⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 2

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 7st - 14th, 2017
Where: Portland area, in the new reality.
What: The week begins as the time of the Animal Fair finally arrives! Meanwhile, the truth of this reality starts to be revealed, and forces both human and celestial alike attempt to take advantage of a rare opportunity.
Warnings: Individually marked!

BY ANY OTHER NAME↴ Tensions thicken as various supernaturally forces react to the events of the previous week. Something critical is afoot, and it's only a matter of time before things start coming to a head. It's time to find out more about what's happened to this world, and what will happen in its future. ► A NIGHT AT THE FAIR: From the night of the 7th to the morning of the 8th, the Animal Fair is officially in town. There is a top level down below with more information, though you can also RP content from this elsewhere if you wish. The host, who is very likely something called a Wyld Fae (if you discovered that ICly), will be present, but they will only be appearing to you of their own accord and attempting to track them down by force will be ineffective. Just kick back and relax! Fairs are supposed to be fun. ► THORNS IN YOUR SIDE: Culminating in a full fledged attack against the Sanctuary, it would seem that The Rose Queen is declaring war on the changeling population of Portland. Though the vicious attack of thorns against the safe house was eventually stopped, it wasn't without damage, and the black roses that caused it are still popping up around the city and threatening the places where homeless and lost changelings would be likely to congregate. It's obvious now that this is a serious threat - will it ever stop without an intervention? ► HELL ON EARTH: As Anath's march draws near, the first waves of her demons will be entering the city. Primarily acting as scouts and foot soldiers, these demons will be attempting to secure loyalty from the local demon populace, as well as taking out any angels they can manage to catch. It's a level of aggressiveness against heaven's forces that hasn't been seen for years, and it's a foreboding hint of things to come. These demons can be NPCed by anyone, and will mostly be thugs or manipulators who don't know much about Anath's plans but do know that you need to join their side. They are also rowdier than most of the demons in Portland, and are a threat to the innocent mortal populace as well, if they decide to try to get their kicks here. ► THE WIZARD POLICE: The Enlightenment Council seems to have demanded control of the local Circle chapter, and now backup has arrived. These mages are being sent out into the city as if they are a police force, and will be attempting to demand control of various common supernatural areas, as well as questioning community members that they run into. Whatever is going on, it seems to have resulted in the Council instituting what is essentially martial law... of course, not everyone sees any need to heed their demands. If you are a demon, warlock, or other rogue element, expect to be harassed or even attacked by them. These character can be NPCed, and if you need additional information you can ask the mods.

Comments

[npcarnival]

Goodberry was definitely one of the cats mauling Childermass earlier on, and that exact cat is curling curled in a fae arms and looking very smug as the Beast approaches the changeling, sometime after he's stopped flitting about. She much prefers that things be done on her schedule. You can't expect to have her audience whenever you want it.

As opposed to the shadowy blur of glamour that she was bearing out and out, her true form (?) is much more obvious now. Black and glowing green patterns across her body, with wings that strike with the appearance of both feathers and scales. She's also quite naked, though its sort of hard to spot any of the details with the current form of her body.

The Beast sets Goodberry on the ground, who runs over to sniff Childermass curiously. The fae grins, revealing sharp rows of fangs.

"Goodberry told me you'd arrived."

[atouts]

It's at some point where he's stopped to rest on a thankfully not moving tree to doze a bit when she appears, waking the drooping crow up immediately. He had almost given up, actually, seeing how the host didn't seem to be playing the role as well as he's used to when it comes to mortals or the other courts. It's the wings that distract him at first, something vaguely familiar.

Has he seen wings like that before? No. He's not sure. He has more important things to think about right now than that, in any case, so instead of dwelling he hops out of the tree, wings opening so he can fly down and land and give Goodberry a moment to sniff at him. So long as the cat doesn't try to bat him around again...

But Childermass won't stay as a crow for much longer. Goodberry will have to be satisfied to direct further sniffing to his shoes. He changes his form in the blink of an eye, from bird to man, and once he does, he offers the Beast a polite nod. If he's otherwise bothered by her appearance, there's no sign. If anything, he's far too used to the fae appearing as just about anything and with or without clothes doesn't make much difference.

"After trying to escape with some of my feathers," he adds a little grumpily. Cats, why is it always cats? "I am afraid that I am here to deliver a message, though I suspect you were expecting that already."

If not from him, then some other hapless changeling messenger.

[npcarnival]

The fae leans back onto an oversized gnarl of earthy root, settling in to listen. Whether or not she actually knows what he's going to say is hard to tell, and she's not really giving him any clues.

"Was I?" she asks. She pauses for a moment or two, and then nods. "Go on."

[atouts]

Threats are pretty much the preferred method of communication between faeries, as far as Childermass is concerned, so it's no real shocker there. That in mind, he'll just get on with it, no dressing the Queen's curt words up in anything. He does manage to sound bored about the entire ordeal, though, in spite of how he actually feels (wary, nervous, but not outright afraid as he had been at the cafe).

"The Rose Queen finds your Animal Fair unacceptable and claims she will see you exterminated should you refuse to leave on your own accord."

[npcarnival]

The Wyld Fae listens patiently, her eyes gleaming with some kind of perceived victory. Oh yes, this will do nicely. Her tail flicks with interest, while Goodberry hops up onto the root with her.

"She fears me," she says. "This is most excellent."

[atouts]

And Childermass just shrugs.

"She was angry, that's all I know," he adds idly. Otherwise, yeah, if the Rose Queen is afraid or not, he wouldn't know, but that bring something Lambert had mentioned earlier back to mind. "Though if she fears you, I would have to wonder why. The Rose Queen is dangerous enough in her own right."

[npcarnival]

"It is because I'm formidable," she explains, like this is just casual fact. "I have killed her kind before. I will kill them again."

She grins.

"Have I mentioned that you should find a different employer?"

[atouts]

"Like the Winter's Claw?" Childermass asks, definitely not at all broken up about the rumor of Winter Court fae dying, that's for sure. "Well, I'd certainly be stuck finding a new one should I suddenly find myself down one queen."

Something he wouldn't be all that borken up about, either.

[npcarnival]

The Wyld Fae looks delighted, like one does when they understand an esoteric reference.

"Yes! Like the Winter's Claw! I didn't think word would travel so far. Is it because you have the Winter's blood in you?"

It's amusing to her that a clearly Winter changeling is working for Summer. She enjoys when lines blur like that.

[atouts]

"Just a rumor in passing," he answers vaguely, adamantly avoiding agreeing that anything at all has to do with Winter's blood in him. Mostly, that just gets him to wrinkle his nose in disdain. "Can't say I'm on good enough speaking terms with Winter to hear it from them."

[npcarnival]

She laughs at that, which is probably rude. She doesn't seem to notice. She finished off with a satisfied sigh.

"You ran from one cage to another."

[atouts]

Okay, that's one way to ruffle his feathers. Literally, even, seeing how they tend to puff up some when irritated.

"I didn't—" But it's the truth, isn't it? He scowls. "At least this cage is the size of a city."

[npcarnival]

That's so cute. She is delighted.

"Consider, then... a cage the side of this entire world. In fact, the same cage I live in, myself. You're the Crow's son, aren't you?"

[atouts]

"I am," is his answer. Not something he can really hide, not with all these damn feathers. "And while it's a nice thought to consider, there are two faeries between me and that kind of freedom. If you already know who my father is, you should have already known that, too."

[npcarnival]

"I do," she says. "However, with your aid... I could make at least one of them not your problem anymore." She grins toothily. "What do you think of that?"

[atouts]

Unsurprisingly, this is the conversation he had come to the Animal Fair half hoping for, ever since he'd been told about the Winter's Claw. If the Beast truly is that dangerous to the other fae—

"I would say I think it depends on what kind of aid you're expecting from me."

[npcarnival]

"You could get me into her domain," she says, simply, looking at her claws. "She trusts you, does she not?"

[atouts]

There's a drawn out silence from Childermass as he considers how to answer that. He leans back on a heel, looking away, across the rest of the fair for a moment.

"Trust isn't a word I would use, but yes, I could," he admits that much, looking back again. "But you need to realize she's what's keeping the Count at bay."

[npcarnival]

"And if I destroy her," she says simply, "then I'll be the one keeping the Count at bay. The fae here are not prepared for my ferocity."

[atouts]

Good. That's what he needed to hear. True, the Beast could still fail and then both the Rose Queen and the Count would be after him (assuming he survived at all), but some risks are worth taking.

"In that case, I believe we should be able to work something out."

[npcarnival]

Her lazy posture will take a turn at that, tightening with interest as he expresses his willingness to work with her. It isn't malicious in nature, but it's filled with intent - she can see a beautiful future in bringing down monarchs together.

"Excellent," she says. "Where shall we begin?"

[atouts]

"Preparation," he answers, very matter-of-fact about it. "Let's find somewhere quieter to discuss this. I can tell you about her realm and what she's capable of, then we can talk about the best route in."

Whatever that might be. Through the hedge, some bush, some garden. Maybe find something to bait the Queen out into the open. Who knows?