pillz: (Default)
joseph kavinsky ([personal profile] pillz) wrote in [community profile] thisavrou_log2017-07-09 01:05 pm

The Demon Plot: DEATH OF GRINDING MADNESS [July Player Event]

Who: Ensemble production, all individuals who opted in to the plot
When: July 9-21
Where: Two inhabited planets around the Ingress
What: The demon plot kicks off, in which malevolent shadow beings, copies of existing characters, begin to materialize and harass the PCs across the worlds. Plotting post is here, and a network post will go up within the next 2 days from several PCs advising on how to end the plot.
Warnings: Violence, psychological themes, possibly past trauma, etc.


Death of Grinding Madness
The Demon Plot
(mild spoilers for The Raven Cycle)

On July 9, a demon begins to make its way through the Ingress, summoned through by a shitty teenager.


July 9-12
Harrying
It's innocuous in the beginning. A movement in the corner of your eye, a shadow through a curtain-- merely a tree. But then the shadow figures begin to emerge into full being. Black-eyed wraiths that look like enemies, friends with whom you've had past conflict, or even you yourself. At first, it's merely harrying, minor harassment. Threatening gestures, broken gestures, jump scares.

Pursue them, and they disappear-- you might even catch a glimpse of how. They melt down into black slime, racing away across floors, through sewer grates, up walls, impossible to follow. By now, the worst of the climate freeze is over, but residual ice does pose a needles extra obstacle.


July 12-15
The Violence Escalates
In the days that follow, the situation only gets worse.

Sporadic harassment turns into outright attacks. The targeting is unmistakable. The shadow beings who can speak tell cruel tales of animosity, spite, even hatred. They are as deadly with their hands or strange powers as their doppelgangers are, and worse, they're functionally indestructible. Rip off one's head and it merely reforms out of sticky black ink. Limbs regenerate just as easily. The being might dispell for a few hours, but no doubt— it'll be back, if not to hurt you then someone you know.

The Savrii begin to notice. It's hard not to. While there is hardly an epidemic of panic, the disruptions are hard to miss-- broken windows, screams, random violence. Soon, the authorities begin to open safehouse facilities at which characters can seek shelter.


July 15-18
The Golem
On July 17, something horrific begins to happen— several shadow beings merge to form a massive golem in Kauto R1. It is a grotesque, horrifying spectacle, of limbs and eyes and pulsating flesh. It reaches almost sixty feet in height. Combined together, this shadow creature is considerably less intelligent than the individual beings were. However, it is also immensely strong and regenerates just like the smaller ones did.

Within the mall, hundreds of daytime shoppers are trapped within. Luckily, they have food and climate control. Perhaps you're one of them-- or perhaps you're trying to get in to provide medical care.

In the meantime, the attacks from the individual shadow beings don't stop. Despite the intelligence exhibited by some, all of them seem mindlessly bent on tormenting their targets until they are killed.


July 18-21
The Sacrifice
On the 9th day, a network post goes up (link pending, will be OOCly forward-dated to July 10th latest) revealing how to remove the invincibility of the attackers.

And by the 21st, the remaining beings utterly vanish without explanation— unless you happen to bear witness to the events that take place at St. Monmouth.



shiro2hero: (THAT'S THE 5TH PHONE YOU LOST)

[personal profile] shiro2hero 2017-07-19 09:18 pm (UTC)(link)
[Not saving someone is the hardest thing I've ever lived through.]

[How many more times is it going to be?]

[That nagging voice in the back of his head won't stop. The shadows are gone, for now. But it's like their voices never stopped. The look on remembered faces as they do something stupid and selfless for him just burn into being in his brain. While he shakes the body on the ground. Desperate.]

[Words don't come out. Or, so he thinks. He didn't realize he'd shouted himself hoarse already, trying to change the outcome. He can't even be glad to hear these words. Because he knows why they're coming. He knows this kind of speech. The It's been an honor speech. And it makes his blood chill worse than even the shock in every limb.]

[This can't be real. This can't actually be happening.]

[Not saving someone is the hardest thing I've ever lived through.]

[He just ends up sinking to his knees, sitting there, feeling himself shaking and feeling his eyes sting until he has to blink, or lose sight of what's in front of him. He can't lift both ... the body... and the blade. As clear as the intent was. Any other day, no problem. But not now. Now... he's at a loss.]

[Why is it always for him. Why is he something worth saving? And what if the shadow was all right, what if --]

[Why him.]

[Not saving someone is the hardest thing I've ever lived through.]

[So live through.]

[He doesn't even realize he's moved until somehow, a piece of that awful trunk is under Darin's body. The sword placed on top. It looks like the beginnings of a funeral pyre. He has no memory of moving any of it. But what else is new?]

[Step by slow, painful step, however, he will get them out. Find the exit. Drag the makeshift sledge along. The motion sends pain through every injury, breath shuddering hard in his lungs, and leaving him gasping for breath. It's impossible to tell how long it takes. How many false starts and wrong moves.]

[It's only when sunlight stabs him in the eyes that he stops, swaying where he stands.]

[Not saving someone is the hardest thing I've ever lived through.]

[So live through.]


[And drops.]
frostedplum: (hang in there!)

[personal profile] frostedplum 2017-07-19 09:37 pm (UTC)(link)
"Am I all right?" the shadow asks, whirling around. It's shaped like Mei in every conceivable way, from her hair pulled back and held with a hairstick, to her booted feet. Every way, that is, except for her eyes. Instead of Mei's chocolate brown, the whole of the shadow's eyes are an impenetrable black as they stare at his face, accessing who he is. Not Overwatch; just one of the people who will eventually let Mei down, because everyone does in the end.

"I'll be all right once I find who I'm looking for." Because then they'll pay.
gentlemenpreferblondes: (Or stiff knees)

[personal profile] gentlemenpreferblondes 2017-07-19 11:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Tsk, tsk. [She shakes her head and clicks her tongue in factitious scolding tone. That's a wrong question since she thinks it's rather obvious what she's doing here. But why? Now that's where the focus should be.

The mocking frown on her turns upside down, forming another vulpine grin as another burning and toxic flame of hate and misery sparks inside her. It's the hate and hurt that she inherit from her origin's endless guilt. How many lives she's ruined and messed up, how many people she has harmed and hurt so far? Mom, dad, Paul, Arther, Rita, the child, Sans, Miles... The list goes on and always ends up to the name that causes a mutual heartache with her like Wanda: Peter. What it is like to hurt someone, allow them to hurt you back, forgive and learn to love only to be hurt once again. The pain is just as crushing as she remembered it to be.

Really. It didn't matter what she did or didn't do, the cycle would continue and repeat itself and the hurt on both side would grow. It's the same with the knife in her hand. No matter how hard she stabs nothing will chance.]


I think. [She says slowly, tempting her.] You can find that out with those neat little powers of yours.
alterplex: (41.)

[personal profile] alterplex 2017-07-19 11:06 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Venom listens for Dorian in this man's voice, but he doesn't hear it. There's nothing about the affectation that Venom finds familiar, nothing about the detached amusement that Venom can point to and say with definitive conclusion that it's reminiscent of Dorian's usual exuberance.

So he's not at all surprised when the offer that his friend's shadow makes is the replacement of his eye, the removal of his 'horn'. If there was ever a time when those cosmetic traits mattered, it was a long time ago; short-lived.

There's no bartering that Venom cares to engage in, so he continues with his progression towards the stairs in silence. Nyx is doing a three-man job with his instant teleportation, so Venom entrusts Kaz's protection to him for the time being— the nearest figure coming towards him is met with a swift one-two of his hands, real and bionic, before being bodily flipped over a shoulder.

The body crashes into some expensive-looking furniture, along with some rare-looking... whatever Venom's just destroyed. Oops.

Dryly, to the impostor Dorian:
] He's not gonna be happy that you did this.

[ Speaking as if getting his friend back is a certainty, which it is for him. ]
gh0stamidstthec0mbat: (:))

genji got nothin on this yo

[personal profile] gh0stamidstthec0mbat 2017-07-19 11:26 pm (UTC)(link)
[Catch phrase time is the best time, and Zer0 is excited to get his murder on. He wobbles a bit from Reinhardt's buddy slap, but regains his balance quickly and readies his sword, flashing Reinhardt a red smiley face.]

Not a solid plan, / But something I can work with. / Ready when you are.
a_shadow: (Default)

[personal profile] a_shadow 2017-07-19 11:45 pm (UTC)(link)
While Rinzler and Calla have been preoccupied conversing, the shadow of Tex has been approaching, and all of Tex's irritation toward Rinzler is clenched deep inside its gut. Every time he's sniped at her for choosing the life of a 'user', as though she's betraying her essence or something, well up in its mind and the shadow, fully armored, is completely unimpeded when it chooses to race forward and catch Rinzler beneath the chin with a swing of its armored fist.
liberaltus: unless otherwise stated (Default)

i'm sorry he's so evil ;A;

[personal profile] liberaltus 2017-07-20 12:31 am (UTC)(link)
You don't deserve a limb back. [Shadow Dorian's voice is dripping with derision and distaste, there really is very little of the original Dorian's playful affection and warmth there. It's hard to imagine him sounding cold or intentionally cruel, but this creature...is the furthest thing from the quirky friendly mage everyone knows and loves.] How sentimental and noble...and utterly useless, it just sounds like you're abdicating responsibility for future failures. Picture it, if that arm and leg could give you the edge you needed to save Dorian's life would you then take it...or would it be a crutch, something comfortable to cling when you fail...you can always blame not having the arm and leg.

[Forget the queen of shade you thought you knew, there is a new queen in town and it is Shadow! Dorian.

And Shadow!Dorian looks like he's becoming just a touch agitated by how simple this is for them, oh, he could engage in combat if he wanted to, easily enough, but that would require taking a calculated risk and leaving the staircase unmanned and his barrier at their mercy. He's certain that with enough pummeling Nyx could wear it down and therein lies the problem he has to confront. The mock mage is also aware that he's being engaged, on some level, in distracting tactics and this simply could not be.

Venom's crashing about and breaking furniture grabs his attention and changes his trajectory.]


I've had a thought, you seem to be having far to easy a time of this...you need a challenge after all and I do not require permission. [Instead of asking if Kazuhira wanted his arm and leg back he simply gave them back. His blood reserves swirling around Kazuhira's missing arm and leg, replacing the prosthetic limbs with real one, whether temproary or not.] You might want to get the hang of those quickly, you're going to need them in the oncoming battle.

[Though what he meant by that didn't become clear until he fixed his attention on Nyx.] You know, the reason so many people fear blood magic in his world isn't because of the magic itself, but because there are things about it not understood...for example, one can take control of anothers blood in order to puppeteer them...like this.

[This creature was in Nyx's blood now, leaving his mind mostly aware of his actions...everything except for his voluntary responses.] Nyx, my darling, you're not going to like this very much, but I'm going to have to ask you to attack your friends now.

[While Shadow!Dorian could control Nyx's response, in that the man couldn't violate his command, the one thing he couldn't do is control how Nyx attacked his companions. He didn't know the man's magic and therefore he didn't know how to use it or how to make Nyx use it.]

Perhaps if you make them scream loud enough Dorian will hear it. [The Shadow then turns his eyes on Venom as if he's trying to seek out a particular weakness.] Feeling confident Ahab?
gentlemenpreferblondes: (For a kid from the small street)

[personal profile] gentlemenpreferblondes 2017-07-20 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
[She's particularly singing through the list at this point. Knife raising and landing down on her flesh, breaking the tender skin and spilling out the blackness -- only to be repaired shortly after back into perfect condition. Oh dear, what an useless act.

However, her song is stopped along with the knife when a hand suddenly grabs her, preventing another cut to be born. There's no resistance or attempt to pull her hand free but she does spin around with a brief confusion visiting her face to see who it is and.]


My! [She whistles. It's Tony Stark. The man who's brilliantly been absent from J's life ever since their little camping trip back at the deserted planet. Now, who's fault that truly is-- well, let's say that's little more complicated matter.]

Look who we have here! Why, yes thank you. I'm having plenty of fun.
warandpeace: (Tнere ιѕ ѕoмe тнιɴɢѕ yoυ cαɴ'т нιde)

It is fine! Make us hurt.

[personal profile] warandpeace 2017-07-20 01:01 am (UTC)(link)
[He knows that this shadow creature is just something besides Dorian, but hearing that in Dorian's voice, with Dorian's knowledge, someone who's always given him some sort of positive reinforcement when he's had none, when he's already starting to feel the hot breath of Ocelot's insults at the back of his neck again?]

[These monsters are slowly chipping away at the fragile ego that he took too long to rebuild.]

The real Dorian wouldn't want me to tear other people down to make myself whole again.

[He had been briefly tempted by that offer to grow his limbs back before, but if there was ever something that set him firmly against it, it's this moment.]

[But then he sees Nyx being taken advantage of, and Kaz has to choose. Go after Dorian's shadow? Or go after Nyx and give Ahab more free reign. Well, he doesn't know if he can get past that shield.]

[So when the shadow turns to Ahab that's when Kaz lunges. Even a shadow has to keep his attention mostly on one thing, right? Well the bonus to his current arm and leg is that he doesn't have to worry about them being hurt.]
warandpeace: (Jυѕт lιĸe тнe вlood тнαт вυrɴѕ ιɴ мe)

[personal profile] warandpeace 2017-07-20 01:22 am (UTC)(link)
Obviously, the answer here was "no, she's not." Kaz took a step back, a quick movement back.

The sad thing is that he believed that he probably would let her down. Were that voice, he'd not deny it.

"Not sure Mei would really want that," he said despite himself. These things had all the memories of their originals. He knew that there had to be some bitterness there. Kaz, for once, was glad that he'd always openly expressed his.

"Where is she? Is she alright?"
notglitching: (red - shadow)

[personal profile] notglitching 2017-07-20 01:29 am (UTC)(link)
Black eyes follow the wobbling steps, lips curling up to a smirk that disappears in the jagged void cracked through his features. Barely a jostle, and this one is nearly on the ground. How weak. Pathetic.

"I don't." Rinzler steps forward. Closer, circling the path of her intended exit. "But then, you just keep coming back, don't you? No matter what happens."

He raises his hand, and the disk inside flickers: bright and dark. Still, Rinzler's stance is casual, not crouched or ready for combat. Just a conversation. Just a reminder.

"Tell me, user." The word hisses free, sharp and mocking as he tilts his head. Curious. Inquiring. "Do you remember both times? Or just one?"
chaoticluptral: (so fresh to death)

Lup | closed

[personal profile] chaoticluptral 2017-07-20 01:51 am (UTC)(link)
[Lup doesn't even know of her shadow. She's heard the warnings and thinks that sounded like a real dumbass thing to do but to have one herself? She never thought it possible.

Until suddenly she did because Lup is a clever bitch. The shadows feed off emotions, negative and positive, and who does she have a mishmash of those feelings for? Her brother. Who doesn't even know she exists and it's probably the worst thing she's ever felt in her life. Forgetting someone she cares about that much? She couldn't imagine.

But her shadow does and it resents that idea. Doesn't Taako know what they've been through together? How could he just forget?

And so it goes to hunt him. It looks like Lup, like Taako himself, but it's outline is fuzzy and surrounded by swirling darkness. It's face is gaunt, almost skull like, and it's eyes are black pits that reflect no light. Dark magic indeed.

Better watch out, Taako my man. Lup is trying to get there first, to find you first, but somehow evil seems to always have an edge in these sorts of situations.]
otiosity: (helping people and killing people is A+)

[personal profile] otiosity 2017-07-20 01:55 am (UTC)(link)
[There's a dramatic groan from the room and Hawke shuffles out of her room to meet Varric. She's moving very lethargically mostly on purpose. Varric has to be keenly aware of what she does for him. And that includes interrupting her naps which is a big deal.

The bolt catches her instantly in the shoulder when she steps out. She makes a little gasping noise that covers both pain and surprise. One hand comes to grip the edge of the bolt as if making sure it's really there.]


Really? Varric, you too? Couldn't you have waited a bit? I'm tired today.
nyxus: (are you insane like me)

TOOT TOOT here comes the pain train

[personal profile] nyxus 2017-07-20 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
[His magic is so much stronger now. Nyx had been loyal to King Regis until the very end, for reasons entirely ouside the use of the royal's magic. But this magic, this deep and seemingly endless well of power from Ardyn, it's so addictive. It's a serious situation and he is taking it seriously but by all the gods of Eos...

This is the best barrier shield he's ever cast. It's strong enough to ward off a Behemoth, he's sure of it. Nyx is just distracted enough by his own success that he's only half listening to the hair-do-stealing-imposter's taunts and jibes. And then he feels the strangest sensation of being squeezed, and pushed outside of his own body. It's the only way he'll be able to mentally verbalize the sensation later on. Nyx is still there in the body, seeing out of his own eyes, breathing with his lungs, but it's as if he's sitting in the back row of his own mind in a chair with some popcorn.

Except what he starts to do is not popcorn eating material, not at all. Nyx feels his hands clench and break the flow of the shield, sees his eyes focus in on Ahab, and then he feels with dawning horror the immense pull of energy building inside his limbs. A moment later, blinding lightning strikes fast from his outstretched hand and hits Ahab directly in the chest sending him backwards across the room. The man's body hits the wall so hard that it makes a sick crunching noise and Nyx knows, seated like a prisoner in his own body, that at least a few bones have got to be broken from the blast. No! he screams in his mind, and then another agonized nooo! as he watches his focus turn on Kazuhira.]
alterplex: (95.)

[dark kermit voice] be more evil

[personal profile] alterplex 2017-07-20 02:29 am (UTC)(link)
[ You know, Venom was feeling pretty confident up and until he felt his ribs break, so there's that for instant karma. If Dorian's questionably evil half wanted to find a weakness in Venom Snake, he's found it now: comrades drawing weapons on each other.

The upside to this is that this isn't the first time Venom's been roughed up (not by a long shot), but the downside is that, yes, Jesus fucking Christ that hurts. Some calm, clinical part of him assesses the damage with a preternaturally detached efficiency— fractured ribs, two if I'm lucky— while the physical, more tangible part of him reacts with a gut-searing cough and a painful jolt.

This definitely isn't his month.

To add insult to injury, a cabinet teeters on its foundations and lands squarely on his lap, pinning him to the floor as he tries his level best not to stay down like a useless lump. That's gonna bruise, is part two of his ongoing diagnosis as he coughs blood onto Dorian's nice carpet.
]
lavelly: (micromanage)

text STOP to unsubscribe from lavvy facts

[personal profile] lavelly 2017-07-20 04:18 am (UTC)(link)
[Its face contorts in mock surprise to match her own. Well, it's a bit more sinister than hers.]

Oh. I'm sorry. I just assumed you'd be too virtuous to turn me away regardless, so, I figured, why not skip the formalities?

[It moves closer with every word, its fingers curling not quite into fists at its sides.]

Should I go outside and try again?
lavelly: (buy some gaatlok)

guess which

[personal profile] lavelly 2017-07-20 04:42 am (UTC)(link)
[Cars are one of the concepts that Lavellan has had the most difficulty adjusting to. There's so much about how they work that he can't even begin to understand, and just when he thinks he has a handle on them hey do something else bizarre, like make loud noises or turn into golems.

One thing, especially, that he's never quite comprehended is the speed. Nothing in Thedas moves anywhere near as fast as cars can. It makes him slow to react.

And with the headlights that bright, so he can't even tell what's coming for him? It makes him even slower. It's pure instinct that makes him throw up a barrier right before impact; it means he doesn't die, or even break anything, but it does send him flying. And then rolling.

And then he's stunned for several moments afterward.]
redshitlord: (CHERRY BOMB)

[personal profile] redshitlord 2017-07-20 05:22 am (UTC)(link)
[The car swerves as Lavellan goes flying. Spinning in a complete circle. Engine revving hard. After a moment, a simple moment, its tires squeal loudly against the pavement, throwing up smoke.]

[That's all the warning there is before it rockets forward again. Intending to run down the stunned elf. Run him down, and back up over him again. And again and again.]

[He deserves it. Doesn't he? All of them do.]
lavelly: (lead a party)

[personal profile] lavelly 2017-07-20 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
[Lavellan recovers just quickly enough to roll out of the way; he just barely staggers to his feet when the car comes around for a third time. By now he's had enough time to recognize the shape and color.

With all the strange things that had happened recently--strange, malevolent copies of the people he knows appearing from nowhere--there's only one person this could be.

He holds his bruised torso and stays in a crouch, ready to dive to the side even as he tries to shout the robot down.]


Sideswipe! Enough!

[And he brings his staff to bear. Just in case.]
grandpaladin: (flesh and bone and running out of time)

ok but does zer0 got the booty

[personal profile] grandpaladin 2017-07-20 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
On my count, then.

[He's not as steady on his feet as he had been in their arena brawl. But that hardly matters. They will go down with a good fight, if they're meant to go down.]

One... two...

[His hammer lowers, into position.]

Three! Catch phrase!

[And... he's off.]
nyx_it: (on a hot night)

[personal profile] nyx_it 2017-07-20 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
I can. And if that thing decides a grenade is just a firework?

[She's already crouched, ready to move out. Rifle held easily in her hands. Glancing back at Cayde. He'd pulled his weight pretty damn well on their last little run in. It feels wrong to go on ahead without checking.]

... I'm not worried.
deal_me_in: (Pkeew!!)

[personal profile] deal_me_in 2017-07-20 05:55 am (UTC)(link)
Welp. I already figure it won't take it out permanently, but this thing doesn't take to being ignored very well. [Beat.] And neither do I.

[Saluting Vetra with his handcannon, the Exo turns and starts to run back out towards the gloppy behemoth.]

Hey! Ugly!

[Cayde fires off a few shots at its back to get its attention, continuing his charge as it swings around.

Ghost watches, vertices twitching before he looks back at Vetra.
]


We'd better get moving.
redshitlord: (CHERRY BOMB)

[personal profile] redshitlord 2017-07-20 06:00 am (UTC)(link)
["Just in case" might be the case. Actually. Because the car shows absolutely no signs of slowing. If anything, it picks up speed as Lavellan seems to realize who this shadow is meant to be.]

[Flashing its headlights more brightly than before. In an effort to blind Lavellan again.]

[It's going to do what Sideswipe would never, could never do.]
nyx_it: (and young)

[personal profile] nyx_it 2017-07-20 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Spirits, for a second, he sounds like Ryder. That same cavalier in the face of danger attitude. And damn it if it doesn't make her less comfortable just letting the robot (?) guy saunter out there to get crushed.]

[What is wrong with her.]


Right. You first.

[Turning to the Ghost then. Deliberately. If it's not worried, maybe she's just being what Sid always called "Sister-zilla." Damn old human vids.]
deal_me_in: (Then I shot that guy)

[personal profile] deal_me_in 2017-07-20 07:04 am (UTC)(link)
[Ghost wouldn't say it wasn't concerned. After all, Cayde's its Guardian. But things like this are nothing new, and as much as the Exo loves to throw himself into the heat of things... Well okay, Ghost can't say Cayde's not reckless either, but contrary to popular belief, he does consider his actions before following through.

It's just that usually his actions involve a lot of firepower and explosions.

...the latter of which isn't long in occurring as Cayde ghost-steps through a swipe from the golem as it means to crush him, reappearing to run up its arm- not without nearly tripping over the writhing flesh as he makes his way up. He pulls his arm back and chucks his grenade, which flies at what he thinks is the thing's face. The resulting seems almost anticlimactic at first, violet points lighting up and scattering upon contact, but then it's followed by multiple explosions as the bits home in on whatever part of the golem they're nearest.

Meanwhile, the Ghost's led the way towards the service entrance that Vetra had suggested. It wastes no time in scanning the door components before disappearing into the controls embedded into the wall beside the doorway.
]


Just...about... Got it!
Edited (THIS TIME FOR SURE) 2017-07-20 07:05 (UTC)

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