⇨ 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]

It so is a teabag, Lambert thinks. But whatever, Strange's the expert here, so he'll let him have that, shrugging and letting the matter drop. It really isn't the most interesting thing about this whole situation, anyway...

"If you're not in charge, then who is?" That's asked out of genuine curiosity, if nothing else. Hopefully this doesn't get another vague, roundabout answer as his last question about the Circle.

[kingsroads]

"A woman named Ashleigh Mischief is in charge of the Portland chapter." Between Jonathan Strange, Ashleigh Mischief, and Tallisibeth, it wouldn't exactly be wrong for Lambert to get the impression that all mages have dumbass names.

"She's fine at her job normally, though I do question some of the more recent decisions she's made." Why help those Council assholes in the first place?

[whattaprick]

Lambert's in no position to throw stones as far as names go, really. Lambert Wolfe is, after all the sort of unfortunate name that gets jokes made of at the named person's expense.

"She just gets to make the calls without asking anyone?" If that's the way things are run around here, he can guess why Strange would want to be in charge. "Don't magicians believe in democracy?"

He is being facetious there, but he's also ... curious, despite himself. Though he's yet to see Strange performing actual magic, what he can see of his office and what he's heard him talk about seem to make him the real deal.

[kingsroads]

"Mage, not magician." Even though the term 'mage' still feels odd, like a shoe that's a little too snug. Magicians pull rabbits out of hats. Mages change the world.

"And the Circle's an organization, not a government. Any organization worth it's salt has a hierarchy, otherwise it's simply mass chaos." Especially when it's an organization comprised of powerful men and women who could incinerate someone with a sentence or two. It's odd. Logically speaking, Strange sees the value of the organization. But emotionally speaking? There's still that trace of hesitance in his voice. The Circle's useful. But surely it wasn't the be-all end-all of magic. Surely there had to be other ways.

[whattaprick]

Lambert hadn't even noticed the slip of the tongue -- but now that Strange points it out, he frowns. Half inclined to be pedantic, half just plain confused at how much better that seems to fit.

But anyway, Strange keeps talking, and that draws Lambert's attention back to him. "And here I thought chaos was what magic was all about." It certainly feels like it, at least from his perspective.

[kingsroads]

Strange scoffs, as if Lambert said something ridiculous. "It might be for some of the lesser magics--fae and changeling, for example. But with the Circle? Our skills are built on learning to manipulate the etheric energies and magical forces of the world. It's not just waving your hands and hoping for the best like some other magics."

Magic about chaos...how absurd. No, it only shows just how little Lambert knows of the whole thing to begin with. All the more reason for him to foist books off on the man, so he could actually learn something instead of spouting off ridiculous things like magic meaning chaos.

There's something a bit derisive in the way that Strange talks about changelings. Still, he shrugs as he continues. "Half of them couldn't even perform a decent warding spell in the first place."