Stover was a tiny town in the middle of Missouri. Two major roads met in T that connected the north east side of Missouri to the major tourist attraction, the Lake of the Ozarks. 
[IMG]https://missouribusiness.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/lake1.jpg?w=860&h=280&crop=1[/IMG]
The town had a feed store, a grocery store, two gas stations, three churches, a bar, and a diner. There was a single school that covered all grades k-12. The population never seemed to climb above 1,000, as most of the young folk who were not connected to a family farm or business skipped town as soon as they could. Stover had its rednecks, but surprisingly few, actually housing decent country folk. This was not a town to hold a healthy supernatural population... Except for two things. 

In the forest south of town was one of the biggest fonts of energy in the region. Changlings, Mages, wraiths, and the changing breeds quarreled over the font for generations until a lone vampire came and brought order to the region. Under a loose, but binding treaty, the supernatural population in and around Stover worked together to protect the font, and the people, from outside threats. This Union didn't set well with many of the supernatural communities, but many could not find a reason or way to object.

The second feature was the tourists. With an almost constant stream of strangers going through town, it was easy to have strange people come and go with little question. With the entirety of the law, church, and media under someone in the union's control, the supernatural population of Stover were free to operate in peace. The Vampire did not hold his own kind above that of the others, working deals and trade with every kind, ensuring everyone had what they needed without infighting.

[Hider=James] Even before the flash on the screen faded, something deep inside whispered a disbelieving memory. 'The Morning Star'. There was an instant urge to get back to L.A. The image of the Angel burned into the eyes so that even after the screen turned to snow, the image of Lucifer in all his glory could still be seen. It was truly him. Somewhere deep inside, he just knew. The Devil himself was in the city of angels. Two other feels, like a sixth sense arose. The sense of God... No, not quite, but something Truly Holy. And a burning fear. A dread that something far worse is coming.

The current job, investigation of a family known as the Giovanni, known to have ties to both vampirism and necromancy, had taken James to the East coast. After a month of of paper trails and stake outs, James had found the house, but no Giovanni. None living or undead anyway. The mansion on the coast was crawling with zombies and wraiths. Not simple ones either. These were old souls, and the things they animated were no joke either. The Giovanni meeting seemed to be at an end, however, as some of the zombies happened to be some of the family he had followed here. He had just gotten back to the motel when the news peeked. He would still have to pack and head out.

The roads all across the country were crazy. Looters, doom sayers, evacuators, all trying to get somewhere, and James was forced to stay on the back roads on his was to L.A. Once, when reentering some semblance of life along the outskirts of St. Lewis, MO, reception returned to James' phone, showing he had a voicemail. It said it was from Lauren, but there was a woman on the message. 

"James. My name is Fara, and I am calling on behalf of Lauren, as he is recovering. He was in the fight in L.A. and can't speak at the moment, but he suggested you may be able to help us with something. L.A. is in ruin right now, and the military has it quarantined, so you can not return there yet. There was a group that appeared in LA in the middle of the battle, then vanished as it ended. This group is a legend. A myth. But there were far too many witnesses to disbelieve. This group calls itself the Carnival of Chaos. Werewolves have very little dealings with them except that it is said they have an abomination in their ranks. An abomination that once was a writer of our sacred books. We need you to see what you can find on them. We need to know if they have anything to do with the Apocalypse, and what side they are on. We would go, but we have too many injured. Lauren seems to think you may be on your way back to LA... The only thing we could get from the group is that it is supposed to contain a collection of several kinds of supernaturals, and they may have something to do with odd occurrences in a place called Stover Missouri. 

James. Don't jack around. These people have been said to topple entire towns, killing vampire princes and everyone involved with them. This is serious, which is why we need to know their intent. Be careful. Lauren will be OK, and I will have him call when he can." *Click* 
If James tried to call back, he would get a voicemail. 
[/hider]


[Hider=Sister Meridith] The Society of Leopold has been on the move as a whole for months. All over the world, supernatural activity has surfaced on a larger scale than any time since the dark ages. Ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and even Demons have made themselves known in some kind of panic. A band of priests and paladins had been sent to Cairo and Los Angeles, and though they were told not to hold back, neither returned. The Sisterhood of Saint Claire had been sent to both these locations with another small band of hunters to see if anything could be done, Sister Meredith being sent to America. 

After landing in Florida, the group had acquired a pair of RVs, one for the nuns, the other for the hunters, and had headed west. The events of the L.A. battle occurred while the group sat at the family ran diner of "Mom and Dads" for lunch in Stover Missouri. The four other customers, plus 5 staff members all glued to the small ceiling mounted TV. Drinks were clumsily refilled, and checks not even printed, as the day wore on, but no one moved from their seats. Then came the Morning Star. A flash of brilliant light followed by the image of an angel bathed in light and glory. A couple of the nuns reflexively crossed themselves, tears pouring from their eyes. 

The hunters immediately left as the TV suddenly clicked to static, the image of the angel still burned on the screen. The nuns however, sat, all looking to Meredith. There was a mix of reactions around them. One of the cooks instantly went back to work, though his blank stare showed he wasn't really home upstairs. Many quietly got up and left as if they had all paid and were simply through. One of the waitresses broke down, fell to her knees and began to pray. Someone else was praying as well in the back, though it was in another language. The manager simply turned and went into his office, a solid click showing it was firmly locked. [/hider]
[Hider=Peter] There is a sudden spark of terror that strikes all Malkavians at once. It it there only a moment with the thought of Caine. Then it is gone. More echoes follow of panic, fear, elation, and triumph from lesser malks all around the world. The first  however, was the strongest ever felt by the madness network. After this there is nothing but static. Excited static, but no more than is ever buzzing the cobweds. Then came a vision. A lone Malk. Anthous, or Anthony or ant colony, who knows. There are images of a circus, a freak show. Supernatural beings acting for humans. Beings pretending to be humans pretending to be beings. Wasn't that in a movie once? Moving on. Caine! Mark of of the lord keeps Caine safe, but the lord isn't here. Who's keeping Caine safe? Caine keeps Caine safe. Safe to walk the halls of his city. The first city, the dead city. Were the dead live. Caine is Hungry. 

Another wave of fear from that strongest source. 

Angel of death. No. No angel, no demon. Reaper. Caine's last chance. Never! Rage, contempt, pride. Lucifer! But not. The morning star. Execution, the end, the end times. A black marble? What the hell? Moving on. The marble is cracked. Breaking more as it spins in nothing. Not nothing, a labyrinth?

Image of the old wooden Labyrinth game.
[IMG] http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/7667/1460959-labyrinth500.jpg[/img]

Something's coming from the ball. Light and anti light. Like a firework. Fourth of July?

Something else among us. "They Live". Good movie. Seen it? Moving on. 

L.A. city of angels. All Too True. Angel, and devil, and death! It begins. The trinity has come together. The truth is out there. Not a fan. Aliens? Really? Aren't we fucked up enough? L.A. Been there, done that, got a bloody T-shirt. I have seen the devil. Huh.

A circus ticket appears
"Carnival of Chaos"
701 N Oak St, Stover, MO 65078

Be there or be squared.... Or dead... [/hider]