Nightmares (RP Thread for The Shriek)

[Papa Bear]

Nightmares

An individual RP thread for The Shriek

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As was his way, Sergio was crouched in the Sovereign City Cemetary at the intersection of West Sovereign, Downtown, Uptown, and Drayden Flats. If he was seen (and he couldn't always tell), what better place for a shrieking demon to be seen? There were two mausoleums right near the back fence nearest to Drayden Flats. It was sad that the poorest neighborhood in the city was also home to the most violence and crime. As if the good citizens of Drayden Flats didn't have enough to worry about tying to put food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads.

With his superior hearing, Sergio could pick out many, many different activities going on in the area out 20 blocks, sometimes more if he really concentrated. He could pick out footsteps and could almost picture what people were doing from the swish of their clothes. When a car drove between Sergio and whatever sound he had been focused, it drown out sounds of things 'behind' it. But Sergio was getting used to it and could tell where cars were coming and going and would shift his focus to areas that were not 'blocked' by the cars and their very loud music.

He always prioritized the crying of children over any other sound. Yep, a baby crying... mother warming milk. Good. A child screaming at his brother. Not good, but nothing Sergio should involve himself. Then he heard it; a child's fear and a yelling father, "Shut that kid of yours up! I can't hear myself think" (but there were some expletives in there to 'liven' it up) Before the mother could reply back, Sergio was on the move.

Sadly, Sergio had several blocks to travel and desperately hoped he could get to the house before the father, possibly step father by the things the woman and man were saying as they were yelling at each other (which certainly couldn't help to quiet the child).

There was a slap followed by a loud thud... to much to be a child. The man had likely knocked the woman to the ground. She might have bought Sergio just enough time.

The house was dead ahead of him. He could pick up what sounded like windows, three of them across the front of the house and a door between two of them...

[GleefulNihilism]

The Shriek

Somewhere there's a Radio on, he only catches a few minutes as it drives by but he doesn't need to hear more. It's not important, just amusing.

98.1 - Red Hot Radio

You're listening to Rowdy Randy and Martini in the Evening on 98.9, Red Hot Radio. Bringing the Heat to SC's Scene.

So believe it or not, Martini babe, I do think I owe someone an apology.

Oh really? Who exactly?

That nutjob we've been hearing on the news, the Shriek.

Alright, I'm listening - explain. You don't think they're a Demon?

Nope, just some nut with a taste for theatrics. But the police seem to have known for a while that all of the Shriek's hits have had something in common, they all abuse kids. My sources are telling me that we're about to hear that one of the latest victims worked for city hall too.

Shriek, if you hear this, I still say you're a friggin' loon but you make way more sense. After you get caught and get the help you obviously need, your first beer is on me when they let you drink alcohol. Martini, want to give the token liberal line about peace and love?

...Nope. <El Chillado>, I once saw my brother-in-law put out a cigarette on my niece's shoulder. [Beep] you, Fernando.

Oh, nice! Unexpected Boner!

Boooinnnggg!

An old scar checks in, one he can keep under clothes. He had a foster parent that used to do that to him too. He heard the talk, people always asked what was it about the Shriek and kids. Everyone was overthinking it, really. It was actually glorifyingly simple. Sergio wasn't doing things like this out of a sense of Justice or Harmony or anything like that or some Psycho-Sick Fixation on Innocence to Avenge his own Crappy Childhood or anything like that. It really just came down to that few things pissed Sergio off more then treating a Person like they were just a Thing, and kids often got the worst of that kind of thinking.

As for the Demon part, well - that was because as a Creative Sergio was well aware that there were few things in this world as powerful as a Narrative. He didn't even come up with most of it. His first target was a pedo-priest so of course he "became" a Demon. Things just kept evolving from there, all Sergio did was not disprove anything unless he had too. He could only guess the phases of the moon and sometimes he guessed wrong, but that ended up just adding too it. A noctural predator that hunts in darkness, using the eyes of the dead. He knew some Metalheads that would kill for publicity like that.

Now, he keeps to the shadows the best he can. How did that little rhyme the kids came up with go? Let's open up with a little Terror. There was a story in Soverign City of something spawned in the worst corners of it. Of a Demonic Predator that stalks in darkness, uses the eyes of the dead, and let's out bloodcurdling shrieks. Funny, the Bogeyman doesn't normally work in Reverse though.

===

Run and Run And Watch Your Back

~~~Something's Coming From the Black

Try To Scream, Hear Him Come

~~~Your Precious Time Is Almost Done

You Try To Hide But Hear His Shriek

~~~Your Teeth Chatter, Your Knees Go Weak

Under Dirt and Under Stone

~~~He'll Take His Last Breath All Alone

~~~He'll Take His Last Breath All Alone

~~~You'll Take Your Last Breath All Alone

===

A moment to listen for some variation of 'What the Flying Hell was That?' from the POS that calls himself a Step-Dad, then he follows up with an Ear-Splitting SHRIEK.

OOC

Sheet

Opening with an Audio Illusion, then the Change Environment. Not sure how the actions line up but seems cool to stop here. :P

 

[Papa Bear]

What are you doing with the audio illusion? Police sirens? Thunder crack followed by the lights going out? Dramatic music?

[GleefulNihilism]

The Shriek

--OOC--

OOC

Sheet

When I wrote that, I was thinking the audio illusion is mostly creepy whispers with no determinable source. And the lights should go out accompanied by a loud ear-splitting Shriek.

 

[Papa Bear]

Inside the house, Sergio hears the woman cry out in fear as the dissonant whispers fill the house and the man shout, "What the $#%@!" When the lights go out with the loud shriek, the man growls "Oh heck no!" (except he didn't say 'heck'). The child's fear-filled cries ramp up in pain and terror from the wail and the sudden darkness around him. Sergio can hear the woman rush over to the boy and take him in her arms, muffling his cries. "Ain't no demon. Fuse went out an' tires squeelin' around a corner. Happens all tha time. Gone go flip that switch. Shut that kid up before I get back." The man says as he steps toward the front door. It opens and Sergio sees a very large black man with a shaved head and goatee. He looks a lot like the actor who played Iron Man in the Netflix shows, but not as good looking.

[GleefulNihilism]

The Shriek

You know, not much can give Sergio pause when the Shriek is out and about but this is one of them. The kid was more scared then the target was. He actually feels a little guilty about that, was he being just as guilty of treating People like they're things?

The kid's been traumatized enough, let's see if he can change that. He flexes his power again, to reach for the inner demon. Sticking to dark places, maybe the guy will see him if he looks. But if just as a silhouette it would be to his advantage anyway.

The Child Can Make As Much Noise As They Like Tonight, You're Not Coming Back.

The sound comes out like an evil low raspy sound, like something with a deeper throat then a human one was trying to sound human for now. And it wasn't quite doing it right.

This House Has Seen Enough Fear. Your Turn. You want to live to see the Sunrise? The closest Holy Ground is the Cemetary to the Southeast.

Run.

Run.

RUN.

OOC

Sheet

Presense Attack? How's that work? Roll 8d6 plus modifiers and hope it clears the guy's PRE or EGO score, whichever you deem more appropriate?

I think I'm going to roll 8d6 + 1d6 (Violence) + 1d6 (Psychological Complication in Shriek's favor) + 1d6 (Power) + 1d6 (Siloquiy) = 12d6 to just scare the guy into running. Whether into traffic is another question.

 

Edited April 24 by GleefulNihilism (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

The Psychological implication is based on complications that the target has when those complications fall in line with the presence attack. So that d6 is out. I'm not sure the 'power' applies. You're still basically hiding or standing in silhouette... raspy voice, even illusion and sounding demonic isn't necessarily a display of power... However, the guy is surprised. He really wasn't expecting a man in his yard being all scary, so that die will swap with power so that you've got one less die to roll... however, this is all pretty trivial as you are way over the Ego +20 to get the man to flee off to the cemetery... which he does.

As the man flees, Sergio sees the boy and the mother looking out the door at him.

[GleefulNihilism]

The Shriek

Well, "See". He's been completely blind as long as he can remember, but ever since the gap days his hearing has been so good that it compensates in some ways. His hearing was so good that he might as well have Sonar. A little click of the tongue was all it took sometimes to get a mental picture. More, in some ways. The pumping of hearts often sounded like heavy drumming right in his ears.

The legend of the Shriek usually said that if it did let you see it's face you would see either empty eye sockets or eyeballs obviously stolen from a corpse and just crammed in the holes, whichever the storyteller thought was the worse of the two ideas. The truth wasn't quite so dramatic. In his "work clothes" he covered most of his face and didn't bother with eye holes in the mask. In the darkness though, he didn't blame people for getting it mixed up in the passion of the moment. He turns his head like he was trying to look at them. He doesn't quite get the angle right.

"That probably bought you an hour or two to get to somewhere to hide. Go to a women's shelter for a few days. No family, no friends, he probably knows where they all are." he remarks in a normal voice. Scaring them wasn't the point of this. He rolls his neck, and "looks" back over them again. If he gets the courage to come back there's a strong chance he'll come back with guns and friends. *If*.

"I'll go see if I can talk him into just staying away. Safer for everyone that way."

Yeah. "Talk".

OOC

Sheet

 

[Papa Bear]

The mother picks up her son and runs from the house. Over her shoulder the boy seems to be looking right at Sergio. He wasn't sure but thought perhaps the boy was smiling at him.

Now, it seems that the man was running to where he was told, at least when Sergio last could sense him. He could still hear the man's breath. He was already breaking heavily - out of shape. The man would have to get a mile away from Sergio at this point for Sergio to lose track of him.

[GleefulNihilism]

The Shriek

What was that bit from that biology class he heard once? That Humans evolved as Endurance Hunters. He didn't have to be faster, just had to catch up eventually. Assuming he makes it too the Cemetary. Cars happen. The way the guy is breathing a heart attack was on the table too.

He figures he can take a little time to get there keeping to alleys, emptier streets, and shortcuts. When he has to he can adjust clothing a bit to look like something more natural. Just a random blind man, pay no attention.

He'll get to the cemetary first if he gets there at all. There's a temptation to play a few sound games, try to get the guy hit by a car. He avoids that temptation but only because spooking the kid too put him in a mood. Getting some face under his fists feels really good right now.

OOC

Sheet

 

[Papa Bear]

Coming to an alley, Sergio hears a couple punks and it sounds like they are breaking into a window of a corner store...

[GleefulNihilism]

The Shriek

--OOC Post---

OOC

Sheet

Alright, I'm thinking Sergio isn't really in this to fight crime in general or for Justice or anything like that. So going Streetwise, does he know anything about this store? If the owner of the store is a big enough arse Sergio's more likely to help the guys out. :P

Is this one of those corner stores where the owner and their family lives in the upper floor? I figure between Streetwise and his Powers he could find out more relevent information.

 

 

[Papa Bear]

 

Ooc: the roll is 10. Just use a straight 3d6 roll. Include the success in the name space

 

Streetwise 14-

 

Not sure what the die code was about there.

 

Anyway, you know that in Drayden Flats, crime is rampant and the poor people who live there can't get out because their property values are garbage. These "corner shops" are the last breath of life into the district until a big corp buys it all up or the government takes over. Shops close their doors forever each month. Often times, yes, the owner of the shop will live in one of the flats above the shop. Getting into a shop will often allow acc as into the other apartments. Sergio can hear snoring in one of the flats and a TV playing in the other.

 

Edited April 26 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[GleefulNihilism]

The Shriek

He doesn’t have time for this. Sergio wasn’t out to eradicate crime or anything like that. He has the temptation to just keep going.

But he did suppose these morons might get someone hurt. Small chance it would be someone who didn’t deserve it. So he takes a breath, and does decide to be nice for a second.

Sound powers come in handy. With a breath he just keeps going by - while using the power to create the illusion of a police siren starting up. Maybe a block or two over and getting closer. Just spook ‘em off.

 

 

OOC

Sheet

[Papa Bear]

The thugs all react to the sound of the police siren. Two of them start to run but the third shouts, "You fools, that's no 5-oh." The two look around in a panic and one bolts away anyway. The second continues looking for flashing lights. "Pfft, run, coward. This ain't no thing. I get all the goods." the third says.

The second thug, somewhat jittery and ready to bolt the moment he sees red and blue flashes, comes back to the window, wanting a 'piece of the action."

Edited April 27 by Papa Bear (see edit history)