ic Down in the Underground (Open)

[Avenger Assembled]

"I am sorry that happened to you," croaked Aquaria sadly. "The war between the Surface and the Sea has killed many." She adjusted where she rested her weight on her trident, and decided Nicole was not asking what had happened to the people she had known - who of course had been killed and eaten by the cultists who had rampaged through parts of the city in the name of the false champion. It was, after all, what Deep Ones would have done to each other in the event of a war between cities - and a kinder death, to her mind, than what Deep Ones would have gotten from Atlanteans, or _had_ gotten from Surfacers, during the invasion. To change the subject, she chirped, "I have a question about your chair. Do you want to talk about it?" she asked Nicole with guileless gold-black eyes. "Why are you in it?" 

[angrydurf]

Huang listened to the story nonplussed but respectfully silent.  "It is precisely when these one is affected that it is most important not to be."  the dhampir replied flatly, "I've been hunted by your kind since birth and I'm still here talking to you instead of treating you like a threat."  His smile at the last was broad flashing the elongated canines of his birthright. 

 

Shaking his head he turned away from her to focus on the Master Mage and whatever announcement she had gathered them together for making his way agily toward the front leaving her to answer Aquarias questions or not.  Once in the front he dropped into a loose limbed crouch looking up at his mother recognizing his tall frame standing int he front row might be more than a mild inconvenience for those shorter or still seated.

[Zeitgeist Blue]

Nicole

 

Nicole hummed softly as she watched Huang leave. Then she glanced at Aquaria from the corner of her eye.

 

"Think we're all agreed at least that for all the widespread fighting it's the bystanders who suffer the most. I don't have anything against you because you weren't an aggressor in that war. Don't think I've ever hunted vampires myself."

 

"You said your people were forced? Archeville do that to you? Being united is good, like Dio said about his mom, but not when that unity comes at the cost of some other people."

 

She rubbed at her legs absently, thinking a bit before she replied. "No. It's fine. My legs are broken from an incident not related to the Surface and Sea war. So I sit in this chair to move. The wheels help with that."

 

A thought crossed her mind and she cocked her head questioningly. "You don't have Deep Ones with disabilities? No, with your people's lifestyle I guess they'd just be a drag on the tribe. I guess not."

[Dr Archeville]

Dead Head laughed under his breath -- if he'd had breath -- as he overheard bits of Huang & Dio & Aquaria's conversation.  "They all got some'a it right," he said, possibly to Dr. Thorn, possibly just thinking aloud.  "Take th' Deep Ones, f'r instance.  They ain't inherently ornery, but a lot'a 'em worship an' follow Things what is actively malevolent, or at least dangerously uncaring, puttin' no more thought t'us than a trucker do to an ant crossin' th'road.  They's by far th'worst o' the bunch, though, so... alien.  Other entities seem bad 'cuz they embody things what mortals fear -- gods o' death, or disease, or war -- an ain't that bad, once ya get t'know 'em.  Same might be said fer some'a them Things, but," he shrugged, "it's hard to tell where t'begin with 'em.  'Course, some'a them've been feared fer so long, or worshipped by folks callin' on 'em t'do evil, and they become evil theyselves."  He tsked and shook his head, "folks can change, sometimes 'gainst their will, sometimes after a lot'a effort an' kindness from others, an' that don't just apply t'mortals."

 

And then Phantom spoke, and he turned his attention to her.  "Hunh, is this jus' a welcomin', or has she got some big announcement planned?"

[alderwitch]

Reaching up to her throat, her fingertips touched the pendant that had been with her for so very long. Her entire journey up until this point, it had started with the Eye of Heshem and her oaths to the Modoros. Huang had never seen his  mother without it, in or out of costume. She hesitated for a moment, her gloved fingers touching the glittering jewel before she reached up to unclasp the thick chain. The still warm links of gold puddled in her gloved hands. 

 

So this is farewell, old friend. Be good to him. Keep him safe, help him find the path like you did for me so many years ago. 

 

"Many of you know me as Heshem's chosen guardian. For over a decade, I have kept the dimensional boundaries as I was charged to do. I did not seek the position of Master Mage but Eldritch choose me as his successor. At his passing, those duties fall to me. I have always served the Modoros but I cannot be the guardian of the Void as well as fulfill my duties here so I, too, must choose my own successor." 

 

Her gloved fingers flexed once around the necklace before she released it to vanish with a soft pop only to reappear in Huang's hands. The gold was dull with age and the gem flashed with echoes of the Void's flickers of lightning. The artifact pulsed with magic, resonating with Phantom's own magic before it realigned to its new chosen bearer. Huang heard the whisper of a goddess in his ears before the magic in his hands settled into a steady throb as familiar as his own pulse.

 

"It is my pride and pleasure to announce that Ouroboros has completed his training as my apprentice." Phantom said with distinct though quiet pride. The smile that curved Phantom's lips landed on her firstborn with open affection even through the shadows of her hood.. "I hope that you will join me in welcoming him to the mystical community as a full member."

 

Her gaze swept over the crowd, lingering for a moment in the distance before her attention turned back to the knot of magic workers as the polite applause died down. "It is rare that we gather in such numbers. For a brief moment, I open the floor to any important announcements."

 

 

[Avenger Assembled]

Sea Devil didn't really understand most of what was going on - but that was nothing new. This was big news, and a well-spoken youth was gaining new and arcane power. She put her hands to her mouth and opened it wide - very wide. "HAIL HESHEM'S CHOSEN!" she bellowed with tremendous volume. She then reared back and gave a tremendous ululation, raising her trident high. It seemed some gods besides Heshem approved of Huang's elevation - though what did it mean that Aquaria's did? When she was done, she decided to add helpfully, hands to the side of her mouth again, "I HAVE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. IF ANYONE WANTS TO LEARN LEMURIAN, I CAN TEACH YOU!" 

[angrydurf]

Huangs eyes grew wide at the announcement.  He had expected she'd decided his training was done, she had let him graduate after all.  Handing off the responsibility as Heshems chosen did come as a shock as did the coils of the goddesses voice in his mind.  The young magus froze for a moment as the magic melded with his own and his oaths to the modrosuss were made in a realm outside of time and space.  He looked up at his mother as he returned to his senses, "I am honored."  he replied solemnly, "I can only hope to offer as distinguished service as you have Master Mage."  he intoned formally.  Though as he looked down at the artifact in his hand he smirked with a hint of pride and fastened the chain around his hand and wrist the eye it self resting comfortably in his palm as the binding adjusted to its new hosts aesthetic.

 

He turned to look out to the crowd for what other announcements might be made raising an interested brow at the deep ones offer.  Such a skill was both useful and difficult to come by he'd have to investigate further.

[Dr Archeville]

Dead Head's jaw had dropped and his eyes bugged out a bit.  Then he started enthusiastically clapping and hooting, though it came out as more a disembodied wail.  Then he realized the state of his face, and took a moment to retrieve & reattach his wayward mandible.  "Well don't that beat all!  Good on ya, kid!"  He continued clapping and whistling, this time sounding a bit more normal.

 

Heh, I can say I used t' babysit the Guardian a' th' Void.

 

Eventually his cheering died down, and he looked around, a bit unsure.  "I, ah, I guess I got an announcement, too."  He cleared his throat, which some might think would be unnecessary, but those nearest him could see a few grubs fall out of his mouth.  "Some'a y'all know me, an' know I been gone a good while.  I ain't been back long, and I ain't stayin' much longer, neither.  I'm bein' called out west, to a place called Bedlam.  I'll be leavin' soon -- an' if anyone here might wanna help me with that, I'd be much obliged," he added sheepishly, "an' I ain't sure when I'll be back.  But y'all'll always have a place in mah heart."  He pulled his jacket aside with one hand and made like he was going to plunge his other into his chest, then stopped, smirked, and wagged his finger at the crowd.

Edited July 28, 2019 by Dr Archeville

[Zeitgeist Blue]

Nicole

 

Nicole blinked, taken aback by the announcement. She'd just imagined this gathering to be a social event, a 'Hello, I'm the new Master Mage' from Huang's mom and not the passing on of the Eye of Heshem and all that entailed.

 

She applauded politely as the applause started, along with some really weird sounds from the weirder guests. Beside her, Aquaria's suddenly ululating actually brought a surprised yelp from Nicole.

 

Then when the cheering subsided the various guests began their announcements. Aquaria went first then others and Nicole used the opportunity to lean towards Aquaria.

 

"That's an offer I'd take up, Aquaria," Nicole said. "It'd help me translate the really ancient works and update them into the modern era's sensibilities."

 

After Dead Head's announcement, Nicole took the stage, clearing her throat before raising her hand to get people's attention.

 

"Yeah, I've got an announcement too." She paused to let the assembled guests shuffle awkwardly towards her. Then, suddenly nervous, she adjusted her glasses and raised her eyes to right above everyone's head. "Well, for those who don't know me, I keep tabs up on my old family's assets throughout the country and overseas. The past few months has seen an escalation in the cyber-warfare and even with the risky as hell strategy of sending elementals into the open system to plant self-replicating hexes in the code suceeding and, well, I've still been locked out. Like totally."

 

"No idea where they finally found the resources to kick me out like that."

 

She pressed her pointer fingers together like a student caught doing something idiotic by the principal. "So total no information, blackout style, but I managed to just detect several inter-dimensional signatures flare up around the country right before they booted me out, with the three largest ones concentrated in Freedom City, Emerald City, and Bedlam, sending out data similar to interdimensional anomaly during January."

 

"Buttt I have no idea what happened next and the signatures have gone dark from other sources" She gestured at Doctor Thorne. The occult detectice knows Nicole had set up an account that would credit cash monthly, enough to keep them in a low-key kind of employment under Nicole. Their arrangement also specified that a larger dole-out of cash would be incoming for any danger the detective would encounter, providing something useful came out of it. "I've procured the services of Doctor Thorne indefinitely here to keep an eye out in Bedlam."

 

Then Nicole turned to the Master Mage and her son. "I would have petitioned the Master Mage for her help, both wherever the signatures come out but also in her domain in Freedom City. But with the passing on of the Eye of Heshem guess I should be asking my schoolmate instead." She gave him a wide grin then turned away.

 

"I have yet to find anyone to look into the Emerald Cities but given that is where the greatest flare-up happened, and given my uncomfirmed suspicions, I have several options, including travelling there myself to investigate."

 

She sighed, before continuing to the end of her announcement. "It's primarily a personal matter but if my suspicions are right then I suggest you keep your artifacts close and your knowledge even closer."

Edited July 30, 2019 by Zeitgeist Blue

[Tiffany Korta]

 

Doctor Rosa Thorne

Whilst as a scholar she was fascinated about the existence of other dimensions, she’d visited a majority of them to educate Abby, but in Bedlam many of those dimensions seemed so far away. Except the various hells, they always seemed turned up with some regularity. She also wasn’t about to make some grand statements around the other mages, she’d like one day to remove her curse but now probably wasn’t the time. Instead she sidled up to Dead Head for a different opportunity.

 

“Hi there! Did you say you were going to Bedlam?” her Midwestern accent was pretty obvious “Because if you are I think we can help each other.”

[Fox]

Masque stood with her hand at her chin, index finger and thumb splayed out like an L in what she was pretty sure was a striking, contemplative pose. "....I have no idea what most of that means," she quietly admitted, "but it all sounds very exciting and important. I have a lot of research to do, I think!"

 

It was a little overwhemling, to be honest - she'd spent most of the get-together watching, rather than participating, a bit intimidated by the sheer number of people who knew far, far more about all of this than she did. "I don't think I want to learn Lemurian, the mask doesn't like that idea much." She nodded her head Sea Devil's way, in apology, a pair of perfectly apologetic eyebrows scribbled on her mask. "I'll maybe look you up if I ever need something translated, though!"

[Ari]

"I would like to learn." Dio's head snaked over to Aquaria, his eyes glittering with something. "My god burned for many ages before any human language was created, learning how thoughts on a third blood formed around her would be awesome. Where would you teach? Does it cost anything? I know Tak...uh, Primes often use goods and services to exchange with."

 

The announcements, aside from the first, had left the dragon visibly befuddled, the strange names and implied histories obviously lost on the monster from Earth-2. 

 

The first, with Ouroboros ascending to the Guardian's seat, had set his tail shifting anxiously. For a moment, he had looked about to say something to Nicole, but quickly clammed up when she started into the mystical sabotage underway. 

 

"I don't have any treasure, yet, but I can totally find some. Do you have to, uh, physically say the words? I gotta use magic to talk at all, sorry."

[trollthumper]

Nick Cimitiere

 

Eric remembered the time Jack Faretti had ended up in his apartment. Eric had tried to talk to him about draugr, and Jack had asked pointed questions about necromancy that sounded very much like declarations. 

 

And this was the other side of it. Nick Cimitiere knew who Faretti was fairly well, and while they hadn't exactly talked much over the years, he'd gotten a clearer sense of the person looking over Freedom's vampires - and a much clearer sense of his family. He wasn't necessarily in the loop with Phantom, but being practitioners with a foot in the politics of the otherworlds, they had traded a few notes and kicked more than a few asses together. And that was before she'd assumed the mantle of Master Mage. He'd provided some insight in her days settling into the role, but not all that much - just hints on how to pull power moves when talking to Hades. 

 

For most of the night, he had drifted around the borders. He'd passed by Dead Head, smiling at seeing the zombie up and about again. He had waved to Aquaria, remembering the trip to Dunwich. And when the proclamation came, he raised his glass.

 

"To Ouroboros! Welcome to the deeper weirdness."