[EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

The Lange family's former estate, used for archive storage of an Ergonian nature.

Moderators: (Craitland) Difficult persons, (Craitland) King of Craitland

Post Reply
Charles Wigginhouse
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:02 pm

[EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Charles Wigginhouse »

"Sir, your eye" the security guard at the Front Desk said to Charles Wigginhouse, as the CEO entered EGE Tower in New Vaduz during the earliest hours of the morning.

The only people in the building were a couple of security guards (the rest of the security was automated), some janitorial staff, and a couple of late-working DREAD engineers.

"Sir, your eye," replied Mr Wigginhouse,in a mocking voice. "Watch this."

Mr Wigginhouse used his right eye, which was now a pulsating reddish-pinkish orb, to project a ray of some kind onto the doors of the elevator, causing them to open.

"Are-are you okay?" stammered the security guard.

"Ye-Yes, I'm okay." replied Mr Wigginhouse in the mocking voice again. Then he continued, "I want you to close the Tower and block all entrants in or out."

"But Sir," said the the security guard, "I mean, won't people ask questions?"

"If anyone asks," replied Wigginhouse, "remind them that I now have Board Control, and you can also refer them to the doctors at New Vaduz General Hospital, who will tell them that Majority Shareholder Thadeus Laing is in a permanent coma from which he will never escape."

Charles Wigginhouse
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:02 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Charles Wigginhouse »

Charles Wigginhouse cracked his knuckles at the CEO's chair, then he flicked on his computer.

He opened an application called "portal.exe"

Then he typed in a password. His hands stayed folded across his leather portfolio on the desk. The keys on the keyboard pressed themselves. His powers of telekinesis had been increasing. He reminisced.

It was exactly five years ago to the day that Mr Wigginhouse had been checking the calibrations of instruments in an EGE, then called CWG, laboratory in Biotopia in the Raynor Isles in what is now Jingdao.

It was an archaeological dig. Parts of an old city were being tested for their heavy metals content, to determine their age. There was one odd piece, what appeared to be an old dirt encrusted piece of machinery, for which purpose God knows what, that needed checking. The instruments were refusing to give a reading however. The dates were off the chart. Sometimes the readout screen on the scanner would show text, like "haha" or "die". Charles Wigginhouse, chief of the analytic department was called out to check what was wrong with the machine.

After a few minutes working on the machine, he felt an electric shock from the instrument. The shock seized his body. It took hold of him. From that moment, his every thought and movement was controlled. He was still himself, but his drive was from something else which had taken hold of him after the shock. Also, sometimes, he would get advice or instructions on what to do from a low otherworldly voice, a voice which was not his own.


Since that time, he had never had the thought to resist his new destiny. Any thought to resist was squelched before he became conscious of it. He never needed sleep. His intelligence was increased a thousand fold. He could move objects with his mind. His right eye seemed to fluctuate between normal appearance and a deformed, enlarged appearance, but he could control it somewhat. Lately it had become more difficult to control however and so it was now permanently in the unusual state. He decided he would have it removed and replaced with a glass eye. That is what the voice had been telling him lately.

Charles Wigginhouse
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:02 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Charles Wigginhouse »

The program, portal.exe, was what he'd been working on ferociously for the past five years, what the voice inside his head and his new destiny had been guiding him to do. The program itself controlled several facilities throughout Micras that would be used to focus and direct energy beams of certain wavelengths to satellites orbiting around Micras and in turn to a spot in space several thousand kilometres above the surface of planet Micras. Satellites and facilities blinked as dots on a 3D depiction of the entire system.

He'd been diverting billions away from EGE's profits and stealing from the Laings for years to fund the construction and staffing of the facilities. All through this time, he'd never thought about why or question himself very much. He was never a man to question authority, even before that fateful day when he had received his Shock, and this trait carried on before he was shocked. Perhaps that was why Fate selected him.

Charles Wigginhouse
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:02 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Charles Wigginhouse »

"Sir, there's a police officer here to see you. His name is--let me double check this--Officer Reinaldo Jones." rang the front desk security guard through the speaker.

"Ah yes, we have been expecting Officer Jones. Send him up!" shouted Charles Wigginhouse. "Oh, and don't try and leave your shift early, or sneak out or something-- or I'll fire you and take your severance okay?"

Charles Wigginhouse
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:02 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Charles Wigginhouse »

Officer Reinaldo Jones entered the office where Charles Wigginhouse was seated at the CEO's desk.
The room darkened. Jones and Wigginhouse' eyes were replaced by red glowing orbs.
Began Jones: "Greetings Charles. It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time."
"I feel as if we have already met," said Wigginhouse.
"Honestly, I do too," replied Officer Jones. Something inside of him drove him to say: "You and I, we are the same.
"Yes. But we need our bodies. They are useful to our cause," said Wigginhouse.
"Our cause: finishing what the Libertopians of Raynor Isles started: the destruction of Biotopia!" exclaimed Jones.
"Yes, the destruction of Biotopia!" repeated Wigginhouse.
"There is a problem, though. We are outnumbered. We need more bodies." stated Jones.
"Yes, more bodies!" hissed Wigginhouse. "You are quite intelligent and know much."
"We have the same knowledge," replied Jones. "I know about the portal we will use. Is it ready?"
"It is not ready. The portal will open in several days directly over a yacht ship containing several members of the Myksos family of Apollonia in the sea near Raynor. These members of the Myksos family will become possessed by the Shadows and then issue the orders to send their troops into Biotopia and finish what we were called to do millenia ago." stated Wigginhouse.

"Why do we carry on the orders of an extinct race from millenia ago? Why should we be the agents of their hatred?" asked Jones.
"Because we are servants of the creator of Micras, whose name is Mortis."
"Should we announce our plans?"
"No."
"Does anyone know about the plans?"
"No. But those with the ancient Gralan knowledge of Magic given by Andreas the Wise and the other Ancients, they may find out. Beware."
"Yes, Beware the Gralan kind!"

"But why should I become mayor of New Vaduz? What does New Vaduz have to do with Biotopia? " asked Jones.
"Ah. Listen to your Voice," replied Wigginhouse.
Jones thought, and as he thought, his eyes grew brighter.
"We, the Shadows, are rebelling against Mortis. We will not only take over Biotopia, we will take over New Vaduz. We will take over Apollonia and the other parts of Micras!

Continuator
"The devil in the details"
Posts: 2550
Joined: Sun May 10, 2015 8:28 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Continuator »

You appear to have a fruit-pastel stuck on the lens of your glasses.

Charles Wigginhouse
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:02 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Charles Wigginhouse »

Wigginhouse' eye was now fully replaced pulsating bundle of blood, fat, and nerves--a sensory organ, interfacing the Shadow occupying his Person with his immediate physical surroundings. Every photon and subatomic particle within a certain radius was attuned to his eye.

Some had taken to excising it and replacing it with a glass eye, like that butler Jeeves who killed Roberto and tried to kill Thadeus.

But as for Wigginhouse, he had decided to adopt the habit of wearing sunglasses all of the time. That way he would take no risk at reducing his capabilities. He would be making external appearances in this manner soon.
"Time is now T minus 2 days until Takeover!" exclaimed Wigginhouse as he spun around in circles in his chair. "It is so exhilarating to think that the Portal will be in our hands! New Vaduz will be forced to bow to the Shadows in the place of Mortis! Haha. Hahahaha. Hahahahahaha. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! Hah!"

What Wigginhouse did not realize or perceive was that, at this very moment, Taurus Zeene was working to obtain a manuscript containing an incantation that, when recited by a master of the magic arts, a descend of the Order of the Mages of Raynor, would immediately revoke and destroy the powers of Shadow Wigginhouse.

It was, now more than ever, a race against time!

Thadeus Laing
Sea Elf, Sea Elf Run
Posts: 2247
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:33 am

An Unexpected Surprise

Post by Thadeus Laing »

Taurus Zeene and now-well Dhadys (Thadeus) Laing drove to Langeways in a rented car and wearing disguises. Taurus had a mustache and a bald wig. Dhadys had shaved his mustache and had a prosthetic nose, glasses, lipstick, and a wig of blonde hair with a bow in it. The two were a sight to behold.

At the gate at Langeways, Dhadys entered the key code. He told the security guard through the camera that he was an old girlfriend of Dhadys (she used to be a go go dancer), that Taurus was her son (it was never said whether he was Dhadys' love child), and that they were there to retrieve some belongings. They parked the car on a little used side drive.

They entered the main mansion through a side entrance. At each locked door on their journey, Dhadys would enter the keycode or give his voiceprint. Finally they reached the underground archive room. Within a series of lighted glass climate controlled cases were several of Micras' finest relics: a vase from ancient Babkha, a collection of coins from various Shirerithian dynasties (many in mint condition), a lock of hair from Loki IV, the shriveled hand of a Uantiri warlord, the polar bear skin robe of an Elwynnese chieftain, the gold and ivory magic wand, hat, and starry robe of an ancient Gralan wizard, among other items from various lands and times.

To Taurus' dismay, Dhadys' face was aghast and he wailed, "Nooo! The manuscript we need should have been right here!" He was looking at the final glass case. It was empty, except for a small piece of notebook paper.

It was a note. Dhadys carefully unlocked the case and retrieved the note. Taurus and Dhadys both read what had been haphazardly scrawled upon it:
"So sorry Thadeus! Will get this back to you! Needed a good luck charm for Ergonian FMF walk ons playing for Mercury. Signed, Yraite (Irait) Ergonac"
"Oh darn!" exclaimed Taurus. "Are you kidding me, a good luck charm?"

"We must now go and see Irait and retrieve the manuscript!" declared Dhadys.

Yulodion E'nothwocep
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2016 2:13 am

Mercury v Skerry Isles

Post by Yulodion E'nothwocep »

"Must beat the Skerry Isles! Go Mercury!" exclaimed Irait Ergonac in his downtown New Vaduz flat. He took a swig of root beer from a cup in one of the four cup holders of his deluxe leather chair. He was tuned in and watching the EMUFA game for the Skerry Isles versus Mercury on February 8 on NVSN, the New Vaduz Sports Network. (See http://bastionunion.org/forum/viewtopic ... 77&t=18678 for further details about the 2017 EMUFA qualifying). In a leather bag next to his chair was the ancient Gralan manuscript from Dhadys' archives.

The doorbell rang. It was Dhadys and Taurus (now out of their disguises from earlier). Irait both allowed them in.

"You guys should sit down, have a root beer, and enjoy the game! I'm hoping that Mercury can beat Skerry Isles with the help of a few ex Ergonian players that Mercury graciously allowed to serve as backup players on their team," said Irait.

"We need the ancient manuscript, Irait. Immediately," said Dhadys.

Irait, being a perceptive individual and familiar with Dhadys, replied, "Yes. I guess you saw my note. I am completely sorry for taking the manuscript."

Dhadys replied, as he was walking towards the open leather bag containing the manuscript, "Thank you. We will discuss this later."

"Enjoy the game!" exclaimed Taurus as they departed.
Last edited by Yulodion E'nothwocep on Thu Feb 09, 2017 1:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

Thadeus Laing
Sea Elf, Sea Elf Run
Posts: 2247
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2010 5:33 am

The Shadow Master

Post by Thadeus Laing »

In a back room of Wil Laing's cafe, Wil, Wil's girlfriend (Ela), Taurus, and Dhadys sat around a card table under a single low watt incandescent bulb dropping from the ceiling.

After putting on his spectacles, Dhadys flipped through the pages of the millenia old book of Gralan magic, The Annals of the Libertopian Mage Guild. It was written in a syllabery, and not an alphabet. The syllabery was composed of various mystical looking symbols, some of which had magical meanings in and of themselves in addition to their phonetic value. This old language was from a remote subquarter of the now former Gralan empire and was certainly never spoken in the halls of Gralus' royalty. It was however related to the dialect of a distant output of Gralan influence, Melangia, and contained a few loanwords from Early Shirerithian. Thus, Dhadys could interpret some of the words. Furthermore, he himself had commissioned a full translation and lexicography of the book, which enabled him to understand most of it. Being Annals it was in fact a historical text, chronologically detailing the development of magic, starting in remote Gralus and developing further in Libertopia. The spells were interspersed in between with commentary from learned members of the Mage Guild of Libertopia. (Please note that the Mage Guild of Libertopia was not composed solely of Gralans, nor were Gralans solely responsible for the use and development magic in Libertopia or anywhere else in Micras; there just happened to be many members of Gralan origin, and some of them were the main originators of this particular book, which may not have been the only book used for magic in Libertopia. Some in the cults of Cato and the Garden of Heavenly Light may have their own lines of magic and traditions, which may or may not overlap with the Gralan tradition.)

He was careful not to read aloud from the book. Reading aloud would not ordinarily cause trouble, because of the elaborate actions, tokens, potions, and rhetorical flourishes of speech that most incantations required in order to go into effect. However some spells needed only be vocalized in order to have effect; most such were harmless, hardly noticeable, and nearly worthless as having any value--For example, saying "{magic word} bless you" with the correct magic word after someone sneezed could have a variety of very mild effects, such as preventing that person from catching a cold or continuing to sneeze--but occasionally there could be a powerful and therefore dangerous spell that only required recitation in order to go into effect. Therefore, he was careful not to read aloud from the book.

He arrived at the page detailing the spell used to summon the Shadows in Libertopia to fight the Biotopians. There was a lot of story explaining the reasons why it was used and when it was used and the aftermath. Dhadys was little concerned with this. Then there was the summoning spell itself.

But Dadhys wanted to find the spell needed to stop the Shadows from continuing their orders to fight the Biotopians. Also he needed it to be doubly strong, because the Shadows seemed to be causing trouble not just to Biotopia but to New Vaduz. He searched through the book. It did not seem to be there.

So he turned to someone who knew things about magic that he did not: Taurus Zeene.

Taurus Zeene
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:05 am

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Taurus Zeene »

"But I don't know about this kind of magic!" exclaimed Taurus.

"I need you to tell me if you have heard of a powerful spell which can reverse a powerful spell," demanded Dhadys. "New Vaduz depends on it. Northern Raynor Isles depends on it. Entire Micras may depend on it."

"Well then, let me think," replied Taurus.

Taurus grabbed his long flowing hair in his hands which he balled up into fists against his head and gritted his teeth. He made a sound which could only be described as one of exasperation. Then he said: "There is one thing we could try."

"And what, we all wonder, is that?" asked Ela, who had gone from boredom to rapt interest.

Taurus Zeene
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:05 am

A Ghastly Realization

Post by Taurus Zeene »

"Call upon Mortis, repeat the spell, then ask Mortis to revoke the spell, using the proper incantations, of course, and also whatever else may--God forgive us--be needed. That is the only thing that will work, if there is no other spell," said Taurus, who then gulped.

Dhadys' face turned white. Ela and Wil looked at him with completely puzzled expressions. But Taurus knew why his face turned white: there was no other spell that could be used, and to call upon Mortis (a malevolent but powerful deity of war) meant a certain type of sacrifice had to be made.

A sacrifice, of sentient kind!

Taurus Zeene
Posts: 23
Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2016 1:05 am

Taurus Volunteers to Be The Sacrifice

Post by Taurus Zeene »

Taurus Zeene rose from his chair. His flowing brown hair cascaded to his shoulders. He looked west, west to Elwynn, place of his birth. Then he looked upwards, up to the heavens.

"A sacrifice of sentient kind must be made," he said, speaking to Wil and Ela.

Then, speaking to Dhadys, he said, "I volunteer to be the sacrifice."

Dhadys then immediately said: "But no, Taurus, you have a family and a livelihood and we all love you and want you to be alive and well!"

But Taurus replied: "Since my childhood I have always known that I would have some higher purpose. Any other Traveler would have ignored this problem you have here in New Vaduz and just continued on his way, on to Gerenia or wherever else. However in order to find my higher purpose, I stopped and have been helping you so far. I did not know what my purpose was until now. Now I know--it has been revealed to me.

"I must now go, and prepare myself, going by myself to Vineyards' Hill here in New Vaduz, for the day and the hour of my sacrifice. Do not try and stop me. My destiny will arrive. My wife and child are already in eternal rest. They were killed a few months ago by vagabonds while traversing the Green Unknown without me. You are my friends. If we do not defeat the Shadows, Darkness will spread. Together we can defeat the Darkness, and preserve the Light!"

The other three were only able to sit in awe and contemplate what Taurus had just said.

Charles Wigginhouse
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:02 pm

The Final Moment Draws Closer

Post by Charles Wigginhouse »

Charles Wigginhouse, whose eyes, both of them, now had grown the size of baseballs, necessitating the removal of his sunglasses' lenses, watched impatiently at the countdown clock on the laptop monitor continued:

"14:59...14:58...14:57...14:56..."

He paced the office. "Less than 15 minutes left...nothing can defeat the Shadows now!"

Continuator
"The devil in the details"
Posts: 2550
Joined: Sun May 10, 2015 8:28 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Continuator »

I certainly hope not. Also:

diameter of a baseball: 74.68 mm
diameter of an eyeball: 24 mm

I hope "Wiggy" won't mind that his eyes will have popped out of their sockets.

Charles Wigginhouse
Posts: 18
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:02 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Charles Wigginhouse »

The way Charles Wigginhouse' eyes were able to fit into his eye sockets, given that they had grown to such a large size, was the fact that Wigginhouse' eye sockets themselves had expanded in diameter. Of course, due to his no longer being able to hide his metamorphosis into the prime conduit of the Shadows, he now stayed hidden away inside the EGE headquarters. But soon he would no longer have to hide his changing form from the people of New Vaduz...soon they would bow down and worship him in fearful adulation.

User avatar
Craitman
Posts: 1782
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 6:15 pm

Re: Mercury v Skerry Isles

Post by Craitman »

Irait Ergonac wrote:I'm hoping that Mercury can beat Skerry Isles with the help of a few Ergonian walk on players
I'll take my FMF hat off and overlook the suggestion of Ergonians being called-up for Mercury without Joe's involvement, but I am curious as to what a "walk on player" might be :)
Craitman H. Pellegrino, King of Craitland
COH, CrA, GKOC, GKRB, HGH, KHL, KOD, KY, NM, OCC, ONSGK, OSJ, SJSJ, SOB, WSA
Administrator General of the MCS
FMF President
Lord of Humour

Yulodion E'nothwocep
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Aug 25, 2016 2:13 am

Re: Mercury v Skerry Isles

Post by Yulodion E'nothwocep »

Craitman wrote:
Irait Ergonac wrote:I'm hoping that Mercury can beat Skerry Isles with the help of a few Ergonian walk on players
I'll take my FMF hat off and overlook the suggestion of Ergonians being called-up for Mercury without Joe's involvement, but I am curious as to what a "walk on player" might be :)
[It was a little artistic license. I actually checked the definition of a walk on. It does not mean exactly what I thought, it only applies to college and school sports teams, not professional teams. So I have edited the story now as one can see.]

User avatar
Craitman
Posts: 1782
Joined: Fri Dec 31, 2010 6:15 pm

Re: [EGE] Charles Wigginhouse' Metamorphosis, Continued

Post by Craitman »

Not a problem! I hope the result was to your favouring :)
Craitman H. Pellegrino, King of Craitland
COH, CrA, GKOC, GKRB, HGH, KHL, KOD, KY, NM, OCC, ONSGK, OSJ, SJSJ, SOB, WSA
Administrator General of the MCS
FMF President
Lord of Humour

Post Reply

Return to “Langeways, Here We Come”