A Cast of Characters - IC

[DJDeMiko]

This began as a PM story line

ok. The good doctor received a strange letter one day not to long ago from a Misses C. B. Wilson.

"Dr. Smith,

I apologize for not making a polite introduction, but the matter is urgent and it will be easier to explain in person. I believe that New Hope City is on the verge of disaster and that you are one of the only people who can save it.

I know this will be hard to believe, but please contact me at (number). I have something important to show you that I think will prove that you can believe me.

Sincerely and urgently,
Clarabell Wilson"

While this is all the letter had to say, at the bottom of the page, looking almost like a seal is a beautifully drawn sigul. By itself, it has no meaning, but you recognize it instantly as a symbol that was in part created through your study.

If the doctor called, the Mrs. Clarabell would be polite on the phone, but insist on a personal meeting. "Oh no, doctor, but dearie me you have to see what I have to show you. It will help to put things in perspective." And you set up the meeting

If your man calls her, then the meeting will be set up.



When your man shows her into the room you see a well dressed woman who is either in her 50's or a well maintained older woman. You may notice some paint smears on her clothing. Your hired man carries a large case in with him, which you can deduce to be hers.

I am guessing that the Doctor will be extremely polite when meeting her and she will be the same to him.

"Doctor Smith," Clarabell begins, "I want to get to the point because this is very important. I am a painter by trade, dearie me I've been one since I was a girl. Even back then, sometimes my paintings would be . . . well . . . " Clarabell pauses, clearly unsure of how to go on.

The doctor surmises that the paintings are the source of the visit and asks politely to see them.

Clarabell nods, "yes, that would be best . . . " and opens up the case.

The first she pulls out catches the doctor by surprise. The picture is one of a wall of steam and emerging from it is . . . something. Something the doctor recognizes very well, because he designed it. Emerging from the steam, sending the steam billowing out as it charges towards the viewer, is his suit. Below the painting is the title "The Steam Man"

The next to paintings are the ones detailed in Clarabell's IC post.


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

He had been surprised when this woman had requested a meeting, but the sigil attached to her missive could not be ignored. Whatever she had to say, he would likely be interested in it in a... professional capacity, so to speak

The Doctor, never one to jump to conclusions, studied the paintings for a sizeable length of time before, at last, speaking his thoughts aloud.

Intersting... mmm.. yes, very interesting indeed. I would surmise, Mrs. Wilson, that these paintings were created before the fact, or at least without prior knowledge of my works? That you've a measure of foresight or prophetic talent that is, in fact, being displayed in the creation of these images I see displayed before me?

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

"Actually yes and no," she says, "It's hard to explain." She pauses for a moment thinking and says "dearie me, It's like looking at a cloud, some see a dog, others a clown . . . I see things, images, ideas, etc. It just happens at times. I spill paint and look at it and suddenly I see . . . whatever the heck that is," she says pointing towards the painting of steam. "Then a few days later I'm working on a piece using paper mache and I happen to see an old article about you moving to the city and it just hits me, dear me that's the steam man."

She walks over to the painting of the figures shadows confronting the evil looking man in the cloak and points to what might be a large person shadow. "Don't ask me how I know," she says, "But dear me that one is you."

"I'm glad you believe me, I hope you can see why I've come. I keep seeing those two images over and over again."

--------

The Doctor nodded solemnly. He'd met with a few other magicians in his travels - and many more who thought or claimed they were, but were simply misunderstood, or else chicanerous charlatans out to further their own ends. But all of the practitioners he had met had developed their talents intentionally - most odd.

Interesting... I'd be curious to know about how you came about this most peculiar talent. I've never seen anything quite like it... but first thing's first - the hrmmm... the emotives, if you will, the senses upon my heart and soul created by the numinous presence of this painting seems to indicate myself and others confronting some great and terrible evil, personified by the opposing figure. That implies a number of things - One that there is, in fact, and evil that need be confronted, and two, that not only will I be involved, but others as well - others, I might guess, with... hrmm.. talents, one might say.

So. What is your opinion, Madame?


-------

Clarabell seems to sag, as if a weight has been lifted off her and she was relaxing for the first time.

"Oh dear, oh dear," she says, "I was so worried . . . . never mind. You are dead on. When I have my . . . little visions . . . they don't make sense to me until I start to draw or paint them. It's just jumbled information that I need to translate with my hands. When I do paint or draw it though . . . I see more about it than is visible.

She points to the teen in the green hat "This is the young thief."

She points to a blob of shadow "This is the combined shadow of the gambler and the half dead."

Her finger crosses the blotch she identified as you and another dark form and moves on to the next one "This is the runed warrior and next to him is the hero reborn."

Her finger moves to another spot "This is the wounded healer'

Her finger hovers back to your spot, she sighs and speaks with a softer tone "And dearie me that me hiding behind you."

She looks at The future of Hope paintings and says "I also know that those are the only two possibilities. Either this group of people faces that evil or . . . . well you can see."

--------

The Doctor nodded, giving a thin smile. Despite his mystical prowess and knowledge, his approach was basically a scientific one. Very good. Then we must continue with the assumption that your visions are accurate, as are the consequences for not taking action. Thus, our next task is to identify these figures with the people they represent, and assemble them that we might plot our course of action and response to this dastardly thread.

[DJDeMiko]

Clarabell nods at this and looks back at her paintings, she points at the boy in the green hat, the one she has named the young thief.

"Each of these people are important, but this little one is the most," she says, "Do you see how his hand is pushing through . . . the red stuff? The rest of us in the room are being pushed back by it . . . I think he's the key. I want you to see my other paintings, they are in my studio. You are the only one that I have been able to identify."

[WhiteKnight777]

Doctor Phantasmus

The Doctor smiled modestly, inclining his head and motioning for Clarabell to lead the way. Indeed. I would be delighted to view the rest of your artwork. It really is marvellous stuff, both for the execution and for the prophetic inclinations inherent within the work. As for identifying me... well, that is interesting. Mmm.. perhaps it's simply because I'm less attuned to this time-period? Hmmm, yes, it merits further investigation. But for now, we should, as you say, examine the rest of your work that we might get a better idea of what is to come, and how best to shape the etheric probabilities of the future..

[DJDeMiko]

The driver brings the car around and the doctor helps Clarabell into the car. She thanks him politely and they spend the drive discussing less important matters. (ooc have you picked a location for the mansion?)

You learn that Clarabell is single and always has been, but she prefers Misses because after a certain age it isn't becoming of a lady to use Miss. She has lived in the city all her life and makes enough selling paintings to afford her lifestyle.

Clarabell lives in a large but modest apartment in upper Easton. As you walk in the door man holds the door open and welcomes her back. Once inside Clarabell offers the doctor a cup of tea and then shows him what he surmises to be the next apartment over, which she has turned into a studio. She sighs to herself, the doctor catches a low "dearie dear" and she begins to unveil a number of paintings throughout the room.

All together there are -

of Hope
The older painting, now entitled “oh Hope” depicts cloaked figure, wrapped in a twisting darkness of what might be smoke . . . except that a suggestion of screaming faces can be seen within it. Despite the absence of the cloaked figures face, the viewer gets the feeling that the hooded figure is shocked and angry. Surrounding the figure is a sickening looking red ball of energy and on the outside of the bubble of energy are shadows. All but one of the things creating the shadows cannot be seen, but the sight of them fills the viewer with a sense of relief, something about the shadows suggest that they are there to stop the man with the red energy and dark swirling mass. Between the shadows and the dark figure, stands a teenage boy in a green hat. He is facing the dark figure, at the very edge of the red energy, but it’s impossible to tell why. The cloaked figure stands on the left of the panting and his red aura blends seamlessly into her newer picture.

The Future
The newer painting, “The future”, shows a skyline that many would recognize as that of New Hope City. From within the cities a sickeningly red wave of energy seems to be spreading through it. While nothing within the energy can be seen, the viewer will notice upon close inspection what looks like people huddling in fear as the energy approaches them.

The Young Thief
A boy in a green cap and dirty clothes stands in a store aisle slipping what looks to be a package of chips into his sweater. There is a sad and fearful look on his face.

The Fallen One
A beautiful Asian woman in a simple white dress is seen on a background of blue sky and soft white clouds. Nothing seems unusual about the woman except for the large white feathered wings, stretched out and open to the sky, that seem to be keeping her aloft. Even though she seems safe, the viewer feels a sense of fear, though it is not clear if it is a fear of her or for her.

The Steam Man
The picture is one of a wall of steam and emerging from it is . . . something. Something the doctor recognizes very well, because he designed it. Emerging from the steam, sending the steam billowing out as it charges towards the viewer, is his suit.

The Gambler
Your first thought is that the painting is upside down, but then you realize that its subject is upside down. The tall brown haired man is hanging by his feet from a thick rope. He wears blue jeans and a white shirt. His arms are behind his back, the viewer will think that they were tied though it can not be seen. On his head is what seems to be dried blood and he is surrounded by boxes.

The Runed Warrior
A black man is frozen in time, caught punching the viewer. On his face, an interesting mixture of exertion and exhilaration. It is clear that he's getting a kick out of hitting who ever he is hitting. His fist is gloved and standing out on it is a carefully drawn symbol.

Upon seeing the symbol the doctor will be unable to place it exactly, but will recognize it as likely magical and definitely related to strength.

The Wounded Healer
A young woman kneels over the body of a newborn, her left hand on its head and her right hand on its stomach. Both are covered in blood, but from the angle of viewing, no wounds are visible on either one.

The Half Dead
The painting shows a normal city street with a number of people going about their daily lives. None, but one, seem to notice a large grey shape. The viewer of the picture cannot help but think the words "ghost" and "monster" for the gray ethereal shape fits to well within the ghost stories that children tell. The shape is huge, at least twice as tall as any person on the street, with arms at least six feet long that end in huge spindly hands that could wrap themselves all the way around a human waist. As disturbing as these long hands are, they don't fill the viewer with half the dread that the creatures huge teeth, which despite their ghostly nature still seem so sharp. Standing on the street staring at the creature is a young woman. She looks determined and her fists are balled.

The Hero Reborn
The image is one that would be familiar to almost anyone on earth. Captain Hope stands triumphantly on top of one of the raised arms of the Hope Statue in his full suit. Closer examination though, shows that the suit isn't quite right. The large H on his chest has been replaced with an L.

The Sighted painter
A woman, who is clearly Clarabell, stands at an easel working on a partially finished painting, even in small detail the quality of the unfinished piece can be seen. Stacked around her are a large number of painted canvases, but all arranged so that their subject is largely obscured.

Greed
A figure stands atop a mountain of riches. The figure is one that is recognizable to any who had lived in New Hope City for more than a few years. The figure wears a finely crafted suit and an old fashioned formal overcoat with a hood pulled up obscuring his face. Two pale white hands are visible coming out of his coat, one holds something the size of a chicken egg but seems to be made of a pale glowing red glass and the other hand holds a leash.

The leash splits into a dozen pieces that lead to a dozen people knelt in supplication lower down the mountain of wealth. They seem to be worshiping the figure and come from all walks of life, the only thing they have in common is that they are finely dressed, except for one nude woman.

The pile of riches include gold, visible bills that seem to be of different currencies and a number of the strange red glass objects.



Seeing the string of paintings, the doctor can understand Clarabell's stress, to have all of this information and no idea of how to use it, would have been stressful to anyone.

[WhiteKnight777]

Doctor Phantasmus

(I'm still trying to decide on a location. Is there anywhere in the city that seems especially suited to having at least reasonably spacious grounds around the house?)

The Doctor gravely examined each painting in turn, his mind whirring with the probabilities and possibilities presented by each new scene of paint and canvas. After a period of quiet reflection, he at last spoke up

Interesting... very interesting. As I surmised, it seems that the first order of business is to ascertain the identities of those figures who yet remain anonymous, and gather them together before whatever tradgedy may be coming occurs.

[DJDeMiko]

Clarabell nods.

"I agree," she says. "But I'm a loss onto how. I have figured out a few things about these people . . . but nothing that has told me where to find them. I do want to point out one important thing that I have noticed."

She walks to The Sighted Painter painting and points to one of the stacks of paintings in the picture. "I noticed this early on," she says. "I don't recognize any of these paintings. I know you can only see the edges of most of them, but I'd know if I had already painted them. I believe these are paintings that I haven't created yet. Also, look at these shoes I'm wearing, I don't own a pair like that . . . yet I guess. Oh and hear, i noticed this after I saw your article, there's a whole stack of news papers in this corner of the room."

[WhiteKnight777]

Doctor Phantasmus

The Doctor nodded in agreement. Like many great artists, it was clear that there were levels of detail involved in these paintings that would merit a deeper examination. Pursing his lips thoughtfully, he spoke. Yes.. I see there lies within these paintings much more that could be discovered. would you mind if I were to borrow the ones concerning myself and the other presumable 'protagonists'? It would help me to identify them, and you would, of course, be welcome to visit them at any time.

[DJDeMiko]

The doctor spends the next few days carefully examining the paintings.

ooc - I am going to treat important details as future flashbacks. IE if there is something important in a painting I will bring it up before hand.


A few items stick out to him.

*He makes a note to check the brushes that Clarabell uses. He believes that some of the markings on the painting are so fine that she must either use much finer brushes than he saw while in the studio or that their may be more to her painting than she knows herself.

*In the painting of himself, The steam man, the suit is different, especially the right arm. While the suit's changes don't surprise him, he knows the suit is a work in progress, the right arm bothers him. With a magnifying glass he can tell that the right arm connects in with the rest of the suit in a different manner than the left arm does. It is also seems to sit on his right arm in a different way.

*He believes that she is correct about the painting of herself and that the newspapers are a clue. He orders a subscription to all of the local papers and a few of the regional ones as well.

*The picture of what looks like Captain Hope does not take place in the present. While it is currently winter, the foliage seen in the distance clearly indicates summer or spring.

*The painting of greed contains a number of small seemingly glass baubles, the size of chicken eggs. They are clear but either made of or full of a strange red glow, much akin to the energy that is further seen in the paintings "The future of Hope." He is convinced that they must be magic in origin, they lack mechanical parts, but can't place them.

He also notes that the figure in both paintings does indeed bear a striking resemblance to "The Boss"

*On the ground of the painting "The future" he can just make out the edges of runes on the ground at the villains feat. He can't recognize them, in part because they are incomplete but he also thinks they are from a school that he has never studied. This strikes him as odd because he believes that he has at least a passing familiarity with rune magic. He checks a few books that he possesses and can't find anything that looks correct either.

*The Runed Warrior definitely has a magic rune on his glove and in fact on closer examination the doctor sees a number of other runes spread throughout the mans attire. After looking through a few books, the doctor learns that he was correct about the man's glove. The rune on it, if created properly by someone with the appropriate talent would probably make the person hit harder. He can make out enough of a rune on the man's jacket to identify it as either a rune to keep water off or a rune to keep it permanently wet. He guesses the former.

*The doctor also considers that if some of these people are "heroes" that they may have registered with the Cline initiative.


ooc - we are slightly paused here while waiting for other threads to get to the right points. Anything he wants to do?

[WhiteKnight777]

The Doctor's going to check with the Cline initiative to see if any of the pictures match up with those registered with the programs. He'd also ask Clarabell, out of curiosity, if the names came to her as part of the paintings or were her own inventions, and ask about the brush issue.

He'll also be careful to start reading the newspapers even more thoroughly - although I see him as the type of fellow who probably already reads the local, and probably has the London daily paper shipped as well.

He's also going to examine that arm carefully. He knows that he had planned on making that arm interchangable, but what if it was for some other reason - such as, say, he'd lost that arm and it was a replacement...

[DJDeMiko]

When you try to get information about people who have signed up with the Cline Initiative you find out that there are a number of safeguards to protect even small amounts of information from being let out. You do learn that anyone who is registered with the initiative has access to whatever information the person provided when they registered.

Studying the arm yields no useful information. Their are definite modifications to it that aren't on the left. Wether this is from some sort of holster for an attachment, a modified weapon/defensive system or (the doctor thinks a tad fearfully) a missing arm, you can not tell.

[DJDeMiko]

************************************************** ******


End of Chapter 1: The Paintings


Begin Chapter 2: A Cast of Characters



************************************************** *******

[DJDeMiko]

Arrival

The week was one of research for the Doctor. That was not unusual, but rarely had the doctor spent so much time examining works of art. Days spent with a magnifying glass going over the paintings inch by inch, looking for clues. After learning what he could, Phantasmus went to the New Hope City Police headquarters and registered with the Cline initiative, giving him access to the members-only information.

Doctor Phantasmus looked at the Cline Initiative information with little annoyance. Twenty names on the list and only four with contact information who didn’t seem like hacks. He will make do though.

He contacts the four on the list; Strongman, John Bale, G Sheriff and Wesley Pinchton. He arranges a meeting on Saturday afternoon at The Ramsey hotel. He arranges for a suite to be set up in a specific manner suitable for the meeting.

On Saturday, the doctor (well his driver with the doctor in the car), picks up Clarabell and the driver helps load some of her paintings into the car.
They arrive ahead of time, so the doctor can have time to prepare.

[WhiteKnight777]

Doctor Phantasmus

The Doctor arrived early, setting up several modestly covered tripods containing relevant paintings for later display. He made sure that all the arrangements in order, made what payments were necessary, and then sat down to wait with a relax poised that belied any trepidation he might be feeling. Whatever the others who would be attending this little seminar might think, he'd have to convince them that his cause was correct, that his ideas were right. He'd studied the paintings intensely, and he knew that if the city were to survive, it needed heroes. Now, more than ever.

[DJDeMiko]

Strongman

Phantasmus looks up at a knock on the door. A loud knock. He opens the door finding himself face to chest with an enormous man wearing sweat pants, tennis shoes a muscle shirt and a spandex wrestling mask.

The doctor's trained eye measures the man at roughly 6'7 and notes that despite the gray hairs on the man's arms, which signaled an older age, that his muscles suggest a body builder at his prime.

The man nods his head and holds out a massive hand to the doctor.

"I call myself Strongman," he says with a mild Russian accent. "You are the one who called me?"

(ooc - react to him if you want, I'm going to wait for everyone to arrive to do a big post on background/attitude)

[DJDeMiko]

Wesley Pinchton


Wesley arrives next. He is a man in his 70's, walks with a cane and wears an expensive suit that would have been in style 15 years ago. The way he is walking suggests that he is very frail.

He introduces himself politely, has an air about him of a sweet grandfather about him and takes a seat.

[DJDeMiko]

G Sheriff

Standing in the door way is one of the more unusual sights that many of you have seen.

On one hand the person, who seems to be a black male in his 20's, looks straight out of a Western movie. From his leather boots to his sheriff's badge, from the 10-gallon hat to the bandito cloth pulled over his nose and mouth. He looks like a child's idealized version of a cowboy sheriff.

The stark difference though is that his clothing is, for lack of a better term, blinged out. Gold inlays, jeweled studs, a large gold chain hangs from his neck with the words "G_Sheriff" even his 6-shooter holsters (currently empty) show gems.

"Sup bitches," he says. "G Sheriff is in the house!"