lostcarnival | ⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 2

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 2

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.

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Yuya nods enthusiastically, gesturing for emphasis. "It's a barrier spell! The Sanctuary already had one, but it doesn't really work if you invite Fae stuff in, because then you tell it it's okay. Fae magic has a lot of rules, so if you tell it to go away you can stop it from coming in. Right?

I need more people before I can try it, but the books were right about keeping them from growing back with iron." So he's pretty hopeful for his success.

"I don't know what the Rose Queen's problem is, but people have already been hurt by her flowers... so they need to be stopped."

And he knows too well most humans will turn a blind eye to their suffering. He hasn't told his guardian about this for a reason.

Having just participated in a rescue mission that freed two captured people from one of her subordinates, Strange has a pretty good idea of what the Rose Queen's problem is. Still, he's keeping his mouth shut as he listens to Yuya explain the spell.

"That does make sense," he admits, with a nod. "Obviously since the threshold's been broken it would be hard to rebuild it, but the iron and barrier spell should provide a temporary solution. It would probably be best if people who visit the Sanctuary often help cast the spell: familiarity and the concept of ownership are important in these matters. Just...make certain the changelings staying in the Sanctuary know about the iron."

It should be obvious, but it bears repeating: they're part fae as well. Flowers, though... "Is it just flowers that have been causing the problems? Not anything else?"

"Yeah, that's a good idea! They'll want to help even more since it's someplace so important to them. If we can make it strong enough, maybe we won't need the iron at all... that'd be good." He nods with the thought. Strange didn't need to remind him, but he does agree--he wouldn't want to put them in any accidental danger.

He shifts and pauses to think of an answer to Strange's question. "Not that I've seen. But when I've gone out at night, it's more active than before. I can't imagine it's all normal people moving around at that hour, but I haven't heard of anything else dangerous."

Yuya would have heard something if more people got kidnapped by eating berries off the floor. So does this mean Nightshade's backed off? If so, good, he doesn't want to deal with that right now as well as all this other nonsense.

"Is it pointing out the obvious if I tell you to be careful anyway?" Because guess what, that's what he's doing. "I've got something I wish to talk with you about, by the way. It involves your memory problems with our last conversation." There's no way to delicately say 'it involves you forgetting your parents', so the vague memory problems it is.

Yuya laughs. Even if it's obvious, he appreciates the sentiment. "I'll be careful! I don't want to make anything worse." He knows what he's doing has the potential for danger, but he doesn't want to stand by and watch other people getting hurt.

Though he quickly sobers up as Strange mentions his memory. Before he would have insisted it was Strange's spell, and those were definitely his parents... but now they've gotten even more confusing, like he remembers events that couldn't possibly have happened.

"Uh, what about them?"

Strange mutters something under his breath as he makes a series of hand gestures. All quick and basic cantrips: detect magic, a shield from scrying, things like that to make certain that nobody's magically watching or spying on the conversation. Of course, there are the flowers...but Nightshade told him this information which means that the Rose Queen probably knows already.

It's people in the Circle that Strange doesn't want to find out what he's doing.

"Have you gotten any new memories? Memories of a place that's different from here?"

Yuya sputters, leaning back and staring at Strange in shock. He didn't really expect his question to pinpoint it so suddenly like that, and it throws him off.

He purses his lips, looking guarded as he at first doesn't answer. But... Strange probably doesn't mean any harm. It's just that he hasn't wanted to look too closely at what was happening.

Yuya averts his gaze, glum. "Yeah. I don't know what place it is, but I know they didn't happen here."

"I thought so," Strange simply remarks, as he casts another quick 'don't bother us' cantrip. The feeling of magic lingers in the air like a humid day and Strange just feels more relaxed now than he has before. Now he's willing to speak freely.

"Angels, demons, and the fae aren't from this world originally. They're only trapped here by the Severing. I've been casting some omens to find more about the Severing specifically when I found something interesting: they aren't the only beings from a different world here. I don't have specific people yet, but I do know that some people here, normal people have their souls etched with magic of a different universe entirely."

This isn't the entire truth. The basic gist is right, but the information was obtained from the faerie Nightshade, not Strange himself. And she told him that his soul was wrong as well. Which, that's ridiculous, he's been here all his life, his soul can't be from another universe in the first place. Still, he's selling this with so much confidence and telling Yuya the information in such a matter of fact tone, that it's obvious Strange believes some of what he's saying.

"Perhaps that explains your odd memories."

Oh, Strange... Yuya's a perfect target for him to inflate himself on, he's none the wiser.

"You think I... might be from another world?" Etched with magic is so weird to think about --ESP was supernatural, and tended to be grouped with the rest. But functionally it wasn't magic at all. Even diving into spellcasting now, Yuya doesn't consider himself terribly magical.

"There's no way that's me, I remember growing up here! How could I live two different lives? Or... or re-live?" He would have to de-age, wouldn't he?

"This isn't set in stone, of course. I'm confident some souls are from a different world but I need to do more divining to find specifics." He needs to find a way to verify Nightshade's words with his own spells cast, which means that he's got to find magic that reveals souls in the first place.

"As for your memories, I don't know. Possibly it's an enchantment, possibly a spell rewrote our memories, possibly it's some sci-fi bullshit instead of our normal level of supernatural bullshit." Oh shit, don't cuss in front of the kid. Strange looks briefly flustered before he continues.

"I just don't know yet. I just...even half an answer is better than no answer." And there's something about this kid. The more they talk, the more Strange can't help but feel like he knows him from somewhere, somewhere else that isn't just their conversation at the Sanctuary. Plus, the idea of not remembering your parents just rubs Strange the wrong way. He remembers his, of course, but there's just a visceral feeling of repulsion at the idea of not remembering them at all.

Edited (thank u html) 2017-06-24 22:10 (UTC)

Fake memories is... actually more unnerving than multiple lives, even. He worries over his lip for a moment.

"Well, let me know if you do." He says it slowly, hesitant. But he shouldn't run from these memories. After recognizing Hugo, they have to be too important. "Thanks for telling me anyway, and helping me do much. Uh, if I can do anything to help you, you can just ask." He's sure he heard "our" at first--if Strange knows how it feels as well, Yuya doesn't want to turn a hand down.

He forces up a little smile, mostly to reassure himself.

"You're welcome," Strange responds, with a little nod. "And really, the best thing you could do to help is keep an eye open for anyone else who's mentioning odd memories. The Circle isn't exactly the most popular of groups these days. It's entirely likely that I'll overlook someone."

Understatement of the century. Considering their actions, even Strange can realize that the Circle's low on everybody's list right about now. Still, what they're doing must have a purpose of some sort...even if Strange isn't entirely sure what said purpose is, besides teaching demons and the rest to know their place.

He can think of a couple people like that. But Gongenzaka probably won't appreciate the attention, and he's not sure he wants to face Hugo again.

But if it's already that many, aren't there probably more? If they put enough pieces together, they can find some answers. "Sure. I'm going to need a lot of help with the flowers, so I'll ask around. Is there a place I can tell them to find you? Do I call you?"

"Let me give you my card." Because Strange is just the sort of right level of pretentious to have printed up business cards with his name, e-mail, phone number, and rank within the Circle on them. He reaches into his coat pocket to pull out a business card holder, still talking all the while.

"And if I run into any Sanctuary residents or anyone who wants to help in general, I'll be certain to send them your way."

But not him. Strange is just staying out of this helping remove the roses spell and desperately hopes that Yuya won't dig in and ask why. Having pulled out the holder, Strange opens it, takes out a business card, and offers it to Yuya.

"Oh, yeah! Thanks!" Yuya takes a card with a grin. If Strange didn't even notice the flowers, he's not surprised he's distant enough to not care to help with removing them... but deferring others is more than Yuya expected.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and starts dialing in Strange's number. "Here, I'll send you a text with my number. If you meet anyone willing to help you can have them call me!"

"I'll do so! And likewise, I'll give you a call should I learn anything more on the memory front." It's not as immediate as the roses, of course. Strange knows that it'll take time, effort, research, and possibly a bit of bothering higher-up mages to find any sort of information, but he's determined enough and nosy enough to try and keep going until he finds something.

Hopefully that's soon. The sooner he fixes this problem, the better.

Yuya nods and he fires off the text. "Yeah, thanks. I'll let you know if they get any more detailed."

Although he's hoping they don't. Maybe it's a fluke and he'll just stop thinking about this whole other life. "Has... it been happening to you too?"

There's a pause. Because Strange really doesn't want to admit to the fact that weird things have been happening to him as well. He's a mage, he's competent and impressive and amazing at magic, he's not the sort of person to question his grip on his memories in the first place.

Still, Yuya's a kid. If he talks about this to anyone, who's going to believe him?

"Not to the level that yours is," he admits, with a frown. "With me, it's more along the lines of ideas coming to me that I know I'd never do in the first place." Making a bargain with a faerie. Contemplating blood magic. The little nagging push in the back of his head that drives him towards madness. Strange has been playing 'did I really think this or is this somebody messing with my head' for the past week and he hates it.

Strange's hesitance isn't lost on Yuya. He's quiet as he stares up at Strange with a thoughtful expression, comparing his description to Yuya's own memory problems. He hasn't felt so different as a person, that he's noticed... but the flashes of events he knows couldn't have occurred just occupy most of his attention.

Still, he smiles faintly after, then laughs to himself and scratches his cheek. "Sorry, but I'm glad I'm not the only one it's happening too. I haven't met anyone else who's remembering anything weird, I thought I was going crazy!"

Especially when he remembered them. When he looks at Strange, he seems much more relieved than when he first asked about his memories.

"I wouldn't worry too much about that," Strange teases, as that frown turns to a small smile. "Madness would probably play out a little bit different than weird memories--it's when you hallucinate that you get shipped off somewhere."

His tone is a hundred percent teasing, Strange trying to deliberately keep things light and jokey. However, there's an odd matter-of-fact tone to his voice. Of course madness doesn't involve fake memories, going crazy would be entirely different than that! Just...don't ask him how he knows that (because honestly, Strange has no idea how he knows that in the first place.)

"Uh, luckily there's no hallucinations!" He leans back on his heels, stuffing his phone back in his pocket. "Thanks again, Mr. Strange. You're a big help... hey, I'll let you know how the barrier goes. It's mostly after Changelings, so the sooner we clear out these roses the less people will be hurt."

"You're welcome, Yuya," he says, with a little nod. "And again, feel free to call or get in contact with me if you have any questions about magic or any of the rituals you'll undertake."

Hopefully he'll have answers. Strange is certainly trying to give off the impression that he knows everything and that he'll have answers, even if it's a subject he knows nothing about.

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⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 2

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