realmofstories | Chapter 06: Act I

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Chapter 06: Act I

FRANKENHYDE: ACT I—

§ instructions.

Frankenhyde Act I is underway! This is the designated log for all Main Scenes. Others are free to create their own toplevels for the Sub Quests, which are detailed below. Each Main Scene has their own unique toplevel and those cast into the roles are to thread their scene under each. All scene instructions are provided in the toplevels.

A few reminders. The city's setting is steampunk themed, so while for the most part it follows ye old Victorian England style, you have a lot of Industrial accents and odd machines about, including small airships. There is a river, so ports and docks are available but although this place may seem large, it's actually a finite space. Sailing down the river will be an endless loop back to the start with fog being the only visible "boundary." Passing through this fog will them back to where they were. There are also numerous research labs and other buildings, but many of them are locked or sealed behind an invisible barrier so no one can enter. The "locals" are all blots, so they are more like living puppets that will have minimum response to anyone who tries to interact with them. Most are neutral, but will attack if provoked. There are also some that are immediately hostile, and are differentiated by the sparks of electricity they generate around their bodies. The "safe zone" for this campaign will be a designated apartment building. Everyone can either bunk together or choose their own room.

Finally, just to be clear, characters who are assigned roles will know beforehand and can either communicate with their partner beforehand or just wait until they're in the scene. To get to their scene, characters must enter a specially marked door in the apartment building to be transported into their scene. They will automatically return upon completion (or if something goes horribly horribly wrong). Threading all of that isn't necessary, but it's to help give a better idea that characters can take a break between scenes or wait a bit to help with other things like the Sub Quests.

Feel free to refer to the Game Notes for more detailed info as well as ask questions or clarifications.

§ sub quests.

Everyone is free to participate in the Sub Quests. There are no specific top levels, so you're free to incorporate them however you wish in your own top level.

¶ I. Help the Scientists. A lot of work needs to be done to help the research experiments be a success, some of it a bit more unsavory than the rest.

Gather Ingredients.There are a lot of things that go into creating life, so cue the fetch quest. Items range from organs from wildlife to various plants and herbs to tools such as thread, needles, and large bolts. These items can be found throughout the town and outside of the forest and can be left at either of the buildings that is set for Frankenstein's and Jekyll's laboratories. Do note that no one except those who are cast for the scenes can go inside (there is an impenetrable barrier that will shock anyone who tries to enter).
Bzzzzt. The scientists also need to generate a lot of electricity. Outside each laboratory are various generators used to harness and conduct electricity: lightning rods that can be attached anywhere, strange boxes that need to be powered, and even an odd looking metal ball that can be opened to physically capture lightning. Just be careful to not get shocked!

¶ II. Help the Locals. Like most damaged stories, the local townspeople are not real but Blots taking the form of the original residents. Most are friendly and continue about their lives without paying much attention to the Aspect and providing basic assistance or keeping out of their way. They do not speak but seem to understand if communicated to.

Science Fair. There is a local science fair being held that anyone can participate in! Rewards...aren't that great, but it's the experience that matters. But as expected, things don't go smoothly as various experiments and projects go awry. With the technology as it is, this can be even more dangerous as more than one is dealing with explosive fuel or have way out-of-the-box inventions such as flying motorized bikes or small automaton of some kind.
Dangerous Blots. There are some blots who are badly damaged by Erasers and are more prone to attack. Those that have small electric sparks around them will have jerky movements and must be subdued or destroyed. There are also real Erasers lurking about, taking the form of unidentifiable homunculus and small chimera.

¶ III. Trick-or-Treat! It seems everyone came in time for Halloween. Although not quite as festive as current day, the children still participate in some lighthearted trick-or-treating. The Aspects are free to participate either in wearing costumes, doling out candy, or playing tricks, but they will want to keep an eye out. Some of these costumes appear too good, and some unfortunate accidents and incidents will reveal odd mutant experiments have escaped and mingled with the crowds. Most are not hostile and just cause accidents and disturbances, so they can be gathered and returned to the various research labs. Others may prove a bit more "bite-y" so more force may be necessary to subdue them.

¶ IV. Wildcard. Make up your own prompt!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

At first there isn't an answer, but the sound of crashing can be heard from inside. But then a moment later, footsteps can heard and the door opens to reveal Ren. However...

Other than Ren's own costume and top hat, something is different about Ren. Mainly that his usual dark grey eyes are now yellow and glowing a bit. When he speaks, it's the same dark echo a person's shadow self would speak with.

"Well hello there, doctor. What a pleasant surprise. I wasn't expecting your company."

Akechi, meet Shadow Ren.

Edited 2020-11-02 01:06 (UTC)

Oh my, this is even ~~hotter~~ better than he ever expected. If that's Ren acting or under the effect of a spell or just being very into his roll, Akechi can't really tell. There's a few seconds of silence before he invites himself into the house.

"Truly, so it appears you did not. I came to see how you were doing, and here you are looking like a fiend of some sort..."

It's amusing, and if there's one thing Akechi particular enjoys, it's that type of chaos. Is he supposed to be afraid as Jekyll? Ahh well.

Seems the glasses are doing an excellent job of hiding the yellow eyes. The shadow allows Akechi entrance.

"A fiend? I have no idea what you're talking about."

The place is a bit of a mess. It's no wonder there was that crash earlier. "Please pardon the mess. I hadn't had a chance to clean up."

Especially any hints to any crimes he may have committed.

Oh Ren ..thinking you could feel his own eyes. It's so amusing, really. There's a grin to Akechi's face. Is he supposed to stop him? Not when it's already this fun...

"Ahh pardon my assumption then. It's just your voice...so much different. It could just be my ears, of course."

Of course.

He takes a look around, scratching the back of his neck.

"Experimenting again?"

Shadow Ren raises an eyebrow but doesn't comment. Perhaps he did notice after all. Ah well, he doesn't really care.

"Merely just a bit under the weather. I'll be fine," At the question, he nodded. "I've been a bit busy lately."

He picks up a suitcase and places it over to a table.

"Ahh I see. The weather has been terrible lately."

Is Ren playing along? His acting is better than usual, at least, he'd give him that.

"Is that so? I do hope you've been careful, there's been a string of burglaries lately." He tilts his head at the suitcase and takes a look at it in silence.

"Quite."

The shadow nods. "I have heard about them, and yes I have been careful." Careful not to get caught that is.

He notices Akechi looking at the suitcase and he moves it closer to himself. Time to try to cause a distraction.

"So what brings you here? Is it just a mere social call, or is there something you needed to discuss with me?"

Ahh here we go. He puts in his best poker face to let out a small sigh. Dramatic to boot.

"Ahh...well perhaps it is just my imagination of course, but there are rumors of a man matching your particular looks being seen leaving certain scenes. Of course, it could just be my ears again."

Well he can't say he didn't see this coming, but it is a bit annoying. At least he's playing a role so he won't have to be totally honest.

"A man matching my looks? It sounds like I some kind of face twin if that is true."

The shadow is curious on how to keep the charade going. Mostly because he wants to see Akechi try to figure it out in character.

"Although it is true I've had to take breaks at times, but I am only one man."

"Well with a man of your charms, I suppose that could be true." He politely laughs, helping himself to a seat, eyes going from the suitcase to the shadow.

"Pray tell, what HAVE you been doing the past few nights?"

Oh boy, here we go. The shadow does his best to keep up a poker face of his own.

"Just to the local pub to get a couple drinks to unwind, then come home to get back to work. Maybe have a chat with someone if I was feeling rather lonely."

Which sounds innocent enough but of course there's more to it.

The mental image of Ren going to the local pub to have drinks has him laughing out loud. It's hard to figure out where Jekyll begins and Akechi ends, really. Is he playing his role really badly? Or is he just trying to see how far he can push things for his own amusement?

Hard to say at this point.

He runs one of his gloved hands slowly on top of the table.

"Ahh, and that's rather disappointing. You know my door is always open if you need a drink," smirk..."or someone to speak with. What have you been working for? I've heard some ingredients have become quite costly recently. A man would need a fortune to continue."

Shadow Ren tries not to break character despite himself being amused at Akechi's laughter. He did work part time in a bar for one of his confidants. So it's not like it's that out of left field.

Okay that gets the shadow to give him a questioning look. It seems Akechi is taking liberties with the character, but fine. He can work with that.

"Are you trying to suggest something? You act as if you're suspecting me of something."

There's an opening for Akechi to use.

Maybe if he knew, he'd find it even more amusing. Instead, he just imagines Ren swinging an oversized beer while others delicately sip their drinks like the bar that Akechi himself frequented back home.

Trying to steer them back to the task at hand? Well he supposes he can entertain that for a bit. He IS supposed to be the voice of reason, after all. It's just to bad that whoever would have stood before him, be they Ren or not, the outcome would mostly have been the same.

"Ahh I suppose my hand is now out in the open." He pulls from his pocket a piece of cloth. Does it really belong to the other or not? Does it matter when you're the one forging the story?

"I found this yesterday night. I have a feeling it may match your coat. Maybe you should cut the charade, Mr. Hyde."

Welp, looks like the game is up. It does indeed match Hyde's coat. He would even be able to find where the cloth came from.

Shadow Ren does his best to make his best 'shocked' face to keep in character.

At least for a moment.

Then...

Laughter. But not the kind of laughter Akechi might have heard from him make. Either as himself or as Joker.

No, this is cold evil laughter.

He moves a hand through his hair before he then takes the glasses off, and he has a dark smirk on his face. Any of the fake pleasantness is now gone.

"Looks like you got me. Yes I am indeed responsible, doctor. Now that you know, what you are gonna do now?"

He's honestly curious now what Akechi will do now.

Gasp!

You have to put some emotion into it, Ren. Akechi's face looks a lot more surprised this his counterpart's before he briefly frowns.

"You were rather quick to admit your crime."

Time seemed to slow down, seconds became minutes, minutes became hours. The last sound had been Ren's laughter. The cold, evil laughter, the lack of glasses gave Ren a certain sheen that made Akechi's heart skip a beat. It had been easy to tell it wasn't exactly just Ren in there (not that he had any reason to suspect otherwise) but still...

Akechi might not be Loki in essence, but there was still brute chaos beating in his heart. Enough to experiment how much power he could truly wield in this world, unwilling to bend to its wills in full. Not to the point of poisoning others like Adachi had done so stupidly, of course. No, something more worthy, like a subtle change to a story's path. They had never been told they needed to stick to what they knew. He knew the story well, even remembering a more modern version with the Fight Group movie. He stood up, stroking his chin in silent thought before the grin on his face grew. Unlike Shadow Ren, Akechi didn't need to have his alternate personality take over.

"To think someone like you would be born of my machinations. The Id to my Ego and Super-Ego." So far, not too far from what the book had spoken about. He stood there, in a way his hand over the controls. "I suppose an unrestricted mind, free of guilt, would find itself with a lot less worry. Maybe you understand and represent what it really feels like to be free."

Is that a subtle message to Ren himself? Ahh, now that is a mystery. Akechi just hoped they'd be able to remember what they were doing after this. Or at least he'd have the pleasure of reading it up in books. He was about to take full control of the train, and derail it.

"What should I do? Why, I am one of the greatest scientific minds of this world. Do you try to stop an experiment in the middle of its testing phase?

No. No, I think not.

What I need...is more data. To witness the greatest depravities that an unhinged man can accomplish."

To push Ren into a dark path and force him to play that part. To make him understand what it was like. Maybe even get him to like it.

Well now. In a way, the shadow isn't surprised by this. After all, he knows what Akechi is truly like. Of course he would derail things. That's just in his nature.

"Does that make me your shadow as well? I am thou, thou art I."

Why yes, it's Shadow Ren's way of telling Akechi that he is Ren's shadow. Especially since Akechi likely heard those same words when he first awakened to his persona.

"I can certain do that. See how far I can go and give you that data you need."

Granted, there's no way he could go as far as Kamoshida. Not even Shadow Ren would be willing to go that far.

He has to laugh at that. Those words forever burned into his brain, the story of a spiral of events in his life that changed him forever.

"You could say that. I won't deny it."

If only this had been the Joker he had known. A ruthless entity that might have aided him with Shido. It's too bad, really. He almost feels a tad nostalgic. That might have been even better than having met Ren earlier like he had desired and told him before.

Ahh right. A role to play. Much more exciting than before. He can feel his heart beating as he adjusts his tie, and takes out his pocket watch. The piece of evidence is in his other hand, and throws it into the nearby burning fire. As he watches it go up in flames, he adds;

"You'll need a better alibi. The world expects to see Mr Hyde out and about, but not the good Doctor Jekyll. It should be easy enough to make others think I'm still toiling away at my office."

He takes the glasses on the table and puts them on.

"Maybe if I shuffle my hair a bit, others might even think I am you."

Of course he still remembers that time.

"A small crowd of aristocrats speaking to Mr.Hyde and talking about the politics of this modern age would surely come to his aid if he was falsely accused of crimes, when he we clearly with them...what do you think?"

The shadow notices that he had another piece of evidence and watching with amusement at it being throw into the fireplace. He'll have to add that piece of cloth into it too.

He couldn't help the chuckle at that. Ah he remembers it well. It had been a great moment and he had wished he had taken a picture during it. He still does but oh well. If Akechi needs the help in putting on that look again, that can be done.

"That sounds like a great plan to me."

Should he put on the glasses Akechi was wearing before?

It made him feel powerful, to have both his plan approved and also feel a certain victory as the story's ouroboros had to adjust into a new reality.

Ren, well Shadow Ren was about to find out just how good Akechi was with all of this.

"What is needed first is a new disguise. Fortunately, there aren't many watching eyes in all corners of the city. And the rich do tend to forget about all the clothes that they have."

A good idea, but the glasses might point to Jekyll being the perpetrator. He was suggesting a bit of casual stealing first. In fact, he felt so nice he didn't even suggest casual murder. Amazing.

"Failing that, perhaps things I have not worn for years." Jekyll sounded like the type who would horde everything, Akechi had decided. Surely that would make it true. "It should be simply enough for me to make you a new pair of glasses no one's ever seen before."

That is surprising. You'd think murder was the first choice.

"Different clothes would be the wise move, and I had been considering getting a new pair so that works."

It's gonna be real awkward the next time Akechi and the real Ren meet up again. Especially to get his normal pair of glasses back.

Ren, do you not understand the finesse in Akechi's method of madness. He only killed when he felt someone really deserved it. Or well, minus one person. As for those other victims, well, breaking a few eggs and all of that.

To change the story in full would be too much. Turning Jekyll into someone encouraging Hyde is a far more intelligent play.

"Then I should let you prepare, while I get ready to do my part in turn. Truly, it has been a most...informative night."

Cool motive, still murder.

"It certainly has been entertaining, doctor. You really are full of surprises."

Is the scene almost over then? Once it does end, the shadow will no longer be in control of this body.

Chapter 06: Act I

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