⇨ 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

► ANGEL MEETING (OCTOBER 9TH)

[npcarnival]

To anyone expecting an excessively formal presentation of the thing, given the half-angel’s particularly business-like manner of contacting them initially, it turns out that Prudence Jaeger, Hand of God, is very straight forward when you actually interact with her. She will greet the local angels that arrive without much fanfare, simply sitting on the stairs of the church that lead up to the podium and gesturing for them to take their seats on the wooden benches.

Her wings are actually exposed now – a set of white feathery ones, that are purely physical in form, unlike the spirit made ones of full angels. There is an ornate rapier sheathed at her side.

There will probably be some time to bother her before she begins the meeting, if you are so inclined, but she is not the most talkative, and seems somewhat uncomfortable in the presence of so many angels. Still, she will eventually stand up on the stairs and begin telling her tale, after throwing out some protective charms to guard them from observation.

“Thank you for coming,” she will start, a bit uncomfortably. “As I’ve suggested to a few of you... I’ve brought with me some information that could be critical to the angels that are still trapped on Earth. I’m sure you’ve already seen the demons and the fae start to act... the Sanctuary I was staying at this week was already attacked.”

She swallows. “There are... reasons for this, that not many people realize. It’s more than just the standard level of aggression we deal with from their kinds. You’ll notice that all of this is coming from the species most directly affected by ‘the Severing’ – that is, the magical event that cut off communication with Heaven twenty five years ago.

“I’ve never known the specifics of this spell myself... I was only born a short time before it occurred. But I’ve been given information from a trustworthy source, that suggests the magical and spiritual fluctuations of the Earth are due to the spell’s long term effects... that it was set up to run from the energy of the Earth’s spirit, and recent stress has caused it to take more than anyone was expecting.

“It was meant to separate the Earth from extra-planar creatures, and though we’ve never known what this looks like from the outside... it seems like it does something more complicated than simply preventing entry. I believe that there may have been an influx of beings who have very recently arrived from outside the Earth... and that they are walking among us, right now.

“I also have reason to believe that this presence could be the key to dismantling the spell from the inside.”

She will go on to describe the situation in more specifics. It doesn’t sound like she knows much about the magic itself, and is going off of the word of a human mage, but she is under the impression that the Severing spell may be overloaded, and thus currently vulnerable.

A more important question looms. If it is possible to dispel the wards protecting the Earth from outsiders... should it be destroyed? Or is the safety of the Earth from Hell’s forces more important?

Joker / Jaoel

[pipers_son]

A - Pre Meeting

For all the fact that this is an angel meeting, for angels, Joker lands on the front steps of the church with his probably-human-definitely-psychic charge tucked under one arm and a beat up barely conscious embarrassment to demons under his other. Although at least with Sora, he carefully sets him down on his own two feet once they're inside the church- listen, flying was faster and easier than taking a bus, which would have refused them from Psi bleeding everywhere anyway.

Anyone who appears to be even close to giving him a look for this will get a prompt, "Oi, mate, got a problem?"

Otherwise, Joker finds a bench to sit on in the rows of pews, and sets Psi laying down on another where he watches blankly as the demon almost inevitably slithers off of it to collapse in a heap on the ground. After a second of apparently debating if he should bother to exert the energy required to pick him up, Joker just leans back against the bench with his arms spread. He's too damn tired for this.

...And he does look it, for anyone taking a gander. Angels don't technically need to sleep, being the divine messengers and warriors and shit that they are, but Joker looks like he could do with a long nap. Occasionally while he waits for this whole thing to get starter, he grimaces and wipes at his face, trying to stay away. While he's tried to clean it up, there's blood splattered here and there, especially on his shoes and beneath his finger nails. It's clearly different than the blood smeared on him from carting around Psi. Occasionally, something in his eyes or hair or skin almost seems to shimmer- he's two seconds away from giving up on his "polite" human appearance and becoming full on holy warrior.

But it's fine. This is fine.

Meeting Time

When it's clear that Pru has gotten through the majority of the reasons why they're here and what the hell is going on, thus making it Question Time, Joker wearily raises his hand.

"Alright, so this is all well and important, but why do the demons and the Rose Queen give a good-" A pause where he was clearly going to swear and then remembered he's supposed to be a Professional (tm) divine entity. "Why do they care about this spell? What's in it for them if they keep it goin' or destroy it?" He looks around to see if anyone else has a better idea than him.

...After a second, he also nudges Psi with his shoe, but he's not expecting anything there.

we'll start with A

[npcarnival]

Pru stands up in alarm as she sees a demon being drug inside - the human is less notable since she already knew that Joker was a particularly protective guardian. The demon, though?

"What the hell is this?" she asks, gesturing emphatically in the direction of Psi's delirious body.

[pipers_son]

While it's obviously no cause for laughter, Joker still sort of snorts out one in the back of his throat. "What the hell..." He obviously finds it hilarious, in that exhausted way where a lot of things are.

He's had a rough day, let him live.

After a second, however, raking his hand through his hair, he musters up a better answer. "Rudolph, if someone wrote questionable fanfic on if reindeer were demons." He nudges Psi with his boot. "Psi. Demon. Guy I know."

[npcarnival]

She's a little embarrassed to have said that in front of a room of angels, but no matter.

"Okay. Yes. But why did you bring him here?" she asks, no less critical.

after the meeting

[npcarnival]

Pru seems a little confused by his question, pausing for a moment to consider if there's something she's misunderstanding. She tentatively continues.

"...They want to be free. Angels aren't the only ones trapped on Earth... Anath, the arch demon, is raiding the city for that exact purpose. Her lover, Lord Baal, is still in Hell and she wants to return to his army. The Fae... well, the Fae have never been very happy to be on the receiving side of imprisonment."

"They want a way out as much as you do."

It is in this moment that Sora will have a vision.

[destiny_key]

The vision hits Sora like a truck, and it's one of the most intense ones he's ever had. One moment he's listening, and the next, his eyes go out of focus and his hands, previously playing with his necklace, drop limply to his lap. To anyone who hadn't seen it before, it was probably a rather alarming sight, as though, all of a sudden, Sora had turned off.

It's also one of the more violent things he's seen in his visions. He'd seen things before, car crashes, violence, but nothing so... deliberately creepy. The man in the vision, the changeling with the dark feathers, looks familiar, though Sora doesn't remember having ever seen him before, but it's painful to watch this whether he knows the man or not.

It's almost a scene from a horror novel, and when he wakes up, it takes him a moment to groggily readjust to where he is.

[pipers_son]

There are a few thoughts Joker has there on demons and fae nonsense, but it's around that time that he glances at Sora from the corner of his eye and jolts upright. Sorry, everyone- his kid takes all priority, and he immediately scoots close with his hands hovering up just to make sure that Sora doesn't fall over or something. Patiently, nearly holding his breath, he waits until the boy finally starts to come out of it.

"Are ya alright?" he asks. That takes precedence over the details of whatever it was he just saw.

[dorkypantsuit]

Wow fucking rude. If he could stand he'd nudge you with his foot. It's hard for him to focus and his brain is a bit slower than normal, but he can hear what's being said, and he definitely starts to pay more attention as they talk about undoing the spell. Honestly the thought of it makes his blood run cold. He can't really think of a way to explain to Joker, tongue tied as he is, why certain demons are eager for the connection to hell to be forged anew. When hell was first cut off there had been many high ranking demons who lost control of their armies. People deserted their allegiances, or else their leaders were lost, trapped in a world they could no longer reach.

"S' no one to boss... Like a debuff. Serious dicks."

[moonfang]

He waits for a bit, until much of the meeting is over, before bothering the demon that had been dragged in by the guardian angel.

"So. The hell happened to you? You look like you lost a fight," he says, pausing for effect. "Badly."

[dorkypantsuit]

He laughs, and then winces. He's still laying on the floor. Mostly because he just doesn't have the energy to move.

"Three... Lost three times."

[pipers_son]

Oh, hell- Joker glances down at him, leaning over a bit. He think he can understand what Psi is trying to say, but- still.

"Yeah, but it worked out all right for ya until it didn't, huh?" Reaching down, he lightly touches Psi's shoulder. No slapping or patting, just a touch. "Try ta rest, ya mess."

[dorkypantsuit]

He nods, not even really knowing what he's agreeing to aside from just wanting to rest. His whole body aches, from scratches, bruises, or whatever it is that's ailing him. It's almost funny how this used to basically be his normal state of existence, though he'd never had so many injuries all at once before, usually just a few at a time.

"Don't let 'em undo it."

Zangetsu / Marmaroth

[moonfang]

Zangetsu is a little late to the meeting, thought not late enough to miss anything important. He hadn't actually received an invite, after all. But after poking around in Marmaroth's journal and "talking to" (read: threatening) some of Marmaroth's angel "friends", he managed to secure the location and the time of the meeting.

Not that anyone would actually want him there. Marmaroth was an angel that gave all the rest of them a bad name. Smiting at the drop of a hat, spending his evenings drunk at demon bars... Some Holy Warrior he was.

Initially he just listens, his halo and two pairs of wings revealed to give proof of his angelic-ness. Wings and halo both seem to be made of blindingly bright, reddish light, and droplets of liquid light seem to drip from them. Except upwards. Because fuck gravity, right? And his wings are covered in black and gold eyes that roll around apparently at random. He perches on one of the pews, listening with pursed lips.

Once the girl is done talking, he... raises his hand. Like a kid at school. But he doesn't wait to be called on before he starts talking.

"Hi, yeah. Name's Marmaroth. 'Cept it's not," he says, in a much more casual tone than Marmaroth ever uses, "My name is actually Zangetsu and I'm one-a those outsiders you were talkin' about. This isn't my body. And I wanna leave."

[npcarnival]

This is actually pretty alarming, because despite having been aware of the fact that beings from the outside had managed to get in, Pru has really just been assuming that it was some angels or demons that promptly had their memories wiped, or who were hiding for some reason. Someone just straight up saying they're one of the outsiders causes her eyebrows to shoot right up.

"You're... what?" And then something pings her memory. Zangetsu is the one that had written her that absurd letter, under the veil of an angel named Mamaroth. He hadn't even been invited, but...

"You mean you actually came from the outside?"

[osteothropy]

Sans, who has mostly just been sitting with a closed in posture looking sort of agitated since Joker and Psi showed up, suddenly looks over in 'Mamaroth's' direction, his pupils flaring bright. Well, this just solved him one problem... and that was deciding whether or not to say anything about what Nightshade had told him while he was imprisoned in her realm.

"You're what?" he manages to say at the same time as Prudence.

[espigeon]

Iuliael approaches Pru before the meeting starts, but all he does is thank her for inviting him, using almost the same words as another angel who'd done this just before him. The other angel casts a hard look at him for doing so and Iuliael, trying very hard to keep his form static and not sing and very aware that it's not supposed to be this hard, goes and sits by himself in case his presence would make anyone uneasy. In his delight at receiving the message he'd forgotten it would mean being among many other angels.

He can pick up on Prudence's discomfort more easily than he can follow her presentation and watches her with sympathetic eyes. It's hard being different, and she is very young. Of course, she is also actually capable and someone to be respected, so he'd better not tell her they have something in common. He manages to keep up with the gist of what she's saying, more or less. That's a relief.

"But... if outsiders can get in, why hasn't it happened before?" The Dove of God wouldn't make the effort. Circling God's throne and singing is too important to just stop doing. But there are many more angels in Heaven, and some of them love the Earth or things on it.

[npcarnival]

If the other angel notices Iuliael's awkwardness, Pru doesn't seem to register it as notable. To her, most angels are fairly 'exotic' in personality - filled with strange mannerisms and instincts that she doesn't share, because of her human nature. It's not something she feels badly about. It's just... impractical, in situations like this.

Though some of these angels definitely feel more 'down to Earth' than others.

"Maybe because, in the past, it was few enough that no one noticed," she says, offering a helpless gesture. "Or... maybe the only reason whatever is guarding the Earth didn't destroy them this time is the fact that there were so many at once. The spell is strong enough that it's been causing massive fluctuations all over the globe... it's consuming an enormous amount of magical energy to do what it's doing."

"Our only guess is that it was finally pushed further than it could handle."

[espigeon]

"Oh." Not knowing, helpless gestures, yeah he can imagine himself in her place just now.

"So... what happens now?" Iuliael sounds probably more plaintive than he should with a question like that. "Are the hellspawn and the fae trying to break the barrier? Would they have got like this anyway?"

Yugo / "Hugo"

[bananaspeedrider]

Right, being in the company of so many angels shouldn't be too hard. He just needs to zoom in right on time, get a seat and listen intently when Prudence Jaeger starts speaking. Totally impossible for him to make a fool of himself...

...Hugo floats his glorious draconic form up from his chosen seat, none too concerned about outside threats being threats again in favor of the questions he choses to ask-

"How exactly would these 'outsiders' be able to... er- reverse the Severing? And does figuring out who they are have to do with recognizing strangers you've never met?"

If only this angel knew.

"Because there's this kid with the exact same face as when I'm human-looking and I definitely didn't steal his look or anything."

[npcarnival]

She is about to answer his question when he adds the part about a human sharing his face, which is just confusing. She pauses, hesitates, and then decides to just go with answering the first question.

"Much of magic is based on sympathetic connections... joining things with relationships, either emotional or physical. It's important to be able to guide the magic to do what you need, and the best way to do that is to provide it with a path to follow.

"And so... theoretically... if a new arrival still had a strong sympathetic connection to the realms outside of this one, it could be powerful enough to bridge the gap. That, combined with the fact that the ward is already damaged from excessive use."

[bananaspeedrider]

There's a while of Hugo processing that, despite the looks he's likely already getting from some of the more judgemental angels in the room. He settles back to the seat but seems to have some more thoughts still.

"If that guy was from somewhere that's not here..." He ponders aloud while briefly scratching at his head with a claw. "But somehow we're connected, even then?"

Rudolph (if demons were reindeer)

[dorkypantsuit]

It takes basically the whole meeting for him to gain any kind of coherence. He misses all the planning and the questions, but that's fine. There wasn't much he could have contributed anyway. He still looks like a total mess, and he's definitely in some pain, but he's ignoring it as best he can. He tries to focus on something besides the pain instead. All the hot angel booty he's surrounded by for example.

"How you doing?"

[osteothropy]

Sorry, Rudolph, Sans is in no fucking mood. Though the demon's general lack of coherency has probably made him unaware, Sans has been casting Joker and his entourage irritated looks for most of the meeting, only stopping when the exposition of a certain Marmaroth imposter completely throws him off his footing.

He's not going to make a big deal out of this. He's just going to... leave. By himself. There's no need to say anything about it. This 'Zangetsu' guy is giving them more information than Sans could ever hope to, so who cares, right?

Right.

Of course, Sans's backwards trajectory brings him right past Psi and his slurring bullshit. Right now, it just makes Sans impossibly angry - and that's coming from someone who doesn't actually get mad very often.

The look he casts Psi is sharp, but given that they've been roomates for so long, Psi can also probably realize that this is the exact sort of behaviour Sans exhibits right before running the fuck away.

[dorkypantsuit]

The look actually shakes him. He's startled. He didn't even realize it was Sans approaching him until this moment, but now that he recognizes the skeleton he can't just let him escape again.

"Sans-" he tries to stands and trips over his own feet in his haste, wincing in pain as he falls back onto the pew.

"Wait!"