The Fetish (RP Thread for Medusa)

[Papa Bear]

The Fetish

An individual RP thread for Medusa

NO! Not that kind of fetish

---

It had been a long, hard day for Lillian. She'd discovered a yacht from Athens, Greece that she suspected was involved in smuggling ancient relics. She had to get out to the yacht, which had left dock and was out a mile from port. She had to face nearly two dozen armed men (for the yacht was much larger than she had anticipated). That in and of itself wasn't too dangerous with her powers, since she was neigh invulnerable to their small caliber SMGs and her 'special' way of 'greeting' enemies. But she'd used her powers several times and it was... draining, to say the least. It turned out that the yacht was not smuggling ancient artifacts but just plain and simple heroine. She just sank the yacht and all of the 'product'. She wondered if the fish in the immediate area would have an 'interesting' night. Also she wanted at this point was to climb into a hot bath and possibly just fall asleep.

However, that was just not going to happen. As soon as she opened the door to her house she could sense the presence of another, sitting on the couch drinking a glass of wine. Instinctively, Lillian went into 'battle mode' but a voice she knew settled her down. "Now, now, dear, don't get like that." A woman's voice said. Lillian recognized the voice as Lucinda Hex, one of the leaders of one of the more powerful coven of true witches in the city.

Lillian could now see that Lucinda had crafted a spell especially for her Medusa persona. Her head was surrounded by an opaque orb that likely had some other supernatural sensory power imbued into it so she could sense Lillian.

"I'm a busy woman, so let me get straight down to business." Lucinda said. "Surely you've noticed that things are getting worse around Sovereign City in terms of crime in general. My coven is getting sick of it. It is... bad for business, at least for the vast majority of us who don't control the city." Lucinda stood and crossed over to a window and looked out, swishing the wine around in her wine glass. "We want to cast a spell that will help reveal the cause behind the rise of this... shall we just call it a crime spree and move on? You hero types will be able to identify the villain, or villains as the case may be as it will force them to tip their hat in some way that was, as yet, unknown. It turns out there is a spell for this but it requires a lot of power, especially so considering the size of Sovereign City. We are gathering all of the covens, occultists, freaks, and whatever other mystically inclined items and beings we can find to help us empower the spell." She turns back around to 'face' Lillian. "You dear, yours is an ancient power. You would help the effort a great deal if you were to join us, just for this one event... more if you like, but at least this once. For the city?"

Lillian takes a big drink from her glass, nearly draining the remaining contents. "What do you say? Help a coven of witches help the city?"

Edited April 24 by Papa Bear (see edit history)

[Solomon Black]

The cheap vase clinked lightly against Lillian's purse as she made her way back to the dorms. A souvenir from her waterlogged misadventure the black and orange vase had an ancient Greek look to it for sure, but one only had to tilt it upward to see a decidedly modern 'Made in China' stamped into the ceramics. Still she supposed they had been full of treasure like the tip had said. Well at least that was one less load of heroin in the world, and a group of smugglers that would have to decide between to radioing the Coast Guard or trying to get their overloaded little life rafts to shore with no oars or engines. Either way it should provide a memorable experience for them. Yet still Lillian could not help but feel she had wasted her time, or that her mentor would have figured it out much sooner. And a boat in the ocean could not have been less in her element, no room to maneuver and lots of thugs made for a messy fight. Even if her 'gifts' spared her from the physical drain, the mental drain of an ugly fight after a long wet ride there and back for nothing was just about enough for today.

Lillian could still smell the salt in her hair and feel the prickles on her skin as she made her way back to the dorm house. She'd skipped her usual wig rather then get it wet and thus watchful to be sure she got back to her small apartment space unseen. The presence of someone inside had been a shock and Lillian let out a rather unheroic little gasp before dropping instinctively into a combat stance.

"Who the hell are you!?" she managed rather lamely before recognizing the voice.

Lucinda Hex, a real honest to goddess witch. So it was Othersider business then, well that was a bit reassuring. A witch might curse her to death later, but wasn't going to be so ungracious a guest as to fight Lillian in her own living room or blab her secret identity to the dean lllllll. In theory anyways. As Lucinda spoke Lillian put down her purse and backpack and took off a pair of extra thick sunglasses exchanging them for a light purple silk ribbon, wrapping it around her eyes as she went crossed to the small kitchen and retrieved a bowl of fruit, mostly apples and pears, while the witch spoke.

"First Madame Hex my... ahh... apologies for the outburst. I wasn't expecting guests but you are welcome as one. I see you already have a drink but can I offer you any snacks? I think I might have some cheese and crackers around if you'd prefer those"

Lillian could practically here her mentor's laughter at her bad attempt at social graces. Still playing the good host went a long way in Other Town, fairies and gods didn't test mere mortals so very often but it was still a possibility. And Lillian couldn't really claim to be simply a mere mortal anymore besides. As to the offer, well now that was interesting. She had read a few scraps about divination, to get knowledge out of nothing required quiet a bit of magical heavy lifting, she could see why it might require such an effort.

"Finding the source of the crime wave be great for sure," Lillian said easily, "Still an offer like that has to have a catch yes?"

Edited April 24 by Solomon Black (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

"You are a good host but I don't usually take solid food this late. As your gracious guess, the bottle, less this one glass is chilling in your mini fridge. She says. "Please do forgive me for breaking into your home but I figured it wouldn't do to have me knocking at your door with so many eyes to see me here."

She puts the glass down after finishing the last of the wine. *To answer your question, I suppose there are two catches. The first I already alluded to, but we are hoping to bring one such as yourself into the fold. The second is that you're likely to feel very drained for a couple of days while your mystical power recharges."

[Solomon Black]

"Definitely better to let yourself in,"

The university campus was as old as the country and had its spooky parts, but not nearly enough to take cover business like this. As for the offer, anyone else might have been one of wide eyed amazement. Her powers drained? Lillian wondered if this vacation deal came with tickets to Miami included. No that was too much to hope for, aside from no tickets. Still any relief from powers she had never sought was a tempting offer. Lillian to took an apple and a bite to chew over the idea before speaking again.

"How drained is drained? Or well I'd assume we can't be sure until afterwards but offering information while taking away what I'd need to act on that information poses a bit of a conflict"

[Papa Bear]

There is a hint of a smile on Madam Hex's lips. "Your strength, your toughness, your special 'sight'... everything but your curse, that which the Gorgon from whom you've drawn your name is most known. Do you even realize that your power is reduced from turning people into stone by your force of will? That is why it is so draining on you. Your body rebels against the idea. You may yet be the strongest of them all, the Gorgon... one day at least, after you've better learned to control it all.

She grins, this time more obviously. "We can help."

[Solomon Black]

Lillian felt her grip tighten on her snack. Memories came flooding back to her, screaming faces and unmoving bodies, the warmth of blood on her hands and a man ranting about how beautiful her power was. Then another voice came in, one telling her to breath, steady and focused. She felt her hand relax, the apple still unharmed but for the bite she'd taken out of it.

"Madam Hex, you seem to know quite a lot about me and what you just said reminds me quite a bit of a man named Ezekiel Harpe."

Lillian watched carefully for any reaction.

"Unfortunately I think I know better then anyone else how much I hold myself back... but have seen enough faces petrified with fear already. I have no wish to immortalize any of them in stone for any reason. So I do not believe I will be able to assist you if there is any chance of bringing that about. If you are able divine the source of current events I will see what I can do to repay you for that information in another way."

[Papa Bear]

Madam Hex stares at Lillian...or at least appears to be as the bubble around her head blocks Lillian's view of the face. The spell obviously doing that hat it was intended to do.

"Well this is disappointing." She finally says. "It is, of course your prerogative but you have not done yourself any favors with us. This makes our task considerably more difficult.

Well then, there is nothing more to discuss. Ta." And with a wave of her hand and a puff of smoke, she is gone.

[Solomon Black]

Lillian let out a sigh of relief as Madam Hex vanished, wondering just how bad a new enemy she had made for herself. No not made, she could almost hear Master correcting her. Being prudent and asking questions before agreeing to things was what you were supposed to do. Even if the witch had been completely benign with her intent so powerful a rite should make anyone cautious. Or that's what she hoped Master would say, another part of Lillian worried she'd just passed up a golden opportunity but it was a small on.

Munching on her apple until the core was gone left Lillian debated her next steps. Eventually deciding she'd accomplish nothing without a shower and chance to reset Lillian made her way to the bathroom. Then to the kitchen to heat up some leftover Chinese for a meal. Finally she checked her phone. What time even was it now?

[Papa Bear]

2 am, well just after. It was high time to show some appreciation to her bed.

The next morning Lillian awakes to a dozen messages from the various 'friends' that she has from Other Town. Some were just acquaintances, some more closely to being called friend, if she could actually have friends. Each message has the same basic plea for her to help with the ceremonial spell. Once of particular import claimed that "the spell probably won't work without you. Heck, it still might not work with you."

Other Town had its own agenda. They didn't necessarily operate for the good of the city and its people. There were some. But Lillian figured that for every 'good' occultist or witch in Other Town, there was another that was in it for the power, which generally meant corruption and possibly even evil. Was there an angle here? If so, what was it? Did they truly want to help Sovereign City and her innocent citizens or was there some blanket pulled over the eyes of 'the Others' to get them to go along with this.

[Solomon Black]

Waking Lillian reviewed the messages as she cycled through her morning stretches and fried a few eggs for breakfast. If Madam Hex had led with this Lillian could see herself agreeing right away, now though the goaded seemed all a bit too obvious. Still it all merited some kind of response whatever the witch had planned was at the least a sweeping action not just an excuse to get Lillian to run off with her. Time to follow up then.

Pulling her 'super' suit out of the dryer after washing it before bed last night Lillian briefly considered it before packing it away with her faceless mask. Bouncing from roof top would save her a lot of time and she'd stand out less doing so if she did so in costume. Still even if Medusa wasn't a popular hero there were watchers who tracked any hero they could and night would be a long time coming. She also couldn't go as Lilian, no need to expose herself further there. Pulling an off white hoodie from her closet alongside her most worn paid of jeans, a blank black ball cap, and a few pairs of her special glasses she hadn't worn in awhile. Without her wig her civilian friends shouldn't recognize her, nor should she show up on hero trackers. A civilian Medusa outfit of sorts.

"Civi-dusa maybe?" Lillian mused to herself as she got dressed.

Anyways time to start pounding the pavement. See what she could turn up on Madam Hex, what her rite might actually entail, and what that might really mean for some like Lillian.

Edited May 1 by Solomon Black (see edit history)

[Papa Bear]

Where/what is Medusa doing first? Where does Medusa want to begin her investigation

[Solomon Black]

OOC:

That's sort of depends on what's out there and what Lillian knows is around town. In general she'd start with hanging around some places she can get some fresh gossip/'word on the street' or ask some potentially helpful acquaintances. Like with your permission I could put together a bar Other Towners like to hang out at.

If that's still too formless she could start looking through her DMs again see if there's 'odd' ones or someone she might be able to shake more info out of.

[Papa Bear]

The Other Towers are your creation these intro threads are literally for you and I build and establish your character and to give me some insight into the who and whys of them moving forward. So Sovereign City is big enough to support just about anything. All that you mentioned seems reasonable and is open to you.