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: (Default)

you're welcome

[personal profile] shiro2hero 2017-08-05 10:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[It latches on. Hard. Digging rapidly disintegrating fingers into Keith's arm, like it's trying to drag him down with it.]

Some... right hand... you are.

[The fact it's turning into a puddle of goo keeps it from accomplishing the goal of pulling him into the ooze. It just keeps squeezing. Harder and harder, until it disappears, finally.]

[And it's done.]
a_perfect_end: While the sergeants played a marching tune. (stripes)

[personal profile] a_perfect_end 2017-08-06 12:41 am (UTC)(link)
The world truncates, all spare processing pulled to hazard calculations as Rinzler's scorn rakes across him, settling with predatory ease into a familiar configuration--

Not a stance. It's not a fight. If Clu had anywhere left to go, the correct term for that would be a stalk. His own systems are cheerfully providing lurid, entirely accurate projections in perfect detail; it's horrible.

It's breathtaking.

"...No." Tasting the truth of that evaluation with a mouth gone dry. "Guess not."

If he had a heart it might burst.

Rinzler doesn't show his face--that is not Rinzler--

Reflex keeps his arm attached to his shoulder, if only just; something is wrong with his riposte, like there was nothing in its path, nothing solid enough for purchase: no throughput. Gravity keeps his head on his neck--and just as neatly smashes his back flat to the table, jolting gold hot across his vision as the impact loops up through the dock.

This is an exceedingly poor position to be in. The correct reaction flashes to the fore of the queue, taken immediately: Clu's disc goes through Rinzler's shoulder backward...

Clu's disc goes through Rinzler's shoulder backward--bright and then dark, whole, shining, and inhumanly neat.

No effect.
a_perfect_end: The players tried for a forward pass. (!clu: i saw a beast rise up)

[personal profile] a_perfect_end 2017-08-06 12:50 am (UTC)(link)
He tilts his head, considering; one way, then the other, then all the way just to get the full picture of why exactly his new friend is so quick to run.

...Okay. So it's a terrifying spectacle it'd be easier not to see.

The truth always is. That is the very nature of the truth.

And you can't run from the truth. Not forever.

And not very far--he doesn't need something as adorably limited as solid form to make an impression, here and then there, interposing the liquid for the solid with perfect ease.

"Come on," lilting, low and coaxing as he stands up whole and shining. "I already learned that move. Show me something new? Or I can teach you."
squadgoals: (smells like VANCOUVER BURNING)

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
I'm going to ask nicely, first.

[She watches the hands, eyes flicking back and forth, reading the situation — how fast she'd have to move, how much force she'd have to pull, whether she could fire off a nova given the timeframe — and shakes her head.]

Leave, Lavellan. Don't do this.
callamities: (oh glitch)

[personal profile] callamities 2017-08-06 02:14 am (UTC)(link)
Calla ducks out of sight as soon as he’s able, turning down the side of a building and then again, and then a third time before a humming generator provides a convenient bulk to hide behind. He can only hope it’s loud enough to cover the metronome tick of his sound, fast enough now that the beats blur into a staccato rattle.

He's still listening for footsteps when that voice is suddenly behind him. Calla stifles the startled noise in his throat with a hand over his mouth. His other hand presses flat against the generator at his back as he staggers to his feet, gaze passing over the figure for just a moment before darting futilely around their surroundings. There's not enough space to run, even if it would make a difference.

Calla has no experience being targeted by another Created (if that is what this thing is). He reaches for another default instead, so well-practiced that he almost stops his voice from shaking.

“I’m truly sorry if I’ve offended.” He lowers his gaze and tries to will the sound beneath his voice into silence. “If there’s anything I can do for you, I’ll see to it as best I can.”

This isn't the Gardens. This isn't even inside. But the penitent tone had worked on a good fraction of Creators before and, as panicked as Calla is, it's the closest thing he has to instinct.
squadgoals: (1 LIKE = 1 REAPER DEFEATED!!!!!)

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
[The shadow jolts backwards, losing its grip on the body, stumbling into the wall behind.

There's a second of pause as it steadies, puts its hands on the brick, staring blackly into his unfocused eyes with her pits of nothing--

--then pushes off, almost casually, flicking a pistol out with the sort of smooth, practiced action of a professional. There's a deadly confidence in the way she handles it, steps over him, and crouches down, a methodical air as she presses the chamber to his temple, holding him down with her free hand.

There's no monologue, no speech, no snide pleasure. No pause when the shade with Shepard's face pulls the trigger.]
notglitching: (red - bow)

[personal profile] notglitching 2017-08-06 03:14 am (UTC)(link)
His disk slashes through the substance, a corruptive, seething burn splashing on impact. Only to recede, reform, and lunge back, suddenly inside his reach. The attack catches Rinzler squarely, and he slides back, dropping to one knee as he tries to roll away. Gain distance
shiro2hero: (AM I PALADIN OR AM I EVIL)

[personal profile] shiro2hero 2017-08-06 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
"Hey, you're doing me a favor. Paying for house repairs."

Really, he is. There's enough minor things breaking, thanks to four teens and Darin. Not to mention the microwave incident. He glances back, to watch him, and make sure he actually gets in the car without getting hurt.

Once he's settled, he puts the shuttle in gear, pulling away from the curb.

"Surviving. You? I never got a chance to thank you for what you pulled back on that... other earth."
shadowblends: (❧ worried)

[personal profile] shadowblends 2017-08-06 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
"The dream—" Ronan? Kavinsky? He's not sure he knows anyone else with 'dream' powers, unless one of his other Savrou friends have misled him. Kurt stiffens at his shadow's response toward the anger, features creased with indignity. Seeing himself frightened like that hurts him in a way that he can't explain right now, so he focuses on what he's being told instead.

"What are you made of, then? If not hate, how were you brought into existence?" He spares a glance toward the families, purses his lips and turns back to his counterpart, those wild eyes dilating in surprise at the sight of the other Kurt retreating. Of course, he'll pad along like a good blue puppy boy, curious as to why they need to move away. He's unsure of the Savrii's plans with all their equipment, though he does know that they shouldn't be tested.

Not long after he follows, Kurt decides to pick up his pace so they're walking side by side, both arms lifting to tuck across his chest. Perhaps the apprehension isn't warranted; he doesn't feel like taking any chances, regardless of his shadow's intentions.
squadgoals: (ohhh THOSE rachni)

WHATS UP ITS ME A MILLION YEARS LATE FOR SOME REASON

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 04:15 am (UTC)(link)
The voice scraps across her skin like a blast from a frozen wasteland, prickling it, tightening her grip on the extinguisher. She'd thought to be quick — put out what she could, grab what she had left hidden away, and go. In and out.

It wasn't going to be that easy. When had it ever been that easy? This week had been all about catching up with friends.

There was no point in trying to hide, any more than there had been when Lavellan had seen her open the door. But she doesn't feign, this time — her weapon is our as soon as she hears him speak.

That occurrence alone is warning enough.

"Rinzler."
squadgoals: (1 LIKE = 1 REAPER DEFEATED!!!!!)

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 04:39 am (UTC)(link)
[The Electricity sizzles up her arm, striking trails of glowing least-resistance — but the shadow makes no sound, only gritting its teeth in frustration. Delay.

With the same lack of hesitation as it had cutting the grapple cable, it slices through its own flesh with the omni-blade, shaving off the offending claw, cuttings dripping and dropping off with the hook, bubbling into an oily sheen that races after the shade as it moves — and how it moves.

Content, for the moment, that it could catch Nihlus through pure sprint, it runs after her target, launching off a shuddering wave of biotic shockwaves, each one its own unique thunderclap of force.]
squadgoals: (1 LIKE = 1 REAPER DEFEATED!!!!!)

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 05:18 am (UTC)(link)
[They smash through the storefront, glass, cinder, blocks and — apparently, this was an antique store — ancient alien gewgaws and trinkets flying everywhere.

The roll is sudden, the effect of the charge admittedly unplanned for. The shadow, such as it is, rolls with Sideswipe, and ends up solidly underneath the Cybertronian.

The weight is dreadful, limbs creaking, cracking under the weight of the bot's body. It cannot move. It is pinned, unable to shift, attack, or defend.

And so it changes — breaking down, features disappearing — into a pool of black acid.

Disappear.]
squadgoals: (oh my god ashley look at her butt)

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 05:37 am (UTC)(link)
[The quiet ping lights up her omni-tool, and she exhales — the closest to surprised she'll give. She'd severed her link to Nihlus on both the TAB and omni-tool as soon as his shadow had made itself apparent, and intent known — but a proximity link was still feasible. And the ID checked out.

But if a shadow could steal a TAB...

Gun still firmly pointed at his position apparent, she lets her omni-tool hand drop from the grip, one-handedly activating the flash forging process. As the omni-blade unfolds itself over her hand, she speaks, tone far more stable than she.]


Nihlus-- I want to believe it's you. But I need more than that. We both do.

[With a level of precision not usually called for with flash-forged weaponry, she runs the edge of the blade over the cheekbone of her left eye, the blood pooling, waterfalling, almost immediately.

Folding the blade back, leaving it thrumming on her wrist, she runs two finger through the liquid, holding them up.]


Red.
beautifulspaceraptor: (heh!)

[personal profile] beautifulspaceraptor 2017-08-06 05:43 am (UTC)(link)
"What I pulled...?"

The confusion was genuine for a moment and then-

"I didn't realize that was a thankable offense." Amusement nestles itself comfortably between his words, Nihlus shifting and crossing his long legs. "But, if you ever need someone to yell at people on your behalf again, I'd be more than happy to accommodate."

He didn't realize Shiro was quite so shy.
lavelly: (micromanage)

[personal profile] lavelly 2017-08-06 06:10 am (UTC)(link)
[It lowers its hands. Steps back, like she wants.]

I don't doubt you'll shoot me.

[Then further, back the way it came. Toward the sofa. It leans against it, casually, resting an arm against the back...

And in its other hand, the flame is back. It weaves it through its fingers playfully.]


The question is, what good will it do?

[Then, like an afterthought, the flame is flicked onto the nearest cushion, where it flares to life impossibly fast. It's not a natural fire, after all.]
squadgoals: (1 LIKE = 1 REAPER DEFEATED!!!!!)

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 06:48 am (UTC)(link)
[The shots miss, miss, and hit, incredibly, taking out one of its grotesque eyes. The shadow grabs Zer0 as they slam into the rising structure behind them, spidering cracks splintering through Kauto's finest building materials.

But just as she does — he disappears, attempting to kick her off, as the one-eyed monstrosity struggles to know quite where to grab. For a moment, it seems like it may give up--

--when it suddenly grabs everything where Zer0 should be in a bear hug. Any parts caught in the shadow's grasp will suddenly become keenly aware of her body melting away — and an acrid black acid eating through as much as it can.]


shiro2hero: (dramatic dad speech incoming)

[personal profile] shiro2hero 2017-08-06 06:57 am (UTC)(link)
"I don't like dragging it out in the open. Or having it pointed out." The object in question, his right hand, tightens on the controls. "So... I guess I froze up, when someone started."

Anything else, he'd probably have easy. It wouldn't be hard to stand up for himself, or for anyone else.

This is... different.

"Still, thank you."
pidge_out: (what happened out there)

asldkmacl SO DID I lollll i'm doin' great over here

[personal profile] pidge_out 2017-08-06 07:49 am (UTC)(link)
[Pidge nods in understanding, turning her eyes away from the TAB to survey her surroundings again.]

You've probably got a better map figured out than I do down here and being in it. Where would you suggest I go from here?
squadgoals: (wow more work thank you so much)

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 08:33 am (UTC)(link)
Still reeling from the mental feedback loop, she watches blearily as he pulls himself to her, running his fingers up her gauntlets, her gloves, barely registering as he presses his forehead to hers.

He was dead. She was dreaming. No one could survive a sucking chest cavity wound like that, and do what he was doing. She was projecting, trapped in her head, finally, truly losing her mind. Nihlus' voice was whispering to her, telling her it was okay, that everything was going to be alright.

His hands on hers, the warm comfort of his subvocals sinking into her skin, while she--

He's trying to disarm you! Wake up! Snap out of it, or you're going to die!

--looked at him for the first time, glancing down, then back up. Black, viscous and oily, smeared on everything. His hands wrapped around-- not hers, but her gun, easing it out of her grip, attempting to pry each clamped finger loose.

His crooning still in her ears, she raises her free hand, moving it up his chest, until it's resting dead centre on his carapace. Shuddering an exhale, she shakes her head.

"You won't be."

The blue of sparking eezo light her body in a wreath of flames in nanoseconds — and in the next, a rush of energy slams into the shadow's body, yanking it off the floor, suspending it in midair, crushing it with pure opposite enacted force.
beautifulspaceraptor: (Hm.)

[personal profile] beautifulspaceraptor 2017-08-06 08:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ Nihlus's scorched helmet appears around the corner of the door frame, the carbon burns catching the light of her omni-tool oddly. For a moment, he's silent and then- there's a click of a pistol being clipped back against thigh plating and, slowly, he emerges, careful to keep his hands in view as he reaches up.

There's a hiss of an airtight seal being broken and then Nihlus is carefully sliding his helmet off to reveal the long cut across his brow, nose and cheek. It was too shallow to warrant using the limited supply of medi-gel on, but still fresh enough and deep enough that a light swipe of his gloved thumb brings blood welling to surface, fresh and bright cobalt against white markings. ]


Blue, [ he answers softly, feeling a relief so thorough that he nearly collapses on the spot.

It's Shepard. It's Jane. The real one.

She's alive.

He almost does reach out to pull her close, to embrace her, but residual paranoia stays his hands and he hangs there for a long moment instead, trying to figure out what to say. Trying to break through the confused mix of fight and flight instincts, the sudden lead weight of exhaustion and pain settling over his body. ]


We need to stop them. These- things. I saw yours. And Saren's. And some others making my way here.

[ He doesn't know about the network announcement. ]
beautifulspaceraptor: (>:c ?)

[personal profile] beautifulspaceraptor 2017-08-06 09:00 am (UTC)(link)
He doesn't look back. Doesn't let himself look back. The first 'CRACK' of biotics tells him more than enough about what would happen if he tried now.

Nihlus does a hard slide around a corner instead, ducking into an alleyway. Keep out of direct line of sight. Keep barriers between. Keep moving.

If he can outrun a near millenia old Justicar, he can outrun this strange alternate Shepard.

Just needed enough breathing room to set a way point. Just needed enough breathing room to try and contact Shepard, verify what happened to her. Just-

There's bone-shaking 'VOOMF' of a Vanguard charging in way too close for comfort. A dead end up ahead. Nihlus leaps onto a parked car and catapults himself up onto a fire escape ladder. Uses the new height to launch himself over the top of the wall and lands in a tight roll on the other side before pushing up and bolting again.
squadgoals: (1 LIKE = 1 REAPER DEFEATED!!!!!)

rip sofa january - july 2017

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 09:38 am (UTC)(link)
[On fire.

When she'd first seen him pull the flames, sparks jumping from his hands, she imagined a future where they were being used on her. Between the hardsuit, armoring and kinetic shielding, she hadn't been concerned. If anything jumped, she could put it out as it came up.

But lighting things on fire first...

The gun is away, re-clipped in a heartbeat — and she launches herself at Lavellan, attempting to grapple him, throw him on to the flames, extinguish them physically, and all at once. Unnatural or no, she had to buy time.]
squadgoals: (ohhh THOSE rachni)

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 10:54 am (UTC)(link)
[The second the blood shines against his paint, her own gun is dropping, re-clipping, exhaling a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding.

Alive.

It's more than she could ever ask for. Struggling to find the words to express her own relief, she watches Nihlus, an uncharacteristic battle of quashed affections, and-- yes, an all-too-familiar feeling of mistrust of one's own senses, lingering doubt, fear. They'd both confirmed each other individually, but what if they were wrong?

She could hardly blame him.

They hold for a moment, both suspended on the edge of their own desires, attempting to assuage each other while protect themselves, endeavoring to convey everything they felt in something other than words.

When all else failed, their solace would always lie in professionalism. Forward movement. Never stopping.

But sometimes, you had to jump, and trust.

Reaching out, she catches her partner's hand, interlacing the fingers of their gloves, green eyes meeting.]


There's a way.

[By way of explanation, she extends her free hand, TAB in her palm, post pulled.]
squadgoals: (1 LIKE = 1 REAPER DEFEATED!!!!!)

WHATUP I SWITCHED STYLES FOR NO REASON APPARENTLY?? AND WE'RE BACK

[personal profile] squadgoals 2017-08-06 11:07 am (UTC)(link)
Without pause, the shadow runs the same route as Nihlus, keeping pace, only steps behind — and gaining. It has no fear of pain, pays no attention to risk of damage, and the daredevilry of its style shows. Move after move is copied, but the roll is shorter, the jumper sooner, the slide deeper.

Once she has him in her sights, once he's square in her vision, then she can charge him, knock him down, cut him, fringe to foot. Cut him down. Clean, efficient, dead.

But he's always around a corner. She resorts to shockwaves, their blasts ignoring physical obstacles, pummeling through walls, hoping to catch him, trip him off-guard. She uses others, innocent intruders, as targets, charging into them, pushing off, attempting to jump one step further, ahead, on him.

In their line of chase, his line of retreat, the body count grows.
frostedplum: (hang in there!)

[personal profile] frostedplum 2017-08-06 04:34 pm (UTC)(link)
"Making you suffer isn't wasted time," she says, pausing to crack her knuckles. "I'm going to come at you again and again, beating you down into the dirt until you die alone." There's an excited gleam in the inky darkness of her eyes. Only once Jack is dead will she feel satisfied, and her revenge will be complete.

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