Fallen Son

[Certified]

An uneventful night, in an uneventful week there are a child's cries from outside the door. Waiting for you is a gray baby's car seat with baby in tow. An infant girl, just born, blood still drying on the child wrapped in an olive blanket. A note tucked to the side of the seat reads:

 

I fear I may have made the gravest of errors. This child was born of earthly body but clawed it's way from the womb which had been prepared for it. I was a fool, playing games I did not understand but now lack the strength required of me to finish what must be done.

This child, the ungiver, the wolf the steals the Shepard's flock will be the herald of light. My soul is forfeit for the sins I have committed this night but I fear damnation's flames should burn ten thousand fold hotter should I snuff out this infants life.

Once I called myself a child of the Light Bringer. This is the child of the Fallen Lord and soon His flock shall come and I shall be dead.Never, have I given much stock to those that call themselves heroes. Prove me wrong and undo this abomination I have helped to bring into this world.

 

Alister D Hammond.

 

The child radiates no magical or malicious aura, by all appearances it is a healthy baby. The only strange thing is that her stomach has not scar from an umbilical cord or belly button.

 

Researching the name Alister D Hammond turns up a literature professor at the local university. Hammond had gone missing several weeks prior.

 

What would your character do?

[Zed-F]

Re: Fallen Son

 

Soulbarb would be able to tell (either immediately, or with research) whether this child truly is the threat it is claimed to be. This sort of problem is well within her area of expertise. She has the ability to see souls directly and has enough mystic acumen and occult knowledge to be able to determine the proper course of action.

 

If this were to occur early in her career, while she is a Dark Champions character, Alister's claim would be verified and she would discover she has little choice but to kill the creature masquerading as an infant, and probably in some specific fashion. With some reluctance, she would do so. She would then track down Alister and ensure he pays for his crimes, probably by being sent or dragged to Hell as he deserves. Doubtless there would be complications along the way, but the nature of the threat the creature poses would be real enough and not easily avoided.

 

If this were to occur later in Soulbarb's career, when she's more of a Standard Champions character, she would discover that the child is really a child and not a monster by nature, but that the curse Alister described is not inevitable. She would investigate and discover what it is that would be required in order to prevent it from being fulfilled, and do her best to ensure that the evil Alister foresaw would be thwarted. Naturally there are lots of ways that could happen, depending on circumstances. She would probably prefer not to take care of the child herself, however; she knows enough NPC mystics that odds are good she could find another who would be willing to give the child a good home and the care he/she would need to resist turning to evil. She would still ensure Alister is brought to justice.

 

Sylph, on the other hand, isn't nearly as savvy about things mystical as Soulbarb, despite being mystically empowered herself. She's also much less willing to consider killing as an alternative, especially of something that looks to her like a little baby (though the missing navel is wierd.) She might have to try to contact the avatar of Dionysius (who might redirect her to the avatar of Athena) in order to get a clue of what to do about the baby. She'd be happy to take care of it temporarily, but she really doesn't see herself as a mother at this point in her life; she's still in university and her life is very much in constant flux, even more than usual for a superhero. She probably wouldn't be too worried about Alister Hammond's fate unless she happened to run across him by accident.

[Naanomi]

Re: Fallen Son

 

The Economaster would buy the university, and then set the staff to dig through Alister's things for clues as to the baby's value. If science and mystic senses fail to reveal anything special about the baby, he would see if anyone on the open or interdimensional market would be interested in purchasing the 'child of the fallen lord'.

 

Golem has experience of being born 'cursed', and would have more sympathy. Not able to raise the child himself, he knows several reputable and moral mystics whom he would entrust the child's care with, but would keep an eye on the situation in case things went bad for the child.

[CoreBrute]

Re: Fallen Son

 

Zero Core: He would feel sympathy for this baby (As he himself was born of a monster and is far more deformed then a belly button), and despite instincts to kill or hand over the baby to people better able to handle it he would most likely take care of it himself or find a loving family in Kansas to look after it (Turned out good for that one guy with a cape).

 

Would look into the baby constantly and act as it's uncle. He would rather leave Alister D Hammond to the past as he was obviously a bad man.

 

Dr Strange II: As Sorcerer Supreme he would study the child using a variety of mystical methods and various tomes of knowledge. If he could not find anything he would allow his team mate Dr Doom the second to scan it with science. If nothing is found, he will charge his manservant Wong Hamir to look after it while he searches for Alister D Hammond for some answers.

 

The Imperialist: As a loyal member of his adopted country he would hand over the child to the British Government and let them do as they see fit to the child.

[hfergus]

Re: Fallen Son

 

Volt - Investigate as best he could. In any case, he would give the child to people he knew to raise, with instructions to watch it carefully. He'd check in every so often.

 

Olorin - Check the child out magically. If, in effect, the child is unholy and irredemable, he'd kill it without any fanfare. (He's a medieval) If not, he'd take Volt's route- with quite of bit of watching himself.

 

Black Tiger - Swear. Then go Volt's route. However, he'd take longer to find parents and would follow this child very closely.

 

Leadman - Investigate (he's a detective), then ask a priest to examine it. Exorcism if necessary in his opinion. Otherwise, go Volts route.

 

Futurian - "Now what the @$ do they want me to do? Kill it? Raise it myself? Gaaa!" Then he'd try to find parents and go Volt's route. Kinda. He'd warn the parents and promptly forget about it unless reminded. Would only check on it when reminded.

[Badger]

Re: Fallen Son

 

Badger- can sense the nature of auras (like a bloodhound ). He is especially good at sensing demonic aura. So, if he didnt sense such an aura, then it doesnt have such. Figures this Hammond was some nut. Probably raises the kid. (he lost a younger sister when he was young, and that memory could easily drive him to raise this girl). The lack of a cord is wierd but hey, wierder stuff than this happens virtually every "issue". (and he may very well assume it was some kind of secret genetic experiment gone awry.) Note: Course, he would wonder what connection a lit professor has to genetics but whatever.

 

 

Frosty Bob- "Damn, one of my former one-night stands must be expecting me to raise the kid."

[bubba smith]

Re: Fallen Son

 

tuff-man turn the child over to the florida dept of children and families as they are more capable of investigating this matter but untill they arrive protect the child

[The Arc]

Re: Fallen Son

 

My character Suleyman won't let the baby near Slipknot. He wouldn't want the baby to be corrupted or anything.

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: Fallen Son

 

All characters: Take it to the police, 'cause there's no evidence whatsoever that there's anything wrong with the kid (in the 'evil' sense of wrong at least).

[Weldun]

Re: Fallen Son

 

Nightwalker: Due to there being no malice or magic within her aura, as per the OP, Nightwalker would place the child in the care of his circle's Champion, a Buddhist Monk, while he tracked down Prof. Hammond. Nightwalker is well aware that an aura can be masked. If his team-mates asked what he was doing, he would reply "my appointed duty." He's a part of a mystical team with five members, but only trusts each member to a limited extent. If he is at all able to confirm the Professor's claim, he would probably try to kill the child in secret. He has no qualms killing if he believes it to be necessary (Psych Lim: Casual Killer [Common, Moderate]) and would probably enlist the aid of his circle's Speaker, The Stranger, who also has little problem "doing what is necessary."

[GhoulMaster]

Re: Fallen Son

 

Sayeed-Shareef Uthman: Have one of his servants take the child away; he wouldn't care what happened to it ---- at first.

 

Once he realized what peculiar materials were in the "crib" he'd track down the child. It would probably be about then that one of his advisers would figure out what the note was prattling about. Thus the Sayeed-Shareef would realize one of those ***** Nazreeni is involved. So he'd dump the child in the lap (literally!) of the local dhimmi. Or have it raised by people he controls.

 

The High One: mutter about crazy bible-thumpers and call the police and tell them someone left a baby on her doorstep. She'd cooperate with the police, unless the pressed whole "Fallen One" thing, then give them an earful.

 

Dimitrios the Magnificent: Has no idea what the letter is about (as he's in a world where the Roman Church fell with Rome---"Revelations" is part of the Western Churches' bible only, being uncanonical or unknown in the Eastern Churches"). Thus he wouldn't ask his team-mates to check for evil. Some of them might, just to be sure. The child would land up in an orphanage pretty soon, unless the Guard took it to "research" due to having no belly-button.

[The Watcher]

Re: Fallen Son

 

Daedalus: "Nox? Could you look at this kid's mojo while I examine his DNA?"

 

Warp: "Horus! Starguard! I think this guy was meant for you two!"

 

Quetzalcoatl: "Light Bringer? The Fallen Lord? I have not heard of these Chosen. Whatever the case, this child now lives under the sanctuary of Thera and any who come for it will have to answer to its gods before they lay a hand on it!"

 

Ming Wu, aka The Jade Mandarin, Scion of Dr. Yin Wu: Pre-Exile: "Father, this supposed Child of Yama confounds my mystic senses. I ask for your wisdom in discerning its true nature and what should be done with it."

Post-Exile: "Heroes? In this godsforsaken realm! No heroes dwell here, at least not those this Hammond would consider such! Still, this is a fortuitous opportunity! Should these demons come for this child I will be ready to bind them and force the secret of transit to and from this prison of a world!"

 

Dr. Malcolm Drake, Immortal Alchemist/Enchanter/Archeologist/Occult Trouble Shooter: *sigh* "I guess I'll have to get my answers from the source. *A week later after dilligent research and then performance of a summoning ritual* "All right Professor Hammond, start from the beginning and tell exactly the whole the deal about the baby."