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Current Malfunctioning Space Toilet (favorite death post in RPG) : roleplayerguild.com/posts/4…
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10 yrs ago
Example of a "Character Flaw": roleplayerguild.com/posts/32..
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Keystone

Location: Woods North of Salarn, Orc Encampment, Evening of Day Three
Interacting With: Bloody Smudge In The Air




The dashing and knightesque figure of the Occidental Monk known in the realms of Men as Keystone very heroically picked his oversized, leather clad ass up from the cold ground, trying like hell to dislodge the sheen of ice from his massive boot with short and mostly ineffective kicking motions. By all the decent and virtuous gods there were (and a few that were merely agreeable), the last time that Keystone faced down an army of the Undead he was much more robust and dignified. Dangerous. Feared by his enemies, even. It would be an understatement that the last few days were not the most valiant nor noteworthy of his career. Were he not locked in a fight with mortal consequences, he may well have been depressed. But there were more important things at hand.

The suddenly eyeballed, crimson mist in the air was drifting down toward Sana, a malevolent glow about it. At first, Keystone mistook the inhuman grin and downward movement as being directed at himself, on account of his admittedly comical escapades involving falling over and shaking his foot about. "Oi, ya smilin' waft o' blood-fart! Think that's funny, does ya? I ripped arse vapors tougher'n you..."

Then he understood. The things eyes moved past him, paying the empty-handed pugilist zero attention. It looked to Sana, a little way behind his current position. Something in Keystone's voice changed; it went straight past "businesslike threatening" and over to "dedicated controlled rage". "No, you bloody well don't." he growled with believable certainty, and raised his fists. That thing was trying to hurt Sana, so by all those gods mentioned earlier, Keystone was going to respond in the most violent manner possible. The second it got within range, Keystone leapt to attack, fully, and without hesitation.


Reginald Keystone



Location: Qasr El Nil Barracks (Courtyard)




"Crown's Orders, yes quite." said Reginald in a knowing, reassuring manner. It wouldn't be the first time he had heard that phrase, admittedly one he had used himself on more than one occasion. The phrase was rather final in it nature, especially when paired with appropriate paperwork. Orders of the Crown meant that whatever conversation said words were interjected either had to cease, or be taken with the utmost of respect. At the very least, if one invoked the authority of the Crown, they controlled the pitch and yaw of the conversation for the next undetermined length of time.

Considering who this was and the circumstances of the last time the Lord Major had seen him, he did not require Crown's Orders to lend an awful lot of conversational latitude. When Peter had finished speaking, Reginald piped up with, "Composure Under Extreme Interrogation, my dear boy. There really should be a medal or presentation of some sort for it." His face took more of a downturn as emotion bubbled behind his features. Lest he internalize something he really ought not, Reginald almost blurted, "I am abashedly sorry, positively regretful that we could not locate you in time. Had we any idea you were still among the breathing, I would have faced Court Martial to recover you, Peter. As it was, we were steadfast in belief that we were trying to reclaim a corpse, and I could not justify the risk to my superiors to have us continue, not with the offensive on. I am indeed plagued by regret. If there is anything at all that I can do to help you readjust or get into proper sorts, then you have all of the influence of my position at your disposal. You have but to ask, sir." The words out of his brain and into the air, sincerity in every syllable, Reginald looked a little lighter, metaphorically speaking. He even decided to fix himself a drink.

The Lord Major procured his own tumbler and took a couple of bottles off of the cart. To begin, he dipped a modicum of warmed honey into the glass, followed by a more than healthy dram (or three) of Fine British Gin. Reginald mixed the two thoroughly, even to the point of foaming the liquid lightly. He took a second to inhale the escaping vapours, then got back to his business of finishing the beverage. An amount of red, transparent liquid poured from a bottle featuring the picture of a pomegranate, amount equal to half of the existing contents of the glass, was added quickly. Finally, a fair amount of the raw fruit itself, little red-corn seeded bits of sweetness, garnished the finished product. He slid the glass over to Peter, and motioned an offering to the others.

"I realize this isn't quite the sophistication of a proper Single-Malt, but I do suggest that you give it a go nonetheless. It is a popular recreational beverage, local to Cairo. There is a proper name for it in Arabic, you see, but the natives prefer to simply call it "Gin & Juice". Quite refreshing; deceptively potent."

He picked up another glass and began breaking down the rest of the pomegranate, continuing wistfully about the drink. "Yes, one may see the occasional member of the mercantile classes upon uncovered carriage, its wheels revolving across the thoroughfare as they take in the smoky discharge of smartly lit hookahs, partaking small imbibes of this "Gin & Juice", all in a very relaxed manner. Likely, they use the time to mull over pressing financial issues. Or allow such financial issues to weigh upon their thoughts."

"But it is a lovely touch of Cairo, I suspect you all may enjoy."
@Lady Amalthea @Sigil @Dragoknighte @rivaan @POOHEAD189 @Lucius Cypher @IcePezz @The Grey Dust

NEXT ROUND BEGINS!

Initiative:

Cyneburg
Sana
Keystone
Lerraina
Calanon
Njat
Thomas - The daze has passed, you're good to go. But that also means that the ward is fading away.
Kyra
Satilla

Feel free to include the previous round's resolutions in your next post before declaring action, if you are so inclined. Remember: Declare actions, not results. Also, tag the next person in the lineup after your post.


Updates

Season: Late Fall/Early Winter
Time Of Day: Night, middle of
Weather: Cool and damp, with a clear, open sky
General Ambiance: AHHHHHHok, this is getting old. Tense, obviously.
Location: Front lines, defending the Orc Cave




Specific Resolutions:

Cyneburg: Cyneburg's plant growth spell kicks off marvelously. Basically, every plant within radius (that isn't a tree) is making life difficult for anyone and anything trying to move through it, especially any straggling skellys. Any movement very far from the ice wall is brought to an undramatic crawl. Four more people like you, and you can summon Captain Planet.

Calanon: A momentary slip in Mr. Elk's footing causes the first arrow to thud harmlessly into the wall of ice. Likewise, the second arrow finds no luck, embedding into the now invasive undergrowth wrapping around the skeleton you were aiming for. Sorry duder. This was not your best round. Better luck with the upcoming.

Kyra: The fletching of one arrow causes it to veer slightly off course. Both arrows seem to be attracted to the same skeleton; the first detonates it, while the second continues traveling through to nail another one caught up in Cyneburg's angry plants, the explosion spinning the arrowhead into yet another with equal, plant-shredding boomage. Hey, a three-fer! Way to go, Kyra.

Ntaj: Nothing particularly awful happens to Ntaj. I just wanted to put this here to mess with your head.

Lerraina: Good news and bad news. Let's go in reverse alphabetical order and start with the good: The first arrow nails a skeleton that wasn't mired down by the undergrowth, before it manages to nail a group of already injured Orcs. For whatever it's worth, congrats. Lerraina might just be labeled as Orcfriend among the surrounding tribes. Don't go putting that on a resume just yet, though - here's the bad news: The frost from the ice wall had gotten a bit out of hand, affecting the branch Lerraina's squatting on. Her boot squeaks out from under her, and she's fast on her way to meet the ground. I'd recommend exhaling before making connection. Hurts less that way.

Keystone: Is able to get back up. That's really the best news he has at the moment.

Sana: Welcome to the Wonderful World of Hypothermia! I'd show you around, but you're in no condition to move a whole lot. Sana is conscious, but getting colder rapidly. Her teeth seem to be tapping faster than Gregory Hines on Red Bull. Alive, but in bad shape.



New Round




Those of you inside the wall of ice can still hear the occasional POP POP POP, but they're coming slower and farther apart. As are the shouts of Orcs, for better or for worse. As the seconds tick away, a profound quiet returns to the woods. Those of you outside of the wall notice that the skeletons have stopped running forward, and no more have joined the fray. There are a few caught up in the wildly inconvenient underbrush, but their heart (if they still had one) really isn't into attacking. Slowly, they try to turn about and return to where they came. Meanwhile, there are plenty of dead Orcs on the ground.

Back inside of the wall, the vaguely humanoid mist stops its circular movement around the ward. It crosses over the wall slowly, its strangely illuminated eyes darting back and forth from Thomas to Sana, back and forth, back and forth, playing an awful game of Eeny Meeny Miny Moe, before settling on the compromised Gypsy. A horrifying grin splits its vaporous face, impossibly wide and terror-inspiring. The thing floats down steadily, secure in its own absolute control of the situation. It looks hungry.

@Lady Amalthea

And Sana is up.


Keystone

Location: Woods North of Salarn, Orc Encampment, Evening of Day Three
Interacting With: The Ground




Keystone wasn't sure if what was going on was good or bad news, on the short term. Realizing that all of this was a force building tactic often employed by utilizers of the Undead, the broad man was fairly confident that long term consequences of this evening pointed squarely toward the negative end of the "Stuff That Could Happen" spectrum. But he couldn't react to then. He could only react to now.

Or could he? Red, swirly force of potential death above, ice formed around him, death raining down upon the Orcs not protected by a wall of ice... and where the ass was Kyra and Gretchin? Keystone took a glance over to Sana. She didn't look so great. The reflexive step in her direction that he meant to take was waylaid by the forces of greater thermal and fluid dynamics (not that he knew what to call it). The frost building up upon the ground seemed thickest directly near the wall, the very spot in which the occidental monk found himself when it formed up. Thick and fast enough to hold one of his boots to the ground around it, even before his feet registered the drop in temperature.

Like a man caught unawares by the shoelace-tying pranks of youth and/or immaturity, Keystone waved his arms around, impotently trying to maintain balance before hitting the ground like a sack of meat. At least his boot ripped free of the accumulating ice, but he was forced to spend any time he may have had doing something useful picking himself up from the frozen ground in an ungainly fashion. This was not how he hoped his evening would progress.


Caesar Gonzalez


Location: Queensguard Private Airfield




Crap. This was like old times. The feeling of adrenaline that usually accompanied bullets narrowly missing him and his coursed though Caesar. Before he even realized, his gun was in his hand opposite of his blade. Instinct was strong with him. Fortunately, so were his wits. Going back was no an option; before they could get there it would be cut off. Well, unless he killed the three behind them. Then his back would be to the other pair of armed men that were likely calling for backup as they ran. Bad odds for anyone, even Caesar. Suicidal odds for Cecily.

Part of his mandate was to keep her alive at all costs. Even if he died, if the very junior Coroner got out with the evidence she needed, justice could be had, maybe. Not the revenge that he wanted, but something like it. The girl had to live. Caesar moved to interpose himself between Cecily and the guards behind them, shouting, "Go! Make for the hangar!" He squeezed off a couple of rounds at the men behind them before joining the dash for cover. He wasn't trying for kill shots, persay. Men like this had to be wearing vests. A .45 slug would put a man on his ass if he could get a torso shot off from this distance.

No warning? Not even a "Freeze, asshole!". Opening fire on intruders not obviously armed with the intent of killing them? Not exactly legal, most instances. No, something was up, here. No time to find out now, though.

But speaking of distance, Caesar surmised that the men 100 yards out would have one absolute hell of a time hitting the broad side of a barn at that distance, while running. Good money had them at the hangar. There had to be an office or supply room or something inside they could hole up in, else the means to get out. Hell, maybe they could find a helicopter. Very elegant means of escape, if needed. But now, priority was cover. And keeping the girl alive.


Ash Holloway



Location: Building 1, Infirmary




Mention of a functional prosthesis definitely piqued Ash's interest. Not for himself, but for Sophia. From what he could tell, speaking with her on interviews or check-ins, her experience with construction would be amazingly useful in keeping things upright (like the ever-important WALLS). Keeping people alive was priority one. Keeping people useful was a close second. Sophia with two functioning hands could remove a fair amount of extra duties from himself, and if today was any indication, Bridgette as well.

In these troubled times, rough amputations were a lot more common. Surviving them was more difficult, and even if one did, their productivity and survival chances dropped in case of a emergency. Getting some of that back was well worth the investment. Listening to Sophia, she felt the same way.

"Future Mrs. Hook?" he mused aloud. He had heard it around, but didn't say anything. It was the kind of thing that Bridgette would say, except that there was a distinct lack of profanity involved. Ash nodded, even smiled thinly, and opened his mouth to say more - until his radio went off. The news from the Armory was not the most welcome. Set aside the fact that Ash had considered handing off one of the satellite phones anyway, its removal without mention was troubling. The more relaxed look to Ash's face dissolved immediately.

"Yeah. If you would, please bring that at a run. Infirmary." His voice was terse. Luckily, counting the time to lock the Armory and beat feet to Ash's location, it was about ninety good seconds before Astrid got to hear Captain Holloway clear his throat and state flatly, "Go for Ash."



The Great Bazhooli



Location: Building 7 (Rec Center)




This show was getting a little too complicated, at least for the amount of practice time available. Give them a week, maybe as little as a couple of days, and something was possible. Coordinating a performance between two people who have never worked together before, trained under two very different types of the Performing Arts, and have just met that day (that is to take place in a few hours) was problematic. The Great Bazhooli did not know how to respond to her expressions or other nonverbal cues yet, a thing which took time and a little trust.

"Da, I can lift on shoulders. But remember, am Impalement Artist. I juggle, but I am not Juggler. Cannot be comfortable doing this without practice. Vill try though, if you vish, and is not making your Jack upset, ok?"

It occurred to Bazhooli that his position there might be viewed as threatening to the observations of the recently engaged man. Russian performer meets Russian performer; they literally had their own language, worked in a similar capacity before the Outbreak, and met by astronomical chance in Georgia, of all places. "Ve should involve your man too. In some way."



Bridgette Vinters



Location: (outside of) Heard County High School, Franklin




A whole other settlement. Lots of new people, conveniently squatting in a High School, of all places. Seemed fitting, when Bridgette thought about it. In the random swirl of her teenage years, she often thought that school was the end of the world. Now that it really was the end of the world, people went back to the place where that feeling originated. High School. Like prison (and the rest of the world now), High School divided people into cliques, had a tendency to be violent, and gave you an education. Maybe not the one you wanted, but you learned nonetheless. Another feature in common with prison, this new world, and high school, was that you stood a much, much better chance of dying if you were all alone.

Now, here were these guys. Bridgette didn't know what kind of people they were, but if they were letting strangers in, or at least near, because they had a medical emergency, it meant a couple of things. First off, they weren't the type to "prematurely retire" someone who was grievously hurt, not when there was an option. Secondly, they were provisionally open to allowing outsiders in to help. Continuing with the observations, the good(?) people of Franklin weren't entirely stupid, either. Astrid went in, Bridgette and the new girl stayed behind.

Astrid's parting words marked either restraint or a conditional promise of violence on Bridgette's, she couldn't quite tell. Regardless, she didn't want to give the impression that the message in Norwegian was in any way unclear to the Frankin people. She put on a dangerous smile and responded with a nigh cheerful, "Aw, you know me. Friendly girl." in clear English. The smile faded into something more serious as Astrid disappeared into the school. Bridgette gave a look over to Tryke, and back into the group of strangers near her. She didn't know any of these people, and to be frank, she was a little testy at having to wait outside while her closest friend in the world was someplace unknown.

Tryke had her minor conversation with the guards, or at least who she thought were guards. For all she knew, they were the actual Welcoming Committee. Maybe they needed one of those in Newnan? No, passing thought. Then the one guy introduced himself. Naturally, such displays of gentility required adequate and polite response.

"Well hello, Marx. How the fuck are ya?" she said in mock seriousness. "I'm the Contingency Plan. Don't suppose you got any water for these horses? We have a hard ride back."
@Sigil Hmmm. I have a slightly hairbrained idea. Or several.

-The Crypts aren't religious and they're quite odd, maybe the church suspected they were soulless and sent Mary to the manor


THIS. This works. Mary has files on a lot of people suspected of being Soulless, open and closed cases, etc. Sitting down to Tea with Virginia sounds plausible. There is potential here.

So, just throwing this out there for the sake of PC relations - Are any of your characters Catholic, live in Holbrook, West End, or Cheapside neighborhoods of London, or otherwise have figured out any way in which they would have associated? I don't have a clue, looking at everyone's CSs.

Open to suggestions.
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