Worm of Darkness(WoD/Worm) Snips

[VirtualFox]

Just a thoughts of a Baali using the Fallen as cover on an intrepid Salubri trying to root him out.
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The Fallen are probably the best thing, that happened for us here in the blessed US of A. These Endbringer fanatics gave us an in and a shield against our fellows. Slowly peeling prospects from the various families and sects into our nests slowly blending the mythos of the nay unstoppable Endbringers into being heralds for 'other' patrons, and hiding us from those who don't understand.

Heh.

The Soulsuckers and Sneaks that are still around in these final nights, seem to always miss my nests as they go after my brothers and sisters who haven't been as smart to embrace this new wonderful cover. Though there is one exception; Lil' Miss Summers. I know that's not her real name, but calling her that riles the bitch up something fierce. but heck; she's a short blonde ex-cheerleader, the Aleph show and movie gave me the joke easily. Only real differences are that the blonde pain in my ass has 3 eyes and is dead like me.

I don't know how she found out about us scattered throughout the Fallen, but she has. Done just enough to be a thorn in my side, but not enough that I can ask Mama Mathers or the Crowleys if I can 'borrow' a few of their heavy hitters to drag her ass into the daylight. I will admit I've been lax in recruiting more 'directly confrontational' members into the nest and into my web. True believers in the end of all yes, able to stand up to someone who has clearly been taking lessons from our ancient enemies...unfortunately not.

I've lost 4 children and my second Mathias has lost at least a score to the blonde spitfire, plus denied resources and thralls. She's definitely been infuriatingly effective in the last 5 years of trying to root me out. But while my 'family' looses the material, she almost always manages to alert other cells of the Fallen to claim the material before my people get there! And if they can't get there, the cops or feds do! It's infuriating!

I've even resorted to filing a report on her with the PRT as a Parahuman using CCTV from one nest she destroyed, showing her cleaving through all the thralls in the house with that damn sword of hers. They know it was a Fallen meeting spot, so they think they're dealing with a Brute/Mover who lost family in an Endbringer attack and taking it out on the Fallen since she can't do anything about the Endbringers directly.

But even with that she never made the news. Too many people playing politics with her actions, so my attempts to stymie her that way didn't bear as much fruit as I'd hoped.

Maybe its time to set trap with appropriate bait....she had extended family when she was a mortal, cousins in Brockton Bay. A Carol and Sarah...something. I'll have to do more research.

 

[KJakker]

I would like to read a continuation of "BB has a Ghost of a chance" and "Fall of Glory Girl." Those two story lines to me could do with the same kind of expansion as "Amizce" has gotten.

 

[VirtualFox]

I would like to read a continuation of "BB has a Ghost of a chance" and "Fall of Glory Girl." Those two story lines to me could do with the same kind of expansion as "Amizce" has gotten.

Click to shrink...

I've tried to get more 'Ghost of chance' going, but I keep stalling out on it. I'm trying to mentally come up with the state of the Shadowlands of Brockton Bay. With the other WoD's the blending of parahuman/supernatural has felt natural. Thinking on the impact of parahumans on the shadowlands has stymied me a bit.

'Fall of Glory Girl' is in limbo because I don't know where I want to go with it. I know I want it to be more school of hard knocks vs Amizce's more 'direct' mentors. And wrestling how does Vicky hide herself in her new state? Amy is slowly learning fleshcrafting, so she can be anyone she wants to be; Vicky on the other hand is fairly unforgettable as is and only has the Brujah trio and possibly Fortitude or Dominate. So I'm still puzzling that out and how she'd react to having to not be 'her' in the public eye.

 

[VirtualFox]

I know I haven't touched my WoD/Worm matters for a while, been really focused on 'Bladesinger' but a Bonegnawer Kin Mage wanted to interact with Rachel 'Raging Bitch' of the Bonegnawers
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Rachel didn't want to make this call but Brian, no Grue in costume, needed medical attention badly. That so-called Shadow Stalker, phased a shot through his gut and the only reason he hasn't bled out was the crossbow bolt stayed lodged in him. She dials a number she never wanted to call due to this line of work.

*Click* "Hey RB, what's up?"

"I have a friend that needs your help bug boy."

A short pause, "Related to your line of work?"

"Yeah, he got hit with something bad. I wouldn't be calling if it wasn't an emergency."

"I know." Low mumbling and soft clatters hit her sensitive ears through the phone. "I'll be there in ten minutes with my special gear. Rat and Roach both want him alive a little while longer."

"Anything I should do?"

"Leave a few offerings out RB."

"Thanks BB." *Click*

Hurrying back inside, she runs up into the loft area watching Lisa and Alec as they try to keep Brian comfortable. "Got a 'specialist' coming in. Strange but good."

Lisa looks at Rachel and tilts her head, "Family?"

"Very distant cousin. Paramedic."

Grue hisses out through clenched teeth, "I don't think a paramedic will help, I need a doctor."

Lisa interjects, "Special like you Rachel?"

"No, different."

Alec joins in, "So what should we do?"

"Grab a few bits of left-overs, leave them in a few corners downstairs and little bits on the floor up here."

"Why?"

"Just do it!" Rachel growls out as her fangs lengthen, causing Alec and Rachel to hurry to do what she demanded. "If you see rats or roaches, don't touch them!"

"They're special to this paramedic, they help 'fuel' him." Lisa dazed response as she tries to process the information as Rachel nods in agreement.

Ten minutes fly by as Rachel waits down at the doorway, one blink and a dark form starts walking down the street towards her. Short black hair, sun drenched brown skin under a black jacket and white tank top, the strap of a backpack visible on one shoulder.

"Hello Raging Bitch." His voice far more gravelly than his form would imply, if it wasn't for the jagged line along his throat.

"Thank you for your assistance Eric." She bows her head slightly before open the door into the warehouse. The brief trip into the loft silent.

Lisa and Alec look at the man Rachel has called to assist their friend, unimpressed. Eric just looks at both of them and shrugs as he moves towards Brian on the couch. "So, here's my patient." Setting his bag down next to the couch. Reaching behind the injured young man, he touches the broad head of the bolt before bringing his now red fingers up to his nose sniffing. "Shellfish. Anti-coagulant, good job keeping it in. We'll have that out of you in no time, but first need to get ready." Standing up he wipes his bloody fingers on his jeans, before looking at the others in the room. "Unless you wish to participate and share the cost of healing, I suggest you leave now."

"Cost, what cost?" Lisa speaks up as the wheels try to turn in her head.

"Every action has a reaction or a cost. Healing is no different." Eric glances towards Rachel, "She's already volunteered to pay the price when she called me. If you wish to share the cost with her, stay. If not, begone till she calls for you."

"You don't want to pay Tats, Regent." Rachel stares at the two, "Grue will be fine and I can bare the cost more easily than the two of you."

Lisa starts to wince as the information starts to overwhelm her, "Grue will be safe?"

"You have my word." Eric interjects before Rachel can speak.

"Come on Regent, let's get out of here before I get an aneurysm from Eric." Guiding the Ren faire themed teen out of the loft as Eric pulls out a smartphone and speakers from his backpack.

"Help Grue to his knees Raging Bitch," Eric points to a spot in front of the couch, "facing towards the television." Eric pushes the coffee table off to the side clearing the space between couch and the television before fiddling with his smartphone allowing a slow steady drumbeat to fill the room.

"You sure this is going to help?"

"It will help Grue, I promise you that." Eric then looks over at Rachel, "Be ready on the other side." Looking back at Grue, "I know this will feel uncomfortable at first, but the pain is part of the price for healing. Breathe with me. Breathe with the sounds of the drums. Breathe in with the sounds of the universe. Breathe out the pain of your body. Breathe in your desire for healing.

Grue's breathing slowly slides into synch with the drumbeats, every breath outwards, the pain slowly lessening…and then blackness.

The next time Grue opens his eyes, he sees Rachel when what she calls her 'War form' 8 feet of fur, muscles, teeth, and claws. Eric the same as he was when he entered the loft, but his eyes the multifaceted of insects unnerving him. and himself naked with a hole in his belly, but no bleeding.

"What's going on?!?!?"

"Welcome to Umbra, Grue of the Undersiders. We're here to plead your case to the spirits for healing." Eric's calm voice underlayed by a droning buzz of insects.

"Spirits, what?" Grue's confusion evident.

"Think vision quest." Rachels words growled out. "Pass heal, fail don't."

"Except Rachel has offered herself up to the spirits to pay the cost if the spirits find you unworthy of aid, Grue. Be glad, you have such a loyal friend and packmate. Now speak you tale Grue of the Undersiders," As Eric waves his hand around, Grue sees a variety of animals; rats, wolves, various birds, felines, and many other animals he can't recognize," Speak Grue and be judged."

So Grue does. He speaks of a hard-working but absentee father and drug addicted mother. He speaks of an annoying little sister he is willing to do anything for to avoid their parents' fates or his own path. He speaks of his time with the Undersiders, the fight with Shadow Stalker that brought him here. Even if he wanted to hold anything back, the seriousness in the air keeps him speaking. If he is not found worthy, a teammate will pay the price for his recovery; seeing these creatures, these spirits as Eric called them, he doesn't know what price will be levied on her if he is found lacking. The words eventually stop flowing and he stands quietly awaiting his fate.

A lone ragged wolf moves forward from the mass of animals and looks Grue straight in the eyes and howls. A howl of friendship and pack. Rachel's form seems to sag slightly as tension leaves her, she knows he's considered her packmate now. But that howl is slowly replaced by the chittering of rats and the droning of insects as the other animals depart.

"What's going on?"

"Your case has been pled, and I am able to guide spirits to heal you."

"No price?"

"No price to be paid by you, Grue. Or Raging Bitch for that matter."

"Will you have to pay a price?"

"Not quite, I just have to make sure that someone else receives their billing statement."

The tone and surety unsettles Grue, and distracts him from the squirming up his legs briefly, till he feels something enter the hole in his gut. One of the roaches. He moves to pull it out frantically, but Eric holds his arm, keeping him from doing so.

"I know it's weird but let them work."

Grue feels 'something' like the cockroaches are dissolving into him, replacing the missing material with his own as his awareness slowly fades.

Coming to on the couch, Brian bolts upright, clad in only his boxers his damaged costume draped over a near by chair. Looking down he sees the barest pinprick where the crossbow bolt had entered him, but on odd shaped scar around it. Rachel comes into the room from the bathroom, freshly showered with a stunned look at the mark on Brian's belly, before smiling an assured smile. She knows that symbol.

Pack

************

A few nights later while the Undersiders hunker down. Shadow Stalker looks for other prey, the gangs seem to have gone quiet. Could that asshole Grue finally be dead and the other gangs know she did it? Nah, there would have been far more chatter, but the stillness is unnerving. There have been a lot of stray dogs around these last few days. With Bitch and Hookwolf constantly fighting over stray dogs, it's unusual to see this many in an area, but along her route tonight she's seen at least ten different powerful looking mutts.

Without warning a sharp pain tears through her back, looking down it's a broadhead. Her broadhead.

Without thinking she clicks on her radio, "Help! Ward attacked, unknown assailant," Her words hissed out from behind clenched teeth.

"Bills come due Shadow Stalker," The droning buzz of insects cause the words to sound in the air, "your cause has been found lacking."

"Attacker still here! Send help!" Her words panicked as she shifts between physical and phased to communicate.

"What are you talking about Shadow Stalker?" The insect drone continues, "It's your bolt in your belly, have fun explaining it!" the buzzing of insects fades off leaving the sounds of coming sirens to fill the air.

Three blocks away, a dark-haired man steps out of a mirror into unused bathroom in a run-down building.
"Injury for Injury, balance is done and price is paid."

 

[VirtualFox]

An SI vampire needs to 'turn' Taylor to save the world
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I didn't have time for this. Getting dropped in the deep end and told I needed to be somewhere in an hour, without time to adjust, coiled the darkness within me. Both of who I am hate acting without a plan, but there was no time.

My eyes opened to the sound of a phone ringing. It wasn't my ringtone and even the ceiling above was unfamiliar yet familiar. Memories of decades of waking in this room clashing with my knowledge of never being there. I am Christopher, wait that's my middle name, Raines. Former lawyer, I've never practiced law, in 1910. I was a human, a vampire.

I tried to breathe deeply and felt the air fill my lungs and then let it out. No beating of my heart. I should be more panicked, but almost 200 years of being undead still the panic. I used logic to still the beast within and that chilled my emotions, lessons of both lives keeping me still.

Phone still ringing, looking at it, known 'seer' Daria Prince.

Dread coils around the Beast with chilling talons as I press 'accept'

"Hey Chrissy one and Chrissy two, or should that be Chrissy three since one plus two is three? Someone's taken a hacksaw to the threads keeping everything together! Not enough glue or rope or fabric to patch things up, means the whole fabric is going to be binned. Somehow, they've brought in a Taylor! Or is it a Tailor! No Matter, but tictock within an hour the Tailoring of Taylor will be useless and even the end times will be the time of the end!

*Click*

The words would have chilled me more if I wasn't already fighting dread. Looking through my memories more closely now that the words of the seer hit me. Brockton Bay, Domain of Ulric or Eric as he goes by in these nights, the one 'Anarch' city on the East Coast. Between him, his seneschal Mathew, myself and the sheer parahuman presence for the size of the city; the major factions left us alone for the most part. Only the occasional shovel head raid causing problems beyond the 'norm' for places like this.

Brocton Bay, Worm, Taylor! The words make sense, someone has screwed with fate. Probably a will-worker of some sort. 'Tailor of Taylor?' I look to the calendar, January 10th​ the locker, shit. Puling up Raines, now my phone, and browse through contacts. Good I have the number of one of the DWU lawyers, his family has been 'on retainer' for the last 60 years and I helped put his daughter through college for loyal service.

The call was quick. Mr. Hebert was in a panic, calling everyone to keep an eye out for his daughter. The janitor never found her, she's still there.

I have fourty-five minutes to get to Winslow, probably before it's to late to turn her. 'Tailoring Taylor,' she's probably going to be too far gone for medical treatment and only 'tailoring' her into one of us will give her a chance to still make a difference. Plugging the school into the GPS on my phone, twenty minute walk in my state and there is enough snow on the ground and accidents near by that it would be a forty minute drive.

Pulling up Eric's number and dialing as I put the headphones in.

*Click*" Hello, Mr. Raines, I am surprised you are calling this evening"

"An Emergency has come up, Ms. Prince just implied I need to take a childe within the hour."

"Out of all the kine here, you are the one I would not have expected to make such a request, Mr. Raines. On what grounds does she say you should?"

"To keep an Apocalypse from becoming Armageddon."

The silence looms as I finish dressing in a sweater and long-coat, pulling a grey beanie over my long hair.

"You have my permission. I too have found myself with childe, perhaps I might avail myself of your knowledge to aid in her education as well."

"I had not heard about your new childe."

"One of my wayward kin turned Amy Dallon because of her gifts and did so without my permission."

"So, you have taken the young one as your own."

"She did not break the Tradition."

"Indeed, thank you again for granting me this boon, my lord."

"You are welcome old friend." *click*

When the conversation finished, I pushed a of my essence into my legs, speeding my hustle to the school. Unfortunately, E88 and the Merchants decided they wanted to brawl in an intersection in my way. I did not have time to stop, and no matter what I did, they would know I was here. I had not even looked into my history to know what I could do, I was versatile. Blood Magics of various sorts, but that would take time. My Clan's blessing would have to do. Feeling the dark extensions growing off me, the odd feeling of my body phasing in and out: I rush through crowd, keeping the straightest line towards the school. Several of the gangers fall to the ground, clutching their throats as I pass by, stunning the lot as I move deeper into the night.

The school itself was quiet at my arrival, a busted door let me in, my nose smelling the rankness of where Taylor Hebert still lay. Getting to her locker was easy, follow the stench. Yanking off the lock even more so.

The young woman on the ground covered in filth was in really bad shape. Her heart barely beating, chest barely rising. But her face, the left side of her face had started to become a chew toy for all the bugs. Possibly due to her screaming to 'make it stop,' and the bugs trying to kill her. Touching her cheek with a few mumbled runes before bringing the now bloody fingers to my lips. I tasted all the toxins that were now in her bloodstream, the damn seer was right. Taylor would not survive this, especially now that Panacea was one with the night.

"Sorry, young Taylor, but I can't let you sleep yet." My fangs extend as I expose her neck.

"We need to save the world." My fangs pierce the right side of her neck, drawing all the tainted blood from her, her heart stopping as the last drop leaves her.

Slashing my wrist on my fang, before opening her mouth and letting my essence hit her tongue.

"Forgive me."

 

[Prince Charon]

Ooh, boy. That's going to be different. Lasombra?

 

[VirtualFox]

Ooh, boy. That's going to be different. Lasombra?

Click to shrink...

Antitribu, but yes.

 

[VirtualFox]

Here's more of the SI in the next installment of 'Worm of Darkness!'
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Getting Taylor back to the apartment complex I owned was easy enough, the streets were once again dead in the cold and strains from the locker and her Embrace, meant she was out cold in my arms. The gang fight I'd rushed through to get to Winslow had petered out or moved on. The quiet steady trudging gave me time to think.

I had just turned Taylor Hebert. I've been here for little more than an hour and I have already blown everything up….

But had I?

Ms. Prince's words that everything had already been turned on its head and this course of action might keep things from oblivion…'the end times' and being 'the time of the end' or as I put it to Ulric an Apocalypse instead of Armageddon. Taylor Hebert's fate was to be the lynchpin that kept Golden Morning from wiping out the Earth, and someone or something had changed that before I Embraced her.

Too many potential suspects and motives, but most likely a mage. The fact that I was now Christopher Raines, lends credence to the fact that it was a mage and reality did not care for being twisted in such a way.

She was not going to be able to save the world in the way she did before; neither she nor Panacea were parahumans now. No Khepri. We are going to need a new plan.

Finally arriving at the complex, using a side door to enter the building, but instead of going up; I take Taylor into a 'supply closet' that actually opens up into my haven below the building. I have a few apartments set aside for me and others who need bolt holes upstairs, but this was my domain. Quiet and spacious, but also harder to leave without knowing how. And I would need that till Taylor understands her new nature at the very least.

Cleaning her and burning the biohazard that was her clothes was easy, but the scarring on her face was beyond my help. Putting her in some of track shorts and a t-shirt that I wore when Mathew would come over to both study and keep our physical skills sharp, and they slightly swallow the tall girl, nearly swimming in them thanks to my shoulders being wider and me having a few inches on her. I'll need to order her clothes, but that can wait till after she wakes and I show her the nature of her reality. Placing her on the bed and then taking a seat in my reading chair, picking up the treatise on Parahuman impact on international relations that Raines had been reading before I became him

Hours pass quietly as I read the familiar of politics mingled with the unfamiliarity of parahumans is enough to help me settle. I know I need a plan and that will require research, but there will be time for that in the coming days.

I start to drift into the memories of Raines. I am a 'failure' by the standards of all branches of my family, seemingly uninterested in squabbles for power. Respected for my academics and talents with blood magics, but even more a black sheep then most antitribu.

The last 'shovel head' rampage masked as the Teeth probing Brockton Bay for a return killed several members of law enforcement and the medical community that he had ghouled to help keep the Masquerade, Raines had enough of their foolishness and made a trip to Boston and used shadows to draw and quarter three 'cousins' to tell them to knock it off, before slipping back into the night. Ulric both approved and disapproved of Raine's actions, wishing he had given a public 'blessing' of the retaliation. I'm still 'bad blood' in their eyes, but they're far more wary about my direct prowess now.

Now that is interesting…Tal'Mahe'Ra…I've been to Enoch and studied Noddist lore as well as Lore of the Dark Mother. I came to Brockton Bay to serve as a 'boarding house' and information repository. Let our agents rest here in the living world, keep an eye out for Infernal activity, and become a 'known' scholar of Noddist lore, to give us more leads on lore that could lead us to the Antidiluvians…and be ready for their waking.

That should freak me out more than it does, but Mr. Raines scorched his heart to keep his Beast in check, and the cold logic drive of how he lives his unlife blends with my own nature almost too well. Cold and clinical, but if pushed to the breaking point, his explosions were impressive and well directed where mine just caught everyone in the blast radius.

My thoughts grow sluggish as the pull of dawn starts to drag me down into slumber.

I hope I wake before she does. These next few days will not be easy.

 

[VirtualFox]

A Wild Worm of Darkness snip appears!
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Lisa knew she was in trouble. It wasn't the metaphorical gun Coil has to back of head. Not the small team of suits with laser pistols that tried to grab her an hour earlier. It was the plain looking young man in shades and a casual suit sitting across from her in the diner that was filling her with dread.

Even knowing the dangers of being along at night, Lisa had felt a strong need to get away from the Undersider's warehouse. She'd been reading a few articles on the various companies of the Bay, starting to profile them when she just needed to go. Put on a jacket to deal with the cool night and just left. Three blocks away she noticed them, van and four people on foot trying to be inconspicuous but to her power absolutely blatant. Pieces fell into place; an article had Mastered her to just leave a safe space and expose herself and this team was here to make her disappear. That realization sent her running through the streets near blindly. Footfalls and the squeal of the van tires echoing loudly in the quiet.

They were going to win. That thought blatant in her mind, slowing her down even as she tried to keep going. They were relentless and ever present, then she turned down an alley and stumbled on to another element of this world she'd been slowly grappling with.

Ever since Coil sent her to Eric to deliver a message in person and have a dead Panacea open the door, she'd started piecing together that the world was far more complex than just parahumans and humanity. A little after that she'd soft sold Rachel or as she went in wolf form 'Raging Bitch' into joining the Undersiders, she had pieced tighter that some of the stories about things that go bump in the night were real. At least vampires, ghosts, and were's were. When she pressed Rachel on what she knew. Rachel just shook her head and told her to stop digging; to treat it like the unwritten rules for capes and don't go looking for more.

But she had to know more, its who she is. And that's what let her know she'd stumbled onto a vampire feeding in the alley, mouth clamped on the neck of a muscle-bound skinhead that had been forced to his knees. The sight drew her up short, just as the team after her came from both sides of the alley to block it off, weird silver pistols probably tinkertech in hand.

It all became a blur at that point. The vampire in the shape of a young man, stepping away from his meal as it collapses to the floor and noticed the suits with a look of casual distate. Two of them dead before anyone can blink as she dives to hide behind a trash bin. Flashes of Blue light and a cry of "RD! RD!" before a strangled cry and crack still the voice. Broken neck from hand squeezing around the… She silences her power as it seems to almost gleefully tell her how these people are dying.

The last suit went flying past, thrown across the alley, but what catches her and her power's attention is what his ripped shirt and jacket reveal. Metal bones, enhanced musculature of synthetic and organic make and a…the suits hand splits and a blast of energy is sent towards the one that had so casually decimated the rest of the team.

And then the black flame came. She did not see it created, but she saw it hit the suit and watched it turn him to dust, felt the scream as if the person was being immolated on a spiritual level. And then silence.

"Come on out blondie, I promise I did not just tear apart a hit team just to do what they were trying to do to you." The voice sounds casual and almost bored, but her power seems to confirm what the vampire says.

Staggering up still shaken and catching her breath Lisa takes a better look at her savior. Short black hair and finely trimmed goatee, his suit rumpled but completely intact. His next words freeze her completely.

"I recognize you; you hang out with that group down in the warehouse district. The blonde know-it-all." Shaking his head with a wry grin, "You're the type to go poking around where you're not wanted and picked up a few admirers from the look of it." He pauses and lets his dark eyes bore right through hers. "Would you like to know how deep the rabbit hole goes? To know exactly how messed up our wonderful world is?" His tone taking on the air of sinister promise, "To know exactly how thin the razor's edge we all dance on is?" He holds out a hand palm upwards.

She wants to say no and they both know it, but they both also know what her answer will be.

And it is that answer that lands them in a small twenty-four hour diner a quiet booth and a small cup of coffee in her hands.

"Why did you save me?"

"You were there."

Her snort of disbelief brings a small smile to the vampire's face. "No, really. The universe and I have an agreement; It doesn't mess with me and I don't go looking for trouble. If you'd been one street, one block over you'd be in their hands or dead. Instead, the universe decided to have trouble run right into me when I choose to go out to eat."

"How deep does the rabbit hole go?"

"The world is going to end."

"I could have told you that with the Endbringers, S-class threats, and civilization slowly unraveling at the seams."

"There are beings far far worse, than the simple Endbringers miss teller of tales."

He pauses and looks at her intently. She knows what he wants, and again she doesn't want to give it to him. But her power and everything about him is screaming absolutely telling the truth. Instead, she deflects.

"All on your side of the world try to keep everything buried and quiet and send teams like that group after me. Why tell me anything?"

"The same reason I do anything, because I can. Knowing more is not going to move you any higher on most groups capture or kill list. And on top of that you my dear intrigue me, like attracts like after all."

"What does that mean?"

"You're a seeker of knowledge, like I am. We might have different goals and methods, but we want and need information." His next words are an almost unintelligible cacophony of languages.

"What was that for?"

"How many languages did I use just then?"

"Six I think."

"What brings you to that conclusion?"

"Your cadence, I don't speak other languages."

"I know, and you're almost right it was seven."

"A test?"

"Existence is a test Ms. Willborne. Some pass, some fail, and some try to burn the school down."

"Those are the type of threats you mentioned earlier." He nods at Lisa's declaration.

"Indeed. To the were's its those who worship spiritualized destructive entropy. To other's its the ancient beings of old once held fast by bindings of pure faith, sacrifice and will."

Bile rising in her throat, "And to you?"

"It's both and neither. Words and Names have power and at the same time they don't. Does it really matter if it's servants of the Feral's Wyrm spirit or the Earthbound leftovers of Lucifer's Host that bring about the end of creation and welcome oblivion to this mad world."

"I guess not." Her words more firm than her shaking body should allow as she looks him in the eye. "Speaking of names, and how you know mine would you tell me your so I stop just calling you vampire in my head."

He tsk's gently, "What did I just say about Names having power? I haven't called you your third name have I?" She pales again as he continues, "But for the sake of our communication, you can call me…Judas."

 

[Brother Mouse]

Did Tattletale just meet a Mage? Or a friggin Nephandus?

 

[VirtualFox]

Did Tattletale just meet a Mage? Or a friggin Nephandus?

Click to shrink...

Not Quite....
A Reluctant member of a very loathed bloodline that practices a very unusual moral framework, but he himself practices a very different and unusual moral framework from his fellows.

 

[Brother Mouse]

Not Quite....
A Reluctant member of a very loathed bloodline that practices a very unusual moral framework, but he himself practices a very different and unusual moral framework from his fellows.

Click to shrink...

Ah! Wait. Bloodline. As in a Vanpire? I'm a littoe lost.

 

[VirtualFox]

Baali vampire, but not following one of their normal roads or just being low humanity.

 

[Brother Mouse]

Baali vampire, but not following one of their normal roads or just being low humanity.

Click to shrink...

Oh...

Well shit. Forgot about them.

 

[VirtualFox]

Oh...

Well shit. Forgot about them.

Click to shrink...

And that's the way they like it

 

[KJakker]

Fun to see another snip. I found a spelling error below. "know" in place of "no".

She wants to say know and they both know it, but they both also know what her answer will be.

Click to shrink...

 

[VirtualFox]

Fun to see another snip. I found a spelling error below. "know" in place of "no".

Click to shrink...

Someone used Data sphere because I can't find it

 

[VirtualFox]

The Amizce and SI universes where always merged and this kind of revelation chapter would fit the mess
*****************************
This was big. Was the first thought in Amy's brain when she saw who Master Eric's 'guests' where; Mathew his right-hand, seneschal, and enforcer, 'Judas' a vampire that always made her feel greasy being in the room with too long, and Christopher Raines with his childe, Taylor. A young teenaged girl like herself, thrown into the deep end of unlife and supernatural. They were an unsettling duo; him with soulless black eyes and her with scars, tears and pockmarks along the left side of her face.

Amy had wanted to rail and rave at Mr. Raines for bringing another teenager like herself into this unlife and had let Taylor know as such. It was then she found out about why Taylor's face looked the way it did, having been trapped in a locker of refuse and blood and filth. She would have died completely if her Sire hadn't turned her. And in that moment also revealed something to her that Amy absolutely understood. She felt more in control of who she was and her options than she ever did while alive. It was also illuminating how different yet similar her 'adopted' Sire and Taylor's methods were. Both never lied to their charges which was surprisingly refreshing for the two teenagers, and when they told no they were given reasons why. But where Lord Ulric was hands off in actually teaching Amy how to be a vampire and how to master her gifts, Mr. Raines was very hands on with Taylor. As Taylor put it to her, "He says that learning our ways involves a lot of trial and error, but if it can be other people's errors you learn from it's better."

When she had asked Lord Ulric about that, he understood the sentiment but resumed his distant teaching reminding her that he had no skill with the reason she had been turned in the first place and that skill was something she must master alone.

It was one of those expiremental sessions in shaping a cadaver that this meeting had interrupted.

Mr. Raines guided Taylor to a seat near Amy so the two of them could see the three older vampire without strain, before heading to the front of the room.

"Lord Ulric," he looks at Taylor before pacing in front of the two of younglings, "also known as Master or Prince Eric to many of the younger ones who pass through here, would normally have requested this 'lesson' never happen while you both are still under the protections of your Sires,' but the world is changing rapidly and the two of you especially being of the night now is proof of it."

"What do you mean, Mr. Raines?" Taylor's voice steady despite the grip Amy can see on the armrests.

Mathew speaks up from the corner he's leaning against, his normal smirk unusually serious, "It will come clear by the end missy, I was against this conversation as well…till Daria Prince talked my ear off for an hour."

Amy knows that name, a Malkavian from what Mathew and Master said one of the crazier of the clan, but also one of the most insightful. "Some grade A mystical tier fuckery is going on," Mathew continues, "and a lot of it is centered on you two."

"On us?" Amy waves a hand between Taylor and herself, "Why?"

Judas' smooth voice resonates from where he sits off to the side, "The two of you are or at least were potentially very important to keeping this world going while you were alive and now that you're not," his pause filled with regret and hope, "it's more likely the world is doomed."

Amy's snorting chuckling gasp fills the room, "Pull the other one, it's got bells on. Two teenage girls save the world? From what?!?!"

"I wouldn't sell yourself short former Ms. Dallon, the level of biokinesis you had control of could have changed the world." The cold frankness of Mr. Raines words echoing his black eyes as she rocks back stunned, "I have several contacts in the hospital system so I've read the reports. The only way your healing would be that good and get the eyes of a jealous Tzimicse, would be biological manipulation on a grand scale. And to heal on such a grand scale, you'd also need to be able to harm on that grand scale." Pausing some to let his words sink in before continuing, "Your self-control to limit yourself to healing even with all the stressors you were under is to be commended." Amy glances at Taylor and sees the eyes trying to pull her pain away.

"And what of me?" Taylor asks quickly and Amy can see the ploy for what it is but she is grateful. "You said it was both of us, so how?"

"What's your part in this scheme, crazy as it sounds."

She nods.

"Those bugs that chewed your face were answering your call to 'make it stop.' What do you think that means for your powers?"

"So, Amy made Monster bugs for me to control and we destroyed an Endbringer or three?"

The snorts and chuckles from around the room bring a worn smile to Amy's lips.

"Not quite, she screws with your coronas."

That brings Amy's head up fully, "What, why, how?!?!?"

Judas smirks, "Can we get who and when too? Those are always fun."

Even in their blackness Amy and Taylor can feel the eyeroll from Mr. Raines. "We already had those," points at the two young vampires, "who is them and when can never happen now."

Taylor then chimes in her body tense, "You speak like this has already happened yet we're vampire and not parahumans anymore, what's going on?"

"Because it has happened in infinite timelines." Mr Raines steady voice bringing the two, "just as in an infinite amount of timelines we are destroyed. The three of us were planning on easing these concepts to you, but contacts amongst various seers and mystics agree we were supposed to be one of the infinite survivors of the foe you would have vanquished. But because," Raines waves a hand at Amy, "a sculptor got jealous," and then Taylor, "and a janitor failed to do their jobs…." His voice trails off.

Taylor answers almost by rote, "we are left to pick up the pieces in the only way we know how."

 

[VirtualFox]

In which an SI realizes how ill equipped he is
*******************
I'm either too old for this, not old enough. This was supposed to be a simple task; take Amy and Taylor to the Boardwalk so they have some quiet to process everything I had just dumped on them. Not a four-way fight between us, E88's favorite reusable juice box and goons, BBPD, and Assault and Battery.

Don't know what started it, we were almost back to the car when the gunfire broke out just off the Boardwalk outside its 'security zone' but at this time of night that probably wouldn't matter much anyway. The hero capes must have already been in the area and passed us as they walked by. And in that moment I realized we'd forgotten something; Amy hadn't disguised herself before we left.

Fuck.

"Stop right there, and step away from teens!"

Tilting my head so that Amy and Taylor can see my lips, "head to the safe space. I'll be along shortly."

"Ms. Dallon step away from the man and come over here."

Amy's next words bring the two capes up short, "I don't see a Dallon here." She and Taylor start to move off away from me and the heroes. Assault starts to move to intercept, and trips…his legs coiled in shadow. "What I can't, move!" *urk* a tentacle moves to muzzle the irreverent hero.

"PRT this Battery unknown cape in control of.,"

*Crack* the side of her visor with the communication gear cracks from the impact of shadow against it. Staggering right into two other tentacles to lift her up off the ground, constantly moving her arms, as she tries to regain her senses from the blow to her head.

"I am dreadfully sorry you two, but you appear to have stumbled into something you shouldn't have. Sleep." The two of them sag in their restraints.

That had been anti-climactic, but when you know the basics of what your opponent can do, and you can counter them…

"FUCK YOURSELF, NAZI BASTARD!"

That was Taylor, Dominate was her easiest….oh….

I think my childe just pulled a Canary. Time to finish with the memories of these two and go see what happened.

What had happened was apparently a bloodbath, BBPD and Skinheads everywhere. Shot, stabbed, eviscerated…all except for one pale form trying to run.

"Stop." Taylor's firm voice halts the fleeing man and before he can react, Amy is on him fangs piercing his neck…

Two seconds later he's up and running again, and this time Amy dashes forward and slashes him ith long spindly fingers, pouring his guts into the street as Taylor steps up and drinks from him.

"That's enough girls." My calm voice causing the two to still and look at me, a mixture of pride and shame on their faces, as I grab the reborn Alabaster by the throat and hold him in the air off to the side.

Amy tries to offer a formal bow, "I am sorry I got your childe into this, I chose this path and Alabaster tried to take us hostage as BBPD showed up. Someone shot me and I lost control."

"You and my ward are on hair triggers already, it is okay. Time for a quick word with our Nazi friend and then we'll be off."

My attention turns to the man in my grasp as I rack my memories to see if I have interacted with him before, I have. "Hello Alabaster, remember me." His eyes widen and if he could pale further he would have.

"I..f..if I'd known they were yours…I'd never gone near them! I swear!" Our memory tricks don't work on Alabaster with how his body resets…I had to get creative in showing him that it was in his best interest to not mess with things that go bump in the night.

"What will you tell Kaiser?"

"Drop went bad, very bad cops expected us and it all went to shit and everyone got wrecked by something."

"Good boy," patting his cheek with my free hand before throwing him into the side of a dumpster.

Words in various languages start flowing from my lips and orb of fire appears in my hands, "Time to go ladies, they move behind me as I backstep out of the alley before throwing the orb and causing the entire alley to go up, Alabaster's screams echoing with the crackle of the flame.

"Not quite the relaxation you wanted for us, was it Master?" Taylor's tone shaken yet wry as we move through the streets as the BBPD, PRT, and BBFD flood the area.

"Correct, but the fact the two of you turned Alabaster into a stress ball is to be commended."

"I'll talk to Lord Ulric and Mathew and see if we can find a better outdoor place for you to actually relax without stepping on others toes. But enough, lets get you both to my haven for a blood bag and clean up and we will go over everything that happened to improve your ability to handle situations in the future."

 

[VirtualFox]

When E88 tries to recruit the wrong 'parahuman'
***********************************************
Darren Tides didn't want to be here, but his bipolar luck brought him to this moment. His daughter had changed for the first time a week ago. Of that he couldn't be prouder, the fact that one of the ganger's remembered her change he was not. Two days ago she'd been given an ultimatum, show up at this particular warehouse at this time, or the E88 would finish the job they'd started on her friend and their family.

Only the fact he showed Jean that he was outside her weight class and would go in her stead, calmed his daughter. That and the promise of hands-on training that Darren never had at her age had help focus her in the moment, but they are a restless bunch.

The calls he made before showing up told him all he needed to know, this was one of Hookwolf's underground fighting ring haunts; to be his daughter's punishment and recruitment. The three punks at the door were guarded yet calm, Darren couldn't blame them; who in their right mind would interrupt or attack an event like this?

"Move along old man," the one actual skinhead of the group slowly moves towards Darren, calm and confident despite Darren's tall broad form and unhurried steps towards the group.

"I have business with your boss."

"Somehow I doubt that."

"Your boss wanted an innocent young girl to come here tonight," Darren's lips pull into a sardonic smile as his voice soft voice carries, "instead her father is here."

The one closest to the door picks up a walkie talkie and starts talking into it as Darren and the one closest to him tries to stare him down. Try being the key word, there are things far scarier in Brockton Bay than a skinhead bouncer.

"Sorry old man," the one in the back putting the radio down on an oil drum, "boss don't like it when people don't do what they're told." The three of them start to move to surround Darren as the speaker continues, "Maybe your daughter will listen better with you…urk!" Before the speaker can finish Darren is in his personal space, his fist in the young man's gut doubling him over around the worn hand.

"One." The word echoing in the stunned silence in the alley.

"Two." The skinhead has no time to react as Darren throws the first off his fist into him, sending them both into the wall with a sickening crunch.

"Three." A sudden kick to the gut doubles the last one over, followed by a backhand to the side of the head, dropping him to the floor.

Darren's steady footsteps into the shallow depths of the warehouse begin. Just inside the door is a vestibule, probably to check weapons. But Darren is the weapon, there is nothing to check.

"I told them out there," his eyes cold as looks at the pierced woman in the weapon check, "I'm only here to talk to your boss about my daughter." Her hand goes below the desk, and then back of her head explodes. Darren's bloody lip his only reaction to the death in front of him. He could just work his way through the rest of the warehouse, eventually Hookwolf would have to see him, but that wouldn't be efficient.

Instead, he pulls out a mirror.

"What's going on out there?!?!" The voice of an angry Brad Meadows echoes in the small office space in the warehouse.

"Our three front guys are critical, they need medical attention, and Susan is dead. Something hit her right between eyes through the cage and killed her." A static voice on the radio.

"Did the bitch's father do it!"

"Yes, I did."

Those words bring Brad Meadows, Hookwolf, up short and he turns to face the speaker. A tall broad-shouldered man, his skin tanned and cracked from years of outside work. Big hands that Meadow's can tell have done more than just toil, even a basic glance says this man's been blooded like he has. A simple pair of jeans, T-shirt stretched over his form and sturdy boots round him out.

"You threatened my daughter and her friends. I only wanted to tell you that that was a bad idea." Darren starts to pace in front of Hookwolf, slow and steady, the hackles on the back of the capes neck begin to rise. "I have too much to worry about to worry about silly ganger and cape games." Daren stops his pacing in front of cagebound cape, "So leave my family alone or you will not like the consequences."

"You do know you're fucking with the Empire right, we don't take kindly to threats, unless we're making them!" As the last word leaves Brad's lips his familiar transformation begins, turning him into a human blender as he lunges towards Darren, only to see the man grow, skin turn bluish white with a maw of teeth that could be a part of the blender rushing towards him. The thing's jaw opens wide and engulfs an appendage of blades, swallowing it whole, causing Hookwolf to reel back stunned, only for the monster to come forward and do it again, and again, each bite chomping away at his metal blades as if they were chips.

He starts to run only to stagger as the 'ting' of metal-on-metal hits the air. The monster was spitting his own blades at him! Hookwolf lunges for the door just as cricket opens it, his blades slashing her front and shrieking against her mask as he tries to roll off and away from whatever that 'thing' was.

'Ting' down the hallway.

'Ting' leap out the window.

Landing in a heap in a garbage bin, 'ting ting ting'

His transformation fades, leaving the stunned criminal in the bin as the monster casual lands next to him, slowly transforming back into the man he'd seen before.

"I told you that you wouldn't like the consequences. Leave my family out of this game of capes or far worse things may happen." With that Darren strolls unruffled away from the warehouse district with the slowly growing sound of sirens disrupting the chill air.

 

[Rakaziel]

Had not expected a wereshark in the Bay. Come to think of it, I wonder how many Get of Fenris (and Black Spiral Dancers) are Empire / Gesellschaft.

 

[VirtualFox]

Had not expected a wereshark in the Bay. Come to think of it, I wonder how many Get of Fenris (and Black Spiral Dancers) are Empire / Gesellschaft.

Click to shrink...

I've actually had a vision of a Homid Rokea 'successfully' straddling the line between surface and depths for a while and some how Darren took that vision and said he exists in BB.

The Get are connected with Gesellschaft in some fashion and there is a bit of a shadow war between them and the BSD for it(and Sabbat, Nephandi, etc.).

As for their presence in BB? Very small. The bulk of the city's Garou are Glass Walkers/Bonegnawers with a smattering of others.

Out of the various supernatural beings that use and embrace Norse symbology and elements; its actually the Changling House Aesin that has built and maintained a successful freehold for a very long time in the Bay. Kaiser's father tried to recruit 'Skald,' someone he thought was a parahuman storyteller. The unseelie Eshu had some fun with him before setting him back on his way, only the fact that the strands of Fate said he should still be around kept him from being redcap lunch.

 

[Rakaziel]

As for their presence in BB? Very small. The bulk of the city's Garou are Glass Walkers/Bonegnawers with a smattering of others.

Click to shrink...

I could easily see a shadow war between Bone Gnawers and formori within the Merchants - organically grown guerilla ganja vs industrial poison infested with banes for extra spice. And them having a few Changer/Brute "capes" would help explain how they survive in the Bay.

Glass Walkers could easily mimic being Tinkers or hacking-focused Thinkers (including the few kinfolk with Gnosis). They could even disguise their shapeshifting as Tinker functions, given that Glass Walker Crinos canonicially (in Rites of Renown) include stuff like glowing red eyes and electric blue fur.

 

[VirtualFox]

Considering that I keep trying to write Skids as a Nephandi...your thoughts are fairly close to accurate to Bonegnawers vs Merchants.

The Glasswalkers are in a three way fight with the E88 and Giovanni trying to keep a lid or at least appropriate funneling of weapons flowing through the bay(powerbrokers in New York and Boston have a habit of trying to get their stuff sent in through BB to cut down the odds of official inspection). And it's that war combined with the individual power of the main vampires in town(Lord Ulric is around 700 years, Christopher Raines more than a century, who knows with 'Judas') That keeps the Sabbat and Camarilla from having a full blown proxy wa

There are two Kuei-Jin circles and one Hengeyokai circle nominally connected with the ABB, but for the most part they're trying to keep kin safe after the sinking of Kyushu and probing for control of the cairns/dragon nests in the area, but out of the supernatural community they have the least direct impact on the bay.

The Traditions and Techies inBB have an informal Truce; too outnumbered and outgunned by every other power in the bay. Each does their own thing as long as they don't step on each other's toes and any information gleened about parahumanity is shared. Greg Veder is an Orphan with Cassandra's Curse, haven't fleshed out the rest of MtA community yet.

 

[Rakaziel]

Lung could be a Mokole (or a Marauder). Coil might know more about the supernatural than any other human in the Bay - and remember a hundred horrible deaths. At times longingly thinking back to Ellisburg, when things were simple. Depending on how deep into Norse traditions they managed to get, the E88 might have a few sorcerers (Rune would qualify, also as a Mage).

Mages as a whole might be somewhat happy with the Cape scene - put on a costume and you do not have to worry about Consensus, only enemy Capes.

The WtA Triat would also have a strong reaction to Capes. The Weaver would be apoplectic (as much as she is capable of Rage), the Wyrm would rejoice with every new city destroyed by the Endbringers (in turn leading to its servants sabotaging Endbringer fights and attempting to infiltrate the Fallen), and the Wyld might actually be recovering with the way human civilization is shrinking (to the point that Ratkin and Red Talons get more active).