praxitilies

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

I agree. I'll just adjust my time frame to fit in better.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

I'm glad the Hydra is getting all this attention by the way :)

@Unknown100

I mean, when you have a Hydra that is that big, AND it's smart enough to self-harm to create more heads, it's gonna attract some attention

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

@unknown
Sounds good to me. I'll make the changes once I see what's going on so I have a rough timeframe of when I arrive.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Ok cool.
Tobias can literally see the news from a storefront as he's walking through Manhattan & make an appearance at any time, but I wasn't sure if it'll require me to edit some things in my posts to match the timeframe up.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

@unknown100
Is the fight in metropolis going to last for a decent amount of time, or will I have missed it by having Tobias wandering around at 11?

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

Something goes bump in the dark...

But there really isn't anything quite like a moonlit stroll...

...alone...

Is there?

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

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Joshua, "The Hunter"

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Proceed

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1-1-19

Subject 3809 was successfully enhanced using the Hunter strain of the PRIMARIS formula. Subject remained lucid and was compliant with examinations.

1-24-19

Subject 3809's enhancement is a rousing success. Under controlled conditions, bullet wounds heal within mere minutes, and full amputations have been demonstrated to recover within roughly 2 weeks. Cardiovascular activity and respiratory activity has fully ceased, rendering threats from asphyxia or exsanguination irrelevant. Per Subject 1904, cranial trauma is known to be capable of permanently terminating PRIMARIS subjects. Explosive collar was fitted on Subject 3809 for safety purposes. Subject indicated decreased pain response to stimuli. Subject's eyes have taken on an amber hue and have gained slit pupils.

2-2-19

Subject 3809 has been getting used to its new abilities. Has demonstrated a maximum speed exceeding the normal vision range of humans, appearing to vanish and reappear elsewhere nearly instantly. Speed is unsustainable for long periods of time; a maximum speed of 65 miles per hour has been established. Subject does not experience fatigue, though prolonged exertion or healing results in an increased appetite. Prisoner allowance has been increased to accommodate subject's dietary needs.

2-19-19

Subject 3809's venom has been analyzed. Bite is fatal in 80% of subjects. Approximately 10% of subjects will experience total cessation of life functions before reanimation occurs. Subjects do not exhibit higher cognitive functions following reanimation beyond cannibalistic hunger. 5% of subjects undergo serious mutations into Class 2 Infected, code name: Jackals. Jackals appear to have a pack mentality, forming distinct groups from one another that will compete for resources and territory. All Jackals seem to recognize their sire, as though he were an alpha specimen. Remaining 5% of subjects undergo PRIMARIS transformation. Resulting subjects have been terminated prior to reanimation.

3-5-19

Subject 3809 was dispatched for an experimental assignment. Assignment was carried out with exceptional speed and precision. Target eliminated without a single shot fired from support staff. Subject 3809 underwent procedure NL-01 following assignment. Memory wiped successfully.

4-2-19

Subject 3809 has been dispatched for [REDACTED] missions without incident. Procedure NL-01 continues to be effective, though subject has begun reporting severe headaches. Subject has developed keen instincts, often seeming to "sense" danger and reacting accordingly. Instincts have been theorized to operate with some form of biochemical or pheromonal component and have been falsely triggered or calmed under laboratory conditions. Instincts have proved exceptionally useful for targets that are heavily defended or entrenched.

4-20-19

Subject 3809 has been removed from active duty after Assignment [REDACTED] resulted in unacceptable collateral damage, including [REDACTED] civilian losses. Incident attracted attention of international heroes. Subject 3809 has been demonstrating increasingly anti-social and psychopathic tendencies, particularly while stalking prey. Bioluminescent glow has been noted in subject's eyes when engaged in hunting or tracking with the glow correlating with the urge to feed. Subject demonstrates extreme aggression as hunting instinct increases.

4-30-19

Procedure NL-01 has been discontinued following incident 3809-1. Subject tore through restraints and assaulted [REDACTED] researchers, resulting in [REDACTED] Fatalities and [REDACTED] Casualties. Subject has lost all memory of prior life. Subject exhibits severe schizoaffective behaviors including sadism, heightened aggression, and total disregard for human life. Subject has begun referring to baseline humans as "prey" or "meatbags". Subject seems to experience extreme mood swings, shifting from manic laughter to furious rage with little to no warning. Recommend immediate termination.

5-20-19

Subject 3809 has begun referring to itself as "Joshua" and answering to that name. Subject expresses distaste at being referenced by its numeric designation or the name it had prior to PRIMARIS enhancement. Subject's mental state has continued to decline, and has taken to hunting without biological need. It seems to find pleasure in terrorizing or tormenting its prey, occasionally for days at a time, prior to making the kill and feeding. Subject will not hunt something that does not express a fear response, claiming "there's no fun if they don't scream." Previous request for termination denied. Recommendation for termination renewed.

5-25-19

Subject 3809 has exhibited a strange form of respect for prey that attempts to fight back, choosing to observe or interact with them for extended periods. To date, prey that have survived initial contact with 3809 have not been attacked again. Any prey that successfully wounded or otherwise overcame 3809 physically seems to now be protected by it, claiming "He's my prey. He dies when I say he does." Previous request for termination denied.

5-30-19

Subject 3809 has taken to wearing dress attire scavenged from prey. A white collared shirt, black tie, black suspenders, black pants, and a black trench coat have been obtained by 3809. Most recently a black fedora has been acquired, and subject will react with extreme violence at any attempt to remove it. Subject can be seen pacing its containment, staring at the camera. Subject has developed extreme arachnophobia following cross testing with Subject 1758 "Arachnea" and her Spiderlings. Request for termination renewed.

6-2-19

Subject 3809 has ceased all activity, choosing to wait in its containment cell. Subject has not stopped smiling with secondary teeth bared for 2 days. When questioned, Subject 3809 only responds with: "Soon." Request for termination granted.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

January 1, 2020, 7:15 PM.
Behind the New Amsterdam Theater, W 41st Street, Midtown Manhattan.

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The bustling city street never stopped, even at night. Thus, it was under cloak of darkness and blessed noise that Tobias stepped out of the shadows beneath a fire escape behind the New Amsterdam Theater he had been performing at mere hours prior. Slipping out of the shadowed portal, he kept his head low and his hat's brim forward. As he walks, he taps his cane against the cold concrete of the sidewalk and whispers an incantation under his breath.

"Skuchnyy"

The air around him shimmers for a moment and then stabilizes again even as he tilts his head back and allows his hat to resume its usual position on his head. He taps the shoulder of another pedestrian on the street who turns and looks at him for the briefest instant before his eyes glaze over for a moment and slide past Tobias' grinning face, then looking up in search of whatever it was that must have fallen on his shoulder moments before.

"Simple, yet so satisfyingly effective." Tobias thought as he blended into the crowd of people that were busy making their way to various destinations in the Big Apple. He traveled south east, towards Bryant park a mere three blocks away, pausing occasionally to allow a car to pass or to go around a pedestrian. When all was said and done, it had barely taken him ten minutes to reach the steps that led into the park, carefully walking around the tourists and other civilians that wandered around the park for an evening stroll. His veil kept him hidden from most; a simple illusion that made him profoundly uninteresting to look at. Someone particularly dedicated or cautious might see him, but in a world of cell phones and constant connection, very few ever bothered.

Tobias cupped his hands in front of his mouth and breathed into them, a warm fog accompanying his exhalation, as he muttered another incantation.

"Pech"

A spark of light and warmth as the fog sparked and ignited in his hand forming a small blue flame that radiated heat through his entire body, yet gave off nearly no light. He held the warm flame close to his chest and extricated his cane from under his arm with his free hand.

A few more minutes of walking and he found himself standing in front of the statue of William Cullen Bryant in the park. The elderly man sat upon a throne cast entirely of bronze beneath an archway before the New York public library, and Tobias lifted his hand, allowing the flame to grow in heat and light. He glanced around, watching for any prying eyes that might be upon him. He might be as good as invisible to the normal person, but even mere mortals might notice such overt spellcraft.

"Medicine for the Soul." Tobias solemnly intoned, waving his hand and sending the blue tongue of fire float to rest above the head of the statue, where it flared to life and became the more normal orange of fire. The eyes of the statue blazed with the same orange glow for a moment and the flame extinguished itself. The statue, suddenly animate, rose from its throne and pulled the bronze seat back from the marble on which it rested revealing a dark staircase down into the gloom beneath. Tobias took a moment to hoist himself up into the hole and began the long descent into the long-forgotten catacombs beneath the Library. The statue's eyes flashed again, and mere moments later the stairs were hidden beneath the bronze memorial once more.

"Even if someone saw that, who would believe them? Would they even believe their own eyes?"

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"Welcome back Tobias." Came a voice from around the final corner of the stairs, even before the mage had come into view.

"Well met Tyresius." Tobias answered as he entered the pleasant lantern light that emanated from the desk an old man sat behind. He was dressed in simple robes, like that of a priest or other ancient official, and what little hair he had left was white as the snow outside. He bore spectacles of thin brass wire, though for what purpose Tobias could merely guess at considering the milky white eyes of the wizened old scribe had long since given up their attempts at sight. There was a faint outline of blue-green light in the shape of a triangle in the space between his eyes, just above the bushy eyebrows that defied all attempts to control them, and a calm smile made the lines of the old man's face stand out in stark contrast of the dim lighting.

The room in which he sat seemed to be an antechamber of some sort, its arched ceiling and walls being hewn of rough stone and lined with bookshelves stocked with tomes whose age -and names- could only be guessed at. The door behind him was of a dark wood and inlaid with bands of silver. A script was carved into the rocks above the doorway in a polished bronze: "Enter those with the Wisdom to seek, and the Daring to find."

"I hear you've angered the Winter Queen. You really ought to mind your manners around beings of such ancient power." The clerk said, looking back down to the parchment on which he scribbled something with the black raven's quill in his hand.

"Word travels that quickly here does it?" Tobias scowled, approaching the table and holding out his right arm with his sleeve withdrawn.

"Young mages." Tyresius clucked as he pricked Tobias' wrist with his quill, causing a small bead of scarlet blood to well up onto its nib. "You always underestimate the skills of the Little Folk at spreading rumors and gossip." He smiled as he wrote something on his parchment with Tobias' fresh blood.

"Now, with the bookkeeping out of the way, how can I help you, young master Davenstar?" Tyresius smiled at Tobias from over his spectacles. Tobias could feel the faintest pressure emanating from the sigil on Tyresius' head and lowered his defenses briefly, allowing the old sage to examine him with The Sight. He had nothing to hide. Not tonight anyway.

"I have reason to suspect there is black magick afoot in the city. Something large enough to be drawing power from the leylines. I figured you would be the best person to start my investigation with, Archsage Tyresius." Tobias responded, tipping his hat as he addressed the elderly magus by his title.

"Oh good, I was afraid I might have been going senile in my old age. Not a single mage of note in the city has said a word about that yet." Tyresius cackled for a moment and clicked his bony fingers together, a small map of the city forming in the air above his desk. "There has been an uptick in chaos magic being used. Nothing major, but enough small time talents working together to get the attention of something bigger." He swirled his fingers through the map and hundreds of small red points of light flared to life around the city and beyond.

"I'm afraid I don't have much more to offer you, though I would suspect you could find some more information about the magic being performed if you can find out what is being brought into the city."

"Into the city?" Tobias asked, scratching his head as he watched the map Tyresius had conjured slowly rotate on its axis before him.

"Aye, something is being brought into the city. It is quite eye opening, and seems to be responsible for the sudden appearance of a number of new talents." He responded with a knowing smile.

"You know something, don't you?" Tobias asked, frowning.

"I know a great many things, young master." Tyresius responded, his smile widening.

"You could just tell me what I need to do to find the source of this threat."

"I could indeed, but the best lessons are those learned firsthand."

"By the Nine, but you're worse than old Lord Waibell was back home." Tobias said, setting a single golden coin down on the table in front of the old man as he turned to leave.

"Do be careful, Tobias. The night is cold, and the docks are even more so." The old man said with a twinkle in his dull eyes as Tobias waved over his shoulder and started his ascent back to the surface.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

January 1, 2020, 7:00 PM.
Davenstar Manor, Chicago Outskirts.

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The old grandfather clock in Tobias' room tolled eleven and the young wizard looked up from his book, wearily rousing himself like with a start and a glance around the room. His study had dimmed in the hours since he had returned to his home, and the fireplace had died down to embers. The cold winter air seeped into the room through the frosted windows and had begun to give a chill to Tobias' breath. He set the ancient tome down on his desk and unfolded his legs, rotating the luxurious armchair to the side and standing up with a tired stretch. His tie hung carelessly on a couch that faced the fire beside one of the many tall bookshelves in the room, and his coat rested on a coat rack by the door along with his hat and cane. His white gloves were neatly folded and sat on an unused corner of the desk. He yawned and clapped his hands, feeling the slightest effort of will leave him as he muttered a very familiar incantation.

"Zazhigat."

The silence in the study that had returned once the chiming of the bells had ceased was broken by a sharp pop as a bright spark flared to life in the embers of the fireplace. What remained of the log leapt once more to cheerful warmth, and Tobias made his way over to the hearth, prodding the wood with a metal rod that hung alongside other tools of similar purpose at the fireside. He reached down and lifted a fresh log and set it on the blaze before picking up an open bottle of bourbon that rested on the mantle and returning to his desk where an empty glass awaited its revival.

"Are you satisfied with your life?"

Tobias filled the glass and took his seat again, examining his notes for a moment before attempting to find his place in the arcane codex he had left open.

"You could be useful out in the real world... Use those tricks for the greater good!"

Tobias shook his head for a moment, frowning as he thought about the words that he had heard earlier that evening.

"...Have you considered that helping to save the world will give you more to gain in the long run?"

Tobias thought of the world, glancing over at a lovingly carved and engraved model of the planet on which he currently made his home. He thought of his true home, and his thoughts lingered on his Father's final words to him.

"You are our last hope..."

His face sagged, defeat etched in his features as surely as the runes that sprang to life beneath his fingers were carved into the wood of the globe that began to glow and rotate on its own.

"What good is hope, when the quest is hopeless?"

His features hardened even as a glint of scarlet appeared in his dark eyes. The faint light cast from them illuminated the pages of the book before him ever so slightly.

"Hope is never truly lost, so long as one still strives to find it."

His father's words gave him some comfort as the glow receded from his eyes. He set his drink down on a granite coaster beside the book and rose to face the globe. The globe showed great green bands of light that embraced the whole world like the ropes around an old buoy. The bands pulsed rhythmically, appearing as a pulse across the whole planet. As each pulse flared along the bands of light, runes that were inscribed along the continents would flash in sequence. The lights began to darken in the east. New York's sigil grew darker and darker until there was an angry red symbol that remained constant even as the rest of the planet pulsed along with the cosmic heartbeat.

Someone was meddling with things best left alone. And Tobias was going to find out who. The globe slowly stopped turning and its lights dimmed to nothing, save the brilliant red sign over The Big Apple, as he rose to his feet and set off towards the door. He paused to take up his hat and coat, lifting his cane in his hand, before shutting the door behind him. The fire in the stone hearth abruptly extinguished even as the Master of the House departed with a silent step into the shadows of the hall.

Heroes Reborn: Prime Earth (Superhero/Urban Fantasy: OPEN)

<Snipped quote by Rondo of Blood>

Alright, sheet complete! Have an edgy mercenary to hire for your most vile deeds.

Also I'm not a gun expert so don't @ me.

@Rondo of Blood

♫ Dirty deeds, done dirt cheap ♫