Drag

Mass Effect: Harpocrates

@Drag well shit there goes my plan for gunslinger quarian

@Lady Lascivious

post 'em anyway if you wanna my friend, we need to try and ensure at least one huckleberry makes it into the rp

Mass Effect: Harpocrates

@Drag Interesting. Also looks like the fontmeme link broke because it wasn't embeded or copied somewhere else. Worth fixing at some point. I'll take a deeper look later.

@TGM

My b, should be sorted now

Mass Effect: Harpocrates

I understand there's a lot of concern about overlap and i am afraid this will likely not help lmao. Even still I started on this dude when the ooc went up and just took a bit finishing so I figured i'd throw him up and see what the consensus was then change as potentially needed.

feller with the big iron on his hip

_______________________________________________ Personal Data D A T A Full Name - Reid Waston Designation - Ranger Species - Human Age - 31 (b. 2152) Origin - Earth, Local Cluster Classification - Soldier Unique Specialization - Gunman/Duelist/Designated Hitter - Psyche Analysis P S Y C H E A Simple Man, Making His Way In The Universe Many mercs have a reputation as being bombastic and boastful, not so with Reid. Withdrawn, guarded and taciturn, Reid carries himself with a constant air of professionalism. Rarely raising his voice or betraying much of any emotion even during times when, by his own admission, he’s upset or pissed off. Reid does his utmost to give nothing beyond quiet confidence, with very little patience for the eccentricities of both the galaxy and the people within it. A Few Credits More Pragmatism is, more often than not, the key aspect that separates the successful from the dead in Reid’s experience. While always having a somewhat apathetic moral compass - seeing little difference from shooting someone in the back than the front - Reid’s experiences since flying solo have hardened him considerably. As he is essentially a fugitive, Reid takes great care to cover his tracks, watching his own back and prioritising his needs far beyond others, lest he risk imprisonment or death. He’s no wanton criminal, but has very little qualms on making morally dubious decisions if the need truly arises. The Last Outlaw As mentioned, Reid is a man who often finds himself exasperated at the bizarre and often hypocritical ways of most civilised people in the universe, particularly those involved in galactic governments. While not above taking jobs involving these types out of necessities sake, Reid is notably more sarcastic and bitter when forced to do so, a disdain rooted in him from childhood as part of his gang. He bears a distinct grudge for the Systems Alliance in particular. On the flipside, he is remarkably tolerant towards most alien races, if just by human standards at the least. He is also sympathetic towards the poor and downtrodden but has long since had any altruistic ideals kicked out of him. Equipment E Q U I P M E N T M-15 Vindicator A popular rifle in the Terminus Systems, favoured by assassins and elite mercenaries for its precise firing and handling. Firing in five shot bursts and boasting excellent stopping power without effecting recoil, enabling it to do hefty damage to targets with the right aim. Reid's particular model is painted black and fitted with a percision scope to extend the rifle's range, along with a textured grip should his hands get... wet, during a fight. Reid occassionaly refers to it as his "Winchester". M-5 Phalanx An Alliance created heavy pistol designed to be used in closer engagements and ideal for hitting armoured or shielded targets, fitted with a laser sight for better accuracy. While high in recoil, its sheer stopping power gives it an edge over most “hand cannons” and works well with Reid’s sharp aim and tendency for single shot quickdraw firing. Mk.14 Grenades Disc shaped cluster grenades that can be thrown directly to glide through the air or be lobbed overhead in an arc. They can adhere to flat surfaces and be detonated at any time once thrown via the communications gear built into the attacker’s armour. They will detonate automatically after ten seconds. Record R E C O R D Eldfell-Ashland Raid In 2168 at roughly 2pm, an Eldfell-Ashland Energy Company building in the state of Illinois was hit in a daring raid. Infiltrated by a small group of insurgents who subdued highly trained security operatives and fried the camera systems, concealing their identities while they drained an undisclosed amount of credits from the building's network and internal accounts. In the following months, random, obscenely large bonuses were deposited into the accounts of several low level manual workers, families of company accident victims and many others who’d had negative dealings with the corporation. The perpetrators were never officially found, but it was the first of many such heists carried out by a young Reid as a member of Holden’s Company. Korlus Spring Cleaning The junk world of Korlus has long been something of a punchline among galactic circles, with its garbage laden landscape and high crime rate. Undeterred, the Korlus Tourist Bureau had tried several different ways to rebrand the planet, from slogans to public image campaigns. Unsurprisingly, none of these worked. What did provide results was their contracting of several mercenaries to clear out as many gangs and other scum as possible, paying a bounty for each noteworthy problem dealt with. Though many heeded the call, none made more of a “killing” than an unnamed mercenary in a cowboy hat, eradicating numerous would-be gangsters and turning in so many bounties that the campaign ended in under two months, more-so due to the colonies losing more credits than they were gaining from potential travellers. Though operating under a pseudonym, Reid’s peculiar get-up, the high number of people on Korlus and his bodycount very quickly made many take note of the merc, establishing a reputation in the Terminus Systems as someone that got things done. Valdez Bounty A crew of pirates had been forming in the Terminus Systems, attacking multiple colonies and eventually graduating to corporation shipments. Their leader was a human named Valdez who’d quickly made a name for himself, earning a bounty from the corps who were sick of losing merchandise to his growing gang of outlaws. The bounty did little to solve the problem however, as despite his young age, Valdez was a prodigious shooter, killing upwards of twenty bounty hunters who’d been sent after him, each time in a one-on-one duel for the entertainment of his crew. Eventually, Reid caught wind of the bounty and decided to collect, tracking Valdez and his best men to a bar on Omega and challenging the man to a duel the following morning. The people on the station that fateful day still tell tails of that encounter, where Valdez walked out into the street for his twenty-first kill, only to be unceremoniously gunned down alongside his men, as Reid had decided to just shoot him with his sniper rifle from afar the second he was out in the open. Solving an almost year long problem in under ten minutes. Connections C O N N E C T I O N S Brand Brand is an elcor merchant who lives on the Citadel, an unestablished but aggressive trader always trying to expand his client base. He and Reid have an uneasy but mutually beneficial partnership, where Brand will contact the gunslinger to offer jobs soon to be listed or any other interesting tidbits that come through his network. With a cut of the profits earned going to Brand, of course. The two have history, having met and worked together since Reid was a teenager in Holden’s Company, but their relationship is based more on mutual gain than any personal fondness. Even still, they are both consummate professionals who will, reluctantly, look out for one another, even if they tend to trade barbs when doing business. Papius Silo If there was only one person in the galaxy that inspired warmth and camaraderie in Reid Watson, it would be Silo. The turian was a late arrival to Holden’s Company, on the run for being, in his words, “a poor turian”. Though he’s still a pariah in turian space, his short tenure with the group means he’s a comparatively less wanted man and was able to leave easily when things began really falling apart, enabling him to settle somewhat comfortably in Omega as a smuggler. Though they mostly communicate over business, Reid has a genuinely friendly relationship with Silo, both for his usefulness and for being one of the very few members of the group who he feels didn’t betray him on some level. Papius will rarely offer jobs if he’s able but generally his use is in helping Reid get his hands on equipment out of circulation, without Silo’s help, Reid would have to risk himself a lot more to try and keep ahead with other mercs in terms of armaments. Holden Connolly Holden is a complicated figure in Reid’s mind. A former operative (though of what and at what level he wouldn't say), he is the man who essentially saved Reid's life as a young street urchin. Teaching the boy to read, write and most importantly shoot, while educating him about the galaxy and instilling his philosophies on life and the need to protect the weak. But, he is also the man who all but went insane as time went on and his actions seemed to have less and less effect on the progression of galactic civilization, seeing all the problems his group fought against only grow and become more ingrained into society. Eventually, Holden devolved into another thug with a gun, even leaving Reid for dead on more than one occasion, until deaths and bounties caught up with them on The Olympus and the group effectively disbanded, violently. After narrowly escaping Alliance space himself, Reid isn’t even sure if Holden’s still alive, let alone regained any of his sanity. But, despite everything, Reid holds a complicated - even hypocritical - opinion of his surrogate father, still admiring the man he was while harbouring a lot of resentment for who he became and the situation he left his “son” with.

Physical Details ◢ Reid stands at 5’11”, with the muscular build befitting of a mercenary and a head of messy black hair that reaches down to his neck coupled with a scraggly beard, all hallmarks of a stereotypical thug, or, more accurately, a man on the run. His face carries numerous scars of fights won and lost, emphasised more than they should be by the shoddy first aid work done on them. More striking than his scars are his pale blue eyes, a source of occasional ribbing in his life, likened to if someone "fucked up and put a child’s eyes on the face of a killer”. The most noteworthy thing about him to most however would be his gear. Dark brown stetson hat on his head, seemingly, at all times, coupled with a worn and tattered dark brown poncho and a breathing apparatus that hangs around his neck. Beneath this get-up however Reid wears more sensible medium-grade Hydra armour created by Aldrin Labs, fitted with a bandolier around the waist for emergency supplies. Though Reid’s choice of gear is another thing that inspires confusion and mockery, it does have practical applications. Such as his poncho concealing his weaponry and allowing to get the jump on someone has been a godsend more than once. Personal History ◢ Desperation has shaped Reid Watson. His father was an illiterate drunk and his mother a prostitute who died during childbirth, though Reid lived with his father for a short time, his debts and actions quickly caught up to him and he was found dead outside a bar when Reid was seven years old. Reid was subsequently sent to an orphanage, another casualty of Earth’s severe overpopulation. He didn’t last very long before running away and trying his luck out on the streets, resorting to petty theft and other unpleasantries to make it through the days. It caught up to him at the age of eleven, when he was caught by a family while attempting to rob their home. They subdued and prepared to hand him over to the authorities but a passing detective encouraged the family to turn the boy over to him so that he might ensure the boy would see justice. It was after the family were long gone that the detective revealed himself to be a conman named Holden, who would then take the young Reid under his wing. Reid was inducted into Holden’s Company shortly thereafter, a group of individuals who shared Holden’s anti-authority leanings and Robin Hood-like belief of creating a "better world", taking from the rich abusers to give to the destitute. Almost every current and future member would take the names of famous outlaws and revolutionaries to fit this vision. The gang quickly became a surrogate family to Reid, who took his own name and even dressed to resemble an old radio serial about a western hero who delivered justice, always enamoured by Holden's stories of such figures in history - even if fictitious. Alongside stories, Holden taught Reid how to properly read, write, hunt, shoot, and instilled in the boy a love of nature, freedom and appreciation for things beyond power or wealth. By the time Reid had become fully honed in his abilities, the First Contact War had long since ended and the group had secured more than enough funds to travel off-world. The initial years were promising, there was no shortage of corruption to plunder and no shortage of lost souls to join the cause, the Citadel races were too busy worrying about humanity as a whole to be concerned with a small fringe group and Holden’s Company weren’t picky when it came to which races a megacorp belonged to. But, eventually, humans settled in on Citadel space and more resources would be devoted to putting the gang down with each successful raid. More pressure would be placed on its members with each fallen brother or sister. Their leader, once steadfast and charismatic, became more and more insular as their “mission” seemed more pointless with each passing moment, for every building they cracked or good deed they did it never seemed to change anything. By the end, Holden’s Company seemed to devolve into taking from the rich and giving to themselves just to sustain their vision of a “better galaxy” for a little longer. Reid found himself arguing with his surrogate father constantly, his faith in their goals all but vanishing as it became clearer that their noble aspirations were just justifications to rob and kill and may well always have been. In Reid’s mind, they’d all become puppets, but only he could see the strings. Eventually, everything came to a head in 2177, during a raid on a luxury casino ship (“The Olympus”) moving through the Hades Nexus cluster. Being the “frontier” of Citadel space, their response was swifter than Holden’s Company could manage, already a shell of the group it once was. What resulted was chaos, strike teams boarding the vessel, multiple members of Holden’s Company dead, Holden himself allegedly shooting a civilian for no reason at all (though, even now, Reid would like to doubt he saw it happen exactly like that). Reid only got out by the skin of his teeth, hijacking one of the escape pods once it became clear it was every person for themselves. Information has been strictly tight-lipped about who exactly did and didn’t make it, only that the notorious Holden’s Company were “finished”. The following months were difficult. Finding civilization, scraping together the credits to run and hide out in the Terminus Systems, coming to the realisation that Reid was desperate and alone once again. The fall of his family hardened Reid considerably as he set about rebuilding some semblance of order back in his life. As one of the more noteworthy members of Holden's Company - some may say "the golden boy" - a bounty was placed on his head relatively quickly, it became just another thing to deal with. His need to always be on the move and stay off the grid constantly eat into the profits of his work, but he still fights on, hoping to earn enough to square his bounty. To become as "free" as he and his gang always claimed to be. Combat Analysis ◢ In a galaxy where people can harness mass effect fields or use the technology of the future to their advantage, one fact still remains true, with the right gun and know-how; you can kill anybody. While Reid may lack in biotic abilities and technical know-how, he is a wizard with a gun in his hands. Boasting lightning fast reaction speeds and deadly accuracy, he can switch from vicious hit-and-run tactics, keeping enemies in place with sustained fire or flushing them out with explosives, while drawing fire toward himself to always keep pressure on opponents even when outnumbered. Reid's time as part of a gang have also given him ample experience in analysing the strengths and weaknesses of allies and accomodate accordingly, while his time alone has honed his skills in self-preservation and survivability - always keeping on the move and controlling the pace of a battle as much as possible. Reason for Vacating Previous Situation ◢ Even by Reid’s standards, working with ExoGeni leaves a bitter taste in his mouth, but what other choice is there? He has nothing but disdain for megacorps but Reid’s time as a vague revolutionairy is long over yet his bounty still hangs over his head like a guillotine. ExoGeni and the work they’re offering is one of the very few chances to have both the protection and credits needed to work on becoming a truly free man. Besides, they know who he is after going through all the trouble to contact him, there's little room for scruples at this point.

Mass Effect: Harpocrates

Likely not helping the above issue of competing sign ups but I am also tossing in interest

Recollections: Magnanimous

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The Vanburen Estate - Garage

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Shane was one of the last to make it through, his brief back and forth with Trisha placing him behind the gung-ho members of their group like Justin. He didn't notice however, more surprised by Trisha's compliance than anything. It faded fast as he moved towards the mirror, the serene snow laden construction site giving way to a crystal highway toward chaos. Their home, already having weathered quite a beating, was in near ruins as a floating abomination brought down the wrath of a Goddess.

Shane didn't need to hear its threat before he'd already drawn his gun. Justin evidently had the same idea, throwing two steel balls at the creature before it could finish its demands. Shane barely had time to note the reappearance of the Skeleton before he fled the commotion. The Triple Goddess reeled at the impact, hopefully feeling some kind of pain and not just merely out of surprise. Either way, Shane took the time to move forward, overhearing Sabrina amidst the commotion. Silently thankful she still seemed alright.

"Might have some internal bleeding..."

Sabrina

Shane cringed. Maybe she wasn't all alright. "Go barricade yourself somewhere," he said, rushing past his sister towards the monster in their Yard, "We'll be fine."

As if to accentuate that point, Oscar erected a wall of earth to shield himself and Sabrina from the Triple Goddess, who'd already reoriented itself enough to bombard them with spikes of ice. His body enveloped itself in a swirling blue glow as his face contorted with rage.

BANG!

BANG!

Two shots, hard to miss a target that bright and large. Whether it did anything, Shane was too high on adrenaline to tell. He wasn't aiming to hurt it, or at least wasn't confident conventional weapons could do the job. But he could take the heat off his family a little, it'd no doubt hurt like hell, but he could take it. He could take anything.

He was about to fire once more when a car was thrown over his head towards The Triple Goddess. Their expert, Tuyen. She wasn't lying about her capabilities it turned out. Shane continued, walking The Triple Goddess down. But something stirred inside him, a sound that slithered into his mind and made his heart feel like it would explode out of his chest. He glanced back, noticing the long haired Maybe-Vanburen huddled in a corner blowing into some instrument. His gaze darted back towards the Triple Goddess. Whatever the guy was doing, it made him feel stronger.

It felt like he was younger, standing down against another kid at school for some perceived slight or another. Ready to fight off the world. Ready to die. The aura around him shined a brighter blue, bordering on translucent. Shane let out a primal yell. It seemed as if the drained Vanburen had come back to life. In truth it was a small trick he'd learned at the Academy. Yelling helped prepare the body for the physical pain to follow.

BANG!

"COME ON!"

BANG!

"I'M RIGHT HERE!"

Recollections: Magnanimous

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East Araminta - Construction Site

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It was like the attack all over again. An issue of immediate survival, but all of it paled in comparison to the damage the family did to itself. When Shane's hand met Tansy's arm, he grasped with all the anger he'd been holding on to since the sky opened up and threatened to level their home for good. But as the light was snuffed out, it seemed Shane's yell did more to hurt Tansy than anything he could do physically.

Any self-reflection was gone from both parties however. As Trisha flew into a rage and Tansy settled into simmering contempt. Tuyen struggled to contain the fury of his younger sister - who'd always been a lot more ferocious than her height might have you believe. Shane stood beside her, cutting Trisha off from lunging towards Tansy, while also acting as a wall in case Tansy tried the same thing. He didn't even have time nor care to consider the reasons behind what Tansy had done, instead just trying to keep the walls from collapsing the metaphorical house. Before that could happen literally.

It wasn't overly difficult. Trisha was several inches smaller than Shane and Tansy was more content to stand and gather herself. Trying to maintain a handle on the situation after it had flown so far off-course. She directed more than a few ugly glances towards Shane as well as her sister, but Shane didn't care. Instead, his direction was turned to the stone girl lying in the snow. She looked terrified. Cracks formed like spiderwebs around her cocoon of earth, slowly chipping away to reveal the person underneath. Presumably left by the Skeleton as a message or some sort of threat, it seemed to be a footnote to everyone else there. Magic or no, Shane didn't have much hope for how she'd be if the stone gave way.

'Poor thing.'

Arabelle's arrival through the mirror shifted his thoughts. Shane gave Trisha a terse push back, just enough to create further distance between her and Tansy. Considering the rest of the family and that kid Justin were pouring forth, it seemed like the feud could be put on the backburner while they got themselves ready. Tansy swooped in to fill them in on the situation, in all honest she seemed pretty shook up.

“We know. Morgana’s also on the way,”

Ezra

Shane didn't say anything. Instead, his response was a low growl of annoyance as he wiped his face with his cold numbed hands.

At the least, it seemed they were on a united front: stopping the Triple Goddess. They'd even managed to bring back the reluctant wiccan, so there was that. Not much of a victory, but the Vanburens could really use one win in their column tonight. Everyone seemed poised to run in as soon as Arabelle reopened the mirror to their home. Shane took the chance to take a step back, removing his gun from inside his jacket pocket, then placing it down in the snow while he removed his jacket.

It wasn't pleasant, the winter wind hit him with greater ferocity as he knelt down and laid his jacket over the stone encased woman. He didn't look at Trisha as he adjusted his coat in such a way that the wind wouldn't blow it off, but his voice was clearly directed at her.

"If you're not coming with us, you could stay with her," He tilted the woman and tucked the sides of his coat underneath her. Honestly, he wasn't sure why he was bothering, seemed like her time had passed. But it felt more right than just leaving her in the cold. "If all the stone comes off, I don't think she's gonna be-... well, better safe than sorry." It was pretty unlikely Trisha would do as he asked, but at least it gave her a chance to be helpful even if she didn't join the family. However slim that chance may be.

Shane picked his gun back up and shook the snow off, taking the time to examine it with scrutiny. Safety on, reasonably clean, loaded. Wasn't likely to be of much use, but considering they'd been embroiled in magic and talking Skeletons, maybe even a Triple Goddess could bleed.

His arms at his side, he turned to face the mirror, awaiting Arabelle opening it to whatever the hell awaited them on the other side.

"Let's get this done."

Recollections: Magnanimous

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East Araminta - Construction Site

---

It was beautiful, really. Shane didn't appreciate the show, but he'd been given the best seat in the house. A slight bump on the site that let him bare witness to the orange lightshow around the home he'd grown up in. No doubt the home that also contained two members of his family, at least.

The realization didn't hit him immediately. Instead, the colours danced across his sunken broken eyes. As far as he was, he could feel the heat radiate from the light, burning his skin as if in accusation. Like the judgement of some deity falling upon him. Felt its power, its anger, its danger. Only then did he start running.

'Move.' Synapses firing back to life, veins coursing with adrenaline. Like an addiction being fed, other than alcohol. In Shane's mind, his options had decreased to a singular course. Car wouldn't make it in time.

“Ezra said if the Wiccans show up or if something goes wrong to give him or Arabelle a call. Supposedly she can use the mirrors to open a gateway if we need reinforcements or to retreat."

Tansy

It'd have to do, hopefully they were speaking concretely and not hypothetically. Shane's cheeks were red, internally he felt like a precise machine, externally he was like a beast. Exhaling steam as his shoulder collided with the door to the Foreman's Office and he spilled inside. There it stood, like salvation. The dress mirror with the blanket still laid at its feet. A grunt escaped Shane's lips, then he was a machine once more. Lifting the mirror up with his hands clasped on either side, he began manoeuvring out of the office, internally thankful he hadn't been working in the factory this morning.

He got closer and closer to the group, meeting a sight that was stranger and stranger. The skeleton, gone. A petrified corpse on the ground. Tansy and Trisha were arguing. Shane didn't care. He was busy keeping the mirror aloft, though was more so dragging it at this point, shielding the mirror itself using the stand and wooden frame to bare the brunt of the snow laden gravel.

As he reached everyone, he spun the mirror around so the reflection was facing them. Tuyen was already on the phone. Good. He looked over towards his sisters, ready to shut this petty crap down and get mobilized, when he had to shield his eyes from yet another offending light show.

This time, from Tansy. One hand covered his face, the other flailed out before grasping the mirror, making sure he didn't knock it to the floor in his newfound blindness.

"You will call Oscar and ask Arabelle to mirror us home,"

Tansy

It was like a choir, singing out in a register that scratched the tip of your brain. The kind that makes dogs lose their minds. Shane wasn't even the target and it felt like an assault on his senses. This was her definition of "creating a light"? He should've known.

"STOP, DAMMIT!" Shane yelled, heightened tension necessitating even him emoting beyond quiet contempt. In all honesty he wasn't even sure his outburst would register among everything.

It was all falling apart, like the world was ending.

Shane kept his eyes squint shut, removing his hand from his face and outstretching it to grab Tansy. If this were how The Vanburens went out, he wouldn't spend it passively watching his siblings tear each other apart. Hopefully, Tuyen would get through soon to Arabelle. Would be a shame for the family to tear itself apart before creatures beyond comprehension got a chance to do so.

Recollections: Magnanimous

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East Araminta - Construction Site

---

It was an odd feeling. Standing, pointing a gun at a talking Skeleton who seamlessly dodged answering anything of weight. Not a few days ago, Shane was working in a warehouse in the morning and drinking himself into a stupor in the night. He quietly holstered his gun, if only because logical thinking had caught up to instinctual reaction and he'd fully accepted a nine millimetre would do little against an... Undead?

"It's not fair that you all have to shoulder the burden of your bastard father's fuck up after fuck up. You all are very inexperienced in the world of magic thrown into it head first. You will not survive without the assistance of a master such as myself.... so consider me..."

"... Your guardian angel."

???

They knew little of magic, that was true. Even Oscar was going mostly off written text instead of practical experience. But, Shane knew enough to distrust anyone who placed such emphasis on their importance to someone else's being. Particularly if that person was a magical creature who'd evaded any kind of concrete answers.

The thing was about as slippery as mercury, no doubt just as toxic.

Yet, despite that, he was swaying his sisters. Trisha, expectedly, perked up when the creature started badmouthing James every other sentence. Tansy, also expectedly, was unimpressed for those same reasons but seemed willing to trust the Skeleton provided he gave some tangible proof of his abilities. Fair request, but even if he was as powerful as he claimed, that still didn't make him trustworthy.

“-But that doesn’t make you an expert. Tansy is right, it’s easy to fake knowledge with words.”

“Answer the questions, then prove it.”

Tuyen

She was breathing quicker, she was shaking just slightly. She was projecting a stronger front than she really felt. But, she wasn't wrong. She didn't seem to trust their "Guardian Angel" anymore than Shane did. Trouble was, playing along with this things game was costing them time. If Georgie actually did manage to show up, they'd have made no progress and really would have to rely entirely on this Creature.

"We're running out of time," Shane reiterated, glancing at the watch on his wrist, "If we want to get set up in time, two of us'd better get started on the trap. Other two can stay and grill... Him."

It wasn't an easy call to make. Tansy didn't get along with any of them, same could be said for Trisha. But Shane and likely Tuyen were the heaviest hitters who could probably deal with the outcome of the Skeleton not playing ball. Probably. They'd be less likely to get taken in by the Creature's bold claims and promises of strength. Commanding or even politely asking them likely wouldn't work. Instead he gestured towards the construction area.

"I'm gonna move some of the machinery, if someone could cut the tarps for the tunnel Tansy was talking about, that'd be good."

With that, off he went. Sure that both sisters would reject the idea outright to remain with the Skeleton-Man-Creature-Thing. As long as Tuyen, their magical expert, remained with the magical creature, that was fine with him.

Getting twenty-five percent of the plan done was better than zero.

Recollections: Magnanimous

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East Araminta - Construction Site

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Ring ring.

Ring ring.

Ring ring.

On and on it went. The longest sound in existence. He'd phoned back twice just to make sure. Hopefully it meant they'd already left and the house had been emptied. Either the Vanburens would have some good luck, or none whatsoever.

Shane turned to face his siblings, Tansy already reconciling back into her saccharine demeanour. Reminiscent of a werewolf turning back into a human after terrorising an entire town.

"No one's answeri-" He'd sought to push past Tansy and Trisha, avoiding another pointless argument that wasted time. Instead, he'd been interrupted himself.

Shane was hardly the most emotive guy, but the contrast in voices was felt even by him. It's words like sandpaper to the senses as he turned to face a cloud of the void. Instinctively, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his gun. Realising a second after that it was liable not to do much against the horned skeleton that emerged from the shadows.

"For the children of the great and magnanimous James... Vanburen. You all are not as nowhere near as foxlike as he was. The man would stab his own brother in the chest before letting anyone see him as unintelligent!"

???

Despite internally acknowledging it's unlikeliness to be of any use, Shane kept his gun trained on the skeleton while it spoke. It paid him no mind, indeed it seemed to be more interested in putting on appearances as it summoned and drank from a bottle of wine while laughing like an old family friend.

“If you know our father so well then you would know it is not smart to insult him. Who are you? How have you invoked the Triple Goddess’s ire?”

Tansy

Until Tansy spoke up, Shane hadn't even been focused on the figure's words. Only his grandiose actions and mannerisms. It reminded Shane of the type of men James occasionally had surrounded himself with at his parties. The types who wore "eccentric millionaire" like badges of honour to live up to. It would figure Tansy would find her nerve as soon as James was brought into it however, her previously timid response fading as her powers activated. With the bright glow and chorus of voices, it was more likely than ever that her previous explanation of her abilities was downplaying at best, or a lie.

Regardless, her bright glow reminded Shane of his own abilities. It was still taking getting used to. Still aiming his firearm at the skeleton, Shane began to glow a deep blue. Prepared to throw up a defensive wall to protect Trisha and Tuyen behind him if need be.

"Aw... everybody's a critic... or are you all under the impression I'm an enemy? Or God forbid in league with that Triple Goddess? Trust me, she hates me more than she hates you all."

???

Shane wished Oscar were here. He knew a little of the types of strange beings they may encounter from James' writings, but he'd hoped they wouldn't factor into the Vanburens personal issues of removing the curse. All Shane could do currently was speculate, or at least not reveal he knew less than he really did. The horns and skull, maybe he was an enemy of the Triple Goddess, but that didn't rule out a connection to The Horned God?

"You might not be an enemy. But firstly, we aren't friends. Make no mistake on that subject." Shane's voice, low and direct in counter to his sister's haughty tone. Almost unconsciously weaving with and against her to project defiance against a being whose power they had no way of gauging.

"We're running out of time. If you're here to help somehow, answer my sister's questions then do what you're here to do. Otherwise..."

Otherwise, do what you're here to do. Shane could only hope he wasn't as big a threat as he assumed. Considering the 'trap' plan seemed to have bottomed out some time ago.

Nomadic Odyssey: EX Fallen Virtue [Invite Only]

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Gold City - Alleyways

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Obscuring his face did little, no matter how much he pulled the cloak forward, they always stared. Even among the downtrodden and the desperate, there was a way about Cain. An air to his movements and mannerisms that marked him. He presence was unwelcome. Wrong.

He pulled the cloak further, shielding the worst of his scarring from view. It did little to hide his blackened sclera, which he compensated for by keeping his face towards the floor. Disposing of two would-be thieves and killers had emboldened him, but travel brought him right down to reality once more. It was back to the mission at hand. MIRAGE.

"Pardon me." Cain muttered as he bumped past an arguing couple, indifferent to his presence. His voice was small, harsh and accented, but small nonetheless. It had to be, as one of the many things that brought suspicion on The Raggedy Man.

Feeling of self-consciousness reaching its peak, a reprieve was given. In the form of an explosion that rocked the area, panic flooding the people around Cain as they began fleeing for their lives, knowing no one would come to save them. Cain gritted his teeth, Gold City was a hotbed for activity, but his hunch was that only one group would be as bold and powerful as to create such a spectacle in the middle of the day.

He gripped his cloak harder, breaking into a sprint towards the explosion.

---

@Kamen Evie

Gold City - Rooftops

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"WOO-HO-HOOOOOOOO! WOO!"

It was pretty goddamn exhilarating. Lucas had been at ground zero for the big bang, less an outright explosion and more like a big sonic "fuck you" that tossed debris up into the air. He leapt from concrete to concrete, feeling pretty damn pleased with himself as he emulated a number of agile movements he'd seen in various forms of media. It culminated in his last jump, landing on a narrow piece of debris and twirling on it like a helicopter propeller before jumping at the last second and landing nearby The Breicens. Too wrapped up in the robots fleeing to notice his very badass display, figures.

”Well, I sure ain’t giving up without a good chase. You got a ride, Lucas?”

Jill

"Do now." he replied with a grin, taking her arm and hoisting himself onto the machine.

Despite the several hundred miles-per-hour capable machine underneath being more than capable of wrecking him in a number of different ways, he felt pretty secure. He'd ridden with Jill a couple of times now and whilst the first time was worrisome, it soon became apparent that Jill was too good to crash out if she tried. Now it was pretty fun, kinda like a video game.

On they sped, drifting in ways that some of the top racers in the world would blush at. Lucas spared a glance back now and then, seeing Jasmine bob in and out of view as she tried to keep pace. Still, despite being fast enough and furious enough to outride a magic witch, the machines had eluded them for the time being. Lucas felt his enthusiasm get a kick in the proverbial nuts as Jill made a particular call on her dashboard.

Isabella.

They had an awkward relationship, to say the least. Lucas was carefree, irreverent and kind of lazy when not off fighting. Izzy, as far as Lucas was concerned, was cold, irritating and had a giant stick up his ass. The fact that they did share similarities doing nothing to build bridges, as likely neither of them would be willing to admit as such. Lucas found him intimidating before the training and the big family reveal, now he found him a pain in the ass. At the very least they tried staying out of each others way, though Lucas couldn't help be curious if Izzy was just as unaware of their half-brothership as him, or if he knew the entire time and kept to himself as part of that 'detached mentor' shit he liked to do.

”Alright. Well, we got Lucas down here too, you should come say hi.”

Jill

Lucas knew exactly what his "big bro"'s response would be, but he didn't wish to stick around to hear it.

He leaned forward, barely picking up Izzy's voice from the call. Yelling as loud as he could to be heard over the whizzing traffic at their current speed.

"I'M GONNA TAKE THE ROOFS, THEY MIGHT BE HIDIN' SOMEWHERE. JUST TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T MISS 'EM!"

There, that was sensible enough. Still an excuse to exit but not one so blatant, Jill was just back and the last thing he'd want to do is burden her with his problems. Or, have Jill involve herself as he was known to do. As soon as the words left his mouth, he perched himself on the seat, balancing for a few moments before making an impressive leap upwards.

It was pretty good but not quite enough to clear the roof, forcing Lucas to climb the last few feet to get atop. After that, he was gone. Kicking up pebbles as he ran from roof to roof.

---

@KremeSupreme

Gold City Financial District - Park Row

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"You must be making some awful big bucks to associate yourself with a terrorist organization like this. All this trouble for one little rock?"

Arianna

"Sure." The Gunslinger answered quietly. "S'their business."

A step back. Towards the door. His eyes darted around at the drones, fluttering around like bees, threatening to do worse than sting if it came to it. His gaze returned to Arianna, hands still up. He had to give her credit for a subtle display of power, despite how clearly terrified she was. Any other day, none of this would be worth Voyt's time. But considering his "compatriots" had already screwed the pooch and blown the operation's cover, he wasn't allowing himself to come back empty handed. If nothing else than to slightly annoy Abel that his rank and file were not on the level of a mercenary.

Another step back, closer towards the door. His tone was measured as he spoke.

"I'd rather not shoot you. But we both know I'd kill you before your drones could swoop in. Hell, I'm quick enough I might destroy them too." It wasn't entirely posturing. Voyt's draw and firing speed were well known, but the machines were closer than he'd like and he'd rather not put his money where his mouth was. "You do whatever you feel you gotta. I'm goin' in there. If you try stoppin' me, you'll regret it."

There it was, cards on the table. He was calling Arianna's bluff. Not that he really had much choice, he was getting that information one way or the other. Unlike Abel's sycophants, if Voyt failed to deliver then he'd likely be "disposed" by MIRAGE itself or the League's endless supply of idiots with weapons once they realised The Gunslinger wasn't under protection anymore.

His free hand gripped the door handle, swinging it open and revealing the back entrance to the company building. His other hand held his gun, still trained on Arianna. He gave her a moment. A chance to try him then and there or drop her flags and let him go in peace.

One foot stepped inside the building, one last look at the Horizon Frontiers Agent.