EVENT ★ SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL

[futurologists]

Following the sudden entrapment of a group of ALASTAIR diplomats, it's clear the true threat to Chantes is still afoot. The sun's disappearance may have been what was on the mission tin, but the man behind the plot is still alive and kicking. On the day the people inside the castle go incommunicado, King Christophe's head is unceremoniously tossed out from one of the towers. The word travels like wildfire from there: the Order of the Chimera's leader, Michel, has taken roost on the throne. But he doesn't seem keen on leaving much to rule — he's been busy littering the city with symbols from his grimoire. And with the king's death, they begin to stir. If ALASTAIR sent the recruits here to save Chantes, Michel and his rituals are why. THE DEMONS All around the city’s landmarks (and a few within the castle), runes have shimmered into existence. Remember those? Bothersome little things that nullify powers. But they’re not nullifying powers this time. These runes shimmer a low, sinister red, even by the bright light of midday. They wait, complacent, not really doing much of anything… that is, unless you try to destroy one of them. The moment a rune is tampered with in any way it flares brightly, and a thin red mist seeps out into the air. Each entity from the rune is a little bit different and fights in a different way, but all of them are unquestionably demonic. Some of them manifest physical forms and attack with claws and bolts of energy, but many of them are not so blunt. In fact, most of these demons are much more insidious, as recruits will quickly discover. POSSESSION Most of these creatures use possession as their main tactic, although their methods vary. Some demons keep themselves invisibly after that initial red leak of mist, choose a target, and begin to whisper in their ear. They’ll promise anything — power, riches, fame. Their words alter what might otherwise be sound judgment, making their target believe that not only are these demons perfectly capable of delivering, but they will impart their gifts just as soon as the recruit takes care of this one little task. Attacking your friend isn’t really so much to ask, right? Just think of the reward, just around the corner! Some demons spark a frenzy in their target. An unquellable rage rises within them, urging them to lash out at anyone around them. Maybe they see a nemesis from their past transposed over a friend, maybe they’re trapped in an unpleasant memory and trying desperately to fight free of it — whatever it takes, these demons relish provoking an uncontrollable need to fight. And finally, some of them will outright inhabit the body of their target and control all of their actions and words. The recruit will be fully aware of their actions, but unable to prevent any of it. They can only watch as the entity within them does whatever it takes to disable the friends around them — treachery, outright attack, whatever is needed. In each case the demons can be exorcised if you happen to be with someone with a knack for it, but otherwise impossible to drive out. The demon will remain in its host until someone else successfully destroys the rune it came from, which will finally kill it. The demons know this, of course, and will focus all effort on stopping any damage to their rune if it seems under threat. The destruction of runes inside the castle will open a thin breach in the barrier spell over it, allowing those inside to slip out (or those outside to slip in). They’d better move fast, though, as the breach will heal itself again in about 30 seconds. Miss your chance and you’ll have to hunt down and destroy another rune. (NOTE: Characters trapped within the castle may escape with enough time to take part in the possession aspect of the event with the rest of the game.) Anyone with a sense for magic can easily tell that the longer these runes go without being destroyed, the stronger their energy pulses. Eventually even ordinary folk will feel it. Townsfolk in the area become uneasy and restless, and proximity to intact runes will begin to fill you with a sense of dread and unnamed anxiety. Something is coming. Something that must be stopped before it can be let into the world. THE SUMMONS No matter how quickly the recruits move, there always seems to be one more rune to find, one more demon to defeat. And still that energy is building. When the town clock strikes 12 noon, the runes are at full strength, and they begin to launch into a coordinated ritual. A summoning spell, to be exact. The demons disappear, their energy sacrificed to bring forth something even worse. All over the city portals begin to open and beasts begin to claw out of them. These are chimeras, straight from myth, each one half the size of a building. They have vast wings and three heads a piece, a lion, a goat, and a dragon — plus a live snake for a tail. The tail’s what you should really look out for. A bite from the snake turns the bitten limb into solid stone, which will take either three days or a splash of blood from one of the chimeras to return to flesh and blood. It can be discovered that these monsters have an odd vulnerability to pure iron. If struck or stabbed by something made of iron their skin blisters and burns — enough of this could prove lethal to it. Or you can murder them the old fashioned way, if you’re good at killing giant monsters. Attacking them isn’t the only thing to be worried about, though. They’re smashing down buildings and attacking indiscriminately, so some characters might find their time well-spent evacuating citizens rather than partaking in the fight directly. The structural damage might be inevitable, but it’s at least possible to mitigate loss of life. THE AFTERWORD A few hours after the final chimera is killed, un-summoned, exploded, whatever its fate might be, recruits will find their ALASTAIR-given jewelry coming to life. It looks like they’re finally breaking their silence. Words scrawl across whatever surface you see them on, written in ornate purple script: On behalf of this land, thank you for your diligence and hard work. You have ten days to settle your affairs in this world before your return to Oska. Just that, then the jewelry dies out again. It’s a bit of an underwhelming show of gratitude, but it gets the point across. Say goodbye to any non-recruit friends you’ve made here, get the last word in on any arguments with the locals, settle your bar tabs — or rack them up, as per inclination. In ten days every ALASTAIR recruit will simply fade away into a white mist from the perspective of the locals. But until then the city is yours, and most importantly, safe. OOC INFO Welcome to the concluding log of Chantes! There's been quite a few pieces to it, so here's an overall list of the week's noteworthy plot posts: Peaceseeking player plot Loki and Ahad addressing Michel's disappearance A request from Arthur Event follow-up with the fate of Michel. Please note that regardless of Michel's end, we will be reading player suggestions and taking them into account for the overall fate of Chantes.

Comments

c

[humerous]

Who're you planning on having read it, anyway?

[With one "eye" closed, a skeleton seated nearby looks over through his open one. The small white dot that passes as an iris over is as far to the corner of his eye socket that it'll go, with a grin doesn't seem to leave his..........teeth, as opposed to lips. Which he doesn't have.]

[headlining]

[He looks over at the speaker, only to find a...skeleton. Huh. There's only a slight raise of the eyebrows from Keats' end, but otherwise he makes no move to comment on this strange fellow's appearance. He gives a shrug.]

The fellow recruits of ALASTAIR, most likely. [A pause.] Then again, I suppose I'm rather used to little to no readership, so it's rather likely no one will read it at all. But that's just how it works when you're a reporter trying to do the best you can, you know?

[humerous]

I guess that's just what they call loving your work.

[And it's been a long time since that was a feeling he'd had. But he still understands it.]

Now me, if I were in your position, I'd do nothing. ...actually, I guess I'm still doing that as me regardless.

[headlining]

Ha, I suppose it is. Couldn't really imagine myself doing anything else.

[He smirks, putting his notes down on the table so he can push his glasses up the bridge of his nose.]

What, you haven't found your calling in life?

[humerous]

My calling is not having a calling.

[Well, he had one once really. But it's been a while since he was enthusiastic about it.]

I like to take it easy, see?

[headlining]

Very deep. It's like Schrodinger's calling, you have a calling that's also not a calling at the same time.

[A chuckle.]

It certainly looks like you do. I don't think I could be like you, though. I think I'd go mad.

[humerous]

[Yeah, about that...]

Different strokes for different folks. I guess I just can't help it; I'm a lazybones.

[da dum tss]

[headlining]

[There's a moment of silence...and then Keats lets out a laugh.b Oh, that's a good one. Time to offer one of his own.]

So, your favorite pastime is just skulking about?

[eh? EH?]

[humerous]

Yeah. And skullfully at that.

[He loves it when people answer the call. The call of bad puns.]

[headlining]

And I suppose any advice given to you about doing something with your life just goes right through you?

[YES, HELLO, 911, PLEASE SEND THE PUN POLICE.]

[humerous]

Right.

Because I don't have the guts to do anything about it.

[headlining]

You haven't got a bone to pick with anyone who might disagree?

[humerous]

If I had a bone to pick with every person who'd called me out on being lazy, there'd be no body left.

[headlining]

Guess that's true. I suppose people just can't see that you can do whatever you want to do with your life, and you're going tibia okay.

[humerous]

[Looks like they've attracted a few onlookers...

This is a real battle of nitwits.]

Right?

I mean, it's not like I nose into their business...since I don't have one.

[headlining]

[They will pun where no one has ever punned before.]

Well, that's good that you don't, else people will get rather sternum with you.