UN: Unknown - Tavion Makes (Another) Secret Cult

[of_dathomir]

[You always had to manage these things perfectly, she found. Right down to where the video feed would be placed, showing a good angle but not nearly everything. The acolyte holding it had very specific instructions. For now, to look like they were in the background, broadcasting surreptitiously. The stage was deliberately intimate, for such a thing - that, too, played its role. Oh, there would be time for grandiosity later. For now? A basement room, filled with people.]

[They were all Trench residents - all lured there by the same siren song: redress. It was a room of those who had lost, had lost terribly, even. The Pthumerians bred pain and loss with great skill, she found - even the Sith weren't nearly so good at making misery that cut like a whetted knife. For someone like her, it was the perfect setting.]

[She put an elaborate display into her own appearance from behind a small, curtained-off area. At this range, she'd be unrecognizable - hair let down and greyed, body swathed in robes. Every effort had been made through hair, makeup and costume to appear to be a frail old woman, helped along by a young priestess. The Scepter of Rangos in her hand has been disguised, too, wrapped in feathers and bones. The time will come to reveal her role in all this - but for now? For now she bides her time.]

[The young woman helps her onto the small, flat dias that functions as a stage, before Tavion speaks, the querulous voice of an elderly woman:]

Pain. I feel such pain here. Today, Mother Mercy weeps for you all.

[There is a smattering of whispered, surprised talk at the mention of the False Patron, and she suppresses a smile, beneath her good. Good. The first breakthrough is made.]

Yes, she does - she who was thrown down, cast aside by the other Patrons, they who would rule over you as gods, who created this world of pain for you to suffer in. I can feel it, all of it. But the Mother...the Mother has shown me the way, has granted me sight beyond sight. To see your pain. To find those of who you have suffered the most and raise you up into the light of her forgiveness - to make you strong to face this world.

Look around. People brought here with powers, given others, but never you. No, you are made and meant to suffer at their whims, and that breaks the already broken heart of the Mother still further. The others will not raise you up - they offer you beasthood, corruption, suffering. The Mother offers her light, her tears - to create a new tomorrow.

Who here is prepared to step into her light? Who here has suffered enough at the hands of the Patrons to stand up and say no more?

[She waits for the feeling she know she'll catch - a surge of anger, rage, resentment. And she finds it, in one young man. She can feel the miasma in his soul. Oh, yes, he has lost. She points a finger.]

You. Step forward. Whisper to me, whisper to the Mother what you have lost.

[The young man steps forth as offered, and she leans forward, hand against his shoulder, as he tells a tale indeed. Lost parents, poverty, seeing friends succumb to beasts - oh, it is quite the mix. And above all, he wants to do something about it.]

The Mother hears you, child. And gives you...her light.

[She stands tall, then, and the Scepter bursts with light, a beam of it striking the young man and lifting him bodily from the floor, seeming to cover his whole being in curling wisps of light. It only lasts a few seconds, and then he slowly falls. Force users may detect what has happened - not the Scepter itself, ironically: it came with vast amounts of Force energy already stored. And some of it, enough to create Force-sensitivity, has been imbued into this young man. This may not be the first time they have sensed it; the 'priestess' at her arm is her first convert. The man stands, looking at his hands.]

You step into the greater world. [She looks out at the audience.] Will you speak of what has happened this day? Will you tell those you know that Mother Mercy has not forgotten you? Has not abandoned you to suffer, as the Pthumerians have? The times begin to change, from here on. Go! [Her voice rises, allowing a hint of suggestion into what she says.] Stand! Spread the word! And forevermore say: Enough!

[The room practically erupts. Which gives her time to retreat, and time for the 'Priestess' to 'find' the video operator, smiling at him.]

'Hello,'

[Said by a redheaded woman, smiling kindly.]

'My name is Alora, I speak for the Mistress, who in turn speaks for the Mother. We must disperse soon, for safety - but if any wish to ask questions of me, I can briefly answer them.'

[Alora, the name of her last apprentice. She was particularly proud of that. This would be, she promised, just the small beginning.]

[OOC: Feel free to talk to the 'Priestess', or even discuss amongst yourselves! This may all build to a player plot down the line, for now it's just a 'what fresh hell is this' kind of post!]

Comments

[Video][UN: A_Wesker013][OTA]

[subject_013]

[The feed shows a tall, blond humanoid, handsome by Earth human standards, his face a mask of impassivity as he watches this display.]

What am I watching... [He says this as if he may not realize the link is open - or that he's well aware that it is and doesn't care who hears what.]

[He listens and observes in silence for a long while. Then he chuckles, low and in his throat, his mouth closed before he slowly pulls his upper lip back in a dangerous, humorless grin, the chuckle turning into a low cackle.]

You poor, deluded people. You haven't been in this world for long, have you? Well, it's all one to me, but don't come crying when her promises prove as false as everything else about her.

[of_dathomir]

[The priestess smiles, her look nothing but sympathy.]

The length of a life means little compared to the experiences within. And my eyes have been opened to that which is beyond - the promise has been fulfilled, as far as we are concerned.

[She herself being the first Tavion had empowered - and fully aware of the truth.]

[subject_013]

Your eyes were opened only to what she wished to show you. I once took the knee to her, and she helped me to succeed for a time. But when I most needed her aegis, she withdrew it and left me to die. That was in this town's predecessor, in Deerington. I still bear the mark of it after the end of Deerington, as a reminder that her word cannot be trusted. Or rather, she can be trusted only as long as she has a use for you. If you enjoy being used and discarded, have at it. But don't come crying to me when you tire of her tricks.

[of_dathomir]

[Alora will favour him with a gentle sort of smile. Completely false, but well done in the moment.]

I am sorry for what happened to you. But she is rather different now, in this place.

Video | un: Stone - OTA and Alora

[bookbrawler]

[He taps on the screen to address the 'Priestess.']

Please tell me y'all don't think givin' people powers is somehow a good thing. Because that's what it looks like you're doin'. Am I wrong here?

[of_dathomir]

As opposed to those given to you, the travellers from beyond? [She shakes her head.]

It is our turn now, and I know that the change can be a frightening one.

[bookbrawler]

It wasn't anythin' I wanted! If I could have refused, I would have.

And just cause we get 'em doesn't mean that it's good for other people, too. It's corruptin' the hell outta folks

[He holds up his hand, where his nails have become claws.] That wasn't there before I used magic and ran into magic left and right around here! It's not safe to do what you're doin' to people!

private, text, un: anonymous

[the_obedient_servant]

[Okay, not to agree with the loony cult of their most hated Pthumerian here but...]

Corruption doesn't come about solely as a result of using magic, you know. Besides, if we didn't have power, Trench would have been reduced to cinders long ago.

Your fears are irrational and stupid.

[of_dathomir]

[Tavion will, of course, not his other conversation with great interest. For the moment, Alora nods.]

Yet the imbalance remains. And there is no safety here - there never will be so long as we remain chained. The gifts we receive will help bring about balance.

text; un: jennyrivers (open)

[dohaeris]

[well, this looks like it could cause a great deal of trouble for everyone in the city. she'd better try and find out more about it.]

It's good to meet you, Alora. Your group looks very interesting. Could you tell me a little more about it? Are you disciples of the Mother Mercy?

[of_dathomir]

Your open mind does you credit. We are all disciples, yes.

[dohaeris]

Thank you. May I ask how you came to be that way? I have only ever known Disciples to follow their patron Pthumerians.

[this is absolute nonsense, but it sounds like something that might be true of someone, and especially someone that is not her.]

[of_dathomir]

The Old One found me. She was the one whom the Mother spoke to. She saw potential in me, and I answered her when she called.

video; un: GoldenFlowers | OTA

[the_obedient_servant]

[Chara has watched this video multiple times, seething with fury at the audacity and delight at these idiots for presenting them with their faces. But that's for later. For now, they are willing to play more carefully.

Their voice is a higher pitch. Precocious and serious, with none of the jaded cynicism behind it.]

Excuse me, miss. Do you speak with Mother Mercy? Does she protect you?

[of_dathomir]

[Alora's look is carefully, easily open and warm. In truth, she knows full well what the truth is. That there is power far beyond the Pthumerians, and more freely given.]

She speaks through the old one, and the old one speaks to us.

[the_obedient_servant]

What does she say?

I heard that Mother Mercy is bad. Is that wrong?

un: Orobas | text | OTA

[violetlies]

[Oh, what the fresh Hell is this? Kokichi watches the video with discerning, concerned eyes. This had...very concerning implications to it. Enough to tick almost every box on his paranoia chart, actually.

That having been said, he had no way to change his voice. And in no way was he going to show his face - he wasn't even going to post under his usual username. He types, thinking out every word very carefully.]

Hello, Alora. It is a pleasure. You certainly drew quite the crowd tonight.

Tell me, what compelled you to your worship? You, personally. I'm rather curious.

And somewhat out of the loop, so to speak. I'm relatively new, so I may be missing a fair bit of context. Why are you being persecuted?

Anyone who has grievances against this group is also welcome to chime in, in public or in private. I'm sure it would benefit those of us seeing this as a whole to get all the angles we can here.

Re: un: Orobas | text | OTA

[of_dathomir]

More than we expected. I am pleased to see so many who wish for change.

And my story is mine to keep, at least for now. But I will say that I have known my share of loss. This is the world the Pthumerians created for us - one in which powers are given to those they steal from their lives, and our own are cursed by beasts and terror.

[violetlies]

There's always hearts and minds to be swayed if you - or your religion - is inciteful enough to find them.

I'm quite familiar with loss as well, so I suppose we may have an understanding on that front. And in all honesty, I'm not the biggest fan of the Pthumerians, either. But I can't see why one omnipotent being waging war against another offers more security.

I'm not an individual who trusts easily with power trade-offs, spur of the moment. My trust is far more hard-earned over a quantity of time.

text: un; apparition

[unphase]

[voice and expression as dry as a bone]

My, this doesn't look like a creepy cult at all. [a pause] Oh, wait...

[and what had her foremothers done with creepy cults? crushed them underfoot as soon as they sprouted. unfortunately it doesn't look like that's an option here]

[of_dathomir]

Hardly! A cult believes in that which isn't there. We know full well that what we believe is real.

[unphase]

Then I'm going to need a lot more proof than some guy floating with shiny things. Both of those are achievable using typical abilities from blood types. You seem to say you have a direct line with Mother Mercy. Prove it. Summon her. Let her speak for herself.

Video; un: darkness

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul watches, face impassive as he observes the scene in front of him. Well, well, this is rather interesting, but he's not sure that's necessarily a good thing. This looks like something that could cause trouble down the line.

Nevermind that Maul himself has his own cult. It's much smaller than the one he sees on the screen, which means he's able to better control his followers, what they think and the amount of loyalty they feel towards him. The latter he makes sure is absolute. They are swiftly getting to the point where they will live and die at Maul's command. But this.....the theatrics and the larger gathering is definitely something that also has its place.

All this runs through his mind but all that he says is:]

Interesting. Most interesting.

[of_dathomir]

[Of course, Alora speaks to him, too. She has special instructions in his case.]

Ah. You are the one known as Maul, am I correct? Lord Maul?

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul sits up a little straighter, wondering about how his name is already known. Granted, he does have a bit of a reputation in Trench, so it's not too surprising.]

Yea, that is correct.