⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 1

[ringleaders]

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.

Comments

[whattaprick]

That's the one.

[ Lambert's planning on buying them both something, anyway, so how much money she's got or not is moot, but with her acceptance of the offer he begins to head off in that direction, assuming she'll keep up. ]

[steadydollypegs]

Ah! I like that place-- nice music on Friday nights! [She smiles as they walk, clearly comfortable walking next to what seems like a friendly stranger.]

'M Doll, by the way.

[whattaprick]

[ Friendly isn't the word Lambert would use to describe himself, but compared to being turned out on her ear... ]

Yeah? Can't say I've ever heard it, myself. But I've only been in Portland a couple of years so I haven't seen everything around here. [ Is what he'll go with, brow furrowing slightly. But considering she's introduced herself ... ] I'm Lambert.

[steadydollypegs]

[Doll could be friends with a park bench.]

Ahh. I've been here as long as I c'n remember! [Kind of odd that she has a Cockney accent then, but it isn't something that snags in her brain for whatever reason. It's just the way she talks, plain and simple.] Spend a lotta time wanderin' 'round as you prob'ly suspected. I know a lot of things about this city! [And she sounds rather proud of it too.]

It's nice to meetcha, Mister Lambert.

[whattaprick]

Likewise. [ How weird is it that someone born and raised in Portland would be speaking with such a distinctly non-Portland accent? Really less weird than it would immediately seem, if you assume the accent's put-on -- Portland has weirder -- but it does make Lambert wonder if she's not just the homeless girl she appears.

Then again, not a lot of things in this city are what they seem. He'll just have to hope this wasn't a terrible mistake. Although, if she says she knows a lot of things... ]

... Wouldn't happen to know anything about those posters around the city, would you?

[steadydollypegs]

[In truth she isn't just the homeless girl she appears to be, but she wishes she was. She'd never asked to be a warlock, she'd just begged for her life and there were consequences attached to that. Doll honestly envied the warlocks who could blindly throw themselves at more powerful beings and not think about the consequences. Being that oblivious was probably pretty peaceful, probably made things a lot easier. But Doll had to continue to punish herself for not refusing to contract with Knotley and bleeding out on the floor, because clearly that had been a major mistake.]

[It's not all bad though. A nice man is walking her to a food truck.]

'The Animal Fair'? Seems like some weird installation art, yeah? Maybe a performance? [Doll shrugs.] Was gonna go check it out on the seventh maybe, if I got the time. Just t'see what it is.

[whattaprick]

Maybe. [ Lambert sounds dubious about that. It would be nice if there was all there was to it, but... in any case, they've arrived at the food truck in the time it's taken them to chat, and he falls in line, waving at the menu. ]

Let me know what you want. I'll pick up the tab this time.

[steadydollypegs]

Huh? [Doll looks up at him incredulously. It's nice of him to offer, and while Doll is eager to accept and save her hard-earned cash for her next meal, she doesn't want to seem too eager to freeload. She's making it alright on her own, after all.]

Alright-- then I'll get it next time. [She says it with the utmost confidence that she will in fact get him back sometime soon.] ...can I have the beef pad thai? Maybe with some extra rice?