⇨ The Tourist Trap: WEEK 4

[ringleaders]

Who: Anyone, anywhere in Portland.
When: October 22nd - 31st, 2017
Where: In Portland, for the last time.
What: The seasons change as the Winter Court seizes a surprise victory, claiming both the Tree of Life's pendant and the blood catalyst needed to take control of the Severing Ritual. Meanwhile, interdimensional problems are about to get more weird. Check out the conflict results for the attack on the Circle as well as the Beast's attack on the Summer Court here.
Warnings: Individually marked!

DAYS OF WINTER↴ As the end of October nears, so does the grasp of winter. On the night of the 22nd, it will freeze overnight, and the temperature will drop for the following days. As the night grow long, world-wide magic slowly reaches it apex, set to reach it on the night of Halloween. With so many factors at play, knowing what to do with that moment of power may be a challenge. ► FULL CIRCLE: The Angels succeed in their planned attack on the Circle, managing to get to the living quarters of the Council members with the help of Ashleigh Mischief. The plan goes without much resistance from the mages or from the demons attempting to claim the ritual object for their own. Of course, when the fae make a surprise attack on the Angels after they flee the scene, it has the surprise result of the Winter Court ended up with the pendant in their talons. Threads for this attack can be done in this log. If you need mod direction at all, let us know, but otherwise feel free to NPC demons, angels, or random Circle members as you require. ► THE QUEEN'S GARDEN: Realizing that the Rose Queen is distracted with attempting to claim the pendant, the Beast will summon her co-conspirators to raid the Queen's gardens. The ultimate plan seems to be to get the Beast far enough into the gardens to kill the Queen, while also rescuing as many changelings as possible along the way. As it turns out, this doesn't go well. While they do manage to penetrate the gardens with Childermass's help, the Rose Queen, Ignatius, and Nightshade happen to all be there. Seriously outnumbered, even by the Beast's terms, it will take everything the group has to just make it out alive, sustaining heavy injuries as they go. In the end they will manage to rescue Greg universe and four additional changelings that were imprisoned there, but any damage done to the Summer Court itself will be negligible. Threads for this can also be played out here! ► REFLECTIONS: As the ritual draws closer, the line between this reality and the one you came from will also be becoming less clear. Regaining memories is not required, but it will naturally become easier to occur, especially if you're already started receiving them. It's a good time to start making connections, while you still have the chance. ► THE SEVERING: One way or another, the Severing is going to make an impact on both this world and the lives of those trapped inside of it. The Angels are going to be making an attempt to interrupt the Winter Court's ritual, as will the Summer Court and Anath's forces. Whoever comes up on top will be the ones to decide what to be done with it. Yet, with news that the Severing continuing could cause irreversible damage to the planet's spirit, it could feel like there are no perfect options. There will be an event header put up for this by the mods closer to the end of July. (NOTE: canon powers will returning while the ritual is in progress, so keep that in mind for planning - both sets of powers will be active.)

Comments

[betheman]

[He knew it, he knew he wasn't done getting this question after the circle-

As it is, he coughs somewhat awkwardly, looking rather like a mouse being interrogated by a cat.]

Ah. ...Yes. I came with Yuuya, and Y..'Hugo', [He slightly corrects.]

...I...helped with the attack against the mages? [He offers, swallowing.]

[osteothropy]

Sans isn't so sure about that - that there isn't actually any returning to it. In fact, if what he's heard is true, that reality might be barreling back towards them whether they like it or not. So, it is relief to hear that it's what Papyrus would want, anyway.

Because that theoretical person inside of this warlock is more important to him than the warlock himself. The choices and circumstances of this reality had made something different, and that's hard to figure out. He doesn't even know how to compare his own two selves at the moment.

Whether he wants it or not, his heart swells with the description of this remembered person, and suddenly something clicks into place in his mind. The instinctual, angelic feelings of wanting to watch over someone - a guardian to a ward... maybe that was the connection he was looking for?

Sans swallows, and then reaches out to take Papyrus's by the hand, feeling strange about its fleshiness and odd familiarity despite that quality. He raises his wings, and glancing off down the hallways, where he can hear another group stomping around in their direction.

"C'mon," he says, hanging on for the moment. "We should get out of here."

Sans begins to fly down the hallway at a supernatural pace, bringing Papyrus along with him, in an oddly painless manner.

[hippocarnival]

He's about to ask, because she doesn't seem relieved to have found him... but she changes the topic quickly. She must not be ready to talk about it.

So he just nods. "Yeah. You know the severing, right? And that everyone's trying to break it. The fae, the angels... everyone except the circle is trying to get rid of it and apparently there's a special pendant needed for it. I trust the angels to break it more than anyone else, so I'm helping them."

He sinks back in the couch a bit. "I think if they took John after they took the pendant, maybe he's who they need to break the severing. So we have to stop them."

[whattaprick]

Lambert does not, in fact, remember a skeleton.

The big about a magical carnival, however, is going to catch his attention. Actually, he might catch Papyrus's attention in general as well, given that he's sporting some visible cuts and bruises on his face and is generally holding himself with the air of someone trying not to wince with every step. One might wonder exactly what the cat cafe's barista has done to get this jacked up, but.

"What do you know about a magical carnival?" If his voice is a bit sharp and unfriendly, well, it's probably understandable under these circumstances. Probably.

[hippocarnival]

Yuya isn't following Rita's murmuring at all. He trusts her, though, and when she's confident that she's gotten the ward down Yuya jumps at the chance to try the door, turning the knob.

He pulls the door open slowly, peeking inside before he pushes it to give them the space to look inside as well. It's definitely untouched for the past dew days, but given the state he usually keeps it in that's hard to tell.

"This is his apartment...?" He sniffs and wrinkles his nose. What is that smell?

[hippocarnival]

"I could say the same to--Yuu-chan?" His expression sours, but slightly demeaning nicknames aren't the most important thing here.

"I thought you were stuck on the campus! When did you... is it related to the severing?" Because just about everything else was related to the severing.

[spaghettimonster]

Papyrus squints at the guy's face, trying to look past the scratches and bruises to try placing him. He's familiar, but it takes a minute. After all, do teachers exist outside of school? Do baristas exist outside of coffee houses?

Apparently they do. And, disappointingly, they leave their friendly demeanor behind when they're not at work.

"I know I worked at one in a past life!" He huffs, not appreciating the tone of voice. "A few weeks ago, I started remembering things. But only recently did I tie enough together... to realize... hmm."

There's still something about this barista guy that's familiar, signs of injury and all. Papyrus tilts his head, and studies Lambert's face more closely.

[whattaprick]

The smell is probably coming from the remnants of whatever Strange brought home to eat before he disappeared, or that open bottle of rancid milk on the counter. Or it could be from the abundance of poisonous plant material littered around the place. Generally, despite Childermass's attempts to tidy up, the place is in even shittier condition than the last time Lambert saw it, which was already worse than the time he saw it before that.

Mostly, it's a place where a sad, friendless man has had a year to fully embrace what a disaster, with a bonus side of cat hair on the cushions. It's actually all a bit sad. However, one thing is clear:

"He's not here." Lambert exhales, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall by the light switches he's flicked on. "Great. Now what?"

[anti_nonsense]

The smell is pretty offensive, but Rita's attention is immediately drawn to the various piles of books and magic tools. She skims over them, her eyes widening when she sees a particular title among the tomes. "Hey, I've been looking for this one!" It's been out of print for a while. If Strange really is dead, she's totally coming back to have a go at his collection.

In the end, Rita's not that surprised that Strange isn't here. But it is pretty inconvenient, and Lambert's question prompts a contemplative hum from her. "Hmm... good question. My plans for dealing with the Winter Court were largely hinging on his involvement, but it looks like I'll have to scrap that strategy..." Maybe that's safer, anyway. If relying on Strange goes this badly on a good day, doing it while her life depends on it probably would have been a disaster.

[anti_nonsense]

It's actually news to Rita that the angels are trying to break the Severing... and that Yuya intends to help them.

"...He is," she confirms, as that's at least one part of this story that Rita's already informed about. "I don't know what they'll do with him, exactly, to make it happen, but I don't plan on letting them get that far." Rita talks a big game, considering the state she's in, and how her last plan to antagonize the fae didn't exactly pan out.

Still, it looks like they both agree on wanting the Winter Court stopped. That's good... but there's one part that Rita's not so quick to agree with. "Why trust the angels to do it? If the Severing's undone, won't the result be the same no matter who does it?"

[hippocarnival]

"I don't think so. Apparently it's possible to break only part of the severing and leave everyone else stuck. The Summer Court wants to break it so they can invade, and if they're kidnapping people then I don't trust the Winter Court either."

He frowns. He has a very, very low opinion of kidnapping. "The angels are going to break the whole spell and keep defending this place against the fae. And anyway, John shouldn't be forced to do it if he doesn't want!"

[anti_nonsense]

Rita's going to want to interrupt the Winter Court's ritual and help get Childermass free. She'll also want to impede the Summer Court if they attempt to gain control of the ritual. Her friends are trying to convince her that the angel side is cool and she may or may not support them by the time the ritual rolls around, but at the very least, she won't be antagonizing them like she is the fae.

She'll be using fire magic in any conflicts with the fae or their servants, and has brushed up on illusion magic (cloaking) which may help to sneak around during the chaos. When she gets her powers back, she'll be able to use her Meteor Swarm spell for some heavy damage.

[hippocarnival]

"He was going after the Winter Court?" Yuya perks up as he steps into the apartment. That's the first he's heard of Strange caring about anything except the Severing and Summer Court.

He absent flips through some of the notes left about with a frown. "He was helping the Summer Court try and get the pendant, but I didn't see him at all when we entered her garden... do you think he's in trouble?"

No, he's almost certainly in trouble, isn't he?

[espigeon]

[The vampire looms awkwardly over him, and Iuliael blinks multiple sets of eyes up, processing this.

Being regarded with fear isn't something he gets often. His human guise has a kind of vague, flexible size, just as his coloration seems to depend on the lighting and who's looking, but he tends towards 'smallish'. As far as angel powers go, too, Iuliael might quite possibly be the weakest of the angelic host, though some of that is just his unwillingness to hurt anyone. Minor flying imps have enough of a chance of taking him down that he basically just runs from them.

It's weird and kind of unpleasant.]

Yes... I saw you. It didn't seem like the time to ask though. Uh. I am Iuliael.

[anti_nonsense]

Sounds kind of like how the Rose Queen was acting not too long ago.

[Pursuing and kidnapping changelings, attacking in conspicuous ways...]

They're up to something. There's no way a few kidnappings are going to be the end of it.

[bananaspeedrider]

And who was that we came from? Someone bad?

[Because he was definitely getting bad omen vibes.

Yuya's talking to someone that took the idea of an interdimensional war well even after seeing the aftermath of Heartland's destruction and beating up a few soldiers responsible that were marching through Standard. Not to mention witnessing the carding business.]

.... Yuzu was with me. She has this bracelet that warps people somehow, when any of us four get too close to each other.

[betheman]

Hmmnnn... [Things he doesn't know about: this. Or that. Or anything they're saying now, so the vampire merely frowns, glancing quizzically between the two.]

...as well, if you were once the same being, would that mean you were so connected even now..?

[whattaprick]

"I heard about it. That 'item' is a pendant and the 'catalyst' is John, and whatever it is, it's going to involve blood and ice," Lambert says, grimly, once again displaying his utterly useless awareness of the plot. Who exactly he learned what from and when is a bit of a jumble, but those two things he knows for a fact.

He's not offering an immediate explanation for how he knows that, though, focusing on responding to Strange's question instead.

"I was asked to help break some changelings out of the Summer Court," he says, offhandedly, without very much remorse. "It didn't go well. I'm surprised we didn't run into you there."

[kingsroads]

"I'm the Summer Court's ally, not their lackey. I don't have to help out if I don't want to." It's said with a scoff and a roll of his eyes, but inwardly, Strange is just swearing. How many people were there at that raid?! And why didn't Nightshade call to ask for his help! He could help out, he could easily help stop whatever half-assed attempt at a raiding party involved powerless humans like Lambert.

As much as Strange crows about how he's got most of his memories back, he knows what he's doing, blah blah blah, there's obviously some of the Portland Strange still left in his personality.

"Besides, considering you look like you got your asses kicked seven ways to Sunday, I don't think they needed my help to begin with."

[atouts]

"It'll catch up eventually," Childermass points out, even though, personally, he would much rather run. Push comes to shove, he can move them a second time, but that just means leaving the elemental to wander and crush someone else. Wait. Actually, that gives him an idea...

"If we let it get close enough, I can take back around to the other side. Your crowbar must still be there."

[atouts]

"Doubtful," Childermass replies, voice still low and also thoroughly unimpressed by the threat. "You know, just because you managed to kill Mackenzie doesn't mean you're suddenly some great monster slayer. The gardens are going to be completely different."

[hippocarnival]

We--[He cuts off, suddenly at a loss for words. Were they bad? He didn't quite remember, but that memory of being one was always followed with such a agonized, horrified feeling in him. Was that why...?

He snaps his attention up.] Uh--yeah, probably! But those memories are still confusing.

[atouts]

It's incredibly obvious, actually, for the exact lack of effort he's putting into the explanation.

At the threat of being hexed, Childermass can only raise his eyebrows, looking much more interested in this little attempt to scare him than actually, you know, scared. Small angry nerd, is that really something that can run in a family? Miko seemed to have avoided such a fate, somehow.

"Maybe I'm mad at him over the rude things about cats he said," he carries on with that lame-ass story regardless, then adds quite casually, "Though I would be careful about hexing the person who's here to open the door for you. It would be a shame if you ruined everyone's plans."

[whattaprick]

"He's helping us get Jo -- Childermass back," Lambert says, looking concerned as well, but more annoyed.

"The way I see it, there are two possibilities. First," he holds up a finger, "He's a lying weasel who sold us out to the Summer Court, in which case we can certainly expect they're going after the necklace and the Winter Court too. Second..."

Strange didn't seem like he could lie worth a shit. "Second, they've figured out he's not exactly a hundred per cent on their side anymore." The possibility isn't a great one. Last time, even with the Beast's cockeyed plan, they'd barely managed to slip out of the faerie realm to begin with. And they're all still suffering from that, as his own bandages and pained wince every time he moves too sharply indicates. If he is in trouble, nothing they do can help.

"Can you try looking for him with magic?" This, he addresses to Rita or Yuya. "Assuming you haven't done that already."

[whattaprick]

"I'm not slaying anyone. I'm just trying to help." Lambert just grips that iron poker a little tighter. Can't shove him into any shadows with that on him, sucker!

"Explain to me why I can't go and he can." That's right, Childermass, he's pointing at the literal children who are along on this ride.