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

[deal_me_in]

Sure, if you like being a walking tank.

[The Exo shrugs. Obligingly he starts after 76, giving his gun a twirl. Safety in numbers,
huh...]

Been crazy around here, eh? Go figure, you fix something and someone else goes and breaks somethin' else.

[mylawn]

You should meet some of my friends.

[Specifically, the actual walking tank. 76 falls in step next to Cayde, hefting his rifle and nonverbally confirming that yes, this is now an unofficial partnership, at least until any immediate danger has cleared.]

I ain't even sure what this is supposed to be.

[Supernatural bullshit like this is fully out of his pay grade.]

[deal_me_in]

[Chuckling dryly at that, the Exo continues along, shifting his head only minutely as 76 walks alongside him.]

....

[Ever so subtly he allows his steps to slow to allow the Soldier ahead of him as he raises his handcannon towards the man.]

Oh, you have no idea.

[That's the only warning if his slowing steps hadn't been enough of a hint, his finger squeezing off the first of several shots, his other hand poised over the hammer of the handcannon to set it for the next in rapid succession. And if 76 hadn't gotten a good look at the Exo's face before, he might now that "Cayde" has his head up, devoid of the usual glow that would mark his eyes and the interior of his mouth.]

[mylawn]

[76 would be a poor excuse for a super soldier if he didn't have his wits about him at all times, but he has to admit this was pretty convincing. Perhaps a little unsurprising, in hindsight--he's never this lucky, and of course something like this would happen as soon as he found safety in numbers.

He's already a few steps ahead when he hears the telltale sound of someone readying a weapon, and it only takes him a split second to spring into action. 76 hits the ground running, aiming to avoid gunfire until he's in a position to pivot and return some of is own.

It only takes a few seconds. There's gunfire at his heels, but soon enough 76 is turning on the spot, raising his rifle and unleashing a volley of pulse rounds in return.]

[deal_me_in]

[The shadow of the Exo laughs, dancing aside even as he makes to reload his weapon- probably unnecessary, but it's all part of the show, and he's a copy after all.]

You are a sharp one! That ain't gonna work, though.

[Again he opens fire, dark bursts flaring as he moves forward after 76 to keep the man in range.]

[mylawn]

[Without the real person upon which the shadow is based, 76 can do very little but try and buy time--or maybe buy himself an escape. He's faced off with Cayde before, but it was during a friendly spar, and there's no guarantee his shadow will act the same way. Forced onto the defensive, he tries to stay one step ahead of the pot-shots, unable to fire his own in return as long as he's trying to keep some distance between them.

And he can, of course, still taunt the thing.]

What makes you say that?

[deal_me_in]

You gotta ask? Seemed like you were already keeping busy before I got here.

[The firing ceases, at least for a brief moment. He even raises his arms as though inviting a clear shot.]

[mylawn]

[76 knows it might be a trap, but if the shadow is just going to leave itself open, he'd be hard-pressed not to take the opportunity. He doesn't provide a verbal answer this time, just seizes the moment and levels his rifle again, firing off a barrage of pulse fire meant to hit the shadow head-on.]

[deal_me_in]

[The shadow actually remains standing where he is, simply taking each hit, even as it rips through his body. Trails of black wisps leak from each gaping hole, each missing limb, and then suddenly an overflow of inky black liquid erupts from them, reforming to replace each part that had been previously blown away.]

Hoo, that smarts!

[It's an eerie echo of what the Exo had proclaimed when he and 76 had that friendly match, but there's nothing good-natured about it. Rolling his neck and shoulders, the shadow gives a twirl of his handcannon.]

Don't even need a Ghost to bring me back. -'kay, my turn!

[Lifting his weapon, the shadow's form burst into dark flames that engulf his entire body. He drops his gun down into firing position, each shot he squeezes off trailing those same dark flames, each impact exploding the same way with greater impact than the normal shots made.]

[mylawn]

Yeah, that’s the idea.

[He’s seen the way these things re-form, but it’s no less unsettling each time. 76 finds himself wondering if there’s any real way to put them down for more than a few seconds. Maybe if he damages it faster than it can repair itself…

Not that he really has time to execute such a maneuver, because he has to start running again, the strange gunfire hot on his heels. By now, he’s mostly given up the idea of putting up a legitimate fight against this thing, which means the only other option is to run.

He’s not certain the shadow is going to like that, but his intention is clear as he turns tail, rounding the corner at the end of the block.]

[deal_me_in]

[The shadow Exo unleashes several fiery blasts, missing his target as 76 takes off running. If he were to glance back, he'd see that the black flames that had earlier encircled the shadow's form have dissipated.]

Aw, where you going!

[There's an edge to that sarcastic tone, and regular shots follow it up, ceasing only once he's lost sight of 76. There's footsteps to follow, however, meaning that the shadow intends to pursue, even though the man's got a good head start.]

[mylawn]

[Away from here, is the answer, but 76 isn't going to stop to give it any opportunity to catch up. He presses onward, pushing himself into the full extent of his sprint, something an ordinary human couldn't hope to keep up with.

But of course, he imagines that the shadow is not an ordinary human, which means he only has so much of a head start--the sound of something pursuing him is evidence enough of that.

Still, 76 isn't about to let it foil his escape, and as soon as he has the opportunity, he's clambering up a fire escape, using his own momentum to ascend it much faster than anyone his age should be able to, disappearing up onto the nearest roof.]

[deal_me_in]

[There's a few gunshots that echo along the alley, discharged out of frustration if not a sore attempt at intimidation. The shadow rounds the corner, cursing as there's no sign of his quarry.

It doesn't seem like he's all that interested in further seeking out 76, or at least, not in putting in the effort. Twirling his gun, he turns, a dark chuckle drifting in his wake as he 'ghost-steps,' vanishing from the street.]