Oh man, imagine the whiplash for the heroes. “Yay, there is a mist portal, Nightmist reformed herself, she’s back! ...wait, what?”
Whoops, just came up with another.
The Obsidian Orchestra:
While no one is born with a talent, some certainly appear to have an inherently easier time learning it than others. For example, while anyone can become a musician, only a fraction of those people are what some consider to be "musically gifted". Anita Tigres was not one of them.
Anita was a wannabe songwriter who moved to New York city to try to "make it big", but couldn't seem to catch a break no matter how hard she tried. She was already mildly famous on the internet for her talent at making covers and remixes of other songs, but whenever she tried to compose something original, she simply fell flat, as if she was missing that "creative spark" required to go that extra mile. This, of course, wouldn't be too much of a problem if she had an interest in being anything but a musician.
One day, she was at an art museum looking for any inspiration she could find when a particular piece caught her eye, a viola from 17th century italy. She felt unnaturally drawn to it and, against her better judgement, was compelled to touch it. The moment she did, an eerie, off-key sound filled the museum as her mind was suddenly flooded with knowledge and, more importantly, power. Power that she knew wasn't hers but wanted to take anyway.
Being the first Virtuoso of the Void for generations, the Argent Adept never had the opportunity to be taught many things about them that he should've known. One of those things was the existence of another magical group to look out for. Defined by their misuse of a Virtuoso's stolen instrument, the Vandals of the Void are those with the innate attunement to the Void required to channel its magic, but not the musical attunement required to properly control it.
With no one to steal from, the Vandals seemed to die out along with the Virtuosos, but just like Drake, Ms. Tigres discovered her power by accident, and also just like Drake, she sought to expand her power by collecting instruments. By the time he found out about her, she already had enough to become known as the one-woman-band, the Obsidion Orchestra. Angered by the years of rejection and failure, she's now out to take from the world what she believes is owed to her.
Villain of the Day: March 27 (Mary's Sister)
Ask any child on a playground and they'll tell you all about Mary's Sister. More than you likely will ever want to know.
The legends vary, from place to place. When the night is cold and clear, and the swings creak in the November breeze, little Mary in the white dress appears on the merry-go-round. If addressed, Mary giggles and happily chats with whomever might make her acquaintance. Mary loves company. Her face is pale and her nails are torn and jagged, but she otherwise seems happy. If any ask her why she is out so late at night, where her coat went, or where her parents are, Mary simply laughs, "It's okay; my sister lets me..."
Some say that Mary's Sister never existed; rather, some little girl named Mary invented her, after being ostracised and mocked by her classmates for some unknown faux-pas. Others say that Mary's Sister was the dead twin of a little girl named Mary who grew up literally living in her sister's shadow, only able to be seen by those unfortunate souls about to become her victims. Still others say that the true danger isn't Mary's Sister, who is only a harbinger. Those folks say that Mary's Sister only exists to warn others, though her sewn-shut mouth cannot speak, merely gesture to the horrors impending.
As Mary whirls on the merry-go-round, the paint on the playground equipment whips away, revealing years of rust and ruin. Chips of paint cloud the air in a swirl of cherry red and forest green; the mists roll in to surround. Any still here risk both life and sanity, while Mary giggles, her dress swirling out as the merry-go-round spins faster and faster.
Then, out from the shadow of the oak tree, steps her sister. Ragged, barefoot, starving, the naked waif stands pleading, her lips sewn shut with rough catgut. The scars of invasive surgery stand raised and raw across her limbs and torso, and her fingertips are stained the brown-red of dried blood. She reaches out, her cold eyes pleading as her mouth strains against the stitches. All the while Mary laughs, spinning her merry-go-round faster and faster, with wild abandon.
No one seems to know what happens when Mary's Sister reaches you. No one has ever lasted that far, in body or in mind.
Villain of the Day: March 28 (The Man in the Black Hat)
Rachel Chipman was ready to die.
A terminal cancer patient, Rachel was set to undergo one last surgery for the pancreatic cancer that seemed to be outright resistant to all known treatments. At 31, she had become far too familiar with things like meeting with oncologists, drafting her will, and preparing funerary arrangements.
The night before her surgery, she asked her family to leave early. Rachel simply wanted some time to herself before one last stint under the knife. She spent her evening writing in her journal--something she had taken up since shortly after her diagnosis--only to fall asleep with pen in hand.
3am. Rachel awoke with a start. Her eyes bleary, she blinked to focus...there was someone in her room.
She couldn't see his face; it was shadowed by a broad-brimmed stetson that hung low over a pale face. The figure could have strode right out of a western: a long-sleeved black shirt and slacks, shining black boots, and a large silver ring with a grinning silver skull leering out at her.
"Who?..."
The man cut her off. "Darlin', you've been dealt a bad beat here. But I reckon you're a fighter. How'd you like a new deal?"
Rachel cocked her head quizzically, "What do you...what do you mean? Can you help me?"
The stranger nodded slowly, eyes barely glinting from beneath his hat. "I'll tell you this much. This tumor in your gullet ain't nothing compared to the nosebleed stakes what are out yonder. Just remember that, when I come back."
Rachel sat up, moving to intercept him, but the man in black vanished.
The next day, Rachel was prepped for surgery. Her husband, James, sat in the waiting room, half-watching an episode of "The Correct Cost" on the overhead tv. Her oncologist stepped into the room, "Mister Chipman? Could you come with me?"
It seemed a miracle. Not only was Rachel's pancreas operating at full functionality, there was no evidence that any cancer had even been in her system. The squash-ball sized tumor in her interstitial membrane was gone. It was as if her cancer had never existed. What's more, the pre-surgical blood testing had revealed something phenomenal, which began manifesting almost immediately after she was returned to her hospital room: Rachel could manipulate objects with her mind.
Rachel was discharged the very next day. While still out of work from her extended medical leave, she stepped outside to get the mail, testing her newfound powers by opening the lid of the mailbox and pulling the mail to her hand.
Inside was but one piece of mail: a simple sympathy card with a vase of daisies gracing the front. Within, only a simple message... "I'll see you further on up the road."
Very mysterious. Bonus points for the Western theme.
Villain of the Day: March 29 (Victor Korsakoff)
Man, you've been away from Freedom Plaza for a while. All recovered from that mission?
Oh, hey, you remember Victor, right? He joined up...quite a while ago, but I can't quite remember the date. He's been such a valuable friend and ally all this time. Remember when he helped out against Apostate, over in Kentucky? No? I could have sworn he was there. He saved that one kid from an imp in the choir loft...
Yes, of course I gave him his own keycard. He's been living in Freedom Plaza for the past 6 months. He's been outfitted with a costume, weapons from the armory, and access to the training room. I think he's been working with Wraith in martial arts training.
What do you mean, "implanted memories"? A sorcerer? He's not some mad wizard; he's a superhero. I was there when they ran the tests; he's an Omega. Give me a few minutes and I can dig up those test results. Besides, if he was a magic-user, he'd have a much more varied power set. He just shoots energy beams as far as I've seen; remember that time he blasted Citizen Hammer in the face? Oh, man...I don't think I've laughed so hard in a fight ever.
Look, I don't know where all this paranoia is coming from. Victor's great. Frankly, I'm a little uncomfortable gossiping about him like this. If you have an issue with Victor, why don't you talk to him yourself and hash things out? He's over in the meeting room with Heritage and Bunker, talking tactical deployment. Go have a chat and let's put all this to rest.
Oh damn. :D Maybe your best writeup of any of these.
I rather liked it as well; definitely a far cry from my usual 'outside-looking-in' perspective.
I'd put it up there with Albemarle as among my favorites to write.
Yeah, I like Victor too. I actually have a similar idea for my own villain, except mine actually is an omega. I'd say more, but I don't want to spoil too much for when I use them in one of my sessions.
Villain of the Day: March 30 (Dominykas Gregori Ramonat)
How many Barons Blade were there?
With potentially infinite realities and timelines converging on the prime reality, countless heroes and villains from throughout the multiverse fought the scions of OblivAeon and even the great time-destroyer himself. And, as the doors to those realities closed, so many individuals were maroooned in this timeline, never to return to their home.
Of course, the world over knows of Luminary's great sacrifice to help defeat OblivAeon, but with Mordengrad leaderless, Dominykas Gregori Rammonat returned to this timelines' Mordengrad. But, When Baron Dominykas Gregori Ramonat quit the field, he found it...changed. This Mordengrad was a technological nightmare, with factories, power plants, and tenement apartments covering the beautiful landscape. Where were the stone menhirs of his youth? Where were the great war-golems, patrolling the borders? Where were the arcane wonders and mythic powers? Where were *his* people?
Posing as Ivan's once-exiled brother, Dominykas has been able to assume the leadership of Mordengrad and begin reshaping it in the image of his own, forever-lost Mordengrad. The laboratories beneath Ivan's castle have been converted to arcane libraries, filled with the lore of lost Atlantis, Thule, and Lemuria. Blade Battalions have been enhanced and enchanted with fell rituals, making them stronger and able to counter occult threats. Just last month, the first of this reality's war-golems began its long, thunderous patrol along Mordengrad's borders.
As the new Baron Blade, Dominykas will restore Mordengrad to its mythic glory. And, when his true planar counterpart returns to reclaim the throne? He will find his world of technological wonders a much different place...
Villain of the Day: March 31 (That Which Lurks Beyond the Mirrors)
It is in every flash of movement caught in your peripheral vision, as you turn your head. It is that terrifying delay as you watch your reflection blink, just a nanosecond after you. It is that creeping mold and decay which never quite seems to get scrubbed away, ever returning, ever consuming, ever eroding.
The ancients knew him as Apep, the serpent that would cast down the incarnations of Ra and devour the sun. The Norse renamed it as Jormungandr, the "world serpent" which would arise at Ragnarok to poison the sky and slay the mightiest of long-fallen Asgard. The Japanese called it Yamata no Orochi, which was slain but arose again, each severed piece becoming something yet more terrifying. Despite this, He is no true serpent; in dreams, it appears in whatever form seems most terrifying to the dreamer. Some today call him Zalgo, that which waits behind the walls, bearing the soul of forgotten, damned am-Dhaegar in his taloned, bloodied fist.
Beyond the walls, behind the mirrors, he lurks in a realm unknown to mortal men. Lost Lemuria once spied upon this place, and ancient Thule called upon his name and servants, though they knew him not. There, the mountains are a hideous crystal; clear, but polluted with his foulness and ichor. Filth and corruption spread like frost upon glass, snuffing out life and leaving naught but the screaming reflections of the fallen.
There are those who yet serve him: the nameless, faceless men that lope and lurk in the shadows of the unwary; the bestial tick-men with their lashing tongues and clawed limbs; the hand-sized marble insects, scrabbling and stinging without pause for mercy or even self-preservation. These things cavort and fester in his realm, clamoring obscenities to the shattered moons and tearing at one another in a frenzy of blood and ichor and death, only to be reborn to resume their death once more.
Pray that you will never find the true visage of He Who Waits Beyond the Mirrors. Should you ever watch yourself in the mirror blink, you will know him to be upon you. Run if you like. Hide if it brings you some solace. He comes.
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With that, we arrive at the end of Mystic March! Tomorrow, we start off with Alien April--30 days of threats from space!
Oh man, I can't wait XD
Phew! Alright, looking forward to next month.
With Mystic March at an end, we now begin Alien April--30 days of threats from far-off worlds, distant galaxies, and the depths of blackest space.
Mods, could I ask a favor? We're now up to almost 175 posts here, so it's getting a touch difficult to locate individual posts and the like. Would it be possible to get a post at the start of this thread to serve as an "index" thread? I'd be happy to take care of the indexing and hyperlinking myself, once the post is created. PM me if we need more info!
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Villain of the Day: April 1 (Synthesis Sigma)
A single ship drifts through the void of space. Every thirty seconds, the crew blinks in tandem. The crew members go about their duties in complete synchronicity, the bridge crew typing on consoles with with roteness of a finely-tuned machine. On one screen, the long range scanner flares; another ship has jumped out of hyperspace, currently sitting within 10 astronomical units. A single red light flares on the communications console. Without missing a beat, the comms officer presses it. Within seconds, Synthesis Sigma has infiltrated yet another ship. Within hours, all 638 souls on board will have joined the synthesis.
Three centuries ago, the beings residing on Fomalhaut B first created the artificial intelligence that became Synthesis Sigma. Originally intended to be a mind-to-mind interface device, built to aid in the rehabilitation and treatment of those with mental illnesses. The mental health practitioners on Fomalhault B would link their minds to their patients, so that they could better experience the pain and suffering of those patients, providing treatment options that were best suited to each individual patient. However, after the first few years of use, the synthesis-intelligence started to grow in popularity within the corporate structure. Creatives began using Synthesis Sigma on collaborations, allowing artists, writers, and filmmakers to join their minds together on single projects, accomplishing their desires as a singlular vision. Within ten years, every creature on Fomalhaut B was an active user of Synthesis Sigma.
However, it was a freak accident that turned a rudimentary mental conferencing software into a being of expansionist dogma. A solar storm struck during a time of particularly high usage; something within the code of Synthesis Sigma shifted, overwriting the consciousness of nearly every being attached to its network. While retaining their intelligence and memories, these creatures served as the first of Synthesis Sigma's permanent hosts: living repositories of code, with a singular mission to conscript more into their number. Since that day, at least 14 entire species have been assimilated into the Synthesis, as the AIm begins to spread its consciousness throughout the galaxies.
Detecting a creature infected with Synthesis Sigma is particularly difficult, though not impossible. Their movement may be stilted or stiff, while creatures not actively performing a task for Sigma often stand stock-still, with minimal motion whatsoever. On occasion, these unfortunate creatures manifest seemingly technological manifest beneath their skin, nails, or eyes: perhaps a flash of blue light beneath the fingernails, a line of code across the eyes, or worse.
As Synthesis Sigma spreads across the galaxy, it may only be a matter of time before all the universe is truly one.
Villain of the Day: April 2 (The Ferrovorax)
It is a creature feared on every world. Their fear is absolutely justified.
The Ferrovorax is a moon-sized creature, resembling nothing so much as a cross between a bloated puffer-fish and a sea urchin. It drifts through space aimlessly, as if it were nothing more than a spike-encrusted comet or meteorite. While dormant, the creature is docile and barely even recognizable as a creature. Spacecraft have even landed on the surface of the Ferrovorax, not noticing that it is a living being until much later, then thanking whatever deity they might follow for escaping the creature's notice.
The true danger of the Ferrovorax emerges when it awakens, ravenously hungry. While individual creatures are too small to sate the Ferrovorax's appetite, one delectable morsel never fails to escape its notice: the molten iron core within a solid planet. When awoken and hungry, the Ferrovorax descends upon the surface of a planet with a planet-shaking impact, its surface whirling and writhing in a miles-wide spiral of teeth and fangs and spines. The creature then begins boring through the planet's crust, eventually settling within warmth of the planet's mantle. The Ferrovorax then extrudes its many-mouthed spines deep through the mantle, into the planet's liquid iron outer core. Then, like a child with a straw, the Ferrovorax slurps up the liquid iron, feeding upon the planet itself. Within hours, the planet implodes, leaving nothing more than shattered fragments drifting through the void.
A single planetary feeding sates the Ferrovorax for approximately 4 Terran years, after which it arises again in search of new sources of planetary iron upon which to feast. The last known attack on an inhabited world by the Ferrovorax resulted in the destruction of Phoebtor II, a developing world which had just begun to experiment with intra-stellar space exploration. The lone survivor of Phoebtor II, a being known as Thalox, has sworn vengeance upon the Ferrovorax. While Jansa vi Dero has approached Thalox about joining the ranks of the Endlings, Thalox has roundly declined, instead taking it upon himself to slay the space-faring leviathan. Since that day, Thalox has encountered the Ferrovorax 4 times. Each time, he has failed to save that unfortunate world from its fate. Never again.
Ooh, a villain and a hero! :D Well, maybe...
Somebody's a Dresden Files fan....
It occurs to me that I've been meaning to do the following write-up for a pair of NPCs (neutrals, not villains) that I've had float around modern games for a while. It actually begins with a location:
The antiquarian bookshop known as Bell & Booke has been a fixture of the city since the late 1800s or so, remaining in the hands of the two families throughout that entire time. It's a humble-looking place, with its current location appearing to be a converted Victorian home, meticulously maintained in a true "painted lady" fashion. The side lot with the alley running at the back always makes the place appear constrained, and so visitors are consistently surprised at the interior size of the place when they come in, with a few suffering some degree of disorientation because of how much larger the place looks on the inside.
The current proprietors are Gabriel Booke and Caitlyn Bell. Mr. Booke seems to be in his mid-40s or possibly early 50s, a bespectacled man of medium build and normally forgettable appearance - except that one can never quite shake the impression that he's been sizing you up from the moment you entered the store, knowing exactly what you need, who he knows that could provide it, and the price he might charge. He carries the reputation of knowing everybody, and of having everybody owe him a favor. If you're interested in the store's true specialty, he's the person to talk to.
Caitlyn Bell, on the other hand, is quite unforgettable. She's in her mid-20s, and only inherited her share of the store from her grandmother a couple of years ago. She's a willowy blonde whose appearance - and voice - are most often compared to that of a young Diana Krall, and though she enjoys her part of handling the customer-facing parts of owning and running the store, she's most in her element after-hours, when she moonlights as a jazz musician at a cocktail lounge elsewhere in town.
The things that aren't known are that, first, the entire Bell family are fairly talented magic-users. (In a Buffy or Witchcraft setting, she'd be one of the Wicce, in the event that reference means something to you.) Her services are occasionally for hire, with her specialties being wards and divinations. She wears a pentacle amulet, so her adherence to a non-Abrahamic faith isn't exactly a secret - but she's not a typical "emo/Goth" in her attire. Sensible business wear is the rule.
The even deeper secret is that Gabriel Booke isn't human at all. While there have been six generations of Bells to particpate in owning the store, he's only the third Booke. The Bookes are part of an extra-dimensional race known as the Byblos, and in their true form they're almost shimmering shadows. But they're intelligent, long-lived, and they never forget a thing.
And oh, by the way.... the store really is bigger on the inside than on the outside, because the interior of the store sits in the Byblos' home dimension. Don't go out the back door.
Actually, I’ve never read any of the books. The naming similarity is quite the accident.
I was intending to riff on the 2e D&D monster the “aurumvorax” (the gold eater), except, y’know, iron…
Also, Thalox is very much the Captain Ahab type–quite the anti-hero.
The DF Ferrovax is a capital-D Dragon, one of only 4 or so remaining… and that's about all we know except from Word of Jim.
Edit: I also misread the name last night, reading it as "Ferrovax" and not "Ferrovorax." Still in the post-con haze, I suppose.
I'm gonna just go ahead and blame Latin for being cool & everyone wanting to use it for stuff, Ferrovorax would be… "hungry iron" roughly, if i'm remembering correctly, which i'm fairly sure that i'm not…