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

"Would you rather take a stroll around the neighborhood? The last gentleman who tried met an unfortunate fate at the Merriott's pool! For attempting to save a defenseless lady! Moreover, would you rather wait for that?"

He points frantically at the darkness beyond. Who knows what is coming? Giant snakes? Giant lobsters? Whatever it is, it is gigantic, and it is changing his city.

The shaking, amazingly, has smoothed out to some extent, and is now more of a smooth rumble, like an old service elevator rising. He rakes his fingers through his shaggy hair, and thinks about madmen, the end of the world, and decapitation-obsessed freaks.

"Whatever that is, I very much doubt a postal van is going to keep me safe. As for our murderous cultist friends..."

He jerks his head back towards the Thomas & Mac Center; terrified people are still pouring out of it, as well as clouds of steam, illuminated by the lights.

"A number of them are about to take after their precious lobsters, whom they admire so much."

"That is ludicrous! I am quite certain my van is much safer than the streets!"

Especially if the van's driver can manifest barriers of magic crystal, but he is not mentioning that, for Alexander has seen the youtube video and that is terribly embarrassing. Instead, he turns his attention towards the clouds of steam.

"Good heavens, have they finally boiled the horrors?"

He has never cared about the cultists and their deity, but that is a bad way to die.

"Not on purpose. But the earthquake, or something, set their precious baptismal font to boiling. And — "

He stops, listening. The earthquake, of course, has affected not only the University of Nevada campus, but surrounding areas as well. Screams can be heard off in the distance in the vicinity of nearby resorts. He pales.

"There are... there are one hundred thousand tourists here on any given day. More on the weekends. This is a disaster."

"Please sir, come in. It is not safe."

It is practically a plea. He doesn't wish anyone to die under his watch. Jovan's murder was bad enough, and now, everywhere, people are getting hurt, in the city he has always considered his home.

"T-they...might inculpate us."

He doesn't know when he started thinking in terms of "they" and "us", but here it is, at the worst time possible.

[ Growing up in an academic household — his mother is a writer, and his father a Harvard English professor — he has a much larger vocabulary than one might expect from a high school dropout. But he has to admit to being flummoxed: ]

"Inculpate"? Eh?

[ He shakes his head. ]

What "they" are doing is running around screaming. Any inculpation is going to come later. If there is a later.

[ That memory — that echo — is still very strong, the sensation of somebody breaking the chains of the world, sending it to its destruction. ]

"So you propose to merely stand before their eyes?"

The screams are unbearable. Cecil holds the car key nervously, his instincts urging him to drive towards the raising darkness and at least attempt to do something.

"What if...what if we are to blame for all this?"

"We're not! We're not to blame! This all happened after the cultists had some sort of creepy ceremony, and then their water started boiling! That's a clear indication, as far as I'm aware."

He shoves his hands in his pockets, scowling.

"And I propose to go about my business. As far as they are concerned," he jerks his head in the general direction of the screaming, "I'm one of them."

...

[His smile is both a little bitter and jealous. Finally, he lets out a resigned sigh.]

Here I am, attempting to instruct a survivor in the fine art of surviving. Sir, I am a fool.

[He means that in more ways than one, for now he is looking straight at the raising darkness and starting his car again. It is not like he wishes to be a hero, but how would he live with himself if he didn't try to help those people?]

I would advise you to take care, though that is not truly necessary, is it?

[With another small sigh, he slams the van's door shut. ]

He stares at the van and the shut door and then finally at Cecil. "Where d'you think you're going? Don't tell me you're actually going to try to be a hero?"

Is he really proposing to drive towards the mayhem?

"I am no hero!" he shouts angrily. No, he is not. He doesn't care about this numbered business. He has just remembered demons and hell for crying out loud. And that child. Whatever happened to that blond boy? He grips the wheel and looks ahead again. "...Be that as it may, I cannot merely listen to their agony. Even if my attendance is mostly inconsequential, I shall do whatever I can."

[plot] Water in the desert I

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