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9 yrs ago
Comic Con for the day, woo!
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9 yrs ago
cComic
9 yrs ago
Can't afford to be neutral on a moving train
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9 yrs ago
8 months? I don't feel like I received enough warning at how quickly time flies the older one gets. Poking around, taking a look.
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9 yrs ago
Work isn't cooperating with giving me time, working on catching up.

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Paul, duly chastised so it stung, backed off. He was aware of the Lady Klotho, and her peculiarities in politics. Regardless of his own feelings, she was not one to cross and, by extension, neither were her underlings. There was little he could do but silently seethe at the effect it would have on Nima, and his relationship to her. Paul was decidedly old school with his progeny and his role as sire.

Satisfied that Alexei seemed to be of a mind with her, Nima grew more bold. She would likely pay for that later, in a private moment with her sire, but it would be simple jealousy on his part. She was tied to him, and would remain tied to him, for as long as she needed to. Nima had decided on that early on. She always had been the ambitious sort.

"Turning hunters could serve many purposes. You know my history, but did you follow what happened to my group after I was taken? My father killed himself. My sister tried to find me and met a rather disastrous end for it. Our larger group? Split apart. It was a rather brilliant decision. Hunters are not often victorious, and rarely take on meaningful targets. Still, taking a member of that community hits them hard. They dissolve. The story spreads and discourages others, or is hidden, allowing it to happen again." She knew full and well that had not been Paul's intent, but it was the outcome nevertheless. "Now we have another who has learned that, and added to the impact. Destroy the local hunters and set up an effective trap to take the territory." Her lips pulled back to an acknowledging smile. "Yet, they did not plan for those more intelligent seeing through the ruse."

Nima took pulled a chair opposite Alexei, smoothly seating herself. "I am sorry, let me be more brief. Anna was popular, but not overly involved. Giorgio was...past his prime. I doubt they were the targets the sire loosed his hunter - or hunters - on. It must have been Richard. We are still so emotional early on. It would have been easy for the sire to use that hunter hatred towards an Eternal that so enjoys the chase, particularly the chase of 'innocent' young girls." She paused, knowing Paul vehemently disagreed on this point. "I would also wager that the vampire behind this is young as well, stupid enough to threaten the natural order." But how would they solve it? That remained unanswered, and Nima was reluctant to admit that she partially agreed with Paul. "This was a test, they are not here, so they must be waiting to see the response, to see if they can steal territory in this way."

Paul interjected. "You believe they will try this again, given the chance. Alexei - if you agree to this, we must ensure we are the ones to select the territory they go after. We cannot allow chance to dictate their next move. I know there is a prime piece of real estate recently...freed up. There are many vying for favor to receive it." He pushed for his original plan, eager for the opportunity to prove that he was correct. "If these traitors believe they have won, they will be emboldened. It will be too tantalizing for them to pass up."

@heyseuss
It was dangerous business, being such a youthful Eternal. While she had kept herself useful to her patron, rarely would be brought in to speak directly to her knowledge. The greatest threat had always been themselves, until recently at least. She looked over the images, the reports that were scattered around the room.

Paul had discussed it with her, on their way to Dukewater. Though the higher ups would try to down play this travesty, he was certain they were desperate for answers. Desperation which could lead to scapegoating. The threat had been thinly veiled, as it had been when she was tasked with ambushing her imbecile sister.

It took her a moment to answer, long enough that Paul inhaled sharply. "No, I have never heard of such a thing. But you must know, hunter groups are such a varied bunch. It is a community in the loosest sense of the word - I had heard rumors of other groups who honestly thought this might be reversible." Perfectly ruby red lips pulled back in a sneer. "Purposefully storing Eternal blood, or using thralls against us...Most of them would find that too repulsive." Most, but not all. She left the door open to that as Paul had demanded. It wasn't what she believed, but Paul's instructions had been clear so she swallowed her pride.

Nima picked up the crime scene photo of Giorgio. It screamed of hunter tactics, except for the lack of any sign that he had been staked. And the overkill. "I was a hunter, and now I am Eternal." "If that is possible, surely it is possible for a hunter to be enthralled to do their "prey's" bidding." That was closer to her own belief. A vampire or small coven misbehaving. "May I speak bluntly?"

Paul nearly hissed, Nima had always been difficult to keep in line. There were times he almost appreciated that about her but this was not one of them. Any slight would be held against him as much as her, if not more so.

"Anna was a high profile target." Paul spoke over her, with a look silencing any protest she might raise. "Whether this was hunters or an Eternal behind the attack, clearly they meant to make a statement. Surely that can be used to draw out this group once more and settle what is at play. We know the tactics they employed, and that can be turned against them."

@heyseuss
She had thought it would feel great too. Now, as she sat in the cafeteria, picking at the nearly untouched food in front of her, with the news blaring, it didn't feel so good. It hadn't felt so good in the moment either. Thinking it would end without so much bloodshet had been a foolish thought on her part. So far, she had kept it together, in line with the rest of her team. Saria had never been one prone to long fits of despair, she buried it, turned it into fuel for rage.

At least the girl was alive, that was something. Perhaps this Christine Haynes or her family would not think so at the moment, but life was a success. The endless images of the deputies, the outpouring of anger at those who hadn't taken their lives, it was like daggers. How often had she felt the same for hunters whose lives were lost or those of the innocents taken as game.

It was hard to meet Marco's eyes. She did not want her resolve to appear weak as it was. "It did at first, at least." She paused, forehead creasing. "We proved...we proved the impossible. We got revenge." But. Marco's words hung heavily, the sentiment he chose to leave unsaid. "We will find a better way." If not for morality's sake, having to take out groups of thralls would not be tactically sound. Which reason the others chose to find a better way would be their own. Saria struggled to justify it, her life in danger against foes who did not choose their violent bindings. And she thought of Nima, if she was an Eternal, like Saria so absolutely believed, she had not chosen that fate either.

She cleared her throat, willing her tension away. "So what now? Do we get any rest before the rest of hell breaks loose?" Her half smile faltered, they had started a long road. Rest was, luckily, not something their bodies required as much of anymore.

-----

"It's impossible. Surely this was a rival staking a claim."

Far from Tennessee, a couple argued. "Don't be ridiculous. You may not have been one of us long, but have you ever seen a territory dispute leave such a mess in its wake?"

The man was tall, muscular, and very angry. His normally meticulously groomed hair was astray, his meticulous clothing, disheveled. The woman, his companion, positioned herself on the far side of the room. Tall and trim, her body's curves and perfect face had secured her fate. She had been with Paul for several years now. She had never heard him speak such nonsense.

"But-"

"No, our orders are final. We will look into this further, and you are essential to this matter. You came from a family of hunters, if there was information you kept from us during your...initiation, now would be the time to share it." Paul lunged from his chair and was upon the female in moments, her skin giving in to his grasp. He had chosen her, he had wanted her and claimed her. She had been his since the day she was taken. He had molded her, shaped her in her new life.

Nima blinked once, slowly. "There is no way in hell that even a large group of hunters would have been able to take on three of us. Especially not one as old as Giorgio." She cut him off before he could lash out further. "But of course, I will lend my expertise on resolving this."

Paul's grip relaxed. "We leave tonight."

@heyseuss
A Prologue



OOC Information
  • About 1 year previous to the start of the rp, approximately 2 billion people disappeared. All that was left was anything non human, clothing, fillings, medical devices, etc. By all accounts, every single person missing disappeared at the same time, and according to witnesses, quite literally in the blink of an eye. Although hard facts are hard to come by, it also appears as if the disappearances were random. Rich, poor, religious or non, young or old, every nationality...But, again, hard facts are hard to come come by. Your char will not know much, similar to the brief prologue above.
  • Starting off in Buffalo, NY. Mostly because I am very familiar with the area. Home of the Bills, the Sabres, and the Bisons, creators of Buffalo Wings, only region to find a Mighty Taco. Next door to Niagara Falls and Canada. Winters are rough, the area was dying long before the start of this, and the people, well….it’s the Rust Belt. There’s a good dose of cynicism in most people, but with that comes pride as well.
  • Advanced standards apply. I don’t require more than 3-4 paragraphs per post, more is welcome but don’t feel pressured. You’ll also notice a different CS template than typical. I’m looking for ways to not only create more solid and real characters, but to get a better read on them via a CS. Feedback is welcome on the structure of it.
  • As another note on characters, I will be picky. Don’t create a character that has no reason to interact with the group. Feel free to create a character with hidden motivations, or is morally gray. But do not create somebody who clashes with the very premise of the rp.
  • General plot will follow our group uncovering what’s happened to the world. What’s happened to loved ones and friends, what caused the world-wide disappearances, and how to put it all back together.


Character Sheet Template


She should have known better than to insinuate they would leave a bunch of helpless people to deal with detoxing thralls, but neither Saria was not eager to see how they would have to deal with deputies. She glanced back towards the damaged Eternals, a reminder of how far all of them had come. She hoped they felt the same sense of dread so many mortals had felt, she wondered if they could fully fear true death.

PDA in hand, she pulled up a map of Dukewater.

I don't suppose crossing jurisdictions means much to the deputies.

It was only sent to Marco, and regardless of it just being an attempt at banter, she followed his lead in leaving the vamps in the dark as much as possible. With a different thought, she changed her search. Permanently closed business. There was a list, restaurants, mom and pop stores, not the kind of place she wanted to guide them towards. Her eyes lit up further down the list.

About 15 minutes out from an closed warehouse. Relatively empty industrial park.


Seconds later she sent out the coordinates to the group. The route would take them closer to the city, a calculated risk. Saria doubted the thralls would want other police departments to engage, given their cargo. She flexed, stretching her arms and legs, one by one in the limited space allotted her. They might have to kill the deputies, she knew it and kept the thought in the back of her mind, preparing herself. But it wouldn't be their first resort, or at least it wouldn't be hers. Much like Marco had taken the poor prom girl out with a tranq, Saria shuffled to load up on some non-lethal options. Equipment was certainly not a scarcity with the Vigil.

The warehouse had surely once been one among many such facilities, a few decades ago. Once it had been a paper mill, and like so many others, had struggled along, cutting workers until it was barely a shell of what it once was. Back in the day, the jobs if offered would have given an average Joe a decent wage to lead a mediocre life. It had been abandoned completely for some years, boarded up with no trespassing signs littering it's entrance road and building. The county and state didn't have the funds to tear down all of them, especially when ownership remained up in the air. It remained fenced off, but between kids cutting it to sneak in for urban exploration or parties and more nefarious sorts using it as a place to dispense with business, the fence was not well maintained. It wasn't difficult to enter, and the sprawling, dilapidated parking lot with out buildings made it a prime location for the impending showdown.

As the vehicle came to a smooth stop, Saria took a deep breath. "Time for the not-so-fun part, hm?"

@heyseuss
"Holy shit, it worked." Saria was breathing heavily, a mix of exertion and the remaining adrenaline in her system. Giorgio was dead, decapitated. Anna and Mullen were incapacitated. While she had not accepted that this would be a suicide mission, there was still a healthy dose of skepticism she retained.

"So far. Trenton and the others arriving in 10." Kramer joined in, eying the situation up close. "They're going to be pissed, it's Anna they're bound to."

The former hunter glanced sideways at the woman. Pathetic, her abdomen was mangled. Both of the incapacitated Eternals snarled against their restraints. Thralls in withdrawal would not be pretty for Dukewater. How long the withdrawal period would last seemed to depend on many variables, and this trio had set up their territory in the town for a while now. Saria pressed her lips in thought. Regardless of their decision, they did not have long to clean up and clear out. She wiped her face against the back of her hand.

"Hey, new girl. Get the van?" Morgen, spoke up. "We'll need to move the bodies out before Deputy Dickie shows up with his posse."

Saria rolled her shoulders in annoyance, she was frustrated to not finish off one of the vamps. "Trust me with the keys? You're sweet." She caught them easily, and jogged off to where they had parked their main transport.

A few minutes later, and with a few minutes to spare before the deputy should be arriving, Saria returned with body bags slung over her shoulder. They would finish disposal of the bodies later, where they wouldn't be disturbed. She glanced towards the others before setting herself to the task of getting Giorgio into a bag. In the distance, she could hear sirens. The others would be able to as well, undoubtedly. That made her nervous, thralls could be dangerous, especially those fully armed.

"We getting out of here?" She asked, the now heavy bag hefted over her shoulder.

@heyseuss
@heyseuss

Of course, no problem-o.
She was surprised it worked, that it was working. Her past with a hunter group chafed at her, the urge to grab a stake and drive it through the cruel creature's heart. She knew that had been her way, though she had never had a chance to do so herself. That training still felt instinctual, not the simulations they had been put through. This was reality, this was vicious. The need for revenge clawed from her gut to her throat and mixed with the thrill that, for the first time in her life, she was equipped to be the danger.

Though she dragged the girl away from the brutal beating, after Marco had slit at Mullen's wrist, she struggled to take her eyes off of his brutal attack. Vigil training was fresh in her mind, and though the temptation to revel in the initial success was there, she pushed through. Mullen was no longer their target and she let go of her focus on him, felt out instead for Anna and Giorgio. There was still much to accomplish to get out alive.

"Really fast." She muttered in agreement as she dropped to the ground. She had the special alloy restraints pulled out in seconds. Saria tossed one pair at Marco and used the other to bind the vamp's ankles herself. With Mullen secured, she grabbed her pistol. The other two would be arriving soon and she needed to be ready. Saria felt high, charged, her muscles ached for release of the pent up energy.

A new report blinked across her vision, Anna and Giorgio had been spotted closing in. They were heading from the opposite direction, behind her and Marco. The male may have been the one with advantage from his age, but it Anna who really made her blood boil. For a creature with so many advantages over humans, it was unnecessary cruelty to groom a generation of girls for their kinds' advances.

Night and darkness was no longer a hindrance, a disadvantage. She could see them in their fast approach. She took aim, leveling the gun straight at the bitch's chest. It wouldn't hurt her much, probably wouldn't even slow her down. But it would enrage her, and enraged vamps didn't think. They usually didn't have to. Saria took the shot, and heard another shot meet it's mark - Morgen most likely. "Fucker."

Saria had hit her mark and shot again. Square in the chest. She took off, feet propelling her quickly to take Anna head on.

@heyseuss
Much like the high school they now strolled by, full of kids who - according to pop culture at least - struggled to find their place, Ria wrestled with her new role. If she was completely honest with herself, she would admit that while the others intimidated her, Marco terrified her. Between the whispers of his past and glimpses of the extreme augmentations, she was not sure what exactly to make of him. Her brain had seemed to instantly assign fear as the appropriate response, a response she tried to ignore.

It had nearly been sensory overload when her own implants had been completed. As her eyes flicked to catch the incoming messages, she felt with the other neural implants. She could feel them, the vampires, in a way, pulsing in such a way as to provide a spatial recognition of their location. Their main target, Mullen, was inside the school. Saria felt it before the message had crossed her vision. She kept her sense of him her main focus but felt out for any other hot spots. Tonight, there would be no ambush except their own.

She had not cared for the plan. Bait. The word had been tossed out like it was nothing. Some teen girl, thrown to an apex predator. She knew her own past clouded her judgement, but at least Nima had known what they were up against. It had clearly not been her place to disagree, and hopefully the look of disapproval had been wiped off her face before anyone had noticed. She didn't need anyone thinking she was weak.

Marco's request sent a dose of adrenaline through her body. "Yea." She slid her arm out from Marco's, uncertain exactly what she was going to do. Giorgio and Anna weren't confirmed yet, but she could feel them being farther away than Mullen.

Boots against payment, she headed in their target's direction, along the school. Quickly, she formulated a plan, a shit plan, but something that the oh so dreamy Eternal would need to act on. Saria caught a glimpse of the duo ahead of her and broke into a full out run. Then nearly gagged as they came into full view, it looked like he was halfway down her throat, pressed up against the building.

"Hey! Excuse me!" She raised her voice just enough to carry to the preoccupied duo. A false panic welled within her, and she urged it on until tears formed in her eyes. "Please...I need your help. S-some asshole just hit my dog and I don't have my phone, and she's so heavy I just can't move her. Please, do you have a phone?" She rubbed at her face, her voice coming out strained and scratchy.

"Oh no!" The girl seemed genuinely concerned as she broke away from Mullen. Without further prompting, she fished a slim cell from the top of her dress. Saria watched it turn on and the girl's face scrunch. "I don't have any reception." The girl looked up, her admiration for the monster was repulsive.

"I didn't bring my phone." He spoke softly, but Saria was certain of the edge to his voice. Frustration.

"Maybe it'll work closer to the street," she offered, looking back towards her phone, "or Rick can help...right? At least get him out of the street?"

Saria eagerly agreed before Mullen could counter, "Thank you so much, thank you. I just didn't know what I was going to do. Thank you." She hiccuped.

*Heading towards Marco, target and girl with me.

"What's his name?" The girl asked, walking next to Saria. In her peripheral, she could still see the girl's fingers intertwined behind her in Mullen's hand.

"Her, hah, Marcie." She sniffled.

*You ready?.

Saria was ready, with the girl on her right, she could get her out of the way. She had to.

@heyseuss

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