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undergrounds2017-01-22 11:27 pm
undergroundmods) wrote in undergrounds2017-01-22 11:27 pm
The Night Train
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.)
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How this makes Circle Daybreak look. More specifically, how it makes her look. She offered Nancy a pardon not only to make the Night Council look good, but also to show that Circle Daybreak witches are merciful and that they will welcome witches back into their fold. That's why she asked Lancelot to mentor Nancy until she was ready to join a coven. Now the girl is openly aligned with the Islington Nest – choosing vampires of all creatures over her own people. She's not the first and she won't be the last, but for Sylvia it feels like a personal failure. A failure that is now being paraded around on this very train.
God, maybe she is glad that she's no longer Mother of Witches. Although if Samantha's behaviour so far is any indication, witches like Nancy may regret not taking the opportunity offered to them when they had the chance.
She lets out a heavy sigh, leaning back in her seat. "I hope you're right. For your sake as much as hers." It's Lancelot's reputation on the line, and unlike Sylvia he will face legal ramifications if things backfire. "There's a journalist two tables down from us trying to catch my eye. I expect those tabloid hacks at the London Lambast think they've got a story here. If you do get asked why the girl you took under your wing chose to run off with a vampire rather than being welcomed back into a Daybreak coven, what are you going to say?"
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"I'd say she hasn't run off," he says finally, "that Daybreak is still assisting her, but that her experience with Circle Midnight is something she needs time to heal from. I'd say that I'm happy to see vampires and witches getting along so well after what we all went through so recently, and that hopefully that means we can except a good relationship with Islington going forward -- since witches are so close to his heart."
His eyes land back on her again finally and he twitches a small smile.
"Unless you'd prefer me to correct that."
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It'll be news now because the press love any hint of a scandal, but when they see there's nothing behind it except Lancelot being his usual ridiculously optimistic self they'll soon grow bored.
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"I'll make it sound as dull as I can," he answers simply, since he's pretty sure that's the idea. Make the press have as little of interest to write about as possible. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"
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"Things change," she says. "Regimes change. She won't hear it from me, but perhaps you should warn her to be careful. Relationships with vampires tend to end badly."
That's as politely as she can put it. Nancy won't listen to her, she knows, and she has no reason to look out for the girl any more, but Lancelot does. At least she can leave the whole thing alone with a clear conscience.