undergrounds | The Night Train

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It's the 22nd of January and the sun has disappeared behind the horizon. You're waiting at your nearest station when a sleek, metallic grey train pulls up at the platform. No one else can see it, only those who are aware of the supernatural world. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Night Train. Tonight the leaders of the Night Council will be making their annual introduction to the supernatural community – aboard a train that will make stops in every borough with a significant supernatural presence. Hop on and off whenever you like: this event is designed to be open to all. (Though for some reason the train won't be passing through East End or Seelie/Unseelie territory...)

The event takes place from 7pm-12 midnight Sunday 22nd January.

Rules of entry
• No weapons. Any weapons or objects that could be used as weapons will be confiscated.
• No drugs or alcohol except that provided at the event. Don't try to sneak any in.
• No violence. The train is cursed with a hex that will punish any trouble-causing passengers with a lightning strike. The Council doesn't mess around here.

Carriages
The train has five carriages, each one with a different theme. While the Night Council members are dispersed throughout the train, they are under no obligation to stay in their carriage and will likely move around to network and meet fellow members of the supernatural community. There are cameras and security guards in every carriage to ensure there is no trouble.

1) PRESIDENT / VICE PRESIDENT. At the front of the train is a carriage decked out as if for royalty. Surprisingly spacious, the carriage is decorated with gilt trimmings, a thick wine-red carpet and leather seating. Portraits of previous Presidents and Vice Presidents line the wall. Coffee, tea and wine is being served at tables interspersed throughout the carriage and finger sandwiches are available.

2) WITCH REPRESENTATIVE. The next carriage along belongs to the Witch Representative. It's rather like walking into a greenhouse: the entire place is full of herbs and other plants, and there are tables where you can sit and ask for advice or magical favours from witches with varying specialities: a healer, a herbalist, a psychic, a medium and a potions maker. Magical butterflies flutter along the ceiling and among the flowers like colourful lights. A small bar at the end of the carriage serves a variety of herbal teas.

3) VAMPIRE REPRESENTATIVE. The next carriage along belongs to the Vampire Representative. Decorated in a tasteful dark red, about half the carriage's length is taken up by a wine bar that serves a variety of alcoholic and blood-based drinks and snacks. The other half consists of leather seating where the seats face each other to allow guests to talk while enjoying a drink.

4) SHAPESHIFTER/META HUMAN REPRESENTATIVE. It seems that Yasmine decided her aim for the night was to let loose and avoid talking, since this carriage is basically a narrow dance floor. Club music blares out from speakers on the ceiling, there's a disco ball and strobe lighting, and all the windows are blacked out. A magical seal ensures that the noise is contained within this carriage, so you won't hear any of it until you step inside.

5) EMPTY CARRIAGE. There's nothing here apart from rows of seats that you might find on any ordinary train. A sign on the door says "WARNING: THIS CARRIAGE IS HAUNTED. KEEP OUT." If you ignore the sign and go in anyway, you might feel a sense of unease. The shadows seem unnaturally long and the lights will flicker on and off. Magically sensitive types will feel a strong sense of impending death and may experience visions of the seats being ripped apart and blood spattered on the walls. If you stick around even after that, the most magically sensitive person in the carriage will experience a vivid hallucination of their own death at the hands of a vampire. If you manage to endure that without fleeing, PM the mod to continue. (Don't worry, no one will die.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Most plants are, in the right hands." It's not exactly an answer, he's aware, but it's the truth. Magical types tend to be drawn to nature for a reason; the things he's seen people do with shit you could find in most people's gardens is something else.

He could stop there, but even when he could barely stand the man Eames has always appreciated Arthur's desire to understand things, so he'll expand a little. Looking around at the greenery and the butterflies as he hums a soft affirmation, "some of these are quite potent though. And rare, by the looks of it."

"I wonder where they're kept."

His ton hints at genuine curiousity. Rare plants are usually rarer still because they're hard to maintain. Does the Redbright Institute have a greenhouse where they take care of these things?

"I imagine some of the more... Elite covens have their own greenhouses. Alchemists that tend to them, that sort of fare." He's not so interested in the logistics himself; witches have been finding ways to grow what they need for centuries before technology caught up. Where there's a will, etc.

When he was traveling these things were always found through trade or just pure luck. They never stayed in one place long enough for Arthur to learn about the maintenance of any of this stuff, but he's curious.

"Do the fae use plants in their magic as much as the witches do?"

"Depends on the fae." It's a dismissive comment, but he gives Arthur a considering look. He imagines that Arthur's only really had dealings with fae like Eames — which is to say, extremely humanlike — so he makes a rolling gesture with a hand as he continues on. "Won't find many herbalists among ogres, for instance, but satyrs do a lot with fruit and flowers."

You know, for example.

Arthur nods in understanding, electing not to go down this line of questioning since it's neverending. Eames really does come from a completely separate world than this one and Arthur's thirst for knowledge wouldn't stop at the plants. He knows when to reel himself in.

"So," he says after a moment, "are you here on business or just out of curiousity?"

"Can't it be both?"

Truth be told, it's mostly the latter, but Eames isn't going to admit to that. He's not about to tell Arthur that this has actually pissed him off enough that he felt a need to come see what they're up to in here. Why not just punch him in the face too.

Arthur makes an amused sound through his nose, recognizing the dodge. "Usually one's a bigger factor than the other," he says, though he doesn't fully expect Eames to expand. He doesn't have any disillusions that their familiarity will grant him more information on what the fae are up to, just like Eames shouldn't expect the reverse.

He's long since given up on trying to weasel information about Hillingdon out of Arthur, and with the position he holds now he can only imagine he's even more stringent about it.

Besides, their working relationship is pretty effective.

"Mm, well. Maybe I've had too much to drink to dissect my motivation tonight."

That puts that line of questioning to a halt, but Arthur doesn't mind. If Eames is going to be cagey that's his right.

"Not much else to do at this party," he says before he takes another sip of his own drink. "I'll probably get off in a couple stops."

"I think I'm going to stick around until the end," Eames says with a tip of his head. He doesn't feel like he's made it clear enough how much he hates everyone here yet.

Arthur nods in understanding, getting the idea that Eames is at least a bit fired up about the whole thing. Bypassing fae territory all together is par for the course with the Night Council but it still must sting a little.

"Are you going to speak to her?" he asks, his tone soft so his voice doesn't carry, like the thought of a fae lord talking to the mother of witches is a scandal waiting to happen.

"No," he shakes his head, "not tonight."

Lest he let his bad mood run away with him and get thrown off the train? He'd rather not run that risk. He knows that with the mood he's in right now, it'd only take one snide comment to rile him up and that's a dangerous problem for him right now.

Arthur makes a sound, a soft hum of understanding, looking around the carriage like he's hoping an interesting person will catch his eye. No such luck.

"I guess I'll see you later, then," he says, lingering for a moment like he's giving Eames one last chance to keep him put.

Eames gives Arthur an apologetic look; he would like to leave with him, but duty calls. It's a shame, but he knows Arthur gets it.

"Yeah, see you later."

Arthur raises his drink in salute and turns away, wandering his way out of the carriage to see if there's someone else to talk to before he leaves.

The Night Train

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