Blackened Earth

[WlfSamurai]

SESSION 0

So, you guys are making characters. Fantastic.

While you do that, let's do some collaborative world-building. I love this part.

We need to build our own little fucked up world. Of course, these are only the parts you know of as you've moved through it. But, it will be a good place to start. Some of these we may discuss and discard. Some we'll keep. Some we'll change as needed.

To start, I'm going to say we're somewhere in what once was the United States of America.

Now, everyone, choose to name AT LEAST one of these things (feel free to do one for each):

• ONE interesting thing about our fucked up world in general
• ONE interesting place nearby
• ONE interesting place far away
• ONE thing that is scarce

Teh Frixz , Grey , Dante Redgrave , clarinetti , Wondertainment , NeonFlow

 

[Grey]

ONE interesting thing about our fucked up world in general

Things don't stay dead.
They don't exactly come back to life, either - they just go... wrong. They move around, they change shape, they kill. Sometimes they talk.
Don't listen to them.

ONE interesting place nearby

No one can say what it used to be, but it's a fancy looking bullding from before the end, mostly intact. Full of big, empty rooms of dirt and sand and rocks, scattered with little bones. Broken glass everywhere.

ONE interesting place far away

Across the salt flat is a cursed place. It was man made, whatever it is, but it's wrong somehow. Big spikes of dark stone pointing outward, barren earth, more rock pillars and spikes and obstacles as you try to get deeper in. Like it's guarding something at the heart of the hill.
Some people have been in there, said they found nothing, but a day or two later they get real sick. Start shitting out their organs, crying blood, and then they die.

ONE thing that is scarce

Good soil to grow food on is hard to find, and the patches we know of must be mighty fine indeed if plants like blood as much as dogs do.

 

[Teh Frixz]

(Going to do this with in character responses! So imagine like, an on the street interview or something to that ens)

ONE interesting thing about our fucked up world in general:

Digging around in a pile of trash and scrap, the hooded young figure looks over at the camera, stopping her digging and pulling the hood back.
Bright eyes staring into the camera directly while remaining crouched by the heap of old world junk.

“I don’t like to think about that stuff. It’s bad. Makes your insides hurt if you think too much about what’s bad.” She looks away and goes back to sitting through ancient bits of rust and discarded items once considered essential to a modern life.

“Buttttt, I mean, probably it’s the things that those people worship. I saw...two of ‘em ever. One was like a BIG white pole and people were in a circle around it on their knees. I saw a lady touch it and she just like...” she gestures, clapping her fist inside her hand with a slurp noise. “Got sucked in! There are lots of people that go pray to things that don’t talk back or do anything good.” She goes back to her work. “People so bad things for those things they worship and they think that’s good. It’s not though”

ONE interesting place nearby:

Her expression gets much brighter, smiling at the question, smile rolling across her face as her mouth seems to melt away, skin blending together before ripping back apart as she starts to speak.

“Oh! Oh oh oh! I’ll show you if you want but that place with the.. uh... that’s clean! Like shiny floors and always the same. I saw guys once blow it up and next day, poof! It’s back the same. It’s just a few floors but it’s got little rooms with desks and chairs and people try to wreck it or take stuff out but if you take stuff out! It just turns to dust! I tried! I like it!”

ONE interesting place far away:

“I don’t go far”

The scene is different now, appearing to be inside a preserved office building, Boda leading the cameraman down the well lit, dust free hallways.

“Far away are bad things and bad lands that make people like you sick. But I remember something...” she pushes a door open, automatic lighting turning on inside an ancient cafeteria. Not a hint of dust but it feels like people have been here recently. Boda runs over and grabs a tray.

“Watch this!” She shouts and throws the metal tray against a window, the tray cracking the glass. The clanging is almost painfully loud against the silence of the building they are in. The tray sits still for a moment before turning into a silver dust which evaporated into the air. She points eagerly at the pile where she got the tray from initially, a new tray already replaced the one she took. “Here too!” She points and the window, the camera panning over quickly to see the last of the cracks vanishing as the window repaired itself

“See! Always the same. Don’t get a finger or something stuck in it though.” She smiles and makes a chopping motion on her hand. “But far away I remember a place that was taking people that paid something to get in. They put plugs in the people and put them in water and they sank and the people never came back. It smelled bad there” she shakes her head and starts toward the cafeteria exit.

ONE thing that is scarce:

The scene is different again, Boda in a long line. Unlike most of the people in line, she doesn’t have the same look of desperate hunger.

“Privacy... I think? There are so many people still. SO many in places like this where people live. It gets crowded and people trample each other and don’t have food and flock towards people that promise them things. Some places have too many people and some have too little. If they get spread out maybe things would be better and we wouldn’t have to stand in lines for food”

Boda looks like she’s going to keep ranting but a fight breaks out a few feet away. Shouting and bickering over line placement and debts owed. The camera turns back and Boda has vanished. When the camera goes back to the line, a dozen more have joined the fight before a sudden crack of a gunshot and the camera goes black.

 

[clarinetti]

One interesting thing about our fucked up world in general
Lycoperdon immundus is a fungal species discovered in the years following the great calamity. Consisting of a woody, inedible stub and a bulbous mass, fully mature bodies have a diameter of 6-9 inches and tend to have an off-white/ pale yellow colouration. Though found in a range of biomes across the continent, they seem to prefer semi-arid environments and thrives even in poor conditions, absorbing what few nutrients remain in the soil.

Clusters of L.immundus tend to release their spores at the same time, filling the air with ochre-brown particles. Stepping on or otherwise crushing mature heads also triggers the release the spores. When inhaled by animals or people, the 'Maelshrooms' (As they're more commonly called) may induce nausea, convulsions, disorientation, and panic attacks, the effects lasting 4-6 hours. This also makes infected individuals more susceptible to the terrors of the maelstrom for a short period of time.

However, when the immature fungi are harvested and dried, they can be safely consumed as a powder or beverage (The ingestible form known as 'Rev'). This induces a trip similar to psilocybin in many respects, with one notable exception. Those under the influence who are willing to risk opening their minds to the maelstrom can have visions, gleaning fragments of knowledge regarding current or past events.

One interesting place nearby:
The Sunset Paradise Motel is a roadside motel, a relic from the old days. It used to be a seedy, hole in the wall sort of establishment- the kind weary travellers with nowhere else to go would rest, seeking A.C and some reprieve from the endless stretches of highway. Nowadays, it's run by a gang of hard-ass choppers who operate in the area known as the Striders. Their leader, Diego De la Cruz, is a tough nut to crack, and amenities are few and far between besides mouldy mattresses and sketchy water pressure. But if you're looking for someplace safe to lay low, you can spend 1-barter to stay there under their protection for the night.

 

[Wondertainment]

One interesting thing in general: About once a week, when you turn on the radio, you'll get signals from radio stations of the before-times... But they're new broadcasts every time.

One interesting place nearby: Hell-evator. The building has long collapsed, and there's no power fueling it. But if you press B3 in the elevator, the elevator will drop you off there. If you stay inside, then the elevator closes again and drops you somewhere - never to be seen again.

One interesting place far away: Ashward Spring. There's a spring somewhere out there that's still flowing fresh water. Apparently whole communities have formed nearby, hoping for dominance over the spring. They all died when the spring exploded, turning the water into ash. The water's returned, and some people have moved back nearby... for some reason.

 

[Wondertainment]

WIP​

One interesting thing about our fucked up world in general
Lycoperdon immundus is a fungal species discovered in the years following the great calamity. Consisting of a woody, inedible stub and a bulbous mass, fully mature bodies have a diameter of 6-9 inches and tend to have an off-white/ pale yellow colouration. Though found in a range of biomes across the continent, they seem to prefer semi-arid environments and thrives even in poor conditions, absorbing what few nutrients remain in the soil.

Clusters of L.immundus tend to release their spores at the same time, filling the air with ochre-brown particles. Stepping on or otherwise crushing mature heads also triggers the release the spores. When inhaled by animals or people, these may induce nausea, convulsions, disorientation, and panic attacks, the effects lasting 4-6 hours. This also makes infected individuals more susceptible to the terrors of the maelstrom for a short period of time.

However, when the immature fungi are harvested and dried, they can be safely ingested as a powder or beverage. This induces a trip similar to psilocybin in many respects, with one notable exception. Those under the influence who are willing to risk opening their minds to the maelstrom can have visions, glean fragments of knowledge regarding current or past events.

(Any suggestions for slang/ nicknames would be much appreciated)

Ghost mushrooms? Psyshrooms? ...wangs?

 

[Teh Frixz]

I’m quite partial to wangs myself. How about Maelshroom?

 

[Grey]

I was thinking the powder might be called Rev - shory for revelation, or for revving your brain.

 

[Dante Redgrave]

These are my answers to the questions as they are fairly long I've put them in spoilers to make it easier to read. As I've only spent the past four to five hours typing it lol

Spoiler: Answers

Spoiler: ONE interesting thing about our fucked up world in general

I'd think about this question for a good minute before smirking and looking at the person who asked it "Well that would honestly be a good question. So I would suppose that what I find most interesting would be that some city's and town's are covered in greenery. Of course by which I mean moss and vine covered buildings. Along with grass and tree's grown up through and over the side walks and roads. Where as some others have been fully taken over by trees making it into a very big and thick woods. Which is that if you know how to live off the land. Basically if you know how to Track, Trap, and Hunt. Then you'll never go hungry. As you could then hunt the animals in the woods. Which is actually where I had found my pet wolf, but that was when it was a baby. I found it after I had killed it's momma. As it had lunged for my throat, and it was either kill it or be killed. So I pulled my lucky knife and plunged into it's heart ending it quickly. That's when I had heard Scarlet and found her. Which my first instinct was to kill it as it's mother was dead. Then it walked over to me, and smelt me taking in my scent, and sat down staring up at me. " There was a cross bow with 12x zoom capability scope resting from a strap over my left. There was a quiver full of bolts with the notch ends exposed from my right shoulder strapped to my back, and a sheath that had 12 throwing knives attacked to my right thigh. As for my clothing i was wearing black combat boots, black skinny jeans, and a black and royal blue leather jacket over my grey shirt. I'd look to my right to my now fully grown and trained Timber Wolf "Scarlet is a Timber Wolf according to a couple of books I've read, and I would honestly be lost without her. As she watches my back at all times, and has killed her fair share of people trying to kill me. As the world has truly gone to hell, and is a crazy place to live in and survive without someone to watch your back. Especially if you go into the woods and the green covered cities and towns. Which the soil there isn't good enough to grow food on sadly. If your lucky then you can find a good spot every and now and then, but for the most part it is very hard to. Come here Scarlett." The pure black wolf with a scar over it's right eye would get up and walk over to me and stare at me as if though she was awaiting an order. Where as I would just simply pet her head. "Lay down beautiful" she would sit down and I would chuckle "or sit down either one works you dork." She'd like my hand I'd chuckle before softly kissing the top of her head. Before looking back at the person

Spoiler: ONE interesting place nearby

I'd pull out a pack of camel crush cigarettes from my left jacket pocket. Before taking one out putting it on my ear, and take another out. After I would put them away and take a Zippo lighter out of my right jacket pocket. Then I would squeeze the butt of the cigarette, and rotate it between my thumb, index, and middle finger. This caused the ball of menthol flavor to pop and spread through out it becoming stronger. After I'd put the butt of the cigarette between my lips and would flick the Zippo open using my right right thumb. I'd strike it, lighting it and lighting the cigerate. Flicking my wrist would cause the top to pop closed extinguishing the flame. I'd take a drag and breath the smoke out of my nose in hailing and exhaling at the same time. As I stuck it back in my right pocket before taking the cigerate between my thumb and index fingers and take a drag. Id stick a hand in each corresponding pocket and drop the lighter taking in the question. "One interesting place nearby would be the woods that now covers green county Arkansas. Which is where I had originally found scar. I only knew the county by finding an old building there that said green county court house. Which I then burned down. As fire is fun to play with." I'd take another drag, in hale, and exhale.

Spoiler: ONE interesting place far away

Well that would be a city that is covered in greenery where I grew up at as the son of a hunter who only ever used this specific crossbow. Where he taught me everything that I might need to know to survive on my own until he was killed by a bear. That bear feed me and my family for a couple of days. As me and my older brother had hunted it down and killed it. My mom died during my birth, and my older brother was a really cool guy and raised me form the age of thirteen to eighteen. Constantly traveling around Arkansas trying to find more people like the male bloodline of my family. Which brings me to another cool thing about the world. Therianthrope isn't just made up. As a Therian my self we have the ability to morph into any animal we can actually see, and at anytime into the last animal that we morphed into at ease. If you've been practicing long enough. Where he made sure that I learned and honned anu skills I may need to survive. So as we traveled we ended up in green county. Which is where he then went with me on my final test. That he had set up to test my survival instincts and skills. So we both last morphed into wolves, so we started with running 25 miles without stopping in the form of a wolf. Going all the way to the center of the woods. Where he then tested my tracking and hunting skills. After that he tested my skills of hand to hand combat and finally ending with telling me that if I didn't kill him them he would kill. Which he then pulled my survival knife out and actually went to stab me so as I realized that the was being serious. I had killed him and taken quite a bit of damage luckily my wounds healed quickly as I took what I wanted from him and here I still have it all." Having already finished my cigerate I'd look at them and smirk "So do you have anymore questions?"

Spoiler: ONE thing that is scarce

I'd smile at the man as yet the person did infact have another question. Which I would listen to and then contemplating over how to answer as there was a lot of things that was scarce. "Well to answer your question easily. There is a lot of things that is scarce. Such as food, privacy, and people who are like me. So I'll be on my way now. Scarlett come" she'd be at my side in a couple of seconds as I walked off and past a hooded young figure digging around in a pile of trash and scrap.

 

[WlfSamurai]

What about Maelspores with Rev as the powder?

 

[ThaDruid]

ONE interesting thing about our fucked up world in general
Food is a scarce commodity that few can afford, but... Bullets. Those are in high supply. It's like the earth itselfs spews them out. You feel them crunching underfoot when you walk. You can take a fistful of dead, grey soil and find at least one or two shiny ones in there. Big caliber, small caliber, shells, slugs, it's like nature itself keeps egging us on this path of murder that turned everything into what it is today. Did our ancestors produce so many, in a mad effort to completely wipe themselves out... Or is something else, deep under the crust of the earth, still creating them, its purpose long forgotten?

ONE interesting place nearby
Not too far away, the wandering eye can find a trail leading from one of the abandoned, green-infested city ruins to a strange place in the wilderness. A flat spot of dust, where nothing seems to truly grow. At the centre of this eerie place, half-sunk into the ground, stands a round-looking capsule with bumps all over. It doesn't move, it has no smell, it seems harmless at first. But getting closer, one can clearly hear that... It ticks. And it's been ticking for years.

ONE interesting place far away
Ghost Town is as interesting as they come. Like a piece of the old world, perfectly preserved through time and grime. a collection of squat houses, but not the ramshackle sheds you usually see. These are fine homes, made of brick and mortar, with proper wooden fences and well-kept gardens. Then there's the ghosts. Colorless and soundless holograms looking like the people of the old world. They act as if they were alive, cleaning rooms that never get dirty, repairing machines that never truly break down, going to and from jobs that they have no use for. The town is both dead and a mockery of life. It is said that they usually pay no mind to travelers or anyone approaching them... Except if you ask what day it is. Then they get angry, and you are never heard from again.

ONE thing that is scarce
Hope.

 

[WlfSamurai]

I think at this point, we're in pretty good shape. So, without further ado...

Introductions!

But first, let's be clear: You're AT LEAST allies. Probably friends. Been working together for some time. You're all probably 'Kindly' Sam's lieutenants. It's his hardhold, after all, right Sam? That also means Phoenix's studio is inside Sam's hardhold. You work together.

Yes, that--like everything else--can change through play. But AT LEAST to start, you are working together.

Now, everyone introduce yourself. Give us:

• Your name
• Your look
• Your outlook (your point of view or attitude toward life)

Teh Frixz , Grey , Dante Redgrave , clarinetti , Wondertainment , ThaDruid

 

[Teh Frixz]

Child Thing
Boda...Boda! I’m Boda. That’s what other people call me and what you’ll probably call me too. I’ve had other names and people call me lots of things but I don’t like those because I didn’t make ‘em.

Uhh. I look right now like a girl I saw a month ago. She had pretty black hair and nice skin and look at this smile! I get in places better and people are nicer to me in good skins.

Right now, in the Kindly Tower? Life is sooooo good. I love my food, I love my den, I love my shapes, I love my friends, I love how many people there are and I love how little wolves there are. This is the best it’s been!

 

[ThaDruid]

The name's Solomon. That's all you need to know. People usually flinch when I tell them.

Like a walking suit of armor. People don't usually see me out of it, I like to be careful like that. In the rare moments of calm that I'm allowed, I look like an old fuck. Way older than people live around these places. But I'm not like them.

Even with a cushy place inside the hardhold and a steady source of income, my outlook hasn't changed. I'm tired of the bloodshed, the death, the grime. I'm looking for a way to die properly before time takes me, and maybe take one or two bastards who deserve it to the other side.

 

[Grey]

"Name's Sam - some folk call me Kindly."

Sam's wiry, on the short side, with black hair and skin, his hair worn long and shaggy. He wears casual clothes cobbled together from old world leftovers and new fabric.

"Here's how I see it - world's gone to shit, and it ain't kind to no one, so all we got is each other. We got to do right by each other or we'll just repeat the mistakes of the the world that was. Another generation and no one will remember that world anyway, just a fairytale of how we held the world in our hands and how we crushed it."

 

[Dante Redgrave]

• Your Name
  • "So you wanna know my name. Well that would come with at a price, and not at the price of anything materialistic. That would come at the price of your soul..." I'd watch your facial expression change and chuckle. Before chuckling and smiling "I'm just pulling your leg. My name is Shadow, but you may call me Jake. Now as for my Wolf here. Her name is Scarlett."
• Your look
  • I was standing next to my White Dire Wolf which was laying down. She had scars over her right eye with black fur around the scars highlighting them. She had a steal log chain with a lock in the lat loops on each side making her a perfect length collar. Now as for myself 9n the other hand. I had a very tanned and muscler body that was covered in tattoos. I had some really cool eye's one being blue, and the other green. My face was very handsome and complimented by my eyes very well. My hair was black and slicked back. I had casual clothing of which I had found. During my time spent with my older brother traveling. Which I was able to repair due to my brothers girl having been a tailor. So as for clothing. I have my boots, socks, boxer briefs, skinny jeans, sleeveless shirt, leather jacket, gloves, and gogle shades. Then I'm not currently wearing any of my masks that I have in my jacket pockets for storage.
• Your outlook (your point of view or attitude toward life)
  • Well I generally see life as something that can constantly change. It all depends on us to change it, and shape it as we see fit. Which I will admit that as due to my past. It is easier for me to change compared to others. As I have lived my entire life in constant change. So changing life is honestly fairly easy for me, but anyone could do it if they put there mind to it. Now as far as anger goes. Well there simply isn't enough time in life to become angered. As tomorrow is not promised. Only the current second we live is promised. As it's already happening. There's honestly nothing stopping you from dying in the next couple of seconds. So again there is not enough time in life to become angered. As if you allow for it to control you. Then that's time that is wasted. So instead learn to control your anger. Learn to control all your emotions, and then you may be able to shape your lift. Into something that you could be happy with.
  • So basically you asked how I see and look at life. Well then I see it as a changeable component. As I see emotions as something that no one has time to allow themselves to be controlled by. As life is to short not to be in control of them. As for the people who come along. I see them as friendly, and trust worthy. Until they show signs of hostility, and break my trust. That's when I see them as a threat, and will neautralize them without hesitation. I'm not one to be tested, and pushed arouns. My entire life I have spent training for anything thrown at me. As my father, and older brother have always said. It's better to have knowledge and not need it. Rather than need it and not have it. Then as a Therian and able to morph into a wolf, but while taking while taking risks. I would say that life is fun even though it's bcuz of this I had to learn to control my emotions. So again my Outlook on life is well very different than other's.

 

[Wondertainment]

"I'm Chelsea," the rough-looking woman says, "I drive Sam's shit."

She has a tattered baseball cap, a weathered but tough leather jacket, and worn jeans. She has a T-shirt that says "Come to Disneyland!", an ancient logo from before all this. Even she doesn't know what it means - a message for weary travelers, welcoming them to a paradise? Given the castle in the middle, perhaps Disneyland used to be some sort of fortress to protect you from this shitstorm.

She's an attractive woman, with a surprisingly smooth and defined face, but her eyes are dead and her lips are almost always curled in disgust.

"Listen," she continues, "Rule one. You don't need to talk to me. I don't WANT you talking to me. You want a talk, talk to Sam or someone else in this shithole. I just drive shit, alright? Rule two. Don't touch my garage, especially when I'm not there. Knock on the door if you need to do something, but don't touch nothing. You can break rule one, but rule two will break you."

She blinks at the odd phrasing. "Whatever. Like any of this matters, anyway."

 

[WlfSamurai]

Hx

clarinetti , introduce yourself when you can.

Okay, awesome. So, let’s do Hx. I love this part. We’re going to take turns. On your turn, do what it says on the second page of your sheet under “Hx”. Feel free to interrupt if your sheet says you can, too.

Let’s start with you, Boda.

Teh Frixz

 

[Teh Frixz]

Boda


O K

So... Does anyone here know a Wolf of the Maelstrom? If you do, who are they and take Hx +2, if you don’t know what I’m talking about take Hx -1

 

[Wondertainment]

I have no idea what that is out-of-character. Probably don't in-character either. So that's Hx -1 for me, plus another -1 because I'm a Driver, so Hx-2 from Boda total.

So for my Hx it looks like I just pick who gets it... "One of them once got you out of some serious shit. Tell that player Hx+2."

I think it'd make sense if the whole reason I got into employment with Kindly Sam is that he saved me for some reason and now I owe him a life debt. Grey , you get Hx+2.

 

[WlfSamurai]

Perfect. Do either of you have more to do for you Hx on you sheet?

Teh Frixz , Wondertainment

 

[Teh Frixz]

Nope! Mine is fairly simple!

 

[Dante Redgrave]

Boda


O K

So... Does anyone here know a Wolf of the Maelstrom? If you do, who are they and take Hx +2, if you don’t know what I’m talking about take Hx -1

If my character has a pet Dire Wolf, and have the ability to morph into a wolf count mine as a Wolf? Meaning that I would know a Wolf.

 

[Teh Frixz]

If my character has a pet Dire Wolf, and have the ability to morph into a wolf count mine as a Wolf? Meaning that I would know a Wolf.

Nope, different kind of wolf. A Machine wearing the mask of a human. Not an animal in that sense. They are all around, wearing the faces of people they take and they are coming and they are legion.

 

[clarinetti]

Spoiler: Introduction

The lighting of the studio is dimmed, the dreary fluorescent lighting diffused by a patchwork of coloured rags hanging from the ceiling, casting a violet-red tinge over the space. The air is somewhat musty, thick with the scent of cheap incense and cigar smoke. Stretched out on a ratty office chair, feet resting on the console is a lanky, ragged individual. A tumble of curly black hair frames a tanned face of sharp angles and gaunt lines. A pair of onyx eyes take you in, long lashes blinking slowly as they stir from their reverie.

“Well my oh my, look what the cat dragged in. Now what brings you to my humble domain?” A lush baritone voice drawls, lifting a hand to take a pull from the stubby cigar between their fingers. Slowly exhaling a plume of smoke and brushing the ashes off a worn corduroy blazer, the radio broadcaster squints a little, lips pursed as though trying to place the face to a name. “We haven’t met before, have we? I do believe so- It’s not very often that I forget a face. Please, forgive my manners: Phoenix Montoya. Washed out crooner, former-junkie, minor radio personality.”

“It’s funny- normally I’m the one interviewin’ folks around here. I hope you’re not turning any tricks on me here- did Nabakov send you?” Phoenix chuckles, waving away any rebuttals. “Hah, don’t worry love, it don’t matter either way. When it comes to my personal life I’ve got nothing to hide.” they continue, spreading their arms lazily as though to put their hands up. It’s only then that the holstered silencer comes into sight, the black lead in stark contrast to the creamsicle-coloured marigold blouse.

“So here’s how it is, from where I’m standing. Way things are these days, everyone’s spun tight like a wire. Some folks are just shitty all the time, others might just be having a bad day and gone snapped. You can’t fix people, can’t make ‘em change their ways. But some of them, well, you can give them something good to hold on to in this crapshoot world, and that’s enough to let them cope with all the awful noise we constantly deal with, see that there’s some decency, some humanity, left in all o’ us. Maybe it’s the sweet strumming of a guitar, a soothing voice in the dark, or a fragment from the days gone by. It’s not much, but I try to put that out there, hope that some good karma comes back to me.”

There’s another pause, another heavy inhale, a spark flickering in those dark irises. “I want to trust in the good in others, I really do. I want to think we’re all capable of taking the high road… but I’d be lying if I said I actually believed it. Even the best of us are capable of doing terrible things, when we think no one’s watching. Easy to be wicked when you’re hidden in the dark.” they muse aloud, glancing to you with unnerving clarity as they do so. After a few moments, a devious smirk curls their lips, as they point to the heaps of electronic equipment, the microphones and transmitters kept functional with tape and wires and scrap metal. “But I’ve got my fingers on the pulse of this ramshackle town, eyes and ears all over the place. And if someone thinks they can screw around with this place, these people- my people? Well, let's say they're in for a rude awakening.”

Teh Frixz Phoenix has no sweet clue what a 'Wolf of the Maelstrom' is, so -1Hx for them