Tag: unknown

#Lore24 – Entry #78 – Fantasy Month #18 – Beast of Bugtussle Bay

 

From the journal of Angeliqua “Goldeneyes” Cartacustos:

For what little is known about the fabled Beast of Bugtussle Bay, I can at least gain much pleasure from the name being alliterative.  As the legends go, around a hundred years ago on the offshore Imperial colony situated upon the island of Conerael Cay (mmm, added alliterative appeal!), in the harbor town of Bugtussle Bay (so named for the large insects that had to be fought off when the colony was originally established, some confirmed specimens being man-sized), a terrible creature appeared out of the nearby sea following a battle with a particularly bold group of pirates who attacked the well-defended stronghold.

It is unknown as to whether this creature was awakened by the battle that perhaps took place over its lair, or if it may have been somehow summoned by one side or the other to turn the tide of the battle.  Regardless of what called it, the Beast of Bugtussle Bay, as it would be known, went on a destructive spree the likes of which have, interestingly enough, been seen several times throughout history, but more on that shortly.  In this case, both fleets were decimated, even those who had given up the fight and were fleeing the area, and the town of Bugtussle Bay was ravaged, consumed by fire, the bodies of its defenders left torn to pieces or impaled upon the shattered remnants of the town’s buildings. 

Descriptions of the Beast vary wildly, as those who survived the incident were overwhelmed with a powerful fear from the moment the creature appeared out of the sea, but some features were consistent.  Universally, it was described as tall and bulky, perhaps ten to twenty feet in height, with two great batlike wings and a roar that would freeze the blood with terror.  Additionally, many survivors reported the air to be filled with a black sand that seemed to pour from the creature the more it consumed, even its footsteps leaving behind patches of the substance.  Further descriptions vary greatly, with some saying that it grew larger throughout the attack, some reporting that it attacked with terrible, oversized claws, some indicating that it was instead focused on eating as much as it could with its great, fanged maw, while others reported it toppling buildings with a powerful tail.  Some say it was shrouded in a supernatural darkness, others say it was covered in layers of seaweed and coral that had grown upon it during its long slumber beneath the sea, while others still say the beast was consumed with hellish flames that could sear flesh and ignite structures from thirty feet away.  All who chose to remain upon Conerael Cay after the attack, and those who came after, agree, however, that they were truly blessed that the Beast has, to date, not shown itself again.

Curiously, as I delved into the archives after I had heard the story of the Bugtussle Bay attack, I discovered multiple reports from across the Empire, and even a handful from lands beyond, of a terrifying creature suddenly appearing, seemingly out of nowhere, to leave behind destruction and ruin in its wake, whether it was in a major city or a small, out of the way village.  The descriptions of the creature in these encounters, however, vary greatly, though certain features, such as the wings and flames, occur most frequently, though one is particularly ubiquitous:  the black sand that appears with the creature.  Even the encounters with the creature far from the sea all mention the black sand blowing through the air or piling up wherever the creatures stepped.  There is no pattern that I can discern to these attacks:  no common period of time between sightings, no common triggering incidents, and no information on what happened to the creatures once its wrath had come to an end. 

 

LORE24 ENTRY #49 – Supers Month #18 – Momo-Chan

 

From the Personal Journal of Jennifer Tempest…

 

I don’t believe that in my entire history as a medical doctor have I felt so absolutely vexed as I have than with the woman known only as Momo-Chan.  She is a most unique case, with a most unique and troublesome ability given the nature of my facility.  She is a mystery as well, no background information to speak of; even Bobbi has been unable to locate any of her records within government databases after days spent diving into cyberspace.  She may as well not exist at all as far as a digital presence outside of the records held within Edgewater’s secure servers. 

During her stay at Edgewater, I personally handled her therapy sessions and she managed to avoid giving me any details about her past, and worryingly, resisted my natural charms, even when I impressed them so strongly upon her that I was certain she would notice my supernatural influence upon her.  Perhaps she did and simply said nothing about it?  A troubling thought in its own right.  All I managed to glean from her is that she once worked for the United States government as something of a spy and assassin, and was subjected to one of their many super-soldier programs, though in her case, it failed quite dramatically.  Following the procedure, though she came out of it possessing an amazing accelerated healing ability and resistance to both poisons and diseases, she was left completely dead to any sensation of pain not unlike a CIPA patient, though without the other medical issues most commonly associated with the condition.  Several very thorough procedures by Dr. Bayne and Dr. del Vecchio tested this condition in depth, and in some cases most gruesomely, though Momo-chan consented to all of it without apparent worry.

Perhaps this condition would have been beneficial for a spy to resist torture, but the procedure also left her with a crippling mental condition, namely a psychological need to feel latex upon her body.  Momo-chan cannot function without a full-body latex catsuit and a gas-mask to cover her face (though she is fine with having some area around her neck as well as her hair exposed, as long as the mask is in place).  Tests within Edgewater, when the latex was removed, provoked a response as though her very skin had been peeled off; removing the mask, she cries out for her face to be returned.  Given more than a few minutes in such a state, she becomes nearly catatonic until she is able to recover her ‘skin’ and her ‘face’.

Her mental state would be an absolutely fascinating study, and I have no doubt, that with enough time, I could have a breakthrough with her, but Momo-chan’s most troublesome ability is too much of a security risk for her to remain on an indefinite stay here.  Momo-chan, despite all attempts to the contrary, cannot be contained.  None of the restraints, secure cells, air-tight isolation rooms we have devised thus far have been able to keep her in place.  We’ve had multiple cameras trained on her, and I have sat within a few feet of her and watched her escape the most stringent restraints, and neither myself nor any of my staff, even Specialist Leopard or Bobbi, can figure out exactly how she does it.  She simple wiggles a bit, then the gear falls off, or if she’s in a secure cell, walks up to the door and slips through it, somehow.  It’s maddening!  How can she possibly do it?!  She doesn’t take an attitude about it, and hasn’t done anything to threaten the security of the facility or patients, only to “stretch her legs” or to get something to eat from the cafeteria before she returns to her cell, but the threat remains. 

I promised the girl that I would continue to treat her if she felt the need, and I stand by that, though she has, for now, vanished into the streets of Sentinel City.  I simply must discover a way to counter her ability to escape, and that will require many more trials, as I must delve into her psyche and find what it is that has led to her debilitating need for the feel of latex.  I have no qualms against latex attire in and of itself, of course; it is the main component of the standard uniform in Edgewater after all, but if I can simply give relief to her debilitation upon its removal, then I will have done my job to my satisfaction.