[plot] Water in the desert I

[theearth]

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.

Comments

[chalicejoker]

This just gets a grumble from Hajime. That radio thing. That stupid, stupid radio thing. He's trying very hard to pretend like it doesn't annoy him, but it does. There's no hiding that sudden antennae twitch. "You...heard that, did you?"

[abhero]

Emil’s shoulders start shaking from the repressed laugh. He stares up the twitching antennae and shoves his hands down his pockets-- the only way to stop himself from flicking it.

“Yeah. Thought it was very interesting. That guy was so excited, I thought he was gonna offer you his sister’s phone number.”

[chalicejoker]

"I don't know what that guy was on," Hajime complained, "but if I knew what he looked like, I'd be hunting him down to give him a good punch to the face." How lucky that this had happened on the radio and not on the TV.

[abhero]

"They said his name," Emil says, helpfully. "Hold on, I'll look it up for you..."

He whips his phone out. A quick look at the Energy Up website is all that's needed to find out the culprit's name. "There-- Herman Mills, blogger at Extreme Cryptobluhbluh." A few more seconds and Emil holds his phone up to show Hajime Herman Mills' facebook page.

"Knock yourself out."

[chalicejoker]

Hajime studies the phone carefully. "Oh, yeah, I'll keep an eye out for this guy..." Though he has to wonder if the guy would just get all excited after getting punched by the Lord of the Bugmen. That seemed like a possibility. "Don't know what I'll do when I find him, but there's going to be something..."

[abhero]

“Live crickets?” Emil had really liked that idea; he ended up sending Russel a box and very much regretted being able to see the results.”

“It can be, like-- a warning. If that guy keeps spreading lies, next time the Lord of the Bugmen is going to send bees.”

[chalicejoker]

"Hm...guy like that, might have to take things differently. He might think it's a gift or some show of favor--guy doesn't seem to have all the lights on upstairs..." Hajime grumbles a little. "Harder to threaten someone when they don't react to bugs like a normal person."

[abhero]

“Then make sure it’s threatening,” Emil says, starting to warm up. “Add a note or something. Make it look like it’s from your mate who prefers to stay in the sewer but hears all the news from the human world, she’s really pissed about Herman Mills spreading lies about her faithful husband and if he doesn’t stop then she’ll bite his head off and lay her eggs down his throat.”

He’s clearly enjoying making this crap up on the fly. Maybe it might be best to shut him up before he gets too creative...

[chalicejoker]

Hajime bursts out laughing. "That's great, but it's gotta be mantises I send him. He'll get that." There's a little more laughter before he explains, "I researched a bunch of bugs when I turned. Female mantises are nastier than the males--they eat their mates in the end."

[abhero]

“Gross,” he says happily. “I was also gonna suggest fire ants but this is way better. Psychological warfare.”

Mulling it over, he adds: “Good thing we don’t really have a mantis girl. Talk about awkward dates.”

[chalicejoker]

Hajime shakes his head. "Everyone would be trying to set us up with each other. So awkward. Even worse than when your mom has a friend who has a daughter just about your age, and they get it into their heads that you'd make a good couple."

[abhero]

Emil makes a face. Thank you Hajime, for the lovely mental image of the Lord of the Bugmen and Mantis Lady going at it until the head snapping climax and eeeeewwww. Quick, think about something else!

“Just another way Numbers Club can fuck us over,” he says. Emil tries not to think about it too much--like his life isn’t already shitty enough--but he’s pretty sure turning into a murderous monster considerably lowers his chances to get past second base.

[chalicejoker]

"Sad thing is I was just about to say it wasn't too bad in the beginning, but the first thing that happened to me was my blood turning green." Hajime may have made a face there, but the Lord of the Bugmen is not at all expressive. "Best we can do now is watch each others' backs and try to avoid anyone fixing us up with weird romances."