[IC] MnM 3e - Hunter the Reckoning

[Doctor Malsyn]

Alan T. Darwin
HP: 4
Status: -1
-{o}-

Insight: 22

Henry almost has him with the way he spins his story, but Alan's detective instincts kick in partway through and he starts to seriously listen to what he's saying. Details just don't seem to quite match up, or certain particulars are being glided over such as just what the aggressor smelt like, any notable skin features Henry might've noticed, or even just how the entire incident started in the first place. This wasn't a man who got randomly jumped in an alleyway, they'd both come here for a reason on purpose.

Something comes to mind, and Alan stops Henry before he has a chance to completely leave the alleway. "Hold on a moment, I want to make sure I have everything written down..."

Alan reaches into his pocket, pulling out a pen and the Lotus Manual, showing Henry just enough of the cover that he'd have been able to spot a curious symbol inscribed within the Lotus itself. A Sign, 'The Imbued'.

[Sakuro]

Monday 26, July 1999, afternoon
After all of Angela's cajoling and coaxing someone finally runs into the Green Bean coffee shop, assuring her that they're going to call 911. Some people continue to linger, watching expectantly or concerned about the two men that had been hurt. But most end up going about their own business. People in a hurry to get back to their ignorant and banal lives. No one stops Angela from going over to Henry an Alan, though there are still some people watching from a discrete distance.

Breaking out his medical kit Alan looks Henry over and checks for broken bones, a concussion, and other concerns that might go over looked. Then he applies some salve to the man's throat to relax the tensing muscle and help his airway to relax again. Henry is more hurt that he let's on, but it isn't serious injury and there isn't much Alan can do to help here an now anyway.

Henry sees the forensic analyst pull out a bound book entitled 'Lotus Manual'. He flips through some pages before coming to one with a strange symbol on it. He's never seen this symbol before, but he knows it meaning: 'Chosen'. 'Imbued'. Or 'Allies'. He intuitively understands that this refers to him, and people like him. Henry also knows that it was written by someone like him. He doesn't know how he knows any of this, or how he understands the meaning of the symbol. He just does. With absolute certainty.

Investigate takes time and focused effort. I expect that you are trying to save time OOC, however I'm not going to let Alan ply first aid on Henry and investigate a crime scene at the same time. If you want to come back around to investigating the scene after you are finished patching Henry up and socializing, you may use the roll you have already made.

All the PCs are pretending to not know that you were dealing with a walking corpse. If Henry persists in this after seeing the "Imbued" symbol in Alan's journal, I'm going to require Deception checks from Angela and Alan. Then two Insight checks from Henry (one versus Angela and the other versus Alan) and an Insight check from Angela (versus Henry's existing Deception).

Henry receives the following Power:

"The Word", Feature 2 [Instinctively understands a mysterious set of symbols and may tell when they have been drawn by a fellow Imbued.]

If you want to know what the symbol Alan revealed looks like, there is a link in the first post of the OOC thread titled 'Hunter Code/The Word'. It is the first symbol in the list.

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: -2 toughness

"Look, I really need to get back to Ernesto. I'll be ok.", says Henry. "I've told you the highlights, but right now I need to go pick up my avo. You can reach me on my cell phone number of 555-1312 though and once I get him settled at home I'll give a complete statement say in two hours his house, okay? I don't think that creature is going to attack me again today and if he does I'll be ready.", says Henry adding the address. His body is already starting to leave.

Could it be others who know about the undead and inhuman creatures? Henry didn't know, but he had to find out if there was more to the cop and the woman with him than meets the eye. Maybe they were just people with a nicely decorated notebook. The fact a civilian was helping a cop without the cop saying back up plus something inside telling him to take the leap of faith made the chance worth it.

Before departing, he took a chance. "Whatever attacked me wasn't natural. If it was a man, he was really strong both in scent and strength.", adds henry to his previous remarks starting to leave. His body still ached, but there was no time for rest now. That creature had to be found and made to change from his violent ways one way or another.

My post assumes henry has been at the coffee shop long enough for Ernesto to finish his treatment and need to be picked up.

[Doctor Malsyn]

Alan T. Darwin
HP: 4
Status: -1
-{o}-

Alan snaps his book shut, and looks to Angela with a flat look that told nothing of the satisfaction he felt. "That man, Henry. He's one of us. I'd suspected for awhile that we weren't alone, but now we may have someone else to join us on this... Whatever this is."

[Sakuro]

Monday 26, July 1999, early evening
Henry leaves behind the crime scene and the man and woman who came to his rescue. At the hospital he finds Ernesto weak and sickly, but still making an effort to flirt with one of the nurses. She isn't have any of it though and insists that Henry take his grandfather home. At the house Ernesto get some ice cubes into a cup and heads off to his room to rest. If the other intend to take him up on his invitation to come over, he has some time to prepare.

Not too long after Henry's departure from the scene a patrol car with two uniformed WPD officers arrive and question both Angela and Alan. Angela get's some extra suspicious questioning, no doubt due to her current legal troubles, but nothing major comes of it. Though one of the officers reminds Alan that he is on medical leave for the next three weeks and shouldn't be taking undue risks. The officers leave, but there is little assurance of catching the attacker, who had already left the area some time prior.

Afternoon transmissions into early evening and the three of you gather, though when Alan arrives, Angela is still missing. Held up by some issue, or perhaps her own conflicted feelings and reluctance to get actively involved in pursuing monster while she is under police scrutiny.

MrDent, feel free to describe Ernesto's house for us.

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: -2 toughness

Henry rushed back to the hospital scrapes and damage in all just in time to save the nurses from Ernestos "charms". After becoming a widower and grieving a bit, he had picked up his old ways of flirting never able to settle down again. Didn't mean Ernesto didn't have a bit of fun though. Henry hid the pain for the most part and what he couldn't hide, he passed off as being tired on the drive back to the house he spent his teen years.



After getting Ernesto to his room upstairs, the same one he spent with his wife for so many years, Henry made sure he had everything he needed to rest closing the door as Ernesto started dozing off. Finally time to think about it all, Henry ran the encounter with the undead and the fact that he would soon need to get Ernesto to safety or find the zombie. The bruises stung, but all told his brains could have been eaten, if that was a thing with the undead.

While neither of the people who seemed to know stuff that could be useful said they would show up, Henry prepared for the two none the less. Just in case of attack, he got his knife out and put it in his belt. Better to be safe than sorry. Next, he put a pot of coffee on more out of politeness than anything given his recent consumption of coffee. When Henry sees a car pulling, he readies for the worst only to be relieved to see the cop.

[jmucchiello]

Angela Skyking
HP:3, Condition: fine
Monday, July 26, later afternoon

As the man leave, Alan says he's one of them. "He seems less experienced with this than we are." She sighs. "Are you going to meet him at his home? I guess I can tag along."

[Doctor Malsyn]

Alan T. Darwin
HP: 4
Status: -1
-{o}-

Monday, July 26, afternoon

Alan sighed, finally finishing up telling Summers and O'herra about whatever else he'd manged to get on the suspect's description. If he was honest, a part of him didn't actually want them to track him down and corner him somewhere. It's already been put on clear display how violently dangerous the being could become, and the officers he knew on the force would have no idea what they were dealing with.

"If I had to guess, he must've become aware only recently. It explains why he was so reckless as to confront a being like this in the middle of the day, with no back-up to speak of. If we hadn't gotten here in time... There's a chance I would've just been stuck gathering evidence to put in another cold case." His hand flicked down to another coat pocket, where his camels were. The only hesitation he felt right now was that desperate look Natty had given him last night when she caught him trying to light up, not wanting to see him smoking while his neck was still in stitches like it was.

"Of course we're going to meet him. I need to make sure he doesn't get himself put in a hospital bed like I was, and frankly we need all the help we can get now that..." He trailed off, recalling that other sham of an arrest that took place that same day. Alan would find a way to clear that reverend's name too, somehow. "Come on... We're burning daylight."

Monday, July 26, later that afternoon

Before he made his approach to the door the analyst made sure he had everything he needed on hand, from the gun strapped to his hip to the manual he now habitually kept in on him at all times. He'd need to modify his coat eventually, so he can keep it concealed more easily.

"Mr. Santos," He punctuated with a knock. [/b]"I'm Alan Darwin and this is my partner Angela. We met earlier."[/b]

[jmucchiello]

Angela whispers, "Don't get me in trouble for impersonating a police officer or something." Alan looks at her and sees a wry smile on her face.

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: -2 toughness

Monday 26, July 1999, early evening

Calming down from his ready to defend state as quick as he entered it, Henry opens the door in a friendly manner betraying a hint of apprehensiveness about something. "Glad the two of you could make it. Ernesto is upstairs getting some sleep, the treatments do a number on his system. So, we should be able to talk without anyone else listening.", says Henry leading the two the living room moderately furnished with modern furniture in addition to items from Brazil and pictures of Ernestos family. It is clear Henry isn't a long time resident of the dwelling. He steps into the kitchen for a moment to get the coffee french press and some cups. "Coffee?", inquires Henry leaving the cups on the table refraining from having any himself.

Before going into his story, he takes a deep breathe. "Thanks for coming here. I didn't feel comfortable saying all the details in the alley. It wasn't the first time I ran into something that didn't seem quite human.", said Henry pausing. "I didn't get the guys name and don't have any real evidence you could take to court, but I don't think the guy or creature was human. A few nights ago I ran into the water damaged living corpse of that girl Tabitha whose been in the news lately on the beach. She was beyond saving and something inside me told me I just had to save her from such a horrible state of being. Somehow, I even got her to stop attacking me momentarily.", Henry paused again looking for signs of the two ready to lock him up for being crazy.

"I'm not crazy, if thats what you might be thinking. At the coffee shop, I was just hoping to understand the creature and know if there was anything I could do to save him from his current state I can only describe as undead. Not the zombie, eat your brains or whatever. Some other state. After seeing that symbol, I hope you don't think I'm crazy or something. There is just this pull from somewhere inside me to save whatever the man was from his unnatural state of being. I was hoping he would confide in me in the alley, bu instead of took me by surprise, took my ID, and nearly choked me to death.", continues Henry.

Henry composed the next bit in his head before continuing. "I'm trusting you guys here, but the creature needs to be reasoned with to turn from his violent path and I don't think I can do it alone. Who knows when he might come here and go after me or Ernesto while we sleep.", finishes Henry hoping he didn't sound too crazy.

[Doctor Malsyn]

Alan T. Darwin
HP: 4
Status: -1
-{o}-

Alan sat still at the table, the thick bitter scent of his black coffee helping to keep him grounded while Henry elaborated about his experiences. Even to this day Natasha was under the impression he actually enjoyed the taste of it straight from the pot, where in reality he hated it more then most drinks out there. Yet it centered him however by giving him the focus he needed at times when smoking just wasn't an option.

"Tabitha. Yet another cold case in our files. Until recently we didn't even have a body, but..." He sighed, taking a sip of his drink and let the man continue the full span. What he described was intriguing, another ability much like what Angela and the others had displayed. Alan chose to willingly disregard the thought on whether these powers meant they were even still as human as they claimed.

His fingers tapped the mug twice, each one in order down the line. "I need to be level with you, Mr. Santos. I wish I could tell you that I knew everything, and you can be damn sure I'm trying my hardest there. In truth, five days ago me and Angela were your average every day people visiting a small-town gas station going about our lives. Then a horde of creatures appeared out of nowhere, and that gas-station became a bloodbath. It was only us and two others that seemed anywhere near cognizant of what happened, but circumstances have brought that number to us two alone."

Setting the mug down Alan reached into his jacket, and pulled forth the Lotus Manual. He slid it across the table for Henry to look through it more in depth. "Five days. Just five days and we've encountered dead both mindless and not, corporeal and otherwise, as well as a man in the midst of loosing his humanity. Our world has far deeper shadows then any of us here would've ever believed."

The man paused his spiel, glancing at the woman beside him to give her space for additional input.

[jmucchiello]

Angela Skyking
HP: 3, Condition: Coping
Monday, July 26, afternoon

Angela declines the offer of coffee. When Alan finishes she says, "There's no reasoning with..." Angela was obviously about to say "any" but she stops herself. She looks at Alan before continuing less emphatically. "...most of these creatures. They need to die. Some of them are completely unreasonable. Some of them look like normal everyday people. Some feed on the living. Some we have no idea what their motives are."

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: -2 toughness

Flipping through the book, Henry was shocked that these creatures had been living amongst them this whole time. If anything, he thought Tabitha and the creature in the coffee shop were aberrations. Now, he knew that something must have chosen him because of something inside of him to have more of a purpose than to travel endlessly. These creatures documented weren't human. Part of him agreed the creatures had to be destroyed if only to save them from such an unnatural life. Going too far and not giving them a chance to stay on the path of good was going too far though.

"This is unbelievable.", got out Henry. "We won't know their motives or if they could be turned from any wickedness they may have until we try and talk to them. Some of them might just be misguided and not know there is an option to repent for any evil they may have done. Just killing them immediately seems harsh.", said Henry recomposing himself from the shock of the Lotus Manual.

Getting back to the topic at hand though, Henry reiterates. "Right now, that undead creature who attacked me in the alley knows where I live and could come here any moment. It has to be found and one way or another made to get off the path of violence and save its soul."I saw his car a few days ago. If I could remember the license plate, could you run it Alan?, inquires Henry trying to recall the plate.

Intelligence to recall 12

[Sakuro]

Henry has to give the memory some serious reflection. He hadn't gone out of his way to write down the license plate number or memorize it. But it was only a day ago that he'd see the car. It was a Toyota ... something or other. It had a sort of bluish green paint job. The image formed in his mind and he mentally walked through the various perspective he'd seen it from until he stops at a half obscured glimpse of the license plate. It was an Oregon license plate and ... yes. He could recount the number for Alan. Or at least the portion of it that he had seen.

Since Henry is trying to remember something from the previous day, the DC isn't that high. He is only able to remember the first half of the license. It is something Alan could work with, given that Henry can also supply the brand, color, and if he's a car guy perhaps even the model. It will just take more time on Alan's end.

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: -2 toughness


Hindsight being 20/20 and all that, Henry should have taken notes from that day. As it was though, he recalled hopefully enough detail to follow the car lead. That was assuming it was the creatures car. Henry had said his peace. Now he had to wait to see if the others would go along with his idea at tryin to save whatever soul was left in the creature. It was all so new to him, he didn't know how it all worked yet or if they all had different motives. Something told him based on prior responses he wasn't pulled into the army of save creatures souls though.