In the dark night of the 28th of December 305, with the nearing of the end of the year, a large contingent of Violet Guards stormed the Black Tower, though it was hard to say whether it was even storming. The guards present simply opened the gates, and only a few guards seemed to put up a fight, though were eventually overpowered and put in chains. Even the guard commissioner was locked in his own office as the guards turned to the prison cells, releasing any and all inmates that were imprisoned. As they marched out of their prisons, the Dragon Rikkira flew overhead, giving a mocking Dragon Cry to the people who were held in chains and locked in the Black Tower instead. Before long, the entire bustle of people spread out over the city, and the Black Tower was left, entirely intact, but practically abandoned save for the Commissioner that was locked in his office, and the occasional guard in chains in the courtyard. After that first occurrence, more and more reports flooded in: - Guards of the east corridor tower have abandoned their post. - Guards in the Barracks on the city wall of the Merchant District have burned their criminal records and left. - Guards in the corridor to the Ithanian District have sabotaged the cannons on their tower and left their posts. - Bureaucrats of the Church District Estates started folding origami Dragons out of the requisition forms and tossed them out of the windows before walking out of their offices. - The Naval commission for dock mooring started marking up docking fees at random numbers, some too high and rediculous to be paid. - Some Reverends had seized a number of Regalian banners, draped them over graves in the graveyard, and set them on fire. - Merchants in the market place started eating their own produce, handing out some to the previously imprisoned Dragon worshipers, before simply walking away from their stalls. In short, more and more people in the city seemed to fall under the sway of the Dragon Rikkira. Law enforcement started breaking down and more and more guards started openly disobeying orders. This wasn't just limited to the Violet Order, even the Vigilant Shield, the Safeguard, the Black Hand, various House Guard Groups and even members of the Assembly were seemingly affected. More and more families were split down the middle as half the members were somehow convinced to support the Dragon, while the remaining half was not. The Black Tower itself was seemingly incapable of holding prisoners, as any time a sizable amount of them was put behind bars, a bunch of newly converted guards showed up and simply let them out, while subduing the loyalists. The only law enforcement keep that remained somewhat on free standing was the Safeguard keep, the members of the safeguard who were converted, simply moving to the city and abandoning the idea of capturing the safeguard keep for themselves. The break down of law enforcement also saw the Arken Generals of the Dragon appear in broad daylight. Worse yet, there seemed to be more than anticipated. While their identities hadn't quite been made clear yet, the Imperial court started making more and more of a call for the Regalian citizens to form resistance groups aimed at eliminating the Arken Generals, but to avoid any undue harm to the Dragon worshipers and the converted, proclaiming that they were under the influence of foul magics, also proclaiming that other citizens should try and keep the state functioning properly and not hide away from continuing their daily activities, citing that the Dragon's aim was to sow discord and paranoia, and that the Regalians should do the exact opposite to support the war in Daendroc. The Imperial Court itself was seemingly paralyzed, half the Imperial Guards had turned coat and started slowly annexing sections of the Imperial Administration, first the estates, then the castles, then the remains of the Imperial Palace. Eventually the fear was created that the Emperor was next, though the Imperial Guards seemed to completely avoid the Emperor. While several members of House Howlester had already been turned, and House Haagenvig also, House Lampero quickly joined them, while rumors also circulated about House Harhold switching sides. Was the building panic enough for resistance groups to form? Or would the people still not see the gravity of the mounting loss of control? OOC Notes: We're cranking up the gears and recommend highly that organizations, families and groups consider having half their members convert to the Dragon's cause. This is not a conscious decision, but since the Dragon cannot always be roleplayed everywhere, you may say that your character was converted forcibly by the Dragon's Song and play out that role. Being converted doesn't make you a raving lunatic or prone to illegal actions that gets your character in trouble in the long run. The idea to is build an open paranoia where no-one knows who is and isn't turned. The Arken Generals will be put in play in the coming few days. These characters are /killable/ IC, as long as they are targeted by proper resistance groups with an actual plan of approach, and not just a random stabbing in the street. Remember, Arken are formidable mages with access to various forms of unknown Magics. The Countryside of Regalia is relatively unaffected by the Dragon, but this does not mean that everyone should go hide in their estates.
Joasaie looked over the notes she took for Alchimia's research into the mess that had taken the City hostage, looking for anything she might have missed in her summary. She took a heavy breath as she deemed all the information was processed, neatly piling her report for Nadina and heading out to find the Haaven matriarch. Her gaze occasionally finding the skies above, not wishing to be surprised again by the dragon. Hopefully what she knew could stop these Arken.
Garriken stood with a stoic expression upon the sudden happenings. This was not at all what he had expected to witness when he rode to Regalia. He was to find job opportunity as a mercenary, work for his money and live as a homeless wanderer. Yet here he was, in the midst of a dragon attempting of reign, unsure of who at this point could be trusted. Regardless, fortunately so, he was an Isldar, unaffected by the Dragon, thus he was still capable of fighting. His fingers wrapped tight around the handles of his paired blades.
Alexander quickly began penning a draft to the next Tribunal headline, upon the news, with both Garriken and Edmund present. "Well, friends. It appears as if our tower-plan is null now, especially with the Commissioner missing in action. Suppose this means we'll need another infiltration mission?" @Yigit, @Borkwood
Sylvia marched towards the slums and made her way to a small home in a dark corner. She ran her fingers down the face of a very long and glinting blade before turning her eyes over to some dusty crimson colored armor hung upon a stand, "Perhaps we can scare that dragon nonsense out of them with a reminder of an old terror that once purged those against the emperor..."
Audrey remained calm in her estate, as calm as ever. For she knew preparations were of utmost importance, and she had ten bottles of pain relief potions in a crate tucked beneath her bed, ready to be mixed with opium. @Eyrok @Ghirko
Benjamin had been working overtime filling in the missing spots of Violet guardsmen. So much so that he left the tower and abandoned post for hours of relaxation. To his surprise- if it weren’t for that break, he would’ve likely perished to the dragons song. He now remains one of the few guardsmen left, growing over burdened by the increasing amount of work that needs to be done for the Violet order, or at least what remained of it...
Imanshi was not feeling it today. After a long night of drinking, she had slept at a friend's for the entire day, her hangover dragging her to and fro the land of dreams repeatedly. She had woken up several times throughout the day, seemingly at random with glossed over eyes and a parched throat that begged for any hangover cure. Yet each time she awoke it ended in the same way, with her hair twisted into a messy knot of her own drool and louder snores leaving her wide open mouth. Perhaps she would have succumbed to the dragon's melody if she had refrained from drowning her woes away or perhaps that very tune was keeping her locked in the world of twisted terrors behind closed lids and a shattered heart... Velencia on the other hand, was very much awake, having heard the screams of the innocent as their souls were claimed and feet bound to the she-beast's enchanting tune. She wished for it all to disappear. She wished for the lizard to die in agony as its neck was ripped open and her spine was pulled free from the skin so it could then be wrapped around the dying lizard's neck. Or possibly it was those that were not shackled that she wished for these horrid things, for they-. She stopped herself in mid-thought and with a shake of her tear-streaked cheeks she exhaled heavily, the fire's meager warmth doing nothing to reassure her of any good possible outcome from this. Maybe it would be better if the dragoness received what she sought, perhaps she would end the suffering or perhaps she would just magnify it. With an anguished cry, Vel sunk against the fireplace's stone walls, gripping to the rock as if it could keep her from harm. She'd lay there for the rest of the hour, the fire extending its flames to lick at her skin, charring it with a thirst that would not be satisfied.
Álvaro had been particularly affected by this. The hiked up docking prices forced him to remove his ship from the docks where it would sit idly in the ocean awaiting orders or something to do. Typically, he wouldn't particularly care about something like this and might even send men to rough up the harbour-keeper, however, the situation wasn't quite typical. It seemed like he would have to meet with a few of his old friends.
Tides rise and shatter, trunks are cut then later shapen by a pair of coarse hands. Strings they stirred and forcefully pulled into their place, a secure click of metal signalling their success. A singular silver bolt they nocked, and soon let away into the air with a sigh longing for freedom of mind. Yet there weren't metallic contraptions, neither vessels of multiplicative force. A dart there was, and paper within a distance which it struck; A parchment with a curious depiction. As they say, Curious is the Hunters' art: They seek and follow, track until their prey they feel at most comfort. One shot decides it all, and mistakes are not affordable. "A long stroll we are ought to take, comrade." @Fatherland
"Oh dear," Annabella replied upon seeing the fall of the Black Tower. "Alexander really has a story here. Now, if I were a dragon, where would I go?"
Charles had been polishing his Violet hate when the news reached him. He silently continued to polish the hate, mulling over everything he could. "Well then, look's like it'll be time to actually do something than make hate jokes all day." Charles finished polishing and rose up, grabbing what supplies he could in a sack and rushing out of his lonely home - likely in the direction of the slums.
The Velheimer half Anglian Ailor tapped their fingers on the table. Rising herself up walking through the Bastion halls. A man came running to her. The man bore a grin, maybe too happy with themselves, informing the battle-worn Ailor of the occurrences. Annabel scratched her head, a moment of thought is taken as the messenger awaited an eager response. Annabel than grinned chuckling audibly, "Maybe I can roam the streets again! Pahahah! Here I thought we would die in our confines, but another day or two we shall live! Prais be Her Divinity!" the half Velheimer shouted, a sigh of relief had been released, genuinely thinking resistance would be eventually given to the Bastion's valiant cause of defending the true path. But lo! She was proven everything but correct. Chuckling again, happy that she can rest easy.
Nyx had seen it happen- The slow, brutal poisoning of the law enforcement. Rikkara had not attacked them directly, but she had planted the seeds of paranoia that would send the city into chaos, by their own hands. It truly did start off small, the occasional defiance and order ignored. However, it didn't take long for those small actions to snowball into something larger, something much more grave. And then, it all came down to this, the betrayal. The release of prisoners, and what seemed to be the very collapse of the order. Oh how dearly she wished she could fight back, do something at the very least, but there was nothing to be done now. The fight had been lost, and all there was to do was hide. So ran she did, out onto the streets, and away, far away from the fallout. Nyx saw a horrific dark shadow fly overhead, and she looked over her shoulder, spotting the beast and hearing its monstrous cackle. A laugh that would not leave her mind for the following days as she was left to wonder. "What comes next?"
Pornagi would be at the Pub, jumping up and down like a little school girl with a huge smile on his face. "OkayOkayOkay...Okay. Planning phase over, Begin! Er...start! HEY DRAGON LADY! I'M ON YOUR TEAM NOW! IS THAT ALLOWED!?"
Juliette paced into the tavern, glancing around before making for the bar counter to get a glass of wine. The murmur of truth and lie about all the events continued about and she heard one soul denying that Blacktower had been swept clean of prisoners due to the guards going mad. She gave a light chuckle and glance towards the person that said such foolish things. Only a moment passed before she moved farther into the tavern to sit with her wine glass and during this walk she heard someone muttering of the dragon getting more powerful. A slight smile appeared on her face as Julie found her seat and whispered, as if in reply to the gossiper who no doubt couldn't hear her, "Of course she is getting stronger."
"Why?" The Isldar inquired as she watched on helplessly. Without armor or weapons, she was rendered all but useless in the fight against the evil dragon Rikkira. What was worse was that she had no idea who was possessed, and now knew she could only really confide in her family. However, hopeful thoughts came to the top of her mind shortly after. As an Isldar, she was immune to dragon possession, and immediately, thoughts of rising to power because of this flooded her head. Distant dreams? Probably. Will said dreams come true? Time would tell.
