By the back door, evening

[anti_kringle]

[[After this.]]


It gets dark early now, of course, so it's only teatime when the dark, shaggy figure with long horns and glowing eyes starts prowling by the back door, waiting for people to come out.

Special people. Certain people that the Krampus has a list of.

A list he didn't bother checking twice; the elfs know what they are doing. The people on this list are for him, and Krampus is going to have fun with them. For a given, Krampus-typical value of fun.



[[OOC: And the Krampus plot officially goes into its active phase! Everybody on the list needs to tag in here so they can be abducted. Explanations and assignments for the team in the backroom, here.]]

Comments

[road_to_calvary]

Valjean is returning to the bar from his customary evening walk. It is quite dark, and he notices nothing untoward.

Javert is leaving the stable for dinner. He notices Valjean ahead of him, but does not draw his attention. He has seen enough of him the last few days.

He does notice a shape moving by the back door, but it is too far to see clearly.

[anti_kringle]

But the shape steps out from the shadows, right in front of Valjean. It is shaggy, its horns are longs, and there are loose chains clinking at its wrists.

"Jean Valjean?" it says, in a dark, growling voice.

[road_to_calvary]

He stops, and looks up at the creature. It would be wrong to say he is not startled; indeed, he is. It just does not show; his face closes down to neutrality, and he places his hands behind his back.

His eyes do not move from the thing's face, because he will not acknowledge chains. Not if he can manage it.

'Yes,' he says, blandly.

Behind, Javert moves faster. He cannot see exactly what the thing is, but the clanking of chains is a sound he will never not recognise.

[shufti]

[ooc: All other abductions millitimed to before this pair. Tagging order Shufti-Krampus until she calls for backup :)]

Shufti had debated sending the puppy home to keep a look out for Jack. But that would have involved opening her door and potentially letting a threat out, and Chase really isn't the best guard dog against anything not soluble in saliva.

She holds the back door open while she tries to get the lead on the basset hound. Chase snuffles delightedly at the prospect of a waddle around the lake.

[anti_kringle]

From the shadows rises a shaggy shape with long horns, and reaches for the puppy.

[shufti]

"Ye Gods!" Shufti jumps, pulling the puppy back. She steps back and draws her sword with her other hand.

"No closer. Who are you?"

[1stwitness]

Ichabod is just returning from an evening walk. He pauses, straining to see in the darkness, but... no, surely nothing's there? There would have been a warning.

[anti_kringle]

There is something there, a horned figure with jangling chains on its wrists, flickering in and out of visibility as it steps from shadow to light.

[1stwitness]

Ichabod stops in his tracks and gives it a long look.

"I thought I might see one of you, sooner or later."

[sunbaked_baker]

"So it's not exactly a dawn run," Rae remarks over her shoulder to Autor, grinning as she tugs on a hat and gloves. Her tone is apologetic, but heavily tinged with amusement. "I'll apologize again if you'd like - I apparently really needed the sleep, this morning."

Ready, she turns at the door to look back at her friend, and stops with a short laugh.

"Autor, your hands are going to freeze if you go out like that."

[herr_bookman]

Autor strolls right up to her and bumps her shoulder with his own. "Yes, apologize again," he says, grinning ruthlessly. "I'm collecting them."

He glances down at his bloodless fingers and shakes his head. "You worry too much," he says. He shivers at a gust of wind, and calls out as he retreats to the relative warmth of the bar. "All right, fine, I'll get some gloves. Stay there, I'll be right back."

[sunbaked_baker]

"I'm sorry for standing you up, and leaving you standing out in the cold while I snoozed blissfully in my nice warm bed," she recites, goodnaturedly making a face at him, "and I promise not to leave you hanging again. Happy?"

Rae grins, opening the door to let herself out. "I'll be right outside."

Her breath fogging before her face, she steps out into the cold night and closes the door behind her.

[onceaviking]

Eric has had little luck so far and has thus decided to go outside. Perhaps matters will improve.

He is still elegantly dressed, but he has left the top hat and opera cape inside.

[anti_kringle]

A shadow approaches from the shadows, shaggy and long-horned.

Chains clank.

[onceaviking]

Eric stops.

"What do you want? "he snarls.
He is not in the mood for games.

[unglitched]

Vanellope, as it happens, is actually heading back in to the Bar after an afternoon of playing in the snow.

[anti_kringle]

A dark, shaggy creature rises from the bushes. It has long horns, and chains clank on its wrist.

"Vanellope von Schweetz?" it says.

[cook_the_rude]

Dr. Hannibal Lecter is coming in from an evening stroll when he a large horned shadow rears from the darkness.

[anti_kringle]

It is a monster with tall horns.

"Dr. Hannibal Lecter?" it says.

[electro_kinetic]

The blue smear of Noriko's hair acts something like a beacon for those watching; it's hard to ignore the near-reflective qualities of that neon dye.

Fortunately it does nothing to stop the girl seeing the horned figure and planting her feet, anticipating an attack. But she knows better than to call out to it. She learned that lesson with Predator X.

[anti_kringle]

It comes closer, chains jangling.

Its horns are long and sharp.

[its_possible]

One old-soldier type going outside, for an evening walk. Fresh air is nice, as is quiet. Sometimes the bar's just a bit too... much.

He's without his sword at least. That's back in his room in Armada--but he has got the wire cutters he was given, not being sure what else to do with them.

Who knows, with this place.

[anti_kringle]

There are shadows, deeper than the ordinary shadows; one of them has long horns, and comes closer to him.

[jump_hella_high]

Outside is a thing that exists.

It's not a nice thing--it's cold and dark and full of bugs and twigs and things that get stuck in your shoes and hair. It's particularly not nice when you were just looking for the ladies' room.

But there it is, existing and stuff.

"...really? Trees?"

[anti_kringle]

There are even monsters with long horns out there, and this one is coming after her.