Quickencon: The Roleplay

[Kratos Krisna]

Things are going rather swimmingly, Kortan thought to himself as he surveyed the assemblage of his convention. No Hunters had presented themselves, the booths were almost completely stocked, and the Jettators had all arrived. Except for those who had already been slain, that was. The Gathering, while essential to his conquest of humanity, made maintaining his public cover literally a matter of life and death.

But it was worth it. A year ago, he'd been attacked by a giant wielding a chainsaw. He looked like he'd sharpened his own teeth. Halfway to certain victory, Kortan was interrupted by the police. Recognizing him from his escapades, they laughed and were about to let the two men go. Until the stupid giant fled the scene, that is. Consequently, Kortan had to ride to the station with the officers. This was to ask questions about his attacker. When the ghastly Goliath had been apprehended, he was placed in a mental institution. Never denying intent to claim another man's Immortal power via decapitating him was sure to keep a man drugged in a rubber room.

Approaching him was his most reliable financial contributor, Edmond MacDonnell. Edmond and Kortan were the worst of enemies, but for the sake of pacifying Kortan, and camouflaging the Immortals, MacDonnell would sponsor this charade for as long as it had any appeal. He would also keep buying up the novels and trade paperbacks of the comic (out of his own pocket), for the sole purpose of distributing them to libraries and thrift stores throughout the English-speaking world. Having just perused some new cane swords, it was time for the islander to see who all had made it.

"Are there any Highlanders present yet?" he calmly inquired.

"None besides yourself and Colin Macleod," started Kortan. Noticing the irritation in Edmond's eyes, he responded "Oh, don't be that way. You married into a Highland family, you stayed in the Highlands for the better part of a century."

"Be that as it may," retorted MacDonnell, "When my wife and her parents died, I left their clan. It was about time for people to see that I wasn't aging, anyway." None of these admissions were voiced with even a shadow of gladness.

Sensing that he ought to change the subject, Kortan perused the other marks (but the words he used were "guests", and "inevitable attendees"), namely Joe Dawson and Methos, respectively. Dawson was this year's guest of honor. Having made Kortan rich by buying out every copy of Kortan's publications he could, it was easy to justify naming one of Mac's friends the first time the convention was so close to Mac's hometown. Methos had to come if Joe was going to be present.  

[Immortal Methos]

Duncan MacLeod, of the clan MacLeod, was watching Joe with brooding eyes as the Watcher read over the comp membership information sent to him by the organizers of this year's Quickencon.

They had met up at Duncan's loft above the dojo for a last minute pow-wow. "Are you sure about this, Joe?" Mac asked.

"Hell, no, I'm not sure," Joe Dawson groused, pulling the name tag out of the envelope and pinning it to his lapel. It had "Joseph Dawson: Guest of Honor" typed on it. "The whole damn thing is weird."

Duncan was reading over the invitation. "Says you're this comic's biggest supporter."

"He buys up every issue he comes across," Methos muttered, swigging his beer. "Hides them in the Watchers Archives. Me, I just snag the silly things and burn them."

"Methos," Duncan said sweetly.

"Not going." The eldest Immortal took another pull off his beer. "These people know too much about Immortals. It's a trap."

"We can't let Joe go alone," Duncan tried to reason with him.

"He's got you," Methos said stubbornly. "And he shouldn't go either."

MacLeod glared, Methos glared back.

"Girls, girls," Joe drawled, "you're both pretty."  

[Kratos Krisna]

Back at the gathering Con, Edmond and Kortan continued to talk shop, but now their conversation had turned to security.

Kortan was prattling off the names of Immortals and Hunters.

"Richie Ryan."

"He's dead by Macleod's hand," responded MacDonnell.

"James Horton."

"Still dead, thank God."

"Colin Macleod."

"Present for Security detail, and how may I ask did you solicit his aid?"

"I offered him all of my information regarding Marcus Octavius. Also, being able to arrest people at a tempting beacon for Immortals has it's... uses in his search."  

[Immortal Methos]

MacLeod sighed. "Look, Methos, I agree with you. It's an odd situation. None of us should go, but --"

"But you don't like not knowing who's out there," Methos finished, his irritation plain. "Mac, paranoia isn't just an art form, it's a survival tool. You need to learn how to kill your curiosity, and leave town for a while."

"Methos..." Duncan started again.

"Bora Bora," Methos said. "Come on, Mac -- you, me and Joe. Los Tres Amigos! Sun, sand -- our heads on our shoulders..."

Duncan looked helplessly at Joe, who shifted to his feet with the help of his cane. "Leave me out of it, Mac. You know how he gets when he thinks there're sharp, pointy things around the corner. I'm gonna be late. If you aren't coming with, I'll call a cab."

"No, Joe," Duncan said, giving Methos a glance, "we'll go together."

Methos waved from the couch. "Have fun, kiddies. Don't lose your heads."  

[Kratos Krisna]

"What safety hazards do we still have to worry about?" inquired Kortan.

Edmond labled the hazards as followed. "The Freeway Park adjacent to the site has ample sniping places for Hunters who carry silencers and don't go inside. There, they will not need badges to get close to their prey. Immortals and mortals alike should stay off of the loading bridge across from this building's sky bridge. They might not be visible from the sky bridge, but they will be in danger of a possible thunder storm."

"Now I know it's predicted to be a bit gray over the weekend, but lightning? That seems a bit far-fetched."

"Not if someone shot bottle rockets from a rooftop into overhead clouds. Rockets that carried charged copper and silver dust."

"You didn't have the time out of my sight to do that."

"No, but some kids staying at the Roosevelt sure did."

"You didn't pay them to aggravate nature, did you? There are going to be a lot of lightning rods carried around for the next few days."

The crafty MacDonnell silenced the argument by saying he had brought a thick copper lightning rod (much more functional than a sword) with him. A big copper rod, and some very large boxes."  

[Immortal Methos]

Duncan and Joe arrived at the Seacouver Convention Center, parking Mac's black vintage T-Bird in the parking lot, then making their way toward the bank of glass doors at the front of the big building.

Duncan automatically adjusted his pace to match Joe's halting but steady pace, eying the attendees milling about in front.

[OOC: How soon would MacLeod sense another Immortal? Any out front?]  

[Kratos Krisna]

If Mac isn't peppered with the buzz throughout his weekend, he's at the wrong convention. There should be Immortals from the nearest parking garage to the train station. (Seattle has an underground one a couple of blocks from the convention center where this is being held). The inability to draw swords without blowing their cover makes it surprisingly safe. THat makes it a grand beacon for Immortals, and transforms this event into a miniature Gathering unto itself. Although, as I strongly alluded in my last post, acDoneell and Kortan have prepared a way around that.  

[Immortal Methos]

MacLeod staggered slightly as he was suddenly hit with a solid wall of buzz, and he stared around wildly. Joe slowed, having recognized one or two of the men hanging around outside the convention center.

"Mac?" he said, cautiously.

"I feel them," Mac nodded. "And more..." The closer he got to the entrance, the more intense the warnings became. "There's a lot more inside."

"Maybe we should--"

"I may regret this," MacLeod muttered, moving forward.

"Adam's right," Joe snarled, rolling his eyes as he followed his friend. "You're an idiot."  

[Kratos Krisna]

Kortan spotted fans from other genres who had brought their own props. He looked on with disgust as they showed off their homemade anime swords with pride. Seeing a guy showcasing a gigantic axe blade connected to two small swords by long chains, he vowed to find a way to get that guy to fight a highlander with it. That was, until he saw a tinfoil sword taller than many of the walls in the complex itself.  

[Immortal Methos]

Mac and Joe passed one of the loitering Immortals, a sleezy-looking man who sneered and pretended to go for his sword as MacLeod passed him warily, keeping his body between the stranger and Joe.

Mac didn't react physically to the guy's juvenile feint, but gave him his famous "Highlander Glare" -- the one that said Back Off in bold caps. No one else attempted anything as the two entered the Convention Center.

"It's as if someone's trying to jump-start the Gathering," Joe growled under his breath.  

[Kratos Krisna]

Kortan and Edmond entered an elevator on the fourth floor and headed to the entrance. Looking to get away from the Date Masamune and Quentin MacLeod costumes, Edmond suggested they go out for sushi. Having scouted the area before coming, he knew a sushi bar on the next block. Heading out of the car towards the entrance, they ran into none other than Duncan MacLeod and Joe Dawson. This triggered seven flashbacks, each worse than the last.
The first one had prominence, a night in 1768 when Duncan was held captive and forced to watch his fiance die before being shot himself. After their boat was hijacked by buccaneers, the two tragic youths were presented before the captain of a small decrepit frigate. Captain Beaulieu personally greeted the prisoners, in response to the buzz. Duncan begged desperately that his woman (what was her name again?) not be harmed. Admitting that his boat had not the supplies to sustain hostages or other captives, Adrien fired the shot that scattered her pretty face. Seeing this and being helpless to stop it seemed to unhinge the other one. Clearly the Immortal now (threats of decapitation were generally a clear sign), he named himself Duncan MacLeod and said he'd be back for the pirate's head. The islander asked the Highlander how a dead man posed a threat to him; before shooting him dead as well to avoid the Quickening on his flammable boat. After he dumped their bodies overboard, he seized Mac's vessel and left him to revive in bloodied seawater, with only his darling's carcass for company.

It seemed that Duncan MacLeod had never forgotten how he'd been treated by the buccaneer Beaulieu. Over the centuries their resulting feud continued, culminating at the union of Edmond and the clan MacDonnell. Crashing a wedding had never since caused such a bitter and lasting unrest between clans.  

[Immortal Methos]

As the two men got off the elevator and entered the bustling lobby, Duncan MacLeod stopped dead and stared. Joe, who had taken a step or two before he realized Mac wasn't moving, followed his line of sight.

For a moment he scowled, trying to place the two men, then Joe's hand shot out and caught Duncan's arm. He could feel the Highlander fairly vibrating with rage.

"Is that..." he started.

"Edmond MacDonnell," Mac growled, eyes never leaving his old enemy.

FlashBack 1768

Her name was Myra Hearn, a winsome Irish lass with laughing green eyes and bright red hair, and she was traveling with MacLeod to join his "cousin" Conner in the colonies. They were to be married, and make a new life in the New World.

Things had not gone well aboard the ship, a fortnight after they had sailed from the port of Cork. As was often the danger with sea travel, the water held a parasite, and many of the passengers and crew were weakened by flux. Many died over the course of the outbreak, and when the buccaneers attacked the ship there was little able-bodied resistance.

Duncan fought the pirates like a wolf to protect his mate, but just as he detected the buzz of an Immortal among them, the boom came round and cracked his skull, bringing him down amid the sounds of Myra's furious screams.

When he came to, he was bound tightly, as was Myra, her creamy skin even more pale beneath the dirt, blood and bruises. Exuberant pirates surrounded them, and before them stood the Immortal he had sensed, a man calling himself Adrian Beaulieu, the ship's captain.  

[Immortal Methos]

Back at the loft above DeSalvo's, Methos had been pacing. For all his cool demeanor in front of Mac and Joe, the ancient was nervous. This whole thing was stupid and crazy beyond belief. Why MacLeod would willingly enter a tinderbox of Immortal baggage, with all the potential rivalries, bad feelings and egos was beyond him.

Passing by the counter, Methos reached over and snagged the paperwork, and began to read it over for the first time. After a few minutes, he growled. It was a trap.

"I'm going to regret this," Methos snarled, grabbing his coat, the weight of his sword heavy within.  

[Kratos Krisna]

At the union of Africa MacDonnell and her newcomer beau Edmond, things were merry. Fresh game, killed by the groom and his new father and brothers was in overabundance. Edmond had personally offered his honed smoking and curing skills to pass on to his new kin, starting with any and all food leftover from the festivities. Nothing, not even the buzz itself would sully his mood. Seeing an Immortal MacLeod approaching the festivities sure beat the hell out of the buzz in terms of scare factor. Whipping out a katana, surrounded by nearly 100 mortals while crying out that he was from the Clan MacLeod, was a marathon of bad ideas. Especially considering that a second Clan MacDonnell had recently reached a shaky truce after years of feuding with the Clan MacLeod. With this in mind, the partygoers had brought rifles and pistols with them. So all things considered it should have shocked anyone that sword-bearing MacLeod who charged the altar at such a cautious ceremony would take a lead ball through his left eye as courtesy of the brides father. Hurriedly, the groom requested that the wretch be buried out of sight so as to not further sully this joyous union with his presence. In less than half an hour Duncan (or "Dunky" as Edmond would now call him) was in the ground being covered up. Words on the violent stranger's behalf would come later.

Three weeks later, Duncan awoke in loose dirt. Clawing himself loose brought him face to face with Edmond, his prey.  

[Immortal Methos]

1768

The lead ball that had smashed Myra's beautiful face, the spray of blood, his own anguished and furious cries -- they still haunted his nights, ambushed him when he was least prepared.

He had almost welcomed the shot that ended his life momentarily, and the next thing he knew he was being tossed by angry waves that had managed to roll him face up long enough to get a lungful of air. Myra's body was nowhere to be seen, and Duncan's broadsword was at the bottom of the ocean.

He drowned again and again before washing up on the shore of Hispaniola, vowing to avenge Myra Hearn if he ever saw Capt. Adrien Beaulieu's black hearted hide ever again.

[OOC: Duncan would have revived within hours, not weeks, though his eye would still be healing. Where is Duncan's katana?]