Game Thread Shadow over Brooklyn

Drakol · #1 08-15-2008, 11:25 PM

The darkness of the docks were only amplified by the rain and stench of rotting fish. The air seemed stale and rancid as the wind seemed to be nonexistent. At least it wasn't foggy this cold night, the clocks had struck midnight not long ago. The letters you had received had stated to arrive at Brooklyn's many docks by midnight, to not speak of it to anyone. Stumbling perhaps, or even lost, each of you find a small area of the Docks you believe to be the Rendezvous location. It wasn't pretty. A viscous material was splattered in chunks along the walkway, smelling acrid and of alcohol.

None of the lights were on at this end of the dock. At the end of one pier, each of you spot a sparse crowd of people huddled near a flaming barrel. At other times you would have put it aside as a following of beggars and perhaps thieves, the difference was that one person sat atop a series of crates by the far edge, twirling a slim ebon rod between her fingers. She stuck out like a sore thumb, wearing an immaculately tailored maroon suit. She was smiling towards those who were there and lifted her eyes to greet those who entered the circle of light. When it seemed no more would arrive, the woman got to her feet. Standing up atop of the crates, everyone looked towards her and stood unmoving.

"Good Evening, Ladies, Gentlemen. You have all gathered here tonight for many reasons... but you will leave with a single purpose... Each individual here has been chosen from out of the teeming, faceless masses to alter the world as you know it. Most here have received an Invitation. Others have not but they will be dealt with later"

She spoke in a dulcet tone, as the rod stopped twirling within her hand. Many there had their eye on it, its end holding a sapphire the size of a swans egg. A faint smile spread across her lips as her eyes scanned over the crowd that had gathered.

rhaiber · #2 08-16-2008, 01:31 AM

Tom shuffles phlegmatically along the dock, hanging towards the back of the crowd. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the odd invitation that was left on the barstool next to him once again. He turns it over a few times, his eyes no longer even reading the words but expending more effort staring at the texture of the paper and the color of the ink. Why was he even here? This whole thing didn't even make any sense.

He lets his hand fall limply to his side, almost, but not quite, letting the invitation slip from his fingers. He slumps sideways slightly, letting his weight rest against the wall. He couldn't help but wish he carried a flask with him. He'd gotten a nice one as a gift a few years back, hadn't he? Engraved or something, wasn't it? Who gave him that? His brother? Or was it ....?

Didn't matter. He had no idea where the damn thing was, anyway. Didn't really have much occasion to use it then, before ....

The voice of the woman atop the crates comes as a welcome distraction, though her words are barely able to penetrate the thick fog that seems to cloud Tom's senses. He listens dispassionately for a short while, but finds it difficult to focus. His attention is soon drawn to the strange, viscous material on the walkway. What was that stuff? Details like that had a tendency to bug him. Slowly he stoops down, letting his weight slide downwards against the wall. Slipping the almost forgotten invitation back into his pocket he reaches his hand down to dip his fingertips in the viscous mystery substance, then holds his hand up to his face, sniffing at his fingers and eying them critically.

Vetinarus · #3 08-16-2008, 02:20 AM

Lethe tried to edge closer to the woman. this wasn't as easy as it seemed, as it was dark and the dock was slippery. She was somewhat curious about the woman, and why she had called together all these people. She re-read the note addressed to her.

She had gotten there early, and so had had a prime position near the heat and light. It wasn't as if she had anything better to do. As the crowds started arriving, however she did her best to keep the barrel between herself and them, but eventually had been pushed further and further back, until she was on the edge of the docks.

She looked the woman over, examining her rod. "An ebony rod?" she thought. "Hang on, how do I know what that is?"

Dalf · #4 08-16-2008, 01:33 PM

James nudges his way amongst the group, covering his mouth with a gloved hand as he coughed silently amongst the bustle. He'd normally strayed away from the crowds, the only exception being when he needed something, just like tonight. And tonight, what James was after was answers.

To be honest, he wasn't even sure he was still awake. The fog that hovered the cold docks tonight similarly hovered in his mind, clouding his thoughts of reason and awareness. It all felt like a cold dream in which he would eventually wake up from, reality a stranger from this barren wasteland.

He had brought the letter with him, that was to be sure. Since it's arrival, he'd refused to let the damned thing go. However, once he heard the woman address some of these people were not invited, he realized that he'd hold on to it in secrecy until the time came that it was needed to be revealed.

The question that still nagged at what little reason he could put forth was, "Why are we here?" I mean it was obvious why this lot of people had showed up, every man and woman who has ever had to spend a cold night on the streets demands an answer or to, but why were they promised an answer? Was there an answer, other than cruel blind fate which led to them being in the predicament they now are.

Was it my fault what happened to my family that night?

Painful memories flood his mind as he tries to keep the thoughts from his mind once again, yet the harder he tried, the more flames and wreckage he saw. All in all, he just wanted an answer to that simple question before he ends this pitiful existence he has become.

Drakol · #5 08-16-2008, 10:39 PM

Someone within the crowd stepped forward as people around him whispered amongst themselves, he was a thin man who looked worse for wear as he wore dirtied and damp jeans, as well as what looked to be a flannel jacket. His heavy boots hitting the pier hard enough to give out audible signs that he had indeed moved at all. He had his arms crossed and looked up at the Woman and sneered.

Unknown Man : "So? What are we here for? Why were we brought here... give us an answer, because I'd like to know! This is probably some strange cult or something worse by the looks of it... I say we leave before the police arrive in force"

The Man cried out in a gruff voice, as if he had spent half his life smoking and the other half trying to breath out of a bottle of rum. The Lady atop of the Crates nodded as she stared at the Man intently, before letting her eyes wander over the crowd in a sweeping motion. Her features never betraying her thoughts as she spoke clearly into the night air.

"The answers are for those who need to know... Mr Jones..."

The Pier seemed to creak, but no one would notice it until they glanced back towards the so called Mr Jones, he was not there. He wasn't standing there in the darkness between the light and the Woman whom stood atop a crate. Those close enough scrambled away, some of them gave out cries of shock as they had only realized what had happened. Beneath where the Man had stood was a hole, as if the planks beneath him had been ripped away by something large. Nothing was there, just pitch blackness, not a splash nor any other signs of a struggle.

"There are things in this world, which are not as they seem..."

She said in a stolid voice, her eyes on the crowd of people, her right hand moving methodically as she spun the ebon rod she held once again. The crowd was panicked, shocked and knew that something was horribly wrong, two of them were already trying to run away. Trying to get back to the safety of the docks, to escape whatever they had agreed to. They wouldn't have gone far enough to miss the fact that the wood in front of the Woman began to splinter as soon as she had finished her words. As if something was emphasizing her statement. Another look about and one could see more holes in the pier, including those who had ran past the two others towards the back. Again, nothing but darkness and the silent shifting of water beneath their feet. Ten people remained out of the Twenty odd who had gathered there, before their very eyes ten people had vanished into the darkness of the night.

"Now, I ask you this... What is it that you Fear? You have already come this far... why not one more step..."

This was her last words as she stood there, waiting for a reply. Those who were left, three cowered and two were standing there stunned. Her eyes drift upon the others there, upon each one of you as if she were waiting for an answer. The night sky seemed so cold now, the air disturbed and yet it was as if nothing had happened. Except for the holes within the pier, the people who had disappeared, were gone without a trace. As if they had never existed, it was so unnatural, one could hardly believe it had happened at all. Once again, she stopped spinning her sapphire mounted rod and placed it within the crook of her arm.

Dalf · #6 08-18-2008, 12:09 AM

The writer's mind is suddenly sobered by the disappearance of the others. Now only him and a few others remained. Had this been a cruel plot after all, to kick a group of people when they're down?

"No," he thought to himself, "It can't be. Why toy with us? No one is really that cruel... are they?"

To be honest, James himself did not foresee the outcome of this situation. He wanted to run so bad, only to realize he'd done nothing but run the past few months. He wasn't the brave type and anyone who saw him suddenly take that first step would be sorely disillusioned to think so. He was just a man with absolutely nothing to lose and possibly something to gain.

"Maybe I won't have to take my own life after all," he thinks walking toward the woman, then speaking, "What do you want with me?"

Vetinarus · #7 08-18-2008, 06:20 AM

Lethe looked up as she heard the wood splinter. She had paid no attention to the man who had challenged the woman. She peered into the water, looking for the people. Not a sign. She shrugged. Nothing she could do about it. "Perhaps coming here wasn't a good idea. Too late now," she thought, as another man asked the woman, "What do you want with me?"
"Men," she thought, taking a few steps closer to the woman. "What steps will I take?" she asked.

paiute · #8 08-18-2008, 12:18 PM

"Dammit...It was laced with something...I knew it, god! I mean I'm trying dear lord...where's that letter at? What is she saying....opp now I'm going to get the dealer busted this time you don't sell me stuff thats laced...wait does he know what I...No, its all ok...wait he's watching me she's here to see if I'm really a junkie and not a...No, I can get by get by it all...but I didn't get by it all..."

Rick stood there warming his hands trying to see through the haze of his falling high and the bleak darkness. The only thing he was certain was the stench on his overcoat from the vomit he or someone else left on him before he woke up.
His silhouette cast a gaunt shadow over the few that hid behind it trembling from something.
"Wait" he thought they might be trying to do him in sneaking behind him in their cowardice ways. In his thoughts he didn't understand why they did it, so in instinct whether job orientated training or his paranoia; he slid his hand into his over coat reaching for his gun. The gun was misplaced and he didn't know what he had done with it but grazing past his pocket he felt the invitation. Not knowing what it was he pulled it out smudging dried grits of stomach bile from his fingers on the paper as he tried to read it...

rhaiber · #9 08-19-2008, 03:39 AM

Tom wrinkled his nose as the acrid stench from the substance on his hands burned at his nostrils. He reached out to wipe his hands on ... something ... he didn't really care what ... or really pay much attention either. He was just now staring at holes in the docks, as though noticing the splintered wood for the first time. Those weren't there before were they?

He raised his head and let his bleary eyes scan across the pier. Slowly, he came up from his crouch, though not to fully stand. He more slid his back up the wall against which he still slumped. There were less people here now. A lot less people. How did that happen?

He really needed that drink. His hand sluggishly found its way to his breast pocket. Since he didn't carry a flask - stupid thing - he would have to make do with a pale alternative. He pulled the soft pack of Marlboro Lights out and shook it. Felt like there were at least a few more left. With a more vigorous shake, he managed to dislodge one cigarette. It slid free from the pack and into his other hand. It was only slightly mangled from the time it had spent in his coat pocket. It had not been able to maintain its perfectly round shape. The little tube of paper was now slightly flattened, almost elliptical at its cross-section and slightly bent so that it was no longer straight. But it wasn't broken. Still smokable. Still good. He couldn't help contain the little chuckle at his own irony.

But the sound of his own mirthless laughter, short as it was, helped bring him out of his reverie. He'd done it again - fallen out, as he like to call it; he'd stopped paying attention to the real world. He looked at the strange woman with the stick again, and then let his gaze slide across those few who still remained on the dock. He knew he had heard them speaking just a moment ago. At least, his ears had picked up the words, even if those words hadn't fully registered in his head. It was like a half-remembered dream. Or like listening to someone's conversation with his head under water.

The woman had said something about answers ... then something about fear ... then the others started asking all these questions. Was that man in the overcoat talking to himself?

Tom did what he could to straighten out his bent cigarette and placed it in his mouth before pushing of the wall behind him to take a few steps closer to the others, remembering a moment later to steer clear of those holes.

"You offer answers?" he asked, the cigarette hanging limply, the paper sticking to his lower lip, "You want to know what I fear? I'll tell you. I fear that there are no answers. To any of it. I do hope you're not trying to sell us on any religion. The promise of answers does make this feel a bit like a tent revival - sans tent of course. But if that's the case, then how do you answer for a god who watches as planes crash headlong into buildings and does ... nothing. Every one of those innocent people, every mother and every child, probably had a ton of questions in their last minutes - a whole lot of 'why's flying around. But no answers from god. Because there are no answers. That's what I fear - no that's wrong - fear is for the unknown. This is no mystery to me. I don't fear it. I'm horrified by it."

Drakol · #10 08-19-2008, 05:15 AM

The Woman watched as each one, even those who were afraid to say anything step forward, closer to her. Closer to the truth perhaps, he didn't really say on that matter, her eyes spread from the last to speak out then back again, all the while she had that faint smile. Perhaps it was a facade, or perhaps this had all be planned. But no one could really say, as for hearing no splashes or not screams as those people who had disappeared, it was very disconcerting if not down right horrific. She spoke again in that neutral voice, that dolcet tone returning slowly.

"I'm sorry Mr McAllister... but I do not believe in God, I do not believe in Fair or of the Innocent... I am not here to preach a Religion. I am just giving you, your second chance at life. As well as for the Rest of those who have gathered here..."

She then with an uncaring grace, looked towards Lethe and James, speaking out once again. Her hand pulling out the Rod from the crook of her arm, in hand, she pointed towards the girl and looked towards the other. Foreboding swept along each of those that gathered, as the wind started to pick up and a ghastly cold air blew past them.

"What do I want? I want nothing of you... What steps will you take? that is what you will decide on your own... But here is the path in which I will supply you..."

She hopped down from the crates onto the Pier, with a quaint tap of her rod against the crates behind her. The sides of those very same crates fell out beside her on both sides. The nails that kept them together seemed to have disappeared entirely. Inside the one to her left was a series of gray vestments, the one of the right held what looked to be knives the size of a persons forearm upon a wooden wrack. She crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on the one know as James.

"Take a robe and arm yourselves... you will need it when the time comes... be assured, you will need the blades to defend yourselves and that alone"

She would just stand there, waiting, watching each and every one of them with slow, calculating glances. The robes were plain gray, hooded things made of a coarse cloth that only went down to ones thighs with long sleeves, it gave a baggy feeling and had plenty of room to fit anyone. The Knives on the other hand were around Fourteen inches long including the hilt which curved slightly forward while the other part of the hilt went up, the blade itself was not entirely straight, curving at it's end forwards lightly so that one could slice easily instead of using it as a point. All of the weapons were in hilts, belts were hanging also from the brackets. This was perhaps a Trap, or perhaps a Test, the Woman said nothing. She just waited, unmoving except for the occasional glance aside to those who shifted.

paiute · #11 08-19-2008, 04:30 PM

"What... these people are really mad. Definitely some kind of left-hand society going on here. This is the first for me though. All the addicts, dealers, and thugs never did anything like this...Is my connection into a cult and trying to get me to join? No, he's set me up thinking if I'm undercover then I'll go undercover as a cult member to nab him. This just gets stranger every day.."

As Rick started to think about what was all going on he suddenly forgot he wasn't doing anything just staring and inspecting which he though would definitely give him away,

"Its called a "Gambit" Mr. McAl... God uses the lives of others to propel the ones of today. So whats your name lady? And did you write the letter...knives and vestments...hum, I'm no Jim Bowie or hobologist but I'd say anything free is almost worth taking."

Holding the paper he talks and squints his eyes trying to see better and continues to stand by the fire then looks into the flame...

"I fear its too late for second chances...so whats your offer switchblades and hoodies...I'm too old for that...too old and used...but never say never right?"

Staring into the fire he mutters his words with a rasping voiced cause by the natural sound and the lowering of the chin near the neck. As he says the last words he looks up at the others and the mysterious woman with a half cracked grin.

Vetinarus · #12 08-20-2008, 12:30 AM

Lethe sighed. "Maybe there will be answers, eventually. Best to just do what she says." she hunted for the largest robe there, that might extend a little further than her thighs. There was still such a thing as modesty in the street. She picked up the blade and examined it carefully.

Dalf · #13 08-20-2008, 01:33 PM

James stood there slack jaw, staring at the opened crate before him. In all of the peculiarities of tonight, this one took the top. Did she actually want them to scrounge over the street in robes and knives like some kind of blood-driven cult. A thought crosses his mind of pumping the woman for information, but honestly, while they were on this dock, she was in entire control.

He looks once again at the robes, then over to the rest of the group. One in particular was mumbling off about his age and didn't seem to care much for the theatrics, another asking no questions and beginning to dig through the clothing.

Was this the finality of his life? Award winning novelist to a dog on the streets, who jumps at any half-baked opportunity to set his life straight again?

"You don't deserve to have a life worth living," says a voice in the back of his head. The voice wasn't new, in fact, it never stopped saying it to him. It simply increased in volume from time to time, a never fading echo upon the hollow recesses of a broken mind.

James reaches into his inside pocket almost ritualistically and pulls out a small object, cradling it in his hands. The look of pain and anguish temporarily vanishes from his face, replaced with the faintest hints of a smile upon his dirty face. As he holds the object more loosely, others interested could see it was a silk flower, yellow and orange, tinged with signs of dirt and grime which had been washed repeatedly. However, as if waking from a dream, James looks from his treasured possession to the knives and the robes.

The hints of smile fade and the moment is passed as the rough hand slowly slips the faux-flower back into the same pocket he'd held it in. With one last look of resolve breaking, the man steps toward the clothing and knives, trying to find a match for himself, all the mean time wondering where he'd gone wrong.

Drakol · #14 08-20-2008, 10:41 PM

OOCYou guys should really talk OOCly to each other - ^^

The woman didn't answer, she didn't even really care if they did what she said or not. But enough of them had moved, the nameless faces began to move in lines, gathering both a robe and a knife. None of them questioned her motives right now because they were afraid or intrigued, or filled with something else, perhaps even a Need. Whatever the case may have been, they moved and did as she told them, as soon as most of them were armed and cloaked, she began to shift towards the Dock.

"Follow me... I have something to show you, something that will open your eyes upon why I am giving you a Second chance... What your new life would bring..."

With that she began to march down the pier, avoiding holes by mere inches. Her movements were uncanny and fluid, she shifted almost unnaturally smooth in manner as she passed all of them. People began to follow her, cloaked and strapped with knives, some of them had them concealed, the others just wrapped them around their wastes. Into the darkness did she walk, nearly in the pitch black of night, though no one stumbled as they concentrated on what was in front of them. She stopped a few minutes later, avoiding all patrols and people who were not of their group, by moving through passages and alleys formed around the warehouses. Entering a door that had already been opened.

The area gave off an eerie feeling, a strange foreboding seemed to seep into the hearts of everyone, the stench was foul and of unprocessed sewage. Everyones eyes were adjusting to the dark because they had been moving for so long without light. Many things cried out to them from the night sky, rats scurrying underfoot and strange trails of refuse and splashes of urine staining the odd wall. Once inside one would see that they were on a large open plane with the roof over sixty feet high, where the center of the room opened up into a large squared staircase which went down to a level where one could not see anything but blackness. Though the only thing that they would focus their tired eyes upon were screens on a table, their cables tied to a series of recording devices. On these screens were depictions of tunnels, many tunnels.

"Now... you are to find this man..."

She pointed with her rod at a Man who passed through the tunnels on one of the screens, each screen was evidently tied in with a camera of some kind. The fellow seemed around five foot eight and wore a suit shirt with black trousers, his eyes staring out ahead of him and his arms in front of him as if to stop himself from falling straight on his face, his mouth lay half open in a fashion that signified he was parched perhaps.

"Here are Two keys... form two groups and go down and look for him... bring him back... The key is for the door at the bottom of these stairs, lock it after you get down... you have been warned..."

With that she sat down at the only seat there, watching them comfortably, her words were vague and she had yet to say anything in reality. Something was odd about all this but she had said nothing, her eyes and features showed nothing out of place and her voice was still as emotionless as before, though the faint smile never faded for a second. Two keys were sitting on the Table with the Screens, one of them were instantly taken by a small group of Four, who split apart from the other. As if they had planned this all along, hurried whispers were spoken as they quickly descended the stairway.

OOCThose who have yet to post - You are assumed to have a Robe and Knife, until you say otherwise, I have to keep the game going... Those who have not posted have been messaged

Vetinarus · #15 08-20-2008, 11:53 PM

Lethe looked around at those who remained. Before any of them could move, she snatched up the key and slipped it don her shirt. "What are your names?" She asked them.