psychonaut_raz Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Got the idea for this from reading about an obscure Marvel character called the Forever Man. Okay, here's the scenario....a child who seems to be about 13 approaches your hero and tells him/her that he's cursed with an unusual ability; he can't stay dead. Whenever he dies, his body turns to ash and then a new body regenerates from that ash, swiftly aging until it seems to be about the same age. This process only takes a few minutes, and once the aging process hits puberty, he slows down to a normal rate of aging. The Forever Man explains that at first he never retained any knowledge of previous incarnations. He would simply come into consciousness somewhere as a 13 year old boy with no prior memory. At some point though, memories and intellect started transferring across to each new incarnation, essentially rendering him immortal. The problem is, he doesn't want to be immortal anymore. His memories go back a couple thousand years, but he doesn't know how long this cyclic existence has actually been going.....he may be as old as humanity itself. He has spent hundreds of years trying new and inventive ways to kill himself, and every time he simply comes back to life again. His sanity is frayed, and all he wants is a release from this endless cycle of death and resurrection. He has a handgun on him, and if need be he will kill himself here and now to prove to your hero that he's telling the truth about all of this...what he wants is for your hero to find a way for him to actually once and for all die and stay dead. WWYCD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Re: The Forever Man The Wizard of Oz Incorporated: I'm pretty sure my life isn't going to be long enough to figure out what's going on with your life, and I don't intend to waste years trying to kill someone I don't even dislike. But I tell you what I can do for you. If it's the burden of thousands of years of memories that you can't live with, I've got psychotronic technology that can fix that. Run your brain through the spin cycle and you'll be good for another thousand years or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Metaphysician Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Re: The Forever Man Hermes: "Fair enough. However, there's some people I'd like you to meet first..." Basically, he'd believe the guy, and believe he's having issues with immortality. So, off to visit Minos, Anubis, and the Summer King. Hopefully between them, they can give him some perspective and enlightenment on what to do with immortality. If, afterwards, he's still desireth of Death, off to a visit with the Winter King. He can *probably* provide permanent death, question is whether he will. Even if not, he'll *still* probably have something useful to say. If that doesn't work? Hermes will say "sorry, thats the extent of my ability to help." He will *not* mention the way he could, theoretically, arrange the guy's permanent death, because he has no clue what happens to those devoured by the distortion ghosts of the white void. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opal Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man WWYCD?Teach him to 'discarnate.' One of the minor details of Opal's background is that her race doesn't really age, if they don't die by accident or violence they just eventually decide to pass on into a noncorporeal form and fade away into the universe. (Like the Martians in Stranger in a Strange Land, yes.) The ability is based on achieving a high degree of 'self awareness.' I think, even if it didn't work, it would solve his problem as he'd eventually come to terms with his true nature - whatever that might be. In return, she'd ask him to take up super-heroing with her. He could be her kid sidekick for a few years - or longer if he gets killed a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hfergus Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man Only one character of mine could help him. Olorin could make him forget, and failing that put him into a timeless pocket dimension of his own making forever. Good as dead, right? (we hope.) He would not be aware of the passing of time. Note also Olorin is ageless. Unless someone kills him, he's immortal (and he's not sure he can die, but he nearly did once, and that makes him think he can.) He could give his veiwpoint on living forever. He has a blast just living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrosshairCollie Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man While either of my characters would be willing to help, neither one of them would have a clue as to how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zed-F Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man Soulbarb has an ability that might do the job, but it's something she normally reserves for the most heinous of evils, so probably wouldn't be appropriate in this case. From the description it doesn't sound like this fellow belongs in Hell. She'd have to rely on mystic research and contacts to see if she could dredge up a more fitting solution. Sylph, despite being mystically empowered, doesn't have the mystic knowhow to even do that much. She'd have to rely on seeing if she could swing a visit for the guy to the Land of Legends, where it should be possible to find a few folks around with a variety of perspectives on what it means to be immortal, and the power to make an impact on the guy's situation. She'd likely try to talk him out of committing suicide, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiMan Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man Just drop him in the Sun. He'd die during the regeneration period - and he'd die reeeeally fast. Heck, his ashes would be torn to atoms and dispersed, he might not regenerate at all. The downside - a chance he would feel it, being torn to atoms for billions of years. If he's willing to go through with that... I doubt I'd help him, but giving him the method is free. If he has second thoughts, all for the better. Help him find a reason to live. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Certified Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man Fallout would be at a loss on this one. As he is still dealing with the nature of his own powers he may try to console the immortal with ideas of responsibility to one's powers and using them for the greater good. Apollyon: Although he would be unlikely able to kill the Forever Man he would try and talk through his life with him to try and find the point he became exhausted by his long life. Looking for specific events that may have triggered the change in nature. If pushed he may attempt to use the Eye of Ruination (Mind Control) to purge some of the more traumatic memories from his consciousness in an effort to help him deal with his protracted lifespan or if need be create a mental block and "modern history" so that he might life at least one lifetime as a normal man before his powers reincarnate him again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCoy Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man Just drop him in the Sun. He'd die during the regeneration period - and he'd die reeeeally fast. IIRC that's how he died in Marvel. Dolphin: "'When the student is ready, a teacher will appear.' Dude, nothing is happening to you that isn't happening to all of us, you're just doing it faster. Once you achieve enlightenment, you will step off the wheel and stop reincarnating. Ready to begin?" Millennium: "I was Gilgamesh, and Theseus, and Lancelot, and a thousand others. In every incarnation I have found wrongs to right, people to protect, and youth to inspire. Immortality and reincarnation are a burden, but also a duty. If you are truely weary of your lives, I will find a way to cure you of this curse, even if it takes us another thousand lifetimes." Cheeta: "Dude, I run fast. I'd like to help you, but I'm kind of a one-trick pony here." Snow Leopard: "Have you tried dividing the ashes into several sealed containers? Keeping them seperate?" Iron Will: "Three words my man; cryogenic suspended animation!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man Badger- Has no clue. Given his desires to see his deceased family in the afterlife when he dies, he knows it would truly suck. Bout it for him. Frosty Bob- Well, he is immortal. Probably would tell the kid to loosen up and enjoy hisself. Once he get 21, again. "Drink all you want, baby" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Archeville Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 Re: The Forever Man Depending on his mood, Doktor Archeville would either agree, but first ask the boy if he could study him so that he fight find a way to use a lesser version of the kid's ability to help others, then kill him, or he'd just skip the study and kill him? How would he kill him? Well, teleporting him into the Sun should work. Or just teleporting him into outer space, let him suffocate/freeze solid. Or, kill him via some regular method, then when his body turns to ash, but before it regenerates, scoop up the ashes and put them in a sealed box (which can then be shot into outer space, or dropped into the Marianas Trench). Dead Head, however, would be exceedingly curious as to how this kid's doing what he does. He'd try and find out how/why, and along the way try and talk the kid into continuing to live and help others with his unique perspective on history. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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