Event - All In Your Head

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All In Your Head

➥ Night's Embrace

(cw: supernaturally-induced hysteria/intense emotion; violence; maiming; assault, burglary; murder; implied violence against children)

There's been a sense of unease hanging over Gloucester as the Ides of March approach. First a few, and then a great many locals begin to hurry indoors each evening, lights kept blazing in the windows of homes and businesses all night…when they can be. Stories of assault, burglary, and vandalism dominate the news and no one can seem to agree on the cause, psychiatrists weighing in on air as reports flood in of a woman, a creature, that hunts in the night, along with perpetrator after perpetrator with no history of violence before they suddenly broke into a neighbor's home to smash every source of electric glow. It might be mass hysteria, the talking heads hypothesize, or perhaps pranks taken too far. The alternative is not spoken. It's safe, though, with the lights on and the door bolted. Stay inside, stay in the light, and nothing can harm you.

Too bad about the blackout, then.

It's the night of March 16 when the efforts of the shadow woman meet success thanks to the earnest efforts of a kindred spirit. Gloucester is plunged into darkness with only the waxing moon to dapple the city in silvery shadows, the entire grid taken down. ADI Headquarters and apartments flicker weakly back to life on emergency power, though there's more shadow than light in their halls. Bonnie's Flophouse, like much of residential Gloucester, doesn't have even that saving grace.

The attacks are swift and furious. The shadow woman seems to be in many places at once, appearing simultaneously in family homes, all night businesses…and ADI properties. Where there had been some reprieve in the last days for those in ADI apartments or spending the night at headquarters, as of tonight those places are no safer than the city streets. Some of those she catches she kills or maims; others are sent spiraling into blind terror by the touch of her claws and released to run and be chased again.

But still she does not step into the light, seemingly repulsed by what little brightness can be found or made. Best hope the batteries in your flashlights are fresh.

➥ Illuminating

(cw: derogatory language; mention of long-term imprisonment and murder attempts)

un: n.lehrer

To All Staff,

Report to ADI HQ for an emergency meeting at 11 AM in Conference Room 6. I will be broadcasting over the network, but I would prefer to have everyone together so that we can hand out equipment. Reyes has briefed me on what's been going on while I've been away.

Katie Dunn, an avatar for the Dark native to this world, was recently set free by Deepthi Anand. Dunn is practically allergic to light. We'll be handing out supplies for those who attend the meeting in-person. More soon.

- Nia Lehrer, Warden

It's only a few hours after the message goes out that people who come will find Nia Lehrer stepping up to a podium in the designated conference room. There's also a filming set-up so people can watch the broadcast on the network. Questions that come from the network will be… read by Reyes for Nia to answer, but a back-and-forth conversation may be more challenging for those not physically in attendance. On the wall behind her, there's a projection of a seemingly harmless-looking woman.

There's a definite air of relief among the native staff, along with a significant uptick in focus. Non-native staff may notice a similar sense of renewed determination and attentiveness for themselves, if they let themselves be swept up in it. Whatever fog and oppressive sense that's hung about for the past month or more appears to have dissipated… at least for the moment.

"Thank you all for coming. I'll make this brief: Katie Dunn is one of the most dangerous avatars we've ever encountered since I joined the Apocalypse Disruption Initiative. We've had run-ins with her more than once, but haven't actually figured out a way to kill her, yet. Her capture was a major achievement about two years ago. Which makes her escape particularly frustrating. What's done is done, though.

"Deepthi Anand developed a connection of some sort with her while she was assigned to assist with guarding her while here at ADI. I suspect that's why she returned to free her. And make no mistake, everything I've seen about the attack points to Deepthi… with her boosting Katie's abilities somehow. Right now, we're most concerned with keeping the lights on. Cape Electric has been trying to restore power, but each time they fix something, another piece of the grid gets hit. Whoever blew the entire town's power supply gave her the in she needed to wreak havoc.

"We're going to need all hands on deck. First, we block her ability to cause problems. For that, I need people willing to help with requisitioning generators and high-powered lights, and getting them to the places and people in town who need them most. Hospitals, nursing homes, food supply warehouses, all-night locals, playing interference for electric company personnel. I'm also going to need PR folks spinning up some reasonable explanations for these blackouts and what's been happening with people who get touched by her. Electromagnetic storms? Something about tectonics. Experimental drug from the military that blew through on the wind. Whatever you can come up with.

Little Ms. Blackout wants to play games to create fear and turn people on each other? We cut off that power flow to her, and she becomes an inconvenience, more than an actual problem. I expect her to start targeting us more directly once we start squeezing her, so we'll be issuing flashlights to everyone here. If you know someone who needs one, tell us, and we'll get them one, too."

Nia takes a breath. "While Dunn doesn't like the light, she can survive in it. Direct exposure to it will ward her off, but as long as she can find some kind of shadow, she can squeeze herself into it to stay alive. We know she has the ability to split into multiple shades of herself to cause wider problems. We caught her by trapping all of those in beams of light last time. We need a more coordinated response to be able to handle her, though. I'll be here, working on that if anyone wants to weigh in. In the meanwhile… let's make that bitch's life harder, huh?"

➥ WALKING HELL

(cw: altered mental state, hallucinations, violence, scopophobia, body horror)

Suddenly and without much warning, the world changes. Or….it changes for some people, some of the time. Anyone who finds themselves outside the sanctuary formed by ADI’s buildings will feel woozy, perhaps drowsy for a moment before they blink….and find themselves trapped in a nightmare.

The exact flavor of the nightmare isn’t always constant. In fact, it may not even feel like anything at all is wrong….at first. Characters may continue on after their brief dizzy spell, going about their business until they slowly start to realize that the strangers that they pass in the street are watching them. Watching them as they pass, watching them as they walk away, watching them as their heads turn at unnatural degrees to just keep watching.

Or maybe the nightmare is more immediately obvious. A hole you fall down and just keep falling down for what feels like forever. An angry mob of townspeople who descend on you at random, hands like claws that seek to rend your flesh. It can be any number of things. And it can change. Characters might find that seeking to get away from the source of this horror might work….for that particular horror. Get far enough away, and trade one nightmare scenario for another. They might even find familiar faces stuck in the same situation and can try and work together to get out of whatever nightmare they’ve found themselves in. (It won’t work. But they can try.)

The nightmares don’t come over everyone at the same time, though, and they may even be intermittent for some. Characters might find themselves walking with a friend, only to have one of them begin to react to something that the other can’t see. (..Any injuries sustained, however, will become visible. Even if what’s causing it isn’t. Where did that chest wound come from?)

Even if you’re alone, snapping out of a nightmare might mean finding some of Glouscester’s townspeople staring at you in something like distress or horror. Trying to get medical help from them…will only exacerbate their concern. What wounds, you don’t have any wounds. But you do…don’t you? They’re definitely there.

The only true safety seems to be in ADI Headquarter or housing. ADI staff will be concerned when they do hear reports of the nightmares, but most will swear that they can’t see any wounds that characters have either. And they understand it might be terrifying….but things still need to get done. Characters will be asked but not pushed to go out into town. Or they can just stay inside until this is fixed. Whenever it’s fixed. If it’s ever fixed.

➥ Dunn With This

(cw: attempted capture and imprisonment; reference to attempted murder; violence)

There comes a time when the best defense is, as they say, a good offense. The work ADI has done to cut off Dunn's power by turning back on the lights and calming the public is working; though there are still sightings around Gloucester, she does not seem to have the full free reign she enjoyed in the first nights of the blackout. It's clear that she hasn't given up on whatever she means to accomplish, that she isn't prepared to retreat or lie low.

It's ADI's turn to go on the attack. Word comes down from the top that all staff with field or combat experience are requested to assist in a coordinated effort to recapture Katie Dunn. The plan, as it stands, is to lure each of her shades to a location where she can be pinned in a beam of light. The catch, of course, is that they've done this dance before and she'll be expecting them to try just that. As such, the floor is open for suggestions.

Characters who volunteer to participate in the effort will be informed that the planned procedure for an encounter with one of the shades is for an agent (chosen from those quickest on their feet) to act as bait and try to get Katie to chase them to a predetermined location where other ADI agents lie in wait with a rig of floodlights. It's tricky, dangerous work, and there's no guarantee she won't catch on and avoid the trap or even attack the agents waiting there for the return of their comrade. Worse, it's unclear whether the multiple shades of her roaming the city are separate entities or if they're a hive mind instantly aware of whatever trap one of them falls into.

Characters may also propose alternate plans and methods, and agents will be allocated to assist with any such plans that are deemed to have a decent likelihood of success. Or, of course, they could strike out on their own, though ADI strongly advises against it.

➥ Mod Notes

• GENERAL - Players are welcome to play background NPCs for themselves when they are needed in a thread. If you need more information on general behavior for these types of NPCs, please feel free to ask! In general, the information provided in the prompts should be sufficient and ordinary people will act like… ordinary people! You're welcome to make up any details beyond that for your specific scene. Nia Lehrer and Katie Dunn will be available as mod-played NPCs for their specific prompts via the starter below. Also, please remember that character deaths are permanent and plan accordingly!
  
  
• NIGHT'S EMBRACE (16-18 March) - Characters may find themselves the victims or the perpetrators of the violent and wild acts induced by the shadow woman and her touch. They may also be able to ward her off of an active attack if they're lucky and happen to have a good flashlight with them. After the 16th, nowhere will be safe in town, and characters may find sleeping a challenge when there's a good chance they'll be attacked in the middle of it. Sucks that the coffee pot runs on power, too.
  
  
• ILLUMINATING (19-23 March) - Nia will be available to take questions directly from PC's during the meeting. Players will generally be welcome to threadjack as everyone will be hearing Nia's responses collectively at the same time. Network interaction will be possible, but less focused on quick back-and-forth, and more Q&A-style things that Nia can respond to. Characters in the Administration and Public Relations departments will get a particularly heavy tap to assist with requisitions and spinning up stories, but everyone is welcome to help with either the logistics of acquiring supplies or actually bringing them to people in town or setting up extra floodlights around town. The locals will be very grateful, but confused by the gifts of the generators and lights. Characters with mechanical knowledge will be asked to help with actually installing these for people. If you would like your character to come up with a specific IC story for the blackouts and/or crime streak, please let the mods know in the Questions header on the event OOC post! We will incorporate these into our Headline News items next month.
  
  
• WALKING HELL (22-28 March) - This prompt is very much open to players inventing their own nightmare patches. As stated in the OOC summary, the nightmares can last for any amount of time (including days). Anyone not experiencing the nightmare (including other PCs) will not be able to see what the character is reacting to or see any sort of wounds they suffer while stuck in the nightmare. Any wounds sustained during the time in the nightmare will continue to be visible to PCs and some NPCs even after it ends, but will not be immediately life-threatening no matter what. Two characters in the same place who are both stuck in the nightmare will see the same thing. Please remember to appropriately warn for any triggers/content warnings, especially considering that they are going to vary greatly between different threads. Here is list of player-requested content warnings to keep in mind specifically.
  
  
• DUNN WITH THIS (29-31 March) - While characters are advised by ADI to use the tactics noted above, they are welcome to employ alternate methods of dealing with Katie Dunn. They will have ADI's general support regardless of whether they follow ADI's playbook or come up with their own tactics, including equipment as well as the ability to recruit background ADI NPCs to their plans. However, NPCs generally will not agree to take part in anything that looks like a suicide mission (if you have any questions about whether background NPCs would agree to your character's plan, please submit those under the Questions header on the OOC post). Katie will be available for (hostile) NPC interactions. Please note that the outcome of all encounters with Katie must be decided by March 31, as the outcome of this event will impact the April TDM. If threads have not reached their natural conclusion by that date, players will be asked to decide OOCly on the outcome (and are welcome to continue to tag to reach that conclusion ICly).
  
  

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Comments

[musicdied]

For a moment, it might seem as though she doesn't register his presence, her attention fixed on the dead girl, fingers brushing the clinging strands of blue hair away from that slack face, as though there's any reason at all to tame the disarray.

Then, quietly, "They keep killing her."

Something moves in the shadows again. Several somethings, as though the first darting figure has summoned a pack.

[musicdied]

I would be very surprised if--

[There's a low ca-chunk, and the emergency lights flicker to life, dull and watery and leaving far too many pools of shadow dotting the hall.]

--they didn't. Well, this is one piece of good luck. Now we just need to keep the angry mob from breaking in and smashing it.

[worthallthis]

That is the goal: take out as many shades as possible, until they find the real one. Winter is not particularly interested in capture. Capture means being able to be released, and cause this kind of havoc. This kind of pain for people.

He murmurs into his bluetooth, to Yelena, "Shade eliminated. Time to find another. Pick a direction; I'll follow."

[worthallthis]

"Because they know it hurts you," Winter answers, voice low, ears alert for the imminent attack, flesh hand sliding into his coat for the gun holstered there.

He looks down at Natalia's still, young face. He'd done very little work with her, he thinks. She'd been older, nearly an operative, and he knows the face from testing, not training. It doesn't hurt him quite as much as it hurts Yelena. All that matters is getting her out, and safe. "You know it isn't real. They're trying to hurt you."

[worthallthis]

It's just unfortunate that he told the former science experiment that he's a doctor. The joys of having a very powerful medical phobia....

"Stay back," Winter growls, though there's more fear than anger in it, and he's still inching further away. He hears Luka's words. He doesn't really believe them, not yet. "I did your. Your goddamn mission. I hope you're happy."

[whisperedone]

He can hear the echo and it sends a rush through him that leaves him on edge. Cornered was good, but cornered was also dangerous. She goes silent and then she's all too close in that weird movement of hers, her voice piercing and echoing off the walls.

He brings his glaive up, both to defend and in the vague hope she might catch herself on the gently glowing end in her movement, but he can feel the bite of a claw in the skin of his exposed arm.

He hisses in pain, but tries to push her back by stepping in close rather than drawing away. If she was the cause for the nightmares that had afflicted some, himself included, then he quite likely didn't have long to keep his senses.

[setthetone]

Another one.

Carter is up immediately and hurries over, supporting Malcolm from the other side and holding on to Neal firmly. It's routine now; at first he had tried to reason with his patients but he has done this song and dance too many times. First came the restraining. Then came the calming them down, as painful as it was.

"Talk to me, Malcolm. What happened?"

Dunne happened, that much is clear, but their reaction had varied - he theorizes depending on the severity of their injuries. Right now, Neal seems more terrified than aggressive at least.

He's quick to find a bed for Neal and steer them towards it.

[setthetone]

My light, yeah. Used it to drive out all the shadows in you.

[He takes a towel, gently dabbing at his face again.]

You're in the medical wing. You were injured but I cleaned the wounds and had to give you some stitches. They look pretty good, I gotta say. Some of the finest I've done.

[Luka seems to become more alert and he keeps talking slowly, gently, trying to give him something to focus on.]

[canofmanji]

"I don't trust them. Personally? I think this is just some giant experiment on people with powers and abilities. Why else would I be seeking out a shadow woman if I trusted them?" Except she said she doesn't believe that they came from somewhere else. Which means she likely can't help him get home. "You don't believe we came from other places? Then I'm guessing you don't have any idea how I get back to the life I'm suppose to be living."

cw tooth loss

[cacophonish]

Jeff can hear Martin, but all the same, he cups a hand to his ear and mouths at the window, "What?"

Then he turns to Malcolm again and leans in.

"Poor guy. I don't think he's realized it yet." He sneaks a glance back at Martin. There's a wildness in Jeff's eyes that was never there before, when he was still so... fragile. "Just how harmless he is. All that snarling is just kinda... toothless."

As if on cue, Martin may notice a few molars in the back of his mouth feeling loose, like they've just detached from their roots in a clean break. It's fine, he's not hurting anyone. It's not like Martin's real.

It feels like almost a waste, doing this to a figment. But he's curious to see how Malcolm will react, more than anything. After all, this vision of his father is an extension of him, in a way. Some ghoul from his subconscious.

[citizendetective]

Usually...

["Usually" is never as reassuring a word as it's meant to be, Martin. Luckily, she doesn't look particularly fazed, nor is her excitement particularly diminished.]

This is my first time, so it's all new to me! I'm really looking forward to getting out in the field, though; I don't scare easily.

[citizendetective]

Neither am I, to be honest - no magic powers here! But I have good investigation skills, so I'm hoping I can apply that. But I'll probably see you in the medical areas, too.

All good! Not late at all!

[canofmanji]

Nothing! [He snaps that out a bit more harshly than he probably should.] I'm fit as a fiddle. [For a guy with only one arm and one eye which, judging by the scars, were lost in a violent way.] I'm physically fine. [So why is he here? Manji is slowly forgetting.]

I just heard you were helping people who were attacked by that shadow woman.

[citizendetective]

This someone. Well, yeah. That's basically why we're here, right? ADI is keen to kill them.

Illuminating

[citizendetective]

Trapping her for the purposes of killing. I feel like they're making that pretty clear.

[Read between the lines, Yelena!]

And I don't know, some people have been here for awhile, or are from worlds with magic... if you talk to them, they make this sound like just a regular Tuesday.

[canofmanji]

When he sees that hand reaching, Manji immediately reaches out to take it. He doesn't know what is going on, but his normally fairly stoic roommate was clearly freaking out. He wanted to do something to help him feel steady once more. "What is it? What's wrong?"

[citizendetective]

[The tactic absolutely doesn't work; sorry, Manji. If anything, she looks intrigued. She may not be a big weapons person, but having one around is always a good plan in situations like this, especially if they're willing to use it. She runs her finger along the blade, then carefully presses it to the point, a tiny bead of blood forming at her fingertip.]

Oh, right, cosplay; it's kind of a-- well, it's kind of a nerd thing, actually. People dress up as their favorite characters from shows!

[myfavoritemurder]

"I can help with their little plan just fine, but I'm flexible."

And curious. And far too impatient to sit through meetings and presentations.

"How do you fight if you're blind?"

[canofmanji]

[...] Sounds like kid stuff. [He's heard of shows and has even seen a couple since showing up. If he was being honest he was a bit amazed by them, but he didn't really see a point to dressing up and playing pretend. Then again, Manji wasn't very good at having fun.] Whatever. It helps people not freak out about it so I'll take it. Although I'm more use to everyone walking around with a sword.

[citizendetective]

So do you like scaring people, or do you like keeping them from freaking out?

[She's kind of getting mixed signals from you on this, bud!]

[cuttypie]

[Carter's light. Even though he's afraid of the other lights, Carter's light is...different. How can he be afraid of it?

He turns his head slightly, trying desperately to focus on him. The more aware he is, the more aware that he's not all right.

Medical wing. Injured...

...he remembers talking to someone...Katie?

He was trying so hard to reach her and yet...

...now he's here.]

Are you...showing off?

[There's the slightest of pauses, the barest of smiles. It's a joke. Kinda.]

Re: Illuminating

[musicdied]

It's clear that they would like to kill her. And also that they don't know how.

[Thus the monster-in-a-box that's been loosed on the streets of Gloucester.]

It will probably be weirder than flashlights, or someone would have done it already by accident.

[abrightboy]

They captured her before. That option should be on the table. We don't have any right to be the judge, jury and executioners.

[abrightboy]

Martin starts spitting out teeth and Malcolm looks at him oddly and then, after a moment, with some horror.

"Dad, what..."

Suddenly Martin turns into a serpent and it starts butting its head against the glass, trying to break through. Malcolm stumbles backwards.

[conning]

Neal resists the new presence and pressure of Carter at his other side, though there's no logic to it. They've both got him, now, his options are more limited, and by the very nature of feral logic it means he fights harder to get away from them.

"No! It's not an option," he gasps. "I'm not letting it."