EVENT LOG: ENTER MR SANDMAN (DEFENDERS)

[inthenightmods]

EVENT LOG:
ENTER MR. SANDMAN (DEFENDERS)

characters: those who signed up as defenders for the event
location: all around Beacon
date/time: november 16-29
content: the defenders attempt to drive off a spirit invasion
warnings: lots of horror! body horror, psychological horror, gore, violence, etc.. please cw all threads where appropriate! mods will do the same

in your closet, in your head.

It all happens in a matter of moments. Your friends, your companions, and even some people you aren't all that fond of; everyone who took so much as a bite of the spirits' feast suddenly collapses into a comatose heap. Which is bad enough already, but the worst, by far, is yet to come.

Before anyone can really figure out what's happened to the sleepers, the woods surrounding the town come alive with sound. Rustling, screeching, clicking, howling, and under it all, the characteristic hoots and whistles of the forest spirit tongue. But these aren't the friendly creatures that set up the banquet in the first place, and they aren't the familiar faces (or masks) from around Beacon. As they begin to emerge, bursting forth from the trees, these spirits reveal themselves as a horrifying army of terrors. And sprinkled among them, distinguishable by the emerald glint in their sockets, are the infamous "green eyes", the dangerous spirits that appeared once before.

Attempting to talk to these spirits is a moot point, made obvious by their immediate assault on anyone they get close to. They attack with claws and teeth, with limbs far stronger than they have any right to be, and the green eyes, as they are wont to do, will try to get into your head. Somehow, they seem to know what it is that scares you most, and they don't seem too hesitant to use it. It's not clear what they want— are they here to eradicate you? To frighten you? To send a message?

Whatever the case, one thing is very clear: you and everyone else, sleeping or waking, are in serious danger. Are you ready to defend Beacon?

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jason todd | ota

[mind_blown]

the start
[ well, he doesn't have time to wait. he had appeared unarmed, but suddenly he has swords in his hands? Easy enough-- and he knows how to use them well enough to create a space. But they need to get out of there-- this? was practically an ambush. no, it was an ambush.

coincidence puts him close enough to Bruce, and misfortune keeps him there-- with a set of three spirits to go through. He didn't want to have to make a choice here, but he wasn't abandoning Bruce just to get away. regardless of his conflicted feelings. but to anyone trying to run by-- ]

Keep going! I'll distract them-- unless you've got a brilliant idea somewhere there.

later: jtodd
what the fuck, robin
where is everyone
who the hell is even keeping tabs on where people are?

[ what a shitshow.

he already knows, there's probably no good way to make sure everyone's accounted for when the whole place is under siege. ]

whenever

[ he didn't go back to the invincible. too crowded, too easily attacked. and it felt a little like there were some sort of tracer between the spirits and them. so, not enough room to maneuver. but he does have a gun and one of his allblades out. and he has been pretty good at identifying when people need help, and how he can pull spirits away.

a live distraction technique.

it's kind of like he was play acting at being Robin again. Except this time, there's no batman. Just... whatever backup he can scrounge together. You might run into him while you're traveling from point to point in Beacon, especially when you're in a tight spot. He doesn't say anything, just jumps in to pull the spirits away enough to give you breathing room. ]

the start

[evulsed]

[ It isn't coincidence that puts Vanitas near Bruce— it's active choice. The fact is the only reason Vanitas wasn't face first on the table like everyone else is because he'd been spending so long piling up his plate with everything that looked remotely sweet that others had started to dig in before he ever got the chance.

But then they start dropping like flies, and Vanitas' head jerks up in time to see Bruce go down, too. He drops his plate, the food scattering where he'd been standing seconds before— but Vanitas isn't there anymore, because he shadow-stepped the distance in the time it takes to blink.

Vanitas materializes at Jason's back and ducks under the swing of one of his blades, surging forward to take on one of the three spirits he'd been fighting on his own. Whether he's talking to Vanitas or not by the time its under control doesn't matter. Vanitas ignores him in favor of casting away his keyblade and going straight for Bruce. He pushes aside whomever might be next to him (awake or not) to wedge himself in, stepping over the bench to pull his dead weight from the table top. He catches Bruce by the shoulder with one hand, putting the other on his loosely rolling neck to try and hold him upright. There's something just this side of manic in Vanitas' gold eyes as he looks into Bruce's serenely sleeping expression. ]

Hey—! You idiot, wake up! This is no time for a nap!

Re: the start

[mind_blown]

-- Hey!

[ he slashes once, creating an opening for escaping. escaping is probably a good idea, but Jay wasn't about to let Bruce get taken by anyone else. so he jumps back moving closer to Bruce, and Vanitas ]

You think I didn't try that already?!

[evulsed]

[ Vanitas is too focused to give Jason his attention, searching Bruce's face for any sign of response. It's typical, he thinks. They always look so gentle and unbothered when they're asleep. Ventus had looked the same way, slumped in that tall chair, without a care in the world. It had taken such a drastic measure for Vanitas to nearly kill his friend to wake him up.

Something tells him that this won't have so simple a solution.

Bruce doesn't so much as twitch, despite the way Vanitas' grip tightens on his nape, keeping his head mostly still even though he shakes him like a doll. The chaos around them means that Vanitas can't exercise any other avenue of trying to rouse him. Instead, Jason is talking to him, a distraction, and Vanitas finally gives him his attention. He tips Bruce against his chest, so his chin hooks Vanitas' shoulder, and Vanitas sneers at Jason. ]

You can't hold them off forever! They'll rip you apart!

[mind_blown]

[ there's something in his hackles that goes up when he sees how Vanitas is handling Bruce, an instinctive drive to protect. but he stops himself from overreacting-- he's better than that now. so he needs to act like it. oh, but there is definitely a loud part of him that thinks being better is overrated.

and yet-- he pulls out his gun, firing through one of the spirits heads. even if it didn't kill them, it would slow them down for a second. Enough to get out of there. ]

You think that's what I'm aiming for?

[ there's a hint of sarcasm, and then he lurches forward. most everyone has made a break for it, so he's going to do the same. ]

Let's get the hell out of here.

[evulsed]

I didn't see you doing anything else.

[ Vanitas snarls, but there's something purposefully obtuse in that. Vanitas, too, had helped fend off what Jason as fighting before putting his full focus on Bruce. Others had made way to run much sooner than this. Some hadn't stuck around at all, but Vanitas and Jason are far from the last people to be still around the dinner table. The population of Beacon may not be huge, but almost all of them had been congregated on this one spot because of the feast.

It's a perfect place for an ambush.

Jason says let's but Vanitas sees him readying to take off. Part of him can't bring himself to care about what Jason does or doesn't want to do. Vanitas doesn't know about the connection between this man and the sleeping one breathing even and slow on his shoulder. ]

I'm not stopping you.

[ He hisses, gathering Bruce up from the table. It's a little awkward, for the angle, because Vanitas is smaller than him and Bruce is all legs. He has the strength to do it, but it doesn't stop Bruce from being a little unwieldey in all his dead weight as Vanitas arranges himself to try and pick him up. ]

Whenever - Museum

[worthallthis]

[It takes a day before the Soldier can make it out all the way out to the museum to check on Bruce. A survey of the tables outside and the remains of the food showed Bruce not among them, and peering into the nearest defensible positions showed him not there, either.

Next stop, the museum, but it's far enough out that the Soldier has to be careful about it, make a special trip rather than trying to tack it onto their general sweep of the village, but they do go. Bruce can probably look after himself if he's awake... but what if he's not awake, brought food back to his haunt to eat there, or got injured in his escape from the first wave of attackers? The Soldier has to make sure.

So, gun in hand, senses stretched, they creep along the open space between the path and the museum fully expecting an attack, albeit from spirits rather than anyone defending the building and its inhabitants.]

[mind_blown]

[ Jay's keeping watch outside of the museum, just during those moments when he realizes "things are too quiet." when he can allow himself to step away from Bruce. But he sees the lantern first, and it's enough to make him relax just slightly, though he continues scanning the area behind him.

there was a chance he was followed. they always seemed to prefer the awake.

so, crouching from the roof above the entrance of the museum, he asks, ]

Were you followed?

[worthallthis]

[The lantern is mostly shuttered, only spilling light ahead on the Soldier's path ahead rather than around them to give them away as little as possible. Jay can see it, from straight ahead.

The Soldier pauses at the voice.]

Not that I could tell. But some of the attacking spirits are very. Quiet.

[So it's possible. The Soldier doesn't lower the gun, but doesn't point at Jay, at least. Jay isn't the possible threat, here.]

[mind_blown]

[ he scans behind him. not that he could tell, but... it's quiet. and there's no light to see. so... he'd be guessing. no matter what. it's times like this that make the light problem an... issue. ]

Great.

[ he hops down from the roof, and holsters his gun. His lantern is shuttered too, for the moment ]

You don't look like you're looking for a place to crash.

[worthallthis]

No. Checking on someone.

[They can't say who. They promised not to tell anyone where Bruce lives.]

Didn't see them at the tables, or in the Invincible. So I'm looking.

[At an out-of-the-way building that no one supposedly lives at.]

whenever!!!

[survivaltricks]

[Akira spends most of his time at the Invincible, patrolling the perimeter as promised, keeping an eye out for enemies in order to keep the slumbering members of Beacon within safe. but he isn't the only one at the Invincible (thank goodness), and so he can afford to step away every so often to stretch his legs and make sure that those who aren't holed up at the Invincible are managing okay]

[. . . plus: he needs an actual weapon]

[and so Akira-- dressed in his leather jacket and telltale mask-- darts through the town of Beacon towards the armory. and it's on his way there that he runs into Jason in person]

Hm. . .?

[he is definitely slowing down a bit to address his fellow Beacon citizen, though his gaze darts quickly across their surroundings, on the lookout for wayward spirits]

Are you patrolling. . .?

Re: whenever!!!

[mind_blown]

[ it's quiet. Jason hates that about all of this, that there are spirits that'll attack in silence. silence, plus darkness... it just means he has to keep his lantern out, another beacon for the spirits. to draw them to him-- and away from others. so when he's approached, even spoken to, there's a small amount of surprise. ]

Something like that.

[ he lowers his sword just slightly, but still on guard. ]

The spirits are attracted to people who are awake. So...

[survivaltricks]

[Akira's got his own lantern tucked into one hand, red-gloved fingers curled around the handle. he also holds himself with tension, shoulders squared and stance wide, ready to move at a moment's notice]

[it doesn't take him long to pick up on the meaning of Jason's words, and his brows shoot up in non-judgmental surprise]

You're trying to draw them towards you?

[mind_blown]

Yeah.

Better me than someone who can't fight-- which. There are plenty of those people around here.

[ he's keeping an attentive eye out, evident in his posture. He's not staying still for long. though... maybe staying still would make him a more attractive target for a moment. ]

I'd like to avoid what happened the last time there was a party here.

[survivaltricks]

[a small noise of neither approval nor disapproval. it's simply an acknowledgement]

Playing bait is easier when it's done in groups of at least two.

[just saying!! but also--]

What happened the last time there was a party here?

whenever - between the Invincible and the laboratory

[sauntered_downward]

Crowley hasn't left the Invincible since this whole shitstorm began. He's been singlemindedly watching over Aziraphale, making sure the stupid angel was still breathing, which is all that matters to him at all right now. He hasn't even really been fighting or helping, just watching Aziraphale and the other sleepers.

Except in this exact moment.

In this exact moment, color Crowley in what one could call a "tight spot". The demon, who is most certainly neither a lover nor a fighter, is trying to defend himself against a spirit with a shiny purple dagger and is doing a pretty poor job of it. He backs away from the spirit and looks around wildly, as if someone might appear and get him out of the mess he's clearly in.

Re: whenever - between the Invincible and the laboratory

[mind_blown]

[ whatever his thoughts on Crowley were? Jason wasn't about to let someone die. especially when he could stop it. no one had proven themselves that much of an asshole that he'd just turn away, and well. he had magic swords that tended to be pretty effective at buying time-- or killing. when necessary.

it's the noise that draws him to the area, and the lantern makes the scene obvious as well. While the monster is distracted trying to kill Crowley, it gives Jason the opportunity to slice it down across its back, his action not obvious until the spirit lets out a horrifying yell, and wrenches back.

giving Crowley an opportunity to run. ]

Hey, maybe you should pay attention to what's going on around you, huh?

[sauntered_downward]

Oh, sorry, you think I just missed the little hell we're all in right now?

[Crowley could run. He could run and let this human person take care of the monster for him. Instead, he lunges forward with his purple dagger, making a slice at the creature. It's pretty clear this is not his weapon of choice. Or, well, any weapon, really. Fleeing is definitely Crowley's preferred method of fighting.]

[mind_blown]

It's a possibility that crossed my mind.

[ he's obviously sarcastic as he says it, but with the additional distraction, he adds a swift kick to the face of the spirit. Two on one, maybe?

and then, ]

I'll draw it to me. Give you a chance to get out.

[ piss it off. make himself a target that can't be ignored. Standard stuff. ]

[sauntered_downward]

[Right, that's a solid plan. Crowley can get behind that plan. Crowley has no allegiance to this person, he can just leave him behind and get to the laboratory without any problem. He can do that.

He looks at the creature between them and the person who just basically saved his life. And he's supposed to just abandon, now?

What would Aziraphale say? And why does Crowley all of a sudden really, really care about what Aziraphale would say? Is it because Aziraphale isn't here to say it?]

No, we need to both get out.

[Crowley looks pretty surprised to have just said that, and possibly a little annoyed at himself.]

Later @ SuprNerd

[moderatelymaladjusted]

I'm stuck! Somewhere near the river by the cabins, but I can't get across! I'm not alone!

No one is keeping tabs!

If you know anyone who's close, send help?

Spirits!

[mind_blown]

we need 2 have a chat abt opsec later
b there soon

[ he shoves the tablet into a pack and, well, he's not about to leave Quentin to get stuck. No matter how much they've clashed in the past over, how to put it... stupid stuff. Bad communication and the like. And maybe the slightest bit of arrogance. There's definitely a part of Jason that wants to prevent another massacre, just in case death here actually becomes death for real.

a possibility he's absolutely refusing to consider seriously, because there's no way Dick would die that easily.

But also... what if?

He makes his way quickly through the forest, with practiced ease. he's headed to the Cabins-- going to help as best as he can, trusting Vanitas to take care of Bruce. ]

[moderatelymaladjusted]

[Just what the hell is an 'opsec', but just then, there's another round of attacks, the spirits probably sensing that Quentin isn't paying them much attention and they start to cross the river again, climbing, crawling, slithering their way on to the bridge and Quentin starts shooting arrows again.

There's no way he has enough magic to keep up the Fly True spell for every one of them, and while he's not bad at shooting, in the chaos and the dark, he's also not great.

Most of the shoots he takes, goes wild. Bouncing off the ground or barely missing the target, but enough make it for the spirits to retreat back to dry ground to hiss at his general direction inside a shrubbery, surrounded by fallen trees that gives it just a tiny degree of cover to the both of them.

Because Eliot is sleeping through all of it on the travois and what the hell is up with that?]

[mind_blown]

[ his work? cut out for him. jesus christ. he's just going to start from the back with a surprise attack. it's easy when they're not paying attention to knock them out? but knocking them out is a limited time offer, and he can't escape their notice forever. but him not escaping their notice?

means there's suddenly a lot less of them flying at Quentin and Eliot.

It's a pretty damn good opportunity, at the expense of maybe needing a 20 minute breather afterwards, if Jason does say so himself. ]