Tuesday, April 28, 2015

HoC Evil Creatures: Lurker Bosses: Wrapper



Boss Lurkers are like regular lurkers, with a few exceptions:

Name: Wrapper
Species: Former Magic Born - Spade Royalty
Class: ZZZ
Description: They can make their spine grow 3-4 more feet. When they use it, their tail becomes tangible. Their eye sockets glow orange.
Special attack(s): They have been known to pull their victims into the air where they can’t be helped by those below. They will generally grab a quarries’ appendage with their extended spine and hoist them high into the air (weight does not matter). They then wrap around them like a serpent and suck them up before they can reach the ground.
            They don’t always have to drag their victim in the air. They can curl around their prey while they are grounded and, like a boa constrictor, squeeze them to render the victim breathless or unconscious. Then caps and shrouds them (if they’re a MB).
Defense(s): They will use their spine like a whip to wrap around and pull away any opposing weapon and throw the weapon far from their attacker.
Known facts: To display dominance, it will lengthen its tail and slap the average lurkers across the top of the skull. Then, the other lurkers who were former Spades will bow their heads in subjection.
            Out of all the Boss Lurkers, the Wrapper, is the one who ‘cooperates’ the best with other Bosses; especially when it comes to Magic Users (MUs).
Once the MU is grabbed and hoisted up by the Wrapper and if a Basher is in the area, they will work together and the victim is used as a punching bag, until MU’s spark is released and then sucked up. The MU will likely die in this encounter.
If a Slicer is in the area, the Wrapper holds the victim while the Slicer does its ‘slice-n-dice’ dance. The MU’s spark is released and then sucked up.
How to kill it: Break its spine in half. (You have ten minutes until it grows a new tail). Then attack it like any regular lurker. 

Nicknames: Whipper. Evil’s spine.




HoC Evil Creatures: Lurker Bosses: Basher




Boss Lurkers are like regular lurkers, with a few exceptions:

Name: Basher
Species: Former Magic Born - Diamond Royalty
Class: ZZZ
Description: Their skulls and spines are made of diamond. Their eye sockets glow blue.
Special attack(s): They will use their skull for a battering ram and their spine, they will use like a spear or a drill.
Defense(s): Their diamond head and spine are extremely hard to crack, chip, or shatter.
Known facts: To display its dominance over the average lurker, it will fly passed the other lurkers, letting them see their diamond skull and spine. Then, the other lurkers who were former Diamonds will bow their heads in subjection.
Basher heads have been reported hard enough to ram through walls of stone. They will generally target the ribs or spine of their victim and ram them against a wall or the ground to render them immobile. Their attacks are the goriest.
How to kill it: You have to hit it with a legendary magical object, but REPEATEDLY! Bashers don't crack so easily and they could just suck dry or break the object you're using.

Nicknames: Crusher. Driller.


This one of a kind Basher was seen outside the Tapestry:





Monday, April 27, 2015

HoC Bk1 Evil Creatures: Lurkers and Boss Names



Name: Lurker (Regular)
Species: Former Magic Born (MB)
Class: ZZ
Description: Half skull (missing jaw) and backbone. A ghostly shroud is attached to the backbone. When moving, its shroud resembles the frills on a cuttlefish.  When it extends its wings, they resemble that of a tattered bat. Their eye sockets glow red when they smell food.
Attack(s): When spotting a victim, it moves in a serpentine fashion. Its shrouded wings become tangible enough to wrap around victim's arms and torso, pinning their arms to their body. The Lurker will place the underside of their skull on the victim's head and feed. The person is entirely sucked up and will disappear. Whatever shirt the victim was wearing will appear on the lurker’s wings as a pattern. (Also known as being "capped" or "cap and shrouded").  The Magic Born and their magic will be digested for a year. (For a way to save the victim, see the ‘How to kill’ section below.)
Defense(s): It's a shade (ghost). It can go through anything that's not magical.
Known facts: Any Magic Born who's rank is 10 and lower become these. They will use their "nose" to sniff magical residue left on the ground by magical people/creatures and begin their hunt. Anything non-magical whether living or not, is by-passed, undisturbed.
They are also sensitive to anyone with a large amount of magic. If their magical spark is big enough, lurkers that are within the powerful MB’s radius, will come to the hunt immediately and then it's a race to reach the victim.
Known History: Made by the Lurker King.
Tame: NO!
Weakness(es): Magic in any form. The more magic, the quicker the lurker will be lured.
How to kill: The skulls are their weak point. When destroying a Lurker, you need something with a high amount of magic to break its skull, not just crack it. The tools used against them are generally magical weapons.
            If a “full” Lurker’s skull is shattered, the victim will then fall out of them, weak and disoriented. Take them to the nearest Realm Keeper, magicks’ hospital or clinic, and have them checked over for remaining lurker residue.
Nicknames: Mindless vacuums. Flying sheets. Bedsheets. “Evil wearing a dress.”- Kory.

Known Boss Lurkers

-Bashers
-Wrappers
-Slicers
-Deathwings
-The Lurker King


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Saturday, April 25, 2015

HoC Bk1 Creatures: Tapestry's Dust Bunny



Name: Dust Bunny
Species: Dust Bunny (pests)
Class: A
Description: A rabbit made out of dust.
Known facts: Hard to catch. They can spread themselves thin to look like a light layer of dust. They spread dust wherever they go. They can squeeze under nearly everything. As long as a dust particle can get through, the rest of them can follow.
Known History: This particular dust bunny has been at the Tapestry for a long time. He’s the biggest, smartest, and fastest dust bunny in the elegant home. He also enjoys picking on MoreSarah 's morfex.
Tame: No
Weakness(es): Static. Morfexes are his nemesis.
Current Status: Alive

Last known Location: Tapestry



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HoC Bk1 Characters: Percy



Name: Percival “Percy”
Relationship Status: Single
Race: Goblin (Full)
Occupation: Watcher
Known Habits: Freaks out every time he sees Ari and runs for cover.
Awards/Recognition: House Gob
Current Status: Alive


Last known location: Taps' top hat






HoC Bk1 Legends: The Wagon Lady



Title: The Wagon Lady (few know her true name)
Race: Immortal
Spark: Magic Born (MB)
Occupation: Death, for the magically inclined. (AKA the magical version of the human Grim Reaper)
Known Talent: Picking up souls for their final journey.
Current Status: Alive
Nickname: Death

Last known location: Wherever she needs to be



HoC Bk1 Machines: Taps' Teapot



Name: Taps’ Teapot
Type of Machine: Metal, ceramic, plastic, etc.
Description: A whirley-bob with elephant legs for motion and ears for handles.
Purpose: To refresh even the most fussy of guests.
How does it work: Think about what you would like to drink, hot or cold. A glass will appear. The teapot will walk over and use its trunk-spout to pour your desired beverage. The taste, temperature, and thickness will be exactly how you want it.
Example:
Let’s say you think “Hot chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.” It will first pour the hot chocolate into your glass, the whipped cream will squirt out in the amount you wanted on top of that, and then chocolate sprinkles would garnish the whipped cream, according to your wishes.
Maintenance: Oni, the tri-gob, is its caretaker.
Warning: Alcoholic, drug-like, or caffeinated beverages are not permitted. (Herbal tea and hot chocolate are allowed). The teapot will wait until the guest thinks of some other drink.
            -If anyone were to place alcohol or drugs into the teapot, it would explode.
            -If anyone put caffeinated beverages into the teapot, it would crash into walls, due to hyper activity.
            -It’s internal structure and magic are very sensitive. To harm the teapot would likely upset Taps and the guest would not be permitted to return to the Tapestry.
Known facts: It’s female. There are several deep and delicate enchantments that make the teapot function the way she does. She will change her pattern and body makeup every day according to her desire. She can pour any beverage from the human and magical worlds alike (minus what has been mentioned in the warning section). Sometimes she will play a special tune* as she walks around.
Known history: The teapot has been around since Taps’ college days.

* Teapot Song
(to the tune of "I'm a Little Teapot")

I’m a little teapot, Whirly Bob
Liquid refreshment is my job
Think what you want
Please don’t shout
I’ll be right over to pour it out.

I’m a magic teapot, small but strong
I serve hot or cold drinks all day long
Think what you want
I will provide
Your favorite drink
From inside.




HoC Bk1 Machines: Mugwump



Name: Mugwumps
Type of Machine: Organic
Description: Smiley face machine whose mane acts as a soil tiller, arms that are hoes for weeds, and feet that are garden rake claws.
Purpose: Weeding and war.
How does it work: Mugwumps come as a 2D (two dimensional), two foot, cardboard cut-out to make transportation easier. To activate it, you shove it into soil* up to its neck. Then you say the word “weed” and touch the center of its face. The mugwump will plump and fill out to a metal 3D model and begin to weed. (If it giggles, this means the machine is in tip-top shape.)
Its mane will break up the earth around the weeds and its hoe arms will rip up the weeds (roots and all), flip them up into the air, and catch them in its mouth. It will continue until there are no more weeds in the plot of ground you placed it in.
The weeds nourish the mugwump, so there is no need to worry about cleaning the inside afterwards. Their won’t be anything to find.
Once the weeds are gone, it will jump out and use its rake feet to push all the dirt back into the holes it left behind.
When the holes are filled, it wait for ten minutes on the garden’s perimeter. Touch the center of its face and say “sleep”. It will return to its 2D state and you can transport it.
Maintenance: For storage, place it in an unbreakable (magic) storage chest or place somewhere up high on a shelf so it won’t be damaged. If mugwump stops working, take it to a magicanik’s (magical mechanic) shop. If the mugwump’s joints sound creaky, be sure to rub some aloe vera on it for lubrication during its “sleep” mode. Let the machine air out overnight. The aloe will soak into the cardboard and work on the joints. If it still creaks, take it to a magicanik.
Warning: If the Mugwump is left unattended for 10 minutes after it completes its weeding chore, it will leave to find another plot of ground on your property to weed in. If there is no weed to be found, it will find the closest plot of ground to weed.
Special attack(s): Can be re-outfitted for war-by order of the ruling Royal Spades. If such an order is given, you must take all the mugwumps you have and give them to a magicanik. For which, you will be compensated.
Defense(s): Its metal body can take a lot of damage before it stops working.
Known facts: Goblin made.
Weakness(es): They can break down.


*Hard or soft soil, it doesn’t matter. The cardboard rake feet have a sharp magical shield around them that cuts into the dirt like a hot knife through butter.


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Friday, April 24, 2015

HoC Bk1 Evil Creatures: Wingnuts



Name: Wingnut
Species: Plant
Class(es): M. Z (When in a flock)
Description: Walnut with sharp maple seed propellers on top of its head. They have a single red eye in front. They have a sharp “beak” that can open and close.
Attack(s): It slices prey with its propellers.
Special attack(s): It will open its beak and take a chunk out of prey’s flesh.
Defense(s): Flight.
Known facts: Carnivores. They will attack any magical heat they sense. But if a human’s in the fray, they’ll go for them too. They will take the chunks of flesh in their beak and return home to feed their sprouts.
There are right and left wingnuts. According to Copey (Taps’ guardian gate) the left are: “Sharp-like and lip-smackin’ good.”
They hunt in flocks of 100 and have been known to gather in a 1000+. They don’t possess much of a brain. Their main instinct is to search for food.
Known History: They showed up around the time of the American pioneers crossing the plains. No one’s sure who made them, but everyone’s sure it was a Spade. Possibly a Crazy 8.
Tame: No.
Weakness(es): When they’re filled with meat, they’ll return to their nest. It’s easier to attack them during this time, they no longer care about anything else. (Best to follow them to their nest and destroy them all…wear good-thick protective gear).

How to kill it: Magical objects that can smash, fry, rip them apart. Goblins are one of their banes, due to their thick hides. 



Thursday, April 23, 2015

HoC Bk1 Characters: Vincent



Name: Vincent Marble
Sibling(s): Queen Charlotte Marble Hyland, Queen Eloise Jemima Card (Deceased)
Relationship Status: Engaged once
Race: Magick
Spark: MB
Suit: Diamond ♦ ♦ (Double)
Card Rank: Jack 
Weapon of Choice: Diamond Cane
Occupation: Prince of Diamonds, CEO of private company
Known Talent: Finances
Awards/Recognition: Owner of a private company that was known for extreme financial risks but extreme gains.
Current Status: You’ll have to ask Queen Piedee, but be prepared for road rash.
Nickname: Vince

Last known location: Royal Heart court room




HoC Bk1 Characters: Mrs. Haberlie



Name: Joyce Haberlie
Relationship Status: Married
Race: Magick
Spark: MB
Suit: Spade ♠/ Heart ♥
Card Rank: 5 
Occupation: SKS Lunch Lady and SKS Teacher.
Known Talent: Plants
Awards/Recognition: Designed and made a recipe book allows faster preparation time.
Current Status: Alive


Last known location: Starlight Key School


SKS Staff Badge





Wednesday, April 22, 2015

HoC Bk1 Creatures: Octavious



Name: Octavious
Species: Dectopus
Class: Z
Description: Giant 10 legged octopus. Color is a light mint green (red with black splotches when angry). Each arm is 6 feet long.
Attack(s): Can use his 10 arms to attack and strangle.
Special attack(s): Will use any cutlery or pans if you enter into HIS kitchen unannounced!
Defense(s): Squirts ink to blind you.
Known factsTaps and Jeffery are the only ones who can enter the kitchen without permission. Don't insult his cooking by not eating it...that could land you in "hot water". 
Known History: Given to Taps by the *Lady Soline as a gift, when he’d just hatched.
Tame: No.
Weakness(es): Crustaceans (crab, lobster, etc)
Current Status: Alive


Last known Location: Tapestry’s Kitchen (He’s the chef and PROUD of it!)


*Lady Soline is actually a character from another series that Michelle wrote. She's the dominant character in the book: Fathom's Deep.



Tuesday, April 21, 2015

HoC Bk1 Creature: Dude



Name: Dude
Species: Lockpicker Tortoise
Class: B
Description: Baby Tortoise, with bronze eyes, jeweled shell, and long tail.
Attack(s): Snaps at your fingers
Defense(s): Pulls into his shell.
Known facts: Has to be fed a special pellet in order to work on a lock. Has been trained by Cam to pick hexed locks.
Tame: Yes.
Current Status: Alive

Last known Location: Cam’s pocket



HoC Bk1 Creatures: Clever



Name: Clever
Species: Whirley-Bob
Class: A
Description: Bouncing, rubbery ball that has elephant features including ears and trunk.
Known facts: Mows the Tapestry’s grounds with his trunk.
Known history: Clever has been on the Tapestry’s grounds for many years. He’s the lead whirley-bob.
Tame: Yes
Weakness(es): Strawberries (addiction)
Current Status: Alive

Last known Location: Tapestry



HoC Bk1 Characters: Mr. Pytt



Name: Clive Boyle Pytt
Relationship Status: Married
Race: Gob (Half)
Occupation: Sentenced Gob – Whirleybob trunk cleaner
Current Status: Alive


Last known location: Tapestry


HoC Bk1 Characters: More (Sarah's Morfex)




Name: More (the Morfex)
Species: Morfex
Class: A
Description: Round ball of fur with large eyes and mouth.  He is the size of a baseball. Has a tongue and teeth.
Attack(s): Morfexes aren’t known to attack, unless it's a dust bunny. But More is different.
Special attack(s): His teeth. (Regular Morfex don’t have them)
Defense(s): Can flatten like a mouse and go under doors. Roll away on walls, ceilings, floors.
Known facts: He LOVES Lunchbox Wars! He watches out for Sarah.
Tame: Only for Sarah and Taps.
Weakness(es): If the Tapestry’s resident Dust Bunny is around, More WILL case him.
Current Status: Alive

Last known Location: Tapestry


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HoC Bk1 Characters: Tut - SKS Magic Basics Teacher



Name: Tut
Age: 2682
Relationship Status: Widowed
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic Born
Suit: Spade ♠♠ (Double)
Card Rank: (Originally a 6) 
Occupation: SKS Magic Basics Teacher
Known Talent: Teaching. Lunchbox Wars (LBW).
Known Habits: Coughing sand (Cursed)
Awards/Recognition: Longest lived teacher at SKS. International Pro LBW player. Retired KotR (Knight of the Realm). 
Current Status: Alive...barely.

Last known location: Starlight Key School


SKS Staff Badge:



*Author's Note: For those who may be wondering why Tut's Staff badge doesn't show 2 spades (cause he's a double), it's because he doesn't feel the need to. All that's required is that you show your dominant suit.


HoC Bk1 Characters: Jacer



Name: Jacer Huntsinger
Age: 14
Parent(s): Tove Patrick Huntsinger & Alyssa “Al”
Relationship Status: Single
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic Born
Suit: Club ♣
Card Rank: 8 
Occupation: SKS Student
Known Talent: Lunchbox Wars
Known Habits: Tugging on his shiny seashell belt.
Known Lunchbox Avatar(s): Bigfoot
Current Status: Alive


Last known location: Starlight Key School

SKS Badge:


*Author's Note: Jacer's parents own "Al's Bakery".



Monday, April 20, 2015

HoC Bk1 Characters: Z and Piedee, King & Queen of Hearts



Name: Zelotes Card, King of Hearts
Relationship Status: Married (See Piedee)
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic Born
Suit: Heart ♥/ Diamond ♦
Card Rank: King
Occupation: King of Hearts, Head Monarch of all the Suits.
Known Talent: Ruling, court tactics, motorcycle riding
Current Status: Alive
Nickname: King “Z”
Last known location: Heart Palace





Name: Piedee, Queen of Hearts
Relationship Status: Married (See Zelotes)
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic Born
Suit: Heart ♥ ♥ (Double)
Card Rank: Queen 
Occupation: Queen of Hearts, Head Monarch of all the Suits.
Known Talent: Motorcycle riding, popping wheelies, doing daring stunts
Known Habits: Shelling peanuts (or any nut) and tossing it everywhere (mostly to annoy Taps). Being in random spots at random times.
Current Status: Alive
Nickname: Wheels (Taps)
Last known location: On her bike, heading to Bak’s Bike Shop to pick up some greased quicksilver.


*Author's Note: Since Piedee's hair is knee length, her helmet has a special enchantment that keeps her hair out of her line of sight.


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Wednesday, April 8, 2015

HoC Bk1 Characters: Grandma Rose



Name: Rose Temperance Ebbet
Relationship Status: Widowed. Grandma to Zack Ebbet.
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic Born
Suit: Spade ♠♠ (Double)
Card Rank: 8 
Skill of Choice: Plants
Occupation: Knight of the Tapestry Realm (KotTR)
Known Talent: Plants
Known Habits: Being cranky and blunt
Awards/Recognition: Invented Thorn Whips
Current Status: CARDED and in 3 pieces!


Last known location: Taps’ top hat




HoC Bk1 Characters: Ransom




Name: Ransom Abbot Harris
Age: 17 
Parent(s): Dead
Sibling(s): Dead
GuardianTaps
Relationship Status: Single
Race: Human
Occupation: Modeling
Known Talent: Running
Awards/Recognition: Won several track meet races. Survived several Limbo Closet lock-ins. Helped Sarah save several children from a Limbo Closet.
Current Status: Alive
Nickname: Handsome Ransom

Last known location: Tapestry


SKS Badge:


*Author's Note: This is the "Vistor's" badge Ransom wears in bk1.



HoC Bk1 Characters: Griff




Name: Griff Blakemore
Age: 17
Parents: Redge & Angelina Blakemore *
Siblings: 6 Sisters
Relationship Status: Single (Likes Arianna Hyland)
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic User
MUF: Unknown
Suit: Diamond ♦
Card Rank: 6 
Occupation: SKS Student
Known Talent: Magicanik
Known Habits: Always working on some device.
Known Lunchbox Avatar(s): Robot with a saw-sword.
Current Status: Alive

Last known location: Tapestry

SKS Badge:


*Griff's parents can be found in another book Michelle wrote: Hallow's Gate.





Tuesday, April 7, 2015

HoC Bk1 Characters: Sharon "Ronnie"



Name: Sharon “Ronnie” Card
Age: 9-10
Parent(s): KIDNAPPED!
Sibling(s): Sally (See Sally Card)
Relationship Status: Single
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic User
MUF: Nursery Rhymes & Times book
Suit: Club ♣ ♣ (Double)
Card Rank: 3 
Current Status: KIDNAPPED!
Last known location: In a grey car.


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The Last Alley, HoC bk1. Character Sheet List and Links.

List of Characters (By first name, alphabetically)

*Author's Note: The information on each character is based off the idea that you've already read The Last Alley, House of Cards, Bk1.



Children/Teen Characters

Arianna Hyland

Cameron Card

Griff Blakemore

Jacer Huntsinger

Ransom Harris

Sally Card

Sandee (Dee)

Sarah Card

Sharon (Ronnie) Card

T-Bone

Zack Ebbet



Adult Characters

Darrin Clowol

Dev Cubay

Emerson Devine

Grandma Rose Ebbet

Jeffery Cujels

Joyce Haberlie

Kory Williams

Lacey Devine

Lana Devine, Principal

Lori Williams

Mr. Pytt

Orson Devine

Piedee, Queen of Hearts

Teresa Accolade Persimmons (Taps)

Tut

Vincent Marble

Wagon Lady

Yaz Cubay

Zelotes Card, King of Hearts



HoC Bk1 Characters: T-Bone



Name: T-Bone
Age: 13
Guardian(s)Taps
Relationship Status: Single
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic User
MUF: Unknown
Suit: Diamond ♦
Card Rank: 3 
Occupation: SKS Student
Known Habits: LOVES Lunchbox Wars!
Known Lunchbox Avatar(s): Doberman Pinscher
Current Status: Alive


Last known location: Tapestry

SKS Badge:

HoC Bk1 Characters: Zack





Name: Zack Ebbet
Age: 16
Guardian: Grandma Rose/Taps
Relationship Status: Single (Likes Arianna Hyland)
Race: Magick
Spark: Magic Born
Suit: Spade ♠
Card Rank: 5 
Occupation: SKS Student
Known Talent: Plants
Current Status: Alive


Last known location: Tapestry


SKS Badge:



*Author's Note: Zack is holding a Mugwump, an organic machine that Spades often use in their large gardens.