11.16.2020 Before Black Blood

Before Black Blood: Floyd
Floyd encounters a mysterious group of ghouls in Prospect
IC Date	16/11/2020
Players	Bobo, Floyd
Location	Prospect Backalleys

Red bricks rise in every direction in this dingy back Alley, snaking it's way behind Prospect Storefronts. The sound of mid-morning traffic can be heard from the nearby streets. Though you stand in the heart of civilization, it just feels empty here... Barren, even. There's a gray, windowless Van parked here for some reason.

The Sun rises in the distance, casting a pale orange light over Prospect California. Rumors have been abound of strange happenings in the World of the Restless Dead lately, Wraiths, or perhaps Spectres, being led places by mere mortals. These Wraiths often appear later, with strange markings in their corpus that do not correlate with any known Arcanos. Details are fuzzy, with few Wraiths getting close enough to get real details without disappearing as well... By mere happenstance, you catch a glimpse of a Wraith following a group of three mortals into an alleyway. A rather plain looking young man, a conventionally-beautiful Woman, and a man built like a bodybuilder. The Young man pokes his head out of the alleyway after he enters, suspiciously surveying his surroundings for something, before disappearing back into the alleyway.

Floyd tilts his head to the side as he watches the wraith follow the three men in. He knows better than anyone, that Oblivion has more than just the most famous powers available at it's disposal. Doesn't want to take any chances and just strolling on in so he bides his time. Good thing too, since the man peeks his head out to look around. Once the head pops back into the alleyway he makes for it, approaching the alley and peeping around to follow. Floyd gains one Magical Weakness

Floyd rolls Wits + Argos vs 7 for 3 successes. 2 2 6 +7 +8 +9

"I-" The Wraith stammers. He looks like an average businessman, beige suit, black tie, crew cut, the works. "I came, like you asked." His voice trembles. "So please...leave my daughter alone." The Woman steps forwards. The meek look on the other two's faces makes it clear that she's the boss here. A soft, welcoming smile flashes across her lips as she speaks. "We aren't going to hurt you..." She trails off, her tone growing dissonant. "We just want you to see how much she loves you. Loves all of us... We'll explain more in the Van. Jeff!" She calls, and the average looking one hobbles up to her. "Start the Van. Brock, make sure the coast is clear." Her tone is commanding, even as her tone remains low. The hulking adonis of a man begins eyeing his surroundings carefully, looking down each alley with the lazy 'enthusiasm' of someone who's sure they've already won. "We've already got YOUR ride..." She says, opening the back of the Van. An urn of ashes sits in the center, seranwrapped tightly as to not spill. There appear to be all SORTS of odd baubles in the back of this Van. Toys, books, furniture, a Gun... an absolute menagerie of strange things

"But before you slumber..." A cruel grin flashes acrossed her face. 'Jeff' and 'Brock' swallow deeply in fear as they watch cautiously. "W-we're supposed to save it for mother..." The tough looking one stammers out. But he gets only silence in response. The Wraith's aura begins to flicker and waver with terror. "Let me have...just a taste..." The Woman leans in, breathing deeply. The plasm of the Wraith's corpus begins to flow into the womans mouth and nostrils like air, a crazed look in her eyes. The Wraith's bloodcurdling scream could be heard for blocks around as he begins to grow less 'solid' in his Corpus.

Floyd rolls Perception + Empathy vs 5 for 2 successes. 3 3 4 +8 +10

The leader has a deep red aura, with large pale blotches in it. The other two seem to have those same pale spots in their aura, as it flickers with the familiar orange of terror. .... ... "You're telling me." He says to no one in particular watching the 'feast' unfold. "We gotta get something somehow. A remainder of something. A tag. Can't risk going up against them, even in a meatuit." He Decides to cause a distraction. That van looks right and proper in working order. Let's make sure it isn't anymore.

Floyd loses one Willpower Floyd loses one Magical Essence Floyd loses one Magical Essence Floyd gains one Magical Weakness Floyd gains one Magical Weakness

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Flux vs 6 for 2 successes. 1 2 4 5 +6 +8 10

Floyd gains one Magical Weakness

Bobo rolls 5 + 3 (8 dice) vs 8 for 4 successes. 2 6 6 7 +8 +8 +10 +10

The Womans eyes immediately snap towards Floyd as he makes his entrance. As her concentration breaks, the Wraith immediately begins frantically clawing his way away from her, crawling frantically despite ostensibly still being floating. Her eyes appraise him carefully, her lips twisting into a snarl as her two toadies try and steel themselves enough to look tough. "Begone, Kindred. This is no business of yours." She says at first, before her eyes snap towards the shining morning sun as it crests over the horizon. Her voice flickers. A look of clear confusion is written across her face. "W-...what the hell are you?" She asks, eyeing him up and down repeatedly, like she can't believe what she's seeing.

"Uh...Boss?"

Her large companion 'Brock' calls. "Somethin' is wrong with the Van." He says, watching the streaks of rust and rot spread their way across the Chassis.

"You. Deal with this...thing before things get out of hand. And YOU. Stop snivelling and start the damn car like I TOLD YOU." The plain looking man climbs into the drivers seat and begins to frantically twist the key, the engine stalling every time. And the hulking adonis of a man... seems to be charging right at Floyd, shoulders lowered in a tackle.

Bobo rolls 5 + 3 (8 dice) vs 6 for 0 successes. 1 1 3 3 5 5 6 8

"Well...I guess it's party time." Floyd says. He gets to his feet. "Time to let the poor soul go." He says, and begins the Risen Walk. You know it. Jason Vorhees perfected it. That determined, almost finalistic walk that makes people think they if they touch them...well, they will explode or something. The man with the tackle is assessed and Floyd sidesteps, moving ahead of where he was to let the guy miss him. So. Floyd is going to do the only thing he can do. There is a full, wide range display of STUFF just WAITING in that Van. Floyd makes a run for the Van. He needs stuff anyway. To the ghost he says. "Get out of here!"

Bobo rolls 1 + 2 (3 dice) vs 8 for 0 successes. 1 2 10

"I can't... they have my Fetters! All of them!" The Wraith calls frantically, pointing towards the van as his voice drips with raw desperation. The walking tank, Brock lowers his head as he expects to tumble to the ground with Floyd, only to breeze right past him instead. The shock trips him up a little, but he's closed the distance at least. He grinds to a halt, and draws a combat knife... only to see Floyd running out of his range once more, beelining for the Van. Brock takes off after him.

The Leader, for her part, steels herself. She plants her feet, standing right between him and the Van. "STOP." She commands. Strange symbols will fill Floyd's vision for a brief moment, and he'll feel someone telepathically trying to reach into his mind and enthrall him... to no avail.

'Jeff' frantically continues turning the key to the Van. "OhshitohshitohSHIT' He mutters frantically. But he's not going to get anywhere... Floyd will know just by the sounds his heightened senses are giving him that the damage, combined with the frantic attempts to start it, have flooded the engines.

Floyd only has seconds to react. He is at the Van, and it's like a fucking Lost on Treasure Island episode. Which object to take? He takes two - each for their own reasons. The first is the Urn, only because he suspects that the urn is tied to the poor wraith in question. The second, is the pistol, so he can pull it on the sorceress and blow her head off in the hopes of releasing Poor Soul A. Poor Soul A is the quarry here! The rest are optional goodies.

Floyd loses one Willpower

Floyd gains one Magical Weakness Floyd gains one Magical Weakness

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Firearms + 2 vs 7 for 5 successes. 3 3 3 5 +7 +9 +10 +10 +10

Floyd rolls 3 vs 7 for 1 successes. 4 4 +10

Floyd rolls 1 vs 7 for 1 successes. +10

Floyd rolls 1 vs 7 for 0 successes. 3

Floyd rolls 11 vs 6 for 5 successes. 1 3 3 3 5 +7 +7 +7 +7 +8 10

Bobo rolls 5 + 3 (8 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes. 1 1 3 5 +7 +7 8 8

Bobo rolls 5 + 1 (6 dice) vs 6 for 3 successes. 5 5 5 +6 +7 +7

The Woman laughs. "Do you really think we would leave that lo-" Her brains are immediately splattered onto the wall behind her, her smug look twisting in horror as she falls to her knees. There's a sickening thud as her head smashes against the concrete, blood pooling at the ground beneath her. In the flash of an eye, she's gone. If Floyd tries to make any kind of followup shot... he'll notice she was right. The clip WAS removed. But they always forget about the one in the chamber...

"Oh, fuck this. I-...I'm telling Mother about this!" The young man in the front seat says, slamming the door behind him as he makes a wild dash for the street. Floyd might have a moment to watch him go... before the enraged roar of her other, braver companion is heard, as makes an arcing wild slash at Floyd's abdomen. He looks unhappy, to say the least.

Floyd rolls Stamina vs 6 for 2 successes. 2 2 +10 +10

Floyd loses one Magical Essence

Floyd loses one Magical Essence

Ow!

Okay. It didn't -really- hurt. Floyd doesn't feel pain...or pleasure either. Everything is faded, odd and frustratingly numb. This time though? The numbness aint so bad. And dont ask him to pump pathos to feel it either. No thank you. He doesn't respond save with a sound of surprise, more than pain. A quick spin of the pistol in his hand and he goes to smack the handle of the pistol into the man.

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee vs 6 for 1 successes. 1 2 3 3 4 4 5 +6 7

Floyd rolls Strength vs 6 for 0 successes. 1 2 5 9

The enraged behemoth of a man simply rolls his neck with the blow, negating any force generated by the blow. He looks up, eyes still burning with fury as he continues to swing wildly. One, two, three quick thrusts in succession, all aimed at Floyd's face. But they're wild and uncontrolled... just like this Brock fellow is, right now.

Bobo rolls 5 (5 dice) vs 6 for 0 successes. 1 -1 2 4 8

Bobo rolls 5 + 2 (7 dice) vs 6 for 5 successes. 3 5 +7 +8 +8 +9 +10

Bobo rolls 5 + 1 + 3 (9 dice) vs 6 for 6 successes. 2 4 4 +6 +7 +7 +8 +8 +10

Bobo rolls 5 + 1 (6 dice) vs 6 for 4 successes. 2 3 +6 +6 +9 +9

Bobo rolls 5 + 3 + 1 (9 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes. 1 3 3 3 4 4 +6 +8 9

Floyd rolls Stamina vs 6 for 1 successes. 1 4 +8 8

Floyd loses one Magical Essence Floyd loses one Magical Essence Floyd loses one Magical Essence Floyd loses one Magical Essence Floyd loses one Magical Essence

Floyd loses one Magical Essence

Floyd rolls Stamina + Inhabit vs 6 for 5 successes. 1 2 2 +6 +7 +7 +9 +9 10

Floyd gains one Magical Essence Floyd gains one Magical Essence Floyd gains one Magical Essence Floyd gains one Magical Essence Floyd gains one Magical Essence Floyd loses one Magical Essence Floyd loses one Magical Essence

Well now! Floyd is pummelled. Much of the man's fist hit steel...ish. Not actual steel, but Floyd's body is hardened surface. That doesn't stop some of the jiggly bits on the inside to not get beaten around though. The strength of this guy is NUTS. N-U-T-S nuts. So he has to down and out this guy. If he can? Then he can run off with the fetters. Probably get more ghosts out of captivity if possible. If not? It's only a harrowing. How bad could it be? ... ... ... "Fine. Deal." The devil's bargain made, Floyd attacks.

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee vs 6 for 1 successes. 1 1 2 2 4 4 +6 7 9

Floyd rolls Strength vs 6 for 3 successes. 3 +6 +8 +10

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee + -1 vs 6 for 3 successes. 1 3 3 4 +6 +6 +7 10

Floyd rolls Strength + 2 vs 6 for 2 successes. 1 2 4 +7 +9 10

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee + -2 vs 6 for 3 successes. 2 4 5 5 +6 +7 +7

Floyd rolls Strength + 2 vs 6 for 0 successes. 1 1 -1 3 9 10

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee vs 6 for 5 successes. 1 4 4 +6 +6 +7 +10 +10 10

Floyd rolls Strength + 4 vs 6 for 5 successes. 2 3 5 +6 +6 +7 +10 +10

<<OOC>> Floyd says, "5B for first."

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee + -1 vs 6 for 0 successes. 1 2 2 4 5 5 5 6

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee + -2 vs 6 for 0 successes. 1 1 -1 2 5 6 6

Bobo rolls 4 (4 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes. 4 4 4 +7

Bobo rolls 4 (4 dice) vs 6 for -1 successes. -1 3 5 5

Bobo rolls 4 (4 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes. 2 5 +8 +10

Bobo rolls 2 (2 dice) vs 8 for 0 successes. 4 4

Brock is absolutely clobbered in a furious volley of pistol whips. Bashed in the head until he is on his knees, and then beaten into the ground like a tent pole. Blood splatters from the corners of his mouth as he raises his hands. "Try THIS on for size." He says mockingly, his words slightly gargled between the mess of blood and missing teeth that fills his mouth. He focuses, his hands trembling as he tries to do...SOMETHING. But it doesn't work. He hangs his head for a brief moment, before looking up to Floyd with a grizzled face.

"Kiss. My. Ass." He says defiantly, with what may be his last breaths.

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee vs 6 for 7 successes. 3 3 +7 +7 +7 +8 +8 +8 +9

Floyd rolls Strength + 6 vs 6 for 5 successes. 3 3 4 5 5 +7 +8 +9 +10 +10

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee + -1 vs 6 for 5 successes. 2 4 5 +6 +7 +8 +10 +10

Floyd rolls Strength + 4 vs 6 for 2 successes. 1 4 4 5 5 +8 +9 10

Floyd rolls Dexterity + Melee + -2 vs 6 for 4 successes. 3 4 4 +7 +8 +8 +9

Floyd rolls Strength + 3 vs 6 for 5 successes. 4 5 +7 +8 +8 +9 +10

Bobo rolls 4 (4 dice) vs 6 for 2 successes. 2 4 +9 +10

Bobo rolls 4 (4 dice) vs 6 for 1 successes. 3 4 4 +9

Bobo rolls 4 (4 dice) vs 6 for 0 successes. 1 1 7 8

Floyd sneers at the guy. Sure. The amount of power the Shadow has doesn't taint his mood, but instead the Shadow simply grows in presence and awe. So it doesn't have to build Floyd's inner turmoil for Floyd to look at the guy with disdain. "Don't worry. I have friends who will take care of you if you cross. They /love/ people like you." He says, as he then proceeds to beat the man - actually, to death. Regardless the Shadow's lack of involvement in this skirmish, its presence is still influencing the Doomslayer. He finishes his slugfest before standing back up and looking at the gun tossing it into the van. Where is that ghost? "Hey!" He just says, to open air, if the ghost managed to hide. "All clear. You good?"

As he keeps swinging, he'll feel the wet splash of blood leaping off from him as his head is virtually caved in. He collapses, flopping limply into the ground. Blood begins to leak from his skull, but then something strange happens...the wound begins to close on it's own. Not much. But his skull goes from 'caved in' to 'heavily cracked' before he loses consciousness. It looks like he might've managed to repair that wound! But then his breathing ceases... he couldn't repair fast enough, it seems.

The watching Wraith looks on in horror. He has the thousand yard stare of someone who was NOT prepared to see a man get pistol whipped like that. "B-b-b-b-b-buh" He stammers meekly, his corpus shaking in fear. "...B-better." He says. "T-t-thank you. T-they said they were taking my fetters somewhere. T-t-they said it would be somewhere safe. B-b-but when I changed my mind, they got weird. Sh-sh-sh" He pauses. Finally, he snaps. "SHE DRANK ME!" He wails mournfully, his corpus flickering like static as it tries to fill in the blanks she took.

Floyd looks at the wraith. "Hey!" He says, holding a hand out. "Calm down man. Relax. Come here." He gestures. "I can help with that. Just relax." He will approach the Wraith and, with the power of USURY! TADA, Floyd will dissipate a few levels of his Corpus to bleed through the Shroud, enfusing the wraith with substance and presence.

"I'll...I'll get better. Don't worry. But...thank you." He says through shivers. "It's just...she DRANK me. I've...I've never heard of a necromancer that can do that. And they kept talking about this...'Mother.' They wouldn't shut up about her. They had a Wraith with them earlier who was the exact same way, 'Mother' this. 'Mother' that. It's..." He pauses, taking a second to try and keep his corpus 'solid' through all this emotional trauma.

Floyd's heightened senses will cue him in to the sound of a window opening, and a woman absolutely shrieking, her bloodcurdling cry echoing through the alleyway. It's time to go. Floyd doesn't look up. That would be DUMB. "Time to bail. We gotta get this stuff to a safe place." He explains. "We'll take this stuff to my fort and keep it safe until we find out what to do with it all."

"O-OK. I don't Embody much, but I'll try and help you out..." Between the two of them, they should be able to grab all the assorted things in the back of the Van. "W-we should get out of here. Before th-What the hell?" The Wraith says in surprise, his eyes turning down towards the earlier woman. An unseen Phone in her Jacket pocket begins to vibrate... It must have been very strong vibrations, because the woman reduces to dust. Nothing more than a couple of bone fragments and dustbunnies at this point.

"I'll take care of it." Floyd says. SCOOP. The phone is received. "Let's bail. Follow me." Floyd will take the goodies, + phone, to a VW bug and get the hell out of here with a pile of fetters and a weirded out spook.