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A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#1
My first CoV character, who had idled around level 14 for a while, has joined the Infamous this week. Introducing Baron Bedlam....
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Shattering Agony
A Story of the Rogue Isles
Most people knew that the heroine known as Numina could be found in Liberty Square in Founders Falls, but few knew that her personal home was just off the Square itself. Numina kept a peaceful sanctum, isolated from the bustle of Paragon City, and immune to trespass. Its dimly lit rooms were only accessible to others if the mystic wished it, although she rarely found reason to refuse a hero entrance. Those that needed her, came; those that didnt, stayed away. It was the way of things.
Still, there were those who trusted her judgment more than others. Manticore was a loner, independent and prickly of Statesmans way of leading, but he trusted Numinas counsel. Many times, the dark, cynical archer had found himself coming to Founders Falls to speak with the pale seer, to be healed or have someone healed. She had the empathy to understand his frustrations with the other heroes of the Freedom Phalanx, with Statemans overwhelming presence, Synapse's hedonism, or Citadel's literal mindedness. Also, her presence was a calming force, allowing him a moment to rest in his seemingly endless fight against the criminal forces that infested Paragon.
Manticore, Numina turned as he entered her sunroom. While much of the house was dimly lit, the sunroom opened out onto the square, letting in gentle sunlight. He could see the residents of the Falls making their way about their business. Close to the fountain, the massive shape of Infernal was helping a small group of heroes train and register their promotion in Security Level. What can I do for you?
I need some information, Numina, the archer said. About a villain.
Wouldnt Miss Liberty be better to ask? Longbows database is extensive. She turned, and he could see that she was in the process of watering the plants that drank in the sunlight that streamed through the bay window. Or perhaps Zigursky Prison would have the information that you need.
I checked with the Zigs warden, he replied, shaking his head. They have no record of the perp, despite eyewitness accounts of his presence during one of Recluses breakouts. Longbow has a little information, mostly on a failed bank robbery in the Row that resulted in a lot of property damage, but not much else. Wyvern got steamrollered by this guy a few weeks ago, and they said he came off as a major magic user. I figured you might have something.
What is his name?
Bedlam. Arachnos supposedly has him registered as Baron Bedlam.
There was a clatter as the small watering pot that Numina held fell from her nerveless fingers, splashing water across the floor. She turned to Manticore with an expression of shock. It cannot be! How could he come here?
* * *
Bedlam stood over the fallen man, examining the weapon that had been used against him. He had been journeying across the island, called Cap au Diable by the humans, when the man had taken his presence as a threat and attacked. The mans attacks stung, but were ineffective compared to Bedlams own, and now he stood over the wounded man, idly examining his cracked and shattered armor and rifle the man had wielded.
Both armor and weapon were colored a bright shade of yellow, almost gold. Bedlam had heard these men, who flitted around the island like large yellow flies on their jetpacks, as Goldbrickers. He assumed they were thieves, but hadnt had much cause to examine them. When he was first attacked, he thought the humans had found someway of tapping into the Agony, channeling it into destruction as he did. Enraged, he had lashed out, flinging the man against the side of the building and throwing him down to the sidewalk. Now, he saw that the weapon was nothing more than a clever toy, like many of the things created by the humans. He tossed the gun aside and crouched over the man.
The human looked like any other member of the verminous species that crawled across the world. Many of those that lived in these islands, under the rule of the godling Recluse, were like him, petty and small. Bedlam could smell the sin on him, appetizing and savory. As he picked at the cracked and shattered armor, pulling small pieces of gold paint away, the man coughed and opened his eyes.
Bedlam could see the man react, flinching away from the red eyes that glared out from the shadows of his hood. The thief squirmed, and painfully babbled in the useless tongue of the humans, pleading for mercy. Bedlam ignored him, picking at the armor like a bored child pulls up grass. Toys, he thought, nothing but toys. The humans do not know the Agony.
The thief was promising him things now, offering worldly treasures for his life. Bedlam snarled; the fool did not realize who he was. He straightened up, his leather harnesses creaking. None of the thiefs compatriots were nearby, and the rabble that trudged the streets of the island like ants avoided his gaze. He glanced down at the man, and focused the Agony into coherent sound.
The Goldbricker heard a voice like nails on a chalkboard, overlaid with the screams of the dying. It said only one word, and then he felt his heart explode in his chest, and knew no more.
Die.
* * *
Bedlam, said Numina, breathing in the vapors rising from the china cup she held, is also known as the Baron of the Agony or the Lord of Screams. He is a major functionary of the Underworld, and should not be here.
Manticore watched her carefully. She had clearly been upset at the mention of this Baron Bedlam, and now he understood why. Be that as it may, he said, laying a stack of photos on the coffee table, he appears to have made the trip.
Each photo is very clearly captured from a surveillance camera. Wyvern operatives lie across the dull carpeted floor of some commonplace office in various positions that speak only of pain. Scattered about them are their trademark bows and arrows, shattered like kindling. Standing over them is a figure, hooded and dressed in buckled leathers. Bedlam, she says.
Thats what the surviving agents identified him as. Intelligence states that he showed up about six months ago, during an Arachnos jailbreak. The Zig has no record of a Baron Bedlam in its records, though.
Numina paged through the photos. A series of three showed the Baron, arms outstretched to encompass a trio of Talon agents and the rest of the hallway in an open embrace. The three vigilantes are tumbling away from him like rag dolls caught in a windstorm, and Numina can see glass shattering in the light fixtures. Sonics, says Manticore, and she nods. Bedlam controls the agony of the dying and channels it through his own voice. It is said, in Cagliostros Principia Demonica, that the sound of his voice shatters glass, curdles milk, makes women barren, and drives strong men mad.
Curdles milk? Manticore looked dubious.
Numina shrugged. Cagliostro liked his cheeses. In any case, according to more modern scholars, demons of the Barons power scale could not manifest directly on this plane of existence. Their power scale was too great for a ritual to balance.
Im not sure I understand.
I know Ive explained this before.
Im bad with magic; so sue me.
Numina sighed and smiled, shaking her head. Summoning a demon throws the world out of balance, even such a minor demon as a Hordling. The proper rituals for a summons involve some sort of trade, sometimes symbolic, sometimes more concrete.
More concrete? Manticore asked. Why do I get the feeling Im not going to like this?
In the case of such groups as the Circle of Thorns, lives are sacrificed.
Yeah, thats what I thought. What about other groups?
Well, most white magicians dont summon demons, for obvious reasons. But contact with the Underworld can be made with the blood of the sorcerer or through the consumption of plant life, usually as incense or a bonfire. If you really want to know, I have some books you could read.
Maybe later, replied Manticore. What sort of balance would be needed for the Baron?
In the case of a demon along the scale of Bedlam or his rivals, the amount of sacrifice needed becomes impractical for most sorcerers. Only the most committed, or insane, would go to the lengths needed.
What sort of scale are we talking about?
According to Gideon Trimagisterus, demons on par with Bedlam would need the energy of hundreds of lives, perhaps thousands. Not quite genocidal levels of slaughter, but certainly noticeable.
And there have been no massive deathtolls reported in or around Paragon that would lend themselves to such a ritual?
None that I know of, said Numina. It would require a great deal of time to enact such a summons. Each victim would have to be killed singularly, and his or her soul committed to the rite. Simply blowing up a building wouldnt give the sorcerer the time to tally each life.
So the question is, if this Bedlam couldnt be summoned , began Manticore.
then who is this that calls himself Bedlam?
* * *
Bedlam eyed the being sitting at the table. He had been contacted, through the toy that the godling Recluses minions had given him, by a representative of the wraith known as Nogitsune. She had sent him an invitation, carried by this person, Bizarre Mouse, to work with her armies.
Bizarre Mouse was a strange sort, warping the flat tones of the sounds that humans used to communicate into a strangely melodic distortion. It spoke for some length, with a number of asides and digressions, occasionally being interrupted by the chirping tone of its own communication bauble, before concluding with, Da Lady said she wanted you in da Outfit. So, you interested?
Bedlam examined Bizarre Mouse, taking in its yellow and red costume and cape, its pugnacious expression, and the burning stick of plant life that it held clenched in its teeth. Its bulging muscles spoke of physical power. Bedlam was not impressed by physical power; he was the Baron of the Agony, his armies had power to spare. Besides, larger humans than this one had fallen, shattered at the sound of his voice. But he pondered the offer it brought to him.
Bedlam was far from his demesnes, and his trip to this place had been difficult. It would take time to gather the strength to open a gate and summon his minions. The resources that this Nogitsune offered him, beyond those made available by Recluse, would allow him to devote his efforts to developing that strength. Without such resources, he would be vulnerable to rivals and enemies, of which these islands teemed. Moreso, the human anthill called Paragon seemed to be Recluses main focus, and the arcane powers there were powerful enough that he could smell their light and purity from even here. Should any of them become aware of his presence, allies would be useful for drawing their attention away from his plans.
Reaching into the Agony, Bedlam pulled the sound of a young farmers wife having her fingernails pulled out by an terrorist and shaped into speech. Yes, he answered, his voice cracking the glass in a nearby window.
Bizarre Mouse blinked and grimaced, before nodding. Great, he said, pulling out one of the toys Recluse distributed like candy among his servants. Whats yer registered name?
I am Bedlam. A cat yowled down an alleyway, as Bedlam spoke through the cries of a man dying of a belly wound.
Yeah, dats what it sez here, commented Bizarre Mouse. Are you named after a state o chaos and disorder, or the old mental hospital?
Bedlam snarled, the tortured sound of an electric guitar being abused by an angry and incompetent musician. Could this insect truly not know of the Baron of the Agony, the Lord of Screams? Was he that ignorant? I am Bedlam, he repeated, the words a horrific blend of cattle cars bound for Auschwitz and the static of stars dying. The cracked window spiderwebbed and dogs began howling nearby.
Bizarre Mouse seemed to realize what was happening around him. Er, yeah. Okay. Ill let da Lady know. We gots a meeting soon; well let ya know when. In the meantime, Ill set the base security t recognize ya.
Bedlam nodded acquiescence. The little man was ignored as he made his farewells, and took off into the sky. Bedlam had other concerns; there was a group of amateurish sorcerers that called themselves the Legacy Chain that swarmed among the common mortals of these isles, seeking knowledge of the Underworld and other dimensions in order to prevent the subjugation of this world. Bedlam was not one for humor, but he could not help but be darkly amused by the hubris of these insects. As if their puny magics could prevent his eventual conquest. But, one of the Recluses more intelligent minions, called Brass, had told him of their interest in the toys that kept the inhabitants sheltered with light and heat. Something having to do with the volcano that he could sense beneath the surface of the horned mountain that peaked this particular island. There was something about the pipes that ran across the island, and the strange beings of energy that could be found near them. Investigations were in order. Perhaps there was power to be acquired. And if not, dealing with heroes always ensured destruction.

Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
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Re: A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#2
Looks pretty cool so far, but as a nitpick, I'm pretty sure Blue Steel is not a member of the Phalanx, but works for Paragon PD.--
I am the Borg-again Christian. Resistance to my sermon is futile. You will be baptized. Your dogma is irrelevant.
--
If you become a monster to put down a monster you've still got a monster running around at the end of the day and have as such not really solved the whole monster problem at all. 
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Re: A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#3
Hmmm. Nice. Looking forward to more.
-- Bob
---------
...The President is on the line
As ninety-nine crab rangoons go by...
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Re: A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#4
Quote:
Looks pretty cool so far, but as a nitpick, I'm pretty sure Blue Steel is not a member of the Phalanx, but works for Paragon PD.
Probably. The training/task force officers have been described as the survivors of the Freedom Phalanx after the Rikti War and their former sidekicks, but Blue Steel has been neglected as much as the poor misbegotten and rundown Kings Row. I will probably change it.Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
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Re: A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#5
If I recall correctly, King's Row originally didn't have a trainer, so they threw in Blue Steel when people complained. But yeah, all the others should be members of the Phalanx/Vindicators.--
I am the Borg-again Christian. Resistance to my sermon is futile. You will be baptized. Your dogma is irrelevant.
--
If you become a monster to put down a monster you've still got a monster running around at the end of the day and have as such not really solved the whole monster problem at all. 
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Re: A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#6
Trivia time. There's a fun little thread on the official forums outlining bits of history like this.
See, in beta...originally Galaxy City didn't exist. Atlas Park was the sole newbie zone. When Galaxy was created...why, I don't know, but prolly something to do with crowding and diversity...they needed a trainer.
So they moved Back Alley Brawler from King's Row.
Think about it. Back Alley Brawler really belongs in KR, not Galaxy.
But then, they needed someone for the Row...so they came up with Blue Steel.
And, y'know, there you go.
Blue Steel ain't the only trainer that isn't a member of the Phalanx or Vindicators. Ravenstorm in Striga Isle and War Witch in Croatoa aren't members of either group...but that said, Striga and Croatoa are newer zones. War Witch also has a certain amount of name recognition from the comic books...and, y'know, War Witch and Ravenstorm are both used as avatars by a couple of devs.
...
That's also complete thread derailment there.
Ebony, that's really cool. Slick prose. Especially the description, from Bedlam's point of view, of the widdle broken Goldbricker. Bedlam himself, well, I don't know, I'd have to see more, but that seems a pretty interesting explanation for sonic powers.
Wonder what he'd make of the Wailers.
-- Acyl
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Re: A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#7
Quote:
Wonder what he'd make of the Wailers.
Bedlam doesn't like reggae.... [Image: smile.gif] Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
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Re: A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#8
Updated above.
Foxboy, a small request: Can you put a screencap of Bizarre Mouse here? I need a picture for Bedlam's "interview." One of Nogitsune would be appreciated as well.Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
Reply
Re: A new addition to the Infamous (story in progress)
#9
This is pretty rockin'. Very much looking forward to the next chapter!
Global: @Jimmy Amp
"Broad-minded is just another way of saying a fellow's too lazy to form an opinion." -- Will Rogers
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screenies
#10
Bizarre mouse
Nogitsune
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll
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Re: screenies
#11
A Bizarre Mouse indeed....Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
Reply
Re: screenies
#12
"Heeeeeere I come to ruin your dayyyyyy!!!"
[Image: devil.gif]
Global: @Jimmy Amp
"Broad-minded is just another way of saying a fellow's too lazy to form an opinion." -- Will Rogers
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Re: screenies
#13
Added more to the story.Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."
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^_^
#14
Yeah, dat's da stuffs!
''We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat
them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.''

-- James Nicoll
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