Event - Appalachia: Confabulation (NETWORK)

[apocalypsehowmods]

Who: Rae Hargrave
What: An IC discussion for sharing information and making plans
Username: ambulatory
Warnings: Please add appropriate warnings in subject headings!

On June 5, everyone with an ADI-issued device will be added to a group channel by Pam Ruan, who immediately transfers control of the channel to an account with the username ambulatory and an ID picture of a world-weary caucasian woman. Within minutes of the notification that they’ve been added, characters will receive the following message:

un: ambulatory
This is Rae Hargrave with a mission status update for all ADI personnel currently stationed in Wolf Pen.

First, I apparently need to remind you that it is of the utmost importance that you do not inform the locals of the true purpose behind our visit. Not only does exposing ordinary bystanders to the supernatural place their lives in danger, but you also run the risk of handing information about yourself and about our operation to an avatar, either directly or via an unwitting informant. If you are questioned directly about your reasons for being in town or asking the questions you’re asking, deflect, deflect, deflect. It’s better to look like an idiot than to feed our enemies. If I catch wind of any more of these incidents, I will literally sit on you. If you think a local has already been exposed to one of the Entities and that it would do more good than harm to bring them into the fold, bring that to the higher levels before you act.


Second, and to the main purpose, this channel has been established for the purpose of sharing intel gathered since our arrival. Learned something? Tell the group. We’ve got a deadline looming in less than two weeks, and that’s assuming our assessments are correct and the Rumble Down Under is the intended ritual. You don’t need to have things all figured out to be of help here. We’re all putting this puzzle together, together and the piece you bring to the table could click with another person’s intel that you never would have thought was connected.

I'd like to see reports on the following, along with anything else you've picked up in your time here:

• Layout and any suspicious activity in and around the Bluestone Mine: what's the situation with the concert space and where are our entrances and exits? What have you been able to get out of the museum staff?
• Ditto for the Keppler Mine: who have you talked to and what have you seen? We may be running short on opportunities for additional recon here as reports indicate that the OSHA cover story is wearing thin. If you return to the Keppler, have a contingency plan for getting back out.
• Locations and movements of Avatars in the area, confirmed or suspected. Katie Dunn and Deepthi Anand are almost certainly in the area, and we have reason to believe the Desolation Avatar known as Pyre may also be involved. There may be additional Avatars we have not yet identified. While previous experience has taught us that Avatars of different Entities don't usually play well together, there's a first time for everything.
• Supernatural sightings in and around Wolf Pen: we have not yet ruled out the possibility that reported phenomena in the woods and the dump could be related to the ritual attempt.
• Public attitudes and interactions with town leaders: who seems to be allied with whom, and what are their connections to FYRE and the mines? Additionally, have you met anyone you believe may pose a security risk to the mission?

Third, action plans. Our aim is disruption, prevention, and ultimately complete nullification of the ritual attempt and its principal actors. We can expect that regardless of the specifics of the ritual, they will plan to inflict mass casualties, and I hope I don't need to clarify that we don't want that. While disrupting the ritual once it is already in progress is a tried and true method of forcing the dissipation of gathered Entity power and thereby preventing a rebound attempt, incapacitating the Avatars before they can enact the ritual also works as long as they stay incapacitated.

Brainstorm, spitball, whatever you want to call it. Try to be constructive, but be smart and speak up if you spot a potentially fatal flaw in someone else's plan. No idea is too weird or stupid to bring to the table, but some may be too weird or stupid to stay there. Whether we concentrate our forces in one place or plan a multi-pronged attack, we will identify the best plans brought forward and implement them to make sure the ritual doesn't get off the ground.


Fourth and last, Sheriff Ron Porter is currently under evaluation for recruitment to ADI and can be considered a resource with no need to withhold darker truths about the supernatural. However, as we are still performing a background check, we ask that you not share specific information about ADI's home base and regular operations with him as of yet. Again, no other locals are to be informed of supernatural threats without going through the proper channels within ADI.

To those of you who have spoken to Cindy Parsons, the newscaster, we'll be talking later. They are not an appropriate resource and should be treated as an innocent civilian. We do not want to pull them into any further danger than they already have been. Do not speak to them or to Wolf News.

Comments

[aelwyn_aberration]

Hmmm, more wanted the clarify some things to narrow it down. It'd be massively inconvenient if our plans were leaked to the enemy and foiled immediately.

Who was let in on the Shadowcats operation? Other than the people Meredith and I invited, that is.

[pennedin]

[It's a moment of consideration before he answers.]

Me, Nia, and Neil in Security, for sure. And Reyes. Nia tells them everything to keep it organized for her and help with logistics on things. Outside that core group, no one was brought in on it that you two didn't point out. Anyone working in the office with you on the spin side might've had access, though. And that's a lot more people.

[aelwyn_aberration]

[That sparks a small smile from Aelwyn.] Yes... Can't really rule any of them out, can we? Still. Reyes, huh.

You know, it's interesting the degree of trust that's been placed in them considering they're just an outsider like us. Why is that?

From an outside perspective it almost looks like they're running things more so than Nia, at least back at the home base.

[pennedin]

Something happened on a mission when they were still helping out with field work at the start, but I never got the full details on it. Pretty sure they did something that saved her life. Reyes was also the leading voice for people from other worlds when they started turning up. We had everyone locked up at first, not knowing what was happening. They just seemed to... get it. Get everyone's side of things. Talked a bunch of different people down off ledges on both sides. You get someone like that, who's proved they can be a diplomat even when they're in a terrible position, and boost 'em up. Never had a reason to complain about them or their work on my side.

[aelwyn_aberration]

I see.

[She pauses, considering pointing out the sheer amount of red flags in that statement. Diplomat, to her, the daughter of an ambassador who was used to charming and sucking up to authorities and peers alike, means manipulative and damn good at it, too.

What kind of spineless idiot argues on the behalf of the people locking them up if not to find a way to escape? Aelwyn can respect it, really.]

If they were an avatar, would any of you have the means to tell?

[pennedin]

Could put a tail on them, see if they're doing anything overt. But if they're being careful, just feeding on fear more subtly than most could easily see, then there's not really a way to check. Apart from locking 'em up and starving them on any contact. See if they go feral.

There's a reason Nia had her talk back at the big meeting, telling people to knock it off with trying to feed in little ways and still using their powers. We know some people are sneakier than others. But Reyes hasn't ever done anything to raise suspicions. Hell, they're putting Bonnie in more danger than most if they're involved in any of the shit going on back at HQ. And everyone knows they're sweet as hell on her.

[aelwyn_aberration]

Except ADI causes bucketloads of fear already. Not supernaturally, not explicitly, but you've picked us up, thrust us into a world that isn't ours, and demanded we shed things that are key aspects of our identities at risk of death or worse. And that's not to mention people like Khalil or whoever you've got imprisoned beneath headquarters. [She pauses.] I genuinely understand your position in this, and I don't think there's an easy answer to it, but my point is that they have a position of power where they are, even incidentally also contributing to that fear, and could probably feed off of it to an extent. Even the people ADI helps get acquainted in this world, it's still people like Reyes or any of the higher ups that are the first face confronting them with the horrifying reality that they may never go home again.

Bonnie's an offworlder too, right? What if Reyes was offered a way to get them both home, maybe even from the source? People turn traitor for plenty of reasons, some are very sympathetic, and despite whatever diplomatic face Reyes might present, ADI's given a lot of motive for anyone not from here to turn against them.

Did you hear about the video stunt pulled by someone who's since disappeared? That's what made me suspect them in the first place.

[pennedin]

Hey. [There's a bit of a defensive edge to his tone.] We didn't put any of you here. We're just dealing with what got dumped on us, best we can. [But he manages to get that back under control after a moment, taking a breath.] I don't know what you're asking me for here, Aelwyn. Drag Reyes down for an interrogation because of a hunch? Lotta other people I should be doing that for, honestly.

Haven't heard about any video, so you're gonna have to catch me up to speed on that.

[aelwyn_aberration]

I'm not blaming you or your people. [If it didn't personally impact her, she'd actually say they're not doing enough to keep tabs on them. In her opinion, they need to utilize their abilities, but do so in a way that is completely controlled. Control how they're feeding by letting them feed off captured avatars or rats and only permit them to use their powers with supervision. The whole hands off but discourage approach is a disaster on both ends in her mind.] I'm explaining that if headquarters is run by an avatar, they've got a buffet at their disposal, despite any of the good intentions on your part. It's not a personal attack.

[She smiles thinly when he says there's a lot of other people he should be doing that for, taking it as what is almost certainly a threat. It's a small wonder what motivated Deepthi to turn against you people.]

Great. I'm not naming names, since they're gone anyway. One of us, the people who were dragged into this world, decided that it was worth interrogating people associated with ADI using magic to determine if any of them were lying. Bonnie, the Visionary, Neil and Reyes.

Bonnie and the Visionary both lied a couple times, but in ways that weren't really suspicious and more a result of complicated feelings. The Visionary was asked what they were, and she said he thought they were still human. Bonnie lied about not keeping tabs on us and about being fully convinced by the threat of the rituals. Both fair enough.

Reyes never lied at all, and seemed to spot the carefully hidden camera immediately. There was an odd static effect over the rest of the video that only stopped when they were speaking. [She leans back, crosses her arms.] Even at the time, there was something creepy about it. I assumed they were an exception to the no magic allowed rule, and somehow immediately knew they were being watched in that way. But no, apparently not.

My suggestion isn't to drag Reyes into interrogation. But ideally, I'd like this plan to actually work. If the IT department could exclude them from being able to monitor our discussions on how we're going to interrupt this ritual, that would be great.

Thank you for your patience!

[pennedin]

[Austin's expression darkens noticeably as Aelwyn explains. He's quiet for a few tense moments when she's done, as well.]

Right. I'll have the tech crew block their login for the time being and have a chat with them. If they are using powers and giving things away to the enemy for god only knows what reason... we're gonna have a problem.