5.x (Interlude; Gregor the Snail)

Gregor the Snail, a monstrous figure with translucent skin and hard, shell-like growths on his body, pays a teenager for running errands. He explains his unusual appearance prevents him from shopping, and offers the teen a job as his runner, warning him of potential dangers from his enemies. The teen accepts, drawn by the generous pay.

Gregor’s appearance, which makes people perceive him as either frightening or morbidly obese, has made him an outcast. Despite this, he finds a unique place at a club called Palanquin. He bypasses the line and is welcomed inside, revealing a connection to the club’s owner. He navigates the bustling club to reach an upper balcony where he finds Newter, a fellow parahuman, entertaining two young women, Laura and Mary. Newter is telling the girls about their past exploits, specifically a confrontation with powerful heroes in Philadelphia, Chevalier and Myrddin. Newter’s tale, backed by Gregor, leads to the girls paying a bet, and Newter offers them a taste of his power - a psychedelic, non-addictive drug secreted from his skin.

Laura, intrigued by Gregor, gives him her number, but he discards it, suspecting her interest stems from his monstrous appearance rather than genuine attraction. He believes she’s a “devotee,” someone attracted to individuals with disabilities due to a perceived power imbalance. Gregor shares his thoughts with Newter, who dismisses his concerns, but Gregor remains unconvinced. He then delivers food to two other parahumans residing in the club. Emily, nicknamed Spitfire, is a freckled, bookish girl, while Elle, also known as Labyrinth, is a withdrawn blonde with a powerful, distance-based ability. Elle is having a particularly difficult day, her power stronger due to her emotional state.

Gregor’s final stop is Faultline’s office, the owner of Palanquin and the leader of their mercenary group. She’s experimenting, attempting to overcome the Manton effect, a limitation preventing her power from affecting living tissue. Her efforts involve a device with rods of various materials, including living wood, hoping to trick her brain into bypassing the mental block. Gregor, understanding her frustration, offers a drastic solution: triggering a potential second trigger event, a life-or-death situation that could enhance her powers. He strangles her to the brink of unconsciousness, hoping the near-death experience will unlock her potential. The attempt fails, but Faultline appreciates his willingness to help, even at his own expense.

She then reveals the results of an investigation Gregor funded. He had agreed to share his earnings if Faultline used them to uncover information about his origins. She presents a file containing information about parahumans across North America, all sharing common traits: retrograde amnesia, a distinctive ‘u’ tattoo, and being found in urban areas. Initially, most were monstrous like Gregor, but over time, the physical changes became less pronounced. Faultline highlights two key individuals: Shamrock, an attractive redhead with probability manipulation powers and the same ‘u’ tattoo, and the Dealer, a rumored figure in Tallahassee who could grant powers through special vials. The Dealer’s vials were marked with the same symbol as the tattoo.

Faultline theorizes that someone is experimenting with granting powers, with early attempts resulting in monstrous transformations. The Dealer may have been a salesman or someone who stole their work. She plans to track down Shamrock, hoping to gain information or recruit her. Gregor agrees, accepting their current path in unraveling the mystery of his and the other parahumans’ origins.