Kal

City in the Dark - An Urban Shadows RP

"Don't act like I want to keep this a secret. I inherited this secret. Secrets are just lies, and there's never a good way to reveal a thousand year old lie."
- T. Curtis

The Story So Far:

Even those who don't follow politics know about Mayor Curtis' pushback against the District's expansion, the second move that's garnered any sort of unpopularity. Speculations fly about why the Mayor pushes against the District when it attracts so many tourists, bringing in significant money to the city and state. Even the Governer has expressed his support, but Mayor Curtis still hasn't backed down.

So, instead of the promised expansion east, the Hart Conglomerate, headed by Cynthia Hart, had to backtrack as sanction after sanction was placed, demanding that they be complied with before allowing any sort of expansion to take place. The expansion no longer has any set date after this last move by Mayor Curtis.

But hey, that's all politics.

Boring ol' politics.

---

36 Hours Ago: The media gets wind that detectives were called to the Mayor's personal home.

24 Hours Ago: News confirms that Pamela Curtis, Tom Curtis' and his late first wife's daughter, as well as the black sheep of the family, was reported missing.

"There's always a price, point to any one man or woman in this city, all I need to do is find their number."
- C. Hart

0 Hours Ago: Joshua Curtis puts out a statement, and it spreads like wildfire. "I'm offering three-million dollars of my personal funds to whoever brings my sister, Pam, home safe, unharmed, in one piece."

---

Rumor: The Curtis' are an old family, is it any surprise some say that they have roots that tie them to magic practitioners? I'm sure everyone has a witch in their family. What do they call them now, Wiccan?

Rumor: Yeah, sure, the Mayor's second wife, the one he recently married, Elisa Campleone Curtis, is also from a family with brujas deep in their background. Coincidence? No, just people making up fun stories to fit the narrative.

Rumor: Did you know Hart ain't Cynthia's true last name? Yeah, she revamped herself some years ago. You know, people say that she ain't someone you wanna run into in the dark of night, and not cuz of any gun, no, they say that... y'know... That she's... BOO! I'm just messing with ya, what, you think I was gonna say she was a vampire? No such thing.

• • •

[Establish your character, and a connection with this case, be it wrapped in the center of it all, or peripherally.]

Persona ~ The Beholder

Adonna chuckled, reminiscing about her own first year of university. Even though it'd been her idea to enroll and turn her life around, she didn't adapt easily to the structure at first. She had to fight the very fiber of her being not to push against and question the system. And it worked, she had a lot to show for it now in her third year.

"She's probably feeling confident knowing that you're on campus, and you'll have her back," Adonna mused, just in time to process Cara's question. "I'd planned to keep things mellow, of course that means what happened was--"

Bzz, bzz

Again? Part of her was annoyed for the repeat interruption, but still her stomach poised to flip. Could it really only be aggressive telemarketers?

"Sorry, Cara, go on ahead? I'll catch up."

She gave the shorter student a half-smile in apology before stealing away around the bend. Another look at her phone showed Unknown. At this rate, she was going to be late. But... better safe than sorry, she decided.

Finally, she picked up. She waited, but there was only silence. Relenting, "Hello?" she said. Nothing. Irritating. She took the phone away from her ear, about to hang up. But there was no red phone symbol. Just her colorful apps happily staring back at her.

Damnit, she'd waited too long, she hadn't actually picked up the call. And how was she supposed to even call "Unknown" back? Well, she couldn't, but... she picked a contact out of her speed-dial list and brought the phone to her ear. Yep, she was definitely going to be late now.

He picked up fast. "Hey cuz, did you call me?"

"No," he sounded grim, her stomach tightened. "But, uhm... Look, I know you have class today... but, I don't wanna talk about this over the phone. I'm heading out from work, will you meet me at home?"

Her stomach was practicing for Cirque-du-Soleil. "Yeah." She hung up, and raced to the parking lot.

---

Between traffic, distance, and luck (or lack thereof), it was evening by the time Adonna made it back. She'd used the time in the car to send out near-similar emails addressing her absence and extending her apology. Normally, she'd have been in knots over the implications of missing class, but right now she was doing everything she could not to bounce off the walls. She was much more comfortable with action, and even though the car was moving to its destination, her legs and arms tingled as though electric.

She raced up to the apartment the moment the car parked. This time, she allowed herself the stairs to get the sparks out of her limbs. Whether she made it up there sooner or later than the elevator proved to be a moot point when she went inside and found the apartment still dark.

A quick text, an even quicker response, Almost there.

Now all she could do was wait.

Ravenloft, The Curse of Strahd.

It is my Tsarina’s birthday this day so have been otherwise occupied.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend!

@Tsar Gatto

Aww! Happy Birthday! :D

Ravenloft, The Curse of Strahd.

What was most fascinating to Saachi was something she'd never before considered. They can control wolves themselves? she pondered, going over the meeting in her head. For all its intial interest in the endevour, her partner was staying rather silent about this all. But, that wasn't too odd, right? It likely wanted to discover more, just as she. Overall, the intriguing creatures were decidedly evil, what good sort of creature would take children? Or kidnap anyone for that matter. Unless they think they're saving the children, Saachi allowed, as always, another branch of thought that would go nowhere and yet everywhere.

Why did they take children? To indoctrinate into new Werewolves? That only could be the case if Werewolves weren't a species born but made. Still, why young ones and not old ones? Children were much more easily swayed.

This was good news, then! There was a chance the former taken children were alive. Most likely.

So she smiled behind her veil when Captain Lanniver delivered that more children were taken. Why, horrid, of course, but if the lot of them managed to track the origin of the Werewolves, the children were as good as saved! Unless they aren't alive, or sided with their kidnappers.

Hmm. Perhaps not so a good thing. She frowned.

She smiled delightedly, and returned the Captain's wish of luck with a long, swelling wave of a gesture.

She realized then after he was faced the other way.

---

Fog, as promised. Misty Forest lived up to its namesake. Oh, and it was beautiful. She tried, unsuccessfully, to get the mist to swirl in the same pattern she furiously spun her finger.

She absorbed the group about her, some social, some quite the opposite. While she herself didn't try and start any type of interaction, she was more than happy to reciprocate

It was when her thoughts sounded all too loud that she realized all had stilled. She could almost hear the primal howl with her entire being. Had it been so easy that they found the pack they sought? Or had the pack found them exactly where they wanted their group of hunters to be?

What emerged from the the mist was a wolf, with all the welcoming visage of a head on a pike. Good news. Not a Werewolf. Bad news. She'd just learned said Werewolves could control wolves.

Overall? She had room for some better news.

She slipped her silver-bladed dagger out from her belt, taking a few steps to put herself somewhere in the middle of their group, drawing her borrowed power. Nothing fancy, just a little painful. What a beautiful creature, really, wild and vicious, and absolutely, undeniably terrifying. She was quite certain a meal for it she did not want to be. When the short man fell, she immediately relieved their party had a beautiful and vicious creature of their own. A new sound erupted, it was the Leonin roaring mightily, bringing repireve Saachi used efficiently, honing the surge of power which coursed through her, ready to strike to the mind of the wolf that decided to get all too close to her circle of safety.

Ravenloft, The Curse of Strahd.

I figure anyone who has the patience to chat

@Cube

:')
cries in lurking

Persona ~ The Beholder

Adonna wasn't expecting another familiar face, but it was a welcome sight.

"Hey, morning, Cara," she greeted in return, already nodding, "Yeah, let's. Thanks, I kinda lost track of time."

The tall woman waved a goodbye to Carol and the group⁠— still wrapped up in their last tarot reading⁠— as she and Cara retreated towards the general direction of their classes. Her phone buzzed, contending for her attention, and Adonna allowed a quick peek to check if it might be important. Unknown flashed on the screen, and the student simply silenced it.

Enjoying a moment of transitional silence, she recalled, "Doesn't your sister start classes today?"

---

Conversing with @Hero

Ravenloft, The Curse of Strahd.

Planning on having mine up by Fri eve!

Ravenloft, The Curse of Strahd.

Saachi

Saachi

Age: 29, but looks to be in her mid-twenties

Gender: F

Race: Human

Appearance:
Enjoying the hugging, secure feel of tight clothes, but the free, airy look of loose clothes, Saachi chooses to wear both. She oft veils her head and face in the company of others, and at times this has led to a less than positive first impression. As we all have our faults, one of Saachi's is her penchant for wearing fake gold, and liking how it looks. Where she pragmatically can, and where's it allowed, she will not wear shoes.

Personality:
Curious, inclusive, and a fan of novelty and unique experiences. She's driven by a desire to understand the workings behind constructs and the truth behind happenings. While her morals aren't steadfast, and often compromised for the sake of uncovering the truth, she is swayed by the plight, agony, and despair of her fellow downtrodden man, and this will at times be the reason she shifts focus or goals.

Class/Skills:
Saachi is a Warlock, her magic a power from the enigmatic patron she made a pact with. She is able to deal with more violent encounters through the use of control enchantments, tainted fire, and tricky illusions. For such a knowledge-loving individual, it's fire that comes naturally to Saachi. Illusions and enchantments take quite a lot of practice coupled with subtle pointers from her patron. When she does not feed her need for the 'new' or the 'truth', she finds her patron more quiet and less generous with these hints.

Equipment:
Saachi carries a small, curved knife made of silver, a crossbow with silver bolts, and wears light but stylized leather armor over her torso, and is otherwise wearing cloth. Her pack includes the usual adventuring gear, including a waterskin with water, a length of rope, a journal, an ink pen and a vial of ink, but also a small, smooth dark-purple gem and a grimoire.

History:
The pact was a simple exchange. A link, of sorts. The entity could experience through her, and in return it would give her the power she needed to reach the places before unattainable. It was content as she was to travel, excited as she was to uncover and discover all things new.

It was when it heard of the Werewolves that it insisted she join, a type of tug she'd never quite felt from it before. She was happy to oblige, but perhaps this is when she first got the feeling there was more to it than she initially had thought.

Through the Harpers, she signed up for the group being formed to deal with it. All the while, an underlying hum of something, something Saachi read as... excitement. Right?

Ravenloft, The Curse of Strahd.

As promised, sorry for the wait!

Saachi

Saachi:


Age:
29, but looks to be in her mid-twenties

Gender:
F

Race:
Human

Appearance:
Enjoying the hugging, secure feel of tight clothes, but the free, airy look of loose clothes, Saachi chooses to wear both. She oft veils her head and face in the company of others, and at times this has led to a less than positive first impression. As we all have our faults, one of Saachi's is her penchant for wearing fake gold, and liking how it looks. Where she pragmatically can, and where's it allowed, she will not wear shoes.

Personality:
Curious, inclusive, and a fan of novelty and unique experiences. She's driven by a desire to understand the workings behind constructs and the truth behind happenings. While her morals aren't steadfast, and often compromised for the sake of uncovering the truth, she is swayed by the plight, agony, and despair of her fellow downtrodden man, and this will at times be the reason she shifts focus or goals.

Class/Skills
Saachi is a Warlock, her magic a power from the enigmatic patron she made a pact with. She is able to deal with more violent encounters through the use of control enchantments, tainted fire, and tricky illusions. For such a knowledge-loving individual, it's fire that comes naturally to Saachi. Illusions and enchantments take quite a lot of practice coupled with subtle pointers from her patron. When she does not feed her need for the 'new' or the 'truth', she finds her patron more quiet and less generous with these hints.

Equipment:
Saachi carries a small, curved knife made of silver, a crossbow with silver bolts, and wears light but stylized leather armor over her torso, and is otherwise wearing cloth. Her pack includes the usual adventuring gear, including a waterskin with water, a length of rope, a journal, an ink pen and a vial of ink, but also a small, smooth dark-purple gem and a grimoire.

History:
The pact was a simple exchange. A link, of sorts. The entity could experience through her, and in return it would give her the power she needed to reach the places before unattainable. It was content as she was to travel, excited as she was to uncover and discover all things new.

It was when it heard of the Werewolves that it insisted she join, a type of tug she'd never quite felt from it before. She was happy to oblige, but perhaps this is when she first got the feeling there was more to it than she initially had thought.

Through the Harpers, she signed up for the group being formed to deal with it. All the while, an underlying hum of something, something Saachi read as... excitement. Right?

Ravenloft, The Curse of Strahd.

Working on my addition!