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

[shiro2hero]

"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."

[beautifulspaceraptor]

"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.

[shiro2hero]

"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."

[beautifulspaceraptor]

"It's really no problem at all. Besides." Leaning forwards slightly, he peels the glove off of his mech arm and rolls the sleeve up. "I'm more than a little bit sympathetic on that front."

Examining the holographic paint job he'd given the arm this month, he casts Shiro sideways look.

"I lost mine to the resurrection procedure back on the Moira after the Monolith incident." The tone is musing and soft. "What about you?"

[shiro2hero]

Given he's piloting, he can only really glance to the side at the display. And then glance again. Right -- the reason Nihlus had been struggling with the plant, the first time they met.

"I... am impressed you've got it so well in hand." A beat, and then, "No actual joke meant that time. It's true."

What about you?

He focuses on the road. Hard. On the passing cars. The lights going by. So he doesn't have to see lights overhead and hear alien voices and feel pricks like knives under his skin.

"I don't know." He swallows. "I'm sorry. That it happened to you."

[beautifulspaceraptor]

The not-a-joke gets a soft chuckle in response, the sound trailing off into soft silence, the low hum of the shuttle's power plant. There are eyes on Shiro, watching him, watching his grip tightening on the controls. The strange, haunted distance in his gaze.

"Nothing for it," Nihlus murmurs and there's a strange- something in his tones now, velvety and dark. "What's happened has happened. All that's left now is enduring."

Leaning back, he peers out the window once more, the stripes of his face glowing strangely in light spilling into the backseat.

"Take a right here."

[shiro2hero]

His jaw works, but no real answer comes. Isn't that what he's done so far? All he's done so far? Just live through? Just endure?

"Right."

Whether he's agreeing with the statement, or the direction is anyone's guess. He keeps his eyes on the road. Keeps whatever's bouncing around in his brain as contained as he possibly can.

"Sorry, I... think I'm tired."

[beautifulspaceraptor]

"You certainly look it, friend." As the shuttle pulls up into a dark alleyway, Nihlus sighs quietly and sits up with a slow stretch, turning his attention back to the human. "When was the last time you rested, Shiro? Really... really rested?"

He lets that question sink in for a beat before moving, unclipping his seat belt and flipping his TAB out of his coat pocket. A little 'ping!' rings out from the gloom, the notification of a payment being sent, and then the ruffle of thick fabric over leather.

There's a hand sliding under Shiro's chin, cupping his jaw, gently turning his head so that Nihlus could lean in- and press warm mouth plates against his lips. Barely a touch, barely a whisper of pressure.

"Thank you," he murmurs, pulling back slightly. "For the ride."

[shiro2hero]

It's more than a little strange to pull up and let someone off in a literal dark alley. But there could be a door down there he can't see. Some walkway to an apartment or something. He doesn't know -- this isn't an area he's that familiar with, after all.

"That time I was in the hospital, probably." He says it lightly, like it's meant to be a joke, but even his own particular dark humor can't quite make it come out right. It had been months ago, after all.

He's reaching over to undo the door locks. The sound of shifting around barely registering -- after all, they're at the stop. Why wouldn't it happen?

And ... then...

And then what in the name of -- His brain just locks up. Like a blue screen on a computer terminal. It doesn't take a genius to figure out what that was meant to be, but still. What. Why? He's left staring at the turian, trying to figure out how to reply and, for all his leadership qualities, all his speeches, nothing seems to want to come out.

"Uh."

Because that's clearly the most intelligent response. "... okay?"

[beautifulspaceraptor]

"If you'd like to." There's so little space between them that Nihlus' mouth brushes against Shiro with every warm, golden basso-lined word. "You can come up and relax in a place that isn't the hospital."

'Relax', of course, being emphasized with a playful velvet purr that suggested a whole host of activities to the contrary. The Spectre is eying at him like he's the juiciest cherry atop a high pile of whipped cream on a Sunday, a single claw idly toying with the neck of the other man's shirt.

"My roommates are out for the rest of the night," and he's leaning in for another kiss now. "We'd have the place to ourselves."

[shiro2hero]

His brain is struggling to reboot. This is new territory. This is where no man, alien, or woman has gone before. That he can remember, at least. Maybe there was? Why is he thinking this?

"I... don't think that's a good idea..."

He can sort out what in the world his brain is doing later. Much later. He leans back -- as much as he can given the seat behind him. Holding up his hands in an attempt to let this guy down easy.

Maybe Nihlus is drunk.

"As much as I appreciate it... You probably need the sleep more than I do."

[beautifulspaceraptor]

Shiro is leaning away and Nihlus follows, planting a hand on his thigh- right up until the man holds his own hands up between them.

For a split second, there's a strange... sharpness in his eyes. Something dangerous. Something hungry. A dissonance, a skip in the record, sudden and out of place.

It vanishes as quickly as it comes though and Shiro gets to feel Nihlus' breath against his palms as he puffs a sigh, expression almost pouty.

"You know Shiro, sometimes people just think you're pretty damn hot."

There's a smile behind the fingers. Pulling away, the Turian leans back to do a quick check of all his items before clicking the door open. He casts the other one last little look before sliding out of his seat.

"If you change your mind, you know my address now."

A wink. And then the shuttle door slides shut once more. Through the glass, Shiro will hear a cheerful humming as Nihlus walks away, disappearing into the cold night.

[shiro2hero]

He actually moves his leg. Like that's going to somehow dissuade his apparent new admirer somehow. They've had about three conversations before this. Something is wrong, clearly, painfully wrong. His right hand flexes -- he doesn't want to activate it if he doesn't have to. If this is really just the agent being drunk.

Or ... whatever else his species can be.

But it ends up not being necessary. He's relieved. The last thing he wants to do is hurt someone he doesn't have to.

The relief lasts all of three seconds, though. Because that comment abruptly makes his brain shut down again, trying to gather up some kind of reply and not let his face get hot. The latter of which ends up happening whether he wants it or not.

"I should... go."

Is all the intelligence he manages to piece together before the door closes. Time to go home.

Because surely that's the weirdest thing that's going to happen tonight.