(The Docks & Beyond)

(The dark heavy fabric of the North weighs her down and Daenerys pauses more than once in her solitary journey to survey her surroundings. Where in the name of any gods is she? All of this feels like a dream and she glances down, touching the silver dragon broach to remind herself that, yes, she is awake. The metal is cold against her fingertips and her dreams are usually not that intense.

Eventually, she will reach a city. Eventually, she will seek aid. But she is a proud Queen and she is in a foreign land without a friend and without her children.)

Excuse me... (There is nothing she can do but approach strangers and hope they do not kill her on the spot.) Can you tell me the name of this land?

(Video)

(Using the communicator seems...deadly. Dangerous. She has no idea who can see her or what plans they might make. Yet she needs help.)

Have any dragons been seen in the skies? (If her sons are here, she needs to find them.) I am looking for one with black scales and another with green.

(She will keep it at that, her face expressionless. She has lived her life hearing lessons about not giving her enemies emotional or other fodder.)

[It had been a few days since his return, and after gathering more information and getting a better handle on what had transpired in his absence, Vlad appears on the network looking not pleased. There was a meeting he needed to set up, and he wasn't sure just how this was going to go down but this needed to happen.]

Belmont. I know you're here. We need to speak. Come to the gateway outside Castlevania at dusk.

[The tone was not one that would allow for argument, and as soon as he says his piece, he ends the feed. Come dusk, he would be standing - alone - outside the gateway, Castlevania behind him but firmly within Everglade's realm. Time to see just how much of a war Belmont was wanting.]

It was about noon, and everything seemed normal for the most part. However, there seemed to be an unusual amount of bats hanging around the buildings during the day in the main city. The Bay was another story as a rather angry vampire lord awoke. As he rose from the pod, he could still feel his castle's presence within the realm, so that was of minor comfort. Still, the indignity of being separated from it, even for a short time was not something he could simply ignore.

The increased bat activity seemed to grow as the bats became more vocal and agitated as the minutes went on until finally The Bay virtually exploded with a cloud of the shrieking flying rodents. They swarmed high in the air, in numbers enough to cast a rather sizable shadow on the ground, and at the center of that shadow stood Dracula, flames occasionally jumping from his eyes. He glided over the ground with a rather singular purpose, giving no thought or regard to anyone in his way, or traffic he disrupted. The cloud of angry bats would follow him on his march, one or two swooping down to intercept any car or civilian that got too close to their lord. However, once he reached the Everglade gateway, the bats dispersed, shrieking back to whatever holes they'd been summoned from.

Once in Everglade, a massive Skeleton that was missing its lower half would be dragging itself alongside Vlad, a bony hand hovering over the vampire to shield him from the sun. As he walked, more and more nightmare creatures began to materialize from the shadows forming quite the entourage until the streets themselves were packed with werewolves, demons, and the undead, all marching proudly alongside the King of Monsters.

Vlad's procession only stopped when they reached the gates of Castlevania, as the eternal night that shrouded the castle extinguished the sun, all that followed him to that point fell to a knee as best they could, remaining at the gates as Vlad entered his domain. Only then did the flames at his eyes subside as he sighed a sigh of relief. Once more, he was whole. And it was very clear that he had work to do to properly remind Genessia as a whole just what happens to those who cross the Demon Emperor Dracula.

[OOC: Anyone is more than welcome to attempt to break up the procession, or start conversation at any point in the trip to Everglade, however Dracula is going to be more focused on getting back to his castle than anything, traveling primarily in mist form to dissuade combat.]

 Good afternoon, everyone! This is Detective Satou of Everglade speaking!

With the seasons changing, I wanted to get some input from everyone regarding Everglade PD. We're a lot more lively now, so we have no excuse not to be meeting all of your concerns. We may not be the Guardians or Deputies, but it's still our job to make people feel safe in Everglade.

Please feel free to leave some anonymous critic regarding our office. I know Everglade is different from other cities, but I still hope that you can all feel safe here.

And if you don't visit Everglade, please let me know why! We really do have a lot of fantastic businesses and people here, and I'm really sorry you're missing out. I'd like to help you feel safer visiting us... So, yes! Thank you so much! I'll keep doing my best!

[This delightful little feed begins in the middle of the day right at twelve noon. Augustine is seen sitting at the table in his lovely apartment looking positively agitated. Why is he agitated, you ask? Well, he has several reasons and one such reason deals with the hilarity that unfolded this week during Easter. Augustine has a glass of a wine at his disposal along with a glass that is half empty at this point. Seems that alcoholism is a common staple around here but if anyone asks, Augustine will claim he's having a "salad" instead. Grapes are fruit, yes? So this is a fruit salad, not wine.

Despite looking positively wroth, Augustine is dressed to the nines as usual in this lovely black brocade suit with a hint of white lace at the collar. Who designs these lovely suits? Augustine will never tell his secrets lest he wants everyone biting off his impeccable fashion sense. Nevertheless, he's an angry sod dressed in a very handsome suit.]

...Shall we agree to never discuss what transpired? If so, then agreed.

[He tips his glass in a mock cheer before drowning the rest of its contents.]

Now, tell me. Why is it that such lunacy happens here? I see that old man Dracula is attempting to kill us all. Charming.

[When the feed clicks on, it does so mid-bounce as if the device had been tossed aside with little in the way of regard for what happened to it. Those watching it was spared most of the camera shaking if only because the room in which the broadcast originates is pitch black save for three points of illumination. The first two show the shadow-cloaked face of Vlad as his eyes appear to burn with a hellish flame. The third seems to be a small crimson stone, glowing in the darkness, pulsing softly almost as if mimicking a heart beat. When Vlad speaks, his voice is restrained, but the fury is more than evident.]

I have spent quite some time in this place, and during that time I have learned quite a bit of the nature of the realm. Those of us chosen to be ripped from our own worlds seem to have been plucked from them to serve as protectors of the realm, to keep the barriers around the cities in place so that what lies beyond at bay.

It is because of this that I was willing to accept the peace offering that was returning my wife to my side. However, she is no longer here. Sent back to the fate that awaited her in our world; to be tortured and burnt at the stake for the crime of showing compassion. What this realm seems to have forgotten is that I am not as forgiving as Lisa.

[He pauses, clenching his fist around the stone, dimming the lights further but allowing the shifting shadows that fill the room behind him to become a bit more visible.]

Perhaps it is time I remind Genessia why I am called Vlad the Impaler...

Greetings citizens of Everglade. I am Vlad Dracula Tepes, lord of Castlevania. I realize that I have been rather... quiet as of late, however this last week I have learned of something I can simply not abide by. It has become public knowledge at this point that the Mayor's office here in Everglade has been the subject of some rather... shady dealings, to put it mildly.

For those unaware of the situation, it appears that the former mayor was the target of some extortion, and while there are no concrete links, it would seem that Guardian Grell Sutcliff benefited from such extortion, and the current mayor is little more than a lackey installed to answer to her.

I have never been one to enjoy puppeteers, and as such I believe it is time for a change. What Everglade needs is a leader that will stand strong for the policies that benefit Everglade, and can stand independently from the Guardian's office. As such, I am formally announcing my candidacy for Everglade's mayoral position in the next general election.

For those of you who were worried about Cloud's... slightly dramatic announcement, [ It was not dramatic at all, but it's easier to explain than what actually happened ] I'm fine.

[ One might question that when considering this post is made from a hospital bed, though she's clearly removed any IVs or anything and turned off the stats monitor. She's in a hospital gown, even if she's managed to still do her hair and makeup (what else is she going to do in a hospital bed??) ]

I'm only still in the hospital for observation, not because I need to be. I'll admit I didn't expect to come back from the Dream Docks with an injury, but it's not unheard of for injuries to form to match your memories when you go. There is no one to hunt down for this.

private to nora;
Are you still here? They have to at least let me visit you if it's just down the hall. Maybe they can give us a shared room.

{{ OOC: Anyone is welcome to visit Weiss in the hospital if you would rather reply action! But if you ask her for details of what happened, there may be RWBY spoilers. Cloud's post she's referencing is this post. }}

Twas the eve of Christmas eve and all through Everglade, I can't rhyme so ends our gimmick in shame.

Who: Everyone
What: Yule Ball
Where: Castlevania
When: December 23-25

( What is a holiday!? A miserable pile of festivities! )

[OOC: Starter prompts will follow shortly, but the whole of Castlevania will be open to the public (with minor exceptions) and the starter prompts are by no means the only threads. Explore, have fun, and do whatever! If there are any questions as to what can be done in the Castle, feel free to send me a PM.]

It had been some time since the altercation with Vlad, and he had been conspicuously absent from the goings on of his castle from day to day. He was very much alive, or at least as alive as a vampire lord gets, but the battle had left him wounded and in need of severe regeneration. However, when he awoke in the chamber his servants had prepared for him, he found himself... disoriented.

The impact from Gungnir had torn most of the left half of his torso away, and while it was starting to regenerate, his shoulder had yet to regrow. He also didn't have any memory of the last few months and he was fairly weak from the lack of feeding. It was clear the master of the castle would need to rely more on his minions for a time.

As he stood a Persephone stepped forward and draped a cloak over him. It would not do to go around shirtless after all, and his tunic had been badly damaged in the battle. Another maid stepped forward offering a cane that Vlad reluctantly took and leaned on as he exited the room. Skeletons flanking him, he began the long trek back to the throne room to ponder what exactly had happened, and why it felt as though a fog had descended over his mind...

Who: Castlevania crew (Dracula, Lisa, Alucard, Remilia, Flandre, Patchy, Sakuya, Soma)
What: Plot conclusion for the Rain of Blood event
When: Backdated very slightly to August 9 (5 days after the initial rain)
Where: Castlevania subarch, possibly spilling into Everglade
Why: Because Dracula is a dick.
Warnings: Language, violence, possible gore, cuddles. ...okay that last one might be a lie.

[There is an area in Castlevania where only its master may go. It's sealed off by a door of black smoke through which not even the most powerful of magics may penetrate, and it leads into the realm of Chaos. A place where monsters orders of magnitude stronger than anything else in the castle roam, and where the spirit of chaos itself resides, whispering its secrets and lies to those it deems worthy of attention.]

[It's been several weeks since Lisa Tepes' arrival set it to whispering in Vlad's ear. During that time, Vlad called down a rain of blood on Everglade, and with it the beginnings of a repeat of Targoviste. Thanks to the guardian of Everglade and her allies, there haven't been any deaths - not yet, at least - but this is just the calm before the storm. The time for talk has passed.]

[The plan, such as it is, is simple: Remilia and Alucard will distract Dracula and defend Lisa while Soma, with the assistance of one of Alucard's familiars, enters the realm of chaos and silences the spirit. Which task is the more dangerous? Who can truly say?]

The weather report had predicted a partly cloudy and mild day in Everglade. However, somehow the predictions seemed to be wrong as thick storm clouds began covering the city mid-morning. By noon, it would be difficult to tell it was even day, as thick as the clouds that hung over the city were. At about 12:30, it would begin to rain. But this would not be a normal rain. Thick drops hit the ground, filling the air with a vaguely metallic smell, and anyone who had any sort of light source nearby would quickly identify why.

It was raining blood.

Meanwhile, in Everglade's abandoned church, music could be heard. A piano could be heard playing a rather haunting tune as the blood storm raged outside. Within, several small floating candles lit the place as what appeared to be an old man hunched over the restored piano, fingers dancing over the ivory. He wore a cape that spread over the floor behind him disappearing into the shadows and a few shapes could be seen moving through just beyond the reaches of the candle light.

It was a tense night for everyone in Castlevania. The gears that lined the castle had begun to chug and churn all through the night while the monsters that roamed the myriad halls were far more skittish and likely to attack anything that moved - even each other. Only a few knew why the change of atmosphere had permeated the place, not even the lord of the castle himself knew for sure. He only sensed something was... off.

As dawn neared and he began preparations to return to his coffin, an imp that he had sent through the halls to seek out the cause of the disturbance saw something. Tucked away in a room that had gone unused for centuries, tended to by Sakuya and Patchouli, was a woman. Even with all the burns covering her body, Dracula would recognize her in a heartbeat. For 324 years, that face had been burned into his mind, and now she was in his castle.

His mind, twisted by the centuries of hate and war, instantly jumped to the most logical conclusion. Someone had created a homunculus in his wife's image and sent it to him in order to manipulate him. Upon this realization, the gears that had settled into a low chugging noise ground to life once more as an unholy roar reverberated through every stone throughout the castle. So loud was the roar that it was audible all throughout Everglade.

It did not last long and as suddenly as it had erupted from the throne of Castlevania, it ended. There were no echoes, no evidence that it had actually happened. Only a deafening silence left in its wake. Those in Castlevania itself would notice a few things. Several rooms seem to have been rearranged at random, making traversing the castle far more difficult, especially in the chambers leading to the throne. The stairs to the chamber housing Vlad's throne had collapsed, and the foyer leading into the throne looked as if some great battle had taken place with smoldering carpets and gashes ripped through the stone walls. Every bit of furniture had been shoved up against the door to the throne room as well serving as a makeshift barricade. The monsters within the structure were also far more aggressive than normal. The undead that had previously just wandered aimlessly without purpose were now roaming in packs, setting up ambushes around dark corners. The werewolves and demons were actively hunting now, lashing out at any who dared walk the halls alone, and plants that had occupied themselves feeding on the frogs and bugs of the caves below the castle now burst up through the cracks in various halls, seeking out more substantial meals.

Who: Sakuya and Dracula
What: Asking about Lisa's portrait
Where: Castlevania
Warnings: None

Another day in Castlevania. Another day of cleaning. Another day of gently removing the portrait of a woman from Dracula's wall and polishing the frame followed by a light and gentle dusting of the surface with the softest feathers she could find. Always with a new one to avoid contamination.

She didn't always dust the surface. Perhaps once a month. But she always took the utmost care when doing so. She could feel eyes on her back the moment her fingers touched the frame.

"Lord Tepes." Sakuya set the duster to one side, carefully lifting the now cleaned painting and placing it back on the wall. "I have cleaned this painting many times since coming here and never once have you missed watching me with such aprihension. You do not fear I would deface it, and yet you watch anyway." She finished straighening the piece, not taking her hands off of the frame until she is absolutely certain it is secured on the wall. "Would it be out of line for me to ask who the woman in the painting is?"

[ As the feed came into focus, a certain individual who had been making himself quite know in Genessia's political scene could be seen sitting behind a rather nice looking desk in a rather nice looking office. Most notable were several paintings adorning the wall behind him, but other various odds and ends scattered about showed that he had decidedly expensive looking tastes. A plaque on the desk's surface read his name: Mayor Oswald Cobblepot. His expression was all smiles, but not overbearingly so. Just the right balance between politeness and sincerity showed on his face as he laced his fingers together and looked directly into the camera. ]

Citizens of Everglade and beyond, greetings to you all. To those of you who are perhaps new arrivals or are unaware of recent turn of events regarding Everglade's previous mayor, it was in accordance to one of his final wishes in office that I would serve as his replacement. Due to last week's dangerous incident with the infamous Dr. Seek I was unfortunately unable to make this announcement in a timely manner, but I do hope you will all be understanding.

[ Oswald straightened his tie briefly before continuing on. ] As you all know, Everglade is a city that has been under quite a bit of duress as of late. The reason I'm here is to make positive changes to the lives of every species, human or otherwise, both in and outside the borders of this city and I sincerely hope that resolutions that benefit all can be reached. That said, I have wasted no time working with our Guardian to take steps in that direction.
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