⇨ 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

[insidescoop]

[She recognizes that cue-how could she not, in her field. Scooping up her laptop, she tentatively asks,] ...Is there somewhere the cats are kept?

[That's about as good a non-suspicious back room as they're getting, here.]

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert shakes his head. ]

There is, but we don't allow customers back there. [ He pauses. ] Shift ends in half an hour. I should get back to work.

[insidescoop]

Half an hour... [Well. She nods-that works out fine.] Alright...I'll be staying here a little longer then, in that case.

[Thirty minutes is pretty easy to breeze through, after all.]

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert nods, wiping his hands off on his apron and pulling away.

Half an hour passes by quickly enough, though of course, it's another fifteen more minutes after that before Lambert actually steps out of the cafe, apron off and jacket on to ward against the chill in the air. Most people would consider this pleasant fall weather, but he's never been a fan of the cold.

Considering it's daytime and the buses are still running, he didn't bring his bike, but he lingers around the front of the store. This still feels like a dumb idea, but ... well, what else is there to do with this information, really?

Ignore it, is what common sense says. John didn't have any great ideas about averting a faerie war, and Lambert's impression is that he didn't even intend to try, but if it's going to be as much trouble as it seems, shouldn't people get a fair warning about that? ]

[insidescoop]

[Carly steps out of the cafe with her own mixed thoughts, though none are to question levels of brilliance regarding this particular decision. Instead she just nods to him after getting out of the cafe, and asks-] ...Anywhere you'd rather talk?

[whattaprick]

Not around here.

[ For some reason, he's scanning the sky, frowning. Not one of the parks or gardens, either, not after what he knows. On the other hand, there's an advantage to being in public spaces when you're talking about weird shit with someone you don't know. ]

How about one of the food courts? [ He smirks over his shoulder, already turning to go. ] I was getting hungry anyway.

[fortuneglass]

Mnnh... [Food course? It's fine enough, though she does frown.] As long as you're not stalling for time... [She Hates That Sort Of Thing.] Let's hurry though, ok?

[whattaprick]

If I didn't want to talk, I would've left already. Got somewhere to be?

[ What's the rush, he wonders? In any case, they're not going to have to go far, because there's a food court just a couple of buildings over. He won't head for the food, but he will slide into a booth seat a little farther away from the main hubbub, and one without anyone else close by.

In any case, he's not going to beat around the bush, his question short and direct: ]

Who are you?

[insidescoop]

I'm just used to people trying to avoid interviews. [And with a smile, her answer is about to explain why.] Carly Carmine, paranormal reporter!

[Ah. She's probably had a few 'run-aways' happen, then.]

[whattaprick]

[ That's straight up going to get a grimace, and he does for a moment make an abortive motion, like he wants to get up and leave ... but hell, he wanted information, didn't he? ]

Don't tell me you're planning to write this up.

[insidescoop]

Whether I am or not isn't the point right now, this isn't for an interview anyway..!!

[whattaprick]

Then what is it for?

[ Lambert can't help looking a little hunted, defensive. This is probably a look Carly is used to. ]

Look, I know something ... you probably know more. [ Except the identity of a mystery fae, apparently? ] I don't exactly know what's going on, but it sounds fairer if we put both our cards on the table.

[insidescoop]

What do you think I'm here for then?! The whole point was putting both cards down-you were the one looking over my shoulder in the first place after all..!

[If you think You feel defensive, try her-that said.] What do you know about the 'fair' so far-you first. I have a feeling I have more than you do.

[whattaprick]

[ There's silence for a few more seconds, and then Lambert begins to speak, slowly. ]

My coworker said she saw something putting up the posters around the cafe a few nights ago, and it backflipped away before she could get a good look at it. So, since she wouldn't agree to take the last shift anymore, I agreed to swap with her.

[ He leaves his own precognition out of it. No need to tell a stranger about that. Crossing his arms, he rests his elbows against the edge of the table and continues. ]

The first couple of nights ... nothing. [ He frowns. ] And then the other night, while I was cleaning up ... something broke into the cafe.

[insidescoop]

....Backflipped...? [Why does it feel like she knows someone who would do this...

She shakes her head.] Right-go on.

[whattaprick]

Guess they like showing off. [ That, too, is the detail that caught him the first time -- though the discomfort caught him far more compellingly. ]

When I looked into the cafe proper, it was there. It told me to open the cages -- wanted the cats, I guess. I don't know what for. [ He frowns. ] Obviously, I told it to fuck off. It just seemed to think that was funny, but it got it talking for a while.

It called itself the Wyld Fae, 'the Beast.' It said the Animal Fair is a party it's throwing for itself because the other fae don't want it here. That's what all the feathers and junk were for -- it's a challenge.

[insidescoop]

Hehhh, I guess so... ...weird that she would want cats, but I guess if it's a beast party, she wants to have animals running around..?

[Still. She grimaces.] ...It's not a new event, but if it's a challenge, then that could be bad... [This is where her cards come in, see.] 'Animal Fair' seems to be something that's visited a lot of locations, for centuries, actually-but the last one got a Faerie killed..!

If there's challenges involved, that could mean 'why'...

[whattaprick]

[ Lambert's eyes narrow at that. ]

What do you mean 'the last one got a faerie killed'? [ Subconsciously, he'd been expecting as much: it wasn't like the Beast was here to arm-wrestle the other fae into submission. How else could it end? ]

[insidescoop]

I mean that's what I was looking at..! A member of the Winter Court, 'Winter's Claw', died at the last event. Really died, too! Anything I found on it was going on about how big of a deal a 'true fae' dying was..!

[whattaprick]

Is it not something that happens often, then?

[ Lambert has no idea how hard True Fae are to kill. But if they're making such a big deal out of it ... ]

[insidescoop]

Well, for the killing I wouldn't know, but probably not...the fair isn't really annual, but it's regular by their standards if you look into it...

[whattaprick]

That doesn't sound good.

[ Lambert looks a little ill. But there is an upside, of sorts, if a slim one... ]

... do you know if anyone else has died when the Animal Fair was in town? Other than faeries.

[fortuneglass]

It's the only death I've seen of... ...It's definitely worse news for Faerie, but when it comes to the consequences, that sort of thing can blow up in everyone else's faces too, right?

[whattaprick]

So I've heard. [ Lambert mutters. Yeah, he's gotten plenty warning enoguh for all the good that does him. ]

... Anyway, that's all I know. [ He shrugs, uneasy. ] About the Animal Fair, anyway.

[insidescoop]

Hmnnn...that's the most I've got too, but...

[Well, bugger.] Somehow it feels like we've gone nowhere...