Stiki

GR does fill a gap though, for years people have complained hero side start up sucks, villains always gert god damn snakes. So GR was imo a way to combat these complaints by giving us a engaging, challenging and rewarding starting area. True its not what everyone wanted, same as not everyone wanted MA or any number of additions but it was a often mentioned weakness of the game. Of course the troube is as it is with all new content, its not new forever, so one day people will say oh my god not that damn hospital level again. So at least we have another start zone.

As for the end game content being pulled ideal no but thats the trouble with devoloping things. sometimes what seems a good idea on paper takes a long time to refine in practice, so it will probably be worth the wait.

Well what it comes down to how evil is too evil? I mean I understand why some people don't like this kind of thing. But psychotic villains are part of comic culture, one example being Carnage from spiderman, plus some of the stuff the likes of Dr Doom plan could be nasty if they ever worked out. Even recently in COH we have evidence of this with the likes of Tyrant and some characters in those arcs who not only would kill children and patients in hospitals but also do go around dragging families off the street and executing them. So nice no but it is part of comic culture. All that happened here was somones villain follows the pyschotic nuts villain type not the more common im evil but dont kill anyone type.

I know some of you guys just dont want to deal with said characters. Again thats fine but the trouble is some villains are that evil, others simply cold and calculting they will kill kids etc for either a laugh or because they can. Again not trying to ressume an argument as I have found it interesting in a way as its the first time i've pottered about in a big plot. But what if somone gassed a subway station or such?

I mean trying to limit a villains villany is a bit undermining and no i'm not saying give a villain powers to destroy the world as some would. but same as heroes are a respected RP thing so must villains be. Because well without villains, even the occasional nuts ones there would be no need for heroes.

Why I am going on about this a bit is I have a feeling this could happen again, to a few villain players i've known and quite innocently too. so perhaps there should be a note on what is considered too evil for the colletive union RP community I guess. And no not after an argument just an idea to prevent somone else falling into this problem.

Well I have trouble following the RP community as a whole, however in my past experiances in the plots related to the open season plot, it has usually been worked out. Thats my take on it anyway as I am a bit out of the loop.

Now as i've been out of this plot for a while due to RL. Plus only being a now and again rper and this being my first partaking into a plot this big, even though not recently. I think its fair to say it was intended all along that somone will find out it was not the Court at all.

As well the idea of. (OMG THE COURT DON'T EXSIST AND EVERY CHAR REMOTELY CONNECTED TO IT MUST BE IGNORED!!!). is a little silly, I can see why but it is jumping the gun a little. I mean the Court characters theirselves could say on the most part. What?! and possibly turn on it when they find out, so theoretically, if the court does get blown up or wiped out for something like this. Some of the court would walk out and turn on their allies for this, so even that can be dealt with IC if the need arises.

However I don't think thats the point of the plot here. To the best of my knowledge it was always intended to be found out that the real culprit was nothing to do with the Court. As well franky I belive that folks didn't want to drag anyones characters into it and certainly don't want to kill peoples characters off as everyone hates god modding thats one thing we all agree on.

Favourite heroes as I cant pick one gahhh: Optimus Prime, Batman, Ironman and the Original teenage mutant ninja turtles.

Favourite Anti Hero Judge Dredd.

Favourite Villains again ones difficult as been a few cool baddies. Klytus (Not sure its spelled right. Mings second in command from the flash gordon film.) Dr Doom, Skeletor, Carnage, Venom, Fu manchu (I remember watching the old films as a kid) Judge death, shredder and finally Baron dark from skeleton warrior's. (A short lived but underrated 90's cartoon.)

I think it might work out, as we need something going on hero side too, I don't really know enough about COT to give more constructive feedback. But yes I think it will be nice to have a third party mixing things up, or is that a forth party? Anyway yep for the reasons stated.

In the graveyard in Sharkhead Skull Maiden was meditating, she had had some of her zombies put up posters wrote in magical glyphs around the isles and Paragon city. Telling all with magical knowledge that she could offer interesting spells, perhaps more than that, the cost though was high. vampire dust or a human skull, one per spell. She smirked under her mask, it was almost too generous, she found wars so amusing.

Now though she was here for more pratical reasons, she was going to need a bodyguard and she had just been reading old news papers and found a rather unpleasent but suitable soul to drag from hell to serve her. One old long dead cowboy who had to be hung three times before he died, yes he would serve her so well. Several of her undead servants arrived wearing monk like clothes and they bowed in a circle. A unhearthly green light started to glow from the floor, green smoke drifting up from it into the grey skies. Skull Maiden stood up and said in a loud pwoerful voice dripping with menace and hatred.

"Sprits come to me, bow to my will bind to me the one I seek, grant me the soul and undead form of Jacob Stone outlaw, murderer and grant me power over him forever".

There was a red lightning strike in the middle of the circle and a zombie hand smashed through the Earth. Then a large figure of a man in a brown trench coat and cowboy hat holding a whip lifted himself out of the floor, he said in a heavy southern accent.

"Who called me!

Skull Maiden chuckled in a cold evil way, "Welcome back Jacob Stone, follow me, we have much to discuss".

Jacob spat on the floor but felt compelled somehow to do what the woman said and he followed her away from the graveyard and he in turn was followed by Skull Maiden's undead servants.

Port Oakes.

In her base Leeches had watched on one of her cameras as the wounded vampire was taken into Castle Bathory, she could tell that something was seriously amiss. Just because she did not dwell in the castle did not mean she did not have a interest in the Court and its continued exsistance. She personally thought it had been a mistake to carry the vampire inside but it was their business, she shook her head and sighed. It had been only a matter of time till something like this took place, she would wait and see what transpired after these events.

Randel one of Leeches infrmants had just loaded things into a old 70s style car, he was getting the hell out of here. He didn't want to tangle with Big Game and he sure wasnt giving his help to the Court, he was more scared of either of them than Leeches. He was getting hell out right now, that shadow ***** would never find him again. He slammed the boot of his car shut and sat in the drivers seat, he was going on the next ferry and would go back to being a dentist. He didn't like the diea of going legal but the information business was getting harsh.

The car sped under a bridge and Randel was having trouble controlling the big clunky car as he skidded around a corner, his fear driving him on. He didn't even think about the so called bodyguards he had, he had managed to sneak all this pased them. He slammed his foot down on accelerator he was free, free at last!

As Randels car approached a street corner a figure in black stepped into view, it was a unnaturally tall woman in bone decorated armour and a cloak. She lifted her hand and slowly muttered some words, black tenticles burst through the floor and grabbed the car then flung it into a wall. She approached the smashed car and Randel fell out of the drivers door bleeding from his head and nose, the woman bent down and looked at him.

"Hello, I was wondering if I could ahve a talk with you". She said in a thick African accent.

"Kiss my *** spooky! Siad Randel and he went on, "You are ruining everything you stupid"...

He fell silent as he felt a powerful hand grab his throat as the woman continued, "You have information on a war, correct a bounty hunt?

"I'm not telling you crap all!

The woman muttered a arcane sounding word and Randel screamed feeling a bone in his leg snap in two.

"I ask again". Continued the woman coldly, "You have information on a war correct?

Randel screamed, "Yes, yes ok i'll tell you!

"That is more like it". The woman stepped back watched Randel crawl and cry a little, no pity showing in her dark eyes.

Randel reached fra gun in his pocket and poited it at the woman, "The information is piss off *****!

He went to fire but all the woman did was whisper something and the gun exploded in Randels hand blowing the hand off and Randel collapsed screaming and the woman sighed and knelt down.

"Some people never learn".

She pressed her hand against his head and using magic sucked the ifnormation she desired from his mind, so that was it. Someone called Pious, a priest, was involved, and his band, as well as Big game and something called the Court Of The Blood Countess were having a little figh. could be interesting, she would fight on both sides, and let it be known she would offer magical items to anyone who wanted them.

"It could be most profitable, thank you for the information".

With that she stabbed Randel in the throat with a dagger and walked away as he died, she had all the information she needed off him now Skull Maiden would let everyone know she could offer curses, she would offer them to people on both sides to help them in the fighting. All the time she would be killing people of both sides to make sure the war got more and more out of control. Chaos would be hers to control, she smiled to herself nothing beat the joys of chaos.

Leeches was walking alone down a street in St Martial letting dark shadow energy drift around her, a signal to any would be hunters she was a target. No doubt they would think she was a easy target being alone, some people never learned. She had lost a lot in the fightig so far, one robotic gun ship, two rare infected soldiers, a full squad of her robot bodyguards and her twenty special guards who were out of the fight till they recovered. This battle was not going to be about firepower but skill, the rest of her army would be presserved in this fight, unless the Nighthunters braught one at any rate. No this would have to be more personal, for that she would need to sharpen her skills and reflexes, hence why she was advertising to be attacked.

It had not taken long, she had soon been attacked by a street gang who claimed to be monster hunters protecting their turf from the monsters and no doubt they made people pay them protection becoming human monsters theirselves. Leeches had no time for people like that, they lasted all of three minutes. She pulled a sword out of the last ones corpse and looked at the blood on it and shrugged, she expected passers by to at least be a little troubled by these events instead most just acted like it was normal.

Then Leeches communicator sounded and she activated it, "Yes?

"Excuse me for disturbing you mistress but one of your informants contacted us, he said there was a Nighthunter sighting in something called The Bar Of The Damned".

"Oh goodie, so any names, and yes the Bar Of The Damned, been there once before, thought it had been closed down, I guess not. I shall have to check there from time to time it seems".

"Yes mistress, the only name he says he got was Hellskiller and something about a vampire that looked like Dracular".

"That dont really even it down as much as it should, as for Hellskiller, ah yes I know of him irritating braggard, thank you, have the informant rewarded".

"Yes mistress, over and out".

Leeches pulled a hood over her head and pulled a black metal mask down over her face, just in case any skilled hunters came out the woodwork to attack her. She then slowly walked on her way following a vague mental patrol she had set herself.

Leeches was back in her base, she was relaxing in a large padded chair drinking a mug of what was called blood coffee. She idly watched the cameras she had scattered about the isles, she was unsurprised to see a large portion of them had been vadalised or stolen. That was the isles for you though, she was pondering the whole kidnapping thing she had been told about, kidnapping was not something she partaked in. She liked to keep war simple, smash your enemies and so on but leave their children alone, however it was Bathory's war she could conduct it as she saw fit.

Then something else happened a ehco a feeling in the soul, something was stirring, she rubbed at her head a telepathic feeling. Something supernatural and powerful, growing, breathing almost, then silence. Something very strange and powerful was going on here, she didn't know what it was, in fact she was not sure she wanted to know. But it disturbed her deeply, she would have to investigate it later, at the moment though she had to see to the bounty hunt.

Well im my brief expreiances on virtue, I have to say ERP has not really happened in PD though im sure it does sometimes, as well its inevitable. > >

Anyway just a random defend some vampire RPers, some of us still go for the more monster version of vampires and some do try to be more inventive....anyway moving on...

What I ahve seen of virtue is RP can pretty much spring up anywhere, Atlas, PD, even Mercy island, pretty much if you let it be known you RP and are RPing others seem to eventually join in. Like I said though just been rather brief experiances on my part.

Leeches cleared her throat, and stood up from a chair at the back somewhere one of her scientists hurried in behind her pushing a table with a small ball looking device on it. She was a bit confused by this device herself, its principle seemed sound why didn't she use it?
Anyway back to the point at hand, she cleared her throat a second time and finally a few people noticed her.

"My turn I believe?

She walked on to the stage followed by the scientists pushing the table who was looking rather weary and nervous, Leeches smirked, this was going to be easy.

"People of the gathered press and others, I bring to you an amazing invention, following rather a theme it seems. Anyway to run my experiment I require a object from the audiance".

She opened up a umbrella as somone pelted a rotten tomato at her and she muttered something about everyone being a critic and swore quietly unaware that the microphone had picked it up and some in the audiance were looking outraged. She lowered the umbrella, glared into the audiance and said in a forced calm voice.

"Something more practical please".

Someone threw a pink bunny slipper at her and she snatched it out the air with a grumble and turned to the small spherical machine.

"Now this machine could save costs and the environment, this machine will amaze you, despite your understandable doubts observe the future!

She nodded to the scientist who seemed to be asleep standing up, she then walked over and slapped him with the slipper. He then snapped to attention and turned the machine on. eight spider like legs popped out of the side of it and the front of the machine slid open. She had forgotten this one was mobile, oh well that shouldn't be a problem.

"Now observe, what this machine does is picks dust particles from the air itself and through a matter transforming process can replicate almost anything the Matter Alteration Device as I call it represents the ultimate in cheap harmless production machines".

She was losing some of the audiance to sleep, a few jeered and one or two were getting ready to leave. So this was it, time to test it. She pressed a button on the machine and it scanned the slipper and there was a shudder and a loud belch like noise from it and after a while of this it belched out two pink fluffy bunny slippers.

"Behold my genius!

However, at that point the machine saw a dog run passed a window and scuttled off the table and through the audiance to chase the dog. It's travel scanners however left much to be desired and as several members of the audiance ran and scrambled out of the way of the machine it managed to replicate one pair of grey trousers, one black loafer and one red high heel shoe. Before smashing into a wall and flipping on its back like a dead spider, making one last belch sound and venting black smoke and making a noise like a collection of broken springs.

Leeches saw this in barely disguised horror and quietly walked off the stage to slow clapping and laughter, her scientist scrambled to pick up the machine, she sat back on her seat brooding quietly and feeling humiliated though less so than the last two scientists she supposed. The the scientist ran over to her and waved the machine in front of her.

"Look! I managed to save it!

"No you fool put it down, get it away from me its ticking!

Before the scientist could follow the directions the machine exploded blowing leeches hair backwards and covering her face in black soot and sending her falling on her back off her seat, she sighed bitterly and spat out a cloud of dust and sat back on her chair swearing and crossing her arms brooding angrilly this time and the scientist was still standing there like he was holding the machine though there was now nothing in his hand and he took his glasses off revealing the only clean skin left on his face.

"Ooops".

Leeches sunk her face in her hands, ok maybe she had been humiliated pretty badly after all. Next time she was going to test these things before bringing them to show off!

Leeches hummed to herself as she casually got to work making yet another cyborg zombie when one of her scientists barged in, she glared at the scientist who jumped back a little.

"What is it?

Then she saw the poster he was holding and looked at it. She smirked and put down her tools.

"A science convention, why didnt you say so, but thats today, you fool quick to storage!

She hurried to her storage area to see if there was anything she could take, mobile clone lab, no that was too top secret, Cyborg zombies? No too common or at least not strange enough. The doom weed? No, needed to be something pratical. The she smiled oh yes, yes that would do nicely, this would show them all oh yes.

Then she hurried to the university flying and carrying a large box, she landed at the doorway and said to her armour.

"Configuration nine bussiness suit!

Then ther was a click and a flash and she was in a black skirt and blouse and jacket and she calmly walked inside and got set up on a spare table in the universitys lab. She saw a rather heated argument spring up but didn't pay much attention she was in a rush, finally she took a deep breath. It was done and she was about to revolutionise medical science. Let the others try but her genius would outshine them all.

Two I think the girl and errm the one who got his heart ripped out. though to be fair i thought about four had died at one point lol.

Leeches retreated into the castle also, it seemed the safest place to hide right now, especially with the spiders lurking about. She made her way into the protected areas to make herself known to the Countess, she noted the corpses and shrugged it looked like someone had taken losses nothing could be done for them now. She made her way into the inner area and pondered the current situation, locked in a castle, she shook her head and hoped Bathory knew what she was doing.

Leeches smirked to herself, a full withdrawl humm? She was not sure, she knew the Corporation were enemies of the Court and of the Nighthunters. But who did they hate the most? She knew that the Corporation had turned on the Court recenty She wondered this, again time would tell on all this. She lowered her rifle and nodded to her 6 surviving infected soldiers.

"You did well, you who survived will soon be given great power, take your fallen comrades with you, remember them, use the hatred another day".

The infected nodded and picked up the bodies of their fallen comrades and activated their teleporters, Leeches sent her robots away and watched them fly away and looked around the castles entrance area. Somone had sure made a mess, she hoped the spiders would not take anything too far, she didnt fancy going on the run.

Leeches watched her infected fighting the zombies and their masters, it was rather amusing she would get involved but there seemed to be no need, she looked to her robots and sighed

"I know you are eager to open fire, so do so, open fire, fire everything, drive the intruders back, avpid those new arrivals though, we dont know whos side they are on yet".

Then the lights from teh arachnos airships shone near her, uh oh somone had called the spiders, that was going to be trouble. She smirked, perhaps they would be willing to let her keep a Nighthunter as a prisoner for scientific study of course, she did wonder though whos side the spiders would be on. Time would tell it seemed, she never trusted the spiders but did work for them from time to time, it would pretty much depend on what the one on charge of the spiders decided, as for the arrival of the corporation, who knew who's side they were on, she didn't trust them though but saw no reason yet to fight them.

Well shes like that lol, still thinks its the dark ages and fighting gets you everything. Plus she don't know of the captives as she tends to lurk in her base a lot, so has no idea what is going on at all. As far as she knows the Nighthunters just came in revenge for the Moth cathedral business.

Leeches didnt quite understand then she hissed, magic, she stood out the front gates anyway, whoever was in there would be coming out and she would be waiting. It would probably only be a couple of minor heroes, nothing she couldnt handle.

The infected soldiers saw the zombies coming for them and get ready, the Devolved sergeant hovered back.

"Get ready for em to face us, aim for their heads, just like the movies".

Then he fired green blasts from his eyes (x ray blast). As the rest focused thier fire with there rifles at the approaching zombies and the strange collection of people in charge of them. The infected all depowered their jet packs diving into their enemies, it was against orders but they were tired of shooting at things and wanted to get to grips with their enemies.

The final gunship avoiding its attackers assault had been damaged by the explosions of its twin, it turned and spun around firing a final blast of bullets from its chaingun. It sent a message,

"Retreating to base, damage unsustainable repairs requested".

With that it sped off heading to Leeches base belching smoke as it did so. Leeches ten Infected soldiers shrugged at each other, then the sergeant who was a Devolved nodded to them.

"We open fire Mistress promises power, we fight for her, fire, kill them for the mistress".

So all ten of them opened fire at the small army in front of them using rifle grenades and laser blasts.

In the castle Leeches walked out the front door to join Bathory her robot bodyguards following her with their force field bubbles covering her, her robots lifted their weapons but did not fire yet and Leeches lifted her rifle also and chuckled.

"Looks like a standoff, how quaint".

*Plays the magic roundabout tune followed by the Benny Hill music*

One of the helicopers visibly shuddered as Blade racer hit it and ripped a hole right through its armour. It shuddered more and a explosion ripped through it, it spun out of control and exploded again into fragments. The other chopper saw what was coming for it and lifted higher and fired sleeper rockets in the targets face, it lifted higher and tried to pull out of the range of its attacker.

In the castle Leeches moved to the front door letting her robots cover the guards and letting the unknown vampire pass. She was content to let him walk to his doom, undeads were not her problem, she had to admit though this one in question had a interesting attitude. with that she made ready to enter combat. The defences were weakening, things were about to get very rough.

Leeches sent telepathic orders to her soldiers, "Move to possition, open fire at my command, defend the holicopters, and if any spiders show up, the sergeant will explain to them it is in self defence, hero allied units are attacking, understood?

"Yes Mistress, but you pronmised us power, why are you scared of these heroes?

"Power will come, you will see, now follow my orders, it is not fear, it is defending my interests".

"Yes Mistress".

Leeches looked towards the main hall and smiled to herself, she nodded to her robots, "Open fire on any heroes you see, cover the zombies and I will deal with anyone else".

Well I Have limited the helicopers abilities now, they have no force fields or anything, so shouldn't be too much of a problem. And reduced the number of the soldiers and well hopefully now its not too much over the top.

Like I said earlier Leeches army as a IG none exsistant faction apart from a Merc and a Bot MM are just cannon fodder, like in old 80s toons, they really are not intended to kill anyones character just to be the equivlent of stormtroopers. Again I am open to comments though as my IG presence right now is kind of limited.

Leeches sent orders telephaically to the AI that piloted the helicopters, "Fire the sleep gas rockets and open fire with the chainguns".

She was a bit annoyed as Arachnos had outlawed the use of high explosive rockets within their territory, she had worked with them but they did not let her do whatever she wanted. She knew not to push her luck. Her soldiers formed up in a wedge formation and she smirked as the rockets went passed her and her robots, she then let the distraction continue, her soldiers had not opened fire yet though. She was not really sure she could trust them yet, she looked at what was going on and sighed. Squads of mercs were moving around on rooftops and the Nighthunters army was outside.

"Looks like a siege, well the Nighthunter army is obviously a distraction, which means, the heroes will be heading inside".

With that she sunk through the roof of the castle into her shadow stuff the robots following and she reappeared near the castles entrance inside it, she told her robots to act as bodyguards and waited and watched. She did wonder why the Nighthunters had came here though, it did seem suicidal.