HardCored - Chatroom

MagicIsTragic: HOLY **** GUYS!

(Mod)Seagullag: Language.

MagicIsTragic: SHUT IT YOU STUPID OLD BIRD AND CHECK THE NEWS!

KillLaKrill: ****

(Mod)Seagullag: Again, language.

TechnoGogo: Sig, for real, turn on your TV. This is big.

(Mod)Seagullag: Well, darn.

JamesIsInTheDark: I'm not a local but this is big, right?

Saray: What's going on, guys? I don't have a TV nearby.

TechnoGogo: You can check the news on your phone, you know.

Saray: I barely have enough Internet to use the chatroom right now, let alone an ad-filled newspaper page.

MagicIsTragic: THE PATCHER IS ****ING DEAD!

Saray: What?

The Silence: I concur, what the hell are you saying Magic?

KillLaKrill: It's live everywhere. You know that old hospital he lives in, right? It's burning. Like, not even Firefighter could save it at this point.

Saray: Okay, that's big, but that doesn't mean he's dead.

TechnoGogo: You skipped over the biggest part, Krill. The Patcher is impaled on the roof.

Saray: He's WHAT?

(Mod)Seagullag: To be fair, I'm not sure that's him. Given the state he's in, it's a little hard to make out. Not to mention I don't think we've had a photo of him in a while.

KrillLaKill: He's a full-blooded elf, the guy hasn't aged since the last one. But yeah, I have to agree it's hard to be sure it's really him with all the blood and missing bits.

Saray: Okay, I'm going to need someone to sit down and give me a full description rather than bits and pieces.

TechnoGogo: Right, so. The building is on fire, monsters are howling around it - I think they're celebrating? On the roof, there's one of those fancy domes, you know, the kind you find on old buildings. There's a metal bit on it - not a full-on spire, maybe a lightning rod or an old flag pole? Whatever it's called, there's a body covered in blood impaled on it. It's heavily blurred on TV, but if you know where to look online you can see it's mangled and maimed, unless there's some special power involved he's obviously dead. The only thing that's still intact is the head, and it closely matches the last photo of the Patcher we have, though it's hard to be sure given... Well...

KillLaKrill: Dude looks like he screamed for hours before he finally died.

TechnoGogo: Right, that. Every image of the Patcher we have is him smiling, so the anguished look complicates things. The police should have his DNA though, so they should be able to identify the corpse.

KillLaKrill: Eh, they could if they did, but I'm not sure they will. You gotta remember this is a no-no zone, or else they would have gotten to him long ago.

(Mod)Seagullag: Considering the circumstances, I think the gangs might let them. They're probably as interested in knowing what's happening as we are. The Patcher was a big part of a lot of their operations, he might have been one of the city's best healers when he wasn't making monsters. With him dead, they're weakened. They're going to need new healers to compensate, not to mention they won't be able to order creatures to fulfill niche tasks anymore.

KillLaKrill: Calm down buddy, it's not like one of the big gangs got done in.

(Mod)Seagullag: Yes, it isn't quite as impactful on their operations in the short term as the disbanding of a contraband ring would be, but long-term? That's a very different issue. Also, while he wasn't quite as bombastic and taking center stage as Abrakaboom does, he was still one of the city's big-name Villains. When was the last time one of the major players got taken out of the board permanently, whether it was a Villain, a Hero, or even a Vigilante?

TechnoGogo: Wait, we have big-name Vigilantes in Zalcien?

(Mod)Seagullag: None that are Empress or Abrakaboom-level, but yes, we do have a few. One Death and Melody Cat are the most notorious ones, I'd say.

MagicIsTragic: While this sounds like a great subject I'd love to get back to soon, RIGHT NOW WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE FACT THE PATCHER IS DEAD! DEAD!

TechnoGogo: Well, it still isn't confirmed yet. It could be someone else. I mean, Patcher's whole gimmick is modifying people, who can say he didn't make a copy of himself to fake his death?

MagicIsTragic: Why the hell would he do that? The gangs were already protecting him.

TechnoGogo: Maybe he wanted to retire?

The Silence: No. This is not a man who stops his atrocities. He had everything he wanted. This is either his bloody corpse, or someone took him against his will and left a decoy.

JamesIsInTheDark: Is making copies of people easy around here?

TechnoGogo: Nah, it's expansive. Clones are a thing, but there are tons of laws to make sure to avoid this sort of scenario, and everything needed to make one cost more than most people make in a decade. Surgery would be likelier, hence why maybe he did it.

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The Silence: The Patcher doesn't make people. He makes monsters. Not to mention, a truly successful decoy would require using a full-blooded elf of which there are very few in the city. Any disappearance from this demographic would be noticed.

TechnoGogo: Ah, you forgot the Nightsnatcher. Plenty of folks disappeared then, what if someone took advantage of that to snatch some people themselves?

KillLaKrill: Isn't the Union running some tests on the thing's body to know it ate?

MagicIsTragic: Magical rituals, and yes. From what they've shared they're almost done.

KillLaKrill: Sounds like they're taking their time. Do you think they're delaying it? The thing belongs to Silhouette, and they didn't seem to like him.

MagicIsTragic: Those are complex rituals, ones that likely had to be set up individually for each victim. If anything, they probably hurried. They don't want to deal with the potential backlash of "stealing" it.

Saray: They wouldn't steal it.

MagicIsTragic: Apostrophes, Saray. They're here for a reason. Back to the main topic, AGAIN, personally, I'd say the ****er's dead.

(Mod)Seagullag: Language, Magic. But yes, I agree this is likely the real deal. It would have been easier to just disfigure or burn the decoy than to go through the trouble of making it so similar. Looking at it right now, it's clear whoever killed him made sure to preserve the head to make it easier to identify. It would be too obvious if this were a fake, too big of a coincidence.

Saray: So... What now? I mean... He's been a part of the city for so long. What happens with him gone?

(Mod)Seagullag: The gangs will likely look for who did it. They needed him. At the same time, they might be forced to lay low for a while until they find a way to fully replace him as a healer and monster seller.

TechnoGogo: Can't they buy more potions from Wicked Witchcraft?

MagicIsTragic: You haven't heard, have you? They're in a lot of trouble. Abrakaboom hasn't shown up in a while. Like, he should have been spotted doing something by now. The other big factions are slowly encroaching on their territory. There's a big chance they'll no longer exist in a year or two.

TechnoGogo: Wait, for real?

KillLaKrill: And since they're the biggest suppliers of potions to the underworld, that will have big consequences, especially with the Patcher no longer being an option.

MagicIsTragic: Also, with one of the big three gone, that will topple the current balance. We might see a new big Villain rise or one of the existing ones become the absolute ruler of Zalcien's criminal side.

TechnoGogo: Ok, so the Patcher going out of the picture is an even bigger deal than I thought.

Saray: Hopefully the Union will be able to use the chaos to take care of the most dangerous elements.

(Mod)Seagullag: I'm not as hopeful as you are. The disappearance of Wicked Witchcraft would leave an opening for plenty of new Villains to pop up and grow, Villains the Union hasn't adapted to yet. And when they'll fight to cement their place at the top, I doubt they'll keep it to the slums.

KillLaKrill: So... We're getting a major Super war soon? Bummer.

MagicIsTragic: Bummer? SERIOUSLY?

KillLaKrill: Hey, Seagullag told us to be mindful of our language. I am merely respecting our moderating overlords' wishes. Besides, it's not like there's much we can do. I don't know about the rest of you, but if some dude decides to burst out a death laser, there ain't much I can do to stop them.

TechnoGogo: Since when did you respect moderators?

(Mod)Seagullag: He accumulated a lot of strikes. He needs to behave for a few weeks or he risks getting banned for a month. And before anyone accuses me, know he also hangs out in the website's other chatrooms, so I'm not the only mod he annoyed.

JamesIsInTheDark: Wait, there are other chatrooms?

KillLaKrill: Dude.

(Mod)Seagullag: You're randomly put into one on your first visit and it becomes your home hub, but you can go back to the main page and visit other ones. I for one am quite happy with our little corner of the Internet.

TechnoGogo: Yeah, the others are a little too busy for my taste. But seriously, if a major Super conflict breaks out, what are we gonna do? And Saray, don't say trust the Union.

Saray: I mean, you should, but I know what you mean. As sad as it is to admit, without reinforcements, our local Heroes wouldn't be enough to handle a large-scale conflict involving all of the city's underworld. Maybe you should start looking into your neighboring Vigilantes?

KillLaKrill: Uh, I'd think you were anti-Vigilante, considering how much you love the Union.

Saray: I'd prefer if they were official Heroes, but for the most part they're still people trying to do the right thing. There are a few bad apples in the lot, though, and even the good ones aren't necessarily trained properly. Think of it like this: it's fine to trust your neighbor to help you build and move furniture, maybe some plumbing and electricity work, but you wouldn't trust them to build an entire house without a professional background, would you?

The Silence: Silhouette is an option.

JamesIsInTheDark: He's a Vigilante?

The Silence: No, but his trade specializes in self-defense. Given the rising tensions on the horizon, I would not be surprised to learn he and his team are currently preparing new projects, means to keep the mundane citizens safe from the wrath of the mighty.

JamesIsInTheDark: Oh, right.

KillLaKrill: You know, when you put it like that, doesn't it sound a little... Weird? Oddly timed? I mean, didn't Silhouette and Abrakaboom meet just before he went MIA?

Saray: Krill, please. Don't start accusing people.

KillLaKrill: Right, sorry, that's Magic's job.

MagicIsTragic: Hey!

TechnoGogo: Honestly, if Silhouette could beat Abrakaboom, I don't think he would need to be discreet about it. Like, it'd be just as good of a marketing stunt or strategy as trying to concoct a Super conflict, without all of the illegal and morally dubious stuff involved.

MagicIsTragic: Yeah, and please, try not to accuse my future boss of being a criminal mastermind.

(Mod)Seagullag: Yes, do not throw Villainous accusations around, please.

Saray: Oh! Did you get the confirmation?

MagicIsTragic: Not yet, but I did get an email to inform me I made it past their first round of selection out of the candidates they already interviewed. I'm feeling good about it!

Saray: That's great!

JamesIsInTheDark: Say, I just thought about something... What's going to happen to all the... Patchees, was it? Like, those were made out of people, right? Are they going to try and help them or... Just... You know, put them down?

TechnoGogo: Ah. That. Right.

KillLaKrill: Yeah, that's a good point. Usually, the police and the Union have to put them down since they're rampaging or attacking on the orders of someone else, but without him keeping them on a leash, who knows how they're going to behave? I mean, they're looking relatively passive right now. Sure, they're chanting and howling, but that's more celebrating the Patcher's death than a frenzy.

Saray: I think they'll try to catch and help those they can.

TechnoGogo: I mean, sure, but... Look, after everything he's done, I'm not sure they can be healed.

MagicIsTragic: Yeah. I'm not sure what the Patcher did exactly, but it was some form of fleshcrafting. That sort of thing can be reversed, but only if you're really good and know exactly what you're doing. As is, even if the Patcher kept records of his victims, I doubt they'll survive the fire. Not to mention, all of that fleshcrafting fixing only concerns the body.

(Mod)Seagullag: These are people who have been taken, tortured, transformed, combined, and turned into monsters. Even if you found a way to turn them back to how they were before, all that they lived through and were forced to do would have broken them. They would still be monsters, just back in humanoid bodies. If anything, it might break them even further.

KillLaKrill: Yeesh.

The Silence: The Union might not try, but they are not the only group in the city. Many have lost loved ones to the Patcher's twisted whims. We will try, regardless of what others say.

The chatroom became quiet after that.

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