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!

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[Speaking of those in the title of this story, one of them is out and about to deal with the Erasers as well. Nighttime had already arrived in Londeva, allowing him to roam freely without being noticed. It may not be the best idea for someone with the essence of Hyde to go around slaughtering things, but it's just Erasers....the troublemakers. They need to be eliminated and he's happy to help out.

As a hoard of homunculus approaches the town, Kazuma jumps off a nearby rooftop and pounces them. Even if it's not really Hyde in control, his method of exterminating his enemies is still not the cleanest. Ink splatters all over the place as he tears into them like rag dolls.]

[Okay, Mordred's a little on edge around him. It's not like she's scared or anything, but after her last run in with Hyde, she's much happier to see Kazuma dealing with Erasers than anything else. Still, it's definitely noticeable in her tone that she's not exactly thrilled with running into him.]

Tch. Haven't figured out how to take them out without making a damn mess either.

[she says with while cleaving through one of them with her sword, so she's at least lending a hand with getting rid of them. It'd be a hell of a lot easier if it worked the way it did back home, but at least it keeps some distance. She doesn't mind getting her hands dirty, but she finds what Kazmua's doing to be pretty gross.]

[He glances in the direction of Mordred's voice, then goes back to smashing an homunculus' head in against the ground.]

Adds to the story. [There's suppose to be strange incidents happening around the village, right? As he straightens up, he seems to have gotten taller since the last time they encountered each other.]

[Stop being so damn tall!]

Yeah but...I dunno, seems like overkill.

[Not that Mordred doesn't have experience with going overboard but she just thinks it's kind of...a bit much. Even if they're not exactly real people or anything like that. And they do need to be dealt with. Okay, she's made a flimsy argument and to an extent she gets that, but she's still got issues with just ripping and tearing into them and bashing their heads in and all that.]

What does it matter? [A small chimera lunges at him, it's fang digging into his arm.]

Going to try and stop me too? [ "Too?"

He grips the neck of the chimera with his other arm, squeezing. It's a good thing these were just made of parchment and ink, cause he basically decapitated the monster with his own strength. Ink splatters all over him, but it didn't seem to bother him. Instead he's marveling at his own power, the delightful feeling of crushing these monsters in his claws.]

[She'd say she knows better than to pick another fight with him, but she really doesn't. Still...]

Not really my place to.

[She says this while skewering a chimera. Not a pleasant way to go, but it's quick and okay, not exactly clean with the ink getting everywhere, but cleaner than what he's doing.]

These things still need to be dealt with. Just because I don't like how you're doing it doesn't change that. Unless you did something like that to whoever else had a problem with it.

Of course not. I haven't seen anyone else tonight, but you anyway. [A few of the homunculus have started to back away from Kazuma, not wanting to get caught like their comrades. Pathetic.]

Thought you'd be looking for a rematch after what Hyde did last time.[He takes a step each time the homuculus backs away. Which one to go after first...?]

Not really the time or place for it.

[Which doesn't mean she wouldn't want one.]

Besides, with this story, I'd rather not have to fight two Hydes or Hyde and Frankenstein's monster. Figure we'll all have our hands full with a bunch of crap soon enough without adding more on top of it.

[She says this while eyeing the homunculi. They sure look ready to bolt, so Mordred's just going to start moving to the side to intercept whichever one makes a break for it this time.]

Monster probably won't have lightning powers this time around, but still gonna be a pain in the ass I bet.

Lightning monsters would make it a decent challenge. [He certainly has the experience, and these creations are pretty sad right now. He keeps walking towards them, pushing them further out of town.]

As for the former...that may end up being the inevitable. [This Act seems harmless for now, but the story could have an effect on him or Shizuo. Or Both.]

Yeah, I've got a bad feeling about all this. Don't really know the stories except for stuff from back home and well....you, but...

[She'll follow along, sword in hand, only a little annoyed that they seem a lot more intimidated by Hyde than her. Just a little! There's more important things going on and while she can be an angry moron, she's not that much of one. Or at least not right now.]

I just think it's better to be wary than not at this point. Hasn't been an issue any of the other times I've done this story crap, but this time is it.

[She's gotten pissed off sure, but nothing's really made her think or not that she'd admit it, worry about what could be waiting in the next act or scene.]

Edited (typo, fixing some repetitive wording) 2020-11-10 03:42 (UTC)

[He does want to tear them apart rather than just cut them down and be done with. But he'll help herd them in Mordred's direction.]

Whatever they toss at us, we'll get through this story just like the others. [He kicks one of the nearest homuculus into the crowd, taking out some more along the way and probably heading into Mordred's direction.]

"Who's out there?!" [And it looks like all the commotion woke up one of the blot villagers.]

Mind your own damn business and stay out of this!

[The last thing she wants is the villager attracting the attention of...whoops, too late as the ones they're herding make a break for it towards the sound of blot's voice.]

Damn it!

[She knows they're not real people or anything like that, but she still doesn't really want to see blot villagers get killed by those things. She'd feel like it'd be failing the story or something like that. So she's moving to intercept, assuming there's anything left to intercept if Kazuma beats her to it.]

[A villager is a much easier target for them, so they naturally avert their attention to their shouting. The lights flicker in a few of the homes as the monster hoard continue their march.

Now it was Kazuma who was taking the rear of the hoard, and he doesn't waste time thinning it out. He tears into them, tossing a few, which end up hitting some of the nearby homes and splattering them in ink. He didn't seem to care he was causing a ruckus, as muffled screams can be heard within these homes. Maybe it'll scare them to stay inside.]

[While he's doing that, she'll focus on the ones making a break in the front, figuring Kazuma has a handle on things. The first few go down easy enough, but one's about to breach the door on her end, so she just does the first thing to come to mind.

And chucks the sword at the creature, pinning it to the side of the house. Sucks to be the villagers, but she figures it's better than the thing getting inside.]

Freakin' pain in the ass townspeople...

[Thanks for giving them more work to do as she walks up to get her sword from that house.]

Probably going to expect us to fix that or clean the ink off.

Edited 2020-11-16 03:46 (UTC)

They can clean it themselves. [They're already taking out the trash, so to speak. They're efficiently doing so at least, with just a few stragglers still left over.

The screams continue from within the home Mordred had skewered one of the monsters outside their home. Seems like one of them made it inside that poor home. Good thing Kazuma is nearby to smash his way into the home from the other side and take out the fiend. It's fine, the panicking villagers aren't harmed. That sure is a gun pointed in his direction though, as a round goes off.]

[Guns are still kind of new to her, so it takes her a second before hearing the gunshot in addition to the noises of someone ransacking a house to realize what she heard.]

Hey!

[She's making her way into the house too, not really sure what she's going to find.]

Your dumb ass better not have gotten shot!

[He got shot all right, and he's got the villager who shot him pinned on the floor in a choke hold.] Watch where you're shooting! Can't you tell who's trying to help you?!

[The man can't do anything but gag since he can't speak thanks to that death grip of Kazuma's. Bullets falls onto the ground as his wounds are healed, the supposed wife of the man screams nearby and starts hobbling away, through the opening to probably get some help. Even as the man tries to gasp out an apology, Kazuma doesn't relent. He doesn't need to live. They're just like those ink beast. The mans arms flail and grasp helplessly at Kazuma's arm to let him go, the fear of looming death show in his wide eyes. The darkness hides a slight curve from the corner of Kazuma's lips, seeing the fear in the man. He won't feel a thing. ]

[Mordred's first impulse is to yell stop but...

The guy did shoot him, so she can understand being pissed off enough about it to do something like this. And he's not...real, he's a story character, so it's not like a real person would be killed, right? And it's not like she hasn't killed people for attack her before either....

So part of her feels like a hypocrite for intervening. On the other hand, she's not really interested in watching this guy get strangled or torn apart and doesn't think he deserves it, so she'll perhaps mistakenly put her hand on Kazuma's shoulder to try and...walk him off the edge, she guesses.

Look, she knows she is the wrong person for this, but the knights who would've made a quicker probably more effective decision aren't in the Index, so it's just her.]

Hey, I think he gets the point. I'd be pretty damn pissed off if I got shot too, but it's not really trying to help if you kill him.

[An attempt was made?]

[The attempt would be appreciated more, if Kazuma head was in the right place and not seeing red. His first reaction when he felt that hand on his shoulder is to grab it and then toss the owner of that arm. He's through with being told to "do the right thing". Throwing Mordred also meant releasing the villager he had been choking, who is now trying to crawl away from him. All Kazuma had to do though was take one step and oops, he's broken his leg. The poor man could hardly scream between coughing and gasping for air. Ink spills out from where his leg had been split apart.]

Just where do you think you're going? [Who cares if he deserved it or not? The man isn't real, he can do whatever he wants with him. The realization is finally sinking in as he kneels down and grabs the man's arms and rips them from his body like a rag toy.] Now you can't shoot anything.

[But he wasn't finished with him. There was so much ink pouring out, creating a pool of ink where he laid. The man is now crying in agony, begging for his life in tears. The power, the sounds of this useless man whimpering helplessly in fear as he slowly dies, it all gave him a twisted sense of joy being in control. All of his frustration, anger, his desire for revenge he had kept pent up inside for so long, was finally being allowed to act, taking it out on this fictional creation that acted so much like a real human. It felt amazing.

A clawed hand lowers to caress the dying man's head, lulling him into a false sense of comfort, before he places his hands on the side of his head and proceeds to crush it. The ink splatters onto Kazuma, which only confirms the deed has been done. He's done it, and it felt good doing it as he admires the destruction he's done. New and dangerous possibilities have been awaken inside him.]

[Well, after all that, now she's thinking about picking up her sword from wherever it landed and sending him to go meet the now deceased Mr. Inkblot. And that could be her Essence quirk talking or it could just be the fact that she's pissed off about this whole thing happening. But she's not going to do that, instead picking herself up, just looking around and that carnage and....

It's definitely not the first time she's seen someone die. Or the tenth. Or the hundredth. And so on and so forth. But the whole just seemed so completely pointless that it just irritates her more. And she's irritated at herself for trying and getting nowhere other than thrown over there. So rather than deal with the fact that this guy really really needs to be stopped, she's just going to storm out of here.

Which is probably an excellent example of why she's not fit to be in charge of anything or make kingly decisions or anything like that, but that's self reflection she's not here for right now. Instead, she's just a tiny ball of anger that's probably off to 1. sulk back at the apartment area if he's not following her out and b. probably slaughter any of the monsters or rogue blots or whatever that get in her way on the way back. There's some character development regression she wasn't planning on having today, but not like she realizes that or wants to do anything about it now.]

[He doesn't follow after her as she storms out of the place. He remains in place a little while longer, his thoughts a muddled mess. The rush he felt from mauling that man had subsided, leaving him feeling hollow inside. More.

A voice whispers, telling him sweet temptations, shutting out any thought of what had just occurred. He gets back up onto this feet, eventually finding his way out of the home. There was no particular place he had to be, he just wanted to keep sinking his claws into whatever he could find until he was spent. Monster or ink people, it didn't matter to him anymore who crossed his path, anything to feel alive.

Maybe he'll find that woman so she can join her husband before the night is over.]

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Chapter 06: Act I

[II-2]

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CW: body mutilation and death

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