbrella for him and Norrell knows, however much he wants to, that he cannot run.

So he steps out under the umbrella, allows Childermass to close the door behind him and takes a slow breath. He can do this. He's wearing his witch's amulet, after all, which will stop him being controlled and... perhaps put her off a little, if she is a fae? Would that be enough silver for it?

He takes a deep breath and sets his jaw, tries to remember every tale of magical duelling he has read. The fires around them still rage, but his attention his now entirely on her.

(When he tells this story, of course, he will not have been afraid. Or perhaps he will have been, but also magnificent. Time will tell.)

For now, he lifts a hand and begins to silently mime the words to a spell to raise a magical barrier. It would not do to be set on fire right away, after all.

[knowstheworld]

Childermass is not one to use magic himself. Not in front of Norrell, at least. The other man frowns on it, believes him less capable, because of his status. Because of his background. Because he is Gilbert Norrell and no one could be as great as him. And Childermass does not want to be seen as anything resembling a threat to him, so he keeps the ruse as such.

If she tries anything, Childermass will protect Mr Norrell as best he can. He has silver and a repertoire of spells at his disposal. But this is not his fight. He is just the help. The man with the umbrella. Still, he cannot help but contribute his own additions, here.

"You have come close enough," he calls out to the woman approaching them. He does not like the look of her, nor the look she seems to be giving them for that matter.

[divinerighttorule]

As if solely to prove a point, Azula takes three more steps forward before she stops. The two men are physically larger than her, but she's used to that. Besides, neither of them can match her in power. There is still cause for caution, though. Several of the lackeys she had brought with her to drive out their numbers have proven too weak. She is the last combatant, so far as she can tell, to oppose them. Even then, she isn't opposing them. She is merely diminishing their gains.

"Scavengers have no right to protest the state of their food," she says. It isn't loud in particular, but it carries. "I thought 'charred' was a good way to leave it."

[hurtfew]

Such nerve she has, this woman. This fae. He can feel the creeping power of her magic now, this close. Norrell's fear begins to be eroded by distaste, by anger. How dare she say such things? Call them scavengers?

"You will leave this place," he begins, "You are no longer welcome in Lambeth! We have no interest in any contract with fae! You will leave or you will be banished from this realm permanently!"

[knowstheworld]

Childermass has no idea whether Norrell may actually be able to banish someone from the realm, but he supposes he's not about to question it. Not in front of a woman who it'd be beneficial to fear them rather than question them.

He leaves the talking up to Norrell himself, instead attempting to take the moment and the advantage of their distraction to assess her. Fae, she is. Fae, and not happy with their efforts. And why would she be, he supposes, considering everything. Childermass glances at Norrell and tries to do his best to convey the idea that he not do anything rash before he turns back to their opponent, preparing himself for whatever she has for them next.

[divinerighttorule]

"I have every intention of leaving," Azula replied. Especially with the rain. Even her fires wouldn't last much longer with them. Still, they could do a little more damage. Which was all she wanted. "In, oh..." She took a moment to look at the fires and assess the damage she'd already done. "An hour, I think."

By that point, the fires would have done enough damage that she could feel mostly content with having made her point.

[hurtfew]

In an hour, she says, as if his threat had meant nothing to her. He falters a moment, somewhat unsure how to react when she doesn't appear the least bit worried, then rallies and tries to project more confidence.

"You will leave now," he says, "or you will be forced to leave! This is Daybreak territory now, and no place for the likes of fae!"

[knowstheworld]

Childermass understands that the fires cannot burn for so long as that. If there is to be anything salvaged from this place, they must stop her. A task, he understands, that is more easily said than done. Might he be able to work some magic in himself? How much can he get away with, he wonders, as he glances between Norrell and the fae woman across from him. Though neither of them are exactly paying him any mind, he doubts it will be easy for him to slip away from this scene either.

So he decides to attempt the next best thing. With a sideways glance at Norrell, understanding that the man isn't about to begin paying attention to him now, not unless he demands it of him, Childermass begins to mutter a spell quietly, beneath the murmuring of the rain and the crackling of the fire around them. His own, actually rather formidable magic reaching out towards her with iron claws in the shape of an incapacitation spell...