There must be something in the water

[maskormods]

WHO: Everyone!
WHERE: Lake Tahoe, the Nevada side
WHEN: May 17 all day
WHAT: Swear-In
WARNINGS: Some violence

Welcome imPorts new and old to the lovely city of Jeopardy! For the five minutes the swear-in is here, anyway. See, there’s been some unusual activity at the (relatively) nearby Lake Tahoe. The Better Believe It Museum of Cryptozology has appealed to the government for help, and the powers that be generously volunteered this Swear-In as a chance for imPorts to be voluntold to help. Of course, you can always skip the swear-in or just decide to kick up your feet at a nice lakeside property in May, but the local natives would really appreciate the assistance. So much so that they’ve rented out a legion of party buses to transport you from Jeopardy to the museum in style. Yes, there’s a bar and snacks (though only juice for the kids). It’s about a three hour drive, try not to get too sloshed on the way over.

Just what is the issue? It seems that Nevada’s most famous cryptid, Tahoe Tessie has...well. Been seen. And, yes, of course, there is that whole museum you are going to at the edge of the lake dedicated to fuzzy, shaky-cam ‘sightings’ of Tessie and other cryptozoological marvels over the years, but this is different. Like, ‘oh no, we actually found her’ different. And by all appearances, Tessie’s pretty pissed at being found. Any boats that attempt to go out into the lake are sunk, divers have vanished to never be seen again (whole, anyway. A few parts have washed up), and police have noted a sharp increase in random, violent attacks around the lake shores.

That’s where you come in.

The museum has requested Tessie be captured and transferred into their crypto-aquarium where she can be studied (and rubbed in the faces of all those ‘real’ scientists that called them crazy over the years). There are other options, though. The police are just fine with you killing the creatures; let the scientists dissect the corpse. And a very well funded individual party is more than willing to pay an exorbitant amount to the imPorts that hand her over to them.

While you ponder about the ethics and money involved, here’s the lay of the land.



First there is the cryptid museum itself. Not the tidiest of places, the museum is three floors of winding narrow aisles between shelves heaped with curiosities and walls covered in fuzzy photographs with plaques explaining what cryptozoological marvel is depicted in them, or poster sized print outs of ‘testimonials’ of alien abductions, bigfoot sightings, etc, along with artists interpretations of events described. There is also, of course, quite an expansive gift shop. Get your BELIEVER t-shirt before supplies run out. Please no powers in the museum, the owner is quite forceful about how everything in there is one of a kind.



For those of you not into monster hunting, or hunters that need to recharge, the cryptid museum is right next to a resort that has thoughtfully opened its doors to imPorts. It’s lingering around 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit at the lake, not exactly swimming weather, but there’s charming outdoor seating, fire pits to gather around, and free drinks and finger foods abound for every one to mingle with. There’s plenty of nice walking paths around the lake, some low-key events like horse shoe tossing or croquet to pass the time with. Just a nice break by the lake to recharge after a rough month.



Then there’s the lake itself. The locals have provided you with canoes, small fishing boats with radar, diving suits and snorkels, fishing nets, pretty much anything they could think of that will help you catch dear old Tessie (if you have a specific request for an unusual item, ask here if it will be provided!). A certain eccentric (the one offering cash money for Tessie to be turned over to them) even provided a one person submarine for use- though it doesn’t have any arms to grab with or much in the way of catching power, the gesture was still nice?

But catching a cryptid isn’t that easy. See, turns out that surge in violent attacks isn’t just dear old Tessie. If you just pressed A and skipped to the lake itself, you’re in for an unpleasant surprise. Those that took time to view the museum first, or chatted with the hotel staff about local legends, will have some warning of what is waiting for them. They’ll learn that in addition to cryptids lake Tahoe has a very real monstrous history- it’s a known mob mass graveyard. Through the 1900s, possibly up to today, the lake served as a very convenient spot for mobsters to send people to ‘sleep with the fishes.’ No one knows how many bodies have ended up under those placid waters, but it’s an unpleasant number. Just an interesting historical tidbit until you actually enter the lake. There you’ll see these dead are, somehow, awake. And not that happy about it.



The lake is crawling with revenants. These angry undead will fight tooth and nail anyone that comes into the waters of the lake, trying to pull you down to meet the same watery fate as them. We’re literal on the tooth part, their bites are strong enough to rip out chunks of flesh. They will follow anyone that disturbs them out of the lake, focused on destroying the life they no longer have. These creatures will need to be destroyed or laid to rest for the lake to be safe again. This can be done through sheer physical assault, break enough of the bones or destroy the skull and the creatures will collapse into the muk. Or they can be put to rest one by one with rituals specifically made for putting the dead to rest (from any religion or philosophy). Those that can talk with the dead and have the dedication can talk the spirits into releasing their mortal coil and returning to the void. Just remember their first emotion is rage at the living, and their first instinct will always be to attack. Those going for a more peaceful route may need back-up to keep the creatures at bay until they start seeing results.

Finally, there’s Tessie.



While legends have reported, and the cryptid museum lead you to expect, a more serpentine creature, characters are once more in for a surprise. Those that finally get past the undead to Tessie herself will discover she is none other than a legendary lusca: half shark, half squid, all attitude. For those still trying to apply biology to this, Tessie’s front half looks like a bull shark, a species infamous for its ability to swim in both salt and fresh waters. There is a little good news: unlike the revenants, Tessie isn’t looking so hot. Some of her tentacles are rotting off and teeth are falling out. She is mostly working to avoid anyone that wants to bother her, darting to deeper waters and running away from close encounters. Anyone that does get too close will face a fight, but it’s that of an animal in its death throes. While an unlimited number of characters can see Tessie, the final decision of what happens to her will be decided by a poll.

After a long day at the lake, imPorts are bused back to Jeopardy in the same party buses. Hopefully still more or less in one piece.

OOC PLOTTING AND QUESTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED HERE!

Comments

Ben Hargreeves ☂ OTA

[the_horror]

[The Party Bus]
This is stupid. This is the most extravagant way to travel such a distance to go help people. The bus is decked out with lights and leather seating, snacks and drinks. Ben wants nothing to do with any of it. He's here because he wants to help. He's rather wishing he just rode his bike there now though. This feels stupid.

He's seated in a corner in the back, a glass handed to him but he's sat it aside. He hasn't bothered to look at who else joined. There are a few people in here. Right now he's just looking over his hands, flexing them, folding them, fidgeting with them. This feels so stupid. Lights and TV and a real party bus for an expedition to help a lake.

[The Museum and Resort]
When he gets off the bus he wanders a bit. First to the Museum to see if he can get any information on Tessie. The problem there is that it seems everything is, like one would assume, blurry photos and strange paintings. Figures and plaster molds of cryptids that hold no proof of being. It wasn't that helpful.

At the Resort, he had heard talk of the old days. Mobsters using the lake as a dumping ground. He thought that was a bit silly at first, as, well, the lake is rather clear, and clean looking. Not to mention bodies float? Further research proved that the cold waters of the lake might have prevented floating and body break down however, so, that was interesting.

You could find Ben on a deck, with a small plate of food and a glass of cranberry juice, reading over some data on his device. Trying to plan himself a small adventure. After all, a old cryptid in a old lake is a once in a life time thing! He looks like he's intensely reading and researching, but he has time to take a bit of a break.

[The Lake]
He's got a small boat. He's got some under water gear. He's mostly interested in the creatures in the water he's hearing about. Others have gone out and ran into reanimated bodies, and that is... interesting. He wonders if Klaus can talk to them. He wonders if HE can. Or if it would do any good.

You want a ride out on the water? Because he has room in this small boat for another. With the borrowed swim gear is also a borrowed bat, sitting at a tilt in the boat. It seemed like a good idea at the time.

[The Revnants]
Now he's gone and done it. He's in the water with them. Got pulled under. He ghosted to get out of the grasp, and was able to get above water, but what about the person he went out with. He pushed up out of the water and gasped for air, going visible just long enough to be seen by the other.

"You okay?" He yelled out, and ghosted again, trying to swim his way over to the boat. "Stay in the boat. We're looking out numbered down here." He said out of no where. There was a bit of blood in the water where he got scratched, but nothing too bad. There is a thrash of sound as he appeared once more, grabbing the side of the boat and trying to haul himself back into it.

There are dead bodies in the water, deep down, with hands reaching, rocking the boat a bit. Well, this was fun.

[The Party Bus]

[by_candlelight]

Snacks and juice were always good in Ruby's book, but she had found the sheer amount of sensory stimulation to be a little more than she could handle at the moment. She'd originally taken a seat somewhere in the middle of the bus, putting some cheap earplugs in and sitting back to browse on her phone as she ate snacks and drank juice.

The plan to sit things out like this was a failure before they reached the half-way mark, people around her getting to be a little too sloshed for her comfort. She stood and made her way back towards the back of the bus, taking an open seat without even looking at who else was there at first.

When she finally did look, she was pleasantly surprised to find Ben there. Though, he seemed pretty on edge at even a quick glance. She simply assumed he was just as overstimulated as she was and within moments had procured a spare (unused) pair of earplugs and was holding them out to him.

[the_horror]

For him it's the day after a big fight with his closest brother, so he's a bit out of it, as it is. The seat is comfortable enough, but the loud people on the bus are annoying, and he's too focused on his hands doing fidgety things to notice the girl that took a seat near by. That is until he sees the gesture of the earplugs being offered.

He blinked, looking at the hand and earplugs, then followed the arm up to the person holding them. His head lifted, then he smiled at her. "Oh, hey Ruby." He said lightly, shaking his head no to the earplugs. "Thanks. I'm good." He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, so he was closer to talk to her. "So you're joining the expedition to the lake too, huh?"

[by_candlelight]

As he shakes his head she takes one of her in-use plugs out with her free hand so she can hear him as he continues. Her response comes with a nod.

"Yeah. I'm not all that great when it comes to large bodies of water, but I'm sure I can find some way to help. If nothing else, I'm able to communicate with animals, so as long as Tessie isn't secretly an insect I might be able to help there." She was pointedly ignoring the fact that Tessie was unlikely to just dog-paddle on up to the shore to get within Ruby's range.

[the_horror]

He settled back in his seat, head tipped a bit to rest more on his shoulder. He looked and felt tired, but still, here he was.

"At least Tahoe is one of the clearest lakes around? Or so I'm told. Should make things easier. Then again easier always ends up messy anyhow." He snorted, rubbing at his jaw and watching her as s he said she could communicate with animals. "Does that include creatures under water? Will they be able to hear you?" And if she's on shore, will she even be in reach?

[by_candlelight]

"It's not technically speech," she says, laughing a little. "It's emotions and stuff. Kinda? I don't know if 'I'm hungry' is an emotion, or 'I have food for you', but I can both send and receive feeling that translate that way." She pulls a bottle of water from her bag and takes a quick sip.

"I have mixed success with creatures that like the water. Most of what I get from fish just doesn't make sense, but with the amphibians I've ran into it does? The amphibians were just much more simple than something like a cat or a dog. The most complex thought they had was 'big' when I put my hand out to hold them."

[the_horror]

"Huh. That's kind of cool." he said as she explained her power to him. His head tilted, and as much as he wanted to smile about it, the smile wasn't coming. Not after that fight with Klaus last night. He was way too tired for that. "I wonder what Tessie is going to sound like to you."

And after a moment he added. "I like that frogs are just kind of simple creatures. Something about that is heart warming."

[by_candlelight]

That comment didn't even have to fight to get a soft smile out of her. "While it's a big change from a lot of other animals, it is really wholesome. Sure they also have the general 'gotta mate, gotta eat, gotta get away from danger' things that most animals do, even if presented in a less complex way. But aside from that they're just out there, living their lives. Doing what frogs do."

She takes a moment to laugh.

"They can get really high strung at times though."

[the_horror]

the smiles just weren't coming. Not like before. But it was fine. "Most humans have those same thoughts. 'Gotta mate, gotta eat, gotta get away from danger'. It's normal, I think, but forgs are pretty cute. I'll have to keep that in mind next time I see one." Simple creatures. He liked frogs.

"Keep with a soothing voice or something. But that's cute."

☂ + Mental Network

[numberthree]

Allison isn't here for the monster or the mobsters. She's here because it's her newest-arrived, and last needed to be found, brother's Swear-In. Though if he decides to register Allison would probably faint. She can't imagine Diego actually agreeing to get in line with anyone else's rules. Especially not in a place like this, with the opinions he's already espoused.

Still, she's not here to shadow him.

(Just in case the network was right. About all Swear-In's being a problem.)

Which is how she finds herself at the resort, wandering through crowds of people talking, carrying a plastic wine glass that's only about half-full now. She was mostly looking for a quiet spot to just take in the view for a while, which is when she spots Ben. Engrossed in flipping between pages in a book on the deck, food forgotten for it. It's such an old, but familiar sight, Allison feels her heart flutter with unexpected warmth and it makes her smile.

To: Ben Hargreeves

Fancy seeing you here.

[the_horror]

He's so tired and he's emotionally dumped right now, but being around books and research is a comfort. Seated there, food long forgotten, drink too, he read through some things he found and frowned at it all.

Until there was something coming in across his sight. His hand lifted to swat it away and then frowned more. Mental Network. He really hated it. It felt like an invasion he didn't ask for. At least on his device he didn't feel like he had a over lay across his face. Maybe if it were just speech in his ear or something, it wouldn't be so bad, but this made him blink a lot, and distracted him from what he was reading.

It took a moment to realize who it was from. Head lifting (hand waving at his face a moment again) and looking towards Allison, who was smiling. The smile really did sit well on her features, and if Ben was feeling better, he might have smiled back.

"Hey, you. Couldn't resist the call to help either, huh?" He asked, sitting back and letting his book rest on his lap, ignored.

[numberthree]

The moment he raises a hand her face falters a little, because it can really only be one thing, and it takes him a second even after that to realize. To look up. Still in the middle of swatting the air even as his eyes found her not far away from him. There was a nod, about being at least in the roundabout ballpark of the reason that brought her here, even as she mouthed the word 'sorry' for the other part.

She could still pull out her notepad and marker. She always had them with her.

But she didn't usually use them as the go-to for her family.

[the_horror]

It's not that it bothers him so much as it's different. He's sleepy and a bit grumpy (and it might show with the lack of smile or emoting in general), and had himself thrown into research. The note pad wasn't needed.

The sorry just got a "Naw, you're fine." As he assumed she was apologizing for the sudden text. He took a breath, sitting up from where he had been leaned over and rubbed a hand over his face. "Take a seat?" He offered, his foot pushing a chair out for her.

He took a breath. Behave. Allison hasn't done anything. "I've been researching a bit of what I've heard about the lake."

[numberthree]

There's something wrong. She knows that, even if she hasn't seen Ben's face for an extended time in what feels like two decades. She still knows it. Even with all the time. Something is wrong, and she's pretty sure it's not their last conversation, about the house. Not when he goes out of his way to say she's fine, and offer her seat, and then to offer up even more explanation on what's happening.

All of its patently not her, but it's still there. Around the edges where he looks like he hasn't slept. Where it looks like something too heavy is hanging all over him, in a way that's familiar on all of them when they carry it, even though none of their two genetics in this family are alike. ....and yet.

Allison took a chair, with an air to concern and curiosity, but she at least started where he did.

I skipped the tour, but people seem to be talking about mobsters and aliens most? What has your research turned up?

[the_horror]

Something is wrong and his name is Klaus. Though at this point he doesn't figure any of them would understand. He's not really looking at her as she takes a seat, deciding to focus himself on the books before him. Its easier that way. The concerned look she gave him was enough for him not to look her in the face.

Instead he jumped into research.

"Not sure about aliens, but mobster dumping ground? Yes. They used to use this lake to dump bodies of people, alive or not, into the waters. It's deep enough in the middle that they wouldn't be seen in the clear waters, and it's cold enough that the chemical reactions to bloating wouldn't happen, so the bodies wouldn't float. Essentially leaving the bodies in tact, other than fish food."

He paused there, looking up at her now. "And if the locals are to be taken for their word, there might be more out there than just Tessie. What I can't figure out is why there is activity now of all times while it's been so silent for ages..."

[numberthree]

If Allison can't really dredge up horror for the image painted, she can at least appreciate the economy of how they picked the lake against the notion that it is so long ago, in someone else's world, that it isn't entirely worth a dramatic reaction. It does get interest, though, for the same reason that Ben displays it and it has her nodding. The why now is definitely the parts she pondered looking off the deck toward the calm of the contentious waters.

Has anything like this happened before here?

[the_horror]

He's read about this thing before. Bodies dumped in Tahoe isn't a new story, really. It's hit papers before. He liked stories about mobsters too, so it was up his field of interest in a way.

"I mean, I suppose there could be a lot of dumping grounds in lakes and things before this too, but Tahoe has that right mixture to keep bodies down and from resurfacing. As for the attacks reported, and the fact that a lot of boaters haven't returned? No clue. I haven't ran across anything about it else where yet. If it has happened, I'm missing it."

The Revenants

[desmodusdraculae]

Kirk had been keeping an eye out for Ben as soon as he saw the first drops of blood in the water, and hurled him up into the boat as quickly as he could. For such a slim man, he pulls Ben up and into the boat like it's nothing.

"I'm not hanging out with you anymore," he replies dryly. "Everything goes to hell when I hang out with you."

[the_horror]

"Whoa..." Could be herd from Ben as he was literally pulled up into the boat like it was nothing. He expected that kind of power from Luther or something, given hos big and strong he was, but it was a bit more startling from Kirk. He had to remember he wasn't what he seemed.

Dripping in the boat he huffed, checking out his leg. Ouch. Thank the nanites for their already trying to mend that, but still, that sucked. "Aww, Hey now, don't say that. Lazer tag was fun, wasn't it? You even won. Just because the moon was attacked doesn't mean lazer tag wasn't fun. This is... just different."

He looked up and grinned at the other. "We knew we were getting into trouble when we came out on the water." And at the mention of water, something under then pushed at the bottom of the boat, rocking it.

[desmodusdraculae]

As they hadn't thought to bring medical supplies with them--having aliens for teammates has skewed what Kirk considers appropriate supplies--he isn't fully sure what he can do to patch up that leg of Ben's, so he considers just heading back into town, getting more supplies, and trying again.

"I'm beginning to suspect that winning lazer tag caused this to happen, so watch it," he replies, the barest hint of a smile the only indicator that he's joking.

He'd been calculating how quickly he could get them back to land when the boat began to rock. Right, the revnants are still here.

"I don't suppose I could eat them." They didn't look particularly appetizing.

[the_horror]

Ben isn't too worried about the leg cut. It's not terrible and if he holds it together long enough it might stop. Right now, he's not really concerned about it. He maybe should be, if he knew what ws better for everyone, but here we are.

He narrowed his eyes a moment at the comment, then smirked, snorting at the comment. "See, I shouldn't have let you win." He teased.

The boat rocked and he held on a moment, turning to look to see how bad it is. There was... a hand full of them, trying to reach the boat.

"I mean, I suppose you could, but would you really want to?" He shuddered, drawing back. "If they're water zombies, maybe we just have to break their heads. You know, destroy the brain?"

And if it's breaking things, Ben is really good at that...

[desmodusdraculae]

Despite himself, he rolls his eyes. "Keep telling yourself that's what happened."

He leans over the side, getting a good look at the uglies for the first time. He's fought in a wide variety of situations over the years, but he's gotta admit this is first time fighting in the water, and it's bugging him how it's going to put him at a disadvantage. A combination of strength and speed--at least the way he usually utilizes them--isn't going to work here.

"So these underwater zombies want what? The brains of two people that can technically be classified as dead?"

Still, he's up for the suggestion. He grabs one by the neck and squeezes, snapping the neck with an ease that comes from practice.

[the_horror]

"Oh, I will keep telling myself that. Because that's what happened." he said with a easy grin. he hadn't felt like smiling or grinning for some time after his fight with Klaus, but jokes seem to come easy around Kirk.

Letting go of his leg and ignoring it for now he moved to lean over the edge to look at what was rocking the boat as well. "Too bad for these guys, I guess. You'd think we'd be so unappealing, dead brain meats and all." Okay, so that wasn't how it worked, but still.

And Kirk literally reached in, pulled one out and crushed it by the neck. With ease. Ben blinked, side glancing at Kirk with both brows lifted. "You should not be impressing me with your strength right now, but you totally are. What the hell man? You have speed, stealth, fangs and strength. What else are you hiding under your skin?"

That last term actually made Ben smirk a bit, but more for the fact that it was he who was hiding shit under his skin. "I can maybe take care of a hoard of them, but I don't want to get you hurt in the middle of it all..."

[desmodusdraculae]

Kirk just shoots him a wry smile before turning his attention to the bigger issue of the things at the boat.

He's halfway through using one to beat another when he looks over at Ben again. "A barely functioning circulatory system." A shrug. Look, if you want his weird powers all you have to do is take a tainted cancer cure. It's real fun!

At the last part, he just arches an eyebrow. "I've lived with aliens that could kill me with a look." Well, at least in Hernan's case. Bekka could just crush him. "I've gotten pretty good at getting out of the way."

Besides, he's curious at what Ben's got up his sleeve. Or under his skin, in this case.

[the_horror]

Oh, he doesn't WANT his powers, thanks. He has a good set of his own, but he is impressed by the others power set. It has to be handy, really.

Still, he steadied himself on the boat. It wasn't a small row boat at least, but not a bit cruiser either. He could easily go over if he throws his balance off wrong. Maybe he shouldn't have got in the water in the first place when he went exploring, but here we are.

"Alright. Hang on to your butts." He said, getting his foot hooked into something near the edge. His hand pulled his shirt up, soaked to the skin as it was, and bared his belly. For a moment nothing happened, and then, out of no where four long tentacles shot out and flailed out over the water, seeming to appear as if they were just freed for the first time in too long.

Ben leaned back a bit, arms to his sides, and the tentacles moved, three darting under water, reaching for the creatures in the deep. One shot to the edge of the boat, slamming a clawing body on the side of the boat into it, smashing the head. Tentacles twisted under water, pulling bodies up and squeezing. One's head popped off and crashed into the bed of the boat, another body ripped in half.

Ben hated what a mess his powers could be, but they did do a good job in ripping things apart.