Ari Posted May 22, 2012 Posted May 22, 2012 ....Oh. Darn. I didn't think we..ugh. El Heraldo's face noticeably fell when Seamus told them what time they had come to. His voice was cheerful and strong enough though "Indeed? Thank you Seamus. If you could show us the direction our quarry was going, that would be quite helpful as well." Alright, 1863 in America was...looks pretty late in the year, maybe this is around the time of the Battle of Chattanooga? Need to ask about how the war's going or something I guess He started as his new, more period-appropriate attire flashed into existence, inspecting it with a whistle of admiration to Agnus "Good thinking, Lady of Justice! This way we won't be so easily foreseen by our enemy" he rolled up the rough sleeves and adjusted the neckerchief before pulling his new flat cap closer onto his head. "Lead on" he said unnecessarily to their guide. He listened closely to Seamus as they made their way deeper into the Freedom City that he had only seen a few times, in old faded photographs printed onto the pages of history textbooks. He had to admit, looking about him he realized a little better what it must have been like to live back in this age. The sounds of the animals running around, the myriads of dogs, cats, birds, rats, distant clops and neighs of horses, all poured into his ears from a thousand sources. He suddenly felt very foreign, and was glad when they arrived at the stables, hearing the swish of the brushes and the thuds of the strong hooves long before it came into view. "Fast, huh? I guess he can't keep up that speed if he was going for the stables." He thought for a second "...Or he might just be wanting to not look weird, I guess. That could be it too." There was still the task at hand, and as much as he would have liked to just stand on a tall building and let the ruckus of the world drift around him, they needed to catch that cultist yet. Though he might as well ask, just in case... "Mr. Snape, it's not a nice thing to ask about, but I wanna know all the same..how's the war going? On the North's side, I mean" he corrected himself sharply "Heard of any recent victories or defeats?"
Supercape Posted May 22, 2012 Author Posted May 22, 2012 GM "War's never go well, not for nobody!" replied Seamus, somewhat sharply. For all his abject drunken poverty, the man had some wit to him. "But if yer asking which side is coming up tops in the killin', lootin' and ravagin' department, I guess our boys from the North got the upper hand there. For now. I be guessin that ain't nuthin to be to proud of anyhows. Most folk findin' the blood a little wearisome, no matter how patriotic and fired up they gets. All to fine listin' to some high falutin' general or politician give us fiery talk of liberty and honour. But no 'mount of fiery talk will warm up the folk freezin in the winter cluthin' on to their firearm and waitin' for some cannon to spill his guts...no sirree!" He coughed and paused. "But theres talk of some fine foul business down south, some cult or whatnot. Human sacrfice. Devil worship. Stuff that makes the blood 'o war seem like your Grandmother's home cookin'..." He trailed. "Yes Sir!" answered the polite Stablemaster, dressed up finely with top hat and bow tie. "A 'Gentleman of your description did just leave, in an awful hurry it seemed. Shame you missed him. Headin down south, he was!"
Tiffany Korta Posted May 23, 2012 Posted May 23, 2012 “Trust me Seamus I’ve seen enough of them and mostly there nasty unpleasant thing. But sometimes good thing come out of these things. And personally this war is worth it in the end.†It was so easy in the books and films you weren’t meant to help people in the past or it could change everything. But they were people, how could you not help them. “Subito get a description of the man from the Stable master if not him then the horse; I’m going to set Seamus on his way.†She dug out a pad of paper and a biro before writing a note in handwriting she hadn’t use in a very long time. Several lifetimes ago. The first was a note gifting to Seamus an appropriate amount to set him on his way, the second was a note to a previous host explaining why she was giving money to this stranger. She knew she would understand. “Here you go Seamus, a small thank you. Take it and make for yourself a better life. When this war is over the frontier is going to open up and this nation is going to grow. I suggest you be a part from it.†She swept her arm out vaguely west. As she handing the papers over there was a small glow that passed between the two. “And I suggest you stop with the drinking. Your liver was in a horrible state…â€
Ari Posted May 24, 2012 Posted May 24, 2012 Subito flinched at Seamus's stern words, looking away and muttering "Sorry I..I'm sorry." in a thoroughly chastened fashion glancing apologetically at the embittered man. Why did i ask that? He's in a war-torn country, what did I think he would say?! he trudged along glumly through the chilled streets. The talk of evil being done down south did prick up his ears a little, and he asked "Anything about watery creatures walking among men?" Nodding at the clearly-heard instruction, the Herald casually approached the stable master as Agnes and Seamus went a few steps off. "'S'cuse me sir," he asked as politely as he could "But could you tell me what your costumer looked like? How tall he was, his facial features, that sort of thing? it would be immeasurably helpful" he added, neatly putting the syllables of the unfamiliar word together without a pause "Also, what kind of horse did they buy?"
Supercape Posted May 25, 2012 Author Posted May 25, 2012 GM "Well now sir..." said the polite gentleman, sticking his fingers in his braces and puffing his chest. His bowler hat was tipped rather too far too one side, presumably fashionably so. "I don't normally be giving out such information. Customer confidentiality and all that yersee..." he started, before winking and patting his nose. "But the gentleman you are re-ferrin' too, well, I had to be askin' myself what seven hells kinda trouble the man git himself into. And I be figgerin', seein' as you and the lady askin so polite-like, and important-like, well, he is a fer-you-jer-tive, must be. So Ah be tellin myself, Danny-boy, fer that is my name, Ah be sayin' to myself 'Danny Boy, you jes' helped a man escape the law, sure as mah name by Dan Daniels' - and so it is, by the way. Anyway, Ah be sayin' to mah-self her=pon seein' you mighty fine folk, Ah be sayin'..." A few minutes later "...And then, he headed down south, straight to the battle lines, Ah swear, why, the hounds of hell got some feedin' on his bones, why, Ah' say to myself..." A few minutes later Directions were eventually given. The man was indeed heading straight to the battle lines. And a reasonable description was giving, perfectly matching that of the robed figure leading the cultists. Tall, thin, with deep cold black eyes, about 40, handsome-like, but a little sallow.
Tiffany Korta Posted May 26, 2012 Posted May 26, 2012 Agnes returned as the Stable master revealed the information about their foe. “I’m set Seamus on his way, and hopefully not screwed up the timeline to much. We can pick up speed once we get outside the city, I’m not sure there use to people flying around yet.†For a few minutes she allowed herself to enjoy the view of Victorian Freedom, in some ways it reminded her of London of this time. Oh well maybe they could sight see after this was all over, time for business. “I figure the fastest of use should help the other along, it won’t take use long to catch up but I don’t think we should face him alone. Okay to avoid embarrassment I’ll go first. I can clock around 250 mph in flight and at that can carry about 240 kilos. And I weigh about 74 kilos that about um… 160 pounds or so.â€
Ari Posted May 26, 2012 Posted May 26, 2012 "Thank you very much, you've done a great service to mankind" Subito told the stable-master with utter seriousness, shaking his hand with the Herald's own powerful extremity firmly before rejoining Young Britannia. Considering her brief rumination on the need they had for secrecy, he commented "With any luck, they'll mistake us for some kind of undiscovered bird. Most of the supers in this age were down around the front lines as far as I can remember" he added, glancing down the roads as if he expected Minuteman to come dashing up. Whistling in no little admiration at Agnes' exposition of her speed and strength, he rubbed the back of his neck and said a little sheepishly "Well..I can go around a fifth of that speed usually, an' I can, if I really push myself, lift about 4-5 tons at the same time. I weigh 'bout 180 pounds last time I checked, so we should be good. If you want we could go in turns" he suggested eagerly, glancing for a good place of concealment they could both transform at. He looked back at her suddenly "Wait...how will we track the guy on the horse? Just look for likely fellows with similar horses and stop them on the road?"
Tiffany Korta Posted May 27, 2012 Posted May 27, 2012 “What would be handy would be a way to keep track of his movements, but I destroyed that in a fit of pique. We have a few advantages however. He’s moving as quickly as he can so he’ll keep to the main roads, plus he’s heading towards the lines so avoiding unfriendlies will slow him down. Plus you know 250 mph.†She rummage in her oversized handbag and drew out the book, throwing it towards Subito “Beside we all working from the same source, I suggest you use the map from page 118. Here you chance to prove that men can navigate as well as women.†She gentle lifted up Subito and the two started moving South in a flash of light.
Supercape Posted May 27, 2012 Author Posted May 27, 2012 GM Their quarry was fast, silent, and was not using the roads. "Yes Sirree, I saw the man yer talking about..." said one traveller, calming down his unsettled horse. "Rode like the devil himself...faster than I ever see a horse go. Something unnatural there..." he mumbled before getting on to his cart and passing on. During the night, Storm clouds gathered, rain, and even a lighting bolt or two flashed through the sky, making tracking the man even more difficult. The next day, the clouds were still thick, and rain wet. But the horse, they found, in a small village many miles south of Feedom City. "The Fang" they called it, a remote outpost on the sea, a fishing village full of craggy rocks and falls. And the black horse, ridden to death (and perhaps beyond), collapsed, lifeless, just outside it.
Ari Posted May 27, 2012 Posted May 27, 2012 El Heraldo was by nature quite content to go long days with little food, but the day's exertions and the need to keep moving at a brisk pace meant he soon felt a gnawing in his belly. At least Young Britannia had had the foresight to carry a small container of water with her, which he thanked her for profusely, and drank as little as he could get away with. After all, he wasn't the one carrying himself. Subito wasn't unused to being carried like this, but normally it had been from some scuffle that had gone south and turned him into a wailing infant. Being ferried through the sky by Agnes made him much more eager not to be seen, especially because clinging to her required them to be(from his perspective) uncomfortably close. For all that, he had kept to his job as navigator, plotting the most likely course their foe would take. He by no means did a perfect job, and it took a while to track someone across the American wilderness, through the great multitude of trees, along streams and past winding roads, to find much in the way of clues to his continued existence. He was nearly positive that they had lost him when they met the traveler who confirmed their heading. With a squelching thump of his boots on the softened ground, he landed beside the dead horse. Turning it over gently he looked down at the carcass, and despite the fact that he'd seen the deaths of many animals before he felt the same clenching of his stomach and nearly burst into tears "That was a cruel thing to do..." he mumbled, quickly turning away to Young Britannia "Well, either this is his destination, or else he seeks another mount here. What shall we do, ask the townsfolk if they have any new arrivals matching his description?" he looked uneasily at the town, vague memories of late movie nights at Claremont picked by Victoria Knight, where horrible evil lurked in small towns, the kind that had made him nearly incapable of sleeping dribbling into his imagination...
Tiffany Korta Posted May 28, 2012 Posted May 28, 2012 Agnes finished the last of the water and carefully put the bottle back in her handbag. Best not to leave this lying around I’ve probably screwed up the timeline already. To be honest she’d gone for food for much longer than this in the past, a fact that whilst she wasn’t proud of, was defiantly proving handy right now. Though she was defiantly feeling tired right now, not from carry Subito he hardly registered, mainly from skipping time zone let alone timelines. The sight of the horse made her more upset than she should; she was a realist when it came to animals but this hit a upsetting note. Then it hit her. “Were chasing someone who wants to be turn back the clock so he can treat people like this. I for one am not going to let it happen to anyone… or anything.†It was a long shot but she felt she had to try dropping to her knees she put her hand on the horse allowing her healing powers to flow through the animal.
Supercape Posted May 29, 2012 Author Posted May 29, 2012 GM Young Brittania's energy flows through the horse, inspiring it to jerk slightly, and even flutter, but the creature had passed away, and was dead. For a brief moment, Young Brittania got a sense of horror that was palpable but indefinable. Something terrible and sorcerous had driven the poor creature to death, pushing it beyond its natural capabilities, far beyond, but eating and killing it at the same time. It had probably been dead the last few fathoms, but the horrible power that had driven had denied it even the peace of death until its flesh finally collapsed.
Tiffany Korta Posted May 29, 2012 Posted May 29, 2012 Agnes face set in grim determination and she slowly stood up. “Let get what we need and leave we’re not staying. We can sleep on the wing.†It was a statement not a request She began to walk away from the animal into the village, not waiting for Subito to follow. A short distance she stopped and looked back at him. “There may be more going on than we know. The poor thing has been dead longer than it should. Either he’s been using life draining magic, or he has more help here than we suspected. You better handle all the talking I’m not really in the right frame of mind…â€
Ari Posted May 29, 2012 Posted May 29, 2012 Bowing his head and sternly keeping himself from saying anything, Subito banished his Heraldic garb and followed a step behind Agnes, wondering dismally what had happened to the horse that Young Britannia had discovered. Doesn't look all that old he thought, glancing back at its retreating corpse Not that I'd know too much about decomposition. On the rest of their trek into the small village of Fang, he vigorously began perking himself up for the task of chatting with people and finding out from them where their prey had gotten to. I wonder if we could... No, you may NOT. But he-! -Has not commited any serious crimes in THIS time, yes? ...Fine then, we'll try and bring him back to our time to answer for what he has done. Good youth, do not forget that a Spirit of justice is nearby, for now we act as their agent. He was positively beaming by the time they arrived in the town, and making his way with a spring in his booted step he approached the most suspicious-looking and gruffest person he could detect on first entry, asking them "Halloo there! have you seen a man pass by recently? Tall, narrow, wears a cloak?"
Supercape Posted May 30, 2012 Author Posted May 30, 2012 GM The man in question was a tall man, with an unhandsome face and deep black eyes. He surveyed El Heraldo suspiciously as the youth approached. "What you doin' in this here town, youngster. Stranger's ain't welcome. Strangers ain't welcome at all..." he said, with an unblinking gaze and a menacing tone. After hearing El Heraldo speak, his tone shifted from threatening to gruff. "Listen, lad. I saw the man you speak of. And by the way of him, he'll be fitting in right well in Fang. And by that's, I mean do yourself a favour, and get goin' whilst you still can. Folk round here, they stick to their own kind if you know what I mean. We don't appr'ciate Strangers much, they ain't welcome here..." He shuddered slightly, his eyes darting and his brow furrowed. The man was genuinely scared, although he looked no stranger to the weird. "The Stranger you spoke of, well something about him...it was like he fitted here, amongst us folk. But terrible, more terrible even than we be knowin'..." he said ominously, shaking his head as he looked at the two heroes. The man was concealing something, but his lips were sealed.
Ari Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 What... "Sir, if this town is suffering under some monstrous power, you may rest assured I and her ladyship will put as much of an end to it as is possible. That said, we first must find this man, however terrible he is, whatever power he wields. He has done evil already in this world, and seeks to accomplish even more!" Stepping forward and placing his hands on the man's shoulders, he spoke in a soft voice whiel looking into his eyes "And I mean it. We will find this man, with or without your assistance. We cannot allow him to do what he aims to do, it would be a great horror to all save him and his associates, and maybe even for them, too." He wondered in sudden fury how he would even begin to stop the man; besides just nabbing him before he got to where he was going, he had no clear notion for what he would or could do to win in this situation. Live and learn, I guess.
Supercape Posted May 30, 2012 Author Posted May 30, 2012 GM The man chuckled. And not in a nice way. He nodded over to the centre of Fang, dominated by a tumbledown church which looked worse for the wear, to say the least. "He headed over there..." he said slowly. "With Reverend Parsons. The goat. That's where you will find your man, in cahoots with the filthiest of us...hahaha..." He cracked his knuckles. "And don't get any idea's young man. We here at Fang. We a community. Like family. We don't want know trouble. But you can bet we can cause it if we need too. We don't want no prying eyes. We don't want no saving...." he glared at El Heraldo deeply.
Tiffany Korta Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 Subito’s diplomacy wasn’t probably helped by Agnes pacing or even looming in the background. Normally she would have enjoyed dealing with people, even total’s idiots like this old guy. But it was all she could do to stop herself from saying or even worse doing something stupid. Mostly she had managed to keep her emotions in check but she couldn’t help but make a parting shot at the old man bluster. “Trust me we can bring on more trouble than you could handle. Just be thankful that we’re the good guys.†Thought right now she didn’t really feel like one.
Supercape Posted May 30, 2012 Author Posted May 30, 2012 GM At the church... Fang was not big, and in the setting sun, looked ominous and deserted. Mutterings and unpleasant looks peppered the short journey to the Church. The residents of Fang looked odd somehow, in dress and looks, something that neither of the heroes could quite put their finger on. The Church, despite being large, was even more tumbledown up close, barely standing up. It looked like you could breathe on it too hard and it would collapse. Insider, it was shoddy, with half rotten seats and a broken stain glass window. Reverend Parsons was crouched over the altar, apparently drinking sacred wine and muttering to himself, fiddling with an small stone idol in his hand. The acute hearing of El Heraldo could pick up his mutterings, a mish mash of languages that the hero could nevertheless understand. "Aiii Aiii, we worship the snake, Set be with us, almighty your blood, from the depths to the deserts, Aiii Aiii, long may we serve you, unspeakable one...." Reverend Parsons was a man of medium build, with an odd shaped face, completely bald with buldging black eyes, his frame somewhat bent and twisted. "What do you want???" he snarled as the two heroes approached, interrupting his own mumbling trance.
Ari Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 As they approached the decaying structure Subito looked it over with a critical eye. His family was fairly determined in their own faith, and he had seen the insides and outsides of churches for much of his life. The signs of neglect struck him a lot more deeply as a result, and seemed to him pretty conclusive proof that something horribly wrong was afoot. He kept his ears as well as his eyes alert and keened to the wind, searching for any passing mutters that might clue him into the specifics of the evil that seemed to be lurking in the town. The whispered prayer of the crouching priest slid into his ears, the vague tonal shifts created by the translation warping the already alien words further. He spent the seconds walking the rest of the way into the church figuring out how he would tell Agnes this without warning the priest) that at least one of their guests was wise to him. Gotta keep it short and simple, a hand gesture maybe, something wavey to look like a sn-nah, it'd end up looking like an 'S', and that could mean anything. Hm... His dilemma was solved the instant he saw the priest, his winding form, large black eyes and coiling posture was perfect. Turning to Agnes just as they stepped in he commented casually in a low voice "Reminds me of a snake I met back home in 'Rico. I bet they'd see eye to eye on holy things if they ever met"
Tiffany Korta Posted May 31, 2012 Posted May 31, 2012 Whilst she wasn't exactly in the right frame of mind, she did have enough wits about to her notice something was off about the church. Despite being raised in a decidedly New Age family she had been taken to a fair number of Church's and Mosques, Synagogues, Gurdwaras and Buddist Temples. Know thy enemy her Dad used to joke. This place like the priest and the rest of the town had just seemed to have given up, as though they didn’t seem to matter anymore... She almost missed the subtle inflections of Subito statements, so lost in thought she currently was, but she managed to pick up the underlying message. “Well we could either play along and see if can find anything out. Or subdue him and start to unravel all this. Personally I’m in favour of the latter…"
Supercape Posted May 31, 2012 Author Posted May 31, 2012 GM "Cease your prattle, mindless one!" said the Reverend, stepping down from the Altar and scuttling towards the two of them. "This is a house of...God..." he smiled, a grimy insincere smile "I serve this...community...and its special needs...." He turned, walking back to the Alter and raising a wraggling fist. "You are not welcome here, Stranger...not...at this time! muahahaha!" he laughed. Again, a most unwelcoming and unpleasant laugh to match his smile. The cavernous ruin of the church, whilst sadly inadequate to keep the rain from seeping in, was excellent and dramatically reverberating his voice.
Ari Posted June 1, 2012 Posted June 1, 2012 “Well we could either play along and see if can find anything out. Or subdue him and start to unravel all this. Personally I’m in favour of the latter…" "Yeah, we cou-" began Subito when he was interrupted by the vicious words of the erstwhile reverend, mouth slightly agape in mid-syllable and dark eyes glaring at the man who had spoken, wondering how best to respond to such statements that infuriated him from at least two different angles. After a few seconds of thought, he snapped brusquely "Not welcome? 'Course we aren't! But we are here, and neither of us are going to leave without some answers" he stepped towards the reverend, watching him suspiciously and asking "We're looking for a man who just arrived in town, tall, dark, wears a cloak, heard he came to this church" he fought to keep from automatically making fists with his hands and tensing into a fighting posture, no reason to blow a chance for answers, even lies would be illuminating.
Tiffany Korta Posted June 1, 2012 Posted June 1, 2012 Okay guy’s a nutter, but still a major pain. She wasn’t really filled up with patience at the moment and made no effort to hide her ire. “We really don’t care about your little community, I’d be happy to see it roll into the sea and never be seen again. And I suspect you’d be happier with that to.†She stepped towards the Reverend and spread her arms out. “Give us the other stranger and we’ll leave you little rock pile to it fate. That’s all we want.†She moved until she was nose to nose with the reverend being tall had its advantage “So what’ll be Reverend?â€
Supercape Posted June 1, 2012 Author Posted June 1, 2012 GM "You dare threaten me!" said Parsons, spinning around. "I am a man of God" he sneered. "But not your God!" he laughed, mumbling under his breath a nonsense stream of words. The clouds darkened, and the wind grew colder and rose. "You feel the power? the abyss in front of your worthless lives? You are nothing! NOTHING! My flock, my brood, they have worshipped the unspeakable one for centuries. And now we will feed on your bones and despair! Aiii! Aiii!"
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