Tag: ttrpg

#Lore24 – Entry #64 – Fantasy Month #4 – Bands of Grounding

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

Perhaps this is Felaria’s way of grounding my expectations of travel?  It would certainly fit her sense of humor.  Was I a bit too hopeful yesterday, a bit too eager to explore?  Perhaps I was; I did speak a lot about lands beyond the library, perhaps too much, though I heard no complaints from the others, and Gray Tiger was quite fascinated with what I had to say.

Anyway, Bands of Grounding, also known as Grounding Bands or mana-siphoning restraints, while a bit on the archaic side in terms of aesthetics, are no less effective at their intended purpose, restraining those who are capable of casting spells and constantly draining their energy reserves so they cannot cast spells, even with the use of their hands and mouths.  At the core of the design of these items are heavy-duty shackles and collars, often stout enough to restrain even the strongest of orcs, beset with numerous iron spikes, and multiple attachment points for chains and locks.  Securing even one such band to a spellcaster can result in diminished casting ability as their most powerful magics are siphoned away and their overall capacity for magic is reduced.  A full set of these restraints (consisting of bands on ankles and wrists, and a collar around the neck) will completely nullify even the most powerful spellcasters in minutes. 

Some observations regarding the design of these devices: 

1) The spikes, while instrumental in safely discharging the captured arcanist’s magical reserves, can be harmful to an overly animated arcanist or to those around them, should they know how to defend themselves without the use of magic, as was told to me by Gray Tiger, who has witnessed such things himself during his time training within his clan in the capital. 

2)  These devices are typically made of the densest metals, and/or with little regard for their overall weight and bulkiness; many spellcasters are physically weak due to long years of study, and thus encumbering them will further hinder their abilities. 

3)  The use of chains on the bands is entirely optional, and usually serves only to further restrain the wearer or secure them in place for transport or incarceration. 

4) The older designs of the Bands of Grounding had separate locks, which proved to be a security risk for spellcasters capable of picking locks, and though still in use in some distant regions of the Empire, have been replaced by the newer design, which rely upon spell-coded locks, their individual keys kept secured in another location until needed, or by the newest modification, which creates a kind of magnetic seal powered by the wearer’s own magical reserves, only removable by a separate control device.  As an additional security feature, the keys on the more modern designs are attuned so that if one restrained by the Bands attempts to use the keys, on themselves or others who are contained within the bands, they will receive a severe electrical shock, stunning them and causing a significant amount of pain.

5) A significant portion of the wealthy of the Empire often have sets of these created without their mana-siphoning enchantments as decorations for their kerryn slaves, perhaps with more refinement to the design, as something of a fashion accessory, some in silver or gold, or even encrusted with jewels in the case of the exceptionally wealthy.  The audacity of the wealthy nobles and merchants who make such displays is truly staggering.

Speaking from my personal experience with these devices during the course of my training, the feeling of having your magical reserves siphoned away is unsettling, leaving you with a distinct numbness within.  Given the high mobility style of swordplay I’ve adopted, the additional bulk of the restraints made it quite awkward to mount a proper defense, and I wound up poking myself several times with the spikes as I tried to move about, much to Filaria’s amusement, I might add.  I certainly could not think of a more insidious way to restrict magic users from using their abilities.

 

 

#Lore24 – Entry #63 – Fantasy Month #3 – Witches of the Ways / Wayfare Witches

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

Perhaps today’s prompt indicates that soon we will travel?  I can only hope; as much as I enjoy the archives, a trip out of these (perhaps overly) serene walls would not go amiss.  At least not a long trip.  And I suppose the peace here isn’t all bad.  I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing the southern lands this time of year, for the chill from the north is felt a bit too often these days. 

On to the topic at hand, less my fantasies overtake my more rational line of thought.  The Wayfare Witches, or alternatively, the Witches of the Ways, are perhaps the largest and most widespread of the known covens on the face of Andyllion, known to be found throughout not only the Imperium Draconis but throughout known civilization and perhaps beyond into the wilds beyond.  I suppose calling them a coven would be stretching things; some do tend to band together and practice secret rituals from time to time, but others seem to be following their ways without affiliation to a larger group.  Even then, from what the records indicate, their organization is extremely loose and informal, and operates perhaps with some amount of divine or otherworldly guidance, perhaps at the behest of the gods of nature and travel. 

The Witches are typically found outside of the largest cities, frequently operating the various travelers’ inns and rests along the roadways that connect civilized lands, or in the case of their seafaring sisters, within the safe ports located throughout the islands dotting the seas and oceans; rarely they will appear within large cities, but they are known to be found in even the most unexpected and inhospitable climes, such as the great swamps like the Muckenmyre or the icy Frigid Steppes.  A wise traveler will seek shelter beneath the roof of a Wayfare Witch, assuming their intentions are honest and they can offer a proper payment.  Payment varies with the individual or group, depending on the whims of the witch, but are usually reasonable and fair:  coin or a modest piece of jewelry in the case of a traveling noble, or something as simple as sharing a story or song for those of less wealth.  Some witches will accept favors to be repaid when able, and woe be to those who try to weasel out of the deal, or worse, try to harm a witch within their domain.

Generally seen as goodly and kind, offering shelter and aid (food, a hiding place, healing, etc.), especially to those fleeing conflict or those injured during their travels, the Witches of the Ways are not without their fangs.  Like most who practice the craft, they are adept at curses, and if crossed, will not hesitate to lay one upon the offending individual or party.  Their revenge is rarely, if ever, seen coming, and never immediately, and may be as simple as months of annoyances along the ways (imagine getting a pebble in one’s boot every day for a year), or as severe as outright ruin and calamity for the offenders in the cases of the most severe offenses; the disastrous campaign of Akakios Andriadis two centuries ago during the attempt to expand the Empire’s reach to the west saw his entire expeditionary force wiped out and reportedly consumed by the kobolds of the Flammesand Desert, supposedly after one of his subordinates assaulted a Witch’s apprentice and he refused to see them properly punished for the offense (said apprentice was a kerryn, and thus, the thought of punishing a soldier for such an act was deemed laughable), as the legends say.  Actual evidence of this is lacking, however.

The inner workings of the order are mostly a mystery to those outside of it, for the Witches closely guard their rituals and practices.  It is said that new members are brought in once a Witch finds a fitting apprentice, regardless of who or what they may be (they are a remarkably open-minded group, even within the Empire), spending many years learning before they either take over for an aging witch or go on to create their own Wayrest.  They do have places of power in which they hold their most sacred rituals, though these are usually difficult if not impossible to find if one is not allowed to.  Supposedly one can be invited into these places, or can seemingly stumble upon them during their explorations, but only if the local coven deems them worthy or if they can serve the witches in some way.  Once the need has been met, the place of power cannot be found again, supposedly, without an additional invitation. 

 

 

#Lore24 – Entry #62 – Fantasy Month #2 – Draconis Magna, Capital of the Empire

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

It seems Felaria has addressed my complaints about specificity and given me a simpler prompt for today:  Draconis Magna, the Imperial capitol.  Surely, I could voice complaint about specificity once again, as discussing the capital is no simple task for the fountain of knowledge overflows with the broadness of the subject, but since Mother has narrowed focus, then I shall obediently oblige.

The seat of the Great Dragon Emperor, blessed and chosen of the gods to reign over the great Imperium Draconis, the throne currently held by Luxus Drakon Raikos the Fourth; for the sake of brevity I shall not list his many, MANY titles, otherwise I would be here far longer than is required of this entry.  I feel that I must pause here in my discussion of the capital and note the insistence upon draconic imagery and naming conventions throughout the empire when true dragons have been gone from this world since times predating the Great Cataclysm two thousand years ago; it is truly astounding to me that their legends have continued to persist for so long, especially in the minds of humans, and that their nature can evoke such thoughts of power and dominance amongst the populace.  I would have thought that demonic iconography would have found greater prominence given their pervading influences since the Cataclysm and higher than average population of demon-blooded throughout the Empire than other parts of the world, but that is a mystery to discuss at another time, perhaps when Felaria feels the need to prompt me to do so.

Draconis Magna lies upon the shores of Gulf Draconum, upon the Dragon’s Breath delta at the mouth of the Great Goldenscale River, a country unto itself, really, a metropolis spanning some five-hundred square miles, the very heart of the Empire from which all power flows.  The city is well defended, housing a significant army and naval forces, as well as the Tower of the Grand Arcanum, the most powerful of arcanist orders.  All culture would seem to flow from here as well, as the city is known to be the center of the arts, filled with bards and artists of all kinds, chasing fame and fortune at the hands of the nobility, though by the time great works reach the ends of the Empire, they have long been out of fashion within the city itself.

The most powerful of the nobility reside here, vying for power and the ear of the Emperor, and perhaps, uncoincidentally, the variety of pleasures to be found is nigh unfathomable.  Supposedly if one seeks a particular form of entertainment, it can be found in Draconis Magna, no matter how vile it may be.  Having only visited the capital a handful of times myself, I have never experienced the darker side of the city’s pleasures, but the tales are too prevalent not to hold some truth.  It is the kerryn slaves I feel for the most in this regard, for they are the ones suffering the worst the city has to offer, and of course it is by the Emperor’s decree, dating back many centuries, so who would possibly argue against what happens to them?  There have been attempts to overturn the decree of course, but such protests have not lasted long, and quite often those involved have vanished under not-at-all mysterious circumstances.

There does seem to be growing unrest within the high walls of Draconis Magna by many accounts from visitors to the library.  Rumors of rebellion in the outlying regions continue to grow, and some wonder if the Emperor’s power is on the decline after the family has held power for so many generations.  Supposedly even the slaves, kerryn and otherwise, are growing discontent and starting trouble, but as yet, I have no actual proof of this.  Perhaps this is why the Emperor has begun efforts to expand the empire further, and has been seeking lost relics in the many ruins found in the wildlands, and is even looking across the seas to other lands to plunder?  It seems a time of unrest may not be far off, if history is to be repeated.  Perhaps it is even time for a new age to be born, however violently, into existence?

#Lore24 – Entry #61 – Fantasy Month #1 – Andyllion

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

 

Felaria continues to insist upon testing my knowledge, and so I will write, once more, upon the topic she has chosen for this day.  I am not entirely certain as to why she insists upon me keeping such a personal record recalled from my own mind when we have access to the entirety of the Imperial Archives, but so be it; I am but the apprentice and she the wizened Head Archivist, after all.  Mother knows best, as they say.

For today she has chosen…Andyllion, the world upon which we all live.  I’m not exactly sure where to start with the topic, considering it’s literally a world of possibility.  The entirety of it surely hasn’t been explored, and more of it has been lost to time and calamity than we can possibly know.  As far as known facts…the world hosts a pair of moons, Mika and Elara, a yearly length of three-hundred-seventy-five days, and a daily length of twenty-five hours.  There are at least seven known continents, Ashun, Emoris, Mizunko, Saenaphia, and Yastryka, plus the frozen north and south polar regions that have been almost entirely unexplored. Dozens of smaller island groups serve as a loose connecting tissue between them, and vast uncharted seas lie beyond those.

Should I begin detailing the flora and fauna found amongst the various continents?  Or perhaps some details of the kingdoms as well as their people?  Shall I describe the civilized races, or perhaps the more savage ones inhabiting the wildlands?  Or perhaps the civilizations we know to be long collapsed and their ruins left to crumble, forgotten and inhabited by monsters and abominations?  Or perhaps I should detail the cataclysm that nearly destroyed it some two-thousand years ago?  Simply naming the world as a topic!  Surely, she could have made it something more specific!  One could literally write volumes on Andyllion; volumes have been written on Andyllion in fact, and I’ve read most of them!

Oh, praise the gods and the Great Dragon Emperor himself!  An arcanist seeks knowledge, and the other archivists are otherwise occupied!  Felaria’s pages will have to wait until they have been served; I shall hope that they are particularly unskilled at performing their own research and require the rest of the day digging through the archives, for I must serve the people, after all!

 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #60 – Supers Month #29 – New Heroes in Sentinel City!

 

From the files of Cyber Seer…

 

New Heroes and Heroines

Okay, dudes, this one’s gonna be quick, cause things are heating up and changing in Sentinel City like, superfast!  Here’s some quick info on new faces in town that have come onto the scene over the last few weeks!  Reach out to these guys and gals if you can, get to know’em and maybe we can form up our own big superhero league or whatever!  

 

Wrench Witch and Squatch – Talk about your oddball pair, and no, it’s totally not because they’re from the South!  Wrench Witch drives a tricked out late-70s era Ford pickup and somehow makes it work as her primary weapon dealing with criminal types; hell, there’s even video of her driving over the river in that thing!  Daddy Cyber Seer would be envious!  She also packs what looks like a cobbled together battery-powered drill and nailgun combo, but that thing shoots lightning bolts and can pin people to the floor!  Like wow, low tech, but super advanced!  She knows how to shoot guns, too, and looks to be pretty mean with a shotgun!  She’s also got a mean right-hook and isn’t afraid to get in a scrap right beside her bro, either; total tomboy energy!

And Squatch, well, he’s…a sasquatch.  Like, literally, that’s what he is.  At least, that’s what Wrench Witch has said in interviews, though she is adamant he’s her little brother, and has been since her family found him in the woods and adopted him.  All he says is is his name, but she’s totally able to understand him on a completely different level, even translates for him.  He’s big, he’s strong, super-hairy, and he’s apparently a book nerd, and pretty dang smart to boot by all accounts.  

Also, the pair run moonshine into Sentinel City.  Like, not what I’d call a real crime, but the Feds say its illegal, so whatcha gonna do?  I’m not calling them out for it, though; gotta make a living somehow!

 

Kinbaku and Lovely Angel – OMG, now here’s a pair I could totally hook up with!   I mean, Kinbaku’s name would be enough, but these ladies are going to make it big in no time, I’m sure!  I mean, they’re totally hot, like wowza!  Kinbaku, the mysterious catgirl swordswoman with some super-tricked out rope bondage techniques, and Lovely Angel in that stripperiffic outfit, doing those sexy pole dances in the middle of fights?  Ohhh, I’m totally looking forward to seeing a lot more from these chicks!  They can tie me up and give me a lap dance any day of the week!  

 

Silverstreak – Oh, I think he might be on par with Clean Sweep in terms of sheer speed!  He’s hard to catch on camera because of it, but this silver wolfman can leave afterimages behind him, and he can run circles around the opposition, or probably anyone else for that matter.  I’d say reach out to him, but I don’t know if any of us can catch him!  He’s not one to stick around after he’s done wrapping up the bad guys, and certainly hasn’t sought out any kind of fame or recognition as of yet.

 

Rad Wolf – Well, if it’s one thing I can say about Rad Wolf, it’s that he’s totally got a latex fetish.  Like, full-body latex suit (complete with a VERY impressive bulge) and gas mask, and it’s definitely build around wolf-like features (pretty sure that’s a real tail and wolf-like muzzle behind that mask).  And I think he’s totally got radiation powers, though I get the feeling he’s keeping them in check, or is just starting to manifest them.  Like, he’s got those glowing green radiation symbols all over the suit for a reason, right?  I think he might be still refining his style, though; I mean, why use just a steel pipe for weapon?  So far he’s come off as a bit of a goofball in the few interviews he’s had, but he’s just getting started, so we’ll see what becomes of him, huh?

 

Lawdog – This guy just showed up during the last full moon, and I don’t even know what his name is, so I’m just calling him Lawdog, cause that’s like, the vibes he put out.  That was the night that outlaw biker gang was causing trouble all through the city and had us running ragged.  This guy just appears on a rooftop like some mysterious werewolf gunman out of an old western, howling at the moon and unloading his six shooters at the gang.  He even wears a duster and cowboy hat, hell, I think he even has a tin star on his costume!  So yeah, totally going with Lawdog here.  He’s shown up a time or two since, seems to have a thing for putting some fear into his targets before confronting them, so he’s got some style!  

(Side note:  Totally just an off-the-wall theory on my part, but I’m seeing a pattern here!  Female supers tend toward feline traits, and males toward lupine or canine traits!  How crazy is that?!)

 

 

Comments

Pink Pussy – Hey, chica, Kinbaku and Lovely Angel?  They’re guys.  Just thought you should know 😉

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  WHAT?  No, you’re pulling my leg here!  I’m a connoisseur of this kind of thing, an expert!  I have a finely tuned eye for traps!  There’s no way they’re dudes, dude!  Like, how do you even know that?

–Reply from Pink Pussy:  The nose knows 😉  And I may have just flirted with them a couple of times now and gotten Angel a little hot under the collar.  

—-Reply from Cyber Seer:  No way, I still don’t believe it!  Best traps ever!  You totally have to introduce me sometime!  

 

Gun Bunny – I’ve met Lawdog once.  He’s quite the gentleman, really, and is absolutely going for the classic western hero.  I daresay Sentinel City could use more men of that kind of character.  He’s also very much a cop, or at least, used to be one before putting on the duster and six guns; the way he carries himself, refers to the criminals, some of the observations he had, definitely has had training as a detective.  Early impressions, yeah, I’d trust him in a firefight.

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Neato!  You seem to know a lot about how cops act too, GB!  Bet you watch a lot of those shows on TV, huh?

–Reply from Gun Bunny:  Guilty as charged 😉

 

Mecha Musume – In spite of her more crude methods, I am confident in saying that Wrench Witch shares some of my own talents with mechanics.  I managed to catch the tail end of that fiasco on the freeway tonight, and thankfully she and Squatch were there to keep all those logs from causing serious harm to people.  She didn’t hesitate to use her truck as a shield, and he was easily able to grab them and toss them off the bridge into the river.  That truck is built more than “Ford tough”; it barely had any scratches to the paint let alone dents after slamming into those huge logs.  

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Black Cat called what y’all do being an artificer, btw.  But yeah, caught some drone footage of that mess, and did some sniffing around, pretty sure I’ve found the cause of that.  Looks like Rampage got out of Edgewater somehow and is loose again, so expect things to get nuts sooner rather later.  Funny how they’re keeping that quiet, huh?

–Reply from Mecha Musume:  Absolutely suspicious, or perhaps Jennifer Tempest couldn’t handle the fact that someone broke out of her facility and doesn’t want to admit failure?  Either way, we need to get the word out to be on the lookout for this guy!

—-Reply from Pink Pussy:  Consider the word out!  I freakin’ hate this guy!  It’s like all those video games where you drive around and shoot up the city and cause chaos got embodied into one nutjob!  Madre de Dios, don’t let him get wound up too far, or we’ll have a city-wide mess on our hands!

 

LORE24 ENTRY #59 – Supers Month #28 – Solaria

 

From the files of Cyber Seer…

 

Heroine Name

Solaria

 

Real Name

Unknown

 
Description

if it’s one thing Solaria has, it’s a sense of style, though, like, I’m not so sure about some of her fashion choices.  On the outside, that whole “priestess of the Light” thing is pretty hot, flowing white dress, revealing slits on the sides and on the skirts to show of her hips and legs, the golden accents, thigh boots and opera-style gloves, yeah, it totally works with the goodly healer bit.  I’m not so sure about the rest of that outfit though.  Like, the golden collar and cuffs on her wrists and ankles, those are totally awesome, sure, but the full set of chastity gear under the dress?  That’s a bit much, I think.  Like, no way I could handle something like that.  Not at all, I’d go like, totally crazy in no time flat.  Wonder if she’s like, focusing her mental energies somehow by doing that, or if maybe she’s like, a virgin and has to protect her virtue or like, lose her powers and stuff?

Oh, she also has this really cool looking sun-themed staff too, also gold, for like, channeling her energy, I think.  Really sets off the rest of her look!

 

Powers and Abilities

So like, Solaria is all about the heals, right?  She’s like, the only person I know who can do a proper RPG-style healing, and she does it super-awesome like.  She even does the prayers and stuff to the Light when she does it!  And she isn’t the least bit shy about sharing her gift, either, which is totally awesome!  She goes around the city to all the clinics and homeless shelters and stuff and heals those she can, from minor cuts and scrapes to broken bones and like, even some diseases!  

She’s even like, got some other powers relating to the light, too.  She can pull off a totally awesome flashbang attack, and she absolutely glows when she calls on her healing powers; total beacon of holiness!  She can do light shields and stuff too.  She’s probably got other powers relating to Light manipulation (HOLY LASERS!!!) if I were to make totally random guesses, but like, maybe she’s saving them for hard times?  Or something?  I’ll get into that more in a sec…

And honestly, guys, I’m like, 99% sure I could take Solaria in a fight, and I’m totally not a fighter, right?  She like, totally doesn’t get the combat thing, even worse than me!  You’ve seen the vids, right?  She can defend herself, like, in the general sense of the term, but like, your average street thugs tend to overpower her on the regular.  If this were like, an RPG, I’d say she totally min-maxed her offense and defense, and it’s like, totally out of balance.

And like, this is totally unconfirmed and stuff, but there’s like, this other chick that’s been spotted near Solaria a couple times now, just came on the scene.  Like, I don’t know if Solaria is summoning a literal angel (cause she totally looks like a kickass avenging angel), or if like, she’s aligned with Solaria spiritually or whatever (her armor sort of looks an awfully lot like Solaria’s chastity gear), but it looks like she packs a punch!  Maybe she’s min-maxed the opposite way Solaria is to act as a balance?  I’m still digging on this one; camera footage is totally whacked so far, just got tons of eye-witnesses and you know how they can be.  

Update from Black Cat:  Dudes!  Finally caught up with Black Cat again and like, she’s totally confirmed some things!  Solaria is definitely using full blown healing magic, and she’s definitely got like, an otherworldly patron of some kind guiding her!  So all that stuff she is always preaching about?  Like, totally true!  What Black Cat couldn’t say for sure was whether it’s actually something from beyond our mere mortal realm, or if Solaria actually willed it into being herself, or if it’s one of those familiar things with a super-bloated opinion of itself.  But like, she also said a bunch of other stuff that I had trouble following (magic is actually pretty hard to understand; give me some deep encryption algorithms any day!), so like, maybe you can ask her about it next time you see her?  But like, that new angel chick spotted with Solaria?  She’s definitely not a manifestation of Solaria’s power, she’s her own thing!  Need more info, like seriously!

 

What She Does

Okay dudes, I’mma lay this one out here and just, like, make of it what you will.  Solaria is like, this totally awesome healer, right?  Seems like someone Sentinel City could use more of, right?  I mean, she totally spends most of her time helping people and expecting nothing in return, right?  Well, like, maybe?  But like, she’s got this quirk about her, and I’m totally not against religion and stuff, but dudes, she’s totally developing a cult around her.  Like, seriously, the Light she is always praying to?  More and more people are praying to it now after she’s been preaching about it so much (like, she’s even been hauled off by the cops a few times when she got really fired up about it); she’s practically starting her own church.  It’s like, only a matter of time before she starts doing healing live on TV and getting donations and stuff from all over the country.  Like, those megachurches that are out there now?  They will have nothing on Solaria if the girl got serious about it.  Am I saying that’s a bad thing?  Not really, I mean, maybe it’s high time for a new religion to spring up?  Not my field, though; I’ll stay well out of the whole theology debate, yeah?

And like, there’s this other quirk about Solaria though, and I can totally get it!  And like, she’s worse than me in this regard!  She gets captured.  A lot.  Like, running the numbers, I’m seeing like, of her known fights that have been captured on video, like 85% of them end with her getting overpowered and captured, tied up in various humiliating ways and drug off somewhere by the baddies.  Like, I get it, totally, she’s got a damsel-in-distress fetish; I’ve been there (still might be there, in fact), but still, when I’m saying that it’s a bit much, you know its bad.  Like, damn, PP, you need to catch up with this girl and put her through some serious training!  I guess maybe that’s why she adopted the chastity gear?  Like, it makes sense in a hentai-kind of way.

 

Known Allies

Hooded Harlot

Her Mysterious Guardian Angel

The Solaria Cult

 

Known Enemies and Rivals

Anyone on the captor side of a kidnap fetish?

Shadow Lynx.  Maybe; I mean, like, their powers are like, totally opposites, right?  We all remember what happened to Shadow Lynx when the lights came on in the Dollface fight, right?  So like, I could see sparks between these two.  And Shadow Lynx is such a bitch (taking PP’s word on that one!), so like, it’d make sense, right?

 

Comments

Mecha Musume – I cannot help but feel like we should be keeping a closer eye on Solaria; her healing abilities are very unique, and could be dangerous in the wrong hands.  As prone as she is to being captured, who is to say that some villain out there doesn’t already have their eyes on her, and is planning on kidnapping her and forcing her to keep them and their minions healed?  I also think that, if you’re willing to assist, Pink Pussy, that some self-defense training is certainly in order.  Perhaps Cyber Seer and Solaria can be enrolled in your program together?  Since someone here has thus far been avoiding said training.

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Oh, that’s not fair!  You know how busy I am all the time!  The internet totally never sleeps!

–Reply from Pink Pussy:  Si, I’m more than willing to put these two through their paces!  Strength training, combat training, long runs and hikes, the works!

—-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Uhhh…nope, totally not for me.  I’m super-delicate, you know?  All these late nights, stuck by my computer?  I’m totally not built for that kind of thing.  This is a nerd body, through and through!

——Reply from Mecha Musume:  Oh, I think that sounds wonderful!  You could use some proper sunlight from time to time, Cyber Seer.  And perhaps we should look into getting you some gear to match Solaria’s?  Maybe you would be more motivated to getting yourself in shape if certain pleasures were denied?  I can discuss the matter with Mecha Mistress and I’m sure she’d be in agreement.

——–Reply from Cyber Seer:  Totally not cool, dude!  Not cool at all!  Like, no!  NO!

———-Reply from Pink Pussy:  Have Mecha Mistress tag me in on that convo, ‘kay?  I think we can work something out!

Further comments on this thread have been blocked by the administrator.

 

Pink Pussy – Hey, chicas, I have some bad news here…I think Solaria has already been scooped up by someone!  Don’t ask me how I know, but I’m like 99% sure Solaria is moonlighting at the Edgewater Institute!  They’ve got a healer on staff that could absolutely be her, wears the same golden chastity gear, has the flashy light effects when healing, the works.  She wears some pretty heavy-duty latex nurse outfit, though, so her face is hidden.  I’m not sure she’s there of her own free will, but with the way she’s always getting captured, maybe?  Either way, I don’t trust someone like Jennifer Tempest with her.  That woman is scary in her own way.

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Heavy-duty latex nurse outfit?  Tell me more 😀 😀 <3 <3 <3

–Reply from Pink Pussy:  Nah, I’m not taking that bait, chica.  I’ve said too much already.

—-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Awww, come on!  Edgewater is like, totally locked down; I haven’t been able to take a peek inside at all, so tell me!  Inquiring minds want to know!

——Reply from Pink Pussy:  Fine, I’ll tell you, but you gotta do some serious training with me first.  

——–Reply from Cyber Seer:  You know what?  I’m totally not that interested suddenly 🙁 🙁

———-Reply from Mecha Musume:  Thank you for telling us about this, though.  We’ll have to keep it  on the radar for a future investigation.  Maybe Black Cat could perhaps use her magic to discern more information about the situation there?

 

Gun Bunny – if it weren’t for her healing abilities, Solaria would be in the crazy file at the SCPD.  When she gets rolling about the Light, she really gets rolling; records indicate that the PD have had to gag her a few times when she’s been hauled in, though I’m guessing that’s intentional on her part.  Still, I’d say she’s a net positive in the city, though if she’s got links to Edgewater and the Tempests, I’d definitely tread carefully around her, and be careful what you say, otherwise the Tempests may hear about it.

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Heh, she’s definitely worse off than me when it comes to the bondage thing.  Totally good advice as always, GB!  I’ve been digging into the Tempests myself, and there’s definitely something shady with that family!  If someone knows more about them, I’d say it’s that reporter for channel 9, Delia Emmerson.  She’s done several interviews with them lately, so maybe we reach out to her?  Seems to me like all of the Tempest’s operations are locked behind the same level of security as Edgewater, and thus far I’ve not had a reason to try to bust through their firewalls.  Might have to take a deeper dive soon…

–Reply from Gun Bunny:  Don’t do anything too dangerous, Cyber Seer.  The Tempest family isn’t to be underestimated; they’ve got their fingers in so much around the city, it’s scary.  They’ve got roots with the Italian mafia families, so expect harsh retaliation if you’re caught.

—-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Don’t worry, I’m the best at this kind of thing!  They’ll never even know I was there!

LORE24 ENTRY #58 – Supers Month #27 – Hooded Harlot

 

From the files of Cyber Seer…

 

Heroine Name

Hooded Harlot

 

Real Name

Unknown

 
Description

So like, she’s a whore, or a harlot, right?  And she wears a hood, hence the name.  Totally mind blowing, right?  Seriously, though, not gonna throw shade, just like, being snarky and stuff.  Chill!  Anyway, Hooded Harlot has a thing for purple, the darker the better.  It’s her primary color choice, next to black.  Her costume has that stylish hood and cape thing going on, though she wears a domino-type mask beneath the hood too to help with the secret identity thing.  She wears a two-tone black and purple one-piece on her upper body and thigh high heels over lighter purple tights, and sports a pair of opera-length gloves to top things off.  She’s got some pretty deep pockets in that outfit too, sporting your classic utility belt and some extra weapons hidden about herself.  Nothing too flashy for this chica, just down to business.  And might I say, she rocks the look, especially since she’s buffed up some lately, really cracked down and got herself in greater shape!  Seriously, dudes, have you seen those thighs?  Hawt!

 

Powers and Abilities

So like, from what everyone has observed (at least those who ain’t afraid to speak up and post footage online, anyway), she’s not sporting any flashy super powers, but DAMN if Harlot’s not a great fighter.  Like, ninja warrior shit here!  Some of the footage of her, as little as there is of it, tells me she’s got leet skillz!  There was that one vid of her dropping down on a bunch of drug dealers harassing some of the working girls and man, she had them all messed up in record time!  Left the lot of them strewn about the street, and how!  More on that later, though.  She packs a lot of tricks in her utility belt, too, like smoke bombs, gas grenades, bolas, stun guns, and dudes, she’s even got a grapple gun!  Like, where does she get all those wonderful toys?  Oh, she ain’t afraid to use weapons, either; she’s usually wielding a pair of batons that are totally not dildoes (okay, they probably are, but like, HARD ones), even has some versions of them that she can throw like a ninja star!  Imagine getting clunked in the head with something like that!

 

What She Does

Hooded Harlot kicks ass; that’s like, what she does!  At least, those asses that come into the Red Light District and start trouble, anyway.  She’s like, totally territorial in that regard, rarely spotted outside that area of town, and if she is spotted elsewhere, it usually means she’s tracking down someone who hurt one of the pros, or did something else to really piss off those in the biz with some seriously shady shit.  Drug dealer types seem to be pretty high on her ass kicking list, based on the numbers.  Oh, but Harlot doesn’t just let’em off with a good beat down!  She’s got a style all her own, cause she has to humiliate the shit outta these douchebags, like, damn, I think she’s got some serious mental trauma or something.  Or maybe she’s just like, totally kinky; I’d buy that too.  Kinda hot, right?  Well, maybe not if you’re on her bad side.  Harlot’s got a mean streak, and she makes sure people know about it.  She’s got this habit of leaving those criminal types who cross her laying out in the open, usually beaten black and blue, but also usually arrayed in some really humiliating fashions.  Like, remember that time all those guys were tied to the railing, pants down, asses spanked, and stuffed with some of her toys?  Yeah, like, don’t get on her bad side!  Total X-rated stuff, but like, she could totally monetize it!  (She hasn’t, though; believe me when I say I’ve done the research!)

But I’m like, not really sure how to get on her good side, either.  She’s like, really dedicated to taking care of the Red Light District, and like, doesn’t play well with others.  I’ve tried leaving some messages here and there, and got nothing.  PP mentioned some run ins with her, but like, she didn’t sound too receptive to a co-op, more like she wanted everyone else outta her territory.  Still, she’s not outright come out and gotten hostile with any heroes as far as I know, just like, really cold and mysterious and anti-social and stuff.  Like, “don’t mess with me shit, and I won’t mess with yours” kinda vibes.

 

Known Allies

So like, Hooded Harlot is mostly a loner, right?  Like, she’ll tolerate other hero-types passing through, but as long as they finish up and clear off fast, she doesn’t seem to take offense to them.

There seems to be a particular exception, though.  Like, Solaria has been spotted in the RLD multiple times, and as far as I can determine, she’s like, not gotten her ass beaten yet.  Thinkin’ maybe it’s because she’s always out there healing people up, you know?  Like, has Solaria ever really pissed anyone off?  Or maybe she and Harlot have something else going on?  Like, how many times do you think Harlot’s had to save Solaria from getting kidnapped in her territory?  Anyway, if Harlot has an ally, it’s Solaria, though how close they really are is anyone’s guess.

 

 

Known Enemies and Rivals

Organized Crime Types

Drug Dealers

Corporate Douchebags

Bad Tippers?

 

Comments

Cyber Seer –  So like, I think I should probably like, try to do some on-the ground kinda investigatory actions here and get to know Hooded Harlot, for like, the team and stuff.  We’re all on the same side here, right?  Keep Sentinel City and its people safe, and that goes for the hookers and stuff too, right?  I can totally go in undercover.  I can almost guarantee she’s a dominatrix by day!  Or well, by night?  Well, she works crime-fighting at nights usually, so…maybe she doesn’t sleep much either?  But yeah, totally should investigate her more!

-Reply from Mecha Musume:  I will admit that I’m rather impressed that you kept most of the NSFW stuff to a minimum here given the subject’s nature, but I would think that our attention should be in other places for now?  There is that whole matter of stolen artifacts and Kitsune’s mysterious backer to research, yes?  Hooded Harlot is doing her own thing, doesn’t seem to be hurting anyone who doesn’t deserve it, and for now, hasn’t asked for help from us.  Don’t be getting involved where you’re not needed or wanted.

–Reply from Cyber Seer:  You should have seen the first draft; like totally X-rated and like, ten times longer 😉  Like yeah, you’re not wrong, but like, I’m just saying, she could totally be worth reaching out to!  Think of all the stuff that goes on in the RLD that she probably knows about!  Could be super-useful to have a contact on the inside!  

—-Reply from Mecha Musume:  (≖_≖ )  Are you hiding something?  You seem very restrained for such an X-rated heroine as Hooded Harlot.  You aren’t planning on disguising yourself and trying to draw her out to experience one of her humiliating beatings, are you?

——Reply from Cyber Seer:  NO!  Totally not planning anything like that!  Of course not!  Like…I’m just, you know…curious…like…what’s it like in that position, you know?  But no, I’m not planning anything.  Nope nope nope!  Good girl here!

——–Reply from Mecha Musume:  I’m pressing the doubt button…

 

Pink Pussy – Yeah, I’ve had a run-in or two with Hooded Harlot since I’ve been fighting crime; it was sort of like when two big cats cross paths and try to assert dominance, I guess.  She’s definitely doing her own thing.  You’re right about her being territorial; she’s very protective over the workers there, kinda like a guardian angel, yeah?  Chica’s definitely got issues, but I’d probably lean on the side of trusting her to jump in to help if you happened to get dragged into a fight there.  Just don’t expect her to welcome you afterward; likely she’d beat the bad guy and then threaten you with a beating too if you didn’t clear out rapido.  

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Think that maybe if someone were to like, willingly take the beating she’s offering that she’d like, open up to them?  I could like, test that theory!

–Reply from Pink Pussy:  I don’t even know what to say to that…like seriously, you need to calm the kink, chica.

—-Reply from Mecha Musume:  Oh, don’t worry about that; we’re going to have a long discussion over this one, and she’s not going to enjoy it.

——Reply from Cyber Seer:  You might be surprised ;p  

 

Gun Bunny – My sources in the SCPD don’t really have much to add about Hooded Harlot; she’s got a niche and she fills it well.  She plays about as well with the cops as she does anyone else, but only sticks around long enough to see that the bad guys are arrested.  She went quiet there or a few weeks though, before she came back in better shape than ever, so they’re assuming she went through some kind of intense training, maybe in response to the growing number of superpowered criminals out there.  The week following her return had the highest arrest rate to date for the RLD.  

-Reply from Cyber Seer:  Ohhh, neat to know!  Still think you’ve got better legs, though 🙂

–Reply from Gun Bunny:  Noted, and appreciated 😉

 

LORE24 ENTRY #57 – Supers Month #26 – Claire Tempest

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Claire Tempest.

Claire.  Tempest.

WHO IN THE HELL IS CLAIRE TEMPEST?!?!?!!!

There’s another Tempest sister?!  When?!  HOW?!  Where is she?  Who is she?  How is it possible I’m just now learning of her existence?!

Seriously, full stop.  I don’t know how I missed this one, or how none of the Tempests or any of their underlings ever mentioned Claire Tempest before.  Nobody, and I mean nobody, not even the best government spooks can exist with this level anonymity.  I found nothing, absolutely NOTHING about Claire Tempest ANYWHERE.  Even my law enforcement sources swear I have to be mistaken, because they’ve never heard of a Claire Tempest either.  

So how did I find out about Claire Tempest at all?  It wasn’t easy, and maybe a little stupid, if not outright dangerous, but something stirred the family up a few weeks back.  It started with Misha Kyle of all people; apparently she’s got some kind of grudge against Sei-Sei’s friend Honey.  Whatever she had planned, Maria and Jennifer stepped in to intervene before Misha did something she’d regret; still trying to work out the details on that one.  I happened to be tailing Julia at the time, and happened to be masquerading as one of the waitresses at her favorite restaurants when she got a call from Grace.  I couldn’t overhear all the details, but I saw Julia of all people go pale.  She recovered quickly, but I heard her mention “our dear sister Claire” and making sure that the entire family would be there for her arrival.  She left almost immediately thereafter, so I hightailed it too, and followed her all the way to the Tempest estate.  I hung back in my favorite hiding spot in the woods outside the property, and sure enough, within a matter of hours, every one of the Tempest family had shown up.

I never saw Claire Tempest arrive, though (perhaps she was already there, waiting for Julia?), and as much as I wanted to, I wasn’t about to try to slip into the Tempest Estate.  I just had some seriously bad vibes about the place that night.  I can’t really explain it, but there was this overwhelming feeling that I didn’t want to be anywhere near the place, something…intangible in the air, like that static feeling you sometimes get when a thunderstorm is coming in.  

I’m digging with renewed vigor on this one; I will find out who Claire Tempest is, eventually.  Whatever she’s scheming, it’s got the rest of the family working extra hard on…something.  All of them seem to be redoubling their efforts at their various activities, almost like they’re trying to impress Claire, maybe, or more like they’re preparing for something big?  I may try to approach Honey and try to get what she knows about it; I overhead some of a conversation she had with Sei-Sei after the family meeting.  She’s been in a foul mood ever since, apparently, and had nothing good to say about any of the Tempests following that event, though Sei-Sei seemed to be entertained by whatever happened, teasing Honey about it before the two went off for their private escapades.  

This Tempest rabbit hole is going deeper than I ever could have imagined.  Though I will see it through to the end, I can only hope that I won’t be buried in it.

 

LORE24 ENTRY #56 – Supers Month #25 – Julia Tempest-Redhall

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Julia Tempest-Redhall may well be the head of the Tempest crime family.  She doesn’t share the spotlight like some of the younger girls in the family, and by most accounts is a rather private individual, but her name is known throughout Sentinel City, and she is frequently spotted at every major public function, and most private ones, the city’s elite hold.  She’s the very image of a graceful, elite socialite, but I’ve yet to uncover what she’s actually done to become so famous amongst the wealthy elite.  Maybe it has something with her ties to old European royalty and her marriage into the Redhall family, maybe she inherited some significant wealth there; I’m still waiting on more details on that front, but information is surprisingly hard to find regarding the links here.

I’ve yet to find the exact dates here, but from what I can piece together, Julia has to be in her sixties, if not her seventies, but I daresay she barely looks forty, and the younger women of the family have reportedly taken to calling her ‘Granny’, a moniker that she despises, apparently.  I just can’t get over how well these women age.  Maybe the Fountain of Youth is just one of their many secrets?  

But what is it that Julia actually does in Sentinel City?  Besides being a socialite…I can’t really find anything else, officially.  She apparently doesn’t have any official income, even though she lives within the walls of the Tempest family mansion, and has perhaps the largest estate in the wealthy areas on the outskirts of the city.  I haven’t found any criminal records indicating tax evasion or other schemes one might expect to find, and I’ve barley found any public records of her at all, not even a drivers’ license.  I suppose that’s why she is always spotted with her driver, chauffer, butler, whatever, Sei-Sei (he may look all hot and plays sweet, but what little I’ve seen of him, his eyes scream career criminal, real mafioso-type muscle) in tow, though he’s also been known to work with the other members of the family.  I’ve followed him a couple times when Julia’s sent him out on errands, and have discovered that he sometimes hooks up with a prostitute, known as Honey, though I’ve not gone deeper than that; maybe she’s another angle I can investigate when I have the chance.

Back to Julia, though.  I’m absolutely certain she’s got her hands on Sentinel City’s strings, controlling a good chunk of the politicians and influential wealthy elite in the city.  She’s just too common a sight not to wield some kind of incredible power.  I’ve seen it myself, have photos of how these people look at her, and they practically worship her, always fawning over her.  It’s that  damn Tempest force of personality at work again.  But what does she actually tell them to do?  I’ve only gotten close enough to overhear a few conversations, and haven’t managed to get clear long-range recordings, but the conversations seem innocent enough.  Yet, there are plenty of private meetings I’ve not managed to slip close enough to eavesdrop on yet, and those are where the big business gets done, I’m certain.  Julia and the rest of the family has a grand plan in the works, probably dozens of criminal operations that all seem unrelated, but no doubt tie together at the head of the family.  

I may be going out on a limb here, but I am convinced I’ll find proof of it sooner or later, but I daresay that the Tempest family runs the single largest criminal enterprise in the country, maybe the world!  These women simply have too much power and influence to be using it entirely for the benefit of the city.  I just need that one detail, the one scrap of information that’ll bust this case wide open, and I’m sure I’ll find it!  Once I’ve taken care of a few more things swirling around Julia, I’m going to ambush her after one of her clandestine meetings, and I’m going to wring the truth out of the woman!  Anything for a scoop!

 

LORE24 ENTRY #55 – Supers Month #24 – Grace Tempest-Redhall

 

From the personal journal of Delia Emmerson, Star Reporter of Channel 9 News…

 

Grace Tempest-Redhall, daughter of Julia Tempest-Redhall.  Why the additional name attached to this pair, though?  Well, that’s subject’s a bit murky, but it seems that Julia once married into another influential family from somewhere in Europe, though I can’t find information as to whether Grace was born from that family or simply adopted into it after the marriage.  I’ve reached out to some people who know how to trace these family lines better than I do, but they’ve not gotten back to me yet.  I’m not sure how long ago any of this took place, either; Julia is supposed to be the family elder from all accounts, the one in charge, but she barely looks forty, and Grace still looks like she’s in her twenties.  How blessed can one family be in the looks department, anyway?  Personal opinion here:  not fair, at all.

Anyway, as to Grace’s activities in Sentinel City, she’s only recently come to make a name for herself, joining in on the majority of the family’s attempts to enrichen and improve the city, and she’s taken a different (but somewhat parallel?) course as Maria has in her efforts.  She runs a special reform school for misguided, troublesome boys called the Littlewood Academy that just opened last year.  You’d think there would be more of an uproar over the facility being exclusive to only half of the population, but she’s promised that, when her methods prove successful, there will be a matching school for girls.  Still, I have my doubts that this is a legitimate business; there’s way too much public funding going into it (and who knows how much private funding; I intend to find out!), and the ‘boys’ that are shipped into the place are actually adults; all the records I’ve uncovered show the youngest allowed in are eighteen, with most trending older.

Thus far I’ve not managed to get a look at the facility itself, as it’s again under a strict no-fly zone for drones, and has high walls.  From what I have seen from outside, though, it’s just as fancy looking as Maria’s academy on the inside, and by every testimonial I’ve read, the first round of graduates have come out positively sparkling, their violent tendencies and lackluster personalities completely reversed, with many going on to take positions with well-respected, wealthy citizens as personal assistants and understudies in their businesses.  The re-education program here does tout a strong focus on giving the students real-life job skills.  Given the state of Sentinel City, and the world at large for that matter, I daresay that mind control of some kind is involved.  I’d expect this kind of thing from Jennifer at Edgewater, if I’m being honest.

Also, a curious note:  I did manage to get my hands on some of the expense reports from inside Littlewood.  On the surface, they looked completely normal, food purchases, staff payroll, promotional material, that kind of thing, but there was an oddly high amount spent on cosmetics and student uniforms.  I’m no mathematician, but compared to the size of the facilities, Grace has spent more on this particular area than what Maria has at her much larger school.  I smell a money laundering scheme!

Given Julia’s tendency to ingratiate herself amongst the elite of Sentinel City, there’s got to be a link to Grace’s activities at this school that I’ve yet to uncover; some of the names where these reformed young men have started new careers are amongst the ones Julia frequently visits, after all, and in my profession, there are no coincidences.

I’m still working the angles on this one, but have managed to secure an interview with Grace, and may even manage a proper tour of the facility if I play my cards right.  I’ll get to the bottom of this, whatever it takes, and I’ll see to it that the Tempests’ criminal plans are busted wide open, or my name’s not Delia Emmerson!