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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[abrightboy]

Malcolm turns up at the shelter with a frozen lasagna. The third in two days.

Neal wasn't at his apartment.

He pokes his head in and looks around until he finds the man in question, sitting on the edge of his cot, head in hands.

"I, um. Brought this." He holds it out. "You know. For..." He gestures around.

[conning]

Neal sits up when he hears someone approach, and brightens from a practiced smile to a real one when he sees who it is. He doesn't get up, even though manners tell him he should.

He really is tired.

"Thanks." He takes the lasagna and resists the urge to press the cold packaging against his forehead, instead staring at it for a moment before he finally forces himself to his feet. "We can leave this in the big fridge in the kitchen."

For a second, he's not sure what to do once he stands up, but then he remembers himself and gives Malcolm a light kiss.

[abrightboy]

Malcolm can see how tired he is, in his face and in his movements. He takes the lasagna back.

"With the other ones. I can put it there," he says, returning the kiss. "I remember where it was."

[conning]

"Malcolm?" Neal says the name with the uncertainty of someone who's just realizing that he knows this guy on a different level than he thought.

"What the hell is this guy talking about, Caffrey?" Keller sneers a little, glancing at Neal with raised eyebrows before he gives Malcolm a once-over. "'With him.' Since when are you with anyone?"

Neal reasserts himself between Keller and Malcolm, heartbeat railing against his throat. "Please, Keller, let him go. Don't do it this way, not this time."

"This time. You okay, Neal? Hit your head a little too hard on the way out that window?"

[abrightboy]

"We have to get out of here," Malcolm tells Neal, grabbing his hand. "We have to go!"

[worthallthis]

"The target was eliminated," Winter says flatly. "The target was. He was. There were kids in here!" he explodes.

If this were the real mission, if this were decades ago, he'd never have dared to speak like that. But he's had almost nine months now of freedom, of being asked his opinion on things, of being encouraged to show emotion. "There were kids and I blew up the goddamn building because that was the mission that was the mission that was--" He cuts off, making a whining noise in his throat, and puts both hands to his head, butt of the pistol to his temple. (Not the barrel, at least, it doesn't look like he's aiming to shoot himself.)

[apocalypsehownpcs]

Her inhuman yell, the leap from an unexpected spot, the claws and the willingness to launch herself in close--all of this is calculated to make an ordinary person panic and run. That's the point, and it's how she best knows how to fight. She doesn't catch herself on the blade, but even the soft glow makes her give a return hiss of pain from being this close.

He steps in and she steps back, slashing at him wildly. With him still between her and the exit, she tries again to retreat deeper in, trying to dive away into any shadow she can find that's not lit by his glaive.

[apocalypsehownpcs]

"Who says you have a home to go back to?" she asks curiously. "What's more likely? That they pulled you in from another world, or that you're just some poor idiot with powers they caught and...confused a little?"

[worthallthis]

"Yes," Winter agrees wearily. He's seen it a lot, on his patrols, these past few days.

He gives the poor old man a little shake by the front of his shirt, glaring over his protective mask. "Calm down or I will be forced to carry you."

[apocalypsehownpcs]

They do find another, and soon--perhaps suspiciously soon. Yelena will spot a shadow woman lurking in the deeper darkness, one that does the usual lurking hunt, that appears and disappears and moves ever closer, just as though she were encountering Yelena for the first time and just as though she sees her as a viable victim.

It's within the same moments that another one flits through the shadows behind Winter, not bothering to announce herself or attempt to frighten him. Her approach is nearly silent, though not quite; her feet touch down a short distance behind him before she breaks into a run, giving him all the warning he'll receive.

[worthallthis]

The first footsteps are enough. Winter, already in a ready crouch as he trails Yelena through the streets across the rooftops, spins to catch whatever attack she's launching on the metal arm. It's covered in a sleeve, so the plates can't catch the light, so the shade might be in for a surprise when she hits it.

In the same motion he's pulling up another source of light with his free hand and flaring it in the direction of wherever she hit him. He's taken to carrying multiple small flashlights, in all the blackouts. They're just as effective as bullets against this particular enemy and they don't run out as quickly.

CW: Thoughts of medical experiments in flavour text.

[canofmanji]

That gives Manji pause. Could that have been possible? What if his memories of escaping Kagimura's prison were false? He was immortal, if that bastard had found a way to make him sleep for centuries then---

No, that couldn't possibly be right. Could it? Although being kept in a drugged slumber while the experiments continued seemed more likely than actual time travel.

Manji is quiet for a long moment as he considers that. It seemed more and more likely the longer he thought about it. The only problem being that if it was true then that means Rin is long dead and there was no way to get back to her.

"Fuck that. I've met people from other planets." What if they were lying to you? What if they're in on it? "So there has to be a way to get back to my life." She's gotten into his head, but his stubbornness not to give up on getting back to Rin keeps him from instantly believing it.

child death, knife violence, murderous children

[musicdied]

"It's real enough. I know this isn't how she died, but that doesn't bring her back. Gloucester didn't do that."

She bends to press her lips against her sister's cold forehead.

And one of the shapes lunges from between the towering shipping containers. The light catches on the knife first, flashing towards him with the sort of brutal swiftness that only comes with long training. The features become clear a moment later, dishwater-brown hair held in twin plates, the heart-shaped face of a small girl whose age hasn't yet reached double digits, eyes filmed over so that the irises can be registered as pale but not pinned down to a specific colour, lips the dull blue of hypoxia.

[canofmanji]

I like doing whatever keeps people from bothering me. If that's scaring them so they leave me alone? Fine. Or keeping them from freaking out and staying away from me? That's fine too.

[canofmanji]

Why do you want to know? [His hand starts to clench. A part of him just wanting to cause violence. Besides, this doctor would probably deserve it for something he's done in his life.] It would be a good excuse to toy with someone, wouldn't it? To cut them open and see what makes them tick.

[setthetone]

"Neal? Can you hear me? My name is John Carter. I'm a doctor and we're trying to help you."

Carter's not sure how much of that will register but he says it anyway in case it helps. But he nods at Malcolm, taking a step back from the restraints to recover for a moment.

"Yes. But he'll be very disoriented when he comes to. I also have to cover his eyes for the procedure and that might be very frightening. If you know him, it would be great if you could stick around."

[setthetone]

[Oh.

Carter tenses and sits up a bit. With Manji coming here by himself he didn't quite expect this level of paranoia. But Luka had been in a similar state the first time around, hadn't he? And then he'd attacked Carter with stones.

It only occurs to him now that maybe he should have asked for protection.]

You came here for help. I want to help.

[He holds up his hands, watching him cautiously.]

Something is bothering you, isn't it? Enough for you to come here and talk to me. Why don't you tell me what it is and I will tell you what I can do for you?

[canofmanji]

[Good. A part of Manji's mind thinks. He wants this doctor to be afraid. It felt good for Cater to fear him.

Just like the kid.

He takes a deep breath and forces his hand to open again.] I-- I've been having some strange thoughts. Dark ones you might say.

This is stupid. You can't help. I'm not injured. I don't know why I'm here.

[conning]

“No,” he says, and shudders, though he’s clearly not talking to them this time. “Just let me go. I can’t do this any more. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.”

He yanks at one of the restraints. “You promised me. You promised. I trusted you.”

[abrightboy]

“I know him.” He doesn’t try to stop Neal from straining at the restraint. Instead, he shifts up by his head and strokes his hair, then kisses his temple. “It’s okay,” he says, still threading fingers through his hair. “John’s going to get you out.”

[conning]

"I'll go with you," Neal says quickly. He's not too tired to take the chance to have a moment with Malcolm, crisis or not. He touches the backs of Malcolm's fingers, a light invitation to hold hands if he can manage the lasagna with just one.

[setthetone]

That's what happened to the others.

[Carter extends his arm, beckoning at the occupied beds in the med wing. People of Gloucester and ADI alike, resting, recovering.]

It's not your fault. Dunne did something to your head. I can drive the darkness out if you let me.

[And, because he feels some resentment there,]

Without any cutting.

[setthetone]

Oh.

Carter's eyes soften at the intimate gesture and he gives them a moment before leaning in again.

"Neal, I'm going to cover your eyes now. It will be dark for a while but you're safe here. Dunne can't get to you. Malcolm will be right here and you'll be able to hear his voice."

He steps around the bed to the other side and puts the protective glasses on, then reaches for the lights.

"I'll hook him up to an IV in a bit. It will keep him from getting dehydrated."

cw: nightmarish imagery/HORRIBLE STUFF idk I'll be more specific later

[inlieuofadad]

Gil has been looking for Jeff, in-between emergencies and assistance given to various projects and people. He has (in to-be-written toplevels) heard rumors and stories and discovered one very concerning crime scene. He knows about the messages Jeff left, thanks to Malcolm. But he hasn't been able to concentrate as much focus on looking for the kid as he wants to, with the continuous flow of crises and his typical sources being busy or unhelpful.

He hasn't been able to, and its been driving him more and more insane, and he finally said a mental fuck it and grabbed a backpack full of supplies (first aid, food, flashlights) and he's been prowling Gloucester from docks to Dogtown since shortly before dawn.

He doesn't realize he's walked into a nightmare right away. Gil's worked hard enough to get dizzy spells before, and it doesn't last, so he ignores it. The first changes--each and every street sign going blank, the signs in the windows not quite being readable--are subtle enough that he doesn't immediately notice.

No, what he notices is Jeff. Jeff, standing on a street corner with the Stratocaster that Gil has been quietly putting tiny deposits on once he found out Jeff had it on layaway. Nothing big. Nothing too noticeable. Just something to get it into the kid's hands a little quicker.

Jeff, standing on the street corner with the guitar and belting out a song with a lightness and charisma that makes Gil's neck hairs prickle.

[conning]

Neal gives Carter an uncomprehending look, bewildered and furious and afraid, but then the glasses come out and he cries out in protest at the sudden darkness. He thrashes against the restraints again, this time hard enough that he'll probably have a bruise from it.

The protests go from furious demands to terrified begging pretty quickly.