lostcarnival | ⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 1st - 7th, 2017
Where: Portland area, in the new reality.
What: Memories begin returning to the displaced as the fall gets chillier. How the hell did we end up here, again? Also, apparently, the fair is in town.
Warnings: Individually marked!

PORTLAND BY NIGHT↴

Memory regains will come into effect at the beginning of October, to whatever degree you've decided upon, and may be regained at whatever pace you desire from then on. For those with their full carnival memories, it will be like waking up in the body of someone else - for those with half and half, it will be like rapidly recalling sets of memories from a totally different life. Those with full amnesia will simply feel as if this is how it's always been.

Unfortunately for you, memories aren't the only thing you have to deal with. The supernatural community of Portland is bustling all of a sudden - could your presence and these events somehow be related?

► THE OUTER CIRCLE: As of the start of the month, the Portland Circle of Enlightenment will find itself starting to get swarmed with members from other chapters. Most notably, it would seem that a small cabal of top mages from the North American Enlightenment Council will be making their home in Portland's HQ. For anyone but the highest of ranks, the purpose behind their visit will be unclear, but it seems like something is definitely up on a metaphysical level. The Circle will be buzzing with rumours of unique planar activity and threatening omens. It seems that it all started with an unusual flare of activity in the planetary ley-lines, starting approximately a week ago. However, even if you would usually be the type to keep tabs on such things, you will find that you oddly have no memory of observing this phenomenon yourself.

► THE ANIMAL FAIR: Good news, the fair is in town! Or, at least, it would be good news... if this was a regular fair. Instead, what's being observed is a bunch of nearly identical flyers, spread all around Portland - each of which bears only the words "THE ANIMAL FAIR", a seemingly bloody paw-print of unknown origin, and the directions to a vague forested location outside of the city. It's dated for October 7th, and all instances of its posting having been discovered with a scattering of rose petals, crow feathers, and pre-burnt matches laying on the ground around them. Most are taking this to be some kind of bizarre viral marketing campaign, but others may know better.

► THE EARTH SPIRIT: If you have connections to The Pack or any of its many variations, you'll probably hear whispers of something very odd that occurred last week - according to the elders, it sounds as if the Earth Spirit, the magical and spiritual center of the planet, has suddenly taken a wound. It's not clear why or how, but there is a fair bit of concern among spiritual types, as it is werebeast belief and nebulous magical fact that the magical forces within the earth are the source of all magic here, as well as the source of life. While many werebeasts claim to have felt the Spirit succumb, you strangely have no memory of such an event occurring. Though things do feel strange, if you know how to tap into the Spirit yourself.

► THE WAR CRY: Though Anath's rain of terror across North America lasted for the first fifteen years or so of the Severing, most independent demons have had enough time to start taking the arch-demon's relative inactivity for granted. For that first while, the warrior queen had seemed determine to rebuild an army on earth by forcing her scattered brethren into service - only for her to gradually settle down in a fortress somewhere in Texas and dig in her heels. Of course, this was too good to last - it sounds as if she and her demonic legion have begun tearing their way up the west coast, their goals remaining a mystery. Their destination, however, is almost certainly Portland.

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(a: the forested area, anytime: stakeout)

On Pearl's orders, Rita and the other Renegades have been staking out the area indicated by the mysterious posters. They alternate shifts, hanging out in pairs. Their motorbikes are hidden in the brush, with their tracks concealed with magic.

Rita stays hidden while crouched between some bushes, with a fellow Renegade hiding nearby. The atmosphere here makes her uncomfortable in a disturbingly familiar kind of way. She uses a spell to protect herself from magic detection, on top of her glamour, hoping that will be enough to make her seem like a regular human. It won't protect her from people who can physically see through glamours, but they're not who she's worried about.

She'll watch in secrecy if anyone enters the area, and will try to stay hidden... though it's possible that someone may discover her, her partner, or their bikes. Those who enter the forest may feel that they're being watched, may uncover the spell concealing their motorcycle tracks (leading to the bikes), or might just get lucky enough to stumble across them. Weres could also locate them by scent. If found, Rita's prepared to reveal herself and talk... or fight, depending on the other party's approach.

(b: sanctuary, october 3: overgrowth)

Rita was hoping to stop by the Sanctuary for a snack and a nap. The boss has her and the other Renegades working around the clock to investigate this 'Animal Fair' nonsense, and after a long night of investigating, it's time for a break.

But as she approaches the Sanctuary on her motorcycle, it's immediately apparent that something is wrong. Are those... vines? And roses... It definitely brings somebody to mind. This can only be bad news.

Rita parks the bike and hurries over to the door, staring up at the overgrown vines while looking distinctly bothered. She holds a hand over the vines, using a detection spell to try and understand what she's looking at. When she sees someone else nearby (who may also have just got here, or may have been here all along), she shoots them an urgent look. "What happened here?"

(c: wildcard!)

Rita can be found, wearing her Renegade biker jacket, in various places around town. Some people might see her examining the posters on October 2nd, where she'll collect the items scattered with them and use a spell to scan them for magic traces. After that, she'll be busy with her stakeout, but thanks to alternating shifts, can sometimes be seen riding around town with or without the other Renegades, stopping sometimes at convenience stores, cafes, or the Sanctuary for food and rest.

(For reference, Rita's AU info is here.)

Yuya's among those wandering in their scoping grounds with just his phone, backpack, and a poster. That ominous feeling is getting to him, though, and frankly the "being watched" is only getting worse.

He spins around on his heels quickly. "Hey, who's out there?! I know you're hiding!"

It looks like a regular kid. Of course, there's no way to be completely sure... but Rita doubts he's the one behind the posters. She was going to let him be, but to her surprise, he seems to have noticed her. When he calls them out, Rita gestures a quick signal to the other Renegade in hiding, then stands, emerging from the brush. Her partner stays hidden.

"Didn't think you'd notice," Rita says as she steps out into view, idly brushing a twig out of her hair. Her biker jacket identifies her as a Renegade, though only if he's already aware of the gang. She doesn't come too close, stopping with ample space between them and giving him a flat look. "Are you human?"

Yuya turns around to Rita, furrowing his brow. She doesn't look too imposing, at least, but he's still wary if she was watching him.

"Yeah." He scuffs good shoe against the dirt. "Why were you hiding?"

He's sure she's more than just another person wandering the forest... maybe if he knew the Renegades more than just hearing about them he could figure it out.

"Obviously, I was waiting for someone else to show. Someone related to those posters... That's why you're here, right?" Why else would a human come to the middle of nowhere, if not to check out the place advertised on those mysterious posters? It's only natural for people to be curious. Natural, but not exactly wise.

"But you're in over your head. It's dangerous here. Go home, kid." Kid is probably a weird choice of words, considering they're about the same age, and she's actually a bit shorter than him.

Yuya nods, looking down at the crumpled poster in his hands. He wrinkles his nose when she tells him to turn back, though.

He turns his attention back up. "I'll be fine! I know how to handle myself." It couldn't be that different from night wandering the streets, right?

"What about you?"

Rita's eyes narrow in doubt at his response. "I'm with the Renegades. We came prepared for the worst." There is a chance that he won't know who they are, but at the very least, she's saying she's not alone out here.

"And you might be able to handle yourself around other humans, but if my instincts are right, this is on a whole other level." And Rita's instincts do tend to be right... especially when magic is concerned.

"The Renegades... you mean that Fae biker gang? I've never met one of you before!" Most people probably aren't excited to hang out with fairy bikers, but Yuya is not most people.

But he still maintains his focus on the animal fair and looks over his shoulder briefly. "What do you think it is?"

"Uh... well, partly fae, but yeah..." His enthusiasm throws her off. Is that really how someone should be reacting to encountering a biker gang...? Well, whatever. If he's familiar with them, it saves her the time of explaining.

"I haven't been able to find any evidence, but..." Rita also glances around, seemingly apprehensive. "Just being here, I can feel something. It's like being in the presence of a powerful fae." There's probably no harm in telling him that much. Maybe he'll realize how dangerous this is and leave.

"You're changelings?" Unless there's another kind of "part Fae"? He doesn't look remotely bothered either way.

But it is fairy magic, and Yuya's encouraged to have been on the right track there--he didn't have any magic sense himself, but weird stuff and forests meant Fae, right? "So what are you investigating for? Is it a Fae you're looking for?"

"A lot of us are, yeah." Rita shrugs... and after a beat, adds, "You're pretty well-informed, for a human." Most people in the city wouldn't know much about changelings, or at least wouldn't throw out a guess like that so casually.

She looks away as she answers his next question. "Boss's orders. Of course... we all have our own reasons to want to monitor this. If a powerful fae's about to make a move here in the human world... it could be a big problem for us." After all, it could be one of their former masters, here to collect escapees... or something worse.

"I'm not really a normal human... so I've spoken to a few of you." Changelings, of course, not Renegades.

He shrugs, momentarily brushing that explanation off for another question. "It's really all of our world since the Severing, isn't it...? What do you think they'd be doing?"

Not a normal human...? She raises an eyebrow at that. That explains a few things, but it also makes her wonder what he means. Could he be a mage?

"I don't know." That's the only clear answer she can give. "Our only clues are the posters for that 'Animal Fair'... and that tells us a whole lot of nothing." She scoffs. The fae are always vague like that. "All I know is I don't expect anything good to come out of it, and if they're being this brazen in announcing it, they probably have enough power that they don't have to worry about interference. If you don't want to get caught up in something dangerous, you should take my advice and get lost."

Yuya furrows his brow, thoughtful. "If it's really that dangerous, are you going to warn people? They're just outside the city!"

He's never met a really strong fae, but if Rita has such a lot opinion of their behavior, but a high one of their strength... couldn't people get hurt?

Rita frowns. It does seem like a reasonable action to take... but she's not sure about it. "Would anyone believe us? Most people don't even believe in magic. And... we don't exactly have a great reputation around here." Biker gangs tend not to hold a lot of trust with the public. And as a coven, the Renegades are made up of rejects who wouldn't be welcome in most other covens. Rita doubts anyone cares about what they have to say.

Admittedly, Rita hasn't actually tried talking to anyone outside of the Renegades about this. She always had the impression that they were on their own, and couldn't depend on anyone but each other. Well... except for a few individuals, anyway.

"Some people knowing and believing is better than no people knowing. And I'll back you up!" He points to himself, for emphasis. "I don't really have a reputation... but my guardian does! If it's something bad, he can get word out."

"Your guardian? What, is he some kind of big shot?" Rita raises an eyebrow. She doesn't look totally sold on the idea, but she's curious.

"He's a lawyer, but he does a lot of cases with supernatural people. You know, the ones that can't go public. So there has to be someone who would listen to him!" Of course, the other part of that is getting him to listen to Yuya and his changeling friends.

"Didn't know there was anyone like that around here." She looks mildly surprised. Rita only ever heard negative things about the interactions between normal humans and the supernatural. Maybe she didn't really see the full picture...

But in the end, her expression returns to neutral, and she waves a hand. "Well, whatever. Go tell him, or whoever, if you want. I have to stay here and watch for new developments." That, and Rita just doesn't like talking to people more than she needs to.

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

Rita Mordio | OTA

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