This is the intro/setup for a scenario I used for last year's con season. Since there wasn't a lot of traffic on the question about Celestial parties, I thought I'd unlurk long enough to set this little critter free into the wild. The written version of this scenario dissolves into sketchy notes about halfway through, but if anyone wants more details, contact me privately at the e-mail address below.
The Malakim Conclave is not much of a secret, because it doesn't really have to be. (Who wants to interfere with hundreds of Malakim?) The Granish Inn, located in Aviemore, Scotland overlooking the Spey Valley, has hosted this event for over three hundred years, and, although Malakim are not required to attend - indeed, not even a majority attend, since duty comes first - most Malakim remember fondly their time spent at the conventions they have attended. The inn has been in the same family for centuries, and as the firstborn male (and female, in current years) has become innkeeper, they have also learned about their predecessor's status as a Soldier of Heaven. Each has embraced their role, with the assistance of Dathan, Malakite of Flowers.
In the late 1600's, Dathan spent an afternoon with Novalis and Yves, having tea in a secluded spot outside Pitmedden Garden (near Aberdeen). During the course of the conversation, Dathan expressed his pleasure at talking with other Malakim about their duties. Yves asked him to elaborate, and halfway through his enumeration of reasons, he found Yves looking at him with that smile of his which literally forces you to listen - and understand - what you've just said.
Dathan organized the first convention shortly thereafter, and it quickly became a very popular event for Malakim in the United Kingdom, and, as travel became more common, it became easier for others from around the world to participate. This year, over 600 Malakim will attend the convention, to share ideas, knowledge, skills and equipment. There are various seminars throughout the four days of the convention, and participants are encouraged to attend as many as possible (or, in the case of some Servitors, attend specific ones).
Laurence puts in the occasional appearance, and David tries very hard to be there every time, even if only for a day or so. (David is VERY approving of this convention.) Many other Archangels have attended at one time or another, and the convention has a reputation of being an informative, invigorating and entertaining time.
The convention, as mentioned before, is not a secret - and this year, there's a problem child wanting to crash the party. Brinnan is a Calabim of Belial that, for the past year, has been getting increasingly erratic in his behavior. He's been defeated twice in the past year at his plans by (different) Malakim, the last event leaving him close to death and with a brand-new Ethereal Discord - Grudge (treat as Berzerk in the presence of a known Malakim). He set out to get his revenge - at any cost.
Brinnan managed to obtain two Geases to cash in: one, to get a worker from Vaputech to switch labels on two warehouse items; the second, for another worker to steal one of the switched items for him. Consequently, Brinnan is now the proud owner of a box labeled "Blasting Caps" - with a low-yield nuclear device inside. His goal: detonate the device outside the Granish Inn during the convention.
Unfortunately for the two Geased Vaputech workers, Vapula picked that week to do some nuclear testing of his own. Upon discovering the mislabeled blasting caps, and two Game Triads later, the truth was figured out. Vapula had his answer and was satisfied (or was after reassigning the two workers for experimentation); for most of the other Demon Princes, the excitement was just beginning.
It wasn't hard to do the math: a few hundred Malakim, along with a three-mile radius chunk of Scotland, would go up in a nuclear fireball - and a split second later, a few hundred incredibly pissed-off Malakim would be ready to make Aviemore a rallying cry as they exterminated every Infernal they could lay their hand on for the next millennia or so. Nothing would be gained for the Princes, and the act could easily tip the emotional momentum of the War to the side of the angels. This would not do.
Still, Brinnan was nowhere to be found, and trying to intercept him within the area of the convention meant putting a group of Infernals within arms' reach of a LOT of Malakim. They needed smart, yet expendable demons...
Cute as all hell (pardon the pun). I liked it.
You know, it occurs to me that the two AAs most likely to be contacted by the Other Side on the problem would be Dominic or Novalis. Seeing as neither AA's Malakim are thought of all that highly by their Choirmates, and seeing as both AA's have gotten the warning by highly unofficial, verboten means, and seeing as revealing their unofficial contacts will cause too many problems later on, I see no other logical course of action but to send out a mixed Judgement/Flowers team to handle the situation quietly*.
*Yes, I just said "mixed Judgement/Flowers team" with a straight face**.
**Barely. ;)
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