Art of Fun

Egregoroi: Action Psychopomps

Hey, it's no problem Rinnee and thanks for taking part anyway. Hope things go well for you!

Sorry for the lack of response, guys. I'm pretty ill right now on top of trying to make sure all my assignments are handed in. I'll def. have something posted tomorrow, because I don't seem to have any commitments then.

Egregoroi: Action Psychopomps

They can't fly unless that's one of the Mori-granted abilities, and the same goes for intangibility. Their 'base' ability is restoration. Every time they go to bed for a few hours (four or so), any wounds they accumulated on that day are completely healed unless dealt by something extensively supernal (magic, another egregoroi, spirits, elder vampires and op werewolves). For the sake of ease, I'll just say there's a pretty good cab system in Hida-shima. I won't fuss over money for that.

My post will be up later today for Guy and the convenience store. As a note, might just want to slow it down a little, Rajin, Caits, to make sure we're all on the same page.

L.A.D. --- Living Alchemic Drive RP

Demeter

Name: Demeter Iscariot III

Age: 16

Personality: Demeter is hard to place. On the one hand, they're incredibly easy to get along with, agreeable to a fault, and an all around team player...but sometimes it's like they just forget that, especially under moments of stress. Any expression they have drops to a blank slate, wide eyes staring at situation before them, attempting to analyse it from the objective and logical perspective. To observe this instantaneous transformation can be jarring, especially if it's outside of combat. Even then, more emphatically attuned individuals might be able to notice that even when behaving 'normally', there's an almost void look to Demeter's eyes which never quite seems to fade. In fact, it might appear that the 'nice and sociable' Demeter is programmed.

That's not to say that how Demeter feels is fake, they're quite capable of feeling, but simply very secretive about it. Demeter's displayed behaviour is that of the perfect acquaintance; they say just enough in such a way that you like them, but not enough to really consider them close friend and if you were in a bind, you can at least know they'll lend a hand. In actuality, Demeter is a rather cunning and strategic individual, bleeding into even their social interaction. When Demeter 'befriends' someone, it's safe to say that it's for a reason beyond the sake of friendship, be it to ensure a unit operates more cohesively or to gain something from their position.

Life is a game of Goban - it's not about how you intend to battle, but how you mean to outmanoeuvre.

Battle-Style: Demeter is, personally, quite versatile in how they can engage a combat situation, but their Framework has a very set form of battling. When in their Framework, Demeter sits between the Izanagi and whatever might come its way, supplementing its artillery fire with their Framework's own energy-based assault arrays. Demeter's role, due to their uncanny ability to read a battle, is to keep track of the battlefield, giving allies a running update of what is occurring and acting as a sort of second-in-command in the field.

Hospitalized Special One: Iscariot II, Demeter's 'twin'. Iscariot II suffers from a degenerative disease of some description which struck during training. Demeter's Framework is actually supposed to be one of a two mech set dedicated to long-range fire support. Without Iscariot II, Demeter feels reduced, both in the battlefield and as a person.

Background: The 'official' story has Demeter born as an exceptionally bright child to a lower-class family, on the agriculture colony of Pavonis with a twin and an older sibling. It's a decent enough cover, with the appropriate records for it to hold up and even a fake parents in place on Pavonis to further reinforce it. The truth of the matter is that Demeter and the other two Iscariot siblings are the successful results of a foray into the slightly less than ethical practice of creating a human from the ground up. Everything, from how they usually present themselves, was 'programmed' into Demeter's head to better create the image of an acquaintance and not a friend, hopefully ensuring no one would dig too deep and find out how fake and computer-like Demeter really is.

Demeter's age is listed as 16, but their actual age is probably a few years less than that, having never experienced being a toddler and was instead dropped right into childhood. They went to school, did the homework and everything else, all the while undergoing pilot training behind the scenes. The Iscariot's were 'conveniently' noticed and drafted into the Framework pilot academy.

Other things: Demeter has the ability to process visual stimuli to a greater extent than most, allowing her to use the Framework to its best and properly and read a battlefield.

Framework

Framework Name: Anu

Primary Weapon-Type: Damocles Energy Projection Array: Concentrated - Built into the Framework Anu is this piece of technology based on the Cruxi's own, lining the interior and allowing it to fly and fulfil its function in battle: Long range destruction. The main use of the Anu is as a form of heavy artillery with a singular blast launched into enemy ranks and detonating, or a more targeted attack for damaging larger Cruxi units.

Secondary Weapon Type: Damocles Energy Projection Array: Rapid Fire Mode - The Anu swaps ups how it launches energy, instead breaking it down from one large, devastating attack to countless smaller attacks. Individual blasts are not the most dangerous things out there, but the intent is that a target takes more than one. This mode is intended to hold off enemies who approach its position and defend the Izanagi if needs be.

Side-socket 1: Shield Drone - A small, unmanned machine that projects a 1-way shield in front of it. The Anu may fire from behind it, but shots to the Anu will not get past it. This shield renders 'small' munitions from the Cruxi useless, but larger attacks will destroy the shield and the drone.

Side-socket 2: Beam Saber - For when things get up close and personal.

Special Ability: Usr ISCARIOTtrue OVERRIDE CODE: SILVER-THIRTY - Abandon all hope, ye who cast this code. The layers of complex programming within Demeter's artificial programming are shut off, leaving only the the most base incarnation of Demeter. For the duration, Demeter may as well cease being, and instead becomes ISCARIOT III, an expanded computer consciousness. All things within an immense range become targeted by the Anu through this expanded, inhuman consciousness, utilising the Cruxi technology within it to its absolute maximum. When Demeter is in this 'primal' state, the Damocles technology lives up to its name, capable of forming energy at a distance from its body. This takes the shape of 'swords', hanging above Demeter's enemies.

L.A.D. --- Living Alchemic Drive RP

That's irrelevant, though. The nature of the show has little to do with the fact that there is an element of sentience within a Megadeus, which could be drawn upon for something like this. The same can be said about Eva. It was an offhand mention at that, in a thread where the title even gives the the direct inspirations, so I wouldn't bother focusing too hard on it.

L.A.D. --- Living Alchemic Drive RP

Asmodeus said
So where's the Big O?

Gnar said
Essentially, these Frameworks are relatively similar to those of the Megaduses of Big O and the Evas of Evangelion; they're somewhat sentient beings.

Relatively similar being the important part to you.

Egregoroi: Action Psychopomps

RIP guild, longest outage I've experienced on my time here.

Egregoroi: Action Psychopomps

"Mihhailov, was it? I cannot tell you the specifics of what you're meant to be doing, only what I know about your sort. Your purpose is simple, really. You've just got to kill something." Ikiriyo paused, considering his next words. He knew a lot about the city, about its residents and happenings, he also knew that any Egregoroi trying to find a specific target would be easier said than done. It wasn't surprising that he'd dealt with so many recently, with that in mind.

"This 'something' is immortal, in some sense. It could be a mage who has achieved some form of immortality, a vampire, both of the previous two, a spirit, or any other number of immortal. I don't know the specifics of how your hunt works, but I know that's what you're meant to do." He answered, for both Argo and Koyuki. The Chief Enforcer blinked a few times, mulling over a thought before continuing.

"Let me pre-empt another question - I can't tell you who you're meant to kill, but I can point you to the people who might be able to if it'll get you out of Hida-shima faster." He looked to address Zachary.

"Ignored? I don't think so, not for too long at least." He shrugged, that being his only answer for that part of the question. "And again, I don't know the specifics. You'd be better asking an older Reaper. I know there's one in the city, but I don't bug her too much. No good can come from it."

"I'll just say that there's a lot of vampires around, and they generally do not keep me up to date with the happenings within their own. They manage themselves under an understanding we came to. If you want to answer that, and possibly find a lead on what you're hunting, look for members of the Bloodhounds. They're a gang, but it's a front for the bloodsuckers own 'enforcers', as it were. They're also ones to talk to about you...blood issue." He made little effort in hiding the sneer that came to his face.

He took a breath, thinking each question answered for the most part. He noticed that Prudence and Oda had left at some point during or just before his answering, sort only paying half attention to the interactions between the Egregoroi.

"Cannot say you guys have much chemistry. Might want to work on that." He arched a brow, looking at Koyuki especially. It seems he was having his doubts about this odd individual as well. "Last I checked, there's a group of Bloodhounds who hang around a convenience store about two miles easy from here, bordering the residential area. That'd be a good place to start. As for your Reaper concerns, Cheten is difficult to keep track off, but they'll probably be at one of the night clubs in the city centre. It's a good place to get information for your kind of work, after all."

---

So the Bloodhounds are the place to start, according to the Chief Enforcer, and there is an older Egregoroi within the city, possibly within a night club in the city centre. It's up to you to decide if you head east to the convenience store to find the Bloodhounds, or, if you want to prioritise information about your own state, you can try and track down this 'Cheten' individual. Alternatively, you could strike out on your own and see what's up.

---

Meanwhile, somewhere else in the city...

It was a house of God, from the outside. On the inside it was house to a completely different type of god. Lit candles running up the isle were all that dimly illuminated the pewless, once-catholic church, Christian iconography having long been taken down from its walls. At the altar, the only thing that remained from the old owners, stood she, and robed in shadows at the back stood a man.

"More have come, Praetor." The man spoke in clear English, a foreigner, regarding the woman at the front with a sense of reverence.

She was draped in a different kind of shadow, a long black coat with a grey fur collar, evidently of some price. She did not turn to face the one at the back, but instead stared up at the only cross hanging in the Church above the altar, untouched by the removal.

"How many?" She demanded from the messenger in a calm tone, sounding unphased by the news.

"Nine."

There was a silence, the number having significance to her.

"My, we certainly have drawn the attention of It, haven't we?"

"Yes, Praetor."

"We do not know if they are here for one of us any of the others dwelling in the city. None the less, we cannot risk any disruption by It, and it's too much of a coincidence with the package having arrived only a few days ago. Send word to the packs. Give them the scent of Egregoroi once more."

Her pale hands went to pick up a mask resting on the alter, coloured a black which seemed to ward away light, and slowly placed it on herself. She finally turned to the messenger.

"The Bloodhound hunts."

Egregoroi: Action Psychopomps

chukklehed said
I'm lost, can somebody tell me what's going on and where everybody is?

Cop duo went into a room over, or something like that. They're doing their own thing, for now, and will be missing what's going to be said in the main room with everyone else.

@22xander, I mentioned in an earlier post that I am not taking anymore players, apologies.

Working on an IC now, expect it in the next hour or so, give or take.

Egregoroi: Action Psychopomps

This is my first time GMing text by text, and I was curious about using GM prompts like in the bottom of the post I just made. Do you guys think sort of general hints for things that could be done would be helpful to keep things moving, or would you rather they not be there?

Egregoroi: Action Psychopomps

The Chief Enforcer's gaze lidded, appearing anywhere from unimpressed to disinterested. He watched them introduce themselves and interact, taking mental notes on the odd group. Ikiriyo specifically looked at both Koyuki and Jimmy for a moment longer than the others when they talked about themselves. This was standard business fare to him, but Egregoroi were as quirky and dysfunctional as ever. He cast a look to his watch...

9:33 PM. Plenty of time before things got weird.

"So...," he started, raising a finger to the first to introduce themselves, "Riveres, Hazakura, Martin, Phobos, Lance, Peabody, Jimmy and Evangeline." He listed, mainly to attribute the names to memory. He tuned in to Koyuki's questions after letting her talk for a while, and then quickly regretted it.

"Tobech-?!" the Enforcer stopped himself with a clear of his throat, trying to brush off Koyuki's apparent nickname for him. "I do not make your 'groups', Hazakura. That is for you lot to decide. You can work together, or you can go at it alone. It is not my business, so long as you do not make it my business."

The threat was not subtle in the slightest.

"No parties here. There are plenty of parties for you to find out there, should you so wish." He pointed a hand back to the broken window, indicating to the centre of the city where the night life was undoubtedly starting up.

"But Hazakura is thinking along the right lines. Things will be getting busy, so I will request that you ask any questions you may have, and quickly."

---

There's a few things that could be asked here, and given he's the 'Chief Enforcer' (whatever that means), he might be able to help out with the reason you're there. Alternatively, he might be aware of some things regarding your current state, or be aware of any other general questions the Egregoroi might have. Better ask, and quick. He does not seem like the most patient man.