Jack

*Jack is typically decked in a full set of armor, bronzed metal with a red trim. Carried on his armor is many of his alchemical weapons and tools, miscellaneous vials and tinctures. He is equipped with an arsenal of firearms- a rifle bladed below the barrel, a double barreled side-arm, and a heavy culverin rifle.*

Jack is a researcher and Security Officer of the guild Panacea. He was on the boat overseeing a shipment of medical supplies when it was attacked by Hobgoblins. In the midst of the attack, Delilah and Dolarhyde appeared on the ship. Jack stopped to investigate their strange appearance, and in this distraction the boat was overtaken.

With the crew taken as prisoner, Jack aided in their escape from the Hobgoblin prison. While the goblin king was giving Dolarhyde direction in fixing his madness, Jareth showed Jack the image of a rose falling to Lympus. Believing this to mean there are answers to stopping the Coo cult on the island, Jack agreed to travel there with the party.

## Appearance:

Beneath his armor, Jack is a muscular barrel-chested human male with black hair buzzed short. His body is riddled with scars; though some from battle, many strange and symmetrical from his experiments. In addition to his scars, he also has many tattoos, most of his own design.

## Bio

### Early Life:

John Marrek was born in Garland. As a human, he grew up a minority amongst the darker races that populated the city; Drow, Duergar, Tieflings, and Dhampirs. His parents, rather close minded folk, warned him to be wary of the darkspawn and half-races. John typically kept to himself, and dressed in thick or heavy garments to hide his Human nature. He had few friends, and lived a rather insulated life in his family home.
While a teenager, John finally made some human friends. Two girls, slightly older, who grew on John over time. Unbeknownst to him, they were Coos, intent on torturing and sacrificing him. On the eve of the ritual, John was lured in by the two women, but was rescued by local law enforcement who had been watching the suspected Witches. The guards, a Drow and a Tiefling, comforted John and safely escorted him home. Though his parents still held onto their prejudices, their toxic teachings had been shed by their son.

### Adult Life:

As soon as John was able to, he joined the town guard. Still intent on hiding his heritage, now out of embarrassment rather than fear, he pushed to become strong enough to wear the heaviest armors available to his regiment. He followed orders to the T, and was often teased because of his blind obedience. However, his loyalty was rewarded, as he was given a firearm, the symbol of a commanding member of the guard. He kept his rifle in pristine condition, and continued doing whatever he was commanded to make the city safe.
Though he was given command of lower officers, John couldn’t help but feel inadequate. He was one of the only officers who couldn’t serve night shifts due to his human eyes. Others could manifest powers and magics from their blood, where John had nothing but his resolution. John caught wind of an opportunity; an up and coming arcane guild, Panacea, looking for volunteers to test new applications of magic. Anyone could read between the lines- they wanted test subjects, but they wanted to stay legal. Despite the reassurances of his peers, John volunteered for the experiments.

### Panacea:

John met with the man to lead his experiments, a halfling named Shander Garard. His was polite, and brutally honest. The experiments were dangerous and highly experimental in nature. They made John no promises other than the research he was aiding in was for the good of everyone. It would be used for cures, medicine, and augmenting the populace at large. Panacea believed not only in the health of the population, but their strength to fight back against the demons of the world. John still agreed.
The experiments were as grisly as promised. They tested the limits of John’s mortality, looking for ways to regulate and enhance healing and surgical methods. Foreign magical material was inserted into his flesh, his organs, studying their effects, strengths, and where they failed. John was intent on not being an observer to his own suffering. He became fascinated by the processes tried on him, and began to question and study the arcane arts used by his doctors. He soon became a researcher on the board of his own experiments. Though vicious, the experiments worked. John was stronger, smarter, and more resilient. He and Shander finished their final experiment; grafting operational wings into the flesh of a wingless creature. Not just fully functional, but retractable. Content with his contribution, John stepped away from the testing, and was offered a full position in Panacea. A researcher, and a soldier when needed. John accepted.

### Gobland:

John was guarding one of Panacea’s shipments, which was ambushed by hobgoblins. He has been captured and is being held in Gobtown.

## A Night to Remember

Jack checked himself in the mirror again. His clothes, though slightly wrinkled, were clean. A tuft of stray hair became noticeable, and Jack tried his best to coax it back into place. His father’s voice boomed from the front of the house. “John, Rose and Aeran are here!” Jack’s body, and heart, jumped. Rushing to his bedroom door, he caught himself and paused. Don’t look so excited. Slowly, more composed, he opened his door and went out to meet his friends. Rose and Aeran stood in the kitchen, speaking with his parents. Aeran had long curly hair, and pale skin, which highlighted her bright freckles. Rose was more fair skinned, a little taller, and pulled her hair back into a tight bun. They wore beautiful… sun dresses? Skirts? Jack didn’t know the right terms for woman's clothes, but he thought they looked very nice. Aeran had a plate of sweetbread in her hands, and she placed it onto the kitchen table.

“I made a few of these, and thought you guys would like some” Aeran slightly blushed, as if she were embarrassed by her offering.

“That’s very sweet of you Aeran, thank you. Where are you all off to today?” Mrs.Marrek asked.

“Oh, just to the market to pick up some more ingredients. I’m running a little low after this last batch. Oh, Jackie, no!” she lightly swatted at Jack’s hands as he reached for some sweetbread. “That’s for your parents. But don’t worry, I didn’t forget about you,” she said, as she opened her pack, revealing more baked goods. Jack tried to restrain his grin, keep it from becoming too big or stupid.

“That’s nice, but you all get back before dark,” Mr.Marrek stared down the two girls, the mirth of the moment lost. “I don’t have to tell you what the Unders are capable of. I want my son home safe, and to two young woman like you they’d-”

“We are very aware, Mr.Marrek. We’ll keep our heads down and be home before dinner.” Rose calmly interrupted. Aeran’s face belayed a slight anger at the suggestion they were vulnerable, but Rose was as still and confident as ever.

“...uh, come on, let’s go, I’m hungry!” Jack hopped toward the door, hoping to end the strange stillness his father always devolved the room to.
The trio moved through the streets, the midday sun on their backs. They talked, laughed, played and ate sweets throughout the day. The girls were older than Jack by a fair bit, having to be at least seventeen or eighteen. He never knew why they hung out with a quiet boy five years their junior, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. They were kind, smart, funny, and very beautiful. Constantly worried about losing their friendship, Jack always suppressed his hormonal urges to tell them so. They were his only friends, the only ones his parents would let him have. Humans were scarce in Garland, ones that were close to Jack’s age even more so. Even when they seemed to be flirtatious with him, feeding him sweets, calling him cute, idly brushing their hands against him… that’s all normal friend stuff and I’m a stupid kid. They don’t like me. They kept saying they were doing something special tonight. Rose took Jack’s hand as they pushed through the crowds of the market. He lost track of Aeran… and of time. He didn’t remember where they went, other than it was different than where they usually went. Jack was transfixed on Rose’s bracelet, its colorful baubles. She spoke to him, but he couldn’t understand the words that turned into a wolfish grin.
It was getting dark, and Aeran was back, quelling Jack’s panic. They should be home, but they were going somewhere. The girls’ smiles were infectious, and Jack couldn’t put up a fight. A door was before them, and Aeran walked up to it. Rose knelt slightly and spoke to Jack. She was saying he was special to them, important… perfect. Snippets of her words came with waves of consciousness. With each flash of vision, Jack saw a figure approaching. Rapidly. A red blur collided with Rose, knocking her into the wall. Colors of all kind spilled out from the crash. Aeran was fleeing, and Jack fell to the ground when he reached out for her.

“Dammit Tana, you went too soon. Now we won’t know how they get in,” another figure came from the darkness, slender and purple.

The large, red figure was silent a moment. “They would have taken him. I will not let that happen, Fandris.”

“What is one child to… oh, look at him. They drugged him. Here, tip his head up,” slender pulled a flask out from his purple. Large red pulled Jack up and used its massive hands to turn his face toward the night sky. The visage of a demon looked down at him, with worried eyes. Slender’s hand tipped the flask’s contents into Jack’s face. There was a harsh, gurgling sensation, and Jack’s stomach ejected the concoction and hours of sweets.

“Well this was a waste of time. Get him home, I’ll take care of this,” Fandris said. Jack’s vision had partially returned, and the slender figure of a Drow man stood before him. Tall, foreboding, long white hair pulled back in a ponytail. Turning to see what he intended to take care of, Jack saw Rose, crumpled on the ground. The wall she had been slammed into was splattered with her blood. Wanting to run, to yell, Jack kicked his legs uselessly. He still didn’t have full bodily control.

“Calm down, child. I am here to help,” Tana said from behind him. She had a deeper, slower voice. Jack felt himself being lifted up. He was cradled in the arms of a demon, red toned skin starkly contrasted by her shining silver armor. Great, white horns curled from her temples, but her face was soft, caring. She smiled lightly at Jack and began to walk with him, hooves clacking on the stone road. “Your friends tried to hurt you. I am sorry you had to see that. Can you point me to your home?” Confused, but trusting in this stranger, Jack pointed her home.

Tana talked as she carried the boy. “They are called Coos. They take people away. We do not know why, or where. We only know that they are not seen again.” Jack pointed at the next fork, and Tana clomped off in the new direction. “You will be OK. Fandris is good with potions. He gave you a cure. Did your friends feed you anything?” Jack could only nod. It all made more sense now. They were never really his friends. Jack realized that Rose’s bracelet was in his hands, the colorful baubles shining in the moonlight. He cried silently, Tana holding him tighter. “You are OK now…” she didn’t sound convinced in her own reassurance.

“Put my boy down right now you monster,” Mr.Marrek demanded as he opened the door to their home. Tana did not object. She smiled one last time at Jack and handed him to his father. Though he lacked the demon’s strength to carry Jack’s partially dead weight, he was able to hoist the boy to his bed. Jack could hear his parents yelling at Tana, demeaning her, demanding an explanation, not accepting the truth. The boy hugged his knees and stared at the baubles of Rose’s bracelet, until sleep found him.

## The Raid

“Fandris, we already checked this warehouse. There’s no one here,” Jack exclaimed incredulously as Investigator Fandris carefully examined the door. Tana and a few other guards stoop close behind, looking as confused as Jack.

“Captain, I told you I know where they are, do you think I was lying? It’s a Nest, you can’t just walk in. Wait for me to get this open, then breach. Our priority is any hostages they still have, and kill the Coos to the last,” Fandris said without hush, seemingly confident that the cultists beyond the door wouldn’t hear him. While the others sighed, Jack nodded, and kept his rifle at the ready. This was to be the first offensive ever struck against the Coos, and Jack wanted answers. Fandris took fine powders out of a belt pouch, carefully brushed it against sections of the door. Checking over his shoulder, the moonlight shone on the dust, and in kind it sparkled in the night. Speaking a few arcane words, he stepped back from the door and gave Tana the signal. With agility that belied her hulking size, she rammed the door, which crashed open not to the dusty warehouse they had investigated earlier, but a posh lobby of sorts.

Every surface in sight was a pristine, grey marble, specked with black. The ceiling was tall, the room immense, yet mostly empty. Only a few fanciful credenzas and a small rounded table decorated the room. The table and nearby wall were spattered with blood, giving the space its only true color. There were windows framed by beautiful black tapestry, but beyond their glass was not the city of Garland. Jack looked out into an inky black void, somehow able to see the beams of moonlight traveling through its impossible depths. If there was another soul in the structure, it didn’t make itself known. The sound of the guards’ armor echoed through the halls extending out of the room.

“We need to be quick, there may be other exits out of here. Perphas and Jottin, watch the door we came through. John and Tana, take that staircase. Meela, you’re with me on the first floor. Move.” On that command, the guards fell into formation and rushed to their tasks. Tana led the way up with Jack. The twisting spiral staircase went up for minutes before ejecting them into another hallway. Doors were angled and placed at strange intervals along the walls. Halls broke off from this one in gravity defying arcs. They began to sweep the rooms, running into Coos. Attractive, young men and woman either dressed lavishly, or covered in oddly entrancing body paint. Having believed they were isolated, they were unprepared for visitors, and easily felled as they reached for their strange weapons, or attempted to cast spells. Jack could tell their chants weren’t Arcane in nature, and shuddered to think what being granted them their fervor.

As they marched through the halls, Jack was distracted by a portal, covered not by a door but hanging beads. They were sea green, Aeran’s favorite color. Without notifying Tana, he snuck toward the beads and quietly pushed through into a bedroom. Like the rest of the place it was gorgeous, shining. There were short marble pillars holding up a mattress big enough for a whole family. Sitting on the sill of a grand window was Aeran, still the stunning eighteen year old girl Jack had known ten years ago.

“Aeran!” Jack yelled, firearm readied. He didn’t know why he yelled, and he had no follow up. She turned and regarded the fully armored interloper strangely.

“How did you…? Oh my, is that you, Jackie? Even after all these years you couldn’t stop thinking about me. How about a hug?” she stood on the sill and raised her arms.

“How about a reason not to shoot you? I don’t know what you witches do with your quarries, but I’ve seen enough to know we weren’t going to bake cookies that night,” Jack said, gun still steady on his target.

She laughed. “Oh Jackie, you should be honored you were chosen. Though, we were delayed quite a bit from losing such a prime subject as yourself. It wouldn’t have hurt, for long at least. I wouldn’t want to see such a cute boy suffer. And look into what a man he grew into!” she stared at him with excited eyes.

“You can cut the fucking flirting bullshit, I’m not twelve anymore. I’m not falling for it.”

“Jackie, did you think we were pretending? Oh, we were going to have crazy sex that night,” a sickly sincere smile spread across her face.

Damn it. “So you’re pedophiles too? Another reason to put you down.”

“As if you would’ve complained, Jackie-boy,” despite wearing a full helm, he knew she knew he was blushing. Trying to take advantage of the momentary distraction, she raised her hands in some kind of gesture. Jack pulled the trigger, the shot ringing out and passing through her shoulder and shattering the window. She paused and examined the wound.

“Oh, that’s alright, Jackie, I don’t blame you. Not for this, not for Rose. I hoped maybe we could still be friends. I know you don’t understand me… but you could,” her speech was interrupted by Jack loading another round into the rifle. “Maybe we’ll see each other again,” she winked and smiled that sweet, heart-melting smile. As Jack raised the gun back up, she let herself fall backwards into the inky abyss. Jack ran to the sill and looked down into the great nothing. Her laugh penetrated the void, echoed in the room. Next to the window was a painting. It was simple, abstract drawing of three figures sitting on a dock. It was them. A smaller figure between two larger ones, holding hands. Jack turned from the room and reunited with Tana.

Fandris and the others were waiting at the exit upon their return. It was the same story for everyone. None of the missing were found, only Coos unready but willing to fight. As they discussed, Jack stepped up to Fandris. He glowered down at the boy.

“Can I help you, Captain Marrek?”

“Did you let them take someone to figure out the door?”

Fandris paused, but didn’t flinch. “I didn’t let anything happen. But I observed them while opening their portal, yes.”

“That night Tana saved me… were you going to let them take me? So you could ‘observe’?”

Fandris paused again but still didn’t break eye contact. “We could’ve stopped ten years of kidnapping-” Jack punched a metal gauntlet into his superior’s face. Ever nimble, he rolled with the blow, avoiding anything more than a bruise.

“WE DO NOT,” Tana began, but didn’t finish the thought, before her massive hand gripped Jack’s shoulder. Fandris waited patiently for another blow. Jack brushed off Tana’s hand and stormed out of the hall. He strode through the night to the docks, and sat down on the edge. Struggling to unclip his gauntlet, he freed his wrist and let Rose’s bracelet dangle in the moonlight, the small stones refracting colorful light onto the water.