#walt: plot drop

[waltrp]

the recent announcement has sent shock waves through elias. citizens fear they could share the same fate as those who have already vanished. hope in the council is split. while some demand answers and now hold a tainted opinion, others still hold on to the belief that the council can protect them. the truth of that question still hangs in the air. on this morning of november 18. alice found herself in the enchanted forest. nothing out of the ordinary there but it's what they saw that was unusual. at first, they thought it was a magical vision. another case of alice slipping between worlds yet again but with closer inspection alice saw that the figure in front of her was no illusion. it was real. standing just beyond where the magical barrier once lied was a person, draped in a white hooded robe. the person was holding a staff. the person did not move. he only stood eerily still until finally he pointed his staff in the direction of the underland. when alice looked in that direction, the person was gone. she's only shared the information with donald, knowing that he was someone on the council who could be trusted. a new question had rose within the council. who is this hooded figure ? and are they here to help elias or destroy it ? only time will tell.

[waltrp]

the clock struck twelve on halloween and all tricks and treats reverted back to normal. most left the festival filled with frightful cheer while another may be weary next year when it comes to spinning wheels. the council's plan to bring people together seemed to work. the involvement of the underland caused no trouble. at least, on the surface it didn't. as people went back to their normal lives and geared up for the rushing holiday season, people have begun to notice a change. usuals at the lucky cat cafe haven't come in, stores and cars are left vacant, neighbors who usually greet you in the morning as you head off to work aren't there to say hello, people are going missing. the truth is, they've been going missing for some time now ... it's only become more apparent after the enchanted festival. some refuse to fearmonger. they prefer to keep their rose colored glasses on and keep moving on with life. keep moving forward as the council likes to say. others aren't so blind to what's going. they want answers. are they next ? is elias truly safe ? is the underland not a threat ? only time will tell.

[waltrp]

Neon lights washed over the Underland, painting the mechanical landscapes in hues of red and blue. Sirens could be heard. Their call was so loud it was hard even for New Elias to ignore that something had happened. A crowd gathered outside of Snake Eyes. People were clamoring to see what all the commotion was about. It was then that the doors opened and a body bag was seen being pushed out on a stretcher. Orion Bartholomew was dead. Not only that, but a confession was left. Orion had been the one orchestrating all the disappearances. It was the king himself, Hades, who turned in evidence. He was tired of having his name dragged through the mud by the hands of someone else. He had given Orion a step up in the world, and what did Hades get in return? Betrayal. Offering up proof was the least he could do. With news now circulating of his death, many were left with questions: What would happen to Snake Eyes, and who would be Orion's replacement? Many villains lined up at Hades' door begging for a seat at the table, but Hades already had a successor in mind. Logan Teague, the poor soul who had been indebted to Orion Bartholomew for many years, was given the keys to Snake Eyes and a shiny new title as Hell Baron. It was Hades who had freed him from the horrible clutches of his former boss, offering sanctuary for himself, his siblings, and Mavis Vaduva. Hades wanted to show that the council had it all wrong. The Underland was a place of opportunity. Anyone could achieve anything here. They could go from being in the slums to living like a king. The Council was now left scrambling. Everything they had discovered in the last few months was now worthless. How were they to prove Hades was the mastermind after this? They couldn't. So now they're left with the fallout. All eyes are turning to them with suspicion. And Hades is now on top. Just as he always planned to be.

ooc notes: orion bartholomew is now retired.

[waltrp]

the cold winter frost that ushered into elias had begun to melt. the deathly chill that threatened the air turned to something softer, more familiar. the city's plans to have a festival without interference did not go as planned. something ancient was uncovered now leaving the council to wonder; had krampus been the true source of people disappearing this entire time ? was hades actually innocent ? they were back at square one, scrounging for evidence and trying to protect the people they were sworn to serve. those who were taken, came back but there was something different about them. they looked haunted, cursed by something that would never quite leave their bloodstream no matter how many deals they made or spells they performed. they were changed now. many of the citizens had been changed these last few months. they were desperate for answers. desperate for hope. the holiday season had lifted their spirits just enough....but reality had settled back in like a cold shard of ice. was this truly the end of all the disappearances ? was elias finally safe to live in once again ? only time will tell.