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

[businessinfront]

That's not what I meant!

[ But there's a pang of guilt anyway, along with a sting of shame that he usually never lets himself feel. The rest of the world can think what they want, but Shiro—

Keith lets himself be cornered by Shiro the way he never would with anyone else. He's thrown punches over less than what he's saying... but coming from Shiro, it takes all the fight right out of him. ]

Shiro— come on. [ Please. ] You don't really think I want to replace you.

[shiro2hero]

Then use your words.

[It comes out sing-song, the shadow all but laughing into it. Teeth bared, taking a step or two closer. The kid isn't fighting back at all. It's amazing. It's almost too easy.]

No? Why wouldn't you? I mean... isn't this everything you ever wanted?

[It gestures at the copied form its wearing, sunglasses and all. This is too perfect. Somewhere, it knows, the real version of the aforementioned Black Paladin is probably screaming. And that makes it all the more wonderful.]

Don't you want to be a hero?

[businessinfront]

[ The mocking tone jabs at something deep in him. He's being pulled in two directions: the one person who matters most in the universe, looking him in the eye and treating everything Keith feels about him like it's nothing. Dragging Keith's own flaws out into the light was one thing, but this is different. And whatever's wrong with Shiro, Keith can't just sit back and let him talk like that.

Keith's chin lifts, something hardening behind his eyes. He's still wary, still hurting, but now he's on the defensive. ]

Yeah. I wanna be like you. You know, the kind of guy who doesn't just give up on people.

[shiro2hero]

You ever think maybe he should? Maybe he's better off not caring about you shits?

[It prowls forward again another few steps. Though the cadence of its voice changes. Talking louder. As if it's no longer speaking directly to him.]

[Once it has him backed close into a corner, that changes more clearly. No longer even paying attention to Keith. Just calling out to someone else entirely.]

Look at him, though! Look at this! All this talk and he's still on your team! What the hell did you ever do to deserve this kid?

Sure wasn't anything you did in the Arena, that's for damn sure.

[It laughs again, and lets its attention fall back to Keith. Smile lolling sideways.] All right, then. Look me in the eye and say that, why don't you?

[businessinfront]

[ Things seem to move almost in slow motion, Keith's confusion growing and growing until things finally snap into perfect clarity. Whatever's in front of him looks like Shiro, maybe it even is Shiro, but that isn't Shiro talking. Something's treating his friend like a weapon.

Which is all the permission Keith needs. ]

I'll do better than that.

[ And Keith headbutts him right in his stupid sunglasses with a crack that hurts in the most satisfying way. ]

[shiro2hero]

[Needless to say, wherever he is right now, the real Shiro is cheering. The shadow never saw that coming. It had been all set for the grand reveal. To whisk off the sunglasses and terrify the kid further.]

[Except then its face pretty much explodes.]

[Fake cartilage crunches like the real thing, and black ooze practically fountains out from its nose. The sunglasses drop, cracked in half, to the ground, exposing blackened eyes the same color as the stuff dripping to the floor.]

[And it snarls.]

Better? You call that better? I'm still standing.

[All the warning it gives before it just plain launches itself at Keith, metal fingers extended toward him.]

He'll watch you die all because of your stupid loyalty!

[businessinfront]

[ Well, that's not what Keith had expected. He can fight like it's what he was born for, but the sight of all that black pouring out of Shiro-not-Shiro's face makes him stumble for a moment. It's like something out of a nightmare — but the pain in his forehead is sharp and real and grounding. He's grateful for that, because it means he's still focused enough to scramble out of the way, just barely. ]

What are you and where's Shiro?

[shiro2hero]

[It hits the wall -- getting those metal fingers embedded in it for a few moments too long. Snarling and spitting the whole while. Pushing against the wall as black goo drips all over the floor.]

[Eating holes in it with quiet, angry hisses.]

Hopefully? Dying. Dead. I don't care! Why should you!

[businessinfront]

[ It's enough time for Keith to pull out his knife. He needs to act fast, and he needs this thing to talk if he's going to find Shiro. If this thing's even telling the truth. He's aware that Shiro has a size and strength advantage over him, and now there's that caustic black stuff to worry about; he should be careful.

Keith isn't careful. He's furious, every jagged, painful, weak crack in him filling up with raw anger.

The Shiro-shaped monster struggles with its metal arm in the wall, and Keith moves quick as a flash to press his blade against its back, only pressure, but unmistakable pressure right where vital organs would be on a person made of flesh and blood. ]

You got one thing right: I'm no hero. You wanna find out all the ways I'm not like him?!

[ It's only as he says it out loud that he realizes he isn't bluffing. Something feral and terrifying stirs in Keith's chest, and his grip tightens on the hilt of the blade. This thing could kill him if he's miscalculated. If he hesitates. ]

Talk.

[shiro2hero]

[Somewhere, there is a panicked man feeling very, very proud of Keith at this moment in time.]

[That is not here, however. Because here is a shadow. Here there is a desperate creature sensing its plan is starting to crumble apart. But it isn't finished. It hasn't broken them all and made its target watch.]

[It doesn't talk. It just starts laughing. It isn't real humor. It's something low, garbled. Like someone raking fingers across rusted metal. Shoulders twitch, but it doesn't struggle. Not yet.]

Go ahead. Go ahead and stab him in the back. He's watching, you know.

[It takes a step backward. Forcefully and sudden. Into the knife. And when it screams, purposefully, the voice is back to a mimic of Shiro's again.]

You... get to lead a lot sooner than you thought, kiddo.

[businessinfront]

[ Keith had figured that not-Shiro would have enough self preservation to either talk or try fighting back. He's already staggering back in surprise at the sudden sick feeling of this thing walking into the knife, but hearing Shiro's voice, this thing actually sounding like Shiro for a moment, is enough to make his grip weaken, his fingers faltering on the handle. ]

No—

[ He's watching. If this thing's telling the truth, then Shiro needs his help. And he can think whatever he wants to of Keith for this afterward; Keith can handle it, as long as he's alive. ]

You don't even deserve to use his voice!

[ And to hell with it — Keith shoves his whole weight forward. ]

KICKS FEET EVERYTHING IS AWFUL

[shiro2hero]

[It can feel it. The moment that grip falters. The moment the pressure against its mimicked spine is lessened. And that's when it shoves harder against him. Pushes back against the blade and the young man holding it. In an attempt to both drive the knife back against its wielder and knock Keith off balance.]

[To finish this. The ultimate suffering.]

[The worst thing I lived through was not saving someone.]

No? You don't have a choice. You've never had a choice -- and good luck taking up my place.

[It shoves one more time, but so does Keith. Sending the knife biting through shadow flesh and black bone. It goes rigid. There's a wet, snapping sound as its legs go out from under it. Collapsing into thick puddles of black ooze. While hands grasp at the wall, flailing frantically for anything, any hold.]

[For Keith's arm.]

[Even if it does take hold, the damage is extensive. It's spent its energy, and it's disintegrating rapidly.]

thanks 4 the pain

[businessinfront]

[ Keith feels like his own legs might go out from under him, too, for an entirely different reason. His world is tipping horribly sideways, and all he can think is a panicked, nonsensical "I'm sorry, Shiro," over and over. He staggers back, recoiling instinctively from the black ooze spreading across the floor, but his footing is just unsteady enough that the shadow has time to grab hold of Keith's arm while it's still solid. ]

you're welcome

[shiro2hero]

[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.]