[ PLOT 1/2 ] ♪ BANG BANG~
Two distinct, and yet nearly simultaneous incidents erupted at different ends of the city. In Tenor Square, not far from the base of Rondo Clock, the grand brass bells shuddered and had just begun tolling the hour. The notes made the very air quiver as though with anticipation. DONG ... DONG ... DONG ... DONG ...
By chance two groups were trying to cross the paved stone plaza at the same time. The Ostinato trio of two men and a woman, and a pair of Madrigal women from the opposite direction. Each casting dark glances at the tolling bell, their musical abilities temporarily dampened by its heavy ringing, one of the Ostinato men was the first to make a rash decision. Unlike the tradition-bound Madrigal, his Maestro had sanctioned the usage of more mundane weapons, and a small gun was drawn. Gleaming too cleanly for a deadly weapon, it reflected the glow from the streetlights for a moment before a sharp crack rent the air.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the lead most Madrigal woman crumpled and collapsed to the ground, the dark stain of blood leaking into the cracks between the cobblestones where it ran like tiny streams. A short, disbelieving scream tore loose, not from the other Madrigal, but from the Ostinato woman. "Kappel! You... why did you--!"
Above them, the bells stopped ringing. The restriction was gone.
Kappel had just turned to defend his actions when a spear composed of tightly compacted air struck him -- and kept going. It ripped through him until it rebounded against a building on the other side of the plaza along with a good portion of his torso; where it struck with such force that the bricks cracked and crumbled before being splattered with the human debris.
What was left of Kappel was a much bigger mess on the cobblestones.
No longer hampered by the oppressive bells, the remaining House members threw themselves into battle. Elemental effects propelled by short bursts of music or hastily compiled chant served to fuel the fight, and they were so frenzied that they were not mindful of witnesses... or collateral damage, human or otherwise.
At the end of it, four of the five House members lay dead or fatally injured in the street, and the last remaining -- the second Madrigal woman -- was limping away towards the downtown area where the Madrigal Cadenza was located. No one was foolish enough to get in her way.
But also in Tenor Square were other bodies, bystanders caught in the short and brutal battle. Sirens had begun to wail in the distance but it was already clear that a few of them would not make it.
---
[OOC: The first of two plot!logs~ if you'd like your character to be involved in the shootout/battle radius, post away! Witnesses, good samaritans helping the victims, and of course wounded innocent bystanders. There's only going to be one (played) casualty though -- and you don't know who it is yet! *sneaky*]
By chance two groups were trying to cross the paved stone plaza at the same time. The Ostinato trio of two men and a woman, and a pair of Madrigal women from the opposite direction. Each casting dark glances at the tolling bell, their musical abilities temporarily dampened by its heavy ringing, one of the Ostinato men was the first to make a rash decision. Unlike the tradition-bound Madrigal, his Maestro had sanctioned the usage of more mundane weapons, and a small gun was drawn. Gleaming too cleanly for a deadly weapon, it reflected the glow from the streetlights for a moment before a sharp crack rent the air.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then the lead most Madrigal woman crumpled and collapsed to the ground, the dark stain of blood leaking into the cracks between the cobblestones where it ran like tiny streams. A short, disbelieving scream tore loose, not from the other Madrigal, but from the Ostinato woman. "Kappel! You... why did you--!"
Above them, the bells stopped ringing. The restriction was gone.
Kappel had just turned to defend his actions when a spear composed of tightly compacted air struck him -- and kept going. It ripped through him until it rebounded against a building on the other side of the plaza along with a good portion of his torso; where it struck with such force that the bricks cracked and crumbled before being splattered with the human debris.
What was left of Kappel was a much bigger mess on the cobblestones.
No longer hampered by the oppressive bells, the remaining House members threw themselves into battle. Elemental effects propelled by short bursts of music or hastily compiled chant served to fuel the fight, and they were so frenzied that they were not mindful of witnesses... or collateral damage, human or otherwise.
At the end of it, four of the five House members lay dead or fatally injured in the street, and the last remaining -- the second Madrigal woman -- was limping away towards the downtown area where the Madrigal Cadenza was located. No one was foolish enough to get in her way.
But also in Tenor Square were other bodies, bystanders caught in the short and brutal battle. Sirens had begun to wail in the distance but it was already clear that a few of them would not make it.
---
[OOC: The first of two plot!logs~ if you'd like your character to be involved in the shootout/battle radius, post away! Witnesses, good samaritans helping the victims, and of course wounded innocent bystanders. There's only going to be one (played) casualty though -- and you don't know who it is yet! *sneaky*]