plotting tiiiiime

[paradisamods]

PLOTTING: let's put together how this ends.

So far, a few things have been discovered IC that are especially noteworthy:

1.) Cameras capture his image.
2.) Holy power does very minor damage to the Blood Tree.
3.) The saplings in the woods are tied to getting rid of him.

There's also a noteworthy post I wanted to bring up that ties in to a lot of the evidence about Slenderman:

"If enough people believe something is true, if enough people will something to be true, it is."
http://community.livejournal.com/paradisa/12792428.html

One of the things I wanted to ground this plot on was the power of story; in the blurb about the plot/intro, it specifically talks about stories told to scare children (and adults, who were children, once) into line. One of the hallmarks of all of these child-snatching characters is that people tell these stories with such vivacity and honesty and intent-to-scare that people believe in them. Slenderman himself is a product of this –– he was first created by a bunch of goons on the SomethingAwful forums, and stories about him have travelled so fast that people often confuse him for a "real" mythological creature, or are even scared of something that doesn't tangibly exist! Characters have been reading stories this week, about Slenderman, about how others have coped in the past, and how to get rid of him.

Now, that isn't to say that the Slenderman in Paradisa isn't real and is just a "figment of their imaginations", but some power is given. It's been shown in revealed evidence already that Slenderman is a part of a mythos of child-snatchers, and that he seeks identity, one he gains from attention and from stealing others –– he can certainly draw on this fear and turn it into his own power.

How does belief and attitude make things happen? Characters are adamant about getting their kids back in one piece, and if they want that, so it'll be done, some way, somehow! It might not be without heartache, but these characters are some of the most badass people in the universe: they get through a lot of stuff that most people would just roll over and suffer under. They're resilient as all hell. They'll get those damn kids back regardless of what any selfish creature has to think about it.

So, with that in mind, we now have the task of building the end of Slenderman's story together. I have some ideas (obviously) and I can guarantee you it will end with the children being pulled into the loving, safe arms of their friends and family, but the area between point A and B is flexible. I want characters to be able to move between those points without being completely guided by the plot.

Since characters seem to be moving away from sacrifice, what kind of exorcism could be performed, either ritually or spiritually?

What ideas do characters have right now? Could they be expanded on and run with, and turned into a final-showdown for Sunday?


Confirmed feasible ideas so far:

• Blessed flamethrowers. Some way, somehow, this will happen.
  
• Getting the kids back before doing any exorcism. This would weaken Slenderman (less fear for something you just one-up'd) and give them an opening to do the exorcism:
  
  
  
  • SUB POINT: There will be evidence tomorrow to suggest "breaking in" is possible.
    
  
  
• Using camcorders to see where Slenderman is. Vain dude likes being immortalized on film!
  
• Age-Up potions for remaining kids -- could "hide" them from Slenderman
  
• Age-Down potions for some adults -- could possibly get taken and help somehow that way.
  
  
  
  • SUB POINT: Not unrealistic to try, but risky: Slendy may not fall for it, might end up mentally-a-child, which isn't useful.
    
  
  
• Sending information with Dave (age 13), who is going to try to get kidnapped.
  

Absolutely without a doubt has to happen:

• "We Fucked The Fucker" Party, Part II. For those who weren't here with us, last time we had a taxing plot involving like... over a dozen people getting murdered (!Mass Murder Plot, if you care), two weeks of stress was ended with Travis Touchdown throwing a crazy party at his bar. Optional, obviously, but a lot of characters found getting drunk and just celebrating a good way to get over the horror. If you want to see what it looked like, there's post one and post two.

Comments

[luthored.livejournal.com]

Well Lana was talking about mixing technology with magic to Allen, since cameras are able to spot him but magic can't. I'm not sure how that can really be run with, but I figured it's worth mentioning. My braining is not so great these days.

Jr.'s ether is pretty much that very magic/tech hybrid principle but he's unconscious and useless.

[paradisamods]

How would tech and magic be mixed?

[mal-addict.livejournal.com]

Vindication at last, if she wasn't so upset about her trollbabbies vanishing, Mal would be such a smug pain in the ass.

[luthored.livejournal.com]

This reminds me of that mini-series (or was it a movie?) about Merlin and Morgan le Fay and how all everybody had to do was STOP BELIEVING IN HER to beat her, lmao.

They all turned their backs on her and she was like WOE IS ME.

[save-the-souls.livejournal.com]

Allen's pretty convinced Slenderman's got some cloaking magic that makes him unable to be sensed along with the kids he nabs (since it makes no sense that exorcisms work great but no demon sensors can sense anything). BUT he lacks any sort of magical skills in that way, but if someone wants to run with that idea...he mentioned it on the recent Lana post.

Reno says kill it with fire. That's his master plan.

[paradisamods]

Fire is always fun, we love us some fire B)

Are the saplings/woods getting torched?

[loisfuckinglane.livejournal.com]

Lois & the others on the exorcism discussion post have made it clear that their goal in taking that road would only be AFTER THE CHILDREN'S SAFETY IS SECURED, as a way to ensure Slenderman won't return to Paradisa in the future, either for them, or the future generations stuck here.

What kind of exorcism they'd perform is still undecided.

The exorcism would be performed on the tree, to which they believe Slenderman's essence is tied.

Does anyone have leads on how to actually get the kids BACK? Is that linked to the sacrifice idea?

[paradisamods]

This is a good concept, but not necessarily a feasible one –– what happens if the Slenderman decides he's gathered enough kids and it's time to gorge himself?

And they're right in thinking that –– the tree is Slenderman's biggest anchor.

Evidence seems to suggest that exorcism would just make the kids turn up again, or that sacrifice would make the Slenderman trade the kids... a piece of evidence tomorrow will confirm that there is a Good End, and will give a very important clue to where the kids are. Figuring out where they are should be easy, in fact, it's just dealing with the Tree in their way.

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

If camera's and video cameras work, what about the technological version of the medusa myth. Instead of looking for slenderman directly, they might be able to see him if they're actually videotaping... like with handheld tape recorders. I know Maya, at least, had one. Others might too. Or they could be wished up.

And if they could see him... idk. Maybe Slenderdude isn't as resistant to holy water as his precious tree is. It might not kill him, but maybe it would keep him away from any other kids.

[loisfuckinglane.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I was imagining people walking around with video cameras in hand etc. to search for him...

[thirteenth.livejournal.com]

Ukitake would like to talk to the magic users of the castle and find out if there is a potion or spell to alter ages. Then have a team of fighters take said potion to become children and lure Slenderman out, once they are able to find him / in his realm then take the reverse potion and fight him. And/or give ageing up potion to the kiddies trapped there as well once they got nabbed.

I realise this comment makes no sense.

[loisfuckinglane.livejournal.com]

sjf;ajf this plan made me chuckle b/c I just imagined pint sized wolverine.

[abravelikehero]

Almaz would like to attack the tree with a team of 9 all tactical RPG end boss style. >.>;;

[jack-maid.livejournal.com]

Shizuru would join in on that one...although she'd probably not call up the fhuge hydra powered by her emotions until she really...has to. fff.

[tomatoandbasil.livejournal.com]

Alleyne is only a fighter, albeit an extremely old and experienced one. She will be watching closely for the closest solution she feels is most definite and try to get into a team built around doing that.

She just knows it's going to get its ass ruined and she's fine with that. WHo wants the angry old elf on their team?

[abravelikehero]

Me! Me! I want her!

[batcharm.livejournal.com]

baarrb has nothing to offer since most of the ideas that she has have been suggested ^ buttt.

MAYBE THERE'S some way to exploit the children having dreams about Slendadude before he arrives? idk...

[paradisamods]

What would you suggest, O Bakhu?

[hardonic.livejournal.com]

I don't know really what to say here because I haven't been reading any of the research posts... (sorry! ken and dave can't read half of them and joshua doesn't curr), but Dave will be posting later on tonight about what he can do for the kids on the other side since he's basically given up trying to avoid Slendy. If anyone has stuff they'd like for him to take with him, please do hit up that post!

[paradisamods]

Ignore the comment I made and deleted up above, ahah.

I think this is a good idea. PEOPLE, HIT DAVE UP.

[lord-wizard.livejournal.com]

Felix is really pulling for all the kids to be put in the same place with lots and lots of adults around them. Either the wards work and they'll be fine, or they won't or only slow it down, and there will at least be a hundred or so eyes on it when it tries to snatch them.

HIDING THEM IN YOUR ROOM AIN'T HELPIN' PEOPLE!

[tehoniongirl.livejournal.com]

This. Put them all in the ballroom. Arm all the adults with video cameras. Let the fun commence.

[lawyerlarry.livejournal.com]

Not entirely related, but guess who juuust realized she won't be around almost at all on Sunday?

[paradisamods]

Aww :( Sorry to hear that.

[terrorwhatflaps.livejournal.com]

Darkwing still thinks flypaper is a good idea. IDEK.

Also, he's dealt with a demon back home who thrived on positive energy, fed off it like the castle does. He and Ray are both pretty solidly in the Think Happy Thoughts camp, along the same lines as Mal.

[paradisamods]

Would/could they push that mentality and encourage others?

[lyntergalactic]

Okay, so. I've got no real ideas to add (all mine have mostly been covered outside of one that no one, even my characters, would want to do. derp.) but I've got a question re: timing.

When on Sunday is all this gonna go down, do you think? Afternoon? Evening? Post(s) go up in the morning and we tag all day? IDK IF THIS IS THE PLACE TO ASK BUT.



Also. Whoever came up with blessed flamethrowers is my new hero. Trufax.

[paradisamods]

I want to get it up early, so it'll probably go up early-mid afternoon and be open throughout the day.

If we can set this thing up to be tiered -- some people rescuin' the childrenz, some people working on an exorcism-of-some-sort, we can run it side by side. Even though it would go rescue-exorcism-conclusion in the timeline, we could technically run rescue and exorcism side-by-side so we don't have to wait on the rescue to finish for the next group to start.

Then we can all burn some shit together, reunite, etc, and then the kids can sleep in their own beds, and the adults can brofist on their slender-killin' skills.

[centiflora-x.livejournal.com]

The funny thing about the age-up potion idea is that Anna is capable of merging with her Mana to appear older, haha...

[paradisamods]

Oh-ho. Would she use it to avoid capture, or would she let it get her?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_fredless/]

Ok, so just home from work and have a MASSIVE day of threads to catch up on, but the sapling to tree problem is one I find especially fascinating. With Fred's canon background, she can't help but think of the saplings as the tree's children. They are genetically linked, on a cellular level. And perhaps something in that bond gives the saplings the ability to be used to damage the tree.

Ramble ramble, I worked too long today, ramble.

This has been amazing.

[paradisamods]

B) I think that's a really cool connection -- the residents destroying the tree's saplings, as Slenderman takes the residents' children. An eye for an eye, in a respect.

She's definitely on the right track with that, and removing all the saplings will weaken Slenderman, as his anchor to the place is compromised.

[mal-addict.livejournal.com]

Thanks to Darkwing, Mal will be posting this (http://image.blingee.com/images18/content/output/000/000/000/742/721529412_1883177.gif) All around the castle. On the walls, on the doors, EVERY. DAMN. WHERE.

Bring it, slenderbitch :/

[paradisamods]

I love how you guys bring so much humor to the table. I am totally down with this B)

[painhumbles.livejournal.com]

Gabriel's got his angel blade and plenty of knowledge of Enochian magic to figure something out, but that would, of course, imply that holy mojo does a lot.

[paradisamods]

We can work with that, if we have the parental types rescue the kids and then have an exorcism-type-deal on the tree when Slenderman is demoralized/has lost his meal. That'd be awesome -- could we build it into some sort of ceremony we could get a bunch of the supernatural-hunters to participate in/help with? How does it work?

[unsetting.livejournal.com]

<sup>I've seen some good stuff with the parent types so I don't have much to offer, but I think I'll be gone mos of the day Sunday. :/

But I'll probably be back around 830/9pm EST, so I can always join in then. Maybe I'll just make a post saying Snow got knocked the crap out or something.</sup>

[paradisamods]

We're going to try to run the finale events side-by-side, so that while they take place one after the other, the second group doesn't have to wait on the first or anything. I don't know how far the parental types will be by then, but hopefully there'll be place to backtag!

[thirteenth.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how relevant this is, but in Bleach canon the killing of a Hollow is sort of equivalent to exorcising the evil soul and freeing the good soul trapped inside.

So would Ukitake be able to help out on an exorcism front? Or are his swords classed as just swords in this situation?

Also, even if it's already been tried, I have a fire wielding angel with a holy sword.

[paradisamods]

I think with what we've planned so far, it'd be easier to use Aziraphale; he could take part in some exorcism thing with the exorcists/supernatural types, yes?

[psych0p0mps]

Aradia's gonna make a mess once Tavros is gone but Jenn already knows about that /kekeke

[knightprodigy.livejournal.com]

I am SO late to this post but.

ROBOTS, WE NEED ROBOTS.