Dr. Armstrong and Ebonclaw (FreakFest 2007)

Necromundus: Purgatory Tavern


 * The Purgatory Tavern, a popular hangout for Necromundus' longtime

denizens and newcomers alike, mostly takes advantage of natural light - or the

lack thereof. The sometimes wobbly tables and crooked-backed chairs are

scattered throughout blue and violet shadows that are only vaguely disturbed

by the illumination provided through porthole-like windows by the glowing

archways in the nearby Portal Plaza.

``Jacob tells a spooky story to those who will listen``

Jacob comes in, as the Bear looks about to the others present, "I've heard there's a dire need of tales for this spooky night?" making his way closer to the fire before throwing powder to it, causing it to burst up in flame into a bright and warm thing. "Gather 'round, for I've a story to tell, concearning too wee children, Aubrey and Stan, and thier encounter with Dr. Armstrong and Ebonyclaw."

Meldor hopes off his chair, the basket of fruit floating behind him. "And already your tail is more interesting than the butcher's sword," he remarks in a dry, british voice.

Phoenix shifts her chair to look at Jacob, tugging the bowl of popcorn closer and munching on a handful. She sips from the whiskey bottle again, "Coherency. Already, I like this story."

Bakonawa turns his head sharply to view the codemonkey curiously. His long neck stretches out and he sniffs at Meldor experimentally, lower jaw bobbing as he breathes.

Whitefur eyes the big stinky dragon. He gives a low sniff, and pays attention to Jacob, ears twitching.

Jacob grins slyly, as the fire illuminates his muzzle. "Two young children, Aubrey and Stan, live on in this afterlife much like they lived in thier natural ones. Innocent, playful...and curious. For the years they've lived in Necromundus, they played together, explored together. You could never find one without the other close behind. A few years ago, the two were playing on an eve such as this, when they looked over to thier newest neighbor in the Dead End Gardens estates. A recently built house, with many movers, but they had never seen the owner, only a name plaque by the front door, Dr. Andrew Armstrong. With a glance to each other, the pair decided that tonights adventure would be to meet this Dr. Armstrong, to see who he is."

Phoenix peers at Bakonawa and then looks over at Meldor, asking softly, "If he tries t' eat you or somethin' stupid like that, can I make pate out of what's left of him?" And then Jacob starts talking, so she shushes, asides from the sounds of popcorn being munched.

Meldor laughs softly, tweaking the dwagon's nose. "There would be nothing left of him," he mutters to Phoenix, turning to look at Jacob with interest gleaming in his eeyes.

Bakonawa snaps indignatley at Meldor, his lower jaw twitching somewhat before a pleasant bath of acidic air is blown over Meldor and Phoenix. He takes a deep breath in before returning to his steak.

Jacob keeps speaking, "Now, the pair had chosen the late evening to go and meet him. Maybe he was a very busy man in the afterlife here. It would be a good time to pay a visit, and he might even have fresh baked cookies." he pauses a moment. "As the two got to the front door, they knocked, but then heard a noise from inside the house....Thud-Thud-Clank-Thud ... Thud-Thud-Clank-Thud. The pair looked to each other to figure out what the cause of the noise was, but the two were innocent, and so they waited at the front door, knocking politely a second time, and again the 'Thud-Thud-Clank-Thud' noise was heard."

Whitefur rolls his eyes at the dragon. "You sir, I could mop the floor with you. So knock it off," he says, and goes back to paying attention to the fuzzy bear. New teddy friend!

Phoenix scowls at Bakonawa, "Dude, I told you before - don't frizz my hair up. Just 'cause you got a bit more powerful than you were when I met you, that doesn't mean I can't still turn you int' pate." She returns her attention to Jacob, murmuring something that might be an apology and gesturing for him to continue.

Meldor is silent, ignoring the big dragon.

Jacob continues, "They waited, and slowly began to think that something might be amiss, but before they could turn away to go home, the door opened to the estate, and out steped Dr. Armstrong, a tall thin human in a white lab coat. With his hands in his pockets, he looked down to the two children. "What are you two doing out here on a eve such as this?" He asked the pair, "Your families must be worried. But, the pair of you look famished. Come on inside and sit a spell, and I will begin to brew some hot cocoa for the both of you." The pair having seen the nice man, put thier doubts aside and came on in. Lead to a living room and allowed to sit, the Doctor said "It will only be a minute." as he disappeared into the kitchen, and out of sight."

The dragon snaps nonchalantly once more, pushing himself onto his feet with a sigh, "Obviously I have no need for such tales, when the patrons themselves are so ready to intimidate." he drawls, snapping the lion steak in between his teeth and turning around on the spot. He pushes back towards the door, tail swishing back and knocking a chair over... oops!

Whitefur tilts his head slightly as he listens with interest. Rrrt?

Phoenix peers after Bakonawa and idly pitches a tomato after him. She doesn't really look away from Jacob as she does so, though.

Meldor grins softly, then snaps his fingers, disappearing. Ghostly voice calls. "Enjoy your tellings. Monkey has other business."

Jacob looks over to the dragon a moment, shaking his head as he looks back and continues his tale. "That minute the good doctor had promised seemed to stretch on to the pair, as suddenly a howl from a wolf nearby echoed through the estate. Worried about the doctor, the pair ran to the kitchen. When they opened the door...they found Dr. Armstrong standing there, brewing the hot cocoa with one hand, just as he had promised. Looking him over, they noticed a few drops of red on the pocket where his other hand was buried. Asking what had happened, he merely shruged and said "It was a small accident, and a cut my finger, but by tommarow, I will be fine." Ushering the pair back out to the sitting room, the doctor handed each of them a mug of cocoa. And the pair, innocent souls bless them...began to drink."

The tomato lands on Bakonawa's hind, splatting against his scales without appearing to bother him unduly. He's out of the tavern soon after.

Whitefur blinks a few times. He's liking this story.

Phoenix continues to listen, sipping from her bottle of whiskey.

Jacob grins slyly, "The cocoa disappeared quickly, as it was quite tasty. But soon, the pair began to feel odd. Burning even, like they had been out under the hot day sun, and nothing could cool them off. Not even the chills of the afternoon could help them, as they sit in the sitting room. Half an hour passed, with nothing but small talk, when Aubrey felt a shooting pain along her spine, and Stan could feel his arms growing in length, pulling his skin taut as he began to whimper in pain. The Doctor just sat there, watching the pair with an evil grin on his lips. "You will be all right. Soon enough. My children..."

Whitefur listens intently, his whiskers twitching a little.

Phoenix keeps listening. She eats another handful of popcorn, and then offers the bowl to Whitefur.

Jacob keeps the story going around the fire. "To the children, time seemed to stretch out once more, unending pain from all over thier bodies as things changed. But it was only over the next ten minutes that the Doctor sat and watched. Soon enough, there were two nearly identicle wolves sitting there in the sitting room, as the doctor looked on. But to his dismay, Stan kept changing, bones lengthing and stretching, ripping the flesh from his bones as his skeleton outgrew his body. With a pained gasp, Stan died. But, the potion that they had been given was strong, so as soon as he reformed, his body would only begin to grow again, ripping itself apart, to die in an eternal cycle." he pauses a moment, "But, what happened of the Doctor and Aubrey? Surely, Aubrey would do anything to save Stan, right?"

"Surely," Whitefur echoes, quite interested.

Phoenix just sips at her whiskey, raising her eyebrows at Jacob and waiting to see what happens next.

Jacob works the story, "Aubrey was feeling a bit furry and not herself anymore, when the Doctor showed himself to be what he truely was. A monster wolf named EbonClaw, with one paw missing and replaced with a giant metal claw. Pulling her away from the constant wreck that was Stan. She yips and yowled, trying to get back to Stan, to do something, anything. But, she was powerless in the face of the monster. She was dragged away that night, and the estate disappeared before morning, leaving only an empty construction lot. Though, some say that they hear Aubrey late late at night, often on nights much like this, when she howls her lament to his loss. Though, anytime anyone goes to look for her...they never seem to find her. My word of warning it that on nights...much like this one. When you hear a Thud-Thud-Clank-Thud, and a kindly old doctor offers you a mug of cocoa...be wary of accepting it, you too could end up like Stan...or Aubrey."

Whitefur makes a little prrt noise, and then, sensing the story is over, applauds Jacob. "Bravo."

Jacob just gives a slight grin, "Thank you." he says, when a howl from a long distance away is heard through the tavern. It sounds vaguely sad.

Phoenix applauds as well, tilting her head to one side at the howl. "...interesting," murmurs the demon.