⇨ 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

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[atouts]

This kid again. Childermass has his own problems — a mage demanding poisonous plants and other things, the Rose Queen demanding he deal with an unknown faerie, things — and catching Allen harassing people isn't one he wants to deal with today. He should just keep walking, ignore him and the fear of exposure he's threatening some poor plant-based changeling with, but there's just something utterly frustrating about it.

Don't these people have a right to privacy? A right to tell someone to get lost, leave them be? After everything else they've been through? So Allen is about to find the older, taller Winter changeling stepping in before he has the chance to finish raising his voice to announce what they are, a hand snapping out to grab for the boy's collar and drag him roughly around to face him instead should he get it.

Of course, the other changeling — being an escapee from the Rose Queen no doubt, if the flowers sprouting from their hair tells him anything — will immediately lurch back in horror at the arrival of tall, dark, and crow-like. It's not a secret among the other changeling that he still works for the Queen, but he isn't here to drag anyone off back to her gardens. Not this time.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? This? You're still doing this? When has this ever worked for you?"

He says it in a low growl, pitched so only Allen and the poor flowery changeling nearby can hear.

[showmystar]

Allen's collar is easily grabbed, and he quickly finds himself face-to-face with the sourest face he's seen all day. He does his best to match it.

His first instinct is to stick out his chest, stand on his toes, and defend his methods. It's a childish impulse, and he kicks it down his throat and into his gut. He forces his scowl to transform from pissed to fairly unaffected, but it's clear that last line got to him.

No, this has never worked for him. More often than not, it gets him beat up. But dammit, he's desperate, and with a war probably brewing, he's got to try something.

The flowery changeling is fearfully backing up from the display, planning to make a break for it, but Allen's attention is on Childermass.

"It nets me some allies. Got your attention, didn't it?" Allen spreads his arms wide -- if Childermass' grip is still on his collar, he's not struggling. "What would you recommend I do?"

[atouts]

And Childermass is more than happy (well, not really, not truly) to keep on holding Allen's attention so the other changeling can slip away unaccosted. He isn't here to grab and drag changelings back to the Rose Queen's court, not today, hopefully not tomorrow, preferably never again, but he knows that's too much to hope for. That, however, isn't the topic here.

"I'm not your ally," he growls back, shoving Allen away again by his collar once he's noted the flowery dude making his less than daring escape. It's only then that he'll let go. "And I recommend you let people decline in peace. Just because the Rose Queen doesn't have you on her radar doesn't mean there aren't things lurking nearby, listening, keeping an eye out. You really want allies? How about you don't put their lives in danger from the get go?"

[showmystar]

Allen stumbles back, and it takes him a moment to regain his bearings. By the time Childermass is quite done, Allen is readjusting the collar of his jacket irritably.

"The fear works to motivate them, I think. I'm not trying to make friends," Allen responds, brows drawn together, confused as to why anyone might want such a thing and concerned Childermass isn't aware friends are a terrible idea. Are they going to need to have a talk? "But we're not going to change the way things are around here if we don't all work together."

[atouts]

"Then your so-called order is never going to amount to anything," is the answer Childermass has for that, looking down his nose at Allen and scowling the whole while. "You'll be no better than the faerie courts, acting like that. Having people do your bidding through fear alone and, worse, you've no way to actually force them to stick around like they do."

So useless, basically, at least in his own mind. Although the outlook Allen has isn't a big surprise. It's typical of Winter Court the most of all, recruiting and ruling through fear and strength alone.