(Champions)

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No Rest For the Watchman, Act 5

Harrisburg Lane South

This once middle class section of town has fallen into disrepair from the effects of aging and poor maintenance. The rows of two-story homes are mere ghosts of the past. Some of the vinyl siding on a few of them are cracked and faded after decades of neglect. Children play unsupervised in some of the now weed-strewn vacant lots. Graffiti along brick walls mark the territory of various gangs trying to claim the neighborhood as their own. The nearby elementary school is surrounded by a tall security fence, which has a guarded gate entrance. This is definitely the low-income housing part of Colonial Bay.

Characters:
Equinox

Objects:
Burnt Message #2

Obvious exits:
Harrisburg Lane <NW> Courtland Way <SE> Bar <E> Harrisburg Elementry <W>
Mag Lev Terminal <MAGLEV> Sky over the West Side <FLY>

Watchman has arrived.

Watchman

A ghostly figure dressed in tattered grey costume with a ragged dark green cape and cowl. It also has well worn gloves and boots of the same shade of green. A large tarnished brass medallion fastens the cape to the costume. The medallion looks like an old style lantern, except that the lens has been repalced by a human eye. The eye twitches and looks around. A warm wind sweeps around the figure and blood red light pours out of tears and rips in its clothing. It's cowl is dark and seemingly empty.

Burnt Message #2

A message is burnt into the wall of an abbandoned building:

I have blood on my hands.

It's 1945. I'm at Auschwitz. Too much. It's 1946. I'm home. In Missouri. A Black man is being beaten by a bunch of young punks. I wade in. One tries to stab me. With my soldier's reflexes I easily take his knife away. I keep myself from killing him, pinning him to the wall through the shoulder instead. The rest scatter. I pick up their victim and run as sirens wail in the night.

Equinox is standing near the building with the message burnt into it, keeping an eye on the streets.

Watchman rises out of the ground amidst the rubble of a ruined house, shrouded in a flickering bloody glow.

Shadows spread out from the Watchman, accompanied by moaning and wailing. A wet, warm wind swirls about it.

Equinox looks up at the sound, and notices the Watchman, he quickly moves towards it, making no signs of aggression. "For whom do you come tonight?"

Watchman turns its baleful glare toward Equinox, the eye in its chest icon taking in your form, "I cOmE fOr ThOsE wHo PrOfAnE mY nAmE."

Equinox nods, "You kill, to avenge your dishonor, these people have not taken lives in your name. This is not fair. Your great-granddaughter, your *blood*, worries for your spirit and wishes to see you rest again. Help me.. help US make things right." He pauses, then says, "Heroes don't kill."

Watchman shudders, "I hAvE nO pAsT, nO fUtUrE, oNlY tHe EtErNaL wAtCh. ThOsE tHaT wOuLd UsE mY nAmE tO hIdE tHeRe EvIl."

You say, "Speak not to me of the past and the future, I have no desire to disturb your vigilance, only to put a stop to the evil of which you speak. Again I say help me, tell me of this evil. Stop these deaths!"

Watchman wails, "FaLsE pRoPhEtS, sPrEaDiNg FeAr To HiDe ThEiR vIlE pOiSoN tRaDe."

Equinox ponders, "Poison trade.. Something illegal is behind the Night Watch?"

Watchman moans, "ArE yOu An HoNeSt MaN?"

You say, "As honest as one can be while maintaining a masked second life, yes."

Watchman sighs, "ThE eNdLeSs SeArCh By BlInD lAnTeRn LiGhT."

Equinox thinks . o O (Huh?)

You say, "I don't understand. Are the Night Watch not all they claim to be? Is there something the authorities need to be alerted to?"

Watchman says, "My CuRsE... i CaN nOt LoOk AwAy... ThEy ArE pAwNs, As Am I..."

You say, "Your curse. How can we end your curse? Your actions have clearly done nothing to right the wrong."

Watchman says, "LoSt In TiMe, FoRgOtTeN i MuSt Be. AwOkEn By FaLsE tRiBuTe. I cAn NoT rEsT, i MuSt KeEp ThE wAtCh."

Equinox thinks . o O (This is like talking to a 10 year old...)

Equinox hesitates... "Can you lead me to the source of the evil, if I can find the source, your watch will be done, you can rest once more."

Watchman wails and the shadows around it swirls and dance higher, "I aM bLiNd. I cAn NoT sEe ThE eViL. iT tAuNtS mE fRoM tHe DaRkNeSs."

Equinox looks at the cowled figure, "Then who can BE your eyes? These killings must stop, the heroes here will only stand in your way, and your watch may well go on, unfulfilled."

Watchman sighs, "An HoNeSt MaN..."

Equinox nods, "And you have yet to encounter such a person?"

[OOC] Equinox says, "Talk about a subjective requirement..."

Watchman moans, "BlInD... i Am BlInD aNd CaN nOt TeLl..."

Watchman says, "My LaNtErN iS bRoKen..."

Watchman sighs and vanishes in a burst of flame.