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Dark Passenger

Dark Passenger

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There's something dark in me and I hide it. I certainly don't talk about it... And when it's driving, I feel alive, half sick with the thrill of complete wrongness. I don't fight it, I don't want to. It's all I've got, this... Dark Passenger.

2,866 readers have visited Dark Passenger since Crooked Thoughts created it.

Introduction


This is a private roleplay. You may only apply and post upon invitation or permission given by myself.

Image
There's something dark in me and I hide it. I certainly don't talk about it, but it's there always. And when it's driving, I feel alive, half sick with
the thrill of complete wrongness. I don't fight it, I don't want to. It's all I've got, this... Dark Passenger.


ContentsLinks
  1. Intro
  2. About
  3. Setting
  4. Dark Passengers
  5. Character Creation
  6. Dark Talents
  1. RP Tab
  2. O.O.C.
  3. V.I.P. Dossier
  4. RPG Write




A World of Darkness
We can’t know when humans first started telling stories, or why. But it’s a safe bet that the first tale tellers used their craft to explain the mysteries going on around them. Indeed, some of the most ancient stories that are still told today grapple with the biggest mysteries of all — life, death, creation, redemption and the ongoing struggle of good versus evil. Dark Passengers is a Storytelling game, because it’s an opportunity for you to participate in the deeply human endeavor of telling stories.

The stories told in this game are set in a world of darkness. It’s a place very much like our world, sharing the same history, culture and geography. Superficially, most people in this fictional world live the same lives we do. They eat the same food, wear the same clothes, and waste time watching the same stupid TV shows. And yet, shadows are deeper, nights are darker, fog is thicker. If, in our world, a neighborhood has a rundown house that gives people the creeps, in this world, that house emits strange sighs on certain nights of the year, and seems to have a human face when seen from the corner of one’s eye. Or so some neighbors say.



About
Drawing inspiration from varying media like the music of Tyler the Creator, the television show Dexter, and the book Hidden Talents a roleplay by the name of Dark Passengers was born.

This dark and mature themed adventure focuses on a cabal of mentally unstable individuals. They are all brought together by what seemed like unfortunate events, but in reality are the premeditated plots of a satanic cult that operates through the fronts of a church, orphanage, and insane asylum. As children, these chosen were used in rituals resulting in the sharing of their mind, body, and soul with demonic spirits. That and the mental scarring left by the aforementioned trauma, the kids end up in the same psychiatric ward and therapy group. Once there, years pass and the truth is discerned little by little leading to a forged plan of escape. Freedom is eventually won and sustained by utilizing unique supernatural talents bestowed by their "Dark Passengers" which are fueled by committing sins and/or evil deeds. Most of them go their separate ways and attempt to live a normal life. And they are, for the most part, successful in their endeavors, managing to stay off the cult's radar well into their adult years. However, a reunion is deemed necessary after one member envisions their deaths at the hand of the cult. With their lives endanger, they decided to band together again and put an end to things.
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True, this roleplay will revolve around the adventures of a rag tag group of individuals. It will also be about a timeline of events in a world of darkness not our own, though it is close enough for fearsome discomfort. Rather, the world is like ours, but through a looking glass darkly. Evil is palpable and ubiquitous in this world; the final nights are upon us, and the whole planet teeters on a razor’s edge of tension. Players will be thrown into various scenarios and through their characters, will have to interact with the environment, NPC's, and other characters in order to survive and progress. Nothing is predetermined and the story can branch off in any direction as it is actively controlled by the Storyteller. Both players and characters will come and go, but the story will continue on without them; no one person is bigger than the game or no more crucial to the story than anyone else.

Characters in this game will be three dimensional and have a level of realism to them. Though all of them will be possessed humans with supernatural powers, they will still possess ordinary aspects obtained from their normal life and try to hold on to their humanity; some will even attempt to live two lives. Character collaboration will be important, but not necessary. People don't always come together and mesh. Sometimes, most times, they clash due to their different personalities. There are families that can't work and/or live together, so it makes sense that these men and women from different walks of life, won't want to team-up and be friends.


Setting will not be restricted to one location, or one dimension for that matter. Evil is everywhere, so location will be wherever the story takes us. Additionally, date is likely to change as well. Its highly possible that time skips could consist of any chronological combination, from 10 minutes to 10 years. Needless to say, progression will be an active factor in this game. Characters that smoke may develop cancer. It won't all be bad though, there are positive effects of progression and change, like acquiring new gear and skills. In short, the game will be ever evolving.



Setting
“Gothic-Punk” is perhaps the best way to describe the physical nature of Dark Passengers. The environment is a clashing mixture of styles and influences, and the tension caused by the juxtaposition of ethnicities, social classes and subcultures makes the world a vibrant, albeit dangerous, place.

ImageThe Gothic aspect describes the ambience of the world in Dark Passengers. Buttressed buildings loom overhead, bedecked with classical columns and grimacing gargoyles. Residents are dwarfed by the sheer scale of architecture, lost amid the spires that seem to grope toward Heaven in an effort to escape the physical world. The ranks of the Church swell, as mortals flock to any banner that offers them a hope of something better in the hereafter. Likewise, cults flourish in the underground, promising power and redemption. The institutions that control society are even more staid and conservative than they are in our world, for many in power prefer the evil of the world they know to the chaos engendered by change. It is a divisive world of have and have not, rich and poor, excess and squalor.

The Punk aspect is the lifestyle that many denizens if the world of Dark Passengers have adopted. In order to give their lives meaning, they rebel, crashing themselves against the crags of power. Gangs prowl the streets and organized crime breeds in the underworld, reactions to the pointlessness of living “by the book.” Music is louder, faster, more violent or hypnoticallyImage monotonous, and supported by masses who find salvation in its escape. Speech is coarser, fashion is bolder, art is more shocking, and technology brings it all to everyone at the click of a button. The world is more corrupt, the people are spiritually bankrupt, and escapism often replaces hope.

Gothic-Punk is a mood and setting conveyed during the course of the game. The greatest share of creating this ambience falls upon the Storyteller at that moment. The ambiance is also a matter of taste. Some troupes may prefer more Gothic than Punk, while others may want equal amounts of both elements, or little of either. In the end, it’s your game, and you are free to make of it what you will. Simply bear in mind that experiencing the world is a shared endeavor, and everything the players and Storyteller do helps make that world more believable. Actions, settings, characters and descriptions all convey the Gothic-Punk aesthetic.



The Dark Passenger
Players will take on the roles of humans who are given powers by evil spirits known as Sin-Eaters. Sin-eaters are otherworldly beings who, through ritual means, enter the soul of a mortal. These creatures cannot exist on this plane without the assistance of a willing, living host. They also require nourishment through the form of sin, henceforth the name Sin-Eater. Such requirements produce a symbiotic partnership between demon and human where evil deeds are traded for power power. A bargain necessary in order to intrigue humans as the dead cannot be possessed and the unwilling will of course starve the spirit which will lead them both to their demise.

ImageOur characters are unique, as their power is directly related to their mental health and ever more so their illness. What this means is, his or her power is derived from their derangement(s). Potency of said power is based on three factors: Origin, Tribute, and Control. Origin is where the power stems from, in other-words their mental disorder and/or emotional stability. Tribute is what specific acts of malice are required by the Sin-Eater as nourishment. And lastly Control, which is related to the ratio between the Sin-Eater or the Human on who controls the mind and body. The greater the power, the higher the quality or greater quantity of sin is needed as tribute. Origin then determines the power as they need to correlate in some way and Control only becomes a factor in managing urges and who is actually steering the ship.

No Sin-Eater is the same thus no power is the same. Sin-Eaters also choose to manifest themselves to their host in different ways. No matter how they do so, only there is aware of them and only they can communicate. This is true, unless a cabal has been formed between others demons and humans. This then allows cross-communication between those members as well as an innate connection between all members. It also rumored that power is greater when all living members are together, consequently, the opposite is said to be true. For this reason, it is rare for Cabals to be formed as trust and allegiance is unheard amongst demons.



Character Creation
ImageCharacter creation for this RP is simple, just follow the application and be creative. While I do prefer pictures in the app, do try to make them a manageable size, but text descriptions are welcome as well. I also appreciate good use of coding because it makes for an easier read, plus it looks nice. This is why I advise everyone to use the application I provide, it brings organization to the sheet as well list all the info I request. I have said this before and I will say it again: be creative. There are too many options available for characters to be similar.

Using the provided character application is a must, substituting your own or adding unnecessary categories is not acceptable. What you can do is customize the sheet with your own coding, fonts, colors, pictures, and your characters information, obviously. On the subject of character balance:

Think of your character as a six sided die. If we use a typical human as the average norm, their stats would fall into line as 3’s across the board, with a 1 & 2 = Below Average, 4’s = Above Average (but nothing spectacular), and 5 & 6 = Well Above Average & Really Good.

So where does exceptional or perfect fit in?

Well this takes us well past typical human greatness and the exponentially harder to achieve 7 & 8 = Exceptional; 9 = Near Perfect; 10 = Perfect.

How do you get there?

Natural talent, training, and heritage. For instance, if you are studying a single subject and trying to become exceptional in it, you will probably falter in another area after devoting so much time and resources to the former. You are also more likely to be skilled in this subject if your ancestors were. Now, unless your character is a God or some other extraordinary race or species, one should consider a more mediocre approach to character creation. The upper levels are just that, the exception to the rule.

Character Application
Code: Select all
[justify][size=120][b]Name:[/b][/size] [size=150]Character Name[/size]
[size=120][b]Status:[/b][/size] [size=150]"Put a character quote here or something."[/size]

[center][img]http://i246.photobucket.com/albums/gg94/hesoicy/NO-IMAGE-AVAILABLE2-4.jpg[/img][/center]

[left][hr][/hr]BASIC INFORMATION[hr][/hr][b]Name:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Nickname:[/b] No More Than One
[b]Citizenship:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Ethnic Race:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Age:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Gender:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Marital Status:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Sexual Orientation:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Education:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Employment:[/b] Answer Here[hr][/hr]BIOLOGICAL INFORMATION[hr][/hr][b]D.O.B:[/b] MM/DD/YYYY
[b]Height:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Weight:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Eye Color:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Hair Color:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Handed:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Tattoo:[/b] Y-N
[b]Piercing:[/b] Y-N[hr][/hr][/left][right][hr][/hr]PSYCHOLOGICAL EVALUATION[hr][/hr][b]Outlook:[/b] Optimistic/Pessimistic
[b]Integrity:[/b] Conscientious/Unscrupulous
[b]Impulsiveness:[/b] Controlled/Spontaneous
[b]Boldness:[/b] Intrepid/Cautious
[b]Flexibility:[/b] Flexible/Stubborn
[b]Affinity:[/b] Warm/Cold
[b]Comportment:[/b] Agreeable/Discordant
[b]Interactivity:[/b] Engaging/Reserved
[b]Disclosure:[/b] Candid/Secretive
[b]Conformity:[/b] Conventional/Heterodox[hr][/hr]CRIMINAL RECORD[hr][/hr][b]Criminal Class:[/b] Gangster, Serial Killer, Cat Burglar, etc
[b]Past Conviction:[/b] Y-N
[b]Correctional Facility:[/b] Highest Level (Jail, Juvenile, etc)
[b]Time Imprisoned:[/b] Answer Here
[b]Inchoate Offense:[/b] Y-N (Conspiracy, Solicitation, etc)
[b]Offence Against the Person:[/b] Y-N (Kidnapping, Homicide, etc)
[b]Crimes Against Property:[/b] Y-N (Blackmail, Arson, etc)
[b]Crimes Against Justice:[/b] Y-N (Obstruction, Treason, etc)[hr][/hr][/right]

[hr][/hr]PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION[hr][/hr]
This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[hr][/hr]PERSONALITY DESCRIPTION[hr][/hr]
This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[hr][/hr]MY DARK PASSENGER[hr][/hr]
[b]Dark Passenger Name:[/b] Any information on your Sin-Eater goes here. How it manifests, who is in control, its name, etc...

[b]Dark Talent Name:[/b] This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[b]Origin Disorder Name:[/b] This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[b]Tribute Type:[/b] This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[hr][/hr]PARAPHERNALIA[hr][/hr]
[b]Item 1:[/b] This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[b]Item 2:[/b] This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[b]Item 3:[/b] This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[b]Item 4:[/b] This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[b]Item 5:[/b] This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

[hr][/hr]BIO/HISTORY[hr][/hr]
This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.

This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet. This writing is a place holder for information soon to come. It is only here for appearances, used to display a sufficient  preview of what the page will look like once fleshed out. Replace this with your own words once you are ready to fill out the character sheet.[/justify]

Toggle Rules

Dark Talents
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The information below describes varying powers available to your characters known as Dark Talents. You are not limited to these chosen few, instead this should give you a good idea of what your dark talent should be like. So feel free to come up with your own or choose one below.


Blood Magic
ImageOriginally learned from demons, these dark rites tap into the power of blood, converting life into power. In ancient times this power was used with more frequency, but time is treacherous, and with it, many things are lost. Some say that things lost with the time are meant to be forgotten. Such power comes with a price, though; blood must be sacrificed to fuel these abilities.

Practitioners of this type take the raw energy of life and twist it to their own purposes. They can corrupt and control, and sustain their power by using the health of others, willing or not. The effects can be vile, but this specialization isn't limited to madmen and monsters. It remains an undeniably violent and self-destructive discipline, however, the blood mage must be careful... The temptation to take just a little more is always there. In the contemporary world, blood magic is also known as dark magic, described as being more "sinister" types of magic. Even if the application of blood magic may not be inherently evil, common wisdom holds that there is no way to use blood magic with good intentions. Inevitably, even blood mages who tap their own blood find a hunger for more power, which leads to hurting others or summoning demons.

Blood magic, first and foremost, is the practice of using blood—life itself—as a potent fuel for casting spells. This life may be supplied by either the mage or sacrifices, whether willing or unwilling. As such, the use of blood magic often allows a mage to perform rituals, open portals, and cast spells. Rituals are used for summonings, requiring chanting, massive or meager acts of depravity, and a sacrifice. Portal Opening need to be done at specific locations and need unique ingredients to forge the "key". There are also two types of portals: gates and doors. Gates are temporary and numerous, allowing for travel from one plane to the other while gates are permanent and few in number. But when gates are closed, any demon that crossed the threshold is forced to return.



Information Gathering
ImageCold Reading: Is a series of techniques used to determine or express details about another person, often in order to convince them that the reader knows much more about a subject. Without prior knowledge of a person, a practiced cold reader can still quickly obtain a great deal of information about the subject by analyzing the person's body language, age, clothing or fashion, hairstyle, gender, sexual orientation, religion, race or ethnicity, level of education, manner of speech, place of origin, etc.

Psychometry: Also known as token-object reading, or psychoscopy, this is a form of extra-sensory perception characterized by the ability to make relevant associations from an object of unknown history by making physical contact with that object. Psychometers can assert that an object may have an energy field that transfers knowledge regarding that object's history.

Radiesthesia: The ability to detect "radiation" within the human body. Every living thing gives off an unique or characteristic "radiation" as do all other physical bodies or objects. Such radiations are often termed an "aura". A practitioner of radiesthesia believes in his or her ability to detect the interplay of these radiations. Some radiesthesia practitioners say they can locate buried substances, diagnose illnesses, and the like, by using their abilities.

Remote Viewing: The ability to gather information about a distant or unseen target, by sensing with mind. Typically a remote viewer is expected to give information about an object that is hidden from physical view and separated at some distance.

Clairsensing: Used to refer to the ability to gain information about an object, person, location or physical event through means other than the known human senses. There are 5 types:

    Clairvoyance: Clairvoyance is a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person has the ability to see things beyond the range of the power of natural vision or vision assisted by technology.

    Clairsentience: Clairsentience is a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person acquires psychic knowledge primarily by means of feeling. There are many different degrees of clairsentience ranging from the perception of diseases of other people to the thoughts or emotions of other people.

    Clairaudience: Clairaudience is a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person acquires information by paranormal auditory means. Clairaudience may refer not to actual perception of sound, but may instead indicate impressions of the "inner mental ear" similar to the way many people think words without having auditory impressions. But it may also refer to actual perception of sounds such as voices, tones, or noises which are not apparent to other humans or to recording equipment. For instance, a clairaudient person might claim to hear the voices or thoughts of the spirits of persons who are deceased. Clairaudience may be positively distinguished from the voices heard by the mentally ill when it reveals information unavailable to the clairaudient person by normal means.

    Clairalience: Also known as Clairescence, is a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person acquires psychic knowledge primarily by means of smelling

    Claircognizance: Claircognizance is a form of extra-sensory perception wherein a person acquires psychic knowledge primarily by means of intrinsic knowledge. It is the ability to know something without a physical explanation why you know it, like the concept of mediums.

    Clairgustance: Clairgustance is defined as a form of extra-sensory perception that allegedly allows one to taste a substance without putting anything in one's mouth. It is claimed that those who possess this ability are able to perceive the essence of a substance from the spiritual or ethereal realms through taste.


Mind Control
ImagePsychokinesis: The movement of matter (micro and macro; move, lift, agitate, vibrate, spin, bend, break, or impact) from the direct influence of mind. This is also known as telekinesis. People who master this can also produce a mind pulse, which is similar to concussion force. One may even be able to create a force shield.

Pyrokinesis/Cryokinesis: The ability speed up or slow down the naturally occurring vibrations of atoms in matter to alter temperature, possibly to the point of ignition if combustible. This is known as pyrokinesis when speeding up vibrations, and cryokinesis when slowing them down.

Remote Influence: The ability to influence people and events using only a person's mind and the energy they generate. The person they are influencing may be sitting next to them or may be living on another continent - it makes no difference, because in the realm of the mind, time and space don't exist - only here and now. One doesn't even have to have much information about the person you desire to influence - as long as you have good enough representation of that person in your mind to tune into that person. Though this would only refer to someone who has mastered the skill.

Oneironomy: The ability to travel within a dream, usually on a conscious basis. This is also known as dream telepathy, telepathic lucid dreaming, or telepathic dreaming. A person with this ability can even manipulate their own or another's dream.


Restoration
ImageBloodstopping: A bloodstopper could halt bleeding in humans and animals. A master of this ability can completely stop blood flow throughout the body.

Psychic Healing: A psychic healer is a person who is able to channel his psychic energy towards alleviating a condition or healing the body. The psychic healer may use intuitive, clairvoyant or telepathic capacities to sense and heal a physical ailment. There are also psychic diagnosticians or medical intuitive that can arrive at a diagnosis of what is wrong with a person's body without using any medical tools like x-rays or scans.

Psychic Surgery: This is a procedure involving the creation of an incision using only the bare hands, the removal of pathological matter, and spontaneous healing of the incision.

    Psi-Blade: A variation of Psychic Surgery, except this version has more offensive capabilities.


Communication
ImageSympathetic Compass: Is the ability to create a permanent telepathic link when the user touches someone. The formed link has no physical limit, thus making communication possible over any distance.

Telepathy: Is the ostensible transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five senses. A person who is able to make use of telepathy can read the thoughts and stored information in the brain of others.

Empathy: Empaths are able to detect and manipulate the emotions of others.


Second Sight
ImagePrecognition: Also called future sight, this involves the acquisition of future information that cannot be deduced from presently available and normally acquired sense-based information. The related terms, premonition and presentiment refer to information about future events that is perceived as emotions.

Retrocognition: Knowledge of a past event which could not have been learned or inferred by normal means.

Death-ward: The ability to determine someone's death through psychological means. A death ward can see a persons death date like it is written on their head. Some can even have visions of their death.

Scrying: Scrying (also called crystal gazing, crystal seeing, seeing, or peeping) is a practice that involves seeing things psychically in a medium, usually for purposes of obtaining visions. The most common media used are reflective, translucent, or luminescent substances such as crystals, stones, glass, mirrors, water, fire, or smoke. Scrying has been used as a means of determining the past, present, or future.

Visions that scryers see may come from variations in the medium. If the medium is water (hydromancy), then the visions may come from the color, ebb, and flow, or ripples produced by pebbles dropped in a pool. If the medium is a crystal ball, the visions may come from the tiny inclusions, web-like faults, or the cloudy glow within the ball under low light (e.g., candlelight).

One method of scrying using a crystal ball involves a self-induced trance. Initially, the medium serves as a focus for the attention, removing unwanted thoughts from the mind in the same way as a mantra. Once this stage is achieved, the scryer begins a free association with the perceived images suggested. The technique of deliberately looking for and declaring these initial images aloud, however trivial or irrelevant they may seem to the conscious mind, is done with the intent of deepening the trance state, wherein the scryer hears their own disassociated voice affirming what is seen within the concentrated state in a kind of feedback loop. This process culminates in the achievement of a final and desired end stage in which rich visual images and dramatic stories seem to be projected within the medium itself, or directly within the mind's eye of the scryer, like an inner movie. This overall process reputedly allows the scryer to see relevant events or images within the chosen medium.



Transportation
ImageAstral projection: Also known as astral travel,this is an interpretation of any form of out-of-body experience, that assumes the existence of an astral body separate from the physical body and capable of traveling outside it. Astral projection or travel denotes the astral body leaving the physical body to travel in the astral plane.

Teleportation: Teleportation is the transfer of matter from one point to another, more or less instantaneously.

Transvection: Is the act of levitating, floating or more specifically flying through the air. While levitation and magical flight can equate to acts of astral projection through the use of psychoactive entheogens, transvection usually refers to the experience of bodily movement in defiance of gravitational laws.

Bilocation: Sometimes called multilocation, this is the ability in which an individual or object is located in two distinct places at the same instant in time.

Browse All » 3 Settings to roleplay in

Pleasantville Asylum Ruins

Pleasantville Asylum Ruins by Crooked Thoughts

Formerly a pristine facility of high quality, now lay in ruins, an empty shell of what it once was.

Pleasantville Asylum -Flashback-

Pleasantville Asylum -Flashback- by Crooked Thoughts

Pleasantville Asylum: a hell hidden amongst the flora and fauna of the forest.

A World of Darkness

A World of Darkness by Crooked Thoughts

Welcome to Earth: the world is corrupt, its people are spiritually bankrupt, and escapism often replaces hope.

The Story So Far... Write a Post » as written by 5 authors

2 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire
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Book 1: Darkness Rising - Chapter 1: Rarely, They Meet

Tip-tap-tip-tap-tip-tap-tip-tap went the sound of dancing rain drops, followed by the subtle crackle of lightning, and then the sudden boom of thunder... all the while the wind howled, steadily keeping the tempo. This medley was nature's orchestra, but Cheshire was not a fan of classical music. To him, the insistent instrumental was little more than a conglomerate of boisterous sounds that failed to soothe or relax. No; instead it annoyed and enraged, leaving him only one option. Flee the dryness of his van -- whose interior only boosted acoustics -- and find insulation from noise and moisture elsewhere. A solution to which he sought in the asylum ruins just in front of him, where he hoped its large encompassing walls would muffle the storm's cacophony. Cheshire huffed angrily as he realized the irony in the situation: the relentless pitter-pattering driving him insane, forcing him to seek comforting silence in a mental hospital... Irony was life's version of humor and he hated being the center of a joke.

The van door slammed shut behind him, signaling the start of his journey. It also alerted his ever-quiet partner, Alice, that it was time to leave. She took heed of Cheshire's message and was soon following in his foot-steps. Both of them walked without any protection from the rainfall. Consequently, its torrential descent managed to soak them quite thoroughly despite their short walk. Once inside, they did nothing to dry themselves, what they did do was stop to take in their surroundings. It had been seven years since Cheshire was here, yet in spite of the light's absence, he could see that everything was the same. Nothing had changed, the exception being the new smell of dust and mildew to replace the old scent of depression and hopelessness. It seemed the Fraternity didn't bother taking anything, nor did they care to clean up, as evident by the remaining police tape and the lack of boarded windows. The entire place was a near-perfect replica of the day he escaped, which lead to the building's partial destruction. He marveled at what he had a hand in before continuing with the journey.

Cheshire took point as he and Alice maneuvered aimlessly through the halls. He whistled no particular tune as he walked its purpose to drown out any other sounds. The joint sound of wet steps and whistling echoed throughout the empty expanses of the building. Meanwhile, his mind was busy trying to remember what it was that brought him here. After-all, Mount Pleasant was more than five-hundred miles in the wrong direction. The missing information was found after he recalled Alice saying this place was symbolic, representing the last time the Cabal was together and what they're capable of when united against the same obstacles. Nonetheless, Cheshire disliked asking for help. He had done his job for years without the other's assistance, he failed to see cause in changing that now. Alice insisted however and therefore developed a plan, pointing out that it didn't matter how they got it, as long as they got it. And now, here they were... Cheshire stood with a nonchalant slant, hands resting in his pockets as he surveyed the recently entered area. They had made their way to the foyer, a crossroads of sorts within the asylum. The room was circular in design with a fractured statue of its founder in the center-most point. The damage came from the ceiling collapsing on it, leaving a large gaping hole in its place. Shining bright and steady, the moon's serene light cascading through, illuminating everything it touched. Apparently the rain had stopped, but the wind was still blowing as it delivered a familiar scent to Cheshire.

"The shadows betray you, Mr. MacCaddoch... Besides, I smelled you a long time ago. You reek of fear." Cheshire was partly telling the truth. What his nose detected was not the stench of fear, but a faint trace of blood. Likely a cut received from a broken shard of glass or a shaving mistake still fresh. "Your scaring Alice, so show yourself or be dragged out." He paused briefly as a smile spread across his face. "But please, allow me to do the latter?"


Murtagh MacCaddochFriday Dec 11 2013 08:06:34

"Damn it, I wasn't trying to hide myself." Murtagh lied back toward the familiar voice, scowling at the cut he received earlier when snooping around. Murtagh never forgot a acquainted face, just in case he needed to remember and recognize somebody that wanted to come after him. Cheshire was one that he would always remember even if Murtagh wanted to forget him. Stepping out from behind the statue, he noticed that the silent girl that followed Chesire like a duckling was still with him. No other person would follow a person so disconcerting.

"What the hell is all this about, Chesire? I came early to see if this was a trap and I'm met with two faces I'd rather not see for the rest of my life. You called for an important meeting, scaring the shit out of me by contacting me out of the blue to talk to me. I'm here. What do you want?" Murtagh only wanted answers. If this wasn't damn good, he had half a mind to just leave and ignore all contact from him from there on out. He wasn't armed, and was dressed in simple nondescript clothes. However, he did carry with him a cheap switchblade he bought down at a flea market ages ago in case things got hairy.


Cheshire & AliceFriday Dec 11 2013 08:06:34

"There." Cheshire pointed to a particularly well-lit wall. "Start there Alice." Nodding in agreement, Alice removed her backpack to take out a couple of cans of spray paint. She then moved to where she was directed and began working.

Cheshire watched her work, staring absently as the concrete absorbed the colors. It wasn't long before a blanket of silence fell over the three of them, only broken by the random intervals of hissing canisters. This was only a brief event however, ended by the sound of Cheshire's footsteps as he approached his former blood brother. He took the long way around the statue, leisurely walking and fumbling in his pockets as he did so. It wasn't until he was halfway around that his labor produced fruit in the form of a dagger. The weapon was held in his right hand and remained there as he ran the same hand through his hair, effectively using the rainwater to slick his hair down.

"Is that so? Well, I didn't realize there was something wrong with my face!? I guess I'll just have Good Ol'Stabby here make you my twin!" Cheshire exclaimed angrily, as he wildly brandished his blade merely inches away from Murtagh's face. "Nah... I'm just poking fun at ya, MacCaddoch." He laughed as he mocked stabbing motions before casually walking away. "But seriously, that hurts my feelings, you know? I mean, a guy goes out of his way to free you and what not. And in return, you ditch me and everyone else, without so much as thank you or see ya later. Now, here you are, all bent outta shape and shit, cause I wanted to talk? You're even so callous as to accuse me of setting you up..." At this time, Cheshire was constantly pacing back and forth. He was becoming very animated, arm and hands flailing about as he spoke in a high-pitched whisper. He kept this up until he suddenly stopped and turned to look at Murtagh.

"You wouldn't be trying to take advantage of my kindness, would you?" Cheshire asked as he cocked his head. "I think you owe me MacCaddoch, and its time I collect. So, it's with sincere interest of your health in mind, that I recommend you hang around for our little reunion. Once everyone has arrived, then and only then, will I divulge the details behind this merry meeting."


Murtagh MacCaddochFriday Dec 11 2013 08:06:34

"Don't twist your words like that." snapped Murtagh, taking a couple steps away from Cheshire hurriedly. "You wanted out as much as I did. I only followed you out when the time came." Murtagh paused and eyed the half-done spray-painting suspiciously before continuing. "This better be good, Cheshire. I'll stay, but only for old time's sake. If I find out that this is some dumb prank only you could have come up with, I'll be gone before you can say 'Just kidding'." Murtagh said in a low voice. Sticking a hand into his pocket, he patted the switchblade for some semblance of comfort.

If he was forced to escape, he would have to rethink how he would hide so Cheshire couldn't find him. He would have thought breaking contact immediately after escape would have been enough for them not to make the effort. Apparently there as something urgent enough for him to make it so.


Cheshire & AliceFriday Dec 11 2013 08:06:34

Cheshire grinned in response to Murtagh's compliance. His alleged reason for staying was due to their history, but Cheshire was willing to bet his insinuations proved persuasive and at the very least, he managed to intimidate Murtagh. To an outsider, it might've looked like the latter was his intended goal. But, they would be wrong in this assumption. Despite being a coward, Murtagh is paranoid, cautious, and has plenty of time on his hands. Pair that with his willingness to do whatever it takes to survive, and the so called coward is just as dangerous as any ax-wielding maniac, even more so since you won't see him coming. For that reason, Cheshire will never underestimate or force his hand, as it could lead to a knife sunk deep in his back. Besides, he would never hurt any of his fellow cabalites, or... it would actually be more accurate to say he wouldn't kill anyone in his Cabal. Because Cheshire wouldn't have hesitated to slice Murtagh's tendons if it meant making him stay. It wasn't an empty threat or lie when he said he had his health in interest. Luckily, violence wasn't necessary, so he pocketed his weapon and recomposed himself before settling down on the floor. There was at least several hours between now and when the others were told to arrive. Such an extensive gap was implemented to ensure Alice had enough time to paint, imagery was key in conveying the severity of their impending doom. Until she was done and everyone was here, he had time to reflect, sleep, or anything else he came up with to pass the time; he choose to reflect. Being in this place brought so many memories to the surface, that he couldn't help focusing on the day he escaped...

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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Book 1: Darkness Rising - Chapter 1: Rarely, They Meet

"Over here my sweet meats." spoke a voice belonging to a young man.

The individual had a permanent smile on his face, but it wasn't because his life was filled with joy and happiness. To the contrary, his twenty years on earth were full of trials and tribulations that would break the psyche of a normal man. Yet, this one took it with a phlegmatic stride, trivializing every situation until he'd become quite blasé to death, danger, and debauchery. Lazy indifference, a persistent smile, and general optimism make this character similar to another thus awarding him the epithet, Cheshire. And presently, Cheshire's long red hair was sticking to his forehead due to perspiration. An unfortunate situation involving his biological father, Sebastian Castellan, and his untimely death has led to a rather fortunate opportunity. Said opportunity was the chance to escape from the asylum he had come to call home. However, the death of his father who was also the warden had complicated things. The irony of the situation is that it was Sebastian's idea to escape, he was even going to help Cheshire and a handful of other patients do so. So why'd he kill the only person willing to help him? The simple answer would be that he's crazy, but it's actually more complicated than that. Sebastian wanted to use Cheshire and his Dark Passenger as weapons to achieve his own personal goals. His father also revealed that this was the reason behind Cheshire's existence and that he had suffered to cultivate his Dark Talents. Finding this out enraged Cheshire and lead to Sebastian's very painful death. Now, here he is, accompanied by four perfect strangers all trying to break out from a prison turned mental hospital ran by a satanic cult.

"It isn't the way out, but we can at least catch our breath." Cheshire said, as he returned to the group.

He was leading them to back to a storage room, full of extra furniture, boxes of paper, and other miscellaneous crap. They had been exploring an unused wing of the building since it lacked cameras and the only plausible route of escape. But because none of them had ever been in the area, it was proving difficult to find an exit. Surely they had been out of their room for at least an hour now, dodging patrols and taking out lone guardsmen. It was only through a security exploitation that they were able to escape their cells in the first place. Soon enough, their luck would run out and they would be caught, it was only a matter of time.

Cheshire made sure everyone was in and the coast was clear, before closing the door and addressing the group. "We can't keep this up all night, it'll be morning soon. They'll find empty cells and tear this whole damn place apart looking for us. That's assuming we make it that long. Someone could find one of the bodies or us for that matter. It's now or never."


Cheshire & AliceMonday MAR 13 2006 1:43:11


5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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Gallius Dives
Book 1: Darkness Rising - Chapter 1: Rarely, They Meet


Gallius picked at his fingernails, scrutinizing the immaculately-snipped edges. The unhinged cuticles smoothed down like fleshy ridges, scuffled with bite-marks. It kept his attention away from their ever-changing faces, moving around like Rorschach cards, slowly shifting into frog's legs, butterfly wings and the bottom half of a clown's face. Some of them looked more frightening than the others, but only when they were accompanied by harsh, edgy voices. Hoarse and dangerous—some of them looked less like monsters, and more what he imagined normal people looked like. In his minds eyes, Gallius pictured proper noses fitting along with proper eyes and proper ears, but whenever he chanced a glance in their direction, he shyly averted his gaze, staring back down at his hands as if they held the answers he sought. They looked like monsters, gnarled and raw. Their faces were unfamiliar, but their voices rung out with months of cognition. Each one was unique to its owner, and each one Gallius was able identify before they even begun their sentences.

He hadn't even been entirely sure why he'd come along with them. The mental asylum posed as the only safe place he'd been in for a long time—and it was the only place where they actually understood why he hid away, deflecting eye-contact like a cornered animal who'd been snapped on the muzzle far too many times. The nurses coddled him more than his mother had, toying fingers through his thick hair and braiding them whenever he could sit still enough. It was fine, as long as they faced away from him. It was acceptable as long as there wasn't a mirror in front of him. Too bothered to face what he looked like, and too frightened to wonder if he, too, was a monster, Gallius lived the majority of his adolescence facing the ground, grudgingly lifting his chin when he was told to. The letters his mother used to send him had stopped shortly after this little escapade, this escape into the night following a bunch of strangers who seemed as equally confused or lost as he was. Honestly, the only one with any semblance of direction was Cheshire. Guiding them along like this was planned from the start, completely nonplussed by the fact that they were on the run.

Anxiety coursed through his veins like a battering ram, threatening to spill out his frenetic thoughts into a whirlpool of dread. Sweet meats—the voice sounded jolly enough, almost like he was an overly happy tour-guide sweeping his hand out towards the horizon. Promising to show them only the best sights, because he wouldn't do it for no other group, nosiree. He still felt off. The entire situation felt off. Like they'd suddenly step onto a makeshift sidewalk, fall through a trapdoor and end up in the institutions office to be punished for their misbehaviour. He imagined being snapped on the wrist and coolly subjected to another diatribe of you're not getting any better because you're not trying hard enough. Everyone must have heard it at least once. They wouldn't be here if they hadn't. Even if he felt like he wasn't sure why he was out here, huffing quietly to quell the chills scritch-scratching down his spine, Gallius understood that he wanted freedom as badly as he wanted to colour their faces in, stencil in all the pieces of the human anatomy.

He passed through the open door, held by Cheshire and squeezed himself closer to one of the corners. Right, right—he'd helped knock out some of the guardsmen, but it hadn't been all that difficult. From his point of view, they didn't look human. They looked like roaring monsters, mouths yawning across where he thought their foreheads might have been. It took him a moment to tear his eyes away from his fingers, settling them resolutely to his sides to keep him from instinctively picking. He picked a spot above Cheshire's shoulder, staring like a blind man at the arrangement of boxes lining the shelves. Some of the tape was peeling down like clear orange peels. He mumbled something about map plans, but it came out as an incoherent squeak. Breathe, calm down, try again. Louder this time. The Outsider, as always, stood vigilant as a gargoyle, perched under his chin. “Is there a map somewhere, in these boxes? We can't keep stumbling around. You're right. They'll catch us.”

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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Andromeda SnowMonday MAR 13 2006 1:44:09


Little sweetmeats? Andromeda suppressed a snort of disgust, if only barely. He was aware that a sweetmeat wasn’t meat at all, wasn’t he? It was perhaps an inconsequential thing to most, but details mattered. Tiny pieces, tidbits of information that went unnoticed to minds so caught up in irrelevancies like emotion and adrenaline. She was no such creature, to be carried away by her fear or her excitement. Andromeda was cold, calculating, calm, and precise. She was, alas, also unfortunately dependent on these people until such time as they could actually get out of this damned building and breathe the outside air again.

This was her punishment for the few times she’d ever done things for someone else’s sake. Naturally—nothing she would ever do would be so suspicious as to land her in a place like this. There were no worse places. Andromeda could have handled a juvenile detention center, or even a prison. It would have been a matter of days before she’d established herself at the top of the food chain there, and she well knew it. Here was different—because here was run by a goddamn cult, and they didn’t succumb so easily to manipulation. She’d deduced that it was a cult within a week of being admitted. Rather slow, but then she had been quite a bit younger at the time, so perhaps excusable in retrospect.

She hadn’t seen the demon coming, but then, what rational person ever would?

Presently, the striking young woman looked a little worse for wear, tendrils of her white hair clinging to the back of her neck and her forehead, fallen loose from the ponytail that contained the rest. Her dark complexion bore a faint sheen of sweat, and there was a cut on her cheek. She’d had to get inventive with the lock on her door—they’d taken to denying her anything as simple as a bobby pin because they’d at last started to wise up to what a mind geared for ingenuity could do with even an implement so simple. It was then she’d known that getting out was becoming imperative. No longer was the simple interest of seeing what they would do enough to keep her here, nor the rather interesting cocktail of fear, dread, and misery that she could feed Lilith.

Leaning back against the door, Andromeda crossed her arms beneath her breasts and closed her eyes. It made this easier, not having the visual distractions. One day, she swore, she’d be able to do it as naturally as breathing, but today was not that day. Tuning out the pointless conversation going on around her, she tapped into the mental frequencies nearby. Ignoring Murtagh’s active paranoia was difficult, but she managed it, focusing instead for those people outside their little half-dozen. At first, it was only whispers, but then Andromeda exhaled, and the last of the goings-on in the room slipped away, granting her access to the minds of those elsewhere.

“As useful as I’m sure a map would be,” she asserted coolly, opening her eyes and flicking a clear blue glance from Gallius to Cheshire. “There’s no time. One of the guards has decided to check this very room for his stash of stolen medication, and he’s got friends with him. Five of them. We have fifteen seconds before they’re here.” Lilith was quite looking forward to it, of course, but Andromeda was frankly none too pleased. This would have gone so much better if she'd just tried it on her own...

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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#, as written by Ezarael


Maximilien Robespierre
Book 1: Darkness Rising - Chapter 1: Rarely, They Meet
Monday MAR 13 2006 1:44:30


Despite the revolting presence of drab, white-washed, not that he had much of a distaste for the lack of color as he did for its blatant, uninspired overuse, and the horrifically disorganized furniture, papers, and garbage littering the room a young boy was pleasantly surprised by the atmosphere of the room, and on that note the entirety of this wing of the asylum to be honest. It was hard to discern whether it was the soft moonlight drifting through opaque, dirtied glass, the chaotic state of everything located inside, most of it strewn about as if an earthquake had hit just prior to their entrance, the seemingly empty abandonment the cluttered, but empty space screamed of, or the dead guards which were littering the hallways and various rooms. Probably some combination of all of these elements were what sparked that inferno burning within his chest, and deepened Melpomene’s insatiable hunger, he had to take in every ounce of what the various rooms had to offer him, so that later he would be able to harness its raw essence into something of beauty, taking the raw materials provided and transforming the sum of the parts into something transcendent.

Maybe that was the reason Maximilien had crouched over the body of a slain guard, some fool who had been paying more attention to some filthy magazine and coffee than his job, a very dangerous decision given his employ within an insane asylum with characters such as Cheshire stalking about. That didn’t matter though, the guard was merely a supply of fresh sketching materials, the sticky substance being replenished at a much quicker pace than it was being utilized, which was quite a feat given the ferocity with which the artist stroked and brushed his fingers against the hard-wood of a desk, giving off the same appearance as a finger-painting child, maybe somewhat malicious, but still child-like none-the-less. Anything involving painting, sketching, drawing, or what-have-you were always his least favorite activities, they seemed so infantile and easily destructible that they weren’t worth the time or effort they took, but at times they served to put his thoughts to paper, materializing the mental images in such a way he could only manage.

Voices sounded off in the background, but they were of little consequence now, Maximilien had to finish this image, someone needed to bring it to life so that others could experience the grim beauty of this moment, and only he could perform such a task. Unfortunately for the artist though, his supply of finger-paints had run out, and a defeated sigh breathed out of his full-lips slowly, knowing full-well that the moment was lost and his current masterpiece would go unfinished. His mind changed its trajectory, turning to the conversation being had by his compatriots, motley to say the least, and for the most part incapable of producing any works of art such as he, except the one who was smiling, their “leader” at this point in time, seemed slightly different. His art may not have been as quintessentially pure and everlasting as his own, but the scenes he had seen him craft with the murders he committed were something beautiful in their own right, and the way he described gore was remarkable. Maximilien had spent many an hour trying to recreate the images painted by this smiling savant of murder.

A haughty scoff echoed through the quiet room after the artist registered their comments about a map, what amateurs could not merely feel the layout of a building from its design? This building was made for utilitarian purposes and to keep others in, it wasn’t very hard to figure out where they needed to go if they deciphered the designer’s creative process via the layout of the building, something that was rather simplistic given the complete lack of creativity in any part of this building. “Open your mind. Maps are only useful when you cannot see what is right in front of you. There is nothing special about this building; the designer lacked any artistic talent whatsoever. Figuring out the right path is but a trifle.”


5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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#, as written by Arke

Monday MAR 13 2006 1:43:11
Murtagh MacCaddoch



This was a bad idea. This was a supremely bad idea. The young Murtagh MacCaddoch knew for a fact that this was a bad idea. Kicking himself the entire time, he continued allowed himself to be lead through the halls of of the strange Asylum by Chester. This did not stop him from flinching at every shadow or stifling a scream at every unusual noise. He recoiled at every body they left behind, fearful that they would wake up. While his mind was hardwired for the present, he cursed himself for being so weak to allow himself to be brought up to this point.

He hated everyone there. The only ones they kind of liked were those that kept to themselves, and left him alone. Every night as he went to sleep, Murtagh feared he would never wake up. People like Chester constantly kept him on edge, wondering if he was going to slip a knife between his ribs. He found no comfort in this enclosed hell, and with every growing day he felt more and more like he was going to explode. Not only this, by the voice that was "Myron" whispered to him constantly, demanding more and more vehemently to kill something. The babble about filling a void made no sense to Murtagh, and only sought to confuse him even further. Sometimes he was clear-minded enough to observe and maybe pick a few out that would likely kill him in his sleep, but most of the time Murtagh remained curled up in his bed trying not to sob uncontrollably. He failed occasionally. The nurses were of no help. No matter how nice they tried to be, Murtagh knew it was just a trick. They were fed up with that job they held of taking care of the crazy. He knew it, and refused to let them calm or comfort him. They set up a routine instead where they left necessary food at the foot of his bed and would take it once he cleaned the plate. No further contact was necessary, and Murtagh wouldn't have had it any other way.

Perhaps if he had stayed in the ward room instead of following Chester, he would be given his own little room. A place where he could finally relax. Those ideas were far gone now. He had reached his limit in staying in that room with his wardmates, and made one of his rare blind decisions instead of thinking things through. Now they were in a small storage room, awaiting their doom as they failed to properly path an escape route. Maximilien's words did not comfort Murtagh, who was beside himself with fear.

"We're going to die. We're going to die. I don't want to die. I won't die. We're going to die though. Oh we're going to die die die die die die die..." He trailed off, sinking into a fetal position as he felt the hairs raise on his back. Somebody was going to break even worse news, he knew it. The situation practically called for it. Then Andromeda, in her infuriatingly calm manner, announced the presence of incoming guards. Murtagh felt his stomach sink, feeling quite nauseous at the idea of being shot or beaten to death by guards. "Die die die going we're die to die die die going die guards die coming.." Murtagh whimpered, so shocked with fear that all rational thought flew out the window.

There was a sharp mental slap that brought him back to a poor semblance of clarity. The dark voice in his head demanding that he not give up now. It used a lot of words that Murtagh didn't understand, but it helped him stomp cowering just as the footsteps became audible. A new wave of fear washed over Murtagh, but even in this tense time he remembered his brothers words and slowly got to his feet, quickly shuffling to the back of the room and grabbing a couple boxes and pulling them to the floor to reveal their contents. Most of them contained hardware supplies- PVC pipes and the likes. Murtagh quickly snagged a pipe and braced himself.




5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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Gallius Dives
Book 1: Darkness Rising - Chapter 1: Rarely, They Meet



None of their responses did anything to stifle the blossoming burden of fear growling and snarling in the deepest pit of his stomach, threatening to heave its contents over his squeaky-clean shoes, which were freshly scrubbed and double-knotted to keep himself from tripping on his face in their maddening run, fleeing from everything that held any semblance of safety. He felt like a yellow-tipped bird teetering on a telephone pole, seconds away from being fried into a pile of melodramatic dust—and maybe he wasn't exaggeration, because if they were caught, they'd all go to jail. Everyone's hands were dirty and red with something they'd committed tonight, however literal it actually was. His own were busy threading through his pale locks, knuckling and clumping handfuls, smearing sanguine gore like flaky highlights. If pulling out his roots would make him feel any stabler, any calmer, then he would have done it long ago. But now, Gallius could only contend with picking and preening and distracting himself with anything else, other than these monsters.

Chester with his chiming carousel-voice, churning around brightly coloured balloons and cotton candy stalls. It was hoarse and musical all at the same time, revealing a man who killed optimistically. There was a breezy quality to his tone. He was guided by something. Some sort of drive, or perhaps, not. It was hard to tell without looking at him. There was Andromeda, as well. Coolly collected and firmly planted. Brisk in her manner, and seemingly all-knowing. Hers was the most pleasant to hear, even if her indifference sent disagreeable shivers down his spine, crippling his sensitive emotions. Maximilien's voice spoke volumes of his true nature—calculated and eccentric, spontaneous and devoid of verity. It was he who Gallius sidled away from, as he hunkered over corpses, painting pictures he did not want to see. Murtagh's fevered words, tumbling out like furious maracas, felt as if he were throwing wet blankets across them. Insistent and uncomfortable. All of them put together formed something entirely different. Not quite a family. Not quite strangers, either.

Monsters. That's what they were. That's what he was. Butchering guardsmen (he hadn't really meant to, but there were fine lines between putting someone to sleep and swelling their brains to disproportionate levels) only to reach an impasse. An old, chemical-scented closet with useless cardboard boxes and stacks of unwanted furniture. Gallius fidgeted in his corner, strenuously avoiding Andromeda's withering gaze. He could see the outline of her small face sweeping in his direction, accompanied by her steady, dispassionate riposte. If he were a small crustacean, he would've scurried away long ago. But, like a barnacle or a clam, Gallius was rooted in place, slightly trembling and folding in on himself. He felt like he was becoming smaller and smaller. Mouth promptly clamped, whittling itself into another small noise that barely sifted out from his lips. This was a mistake, he'd agree. Murtagh seemed to understand the dangers most of all, crouching low in the opposite corner and repeatedly mumbling something about dying.

Gallius did not fear death. He feared ridiculous things. He was afraid of getting into trouble. He was afraid of being alone, as well as being in the same room as people. He was afraid of saying something stupid. He was afraid of physical contact, of looking people in the face, of being coined incompetent. Bullets penetrating the fleshy lobes of his skull would have been a calming retreat—far out of his control, and at least he wouldn't have to make any burdensome decisions. Leadership did not sit on his shoulders, but simply slipped off like an ill-fitting dress. He wet his dry lips, and tried to swallow past the cottony lump in his throat. Maximilien was rambling about designs and feeling the architecture of the building and artistry and scoffing about a certain blandness that flew straight over his head. Gallius creaked in his general direction, wooden and stiff. He lowered his voice to a hoarse-whisper when he said, “Get us out of here, then.”

It was Andromeda's unhurried words that caught his attention, announcing that they'd have guests very soon. There were men headed in their direction. He strained his ears like a dog trying to figure out where the sounds were coming from. But, his abilities were trained for the unconscious. For rendering people unconscious, drooling and very brain-dead. Gallius didn't scramble over to the boxes like Murtagh had, because he'd never needed weapons before. His bare hands were dangerous enough. He held them aloft as the footsteps drew nearer, accompanied by brief spurts of boisterous laughter. Something about panties and stupid whore. Something else about pills. The timbre of their voices were shriveled and ugly; monstrous, even. Gallius braced himself against the wall, closer to Cheshire and on the other side of the door. It was only when the door swung open, stupidly kicked inwards, revealing three guardsmen, that Gallius budged from his hiding place, slamming into the nearest man. Sharp pain blossomed in the back of his head—batons, of course. His death-grip on the guardsman's collar forced them both to the group, where he fumbled his palm across the man's face, in the midst of a chortled shout.

No time for that, though. Blood leaked from the guard's ears in thin rivulets, tainting his red-rimmed eyes. Gallius desperately released his grip and covered his head to keep the blows from rattling his head like a drum.

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Character Portrait: Gallius Dives Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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Book 1: Darkness Rising - Chapter 1: Rarely, They Meet

Here and now, in this moment, was a perfect example of why people refereed to the red-headed menace as Cheshire. Faced with adversity and certain doom, still this young man was completely calm in spite of his odds of survival. Sure there was sweat dripping from his brow, but it wasn't from anxiety but from exhaustion. Most obviously, was his smile; so wide and bearing teeth... If he were any other man, he might have accompanied Murtagh and cowered in a corner, fearing for his life. But like everyone else in the room, he knew this building was home to things scarier than conniving guards. Which is why he didn't fret over mere mortals and their sticks, instead he reveled at their perfect timing, hence his happiness. Fate saw fit to deliver unto him six men, all of whom were knowledgeable on his surroundings; he had to appreciate the humor in that. It was only then that he wished he was alone, being in a group made it hard to get optimal results. Such a delicate situation required stealth, precision, and time all of which he had none of. Cheshire wasn't a highly skilled assassin with years of training and advanced weaponry, he was something worse: a demonically possessed, cold-blooded killer who with a dark room, sharp blade, and restraints could make a person beg for the sweet mercy of death. Unfortunately for these greedy men, he had all of those things and just enough time to extract the information he needed.

Footsteps, he could actually hear them now. "Now kids, be on your best behavior for our guest!" he whispered jovially. A quick nod along with a mental command sent the girl who had become his shadow to hide in a wardrobe nearest Andromeda. She was ordered to stay there until he and no one else told her to come out. Alice, as was her name, made no sound to confirm, only scurried away to do as she was told. Unlike anyone he had ever met before, Cheshire felt the strange need to protect this child. He was connected to her, and not just by the mental link she formed between them; it was more than that. The anger he felt when he saw those damned cultists hurting her... Never, ever, had Cheshire lifted a single finger to help someone in need, especially if it didn't benefit him. Yet, without hesitation, he barged recklessly in a room, ignorant of the dangers hidden inside and risked his life for a stranger he had never even seen before? The severity of its obscureness was enough to withdraw him from reality, only to be hurled back by the recurring sound of conversation and laughter. Reentry to the present summoned a mischievous grin along with the parting present from his late father and warden, a uniquely crafted dagger. He held the weapon at his side as he pressed his body to the wall behind the door, opposite of Gallius, who was apparently volunteering for first strike. Now, they had nothing to do but wait.

Cheshire's heartbeat ran parallel to the proximity of the approaching group, increasing in tempo with every step that brought the men closer to the door. He was excited, feeling like the wolf as it stalks its prey. His heart was pounding like a madman banging on drums; he was surprised no one could hear it. And then, the moment of truth was upon him -- the door was kicked open simultaneously everything quieted and slowed. Cheshire grabbed the handle of the door, stopping it from rebounding too much and revealing that something was behind it. The guards had barely passed the threshold before Gallius' assault began and ended, resulting with the mass of them rolling around the floor like a dust cloud of fist and feet. There was a silver lining to this dust cloud, though. His allies misfortune presented an opportunity for Cheshire to ambush a straggler, "how predator-like," he thought to himself. The guard was moseying in to seemingly assist the other four guards, little did he know, he would end up condemning them instead. As the man cleared the door, Cheshire sprung his trap. He quickly shut the door, filling the room again with darkness excluding the slivers of moonlight streaming in from the window. Then, like a boa-constrictor preparing its meal, Cheshire wrapped himself around the unwary guard and pulled him in a secluded corner. Seconds was all he had to conduct his interrogation, but that was all he needed. These guards were not elite soldiers tasked with protecting their country, they were civilians here only for the meager pay. Tempt them with death and secrets would flow like water from a faucet.

In the quietest voice he could muster without hindering his words, Cheshire spoke in his hostage's ear, "Now, unless you want your insides to become outsides? I suggest you tell me what I want to know, and be quick about it. I'm in no mood to play." To demonstrate his resolve, Cheshire placed his knife just inside the man's stomach, causing him to twist and murmur a in pain.


Maximilien RobespierreMonday Mar 13 2006 1:45:00

Everyone seemed so concerned with the arrival of the guards, as if such flawed creations could possibly pose some semblance of a threat to them, as if the guards' obvious imperfections could possibly compete with the inherent beauty in their group, even if uncreative. The females moved away whilst the twitchy Mick rushed for a pipe, and the strange one rushed their guests head-on, leaving him to think how uninspired and lacking . . ., but not Cheshire, Maximilien knew that Cheshire could formulate an inspired plan of beauty quickly, and the execution would prove more than adequate to fuel the artist's creative desires. Before long the strange one was huddled within a pile of entangled bodies, lacking any capability of coming up with any original contingency, leaving the young artist to scream on the inside, his creative thirst being torn asunder by the actions of the incompetent fool. Cheshire though, what a thing of beauty, it had taken only moments for him to grab a straggler, obviously lacking in the foresight to consider the possibility of a lunatic waiting behind a door to snatch one of them. Time had slowed down to a standstill for Maximilien, as if this instant was supposed to be frozen in time so that he could properly inhale the essence of the scene laid out before him, feeling an invigorating wave of desire wash over his previously uninspired body.

Despite the obvious lack of talent amidst the majority of these comrades, if that word could be used here, there was some beauty to be had in the coordinated disarray displayed before him, they each knew what they were supposed to do, even if they didn't know it. There was a synergy between them, even if just for this one moment in history, and this moment would definitely need to be preserved in the annals of history, all he had to do was find some way to preserve it . . . Why don't you join in sweetling? These incompetents couldn't possibly compete with your brilliance, their spark pales in comparison to the flame burning inside you. Melpomene was speaking to him, urging him to become one with this moment, and as always his muse never let him down, she knew exactly what he would need to bring this scene to life later, and the only way to do so was to take part in the raw-emotion of the tussle. She was right, these simpletons could not possibly bring any harm to him, despite their size or armament, their moves were bland and repetitive, such lowly creatures could never comprehend the sheer brilliance that would accompany his actions.

"Yes, I must be a part of this if this scene is to be complete, it needs my talent . . . and I need supplies to finish my sketch."

As his body began to lurch forward, time started accelerating, until it surpassed where it had been prior to his muse's urging, but he knew exactly what needed to be done.The artist approached the oblivious group of guards pummeling the strange companion ceaselessly, blinded by their ignorance and simplicity, and he awaited for the right set of movemtents that he knew were coming, the repetition of their movements made determining their next move simple. A baton-ladened hand swung backwards, its wrist arching heavily and twist inwards slighty, greatly relaxing the hold his target had upon their weapon, and that was exactly the moment for which he was waiting. Maximilien snatched the weapon swiftly, twirling the end around just as quick and bringing the tip crashing down into the man's skull, sending splatters of blood, bone, and skull splattering across the room as Pollock would paint across a canvas. A surge of adrenaline fueled his movements, the boy backing off as the the other guards noticed his presence. They may be inferior beings, but taking advantage of sloppy, uninspired movements on an unexpecting target was much different than the current threat.

A smile almost threatened to don his youthful face, but the urge died down just as quickly. It was an unfamiliar expression.


Murtagh MacCaddochMonday Mar 13 2006 1:45:15

Murtagh, unsurprisingly, lingered in the back while furiously debating whether or not to rush in. The guards, upon inspection were of nothing to note. They were unarmored, and carried batons that the pipe out-ranged. Then, all of a sudden, the primary source of light was extinguished (no doubt by Chesire) and the guards were left in disarray. Gallius dove one, something Murtagh would never do. Chesire dragged one away in silence. As the fearful youth procrastinated, Maximilien had already moved forward and skillfully disarmed one. The resounding crunch made Murtagh flinch and Myron swoon. His grip on the pipe tightened as a guard broke free of the morass of limbs near the front and rushed for Maximilien to save his comrade. It was better to take advantage of that guard's brash move rather than engage a guard that would focus on him.

Just as the guard finished closing the distance to give the "artist" a swift canvas of darkness, Murtagh gritted his teeth and jabbed the pipe with both hands as hard as he could. The pipe connected with the guard's side, sending him stumbling. Adrenaline began coursing through Murtagh once more, leaping in and swiping at the vulnerable guard. The blow connected with his head, leaving him on the ground and moaning. Murtagh immediately knew the man was oblivious to the world now, and hesitated slightly. His ears continued to ring, the blood continued to roar, and now Myron interjected. Murtagh's look of tentative mercy became one of a wild animal as Myron poured doubt and anger into his thoughts. The man will get up and expose them. The man will live and condemn us in the end. The only way to ensure he stayed down was to hit him more. Murtagh's sight began to tinge with red as he descended upon the vulnerable man, whacking him again with the pipe. The pipe swung more, and more, the blows becoming more wild as Murtagh fought to ensure that the man would never tell a soul what happened here. It was only when a bit of blood got into his eye that he realize that the man's head had been completely mutilated. He wasn't incapacitated anymore, he was dead.

Cold realization set in not long after. Murtagh was a murderer now, in every form of the word. Turning slowly, he saw the other guards that were approaching him slowly. The only reason why Murtagh hadn't been clocked over the head yet was because of Maxemilien's presence and the intimidating aura he expelled after so easily dispatching their comrade. They kept a stern eye on the black youth, but this time they were now aware of the less-graceful animal named Murtagh. He was an animal now. The stained PVC pipe dripped with blood and flesh, and this time Murtagh had no excuse for so thoroughly ensuring a closed-casket funeral for this man. He couldn't summon any tears in his shocked state, and only the pure drive to remain alive caused him to clumsily dismount the man's corpse and back up to stand behind Maximilien. As he did so, the corpse of the man seemed to gain a stark contrast in the darkness, and the corpse began glowing a faint blue. The dark voice inside Murtagh was roaring with approval. Murtagh felt himself heat up, and looked at his hands. He was now a glowing blue outline in the faint darkness, the exact opposite of what he wanted. Confusion set in, and he shuffled back further. He had listened in on his ward-mates and knew about these Dark Talents, but he didn't know his until now. Both Murtagh and the corpse's glow faded after a brief moment, and Murtagh felt a hole he had never paid attention to before fill slightly. Suddenly some of the things Myron had said made a bit more sense.

There was no time to begin more experimenting, however. He regretted not doing so while still in the ward, but he didn't dare practice under the fear that his ward-mates would turn his powers against him. It was far better to appear a weak and insane fool that isn't worth the scum on the tile. Murtagh dropped the dripping PVC pipe, as it was going to only be slippery and hard to wield after being so soaked in blood. Sinking once again into the dark back of the room, he felt around the other boxes and found another weapon. Jars, beakers, and pipettes used for drug and chemical testing were stored here, and Murtagh found a nicely-sized jar. He hated having to kill these men, who never asked for this, but if he had to to escape and live, he would. The shock had worn off, and he shifted his grip on the jar to both hands and circled around the remaining guard approaching Maximilien and brought the jar down in a heavy downswing on the guard that was grappling with Gallius. The man staggered, his baton leaving his hand so he could clutch his head in pain. The jar had completely shattered from the force of the blow, and scratched the floor with glass shards. Murtagh felt cuts on his hands as the glass jar broke in his hands, but he then forced the guard off Gallius and stomped on the man's head repeatedly. The guard's spasms eventually ceased.


Gallius DivesMonday Mar 13 2006 1:45:10

Fortunately, the baton-inflicted beating seemed to subside, and Gallius was free to stumble backwards, away from the unorganized jumble that was taking place. Someone's face was becoming one with the linoleum flooring. Mashed against black and white checkered squares, which was quickly becoming spattered with grizzled gore, fleshy clumps and wads of mushed hair. More surprising was to find that the boot connecting with the bloody guardsman's face belonged to Murtagh, who'd given up his pipe somewhere along the line. He was thankful. His head felt heavy on his shoulders, like it was swaying on a pendulum. Something wet ran down his forehead, dribbled off his chin and pattered on his hand. The Outsider was a quiet citizen standing on the sidewalk of his thoughts, quietly watching to see what he would do without his aid, and coming up somewhat disappointed—releasing a child without fully testing any training wheels. He was not satiated by the meagre meal, hastily devoured. Noxious, pitted eyes looked into him and saw clear through.

It made him want to cry. Far worse was his disappointment, than the fact that a large gash had opened up across the right side of his skull. Battered and bruised and somewhat swollen. Though, the red streaked in his hair looked far better than the soft, plucky blond locks curled around his ears. He was not as quick as Maximilien, nor as creative as Cheshire was, because he believed that what he was doing was necessary. They were the monsters preying on the weak, trying to usher them into cages like animals. Manipulating them, using them to further their own means. He still felt something when he'd touched that man's head. Leeching out his subconscious, and fervid awareness, through a tube he could not exactly describe. He felt a light go out. He also felt his memories, like too-colourful, too-vibrant bonbons being popped into his mouth. Something about children on a beach, scurrying around with hermit crabs and sand castles. It felt like he'd been there, holding some strange woman's hand and laughing loudly, thinking nothing of the mental institution he worked at. It'd left him just as quickly as it'd come, leaving him gasping like a fish.

These memories were not his own. They were the lingering after-tastes, a little reminder that his own recollections were far less pleasant. He took a deep, lingering breath and looked up at them—these strangers who fought like demons, who moved instinctively, like they knew where to go and what to do when all hell broke loose. But, they were strong. Stronger than he was by far. If you were paralysed in all of your fears, then you might as well roll over and die. Even Murtagh had stepped up to the plate, utilizing his hands and feet and body as weapons. His fear drove him forward, shielded him from all of the badness in the world. Cheshire and Maximilien and even Andromeda seemed untouched by such things, moving beyond it with a certainty that left him breathless and frozen. He needed that. The Outsider tipped his head, mouth perpetually composed. Gaping eyes imperturbable and always-observing. No more kiddy floaters, training wheels or bed railings. No more, he whispered.

5 Characters Present

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Cheshire Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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Andromeda SnowMonday MAR 13 2006 1:45:00


As she’d thought, the room was soon invaded by a group of security guards, and though they were unprepared for the assault—spearheaded by Gallius—they recovered quickly enough, putting up at least a token resistance to their deaths, and in some cases quite a bit more than that. Andromeda was quite content to let the more violently-inclined among them have all of this particular brand of fun. She, after all, had no particular desire to know what it felt like for blood to dry in her pale hair. Nor, indeed, to have bruised knuckles or wounds of her own. She was not a trained fighter, something that she made a note to rectify as soon as she was clear of this place.

For there was no doubt in her mind that she would be free of it. The whole affair was only a matter of time. If this didn’t work, something else would. Perhaps something quieter.

Unfortunately, someone let a guard through at some point, probably not something that could be helped, though she certainly blamed them for it anyway. Unfair, perhaps, but then, so was life, as they all well knew. The guard, breathing a sigh of relief to be clear of the main melee, set his sights on the young woman and raised what appeared to be a nightstick, stepping forward menacingly. Her expression—cold, impassive, unafraid—did not change. Sociopaths did not feel much in the way of emotion, including fear, though Lilith was having fun with his. He knew he was going to die, but he was apparently determined to take down at least one of them before he did. How droll.

The demon's whispers were honeyed poison in her ear, promising power and satisfaction the like of which she’d never been able to know—not as a little girl in a dirty, poor household, and not as an unwitting prisoner in this place, watched over by white-clad wardens who knew nothing. Ordinarily, Andromeda did not pay the whispers much mind, because they came from that, and she didn’t trust it. It was an unknown quantity, the upper limits of its abilities were unknown to her. She knew not if it would one day overtake the sanctum of her mind, painting the crystalline walls of it a passionate red that she did not want, and this made her wary, like one predator circling another, fundamentally unsure of what territory belonged to whom, or if it must be contested at all. But today, today she would at least take the suggestion for what it was.

Suddenly and without warning, she stepped forward as well, placing the index and middle fingers of each hand on the corresponding temples of the guard, opening a telepathic link between the two of them. That much, she knew how to do, but for the rest, she would need Lilith’s guidance, and reluctantly, she surrendered her control. It was like something else slithered under her skin, fitting just as comfortably into it as she ever did—more so. Andromeda was pushed gently to some corner of her own mind, through which she could see the goings on, both inside herself and out in the world, but she had little control over any of it. She was a spectator in some grand theater, with the expensive seats but no real power at all. She watched dispassionately as Lilith called up the power they shared now, surging forward through the mental link and enveloping the lesser mind within her power.

Physically, Andromeda’s body leaned forward, a dark chuckle escaping her parted lips as the nightmare images Lilith so easily produced assaulted the poor fool’s consciousness. “Fear me,” she mouthed breathlessly next to his ear. And fear her he did—the healthy tan of his skin faded until his pallor was sickly white, and he tried and failed to swallow several times, Adam’s apple bobbing frantically in his throat. His eyes were unfocused, because what he was seeing was not right in front of him, but inside his head, and there was nothing he could do to rid himself of it. Lilith drank in the terror with undisguised delight, the wry little smile that took up residence on her face so very unlike anything Andromeda would wear.

He clutched at his hair, tearing it from his head and leaving bloody spears on his hands, the floor, his face. He picked frantically at his skin as she convinced him that there were things, dark things, crawling underneath it, and she would have been more than content to watch him destroy himself before the pragmatic voice in the back of her head reminded her with no feeling that they didn’t have time for that. Lilith pouted a bit, unhappy with this complete lack of appreciation for the subtle tortures of the mind—or in this case, the not-so-subtle. But she conceded that the host had a point. “Fine,” she conceded with a sigh, “Have it your way, then.” She withdrew, and with a bit of effort, Andromeda reasserted herself, looking down at the quietly-muttering man without any of the amusement Lilith had displayed. The voice at the back of her mind promised that this was just a taste of what she herself would one day be able to do, but Andromeda wasn’t honestly sure if it tasted sweet or bitter to her.

She’d never actually killed another human being before, though ironically enough, a murder was the reason she’d wound up here in the first place. It looked like she no longer had any choice. Glancing about the storage room, she found that there wasn’t much she could use, so she inspected the madman himself, instead. There was a utility knife on his pocket, more a boxcutting tool than anything, but she supposed it would have to do. Hiding the shake in her hand, she extracted it from his belt, flipping the blade into the extended position and contemplating it for a moment. The rest of the battle was dying down around her—she’d have to be quick. Though she felt no particular remorse for this, it did make her parents right about her, and she didn’t favor the thought overmuch. It didn’t matter.

Tightening her grip on the tool, Andromeda drew it across the man’s throat, silencing his incoherent babbling forever.

Retracting the blade, she looked at it with an air of academic inspection for a moment, then pocketed it, deciding that it couldn’t hurt to have it with her. The nightstick, she would leave alone. As the other fights stopped, she was already onto the next thing, examining the room with a calculating eye. They needed to find a way out of here, and quickly, but going back out into the hall would cut their time even shorter. Surely, there must—

She almost didn’t believe it, but she noticed an odd seam in the wall. Ignoring whatever anyone else was saying at the moment, she stepped past another pair of bodies and to the wall, running her hands along the seam for just a moment. Her brows furrowed slightly, and she rapped first one side, then the other, with her fists. There was a marked difference in sound. Withdrawing her new knife, she scored it along the wallpaper and peeled a bit, eyes narrowing with her satisfaction when she saw it. One part of the wall was indeed an ordinary plaster constriction, but the other was only a thin layer of the stuff over what had once clearly been a door. “I think I have our way out,” she said flatly, turning back to look at the others over her shoulder. “Help me get to this door—I’m guessing it leads somewhere.”

Perhaps, on an ordinary day, she would not have chosen the risk. Today, however, the alternative was an almost-certain death out in that hallway, and she was going to take the risk. Whether they came or not.

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Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
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#, as written by Arke

Monday MAR 13 2006 1:47:31
Murtagh MacCaddoch



As the guard's head soaked Murtagh's leg with gore, the small skirmish was winding down all around Murtagh. Once again, as a man's life left him by Murtagh's hands (or legs), Murtagh felt his body grow hot. Both the corpse and Murtagh glowed a faint blue, and the being in Murtagh's head exuded a gleeful aura that only made Murtagh more angry and confused than he already was. The pounding in his ears eventually ceased, and Murtagh stumbled away from the mutilated corpse. Sitting down, he struggled to regain his breath while coping with the fact that his murder spree had taken off to an explosive start. He was just lucid enough to be aware that everyone else was considering methods of escaping after such a loud fight, but chances were slim outside of a miracle-- Murtagh didn't trust Maximilien and his sense of direction at all, and Murtagh had a feeling it would just lead to more fights that they might not win. He briefly looked at Cheshire, and wasn't too eager to start listening to the guard and whatever the insane boy managed to get out of his interrogation. The guard was a civilian, so the straight way out would likely be through more guards and checkpoints. Not to mention the innate fear that Cheshire instilled had probably left the poor man irrational and incoherent.

However, Andromeda pulled a miracle out of her ass, though escape wasn't guaranteed. He would take it though, it seemed more likely that this hidden doorway that she felt out in the darkness would lead to a safer escape. If it lead to doom, well, it was better than the alternative. Murtagh was the first to jump at this prospective escape, ignoring the cuts on his hand and grabbing at the wallpaper and tearing at it with feral intent. It revealed a door, but not a door of the conventional kind. The wallpaper easily covering it up suggested that. It didn't look like an obvious sliding door, and Murtagh didn't want to believe it a push-door due to how easily it would have been discovered. Murtagh wasn't the brightest, nor was he an expert on doors. If he were to be completely honest, his vision was still tinged red from his berserk fighting and it was too dark for him to identify much aside from the fact that his hands felt like they were on fire right now.

"H-How do we open this damn thing?!" He stuttered sharply, turning so his eyes briefly making contact with Andromeda's, before her cold, sharp gaze caused him to flinch away.




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Once an Item has been created, it can be spawned in the IC using /spawn Item Name (case-sensitive, as usual) — this can be followed with /take Item Name to retrieve the item into the current character's inventory.

Mobs

Give your Universe life by adding a Mob, which are auto-replenishing NPCs your players can interact with. Useful for some quick hack-and-slash fun!

Mobs can be automated spawns, like rats and bats, or full-on NPCs complete with conversation menus. Use them to enhance your player experience!

Current Mobs

No mobs have been created yet.

Spawns

Locations where Mobs and Items might appear.

Events

You can schedule events for your players to create notifications and schedule times for everyone to plan around.

Permissions

Add and remove other people from your Universe.

Orphanage

By marking a character as abandoned, you can offer them to your players as pre-made character sheets.

Character Portrait: Andromeda Snow
9 sightings Andromeda Snow played by Kurokiku
"I know you better than you do, kitten."

The Forge

Use your INK to craft new artifacts in Dark Passenger. Once created, Items cannot be changed, but they can be bought and sold in the marketplace.

Notable Items

No items have been created yet!

The Market

Buy, sell, and even craft your own items in this universe.

Market Data

Market conditions are unknown. Use caution when trading.

Quick Buy (Items Most Recently Listed for Sale)

Open Stores

View All » Add Character » 9 Characters to follow in this universe

Character Portrait: Cheshire
Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch
Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre
Character Portrait: Gallius Dives

Newest

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives
Gallius Dives

"My body's broken, but yours is bent."

Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre

"Anything less than perfection is unacceptable."

Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch
Murtagh MacCaddoch

The worst kind of coward.

Character Portrait: Cheshire
Cheshire

"Stop? I can't help it... All I hear when you're crying, is laughs."

Trending

Character Portrait: Cheshire
Cheshire

"Stop? I can't help it... All I hear when you're crying, is laughs."

Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre

"Anything less than perfection is unacceptable."

Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch
Murtagh MacCaddoch

The worst kind of coward.

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives
Gallius Dives

"My body's broken, but yours is bent."

Most Followed

Character Portrait: Gallius Dives
Gallius Dives

"My body's broken, but yours is bent."

Character Portrait: Cheshire
Cheshire

"Stop? I can't help it... All I hear when you're crying, is laughs."

Character Portrait: Murtagh MacCaddoch
Murtagh MacCaddoch

The worst kind of coward.

Character Portrait: Maximilien Robespierre
Maximilien Robespierre

"Anything less than perfection is unacceptable."


View All » Places

Pleasantville Asylum Ruins

Pleasantville Asylum Ruins by Crooked Thoughts

Formerly a pristine facility of high quality, now lay in ruins, an empty shell of what it once was.

Pleasantville Asylum -Flashback-

Pleasantville Asylum -Flashback- by Crooked Thoughts

Pleasantville Asylum: a hell hidden amongst the flora and fauna of the forest.

A World of Darkness

A World of Darkness by Crooked Thoughts

Welcome to Earth: the world is corrupt, its people are spiritually bankrupt, and escapism often replaces hope.

A World of Darkness

Welcome to Earth: the world is corrupt, its people are spiritually bankrupt, and escapism often replaces hope.

Pleasantville Asylum -Flashback-

Pleasantville Asylum: a hell hidden amongst the flora and fauna of the forest.

Pleasantville Asylum Ruins

Formerly a pristine facility of high quality, now lay in ruins, an empty shell of what it once was.

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