EVENT #010

[larkers]

WHO: Everyone
WHERE: New Amsterdam and any other megacity the Displaced happen to be in/travel to!
WHEN: May 28, 2512
WHAT: Golden-eyed monsters stream into New Amsterdam and other megacities the world over.
NOTES OR WARNINGS: Violence, death, body horror, mind control, and transformation.

> EVENT #010

It starts in the middle of the night, when most everyone should be fast asleep in their beds, whether they're still taking up a cot in the safehouse or staying in their own apartment. One moment it's quiet, with most of the rest of the city having also turned in for the night, and then in the next? It isn't.

There will be mass confusion as the scope of the situation becomes clear. Monsters stream out onto the streets, thundering up the stairs of a train station, skittering out of construction sites, or climbing up the walls. Some of them fly. Others slither. Others run, loping forward with only one goal in mind: to find something to sink their teeth or claws into and to leave destruction in their wake at every turn. They are a horde, a swarm, a teeming mass of creatures that have no intention of stopping. All of them have eyes or bodies that shine gold and wherever they go, they seem to leave decay. Concrete turns black and porous where they step; plants wither and die.

There is no real preparing for an attack of this scale. New Amsterdam will awaken as the sound of these monsters crashing down on cars or bursting through storefronts or into homes forces people to run screaming from their dwellings or places of work. There is no discrimination in who these beasts might target, and no discernable pattern in where they go.

All that one can really tell is that they seem to want to spread out. They're constantly on the move, leaping from victim to victim, and they're relentless. No one knows why they've come, where they're come from, or what will make them stop. At least for now, the only option seems to be to cut down their numbers. It's time to fight the horde.

The first night will be utter chaos as everyone reacts to the monsters' sudden appearance, but by the morning hours news reports will start streaming in. This is not only happening in New Amsterdam, or wherever else a Displaced might be staying, but seemingly everywhere. Some cities seem harder hit than others, but practically every megacity is overrun with the creatures.

With no way of knowing who might have unleashed the monsters, all of these cities have essentially been turned into battlefields. Not many civilians are prepared to fight for their lives, and it will take a mobilization effort from the police, Morningstar, the Displaced, and anyone else who's willing to take up arms in order to survive.

◉ As a note, this attack starts simultaneously in multiple cities. While it's the middle of the night in New Amsterdam, the monsters will appear at other times of the day in other parts of the world depending on the timezone!

> BESTIARY

So as to not make this post overly long, we have compiled all of the monster descriptions into a Google doc here for everyone's reference!

> (NOT SO) SAFEHOUSE

For those Displaced who stay at (or spend any time in) the safehouse under the hoverbike shop or the Red Wings bar, they may become aware of the presence of the monsters sooner than others, due to the fact that at least a few of the giant mole monsters will end up burrowing up through the concrete basements to wreak havoc. The screeching noise of steel claws tearing through the floor will be sure to wake up even the deepest of sleepers.

This won't just be an occurrence on the first night of the attack, either. Unless something is done to deter them, tunnels leading straight into the safehouses will continue to be created, allowing even other types of monsters to find their way through (the smaller ones, that is). Where exactly they're coming from won't be entirely clear, though it's a safe bet to assume that they must have originated in the cave system somehow.

Suffice to say that El won't be happy about the safehouse being compromised in this way, though this isn't a possibility that ze or anyone else could have really prepared for. While ze can't do much to physically help with containing the invasion of the monsters, ze will offer whatever resources ze can—though Morningstar is going to be busy in plenty of other locations, as well, and they only have so many resources.

The Red Wings, being a Displaced-operated location, will also be in need of assistance, especially if it's meant to be a point of safety and a hub for handing out supplies. Speaking of—

> RED WINGS HQ

As things begin to deteriorate, Clarke Griffin and Stephen Strange sink their resources into Red Wings, adapting it into a base of operations for the Displaced. Clarke also called in PRESERVE to set up a checkpoint here, too, and anyone—from the Displaced to civilians—will be able to seek aid here. (Of course, Red Wings will be just one of a few locations throughout the city where they attempt to set up shop, but Red Wings may prove to be more fortified thanks to the talents of the Displaced.) Civilians will not have access to Red Wings' safehouse, however. That's still something that Clarke and Stephen want to keep under wraps, for now.

In the bar proper, there will be medical aid, supplies, and even weapons for those who can use them. During rare moments of downtime, the gang at Red Wings will also work on reconnaissance missions to find safe spots throughout the city to provide much needed protection and safety for the people of New Amsterdam. This task may be much easier said than done. Gathering intel on the monsters is a high priority, too, and for anyone who tries to capture a monster to learn more about them, the basement might be a good place to hold them. If the Displaced are going to be able to fight back, they need to know exactly what it is they're fighting.

However, the truth of the matter is that this attack happened quickly, and in the middle of the night to boot. As much as the group at Red Wings tries, resources are stretched thin, and they didn't have time to prepare as much as they wanted to. Supplies need to be rationed, bandages and stitches used for wounds that really need them, and if you're not a great shot, it might be best to let someone with more training take that gun you're eyeing.

More than anything, despite the difficulty, this is a way for the Displaced to help out as many people as they can, and a way for them to cement their humanitarian efforts and affect the population's opinion of them. The citizens of New Amsterdam are sick of this cycle of destruction, and are just waiting to be empowered. Now's the time to teach them to fight back and help them protect their city.

Red Wings' safehouse underground will be damaged by burrowing monsters as well, and will need protection. The bar itself will escape relatively unscathed.

> INVESTIGATING / GATES

Maybe the best way of dealing with the monsters isn't violence at all. Maybe there's a more strategic way to deal with this.

The monsters will be moving from city to city via the gates, just like the Displaced do. There might be a way to keep them from spreading, or at least slow them down, by shutting down the gate network. Of course, with the mag trains shutting down, getting back home could be an issue. One option is the delivery network of hover trucks. They'll still be running to get supplies from city to city, but their batteries don't run indefinitely, so these will be relatively local trips only. No getting from New Tokyo back to New Amsterdam with this method, unfortunately, and convincing a driver to let you hitch a ride might be a challenge, but it's doable.

Of course, there's also the question of where these things are coming from. Intrepid characters might be able to track them back to their nests, which are tucked away in wildly different places depending on the city. In New Amsterdam, they might be in the caves below the city. In other places, they might not be in the city proper at all, but just outside of it. It's important to keep in mind that the nests are far away from any of the action taking place elsewhere. Tracking these origin points may provide some answers, but the cost would be less involvement in the crisis taking place.

And then there's the matter of the monsters themselves. How can you fight an enemy you know nothing about? For those determined or crafty enough, capturing them might be an option, although this will take some creativity. Once these creatures are captured, they'll need to be kept contained, and kept alive. Just because they're monstrous doesn't mean they don't have to eat, after all, and some will need special environmental considerations as well, such as the mind control slugs.

What happens after that is up to the Displaced. Is dissecting them the best bet? Their internal anatomy won't be wildly different from most "normal" animals, with the exception of some creatures who have strange appendages or the like. Still, this might give the Displaced a better idea of how they operate and what their weak spots are. Sending samples to a lab is another possibility, if the Displaced can figure out how to safely store those samples. After all, the world is in a crisis, and no one is running tests at the moment.

All monsters, though, seem drawn to the blue light. When a Displaced uses a power or activates the empathy bond, the creatures will lock onto it, utterly transfixed, and if this is done enough times, that gold glow of theirs will intensify. What does it all mean? Maybe figuring that out will be a pathway to stopping their attacks.

> PITCHING IN

While all of this is going on, it certainly won't be just the Displaced who are heading out into the streets to try and stem the flow of the monster attack. These creatures are certainly not holding back, and no matter how much work might be put in, their numbers are overwhelming. Plenty of people will end up dead as a result, ripped to shreds or dragged off somewhere to be eaten. Yet, for some reason, these monsters are not as vicious toward the Displaced. They'll engage them in a fight and injure them, but they never go so far as dealing a fatal blow.

Seeing how that's not the case for the rest of the populace throughout the world, however, some groups and organizations will be rising up to do their part.

Police departments will be mobilizing in every megacity to put the monsters down, and while they are armed, it's not on the same level as the UNA. They also don't have any sort of training that's prepared them to fight monsters, but they'll still be putting their lives on the line to put a dent in the monsters' onslaught. When it comes to enforcing regular law and order, they certainly won't have the bandwidth for anything like that. Then again, most people won't be in any position to take advantage and commit crimes either, given the chaos that will be a constant everywhere.

Morningstar will also be jumping into action around the world. The New Amsterdam branch will be most likely to work alongside the Displaced and share some of their resources, particularly with those who are signed up as official agents or those who've supported them in the past. In cities like New Prague and New Beijing where the Displaced have made some contact with Morningstar before, they'll also be open to working with the Displaced. However, their resources are by no means robust. Morningstar is an organized rebel group, but they're hardly an official army in any sense of the word. They might be able to hand out a weapon here or there and they have a safehouse set up in almost every city, but beyond that, they'll mainly be getting boots on the ground to help with the fighting.

UNA soldiers who have been left without any sort of purpose or guidance will now have an opportunity to put some of that training to use. Their involvement will be much more scattered, though in some cases small groups of these soldiers who used to work in units together will reconnect in their effort to fight off the horde. However, having been cut off from the UNA in an official capacity, they won't have much in the way of gear or weapons. They're still formidable fighters, though, and now might be the perfect time to reach out and make a connection with some of them.

Mercenaries belonging to various different outfits, depending on what city they're based in, will also be joining the cause. Whether they're acting out of a basic desire to survive the attacks or if they're actually being paid by someone to go out there and risk their lives will be less clear, but they're some of the best-equipped fighters (other than the police). They also won't really find much reason to protest any of the Displaced pitching in to fight with them. The more firepower, the better, right?

A group of regulars from the New Amsterdam fighting rings will be rising up to add their fuel to the monster-fighting fire, as encouraged by Hawke and whoever else might know them well enough to reach out. Given that some of these people have illegal mods to enhance their strength or cybernetic attachments that can do impressive amounts of damage, some of them might hold their own against the monsters. Hell, some of them might even ask the Displaced to demonstrate some of their powers if they end up fighting together, as word of their abilities has become more known among their ranks. Either way, they'll be jumping into the fray with quite a bit of gusto.

PRESERVE will be involved on the other end of these efforts and will be doing their best to tend to the wounded and the dead, along with finding shelter and safe spots for people to barricade themselves from the attacks. It's not like the grand majority of civilians could stand a chance against these monsters, after all, yet not all of them can rely on their homes to be safe enough to stay in. They'll be quick to accept an offer of Displaced help, as they'll be doing their best to try and drag the recently dead to hospitals to get them put into medi-units before they're too late. Along with what's set up at Red Wings, they'll also be cobbling together other relief spots throughout the city for taking care of wounded and offering up what supplies they have (food and water, medical supplies, etc).

And what are the corporations doing in all of this? Well, suffice to say, mainly just panicking. Unsurprisingly, they're not much help during a crisis like this, with most of the super-rich opting to hide away in whatever highly secure bunkers they might have. Too bad that these bunkers might not prove so secure in the face of these attacks. Could that prove to be an opportunity if someone went looking?

> FINAL OOC NOES

Please refer to the OOC EVENT POST for all OOC info, including suggestions for directions on how to engage with the event. Given the spread out nature of this event, as well as the amount of additional details provided here, please direct all questions to our QUESTIONS thread below. This is, naturally, a huge event in terms of scale, and so we're certain there are aspects of it we haven't covered and questions that have yet to be answered. We do encourage that all of our players use the event planning post for any additional ideas and for touching base!

Please do not begin to thread out any aftermath until AUGUST 8, 2020, which is when we will put up the aftermath log and OOC post. If this date changes, we will provide a gamewide update as needed! As a note, the August calendar will be posted alongside the aftermath!

As a reminder, there is one power level up available for this event, granted for a thread of at least 5 log/action comments containing your character utilizing their power in some way during the event itself. They will need to reach the 5 comments required by SEPTEMBER 11, 2020 to be eligible. Submission will be handled on the wrap up post.

Our Activity Check will be posted AUGUST 1 at 12 AM UTC. It will run for seven days and close on AUGUST 8 at 12 AM UTC.

Have fun and fight some monsters! Or … whatever else you might do with them. 😉😏 Your secret's safe with us. 😙

> NAVIGATION

Comments

[preseance]

Surely does.

( lord, it's almost a relief to hear that there's another fella from earth. it ain't like there's a shortage of them, but sometimes a man just craves the familiar.

he ain't never been to washington, but kenton was from there, too. )

Alabama. Conecuh County, little town by the name of ( wait, is that it? his fingers just brushed passed the rubbery end of what might've been the artery in question, one he'd immediately lost again. there's a faint huff of effort as he redoubles the search, an' damn the lost sensitivity in his fingers from those fuckin' nights on the salm. ) — Agathine. Ain't hardly but a thousand souls these days, that bein' 1947.

[lifetothefullest]

[It's always nice when there's some recognition, even if he's gotten used to the alternative. Some sort of very basic common ground is always useful.

The mention of the date is a little surprising, but it's at least still within the last hundred years, so could be a lot worse.]

I've never been to Alabama.

[He's been to Florida, and it sucked; it was hot and full of utterly ridiculous people. But he won't mention that.]

It was 2014 in my world.

[And speaking of time--]

How long have you been here?

[preseance]

( he catches hold of the artery where it's been severed, an' pinches it off between his fingers so's he can maneuver the forceps into place. it won't be perfect, lord knows. this man'll need real surgery sooner than later, but it'll give him a fightin' chance at the next few hours without gettin' too far gone into hypovolemic shock.

2014 may've caused some shock in him once, but now that most all'a his friends an' allies are from the twenty-first century or well beyond it, it don't get much more than a faint shrug. he wipes his face against his shoulder, so's sweat stops drippin' in his eyes. )

Some months, now. Five, I guess? Near abouts. You're new, yeah? Came in with the last group?

[lifetothefullest]

[He can't see too well what's going on, but he has an idea and it's something good, so that's a relief. Also kind of amazing considering what little Gene has to work with.

Five months is similar to the amount of time Nate's been here, and Lance wonders again how long it's been for the first Displaced that arrived, but this isn't the time for those questions.]

Not the latest group, but the one before that. I've been here a few weeks.

[So long enough to have adjusted a little, but short enough this is still the first major crisis he's been involved in here.]

[preseance]

( he finishes clampin' off the artery, an' pulls his hands free with a wet noise. he rubs the back of his hand across his forehead with a sigh, an' then starts the process of dressin' the main body of the wound. he gestures to the fella that it's all right for him to let go, an' then draws a one on the man's forehead in his own blood priority: urgent.

a moment to catch his breath, an' then he'll move along to the next. as he's rinsin' off his hands in a basin of frothy, pinkish water: )

You handled that well enough. Not your first rodeo, huh?

[lifetothefullest]

[Lance hesitantly removes his hands when indicated, watching as Gene draws the one; morbid, but effective. He isn't sure what exactly to do now, unsure what the next step is and, at the same time, not wanting to leave someone who's injured; what if he wakes up and is alone? Not that the place is even slightly deserted--there are people everywhere--but still, waking up injured and confused with no one there to help is a distressing experience.

But he can't exactly just stay with every single person in here and he reluctantly steps away, distracting himself by answering the question.]

Unfortunately, monster attacks were pretty standard where I was before this.

[And that said--]

Is this what you do, where you're from?

[The whole medical thing.]

[preseance]

Used to.

( frankly, he could'a gone the whole of his life without ever needin' to patch another wound an' not found it a hardship, but gene's a man of duty. if there's a call, he'll always answer. he dries his hands carefully, scrubs them again with a disinfectant an' then crouches down to inspect the bandages on an unconscious lady who seems to have suffered some burns.

conversationally, )

Served in the Airborne, '42 onward through the end of the War as a medic. Most recently doing veterinarian work, which suits me well enough. But it ain't really a thing you can forget, you know?

( he ain't one to toss his military service out all pell-mell into a conversation, but this place may as well be a warzone, an' odds are it'll set more folks at ease than it'll trouble by knowin' his experience. )

[lifetothefullest]

[Once Gene's done washing his hands Lance takes a turn, both for practical reason and just as a good distraction. He listens to Gene's answer and ah, that makes perfect sense.]

I don't know from experience, but I understand the idea.

[He's never been in the military and wouldn't be suited to it, but one of his closest friends was and Lance has seen how it's affected him. And of course, being a psychologist, he's studied the effects that going to war have a person.

So he steers the conversation just slightly--]

What kind of animals do you work with as a veterinarian?

[preseance]

( most folks, they wanna ask about the war. ain't nobody here had the complete absence of sense necessary to ask him if he killed anybody there, but he's fielded some curious questions. interestin', that this fella gets a whiff of it an' lets it lay. )

All sorts, really.

( he notices that an injury to the gal's leg seems to have swollen up some, an' that the bandages are now too tight, so he starts unwrappin' them so's he can have a look. fluid might need to be drained off. )e

Livestock mostly. Cattle, horses an' the like. But I'm the only fella in about a hundred-fifty mile radius with any manner'a medical trainin' at all so I've troubled myself to know about — pass me that bedpan, please? — everythin' from hamsters to parrots much as I can. I do plenty of doctorin' too, but, you know. More deliverin' babies — an' that syringe kit layin' just there? thank you kindly — an' the occasional set of stitches when some youngster cracked their head on a tree branch, little less'a this sort of thing.

[lifetothefullest]

[Burns are something Lance doesn't have much experience with, personally or otherwise, so they're creepier to him than dealing with more bloody injuries and he's happy to just fetch supplies for Gene as asked.]

It sounds like you stay busy.

[If he's the only one around with medical experience where he lives, and he's dealing with both humans and animals, then Lance imagines it's pretty nonstop. He'd been the only active mental health practitioner in Hadriel and had been constantly busy there, and that was with only like a hundred people.]

[preseance]

( there's an odd rhythm to the conversation, an' this fella has a very neutral way of askin' questions. it don't set him on guard or make him suspicious, but it does make him wonder. some folks are like that. naturally curious sorts. others do it so's you won't ask after them, yet he's been receptive enough to answerin' queries of his own.

gene sets about drainin' the leg an' nods some in response. )

I do all right for myself. Don't hardly mind the work. Reckon I'd struggle more with havin' too much time on my hands.

( with an idle sideways glance, )

An' what is it you do, exactly?

[lifetothefullest]

[He gets that; being bored is worse than being busy a lot of the time, or at least just as bad in a different way. Despite that he has to purposefully resist wrinkling up his nose as he watches Gene drain the injury, he pays attention just in case this is something else that might prove useful in the future.

It gives him a good excuse to be delayed in answering the question he's asked, because it's just not that simple of one. Lance still isn't totally sure what to go with, because the truth is long and complicated and he had bad enough experiences in Hadriel that he hesitates to be honest; telling people there that he was a psychologist and criminal profiler had ended up working against him in many ways that he isn't sure he wants to risk here yet. But he isn't interested in lying either, so it really just becomes a matter of how much truth to go with.

He weighs options a moment, and then after making a decision he has to search his memory for when the FBI was established; he's not super well-versed on the history of that part of his job. But he's sure it's early enough that the time difference between himself and Gene shouldn't be a problem.]

Um, I work with the FBI. I'm a special agent in the major crimes division, so we basically investigate murders and other serious violent crimes.

[It's true, it's just only one of his three positions there.]

[preseance]

Huh. How 'bout that.

( guess that explains a thing or two about the steady hands. was that what he'd meant when he said fightin' monsters? he'd taken it literally, but could be it weren't. he supposes that folks who go after violent offenders would see their fair share of the metaphoric sort. )

Guess it stands to reason you'd be a cool hand under fire then.

[lifetothefullest]

[When Lance had first joined the FBI, just as a psychologist, he'd been so squeamish and shocked to see all the death that his friends and coworkers dealt with. Now he's gotten so used to it that he's just happy to see people who are still alive, and who something can be done to help, rather than just having to chase justice for people who are already gone. The monsters were both the metaphorical and literal type, just in different times and places.

He shakes his head a little at Gene's last comment, offering a faint smile and a slightly self-deprecating joke--]

The title makes me sound way more impressive than I actually am. I'm more on the investigative, puzzle-solving side of things, not usually in the super dangerous situations.

[preseance]

( he snorts some, an' resumes the bandagin' of the lady's leg. the skin's lookin' a less angry shade of purple now he's gone an' drained it, an' he's satisfied she'll sleep easier too. )

Ah, don't go on sellin' yourself short like that. I think it's plenty impressive. Reckon in some situations it's easier to be under fire than the fella workin' under the gun to save the folks under said fire, you know?

[lifetothefullest]

Sometimes.

[He can't argue with that, so instead gives a noncommittal agreement; it's not that Gene's wrong, just that Lance's feelings about this part of his job and how important he is or isn't to the whole process are... Complicated, to say the least. But he appreciates the sentiment.

Then he realizes they totally hadn't had time for something basic, so--]

I'm Lance, by the way.

[preseance]

( he sits back on his haunches, an' then stands a bit gingerly. his bum leg's actin' up in the midst of all this, makin' it hard to swallow standin' for long periods. maybe there's another piece'a shrapnel workin' its way out past the tendon or somethin'. )

Eugene Hicks. Most folks call me Gene an' it ain't no nevermind to me. Pleased to be makin' your acquaintance, Lance.

[lifetothefullest]

Nice to meet you, Gene.

[He didn't miss the careful way Gene stood, and although it could just be general soreness or an old injury they are also in the middle of a monster attack, so he should ask--]

Are you okay?

[preseance]

( perceptive fella, ain't he. gene's expression is briefly shuttered, because if there's one thing he don't like it's bein' picked at like that no matter how well meant it is. but he's older than he used to be when it first started botherin' him, an' that brief flash of annoyance don't last but a few seconds. )

Old injury. Ain't no bother except when it's slowin' me down some.

( an' then, as if in apology for how curt that sounded: )

Important as your work must be, you may'a missed your callin' as a medical doctor, fella.

[lifetothefullest]

[Ah, he doesn't miss that change in expression either, and notes that this is a topic to avoid. Lance has given much the same answer to the same sort of question before, and it's usually because whatever story there is behind the injury it's something he doesn't want to talk about, so he presumes it might be the same for Gene.

So he allows the shift in topic, shaking his head slightly.]

Thanks. I did consider becoming a medical doctor, but I'm not sure I could do this sort of thing full time.

[And he's only doing the very basics. Truthfully there's another reason he didn't become a medical doctor, but it relates to his profession as a psychologist, which he isn't going into at the moment.]

[preseance]

Ah, I don't know about that. If you can handle it once, you can do it every day.

( it's his knowledge of necessity speakin', truthfully. he takes a moment to clean his hands again, an' while he's doin' that: )

One foot in front of the other, you know? Easier to take things as they come that way.

[lifetothefullest]

[At that, Lance realizes he worded his response poorly; he knows he probably could do it, in exactly the way Gene described, but in doing so it would drain him mentally and emotionally. Although he's capable of putting up with a lot of stress and continuing to move forward, he doesn't like to; he spent enough of his life just trying to get by day to day, and so when he has the choice he tries to stay as far from those sorts of situations as possible. Maybe too far, sometimes, in that he tends to react in extremes; he has quit and rejoined the FBI twice, after all, although to be fair in hindsight he should've trusted his judgement and kept his distance.

It's for the same reason that he hasn't mentioned his psychology experience here yet; Hadriel was such a bad experience that he doesn't want to deal with something like that again, even if it seems like it might have a different outcome here and his conscience is still telling him it would be right to actually use his skill to benefit the other Displaced. But that's a problem for later, after they're not all at risk of being eaten by monsters.

And none of this is a problem for Gene to deal with, and so he mentions none of it. Instead, he gives a more noncommittal answer, deflecting slightly in order to be honest without having to actually go into anything.]

Well, I guess while this is all going on I'm getting a mini version of what could've been.

[He offers a faint smile to go with the comment, almost a joke but not quite.]

[preseance]

( he's a man who's from a long line of fellas hidin' a secret, he knows what deflection sounds like. an' he don't press, just shrugs a bit. )

Ain't nothin' like learnin' your taste for a new skill than bein' thrown right in the mixer, huh? C'mon, let's go tend that fella in the corner.