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.



forgeabettertomorrow: (Face tomorrow)

1/2

[personal profile] forgeabettertomorrow 2017-07-17 07:30 am (UTC)(link)
[The chain hits its mark, whipping around and ensnaring the shadow's arm. Darin pulls it taut, yanking the monster off balance. His shadow merely plants his foot and stands his ground.]

What's wrong? Afraid of what he'll think of you when he learns the truth? That you're constantly searching for a way out? The path of least resistance?

[Darin fixates his glare on "himself," his green eyes burning with a wild fire. There is no more banter here. No witty retort, no snappy comebacks. He's done with all of that. Done with feeling sorry for himself. Done letting the people he cares about get roped into his messed up world, his impossible problems.]

[His muscles tense and he swallows the lump in his throat.]


Path of least resistance...? Never...

If you really were me...you'd know...

[He slams his foot into the stone, shattering it and gives a mighty yank on the chain, pulling his shadow towards the inevitable confrontation that Darin's spent almost his entire life trying to avoid.]

YOU'D KNOW THAT I LIVE FOR A CHALLENGE!!

THEN LET'S PUT THIS TO BED, SHALL WE?!

[The two collide with an almost impossible impact, each leading with a right straight that snaps both of their heads back in a thundering cross counter. Undeterred, the both begin exchanging earth shattering blows. They part for a moment, flipping away. Darin retrieves his black dao while his shadow molds one from the debris of the arena, and in a flash they meet once more. The ringing of metal on metal as the two of them expertly slash and parry is constant, like a wind chime caught in a squall. Sparks fly as glancing blows are deflected off of bracers, and the two literal mirror images are seemingly locked in a stalemate. Gashes open up on both of the figures, blood and black tar spraying in a wide ring around the combatants. The battle rages, but it's clear that only one of the two is beginning to slow. Cracked bones and deep cuts make his body sluggish and Darin's shadow lands a massive heel to his chest, sending Darin rocketing back in a heap as dust kicks up from the blast.]

[Slowly, Darin struggles to his feet, blood and sweat streaming down his body. His breathing is ragged...and slowly he sheathes his dao at his back, his shadow raising an eyebrow at the curious move.]


Surrendering...? A shame. I was just starting to work up a sweat.
Edited 2017-07-17 07:42 (UTC)