Player Plot: The Salvation of Geardagas, Part 1

[faileas]

Event Log: January, The Salvation of Geardagas: Part 1

The Evergreen Circle Something is happening in Aefenglom. A rash of disappearances has finally caught the attention of the authorities, but only thanks to a strange twist: a handful of the missing individuals are starting to turn up again, and not as they should be. It began with a harpy. After a week of nothing she returned, fully transformed into a Shade and too far gone to save. The same happened with a trader the next day. And the next with a witch. All three were infected, albeit to varying degrees, and only one of them was able to be brought back from the brink. Naturally, this is a huge cause for concern. There's little sign that the Bright Wall is damaged and none of the victims were known to have left the city. Questioning the survivor, Owain, doesn't produce any leads either as he can't remember anything before his disappearance. It's only after he's had some time to recover that he notices something off. As the blackening of the Cwyld fades, a small tattoo on his palm that wasn't there before becomes visible. To the concern of the Coven, it's a symbol that's familiar to them as the emblem of a rising spiritual movement favoured by the wealthy called the Evergreen Circle, led by a witch called Cillian Alder. Their purpose, he claims, is to provide hope through interrogating the Cwyld from a scholarly and philosophical perspective. In spite of this, Alder has developed more of a cult-like following than anything. Mirrorbound of standing (business owners, members of parliament, public figures, etc) might have already received one of their pamphlets. Naturally, it's an incredibly sensitive subject. The Evergreen Circle has been entirely peaceful up until now, and with such influential and powerful figures among its numbers, the Coven is reluctant to make any outright accusations. Instead, the task of investigating them has been covertly passed to the Mirrorbound. As outsiders, they stand less of a chance of causing political unrest. However, they explicitly warn against taking any hostile actions for the time being: this is an information-gathering request, nothing more. They can provide basic information about the Evergreen Circle meetings but that's about it. a. Preaching to the Choir (Every Friday Evening, Mid-Ieneuer to Early Feoveuer) Cillian Alder Art by Rachel The hall is buzzing. Though there aren't even enough people here to fill the place, everyone seems to be bubbling with excitement, exchanging loud greetings and introductions. They're particularly friendly to newcomers and are quick to offer up their experiences with the group: "Cillian is a truly free thinker!" "I haven't felt so positive about our future for a long time." "There’s a real sense of hope and community here in the Circle." The meeting convenes at 8 o’clock sharp and silence descends upon the room as a figure takes the stage. With his commanding presence and charismatic smile there's no doubt about who this is: Cillian Alder. A man in his late fifties with greying hair, he speaks with an accent crisp as cut glass and a strong voice, no doubt amplified by some kind of spell to reach around the room. He's hypnotising, those cool blue eyes of his impossible to look away from and piercing in their intensity. "How wonderful to see you all tonight, both familiar and unfamiliar faces alike! You are all welcome. I have only one request." He brings his hands together with a smile. "That you keep your hearts open. How else might our minds grow Evergreen?" Alder's speech is nothing if not passionate. He paces and proselytises, responding to the audience's interruptions and cheers with enormous enthusiasm. Throughout, his message is clear. "Who are we to immediately decry the Cwyld as a curse? Fear of the unknown, of what we have yet to control, can only hold us back! We must instead seek to understand it and be at peace with its presence! This is a test of our conviction! Our will to survive!" It goes on for the better part of an hour and, afterwards, he descends into the audience to receive their praise and questions with the gracious smile of a beloved king. He might even turn that magnanimous presence on you, affording you a few crucial moments of conversation (limited to 2 RNG characters). Will you stick around to find out more or try and slip backstage while everyone is distracted? For such a warm, welcoming atmosphere, there seems to be a lot of security around the doors leading back there so it might take some quick thinking to get through without conflict. Those who are caught will have to face the consequences, but the results might be… unfavorable. b. Spirited Away (late-Ieneuer to mid Feoveuer) Those less inclined to subterfuge won't have any problems finding trouble to get into either. As the month goes on, more and more people disappear, and that might even include Mirrorbound. Whether you're intercepting a kidnapping or fighting off your own, you're more likely to get caught up in it the longer the month goes on. It's easy enough to fight off the attackers but nigh impossible to actually catch or identify one: each is dressed in black and smells of the tell-tale decay of the Cwyld. But even assuming you do manage to apprehend one, they will refuse to talk in anything but vague, confusing comments about salvation and new beginnings. c. Cast Out (mid-Ieneuer to early Feoveuer) Likewise, the number of locals who have been abducted and released continues to rise. The victims, anywhere from badly infected to fully transformed into Shades, require subduing, healing and, in the most dire of circumstances, permanently dealt with before they can hurt anyone. Without exception, they're aggressive, reacting violently to attempts to heal as well as harm them and there are no discernable patterns when it comes to victims. However, the eagle-eyed might spot the Evergreen Circle's symbol on some of their palms if they're not too heavily corrupted.

[ ooc: More information about the event can be found on the plotting post along with comments for questions, and RNG sign-ups for directly interacting with Alder! ]

Comments

Conversations with Cillian Alder

[moustre]

[evergreencircle]

[Whether it’s just a matter of patience paying off or overly enthusiastic members pushing for newcomers to meet Alder, two of Mirrorbound get a chance to speak with him directly- and it’s quite the experience.

Alder’s charisma is no less diminished for the lack of a stage; as he turns to greet each of his flock one-on-one, his smile is the perfect balance of knowing, welcoming and mysterious. He chats with ease, joking and offering snippets of his wisdom with equal grace as he glides across the room. Miraculously, none of it even feels forced; he exudes a natural charm and some might find that being the sole focus of it is a little overwhelming.]

Always a pleasure to see fresh faces. [He bows his head in greeting.] Unless I’ve just missed you before now? Regardless, I hope you found this evening... enlightening.

Berserker (Cú Chulainn Alter) | dragon

[curruid_coinchenn]

[ 1. Spirited Away ]

[ Blood drips onto the pavement from Berserker's bloodied claws. The look on his equally bloodied face is that of a cornered wild animal, fearful and only trying to protect itself. The person he attacked isn't beyond saving, but they are in sorry shape – expected after being attacked by a dragon, a venomous one, at that. Something snaps him back to reality, enough to wipe his face on his sleeve in an attempt to look presentable. ]

...Do something about them or they'll bleed out. Or finish them off, I don't care.

[ He does care, though – he wants them to die. It was just like last year, except he wasn't injured this time and wasn't caught off-guard. He wasn't about to suffer through hell again without putting up a fight this time. The perpetrators of that incident are either dead or in prison, though, aren't they? ...Why is it happening again? ]

[ 2. Cast Out ]

[ By contrast, those who have shown back up infected are treated with slightly more care by the dragon. The more infected, violent victims are troublesome. He seizes one by the wrists, stopping their near attack on an unfortunate passerby. Berserker holds them there with an indifferent look. ]

...Can you do something about this? [ This being the yelling, struggling turnskin in his grip. ] Or would you rather I let them go?

[ 3. Wildcard ]

[ Got an idea? Did we plot something out? Drop me a starter or PM me here or on discord glitzkrieg#0673! ]

1

[glitzandglamour]

[It's dark out. Mettaton's plenty aware of the going-ons in the city, provoked into keeping an eye out for suspicious activity moreso than usual, even when he's playing it cool and going about his regular activities. Regular activities, which frequently include occupying the Entertainment District all evening and night, wherever the people are bustling most that night. Performing, socializing, connecting, making his big presence even bigger.

Magitech lights barely do the cobblestone streets and alleyways justice, so it's understandable that when he hears Berseker's voice, it jolts him out of his reverie. Mettaton jumps (more than most, on those springy Puca feet) before fixing his startled, gold gaze upon the Dragon and his bloodied prey: a Witch who reeks of the blight-like magic of the Cwyld... though Mettaton's not been exposed to it this close before, not enough to recognize that's what he's smelling. All he smells is blood and magic.

It's affronting. And the idol's gaze evolves from startled, to concerned, to empty, all in a flash. His jaw drops.]

... Oh.

[His voice is low. He blinks, before closing in on Berserker and his prey with an appraising, curious glint to his eye, despite the gruesome scene- almost as if he's not so put off by it. Mettaton has no context for the situation, but he wagers a guess.]

Oh my. That is definitely a Witch bleeding out, painting the pavement red! [No kidding.] Is this one of those cult members, darling?

1

[yesdoubt]

[Momo's gotten in deep enough with the cult that he's doing his intervention in the cult's attempted kidnappings wearing another face, that of a stocky blonde woman in dark clothes. So it's this "stranger" that responds to Berserker's situation, even if she has to take a long look between the person on the ground and the dragon before shaking her head slightly and bending down to assist the unfortunate cultist.]

Must've been some idiot to think they could take on a dragon alone... [She begins to murmur to herself, starting off the healing spell, her hands glowing gently but a few mites of that glow escaping down into the victim. After a few moments, despite the wound knitting, the person passes out - Momo tweaked the spell slightly to favour taking energy from the victim than himself for the heal, because on one hand he doesn't want them dead but on the other he doesn't really want them conscious right now, either.

Once the spell is flowing without the need for incantation, the woman speaks again, her voice smooth and straightforward. Momo made sure to account for that need for a voice change when weaving this illusion.]

Are you alright? You looked pretty spooked.

Shu | witch

[blind_benevolence]

[ 1. Preaching to the Choir ]

[ For anyone that might be trying to get a better look backstage, Shu is a good helper. He stays a small distance away from the tightest security and gently places a hand on the shoulder of someone that walks in front of him. ]

Are you trying to get a better look...? Wait, I have an idea. Let me go first.

[ What better distraction than a seemingly lost blind man? ]

[ 2. Cast Out ]

[ A particularly violent returnee is pinned to the ground under his knee, flailing and scratching at the ground to try to pull themselves up. Shu isn't about to let them up, however. He waves his hand in attempt to get a passerby's attention. ]

Mind giving me a hand? I don't think they're beyond saving...I just need a moment to cast a spell.

[ 3. Wildcard ]

[ Got an idea? Did we plot something out? Drop me a starter or PM me here or on discord glitzkrieg#0673! ]

Styx | Witch | ota

[tothemetal]

preaching to the choir;;

[it wasn't fair. the Cwyld was enough of an abomination on this world the way it already was; to make even the city a place of fear was unforgivably cruel. Styx is admittedly too stupid to grasp the finer details of science and readily admits that there may be more to the infection no one yet knows - why not? this world was strange. however...the destruction of a family is something he's intimately familiar with.

no one had asked those people what they'd wanted. they deserved better.

this thought was what had brought the drummer to an Evergreen meeting despite his natural inability towards subterfuge. if nothing else, maybe he could learn to understand these people better. surely they must have some reason to act as they did...right?

unfortunately, charismatic as Alder is, his lecture is still on topics far too esoteric for the dull mind. Styx feels as if he's back in school again, and those seated near him can watch his head droop lower and lower over the course of the hour until...ah, there he goes. out like a light.

it's only when the speech part of the evening has finished and everyone rises, jostling the chairs around them, that he's jolted back to life.]

...uh! S-sorry.

[he flushes faintly upon feeling eyes on him, quite embarrassed at being caught.]

I, um. Anything important happen?

cast out;;

[the weather is as cold as ever these days. Styx has taken to wearing gloves when he goes out now, although the chill of winter has never particularly bothered him much. no, the outerwear is for a completely different reason, because-]

Dude, come on!

[because the victims of the Cwyld were everywhere these days, it felt. dangerous though it was the drummer knew how to fight with his hands best, and so that was how he engaged these poor souls. the crack of bone against rock resounds through the rapidly emptying street as he smashes an infected turnskin's head against a nearby wall with one of those gloved hands.

it pains him to be so rough, but there's just no other choice. saving these people can't come at the cost of infecting more, and so - they have to stay in one place, no matter how much it hurts him to act like the brute he appears.]

I know you're still in there, just - fuck, man, I'm trying to help!

[still, he holds himself back to some degree. prodigiously strong as he is, a turnskin is still a turnskin. even with the tendrils of healing magic causing the thing to writhe in screeching agony now and then, the witch is having a spot of trouble holding him in place on his own.]

wildcard;;

[feel free to hit me with your own prompt! if you want to do something specific/would like a starter just PM me or hit up phantomblood]

closed to eren

[tothemetal]

[he should be more careful. it's a thought that does occur to Styx for a half-second over the week as he finds himself encountering (pursuing) more and more of these infected residents. protecting others was always the priority, but what good would all his strength be if he allowed harm to come to himself? it's why he's always sure to put on gloves before going out these days, no matter how mild the bite of winter might seem.

in the end, no amount of precaution can overcome his gentle heart.

a young woman had asked Styx for help in carrying her groceries home, overburdened thanks to the presence of a prodigiously excellent sale. he'd accepted without another thought - that's what being big was for, after all, and she did appear to be sickly. not in countenance, or the way she thanked him, but...there was definitely a sense of illness pouring off this stranger in waves. she ought to be home in bed, no out running errands. as he follows after her down a shortcut of an alley he can't help wondering if maybe she'd allow him to pick up necessities until she felt better. would that be too weird?

it's a question that never receives an answer, not when he's leaning down close upon her gesturing to better hear what the woman has to say. as the witch's body dips, he suddenly finds himself under attack: some terribly heavy thing strikes him hard in the back of the skull.

the grocery bags split the moment they connect with the cobblestone, Styx staggering madly as stars blossom in front of his eyes. blood trickles down his collar, but the drummer's first thought - his only thought - is to his companion. that sick woman. he needed to get her behind him, keep their assailants away from her frail body.

only...turning to take her by the shoulder now, he finds a strange grin affixed to her face.]

Don't struggle, sir. Your kind heart will surely save you.

[this was - bad. this was very bad.

another blow strikes him in the leg, a frigid spell of ice that crystallizes and attempts to root him to the ground. Styx cries out like a wounded animal, but there's no reaction from the passersby in the main street; too late he realizes that the alley's entryway has been enchanted to mute sound.

he needs...he needs to get out of here, or activate his bracelet, or - or fucking something. the ice is still thin enough that the witch can break free with some effort, although as he takes in the fair number of black-clad figures emerging from deeper within the alleyway he can't help the mild panic which grips his heart. this close to him, how much of a barrier can he really lay down between them? with his head still swimming from the previous blow, could he even fucking remember how to cast a ward in the first place?

instinctively Styx reaches out and pulls hard against his bond, like a dying man grasping for the stability of a fluttering curtain amidst their downward fall. he can at least remember his elemental spells (lightning is already crackling along his arm) and that should...if it doesn't break him out of here entirely it ought to buy time. his dragon would aid him, somehow. he believes that with all his heart.]

papa don't preach;

[disasterstraight]

[ Jin Zixuan had begun his investigation into the Evergreen Circle at the behest of the Coven, feeling a need to protect the safety of the city he now considers his home. He did not have much experience with subterfuge— truly, such things are more in his half brother's purview— but the task ahead seemed simple enough: pretend to be interested in what Alder has to say, learn what he can, and report back to the Coven.

Only... He finds that he actually is interested in Alder's speeches, and as time goes on, he reports his findings to the Coven less and less often, until he is attending solely for the genuine desire to learn about Cillian Alder's plan to investigate the Cwyld.

(He has no idea, of course, that this interest has been helped along by some magical suggestion, convincing him to ignore the alarm bells in his head that might otherwise alert him to mistruths.)

During the course of the meeting, Zixuan's keen harpy eyes scan the crowd in attendance, trying to determine who is here because they genuinely want to be, and who is only here on the Coven's orders. So of course he notices the lumbering oaf who has nodded off in the middle of the meeting. How rude! Once the meeting has concluded, Zixuan marches over to him, intent on giving him a piece of his mind. ]

Really. If you're looking for a place to nap, surely you can find better places than this.

cast out

[adventageous]

[Alice, too, has started taking extra precautions when going out, especially when she does so in anticipation of being a support mage like she is for Styx tonight. She is currently wearing gloves and long pants beneath her skirts in order to better protect herself from any grazing wounds that could become infection points later.

Given how things in the city have been going, exorcisms-that-don't-actually-involve-ghosts (Alice promises there will be one one day, Styx!) have been put on hold in favor of finding and helping people infected with the Cwyld. The two are in agreement on the methodology: save people as much as possible and by whatever means necessary. It's sometimes rough and unpleasant, but so go battles for the soul.

Styx, with his stronger build and practiced physicality, takes the lead while Alice hangs back, using divination spells to help identify the extent of the infection, healing magics to help remove the infection, and support spells to assist Styx with the unenviable job of physical restraint.

Right now, given how much trouble he's having with this turnskin, she's firmly focused on the lattermost task. Murmuring, she releases a burst of energy that envelops the other witch in a protective barrier. It won't totally prevent injury, but it will at least help him should the turnskin lash out too strongly.]

Please, listen to him and let us help you!

[In response, the turnskin practically hisses and renews its thrashing.]

cast out;;

[oathkeeper]

[Sora is no newbie to things infected with cwyld. But he's more used to dealing with animals and creatures in the wilde being infected than he is actual people. All of this stuff that creepy old guy is spouting about embracing the cwyld? It's just completely nuts. And now people are vanishing and reappearing sicker than Sora's ever witnessed before.

He's trying to do his best to help who he can too. Trying to shake people into their senses, take them to a healer or in some worst cases just knock them out and take them somewhere safe. This isn't good at all.]

Styx?!

[Sora spots the other orphanage normal with a shout, his ears perking straight upwards. He starts to run for the man.]

Careful! Don't get yourself infected too-! Do you need a hand?! Ack-!

[He's more than used to a fight. So he leaps over to help the other at least try to restrain the infected person. They better be careful!]

Keith | Voltron: Legendary Defender | OTA

[marmoron]

I. Assistance
[ Keith had largely been minding his own business around the outer city when a wolf/boar chimera -- a native who'd disappeared several days ago -- collapses by the docks. He's up on his feet immediately to go check on them but things aren't going to be easy apparently. The chimera's arm is blackened with infection and the rot seems to be spreading to other parts of his body beyond what's visible. ]

We need to get you to the Coven.

[ Announced more for himself and any bystanders in the area than for the chimera who is murmuring nonsense about becoming one with the Cywld. Keith frowns, but doesn't get to ask questions because the chimera immediately tries to grab at anyone and everyone in the vicinity to try and spread the illness. ]

Woah, watch it!

[ Keith jumps back, now uncertain of what to do. He glances around, catching your eye: ]

You got a way of restraining him without touching him?

II. Infiltration
[ Keith attends the cult meeting covered up from head to toe in black with the hood of his jacket pulled halfway down his face. Whether the get up makes him stand out even more or not is debatable, but what definitely isn't is just how long winded Alder is. The look on Keith's face says it all -- he's unimpressed and bored to boot, and he's paying more attention to the folks guarding the back door than to anything else.

When that rambling babble finally comes to an end, Keith sighs in audible relief and turns to the person next to him. ]

What do you think they're keeping behind there that this place has to be so guarded?

III. Interrogation - Closed to Haus Voltron
[ It's been less than a day that Allura was kidnapped by members of the Evergreen Circle and Keith has been nothing but a whirlwind of guilt, anger and bad ideas.

It's probably the least surprising thing in the world when the front door slams shut late at night and Keith takes off in an obviously foul but determined mood. It hadn't exactly been difficult to stalk one of the cultists to their residence after the conclusion of a meeting. Using the thrall on them to lead them into the Wilde had been just as obvious of a next step. Sure, this was messed up, but maybe these assholes shouldn't be going around abducting people if they don't want to face some consequences. As soon as they reach the entrance of a cave, Keith releases the man from the thrall and throws a heavy punch to the gut.

The cultist instantly drops on the floor, doubled over in pain. If Keith is at all sympathetic to this, he doesn't show it. Instead he walks over and puts his foot down hard on the man's shoulder. ]

This stops when you tell me where the hell you're keeping her.

IV. Wildcard
[ if you've got something else in mind, feel free to hmu!

2

[quintessent]

[If Keith looks out of place, then Allura balances him out by dressing too formally. Looking every bit like the intergalactic diplomat that she was, with only her hair pulled back into a neat bun to suggest she's prepared for any sort of trouble tonight. Perhaps in that way they balance each other out from any prying eyes inspecting them too closely.

Allura's face is rapt with attention during the long meeting, and it's only Keith's voice that pulls her attention away from Cillian once the noise starts to pick up again.]

What? [Her eyes follow Keith's gaze, and narrow. That is a lot of security.] A place for trusted members to talk freely, perhaps? But if the followers are out here now then there would be no reason to have armed guards.

[A beat,] Remember we're only here to observe the meeting.

[She doesn't need a bond to know what Keith's already thinking.]

viren / the dragon prince / ota

[bloodwit]

i. have you heard the good word of our lord and savior, cillian alder?

[ their indoctrination promises their salvation.

viren's only sorry he hadn't discovered the tenets of the evergreen circle earlier. finally, he feels at home within it, like something he's doing matters and has worth, assuring him of martyrdom; but it was more than that, saving lives and finally, truly finding an end to a battle that's been waged for far too long. at some point, he'd felt comfortable enough to take off the necklace he keeps on his person, removing his glamour to reveal his corrupted appearance. gone are lustrous golds and bronzes, instead overtake by sickly purples, blacks. he hadn't been scorned, or reviled for it by members of the circle, but instead welcomed... nearly revered. ]

[ so viren feels freer to walk the streets of aefenglom without illusions masking his appearance, paying no heed to the concerned glances of any passerby, reasonably mistaking his appearance for that of an infected - but even if he were, they simply could not understand. his stops, his darkened flicking about so many of the uninitiated populace. finally, he steps toward someone as he comes to a decision, his scarred palms spread in a gesture of greeting. ]

Good day.

[ while the dragon appears amicable, there's something just a touch aggressive to his smile; perhaps it's that he grins too broadly, or the way his fangs heavily contrast with the unnatural pallor of his skin. his wings veined flare, then shuffle to fold neatly on his back. an eyebrow arches, politely inquisitive -- for now. ]

Perhaps I might have a moment of your time.

ii. the edge of the wilde

[ if you're a fellow cult member, or someone that's otherwise doing a good durn job at pretending to be one, then viren beckons with something resembling (sincere) camaraderie - well, as much camaraderie as someone like viren can muster. they find themselves within the wilde, just at the edge of where purification efforts have yet to be wholly successful, the forest becoming more foreboding the deeper they're inclined to enter. ]

[ viren touches his accomplice on the shoulder, coupled with what he hopes is an encouraging look. ]

We only need to find one infected. [ his fangs press into his lip, thoughtful in that. ] It will be easier for me, of course... But I will be with you until the end.

[ hopefully, you're both feeling prepared for your au naturel cwyld interactions....... ]

iii. wildcard!

( ooc: feel free to hmu, or plot with me at kirbies, ty! )

ii

[petcromancer]

[This outing is going very differently than Hector and Viren's last venture into the Wildes, but it seems like their acquaintanceship is improving for the better.

Hector may not be quite on board as Viren is, vis-à-vis the whole salvation nonsense, but he has been trying to get a decent Cwyld sample into the city for study for months now. If the Evergreen Circle is willing to help with that, then in his mind, they are doing much needed work for the scientific community.]

Right. Don't worry, I don't plan on messing this up. I can commune with the wildlife, and whatever I can't feel, that's where we can find an infected specimen.

Everett Vaughan | Faun | OTA

[rollfordiplomacy]

A. Preaching to the Choir

Hhmmmm... [a lamented sort of hum, from one faun. Everett taps his lip, looking somewhat nervous, squinting at the leader as he leaves the stage after his performance. Would performance be the word for it? It certainly felt performative, built to entice and rally his crowd. That only makes sense... a man like that is easy to get caught up in. He looks to the nearest onlooking Mirrorbound, raising an eyebrow to inquire with them]

Quite captivating, wouldn't you say?

B. Spirited Away

Spare me a moment to explain- [Said hastily to the person who has discovered him in his current predicament. A very suspicious situation, Everett realizes immediately. He is in an alleyway, in the dead of night, with a carriage this is not his. The carriage is full of people who appear to be knocked out and are definitely tied up. Everett knows how this looks.]

-I kidnapped- do wait for me to finish-

[he bounces an extended finger along with his words, trying to keep track of the chain of kidnapping that had occurred]

I kidnapped these kidnapped people from their kidnappers... does that follow? All I wish is to return them. [please believe him, he's not really into abducting people, honest... but is there really anybody to blame but himself for how this all looks from an outside perspective?]

I was rummaging in their wallets to try and find identification. I don't much trust to authorities. [You know... given how this went last year. It really begs the question; could he have been caught at a worse moment, trying to help? Unlikely!!]

B

[blind_benevolence]

[ How something looks to a blind man isn't really relevant here, but since Everett is so desperate to explain himself...Shu stops. Unusual sounds drew his attention, so it was only natural he investigate.

He puts his hands up in a placating gesture with a smile. ]

I believe you. [ He lives in the slums, he knows that people have been disappearing and returning in bad shape. The scent of Cwyld infection is unmistakable in the air, too. ] Do any of them need to be subdued or soothed?

[ He can at least do that much. ]

Hector | Faun | OTA

[petcromancer]

CW: Cognitive Dissonance, Questionable Morals, talk of sacrificing people to find a cure for the Cwyld]

Preaching to the Choir

[So, Hector received a brochure, because maybe the Evergreen Circle thinks his animal shelter is more important a fixture than it is. And reading over the brochure, it all seems... reasonable? Of course they should study the Cwyld and approach it with cold hard logic, not hysteria.

So he's here, and the leader is very charismatic, damn, and he's listening intently. That feeling of 'something's not right about this' most people get from cults, it just doesn't trigger with Hector. He's stupidly susceptible to this nonsense.

He doesn't try to force his way into the off-limit areas, but he does look around for more literature to read over.]

I want to know more. Does anyone have notes from previous meetings, or better yet, a research log? I assume you're studying the Cwyld, in order to better understand it.

Spirited Away

[Well, now, here's a conundrum. Hector is certain the Coven has just been overreacting to the Evergreen Circle's presence, maybe even resenting that Alder's people aren't afraid to do real research on the Cwyld. He was certain.

But... that sure is a couple of dark-clad figures trying to snatch someone off of the street. And they may or may not have silhouettes he's sure he's seen at meetings.

And kidnapping is wrong? Kidnapping is wrong, he's pretty sure about that one. But the work the Evergreen Circle is doing (which, he's convinced himself is letting people get infected for purpose of study) is important if they're to find a cure. Can he say the life of a few people is more valuable than the potential future generations that would be saved?

He hesitates over interfering. Maybe... maybe if he finds someone else, they'll know what to do. He looks around for someone with a stronger moral compass than him.]

Hey, come here for a moment.

spirited

[unsundered]

[Emet-Selch had not attended any of these meetings he'd begun to hear of with greater frequency (and with it, some rather too coincidental increases in sightings of cwyld-infected individuals prowling the city). He'd not liked the sound of it, and was uneasy about attracting the attention of this possible cult. Especially when rumors of kidnapping had also begun flitting about; he'd been stolen away a year ago now, had permanently lost the sight in one eye, and had gained a number of scars from his time in captivity. Worse than that were the memories, distorted and hazy that they were, and the lingering, disjointed sense of unreality. It was not an experience he cared to repeat, whatever the motivations of this group might be.

That was assuming that there was a connection between all of these rumors, but whatever was going on, Emet-Selch wanted nothing to do with it.

Unfortunately, now, he's being beckoned to. And that already has his defenses up- and with good cause, as the flurry of dark-clad figures catches his eye, causing them to narrow. And he considers quickly the option of teleporting away entirely from this potential mess before he became even tangentially involved.

The Ascian's moral compass was questionable at the best of times, and this was already feeling like anything but. But he doesn't flee, gathering himself instead. Still suspicious- still not at all certain whether Hector was in league with these probable-kidnappers or not- he approaches, prepared to attack if given any questionable movement in his direction. Prepared to attack as best he can, anyway; the witch's right hand is bandaged, broken, hanging at his side as though he'd forgotten it exists. Being a gestural caster, being limited to his left already had him at a disadvantage.]

What, exactly, is so pressing?

[A low, hasty undertone- still somehow haughty. What is so pressing indeed, other than the kidnapping that he is pretty sure is taking place disturbingly nearby. His limited gaze flits restlessly between them and Hector.]

Reno | harpy | OTA

[electrod]

[ The disappearances start as a surprise, but... no, not really. Wasn't there earlier this month a time where someone specifically asked for help of non-Coven witches with someone's scrambled memories? Reno ain't no witch, nor he is a good samaritan, so he didn't dig much into helping the individual... but he also was bored, and listening to the word on the street is a leftover from his profession.

The name Evergreen Circle was present on a pamphlet that was mentioned in some of these "words". So having this information pop-out with new disappearances happening immediately piques his interest. Cwyld within the city? Conspiracy? Shit, he'd be all over it if they paid him.

And he ends all over it, even when they don't— because curiosity killed a cat. Bird, in this case. ]

I Preaching to the Choir

a. first time [ On the first meeting, he resigns himself to the role of background propr. Meandering from a group of people, to drinks offered. Not even acting like he's sincerely intrigued. More just— focused on people watching, here for the drinks only. A bored 'hmm' there, an 'ahh' there. A tough nut to crack, but he doesn't expect anyone wanting to sway him. He's just a harpy and most around here are rich humans and Witches.

After a while, he manages to start recognizing who is as new as him to this whole show, and approaches them casually. ]

Ahhh, can you feel it? [ He asks theatrically taking a deep breath in. ] It's all in the air around. The atmosphere of glitz and deception.

[ There's a crooked smile playing on his lips, despite everything, he seems to enjoy this. ]


b, third is a charm [ Next Friday, he visits again. Following that Friday too. Raising an eyebrow or two, given his previous, uninterested attitude. This time it's not on display. Not that it makes him more subdued, it just makes him... more attentive to what is being said. Without realizing it, he starts to fall under the charm. The preachings from inane rambling start to sound more and more legit and on point. Like— for fuck's sake, even Rufus himself could fall into dumb rambles and that guy had a head right on his shoulders, had a vision. Alder has a vision too, and a drive to do something.

So perhaps at this meeting, or on the next one— Reno feels inspired to corner one of the Mirrorbounds. Either just after the meeting ended, or when they're on their way back to Haven. ]

There's been a lot of words, and Alder's touching a nerve. But then— It's not like Coven is doing shit, no?

[ Partially, it's a bait. A controversial statement to see where his conversation partner stands. But there is a part of his brain that starts to believe it. ]

II. Spirited Away

[ Late in the month, Reno kind of loses it. He's good at keeping it under wraps, making sure he hides as much as he can from anyone he knows, from his Bonded because... again, part of him still isn't fully convinced about the circle. It's just getting a lot and a lot less say in daily routine. So he gets lost in odd-jobs he finds, spends a lot of time in the Northern Outpost because they're paying well and all that shit. Starts sporting a fashionable black scarf, to hide a bandage on his neck.

To hide the spot of Cwyld he's been not doing anything about.

But the part that is not fully on board awakens for a moment when he comes across a black figure attempting to spirit away one of the Mirrorbounds. Without thinking, he intervenes. With violence, if he has to. Whether the assailant is subdued with the simple presence or use of force, he lets them go with a confused— ]

The fuck's is wrong with you? [ They got nothing to do with it. And waves them off with surprising civility. Only then he turns to someone that nearly got kidnapped. ] I'd get the hell out of here if I were you


｢ ooc: Wildcards are also always welcome. And if you want to plot something specific lemme know, I got a plotting comment on the OOC portion of the event for him, and I can be reached through PM or plurk aetarna ｣

II spirited away wildcard

[boneofsword]

[Seeing someone accosted by a hooded figure has Archer react without thinking. He's been here the last time such thing did happen and doesn't have good memories of what happened later. Moreover he knows what's been happening lately and has been paying attention to the local grapevine.

He kicks the hooded person away and doesn't even flinch when they hit the wall with too much force. Only when he's sure they won't be getting up anytime soon he turns to the supposed victim.]

Are you okay?

[—and that's when he recognizes the harpy. Well, shit.]

Vanitas | Kingdom Hearts | ota

[darkcharge]

( Preaching to the Choir )

Three Options


( Spirited Away )

Failed Kidnapping Attempt


( Wild Card Options )

[ Always available for more plotting or shenanigans! Just felt like having all my stuff in one place for once. If you want to throw something at me then go ahead or go ahead and contact me at jardaan or verthunder#9612!!! ]

Momo | IDOLiSH7 | Witch

[yesdoubt]

[a: preaching to the choir]

[Momo being a relatively public figure between mostly doing radio and modelling work means that the Coven's request isn't the first he's heard of this cult. He's been given the flyers, had some of his work contacts start talking about it off-hand, but until now he's given them a fairly generic, possibly interested kind of answer to avoid any bad blood. He knows how people can get about religious stuff, and this whole thing reminds him a bit too much of some of the cults that go around back home.

But if it's starting to put people in danger, that's the point he feels he needs to step in. And thankfully, given his ample experience getting on the good side of people he doesn't like, he blends in easily to the cult audience. A few of his contacts recognise him, which gives him an easy in to more people, and more from there - he's always been a networker, so he's definitely talking his way across the floor and gauging who might actually get him an in to talking to the higher-level members.]

(i. join us)

[If another Mirrorbound approaches the group Momo is talking to, he'll finish his sentence before turning his head slightly to the new arrival with a calm, contented sort of smile. It's a bit different from his usual demeanour, more of a professional face, but he seems quite enthusiastic to encourage them over to talk.]

You're welcome over here, if you're looking for company. How are you finding things this evening? [It might be a little less straining on the patience to have another Mirrorbound around and not just bona-fide cultists. That said, he might be considering trying to go the easy route and sneak through that back door with an invisibility illusion.]

(ii. a helping hand*)

[If any Mirrorbound look like they might need a moment of support - a slight hesitation, or being at the edge of a slip-up - Momo is here and there to assist those he can keep on the investigation and in the fold without having to compromise himself too much. It generally comes in the form of a casual joining of the conversation, and depending on whether Momo knows the cult member or not, they'll get a slightly different remark. It's either:]

Oh, I almost thought I wouldn't catch you this evening! How have you been? [For people he knows, or for people he doesn't:] I've seen your face before, haven't I? I've been meaning to take a chance to talk to you.

[Either way, he'll offer a slight, apologetic smile to the other Mirrorbound, whether he knows them or not.] I'm sorry to interrupt, you don't mind, do you?

[His smile is light, but the implication is likely obvious to anyone investigating - take the out.]

[[*As mentioned, Momo will only be approaching people for this prompt who he can actually get out of their fumble. He should be able to handle most kinds of typical faux pas, awkwardness or general things you expect to come up when a character isn't experienced with infiltration, but if someone's started a fight or is already getting dragged out or so on then he isn't going to intervene due to the risk of blowing his own cover.]]

--

[b: spirited away*]

[By the time the kidnappings have gotten more audacious, Momo has gotten in deeper with the cult, and though he wants to help people, he can't do it under a face that the cult knows.

So those who are either defending the locals from a kidnapping or need some assistance themselves may find themselves aided by a warning shot of fire, a fairly basic-level spell largely aimed at deterrence and getting the attacker the hell away from whoever they're aiming at. Looking for the person who threw the spell will reveal...a sharp-eyed blonde woman in dark coloured clothing, watching the cult members with distaste.]

You looked like you could use backup. Shall we? [Her voice is smooth and her words very deliberate, though anyone with serious experience in illusions will recognise one is in play here where both voice and appearance are concerned, even if it's well-done enough to need some kind of active spellwork to be outright seen through. That said, are you going to look a gift horse in the mouth that hard?]

[[*As Momo is using illusions to disguise his identity here, any assistance of fae in particular will be from a distance and he will not reveal himself until the cult is out of earshot, on the assumption a fae seeing through his illusion might accidentally reveal his identity.]]

--

[c: cast out (healing)]

[Before Elliot left, Momo was one of the people who gathered to learn Cwyld healing techniques from him, so since he can't intervene directly so easily while he's investigating he instead helps discreetly from the Coven in the form of aiding in the healing process. The magic blockers and suppressants are fairly easy to prepare for him nowadays, given he's known the techniques for a few months...though he is wondering whether he's going to get the Coven breathing down his neck about why he's so good at them when he never interned here himself.

But that's a worry for later. When another victim is brought in to where the Coven is trying to heal them, he comes to help carry them in, dressed in clothes that cover every inch of bare skin up to the bridge of his nose, including a cloth mask. He's heard about how easily the infection can catch in some cases while he's been doing healing work in the Outer City.]

How bad were they to get in? If they've made it back here I at least hope we can heal them eventually. [If they weren't far gone enough to have to be mercy killed, he wants to stay some level of optimistic.]

--

[d: wildcard]

[[Feel free to hit me up for other ideas at reviseleviathan or on the plotting post! He'll probably be getting grabbed next month too, but I'm saving plotting for that until we get more information.]]

b

[piromare]

( of course lio would be defending people from being kidnapped. but doing that receives a kind of attention that he doesn't want. doesn't like. the worst part is that he's expected some kind of revenge, some kind of counter to what he's been trying to do--- using his sword. using his talons. so while it would benefit them to take the harpy and enchant him...

perhaps to them, it'd be easier to silence him completely.

and this is why as he patrols the outer city close to the bright wall, searching for another developing kidnapping, he finds himself at the end of a knife at his throat. momo's fireball does enough to distract the cultist long enough for him to draw his sword. )

Back off! ( he swings, causing his potential assassin to take a step back but also whistle loudly. two more cultists come from the shadows, also armed. )

Hope your magic wasn't all for show!

( because lio can't deal with all three. not by himself. )

Rikku | FFX | Witch

[al_bhed]

I. Preaching to the choir (Open to all)

[To be perfectly honest, Rikku hadn't expected much from Cillian Alder and this whole Evergreen Circle business. It flirts too closely to how Yevon operated for her liking, espcially in its secrecy. Still, she attends a weekly meeting under the guise of being young, curious, and impressionable. It's not a hard look to pull of for her, since two out of three of those things are actually so.

As the meeting goes on, however, she slumps further and further into her chair. This is decidedly worse than Yevon--at least the latter had the decency to pretend they weren't all-in on Sin when it came to layperson proselytization. The Evergreen Circle is as if Yevon's maesters straight up asked everyone in Spira to give Sin a chance and just let it destroy everything because... survival? conviction? reasons?

Rikku hates it.

The meeting ends and people start mingling, which prompts Rikku to try and bolster herself back into 'excited dumb teenager' mode. It's decidedly harder this time, but she gives it her best go. Not wanting to ruffle feathers and get thrown out by giving her honest opinion of the speech, she turns to the nearest person and speaks up.]

So, how about that Cwyld, huh? Great stuff. Sure wish I could be infected some day.

[Her smile is a little too wide and her voice is a little too high. Whether or not those details are enough to ruin the façade is, of course, up to the listener.]


II. Spirited Away: Reverse (Closed to Tsukuyomi Alpina)

[As time goes on, Rikku gets it into her head that simply infiltrating meetings and fighting off other people's kidnappers isn't going to be enough. If these people are actively encouraging infection and getting it to spread inside the city, more drastic measures are going to be necessary. It's not just for everyone else's sake--these misled people stand to suffer greatly themselves by following this Evergreen stupidity.

Luckily, the Al Bhed have a precedent for handling this kind of self-destructive behavior: protective kidnapping. It's worth a shot at this point.

As such, Rikku is hanging around the shopping district conspicuously holding up and pretending to read an Evergreen Circle pamphlet as bait. She's going to need to draw the faithful to her rather than hunt them down, since identifying them isn't as simple as identifying a summoner on a pilgrimage. She just hopes that this actually works.]


III. Wildcard!

[Hit me up on plurk at asondeiru if you want to plot out something else!]

II - CW: brainwashed girl and all the trappings of being taken into a cult

[alpina]

[ She started off investigating and infiltrating much like the others who signed up to find out more about what was going on. However, the more meetings she went to the more she realized that perhaps they weren't thinking clearly about the teachings of Cilian. Maybe he was onto something. In fact, she knew he was onto something. His words were so bright and whenever he spoke she could feel the words resonate with her very being.

Tsukuyomi felt herself attending more of the meetings just to hear him speak or to hear others share their stories than actually finding out more information and rather than feeding the information back to the outside she was now more adamant that people need to just understand what was going on.

That's all. They just didn't understand. On her way back from a meeting she notices Rikku holding the pamphlet like she was unsure. She just needed to be taught the ways. ]

Hi! [ Her voice was light and bubble. Very out of character for her for anybody that knew her. ] Were you interested in learning more about the Cwyld? The more you understand, the less there is to fear.

Mettaton | Undertale | Puca (OTA)

[glitzandglamour]

1. Preaching to the Choir (MID-IENEUR; the Evergreen Circle)

[It's the very first meeting Mirrorbound have been alerted to, but it's not the first time Mettaton's heard of them. As one of the sorts who puts himself in the public eye, the robot's already received a pamphlet from an eccentric, ardent duo of aristocrat Witches. And if Mettaton's presence is requested somewhere... who is he to deny a fan?

So it's not precisely by the Coven's request that the Puca shows, but it's with the investigation in mind that he conducts himself amicably, earnestly, curiously. "Heart open," as Alder requests, if you will.

In this first meeting or two, Mettaton can be found chatting up plenty of influential Witches, enrapturing their attention completely: this is something the observant would notice about them. He keeps their eyes on him, gesticulating expressively, leaning and responding to their stories and ideas and views. And when it comes to talking about himself, he's loud enough and chatty enough that he could fill this whole room, and he doesn't seem to have a hard time playing the game of flattery. Mettaton easily compliments the ambitions and work of the Circle, and by extension, Cillian himself.

When he notices a fellow mirrorbound on the watch, Mettaton takes the chance for a lapse in conversation to casually work his way around the room. If your character's looking for a chance to investigate anything with the aid of a charismatic distraction, the Puca might be willing to lend a hand... unless he's already under their thrall.]

Hey there, darling. Fancy seeing you here! What do you think of this, the Evergreen Circle? Has it opened your heart to embracing the Cwyld...?

[There's something about the sideways smirk on his face that suggests his skepticism. Or maybe, it's just to partner with the interested quirk of his brow.]

1 ALT.
[...If, and only if, your character doesn't seem to respond to this query at all, or responds with any doubt, Mettaton will easily look very surprised. He daintily covers his lip with his claws.]

Or, oooh! Cillian. Is he your type??

2. MTT-Brand Cwyld (LATE-IEUNEUR, EARLY-FEOVEUER; Entertainment District)

Darling! Come here.

[It's late, late enough for most family-friendly shows to be over with. But the TV star doesn't seem to be in the middle of a show, oh no. Instead, the Puca gives just about anyone on the street a sultry, heated look, beckoning them close with the curl of a finger and ears leaning forward, interested. His gold eye is trained on his mirrorbound victim, his free hand planted confidently upon his hip.

And this is about the only warning your character will get before the Puca nearly pounces, wrapping his metal arms about his new company and dragging them bodily against his own. A low hum sounds in his throat that breaks for a high, airy, elated laugh. Even if he missed his mark, he responds just about the same way.]

Don't struggle, beautiful. There's something so splendid about it! Don't you want it too?? If it's from me... it's special.

[What on earth is "It?!" If your character dares to look too hard, they may notice only a trace: something dark tinges his pink chest plate at the edges, but it's not entirely noticeable on a body like his... Mettaton is infected with the Cwyld.]

I always want to share my heart, and everything special about me. So think of it as a gift, sweetheart...

[A gift of magical blight, how sweet. This untamed Puca's trying to rub his sick all over on people, apparently!]

0. Other [Get in touch with me (under Prince), or drop a comment on my CR meme for more stuff! Or just wildcard it, go for it, I'll ROLL WITH IT.]

mtt-brand cwyld pls

[killuwatt]

[ Killua has been volunteering to walk people home from the Entertainment district, but of course didn't stop to consider if he'd ever need someone to walk with him. He's quite confident he can take care of himself, after all.

Usually, people aren't this obvious about being weird and creepy outside of the red-light part of this district, but perhaps someone had too much to drink. That 'darling' and the too-intent look makes his skin crawl, though. And the person looks... decidedly strange. Not like any Monster he's ever seen before.

Maybe Killua hesitated just a fraction too long to get a better look, even though he should have kept going. Unfortunately, it means he wasn't as well-prepared for the weirdo's speed as he should've been. ]

H-hey! What the hell?! Get off me!

[ Killua hasn't realized the true problem yet, considering how unusual his attacker(?) is already. He definitely thinks he's just some drunk idiot creeping on teens... This assumption is also probably best for the Puca because it means Killua does not immediately panic and go for a more permanent method of stopping him. ]

Gross!!

[ Grabbing the guy's arm, Killua tries to wrench it away, not necessarily trying to break any fingers or wrists, but not really controlling against it either. He's shockingly strong for a human. ]

Killua Zoldyck | Hunter x Hunter | Witch

[killuwatt]

i. not that kind of escort service

[ Having heard about the slew of disappearances lately -- and a little here and there to piece together that something like this has happened before, though not quite in this way -- Killua has been keeping an eye out for trouble the last couple of weeks. He saw the call on the Mirrorbounds' network for capable hands to help out, and since his schedule is quite flexible just doing odd jobs here and there, he's volunteered to walk some people home from work or shopping if they feel uncomfortable out alone.

He's heading to meet up with one such person who has put out a request for an escort. Spotting someone who looks like they're waiting and looking around, Killua walks up with a wave. It was all communicated through text, though, and they probably weren't expecting a teenager... if he's even pinpointed the right person. ]

Yo. You the one who wanted a buddy to walk home with?

ii. caught up in the drama

[ Cowards who kidnap people usually strike at night. But they seem to be getting more ambitious by the end of the month, and the cases reported daily in the papers seem to be alarmingly on the rise.

Killua still didn't expect anyone to strike in broad daylight. True, it's not like the Harbor district is particularly well-guarded, and when it comes to shadier types of characters, there are more to be found in rougher areas of the city like this one. But it's still a bit startling when Killua rounds a corner into an alley and catches a pair of black-robed weirdos right in the middle of subduing their next victim. ]

What the--?! Hey! Let them go!

[ He shouts a warning, a courtesy he doesn't give all people he's about to fight. Perhaps someone else hears, and would like to lend a hand?

Or maybe the one in need of a hand-lending is actually you. ]

(( ooc: Wildcard welcome! hmu via PM or over at gunsandchocolate to plot. ))

i + wildcard.

[gynvael]

[ Rumblings of kidnappings has made him slightly more cautious -- not so much for himself, but there are people he's come to know who might be prone to getting plucked off the street. (Jaskier not being the least of them.)

This is not the reason he's wandering the streets, though. The real reason is that his ever-growing tail has been a fucking bother. Sitting has been a bother. Riding more so. Which means he's been left to walk. He's given up on hiding the fluff of a tail that's visible on his ass. Jaskier has already tugged on it, and there's no point in pretending it's not there.

His first circle of the Shopping District, he spots Killua, easily with his shock of white hair. On his third circle, the boy is still there. Curious enough that he ends up coming over. (Besides, he hasn't looked in on Killua since he was told his friend had returned.) ]

Looking for someone?

Light Yagami | Death Note | Closed

[worldcleansing]

[ It happened faster than expected. Light was sure their agency would be a success, but no one could predict just how quickly something larger would come along. It starts as a quest, a way to gain notority while also gaining income. When questioning the victim, Light and L's ability to work as a team had a chance to really shine. Soon after, the bigger picture starts to develop.

It's later in the day, with night beginning to fall across the cottage. It's time to form a game plan, one that will lead them to more answers than questions. Light reclines on the couch, coffee in front of him. ]

We're done what we can. We need to go inside and speak with them. I've been watching, and people are coming and going freely. It shouldn't be hard to pretend to be interested. I doubt that'll be completely honest, but it should be a start.

[hearthebell]

[While L's expressions can be difficult to read on his excellently cultivated poker face, his powerful moods have a tendency to practically manifest as auras. The temperature of a room can seem to raise or lower; a strange frenetic static seems to come with his agitation, and a weightless, more buoyant energy accompanies his single-minded mania. He moves and speaks quickly, animated, eager, as if there's just more oxygen in the air, and given the atmospheric nature of it, a Bond might well find all of it rather catching.

It's been like that now since they opened the agency. While the cases aren't difficult, feel novice, might as well be shooting fish in a barrel, it's a return to form for someone who has desperately missed a raison d'être. It's not sustainable, of course; the drive will come with a heavy crash later, because L doesn't defy physical limitations as much as will alone can seem to drive him. Everything must balance, and the pendulum must swing back, but for now, he feels invincible.

If he can live, and work, and Bond alongside his murderer, he might as well be, right?

He's still drinking coffee, on his third or fourth cup given the hour. The midnight oil is his favorite to burn, and they're just getting started on the cusp of twilight. Across from Light in an armchair that outsizes his slender frame, he leans forward, nodding his agreement as he sets down his cup for a moment.]

There's no pretending about it; I am interested. You don't have to buy something to find it fascinating.

[He hardly worshiped at the altar of Kira, after all, and yet so much of his life and death were dedicated to understanding the mind of the killer.]

[Closed to Myr]

[turmoiling]

[Jin Guangyao is a little frustrated. Of course this plan was a hardly a sure thing, only a little attempt to nudge the course of events in a way that would smooth the course of his 'new life' here in Aefenglom. Almost no one knew the details of his old life before coming here, but better than most, Jin Guangyao understood how fast word could spread if one of those few people decided to start talking. And then of course there was the issue of Lan Xichen's brother and his harsh disapproval, never mind the unjustified maiming he'd received from the man.

Since becoming Bonded, he's learned in time how to let that hatred and resentment lie further down, settle deeper within where it wasn't so easily felt. It had even been that anonymous conversation with Myr, shortly after some troubles related to that, that he'd been introduced to that man and appreciated his words. Though conversations had been light, he didn't mind the fellow at all.

It was just a shame that he was spilling too much detail back to the others about certain suggestions for kidnap-ees.

With a light smile easily covering that slow-boiling resentment, Jin Guangyao knocks on Myr's door, carrying a small present.]

[faithlikeaseed]

[And Myr--dear, unsuspecting, kind-hearted Myr--has absolutely no idea that he's the source of that frustration.

He is not so naive that he hadn't been a little concerned to hear Jin Guangyao--a man he respects--making veiled suggestions as to Mirrorbound who might be amenable for "recruitment" to the Circle's cause. But--inclined as he was to think the best of everyone he knew--the Faun also could not rule out that what he'd heard was all part of a pre-arranged plan to slip more Mirrorbound into the Circle's confidences, and maybe, maybe get them closer to Alder's secrets.

He wants so much to trust that's the case, but a Faun's niggling sense for danger won't let him trust it to the point of not acting on what he'd heard. He'd put out a warning to Caster; now it remained to talk to Jin Guangyao...and his victims suggested converts.

Fortunately for the Naga's plans, it is a non-trivial exercise to find someone's watch address with only a name in hand (and no eyes with which to navigate the watch's directory)--doubly so when you're not even certain how such a name might be spelled. Myr hasn't managed to contact anyone by the time there's a knock on the door of the cottage he shares with Caster and Archer; and worried as he is by the whole situation, the search exercise is frustrating enough that he's relieved to leave it aside for a time.]

Coming! [he calls, and is along within a minute to open the door to his unexpected guest. A mostly grown wormipede peeks out from behind his ankles as he faces out the door, ears lifted to catch any sign of who might have come calling.] Who do I have the pleasure of speaking to, serah?

Lan Xichen | Witch

[zewu_jun]

I. Scotch tape fixes everything

[The return of missing people should be reason to celebrate, but instead it is a nightmare. Long lost neighbors, friends, family members begin to reemerge covered in the corrupting mark of Cwyld, that spreads over their entire bodies and leaves them lashing out. Lan Xichen has somehow managed to avoid becoming infected so far. He hasn't been subject to experiments and although he is out trying to contain the infected, he has up to this point managed to stay safe. But how long will that really last?

Others trying to subdue the created Shades can find him attempting to round up those running wild in the streets. He's borrowed a few nets from the harbors usually used for fish and enchanted them to make them more sturdy. Yes, he's really trying to capture and tie down the Shades with the ropes, using his magic in defense. If someone infected by the Circle does cross his path, he attempts to talk them down, but he's not going to let them go.]

Please come quietly. It's for your own good.

[With one Shade it might just be a troublesome chase or scuffle, but with a group, trying to go after multiple targets and avoid being bitten, clawed, or gored is tricky.]

I'm sorry. This will unfortunately be uncomfortable.

II. Ma'am, this is a Starbucks

[Somehow, thanks to certain people drawing attention to the Mirrorbound cultivators, Lan Xichen has found himself a person of interest. He also might have said a few things that were less than acceptable to the Circle, and now some of the members are determined to see him bound and marked off as another disappearance.

It probably doesn't help that he's walking around at night, but he's specifically out for good reason, and if that draws some extra attention, well, maybe he wasn't avoiding that the way he should have been either. The group that finds him is armed and ready to cover his face, but Lan Xichen holds his ground.]

If you leave now and agree not to harm anyone further, then I will let you go.

[It's been a bad week, okay?]

III. wildcard

[Feel free to toss any scenario you like at me and I'll run with that. If you have an idea you want to plan out with me, you can reach me at teaandreveries as well! Let's do some nonsense.]

ii

[gunsmithed]

[ Who knows what the reaction from the robed figures might have been, but it's immediately interrupted by the figure at the end suddenly twitching in place, muscles drawing into a strange rictus. When they finally go limp and collapse, it reveals an unamused Percy just behind, flexing his gauntleted hand as he lowers it, sparks of lightning still flickering around the metal. ]

He might. [ It's very conversational, since they do seem to be attempting to be polite. ] I might not.

[ Giving a warning is polite, right? Percy arches an eyebrow in Lan Xichen's direction, but since the man doesn't seem in any immediate trouble Percy seems willing enough to follow his lead. For the moment. ]

[Closed to Myr]

[cyclopticsadist]

[Niles has spent long enough in the company of people actually interested in scientific inquiry of the Cwyld that it's laughable that these people are treating that as some novel idea. Especially with their added layers of mysticism mumbo jumbo, and complete lack of rigorous documentation standards, he knows he's not going to find anybody as bright or engaging as Henry or Entrapta among their ranks. This is a con, a big one, and he wants no part of it.

He does however, want to know who is. So he's taken to observing the gathering crowds on Fridays from the safe, elevated distance of the rooves across the street. In particular knowing which mirrorbound are just indulging their curiosity and which are actually being suckered is what he wants to keep track of. So when, for the second week in a row, Niles sees Myr among those exiting the sermon, he follows him for a few blocks, making sure any other "devotees" have peeled off in their own directions before he approaches.

The heavy and sharp thnK of his body landing on the street from a roof above is his signature announcement, but as a sign of courtesy he's dropped down a reasonable distance away rather than inches from Myr's back.]

Myr, have a moment for a chat?

[faithlikeaseed]

[Myr's concern throughout has been less with the Evergreen Circle's scientific rigor and more the proto-religion they're making out of it. Alder, the Faun adjudges, is neither prophet nor theologian, and his hold on followers is more one of personality than dogma--and were that all there was to the Evergreen Circle, that would have ended Myr's involvement at the first meeting.

But it is, alas, not merely a bunch of spiritualists with weird beliefs about a fatal disease; it's a bunch of spiritualists with weird beliefs about a fatal disease, a penchant for kidnapping, and a heavy hand with mind-control, and they've managed to ensnare two of Myr's Bonded in their madness. (Though it was through very different means, and L's obsession, at least, would end whenever he discovered what the Circle was hiding. Viren's, though...) It's thus he's committed to carry through on the investigation, and use his own particular skillset--and earnest empathy for people who want as strongly as these do to believe--to learn enough the Coven can do something about them.

It's a task that does not come easy to him. Deception is neither native nor comfortable to his nature, and tonight's conversations with the Circle's adherents were...hard, as he tried to avoid foreswearing himself or getting chased off. He's nearly certain someone made an attempt at charming him, too, and--

And the sum total of all that worry is he's on-edge enough to jump at the sound of Niles' arrival nearby.]

Niles-- [Not "serah Niles." ...Things have been weird, since their encounter in the garden maze. Enough that Myr's instant reaction is no longer to be cross with the chimera, since there's no real use in that anyway.] --suppose I do, if you're here to chat with me. What is it?

[Crookytail, who is barred from the Circle's meetings, makes her undulating way out from a nearby alley to join her Faun. She rears up a segment or two to regard the chimera as she passes him.]