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 Chicago is the White City, the Grey City, the City that Works, the City of the Broad Shoulders, the Windy City, and yes, the Second City. It’s a world-class city with a world-class chip on its shoulder, but if you can do the job, you can stay. It won’t kill you unless you ask it to; it’s still a Midwestern city for humans, not a tourist diorama or a rat warren. Not that it doesn’t have both—it’s the real deal, the supreme pizza. Stuffed crust, of course. Chicago is where the ley lines meet, not just the Potawotami trail that became Archer Avenue, but the American leys that became Route 66 and the Illinois Central Railroad. It’s where the L used to run trains widdershins to deliver bodies to the funeral homes, where they built a monolithic trapezoid on Anton La Vey’s birthplace, where grown men believe that a goat prevents their baseball team from winning. “Make no little plans,” said Chicago’s architect Daniel Burnham, “for they have no magic to stir men’s blood.” Chicago’s got plenty of plans, plenty of magic…and plenty of blood. ---------------------------------------- The Faces of Chicago: MORTALITY - The Scholomance The Chicago Scholomance comes out of Mircea Eliade’s work at the University of Chicago, although you can hear well-supported arguments that it actually goes back to J.H. Breasted and the tablets he uncovered in Mesopotamia under the auspices of the Oriental Institute. A global community of magical scholars, a Rockefeller budget for eldritch tomes, and Enrico Fermi’s athanor to give it power. The Scholomancers know the lore in every language, especially the dead ones. Bring them information, bring them a brilliant theory, and they respond in kind. But hunting? Oh no, that’s really more applied work. POWER - The Sacred Architects Chicago is designed, a transforming grid laid over the ancient leys of Ogden, Archer, and Prairie. Daniel Burnham talked to angels, and his partner John Wellborn Root delved into harmonics and “authentic Egyptian design.” They built the city’s Plan, and the menhirs, the obelisks, the great trapezohedra rose in the pressure points of power. The Sacred Architects can turn the city off with a switch, smash buildings to rubble or raise them to exaltation. Their Draftsmen walk through their city, their “ever-living Diagram,” solving its problems. Geometric problems, not social, of course. Sometimes, you’re part of their solution. Lucky you. Sometimes, you’re part of their problem. NIGHT - La Famila Ombra There have been 1,100 unsolved Outfit murders in Chicago’s history. That’s a lot of ghosts. The Omerti—the Silenced Ones—want to stay connected, stay in the game, maybe even hook back in. No hard feelings, right? Business is business, and now that we’re dead, maybe we can do you a few favors. The Omerti cannot be exorcised from the former Stockyards—a million slaughtered animals left enough blood in the New City earth to anchor every ghost in Chicago. Pour out some blood on a crime scene for a spettro, and you get his attention. Pour out the blood he wants you to spill, and you get a relationship with La Familia Ombra. Whether you wanted one or not. WILD - The Stone Pantheon Faceless Ceres atop the Board of Trade, the Picasso Bull-Woman, the Twins (Spearman and Archer) at Grant Park’s entrance, the Merchandise Mart’s faces of Commerce, the Red Calder Mantis, Eternal Silence in Graceland Cemetery, the Janus Lion on the Art Institute, Sue the tyrannosaur, and the newest god, the Mirror of Millennium Park; there’s a reason that such things are called iconic. They are icons, the faces of the gods. Chicago’s gods want worship, but they’re Chicago’s gods, so they’re realistic. For gods, anyhow. But nobody ignores them, and they reward loyal worship with chance and success. They give to get, trade for everything. Give a favor with the correct words, offer a Debt in the right posture, and see what happens. ---------------------------- You know the drill. Closed Recruit and all, so you know if you should be here. I'm using the city as written in Dark Streets. Still, don't be constrained by what I put down for the factions, either. They're big factions, so there could be more to Night or whoever. Only thing about new aspects of the faction, while they can fight over some things, they should agree more than they disagree. Otherwise, they wouldn't be a faction. People, of course, can hate each other's guts, regardless of faction. Along with a character sheet and questions, there are a few questions for the city that the game will happen in. -Who’s an important person locally from your faction? -What’s one thing that your faction known for in Chicago? -Who’s an important person locally outside of your faction? -What’s an important part of town for your faction? -What’s an interesting place in town? Also, here's a discord thread. Capfalcon fucked around with this message at 02:59 on May 15, 2017 |
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May 15, 2017 02:56
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 Yuri Sasaki, the Spectre Who are you? Yuri Sasaki, an undead kicker of asses. Haha, just kidding. I'm a ghost and sometimes I can't actually kick an rear end. How long have you been in the city? My grandparents moved here, and opened up a restaurant that's still going. My parents, brother, and I have lived here all our lives. Who do you still love? My family. I kind of left them rather quickly and they don't know that I'm back. They're not really aware of all the supernatural poo poo that goes on here in good old Chicago, so I like to hang around our home and make sure no one fucks with them. What makes your afterlife worth living? Even before this mess, seeing my family happy was nice. I kind of had a bit of a lovely relationship with them in life. Always running around and getting into trouble. I don't know if I would have changed had I lived, but I might as well use what I can do to help them out, right? Not like I really need money and poo poo. What do you desperately need? My younger brother, ironically named Akira, is kind of a loving idiot. He's getting himself into trouble and while I could probably spook away any mundane assholes, he might be getting too close to getting involved with the supernatural side of this city. I need someone to help me watch this moron and keep him from getting hurt. Turns out that being incorporeal most of the time kind of gets in the way of me doing that by myself. quote:
quote:Who’s an important person locally from your faction? Yong Hou is the leader of the werewolves that reside in Chinatown. Even for werewolves he's particularly vicious - he and his gang will react incredibly quickly to anything they perceive as a slight. He's one of the more important wolves in Chicago as a result. quote:What’s one thing that your faction known for in Chicago? Protection. Mortals might not be that great at it, the Architects doesn't really care most of the time, and the Panetheon will require vague promises or contracts you might regret later. But the Ombra will always be straightforward with you. quote:Who’s an important person locally outside of your faction? Chip Williams, a wizard who specializes in protection spells. He's the one who gets called to ward neutral meeting areas against violence. You know, make them actually safe since often people don't really trust each other to be peaceful on their own. quote:What’s an important part of town for your faction? The Ombra has control over Millennium Park. It's where a lot of deals and meetings between members of La Familia take place. And they don't take kindly to people turning it into a violent battlefield...without a good reason. Of course, that "good reason" can kind of vary so if you get into a fight at Millennium, better hope the people coming to deal with you are sympathetic to your reasons. quote:What’s an interesting place in town? Sasaki, the family restaurant, has kind of become a place where various supernaturals and people in the know go. Might be because I tend to have people meet me there if possible. I mean if I'm doing business, why not have them give my family some money? Anyway my family doesn't know that several of their customers are weirder then usual and I think it's best if it's kept that way. Debts quote:»» Someone, or someone’s progenitor, was involved in your death. They owe you a Debt. loving Alesandro. His goddamn creator was snooping around the restaurant when we were closed, I caught him and took out my knife to defend myself only to realize he already had his out and had cut my throat. I died pretty quickly and for what? Nothing - because he just booked it out of there. Bastard. He's hiding, but you can't hide forever. And now that a creation of his is here, he's going to be tempted to come back out for at least a little bit. That's when I'll get him. quote:»» Someone is watching out for a family member of yours. You owe them 2 Debts. Ace is watching over Akira, making sure he doesn't get his stupid rear end hurt. Costing me quite a bit of favor from Ace too, I may have to step in and figure out a better solution soon. quote:»» You are haunting someone and they know it. You owe them a Debt. I used to haunt this large empty mansion. Pretty cool. Then someone tried to buy it and I tried to scare her out. Turns out she was a Wizard who purchased it legally. Oops. But I'm still not moving out, she can deal with it. quote:»» When you arrived, someone gave you a meal and a place to sleep. You owe them a debt. An actual angel showed up in the city can you believe it? She didn't have anywhere to go and I was curious so I invited her back to my place - at least, it was my place during then. Figured it'd probably be something that could get repaid down the line. Seems like something an angel would do, yeah? Heliotrope fucked around with this message at 04:26 on May 24, 2017 |
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May 16, 2017 04:04
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 Nexus, Hollow One quote:Who are you? quote:How long have you been in the city? quote:What keeps you up at night? quote:What have you sacrificed for your power? So yeah, what have I sacrificed? My belief - my hope - that people are angels deep down. People are bastard-coated bastards, with supremely rare exceptions, and we're why the world sucks. I'm just lucky I'm capable of fixing my own situation, and occasionally those of others. quote:What do you desperately need? quote:Who’s an important person locally from your faction? quote:What’s one thing that your faction known for in Chicago? quote:Who’s an important person locally outside of your faction? quote:What’s an important part of town for your faction? quote:What’s an interesting place in town? quote:Shadow Name: Nexus Rauri fucked around with this message at 06:50 on May 24, 2017 |
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May 17, 2017 07:04
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 Alesandro Kyrkos A.K.A Hercules quote:Who are you? I call myself Alesandro Kyrkos, though that is not my true name. In truth, I wasn't born with one. I was carved from sacred marble in the likeness of the demi-god Hercules. I share that likeness with my three brothers, though I don't believe that they've chosen to wander the world like I have. quote:How long have you walked the Earth? My brothers and I were carved and brought into existence in 1893. We were meant to serve as guardians for the Hofburg. An icon to the imperial power of Austria. I suppose that is a worthy cause for one to serve. I may even yet stand vigil, with my brothers, were it not for what happened to our creator. quote:Who or what is your creator? He is, by all accounts, a builder by the name of Ferdinand Kirschner. While that is his calling, he is much more than a mere worker of stone. His talent borders on the divine and is capable of breathing life into the stone he works. I have seen many masters and seen how they treat their possessions during my travels. He was better than those. He truly cared for us, though we were created as tools, and that care is what brought life to us. quote:Why have you chosen to forsake your bondage? I stood vigil for nearly twenty years before I left. My brothers likely stand there still. I haven't been back since. But as to why I left? I heard some passing visitors talking of my creator. They said that he was in trouble. I did not hear much past that, but it was enough. Though I was created to guard the Hofburg, it is of no consequence when compared to the man that I owe my existence to. I followed what talk I could find over the years and many, many miles. I've come to be able to hide myself among the mortals as I continue to search for Kirschner. I've started to understand them, even. quote:What keeps you here in the city? I know that Kirschner walks these streets. I've heard the whispers. Seen the signs of his presence. I do not know what he's doing or what trouble follows him, but I cannot leave until I have spoken with him and ensured his safety. Perhaps, if the chance occurs, I will be able to discuss with him what it means to be human. It is something of a growing obsession of mine, actually, and he may know more of the answer that I seek. quote:Name: Alesandro Kyrkos quote:Who’s an important person locally from your faction? She calls herself Baba Yaga. Your guess is as good as mine as to the veracity of that claim, but her power is without question. Much like the Stone Pantheon, she trucks in the business of faith. Her flock, however, is comprised of the homeless youth. It matters not to her whether their eyes are open to the true face of the city. If they call for her in the correct manner and make an offering that is pleasing to her eye, she will aid them in any one task. It has crossed my mind to enlist her aid in my own quest, but I fear that she would not appreciate my supplication. Whether or not she is the woman spoken of in so many myths, it seems unwise to risk her anger. quote:What’s one thing that your faction known for in Chicago? Opportunity. While the structures of Mortality, Power, and Night are hidebound and focused on the slow accumulation of connections, achievements, and merit, it is only the Wild that offers the chance to step from the bottom rungs of society to the very top. Now, don't take me wrong. These opportunities are few and far between. It is almost certain that one would have more success working their way up through another faction, but the hope of that one perfect moment draws much power and worship to the Pantheon and its allies. quote:Who’s an important person locally outside of your faction? Alderman Pat Cochran. Of the representatives on the city council, he's by far the most nakedly corrupt. Still, his ward covers portions of the city that are controlled by each of the factions. Rather important portions, at that. It's become something of a game for the supernatural community to jockey for position in currying his favor. It seems clear that Cochran doesn't understand why so many people are eager to court his favor in exchange for seemingly minor zoning considerations, but it is just as clear that he doesn't care as long as the money and sundry other benefits keep flowing. quote:What’s an important part of town for your faction? The Art Institute of Chicago. The surrounding streets are jealously guarded by the Stone Pantheon's servants and supernatural visitors are carefully monitored. While the art inside isn't quite at the same level of respect and worship afforded the Pantheon proper, it has been whispered that they know that the next member of their pantheon will be born within the Art Institute. quote:What’s an interesting place in town? The Riverwalk. It's not particularly tied to any of the factions, at least not to my knowledge, but that is not what draws me to it. I like to walk the river and listen to the flood of humanity. I spend most of my time in other pursuits, of course, such as finding Kirschner. But I do treasure the moments where I can forget everything and simply look at and listen to how normal people spend their time. Tricky fucked around with this message at 02:02 on May 21, 2017 |
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May 19, 2017 03:44
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  Talia Strong, the Scholar quote:»» Who are you? Talia Strong, owner, and operator of Strong Supplier, the premier printing and office supplies store in Chicago. I was born to a businessman, who was born to a businessman, who was born to a businessman, and I became one. We've been in business for a little under five years now, but in this time we've grown from being ten employees to over forty. Our accounts have increased in size in just a few years, to the point where we can compete in profit with even the largest suppliers around us. Of course, that's because the entire business is mostly a front for what I actually do myself, as the operator of Strong Arcane Sundries Anonymous, the leading provider of all things mystical, supernatural, magical, or otherwise not of the mundane world. If you need something for a ritual, I can get it for you. If yu need a magic sword to kill an immortal, I can track one down for you. If you need eighty gallons of high-quality printer ink for making summoning runes that don't blow away in the wind en masse, it'll be there in a week. I just can't promise any of it will be affordable to you... though perhaps you'll pay in some assistance on some other matter? quote:»» How long have you been in the city? I was born and raised here. My father works for a biomedical firm that started up here, has since it started - he's actually the inspiration for what I've done myself. You see, biomedical technologies are all about taking other people's research, paying for it, and then marketing and mass producing it to get rich. It's the art of getting rich off other people's time studying and researching. I've been around this town long enough to know that in reality, the biggest beneficiaries of any research are those who can market and sell it. The business savvy man rises to the top, while the intelligent but unsavvy man floats to the bottom, to be picked apart by those who are smart enough to know how to make their money. Why should magic be any different? quote:»» How did you learn about the supernatural? I met a wizard. No, I'm not joking - I met a wizard on accident, as part of working as an intern at the company my father works for. He looked like anyone else, but he was looking for something that I'd never heard of, a panacea that we were, apparently, rumored to have been diluting to create medicine. It was, of course, not true - such a discovery doesn't truly exist, but... well, I fell under sway to this wizard, through their magic and words, and only later did I realize what had happened. I'm not sure if it was on purpose or not that I was left with the ability to remember what had happened, but it drove me to curiosity. I was in university at that time, and well, when you start looking into the right subjects, and for the right books, the Scholomance is going to find you, before you know to find them. quote:»» Why is this city worth saving? It's the city where I was born and raised. It's the city where my family still lives. Call me sentimental, but I'm not going to be supplying any demon servants who want to destroy the world, and yeah, maybe my magical collections has more than a few weapons I was supposed to deliver, only to find out they could cause massive damage and needed to be kept out of the hands of those who hired me. Look: I'm trying to make money, and tap an untapped market. I'm not trying to get rich at the expense of everyone around me. I'm the one who will charge your insurance 500 dollars for your insulin for a month, I'm not the one who will make your AIDs medication cost thirty thousand dollars a month. It's easier to get rich with people alive and not despising you, after all. Besides, this city seems to be the only one full of suckers willing to do research for me, so I can get rich. Say what you will about the Scholomance being a bunch of nerds who never get their hands dirty, but they're smart. Bring them some obscure texts, give them a week or two to read through them, and bam, they've got a modernized treasure map sent to your smartphone, detailing where to find the lost treasure of Saint Julio or whatever. quote:»» What mystery are you currently looking into? I've got a client right now who's dealing with an uh, hungry ghost to put it simply. They wronged someone in life bad enough that this ghost wants to kill them now. I mean, I'm pretty sure that they're not a murderer and didn't kill whoever made the ghost, but I dunno for sure. Either way, it's not my job to punish a simple mundane murder or to let a mundane murderer get murdered by some hopped up ghost. So they came to me, asking for something to protect them. Now, I heard rumors in the Network when asking about it that the original myrrh, gifted by the Magi to Christ in Biblical times is somewhere hidden either in the city or near it. I'm trying to figure out why it's here, who took it from its original resting place, and how I can get it from them, because it's said that by holding the Magi's gift of death, you make yourself invisible to the dead, unable to be seen as anything but one of their own. If it works, maybe it'll get the ghost to go to rest, thinking they're dead. Trouble is finding it, the Network can't seem to pin it down, which is... odd, to say the least. quote:
Well, me obviously. Wait, you mean besides me? Ugh, probably that blowhard Richard Evermoor. His family is rich - and I mean rich. My family is pretty well put together, and I have more than a bit of cash - Evermoor though, he could buy up every bit of property I own at 500% market value, and would just need to only go out on his yacht for two months this summer, not the full three. His family is old school too, distantly related to the royal family of Britain, been rich for hundreds of years. loving oval office. He's also one of the largest funders of arcane inquiry around here, though. He finds the supernatural to be thrilling, much like I imagine his family found chasing boars through forests. I've never heard of him actually using anything magical, and all my sources say he's entirely mundane, but the fact is that he loves to fund other people finding him stuff. Sometimes that includes me - sometimes though, he wants something I also want, and well... we've had a few encounters where we walked away with gentleman's agreements to not fight about. He's technically not part of the Network, but that's not because they don't want him - apparently he simply didn't want to follow the Code, and felt safe to just say no to joining. quote:-What’s one thing that your faction known for in Chicago? Knowledge. Now you might be thinking 'well, of course nerds know a lot of book poo poo' but no, I don't mean that kind of knowledge. You wanna know where Jimmy the Weretiger went after he got shot up by Janine the Daemonspawn? Maybe you wanna figure out where the BatBloods are wheelin' and dealin' tonight, so you can mess 'em up? Or hell, maybe you want to figure out how to kill a dragon? We can help with all of these. In a world where everyone can sling around motorcycles and shrug off bullets, it turns out the best weapon of us Mortals is our knowledge. quote:-Who’s an important person locally outside of your faction? My main girl goes by the name of 'Mey Lee' these days, but don't trust her on that name. She may look young and innocent, but she ain't - anyone in this town can tell you a lot of stories about her, and these stories are old. See, she's special, an immortal, born over a thousand years ago. She's been in Chicago for a long time, they say she was here when it was first made into a little town. Either way, she has her finger in every pie in this whole city. You can't go five minutes in the 'nightlife' before running into something she's related to. And yet, few people have seen her in person. I've met her more than a few times - the Network doesn't want her infiltrating it, so they don't deal with her directly. She seems to like me, something about my attitude amuses her or something. Either way, she's a good customer when she needs something - not always easy to please, but hey, she pays well, she has a good attitude even when I can't acquire something... quote:-What’s an important part of town for your faction? The University is the obvious place to talk about - we're in every level of that place. Our people keep it safe at night, our people teach the next generation, our people mold minds... and more than anything, we keep the other factions out. Hunting, dealing, even just entering the University can get you in some trouble with us - we have eyes everywhere and don't think that just because a camera can't see you, we don't have ways to know you were here. That's not to mention the secret library, where all our books about anything remotely supernatural are held - it's said to be one of the greatest occult resources in the world, these days. Entry is strictly prohibited, even to people in the faction like me. Gotta have a good reason to go down there. quote:-What’s an interesting place in town? Here in the Hyde Park neighborhood, near my house actually, we have a lot of uh, university leaning places - you know what I mean. Bars, cheap food, food trucks, hookah lounges, the likes. Well, we also have something else, that only those in the know can tell you about - Club Nansh. It looks like a simple club, good beat, good DJ, nice crowd every night, but nothing special. That's because the real business is done downstairs, outside of where anyone can hear you. A so called peaceful ground, Club Nansh holds what we in the know like to call the Safe Haven - where anyone who claims to have been wrongfully accused of a night-crime can come and stay for one week. During that time, they're safe as long as they're in the Haven, and so far all of the Factions have kept their word to that. After a week, well, either your friends have cleared your name, taken care of whoever wants to take care of you, or you're out on the street and dead. quote:What's the object you've most wanted to hold on to, instead of delivering it to a customer? poo poo, there's a few of those, most of them I kept. I guess the one I regret most was recent, real recently actually - the actual goddamn horns of Apis. For those not in the know, Apis was a bull who was twice as large as his brothers, who was said to have been worshipped as a god due to the mighty strength that let it crush stone with its horns. After it died, it was mummified and its remains have since been recovered - but pieces have gone missing. These pieces included the horns. Now, tales tell that anyone who holds these horns will have the power of Apis, strength beyond reason. Now, I don't know about you, but strength beyond reason, without any known downside was pretty hard to turn down. However, the deal was done, as much as I may regret it. quote:Who on the CPD is a frequent customer? What's the last thing they ordered that's got you worried about their real intentions? Detective Adrian Feld has been a frequent customer since, hell, the moment I opened my store. Used to be for a long time he just bought things for, ya know, protection. Silver crosses said to be blessed to repel vampires and werewolves, cold iron rings said to make fae uncomfortable in the presence of, wood from the original crucifix that's said to cause all demons to flee an area or be burned in holy light... you know, the kind of thing people buy when they realize the Dark is out there, and not everything is Mortal. But recently, he put in an order for the Catalan Atlas, and not to me. The real, magical one, not the bullshit one they have in museums. I don't even know how he heard about it being in America. See, the real Atlas was a piece of magical work, that showed the city it was placed in, and anyone in it that the owner requested to be shown. Sounds innocent enough, and like it could be used as a spying tool at most, no? But here's the more complicated part - rumors say that magical effects could transfer through the map, towards anyone targetted by it. Now, I'm not a bleeding heart who thinks that exposing werewolves and demons as what they are is morally wrong... but I also don't want someone able to play chess master by torturing my customers through some magic map. Especially since that could cause their natures to be revealed to the majority who don't know about all this, and well... that's not okay. quote:Who do you frequently go to from another faction when you need some backup when you're getting a hold of something? What non-cash form of payment do they usually expect? The Boveri Family is, well, not what you might call 'good' 'upstanding' 'righteous' people, but they're who I think of when I think of 'backup'. They're demons, demon servants, half-demon kids you know, the whole hellish satanist group, mixed up with a branch of mafioso who weren't doing so hot at one point. They're tough as poo poo, and never want your money - but instead, they'll want favors. Sometimes they're simple, hide one of our guys until the heat dies down, or get rid of this werewolf's body from the park, before the mortals wake up. Other times... other times they want artifacts designed to kill rivals or the feathers of an angel for reasons I don't even understand. They're smarter than they look, too. The rest willcome later quote:Name: Talia Strong KittyEmpress fucked around with this message at 05:26 on May 23, 2017 |
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May 19, 2017 17:02
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Going to make a werewolf, but really hard up for inspiration at the moment. Going to take a final swing at this tomorrow and hope that deadlines inspire me.
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May 21, 2017 02:25
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 Leviya, the Angel Intro Who are you? Me? I'm just the messenger. And a watcher. I've been a bicycle delivery girl, a forensic scientist, a protester, a mamba, a yoga instructor. But I'm just here to spread a Word that far too many people have forgotten about or ignore. It's ok, you're only human, well, mostly. You'll get the interpretation wrong, I've seen it so many times. I forgive you. I've decided that private investigator is the role I am playing this time, it fits into what I'm trying to uncover, anyway, so if you're ever on Temple Boulevard, stop by the dingy old building on the corner - it looks abandoned, but I've painted the symbol on my back on the door - those are my offices, if you have need for succor. How long have you been in the city? Hmm. Always, I think. Time doesn't mean as much to me, at least, not in the same way that it means something to you. But it's hard to describe with such limited abilities as speech. That's not your fault, of course, it's how you were made. And I'll use what you can comprehend to explain it to you. So, by your reckoning, I would say something along the lines of twenty years, or so - this time around. What drove you from your home? Drove is a strong word. I'm on a mission, of course - as I always am when I'm down here. Normally, I'm just here to spread The Word, make sure a certain person knows about something important. I'm not a Guardian, just a Messenger - I say that because, well, my mission is different this time and really, I'm not entirely certain I've gotten all the information I need. Someone down here needs protection, somehow. But I don't know who, and I don't know for sure - how I am supposed to help there. But the One Above must have put me here for a reason - though sometimes it's not easy to see what that is. Like now. Normally, I am only here long enough to impart the Word to the one who needs to hear it - and that's normally only a matter of minutes, hours - days at the most. But it's been Years, this time. It's as if I needed to learn something before I could do what I was supposed to. I'm not sure what, though. What does it cost you to be here? Cost? I don't really deal in the human considerations of these things, so I don't feel as if it costs me anything. It...limits me, though. What I know, what I can perceive - I am certainly no mortal, even after so long spent on Terra Firma, but this is a realm of five senses and linear time, and while I am here I have to obey those rules - which of course makes my task more difficult. But there is, of course, a reason for all things, even if I cannot currently see what that is. It only takes devotion to uncover what I need to know. I have faith the truth will reveal itself to me. Who is beyond saving? No one. Not even the dead. Not even the damned. There is always a road out of darkness into Light - sometimes it is very hard to see. Sometimes people get lost along the way. Sometimes they see the road but are more comfortable in the darkness. I don't blame them, I can't. The choice is always their own. But the choice is always there, no matter what. quote:Name Leviya -Who’s an important person locally from your faction? Faction? I don't have a...oh, I suppose you must mean the Stone Pantheon? About that... ...after I arrived and was...placed (more on that later), about a month passed. I had put my symbol on the door, looked into one or two things, nothing particularly peculiar. Maybe the wings were confusing for people but people tend to overlook them if I both to put any effort into concealing them and I've heard that private investigators generally wear raincoats and trenchcoats and dusters and the like so I have a fair collection of wing-concealing thingies. But apparently someone somewhere who was abnormal was paying attention because I received a visit from a creature that introduced itself as False Thomas the Pwca - a Faerie. It looks like this:  Ok, maybe not all the time but you get the idea. Faerie-folk aren't people so I don't refer to it in any particularly friendly way. I'm like that with the Pantheon. They aren't like that with me - apparently angels "count" as one of their number so they expect me to play by their rules - rules which seem particularly arbitrary and prone to breaking and being broken, if I might say. I have explained that the only rules I follow are the rules of The One Above, and that mollifies them, somewhat, but... ...but oh, sorry, I am getting off track. False Thomas is apparently something of a...peacekeeper for the Pantheon. There to check in on those who fall under the Pantheon's purview and yet have not sworn fealty of some sort to one of the ruling entities or...something. Like I was. I have...settled upon a deal with them - I count as an independent contractor - this is not as independent as the term would have had me believe. Apparently it means that I can have things asked of me by any of the "gods" for an exchange of Debts - this is all very outside of my general method of operation, mind you, but I don't generally spend a lot of time on Earth, so...I have not partaken of their offers, for the most part. If one seems sincere, I will occasionally help them in exchange for being left alone for a certain period of time. It never lasts long enough, though. -What’s one thing that your faction known for in Chicago? The Earthbound idols that make up the Pantheon like things that have to do with construction of large scale art projects, primarily. I don't pay a lot of attention to that so you'd really have to ask someone else about that... ...but if you insist: the Thanksgiving Day parade. Do you need more? Really? Fine - the Pantheon uses the parade as an excuse to go "get out" among their "subjects". They're inanimate objects mostly, right? That's why they need proxies like False Thomas or...whatever it is they want with me. Some of them stick to the balloons. Other ones pretend to be performers in the parade or just blend into the crowd temporarily. They...get up to mischief while the parade's going on. It really doesn't concern me. I'm worried about humanity, can we stop talking about the Pantheon please? -Who’s an important person locally outside of your faction? Thank you. There's a man around town who doesn't have very much but he always has what anybody needs. He always gives of it freely if you ask and he always accepts any aid anyone will give him, which isn't too much. I let him stay at my building as much as he wants and he mostly uses the mattress when he's there, because I don't sleep. His name's Henry.  Henry doesn't speak about his past I think because he doesn't remember it or doesn't want to. But he is the most charitable person I have ever met. I don't think he has anything to do with my mission, but I tell him about The One Above whenever he asks. He knows I'm an Angel because I see no reason to hide it from him - he says I'm his guardian angel, but that isn't right because I'm not a guardian. But I cannot dissuade him of the notion. But he knows more than he lets on - through the lens of someone who has not had a very fulfilling life, that is. And he almost always has relevant information, somehow. -What’s an important part of town for your faction? Oh no you want to know more about the Pantheon. Ok but no more after this, okay? The Chicago Theater is something that the Pantheon finds interesting. I frequently meet one of their proxies there, and so do, I suspect, other people involved with the Pantheon. I imagine since it has a lot to do with art and culture and is itself a landmark it is something of an important site for the idols. Perhaps they're waiting for it to wake up, especially after the revitalization project - that is, become an idol like them? Or maybe it's just nice, for them. I do like the theater so I don't mind meeting them there, but I would be happier if I could just go to the theater without being accosted by a representative of the Pantheon. -What’s an interesting place in town? I find the entire city to be very interesting. So many people and all their hopes and dreams and failures and miseries and joys and loves and lives and deaths - it is a very interesting place. So high and so low, so divine and so wicked. I spend a lot of my time when I am not pursuing a lead in one of my cases or in my mission just...wandering the streets. I like Bucktown a lot, it is a nice area. and I like Saint Mary of the Angels a lot, there. Now, don't get me wrong. Christians are as wrong about The One Above as any other religion, they get as much incorrect or misinterpreted. But so many different people of different backgrounds all come there and for a few moments a week are all...united in thought. That is powerful. Places like that are the closest that humans come to Getting It. It is exciting to be around. LifeGetsWorser fucked around with this message at 04:18 on May 24, 2017 |
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May 21, 2017 18:35
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Markus 'Ace' Monroe Who Are you. You call me 'Ace'. Only one who calls me Marcus Monroe is the police and my mom. Leader of the Dead Man's Hand, and we run the streets around Washington Park. You up to poo poo in that place, you'd better have run it past us first. Grocery Stop or dealer, you better pay your cut to us. But we take the protection in protection money serious. Someone starting poo poo there, I will hunt down personally and make an example of. And trust me, I can make some serious example. I'm a werewolf after all. How long have you been in the city? Southside, born and bred. Never left here in my 25 years. Wasn't always a leader though. Used to have a mouth a bit bigger than I could back up. Ended up in a fight with two really tough shits who were gonna beat me to death for some money and my attitude. Hands held behind my back I ended up biting him, and with everything going on, ended up swallowing something. Next thing I know, everything is blood and violence and, guess what, they didn't end up getting their money. Worked my way through the gang, taking it over when 'Jack' got ratted out and sent to do time. What is the best part of the change? Hah, there's a lot to pick from. The smells, the power, the feel like your whole body was cooped up in a car, and you just streeetch. But the best thing? That is when you're walking in your territory while changed. You KNOW you own it. It's like coming home, and what I imagine having a kid is. Well, as long as it's good. When someone fucks with my territory, I feel like burning this city to the ground. Who is the most important person in your territory? My mom. Wendy Monroe, What, I have to be original now? She raised me on her own after dad, Jake Monroe, was taken to the big house for some bullshit possession charge. Worst is that she works as an AMT. Which means she is OUTSIDE my territory at times, and i know what kind of poo poo is out there. Trying to tell her that she should quit the job, and I'll spring with the rent, but she says she loves me and all, but she won't take any of my money. What do you desperately need? Money. Yeah, pretty basic thing, but I'm trying to not be a piece of poo poo, and that sometimes means saying no to money opportunities. None of the harder poo poo getting slung, girls working the streets just pay their cut but do their own thing, and I get the gang on that program, but we've got some expenses. Guns, bribes, and looking after the rest of the gang. Part of me thinking maybe I should look to see if some folks would pay good money for some extra muscle. Don't like it. I'm noone's dog, but you know C.R.E.A.M. -Who’s an important person locally from your faction? Benjamin Guggenheim. Old Vamp used to work for Luciano, via Bugsy, himself. He's not really in the gangs as much these days, but he's got contacts, he can get things shipped, he can get things sold, he can make problems go away. Knows a bunch of old stories too. Beat up some original flavour American nazis back in the day. He's a respected figure. It's not like Night has a 'leader', that's not how it works, but if there's beef, and he invites the folks feuding to come and visit and have a talk, you go to that visit, and you keep it peaceful. Oh, and don't ever think he was the accountant or some poo poo like that. He's got a friendly smile, but I know a killer when I see 'em. His office is somewhere in the Loop. Crime did pay for him I guess. Where he sleeps his days away, nobody knows. -What’s one thing that your faction known for in Chicago? Except the crime thing you mean? There's the grudges. See, a lot of Night is around for... pretty much forever if they can manage. So that's a long time to nurse a grudge. And we wolves, well, we're not exactly forgiving either. Crime connection probably doesn't help there. Anyway, forgiveness is not a virtue among Night. If someone crosses you, and it is known, people will take notice. And if you don't even the scales at some point, that's gonna be held against you. I isn't just a 'oh, we can get away with poo poo with you, awesome!' thing. It's like breaking a tabboo. In a way, it makes all of us look weaker. So even if the one who crossed you is your best buddy and you don't even care about what he said, you best make a show of striking back at him. Up side, we don't get crossed as much. Down side, when someone crosses us, they usually do it in a rather lethal way. There's things like apologies. People can publicly ask to set the balance, but they're still expected to pay a price to 'balance the books' -Who’s an important person locally outside of your faction? Officer Walter Zaleski. A Hunter who's part of the CPD. Honest cop. Not my friend. He'd rather all of us critters in the night were dead, dead, dead. Now, he's a smart enough man to know that having everything exposed and getting a big ol' war going is gonna harm a lot of people in 'his' city. (when he says 'his' city and claims ownership over MY turf it makes me want to loving TEAR OFF HIS FACE) When people are making too many waves, too many corpses, he'll talk to the faction. Sometimes, he convinces factions to police and punish their own, and sometimes, and I think he likes that best, he gets to go after someone. And for all I hate the guy's guts, for a pig, he's got mean tusks. -What’s an important part of town for your faction? Bubbly Creek I mean, the Stockyards as a whole are pretty connected to Night, but that river, that river's been so filled with death and blood and flesh that it's never getting clean again, no matter what they do. Especially since Night makes sure to keep it that way. More poo poo's is keeping those bubbles going than scientists can figure out. It's a link to the dead, and all kind of spooky poo poo is done with it by the more... occult inclined folks among us. They say you take a good long swim in it, and breathe in that water, you might visit the land of the dead... and maybe even come back. Maybe even alive. -What’s an interesting place in town? The Englewood Postal Office but it's got nothing to do with the mail. Used to be the little murder palace of America's first known serial killer. A nasty piece of poo poo called Holmes. Now, his spirit hasn't been seen, if there's a hell, presumably it's there, but something of him might be looking over it. It's said that if you break into the building, and go into the basement level while carrying a corpse you killed personally, you'll find the place where all the bodies are hidden. And you can add the corpse to the pile, and it won't ever be found. Haven't tried it myself though. quote:Name: Markus Ace Monroe Shogeton fucked around with this message at 23:18 on May 29, 2017 |
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May 21, 2017 22:14
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Ace, the Wolf: So, have you thought about turning anyone in your gang? I mean, if the movies are right, you just give a few of 'em a nip, and you'd have a pack of your own. Who's someone in la Famila Ombra that you've got mutual respect with? Who's the face of gentrification that's threatening your turf? What faction do they belong to? Also, who's the new blood that's giving you problems, and what's after him? Leviya, the Angel: What message that you delivered do you still have? Why did you keep it and what form does it take? Who in your faction (Actually, do you consider the Stone Pantheon your faction? Because they consider you one of them.) have you had to deliver a hard message to? What were the messy results? What earthly pleasure do you enjoy partaking in? Who are you on good terms with from another faction because of your shared interest? What was your last prayer that went unanswered? Talia Strong, the Scholar: What's the object you've most wanted to hold on to, instead of delivering it to a customer? Who on the CPD is a frequent customer? What's the last thing they ordered that's got you worried about their real intentions? Who do you frequently go to from another faction when you need some backup when you're getting a hold of something? What non-cash form of payment do they usually expect? Alesandro Kyrkos, the Golem: Who were you brothers, anyway? I mean, there were a lot of Greek heroes to choose from, even if there's a fair argument to be made that Hercules was the greatest of them all. The Stone Pantheon surely finds you fascinating. How do you view their attention? Why do you think they approach divinity while you are merely animate? Who have you found in the city that reminds you of your creator? What faction do they belong to? Why do you keep coming back to them? Are you relentless in your search for your master, or do even you need some time for rest? Either way, you surely have a small bit of downtime, even if it's from something as simple as waiting for a lead to arrive home from work. How do you like to spend that downtime? Nexus, the Wizard: What are you keeping secret from your new housemates that you worry about them finding out about? Who in the Sacred Architects do you want as a teacher? What's their specialty? Who's got it out for them? Who from another faction did you piss off? How'd you do it, and who was impressed? Who'd you run into from LA? What are they doing now? Which one of you is avoiding the other? Yuri Sasaki, the Spectre: Who killed you and how? Are they still alive, or did someone spill their blood? Was it you? La Famila Ombra thinks of you as one of their own, but is it mutual? Who makes it hard to want to be a part of La Famila? Who from another faction frequents your family's restaurant even when not meeting with you and leaves comically large tips? Why do you think they do that? Why else do you like them? What do you miss most from being alive? Capfalcon fucked around with this message at 21:08 on May 24, 2017 |
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May 22, 2017 20:43
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Capfalcon posted:La Famila Ombra thinks of you as one of their own, but is it mutual? Who makes it hard to want to be a part of La Famila? I suppose so. I mean, why not? Everyone has to be part of one group or another in this city and might as well hang out with the other ghosts I suppose. The Ombra is very territorial and violent though. I mean, I'm not innocent of that myself but sometimes getting dragged into other people's conflicts gets annoying. I have my own life you know. Unlife. Whatever. Point is, out of all the factions in Chicago the Ombra is the one getting into fights over that kind of poo poo with other factions constantly. And being someone who can get around places fairly easily makes them want to use me when possible. Guess it's kind of lucky I died with my knife on me, huh? Capfalcon posted:Who from another faction frequents your family's restaurant even when not meeting with you and leaves comically large tips? Why do you think they do that? Why else do you like them? Johann Frei, average looking guy. He's actually a demon, or works with them, or something like that. Don't actually have the full details on his life which is fine with me. I think he gives large tips because he can - he makes quite a lot from what I can see. Not that I'd stop him anyway if he wanted to. He's actually pretty interesting. He's more the face of the demon he represents rather then the force if that makes sense. Kind of nice actually, sort of goes against what people think he'd be like. Cool guy. I like keeping him on my contacts because the Stone Pantheon can be kinda unpredictable at the best of times. He's less of that, thankfully. Capfalcon posted:What do you miss most from being alive? Being able to interact with the world normally. Nowadays I have to focus to be able to affect things and even then there are things I can't do - it might look kind of cool to be able to go through solid objects and have nothing effect me, but try being that person and then needing to pick something up. And if I want to be able to do that I can't really keep my body visible unless I'm willing to give up being able to be heard. It's a super-power that's incredibly limitating. And of course, my family knows I died. So I can't be visible whenever I visit. They seem to think that some customers have a tendency of eating a lot because like hell I'm not getting something to eat from there. But can you imagine if they found out what's really going on in Chicago because it turns out their dead daughter is a ghost working with the criminals of the street? I don't want, so I have to keep things subtle and quiet when I take care of things near them.
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May 23, 2017 08:05
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Capfalcon posted:Ace, the Wolf: Alright, first things first. The movies are wrong. Dead wrong. Giving someone a bite doesn't make 'em a werewolf. I don't know if they feel anything except ouch, but I sure do. When I bite someone, it's not to mark him as one of us. It marks them as prey. I catch his scent, his smell and it makes my mouth water Forget liking someone, forget respecting someone, if I bite someone, I have to take effort to see them as a person, rather than a juicy loving burger on legs. Not sure how long it lasts Now I don't want to be a pyscho killer kind of werewolf, so I don't bite, unless I am definitely sure I'm gonna kill a guy. Anyway, changing someone. Was never really sure how that happened. But read up on werewolves and read about some old dude called Lykaion who liked to eat people. Ended up trying to feed some to Zeus and got changed into a wolf. And I know whatever started this, happened after I bit some guy who was about to kill me real hard, and I'm pretty sure I ended up tearing a bit of him loose, and probably had it go down my throat. I'm also really sure, no REALLY sure it was a full moon. So creating a new werewolf is more than just taking a quick nip, I gotta actually get them to eat some human flesh in the full moon, and figure that should work. That I put thought into this should tell you, yeah, I totally am thinking of getting some folks over to team wolf. But it's a very specific kind of person I'm looking into. I want someone who's ruthless, but also loyal, but also with some self control and the smarts not to get on the goddamn 9 o clock news.. That's a pretty specific order. But I got some people I'm thinking of. Jay is a guy that I go back with a long way, he joined the gang with me. Two of us used to tell each other everything. Ever since this werewolf thing got started though, I pretty much had to start keeping secrets from him. If I pulled him in, well, we could be wolf-bros man. I mean, he's smart, smart enough to know I'm keeping poo poo from him at least, and I know he's got my back. My only doubt is on the ruthless thing. He's not a pussy, he's with the hood, but he's an idealistic motherfucker, real Malcolm X type, and I'm not sure how he'd deal with all this Faction poo poo, or the whole 'bloodlust' thing. Second possible pick. Lizzie. Harshest sister I've ever seen. Anyone ever born for this kind of change, she is. Found out some dude was pimping out her older sister, and loving stalked and killed the guy. At age fourteen. Got caught and sent to juvie, but she mostly learned extra skills there. She's fallen in with us. Bit of a contact with the workin' girls, and ain't no slouch in a fight. She's sharp enough, I'm thiking, and ruthless, hah, I'm more worried she's gonna go to far. But she has her own goals, mostly involving the death of every last motherfucking pimp, and while I can't really blame her, if I'm gonna turn someone werewolf, I'd like them to stick with my pack, and not go do their own thing. Not sure enough about her loyalty yet. quote:Who's someone in la Famila Ombra that you've got mutual respect with? Another werewolf in Chinatown. Yong Hou. Nasty piece of work. Kinda think he's a lot less shy about biting people. From some rumours, he also 'finishes his plate' if you know what I mean. A lot less 'nice nice' about how he treats his territory. But, you know, some part of me thinks it's terrible and all, but as a werewolf, I know you don't loving tell a werewolf how to handle his turf. The thought of someone telling me to do it makes me wanna tear someone's spine out, can't imagine it's different for him. And it's good to have someone coming from the same place. On the other hand, we've always got this cock measuring contest thing hanging over us. So we found a solution. Ever new moon, we go to the old Stockyards, got some old place, put 50 bucks each on a table and then start wailing on eachother till one of us gives or can't stand, Fight Club style. Winner takes the cash. After that, we can actually have a conversation without the tension. We've got a lot of interests and enemies in common. Help eachother out, listen to eachother talk about werewolf poo poo. quote:Who's the face of gentrification that's threatening your turf? What faction do they belong to? There's some company called 'URPLAN', a big rear end Real Estate company that's gotten some plans to 'revitalize' the South Side. That means buying out all the 'undesirables', kick them out and make it a good place for 'the right kind of people' who want to get to their high paying jobs in the Loop quick and get their coffee from a good coffee shop. Now the face? That's Gordon Samuels. Former Marine sergeant, real polite smile and respectful demeanour even while threatening folks out of their home, money backing him and I'm pretty sure, a lot of dead folks on his name. A few gangs already fell apart. Now, the guy is part of Mortality, in that I don't even know if he knows the supernatural exist. But they've started buying up the low hanging trees in my turf, the ones that have been empty for pretty much forever, and I've been getting people telling me about people wandering around. Guess The Man figures he's gonna knock on my door. I'm ready. quote:Also, who's the new blood that's giving you problems, and what's after him? Young looking brother just answers to Dylan. Found him hiding out here, pickpocketing folks, cornered him to have a little chat about my turf. Broke down desperate and I figured out it was just some stupid junkie, till he tells me of his ex girlfriend, Filanora the Princess of Lake Michigan, and he's hiding from her. Now, the rest of the gang is all pretty sure he's really high on something, but I know that's one of the daughters of the local faery queen. Apparently poor bastard, a faery himself, had it hot for her, and made her promise after promise after promise. Only after he'd seriously, seriously hosed himself did she start demanding him to do, well, whatever she pleased (Dylan didn't elaborate what it was, I didn't ask). Until finally he had enough, broke his oaths and fled. It's not always about race. But when I've got some poor black kid whose life got exploded and who's on the street because he had enough abuse from some spoiled white fae noble princess, not gonna lie, I'm getting personally involved. Took the guy, gave him a gat, and we had him shoot some dealer from a nearby gang who was slinging H too near my turf in the leg. Blood In. He's an Aces And Eight. Doesn't matter if she gets La Famila to sign off on handing him over. I'll defy them over this, and made it clear. Apparently Filanora is not happy with this. Good. Shogeton fucked around with this message at 02:03 on May 28, 2017 |
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May 24, 2017 00:41
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Capfalcon posted:Alesandro Kyrkos, the Golem: Oddly enough, it seems that our creator only worked with the visage of Hercules. Each of us was inspired by one of his twelve labors. I suppose, given that, it would not be unthinkable that I would have eleven brothers. I am only aware of three. I was inspired by the conquering of Cerberus. Likewise, my brothers were inspired by the defeat of the Lernean Hydra, the killing of the Stymphalian Birds, and obtaining the Girdle of Hippolyte. We have not talked in many years. I suppose they may have followed my path and begun to search for Kirschner as well, but... At the same time, they were quite clear on their feelings when I left my position. I cannot imagine what would drive them to forsake the vigil they held so dear. quote:The Stone Pantheon surely finds you fascinating. How do you view their attention? Why do you think they approach divinity while you are merely animate? The Pantheon does indeed favor me with their attentions. I cannot say it is entirely unwelcome, though I doubt that their current view of bemused curiosity would last if our interests were to conflict. The carved gods are, in their own way, easy enough to understand. Easier by far than humanity. They are content to thrive in the ministries of the city's faith and faithful. Perhaps that is why they walk the path of divinity. Perhaps I could have even have been among their number if I were to have never left my post in the Hofburg. Instead, I have dedicated myself to a cause that is greater in importance to me than any hope of ascension. The reason for my creation, the reason for my very existence gnaws at me like an insatiable hunger. I know what I am, but I don't know why. Only finding Kirschner and hearing the words from his own mouth could possibly satisfy that need. quote:Who have you found in the city that reminds you of your creator? What faction do they belong to? Why do you keep coming back to them? Ah, yes, you must be speaking of Mr. Tien. It is most curious, actually, as he has repeatedly claimed to me to be a master wizard. He is not such, at least not as you or I would understand the term to apply. As far as I've been able to uncover, he is a disgraced member of the Scholomance. His ideas are... bold. Unconventional. And, it must be said, completely heretical to the understanding of magic the Scholomance has compiled. For all that, and for all the times he has attempted to convince me of a dire need to realign the flow of energies in my abode, he does remind me of what I remember of Kirschner. He is unconcerned with the norms and mores of society. He marches to orders that only he is privy to. And, most of all, he is utterly convinced of his own innate superiority. For all that others might find him unlikeable or personally repulsive, he is someone that kindles... positive feelings inside me. I don't particularly understand what that signifies, but I can only discover such by ensuring that he continues functioning and spending what time I may with him. quote:Are you relentless in your search for your master, or do even you need some time for rest? Either way, you surely have a small bit of downtime, even if it's from something as simple as waiting for a lead to arrive home from work. How do you like to spend that downtime? When I first left the Hofburg, I was relentless. In the many years since, I have learned the concept of patience. If only because my sources keep a more normal schedule. While there may be times where I spend the better part of a week pursuing a sudden storm of clues, more often than not matters progress in a pace that might well be described as glacial. Kirschner jealously guards his privacy. It is no small miracle that the business that brought me to Chicago also brought me as close as I've ever been to finding him. But, yes, you are correct. I do have a certain degree of time that is not otherwise spoken for. The place I live in is full of need. Full of people who need a strong arm, someone tireless, to fix their homes. To help them with matters of little import. I am... It is strange. In a sense, they take advantage of my help and can offer nothing in return. And, yet, despite that... It feels compelling. As if the work is its own reward. Tricky fucked around with this message at 04:19 on May 24, 2017 |
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May 24, 2017 03:44
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What message that you delivered do you still have? Why did you keep it and what form does it take? It was a very long time ago. I had to bring a message to a dying woman. Her family was there, but I came in the middle of the night. When everyone was asleep. I leave messages frequently in the ears of dreamers - the Word is not a loud, shouted thing. It is quiet, personal. Something whispered on the breeze or in static on radio or murmured underwater. Dreams are a good conduit. But her daughter woke up to see me stooped over her mother. I told her to be not afraid, and she asked me why I was there - if it was to collect her mother's soul. I told her no, I just wanted to tell her something. She gave me a bracelet - just a simple band of silver. In return I shared the message with the girl, too. Somehow it has followed me through all my various incarnations since then - the bracelet. Her mother died a week later. I wasn't there, but I looked it up the next time I was around. I was curious. Oh - the message. I said "Only those who fear life fear death." I don't know if it was particularly profound, or anything, but that was the message I was tasked to deliver. I am not sure if the girl heeded my words or what she has done with her life, but I hope it helped, somehow. Who in your faction (Actually, do you consider the Stone Pantheon your faction? Because they consider you one of them.) have you had to deliver a hard message to? What were the messy results? Oh no, you're asking about the Stone Pantheon again. I...hope I have made my opinion of them clear. I am a servant of the One Above. The Stone Pantheon are not The One Above, so...no, I don't find much commonality with them. They barter with people's lives and souls for their own amusement. I only do as The One Above wills me. If The One Above were to consider these idols siblings, then perhaps I may see it differently - but I know that they are lesser than The One Above, and that the Word was not written for them. As stated I have, on occasion, allowed them to contract me for some minor task in return for being left to my own devices - usually I only deal with one of their proxies or occasionally try to help some poor human that one of their rivals have abused, but once, and only once, did I allow myself to carry out a mission that would result in my speaking to one of the Pantheon directly. No one liked the Chicago Picasso, not even the other members of the Pantheon. It was derided when it was made and has been something of a joke ever since it awakened. Despite the general public reception warming to it, it hasn't had an easy life. I would almost feel sorry for it but as it has nothing to do with my mission I really couldn't care less. But since I have been here I have noticed it being the site of an annual Christkindlmarkt which is something that brings a lot of people together. Well, another member of the Pantheon - and I won't say who per the terms of our agreement - they haven't bothered me since, thankfully - asked me to disrupt it one year in order to upset the Picasso. So I did. I made a couple aware that they were both being unfaithful to each other. Their fight turned loud, the owner of a stall got involved, a brawl broke out. And the Picasso noticed me. The conversation with an abstract piece of artwork which has long been derided was...confusing and I can't really repeat it here. I wouldn't break my vow but the Picasso won't leave me alone. I can't go to the Christkindlmarkt because the Picasso considers me it's enemy. It likes to harass me with it's proxies. I try to stay out of that part of town, now. What earthly pleasure do you enjoy partaking in? Who are you on good terms with from another faction because of your shared interest? Hmm. I have already mentioned I enjoy theater. But I enjoy Theatre more. The singing. The dancing. The acting. The stagecraft, the...everything. I naturally prefer a balcony seat. Those are more expensive. But I have my charms and my ways in. One of those ways is an entity who used to be human but is not. Her name is at least as she gave it to me, Nora. She is immortal. Something happened to her at some point and the Word became lost to her. She isn't undead, just...forever.  I suppose she lets me come to the shows with her because she enjoys the company. The shared perspective of an observer who is fond of humans but is not a human. We are not very much alike other than that, we don't really speak to each other very frequently outside of the theatre but she did offer to help me, once or twice, with an investigation in return to coming to particular shows with her or...once I...well, I sang for her. She said I had a good voice. I suppose it's true, Angels are naturally good singers. I like Nora, she is interesting, but...complex. She is not part of my mission, though, and I cannot share the Word with her. What was your last prayer that went unanswered? This is a question that makes me sad. Because it is the same prayer every night. I pray to the One Above for guidance, for an answer to the question of my purpose here, my mission, who I am supposed to protect, what I am supposed to tell them, and when I am supposed to do it. I do not receive a response, any response. Any other question I can receive an answer to. But not that one. I do not comprehend why the answers will not reveal to me, the answers to those questions. I do not know why I am here. And that is something that is very disconcerting. It is as if a vital part of my existence is obscured. This is something that is unfamiliar to an Angel. I know that humans deal with this frequently but it is not something I am used to, except that it has been so long since this started, this time. The hole has become a part of me, somehow. But the time has still not come, somehow. I will continue to pray and one day that prayer will be answered. And then I will be able to go home. LifeGetsWorser fucked around with this message at 05:25 on May 24, 2017 |
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May 24, 2017 05:06
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Aside from some outstanding questions, looks like we're mostly ready! Just have to do the start of session move. When someone picks you as the person they trust the least, pick a faction for them to mark. They decide what they're looking into with respect to that faction, and then roll +Faction 10+: You've done some legwork. Get a debt on someone in the faction, useful info about your goal, or a useful piece of equipment. Your choice. 7-9: You're in the thick of it. Pick someone in the faction that owes you a debt and someone in that faction you owe a debt to 6: ...Things'll get exciting, quickly. Ace, the Wolf: Who do you trust the least? Nexus, who marked Power What are you looking into with your marked faction? The Architects have been snooping around his turf, looking how to get the geometry of his turf just right. Ace is suspicious that they're working with Chicago Rebirth Corp, the urban renewal company that's been purchasing whole city blocks in rapid succession. Roll: 9, I owe El Cid, since he vouched for me to get my foot in the door. Richard Evermoor owes Ace, even though Ace doesn't like him. Ace risked his life to get 'Dick's bacon out of the fire from a criminal deal, and Richard finds that his honor commands him to fulfill that debt, especially since he didn't really have much pull with the Architects. Leviya, the Angel: Who do you trust the least? Leviya, who marked Night What are you looking into with your marked faction? Leviya's been on the trail of a serial killer as part of her PI business. Recently she's learned that the killer is none other than Pike, a vicious vampire who is notorious for being both messy and horrifying. In retrospect this should have been obvious in that all the victims have been drained of blood. Roll: 7, one of Pike's buddies named Marius has been feeding me information about his whereabouts, I owe him a debt I was hired by Pike's first victim who is coincidentally very dead and also a ghost, her name is Molly. Talia Strong, the Scholar: Who do you trust the least?Leviya, who marked power What are you looking into with your marked faction? Dr. Hughe the Oracle has been on the move recently. Apparently he saw something big, real big, and is moving all his assets to get it. I want it first. Roll: 9, I owe a debt to Mey Lee the immortal with fingers in everyone's pies. She has been giving me leads to this current big find. I'm taking one on Smoke Rockwell. He was looking for a way into the next Network Market, and needed someone to help him out. I told him pretty simply that I could do that favor for him, if he'd be willing to do one for me later. Alesandro Kyrkos, the Vessel: Who do you trust the least? Yuri, who marked Power What are you looking into with your marked faction? A particularly hard-line faction of the Sacred Archetects is making a major push on Alderman Pat Cochran. Their understanding of the geometry requires the demolition of a skyscraper that a number of parties have a vested interest in keeping standing. I'm assuming that the Stone Pantheon has involved Alesandro as an agent to represent their interests in the matter. Roll: 6  Nexus, the Wizard: Who do you trust the least? Ace, who marked Mortality What are you looking into with your marked faction? Neighbors pissed about upkeep of her yard / house / the weird comers and goers at all hours of the night Roll: 5 Yuri Sasaki, the Spectre: Who do you trust the least? Alesandro, who marked Wild What are you looking into with your marked faction? There's been sightings of some of Baba Yaga's followers going after some of La Familia Ombra's dealers. No one knows what she wants or what they're trying to get from her just yet Roll: 8, Choosing to owe a debt to the Ling sisters for some information they gave me, and taking a debt on False Thomas for helping him out while I was out looking into this Capfalcon fucked around with this message at 05:11 on May 30, 2017 |
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May 27, 2017 03:24
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Capfalcon posted:Nexus, the Wizard Who exactly is after me, and how powerful they are and vindictive they can be. Basically, the order that beat mine back in Cali? They call themselves the Digital Dukes of the Valley - I mentioned they're dorks, right? - and despite the name they are BAD news. I maaayyy have not exactly mentioned this to any of my roommates, by which I mean I definitely haven't - if they find out I'll claim I didn't want them worrying about it and that I had things under control, of course. Really like my current living situation, I'm not letting the low possibility they find out I'm here drive any of my current roomies out. Capfalcon posted:Who in the Sacred Architects do you want as a teacher? What's their specialty? Who's got it out for them?  Oh c'mon, everyone's heard of El Cid. Obviously that's just his shadow name - letting others learn your /real/ name is unprofessional in our line of work - but yeah, the guy's practically a legend. Name an important magical event in the past sixty years, and I bet you he was either involved with it, or someone close to him was. He's honestly like, half the reason I moved to this city - not sure why a guy like him is working for the Sacred Architects, but there must be something to it. He knows more about spirits and the structure of our reality than most alive I bet, and given my own way of thinking about magic, I'm sure I could incorporate a lot of his teachings into my own arcane theories.  Though uh yeah, being around as long as he has, he's made a few enemies. One in Chicago is Lady Nightshade - groan, vampires suck at shadow names - and she's with La Familia Ombra. From what I've heard through the grapevine, she intended to gently caress with the Ever-Living Diagram in order to punch a new hole in the veil between life and death, make things easier for people like Yuki - by which I mean ghosts - and then substantially worse things to access more and more of the city. She got stopped by El Cid, and what should've been a feather in her cap ended up a major black eye for her amongst her peers. Needless to say she's not happy about it, or with him for causing her the embarrassment, and word is she's got something in the works to 'get rid of him for good'. Yeah right. Capfalcon posted:Who from another faction did you piss off? How'd you do it, and who was impressed?  I get that all this supernatural stuff can scare regular people quite a bit, but I've never been able to figure out what tempts some of them to don a trenchcoat, throw some stakes and clips in a bandolier, max out their credit cards buying guns, and then go all pyscho on those they deem too weird. Like, I was just minding my own business at the Midnight Hour when an OBVIOUS hunter comes on in, seemingly investigating Branwen - one of our regulars. And yeah she's definitely weird, but really the last thing I wanted was some dumb hunter hanging around the place threatening customers or worse still shooting up the place in an ill-conceived attack. Regina Belmont, think that's her name. So yeah, I got someone to cover the bar for a half hour, snuck outside, and stole her motorcyle - not hard to hotwire things magically, and you'd be surprised how often it comes in handy. From there I just drove it over towards the lake, stripped the license plate for magical ritual purposes later, and then dumped it before teleporting myself back to work. Trust me, she was MIGHTY pissed come closing time, and despite my assurances I think she still somehow suspects I was involved with what happened to it.  Branwen on the other hand DEFINITELY knows what I did - and she thanked me for it on my next shift. I know she's with the Stone Pantheon, but we never talk about that sort of stuff when I'm serving her drinks, and that's pretty much the only time I see her. Still, good to know that a strange person that frequents where I work owes me one, right? Especially with those ravens of hers spread out all over the city, watching and listening... Capfalcon posted:Who'd you run into from LA? What are they doing now? Which one of you is avoiding the other?  loving Ashes. Of course she'd copy me and head here - ughhh I'm still sick of her. Think she decided we're like, soul-sisters forever ago or something - despite me constantly telling her that I find her intensely irritating. Luckily she's setup on the other side of the city doing something for the Architects there, and as far as she knows (I lied when I ran across her) I was only in town for a few days, so hopefully she's not looking for my kickass house since the last thing I want is her hanging around the place constantly.
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May 28, 2017 00:47
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