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



Location: Gretna Green
Skills: Fal'shbort (Passive), Tretiy Glaz (Passive), English, General Observation



The quest that Vladimir was placed upon was admittedly not as glamorous as the one he had just finished. The last one took him over land; roads, fields and forest. It took him over sea; a great body of water he had not the privilege of crossing over until that very moment. He had met interesting and exciting people; a noble French lady who disappeared into her own mission, a strange scarred fellow who up and vanished, a Mr. Nigel Ownerand (Proprietor of this Inn) with sideburns and eyebrows that might have scared away Soulless, and a Captain of a La Canela ship that he might have wanted to associate with much greater intimacy. Vladimir had witnessed the accidental shooting death of his guide from London, looted his corpse, and stood ready to give the swag over as wedding presents. He had vomited upon the main deck of a ship in such a way as to inspire epic poetry, as everything he did was with the utmost of panache, and he had broken his nose not once, not twice, but THRICE in the same hour.

Vladimir Dmitrievich Alexandrov, heir to the Baron Alexandrov and the one and only reigning Great Bazhooli had experienced all of these things for the sole purpose of helping three very important women crash a wedding. His life was AWESOME.

In comparison, this order to find a church just didn't measure up. Or at least he thought it wouldn't. Oh, it was short-lived, as he just had to go into town a ways and point in a general direction and BAM, there it was. Vlad was just about to turn back to tell his corpsified, canvas-covered ally that they had located the place wherein his remains might be sanctified, when he realized that he was pointing not only at a piece of holy ground, but the very image of The Lady Virginia Crypt, Mistress of Wenwynith. It stood to reason, she was another of the three that left together. But why were they apart now? Well, these were questions for after he made a scene.

"HA!" he exclaimed, and not for the first time today. "AH, HAHAAA!" Okay, that one was new. Vladimir again flipped from the back of his grand, ebon horse, rising with arms outstratched. He began to stride confidently toward the pale woman, shouting, "For yes! Most elegant and beauti..." He stopped for just a second to look back at his horse, ordering him with a blurt of пятка, Волстой!", prompting the horse to follow at his heels as he continued, without missing a beat, ...ful Lady Crypt, stoic and intense, dangerous young volf ov alabaster skin and eyes like sword-iron under cloudy vinter sky." He stopped within a pace of Virginia, sweeping his hat off and taking a knee to bow in a grand gesture, next to the open road, in clear view of any and everyone nearby. "Am still, and alvays, villing to make servicing for Lady Crypt."

Vladimir rose, "But just for the now, my mausoleum flower, must place fallen comrade upon holy ground, on order of Grand Duchess Elizaveta and return. Please forgive."
Dr. Swamp
β‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Ž
Location: Shadowell Manor: Attic (Laboratory)
Skills: Intelligence
Hit Points: 2
β‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Ž


"I agree, dear Chanteuse. I agree indeed." There was a twinkle in his eyes and his voice was, in contrast to the dry wit he had been expressing for most of the evening, hopeful. Commanding, even. Dare one say, optimistic? Yes, please dare. Optimistic. "I too have come here for a matter of personal difficulty, as I can only assume from the facts presented everyone else has as well, only to have the situation muddied by the malice and venom of... other factors." Swamp was looking about the room as he spoke. He had picked up a leather tool satchel and was collecting various items from around the room. "Hmmm... bone saw?" he asked himself, "Shall I require a bone saw?" He shrugged, a smile growing on his face, "Better safe than sorry!" he exclaimed, tossing it into the bag. It was one of many items of uncertain nature he had procured.

"While I gather this, Amaranthine, I do wonder if you would be as kind as to locate a tray, ah... it would be something like a table with wheels on the legs, that it might he moved easily. Oh! And this part it a little offputting at first, but we must divest him of his clothing just prior. Hopefully before his innards fully unclench, if the persons of the household wish to retain use of his pants ever, ever again. Hmm, nice tie..." He shook off the thought, but returned to the examination table and plunked the satchel of tools upon it, next to the Late Lord Bardolf. "Worry not, madame. I shall assist as best I can with that last task, most unsavory for a person of your obvious refinement. Just one more quick look about the room, and we should be ready to set to it. Madame Chanteuse?" He was smiling. Smiling. The Doctor actually had a nice smile, be it a bit wiry around the edges. "You are doing fine. Thank you for your assistance with this." Distantly, he was reminded of the last person who assisted him. Swamp hoped that it was not the same kind of help; he didn't think he could survive it again.


Gilbert Summers

Location: Ville au Camp (Outside Gate)
Skills: N/A


The shimmering in the air, all of the air, was enough to give Gilbert a surprised raise of his eyebrows. He had seen many, many things before that were fantastic in nature, possibly more reaching and grandiose than even this in his long years, but it was a different matter when it was completely unexpected. Like someone went to open a can of peanuts and instead was treated to a container full of orange marmalade. He blindly reached in, expecting salty, roasted peanuts, only to draw back a handful of sweet and tangy orange gloop. Oh, there was nothing wrong with the citrusy biscuit-topper, but when you expect nuts instead you cut a surprised, disgusted face and find someplace to wash your hands. Maybe find a biscuit, too.

Everyone seemed to have the same question in mind: Was this normal? They phrased it in different ways, but the intent behind it was all the same. Likewise, the answer for all of them was a broad, sweeping, "No. No, this is not normal." Gilbert's voice was distant, as if he was pondering some vast mathematical quandary that had fallen onto is lap. In a clearer voice, he continued, "As with so many things that has happened since the arrival of our guests, I am without knowledge nor precedent for this. It is a very curious happening." He turned around to face the remaining Emendators and Paradoxes present. "Sophia, I believe that our plan hasn't changed much. We still need as much help as we can get. We must locate the other Paradoxes. If possible, we must reestablish a Loop, or otherwise create a haven. For right this moment, I believe that we should determine if the Plantation is safe to enter, and if so, scavenge for any equipment and supplies we may need. I do not know if we should remain for very long." There were other considerations in play. Dangerous ones.

Continuing, "What I know of this is minimal. I encourage the opinions of others, but I encourage them as we move."





James Grady

Location: Ville au Camp (Outside Gate)
Skills: N/A


The plantation still stood, meaning that the horrible set of clothes and the rope belt were probably still perfectly okay, back in his room. That was a downside. On the upside, there wasn't a whole lot of things that he overly needed on those grounds, despite the advice of The Hat to return and scavenge, but a few additional items to help them not die would have been great. "Look here, I ain't needin' needin' nothing, big, really. And if'n Mr. Hat can pull stuff out his Hat, then I says we get gone from this place til we can get us a couple trucks we can throw shit into, 'fore we return. IF we can, y'dig? Them carnival folk might have the right idea, travellin' in caravan and keepin' they asses movin'." He shook his head, "Imma miss me that General Fuzzy, though."

James looked over to Andromeda, a soft quality coloring his voice. "Hey, I ain't meanin' nothing by it, Miss Andy. Tryin' to put some funny in a fucked-up situation's all." He replaced his cowboy hat on his close-cropped head and reminded, "Aight. It gets sunny, this all you... But hey, you had Superhero teams in your timelime? Like actual superhero teams, or was it like the comics an' movies in mine? I mean sho', we had us the Livin' Dead, but wasn't nobody who could fly or, or... um, blast muthas with no eyeball freak-beams." Sure, it seemed like a stupid question. But in his world, it used to be a stupid question to ask if you put a knife through a dead person's skull so they wouldn't try to eat anybody. Sometimes, stuff just happened to change the game. Like now.



Reginald Keystone



Location: Athribis (Underground)
Skills: Fortitude? Dexterity? Britishness?




It was with no small amount of heaving and tugging, not too horribly unlike the story of a silly stuffed bear with an unfortunate sounding name (by today's standards) that had consumed too much honey and became lodged in the doorway of his friend's domicile, that Reginald was removed from the horrible situation within which he had placed himself . That feat of Hundred Acre Engineering took quite a bit to accomplish, in hindsight, and it most assuredly did NOT involve a proper Gentleman and Lord of the British Empire hanging from his unmentionables over a deep deep dark dark deep dark pit. (Kudos to anyone who gets that reference.)

The direct insults as hurled by various LAUREN members of their party, though extremely well-founded, were shuffled off to the side of his thoughts as they were voiced mainly while he was suspended by his crotch over a gaping chasm of death. Certain things might be forgiven in hindsight. For at least as long as it took for the rope burn on his anus to heal, anyway. After he finally got back up on solid ground, however, he quietly gathered his belongings back from Lauren.

His undergarments were still mostly outergarments, technically, though he maintained enough of his British fortitude to prevent the horror and indignity from etching itself upon his face at the time. He did take to heart the advice of young Miss Benaszewski, considering that, in this instance, hanging about by his fundies was indeed the best case scenario. Visibly, anyway. In truth, he didn't put a lot of stock in the value of his own life, except for what he might do for others. And if he died in the process, hell, that might be a blessing. Still, the adrenaline of the moment, coupled with the continued goat-getting of the young American grated the hell out of his nerves enough to launch him into a row of unrestrained faux laughter as her "joke", with a hearty, "HA HA HA HO HO HA HA HA!" followed by a snarky, "You slay me, madame! Harrumph!"

He sighed. His undergarments were still a touch exteriorized, which he needed to attend presently, but first he softened his tone and said broadly, "Thank you, thank you all. The bad habits of an lifetime soldier, I'm afraid; please forgive the blundering of an old man." And more specifically, "Quite right, Mr. Zalil. Very inappropriate. Perhaps my time shall be better spent with differing pursuits, until my passing may actually accomplish something." Reginald took a step or three back, and while he wrenched his clothing back into something less barbaric to his entire pelvic region, he gave something of a once-over to the tile puzzle that the intellectuals were pouring over. Who knew? Maybe something from his days in Engineering or Codebreaking with the Royal Armed Forces might be of use here. I mean, all of this had to be based on something, right? Like modern mathematics came all the way from ancient Greece and Persia, and still of perfect use.

Reginald shrugged, shuffling his coat, hat, and sword back in their rightful places. He'd heard of worse ideas. He'd just lived a worse idea. Damnit.





Haring Reddish



Location: Benha (Elite Deck, Cabin)
Skills: N/A




"Why, thank you, Miss Clarke! I do so intimately enjoy being a person worthy of asset-dom. Lady Munn, do lean if you find it necessary, and have no qualms about positioning me betwixt or between yourself and danger as a fully serviceable meatshield, if it please m'Lady. Any family of the Lord Major, whatnot and et cetera, you see." He gave a quick wink in the direction of Josephine, though whether it was a sly wink reinforcing the redoubling of his positive inclination toward the woman or an indicator that if (heaven forbid) he were to catch some ammunition she might use her newfound powers of amazingness to prevent his troubling and messy demise. Perhaps a thing to inquire about later. Or not. The thought process of the errant Corporal was a minefield full of surprises that a classically trained mentalist would pass a kidney stone trying to navigate.

As much as he did feel obligation to assist Vera, as well he should given the considerations above, the mismatched adventuring pair of himself and Josephine did not initially come down here for the purposes of seeing to her needs, specifically. Now that she was joining their party, Reddish felt the need to summarize. "I shall be succinct, Lady Munn," he began, apparently still not quite able to refer to her as "Vera" without a threat otherwise from a higher-ranking officer or similar, equally offputting condition. He took in a lingering, deep breath in preparation of his summary and began: "Miss Clarke and I went to the Bazaar to locate her grandfather's watch, likewise hoping to find out who took it on the chance that this person was involved with the constant harassment aimed at the Fellowship, only to have the beauteous young starlet assaulted by a shopkeeper because they don't take kindly to women haggling in these parts, the result of which was a slash to her face (which simply will not do, you see) that would have made one justified in setting his place ablaze and micturating upon the ashes afterwards (yet I digress) nonetheless prompting a return to the boat to have the physician see to her injury, only to find that Miss Clarke engaged some form of divine witchiness to close her wound herself, causing the Doctor to collapse in a faint, giving me the opportunity to locate a paper indicating yet another person aboard two doors down that might have the watch..." The color of Reddish's face was becoming quite, well, reddish at this point, but he was bound and determined to get this out in one go. "...ergo causing us to pass near the stateroom just in time to hear your calls for assistance, responded to posthaste by the..." He held up one finger, indicating that he was nearing completion and to please not interrupt, but politely as he didn't figure anyone was about to anyway. Nonetheless, his vision was starting to get spotty and he was slowly going down to a knee as he continued, "...sudden surge of preternatural strength from Miss Clarke, yet again evidence of her possible connections to forces most eldritch, only to find you alone in this room; meaning the object of our search and further answers about our plight very well might be two staterooms over." His hands were shaking and he was down on both knees now, wavering back and forth as if beaten to a standing knockout by an expert pugilist. Reddish thanked his lucky stars that he had come to the end of is sentence.

The shuddering sound of his lungs refilling was accompanied by his bloodshot eyes flying open wide. Simultaneously, his legs both spontaneously unfolded, springing him back to a standing position with naught but a slight bobble to his head indicating that anything amiss had just occurred. Summary down, next came the plan, such as it was. "Seeing as the doctor is or was unconscious, naturally we had to exit to go get help, yes?" he laid his finger next to his nose and nodded, a clear signal that here is where the chicanery was taking place in the monologue, Which, m'Lady, is precisely what we are going to let on if discovered. Now, this is a small boat, and it's naught but a small space of time until we're discovered if we're not already, so... two doors down? Hmmmm?" Reddish cocked his head to the side as he hmmmmm'ed, raising his eyebrows in the process. "As the item belongs to the lovely and talented Miss Josephine Clarke, I shall follow her direction on how to proceed, yet I must insist on ensuring the safety of you both in the meantime. That is to say, madames, command me from behind, yes? Let us go."

With that, Reddish peeked his head out of the doorway, attempting to remain hidden while determining if safe to proceed unnoticed.





Ash Holloway

Location: Quarantine (Conference Room -> Briefing)
Skills: N/A




People were talking. That was to be expected. People were talking about him, specifically. Much of it was sarcasm, which was fine with Ash. He had broad shoulders and thick skin, and moreover spoke fluent Sarcasm. It was a rarity anymore that he dipped into his knowledge of the sarcastic arts, but it was in there, buried. Whatever. The people in that room had every right to some small talk about the utter shake-up in their Quarantine guests. Far be it for him to say anything to the contrary. Ash merely maintained his stance, though he couldn't help but gaze in Thana's direction with a look of contentment on his face. She was reuniting with her people from the road, the former Team Eden. Looking at them, Ash wasn't sure that it was an appropriate descriptor for them anymore. Sure, it was a label to hang on them collectively and people would know what he meant by it, but the assault on Eden was just the origin of these people's association. They had come from such different backgrounds and had only met the day that they left together. Ash almost envied what they had, a closeness that few people outside of a military unit at time of war would ever understand. He hoped that they could hold onto it now that they were in the relative safety of a community.

But the wheels of bureaucracy continued to turn, as they ever would with any organized group of people. Even in an apocalypse. The touching reconnection with her team was nearing a conclusion, and Ash had taken a step or two in Thana's direction again when another member of CMB entered the Conference Room. It was Panama, and he had a list. This was interesting. Considering the names on the list, Ash was a bit confused. It took him a moment to realize that the last names spoken belonged exclusively to what remained of the Eden group, plus himself, and Thana's callsign here. That didn't seem to altogether make sense. They had little in common except for Thana and that they were outsiders here. Whatever questions he might have would probably be answered shortly, so Ash kept quiet and followed the man down he hallway with the others.

Briefing. The sight of the word on the door gave Ash the slightest feeling of mirth. Briefing, or the reciprocal Debriefing had come to also mean something else for him, though nothing that he should get into here. This was serious. For purposes of entering this unknown situation, Ash quickly righted himself and got into a more "On The Clock" demeanor; his eyes becoming hard and observant and his posture retaking something more soldierly. Whatever the purpose of their presence in this room, Ash was meeting it as a professional. Upon direction to the seats, Ash took a center one in the semi-circle and sat patiently at attention. They were calling in the settlement's Executive Officer. This was important, whatever it was.



Thalia Carmichael

Location: Quarantine (Conference Room -> Briefing)
Skills: N/A



Thalia could hear herself being swept away by a range of emotions that she hadn't wanted to really share with anyone yet. Seeing Thana had let her guard down some, though the particular way in which the chose she her words to Thalia put the marginally younger woman right back on it. Not only that, but no matter how much they had to discuss or shoot the shit about in private, Thana had more people she had to speak with individually. Every so often she would sneak a peek in Ash's direction (because she wasn't stupid) but for the most part she just enjoyed being in the presence of her dear friend while they all shared the moment. Even if she was more guarded and self aware at that point.

There was a moment that drew her back out of it. Thalia thought at first that she might have been seeing things, a second of wishful thinking that had gotten away from her combined with a piece of personal history that stretched back to the first day of their unity as a group, just a mere trick of the light reflecting off of the can to make it look like something it wasn't... But it was. Someone found The Os.

Shifting into a predatory gaze, Thalia slowly began to change her position, moving with quiet determination ever toward Beatrice and her gifted can of machine rolled pasta. Her face was calm, expressionless except for an unobtrusive smile that could easily be taken for happiness in seeing her friend again, but the eyes - she had the ruthless glare of a cat sizing up an unsuspecting grasshopper, readying for the proper moment to pounce and devour merely for the crime of being noticed on a tall blade of grass. She stalked over to Beatrice, thinking back to the last time that Dem Os were up for grabs. It was the day she lost her arm. Oh, but that didn't count. It didn't change anything. Sympathy Os were not part of a playbook that brought any lasting resolution to the situation, though she had to admit that she consumed them readily enough when offered. And here they were again. Tempting. Mocking. O-ing. She was going to plant her face in those Os one way or another.

While moving somewhere behind Beatrice, Thalia heard her last name called among a list of others. Aware that attention may be placed in her general vicinity, she had to abandon her present course of action. Inwardly she cursed the timing, but her face showed nothing except for a casual surprise at mention of "Carmichael". She beamed a gentle smile toward her friend, the act in defiance of the inward but unspoken thought of, "This isn't over yet." Indeed, the O Wars continued.

Thalia tore herself away and filed in line with the group headed toward Briefing. She selected a chair to one side and slid into it, crossing her arms in front of her and leaning back. She waiting with a determined gaze, curiosity mixing with guarded caution.



Hank Wright

Location: Quarantine (Conference Room)
Skills: N/A



Hank's more jovial attitude as of late, while yet considered uncharacteristic of the man, did take a backseat for a moment. He was carefully studying the reactions that a lot of the people were having, seeing as some of them were beginning to understand the implications behind their separate interviews. Considering Hank's own, he believed that it was possible the nature of each one was different, and if the people of Mexico Beach counted themselves as organized in the least then they had to have been sharing notes, probably both before and after the interviews took place. Perhaps that was why he found himself looking to the older French gentleman who a lot of the people there knew. He was having some sort of fit or another, and Hank appeared to be hanging on every word he was mumbling, though he said nothing about it himself, taking a page from the Army Captain's playbook about keeping things quiet, lest too much information be spilled unnecessarily. My, but that was interesting, for whomever else might have picked up on it.

What did could not quite get was the Little Mermaid reference. Hey, whatever worked for his buddy Wayne. He wasn't hurting anybody and Disney was Disney, after all. Hank did feel a twinge that was birthed of memory, though. He had a little girl, once upon a time, that did like The Little Mermaid. It was a bittersweet recollection but did not stop Hank from joining in when the song selection in the jukebox of Wayne's brain selected "Les Poissons" as the featured act. Yeah, that was funny stuff. Hank was going to hyuck it up while he could.

After the room cleared out a bit, from the six names called for some group session elsewhere, Hank looked over to Wayne and casually mentioned, "I think I'm going to catch me a nap there, Maldonado. Let me know if the Pope shows up. He has some explaining to to." Reaching a hand down, Hank levered the footrest of the recliner in which he was ...reclining... and leaned back into it. Within a short span of time, he was already grumbling and snoring lightly, visions of French chefs and poor, unfortunate fishies meeting their end for his amusement.


Caesar & Keystone


Location: Grimm Indiana (Tinder's Place, exterior front)
Skills: N/A
Skills: N/A



It sure as hell took long enough, but finally, finally the duo from MSS had made it to the alleged Tinder Place. Now, Keystone was certain to say the alleged Tinder Place because, with GPS that wasn't ideal out this way and the occasional blocked street number, he had assumed that they ad reached the Tinder Place once or twice before, only to be let down by a second, closer look. Nope, this was hands down the alleged Tinder Place until such time as he could personally confirm the address by means of - "Wait! There we've got it, Boss! Postbox an' everythin'. We're 'ere." Oh yes, how smug he felt for the confirmation of location. He knew it all along.

Caesar didn't like the looks of this place. It looked how ghettos felt, hopeless and trapping. The haze settling over everything and the scent of burning might have had something to do with that. It gave a kind of creepy small town feel that can really only be appreciated by outsiders; people like Caesar and Keystone. With those factors at play, the older man might have thought a petting zoo a sinister place. (An evil petting zoo?) And there were two vehicles already out front, a rental car and the universal symbol for "nothing to see here", a cop car. "Don't like it..." he grumbled, staring at the house and and vehicles out front.

"Bloody 'ell's to like, Boss? And when was the last time you liked anything, oi?"

"You made an omelette once." Caesar's eyes didn't leave the scene in front of him, not once.

"You liked that, didja?"

"Mmm hmm. With the smoked fish."

"Means a lot, Boss." It really did. Damn near brought a tear to his eye.

"Caesar, okay? At least in private. Somos Familia, ahora. Father to my grandson. I want you to do something for me..."

"Well yeah, Bo... Caesar. Wha'ever you need." This was beginning to sound serious.

"You have a place. Someone told me. Not in your name, right?"

"Uh huh." Keystone wasn't sure he liked where this was going. "Keepin' it on the mums, though." There was little wonder why, what with super hackers and mystic artifacts in play, along with the uncertainty of the proclivities of people around them.

"No matter what happens after we leave this town, I need you to take my family here. Anyone who can get out needs to get out now. Your baby boy, my Angelita, maybe one or two staff you can trust, if you can trust any of them anymore. Get out. Use our resources. Keep them safe. Eventually, get them to La Casa. Eventually. If you get away from this, protect them. This is your job. Okay?"

Keystone nodded somberly. London it was, with a hefty promotion and a new family in tow. Who knew, maybe they would even be able to do something useful while they were there. And if that didn't work out, he did still know a ton of quiet spots in mainland China. "Absolutely, Caesar. I can do that." Before they could get to that, they had to handle the issue in front of them first. "On the now, hows you want to play this?"

"Keep level to start. Make sure your credentials are easy to reach. And your gun. And your brass. Get me? I don't trust a thing about any of this."

"Right, Boss. Slow an' easy, eyes out for hill folk an' the like." The pair of them exited their vehicle and gave the scene before them a good once-over before walking forward. The first step in an uncertain situation was scoping out the initial scene.





Vladimir Alexandrov



Location: Gretna Green
Skills: Fal'shbort (Passive), Tretiy Glaz (Passive), English



Yes. It was for the best that a holy place be found. With the latest upswing in the Soulless population and the less and less predictable nature of the rules which applied to them, tending to Ludwig's situation was important, perhaps even vital. If that evil wind was a form of Soulless or the extension of a power therefrom, then there was no telling what kind of creature would rise from what was left behind of Ludwig. Perhaps even something stranger and less recognizable than the unholy thing which discorporated him. And even if that was not the fate of the Mad German, he was their staunch ally, if but for a short while. The performance of the Ostanavlivat'sya was a respectful sendoff, and extremely rare in this part of the world. Vladimir would like to think that the odd fellow might look down on the application of it, taking notes even in death.

Though there was no true hesitance in the desire to carry out the wished of the Grand Duchess, there was desire to remain in her presence. The reasoning was two-fold: He had just gotten back to her after an extended period away, his journey's intent to find and assist/protect the Grand Duchess, Lady Crypt, and the Scary Catholic Girl as they completed their own mission involving the marriage. That brought him around to Millicent, the other lady of the hour and central figure of the mission in the first place. There she was, right there, with the grumbling highborn that was acting in a manner most ungentlemanly. Vladimir gave a look laced with harshness in his direction, surely this was part of the mission, wasn't it? No, no there must be something else at play for them to be so close to completing their objective only to be sent away, even for the proper honors of their fallen comrade.

The wishes of the Grand Duchess were the final arbiter of matters such as this, now that she had come of age. Vlad had to trust that she knew what was going on and that his absence, even as temporary as he could make it, would be a greater asset than his presence. The Great Bazhooli eyed the remainder of people in tow of Elizaveta with as much graciousness as he could muster despite his misgivings. "But for of course, my Grand Duchess! For you, I vill make vith the finding of fine, most holy of place for observing ov Ostanavlivat'sya! Am hoping is not much ov delaying. I am off, at the vonce, Your Imperial Grace." Vladimir swept off his fine, tall hat once again, arcing in in front of him whilst effecting a low, reaching bow, and then sprang back up with vigor that contradicted his years. A grin decorating his face amid meticulously styled and oiled facial hair, The Great Bazhooli swung himself into his saddle and, following the dramatic, neighing rear of his great ebon stallion, bid his short-term farewell in the hopes of locating a proper piece of consecrated ground, hopefully with a building dedicated to worship atop it.

Dr. Swamp
β‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Žβ‰Ž
Location: Shadowell Manor: Attic (Laboratory)
Skills: N/A
Hit Points: 2
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"Ah... Indeed," agreed the Doctor, taking the coat from Amaranthine with a more relaxed, confident expression. Swamp rested his cane against a table for a moment, just long enough to sweep the coat around his shoulders and allow it to settle along his slender frame. Something about his demeanor changed in the moment it took to don the coat; he seemed a little more animated, more boyish somehow. It was interrupted for a second as the pull of his skin reminded him of the stitching in his side (and why it was necessary in the first place), though the moment quickly returned to his face. "Thank you so much, dear Chanteuse. And please forgive me any lapse of professional demeanor. For the first time since setting foot upon these grounds, I feel useful to our situation. This is my wheelhouse, madame. I've a feeling we will take important steps toward solving our quagmire in this very room."

It wasn't exactly the cut of a labcoat that he preferred, but it was functional to his needs and fit him, plus gave an extra layer in combating the relative chill of the room. Next, he set himself to locating other protective garb before seeing to the body of the Lord, seeing as he could not rule out anything that caused his death as of yet. The thought graced his brain that, given the circumstances, the mask he wore into the Manor might actually be an appropriate selection. No, he shook that off for the time being. Fortune favored simplicity in occasions like this. No sense muddying the waters with unneeded sentimentality.

A set of gloves and a pair of sturdy goggles was required, certainly; the safety of one's hands and eyes were of paramount importance for a physician. "Now, if you would please, Chanteuse? I shall require the use of surgical tools: scalpel, bone chisels, mallet, tubal drains, probes, surgical rakes and the like... yes... And a case, satchel, or folding tray with which they may be staged. I did not think my talents in this area would be required for this visit, else I would have brought my own. I see the error in hindsight. A quick look around the room, madame, to see what may be of use? I shall begin the preliminary examination just as soon as we are equipped with contingency in mind. I despise being unprepared." He began a cursory search, leaning against the occasional surface for support as he mentally readied for what was to follow.



Gilbert Summers

Location: Ville au Camp (Outside Gate)
Skills: N/A


The ripples of time sure changed things from moment to moment, possibly even things which Gilbert had held as solid since the beginning. It was kind of funny, being absolutely certain about how things worked, only to have the building blocks of reality jumbled about in a paint shaker. It occurred to him that the Paradoxes had as good a handle on these things as he had at this point. Hell, they might have decent solo careers, in comparison, at this point. But hey, life was change. Change was inevitable. These things happened. The mention of a spot of tea did strike home with Gilbert; among the chaos of the ever-swirling kaleidoscope of how things were from moment to moment, tea sounded right. Solid. Grounded. Throughout the ages and timelines, it was something of a constant, as if it was as intrinsic to humanity as war, alcohol, or compassion. The more he thought of it as he tromped toward the Gate, the more he could go for a cup. Gil gave a casual, agreeing nod in the direction of Peter. "Yes. Let us see what we can do about that." Tea. Good stuff.

Stepping outside of the grounds proper for the first tie in a very long while, Gilbert took the occasion to look back upon the grounds with fresh eyes. He had seen this exact sight almost innumerable times, but like all things in the ordinary progression of time, the circumstances of that moment would never happen again. He gave a heavy sigh. Having spent more years outside of a temporal loop than within one, this was not going to be an amazingly huge adjustment for him. But it would be an adjustment. He did rather like this loop. It had character. Plus, there were others to take care of than just himself. They would manage, one way or another. They always did. Even with the tenuous grasp on what was that he had picked up from their circumstances.

As he set up just outside of the Gate, Gilbert took the occasion to answer Sophia's broadcast question about the nature of the closing Loop, "You know, Sophia," he began with a casual laugh, "I have absolutely idea whatsoever? Isn't it marvelous?" He stuck his hands into his pockets and leaned back a little, curious to find out for himself.



James Grady

Location: Ville au Camp (Outside Gate)
Skills: N/A


James had little in the way of personal belongings that he didn't carry on him, including now some of the ascended and slightly elder Paradox, Alicia's. She had been his friend. And now he wore a religious icon that he didn't really subscribe to and carried a bottle of something that he really only drank with any gusto because of her. Funny how thing worked out that way, sometimes. We are who we associate with, at least on some level. Days long, long past wouldn't have had those two anywhere near each other. Fate and an undead apocalypse brought them together as friends and allies. It was a lesson that could be applied to the people around him now, as well, even though they didn't quite have the same level of camaraderie. Yet. Looking around at the people most immediately near him, James figured that, given that they were about to leap headlong into the unknown together again, they very well might. James looked over to Andromeda, telling her in soft, deep notes, "Gonna be aight, girl. You wait an' see." He gave a slow nod, tipping the brim of his hat back with his first two fingers in the process.

Looking back at the Destrehan Plantation from the outside, several thoughts went through his head at that time. Though they seemed random, he decided to share them in no particular order. "Y'know, if this place gets eat up by some 'time hole' or anotha, least I can be thankful fo' is that the godawful, goddamned outfit with th' broke-ass rope belt that I showed up here in is goin' away with it. That's a truth I can live with, yessir."

"Ok, ok, hows about this: If'n somethin' bad goes down and th' rest of us Paradoxes're left fendin' for ourselves, I say we go underground, okay? Start us up a... a... yeah, a superhero team! Miss Andromeda, Miss Sophia, what you ladies think on that? Oh, but we gotta get names. Secret identities too, 'cause none of us's born yet. Or jus' identities, period. Hmm, I'm gonna think on that more. Get back to ya."

That thought gave birth to another scenario, "...fuck off, evildoers! Y'all's facin' Mandingo... nah. Nah, hmm... The Tusk! Aight, that sucks a fat'n... Hogwild? Eh. Hog Wilde? Maaaaybe... El Blackneck-o! Naw, that's just racist. I'll get it after a while." He probably wouldn't without help, no matter how many comic books he had been exposed to in his years.

But not everything was entirely self-centric, despite the variable opinion he had of himself. "Hey there, Miss Andy, if we stuck out here when it starts gettin' light again, you wanna borrow my stetson? Keep that sun offa y'face." He shifted it off anyway and offered it over, his head still covered by a tied bandanna.

Maybe he was just talking out of nervousness. It was a first for James, watching a temporal loop collapse right in front of him.



Reginald Keystone



Location: Athribis (Underground)
Skills: Fortitude? Dexterity? Britishness?




DAMN! Damn, damn, and blast it! The fates once again conspired to prevent the Lord Major from exiting the world in a gesture of heroism, once again denied him the opportunity to die with valor! Was he to ever rot in his field command, soaking up decent scotch and reveling in the accomplishments of a younger, brasher man that occasionally stared back at him from the mirror? Why could he not have been riddled with bullets as he did a fly-by against a German or Austrian target, or even before then as he fought valiantly against the colonial Dutch and their native allies in the south of the African Continent? Nary a dirigible explosion to ferry him across the Styx, no; nor could he have been met in single combat with a single bloody duelist worthy of his skill with a long blade. Nor a single aerial combatant that could have possibly bested him in the exploding skies of a proper dogfight! And THIS, this latest insult slapped upon him by whatever powers that be... Reginald could not even jump into a pit in the darkest depths of chicanery that the ancients of this country had to offer modern men and presume to slip this, his mortal coil in a manner befitting an old soldier! It wasn't right! It wasn't fair! It was... It was highly, highly uncomfortable!

That wasn't a metaphor, nor a euphemism. His Leap of Faith caught him with his pants up - way up. An outcropping caught the back of his belt, slipping the waist of his precariously high pants over the rounder part of his belly, allowing gravity to do what gravity does: pull things downward. One could see the ventilated argyle of his neatly manufactured socks stand as muted opposition to the brightness of his eyes, crossed under the suddenness and painful abruptness of his trousers (and what lay beneath) hacksawing their way into parts unmentionable upon the Lord Major, as the man himself expressed his profound dissatisfaction with the ordeal.

"AHHhhhHHHHHaaHHHHHH!!! My Gluteal Crevasse! By JOVE, the monogram on my interior garments is imprinting itself 'pon my colon! Quickly! Lift! Lift, there's a fellow. And/or a madame! Come along, I believe I can barely make out the flavor of the stitching, it's so far be-crammed!"





Haring Reddish



Location: Benha (Elite Deck, Cabin)
Skills: Investigation/Espionage




It was difficult to tell if anything was off, amiss, or other; not in the room occupied by the charming by painfully accident-prone Lady Vera Munn. The explanation for this might very well be Reddish's fault, being as he had been quite taken aback by the strange and fantastic goings-on of the party to whom he had been providing escort, Josephine. She had somehow been able to work her (alleged) witchy powers to close an open, bleeding slash across her face and just a handful of moments later throw a kick rivaling a battering ram through a stateroom door. Oh, the Corporal was impressed. A little scared, but highly impressed. Not scared enough to hightail it out of there and locate an exorcist to perform his stock and trade, but definitely enough to keep him interested with riveting fascination. Or to put it differently, if he wasn't on task for the Lord Major, he was going to keep close to the Starlet, provided she not threaten him with her amazing powers of the supernatural. He would hate to have to cry in public.

But definitely, Reddish would have to ask her more formally to be his bodyguard from now on. It made so much more sense.

Perhaps this is what he had been waiting for. Though it didn't happen to him specifically, he did just witness what amounted to a magical event that involved the Fellowship. He was present. It was revealed to him. Reddish had, if informally, crossed the line from bystander to MAN INVOLVED, if that involvement was purely in the periphery for now. It was a step in the right direction.

So far as the question concerning the presence or absence of the American, George, he could only relate what he witnessed. "Oh, no madame! This room was fully uninhabited, save for Your Ladyship, of course, ah... Your Ladyship! Yes. Likewise madame, no one left the room before Miss Clarke obliterated the door with her substantial reserves of," Reddish caught himself looking over the young starlet with something that looked very much like interest, and not of the academic variety, "...physical vigor, hmm." He cleared his throat and over-corrected himself by snapping promptly to attention, exhibiting the duty of his station among women of higher standing. "Please excuse the Corporal for his foray into a less professional demeanor, Lady and Ma'am. I am amazingly happy to see that you are perfectly canny, Lady Munn! I believe that we have business elsewhere on the deck, however, Miss Clarke, though I dare not leave the Lady unattended. Not with ruffians about." Reddish nodded somberly, and turned his attention back toward the open door, just in case.

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