Fresh Plots (IC)

[trollthumper]

"It wasn't the caul, though I've met a few who've had it," Nick said. He was definitely looking over Dead Head with interest; research was one thing, but seeing him up close was another. Especially since the few revenants he'd run into thus far hadn't been as genial; most of them had vengeance on their mind, and not a lot of time for chat. "Got in an accident when I was younger. Spent a few minutes dead on the table, and while that happened, I was taking a guided tour of the various underworlds. Guinee, Duat, Nilfheim... I kinda got dragged back around the time I was staring into the river Lethe."

[Dr Archeville]

The zombie let out a low whistle, which echoed eerily due to the fact it came form its lips as well as a small tear in its throat. "Always wanted ta go to those places! An' you got tha guided tour, ya say? Who was it what took ya?"

"An' what brings ya up north, hrm?" it continued. It really did act like any other eager and curious person. Perhaps that was what kept it tied to this word? Learning about people, about so-called "superheroes"? "Ya on here fer a specific case? Or jes' a general gut feelin' that yer needed 'ere?"

[Avenger Assembled]

Freedom Angel refrained from saying anything unkind about those people. Why, some of his best friends were guardians of the afterlife planes for the various sub-religions. "You have to be careful visiting Duat," he finally said laconically. "The guardians of that place tend to look unfavorably on those raised in the culture of the children of Abraham. Even at one or two removes," he added with a nod to Nick and Dead Head. "The loa are difficult beings to deal with. I've tried speaking to the one that serves on the Freedom League with me, but Siren prefers to keep her own council. I fear words may have been exchanged."

[trollthumper]

The zombie let out a low whistle, which echoed eerily due to the fact it came form its lips as well as a small tear in its throat. "Always wanted ta go to those places! An' you got tha guided tour, ya say? Who was it what took ya?"

"Well, it's more a figure of speech," Nick said. "It's not like Virgil took me through that dark wood or anything. I just kind of wandered the worlds below until Charon told me to turn back."

"An' what brings ya up north, hrm?" it continued. It really did act like any other eager and curious person. Perhaps that was what kept it tied to this word? Learning about people, about so-called "superheroes"? "Ya on here fer a specific case? Or jes' a general gut feelin' that yer needed 'ere?"

"Like I said, Freedom's always been in my heart. While I kinda came into my power down South, I grew up here. I know that the region's in good hands, so I've decided to come back to see what I can do in this town."

Freedom Angel refrained from saying anything unkind about those people. Why, some of his best friends were guardians of the afterlife planes for the various sub-religions. "You have to be careful visiting Duat," he finally said laconically. "The guardians of that place tend to look unfavorably on those raised in the culture of the children of Abraham. Even at one or two removes," he added with a nod to Nick and Dead Head. "The loa are difficult beings to deal with. I've tried speaking to the one that serves on the Freedom League with me, but Siren prefers to keep her own council. I fear words may have been exchanged."

Okay, Nick, next time you want to avoid the awkward, don't bring up other cosmological models in front of representatives of said cosmology. You don't want a repeat of when you mistook Izanami for Hel, do you?

"I know there's the whole diplomacy matter to deal with," Nick said, "and I understand that the various dominions clash. I just try to stay outside of it -- be a neutral party, y'know, help the dead get where they want to go."

[Dr Archeville]

Dead Head was liking this Cimitiere fellow more and more. I'll have t'ask him about Charon.

"Loa ain't so bad," the Revoltin' Revenant replied to Freedom Angel, "'least, not most'a 'em. Samedi,' course -- I'd spit when sayin' 'is name if'n I could -- is the rotten apple'a tha lot. Always did wonder how much'a that is his doin', an' how much is tha fella he's ridin'."

He turned to Nick, firs his head then the rest of his body. "You look like ya might know an answer ta that. Got any ideas?"

[trollthumper]

"Well," Nick said, "not exactly a vodouisant, but I do know my way around the loa. And one of the big things about vodou is that it's not exactly about good and evil, as we know 'em. It's about will and intent. Sure, you've got some fairly benevolent loa, but depending on the houngan who calls on 'em, they could possibly slide down the slope as well. Erzulie Dantor is usually a protector of children and gays, but in the hands of a somewhat twisted invoker, she could easily become the world's most hardcore lesbian separatist with a chainsaw. Y'know Chevalier, down in New Orleans? He makes good use of Ogoun, but I'd hate to see what one of, say, the Tonton Macoute would do with the god of fire and war."

He drew another cigarette. "Now, Samedi's already somewhat off kilter. Of all the Guede, he's the one that best represents the intersection of sex and death. La Croix's debonair and dashing, Cimitiere's the benevolent guardian of the dead, but Samedi can easily be the joke you laugh at until it goes on too long and you realize what just happened. In the hands of a really weird bokor, that can easily go bad places." Nick lit the cigarette, took a draft, and exhaled. "Still... could always be worse. Guy could've invoked Baron Kriminel."

[Avenger Assembled]

"I'm no friend to the so-called pagan gods," said Freedom Angel frankly, looking like a man torn between several instincts. "But I can understand how the Adversary could whisper in their ears. To watch behind the Pact's walls, helpless to act on the mortal plane, as your worshipers suffer and die in your name, begging for you to help them, with only the knowledge that you'll have their souls when they pass into the great Hereafter..." He sounded like he was talking about someone besides the loa for a moment. "It's enough to drive any being to madness. Or the temptations of the Devil." He shook his head, and added, "I have met Baron Kriminel," he added suddenly. "Not the spirit that manifests in the mortal world, but the terrible thing that lives in Guinee and once tried to storm the walls of Heaven. It was not pleasant."

[Dr Archeville]

"Well I think," the Revoltin' Revenant piped up, "that the fella callin' hisself Baron Samedi ain't Baron Samedi, but really is Baron Kriminel, an' is jes' claimin' t'be Samedi."

"Still aint' worked out why he'd do that," the zombie continued, stroking his chin... until it came off in his hand. He looked down at it, up to Nick and Heyzel, then back at it, and quickly slapped it back on, and made a few bites at the air to test it. "'kay, seems t'be back on. Now, where was... oh, right. Don't know why Kriminel'd make hisself out to be Samedi, 'less it's some long-term con he's pullin'. Mebe he figures he can get more worshipers dat way... though, the question then'd be, where's tha real Samedi?"

[trollthumper]

He shook his head, and added, "I have met Baron Kriminel," he added suddenly. "Not the spirit that manifests in the mortal world, but the terrible thing that lives in Guinee and once tried to storm the walls of Heaven. It was not pleasant."

Nick's jaw dropped. The cigarette accordingly fell out and hit the ground, but he didn't seem to notice. "Baron Kriminel... stormed Heaven? Jesus Ch -- I mean, wow. I mean, was there a reason, or anything? Or was it just for the laughs?"

"Well I think," the Revoltin' Revenant piped up, "that the fella callin' hisself Baron Samedi ain't Baron Samedi, but really is Baron Kriminel, an' is jes' claimin' t'be Samedi."

"Still aint' worked out why he'd do that," the zombie continued, stroking his chin... until it came off in his hand. He looked down at it, up to Nick and Heyzel, then back at it, and quickly slapped it back on, and made a few bites at the air to test it. "'kay, seems t'be back on. Now, where was... oh, right. Don't know why Kriminel'd make hisself out to be Samedi, 'less it's some long-term con he's pullin'. Mebe he figures he can get more worshipers dat way... though, the question then'd be, where's tha real Samedi?"

Nick thought for a second. "What if things are out of balance?" he said. "Kriminel's a savage jackal -- I mean, his homage involves burning chickens alive -- but he does usually have a purpose. Vengeance. So, to hear that the guy's storming the gates of Heaven... and Samedi's stepping into his old market... well, that's not exactly encouraging, is it."

[Avenger Assembled]

"He said he came for vengeance against the breaking of the loa," replied the angel, staring up at the scattered few stars visible in the sky. "That it was our people who had broken the great kingdoms of Yoruba and Dahomey, that it was they who had made his worshipers slaves and scattered them across three continents. We tried to tell him that the actions of those who appropriated the worship of the Creator as a tool to promote the power of their economic and governmental systems were not our own, and that in fact he should be more thoughtful of the influence that the children of Abraham had on the worship of the loa: the saints, the ritual, and other forms adapted to worship those very different beings. He took to that very badly, and began engaging in certain deeds that acted to break down the barriers between worlds. And then certain deeds became actions, and then the battle began." He shook his head, then said, "That was just a few...decades ago, I suppose. But the nature of such things rarely change."

[trollthumper]

"Yeah, that sounds like Kriminel, all right," Nick said. "Narrowly-focused pursuit of vengeance with a whole bunch of madness on top. I could see where he's coming from, if the syncretic nature of voudon wasn't a major reason that he still has followers. Still... it's Kriminel. He does berserker fury, with a special affection for the 'berserk' bits."

He paused. "Actually, a lot of the death gods have gotten their britches twisted. Kriminel's attacking other pantheons, Samedi's dealing in menace, and rumor in Tartarus says Hades's letting things go to pot. I mean, you've got the upstanding guys -- I hear Azrael's doing a good job -- but things seem to be weird in the low kingdoms."

[Dr Archeville]

"Ways I hear it," the Revoltin' Revenant chimed in, "Hades bein' a jerk ain't nothin' new, in part 'cuz'a Christianity co-optin' 'is looks fer their Satan imagery." He galcned over at Heyzel, and gave a slight shrug. "Like how Loki got a lot more evil once the Norse came in contact with missionaries, an' they associated his trickster ways with bein' a jerk jes' fer the sake'a bein' a jerk. An'... somethin' 'bout fire... "

He gave another shrug, "I dunno, I'm still readin' a ton'a Phantom's books. An' old scrolls. An' stone tablets. An' this one lil' crystal thing what speaks in yer head an'.... eh, nevermind."

He cocked his head back at Nick, "so, got a decent place t'stay?"