Diamond_

Actually I am more PVE than PVP , though I have on occasion pvp'd. I took the time to read over your post since you took so long to write it out. I found it helpful and something to consider should I ever return to it.

I do see why you posted here and wish you luck in finding some folks to pvp with I am virtually exclusive to Virtue though, it has been my home since beta and I love it there. I do understand the frustration some folks experience with some of the poor attitudes displayed by some in the pvp arena...I usually just kill broadcast or zone out when I encounter it.

I do wish you the best and thanks for the pseudo guide you took the time to type out. I copied to notepad for future reference.

October 21st, 2009
Posted by Templar Lucianna
((The original one. New one coming soon!))

FADE IN:
A chiming mysterious sounding music plays, as the scenes play out with no sound

The camera pans across a moonlit suburban neighborhood. Children are out in Halloween costumes going door to door. The camera zooms in on one house.

Three children, a ghost, a boy dressed as Statesman, and a girl in a cowboy outfit walk up to the door and shout "Trick or Treat." Two soft pink balls of light float pass a window on the far side of the house, pass a closer window, then stop at the door, casting pink light on the children outside. The door opens and a delicate, female hand takes the candy bag from the ghost, then hands it back; something heavy was added to the bag.

The three children walk away from the house smiling. Statesman lifts his mask and pulls a bottle of Sprite out of the bag and takes a drink. A child in a spaceman outfit walks up to him and asks where he got the Sprite. Statesman points to the house behind him.

The next scene shows a long line of costumed children at the door and other children leaving, Sprite in hand. Diamond stands in the doorway, hands glowing softly. She gives a Sprite on a girl dressed as a princess and waves to the little girl with a smile on her face.

The scene changes to a pumpkin carved in the shape of a Sprite bottle then

:FADE OUT

================================================== ==========

October 25th, 2009 - King's Row, 'The Abbey'
Posted by Templar Fire Cat (RJ)

Rj's voice was soft and mysterious in the darkened room. A single flashlight lit up her face as she sat Indian style across the sleeping bag she had laid out across the floor. Across from her sat Phil, hanging on every word as she spoke. Around their sleeping bags was the pizza box and bottles of soda Kara had delivered just an hour or two before....

"The house was a fairly large semi detached house. It was late; around nine pm for a young girl of seven to return home. Being winter it was dark and raining. Lucy ran from the street up to the wooden door and rang the doorbell crying “Mommy, Mommy let me in.” After a while the door creaked open and Lucy wondered into the long wooden hall lined with stairs.

“Lucy. Where have you been!” Mother yelled at Lucy. Far from being afraid of the old women with curly black hair and a long nose that balanced spectacles, Lucy simply replied,

“I was at school mommy. I was drawing. Look.” Lucy rummaged in her bag and pulled out her sketchpad. Her mother sighed put decided to humor the little girl. She took the sketchbook from her daughter’s arms and opened it. The first drawing was of a china doll. Her mother recognized it immediately. It was a very expensive doll that had been passed down through the family for years. It had been her Mother’s most beloved possession. The Mother thumbed through the book and froze.

The next page had the same doll on it, but with a tiny chip on it’s arm with a caption reading 1890. The one after that the doll had a long scratch on it’s face. The caption read 1943. As her mother looked through the book she notices as time went on the doll slowly got more abused and well, broken. Finally she got to the present. The doll was missing an eyeball and most of the hair had been torn out. She turned the page. The caption for this page was Thursday. The doll was no longer smiling. It was grimacing. It had a large kitchen knife in one hand and blood on it’s dress. It was walking up a staircase.

Her mother was shocked. “What made you draw these things? Why did you draw them, sweety?”

“She told me to.” Lucy spoke distantly, almost painfully.

“Darling these are good drawings but they’re horrible. I don’t want you to draw them anymore. Draw nice things for mommy.”

“Oh, Okay.” said Lucy. She climbed the staircase into her bedroom. It was a small room with a bed and a closet. It was painted pink. On her bed lay the doll. It smiled up at her. She picked it up and admired it. It was her favorite. Lucy. Sweet Lucy. I love you.

“I love you too.” said Lucy.

Her mother was very upset. The macabre image of the doll had been burned into her head. Why had she drawn such things? Were there more? There only seemed to be one solution: Get rid of the doll.

The following morning after Lucy went to school Her mother went into her bedroom. The doll lay motionless on the bed. Something was wrong. Instead of the smile that was usually on the dolls face there was a grimace of rage. The one eye was staring angrily at her. Her mother felt her insides freeze. Then calmed herself. She would not let herself be beaten by a doll! She grabbed it and ran downstairs she went outside and threw it in the dustbin. She slammed the lid down and caught her breath.

Lucy came home late again. Mother was angry again “Lucy, where have you been.”

“At school mommy. I drew some more pictures!”

“May I see them?”

“Yup!” Her mother took the sketchbook from Lucy and opened it. There was a picture of the doll in a jail cell. The next picture showed the jail cell open.

“Why did you draw these pictures!” Her mother shouted and grabbed Lucy. “Why?!”

“Because she told me to. She showed me all about what happened to her. But she’s coming. She says she’ll take her revenge.”

“When? When!”

“Tonight.” Her mother’s world stopped. The clock on the wall seemed to slow down. Then she smiled and said “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you! No get to bed.”

Lucy went into her room and turned off the light. She found her way to her bed and crawled inside. Then the voice came to her. The voice of a little girl. “Lucy. I’m coming tonight.”

“Mommy will protect me.”

“Really…” A scream echoed through the house. Lucy jumped out of bed and ran down the stair. The door to the living room stood ajar. Lucy walked in. Mother was sitting on a sofa facing away from Lucy.

“Mommy?” Lucy walked towards Mother. Mother didn’t move. Lucy walked around the sofa and screamed. Mother had a chip in her arm. One of her eyes had been torn out, as had her hair. Blood poured from a gash on her face. All the injuries the little doll had. Lucy ran to her bedroom and hid under the covers.

“Lucy, I’m back!” The little girl cackled with glee and Lucy whimpered.

“Lucy, I’m on the first step!” Lucy heard a creak from outside her room.

“Leave me alone.” Cried Lucy. Tears gushed from her eyes.

“Lucy I’m on the second step!” creak. Lucy looked around. Where could she hide? The closet! Lucy got out of bed and climbed into the closet and locked it from the inside.

“Lucy I’m on the last step!” Lucy was breathing very quickly. Her eyes darted around. She couldn’t see anything.

“Lucy I’m on the landing!.” Lucy her footsteps and burst into fresh tears. She heard the door creak open.

“Lucy I’m in your bedroom!” The closet door started opening. The lock had broken! Lucy jumped out of the closet and ran to her bed.

“Lucy. I’m in your bed!” Lucy closed her eyes.

“Lucy, you’re dead!” Rj yelled it real loud and reached out quickly to tickle either side of the girl's sides.

Phil yelped and then squealed with delight as the momentary scare allowed her to escape the reality of what lay beyond the walls of the Abbey. She enjoyed spending moments like this with her Aunt Rj but it also sometimes reminded her of where her mother was right now and what she was doing tonight.

"Rj?" Phil giggled and asked as Rj sat back to take a long sip of her drink.

"Yes Phil?" Rj said sitting back.

"My Mom would've blasted that doll to pieces looong before it ever got to me" Phil smirked wickedly with sage nod of her little head.

Rj grinned and nodded as well "Yes she would've and you can take that to the bank sweetheart"

Phil reached over and snatched up Fly, Rj's ever present cat and offered a piece of sausage. She smiled as after inspecting it Fly happily began to munch. She sighed a little as she thought of her mom still outside dealing with things she wanted to help fight. She looked up at her Mom's friend.

"Rj?' Phil asked

"Yes?"

Phil smirked "Know any other scary stories?"

Rj just smiled and reached for the flashlight...

Outside of the Abbey a true cacophony of horror played throughout the streets of Paragon. The voices of the terrors of the night mixing in with the sirens and sounds of battle turning the night into an unholy symphony as the invasion continues...

Well my main and her alt versions will be staying on the side of light Diamond is really an all American style of hero. She is more than likely not going to stray.

Dark Chylde - another being of light and goodness though she has a predatory side, she too will most likely stay on the side of good.

Shocktrooper is the alt I have that will most likely turn vigelante and cross the border so to speak.

My main villian Dark Thorn is Diamond's preatorian alt, so Im not sure yet whether to reroll her as a Praetorian or just leave her a villian. She is more or less a seriel killer so I doubt she fits the mold of a Rogue but I will play it by ear when GR comes out.

I am most likely going to roll up a new character or characters to try out GR once it goes live. Just to try stuff out and see what is fun

Click This for the truth!

I've always loved the insanity that comes with this event, the eternal night and the raids, banner, zombie or GM. Adds to the over all manicness of it. I can do without the lag but overall I look forward to the event

Of course come next week I will be in my ..'is it over yet' phase. But never the first week

<From our boards, as always we thought it would be neat to tell ghost stories or funny halloween stories from This Year's events as we have for the last four years! I hope you enjoy them! Happy Halloween!>

October 20th, 2009 - King's Row

Kara was exhausted...completely.

She had been fighting all night, from the Rogue Islands to Paragon. She had used all of her pull to divert the Longbow Raid team she had been deploying with during her search for Katrina when the invasion alerts had sounded once more out over Paragon City.

The blaring fire and civil defense horns began sounding all through the city soon after the first attacks had begun. She like most this time were caught completely off guard by the early arrival of this renewed assault. Much like last year those that detect such things were off in their predictions. She, like most vetrans of such an invasion had known it was coming, yet her heart froze as she as she heard the reports and watched as the light bled out of the sky that morning.

Her first thought was for her daughter, she knew Phil was more than capable of fending off basic attacks but her heart was relieve when she got the call from RJ that Phil had made it to the Abbey. She would head there just as soon as she was able for it was Halloween time in Paragon City again...and once more the city found itself locked in a struggle to survive.

However this time the creatures and the walking dead had brought more allies, the cold dark night had a feel of greater evil, like a cool draft from a slaughter house.

She came to a rest at the Abbey's entrance. Over her shoulder she looked out across the mayhem of the city trapped in perpetual night once again. The flashing lights of the floating helicopters and airships could be seen across the whole of the city as they moved from one crisis to another. Their spotlights acting as beacons pointing directly down at each trouble spot for the multitudes of heroes now on call.

The shrill wail of the police and emergency sirens danced around her from the streets surrounding the Abbey to mix with the horrible trills and screeches of the city newest invaders. The cries of the undead and howls of the wolves blended with police gunfire and the far away booms and blasts from responding heroes helped to compose a terrifying opera of the night for the besieged city. A performance that continued uninterrupted across all the zones of the city she now called home.

She entered the darkened club, most of her family, those she knew to still be around were already out in the middle of this mess. Kara hesitated only a moment before she noticed the club's door was left slightly ajar, stepping over one the various 'booby traps' that had to have been set up by Phil, her little time honored halloween tradition, once more this time allowed by the staff. Good girl, she thought to herself as she moved into the living area of the base behind the bar. Of course her little hero was as prepared as always but still she worried.

She smirked as she thought how casually Phil was taking the events. She was even becoming exasperated sometimes with her guardian's persistent calls. Why Kara was even given an update on the goings on with the TV show 'Degrassi" they occasionally watched together.

Her heels clicked across the floor as she began to make herself a quick hot chocolate. Atop the counter, next to the box of 'supplies' of snacks and other such preferred food for the girl, Kara found the note left by RJ. She picked it up and read as she barely acknowledged a TV somewhere beyond the rooms blared on to an empty room updates and evacuation information still and the location of hastily set up 'rescue stations'.

RJ. the note said, had decided like most others to go out on patrol and help as much as she could until this crisis had passed. Phil was in their usual room in the back and was said to be awaiting her. She smiled at that shivering a little at the quiet of the darkened bar. The staff had left all of the doors within slightly ajar. For safety reasons ofcourse but the extra shadows just played on her mind and adding the crypt like feel of the empty club.

As she half listened to the news reports it seemed that thus far there were no real reports of the dead appearing beyond Paragon City and the Rogue Islands. The world may have been lucky...this time. There also seemed to be confusion surrounding the new adversary and something called 'banners'.

She half thought about sending Phil out of the city this year, given the mess with Katrina, kara's maternal instict was to spirit her daughter away as far as she could until the threat passed, yet something in Phil's determined voice had left that as only an option for now. Should things escalate further, Kara thought she would not hesitate to ship her out to her friend Katherine and her family, now hiding in the suburbs. Kara noted the number RJ left for Katherine should she decide to exercise just this option.

She shook her head at the thought for now as she retrieved her mug of hot chocolate from the microwave. Setting down the note she walked back out into the living area.

The wide-screen TV, though almost muted, bathed the rec room in a flickering blueish light as it showed various images and locales through out the city. Emergency information and instructions continued to run across the bottom of the screen telling any who remained awake what to do to secure themselves during Paragon's most recent invasion and how to reach an emergency rescue station. Reporters and experts added their impressions and advice as yet another night of the most recent invasion was coming to a close.

Kara paused as the TV showed yet another pitched battle in Peregrine with a rather large horde of the rising dead and some blurred shots of a massive beast she hadnt seen before. She shuddered, deep down in her core the idea of true zombies scared her, much like last year but the thought of a new foe terrified her. Adding to this what she had just learned from the MAGI briefing...

..It was going to be another long invasion.

Kara slipped carefully down the carpeted hallway to peek in on her daughter. Apparently she had decided to 'bunker' up once more. She smiled as the moved into the 'heavily defended' room carefully avoiding all of the 'critter traps' Phil was prone to set through out the room to capture any 'Halloween critters', as the Phil called them, that may come for them as she slept.

She knelt next to Phil's bed and re-wrapped her up in her thick comforter. Phil stirred as well a little her eyes opening a little as she murred gently "Oh..good you are home"

"Ssssh" Kara reassured "Go back to sleep squirtle..I'm here" She settled in next to her "As Always" She could feel the weariness seep into her joints. She smirked a little, knowing it wouldn't last, her form would reset soon enough but for now she was tired and sore. She sighed as she watched over her daughter for a moment and smiled.

Her heart stopped at the suddenness of her comm.’s buzzing. "Omigawd!" She leaned forward and kissed the top of Phil's head causing the child to stir only slightly this time and not awake again. Carefully as she maneuvered to avoid the traps, Kara navigated back out into the hall to answer her comm.

"What!?" Her voice weary but slightly annoyed at the interruption. She listened to the situation and briefing and shook her head. "Oh God Bill..like where are you?"

"No...I can't not right at the moment, I'm down for a few hours..." She smirked at the passive attempt by her old friend as he fed her the current situation in Steel and Founder's Falls.

"No...No...Yes...fine I will as soon as I can" She listened to him finally understand who she was with and where she was at the moment.

"...all right Kar...get some rest, you are needed there..." in the background she could hear the cries for backup and Bill yell to someone to 'GET DOWN'...there was a pause followed by his radioactive blasts. "We can hold here...its been a helluva a day...well night now...."

"Its been days..." she droned really tired as she looked back to her spot on the bed next to Phil's sleeping form.

"All right Kar" Guardian Star cut her to the chase "I'll call around 8....all right?" his tone very much like a big brother. "Get some rest"

"So sounds good Bill...use the alliance comm if it really gets bad"

"Nah we got it...as Nancy and Kevin say " he added with the chuckle "It cant get any more bad then how these things smell....nighters kiddo!"

"Bill there are reports of a new...." She began to add wearily.

"Yeah ....trust me it will be here for you, get some rest. There are enough of us out here right now...the National Guard is on its way to help the PCPD with the evacs and set up more rescue stations...go to bed!"

She smiled, leave it to Bill to find humor in such a terrifying situation. She clicked off her comm and turned to walk back into the 'bunkered' room not even bothering with the light nor even to change out of her costume as she settled back under the comforter. She paused only to set her mug on the small table to her right as the TV continued to drone on just beyond the wall of their room.

"...THIS SITUATION IS CONTROLLABLE. PEOPLE MUST COME TO GRIPS WITH THIS CONCEPT...IT'S EXTREMELY DIFFICULT..."

THE SITUATION MUST BE CONTROLLED...BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE...THEY ARE MULTIPLYING TOO RAPIDLY..."

"...CITIZENS SHOULD BE MOVING INTO CENTRAL AREAS OF EACH ZONE OF THE CITY...OR TO ONE OF THE NATIONAL GUARD EVACUATION AREAS...INTERSTATE ACCESS AND HIGHWAYS REMAINED BOTTLE NECKED..."

Kara sighed as her eyes fluttered shut, the mutual peaceful rhythm of her daughter's breathing winning out over her desire to remain awake. Soon she found herself in a fitful sleep as across the city, darkness and the walking dead continued their strange danse macabre with the citizens and heroes of Paragon City...

87.88 for me, was a neat test

This thread reminds me of a quote from the Movie Excalibur. King Arthur when he believes all of his knights have brought peace and harmony to his kingdom asks Merlin where then does evil still exist?

Merlin's response : "Always where you least expect it"

I think aside from the natural disasters and such to rescue folks from, we would see in time a growing new evil rear its ugly head. Most likely from our own ranks as Merlin suggested and was in fact proven right.

I can honestly say that even now after 5 years of CoX I simply still have fun doing any f that, though I do not PvP that much when I do I had fun, even if I ran into a few jerks that hang there. I always ran into a few PvPers who took the time to explain stuff and try to help. I rp , Badge hunt, and love TF's.

The game is still a joy and I am loving I16 and eagerly awaiting Going Rogue!

So nope you aren't the only one

Actually I have found some of the answers to why such and such a power is a different color now to be just as entertaining to hear as learning a Characters background. Some of them range from deep and well thought out to well just so darn funny.

Yes I get the occasion "um ..why not?" and "Cuz its hella cool"...but by and large some of the answers I get when I ask are very interesting

I rather love the new issue, I have been having fun tweaking my main's and my various alts' powers and I just love the new challenges the new mission difficulty system has to offer!

I mean seriously if you can't find fun in this issue, you are bored with the game as a whole. I like the direction COX has been taking and I am really looking forward to what Going Rogue is going to have to offer!

Awesome as always Steel and well worth the chuckle, hardly a waste of my five minutes

An interesting idea! I would definitely play it just to see how it feels to FLY!

While I did not know your friend, my prayers and those of my family go out to his and to you and yours for losing a friend

I am sorry, though I did not know him for your loss.

I think this is an awesome idea!

Will make smaller teams, say if you are on with two friends and dont have the level spread for you to team together without alting, now you can with your favorite character. One friend needs INF, one is gaining experience, one is just there to help...whammo.

This now makes such a small team possible. This is a long time in coming and i am glad it finally showed up

Just thought AI would pop in and say hello to all of these new folks! and maybe give others a chance to say hi and stuff to each other.

Corny? maybe. But just wanted to say hi! and that I think its great that we now share a board or space.

Is this temp does anyone know? Or are our boards now perma linked?

Either way Hi again!

August 6th, 2009 - Atlas Park

There are some things you just shouldn’t know...

Images that get fried into your visual memory and just make you want to reach for a bottle of brain bleach and empty the bottle across the entirety of the damaged gray matter...

Watching as a trusted contact gets nabbed by an Arachanos death squad and knowing that there is nothing you can do or you might get killed the ones he sent you to save.

Seeing the remains of a brutal fire that though you tried your best you weren't able to save all of those inside.

Having to talk to the police and explain about the multiple child murderer you chased out onto the tram rail in King's Row just as the 8:15 from Steel Canyon arrives to end the chase.

Getting lost and turned around in Pocket D and then stumbling into the badly lit corners, seeing...no hearing what actually goes on in the shadows...

All of those as a hero in Paragon City are right up there at the top of the list...

But standing in your mother’s kitchen while she tries to justify why she just slept with the witness you were hiding out at her house as an image of her in bed with a man she just met the day before doing… well, you know.

The very thing she herself would constantly worry and warn you about all through high school and even threaten to ground you over and provide pamphlets about teen pregnancy should it even be hinted you considered it with Kara or Becky Sue Holiday.

There’s not enough bleach in the world to wipe out such image along with all of the accompanying sights and sounds. All you can do is file it away with all of the other unpleasant things that are stuck in your head and hope your experience kicks in to keeps it buried...

DEEP.

"William? " His mother's voice cut through his attempted mental escape through inner dialogue. "Are you listening to me?"

Bill could only weakly smile as Kara walked up and cleared her throat politely. "Yes Ma'am" He tried weakly before turning to face a rather red faced and bemused Heroine. Diamond's face brimmed with a failed attempt to conceal her amusement. "Yes?" He asked knowing she would be no help with all of this later.

"Um...excuse me Mrs. Chamberlin" Kara said to his Mother politely, the pair shared an unspoken look, one that was at once understanding and at the same time allowed his mother to find a moment to gather up a little more dignity. No small feat however as the apartment was now swarming with Deputies from the Marshal's witness protection program and a smattering of Longbow Agents here and outside of the small apartment block.

"They are about to take Mr. Jenner away now " Kara continued to Bill "It seems his information may be a solid lead..." she lowered her voice as she guided Bill a bit more into the hallway "It seems we have a target for tonight's raids"

Bill met her more serious gaze and asked "The Slavers base of Ops?" she only nodded and then her impish grin returned, a twinkle appeared in her weary eyes, he steeled himself for what was to come.

"Why don't you take a few moments with Mom and I'll um meet you outside " She was smiling now ever so sweetly "I will see Mr. Jenner gets to the transport safely...okies?"

Bill fidgeted and sighed it would be just easier to agree with her "Sure that sounds fine" he nodded though he didn't look forward to it "I'll meet you outside " he cast a look back to the kitchen as she spoke again softer.

"Bill....go easy on her. I like mean ever since your Dad's...." she left the rest unsaid. She knew too well what His Dad had meant to him. She had even been there two years ago at the funeral by his side as she had for the last three years as he learned to be a hero.

"Yeah...I know.."

"it's so not been easy on her either" Kara added gently.

"Kar..." He began and then stopped "I'll be fine..it's not what you think..I mean...she's my mom and ...well"

Kara just rolled her eyes..."Men" with one gentle squeeze on her friend's arm she went out to see to their witness.

"William?" He mom called out from the kitchen.

With a droop of his shoulders Guardian Star, brave hero and survivor of countless battles with evil villains and dastardly monsters strode forth to the kitchen. A series of battle and experiences he couldn't have possibly imaged when he first came to the city. He knew he had to be sensitive and understanding.

Strong and supportive of his mom, however the image...

...the image...

lol I still remember rushing into the park after finding the gate and to start looking for thorns. Only to immediately draw the attention of .....Clocks....seemed like hundres of them. Naturally I panicked and fled...only to discovers Vahz...

Wash rinse repeat substituting Vahz with Hellions...or skulls...before learning this team thing seems like a better idea more and more.

I still go to the park for badges and the kill X missions and I still get that old feeling of panic when I do it solo.