savetheearth | [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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Here as in Las Vegas or here as in the meeting?" He hands the water bottle off to a passing cultist, smiling. "What did you expect?"

Lily opens her mouth to say something, looks as if she's reconsidering it for a moment, and pauses just a second before continuing. "I've been the Vegas before," she says, and smiles mildly, even if mentally she's shuddering at the memory of that time. "This whole... thing, here - tonight... it's new to me."

That's one diplomatic way of putting it, anyhow.

The man laughs, still smiling. He's either creepy or really that happy all the time, it's hard to tell. "Well, of course it is! We haven't had a meeting like this before. I think it's new for everyone, especially the newer ones who haven't seen the founders," he explains.

Lily's brows raise, her curiosity suddenly piqued. She's certainly dealt with creepy in her time on the Network, so it's not like any more alarms are being raised than were already up in her head.

"The... 'founders?' Who are the founders, exactly?"

"The ones who saw the signs and brought us all together, of course." The man gestures to the assembled crowd. "Before, the Refined Shell was just a story, an urban legend but then you came into the world and the legend is becoming fact! But only a few of the oldest members have ever really seen them or the rest of the higher ups. They're far too busy with other things."

This is a welcome distraction. Lily's mind is clicking along with every new bit of information, and she's getting more and more curious.

"I'm surprised that none of them would have wanted to come and see us here, in that case."

The man shakes his head. "Oh they're here, or will be. They're just not out and about...though I guess since most of us don't know what they look like we wouldn't know if they were or not," he muses. "Anyway, they'll be here. It isn't every day the Shell's children visit!"

That's a disturbing thought amid a lot of other disturbing thoughts. These "Founders" could be around them at any point and they wouldn't know. For some reason, that gives her a minor chill.

"...I'm sorry if I'm full of questions, but why are you calling us that, precisely?" Lily asks. "A lot of us have been around long before the lights appeared above Las Vegas. We hadn't heard anything about relations to us and, ah... 'shells' until things started happening here."

You know.

Like the murders!

She refrains from specifics there, though.

"I'm just... trying to understand, I suppose."

"You each have a piece of the Refined Shell in you and therefore you are her Children," the man explains. "It's alright if you don't understand, that's what we're here for."

A beat, and Lily tilts her head to one side quizzically. "A piece of it in us?" she asks. "You all think that's what causes our... ah, abilities?"

Her tone sounds even, but she's good at masking what she's thinking. In reality, her skepticism is ratcheting up at a pretty rapid rate.

"Well, do you have any other ideas?" Before Lily can reply, he presses on. "Aliens? I know they are apparently visiting Locke at the moment but they're just drawn to the power within all of you and the Shell."

A passing cultist gives the guy talking to Lily a sidelong look, obviously a little...wary about what he's saying. She mouths "sorry" to Lily but hurries to wherever she was going.

Lily can't help it at this point. The look in her eyes clearly questions this person's mental faculties. She still tries to keep a pleasant expression otherwise, but. "I guess I'm just a little confused. If it's not the aliens, then you're saying it's obviously this... 'Shell?'"

How do you get from one to the other???

"Yes!" His face lights up, clearly pleased that Lily seems to be getting it. "What else can it be? The Shell--"

Two cultists come over, both resting a hand on the man's shoulders. "C'mon, you," says one. "You have a phone call." He doesn't, really, but the cultist from earlier had notified them that he was scaring a Child.

The man tries to protest but is led away regardless. "Enjoy your visit!" he calls to Lily. "I'll find you later and I can explain more!"

In the end, there is something remotely nice about anyone who's not trying to actively tarnish their name or assume they're harbingers of something horrible. At least, that's the impression she's getting - if she wasn't also convinced these people, or some among them, murdered Angeline and Jovan, she may almost to some degree like that. Even if they do some of them seem crazy.

As it stands, she's still wary, not to mention a little creeped out. So she just sort of... waves meekly, now left standing alone and wondering what the hell kind of conversation she just had.

[plot] Water in the desert I

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I am so sorry I gave you one of the fantics

Never apologize

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