Settle The Score | The Assassination of Fenix Down (Player Plot Open-Log)

[aelwyn_aberration]

Who: Aelwyn + Anyone Who Wants To Be Involved In This Assassination
When: April
Where: Around Gloucester, Springfield, the Circus, assorted other locations.
Summary: A murder is planned, executed, and staged. The details are yet to come.
Warnings: Discussions of murder, actual murder, blackmail, espionage, gaslighting, TBA.

[Several months ago, following the Circus' initial visit, Aelwyn was given permission to take down Fenix Down and his circus. Now, after more recent revelations about their unseen enemy, the plan has become a higher priority.

The plan is as follows. To ensure that this doesn't implicate ADI, a false cult will be created for this specific purpose. They'll keep the entity behind it vague, but one must be selected to ensure anyone paying enough attention would be able to identify it. They'll create conspiracy theories, fabricate old reports from decades ago to make it seem like this group is only recently being resurrected.

And then, with that done, they'll execute the plan itself. Staging the kidnapping and murder as if it was the act of that cult, and an extensive interrogation.

OOC Post here!]

Comments

PRIVATE NETWORK

[aelwyn_aberration]

This serves as a private place for those of us involved in this plan to communicate the details remotely. While I am open to suggestions, there are a few ground rules that need to be set before we go any further.

1. This doesn't leave this group. If I find out you jeopardized all our lives and ratted us out either to the circus or to some other bleeding heart who would stop us, I will come after you.

2. Fenix Down is going to be captured and interrogated and then he will die. This is not up for negotiation. It is far more expensive, impractical and dangerous to keep him prisoner. This wasn't my decision, but I agree with it anyway. If you can't stomach that, you can walk away from this. Nobody will blame you.

3. Keep magic use to a minimum, and reserve it only for extreme situations. We are being monitored by one of Nia's agents.

4. This is very unpleasant business. There are parts of it that you might not be able to help with, or that you might not want to be a part of. I understand this. There is no shame in it.

With that in mind, we can more or less begin.

[OOC: Put your network top-levels below here! Threadjacking welcome and encouraged.]

THE ENTITY IN QUESTION

[aelwyn_aberration]

We are running out of time so I'd like to simplify this argument. We need to settle on an entity sooner rather than later, so guess what. There are websites on which you can make polls.

Let's just vote here.

un: supertemp; text

[thedoctorsmate]

Does anyone have a summary of what happened with this guy?
More specifically, what he can actually do?
And is there some sort of Entity that's associated with water?
If he's fire, we could do some sort of fire vs water spin.

@jelica

[musicdied]

The Buried covers drowning and suffocation, which are both very good ways to deal with fire.

The Vast has fear of the ocean, but I think that's a little too tangential to be very useful.

text; un thearchivist

[the_archivist]

It depends what about water you're afraid of. There isn't a 'water entity' or anything like that.

And the fire is tangential. It's the destruction, the pain, the fear of loss and hurt.

@jelica; text

[musicdied]

Just Fenix Down?

We should consider how to keep him dead. We've seen Pyre's parlor trick. I'd be very surprised if Fenix can't do something similar.

un: Aberration

[aelwyn_aberration]

Just him at the moment. Do you disagree with that course of action?

But yes, I had a similar concern. Our ADI supervisor suggested nirogen dioxide, and said that bullets likely won't work. And then, on the other hand, from my own research, apparently some avatars of the Desolation can be made of wax. Which lends itself to a number of difficulties and opportunities.

That's one thing I'd like to find out on one of the scouting runs.

THE PLAN

[aelwyn_aberration]

The finalized version of the plan is as follows.

The Shadowcats will be portrayed as a cult of the Dark, with elements of the Slaughter. Their M.O will be in plunging entire streets into complete darkness and then leaving destruction to be discovered when the lights flicker back on. Largely benign and simple in their fanatical worship of the Dark, they mostly travel place to place and cause minor incidents. That is, unless crossed, in which case they will leave corpses in their wake. Sometimes just one, sometimes a group, once it was an entire riot squad.

As such, we will be plunging the circus and the surrounding streets in a complete and total blackout. We'll do this after we've captured Fenix, who will be lured out shortly before we take out the other avatars. We have been advised to avoid relying on simple bullets for this. Freezing them with liquid nitrogen will work and allow us to prevent them from regenerating, as will contaminating them physically with sawdust and then blowing them up or decapitating them. Human casualties are to be avoided, but it's expected that some of them will get in the way of their own free will, and the priority is the safety of our own people. If they do get in the way, aim to incapacitate. Ideally we'll leave them discouraged about continuing their little act.

Our targets are Fenix, Penny and Roderick. Fenix is the only one to be taken alive.

You've all done really well so far, and I'd like to personally thank those who've taken part in the whisper campaign for all the help. As for the ones who are getting started now? Good luck. And stay safe.

un; mkblackwood

[lowficharm]

Just to be totally clear-- and I'm not saying I want more killing, just thinking practically-- but... Are we sure only Fenix? Because if they ever find out it was us who did this, provided we get away with it, they're going to come back.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Martin, I'm surprised at you, I had no idea you had this unquenchable thirst for blood.

We're settling for all of the avatars, leaving the humans alone. Enough to put the fear into any remnants and convince them to maybe not come back.

RECRUITMENT

[aelwyn_aberration]

[If you'd like to thread out your actual recruitment into this plot, please drop a starter here and put in the title whether you want it to be Aelwyn or Meredith that they would be sent to.]

For Aelwyn

[the_archivist]

[He doesn't know why he'd received a message asking him to meet, and honestly, he should have ignored it.

But then again, curiosity had always been his failing. He wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't would he?

He hovers outside the housing building, cigarette in hand as he waits, mind turning over what this meeting might be about. He's heard vague rumours of things happening, but he tries to keep his head down and get on with things. No sense making things more difficult for himself. But it's just as likely to be someone wanting to ask about research.]

[aelwyn_aberration]

Were you waiting long? [Aelwyn steps out herself, flicking a cigarette of her own out of the packet she keeps in her jacket pocket. Her eyes are sharp, but not harsh yet, and her expression doesn't betray the nature of this conversation.

Tucked under her arm is a file she's prepared. The title is blank, mostly because it's all a copy.

She holds out her cigarette.]

Got a light?

For Meredith

[failedpromise]

(It's not like Cortana has been hiding her skills. She's helping teach cybersecurity classes, and it's not like she made it hard to figure out who was behind that little hacking incident-not that she'd consider either to actually require much skill.

She hasn't really been hiding that she has experience working for the military, either, even if it doesn't come up so much.

As such, maybe she shouldn't be surprised that someone would reach out to her for help with an assassination plot-except of course, she has no idea that such a plot is underway, or why a coworker she only barely knows is seeking to meet with her on her "lunch" break.)

Hello?

[henchgal]

Hello!

[Meredith's actually giddy to have a non-Tim hackery person to lean on. Not that she doesn't love her roommate, but...but. Things are complicated in B2 right now. Anyway, Mere might not look like much. Someone's perky secretary, walking with a cane, hair pulled up in a tidy ponytail.]

I'm working on a project, and I need someone who has better 'internet backdoor creative solutions' skills than I do. It's for the media relations team--though really, it's for Aelwyn. Any chance you'd be interested?

aelwyn!

[cacophonish]

[ Jeff's not as easy to pin down as he used to be. He's not at Bonnie's with any regularity, and ever since the blackout, he doesn't even seem to spend as much time around bars of parties. There are hours out of the day where he seems to be totally unaccounted for, disappearing into some new interest that's been keeping him occupied.

But he still bums around town, and lately, he's been making more appearances out with his guitar, busking cheerfully and (if one's been paying attention to these things) without lacing his music with mind-fucking magic.

Today, he's out at the docks, performing for tourists and other passers by on the boardwalk. ]

[aelwyn_aberration]

[In truth, she'd been worried that he was going to disappear or skip town like Ren, Kurapika and Akechi did. It's... a relief, to catch up to him now.

Even if she might inevitably have to put him down. At least he seems to be doing better. She watches his performance to completion, or at least till a lull in the crowd and a moment where he's not playing and then she approaches. Unlike him, there is a tinge of magic to her eyes. A simple precaution that would block him from breaching her mind with his enchantment.

It's not that she's afraid (maybe a little), but he's done it without even meaning to before.]

Calhoun. And here I was worried you'd run off into the wind.

No magic?

SETTING THE SCENE

[aelwyn_aberration]

[A large part of the plan that requires set up is to create incidents in which it looks like a particular entity is feeding. This includes false reports, as well as creating false crime scenes and sending investigators out to check them out.]

[henchgal]

The Media Relations team is here to help with the false reports. Meredith's heading up a crew who are writing, editing and posting the blog posts, news articles and other neat cult-related nonsense.

When she's not hunched over a keyboard (though let's be honest, Meredith is currently spending a lot of time hunched over a keyboard), she can be found with hard copy of what other people have written, editing with a red felt-tip pen in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

Feel free to help, or to take the approved reports and help post them online--Meredith needs computer-savvy sorts to make sure it looks like this has been going on for a while.

(She may also need reminded to eat and sleep. She's in Work Mode hardcore right now.)

SCOUTING

[aelwyn_aberration]

[Scouting out the circus, currently based in Springfield, Massachussets. This could be looking for sniping positions, taking a day trip to the circus itself, looking for a location to hold the interrogation in. For this, please refer to the second event.

Aelwyn will discourage members of ADI who have been before from visiting the circus itself, as it might tip them off. Newer members are very acceptable though. She will ask that they keep contact with home base, however.]

[whisperedone]

[A visionless scout was likely a joke in the making, but it made sense for him to go. It was a quieter area, easier for him to maneuver, and he'd been making good strides in navigating town despite the more unfamiliar sounds he was learning to get used to. Besides, more than that, he hadn't been here the last time this circus came through. Any eyes that might fall on him that he wouldn't notice would likely pass by without note.

He's even dressed the part, wearing something more 'modern' with his glaive wrapped to look more like a weird walking stick, or so he was told by the person who'd helped him look the part. It was all the same to him.

For now, his focus is on an interrogation spot. Someplace not too far from where they'd be taking the target, but far enough to be out of the way and unnoticed. Someplace defensible in case anyone came for them, and preferably good for dampening sound for when things got less civil.

There's a faint smell of the circus on the wind, less than a mile from the area he's exploring and Garner uses it as a compass point to keep oriented. He checks the edges of town, the buildings less inhabited or completely abandoned as well as newer builds, still in the process of being ready for whatever their intended use, a hand trailing along outsides of wood and brick and, when there's a door easily opened or a window left without a frame, he slips inside to check it's sound insulation. One quiet, stale or sterile-smelling location to another, he goes.]

KIDNAPPING

[aelwyn_aberration]

[apocalypsehownpcs]

I. Calling Card
The call from that little Spiral avatar in Gloucester had been a surprise. Not an unpleasant one, though, especially given what Fenix has been reading in the papers about blackouts in the town. He'd been genial, agreed to meet the wayward soul at a private spot a little outside of town. Whatever the kid wants to talk about, Fenix is willing to entertain him for half an hour or so. If nothing else, it should be funny if he can scare the living hell out of him again.

II. Interrogation
"Been a long time since anyone tied me up, kids." In spite of his current state, in spite of the danger he knows he's in, Fenix Down can't help being anyone but himself. The short, colorfully-dressed man smirks at his captors. "Who wants first taste, hmm? I'm burning to start."

((OOC: We do not need to do the interrogation as all one thread. Anyone who's involved and wants to interrogate Fenix is welcome to tag into this. As a warning, anyone who does present themselves to interrogate him will suffer the consequence of some severe pain that will linger for several weeks after this. At player discretion, this pain may become chronic and something the character has to deal with for the rest of their time here.))

EXECUTION

[aelwyn_aberration]

[apocalypsehownpcs]

I. Pre-Attack
The fairgrounds in Springfield are bustling during the day and into the evening. Excited (and frightened) patrons roam the Fenix Down Extravaganza circus looking for sweet treats, fiery shows, and fun. There's a bit of grumbling that the big act they'd heard about: Pyre, the Man on Fire, seems to be canceled for the moment, but there's other fantastic entertainment. Maybe you can enjoy the event before trouble starts to brew.

II. Lights Out
It's after the performance has ended for the day, all of the guests to the circus have gone home, and it's workers cleaning up and getting things set for the next day. Fenix seems to be away for the night, so Penny and Roderick are handing out orders where they're needed. The circus is a well-oiled machine by this point, though. Few directions need be given, just a few specific details as they look toward the next night's show. Penny is overseeing workers on the grounds, checking food stalls for clean-up and the like, looking in to make sure all of the attractions are locked down. Roderick is inside the big top, tending to the sound and lighting equipment.

And then everything goes dark. There's surprised and confused chatter on the grounds from the human employees milling about. The first aid tent lights up again after a moment when the back-up generator kicks in, but the rest of the circus is dark, at least until people start pulling out their phones and other tools for flashlights. At the start, at least, there's just grumbling annoyance. Someone blew some sort of fuse? It's confusing, but panic has yet to set in. Penny and Roderick are on higher alert, but they'll be relatively unawares until someone actually comes for them.

((OOC: The mods will not be NPCing Penny and Roderick, but here are a few guidelines for interacting with them:

- These NPCs will not go down easily. Shooting them with bullets or tranqs will only annoy them. Stabbing them will be similarly annoying, but will not really hinder them.

Roderick
- Unaffected by the blackout in terms of his ability to see what's going on/respond to threats from the dark. His laser light accessories run on their own batteries. He will use said laser lights as weapons.
- Potential injuries from engaging: Blindness (temporary or permanent) from the lasers, burns from the lasers, dismemberment from the lasers when they're highly concentrated, deafness (temporary or permanent) from noise-based attacks he can throw at people (think supersonic screech)
- Parameters for taking him down: We'd like to see a minimum of two characters dedicated to taking him down. At least one of them should suffer some substantial injuries. More are welcome to sustain substantial injuries!

Penny
- Affected by the blackout in terms of her ability to see, but she will counter this by setting her whip on fire. She is extraordinarily nimble and can dodge/acrobatics her way away from people.
- Potential injuries from engaging: Blindness (temporary or permanent) from the gouts of flame she can spontaneously produce on command, burns from the whip
- Parameters for taking her down: We'd like to see a minimum of two characters dedicated to taking her down. At least one of them should suffer some substantial injuries. More are welcome to sustain substantial injuries!))