Magnus_NA

Are there any SGs out there with a Wings theme? I think it would be really cool to see a "flock" of heroes flying together to a mission, attacking mobs from the sky, and swooping down to defend justice. Imagine the terror in the enemies' hearts when they look up and see their demise flapping in the air above them.

Needless to say, I would love to join an SG where all the characters use flight and have wings.
Thanks in advance!

Great event! I love the mission, the snow effects, and the ski resort where Father Time is located. It's great fun skiing and skating on the slope and ice.

That being said, the Baby New Year in the mission is one freakin ugly baby! Did they just put an adult head on a Rikti monkey? Must be an experiment gone awry from the Lost.
Just sayin

Deleted because was double posted. I'm such a noobie

Wasn't there a character named Cricket on The Young and the Restless?

Anyway, welcome to the forum!

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Now we just need a bare leg option for men, and a cape with that same pattern on the bottom edge

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I completely concur. It's a shame the devs seem to have an issue with giving male toons a shorts or bare leg option of any kind, especially with this toga deal. I dunno about you but I've never seen a toga over tights, pants or anything else other than bare legs.

Shorts for guys! Hell, give me briefs and bare legs for guys! I've got a broadsword scrapper that would so Conan it up like that.

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I totally agree! Give us some bareskin options for the menz!

Ok, here's mine to celebrate the season

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Really nice info and background story, but I'm confused: The article states that his base of operations is in Steel Canyon, but everyone knows he hides out in the Hollows. Am I missing something?

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Their main base *is* in Steel Canyon, but as the article explains, a splinter group of the Outcasts has moved into the Hollows. I think it can be safe to say Frostfire is hanging out with them to make sure this chapter can hold its own ... and he would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling capes!


As to the timeline:

Hollowing - Late 2000

Rikti War - 2002

cheers,
Arctic_Sun

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OMG! A red-name replied to one of my posts!!! *gets up and does the cabbage-patch dance* Yippee! (Yes, it doesn't take much to make me happy)

Really nice info and background story, but I'm confused: The article states that his base of operations is in Steel Canyon, but everyone knows he hides out in the Hollows. Am I missing something?

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Interesting-it seems like those who got the CE from EB Games have all 7, but those who got it from Gamestop have problems.

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Oh No! I pre-ordered mine from Gamestop as well!
I'm planning on picking up my CE tomorrow morning; guess I can expect to be missing Ghost Widow

Well wishes and best of luck to your brother, and to all of our men and women serving in Iraq, or anywhere, for that matter. My cousin's son is in Iraq, too. It's amazing to read how many people have served or know someone who's serving.

Anyway, keep up the great work with CoH. I really like the game, and look forward to many more hours of online fun.

"I will be back," replied Magnus. "Farewell."

He gave a final wave to the petite ice woman and left the building. He felt much better than he had in days, though his heart was still heavy. He thought about Narshawn's words. "Be well, do good." What a profound yet simple mantra. He would remember that phrase, and do his best to make it reality.

He was grateful to Narshawn for letting him unburden his repressed feelings upon her. Magnus knew he would come back to the Ladies by the Lake someday soon, when the time was right.

((OOC: Yes, Magnus will return eventually. I've enjoyed this brief dabbling in RP fiction; it was quite fun. Thanks again for your encouragement, and for the enjoyable stories I've read here.))

Thanks for the advice! I usually play a controller, so I wasn't used to all the aggro I was getting in teams as a fire blaster. I was doing all the things you state NOT to do: attacking early, running away to avoid being aggro'd upon (and hence running away from team healers in the process), etc. I'll definitely take your advice, and hopefully I won't incur so much debt now.

One thing: One time most of my team ended up dead on the floor, and this one tanker said to me thru team chat "hey, howcome your end is full? Cuz you f**kin ran!" I told him my end fills up quickly, and I was trying to time my attacks well. I ended up dead just like him, didn't I? I was pretty miffed that he implied I wasn't putting my fair share into the battle.


Okay, vent over. Thank you again

His cheeks moist from tears, Magnus released a deep sigh. His voice was soft, and filled with emotion. “My grandmother’s body was stiff and cold. She had been dead for at least several hours. I just held her tightly and rocked her back and forth. I cried and cried for…I don’t know how long. I can’t remember what happened after that. Some neighbors came by and someone called the coroner. I later found out that lola died from a heart attack.”

The young man paused and took a large gulp of the fresh drink Narshawn placed in front of him. “I broke my grandmother’s heart, and that’s why she died. She couldn't deal with what I told her; it went against all her beliefs.” He wept openly now, unconcerned that some nearby customers glanced or stared at him. Whether out of curiosity or pity, Magnus did not know nor care. He grabbed several napkins off the bar counter and dabbed his tears as he struggled to control himself.

“I’m sorry for disturbing the other patrons,” he said quietly. “I guess…the hurt is still too fresh and deep. The saddest part is, the last words she said to me were ‘I did not raise you to be this way. Why do you want to be like this? Are you trying to hurt me?’” Magnus stifled his last few sobs and finished the last of this drink.

For several long minutes, Magnus just stared ahead in silence, lost in his own thoughts. Narshawn remained a comforting presence, even when she attended other customers.

After drying his tears and regaining his composure, Magnus attempted a tentative smile. His red eyes were puffy but grateful. “Narshawn, I want to thank you again for listening. You’ve helped me quite a great deal, and…well, you’re only the second person I’ve told about my…orientation. I still have a lot to deal with. I hope I haven’t disturbed you or the other patrons of this restaurant too much with my emotional display.” He rose from his seat and left a generous amount of money at the bar. “I hope to come back here some time, and I'd like to think I'll be in a better mood by that time."

“Thank you again, Narshawn,” replied Magnus. He could feel his eyelids drooping a bit from his hard beverages, but his mind was still racing from sharing his story.

“Unable to get my grandmother to open her bedroom door, I stormed out of the house, not knowing where to go, or what to do. I ran blindly into the night, filled with an anxiety I’d never felt before.” He sniffed and rubbed his red eyes a bit. “I found myself in the Hollows, and just started fighting every troll, Hellion, or Outcast that I could find. I ended up at the hospital many times, but just raced back to the Red River or Eastgate, not caring what happened to me.”

“After almost twenty four hours of continuous fighting, I just collapsed on a park bench, exhausted in body and spirit. If you think my face is a mess now, you should have seen me five days ago.” He chuckled without humor. “I remember a police officer waking me up, asking why I wasn’t home resting. At mention of the word 'home', pain of my grandmother’s rejection hit me with renewed strength. I rushed back home to see if lola had finally opened the door.”

Magnus drained his third glass of liquor. “Her bedroom door was still locked. I kept knocking and pleading with her to open up, but there was only silence. But unlike before…I couldn’t hear her shuffling about, or the television, or her crying.” There was slight slur to the young man’s speech. “I became really worried, and I was somehow able to break the door down. She was sleeping on her bed, and I rushed to her side, saying ‘Lola! Lola! I’m back home now. Are you all right? Let’s talk, okay?’”

Magnus winced and rubbed his forehead. “But she didn’t hear me. She couldn’t hear anything.” The blue-haired hero looked straight into his empty glass and spoke in a hoarse whisper. “My grandmother was dead.”

“This Gal you speak of is very wise, Narshawn,” mused Magnus. “I thinking finding love where you can is a fundamental lesson of life.” He took another sip of his drink. Was it his third already? He could feel himself loosening up, and able to talk more easily.

“It was after a costly but victorious battle that I decided to share a long-held secret with my lola. She was the closest person in the world to me, but there was a part of my life I kept hidden from her.” The young Filipino-American let out a heavy sigh. “I told my grandmother that I…that I like men.”

Magnus prepared to feel sick with shame about divulging such intimate information with a relative stranger, but he was surprised at how easy it was. Perhaps his inebriated state had something to do with it? That, and the fact that Narshawn was such a good listener.

“My lola didn’t understand at first,” Magnus continued. “But after I explained it a bit more, she realized what I was saying. She was devastated.” He could feel his eyes welling up again. “My grandmother cried and asked how I could choose this way of life, and then went to her bedroom and locked the door.”

Magnus shuddered at the memory. “I pleaded with her to let me in so we could talk more about it, but she gave me the silent treatment. Nothing I did or said could get her to open that door.” He rubbed his forehead in remembered irritation. “It killed me inside to have the only person I loved, my only family, reject me so quickly and completely.”

He brushed a tear from his cheek and made sure none of the other customers noticed his blubbering. “I was at a loss, and I think I went a little insane right after that.”

“Not at all,” Magnus replied. He stared at his empty glass and moved it in small circles on the coaster.

He was about to continue his story when Narshawn apologized and excused herself. The petite lady went over to a distinct group of women who had entered the restaurant. She greeted some women as if they were equal colleagues; to others she made formal gestures of respect. Quite a diverse group, in terms of ethnicity and race, but they had similar clothing and an honorable demeanor in common.

Being raised Roman Catholic, Magnus was unfamiliar with this religious-looking gathering. He had heard of female-oriented spiritual groups and the like, but never observed one first hand. He was definitely curious, but did not wish to offend. Magnus tried not to stare, but he welcomed the break from painful memories.

“Such beautiful garments,” Magnus thought to himself. Reminded of his own sorry state of dress, the young man looked down on his battle-dirtied fighting garb and grimaced in disapproval.

Narshawn hovered back and apologized again for having to leave.

“It’s quite all right,” Magnus said. “I realize you have work to do.” He could feel the alcohol starting to affect him somewhat, and enjoyed the warm feeling in his stomach. “Narshawn, could I have another round of that delicious liquor?”

As she poured him another drink, Magnus asked, “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but what is that gathering of women all about? Are you a part of the group? If you need to leave and take part in their activities, by all means, please go ahead.” He took a big sip of his freshly-filled glass.

Magnus nodded bleakly, slowly. He sighed heavily and calmed himself down.

“Thank you for withholding judgement,” he said.

“I was born in the Philippines, and moved to San Francisco with my parents and ‘lola’ when I was just a baby. ‘Lola’ is the Tagalog word for ‘grandmother’,” he explained. “My mother and father died in a car accident when I was very young, so lola took care of me.” He chuckled in fond memory of her. “She loved hearing stories about the heroes of Paragon city, and how she wished there were more of them near where we lived. She talked about them all the time.”

He drank more of the rose-colored liquor before continuing. “I was an excellent student in school, and while in college, I assisted a physicist doing research on gravity and kinetics. She needed a human volunteer for one of her experiments. There were risks involved, but the goal was to give a person superhuman abilities. I saw this as a chance to become one of those heroes my lola admired so much, so I volunteered to be the human guinea pig.”

Magnus put the glass down and smiled a little. “Fortunately, the experiment was a success: I developed incredible powers over gravity and kinetic energy. The only side effect was that my hair turned blue. After college, I used my new abilities to fight crime. My lola and I eventually saved up enough money to move to Paragon, the city of heroes. I made a few friends and teamed up with heroes now and then. Lola was so very proud of me.”

Magnus paused and rubbed his bruised cheek. “She held me in such high-regard because of my hero status. She would brag to the neighbors about her grandson, a hero of Paragon City. My lola didn’t care that the city was filled with heroes; I was the only one that mattered. In her eyes, I could do no wrong.”

The young man took another big gulp of his drink. “I felt it was a good time to tell her my secret.”

Magnus accepted the glass and took a sip of the subtlety aromatic fluid. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and coughed a bit before saying, “Wow, I wasn’t prepared for such a strong beverage!” He gave a little smile and took another furtive sip. “But it has a nice flavor. Thank you.”

The pink-hued drink intrigued Magnus, as did Narshawn’s offer to listen to him. He was trying his best to control his emotions; if he started sharing his problems with this petite woman, would he end up re-living the pain and break down? Yet, Magnus sensed a strange mixture of naivete and detached wisdom within the icy Narshawn. She seemed to have a sympathetic ear and a genuine interest in his tribulations. Perhaps unburdening some of his troubles would make him feel better.

The blue-haired man lowered his eyes. “Thank you for offering to listen, Narshawn.” He took another sip. “I…” he stumbled. “I was…am…an only child, and was raised by my paternal grandmother. She’s my only family, and I love her so much.” He glanced at Narshawn and took some comfort in her patient attentiveness. “She passed away one week ago.”

Magnus felt his eyes well up with sorrow, but tightened his jaw and refused to shed more tears. “I believe that,” he stammered in a hoarse whisper, “I am responsible for her death.”

Magnus’ eyes grew wide with wonder at the sight of the ice woman’s crystal-like arm.

“I am of this world,” he replied. “From a city called San Francisco. Are you familiar with it?” Magnus finished his delicious soup and sopped the remaining drops with his last piece of bread. He felt much better after the comforting food.

The young man glanced around the bar area, and his eyes lingered on an attractive Caucasian hero about the same age as himself. Magnus’ natural instinct was to smile pleasantly, hoping to catch his attention, but that action was quickly smothered by an overwhelming sense of guilt and shame.

Magnus abruptly turned away and gulped the rest of his drink. “Narshawn,” he asked. “Can I please have another drink? Perhaps something much stronger.” He stared ahead blankly, his brow knitted in serious thought.

Unsure of what “roetenbrot” was, Magnus decided on the German onion soup instead. He had tried it once before somewhere else, and remembered it as being quite delicious.

“I’ll have the Zwiebelsuppe, please,” he asked Gertrude. She left to place his order, and Magnus saw that Narshawn was speaking with another customer, who didn’t look human, either. However, this being Paragon City, Magnus was used to many non-human types.

Except for the haughty-looking gentleman guarding the dining room entrance, Magnus didn’t notice any male wait staff. Then again, the place is called the Ladies by the Lake. Quite a different environment from the bars he’s used to patronizing. He didn’t see a lot of those places in Paragon City. “I’ll just have to find them, I guess,” he thought to himself as he took a large gulp of his hard drink.”

The food arrived, and the smell whet Magnus’ appetite. He took a large spoonful of the soup and smiled in satisfaction.

“Great recommendation, Narshawn,” he said to the ice maiden. “It really hits the spot.” He enjoyed a few more mouthfuls before asking, “Narshawn, are you able to eat, um….you know…common human food, like hot soup?”

“Nice to meet you, Narshawn,” replied the young man. “I’m Magnus.” He almost offered his hand for a shake, but noticed the whorls of frost emanating from the small woman’s body and became concerned about getting frozen fingers. Instead, he smiled broadly and nodded.

“I would like a gin and tonic.” Magnus rubbed his forehead and added, “Heavy on the gin, please.” He looked sheepishly at Narshawn and then lowered his gaze to the bar counter. “Do I come across as being tense, or are you just good at reading people?”

He sighed and perused the menu, licking his lips at most of the items he read. “Can I have a large bowl of your best soup, and a hearty piece of crusty bread to go with it?”

Magnus turned in his chair and scanned the other patrons near the bar. Good-looking and diverse group, for the most part. He noticed an older woman, maybe in her 70s, sitting by herself at a distant table, drinking some hot tea. He smiled sentimentally, and felt his throat tighten in emotion.

He turned away, disgusted at himself for being so sensitive, and shifted his attention back to the mysterious Narshawn.

((OOC: This is my first try at RP story writing. Thanks for the encouragement, and for this thread. Quite fun so far. Hope to learn more as I go along.))

Magnus entered the restroom, locked the door behind him, and wept.

After several long minutes, he gained control of his emotions and looked at himself in the mirror. “Don’t think about her, fool!” he admonished himself. “Especially while out in public. You’re a HERO for goodness sake!”

Two gashes across his forehead, a purple bruise on his right cheek, and large burn marks on his neck and forearms detracted from his above-average appearance. His naturally tan skin (due to his Filipino ethnicity) was speckled with dry blood, not all of it his own. His usually neatly-groomed blue hair was disheveled, and he frowned at his reflection before washing his face.

After patting himself dry with paper towels, Magnus reflected on what the woman at the bar told him, and he realized how inappropriately dressed he was for such a nice establishment. “What was I thinking?” he reprimanded himself. “I’m not dressed for this place. At least she said I could sit at the bar.”

Refreshed from the wash, the young man exited the restroom and sat at the bar. He did his best to smile at Gypsy, but his eyes held a sadness that his grin could not mask. “I’m sorry for being inadequately dressed,” he apologized. “I’m just so hungry, and I’ve heard so many good things about this place.”

Hello, Kitty!
Okay, like you never heard that before, right?
Anyway, I'm a relative newcomer to the forums, and I must say, I enjoyed your short story very much. It doesn't beg to have a next chapter or follow-up story, but it certainly comes across as a prologue of something that happens later. Keep up the good writing! I'll make a point of looking for more of your postings.

Fingers scarlet from wiping the sticky blood on his forehead, Magnus tramped towards the restaurant. The young man was exhausted, injured, and famished.

“I knew I should have bought more health inspirations from David,” he muttered to himself before reading the menu posted on the window. Magnus scanned the listed items and made like a Pavlovian dog as his mouth watered at the thought of some home-style cooking. “Resting is always good, but nothing takes the place of some real food in the stomach,” he thought to himself as he pushed open the door and looked around.

Magnus surveyed the dining room and noted the number of heroes about. He glanced down at his muddy clothes and bruised muscles, and grew self-conscious. “I must look a mess,” he thought. “But I’m so hungry, I could eat a spare part from one of the Lost.”

Standing awkwardly, Magnus wasn’t sure if he had to wait to be seated, or if he should find a table by himself. He finally decided to sit at the counter and slumped down in obvious fatigue. He asked for water and drank the entire glass in a few seconds. Magnus smiled at the person behind the counter and said, “Thanks. That really hit the spot. Now," he continued as he raised one eyebrow, "What do you recommend for a hungry hero hailing from the horrific Hollows?”