ENDPLOT | ROLL THE BONES, PART 1

[ironwood]

Characters: ALL!
Date: Early/Mid November
Location: Under the shell
Situation: It's either Malicant or the Foreigners... and their worlds.
Warnings/Rating: Add warnings as needed.

The Foreigners had begun their counterattack by trying to possess the Great Turtle whom Malicant had taken, and although the movement had failed, some vital information had been uncovered. Under the shell lay Malicant's weakness, and inside the Dreaming was where he could be fought.

Any help from the kedan is uncommon. They're wary, watching, as a group beginning to lose sight of the community. Their family groups are more tightly-knit than ever, and any approach from the Foreigners is answered by suspicion at best and violence at worst. That makes daily life difficult, when the majority of the city refuses to have much to do with them. Why aren't you doing anything? they seem to say. What good are any of you? All you've done is make things worse. We'd be better if you'd never come.

The Foreigners are unwelcome in Keeliai. The cultists are becoming a majority. Now is the time.

There aren't many left of the Foreigners left, but inside the Dreaming the limitations of the waking world no longer exist. For every Foreigner and their worlds, their loved ones, this is the chance to make themselves safe for good. And all of them will be needed.

---

LINKS
Beneath The Shell/Midnight Hotel | Malicant’s Tools/The Vilii Stone | OOC Plot Post

OOC
There are two main headers, one for preparation at the Hotel where Milyn and Eva will be available to speak with The second section where they will be able to search the caves beneath the Shell inside the Dreaming to find the Vilii Stone, and where the boon'd characters will be affected. If you are threading something that doesn't fit one of those categories, just add it to the bottom of the post. Questions go to the plotting post, please! Once the Stone has been acquired the second half of the plot will go live in the logs comm.

Comments

BENEATH THE SHELL/MIDNIGHT HOTEL

[ironwood]

There’s a massive presence beneath the shell, the sort that squeezes the temples. It’s like a giant heartbeat that gets into the bones, the soul. Within the safety of the Midnight Hotel it booms, restrained from harming those within but still undeniably there. This is where the Foreigners will make their stand, however it turns out.

The Hotel is prepared for war. The diorama is within easy public access, its innards on display to reveal the cave system within the shell and a little hand-painted mannequin to represent the Hotel itself at any given time—and the stone that Malicant tries so hard to protect. The windows are barred and warded, and the doors are shut except at need. No one is going to leave until everyone is ready, until everyone knows their role.

Milyn is there too, helping bring Eva into safety and bearing the injections to take the Foreigners into the Dreaming. Though she’s trying to keep up a positive front, and seems genuinely enthused for the purpose to which her knowledge has been put to use, she’s clearly unnerved by the thud of the telepathic presence outside the Hotel—or possibly just being under the shell at all.

The common room has been repurposed as a sleeping area. With only one healer present, they all need to be in close proximity in case anything goes wrong. When the Foreigners are ready, it’s there that they’ll gather, and there Milyn will administer the injections.

Re: BENEATH THE SHELL/MIDNIGHT HOTEL

[gathersnomoss]

For the moment, Zelgadis is watching Milyn. He's not particularly sure if he should be here at all. Rezo created his body, and Rezo could control him; Malicant gave him this form, could he do the same?

"Do you need any help here?"

[cherrywood]

"Everyone's surprisingly orderly," the kedan Healer said, surveying those assembled in the Hotel's lobby. "Given everything, I admit I expected a little more panic. Not--" she added quickly, "that I'm saying anyone should panic. No, I have great faith in all of you."

ota

[onethirdthesoul]

a; diorama
Ryou was sitting over the diorama, holding a few geometric markers for groups in his hands as he spoke. At their goal was the miniature of the stone, and set aside on the table was a red marker merely labeled as "M". He knew the map well enough that he felt confident in going over his advice to anyone who cared to listen.

"Just to go over this again, I'd be wary of any intersections," he set one of the pieces down at a fork in the tunnels. "If I were trying to kill a group of adventurers, I'd set traps or attack them at places where people are most likely to linger and second guess their decisions. You should always keep an eye on your back too, sometimes the tunnels wrap around..." Ryou traced one such tunnel with his finger. "I think setting counter traps in areas like that would be a good idea."

He placed his palms thoughtfully together, "Any questions?"

b; common room
As proud as he was of his diorama and the chance to help brainstorm and give advice, Ryou seemed far less sure of himself when it came to everything else that was going on. For now, he just watched on as people gathered into the common room, and spoke aloud to no one in particular.

"Those needles are pretty scary, huh...?" He coughed, wincing a little at the sight of them. "This whole 'Dreaming' thing is really something else. Is everyone here going?" Besides the obvious support staying behind, of course.

Diorama, still ota

[i_speak_softly]

Donatello stays near the diorama too, rapidly memorizing the layout of the tunnels. In between studying the different sections, he hands out pieces of chalk to anyone who comes over. At the same time, he telepathically pushes knowledge of sewer-sign into their minds.

Mark the way. Don't get lost.

Diorama

[whitelotustile]

Iroh nodded. "It would be a good idea to keep rear guards at major intersections, if we don't have traps. They can advance behind us, but that way we have someone we trust at our backs, and so do they. And something that could make light or noise would help to warn of approaches from behind as well as deter followers. "

"We'll want to keep at least one route clear for a quick retreat back to the hotel if needed. Especially for the wounded."

He was in full General Iroh mode here, rather than Iroh the tea-seller, studying the diorama.

"Let's hope we got as close as we could. It will make many things easier."

a.

[solo_patria]

Enjolras nodded intently, starring at the diorama, indicating a few areas he thought would be especially troublesome.

"A trap here would be good." He answered, indicating one particular intersection with the colored chalk in his hand.

"I would be wary of sending too many to set it, and would suggest extra protection for anyone who goes. It would not do to call attention to ourselves. As you say, I would suspect the Cultists to be watching for us here, and perhaps..." He learned over a little, pointing out another, very obvious path.

"The traps would call too much attention if we used the exits too. But alone, it ought to trip them up, no? Otherwise, we ought to be able to move through here," He indicated. "They do not seem to pay attention to it,and we look to have clear access to the rest.

What sort of counter traps did you have in mind for us to set?"

A - late but not left!

[theideaguy]

Sokka looks at the diorama with all due seriousness. They were running out of time to make a firm foothold against the Creep Lord, and this was the battle. All too harshly, it reminded him of the final battles him and his friends had staged against Fire Lord Ozai, Princess Azula, and Ba Sing Se. This is do or die time, and it was time to end this.

He looks at Ryou explaining the details. But a few ideas come to mind as well. "Though at the same time, we'll want to avoid these paths," he says, pointing to a specific area of the diorama. "They may be far from the major intersections here, but if we get trapped, there's practically only two ways out—this one narrow tunnel here... and through anyone that manages to trap us. Over here, it may be a slightly longer route, and the tunnels may be more complicated, but there's going to be a lot more ground for the cultists to cover, and it gives us more options later down the road."

Common Room: OTA

[solo_patria]

It may have been intended for a sleeping room, but Enjolras, for one, is certainly unable to find anything of the sort. Instead of resting, he is restive, pacing the room, glancing at the faces of the others who have chosen to join in the fight. Whatever happens, these are the men and women whom he will risk everything with, and he would as soon know their names, and faces, in the event that they do not return.

He's left a note behind in his quarters, with specific messages for those who he has fought with, and found kinship here, Taraja is protected for the moment, and he's spent the last few nights sitting up late with her, telling her everything he's known and done, of everyone and everything he's loved, and the things he wishes for her to remember, though he's also promised to return.

He hopes that promise was not made in vain, but for now, he pushes the thought away, he's done all he can there. Instead, now is the time to gather, and prepare, and oh good lord those needles are incredibly large aren't they? And they are meant to be shoved in his skin?

He'll do it, of course, because it is the only way, but even so, he's frowning a bit, eyeing them with a grim, but determined expression. Well, He hopes this will be worth it.

[royalguard_style]

Dante's preparations were far less fear and far less with anticipation. This was what he lived for, meeting the big bad up close and in person before unloading a few dozens of bullets into him. Even still, he could tell this would be different from home. Even Malicant's minions had nearly bested him, embarrassingly enough.

With Yin unattended, Dante left her with the same instructions he had heard so many years ago: If the hotel was breached, she was to hide, and don't come out no matter what you see. Then he proceeded to contradict himself by swearing that everything would be okay, and casually remarking on how many times he's done this before, as if he never had a doubt in his mind.

By the time he sees Enjolras, he's ahead of him in lines for shots, and looks not the least bit worried by it. In fact, he presents a friendly face of feigned irritation. "Hey, aren't they supposed to give out lollipops when you're done? I just got screwed."

Tell me if any of this isn't okay!

[theideaguy]

Sokka has a vague idea of some of the emotions that Enjolras is feeling. After all, they share a turtle child together, and while Taraja wouldn't share every detail of her conversations with Enj, he at least knows and shares the possible fear of failure, the worry that things won't go their way, and the possible loss if none of this goes exactly as planned.

But at the same time, things topside are just geting more and more hellish with each passing day. The Cultists are growing in number amongst the kedan while the number of friendly kedan is winnowing down to a trickle. Even some of the kedan that Sokka had found were friendly once no longer were. He hadn't done anything like leave letters behind for his friends, but at the same point he worries of the future. Perhaps that's why he'd spent more time than normal with Katara, Aang, Korra, and even Taraja, coming over to Enj's to see the turtle and to bond a little bit.

He wanders over to Enj and just gently nudges his elbow with his own. "Oh c'mon, don't look like that. You're going to make me feel like we aren't coming back if that's your attitude. I'm already pessimistic enough!" Yes, try to cheer him up with a little bit of, albeit dark, humour.

Re: BENEATH THE SHELL/MIDNIGHT HOTEL/ OTA

[redlightgreenlight]

Valdis leaned against a back wall, watching the other foreigners as they gathered. They were a sorry, pathetic bunch from different worlds, cultures, minds, yet they had finally come together to fight Malicant. But the thought that it might be too late lingered in her mind. How could they defeat an enemy who knew them better than they knew him?

Her heavy discussion with Raine had been enlightening, but theory meant nothing when actually facing the problem. The wait was worse than the unending pressure that she could feel pushing against her heart. If she could only move, could only go out and face the enemy head on. She knew the time would come, but she was agitated nonetheless.

In an attempt to remove some of her anxiety, she moved over to where Milyn was, "So, how exactly does this work?"

[cherrywood]

Milyn didn't mind answering Valdis, though the Healer never took her eyes off the vials she was filling. There were enough for all of the Foreigners and then some, because she'd refined extra just in case, but the dosage was of the utmost importance. Not enough serum and the body would stay in Life while the soul disengaged completely. Too much dosage and they'd sink straight through Dreaming and into the Death realm.

"The Gha'nal," she explained, since she knew Valdis had not been present when shed sent some of the Foreigners after the creature. "Has a very particular talent of being able to move freely between the different planes. That ability is, at least in part, genetic in makeup. So the extracted venom from the two that were captured contains the same properties. Don't worry dear, I've done this before."

Catch-up Time / Common Room

[theideaguy]

Sokka had thankfully gotten through Wan's attempted possession of the Creep Lord completely unscathed—mainly due to his efforts at securing some of the consoles in a random café somewhere and queuing up several videos (several of which were of his boomerang) until the virus had done its part. And so now here they were, facing a Plan-B endgame. His face is grim and serious. Of course, Sokka may still let out a crackpot joke if the circumstances are right, but otherwise gone is the usually joyful and exuberant youth and replacing it is a much more taciturn and serious young leader.

He takes his injection—something he was told to do without really knowing a lot about why—with a little bit of a stifled whimper before being released to do finish psyching himself up to do what he's got to do. But he still has to know. "So, uh, someone tell me exactly what that stuff they put in my arm is, huh?"

For those that are looking particularly grim, he'll be wandering by and putting an arm on their shoulders, reminding them that they're not alone.

[wrathfulkhan]

Gene's sitting around, ready to help people with the injections, since he's had the most experience with them. "It's venom," Gene says, "extracted from a beast called a Gha'nal and refined."

Well, you did ask, Sokka. "It's harmless. Mostly."

Now he's just messing with you.

Re: Catch-up Time / Common Room

[michaeljangelo]

"No idea, here. Have some chalk," Mike says to Sokka even as he's pushing a piece of chalk into his hand. The barely five foot tall turtle must appear so much different in these new, and better lit, circumstances.

OTA

[michaeljangelo]

Okay that diorama thing is all kinds of sweet, and reminds Mike a whole lot of what he used to do with the kids in his Movement and Tumbling class...only on a much smaller scale.

He doesn't want to get in the way while the eggheads are doing their egghead thing, but he wants to commit the map to memory, so he stays just far enough back so as to not be underfoot.

There's an nervous energy about him that keeps building. He's itching for this fight, and can't wait for the planning to be over with so he can just unleash it all.

And as luck would have it, this sensation bleeds out of him into anyone else who might be susceptible to such things.
Reply to this Thread from start Parent

[i_speak_softly]

Without looking up from his bomb-building, Don pushes a thought into his cousin's head.

Mike. You're leaking. Deep breaths.

Not like he's one to talk...

Re: BENEATH THE SHELL/MIDNIGHT HOTEL

[fearlessherosheart]

Tazendra looks quite happy. They were finally going to strike back at Malicant. She had brought both a staff of the sorts normally carried by wizards, and her second-best sword, and was having trouble sitting still. "Ah, if it is a dream, does it matter if I am armed?"

"Oh, I have brought something for you all." She opened a bag to bring out a half-dozen stones. "These will defend against one burst of sorcery... or other magic. They should activate automatically."

[OOC: The defensive stones basically convert spell energy to light and force. Getting hit by a lethal spell will be a bit like being kicked in the chest by a horse and the flash-bang will blind and deafen you temporarily, but you'll live. Less strong spells will have a lesser effect. They only work on energy spells -- fire, lightning, magical force, etc. -- a thrown rock might lose magical propulsion, but you're still hit with a rock. Also, the stones have one charge.]

Re: BENEATH THE SHELL/MIDNIGHT HOTEL

[michaeljangelo]

"Nice. Here, have some chalk," says the nearly five foot tall talking turtle now pushing a stick of chalk into her hand.

Common Room / OTA

[i_speak_softly]

Don doesn't care that he's holding up the line while he thoroughly questions Milyn about the biochemical properties of the Gha'nal venom. She doesn't know all the answers, but he's able to reverse-engineer the information he needs from the answers she does know. When he's satisfied, he calculates the correct dosage for a mutant turtle, makes Milyn re-fill the syringe, and then administers the injection to himself. Passing back the now-dirty sharp, he moves out of the way as though nothing noteworthy has just happened.

Solomon Wreath | for Cain but also OTA

[peacefullywreathed]

When Solomon entered the Hotel, the first thing he did was collect a special delivery from Shudder. The next thing he did was wait for one Jacob Kane. Solomon hadn't contacted the man beforehand, but he needed to do so now. It was rather pressing. Solomon's boon was constant--he had no control over it. He couldn't turn it off. It kept him sane while it was active.

The moment Malicant took him, he'd no longer be sane, and the death-aura could take everyone in the turtle. It could also take the Dreaming into the death-plane, and wouldn't that just give Malicant all the access he could possibly want. What Solomon needed was someone immune to death to keep an eye on him.

He needed Kane.

While Solomon waited he went to one of the chairs in the commons and sat to examine the restraints Shudder had made. They were almost silver, but felt like steel; far too pure to have been forged here in Keeliai and holding the binding sigils well. They weren't hinged, but bound at the sides with leather like old style armour, and with that would be easy to slide on over his hands. Shudder had beaten them into shape using measurements Solomon had given him, thinning them enough that he could wear them as sturdy wristbands rather than have them burden him as manacles. That was unexpectedly thoughtful.

Solomon turned them over in his hands and stared at them and felt their weight, negligible to what they could have been, and still they looked like chains to him. When this was all over, chances were the boons would go away. When they did, Solomon would be back to being addicted, to his magic controlling him instead of him controlling his magic--unless he bound his magic altogether.

[insertdadjoke]

When it came down to what Cain could do in the effort, there wasn't a whole lot. He had his immortality but that was about all that was going for him. Others had magic and superpowers and experience with the situation at hand, and that was all right. None of that meant Cain would sit out, but it did mean he was going to be more than willing to follow the lead of everyone else until his own picture of the situation formed into something more solid.

There were a couple of people he recognized in the Hotel when he got there. Not nearly enough, Cain hadn't been making as many friends within the foreigners as he probably should have been, but there were definite faces among the crowd that he could pick out with certainty. One of the more interesting loiterers was hanging out in the commons and Cain pulled up a chair opposite of him, studying the wristlets in his hands before glancing up to Solomon with a quirked brow.

"Fashion statement or is that functional, too?" he asked dryly.

ota

[backwordscompatible]

[This was cheerful.]

[Of course, this wasn't the first shelter she'd practically holed up in. All those attacks on the Welcome Center...the comparison was hardly parallel, but it had certainly prepared her for the mentality.]

[She accepted the injection with little protest. Milyn was the only official healer of the area, but there were others. Like her. Her abilities weren't a guarantee, but she knew enough to help someone in a pinch. Simple wounds. Sprains. Minor breaks. That sort of thing. Only all of that would be useless in Dreaming.]

I have to admit, this is not the scenario I'd imagined myself going back in.

ota

[looksfine]

[Aya was...hesitant.]

[She had been informed in acceptable detail of what was expected. What the injection was for, and where it would send those who took it. A world of dreams. The subconscious. She was not afraid. She had been inside other's mind's before, and yet...]

My body is inorganic. I am not certain that shot will have the desired effect on me.