[X] She's seen advertisements for a new band playing on campus, one calling itself 'Shy', strangely enough. Harmony does enjoy that sort of thing, and perhaps updating her music tastes to be more in line with the mayor's own would be productive.
I'd vote for makeover but don't have the energy for a stunt tonight and gotta vote before things close off.
Adhoc vote count started by DeAnno on Aug 31, 2021 at 4:45 PM, finished with 16 posts and 14 votes.
[X] The elder Mrs. Summers has experimented with night openings of her art gallery recently to avoid discriminating against Sunnydale's peaceful demon population. While a couple SDCW officers have been more than adequate to keep the peace in the past, 'just making sure' might be a good excuse to smooth over tensions between Harmony and the mayor's mother.
[X] She's seen advertisements for a new band playing on campus, one calling itself 'Shy', strangely enough. Harmony does enjoy that sort of thing, and perhaps updating her music tastes to be more in line with the mayor's own would be productive.
[X] Harmony has enjoyed her new style, but it's been over a month now, and Cynthia thinks she might be in a mood for more experimenting. Makeovers do seem to be her favorite activity, even if it isn't a conventional night out. And Mayor Summers was certainly sure to … appreciate the effort, of course.
[X] Harmony has enjoyed her new style, but it's been over a month now, and Cynthia thinks she might be in a mood for more experimenting. Makeovers do seem to be her favorite activity, even if it isn't a conventional night out. And Mayor Summers was certainly sure to … appreciate the effort, of course. (Stunt ideas, possibly in picture form)
[X] The elder Mrs. Summers has experimented with night openings of her art gallery recently to avoid discriminating against Sunnydale's peaceful demon population. While a couple SDCW officers have been more than adequate to keep the peace in the past, 'just making sure' might be a good excuse to smooth over tensions between Harmony and the mayor's mother.
[X] The elder Mrs. Summers has experimented with night openings of her art gallery recently to avoid discriminating against Sunnydale's peaceful demon population. While a couple SDCW officers have been more than adequate to keep the peace in the past, 'just making sure' might be a good excuse to smooth over tensions between Harmony and the mayor's mother.
Cynthia had been aware, in the sense that she was aware of most business that went on in Sunnydale, that Mrs. Summers' art gallery had been doing well lately. A line down the street however, was rather more than she'd expected.
"Did she turn her gallery into a nightclub when we weren't looking?" Harmony asked, not looking sure if she was being sarcastic. "You didn't give her that liquor license floating around did you?"
"Not at all," Cynthia confirmed. "I've heard she made an effort to open her doors to the entirety of Sunnydale's residents, but this is an exceptional amount of success." The majority of the line was either human or could pass well, though some of the 'disguises' were a little lacking in effort, or perhaps in skill.
"I think a lot of them aren't even from Sunnydale," Harmony said.
"You can tell?" Cynthia had her own suspicions based on the sheer numbers, but was curious about her reasoning.
"They aren't scary enough," Harmony said. "I can notice little details, like their heartbeats and their sweat and stuff, so I know a lot of them aren't as human as they look. But they don't hold themselves like the demons do around here."
"What do they hold themselves like then?" Cynthia had to admit her own experience with the supernatural outside of Sunnydale was limited. There had been the occasional excursion of course, but before working for Richard, she hadn't-
Don't Think About Before.
She hadn't known much of anything. Of course.
"I dunno. Like lamer demons, I guess, they just aren't standing like they're ready for a fight," Harmony answered her earlier question, then stopped short. "Oh wow! Those ones over there, in the bad suede? They're vampires." She stomped over to them with a glare.
"Hey! You three! What are you doing here!" The line backed away in both directions, leaving them facing Harmony alone. She let out a vampiric growl after the words, but didn't change her face.
Her targets didn't look like they wanted a fight though, and instead the three backed up fearfully against a closed storefront. They were quiet at first, each of them clearly hoping one of the others would talk.
"Come on, spit it out, I don't have all night!" Harmony snapped.
The two women to the sides pushed the taller man in the middle forward. After his impromptu nomination, he said, "We just wanted to see the show, ma'am."
"You aren't here to eat people?"
"No!" He protested. "Definitely not."
"I'm a vampire too, I know how it is," she said. "You really expect me to believe you'd come to the Hellmouth just to see the sights?"
"It was Hannah's idea!" He pointed to the right. "Everyone in LA was talking about it, but nobody wanted to go."
"It's gonna earn us mucho cred," Hannah said.
"Fat lot of good that's gonna do if we're dust," the last one muttered.
"Harmony? Ms. Danvers? What's all this?" Mrs. Summers approached the altercation, disapproval evident in her tone.
"These vampires are from out of town!" Harmony said. "They could've been a threat."
She skeptically looked from Harmony to the mostly-cowering trio. "I'm sure that you're just trying to be helpful, but everyone that comes to my gallery knows that I don't allow any roughhousing. Right?"
"Right," the three of them echoed with varying degrees of desperation.
"Great!" She said. "That's all settled then. Are you two here as part of some kind of extra patrol? We've done well enough with just Jen and Tim so far."
"Nothing of the sort, Mrs. Summers," Cynthia decided to take charge of the conversation. "I merely saw an advertisement for the Thanksgiving exhibit, and Ms. Kendall agreed when I suggested we visit."
"And Buffy isn't here?" She sounded confused.
"Homework night," Harmony said.
"I see. Well, it's good to hear she's finally applying herself," she sounded disappointed, and Cynthia supposed she wished her daughter had come as well. "But I'm happy to have you both of course. Come right in!"
She quickly brought them to the front of the line and past the ticket counter, which Cynthia observed was keeping the building under a capacity limit. Their special treatment produced a little grumbling, but it quieted behind them as they swept through the doors.
The inside of the gallery was crowded, but not packed; keeping excessive numbers of demons in close quarters would've been asking for trouble. From the spacing of the decor and the setup of the room however, Cynthia could tell that Mrs. Summers had been used to far sparser attendance in the past. Most of those inside with them would hardly be able to tell though; the majority seemed to be cautiously faking class, having little idea what to actually do in an art gallery.
"What did you do to get them all to come?" Harmony asked brazenly. "Are there drugs in the back or something?"
"Is it really that surprising that people appreciate culture?" Mrs. Summers asked rhetorically. "I stepped into an unclaimed niche. There's so much uniqueness to learn about in Sunnydale, and up until now everyone's just been ignoring it or actively covering it up."
To an untrained eye, the theme of the exhibit would seem to be precolumbian art and artifacts, and in a sense it was. Judging by the nearest one though, the informative plaques seemed to actually contain true information, explaining the supernatural origins of the pieces on display.
The Troll Council: Woven from the hair of a cascade bison native to their home dimension, this depicts the ur-trolls who arrived from Yggradril to treat with the Chumash in approximately 220 BCE for use of the rich mineral deposits near the Hellmouth. This commemorated the peace established, which lasted until the massacre of the dog moon 60 years later.
"It's bold of you to state the truth so plainly," Cynthia said. She couldn't imagine the mundane academic community would take it very well. Mrs. Summers would be isolated from any direct consequences in Sunnydale, but her reputation might take an unfortunate blow.
"You just have to have plausible deniability," she smirked a little, and revealed that the plaque could be flipped up, revealing a false but normal explanation of the tapestry beneath. "I came up with this gimmick for the Halloween exhibit. I advertise that one of the descriptions is fantastic, and the other is the real truth, but I don't have to say which is which, explicitly."
"Not so big on all the denial anymore when the truth can get you famous?" Harmony sniped.
"I was never in denial," Mrs. Summers said.
"Buffy was the slayer and you still didn't know a vampire from a goth for two years," she answered.
"This is really wonderfully preserved," Cynthia tried to diffuse the argument. "Is it a property of-"
"Once people bothered to tell me, I adapted," Mrs. Summers had clearly been trying to be polite, but her patience was fraying.
"Did you just adapt to all the blood in her clothes too? I know how hard it is to get that out, it's not like you could just miss it."
An invisible gap started to form around them as patrons edged away from the conflict. Neither party was screaming yet, but it might only be a matter of time.
"And I was supposed to what, intuit the existence of the entire supernatural masquerade from what seemed like my daughter getting in fights every other day? I know you didn't make it into college, but-"
"I did make it in!" Harmony interrupted. "I got accepted to UC Sunnydale, but I have this slight problem of being dead and allergic to sunlight. That's the kind of thing people 'intuit.'" She put a derisive emphasis on the word.
Cynthia herself agreed with Harmony on most counts, but the mayor would hardly be served by such conflict amongst her family, so she tried to intercede again, "Surely we've all made our share of mistakes in the past, but shouldn't we put them behind us now, in the interests of both the mayor and the community at large?"
Her plea was ignored. "Are you sure that it was you that made it into college? And not your father's money?" Mrs. Summers said it quietly, with a smile on her face.
"The nerve!" Harmony was steaming, and put a hand over her mouth. Cynthia hoped it wasn't to conceal fangs.
"Maybe you should just let them be for a little while," A deep voice said from behind her. "The longer you hold off a fight between the girlfriend and the mother-in-law, the worse it is. I know from experience."
Cynthia turned to regard a large man in a peculiar silver suit and was momentarily confused, before she recognized the voice. "Skip? Is that one of Mr. Levinson's?" He must be under illusion.
"You're a sharp lady," he said. "Yeah, he and Cordy are here on a not-date and let me tag along as the third wheel. I don't get a lot of chances to get out to something like this."
"I imagine you'd cause something of a stir," Cynthia nodded. Even in this relaxed environment, the armored demon with sharp points and red eyes would be a bit much. Then she looked back over her shoulder, where Mrs. Summers and Harmony were still bickering. "Are you entirely sure we should let them be?"
"It'll be fine," he reassured her. "They need to have this out, and blondie's control is like this," he gripped his fists together tightly. "Just a war of words. I can tell by the look in her eye."
"I'll bow to your expertise, then," she said. Looking at the crowd around them again, she wondered if he had any similar insight regarding that. "There's quite a gathering here tonight."
He shrugged. "It's the place to be. The momentum from last week kinda took a life of its own."
"The Halloween exhibition?" Cynthia clarified. "Was that set up like this one, with the dual placards?"
"And an even looser dress code, if you know what I mean," Skip said. "Before that, this wasn't really seen as something connected to you guys. But an event happening at night in Sunnydale, showing stuff off in a demony light with the thinnest of excuses, people drew conclusions. Now half the classy demons on the West Coast and all the ones that wish they were think this is the place to show off. Not to mention the ones from farther away."
"But the mayor hasn't visited," Cynthia stated. She was intimately familiar with her schedule.
"Doesn't matter," Skip said. "This looks like it's her show, personally run by her own mother. And Buffy's the new big thing; she's famous, or infamous, depending on the circles you move in. This is the closest thing to a royal court you've got available. They 'adapted.'" He emphasized the last word with a chuckle.
"That would explain things more easily than a sudden surge in artistic interest," Cynthia said. She wondered how much of this Mrs. Summers understood. Was it a lucky coincidence, or a canny plan to expand her own wealth and influence? The mayor's mother was naive in some ways, but Richard had always warned her against lowering her guard too far around such people.
"This one looks like the main attraction," Skip commented, waving at a slab of stone that looked like it had been cut out of a cave. It had a central place in the exhibition, and it was easy to see it drawing real interest from most, as opposed to polite incomprehension.
Empire's End: Excavated from a cliff face in Vahla Ha'nesh, this painting has been dated to approximately 12,000 BCE, just after the Sundering and subsequent fall of the Empire of Tears. Illyria's legions are thought to have quickly fallen to savagery without her command, but this represents some of the only actual evidence remaining from the chaotic period.
"It's quite impressive," Cynthia nodded. "Richard was always a patron of the arts, it's likely he financed the expedition to retrieve this."
"Richard?" Skip asked.
Serve The Mayor.
"The previous mayor, Richard Wilkins." Cynthia explained. "It wouldn't be appropriate to attach the title now, and using his last name alone would be rather gauche."
"Makes sense," Skip said easily, then after a pause, he continued. "It's a shame how that had to go down, back at the graduation."
"No shame at all," Cynthia said. "Mayor Summers simply did as she must."
Cynthia took pride in her stamina, but admitted to herself she was exhausted as she finally got home. It'd been a busy day, and while Mrs. Summers' gallery had been engaging, Harmony had still been livid as they left, and Cynthia had just finished calming her down. She was a kindred spirit, but her youth had her blood running hot. Notwithstanding her undead status.
She hoped that Skip's analysis proved accurate and letting the two of them finally confront each other openly would defuse matters somewhat, but she was prepared for matters to go the other way. If the mayor inquired, she would of course take full responsibility for the failure.
She picked up the day's mail as she closed the door, and was about to put it on the kitchen table and leave it for the morning, but for a distinctive pattern of brushstrokes on one of the envelopes.
Cynthia Danvers
123 Red Palm Drive
Sunnydale CA, 93121
Her frantic second look revealed it true. Richard's handwriting. Undeniably. There was no return address on it, only a lonely stamp and a strange marking by it in the upper left.
She snatched up a letter opener almost automatically, and sliced the top open, carefully, precisely, so as not to unnecessarily crumple the envelope or damage its contents. She had to see what he'd sent her.
My Dearest Cynthia,
I hope this missive finds you well, even as I fear that it may not. In the past months, you've persevered against terrible adversity to serve the interests of the city, and for that I can't thank you enough. As always when the plans of grand dreamers go awry, it is the duty of our nation's fine civil servants to carry the load, and I regret the heavy burden I've put upon your shoulders.
I suspect that you already know I have, in a sense, survived my graduation misadventure. If I know you, and I'll be darned if I don't, you've been working yourself into a frenzy about me, about Buffy, and about where your loyalties should lie. The last thing I'd ever want to do is make that harder on you, and luckily, I don't have to. I see no reason that Buffy and I have to be at odds; she may have taken my silence as a worrying sign, but my attention has been urgently required elsewhere. It's a good thing that with the job she's doing I don't need to keep my eye on her! All thanks to your great work, I'm sure.
I wish that the rest of this letter could be a more pleasant conversation, but the harsh truth is that I need your help. Not for my own benefit, or even for Sunnydale; the person I need you to help is you. You may be in mortal danger, and you're going to need to do something very difficult to save yourself. Years ago, I installed a security measure in your house, but recent events have led to it malfunctioning, and it's hurting you now. If I'm right, it's warping your thinking, more and more every day, and that's not good news at all. The cumulative effects will get very serious eventually, and for the sake of your health, you need to turn it off.
You need to go into the basement. You'll find a rune diagram with a red crystal in the central circle. Remove it and set it down carefully in the smaller circle to the side, next to the green crystal but not touching it.
I know it's very hard to think about. This setup was meant to defend you against unnatural mental influences, but now it's all twisted up, and it'll be trying to protect itself, even from you. The first thing it'll have done is made you forget about it, and it'll have gotten more and more aggressive since.
The only reason you're still able to think about this is the rune you saw on the front of the envelope; it should be at least partially protecting you by now; the start of this letter was to give it enough time to phase in. It'll let you act against the compulsions, but it won't last for long. You have to disable the crystal right now, or the effect of the mental snapback could badly hurt you.
Please Cynthia, go now.
Nobody Goes Into The Basement.
She made herself look at the basement door.
Could she remember Richard doing this? Had it made her forget?
Don't Think About Before.
Cynthia felt like she was on a precipice. Her head felt like it was in a vicegrip.
Ohh, this is a tough choice. On the one hand, there's obviously something seriously wrong with Cynthia, and the mental prompts are only getting more insistent. We should try and help her. On the other, we might lose one of our best agents this way, or at least heavily cripple her competency in Sunnydale.
Do we have any information in universe that describes what determines how much control a vampire has after being turned and how much of their original personality they retain?
I bet this is a ploy to break the magical loyalties to the Mayor he set up, which technically would protect her by overpowering other influences, so he could once again turn her into his loyal minion, or someone else could. He isn't the mayor anymore, Buffy is.
Assuming that it is him keeping in contact with the letters that is. Getting agency outside of the dream, which if he is not lying in the letter might be a good thing? Maybe? Probably not.
But he has never shown to have any agency outside of the dream as far as I can recall. Makes me think this isn't actually Wilkins.
Rather I think it's more likely to be one of Adam's ploys trying to break wards and stuff through proxy and subterfuge, since he too knows dreams as well, knows Wilkins and his attitude. Which could end disastrously.
Do we have any information in universe that describes what determines how much control a vampire has after being turned and how much of their original personality they retain?
The big psychological factor we have so far is if there is someone they know is scarier around to boss them around. Forrest and Digsby? (the Triumvirate vampire) both seem to have locked onto Faith, and Harmony locked onto Buffy obviously. Anya also said that historically this seems to be the way things go. Forrest and Harmony both seem able to control themselves and I assume it has to do with knowing that the person they are focused on would be angry if they lost control. How much of the personality stays seems totally up in the air.
But he has never shown to have any agency outside of the dream as far as I can recall. Makes me think this isn't actually Wilkins.
Rather I think it's more likely to be one of Adam's ploys trying to break wards and stuff through proxy and subterfuge, since he too knows dreams as well, knows Wilkins and his attitude. Which could end disastrously.
I agree with you that this is an Adam ploy, but I think it is also something that Wilkins is facilitating. Adam has no way to know this is a vulnerability, aside from Wilkins visiting him in dreams to help him out, and Wilkins has no way to get something done with Cynthia aside from having Adams write her. They are a perfect team up for this.
@DeAnno are writeins ok? Specifically 'Bring the letter to the Mayor'
In the meantime, I had another AI produce some literature I think you might find in Sunnydale. It seems perfectly sensible.
GPT-J-6B (NovelAI; H.P Lovecraft module) said:
Sunnyvale recipes
This cookie recipe was generously provided by a member of the Sunnydale vampire community. Although it does use significant amounts of blood, you can substitute that of any mammal for human.
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup of blood (room temperature)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup baking powder
4 eggs at room temp
3/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions:
Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl and mix well. Beat together eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until mixed thoroughly. Add to dry mixture, mixing with hand mixer or wooden spoon until batter smooth. Fold in blood, ensuring no clots are formed. Pour into greased pans and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely before slicing and serving. Serves 4-6 as an afternoon snack or dessert.
= = =
The Vampire's Guide To Human Food And Drink
by Dr. M. J. Puckett, Ph.D., D.M.A.
Human food is divided into two groups—those foods which vampires may safely eat without becoming ill and those foods which they must avoid because of their effect on the body. The first group includes most fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, fish, shellfish, etc. In general, these foods contain little vitamin C; some do not have much calcium; many lack iron, zinc, copper, iodine, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, folic acid, biotin, B12, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and so forth.
The second group contains all alcohols, narcotics, hallucinatory drugs, stimulants, depressant barbiturates, hypnotics, tranquilizers, steroids, hormones, etc, as well as the blood of mammals other than humans. These substances affect the body directly, causing loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration, headache, dizziness, confusion, unconsciousness, coma, death, or even weight loss. Some cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, while others lead to cancerous growths within the body. Many intoxicants also produce psychological changes ranging from mild euphoria to extreme anxiety.
The discerning vampire will be able to determine whether a particular substance is safe to consume by examining its chemical composition. This information is available through standard reference books such as "Chemical Constituents Of Foods" by Lyle R. Dayhoff et al. (Dayton Publishing Co., Inc.
= = =
Vampire Recipes From Around The World
(Taken from The Vampyre Cookbook)
By Dr. Michael Puckett
An Introduction to the Art of Cooking For A Blood Sucking Parasite By Robert E. Howard
These recipes were sent to me via e-mail by various members of the community.
Blood Cocktail
1 ounce fresh, cold human blood
2 ounces rum
¾ cup brandy
½ lemon juice squeezed
Shake vigorously and serve over ice. Makes 1 drink.
Sanguinaire's Special Spicy Sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dash Tabasco sauce
Pinch ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Combine ingredients and mix well, then force-feed your target. Use sparingly and only when you want your food to taste extra spicy!
Lunar Surprise: Moon Pie
This recipe was provided by a member of our Sunnyvale community who prefers that his name remain anonymous. I am certain it has been modified slightly since he originally submitted it. This despite its location in the bottom of my file cabinet.
Ingredients
4 slices of bread (use rye if possible)
4 oz. cream cheese (room temperature)
4 oz. cottage cheese (room temperature)
4 eggs (room temperature)
4 oz. mozzarella (room temperature)
4 oz. American or Swiss (or any other type of) cheese
Mix together all ingredients except for the cheeses in a bowl. Press this mixture into a 9 inch pie plate. Spread each slice of cheese on top, making sure to cover all surfaces completely. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Cool before cutting into wedges.
= = =
A Note On The Preparation And Preservation Of Human Flesh
by Dr. M. J. Puckett, Ph.D., D.M.A.
The following is an excerpt from an article published in the Journal of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Volume 4 Number 2, August 1993.
"...the most effective preservative for tissue is the use of formaldehyde. However, due to the carcinogenic properties of the chemical, many states have banned its use in forensic investigations. Other chemicals which are used to preserve specimens include alcohols, acetic acid, methanol, and ethanol. All of these substances can be purchased at most grocery stores."
"...Illyrian demons, on the other hand, do not need to worry about preservation of their flesh. They do not age and their bodies do not decompose. In fact, they do not even require food. Illyrians do not eat, but rather absorb nutrients from the air, water, soil, etc."
"...humans, however, do not possess these qualities. We must consume blood, meat, and vegetables to survive. The ingestion of these foods will, over time, cause the body to deteriorate. It is, therefore, imperative that we learn how to prevent the decay of human flesh.
"...the first thing we should understand is the composition of human tissues. It is widely known that humans consist of three basic components—fat, muscle, and bone. These structures provide the body with protection, support, and mobility.
"Fat, the most abundant component, provides insulation and cushioning. Fat also acts as a reservoir of energy, supplying the body with fuel during times of rest or stress. Muscle, the second major constituent, is responsible for the movement of the body. Muscles contract to create motion, while muscles relax to stop it.
"Bone is the third and final component. Bone is a composite material consisting of calcium carbonate. This substance is the primary structural element of our skeleton. The bones also contain collagen fibers, cartilage, blood vessels, nerves, etc."
It is suspected that Dr. M. J. Puckett may not in fact be human. His statements regarding the composition of the human body are highly suspect.
= = =
The Vampire's Guide To Modern Technology
By Dr. Michael Puckett, Ph.D.
Computers, television, cell phones, radios, televisions, microwaves, and so forth. What does the vampire need to know?
- How to operate the equipment
- What the various buttons and switches mean
- Where to plug in the device
- How to turn it on and off
- Who to call when you're having problems
- When and where to buy replacement parts
- Why it's important for vampires to own a computer
- Vampires, computers, and the Internet
- A brief history of the Internet
- The Mosaic web browser
- Usenet
- Commonly used FTP services
(The rest of this books appears significantly dated; Usenet has not been commonly used since the late 1990's. However, the information presented in the book remains valid. Many of the software programs described in the book have been discontinued. Others have been replaced by more advanced models.)
I'll try my hand at a write-in. I think Cynthia's fragile state would actually push her towards telling Buffy. After all right now she knows that she is in some way compromised. Letting the mayor know that she is compromised is the most reliable way to serve her at the moment. Since doing what the letter says could be a trap while doing nothing could make her forget that she's compromised so then nobody would know.
On a different note, burning the letter seems like a definite bad choice. Not saying doing what the letter says is the right one, just that doing nothing and burning the evidence does not help resolve the issue in any way.
hmm on a personal level I don't want to be mind controling Cynthia but I'd also like to see the results of turning the thingydooder off. hmm yeah I'll go with showing it to Buffy because I can't see Buffy not switching the mind control off but she can do it under more controled conditions that would stop, say, adam from being close enough to use Corrupt. I'm also suspiscious of the latter saying that the thingydooder is malfunctioning now but wasn't before because we haven't seen a change in Cynthia's behaviour over the course of the quest the way the latter is implying happened.
I like this telling Buffy option because it works with the compulsion effects.
[X] Serve the Mayor. Buffy would want to see this and she and her people can sort out what to do.
I'm also suspiscious of the latter saying that the thingydooder is malfunctioning now but wasn't before because we haven't seen a change in Cynthia's behaviour over the course of the quest the way the latter is implying happened.
Sure, we haven't seen it, because she's disciplined and the problem is still small enough to be manageable.
[X] Serve the Mayor. Buffy would want to see this and she and her people can sort out what to do.
The way I see it, burning the letter keeps things at a (potentially stable, potentially not) status quo. We don't break anything, but we also lose the opportunity to learn about something potentially important and we lose the opportunity cost of being able to affect another situation.
Going into the basement may cause issues, but that will give us the chance to try to solve those issues, and will at the very least give us information about something important.
I'm not a fan of the write-in. If we wanted to have Buffy making the decisions here, we shouldn't have voted for it to be from someone else's perspective. Honestly, Buffy also isn't going to be any more knowledgeable about this than Cynthia is, and she's quite frankly got her own hang-ups, particularly when it comes to evil people and enemies, like Wilkins.
Well, for one, it isn't punting the decision over to Buffy, it's getting a second opinion (particularly, to my mind, if Giles or Will can take a look at this stuff) to know if it is dangerous or not. And, not for nothing, Buffy also has been getting into grey areas more (not S5 Angel levels, sure, but her brain isn't going "Wilkins=Bad=Mr. Pointy" anymore).
But also, it gives Cynthia a pressure-relief valve: she doesn't have to violate the mental commandment of Serve the Mayor (either by ignoring Wilkins' words or by fiddling with magical influences without Buffy's knowledge or consent) and she also doesn't have to try and overpower the "don't go into the basement" compulsion.
Do we have any information in universe that describes what determines how much control a vampire has after being turned and how much of their original personality they retain?
Very inconsistently, to both. Spike had a lot of his vampire personality after getting a soul, while Angel is pretty much considered a different person than his soulless half. The control a new vampire has varies too. Some new fledglings can serve as psycho analyists and chat it up even while fighting, take a break, evalute things. Others are just 'rawr, blood!'. Harmony was hardly what one would think of as a bastion of mental fortitude as a human, but she managed to keep down low enough and survive past both show's canons, so there really isn't a big determiner.
But he has never shown to have any agency outside of the dream as far as I can recall. Makes me think this isn't actually Wilkins.
Rather I think it's more likely to be one of Adam's ploys trying to break wards and stuff through proxy and subterfuge, since he too knows dreams as well, knows Wilkins and his attitude. Which could end disastrously.
Well, for one, it isn't punting the decision over to Buffy, it's getting a second opinion (particularly, to my mind, if Giles or Will can take a look at this stuff) to know if it is dangerous or not. And, not for nothing, Buffy also has been getting into grey areas more (not S5 Angel levels, sure, but her brain isn't going "Wilkins=Bad=Mr. Pointy" anymore).
But also, it gives Cynthia a pressure-relief valve: she doesn't have to violate the mental commandment of Serve the Mayor (either by ignoring Wilkins' words or by fiddling with magical influences without Buffy's knowledge or consent) and she also doesn't have to try and overpower the "don't go into the basement" compulsion.
tbh it still just seems like punting the decision tbh. Like, what, Cynthia's going to go ask Willow and then we're going to get another vote on what to do? It's definitely dangerous, that's a given. It's also something we need to figure out. Even if it's an Adam plot, it's Adam using something he already knows about from Wilkins, so it's a preexisting thing made by Wilkins that we need to know about and defuse or even just take the hit now so we don't have to take it later.
There are almost certainly going to be compulsions on her not to reveal what's in the basement, given that it allegedly wiped itself from her mind. Wilkin's says it acts to protect itself, and I think this makes enough sense that it's something he's unlikely to be lying about. So I think this is just going to be going against both compulsions at once.
And it's Cynthia's episode where she's the viewpoint character- she's not going to be spending the next update or more sitting in the back while the magical bomb squad makes sure everything in the basement is child safe. Honestly, I think this is just likely to backfire and we're going to get punished for it. Like, what happens if mentally-fragile Cynthia calls Buffy and Buffy says "can this wait a minute? I'm kind of busy" or something like that?
This is a "I want to have my cake and eat it too" or a "I don't want to commit to doing anything that might break something" vote.
