#blacksheepfms

Alongside the missing family member, Valentine’s ruby pendant has disappeared from it’s usual place, but it remains the only missing object in the whole entire house, to be discovered after the maid wakes them with terrified screams.

Written in Rowan’s blood, on the entrance hall’s ground, is the following riddle:

“I have forests, but no trees. I have rivers, but no water. I have hills, but no ground. What am I?”

valentine hawthorne, welcome to the hide & seek! who are you playing with? well, wouldn’t you like to know. your character is missing one family member and one object sacred to them. they can choose to search for either, but the other may get lost in return. (but who knows, maybe they’ll find their way back home on their own). the hawthornes have issued a private search group, search group number 8, in which your character can take part.

please post your character’s reaction to this small plot drop, which can be as short as one paragraph, or as long as you want. you can make two choices for your character: what are they looking for first? can they solve their riddle or not? please include these choices in your reaction response.

“Just go! Begin the search!” Her voice lacks its typical musical charisma. Instead, the tiny Huntress burst past her parents and others summoned to initiate their grand inquisition. “I can take care of myself.” Hadn’t she proved that time and time again? “I’ll focus on the enigma. Go.” The demand isn’t laced with her standard bratty tone. Rather, it holds strength and leaves no room for argument. Without another word, Valentine storms from the living area, clambering the spiraling staircase, with sights set on their hidden war room.

Behind a bookcase in the office, a panic room the size of a trailer lay concealed. Bright lights, rows of weapons, wardrobes of garments. Any and everything a Hunter could desire. With swift ease, she removes her crimson freckled night gown, scrapping it to the sleek metal ground before pulling on a skintight leather top, a high-low skirt, and knee-high boots. Fingers attached a holster around her thighs, one sporting a ruby-encrusted pistol, the other shimmering with silver blades.

Exiting the chamber, she finds her way back to her suite. Digits make brisk work of splitting strawberry locks into braids. Instinctively, she reaches for her grandmother’s pendant, only to recall that her brother hadn’t been the only essential item to go absent. With a pause, her mind flashes to Rowan. The last time they’d spoken… It couldn’t have been the last… She wouldn’t allow it.

Snatching her phone off the nightstand, manacured talons skim across the screen. [TEXT to Natalia]: SOS. Are you safe? You have five minutes to reply. Rowan has been taken.

Rushing back to the office, shifty eyes begin scanning the shelves. “I have forests, but no trees. I have rivers, but no water. I have hills, but no ground. What am I?” “I have forests, but no trees. I have rivers, but no water. I have hills, but no ground. What am I?” “I have forests, but no trees. I have rivers, but no water. I have hills, but no ground. What am I?”

The riddle recites in her head like a haunting spell, teasing, taunting her. “What the hell are you… A photo…” Ivory sinks into the tender flesh of her lesser petal as she yanks several books to the ground. Kneeling, she thumbs them open, flickering through photos, creature guides, journals from Hawthorne’s past.

“I have forests, but no trees. I have rivers, but no water. I have hills, but no ground. What am I?”

“A postcard? Jumping up from her perch, she scampers to her father’s desk, forcing drawer after drawer open in search of the family’s travel book. But as parents and documents flutter around the room, she gives pause. “Wait… I have forests.. but no trees…” Her fingers trace along the sheet. “I have rivers, but no water… I have hills, but no ground.” Yanking it up, the vixen lets out a weak chuckle. “It’s a damn map.” Folding the article, she stuffs it into the safety of her pocket before darting out of the room, heading down the stairs, working on another text. [TEXT to Marlowe]: Where are you? Tell me you’re safe? Stay where you are. Rowan is missing, and I don’t want you getting caught up in whatever is going on.

Bursting free from the manner, the redhead wastes little time in jumping into one of the family Range Rovers, allowing the engine to roar to life. Snapping it into gear, she slams her heel on the gas before jolting to a halt. Glancing at her phone once more, she sends one final text before speeding away. [TEXT to Roland]: Thinking about you in a time of peril. Stay alive.   Feat: @blacksheepfms & @peaceworn​

The Grand Viridian pulsated with a sense of immorality and glimmer. Emerald rays blinked like riddles through the lofty, arching windows, unstill and mesmerizing. They danced over polished marble floors and dripping crystal fixtures, casting a flattering sort of haze over every guest who dared to enter the chamber of sin. Music swelled and descended like a lover’s breath, blending into the baritone hum of wealth, wager, and anticipation. And Valentine Hawthorne, all long legs and lacquered grace, strode through its doors as if she owned the place. She didn’t... yet.

The offer had been compelling, a special act, center stage, just a couple of nights a week. Enough to satisfy her appetite for indulgence without claiming her entirely. Enough to let her haunt the place like a phantom draped in sequins and wraith. She had to admit, they had good taste. Her heels clicked musically as she sailed past the blackjack tables, the slot machines jabbering like feathery friends in heat. She made a slow turn near the bar, letting the lights kiss the silk of her dress, when- Ah.

when she gets to city hall after dropping off bruno and making her mom promise not to leave the house or open the doors for anyone until she gets back, the crowd becomes instantly overwhelming. the tiniest bit of eavesdropping makes it clear that while there are already headlines of rowan missing, he's far from the only one. people that aren't panicking over a missing loved one are whispering about the mysterious riddles left for everyone in unique ways that would almost be poetic if it weren't so grotesque. most people seem to be missing something or someone they are desperate to get back, and marlowe's cosmic joke of an existence is keeping it's losing streak in this instance. not only is her brother's quilt and rowan gone, but her cousin also disappeared from her bed last night according to her near inconsolable delightfully himbo husband.

when she spots natalia across the crowd, marlowe all but bee-lines it across the crowd. narrowly sidestepping a few human obstacles in her way, she places a hand gently on her friend's shoulder. valentine may have told her to stay put, but she couldn't sit in her apartment that had been broken into when she knew rowan was missing. she's always been the type to put on a front when she's struggling, but she's growing tired of every day feeling like a fight to keep pushing on. this morning, at least before she stops by the cafe to get herself a cup of coffee, the misery is written all over marlowe's face. ❝ will you promise me that you'll invite me along to fight whatever evil fairy godmother did this if you find out? ❞

he'd needed a break from the group. his emotions are getting the best of him as the hours tick by and his wife is still nowhere to be found. he's not even sure how long she's been gone. since whatever made everyone fall asleep? he's still racking his brain to figure out what could possibly be this powerful. the avery family has many books on the occult and a long history of hunting tales and nothing that he's read up on or heard about even comes close to this. when he saw his kids at town hall, he put on a self-assured front that their mom would turn up, but he's not sure if these stupid riddles have expiration dates. as he felt his mood sour, he quietly dipped from his group with a pledge to check the edge of the mountainous terrain that borders the forest.

he's not sure if his riddle is one of the elements or maybe time? but the mountains have been a bust so far for clues. the emotions and bubbling desperation seem to be shoved down enough after half an hour for spencer to feel confident to rejoin his search party when he catches sight of a small waterfall. calling it that might be a little bit aggrandizing, as the drop off of a rock bed couldn't be more than two feet, but the sight weirdly strikes up his emotions all the same. memories of his time with his wife since she saved her life when they were barely older than kids flood in and he's genuinely scared he won't be able to make any more with her. when he hears a voice behind him, spencer turns away from the slow running creek and slyly wipes at his cheek. when he recognizes his current company, he gives her as close to a genuine smile as he can manage. ❝ hey maia. sorry to see you're out here searching too. picked quite the time to come to our town, i'm afraid. can't say i've ever seen anything like this. ❞

by the time he's completely ripped through the casino and torn through more ground with valentine after she found him in the mines, the search parties that had split off from city hall are well spread out. as someone that didn't want to exchange pleasantries with people he didn't care about over what they lost, it's grown rather irritating that he can't seem to turn a corner without stumbling upon the different sized groups. all that he's gathered from the hushed conversations he's overheard that whatever happened last night is substantial and much more widespread than he could have anticipated. where could someone be hiding so many people and things? was someone actually getting a sick thrill out of watching citizens of all species trudge through town like a heard of confused sheep that have escaped their fence? were they all unknowingly opening themselves up to something more sinister?

despite how asocial he's currently feeling, roland's made it a point to check in on the members of clan solune when he happens upon them. if he's being honest with himself, maia is a welcome familiar face to fall in line with for a little while. he ducks under a moss-covered tree propped up between two others over a foot worn trail to step in line beside her. are the adventurous humans really out this far to hike or have they stumbled upon yet another mystery surrounding this god-forsaken town? ❝ i don't know about you but i haven't found anything yet. but i assume we're in agreement to fry whoever thought this would be funny when we find them? ❞

as a security guard in the casino and one of the members of the clan entrusted with getting it up and running in the first place... roland is briefed on all things that happen within the walls of the casino. which recently included the fight between maia and valentine. while he feels fortunate that he wasn't witness to the physical brawl, he seemingly put his foot in his mouth while reacting to it. he hadn't expected the woman that made the night of the ball one of the best in recent memory to not only be offered a position at the casino, but also start fighting with members of his clan.