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

[pillz]

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.

Comments

[cockade]

[That gets a snort in return- an honest one from him. Why his original tries so hard to keep what he knows will slip through his fingers still boggles him. It only allows for more damage to be done on his soul, and more guilt to be carried. The bonds he shares are important, but they are also fragile, and his shadow knows how important it would be if one of them were to shatter.]

Who knows. Perhaps we should take a set of brooms and go searching for it. [A pause.] We may happen across it in our random chance of sweeping the floor.

[He crosses his arms but doesn't answer her question about the hood yet. Instead, he tilts his head, staring at Katsa with a rather long look that studies her. One that feels too long, come to think of it. Then, he shakes his head.]

It's not important. I needed to be sure that you were all right. That's what matters.

[The charade ends now, he decides. He's growing bored by not truly doing anything other than talking.

The humor falls. Black eyes glint just under the hood for a second. His smile widens. Widens far too much and too distinctly not a smile Arno wears.]

Why? Because you trust him too much.

[This is not the Arno she knows.]

[survivra]

[ It isn't that it's unlike Arno to say nor suggest such a thing. Quite the opposite, really. Katsa still holds the memory of the Drabwurld close to her heart—of Arno in the White Citadel, and the decision she had made that day that she would kill for this man and not regret it for a single moment. And he had come again, when the silver sickness had taken her; and many times over, each that had shocked her deep within her guarded heart. Katsa is unused to people worrying for her even now, and in a manner different than Giddon's fragile, possessive need to prove something. Still, she thinks, she's not some blushing lady, and she opens her mouth to brush it off and respond.

That's when he changes.

Something in Katsa's instincts suddenly scream for her attention. She takes two steps back: her fists clenched, her muscles tensed and ready to spring. ]

That's a poor joke.

[cockade]

[It's the reaction that makes his journey worth coming. He splays one hand open, palm facedown across his elbow, a gesture indicating that he really isn't bothered by her reaction. In fact, he actually steps forward when she steps back, like a predator trying to corner prey.]

Is something the matter? [He pauses long enough to scoff loudly.] Oh, of course, I forgot. You have a terrible sense of humor. He did too.

[His shadow is clever, manipulative. If he has to twist his words and make it sound like Arno isn't here anymore, then that's what he'll do. It doesn't matter if it's a lie- if it bothers Katsa, that's all he needs.]

What's the matter, Katsa? You look like you've heard something off.