[X] Study the folder Marcus gave you to find out what you should be expecting.
I believe that we should go with this option unless someone has a write in.
Buying something is a no-go because money is tight as is. Testing the sword can wait until after we know what we're getting into. I'm not sure what job is going to hire someone that's injured.
[X] Study the folder Marcus gave you to find out what you should be expecting.
[X] Test the Rusty Sword you suspect to be a magical artifact.
At last, you are home, your hand shaking as you put the key in the rusty doorknob which requires a good amount of force to unlock. Turning the handle, yanking the key out, and pushing the door open you proceed to step inside while muttering.
"Home sweet home, doesn't feel right if you don't almost break the key every time you unlock the door right?"
You are welcomed home by the usual sparse interior of your apartment, a worn table with two mismatched chairs rests at the center of the room and an ancient, barely functioning television sits on a stand across from it. A door immediately to your left leads to the most cramped and sad excuse of a kitchen you have ever witnessed while the right opens into a similarly cramped bathroom.
Ignoring both you stroll over to the table and sit down into a chair, the frame creaking horribly at your weight even if it holds in the end.
"First things first, time to see what that asshole decided to throw my way. Couldn't be difficult if he gave it to an injured person right?"
Flipping it open, you proceed to spread the contents out on the table in organized piles leading to a few photos, a dozen sheets of paper, and what looks like a blurry satellite image of the area around the apartment. Picking up the pictures you find information written neatly on the corner of each listing age, name, position in the gang, and notable features?
A man with striking red hair, yellowish eyes, and an incredibly off putting sneer. Numerous piercings are noticeable - three in each ear at the back, two in his bottom lip, and four attached to his chin like spikes. His skin tone is pale, his facial features sharp, and a sickly green tone tattoo of a rat climbing up his neck.
Name: Kazaki Mallard Age: 33 Gang Position: Leader Notable Features: Always found carrying around a small caged rat, owns a low caliber pistol (from appearance likely a 9mm), prefers black and green colors.
You see a girl with neon green hair and sky blue highlights spread throughout, her hair coming down past her shoulders. Light blue eyes, a scar across her nose and one on her cheek, and that same familiar green rat tattoo though on her cheek this time. Several nose piercings, a few in her ear, and small metal bars embedded along her jaw on the right side.
Name: Cara Barrows Age: 27 Gang Position: Lead Enforcer? Terminator Cameo? Notable Features: Always carrying around a sawn-off shotgun, dresses like a biker, drives a near pristine motorcycle (light red, rat emblem painted on, rear plate reads "FCKOFF")
A youthful looking man with purple, yellow, and green hair in a haphazard mess that absolutely stings the eyes with how hideous it all looks. Despite that he has quite the disarming smile, and cheery looking light blue eyes. He has few to no piercings, but the green rat the other two have tattoos of can be found in a much smaller form near his right temple.
Name: Greg Matthews Age: 19 Gang Position: Sole Lieutenant? Notable Features: Charismatic, often found with a leather vest that has the green rat emblem on the back, possibly the person holding the gang together?
Pushing the photos to the side you turn to the stack of papers, the first few of which are just reports on the amount of damages done to the store they robbed. From what you can see they only actually did eight hundred dollars in damage and only stole two grand, but Marcus wants six thousand dollars from them....
"Really? The man can't resist can he? Well, let's hope they actually have enough to pay him back, or at least something valuable enough to match..."
You let out a sigh and dive into the information remaining.
---
Millard is the Leader of a recently (made approximately six months ago) made gang known as the Gutter Rat Punks, a terrible name for sure, but thanks to Millard's excellent choice in higher ups they've grown rapidly. So far the gang has expanded to nearly seventy affiliated members, though only fourteen appear to be true, full members.
...
Most of the affiliated members were organized by Millard's second-in-command, a youth named Greg Matthews, who has an exceptional gift with people. If had a family that is better off then he likely would've ended up excelling as a businessman or politician. That aside, these affiliates aren't reliable members if it comes down to a real conflict, more concerned with easy jobs that give a small payout then any large crimes.
...
Of the gang's core members, most every single one was recruited by Millard's Lead Enforcer, Cara Barrows. A biker punk, and possible fan of the old terminator films, who is suspected of at least six counts of first degree murder and has been convicted of numerous counts of assault. Actual list of crimes is unknown considering the spotty policing in the Slums, but she's likely committed several dozen more crimes of all varieties.
Most of those she recruited are long time friends of hers, they had spent much of their youth as a group of delinquent bikers and most every single one has some experience in using guns. Of course, for such a small time operation they're unlikely to have the backing to field any significant number of firearms and will have rather limited supplies for those they do.
...
As a whole, the gang operates out of a run-down and abandoned warehouse on the corner of 63rd Kershins South, and Avenue 576 West. Limited investigation shows Mallard is almost always here with at least four other core members being present, a varying amount of affiliates, and frequently Cara or Greg.
Recommendations: Proceed with caution.
Gang plays host to largely unskilled combatants, only Cara herself is reported as being a decent shot.
Scattered rumors do point towards Mallard himself being "terrifying, and monstrous", but further investigation has found him to have already been tested negatively for both superpowers and magical talent.
Taking Greg out of commission will likely lead to the collapse of all gang affiliates.
Removing Cara from the equation will take away the best known safety net of Mallard himself.
Investigation pinpoints the warehouse as the location where much of their cash assets are stored.
---
After finishing the strangely professional report you turn your focus to the rather awful satellite image, but quickly toss it aside as all it really confirms is a location to work off of. You rap the table several times as you sit back and focus on your thoughts.
'Not a terribly good situation to be in, especially with my injuries, but then again with the meds I can move fairly close to how I normally would. Probably used a healing artifact at the hospital to speed past the worst of the injuries, would explain how absurdly high the bill is...
Eh, I'll think about this later, let's focus on something more interesting and useful currently.'
With that thought in mind you stand up and head over to a crude wooden box leaning against the tv stand, a small padlock keeping the lid shut while the overall terrible quality of the box screams it's nothing of value. You quickly bring it over to the table and fish out your keys to unlock it before drawing the plain, rust encrusted longsword from the box to place it on the table.
You bought this years ago, not long after you had gotten your first job, from an old man running a pawn shop near your parents' apartment. It cost you two hundred bucks, the old man claiming that the blade was incredibly sturdy even after years of decay, but that was the only magical feature to it.
You never quite believed him though as the strange, foreign script still visible through some of the rust seemed far too fancy compared to the rest of the blade's plain appearance. On top of that it always felt incredibly cold to the tough, no matter how long you held the hilt.
"The question is, how do I even go about finding out what exactly this is?"
What do you do to experiment with it? (Choose One) [] Cut yourself with it and see how the blade reacts to blood.
[] Attempt to heat it up and see how it responds.
[] Test the limits of the sword's durability as best you can by beating it with the heaviest, sturdiest item in your house!
[] Examine the blade's sharpness, test it out on the other chair.
[] Write-ins allowed.
Personal Status:
Health - Bruised, Mending Bones, Multiple Recovering Lacerations
Stamina - Tired
Mental State - Rational
Reputation:
Fame/Infamy - Completely Unknown
Friends/Allies - All dead after being slaughtered by Cthulhu.
Rivals/Enemies - None that know of you.
Wealth:
Bank Balance - $530
Expenses - $800 a month
Debts - $40,000 Medical
Talents:
Skills - Martial Arts Technique (Beginner), Resilient
Traits - Lucky
Possessions:
Items: Rusty Sword, Cheap Phone, Debit Card, Marcus' Information Folder
Holdings: None
Goals:
Revenge:Beacon (Superhero), Monstro (Supervillain), Hermes (God), Vlad Dracula (Legend), Cthulhu (Deep One), Cult of the Wave (Cultists)F
Job: Deal with the thugs that broke into the Gilligan Heights Residential Complex and return the stolen cash to Marcus. ($0/$6000 returned, Thugs still potentially dangerous to Marcus' business | Reward: $400, ???)
Adhoc vote count started by adwarf on Jul 2, 2019 at 4:32 PM, finished with 8 posts and 6 votes.
[X] Cut yourself with it and see how the blade reacts to blood.
Write in []
So. Based on ritualistic sword making and shamanistic totems...
The sword is sending you these ideas.
Imbue the sword. It calls to you. It's dormant. Hiding actually or a casual sorcerer would have detected it and took it's power already.
Use a propane torch. Heat the sword up, and quence it in blood and ash and water.
Justice should be swift. The blood need only be blood and sweat of the hardworking. Innocence, guilt. Doesn't matter. Justice requires work. Justice comes to the innocent and guilty alike. A few drops. You have enough to spare.
The ash comes from a place that calls for justice. Maybe a polluted land or a crime scene. Burned respectfully and mixed with the blood. It is painted over the blade everywhere except the very edges. Dry it.
The sweat and tears go into a bucket and mixed with water.
The blade is made to glow with the propane torch. Then using bandaged hands it is picked up by the handle and plunged unto the bucket. Your hands will burn. The heat may leave a scar, bonding the blade to you.
Justice will shatter like glass without the will to back it. Your Will is driven by Revenge..
Temper it.
Temper it slowly over a burning artifact of hate.
Revenge should be a slow burn. Needs patience. You temper revenge. You slowly cook the metal at a lower heat . On a small campfire, you place the objects of revenge. Magazine articles about your enemies. Place your order bandages. Place photos of those you need to revenge and avenge.
Meditate while the sword tempers.
The meditation guides how the sword tempers. The will of the wielder determines the outcome. Meditate until the scars on your hands change to match the runes. The Pain leaves them and sharpens the edges beyond the ability of matter. Your sword can learn to, can teach you how to cut through anything eventually.
And now for the sheath.
Are you worthy?
You didn't see this ccoming. But you envision yourself plunging the blade into your own chest. It explains the power.
This is how you will die. Revenge okextracts a price. The price will be paid in the future.
But not today. You have magic on credit.
Your chest is fine.
The sword is recharged, finished. More, the souls of the previous wielders can see you. Can guide you. Teach you. Maybe they can lend you power. Maybe posses you or bolster you. When you sacrifice yourself for the cause, you might guide the next champion.
You are the wielder but also the sheath. You might find you can hide the sword within you, or in some other realm. The sword is good at concealment. It hid from magic hoarders.the sword is a spirit that is not locked to the same weapon. Only the right sort should have it. It came to you, into your old junky sword, when you called.
[X] Cut yourself with it and see how the blade reacts to blood.
One hand lifts the blade from the table, the sword oddly light despite it's size, and the other moves to grab the blade near the top. For a moment worries enter your mind, what if it really isn't magic and you're just slicing yourself with a rust covered medieval replica? What if it's cursed? In the end you push them all down, crushing the thoughts beneath your convictions and the fact that you had seen first hand how sturdy this blade is.
It is beyond the typical metal work you've seen, even a sledgehammer hitting it hadn't so much as dented the thing. Focusing on that thought you press your hand into the blade and slowly slide it up until the tip passes through your closed hand, drops of blood slowly dripping towards the floor.
At first nothing seems to happen, the blood slowly falling towards the floor drop by drop until it just... stops. Droplets of blood floating in front of you, or slowly lifting up from the floor to rush hurriedly at the longsword now rapidly shedding rust onto the floor. Soon all the rust is gone, a plain looking sword covered in what you instinctively know are bloodstains clutched in your left hand and the ornate characters upon the blade suddenly understandable.
Strigoi sabie hoit - Vampire Sword, Carrion. Oddly, that's all the blade seems to tell you before falling silent once more leaving you to listen to the slow patter of your still bleeding hand dripping onto the floor. Placing it back onto the table, you rush to bind the wound you have made before returning to sit down in front of it. Perhaps it needs further testing, all you can really confirm now is it somehow consumes blood.
What exactly it does with that, or the other effects it have are still a mystery...
What do you do? [] Continue testing the longsword.
- [] Attempt to heat it up and see how it responds.
- [] Test the limits of the sword's durability as best you can by beating it with the heaviest, sturdiest item in your house!
- [] Examine the blade's sharpness, test it out on the other chair.
- [] Write-ins allowed.
[] Begin work on the job Marcus' gave you.
- [] Stake out the building this gang apparently uses as their base.
- [] Ask around to see what else you can find out about these gangsters.
- [] Find and confront one of the gang's members about repaying Marcus.
- [] Write-in.
[] Go purchase something...
- [] Write in for what you are looking to purchase.
[] Look for a new job, those medical bills won't pay themselves.
[] Now that you're home... plot the revenge you will wreck upon those who put you in this situation.
[] Write-in.
Personal Status:
Health - Bruised, Mending Bones, Multiple Recovering Lacerations
Stamina - Tired
Mental State - Rational
Reputation:
Fame/Infamy - Completely Unknown
Friends/Allies - All dead after being slaughtered by Cthulhu.
Rivals/Enemies - None that know of you.
Wealth:
Bank Balance - $530
Expenses - $800 a month
Debts - $40,000 Medical
Talents:
Skills - Martial Arts Technique (Beginner), Resilient
Holdings: Small Apartment in Gilligan Heights Residential Complex
Goals:
Revenge:Beacon (Superhero), Monstro (Supervillain), Hermes (God), Vlad Dracula (Legend), Cthulhu (Deep One), Cult of the Wave (Cultists)
Job: Deal with the thugs that broke into the Gilligan Heights Residential Complex and return the stolen cash to Marcus. ($0/$6000 returned, Thugs still potentially dangerous to Marcus' business | Time Limit: 3/3 Days left | Reward: $400, ???)
Adhoc vote count started by adwarf on Jul 8, 2019 at 10:06 PM, finished with 5 posts and 3 votes.
[x] Continue testing the longsword. - [x] Test sharpness: cut the pages of a magazine, gently test it with our fingernail to see if it bites in, stack some phone books and try cutting through those
You're pretty much always tired at the moment, continued exhaustion from the injuries you've suffered and and the general strain of moving about like that.
Sleeping can come later, this will only take a minute. Also, what are we expecting to happen if we heat it up?
[x] Continue testing the longsword
- [x] Test sharpness: cut the pages of a magazine, gently test it with our fingernail to see if it bites in, stack some phone books and try cutting through those
Last edited:
Prologue, Part Seven - Fairly Sharp, and Seemingly Permanently Cool
[x] Continue testing the longsword.
- [x] Attempt to heat it up and see how it responds.
- [x] Test sharpness: cut the pages of a magazine, gently test it with our fingernail to see if it bites in, stack some phone books and try cutting through those
It doesn't take you long to decide that continuing to test the sword is a pretty simple and quick choice to prepare for the future. Whether it be the job you've taken or your own plans for revenge, having a useful weapon will make the work far easier.
First things first, time to test it's sharpness! With that in mind you begin digging around your apartment to gather what few magazines you've gathered over the past few months and a single stained phone book that's about ten years out of date.
You pick the blade up from the table and slowly, gently, and incredibly cautiously bring the edge to one of your fingernails before slightly pressing against it. With such mild pressure it doesn't so much as scratch the surface of your nail which removes a weight from your chest almost immediately.
"Well, at least I don't have to worry about accidentally cutting an arm off because I move it too far, or something..."
With that done you turn and slash at the stacked magazines and phone book, the sword easily cutting through one or two magazines before stopping entirely. Raising it from the table you check the edge,
"Probably sharper than a kitchen knife, but nothing amazing really. What do you even do besides drink my blood? Well, let's move onto the next idea..."
Hefting the sword, you walk over to your stove and turn the largest eye on before placing the blade across it. Taking a step back you mutter,
"Not exactly a uh... elegant method, but not like I have much else to work off of."
It doesn't take you long to notice that even as the eye of the stove turns red hot the blade shows utterly no changes whatsoever. After ten minutes pass you raise the blade and begin holding your hand over the place where it had rested on the stove, no feeling of heat reaching you. Confused you quickly tap the surface of the sword, your hand jerking back at just how cold it is before reaching forward again to prod.
Staring at the sword, you find yourself increasingly amazed and slightly scared by the mystery sword as it's traits seem either harmless, or outright horrifying. You pause to imagine just how someone would react if the sword was left impaled in them before shuddering...
What do you do? [] Continue testing the longsword.
- [] Test the limits of the sword's durability as best you can by beating it with the heaviest, sturdiest item in your house!
- [] Write-ins allowed.
[] Begin work on the job Marcus' gave you.
- [] Stake out the building this gang apparently uses as their base.
- [] Ask around to see what else you can find out about these gangsters.
- [] Find and confront one of the gang's members about repaying Marcus.
- [] Write-in.
[] Go purchase something...
- [] Write in for what you are looking to purchase.
[] Look for a new job, those medical bills won't pay themselves.
[] Now that you're home... plot the revenge you will wreck upon those who put you in this situation.
[] Write-in.
Personal Status:
Health - Bruised, Mending Bones, Multiple Recovering Lacerations
Stamina - Tired
Mental State - Rational
Reputation:
Fame/Infamy - Completely Unknown
Friends/Allies - All dead after being slaughtered by Cthulhu.
Rivals/Enemies - None that know of you.
Wealth:
Bank Balance - $530
Expenses - $800 a month
Debts - $40,000 Medical
Talents:
Skills - Martial Arts Technique (Beginner), Resilient
Holdings: Small Apartment in Gilligan Heights Residential Complex
Goals:
Revenge:Beacon (Superhero), Monstro (Supervillain), Hermes (God), Vlad Dracula (Legend), Cthulhu (Deep One), Cult of the Wave (Cultists)
Job: Deal with the thugs that broke into the Gilligan Heights Residential Complex and return the stolen cash to Marcus. ($0/$6000 returned, Thugs still potentially dangerous to Marcus' business | Time Limit: 3/3 Days left | Reward: $400, ???)
[X] Continue testing the longsword.
- [X] Test the limits of the sword's durability as best you can by beating it with the heaviest, sturdiest item in your house!
- [X] Stab it into various material, such as wood and metal!
[X] Continue testing the longsword.
- [X] Test the limits of the sword's durability as best you can by beating it with the heaviest, sturdiest item in your house!
- [X] Stab it into various material, such as wood and metal!
[X] Continue testing the longsword.
- [X] Test the limits of the sword's durability as best you can by beating it with the heaviest, sturdiest item in your house!
- [X] Stab it into various material, such as wood and metal!
Prologue, Part Eight - An Incredibly Sturdy Sword and Pain
[X] Continue testing the longsword.
- [X] Test the limits of the sword's durability as best you can by beating it with the heaviest, sturdiest item in your house!
- [X] Stab it into various material, such as wood and metal!
You take a moment to scrutinize the sword, it's entire length has shed the layer of rust which previously covered it baring the incredibly plain looking sword for all to see. On it the only thing that truly draws any attention is the words carved into it's surface, they have long returned to their previous shape as writing in some language you don't understand. You raise a hand and stroke the stubble gathering on your face before placing the sword against the counter, so that it's blade lies diagonally , before going to find the heaviest cast iron pan you own.
Taking a deep breath and placing a foot on the tip of the blade, you feel a bit of hesitation. You'd seen the old man do it before, but it was quite a different feeling to test it's durability yourself. Still, it needed to be done to confirm and so you raise the pan up high before swinging it down against the blade at full force. The sheer sound of metal clattering echoes through the room as the sword gets knocked off to the side, your hand stinging a bit as the resistance you met when striking had crammed the pan that much harder into your palm. Throwing the pan aside, you pick up the sword and find it in perfect condition even after several minutes of examinations.
Not a dent, crack, or nick on the entire blade...
Shrugging, you turn to the next test. With the sword gripped tightly in your hands, you bring it hammering down on the pan you'd hammered it with sending sparks flying and the pan itself sliding across the floor from the force of it. A cursory glance reveals some minor nicks, but no real damage despite the force of the blow. Still, such physical activity has sent pain spiking through your sides, you quickly head over and collapse into your chair as you gasp for air while struggling to ignore the pain radiating in your sides.
A quick move of your arm sends the sword clattering onto the table beside the folder you'd been given, beads of sweat dripping down your face in the process. Gritting your teeth you grab the remote and flip the television on, some action moving immediately playing as the old thing statics into life again. You spend a few minutes watching the tv as your mind wanders...
What do you do? [] Continue testing the longsword.
- [] Write-ins allowed.
[] Begin work on the job Marcus' gave you.
- [] Stake out the building this gang apparently uses as their base.
- [] Ask around to see what else you can find out about these gangsters.
- [] Find and confront one of the gang's members about repaying Marcus.
- [] Write-in.
[] Go purchase something...
- [] Write in for what you are looking to purchase.
[] Look for a new job, those medical bills won't pay themselves.
[] Now that you're home... plot the revenge you will wreck upon those who put you in this situation.
[] Perhaps getting some sleep would be a good idea, you can continue your work in the morning.
[] Write-in.
Personal Status:
Health - Bruised, Mending Bones, Multiple Recovering Lacerations
Stamina - Very Tired
Mental State - Rational, Distracted by Pain
Reputation:
Fame/Infamy - Completely Unknown
Friends/Allies - All dead after being slaughtered by Cthulhu.
Rivals/Enemies - None that know of you.
Wealth:
Bank Balance - $530
Expenses - $800 a month
Debts - $40,000 Medical
Talents:
Skills - Martial Arts Technique (Beginner), Resilient
Traits - Lucky
Possessions:
Items: Longsword (Vampire Sword 'Carrion', Decently Sharp, Very Sturdy (Can survive direct, full force blows from sledgehammers and cast iron pans) Always Cold (?), ???), Cheap Phone, Debit Card, Marcus' Information Folder
Holdings: Small Apartment in Gilligan Heights Residential Complex
Goals:
Revenge:Beacon (Superhero), Monstro (Supervillain), Hermes (God), Vlad Dracula (Legend), Cthulhu (Deep One), Cult of the Wave (Cultists)
Job: Deal with the thugs that broke into the Gilligan Heights Residential Complex and return the stolen cash to Marcus. ($0/$6000 returned, Thugs still potentially dangerous to Marcus' business | Time Limit: 3/3 Days left | Reward: $400, ???)
[X] Begin work on the job Marcus' gave you.
-[X] Stake out the building this gang apparently uses as their base
-[X] Bring the sword in case you need to chop a fool
[X] Begin work on the job Marcus' gave you.
-[X] Stake out the building this gang apparently uses as their base
-[X] Bring the sword in case you need to chop a fool
[X] Begin work on the job Marcus' gave you.
-[X] Stake out the building this gang apparently uses as their base
-[X] Bring the sword in case you need to chop a fool
