The Premise:
In 1888, Jack the Ripper swept through London bringing with him what many referred to as the Whitechapel Horrors -- a string of murders so grotesque that surely no human could be behind them. Well what if a human wasn't? What if it was something more sinister? A demon of some kind?
Enter the Hunters. For centuries, a secret network of occultists and demon hunters have existed, based throughout Europe. And London, like all major cities, has seen its share come and go. Since Shakespeare's time, the main hunters of London have been the Danvers family. Prowling the streets and shadows of the city at night, they have managed to keep the forces of darkness at bay. But now...even they may not be strong enough.
The World:
It's the world of Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, Dracula, and Jekyll and Hyde. The world of Imhotep the Mummy and of Frankenstein's monster. A Gothic Victorian world.
The Characters:
Feel free to draw characters from Victorian Literature or make up your own. Hunters, Demons, Investigators, normal people going about their day to day lives. Everyone and anyone is welcome. Though I will say I'd love to see the Danvers family and Lord Wyndham taken up. For my own selfish reasons, of course.
As my character is Lady Kathryn Wyndham (formerly Danvers, age 21). A member of the Danvers family, Kathryn was raised, and trained, as a demon hunter. Like generations of Danvers before her, she and her brothers worked to protect the people of London from those things that lurk in the dark.
And then Kathryn met Lord Wyndham. Theirs was a short courtship and soon the two were marrying, Kathryn retiring from the hunter lifestyle in order to concentrate on her marriage and the new duties it brought. After all, there was no need for her husband to know that she once spent her night running through back alleys and killing things. None at all.
Unfortunately, in situations like this, retirement never lasts long...
The Story Begins:
The Red Rat Pub was hardly the type of establishment one would think to find Lord Wyndham's wife in. But then not many people knew Lord Wyndham's wife -- not even the Lord himself. Or else he would have known better than to believe the note left for him that night. A note stating that his wife had gone to call on an ill friend. In truth, she had gone looking for information.
She had sworn when she got married that she was going to leave this life behind her. That she was done patrolling the alleys, looking for demons. But when the Whitechapel murders started, she knew that was not going to be possible. The first she was able to ignore. Pass off as a horrible accident. The second one, however, she could not.
Which was why she was now tucked into the back corner of the pub waiting for her contact to show and keeping an eye out for anyone else she might know. Hunters weren't uncommon in this area and there was half a chance her brothers would come waltzing through the door at any moment -- more than likely looking for the same thing.
----------
23,881 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 13 36
Nancy and Jasper Daye were also not the sorts of people one might expect to find in a place like the Red Hat, but thanks to their special arrangement with the cook that bordered on blackmail, the children could expect a hot meal here at least twice a week. They were busily consuming this now, squabbling good-naturedly over potatoes and gossiping about the pub's patrons.
"Old Murphy's not 'ere tonight. Y'think Mrs. Murphy finally bashed 'is 'ead in the way she kept sayin' she would iffin' 'e set foot in 'ere one more time?"
"Nah, 'e's fine. Saw 'im down at the docks earlier today. 'E's prolly just out with 'is women. Only comes in 'alf as often as 'e tells her, y'know."
"Man wif the beard's gettin' well and truly sloshed, ain't 'e? Gotta have coin if he 'spects to pay for all that. Want ter go 'borrow' some?"
"Got 'im last week, amember? 'E'll remember us. Wait 'til 'es drunk enough to forget his own mum."
"What about 'er, then?" Jasper nudged Nancy's shoulder and gestured towards a young woman sitting alone in the far corner. "Now I know she ain't a regular.
"Prolly all mamby-pampy soft-'earted about the 'dear little children' too. We could get 'er good."
"Go talk to her!"
"You go talk to her! It's your turn!"
"You go! The lady ones always like the girls better. You'll 'ave better luck'n me."
"It's still your turn, and I don't wanna! Asides, I can sneak miles better'n you can. You go!"
"You!"
"You!"
"You!"
The children got into a brief scuffle, which Jasper won, and Nancy set off towards the woman's table, accepting defeat with good grace. She'd get him back with time.
"'Scuse me miss?" she said, clutching Jasper's hat as she walked up to the table, all muddy blonde hair and big watery blue eyes. Jasper waited out of sight on the other side for his chance to slip in under the table. "But I can't find my big brother anywhere. 'Ave you seen 'im? He's about this tall, brown 'air. This is 'is 'at, see? And I'm afraid somethin's 'appened to him, and I don't know the way 'ome, and mummy'll be worried sick, and I can't find 'im anywhere!" She began sniveling pathetically. "Please, miss, 'ave you seen him?"
----------17,620 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 13 36
(OOC: Question: how familiar would I have to be with the particular fandom you mentioned that your character i from or with any sort of demon hunting in general to be able to participate in this?)
6,760 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 15 05
Levi Abby, aka "man wif the beard", was the sort of person one would expect to find in a place like the Red Hat, and might be on his way to be the sort of person one would expect to find drunk in the street singing an offensive song offensively out of tune.
Right now, however, he was, for the most part lucid; he'd only had three drinks, or was it five? Eh, whatever, who's couting? But anyway, he was unfortunately very capable of holding his liqor. Mostly. Yes.
He spotted the theiving urchins from last week going after some lady who looked out-of-place. He attempted to make eye-contact with her to warn her. It was getting difficult to focus.
0 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 16 00
Edmond Vaspari walked into the Red Rat Pub, smirking and playing with a toothpick in his teeth. He wore the usual style of clothing for his time period, though he lacked the tie or vest common to most suits, and had a cloak on overtop. And for some reason he walked with more arrogance then most nobles. For contrary to his slight, lithe build, there was an air of danger about him, like some barbarian from ancient times. His hair was long and somewhat curly; at this moment it was tied back in a ponytail that went down the the middle of his back. Upon his head he wore a top hat, and he carried a cane that had the head of a skull.
But underneath the 'nobility' of his clothes was a hidden danger; his boots and pants were made of thick leather, and underneath his suit he wore a shirt of chainmail that was barely visible. On the inside of his jacket was a hidden pocket that housed a bible, and tucked into the back of his belt was a sawn off, double-barrelled shotgun. And that was not the least of his armament. His hat could be collapsed, which had a side effect of making blades come out of the side, effectively turning it into a bladed frisbee. Futhermore, his cane was actually a sword, hidden as an item of nobility, for the most dire of circumstance. And, if you looked hard enough, you could see a cross tattooed on each juglar vein.
It was obvious to anyone who looked hard enough (and wasn't drunk) that he was a hunter...though he probably wasn't Kathryn's contact.
----------"Don't hold back, trying to protect your ass; as soon as an opening appears, seize it!"
- Yamaoka Tesshu
"Weapons are unfortunate instruments. Heaven's Way hates them. Using them when there is no other choice--That is Heaven's Way."
0 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 16 08
(OOC: Basically it's just demon hunting in particular with a bit of Victorian nerdiness thrown in. No real fandom. So please! Hop in!)
Oh she caught the look. With she returned with a polite smile. She knew the game -- though never having to resort to thieving herself, she had employed the lost sibling/dog/kitten routine many a time to gain entry to someplace. It was all part of the hunter's lifestyle. It wasn't all blood and ash. Really.
Though next time she was definitely suggesting a new place. She should have known she stuck out like a sore thumb here. Almost as much as the newcomer did...huh...seems tonight was going to be a rather interesting one.
But first the children. Then the hunt. Looking the girl in front of her over, she tried not to look too amused. "Your brother? Hmmm...that would be the brother standing in the shadows trying very hard not to be noticed?" Unfortunately for these two, they had picked someone who had been trained since she was their age, possibly even younger, to notice everything. "You might as well tell him he can join us..."
6,760 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 16 13
Levi grinned back and gave the lady a nod and a wobbly wave. You're welcome, miss...
998 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 16 31
Adam Pryce, a young doctor, sat at a table alone. He ate a meal of mutton and bread, which was surprisingly good for the breed of tavern. The food was hot, and it was cheap. His practice had no patients, and he, as qualified and able as he was, couldn't seem to find any.
----------It was apparent that he wasn't from London, given the way he eyed everything with wonder and interest. The tavern was like those he frequented in his not so distant youth.
NaNo '09: The Unfortunate Misadventures of Dr. Adam R. Pryce
6,760 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 16 44
((It's Dr. Pryce! He's getting his own novel now? And I'd almost completely forgotten about Denis... I might have to throw him in somewhere... I suppose I should actually post a little narrative...))
After downing his fif-- six-- most recent drink, Levi decided to get up and go... somewhere.
"Whoa," he said upon standing. Long walks were definitely out of the question, and the idea of abandoning the dimly-lighted pub in favor of the even-more-dimly-lighted-night wasn't very attractive. A longing glance at the barstool he'd just vacated showed him that the seat seemed higher up than he remembered, so he sank into a nearby chair instead.
It took Levi several seconds to notice that he was seated awfully close to a table occupied by a young man who looked like he wasn't from around here.
"'ello," he said amiably.
998 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 16 55
((It is! I've grown a little too fond of him. Denis should make an appearance--if not here, Jezebellydancer and I are playing Bahiya and Pryce in the Melopomene thread.))
Pryce jumped, surprised with being addressed by someone. "Hello," he said, his accented voice soft and wary, but amiable enough. The man before him reeked of alcohol, and he tried not to inhale too deeply. "My name is Pryce," he said. He motioned to the seat before him. "Would you care to join me?"
----------He was lonely, bored, and longed to speak with someone.
NaNo '09: The Unfortunate Misadventures of Dr. Adam R. Pryce
6,760 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 11
((I've never played in the Melopomene thread before. What's going on there? Wait a minute, I'm already in 3 (possibly 4) roleplays and October is a busy month for me! But then again, I did even go to the trouble of coming up with a little backstory for Denis...))
"Sure thing," said Levi, moving over to that seat, "Levi Abby. How're you liking London?"
((Leaving for about thirty minutes.))
5,029 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 11
((I might join this...))
----------"Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." --The Screwtape Letters
998 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 23
((No problem! I'm in 3 roleplays myself...all playing Pryce. Buggy--you should join!))
"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Abby," said Pryce. "London is...different than I expected it to be. Very large, very loud." He sipped at his cider. "I'm from Wales, so it is quite a difference from home."
----------NaNo '09: The Unfortunate Misadventures of Dr. Adam R. Pryce
5,029 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 32
((Any roles in particular needing to be filled?))
----------"Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." --The Screwtape Letters
40,000 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 44
Raina Elderin entered the tavern quietly, looking for her contact. Her bright green eyes flashed about the tavern, taking all of the people in quickly. Her red curls were tucked back in a sensible tail behind her head. She hadn't meant to be a Hunter, not really. But her investigations had gone a little too deep, and she had found both the police and the gangs chasing after her. The Hunters had offered protection.
She saw a lady sitting in the back corner of the room, and fussed with her brooch and long dark coat for a moment. Was that really her contact? She might have been an all-too-rare woman Hunter, but she had contacts, and she was a witch besides.
----------stock from http://tonne124.deviantart.com/ and me!
6,760 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 47
((So what's the Melopomene like, Tweed?))
"I'll bet," said Levi, his brow furrowing as he tried to remember if he'd ever been to Wales. "That's weird..." he murmured, glancing at the newest arrival: yet another woman who almost definitely didn't belong here.
40,000 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 17 53
Raina caught Levi's look and bit her lip, fingering the sprig of rosemary in one of her pouches. It may be mostly a memory herb, but it could certainly help him to forget.
((She uses herbs to make small magics. I have a larger version of this chart on my wall: http://www.lynnguistics.com/navigation/gardening/herbs/meanings.html))
----------stock from http://tonne124.deviantart.com/ and me!
998 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 18 18
((Its on a steampunk air ship, taking place about 6 months after Terror--or so Jeze and I are playing our characters. Right now, the characters are having a bit of a philosophical discussion about human nature and love.)).
Pryce's eyes followed Levi's to the new arrival. She intrigued him, something about her caught his attention. "So...where are you from?" he asked, making a game stab at conversation.
----------NaNo '09: The Unfortunate Misadventures of Dr. Adam R. Pryce
6,760 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 18 22
((Sounds fun, though I must confess that Terror is the only experience I've had with anything remotely steampunk. How would I go about sneaking Denis in? Did you guys decide anything specific about what happened to the Terror characters after what looked like inescapable catastrophe?))
"Around here," said Levi.
((Wow. Several lines of OOC and four words of narrative. I am so talented...))
998 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 18 33
((Terror was my first foray into steampunk as well. We have new characters popping up here and there--at the moment, they are socializing at an on board party. The only specific thing we had about Terror was that Murad died and the other characters had gone their separate ways--Pryce to England, Bahiya to travel, and Heinrich off to boarding school))
"How interesting," said Pryce. He drank his cider, and returned to his normal, quiet and observant state.
((I'm not much better...))
----------NaNo '09: The Unfortunate Misadventures of Dr. Adam R. Pryce
6,760 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 18 40
((Well, I'm logging off now anyway, but maybe I'll have Denis pop in tomorrow.))
Levi also grew quiet. He wasn't much of a conversationalist, even when sober.
17,620 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 20 55
Ivan Darney wasn’t happy.
He worked ALONE. His whole reputation had been built on his status as a loner. Hunters tended to form networks, informants, partners… this wasn’t his style. Information he got was almost always anonymously received. There were also few things he couldn’t handle on his own.
Somehow this time was different. Evan had raised hell: “we’re in over our heads” and “why aren’t you answering y letters” and “we need to find someone who knows the inner workings, get some inside input!” Why does he even listen to Evan?
Raised in a Russian gentry family, Darney had moved to England after the university at a blooming age of 19, changed his name from Dolohov to Darney, and allowed Evan to drag him into all this nonsense. Not that the supernatural didn’t interest him. It had. Always. From boyhood. It was “saving humanity” that was the problem. He wasn’t Jesus, for goodness sake, why did he have to be responsible for… Well it didn’t really matter
Darney stopped at the entrance to the tavern, not bothering to take off his cloak, and scanned the place with a scornful look. The place was sordid and just all around disgusting. His eys spotted the woman he was looking for all too quickly.
Ivan moved quickly along the shadowed side of the room and slid lithely into a seat across from the lady. “Kathryn Wyndham, if I’m not mistaken?”
0 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 21 18
Matthew Lawson haunted the bookstore, in search for a textbook on drugs and toxins. He was, unbeknownst to the owner (who did not come to work that day for he had earlier suffered an accident which caused him to twist his ankle), literally haunting the bookstore. Matthew was a ghost. He had been murdered at the young age of fifteen. His killer... unknown. Not for lack of trying on Matthew's part to find his killer. He had been a prodigy while he was living and had been quite well-known in the countryside of England for his work as a detective.
Matthew put a book back on the shelf after flipping through it. It did not contain what he was looking for, either. He knew he had read about a kind of poison that may have caused the symptoms that appeared in Mr. Forl shortly before he died. If only he could find it again. He needed proof before he could act.
He floated out of the bookstore, unseen as always, and into a back alley. He looked around before spotting a mangy Pug burrowing its face in the trash. He frowned, disgusted.
"Are you quite finished, Demon?"
The Pug looked up, annoyed.
"I cannot help it. I'm trapped in this body and I have to seek food somehow. You got any better ideas?" The Pug spoke with a dark and seductively smooth feminine voice.
"I can think of several, but I do not want to waste anymore time. I am heading to the library..."
The Pug's ears perked, and it tilted its head.
"The library? Such an open and public place... I thought you didn't want to create a stir." The Pug seemed to grin an unnatural, otherworldly grin.
"I won't. Not if I am discrete enough. But you must do something for me, Demon."
The Pug went back to looking annoyed, but did not protest.
"I have reason to believe our prime suspect is going to strike again at the Red Rat Pub..."
The Pug choked and wheezed, "W-what makes you say that?"
"No time to explain. I want you to get there and keep an eye on him. If you see him put anything in someone's drink, I want you to stop it immediately..."
Matthew floated away quickly while the Pug sat there, more bug-eyed than usual.
"But..."
She started on her way, trying to figure out how to keep as low of a profile as possible. She knew that place was the perfect gathering for demon hunters. In her current bound form, she may be safe, but it was no guarantee. If it wasn't for the soul of the dog, she could've just been on her merry way. She was sure to keep from grumbling as she walked along the public streets to the pub. It wouldn't do to alert attention to herself by talking.
----------"I am the Grim Squeaker!" - Me, after reading the Hogfather
23,881 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 21 25
"That's me!" Jasper agreed merrily, lifting a chicken bone from an unattended plate at a nearby table and taking a seat at the young woman's in a proprietary fashion. His feet dangled several inches above the ground. "'Ow'd you spy me?"
"Toldja I's better at sneakin'," his sister taunted, sticking her tongue out at him before taking the seat next to his. "Maybe next time you'll actually listen."
The bickering could have begun in earnest all over again but for the cloaked man who suddenly joined the table, not apparently noticing the children.
"Kathryn," Nancy said admiringly. "That's your name, is it? I like it. It's real pretty-like."
"'Ere, now!" Jasper protested at the man. "We was talking wif the lady, wasn't we, Nan?"
"I do believe we was," she agreed. "'Til someone come and intruded. Not proper at all. Uncourteous, I calls it."
"A true gentleman asks afore he sits someplace," Jasper added, seemingly oblivious to the total hypocrisy of his statement. "Now why don't you start over, and ask aproper this time?"
----------2,024 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 21 32
((Imagine my surprise to discover Dr Pryce in this thread. I may need to join. Bahiya would _love_ to see Denis on board the Melpomene. We could use more gentlemen characters in the thread. Do you need some bad guys? I have one I could try. I also have a gypsy fortune teller/dancer who could be good or bad. And I have a few good guys. Let me know.))
17,620 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 22 14
Darney regarded the children coolly. They always got in the way of work. Oh well…
“It’s time you younglings left and occupied yourselves with something worthwhile.” He glanced meaningfully at he lady. “The lady and I have business to discuss.”
0 / 50,000
Oct 20, 2009 - 22 27
The Pug arrived outside the pub and clammered up some boxes to take a peek in a window, which was slightly cracked but not broken. She surveyed the inside before her eyes landed on the suspect. He appeared to be passed out. Good. Her bugged-out eyes soon became distracted by a most unwelcome sight.
Was that who she thought that was? The woman in there looked just like... like... a Danvers. Her pug nose pushed up against the window for a closer look. No mistaking it. She was a Danvers, all right. A stream of curses rushed through the Pug's head as she ducked down, then took another peek. The Pug gulped. She hoped Matthew would hurry up with whatever the hell he was doing.
----------"I am the Grim Squeaker!" - Me, after reading the Hogfather
40,000 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 02 24
Raina saw another man, Hunter most like, sit down next to the lady. After a bit of thought, she chose a table in the middle of the room, not too close to the others-- a table where she could see the doors and some of the windows. A dog was peeking through one of them, and Raina frowned at it. She would watch it, see if it was acting normally. If it was, no big deal. But Raina had learned to be suspicious. She touched the sage in her pocket.
----------stock from http://tonne124.deviantart.com/ and me!
0 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 05 56
Kathryn had noticed Raina the moment she walked in. Another woman, alone, at the Red Rat. That was suspicious enough on its own. But the feeling she got from her was something else. Something that would be addressed as soon as the children and the now arrived Mr. Darney were handled.
Not that she appreciated the way he spoke to the children. Not at all. Call her a bleeding heart all you want, even if there was business to be attended to it did not excuse rudeness. Problem was, he had a point. So what to do with the little ones. They were orphans, no doubt, and she couldn't just send them back to that, could she? But this was no conversation for little ears. Maybe....
"My colleague is right. This is no conversation for little ones. Now, I am fairly certain the two of you know someone in the kitchen...why don't you go bother them for dessert while I talk business and then we'll decide what to do with you two, all right?"
Oh yes, she was already coming up with ways to explain this to her husband. Well...she did say she was visiting a sick friend. It's possible they had children, yes? Two children now in need of a good home?
Her brothers were going to give her so much shit when they found out.
But that was neither here nor there, she looked at Darney. "You know about Whitechapel then?"
23,881 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 06 43
"I can tell when we're bein' got rid of, see?" Nan said, her face getting a stubborn set to it. "An' I'll not stand for it. I wanter know--"
But at the word 'dessert,' Jasper's eyes lit up an he elbowed her and whispered something in her ear. They both giggled, and Nancy adopted a lofty expression. "Awright, very well'n. You two've clearly got business or somesuch t' be rabbitin', so we'll pop around la'er then to see how you're gettin' on."
The two of them hopped off their chairs and disappeared hurriedly through the kitchen door, where they were promptly informed that they'd already been fed today and they weren't getting seconds.
"Not to worry," Jasper reassured the cook. "We jus' wan'ed t'inform you that the gooseberry back in th' corner said we could 'ave two pieces of pie."
"Cherry pie," Nancy specified, eying the pie in question on its shelf.
"And on 'er bees," added Jasper, so there could be no mistaking who was paying for this treat. Nan nodded vigorously in confirmation.
----------5,029 / 50,000
Oct 21, 2009 - 07 06
((I've got a pick-pocket I could put in here.))
----------"Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-- the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts." --The Screwtape Letters