View source for Operation: Dewey Deceptional System

{{Needs Image}}

{{Phase2}}
{{PlotBox
| title    = Operation: Dewey Deceptional System
| image   = HellfireGala.jpg
| date = [[September 2021|September 28, 2021]] 
| pr = [[Dex]]
| taglink = [https://xp-logs.dreamwidth.org/tag/t:+x-force:+dewey+deceptional+system Dewey Deceptional System]
}}

''Yes, according to Mister Harkness, one of the pieces has some sort of magical significance. I seem to recall your associates having some interest in those... arts.''

[[X-Force]] goes on a good old fashioned heist to retrieve a dangerous book from the [[Hellfire]] Club during a star-studded gala.

==Cast==

[[Amanda Sefton]], [[Clea Lake]], [[Darcy Lewis]], [[David North]], [[Doug Ramsey]], [[Emma Frost]], [[Felicia Hardy]], [[Gabriel Cohuelo]], [[Jubilation Lee]], [[Kevin Sydney]], [[Natasha Romanoff]], [[Topaz]], [[Wanda Maximoff]]

[[Hellfire Club|Sebastian Shaw]], [[Hellfire Club|Scarlett]]

[[Nicholas Harkness]]

==Timing== 

[[September 2021|September 28, 2021]]

==Plot Summary==

The Book of Cagliostro is a legend in the magical community; a combination of travelogue, self-aggrandizing biography and grimoire written by its namesake. While a full copy of the book is not believed to still exist, the entire text was thought to be broken up between dozens of books by the Dutch occult printer Abraham Willemsz van Beyerland. A chapter was believed to be inserted in a translation of Jan Amos Comenius’ ‘Janua Linguarum Reserata’ printed in 1801. The book was purchased in the late 70s by businessman and collector Ned Buckman and as a member of the Inner Circle, he transferred the most significant volumes to the vaults of the Hellfire Club. When he retired from the Inner Circle in the late 90s, he kept the bulk of his collection with the club. However, after his death a few months ago, as part of his will, many of the pieces were willed to the Empire State University. The Black Court has decided to showcase many of the rare books and other art pieces of his collection during their gala prior to transfer to the university and other galleries.

The transition is particularly of interest because the book was bought privately by Buckman and thought lost. Within the magical community, there’s significant interest because of the pages the book might contain. The Black Court has largely eschewed magic, and doesn’t really grasp the significance of the work. Enter Nick Harkness. The opportunistic mage believed the text might be a ticket into accessing the wealth and power of the Black Court and has presented himself as a resource to them. He’s come to the Black Court to warn them that an attempt will likely be made to steal the book, which would incur significant financial penalties for them. They agree and he joined the Black Court for the gala.

Wanda Maximoff immediately recognized the significance of the book and convinced X-Force to take the book, giving the Black Court a kick in the process. They set out to steal the book during the gala, however, right before they have access, alarms sound and they’re forced to abandon the heist.

As the Black Court gathers, they call the White Court to join them, so Nick can explain that the effort was in vain all along. revealing that he had a forgery made and reveals it to all. However, his assertion is challenged as the White Court asks Amanda and Wanda to join them. They charge that the book Harkness has revealed is also a forgery and that he has stolen the real book. Police summoned by both courts search his hotel and discover the book, which he claims is also a forgery. Using magic, Wanda is able to certify that the copy found in the apartment is the real one, at which point Shaw decides not only to send Harkness to the bowels of the club for further questioning and put the forgery back on display to keep the real book for the Black Court now he sees its value.

The reveal shows that X-Force actually stole the book before it ever left the club’s vaults for the gala, creating a series of forgeries, including the one planted in Nick’s hotel with just enough enchantment to seem significantly more potent magically than it really is. A safe forgery goes to ESU, a magical hoax goes into the vault, and the real book ends up in the hands of X-Force with no one aware it even exists.

==Related Links==

[[Operation: Dasavatharam]]

==External Links==

[https://xp-logs.dreamwidth.org/tag/t:+x-force:+dewey+deceptional+system Dewey Deceptional System]

[https://xp-newscast.dreamwidth.org/9101.html xp_newscast paparazzi photos]

==Trivia and Meta==

===Trivia===

This was [[Topaz|Topaz']] first heist and [[Darcy Lewis|Darcy's]] first mission with [[X-Force]].

===Meta===

'''Plotrunner:''' [[Dex]]

The gala was, of course, a homage to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellfire_Gala Hellfire Gala] of the comic books. Everyone loves a party.

The title is a parody of the Dewey Decimal System, which is a number code use to organize and classify library books, because Dex thinks he's funny.


[[Category: 2021]]
[[Category: X-Force]]