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

[grunehexe]

[Witch or not, she certainly wouldn't be this calm against the pressure of his powers without the demon's fingers curled tight about her brain.

That same demon that wasn't keen on allowing him to get his hand anywhere near the easily crushable skull of its host, and though she never had the intent to move that way, her hand moved, slapping at his hand as she stepped back, wobbling slightly but managing upright.]

You would be wise not to underestimate me so.

[Just a little closer...]

[perma_banned]

Was I?

[His look shifted a bit lower, set on Sieglinde's face once more. When she smacked his hand aside, he flexed his fingers experimentally--waiting for her attention to set on them. Popping his knuckles came with a very audible series of noises, loud enough to start. It was a gristly way to steal one's attention.

His other hand vanished, nearly into a fine mist from a movement so swift and deliberate that his arm may have looked to never have existed.. As if swiping a fish from a river with the utmost precision and patience, Ban's hand swung to the side, fingers looking to grab a piece of the ground to snatch the whole rune from it.]

I'll be sure to stop.

[grunehexe]

[The crack and pop of knuckles did the trick- or rather, the thought that he might be readying another move or attack. Demons were a paranoid bunch, and he was close enough...

Her own hand moved to pull a jeweled dagger from her skirts, moving to slash towards his hand, only then catching sight of the blur that was his other arm.

But it was too late, even as the demon noticed. The body it inhabited couldn't move fast enough to change course.]

[perma_banned]

Hmmmm~.

[It happened so quickly, that Ban was smiling by the end of it--as if proud of his feint.

Though, that hadn't been it. He would have flinched and recoiled when the knife bit his palm. 'A feint gone wrong' would be problematic for someone who set a plan ahead.

The smile hadn't withered even a little when Sieglinge's knife cut a stinging line from one end of his hand to the other. His other hand was uplifted in opposition to the bloodied one, holding the circular flat of rock which had the still-active rune on it.

He had seen her knife, but did nothing to stop it.]

That's a surprise--a sorceress usin' a knife like that.

[He opened his bloody hand wide, steam rising from the wound as it rapidly closed. Even the blood on his skin vanished, soaking into him immediately.]

Once I crush this, you'll get to relax~. You ought to thank me.

[grunehexe]

[While Sieglinde would have been mentally paralyzed momentarily in shock to see his wound close before her eyes, but to a demon it was nothing to pause over. The dagger was tossed away the moment it became obvious that whatever physical harm this body was capable of doing, and a spell substituted instead.

One Sieglinde hoped (and thought perhaps) he would be able to overcome- one that pit their wills against each other. Well. His and the demon's.]

Do not dare- !

[If his will was strong enough, he'd be able to break out of the paralysis sooner rather than later.]

[perma_banned]

[The use of the knife heightened Ban's guard, but there were some things that escaped him. New experiences with different sorts of magic taught him to look for various signs of spell-casting.

He looked for them and saw none of them with Sieglinde. He didn't feel her aura build up. He felt something else tapping into magic, as if it were behind her. It answered a question he barely skimmed the surface of.

Then, he was bound. He was still, eyes set on her as he couldn't even blink. It caught him off guard in an immensely efficient way, but efficiency could fall short against expertise and experience. Ban wasn't a powerful sorcerer, but magic was something inherently potent in him. First, he blinked. Then, he stretched his jaw--moving his lips.]

Whoever--you--are...

[The push of his own will was a dam bursting. His magical energy surged, rising along his skin in a purple, misty aura. As if he was releasing himself from a mold, piece by piece of Ban began moving. Muscles twitched as he forced control into him. There were many ways to counter spells, but Ban did it with brute force.]

From one thief to another-- don't think you can bind me with stolen magic~. The owner always uses it better. Smarter.

[Then, his fist closed. The flat stone with the demon's rune, held in his hand, was crushed with a shrieking 'pop'.]

[grunehexe]

[He was right about that. Even if the demon had a stronger will than she had, had a longer life, the luxury of recklessness with her person, the fact that the body and its abilities were borrowed and new still stood.

The victorious expression that had overtaken Sieglinde's features when Ban was bound quickly changed to one of mixed horror and anger (mentally, Sieglinde's expression's went through the opposite shift within her own head), and though a hand rose as if to cast another spell, mouth opened to speak-

The rune was destroyed, and with an inhuman shriek, the demon along with it. Sieglinde crumpled to the ground immediately, a puppet whose strings had been suddenly cut, momentarily stunned, unable to speak or really think for a moment as she regained control over her own body, reestablished dominance over her own mind, gaze distant and blank.]

[perma_banned]

[For a moment, Ban took the time to let out a cool breath. Paralysis spells were effective enough to not only bind a person, but do wonderful things like halting one's metabolic process and, happily enough, show down someone's breathing to a terrifying crawl. He recovered quickly enough, if only because of his immortality. Deprivation of oxygen didn't bother Ban all that much, when he could somehow still speak while lacking lungs.

Wordlessly, he reached into a pack at his side, removing a wrapped piece of dried venison--something he cooked much earlier. With that, he unhooked a canteen from the same pack and held out both for Sieglinde.]

Have a bit. [He tone, lacking its usual tone of musical indifference, sounded as flat as possible.] Never seen a possession before, but I heard it's a good idea to eat something right after. Usually, demons don't care about your physical needs.

[grunehexe]

[What had just happened- really? Sieglinde's mind was working to put it back in order, replay the events that had occurred leading to her possession, what had happened during it, but it was... Strange. She'd been aware, she knew exactly what was happening and couldn't do anything about it... But already trying to think back on it was like trying to watch something someone only told you about- removed, distant, alien like it didn't belong in her head.

But it was there. When she'd stumbled upon the rune, that boy with the hammer, the man with the blindfold, the feel of the dagger when it plunged into his chest, the dagger-

Her neck turned almost mechanically towards where the demon had thrown it. There was blood on it.]

I-

[Without even thinking about it she just took what was handed her, fingers trembling, but she didn't move to eat, her gaze still locked on the blade.]

I-

[What had she done?]

[perma_banned]

[He took a moment, focusing on Sieglinde. Unfortunately, it didn't take any effort to understand how Sieglinde felt. Her mind was her own and that obstinate disposition that was thrown at him earlier had vanished. She was a girl, used by a creature with no regard for her or anyone else. It was the demon's doing.]

Missy.

There are tyrant kings, you know. Ones with a whole lot less care than even demons--ones who like making their subjects dance with their power.

[She wouldn't fret if she hurt Ban, alone. No one would care a bit about cutting him, whether or not he was immortal.

So--]

It might feel like it was your fault, but it wasn't. [His hand rose, falling to place itself on Sieglinde's head. He wasn't one for encouraging words, but he figured that 'strength' was something most children wanted, in order to feel secure. When one ran out of adults to help them, a child was left with a want for security.

It was definitely how he felt as a child, very early on.]

When you become a strong enough sorceress, demons won't chance screwing with you.

[grunehexe]

[When she became a strong enough sorceress. But she wasn't now. She hadn't been in her world, and she still wasn't. Sieglinde wanted to reject the hand that seemed so heavy on her head, wanted to reject the words of the man who last she'd spoke to called a drunkard and a fool.

Her vision blurred slightly as the tears began to sting in the corners of her eyes, as they began to spill out and down her cheeks.

It wasn't her fault, he said- but she hadn't been strong enough. And she'd stabbed those people, hurt those people, and it was still too fresh for words to sound rational or soothe what she'd done.

But she wanted to believe it- that it wasn't her fault. Even if she didn't want to hear it from someone she'd drawn blood from.

Even if she hugged the food he'd handed her, rocking slightly in attempts to stop her tears. Futile though it was.]