Permanent night changes the scale of every threat. Stensian families ration blood to survive vampire demands, roads belong to hunters and exhaustion erodes the communities that escaped Harvesttide. Olivia orders bowls of blood from across the region and sends invitations to the great families. The cruelty looks ceremonial because ceremony is how she makes conquest appear legitimate.
Arlinn, Chandra, Teferi, Kaya and Adeline know the Celestus can still work if they recover the Moonsilver Key. Their best lead is also their least cooperative ally. Sorin knows Olivia's habits, understands the Markov bloodline and has centuries of experience with the games vampires call etiquette. The group enters his manor prepared to ask for help he has every reason to resent giving.
Sorin receives an invitation of his own and recognizes the handwriting behind it. Olivia intends to marry Edgar. The insult is personal, but the political meaning is worse: joining Voldaren ambition to Markov ancestry would let Olivia claim leadership over Innistrad's vampires while the plane is least able to resist. Sorin agrees to attend, and the others prepare to follow when the wards can be broken.