Susano

Unfortunately I can't send such things out. All I can do it taunt you with the contents.

Okay, my mistake, it's more like 3,300 pages.

Actually, yes. I have files the show a circa 1998-99 attempt to create a Strike Force series of campaign guides.

Those 797 pages are in a LibreOffice file. Did I mention the 3400 page PDF?

So... I have finished reading all 797 pages of Aaron's session-by-session history of Strike Force. That's 19 years of gaming run over 251 sessions. I am in awe. Now? On to his notes on setting history and the like. As far as I can tell, Aaron ran at least 260 sessions or so... but I don't have a write-up of those sessions. So we'll go with what we got... which as you can see is quite a bit.

HAP are not a case of making it up as you go along. In my expereince, players us their HAP when they really want to succeed at a task or during critical moments when they want to do extra damage to a foe. I also see them not spend them becasue they want to wait "just in case". To me, it adds an extra layer of player invovlement, where they can affect the story in a postivie way, which is a good thing, since the story is about them and their actions. It allows for more heroic stunts and the ability to pull of critical, just in-the-nick-of-time, type actions.

Possibly. Certain Dark Champions, Post-Apoc Hero, or Fatnasy Hero games, for example,.

I've been using HAP in my tabletop and convention games. Players like them.

Cool! I hope the character works out for you.

Format in what way?

We are talking to Denis about artwork and the like.

Heh, we would if we could.

Naw, I gotta save something for the Haymaker submission. Speaking of which.... Grady, care to look over what I've done so far?

I guess so.

Thoughts? Too dark? Too confusing? Too strange? Not of use in anyone's games?

Aaron created a standard template for such things. It includes title, issue # (session #), PCs playing, major NPCs, guest stars, and then a brief (or not so brief) synopsis of the session events.

Hey, don't rush me. (The current document I'm reading is 800 pages long. Another, that I'm NOT reading, is 3,200 pages long.)

Sorry, can't really say any more a this time.

In case anyone is wondering, I am currently working my way through 800 MB of Aaron's files, plucking out the "good stuff" and reading hundreds of pages of campaign history. It is rather awe-inspiring the extent of the Aaron Allston multiverse.

MIYAKO BENEDICT Val CHA Cost Roll Notes 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 Total Characteristic Cost: 169 Movement: Running: 0m Flight: 18m/36m Leaping: 0m Swimming: 18m/36m Teleportation: 36m Cost Powers & Skills 20 Claws: HKA 2d6 (2 ½d6 w/STR); Reduced Penetration (-¼), Extra Time (Full Phase, Only to Activate, -¼), END 3 8 Supernatural Resistance To Harm: Resistant (+½) applied to 8 PD/8 ED 40 Supernatural Resistance To Harm: Damage Negation (6 DCs Physical/Energy);Not Versus "Spirit-Cutting" Weapons And Techniques, Or Magic Powers (-½) 80 Supernatural Resistance To Harm: Physical and 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, Invisible Power Effects (Hearing Group; +¼), No Turn Mode (+¼), Reduced Endurance (½ END; +¼), Usable As Swimming (+¼); Only In Contact With A Fairly Horizontal Surface (-¼), END 2 -2 No Longer Leaps: Leaping -4m (0m total) -12 No Longer Walks: Running -12m (0m total) -2 No Longer Swims: Swimming -4m (0m total) 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 17 Undead Body: Invisibility to Sight Group, Persistent (+¼), Reduced Endurance (0 END; +½); Only Versus Infrared Perception (-1) 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) 40 Undead Vitality: LS (Total (including Longevity: Immortality)) Perks 5 XSWAT Officer: Fringe Benefit: Concealed Weapon Permit (where appropriate), Federal/National Police Powers Talents 3 Ambidexterity (no Off Hand penalty) Skills 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- Total Powers & Skill Cost: 441 Total Cost: 610 400+ Matching Complications (75) 20 Distinctive Features: Stark White XSWAT Uniform (Not Concealable; Always Noticed and Causes Major Reaction; Detectable By Commonly-Used Senses) 15 Hunted: (assorted individuals and gangs) 8- (Mo Pow; Harshly Punish) 20 Hunted: XSWAT 14- (Mo Pow; NCI; Watching) 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 Physical Limitation: Susceptible To Various Religious Wards (Infrequently; Fully Impairing) 20 Psychological Complication: Must Make Up For Her Perceived Failure (Very Common; Strong) 20 Social Complication: Subject To Orders (Very Frequently; Major) Total Complications Points: 75 Experience Points: 210 Background/History: To the Angelus Police Department she’s the Urban Legend, a story told to rookies who think XSWAT isn’t all that 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 XSWAT 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 squad house the next day. Walking to her desk, she sat down and wrote out an AAR (After Action Report) describing the events surrounding the deaths of herself and her fellow officers’. 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? For a while, Miyako served with what was left of her old patrol squad. But as she became less and less ‘human’, Director Renuka moved her from the regular ranks and placed her with the rest of the Graveyard Shift. 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 is 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, late at night, to walk the streets of Angelus. More than once she’s assisted APD and XSWAT officers who’ve found themselves in over their heads, 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, since she is a ghost, no longer needs to breathe, eat, sleep. She can go abroad by day, but likes 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 instead seems to ‘drift’ along). She is nearly impossible to injure with any sort of conventional weaponry, and can only really be harmed by 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 shredding an unarmored individual in a few quick strikes. 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. Campaign Use: Miyako probably works best if she’s kept behind the scenes. If she does appear, it should at a distance, or only briefly, with 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, makes almost no noise when she moves, and is perfectly still when at rest. You can make Miyako less powerful by reducing her defenses (specifically her Damage Negation and Reduction). To make her more powerful, add in the various optional k’uei powers found on page 341 of The Hero System Bestiary (or the optional yurei powers found on page 64 of The Asian Bestiary II). Appearance: Miyako is of average height with a a fit build. Her jet-black hair is long and unkempt, and tends to fall across her face, shadowing her red eyes and causing them 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.

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 floor 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, it 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 stairs from 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 UNDER-BARREL 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 BODYGLOVE, 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 BODYGLOVE, 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, somewhat obscuring the RED points of her EYES. As mentioned, her UNIFORM IS STARK WHITE, all of it, from BOOTS, to BODYGLOVE, 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

Bard-clerics is an awesome idea.

While there's no setting assigned, this is meant to be a pantheon for a fantasy setting akin to Greyhawk, or Forgotten Realms, or Pathfinder, or ... well, you get the idea.

What Clonus said. And DJ-Pon3 is even more "out there".

If you've seen my note in the Champions board, you'll understand why development on this has slowed again.