Possession Event

[lucetimods]

Who: People in Luceti
What: Spiritual possession
When: The 26th to the 1st
Where: Luceti!
Summary: Check out the previous mod post.
Rating: If it gets smutty, move it somewhere private.


Starting at midnight on the 26th, Luceti and its inhabitants will find itself the focus of the Filial spirits, usually quiet and reclusive, now stepping out to deal with one of their own.

As promised, here is some additional information to help figure out how to play around with the spirits and interacting with similarly possessed people.

First off, each spirit has a certain time or place when they are at their most powerful. Consequently, characters possessed by them will enjoy these boosts and this in itself can be a deciding factor in what would otherwise be a stalemate. Here’s a quick run down:

Sona - She’s most powerful around lakes, rivers, and the ocean. Mostly this is concentrated at the southern lake.

Kipinn - He’s most powerful in high places, like mountain tops and the roofs of community buildings.

Faeren - She’s most powerful in the farmlands alongside things that grow.

Tsinku - He’s most powerful in the village itself, where technology thrives.

Eferin - He’s most powerful in the center of the forest where his heat may cause trees to burn. In fact, the upcoming forest fire may cause some trouble if his followers get too rowdy.

Hyt - It’s most powerful during the daytime under a bright sky.

Twila - It’s most powerful during the night time.

Nala- She has no domain and is generally welcome wherever she goes.

How possessed characters will deal with other possessed characters will depend on the interactions of the spirits themselves. A useful spreadsheet sums up these relationships. Those that have a friendly attitude to one another will generally allow ‘trespassers’ into their domain, but those they are not so friendly with may cause conflict.

Finally, to elaborate on Twila-possessed characters. Those with a natural affinity for darkness are likely to be possessed first. Once they have, they can try to recruit others less-compatible candidates to ‘join the cause’. Their goal is numbers. The more who are working with Twila, the better. Once they do, they’ll be inclined to act in their own self interest and if necessary, deal with others who try to get in their way. In the long term, the spirit Twila wants to stay this way, bonded to the Lucetians as hybrids, that way it cannot be imprisoned again. Think of it as pure survival instinct of an animal that’s spent way too long in a cage.

All isn’t lost. The other spirits may not be able to cage it again, but they won’t accept Twila reacting in this manner. Though it’s hard to tell what their beef with Twila is, they have an instinctive familiarity with the dark spirit and seem to act as its jail keepers.

They have the power to free people from Twila, but given their poor communication skills, figuring that out might just be a challenge. After all, the spirits can only communicate in shades of feeling and intentions, but not actually verbalize directions or marching orders. However, there will be a Malnosso post mid-event that will give everyone, possessed or otherwise, the info they need to turn things around.

Comments

all days (eferin)

[handing]

[Immediately after Tony is taken over by Twila’s influence, Pepper won’t be out much. Whatever’s made his wings grow has also increased his paranoia, to the point where he actually refuses to let her leave the house. He’s actually locked her in, and Pepper tries to temper her frustration with the knowledge that whatever this is, it isn’t truly him. It’ll pass within the week. Hopefully she can talk some sense into him before that, but if nothing else, she can endure it.

At least until Eferin finds her.

At that point she is done being held captive in her own house, and Pepper’s new found control over fire allows her to melt the locks that have kept her in. After she makes her escape she’ll head not to the gallery, but the forest beyond, spending her days among the trees there, delighting in heat and flame. She'll also take advantage of her flight to explore areas further from the village, places she hasn't been. Yet the spirit’s influence isn’t completely in control, because each night she returns home, smug for having left, but not wanting to torture Tony unnecessarily. She still worries for him, and she also has a strong urge to monitor him and make sure he isn’t causing trouble for anyone else.]

one of the later days!

[alloys]

[ Someone's not happy.

Tony is waiting for Pepper at home, sitting comfortably in the shadows of the living room as he waits for her return. That's all he can do - even though he went looking for her as soon as he found out she'd escaped, it was no good. He couldn't find her, and he hoped she would come back here because it was where she was supposed to be.

It was where she was supposed to stay.

He was considering how he could create stronger locks for the following day, how to make them more resistant to heat, when he finally hears the door open. He peers at her through the darkness, standing as she comes in. ]

Re: one of the later days!

[handing]

[For her part, Pepper shows absolutely no guilt or remorse as she strides back into the house. There's even a note of pride in her eyes when she notices the locks, still melted away into useless, shapeless lumps of metal. She is completely unrepentant, and that doesn't change when she notices movement among the shadows.]

I don't think it would kill you to turn a light on, Tony. [She's familiar enough with the layout of the house to be able to feel her way through to a lamp, but there are quicker ways. Pepper holds out a hand, creating a small ball of flame just over her palm. It lets him clearly see her outline, including the shape of her newly large wings. It also lets her see him a bit better, and she turns to him expectantly, knowing he's unhappy with her disappearing act from earlier.]

[alloys]

[ His eyes dart to the flame in her hand, a grimace forming on his features. She could have done so much better, if she would have just listened to him. ]

I would - you know. If I needed one. To see the look of complete betrayal on your face. But I don't, so here we are.

[ His tone was curt, but he didn't sound hurt. No, more than anything, he sounds irritated. ]

[handing]

Complete betrayal? [Oh, she is so not impressed by this. Pepper can easily match Tony's irritation, and her free hand goes to her hip.]

My leaving the house is a complete betrayal now. And what exactly was your locking me up like a prisoner supposed to be again?

[alloys]

It's supposed to be me keeping you safe, but clearly, that isn't very important to you.

[ This wasn't right. She was supposed to stay here - she would be safe, and then he wouldn't have to worry. All the undue worrying he'd been doing had clearly taken it's toll. How could she really say this wasn't better? ]

and the spoilers start

[handing]

Of course staying safe is important to me! But you're being ridiculous.

[And tonight Pepper doesn't mind saying so.]

I went out of the house, and I'm fine. No injuries, no Extremis flare ups--I can even control fire now.

[Case in point, the flame still burning above her palm. Pepper holds it out, and even makes it burn a bit brighter just to prove her point.]

Doesn't this all prove that you're going too far?

spoilers!

[alloys]

[ Oh, he doesn't like that. He doesn't like her using the fact that she got out and went about completely unharmed against him. Of course he was glad about that - but that wasn't the point.

When the fire in her palm grows, he steps back to stay more in the shadows than in the light. ]

So you got lucky - once. That doesn't prove anything. Outliers exist. You don't know that you'll be safe if you leave again.

Re: spoilers!

[handing]

And you don't know that I'll be safe if I stay here. We did have a house blown up in an aerial attack, while both of us were in it. [A point Pepper raises in anger, although a moment after the words come out guilt quickly takes his place. She knows Tony hasn't forgiven himself for that, and it's cruel to use Killian's attack against him, but—she's just so irritated with him.]

Tony, we don't have to do this. Yes, there's risk, but you're going too far. You know this is because of whatever experiment is going on.

spoilers!

[alloys]

[ He tenses at the reminder in her words. That event had hardly left Tony's mind since it happened, as well as the knowledge of all it had cost him - and how lucky he was to escape with what he did. His life and her own, and she was going to push all that aside because of an experiment? ]

Fine - you got me. I'm not myself. You know why? Because I've felt great the past couple of days. I've been sleeping, I've been calm, all because I had to worry about you less. And, what - now you're pulling this. You're going to push me right back to where I was. Do you want that? Do you? I don't.

[ Blame. That was easy. This wasn't his fault - this was good for him. He felt great. This wasn't his fault. ]

Re: spoilers!

[handing]

No, you're not yourself because you're possessed! [She snaps back quickly, almost talking over him. Yet even as their words begin to overlap she still hears what Tony says, and for a moment after she can only gape at him.]

What?! [Okay maybe, maybe she had gone too far before, but Tony has pushed things to a completely new level.] I cannot believe you just said that.

[She shakes her head, then starts to make her way toward the kitchen.] I can't even talk to you right now.

spoilers!

[alloys]

[ His eyes narrow, even as he keeps to his shadows. ]

You think I can't outwit a spirit? Please, Pepper. Don't - [ Dammit, she wasn't listening. So what if he wasn't listening to her even as he said this? He already knew he was right. He didn't need to listen to what she had to say. ]

Fine, fine - then don't. Just - I'll fix the door. You can make it up to me by notbreaking out tomorrow.

Re: spoilers!

[handing]

[Congratulations, Tony. You're getting her to talk to you again--just for all the wrong reasons. She stops and turns back around, although she doesn't move any closer to him.]

I can make it up to you? I didn't do anything wrong! You're the one who is so heavily influenced you can't think straight.

And for the record? You can't keep me here anymore, Tony. I know how to use my power now, and I will get out.

One of the later days!

[halfnhalf]

[Teddy is tired. Up in a tree he rests, shoulder against the trunk and near dozing there. He isn't just tired physically, but - he's tired of all this, tired of everyone acting weird, tired of Billy not giving a damn about what these powers mean, just tired of it all. Not to mention that he's done a ton of healing, even when he didn't particularly want to, and it's beginning to really wear him out.

The sound of flames rushing through the air draws him out of his daydreaming, and he blinks a few times before he looks towards it. Pepper in a tree nearby, playing with the fire - Teddy straightens up, Nala being more in charge as he gets into a better seating position and calls out.]

Ms. Potts, be careful! You could hurt yourself and the trees!

Re: One of the later days!

[handing]

[Pepper is feeling better than she has in days, ever since Tony decided to lock her in the house and trap her like some sort of prisoner. She's been frustrated, but also concerned enough that she's stayed, wanting to make sure things didn't get any worse with his growing paranoia.

And then she woke up with a fully grown set of wings of her own.

It had taken surprisingly little effort to melt the locks off her door that morning. Her control had been precise, and the sensation of it amazing. Manipulating the heat so only the metal gave way, and not the wood surrounding it. She'd felt absolute satisfaction when she pushed open the door, and it continued even then, as she tests her control while perched up in a tree, far more comfortable in the forest than she's been in her own home.

A voice calling from nearby gets her attention and Pepper smiles when she sees Teddy close by. His concern is sweet, but unnecessary, and she shakes her head as she replies.]

No, actually, I won't. I've got everything under control.

One of the later days!

[halfnhalf]

[Teddy frowns to himself as soon as the words leave his mouth; god, that was so Nala of him. But when Pepper answers, the frown fades, and he looks at her with concern instead. Sure, this place is probably best suited for the fire spirit, but... all these trees, and Pepper.]

As long as you're sure. [...] If you do hurt yourself, I can heal you. Just putting that out there.

Re: One of the later days!

[handing]

I'm sure. [And she's also pretty sure about just which spirit has decided to influence Teddy. Between the white wings and the unnecessary caution,, it's clear that Nala's inhabiting him. But there are worse spirits that can take control--like whatever is inside of Tony right now. Or Sona.]

That's good to know. [She lets the fire she's working with dissipate, flame vanishing into nothingness as it spread, then flies the short distance over to where Teddy's perched.] But it's not necessary. I can't get hurt anymore.

One of the later days!

[halfnhalf]

((ooc: to be continued...))

[selfhelp]

[So Billy's figured that just because his wings are oversized and his brain's a little haywire, it doesn't mean he has to break off completely from the norm of his schedule. He's still trying to train, meet with his friends, even go to school... kind of. And dammit, he doesn't want to become a recluse.

He heads over to Tony and Pepper's place on one of his cleaning days, but weirdly enough, he can't open the door. Usually he just lets himself in. Knocking doesn't seem to get him anywhere either, and at first he figures they're just out for the day, but something feels... weird about the house. Sort of a darkness, and a familiar one, too, if his own black wings are telling him anything.

Are the windows clear for some nosy lurking? Because that's what Billy's doing first. If he sees anything amiss, maybe he can just teleport in...]

[handing]

[The windows are indeed clear, but they may not be for very long. Tony's getting smarter, finding locks that are more resistant to heat, but the door is far from the only way out. Pepper is currently standing with her hand on the glass, judging just how much heat she might need to melt it out of its frame, when someone starts looking in.]

Billy! [There's relief in her voice, but it's momentary; almost as soon as she sees who it is, she also takes notice of his wings. Large and black, and Pepper lets out a quiet groan of dismay.] Not you too.

[selfhelp]

Um, yeah. [Billy waves somewhat sheepishly, brows furrowing as he notes her wings as well. So she's affected as well... geez, this is getting too big for all of them.] Surprise? ...What're you doing at the window like that? No one opened the door.

[handing]

That’s because I can’t. [And he may well note the dry tone of her voice when Pepper says that. She is less than pleased by her situation.] Tony’s decided the only way I can stay safe is if he locks me inside the house.

[selfhelp]

Are you serious?

[It's mostly rhetorical, since he can't imagine anyone joking about that. He frowns at the window for a moment, then glances back at the door.]

Want me to zap the lock? Or I could teleport you out.

[handing]

Very. [Even if it’s rhetorical, it still merits an answer—mostly because Pepper was in as much disbelief over it as Billy is when she first discovered Tony upgrading their locks.

But there’s more than one way out, and a grin plays over Pepper’s lips as she shakes her head.]

Actually, I think I can manage on my own. Watch. [She lifts a hand to the glass, but she doesn’t actually touch it. Instead she sends an intense heat into the window, and starts to melt the glass away.]

[selfhelp]

[Billy blinks and steps back in surprise, watching as the glass dribbles away bit by bit. Well. That's one way to do it.]

...Messier than I'd prefer, but definitely cool. I think it'll at least send Mr. Stark a message.