Arbiters of Earth (Homebrew)

[WhovianBeast]

Current player limit of 5. 4 of 5 slots are filled.
Play-by-post. If you're here looking for good old-fashioned dice rolling and dungeon crawling, leave while you can.
Due to the restrictions of PBP, I feel free to leave players as dead weight and just drag them along, well, neutrally. I'm going to respond to each player as if they were in their own isolated world, even in the middle of a melee, unless you're directly cooperating or having a discussion with each other.

Example: Player A posts.
Player B posts.
DM responds to A and B.
Player A posts. 3 times
DM responds to player A 3 times without waiting for player B, but not having any enemies fighting player B take action against player B.

I make heavy use of the spoiler tags on this post for space purposes. There are no actual spoilers on this post.
There will be relatively little RNG in this game when compared to DnD or other games, and I'll tell you when I rolled for something so you can check. I’m not much of a stickler for role-playing, but it doesn’t hurt. Don’t be telling a PC things if they aren’t canonically in communication. There are now separate OOC/IC threads for this game!
Don't Panic.
Characters

Slot 1: Player


Slot 2Name: Ada Falke
Race: Human
Gender: Female
Height: 5'10
Age: 20
Build: Light build, fit for fast running. Rather above most humans in this.
Strength: 220 pounds max
Speed: 40 fps
Patron: Plague
Powers/Abilities:
Pestilence Sting
A retractable serrated blade in right wrist, up to inches long. Bone, but encased with a stainless steel blade. Upon injection into bloodstream, releases a paralyzing agent that renders the target catatonic for any time up to 4 hours. Can only be hastened via a healer. Can also be used to release a truth serum of dubious reliability or an extremely painful non-lethal neurotoxin.

Technopathy and Virus Injection
Distance: Contact (1), <1m (2), <5m (3), <15m (4), <40m (5)
CPUs: Any whole number.
Attention: Negligible(2), Low(3), Medium(5), High(6), Intense(8)

Attention required = Distance+CPUs controlled.
Negligible: Maintains normal awareness, can think critically, compose virus code, move and speak normally.

Low: Slightly lowered awareness, Trouble thinking critically. Can move and speak normally

Medium: Barely paying attention. Knows when spoken to. Trouble thinking critically. Retains basic movement, speech.

High: “zoned out”. Does not know when spoken to, cannot think critically, retains basic movement, lowered speech.

Intense: Only aware of injuries or very loud noises (or similar, like falling), cannot think critically, move or speak.
Additionally, without being in contact, she can only manipulate something's basic functions. For instance, she could cause a computer to turn off from afar, or designate a guardsman as an enemy for a turret.

This power extends into the 'viruses' front, too- you can't have virus injection without having some viruses! Via direct contact with a computer system- any part of it, as long as it's wired up- Ada can make viruses on the fly with a bit of concentration. This amount depends on how complex the system is. Time required to make a virus in minutes= floor[(e^(1.08x) -2.2x)/6c] where X is the sentience level of the system or firewall, e is the constant, and c is the level of concentration dedicated to it (must be decided at beginning of virus compilation).

You can also project your mind onto a turret or security camera to control it directly by entering intense concentration.

Can also assemble most technology as long as the pieces are there.

Psychic Haze: Difficult to interact with psychically unless concentration=Intense.
General immunity to most non-magical toxins and diseases.
Death resurrects you at a place of your choosing for a small bit of power. You must have been at that place before.
Channeling: Once every two weeks, can channel Plague by killing any human or speaking sentient creature with only your blade (no toxins). 'Channel' can be stored for 1 week, cooldown begins once channeling begins. Channel lasts for three days or until Plague is forced out, whichever is shorter.
Gear:
A small laptop, hard to track and trace. Custom-built.
A tranquilizer gun, 12 dart capacity, 1 dart replenishes every hour on the hour. Weak against armour, but only weighs 1 pound. Darts fly at 400 f/s.
Ring of Reduced Perception: People don't want to notice her.
Aging: Temporarily age somebody by up to 25 years. This expires as soon as you attempt it on somebody else or get farther than 100 yards.
Gray stone ring: Allows her to breathe underwater
Death Amulet: Feign death well enough to fool any human and the vast majority of vampires, while still retaining full consciousness of the area around you. Also protects you from three minor magical spells a day. Slightly alive.

Slot 3
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Height: 1.76m
Age: 23
Build: Lean and agile
Strength: 200 lbs max
Running speed: 20 fps
Patron: Athena
Powers:
Deductive prowess: High perception and logical abilities.
Inception - inserting ideas into peoples minds and making them think that they are their own.
Gear: Silenced pistol, Grappling hook
Shapeshift (3 seconds each way, silent) into any of 4 beings (basically anything "alive" with a physical form that can move on its own). You must have seen the being for at least 10 seconds each time you wish to set them as being able to shapeshift into. Once they are set, you can shapeshift into them without needing to seem them (until they are unset). You retain YOUR personal weight when shapeshifting, but your size is more manageable.

Being 1:
Being 2:
Being 3:
Being 4:
Slot 4Race: Vampire
Gender:Female
Height: 5'8"
Age: 85
Strength: 500 lbs
Speed: 27 f/s
Build: Lithe
Patron: Loki
Abilities:

She can copy a contained ability set or form of another creature by constant "contact" for six seconds. However, she can only hold onto two copied things from her target(s) at a time. If she initiates touching a stronger being than she runs the risk of them copying her powers.

To the informed her word is bonding. Her words can make supernatural promises out of the abstract. The more formal or serious the promise the more backlash the deal-breaker gets. A broken promise not to eat the left over tacos might leave her with ingestion while a slightly more serious promise could make her sick or blood starved. Written contracts, extremely formal deals, are only breakable by both parties agreeing the deal ends upon one or the others soul's destruction. Even still, just making a deal might invite some type of backlash by breaking some understood aspect of the way the world works.

Standard aged vampire stuff.

Top tier thief abilities.

Gear: Clothes. An umbrella (if it is raining) or extra clothes to protect her from nature. Rake and tension set (5 rakes, 5 tension tools). A high-powered custom phone filled with expensive hacker software. Wallet, cards, some cash, car keys.

Concept Elements
1) She is a 85 year old vampire. Originally from mexico, but her current portfolio is international.

2) Her unique powers were not hers originally. She encountered a dying bum. Someone she might have soon ignored if he wasn't bleeding everywhere. He spouted crazy about giving her his powers if she gave his last words and will to his estranged daughter.

3) She is a thief and trickster. Originally she had some goal. Become rich, gain more power. It turns out - those things are easy to come by with time. The true gift is excitement and pleasure. The thrill is its own reward.

4) She has her own sense of honor. She doesn't trick or feed on destitute targets. She tries to carry out the promise/deals she makes except for the flaws she purposefully puts in them. She tries to make sure she is tolerable in decent company.

5) She is a modern vampire. Adapt or die. She is caught up in the newest technology to a fault. She is some punk out in this future world.

Goals
1) Permanently deal herself a noteworthy ability.

2) Get rid of her vampire weakness without the backlash destroying her.

3) As a player I want my character to meet and learn about a lot of npcs. I enjoy interacting with npcs perhaps more than any other thing in tabletops.

Secrets
1) She has a soft spot for children. She never thought that crazy man would give her some supernatural power. She just wanted to help out some little kid. Her first deal ever struck was being incapable of harming actual children unless they are demonstrably and irrecoverably evil. A safeguard placed on her to protect the bum's daughter.

2) Unbeknownst to her she signed a deal & a forget clause into it. She has yet to find the clues that tell the truth/deal to her.

3) Gm Secret..

People
1) Partner Beatrix Ilsa - Sisters? If you want to call them that. Soon after Nieve was bitten she herself bit another. A friend of hers that she made after becoming a vampire. The two get along in an extremely friendly manner. If there was one person Nieve would put her neck on the line for it would be Beatrix. They are both youthful, energetic vampires that are caught up in this new modern age. They enjoy playing games and wasting away time doing childish fun.

2) Doctor Stephanie Steffi - The blood girl. The coroner. She is nice to have around for a nice quick fix. She has nice tasting blood. If Nieve is extremely desperate she'll act more professional and doctor-like and do what needs to be done to help a patient. In return Nieve gets to be the make a wish foundation. She uses her deal ability to help out Stephanie's patients with solid gold deals, one's she normally wouldn't give out.

3) Enemy Lorna Allie - Some bitch. Apparently Nieve's maker had some type of feud going on with another clan of vampires. Now, she's all caught up in it without ever really joining the fight. Apparently she is Allie's rival now and the two fight from time to time over what seems to be nothing. Nieve is too disrespectful to vampire culture apparently.

Memories, Mannerisms, or Quirks
1) Her lip's last gasp of air before her maker forced himself upon her.

2) Fishing on a rock soon after being bitten. Thinking as the sun burned her flesh whether she should stay till she burst or try to survive.

3) Using a computer for the first time. That was the stuff. Ilsa and her got right on that technology train right after that and promised never to become outdated.
Slot 5
Race: Human
Gender: M
Height: 6'6"
Age: 45
Build: Large & Muscular. Extremely Hairy
Strength: 950 pound maximum lift while human, 5000 pounds while WW
Speed: 25 feet per second while human. 60 feet per second while WW
Patron: Ferocus
Powers/Abilities:
Healing Factor: Slowly regenerates flesh wounds. Enhanced resistance to toxin and injury. While transforming to/from WW, heals all major injuries.
Werewolf:
Can transform at will. Can usually control himself, but he can be led feral by blood or magic. He runs the risk of hurting innocents or causing significant collateral damage while feral. Forced into werewolf form on full moons. Goes back to human at dawn on full moon nights. All other times, he transforms back after a couple hours of no violence or at choice. Transforming 1 way takes 7 seconds (silent). Claws and teeth can harm demons.
Can communicate with mammals. Does not run the risk of disease from eating raw meat. Can climb trees and certain walls with ease, but not ropes or chains. Claws allow you to cross, climb, or hang from any surface your claws could normally penetrate
Gear: Extremely elastic pants.
Leather belt, 4 feet long and 2 inches wide with an engraved silver clasp and holes along the entire length. Turns one object or creature to stone while wrapped around it. Creature/object returns to default state when released.
Double-bladed two handed battleaxe.One blade coated in iron, the other silver. Core of steel. Handle bursts into flames when handled by somebody other than Andras. 5 foot handle, 1 foot curved blades.

Welcome to Arbiters of Earth!

Summary of this world’s “theology”.

Three sides: Good, Neutral, Evil. Good is God, Archangels, Angels. Evil is Chaos, Archdemons, Demons. Neutral is Void, Cthulhu, Arbiters ("gods")
God, Chaos, and Void don;t participate, for fear of destroying the world.
Good is led by the Archangel Michael. Evil is led by the Archdemon Lucifer (http://tinyurl.com/AoELucifer) Neutral is in three groups, led by different Arbiters.
The Arbiters are usually denoted by cultures as "gods" (the Greek Olympians, for example). There are 12, divided into 3 groups. The bold is the leader. The Arbiters live in their own realm, and can only channel any large chunk of their power on Earth by choosing champions.
Thor (http://tinyurl.com/TFGThor): Lightning, Electricity
Boreas (http://tinyurl.com/TFGBoreas): Wind, Winter, Ice
Poseidon (http://tinyurl.com/TFGPoseidon): Water, Sea Creatures
Vulcan: (http://tinyurl.com/TFGVulcan)Fire, volcanoes, lava
Petran (tinyurl.com/AoEPetran): Earth, Stone, Plants
Death (http://tinyurl.com/DeathTFG):Death, wealth
Famine (http://tinyurl.com/TFGFamine): Famine, food, vampires
Plague (http://tinyurl.com/TFGPlague): Disease, technology
War (http://tinyurl.com/TFGWar): War and combat
Athena (http://tinyurl.com/TFGAthena): Knowledge, royalty
Ferocus (http://tinyurl.com/TFGFerocus): Lord of the Beasts
Loki (http://tinyurl.com/AoELoki):: Trickery, Thieves, Lies, Speed


If for some reason, you want your character to die, or you need to take a break, just let me know and I'll work it out. If you are gone for 1 week without notice, I’ll take control of your character while you’re gone. If you’re gone for 3 weeks without notice, your character becomes an NPC permanently. Giving notice is as simple as posting “Going to be inactive for X days/weeks”. Please realize that if you want to join this game, I expect you to be reasonably active.

Things You Didn’t Know You Needed to Know But Probably Should
Why can’t we choose Death as our patron?
Because PCs don’t get to have unlimited control over life and death. Only NPCs.

Is shapeshifting a convenient ability?
No. However, only a few champions are allowed to have it (Athena and Loki)

Why is Plague associated with technology?
Computer viruses. And he’d be a bit underpowered otherwise.

Why is Famine associated with vampires?
I vant to suck your blood.

Can my character be a furry (i.e. an anthropomorphic animal)?
No. Not even as Ferocus’ champion. It CAN be a radically altered human (think Hellboy).

Character “X” from your game looks like Character “Y” from Movie/Show/Comic/Book.
Glad you noticed.

Cthulhu?!?!
Yes. Cthulhu. You won’t be seeing him/it often (or at all if you’re smart)

What happens if my character dies?
If a champion (ANY champion) dies, they can be resurrected by Death at a small cost to their power. The first time this happens, it includes a brief visit to Heaven/Hell/Purgatory, as dictated by character actions/backstory. Death will not resurrect you if you are killed by being of far, FAR greater power than his (this currently includes God, Void, and Chaos)

Why only 5 players?
I’m not confident in my ability to provide a fun game experience for more than 5.

How is this alt-universe?
Most of the countries are still the same, but magic, vampires, angels, demons, etc exist. Oh, and most people don’t know they exist.

[WhovianBeast]

Spirits (including Arbiters) speak in colored bold if at least one character hearing it knows who is speaking. A name/names surrounded by hyphens means that it's from that character's POV.

----Ada----
One minute you're lying peacefully in your new apartment in Stuttgart, being lulled to sleep by gently chirping crickets. You close your eyes, and suddenly you're drifting into a void. Down and down you fall, farther and farther into the peaceful deep. A flash of blinding light, and the peaceful deep suddenly turns into a maelstrom of green, churning and roaring. You know you're still falling because the wind is pressing against your clothes, but the only sound you can hear is the omnipresent roar like turbulent water. After what seems like hours, a gray dot appears in the center of the vortex, both approaching with unimaginable speed. As the dot grows larger over the next few moments, you can see that it is a large smooth metal platform, mottled with green moss and about 20 feet on a side. You land hard, but are somehow uninjured despite the great fall. As you stand there, a large ridged form briefly surfaces and submerge, like that of a whale breaching. In that quick glimpse, you saw a pale white back trailed by tentacles, the skin clinging to what must have been ribs, but larger than any bones found by man. Seconds pass, and the white form lunges out of the deep. You are presented with the cadaverous upper body of what might once have been a man. Any legs he might have are hidden in the murk. His mouth opens and the roar stops, replaced by a low hissing. "I am Plague, master of disease and of all technology. You are Ada Falke, escaped test subject. I have rescued you from your puny life of misery, choosing you among all others to be my champion! If you accept, I have a task for you to complete. You must prove yourself worthy to be my champion. If you should decline, you shall surely die, alone and unwanted in the decrepit way you humans call 'living'. Think of it as a... 'trial run'."

[Linken]

Ada thought she was safe from anything that could get her in Stuttgart. A new life, a little bit of cheating the system, plus the added bonus of getting away from anything bad. Of course she was wrong, but she couldn't help but be curious as to what the hell's happening right now. Is this simply an extremely... well, for lack of a better word, 'trippy' lucid dream? Or something else entirely? Can't be real, right? She felt the wind drag against her clothing as she falls into the void, staring at it and getting just slightly panicky. Okay, really panicky. Let's be honest, if you're falling down, headfirst, into a place you've never seen before, well, you'd be panicking too, no matter who you are. As soon as the dot appears as a platform, she squeezes her eyes shut. This is the part where she wakes up, right-- ow. Despite being uninjured, smashing against a metal platform hurts no matter who or what you are. Slowly getting to her feet and glancing around, she flinches, mind racing. It can't be true. But she felt the platform, she felt the slight stinging pain that comes with hitting a platform on what looks like... a swamp. Something like a swamp. She just knew that this couldn't be fantasy. Right? She can manipulate technology with her mind, is this really out of the realm of possibility? As soon as the form lunges out, Ada jumps backwards, staring at it. The roar had just become background noise, but she was glad to hear that it stopped... but then the hissing starts. As the sickly-looking man stares down at her and speaks, she listens. 'Plague'? 'Champion'? ...Maybe she could see how this goes, though she was still quite afraid. It knew her name, it knew who she was, but it wasn't a dream. Surely.

Ada replies hesitantly, but seriously. This could be interesting. "I... Um... what would this task entail?"

[WhovianBeast]

Stick with green as your character text color. Just don't bold anything.

Ada replies hesitantly, but seriously. This could be interesting. "I... Um... what would this task entail?"

Plague hisses, "I see not all humans are mindless drones after all. Famine owes me three souls. He thought it'd take you at least three days to wrap your mind around this. Your task is nothing too difficult, worm. All I want you to do is switch a new vaccine from the vault at the American Center for *shudder* Disease Control. Switch it with this *gestures at the ground, where a small glass vial of clear fluid lies* before live trials begin in a week, and you will be my champion. You may even be found worthy of my respect."

[Linken]

Ada blinks a few times, confused. Wait, Famine? ...The Horseman of the Apocalypse? And they deal in SOULS. Oh, dear. The hissing was loud, but it quickly became more background noise, overshadowed by Plague making his deal and offer to her. Either this was some elaborate trick, or this was genuinely happening. Or she was dreaming. A problem occurred to her, though, and so she quickly raised it as a question. Ada stares down at the vial. "Well... How will I get this vial across security, to America, and then this center for Disease control? I understand that America has very tight borders." She'd rather not ask about what exactly is in it. Probably some horrible concoction. If this was real, it'd be wrong to spread whatever's in the vial into an area, even if it is controlled. ...Well, it'd be alright. Right? Maybe she could get transported over, and that'd be when she KNEW it was real.

[WhovianBeast]

Plague appears to be thinking this over and begins moving around the platform.

"I can put you back to Earth in southern Canada. A bit frigid this time of year, but the border is wide open. The Center is in Atlanta, and getting in is your problem, now isn't it? If you can't even get past humans, how can you expect to face what's down the road eh?", Plague says over his shoulder, forcing you to turn if you want to continue speaking face to face.

[Linken]

As Plague starts pacing around the platform, Ada keeps a close eye on him, listening for any ideas he gives out. Atlanta, well, she'd heard of that place before, but she didn't know her states, let alone cities in states. Wasn't too great on countries, either, but Canada was just north of America. Besides, maps are always available. Either way, 'What's down the road' sounded rather... ominous. It'd be a welcome change to any monotony in her life, though, but she doesn't have much of an idea what she's getting into. Still, she turns and faces the sickly-seeming man, still rather hesitant. "Alright... I suppose I can do it. Right now, right?" Damn, she needed her gear and the like first. Not like she keeps her tranqs next to her bed.

[WhovianBeast]

Plague sneers, If you wish to be captured and dissected like a rat, you have my permission to leave now. Otherwise you'd better take these.

Plague reaches into the murk and pulls out a large pile of stuff. The tranquilizer gun and darts, the computer, your bed, everything you own is in a heap in front of you.

Plague: Messy, but undamaged.

[Linken]

Ada gives a sigh of relief as every bit of her gear and possessions are planted in front of her. Well, hopefully they work after being dropped in swampwater (or whatever this stuff is). Especially hoping that in terms of the stuff she uses on a day-to-day. She inspects the more technological ones, like her computer and tranq, carefully, before looking up at Plague. Whew, okay, thanks... Um, any other words of advice, or things to tell me? She doubted it, considering the 'warm' introduction she got just as she arrived in this weird place. Well, she'd find out soon enough if he was telling the truth or if this was just a dream.

[WhovianBeast]

They're fine. They're also bone-dry. Whatever this is, it ain't water.

Plague: "I'm a Horseman, not a nanny. Get going.

Plague waves his hand, and a oval greenish portal, roughly 6 feet high, 3 feet wide, and faintly glowing, opens vertically in front of you.

[Linken]

Following what Plague said, the German woman quickly, after gathering what stuff she had up and nodding, hops into the portal, glancing around. Tranq hidden away, yes, everything's good, blade's not out. Hopefully nothing goes wrong in the first few seconds. Or minutes.

Or at all, really.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
You're in the middle of a large forest, running for all you're worth. The trees are leafless, and the ground is covered with 8 inches of newly fallen snow in all directions,. The sky overhead is overcast, but it's daytime. You can see your tracks stretching behind you until they disappear out of sight. You know you're being chased, but you can't remember by who or what. You slow down for breath, but as you stand in the cover of a large tree, you can hear footsteps approaching.

*crnchcrnchcrnch*

You lean your head around the tree. There's a man in a leather cap, padded earflaps buttoned over his head. He's wearing hiking boots, a brown sheepskin jacket with a red flannel shirt underneath,he has a large gray backpack and he is holding a large crossbow. You quickly duck behind the tree, but he's spotted you. An arrow whizzes past, when you hear a wolf howling loudly. The howl is taken up until it's coming from all around you, and you can hear panting as wolves approach. The hunter is uncertain, and you can smell the fear suddenly coming off of him. He turns and flees the way he came. The howling only grows louder, until it is all consuming and you black out from exhaustion and coming off the adrenaline.

When you wake up, you're in a forest clearing. But it's different now. The trees are green and leafy, birds are chirping happily, and the sky is a deep cloudless blue. There's thick grass underneath you, and as you sit up, you notice an armored figure leaning against a tree at the edge of the clearing. It drop to all fours as it approaches, using its long tail for balance as it leaps over your head, skidding to a stop about 2 yards past you. It's about 8 feet tall, with its face resembling a fanged tiger. and long fur running down its neck. The armor is made of overlapping plates is the color of lead, with wickedly sharp spikes jutting out of the arms, and there is an enormous double-bladed hatchet strapped to the back. There are six horns in its head, three on each side, with the topmost and largest about 16 inches long.

The figure stands, and as it approaches it extends it's large furry hand, its claws retracting as it does so.

"Greetings Andras. I am Ferocus, Lord of all of Beastkind. It is a pleasure to finally meet you. I am looking forward to working together."

----Ada----
You drop onto the top of a moving freight train, landing on an open car full of coal. It's traveling rapidly across the landscape, and the sun shines brightly on the right side of your face. You see a town off to the left, and can hear a steam whistle signaling that it's quitting time. The ground around is covered in snow, interspersed with brown patches of grass. As you crouch to avoid any signs, you check your gear and to your relief, nothing is broken.

[DeltaK]

Andras stares up in awe at the towering figure. "Ferocus?" He then remembers he was running and quickly glances around the clearing, looking for any sign of the hunter. After a few seconds, and unable to see any danger, he turns back to the creature with its paw out. Andras pauses for just a moment, before reaching his own hand out to meet the other's. "A...a tiger? Are you...like me? Cursed with animal form?"

[WhovianBeast]

Ferocus grins toothily. Cursed? I chose this form for myself! And you need not worry, you are quite safe here. I have chosen you from among men, you who are as a wolf, to be my champion and to walk the earth in my name.

[Linken]

Ada first of all glances around, dazed and disoriented as she lands on the coal train. Everything's ready and good, no damage to anything... now she just needed to get to her senses. Southern Canada, that's where Plague said that he'd put her. The U.S.A is southwards. The feelings, the smells, the new sights... it confirmed to her that, yes, this wasn't a dream at all. It was pure, hard reality. Felt... nice. Better than just operating out of an apartment. Checking the bag that she kept her laptop in, that it was safe and secure, yep. Totally and completely. Hey, she even had her proper clothes on! Just a jacket, undershirt, pants and shoes, really, nothing special. Light stuff. Ada tries to look at a sign that could indicate where exactly she would be.

[WhovianBeast]

As the train chugs on, you pass by a large city. You catch a glimpse of a sign saying, "Welcome to Montreal." You've heard of it before, and know it's quite close to the border. You're three cars back from the train's engine car.

[Linken]

Ada sighs as she takes her laptop from her bag, tapping into any local signals that she could get in order to search up some train journeys from 'Montreal' to Atlanta. This ought to take a while. After all, she knew the US was huge... hopefully this train stops soon or is, well, fast. Then she could just get on a bus or something like that and wait it out... or maybe this one's going straight to Atlanta, who knows? She also checks up on some plane trips and the like.

[WhovianBeast]

One weak signal found. The trip is 1,000 miles, and this one's going straight to a factory just outside of Atlanta. Looks like Pestilence isn't actually malevolent towards you, at least.

The train trundles on. The sun dips behind the horizon. Your computer says it is 7pm, and this train arrives at 11am.

[Linken]

Ada looks over at the sun setting in the horizon. Well, maybe if she can find a good spot inside this train, then she can just rest and wait until the train arrives. Can't be too late, though, get up around 10AM. She's never seen a freight train before, had no idea if it carried passengers... but she tries to locate an opening in the side anyway, slowly and steadily. Have to be careful, though, this thing is fast.

[WhovianBeast]

No openings in the side.

Your grip is shaky and the train is approaching a wide curve.

[Linken]

Ada hesitates as the train starts approaching the curve. She stuffs her laptop into her bag and holds on tight, hoping not to get thrown off. If she does, well, hopefully she'd be fine, able to turn herself to just land on whatever is to the side. She'd slow. Right? Maybe then she could just keep searching.

[WhovianBeast]

The train rounds the curve, and you hold on successfully to the edge, extending ~1 foot above the coal. The sun sets and the stars begin winking into view. The train's pace settles down, and the countryside is now empty fields. The wind is bitingly cold at this pace, but not dangerously so.

[DeltaK]

Ferocus grins toothily. Cursed? I chose this form for myself! And you need not worry, you are quite safe here. I have chosen you from among men, you who are as a wolf, to be my champion and to walk the earth in my name.

"Here. Where is here?" Andras looks around quizzically. "This is not Sweden."

"And champion? I am no champion. I am a monster, merely contained for the present." He looks intently at Ferocus, beginning now to admire the how regal he looked, and the power he contained. "Unless that is what you are looking for..."

[Linken]

Coughing slightly as she regains her balance, Ada moves forward on the train a little bit and as cautiously as she could, continuing to try and search for safer places than on the top of a train that's moving at high speeds. Couldn't exactly fly, she had no American documents. Oh, well, she'd figure it out. If it means just resting on a train for a few hours, so be it.

[WhovianBeast]

No, it is not Sweden. You are in, for lack of a better word, another realm. One in which I am king, and can observe your world. We are prevented from interfering directly, but were left with the power to choose champions. That's why I chose you. You may lack control now, but between the raw power you contain and that you realize it needs control, you have great potential to be a force for change. I can assist you with this, for as an Arbiter, I have more power than you can dream of. You are no more a monster than many men who well respected and admired within their homes, their jobs, and in society, but you lack the self control to restrain yourself. The druid who cursed you years ago merely allowed you to express yourself with great violence. I can help you control your transformations, eventually allowing you to achieve complete mastery, but first you must prove your worth. You have been pursued by a hunter for many years, and fear of him has taken hold over you. Yet look Ferocus points to a puddle of water, but instead of your reflection, you see the hunter. He is undressing in a cabin in the woods and preparing to eat a meal of cold refried beans from the can. His coat is on a peg next to him, and he's obviously singing as he searches for a fairly clean spoon, accompanied by hand motions. Is that somebody to be afraid of? Or is it an easy obstacle to overcome?

---Ada---

The only shelter to be found is in the front engine with the conductor, 3 cars ahead of you, or in the rear engine, which is a half a mile behind you. You can make out a ladder in the moonlight down the roof of the foremost engine and towards a back door.

[Linken]

Sighing as she's forced to choose, Ada makes her way, slowly but surely, to the back of the train. She should get there soon enough, and nobody'll see her- it'd take some time, of course. She'd rather not have the train derail due to having to knock out the conductor, plus the door's probably locked.

[WhovianBeast]

Sighing as she's forced to choose, Ada makes her way, slowly but surely, to the back of the train. She should get there soon enough, and nobody'll see her- it'd take some time, of course. She'd rather not have the train derail due to having to knock out the conductor, plus the door's probably locked.

I'm gonna go make a roll thread, roll a d10, and if you get a 1 you fall from the train.
.
.
.
4. You hold on, with only one heart-stopping moment as the wind gusts while you crawl across the top of the train.

The engine in the back is facing backwards, but the lights are off and it's being pulled along like any other car. The door is open.

[Linken]

Ada probably yelped as she's nearly flung from the train again, but as she holds on her heart continued to pound. Okay. At least it hadn't stopped. Checking the door quickly to make sure it wouldn't lock behind her if closed, she takes her laptop out and uses it as a light, checking the area for anything that could harm her. If there was nothing, she swiftly enters.

[WhovianBeast]

Checking the door quickly to make sure it wouldn't lock behind her if closed, she takes her laptop out and uses it as a light, checking the area for anything that could harm her. If there was nothing, she swiftly enters.

It's empty. There are some switches and levers in French and English, but they're all to do with running the train engine, which is currently powered down. There's an button labeled "Intercom" on the instrument panel, but the rest is mostly jargon. You are sheltered from the wind, and there's a digital clock on the ceiling above the front window.

"10:19pm"

[Linken]

Ada barely knows any French, aside from 'Bonjour' and 'Merci', so she just reads over the English levers instead. Man, time flies when you nearly die. She sighs as she closes the laptop, stuffing it into her bag, shutting the door behind her to keep the wind and cold out for good. Much better. She then heads to a good, comfy spot (well, as comfy as you can get in an engine room) and simply rests. She could spend, once she wakes up fully at around 6 or 7AM, some time planning out how exactly to get in.

She's in a corner, hard to spot unless you're actively looking for someone.

[WhovianBeast]

She's in a corner, hard to spot unless you're actively looking for someone.

Throttle, Brakes,
Air-Conditioning, Heat,
Radio, Intercom
Detach at Car (# on dial)
Detach from all cars.
There's also some power outlets. Your laptop is at 40%.
You enter a deep dreamless sleep on a bunk near the back, where the engineer goes when he's off duty and his partner takes over.

You wake up at 6 am, while it's still dark. The sky is a little lighter to the east.

[DeltaK]

No, it is not Sweden. You are in, for lack of a better word, another realm. One in which I am king, and can observe your world. We are prevented from interfering directly, but were left with the power to choose champions. That's why I chose you. You may lack control now, but between the raw power you contain and that you realize it needs control, you have great potential to be a force for change. I can assist you with this, for as an Arbiter, I have more power than you can dream of. You are no more a monster than many men who well respected and admired within their homes, their jobs, and in society, but you lack the self control to restrain yourself. The druid who cursed you years ago merely allowed you to express yourself with great violence. I can help you control your transformations, eventually allowing you to achieve complete mastery, but first you must prove your worth. You have been pursued by a hunter for many years, and fear of him has taken hold over you. Yet look Ferocus points to a puddle of water, but instead of your reflection, you see the hunter. He is undressing in a cabin in the woods and preparing to eat a meal of cold refried beans from the can. His coat is on a peg next to him, and he's obviously singing as he searches for a fairly clean spoon, accompanied by hand motions. Is that somebody to be afraid of? Or is it an easy obstacle to overcome?

The image of the hunter brings a snarl to his face. The man that has harried him for years. Then the anger subsides. He knows the truth. The hunter is nothing, no threat to his power and rage. He could have - SHOULD have - dealt with him long ago. Why didn't he? Did he feel like he deserved to be hunter, to be killed for what transpired in Kvikkjokk? That was not him, it was the beast...before he could partially control it. That will never happen again. He was stronger than that. His force of will, combined with the power this...Arbiter... offers, he would be in control, all the time. If he cannot remove the curse, the next best thing is to dominate it.

Andras lets out a growl and swipes at the puddle. "I am not afraid of him. Without his magic he is small and frail. It would be a great pleasure to finally turn the tides against him. His hunt ends."

[WhovianBeast]

The scrying puddle resumes its normal reflection.
Ferocus puts his massive left arm around your broad shoulders. Then go. Rid yourself of this pest and be free of your fear.
Ferocus lifts his right arm and clenches it, drawing his arm back a few inches as he does so. A tawny brown portal opens just a few steps in front of you, and he extends his arm towards it.

----Nieve----

You're returning to your apartment from 'window shopping' at the local computer store. As you reach for your keys to unlock the door, you hear a muffled scream for help from the inside. Beatrix. You waste no time with the lock, and you kick straight through the Masonite door. As you enter, you see two men with black ski masks, dressed in all black and wearing gloves, dragging Beatrix out the window and down the fire escape. One of them notices you, and as you clamber through the remains of the door towards him, he aims his pistol. Firing several times, you can see the bullets whiz past, inches from your eyes, as if in slow motion. One. Two. Three. And then nothing.

Lights swirl as you awaken to the sound of upbeat music. You're sitting behind a wooden podium. There's one just like it across from you, but empty. On your right there's a large curtain, and on your left there are a series of numbered doors. The music is accompanied by some sort of announcer. "Behind these ever-changing doors there awaits a spectacular array of cash, merchandise, fun, and surprises! Today from Alternate Reality Studios in Asgard, Stage 1 is packed with ourselves from all over the world, ready to play Asgardia's favorite game! Lllllleeeet's MAKE A DEAL! And now, here's our special host! Lady and Gentlemen, the big dealer himself! Loki!"

The curtain lifts as a man in a cheap navy blue suit and a cheesy wide smile walks across the stage, tracked by a bright white spotlight, waving and smiling toward the auditorium full of men in cheap blue suits and cheesy wide smiles waving back. They're all the same man. About 6 feet tall, pasty white, slicked back brown hair, a plaid tie, blue eyes, light blue collared shirt, gray slacks, and black dress shoes.

Thank you! Thank you all for being here! But let's start with deal number 1, which will be made with our special guest, here all the way from sunny Mexico, Nieve Rosalia, the vampire!
The crowd applauds and cheers as the man the announcer called Loki sits at the podium in front of you.
Welcome, Nieve. Am I pronouncing that right? Nee-eh-vah? Gosh I sure hope so. Anyway thank you for being here today Nieve. I really do appreciate it Now, Nieve, is it true that despite your stunning looks, you're really 85? And that you can perfectly mimic nearly anything anybody else can do with just a look? That you've made deals with *consults notes* the Devil himself?

[Linken]

Getting up and stretching, Ada looks around the room briefly. Huh, how'd she only notice this power outlet? It's probably linked up to something important, so touching it might not be the best idea, but hey. She takes a small charger out from her bag, plugging it in. She reasons that a human couldn't run a train for about ten to fifteen hours without resting, plus the bed she'd used is probably there for a reason. So, with her laptop on charge in the power outlet, she opens it up. It'd charge slower due to usage, but it's a net gain. Hopefully, if someone came, nobody would notice her- the laptop's brightness is set as low as it can go. She looks towards the door occasionally. The things she's searching for on the laptop? Mostly stuff to do with the CDC, any news, stuff about the vaccine that they were making- if it was even open to the public. This all becomes moot if she can't get a good signal.

[WhovianBeast]

No internet on the freight train in the middle of endless fields. Nobody comes by the train car.

An hour passes before you get brief internet service, but the only news about the CDC is about how one of the chief lab technicians died under mysterious circumstances.

[DeltaK]

The scrying puddle resumes its normal reflection.
Ferocus puts his massive left arm around your broad shoulders. Then go. Rid yourself of this pest and be free of your fear.
Ferocus lifts his right arm and clenches it, drawing his arm back a few inches as he does so. A tawny brown portal opens just a few steps in front of you, and he extends his arm towards it.

Andras steps forward towards the strange portal. He glances back at the armored figure, then steels himself, stands up straight, clenches his fists and confidently steps through.

[WhovianBeast]

You find yourself standing in the snow outside of a cabin in the forest. It's early morning, and you can see the silhouette of a man stretching as if he just got up. You're human, and are 'fully' clothed.

[DeltaK]

Andras plans his assault. He carefully scans the area surrounding the cabin for traps. He looks for a spot next to the cabin that is not visible from the inside, far from the door and any windows. He can see the plan in his mind. He'll sneak up to that spot, avoiding any traps. Then begin his transformation. Hopefully, still groggy from waking up, the hunter will be caught completely by surprise, be slow to respond, and unable to ready his weapons in time for Andras to rip a hole in the cabin wall and tear him limb from limb. He catches himself licking his lips to that thought. He readies himself once again, and begins to slowly creep his way towards the cabin, as far out of view of any windows as he can be.

[WhovianBeast]

The cabin is warded with some sort of defensive sigil etched under the eaves at all four corners of the house. You don't recognize it as anything more than that.

There's an entire wall of the cabin without any windows, on the opposite side of the front door. There is a back door, but it is solid wood.

[Linken]

Ada tried to read on, but the connection shorted out. Damnit, she really needed to get something that could help her with stuff like this if it's gonna be the norm- travelling around and all that. At least something to keep her busy. She just simply, when able, checks the connection and the time, giving her laptop a decent amount of time to recharge. It'd be a long day.

[WhovianBeast]

Time flies by, and it's now 10:50am. No more lucky hotspots have occurred, your laptop has fully charged, and the train begins gently curving east from its previously southbound track, away from Atlanta and towards the power plant where the cargo is headed.

[Linken]

Once it gets to 10:50, Ada opens the door, taking her charger and laptop and putting them in her bag. Smiling, she exits the car she was in, before bracing herself. She swiftly jumps from the train, trying to make her landing as painless as possible, causing the least amount of damage to her gear. Maybe this'd work, maybe not. Once she's out, she starts heading for the city, presumably Atlanta. Right? Probably. If not, well, she still has time and she could always just take a bus. Occasionally, Ada checks for signals- those'd at least point her in the right direction.

[WhovianBeast]

You land in soft grass and roll down a hill, coming to a stop at the bottom against a tree. Miraculously, you and your gear are unharmed. You can see the city skyline in the distance, about two miles away.

[Linken]

Giving out a sigh of relief after checking her stuff, Ada looks out for bus stops. She was fine with walking at a steady pace towards the city, maybe start running, but again, she was sure she could make it in a good amount of time. She's just walking at a decent pace through the fields, watching out for any signs that will denote the city. Then, it's just a matter of locating this 'Center for Disease Control' and infiltrating it, preferably at night.

Simple, right?

[WhovianBeast]

You arrive at the very edge of the city in about 40 minutes. There's a newspaper stand, a jewelry store, a bank, several high rise office buildings, a casino, and a novelty popcorn store. There are also several homeless drifters with their caps or cups in front of them, asking change of anybody who comes near. It's the middle of the work day, so the streets are nearly empty of cars.

[DeltaK]

After scanning the area, Andras thinks to himself, "The entire building is protected. This makes things more difficult. If only I could transform quietly, or more quickly, this would be so much easier."

Andras spends a few more minutes planning. "I don't know what defenses he has, but he's had years to build them up. I need to lure.....I have been waiting for this moment for years, I can wait another hour. I will wait for him to leave. Once he is too far away to hear, I will transform, and I will become the hunter."

[Linken]

Sitting down on a bench once she arrives, she takes in the sights of the city. Lots of poor about here... wonder why? Not enough skill, maybe. Not very many opportunities around, possibly. Still, you get all these skyscrapers and all these lovely inventions, so it's clear SOME got an opportunity... and if there's no opportunities, you make them. Oh, well, it wasn't her place to judge! She simply keeps on searching, reading more into that CDC story, before heading onto a map-based program, looking for the CDC Atlanta-building on it. As long as she was in the right place, she should be able to locate it from where she is via educated guesses.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The hunter scratches himself, and gets dressed. He eats, grabs his crossbow, tucks a pistol into his waistband, grabs his coat, and leaves. He looks around, and is soon gone among the trees, moving carefully towards the north of the cabin, where he chased you yesterday. You are on the southeast side of the cabin.


----Ada----
The article is short, mostly describing the man and not his work. It does mention that the CDC is on Clifton road, and your map says that it is two blocks away.

A poorly dressed drunk man approaches. From the smell, he hasn't washed or had a change of clothes in days. He walks behind you, and you hear a metallic click. His boozy breath washes over you as he demands, "Hand over your computer or get gutted like a pig, girlie"

[Linken]

The drunk man really didn't think much of this out, did he? She could smell him from a mile away. ...Well, he's drunk. Ada REALLY disliked drunks, but hey, he had the gall to do this sort of thing in broad daylight. Police probably weren't anywhere, it was within 9-5 hours. NOW she saw why these people were poor. How sad for them. She shuts her laptop and quickly jumps forward just as he gets halfway through his sentence. Drunkards usually have slow reactions as alcohol was a depressant- they're sluggish, slow. He could try to chase her all he wanted. Even if he caught up, well, she had a weapon of last resort- Ada just didn't want to take it out and shank someone right now... but she was more than prepared to. Not in daylight, though. Funny. How about you just walk the other way? She moves to place her laptop into her bag... unless, for some reason, he could tag her. In which case, well, oh dear. Still, Clifton, not too bad, could easily get there.

[WhovianBeast]

The drunkard attempts chase, but trips all over himself and lies unconscious and snoring on the sidewalk as you hasten away. This excites no comment from the people around you.

You find the CDC without much trouble, but there is a guard and a security camera at the front door.

[Linken]

Ada looks over the facility once she reaches the outside of it. Not directly outside, of course, but around the outer part. Looked... big. Building looked maintained, too. All she had to do was get in there, get to the vault and swap out the virus. But which vaccine does she swap out? ...Maybe all of them, if she can't figure out. But she only has enough in the vial for one. Oh, well. She starts walking around, trying to look for ways in the building aside from the front door. Maybe a back entrance or entrance via an underground part. She just didn't have an idea of where to start. Maybe she could connect to their network, try and get some floorplans from it. Still, right now she's just subtly scouting out the outside of the place. Could always just plan in the day and do it at night.

[WhovianBeast]

Plague's words echo back to you: Switch the vaccine before it goes to live trials. If it's nearing live trials, it should be in one of the labs, probably the biggest one.

The only entrances from the ground are the front door, a trash chute leading to a dumpster marked "Biomedical waste", and the fire escape. The fire escape leads to every floor, but the lowest step is 10 feet off the ground and the alley to the fire escape has one armed guard in front of it. The trash chute is a vertical gray tube, 3 feet wide and stretching from the top floor to 4 feet above the dumpster in the same alley. The front door is just glass and a rotating door, but with the aforementioned guard, security camera, and likely a metal detector and ID check inside. The building is two floors shorter than the buildings around it, and they are just offices.

[WhovianBeast]

It's a fire exit and thus nothing more than metal ladders, platforms, and stairs.

The alleyway has no camera. It is about 30 feet deep, 5 feet wide, and backed by a large cinderblock wall rising 25 feet. The guard puts his right hand on his pistol as you approach. "I'm afraid you have the wrong building, miss. I can't allow anybody back here."

Nobody can see you except for him right now. He's about 6 feet away, 6 feet tall, heavily built, and armed. He has a tattoo of dark flames rising from above his black jacket to his Adam's apple.

[Linken]

Sighing as, yet again, she's forced to pick, she decides that, yes, the guard in the alleyway has to go down. Not really any other valid entrances. She simply moves along the street, getting close to the alleyway where the guard was standing. Once she feels she's close enough to the guard, she looks up at him. Shouldn't be pulling the gun out unless she makes some serious, threatening moves. Even still. "Oh. Sorry, sir." She glances down, before flipping her blade out and dashing forwards, trying to stab her blade into his chest, all as quickly as possible. With any luck, he wouldn't be able to call out on his radio, and he'd be down for a while.

[WhovianBeast]

You stab him between the 4th and 5th ribs on the right side. The blade goes through his jacket with ease. His eyes open wide, he gurgles, and falls over stiff as a board. His radio is smashes, but his gun is accessible.

[Linken]

Ada keeps pushing forward, allowing the man to become paralysed and fall over. Breathing deeply, she makes sure he's hidden from view in the alley. She takes his gun, sheathing her blade as she does so. She unloads it, before looking up at the fire escape. Okay, this should lead to something, at the very least. Gotta figure out a way to get up. Well, she just tries to get onto the fire escape, using whatever she could as a stepping stone, If it was too high, well, she'd have to figure out another way. Hopefully her build will help her at least manage to reach it and start the climb.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
The hunter scratches himself, and gets dressed. He eats, grabs his crossbow, tucks a pistol into his waistband, grabs his coat, and leaves. He looks around, and is soon gone among the trees, moving carefully towards the north of the cabin, where he chased you yesterday. You are on the southeast side of the cabin.

Andras waits about half an hour, just to be sure the hunter is gone. Half an hour of walking would take minutes for his wolf form anyway. He mentally prepares himself to transform. He gathers his will, hoping this time he will be in enough control to track carefully instead of wildly chasing. He removes all of his clothes, placing them in a small pile next to the house, in a snowdrift free spot. Then he lets go.

His entire body shivers and cracks. His fingers spread, and neck stretches. His body distorts, painfully. He growls with pain, but does his best to silence himself. After 10 agonizing seconds, he drops to all fours. His frozen breath hanging in the air around his muzzle. He sniffs the air; the scent of magic and quicksilver emanating from the house are nearly overpowering. It takes him a moment before catching the trail of his quarry. His mind races, "Hunt. Kill. Rend. Devour -- I must control, I am in control." He fights the urge to charge after the man. He shakes his head to wipe away the primal instincts. When he looks up again, his mind is clear, for the moment. He begins following the trail, dashing from tree to tree, both to slow his speed and stay clear of line of sight from the end of the trail.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
You drag him behind the dumpster. After fumbling with the gun, Ada manages to drop the magazine out. The fire escape is barely out of reach when you jump, but you have a conveniently located paralyzed body and a dumpster.

----Andras----
You transform, but don't manage to stay quite silent. You let out a brief howl while transforming, but clap your jaws shut once complete. The howl dies away in the distance. You can see the man's tracks in the new-fallen snow, and after running for just over five minutes, you can smell him. You're approaching from downwind, and you can see him kneeling down and adjusting something. He could be tying his shoe, adjusting a trap, following tracks, or loading his weapon.

----Jonas/Tom----
You kick off your boots as you enter Ogden's house in your tailored Nomex suit, returning from another day of firefighting. You saved three children from a roaring blaze, from a family of six. The sixth died before you could reach him. His parents took it admirably, but you could see the tears in their eyes as the house collapsed. Ogden greets you heartily, but notices the sadness on your brow and makes a quick exit, pointing towards a side table by a chair in the den.

The large fire in the hearth crackles as you stare moodily into it, pushing your lobster tails around the fine china plate with a silver fork before setting it aside and setting about marking the back of your fingers with the knife. You walk over to the fire, holding your hand in it and watching the small cuts glow as they heal, questioning what you could have done to have saved that last child. You sit in the fire, putting your head between your knees as you doze off.

You're awoken by a curiously lilting voice. You are on the edge of a very large cliff, dropping fifty feet into a large pool of lava. Before you stands a giant, easily fifteen feet tall, with flaming hair and eyes, soot-black skin, and black armor attached by thick golden chains. Thomas Harald Ullrich Esper. Or should Vulcan call you Jonas Wernstrom? Your name aside, Vulcan has noticed your heroism, your bravery, and your secrecy. Vulcan thinks it's time for you to stop hiding, and time for you to start fighting. Vulcan hopes you will agree to help Vulcan. Vulcan is so very bored after all these years.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----

You're returning to your apartment from 'window shopping' at the local computer store. As you reach for your keys to unlock the door, you hear a muffled scream for help from the inside. Beatrix. You waste no time with the lock, and you kick straight through the Masonite door. As you enter, you see two men with black ski masks, dressed in all black and wearing gloves, dragging Beatrix out the window and down the fire escape. One of them notices you, and as you clamber through the remains of the door towards him, he aims his pistol. Firing several times, you can see the bullets whiz past, inches from your eyes, as if in slow motion. One. Two. Three. And then nothing.

Lights swirl as you awaken to the sound of upbeat music. You're sitting behind a wooden podium. There's one just like it across from you, but empty. On your right there's a large curtain, and on your left there are a series of numbered doors. The music is accompanied by some sort of announcer. "Behind these ever-changing doors there awaits a spectacular array of cash, merchandise, fun, and surprises! Today from Alternate Reality Studios in Asgard, Stage 1 is packed with ourselves from all over the world, ready to play Asgardia's favorite game! Lllllleeeet's MAKE A DEAL! And now, here's our special host! Lady and Gentlemen, the big dealer himself! Loki!"

The curtain lifts as a man in a cheap navy blue suit and a cheesy wide smile walks across the stage, tracked by a bright white spotlight, waving and smiling toward the auditorium full of men in cheap blue suits and cheesy wide smiles waving back. They're all the same man. About 6 feet tall, pasty white, slicked back brown hair, a plaid tie, blue eyes, light blue collared shirt, gray slacks, and black dress shoes.

Thank you! Thank you all for being here! But let's start with deal number 1, which will be made with our special guest, here all the way from sunny Mexico, Nieve Rosalia, the vampire!
The crowd applauds and cheers as the man the announcer called Loki sits at the podium in front of you.
Welcome, Nieve. Am I pronouncing that right? Nee-eh-vah? Gosh I sure hope so. Anyway thank you for being here today Nieve. I really do appreciate it Now, Nieve, is it true that despite your stunning looks, you're really 85? And that you can perfectly mimic nearly anything anybody else can do with just a look? That you've made deals with *consults notes* the Devil himself?

The light pierces her eyes like a stray morning ray. She guards herself with her arm til her eyes adjusts and realizes she's not under true light. The music was a comforting sound, better than yells of desperation. She moves back and forth on the seat until she's comfortable. Listening to the announcer with a happy surprised look on her face. She was on a game show! She joyfully claps as Loki is introduced and then makes herself sheepish as if she's not sure the guest should be acting that way.

Her focus is the host as the 360 spin goes around the room. She will be his biggest fan.

"Yes," she answers flustered. "Welcome. Hello, Loki. You're saying it right. I'm really glad to be here today. I never dreamed this would happen."

She flash him a fake playful smile at his questioning. "Now, a lady never reveals her age. You know better than to ask that. A vampire's age is especially complicated" A light scolding. "I do try for perfect. And, sometimes one might say I even succeed." She shakes her head. "I told myself I would be humble, and here I am". She jokes with him. "Tales are often embellished. Have I really made a deal with such a person? Have I really made it to "let's make a deal"?"

[WhovianBeast]

Loki snaps his fingers and the room disappears, as does his smile, leaving you and he sitting opposite each other at your podiums surrounded by nothingness. He leans back in his chair, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but no, you aren't on Let's Make a Deal, or any other game show. You aren't even on Earth. You're dead. Or rather, you're about to die. You walked in on a kidnapping, and were shot in the head trying to prevent it. Since you are not a new vampire, but merely a young one, this should only make you comatose. But... Loki brings up a large presentation screen, and it shows ambulances and police rolling toward your apartment. The medical staff will attempt to resuscitate you, and will fail. The only cure for this kind of injury to a vampire is time or powerful magic. You will be autopsied, and dissected as a curiosity, or if the coroner doesn't notice anything odd, which is doubtful, cremated. THAT will kill you. I have been watching you, your abilities are quite special, and your death is something I would very much like to prevent.

However, while you may not have made a deal with the Devil himself, you have made deals with one of his minions, your very first deal, The projector screen shows you hurrying away from the homeless man, and as he turns towards the unseen watcher, his eyes briefly flash black as he straightens up and walks away. and with the incarnation of Death himselfa much briefer clip shows of you talking to somebody hidden by shadows sometime hence. This makes it somewhat complicated, and unless you are under my protection, you will die and walk the Dead fields for an eternity, if you are lucky. If you aren't lucky, and this is very much more likely, you will be tortured until you are twisted into a demon of unprecedented power, without the possibility of resurrection or cure.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
You transform, but don't manage to stay quite silent. You let out a brief howl while transforming, but clap your jaws shut once complete. The howl dies away in the distance. You can see the man's tracks in the new-fallen snow, and after running for just over five minutes, you can smell him. You're approaching from downwind, and you can see him kneeling down and adjusting something. He could be tying his shoe, adjusting a trap, following tracks, or loading his weapon.


Upon seeing the hunter, Andras stops, and stealthily shuffles around him in circle, waiting for the right moment.

At least, that's what he was telling himself he would do. The wolf, full of hunger and rage, had other ideas. As soon as he caught sight of the man, he charged full speed right at him, his loud panting and the crunch of snow giving away his location. Teeth bared, he would fall upon the man in seconds, ready to rend him limb from limb.

[WhovianBeast]

The man whirls at the last second, catching your flashing teeth with the curve of his crossbow. Your momentum carries you over and past him. The hunter stands up, and aims his loaded bow at you. His shoe is untied. He speaks as you circle on another about 12 feet apart(Russian accent), "Well well well. So it seems we meet for the last time. I do not know who you were, or why you are this now, but you will make a nice trophy on my wall."

The hunter aims his crossbow and fires. The shaft of the arrow skims your left ear as it misses you by inches. The hunter's face falls as he drops the crossbow and begins reaching for his pistol.

[Linken]

Ada had, first, climbed onto the dumpster... as long as it was closed, of course. Well, if it wasn't, she could use the paralysed body. Hopefully she'd be out within the time he's still gone, otherwise she'd be a bit of a goner. Still, his radio's broken, so it's not like he could do anything. She begins ascending the fire escape, though, peeking into the windows and trying her best to not be spotted. From here, she could just get into the top floor (or climb up to the roof) and get in that way. Maybe if there was an empty room... or a server room. A server room would be godly, if she could find it. Either way, she's just going up quietly, making sure that she wasn't seen, while taking brief glances into the windows to check for empty rooms.

[WhovianBeast]

Half the dumpster was closed, other half was open under the chute. The closed half is about 3 feet away from the fire escape, and you can barely grab on by stretching.

The first empty room you find is on the ninth floor. It looks like it's being repainted, and has sheets over everything. The window is closed and locked though.

[Linken]

Ada decides not to push her luck. Gotta find something with at least a few electronics in it. At the very least she could just try to get onto the roof. Or break in. There'd probably be an alarm system or something. Still, at least nobody's seen her yet... she tries to check for anything to do with an alarm system in the window- for example, if it were smashed, would an alarm sound off? If so, she might be able to disable it from range... or not. Reverse its functions a little.

[WhovianBeast]

The window does have a magnetic alarm, but the CPU controlling it isn't within range. There are several other CPUs scattered within range, but you cannot tell what they do

[Linken]

Well, no point messing around now. If you can't figure out exactly what these things do, well, there's no point. Moving to the side of the platform, away from the window and being sure that she wouldn't be seen from anyone looking outside, she keeps ascending. She checks the next few floors up, pressing her luck.

[WhovianBeast]

There's an open window with a box fan inside on the 11th floor, just below the roof. There is one lab technician inside, but he's facing away from you. The lab itself is large, has multiple rows of vials filled with clear liquid, and several large machines humming loudly. There's a security camera inside, but it's above the window.

[DeltaK]

The man whirls at the last second, catching your flashing teeth with the curve of his crossbow. Your momentum carries you over and past him. The hunter stands up, and aims his loaded bow at you. His shoe is untied. He speaks as you circle on another about 12 feet apart(Russian accent), "Well well well. So it seems we meet for the last time. I do not know who you were, or why you are this now, but you will make a nice trophy on my wall."

The hunter aims his crossbow and fires. The shaft of the arrow skims your left ear as it misses you by inches. The hunter's face falls as he drops the crossbow and begins reaching for his pistol.

Andras attempts to retort, but it only comes out as a snarl. He launches himself at the hunter, claws out, attempting to land on him before he can take any shots.

[Linken]

Glancing over the room, Ada notes that there are multiple vials in here... this also, probably, isn't the biggest lab. Is this even a lab? She had no idea. Probably not, it's not even that sterile. Also noting the labtech and the cameras, she thinks for a moment. Is this man the biggest threat to her? Should she take him out? No on the first, but yes on the second. She slowly takes out her tranq gun and disables the camera. Okay, bit of effort required for that, not too much. She then aims it, steadily angling it to hit the lab technician's neck or shoulder. Should be down and sleeping soon, might last for a good, long time.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The hunter fires at you once, but the bullet hits your shoulder and doesn't slow your spring. You are now on top of the hunter, pinning his arms with yours, and his body with your sheer weight. The hunter begins begging for his life,

"Please! I'm sorry! It was just another hunt! I just wanted to rid the world of a menace! You can kill me, and prove what you are, or you can walk away and I'll never hunt you unless you kill again."

----Ada----
The camera angles toward the wall, and the servo motor shorts out with a quiet pop. You fire, but the needle impacts one of the fan blades and is stopped. A loud grinding noise follows as the remains of the needle are spun around the fan's case. The man turns and scrabbles for his glasses,

"Whah? Who's there? Is it you punk kids again?"

[Linken]

Ada nearly cursed, but remembered that, yes, she needed to be quiet. So, she takes her gun and reloads, putting it back in her bag, before giving an ever-so-soft push to the box fan, pushing it over into the room. Hopefully the guy would try and pick it up and fix it, or come over and check what could have tipped it. She flips her blade out once more. Even if he didn't walk over, she could just enter and stab him. Something like that. Patience was a virtue, after all. Still, if he turns again she could easily just get another shot off with her tranq. This time, well, there'd be no fan blades to stop it and destroy it.

[WhovianBeast]

The guy puts on his glasses and sees you crouching outside the fan pushing it in. His eyes widen, his jaw drops, and he screams for security while hurrying towards a large red covered button. He's 12 feet away from you and 8 feet away from the button.

[Linken]

Flinching just as the man calls out, she swings her tranquilizer up. Leading the shot onwards, she fires at the man, trying to hit him... WHEREVER she could, heading through the open window once she did. The tranquilizer should take effect hopefully before he reaches the button, but... hey, she can't just live on hope. The tranquilizer should act quickly enough that he wouldn't be able to get to the alarm... and if not, she's closing the gap VERY fast.

[WhovianBeast]

You hit his thigh, and he falls to the ground unconscious, brushing the button's case but not activating it.

The lab has a map of this floor. This floor contains two labs, this one (labeled Lab 2) and Lab 1 (marked as Restricted Access), in addition to the vice-president's and chairman of the board's offices.

You've left coal-black streaks on the windowsill and on the floor.

[Linken]

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ada pushes her paralysing blade into the man's stomach, so he'd freeze up. She wasn't sure if the tranq effect would last longer, but hey, better than messing up and having him wake, hit the alarm and make security flood in. ...Oh, wait, he was calling for security, wasn't he? They might be investigating right now... or not. Pulling the man into a secluded part of the room and listening out for footsteps, the woman starts looking over the machines in the room, attempting to identify what they do. Lab 1 was, presumably, the biggest. It'd also be the most crowded, if it had the newest vaccine... though this room was pretty big. She also checks the vials for labels. This, of course, all becomes moot if she hears footsteps from outside. If she did, she'd just take cover and hide behind the machines.

[WhovianBeast]

The man begins stuggling for air after you stab him, and blood pours out of his stomach. You leave a smear of blood across the floor.

The vials are all labeled with different diseases: Dengue, Hantavirus, Lassa, Junin, Machupo, Marburg. There's an empty slot labeled Skotadi, and a time sheet on the wall reads: Checked out Skotadi vaccine for further replication in Lab 1, 10:39 am, Monday, 09/14/20, signed Dr. Martin Asclepin.

The machines are centrifuges, agitators, and autoclaves. They look very similar to ones found in RegenaCorp, but are a different brand.

[Linken]

Ada sheathes her blade quickly, staring at the man. Medical attention could get to him soon enough. He'd be fine. At least, that's what she'd like to believe. She remembers a few things about RC scientists, how they used those machines. Lots of viruses were tested... but that was in the past. She reads over the timetable quickly. Wait, ninth of the fourteenth? Did Americans have an extra two months on their calendar? ...Oh, wait, other way around. Vial's gone, too. Lab 1 is probably going to be crowded to all hell. Or, well, will have a good few people inside of it. May as well try to locate a few things. She slowly moves towards Lab 2's door, trying to feel out for any CPUs nearby- presumably ones in cameras or radios or the like.

[WhovianBeast]

The man has a radio in his belt, and there are CPUs in all of the machines in the lab, including the card reader at the door and the cameras in the halls. There are also dozens of CPUs out of sight, and you cannot tell what they do.

[Linken]

Ada takes the radio, trying to get into any network or signal that the radio is sending/recieving to and from. In other words, she's trying to locate where other radios that are on the same frequency are. If she can't, she simply sighs, listening in on anything that comes out. She also, one by one, starts disabling the cameras in the hallways, attempting to do the same trick she did with the one in the window. Could she just leave the disease vial in the container here? If they are replicating it, then surely they would shrug off any new vials. Too many coincidences would have to happen, though, so she shrugs off that idea. Once the cameras were broken (or just downed), she has the card reader open the door for her.

[WhovianBeast]

You can't. The radios are silent, with the occasional burst of static when somebody sits on theirs.
You are forced to break the cameras in the hall, as you cannot turn them to look at only a wall.
The door lock clicks open.

There's a rush of feet outside as lab techs, researchers, and office workers all crowd around the elevator to go to lunch.

[Linken]

Flinching as she hears the rush, Ada makes sure that the body was well hidden, ducking back into the room and hiding. Once the stampede has gone, Ada waits for a small while before starting to slowly move through the hallway, listening out for any more people that might be coming through. However, she's waited long enough that nobody should be coming down. Hopefully her getaway is quick, too. She's trying to make a good beeline towards Laboratory 1.

[WhovianBeast]

They pass by the doors without peeking inside, and leave via elevator within three minutes.

The Lab 1 door is locked, and you can't see anybody inside through the glass.

[Linken]

Starting to get minorly excited, Ada kneels down and connects with whatever's locking the door- presumably a keycard reader. She unlocks it quickly enough, going to disable any cameras in the room... still, someone could be out of the view of the glass. Holy crap, she could actually do it... wait, how did she know this vaccine was the one that was going to live trials? ...Well, it's being replicated, presumably for wider use. She enters the room cautiously, keeping an eye out for anyone.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
The hunter fires at you once, but the bullet hits your shoulder and doesn't slow your spring. You are now on top of the hunter, pinning his arms with yours, and his body with your sheer weight. The hunter begins begging for his life,

"Please! I'm sorry! It was just another hunt! I just wanted to rid the world of a menace! You can kill me, and prove what you are, or you can walk away and I'll never hunt you unless you kill again."

Andras doesn't even listen to the man's words. He immediately opens his jaws, bites down, and tears out the man's jugular, blood splattering across the snow. His words turn to gurgles before he has even completed begging. The man quickly expires. Andras leans down and begins to rend the flesh from his chest, one mouthful at a time, quickly creating a red puddle under the corpse. After a few bites, the rage has begun to fade, and Andras regains control. He stops mutilating the body, and steps aside off the body, his jaws dripping. The hunter was worthy prey, he does not deserve this. With the bloodlust faded and his control increasing, he grabs the corpse and brings it with him as he returns to the cabin. He will get a warrior's send off. He will find some way to get into the cabin, and use it as the hunter's funeral pyre.

[WhovianBeast]

-----Ada-----
There's nobody. They've all gone to lunch. A camera briefly spots you from above the door and the red light is blinking, but you quickly disable it.

The vaccine is being held in a plastic-edged metal clamp, undone with a simple screw. Its vial looks exactly like the one Plague gave to you.

-----Andras----
As you approach the cabin, you dump the hunter's body in the front door, but cannot pass the threshhold yourself. Turning, you see an empty firepit, unused since the brief Swedish summer with an old welding striker leaning against the lee of the rocks.

[Linken]

Breathing a sigh of relief, Ada reaches into her bag, pulling out the presumably disease-ridden vial, Making sure the camera was disabled, she swaps out the vaccine in the clamp with the Plague vial. She had came so far for this... may as well keep the vaccine, too- the woman places the vial in her bag. Assuming it even had a lid, of course. There are probably copies, but one bad apple spoils the bunch. Whatever's in that plague vial is probably the most rotten apple of all. Would he go through so much effort just to create a minor cold? Probably not. Still, maybe she should go wipe that camera's data? ...Nah. She'd be fine. Zipping up her bag, she bolts out of the door, running down the hallway and back to Lab 2, which she had left open.

Assuming she got there unassailed, she hops out onto the fire escape, casually descending. Wait, she'd left two bodies... she couldn't carry a grown man on her shoulders while moving quickly. They'd just have to deal with it... both of them should be able to be revived. Except for the lab tech, they might run into difficulty there.

[WhovianBeast]

It's stopped with a opaque white wax seal.

You drop to the pavement from the fire escape with a grunt, and notice the guard's feet poking from behind the dumpster. People are out and about for lunch now, and the sidewalks are bustling.

[Linken]

Looking quite relieved, Ada makes her way through the city, out of it. Oh, God, had she done it wrong? It's not like he could just magically teleport her out in a crowded city with so many people watching. She makes her way through the crowds, careful of the roads, to head outside of the city and into the country. Did a lot of walking and running and climbing today. Hopefully it's all worth it. Still, she's quite calm. Just got to find an isolated place, and the middle of some plains two miles out is probably the most isolated you can get. Or maybe she just needed to fall asleep? She had no idea.

[WhovianBeast]

Two miles away from the city and you're back by the railroad tracks. From the sun's angle, it's about 2pm. No sign of any sort of portal. Not so much as an odd smell or a whisper.

A scrap of paper flutters down and lands on the railroad track. No train is coming.

[Linken]

Ada simply waits. And waits. And waits. It's quite boring, sitting around. ...She's doubting herself a little bit. Had she gone insane or something? Maybe Plague was just a figment of her imagination. Well, no, he gave her that disease vial. That was a physical thing. She could touch it and see it and she knew it was there, and now she's got a vaccine in her bag... what had gone wrong? Did ANYTHING even go wrong? What was she missing?

Well, she simply remains patient. All he asked was to 'Switch out the vials before the vaccine goes to live testing next week'. And she did that. Noting the paper, she gently reaches over and takes it, looking over it.

[WhovianBeast]

On one side the paper reads "Draw me". The other has a circle with what resembles a crude biohazard symbol with 4 complicated runes, one in each third of the inner circle, and one in the center itself. There's a scale that indicates the symbol should be about three feet wide and enclosed in a circle 1m wide.

[Linken]

Ada looks at the paper, reading it closely. Draw? But she had no pen... oh, idea. She unsheathes her blade, holding the paper in her other hand. She was no artist, but she could probably make a good replica of the symbol. Looking at the grass nearby, the woman slowly but surely starts drawing out the biohazard symbol using her blade into it. Didn't want to mess it up. After having drawn that- it's roughly three feet in width- she starts moving onto the runes, carefully digging them into the grass. This is taking a while, but at least she could mostly accurately make them. Would be awful if she screwed it up! Three in the inner circle, one in the center.

After a good, long while, the runes are complete, and Ada hops out of the symbol. Once she'd finished up with that, she estimates the distance that the circle needs to be. Three or so feet out. With care, she starts drawing the circle with her blade into the grass, a meter away from the biohazard. It's a bit shaky, but it works, right? Hopefully. She had considered using a drawing program on her computer, but nah. Couldn't draw a meter on there. A meter is bigger than her screen.

[WhovianBeast]

The completed sigil begins glowing, and the outline of a handprint appears about 4 inches above the sigil in faintly glowing green. You can also hear indistinct rhythmic whispering as you approach it.

[Elbeyon]

[----Nieve----]

Loki snaps his fingers and the room disappears, as does his smile, leaving you and he sitting opposite each other at your podiums surrounded by nothingness. He leans back in his chair, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but no, you aren't on Let's Make a Deal, or any other game show. You aren't even on Earth. You're dead. Or rather, you're about to die. You walked in on a kidnapping, and were shot in the head trying to prevent it. Since you are not a new vampire, but merely a young one, this should only make you comatose. But... Loki brings up a large presentation screen, and it shows ambulances and police rolling toward your apartment. The medical staff will attempt to resuscitate you, and will fail. The only cure for this kind of injury to a vampire is time or powerful magic. You will be autopsied, and dissected as a curiosity, or if the coroner doesn't notice anything odd, which is doubtful, cremated. THAT will kill you. I have been watching you, your abilities are quite special, and your death is something I would very much like to prevent.

However, while you may not have made a deal with the Devil himself, you have made deals with one of his minions, your very first deal, The projector screen shows you hurrying away from the homeless man, and as he turns towards the unseen watcher, his eyes briefly flash black as he straightens up and walks away. and with the incarnation of Death himselfa much briefer clip shows of you talking to somebody hidden by shadows sometime hence. This makes it somewhat complicated, and unless you are under my protection, you will die and walk the Dead fields for an eternity, if you are lucky. If you aren't lucky, and this is very much more likely, you will be tortured until you are twisted into a demon of unprecedented power, without the possibility of resurrection or cure.


She lets out a disappointed breath as the flashy facade ends so quickly. The game was just getting started. She listens to her trickster and tries to put her finger through a hole in her head. "Loki? Do you have some other name you'd like me to call you? Whatever. Loki will work. You seem to have caught me in quite the bind. You're selling cure-alls and I'm under your spell. Considering I could wake up and fend for myself. Lick up my wounds. What do you want?" She asks pointy. It's a shame the facade didn't last. "I've got a reality to reassert." She leans back in her chair mimicking him. "Would you have anything to drink?"

[Linken]

Hesitating as the sigil starts to glow, Ada approaches and, after a brief moment of thought, places her hand into the center. She tries to make out any whispers that she hears, but isn't actively looking for any. Well, this was it. She might be dead, she might be fine, she might have failed, she might not have. She'd find out soon enough.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
Loki sees you probing your head You don't have any injury here. You are physically still on Earth. I've summoned your soul and mind to speak with me while your body and the area around it is frozen in time. There is another name of mine, but it is not meant to be spoken and thus I cannot tell you. Loki snaps his fingers again and you find yourself in an unpopulated but fully stocked liquor store. The windows and glass door show palm trees and a beach outside. People walk by, laughing obliviously. Loki gestures towards racks of various alcoholic drinks.Some of the finest in creation. Please, drink what you like. You will experience the feeling of numbness and potential euphoria, but your mind will remain clear. It is important that you understand what is happening. I can protect you, and give you both temporary and permanent power and skill. Enough temporary power to be healed, and make your way to safety. I can give you enough permanent power to counter those who stand in your path, to rescue your friend, and even to change your fate. You will become as an angel among flesh, with the force to change the world. In exchange for this power, I ask you to take up the mantle of champion of an Arbiter, to do what deeds I may ask of you, and to take heed of any guidance I may give you.

----Ada----
The sigil glows with a roar, and you are suddenly standing before Plague. Hmmm, back so soon? I thought it would take you longer. Now I owe him a soul. Have you done what I required of you?

----Jack----
One minute you're eating chips and watching bad daytime TV in a run-down apartment with the shades drawn, waiting for night to fall so you can slip away from the patrolling cops outside. The next you're on your butt in a library. A HUGE library. Scores of bookshelves stretch to the gild rotunda sixty feet above you, each packed with various books. The windows are frosted glass and stretch from floor to ceiling, providing light. It's silent, not even the sound of air conditioning or heat. There is the occasional sound of rustling pages coming from behind one of the bookshelves. You peer around it and see a woman with brown hair in a flowing white robe trimmed with gold, reading a thick leatherbound book. She motions for you to sit down without looking up.

[Linken]

Ada looks over Plague, startled at his sudden appearance. Well, it was now or never. She was surprised that he couldn't have told her once she was in the CDC. Probably something about all the vaccines or something like that. Either way, she nods, sheathing her blade. She then reaches into her bag, pulling out the vaccine. "Yes. The virus is currently in the Center, swapped out. This is the vaccine, not the virus, by the way. They're probably replicating it now. She can't help but feel a little smug, if sorry for the Center. They'd have a crisis on their hands from that disease spreading, and it'd be hard enough for them to control. Didn't want Plague thinking she duped him... though it'd be hard to pull one over on a Horseman of the Apocalypse.

[DeltaK]

-----Andras----
As you approach the cabin, you dump the hunter's body in the front door, but cannot pass the threshhold yourself. Turning, you see an empty firepit, unused since the brief Swedish summer with an old welding striker leaning against the lee of the rocks.

Andras sets the hunter down by the firepit, and heads back into the woods. He smashes apart some trees and brings the logs back. He heads out and returns several times, making a pyre large enough to contain the corpse. He notices how much control he has while completing his task. Normally he is unable to focus on small things like this in this form, and just chases off after the nearest game. He clears a small spot of snow near the pit, gathers his clothes in the spot to warm up, and lights the pyre. He curls up next to the increasing blaze, and waits for his transformation back.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
Loki sees you probing your head You don't have any injury here. You are physically still on Earth. I've summoned your soul and mind to speak with me while your body and the area around it is frozen in time. There is another name of mine, but it is not meant to be spoken and thus I cannot tell you. Loki snaps his fingers again and you find yourself in an unpopulated but fully stocked liquor store. The windows and glass door show palm trees and a beach outside. People walk by, laughing obliviously. Loki gestures towards racks of various alcoholic drinks.Some of the finest in creation. Please, drink what you like. You will experience the feeling of numbness and potential euphoria, but your mind will remain clear. It is important that you understand what is happening. I can protect you, and give you both temporary and permanent power and skill. Enough temporary power to be healed, and make your way to safety. I can give you enough permanent power to counter those who stand in your path, to rescue your friend, and even to change your fate. You will become as an angel among flesh, with the force to change the world. In exchange for this power, I ask you to take up the mantle of champion of an Arbiter, to do what deeds I may ask of you, and to take heed of any guidance I may give you.She stands. "Holy crap! You're actually a god!?" It's not use not acting surprised. What the crap. This was a shock.

She goes silent, thinking, and starts to wander the store. Looking through the bottles and seeing how loki imagines a liquor store. After a literal minute she speaks up, "Let's work this out. First, It's nice to see and own my soul. All my extra extracurricular activities and I haven't accidentally misplaced it. I'm going to make a lot of enemies by signing on. A few allies too, I guess. Like you said: I'm not getting nothing out of this; however, I want something up front. Saving Beatrix is the current priority. That's it."

"I'll be working for you. I'm not your slave for eternity or your man bitch." She grabs a bottle of the cheaper stuff and starts looking it over. "I expect a certain level of respect or I'll have the right to express my indignant self. As part of that respect I expect proper compensation. I'll give you eight years. We can try to work something out after that, but I have no problem working for you for eight years."

[Blinkbear]

----Jonas/Tom----
You kick off your boots as you enter Ogden's house in your tailored Nomex suit, returning from another day of firefighting. You saved three children from a roaring blaze, from a family of six. The sixth died before you could reach him. His parents took it admirably, but you could see the tears in their eyes as the house collapsed. Ogden greets you heartily, but notices the sadness on your brow and makes a quick exit, pointing towards a side table by a chair in the den.

The large fire in the hearth crackles as you stare moodily into it, pushing your lobster tails around the fine china plate with a silver fork before setting it aside and setting about marking the back of your fingers with the knife. You walk over to the fire, holding your hand in it and watching the small cuts glow as they heal, questioning what you could have done to have saved that last child. You sit in the fire, putting your head between your knees as you doze off.

You're awoken by a curiously lilting voice. You are on the edge of a very large cliff, dropping fifty feet into a large pool of lava. Before you stands a giant, easily fifteen feet tall, with flaming hair and eyes, soot-black skin, and black armor attached by thick golden chains. Thomas Harald Ullrich Esper. Or should Vulcan call you Jonas Wernstrom? Your name aside, Vulcan has noticed your heroism, your bravery, and your secrecy. Vulcan thinks it's time for you to stop hiding, and time for you to start fighting. Vulcan hopes you will agree to help Vulcan. Vulcan is so very bored after all these years.

Tom shudders a bit looking downwards. He may have gotten used to the fact that fire did not kill him, but he still had a lot of respect for it. Also, falling 50ft had never been one of his hobbies. Then, he visibly shakes as he notices the intimidating giant. As so often in dreams, he takes what he saw as the reality at first. Questioning would usually come after a certain threshold of bizarre events had passed, but for now -- suddenly, the giant speaks. The words echo in his dreaming mind. Had it been a human being saying the exact same things during the day on the street, he would have suspected some drug addict, some fanatical person, or both. However, this sounded, for whatever reasons, amazingly credible -- given of course that one took the giant for real. "Err, Tom would be fine." He began a bit hesitatingly. "You... you mean Vulcan as in the ... primal deity of fire?" He knew enough about volcanoes and their impact on human society and culture. "W-what does fighting mean?" he asks, as his doubts begin to get pushed away by the positive feedback regarding his deeds sinking in. The desire to shout Yes! Enough of the hiding! grows in him, but he is still curious what exactly fighting for a deity meant.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
The metal platform you're on shivers as Plague summons a scrying portal from the murk. He looks at it closely, and it shows the lab techs busily going about the work of replicating it. After a few minutes, he dismisses the portal with a wave. You've proven yourself, and I suppose I should hold up my end of the bargain now. Do you, Ada Falke, consent to be the champion and vessel of the Arbiter and Horseman Plague, spreader of disease, master of technology, and to not support the forces of Heaven or of Hell if forbidden by the commands of the Arbiters?

----Andras----
The dry wood lights readily, and the pyre burns brightly, quickly consuming the hunter and his clothing. When you wake up, you are human, fully clothed, and in Ferocus' forest once again. Ferocus is sitting on an ornate wooden throne sharpening his hatchet, watching you from about 13 feet away. Good to see you awake, my friend. It seems you have faced your fear and beaten it. Bravo. You have shown yourself to be worthy of the Arbiters and of the might of Ferocus. But you must now take a pledge of loyalty to me and to the Arbiters. Do you, Andras Skaldrickson, consent to be the champion and vessel of the Arbiter Ferocus, king of the beasts and master of the forest, and to not support the forces of Heaven or Hell if forbidden by the commands of the Arbiters?

----Nieve----
Loki wags his head from side to side. A "god" is putting it a bit strong. I've always pictured myself as more of an angel, really. The store isn't imagined, it's an actual liquor store in Southern Miami from the looks of it. From the wildly incorrect labels on the shelves, the ordinary lighter fluid has been replaced by, as he said, the finest alcoholic beverages to be had. Common misconception about vampires is that they have no soul. Not true. It's just that most of them have it locked away for safe keeping. Yours was rather easier to access than I expected. You must be quite attached to your friend. The cheaper stuff appears to be champagne from King Louis XIV's own cellar. You can save Beatrix. Indeed, I encourage it. It's good to know that you have your own power and are not a puppet of a higher being. I freely acknowledge that you will make enemies beyond the rival vampires, but some of those enemies were planning against you already. And when they showed up, it was going to be fast, it was going to be painful, and they are not the sort to be swayed by yet another deal. But let me make myself perfectly clear: You are not in a position to bargain. You are in very deep water from some of your oh-so-clever 'deals', and I'm throwing you a lifeline. The ways out are striking out on your own and hoping that the monsters in the dark don't decide you look vulnerable, or proving yourself to me and becoming my champion, with the power and protection that comes with it.

----Tom-----
Yes, as in the primal deity of fire, as you so eloquently put it for Vulcan. But it would be easier to show you what Vulcan means. Vulcan summons a jet of lava, and a shimmering pool appears in the middle of it. It displays several atrocities being committed in quick succession, from black-eyed SS burning families in their houses alive, to what looks like a blindingly bright enormous winged figure fighting a similarly titanic demon over an island as people flee, to a pale king in a dark cape ordering the execution of a pleading druid, to a cemetery full of sunken and disrupted graves.The Arbiters are a necessary counterbalance to the madness, and occasionally the only solution is force. However, we the Arbiters are prevented from interfering personally, both by agreement and by force. This agreement does not prevent us from choosing champions to represent us.

[Linken]

Looking into the scrying portal and seeing the lab technicians at work, Ada looks back at Plague. She had... a lot of questions. But, hey, can't ask them all in one sitting. She clears her throat once Plague had spoken his peace. So... Plague was an Arbiter? That must mean the other Horsemen are, too. "Ahem, er... One question... what ARE the Arbiters? You mentioned them a couple of times." It was clear that there weren't just the Horsemen of the Apocalypse, because then he'd have just said to be the vessel of 'Plague, Horseman'. He hadn't quite given her the full explanation... but she was going to go through with this anyway. It would definitely be a massive undertaking, but it's better than just living bored, knowing things that others don't. Besides, it seems like an important subject.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
Plague rolls his eyes and says condescendingly,We are the Arbiters. There are twelve of us: myself, my brother Famine, Ferocus the 'Beast King', Athena, Loki, Death, his brother War, Vulcan, Poseidon, Thor, Petran, and Boreas. Together, we are the Arbiters, the more-or-less neutral of the forces at play.

[DeltaK]

"With the power and control you offer me, I may actually be able to live life again, instead of just hiding in the forest. I accept. I shall do as you request of me", and Andras gives him a long bow.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Brace yourself.

Ferocus stretches his hand towards you while you're bowing, and a searing pain shoots through your body. It lasts for about twenty seconds before receding, leaving you gasping on your knees.

Sorry about that. It was necessary.

[Linken]

Blinking as she takes in this information, Ada looks up at Plague. Well, being told that a lot of gods exist is quite the shock. She's handling it well, though! Well, she at least knows she's not just went insane! Okay, back to the main topic, though... It's not like she could say no. Not because she's being forced, of course. Simply because, well, it was too good of an offer to pass up. Infiltrating and exfiltrating the CDC was fun as hell, and Plague said that was 'just' humans.

I... Understand. And I consent to your offer. Condescendence wasn't needed, but he still explained it, that's what matters.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
Plague shrugs and grins evilly.Think happy thoughts.

Plague stretches his hand towards you, and you feel a searing pain spread throughout your body for about half a minute, leaving you sweating and cursing with pain.

Now that that pleasantry is out of the way, let's get you worthy of a champion. In addition to any power I grant you I can take you to, let's see *counts on his fingers* any four of my 'compatriots' for other gear or power. I cannot tell you what they may do for you, but I can tell you what I've done for you.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
Brace yourself.

Ferocus stretches his hand towards you while you're bowing, and a searing pain shoots through your body. It lasts for about twenty seconds before receding, leaving you gasping on your knees.

Sorry about that. It was necessary.

Andras screams during the trial. As it ends, he slow gets up, gritting his teeth and panting. "Was nothing. Feel that pain... every time," he says in between gasping breaths.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Ferocus breathes a sigh of relief and explains. I was carving your bones with special runes and tattooing the back of your hands with my mark. The pain was enough to sear your very soul. You might still be able to be possessed by others, but they'll never make it out alive. The carved runes and the tattoos signal every user of magic who tries to possess you or to read your mind who you are and who protects you. From now, you should feel no pain while transforming and have significantly more control while transformed. Changing should now feel as easy and as natural as putting on a warm coat. As a side effect of the runes, your claws and teeth can harm demons. .

Ferocus turns and beckons you towards a large brown stone manor that's been revealed behind the trees.

But come, I've given you power, let's give you some proper armor and weaponry. Then you can visit four of the other 11 Arbiters, and see what they might offer you

[Linken]

Ada holds back a scream of pain, but is still on the ground before Plague. That... Hurt. Did she regret it? Depends what he had done to her. She doubted it was just torture, but it felt like an eternity. How very vile of him, but it must have been for a reason. She holds back inquiring after the first bit he said. Staring up, she speaks. First, what did... What did you do? Ada was more of a 'don't get hit at all' type.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
Oh nothing much. Just carved a few old runes into your bones and gave you a couple of tattoos, letting people know who they're messing with if they try to possess you. You may be able to be possessed by others, but they'll never make it out alive. The runes and the tatts signal every user of magic who tries to possess you, read your mind, or knows what the tattoos mean who you are and who protects you. And of course, I gave you a few new toxins to try on anybody who might mess with you, an upgrade to that toy you carry, and a bit more skill with your... What did you call it? Technopathy? Now that that's done, you should choose which four Arbiters you want to visit, and which you want to visit first. Oh, and if you want any armor from me, now is the time.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----Loki wags his head from side to side. A "god" is putting it a bit strong. I've always pictured myself as more of an angel, really. The store isn't imagined, it's an actual liquor store in Southern Miami from the looks of it. From the wildly incorrect labels on the shelves, the ordinary lighter fluid has been replaced by, as he said, the finest alcoholic beverages to be had. Common misconception about vampires is that they have no soul. Not true. It's just that most of them have it locked away for safe keeping. Yours was rather easier to access than I expected. You must be quite attached to your friend. The cheaper stuff appears to be champagne from King Louis XIV's own cellar. You can save Beatrix. Indeed, I encourage it. It's good to know that you have your own power and are not a puppet of a higher being. I freely acknowledge that you will make enemies beyond the rival vampires, but some of those enemies were planning against you already. And when they showed up, it was going to be fast, it was going to be painful, and they are not the sort to be swayed by yet another deal. But let me make myself perfectly clear: You are not in a position to bargain. You are in very deep water from some of your oh-so-clever 'deals', and I'm throwing you a lifeline. The ways out are striking out on your own and hoping that the monsters in the dark don't decide you look vulnerable, or proving yourself to me and becoming my champion, with the power and protection that comes with it. "Sure, an angel. Never thought I'd be glad to meet one. Sorta glad."

She pops it and sniffs it while he talks. Not really interested in drinking any. "It must have been troublesome to drag my soul here in a hurry. Watch over me for who knows how long and even freeze time at the moment of my need. Of course, you wouldn't have to watch long if you were the one that set up the kidnapping. Try not to undersell my value. People rarely go through the trouble unless it's worth it. Even on a sunny day I would have considered your offer with a great deal of thought. It'll make for interesting times. And, now it seems my hand is forced, but my hand isn't worthless. Help me help Beatrix and I'll take your test in good faith. It'll be fun. It's the smallest of concessions."

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
You haven't the least idea. Watching is free, but I'm burning through a soul every two minutes I hold your mind here. But sure, take your time haggling.

Loki sighs and tries again. Why would I have set up the kidnapping if I could have had Beatrix killed under mysterious circumstances, which I could but wouldn't, and have you so driven by revenge that you'd do anything for the slightest chance at vengeance? Or I could wait until some demon knocks your front door down, and offer you as you watch your friend be beheaded. But as I'm A, NICE, GUY, I'll help you. I'll tell you where she is, who's holding her, and why they want her. But you need to listen carefully buttercup, otherwise you're going to miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
You haven't the least idea. Watching is free, but I'm burning through a soul every two minutes I hold your mind here. But sure, take your time haggling.

Loki sighs and tries again. Why would I have set up the kidnapping if I could have had Beatrix killed under mysterious circumstances, which I could but wouldn't, and have you so driven by revenge that you'd do anything for the slightest chance at vengeance? Or I could wait until some demon knocks your front door down, and offer you as you watch your friend be beheaded. But as I'm A, NICE, GUY, I'll help you. I'll tell you where she is, who's holding her, and why they want her. But you need to listen carefully buttercup, otherwise you're going to miss the opportunity of a lifetime. She grumbles in a troubled manner at his reaction. "I wouldn't want to waste your resources."

"You have my ear. I'll shut up and listen to the big guy in the room now."

[Dominosh]

----Jack----
One minute you're eating chips and watching bad daytime TV in a run-down apartment with the shades drawn, waiting for night to fall so you can slip away from the patrolling cops outside. The next you're on your butt in a library. A HUGE library. Scores of bookshelves stretch to the gild rotunda sixty feet above you, each packed with various books. The windows are frosted glass and stretch from floor to ceiling, providing light. It's silent, not even the sound of air conditioning or heat. There is the occasional sound of rustling pages coming from behind one of the bookshelves. You peer around it and see a woman with brown hair in a flowing white robe trimmed with gold, reading a thick leatherbound book. She motions for you to sit down without looking up.

When Jack arrives at the library he starts searching for a mess, well technically not any mess, his kind of mess: blood, bodies, broken windows and other signs of violence and entering.
When Jack sees the woman he does as she asks but not before blurting out Hey Ms ,do you perhaps know what time it is?

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
Ferocus breathes a sigh of relief and explains. I was carving your bones with special runes and tattooing the back of your hands with my mark. The pain was enough to sear your very soul. You might still be able to be possessed by others, but they'll never make it out alive. The carved runes and the tattoos signal every user of magic who tries to possess you or to read your mind who you are and who protects you. From now, you should feel no pain while transforming and have significantly more control while transformed. Changing should now feel as easy and as natural as putting on a warm coat. As a side effect of the runes, your claws and teeth can harm demons. .

Ferocus turns and beckons you towards a large brown stone manor that's been revealed behind the trees.

But come, I've given you power, let's give you some proper armor and weaponry. Then you can visit four of the other 11 Arbiters, and see what they might offer you

Andras stares in surprise at that statement. Before Ferocus is even finished talking, he attempts to transform. It finished much quicker than usual, and without pain. Andras admires his new claws and looks up when the manor is revealed. "What weapons do I need beyond my claws..." Andras trails off as he realizes he just talked in wolf form. He's never been able to do that before. His voice was extremely deep, gravely, and just barely above a growl, but it was speech. "And what armor could withstand the transformation?"

[Linken]

Looking over Plague, Ada seems to relax a little, though she was still a bit freaked. Yeah, that hurt... but if she could really do what he said she could, well, it'd be interesting, to say the least. At least he tried to warn her. In his own, Plaguey way. Still, she was eager to try this kinda thing out. Hopefully on things that AREN'T humans. It's preferable for her not to have to harm things, but she can still do it if needed. Resistance against possession is always good, too. Riight. Sounds useful, then. May as well get armour, too, as long as it isn't the slow, heavy, clanky kind. Even if it is, well... no real issue. Felt nice, even exciting, that something new was starting.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
Loki relaxes.
Finally, the light of reason shines through. Your friend is being held by the Sanguez cartel in the top floor of a vacation house in Tijuana. They're holding her because she unintenionally helped smuggle several thousand pounds of amphetamines when she helped a grocery store clerk move, and they want to know where. I'd suggest getting there on the double, before they beat it out of her.

----Jack----
The library is immaculate, everything in its place except for an empty place on the bookshelf behind the woman. A better question to ask would be, "What time is it in Tucson, or What time is it in Belarus? Time has meaning in those places. I am Athena, Arbiter of Knowledge, and you have been brought here because it is time for you to stop your spree of earthly carnage and take up a higher cause.

----Andras----
You will not always be able to face your enemies on your own terrain, and they will not always choose their weapons so poorly. You have much strength, but the weapons of man can still severely hurt you. You can thank War for his... ingenuity. The more powerful magicians of Earth can also still suppress my, your power. Armor crafted by man could not survive the constant transformation, it is true, but the forges of Vulcan are yours to command, should you so desire. But take this. Ferocus hands you a bone knife with a black stone handle. Should be able to kill any being you're likely to face, and deactive any suppressive magic at hand. But it can only be used once, so be careful.

----Ada----
Oh, I'm sure we can come up with something. Vulcan owes me a favor anyways. Plague reaches into the murk and pulls out several two different suits of armor. The first is a dark green edged with silver, enough to cover your forearms, shoulders, torso and stomach, upper and lower legs (but not the knee), and the back of your neck. They look sturdy, but a bit showy and inflexible. The second suit of armor doesn't look like much, just a faint green outline exuding from an amulet. This allows you to feign death well enough to fool any human and the vast majority of vampires, while still retaining full consciousness of the area around you. It will also protect you from three minor magical spells a day. More subtle than the first and perhaps less useful as direct defense or where serious magic is in play, but to each their own. I'm afraid I cannot offer you both, as they both retain a small, a very small level of their consciousness and would likely try to defend against each other.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
Loki relaxes.
Finally, the light of reason shines through. Your friend is being held by the Sanguez cartel in the top floor of a vacation house in Tijuana. They're holding her because she unintentionally helped smuggle several thousand pounds of amphetamines when she helped a grocery store clerk move, and they want to know where. I'd suggest getting there on the double, before they beat it out of her. Though it hardly shows through her calm demeanor she is still on edge despite him relaxing. She was hyper doing the game show and cautious after it. A hairs breath away from defending herself now there is a stress/pull to her movements. She corks the bottle and puts it back. Turning to Loki she says, "Ah that doesn't sound too bad. How about we get started?"

[Dominosh]

----Jack----
The library is immaculate, everything in its place except for an empty place on the bookshelf behind the woman. A better question to ask would be, "What time is it in Tucson, or What time is it in Belarus? Time has meaning in those places. I am Athena, Arbiter of Knowledge, and you have been brought here because it is time for you to stop your spree of earthly carnage and take up a higher cause.


What do you mean time is meaningless in those places? Is time not connected to daylight or that time here acts unrelated to... Wait am I currently not on earth? And is there a clearer definition to ''those places''? Jack sat in the seat near Athena, trying to come with a hypotheses of his own to what is happening with no success.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
Loki points to the door. The Mexican ambulance with your body is coming down the street. Stand in front of it and you'll rejoin your body in Tijuana. From there, I'll recover you enough for you to fight, and the rest is up to you.

----Jack----
Give the man a prize. No, you are not on Earth. You are in the plane of the Arbiters, but you likely know it better as Limbo or Purgatory. Time does pass here, but strangely. Even I cannot figure it out, and I've lived for a very long time by your measures.

[Dominosh]

----Jack----
Give the man a prize. No, you are not on Earth. You are in the plane of the Arbiters, but you likely know it better as Limbo or Purgatory. Time does pass here, but strangely. Even I cannot figure it out, and I've lived for a very long time by your measures.


OK, I'm in limbo, with Athena or a powerful non-human being, the NHB is friendly and quite an annoyance.
I'm not dead, unless I was poisoned, so I transferred to limbo because this NHB wants me to work for her. Probably the best job I'll ever get...
Jack looked at Athens and pulled a book from his right, read the first few pages and said How far are you from your Olympian counter part? Not to be rude or any thing but you don't seem like the god of tactics or to be honest any god.
Or a highly advanced technological mastermind.
Athena, can I call you Athe? So Athe what's the deal here, what kind of contract am I being offered?
Jack sat in the chair shutting the book and holding it tight, looking smug and feeling like the smartest guy in the room, like he was used to be

I wrote jacks thoughts in italics

[WhovianBeast]

----Jack----
Technology isn't my department. No, you aren't dead, you've been plane-shifted. A neat trick, but not especially difficult. The Greeks weren't too far wrong in their idea, but they missed some important points. First of all, I, we, are not gods. Second of all, we don't live on some easily climbable mountain. Third of all, maybe you should keep your 'astute' observations and clever nicknames to yourself, unless you can figure out some other reason why I can do this

Athena places her hand on your forehead, and your mind is filled with a whirlwind of knowledge and pain. It's speeding by fast, but you catch glimpses of the invention of the wheel, Da Vinci, Einstein, exploding stars, and a collapsing planet. It only lasted a few seconds, but they seemed like days.

And this
Athena snaps her fingers, and you're back in your parent's house as a child. Christmas Eve, but everything's a little off. Your parents smile just a little too wide, their declarations of love seem a little too forced, and nobody calls anybody by anything other than their first name. Looking around, you can see why. There's a balding man in a gray trenchcoat in the corner, eyes glowing yellow, pointing to people as they speak. The man looks surprised as he notices you staring at him, and black smoke pours out from his mouth with a scream, leaving a withered husk behind.
And this
She snaps her fingers again, and you can see you and your partner of three years laughing as you share an inside joke for the last time, as the bus pulls away and takes you to your retirement. The scene changes, and now your partner is calling his boss after leaving your apartment, reporting on your location for an air strike.
The scene ends and you're back in the library.
That one hasn't happened yet, but it will if you don't choose your path carefully. You aren't as alone in the world as you thought. And while you are more intelligent than most, you cannot imagine the forces at play. Soon any hope of you retaining your freedom and your life will be lost in a fiery explosion.

[Linken]

Checking out the two suits of armour, Ada makes her choice quickly, but she doesn't take notice of the 'Consciousness' bit. Well, she does, but it's better to not think about it. She reaches out for the amulet. "I like this one. Subtly is a good thing to have. Thank you." Plus, yknow, less showy than the first set. Protection against magic is also nice, stops people spying on her. If it's being given, it has to be good. All this just for infiltrating the CDC. Er, right. I suppose I'll go think on who to visit and ask for stuff from... out of curiosity, what was in the vial you gave me? The woman tilts her head, looking up at Plague as she takes the amulet.

[WhovianBeast]

The obsidian amulet floats towards you, and settles around your neck. The green haze around it disappears, but you can sense that it's still there.
The vial was just a little... insurance. And you'd better take this too Plague removes a silver ring from his finger. There's a massive emerald embedded on top. You'll need it to drive the car. Oh, and if you're ever in serious trouble, the ring can force a link from you to me when dipped in the blood of an ally. I'll see you when you're done shopping.

Plague drops you through a portal and onto a gray field. The sky is low and overcast, and the land is rolling hills. The only things in the field are blackened shriveled trees, patches of short gray grass, and 12 freestanding doors: Black, Green, Red, Beige, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Maroon, Gray, and Purple. Each door resembles a normal wooden door, painted in its color with a golden round handle and a white frame.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
You will not always be able to face your enemies on your own terrain, and they will not always choose their weapons so poorly. You have much strength, but the weapons of man can still severely hurt you. You can thank War for his... ingenuity. The more powerful magicians of Earth can also still suppress my, your power. Armor crafted by man could not survive the constant transformation, it is true, but the forges of Vulcan are yours to command, should you so desire. But take this. Ferocus hands you a bone knife with a black stone handle. Should be able to kill any being you're likely to face, and deactive any suppressive magic at hand. But it can only be used once, so be careful.

Andras holds the dagger in his paw. He could sense the power in it, but it was too small to wield easily. He glances up back at Ferocus, and his view shifts to Ferocus's axe. Now *thats* the right size. "I could do plenty of damage with a weapon like yours... does it come in hammer form?" Andras's lips curl into a half smile / half snarl.

"And some kind of armor that can remain with me during transformations would be...quite exquisite. Comfort is secondary. That's never been a problem for me."

"More arbiters? Like you? What are you anyway. A protector of this world? A God?"

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Ferocus follows your gaze. You'd have to ask Vulcan or War. I'm not in the weaponry business, the knife was just something I... picked up along the way. The armor, on the other hand, I can do. Ferocus whistles sharply, and several armors appear on the ground in front of you. The first is a suit of armor similar to Ferocus', with scaled plates sliding over one another and large spikes to deter grappling. The second is lighter, without the spikes, covering your limbs and the back of your neck but leaving your torso and back mostly exposed. The third is just a set of dull metal wrist cuffs, one brown, one black. I can bind any of these to you so that they change with the transformation. The catch is, if you lose them, they're gone until you find them again. The first is rather bulky, but offers the highest protection against physical threats and a low defense against magic. The second provides less physical protection but a greater range of movement while maintaining a low level of magical protection. The third are forged from the same metal as my armor and are nearly indestructible. The brown one protects against most angelic magic, and the black one protects against most dark magic. As long as you have one, you can find the location of the other.

Ferocus shrugs. You could call us both, I suppose, but really we're just those chosen to keep Michael, Lucifer, and their respective sides in check. Hence the name.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
Ferocus follows your gaze. You'd have to ask Vulcan or War. I'm not in the weaponry business, the knife was just something I... picked up along the way. The armor, on the other hand, I can do. Ferocus whistles sharply, and several armors appear on the ground in front of you. The first is a suit of armor similar to Ferocus', with scaled plates sliding over one another and large spikes to deter grappling. The second is lighter, without the spikes, covering your limbs and the back of your neck but leaving your torso and back mostly exposed. The third is just a set of dull metal wrist cuffs, one brown, one black. I can bind any of these to you so that they change with the transformation. The catch is, if you lose them, they're gone until you find them again. The first is rather bulky, but offers the highest protection against physical threats and a low defense against magic. The second provides less physical protection but a greater range of movement while maintaining a low level of magical protection. The third are forged from the same metal as my armor and are nearly indestructible. The brown one protects against most angelic magic, and the black one protects against most dark magic. As long as you have one, you can find the location of the other.

Ferocus shrugs. You could call us both, I suppose, but really we're just those chosen to keep Michael, Lucifer, and their respective sides in check. Hence the name.

"My speed and mobility has served me well. I would prefer to keep it, but if I'm to help fight a war, I would need the most protection. I will go with the first set. And chosen? By whom?"

[WhovianBeast]

It's less of a war than it is continuous pest control. I misspoke when I said we were chosen. It'd be better to say that we were the middle ground in a certain debate. Were humans the Chosen and therefore to be treated with respect, as held by Michael, or were humans the scum of the earth and to be wiped out, as held by Lucifer. The twelve of us were the most powerful of the Neutrals, and we were appointed by a compromise. However, we were banned from actually setting foot on Earth once it was realized we could have allied with either side to wipe the other out. But all that aside, are you certain you want the first?

[Dominosh]

----Jack----
Technology isn't my department. No, you aren't dead, you've been plane-shifted. A neat trick, but not especially difficult. The Greeks weren't too far wrong in their idea, but they missed some important points. First of all, I, we, are not gods. Second of all, we don't live on some easily climbable mountain. Third of all, maybe you should keep your 'astute' observations and clever nicknames to yourself, unless you can figure out some other reason why I can do this

Athena places her hand on your forehead, and your mind is filled with a whirlwind of knowledge and pain. It's speeding by fast, but you catch glimpses of the invention of the wheel, Da Vinci, Einstein, exploding stars, and a collapsing planet. It only lasted a few seconds, but they seemed like days.

And this
Athena snaps her fingers, and you're back in your parent's house as a child. Christmas Eve, but everything's a little off. Your parents smile just a little too wide, their declarations of love seem a little too forced, and nobody calls anybody by anything other than their first name. Looking around, you can see why. There's a balding man in a gray trenchcoat in the corner, eyes glowing yellow, pointing to people as they speak. The man looks surprised as he notices you staring at him, and black smoke pours out from his mouth with a scream, leaving a withered husk behind.
And this
She snaps her fingers again, and you can see you and your partner of three years laughing as you share an inside joke for the last time, as the bus pulls away and takes you to your retirement. The scene changes, and now your partner is calling his boss after leaving your apartment, reporting on your location for an air strike.
The scene ends and you're back in the library.
That one hasn't happened yet, but it will if you don't choose your path carefully. You aren't as alone in the world as you thought. And while you are more intelligent than most, you cannot imagine the forces at play. Soon any hope of you retaining your freedom and your life will be lost in a fiery explosion.

Wow, stop for a sec here Athe. Jack considers his path of action and asks When I'm back on earth, how much time would've passed?
Jack pulls his gun and loads it, takes three deep breaths, closes his eyes.
Can I take this book Athe?

[WhovianBeast]

That depends on how many stupid questions you decide ask.
Athena shakes her head. You may read it and try to comprehend it, but you may never leave with it, even if you agree to become my champion. The consequences it could have would change the shape of the world as we know it.
The book is on very advanced particle physics, written in Akkadian and bound in leather.

[Dominosh]

That depends on how many stupid questions you decide ask.
Athena shakes her head. You may read it and try to comprehend it, but you may never leave with it, even if you agree to become my champion. The consequences it could have would change the shape of the world as we know it.
The book is on very advanced particle physics, written in Akkadian and bound in leather.

How many minutes do I have before the air strike?
Jack sets his clock.
Takes of the blazer, putting it on the back of the chair. Save this seat for me Athe. Oh and the book.
I'm ready to head back

[DeltaK]

It's less of a war than it is continuous pest control. I misspoke when I said we were chosen. It'd be better to say that we were the middle ground in a certain debate. Were humans the Chosen and therefore to be treated with respect, as held by Michael, or were humans the scum of the earth and to be wiped out, as held by Lucifer. The twelve of us were the most powerful of the Neutrals, and we were appointed by a compromise. However, we were banned from actually setting foot on Earth once it was realized we could have allied with either side to wipe the other out. But all that aside, are you certain you want the first?

"I am certain. Besides, it will add to the intimidation factor"

[WhovianBeast]

----Jack----
Three hundred and twenty two if you spend them here, about a minute and a half if you return right now.

----Andras----
So be it. The command to attach the armor is Iungo bruti praesidium. The command to removeAmoveri bruti praesidium. Be careful, as anybody who knows these commands can use them, so long as you are not wearing the armor. If we are done, it is time for you to decide which four of the other Arbiters you wish to visit. Have I told you whom the other eleven are?

[Dominosh]

----Jack----
Three hundred and twenty two if you spend them here, about a minute and a half if you return right now.


Jack sets the stopper in his watch to 90 seconds winks and Send me back Athe

[WhovianBeast]

Athena sighs, and you find yourself back in your apartment. After recovering your balance, you look out the window, and see your partner getting into his car.

84 seconds

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
So be it. The command to attach the armor is Iungo bruti praesidium. The command to removeAmoveri bruti praesidium. Be careful, as anybody who knows these commands can use them, so long as you are not wearing the armor. If we are done, it is time for you to decide which four of the other Arbiters you wish to visit. Have I told you whom the other eleven are?

"You told me there was a War and a Vulcan, either who could help me with weaponry. Apart from that I do not know"

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
Loki points to the door. The Mexican ambulance with your body is coming down the street. Stand in front of it and you'll rejoin your body in Tijuana. From there, I'll recover you enough for you to fight, and the rest is up to you. She courteously nods and starts making her way over to the door. "It was an interesting chat angel. I guess I'll be going to help my drugy friends. See you soon." She puts her hand to her mouth and waves behind her. Ready to go through the door and get run over by the nearest ambulance. What a tricky thing to request. It wasn't like she was able to get his signature. There is still a chance as small as it may be that this was all just a Jedi trick. She'd be putting her soul stuff to the test as soon as she got to the "real" world.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
My apologies. Let's see, there are the Horsemen: War, Death, Plague, and Famine. There are the elementals: Thor, Poseidon, Vulcan, Petran, and Boreas. And then there's Loki, Athena, and myself.

----Nieve----
Loki gives a mock saluteGo show 'em what for!

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
Loki gives a mock saluteGo show 'em what for!She steps through the door.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
As soon as the door closes, the liquor store is back to the seedy establishment it had always been. The ambulance comes down the street, and will pass in about 7 seconds. There are people laughing, talking, swimming, and riding bicycles, but none of them notice you or the fact that the store just changed.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
As soon as the door closes, the liquor store is back to the seedy establishment it had always been. The ambulance comes down the street, and will pass in about 7 seconds. There are people laughing, talking, swimming, and riding bicycles, but none of them notice you or the fact that the store just changed.Time to test that soul stuff. Seven seconds. She goes to put her hand on the nearest street clutter. A mailbox, a street lamp, a fire hydrant, or something (even dare say a person). Anything close will work at this point. She has less than seven seconds to test if this ambulance is going to destroy her in a bloody pimple smear. She's not going to miss her train.

[Dominosh]

Athena sighs, and you find yourself back in your apartment. After recovering your balance, you look out the window, and see your partner getting into his car.

84 seconds

2 seconds to aim at Frank, his ex-partner, and give up.
10 seconds to collect his really important things and his toothbrush.
5 more to sound the fire alarm.
3 to reach the fire escape.
A whole minute to rush the other inhabitants and reach the ground
5 seconds to take cov...

Jack takes a shallow breath and another one God dammit he whispers as he applies pressure to a wound near his naval caused by shrapnel.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
The nearest person is an elderly couple tottering down the sidewalk. You hand goes through the man as if he were no more than mist, but he turns to his wife. (translated from Spanish)//"Ethel, I could have sworn I felt a chill! In Tijuana! In summer!"//

Three seconds.

----Jack----
2 seconds to aim and give up.
13 seconds to collect his things.
5 to sound the alarm.
6 to reach the fire escape.
54 seconds to rush down.
4 seconds to reach cover.

The piece of shrapnel is lodged in your stomach, but it's only an inch wide splinter from a wooden handrail.

Thinking over your options, you have 4 forms on file in addition to "default": A school janitor, a well-to-do businessman, an special forces soldier, and an eight year old boy.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
The nearest person is an elderly couple tottering down the sidewalk. You hand goes through the man as if he were no more than mist, but he turns to his wife. (translated from Spanish)//"Ethel, I could have sworn I felt a chill! In Tijuana! In summer!"//

Three seconds.That's about the best result she could have gotten. She doesn't care about the couple and as soon as ignores them as she gets her answer. She sprints in front of oncoming traffic to pick up here ride. A deer in the "headlights". It has been a while since she's been hit by a car. She can't remember her soul ever being hit by a car before though. This will be something new. She puts herself dead center of the thing and pretends she's going to stop it with her hands. Both her arms held out as if she's going to push over a wall. Oh, how I've missed you sweet body.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
The ambulance passes through you, and you're snapped back into your body. There are two EMTs, one male, one female, and there's an oxygen mask over your face. There's a defibrillator being charged up. "3.... 2.... 1.... Clear!" The man leans in with the shock paddles.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
The ambulance passes through you, and you're snapped back into your body. There are two EMTs, one male, one female, and there's an oxygen mask over your face. There's a defibrillator being charged up. "3.... 2.... 1.... Clear!" The man leans in with the shock paddles.She tests her strength trying to stand or break free of anything tying her down. She doesn't roughly struggle or get rowdy but puts a straightforward concentrated effort in pushing past any restraints. The EMTs are sure to notice and not put the old shocker to the heart right? The vehicle's insides get a quick survey as she revives.

[Blinkbear]

----Tom-----
Yes, as in the primal deity of fire, as you so eloquently put it for Vulcan. But it would be easier to show you what Vulcan means. Vulcan summons a jet of lava, and a shimmering pool appears in the middle of it. It displays several atrocities being committed in quick succession, from black-eyed SS burning families in their houses alive, to what looks like a blindingly bright enormous winged figure fighting a similarly titanic demon over an island as people flee, to a pale king in a dark cape ordering the execution of a pleading druid, to a cemetery full of sunken and disrupted graves.The Arbiters are a necessary counterbalance to the madness, and occasionally the only solution is force. However, we the Arbiters are prevented from interfering personally, both by agreement and by force. This agreement does not prevent us from choosing champions to represent us.

Tom looked at the displayed atrocities with disgust. "And what would the duties and privileges of a champion be?" He asks, trying to sound matter-of-factly, though his voice is struck by a certain awe, as he seems to finally start to realize to stand in front of a deity. Of course, this is a slow process, as it is not that easy to digest.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
The EMT backs off with the defib.

"Don't try to move miss, you've received a gunshot to the head. You were dead for a few moments there. Do you know your name? What day of the week is it?"

The ambulance is white, with wires and tubes leading from cabinets. There is a bench along your right side that the two EMTs are sitting on. You are facing the back doors and lying on a gurney, and there is a mesh wall between the back and the front. You are not restrained in any way.
----Tom----
As a champion, you are given raw power, equipment, and ability in exchange for agreeing to serve an Arbiter, and try to put and keep any major threats to the survival of the world similar to how it stands "naturally" down. This is not a light task nor an easy one, but Vulcan is confident you will be up to it if you try. If you agree to become a champion, you will have the prerogative to attempt correct anything that isn't to your liking, so long as the Arbiters and specifically Vulcan myself haven't forbidden you to intervene.

[Blinkbear]

----Tom----
As a champion, you are given raw power, equipment, and ability in exchange for agreeing to serve an Arbiter, and try to put and keep any major threats to the survival of the world similar to how it stands "naturally" down. This is not a light task nor an easy one, but Vulcan is confident you will be up to it if you try. If you agree to become a champion, you will have the prerogative to attempt correct anything that isn't to your liking, so long as the Arbiters and specifically Vulcan myself haven't forbidden you to intervene.

The scientist-turned-hero nods slowly. As a scientist, he had learned to ask questions until he had at least an abstract understanding. "Who exactly are the Arbiters?"

[WhovianBeast]

----Tom----
The Arbiters are the angels who chose to side with neither Michael nor Lucifer, and as a result are tasked with keeping the world out of either sides' hands. Vulcan is an Arbiter, along with others you could probably guess. Death, War, Boreas, Athena, Plague, Thor, Poseidon, Famine, Loki, Petran and Ferocus are also Arbiters. We are tasked with protecting Earth but prevented from interfering personally, so that we do not side with either party. However, we are allowed to choose Arbiters, who can wield our power and execute our will. You are here because you have Phoenix blood in your veins. Magic, genetic, or accident, it is impossible for Vulcan to tell. But you do have it, and your powers will grow further than they already have.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
My apologies. Let's see, there are the Horsemen: War, Death, Plague, and Famine. There are the elementals: Thor, Poseidon, Vulcan, Petran, and Boreas. And then there's Loki, Athena, and myself.

Andras furrows him brow, "The horsemen...of the apocalypse? From all the stories? They're...neutral 'arbiters'? That is strange. I suppose it is better to have them neutral rather than actively trying to destroy the planet. You say I can receive boons from four of them? I would most likely choose War, Vulcan, Petran and Boreas."

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The Horsemen may be more malevolent than is strictly helpful, but rest assured it is an omnidirectional malevolence, and therefore Neutral. Off you go then. This will lead to the fields, and from there you can get to whichever four you desire. Remember: Red, Orange, Maroon, and Light Blue/ Those belong to the four you mentioned.

Ferocus summons a portal.

Whenever you're ready

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
The EMT backs off with the defib.

"Don't try to move miss, you've received a gunshot to the head. You were dead for a few moments there. Do you know your name? What day of the week is it?"

The ambulance is white, with wires and tubes leading from cabinets. There is a bench along your right side that the two EMTs are sitting on. You are facing the back doors and lying on a gurney, and there is a mesh wall between the back and the front. You are not restrained in any way.
I've been dead for longer than that she thinks bemused. She shifts her thigh to feel if taken her belongings and id. She stumbles and mumbles, dragging out her response time, as she feels around. No harm in giving the day at least, and she answers that.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
Your belongings are all still there.

The female EMT leans over and looks you in the eyes, then your forehead.
"Seamus, look at this! Her head injury i-i-i-is just GONE."
"What the hell?"
Seamus notices you patting your pockets.
"Miss, I'm going to need to ask you to lean back and relax until we reach the hospital and sort out what's going on."

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
Your belongings are all still there.

The female EMT leans over and looks you in the eyes, then your forehead.
"Seamus, look at this! Her head injury i-i-i-is just GONE."
"What the hell?"
Seamus notices you patting your pockets.
"Miss, I'm going to need to ask you to lean back and relax until we reach the hospital and sort out what's going on.""Ah *beep*", she curses. She starts pulling the equipment out of her with a quickness. She'd rather not be drugged anymore than what she's already gotten. "Did you guys mess up my costume?" She starts to sit up and move to defend herself from the two. Pressing a finger to her former bullet hole. "*Beep* You did. I need to redo my make-up. Stop here! Let me out. I'll take this all as a real compliment toward my props and all, but I'm on a deadline. Give me a waiver to sign, and I'll be out of here."

Wow, it's like she got caught with her hand in the cookie jar and couldn't make up a lie to save her life. The whole situation was unbelievable and weaving a hardy tell to make any of this explainable would take far too long. No, she needed to hurry up and get out of here. Scaring these people and causing a scene here was worth it if she could save time.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
The Horsemen may be more malevolent than is strictly helpful, but rest assured it is an omnidirectional malevolence, and therefore Neutral. Off you go then. This will lead to the fields, and from there you can get to whichever four you desire. Remember: Red, Orange, Maroon, and Light Blue/ Those belong to the four you mentioned.

Ferocus summons a portal.

Whenever you're ready

"I am ready." Andras walks through the portal.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
You land on a dark gray field. The sky is low and overcast, and the land is slowly rolling hills extending into the distance. The only things in the field are blackened shriveled trees, patches of short gray grass, and 12 freestanding doors: Black, Green, Red, Beige, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Yellow, Orange, Brown, Maroon, Gray, and Purple. Each door resembles a normal wooden door, painted in its color with a golden round handle and a white frame. Next to you is a female, about 8 inches shorter than you, lithe, wearing street clothes and a dark black necklace. She's carrying a computer bag and has some sort of weapon in a holster on her right him. She also has markings on her hands, but not the mark of Ferocus. Instead, she has three dark green circles, terminating before they're complete, centered over an inner circle about an inch in diameter.

----Nieve----
"Lady, I don't know where you think you are, but you were shot and bleeding not a minute ago. We didn't do anything, it just stopped. You need to lie down, stop pulling out the IV and the oxygen mask, and relax until we can just get you to a hospital."

[DeltaK]

Andras spends a moment scanning the area, taking note of the doors, and specifically the doors mentioned by Ferocus. Then his eyes land upon the human. She did not look very threatening, but who knows what powers exist in this realm. He turns to her, his voice still just barely above a growl, "Greetings".

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
You're standing outside the row of doors when a large werewolf with strange markings and heavy armor appears next to you. It greets you and waits for you to respond.

----Andras----
The lady stands there slightly nervously. She smells like disease, pain, and fear.

[Linken]

Ada had been dropped off without really knowing the colours associated with each Arbiter. She looks over the doors- quite intimidating, when you think about it. Course, she flinches as she hears Andras, taking a few steps back once she saw him... a werewolf. Least, that's what it looked like. She simply stares, before speaking. Uhm. Hi.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada and Andras----
You see a cadaverous man stumbling across the hilltop two hundred yards away. He keeps looking behind him as if he's being chased, but he's alone.

A deep frightening roar sounds in the distance, but fades away after about four seconds. The man freezes, and then continues running across the hilltop. He's soon blocked from view by the hill.

[DeltaK]

Andras turns away from the human to look over in the direction of the new man and noise. "The hell was that" he says, to no one in particular. He looks back for one more glance at the woman next to him, whose look of confusion and fear brings a slight grin to his face. At least she didn't run in terror. That's more than most people. Then without another word, he falls to all fours, and begins running towards the hill for a better look at whats going on.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The man is about 50 yards away from you and still running. From your new vantagepoint on the hill, you can see a dozen other people before the mist obscures all vision (about 400 yards away). Some are running, some are stumbling, and some are on their knees or in a fetal position, moaning and shrieking. They all look skinny, terrified, and very, very tired. They're all running from something, and you can hear a strange grating noise that stops after about 15 seconds. It's coming from behind one of the hills, and the noise inspires all who can to continue their flight. All you smell now is ashes, fear, and death.

[Linken]

Watching the man run along the hill, Ada glances around, before backing away to a door at random. Nope. She didn't want to be part of whatever he's running from. Oh, what if they were locked? Well... she'd rather not get killed five minutes into whatever-the-heck-is-going-on. Plus, yknow, that werewolf-looking thing just sprinted off to see it. Still, this could be good for helping her make a choice in that it's completely random. Can always just knock or enter if they were in actual danger. She stops and waits, though. If the werewolf didn't come back, well, it would be a good reason to just enter whatever door she picked.

Ada backed off towards a random door. Not opening it yet.
[roll0]
What's behind door number five?

[Blinkbear]

----Tom----
The Arbiters are the angels who chose to side with neither Michael nor Lucifer, and as a result are tasked with keeping the world out of either sides' hands. Vulcan is an Arbiter, along with others you could probably guess. Death, War, Boreas, Athena, Plague, Thor, Poseidon, Famine, Loki, Petran and Ferocus are also Arbiters. We are tasked with protecting Earth but prevented from interfering personally, so that we do not side with either party. However, we are allowed to choose Arbiters, who can wield our power and execute our will. You are here because you have Phoenix blood in your veins. Magic, genetic, or accident, it is impossible for Vulcan to tell. But you do have it, and your powers will grow further than they already have.

"Phoenix blood..." Tom is lowly mumbling, looking at the gaping chasm. The proposed way - fantastic as it sounded - was a way of answers, he had been seeking for, without any actual progress. The things he could learn, experience, achieve. If a deity decided to call him, who would he be to reject the offer? How could he ever live in peace again, knowing to have turned it down?

"If Vulcan asks for my service, I shall accept." He says as firmly as he could in the presence of the fiery titan.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
Door 5 is Dark Blue and unlocked, but will require some effort to push open. The werewolf is standing on the top of a hill and looking around.

----Tom----
Vulcan shakes his head.

Vulcan appreciates your eagerness, but you must prove yourself first. The country you know as Nepal is working with a demon to harness magical fire as an uncounterable weapon of war. Vulcan cannot allow this. Go destroy their research facility.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
The man is about 50 yards away from you and still running. From your new vantagepoint on the hill, you can see a dozen other people before the mist obscures all vision (about 400 yards away). Some are running, some are stumbling, and some are on their knees or in a fetal position, moaning and shrieking. They all look skinny, terrified, and very, very tired. They're all running from something, and you can hear a strange grating noise that stops after about 15 seconds. It's coming from behind one of the hills, and the noise inspires all who can to continue their flight. All you smell now is ashes, fear, and death.

Andras looks around in concern. He has no idea what is going on, and isn't even fully geared yet. Ferocus told him to visit the other Arbiters, not start a fight with...gods know what. He wasn't ready for this kind of thing yet. He turned back towards the doors to see the woman standing in front of the dark blue door. Another so called "champion" visiting the other Arbiters? Again, none of his concern. He returns down the hill to the doors, and heads for the red door. He tries to open it.

[Blinkbear]

----Tom----
Vulcan shakes his head.

Vulcan appreciates your eagerness, but you must prove yourself first. The country you know as Nepal is working with a demon to harness magical fire as an uncounterable weapon of war. Vulcan cannot allow this. Go destroy their research facility.

Tom nods, and slightly surprising himself, he answered: "What is the name of the facility?"

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The handle grates, but it opens, and the door swings out heavily. There's a swirling red portal framed by the doorway. The ?people traveling by take no notice.

----Tom----
Prometheus Industries.

[DeltaK]

Andras thinks for a second, then shifts back into human form before passing through the portal.

[Linken]

Ada pushes the dark blue door open. It'd be embarassing if this was Plague's door, but good thing it probably isn't! She enters through whatever is inside... assuming it wasn't just a brick wall.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The door closes behind you as you enter.

You find yourself on the deck of an enormous gray battleship, recognizable as belonging to the WW2 era, but about three times the size of any that has gone before it. It's also silent. The waves crash against the side, the wind howls past your ears, and the engines are running, but there is no trace of any sailor, soldier, or superior officer on deck. You're sailing off the coast of some unrecognizable barren desert.

The ship follows the course of the coast as it turns to the side. You can smell diesel fumes, grease, and ocean, but not much else.

----Ada----
You step through the portal, and you're on a desert island being pounded by the surf. There's a large whirlpool about 50 yards offshore, with an enormous man standing over it idly swirling his finger. He hasn't noticed you.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
The door closes behind you as you enter.

You find yourself on the deck of an enormous gray battleship, recognizable as belonging to the WW2 era, but about three times the size of any that has gone before it. It's also silent. The waves crash against the side, the wind howls past your ears, and the engines are running, but there is no trace of any sailor, soldier, or superior officer on deck. You're sailing off the coast of some unrecognizable barren desert.

The ship follows the course of the coast as it turns to the side. You can smell diesel fumes, grease, and ocean, but not much else.

Andras stares off towards the shore for a few moments before turning back towards the ship. "Hello? Anyone here?"

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The ship's engines stop. A man in gray and black armor embossed with skulls, a tattered cloak, a horned helmet obscuring all but his gleaming red eyes, and a large dark gray sword with a red hilt stands before you. He rumbles a challenge, Who are you and what are you doing in here?

[DeltaK]

Andras gives him a long respectful bow. "I am Andras Skaldrickson, Champion of Ferocus. I assume you are War? He told me you could provide me with assistance."

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
War folds his arms.Hmph. He did say he had a new champion. What can I do for you? Weapons, amulets, runes, vodka?

[DeltaK]

"I was quite intrigued by his axe. I was looking to get something similar. Axe or hammer."

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
I'll see what I can do. Single or double handed? Single or double sided?

[Linken]

Looking around the area, Ada's first sight is the expanse of the sea. The second thing she notices is the giant man currently standing over and creating what looks to be a whirlpool. Well... screw it, may as well stick to whatever's going on. Approaching slowly and getting to the edge of the sand, she stares up at him. Well... it was intimidating, but gods (or 'arbiters') are supposed to be like that and so she pays no mind to it. Er, hello?

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
The giant looks surprised and the whirlpool dissipates. Yes? Who sent you? Is this another of Loki's tricks? Stupid bastard's always giving homeless people keys to my doors.

[Linken]

Smirking slightly and shaking her head, Ada replies, after thinking of a suitable introduction. She gives a slight bow as she speaks. Play it cool. "Well, no. I am Ada, Champion of Plague. He sent me out to get power and equipment. ...Sadly, he didn't tell me which portal belonged to which Arbiter, plus there was a real commotion going on." ...Crap, who the hell is this? Can't be Thor, definitely not a Horseman... maybe Boreas? Hm. She straightens herself up, staring up at the giant man.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
The titan laughs heartily. Hahahahaha, that's just like Plague. Always enjoys playing puppetmaster with those weaker than him. Which is most. I'm Poseidon, and I don't have much I can give you that's suitable for any except MY champion. But I'm sure we can dig something up. Interested in a ring that allows you to breathe underwater? How about a cloak that lets you swim like one of the faster fish? There's the knife Stormsummoner, which is a vastly overrated buckknife that allows you to summon a heavy rainstorm.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
I'll see what I can do. Single or double handed? Single or double sided?

"Double handed. And lets do double sided as well."

[Linken]

Smiling to herself as she listens to the titanic man speak, she realises the correlation. Poseidon, ocean, definitely couldn't have been Boreas. "Heh, I kinda got that vibe... I'm not sure if any of those would be useful to me. Then again, if I have to go underwater somewhere, I'd probably be kicking myself. She folds her arms, looking to the exit. "Still, ehm, thanks for the offer. I'm sure that, when you have a Champion, they'll be happy with what they get.

By the by, can you help me with something? Do you know exactly what's going on outside? I was in the place connecting the Arbiters'... 'realms', and someone was running over a hill, like they were being chased. What's that about?"

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
It is done.

War speaks a short sentence in a language you don't recognize, and a glowing metal axe appears. It cools to reveal a grayish-green double-edged curved blade, with a spike extending from the middle and a brown leather handle, ending in a silver spike. The handle is 5 feet long from tip to tip, each blade is about 1 feet wide and 1 foot tall.

Steel. One blade is covered in silver, the other in iron. Should deal with most of your problems.

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/elderscrolls/images/9/95/BM_Nord_Battleaxe_weapon.png/revision/latest?cb=20130825003605

----Ada----
Outside is part of Purgatory. I don't know what was chasing them, could have been nearly anything, but I'd be very careful indeed. Some nasty things are locked in there.

Poseidon sighs.
But I guess since you don't want any of those, it's time for you to be going. It's not like 70% of the world is water or anything.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
"Lady, I don't know where you think you are, but you were shot and bleeding not a minute ago. We didn't do anything, it just stopped. You need to lie down, stop pulling out the IV and the oxygen mask, and relax until we can just get you to a hospital."She moves to the back door and opens it up - waiting for this crazy bus to stop.

[DeltaK]

Andras carefully picks up the axe and gives it a few practice swings. "Not all that different than a woodsman's axe. This'll do nicely." He turns to War and gives another head bow. "Thank you. Now I suppose I shall leave you be." He turns and looks around the ship again. "Uhh, if you show me the way."

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
The EMTs freak out.
"What are you doing! You need to lay back down, until we can get to the hospital!"
"Steve! Stop the ambulance Steve! She's gonna jump!"
The ambulance screeches to a halt, throwing the unsecured EMTs forward, but your grip on the door holds you upright.

----Andras----
Sorry. Call it a security measure. Nobody leaves the domain of an Arbiter unless we want them to. Goodbye, Andras. I hope my champion doesn't kill you when you meet.

A portal opens at the same time War disappears and the ship surges to life.

[DeltaK]

"Well that's encouraging. Have to worry about the other champions too. What have I gotten myself into," he says to himself as he steps through the portal. "Plus i need to find some way to strap this to my armor. Going to be a pain to just carry all the time."

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
It occurs to you to try just sticking the axe to the armor. It works for Ferocus, and the axe and armor are hardly ordinary.

You exit, and the human that smelled of sickness is gone. You're back in front of the 12 doors. Black, Red, Green, Tan, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Brown, Maroon, Gray, Purple, Orange, Yellow. They've rearranged themselves and changed locations, but are still in the same general orientation. The surrounding area is empty, except for a lone dark figure standing on the hill and watching you from about 300 yards.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
The EMTs freak out.
"What are you doing! You need to lay back down, until we can get to the hospital!"
"Steve! Stop the ambulance Steve! She's gonna jump!"
The ambulance screeches to a halt, throwing the unsecured EMTs forward, but your grip on the door holds you upright.She holds on tight with some of that supernatural strength as she bounces around in place. "Seamus. Steve. Other person. You've been wonderful EMTs. Keep up the good work. Now, do try to stay healthy." She snaps a quick photo with her phone. "Don't let this small hick-up mess up your day! Ciao."

She hops out of the vehcile and starts a normal human speed dash for an alley or somewhere away from prowling eyes.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
They goggle at you as you leave, too shocked to say anything. They close the doors and drive off as you enter an empty house under construction. You're across the street from a beach, and the house across the street and two to the left matches the brief description Loki gave you of the place Beatrix was being kept. There are also two muscular armed Mexican's in black t-shirts standing on the porch.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
They goggle at you as you leave, too shocked to say anything. They close the doors and drive off as you enter an empty house under construction. You're across the street from a beach, and the house across the street and two to the left matches the brief description Loki gave you of the place Beatrix was being kept. There are also two muscular armed Mexican's in black t-shirts standing on the porch.

Yeah, this image is a keeper. She lets out some built up stress and relaxes in the construction building. Just chilling on the wall. Not even noticing where she's at until she's half way to requesting a Uber. She peaks out a window frame to see two guards and the house she wants apparently. "Loki you devil... angel you. You better not complain about this costing you souls later." Watching is free right?

She spends a moment to steal the form of one of the two guards. And, she'll copy the form of a random passerby (the more pathetic looking the better). She can't exactly sneak in there herself. The scene she caused was bad enough, but some punk doesn't exactly blend. She'll assumes the form of the passerby and make her way around (superspeed when no one is watching) and toward the back of the armed house. Spying it before she makes her presence known.

[WhovianBeast]

---Nieve---

Loki said it was free. Or just costs so little it's usually irrelevant.

Your attempt at copying fails because you aren't in physical contact with the guard and he isn't an incorporeal being.

The back of the house faces the beach. Which is where all the people are. It's a very public secret drug house.

[Elbeyon]

---Nieve---
Loki said it was free. Or just costs so little it's usually irrelevant.

Your attempt at copying fails because you aren't in physical contact with the guard and he isn't an incorporeal being.

The back of the house faces the beach. Which is where all the people are. It's a very public secret drug house.

New plan. Buy some drugs. Time to get judgey: She tries to eye what she'd guess is some pursuers of the "arts." The type that scream druggy or even better a group of practitioners going in together. She'll approach and hit them up for the details. Being a little discombobulated and a fair bit more touchy - about a copies worth of touchiness. She just wants what they want. A nice trip. And, she's not some leech. She has the money to pay for her and maybe...

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
Well, there's a pair of nervous surf bums in t-shirts, cargo shorts, and flip flops edging their way toward their house in a manner they deemed to be nonchalant.

6 seconds straight to copy.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
Well, there's a pair of nervous surf bums in t-shirts, cargo shorts, and flip flops edging their way toward their house in a manner they deemed to be nonchalant.

6 seconds straight to copy.That's the duo! She jogs up to them and stops short to walk the rest. Once she's close enough to talk she asks, "Mind if I join you guys? You guys going in?" She closes the gap farther and tries to put her hand on one of the surf bum's shoulders. "I'd love to join the party."

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
The surf bum flinches when you touch him, but after conferring with his buddy, he decides to let you join.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
The surf bum flinches when you touch him, but after conferring with his buddy, he decides to let you join. She'll walk along with them while keeping her hand on his shoulder.

[WhovianBeast]

Form, Magic, Powers, Skills?

----Nieve----
You walk up to the house, where the guards challenge the three of you for the password.

"Snowflake. Now let us in, she's with us."

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
You walk up to the house, where the guards challenge the three of you for the password.

"Snowflake. Now let us in, she's with us."

The trains already coasting at this point. No point on getting off now. She smiles, amused again, and says, "snowflake" a second time. Her focus shifting to the guy she's hanging onto to avoid any trouble. Where are you Beatrix?

And this time she's not transforming right in front of them... :smallfrown: What a sad misfortune of bad posting on my part.

She'll grab his skills though. Who knows what he's good at.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
It occurs to you to try just sticking the axe to the armor. It works for Ferocus, and the axe and armor are hardly ordinary.

You exit, and the human that smelled of sickness is gone. You're back in front of the 12 doors. Black, Red, Green, Tan, Dark Blue, Light Blue, Brown, Maroon, Gray, Purple, Orange, Yellow. They've rearranged themselves and changed locations, but are still in the same general orientation. The surrounding area is empty, except for a lone dark figure standing on the hill and watching you from about 300 yards.

After the flash of insight, Andras just tries sticking the axe to back of the armor, blade side down. He looks up and stares at the figure on the hill. He sniffs, trying to get any scent. After a few moments, he shrugs, and heads for the orange door. He attempts to open it.

[Linken]

Man, if she kept craning her neck up to look up at this titanic man, it was gonna get real sore. Still, she supposed what he's saying does have merits, even if she can't swim very well. Well... I suppose the ring that lets me breathe underwater could be useful. Better than drowning, I guess.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
The guy feels a slight twinge as you take his skills, and is utterly freaked out when you take his form. The guards are slow to notice what happened.

A short scream from upstairs is cut off.
The copied effect happens immediately but is discardable at any time. Did I fail to mention that?

----Andras----
The axe clings to the armor as securely as if it were bound.
The only scent you can catch in this place is more ashes, fear, and death.
The orange door grates open, and you go through the portal. You find yourself on the edge of a large canyon, with lava flowing at the bottom. There's a large black figure with flaming hair and eyes who seems to be conversing with a human. The portal has disappeared behind you.

----Linken----
Try it.

[Linken]

Ada would, once offered, take the ring from Poseidon. "Honestly, I'd rather take your word for it. I have no doubts that it works. Er, is there a catch?" Plus, there's probably a bunch of sea monsters in Poseidon's realm and so she'd rather not get eaten.

[WhovianBeast]

----Linken----
Poseidon flicks something at you. It hits your chest and drops to your feet. It's a gray stone ring with a blue band around the middle.
No catch. Just don't lose it.

[Linken]

Getting something flicked at you, something small hurts... but at least it wasn't a bullet! She kneels down and picks up the stone ring, sliding it on. Ought to be useful. "Well, thank you for the ring and the information." She glances towards where she first entered from. Huh. Where's the exit portal? "Er, how do I get out?"

[WhovianBeast]

----Linken----
Poseidon opens a deep blue portal in front of you.

Goodbye little one. I hope we meet again.

[Linken]

Ada steps into the portal, giving a small wave (no pun intended) towards Poseidon. "You too, been nice meeting you."

[WhovianBeast]

----Linken----
You're back in Purgatory. As soon as you step out, you're blasted with a breeze that carries the smell of rotting flesh. It quickly dies away.

The doors have rearranged themselves into a circle and the area around you has changed, but the landscape is basically the same.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
The axe clings to the armor as securely as if it were bound.
The only scent you can catch in this place is more ashes, fear, and death.
The orange door grates open, and you go through the portal. You find yourself on the edge of a large canyon, with lava flowing at the bottom. There's a large black figure with flaming hair and eyes who seems to be conversing with a human. The portal has disappeared behind you.

"Another human? Another 'champion'? Must be graduation day." Andras begins walking towards the figures, making sure to come from an angle that the large flaming figure can see. Doesn't want to startle a god. If that's even possible.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The giant tilts his head towards you, shimmers, and soon there are two of him. One in front of you, one in front of the other guy.

You must be with Ferocus. Vulcan is Vulcan, nice to meet you. That's Tom, Vulcan is a bit busy recruiting at the moment. But you must want something from Vulcan. What can Vulcan do for you? Mayhaps an upgrade to the tinfoil axe? Or how about a Fire Ring of Urgent Escape? Something else?

[Blinkbear]

Tom nodded, repeating the name in his mind. "Is there something else I should know about them? I guess I'll find their coordinates and a flight over there on google?" he guesses, then it comes to his mind again that he is talking to a deity. "Or could you give me a lift there?"

[WhovianBeast]

----Tom----

They're working with a demon. Vulcan wishes you luck! Less lifting, more dropping. Goodbye!

A portal opens underneath your feet, and you fall through. You land on a mountaintop and roll down the snowy slope several feet. The portal reopens briefly seconds later, and a black knife drops through. From your vantage point a thousand feet up, you can see a large facility about half a mile away from the mountain's base. It's surrounded by a 8 foot chain link fence topped with razor wire, is about 1.5 acres, and the only normal way in or out is a guarded gate.

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
You walk up to the house, where the guards challenge the three of you for the password.

"Snowflake. Now let us in, she's with us."

The trains already coasting at this point. No point on getting off now. She smiles, amused again, and says, "snowflake" a second time. Her focus shifting to the guy she's hanging onto to avoid any trouble. Where are you Beatrix?

And this time she's not transforming right in front of them... :smallfrown: What a sad misfortune of bad posting.

She'll grab his skills though. Who knows what he's good at.

[WhovianBeast]

----Nieve----
The guards reluctantly let you in. There's a short scream from upstairs that is quickly cut off. It's a nice beach house, with a fairly open first floor and a staircase with a single guard leading up to a closed wooden door.

The first floor has large glass doors opening to the beach and no other windows. There are three pillars down the middle of the room, and three large black safes against the wall on the left.

The taller bum digs in his pocket for his wallet as a man in a black suit approaches.
Suit: "Kevin, Jose, good to see you again. I see you brought a friend. What can I do for the three of you on this fine day?"
Kevin: T-t-t-ten grams of Q2.
Suit: That'll be $900 American.
Kevin opens his wallet and hands over the money wordlessly. Suit motions to one of the guards who escorted you in and tells him to open one of the safes.
The safe is opened, and ten clear bags containing brownish crystals are carefully taken out and handed to Kevin.
Suit: "Pleasure doing business. Get out."
Kevin and Jose turn to go.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
The giant tilts his head towards you, shimmers, and soon there are two of him. One in front of you, one in front of the other guy.

You must be with Ferocus. Vulcan is Vulcan, nice to meet you. That's Tom, Vulcan is a bit busy recruiting at the moment. But you must want something from Vulcan. What can Vulcan do for you? Mayhaps an upgrade to the tinfoil axe? Or how about a Fire Ring of Urgent Escape? Something else?

"Greetings...umm Vulcan. What upgrade do you have in mind for my axe?"

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Vulcan can make it so that whenever somebody else tries to grab your axe, the handle ignites.

[DeltaK]

"That sounds quiet useful. However it gave me an idea. Can you make it so when I'm holding it, I can will the blades to light on fire? If not, I'll take the original upgrade"

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Vulcan could, but you would not be able to control the fire, nor would you be immune to its effects.

[DeltaK]

"That's a shame. I'll take your anti-thief security system then."

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Vulcan extends his hand towards you palm outward. The handle glows orange before fading back to its usual color.
It is done. While Vulcan is feeling generous, is there any information you need from me before you go?

[Linken]

Ada looks between the doors, occasionally glancing around to check out Purgatory. Hm. Red could mean fire, which could mean Vulcan- which, she knew, was god of the forge. Alternatively, red could mean War, presumably the horseman of... Well. War could help her out with her blade or battle knowledge. If it was Vulcan, same deal there, except making more improvements.

She steps towards the red door, opening it. Hopefully, if it IS War, the horsemen get along with eachother. She swiftly enters if the portal looks safe.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
There's a shadowy figure on the hill, but he disappears when you look directly at him.
The portal looks like all the other portals, except this one's red.

You enter, and you're on the deck of a warship at night. It's huge, several times the size of a normal battleship, and it is actively firing at an airplane buzzing overhead. There's no other activity on deck, but there are lights on at the control tower.

[DeltaK]

"Well, uhh, do you know what is going on outside your portals? Lots of people running in the fog away from loud roaring and grinding noises, mysterious men standing on hills. How dangerous is it out there? Other than that, what other...arbiters would you recommend for additional support?"

[Linken]

Yep, this is definitely War! Ada makes her way across the deck quickly. Maybe now wouldn't be the best time. No going back now, though, so she moves towards the control tower. At the very least it's shelter from the planes flying overhead.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Vulcan spreads his hands.
It's Purgatory. Not the active torture and torment of Hell, but not the bliss of Heaven. Most people in Purgatory live in a constant state of fear. If they are killed, well, the process starts again. A few are let into heaven if they're particularly helpful to others inside of Purgatory, but the vast majority are stuck in fear, boredom, or insanity among the shifting landscape for an eternity. Those noises you heard were from the monsters Hell didn't want. If Vulcan were you, Vulcan would spend as little time out there as possible, even if Vulcan was a champion. It's very easy to get lost or killed. Vulcan would recommend Death, Loki, and Athena. They're the most likely to help in general ways.

----Ada----
As you approach the control tower, you see a large gray armored form, a sword strapped to his back and horns curling from his head, grasping a ship wheel with one hand and typing with the other.

[Linken]

Well, this was an interesting place. Ada hadn't been on many boats before, but this was presumably its captain.

And also, probably, War. Or one of War's lieutenants. Didn't want to make this one go off. He looks intimidating as hell. The woman quickly moves towards him. Once she's near, she clears her throat, looking up at him, still shifting uneasily due to the planes and the boat.

"..Ahem."

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
The entire world freezes, including the planes and the spray flying through the air, so it's just you and the man standing there. He turns with a scowl, and you can see that what you took for his head is just a horned helmet.

I assume Plague sent you. Guess he finally found a new champion. Here for a handout?

[DeltaK]

"Thank you very much. Now, I shall take my leave. If I may?"

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
The guards reluctantly let you in. There's a short scream from upstairs that is quickly cut off. It's a nice beach house, with a fairly open first floor and a staircase with a single guard leading up to a closed wooden door.

The first floor has large glass doors opening to the beach and no other windows. There are three pillars down the middle of the room, and three large black safes against the wall on the left.

The taller bum digs in his pocket for his wallet as a man in a black suit approaches.
Suit: "Kevin, Jose, good to see you again. I see you brought a friend. What can I do for the three of you on this fine day?"
Kevin: T-t-t-ten grams of Q2.
Suit: That'll be $900 American.
Kevin opens his wallet and hands over the money wordlessly. Suit motions to one of the guards who escorted you in and tells him to open one of the safes.
The safe is opened, and ten clear bags containing brownish crystals are carefully taken out and handed to Kevin.
Suit: "Pleasure doing business. Get out."
Kevin and Jose turn to go.She keeps following that gravy train. Chugga chugga. To no one in particular, "Oh, nice place you've got here." Though she's not really looking around.

She whistles after the exchange. "That's a solid price there. I've got to get me some of my own. Hey, what do you guys do for fun around here?" If Kevin and Jose are looking back at her, probably wondering wtf she is doing, she motions them to the door with her head. "Sorry, boys I've caught a bigger fish." And, back to the suit. "I'm looking for a discount." She winks to him. "I'm a first time customer here. I wouldn't mind some special treatment."

Woo! My character is a crack whore now! :smallredface::smalleek:

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Vulcan gestures and a portal opens behind you.
Be careful.

----Nieve----
"Keep moving lady. The boss would have my 'oysters' on a tray if he thought I let some girl stay inside here who wasn't conducting business."

[DeltaK]

Andras gives a nod to Vulcan then steps through the portal.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
You're back in Purgatory. The doors haven't moved since you were last here, and neither has the landscape. The figure on the hill is gone.

[DeltaK]

Andras thinks to himself: "Alright, so he recommended Death, Loki or Athena..." Andras turns to look at all the colored doors. "Gods damn it I forgot to ask about color... Well, brown is Ferocus, red is War, Vulcan is orange. Ferocus told me maroon and light blue for Petran and Boreas. Would Death be black? Lets see...we still have black, green, beige, dark blue, yellow, grey and purple. What are the gods...er arbiters? We've got the horsemen, so Death, Plague, Pestilence, then Thor and Loki, and Athena and Poseidon? I would assume blue for water, so Poseidon. Then green for Plague? Or would it be for Pestilence? I always forget the difference. My guess is Plague and Pestilence would be purple and green. That leaves Thor, Loki and Athena for beige, yellow and grey. Thor as yellow for lightning? Isn't that what he does with his hammer? Oh, I should have gone to him for a hammer. Well sh*t. I may as well go with my original plan then." Andras heads for the maroon door, attempts to open in and enter the portal.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
The door swings open, and you enter the portal.

There's a several hundred foot stone statue of a man, large enough to support the trees growing in the crevices and to be mistaken for a mountain. As the portal closes behind you, it opens one eye.


(slowly)Hello... Andras... It's... good... to... meet... you... How... can... I... help... you... today?

[Elbeyon]

----Nieve----
"Keep moving lady. The boss would have my 'oysters' on a tray if he thought I let some girl stay inside here who wasn't conducting business.""I've got money." She goes to pull some cash out of her wallet. "I was looking for a more private payment though" She moves closer to give him the cash/flirt closer.

If he's having none of it she switches gears by attempting to grab him and get behind him. The idea is to use him as a human shield while holding onto him. If he has a gun she'll try to grab that after she has a good hold on him.

[DeltaK]

----Andras----
The door swings open, and you enter the portal.

There's a several hundred foot stone statue of a man, large enough to support the trees growing in the crevices and to be mistaken for a mountain. As the portal closes behind you, it opens one eye.


(slowly)Hello... Andras... It's... good... to... meet... you... How... can... I... help... you... today?

Andras gives the figure a large bow, "Greetings, Petran I presume? I was hoping you could provide me with some magical or gear based assistance."

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
And... what... kind... of... help... are... you... looking... for? Armor? Weapons? Other... gear?

[DeltaK]

"Either enhancements to my current armor or weapon," Andras holds up his axe, "or if you have nothing for that, then any other gear that would increase my defenses"

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Stone... skin... ring. Defends... wearer... from... most... bladed... weapons... but... reduces... speed... range... of... movement and... agility. Or... Belt... of... Stone. Turns... one... object... to... stone... by... wrapping... belt... around... it. Returns... to... normal... once... removed. ...Does... not... kill... living... creatures.

[DeltaK]

"The belt of stone sounds like it could be useful. I'll take that"

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
Petran extends his closed hand, and with a groan, opens his hand over your head. Small pebbles fall, and then a leather belt, 4 feet long and 2 inches wide with an engraved silver clasp and holes along the entire length falls next to you.

Go... in... peace...

A maroon portal opens behind you.

[DeltaK]

"Much thanks," Andras gives his typical bow, picks up the belt, then turns and passes through the portal.

[WhovianBeast]

----Andras----
You go through the portal.

Back in Purgatory, there's a black smoke cloud floating around each of the doors. It hasn't detected you yet, but it will soon.

[Linken]

Ada can't help but feel mildly amused. Well, she'd made up her mind. May as well visit the other Horsemen, too, if all of them were so... dynamic. Much more activity around here than in Poseidon or Plague's realms. She clears her throat, wondering aloud just a small bit before getting onto the real point. "Wonder what happened to the last one... and, well, I guess you could call it that. I like to think of it more as a donation." She flips out her wristblade, showing it to War. "Ahem, well, can you make any improvements to this?"

[DeltaK]

Andras cautiously eyes the black clouds around each door, while staying very still and quiet. He locates the light blue door and waits, either for the clouds to make a move or leave.

[WhovianBeast]

----Ada----
War extends his hand, and you're immobilized in that pose. You can talk and breathe, but that's all. It's very uncomfortable.

You float closer to War, so that your blade is directly in front of his eyes.

This is organic, so it'll be difficult. But I believe I can do it. What exactly are you looking for? Deadlier? More range? Faster sheathing? Sharper?

----Andras----
The cloud spots you before you can enter the door. It whizzes towards you and around you. As it floats around you, your nose is filled with a suffocating smell of burning flesh and you feel a strange chill. After several seconds of choking, it returns to the center of the doors to float.