The Baron Marcus Website

Arrival Procedure (Part 1)
Just beyond the ectoplasmic gateway on a deserted highway at the far outskirts of Arcadia. Amid bombed out buildings and grey smoking ruins, the glowing gateway is situated in the middle of the highway facing toward the distant ruins of downtown Arcadia...
Grey light filters through the lifting heavy fog. Enough to show the massive deco ruins of a once great city stretching out before the bewildered and weary group of travelers. In black, with pale hair and an expression of stern preoccupation, Baron Marcus walks slowly away from the burning gateway through which the group just passed. A few paces behind Baron Marcus, a Seraph, her many wings (a translucent vortex of stunningly ancient power) and radiant hallo retracting and fading as she walks. The Seraph wears a uniform, a WW II style field officers garrison jacket, cap, and boots. But despite her metaplast armour plates and various integrated electronic devices, she appears to be unarmed. Behind the Seraph are three other creatures. A tall demonic looking man with dark hair, a leather biker jacket and a guitar slung over his shoulder, a short pixie looking woman in wide rave pants carrying a bass guitar (cable dragging on the ground behind her), and a tall glamorous looking woman. Each of the three pause, looking around in weary shock, as if having finished a journey of great difficulty. Melinda (the Seraph): I had no idea it would be like this Marcus, I'm sorry. Baron Marcus: Please, beautiful - it's alright... we... we must be here for a reason. After all we finally made it... But my memories of rolling green hills of Paradise were... well... I guess sometimes things change. The wind scatters papers and debris across the road and rivulets of dense fog stream by. Melinda looks down to see the tattered remains of a Victorian porcelain doll, scuffed and burned, one eye missing. It has dainty golden horns on its cracked porcelain forehead. On the command bridge of H.S. Verloren... Captain Aquillus noticed the familiar tug on the ship's wheel. Not the resistance of the elements on the drive planes of the massive zeppelin aircraft. Rather it was the wilful tug of an invisible hand - like a polite warning that another captain was now on the watch. Only in this case, the captain on watch would, for a time, be the ship herself. Since that fateful battle - since that unspeakable time - the lives of her hundreds of the ships crew instantly snuffed out, a new life had emerged - her own. The great zeppelin flagship of the Armada of the Host, 'H.S. Verloren' - left for dead - had mysteriously become alive. Abandoned by the Host high command on that fateful mission, all that remained was ship and captain - H.S. Verloren and Cpt. Aquillus... and a destiny beyond their destined fates. For what does one do when, mission accomplished, one is left with an empty and unexpected day after? As it tended to do on occasion, the giant airship began to navigate of its own sentience. Aquillus respectfully stepped down and pensively watched to see where the ship wanted to go. It banked sharply and began descending between rows of baroque skyscrapers which, sharp and gothic, jutting into the sky like the fangs of some infernal beast. Suddenly the engines roared to life. The bridge lit up with flashing lights and alert beacons. At every console, every battle station, all systems locked on to one target. The ship manoeuvred severely and descended rapidly down to a hundred feet. Then, engines cut, swiftly and silently drifting, it then stopped, hovering before its chosen target. All sensors and weapons targeted on - one man - black-clad man with bleached hair and a gaunt stare among a small group of people on the highway below. Aquillus pondered momentarily, then moved to the gondola elevator and was swiftly lowered down to the street below. Aquillus approached the ragtag group of characters whose leader had suddenly awakened the ship. Accompanying him was a demon (appearing to be a highway soul collector), an ancient angel (perhaps even a Seraph), and two other souls. The man in black raised his hand in greeting, then gave an open arms gesture to indicate his intent of peace. Baron Marcus: It is a mighty looking vessel you have there. Capt. Aquillus: I would never be so vulgar as to suggest this ship belongs to me…


TO THE GAME