Guns for Hire Amen

Amen is an NPC in Guns for Hire, with whom Armas has had a great deal of interaction which it is important to track. Our interactions with him are listed here.

Post Link: 313010

In-Game Date: Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

Transcript: There is a stairwell leading both down to the first floor and above to Smets' display area-on the far side of a waifishly thin, ambiguously androgynous, ashen skinned, gold eyed humanoid, blood-red hair the only lively thing about an otherwise deathly visage. This would-be corpse, dressed as a butler, holds forth a silver platter on one white-gloved hand, a bevvy of wine glasses, each filled with a red far to opaque to be wine-and its eyes are locked on me.

Could be it intended to speak.

Fifteen burning wooden bullets scream out of my gun, pouring forth before I even skid to a halt. They shred and rip their way through the butler, carving out gray flesh and burning its cashmere attire in a massive sustained explosion of gore-

>[Smets' Butler]"Would you mind overmuch stopping that?"

....The butler does not sound worried-or even distressed, that its body is at least a third literally blown away. He continues to speak as bullets fly.

>[Smets' Butler]"You know, I am now required to be of service to you-I would appreciate it if you-" The AA-12 runs dry-damn I got to distracted by its nonchalant attitude. It's still holding the tray of wine glasses! >[Smets' Butler]"Thank you. Now there is something that need must be resolved-I am required to be of service to the whomsoever holds the blood of Sisuthros-that which was held in Smets' veins-and now in your possession. This necessitates me serving you-but there is a conflicting order. The butler raises an arm that is visibly completely unharmed, pointing at the stairwell behind him. >[Smets' Butler]"For as it happens, I was left with orders by Smets to follow a [i]different gentleman's orders.... my, how can this be resolved.[/i]" ...So. Someone ELSE is here-someone that Smets was dealing with-and they're on the third floor with the guns. As I finally tear the discharged amulet from my neck, careful to leave its still functioning twin in place, an empty AA-12 in hand, I wonder....

Post Link 313308

In-Game Date: Wednesday, November 24th, 2010

Transcript: "So who is the other guy, then?"

The pale-faced butler smiles, as he (she?) opens her mouth once more.
>[Smets' Butler]"Confidentiality is beyond being a prerequisite for my kind-it is a necessity, a force of nature we cannot resist."
So no names for me then... okay...
"Would you be amenable to bringing the deceased Smets' firearms to a place of my designation?"
>[Smets' Butler]"I'm afraid my last master was most demanding-and had me bound to this houses' property. I cannot leave the premises."
...Damn.
"Were you ordered to only follow his orders?"
>[Smets' Butler]"By 'him', you reference the other potential master, is that correct?"
"Yes."
>[Smets' Butler]"That is correct."
"Then I order you not to follow the other gentleman's orders-in fact, I order you to not listen to anything the other individual says."
>[Smets' Butler]"A request that can be met."
The butler's smirk tells me I missed something-yet with the clock ticking, I don't really have time to investigate.
"Well, since I'm going in there anyway... I suppose I could discuss things with the gentleman."
I grab one of the two flutes of blood and down it-the coppery taste coating the back of my throat as the viscous liquid takes up residence in my gut.
"Oh-next time I see you, I fully expect you in an orange suit."
That damnable smirk finally ghosts off the butler's face for the briefest of instants.
>[Smets' Butler]"...Orange?"
"Positively NEON, no less."
The butler bows to me.
>[Smets' Butler]"As requested."
"Oh, and tell Smet's ghouls, servants, whatever to stop attacking the people on the nearby church's roof."
>[Smets' Butler]"Between the interdiction affecting cellular devices and my restriction to the house grounds-I cannot meet your request."
...Damn, can't order it outside of it's comfort zone, either.

I march past the butler, still feeling not a whit of attention on my person-belatedly realizing that as of yet I still have not felt the butler's attention on me-despite the butler having stared at me throughout this whole conversation.

I turn back to the butler as I move to ascend the stairs.
"Oh-sorry about shooting you there."
>[Smets' Butler]"Understandable, given you are hear to take Smets' possessions by right of force. No insult was percieved."

Post Link: 313884
In-Game Date: Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Transcript: >[Smets' Butler]"My my my... we can't have this. A contest of potential masters left inconclusive, in limbo? No, that will not do at all. I turn my eyes to the side, the ghostly quiet androgynous butler standing at my side-and in my peripherals I note the walls to now be clear, where before scores of guns hung upon them-when did they-
>GS]"Ah, there you are-go ahead and kill Mr. Laine."
The Butler, its back to Savoy, continues speaking, ignoring Savoy's spoken words.
>[Smets' Butler]"Well well well. I wondered why you drank that, not being vampiric-but I understand now. It is a most faint magical ability-hardly worthy of the name-but it could be more."
Tick tock, tick tock-how long until I hear sirens?
"..What are you suggesting?"
>[GS]"Amen, I order you to slay Armas Laine!"
>[Amen]"Why... why why-it's quite simple. Your knack's structure allows you healing's advanced speed to be based on how saturated with magic your body is from past feedings-but such a new, such a [i]fledgling ability. If you want to finish this fight-[/i]"
>[GS]"...What did you do, Armas? What did you do!!"
Amen shoves its index finger into its wrist, golden fluid welling up around the injury-strange, it did not bleed when I shot it before....
That golden blood pools in the butler's cupped hands, and it smiles at me, not a trace of kindness in its eyes.
>[Amen]"Heh... heh... heh. As I am bound to ingore the pleas of the other potential master at this juncture, to you, and you alone do I make this offer: Will the current carrier of Sisuthros' blood take my blood into him, to forcibly augment his ability? Will the current carrier accept my offer, and finish this contest so that I am no longer stuck in limb, unable to concretely serve a single master?"
Tick tock. My eyes roll as I think as fast and furiously as I can, noting Big Crazy still slumped against the wall-and beginning to move.

In the distance, I begin to hear sirens.

Post Link: 314071
In-Game Date: Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
Transcript:"Uh-couple things first: Get ready to transfer all of Smets' holdings in Turkey to my name-only under the condition you can do so in a legally acceptable, non-fraudulent manner. Rather not have it, than have it bite me in the ass."
Are the sirens a bit closer? Vapor trails rise from the golden sanguine pool in Amen as it grins at me, head inclining.
>[Amen]"Ah, ah ah.... Order heard and understood-what else do you wish to waste time requesting now?"
"Bind, hide and prevent that man against the wall there from dying-need to talk to him after this."
>[Amen]"Fine fine fine. The offer?"
"In a minute. The gun collection's hidden?"
>[Amen]"Indeed, indeed indeed... Mr. Laine, is that not so?"
...Savoy's been quiet-I don't like that, or the ever louder sirens. Have to speak faster. ..Those crazed golden eyes...
"I order you, as the current bearer of Sisuthros' blood, to disregard Smets' order to regard Savoy as you master or potential-"
>[Amen]"My my my-we discussed this, I cannot counteract given orders so simply."
"Then I order you to personally reclassify Savoy so that he is no longer eligible to be a master, potential or otherwise."
>[Amen]"Well well well... It has been done."
The sirens are perhaps a block away now. The vapor trails continue to spin about-and Savoy stays silent. ...This is it, then, I'm out of time for questions.

"..Different idea. Take off Savoy's right arm, feed me that-it has enough power for this, right?"
>[Amen]"Hm, hm hm....If you had a way to properly metabolize it's energy, yes. My own blood can serve that roll-but nothing else in this house is potent enough to serve."
>[GS]"YOU WANT TO EAT MY-"
>[Amen]"In twenty seconds the police will enter the front door-your choice?"
Can I say anything else?
"Do it then-Savoy's arm with your blood."

Amen leans over me, cradling my head in one arm as his other hand rises-Savoy's demonic arm already in his grasp, the Italian assassin's screams following an instant after I see the limb-Savoy rolling on the ground as the wounds all over his body spasm with writhing tendrils of black blood reaching out of his flesh, grasping at the air. I try to keep my gaze focused on Savoy-

The blinking, writhing mass of demon arm, golden blood tracing out archaice symbols over it's surface, liquefies and begins flowing down my mouth, up my nose can't even breath-

Amen's arm leaves the back of my head-and I catch myself from falling back.

...I can move again.

And I hear shouts down below-the Turkish police.

DAMN IT, Savoy is nowhere to be seen! I dimly note Big Crazy to be conspicuously missing from the wall-he was already hidden?
"Where is Savoy!?"
>[Amen]"Oh? Oh oh? Had I not sheltered your mind as thoroughly as I did, you would now be naught but a blank soul-what price is it, to see a foe flee, if you get to keep your mind? I push myself to my feet in time to hear the entry level door being broken down, dozens of booted feet thudding down the entryway, clipped voices issuing terse orders.
>[Amen]"In one hour, you will have to deal with the assimilation's price-for now, act as you will."

I hear the booted feet pounding up to the second floor-
"Can you remove all evidence that could link me to this entire event from the house?"
>[Amen]"Done... done and done. How do you wish me to greet the guests, master?"
Again that predatorial smile-
Yeah, Amen totally did not set plans in motion with this offer here, no, couldn't have.... yeah, right.