savetheearth | [plot] Water in the desert I

[plot] Water in the desert I

Who: Cultists, an alien, and YOU, the (un-)invited numbered!
What: Gossipping. Weird lobster worship. Speeches. Fingerfood and other snacks. Dealing with cultists in general. The beginning of the geographical changes in Las Vegas and appropriate PANIC.
When: 22nd
Where: Thomas & Mack Center; The University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Warnings: People from the ranks of the cultists have committed murder and other crimes in the past; those deeds will, if mentioned, be treated in a glorifying manner or at least be condoned.

The cultist gathering takes place on the evening of the 22nd at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. The cult has rented the large multipurpose Thomas & Mack Center. The entrances are controlled, the guards cult members who will check the membership of everyone who enters. Numbered with invitations will simply have to either show their invitation or prove that they are the numbered in question; numbered that are not invited but not on the anti-invited list will be let in if they announce interest in their purpose or in learning more about themselves.

There is a large lobster statue in the middle of the hall, a high stage behind it. A pool of water surrounds both, filling the whole center.

A. Arrival and first stage
Snacks and drinks are handed out everywhere and the cultists chat happily with everyone who is around - they will happily talk to numbered as well, calling them "special ones", "superheroes" or "children". Some are rather excited about them being there, others less, but there is clearly nobody that doesn't think positively about it.

B. Ceremony/Worship and Announcements
As the lights go out, people will stop talking and put down whatever they are holding. What follows is a ceremony of roughly an hour that mostly includes singing, meditation and some short speeches on cleansing oneself and being true to oneself, and one on how those that don't do it will fall and burn. Cultists will be happy to give numbered pointers re: what happens next and what they should do.
Afterwards, what seems like all head cultists - those with the sign that causes echoes step on the stage and one after another address the gathered public, some longer, some shorter. Some are of more technical nature - number of members, funds, expansion plans -, others very philosophical, and yet others religious. There is talk of the city being lost and impossible to clean, but that the those who trust in Refined Shell will be saved. That all members may take it into their own hands to clean themselves and help the world be cleaner, but that soon, Refined Shell will be with them, and her children with her. Her children will guard her and be guided by her, as they all should be; and though it is harder for them to see their true core than it is for normal humans, and many will be lead astray, those that succeed will lead the world to a better future, and those that follow Refined Shell now will be the first when that time comes.

At this point, they'll call out to all numbered in the audience, and cultists sitting nearby numbered people will encourage them to get down to the stage, wade through the water and get up there to introduce themselves and say hi. The whole audience will cheer for those that dare to go down, and they'll be offered a seat on the stage.

C. Aftermingle and Panic
After the official part is done, there is general mingling and people are slowly starting to leave... just as the first earthquake hits the room. And then another one, and then steam rises from the water in the middle of the hall, and after a bit it starts to boil. The handful of cultists that is packing up on stage screams in terror at their only way off it suddenly being made up of boiling water, and most of the cultists leave the building in similar panic. FUN ALL AROUND.

♒ You may play cultist NPCs yourself, but if you'd like a mod-npced cultist to talk to your character(s), please indicate it in your subject line when the thread starts and/or preferably notify Fae here.
♒ Please put up your own thread starter under the appropriate heading A, B or C.

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Jasmine felt like she was walking on eggshells. She hadn't expected to get this kind of invite, but she felt she had to do something, given everything the group had put into going to Vegas. This was... this was their chance to make up for all of it.

And now, here she was in the thick of things, in the den of those who had killed people she'd known, being offered snacks.

Of course, she had to avoid showing this outwardly, and did her best to not look threatening.

Marina doesn't really have much faith in a lobster-themed cult to really be all that useful, frankly. Despite how shaken up her worldview has been lately, she still has a religion that isn't built around crustaceans, and that bit of it just makes the whole affair seem silly to her.

There's a chance that it might matter, though, and Jasmine seemed to want to go, so that was that. "Pretty nice setup here."

"Yeah, for something thrown together by a bunch of whackjobs," she said, voice low enough that only Marina would hear her while eying everything and everyone around her suspiciously.

She reached out and grasped Marina's hand, as if to say she was going to protect her.

"I wonder if they realize they're giving a whole bunch of shit away to us," she said, leaning in for a whisper. "Are they that delusional?"

"Yeah." She leaned is as well, although not as quiet of a whisper at first. "They totally are, I think."

Lobster worship.

Marina squeezed back, smiling despite the weird, and, maybe, possibly dangerous situation. "They like some of us for some reason."

"Yeah, like us enough to kill us," she said, shaking her head.

She blinked, before adding.

"The snacks are surprisingly good, though. No seafood, I noticed."

"We're on their good side for now." It probably won't be hard to change that. "No shrimp puffs or anything, yeah."

"If they're such big fans," Jasmine asked, "why the hell did they go after people that offered us places to stay?"

At that, she took one of those tiny sandwiches, and took a bite. Moodily.

"Cause they're nuts." Wow Jasmine is dark and moody today, not that anyone could blame her. "So we should be pretty careful."

"Oh believe me," Jasmine said, eyes narrowed. "If anyone gets too close to you I'm going to knock their heads off."

The badassness was mitigated somewhat by her talking with her mouth full.

And she kisses that mouth... Marina rolled her eyes. "I think I'll be fine this time around."

"... If you say so," she said, swallowing finally. "Sorry. I guess I'm in 'overprotective girlfriend' mode."

"Hey... it's pretty justified, at least, after... everything." People have died, and Jasmine is damn powerful.

"... I guess," Jasmine replied. "But I still think I could dial it back a bit. I just... don't want you to end up like those other people these guys went after..."

She shook her head. "At this point though I'm repeating myself."

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dragon_blossom - 2014-09-02 02:03 (UTC) - Expand

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jasminebloominginshadow - 2014-09-02 02:38 (UTC) - Expand

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dragon_blossom - 2014-09-02 02:41 (UTC) - Expand

good place to wrap?

jasminebloominginshadow - 2014-09-02 03:39 (UTC) - Expand

Yep

dragon_blossom - 2014-09-02 03:56 (UTC) - Expand

Sasha, being overly friendly as she is(and frankly kind of sad that she'd come alone), decided to approach Jasmine the second she saw her and recognized her as another Numbered.

Though normally she'd greet someone much more playfully, Jasmine instead gets a decidedly more deadpan "Having fun?"

"Oh sure, tons," she said.

Jasmine looked her up and down, before offering her an unsteady smile. "You don't look like a freaky lobster cultist, so I guess you're another Numbered. Name's Jasmine."

"If I was going to be part of a lobster cult it would be a lot cooler," she offered, it was hardly her best joke but it was something.

"I'm Sasha."

"I'm Jasmine," she said. "Good to meet you. Are you from Locke or from here in Vegas...?"

Edited 2014-08-25 20:27 (UTC)

"Locke. I've known I was Numbered for almost a year now, actually. You?"

"Ah, since the end of last year," she said. "My family moved in only recently. My sister is Numbered too. She's Lily Tsukuyomi, professional meddler."

"She here too, then? Or are you the lucky one who has to check this shindig out on your own?"

"Oh, she came," Jasmine said with a nod. "What about you, are you alone?"

Sasha hesitated a moment before responding," Yeah, my BFF and uh...well, BF both forget everything recently or I'd be with one of them. Sucks ass."

"..."

Jasmine sighed, looking down. "I'm sorry. I don't know what I'd do if my girlfriend suddenly forgot everything about being Numbered..."

"Well, it's not like I don't still get to hang out with them. Boyfriend moved out of town but I can visit..."

She looks away from Jasmine.

"Kinda sucks having less people to talk about this shit with, though. But I like most people, at least, so even if it's not the same...well, there are still Numbered people around."

"Yeah, well... the least I can do is offer myself," Jasmine said with a smile. "As corny as it sounds, how about it? Want to be my newest friend?

"God I sound like a god damned anime."

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hungryhunter - 2014-09-02 23:02 (UTC) - Expand

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jasminebloominginshadow - 2014-09-05 04:51 (UTC) - Expand

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