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Old 09-05-2016, 12:35 PM   #1
LemmingLord
 
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Default [IC] Villains Round Table

Death of Small Pox

Where does DoSP get his mystical news? Wherever he does, he will get the message that the Ferryman is looking for someone to take his place for a week long vacation. There is no mention of compensation.

What does Small Pox do with his days when he doesn't have a job? What kind of bills or compensation drive him?

Where does DoSP get his real world news? Whereve he does, the news is very much like the modern day, but with politician names changed to protect the innocent. The third party presidential candidate in the US politics may actually win Minnesota this election year!

Does DoSP have a headquarters and/or home in the material plane? How about the metaphysical?

The Feebleman
Feebleman gets off the train station wishing he was invisible to cameras. What terrible negative side does his wish give him?

Feebs is glad he is in Indianapolis now. Far enough away from his home town of Chicago where the police have almost figured him out, but an incredibly big city with plenty of opportunities for mayhem. There is a Dragon gang presence here... but they will hopefully not be prepared for him so he can be on the offensive like he likes.

But someone is probably following him for some excitement. Who should that be?
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Old 09-05-2016, 03:09 PM   #2
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The Feebleman walks out of the train station towards the automatic doors that lead out, and they slide shut. He and a few dozen other people stand waiting for the door to open, but it doesn't. After about sixty seconds, a guard pushes everyone back from the door, and it opens. About half of the group gets through before feebs approaches and the door starts sliding shut again.

And the process starts over again.

feebs gets the feeling that someone is watching him specifically, but isn't quite sure who.

----------------------------------------------

Smallpox, as he prefers to go, works because he is a cosmic entity with a drive to perform. He also takes great pride in his work, unlike some of the other entities. In his down time he carves additions to his mansion of bones on the banks of the Styx. It started as a big pile of bones, but the mansion is at least half done.

Small pox doesn't really need to sleep, so the mansion is more about impressing any souls that may come by. He receives much of his news (his gossip, at least) by gossiping with old friends and VIP's crossing the styx. His news is very death-centric. Most of his news about political stuff comes from "Jumping from Buildings" and whoever he's transporting at the time.

The head death knows right where to find him when he has an assignment to give small pox.
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Old 09-06-2016, 08:00 AM   #3
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Feebleman
Feebs fights his curiosity about who might be watching him to put on his most polite demeanor and to put on his best sickly man card to ask the security guard, "excuse me, i'm sorry to bother you but could you override the door fir us? I'm going to be late for my chemotherapy."

The old unfriendly door curse. Second time it has happened this week. Would the guard have pity on him?

In actuality Feebs was hoping to stave off another migraine attack with some oxycodone from a guy he heard of from another guy... It was hard to get drugs legally when you were off the grid.

He will induce a cough at some point to give a look around him.

Smallpox
Smallpox walks along the river Styx with Gene Wilder, listening and answering his questions.

"So that's the actual river Styx and this isn't my body but my immortal soul... Good. My soul has practiced better hair care..."

"Can you tell me, and I know you must get this question al the time, what's on the other side, and how do i pay for the ferryman... Does my immortal soul have a checkbook?"

Smallpox sees the end of the line for the ferryman Charon up ahead.

There are many deaths already in line, including Heroine Overdose, Texting While Driving and yes, at the front of the line, the beautiful Jumping from Buildings.
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Old 09-07-2016, 12:25 PM   #4
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The Feebleman

"over ride... what do you think I'm trying to do! step back. step back! lets try this again!"

As the guard fights with the stubborn door, feebs notices an employee's only door with a good old fashioned knob. He also notices a breaker panel.

He looks around for who's watching him, and finds the guy. Or gal: a pale looking woman in a black hoodie advertising a gym membership.

Smallpox

"Correct, and this is a metaphysical realm where time works a little differently ... we find processing works better that way."

"Charon's fee. oh that old myth. Charon will carry you across the river regardless of what you have. Though your generation has been quite stingy with gifts for the ferryman. If you've somehow managed to keep any possessions (and you haven't), you leave it all at the river styx. Some folks have tried getting around that, but Charon is pretty good at what he does."

"As for what comes afterwards... Not even the VIP tour gives you that."

The Skull on smallpox's head seems to grin.

"Its processing, and then the great beyond."

Smallpox gazes at Jumping with that motionless stare that passes for waving hello among the ranks of the deaths. The dead rarely notice this, but its quite obvious to the dead. They'll talk more when they reach the other side of the river.
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Old 09-08-2016, 05:10 PM   #5
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The Feebleman

Feebleman Fred Farly treats this as a Super Mario level, stepping back as the man requested... several additional feet and prepares himself to rush the door at full speed. He makes a mad dash, hoping to be a tad faster than the mean door.

Unfortunately the door comically closes faster than non-magically possible, and with great strength, breaking two of his fingers.

"OOoof!" says Feebs, "well that didn't work.. Ouch that smarts..."

Feebleman makes a big deal of it, leaning against the wall and sliding down into a sitting position on the floor, "ow ow ow," showing the guard how his fingers are bent and getting bigger.

"Oh what a bad day..."

Feebs hopes to encourage the security guard, who must really want to get rid of him right now, to help him to his feet and into the employees only section.

"I don't suppose you have a first aid kit handy? Ow ow ow."

If he does get the guard to take him outside the area, he will make sure to look back and give the girl in the hoodie a mischievous smile and wink.



Smallpox

The two souls with Jumping have stopped asking their questions and the awkwardness between they and her is palpable. Suicides are often the most sure that what awaits them on the other side is oblivion, hellfire, or coming back as a cockroach.

Jumping turns and when she provides the slightest of skull nod towards Smallpox, it looks to him, the death equivalent of a charismatic starlet tossing perfect hair back to reveal beautiful sultry features.

She has come a long way these last few centuries. The number of people dying from jumping off buildings has increased dramatically with the corresponding increasing altitudes. She found her confidence in the 1920s and 1930s when the great depression and failed businessman with access to skyscrapers conspired to give Jumping the experience to come into her own and really make a name for herself with the death community.

Stroke is there at the very front of the line, patting the asses of nearly ninety souls into the ferry. He pushes Seafood Allergy back and shifts to allow Jumping in ahead of Seafood Allergy.

"Are you listening to what I'm saying to you?" Gene continues, "This suspense is terrible... I hope it lasts."

Jumping helps one of her charges into the Ferryboat, but the other, a raven haired soul who used up all her courage in her mortal life apparently, runs a little away from the line at the river bank.

She says, "I cannot go! I have no place there!"

Jumping beckons her charge with a skeletal finger. The other Deaths don't move.

Gene is somewhat concerned, "but what will happen to her? What if she runs? What if she doesn't go on the boat?"

When the soul turns to run again, Jumping appears behind her. Her tall form hugs the soul close, lifts her up and carries her back to the boat. Her skeletal hand stroking the soul's long hair to comfort her.

It looks like in the time it has taken Jumping to do this the number of available spaces on the boat has decreased to just enough for Jumping and the soul in her arms.

Bear Attack, Seafood Allergy and their charges are still ahead of Smallpox in line.

Bear Attack's charge is a young soul who seems about to cry. Bear Attack's nuanced stare is as if to sigh. VERY WELL. Bear Attack hugs his charge awkwardly.

Seafood Allergy speaks up, "Are you sure there's not room for just two more?"

Stroke shakes his skeletal head, "See you later losers!"

Gene says, "oh well... we can take the next one right?"

Smallpox would probably prefer to find a way onto that boat.. Might be tricky though.
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Old 09-12-2016, 08:45 AM   #6
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The Feebleman

The Guard is very annoyed with Fred, and takes him back right next to the employee's only area a bit rougher than necessary. He ducks in, grabs a first aid kit, auickly wraps Fred's swelling fingers in gauze, says something on his radio, and then tries to get the others out of the door while 'help' comes.

He isn't inside -- but Fred now knows the door isn't locked, and the guard is concerned with other things.

Smallpox

Jumping's rise coincided fairly well with smallpox's decline. He'd seen less and less even as she'd seen more and more, and he was now in virtual retirement.

He'd see jumping on the other side of the river.

I thought you liked suspense? Now you have more time to enjoy it. Besides, rules are rules. You'll find this place of the afterlife to be a place of order.

he almost says it. He probably should. But...

"Charon, excuse me. We have someone -- special today. Would you mind if he took the place at the head of the boat? I know we normally don't fill that without someone fitting, but I've been instructed to give him a full tour. And he is the very soul of strange and ironic, so its not a bad stretch."
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Old 09-17-2016, 08:40 AM   #7
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The Feebleman

Fred notes the guard's name as he fights through some finger pain. "Thank you, Clive." Fred's broken fingers are immobilized effectively.

The "employees only" office is somewhat disappointing. Fred had hoped it would be the security camera hq, but it is more of closet with a tiny desk and an aged computer with a hard drive bolted to the concrete wall (like I'm going to steal a fifteen year old computer).

Indianapolis was going to be a challenge... Clive was keeping a cynical eye on Fred in the backroom, meaning Fred had to play the sick and injured card a little while longer. Fred fought the urge to annoy the guard even more with some creative vomiting or a seizures...

No no. I just need to get out of here without attracting too much more attention to myself. Who was this girl out there? Oh no... maybe she is a friend of a friend who wants to deal me some 'meds.'

Fred decided invisibility to the cameras around here should be swapped out for something a bit more useful. He mouthed a new wish, "I wish I knew this place in and out, including all the camera blindspots."

Fred followed the guard Clive back out into the public area, using his advanced knowledge of the station to stay in camera blindspots or using passers bys to block line of sight from the cameras.

When Clive's attention was turned to other things, Fred went back to the employees only section, passed the little closet of an office, and into the maintenance tunnel system towards a rarely used exit point.. then decided he couldn't help himself but to mess with the guard.

Fred returns to the security checkpoint room, wishes himself the appropriate tools, unbolts the useless computer case from the wall, and takes the computer with him back down the tunnels. He has to leave behind the monitor and peripherals.

He wishes himself a dolly handcart and rolls the computer behind him down the tunnel, chuckling to himself all the way.

Smallpox

Quote:
"Charon, excuse me. We have someone -- special today. Would you mind if he took the place at the head of the boat? I know we normally don't fill that without someone fitting, but I've been instructed to give him a full tour. And he is the very soul of strange and ironic, so its not a bad stretch."
Charon nods to Small Pox agreeably. They have a mutual respect and Death does give Charon much latitude in how he handles his ferry business. Charon turns to Stroke, meets his eye socket's gaze, then with a subtle skull tilt, communicates that Stroke should give up his seats to his elder.

Stroke crosses his arms rather childishly, but he can't afford to get on Charon's bad side and so leads his ninety charges back off the boat, leaving plenty of room for Gene and Small Pox; and Bear Attack and Seafood Allergy too. He may hold a grudge.

Charon pulls from under his seat a dapper top hat for Gene which he takes without too much prodding, "er, thank you.. why that looks familiar..."

It apparently means something to him and to several of the other passengers.

Charon "whispers" into Gene's ear and his soul blushes some, "why... why certainly...if I can remember..."

Charon begins to row and Gene begins to sing. There is joy in his heart as memories that had faded in his mortality are found fully intact and accessible to his immortal soul.

"Round the world and home again
That's the sailor's way
Faster faster, faster faster
There's no earthly way of knowing
Which direction we are going
There's no knowing where we're rowing
Or which way the river's flowing
Is it raining, is it snowing
Is a hurricane a-blowing
Not a speck of light is showing
So the danger must be growing
Are the fires of Hell a-glowing
Is the grisly reaper mowing
Yes, the danger must be growing
For the rowers keep on rowing
And they're certainly not showing
Any signs that they are slowing"

Jumping pleasantly sways to the somewhat ominous music, pleasantly her robed elbow nudges Small Pox's.

After a time, the main Death can be seen, waving in a princess Diana fashion, signalling the near end of the River Styx trip.

How does Small Pox learn his next assignment? However it is, his next assignment is in five days. Brain Cancer trusts that children's author Anna Dewdney will be in good hands with Small Pox.
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Old 09-21-2016, 10:11 AM   #8
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Feebleman knows exactly where all the exits and entrances are. And where every living creature is. Including all of the dust mites on his and everyone elses body, which is quite unsettling.

But he walks down the access hall for the train, computer in tow, even if he's limping now from the tools and dolly wishes. But what's a little pain to Fred?

He emerges from the tunnel into the streets of Chicago without seeing the girl any more.

---------------------------------------

Small pox leads Gene off the boat, smiling at the music, and processes Gene.

Smallpox gets a small break, polishing bones to add to the mansion, watching jumping as she makes her rounds, and occasionally helping when stroke comes through with enormous loads.

The head death himself informs Smallpox of his next assignment. The figure just appears in the mansion of bone.

"Anna Dewdney"

Its a single ominous phrase, and then the head death is gone.

Another VIP. What is this world coming to? When will I get a real challenge?

Smallpox turns, and ominously vanishes, reappearing in Lower Bartonsville, Vt. Its a tender moment, when someone passes. Smallpox waits for the exact moment, and then lifts her up into the world of spirits.

"What... where am I? Who are you?"

"I AM DEATH. I AM HERE TO ESCORT TO BEYOND."
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Old 09-24-2016, 08:23 AM   #9
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The Feebleman
One little pain is nothing to Fred, but these were dozens of pains on him right now.. Ache from his head, ache from his stomach, twinge of his broken fingers, and it seemed his knees were hinged differently, or perhaps his cartilage was missing.

In any case, everything hurt like hell so Fred sat down in an alley, whimpering. There was emotional pain too... The knowledge of every place on every train goer's orifices where there were tiny mites eating away at them.. It was all a little too intimate for Fred. Getting too close to people was like that.

Fred slid his hand along the pc case. It was too much for him to carry further... He wiped the tears from his eyes and laughed a little bit about how he had been overwhelmed for the moment and tried to focus. With the tools he had acquired, Fred broke open the case, pulled the memory unit - and pocketed it.

He tried to "clear his wish," hoping his body would revert back sooner rather than later to something that didn't hurt so much.. He left behind the case and the vanishing tools and dolly.

He made one more "ow," before putting clenching his fists together and walking down the streets of [ chicago? or indianapolis? whichever you want to run ] - The Feebleman was here, and he was looking for the friend of the friend who had the drugs he needed.

(where would be a good spot for him to meet such a contact?)


---------------------------------------
Smallpox

Anna's soul peels away from her mortal form, becoming free of her body, free from her coma.

The hospice care worker holds the body's hand.

"What... where am I? Who are you?" Asked the soul.

"I AM DEATH. I AM HERE TO ESCORT TO BEYOND."

Anna looks about, "oh, but my daughter missed my passing. Could we stay a few moments more? And is there a way for me to say goodbye?"

(what is Smallpox's response to these questions?)

After half a minute, Anna's soul's eyes pop open impossibly wide and then her soul's mouth becomes twisted as she bellows a scream. A glowing green spectral rope wraps around her soul's foot, dragging her away through a wall at the speed of thought.

This is necromancy. Some kind of spell to snare the human soul for use in some task. A powerful one.
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Old 10-03-2016, 10:59 AM   #10
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The Feebleman

Fred feels at least some relief as he walks through Indianapolis. The pain fade's slowly, but it does fade.

He needs to get to a more disreputable section of town. Fortunately, he got off fairly close to just such a place. He walks through the streets until he arrives at the place.

The man has the "goods", but Fred needs to present his money first.

Smallpox

"THERE IS A WAY. IT WILL DELAY YOUR PROCESSING. YOU MAY APPEAR IN A DREAM. DO YOU WISH THIS"?

Anna is about to answer when the rope grabs her.

"Necromancers. Interesting."

Some necromancers were completely within the law. They did what they did with "due process" and though it was stupidly annoying, it was allowed. Others... others weren't within the law, as it were, and had to be dealt with. Both usually were tougher nuts to deal with.

Smallpox waited for a moment for Anna's soul to rest, feeling the soul call to him. As fast as a necromancer could move a soul, he could move, but it was good idea to scope things out before charging in.

And had he seen that particular spell before? he wracked his mind to try and figure out.
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