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

[shadowblends]

Guilt slams his chest like a freight train, making the breath he'd inhaled moments ago release in an almost pained hiss. Was this ... was this partially his fault? Had he done something to make Kavinsky (because he's ninety-nine percent sure that it's not Ronan) angry enough to set a demon upon them?

"Special," he repeats, letting the remainder of the answer sink in.

Nightcrawler scoffs with indignation, pausing in his movements alongside his counter-part, eyebrows knitting together in a mix of confusion and frustration. Should he let his emotions get the better of him at this time, he's sure it will come back to bite not only him, but the people he cares about, too. "They do, ja, and I'm not exactly an exception. I'm just—" Just what? "Used to enduring." Which, come to think of it, has made him far stronger than he'd ever realized.

[pillz]

"Special," agrees the other, black-eyed boy. He notices something's wrong when Kurt answers that way, but there's just a fleeting concern on his face. He doesn't pry. He isn't, of course, brave that way. Instead, he distracts himself by swinging his tail, prodding at some stuff nearby. Something like a dandelion clock, newly sprung from the recently thawed earth. The planets' way of telling them that life continues.

He looks up when Kurt tries to deny the truth of himself. And smiles a little, his sharp teeth peeking out through blue lips. He doesn't say, I knew you would say that, but he might as well have.

"You can endure, but the others will have to fight. You'll be able to help them, won't you? Will you tell them?"

[shadowblends]

Something Kurt's thankful for, honestly. There are too many emotions and jumbling thoughts for him to focus on a singular thing right now. Until his shadow begins asking a series of questions. (At least it's not in rapid succession!)

"Hold on," he insists, raising a hand for emphasis, although golden irises fleetingly glance toward that other tail before returning to those inky eyes. "Tell them what? The only thing I know at the moment is that I have 'resilience' on my side."

Unless, of course, his virtue's all that he needs. "Or is that it? I'm confused." Another pause, "I must admit, I'm feeling bewildered by this whole situation." He doesn't want to end up with another slaver planet incident on his plate and add more weight to that Catholic guilt of his.

[pillz]

"Their weakness must be unlocked," dark Kurt says, his whiteless eyes drifting again. A small group of Savrii appear around the bend and he flicks his tail a little, uneasily, and there's a tension to his scarred frame, like he's about to teleport. But he resists the urge. "Virtue must overcome vice. You must make them believe this, even though there are-- I think there are many skeptics." Faith doesn't come as easily to many of the former Moirans and their successors as it does Kurt.

But his doppelganger understands. "Your virtue is resilience. Matthew Lynch's is courage, in the face of fear. For J, there is forgiveness over resentment. For Bryan, devotion." He crosses his arms over his chest, but it only makes him look smaller, his shoulders hunkering slightly. He gives the true Kurt a ghost of a smile. "Each will have to make a sacrifice, either a memory where they did this thing, or they have to do it here and now. They have to let go of anger, resentment, grief, or fear."

A beat.

"It's not going to be easy, but you can persuade them."