not-an-OOM: a gathering of heroes

[jack_inthegreen]

"Thank you all so much for coming.

"I should begin by introducing myself, as some of you know me but most of you don't. I'm called Jack Green. I'm also called Green George, the May King, Jack o'the green, and a great many other things--but most importantly, I am called the Green Man. I am guardian of all things that grow.

"The creature that is now stalking the bar is like me, yet not like me. Some old gods have managed to move into the modern world, to make niches for ourselves, make lives--while some festered, bitter and forgotten, in the dark. I believe this creature is one of those old gods, half-forgotten except as the 'tree man.'

"Someone remembered an old story of a village in the dark forests that sacrificed their children to this hungry god. This someone gave the old god a shape, a name, and a story, and as stories often do it grew and grew until it became not just a tale told to frighten misbehaving children but into an entity with desires and a will and, most dangerously, hunger.

"It has found an excellent place to feed here at Milliways."

He falls silent.

[ooc: Please see the back_room post for details.]

Comments

Questions

[jack_inthegreen]

Then after a moment, Jack looks up and smiles. "So. Questions?"

[ambriel]

"Do you know how to defeat it?"

Ambriel is staring at Jack, almost unblinking, fascinated.

And then, a moment or two later- "Does Security know that people are planning to fight it?"

Re: Questions

[walking_napalm]

"What," Liz says, from where she's leaning against a table with her arms folded, "is it doing to people?"

Re: Questions

[define_hinky]

Wendy glances around.

"Should I have brought a torch and a pitchfork?"

Re: Questions

[janisthorn]

Leela crosses her arms.

"I don't see anything stopping it from walking into the bar and killing everyone right now," she says. "What's it waiting for?"

Re: Questions

[ami_imperfect]

"Do we know anything about it as far as fighting it goes? Like what will and won't affect it?" Dani asked.

"Or are we kind of making this up as we go along?"

Re: Questions

[cutting_edgex23]

X tilts her head, studying the tree god carefully.

Then --

"You are going to send it away? Or stop it from hurting people. Here. Anymore."

Beat.

"Or you want to kill it?"

It is important. People on quests for righteous annihilation can be very stupid. See: Purifiers.

Knowledge

[jack_inthegreen]

"Basically," Jack says, "we should share what we know. The story says the more we know the more easily he will find us, but I say that ship has already sailed."

Re: Knowledge

[nerves_of_ice]

"You're right about that," Bucky mutters, loud enough to be heard by everyone around him.

He glances around at the others and speaks more clearly.

"Besides, he's obviously already picked out his targets, and is moving from the forest outside into here. The more intel we can share, the more likely we can bring this son-of-a-gun down before anyone else gets hurt."

Re: Knowledge

[ladyfirestarter]

"One thing I know," says Charlie, her voice clear and flat. "It's not afraid of fire."

Re: Knowledge

[janisthorn]

"I know only that it cannot be killed by steel or poison," Leela says.

Re: Knowledge

[visible_sariel]

"I assume everyone here knows this already," Sariel says, "but this entity is highly mentally powered. Telepathic or empathic," she clarifies, "and influential."

She fishes something from her pocket. It's a piece of paper with a crossed out circle drawn on it.

Re: Knowledge

[eight_or_eleven]

Making their way over is Strength and Wheel.

"We have been investigating the entity, and are willing to offer knowledge and perhaps advice if needed."

Charms

[jack_inthegreen]

"Ash is a tree of protection," Jack explains as he hands out the charms. "I made these for everyone who will be studying him or going up against him, in the hope it will divert his attention from you for as long as possible."

The charms are tiny green man heads, strung on leather cords.

[ambriel]

And there goes Ambriel's attention again, holding up the charm at eye-level and staring at it intensely.

Someone poke the angel if you want anything.

Re: Charms

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve fastens the necklace around his neck, his expression solemn.

Re: Charms

[ladyfirestarter]

Ash.

That's ... appropriate.

Charlie pulls the cord over her head and tucks the little charm into her sweater.

Re: Charms

[nerves_of_ice]

He hangs back to wait, allowing everyone else to get their beads first, just in case Jack should run short for some reason.

Re: Charms

[ami_imperfect]

Dani studies the charm in her hand for a moment before slipping the cord over her head and tucking the tiny pendant underneath her shirt collar.

Re: Charms

[a1enzo]

Enzo runs a finger over the pendant's contours before hanging it about his neck.

Re: Charms

[cutting_edgex23]

X holds the charm in her hand for a moment, studying it carefully.

Magic is most definitely not in her wheelhouse. But some things it might be useful to know.

"I am allowed to ask how?"

Re: Charms

[janisthorn]

Leela studies the necklace for a moment before fastening it around her neck.

She smiles slightly. "I had come to believe this sort of thing was only superstition. Apparently not."

Re: Charms

[visible_sariel]

Sariel accepts one of those charms, though she examines it closely before slipping it over her head. If it helps, she doesn't look wary while looking it over.

She's reminded, though Jack can't know this, of the oak tree pendant in her room upstairs, carved from a tree of Sherwood forest.

Introductions

[jack_inthegreen]

"And I suppose I should have asked this earlier," Jack adds, "but who are all of you? And what strengths do you bring?"

Re: Introductions

[nerves_of_ice]

Bucky clears his throat.

"Sergeant James Barnes, United States Army. Everyone calls me Bucky. I serve with him--"

He indicates Steve.

"My specialty's ranged weapons, especially sharpshooting. Basically, if you want it shot, I can hit it from almost any distance you care to name."

A beat.

"I, uh, also have a canister of 'goo' that Claudia provided. I guess it does something to get rid of magic on anything it hits?"

Pie denies discordia

[jack_inthegreen]

Jack takes a step back to let them talk among themselves and eat pie.

(There's a cornucopia on the table, dispensing any and every kind of pie a body could possibly want. There's apple, of course, and chocolate--because if good feelings keep the Slenderman away, chocolate is weapon, as far as Jack is concerned--and lemon meringue, and pumpkin, because it's autumn, and many, many other kinds.

Sometimes, there should just be pie.)

[ambriel]

Pie is also fascinating. Ambriel hasn't eaten or even touched any yet, but it's nice to look at. So many varieties!