Susano Posted October 5, 2010 Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 SEMPER FI FADE IN ON 1 INTERIOR: NARROW CORRIDOR AND STAIRWELL. The corridor is OLD and DINGY, with scattered spots of RUST, WATER STAINS, and the like. The LIGHTS are dim resulting in dark SHADOWS. THE CAMERA pans over three XSWAT OFFICERS standing near one wall. They are (in order): OFFICER MIYAKO BENEDICT TROOPER OFFICER STEFFENS IOTA EMPATH OFFICER FERRER TROOPER/SNIPER BENEDICT is on point, carrying a COMBAT SHOTGUN. The FLASHLIGHT under the barrel is on and she is panning it around constantly, checking all corners. STEFFENS is next. He is a rookie, scarcely a few months into his stint with XSWAT. He also looks to be either SICK on in PAIN. FERRER is last. He’s well-muscled, but not overly so, armed with a RIFLE that’s almost as long as he is tall. A CABLE runs from the rifle’s SCOPE to his GOGGLES, which GLOW GREEN. FERRER It smells like blood in here. A lot of it. BENEDICT (nods at Ferrer’s comment then looks to Steffens) How’re you doing, Steffens? STEFFENS (eyes closed, teeth clenched) Not so good. My stomach’s roiling... like I’m going to throw up. He looks PALE and SWEATY. He’s not ill, however, but instead responding to something he can feel. Something bad has happened here. FERRER Are you? STEFFENS No... not yet. Benedict turns to look at her partner. She’s of mixed Eurasian descent, attractive, fit, with rich black hair. She keeps the SHOTGUN pointed up, away from everyone, as she looks Steffens over with concern. Steffens is fairly lean of build, young, sandy haired, with handsome features. His EYES are watery and slightly bloodshot. STEFFENS Stop looking at me like that Benedict, I’m okay. BENEDICT I told you, stop calling me ‘Benedict.’ Makes me sound like I’m a monk or something. Call me Miyako. STEFFENS (nodding) Okay, okay. (manages a weak smile) ‘Mother’ Miyako. MIYAKO (shakes her head) Who told you that one? Christ, you save one guys life.... CUT TOO: 2 INTERIOR: STAIRWELL LEADING DOWN The stairs lead down from the previous corridor. There is a railing to the right of each officer, overlooking a DARK DROP. The stairs descend, turn right at a landing, descend, then turn right at a second landing. Benedict (now “Miyako”) pauses midway down the STAIRS and points her shotgun over the railing. MIYAKO Jesus. FERRER (concerned) What? CUT TOO: 3 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT WIDE ANGLE PAN as THE CAMERA looks over Miyako’s shoulder to show the floor of the basement below. The FLOOR is strewn with unidentified TRASH. CANDLES are set in a PENTAGON pattern in the center. FIVE BODIES lay on their BACKS, ARMS BOUND at the WRIST, bordering each side of the pentagon. More CANDLES are clustered in the center of the pentagon. MIYAKO We gotta get Warri-Warri down here now. Miyako’s breath can be seen, faintly. CUT TOO: 4 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT The three XSWAT officers are now at the base of the stairs, Miyako’s shotgun mounted FLASHLIGHT playing over the scene. STEAM rises faintly from the five bodies, which are covered in BLOOD and CUTS that seem to form specific PATTERNS or RUNES. Behind Miyako, Steffens has his MASER out and holds a TREMBLING FLASHLIGHT in his other hand. He moves his light in a opposing pattern to Miyako’s, allowing Ferrer to “see” more of the room. FERRER (concerned) Nobody touch nuthin’. Miyako, Warri-Warri’s good, but we’re gonna need the Director for this shit. MIYAKO (nods) Call Sergeant Griffin, tell them to stop their sweep and get down here. MIYAKO (looks back over her shoulder) Talk to me Steffens. How’re you doing? STEFFENS (eyes closed, ‘looking’ up at the ceiling) I feel... pain. Fear. Terror. There’s evil here Miyako. It’s waiting for us. FERRER and MIYAKO (exchange concerned glances) 5 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT Miyako is on one knee, her FLASHLIGHT POINTING at the CANDLES in the center of the crude pentagon. Behind her stand Steffens, hands on his knees, breathing in deep gasps of air. Ferrer is half-way up the last FLIGHT OF STAIRS, his RIFLE held out so he can scan the room with the integrated MULTI-OPTIC SIGHT. The CANDLES are BURNING, the flames FLICKERING slightly. the STEAM from the bodies is far more obvious. In addition, each of Steffen’s exhalations produces a large cloud of MIST. Miyako does as well, but it’s far less obvious. MIYAKO Well? FERRER (taps headset) Sergeant Griffin we need you in the basement. Repeat, Sergeant Griffin we need you in the basement. Over? (looks up) No good. I had him for a few moments, then static. It can’t be the building, there’s not enough steel. You think it’s... (gestures with his rifle at the array of bodies) 6 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT Steffens suddenly stands up straight, dropping his MASER and FLASHLIGHT. The flash rolls across the floor, illuminating the BODIES, CANDLES and TRASH in brief glimpses. He puts his hands to his face, arches his back, and screams. STEFFENS (terrified) It’s here! It’s coming for us! It wants us next! MIYAKO What!? What wants us!? 7 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT THE CAMERA sits low to the ground, showing Miyako turned to face Steffens, her shotgun pointed up, illuminating both of them from below. Steffen’s flashlight is lying on the floor, pointed so it shines across the five bodies. Almost as one the bodies SPASM and TWIST. Their mouths open and a low wail emerges. As they WRITHE, their skin BUBBLES and begins to BLEED. 8 INTERIOR: STAIRWELL LEADING DOWN Ferrer is looking across the basement frantically, his rifle not settling on any one target for long. The CANDLES seem to have increased in BRIGHTNESS, and with his multi-optic sight he can see far more than he really wants to. He turns to look back up the stairs when something catches his attention. Freezing, his eyes and face virtually invisible behind his googles and comms headset, Ferrer reaches out with one hand to touch the wall next to him. FERRER (low voice) The fuck? He brings his GLOVED fingers back from the wall, the tips are BRIGHT RED. Ferrer looks closer at the wall next to him. It’s BLEEDING. FERRER Miyako, get Steffens out of there now! We’re getting the fuck out here! 9 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT THE CAMERA view is the same as 7. The BUBBLES start to BURST, spattering the area of with blood. From each OPEN SORE emerges a roughly humanoid shape, that gains SIZE and MASS quickly. Initially there are only a few, but soon the shapes totally obscure the figures of Miyako and Steffens. MIYAKO (voice-over) Come on, Steffens! Come on, we’re leaving! STEFFENS (voice-over) (shrieks in pure terror) 10 INTERIOR: STAIRWELL LEADING DOWN Ferrer turns at the sound of Steffen’s SCREAM. He throws himself against the RAILING, points his rifle and OPENS FIRE. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The rifle’s electrical firing system sounds strangely out of synch for such as weapon. FERRER Sergeant! Warri-Warri! Anyone! We’ve got intrusion in the basement! Engaging! 11 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT Miyako has her arm around around Steffens, who looks almost COMATOSE. He’s BLEEDING from the nose. She braces her shotgun against her hip and WHAM! fires into one of the shapes, which looks to blow apart from the concentrated blast. 12 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT Miyako has turned around, still holding Steffens up, braced against one hip, and is backing up towards the stairs. She has the shotgun tucked in tight against her other hip and the bobbing BARREL-MOUNTED FLASH illuminates a number of horrific humanoid shapes. Ferrer’s rifle fire punches holes in the summoned creatures, causing some to fold up and drop, while others seem to ignore their horrific WOUNDS. STEFFENS (whispered) Miyako... Promise... promise me you’ll get us out of here. Miyako fires again, causing another shape to explode. She glances down for a moment to Steffens’s blood-streaked face. MIYAKO (nodding) I promise. I’ll see you get out of this no matter what. 13 INTERIOR: STAIRWELL LEADING DOWN Ferrer is firing as fast as he can find a target. The CRACK of his rifle is an almost constant sound. He pauses for a second then stiffens. 14 INTERIOR: BASEMENT FROM FERRER’s POINT OF VIEW The basement has a slightly greenish tint to it as we are seeing everything through Ferrer’s multi-optic sight. At the corners of our field of vision are RANGE NUMBERS and an AMMO COUNT. The CANDLES are VERY BRIGHT, while the humanoid shapes are very DARK, they almost ABSORB LIGHT. The floor around the SACRIFICED BODIES is thick with BLACK SLUDGE from the “slain” humanoids. The sludge is ROILING and MOVING, reforming into NEW HUMANOID SHAPES. One such shape is rising up behind Miyako. FERRER Miyako! Behind you! 15 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT Miyako spins, still trying to support Steffens, and gets a close look at one of the shapes. It has a rough HUMAN SHAPE, it’s “skin” a deep, non-reflective BLACK. It has no eyes, just a large gaping MAW lined with glittering TEETH. It raises its arms, the fingers ending in long TALONS. Whatever it is, where it was summoned from, it is frighteningly obvious it isn’t anything remotely human. Miyako’s eyes go wide. She’s an XSWAT veteran, but nothing she’s seen before has prepared her for this. She pulls the trigger on her shotgun. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! The weapon’s MUZZLE-FLASH lights up the room, giving us a quick glimpse of Miyako’s sweat-stained face, Steffens’s blood-streaked one, and the clouds of mist that form with every breath. The shape vanishes in a spray of black DROPLETS, falling to the fllor to REFORM with the layer of MUCK already there. 16 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT Miyako now has her back to the SACRIFICE on the floor and is concentrating only on the STAIRS. She starts to move that way, virtually dragging Steffens by his UNIFORM JACKET. She’s BREATHING HEAVILY, each exhalation coming out as a large cloud of WHITE MIST. CUT TO 17 INTERIOR: STAIRWELL LEADING DOWN Ferrer is tracking the two with his rifle, covering their retreat, he fires, once, twice, and then raises the rifle. The MAGAZINE is empty, and he pulls it out and drops it to the FLOOR. He slides a fresh one in and then quickly snaps the bolt back before looking back over the rail. CUT TO 18 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT Miyako’s attempt to drag Steffens to safety comes to halt as Steffens starts screaming in pain and fear. She turns to see the things have swarmed over the esper and are apparently FEEDING on him. We almost can’t see his BODY for all of the NIGHT-BLACK shapes. She points her shotgun, but is frozen with the fear of hitting her teammate. Black GOO flows over Steffens’s JACKET and onto her GLOVED HAND. Reflexively she lets go, causing Steffens to slump to the floor, and fires. MIYAKO FERRER! CUT TO 19 INTERIOR: STAIRWELL LEADING DOWN Ferrer starts to run down the stairs, almost slipping on the blood that still seeps from the walls. FERRER I’m coming Miyako! Just hold on! I’m coming! CUT TO 20 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT Shapes vanish in the BRIGHT FLASHBULB bursts of WEAPONS FIRE. The air is fogged with BLACK DROPLETS and WHITE MIST. Steffens is WRITHING in the gasp of multiple summoned THINGS. One arm reaches for Miyako, CLENCHING desperately. Miyako grabs for it, leans back as she pulls, pulls the trigger and... NOTHING HAPPENS. Miyako looks from Steffens to her shotgun and then turns the weapon on its side. CLOSE IN on the LED READOUT, i shows “00”. MIYAKO (softly) Oh shit... Miyako drops the shotgun and scrabbles for her MASER as she tries to pull Steffens free. She glances down to make sure she’s getting her service maser out when she suddenly falls backwards. CUT TO 19 INTERIOR: STAIRWELL/BUILDING BASEMENT Ferrer has reached the basement, nearly falling down the last flight, as it is covered with a mixture of frozen and liquid blood. He comes up on one knee and RAPID FIRES his weapon into the room, hitting clusters of shapes. He looks around frantically for his two fellow officers. FERRER NO! NO! NO! CUT TO 21 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT CLOSE UP of Miyako’s face. She holds one arm up, still holding on to Steffens’s hand. His ARM ENDS at the SHOULDER, which is RAW AND BLOODY. She looks beyond the gristly trophy to the mass beyond, which shows only a RIPPLING BLACK MASS. MIYAKO Nooo! Steffens! She throws herself up on one knee, firing her maser. ZRACK! ZRACK! ZRACK! The maser seems far more effective, as the shapes seem to BOIL away instead of simply explode into drops. Shapes pull away from Steffens’s BODY, and flow towards her. In the mist and smoke we see a shape BEHIND her. CUT TO 22 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT FERRER’S P.O.V. Ferrer reaches forward and grabs the collar of Miyako’s jacket. He yanks her forward, sending one of her shots wide and up into the air. MIYAKO No! No! I promised! Let me go! I promised! FERRER He’s gone! We’ve gotta go! Miyako twists in Ferrer’s grip, firing back at the shapes devouring the slain esper. The maser BEAMS light up the basement in BRIEF FLASHES. Ferrer, desperate to escape, drops his rifle, and starts to gather up the struggling Miyako. Irrational, hysterical, she tries to lunge to Steffens’s body, invisible under a black blanket of BLACK GOO. MIYAKO Let me go! I’ve gotta get him out! FERRER In a moment we won’t get out! We... (looks up) ...no... CUT TO 23 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT FERRER’S P.O.V. A WALL of inky blackness has risen between the two XSWAT officers and the stairs. All we can really see are the TEETH. Then it falls. CUT TO 24 INTERIOR: BUILDING BASEMENT THE CAMERA is near the floor, looking across the basement towards the stairsfrom somewhere beyond the circle of five bodies. The CANDLES are out, most having burned down to PUDDLES OF WAX. The SACRIFICES are now masses of BUBBLED FLESH, virtually UNRECOGNIZABLE as anything that was ever HUMAN. At the FOOT OF THE STAIRS is Ferrer’s RIFLE, while MIYAKO’S SHOTGUN lays on the floor, the UNDERBARREL FLASH still on, BACKLIGHTING the scene. TWO MEN stand on the STAIRS, using FLASHLIGHTS to examine the scene. One of the men is SERGEANT GRIFFIN, who has his XSWAT MASER in his other hand. He’s MID-WAY up the stairs. Near the BOTTOM is OFFICER WARRI-WARRI, an Australian Aborigine Shaman carrying a hardwood NULLA NULLA CLUB. They both PAN their flashlights over the scene, revealing the two dropped weapons and a great deal of BLOOD, but no other sign of three missing officers. DISSOLVE TO: 25 INTERIOR: XSWAT PRECINCT LOBBY -- DAY TIGHT ON COMPUTER KEYBOARD as we see two obviously CYBERNETIC HANDS enter data. PULL BACK slowly, showing the organized clutter of an XSWAT DESK SERGEANT’S POST. As we pull back, the CAMERA EYE reveals the bright blue of an XSWAT SKINSUIT, the DARK BLUE and GOLD TRIM of an XSWAT PATROL JACKET, and then the Desk Sergeant herself, who has short blonde hair. She’s intent on her monitor screen, the sound of keys being hit a steady “tack-tack-tack.” MIYAKO (off screen) Morning, Colette. COLETTE Morning, Miyako... (pauses, looks up from the monitor) Miyako? But... you’re.... 26 INTERIOR: XSWAT PRECINCT OFFICES -- DAY This entire sequence is seen in FIRST-PERSON PERSPECTIVE from Miyako’s P.O.V. We don’t see her at all, but instead DOLLY down the hallway as she makes her way to her desk. We pass other XSWAT OFFICERS, many of who look startled at her appearance, some jumping back, dropping carried items, or exclaiming out loud. Sequence stops when Miyako reaches her DESK. There is a terminal, keyboard, IN/OUT basket, cup of pens, and so on. All the typical items. On the cube wall is a SIGN reading “God created whiskey to keep the Irish from taking over the world” and under that is a Japanese FLAG. A commendation for valor is next to these items. Miyako reaches for her MONITOR, tilts it slightly. Her GLOVES are a clean, pristine WHITE, as is her SKINSUIT, and JACKET. 27 INTERIOR: XSWAT HQ, DIRECTOR’S OFFICE -- DAY THE CAMERA PANS across XSWAT DIRECTOR JAMADIGNI RENUKA’S office showing the various awards, mementos, and other objects one can accumulate in ten years of civil service. JAMA is behind her desk, with CORPORAL CADBURY curled up on the far end, watching the proceedings. Several holographic monitor screens are up, displaying shots of MIYAKO, FERRER, STEFFENS, and the text of a report. SERGEANT GRIFFIN sits across from her, his uniform clean and crisp for his meeting, his long hair tied back. The concerned look on his face spoils the effect, however. GRIFFIN She’s a ghost? (pause) I mean, we never found the bodies, so I know she must be dead, but... a ghost? Why? How? JAMA (clasps her hands before her and speaks with care) A ghost is formed from strong psychic impressions. Murder, suicide, a vital task left undone... all of these situations can result in the appearance of a ghost. Officer Benedict... (pause) ...Miyako was a dedicated officer. She had a reputation for looking after new recruits and as you told me, Officer Steffens had been with you for only a few months. (a second pause, she looks at Griffin, who nods) And the AAR report she wrote states she was trying to pull Steffens free from the summoned spirits before all of them were overwhelmed. GRIFFIN Meaning what? JAMA Meaning she thinks she failed. She wasn’t able to rescue Steffens, even after promising him she’d get him out of there alive. So Miyako has a task undone, and she can’t rest until she’s made amends. GRIFFIN Which is why she came into the precinct as if nothing had happened and started writing an AAR. JAMA Precisely. (glances at the screen of text) Although, I must admit, reading her AAR wasn’t easy. GRIFFIN (shudders) Yeah, no kidding. I’d rather not ever see another then ends with ‘and so I died’ ever again. (he looks up) Okay, she’s a ghost, why is she so white? I mean, her uniform is pure white, all of it. JAMA (slowly) I’m not sure. I think it’s because she’s a thought projection. A... memory, so to speak, of what she was. She knows she’s supposed to wear the uniform, carry a maser, and have her equipment belt, but many other details seem to have been lost in the process. Also, she’s Japanese on one side and Irish on the other; both cultures usually depict ghosts as figures dressed all in white. GRIFFIN A... thought projection? So that’s why none of her issued equipment seems to be... ah... real? JAMA (nods) Yes. She recalls having it, but there’s only so much she can do with the form she currently has. Everything she strongly identifies with being an XSWAT officer is still part of her, but isn’t ‘real’. Does that make sense? GRIFFIN Yeah, I guess so. (pauses and thinks for a moment) So what now? JAMA Honestly? That’s up to you. She won’t rest until she’s had a chance to make up for her perceived failing. So we have a few options: recover her body and force her to acknowledge her death; perform an exorcism; or.... GRIFFIN Or? JAMA Put her back on the streets. GRIFFIN What? But she’s dead! JAMA So? If you recall Sergeant Griffin, I used to work with... and, in fact, still work with a dead man. Besides, this is XSWAT, I dare-say a ghost of a slain officer isn’t all that unusual when compared to some others who are under my command. GRIFFIN (ponders that statement for a moment) I really don’t want to know, do I? JAMA Probably not. GRIFFIN It’s just... well... ma’m, it’s just that she’s, well, dead. She sits so still, doesn’t breathe, eat... hell, she doesn't make any noise when she walks. What kind of officer is she supposed to be? JAMA Miyako Benedict died in the line of duty leaving an important task undone: saving a fellow officer -- a rookie -- from being devoured alive by something summoned through the worst sort of blood magic. I imagine she’ll be the most dedicated officer in all of XSWAT. 28 EXTERIOR: ANGELUS -- TWILIGHT Miyako Benedict stands next to the sleek shape of an XSWAT SQUAD SPINNER. Her HAIR is worn loose and blows in the BREEZE, looking somewhat disheveled. Stands hang into her face, partially obscuring the RED points of her EYES. As mentioned, her UNIFORM IS STARK WHITE, all of it, from BOOTS, to SKINSUIT, to JACKET, to GLOVES. Slung over one shoulder is the gunmetal and black shape of her new SHOTGUN. She stands PERFECTLY STILL, not BREATHING or BLINKING, even as the wind blows around her. GRIFFIN (off screen) Load up! Miyako turns towards the spinner, seeming to DRIFT across our field of vision. FADE TO BLACK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 5, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2010 Re: XSWAT Officer Miyako Benedict MIYAKO BENEDICT [b]Val CHA Cost Roll Notes[/b] 13 STR 3 12- Lift 151.6 kg; 2 ½d6 HTH Damage [1] 18 DEX 16 13- 20 CON 10 13- 13 INT 3 12- PER Roll 12- 25 EGO 15 14- 25 PRE 15 14- PRE Attack: 5d6 6 OCV 15 6 DCV 15 8 OMCV 15 8 DMCV 15 4 SPD 20 Phases: 3, 6, 9, 12 8 PD 6 Total: 8 PD (8 rPD) 8 ED 6 Total: 8 ED (8 rED) 7 REC 3 40 END 4 13 BODY 3 30 STUN 5 [b]Total Characteristic Cost: 169 Movement:[/b] Running: 0m Flight: 18m/36m Leaping: 0m Swimming: 18m/36m Teleportation: 36m [b]Cost Powers & Sk[/b]ills 10 Claws: HKA 1d6 (1 ½d6 w/STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼), Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -¼), END 1 8 Supernatural Resistance To Harm: Resistant (+½) applied to PD plus Resistant (+½) applied to ED 80 Supernatural Resistance To Harm: Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Set Effect (not versus "spirit-cutting" weapons and techniques, or magic powers; -½) plus Energy Damage Reduction, Resistant, 75%; Set Effect (not versus "spirit-cutting" weapons and techniques, or magic powers; -½) 15 Already Dead: Does Not Bleed 20 Sense Of Purpose: Mental Defense (20 points total) 10 Already Dead: No Hit Locations 37 She No Longer Walks: Flight 18m, Position Shift, Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼), Invisible Power Effects (Hearing Group; +¼), No Turn Mode (+¼), Usable Swimming (+¼); Only In Contact With A Fairly Horizontal Surface (-¼), END 2 -2 No Longer Leaps: Leaping -4m -12 No Longer Walks: Running -12m (0m total) -2 No Longer Swims: Swimming -4m 31 And Just Like That, She's Gone: Teleportation 36m, Safe Blind Teleport (+¼), Invisible Power Effects (Hearing Group; +¼); Only To “Vanish” When No One Is Looking (-½), No Noncombat Movement (-¼), END 5 5 Can See In The Dark: Nightvision 0 31 Cannot Die Until Her Purpose Is Done: Regeneration (1 BODY per Minute), Can Heal Limbs, Resurrection; Does Not Work On Some Damage (not versus "spirit-cutting" weapons or techniques; -¼) 0 50 Undead Vitality: LS (Total (including Longevity: Immortality)) [b]Perks[/b] 5 XSWAT Officer: Fringe Benefit: Concealed Weapon Permit (where appropriate), Federal/National Police Powers [b]Skills[/b] 40 +4 with All Combat 2 Bureaucratics 10- 2 CK: Angelus 11- 3 Combat Driving 13- 3 Concealment 12- 2 Criminology 10- 2 CuK: Angelus 11- 2 Electronics 10- 3 Interrogation 14- 0 Language: English (idiomatic; literate) 1 Language: Irish (basic conversation) 3 Language: Japanese (completely fluent) 3 Lockpicking 13- 2 Paramedics 10- 2 PS: Police Officer 11- 2 Security Systems 10- 3 Shadowing 12- 3 Stealth 13- 3 Streetwise 14- 1 TF: Spinner 3 WF: Small Arms, Clubs (Tonfa/Nightstick/Stunstick), Maser Weapons 3 Scholar 1 1) KS: Angelus Criminal Underworld 11- 1 2) KS: Assorted Irish and Japanese Folklore, Legends, And Myths 11- 1 3) KS: Criminal Law And Procedure 11- 1 4) KS: Entities 11- 1 5) KS: The Law Enforcement World 11- 1 6) KS: The Occult World 11- 1 7) KS: The Yakuza 11- [b]Total Powers & Skill Cost: 397 Total Cost: 550 400+ Matching Complications (75)[/b] 20 Distinctive Features: Start White XSWAT Uniform (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly- Used Senses) 15 Hunted: The Yakuza 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish) 20 Hunted: XSWAT 14- (Mo Pow; NCI; Watching) 20 Physical Limitation: Susceptible To Various Religious Wards (Infrequently; Fully Impairing) 20 Psychological Complication: Must Make Up For Her Perceived Failure (Very Common; Strong) 10 Negative Reputation: The Ghost Cop of XSWAT, who appears only when things are at their worst, Frequently (Extreme; Known Only APD and XSWAT officers) 20 Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently; Major) [b]Total Complications Points: 50 Experience Points: 150[/b] Background/History: To the Angelus Police Department she’s just an Urban Legend, a story told to rookies who think XSWAT isn’t all special. To XSWAT, however, she’s considered to be as real as any other officer, even if only a small handful have ever actually encountered her. She’s Miyako Benedict, and she’s a ghost. According to her file (which is now sealed and requires the Director’s approval to view), Miyako and two fellow officers were killed investigating a case of blood magic. Their bodies were never found, apparently devoured by whatever horrors the blood magic had summoned. However Miyako -- or more accurately her ghost -- appeared at her precinct the next day where she wrote an AAR (After Action Report) describing the events surrounding her and her fellow officers deaths. When the issue was brought to the attention of Director Renuka, she was faced with a rather interesting quandary. Normally XSWAT eliminated ghosts, but on the other hand, the Director had to respect the drive and loyalty that brought an XSWAT officer back from the dead. So she took a chance and decided that considering all of the other officers who currently served in XSWAT, was a dead one all that unusual? Personality/Motivation: Like many ghosts, Miyako is driven by the desire to complete a task she left unfinished in life. In her case, it’s her failure (or perceived failure) to protect a fellow officer and bring them out of a dangerous situation safely. This has made had her into a virtual paragon of the XSWAT code -- she’s the first in, the last out, and will never leave a fallen officer behind if she can help it. Miyako is also determined that no one will ever have to suffer what she went though, and considers it her personal responsibility to eliminate blood-mages and soul-devouring threats such as Entities and hungry ghosts. It’s not unknown for her to go after such beings on her own, even if ordered not to. When not on patrol, Miyako tends to remain at her desk, writing reports. She no longer has much of a personal life, and even her fellow XSAT officers keep her at arms distance. Seeing as she no longer needs to eat or sleep, she often goes out on her own, to walk the streets of Angelus. More than once she’s assisted APD and XSWAT officers usually vanishing before her involvement could be confirmed. Naturally, this has done nothing to curb the stories of a mysterious ‘ghost cop’ patrolling the streets and saving other officers from dangerous situations. Formerly a gregarious individual, Miyako has become withdrawn since her death and return. She says little, unless spoken to first, and is apparently slowly loosing her memories of her former life, unless they relate to her time in XSWAT. Quote: “Sergeant Griffin! I’ve made contact with suspected supernatural elements and am currently returning fire! Back-up requested!” Powers/Tactics: Miyako, due to her being a ghost, no longer needs to breathe, eat, sleep. She can go abroad by day, but lights to operate at night, as she feels it gives her an advantage over most foes. She can see perfectly well in the dark, while her footsteps are completely silent (in fact, witnesses have stated she doesn’t seem to walk at all, but stead ‘drifts’ along). She is nearly impossible to injure with any sort of conventional weaponry, unless confronted with magical weapons or powers specifically designed to affected the undead. Normally Miyako carries an XSWAT-issue shotgun, as the rest of her gear isn’t ‘real’ but simply an extension of the thought form that is her body. Extra magazines for the weapon are kept on a secondary harness. If unarmed, Miyako has shown the ability to form her hands and fingers into sharp claws and is quite capable of rending an unarmored individual. When on patrol, Miyako tends to take point, and will be the first to enter an unknown situation. By the same token, she’s almost always the last to leave, and will do her best to make sure her fellow officers and any citizens get out before her. Because of her undead state, Miyako can be blocked by certain wards and seals. Various religious rites, relics, artifacts, and rituals can cause her discomfort and even harm, and in extreme cases will either force her to flee, or cause long-term damage. Appearance: Miyako is of average height with a a fit build. Her jet-black hair is long and unkempt, and tends to fall across and shadow her face, allowing her red eyes to appear as glowing points. Her skin is very, very pale and cool, almost cold, to the touch. Her uniform is pure dead white, from the skinsuit on out to the armored jacket. In truth, Miyako doesn’t ‘wear’ clothes, as her uniform is part of her body. In fact, she doesn’t exactly have a body either, but instead is a solidified ‘memory’ (for lack of a better term) of what she used to be. Designer’s Notes: The idea for Miyako came to me when I visited a showing of Japanese art at the Freer Gallery in Washington DC. One brush-painting was of a yurei (ghost). The combination of white robes, unkempt black hair, and red eyes struck a chord and made me wonder what sort of character an XSWAT ‘ghost cop’ would look like. I used my own Yurei character sheet from the Asian Bestiary II as a basis, added in the standard XSWAT package, and then went from there. Initially she had a lot more powers (such as Mental Illusions), but I finally ditched those as I felt she worked better as a physical, rather than a mental, combatant. Miyako probably works best is she is kept behind the scenes. If she appears, it’s at a distance, or only briefly, the PCs getting a quick glimpse of a pale shape down an alley or some such. If she comes in close contact with the characters, don’t forget to emphasize her undead nature -- she doesn’t breathe, and is perfectly still when at rest. You could make Miyako less powerful by reducing her defenses (specifically her Damage Reduction). To make her more powerful, add in various options yurei powers found in the Asian Bestiary II. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2010 Re: XSWAT Officer Miyako Benedict Was this too weird for people? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted October 6, 2010 Report Share Posted October 6, 2010 Re: XSWAT Officer Miyako Benedict i didnt think so. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yamamura Posted October 7, 2010 Report Share Posted October 7, 2010 Re: XSWAT Officer Miyako Benedict Nice Mike! Not weird at all but cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted October 7, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2010 Re: XSWAT Officer Miyako Benedict Sorry, just having one of those moments.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavier Onassiss Posted October 10, 2010 Report Share Posted October 10, 2010 Re: XSWAT Officer Miyako Benedict There's more Miyako Benedict here, here, and here. The scenes with Miyako Benedict are fairly short, so I'll excerpt them in spoiler tags. From Graveyard Shift (wherein Jama's husband Mitch meets Officer Benedict) Speaking of which, where was Corporal Cadbury? Usually when he attended a meeting with the Director the over-sized furball was right out where people could see him. The Maine Coon loved attention and never seemed to miss the chance to get some. So where was he? Stepping up to Jama’s chair, Mitch almost asked directly, until a faint hint of motion caught his eye. Bending down he caught sight of Cadbury’s gray-furred body curled up in a tight ball under where Jama was sitting. Pressed close to the hanging panels of Jama’s coat, Cadbury had flipped his tail across his nose, the only sign of life the bright points of his eyes. “What are you doing down there?” Mitch asked. It hadn’t taken him long to accept Jama’s claims about the cat understanding what people said to him. But he still wasn’t sure how to interpret the occasional replies. Trrrll.... Hiding? Corporal Cadbury was hiding? Not bothering to question the reply, Mitch raised an eyebrow. “From what?” “Hello, Officer Benedict.” Jama glanced up from the colorful surface of her desk to nod at someone standing behind Mitch. What? Mitch turned around, wondering how someone could have gotten up here without him hearing. The metal stairs rang rather reassuringly under issue XSWAT boots. There was a woman standing there, just a few feet away, wearing the uniform of an XSWAT officer.... Except it was stark white. Jacket, belt, gloves, boots, skinsuit: each and every article was spotlessly white. Her skin seemed to be an even whiter shade of pale, if such a thing was even possible. The only bit of color was her eyes, which Mitch noted were a disturbingly bright red within the shadow of her unkempt black hair. Holy s**t, she’s real! Was Mitch’s first thought. He’d heard some of the stories about a ‘ghost cop,’ but even his close association to the Director and intimate knowledge of the inner workings of XSWAT had made him unable to accept them. But here she was, standing right before him, apparently in the insubstantial flesh. “Good evening, Director.” Mitch suppressed a shudder. There was an unearthly echo to Benedict’s voice. A timbre that normal people didn’t possess. Now he knew why Cadbury was curled up under his master’s chair. If he was able, he’d tell the cat to move it on over and join him. Officer Benedict gave a slight nod to Mitch and then walked out towards the helipad proper. Watching her move was difficult to process. Her footsteps made no noise. In fact, she didn’t seem to actually step anywhere, but instead almost drifted across his field of vision. “Jama?” Mitch whispered. “Yes, dear?” “What sort of meeting is this?” From Repossessed (Officer Benedict cleans up Mitch's dirty laundry) Erin awoke with start. Her room in the XSWAT wing of Angelus General was almost totally quiet, the only noises the faint hiss of the nanite dispenser and the low thrum of the pump that kept the antiseptic bath flowing over her burns. Everything seemed to be in its place, everything seemed -- relatively speaking -- normal. But.... There was someone in her room. She had no words to explain it, but she knew she wasn't alone. It was an instinct experienced cops developed -- that something wasn't right. And right now something wasn't right with her room. She wasn't alone... someone, or something was in here with her. She turned her head, eyes wide and almost frantic in their effort to pierce the dimness. Was it Mitch, back with more threats? Or was it the little witch herself, having decided ‘orders’ be damned, and come to finish what a spell of searing flame had started? Her forehead glistening with sweat, Erin turned her head to look over at the windowed wall of her room. The curtains where drawn and the chairs were empty but.... A figure was there, standing still and motionless. Almost like a statute. Erin blinked and then blinked again, unsure as to what she was seeing. Whoever it was wore the uniform of an XSWAT officer, albeit one that was dead white and almost seemed to glow in contrast to the shadowed darkness of her room. Erin swallowed, despite the pain. How long has she been here? Is this the extra protection Mitch mentioned? Or is this how the Director gets rid of her little problems? She started to rise, but froze as the XSWAT officer slowly turned to face her. Like a corpse on a rope, she thought, a chill running through her. It was a woman, she could see that now, with skin as white as her uniform and unkempt black hair that fell past her shoulders, shadowing her face, but parted enough for Erin to see her eyes... ... which were almost glowing red, reflecting what little light there was in the same manner as a cat caught in a flashlight's beam. Normal people don't have eyes like that. What is she? Erin blinked, and now the officer was standing over her, having crossed the distance from the windows to the side of her bed in a soundless instant. She shuddered and gasped as the heart monitor started to race. Where are the godd****d nurses? Then it hit her, the rumors she'd heard and scoffed at. The stories cops told told while drinking to forget the day. Of all the freaks in XSWAT. Sure there were the run-of-the-mill officers: the Clades, mages, cyborgs, and espers; but then there were the special ones: the cyborg who changed bodies like most people changed clothes, the winged woman who could control the weather, even a vampire, who was said to haunt the lower steam tunnels. But the one mentioned most often, the one even many XSWAT officers said was real, the one officers of both services swore had saved them when things looked to be their worst, was... "... the ghost... " Erin almost bit her lip as the words escaped. The woman in white leaned low, her hair now hanging into Erin"s face. She could see the dead officer's face clearly, the once-attractive Eurasian features marred by the unblinking red of her eyes. Erin shuddered at the icy touch of pure-white fingers on her arm and had to will her own eyes to remain open. "You should take Lieutenant's Brogan's advice, Detective Erin McCarthy." The voice sounded disturbingly normal, if a bit empty of emotion. "Angelus is no longer safe for you." Trying to ignore the chill of the dead woman's body, Erin gritted her teeth and returned the unblinking gaze. "Is that a threat?" "No...." The ghost combed her hair out of her face and back over her shoulder. Erin could see the name tag clearly now. 'Benedict.' One of many in XSWAT who had died in the line of duty -- except Officer Benedict had come back. "It's not a threat and it's not a promise. It's a fact, Detective McCarthy. There are those of us who understand what Director Jamadigni Renuka means to XSWAT and the city of Angelus. Her value as Defender of Angelus is far greater than yours...." The hand she'd used to brush back her hair came into view, the slender fingers now tipped by wickedly curved claws. Fascinated despite herself, Erin watched as the sharp point delicately tapped on one of her gel packs. "If you fight this, you will end up dead. That I do promise you. And trust me on this, you do not wish to be dead." From Safe From Harm (Jama and Mitch's children are kidnapped; Mitch and Miyako don't like each other) It was impossible to say how long she'd been there. Dave froze in his tracks as they walked into the kitchen, and caught sight of Officer Miyako Benedict standing there silently, patiently. White uniform -- every detail was identical to standard XSWAT issue, except the color; it was simply white, as a funeral shroud. Her skin was even paler, almost to the point of translucency. It contrasted starkly with her hair -- a black, tangled, and unkempt mane, the stuff of nightmares. It was everywhere, spilling out over her ears, shoulders, back, and her eyes... it would have been a kindness if that hair covered her eyes, but no. Feral, red, unblinking; they looked out from between errant strands of her hair, mercilessly transfixing whoever they lit upon. Mitch had forgotten how disturbing her presence was. Dave was completely overwhelmed. "Mitch... what in the...?" She disregarded Dave Cho, and looked accusingly at Mitch. "Mr. Brogan... Officer Skipper McElroy sent me." Her voice was even scarier than her eyes, if that were possible. Mitch steeled himself to face her... he had been expecting someone else. "Officer Benedict, report! Where is McElroy?" She approached him, and her movements were hard to follow, as if she was under a strobe light in a dark room. Before he knew it, Benedict was inches from Mitch's face. "Understand this, Mr. Brogan... we work for the Defender, not you. We will help her children... but we do not take your orders." "The Defender isn't here, Officer Benedict... I am, and I speak for her until she returns." Benedict eyed him coldly but said nothing. " And another thing... McElroy is not part of your group. She served in Omega with my Old Man, as a Corporal. At her funeral, she got a posthumous promotion to Sergeant -- I know, I was there! So unless any of you freaks have made Lieutenant when I wasn't looking, McElroy is senior on this case. And she sent you here. Now, report!" The Ghost backed off, and some of the hatred in her eyes subsided. "Your children summoned the Blue Lady. Officer McElroy answered their call and found them in an abandoned office building in Kappa Sector, being held captive by six... individuals, for unknown reasons. She contacted me and requested the aid of myself and the others, then returned to Kappa to keep an eye on the children." Mitch listen with growing alarm, then stopped her. "Can you...." At that moment, the phone rang again. He held up a hand for silence. "Brogan here." He turned on the speaker phone. It was the same voice he'd heard before. "Ah, Mr. Brogan. I trust you have followed my instructions." Establish trust, then... "Yes, I have. A friend dropped by, and he has agreed to look after the house if I have to leave, but that's all he knows. If that's not acceptable to you, I'll send him home." "Of course, Mr. Brogan, we could hardly expect you not to involve your good friend Mr. Cho. And so long as he agrees to the same rules that you have, and follows them, nothing will happen to his place of business. Or his lovely young employees." Dave ran to look out the windows. Mitch began to ask the obvious question, but he was cut off. "No, Mr. Brogan, we have no need to watch your house or tap your phone. We have been studying you for some time, and we have anticipated everything you might do." "Now, listen carefully. Your wife's flight is on schedule to land at the Angelus International East Terminal, right on schedule. Soon it will be time for you to go and pick her up there You will stop at the Angelus University Student Union on your way. You will pick up the gentleman waiting on the front steps, then take him with you to the airport. Understood?" "Yes. I've got it." Mitch didn't like this. Were they trying to get an assassin close to Jama? Who was he picking up? "Good. You will pick up your wife on schedule, then you will receive further instructions." "How do I know you're not planning to kill her? I'm not going to set my wife up to get blown away." "Mr. Brogan, if we wanted her dead, we wouldn't be going through all this. We need her alive, and cooperative. We need to establish trust, and once she sees that her children are healthy and whole, we can move forward. So, now that we understand each other so well, I hope you won't be talking to any of your friends from XSWAT." Mitch glanced at Miyako. "Not a living soul." End of call. "Officer Benedict, get your team together. McElroy is OIC. She will get the twins to safety. The rest of you...make sure this never happens again." Whoever was responsible for this, Mitch realized he had just condemned them to die. So how is it I'm just now realizing the Defender has her own 'death squad', and why am I okay with it? The Ghost didn't smile, not ever. But for the first time, Mitch heard grim satisfaction in Miyako Benedict's haunting voice. "We will, Mr. Brogan. Be sure of it. But time is short, and not all are ready." This worried him. The opposition was organized and thorough; going off half-cocked wouldn't do. "Who's available, then?" "Officer Long and her father. Aino and I will be there. Jasad will not move before dark... but this time, the cyborg will come." "Are you sure?" Of all the 'graveyard shift' officers, the only one whose existence Mitch still doubted was the mythical cyborg -- a full-conversion job so complete there was supposedly no human tissue left, except for the brain. Disembodied, dehumanized, and according to myth, the most powerful member of their team. Mitch had never heard anything but rumors about it -- but Angelus was the city where all urban legends came true. She nodded. "For the Defender's children, he will fight." "Alright, go." Turning to his old friend, "Dave, sit tight. I'll call when I can. Feed the cat, will ya?" Mitch ran out to the car without waiting for a reply. Officer Miyako Benedict turned and glided from the room without a sound, a chill draft flowing in her wake, leaving Dave Cho alone in the kitchen. Once she was gone, Cadbury stepped cautiously out of the pantry, where he'd been hiding. Mrrowrrtt? Dave looked down at the old Maine Coon. "Yeah, I heard him. Could I get a drink first?" In reply, Cadbury batted his food dish across the floor. It stopped at Dave's feet, empty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted December 6, 2010 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2010 Re: XSWAT Officer Miyako Benedict Miyako gets a picture! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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