Shadowrun
Shadowrun Play => Play-by-Post => Topic started by: inca1980 on <09-08-10/0059:22>
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@Woofer
A flash of thunder instantly wakes you from an all too familiar bloody nightmare to the pitter patter of rain tapping on the window. It's that time of year again when a smog-seeded stratus cloud deck wraps downtown Seattle in a rain-soaked blanket and the the whole day just looks like a grey 3:00 PM, even if it's 8:37 in the morning. And that's what time is flashing from a soft neon-blue Augmented Reality Overlay incoming-call icon that suddenly jumps out from your commlink which is burried in a crumpled mound of clothes on the floor. The only calls that ever come in at 8AM are jobs or dad....so it's probably best to put the call on standby, start up the soykaf machine, get out of bed, wash your face, and answer it. Once you actually take a good look at the ARO, you see it's your fixer Angel this time.....at least he doesn't ask as many questions as dad. You throw the ARO over onto the breakfast table which is littered with printed out blogger clippings and other case files ..with only a little corner left for actual breakfasting.
Angel: "Listen man, i don't got forever cuz I need to be cross town in a meeting in half an hour, but I got a job for you that doesn't need much explaining. It doesn't need much explaining because all I know is that it's a client who for sure's got the cred, he's pretty agitated...but he won't tell me a thing....but it's not the usual 'cat-stuck-up-in-a-tree' type job Woof' He's impressed by your resume but he says he'll rest easier if he's got your whole team working on this one. Half-up front, half when it's done....he'll discuss the financial details in person. Keep your mouth shut about this if you're not taking the job, but I scoped him out a little for ya....his name is Germaine Robinson and you won't believe this...this elf's the regional HR director for Visteon. He ain't no professional Mr. Johnson...this job looks more personal. Smells to me like a guy with the cred who's out of options ...but that's why people call me.....and I call you. So if you want the job i suggest you call your group of 'usual suspects' asap before other fixers book them first. Let me know when you're ready, and i'll set up the meet."
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Woofer sighs as he looks at the latest news reports, "Thanks Angel, I'll take it, give me the meet details."
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Angel: "The meet's at noon in some fancy little restaurant up in Bellevue at 94th&24th....it's called "L'armoire"....only a few blocks east of the Bellevue Visteon enclave. Reservation is under Robinson party of 5. Keep me posted."
@Mercedes
Your commlink shoots you a message from Woofer which pops up on the periphery of your field of view just as you're wrapping up your closing statements at a local the regional "MCT Quantum-Computing and Beyond" convention. You have no idea what you just said for the last 30 min....but judging from the raging applause, you know whatever it was you said really got this room full of geeks pretty excited. The text message is a job Woofer just got with the meet time and location. You thank your lucky stars because one more of these idiotic public speaking gigs and you might snap and just open fire on a packed audience.
@Cynthia
The call from Woofer wakes you up to a world of hurt. The fall you took last night from a 3 story building trying to evade those KE roto-drones would have landed most fools dead or in the hospital....but luckily or unluckily for you, you always end up getting to peel yourself off the plasti-crete and limp home. You lost the drones, but now your fake SIN is burned...it was shitty to begin with...didn't even look like you. As soon as KE saw something fishy was up on a routine Random Citizen Safety Search and Seizure check; you bolted. You're gonna need the cred to grab a new fake SIN...a good one this time....so hopefully this job pays decent.
@B.B.
Last night you didn't even bother catching a little shut-eye. Just as your VR Icon pumps a chromatic dragon full of energy pulses, bringing you to level 85 of the MMORPG "Planes of Eldoran", Woofers incoming call reminds you that...yes...a world outside of the gleeming hallways of Kalimdor Keep does exist....And in that world, if you want to keep playing until level 100, you're gonna eventually need the cred once you splurge on what you got in the bank right now. If this was just some regular "Starlore" script kiddie's game, you could've hacked the main server for all the play-time you want.....but "Planes" is a bonified hackers game....good luck ripping them off.
[OOC: so post what you're gonna do in terms of preparations, i.e. what you're gonna take with you.....and then go over to the meet site]
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LOC: Brian's pad. 5th floor Corner of Fairview and Thomas, Downtown. 9:30am
As B.B. left the sim, he deflated a bit. Real life had a way of doing that to him. On the flipside of this, a marathon session of PoE was a lifetime in itself. In some ways literally. The VR sculptors had built the game around the "speed of thought" concept, and so, they made the world go faster in time with the player's increased perceptions. The result was that time in the game felt like much longer than time in the meat world. Brian was a little slower than the top PoE-goers though, since he was part of the cold-sim underclass. Most players kicked it hot, but it hurt like a bastard when you got derezzed, and the addiction potential was unreal. Despite that, Bee had a hard time saying no to that little voice that told him to go for it anyway. Maybe if he got enough cash squirreled away to pull a nice long grind...
Brian shook his head a little to clear it. Master Woof had called and it was going to be a short time before he was on a job. Time to hunker down a little. Get serious. But first, he needed to scrub up a bit. L'armoire was pretty classy for Bellview, and he could use a nice long soak...
LOC: Brian's pad. 5th floor, Corner of Fairview and Thomas, Downtown. 10:30am
Partially rested, and quite refreshed, Brian was ready for a piece of biz. He slipped on his form-fitting ballistic armor shirt, and strapped the discrete forearm and shin guards in place. When you're three-foot-nothing in a six-foot man's world, you don't take chances on the cross-town bus. Top of that, he put on a white button-down shirt, dark slate gray slacks, black belt and shoes, a tan sportcoat, and his brown leather driving cap. Trodes underneath, natch. Earbuds in ears, Goggles, pulled up onto the front of the driving cap. He clipped his com to his hip, secured his stun baton into the coat's discrete holder (a shallow pocket in the bottom with an elastic band at the top,) and started to pack his bag. He took his Scanner, his Ceska, and all three clips of ammo, wrapped them in his shadow-blue coverall, and unceremoniously stuffed them into his orange and tan backpack. As a final gesture, he added his AR gloves on top.
"Always be ready to work..." he said only to himself, dropping a Betel into his right hand from the little corp-candy holder on his wrist and popping it into his mouth automatically.
With that, he was on his way out of the building to hop the 14 bus to Bellview and, hopefully, big bucks. ..Not the joyboi club Big Bucks... no. I meant money. It was...
Anyway, he was off.
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Mercedes (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=73.msg585#msg585) makes her way backstage, shaking the hands of some of the lower suits that helped put together the panel. She approaches an elder executive, bowing low and saying "Ohayou gozaimasu, Kurosawa-san. I hope my performance was to you liking?"
The executive raises an eyebrow at her, then nods his head in response to her bow and smiles, "Your Japanese is improving, my dear. And, as always, your speaking made an otherwise dry lecture something memorable. Hopefully we'll be able to do this more often. Arigatou!"
Not if this job pays off tonight. The perfect rendition of a grateful smile is plastered across her face, "Anata wa totemo yasashii desu ne, Kurosawa-san. I am always available for you." With that, she bowed again, certain that the cred had been transferred while they were conversing, then headed to the exit of the auditorium, carefully waiting until after she had left the building before checking to verify the cred was there.
Bringing up the message from Marcus, she read over the details, sketchy as they were, then shot back a message letting him know she'd be there. Flagging down a cab, she then went home to change and get ready for the meeting. Once she was changed into her "business" clothes, she loaded her Elan and slipped it into her leather jacket's oversized pocket, then went down to her bike and drove off to the meet.
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Woofer sighs, and decides a shower might be a good idea. After tossing and turning for much of the night, slept like crap, "Coffee and a shower, as usual." *heads in and starts running the water*
After a shower makes him feel a little more human, he dresses in one of his nicer looking clothes, or at least nicer than what he wore investigating crime scenes, and heads out, gear in trunk.
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I make a quick search of the public data bases to find out what I can about L'armoire. Suspecting that it is a high class club/restaurant either french or elvish (either way snobish) they won't like me showing up in "working" attire. So I deck out in the auctioneer business clothes. Toss all my other gear including my chameleon suit in a duffle bag and grab a taxi to get me to the meet about 11:30 (unless one of my chummers will give me a ride ;D) I'll case the place out and look for exist strategies and possible security concerns.
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I'll contact woofer on the way there even if he isn't able to give me a lift to see if I can't meet up with him to toss my gear in his trunk also
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[OOC:] I'd like to do a host of knowledge skill checks on the way to the meet. All to help us get a feel for the Seattle you want to play.
Regional Knowledge (Seattle) to give me an idea of the conditions in that part of Bellview. Should be 5 Intuition + 1 Skill + 3 Limbic Nanites for 9 dice.
Seattle Gangs to see if there's any presence in the area, like the Lake Acids. Should be 5 Intuition + 1 Skill + 3 Limbic Nanites for 9 dice.
Law to see what the basic attitudes are for things like coatcheck/gunchecks in upscale places. Should be 7 Logic + 1 Skill + 3 Neocortical Nanites + 1 PuSHeD for 12 dice.
Also, Brian is dropping his goggles down over his eyes once he hits street level. He should be hyper-aware enough to scroll while he strolls, thanks to Multi-tasking.
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Intuition 5+Regional Knowledge (Seattle) 1+Limbic Nanites 3 = 9 DP 9d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2681323/).
Most people who know Seattle know that this part of Bellevue is corp residential enclave central, which means KE definitely makes keeping these streets clean a priority.
Intuition 5+Seattle Gangs 1+Limbic Nanites 3 = 9 DP 9d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2681329/).
There aren't any street gangs in this area. Any crime in this area is directly controlled by the Yakuza and that includes after-hours gambling houses and high-level escort services. Besides a drug dealer named Sebastian who has an apartment on 96th street, that's pretty much all you can think of.
7 Logic + 1 Skill + 3 Neocortical Nanites + 1 PuSHeD=12 DP 12d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2681330/)
Legally concealed carry is permitted with a liscence for hand guns. Anything heavier than that needs a corp security liscence. Establishments other than ones with ties to corporate security must notify individuals before submitting them to a scan. Corporate citizens of extra-territorial entities within the boundaries of the Seattle metroplex enjoy immunity.
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The four of you meet a block north of L'armoire near a park bench. It's not everyday you see each other dressed like a couple of corporate wunderkinds on their way to some upper-level-exec promotion interview. The rain right now is only an intermittent drizzle that makes carrying an umbrella not even worth it. All of you smirk at each other fully aware of how out of place you all really are in this part of town at this time of day. After placing your bags of gear into Woofers car, you make your way to the restaurant.
Despite the time of year, the outdoor dining tables in front of the restaurant are completely full thanks to a few strategically spaced proximity-heating devices. Even though all your PAN's are on passive, as you enter under the awning canopy which juts out under the silver sculpted "L'armoire" sign, an ARO request for an AR weather reality filter awaits your approval if you choose to dine outside.
As the four of you enter the ornate glass and cherry-blossom wooden doors, a host cuts off your advance almost too eagerly. He's a 6'4'' elf dressed in all black with silver-white hair stretched so tightly into a short pony-tail that it's a wonder he can even blink. As he asks for your reservation with a slight french accent and looks down at a menu shaped ARO hovering near his palm. As soon as Woofer tells him "the Robinson party" he raises his eyebrows without ever looking up from the screen. "Ah yes, please come with me" he says as the ARO disappears into his clenched fist. He leads you through a small path which makes it's way through several different landings of neatly arranged tables and eventually brings you to another set of smaller glass and cherry-blossom wooden doors. He opens them up and politely motions for you to please enter.
As soon as the last one of you enters he closes the door leaving you in a private dining room with medium sized elf pacing back and forth nerviously. He pauses momentarily, looking rather annoyed when he sees B.B.'s small stature, but then looks back up at Woofer and the two beautiful elves beside him and goes back to looking nervous.
He shakes Woofers hand and says "Germaine...you must be the investigator Angel contacted."
"Thank you so much for agreeing to help me with my problem on such short notice. Angel has come highly recommended to me, so I do sincerely hope that you prove to be just as competent. Please take a seat."
He motions to the dining table which has not even had the plates set and the four of you sit even though he continues to pace.
"I suppose I should start at the beginning. It all started 2 weeks ago when my son, Jeshua, and a close human friend of his, Isamu, left the Visteon enclave and have not returned since. Usually those two boys just stay up in my son's room most evenings playing their VR games....and only occasionally go out. The camera's saw them leave and check out of the enclave to go shopping at 6:20p.m. Security cleared them to go and they noted they would return well before the cerfew of 9:00. At Visteon we strongly believe in taking care of our corporate family and like most responsible corporations we require children of employees to be tagged at birth with RFID locators. My son had an especially advanced RFID system which also logged all nodes which he has ever come in proximity with. My personal security detail whom I can trust found their RFID tagged clothing dumped only a block from the enclave. So unless they were travelling across town stark naked, the must have had a change of tag-less clothes. Apparently they took an auto-taxi straight to the eastern edges of Bellevue and into Renton where they went to an apartment residence and at this location, all of a sudden their personal RFID tags went offline at about 7:45pm. This apartment in Renton is still on the map of zones permitted to our employees, and their tags have showed them stopping there briefly on occasion before....security never thought much of it. This is all I know. And here is where my real problem begins."
"If my son ran away or is involved in 'risky' a-social behavior this will permanently tarnish his otherwise perfect VEAL score....or should I say Visteon Employee Aptitude and Loyalty score. If it were no skin off of my back, then I could care less if the boy decides to throw his life away, but he will be a valuable asset to me in the coming years once he achieves executive management status on the accelerated path which a high VEAL score affords."
"As you might know, Visteon is an Ares subsidiary.....along with Knight Errant and this makes it simply impossible for me to go to the authorities. All the employee scoring systems under the umbrella of Ares are tied to a universal Ares Employee Assessment Quantifier which even a director like me is rated with. As an incentive to raise good corporate citizens, my son's VEAL score actually has an influence on my score as well, thus compounding my dilemma."
"As of now, the official story is that my son and his friend have gone to stay with some of our relatives in Portland....and it has cost me every ounce of influence and connections I have to maintain this ruse....but it can't go on more than a few more days before security starts asking questions that I can't answer.
"Now, if you can locate my son for me, dead or alive, I can pay your team up to 100,000 nuyen....half paid out right here, and half paid out once my son has been located and returned."
The shear callousness with which Germaine speaks of his son's potential demise is rather shocking to anyone who's foreign to megacorp family values....or to the pure ambition any high level exec needs to have gotten where he has. He then sits down and falls into silence after asking: "I will entertain any questions you may have and will assist you in your investigation to the extent to which it does not compromise me."
[OOC: If you have questions then you can just post them....i.e. you don't need to wait until he answers somebody else's question before you ask yours ....i'll just address all the questions as I'm able to post. If you guys want to consult each other, only those of you who can view AR through a Sim-module connected to your brain with trodes or a datajack can communicate via mental text message with out alerting him. Otherwise he'll know you're texting. I'm not saying you have to keep your communications on the DL though. It's up to you.]
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Woofer sighs, "Always hated that system, can you give us a list of possible friends from his VR games, or even his screen ID?"
Woofer thinks, "Also, do you perchance have a still good DNA sample? And this is for two reasons, first, verification, the second is if they didn't think of, astral tracking."
Woofer, though looking terrible, seems to shake off his funk, in territory he has done countless times.
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Mercedes gives Germaine a comforting smile, "You mentioned that he was at the Renton address before. When was the last time he was there previous to his dissappearance? And how long did he stay? Also, an give us a little more information on your son? Age, description, some of his interests other than VR games?"
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"Also any additional information you have about your son's friend, Isamu would be helpful."
"The RFID tag that was implanted in your son at birth do you know what type of tag it was? Also where on his body was it implanted?"
"Has your son shown any other signs of rebellion in the past?"
"Has any of his friends or classmates seemed to show any particular interest in him not being around?"
"Do you have any enemies that might have snatched him to get at you?"
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Oh god... fascists.. When am I going to free my life of these petty fascists... At least this one isn't pretending to be human. When they smile and pretend, that's the worst.
"I'll assume you want us to avoid contact with Ismaru's family. Anyone else we shouldn't talk to, or is that background stuff not even necessary?"
"Also, did they ditch their comlinks along with their clothes, or have the links just gone dead? They.. did have more than just KidLnks, right?"
<<@ Team: "50 grand up front!? This guy is awfully forward. Think the kid took something important with him on this little jaunt? Something worth the six figures this guy is shelling out to cover his rep? I mean if he's willing to write the kid off, he could have just declared it a kidnapping and saved face. His blatant callousness could easily be a limited hangout...">>
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09/09/10
Germaine:
@Woofer: "I have no idea what games that boy wastes his time with or who out there in cyberspace he was playing with. I trust Visteon ensures that our youth are preoccupying themselves with wholesome entertainment.....but I can't see how that is relevant here! If I were to make a request with the security department, which by the way is run directly out of Ares headquarters in Detroit, then I would be able to obtain records of his online activities and passwords....I would even be able to initiate an astral tracking ritual with the monthly blood sample VIP's in this company must submit to in order to prevent forced extractions.....But once they re-obtained my son, they would follow a debriefing protocol which always includes truth scans, both magical and using ASSIST. They would quickly find that Jeshua left out of behavioral problems...or who knows , they my find that he is involved in far worse activities than simply running away. I have already gone out on quite a limb by personally vouching for my son, and concocting the bogus story that he and his friend had erroneously signed out as going shopping and instead were intended to be picked up by my sister. They only believe me because I am the regional director and he is my son, but this farce will not hold up much longer and I definitely do not have any pull with our parent corporation's security division. "
@Cynthia: "With regards to his RFID tags, his is implanted under his jaw next to a lymph node"
"With regards to his friend Isamu....Jeshua and his human friend used to be quite sociable boys and participated in all the important extracurriculars....I now remember that indeed, his mother did start complaining to me about six months ago that his behavior was changing...as was Isamus's. They would only do the bare minimum to keep their good standing and began spending most of their time indoors....and when they did go out they wouldn't even frequent the usual hang-outs for Visteon youth. I must admit as long as he was keeping his scores up, I didn't notice the change in his behavior. His friend Isamu is the son of mid-level manager named Miroslav Argentis who also thinks his son is on an extended vacation trip with my family....the only reason Isamu's parants are still not concerned is because I arranged for both of them to be placed on an important trip with a negotiating team which has been in New York for 10 days, and I've been trying to keep them as busy as I can....but there are only so many progress reports I can ask them to compile.
" Isamu and my son have been the best of friends since early childhood....at first I tried to steer him away from developing a close friendship with a human....for in the end, time treats us differently and it's best if us elves learn to share personal and close relationships with those of our own kind. Let us see.... what else.....Oh..<<chuckles>> I do remember Isamu was always a very inquisitive boy...too curious for his own good if you ask me. I remember on one of the few rare occasions that I ever had time to eat a meal with my family...his mother allowed him over for dinner and at one point the boy looked up at me from eating his plate of asparagus and asked me what it was like to live for an eternity.....what a curious question from a boy....I just chuckled...but he insisted on knowing. So I simply explained to him that the vast majority of all elves don't have any idea what it is like because even the oldest children of the sixth era are no older than sixty years old, even if we still look only 30....and scientists have no real idea how old we can get....but what they do know is that once Isamus is old and grey, Jeshua will still be strong young man....and that just set the poor boy off...I was merely teasing, but he ran straight home crying. Human's can be quite overly-sensitive...I guess they have to pack a lifetime's worth of feelings into such a short little span....how sad..."
<<He looks at Woofer with an aloof but cold little smirk>>
@Mercedes: "Interests besides VR games? The usual...he followed Urban Brawl....he liked very much to read. He had quite an imagination...that was one of the characteristics that united him with his friend.....that's all I can think of."
"With luck Visteon freely gives parents the physical coordinates of their children's RFID tags...so I do have the records of his physical whereabouts."
Germaine sends a file to all of your commlinks with the RFID records. The records show the whereabouts of Jeshua for the past year up until they go offline at an address: "1324 184th SE st. Apt. 7".
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Germaine @ Kontact: "My son has several commlinks...he definitely did take one with him...he needed it at least to pay for the taxi he rode to the apartment, and it also was logged by his RFID tag. His other ones must by lying around his horrendously messy room somewhere."
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"If you could have one of your housebots gather the links, they could be useful. We've got a good bit to work with already, so it may not be necessary, but his com should be able to tell me more than years of surveillance."
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Woofer ignores the jibe, "So the DNA tracking hasn't been done, can we have some DNA then? The reason I ask is they might have met someone, or something, online that in the last 6 months has been possilbly brainwashing him, or recruiting him away from the fine folks at Visteon." *said with dripping sarcasm*
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You see Mercedes roll her eyes at B.B.'s choice of words while questioning Germaine. After Marcus' sarcastic comment, she nudges him with her elbow and smiles sweetly at Germaine, "We want to find your son and also discover why he went missing. From what you're telling us, he might have been coerced in some way by an outside party. Samples of his DNA and his commlinks would help us to determine if he simply ran away or if he may have been kidnapped."
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"How many times must I tell you!!! Do you want me to throw away my career!?? If I just had some DNA of my son lying around would I have come to YOU for help!"
Germaine falls silent for one moment to recompose himself while nervously looking down at his lap....
"...excuse me...I am simply very agitated and at my wits end.....Here's what I can do"
"I didn't want to have to run this risk...but I see now that it is perhaps the best and only way I could safely help you with your investigation. Since you've obviously passed the dress code of L'armoire, then you will most certainly be able to enter the enclave without arousing too much suspicion. I can have my secretary schedule me for a last minute 1:30 PM appointment at my apartment with a group of "outside consultants"....that's in 15 minutes. I do have the custom to hold such meetings at my home in such a fashion when I'm in the mood to enjoy some drinks with my collegues. It would not arouse suspicion as long as we were discrete; but it would give you the opportunity, if you so choose, to answer some of these questions for yourself....because the truth is, all that's left of my son is whatever is up in that room of his. That's the best I can do!"
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Woofer sighs, "Relax Germaine, my last job was being discreet for Ares subsidiary's. I think postponing the rest of this and reconvening at you apartment is a good idea."
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Germaine: "Very well then I will tell my driver to meet us outside the restaurant. The only way in is if we go in my vehicle."
His eyes go out of focus and scan an ARO invisible....to you.
"That is strange....one of your team-members is not broadcasting any SIN at all....<<he turns to Cynthia>> ...there's too much of a risk of me being seen with her on the street....let alone trying to pass through the ID scan every PAN in the vehicle will have to make on our way into the compound. If KE scans us and it is seen that I am associating with a SINless individual, I will surely be investigated. She will compromise everything!!"
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If you are worried about it I can stay behind and catch up with the rest of you after they look at your son's room. I think that seeing the room is our best shot at finding out what happened and where your son went. Also I can be unseen when I want to, but if you prefer I can stay behind. I would just like a moment to talk with my associates about what I would like them to look for in the room.
If he let's us step aside I'll ask them to get a favorite shirt, and look for anything that might be used to magically track him.
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[OOC:] Hows about a Judge Intentions test? Cha 2 + Int 5 + 3 Limbic Nanites = 10 dice? If I'm going to start speculating, I'd prefer to do it in character, based on a little dice clatter. ;) I got to fight the urge to use metaknowledge. Anyway. Setting up a little speculation.
<<@Team "When is the last time you heard of a 16-year-old boy breaking down into tears like that over the idea of not being able to spend "eternity" with another boy? Seriously, I'm curious. I spent puberty in a foxhole.. and not the changeling strip club, The Foxhole.. It... the war.. anyway. Sounds like more emotions than I'm used to. Shall we weigh the boy's loafers and check behind his vampire posters?>>
"What? We're not eating? I guess I better cancel my order with the kitchen... No way the Cordon Bleu will be ready in time for us to leave... unless... D'you think they'll let me take a doggy bag?"
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[OOC: Judge intentions: Cha 8 + Int 4 = 12 dice.]
Mercedes puts her hand on B.B.'s shoulder, "I don't believe they do 'doggy bags' here."
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@B.B. I agree something else is up, but not sure what yet.
(OOC I'll judge intentions also 9 dice)
If my lack of proper paperwork bothers you then you'll never SEE me again I promise you. However, things are easier if you just trust us to do our job discreetly like you are paying us to do
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[OOC: B.B.'s Judge Intentions roll (limbic nanite amplifiers improve intuition based SKILLS...it's hard for me to see how a colony of nano robots could know how to improve a "gut feeling" which is what the attribute roll "judge intentions" is) Cha 2+ Int 5 = 7 dice 7d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2684018/)]
@B.B.: Even though this Elf is coming across like a total douche-bag, you still feel that the guy's desperation is real. You know what someone looks like when they're backed into a corner, especially when they're someone who's not used to being in the corner.
[OOC: Mercede's Judge Intentions roll (how did you get Cha of 8? You do apply Kinesics to you're judge intentions roll, but that doesn't mean it has made your Cha attribute 8...i.e. you couldn't spend 45 Karma to take Cha to 9) Cha 5? +Kinesics 3 + Int 4 = 12 dice 12d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2684026/)]
@Mercedes: Usually you know how to read corp types like a book, especially one's like Germaine who you can tell lives his whole life knowing only the golden cage of corporate citizenship....but this guy's actually pretty hard to get a feeling for. Maybe it's cuz Visteon's corporate culture in particular seems to do a really good mind-fuck.
Germaine glares down at B.B. very un-amused. "I'm sure you will have plenty of time to stuff your little belly once you've found my son!" He looks at Cynthia, "Very well, perhaps your time would be best spent following some other lead on Jeshua while I take the group into the enclave." Leaning towards Woofer on his way to the door you can very clearly hear him utter "Is this what you call a team of 'professionals?' Someone who walks the streets of Seattle without even a valid form of ID? Only criminals or slum queens would ever try something so stupid. Now let's be on our way"
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[OOC: Cynthia's judge intentions roll 9 dice 9d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2684086/)]
@Cynthia: You could snap this elf's neck in a heartbeat.....but when you think back, every time you've ever been screwed-over in the passed, it's always been by the one's who seem to try extra hard to not let their douche-iness out. In a weird way the more of an arrogant prick he comes across as, the more you feel at ease.
Germaine: "Excuse me, I must receive an important business call, I will be waiting in the Mitsubishi Nightsky right out on the curb." He hurries out to take the call.
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I immediately summon a watcher to follow and listen in. (conjuring 1 magic 2= 3 dice)
slum queen. Is this guy so out of touch he doesn't understand that 1/3 of the population in our fair city doesn't have a SIN. It's not like you have to constantly broadcast one like you do in NYC
@woofer can I borrow your car keys so I can get some of my gear out of the trunk, or would you like me to drive it and meet you guys somewhere?
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[OOC: Summon watcher Summoning 1+Magic 2 = 3 dice 3d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2684123/), so your watcher can last up to 1 hour. Drain is 1S. Resist drain (i'll assume it's Will+Cha since you haven't specified your tradition) Will 4 + Cha 5=9 9d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2684135/). You resist drain completely]
@Cynthia: You close your eyes and whisper familiar words in Sioux, calling out to the meta-plane of the Black-crow Medicine Lodge. When you open your eyes you see the faint glowing outline of a Raven and then you loose sight of it as it fades back into the astral plane and follows Germaine. Through it's ears you can't tell who he's talking to but you hear him dropping big words like "aggregate supply and demand" or "crowding out currency traders with export incentives". It just sounds like regular ol' business to you.
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[OOC: Mercede's Judge Intentions roll (how did you get Cha of 8? You do apply Kinesics to you're judge intentions roll, but that doesn't mean it has made your Cha attribute 8...i.e. you couldn't spend 45 Karma to take Cha to 9) Cha 5? +Kinesics 3 + Int 4 = 12 dice 12d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2684026/)]
@Mercedes: Usually you know how to read corp types like a book, especially one's like Germaine who you can tell lives his whole life knowing only the golden cage of corporate citizenship....but this guy's actually pretty hard to get a feeling for. Maybe it's cuz Visteon's corporate culture in particular seems to do a really good mind-fuck.
[OOC: Charisma -- 3 (Starting for Elf) + 5 (65 Karma) = 8 + 4 (Int) + 3 (Kinesics) = 15 I didn't realize Kinesics added to my judge intentions, I thought it only subtracted others from judging my intentions.]
Sighs as Germaine leaves, then looks down at B.B., smiling that damn disarming smile of hers, "I realize you are simply looking for information to complete the job B.B., but could you try not to tick off every Johnson who wants to hire us?"
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(o.o.c. I put shamatic tradition on the character sheet in parenthesis after mystic adept)
O.K. well I'll keep the watcher around for the hour and listen in on what everyone talks about in the car and at his house.
I'm going to use a basic seattle geography map program to bring up the address that the son was last seen at. While the party looks at the room in his house I'll look into the apartment where the coms went dead
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Woofer sighs as he opens the trunk for Cynthia, "We'll call you when we're done."
he looks at Germaine, "Should I follow you, or should we ride with you?"
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[OOC: Woohoo! Critical success! Good call on the "linked skills" portion of the rule, btw. I wasn't thinking about it being a special case attribute-only test. :o Though, "gut instincts" do still come from your brain. ;)
B.B. chuckles a little. "You know how I work Mercedes. Observe at baseline, then apply a little pressure and see how he reacts. It's very scientific.." His grin spreads like a red wound on his pale little face. "Besides, there's nothing I like more than seeing a racist little nazi squirm. And this one is squirming like crazy. When he comes back in, don't watch his eyes. The whole "window to the soul" thing presupposes that the person in question has a soul. Instead, watch his hands and the sweat on his neck. Oh man, his neck.. When he realized Cynth didn't have a SIN (when did that get burned anyway?) his left sternomastoid muscle twitched so hard that I think he might have pulled that whole side of his face. I tell you, this guy is a joy to work with."
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Mercedes chuckles, Now he's giving me pointers on how to read people?
"Thanks, B.B. I'll try to remember that..."
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Germaine: "You should ride with me so that you can pose as 'outside consultants.' I have a custom of moving extended business meetings over to my penthouse so that my associates and I can enjoy a more relaxing environment."
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Woofer nods, and grabs his own kit, "We'll meet you later, stay frosty and watch your back alright?" *nods to Germaine he's ready to go*
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Mercedes nods that she's ready as well.
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@Cynthia: As you come out from under the awning in front of L'armoire you notice the rain is now coming down in full force. As you bee-line it to Woofer's vehicle your clothes start to soak through and you can't wait to get out of this stuffy suit and into your real 'working' clothes. You pop open the unlocked trunk and grab your duffle bag as you verbally command your commlink to hail a Gridcab. After 2 minutes of standing shivering in the rain, a driverless mercury comet with an illuminated "Gridcab" sign perched on it's roof pulls over and you quickly hop-in and close the door, not even waiting for the cab to pull off before you start tearing at your clothes. "1324 184th SE st. Apt. 7, Renton" you holler at the often glitchy auto-cabby software...every detail of every ARO picture or file which Germaine referenced etched indelibly in your awakened mind..."hah...un-professional...if he only knew" you utter to yourself under your breath as the cab speeds off into the rain.
@Woofer, Mercedes, B.B. and Cynthia through her Watcher: A human driver dressed in black, with black leather gloves and raindrops streaming down his silver-tinted sunglasses beckons you into the back of a Mitsubishi Nightsky. Germaine quickly finishes his call and remains silent as you stretch out in the comfortable, if not over-sized leather seats; his nervousness palpable. The limo makes it's way west past 3 blocks of sky-scrapers and residential high-rises sculpted into an impressive plasti-crete and steel network of cutting-edge architecture. The city street reaches a T-intersection with a downward sloping ramp straight ahead which dives under a 4 city-block-wide, ten-story high bulwark. Once the limo crosses under the bulwark, it passes under an overhead sign that says "Overlake Corporate Park" and the ramp rises up to a road which runs out onto 5 green acres of tidily dispersed cylindrical high-rise buildings clustered into different groups which all overlook lake washington. You approach another AR decorated sign which has various corporate names with arrows giving directions...one of them pointing to "Visteon Residential Campus."
[OOC: Mercedes Assensing 3+Intuition 4 = 7 dice 7d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2685806/)]
Mercedes opens her perception to the astral plane as she usually does when going someplace new to her, and as the limo reaches the security booth she makes out a bluish-purple dome of slowly swirling mana enveloping a group of 3 cylindrical high-rises connected by walkways at various levels which make up the Visteon residential campus. She quickly txts Cynthia to call off the watcher spirit which is perched on Germaine's shoulder...and as soon as the message is received, the astral raven flies out of the limo going right through the roof just before the vehicle passes through the mana ward.
[OOC: SIN scan device rating 2 2d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2685831/). Mercedes fake SIN rating 3: 3d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2685834/), Woofers fake SIN rating 4:4d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2685837/) , B.B.'s fake SIN rating 4: 4d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2685839/).]
A guard in a rain poncho steps out of the security booth and makes his way to the window next to Germaine.
Guard: "Good afternoon Mr. Robinson, we have two individuals who's PAN's are not broadcasting valid SIN's, we do not want to hold you up at all but we need to make sure that all guest ID's are properly logged into the guest book so we would like to run another scan and ask some confirmation questions."
The guard smiles nervously at Germaine.
Guard: "Sometimes these scanners go a little on the fritz, especially during inclement weather....i'm sure everything is in order and i'll be done in just a second"
You all notice the blood drain from Germaine's face as his glance flashes toward you...not even a hint of anger on it, simply the sweat of raw terror which he is trying to subdue with everything he's got.
Germaine: "....Very well then....do what you need to do."
The back window of the limo slides down and the guard's chipper attitude despite all the rain almost makes you feel sorry for him. Sorry for the inevitable fate which will sadly have to befall him should this second round of scans not check out...he's probably got a nice little family down in the blue collar neighborhoods of Renton....they'll wonder why it's already dinner-time and daddy's not home yet...there'll be calls...then the sound of wailing as a home-comm receiver hits the floor. You really hope it doesn't have to end like this for him and his family as he takes out a pocket scanner and an electronic purr of encryption algorithms relaying data to and from KE data-bases indicates the initiation of another scan.....
[OOC: Mercedes and B.B., roll your fake SIN ratings again against a SIN scanning device rating 2. Woofer, do a Logic+Willpower(2) test to pass a series of questions the guard asks you since you tied on the ID check roll. You guys can use edge if you want to....or do whatever else you'd like to do]
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[OOC: 4d6.hits(5) → [6,1,6,3] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2685932/) Heh. This is why I houserule a fake SIN rating as a threshold for an extended test (which a scanner can roll every # minutes so long as he/it is suspicious.) Otherwise, you burn a 4,000¥ SIN getting a Chippie Meal at the local Stuffer Shack.
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[OOC: 2nd SIN verification scan rating 2 on B.B. 2d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2685972/)]
Guard @ B.B.: "There we go, now it's working..... you have a good day Mr. Patterson."
He looks over at Mercedes and Woofer, waiting for her scan to complete and his ARO of questions to be filled out.
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Sonova...
SIN roll3d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686080/)
Mercedes smiles at the guard, "I'm sorry, officer. It might also be my commlink. It's been on the fritz the last few days and I simply haven't had a chance to take it to the store for a new one."
Con roll to allay suspicion of fake SIN. (16d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686085/)
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Woofer responds to every single standard KE question. "If that answers everything, get out of the rain, this crap sucks."
((OOC: http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686111/ , here's the roll.))
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[OOC: Mercedes has a +2 modifier for being sexy i.e. he's attracted to her but a -3 because the results would be harmful to the guard for a total of -1 modifier. So the way we said in the OOC thread that i'll do it is i'll just knock off dice from your roll starting from the last die rolled....this would be equivalent to a reroll. [5,6,4,2,2,2,2,4,2,1,1,6,1,2,5,3] was the roll so knocking off the last 3 doesn't change anything and you still have 4 hits.]
[OOC: Rolling to check for critical success by Mercedes. The guard has Charisma 3 + Defaulting -1=2 2d6.hits( (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686315/)5)=1[/url]]
Guard: "Oh boy....let's see here...." He taps his scanner while nervously looking around. "You know what....I'm pretty sure it's this scanner, i bet your commlink is just fine and I wouldn't worry about it....this thing goes on the fritz from time to time, so here's what i'll do. I'll let you get on with your business Ms. Baccarin and in 20 minutes or so I will personally come to Mr. Robinson's penthouse and scan you into the system with one that actually works. Wouldn't want you to have to go through any more hassle with retroactive paperwork by not being signed in as a valid guest. Let me just get your name down...thats's Morena Baccarin, am I right? Well thanks so much and I'll be seeing you in just a little bit!" He looks over at Woofer, "Mr. Potter, you're good to go too!"
He smiles broadly and waves you guys through the checkpoint.
Germaine glares at you. "Wonderful....are the whole lot of you a bunch of illegal immigrant squatters?! You know what.... I'm not even going to think about it anymore or I'm going to have friggin' aneurysm!! I'm just going to stay calm..."
He starts trying to breath deeply. It's almost hard for you to keep from bursting out into laughter as you see an elf who obviously prides himself on his cool, calculating, composure on the verge of an anxiety attack. He starts muttering to himself,
"Ok, this simply means i'm going to have to fill out a little paper-work once you leave....right?...these things happen. Sometimes scanners go on the fritz...right?"
The Robinson's penthouse is on the 15th floor of the western tower overlooking Washington lake . From his expansive living room window you can see across the lake the magnificent downtown Seattle in the dreary distance, teaming with drones hovering about and helicopters shuttling corporate executives from sky-scraper to sky-scraper. He leads you through his massive penthouse apartment and takes you to Jeshua's room at the end of a corridor right next to an old grandfather clock which reads 1:35 pm.
Germaine: "I will wait in the living room just in case the security guard arrives early. If he does come i'll come get you as the drone answers the door. Please, please try to be quick and hopefully we can be out of here before we have to meet that idiotic guard again."
[OOC: Rolling an unnamed knowledge skill which nobody has against a threshold of 2. Using team's highest intuition (B.B.) 5 + Teamwork 2 + Defaulting -1=6 dice (TH 2) 6d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686361/)]
As you enter Jeshua's room the aroma of air freshener tinged with some other curious smell none of you recognizes fills your nostrils. The room is rather small and a complete mess. Weeks old dirty laundry covers everything ...desks, chairs, the bed and the especially the floor.....it seems like Jeshua ordered the cleaning drone to always skip over his room.
[OOC: if you want to strip search Jeshua's room, have Woofer roll for the team an Intuition 4+Perception 4+Forensic Science K.Skill 3+Teamwork 2=13 (12, 5 min.) extended test with (-1 DP for each roll) and report each roll. Let me know anything else you 3 in the Penthouse want to do.]
@Cynthia:
You have the Gridcab drop you you off 2 blocks from the address...it's 1:35 PM. This neighborhood is bordered on three sides with Bellevue to the west, the rest of Renton to the south and Redmond to the east....and it shows. It doesn't look gang-controlled like Redmond, but is still really down on it's luck. Most of the people you saw on the way in are metahumans...and not of the "pretty" type like you. You feel somewhat out of place walking past the massively corpulent troll sitting next to you on the ground. He's propped up against one of the towering support pillars holding up I-90 which passes overhead keeping this little area relatively dry. His dozing is occasionally interrupted by a stiff breeze which he responds to by drowsily pulling in the pieces of cardboard which he uses as a make-shift blanket.
A group of 3 teenaged orks are loitering across the street while a scruffy dwarf with a red beard and a tatooed shaved head is telling them something which causes the whole bunch to burst into laughter. Then the dwarf turns around and looks over at you.
[OOC: Rolling a street etiquette roll for Cynthia: Cha 5 + Etiquette 1 +out of place -2=4 4d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686412/). Perception check by ork: Cha 2 + Etiquette 1 (Street +2)=5 5d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686422/)]
You see that familiar look in his eyes of someone who can tell you don't belong in these types of neighborhoods. He doesn't make any advances over to you, but he just keeps on staring and you can feel his eyes trailing you as you decide to just keep on walking and make your way towards the address.
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Mercedes switches her perception to the astral to see if there's anything magical she can learn about the room or the boy.
Astral Perception of Jeshua's room. (7d6.hits(5)=1, 4 - 1's - Glitch) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686456/)
[OOC: Man, Invisible Castle just ain't liking me these days...]
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[OOC: that sucks ;D. Let's see here....ok I got a nice fair glitch....well fair might be debatable, but everyone can agree that it's a good one]
@Mercedes: As you widen your doors of perception and you become aware of the multi-chromatic glow of your team-mate's aura's, you see a different color greenish glow coming out from around the edges of one of the top drawers in Jeshua's dresser. You open the drawer and start pulling out the socks which cover up the glow and once you finally see it, you notice it's a little electric cigarette lighter looking device which has a little clear plastic container near where the flame usually comes from and with a grimy little tube coming out the top. Inside the little plastic container you see pieces of a plant of some sort, and even though the little organic material in the device looks dried and dead, it still glows with a rather intense aura. You start handling the little lighter-like device to try and figure it out and as soon as you press down the little button on it, you see a little coil under the dried organic material glow orange and before you can react, a thick puff of skunky smoke shoots out of the tube and into your face. The smell is the same one which the air freshener is trying to hide and you are overtaken by a fit of coughing. As the spasms subside you notice something that you never really paid much attention to......B.B. looks really adorable. You wish you had thought of buying a little baby bjorn carrier and then you could strap him to your chest. The thought of B.B. in a baby bjorn carrier sends you into an unstoppable fit of laughter that for some reason you can't control. Woofer and B.B. look up and frown heavily on your shinanigans, then go back to work. You decide you should do the same and with a new-found cheer you shift your perception back to the physical realm to be able to concentrate better.......then all of a sudden you're shocked by something which never has happened to you before....for some reason you're still seeing in the astral plane. You try again, but nothing....your perception doesn't even budge.
[OOC: you now have a +1 to your Willpower, but a -2 to any non-astral or non-magical tests for an undisclosed period of time.]
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I'll find an out of the way place in an alley and hide my duffle bag with my "business clothes" in it and do a quick look around to see if I can locate any glaring security weaknesses or something that looks like it is "beefed" up more than normal. (physical security design 2 logic 3= 5d and if I can also use security systems (same dice pool) to assist it I will)
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@Cynthia:
[OOC: Logic 3+security systems 2=5 dice 5d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686521/). You don't see any type of security on this whole block. They just look like old 3 story apartment buildings with old fashioned electronic locks on the outside door. The downstairs buzzer systems you pass look a good 50 years old with the view screen still being LCD, and in some of the most dilapidated buildings it's just a cracked cathode ray tube screen sitting on top of a series of buzzers for each apartment. The only thought that comes to your mind in terms of "security" is the rather strategic position of the 3 orks and the dwarf you passed giving them a good view of anyone entering any of the buildings on the block...but it could be just a coincidence...but they definitely saw you slip into any one of the alley's on the block.
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I'll look around to try and figure out which window would be the right apartment. Switch on the chameleon suit. Then I'll try to determine if I can get to the apartment from the outside or if I need to go up the stairwell to get there.
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((OOC: Not sure if I'm doing it right, but...here goes http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686551/ (first roll), http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686556/ (second roll), http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686559/ (third roll), http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686560/ (fourth roll) 14 hits total.))
Woofer takes out his rubber gloves, snaps them on, and starts to go through the room in a very deliberate and precise order.
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[OOC: Nice glitch. Can I assume I know that I'm a little high? ;) Composure Roll (12d6.hits(5)=6, just in case it might help..) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686555/)]
Mercedes stiffles a new fit of giggles as she puts the socks back into the drawer, but keeps the lighter out. "Marcus, better take this. It's some kind of ... somthing." A giggle slips out as she pictures Marcus barking, Woofer!, then passes him the lighter. "And keep it away from Baby-er B.B.!" She giggles even more, opening a drawer full of t-shirts that she finds incredibly cute.
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[OOC: @Mercedes: ya, you know you're a little baked...but you don't know why you're stuck astrally perceiving. You are able to maintain your composure though.]
@Cynthia: Since it's stopped raining, you pull the tight fitting hood and face mask of your chameleon suit over your head and sub-vocally instruct the processor to engage the ruthenium polymers and light sensor array. As you walk along the alley you see your form fade away and you take on the appearance of a flexible glass sculpture which in the daylight is still somewhat conspicuous if observed in detail. The alley which connects 184th and 185th intersects a small service alley which runs in between the buildings on either side of the city block and a clutter of small fire escapes belonging to both sets of buildings rise up on either side above you. If you make a left at the alley you can see the back of the building which houses 1324 but you have no idea how the apartment numbering in the building works. On a fire-escape on the building opposite 1324 you see a hispanic looking female troll draped in a moo-moo and wearing flip-flops grilling something on a spit which you hope to god is not a devil-rat.
@Rest of Team:
After 15 minutes of digging through piles of dirty clothes, lifting-up matresses, and shuffling through drawers, you all find a little wooden box when Woofer thinks of ripping out the stuffing from a cute little bust-a-move drone and checking the gutted hardware chasis inside. In the box you find:
1. a little plastic bag half-full of the same dried up herb Mercedes got a whiff of
2. about 20 data chips painted several different psychedelic colors
3. a little book with the title "Combat Mage Karl: Asamando Chronicles"
You still haven't found any commlinks however, so you press on and just as you hear the doorbell ring you find 2 commlinks inside the zipper pockets of a jacket in the closet!
Germaine opens the door to the room and in a hushed voice asks you to all hurry into the living room. A black house-keeping crawler drone with a suite of red glowing sensor arrays on it opens the door with one of it's myomeric tentacles and steps aside as the security guard who was at the checkpoint comes in the room with a concerned look on his face...you can now clearly see his name-tag says "Crawford" on it....behind him comes a bigger man with an armored vest and a visored cap which says "Security" on it.
Crawford: "It looks like we have a little bit of a problem....it turns out that our scanners are not on the fritz at all and the ID was rejected during the data-base cross-reference. The bad news is that I can't just do another scan, but the good news is that if Ms. Baccarin would briefly come with us we can sort this matter out over at the central security office in the north tower."
Guard #2: "If the rest of you need to be on your way then we would be more than willing to provide transportation for Ms. Baccarin once we've cleared her. We are very sorry for the inconvenience Mr. Robinson."
Germaine looks wide-eyed at the guards, he then turns slightly toward Mercedes, his face all of a sudden growing cold and devoid of expression "I see....well Ms. Baccarin would you please accompany the gentlemen to the north tower?"
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[OOC: As we're searching the room, I'm going to make sure Woofer & B.B. know that the lighter has drugs in it and I'm baked. Amid sporadic giggling, of course. Mercedes doesn't know it, but this is Deepweed, right? So I'm going to be stoned for about 4 hours, then a -1 to dice pools for fours after that, right?]
"I'm sure it's this commlink. The guy who sold it to me claimed it was Sony Emperor, but it keeps dropping my calls, I can't play any music and there's always these spam-bots popping up and the most inopportune times. I'll gladly go with you, officers to make sure that everything has been cleared up. I'm sure the Home Office will be more than happy to hear that security is so thorough, even with one of the Audit Teams sent here to check on how efficient everything is."
Con roll on Security guards (16d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686690/)
Phew... 4 hits, Figure there's probably some negative mods, though. I'm trying to put on the air that we're going to be auditing the entire company to see if they take the bait. Playing on the chance that Sec Guards don't want to attract the attention of Home Office auditors. :D
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Since I don't know what apartment I'm looking for I'm going to go inside the building and head up the stairwell. I'm going to use my infiltration to sneak along. I'll keep looking for any changes in security. If I see any cameras I'll cast my improved invisibility to further enhance my sneaking ability
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[OOC: @ Mercedes: Wow, let's see if she can pull this off :) Modifiers to your roll: They're Suspicious -1 + Disastrous to NPC -5 + Character is intoxicated -1 + Subject (crawford) has romantic attraction to you 2 + Subject has plenty of time to evaluate the situation -1 = -6 modifier to your roll. I'll just reroll for you. Dicepool is 16-6=10 10d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686731/). Their roll is Cha 3 + Default -1 + Teamwork 1 + GM's opinion that this is tough one to squeeze out of and it's their job to ask questions 2=6 6d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2686735/). Critical success...Hook line and sinker! Damn you Mercedes, damn youuuu!]
@Mercedes: Crawford is startled up from undressing you with his eyes after you mention "audit" pauses for a moment, his eyes mesmerized by yours and then turns toward his companion. "You know what Ted....I'm actually really starting to get a little annoyed with Central. I don't know how they expect us to do our job when it's their data-bases that need the trouble-shooting. Let me leave you with my business card and you can call me directly if you're having any more issues with your ID."
Ted, looks a little surprised but nods in agreement and then they both leave the penthouse and close the door behind them.
Germaine looks at you incredulously.
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[OOC: HELL YEAH!! <dancin'-dancin'-dancin' machine!>]
After the guards leave, she turns to Germaine and smiles warmly, "Now that we've cleared that up... We've got a couple of things to check on from your son's room." She nods to Marcus, allowing him to decide if we reveal what we've found or not and what our next step will be.
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Woofer laughs, "Nice one Mercedes."
*looks at Germaine* "We've found some things in your sons room, is there anyplace else he and his friends hung out while they were here?"
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B.B. wasn't sure if his partner's heads were on right, or if it was his own. There was an elephant standing in the room, and no one was even looking at it. He popped a piece of Betel gum in his mouth and started chewing it kind of loudly. "How would Mr. G know, Woof? He's got biz to run. I've an idea though. Why don't we ask his mother?"
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[OOC: @Cynthia: The only way you can think of of getting into the building is to get buzzed into the front door or through a window.]
@Rest of group
Germain: "I think it's best if you all leave the enclave as soon as possible. As far as I know I'd always seen the boys in their room when they weren't at school or in some extracurricular. His mother would really know best but she left me a message a few minutes ago telling me she wouldn't be done shopping until dinner time. If you would like you might be able to speak with her later, but right now I think it's best if you leave before you draw any more attention."
He reaches into his pocket and removes a short black little credstick and hands it over to Woofer. "Angel told me this is your preferred form of payment....here's the first half of the money. There are many things i don't understand about those of you which they call "shadowrunners," but it is quite apparent that despite your un-orthodox methods, you are quite resourceful. You will receive the other half when you find my son....I leave his reputation, perhaps even his life, in your hands. My driver can meet you right outside the tower and can take you wherever you'd like to go."
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lol only way in is to break in like that will be a problem with the security here. I look around and watch the front of the building to see how much traffic there is in and out of the building. If there is some I'll disengage the chameleon suit and use my physical mask spell to look like your average down on your luck ork, and wait for someone to approach the building and pull the old hold the door trick to try and get in.
If there isn't much traffic I'll use my hardware skill and whichever of my B&E tools are appropriate to bypass the door security. If I'm breaking in I'm keeping the chameleon suit active.
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Woofer nods, and takes the credstick, and brings out a card, "This is my commcode, we have some things now to begin our investigation. We can work out when might be a good time to speak with your wife." *starts to collect his kit to drive back to the resturant*
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@Cynthia: Occasionally someone comes in or out of the front door of the apartment building. The hydraulic door closer is quite rusty and every-time it's opened it takes practically 10 whole seconds for it shut completely and latch shut. After about 15 minutes of waiting you finally find an opportunity....the 3 young orks who were chatting with the dwarf make their way toward the building as you stay glued to the wall of the alley. You hear them hit one of the buttons on the buzzer panel and after a few seconds you hear a female voice on the intercom:
Voice: "One at a time guys...draw straws or something...play rock-scissors paper or something..."
Orks: "C'mon Lana, we're not here for that...we just wanna know if Hannibal is there."
Voice: "He's out...Sam's the only one who's here"
Orks: "Let us in, we'll wait for Hannibal....maybe you got time for one of us"...<<laughter>>
Voice: "fuck you..."
The door buzzes and they go in. You quickly whip around the corner of the building and put your foot in the door. The orks went up the steps and are still walking down the hallway on the second floor. They knock on a door and once it opens they silently go in. You see from the mailboxes that apt. 7 is also on the 2nd floor.
[OOC: if anyone asks me to roll a spell for them please tell me the force you want to cast it as well because i feel it kind of infringes on an important aspect of your own personal strategizing for me to choose a force for you]
@ Rest of Team:
[OOC: Mercedes Assensing test: Assensing 2 + Enhanced perception 1+Intuition 4= 7 dice 7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2687788/).]
The herb is not dual natured but merely has a very bright green aura, so you don't have any problem passing through the magic ward on the way out. B.B. was distracted when he first saw it because he was thinking about where he's going to go do some serious grinding in Planes of Eldoran....he's getting a little bit jittery because he hasn't played since this morning. Once he takes a closer look at the bag of herb which Mercedes shows him again, he's pretty sure it's some of that deep-weed.
As you see the Visteon enclave disappear in the distance as you dip under the bulwark, you all finally breath a sigh of relief....part of you doesn't blame Jeshua for having split...you probably would too if Germaine was your dad.
The company limo takes you back to the corner in front of L'armoire and drops you all off at about 2:15 PM. Once you all make your way to the car and pile in, you sit there parked for a little while and debate your next move.
-
Brian thinks for a moment then pops down the rear seat trunk access door. Then, without really asking, he quickly wriggles his way through into still closed trunk. A little struggling and thumping later and he sticks his head out of the little hole. "Anyone need some gear from the trunk?" He then unceremoniously hefts his small backpack out though the hole onto the compact's remaining small rear seat. Naturally, he has changed into his "work clothes" and is now wearing his AR gloves. Although the Ceska remains wrapped up in the bag for the moment, his stun baton is openly displayed on his hip.
"I'd like to crack into these links and see what I can dig up. Might need some hardware to replace my kit though, you know, if he's got a biometric lock. Probably going to need to do that eventually, regardless. I had to ditch pretty fast on the last job and the tools weren't worth the weight, so I'm fresh out of little pokey metal things. Think we could hit up tool or electronics store so I can re-up?"
-
Mercedes smiles at the gnome, "I'm too pacheco to help with anything right now. What the hell was that in the wahito's lighter?" Now that you're out of corp earshot you realize just how stoned Mercedes is as she drops her guard and her spanish starts slipping through. "It's buena onda, but I can't stop seeing the astral."
Glancing back at the gnome, "B.B., you wouldn't happen to have any snacks from the 'Shack back there, would you?"
-
"Chinga, Mercedes! You're still stoned off that Deep Weed? I know a good place on the other side of the bridge. Paseo Caribbean Cuisine has a cart nearby. Best cloned pork sandwiches you can get for less than 20 yen. You know I don't eat much, so I held off eating in case Mr. G insisted we dine with him. You know how these bitwits get all puffy if you won't break bread with them... So, yeah, It's been a full day since my last nosh. Let's chow! I'll ping Cynthia for a status report, natch."
<<B.B.@Cynthia: We've got some gear to pull through still from our search of the kid's room, but we did find Deep Weed and Trip Chips. Haven't checked the chips or the coms to see how heavy they are, but I sort of doubt the kid's a Beetle-head. I'm not ruling out ASIST-related shenanigans yet, though. Anyway, the kid's probable destination in Renton is a dealer's pad. You need backup?>>
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Woofer just shakes his head, "No idea yet, need to test a sample with my kit. Hop in Mercedes and we'll drive so you can get some Ding-Dongs or something."
((OOC: Once we get to a Stuffer shack, will test the leaves in the small tube with the forensics kit, should give me a reading as to what it is.))
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Mercedes makes sure the theft deterrent system on her bike is still engaged, then jumps into the car with the others. "This is why I don't touch chora or anything harder than a merlot. I just don't have the tolerance for the stuff"
[OOC: Deepweed effects a person for 6-Body hours, then they're hungover for the same number of hours. Being Mercedes has a body of 2... ;)]
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As I slip into the lobby I look again for any signs of cameras or security and such. Is there an elevator or are the stairs the only way up and down between floors? How many floors does the building have?
@B.B. (using subvocal microphone Yeah I was kind of getting that vibe from the building. See if you can run the names Lana, Hanibal or Sam as dealers that work out of this area. I'm going to just do a quick walk by and then I'll check back in with you and let you know what I can find out. When you do the check look especially if they have ties with ork youths.
I'll move up the steps and walk down the hall and see what apartment number they went in.
Halfway up the stairs I stop. Wait a minute Lana had eyes on the door. She knew there were several of them there. I'll redouble my efforts to find where the security systems are hidden.
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<<B.B.@Cynthia: I'll find what I can. You know how kids like to brag up a lot of bullshit on their social networks. A name and a location might be good enough for solid info. I'll check the kid's links first then I'll hit the 'Trix proper.>>
With that, B.B. pulled out the boy's two links and dug in.
[OOC: I don't know if the links are biometrically locked or if I can turn them on. If I can turn them on, I assume they're password locked, so I'll have to try and break my way in with Hack on the Fly. If they're not even locked, I'll just copy all my progs to a chip, slot it into the kid's com directly and punch in with my gloves and goggles via AR.
[OOC - aside: I assumed Mercedes just caught a short-term contact high from that Deepweed. It's not like you burned one down; it was just a puff in the face. BTW, team, I'm just buying one hit on defaulted street knowledge tests to identify these things. So, I don't know if it's some special strain or what, but should be able to identify the kid's gear as Deepweed and a pack of Trip Chips. Being a net junkie means I burn through a lot of news. Speaking of which... I should probably check my bookmarks and the PoE forums...
-
@Cynthia: The building does have a small elevator right next to the stairwell which you're not sure works. The stairwell actually wraps around it as it goes up and each floor's hallway branches off a landing which has an access to the elevator. There's no visible AR around testifying to the oldness of the place. When you went in the entrance you saw a little CRT screen with a little lens of a camera beneath it. This is for residents to look at who's at the bottom door when they buzz someones in.
[OOC: perception check for Cynthia: Intuition 4 + Perception 1 + Actively looking for 3=8 8d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689363/)]
Other than that camera you see no other surveillance.
You quietly make your way up the stairs and move down the second floor hallway and you see apt #7 is just 3 doors down on the right side. As you move closer to the door you notice the rest of the building is quiet enough for you to hear the trid on and the occasional gruff laughter from inside. Occasinally a really big resonating laugh bellows through all the other sounds from inside. You're quite sure the orks went into the apartment you came here to check out.
@Rest of Team: You drive into eastern Bellevue where things are a little more relaxed and stop at the first stuffer-shack you see so whoever is hungry can get something.
@B.B.: You don't see any node for the trip-chips ...you know that illigal BTL's tend to just be passive data storage devices so that only the person slotting them can know what they really are. You also know that most BTL's tend to erase or corrupt themselves once used once.
[OOC: @B.B. If you want to search for those names, then for each name do a Data Search + Browse (12,1min) test with a diminishing dice pool each roll and post it. If you want to crack the commlinks then do whatever you want (hack on fly, probe, spoof) against a Sys 2, Firewall 2, Resp 1, Analyze 2 for each link. Remember that firewall get's +4 as soon as you trigger an alert. Use diminishing dicepools for all rolls. In order to spoof though, you'd need to do a Sniffer action and grab the ID numbers being exchanged with the MSP. I'll let you do all the rolls]
[OOC: @Woofer: Roll your forensics skill using the kit Hits determine how much you can assess]
@Mercedes: It's been about an hour now since you inhaled the stuff and you're feeling slightly more clearheaded....still pretty pacheco though.
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With a practiced motion, B.B. pulled a link cable from his com and patched it directly into the first of the gathered links. With a quick "RAWR!" he set his hands into a blurring motion of gestures, assisted by thoughts interpreted from the trodenet interface. In a matter of seconds he kicked on his music, pulled up his Exploit program and punched straight through the device's Firewall. "Pop!" He continued, his hands still waving and punching at the air. "Oh, why yes. Your generous default Admin would like to set up a shiny new Admin account for, let's say, this matrix ID. Oh, I know you're glad to be of service."
Not worrying about some Spider checking the access logs, meant he could do this slop-style. He pulled up the regular network login and punched himself in as a new Admin and took a good look at the place. "Geez.. Kids these days..." Then with a flurry of digital and physical motion, he began tearing through the node, it's logs, deleted files, everything until he found and sorted every reference to Lana, Hanibal, Sam or the Renton address by relevance to his extra curriculars. Within 8 seconds, he knew all there was to know. "Secret troubles of youth, yield before the mighty blade of Rectomon the Destroyer! Muahahaha! Boop! Saved! ..Now to tame the inter-mesh!"
The matrix search continued for much, much longer. Long enough for the crew to make it to the nearest stuffer shack ("What?! Oh.. sorry.. Get me whatever. It's all soypress anyway.") and long enough for the sight of a rapidly flailing Gnome to go from startling to funny to bothersome and back to funny again. After a time, he just collapsed across the rear seats. "I can feel myself becoming a god... uaah.." He coughed a little. "I now know everything ever recorded about Lana, Hanibal, and Sam of Renton. Sending to Cynth... now. ..So, what'd you guys get me?"
[OOC: Hoo boy, some rolls a-coming! 11d6 on Analyze, so I can buy the hits for the link's matrix stats (already provided) with four Simple Actions. Call it done?
Going for admin access so firewall 2 + 6 = threshold of 8.
4 skill + 2 Improved Skill (hacking) + 5 program + 1 PuSHeD + 3 nanites (I'm assuming this isn't a high-level security system ;)) =
15d6.hits(5) → [5,5,6,5,2,2,1,2,6,3,1,4,3,5,6] = (7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689394/)
Com's test: Stealth of 5 + 1 from comlink Optimization for a threshold of 6.
Firewall 2 + Analyze 2 = 4d6.hits(5) → [4,6,1,2] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689397/)
Exploit again at -1:
14d6.hits(5) → [5,6,1,1,6,5,1,2,3,4,4,1,2,3] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689400/) Breached.
Even if the comlink got straight 6s, it wouldn't be enough to bust my stealth program.
Creating a legit Admin account for later and then running a Data Search on the link (interval of 1 complex action) for Lana, Hanibal, or Sam.
6 program + 1 PuSHeD + 3 Nanites + 1 Skill + 1 Analytics =
12d6.hits(5) → [6,6,2,4,3,5,4,1,4,5,3,6] = (5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689416/)
11d6.hits(5) → [2,5,4,1,3,3,5,6,4,4,4] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689418/) public info
10d6.hits(5) → [6,5,5,4,1,2,4,1,4,6] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689419/) limited interest
9d6.hits(5) → [5,2,6,4,3,6,3,4,6] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689420/)
8d6.hits(5) → [6,1,2,3,4,6,4,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689424/)
7d6.hits(5) → [5,4,2,3,3,4,4] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689425/)
6d6.hits(5) → [2,5,5,5,1,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689429/)
5d6.hits(5) → [6,6,4,5,3] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689430/)Hidden or actively deleted info
Same shit, different interval (1 minute)
12d6.hits(5) → [1,3,2,3,3,4,2,5,5,5,5,3] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689455/)
11d6.hits(5) → [3,6,3,2,2,6,1,5,4,2,2] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689459/) Public info
10d6.hits(5) → [5,5,2,4,4,1,4,6,2,5] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689460/)
9d6.hits(5) → [3,4,4,6,6,1,6,3,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689461/) Limited interest
8d6.hits(5) → [4,4,3,6,6,5,6,1] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689462/)
7d6.hits(5) → [5,4,3,6,3,4,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689463/)
6d6.hits(5) → [4,3,1,2,2,5] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689464/)
5d6.hits(5) → [3,6,4,1,3] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689465/)
4d6.hits(5) → [3,2,6,5] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689467/) hidden and deleted info.
Yeah! Power through the bad rolls!
9 minutes though...
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Mercedes is scarfing down some 'Nuke-em Fries" and a large neon green slurpie. When B.B. comes up for air, she tosses him a back of meat-flavored-jerky-nuggets and some potato-flavored soy-crisps.
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Woofer pulls into the parking lot, and looks back at the squirming BB, "Try to keep an eye on Mercedes would you?" Breaking out the kit, Woofer brings out a tube, puts one of the leaves in it, adds some liquid, shakes. "And don't touch that, I'll be back in a minute."
((OOC: Okay, Logic+Forensics+analytical mind, 8d6: <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2689533/">8d6.hits(5)=2</a> ))
Woofer runs in, grabs hot food, coffee for everyone in the car.
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[OOC: Yeah, posts are definitely out of the actual order they occurred... ;)]
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[OOC: Yeah, posts are definitely out of the actual order they occurred... ;)]
[OOC: One of the reasons that timestamps are a pretty good idea. BTW, inca, what if anything did my data search pull up from the com and the matrix?
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I'll slip back to an unused part of the hallway and summon a watcher. I'm telling it to go into the apartment and let me listen in on what they are talking about.
On my subvocal microphone I'll call B.B. and let him know I'm in the building and waiting to see what happens.
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[OOC: ok, I'm back, this weekend was nuts..sorry about that guys, i was itching to post...you guys are really fun!]
@B.B.
The sculpting of both the comlink's nodes is the typical straight outa-the-box, slowly rotating Renraku orb..one node is red, the other is blue. The company logo swirls over the surface and tips you off right away that one of the first hacking tricks you ever learned will probably work in this case. Renraku Ichi nodes which haven't been user-sculpted yet get a little confused when you up the terrapixels of your icon beyond 5G....this will cause the ichi to issue a harmless "upgrade sculpting now or later" prompt...all you do is select "later" and set a 30 sec interval for the reminder. If you then time your initial hack with the reminder, a hole in the operating system thinks you're an update and opens up enough to easily finish the job garnering a generic admin access to boot.
It seems quite apparent that these comm's weren't Jeshua's main one's....the last login on either one had been almost a month ago. Your search of the commlink's turns up a few emails and txt messages which reference Hannibal and Sam and only one reference to Lana. The info is so spread out that it makes sense that Visteon would have only been able to piece together the truth during investigations into suspicious activity and not during routine browsings....that's probably how Germaine never knew. To get an initial gist of your findings without having to read all the hits yourself yet, you feed the smart-browse function of your Browse program some parameters, cross reference it with your matrix-wide search, and it summerizes the content of the references as follows:
Browse program: "Jeshua Robinson and Isamu Argentis seem to have been buying goods from Hannibal <<database cross reference: age 34, male human drug dealer out of eastern Bellevue>>. He works for Sam <<database cross reference: initial data-base scans indicate he is most likely a low level Mafia enforcer named Samuel Merkowski, age 36, male troll...confidence 89.3%>>. Sam's apartment is 1324 184th SE st. Apt. 7. Lana is unknown....only reference is: 'Hannibal: Sam'll throw in some time with Lana for just 20 nuyen extra.'...'Jeshua: no thanks, i'm good'"
@Woofer
As you dust off some of those "Nuke'em" crumbs from your lap you look down at your beeping forensics kit and its associated ARO starts outputting a read-out into your field of view. <<Cannabis Sativa Astralus a.k.a Deepweed, mojo grass, mage mota, ...etc. TTHC content 87.3%....possible origin: Aztlan 98% certainty>>
@Cynthia:
[OOC: Summoning watcher Magic (mystic adept) 2 + Summoning 1=3 3d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2694104/). Drain=1S , Cha 5 + Will 4 = 9 9d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2694107/)...no drain. Watcher will last 1 hour.]
You summon a watcher and it manifests out of the astral plane before you as a squirrel made of light....it fades back into the astral plane and as you close your eyes you can see the mental images it is sending you of astral space like a movie.
The watcher moves through the apartment door and through it's eyes you see yourself appear in a 2 meter long vestibule entrance with a room on your right. In front of you is a hefty troll in a wife-beater, some boxers and flip flips sitting at a small table looking at the far wall of the living-room, his single blackened horn comes out the right side of his head and twists itself half-way around the back of his skull. Laying on the table next to him you see a modified submachine gun which has had the trigger guard sawed off and a piece of a two-by-four nailed to the grip in order for his massive troll hands to even be able to hold the thing. Even though you cannot clearly see technological displays from the astral realm, you can tell he's most likely looking at a trid screen judging by the dull zoned out expression in his eyes.
The watcher checks the room to the right and you can see it's just an empty bedroom, but when it makes it's way back into vestibule and then the living room which spreads out to the right, you see 2 of the orks on a couch facing the far wall, also zoned out watching the same trid, occasionally laughing.
On another couch facing the troll, to your complete amazement, you see the 3rd ork sitting with his pants around his ankles having intercourse with a human female on top of him.....everyone else in the room completely oblivious to the rather graphic fornication going on right next to them!
The kitchen is just a section of the living room and the dishes are piled high, a pair of 5 inch long rat-roaches darting in and out of the mess. Other than the troll, the girl and the 3 orks you find no-one else. B.B.'s communication comes through your commlink sharing with you his findings.
@Mercedes:
"munch, munch, munch...."
[OOC: Assensing test Int 4 + Assensing 3=7 7d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2694377/)...good roll]
As you're relaxing and munching away sitting in the passengers seat, leaning up against the door with your legs curled up to your chest, you glance over at Jeshua's box which lays open next to B.B. who is punching away furiously at AR screens layed out in front of him. You realize that you are aware of something which you didn't sense before. The dime bag of deep weed is now sitting in Woofers lap and is no longer interfering with an underlying emotional impression which still weakly lingers around the box. You assense a certain nervousness....a personal secret emanating from the container. You lean over and grab it, B.B.'s AR screens shifting out of your way as if they had a mind of their own. You feel that the source of this emotion is strongest inside, connected to the chips, but not originating from them, but rather from the paper-back. Despite the ubiquitous nature of AR, nothing beats curling up on your couch with a musky old harlequin romance novel and you feel like at least this much you have in common with the missing boy. You pick up the book "Kombat Mage Karl: Asamando Chronicles," not your perferred choice of literture, and it even looks a little too kitchy for a teenage boy, with the famous hero depicted on the cover summoning an immense air elemental with several ghouls cowering in the periphery. As you page through the novel trying to follow the emotional impression you're picking up on, you notice a little piece of folded loose-leaf paper which definitely is the source of the emotions. You unfold the creased loose-leaf and you see a carefully colored-penciled drawing which looks like this:
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RoadtoRedmondGlyph.jpg)
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Woofer sighs as he looks at Mercedes chowing down, "The kid was on Deepweed." *looks at the gnome* "Any idea what those chips were? or still working on those Comms?"
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Mercedes stops chewing, studying the drawing... Ignoring the gnome's joyous hacking in the back seat, she leans over to Marcus, "Marcus, this was in a book of his. He has a strong emotional tie to it. Have you ever seen anything like this before?"
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Marcus takes a look at the piece of paper, "No, but it's something to check." *takes picture of the image* "I'll start a search soon, how are you feeling anyway?"
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@ Mecedes "How far away are you guys? The group here is completely unaware right now, and we could get the serious drop on them if you guys hurry."
O.O.C. From what the watcher saw did the side rooms have windows in them, and now that I am in the building can I figure out which window or windows belong to the room?
I will go up one level in the apartment building and try to figure out how much of the building is occupied right now. I'll leave the watcher to keep an eye on our "friends" to make sure I know where they are and what they are doing.
-
"Oh, shit, sorry. Earbuds.. you know... So, yeah, uh.. trip chips, if I had to guess." the Gnome says to Woofer, not breaking stride in his matrix activities. "BTLs. Only way to know what's on 'em is to slot em, and once you slot 'em, they're burned. Muggins here don't mess with beetles, only betels, so I don't have a hotmod to run them on. Kid probably took his personal kit with him, seeing as how these crap comms are SotS, er, that is, straight off the shelf. Probably for the best we don't try them on."
He paused for a moment, lost in memory. "Anyway, if I wanted to analyze the actual code, (which, I'll admit, I do,) I would need a sim module tuned to hot, a Sniffer program to intercept the traffic, and I'd need to find the self-destruct command in the streaming code in order to edit it out in real time. So, if you're willing to break me off a piece of our operating budget, I've got a pal who should be able to sell me a Sniffer program on the spot ...if he's awake. The hotmod should also be easy enough. We either roll a wirehead and steal his, or I buy a regular one and kit it out real quick ...and by real quick, I mean, like, in an hour or so ...if things go well."
Another pause. "But yeah... I would have to grab and edit the stream for each chip as the data was streaming through someone else's comm. Then I'd have to scour the chips for subliminals or anything like that. After that though, I could dupe up thousands of the things and we're in business. We just have to watch out for the local magistrate so that he doesn't send his knights to bust up our loot farm. Oh man, that- Enlil's boots? I can't believe he got that drop! He's only level... Um... Sorry. ...I was just checking the forums.. for a second... I, uh, say we should work the leads we have. Maybe I'll try the chips tonight while you guys are snoozing. I don't know..."
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"I'm still feeling ... hazy. And I still can't turn off the Astral, but I'm feeling a little better."
Mercedes then snorts as she's looking at B.B. "Sorry, his aura is jumping all over the place..."
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Current time 3:00 PM
@Woofer, Mercedes, and BB: With the traffic as it is in Bellevue at this time, your gridguide system is estimating a 30 min. ETA from your present location to Sam's apartment.
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Woofer: "Half an hour to get to the address, Mercedes." *starts clambering into the car*
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Mercedes drinks down the rest of her slurpie, then gets into the car. "Ready when you are."
[OOC: inca, I'll keep playing Mercedes as being stoned until you let me know when. I'll spend an Edge to skip the crash, if possible.]
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@Cynthia:
From the downstairs mailboxes you remember that every apartment looked like it had a resident in it but you don't know who's home and who's not home so you have your watcher quickly pop up through the ceiling of apartment 7 and you see that nobody is home in the apartment upstairs for the time being but you don't know how long that will last. You can also now have a feel for which window goes to which apartments from the outside by just gauging the layout of the hallway.
@Mercedes:
you already feel the astral realm start to fade from your view and you can slip in and out of it at will as you could before but you feel kind of crabby and your head starts to feel pretty cloudy.
[OOC: you're crashed for 1 hour i.e. -1 to all roll's for 1 hour....save your edge]
@Group
You pull away from the curb and start making your way south-east.
[OOC: you can still post on stuff that you want to do while you're in the car...calls you want make, shit you wanna hack, detours you wanna make etc....and then i'll let you know when you guys have gotten to the apartment building.]
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Woofer drives as fast as the traffic will allow. Though while he does, he sets up he Browse Agent to look for that symbol.
-
You notice that Mercedes is acting more irritated as you drive to the address. She's fiddling with her commlink, readjusting in the car seat every 30 seconds and rolling her eyes at the actions of the other drivers. What really pushes her buttons though is when B.B. starts checking his games, the nonsensical noises coming from him and his commlink seem to really get under her skin as she keeps turning around to the gnome and looking at him through narrowed eyes.
Finally, about 15 minutes into the drive, her annoyance can take no more, she turns around and glares at B.B. "Please stop that annoying noise."
Commanding Voice [SM, p.176] to B.B. (14d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2695557/)
[OOC: Just the crash talking, Kontact. Don't take it personal. ;) Resist with Charisma + Leadership. If successful, B.B. will stop the noise, or acts confused. And don't worry, it's only really for one combat round (3 seconds).]
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"Well, since you asked nicely.." B.B. said, shutting off his AR. "'Sides, we're coming up on Renton. Maybe we should think about some disguises, neh? Or were you two planning on pretending you got lost on the way to the Cougar Mountain resort? It's time we discussed our approach."
<<B.B.@Cynthia: D'you know if Hannibal's there? He's the guy we need. Maybe Lana knows something, if she's not too strung out to know head from ass, but Hannibal is the guy who operates that spot. Without him, I don't know what we've got.>>
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"There is a troll, three Orks and a female who I assume is Lana. I don't think Hannibal is here since when she spoke to the Orks earlier the female said he wasn't, but send me a picture and we can be sure."
Walks Through Walls will look around to see if there is a window in the hallway that will afford me access to the correct side of the building to go in one of the apartment bedroom windows, and if so if it has any type of alarm trigger if it is opened.
"Mercedes the five of them seem to be kind of out of it and I think I can gain access to the apartment without them knowing do you want me to go ahead or wait until you get here? I was thinking if I'm already inside when we take them down it could be of great tactical advantage. Also even if Hannibal isn't here he'll be back, and if need be we could always coax him into showing up. In some ways it could be easier if he isn't there if he is the one in charge."
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Mercedes looks over at Woofer, "What do you think, Marcus? Sounds like their not big time..."
-
@Cynthia:
When B.B. told you the names, the name Sam Merkowski sets off the a photographic memory image in your eidetic mind of the apt. 7 mailbox with the name S. Merkowski written under it. According to the info B.B. gave you it seems Hannibal works for him and from the looks of the picture he sent you the troll sitting at the table is the same guy. You don't see any human's in the efficiency so Hannibal probably isn't one of the guys inside. You can only speculate that the girl is Lana since B.B. couldn't find any info on her.
The only windows in the hallway are the windows on either extreme which point out the sides of the building into the side alleys. The only windows in the apartment that you saw with your watcher are the two windows on either side of the trid screen which look out onto the service alley that runs behind bulding 1324. Apt. 7 is really more of an efficiency and the bedroom doesn't have any windows so it seems that the "bedroom" is more of a large walk-in closet which they threw a bed into. The bathroom which is on the opposite side of the entrance to the "bedroom" doesn't have any windows either. You go check the windows on either side of the hallway and neither of them have any alarm systems on them....you'd be very surprised if anything in this building had alarm systems on it.
@Woofer:
[OOC: browse agent datasearch: Pilot 3 + Browse 3 + Obscure -2 (24, 1 min) .... even if your agent scored all hits, he wouldn't make it i.e. 4+3+2+1=10..]
After 4 minutes your browsing agent shoots you a message: <<Search Results: no hits>>
-
Woofer: "No, it doesn't, they're dealers. I know what I'd normally do, but not now, if their at the address, well...let's get in and ask them some questions about our missing teens."
-
"Woofer, the info says that Hannibal works for Sam who is the troll in the room. So I think the leader of our little group is here. It might be that the Orks normally deal with Hannibal or know him from somewhere else."
"It could also be that Hannibal is the designated 'bag man' who holds the chips so if he isn't there then there isn't any stuff to be had."
-
"Well, Mr. S. Markowski is Hannibal's boss and his contact to the Mafia, but from the recordings I found on the link, it seems like Hannibal runs the street side of things. Sam is just the weight behind Hannibal's dealings, not unlike a pimp. He wouldn't know our lad like Hannibal would. So, if we're going to grease palms, it should be to find Hannibal. If, on the other hand, we try an old-fashioned kick-in... shit, I love a piece of action as much as the next guy, but I think it's a risk. We can't afford to scare off our best lead, right? Naturally, I'll follow you on whatever you choose, but, what exactly are we doing? Kick in, zap Sam, blind the orcs and start putting people in cuffs?"
-
I have a spell that can make someone look like someone else we could disguise someone to look like Hannibal and see if we can get info from Sam, or kick in the door zap em and pump Sam for info then use their link while looking like Sam to try and lure Hannibal into the crosshairs.
Part of the thing is it depends on what happened to the kid. If he split to join the Maifa then Sam will know more. If he is dealing on a street then Hannibal will know more. If he is in debt it will depend on which one of them has the marker on the kid. We kind of are too much in the dark right now
-
Current time: 3:07
@Cynthia: You hear a buzz from inside the apartment and then after 3 seconds you hear the downstairs door buzz and someone opens it and comes in. You hear the sound of steps coming up the staircase.
-
I'll move back down the hallway a few feet away from apartment 7. I want to be far enough away that if he somehow sees me I'm not hovering right at the door, but I want to be close enough that if they leave to door open I might be able to infiltrate my way into the apartment.
@group "Guys they just buzzed someone else in. If the door stays open long enough I might try and get into the apartment. I'll let you know"
-
@Cynthia:
You see a smaller statured figure round the corner from the stairwell and you realize that it's the dwarf that was hanging with the orks with his hood pulled up.
[OOC: Dwarf's perception test: Intuition 3 + Defaulting -1 + Chameleon suit -4 + You stand out 2=0....he doesn't see you]
He walks over to the door of apt. 7 and just as soon as he knocks, the door opens and you see one of the orks open it ajar a little and poke his head out and in a hushed voice says:
Ork: "Yo Chaz, Hannibal ain't here man, we're just waiting for him to bring the stuff so we can score and then peace-out."
Chaz: "What the fuck man, i've been outside like 20 min standing in the fucking rain! You at least gonna let me in?"
From inside you hear the troll's voice.
Sam: "Is it that fucking dwarf you kids been hanging out with?.....Alright, everybody get the fuck out...I thought I told you I didn't want that annoying piece of shit up in my place....!!"
You hear shuffling and complaining inside and then you see the three orks quickly shuffle out of the apartment, one of them barely holding his pants up. Once they're all in the hallway you finally get a good look at the troll as he comes to the door.
Sam: "I tell myself hey, why not help out some young brothers?....I let you smoke my herb, drink my synth-wine, and slot my chips, even fuck my ho's...and you can't even get your act together enough to stop hanging with pieces of shit like this one over here.." Pointing at the dwarf.
Ork: "hey man we're sorry, we told him to stay outside!!! "
[OOC: Perception test of Troll with the 3 orks helping out: Intuition 4 + Perception 3 + Teamwork 3 +Chameleon Suit -4 + You stand out (you're in the middle of a hallway in the middle of the day) 2 + Perceiver is distracted -2 =6 6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2697434/). Your infiltration roll: Agility 6 + Infiltration(urban) 4=10 10d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2697435/) .....none of them notice you]
Sam is still in the doorway of the apt. his head ducked down to be able to fit through....and he stands there cussing them out as they slowly leave..
Sam: "Oh....and one more thing....Hannibal don't do business with any of you anymore. Go get your kicks on some other turf."
Ork: "FUCK!! You're gonna get it Chaz...!" As he punches the door downstairs as hard as he can. You then here the 4 of them exit the building.
-
Woofer on Comm: <<Walks,we're twenty minutes out, find a place to hole up in the apartment building, and we'll see about talking to the Troll.>>
-
Is the troll still in the doorway? I watch him go inside if I think I can slip in behind him before the door closes I am going to go for it.
On my subvocal mike "Guys, the Orks just got kicked out. It's only the troll and the female. I think I can get inside. I'm going to give it a try."
If there isn't a fair amount of room to slip through I'm not going to try and push the issue. I'm also going to think back. When the troll was leaning out of the door was there space to go between his legs in a tumbling type roll?
-
"Cool, we should be able to talk to him without any outside trouble if it's just him."
-
@Cynthia:
[OOC: It's a regular sized doorway, 2 m high x 80 cm wide, and the troll is about 2.8 m tall so he has to duck under the doorway and squat a little. The door swings into the apt. but on either side of the doorway inside is a small corridor so you wouldn't be able to slip in sideways. The only option would be to go between his legs which is about a 0.5m wide x 1m high aperture. Since you left it up to me, i'll say you feel confident enough in your abilities to go for it!]
While he's squatting under the doorway watching the orks leave on the other end of the hallway from you, you see a chance to get into the apartment under his legs while he's turned away from you....it looks crazy, but you've slipped through even crazier experiences unnoticed before. You dart towards apt. 7......
[OOC: infiltration to see if he hears you: Infil(urban) 4 + Agility 6 = 10 10d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699035/). Sam's perception roll: Intuition 4 + Perception 3 + Distracted -2 + Traceless Walk -4=1 1d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699036/).....so it's a critical success! I'll give you 1 free point of edge to roll on the gymnasitics test to get between his legs without bumping him.]
Once you're in front of the door and you realize he hasn't seen you, you think to yourself "what the hell, let's do this!" and you dive straight between his legs!
[OOC: Roll to not bump him: Gymnastics 2 + Agility 6 = 8 (threshold 3) 8d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699039/).....now using your 1 point of free edge to reroll misses=6 6d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699041/).....for a total of 5 hits.]
You hold your breath as your dive propels you aerodynamically through the air and you don't even feel a single brush against the inside of his calcified legs or the hang of his boxers, like a 3-point shot that's nothing but net! You land on your hands and smoothly bring your legs over your body and elegantly roll your way toward a squatting position....
[OOC: Now rolling a perception test for Sam to see if he hears your landing when you tumble behind him: Perception 3 + Intuition 4 + Distracted -2 + Sound stands out (it comes from right under his butt as opposed to hallway where background noise is typical) 2 + Traceless Walk (it says it applies to any contact with floor) -4 = 3 (threshold 2) 3d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699042/) ....oh shit...]
.....as you roll up into a squat about 0.5 m behind his feet and you start to put your full weight onto your legs, you almost feel it happen in slow motion. The floor board you rolled over starts to bend slightly under the weight and your heart skips a beat because you know you can't stop your momentum now. As soon as the floor board let's out a full painful creak...you whip around still in a squatting position and see Sam take his hands from the door frame to his knees and bend over and look upside down between his legs straight at you, quickly cursing.....
"fucking D rats!!"
[OOC: Roll to see if he can see your Predator-like outline: Intuition 4 + Perception 3 + Chameleon Suit -4 + Actively looking for 3 = 6 (threshold 2) 6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699063/)]
You both freeze in place for fractions of a second which seem like an eternity. His face, which was originally contorted into a pissed-off snarl due to a potential rodent problem, quickly turns to a blank, bewildered look as he studies your glassy form....and just as quickly lights up with a panicked realization of impending danger. You think to yourself: "Well Walks, this is a slightly unforeseen turn of events, so lets just flow with it.....look at the bright side, at least i'm now between him and the SMG I remember still seeing on the table as I rolled in.....he's awfully big though.....fuck."
[OOC: Ok i'll give you some of his stats which you might need for rolling his defenses:
SAM: Body:8 Agil:2 Reac:3 Str:7 Cha:2 Int:4 Log:1 Will:3 Edge:2 Init:7 IP:1
Skills: Close Combat Group 3
INITIATIVE ROLL:
Cynthia (Init: 7, IP: 1) -- 7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699069/) -- Init. Score=9
Sam (Init:7, IP:1) -- 7d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699090/) -- Init. Score=12
....If you're using edge to go first then say-so now and act (please roll his defense rolls as well)....or else tell me to keep going]
-
Mercedes' addled thoughts return to the image that she found in the kid's book. Suddenly a light bulb goes off and she scans the image into her commlink, running a search on it through her comp and sending a copy out to her contacts to see if any of them have seen ever seen anything like it.
-
@Mercedes:
[OOC: let's see who's available: Your Fixer Diego 1d6=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699406/), Mr. Grey 1d6=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699408/), Tiff 1d6=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699417/), Joey 1d6=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699418/), Laesa contact 1d6=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699419/). They're all available except Tiff.]
Mr. Grey txts you back that he has never seen that kind of symbol before and wouldn't even know where to begin looking for someone who might know.
Diego txts you back after about 2 minutes saying he can run a matrix search but he's going to have to charge you his normal finders fee if he finds something and you want to buy the info....he would love to be of more help but he needs to make a living.
[OOC: Charisma 8+Loyalty 3 + Ettiquette 4 + Improved Ability 2=17 17d6.hits(5)=7 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699446/)]
Your Laesa contact Mathis calls you back that he has no idea what it is and the best he can do is put the image out and let you know if something comes up. Mathis is your mother's cousin's son-in-law and you ask him if he could actually shoot the image to any princes down in Tarislar so that it looks important. He agrees and sends blessings in sperethiel to you and your mother saying he'll txt back in an hour and let you know how it's coming along.
The last person you always call is Joey. You feel kind of stupid calling the bartender in the middle of the day asking some obscure question like this one, but once in a while Joey knows more about a given subject than a high-level fixer and for all you know Laesa might not turn anything up.....for a job paying 25,000 nuyen you decide that waking the arogant bastard up is definitely worth-it. He answers his commlink tired and visibly annoyed when he sees it's you. Bartending at Underworld 93 means that you're the hippest elf that ever graced the sixth world...at least that's the idea twenty-something club hopper groupies reinforce in your mind night after night. That's why when a fine classy elf-chick like Mercedes comes along and doesn't even give you the time of day except to show-up when you least expect it to ask some crazy question, you take it almost as an insult. After getting rebuffed enough times, lust turns to frustration, then frustration turns to hate....and then hate subsides into just general acceptance of the situation and you just begrudgingly keep the door open cuz maybe, just maybe, all the info you've given her will one day materialize in the form of getting a little play.
[OOC: Recollection test for Joey: Logic 2 + Will 3 = 5 5d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699556/)....so he remembers where he saw it....but is cloudy on the details of different possible leads]
Joey: "Man, I was sleeping.....hold on a second, let me open the image.....<<chuckles>> ....I shouldn't say anything because now you'll keep on calling me about random shit....but that symbol actually looks vaguely familiar...let's see here....I saw that symbol...I think it was a different color, but it was like 2 years ago....We were cleaning up some of the RFID and nano ARO advertising tags that people tend to stick or spray all over the place....you know those pesky little micro-nodes people will drop around that shoot up ARO spam to advertise other clubs, trendy synthahol drinks,sex, drugs...anything. Well U93 gets a lot of them and every few months we sweep'em up once the pop-up spam gets too intense for people's filters. Well I remember I was wiping down the ladies bathroom for spam and there was one little tiny ARO, couldn't have been bigger than a condom wrapper, was just hanging there in the air in one of the stalls with this symbol you're showing me right here on it. I kept on wiping the stalls but it just wasn't coming off so I decided to leave it since it wasn't even trying to override my spam filters. It stayed there for a few weeks and I would have just forgotten about it otherwise, but I remember one night a girl came in ....this was like 2 years ago so bear with me...and she showed me a drawing like yours and asked me if i'd seen that symbol anywhere in the club...and I told her something along the lines of "I could show her if she didn't tell her mommy and daddy".....jesus i must have been high as a kite. So I took her to the stall and showed her...and of course then we got it on right there on the toilet seat. After that night I don't think I ever saw her again, but the funny thing was, I also never saw that little ARO or the symbol on it ever again either."
He looks at something else in his field of view and then tells you he's got another call.....you can read him like a book though, he doesn't have a call, he's just trying to look like he's in demand.
-
"Thanks, Joey. Next drink's on me." Mercedes also texts back to Diego that she has some "discretionary funds" right now, so if he can get some info, she may be able to get him some nuyen.
-
Thinking on the scene Mercedes relayed from her conversation with Joey, B.B. couldn't help but come to the conclusion that it sounded like some kind of game. "So it's a marker? Some kind of one-time marker for a map... a path? a pickup spot? what? Shoot me that picture, Woof. I'll see what I can dig up in the digital underground before we hit the spot."
[OOC: Rolling up a Data Search with the picture, based on the new lead we just got. I'm going to roll up the full dice block and then trim it down to diminishing. I'll post the hits both with and without the original "Obscure" judgment, just in case the new info helps narrow the search a bit. Anyway, full DP is 6 browse + 3 nanites +1 skill + 1 PuSHeD = 11 DP BIG BLOCK OF ROLLS (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2699990/)
11d6.hits(5) → [6,3,5,3,3,1,3,1,2,1,6] = (3) [2]
10d6.hits(5) → [4,3,6,3,1,1,5,4,2,1] = (2) [2]
9d6.hits(5) → [2,6,3,3,2,4,4,2,3] = (1) [1] (public)
8d6.hits(5) → [4,1,2,3,5,4,2,1] = (1) [1] [public]
7d6.hits(5) → [2,5,6,6,4,4,2] = (3) [3]
6d6.hits(5) → [3,5,5,1,4,2] = (2) [2] (limited interest)
5d6.hits(5) → [5,2,4,4,1] = (1) [1] [limited interest]
4d6.hits(5) → [1,2,1,6] = (1) [-] (Glitch) [Critical Glitch - aborted]
3d6.hits(5) → [3,5,4] = (1) [-] [aborted]
2d6.hits(5) → [2,3] = (-)
1d6.hits(5) → [3] = (-) (game over)
Yeah. That was pretty obviously a waste of time. Forgot my Analytics bonus, but it certainly wouldn't have mattered with rolls like those.
-
( O.O.C. I am spending an edge point. No way in the world I want that breeder getting his hands on me)
I draw my taser and fire at the troll.
(O.O.C. taser skill of 9d6 don't see any modifiers 9d6: Rolled on: 2010-09-25 02:27:23.372949
9d6 → [2,3,5,5,6,1,2,5,2] = (31) 4 successes)
(Sams dodge: Rolled on: 2010-09-25 02:29:43.192949
4d6 → [1,3,6,2] = (12) 1 success)
(O.O.C. It looks like I hit him with the taser so I'll let you make his body roll and then the electricity resistance roll since I don't know what armor or other modifiers there might be for his resistance checks)
(Whew I might make it through this guys)
-
@Cynthia:
You see Sam reach between his legs and try to grab you but you lunge a few feet back pull out your Yamaha Pulsar, aim straight at his head visible between his legs.
[OOC: He's wearing boxers and a wife beater and only has 1/1 armor for being a troll with calcified skin. You damage total is 6+3 nethits=9s(e) and is resisted with half impact armor (rounded up), so he resists with Body 8 + Half-impact armor 1=9 9d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2700566/). So he takes 7s damage, and then must resist getting knocked unconscious: Body 8 + Willpower 3=11 (threshold 3) 11d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2700567/). He resists, but he is disoriented with -2 to all actions for 5 combat turns. He also has a -3 stun wound modifier for a total modifier of -5 to all actions.]
With a little thud you see the electrode dart imbed itself in his forehead and he screams out as you see little arcs of electricity course out over his skin.
You notice as you backstep into the living-room that a human girl screams, balls herself up and cowers on a couch on the other side of the room. The troll whips around and looks quite dazed, but quickly focuses back on you, opens up his hands and you see the sudden glisten of thin chrome-colored blades pop out of his finger-tips as he swings at you in a rather clumsily.
[OOC: Troll takes a swing at you: Agi 2 + Blades 3 + Reach 1 + Wound/Disorientation-5 = 1 1d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2701034/). You don't have dodge or close-range combat skills, so reaction dicepool is just Reaction 3 3d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2701047/) .]
You barely duck as the swipe goes right over your head and scratches the wall.
[OOC: Combat Turn 2,
Sam's initiative attribute is now 7-5=2. 1d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2701051/)...so that would be an Init. score of 3.
Cynthia's initiative attribute is 7 1d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2701051/), so her total init score is 8. You go first]
@B.B.
You scour the matrix looking for the image and even though your search comes-up fruitless, when you cross-reference some of the ideas like games, maps, Underworld 93 with the approximate date of two years ago, you do find a sappy trid clip of an investigative report linked on a Horizon news site which seems to have elements which could be related to Joey's story. Your Browse program summarizes the report as follows:
<<Title: When Piracy turns Perilous.>>
<<Summary: shockumentary aired April 3rd, 2071. 1 hour special with back to back overly dramatic reenactments of "real world" cases of dangers inherent in using pirated software. Bob Mercador age 14 went into catatonic shock and died when his parents tried to save money by providing him with an illegally purchased textbook which was fitted with lethal bio-feedback code. Yukiko Kurosawa, nurse age 32 brutally murdered a patient due to pirated skillsofts she had accidentally received from the hospital she worked at. Amanda Keeler age 20 disappeared on November 3rd, 2070 last seen in the deadly Puyallup barrens at the famous Underworld 93 by a clubgoer. Her parents found she was playing pirated VR games and although any evidence of the content of the games was never re-cooperated, interviews with her sister revealed that her pirated VR games did not merely limit themselves to cyber-space but often intersected and instructed the player to visit and interact with real world places and people. This is a regulated practice under International Safety in Broadcasting and Entertainment Act, a.k.a. Corporate Court Protocol 13992423, but pirated software would not adhere to these important regulations. Perry Masor, Occult investigator for KE age 42 was physically deformed for life when a tampered-with pirated hermetic software caused him to journey to an incorrect meta-planar destination during what he calls an "inner quest." Upon his return he awoke, and whatever he saw on his "journey" provoked him to walk to his kitchen and then proceed to gouge out his eyes with a knife. The whole segment ends with the slogan "Piracy, it's not just against the law, it's wrong....dead wrong! When you see piracy, report it!">>
-
I fire a second shot Sam the troll.
Rolled on: 2010-09-26 07:21:51.065422
9d6 → [3,6,6,3,1,6,4,5,5] = (39) 5 hits 11S e
( O.O.C. After his modifiers to his reaction for wound and disorientation he doesn't have any dice to avoid so go right to resistance test 9 dice)
Rolled on: 2010-09-26 07:23:57.375422
9d6 → [4,4,6,5,6,2,5,6,1] = (39) 5 hits so he takes 6 stun which will knock him unconscious.
I will then hop over the body and close the door to the apartment. "Stop yelling Lana and everything will be fine." (O.O.C. will use my leadership or con skill to try and convince her to stop yelling.)
Rolled on: 2010-09-26 07:28:46.705422
6d6 → [2,1,6,2,2,1] = (14) 2 hits
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@B.B.:
The only pictures in the documentary are scenes shot with re-enactment actors. When you run any of the names through KE databases none of them check out at all...it seems the documentary used all fake names so you don't know how many of the stories were true and how many of them were inspired by true events. Any blogs you see discussing the documentary simply speculate but don't present any concrete evidence. When you run "Underworld 93" and your other new search parameters through KE databases you don't find anything related. It's common practice for news shows to simply make things up....but often times real world events and/or rumors inspire many of the "fake" stories.
-
@Cynthia:
After you duck under his swipe at you, you roll over the arm of the unoccupied couch where the orks were sitting watching the trid and whip around unloading another round from your Pulsar. You see the dart land right in the trolls left pectoral muscle and he spasms for almost a whole second before you see his eyes roll up into the back of his head and he slumps over with a big thump right before the table with his submachine gun laying on it.
[OOC: leadership opposed test: Willpower 2 + Default -1 =1 so you succeed]
The human woman looks up at you with mascara streaming down her eyes and her cries for help have dwindled to only a few small whimpers.
Lana: "Please don't kill me..."
-
I check the front door to make sure it is securely closed and locked. "Sit down and calm down. Do everything I tell you and you will live."
I'll take out a set of the plastic restraints and restrain the troll. If I think it is possible I am going to loop a line of the monwire around his wrists also so if he tries to break the restraints he will slice up his wrists in doing so.
"Guys, Good news and bad news. Bad news is I didn't quite get into the apartment undetected. good news is I subdued the troll and Lana seems to be uninterested in fighting. Bad news I don't really have anything that will definitely restrain the troll when he comes around. I think I have him taken care of for now, but please get here as soon as possible." subvocalizing on my mike.
Turn to Lana and give her my full attention. Is she wearing a comlink or do I see one nearby? "I have some friends that will be here in a minute. I don't want to do anything to hurt you, but I can't guarantee they will feel the same way. Help me out and you will walk away you have my word on that." (again using leadership skill and intimidation (I did just drop the troll) to convince her)
"Can you see AR pictures?"
If she replies she can I'll beam her a picture of the two boys. "Have you seen these kids before?"
-
B.B. had been restraining himself all through this last data search, and the results showed. Mercedes getting snippy and using magic on him for no good reason had pissed him off considerably. This was supposed to be fun! If you're going to get shot in the face for running around messing with gangsters, you ought to try and make a good time of it! But, despite his half-hearted effort, some part of his brain, (most likely the artificial part which glowed and pulsed like a tiny sun inside his skull,) was still committed to the task at hand, and that part came up with a good piece of paydata.
"Alright guys, I think I've got something here. I found an old news story involving Underworld 93 and a girl who disappeared 2 years ago while playing an AR-based hacker game - which had led her there. Don't have a real name, so I can't say that there's anything linking this story with our boy, the symbol, or Joey's mystery girl. Only shared attribute is teenage kids screwing around with twisted chips and then wandering off, presumed dead. I'll run the story past my software contact when I talk to him next. I've still got to see about getting that Sniffer program to check the feed off these chips."
<<B.B.@Chew Magna Sundries - Jimmy. B.B. Need to talk biz. 2783491728342953873923. Any time.>>
-
Time for everyone: 3:29 PM
@Cynthia
You realize that part of Lana's fear might be stemming from the fact that you still look like a glass statue, so you disengage the ruthenium polymer, raise the visor and pull off the hooded mask of your chameleon suit, your long flowing chestnut hair tumbling down your shoulders as your form turns from translucent to black. Lana visibly relaxes and regains much of her composure as she sees that you're not some spirit of the occult or another such strange being.
When she doesn't even seem to register the fact that you threw up an AR photo of the boys, you assume she doesn't have any AR contact lenses much less a datajack with a sim-module. You look at the trid player and see that it's modern enough so you throw the icon of the image over to the player, a flat-screen hologram emanates from the trid clearly displaying both of the boys. She looks at the image of the boys and then turns toward you, the expression on her face weighing the options she has before her. After looking over at the slumped over troll with his hands bound behind his back and a sizable stain of drool forming on the carpet around his mouth, she looks at you and says:
Lana: "Ya i've seen those boys once or twice around here, but I swear, they're not here anymore. Last time was maybe 2 weeks ago or so, I don't got anything to do with them lady!"
@Everyone in car:
You slow down your vehicle once the grid guide shows you that you're 2 blocks away from the address.
@B.B.: Jimmy txts you back: "What can I help you with B?"
-
Woofer subvocalizes to Walks: <<We're two blocks out.>>
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Mercedes looks around as they're pulling up. Does it look like there may be anyone that would give them trouble in this neighborhood?
Perception Check (-1 for Deepweed crash) (5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2702835/)
Judge Intentions check for anyone that stands out from Perception check (-1 for Deepweed crash) (11d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2702837/)
-
@Mercedes
Right now the rain started up again and you don't see anyone threatening standing outside, just a few huddled homeless figures trying to stay dry and seem totally oblivious to your presence.
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I subvocalize to the group "Guys I have Lana and am pulling a bit of information. I am playing good cop in a bad cop good cop con on her right now. So when you come in make noise like you don't believe her and want to just do her in if she won't help us out."
Then I continue, "O.K. I hear you Jimmy. Yeah she is cooperating. No you don't need to come in here and bash her in the head to get her to talk. I have it under control. NO! I will not let you torture her. Give me five minutes."
I turn to Lana, "Look you have to tell me everything that you know about these two. I believe you, but I need to be able to convince my partners that you aren't holding out on them. The one has a bit of sadistic streak and would love to make you wimper in pain. Please don't give him a reason to do that."
I'll then flash up the symbol that they found in the book and ask her, "What about that symbol have you seen it before?"
-
Mercedes snorts as she listens to the message, "So which one of you is going to be Jimmy?"
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@Cynthia:
Lana: "I"ve never seen that before in my life! Listen, those kids came here to meet up with Hannibal a few times That's all I know! Honest! What the hell do I need to do so that Jimmy believes me?!"
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<<B.B.@Chyntia: Ask about trip chips and BTLs. Seems like that's the connection. We need to find the supplier. If she doesn't know that, Hannibal should... Maybe Sam. If this isn't a brain-bender thing, then see if Hanny ever dealt in fake SINs.>>
"Oooooh! I'm scary! Let me be Jimmy! GRRRRRR!" Brian's monster motions cause the AR frames projected in his goggles to scroll wildly. "Anyone bring their medkit? We might need to wake Sam. This Lana trick doesn't seem like she's too plugged in."
<<B.B.@Jimmy: Locke! I didn't think you'd be monitoring your dead-drops so intently! <@_@> I was wondering if I could buy a few things off you... and maybe see what you know about a marker I came across. I don't know how heavy this thing is, and figured you might. So... first off, I was thinking about picking up a Targeting Option for my Evotronics "Heavy Disruptor" attack program, a mid-range sniffer program (no Jap stuff, plz. I don't wanna have to scrub "limiters" off it next time I feel like pissing in MCT's soup,) and, depending on what you know about this [file included] symbol, possibly something in Black. How's that resonate?>>
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still talking out loud I say, "I have a medkit, but really don't want to have to use it." I hold up a hand and nod, "Lana I believe you. Thank you for cooperating because you know blood takes forever to get out of clothing. Now what about the bender chips and BTLs? What do you know about them?"
Then I'll subvocalize "could one of you grab my duffle and throw it in the trunk before you head up?"
(O.O.C. I'm going to try and judge intentions to see if she is lying to me or if I think she is telling the truth.)
(4 INT 5 CHA =9d6)
Rolled on: 2010-09-28 02:26:53.050999
9d6 → [6,6,3,1,3,4,4,2,5] = (34) BBCode
9d6=34 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2703574/)
3 successes
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@B.B.:
Locke: "Ya no problem man, it's gonna be my usual finders fee of 20%....If you want guaranteed clean warez, that'll take like a few weeks to find....so all I can get you is pirated file-sharing warez.....let me start scanning my VPN's right now..."
[OOC: Locke's search for Targeting program option:
Datasearch 4 + Browse 4 + Connection 4 = 12 (Avail 2 + Rating 3, 1 combat turn)
12d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2703837/)
11d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2703838/)
Found it. Now for the Sniffer program.
12 (Avail(hacking=availx2) + Rating, 1Combat turn) = 12(ratingx3, 1 combat turn)
12d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2703840/)
11d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2703843/)
10d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2703845/) ....he found rating 4
9d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2703847/).....rating 5
8d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2703849/)....rating 6]
After about 20 seconds Locke reports back:
"Ok, so I found you a targeting subroutine that seems to be clean...it's home-coded by some guy out of Renton.....it's gonna run you 225 nuyen plus a finders fee of 45 nuyen. The sniffer program is gonna run you 100 nuyen per rating plus twenty percent of that. These ones also look like they should be pretty clean...can't guarantee it's not based on MCT code though....that's all I can do if you want the stuff now. As usual, you know i'm not responsible for the integrity of any of these programs...that's just how it goes with file sharing....Let me know what you wanna download, shoot me the cred and we're good to go."
Locke takes a look at the image file:
"Very interesting....never seen this symbol before, but i'll ask around and see if anyone troll'n the VPN's has anything to say about it.....don't worry, i'll throw that in as a favor if you wanna buy the warez...i'll let you know as soon as anything turns up."
@Cynthia:
Lana: "Yeah, well as far as I know that's what Hannibal would get for them....oh, I do remember that the reason they came the last time was because they wanted to get some tags erased and Hannibal's handy with that so he brought them over here to give them both a good once over with the eraser. That's really all I know lady!"
As far as you can tell, Lana seems like the kind of chick who's usually out of it most of the time and pretty much good for only one thing.....you wouldn't say that subterfuge is really her thing.
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I buzz them all up as soon as they arrive. Once the group is there "We need to look through the other rooms to see what all is here."
"Lana do you have a way to contact Hannibal?"
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B.B. peaked his head out the window, tuned out the rain with his select sound filter, and scanned the surroundings. Then, like a bottle rocket, he burst out the car and was running through the light rain in a flash. "Meet you at the front door," he called to the others as he broke away. Approaching the alley where Cynthia stashed her gear, he activated his radar cyberware, just in case. ("Wallhack, lol.") He was not looking to get jumped by wild hobos.
Provided the alley is clear, he grabs Cynthia's bag and meets the others at the door.
<<B.B.@Jimmy: You are like unto a god, James. I'll take the R5 Sniffer and the Targeting mod. 1000 chips headed your way. Consider the extra as gratis, and watch you don't wave that symbol too openly. It might be connected with BTL brainwashing crazyness.>> [1000¥ deducted. Your remaining balance is 10,000¥]
[OOC: 5 int +2 skill + 3 vision/audio enh +3 NAN:L = 13d6.hits(5) → [3,4,2,1,6,2,5,3,5,4,6,1,2] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2704371/) (derp, forgot the Betel.)
By the way, inca, I switched the reflex recorder from Perception to Clubs, since Perception isn't linked to a physical attribute, even if it is a physical active skill.
I figured this was a good move since you're more into sensible interpretations than straight RAW.
-
Mercedes gets out of the car as the gnome scoots around her to the alley. She walks with Woofer to the door and buzzes the intercom for the apartment. "Cynthia's got the good cop down, think B.B.'s up for being the bad cop?" She looks over at the gnome running down the alley, trying to avoid getting wet.
She then suddenly has an idea to help them get in and out without the two finding out who they are (and making intimidation a bit easier).
<Message @Cynthia: Can you find a couple of pillowcases or something to put over our subjects' heads? That way we can maintain our anonymity and gain an upper hand in our interrogation of the troll.>
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@Cynthia:
Lana: "He's usually working his beat...I called him while ago to come down here....but he's still not around."
[OOC: figure out what you wanna do with Lana and Sam before the team comes in and then we'll just assume you guys are all in the apartment]
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I look around the apartment for a couple of pillow cases or similar bedding that I can use to cover their eyes. I throw one at Lana and say, "Here put this on. Jimmy is afraid you'll ID him if you see him. The fact that he is thinking of this now means he is open to letting you live, but you have to continue to work with me or else I won't be able to stop him."
I put the other one over sam's head and then let the team in.
If there isn't anything I'll get Lana to move over by Sam and cast mass sight removal at force 4 (once the spell is cast it will only affect the two of them since they were in the area when it was cast correct? Or is your interpretation that anyone who moves into the area will lose their sight. If it is the later I won't bother with the spell.)
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Woofer sighs, "No, I should be bad cop, I hate doing it, but it works." *waits til the door is buzzed open, Walks duffle on shoulder*
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@Cynthia:
You find two grimy pillow cases in the little bedroom and you wrestle one of them over Sam's plus-sized head. It barely fits but you manage it horn and all, then proceeding to place another pillow case over Lana's head just as the rest of the team comes into the apartment, slowly stepping over the big troll who's still drooling on the floor. She doesn't protest at all and just sits there silently on the couch, her pale slender legs forking out of a black leather mini-skirt and covered with goosebumps.
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Mercedes switches her senses over to the astral, studying both Lana and the troll's auras to see if she can pick up on anything from either.
Assensing role (11 dice, -1 for deepweed crash) (10d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2705316/)
[I can see into the deepest recesses of their souls... ;D]
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@Mercedes:
[OOC: Where are you getting 10 dice? Assensing for you is Int 4 + Assensing 2 + Enhanced Perception 1 + Weed crash -1= 6 cutting off your last 5 rolls, that leaves you with 4 hits]
You start to read the way in which the colors of their auras weave and braid together. Lana looks completely mundane with no dark spots anywhere along her unexceptional aura which is wrapped in red strands of nervousness and fear. You do notice cloudiness permeating her aura typical of synthahol.
Sam's aura also looks totally mundane aside from the fact that his aura is that of a sleeping person's. You also see dark-spots blocking the aura from shining around his finger tips, and as well as a small dark smudge on the small of his back connected to thin black filaments which run along his spin up to his cerebral cortex. Looks like he's only got hand-razors and a concealed data-jack.
-
[OOC: Sorry about that, read the wrong line on my sheet here. See kids? Thats what happens when you try to PbP from work... ;)]
In a voice low enough so Lana can't really hear her: "The troll's got some razors and a datajack at the base of his spine. The girls a little tipsy, but otherwise mundane."
-
As Brian walked up the stairs to the apartment, he swung his bag around in front of him, stuffed the two elongated clips into his left pocket and took the sturdy machine pistol in his hand, stock now unfolded. Everywhere he looked, the walls and floor melted away, leaving only outlines of density. Water pipes, electrical lines, the bones of pets, everywhere the familiar shapes of rooms assaulted him. That is a kitchen. There a toilet. Everything was old-style, but still he looked out for any electrical workings. Cameras, pressure sensors, or any other security apparatus seemed glaringly absent. He dialed the Ultrawideband radar back down to nothing, causing walls and floors to close in at the corners first as the sphere contracted. "This house... is clee-ah." B.B. said, approaching the door.
The room itself was that typical pit inhabited by those who just can't be arsed. The stale smell of moldy sex and spilled alcohol. Too many bodies, not enough air. Stains on top of stains. There had to be a stash somewhere in here... but there was no time to waste on that for now.
"Shall I wake Mr. Merkowski so that we can talk business? Or, would you rather I tracked Hannibal's commcode? If he has gone missing, the sooner we find him, the better."
-
@B.B.:
You quickly scan the apartment for nodes and aside from the nodes for a few kitchen appliances, you find the node for Sam's commlink which is sitting on the kitchen table. It's got a Renraku Ichi operating system and you almost effortlessly manage to break into it with an admin account in a matter of seconds. You bring up the call log and the last commcode dialed corresponds to the name "Hannibal" on the contact list. You start running a trace on the access ID associated with this commcode but the best you can do from the log files is pin down his location at the time of the call to within a cluster of a few nodes all clustered a few kilometers from each other in the western part of Redmond at around 2:45 pm...probably in the vicinity of Touristville.
-
"Hey lady. Does your boy Hannibal keep his link off for any reason?"
-
I'll make sure someone is keeping an eye on Sam and then I'm going to search through the apartment looking for a stash of some sort. On the comlink, "I think we need to wake Sam up to find out information from him, but we need to be ready in case he decides to try and break free."
After I'm done searching the apartment I'll come back and ask Lana, "You said that Hannibal erased some tags. Do you know how he did this? Or what tags he erased?"
-
Woofer will keep an eye on Lana and the Troll, though he will take a look around the room they are in of the apartment.
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Lana hears the questions, and from behind the pillow case mask she answers:
"Ya, he pretty much just checks messages every once in a while"
Then answering the second question:
"The boys came here one night cuz they had made an appointment with Hannibal, I guess they wanted some internal tags erased because he had each one of them strip down naked and then took them into the bathroom and worked them over thoroughly with his eraser....it's kind of a cheap one though, so you gotta really be thorough if you know what I mean. After that the boys stuck around, slotted some chips and then they left with Hannibal."
You search around the apartment and don't find anything of interest except for a sawed off Remington Roomsweeper shotgun up on a little ledge over the doorway in the bedroom.
Deciding that the best way to get more information is to quiz the troll, Woofer grabs a bucket under the sink in the tiny bathroom and fills it. He tells everyone to get ready and you all draw your weapons right before he throws a deluge of water right onto Sam's head. In an instant Sam starts coughing and gasping, the pillowcase soaked through but still opaque enough that he definitely can't recognize anyone. Once his spasm of coughing subsides and he seems to realize that he's not drowning, he stops tugging at his bonds and sits silently, little rivulets of blood streaming from where the monowire has cut him. Suddenly you hear a low dull groan emanate from under the dripping pillowcase and you think you hear what might be described as a troll sobbing....stifled and grovelly, but none the less a distinct sob.
Sam: "W-w-what the fuck man, Gonzo said I had until next week to get the cred together....we talked about this! W-w-why does he gotta go all out and send a fucking hit squad after me when we already talked about this...I thought we was cool baby?! You gotta let me talk to Gonzo....just put him on the comm and i'm sure we can straighten this all out!"
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Subvocally I say "I got this one."
"You're right you and Gonzo had an agreement. That is until he heard that you and Hannibal were getting together and going to send people after him."
Softly tap Sam on the cheek through the pillow case. "He didn't want to believe you were in cahoots with Hannibal, but word on the street says otherwise."
(O.O.C. using my con skill to try and convince him. Either you roll or let me know if I have any modifiers from the situation)
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Sam: "Motherfucker, me and Hannibal don't work together! Hannibal works for ME! He doesn't even take a shit unless I say so! That sniveling little rat-bastard is out on the streets slinging chips and whatever else you might want.....why? Cuz he's making money for ME, that's who!"
@Cynthia
[OOC: rolling to see if he still believes that you guys were sent by Gonzo. I'll have Mercedes smooth things out a little so it'll be a teamwork Con test with you and her, but she can't use Kinesics because Sam can't see her. Con 5 + Cha 8 + Teamwork 1=14 13d6.hits(5)=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2708738/). Sam's resist Cha 2 + Negotiation 2 + Suspicious cuz you didn't know nature of relationship with Hannibal 1 = 5....5d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2708746/).]
Mercedes quickly interjects, sensing that Cynthia went too far out on a limb without knowing the situation.
Mercedes: "Gonzo doesn't give a flying fuck about what kind of business you got going on around here!!! He just cares about your business with him but as soon as he realized you got a shithead working for you who's sitting on a real big score of paydata.....Gonzo ain't stupid, he's gonna get his cut!"
Sam: "Hannibal?....sittin' on something big?? Well fuck me, I want my cut too!...If i'd had known about that Gonzo would have gotten his cred months ago!!"
At the mention of money, the troll seems to quickly ignore that you ever mentioned something about a hit against Gonzo or that Cynthia mistook Hannibal as a viable partner for Sam, when he's only a bagman who deals on the streets for him.
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"Gonzo is a reasonable man. He just wants his cred. Tell us where to find Hannibal and we will take care of business and get you your cut. Gonzo isn't looking to cut you out he just wants what is coming to him."
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[Stopping in while I got some time at a Barnes & Nobles. Who says the future's not here? ;D]
Mercedes will also try to keep an eye out on the front door and outside hallway to make sure no one surprises them during their interrogation.
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Sam: "Tonight he's supposed to be working the Touristville bar-strip up in Redmond. We left him a message earlier to come meet some customers over here, but the idiot probably didn't check his messages...trust me... you'll find him in Touristville. He likes to work a club named Sonoma"
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B.B. punches in a quick message to Hannibal over Sam's link.
<<Sam@Hannibal: Nix that last shit. Chaz tried to come up here with those shitheads. You don't sell to them anymore, understand.>>
Subvocally:
"We can't risk him fucking this up by cluing H in to what we know out of some sense of greed. This needs to be dealt with. You can wait outside if you like and I'll deal with it my way."
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I pull my taser take aim and shoot Sam in the chest.
(O.O.C. 9d6+ 2d6(taking aim) Rolled on: 2010-10-03 06:08:38.640513
11d6 → [1,1,6,2,6,1,3,4,6,5,1] = (36)
BBCode
11d6=36[/url
4 successes)
When he slumps over unconscious (if he doesn't I'll shoot him again) I turn to B.B. "There it is taken care of. Now do we take Lana in case we need her help in finding Hannibal or leave her here?"
I will take the SMG and shotgun with me. Subvocal "Hold onto Sam's comlink also so we know if Hannibal responds to 'Sam's text' that you just sent"
(http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2710395/)
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Woofer sighs, "That deception will only last as long as it takes for Sam to finally wake up and use any burn comm's to contact Hannibal."
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Subvocally "Sam is out for hours, and when he wakes up he still has to get out of the monowired cuffs he's in. Killing him makes no sense it will just draw attention to the whole situation. Dead bodies bring more questions. We will have talked to Hannibal by the time he has a chance to do anything and after that what does it matter? Besides you assume that he will talk to Hannibal about it, and not just act."
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Mercedes glares at B.B. and Woofer, "I agree. There's no reason to kill them when it will be hours before he can do anything."
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"My way was actually going to be to tell him the truth, then bribe him into contacting me at a dead drop site if Hannibal showed back up. Apparently he's dead tomorrow if he can't get enough cash to pay this Gonzo guy back.. that's as good a leash as any.. I... just didn't want to embarrass you guys after all that keen lying you did.. This probably works though."
[OOC: I want to browse Sam's link's trid cache for images of Hannibal, maybe something keyed into the number he had for him. Should be easy enough to find in a couple seconds by buying hits. If there's nothing we bring Lana. While the rest walk Lana out or lock Lana up, I'd like to kick on my radar again. I'd like to look around first, then check in Millimeter Wave mode (SR4a p262,) and see if I can spot any weapons or the stash of chips.
Rolling: 5 int + 2 skil + 3 active looking +3 NAN-L + 1 betel = 14d6.hits(5) → [4,5,6,6,4,1,1,3,2,1,5,1,2,5] = (5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2711069/)
Rolling: MMW 4d6.hits(5) → [6,6,4,6] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2711082/) Holy #@*#! Wow.
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Mercedes sighs, "I'm sorry, I've been a bit on edge the last hour. I should know that you weren't implying that. Sometimes the cynicism of this world gets even to me."
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Present Tiime: 4:07 PM
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B.B. continued the sub-vocal chat session as he scanned the room. "Well, there's always the chance that he wouldn't have gone for it. Then I would have had to flip his switch... so. This way at least we leave him to his chances with Gonzo and we're still pretty covered. If we end up leaving Lana here, she could pass on the message that we'd pay for info. She already knows who we're after, so she'd blow the knee-breaker story out of the water in an instant."
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@B.B.:
You scan the room with your Radar in MMW scanning mode and you're suprised by how transparent the old drywall is to your scanner. The only items of interest you find is a credstick taped to the underside of the living-room table. It shows to have a balance of 400 nuyen on it..
As you're subvocally discussing with the group about what should be done with Lana and Sam, an ARO hops up and down on the left side of your field of view and you see it is an incomming message from Hannibal to Sam's commlink. It reads "Sure thing. I'm on a quick delivery but tonight I'll be workin the strip"
You use the updated log files on the commlink to quickly initiate a trace on Hannibal's access ID in order to find it's node of origin.
[OOC: Seeing how fast you can run the trace. This is non-diminishing extended cuz you will eventually succeed given enough time. Computer 1 + Nanites 3 + PuSHeD 1 + Track 3 = 8 (10, Complex Action=1sec)
8d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2711456/)
8d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2711457/)
8d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2711458/)
8d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2711459/)
8d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2711460/)
8d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2711461/)]
You complete the trace in 6 seconds but you can see that the last data packet routed to Hannibal's commlink was sent 5 seconds after you initiated the trace so he must have turned off his commlink 1 second before you finished the trace. The best you can pinpoint his location is about a 1km radius area of Auburn.
When you search Sam's commlink you don't find any pictures of Hannibal and the main use of the comm seems to be for calls and emails.
@Everybody
[OOC: If no one says otherwise, i'll assume that you guys are leaving Sam unconscious, taking Lana, Sam's comm, guns and credstick and leaving the apartment. If you guys are cool with this, then figure out where you want to go, and what time you want to go there....and if it's later on tonight, what you would like to do in the meantime]
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"Does anyone have a picture of Hannibal?"
If not then I will start getting a description from Lana.
"How do we want to approach Hannibal? We can't just go in commando style if he is in a club. Why don't we try and intercept him in Auburn? Besides that might be where our boys are, and that is what we really care about. I am open to suggestions and ideas however."
I make sure we have my bag with my other suit and such before we leave the apartment area.
-
@B.B.: Sam is slumped over on the couch, drool once again streaming from the gap between his lips formed by his protruding oversized tusks. You write him a note with a little pen and notepad you keep to write down the user names of your "special friends" on Planes of Eldoran. The game has a built in friends list function....but that one can get hacked by really determined enemy guilds, and then used to commandeer your buddy's account in order to get to you.....so you keep a "special buddies" paper list just to be on the safe side. It's pretty cut-throat and brutal, but that's what happens when a bunch of top tier hackers decide to make an MMO.
After you stick the note onto one of his tusks, you slip Sam's commlink in your pocket and make your way for the door.
@Everybody:
Time--4:20 PM
You leave the apartment and close the door behind you leaving it unlocked. As you all step out into the rain you see that the amount of pedestrian traffic has increased a little....almost as if Seattle is warming itself up for the evening which is when the real show starts. Compared to daytime, many of the shadier neighborhoods of the Metroplex seem to have a whole different cast of characters which tend to take the stage around nightfall and the latter crowd usually seems to be in the majority.
You walk two blocks to Woofers car and Lana looks at the rest of the group with a confused and skeptical look on her face when she sees B.B. climb into the trunk without saying a word as soon as Woofer pops it open, then give a salute to Woofer who slams the trunk shut. The rest of you pile in, Mercedes in the passenger seat, Cynthia and Lana in the back seat.
Once you drive off, still unsure of your destination, Mercedes queries Lana and she starts describing Hannibal:
"Well, first of all he's human... he's a skinny caucasian brunette with shoulder length oily hair. He's got beady little cyber-eyes which he likes to cover up with shades....and he's also got a datajack on his left temple ... It's got some of that florescent nanopaste on it that makes parts of it glow blue just to make it look pretty..."
Lana pauses and then flicks her head up and starts nervously playing with a strand of her dyed blond hair....
"You know what, I just decided that this is really unfair...I don't got nothin' ta do with this but i'm getting screwed over anyways and i'm not gonna stand for it anymore....my time is valuable....so unless you're willing to pay for my services, I can't really be of much help to you....I'm not sure where he is right now, but later tonight I can definitely find him for you. If I wasn't cooped up in this damn car I could be making 100 nuyen an hour and paying off Sam's debt, so it's your call....either you make it worth my while or just drop me off at the next block....i'm a busy woman."
She crosses her arms over her rather flat skinny chest and looks at everyone, almost testing the waters to see if she might have gone a little too far. You all almost chuckle at the level of comfort Lana is already daring to feel with the group...it makes sense though....she seems like the survivor type.
-
[OOC: Ooh! Can I use Edit to try and make a mock-up of Hannibal's face as Lana describes it? Just projected on one of the car's window/screens? Do it all police sketch artist style? Nose bigger, nose smaller etc? Anyway, going to assume a couple bought hits on a Street Knowledge: Seattle Gangs test for dialog sake.
<<B.B.@Team: Don't the Brain Eaters operate out of touristville? Maybe we could leave her with them. Or would that be too cruel... to the Ghouls I mean.. easy money for us though..>>
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"How much is Sam's debt?"
"Also Lana don't flatter yourself. 100 nuyen an hour really?"
"Because there is a third option. If you aren't useful anymore we could just decide it isn't worth it to keep you around any longer, and I don't mean dropping you on the corner."
I'll let some mana flicker between my fingers in a show to try and reinforce what I am saying
-
Woofer: "Wow, really Lana, of course I have friends in Knight Errant that can take you in for solicitation and drug charges, your choice." *woofer sounds annoyed with the druggie*
-
[OOC: Okay, so she's no longer got the pillowcase on her head? ;)]
"Don't worry, chica. I'm sure we'll figure out some sort of compensation for you."
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Lana almost flinches when she sees the purple streams of mana flow between Cynthia's finger tips...she then looks at Woofer, almost pouting....but then sighs.....
"alright, i'll help you....but when Sam gets out of this whole mess you'll be sorry!"
[OOC: so where are you guys going, it's totally open and it's still 4:30'ish so you got a few hours before clubs and bars open up for the evening. As Mike Meyers says "Talk amongst yah'selves"]
-
You make your way south through Renton and after about 45 minutes you make it to the general area of Auburn where B.B. loosely traced Hannibal's text message. Most of these blocks are packed tightly with 2040's ranch style one-floor houses and as you drive around through the rain you see few pedestrians.
[OOC: Rolling a blind luck roll ....we'll make it threshold 3. Woofer is the only one who can make it: Edge 3 3d6.hits(5)=1. Nope didn't find Hannibal]
You circle several of these residential blocks for almost an hour but Lana doesn't see Hannibal anywhere. B.B. doesn't see any nodes which match Hannibal's access ID either. After deciding that even though it was worthwhile to check out the lead, it's probably time to move up to Redmond.
@B.B.
[OOC: Rolling B.B.'s Seattle Gangs knowledge skill: Intuition 5 + Seattle Gangs 1 + Limbic Nanites 3=9 (2) 9d6.hits(5)=4.]
From looking at the grid guide system you see that Woofer seems to be plotting a path going north-east on hwy 18, but you notice the small limbic nanintes activity graph of your Nanohive status ARO start to spike as you realize that Woofer's planning to go straight north through Lake Sammamish Pkwy, riding the edge of Redmond in order to save time. You remember reading on some online forums that in the last two weeks the Blood Mountain Boys have been running "toll stops" after certain hours in response to Crimson Crush's expansion. You instead plot a safer route going north-west back through Bellevue and then straight west directly into Touristville.
@Everyone:
By around 7:00 PM you reach the stretch of NE 86th st. in Bellevue that becomes Redmond Way. The high-rises in the distance to the west contrasts blocks and blocks of dilapidated concrete 3-4 story plasticrete block-like constructions on either side of the road, most of them abandoned, the occasional flickering neon sign reflecting a mix of Katakana and English off of your tinted windows. About a mile ahead you see the bright lights of the Touristville strip start to cut through the dusk as it dissolves into night, the multitude of colors twisted and stretched by the beads of rain streaming down the windshield in between passes of the wipers.
Lana and Cynthia have dozed off in the back seat.
@Cynthia:
As the moon rises in the east on your way to Touristville, you feel the adrenaline from you encounter with Sam start to wear off and as you let the embrace of sleep surround you, you notice yourself falling and falling.
Your eyes open to a cold sidewalk stretched out before you, the cool brisk October air condensing your breath into mist. You shiver as a swirl of autumn leaves scrapes their way down the concrete and the night sky which is visible between crumbling buildings is only populated by a full-moon. When you look back down to the sidewalk, you notice that the orange tinged street lamps on both sides of the road only last for about 50 more meters and then they end, plunging the rest of the street into darkness. You keep on walking and as you approach the last few street lights you also notice that the full moon now almost takes up the entirety of the night sky, the face of a young maiden floating in an astral sea of silver. The knowing smile usually etched onto your lady's face is strangely absent as she stairs straight into the shadow, her eyes intensely focused and the furrow in her silver brow expressing strong concern which makes you stop in your tracks. The longer she looks into the shadow, the more her expression looks less and less like concern and more and more like what you could only call fear, an emotion you have never known your uninhibited lady to be capable of. She attempts to penetrate the shadow with her moonbeams, but the darkness which has swallowed the rest of the road in front of you just as easily swallows her light and all you can make out are two medium sized thin silhouettes standing about 10m into the darkness. You begin to walk again and as you approach the edge where the light of the lamps and of the moon give way to the darkness, you turn around one last time and you see your lady with her hand outstretched, shaking her head and beckoning for you to proceed no further. You pause once more, then turn back around and continue walking toward the figures. As soon as you plunge into the shadow, you begin to fall once more.
You wake up from the dream with a jerk and quickly sit upright in the car seat gasping for air. Mercedes whips her head around toward the back seat, a concerned look on her face. Lana is still completely passed out as you roll to a stop to wait in the line of cars that has formed. It looks like the strip is going to be rather crowded tonight. That also means the new Knight Errant patrols of this area are probably going to be a little stepped up as well.
The KE policy with Redmond is one of containment: as long as the crime in Redmond more or less stays inside Redmond, it's not's KE's problem. A kid could shoot his grandma in the face and KE wouldn't even fill out a report. As long as they do the symbolic Redmond turf raid now and again, with the occasional drug or weapon's stash recovered, and the occasional notorious gang boss killed or captured every once in a while, Downtown will renew their contract in a breeze and Horizon media will tout them as heroes. On top of that, a good chunk of established gang leaders are on KE's payroll to begin with. The recovery of most stashes or killing of bosses only ever happens when established leaders throw KE a bone and tip them off in order to stick it to some upstart rising through the ranks. Touristville is the exception though....it's basically a playground for corporate citizens who feel like they're either too hardcore or too hipster to go hang out at the Penumbra downtown. KE needs to make sure all those twenty and thirty somethings make it home safely so they can plug in their reality filters, go beddy-by, and wake up the next morning and start on their late TPS reports.
-
It had been a laborious ride to around and from Auburn. Lots of jostling, lots of turning and lots of stopping. B.B. hardly noticed. He kept an eye on the grid, an ear on the police bands, and his remaining attention on an argument about the 3rd season of Jack-knife Jones. You know, the season where they dropped all the heavy-handed Hamlet stuff and started working on their own damn plot for the first time... anyway..
<<B.B.@Team: I'll keep in the car and scan for any sign of his ID. If he so much as turns on his link within four kilcks of our location, I'll peg him in an instant. You guys want me to leave him a message of introduction or try and trick him into running outside once you put your eyes on him? I've got many options, and they can become your options... by way of actions.>>
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Mercedes smiles, "No need to scare the poor boy, B.B. Just let us know when he gets here. Cynthia can watch the exits in case he bolts, but I think I can get him to talk to us."
She nods toward the sleeping Lana, "What do we do with her?"
-
I stretch a bit and say, "My guiding spirit is telling me of a looming darkness that is overcoming the streets. There is something bigger than a couple of corp boys skipping out on their handlers going on here. We need to be careful about what we say and to whom especially until we figure out what is going on."
I look over at Lana and say, "It depends on if we think we need her to help ID Hannibal. Woofer were you planning on staying in the car or going into the streets or bar also?"
"I was thinking I could backup Mercedes in stealth mode and hang out by the alleyway between the clubs, but I am open to suggestions."
-
You find a parking space along a curb off a side street from Redmond Way. Lana already pointed out Club Sonoma and the side street you're parked on is only 2 blocks east. B.B. decides to stay in the car and monitor the situation from the matrix. The rest of you climb out of the car along with Lana and start walking towards the club.
Time 7:30
@Rest of Group
The neon signs and ARO's along the strip reflect off the light drizzle and create a sort of fluorescent mist permeating the atmosphere. You see club names which float over the sidewalks...."Zanders, Frida's, Takara" mostly surrounded by little food stands manned mostly by orks of asian decent serving the typical ramen, topoki, or soyfry....but you pass the occasional exotic stand manned by talismongers and purhaps even mildly awakened shaman's who sell all sorts of strange snacks and pass them off as awakened nourishments.... only for a hefty price will they sell you a single mana cube created with a weak nourishment spell. Creating those addicitive little cubes is heavily regulated in Seattle, and that's one of the reasons why people from all over like coming to Touristville.
The smuged onyx entrance to club Sonoma is on the first floor of a grimey 4 story plasticrete building and is quite small and inconspicuous, the only sign that this is the entrance to a night-club is a violet black-light sign running along side the door along with several AR ads weaving around it. The bouncer is a well built ork in a leather neo-tunic who's braids fall all around his shoulders. He has a little cred slot box and as you approach him he distractedly tells you that it's 20 nuyen per person....but when he sees Lana, he smiles and asks her:
"Are you staying or just making a pickup?"
Lana: "These guys just want to make a pick-up...c'mon Jarius, we'll just be a minute."
He nods and waves you all through.
@B.B.:
Through a little AR window you can see the VR sculpting of the matrix node to the Sonoma. Like most clubs, it's a heavily idealized imitation of the true physical layout of the estalishment, but detached from any of the surrounding buildings. You are allowed public access into a vestibule lounge where a few persona icons are having conversations with each other. The bouncer agent tells you that it's 15 nuyen to get user access.
[OOC: Matrix perception: Analyze 6 + Computer 1 + Neocortical 3 + PuSHed 1= 11 11d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2716490/).]
Your Analyze ARO is running a scan you see the club node is System 3, Firewall 4 and is running an Analyze 3 along with a bouncer agent rating 3.
@Rest of Group:
You walk down a flight of steps and proceed through an entranceway to your left. The dimly lit interior of the club looks quite a bit classier than the exterior of the building and relatively empty this early in the evening with most of the people sitting at the neon blue bar which snakes along one whole wall of the establishment.
Lana looks at you and nods towards a man standing next to the bar talking-up a group of girls in a distinct Australian accent. His back is turned towards you, his shoulder length stringy hair and his trenchcoat are still a little wet.
Lana: "That's him over there....listen, please don't hurt him....he never did nothing bad to me...just get what you want and then let him be."
-
Mercedes nods at the others, then smiles at Lana, "Don't worry, I'll be gentle. Marcus, why don't you take Lana back outside, Cynthia watch over us. If he bolts, get ready to grab him. Otherwise, I'll talk him out to the car and you can follow behind to keep an eye out."
As she walks across the club floor, she tousles her hair, sways a bit like she's been drinking [ooc](not too hard to fake after the deepweed)[/ooc] and swipes an glass off a table (one that's empty of drink, but has some ice in it) she passes by. As she gets close to Hannibal, she fakes a stumble and spills the remnants of the drink onto Hannibal's back.
"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! I must have tripped or something!" She acts the part of the girl that's had four too many as he turns around, and starts flirting.
Con roll to convince Hannibal she's pretty, drunk and he may have a chance. ;) (16d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2716675/)
Edit: And, I forgot First impression: First Impression add-on (2d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2716676/)
Although I guess that it didn't make a difference...
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Woofer nods, and leads Lana back out and to the car. "Don't worry Lana, we just want to talk to him."
-
[OOC: Would I need Admin access to hijack their sound system? I feel like it might be decent fun to turn the party out. It would give Mercedes a good reason to drag Hannibal outside. If I get busted cracking their system, I can just shut off my wireless, change my ID and go back to waiting around.
-
@Mercedes
[OOC: roll to see if Hannibal spots your bullshit: Charisma 4 + Con 3 = 7 7d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2717296/). You didn't include a romantic attraction modifier, so I"ll include it at +2 to your roll: 2d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2717299/). It's a stalemate, so he doesn't think your bluffing, but he doesn't think your drunk.]
Hannibal turns around and blantantly takes you in from head to toe with his beady little machine like cyber-eyes, while scratching inquisitively at his 2 day old stubble: "No prahblem deary, I keep on tellin'em to turn the loits up...it's too bloody daark down here. Don't mind the coat, as you can see i'm havin' no luck t'day." Referring to his already wet trenchcoat. "Why don't ya join us and let me replace that drink.....I know just the drink for a laahvly young lady such as y'self." He raises his hand towards his sweaty temple and taps on the datajack Lana described. The neon blue ring around it blinks for a second and Hannibal places an order into the online bar queue. "Could we have one more of those velvet-shade martinis?....Thanks." Looking back up toward you, "My name is Haannibal, and you are......" He extends his hand out to shake yours, the bartender already making his way closer holding a purple drink in a wide martini glass with a thin stick of chocolate floating on the surface.
@Woofer:
You took advantage of the distraction of Mercedes spilled drink to grab Lana by the shoulder and lead her back up the stairs without being noticed. When you get to the bouncer at the top of the stairs, he asks Lana, "Hey, what about the others, if they're gonna stay they're gonna need to pay cover." Lana looks at you wondering what to say.
@B.B.:
Without actually having admin access to Sonoma's node you can't tell for sure so you try some indirect methods.
You find a few other visible nodes which are broadcasting wirelessly from the inside of the club.
[OOC: Matrix perception: 11d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2717325/).]
The node for the sound system is one of them and your analyze program shows it is slaved to the main node.
[OOC: Capture wireless traffic: Elec. War. 4 + Sniffer 5 + Neocort. Nan 3 + PuSHed 1=13 (3) 13d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2717371/).]
You load your newly purchased Sniffer program onto your persona and you start scanning the different Wifi frequencies and quickly lock on to the wireless frequency carrying data packets in between the main node and the sound system slave node. You manage to grab the access ID of the user sending commands to the sound system but you have no way of knowing what his account privileges are.
-
Mercedes touches his forearm, then smiles her best smile at him "Morena, buy you can call me Rena. What a delicious accent you have! Where are you from?"
With her other hand, she flashes two fingers at Cynthia implying that she'll need just two minutes to get him out to the car.
-
@Mercedes
Hannibal: "Live and direct from Sydney Australia...the laand daown under....at your services."
He gives you a little mock bow as he leans over to kiss your hand and when that sets you off into flirtatious giggling he takes that as his cue to start into anecdotes from the outback for you and the other 3 girls to enjoy. He talks about the time when mana-storms caused a mass exodus from the coastal australian countryside, his family fled to Sydney....he grew up in the slums there and according to him, he got talent scouted by a media company and now he runs a little studio that signs up-and-coming independent musicians, models, and other such talented individuals. This apocryphal story leaves the 3 club-hoppers all hot and bothered......but to someone with an extensive knowledge of global history and the local music scene as well sees all the inconsistencies in what he's saying. More likely he was probably strung out and slinging chips in Sydney just like over here.....caught the eye of AISE (australian secret police) and had to split in a hurry to save his life. Most Australian non-corporate immigrants in Seattle you've ever come accross are usually the ones fleeing AISE. You've even heard on the wire about AISE hiring local runners to perform extraditions all the way over here in North America.
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"A producer! Wow! I've done some modeling and singing and am in the market for a new producer." She runs her finger along his arm. "But he was too restrictive. I always thought I could be the next Mercurial, but he kept holding me back. I've got some demo tapes in my car outside, if you wouldn't mind giving me an audition."
Con roll to get him to come outside. (18d6.hits(5) =5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2717556/)
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@Mercedes:
[OOC: His con resist roll: 7 7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2717627/)....he believes that you want to jump his bone....not the bit about the demo tapes.. :D]
Hannibal is completely blind-sided by your suggestion....one of his cyber eyes twitches for a second and he puts his drink down on the bar.
"Well that's moity impressive, i'm in constant search of talent such as y'self....if you'll excuse me ladies but Hani neyds t'take care of some business. Here's my card in case any of you ladies eva needs my services."
He gives you his arm and you gingerly take it as you both walk towards the entrance.
[OOC: Remember, Lana and Woof are still at the top of the stairs talking to the bouncer.]
@Everyone else:
[OOC: Me and Mercedes have been having some back and forth so make sure to start reading all the way back to the last post of mine that you read so you don't miss anything.]
-
Mercedes smiles at him, then leans back to nod at Cynthia to let her know they are on their way outside. (Hopefully, she can send a message to Woofer that we're on our way.)
-
Woofer: "THey won't be long, but here." *pays the cover*
-
I start back towards the entrance. "B.B., Woofer Mercedes is on her way out with Hannibal. I'm not sure what she is going to do other than bring him to the car so be ready. I'm following and will be right behind them even if you don't see me assume I'm there unless I tell you otherwise."
As soon as we clear the club I'm going to don the mask and engage the chameleon suit.
-
[OOC: Assuming that the stereo is a standard device, its rating should be 3, so that's 6 dice to ignore my spoof. I'd be using the Matrix ID I grabbed as the door to the system and looking to do an action which would require Admin access, which gives me a -6 penalty to my roll.
So, that's me with hacking 6 +3 spoof +3 NC:NAN + 1 PuSHeD - 6 admin = 7 dice vs, 6 dice on the stereo.
Action is to subscribe the stereo to my link... which I'm keeping in Hidden mode, BTW.
Rolling me 7d6.hits(5) → [2,1,4,6,4,4,1] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2718128/) bleh.
and stereo. 6d6.hits(5) → [3,2,1,2,2,4] = (0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2718129/) whaaaaa?! holy crap. I was not expecting that. I.. I thought I was going to get punked by a boom box..
Well, noting clears a dancefloor like some breakcore. Gonna give these slum tourists something to remember.
"Pop the phase, bring the deck - I got the heavy ammunition cause I'm flex-y with the tech." (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlRpcvvkwiQ)
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Music Interests roll (7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2718349/)
As they're walking out and the music changes, you can *almost* see the wince on Mercedes' face as the breakcore starts and people leave the dancefloor and head to the bar. She recognizes the song and figures either B.B.'s in the system or the DJ's been murdered by Insect spirit-loving ork. [OOC: ;)]
-
@Woofer:
You quickly pay 4 covers for the team and lead Lana out of the entrance of Sonoma just in time for Hannibal not to see her.
[OOC: that'll be 60 nuyen]
@Mercedes:
As you walk up the stairs, a throng of people also decide to go some place that's playing at least half-way decent music and the whole group of you flood out of the entrance to Sonoma, the bouncer totally confused and flustered. While you walk down the street towards the car and are a block away from Sonoma, Hannibal starts groping you with his sweaty hands and breathing quite heavily.
@B.B.:
All it took was 30 seconds of breakcore to empty the establishment as can be seen by the camera the DJ uses that is integral to the sound system.
-
Mercedes leads Hannibal to the car, as she slips one hand to the gun in her pocket in case he gets too grabby.
-
"Mercedes is he magically active?"
I am following behind them a couple of paces and as they slide into the car I will slide in on the other side of Hannibal unless Mercedes gives me a stay back sign.
-
Mercedes switches to her astral sight and looks over Hannibal.
Assensing Hannibal (7d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2718836/)
"He looks mundane to me."
-
@Cynthia
[OOC: Hannibal's perception check to see you: Int 3 + Perc 3 + Distracted -2+Chameleon suit -4=0]
You're on the one side of Hannibal.
@Mercedes
You're on the other side of him.
@Woofer
You're about half a block away out of view keeping Lana out of sight
-
B. B. kicks on a 2nd song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRO7N_9XjYU) as an extra "fuck you" to the slumming wage slaves, runs a quick edit scrub to remove traces of his presence, and subscribes control of the sound system back to the Matrix ID he used in his little spoof caper. He laughs to himself as, through his UWB, he watches the skeletons of patrons moving from the bar to bathrooms and doors. "Hahahaha... chumps..."
Turning his attention back to the matter at hand, he matches the walking spectre of Mercedes to her personal node, and takes quick stock of Hannibal. He dials the strength of the UWB over the man's body, looking for any abnormalities, and then, once he hits the sweet spot of 15 feet from the car, he tries the Millimeter Wave scanner to see if there's anything he might have missed. Surprise weapons are not welcome on such a simple info grab.
[OOC: Scoping out Mr. Hannibal's person. 5 Int +2 Skill +1 Betel +3 Limbic Nanites +3 Actively looking = 14d6.hits(5) → [6,1,4,2,4,4,3,6,5,6,4,5,1,6] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2719094/) Naturally, you'd subtract a weapon's concealability from the end of the pool and compare to Palming + Agility if needed.
But here comes the scanner. Can't hide from the miniwaves! 4d6.hits(5) → [1,6,2,6] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2719095/) God, I love radar cyberware...
-
@B.B.:
Standing up in the back seat, you watch Hannibal round the corner of the block with Merecedes hanging on his arm and as you engage your scanning radar your surroundings become transparent as if you were seeing in negatives. The only cyberware you observe are a pair of cyber-eyes and a datajack in his left temple and inside of the outline of Hannibal's trenchcoat you make out several bundles of thin ticket-stub sized datachips, most likely BTL's, placed inside various pockets, but no weapons of any sort. You can clearly see Cynthia's form trailing the pair and before they reach the car you duck-down behind the backseat door.
-
@Woofer:
You let Lana go and tell her to get lost, and after you give her 50 nuyen she shuts up and walks off down Redmond Way.
-
Mercedes directs Hannibal towards the car, making sure everyone is in position before making her move on Hannibal to minimize the chance Hannibal will be able to get away or do something stupid. [OOC: In other words, waiting until Sludig and WTW are on the same page before this goes off.]
As they get to the car, she pushes him back against the side of the car, getting close enough so he thinks she's going to kiss him. She pulls her gun from her pocket*, pushing it into Hannibal's crotch and whispers in his ear, "Sorry, honey. It's just biz. Don't move unless you want to see if your doc's got any deals on regrowing your favorite body part**."
*Palming to draw gun from pocket (5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2719406/)
**Con roll to convince him I'd pull the trigger if he moves. (16d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2719407/)
-
If possible I will slide in on the other side of Hannibal and put my taser to his back. "Even if you don't think she will you had better know I will."
-
Hannibal's look of anticipation suddenly becomes stone-cold and tense with fear. "Blimey....listen, what is it that you're looking for...just let me know and i'm sure we can work this all out..."
The rest of the team converges around Hannibal who's flush against the side of Woofers car. Cynthia grabs Hannibal by the collar and pulls him toward her enough for B.B. to open the door before she throws the BTL-pusher into the back seat. A quick look up and down the street shows that most of any type of potentially problematic KE surveillance is focused on Redmond Way and not the side streets so you all climb in and sit there in the parked car, Cynthia and Mercedes restraining the captive.
Hannibal: "Easy, easy....no need to get rough...like I said, i'm sure we can straighten this all out...I'm not the one you want, nobody ever has a problem with me.....It's chips you want right, well we've got a solution for that......or no wait.....you're looking for Sam aren't you, he probably owes you....well I can help you with that too."
[OOC: any of you can interrogate Hannibal about whatever you want.]
-
Etiquette Check to put Hannibal at ease. (17d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2721367/)
"Don't sweat it, hon. We're just looking for some information on the two runaways. The boys parents are real worried about them and just want us to bring them home safe and sound."
-
[OOC: Opposed etiquette roll: Charisma 4 + Perc 3 = 7 7d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2721374/). You succeed.]
Hannibal breathes a sigh of relief and as Mercedes changes her tone he relaxes as he looks at the AR window she put in front of his face with two school pictures of the boys Germaine gave you.
Hannibal: "Crike, all you had t'do was ask if that's all you wanted t'know! Bloody near well gave me a heart-attack. Those boys are friends of mine...or at least were friends of mine, I pretty much imagined something dodgy was probably going on when I didn't hear from them no more. Last time I saw them they was needin to get to an establishment a few blocks from here called the Chalice. I gave'em a ride into Touristville, they went off down there and that's honestly the last I ever heard from them."
-
"What's the Chalice?"
-
Hannibal: "It's an emo/goth bar on Redmond Way. Mostly posers frequent it."
-
"Hunh... Was that their scene? Or had their behavior changed recently?"
<<@team: Gah! Vampires! I knew it! We're going to need some Champagne and orange Juice, STAT! Vampires can't stand the power of the Mimosa; it tastes just like liquid sunshine! They'll all cry themselves to death in remembrance of the sun! I think I've got the fixins back at my place... also got a bigger gun.. Gonna need to get that gun...Can we run back down the 520? Not for the Mimosas.. That was a joke... unless you guys want one.>>
-
Subvocially @ team "Probably want to make themselves live forever. I'll bet the two boys were more than friends, or friends in the bedroom to if you know what I mean. The only problem is that the elf won't change into a vampire if infected he'll become a banshee."
-
Mercedes glances over at Cynthia with a look of "I expect this from B.B., but you too?"
"Can you tell us anything more about the boys? All we know is from their parents and you know how teenagers like to keep them in the dark."
-
Hannibal looks at Mercedes, her super-natural charm falling over his tense mind like a gossamer blanket and easing his breathing:
"Well, well, it seems like the lot of you are on a bit of shaadowrun.....Visteon send you?....or more likely the old Mr. Robinson himself. Well I have a little proposition for you. Now we all know on this side of the shadows no one really likes to have people poking around asking too many questions....so the faster you find those two blokes, the less likely I'll be gettin' another visit from individuals such as y'selves, or even worse....some KE investigators. I'll help you in what I can to find the boys as long as you keep my name outa this whole mess....and then maybe you also throw in a little toss in the sack with Morena over here", grinning at Mercedes. "...No worries, just jokin' about that last paart....unless y'don't want me to be joking shiela"
He looks down at B.B.:
"Crike, who's this little ankle biter?" Looking quickly back up to the team for a moment. "Well in any case, to answer our little friend's first question, no, it wasn't their scene at all, if you could call the Chalice a scene......more like a waterin' hole for confused wage-slave types. The two little blokes never even been to the place.....they was just lookin' for something they thought just might be there. Don't know if they ever found it.
Looking back at Mercedes:
When those boys first came to me a year ago they were already hooked on some mildly psychotropic BTL MMO-games.....they got referred to me cuz I got the good stuff and I work inside of their Visteon allowed zones. They liked my warez and kept coming back for more. A lot of the popular BTL games these days consist of a series of chips....heavy plot always activates the dopamine receptors a lot wider. Apparently I sold them quite a doozie of a game called '9 Lives' that once you beat doesn't end, but instead keeps going and has you runnin' all around meat-world Seattle. I never slotted the game, but since part of the perks of buying from me is I provide customer support, If one of my customers ever gets stuck in a game I sold'em, I'll figure out how to get them past a tough boss or a tough quest......I sell more BTL's that way....." Hannibal chuckles a little to himself and continues. The game is basically a bunch of fluff and then the players get to start on 9 quests, or clues...and each one points to the next clue....they most likely also get a little dopamine reinforcement simflash as well, that's how those things usually work. They managed to finish the first 7, but were totally stuck on the 8th clue."
He taps on his data-jack and as it glows blue, an AR screen flies up in front of his face..."Here it is, here's the 8th clue that they brought me...I figured it out in a jiffy."
The ARO is just a simple text screen with a three lines of text in quotation marks.
To taste but a drop
Of life so sweet
Go seek in the cup where cowardly fools meet
Hannibal waits until you read it. "You see, it's gotta be the Chalice....c'mon, it's obvious, but they would'a never known...The whole of Redmond is out of their permitted zones, they ain't eva been here. So all I did was help them get over here....hoping they'd finish the bloody game soon and cough up some more cred for another. I have no idea if they found the clue or not......last time I'm sellin' that bloody game, it's just not financially worthit...takes to long to bloody finish the damn thing."
Hannibal falls quiet and just looks at the group trying to gauge your reactions.
-
<<B.B.@Jimmy Locke: Hey buddy. That symbol, it looks to be connected to an AR-interactive BTL game called "9 Lives" if the info I just got is right. Sounds like a venus man trap thing. Getting beetle-kiddies hooked on a game and using that game to deliver them, full of happy chemicals straight into the arms of... some chump whose number's come up. If you've got any info to dump, I'd be happy to hear it.>>
"Hi. Tech support... Can you pick the chip out of a lineup?"
-
"Do you have any idea who runs the game?"
-
I flash up the ARO symbol we found earlier. "Have you ever seen this symbol before?"
-
@B.B.:
Hannibal: "Ya, I should actually have at least one chip on me..."
He reaches into his trenchcoat and pulls out a little stack of chips bound together with a rubber-band which he removes and shuffles through, quickly pulling out a smudged fluorescent green chip with '9 L' scribbled on it in permanent marker.
This is it right here...I have no idea who comes out with most of the shit I got...it's always a friend of a friend of a friend got it from some Aztlaner...you know how it is. This one's real good though, most of the time I just run a chip through a game-hacker program when customers get stuck, but this chip was air-tight....I had to use my superior wit in order to solve it for the boys....I personally still haven't slotted it yet though, and for 50 nuyen i'll let ya have it."
@Woofer:
"I don't know where this one in particular comes from, I buy them whole-sale...mostly the popular ones, but on occasion I wind up with one or two chips of the more obscure variety like this one....you're lucky I got this one right here on me....aside from the boys, I don't think I've ever had any other customers buy 9 Lives."
@Cynthia:
"That, oh ya...I remember the boys had drawn that symbol out and brought it over to me when they were trying to figure out the clue they were stuck on. Once you finish the actual VR levels of the game and you gotta go out on the streets to keep on progressing, he said that all the clues they had found thus far were all labeled with that symbol right there in some way. Apparently you gotta have a real sharp eye though....no usin' the matrix to try and do a data-search for them.....like I said, the programing is airtight....you'd think if even a few people have played the game, at least something would come up on the web....but not a bloody thing."
-
<<B.B.@Team: Wow, pusher-man knows an awful lot about us and our situation. He sure is talkative and eager to please... he tells anyone about us and it compromises everything. OpSec, blown.>>
<<B.B.@Cynthia: Walks.. how many times did you shoot that guy, Sam? When I went to put the note on his horn, I.. don't think he was breathing.. I don't know..>>
"Woooow, you'd sell that to me?" Brian does his best 'little kid' impression. "You must not be very picky about your clients, omae... How's that working out for you, by the way?"
<<Sam@Hannibal: Outlook not so good.>>
<<B.B.@team: I say we make him slot it and I follow him through the game in AR. We power through, follow the clues and find this mystery programmer.>>
-
Mercedes smiles her loveliest at Hannibal, "I might take you up on that offer, one of these days. But for now we got some biz to take care of, so we'd better just take the chip and see if we can't find the wayward youths." She glances over at B.B., shaking her head slightly, thinking they don't need to have him slot the chip to figure it out.
[OOC: She'll transfer the 50¥ to Hannibal and if nobody has any more questions for him, I say we cut him lose and let B.B. rip into the chip to see what's there. Also, any chance Hannibal becomes a new contact for me? ;)]
-
@Everybody
[OOC: any objections to what Mercedes suggested?]
-
I nod my agreement. "I thank you for your time Hannibal."
I get out of the car and let Hannibal go unless someone is objecting. "I think we need some recon. Why don't I look around using my stealth?"
-
After transfering the funds from your bank to his credstick and giving Mercedes the chip, he moves to get out.
Hannibal: Sounds good mate, I guess I'll be seein' ya, and remember....y'never heard none this from me."
Already out of the car and leaning into the open backdoor and looking at Mercedes he winks, "if you need to get in touch with me deary, here's m'commcode....I got a cure for whatever ails'ya.". He closes the door and makes his way back down the block back toward Redmond Way which is now bustling with people.
[OOC: All of you can add Hannibal as a contact with Loyalty 1 / Connection 3.]
-
Mercedes hands the chip to B.B. "Get your techno-magic working on this, cherie. See if it can tell us anything."
-
"Well, I don't have a sim module, so slotting it is not in the cards. I could just crack the chip, cut its timer protection to keep if from being erased when I dig into it. But, like I said earlier, I've got no tools. I really need to get to an electronics store."
[OOC: Regional Knowledge check to think of the closest electronics store. 5 Intuition + 1 Skill + 3 Limbic Nanites = 9d6.hits(5) → [5,4,3,4,4,3,4,4,1] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2723937/) Meh.. I'll check my mapsoft..
-
[OOC: Kontact, why not do a Data Search? ;)]
"That sounds like a good idea, Cynthia. While we go look for a store for B.B., you can go ahead and get us the layout of the place."
-
Woofer: "Find a store, and while BB works on that, I might call a friend or two and see if they've heard of this 'game'."
-
I will head down the alley, and engage my chameleon suit. I'm going to look around the chalice outside.
-
"Uhhh... I usually go to De Gears down the 520 in Bellview, but the Redmond Center mall is right over there... I don't know what stores it has... I'll check the 'trix."
[OOC: data search - 6+3+1+1+1=12d6.hits(5) → [3,5,4,4,5,6,5,6,4,5,3,2] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724251/)
Daaaaaayuum. Beefy roll. Enough to hit public info in one go. Should be enough to find a business I'd guess.
-
Time: 8:53 PM
@B.B.:
The only close-by listed electronics store that's open at this hour is Degear's Electronics at 148th Ave. & 8th St. all the way back in Bellevue. On an underground matrix database you do also find Hollywood Simsense Entertainment that's about 2 miles north near 168th Ave and 145th St. that should be open.
[OOC: your gang knowledge: Intuition 5 + Seattle Gangs 1 + Limbic Nanites 3=9 (2) 9d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724437/).]
You're pretty sure that getting up to Hollywood will definitely cross some heavy gang territory, especially at this time of night, most likely Crimson Crush turf. The Crush is an all ork gang which completely controls large swaths of the ork neighborhoods of Redmond. They are virtually the only government that exists in most of these neighborhoods: they stock the food pantries, and provide the bread lines, toys and clothing for children, policing (3 laws: don't rob, don't rape, don't snitch), and have even been known to maintain the Wifi matrix coverage in deadzones.....and in return the local population turns a blind eye to all of their illicit business activities which are many and very diverse. If they weren't only limited to neighborhoods of Redmond they would almost rival the Yakuza in organizational strength.
@Woofer:
[OOC: Your contact Abbey's of KE case files: datasearch 4 + browse 4 + Connection 3 + Obscure -2 = 9 (12, Complex action)
9d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724473/)
8d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724474/) glitch...she'll use edge.
7d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724475/)
6d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724476/)
5d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724480/)
4d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724485/)...found something.]
The only contact which could help you at all is Abbey, your contact at KE forensics. She agrees to do you this favor and she searches the KE databases where she finds '9 lives' associated with the disappearance of at least 8 young people dating all the way back 10 years or so. The cases were never solved and were all closed, the significance of the game discounted as mere coincidence. With respect to the symbol she doesn't find anything at all.
@Cynthia
The Chalice is not listed on Mercedes' mapsoft but B.B. finds it on an underground site to be only two blocks up Redmond Way in the opposite direction from Sonoma. You take the back service alley which runs parallel to Redmond way, your ruthenium polymer occasionally catching some light off a street lamp and glistening like crystal clear jello covered in a fine, almost invisible hexagonal mesh.
The back of the building is littered with trash and smells like 2 week old banana-peel. You hear the clattering of pans from inside the lit doorway which most likely goes into a kitchen as you stand crouched in the shadows.
-
I am going to check for security equipment, and try to figure out what ways there are into the club/bar.
Once I get done with a first look around I'm going to summon up a watcher.
Rolled on: 2010-10-14 16:30:26.703662
3d6 → [4,3,3] = (10)
BBCode
3d6=10 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724822/)
I'll try again
Rolled on: 2010-10-14 16:31:42.613662
3d6 → [3,5,5] = (13)
BBCode
3d6=13 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724825/)
Then make drain
Rolled on: 2010-10-14 16:32:39.483662
9d6 → [3,5,5,1,1,6,3,3,4] = (31)
BBCode
9d6=31 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724827/)
No drain.
I'll tell him to astrally look around the building and tell me if it sees anyone or anything that is magically active
-
[OOC: your watcher spirits assensing: Intuition 1 + Assense 1 = 2 2d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2724933/)]
You watcher comes back and reports that it saw no magically active beings.
-
After a minute of pulling through data like a champ, B.B. had managed to get a line on a local electronics store. Super store, it was not, but it wasn't back the way they came, which was something at least. Also, it was probably open late, since it seemed like the kind of place that sold stolen goods out the back..
"Well, it's going to take me hours to crack this chip properly. So there's no real rush. I can't work on the gear and provide overwatch at the same time. We might as well check the Chalice first. If we don't pick up a trail there, we can gear up and I'll have some fresh data for you in the morning. No use chasing down two leads at once, especially when we can't even act on anything I dig up for a couple of hours.."
-
I'll look around the outside again to get an idea of what type of security system they are using. If it looks easy I'll sneak on into the building
-
@Cynthia:
You look around and do notice a security camera perched over the back door, but it looks easy enough to get passed especially with your ruthenium polymer suit. As you make your into kitchen and the pulsing beat of the music grows louder, in the back you see an Aztlaner looking dwarf on a soymilk-crate and a human both washing dishes and conversing in spanish. One exit goes out to the source of the music, the other goes to a dark hallway. The exit furthest from the aztlaners is the hallway. Easily enough you slip around the gas burners and duck under the knee high space under some metalic flapping doors. A short 4m long hall with the bathrooms on the left side hall also leads into the main room of the Chalice where the music is coming from. When you peak around the corner, you see a rather small room with a bar and some booths.:
[OOC: The view from the middle of the room of one side looks like this:
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/shadowrun_bar_scene.jpg)
The hallway Cynthia is in would come out behind the last booth.]
Most of the crowd who's wandered in look like they spent a little bit too much nuyen to look creepy. Most of the black lipstick, blackened nails and eye-liner is probably nano-tattooed and the hair is fiber-optic so they can disengage it when they got to go to work in the morning. Two elven males in their twenties at the bar are making out without much thought to their surroundings, but nobody seems to really care.
It probably wouldn't be a good idea to go out into the floor with a ruthenium polymer engaged.
@B.B.:
Jimmy Locke sends you a text message back: "B.B., man something pretty big is stirring on The Courant, one of the VPN forums where I posted what you sent me just to see what people thought....Nexus is full, but once I log in I'll let you know if it has something to do with your little symbol."
@Everybody
[OOC: let me know if you guys want to check out the Chalice with Cynthia]
-
<<B.B.@Jimmy: Make sure to wear layers when you go out there. If the police files I just got on this thing are legit, then this crazy shit has been going on since decker days. If a dude has been keeping it QT since pre-crash, then he's probably silenced a few snoopers before. I.. uh, didn't mean to bring you anything this heavy. I appreciate the help, for sure, but don't go sticking your neck out too far on my account. I don't need any more dead friends.>>
"So, what do you guys say? You two chat up a few of the regulars to see if we can pull a lead out of the people, meanwhile I'll comb the club's digital space for signs of the code? I promise not to fuck around this time.."
Pausing for a moment in though.. B.B. continued. "By the way, remember that we're two whole weeks behind these kids. The trail might be pretty cold.. Cold like a Dracula..."
-
"Guys I am in a hallway off the backroom. It is dark and moody. I'm thinking I want to go invisible and continue on in unless someone has a better idea. The room is just off the kitchen from the back so if you stand by near the backdoor and things start to go bad it shouldn't take long to reach me so I don't think I'll be in much danger, but like I said I'm open to ideas. I'm not looking to go mono e mono with a troll again today. Once a day is enough for me." ;D
-
"Well, we're not really dressed for the club, but I don't know if I own enough kohl and black corsets to ever fit in anyway. I vote for going in the front and making new friends. I may even have an idea to get the to feel more willing to talk to us. What do you say, Marcus?"
-
@B.B.:
[OOC: Scanning for hidden nodes in mutual signal range Elect. Warfare 4 + Scan 6 + Nanites 3 + Pushed 1= 14
14d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2729974/)
13d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2729975/)
12d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2729976/)
11d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2729977/)
10d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2729986/)....]
The only nodes you find in mutual signal range are the main Chalice node and a few nodes that are slaved to it like the cred reader system, the ordering queue, some appliances in the kitchen, lighting, music, AR pool tables on the basement floor and ventilation sytems. If there are other hidden nodes in the Chalice then they have to have a small signal range since you are 2 blocks away.
-
"Sure, I doubt I'd ever fit in there ever. Just be aware, I still scream cop..." *Frowns as he realizes the amount of activities he's going to have to ignore*
-
"Well, I'm certainly pasty-faced and greasy enough to fit in, but I've generally got to hit people with the stun baton to get their attention... The place is full of corporate coprselovers. Their fear of being busted has got to be immense. Hell, they probably do all those drugs just to cover up their fear of getting caught doing all those drugs."
B.B. thinks for a minute about how Jack-knife Jones would do this.
"Here's an idea. Mercedes goes in first, finds the most gossipy lot in there and hangs by them. Woofer, you waltz in all official-like and grill the bartender about who was working a couple weeks ago and what was seen, all that. You get whatever info you can, then Mercedes gets to be all 'what was that all about' to the social scenesters. That way we get both fact and rumor. If either of you needs personal info. I should be able to crack their coms in a few seconds and feed you their diary entries. Anyone image-conscious enough to wear pancake makeup is going to have some sort of 'look-at-me' blog-presence."
-
Mercedes smiles back at B.B. "Well, I was going to suggest we go in like reporters doing a fluff piece on 'Emo 2072', but I like your idea better. Ready?"
As soon as everyone's ready, she'll make her way to the club, trying to adjust her clothes and posture to appear more emo [Etiquette check (+2 First Impression, 19d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2730891/)], then heads into the front door.
-
"Am I just going to hang in the back ready or do you want me to use invisibility and try to sneak in further?"
-
@Mercedes:
The front door of the Chalice is inside a simple black doorway right next to a flickering sign for a pharmacy. There is no bouncer to be found and as you walk in the dimly lit room you see a human behind the bar with shiny pitch black cyber-eye covers showing no irises whatsoever who looks over at you briefly then turn his attention back to mixing drinks. A few scantily dressed chatty young ladies at the bar look with inquisitive seductiveness at you and you make your way over to them and start chatting them up fitting right in.
@Woofer:
You wait a little bit and then make your way in. As you enter you see a few people stuff the contents of their pockets down their throats. You casually make your way over next to the group Mercedes is with and the bartender quickly drops whatever he's doing and comes to your side of the bar right away, "Can I help you sir?"
You flash him a public ARO with the image of the boys and ask him if he'd ever seen them. He seems very willing to cooperate, probably because he enjoys the upscale clientèle that frequent the establishment and he wouldn't want to scare them away with any drama.
Bartender: "Ya, I saw those kids about 2 weeks ago, they came in here, said they lost a contact lens so I let them search around up here and then downstairs, they found it and then left."
@Mercedes:
The scenesters seem rather oblivious to the picture of the boys and much more interested in talking about how they spent the last weekend.
@B.B.:
As you walk in one of the barmaids looks down at you, "hey kid, you can't be in here, get out." From behind you feel two slender hands with red painted fingernails on your shoulders and as you turn around you find yourself staring directly into the mini-skirt covered crotch of a tall human woman who interjects,"C'mon Sarah, give the little guy a break, he's just a dwarf metavariant....besides...he's the PERFECT height!" as she winks at the barmaid and they both start giggling. The barmaid drops it and continues doing her job as the human leads you by the shoulders toward one of the booths.
-
Woofer blinks, "A contact lens, really, you're trying to tell me they came in for a contact lens, try again." ((OOC: Trying to Intimidate using Interrogation.))
-
Mercedes shoots a condescending glare over at Woofer's conversation, then leans into the group."Really? This is the second club I've been to where someone's asking about this crap. Just 'cuz some wannabes are playing a stupid game..."
-
@Woofer:
[OOC: Interrogation roll: Intimidation(interrog.)6 + Cha 2 = 8 8d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2732280/) vs. Intimidation 2 + Will 3 = 5 5d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2732283/).]
The bartender looks surprised at your sudden aggressiveness and pushes back "Hey man that's what they told me! They were just in here for about 30 min. and I was gonna get ready to kick them out for being too young, but they said they found the contact lens they were looking for downstairs and left so I didn't make a big deal out of it....there's not much more I can tell you buddy. If you're calling me a liar then get the hell out of my place!"
[OOC: Judge intentions: Cha 2 + Int 4=6 6d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2732287/) you can't really get a feel on him.]
@Mercedes:
[OOC: Judge intentions of what you hear the bartender say: Cha 8 + Int 4 + Kinesics 3 = 15 15d6.hits(5)=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2732292/).]
Just from reading the bartenders body language you have a pretty good feeling he's telling the truth.
One of the girls chimes in to what you just said: "Oh, you mean some of those scavenger AR games that used to be popular a few years ago? Thank god they made those things illegal....there are some really sick perverts out there, especially since Haley's comet...." She looks over referring to B.B. being led across the room and rolls her eyes in disgust.
She then bends over toward you and whispers "And what's the deal with this PI over here? Looks like he's going to get himself kicked out....too bad cuz he's kinda cute!"
-
"Yeah, I heard some girl died playing one of those games! And I just heard a couple of Visteon brats went missing too."
She follows the girls gaze to B.B. "Oh, I don't know. Some of those SURGE types are so ... exotic." She giggles like a vapid teenager, then continues, "Yeah, he is kinda cute. Hey! Do you know anything about those kids he's talking about? Maybe he'll buy us some drinks!"
-
@Mercedes:
The girl looks again at the ARO images that Woofer shot up and jogs her mind. "One second, it's taking a moment for my nanites to route neuron tracks....need to get my hive looked at......ok, here it comes..." The memory almost visibly pops into her head like a little light bulb turning on. "Ya I did see those kids, I was downstairs in the pool room and they went looking around the pool tables, they found whatever it was they were looking for and they quickly left."
-
Mercedes waves Woofer over "Hey! Tall-dark-and-yummy! Buy us a drink and we'll tell you somethin' about those boys!" While turned around, she'll see if she can catch B.B.'s attention as well to see if he caught that and relayed it to Cynthia.
-
@B.B. & Cynthia: you catch the whole exchange.
-
Do I see where you go downstairs or is that the room I am looking at?
-
Woofer growls at the Bartender, and then heads over to where Mercedes is, "What are you ladies drinking?"
-
[OOC: The picture i posted of the ground-floor of the Chalice would be taken from the view of entering through the front doorway and walking forward about 3 meters. To orient ourselves we'll use north, south, east, and west. The front doorway is on the north side of the room, the booths are against the south-west corner and Cynthia is just south of the booths. The bar is in the south-east corner and the stairwell going down is in the north-west corner. Everyone can easily see the stairwell which leads downstairs.]
@Woofer:
The group of ladies light up and become even more chatty with the presence of a male nearby. The round of drinks runs you 30 nuyen. The girl tells you the same story that she told Mercedes making it pretty obvious that it's all they know, but then starts asking you about what kind of work you do trying to start up some conversation.
-
Ok.
I'm overcasting my physical mask spell at force 4.
(spellcasting 4 + magic 2 +specialiaztion 2+ mentor bonus 2=10d6)Rolled on: 2010-10-20 18:09:50.144438
10d6 → [5,3,4,3,5,5,1,5,6,5] = (42)
BBCode
10d6=42 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2732868/) capped at the 4 successes for the force
Drain: DV3
Rolled on: 2010-10-20 18:11:12.734438
9d6 → [5,4,2,6,6,5,3,6,5] = (42)
BBCode
9d6=42 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2732870/) no drain
I'm making myself look like any of the other women in the bar. I will then walk across the room on the west wall a foot or two away from the booths. "I'm heading downstairs to check it out."
-
@Cynthia:
You duck back into the back hallway a little bit in case someone should catch some stray mana flashes and you see a dull glow pass down your body as the illusion washes over you. Looking down at your hands you see they are covered with black nano-henna designs and the nails are polished in black just how you imagined them. You quickly smile at the quality of the illusion you created this time and you stroll briskly out onto the floor of the Chalice. Nobody even seems to notice you except a few ogglers and as you catch your reflection in a small shiny metallic strip along the wall you let go of any worries that someone might see through your mask. Once B.B., Mercedes, and Woofer all give you a hidden little nod you head downstairs and you notice the music changes inside your earbuds from an industrial techno to an underground razor rock beat. The AR screens flashing all over the place would surely give an epileptic a seizure as you see several groups of human and elven hipsters leaning around green pool tables, the cue's in the players hands and the balls on the table all purely AR illusions which by regulation look somewhat translucent and have an etherial glow to them. The overhead lamps on top of each pool table are cluttered with fluttering AR advertisements, some of them just little screens streaming commercials, others just a small icon which strolls around the room. The gothic atmosphere is still apparent but it seems the more casual night-goers like to frequent the downstairs.
-
I will go into the room and look around acting like I might be interested in learning how to play pool. I'll flirt with any unattached males
-
Mercedes giggles with the girls as they sit there "interrogating" Woofer. She glances over at B.B. and raises her eyebrow at the gnome, seeing if he's finding anything in the system.
-
[OOC: if B.B. goes downstairs then he should roll a Matrix Perception test and a normal Perception test.]
-
[OOC: Sounds like a plan]
B.B. was sitting in the booth with a woman on either side of him, sort of cooing and messing with his hair when he spotted Cynthia coming in.
"Ladies, please! One at a time!" He paused a beat, made a show of looking around, and continued. "Oh, uh.. just spotted my lady friend back that way. I gotta go at least say hi to her or she'll be chewing me out later.. instead of the other way around." He gave them a wink and disappeared under the table, sliding a hand down their legs as he went.
Hurrying over to Walks Through Walls he carried the mood with him. "Heya good lookin'. What say we take this party downstairs?"
[OOC: Heading down, making rolls.
Sights and sounds. 14d6.hits(5) → [3,5,5,4,5,1,4,2,2,1,1,6,2,1] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2735637/)
Checking the 'Trix 11d6.hits(5) → [4,3,1,4,2,4,5,5,5,4,5] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2735640/)
-
@B.B.:
As you make your way down the stairs with Cynthia your Analyze program opens up an AR screen and notifies you that a node somewhere inside the pool room has begun to exchange data packets with Jeshua's commlink which you are carrying. As you analyze the access log for his commlink you realize that a cookie stored deep in memory has become active and a node which was previously hidden in the basement has gone public. You quickly analyze the new node and pin point its location directly overhead a pool table a few meters away. Darting around some AR pool players you scan the vicinity with your eyes and all of a sudden you see it. Tethered to a pool lamp and floating in the air, a little ARO no bigger than a playing card prominantly displays the symbol which Jeshua drew and slipped into his Kombat Mage Karl novel.
You slowly approach and keep your Analyze program running on it. It almost beckons for you to touch it but you could swear you didn't read any simsense data packet transfers originating from it. Must be just your mind playing games with you. Deciding that it's safe enough you reach out your hand and touch it with your AR gloves and it lights up as soon as you "click" on it. All of a sudden it unwraps like a scroll and you see just a message written in English text:
"So you seek eternity
Then the Hunt is on.
On puppets of flesh your path is drawn"
The message is a person to person AR screen so you are the only one in the room who can see it. You quickly share the text with the rest of the group.
-
[OOC: Anyone have any knowledge about Bunraku parlors? Most are Yakuza owned/operated. Would Brian's knowledge of Yakuza-affiliated corporations be helpful for finding a specific parlor that fits the "path is drawn" clue?
"Puppets of flesh sounds like one of those brothels with the persona-fix workers."
B.B. looks from one of his female team-mates to the other, noticing the look on their faces.
"What?! Just because I don't leave the house much doesn't mean I don't get out... Besides, hacking hookers for blackmail purposes is one of my favorite prelims for a hit on Yakuza holdings. But this place probably wouldn't be connected to one of the big Yak ones if it's a front for vampires. Bee tee dubbs, totes vampires up in this piece.. If my research from the car is correct, we need to cut their heads off and then stuff their mouths with holy wafers. That's what the D&D 2nd edition monster manual says..."
-
Mercedes smiles at the other girls, then grabs Woofer's arm, dragging him to a darkened corner of the club, "Sorry ladies, I'm claiming him for myself. Maybe when I'm done..."
As they get to the corner, she talks into her comm, "There will be no removing of heads, B.B.! We've got our info, see if anyone down there has seen or spoken with the boys, then let's go!"
-
Woofer smiles as he's drug away, but that quickly vanishes, "So there's a ARO downstairs for this scavenger hunt lovely." *pulls Mercedes closer to keep up appearances*
-
You all ask around the downstairs and then ask a few more people upstairs, but only one regular remembers anything at all and it's the same story about the boys looking for a contact lens, finding it, and then leaving. A booth opens up in the upstairs and you notice that the white curtains have a draw string which let's them fall and cover the entrance. A few other parties have pulled the curtains for more privacy so you decide it's cool if you do the same. The group sits down in the booth and draws the curtains shut, a little relieved to not have to look at all the posers trying to show each other up.
-
B.B. maybe do some sort of search thing to see if there have been any ritual or bizarre killings of Bumraku girls for the path is drawn part?
-
[OOC: I'm game. If someone wants to write us back to the vehicle, I'll pull through some search data (should take 8-9 minutes,) while the others buzz their contacts, like Hannibal.. also, conspiracy theories.]
"Haha, no these suckers aren't vampires... I don't think.. But that's quite possibly what we'll be dealing with, so we need to prepare for vamps. Well, that or some kind of consciousness-uploading BTL brain cult. Did you guys hear that theory about the e-ghost cult and Horizon? Horizon figured out how to copy people's minds and used it to create an Ultraviolet node where all these e-ghosts don't know that they're dead because they made it a copy of the real Earth. Then Horizon just speeds up time to test out future products and ideas, and then resets things back to baseline and tries something else. Seriously. These guys are making perfect predictive models using e-ghosts of dead people from the crash and chump volunteers. They'll probably be running the world in 6 years." B.B. pops another Betel into his mouth and starts chewing.
-
Woofer: "BB, if this is a video game, wouldn't they have guidebooks online for these...quests? It's still a video game right?" *looks around to see if folks want to head out*
-
Mercedes agrees going back to the car, checking her watch. "It's just after 9 pm now. I'd like to head back to the restaurant and get my bike, too. It looks like we'll be out all night with this. While we head out, I can check in with my contacts again."
-
@B.B.:
You start a matrix wide search for establishments associated with Bunraku.
[OOC: Datasearch 1 + Browse 6+ Nanites 3+Pushed 1=11
11d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741249/)
10d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741253/)
9d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741254/)
8d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741255/)
7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741257/)
6d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741261/)
5d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741264/)
4d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741267/)
3d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741268/)...Critical glitch, search aborted....you found un-publicized data.
Rolling Conspiracy theories: Know.Skill 1 + Logic 7 + Nanites 3 + Pushed 1 = 12 (5) 12d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2741282/)....wow.
]
You find the street address and matrix address for about 5 geisha houses which specialize in Bunraku. 2 are in downtown 2 in Bellevue and 1 of them is deep in Redmond. You don't find any stories of unusual killings of Bunraku girls like Cynthia suggested.
You also remember a story which circulated the blog's a while back of Bunraku girls who's persona programs were being tampered with and they were being used for assassinations, drugs runs, and other illicit activity almost like a Manchurian candidate. Once the task was complete and the person program would disengage, they wouldn't recollect a thing and any type of lie detection wouldn't pick up a thing. Who knows if this had any truth to it but it's the first thing which flashed in your mind.
Jimmy Locke has just sent you a text message.
@Everyone
As you all push open the curtain to the booth and stroll out of the Chalice, the bartenders onyx cyber-eyes nervously whip in your direction as he watches you all step out. The flow of foot traffic has gotten well underway and you make your way in between several rain-poncho wrapped figures of a variety of shapes and sizes which walk along side you.
B.B. suddenly stops dead in his tracks and you see his eyes scanning over a private AR screen. He just looks at the group dumb-founded like a star-struck teeny bopper at a Mercurial reunion concert, a smile slowly starting to grow over his child-like features. He shoots you all the text message he was reading from Jimmy Locke:
Jimmy:"I finally got into the Courant VPN, admins are going nuts with delight, server was full for over an hour! Dude, you are not going to believe who chimed in with their 2-cents on the subject of your little symbol!! I'm gonna be famous now! ....I mean you and me both are gonna be famous of course! Check it out ASAP! Here's the link (http://www.aos.wisc.edu/~rhildner/RoadtoRedmond.pdf)"
-
[OOC: Flattery will get you everywhere] ;D
-
I think the Redmond geisha house is the place to look first.
So do you think that this legendary security guy is behind the chip or is in with a vampire cult? Or do you think someone else is hijacking his tag?
This is all kind of out of my area of expertise
-
On the drive back to check on/get my bike:
"It definitely looks like he may be part of it, whatever itis. I'm not sure about the vampire aspect yet, since we only have a goth club so far to go on. Using someone else's tag is tough to do, since if the original user or his 'friends' find out, unholy hell can be brought down on the thief."
As they get to the restaurant and Mercedes' bike is there safe and sound, she'll get out of the car. "Should we split up and check each of the parlors or stick together and go through them one by one? Or any other ideas?"
-
My vote would be to stick together. Whatever we are up against is looking more and more menacing, and we seem to work well as a team backing each other up and working off each others skills so I think staying together might be the better play at this point.
Also there is strength in numbers.
Does someone have a contact that might be able to find out more about the mystery man or what might have happened that night his life took a left turn. For some reason it just feels like he got jumped by some form of infected when I read the post of what happened or what wasn't said about what happened. Maybe dig up an old Lone Star report on the incident?
-
"Let's split up?! What, are we in a twen-cen horror movie? I..." He put his hand to his heart and exhaled. "Ah, you were just messing with me because I think we're on the trail of a vampire... We don't even have enough vehicles to split up and going into deep Redmond, alone and at night, would be suicide."
Brian started to stretch his shoulders and weave a little bit just to burn off the extra energy from all this digital excitement. The king badass of modern hackers talking their target up as the king badass of the days gone by. B. B. was all wild-eyes and stupid grins.
"But let's take a look at the stacks of buttery goodness unexpectedly heaped on our plates by friend Flapjack. We're talkin about a guy that Jack, (no spring chicken, him,) calls an old-timer. If an Elf in his late 50s calls a dude 'old-timer,' then we're lookin for a septuagenarian easy enough. Maybe older. And if said dude is still kickin around promising eternity, I'm set to believe the son of a bitch. Tack on that story about getting thrashed in Redmond and then disappearing a couple of days later, and Walks is right to think that sounds like infection. I don't know shit about the infected or latency periods or any of that creepy garbage, but there ain't too many ways to live forever, and I can't think of one good reason to run off back to some place where you got your ass thrashed... Least none that don't involve gettin' payback. But something drew old Olly back to the bad place and made him stay there. I'll put a grand up says it was HMHVV. I bet even Shiawase doesn't have the records from back then, so what say we go ask the dude in person? Last known address was out Redmond way..."
-
Okay lets head out to Redmond. Anyone have any ideas on how to find him once we get out that way?
Could the puppet thing in the rhyme be talking about the BTL chip that the kids were running?
-
You make your way back west along Redmond Way back to Bellevue to go pick up Mercedes bike, and by the time you arrive back in Touristville, Woofer leading the way and Mercedes following on her bike, the time is 11:00. The crowd of Seattleites enjoying the freedom of the club strip is now in full swing and all the neon lights and AR signs of the various establishments are lit up enticing pedestrians to enter and just let it all out. Let out all the tension and anxiety that has become practically a natural part of life in the Sixth World. Be it the dysfunctional legacy of families torn apart by goblinization or plague to the point where most goblinized metahumans don't even know who their grandparents were, or be it the constant fear of losing your cushy office job just because you failed a security mages mind read and thought the wrong thoughts. Everyone's got something that keeps them looking behind their shoulder. Touristville is where these two worlds meet, the borderland between the SINers and the SINless.
The geisha house which was deep in Redmond is known as the "Pearl Tongue" and is still operated by the Yakuza but smack dab in territory which has been controlled by Crimson Crush for a number of years now. Sheldon Yamani, the well known leader of C.C. is the ork who is solely responsible for the solid control they exercise over most of the neighborhoods. Unlike most of gang leaders of Seattle who rise and fall in the matter of a few months, Sheldon has stayed on top for the better part of 10 years through his expansion of neighborhood aid which gives him rock solid support among the locals and his development of the C.C. Crushers. Sheldon's philosophy has always been quality over quantity, and by investing huge percentages of C.C.'s drug revenue to create a small but elite force of soldiers which protect the neighborhood and carry out the heavy lifting of maintaining a turf, he has made C.C. the most powerful gang in the Barrens. For this reason the Oyobun's have decided to compromise and instead of going to war, they pay protection and C.C. pretty much allows them to conduct business normally and guarantees safe passage of customers into and out of the neighborhoods.
As you turn off of Redmond Way and head south, the level of infrastructure dramatically declines and street lights overhead start to look more like jerry-rigged strings of christmas lights but surprisingly the Wifi levels remain strong. The location of the Pearl Tongue is not even given a street name but merely a GPS coordinate with an address that merely say "near doctor house" as is the custom in off-grid urban zones.
Going south the street eventually reaches a T-intersection along a 10 foot high wall covered in CC graffiti and on the other side you see the upper-levels of tenements covered with tin roofing and clothes-lines strung up in between. You turn east and drive along the wall which extends for blocks and blocks, all of the street lights burned out and the only illumination is your head lights and the moonlight since the sky has cleared up.
[OOC: -2 Visibility modifier for those without low-light vision, -1 for ultra-sound.]
However, about 2 blocks away you see a group of about 3 figures standing in front of an entrance in the wall and further progress down the same street you are on now is impeded by 3 concrete blocks. They turn their heads to face you when they see your headlights and just stand there, there stance not aggressive but ready, metallic caps on the tips of their tusks glinting in the moonlight, 2 of them carrying assault rifles.
[OOC: what do you wanna do? :)]
-
[OOC: Shoot the hostage. ;)]
Mercedes pulls her bike up, getting off to go over to the car, "See? I told you this place was here, didn't I? Now come on! It's time to have some fun for a change! We so rarely get out of the arcology anymore!"
Trying to give the impression that we're corp wageslaves out for a slummin' night of fun.
Con roll for security (18d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2749538/) - At least it wasn't a glitch...
-
"I never doubted you. Okay so just a bit, but we are here and ready to party."
Subvocalize "Any of them magically active Mercedes?"
O.O.C. can I use any of my security procedures knowledge skills to try and determine what their intentions would be at this time
-
Mercedes will slip her sight to the astral to see what she can tell about them.
Assensing Roll (7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2749677/)
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@Cynthia:
[OOC: Ares Security Procedures i'll accept with a -1....Skill 3 + Logic 3 = 5 5d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2750067/). Nice]
The one without an assault rifle stays back in a rear position while the two with rifles seem to take a more forward position which is typical for Ares on sight patrol teams which are based on a 2 gunmen 1 mage strategy. It looks like Sheldon's been doin his homework. The speed with which the forward guard's head turned suggests some sort of wired reflex.
@Mercedes:
Sure enough, the one without a rifle is lit up like a christmas tree and has the aura of one with The Talent.
[OOC: Assensing armed guards 7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2750069/) ]
You see that the guards have muscle replacements and a network of wired reflexes which come up as blackened streaks on their auras.
[OOC: opposed con roll, defaulting: Charisma 3 + default -1 + suspicious 2= 4 4d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2750071/).
The just stare at you and wait for you to approach as the the ork in a neo-tunic and face tattoos who is magically active starts to look even more intensely as he was before.
[OOC: assensing roll for ork: Assensing 2 + Intuition 4 = 6 6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2750073/)]
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Mercedes nods to Cynthia, glancing at the ork with no gun. "Exactly! I mean how often do we get to hang out anymore? Ever since you and I went to work for Magical Theoretics and Linus and Rerun here went to Accounting, we don't see enough of each other! And with Linus' ", she nods to Woofer, "wedding coming up, a bachelor party is just what the shaman ordered!"
[OOC: Mercedes is trying to act the part of someone who started partying an hour earlier than everyone else and is dragging Woofer from the car toward the guards. If possible, can I just trade in the 16 Charisma + Con dice for four automatic hits? If not, let me know and I'll roll them.]
-
Woofer is drug, and gives the guards a smile, giving the impression of the boyfriend who really is just riding the wave.
-
[OOC: Go ahead and roll it cuz it's a high stress situation]
-
[OOC: Bam!]
Con Roll (16d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2750353/)
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@Mercedes & Woofer
[OOC: Applying a -1 to your roll for them being suspicious, so that's 6 hits for you. Opposed Con roll for shaman: Charisma 4 + default -1=3 3d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2750804/).]
You pulled your bike over about half a block away from the Crushers and Woofer pulls up alongside you, his headlights still on. You pull him out of the car and he leaves it running. As you approach the orks with Woofer propping you up and walking with you, the two guards point their rifles at the two of you but you can see a little smile behind their tusks as they look amused at how wasted you are.
The Shaman stays his ground and does not look the least bit amused as he shouts out to Woofer in a gruff voice:
"What business do you have in the neighborhood? Tell us quick or we'll drop you right here right now!"
-
Mercedes gasps at the harsh ork, "We're looking for the geisha house! I heard from one of our co-workers at Visteon that there was it was out here. Did we get lost?"
-
Rolling up to the place, Brian did a quick detect active/passive nodes scan followed by a general search for hidden nodes in order to find all the wifi-enabled devices in mutual signal range. Nothing says comfort quite like maping out the relative position of every comm, car, drone or other device of interest in a few hundred to few thousand meters in every direction.
[OOC: Extended find hidden nodes test (15) 1 complex action
Electronic warfare 4 +6 Scan +3 nanites +1 PuSHeD =
14d6.hits(5) → [1,3,6,6,6,6,3,6,6,1,1,1,5,6] = (8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2751617/)
13d6.hits(5) → [5,5,5,1,2,2,1,2,4,1,5,1,3] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2751618/)
12d6.hits(5) → [5,3,6,5,4,1,6,3,1,1,5,5] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2751621/)
Jeezus. 3 seconds and I've grabbed the Matrix ID of every device in mutual signal range for 4 kilometers.
-
I am going to observe in detail the mage who is hanging back I want to take note of any manerisms and his speaking paterns. I am trying to observe him with the thought of possibly using my physical mask to imitate him later.
I will also try to judge intentions on all three of the guards. If they don't seem to be paying attention to me I'll start moving towards the shadows.
-
@B.B.:
Once you find the hidden Commlinks of the 3 Crushers, your Analyze program finds each of them to have a level 1 Operating System with a level 1 Firewalls and each running a level 1 Analyze program.
On top of that you find a very long list of hidden nodes whose signal range you are within.
@Woofer & Mercedes
The Shaman looks at Woofer and says: "The toll is 100 nuyen per person.....but the elven girl stays here with us until you come back out." He looks over at Mercedes eyeing her up and down. "No mojo comes in the neighborhood."
@Cynthia
[OOC: Infiltration: Agility 6 + Infiltration (Urban) 4 = 10 10d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753417/). Visible perception test for astrally perceiving Shaman: Assensing 2 + Intuition 4 + your aura against barren city street 1 + distracted -2 = 5 5d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753436/). Perception test of other guards to notice you (hear or see, so i'll make traceless walk a -2): Perception 3 + Intution 4 + Distracted -2 + Traceless Walk -2= 3 3d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753439/)....shit, that was a lucky roll, only about 1% chance of getting 3 hits on 3 dice. Since you initiated the roll, the Crushers are defending, so a tie goes in their favor. You have 1 point of Edge left so if you want to use it now to reroll your misses on your infiltration test let me know. If not, then roll a surprise test with a +3 and roll initiative.]
You realize that the Crusher Shaman has not seen your aura since you have been inside of the vehicle and the glass casts an astral shadow. You see him talking to Woofer and Mercedes up ahead and you decide to take advantage of his distraction and you flip the cabin light from "door" to "off". You slowly open the car door, none of the Crushers notice and once you step out you close it without latching it. You slowly creep towards the shadow the top of the wall makes with the ground, your chest no more than a few centimeters off the ground, when suddenly a viscously ugly devil rat bolts out of the shadows and scurries past you toward the other side of the street. You freeze and quickly look back toward the Crushers to see if they heard!....
@Everyone:
[OOC: If Cynthia decides to save her last point of edge for later, then BB, Woofer, and Mercedes just roll Initiative.]
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I'm going to use my edge point. (Hope it doesn't come back to haunt me)
My reroll of failures is 7 dice so here it goes
7d6 → [6,2,3,1,6,3,1] = (22)
Link
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753645/
HTML
<a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753645/">7d6=22</a>
Character
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/723857
Castle Forum
[roll=David Ellenberger]#2753645[/roll]
BBCode
7d6=22 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753645/)
That gives me two more successes. At this point I will engage the chameleon suit. I'm going to try and slide around the guards. If they start to act hostile to Mercedes or Woofer I'll attack with my taser otherwise I will continue sneaking
-
@Cynthia:
As soon as the devil rat scurries across the street, you quickly engaged your ruthenium polymer and as the guards look over to the sound of the rat they don't seem to notice you at all.
[OOC: I'll say that with trace-less walk and your chameleon suit will give them a -4 to notice you at all, sight or sound. Infiltration (Urban) 4 + Agility 6 = 10 10d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753685/). Opposed perception test using guards Perception 3 + Intuition 4 + Group 1 +ruthenium/traceless -4 + distracted -2 = 2 2d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753687/). Forgot "has active enhancements", wouldn't make a difference. Shaman checks: Assensing 2 + Intuition 4 + Barren street 1 + distracted -2= 5 (ruthenium polymer does not apply for astral) 5d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753695/).
The shaman's gaze is concentrated on Mercedes and he doesn't even notice your aura slide along the wall and slip behind him much less do the guards notice your crystaline form which just looks like a little tear in the fabric of the night. You quickly whip around the edge of the entrance to the wall and press your back to the graffitied concrete, pulling out your taser and ready to strike.
@Everyone:
[OOC: any subvocal communication among the group will be subject to a perception test by the Crushers with a threshold of 5]
-
"No Mojo?", Mercedes pouts at the guard, walking over to him slowly, "But I'm harmless! I work on spell theory in Visteon and can barely summon a sprite! Surely, you don't think I could be a threat? Besides,", she smiles and winks at the guard, (in Or'zet) "I'm not with him..."
[OOC: Oh, going all out on being seductive and convincing:
Language check for communicating in Or'zet (5d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753750/)
Con roll, spending a point of edge to get maximum bank for the buck. (18d6.hitsopen(5,6) =9) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2753743/)
Yeah, the pacifism's really kicked in. She wants to avoid a fight if possible.]
-
[OOC: Where, physically, is Brian in this? I'd sort of assume he's still in the car since, as of last mention, he's still visibly armed with a machine pistol on a quickdraw holster strapped to one side and the nastiest stun baton on the market hanging from the other. Also, none of the guards have mentioned what looks like a toddler in a custodian's outfit. I guess, first off, I want to do a judge intentions check to see if Mercedes is successfully stalling them, because with a half a minute of talking, Brian can accomplish a whole lot. If he's in 15 meters of the two Ork guards, I'd like to do a cyberware scan to see if I can get an idea of how these guys are wired so i can warn the others. Next, it's time to hack their PAN and mess with their gear. Hacking each one successively for security level access, then, once all three are mine, I'll send an across the board command to shut down everything. Wired reflexes, cybernetic muscles communication, and anything else that becomes apparent. Just lights out all over.
If he's outside the car, armed with at least his stun baton, and the guards are looking froggy, I want him to rush in and engage in melee with a charge attack. I figure if he can engage both of the orks in melee combat, it'll give them a -3 bonus to fire on him or anyone else, while he keeps their attention. If this most obvious act of aggression gets the mage's attention so that he casts on him, he has Arcane Arrestor to halve the guy's effective force, and 6 willpower dice on top of whatever counterspelling Cynthia might provide. So, basically, if it looks like trouble is coming and it's possible to use Mercedes' seduction attempt as a distraction, I'd like to try a surprise check to rush in on the two guards and hit one of them him with the stun baton. Lots of things to consider on the attack such as, +2 for charging bonus +1 for reach(?) since the guards aren't armed with melee weapons, and +1 for the personalized grip. So, total DP of 6 agl +2 skill +4 bonuses should be a respectable DP of 12. There's an additional +2 for touch only attacks if you consider stun batons to be touch only and not get extra damage from extra hits
Anyway, here's the Judge intentions roll, and the MMW scanner roll.
7d6.hits(5) → [1,2,2,4,1,1,5] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2754211/) God damn, at least it's not a glitch. I should never play Risk. It kills my luck forever. :-[
4d6.hits(5) → [6,2,3,1] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2754212/) At least I can see all their standard grade cyber.
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[OOC: After all that and those rolls, are you sure you wanna still take on three ork bouncers? ;) Let's see what inca comes up with]
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@Mercedes:
[OOC: Roll to see if he understands what you said: Intuition 4 + Or'zet 1 = 5 (1) 5d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2754616/). Your desired results would be disastrous to the guards -5, but he's attracted to you +2 so I'll take away 3 dice starting from the last one rolled. So that takes away 1 hit, leaving you with 8. I'll just call that a success cuz a glitch wouldn't result in much. He's going to try and assense once more, and if he can't determine that you're more powerful than you say you are (3 hits) then he'll go out on a limb and let you in. Assensing 2 + Intuition 4+trying again -2 = 4 (3) 4d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2754626/).]
When he hears you say something in Or'zet , the Shaman smiles derisively and looks at the two other guards and they all chuckle. He seems to scan the space around your body and then looks you in the eyes again. Responding in English "Ok lady, i'll let you and your car in..." He looks at Woofer and motions for him to stay put and tells the guards to watch him for a second and then starts backing up into the entrance to go behind the wall out of sight from Woofer, motioning for you to follow. In he says something in Or'zet [OOC: 5d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2754639/)] and you understand. "Come with me over here for a sec....c'mon, you wanna go in don'tcha?"
[OOC: I don't want to come across like a 14 year old kid and make every encounter with orks have to involve graphic sex but what do you think is gonna happen when you try and seduce a thug? Hey, the Con roll was resoundingly successful!! :-\ Anyways, he's on the western edge of the entrance which is opposite the edge Cynthia is behind.]
@B.B.:
[OOC: roll to hack their devices and you would need Admin access (+6) to access cyberware. Roll the Firewall+Analyze (your stealth rating,CA) extended test alongside your hack roll to see if you got detected. As soon as you do get detected, Firewall jumps up by 4. I would roll it but I gotta go to a barbeque right now!!]
The car is 10 meters from the group of guards and as you engage your radar you can see on the two armed guards metallic wires running along the nerve endings, a data jack behind the ear, and little fibers communicating with muscles. You can also see a few grenades inside their vests. The shaman has a side-arm holstered under his arm and you see a datajack behind his ear and cyber-eyes. He then disappears from your view behind the wall.
-
Mercedes pouts at the ork's invite, "I can't right away, cherie. I'm the bankroll for the night. But catch me as we're leaving..." She smiles and blows him a kiss to make their way inside.
[OOC: Yeah, that's how I'd do it to... Curse of being a 'babe'! ;D The interesting thing is, the way I got Mercedes in my head is that it's not entirely out of the question. But for now, the Con roll to convince him that she'll be back... Con Roll (16d6.hits(5)=9) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2754696/)]
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Woofer gives them an uncomfortable smile, and follows Mercedes.
((Yeah, Woofer knows to just let those that can sweet talk, do it. :D ))
-
"Whew..." Brian was relieved that Mercedes was sooo damned good at talking people into crazy shit. Also, that these guys were strictly low-tech. If they had any scanners around here, Mercedes would have had to talk a dude's face off to explain why there was a tiny man with a fully silenced PDW ready to spring at them like out a bad horror sim. As Woofer climbed back into the car and Mercedes back to her bike, Brian decided it's a good idea to at least hack into their comms frequency. "Those boys get to arguing over rights and Johnny Blueballs back there might put word ahead to intercept us in force for a closer look. Should crack the mage's comm first since he's most likely to radio ahead so they'll expect us. When slash if he does, I'll let you know what he says." B. B. set his bit-flooder to attach a massive hex header to all his outgoing commands, and it easily overwhelmed the the sad little firewall the souped up walkie-talkie relied on. He used the newly gained security access to first hook into the sound feed and then dropped a ruin package to take care of the link's logs and ID datastore. <<@ team: About a minute from now, their comms are going to be pretty scrambled. They might be able to receive incoming calls if they're not set to auto-reject unknown numbers, but they definitely won't be calling out. At least not to anyone they know.>>
[OOC: Going for a security level access, in order to access the audio feed on a different account, so I'd only need 4 hits to beat his firewall.
4 skill + 2 Improved Skill (hacking) + 5 program + 1 PuSHeD + 3 nanites = 15d6.hits(5) → [1,3,4,1,6,3,5,2,5,4,2,5,2,6,1] = (5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2755777/) breeze in as I please.
Rolling Firewall + Analyze extended. 2d6.hits(5) → [4,6] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2755782/) so one against the threshold of 5. Needs four more, and I only need two more actions, so he needs all hits to detect the intrusion.
2d6.hits(5) → [2,5] = (1)
2d6.hits(5) → [6,1] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2755784/)
So, that's for the two actions.
I want to set a timed Corrupt "bomb" on his access log and his ID registry (basically, his saved phone numbers,) set to activate in 60 seconds. Corrupt, should, instead of deleting the data, just alter it slightly into uselessness. He'll have a list of ID numbers to call, but they'll not work, or they'll call wrong numbers. All of this should have taken Brian about 3 seconds/IPs to accomplish. Since it's so easy to do, can I just handwave the next two? There's no way that they're going to get 5 hits in the time it takes to set this up. Especially since I only need to take the one action since I'm not listening in, and I don't (think I) need security access just to corrupt files.
[Additional OOC: Since I have the time and the inclination, can I use my current access to their links to set up a Reusable Exploit (Unwired p97) on the two cybered-up guy's PANs? That way I can get a +6 dp bonus if I need to get back into their biz at an admin level later to bruce their cybernetics. It's a hacking + exploit test with a threshold equal to system + firewall (so 2) and an interval of 1 IP. Buying hits, I can hack, corrupt and set up the exploit hole all in 3 seconds for each of the two grunts. Should be able finish the whole thing, all three comms, in about the same time it would take you to read this sentence out loud. Something to consider though is that setting up the exploit would give the other two an additional roll to spot my presence since it's more activity. That takes their chances of spotting me from zero to very near zero. I wasn't sure how you wanted to use diminishing DP on a firewall test since, once inside the node, the interval isn't timed, but is instead every time I take an action.
-
@B.B.
[OOC: Ya you can set up the reusable exploit.]
You notice that once you're in the first Commlink, that gives you security access to the other ones.
@Mercedes:
He looks at you and gets that familiar distant sleepy look in his eyes that people get when your mojo enhanced charm is working on them.
The Shaman whispers in your ear "Ok, you come back out this entrance way and I'll be waiting right here!" He comes back out of the shadows of the wall near the entrance way to where Woofer is standing.
He tells the guards, "Ok it seems like we're good to go with these two, just check the car to make sure it's clean and then let them through."
-
His work done, Brain looked up to see the two guards headed over to the car. "Shit! shit!" Quick as he could, B.B. unhooked his quickdraw holster and gun and shoved it under the front seat. He unhooked his stun baton and dropped it on the floor lazily, figuring that guards armed with assault rifles wouldn't be too worried about a zapper. Finally he kicked on the interior light, rolled down the window, cleared his goggles of all but the most basic AR overlays and looked up at the armed Ork with his normal thousand-yard stare. "Yo, cuz... I like those caps you got. What kind of metal you use for that?" He made a gesture by his mouth to indicate the guy's tusks while, with a thought, he called up his cred program, ready to fork the toll.
-
@B.B.
The guards look quite amused but just peek in the window and do a quick glance at the interior of the car
[OOC: roll to see if the find your weapons: Perception 3 + Intuiton 4 + Actively looking for +3 = 10 (5) 10d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2756920/).]
They then ask you to step out of the vehicle.
@Rest of group:
They don't seem to see anything of interest from peering in the window and then they ask Woofer to pop the the trunk.
-
[OOC:
Memory check on what's in the trunk (7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2756935/)
Because I honestly can't remember if Cynthia's got her gear in the trunk or not, nor if any of it would raise their alarms...]
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[OOC: Cynth's bag has Sam's sawed off and machine pistol in it, at least. My bag has two extended 44 rnd clips of explosive ammo for my Ceska, and my P93 E (which is 11F kind of military hardware) with its spare 50 rnd mag. So, basically, a small arsenal. /OOC]
Brian's goggles flickered a little as he mentally called up his exploit program and went to work slightly wiggling his fingers. "What's with the hassle man?" He keept his conversation going even as he hacked the first one of their PANs for admin access. "I though you guys were cool. What's gives?" He had the second one now. "If it's about the zap bat, I just carry that for the bus. Little guy like me needs something to keep those Lake Acid punks away." He found both of their cybernetic control systems and could now issue a simultaneous command to muck each of their systems with a thought. See how well they keep up without that chrome.
He cracked the door in a show of compliance, still ready to move quickly if this search got a bit too thorough.
[OOC: rolls. Composure test to see if nanite bonus stays in effect. 6 willpower +2 Charisma = 8d6.hits(5) → [3,1,2,6,2,3,5,5] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2756995/)
4 skill + 2 Improved Skill (hacking) + 5 program + 1 PuSHeD + 3 Nanites + 6 reusable exploit =
21d6.hits(5) → [1,6,4,5,4,3,4,4,3,1,6,4,2,4,5,2,2,3,1,1,3] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2756996/)
20d6.hits(5) → [6,5,2,6,2,5,3,1,6,2,5,2,4,2,1,4,1,4,1,3] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2756997/) that's in
spotting.
2d6.hits(5) → [3,3] = (0)
2d6.hits(5) → [6,1] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2756999/) not a chance.
Next guy.
21d6.hits(5) → [3,4,1,1,1,6,3,5,2,4,3,4,4,2,4,3,2,6,1,2,6] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757010/)
20d6.hits(5) → [5,3,3,6,4,1,1,2,6,3,1,6,3,4,3,2,4,1,4,4] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757017/) also in
this guy's firewall
2d6.hits(5) → [5,1] = (1)
2d6.hits(5) → [5,6] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757025/)
0h n0es! he might figure out that he's been hacked by the time I cut off all his cyber.
A couple analyze rolls to find their cybernetic's control centers.
11d6.hits(5) → [3,6,6,6,1,1,5,5,5,5,4] = (7)
11d6.hits(5) → [6,3,1,2,2,1,3,2,5,6,5] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757030/)
AFIR, analyze isn't considered "taking an action which effects a node," since it's a passive gathering of data and analysis on my own link. If you want me to roll their firewall + analyze again, I can.. if guy 2's roll comes up with two hits it'll trigger an alert..
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Walks back towards the mage, smiling that smile. Somehow she found time to unbutton two more buttons of her shirt as she walked back to the mage. "Jeez, is this how you guys treat new customers? We're just here to have a little fun!"
She gets really close to the mage, hands in her jacket pockets (holding on to her Élan, just in case), looking up at him with her big brown eyes and pouty lips.
Con/Seduction (16d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757081/)
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Woofer sighs and goes to the trunk to open it, "They're security, they're being necessarily paranoid and thorough." *opens trunk*
-
I will kneel to a shooters stance and take aim on the mage. I will hold my action until someone else does something, but am ready to taser him if things start to go down.
O.O.C. is the mage still behind the other two guards or are they all abreast at this point or how are they in relation to each other. I am mainly curious about who the mage can currently counterspell for.
I am keeping Mercedes and anyone else currently outside the car in sight so I can counterspell for them also if possible, but the taking aim on the mage is the primary goal then counterspelling line of sight
-
@Mercedes:
[OOC: remember, con isn't like Jedi mind control....it means you either convinced him into believing something and/or seduced him. So now he's an ork that thinks he's gonna get some for sure for sure, but he's still going to react according to the situation. If you want to actually push someone's thoughts a Control Thoughts spell would be more appropriate. If you cause trouble in the neighborhood and the boss gets wind that it was this Crusher's fault, that's usually a bullet in the head.]
The Shaman looks at you and smiles, "This'll only take a second, I need to get a look at the little guy, look in your trunk to make sure there's no other people in there and then you guys can go on in and i'll see you on the way back out" He calls over to the guards "It's cool he can stay in the car, i'll check it out" and then starts walking toward the vehicle. The guards just look in the trunk quickly once Woofer opens it and don't really seem to care about the bags in the back. They make stroll back over to stand alongside the vehicle.
@B.B.
[OOC: the guards didn't see any of your weapons when they looked in, so they didn't see the baton. None of them noticed you getting into their PANs.]
Once he gets close enough to the open window your thermographic vision sees the little electronic shudders behind his irises adjust to focus on you.
[OOC: Assensing 2 + Intuition 4 + Barren City Street 1 = 7 7d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757281/). He can tell your magic attribute is the same as his.]
His eyes open up wide suddenly with terror and he raises his hands to shoulder level, mana crackling over his finger-tips. "Cover the human and the bitch!!",
@Everyone
[OOC: Ok, everyone roll initiative, no surprise roll. Only mercedes will roll a surprise roll with a +3 on the initiative pass that she makes her presence known (that doesn't include infiltrating). People can move 8 meters per initiative pass because there are 3 initiative passes/ turn.
--Cynthia is behind the wall (south face) right up against the entrance but observing everything with her ruthenium polymer engaged. Weapon ready.
--Mercedes is in front of the entrance. I"ll say your weapon is ready and can be drawn with a free action. The entrance is about 3 meters away.
--B.B. is in the backseat of the car with the window open. You are about 1 meter away from the Shaman and the guards are next to him. You can reach your weapons with a simple action. As of now he's outside of LOS from Cynthia or Mercedes.
--Woofer is behind the car standing in front of the open trunk. Weapon not ready.
--The car with the guards and shaman standing alongside the drivers side (they are on the other side of the car from the wall) is 10 meters away from Mercedes and Cynthia to the east. It is parallel with the wall which is 3 meters to the south. The guards and shaman are in counterspelling LOS of each other.
Remember to declare counterspelling with a free action if you're going to use it.
Initiative rolls: Shaman 8d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757311/), Guard1 10d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757312/), Guard 2 10d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757313/).
Initiative Scores: Guard1: 13, Guard2: 12, Shaman:8.
I think it will work just fine if I roll npc defenses, you just roll the actions that you want to do. I'll let you roll your defenses too unless I want to speed things along and then I might just roll a couple of your defenses.]
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((OOC: Woofer's roll http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757368/ Hopefully this comes through.))
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OOC She Who Walks Through Walls roll
8d6 → [6,3,6,2,4,6,2,5] = (34) for 4 hits
HTML
<a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757392/">8d6=34</aBBCode
8d6=34 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757392/)
So my Initiative is 12.
I'll counterspell for all of the team that I can see at this point. So I understand I cannot see either the shaman nor the other guards at this point? How would I have to move in order to see them if I don't right now?
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[OOC: remember, con isn't like Jedi mind control....it means you either convinced him into believing something and/or seduced him. So now he's an ork that thinks he's gonna get some for sure for sure, but he's still going to react according to the situation. If you want to actually push someone's thoughts a Control Thoughts spell would be more appropriate. If you cause trouble in the neighborhood and the boss gets wind that it was this Crusher's fault, that's usually a bullet in the head.]
I thought it might be pushing it... ;)
[OOC: Ok, everyone roll initiative, no surprise roll. Only mercedes will roll a surprise roll with a +3 on the initiative pass that she makes her presence known (that doesn't include infiltrating). People can move 8 meters per initiative pass because there are 3 initiative passes/ turn.
Do you mean Cynthia rolls a surprise test?
Initiative Test (7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757516/)
Initiative 7+3=10
Mercedes' action is going to depend totally on what happens before her.
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[OOC: 9d6.hits(5) → [5,4,3,1,2,5,1,6,5] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2757902/) init =13
I suppose cynth seems like the only one in a position to surprise anyone. The rest of us are all acting on the mage's word.
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[OOC: Initiative scores: Guard1-13, B.B.-13, Guard2-12,Cynthia-12, Mercedes-10, Woofer-9, Shaman-8.
Since the group edge of the Crushers is higher, they win the initiative tie.
Guard1's turn:The guard nearest Woofer swings his AK-97 around to point it at him and delays his action until Woofer acts.
B.B.'s turn: you can shut off the wired reflexes with a simple action per guard because it's a command to a device that accepts your access ID. So I assume you are using two of your simple actions to shut off both of the armed guards wired reflexes off so then you have a free action left this pass.
New Initiative scores: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Guard2-10, Mercedes-10, Woofer-9, Shaman-8.
Cynthia's up next...... So you can post but don't declare your actions until Cynthia has unless you know for sure what you want to do and then i'll post that action when your action phase comes up.]
@Woofer
You see the guard closest to you whip around and square the barrel of his smartlinked AK-97 straight at you when suddenly he twitches a little and the last part of his motion slows way down; B.B.'s fingers flying over AR screens as he manages to power down the Crushers wired reflexes!
[OOC: remember taking cover or ducking out of cover takes a free action. Cynthia is LOS to the Crushers though because she was looking out from cover.]
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[OOC: I figured I could do both of them at once since it's the same command.
Issue Comm and (System)
You give a short list of commands to an agent, drone, or device that accepts
your access ID as authorized to do so (p. 225). You may send the list
of commands to multiple recipients, but it must be the same list of commands;
different commands require the use of another Simple Action.
I assume grabbing the stun bat off the floor would take a ready weapon simple action also?
EDIT: Also just realized Walks forgot the +3 dice for the surprise. That could potentially change the turn order, so I'll wait for a ruling on all counts before comiting to anything.
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@Cynthia:
[OOC: Roll surprise on the IP that you want to act on and why don't you also roll surprise for the Crushers too.. Your surprise roll has a +3. To summerize people's initiative attributes: Guards1&2 went down from Initiative Attribute of 12 --> 10, Shaman has Init. Att. 8. They each have perception rolls Percep 3+Int 4 + Distracted -2 + Traceless walk&ruthenium -4=1. So if you want to sneak up on them, roll infiltration opposed to this. The ones that tie or get more hits get a +3 to their surprise roll. The surprise roll only affects who you can act against or react to, and who can act or react to you for actions you take that IP only i.e. if you have a greater than or equal to surprise score as someone then you can attack/help them. Team doesn't need to roll surprise because they know your location through AR.]
@B.B.:
[OOC: good call, so you can use your simple action to grab your baton. You have a free action left that you can use at any time.]
@Everyone
[OOC: remember also, if you don't have low-light vision, then you get a -2 to attacks, defenses, spellcasting, and any other action that is affected by visibility modifiers. Ultrasound incurs only -1.]
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[OOC: I though a surprise test was basically just an initiative test with benefits? edit: oh, my bad, it's like a pre-initiative initiative test.[/OOC]
"Woah! Everybody calm down a little!" B.B. said as he turned off the two cybered guard's wired reflexes with a thought.
[OOC: Simple action to send the command to shut off their wires and run a full diagnostic to keep that cyber system busy. Free action to speak. Holding my 2nd simple action. Also, is it still the case that I get good cover from being in the car? (see Damage and Passengers, p171 SR4a) It's hard to keep cover and visibility straight for casting. Ah, found it, p183 SR4a. Cover is added to resistance rolls. ...I wonder how that works for an active detection spell? "I cast detect jerks." "Well, any jerk not directly in your line of sight gets a +4 cover bonus to resist the detection." Meh. I leave it all to you to adjudicate. I just doubt that Cynth could see B.B. to help him with counterspelling, what with him being in the back seat of the car.
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O.K. here we go.
Surprise tests She Who Walks Through Walls 8+3 for 11d6
11d6.hits(5) → [5,4,3,1,3,1,6,5,5,5,5] = (6) :o :D
Link
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758678/
HTML
<a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758678/">11d6.hits(5)=6</a>
Character
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/725944
BBCode
11d6.hits(5)=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758678/)
The shaman 8d6
8d6.hits(5) → [6,2,2,1,5,1,6,4] = (3)
Link
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758682/
HTML
<a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758682/">8d6.hits(5)=3</a>
Character
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/725944
BBCode
8d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758682/)
the two guards 10d6
10d6.hits(5) → [1,1,6,4,4,5,5,6,3,3] = (4)
10d6.hits(5) → [6,2,6,1,3,1,3,4,3,2] = (2)
Link
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758687/
HTML
<a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758687/">10d6.hits(5)=4, 10d6.hits(5)=2</a>
Character
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/725944
BBCode
10d6.hits(5)=4, 10d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758687/)
So it looks like I got the drop on all of them. I am firing at the shaman with my taser.
9d6+2 for smartlink-2visability=9d6
9d6.hits(5) → [1,2,1,6,3,6,4,4,3] = (2)
Link
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758694/
HTML
<a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758694/">9d6.hits(5)=2</a>
Character
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/search/725949
BBCode
9d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2758694/)
OOC the good news is since he didn't see me he doesn't get a dodge so the weak roll should still be a hit
I'll hold my second simple action and free action to see what happens at this point.
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Initiative Score update: Combat Turn 1, IP 1: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Guard2-10, Mercedes-10, Woofer-9, Shaman-8.
@Everyone:
[OOC: So if you guys are delaying actions, then because of the nature of play by post, you can't do real-time table-top interrupts effectively so we're just gonna have to say that you can't interrupt retroactively, otherwise i'd have to rewind constantly. So if you delay an action, be aware that you can't interrupt anything that happens in between your current post and your next post, or in the middle of the action in one of my posts. Sometimes a few characters act in one of my posts so keep that in mind when you delay actions. The exception to this would be if you laid down a clear trigger...i.e. i'll shoot when I see so-and-so turn around, etc. The other exception is if you're rolling defense rolls or declaring Full Defense. This isn't considered interrupting.]
@B.B:
[OOC: yes you get good cover from the car but since the window is open you're not gonna get the armor of the vehicle unless you spend a free action (you can convert up to 1 simple action into a free) to duck out of LOS into full cover. Of course your opponent could spend a free action to move right up to the window and reacquire LOS and be point-blank.]
@Cynthia:
[OOC: nice one! 8S coming in at Shaman and he has no defense roll so rolls Body 6 + 1/2 Impact armor 3=9 9d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2759538/). He takes 5S damage. Now he rolls to not get knocked unconcious: Body 6 + Will 5 = 11 (3) 11d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2759540/). I forgot to apply 1/2 impact to that roll, but he still made it. Regardless, he has a -2 DP modifier for 4 Combat turns in addition to his wound modifiers. Now since you decided to delay your action and you didn't specify a trigger for it, then you can't retroactively take it in between actions i've already posted.]
Your bring your black Yamaha Pulsar which is immediately visible in your crystalline hand out from behind the wall and from your crouched position you unload a round into the back of the Shaman and as you see the arcs of current emanate from the dart, he jiggles, jerks and screams but remains standing. You think to yourself that if it wasn't for his damned armor he'd have gone down as fast as Sam, the big troll.
[OOC: Guard1's Action Phase: He unloads a narrow long burst at Woofer with a simple action. Agility 6 + Automatics (Assault rifles) 5 + Smartlink 2 + Recoil -5 + Gasvent 3=11 11d6.hits(5)=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2759553/)...ouch. He delays his free action and his other simple action.]
@Woofer
[OOC: I'll say you have partial cover cuz the trunk is still open so that's a +2 to your defense. If you go Full Defense then even though you don't have dodge, you can add your gymnastics skill. I would advise not using rule of six edge if you want to spend edge, first roll, then use edge to reroll misses if you're gonna use it. Rule of six is only good with dicepools of 1-3, or if you have a high edge score. If Guard1 still gets some net hits, the damage you must resist is 6DV + net hits + 5=11DV + net hits. To see whether it's physical or stun though, compare 6DV + net hits to your Ballistic Armor - 1 AP....if it ends up being just stun remember to apply damage overflow into physical condition monitor.]
[OOC: after Woofer reacts it's Guard2's Action Phase]
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[OOC: Could I suggest that during combat, you keep reposting the Initiative scores at the beginning Inca? Maybe boldface who's next? Might make it easier to track whose turn it is. As for Mercedes, she's just waiting for her turn to try to use Commanding Voice on the orks.]
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[OOC: good idea Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 1: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Guard2-10, Mercedes-10, Woofer-9, Shaman-5.
The Bold faced one is the person's who's action phase we're currently on when the Intiative update is given. I don't want to go to far ahead, cuz otherwise Woofer be rolling for stuff in the middle of Mercedes turn, and it'll get a little jumbled up so i'm waiting for Woofer.
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[OOC: Would I go before Guard2 since we're tied? The Command I'm going to give ("Drop your guns!") would (hopefully) prevent him from firing.]
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Woofer drops down lower to use the trunk ((full defense.))
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@Woofer:
[OOC: alright, so then make the appropriate defense rolls. You still only get the bonus of partial cover(+2) and once your Action Phase comes up you can use the free action you have left to take cover (Full D is a complex). So your Full Defense roll will be Reaction+Gymnatics+Partial Cover 2.]
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I'll fire my second shot at guard number 2 since he hasn't acted yet.
so I have 7d6 now that I have a -2 for second target
7d6.hits(5) → [3,4,1,6,6,3,6] = (3) Hit him better than the shaman with fewer dice :D
Link
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2759961/
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[roll=David Ellenberger]#2759961[/roll]
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7d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2759961/)
I'll sub-vocalize "Mercedes you need to finish the mage. If he gets a spell off we are in trouble."
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Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 1: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Guard2-10, Mercedes-10, Woofer-9, Shaman-5.
@Cynthia:
[OOC:You forgot to factor in -1 recoil as well. Taking the last 6 off your roll, that's 2 net hits. Guard1's damage resistance: Body 7 + 1/2 Impact Armor 3=10 10d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2759998/). 8S is brought to 6S. He rolls to not go unconscious: Body 7 + Will 3 + 1/2 Impact Arm. 3=13 (3) 13d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2760003/) He has -2 disorientation modifier for 4 combat turns in addition to wound modifiers. That knocks his initiative score down with the -2 wound modifier and now it's Mercedes turn. Nice save! You have a free action left.]
As soon as you get off the first round from your Pulsar you see the Crusher closest to you and Mercedes whip around and point his smartlinked AK at her, you let off another round shifted slightly to the left in order to hit him. The dart hits him squarely in the chest and he screams out as current arcs over him buying a little time and giving Mercedes an opening.
Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 1: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Mercedes-10, Woofer-9, Guard2-8, Shaman-5.
@Mercedes:
[OOC: don't act until Woofer has rolled his defense.]
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((OOC: Here's the roll 8d6.hits(5) → [2,6,2,5,3,2,1,3] = (2) for the dodge, and the resist 11d6.hits(5) → [1,5,2,1,5,4,3,4,6,1,6] = (4)
))
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[OOC: 6 hits - 2 Dodge = 4 net hits. 6P + 4 + 5 = 15P DV - 4 Resist = 11 P
...
You've got a condition monitor of 10?
...
You're not dead... If we can finish this quick.]
Mercedes watches the ork tear into Marcus' body with automatic fire and her eyes go a little cold. Taken a deep breath, she channels her magic into her voice, targeting all three orks "DROP YOU GUNS AND SURRENDER!"
Commanding Voice, opposed by the largest dice pool among the others of Willpower + Leadership + 2 (additional targets) (15d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2760249/)
[OOC: If successful, either they do as told or are confused (-1 modifer per net hit for all tests). And, just so you know, I'd been playing with the idea that Mercedes has a bit of crush on Woofer... If it's REALLY bad, Pacifism might go out the window.]
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Having heard the chattering of the AK go off behind him, B.B. knew this was now a shooting war, so time was not on their side. He hunkered down to the floor and snatched up his machine pistol, mentally disengaging the safety.
[OOC: that's my held action.
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((OOC: It's stun, Armor Jacket + FFBA is 12 total armor, with the -1 is 11...thank god for small favors.))
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[OOC: Wait, FFBA? I missed that on your character sheet...
Your Soak Roll should be Body (4) + Armor (12) - AP (1) = 15 dice! Time for a re-roll (or roll four more dice)! My apologies! I was assuming it was just the Armor Jacket. Taking this over to the OOC thread.]
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Mercedes watches the ork tear into Marcus' body with automatic fire and her eyes go a little cold. Taken a deep breath, she channels her magic into her voice, targeting all three orks "DROP YOU GUNS AND SURRENDER!"
Commanding Voice, opposed by the largest dice pool among the others of Willpower + Leadership + 2 (additional targets) (15d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2760249/)
[OOC: If successful, either they do as told or are confused (-1 modifer per net hit for all tests). And, just so you know, I'd been playing with the idea that Mercedes has a bit of crush on Woofer... If it's REALLY bad, Pacifism might go out the window.]
OH! And, if I'm close enough to the entrance, I'll take a free action and move inside to gain cover (full cover, if possible).
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@Woofer:
[OOC: I'll roll those extra 4 dice for you: 4d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2760989/). So you bring the incoming 15S down to 10S. I'm rolling an Edge (1) test to see if you take heavy damage: 3d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2760992/)...lucky human...you get knocked unconsious]
It all happened so fast. As soon as you see the flash of the muzzle you don't even flinch but instead react. Just the way you were trained....first rule of a fire fight: find hardened cover.....but this whole thing got hairy way too fast. As if watching the world in slow motion you jump and pirouette, trying to put the car between you and that muzzle as fast as possible. You almost know it's coming before you even feel a thing. The timing was all off, you knew it the moment your feet left the ground. Just as you expected, the armor piercing rounds of the assault rifle slam into your torso with sickening thuds.....2, 3...maybe even 4....to quick to tell. No pain yet, just the thuds, and one screaming thought: "That's it, they got me this time.....for what....some stupid kids?....it's just nuyen after all...isn't it...." But you know it's not just the nuyen....there's that little sick twisted part of you that always imagined and wanted it to end just like this. You black out before even hitting the ground right behind the car.
Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 1: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Mercedes-10, Guard2-8, Shaman-5, Woofer-unc..
@Mercedes:
[OOC: I don't think you get the bonus for additional targets, it's the defenders who do....So taking away the bonus from you that's 5 hits. The defense roll is with Shaman's stats: Will 5 + Leadership 2 + Additional targets 2= 9 9d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2761031/). I'll roll for B.B. & Mercedes also: Will 4 + Leadership 1 + additional 1=6 6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2761038/).]
Almost as if watching a movie, you see the flair of the AK-97, Woofer artfully jump but then crumple up mid-spin and fall out of sight behind his car. At first all you feel is numbness and the deafening ring of gunfire seems to fade away into the background, as if you were hearing it all under-water.
Good ol' Woofer would probably pop up any second from behind the vehicle and start unloading his clip into these thugs and it would all be over very soon. Running the shadows was always different when Marcus was on board. He was a man of few words, but decisive action.....even though he was always very democratic with his teams, you always knew that behind the scenes he was the one in control making sure the team focused on the mission. You always felt like someone was watching your back when he was running with you.
In an instant it all snaps back and you are suddenly keenly aware of being in the moment. Just as quickly the realization sinks in that Woofer wasn't going to stand-up after all. The way his body went limp could only mean one thing.....man down. As the rage starts to build and the hate you so rarely feel begins to flow from your gut, you feel a power build in your throat that pushes itself up and out.
Everybody within earshot is compelled to obey your command and simultanously the two guards, B.B., and Mercedes all drop their guns to the ground and along with the shaman raise their hands in the air. You quickly run into the entrance and duck behind cover.
[OOC: You now are under full cover and everyone needs to give up a simple action to break free of the spell of the command.
Now it's Guard2's turn: He spends a simple action to shake his head and figure out what happened, then another to pick up his AK, and a free action to run and take full cover behind the trunk putting the car between him, Mercedes and Cynthia.
Shaman's turn: He uses a simple to orient himself again and a free to run back to the same position as the Guard2.
Guard1's delayed free action: Uses it to also run to the same position. They're all right next to Woofer who's laying on the ground and they're all under full cover for Mercedes and Cynthia position. If B.B. looks out the back seat window he can see them but they're under good cover. If you engage any one of them in melee combat, any of the Crushers which you don't attack that action can intercept you with a free action.]
@Cynthia:
[OOC: You're under good cover until your next action phase since you used all your actions and you don't have a free to duck back behind cover.]
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[OOC: Yeah, the bonus I listed was for the others, I didn't add it in to my roll. And I can choose the targets of the voice, (I know, it's weird that way), so B.B. & Cynthia don't have to resist it. That's the reason they get the extra 2 dice is because I'm targeting three people instead of just one.
Just want to clarify all this before we go further. So, my 15 dice are from Charisma (8 ) + Leadership (4) + Kinestics (3). Against their Willpower (5) + Leadership (2) + 2 Add'l targets = 9 dice. B.B. & Cynthia aren't targets, so they still have their weapons and don't have to use any actions to pick up guns/break free.]
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2nd IP:
Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 2: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Mercedes-10, Guard2-8, Shaman-5, Woofer-unc.
[OOC: Whoever's got a 2nd IP can go. And the team should just ignore the Commanding Voice.]
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Continuing his action from picking up the gun to opening the door, B.B. pursued the Ork mage around to the rear of the vehicle, coming face to face with all three combatants bundled together over the still body of the former LS detective. In a blur of bullets, he fires two short, wide bursts at the mage.
[OOC: Funny how you were talking about shooting point blank a moment ago..
Agl 6 + 2 automatics + 2 smartlink + 2 point blank = 12d6.hits(5) → [2,3,6,6,5,1,6,1,3,5,2,6] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2761900/)
4P + 1P (ammo) + net
If this visibly drops the mage (like knockdown,) I suppose the 2nd burst would go to the guard with the AK and the stun dart in him. I just wanted to roll both at once.
Again. 5 pts of RC so no recoil penalties. 12d6.hits(5) → [3,1,3,4,1,1,4,6,1,5,4,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2761904/)
Same damage. -2 on both defense rolls for wide burst.
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OOC- Inca I also don't see where you took out the wound and stun modifiers from the injured guard and shaman's rolls. This isn't a damage resistance test so I would think that they would apply.
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Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 2: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Mercedes-10, Guard2-8, Shaman-5, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT)}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}
@Cynthia:
[OOC: The only roll any of the wounded npc's have made since they got wounded is the roll to resist Comm. Voice and I don't apply wound modifiers to magic resistance tests....if you can find RAW that says that wound modifiers do apply to magic resistance tests then post in OOC thread and i'll start applying them. I've adjusted their Initiatives accordingly though.]
@B.B.:
[OOC: Since you said that you cracked the door open already, i'll say it takes a free action to run out of the car and follow the shaman. That means with the two bursts you have no actions left this IP. Since your movement speed is only 8 for a walking dwarf metavariant, that would mean in 1 IP you could go 2.33 meters but to follow the Shaman around the rear of the vehicle but it'll take more distance than that, so I say you need to run. That means that you incur a -2 shooting while running modifier, but you also get a +2 defense for running until your next action phase.
Shaman's defense roll: Reaction 4 +Wide short burst -2 =2 2d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2762516/). Woops, I forgot wound and shock modifiers, so that's gonna be zero hits regardless. So taking away the -2 from your roll, that's 5 net hits meaning 11P. Damage resistance roll: Body 6 + Bal. Armr 8=14 14d6.hits(5)=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2762523/), so he takes 5P wound.
Shaman's defense roll on second burst: Reaction 4+Wideshortburst -2 + shocked -2 + wound -2 + already defended attack -1=0. 2 net hits Which is 7P. Damage resistance: Body 6 + Armor 8 + Degradation -1=13 13d6.hits(5)=7 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2762682/). He resists it.]
As soon as you see the Shaman and guards whip around to the other side of the car opposite the entrance where Mercedes is peaking out of and Cynthia is out of view, you push the door open a crack more and jump out, deftly whipping around the back of the car and coming face to face with the crushers. You see them ducked down with their backs flush up against the car and they flinch and cover their heads with their arms, turning their armored backs toward the flurry of incoming bullets. You see the back of the Shaman's jacket rip open with blood and a few small sparks splattering out.
Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 2: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Mercedes-10, Guard2-8, Shaman-4 Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA)}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}
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Since I currently cannot see any of them and they cannot see me and didn't go right down I am casting Increase reflexes on myself.
6d6.hits(5) → [6,4,1,3,6,4] = (2)
BBCode
6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2762625/)
This will give me 1 additional IP.
I'll save my free action at this point
Since I don't have a second pass at this time (I'm sorry I got confused when Inca said it was my action I figured no one had multiple passes and we were in the next combat turn.)
OOC at this point do I or don't I have a free action left I am lost in the whole commanding voice thing
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[OOC:
For the burst against Guard2 you forgot -2 for shooting a different opponent and then the -2 running, so that's -4 leaving you with 1 hit.
I was targeting the shaman with both shots, with the caveat that if he went down with the first shot, I'd switch to the second guard. Unless that 5P drops him, the 2nd burst should have been directed his way also, not that it matters much. Anyone else have a 2nd pass, or should I take my 3rd? Question first. Can I do a called shot to disarm at -4 with a short burst? Additionally, by "disarm" I mean that I want to blast his weapon to scrap.
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Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 2: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Mercedes-10, Guard2-8, Shaman-4, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA)}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}
@Cynthia:
[OOC: Roll drain. And your 2nd IP doesn't get added until next CT.]
@B.B.:
[OOC: I remember you wrote that but I forgot, so since you didn't drop the mage we'll just rewind and you don't shoot at Guard2, you only shoot at the mage, I'll modify my last post to reflect this.....Ok done. I'll say that if you do a called shot to hit his weapon then he would have to roll a Strength+Reaction test (modifiers apply) to not drop it and it would skitter away so he'd have to use a free+simple to get it back. The weapon itself i'd say is an Armor 6 Structure 6 barrier and the base damage done to the barrier is 2DV+net hits....burst DV modifier is not included just like with shooting through a barrier or armor...i.e. number of bullets doesn't matter.
The Shaman has another IP (synaptic booster bioware)]
[OOC: Shaman's Action Phase:He's casting a stun bolt F8 at B.B.: Magic 4 + Spellcasting 4 + Shocked -2 + Wound -1=5. He's gonna use a point of group edge, so the DP would be 8 with rule of six: 8d6.hitsopen(5,6)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2762708/). Shoot, forgot 1 more -1 wound modifier, so make that 4 hits on his part. That means it's 4DV coming in at you + whatever net hits he wants to use. I use the optional rule with direct combat spells that each net hit you use adds to the drain value, so first roll resistance and then i'll roll drain. You're not LOS with Cynthia so you don't have Counterspelling.]
@Everyone:
[OOC: don't act until B.B. rolls resist and I've finished the Shaman's actions.]
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[OOC: Wow, that reroll on the shaman's soak threw me off. I figured you'd just trim from the soak roll you already did, but whatevs. That first roll was pretty beefy anyway. As to counterspelling LoS, I'm confused as to why you think Cynth can't see me when I'm standing basically two paces from where the shaman was when she shot him. Maybe the car door is in the way now? Anyway, rolling willpower to resist. I'll add the counterspelling dice later if you say it's okay.. 6d6.hits(5) → [6,1,1,6,4,6] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2762758/) Okay, I'll do an edge reroll for the last hit if I can't get counterspelling from Cynth, but, if I can, and, really, she could easily have moved to keep me in sight.. I'll, ya know, save that tiny bit of edge I have for later. Here's the roll 3d6.hits(5) → [5,4,3] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2762769/) So, 4 net. Triumph of the Will. Spell fizzles and he has to soak some Ps.
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@B.B.:
[OOC: It would be easier with a map, but alas we don't have one so we'll have to work through the confusions. The idea was that the crushers went behind the car to take cover from Mercedes and Cynthia who are in the entrance. The Wall is about 3m south of the car, and the entrance is about 10 m East South East off the south eastern front headlight of the car. so if you're close enough to benefit from point-blank, then you're right up in their faces. When they went to search the car, they were in front of the southern doors of the car, which has the back window rolled down. To take cover they are along the Northern edge of the car and you had to make your way from the southern edge and around the rear to see them.
In the future make sure to explicitly say that you're moving to maintain LOS with Mercedes because it's your responsibility to try and stay protected. Since the edge saved you this time, we'll go ahead and keep the edge roll.
Shaman's Drain roll to resist F/2-1= 3P drain: Charisma 4+Will 5=9 9d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2762822/). He takes 3P damage.]
[OOC: Shaman's Free Action: He starts booking westward down the street. He's under partial cover from Mercedes and Cynthias position.]
After taking a another shot to the back he whips around, his tusks stained with his own blood which trickles down the side of his mouth. In desperation he begins to whisper inaudible syllables, his eyes closing with focus. Purple-ish-white arcs of mana start jumping from his right hand to his left hand as you feel the power of a mighty spell build in the air around him. With a jolt he unleashes the sum of all the accumulated energy in a chaotic trajectory straight at B.B., the raw burn of unstable mana gyrating his body until his nose starts bleeding profusely.
Once the last trace of mana in the air dissipates and the Crusher shaman stands slouched against the car panting with exhaustion, his eyes begin to widen with incredulity. The sight of B.B. standing in front of him, not a hair on his head even out of place and a look of grim determination burned into his face, causes the shaman to break into a stumbling run westward down the street.
Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 3: B.B.-13, Cynthia-12, Guard1-11, Mercedes-10, Guard2-8, Shaman-4, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA), 3P}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}
[OOC: B.B. is the only one with a 3rd IP, so it's his turn.]
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Brian was almost as surprised as the shaman at the blood spray from peppering him with bullets. He had purposely shot in two wide arcs, expecting the bullets to crash against his armor, knocking the wind out of him. When the shaman had turned and tried to fry him with what must have been a gargantuan amount of mana, he wasn't sure if he should be angry or amused. What he was sure of, though, was that while all of this was falling to shit, at least he wasn't standing in a puddle of Woofer's blood.
Knowing that was enough to put the fire out on his rage. There was still time enough for this to end without anyone dead. The thought itself was only spinning through his mind as he raced back around to the open car door and initiated the vehicle's panic mode through his AR. Now back inside the vehicle, he heard the door locks clunk shut and saw the windows dim as they turned opaque from the outside.
[OOC: Spoofing vs. car
BB - 6 skill + 3 prog + 1 PuSHeD = 10d6.hits(5) → [4,5,6,1,5,5,1,1,4,4] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2766834/)
Car - 3 + 3 = 6d6.hits(5) → [5,5,3,1,1,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2766835/)
Initiative for CT 2 9d6.hits(5) → [1,4,3,6,1,3,3,1,2] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2766836/) yikes. 10.
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[OOC: Everyone roll initiative
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8d6.hits(5) → [3,4,5,1,3,1,3,4] = (1)
BBCode
8d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2767015/)
So I have an initiative of 9. Such is the life of a slow mage
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Initiative Roll (7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2767047/)
Initiative 9; I feel for ya, WTW.
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[OOC: I already rolled at the end of the last IP, but I'll totally roll again. :)
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[OOC: Shaman's Init roll: Init8 + Wound -4 + Shock -2=2url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2767462/]2d6.hits(5)=0[/url], Init score=2 and he glitched so he goes after anyone who has the same init score.
Guard1 Init: Init 8 (no wired refl.) 8d6.hits(5)=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2767464/). Init score=14
Guard2 Init: Init 8 + Wound -2 + Shock -2=4 4d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2767466/), Init score=5.]
Initiative Score update: CT 1, IP 3: Guard1-14, B.B.-10, Cynthia-10, Mercedes-10, Guard2-5, Shaman-2, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA), 3P}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}
[OOC: If anyone wants to use edge, declare it now, then I'll act with Guard1.
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[OOC: Ok, so i'll act with Guard1 now.
Guard1's Action Phase: Guard1 forgot to pick-up his weapon on the other side of the car. He uses a simple action to ready a grenade and another simple action to place it down underneath the back door. He uses a free action to book like hell in the same direction as the shaman. It will go off on his Initiative score during the following IP pass. Woofer's lying 1 meter away from it. It's a bitch move....but he's fleeing too, so it kind of balances itself out in terms of bitchiness. ;) ]
]
The unwounded Crusher watches B.B.'s blinding motions as he swings back around the car and locks himself back inside and is visibly agitated that the Shaman is now limping down the road, blood flowing from the orfices in his face. He pulls off a grenade from his vest biting the pin and pulling and places it down right underneath the back door of the vehicle and just starts booking like hell after the Shaman.
@Cynthia:
At that moment your Moon Maiden appears in your mind, desperate and agitated and points toward the car, and instead of speaking, she shows you an image of a grenade right under the chasis with it's spoon pulled out!
[OOC: If you spend a free action to alert the team through AR then everyone becomes aware of the grenade and can act against it.]
@B.B.
[OOC: it'll take you a free action to stick your body out the broken window to a position where you can see Guard1. Guard2 can be seen leaning against the car, his back pressed up against the frontdoor on the northern side of the car. If you want to shoot through the glass it's a called shot just like Guard1 had to roll. This whole time i'm assuming you are in the backseat of the car.]
@Cynthia & Mercedes:
[OOC: If you want to creep, you can do an infiltration test. The Shaman is the only one you can see and he is limping away westward and is now 25 m away from you guys so factor range modifiers in. Guard 1 is about 18 m away.]
Initiative Score update: CT 2, IP 1: Guard1-14, B.B.-10, Cynthia-10, Mercedes-10, Guard2-5, Shaman-2, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA), 3P}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}
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[OOC: Guard 1 never picked up his gun after dropping it. (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=187.msg14505#msg14505) Though he did drop it nearby, so he should get at least one simple action to fire. Also, if an attack's DV doesn't beat a barrier's armor, then there's no effect, so that second shot wouldn't have broken the window anyway, by RAW. What say he picked it up, fired once and the window is now cracked and near to breaking? By the way, I want to use their lack of LoS to try an Infiltration check. That way, they need to make a successful Obesrve in Detail roll to find him. Is this kosher?
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[OOC: Ok, I rewinded and redid the Guard1's actions taking into account that I didn't explicitly say that he picked up his weapon. Make sure to read the changes. ].
@B.B.:
[OOC: you can't act based on the information of the grenade unless you delay your action to when Cynthia acts, and I"ll let you at least metagame that much.]
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[OOC: Really? Fine, delayed action. Also, wasn't guard 1 the guy who shot woofer in the chest? If he was covering woofer, the driver, why wasn't he already standing on the driver's side of the vehicle where dudes are currently taking cover? Seems like his gun should have been at his feet...
Brian, still waiting for Mercedes to diffuse this situation with a shout, paused a moment, ready to spring in whatever direction fate dictated. Whether it was killing these men or sparing them.
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[OOC: That does leave the trunk hatch open, and the trunk itself is open. AND the thugs are right there at the trunk...]
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[OOC: That does leave the trunk hatch open, and the trunk itself is open. AND the thugs are right there at the trunk...]
[OOC: That was going to be my move before i realized that a) grenade instead of gun. and b) apparently grenades can magically tell when people have multiple actions and will go off sooner if they're around speedier people. I thought it would take a CT to go off... Too bad Mercedes can't make the last guard throw himself on top of the grenade (that's a 'take the confusion penalty' circumstance if I've ever seen one,) though she could probably make him throw it.
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Uggh. I am going to run over pick up the grenade and throw it towards the shaman and retreating guard. (OOC I hope this isn't too big of a mistake)
4d6.hits(5) → [5,6,3,3] = (2)
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4d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2771271/)
I don't know what the scatter would have been, but hopefully I have gotten woofer and I out of the blast area or the worst of it.
Now all I have to do is not get shot dead by the remaining guard
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[OOC: Waiting to see where the grenade winds up...]
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[OOC: Ugh. I hate movement/IP issues. I don't know how inca wants to handle this, but Cynth, is at least 18 meters from the grenade. If everyone had 1 IP, you could make it to the grenade in a single pass and throw it before it went off... bluh. Quick question, is Woofer directly behind the car, or to the side of the car?
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[OOC: Let's just say that if Mercedes sees Cynthia going after a grenade anywhere near the car, she's following to make sure nobody gets hurt...]
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O.K. so I guess here is what I am going to do. I will perform a run and jump to try and get to the grenade and then hopefully kick it far enough away to save woofer and not hurt myself (Again I hope this isn't too bad of an idea :-\)
8d6.hits(5) → [1,1,3,5,4,2,1,6] = (2)
BBCode
8d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783165/)
So I get there now for the kick.
4d6.hits(5) → [4,5,3,5] = (2)
BBCode
4d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783167/)
So She who walks through walls runs from cover. Her chameleon suit fighting to keep up with the changing background as she runs and then jumps to a tumble and gets to the grenade. With a kick she sends the grenade skittering down the pavement towards the mage and retreating guard. (OOC I hope. Now do I have any actions left at this point? I am lost in what I had to use and what I had left. I think I'm done. Hopefully I made things better and not worse. ;D)
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[OOC: So Cynthia kicked it 4 meters away from you and Woofer, so unless it's position changes, Guard1, Cynthia and Woofer must damage resist 2 DV of the blast with impact armor at an AP of -2 when the blast goes off. Now Cynthia is out of actions. So Guard2 is up against the north front door of the car. Shaman 16 meters from car heading west and Guard1 is 8 meters from car heading west.]
Initiative Score update: CT 2, IP 1: Guard1-14, B.B.-10, Cynthia-10, Mercedes-10, Guard2-5, Shaman-2, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA), 3P}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}
Delayed Actions: B.B.(all)
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Still waiting for Mercedes to do her creepy voice thing.
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Still waiting for Mercedes to to her creepy voice thing.
[OOC: You're going to love this then...]
Mercedes runs behind Cynthia, and sees her kick the grenade away. She realizes she can't drag Woofer to safety, so she does the only think she can think of.
[OOC Let me know if the first part of this doesn't work, the book doesn't say if Voice Control requires a specific action or not to use it. If you judge that mimicking the shaman's voice would require a specific action on top of the Command complex action, then just drop the mimic. If the mimic does work, I'm hoping for a bonus to offset the running penalty (so I'm rolling the full dice, if mimic doesn't help, take off the last two results).]
She uses her innate abilities to yell at the guard at the front of the car, making her voice not only sound like the shaman's voice, but coming from where the shaman is running from [Voice Control - Mimic Shaman, "throw" voice ten meters towards Shaman. (-2 Running penalty) (14d6.hits(5)=6)] (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783577/), "Damn fool! Get that grenade away from the car!" [Commanding Voice - Targeting only Guard2 (15d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783580/)]
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Initiative Score update: CT 2, IP 1: Guard1-14, B.B.-10, Cynthia-10, Mercedes-10, Guard2-5, Shaman-2, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA), 3P}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}
Delayed Actions: B.B.(all)
[OOC: Here's an updated position map, I figured out how to draw!! You can keep updating this in order to show your moves. It's not to scale and it's a little abstract. The distances listed are the actual distances to the target....i.e. don't take into account the little pieces of the drawing which don't seem to be included in the distance. When there is no distance between characters written it's assumed to be melee distance. So for example: G2,Cynth,Merc, and Woof are all 8 m from Guard1 for combat purposes. Oh and I also forgot to erase the "walks and mercedes" phrase near the walls entrance.]
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRmap2.jpg)
@Mercedes
[OOC: You can do the mimic as part of the command option and make it come from the direction of the shaman. The only thing is that it says that to use commanding voice it's at a -2 each time you use it on the same person within a 24 hour period so I'll subtract -2 from your roll which leaves you with 3 hits. The G2 resists with Will 3 3d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783630/). His perception to see Cynthia is Int 4 + Perc 3 + Distracted -2 + Wound -4 + Chameleon -4=0.
Guard2's Action Phase: Simple Action: Pick-up grenade Simple Action: Throw grenade as far as he can. We'll just say the grenade is out of range from damaging anybody now. It'll still make a big BOOM though. Free Action: Intercept Mercedes and do a melee attack with the butt of his rifle. Clubs 3 + Agil. 6 + Wound -4 = 5 Rifle Butt (5d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783645/). He's going to use a point of group edge to re-roll misses: url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783647/]edge reroll (3d6.hits(5)=0)[/url]. So that's 2 hits on attack roll, the base damage is (str/2+1)P = 5P. Roll defense and/or damage resist.
]
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Mercedes ducks, trying to dodge the rifle butt [Dodging melee attack (5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783667/)], but the guard clips her across the jaw, snapping her head back [6P total, Damage Resistance (2 Body + 2 Impact) (4d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2783670/)].
[OOC -2 wound modifier, 3 boxes left on Physical. She's standing, but just barely...]
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@Mercedes
You see stars as the impact knocks you to the ground.
[OOC: You're knocked prone because the damage you took is bigger than your body. You need to make a Bod+Will (2) test with wound modifiers to stand up.]
@Everyone
[OOC: Shaman's Action Phase:]
The Shaman just keeps on stumbling away. He's now 24m from car. He attempts to call in for help but his contact list is gone thanks to B.B.'s little corrupt program.
2nd IP for those who can act.
Initiative Score update: CT 2, IP 2: Guard1-14, B.B.-10, Cynthia-10, Mercedes-10, Guard2-5, Shaman-2, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA), 3P}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}, Mercedes{6P(prone)}
Delayed Actions: B.B.(all)
[OOC: Guard1 is running and he's now 16 m from car.]
All of a sudden a loud explosion to the north rips through the night and you hear some yells coming from inside and around the buildings.
Initiative Score update: CT 2, IP 2: Guard1-14, B.B.-10, Cynthia-10, Mercedes-10, Guard2-5, Shaman-2, Woofer-unc.
Wounds: Guard2{6S(-2/4CT)}, Shaman{5S(-2/4CT), 5P(-1 BA), 3P}, Woofer{10S(unc.)}, Mercedes{6P(prone)}
Delayed Actions: B.B.(all)
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[OOC: Delayed action first - Simple, access the trunk. Non-action, move into trunk. Free action, drop ceska. Simple, Ready P93.]
With everybody running around, Brian figured that things were smoothing out enough for him to kit up properly. He pulled open the trunk access and slipped through into the open trunk. Pulling the P93 out of his bag, he brought the weapon up to a ready position. Preparing to shout out a warning over the guards own comm channel, his thoughts of patience were almost immediately drowned out by cry of pain from Mercedes and the mid air explosion of the HE grenade.
[OOC: 2nd IP - Free action shout at guards over comms. Simple action to fire a wide long burst at G1. Simple action to fire a narrow short burst at Shaman. Improved range finder should negate any distance penalty to 40m. 7pts of Recoil compensation.
Roll 1: 6+2+2=10d6.hits(5) → [6,2,3,2,3,3,5,4,1,6] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2784284/)
DV = 5P +1 ex=ammo + net -5 to dodge from autofire.
Roll 2: 6+2+2-2= 8d6.hits(5) → [6,3,4,4,1,2,4,1] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2784294/) hurr, forgot -1 recoil penalty, so scratch that last die.
DV = 5P +1 ex-ammo + net +2 from autofire]
"I'll shoot until you lay down!" B.B. screamed over their comms as he hosed down the retreating guards, the Praetor purring like a small motor.
[OOC addendum: The Intercept action could only be use on Mercedes if she tried to leave an active melee or move past the guard without engaging him, IIRC. If they're still in mutual melee range, he'd have to attack her with a normal complex action. Since the guard had to go scrambling after a grenade that had been kicked 4 meters down the street, I'm puzzled as to how that would happen... or why Mercedes and Walks both used their turns to take care of the same situation.. Anyway, moving on, are dudes going full defense or dropping prone?]
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[OOC As for Mercedes' actions... the grenade was still too close to Woofer for her comfort and she knew she didn't have a chance of dragging him to safety or getting rid of the grenade herself.]
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@B.B.:
[OOC: It was already the 2nd IP when you used your delayed actions so that would mean you lose your action phase for the 2nd IP, since no one else has any actions and Shaman is running, your second set of actions would be on the 3rd IP.
G1 goes full D.
G1's defense roll: Reaction 4 + Dodge 3 + running 2 + Wide LB -5=4 4d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2785308/). Incoming base damage is 8P which means damage is S. He resists 8S: Body 7 + BA 8 = 15 url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2785310/]15d6.hits(5)=3[/url]. He takes 5S.
Shaman's defense roll: Reaction 4 + running 2 + Wound -4 + Shock -2 = 0. Damage resist: Body 6 + BA 7 = 13 13d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2785297/). He had 7P base damage which means damage is S. Total damage coming in is 9P which becomes 7S. He's out cold. ]
You lean out of the trunk and open fire with your P93 SMG at the fleeing Crushers. Several rounds tear up the backs of the Shaman and the first Guard and the Shaman falls to the ground motionless, bleeding profusely from the orfices in his face and the bullet holes in his back. The first Guard staggers and drops his AK throwing himself prone and putting his hands over his head.
"DON'T SHOOT!! I give up!"
The 2nd Guard who is near the car also drops his weapon and goes to his knees, his hands behind his head.
@Everyone:
You still here commotion to the north where the grenade went off and people seem to be going outside to see what all the ruckus from the fire fight has been about.
[OOC: They surrender so combat is over and you can act out of turn.]
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"Walks, cover #2, I've got to go patch that Shaman up! I am not going to kill a Crusher tonight! Fuck!"
Wasting no time, Brian grabbed the medkit out of Cynth's bag and sprinted over to the prone and bleeding Shaman.
"Ghost, this is such a fuck-up."
"I'm coming over to patch up your boy. Don't! ..try to blow me up!"
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Mercedes makes sure the rest of the team is watching the guards, then kneels down next to Woofer, checking him out to make sure he's still breathing. Seeing that she's still alive, she begins to smile, then winces as the bruise to her jaw REALLY starts to hurt. Leaning against the back of the car, she looks around, beginning to take stock of the despelote situation around her. She playfully slaps Woofer's chest, "Nothing's ever easy, is it Marcus..."
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Time: 12:37
@B.B.:
You notice an incoming call on the Shaman's comm from a number which comes up as "Sheldon" on the contact list. Because you have control of their PANS they can't answer the call without your permission.
@Everyone:
[OOC: Other Crushers may be coming any second now so you guys should start moving.]
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[OOC: Trying a first aid. Kit 6 (substituted for skill) +7 logic +3 nanites +1 PuSHeD -2 poor cdtn -2 awakened = 13d6.hits(5) → [3,5,5,6,3,6,5,5,3,1,2,5,1] = (7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2786172/) 5 hits past threshold. Should heal 5P and take a Complex action (healings is magic) so I should have him patched up in a second. Does this critical success refresh a point of edge? :)]
"Alright, good news, cuz. Nothing serious. He's just winded. I took care of what damage the bullets did, sorry about that by the way. Was just trying to tag his armor, knock the wind out of him before he could call up a spirit, and, well sorry... I ain't trying to kill you guys. Not trying to war with Crushers.. I'm a Nor-cal veteran. If I came here to fuck with you or your business... Lets just say I wouldn't be coming in at a checkpoint, you understand? But, the way you unloaded into my man's chest.. He's my fucking ride home! And then you try to blow me up.. fuck, cousin. That was like begging to- Oh! Shit! Your boss is calling. You mind if I talk to him? I'll put in a good word, don't worry."
Satisfied that the medkit had done its best, and that the Shaman was in reasonable health, Brian grabbed the Shamans piece from where the radar had said it was hidden in his coat, stood up and began backing up to where Woofer lay.
"Grab their guns for them if you would Merc. Then let's move the guy by the car over near the other two. But we do need to decide how we're going to handle this very quickly. As always, I'm ready to tell the truth. If you want to try bullshitting your way through it, well, just look at this fine mess."
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Mercedes gets up, gathering the rifles from the other two guards, and nudging the first guard to get with his friend by the shaman. "Can you get Woofer into the car? I don't think anything is going to salvage this and it might be time to pull back and assess our options. Unless anyone thinks we can fight our way in?"
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I was thinking falling back too, but I could go in like the night and scout things out a bit and meet up with you guys in a bit. Your call though
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Brian backed up until Woofer was at his feet. "Take the rest of their grenades too. In their jackets. Dump it all over the wall or something, I don't know. I've got to take this call."
Bending down, he quickly went to work on Woof's unconscious form. A few seconds and an application of smelling salts, and Woofer's eyes shot open like a spring. "Up and at 'em, big guy. Bartender says they don't serve our kind here."
Satisfied that everything was squared away for their retreat. He loaded up his Edit program to digitally scramble his voice, turned off the guard's mics, and answered the call. <<Hello, Mr. Yamani? Sorry if I've surprised you. Your men are all in good health. I'll put them on in just a moment, but I felt I ought to introduce myself first, as I'd like to speak with you later. Maybe tonight's SNAFU could be tomorrow's opportunity? Can only hope. Anyway, I'll link you to your boys so that they can cuss up a storm. They fought like bastards by the way.>>
Finally, as the rest of the team seated themselves in their respective vehicles, he turned the guard's microphones back on and began the process of scrubbing any record of the event out of their PANs, specifically those from the Shaman's cybereyes. The gathering crowd would just have to be its own problem.
[OOC: Applying aid to Woofer 13d6.hits(5) → [6,2,6,6,6,1,3,6,4,6,4,3,6] = (7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2788487/) Boffo! And that's even without compensating for the die I should roll for the difference between the penalty for Woof's essence loss and the awakened patient penalty. Here goes that then. 1d6.hits(5) → [6] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2788491/) Man.. Daddy's rolling up a paladin tonight! 8 hits, 6 past threshold - maximum healing potential achieved. Turning off the guard's mics should be as easy as a free action. A simple action to analyze for eye recording storage and a complex to hit the last 10 minutes with Corrupt. Should already have rendered their access logs, so that's another quick corrupt action a piece to scrub traces on the way out.
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Woofer wakes up, holding his chest..."Ow." *looks around at the scene*
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"Do you always fall asleep during the good parts, Marcus?"
Hearing the crowds heading towards their location, she helps him to his feet and into the car. "We better get out of here. Coming Cynthia?"
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Woofer (as quickly as able) piles into his car, "Believe me, getting shot in the chest is not a good part."
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I pile into the car, and keep the chameleon suit engaged until we are out of sight. "It might come in handy if they don't know how many of use there are."
After we are clear of the scene I will close my eyes and try to unwind.
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[OOC: Buying a hit with B.B.'s driving dicepool (Command), he should have no problem peeling out of there. Woofer actually seems to mostly use autopilot with gridguide to drive his car cuz I don't see a skill for it. I'll assume you guys place the Crusher's weapons at a distance and just leave them there since you guys seem not to want to piss off Sheldon.]
As soon as Mercedes climbs on her bike the rest of you pile into the car, Woofer in the drivers seat, Cynthia riding shotgun and B.B. operating the vehicle from the backseat. Talking to Sheldon and simultaneously punching commands into hovering AR screens, B.B. Y-turns the Mercury and the two vehicles peel out into the night.
@B.B.:
[OOC: I want to see how the plan you guys have is gonna play out so i'm gonna leave some of it up to dice. Sheldon's judge intentions roll: Int 5 + Cha 6=11 (we'll say 3 to believe that you mean no harm.) 11d6.hits(5)=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2789018/). He's listening.]
You hear silence on the other end of the line for a long moment.....Then you hear Sheldon's voice, surprisingly calm and controlled, but rather smooth and legato for an ork. "Show me some trid feed of what happened and then I'll figure out what we're gonna do about this."
@Woofer:
You see that the bullets went right through the open zipper of your armored jacket and it was the form fitting half suit of carbine polymer that stopped them. No wonder it knocked the wind out of you so hard. Next time you need to remember to zip up! Besides, it's already getting pretty cold outside. As you got shot, the Evo Smart© carbine fibers tensed up and froze upon impact, but they now relax as soon as you pull off three little hunks of lead which look like little shiny pancakes stuck to your chest. Jiggling them around in your hand, you grow lost in thought as you look out the tinted window out into the patchwork of jerry rigged street lighting. If it wasn't for the gear on your back or the top notch runners at your side you wouldn't be breathing right now. But you knew it was more than that.
Everyone who finds their way into the Shadows, no matter what they say, has a choice. Every last runner out there at any moment could cash in, get a fixer to slap them with an air-tight fake SIN and go work for a AAA popping out quarterly reports or even dodging lead and mana leading a corp. sec. team. Anyone who has really been out there laying on the cold hard pavement knows the real reason a runner stays in the biz is because he knows that the daylight is the darkest place of all.
In these times, the only place where the little flame of the metahuman soul can even be seen burning it's way down the wick is in the darkness of the shadows. Something as simple as friendship can only be seen these days in places and moments like the one you just survived. The trid or the sims love to talk about how the Shadows will eat you up whole and you gotta be handy with the steel if you know what I mean. Shadowrunners are boiled down to mere adrenalin junkies, thrill seekers or just plain crazy suicidal maniacs. Shadowrunners are the ones who don't value life. Sure, there are a those who fit that bill pretty much spot on....but they never last.....they never live to figure out what it's all about.
You've been runnin' long enough to have learned that real Shadowrunners actually value life more than anything else. They value life so much that they would die for it. They know that for the time being they're just going to have to accept that most of the world is under the clutches of corporate rule, who's profit-driven dogma sterilizes the very meta-human soul and has no place for the authentic or the price-less. Until the day this world-order changes, those that truly value their humanity, their soul, their quirks, their desires and passions only have one choice.....drop-out, live SIN-less and try to make a living sticking it to those that would try to control us, trap us, package us and find some way to fit us in as a cog into their money making machine.
You look into the rear-view mirror and see Mercedes atop her motorcycle, the wind whipping through her hair. "That's my guardian angel right there," you mutter inaudibly to yourself. Cynthia disengages her ruthenium polymer and pulls open her mask. She looks at you and then smiles as B.B. reaches from the back seat and pats you on the shoulder:
"Nice car Woof, you gotta let me take it for a spin more often."
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Half his brain and one of his eyes on the road left Brian plenty of spare cycles to pile through the lowlight capture from his goggles and the sound from his buds. It was only 20 seconds or so from "This'll only take a second, I need to get a look at the little guy..." to "...Bartender says they don't serve our kind here," but there was a lot of confusion and nuance in between, not the least of which was the 6 rounds being pumped into woofer's chest from an arm's length away. What didn't have so much nuance, and what Brian hadn't realized at the time, was that Cyntia had fired first. Whatever.. it was necessary to keep guns off Mercedes, and there was no use in trying to hide it now. So much chaos and so little time.. Brian packaged the feeds, scrubbed all the user data, hit identifying traces with a digital blur from his Edit program, and sent it of to Sheldon with a little note.
<<I only peppered them a bit to help them understand the stakes of continuing to fight at a disadvantage... held back even if they weren't. Still, blood and bullets wasn't on the brochure. I fucked up on that count. I'll be in touch. See if I can't pay you back in services rendered.>>
"Once we hit neutral ground, I'm going to pull over so we can patch up Mercedes and see if anyone is tailing us. After that, drop me off at DeGears I suppose... unless any of you want to go grab a drink?"
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@B.B.:
You send the message off and await a reply.
@Everyone:
Coming out of deep Redmond you didn't notice anyone at all following you. You finally reach Redmond Way and eventually approach the bustle of Touristville. "Love motels," as the coffin motels along the Strip are more commonly known as, would be a potential temporary rest stop and a half-way decent environment for patching up Mercedes' partially dislocated jaw and bleeding lip. Mirrors on the ceilings, but at least it's clean sheets, no-questions asked, and only 50 nuyen an hour.
[OOC: that would be an indoors (-1) modifier for doing First Aid in the love motel. Rounds of drinks at bars along the Strip I'll include in life-style costs of Middle and up.]
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Time:1:00 AM
@B.B.:
While you're arriving in Touristville you receive a call back from Sheldon. You answer the call and Sheldon's smooth voice seems a little more relaxed than your previous conversation. "Here's what we're gonna do. It's quite obvious from da feed ya sent me dat you my friend are an accomplished hacker. Despite my policy of not allowing in any un-authorized mojo into my neighborhoods, I'm going to allow you and your friends escorted access to my turf to finish whatever business you have. First, however, I'm gonna need you to teach my computer expert to do some of the things you know how to do. I'm also gonna need you to beef-up some of my matrix security as well so da next guy like you who comes through here doesn't shut down my boys so easily. We got a deal?"
It becomes immediately apparent why Sheldon has stayed on top so long. His inquisitive desire to continually learn from his mistakes and evolve.
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[OOC: Judge intentions roooool: 7d6.hits(5) → [5,2,6,6,3,4,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2794401/)]
Brian signaled Mercedes and pulled into the nearby easy-rent's lot.
"Got Sheldon Yamani on the line. He's offering hospitality in Crusher turf in exchange for a bit of work on my part. I'm going to give him a tentative yes for now and we'll run through the details later? Anyone think this is a huge mistake?"
<<@Sheldon: Yeah, I'll meet with your guy. See what I can do to set you up. Give me a couple days and you'll have eyes that see into every crack in your digital domain. Not a single signal will slip though. But, business I'm on is kinda time sensitive and might just concern you as well. Far as I can tell, someone in your area, or nearby, is running a recruitment program. Now that wouldn't concern me too much, except that it seems like you've got a Vampire recruiting hisself a nest. Infected is one thing, but infecting others is a problem. Might be your problem as well as ours, so I wanna check this out, rapid. Meantime, I gotta set a lady's jaw back in place. Here's my drop {data} in case you need to contact me before tomorrow. Otherwise I'll call you at 10:00 am, and we'll iron this out.>>
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Sheldon sends you a message back:
<<I'll bring you your student tomorrow morning, let me know where and when to meet you.>>
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<<He got papers that'll let him walk around Mid city? If the dude wants to learn, he might as well go to the mountain. 10:00am at DeGears sound alright?>>
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@Everyone:
[OOC: Ya'll can just go about whatever business you'd like to take care of. Someone should do a First Aid test on Mercedes before 12 hours goes by since she got wounded. I'll say B.B. goes to meet Sheldon and he'll just make a trid hologram of Mercedes when her help is needed.]
Woofer drops each of you off one by one at your respective apartments and all of you except for B.B. are totally passed out by 3:00AM.
@B.B.
As soon as you get home you run over to your bed and as fast as you can you get out of you clothes and jump into bed just in your boxers and load up Planes of Eldoran. The cool waters of Mirimar Falls soothes your frazzled nerves as you dive for treasure, just a few quests away from leveling. You get only about half an hour of game time in before you pass out. At 9:00 AM you wake up, still in game, resting on the sunny shores of a crystalline lake. Looking at the meat-world time you see there's no more time to advance right now, but you make a mental note to try and get some grinding in before the day is done. After jacking out, taking a shower and changing your clothes, you head out to catch the monorail over the lake and eastward to Bellevue.
You arrive near the electronics store at about 9:50AM and you notice 3 orks who seem seriously out of place sitting on the curb outside. Two of them look almost as big as the Crushers you faced last night and they're both sporting crimson nano-tattoos around their faces and one of them has a crimson dragon tattoo wrapped around his shaved head. The third ork looks younger and is smaller and frailer, his hair arranged in tight, neat little corn-rows and he looks a lot more reserved than his companions. You quickly scan their PANS and your Browse program is able to pull up some publically available data on them. Apparently all three have had run in's with the law and although they were born SINless, have been issued probationary criminal SINs.....which is a death-wish if you want a corporate job, but will at least keep KE from asking too many questions or take you in for not having an ID while walking around the "civilized" parts of Seattle. As you approach, a quick scan with your radar shows you that since the two bigger orks have the same cyberware as last night's mundane opponents had, it's safe to assume that they're Crusher guards. You don't notice any weapons on them at all though.
As soon as they see you, they stand up and just watch you. You walk right up to them and as they tower over you, one of the Crushers says, "They wouldn't let us in so we're just waiting here for you. You must be the little dude who's gonna teach Koello over here." He puts a hand on Koello's shoulder almost teasingly as the younger ork looks down at his shoes not making eye contact with you. The bigger ork continues, "Sheldon told us to hand him over to you and when you're done with him you call us up and we'll pick him up. Then when you wanna enter the neighborhood just call up the boss. The boss also told us that the kid's got a credstick to use to buy whatever kind of gear he might need to bring back to the barrens with him."
Before the Crusher finishes, an older man, who you recognize as the owner, Arnie, comes out of the front door and starts yelling at the orks, apparently unphased by the intimidation factor. "When I told you to get out of my store, I didn't mean go out and loiter right outside! Get the hell out'a here and go back to your side of town!" As soon as Arnie sees and recognizes you he softens a bit. "I got KE breathing down my ass as is and the last thing I need is gangbangers, especially dumb ork gangbangers attracting the wrong kind of attention!" The Crushers look angry, but roll their eyes and just decide to not press the issue. They give an elaborate hand-shake to Koello and then stroll-off down the street, garnering double takes from any pedestrians also walking down the block, simultaneously doing double takes themselves when any of those pedestrian is a voluptuous young lady. So far the young ork continues to just look down at his shoes and hasn't exchanged a word with you but you both stand there as Arnie motions for the two of you to come-on in his store.
[OOC: once you're ready you can make the instruction test. The kid current Computer skill is 4, but his Hacking skill is only 1.]
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"Once we hit neutral ground, I'm going to pull over so we can patch up Mercedes and see if anyone is tailing us. After that, drop me off at DeGears I suppose... unless any of you want to go grab a drink?"
[/quote]
I thought patching up Mercedes was already taken care of?"
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[OOC: I only patched up Woof and the shaman. I'll toss bones for mercedes too. 14d6.hits(5) → [3,3,1,5,4,3,4,1,6,1,1,4,5,4] = (3) Wow.. shit roll. If I refreshed a point of Edge on those critical successes earlier, I'd like to do an Edge reroll on misses. 11d6.hits(5) → [2,2,3,2,2,2,5,3,4,6,1] = (2) Double wow. With edge that's 3P healed. Without it's 1P. Kinda goes without saying that I'd rather not spend my last point of Edge on a heal test..]
"Sorry Arnie. It's my fault. I said I'd show the kid how to ride the net, champion style. Didn't figure he'd show up early with his cousins in tow. On the plus side, we're looking to spend a grip of yen on some bog-standard gear. If KE bothers us it'll just be another point for your lawyers in the 'police harassment' column." Brian walked up to the kid. "Up here Keol. I ain't that small. Let's talk and walk." He beckoned the kid to follow him deeper into the swarming AR wonderland that was DeGears electronics. "So, young disciple, you looking to protect yourself or to mess other people up? Offensive and defensive tricks are completely different bag..."
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[OOC: Hey, Kontact, did you remember -2 modifier since I'm an adept? If not, then you'd not even get the threshold...]
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[OOC: Hey, Kontact, did you remember -2 modifier since I'm an adept? If not, then you'd not even get the threshold...]
[OOC: Yep. But I did assume a -1 for indoor rather than a -2 for on the street. I figure either the hotel or maybe the back of Woofer's car if Inca lets that work as indoor. Whole mojambi kit 6 + 7 logic+ 3 nanites +1 pushed - 2 awakened -1 indoor = 14. If we went into the hotel, could probably get a skilled assistant bonus from Walks. Might be another hit if you want to go for it?
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@Kontact
Your direct candidness with the young ork seems to disarm him a little and even though his shyness is still there, he drops his outer shell of toughness a little. "...mmm...I don't know. I just always wanted to be kinda like a hacker..." As he contemplates the idea of getting the chance to learn some "tricks" his shyness quickly falls away as well. "....Like...I always imagined being this hacker who slips into banks and crashes'em for loot! Like, i'd make my persona look like Robin Hood... Sheldon said that I should keep going with my dreams and not give up...I don't know...." He looks back down at his shoes as if his ambitions seemed rather stupid and unrealistic.
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"Well you've got the right role model, if not the exact right idea. Robin Hood wasn't a bank robber; he was a highwayman. He would monitor the roads and when he saw the right kind of traffic, he'd snatch it up and take what he needed. Our basic form of digital graft works the same way. Today's scores aren't found in the banks, well, at least not so that a person could get to it without massive effort. Most of the money is in the air, like an idea. Really, that's all we have left, the idea of money. Machine thinks that you sent it a cred, it pops out a soda. Electric company thinks it's been paid, they send out the juice. Car thinks you're its owner, it opens up; the engine starts. Before we get into busting in to heavy databanks, I wanna talk about Spoofing. Money is only data. Ownership is only data. You learn to Spoof and then money and ownership become irrelevant. Besides that, it's your way in to any wireless system, and your trap door should you need to cut and run."
Their meandering walk took them over to the commlink section where Brian selected a few Novatech Airware links.
"Say you've got a real digital fortress like we'll be setting up later for your peoples, (what kind of budget are we working with here by the way?) Anyhow, there are some systems where the doors are just too thick to kick in. Most any system with something worth taking is going to be like this. In those cases your only options are going to be the low and slow port-scan, which could take hours or days, or you just bypass the door altogether and go in a window. Like, say you're prowling a fancy downtown condo to grab jewels, tronics, data, whatever. You want to get in, but if you just spoof the door, the house node will freak out since fancy shit like that needs all sorts of parallel confirmation. If you try to hack the node directly, you'll either be there for hours, which'll get you caught, grab up its ID and hack it from a remote location and come back once that's done, which doubles your exposure, or just brute your way through and hope you can beat the cops' response time. All three of these puny options fall before the might of the fourth. You steal their fridge. Spoof its subscription over to your link, drop the slave mode and reconnect it to the Home Node as a trusted device. Now you've got an unmonitored connection straight to the heart of the system. You own that place in 3 seconds flat. ...And that's why we're going to be getting a bunch of skinlinks here today.
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After making sure Mercedes gets into her apartment alright, despite getting shot himself. Heads home, pulls up all the information they currently have, and starts to review. Looking for something he might have missed, just not trying to go to sleep til he has to around 3 am, and even then....it's not a sound sleep.
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Yeah. 'Cedes crashes, hard. She rearranges any scheduled appointments she has with the Corps in the next few days to the latest strain of Aztlan flu and it's wrecked her speaking voice. When Kontact needs her, she'll be ready, but until then or a new lead comes up, she's resting comfortably on her laurels. ;)
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Time 10:30 AM
@B.B.:
Koello, contemplating what you just told him, looks at a few commlinks behind a display window. "With Sheldon price is not really an obstacle....just don't screw him over....he doesn't like that. Just last night a loud mouthed dwarf just got worked over and if his friends don't come up with the money he owes Sheldon by friday, he's gonna get dipped in an oil drum filled with hydrochloric acid.....after about a month of sitting in there there ain't even bones left." You see the kid chuckle a little at the thought. Funny thing about life in Redmond, even the shy ones can be stone cold hard-asses.
@Woofer:
The blood. Who would have thought the little boy had so much blood in him. ".....Detective Marcus, astral forensics aren't even picking up a signature, whoever did this did a damn good astral scrubbing," you hear over your left shoulder......."Ya, that or maybe for some people it was actually possible to truly feel nothing....absolutely nothing," you think to yourself. "Not too far fetched when that's pretty much how i'm feeling right about now." The blood, all you see is blood.... body's in the next room next to the parents. "Detective Marcus, would you come look at this.....hello....Detective Marcus?"....Nothing....you feel nothing. Walk down the corridor....wooden floor boards....slippery when wet....turn the corner....flash photography, one snap after another. That's what's left of him....sad little corpse....if you could even call it that.....you feel nothing....absolutely nothing.......
You snap awake drenched in sweat, chest sore. Your commlink slides off your stomach onto the floor, and just lays there vibrating as a little blue AR screen floats up showing you the time and an alert for an incoming call. You must have passed out on the couch, the little box found in Jeshua's room lying on the ground with it's contents strewn out about it. Maybe it's dad. You squint a little trying to focus; sleeping with your contacts in always blurs the image-link. Ain't dad, it's fucking Germaine.
You debate whether to answer it or not.
@Mercedes:
You wake-up and after txt messaging back and forth some plans with the team you pop a few Soy Tarts in the toaster and start scrolling through your contact list. "Spell formulae? Really Walks? Well, better get cracking 'Cedes, don't know where to start with that one" you think to yourself. An AR screen tells you the tarts are ready a second before they pop out and you catch them mid-air. Without thinking you bring one to your mouth to take a bite. "FUUUUUUCKK!" You nearly double over in pain as you clutch your jaw and slam your fist down on the kitchen counter. It's gonna be a shitty couple'a days.
@Cynthia:
Your maiden watches you from down the street....you pause to look back at her once more, and she merely stands there, her arms outstretched, beckoning you. You turn back around and keep walking down the unlit street, but the silver light of the moon continues to light your path and you feel her presence high above you. She hasn't given up on you "She'll want a gift soon.....she loves gifts..."
You awaken with a smile on your lips, thanking her for her guidance and promising her that you will repay her in kind. Feeling like you need to prepare for what lies ahead you txt msg Mercedes asking ever so nicely for her to procure a few items for you. A replica of the sacred Mukwa Khangee (bear-crow) totem painted on a soft deer skin blanket. Sleeping in this blanket is said by your people's shamans to bring powerful dreams where you can receive powerful gifts from great spirits. With this blanket you might be able to request knowledge from the old ones.
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Cursing, Woofer answers, video off, "Hello?" *sounding like he just woke up*
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"Ha ha, ahhh.. oil drums. I remember early '64 when we stormed the death camps outside of Sacramento. The Japanese were using oil drums as an infinitely renewable means of exterminating the metahuman population. They'd just lock our people inside.. victims died of heat-stroke, dehydration or suffocation; I don't think the Imps cared which. They'd dump the dead out and put another inside. Had thousands of barrels, more than four times enough to fit all the Imperial Marines who surrendered that day. And we did kill them all. Stacked the bodies fifty high.. to rot in the sun..."
Brian's usually vacant stare took on a glint as the terribleness deep inside of him awoke with the memory, but he choked it down.
"It doesn't impress me how Sheldon kills people; It impresses me how he keeps them alive."
"Anyway, let's talk about the better world, yeah? The Matrix." He formed a personalized ARO on the tip of his gloved finger and touched it to a nearby RFID tag, transferring the feed over. "Alright, so check the feed. I'll run you through some code injection techniques. Don't be afraid to pipe in if I assume too much. In fact, hold on a second while I reach out to someone." He touched another RFID, dropping another ARO there as he called Mercedes.
[OOC: the described with the oil drums was actually a practice during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during WWII. Just adding some perspective as B.B. is a guy who fought against a genocidal occupation force. Seven years of conflict where your enemies goal is nothing less than ethnic cleansing, and, well, the 6 willpower starts to make more sense.]
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[OOC: Brief interlude as before bed and rising to pack the truck tomorrow morning IRL]
"C'mon, Tomás! You owe me for introducing you to Esmeralda! ... That's what I thought, I'll be by to pick up the armor, granadas and taser later tonight. ... Do you also know the name of a good doc? ... Isn't he the guy that chopped up Donna last year? ... I don't care if he was acquitted! ... All right, thanks! Give my love to the boys."
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I reflect on what has happened since we took the mission and try to put into perspective what Moon Maiden is trying to tell me.
If something major is hiding under the Crushers noses it has got to be sneaky or well disguised. I have to trust my instincts and keep pushing forward.
I wonder what would have the resources to do so? I wonder how long the Crushers have been the force in that part of town?
I'll reflect on these questions and wait for BB to let us know when we have the green light to move forward.
I'll also see what I can find on vampires and the infected
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@Woofer:
You notice that the number which he is calling from is different from his usual commcode, but it nonetheless has his name in the tag. You decide to answer anyways.
Germaine's grating voice at this hour of the morning starts your temples throbbing and you rub them slowly as you hear what he has to say.
"10:30 in the morning and you're just getting out of bed?! You're running around with 50,000 nuyen of my money and that's the best you can do?!!...." You hear a pause on the other end of the line as you feel Germaine try to control himself like he always does. "Listen, right now I'm calling from a downtown mall in order for me to be able to even make this call without it being recorded or even monitored." The volume of his voice comes down a little. "What if anything have you found so far? Luckily my business schedule for yesterday went through Visteon's daily time-management evaluation check without anything unusual being unnoticed. I only can stay on the line a few more seconds, but I need to know how this investigation is progressing!..."
@B.B.:
After the first few tips you give him you realize that the amount he knows, however little, is completely self taught. That's a definite plus because you can see that he quickly developes his own style which is the most crucial trait even a decent hacker needs to out-code even the most nerfed IC.
Once Koello manages to figure out how to funnel data packets into the buffers of his hacking program, he still has a heck of hard time keeping up with the integral cluster compression algorithm which splices the packets into undetectable bit-lets and then reassembling them again down the pipe. He's too used to just ramming the whole packet into the data queue and hoping his spoofing program will take care of the rest. That might even work if he even knew how to write script for the spoofer, but all he knew right now was how to hit the GO button which on his out-of-the-box persona was sim-sculpted to activate when you clench your sphincter. It's important to link a macro to every major muscle group of the body, but adrenalin has a funny way of crossing the wires in there. You show him how to link low level emoti-tracks to the controls and tweak the threshold down from "calm composed resoluteness to do X" to "burning desire to do X." Seems counter-intuitive, but if the natural reaction to fear of getting caught is elevated levels of stress, why not go with the flow and use the emotion by just redirecting it. That seems to open up a whole new world for him and he quickly applies the same technique to the controls of some of his other programs.
[OOC: rather than roll the instruction test, if you and Mercedes just wanna have fun with it and role-play the instruction part we'll just do it that way until everyone has finished tweaking their characters. Very subjectively, depending on how good I feel you both taught him, i'll determine Koello's reaction and ultimately Sheldon's reaction.]
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Woofer controls himself as he brings Germaine up to speed, where they've tracked his son, and some of their current leads. "Investigations are never immediate, we're working, but we are still in need of sleep. We will find your son, but his trail is somewhat cold."
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@Woofer:
Germaine seems to calm down a little bit after you give him some straight talk. He says he will contact you as soon as he gets another opportunity to slip out, don't try and contact him.
@B.B.:
After spending several hours in the store with Koello you tell him that it's time to go try and aim high and shoot for the moon . You want to find all traces of what happened the night before and scrub the matrix clean of any of it and you want him to watch. You also get a call from one of Sheldon's boys and he says that when the kid is ready you should come with him over to the Crusher turf and if Koello's with you you'll all be let in and escorted to the boss himself.
[OOC: I'll just make the scrubbing be a success test and it will be a Datasearch+Edit (3) test. If you fail then MAYBE something was left unscrubbed, who knows. Once you've done this test i'll just consider the orks skill to have gone up one level and then just chose some gear and some programs for him.]
@Mercedes:
You find a street doc and he can patch you up for 750 nuyen.
@Cynthia:
You commune with the Moon Maiden and you continue to get a feeling of impending doom from her. You don't know quite how to interpret the signs she places in your path. After reading about vampires and the infected you do change some of the stereotypes you had about them. Although they are the result of a magical phenomenon, it is never the less caused by a virus and behaves very much like any other incurable disease in the psychological effects it has on it's carriers. You have no reason to believe, however that HMHVV is somehow at play here. From what you read vampires must hunt down their prey and it is incredibly difficult to resist the urges which the virus produces in the infected individual and government and corporate programs which provide blood and flesh rations many times have a huge drop-out rate.
@Everyone:
After two days of putting in the calls, chasing down the leads and browsing the online and back-alley markets, you manage to procure the gear which you desired and only the fake SIN's and liscences are on their way. You all agree to meet 2 days later (Sept 10th, 2072) and plan what your next move is as well as call up Sheldon and tell him that the kid is ready.
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[OOC: Surprise surprise, 12d6.hits(5) → [1,1,6,3,1,2,2,1,3,2,2,6] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2829641/) buying hits would have made it... anyway..]
"Another one. For Ghost's sake. What is with these trid-happy retards putting a street brawl on the net like it's their damned business. You want to hack this one Koello? You know what might be more effective than playing trideo whack-a-mole is if we go chat these people up. In fact, yeah, this could be a good thing." A crooked smile crossed B.B.'s face as he hit on how to handle this. "You know what's the best signal defense a person can have Koel? A TIe grid. I bet I could get some Telematics Infrastructure software off a friend and Sheldon could send the troops around to put it on the locals' comms along with a warning about how spreading potentially damaging information about the Crushers is bad for everyone's safety. Future troubles are avoided on both fronts. Mostly with the TIe grid. You get one of those running, and nobody will ever be able to creep up on you. Some sneak-ass cyberninja tries to hop a wall and his gear will tell you where he is in no time at all. Cops come in force, and you've got advanced warning. Flying drones, got them pegged too. Complete master of your wireless domain... and it's cheap too, so long as you get it cracked."
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During the two days after I do the vampire research stuff.
"I have been looking at the vampire and infected angle, and it just doesn't look right. My totem is warning of impending doom, and if this infected has been here for a while I don't see how this would cause impending doom now. Could this be something the Crushers are running? I would hate to get shown in and escorted around only to find out it is one of Sheldon's operations that we are having to hit."
"B.B. you are leaving some of your bag of tricks out of your training so if we do have to slip in or something in the future we won't be smeared by our own training right?"
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Mercedes leaves the Street Doc, smiling for the first time in days since it no longer hurts to do so. She dials up Woofer on her 'link, "Hello Marcus! How are we doing for tonight? I was able to secure the gear we needed, and am ready to go."
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<<No worries walks. If the Crush was in on this scheme, then they wouldn't need me to teach the kid. Wherever we're headed, there's someone sitting at the end of the rainbow with a whole lot of digital man-dangles. Besides, whatever benefit they've gotten from me upping their digital security has come at the cost of me becoming intimate with their physical security.>>
[OOC: I'm a little confused about the current setup. Did Koello stay with me for the full 2 days, and is he with us at the motel? Or did I drop him off at the end of each day and spend a little face-to-face time with Sheldon?]
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Woofer, looking just as rough as three days ago, "Sounds good mercedes, I'll meet everyone at the hotel." *rubs face*
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The incessant rain of Seattle let up for about a day but then decided to come down again in full force on Saturday. Woofer is the first to show up in the dimly lit lobby of the dank coffin motel. The checkin counter is just an automated terminal which must be more than 20 years old but still not as old as the rest of the establishment. Little green block letters scroll across the welcome screen asking you to slot a credstick. Locks work on a finger print scan on a little black glass tab near the terminal screen. Woofer is given room 211 and he texts that to the rest of the team. Going up one flight of stairs he passes his thumb over a similar black glass tab and a light near the nob turns from red to green and he enters. Nothing fancy, a neatly made queen-sized bed, a bathroom and a little trid box.
Eventually everyone arrives, the last one to come in is B.B. who's soaking wet but still sporting his usual swagger. When you see his young but well-built pupil come in behind him you try stifle a laugh because it's obvious some of that trade-marked swagger has rubbed off on the young ork. You also notice the kid is proudly sporting a nice new comm which are connected by wire to a set of trodes which are partially hidden under a red bandana.
After laying all the new gear on the bed and taking an inventory you guys all pack-up and check-out. Everyone rides with Woofer except for Mercedes on her bike again and you cruise back out to the Crusher turf, but this time in the middle of the day. The difference between night and day is quite obvious. First of all, there are a lot more human's running around, primarily children who are barely bundled up despite the cold, some of them even with flip-flops on and soaking wet, playing in the rain. When you make it to the wall of the neighborhood you see a similar configuration of Crushers, except you don't recognize any of them. As you pull up in your vehicles, Woofer rolls down the window and Koello sticks out his head, "Let us in you dumb fucking trogs!" and laughs. The Crushers chuckle back at him and the shaman of the group says something into an ear-clipped comm mic and waves one of the soldiers off and he hops on a near-by graffitti'ed scooter and pulls up along side the car. Koello falls back into the backseat and says to Woofer, "Follow that guy".
The difference between the Crusher turf inside the wall and outside the wall is quite obvious. The buildings are packed closer together and many of the gaps between the buildings are covered with blue tarp creating an interesting feeling of being inside a tent when going in-between several alleys. Some of the tarps even have their underside painted with child-like depictions of ork children planting trees or wearing Crusher tags and looking very happy next to rainbows. Every once in a while a group of alleys all run into a small plaza where large groups of ork children with a few human's among them are playing stick-ball and scatter as vehicles zip through.
Upon reaching another one of these plaza's you see 3 adult orks playing with the gang of kids, 2 of the orks have submachine guns slung around their shoulders and hold a stick with their free hand. The shortest of the 3 orks is wearing a tank-top with an under-arm holster strapped over it and an Ares Predator snuggly sticking out. He's laughing as little kids try to use their small size to get around him and at the ball...."Not so fast!" he calls out laughing some more.
The Crusher on the scooter pulls up next to the ork in the tank-top and says something to him, and he passes his stick over to one of the kids and they keep on playing. He looks over to your vehicles and motions for you to walk over. You all leave your vehicles and start walking toward him and he meets you half way, grabbing Koello and giving him a hug. As he comes closer you see he looks to be in his late 20's which for an ork looks middle-aged. His ethnicity looks like a mix of native-american, black and white. His shoulder length hair is full, black with a few white strands and his tusks have a tiny little ring of totem drawings in black ink around them.
The familiar smooth voice you heard on the comm call greets you, "I'm Sheldon, and I want to thank you for helping me out. Before we talk about other things, let me see if this stupid kid learned anything. Koello, crack this for me so I can copy it." He pulls out a little chip from his pocket which looks like a BTL.
[OOC: Roll for Koello and write it out, Hacking 2 + Software 3 (3) to crack it.]
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I'll hang back at the back of our group and watch. I'm going to try and use my security procedures knowledge skills to try and determine what other security is in the area. I'll casually look around the plaza and try to figure out a bolt direction in case things go bad for some reason. I'll also try and figure out what building around here is most likely Sheldon's base of operations.
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"Digital death, hunh? That's a tough market to get into. But I guess the syndicates are all moved on to streaming distribution. Which.. ah! That's what this is about! Chips are all hardware-encoded to play once and self-delete, so it takes hours of poking around to figure out where that is on the chip and bypass it, but you want him to grab it while it streams so you can dupe syndicate BTL streams!"
[OOC: rolling stealth 5 +6 hacking +3 nanites +1 PuSHeD = 15d6.hits(5) → [2,1,6,5,3,6,2,2,3,3,2,3,3,6,3] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2834304/)]
<<Yo, Koel, this is insane. World-class talent could only pull this off like half the time. I'll ride shotgun if you want. Maybe we'll get lucky.>>
"That's... basically the equivalent of catching a bullet in your teeth, and not in the way where the bullet kills you. A guy has to identify the kill command in the data stream as it moves past and cut that code in such a way that the whole thing doesn't crash."
[OOC: Teamwork test capped at 1 hit.. 11d6.hits(5) → [1,1,4,5,6,4,2,4,4,1,6] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2834305/)]
<<Right there Koel! That's the kill command!>>
[OOC: Koel's test w/teamwork. 6d6.hits(5) → [3,1,4,1,5,3] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2834307/) Yep.. pretty much..]
"And because the code is hot, a dude can't do it in VR, or he'll get exposed to Ghost knows what and addicted to the burn. Hell, for new users, they like to stack their BTL streams with extra-addictive signals to make it pretty much impossible not to get hooked into that death dream."
<<Well, it was a matter of luck anyway. Like I said, this is bananas.>>
"I'm kinda flattered that you think I could make your boy into a world-class hacker in two days, but if that's what you're looking for, he'd be better off with a surgeon than with a mentor..."
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Mercedes follows along as B.B. talks with Sheldon. She switches her perception to the Astral to take in what's going on around the neighborhood and also to get a detailed read on Sheldon as he works with Koello and B.B.
Assensing Sheldon in detail (7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2834402/)
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Woofer just watches as things unfold.
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@B.B.:
You see that Koello doesn't stop even once you've realized that he's just not quick enough to grab a data packet out of the stream. A smile left over on Sheldon's face from playing with the local kids starts to fade and turn into a completely expressionless stare. As you try to cover for the kid, and probably your own ass as well, you see Sheldon turn towards you and you feel instantly that you should have kept your mouth shut....
[OOC: Koello's gonna use edge to reroll that DP: Koello's Edge re-roll: (5d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2834587/) whew!]
All of a sudden you notice the kid flip his raw ASIST controls up into hotsim levels while manually overiding the safety feature coma inducers. His hands fall to his side still clutching the chip and his eyes roll up into his head. You pop open an AR window viewing onto the matrix and you see an icon of a green-caped rogue shooting silver arrows at data-packets. Then you see it, the kid freakin did it....he flipped the ASIST trigger for his analyze threshold from his left pectoral to a "burning desire in his heart"....just like you showed him....and sure enough he grabbed a packet. Once he had it that was all he needed to climb on board the data-stream and crack the copy protection.
Koello wakes up all of a sudden and hands the chip back over to Sheldon, "How many copies do you want Sheldon?" The gang boss smile comes back to his face as he checks his commlink. "Alright little man, what can I do for you?"
[OOC: Everyone can add Sheldon as a Loyalty 2/ Connection 5 contact]
@Mercedes:
You see that his aura is extremely strong yet incredibly complex...a man of very conflicting emotions which he's been able to tame into a working whole...he's completely mundane yet the colors of his aura are so bright it's as if he were an astral beacon. You notice a few cybernetic enhancements. A data jack, along with cyber-eyes.
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"Just playing connect the dots. Next dot is in the Pearl. Probably be in and out in 5 minutes. On the off chance that isn't the case, then it means there's something hells of unnatural going down in your area. You think the Yaks, or the corps they front for, would try and hide something major in your territory? Like, has their traffic been unusual?"
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Sheldon seems to flinch a little when you mention the Yakuzas as if the word annoyed him. Then you see a growing idea on his face. "The Pearl Tongue? Finally the Great Ghost has sent us someone to help us with that thorn in our side. La'Khaghada!" The Crushers around him repeat, "La'Khaghada!" and raise their assault rifles in the air.
[OOC: translates to "praise the spirit"]
"I'll provide an escort for you through my neighborhood and you go over and find out whatever you can about what the hell is going on over there. Kanaga-gumi and I had a deal that I would let them keep their establishment and we would guarantee safe passage of their clientele as long as they paid their dues. It was pretty lucrative for a while...but then they stopped paying up. Every time I'd send someone down there to collect, they'd go AWOL and wouldn't ever come back. Wasn't worthit for me anymore to try and collect. I just cut off their clientele....well of course except the ones who could pay out the ass....but they're operational and aparently doing just fine. I need to find out how and I want my damn money."
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"Well, shit. I thought 100 yen was steep for parking... you mind if I talk with you privately for a moment, mind to mind?"
<<@Sheldon: Whatever is going on down there has something to do with mind control, and whatever it is, I aim to frag it up really, really badly. Can you set up a perimeter to stop anyone getting out? The Telematics Infrastructure software I hooked you up with, you can use that to find any stray wireless signals from someone trying to escape the place. Do not let them go, even if it's me. Koello spent a couple of days with me, if they manage to crack my brain, maybe he'll know. Ask me some questions. Have the Shaman (who, I'm sorry I shot, by the way,) look me over. He knows my aura. Anything fails, I've got a mess of flashbang grenades in this satchel here. Poor man's stunball. <Attach> Here's the det keys. Things are looking fishy, take cover and set them off. Everyone in 30 feet will be on their ass with a shock-wave concussion. That's assuming I don't use them inside, but.. Point is, I'd appreciate restraints and questions to summary execution, but no one leaves. Okay?>>
Brian paused for a moment. Why was he confiding in this drug-lord/slum-lord? He wasn't a good person, but it seemed like he wanted to be. Maybe that was it. He was still trying in a world that had given up. Whatever the reason, Brian changed topics and continued out loud.
"I... feel something waking up in me. Something terrible. I hadn't fired my gun outside of the range in nearly a year before the other night. Don't really go to the range much anyway, this particular weapon being highly illegal and all, but I feel it now. The way it connects to my shoulder.. Like it was back then. Maybe it's you guys, or this place, but it feels like Oakland during the war. Orkland, if you prefer."
He paused for a moment before returning to his earlier point.
"Whatever happens in that place, it's going to be bad. If everything goes wrong, and we're out of contact for two days or more, just burn it to the ground and blame it on me. Name's Brian Crenshaw. Used to go by the nickname "Little Boy" just to piss off the Nips. Go ahead and snap my mug. I'm in their records. I blew up the Haenuki airfields north of San Fran in '65. Broke the back of the Japanese occupation airforce. Regardless of any horrible shit that happens to, or in, that place, the Yaks will believe you if you say I did it. I was their personal fucking nightmare for two years after the war's end, and I aim to be again."
-
Woofer looks over at BB wondering what the hell he's talking about.
-
Sheldon listens intently to what B.B. has to say with his head cocked to the side. "Set-up a perimeter? When I said the Pearl Tongue was lucrative I didn't mean that much. Every minute I take a man off his corner I'm losing money chummer. Best I can do is send a Crusher with you....Spiderman here will make sure you make it there fine and he'll watch out for you guys. That's the best I can do for ya."
Spiderman, a tall ork with a buzzcut who looks to be of pacific islander descent walks over as Sheldon motions for him. The Crusher hands another smaller ganger with an SMG his assault rifle and asks for the SMG in return, checks the chamber, pops out the clip and checks it, then jams it back in and drops the gun to let it dangle from it's strap. He doesn't say a word but hops onto the same scooter the gate watchers brought in and just waits for your next move.
-
sub vocally "B.B. are we positive this is the right place. If not I don't want to piss off the Yak for nothing. Heck I don't want to piss off the Yak period, but if it has to be done then it has to be done. The debacle with the crush from a couple nights ago seems to have come out OK, but I don't want to trust luck to turn a bad situation good again. I vote for recon and stealth over guns a blazing."
Out loud "Sheldon, do you have floor plans for the building that we could get a copy of? If that isn't too much trouble." She will pause and smile then say, "You have to excuse our friend. Tech brilliant, Japanese obsessed and well you heard the rest. Bad things sometimes shape people for the rest of their lives ya know."
Sub Vocally again, "B.B. also before you make your last stand with those flash bangs please make sure none of us are close enough to get caught up in the wash."
-
Mercedes stays surprisingly quiet as everyone talks about the plans, almost as if she's studying everything to see if anything is out of the ordinary.
-
[OOC: Just to let you know, the stuff about the bomb bag was all done as a person to person message with Sheldon. No one else should have that info.]
"People walk in, and they don't walk out. No explanations given. Sounds like the place to me. Doesn't mean I plan to walk in the front door shooting."
[@Jimmy Locke: Jay-Ell, you awake? Sorry to leave you hanging for so long only to come at you with a request. I'll make it up to you by letting you break the news about Old Olly Sanon to the frothing gossip mobs. Also might could hook you up with a regular client by the way of Sheldon Yamani, head of the Crush. He'll need help keeping his digital defenses up to date. Might be a good fit for bi-monthly software patches. Anyway, here's the thing. I need a mook. I hear tell, Sharkey cracked the Horizon Auto-assistant Platinum into a beastly bot. If you could find me that, or something equivalent, I could use it quick. Also, the Ares Myrmidon Small-unit Tacictal Operations Network software, or its like. Hit me back, as quick as you can.]
"This isn't a last stand, or some revenge trip from the war. We can do this smooth as silk, with Mercedes and Woof doing recon by the front door while you and me get roof access. I just want to make sure that, if things go all wrong, at least the people responsible will pay for it when Sheldon pours petrol down the beast's gullet and turns it into a column of flame. I suppose first order of business is astral recon and setting up a VPN so we can communicate even if we need to turn our wireless off."
[OOC: Looking to get a R3 Unrestricted Agent (retail 3600¥ avail 11) and a R2 TacNet (retail 6000¥ avail 10.) Should I roll the same Cracked software VPN thing as before?]
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Woofer: "Should I knock or pull a forged warrant out?"
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"Dunno, but it seems a bit early to be looking for a game of slap-and-tickle, that's for sure. I mean, I doubt they get much in the way of lunchtime business in an East Redmond brothel. We need more info, Id' say. Spiderman, you know anything about this place, like if it has regular deliveries coming through the checkpoint?"
B.B. looked a little uncomfortable as the climax of their search resolved more and more in his mind. This was happening, and soon. Was any one of them really ready for this? If it devolved into combat, as he suspected, would it be another show of pulled punches and half-measures? This was not detective work anymore. This was soldier work. You don't talk cancer out of the body. You cut it out with a calculated act of violence. His mind was drifting..
<<@Koello: Koel! Shiiiit! That was a fine grab, but hot?! That code is like mental-floss! You gotta remember, when you stream it like that, the map is the territory, and you are getting hit with BTL signals. I ain't gonna pretend that your problems are mine, but that shit will hook you, and it will kill you. It's called Better Than Life for a reason, and that's because IT IS. There is nothing that life can offer you that feels better than that wire. Not a damned thing. But I know you. You want something more than just feeling better. You want to be better and do better, and you know the difference between having what you want and earning it. You also know that I'm the wealthiest motherfucker alive, because I can afford to tell the truth. So, know that when I say running chips and streams like that will be the end of you, I am not fucking around. I'll work with you as long as it takes to get you breathing hacks and crushing code, but let me use AR to handle toxic shit like that for you. You've earned a better fate than to kill yourself for nothing more than a pat on the head.>>
-
Mercedes stays in the background, watching and trying to figure out what's bugging her about this.
Two nights ago, we were in a firefight with these guys. I've brokered a lot of corporate and gang cease-fires, but this just doesn't feel right. Maybe it's my broken jaw...
Judge Intentions on Sheldon (15d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2845556/)
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"O.K. let's stop a couple blocks from the place, and I'll go do a stealthy recon of the outside of the building. If this is the source of the problems it will probably be well protected. Even more than is normal for such a place. If it looks doable I'll get to the roof as you guys approach."
"As I think about it I just wonder if this is just another stop in our chain to follow these guys. I think we should go in low key until we know for sure, but am open to suggestions."
-
@Mercedes:
You study Sheldon intently. Sheldon the enigma. On the one side he's pushing chips and god knows what else to more than half of the barrens, even to residents of his own neighborhood. Then on the other hand he seems to genuinely care about the people he grew up with. Your mind ponders how the affection and carefree shine in his eyes as he was playing stick ball with this plaza's street kids could in an instant turn to a cold-blooded death-sentence of a stare. You'd seen something similar before. Sometimes when the data run would go wrong your mother would come home with a black eye or a bloody nose, but she would still ramble on about how good the Laesa had been for ya'll and how important it was to be grateful and never snitch. Tough love was what she called it.
But somehow this was different.....let's face it, the elves had it different and just were.... different.... that's the bottom line. As much as any elf kid slinging it with the Ancients in Puyallup wanted to kid himself, he was still just expendable riff raff...insecure, lethally macho on the outside and soft as butter somewhere deep in his heart...but just like any meta without a SIN, ultimately expendable.
But at least that kid could kid himself....ride around with other pointy ears callin himself a prince, pick-up as many human girls as his bike could ferry back and forth from the club in one night. Once that elf kid got a little bit older and had his fill, maybe he'd apply for automatic citizenship in Portland, get a grueling but secure job down at the docks and just be that tattooed elf with a record who hangs around the pub after 6:00pm....."don't mind him, he's harmless"...just riding out the rest of his centuries. All the thugs from the ancients or even Laesa always had that "I'm doing this until life takes me down some other path" type of look in their face..."maybe i'm poor as hell right now, but it's merely temporary". When you got centuries in front of you, then they're probably right. When you got centuries or even eternity in front of you it also makes you think twice about wasting another elf over just space on the sidewalk. Instead of pulling out the Ingram and throwing it all away......better pull out the Carromeleg instead and keep the organs safe.
Sheldon however was part of a whole different world...even when Sheldon's kind have SINs, they still are the last to get hired and the first to get fired. For the humans on the west side, they're the ones who are gonna brutally rape your girlfriend if you don't slave her PAN to your comm to keep tabs on her. They're the ones who have no value for life whatesoever because they don't got much in them anyways. They're the ones who supposedly don't have the skills to be anything but bodyguards and cannon-fodder. If you never grew up in Redmond or any of the other barrens, then this is what you'd most likely take as the truth. If you did grow up right here on these streets, then you know something else entirely about "those people". They're the ones who Seattle undercounts most by a ratio of 4/1 in their census estimates. They're the ones who bore the brunt of the night of rage, were thrown out of their families in the highest numbers and die most often in encounters with KE or corp. sec. If you grew up here you'd realize that they're the ones who are your brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts and each one of them is a hell of a character.
Sheldon realizes the un-tapped potential that everyday is wasted here. The next winner of Dunkelzahn's Will money for finding a blood substitute for HMHVV victims or a way to fuse magic and machine could be right there in front of all of you playing stick-ball. Sheldon knows too that that's just never gonna happen. Orks, especially those from these neighborhoods do themselves a favor by not thinking too big....it's just setting yourself up for crushing disappointment. It's best to think small, but Sheldon wants them to think none-the-less. In his own small way he's helping out a whole community.....but you know that he could do so much better if the socially engineered cold-blooded killer inside of him wasn't constantly wrestling against the genius with a heart of gold.
He seems very genuine in his thanks for teaching Koello.
-
Mercedes catches Sheldon's gaze and nods at him, using her kinesics to convey that she understands what he's up against. "Thanks for lending us your man. I hope that we are able to all return successfully." She gets back on her bike, turns to her friends and smiles reassuringly, "Are we ready for this?"
-
@B.B.:
You notice that even once Koello's made several copies of the BTL code and shot it over to Sheldon's comm and has responded to your text message with a nod, he's slipped back into hotsim and his his ASIST readouts which are visible to you show dopamine levels shooting through the roof. You've seen this before...depends on the personality, brain chemistry, and just shear willpower, but unfortunately it seems your little student's gotten hooked in just one go. You almost want to say something...but you stop yourself. The kid was a natural as soon as he cranked up the feeds...and asking him to sling code the same way you do would just be useless. Unfortunately it looks like that's gonna end up being part of his style....and you don't fuck with a code slinger's style. You've seen several good hackers go down the road of the burnout and usually wind-up getting hit by a truck while crossing the street on BTL's. Hopefully it would be different with this kid but you knew there's not much you can do to keep a fish out of water.
@Everyone:
You follow the scooter south-eastward through almost 2 km of winding alleyways and plazas just barely wide enough for Woofers car and a little foot-traffic on one side. With the advent of cheap sturdy building materials and construction drones back in the 30's, sprawling plasticrete shanty towns could rise up in just a matter of 1-2 years. Fueled by the speed with which the Redmond Barrens population exploded with metahuman refugees, your route showed quite starkly how the pace of construction had far outrun any attempt at urban planning.
Eventually you come out of the labyrinth of alley-ways, and start cruising down a two-way 4-lane pot-holed street and your Gridguide finally chimes in telling you you're on Union Hill Rd. You still haven't seen a perimeter wall like the one on the way into the neighborhoods so it seems you're still on Crusher turf but Sheldon's wifi network must be less well maintained here. [OOC: -2 static zone] That's one huge wall!
Spiderman pulls the scooter over to the right side of the road and you do the same since there are no cars parked outside. About a block away you see a 4 story building on the corner which has a neon sign which is off at the moment which reads "The Pearl Tongue" with the image of a pronged Naga tongue shaped into the figure of a voluptuous woman. You don't see anybody outside. Spider-man puts his sunglasses back in his pocket and nods over to you guys.
-
I will drop the face mask on my chameleon suit and engage it. "I'm up for recon, but what is the play here guys?"
I'll use my knowledge skills of security procedures and set ups to try and identify any security that can be seen from here
-
"B.B.'s plan sounds good. Woofer and I will talk our way through the front door and you to scout out the roof and any other exits."
-
"Okay, B.B. you going up to the roof too, or are you going to stay here and do an matrix overwatch and have the escape vehicle ready thing? Give me a couple minutes to check out the building and figure out the best way to get to the roof without being seen."
I'll head towards the building using my infiltration. I am also keeping an eye out for cameras and other types of surveillance.
Infiltration roll: 10d6.hits(5) → [2,5,4,6,6,4,5,1,6,4] = (5)
BBCode
10d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2848563/)
perception roll:7d6.hits(5) → [5,6,5,5,1,1,6] = (5)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2848565/)
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<<If you can spot me a camera, I'll use it to splice in to their system. After that, if there's any opening up top, I can squeeze through it for access.>>
Brian wasn't taking chances. This place fit the bill close enough to warrant the full arsenal. He secured his Ceska to his right thigh and put his arm though the Praetor's sling before tying it to his chest with a slip-knot. He decided on stick-n-shock to start the day off. He also took the satchel full of flashbangs, but went ahead and turned their wireless off for the moment.
With that as a clue, he remembered it was time to practice a bit of digital discipline.
<<Hey guys, anyone who's going where they probably shouldn't be might want to turn off their wireless. I've set up a VPN {key} by the name of Team Shush that you can quickpost to. When you log on, there'll be a little hack you can download that will set up your commlink to turn on its wireless once every 6 seconds to check for and download new messages from the VPN. It ought to keep us in contact while leaving us with basically no signal to trace.>>
[B.B.@Team Shush: 1st, lol! {here's the script} Once you kill your wifi, the script will activate. Like I said, that'll leave you a 1-6 second delay for sending or receiving messages, so if things go wrong, we'll probably hear the gunfire before we see the message.]
-
I'll go ahead and slave my commlink into the shush thing.
"B.B you really think this is necessary? Well you're the expert and being cautious is much better than sorry
-
Mercedes does the same to her commlink. "Better safe than sorry, I guess." She likewise checks her equipment, adjusting so her gun is in her back waistband and she's carrying her taser.
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<<I mean, this isn't a zero zone or anything ...I don't think... but if it's where we're supposed to be, then all active electronic signals are a major liability. I saw this guy's code in that goth bar. It is frightening. Merc and Woof, you keep your links running all John Q until we're sure this is the place. Don't want to rouse suspicion on that front. Meanwhile, contact us over the VPN with confirmation or what have you. Take one of the kid's links with you. Lemme know if it reacts like before.>>
Brian busied himself with his stretches. Climbing walls and shimmying though pipes was such a massive pain in the ass.
-
@Cynthia:
You cross the street walking away from the car and move towards the cross street that branches off the current one. You look all around and as soon as you're out of sight of a few people hanging around the entrance to their residential buildings you slip on your face-mask and engage the ruthenium polymer. You see that an alley runs behind the Pearl Tongue and a fire escape runs up the back of the plasticrete building. Silently making your way up the black metal grated stairway you pass a few tinted windows which seem to emanate the muted sound of moans and groans but you can't be sure that's what you're hearing. Once you make your way to the roof you notice an entrance door for a stairwell which runs down through the building. It seems to have a mechanical lock on it.
@B.B.:
You're hidden-mode's pop-up blocker prompts you whether or not you want to accept an AR screen with the name <<The Pearl Tongue -- Tonight's Menu!>>
@Mercedes:
The establishment looks closed as you come closer to the front door and as soon as you reach it an AR screen pops up saying <<Sorry we're closed, come back tonight at 9:00>> and then the same thing in hiragana and kanji's.
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"A stairwell from the roof with a mechanical lock. I don't see any cameras or surveillance. Are you coming up B.B. or am I going from here alone?"
I'll pull my lockpick set out and take a look around the roof again looking for any surveillance or intrusion countermeasures.
-
Looks at Woofer, but makes sure her Comm sends this out in the next burst, "Great, looks like the place is closed. What now?"
-
B.B. saw the VPN light up with a new message from Mercedes.
"Closed? What?"
<<You're not getting the menu popping up on you? This is getting weird already. First my software guy has gone quiet after relaying Fastjack's message, and now I'm getting personalized AROs in hidden mode? Could be an attempt to communicate. Or at least a way into their system. You might want to pull back while I check this out.>>
"Nothing ventured..."
He reached out a gloved hand and touched the ARO.
-
"Want me to go or wait?"
I look around the roof, and will summon up a watcher.
5d6.hits(5) → [4,1,1,5,3] = (1)
BBCode
5d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2852002/)
For drain:
9d6.hits(5) → [6,1,6,1,4,2,4,1,6] = (3)
BBCode
9d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2852003/)
No drain
"Mercedes, do you see any astral barriers?"
-
Mercedes switches her perception to the astral to see what she can see.
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Woofer shrugs, "Usually I default to pull warrant and knock, but that's out for my ideas at the moment."
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@Mercedes:
In the Astral plane you do not see anything that would stand out in any way except for the emotions lingering around the place. Sex always involves an incredible braid of vibrant and dark dull colors which can be very confusing for anyone trying to assense what they're seeing. The colors of the astral signatures wafting through the air however are more on the dull-dark side which is consistent with this place being a house of ill-repute.
@B.B.:
The ARO unfolds with the title <<Tonight's selection of beauties for every taste>>. You see a whole list of women drop down and the icon in front of each is a rotating 3D body shot of them in nothing but a teddy, bikini or other lingerie. About 30 women total and only 10 of them are highlighted to be working tonight's shift. Right next to each icon is also a pull-down menu which has the selections: <<Personality: Secretary, Dominatrix, Virgin, etc., etc...>> which can be selected for each girl.
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Mercedes looks the building over, feeling the dashed hopes and discarded dreams of the place permeate the air around the building. She looks over at Woofer and shrugs, "Maybe we should just knock and see if anyone's home?"
She steps up to the door, looking for a buzzer or anything and rings it. If there isn't one, she'll bang on the door.
-
After waiting a minute which seems like forever when on top of a building and not sure if you are being watched or not.
"Mercedes, What did you see? Are we a go or not?" long pause "Someone talk to me."
Again I will look around the roof for any surveillance or anything that might be jamming my signal
-
After getting Cynthia's burst comm, she texts back that the place seems normal and nothing's standing out that anything's more than what it appears.
-
@Mercedes:
You see an old buzzer system with a CRT screen similar to the one outside of SAM's apartment building. This building was probably even a functional low-end apartment building at some point in the 40's or 50's. One of the buttons says "Lobby" and you press it. The greenish screen lights up and you have a hard time trying to contain you're amusement when a the face of an asian female troll in a kimono appears. From the proportions of her face and the size of her tusks it's obvious that she's a troll even though her horns have been filed down or removed and her black hair is tied up in an intricate japanese bun held in place by two sticks. The rest of her face seems to be painted white and her ample lips tipped with a small little lipstick design typical of a geisha. Her almond shaped eyes however do look a little drowsy and it seems you may have woken her up. "Welcome to the Pearl Tongue but we are sorry to inform you that we are closed." she says in a standard UCAS English accent and as politely as she can muster up. "My ladies must have their beauty rest and we will open at 9:00, however if you visit our Matrix address <<commcode:320@#@090AFD>> I'm certain we can interest you in some very satisfying virtual companions.".
@Cynthia:
You don't see any real security at all except for the lock on the door.
[OOC: Lock rating 3, so do a diminishing Lockpicking + Agility (6, 3sec) if you want to open it.]
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Mercedes smiles back at the screen, pushing in the speaker button, she says "Hi! <squelches static over the intercom> sent us. He said you'd be able to attend some of our 'special' requests and when didn't matter if we had the nuyen! We were hoping to get a girl (or two) for the next few hours and we've got money to make it worth it."
Con roll on lobby attendant (16d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2853597/)
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@Mercedes:
[OOC: Madame's Con resist: Negotiation 4 + Charisma 5 = (9d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2853615/).]
The Madame pauses for a moment and turns to someone who you can't see who's next to her and consults a little. "I don't think any of my girls are gonna get out of bed for less than 3000 nuyen.....My ladies are quite luxurious and they hate to be disturbed.." The Madame gives you an overly dramatic little pout that turns into a smile, which on a troll is quite a sight to behold....it's actually quite admirable how amazingly skilled a middle-aged female troll would have to be to pull off the kind of pizazz which she exudes.
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"3000¥ is kinda pricey, how about 1500¥?"
Negotiation roll (15d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2853639/)
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@Mercedes:
[OOC: Madame's Negotiation roll: (9d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2853648/)
"Ok, we'll do 2500 nuyen....remember, you have come to the Pearl Tongue and our establishment is difficult to reach for a reason". She smiles and looks dead on into the camera.
-
"Deal, but we want your best girl!" She waits for the attendant to buzz the door open.
-
@Mercedes:
The Madame smiles and buzzes open the front door. "All our ladies are simply the best and all you must do is choose the flower whose aroma tickles your pallet in just the way the mood strikes you this afternoon."
[OOC: who all is going in?]
-
Mercedes smiles at the screen as she opens the door for her and Woofer, "Domo, goryounin."
As Woofer and her make their way inside, she sends a burst to the group, We're in.
-
Woofer follows Mercedes inside, wondering just what he might have to do once inside..
-
Mercedes sees the look on Woofer's face and smiles at him...
[OOC: Heading to the gym, be back in about an hour]
-
Hearing that they are heading in Cynthia smiles to herself. "Show time. This should just take a second or two."
Here we go:
7d6.hits(5) → [6,6,1,2,3,5,6] = (4)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2853831/)
6d6.hits(5) → [6,4,6,1,3,3] = (2)
BBCode
6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2853833/)
Pulling the lock off I look at my timer. 6 Seconds not bad. "I'm in." I open the door and if possible make it look like it is still locked without doing so. I look around the door and slip through.
-
[OOC: Well, if it's a publically-broadcasting Node, then I'll use its Matrix ID and punch myself an entrance to their system. Let's start with a couple of Analyze tests. Analyze 6 +1 skill +3 nan +1 PuSHeD = 11d6.hits(5) → [6,3,1,1,2,1,2,6,3,4,1] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2853887/) and again (dunno if there's a -2 for trying the same test again, but I'm looking for more information, not a different outcome so..) 11d6.hits(5) → [2,1,3,5,6,4,5,6,2,1,6] = (5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2853888/) Hopefully that should give me some info about this node before I try and hack my way in.
"Had her. Had her. Need her. Had her. Oh, she's new. Had her..."
-
@B.B.:
The node is shaped in the same way as the neon sign on the outside of the building with the entrance to the node being through the mouth of the Naga. You see that it's a rating 4 system and a rating 4 firewall.
@Cynthia:
You slip into a dank stair-well which leads into a hallway which is lined by several doors on each side. The hallway seems to end at the top of another stairwell going down.
@Mercedes & Woofer:
As you walk in and shut the front door behind you, you come into a lounge waiting room where there are several sofa's and easy chairs upholstered with red synth-silk and yellow embroidery. An AR icon of a neon green Naga slowly floats through the room on a timed cycle much like a screen-saver. Standing in-front of you is a young asian woman and as she gestures to you to take a seat on one of the sofa's, you can tell that she is nothing more than a life-like drone by the well known eerie feeling you get around her and her stilted mannerisms. Speaking simultaneously in english and japanese, she asks you if you would like any tea and that the madame would be with you shortly. The AR menu screen listing the girls also appears before you and you can manipulate the AR icon with your AR gloves or simsense as if it were a real menu. One of the girls seems to be awake, a blond elven girl with only a bathrobe and her hair wet. She casually looks at you and then, takes a tray with some cereal and coffee up back up a carpeted flight of stairs, the smoke from her cigarette trailing behind her. The sleepy look in her eyes gave you the feeling that you're seeing the Pearl Tongue "behind the scenes" since the place isn't really revved up to receive clientele yet.
-
"Alright, let's class it up a little before we begin."
Brian took out a piece of Betel gum and used it as a scoop to collect a little Betameth on the end. He snorted the cloudy crystals and threw his head back, sniffing a bit more. "D'ah!" He tapped the gum off in the meth baggie before popping it in his mouth. "Guh! Ack! Tastes like licking a port-a-john. Fuggin' Hannibal selling stepped-on street shit... N'urg. The drip..." He shivered a bit at the taste and a bit more at the feeling of it flooding his brain.
"And now to lay the groundwork..."
[OOC: Hacking on the fly in AR for a basic User account. Exploit 5 +6 skill +1 commlink optimization +1 PuSHeD +3 NAN (figure you can decide whether they help or not) = 16d6.hits(5) → [2,4,3,1,1,2,2,6,3,4,4,2,6,1,1,1] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2856691/) wow.. last 3 certainly don't matter. I've got the Mute option on my exploit, so if I set off an Alert, it'll be delayed for 1CT.
Gonna roll IP2 15d6.hits(5) → [6,5,4,4,2,5,6,1,6,2,1,1,4,3,5] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2856696/) So that should log me on in 2 passes.
Next action is going to be setting up a Reusable Exploit (Uw p97). Ought to be Hacking + Exploit (8) test with a 1IP increment.
So, 3rd pass. 16d6.hits(5) → [1,2,1,2,3,5,1,6,1,3,2,5,3,1,2,6] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2856701/) This is getting dirty.
Here's an opposed roll for the system's watchdog. Stealth 5 +6 Hacking + 1 Pushed +3 NAN = 15d6.hits(5) → [1,4,6,2,6,5,1,6,3,5,1,3,6,1,5] = (7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2856708/)
Here's another test for the Reusable Exploit. Only need one hit... 15d6.hits(5) → [2,3,1,6,5,4,5,4,5,4,3,2,2,5,6] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2856713/)
Another hide test before logging out.
15d6.hits(5) → [3,5,4,4,1,3,5,4,4,5,6,4,3,1,6] = (5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2856715/)
Lemme know if you want any other rolls.
Edit: Figure I might as well get Initiative out there.
Rea 4+2 Int5+1 = 12d6.hits(5) → [4,5,5,6,6,2,6,5,6,1,1,6] = (8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2857354/) So, final init of 20. I suppose the first hit of meth is always the best...
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Woofer looks over the selections, "What do you think honey?"
-
"Something really goth. Like that old movie you're always watching. Something about vampires or somesuch?"
-
"I'm in. Scouting out a hallway upstairs."
I look at my watcher "Investigate and tell me what is behind the first door on the right."
I will scan the hallway for any signs of surveillance. I will also listen for any sounds in the hallway or from any of the rooms.
-
Woofer scans, "Again? I was hoping for a cheerleader this time, but whatever you say dear."
-
"We can compromise... Let's see if they have a goth cheerleader."
-
@Cynthia:
The watcher flies into the room to your right and sends you back a mental image of a room with a bed which is empty and well made.
@B.B.:
[OOC: Firewall 4 + Analyze 4 (5,CA)= (8d6.hits(5)=2, 8d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2858327/). The total is 5, so it was able to detect you. It will issue an alert on the 2nd IP of the next CT. ]
You manage to cause a segmentation fault in the firewall's verification and you slip in during the short downtime. As you enter the node you notice that the system is equipped with some pretty decent IC rating 4. The VR sculpting on it is a blue skinned succubus whose voluptuous curves are covered with a black tattered lingerie and whip is coiled up at her hip, her eyes scanning the node.
[OOC: (accidentally rolled twice) Succubus Analyze: Pilot 4 + Analyze(optimization) 5 = (9d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2858339/)
Your stealth program manages to hide you from her gaze until the alert goes off. You quickly hack your way back into the verification subroutine and make sure that segmentation fault is not corrected on a reboot and now you have a reusable exploit.
[OOC: You have 1 IP before the alert goes off. With a user account i'll say that it would take you a complex action Hacking + Edit (5) to turn off the alarm. If you don't make it then the a restricted alarm issued against your access ID and your stealth program will no longer be able to hide you.]
@Mercedes & Woofer:
Looking at all the girls who are highlighted indicating that they are present today, you look for any which seem "gothish" and "cheerleaderish" at the same time. There is one girl who's name is Noemi who seems to fit that description. She has died black hair and very pale unmarked, unblemished white skin with hella' curves.
You first hear the madame's heavy footsteps and then finally see her appear through a doorway. She brings with her a tray with a tea pot and some china. She gently folds her kimono in and kneels down very gracefully in front of the coffee table that is before you pouring you each a cup. Even kneeling her massive head is higher than yours, her smile subtle and little eastern dragon tattoos encircle her ivory tusks. "Tell me, have you made a decision yet as to who you would like to accompany you this afternoon?"
-
"We're pretty keen on this 'Buffy42' girl here, but I heard you might have something a bit more... 'exotic'? We've been hearing rumors that you might actually have an 'entertainer' that's a vampire?"
-
[OOC: The plan is to drop out of the node before the alarm goes off, Spoof up a new ID and then use the backdoor to hack back in at Admin level. BTW, should I be rolling diminishing dice for just me, or for the firewall too? /ooc]
"Aaaaaand we gone."
Brian spoofed his ID and all his connections dropped at once, leaving him out of the Pearl's node with nothing but a blip on their Firewall. Just another blocked connection. Meanwhile he had a shiny new ID and a new door to walk though.
"Okay. Alright. No more half-steppin. This one's for all the marbles."
This time, when he launched himself at the node, he knew just where to strike, his quicksilver icon oozing right into the crack he'd just made.
[OOC: Spoofing a new Matirx ID = Hacking + software (2) test = 11d6.hits(5) → [3,3,2,4,6,4,6,6,1,2,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2858671/) so that's good.
exp 5 +6 skill +1 Push +1 opt +6 backdoor +3 NAN = 22d6.hits(5) → [5,6,5,2,3,3,6,4,2,2,6,3,4,1,2,6,4,1,5,2,1,4] = (7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2858684/)
Firewall 4 +4 Analyze = 8d6.hits(5) → [1,2,5,1,1,1,6,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2858693/)
Another heave at the wall 21d6.hits(5) → [3,5,3,6,1,3,2,3,2,1,5,2,6,4,3,2,1,2,3,2,4] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2858696/) Yikes. Barely made it. This is why I laid some groundwork.
8d6.hits(5) → [4,4,6,5,1,5,5,1] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2858709/) That's an alert.
But, I'm in with Admin, so I don't see that as being a problem for long.
Taking two Simple Actions to disable the IC and the system's running Analyze program.
Next IP, Taking another two Simple Actions to disable the Alert and to Analyze the node. 11d6.hits(5) → [4,6,4,1,4,6,3,6,4,3,3] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2858743/)
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To the watcher: "Scout out the other rooms on this floor and tell me if you find anyone alive in any of the rooms. If you do tell me which room and wait there for further instructions."
I am going to sneak over to the stairwell and look down it discreetly being more interested in stealth and staying out of sight then seeing well. Also I will scan the hallway again for security devices.
"Upper hallway is empty. Not sure if there is anyone on this floor currently investigating it."
-
@Cynthia:
Your watcher finds 3 rooms on your current floor which are occupied by girls. Each of them is in a room by herself and is simply sitting on their beds staring off into space with a completely blank expression. You don't notice any type of security, i.e. cameras, sensors, wards.
@B.B.:
You notice that the AR screen for the menu of girls disappears the instant the system alert must have gone off while you were logged out.
[OOC: I'll use your last stealth test to see if IC finds you. IC analyze BB: (8d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2859232/).]
As you log back in under a different ID you evade detection by the IC. Your Mute upgrade definitely came in handy because you still have some time to try and take care of the second restricted alert you just triggered before your icon lights up like a the 4th of July for all to see. Even with admin access you see that the way this system's firewall is set up you're gonna have to do some authentication procedures to turn off the Muted alert. You also notice the system has loaded a browse program while you were logged off and is scanning the access logs. If it grabs your old access ID, it will send the piece of the access log which has recorded the sequence of events surrounding the intrusion to the MCT service provider.
[OOC: Rolling initiative. System's init: (8d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2859242/). IC's init: IC's init: (8d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2859243/).
System's Browse: System 4 + Browse (optimized) 5 (6,CA): (9d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2859271/)
That's going to be a Computer+Edit (8, CA) extended test (non-diminishing) to turn it off. The alert will go off on system's init during CT2,IP2.]
Matrix Init CT1 IP3 B.B.-20, System-11, IC-10
@Mercedes&Woofer
The madame's expression freezes for a moment and she seems to hide a look of pure horror. Just as quickly her expression relaxes again and she smiles. "Well, yes, of course all of our girls are fitted with a vampiress personality option....I believe it's called 'Elvira'....but I assure you all of my ladies are completely clean and free of any type of infection whatsoever. We are 4 star providers and TER reviewed, as you can see.....huh?" She was beginning to pull up an AR screen, most likely of the TER matrix node, but all of sudden the menu of girls dissappears and the floating AR Naga freezes in the air. An AR screen does come up at her request but it only says <<Oops! Well this is embarrassing. System experiencing difficulties, and will be back online pending a brief inquiry into the problem. Should we contact MCT service provider? Yes/No>>
-
Mercedes takes a closer look at the madam, trying to judge if the horror is from a general dislike of vampires or if she seems to be hiding something.
Judge Intentions on madam (15d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2859330/)
She also will shift her perception to the astral to see what her aura is telling.
Assensing Roll on madam (8d6.hits(5)=0) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2859335/) - at least it's not a glitch
-
Woofer also takes note of her reaction as well.
((Perception roll 7d6.hits(5) → [5,5,4,3,1,1,2] = (2) ))
-
@Mercedes:
You feel that you've touched upon a subject that was there already and your question came as quite a surprise to the madame. The astral signature on her is very difficult to read consistent with the aura of someone who has refined the art of acting.
@Woofer:
You merely see what you already saw which was the reaction of the madame.
-
Mercedes looks at the madame, "Did you have an encounter with a real vampire?? That is sooo cool! Tell me all about it!"
Commanding Voice to get her to spill the beans (15d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2859638/)
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@Mercedes
[OOC: Madame's Leadership 4 + Will 5 = (9d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2860503/), she resists.]
The madame closes her eyes for a moment and you can feel that she is struggling against your power of suggestion...then suddenly her eyes swing open and she simply looks you square in the face dead serious. "I have no idea what you're talking about precious...", her expression melting back into the subtle mysterious little smile of a geisha. "Please excuse my computer system, it should be back up online in no time....this almost never happens."
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"Looks like private rooms up here. There are three girls each in a room sitting on the bed like in a trace. Can that be done with chips?"
I will cautiously start down the stairwell. If I hear any voices or see any signs of movement I will stop and wait to see what is happening
-
Mercedes pouts, "Well, that's disappointing. I was hoping for some new stories!"
Hm... tougher willpower than I thought. Interesting bitty running the place here. Hope it's just that she's used to being in control and not something ... more.
Texting to B.B.'s network: Nothing much down here, may be coming up soon to one of the girls.
Palming test to try and text a message without being noticed (5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2860563/)
She looks over the menu again, then turns to Woofer, "I let you pick, dearest. It's your turn."
-
[OOC: First Pass attempt prog 6 +1 skill +3 nan +1 pushed =11d6.hits(5) → [2,5,3,6,4,2,4,2,3,2,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2860128/)
Some knowledge tests to pull my butt out of the fire and hopefully answer Walks' question about the girls. Matrix Security to understand the workings of this authentication process and how one might bypass it by hacking.. = Logic 7 +3 skill +3 NAN +1 PuSHeD = 14d6.hits(5) → [1,3,6,3,2,2,1,3,5,6,3,6,5,4] = (5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2861182/)
Cybernetic tech to understand how Personafixes and Data Filters operate 7 logic +1 PuSHeD -1 Defaluting = 7d6.hits(5) → [6,6,2,6,2,4,4] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2861187/)]
"You what? Whadda you mean "NO" you fraggin scratch-monkey!? I am your ADMIN! I can delete you!"
[OOC edit: I'm hoping the knowledge skills aren't actions, or at least more than free actions.]
-
@B.B.:
[OOC: I'll let you add 1 modifier to you're authentication DP for each 2 hits on know. test...so that would be +1.]
The way restricted and general alerts are set-up on this system requires even legit MCT admin ID's to authenticate before performing low-level functions.
At least email is still immediately Admin accessible.
As you punch away at the layers of authentication questions which you're answering based on your Browse program's subroutine phishing algorithms which scan customer service emails at breakneck speeds, then piping it to you're Edit program which does the heavy lifting of answering with the right protocol, you curse these new alert responses you've been hearing about....All it does is slow business down and make the job for an admin. that much harder just when they need to be nimble on their feet. Statistically speaking though, 9/10 false alerts on a system are usually accompanied by a successful hacking job carried out a few hours to a few weeks later. If the system is quickly secured within the first few minutes of a false alarm regardless of the cause, the statistics show it improves firewall performance in the long term. Statistics be damned...this was just plain dumb.
-
[OOC: Rolling Edit + computer(8) test. 5 hits on the knowledge skill test above should translate into +2 dice. 13 dice should hopefully be enough. It's only risky instead of desperate. 13d6.hits(5) → [5,5,3,6,1,2,1,6,5,6,2,4,4] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2863860/) With the two hits from above this just made it.]
"That's what I thought. Sucker. Now to sweep this place up a little before spider-san arrives. Maybe make it look like the bot malfunctioned and set off the alert. I know that error code.."
-
@B.B.:
Multi-tasking a different thread of thought, you feel that familiar smell deep in your sinus's of nanite as you start accessing memories about Personafix chips. The only reason you can think that the girls might be in a trance like state having to do with personafix wiring would be if it's interfaced with a sleep regulator. This is a typical implant along with persona wiring that is given to Bunraku girls. The sleep regulator allows the girls to work way into the night, but the personafix tends to suffer without enough REM sleep to clean out the synapses. What the skill wires are probably doing is switching over to maintenance mode which induces an easily interrupted trance-like state. Best tell Walks that just cuz they're totally zoned out doesn't mean they won't notice she's there.
-
His heart still racing from a combination of amphetamine and adrenaline didn't seem to matter to B.B. very much. He was in the zone. Bottled lightning. Organized electricity dancing in a world of- "Oh shit. Keep it together." Right. Right. Staying on task, he cruised the node looking for sensor banks. He had to resolve their security into something he could work with. Cancel the callouts. Make sure that pressure and thermal sensors came back with nothing.
A flash alerted him to activity on the VPN. Mercedes with updates. Cynth with a question. Worth a response.
[B.B.@Team Shush: Usually the girls are hooked up with something to block off their short term memory and a set of skillwires to run the persona chips. Direct load into the coretex of memories and personality, nothing lightweight about it. Yaks have been running this type of place since the mid 50s or so. I suppose the trance is about brain-maintenance. Industry this old, there's no doubt that the clever bastards have found the the most efficient ways to run it. Be careful though. I don't think they're vegetative, and if they see you, they might just slot some sort of crazy samurai chip. Come at you like a hive fulla kung-fu bitches.]
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@Mercedes & Woofer:
The AR Naga unfreezes and starts undulating around the room again as AR menu reappears in Woofers hands since he was the last one perusing it:
Agnes (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl6.jpg)
Bea (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl10.jpg)
Bessie Mae (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl2.jpg)
Candy (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl7.jpg)
Catherine (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl12.jpg)
Dee (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl5.jpg)
Clare (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl8.jpg)
Rhea (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl14.jpg)
Rosie (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl11.jpg)
Snow White (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRVery_Big_Betty_by_johnblunt.jpg)
Noemi (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl4.jpg)
Galadriel (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/Galadriel.jpg)
Mariel (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl13.jpg)
Jenny Tonic (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl9.jpg)
Miss Sabrina (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl1.jpg)
Wilma Ballsdrop (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRguns_babes.jpg)
@B.B.:
[OOC: we'll just go with the same matrix initiative to save time this CT. It would most likely come out the same.]
Matrix Init CT2 IP2: B.B.-20, System-11, IC-10
[OOC: The threshold was 8 for the authentication test so you need to roll one more time. If you make it which you probably will, you can cancel the 2nd muted alert with a free action. Spider comes on the next CT.]
You notice that an MCT Spider has been alerted because the madame selected "Yes" and you were too busy authenticating to notice and intercept the traffic. He'll probably be a little suspicious that some Admin already was authenticated even before MCT could get on-node to check the system. Hopefully it'll be a dumb agent instead of a real member of the geek squad. ETA 2 seconds....which is a lot of time in the Matrix.
-
Woofer looks at Mercedes, "What do you think? Snow White?"
-
Mercedes grins, "You do so like waking them with a kiss, Prince Charming... Sounds like we have our girl!"
-
[OOC: when I said two hits from above, I meant this..
[OOC: First Pass attempt prog 6 +1 skill +3 nan +1 pushed =11d6.hits(5) → [2,5,3,6,4,2,4,2,3,2,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2860128/)
which was my first roll on the test ...and sort of the reason I was freaking out. The extra two dice you gave me from the knowledge test improved my chances significantly. So, the authentication should be done now and the alert against my new ID canceled before it could go through. Does this mean that I'm free to edit the system logs? I know what I want to do, but have no idea what options are available to me.
-
I'll look at the doors do they have any type of lock on them? Then I will head cautiously down the stairs to the next level down. Can I see how far down the stairwell goes? or is it closed off at each level?
-
@Mercedes & Woofer:
The madame raises an eyebrow, "Very.....interesting.....selection, but we cater to all tastes. She has had her horns and tusks removed for your convenience.... I'll call her down if that is your decision..?" She pauses for a moment, amusement barely visible on her face. You click on her icon to get a closer view of this beauty,
<<Snow White>>
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRVery_Big_Betty_by_johnblunt.jpg)
@Cynthia:
You do see that there is a mechanical lock on the doors but you have no idea if they're locked or not. When you make your way to the stair-case you can see through the middle of it down to the first floor and you are on the fourth.
@B.B.:
Matrix Init CT2 IP2: B.B.-20, System-11, IC-10
[OOC: you have 2 action phases to do whatever you want.]
-
"Time to make this place hospitable."
[OOC: Corrupt 3 +6 skill +3 nan +1 PuSHeD = 13d6.hits(5) → [5,1,6,2,4,1,5,3,2,6,1,3,4] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2867184/) If you need another roll, like, say, there was an encrypted backup of the system log, then, here you go 13d6.hits(5) → [6,5,5,3,6,6,2,4,3,4,5,6,3] = (7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2867186/)
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Mercedes stifles a laugh at Woofer's choice and his reaction to the image.
Composure Test (15d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2867420/)
-
Woofer coughs, "Uhm, I'm not so sure, we asked for a goth cheerleader, do you have pictures of these so we can before we choose?" *trying not to cringe*
-
I will try and figure out from looking down if this stairwell goes on into a basement level. I will then continue down to the third floor.
At the watcher, "Look in each of the rooms and tell me if there is anyone in any of them."
I will walk down the hallway trying to get a better feel for the layout of the building. Again I am going to look for any signs of a security system. Also I will try and figure out if the dimensions inside seem about right for the space that the building is taking up outside.
-
Agnes (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl6.jpg)
Bea (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl10.jpg)
Bessie Mae (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl2.jpg)
Candy (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl7.jpg)
Catherine (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl12.jpg)
Dee (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl5.jpg)
Clare (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl8.jpg)
Rhea (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl14.jpg)
Rosie (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl11.jpg)
Snow White (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRVery_Big_Betty_by_johnblunt.jpg)
Noemi (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl4.jpg)
Galadriel (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/Galadriel.jpg)
Mariel (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl13.jpg)
Jenny Tonic (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl9.jpg)
Miss Sabrina (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRgirl1.jpg)
Wilma Ballsdrop (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRguns_babes.jpg)
-
Woofer looks over the pictures, slightly embarrassed, "Agnes, what do you think dear?"
-
Mercedes looks over the picture, "Hmm... Very pretty. And those eyes do have a hint of darkness on her soul... I'm sold!"
-
@Mercedes&Woofer:
The madame smiles and sends in a request to the system to have Agnes prepare to entertain guests. After only 5 minutes the same girl you saw in the VR landscaped image gracefully descends the carpeted stair-case, a luxurious gossamer night-gown flowing over her figure and you notice she is quite petite and perhaps some sort of dwarven metavariant. Not of the same type as B.B., but lacking the typical stockiness of her race in the same way as the little "gnome". Her face looks quite tired and she speaks in japanese to the madame. Mercedes and B.B. understand that she is complaining about it being so early in the morning, but the madame asks her to please not "engage" her wires in front of the customers, she apologizes, turns her back to the two of you and her whole body jolts in a single spasm for a second. As soon as she turns back around to face you, all of the tiredness has completely disappeared from her face and she bares a radiant smile. In perfect english she beckons the both of you to come upstairs with her, her voice full of energy and a luxurious lust.
-
Mercedes offers a bow to the madame, then smiles at Agnes to lead the way upstairs. As soon as they get on the stairs, Mercedes will alert B.B. and Cynthia that they are coming up with the girl to try and coordinate their actions.
-
I'll try and see where they are going while staying out of the way. I didn't happen to see what room she came from did I?
-
Woofer follows her up, checking out not only her assets, but Mercedes' as well, but that's a cover, he's looking for things that might indicate either of the kids being here.
-
[OOC: Once they reach the second floor, Mercedes will slip into Astral Perception, assensing Agnes and whatever else she can. Since Invisible Castle seems to be down (still), we'll either have to wait on dice rolls or inca can roll for us]
-
@Mercedes&Woofer:
As the little Agnes leads you up the stairs, Mercedes slips her vision into the Astral plane. You see Agnes's aura sharply contrasts the emotion seemingly bubbling forth from her as she giggles and asks you questions that she doesn't really wait to hear the answers for. The colors of her aura are dull and grey and the emotions shooting off from her having absolutely nothing to do with what Woofer might be seeing in the physical plane. The source of the discrepancy is most likely the wires which run throughout her whole nervous system like pitch-black veins and capillaries. On the second floor she leads you into a room who's door is already ajar. The inside is nicely upholstered in pink with mini neon-pink AR eastern dragons darting around. Woofer feels the dragons tickle him as they dart in between his arms, legs and fingers, Mercedes only feels them with her AR gloves when they nuzzle up to her fingers.
Agnes closes the door behind her and asks both of you to make yourselves comfortable while she turns off the water to a steaming bubble-bath in a round jacuzzi built into the corner. "Please make yourselves comfortable, you can put your clothes on the table, and when you're ready, come relax in this bath i have prepared for you."
@Cynthia:
You heard Agnes exit a room on the 2nd floor before she went downstairs to meet your teamates. You have a pretty good idea of which room it is because you heard it right near the stairwell.
-
[OOC: Memory test! Logic 7 +6 will +3 nans +1 PuSHeD = 17d6.hits(5) → [6,6,5,3,1,3,6,5,2,3,1,1,6,6,5,5,1] = (9) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2881747/) Like a sponge, this one.
[B.B.@team shush: "On dolls of flesh, your path is drawn." Check for tattoos. I'm going to see if I can mine their records for any transactions fitting the kid's IDs, or, barring that, any suspicious transactions that'd fit the time. While you're checking girls, it might be a good idea to try and match up the face of that girl who went missing at your friend's bar. I might just throw this place into chaos with my digital fuckery, so be prepared for possible hostilities. The lack of physical security I'm seeing is suspicious.]
-
@B.B.:
As your mind mulls over the 9th clue, your enhanced memory instantly brings forth a picture Woofer managed to get of the face of the girl who had disappeared from U93 and none of the girls on the menu are her.
-
I'm looking to see if there is any visible difference when a room is in use.
@B.B. "Do you have a floor plan? I think the basement might be where we want to get to if there is one. With the wires engaged would they be monitored? I mean could they be their own security system per say where someone is monitoring what they are seeing and doing?"
@ my watcher "Search for any rooms that have more than one person in them and come back and tell me where they are. Find all of the rooms then come back and report them all."
-
@Cynthia:
Your watcher spirit, which takes the form of a glowing crow, flies through the rooms and then reports back that none of the rooms have more than one girl in them. Any rooms which are occupied have comatose girls in them similar to the ones you saw so far through your watcher.
@B.B.:
Surprisingly you haven't noticed anybody try to access the node you're in yet.
-
I'm going to go down to the main level and wait at the foot of the stairs. Again I will look for security cameras or any forms of surveillance. I am also going to listen to try and determine where the madam went.
-
[OOC: Analyze roll. Looking to resolve some icons. Hopefully he can find a data store to Browse. 11d6.hits(5) → [4,1,4,4,1,6,6,1,5,2,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2893819/)
"Maps, maps, money, maps. Lets get this data, son."
-
@B.B.:
You easily find a layout of the whole building which is part of the AR environments position mapping references. It doesn't show furniture, but it does show that there is a basement and does give an indication of the layout of the backroom where the madame probably stays. You shoot it out as a TeamShush attachment.
@Cynthia:
Since your node is on hidden the AR dragon floating around the main floor just flies right through you sometimes. You don't see any forms of surveilance and at the moment the Madame seems to be elsewhere.
@Mercedes&Woofer:
Agnes seems to wonder why you are hesitating to enter the tub so she drops her night-gown and you see her completely unblemished white skin shine with softeness as she enters the jacuzzi and beckons you in.
-
Once I get the attachment I will make my way towards the entrance to the basement. I am looking for a path that will keep me out of any foot traffic and even more importantly won't have to go through any closed doors.
If I cannot go down without going through a closed door I will send my watcher through first to see if anyone is on the other side.
-
Woofer begins to undress, while in shape, his body looks like it's been through a rough life, "Apologies, was admiring your lovliness."
-
Mercedes smiles at the girl and winks at Woofer, "I'm afraid I had a bit more to drink than I thought before coming over and need to use the little girls room. Can you point me where it is, Agnes?"
She smiles wolfishly at Woofer, "Don't worry, sweetie, I won't be but a minute and I'm sure Agnes can 'warm you up' while I'm gone..."
[OOC: Almost forgot the Con roll]
Con roll to Agnes (16d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2895926/)
-
@Mercedes&Woofer:
Agnes smiles at Mercedes as Woofer slowly sinks into the bubble-bath and Agnes swims over to him. She points over to the bathroom which is behind a doorway right next to the jacuzzi.
@Cynthia:
The layout does show a doorway under the staircase on the ground floor that leads to the basement. You send your watcher down there and it sends back an image of two shirtless japanese human males, hair pulled back and covered in tattoos smoking cigarettes and apparently playing a card game, uzi's resting on the table.
[OOC: Watcher assensing roll 2d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2895969/).]
The mental image is not too clear other than that, the exact location of the watcher on the map is also not clear to you, just that it's somewhere in the basement.
-
Mercedes excuses herself to the restroom and sends a text over the slush channel <<<<<What's the status guys? Marcus and I are about to get into some hot water with a linda prostitute. BTW, I think I found a girl for you B.B. ;).>>>>>
-
"I've found a way down to the basement. Two armed guards down there. Trying to figure out if I can slip by them or if I need to employ a different tactic. " hen half to myself, but over the line still "The lack of visible security here is creepy. Something just doesn't feel right that is for sure."
-
[BB@TeamShush: Hmmm, guards... Well, if you duck off to the side I could see about creating a distraction for the guards. Maybe I throw a flash-bang on their roof and get Spiderman to shout some shit and drive off? Sounds better than just hoping they don't notice the door opening. Alternately, I could try and see if there's something in the digital banks. I get their comm codes and ping them with a message about something or other. First though, you really sure you need to go down there? I ain't about making those boys perk up if I don't have to. That's a recipe for a bloodbath.]
-
"I agree that we don't want to kick the hornets nest if we don't have to, but since it is the first sign of any type of security I think what we want is probably down that way."
-
@Woofer:
As little Agnes swims near you, you kinda feel a little weird....the only dwarves you've been butt naked in front of were some of your buddies in the locker room shower down at the precinct gym....but never a situation like this. SWS (sixth world sex) is something you've never really been into at all ('cept elves of course), and as you look at Agnes's completely unblemished skin with not even a single mark interrupting it's flawlessly even hugh, you're suprised by how comfortable you feel with her hanging around your neck....and that creeps you out even more.
@B.B.:
Once Cynthia makes you aware of some guards in the basement you decide to shoot the map to your Scan program and start to scope out just that room.
[OOC: It would be Elec. War + Scan to narrow down their location with hits.]
-
[B.B.@Team Shush: Lemme see what kind of signals are hopping around the basement. BTW, I get the feeling they have a seperate node for their security. This one seems like nothing but the business upfront. I'm not finding any cameras, sensors or anything else in this node. I'm going to try another search for our runaways' financials in their records, then I'm going to see if this network goes any deeper.]
"Okay, we get signal. Now adjust strength until it cuts out. And again. And thrice. And one final time for depth. And now we're triangulating, or pyramid-ulating. There has to be a word for that..."
[OOC: Here goes. Scan 6 +4 skill +3 nan +1 PuSHeD = 14d6.hits(5) → [2,1,6,6,6,6,2,5,5,2,3,5,5,3] = (8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2900085/)
Data Search: Browse 6 +1 skill +3 nan +1 PuSHeD +1 Analytics = 12
12d6.hits(5) → [3,4,6,4,4,5,5,2,2,4,1,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2900088/)
11d6.hits(5) → [3,4,6,3,5,5,2,2,3,1,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2900091/)
10d6.hits(5) → [4,1,6,2,5,1,5,2,6,2] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2900092/)
9d6.hits(5) → [3,5,1,6,5,1,1,1,2] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2900096/)
Let me know if you want me to continue with the rolls.]
-
I am looking to see what type of security is on the door to the basement. "It looks like the guards are a ways away from the door. Could you double check that. If so I'm going to slip the door and slide on by."
-
@B.B.:
Your pyramid-ulating technique first scores you the RFID tags to 3 sofa's and their exact location. It's amazing that these tags are broadcasting in mutual signal range but it must be part of a clearance sale...you check and sure enough, the streaming text <<Slashing prices! Everything has got to go at Amazing Lar'ari's Furniture Outlet! overstock sales in this furniture clearance section is final. There are no refunds or exchanges. >> wraps around the cartoon icon of the head of a bald ork who's winking and giving a thumbs up. Exactly what you were hoping for as you look for modulations in the spectral decomposition of the spam signal which can point to trace signatures of nearby nodes. Sure enough your Scan program is able to reconstruct the layout of the different nodes inside the basement and you shoot it over on team shush.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRmap2-2.jpg)
The pipe to your Browse program turns up the names of both of the card players. They are Akira and Shigeo of the Kanaga-gumi's, two low level thugs with a series of weapon violations that you can't get the specifics on without hacking KE records, but their mugshots did get out on the VPN's.
You also already knew from the beginning where the physical location of the main node you're presently in is and you throw that up on the map as well. Other than these nodes you find no others in the basement.
[OOC: Akira is Y1, Shigeo is Y2.]
@Cynthia:
You have made your way down and behind the stair case and are crouched with your back to the wall right next to the basement door. It looks like just a standard mechanical bolt lock of comparatively standard complexity but from looking in the crack of the door you see the bolt is not in and the door is most likely unlocked.
-
I take a deep breath and steady myself. "Door's unlocked. I'm going on down to look around."
O.O.C. 10d6.hits(5) → [3,1,4,5,5,4,4,3,3,4] = (2)
BBCode
10d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2903348/)
I slide the door open and quietly slip through. I press myself to the far wall and wait.
-
@Cynthia:
[OOC: Yak's perception for door: Int 4 + Perc 2 + teamwork 1 +distracted -2 (3)= (5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2903835/). Now to hear you come down. Yak's perception: Int 4 + Perc 2 + teamwork 1 +distracted -2 + Traceless Walk -4 = 1, so they won't make it anyways.]
You turn the knob of the door and pull. Sure enough the door is open and luckily it doesn't make much a sound at all. Making your way down the staircase you manage to finally see the scene your watcher had sent you. On top of what you already saw, you see submachine-guns on top of the table the two Yaks are playing cards on and cursing in Japanese, smoking long cigarettes. They don't notice you at all.
-
<<<<<Be careful guys. I'll see if we can't take care of our 'hostess' so we have a safe room as a base in here.>>>>>
Mercedes comes back from the bathroom smiling, but the smile slips just a little at the sight of the waif draped around Woofer's shoulders, but she recovers herself before anyone notices (Composure test (12d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2903954/)).
She clears her throat, getting Woofer and Agnes' attention, then focuses on the young prostitute, "I'm sorry, dear, but we have a confession to make. We're not really here for your services. We're actually looking for two boys that have gone missing and think they may have come here. So if you'd be so kind and be good and quiet*; we won't have to do anything rash."
*Commanding Voice on Agnes (15d6.hits(5)=9) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2903964/)
-
@Mercedes:
At the sound of your voice you see Agnes jerk a little as if something were not computing well inside her head. The expression on her face quickly changes to almost a blank expression and she falls completely silent obeying your command, her arms still around Woofer.
-
<<<<<Okay, our hostess is taken care of we're in room (whichever room we're in). Let us know if there's anything you need or any problems. B.B., maybe you want to come down here where it's safer?>>>>>
Mercedes smiles and hands Woofer two robes, one for him and one for Agnes. "Sorry to interrupt your fun, but we've got business to attend to."
-
@Mercedes:
Agnes climbs out of the water...you gotta pause for just a sec. and just contemplate that....and then puts it on and sits over on the bed nestled in the folds of the over-sized bathrobe and quiet as a mouse.
-
I am going to move to a place out of the way where I am not in either of the Yakuza's direct line of vision and observe. I will stay along the wall to the right of stairwell so the sofas are between me and the table where the Yakuza are playing cards.
OOC perception roll 7d6.hits(5) → [6,5,2,2,5,6,1] = (4)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2904294/)
Subvocalize "I'm in the basement watching and waiting."
-
*woofer climbs out somewhat embarrassed putting on the proffered robe* "Maybe we could ask her about if they've seen the boys."
-
@Cynthia:
[OOC: that's just gonna be part of the same infiltration roll. If you move again from your current spot make another infiltration roll.]
You slide along the far wall to the right of the stairwell and crouch down so that only your translucent head would be visible over the top of the couches. The Yaks just keep playing cards like normal. The room is illuminated by a single light bulb over the card table and the entrance to the room that shows the main system node in it is covered with a red bead curtain.
@Woofer:
Agnes seems to ignore your comment and just remains quiet as she looks forward.
-
"Let's see if she knows anything. I don't know how my powers react with her hardware. You may answer our questions."
Commanding Voice (15d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2904772/)
-
[OOC: Disguise roll. Int 5 +2 skill +3 NANs = 10d6.hits(5) → [4,3,2,4,2,2,3,6,3,1] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2905717/) lovely.
Infiltrate roll. Agl 6 +2 skill = 8d6.hits(5) → [2,6,5,2,1,6,5,3] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2905742/) Now no one will see how transparent my disguise is!
Did I ever find any info regarding the Pearl's financials? I'd be looking for a transaction fitting the time frame of an hour after the kids left the goth club to a day or two later. Any transaction of the same amount the madam demanded from Mercedes (the group rate) and the name of the girl attached. Those are the girls I would look into further.]
<<<<<I'm feeling plenty safe here in an alley several blocks away from the building. I'd rather stay in a backup position in case you need extraction. If instead you want me to try and patrol the place a little and see if there's any underground structures visible by radar, I could give that a quick pass. Back at you in a minute.>>>>>
B.B. looked around and found a nearby tarpaulin discarded by a dumpster. Cutting a section off, he sliced a neck hole to make a poncho and used one of his shoe laces to tie it off at the waist. A little dirt on hands and face, and he looked the part of the ragged barrens kid... with a leather driving cap and 1000¥ goggles...
"Doing all this recon after the fact is making my brain hurt..."
Keeping an eye on the building's network, he started to creep towards and around the building.
-
*Woofer brings up a photo of both boys* "Agnes, have you ever seen these two in here?"
-
@B.B:
As you scan the periphery of the building with your radar you can see only about 2 rooms into the actual building but not into the basement, too much plasticrete in between. You can see a two occupied rooms, with one girl each, similar to what was described by Cynthia. Your data-search finally exhausts itself and you don't find any financial records which pertain to the boys in the node or any of the slaved nodes. As a matter of fact you don't find any financial information of any type whatsoever which indicates to you that the transactions are probably conducted directly to a dedicated comm or even a credstick which is not too unusual for illegal businesses. The only way to find what you're looking for would be to find the physical location of that credstick or other such device and hook-up your PAN, or a node slaved to your PAN, directly. As you search a little more, your analyze program does notice that the access log does show data packets which routinely travel along a level 4 encrypted link [OOC: Elec. War. + Decrypt (8, 1CT) non-diminishing] which only opens when there is an online transaction for the use of the Pearl's online business. There was a brief transaction and it opened a second ago because someone paid online. It is most likely that in-house transactions are just simply done directly to that dedicated cred node.....the anachonistic "cash register" if you will, and online transactions go through that link.
[OOC: There's a transaction about every 5 minutes on average. Link lasts 3 seconds (1CT) and starts re-encrypting after each transaction.]
@Woofer&Mercedes:
Agnes nods in the affirmative.....and then with no warning whatsoever starts convulsing in a completely silent epileptic seizure! You see steam start to rise off the back of her neck and as her robe gets thrown off by her convulsions she falls to the floor and continues to writhe, steam rising off of her spinal column. Before you can even react she curls up into a fetal position and goes limp, her blackened skill wires already having burned their way to the surface of the skin along her backbone, looking like the little veins of a leaf. It's quite apparent to both of you that she's done for and that maybe Mercedes pushed a little too hard against something programmed into this little dead dwarf's wiring.
-
*woofer looks at the body* "Oh fuck me." *starts dressing in a hurry*
-
Composure Test (12d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2906421/)
[OOC: Thanks for the mind-f**k, inca. Mercedes is gonna have nightmares now]
"Nononononononono... What the hell happened? This should never have happened! I didn't mean to ... Pinche cabron! What do we do now?? Woofer, what do I do?"
Mercedes is visibly shaken by Agnes' death and is starting to pace the room, looking everywhere but at the girl's body.
-
@B.B.:
You pick up a system message <<Subscription to SLAVE NODE A42RPD8799: PERSONASOFT --AGNES terminated without warning, initiate alert response? (y/n) >>.
@Mercedes:
[OOC: you pass your composure test.]
-
Mercedes takes a couple of deep breaths and calms down enough to think. "Okay, something happened because she knew the boys and her wiring didn't like that she was going against her programming."
She steps over to the body, covering it up a bit more, then looks at Woofer, "You think she had a sim-recorder built in? Maybe B.B. can 'hack' her memory? She saw the kids here, that's for sure."
Pulling out her comm, she sends out a burst: <<<<<B.B., our hostess crashed and burned on us. She's dead because she saw the boys here and her wires fried her for answering the question. She may have a sim-recorder, but I don't know. Ideas? I'm out of my depth with this.>>>>>
-
Upon hearing of the untimely demise of Agnes I take a deep breath and watch to see if the two "guard' types have any reaction. After a moment of nothing I will slip back around the corner and go up the stairs a couple of steps so I am out of sight.
O.O.C. infiltration roll 10d6.hits(5) → [4,6,5,2,3,3,3,4,1,6] = (3)
BBCode 10d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2907401/)
"This isn't good. This is down right bad." I think. I need to be ready for when things go down in a moment here. I draw my taser and cast increased reflexes at force 4 (overcasting).
O.O.C. casting roll: 8d6.hits(5) → [1,6,5,2,6,3,4,6] = (4)
BBCode
8d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2907406/)
(I guess the dice still like me ;D )
The drain code is 4DV so my soak roll
9d6.hits(5) → [5,1,1,4,2,5,5,6,2] = (4)
BBCode
9d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2907410/)
No drain
I pause as the world around me seems to slow down with my heightened reflexes and the details blur slightly as maintaining the spell takes concentration.
Sub vocal to the group "I'm ready to take the guards just give the word and it is done."
-
Brian immediately punches the negative on the alert and launches his Corrupt program into action to obliterate the data. "Crap crap crap!"
<<<<<Terminated unexpectedly. God. Her electronics fried. Every bit of her dropped off the network. If there was any solid state memory in her 'tronics, it probably just cooked. I doubt there'd be anything like that regardless. This type of place is about paying for discretion. Dude just wants to score a piecea kitty, he doesn't need to pay Bunraku money. On an unrelated note, I can't see shit below the ground. If there's a sub level, it's too deep for me to pierce it.>>>>>
-
@Cynthia:
You move back to the stairwell and the Yaks don't even notice you and keep on throwing cards down on the table and taking the occasional drag from a cigarette.
@B.B.:
The system message goes away and everything goes back to normal as your Corrupt program makes that section of access log unreadable.
-
Woofer finishes dressing, "As good of a idea as anything. Mercedes, we might have to have you lie your pants off." *looks down at the body and twitches slightly*
-
I silently slide back around the corner. Moving quickly and quietly I move towards the two Yakuza at the table. A smile playing behind my face shield as I realize they still don't even know that I am here and about to take them out of the fight they don't even know is happening yet.
O.O.C. Infiltration roll: 8d6.hits(5) → [6,5,6,6,4,4,6,3] = (5)
BBCode
8d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913300/)
Initiative roll: 9d6.hits(5) → [1,3,5,4,5,1,2,2,1] = (2)
BBCode
9d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913301/)
For a current initiative of 13 (I originally forgot to add back the two I had to subtract for sustaining in my roll) with four combat passes (with the sustained increased reflexes.)
I move so I am directly behind the couch closest to the door and fire twice at the Yakuza who is facing me.
shot #1 7d6.hits(5) → [5,1,1,4,6,6,4] = (3)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913302/)
shot #2 6d6.hits(5) → [2,4,1,5,1,6] = (2)
BBCode
6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913303/)
I will keep still and await their reactions. "I've engaged the enemy."
-
@Cynthia:
[OOC: Let me roll Cynthia's Surprise roll: Init 9 + aware 3= (12d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913433/). Y1's surprise & Init: (8d6.hits(5)=3, 8d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913441/). Y2's surprise & Init: (8d6.hits(5)=6, 8d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913442/).
Surprise score: Cynthia-6, Y1-3, Y2-6
CT1, IP1: Cynthia-11, Y1-10, Y2-10
So Y1 can't act or react to Cynthia or Y2 for the first IP.
Y1's damage resistance to both shots: (3d6.hits(5)=0, 3d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913453/). Total 11S damage. Out cold.
]
You snap up,the hexagonal pattern on your chameleon suit sizzling slightly as it readjusts to your quick change in position. You fire two quick rounds from your taser and they hit the Yak facing you squarely in the chest knocking him backwards sending a full hand of playing cards flying into the air, not even looking up once to see what hit him.
[OOC: Y2's Int 4 + percep 2 + chameleon -4 (1)= (2d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2914914/). He sees you. Y2 uses simple action to grab gun, then a simple to fire a wide short burst in your direction. Y2's Firearms 4 + Agil 5= (9d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2913467/). Taking away -2 recoil for wide short burst that's 4 hits with a -2 to your defense. You do get a +2 for partial cover from the couch to your defense roll though, so it cancels out. Base damage is 5P. Roll defense and damage resist and then it's your turn.]
As the cards still float to the ground in slow motion, which is what everything looks like to you with your enhanced reflexes,The other Yak whips around grabbing his Uzi on the card table and fires a burst in your direction, the shots ringing out loudly!
CT1, IP2: Cynthia-11, Y2-only 1 IP
@Mercedes&Woofer:
You hear the distinct sound of a short burst of gunfire reverberate through the walls of the brothel.
-
Mercedes pulls her taser from her coat (just in case) and then cracks the door open just a little to see what reaction there is in the hallway.
-
@Mercedes:
You don't notice any movement in the hallways but you do recognize the heavy but hurried shuffling on the carpet of the Madame in her kimono downstairs. You then hear her ask in Japanese, "Nadja, did you hear that!? Did that come from outside, because it felt like it came from inside; it was awfully loud! Go ask Shigeo-san to check it out."
-
Mercedes will whisper back to Woofer what she just heard, then send a burst TM (probably get there WAY after the combat's resolved) over the slush that more may be heading to Cynthia's location.
-
Woofer nods, "See if you can find if she has a Comm somewhere." *finishes dressing and pulls out a big ol' pistol*
-
"Oh drek. He is fast and not surprised this isn't good." I think as I dive and roll around the corner of the sofas.
O.O.C. I'm going to full defense using my next action. Spending edge on the roll.
Dodge roll reaction 3, gymnastics(tumbling specialization) +4, sustaining -2, edge +2= 7dice
7d6.hits(5) → [4,2,5,2,3,2,6] = (2)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2915354/)
1 exploding 6: 1d6.hits(5) → [6] = (1)
BBCode
1d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2915355/)
1 exploding 6 : 1d6.hits(5) → [3] = (0)
BBCode
1d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2915356/)
for a total of 3 successes so I have to soak 7P
Soak roll of 9d6:9d6.hits(5) → [5,4,3,6,6,1,6,3,6] = (5) [THAT IS THE ROLL I SHOULD HAVE USED THE EDGE ON ]
So I take 2P, and have used my second pass action.
"Oww. oww oww. Not good. Not good. I hate getting shot." I think as I hit the ground and roll on around the sofas.
-
With Cynthia looking to stir things up and Woofer and Mercedes confirming that this place is tied into the missing kids and general techno-fuckery, Brian decided it was time to shut the place down hard. He scanned the node for connections and started chewing up all the active accounts to provide a general lockdown. Once the accounts were all nullified, he just had to crash the system and it would reboot with all of its current subscriptions locked out. Only way in at that point would be to hack it, and with his previously-planted Exploit, that would give him the advantage.
[OOC: I'm hoping this is possible...]
-
@Cynthia:
[OOC: You have 2 more IP's and Y2's got none more, so just take 2 action phases and I'll just roll any reactions ]
@B.B.:
You erase all valid accounts and shutdown the node locking all users out. The procedure goes easily and without any surprises.
@Woofer&Mercedes:
You notice all the AR dragons and other little widgets all disappear. After about 30 seconds you hear the madame downstairs, "Nadja, I told you to go downstairs and get Shigeo-san...damn drone....what the hell is going on here?!"
-
Mercedes looks at Woofer, "Since Agnes knew about the boys, we can assume that Madame knows as well. Think we should go downstairs and ask her?" She does convey that she's more than a little worried about trying to 'convince' the troll madam to help.
-
As I spring back to my feet and step around the far side of the sofas I fire my taser at Y1.
O.O.C. taser to hit roll 9d6 -2 for sustained spell so 7d6: 7d6.hits(5) → [4,5,2,1,4,6,2] = (2)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2916820/)
Not wanting to leave anything to chance I fire a second shot.
O.O.C. 6d6 roll to hit: 6d6.hits(5) → [4,1,2,2,2,6] = (1)
BBCode
6d6.hits(5)=1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2916823/)
"Have to focus. I need to put him down now." I think to myself as I continue walking in a counterclockwise direction so I am moving behind the unconscious Yak and behind the one still moving.
O.O.C. I am assuming that these poor rolls won't be enough to put him down. If he does fall by some chance I will then start looking around and listen for anyone coming down the stairs.
As I fire again I say in Sperethiel, "Tell your boss next time he crosses us we will burn the place down around your ears."
O.O.C. shot #1 7d6: 7d6.hits(5) → [4,2,3,5,3,6,2] = (2)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2916833/)
Then if he still is moving I will fire again
shot #2 6d6: 6d6.hits(5) → [5,4,4,2,4,5] = (2)
BBCode
6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2916839/)
Hopefully now he is out like a light, but in case he isn't here is my initiative roll: 9d6.hits(5) → [3,3,3,5,6,4,6,3,5] = (4)
BBCode
9d6.hits(5)=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2916843/)
So my initiative is 13
-
[OOC: Disguise roll: 10d6.hits(5) → [5,3,3,4,3,1,4,1,1,5] = (2) He really sucks at disguise apparently... Maybe opfor won't spot the grenades..
Cynthia's burst announcing the commencement of hostilities hit Brian's com like the word "GO." He immediately started chugging around to the front of the building. Reaching the front doors, he ducked to the side and placed three of the Flash Bang grenades from his satchel on the ground by the door. A few quick taps set them ready for wireless detonation and his now-discarded poncho covered them up adequately. He subscribed each one to his link, checked his SMG to make sure it was loaded with Stick-n-Shock and, gun at the ready, he tried the front door.
-
@Cynthia:
[OOC: Y2 goes on full D. Y2's full D: Reaction 4 + Dodge 3= (7d6.hits(5)=4, 7d6.hits(5)=2, 7d6.hits(5)=4, 7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2917403/). Putting a -1 progressively on each one of those for previous dodges since last action, it's 4, 2, 3, 2. He dodges them all. Oh wait, but your Taser only holds 4 rounds, so the last two don't count. Y2's Init = (9d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2917409/)
He used up his action for CT2 IP1, and he'll use Edge to get a 2nd IP so it's your turn. You need a free to pop out the clip with smartlink and then a simple to pop in a new one. ]
After catching a bullet and shrugging off the pain, as fast as lightning you unload the last two rounds from your Yamaha Pulsar but the Yak crouches under them and they hit the wall.
CT2, IP1: Cynthia-13, Y2-13 (full D this IP)
Wounds: Cynthia {2P}
@B.B.:
The front door is locked.
-
With my remaining simple action I will fire.
my shot 7D6 roll: 7d6.hits(5) → [5,1,3,2,5,1,2] = (2)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2917423/)
O.O.C. since you have me listed before him I assume I will act first in the second pass so here are my two shots for that.
shot #1 7D6: 7d6.hits(5) → [1,3,5,2,6,1,5] = (3)
BBCode
7d6.hits(5)=3 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2917424/)
shot #2 6D6: 6d6.hits(5) → [4,3,6,2,2,6] = (2)
BBCode
6d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2917426/)
Hopefully I have hit him at least once at this point.
-
@Cynthia:
[OOC: Y2's Full Defense: (5d6.hits(5)=0, 5d6.hits(5)=2, 5d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2917698/). Again that's a progressive -1 since these are all defenses since his last action, so the hits are actually 0, 1, 1.
Y2's damage resist: (3d6.hits(5)=1, 3d6.hits(5)=1, 3d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2917703/). First shot does 7S, next does 7S, and he's out. I'll let you keep that last round, so you have 2 left in taser clip.]
The Yak grossly underestimated your magically enhanced speed and despite his quick maneuvering eventually 2 darts from your flurry of taser shots catch him in the arm and the shoulder sending him to the ground and as he slips into unconsciousness he utters in Japanese, "Dosteeee....". You breathe a sigh of relief that those last 6 seconds finally went in your favor and just as you're looking down at the flesh wound on your shoulder where the bullet cut through the carbon-fiber shielding on your chameleon suit, you hear the upstairs door open.
@B.B.:
Looks like a Maglock that's so old it's purely hardwired since you haven't found any node for it. Funny how the older stuff sometimes can be more secure than the newer stuff. It's the age-old correllation between user-friendly and intruder-friendly.
Spiderman watches you from across the street as he rolls himself a blunt, no expression on his face. You can tell he's quite used to doing long hours as a look-out boy. He does seem to get a little bored eventually you can tell from the blurry AR screen of a small game app pop up as he just stares at it controlling it with simsense.
-
I move back to where the beads into the other room are, and put my back to the wall just to the left of the doorway. Taking a calming breath I take a one knee shooters stance, and aim at the bottom of the stairwell.
Sub vocally, "Two guards down, but I have someone else coming down the stairs." I clear my mind ready to show the person coming why stealth beats out brawn once they show themselves.
"What is my exit strategy if there are two or more of them?" I think to myself as the tenths of a second seem to drag by in my heightened state of awareness with my sustained spell
-
[OOC: dismantling the maglock Logic 7 +1 skill +3 NAN +1 PuSHeD =
12d6.hits(5) → [3,5,2,6,3,1,3,1,3,6,3,5] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918235/) should be good for a Rating 2 maglock
11d6.hits(5) → [4,1,2,4,4,3,5,5,2,1,4] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918239/) Rating 3
10d6.hits(5) → [1,1,5,5,2,3,6,1,1,6] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918241/) Rating 5, and a single 1 away from a glitch...
A roll in case there's an anti-tamper system 12d6.hits(5) → [2,2,4,2,4,1,6,4,2,2,3,5] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918285/) I'd like to use edge if the anti-tamper exists and is 3 or more. 10d6.hits(5) → [5,1,1,2,6,6,3,3,5,5] = (5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918287/) guh. Where was that the first time?
OKAY IT'S OPEN NOW (hopefully)
Now rewiring it. Same biz as above.
12d6.hits(5) → [1,4,2,2,2,5,1,5,4,2,1,3] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918309/) rating 1
]11d6.hits(5) → [4,4,3,6,3,1,5,2,3,1,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918311/) rating 2 (hurr)
10d6.hits(5) → [6,6,2,3,4,1,4,2,3,3] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918315/) rating 3 (i think i can i think i can)
9d6.hits(5) → [3,6,6,4,1,1,1,6,5] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2918317/) rating 5 (choo choo!)
Figure I'll stop at 5 on each. If the standalone is rating 6 I can roll again. Rating 1 maglock would take 6 seconds; Rating 2; 9 seconds; Rating 3 15 seconds; Rating 4 or 5 would take 21 seconds.]
Still gacked out of his head on the Betameth, Brian was having a hard time keeping himself from bouncing as he worked. He dropped the SMG to hang from its carry sling and started cracking out the tools from his coveralls. His knuckles were white, and his hands shook a little as he worked, but, bit by bit, he took the front door lock apart.
"And the red wire's connected to the... blue wire. And the green wire's connected to the.. capacitor. And the relay circuit's connected to the.. 20 ohm resistor. Oh, hear the word of the Lord!"
-
@B.B.:
You finally twist off the last stripped wire and a whirr of numbers from the small digital display in the wall reads out <<unlocked>>.
-
With the door now unlocked, Brian wedged his foot in the open crack, readied his weapon and kicked on his radar's overlay. A quick glance through the wall and he slipped inside.
"Hello, meine new dispatcher says there eez somezing wrong mit deine cable?"
-
@B.B.:
You don't see anyone on the other side of the front door except the closing of a door under the right side of the staircase (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/staircase.jpg). You move in and close the door behind you, the only sound is the creaking of someone moving down some steps under the stairwell.
@Cynthia:
You hear someone very heavy begin descending the steps.
[OOC: Madame's Perception 3 + Int 4+Cynthia's Chameleon suit -4(2)= (3d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2920954/). Cynthia's Infiltration 10 + Sustaining -2= (8d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2920958/). Roll surprise with a +6 and initiative, remember to include sustaining penalty in your initiative score for both rolls.
Madame's Init 7= (7d6.hits(5)=4, 7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2920961/). Madame's Surprise score is 4 and her init score is 9.]
-
"Something big this way comes. No matter the bigger they are the harder they fall." She Who Walks Through Walls thinks as she gets ready to ambush the figure as it emerges from the stairway.
Surprise roll: Initiative w/ spell 10d6, +6 surprise,-2 sustaining penalty=14d6: 14d6.hits(5) → [6,1,5,5,1,2,6,2,1,2,2,3,6,4] = (5)
BBCode
14d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2920986/)
Now for initiative: 10d6, -2 for sustaining 8d6: 8d6.hits(5) → [5,5,2,5,5,3,6,1] = (5) for an initiative of 15
BBCode
8d6.hits(5)=5 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2920987/)
Upon seeing the troll madam She Who Walks Through Walls raises her taser and fires twice.
roll #1 9d6, +2 for smartlink (I forgot this on the first fight uggh), -2 for sustaining= 9d6: 9d6.hits(5) → [5,5,4,5,5,6,6,4,4] = (6)
BBCode
9d6.hits(5)=6 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2920988/)
roll #2 -1 for second shot for 8d6: 8d6.hits(5) → [3,2,1,4,6,1,1,5] = (2)
BBCode
8d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2920989/)
-
[OOC: Madame's damage resist: Body 7+1 natural (8d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2923264/). First shot does 3S. Electricity resist: Body 7 + Will 5 +1 natural armor (3) (13d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2923300/). Madame's damage resist: Body 7+1 natural (8d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2923265/). Second does 4S. Electricity resist: Body 7 + Will 5 +1 natural armor (3) (13d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2923301/). She delays her action until the 2nd IP which is now starting. You don't have ruthenium coating modification for your Taser, so that's in plain sight and she's facing you head on so once she gets hit with the two rounds she definitely sees you.
She charges with a free action (12m/IP). Madame's subduing attack: Agil 3 + Unarmed 3 + reach 1 + charge 2= (9d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2923285/). I also forgot -2 for wounds,...shoot also forgot disorientation, so that's another -2 and that knocks off another hit, so that's only 1 hit off a DP of 4. Using edge to reroll misses: Edge reroll: (6d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2923290/). That should only be 4 dice, so we strike the last two rolls, and that's still 4 hits. So a total of 5 hits. Roll your defense. If you don't dodge successfully then you're restrained but take no damage this turn.
]
As soon as the Madame rounds the corner you let off two quick rounds from your taser which thud against her kimono and she let's out a lion's roar as the current courses through her body. To your amazement, as the charges in the darts gets spent you see that she's still standing there, her chest heaving heavily. She shakes her head vigorously to un-cloud her mind causing her nicely kept bun to fall apart as the two sticks which keep it in place fly out and before you know it her looming figure is lunging at you at a speed that defies her former daintiness. As you see the kimono flutter around her ample form and the tusked snarl on her painted face grow larger and larger as she barrels closer and closer, you wonder to yourself, what is it with you and angry trolls??
-
As she sees the madam charge She Who Walks Through Walls goes to full defense and starts tumbling maneuvers to try and keep out of her grasp.
O.O.C. Full Dodge roll (using my other point of edge) reaction 3, +4 gymnastics (tumbling), +4 gymnastics(tumbling)(twice since a full dodge), +2edge, -2 sustaining spell= 9 dice 9d6.hits(5) → [4,2,4,1,2,6,5,5,5] = (4)
rerolling the one 6 1d6.hits(5) → [5] = (1)
As she starts tumbling away Cynthia thinks, "Why do I always piss off the troll? No not the dwarf, not even the elf, but the troll."
-
[OOC: Sprint check. Str 3 +1 skill +3 synthcardium = 7d6.hits(5) → [6,5,5,2,3,4,2] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2924535/) Should help him cover 26m/CT BTW, can I see what's going on in the basement with the UWB?]
At the sound of the bellow from below, Brian started for the stairs, full sprint, not sure yet whether he should cover for responders coming down the stairs or head down to check on Cynthia.
-
@Cynthia:
Snapping with your lightning fast reflexes you duck under the Madame and her grab closes around empty air which angers her even more.
[OOC: you have 2 more IP's of action phases and she can't act until her next turn.]
@B.B.:
You hear the roar comming from the basement door and you sprint towards it opening it up.
[OOC: you're now at the top of the stairs so roll initiative and if you engage also roll surprise for that IP.]
CT1, IP3: Cynthia-15, Madame-7[
Wounds: Cynthia {2P}, Madame{3S, 4S}
-
I use the smartlink to eject the empty clip, and and insert my last one. Hearing the door creek open again I think, "One clip left then its to real guns, and they just keep coming. What is this grand central station?"
I shoot with my remaining action agility 6, pistols 1, taser specialization +2, smartlink +2, sustaining spell -2 for 9d6:
9d6.hits(5) → [2,4,4,6,4,4,2,4,5] = (2)
Then if she is still moving (which I suspect she will be) on the 4th pass I fire for my first action, die pool as above
9d6.hits(5) → [6,3,2,3,6,4,6,2,5] = (4)
For my free action I am going to sub vocally speak over the team link, "Guys, I need some help in the basement asap. I'm out of taser rounds and the madam is down here trying to bear hug me, and someone else is about to come down the stairs."
Then I will fire again with my taser agility 6, pistols 1, taser specialization +2, sustaining spell -1, and recoil -1 for 8d6:
8d6.hits(5) → [1,4,3,6,3,1,5,5] = (3)
My initiative roll: 7d6, +3 for increased reflexes, -2 for sustained spell for 8d6: 8d6.hits(5) → [3,2,2,5,5,4,4,1] = (2)
so add that to my modified initiative of 10 for a total of 12 for initiative
-
@Cynthia:
[OOC: Madame's defense: Reaction 3 + Wound -2 = (1d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2925940/). That's a critical glitch. Your dart hits her right in the eye giving her an extra 1P. -2 to vision based actions. 6S comming in at her. Madame's damage resist: Body 7 + natural 1 = (8d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2925949/). Takes 5S and that knocks her out. You can keep the rest of your taser shots.]
The Madame whips around an now her very long her is completely loose and flailing as she faces you and let's out another roar that only a troll can produce....but it's cut short as a dart from the taser embeds itself right into her eyeball and she instantly slumps face first into the ground and goes limp only 2 meters away from you. You suddenly see movement at the stair case and you spin and crouch ready to fire but realize that it's just B.B. with his SMG drawn. He looks just as surprised as you when he sees the Madame on the ground, the silk from her kimono shining under the single light-bulb.
-
Mercedes looks at Woofer, then nods, opening the door and heading back downstairs. <<<<<We're on our way!>>>>>
-
[OOC: inca, you forgot the -2 from disorientation for that dodge. She should have had no dice with which to glitch. I suppose catching it in a vulnerable place shouldn't matter too much...]
"Yo, cool down. Just me. I'd still stay off the vocal channels by the way. I haven't checked for hidden nodes yet."
-
"Hope you have something to restrain that fraggin troll with. She is fast, and determined, but I guess in her line of work she would have to keep the patrons in line so it makes sense." She restrains the two Yaks while still watching the troll out of the corner of her eye. Then winces as the adrenaline wears off and she feels her shoulder wound. She holsters the taser and then dabs at her shoulder. "He shot me." she says kicking the Yak who shot her. She picks up their Uzi's, one in each hand then almost drops the one as her left shoulder protests. "Ouch. that hurts."
-
"S'ok. I brought the medkit. Your scratches will be healed in short order, then we can wrap up the big lady and I'll use the kit to wake her."
Brian took the medkit out of his duffel and started to work on Cynthia's shoulder.
[OOC: Logic 7 +6 kit +3 NANs +1 PuSHeD = 17d6.hits(5) → [4,3,5,1,1,1,6,4,1,4,6,5,3,5,6,3,4] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2927414/) Enough for 4 boxes.]
"By the way, that taser of yours just seems to keep getting you into trouble. Have you thought about upgrading? For instance, I could probably hack a Defiance EX to fire semi-auto. How hard could it be?"
[@Team Shush: No worries. Ground floor and basement are secure. Come on down if you like.]
"Anyway, this shithole seems secure enough. Wanna go looking for our tattooed girl, or would you rather we get Murse to question the madam here?"
-
Woofer nods, and heads out as well, <<Maybe the matron knows about the boys as well.>>
-
@Everyone:
Cynthia strips off the top of her chameleon suit and tears off the blood stained wife-beater underneath leaving her only in a bra with her wound visible to clear inspection. Brian sticks the gecko grip side of the medkit to her shoulderblade and the tiny myomeric trendrils of the highly advanced medkit begin to inject anesthetic and global pain killer as B.B. scans the kit's AR readouts and removes the deformed bullet from her shoulder muscle with a micro-laproscope. After he gives the entrance hole 5 clean stitches the medkit tops it all off with a final injection of tissue reconstructor nanites and in a few minutes she feels as good as new and she zips the top of her chameleon suit back on.
Meanwhile Mercedes and Woofer work together to tie off the Madame's wrists while her massive body remains face-down into the floor. The best they can do is roll her over on to her side, exposing her white face makeup smeared and mixed with blood from her eye since the dart has already fallen out.
[OOC: If you want to actually move her it would be a Strength+Body+ Teamwork 3 (5) test. You're gonna have to first-aid her if you want to wake her up before an hour from now.]
-
"B.B. why don't you check for any of those AR tags around the brothel. Someone might want to look at what is behind the beads as I never got that far."
-
*Woofer moves to behind the beads and looks beyond*
10d6.hits(5) → [2,4,6,5,1,3,3,3,1,1] = (2)
-
@Woofer:
Behind the beads you see a small bare room lit by another single light-bulb in the ceiling with only a table up against the wall. On top of the table you see two Sony Emperor commlinks along with a little box which is open. Inside the little box you see a little mirror with a few lines of a white powder and a little plastic tube lying next to them.
-
With Cynthia taken care of, Brian decided to continue locking this place down.
"You should probably search these guys. Electronics, comms, weapons. Sepearte the comms from the rest. I'll look at them in a second. I just hate being in a basement. Basements are where people get trapped."
He took three flash-bang grenades out of his duffel and secured them together with a few wraps of electrical tape. He took out another three and did the same. Taking the home made charges up the stairs, he placed one in the main hall so as to cover the top of the basement stairs and bottom of the main stars, and the other he put in the upstairs hallway in a fake plant. The panic charges set, he returned to the basement to check out the commlinks.
"Let's see if we missed anything on these guys.." Brian changed his UWB radar's pulse to millimeter wave mode to analyze the Yakuza thugs, the madam and the general vicinity.
[OOC: Another couple shitty disguise rolls coming up.
10d6.hits(5) → [5,6,2,3,1,4,4,4,3,6] = (3)
10d6.hits(5) → [1,3,6,5,1,1,1,3,4,4] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2931381/) never ceases to amaze how bad he is at disguise.
Rolling UWB r4 = 4d6.hits(5) → [5,2,1,6] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2931367/)]
-
@B.B.:
After placing the flashbangs in strategic locations, you go back downstairs once you see that the brothel is completely silent with not even the AR dragons and sound of running water filling the lounge.
You scan the Yaks with your radar and don't find anything on them except for two more Sony Emperors in their pants pockets.
-
"I'm beginning to think this is just another AR drop point. B.B. why don't you search around for another of those AR tags that we found. It's either that or there is a secret passage somewhere. What I don't get is why the two goons were hanging out in the basement."
-
B.B. walked over to the comms sitting on the counter and took out Jeshua's spare link that he'd been carrying around. He compared the two on the counter with the one in his hand to see if there were any shared markings. Then he took the link cable from his own comm and plugged it into one of the links on the table. Pulling up an AR screen, he shot malformed code into the standard ports, hoping this link wasn't as up to date as the brothel's central node.
[OOC: Hacking for user access. Exploit 5 +6 skill +3 nans +1 PuSHeD = 15d6.hits(5) → [3,1,1,5,4,2,4,5,4,1,5,3,5,1,4] = (4)] (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2933051/)
"Not sure Walks. Maybe they don't want to bother the customers, but I can't imagine anyone in this neighborhood being turned off by visible security."
-
Mercedes keeps an eye on the madam to see if she starts coming around, and another eye on the stairs to make sure they're not interrupted while searching the basement.
-
"No, it sounds like someone is paying the madam to be a link the in the chain, BB, anyway to tell if these comms have a clue of some sort to point us in the right direction, I doubt she'll answer if asked nicely."
-
"The shit happened to the hooker, her whole nerve system getting cooked like that... This whole business seems like a hostage situation to me. Whatever the hell is going on, they have direct knowledge of it here. I'm going to make sure to double check these links for data bombs before I sign in to them. I don't want to catch an infection or get hit with something that'll fry my rig."
[OOC: Analyze 6 + 1 skill + 3 NANs + 1 PuSHeD = 11d6.hits(5) → [4,2,5,3,2,3,5,3,2,3,5] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2933478/)
2nd analyze attempt = 11d6.hits(5) → [4,5,4,3,3,2,5,2,6,5,3] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2933481/)]
-
@B.B.:
You know immediately that one of the Comm's is the central node that you already hacked. The other Comm seems to be more of a cash register and is a slaved node but the connection between the cash register comm and the main node is encrypted and the cash register comm node itself is encrypted. With direct access to the node you crack the encryption easily enough in a few seconds and you gain access to it. You don't find any data-bombs at all and your Analyze program isn't showing you anything unusual.
When you compare Jeshuas link with any of the ones you have found you don't notice any particular resemblance between them.
[OOC: roll a matrix analyze. ]
@Mercedes:
You see that the madame is still completely out cold and no there is no movement you can hear except for the nervous tapping coming from B.B. while he works over AR screens trying to scour the links for clues.
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[OOC: 11d6.hits(5) → [1,3,3,6,1,4,2,3,5,6,2] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2933990/)]
B.B. notices he's been grinding his teeth, and pops another piece of Betel gum.
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@B.B:
Your Analyze program doesn't see anything similar between the two comm's either.
-
"How long do you think we have before the Yaks figure out that there is something wrong here and send someone to investigate?"
I take out some extra taser darts and reload my clips so I am ready for the next fight.
"B.B. do you think that since the programs are down that the girls might be able to answer questions now, or do you think they will still get fried?"
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"We aren't exactly downtown. Closest Yakuza holdings are in Touristville, and they're no HTRT. Still, if it means getting out of here before we're swamped with freaking cyberninjas, I say fry them all. But, really, since Miss Dermal Plating 2060 here doesn't have the cyber that fried the first one, I'd say it's safe to ask her without her brain exploding."
Brian paused to take a look around the dingy, spartan basement. "I'm not too sure about the response we'll see here. By not paying rent, the yaks are essentially squatting here. Meanwhile, have you seen any security besides some old locks and two mooks only half as tough as a single Crusher? This place is a scab, ready to flake off."
Taking the financial commlink, Brian began to browse for any transaction that would fit the boys frame and purpose.
"We've got to wake the madam. Ask her about the boys and the symbol. Find the tattoo or whatever and get the frag out of here."
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@B.B.:
You find a list of transactions that goes back months, many of which are charged directly to what look like honest to god real SINs with only the number scratched out (you think to yourself: paydata, "blackmailing goooold"!). Sure enough, you see it:
<<2072.08.24 23:52 Germaine Robinson SIN#*********---1200¥>>.
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"I don't know. Something still just doesn't seem right here. The Crimson Crush made it sound like the place was a fortress, and we find a couple of goons in the basement and madame bearhug here to keep out the rift raft. It just seems that the Crush could have shut them down at any time."
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"Just take the win Walks.. I found Germain's stamp. The kids were here. We need to wake the madam so Mercedes can talk to her. Meantime, I'm going to the main room to hold down the place. If anyone wants to join me, that'd be nice. If shooting starts, and I have to fall back down here, well, chances are we'll all die in this windowless hole. So chin up. Things are going well!"
Brian plugged a data chip into the comm and copied the financial data straight to it. Make hay while the sun shines.
Then he attached the medkit to the madam's thigh, and paused as the med snake bored through her dermal plating into her Femoral artery.
"I'm going to do this by remote. I don't want that crazy bitch giving these yaks my face. Ping me when you want her awake, and. please, grab my kit on the way up."
The touchy work done, Brian swapped out his clip of Stick-n-shock for a clip of Explosive ammo.
[OOC: Inca, I figure with 14 dice (6 command 6 kit 4 augs -2 remote,) I can buy 3 hits for the one Stun healed needed to wake her up. I'm also assuming you decided to nerf stick-n-shock along with tazers.]
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Walks through Walls drops the increased reflexes spell she had been maintaining and watches the world slow down like a thrill ride taking off. With a sigh she waits until she is reacquainted with the speed of the world and then says, "I can use a physical mask to change Mercedes appearance and stay down here with her out of sight. Then B.B. you and Woofer can watch upstairs. If the Yaks show up let us know and we'll go up to you using magic and stealth rather than retreat into the basement without an exit."
Walks through walls looks around at the speed at which the world is again moving around her and thinks, "I cannot wait until I learn how to quicken that spell and can keep it up all of the time."
-
"I'll head up with BB then, maybe there's something upstairs in a office that might give us an idea where to look next. Walks, I agree, something smells."
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"Actually, if we simply blindfold her, I'll be fine."
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@Mercedes&Walks:
As the medkit begins injecting mild stimulants and painkiller you see the good eye of the prone madame opens up and she groans as if she were a tranquilized lion on a vets operating table at the zoo. She doesn't say anything but by the way she's breathing and the way her eyeball is scanning her perifery you can tell she's awake but not very cognizant. You take some bandaging from the medkit and blindfold her with it. After about 30 seconds can tell that she has become more aware of her surroundings because you see her tug at her bonds but she's way to weak to give it an earnest attempt.
@Woofer&B.B.:
When you get out of the basement door and head into the lobby you notice everything is as quiet as a mouse. Woofer moves towards the backroom that he saw the madame come out of at first. It's a far cry from an office and is basically another living room which heads into a kitchen. A shiny black kitchen drone lies in power-save mode on a counter top and the room looks quite clean.
B.B. strolls around the lobby keeping his eyes peeled.
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Mercedes clears her throat and then speaks in a voice almost identical to Governer Brackhaven. [OOC: Just choosing a random voice that would sound nothing like my own.]
"Now, my dear. You'll tell us everything we want to know about the Germaine boy and the AR game. Or my associates will do more than fry your eyeball."
Voice Control - Imitate Con + Charisma (16d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2937932/)
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@Mercedes:
[OOC:Madame's Con resist: Neg 4 + Cha 5 + wound -3 = (6d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2939004/) ]
As soon as you mention "Germaine boy" you notice the madame stop shifting and tugging on her bonds and tense up slightly. Suddenly she responds in a raspy voice. "We don't talk of such things here. We can't. That's the way it was designed. I don't know where your boys are. All I can say is you're supposed to figure it out for yourself otherwise you're not ready for it. Please don't make me say anything more! I knew that couple would mean trouble the minute the woman started asking strange questions.....stupid stupid..." You see her start to sniffle and you think she might be crying a little bit behind the gauze bandages wrapped around her head.
-
Mercedes raises her eyebrows at the reaction, "What couple? Tony? <pause as if listening to someone else> Oh, the ones we 'took care of'. Heh. No, darlin' we're with other interested parties. You say you're not allowed to talk about it? Is it hardwired into your system? If it is, and you can't say, don't say anything."
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@Mercedes:
The Madame remains silent other than for a few little sobs which escape every few seconds.
-
Mercedes nods at Cynthia, indicating they're not going to get anything else out of her. "Today's you're lucky day, lady. We're not going to press the issue since we're in a hurry. But if you don't stay quiet right where you are, that could change."
Over the slush channel: <<<<<She's wired like the girl upstairs. We're not going to get anything more out her. She says we "have to play the game" to get more information on the kid. Anything upstairs?>>>>>
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<<<<<@Team Shush: Nothing yet. You'll know when it happens though. The explosions and automatic weapon fire will be the signal. Ask her which girl has the tattoo or at least who the kids saw. Woofer's got a lot of flesh to sift through looking for that symbol. There's got to be something she can say that's related to the next clue.>>>>>
Brian took up a position on the stairs leading to the 2nd floor.
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Mercedes nods to herself as she gets B.B.'s message. "Can you at tell us which girl the boy saw and if she's the one with the tattoo?"
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@Mercedes:
The Madame's little sobs grow a little louder and she starts shivering as if it had become very cold in the basement even though the temperature is unchanged. The gauze bandages are soaked through with sweat and tears. She shakes her head and mutters almost under her breath, "....that's j-j-just th-the way it-t-t was d-d-d-d-d-designed." She then falls silent and continues to shiver.
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<<<<<We're not getting anything else out of her without frying her brain.>>>>>
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At team shush "O.K. we need to find the AR symbol I am clueless on how to do that."
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Time--16:00
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<<<<<Strip search. I'm sort of working defense here, otherwise I'd dig in. You know what, fuck it. Panty raid time.>>>>>
B.B. ran up to the second floor to check the hookers' rooms. "Federal booty inspector! Do you have this symbol tattooed anywhere on your body!"
Brian brought up the symbol as an ARO on the tip of his gloved finger.
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I'll go up and cover the front door
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Woofer sighs, and searches the Madam's room, and then back to Agnes' room, checking to see if she has a tattoo.
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@Woofer:
Before you go back up to Agnes's room you try to REMEMBER (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=187.msg27703#msg27703) whether or not she had any tats >:(
@Federal Booty Inspector:
After busting in about 5 rooms you come across a total of 3 females and it's the same deal with all of them. You find them sitting on the edge of their beds and they just stare at you as you come in. When you throw up the symbol and ask them for answers they just sit there silently looking at you. You feel like you have two ways to go, either strip search these chicks and have them show you the money or try to figure it out like Jeshua and Isamu probably did. Your usually highly analytic mind feels like this shouldn't be that hard and figuring it out would be faster and safer....maybe looking back at the online pictures of these chicks would lend some clues...you put the system offline though so you'd have to go back in the node or bring it all back up online.
The way that code looked and felt when you touched the AR symbol back at the Chalice was different. Not different in the way you'd felt the few times you'd come into contact with Resonance code....it was just some darn unique programming. The way it was able to hide itself with hardly a trace and the unorthodox protocols it used make you feel like hacking a bunch of girls standard grade personafixes so thoroughly and in such detail wasn't too far fetched. Maybe it was some form of malware. Whatever it was just seemed to be serving a secondary purpose to whatever those chicks can't really talk about.
-
"Aww, dicks." B.B. sat down in a chair shaped like a hand, but with the texture of jello. He had to hop quite a bit to do so. "This is just not working out, hooker number 5. Uhh.." He searched his memory from the photos on the node's public end.
[OOC: Log 7 +6 wil +3 nan +1 PuSHeD = 17d6.hits(5) → [1,4,3,1,4,6,2,3,1,1,4,2,4,1,6,3,3] = (2) hahahaha.]
"Bethany? Raquel? Whatever. Ghost! This tweak must have been cut with baby diarrhea. My mind has got the runs honeybee."
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@B.B.:
You try to remember each of the images from the menu of girls but you can't remember all the details.
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Mercedes tries to remember which of the girls in the pictures had tattoos to help narrow down the search.
Memory test on pictures of the girls (7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2945292/)
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Mercedes can't remember every detail of the images either. Walks's has a photographic memory but never saw the menu.
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>>>>>Mercedes, reboot the link on the left down there. Or just ask the madam which of her girls has the most tattoos. That info shouldn't be off limits since it's not directly related to the game.<<<<<
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@Mercedes&Walks:
You reboot the commlink and after about 10 seconds you see the AR environment come back online and even in the basement there are butterflies and eastern dragons floating around.
@Everyone:
A familiar AR screen appears before you: <<Welcome to the Pearl Tongue: Online Services -- In house services--Our Girls! (http://forums.shadowrun4.com/index.php?topic=187.msg25645#msg25645)>>, along with a few more tabs for pull-down menus
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<<<<<Looks like our girl is Bessie Mae. I'll scope it out. You inform the madam that gameboy, Olivier Sanon, has fucked up and this whole business will soon be a thing of the past. Maybe also find out what happened to the Crushers who came in here looking for their cut. Did they feed them to Snow White?>>>>>>
"Well, it's been real, doll, but I've gotta jet before this whole thing falls to shit."
With that, Brian hopped off the chair and scurried over to Bessie Mae's room.
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@B.B.:
The node to which you see Bessie Mae's AR link connected to is on the 3rd floor and you scurry up following the AR dot on your overhead and when you try the door it opens right up. You walk in and find her also sitting on the bed in a lavender lilac colored nighty, her eyes open, staring off into space and only occasionally blinking to stay lubricated. In contrast to how it was with the other girls in the Pearl Tongue that you approached, as you approach this lovely lady, your Analyze program, which has been on high alert the whole time, finally begins to pick up those familiar data transfers between Jeshua's commlink and Bessie Mae's PAN and they are initiated by the same type of cookie you noticed as you walked down to the pool-room at the Chalice. You don't see her react at all as the cookie does it's thing.
She seems to jolt a little as she's startled by you and when she looks down at your submachinegun she begins to look quite flustered, "Hey kid, you better put that gun down before I call security! What the HELL is going on here? I'm off the clock, so if you want my services you're gonna have to make it worth my while and if you're trying to rob me, then go ahead, take what you want in here and go....cuz ya ain't gonna get too far with it."
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[OOC: Did the cookie bring up any digital info, or I am I just going to have to get it off the flesh of Miss BM?]
<<<<<Mercedes. Reconvene, third floor.>>>>>
Brian quickly makes sure his AR mask ARO is on and broadcasting to cover his head and face, and then raises his finger to show the symbol to the girl.
"Does this look familiar to you? Also, don't make trouble. Blah blah blah."
-
"Hang tight, missy. I'll be right back."
Mercedes heads up to the third floor, looking for where B.B. is.
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@Mercedes:
You follow B.B.'s node on your AR display and go into the room and find him with his SMG in one hand and his other hand pointing out a finger showing an AR copy of the symbol. Bessie Mae looks over at you and now looks even more confused.
@B.B.:
From the look on Bessie Mae's face you can tell she's slowly realizing that that you're probably not a kid and she responds rather flatly, "It's one of my tattoos, and if you want to get to see it that's gonna run you at least 1500 cred!"
An AR screen pops up from both of the Yaks commlinks and you notice that she must have just mentally alerted them with a request for assistance.
[OOC: the only thing you notice are the very evasive little data packets between the cookie on Jeshua's comm and Bessie Mae's PAN; nothing else.]
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"I said not to make trouble. Are you looking to get ventilated? You know what? I'm not even going to bother. Not worth the ammo. You take care of this, Merk. I'm going back to position 1."
Brian slips out of the room and takes up a defensive position near the doorway.
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Mercedes sighs as the gnome leaves the room, "Sorry hina, he's wires are a bit cross right now. We're trying to find this kid that got mixed up in some shit and need your help to make sure he's okay. If you can help, I sure we could come up with some kind of reward. Sound okay?"
Etiquette roll to calm the girl and "make nice": CHA [8] + Etiquette [4] + Kinesics [3] + Imp Ability (Etiquette) [2] + First Impression [2] (19d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2948396/)
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I'm going to try and find a place where I can see outside without being in obvious view. I will again engage my chameleon suit to help me go unnoticed.
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@Mercedes:
[OOC:Bessie Mae's Perception: Perc 2 + Int 3 + suspicious 2= (7d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2949020/), she sees through your etiquette.]
Apparently ignoring your comment about the boys she looks you dead in the eye, "Listen, I don't know who you are, or who he is...but you two definitely don't understand who you're messing with...Ever heard of the Kanaga-gumi? They really don't ever forget, especially when it's a bad memory. So why don't you slot me 1500 cred and i'll show you whatever you want and you can just go about your business? Deal?"
@Walks:
You go outside and it's begun raining again pretty heavily. You see Spiderman still outside on the street and he's donned a clear plastic rain-poncho and is holding his SMG at his side seeming lost in thought.
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Woofer exits the madam's room, and takes a position in the lobby, <<Mercedes, if we need it, slot her the 1,500, and get the information, we can go from there. BB, can only hold the alerts back for so long.>>
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"Fine chola, here's the cred."
Mercedes transfers the funds over, and calls for B.B. to check out her tattoo.
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@Mercedes:
You grab the bluish translucent icon for your credstick from the periphery of your field of view and type out 1500 on the AR keypad which spawns next to it. A little beep marks the appearance of a new icon that reads <<1500¥>> which you grab with your AR gloved hand and throw it over towards Bessie Mae's PAN icon which floats over her shoulder. She accepts the transaction and then smiles, "Perfect...now tell your little buddy to come back inside and you two can just sit back and relax and i'll take care of you....oh ya, you wanted to see this....". She turns around and lifts up her nighty exposing her voluptuous rear end. The pink floral tattoos which you saw adorning her face, neck and shoulders actually extend all the way down past her slim waist and culminate in an elaborate pattern around the small of her back. Inlaid right in the center, you see it. In the manner informally known as a "tramp stamp", she bears Olivier's symbol which the legendary Fastjack's most efficient legwork showed to loosely mean "the cat whom curiosity killed" in an ancient language.
[OOC: don't forget to edit that cred on your char sheet :)]
@B.B.:
Mercedes calls you back in the room and from the door you already notice that booty inspecting might not be so far off the mark from what you might have to do to solve this puzzle. The symbol pulsates with a dull pink glow, augmented by AR feeds which originate in Jeshua's commlink. Again you feel the familiar beckoning to reach out and touch it, completely oblivious to the spectacular onion shaped booty that the symbol rests upon. (Let your imagination take care of the rest) (http://lh5.ggpht.com/_I-D83k7iK0A/TSk9wqlNoJI/AAAAAAAACVQ/LYfql7gCDss/BigbigbootyMujernalgonaporristacoron%5B1%5D.jpg?imgmax=800).
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@ team shush "Guys are we about done? This is starting to take way too long."
She Who Walks Through Walls again scans the streets looking for anyone who seems to be paying attention to the building or coming to visit.
"What time do they open for business again?"
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[OOC: Not sure exactly how to get this data. I guess a matrix perception check? analyze 6 +1 skill +4 dpb = 11d6.hits(5) → [4,2,4,4,6,6,1,1,1,1,1] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2954575/) Retrying at -2 dice 9d6.hits(5) → [5,6,1,1,3,2,4,3,2] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2954577/) dunno what to say. dice are jerks.]
As last time, Brian reached out and activated the icon.
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@B.B. & Mercedes:
Bessie Mae smiles as B.B. walks over towards her exposed rear-end and touches the tattoo which suddenly responds with a much brighter pink AR glow. You quickly see Bessie's smile turn into a completely different expression more akin to a gag reflex and Mercedes suddenly fears the worst as she sees the tattooed girl jerk in a spasmodic way similar to what happened to Agne's when she responded to the question about the boys.
B.B.'s Analyze program clearly sees her skillwires and personafix systems going haywire as she hits the ground hard and continues her seizure; however, this time you note that the smell of burning flesh is quite absent. The twitching and jerking slowly subsides and the girl lies motionless on the ground for a few moments until her eyes shoot wide open before slowly standing again using the bed to prop herself up. In no time her balance and strength return to her as she begins to stare at the door to the room with an intense look of concentration. Without even looking in either of your general directions she startles you as she utters in a cold flat voice.
<<Follow me>>
Bessie pulls her nighty back down and heads for a closet from which she pulls a stylish long plastic-sheen red rain coat which she puts on. She then starts walking out of the room and as you see her head into the hallway you notice she is walking very calmly toward the stairwell.
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Mercedes starts to follow Bessie, making sure B.B. is coming along as well. "I think it's a good idea to turn our comms back on, don't you Brian? And let Marcus and Cynthia know we're on the move."
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<<@ Mercedes: Gah! Why would you use our names in a Yak whorehouse after you inadvertently kill a hooker and half blind the madam! Especially in earshot of Sanon's puppet! The only reason I'm not going to blow that hooker's skull open after this is because I know for a fact that she's got a Data Filter. You think they care that you didn't mean to kill Agnes? We need to disappear that girl or something. I'm pretty sure that a sign saying, "All your bitches been haxx0rd," isn't going to excuse this.>>
"You go ahead, I've got to clean up a bit. You know, pick up my concussion traps, reassemble the front door lock, and cancel those transactions attached to your ID which directly link you to this whole mess. Ghost... This should have been simple. Two fraggin kids did this a week ago..."
With that, B.B. rushed past to the second floor to retrieve his flash bangs.
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@B.B.:
As you grab your flashbangs from their little hiding places with one hand you start running scrubbing scripts with the other which pipe to your Edit program a checklist to methodically clean up all your traces. It comes to your attention that Bessie's PAN has completely dropped off your visible nodes list and a search for hidden nodes doesn't turn up a thing as she heads out the door with Mercedes a few meters entail.
[OOC: For the scrubbing roll a Computer + Edit for me. A search for hidden nodes wouldn't turn up a thing w.r.t. Bessie's PAN.]
@Mercedes:
A little chagrined that you dropped everyone's name, you hope it's not gonna be a big deal. You suddenly notice that Bessie's PAN has just completely dropped off of your visible nodes list. You follow Bessie down the stairs all the way to the first floor and while B.B. is still picking up his things you follow Bessie through the front entrance and she steps outside into the rain. The sky is quite dark and you feel it's pitter-patter against your leather jacket as you pick up your pace to keep up with her walk which has become more brisk. You turn and see Spiderman down the street looking over at Bessie in her hooded stylish red rain coat and he puts both hands around his SMG, the expression on his face is revealed to be one of caution...perhaps even fear as he pulls off his sunglasses. He merely looks on as the two of you cross the street and start to head into an alley.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRslum1.jpg)
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[OOC: Edit 6 +1 skill +4 = 11d6.hits(5) → [3,2,6,6,6,3,1,1,1,4,2] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2956336/) Here's a Corrupt roll if that's an alternative. Corrupt 3 + 6 hacking +4dpb = 13d6.hits(5) → [4,5,4,4,3,4,2,3,2,5,2,3,6] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2956338/) should hit the threshold of 2 in one CT.]
Stopping by Agnes' room on the 2nd floor, Brian stuck his head in on Woofer still looking over the corpse of the girl killed by questions.
"Hey. Buddy. We gotta Gee Tee Eff Oh. Just leave everything as you found it. Chalk it up to defective cyberwear. Can't be helped. I get the feeling that the madam isn't going to be talking too much about this business."
On the main floor, standing ready, was the ghostly outline of Cynthia chunkily defined by the radar in his hand. He whipped out a pair of wire-clippers and tossed them to her. "Give these to the madam, or don't. I gotta fix the front lock."
[OOC: Reassembling the lock. Log 7 +1 skill +4 dpb = 12d6.hits(5) → [3,5,3,5,3,4,2,2,3,2,1,1] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2956374/) more 11d6.hits(5) → [3,5,6,2,4,6,1,3,4,3,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2956375/) once more for jesus. 10d6.hits(5) → [5,6,3,6,5,4,2,3,5,5] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2956377/) jesus is magic! 3-9 seconds.]
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Mercedes motions to Spiderman to keep an eye out for trouble as she follows Bessie outside.
[OOC: And that's as far as I'm willing to take it until Sludig & Walks posts ;)]
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Walks Through Walls tosses the clippers back. "I got my own, but I got my girls back right now. I think that is more important than letting the troll go. Besides I think she might try to clip me if I let her go." She then rocks into motion and follows Mercedes and Bessie trying to stay close enough to them that she can use their break in any traffic there is.
"Merecedes, I'm here. I got your back. I'll stay out of sight in case things get dicey."
OOC infiltration roll: skill 2d6, agility 6d6, specialization +2, for 10d6
10d6.hits(5) → [6,2,4,3,1,5,1,6,6,5] = (5)
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Woofer looks up and nodding, starts following BB out, Shush <<I take it we have a good lead?>>
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@Everyone:
Completely soaked by the rain despite his poncho, Spiderman watches the rest of the team exit the Pearl Tongue and run into the alley following the girl in the red rain coat. After hesitating for a moment, he curses, puts his sunglasses back on and then begrudgingly jogs down the empty street towards the alley to catch up with you.
Bessie Mae keeps up the brisk pace which your AR compass shows you is in an almost due southward direction but the route quickly begins to take twists and turns in order to navigate around buildings and other impasses, yet continues in a gradual southward meander. After about 30 min of hiking you can finally see Sheldon's wall as she takes you into an abandoned crumbling warehouse which lies right up against it. Nestled in a corner surrounded by fallen brick and plasticrete she removes a wooden pallet that uncovers the entrance to a tunnel that's about 5m long and comes out into another warehouse which your coordinates indicates to be located on the other side of the wall surrounding Crimson Crush's turf. Following her out of this second warehouse you continue down southward through neighborhoods which look even more and more as if a bomb had hit.
Spiderman, who since the moment you met him has remained completely silent, comes in closer to the group and in mumble which is almost inaudible in the rain tries to let you know how he feels. "There's been stories about a girl in a red rain coat...people from the neighborhood been tellin'em...local shamans even tell gangers to stay clear of her. That must have been the smuggling tunnel we been looking for ever since we started catchin' Stilettos comin' all the way from Glow City slinging chips on our turf."
Occasionally you pass groups of onlookers which all exhibit the same reaction at the sight of the red rain coat. Be it a grey haired troll interrupting his smoke, flicking the half-finished cigarette into a puddle and going back indoors or an ork mother cooking on a little gas burner under a tarp awning nervously clutching her breast-feeding baby even closer. Even as little huddles of gangers stare down Spiderman who snarls back at them as they notice his colors, the thugs simply keep their ground and remain weary of the red rain coat.
You have been hiking behind her for almost an hour now and the time is 18:30. The dusk giving way to night does nothing to halt the rain as you enter an abandoned industrial zone dating back at least to the 2050's. The Crash 2.0, which along with the chaos and havoc it brought, also spread the schematics for desktop forge technology all over the world. Sometimes all it takes is that perfectly planned shadowrun at the right moment in history to up-end entire industries. Desktop manufacturing had now rendered several manufacturing centers like this one obsolete.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRfutureslum1.jpg)
Your commlinks, which long ago have been trying to deal with high static levels, are now occasionally dropping their connection to the matrix entirely as you appear to be entering a dead zone. Your last known connection was routed through street lamp nodes to the 228th Ave overpass which looms above you. High-up leaning against the guard-rail you see a few individuals looking off towards the horizon. Woofer cues the image magnification on his cyber-eyes and as he zooms in, the warpaint on their faces clearly identifies them as Blood Mountain Boys who, as B.B. had already mentioned a few days ago, control the toll stops along these highways; however, they seem completely oblivious to you.
After walking under rusted cross-walks and in between outdated cold-fusion generators you come out onto the other end of the industrial zone and what looks like a complete wasteland.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRruins2.jpg)
Bessie Mae picks her way gracefully around debris and gravel not looking back even once to ensure that you are following and it's a bit of a challenge to not lose her but at the same time not slip and impale yourself on a rusted girder. It's stretches of the barrens like these that under the night sky almost seem like glorious monuments to the absolute victory of free market capitalism which by the simple laws of economics, eventually stabilizes itself into a perpetual state of corporate feudalism. Although labor unionizing has been illegal for decades, you vaguely remember that about 5 years ago the previous administration began a project to clean-up and re-introduce basic amenities to the worst of these wastelands under fear that metahuman rights groups had formed a coalition strong enough to begin a viable underground unionizing campaign. Money was allocated to setup contracts that the Megas could bid on and then carry out the urban renewal project. The idle Mesametric Beaver construction drones that litter your path are a reminder of how cancelling this project was one of the very first acts Governer Brackhaven carried out as soon as he came into office. He changed the contracts to no-bid and rendered the project dead in its tracks by awarding the bulk of them to Evo which decided the money would be better spent giving literacy commlinks to SINless children which substitute a series of icons and spoken commands for the ability to read and write. They touted it as a key element in their No Metahuman Left Behind campaign which was a big hit for PR....but not so good if this was the squat you called home.
Well, maybe it was a bit of a boon for you if this was the squat you called home but you were the type of person who just wanted to be left the hell alone.
After 15 minutes of walking through this shit-hole you come to a clearing in the buildings and nestled in the middle of the block is what maybe was once a parking lot. At the far end of the 20mx20m lot you see a low lying building with a steel stylized christian crucifix jutting out of the ground about 10m in front of it. The archtecture looks like something out of the turn of the millennium back when they'd build churches to look hip and "modern" but now only looked woefully antiquated and in this case, almost completely dilapidated and blackened with layers upon layers of mold and polluted soot.
After crossing the parking lot the girl in the red rain coat approaches the crucifix which has a plaque under it which reads "Our Lady Queen of Peace." She leans on the crucifix swinging around to face you and points back toward the entrance to the church. Bessie Mae pulls her hood away and her black hair slowly becomes wet as she stares blankly at the team. Before one of you has a chance to say something, she utters in voice filled with far more expression and cadence than the one she used at the Pearl Tongue.
"Your playful journey ends at these humble doors
Who would have thought salvation lay in the hands of whores,
Eternity for the one who enters,
Or turn away now, the choice is yours."
Then she simply remains silent but doesn't take her eyes off of you as rainwater streams down her face.
@Cynthia, Mercedes & B.B.:
As you approached the church you felt a very strange sensation as something about this place messes with the personal connection you have to your "gifts". Particularly Cynthia who is accustomed to manipulating ambient mana can feel this area brimming with a slightly elevated level of turbulent mana eddies which occasionally course through her body and make any attempt to gather magical energy quite distracting.
[OOC: visibility is partial light, matrix status is dead zone, this is a +1 mana domain which is not aspected to any of your traditions. So Magic attribute is effectively reduced by one. For you adepts, eliminate 1 power point of adept powers which don't work in this zone.
I'll also let you retroactively state some things you might have done during the journey that are common sense preparations without the knowledge of what comes ahead, but they would have to be things which you can do while hiking....no stops along the way.]
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After we pass through the little tunnel and hearing what Spiderman had to say about the woman in the red coat She Who Walks Through Walls will cast increased reflexes.
spell level 4 (overcasting) + spellcasting 4= 8d6
8d6.hits(5) → [6,5,1,6,2,3,3,6] = (4)
Drain roll: Will 4 + charisma 5= 9d6
9d6.hits(5) → [2,2,5,1,4,5,3,5,6] = (4)
(Whew just made it to no drain)
She Who Walks Through Walls watches the world go back into slow motion as the spell speeds up her awareness and reflexes. She smiles slightly under the facemask of her Chameleon suit. "Soon this will be the normal state of things." she thinks as she keeps up with the rest of the group. The slight distraction from having to sustain the spell keeps her constantly scanning back and forth especially as things get grimmer and grimier.
Once we get to the parking lot she looks down as her feet sink into the puddles. With a frown she sighs and hopes that the interference doesn't get any worse.
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Woofer looks around the area, and pulls his piece out, "Shalll we see what's behind door #1?"
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[OOC: Linguistics (.25), Imp. Ability [Con] (.25) and Imp. Ability [Etiquette] (.5)]
Mercedes shivers despite herself and grimly looks at the door. Pulling out her taser, she solemnly nods that she's ready.
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[OOC: Going to drop Multitasking, analytics and a level of improved ability - hacking.]
As if walking through a toxic wasteland without a respirator wasn't enough, arriving now at this old church made Brian's headache double. He was finding it hard to concentrate and just as hard to restrain himself with all the speed in his system. He'd spent a good portion of the walk chuckling as he tuned his radar to see through Bessie Mae's clothes.
"Well, I'd hate to head off down the Road to Eternity without Little Red Raining-hood polishing my silver, but I suppose that part's already past us... Could you guys hold off on walking straight into the lion's jaws with nothing but a song in your heart? At least until I freaking check this pit out first? It's giving me a damn headache watching you bumble into everything like Bliss-heads. Keep an eye on the crazy, possessed hooker for me, please."
Brian made a quick pass around the building, checking through the walls to see what he could find out about the place before they went in. He kept a specific eye out for air vents or any other alternate means of ingress.
[OOC: Int (5+1) +2 skill +3 attn coprocessor +1 betel +3 nans = 15d6
15d6.hits(5) → [6,4,6,3,3,1,3,1,6,3,6,6,6,6,5] = (8) north
15d6.hits(5) → [3,6,1,1,2,2,1,2,3,5,1,3,6,1,3] = (3) west
15d6.hits(5) → [6,6,6,1,3,4,5,2,5,4,3,4,2,3,6] = (6) south
15d6.hits(5) → [1,4,6,5,5,6,3,4,4,5,5,6,4,2,6] = (8) east (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2959868/)]
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Do we want me to go in through a window or some other type of stealth method?
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@B.B.:
For some reason you find it rather difficult to lecture your team, walk towards the side of the church and chew betel at the same time....you've never thought about it before....usually you'd also be monitoring the auction house on Planes of Eldoran in a little side window while texting JLocke.....and just as you think that and are feeling really weirded out, you realize...damn, you have a lot of shit running on you're AR overlay desktop....so much so that it's freakin' confusing the hell out of you. You click on "hide all" and all of a sudden a sensation that you've never ever experienced takes a hold.
Silence.
Is this what it's like? You look around and despite the nervous tense expression on your teamates faces due to the uncertainty of what you're all going to encounter on the other side of those church doors, they do notice something different about you. You stop for a moment to just stand there listening to the falling rain. It's actually quite a pretty sound.
You throw back up the essential AR windows and continue to walk around the church but suddenly freeze as you see a few huddled figures cowering away from you as you approach. As you look closer you notice that tucked into the shadows of the side of the church you see these homeless figures trying to stay out of the rain by sitting under the gutter of the roof. Their tattered flesh and the sharp fangs which they occasionally bare at you tips you off that they're probably street ghouls and by their body language they seem more scared of you then you could be of them. They simply hold their ground and as soon as they see you're not approaching anymore they eventually ignore you. It seems like these huddles of pitiful creatures might be all around the building seeking shelter.
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Once B.B. gets back and we have our brief discussion She Who Walks Through Walls will say, "Well I guess there is safety in numbers so give me a second to put up a spell and we'll head on in."
Casting Sound barrier overcasting at force 4: Dice pool spell casting 4, magic 2(for spells) +2 for moon maiden =8d6
8d6.hits(5) → [3,4,5,5,3,2,6,2] = (3)
It will have a 4 meter radius around me
Drain 5DV
willpower 4 +chr 5 for 9d6
9d6.hits(5) → [5,5,1,4,5,2,2,4,3] = (3)
so I take 2P
Sigh
She Who Walks Through Walls pulls the mana through her knowing that she is pushing her powers to the limits and beyond yet again. She sets a sound barrier four meters out from the group. As she concentrates to bend the mana to her will she feels a dull pain as she manifests the barrier centering it on her chest. She sighs, and thinks to herself, "This is beginning to become all too common."
Wiping the blood from her nose she turns to B.B. and says, "Get out that medkit again. I seem to have hurt myself. We have a barrier of sound out about 4 meters. It will help us be quiet to everyone outside the bubble, but it won't effect us talking to each other inside the bubble."
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@Cythia:
You begin to cast the spell but as soon as you tap the strong current of mana around you in order to gather the usual amount, a significant amount more than your used to is released. You try to shape it and mold it in to the pattern the spell calls for but it fights your attempt to bend it. Mercedes notices your knees buckle a little and she asks if you're ok but you know you're not. You finally lock the last little piece together in your mind but as the mana flows through, it singes your nerves and just as the barrier of sound is set up around you you feel yourself getting nauseous. You tell B.B. to grab the medkit and as the silence sets in, you close your eyes for a second as you lean your hands against your knees.
You turn to your left looking toward the north along the road which brought you here. The street lamps all long burnt out and shattered. The street is familiar, as if you'd dreamt of it already, and as the rain subsides, the clouds open up revealing a clear night sky. As the calm settles in, the only light which illuminates the silence around you is the light of the silver moon. Peering even deeper into the darkness of the road which brought you here you see a figure approach, it's outline draped by a delicate dear-skin robe adorned with eagle feathers and intricate bead-work. When the figure finally approaches you, you make out the face of an elven woman and it's like looking into a mirror. She is identical to you save for her face paint and you take a step back at the shear surprise of seeing yourself. Then she speaks in Sioux, which you always had trouble understanding, but hers you understand perfectly. "It is your time. You have come to the place you were not yet ready for. She tried to stop you," and the robed figure lifts her hand up towards the moon. "So she sent me to take your place. Do not fear, for in the end we are ALL one. I am merely a temporary replacement which improves upon your design and I shall take your place until an even more powerful replacement one day can again be found to serve our lady. Just as your time here was temporary, so will be mine. Now run along, I have a job to do."
You stare incredulously at her, but her unwavering eyes make you bow your head. Then you remember, the drops of moon dust...the spiders thread....you suddenly remember....a long long time ago, how your lady carefully sewed every last little eyelash to your eye-lid. How she crafted you from pure nothingness and sent you out into a world which strives to devolve into nothingness. You remember, and as tears roll down your eyes you run away....back up the road which brought you to this bank and shoal of Redmond....back out towards the light. You turn around once more, and look far off towards your friends, the robed woman standing with them, all four of them facing the church.
"Walks!...are you ok? talk to me girl..." You suddenly awaken as if from a day dream. Standing in front of the church, Mercedes' hand on your shoulder asking you if you're ok. The surging astral signature still tingles at your spine. You nod and clutch your taser a little tighter. "Nice face paint girl, i didn't notice it on the way over here from the Pearl Tongue." B.B. strolls back over to the group with his medkit and nonchalantly smirks, "Yeah, nice face tatts Walks, looks pretty bad-ass......but since when you start taking fashion tips from a wired two bit whore?"....B.B. chuckles a little and focuses his eyes back on the church and what the next move should be. Mana crackles at the microscopic level in between your synapses.
-
[OOC: First aid: 7 logic +6 kit +4 dpb -5dpp = 12d6.hits(5) → [2,6,4,4,6,4,2,5,5,1,2,1] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2967197/)]
"So, gents, I tried to take a look around, but this place is packed to the gills with ghouls. Luckily they're not feral, or they're just as spooked as everyone else about this whole business. Doesn't matter too much to me which it is. What matters is they're not chewing on my skinny ass right now, which is something I count as a positive. Let's see what else we can count in the positive column? We're all in good health. We're going into a church, and most churches have a pretty uniform layout. I've still got enough grenades to down a Juggernaut. Finally, all we need is a dead elf boy's body, or enough of it to be identified."
Brian finished applying aid to Cynthia's latest nosebleed.
"In the negative column we've got, one, the high likelihood of jacked-up mind-control shenanigans, two, the fact that cannibals and mutants who would rape a dog to death for fun are scared of this craphole, and three, those first two problems count as three or four negative tallies apiece."
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Mercedes chuckles, "Well, at least we have our health."
She looks up at the church and shifts her perception to the astral, trying to see if there is anything else they should worry about besides the stated concerns.
Assensing roll (Int [4] + Assensing [2] + Enh. Perception [1]) (7d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2967429/)
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@Mercedes:
You open your sight to the astral plane and the shear brightness makes you squint. The church glows white with passion and pain. Now you can see clearly why you feel different, the background count of mana is overflowing your senses and making it dificult for you to even think straight. The brightness makes it difficult to clearly see the aura's of all the ghouls huddled against the church seeking refuge from the rain, but nonetheless you see them all glowing with the brightness of dual natured beings. On the physical plane they could be considered some of the most hidious creatures known to metahumankind, but on the astral they glow with complex vibrance that no mundane metahuman could match. Woven into this vibrance though are the grey's black's and greens of a perpetual sadness. Fear is their only leader, their master. You see they have given into fear long ago and the only emotion which can take their mind off of it is a dull hunger. You see how the bright astral beacon of the church gives them solace in a world that despises them for the abominations it thinks they are. You notice that they all turn and look at you right away as you too are now dual natured as you look through your astral eye. They still opt for staying dry, but one of them who looks particularly sentient and very curious about you slowly comes out into the rain from the side of the church. He approaches very cautiously. You notice that the emotions in his aura are quite a bit more organized than many of the other infected in his group.
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_z2d4IxltHJI/Sx2BSzC71TI/AAAAAAAACR8/9I9zcRrNpiQ/s400/ghoul-in-the-pew.jpg)
@Everyone:
He looks at the astral signature of the sound barrier rather curiously and then decides to enter it and upon seeing that you still haven't shot or tased him, he speaks in a soft voice that belies the mindless feral nature stereotypically associated with those of his kind. With a wispy rasp tinged with a light CAS accent he speaks hesitantly at Bessie Mae. "Might you have a small treat for ol' Kilby?!" His eyes light up with anticipation and the prostitute walks over to him, reaches in the pocket of her red rain coat and pulls out a handkerchief soaked with dry blood; the whole time with no expression on her face whatsoever. Kilby opens up the handkerchief in her outstretched hand and you see very distinctly a severed toe caked with blood and you can still tell that the toenail is painted. Kilby quickly pops the small appendage into his mouth and crunches on it with pure enjoyment. "A little old Bess..... but tasty none-the-less!". She puts the handkerchief back in her coat and just stands there again.
Kilby then looks toward the group "She's a little bit slow this one, I think her wires need a bit of tweaking..... but Ollie always is a real pal and has her bring me a little something fresh.... Alright, let's see here, now comes the part where i'm supposed to tell you....let's see......" He fumbles through the pockets of his tattered clothing as if looking for something....and finally comes out with a balled up wet piece of paper. You notice that as he uncrumples it there is only a smear of ink on it and if there used to be any writing, it has long since washed off. He opens it up as if reading off it with his cateract covered eyes wide open....clearing his throat...."Here we go...ok i'm supposed to tell you.....'Your playful journey ends at these humble doors,
who would have thought salvation lay in the'.......wait, did she.....did she already say this.....I knew it, I never get any of the fun!! Ollie always cuts me out...never wants to give me any responsibility!!...oh well....my there's a whole lot of you...usually we don't have so many winners....well he should be expecting you so don't wanna keep him waiting....and besides don'tcha wanna claim your prize!?" He motions towards the front doors. "Don't be scared of these people standing around they're harmless for the most part....wouldn't wanna touch them though if you don't wanna end up like me.....or worse...like them". He chuckles slightly and then prances on all fours over to the church doors about 10m away.....they used to be made out of glass, but now all that is left are a few shards sticking out of a metal frame which he opens nonetheless as if you couldn't just walk right through and motions in a polite fashion for you to be his guest and enter.
-
[OOC: Composure test! 8d6.hits(5) → [4,6,1,6,4,1,2,4] = (2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2968328/) That's okay I suppose.]
"Kilby, you generally chat with winners before they go in?"
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Seeing as we aren't going to sneak up on anyone, and the ghouls seem to be willing to leave us alone She Who Walks Through Walls will drop her sound barrier. "Well I guess it is time to go and see what we can find."
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Kilby looks at B.B. and replies, "Oh yes, Kilby loves when visitors show up!"
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"Does something special happen when visitors show up?"
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"Yes something very special! Ollie gives them their reward!! Didn't you come here seeking the reward? I know you did....you wouldn't be here otherwise......yes something very special, I'm sure you'll be very satisfied..."
-
"Do you know what the reward is?"
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As soon as you ask him, Kilby pauses for a moment as if a little confused. "Umm...." Then he starts to look through his tattered pockets again, patting himself down feverishly....when he doesn't seem to find what he was looking for, he looks up at you rather sheepishly, his expressions exaggerated by the changes the Kreiger strain of HMHVV brings to the metahuman physiognomy...."I must have left it in another coat .....but I know it's very good! I just .......don't seem to remember quite what it is....." and he trails off, lost in thought. It becomes quite apparent to you that Kilby, although quite sentient and enthusiastic, is a few APDS short of a full clip...
-
[OOC: Judge Intentions - Int (5+1) +2 cha = 8d6.hits(5) → [6,5,3,1,3,5,5,4] = (4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2970223/)]
<<Mercedes, why are you not working this guy for info already? We got to figure out how much of this kid might be left after this whole "Eternity" thing happens. Even if they fed the kid to the Ghouls... and damn there must be a lot of corpses to feed this many... all we need is a bone fragment or two. Just something to identify the body. We're not here to fight a pack of ghouls, and we're not here to bust up Dracula's chip-head death-parade. We just gotta find what happened to the kid and get that proof to our smug-ass Johnson.>>
Brian was pausing awkwardly to type out messages with slight finger movements in between questions. Normally he'd be talking about one thing and typing another, but his head was just full of cotton right now. He hated this feeling.
<<Wanna do the thing where Mercedes and Woofer go in first? Just blip message me every little while and if you stop, I know badness has happened and I start making trouble while Walks sneaks in past the commotion.>>
"And Olly? Who is he to you?"
-
[OOC: Sorry, a bit busy iRL... :(]
Mercedes smiles at Kilby, a radiant smile that says he's doing a terrific job. "Thank you, Kilby. We will be sure to tell Ollie that you're doing a great job out here. Is there anything you can tell us about Ollie? Or anyone else that may be inside? We want to make sure we're playing the game right and have accounted for everything."
Etiquette roll [CHA 8 + Eti 4 + Kinesics 3 + First Imp 2] (17d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2970427/)
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"If Mercedes and Woofer go in I could sneak in at the same time and use my stealth to monitor the situation and if things go bad some backup would be there that much faster."
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Woofer nods, and pulls out his pistol, "BB? you staying out here, or coming in with us?"
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Mercedes looks down at B.B. "I think he has to come with us since the 'game' is keyed to him."
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Walks Through Walls will take a deep breath and start walking towards the church. "I'll sneak in while you guys go in. That way maybe we can have one wildcard in case things go wrong."
She is going to use her knowledge skill of physical security to try and figure out any security procedures they might be employing as she sneaks up.
Knowledge skill roll Rating 2 + logic 3= 5d6
5d6.hits(5) → [2,1,5,1,5] = (2)
Infiltration roll rating 2, specalization (urban) +2, agility 6= 10d6
10d6.hits(5) → [4,5,4,4,6,1,1,2,1,4] = (2)
If we get to any doors or physical barriers that I cannot get around I will wait for the group and try to slip in with them without being seen.
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"Awww, shitballs. This is why I like to stay home." B.B. kicked at a loose rock on the walkway. "I'll keep my eyes running on ping. Woof, don't point that at anyone unless you mean it. We wouldn't want to give people the wrong idea until such a time it becomes the right idea."
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"That I have a feeling will be real quick, but I'm going in prepared."
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Mercedes nods at Woofer, "Agreed. Better to be ready for the best than be caught with our shorts down."
She pulls out her taser as well, but holds it down along her side, so as not to appear threatening.
-
Kilby stays near the broken doorway and edges you on with a hand gesture and a smile. You leave him there and the team moves in with Woofer spearheading and Mercedes and B.B. at his flanks, Walks holding down the rear. As you move into the dark foyer and cautiously turn a corner you notice a bulb illuminates the beginning of a hallway which then is plunged into darkness. Your lowlight vision and other channels show that in fact beyond the bulb the hallway seems empty so you make your way forward.
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/Dark_Hallway_by_darkwolf33333.jpg)
A few meters down the hallway you see light coming from a large double doorway to the left, but the doors have long rusted off their hinges and lay strewn on the floor along with other rubble. Again you carefully round that corner with no incident and come out onto an illuminated auditorium which looks on what used to be an altar and is half obscured by a curtain. (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/detroit-marchand.jpg)
With nothing more to really do than press ahead and figure out what is going on, you make your way down a small set of stairs that take you to the bottom level. Through the curtain you do make out the faint shifting light projected from what you can tell are actual computer monitors behind it because AR displays would not shine through a curtain unless you instructed your reality filter to render this. You also notice a little movement along the periphery of the auditorium and when you finally spot the source of it you realize it's another crouched over figure which moves in a fearful manner similar to the infected you noticed outside, the whole time nervously keeping it's eye on you and staying in the shadows.
Deciding you all came here for only one reason and you just might as well get it over with for better or for worse, you approach the curtain and pull it aside revealing, just as you thought, a series of mounted glowing blue and quite antiquated LCD displays which all look on to a couch of sorts which you can only see the side and back of. (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRroom5.jpg)
You notice an old movie is playing on one of the screens which currently is right in the middle of an action scene between a black human wearing sunglasses and fighting off several enemies with a katana. A medium pitched somewhat nasal voice suddenly echos through the auditorium and you realize someone is actually sitting in the couch out of view because of a little puff of white smoke which curls towards the ceiling. "It's curious how people used to derive so much pleasure from experiencing a flick with only their eyes. Those were simpler times." Whoever just spoke suddenly jerks up from the couch into an upright sitting position and peers over at you with a very casual matter-of-fact gaze.
His glasses, disheveled hair and just general demeanor (http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/SRhuman1.jpg) give the impression of someone who is living in their mom's basement rather than the Shiawase Spider legend Fastjack posted a picture of; but aside from the mustache, it is undeniable that this is the same person, Olivier Sanon, hardly a day over whatever age he was in the picture.
"I gotta say though, leaving the rest up to the imagination sure can be even more exciting!" He stands up from the chair wearing only a pair of slacks and he grabs for a black shirt draped over the arm of the couch to cover up his scrawny pale form. As he buttons it up and strolls over to the monitor to push a switch which turns it off, he tosses the cigarette he was smoking to the ground and stubs it out with his bare foot. He looks over to the couch and directs a few words to someone else who seems to also be sitting on it out of view. "I know that was your favorite part but we got guests......c'mon, don't look at me like that....really?...really?..you're gonna get all butthurt now? Ok, just sit tight and we'll talk about this later."
He walks over closer to your part of the stage about 4 meters away from you and begins smiling a knowing smile. "Why in hell did you tear up that whorehouse? I mean, honestly, was it something with the way I worded the clues?? I mean I can take constructive criticism, but I'm just sayin'. Granted you made darn good time through 100 online and 9 flesh and blood levels....but honestly, you're the first winners I've had that racked up a small body count......oh yeah, and that was nice of you to show restraint with non-lethal force, i mean I totally feel'ya there.....but regrettably it's a body-count now....they had to go" ] He has a mock sheepish look on his face which quickly fades to a blank stare. "So who wants to go first?"
[OOC: I'll let Walks decide where in the auditorium she wants to be but the rest of you are together in front of the altar.]
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"I don't care for any games, we came looking for two kids, and would really like some answers as to where they are."
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Mercedes looks at the man before them, "Olivier, we're not here for your game. Jeshua's parents asked us to find him and bring him home. We're here for him and him alone. So, you just let us know where he is and let us go, and everything will be good."
Etiquette Roll (CHA 8 + Etiquette 4 + Kinesics 3 + First Impression 2) (17d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2975830/)
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[OOC: Sci-fi Knowledge Skills- Logic 7 +1 skill +4 dpb - 12d6.hits(5) → [5,5,2,4,1,3,6,5,1,6,6,4] = (6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2975958/) also perception to see who's behind the couch using radar. He's looking through all this shit, like constantly. 12d6.hits(5) → [1,1,6,2,3,3,4,4,2,3,3,3] = (1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2975977/)]
"Ohhhhh dammmn! Blade! Eternity can wait! Turn that shit back on!"
-
Walks Through Walls is going to take up a flanking position where she can support the group, but isn't directly in the line of sight. I am going to use my physical security design knowledge skill to try and determine where reinforcements might come from. Also I would like to angle so I can see the other side of the chair, but this is the least important of the items so if I can't and do the first two I won't worry about it.
knowledge skill roll: int 4 + skill 2= 6d6
6d6.hits(5) → [5,3,5,5,4,4] = (3)
Also I am looking at Oliver and trying to see if I see any signs of why he hasn't aged. Does he look like what I have heard described as some sort of infected?
-
Olivier smiles for a moment at B.B.'s comment, "It's a truly epic tale about a man caught between two worlds....yes, well when we're done here we can all sit back and watch it on the big screen." He looks toward Woofer and then Mercedes. "I can assure you this is no game, or whatever game we were playing has now most definitely come to an end. I know why you came here, but I just think that YOU really don't know why you came here. Is it for money? The thrill of the chase? Out of a code of conduct? A sense of duty? A reputation perhaps which you feel you must maintain. Well I can assure you, all these questions quickly become irrelevant when you learn the true reason we're all here. But don't take it from me." He paces back and forth with his hands behind his back as if he were a physics professor in front of a lecture hall. Then he raises a hand and calls out toward the couch, "Isamu! Tell our friends here what it's really all about!"
From the couch you see a teenage boy (http://i647.photobucket.com/albums/uu196/Jaderscheck13/Vampire-boy.jpg) which you recognize as Isamu Argentis stand up and glare intently at you. His face is an even more perfectly chiseled version of what is shown in the picture Germain Robinson gave you. As soon as he stands up, before you can even react you hear a little screech from the shadows of the auditorium and the figure which was hiding runs toward him at full speed on all fours and crouches down next to the boy as if it were a dog happy to be at the feet of its master. He pets the balding head of the creature and smiles rather sardonically as it whimpers and speaks to you in a cool clear voice, "Well Olivier over here would have you believe that life is about playing it safe, you know the whole...'the farther one travels the less one really knows' mantra. But I don't know about that one friend. I travelled quite a ways along this road to which brought me to Redmond and so far it's worked out pretty good for me!" and he breaks into a childish laugh. "No, I think life is about hunger. About REALLY wanting something.....and I must say, even though I had a crazy night last night, I'm still feeling pretty hungry. I bet so is J.....aren't you boy!..." He scratches the creature under the chin and makes a cute face as if he were talking to a puppy.
Olivier looks rather peeved by Isamu's response and nervously raises his voice a little at the boy, "Now calm down my love! Remember you are staying in my house and so you must behave according to my rules. You went out last night?!....whatever.....but I want you to behave and let's at least hear these people out long enough for them to realize what they truly want." To this Isamu just rolls his eyes in that way teenagers specialize in and finally says "Fine....but make it quick I want to get back to my movie.."
[OOC: Mercedes, if you are astrally perceiving then make an assensing test.]
@Walks:
Olivier looks over directly at you and you can tell he can see you as clear as day.
-
Assensing Test (7d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2977166/) [OOC: Yeah.... not so much.]
Mercedes watches everything unfold and realizes they are really, REALLY out of their depth here. Better keep him talking until we can figure something out... "Well, why don't you tell us more about what exactly is going on here? And what you've done to Jeshua."
-
Subvocal, "Oliver I believe can see me. Isamu may not be paying enough attention to have done so. Does anyone have a plan? I think we need to start the fight once we know what happened to Jeshua."
-
Olivier stays silent as Isamu responds, "Hey J, they recognized you!" with a smile. "Actually I didn't do anything to him, neither did Ollie. Jeshua brought this on himself. He didn't want the gift....so Ollie decided to let him go while I was asleep. Poor J didn't really make it too far, it's pretty unsanitary conditions out on those streets. Must have gotten infected with the same thing all those homeless freaks out there got. Oh well, when I woke up from my transformative slumber, J was already back and he decided he didn't wanna go back home so much anymore. So here we are, me and my buddy." He smiles and pets the little hair that's left on the the head of the thoroughly infected Jeshua. "So you can't have him, because he's mine, and I'm having way too much fun teaching him exactly what it feels like to be someone's plaything the way he always considered me to be."
Olivier looks at Isamu a little jealously, "I don't know why you'd want to play with that filthy thing."
-
B.B. rolls his eyes up under his shades in response to the boy's answer to the question of "what it's all about" and turns to face Oliver.
"Well, when we go to chip-heads with our questions, we get what we pay for, don’t we? Your vetting process boggles me, Mr. Sanon."
Brian winced visibly when Cynthia's voice came over his earbuds. Hearing Isamu's response, he turned his head and shouted to her.
" Mystery solved! Let's please not start another fight. Just this once? Call it a personal favor."
Looking up at the disheveled man, the sped up Gnome continued.
"Olly, I don't know if it's the meth-psychosis or what, but I want to be real with you right now. Yeah, we didn't come here because of a game. We also didn't play said game. Just like the boy on the floor, we bought our answers. They paid cash to beat your game, because Jeshua is a spoiled little shit who thought he could buy anything. We paid our way with an imbecilic wake of destruction. I... thought you might have figured that out by our sudden appearance and obvious armaments.. Which, by the way, I'm sorry about, you know with the disruptions. I keep telling these guys, 'you can't un-kill a hooker!' Anyway, I hope you don't mind too terribly much. Consistency leads to predictability. Evolution is a basic imperative. et cetera. After all, when millionaire kids buy their way to your door, that is a paradigm shift. Neh?"
-
@Mercedes:
You see that Olivier, Isamu and Jeshua are all awakened beings and appear to be dual natured but aside from that it is incredibly difficult for you to understand the patterns in their aura because they are incredibly foreign, especially Olivier's.
@Everyone:
Olivier looks at B.B. and seems to ponder what he just told him. "I agree, evolution is a basic imperative and my 'vetting' process as you call it is exactly the way it's supposed to be to ensure just that. It has been tweaked for decades now, updated constantly and all in place for one specific purpose....to assure a mutually beneficial relationship between two parties, Seattle and myself." He seems to look off into space as if reminiscing on a time long forgotten. "I used to be the greatest security decker, or as you call them now, hacker in the biz. That's all it used to be about for me, being the best no matter the cost. I was hungry for it, and then I made a stupid mistake one night here in Redmond. Or what I thought at the time was a mistake. I know Fastjack already informed you a little bit about what he learned from an old nemesis of mine, but he has no idea...no idea at all. I let my curiosity get the better of me, and it's the best thing I could have ever done.
Then the hunger of infection came....the real hunger that cannot be satisfied and only brings with it even more hunger. At first it was a curse, a cross to bear that forced me to flee the world and everything I had known. I had lived in a bubble and suddenly that bubble burst. After devil knows how many years, I began putting my sanity back together and slowly reshaping that bubble, this time to keep me in, not to keep the world out. That quest is what led me here to where you find me now. Simply by staying within the confines of these walls I have journeyed farther and deeper into every corner of the universe than I could have ever imagined. It's no longer about being the best. I am far beyond that. It is merely about being." By now Olivier's eyes are closed in meditation and his lips are pursed into a little smile.
"But the hunger remained and I needed a way to satisfy it. So I thought, why not put this hunger to some good use. Why not feed off of those who needed to learn the same lesson I needed to learn? So that has been my life for some time now. I'm sure you were dying to know.....well even if you weren't, your legendary Fastjack sure is." He opens his eyes and looks at you through his glasses which you notice actually have no lenses in them at all.
"So you want to take this creature people used to call Jeshua back home. Well I'd say both these boys have learned their lesson that curiosity killed the cat and then from the ashes of that dead cat shall arise a radiant phoenix." Looking over rather disgustfully at Jeshua he continues. "Well at least Isamu did, but they got what they wanted, I got what I needed. But that's merely incidental. The real target who i've had my eyes on for quite some time now is soon going to learn the lesson of a lifetime." Olivier pauses and closes his eyes again.
"Germaine Robinson is about to get the wake-up call he always needed to get but nobody got around to doing it, and you, my friends, were hired to be the messengers. You were hired to take this shell of an elf back to his fathers doorstep. Then Germaine Robinson would learn the true cost of reckless ambition and would be set upon a journey towards redemption." Again, he opens his eyes this time removing the frames of his glasses and rubs the bridge of his nose.
"At least that WAS the plan....but like I said, I myself am still learning about this universe of ours, and from the furthest most alien metaplane to the darkest most hidden recesses of the matrix, no being has ever taught me this lesson until I met Mr. Argentis over here." He looks yearningly over at Isamu who merely looks straight forward with a stern look on his face, obviously quite upset. Olvier continues, a light in his eyes shining like two little flames embedded in his irises. "I fell in love and now everything has changed. It is HE who has taught ME a lesson!" Isamu seems to almost be annoyed by what Olivier is saying and just tries to ignore it.
Ollie puts his glasses back on and finishes by saying, "So if you want to deliver this package back to Germaine Robinson, it is no longer of any consequence to me. I most earnestly hope Germaine and Jeshua here can work things out. However, I put it in the hands of my love to decide because who am I to rob something from him which he desires." At this Isamu seems to soften but clutches the crouching Jeshua and pulls him in closer to his side.
-
"I think perhaps you've overestimated Mr. Germaine's ability to feel anything for another living being. I'm still curious to find out how he might handle it though..." Brian dropped his duffel to the floor and wiped his hands a little.
"Too bad, eh? Might I offer a compromise?" He bent over, unzipped the bag, fished around in it for a second and then stood up, producing an empty syringe from his med kit. "Ta-da! Part one." With his other hand he reached into one of the tool pouches on his jumpsuit. "...and part two." His other hand emerged holding a pair of wire-clippers. "I suppose part two still needs a plastic bag for the tip of the pinky to go into."
-
Jeshua's mind seems to be cognizant enough to understand what you meant and he jumps with a howl when he sees the clippers and cowers behind Isamu who glares at you. "Are you crazy? I'm not gonna let you hurt him much less take him away!" His eyes look different as he becomes angered and you see fire deep inside of them as he stands there shielding his friend. "You go back to Mr. Robinson and tell him whatever you want as long as he knows that J isn't going back."
-
Mercedes talks at Isamu, but aims her words at Ollie, "Isamu, I understand that you love J more than anything else in this world, but you have to understand that his parents are worried about him and want him to come back home. You have a new life here with Ollie, one that Jeshua doesn't belong in; he doesn't even understand what's going on. Let us take him home to his parents so he'll be safe and well cared for."
[Edited]
-
Isamu smirks coldly. "Take a look at him. Take a good look at him and tell me that he doesn't look like he belongs here. Like I said, he belongs to me and he's quite happy and taken care of with me" You see Jeshua peak out from behind Isamu and nod shyly.
-
"Hurt him? I was just going to draw some blood. DNA testing proves that it's his and that it's infected. We spin a sad tale where Germaine thinks he's dead and, naturally, we couldn't bring his infected body back to Visteon due to the hazards involved ...not that he would be of much use to Germaine in his current state for covering his own ass, which is naturally his only priority. But anyway, the clippers aren't for him, Isamu. The clippers... are for you. Or.. do you not want to stage your own death? Personally, I've died every two years since I was seventeen. I can't recommend it enough."
Brain turns back to Oliver.
"As to rights over the fate of Mr. and Mrs. Germaine Robinson, if that is still a priority for you, I'm willing to negotiate... privately."
-
Isamu looks over at B.B. and smiles while he asks for him to toss over the clippers. "That's a good plan!!" B.B. tosses them over and the boy catches them in the air. He points out his pinky, puts the clippers right at the joint of the last bone, and then squeezes hard on them. "FUCK!!....jesus fucking christ that hurts!!!" Blood squirts from the stump as the digit falls to the floor. He raises his hand into the air and gazes with fascination at the blood gushing out. Then you all of a sudden see the gushing taper off into a trickle and then stop completely. Isamu gives you a look of feigned surprise as the little digit starts to reform and within a few seconds is as good as new while the coagulated blood simply flakes off into dust.
The little pinky tip on the floor simultaneously begins to erode and quickly evaporates into a mist which dissipates from your sight. "Well isn't that a bitch! Guess we'll have to think of something else!" He bursts into a deriding laughter at his own joke that he thought was hilarious while he tosses back the clippers. B.B. catches them and they are completely clean.
Isamu's face all of a sudden becomes very serious. "So you die every two years....well little man, I die every second of every day little by little. You don't seem to understand who you are speaking to my friend. If Olivier doesn't want to feast on your soul because he's too much of a coward since you aren't a willing victim, then I have no use for you so just leave this place empty handed and find another line of work! I'm doing just fine finding my own food!"
You look over at Olivier and all he can do is look at the floor as if he knows that Isamu is right.....as if somewhere inside maybe he himself knows that he is too much of a coward.
-
Walks pulls herself out of her anger at B.B.'s reproach and starts to use the time to try and figure out how to best proceed.
Perception roll: (I'm especially looking for what Ollie and Isamu are wearing, and any jewelry or obvious cyberware)
Int 4 +skill 3= 7d6
7d6.hits(5) → [4,5,2,4,3,5,1] = (2)
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@Walks:
The only obvious cyberware you see is a very expensive looking datajack in Olivier's temple. You don't see any jewelry at all though on either of them.
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[OOC: BTW, are there any nodes, showing up? I sort of wanted to scan for hidden nodes before entering. I can roll that up if you'd like. Also, whatever happened to Spiderman? Is he still out front?
Anyway, here's some rolls. I'm going to assume the psychology one as dialogue, but for the magic stuff, I'd be interested to know how powerful the boy might be, based on his rate of regeneration (since regeneration is tied to magic) and based on his relative newness to the vampire game (since a fresh vamp always starts with magic 1 [essence drain killing any previous magic talent] by the books.)
Magic knowledge roll 12d6.hits(5) → [6,1,5,5,3,5,4,2,5,6,4,6] = (7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2981689/) Paranormal critter knowledge roll. 10d6.hits(5) → [5,4,3,4,6,3,3,5,3,4] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2981697/) Psychology roll 12d6.hits(5) → [2,3,5,5,4,5,2,4,4,3,2,2] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2981687/)]
"Awwwww, shit! That was wizard! I thought maybe there would be a bone left or something, but... Oh well. I figured I'd offer to cover for you as a courtesy. It wasn't really integral to the plan." He turns again to the senior vampire.
"Olly, brother, I get it - I do - but, I also don't get it. I mean, transcendence through interpersonal love is your ultimate truth? You plumbed the depths of all the worlds knowledge and the answer to life's mysteries is someone you met a couple days ago? This is 'Freud: The Psychology of Love' to a tee... Besides, I thought vampires were allergic to wood." Brian raised his cybernetic hand in the air. "Ha-ha! Up top! ..Come on.. No one? It's a dick joke. Woofer? Aww.."
Dejectedly, Brian dropped his hand.
-
@B.B.:
You still see no connection to the Matrix in this dead zone. Your Scan program is not finding any nodes at all in mutual signal range other than those of the team. As you see the finger regenerate and you remember that vampires are able to regenerate entire body parts within seconds. You also remember that the life force a vampire drains can be siphoned to make it more powerful, especially if it has recently fed.
Spiderman sees Isamu regenerate and he starts visibly sweating.
-
"Anyway, what the frag was I talking about? Staging deaths! On top of physical evidence, we've also got to have a little videographic evidence. Isamu! That regeneration trick worked pretty quick for a newborn vamp. Got a bit of magic in you, eh? Did, you awaken before or after you claimed your prize? Can you do illusions? Manipulations?"
-
Walks Through Walls is going to move slightly to put a bit more distance between herself and the group so if things go down we can possibly make them split there attention. From a perception point of view does it look like both Ollie and Isamu can see each other and can they both see Jeshua?
Edit: Also I'd like to try and figure out how I think Isamu would react to Jeshua being in pain.
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Isamu seems interested in B.B.'s question. "When did I awaken? The moment I arose from a deep slumber and opened my eyes onto this world and saw the radiant colors of the universe as I had never seen them before. Jeshua used to tell me about it, because since we were practically 13 years old he told me that he could see all the colors from time to time, especially when we'd toke-up some deepweed....but me...nothing. I couldn't see jack and I was so jealous. Now I have nothing to be jealous of....on the contrary." He turns down and directs himself towards Jeshua who's crouched at his side. "Now you've got nothing on me my friend, now i'm even your master...your owner....isn't that right?" Jeshua looks up timidly and nods in complete acknowledgment. Looking back up at you, "So you see, I don't really give a damn what my stupid parents think, what Mr. Robinson thinks or for that matter, what that whole damn corp thinks about what happened to us! We'd be dead to them anyways, even if they knew the truth. This is our new life and I plan to enjoy it to the fullest." You see a feint crackle of mana in his irises.
He points over at Walks Through Walls as she's backing up away from the altar. "See, she's got the right idea. Just turn the hell around and get out of here."
@Walks:
It becomes quite apparent that Isamu and Jeshua can both see you as clear as day.
-
"Solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant... Fine. I'll leave you to your film. You're too far into it for me to join you anyway. I just don't want to leave you with any illusions as to your situation. You're new to this world. You never knew hunger until you woke. You never had to fight or kill for scraps just to live. So, you might not know that there's a bounty on every vampire's head. Every ghoul too. As hungry as you are, the whole of the barrens is hungry for you. They could live a year on the price your corpse would bring. Just as their death is your life, yours is theirs. Think on that before you try and leave Olly behind. Personally, I don't care who kills who or when. While you were in Visteon summer camp, I was in a Japanese death camp. You know what they teach you in death camp? No one deserves to live... Deserve has noting to do with anything. You only get what you take."
Brian turns to the others.
"Let's get out of here while the sun's still up."
-
"So we're leaving? All this and you just want to walk away?" She shakes her head not that anyone can really see it. She watches waiting to see what might really be going on.
-
Mercedes stays quiet, letting the conversation play itself out between B.B. and the vampires, trying to find a crack in their armor.
"It appears that way. Isamu has made his decision and there isn't anything we can do about it." She bows to Olivier, then turns and bows deeper to Isamu, inferring that the young vampire is the true master here, then turns (slightly, so she can still keep all three in her field of vision) to Woofer, "We will have to figure out what to tell Jeshua's parents. Either the truth, that his boyfriend turned him into a mindless slave, or something more pleasant."
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No longer facing the crew, but walking away, Brian composed a message to the team.
<<@team: I am not going to get into a close-quarters fight with a ghoul, that's for sure, especially with two mages right on top of me. Besides, Johnson said to bring the kid back dead or alive. He never specified what he'd want if the boy was undead. I'm interested in the man's response. Krieger's Syndrome is not a thing to be handled haphazardly. Even if Mercedes could talk the kids into coming with us, I doubt Germaine would get much satisfaction out of the deal.>>
"Come on Spiderman. I bet you can't wait to get home and start having nightmares about this shit."
-
"Wait!...." Olivier exclaims almost inaudibly as his gaze looks up from the floor. He is obviously directing himself to the team but his eyes are transfixed on Isamu. "The more I consider it, the more it makes sense that this was all meant to happen for reasons perhaps slightly different than what I had intended or foreseen." His eyes grow narrower as he looks jealously at the two boys and how the crouching Jeshua is clasped to the legs of his former friend. "I think that my original intention of delivering this pathetic ghoul back to the doorsteps of his parents' enclave maybe was not such a bad idea save for what the real purpose of such a sequence of a events actually might be........to deliver Jeshua from out of my way. To be rid of the only true obstacle still standing between me and the one I love. I thought that Jeshua's presence here would be rather inconsequential, an annoyance at worst. So I decided to let him stay if all of you decided that it was not worth the trouble to take him away. My main purpose now being to form a life with Isamu, I didn't think Jeshua's fate any longer played a role in ours....but I now see I was mistaken."
He then turns his gaze towards the group. "I have looked into the dark depths of infinity and beyond to divine the purpose of such a course of events that are now playing out before our very eyes. Clarity has been elusive and for quite some time now I have not been able to see past this present moment right here which we have now arrived to. This usually is indicative of a major decision which I myself or others around me must make. I interpreted the solution through this impasse was to allow all of you to decide what Jeshua's fate would be and I would merely put my faith in love. Now I am realizing that love isn't just about letting go. Love is also about fighting for it as well.....don't you think this to be the case?." He then looks back over at Isamu and speaks to him.
"Isamu, I know this isn't what you want and I know that Jeshua belongs to you and who am I to separate the two of you. But I must speak up now. I implore you to give Jeshua over to these people so he can be taken back to his parents and you and I can be free. He is all that stands between you and me now and although you might not realize it, he is all that is really stopping your heart from feeling about me the same way I feel about you."
Isamu looks back at Olivier and scoffs. "Listen you crazy old man, I really appreciate you giving me the gift of eternity and letting me hang out and all that, but you're actually really starting to creep me out. So if you wanna take sides with these mere mortals, be my guest, but i'm outa here and i'm taking J with me. I kept my end of the deal and I stayed here at least until these people arrived like you asked. So they're here now but I'm really sorry, J's not going anywhere with them, he's coming with me and the both of us are gonna get the hell out of here and definitely the hell away from you!"
In the silence that follows what Isamu just said you can clearly see from Olivier's expression that the last words have cut him deeply.
Before you can even figure out what's happening you see a flash of mana envelope Jeshua and lift him several meters in the air. Once everyone gets their bearings on the situation you see Olivier breathing rather heavily with a look of intense rage on his face as he stares at Isamu and Jeshua simply hovers close to the ceiling of the auditorium wrapped in swirling mana and looking scared as hell albeit unscathed.
"It has been a pleasure to have you visit me here this evening but I now must ask you to leave and get this vile creature out of my sight!" The two vampires stare at each other intensely and you can see that Olivier is moving Jeshua's hovering form closer and closer to the exit of the auditorium.
-
"This isn't good." Walks Through Walls thinks to herself as Jeshua starts floating. As he starts floating towards the door I am going to keep both of the vampires in sight and try to figure out which one would be a greater threat, or more likely to be willing to reason when things calm back down.
"Any ideas guys?"
-
[OOC: I'm hoping the 7 hits from before on the magic knowledge test regarding the regeneration power means B.B. knows regen well]
<<@team: Do you see the bag I left on the floor by Oliver's feet? You'll probably want to run away from it.>>
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Mercedes turns from the vampires, then lets a smile slip on her face, "Time to go lady and gents! You too, B.B.!"
She makes sure that everyone, including Spider-man, is following (grabbing & pushing Woofer ;)) and head to the door.
-
Walks Through Walls will disengage her chameleon suit, but leave the face shield down. Shaking her head she will walk out with the others. "We are just walking away?"
-
As Woofer is being ushered out, he drags out a tranq patch, and applies it to Jeshua.
-
[IC's back up!]
Mercedes makes her way to the door.
Initiative roll (7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995412/) 2+7 = Initiative: 9
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Brian, as the first one leaving, waited by the door to cover everyone else's retreat.
"We're not equipped to transport a kid with Kreiger's, Olly. We can't just take him."
[OOC: Reaction 6 +6 Intuition = 12d6.hits(5) → [2,1,6,5,2,2,2,1,1,3,2,6] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2995756/) Initiative 15.]
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Walks Initiative roll: reaction 3 + intuition 4 + increased reflexes 3=10d6
10d6.hits(5) → [2,3,1,4,4,4,6,6,5,5] = (4) initiative 14
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Woofer's roll is 12d6.hits(5)=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2996060/)
((Woofer's roll is Initution (4) + Reaction (8) = 9 plus has two Initiative passes))
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[OOC: here is the layout and where everyone is the moment intiative is rolled. B.B. has just turned around to walk out and Mercedes has just turned toward Woofer to start ushering him out. Jeshua is hovering in the air over the seating area slowly being magically moved towards the door. Ollivier and Isamu are on the altar facing each other looking mad as hell.]
(http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy5/Inca1980/RRmap4.jpg)
[OOC: Isamu's Init: (9d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997472/). Olivier's Init: (18d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2997474/). Spider's Init: (9d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998034/). Remember, no one has attacked yet but I want things to be in CT's to avoid confusion. I'll let you speak rather freely though and won't constrain speech too much by actions so as to keep the roleplaying going ....the whole 3 second CT is gonna be a bit nebulous and abstract here. But movement on the map will still be constrained by normal rules...3m/IP walking, 8m/IP running. Since you already stated your intention to walk, i'll only let you walk until there's a real reason to run so as not to metagame.]
Initiative update:
CT1 IP1: Olivier-24, B.B.-15, Isamu-14, Woofer-14, Cynthia-14, Mercedes-9
@Everyone:
Olivier just stares at Isamu looking enraged but also heartbroken. "The creature goes! These people will take care of him! Please Isamu, please listen to reason. I have so much left to teach you....entire worlds for you to explore, you have just only begun to grow in your power! Stay with me and I will show it all to you!" He sees as the team starts to turn around to leave through the corner of his eye, but he remains transfixed on Isamu.
[OOC: B.B.'s turn.]
Initiative update:
CT1 IP1: Olivier-24, B.B.-15, Isamu-14, Woofer-14, Cynthia-14, Spider-12, Mercedes-9
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[OOC, is the seating bench or stadium? Also, is Spiderman still in the building? Delaying all actions.]
Brian felt like he had hair standing up on his teeth as he watched the drama unfold. Reason? he thought to himself. Love implores reason to its own detriment. He couldn't help but think this was going to be the biggest clusterfuck he'd been through since he spent two comatose days left for dead in an MCT air-vent.
-
As soon as Isamu sees the team turn around to leave he yells at the top of his lungs. "You aren't going anywhere with him!!" You see his fists crackle with arcs of electricity jumping between them and he raises them in the air, the arcs growing thicker and thicker as they twist into a ball of crackling lightning floating between the palms of his hand. His eyes glow with electricity and his face seems to take on a much more ancient and feral appearance as he releases the balled up current straight towards B.B. and he haughtily yells: "Have a taste of my power!!!!!" in a voice quite a bit deeper more booming than his usual speaking voice. To his own surprise however, as soon as the energy releases itself from his body and begins flying towards B.B. you see Isamu convulse in pain and grab his head as he cries out with a high-pitched squeal.
Olivier's eyes go wide at the sight of Isamu's pain. "My love!!! Stoooop! You'll destroy yourself! You still don't know how to control your power! Stooooop! I implore you!"
The ball hits the ground right next to B.B. and lighting arcs, each one having almost a life of its own, jump up from that point on the floor towards everyone except Cynthia who's up in the balcony. Olivier eerily flexes his head to the side a little as one of current arcs whizzes right past it. Spider's combat training kicks in immediately and you see the large ork spin out of the way of the arc which had his name on it and it fizzles out a few meters behind him. He whips around and you see his cyber-eyes, rather than being focused on Isamu, his attacker, are focused on Olivier, the look of fear totally gone leaving only a look of grim determination.
[OOC: Lightning Ball, F6: Magic 6 + Spellcasting 3 = (9d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998576/). Resist Drain: Charisma 5 + Will 5 = (10d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998582/). Drain is 8S, he takes 5S. Everyone except Cynthia needs to roll a ranged defense roll with a -2 since it's AOE. If you get zero hits, then you need to soak 6P+1P=7P (B.B. soaks 4P) with body + half impact armor+nonconductivity rating. Also if you get hit, make a Body + Will (3) test adding half impact armor+nonconductivity rating to not fall unconscious for 3 turns.
Spider's ranged defense: Reac 6 + aoe -2= (4d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998584/). Olivier's defense: Reac 8 + aos -2= (6d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2998604/). Isamu's ranged defense (with counterspelling): (9d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3000088/).
Woofer's turn]
Initiative update:
CT1 IP1: Olivier-24, B.B.-15, Isamu-14, Woofer-14, Cynthia-14, Spider-12, Mercedes-9
Wound: Isamu{5S}
Edge: Olivier-full, Isamu-full, Spider-3/3, Woofer-3/3, Cynthia-2/2, Mercedes-2/2, B.B.-2/2
-
I would have been counterspelling for any of the team and Spider I could see, or do I need to wait to do that?
-
[OOC: Delaying actions still. Want to interrupt at next hostile action or after Mercedes has gone.]
Brian effortlessly sidesteps the arching lightning as it shies away from his tiny form.
"You get one mulligan, infant. Try that shit again, and I take it out on Jeshua."
-
B.B. and Woofer also duck as the arcs of lighting shoot over their heads, but Mercedes was caught much more by surprise. She sees the lightning heading straight towards her face when all of a sudden it seems to split and diverge around her and reconnect on her other side, completely missing as if it had hit some kind of protective orb surrounding her. She turns around looking up at the balcony and sees Cynthia's attention completely focused on her and she know instantly it was her teammate which bent that spell.
-
Woofer moves to cover Mercedes (getting between Vampires and her) and brings up his gun. *holding til Mercedes to move to cover her*
-
Initiative update:
CT1 IP1: Olivier-24, B.B.-15, Isamu-14, Woofer-14, Cynthia-14, Spider-12, Mercedes-9
Wound: Isamu{5S}
Edge: Olivier-full, Isamu-full, Spider-3/3, Woofer-3/3, Cynthia-2/2, Mercedes-2/2, B.B.-2/2
-
She Who Walks Through Walls will hold my action for now. I am continuing to conterspell for the group and Spider
-
[OOC: Gymnastics roll Agl 6 +4 gymnastics = 10d6.hits(5) → [1,5,6,5,5,6,6,2,6,1] = (7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3004243/) Taking second simple action to ready the SMG.]
Brian continued his step backward into a massive backflip over the nearby seats, swinging his submachine gun into his hands in the process.
"It will be the first authentic moment of your sheltered little life."
-
Spider raises his HK-Mp5 to shoot, but just as he starts to take aim at Olivier, you hear the older vampire hiss and toss what almost looks like a large formless ghost which travels down a mystic link straight at the Crusher's head. The ork flinches but just before it makes contact you see it wrap around Walks Through Walls' bending of the the space/time/mana field and dissipate into a strong gust of wind which sends pieces of paper and other debris flying. She grimaces under the mental force of deflecting such a large spell, but smiles as if giving herself a nice pat on the back for the great D.
The Crusher doesn't lose a beat and as soon as he realizes he's ok, he just starts unloading his clip back at the older vampire, shouting "Stay off our turf you fucking pedofile!!". Olivier, visibly shocked by seeing his spell deflected looks up toward the balcony at Walks which takes his eyes off of Spider for a split second but is enough to make it too late when he turns back toward the torrent of incoming bullets. He doesn't even flinche but merely melodramatically closes his eyes as if a fresh spring of water were about to splash into his face. The bullets suddenly ricochet off of a tight vertically oriented ellipsoid of energy around him which was invisible up until now. It now flashes with energy each time a bullet bounces off with such at force that it seems that Olivier is struggling under it and his tranquil look becomes visibly strained as his bare chest moves up and down as he breathes heavily. With his eyes still closed he shouts out, "Stop!! Don't do this!!! You'll regret it!!!"
[OOC: Olivier's Stunbolt F10: Magic 8 + Spellcasting 6 = (14d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005592/). Drain is 4P, Olivier's drain: Char 8 + Will 8 = (16d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005608/). He resists it all. Spider's defense: Will 3 + Counterspell 5 = (8d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005605/). Spider resists. Spider shoots, Spider's NLB: Agility 6 + Automatics 3 + Smartlink 2 + Longburst -5 + RC 3 = (9d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005674/). Olivier's Reaction (8d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005676/). He has 6P+5P = 11S incoming. Olivier's damage resist: Body 8 + Armor Spell (Quickened) 8 = (16d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005678/). Olivier takes 4S. Spider shoots again, Spider's NSB: Agility 6 + Automatics 3 + Smartlink 2 + Recoil -8 + RC 3 = (6d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005681/). Olivier's defense: Reaction 8 + Wound -1 + Already dodged -1= (6d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3005703/). He dodges it. Mercedes turn.]
Initiative update:
CT1 IP1: Olivier-24, B.B.-15, Isamu-14, Woofer-14, Cynthia-14, Spider-12, Mercedes-9
Wound: Isamu{5S}, Olivier{4S}
Edge: Olivier-full, Isamu-full, Spider-3/3, Woofer-3/3, Cynthia-2/2, Mercedes-2/2, B.B.-2/2
-
[OOC: Did you remember the -2 sustaining penalty from the levitate spell on Jeshua? I don't think it affects soak though, so none of those rolls would change.]
-
Mercedes turns around and backs toward the door so she's facing Olivier and Isamu, focusing her words on them, "Regret it? You're the one with regrets. Regrets that you didn't take into account other people's desires when you decided to play god. Why don't you just kill each other and be done with it."
[OOC: Oh, yeah, I'm using the edge now. ;) Figure one round of them attacking each other buys us one round of getting the hell out of here.]
Commanding Voice - Leadership [4] + Charisma [8] + Kinesics [3] + Edge [2] = 17 (Key words 'Just Kill Each Other') (17d6.hitsopen(5,6)=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3006351/)
-
@Mercedes:
[OOC: Olivier & Isuamu's resist: Olivier's Will 8 + Leadership 0 + Edge 6 = (14d6.hitsopen(5,6)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3007821/). Not enough. Olivier's F15 powerbolt: Magic 8 + Spell 6 = (14d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3007824/). Drain 8P, Olivier's Cha8 + Will 8= (16d6.hits(5)=6) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3007825/). He takes 2P. Forgot wound mod and sustain penalty, but it doesn't change hits. Isamu's resist: Will 5 + Counterspell 3 = (8d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3007827/). Takes 15P.]
As you shout your command at the pair, you see Olivier shutter and tremble, his palor suddenly becomes flushed as he closes his eyes, his glasses tilted crookedly and half falling off. You see him struggle as hard as he possibly can against your psychological push and you merely stare at him....stare deep into his damned soul with a grim determination. He suddenly relaxes as you can see he has given up fighting against your push and an expression of acceptance washes over his face. Your push doesn't work quite like the magical spells this vampire so skillfully weaves. It's much more subtle and ever more insidious. It starts with a little suggestion, a little pebble in a seemingly tranquil pond. But the metahuman soul is never quite as tranquil as what the calm surface would have us believe. The pebble dislodges a rock, the rock a boulder, and the boulder sets off an avalanche.
It didn't take a whole lot to see that Olivier is one crazy infected nerd who's spent one two many decades locked away in either a Shiawase compound, the matrix or the metaplanes...... and now, the Redmond Barrens. But sometimes the crazy ones could be the hardest to push. However, the old adage that says something or other about the fine line between love and hate couldn't ring more true when you felt Olivier's willpower give way to your command. The feeling was already there and all you needed to do was push the frustration of unrequited love to its limit and just stand back to see what happens.
@Everyone:
Olivier calmly turns toward Isamu and without saying a word, raises his hand which begins to crackle with an energy so intense that it makes the whole room vibrate. The final flash from the spell turns the auditorium white with light and you can hardly look upon it. Isamu's face, at first defiant, becomes gradually filled with terror as he realizes that he is in way over his head up against a magical power so superior to his ability to defend against it. His will eventually breaks and the teenager screams at the top of his lungs "NOOOO, Ollie!! Please!!!"
The blast of mana which makes contact with Isamu's body is so powerful it doesn't even throw him but just simply begins to tear away at his flesh and you see layer upon layer fray away, the shear amount of raw mana being strong enough to kick up whipping gusts of wind and you shield your face from small flying debris.
By now the redish musculature of his face is visible and he looks even worse than his friend Jeshua who watches the scene with fascination as he hovers over the rafters. Within only seconds his whole body is almost completely consumed and the last frail remnants of his skeleton suddenly burst into a fine mist which quickly dissipates. All that is left are a few tattered pieces of clothing crumpled on the altar.
@Mercedes again:
Your astral vision still being active, the scene lights up astral space even brighter than the background count and just as Isamu's body disappears you see his aura, his soul if you will, fly into the air and scream with an anger so intense you know you will never forget it's color. It looks once at Olivier and then shatters into a billion shards which go flying off to their origin.....off to the origin of all things.
@Everone again:
Olivier suddenly wakes up as if from a dream and realizes what he has just done. He doesn't even shout but you hear only a single sob escape him as he rushes towards the empty mound of tattered clothing. The vampire falls to his knees and picks them up as if to bury his face in them and simply weeps.
You hear a crash come from up in the balcony and you see that it's Jeshua who has been dropped to the ground from the spell and he quickly scurries and hides between the rows of seating, peaking out only occasionally to see what is going on.
-
Brian winced as he watched the kid obliterated by the massively powerful vampire.
"Sweet fuck! That kid was out of control, and a psychopath, but that was a pretty harsh lesson to lay down on someone who's never seen the real world outside of a trid. Mercy is the privilege of the powerful Merc. Speaking of which, you want me to tag Jeshua? Fact remains, we're not equipped to transport an uncooperative ghoul on an hour-long walk through the barrens.."
-
Mercedes grimaces at B.B., "The wahito was dangerous."
She looks up at Jeshua, trying to gauge what the boy might do. "I don't know. I don't want to leave him here. Maybe he's not that uncooperative."
-
Walks through Walls will come down from the balcony. "Does he care if Jeshua comes with us?" she asks and nods towards Oliver.
-
"No, I'm sure he'd love a living reminder of what just happened here. This is fucked."
Brian stayed in cover behind the front row of seats and checked to see if he still had a connection to the grenades and Jeshua's link in the bag on the floor. He wasn't sure if Isamu's lightning had knocked out the electronics.
<<Oliver killed everyone at the Pearl Tongue to cover his tracks. If you think this ends here with him alive and the shithole kid he loved dead, then you need to get your head examined. So does he though. That kid was irredeemable garbage.>>
-
Still on his knees, Olivier looks up and blood red tears are streaming down his face. His glasses have fallen off by now and he shutters with anguish. Looking straight at Mercedes, he speaks. "I...I didn't want to do that....why....why did you make me do that." He contemplates for a second what to say next....looking bewildered and confused. "I did not want to hurt you or those you love....why did you do this to me?"
As he utters those words and murmers them again but softer, a look of anger begins to grow on his face as his eyes narrow and begin to look like two blood red orbs....when he speaks you see that his upper canines are much more pronounced than you noticed before, the whole transformation in his appearance similar to what you've seen before with a shamanic mask. "Leave! Take that pathetic creature with you and leave now. I cannot forget what happened here, but now all I can do is devote myself to the task of now fixing what you have destroyed....if I am at all able to." He stands up and turns to look at his computer monitors, his back facing you. "But before you leave......just one little kiss goodbye?" With that he suddenly backflips into the air with an astounding agility and the smooth arc of his motion lands him right behind Woofer, who is still placing himself between Olivier and Mercedes to protect her, and grabs him by the shoulders, his mouth wide open and coming down fast on his neck.
[OOC: Like I said in OOC, we start off the last Initiative list if something happens again. He spends Edge to go first so anybody else who spends edge goes in the same initiative order with him but before anyone else. Olivier's Agility 8 + Hand to Hand 5 + Charge 2 + Wound -1= (14d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3010452/). Edge reroll: (10d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3010453/). 7 hits. Oh wait, forgot regeneration(3sec definitely went by). Magic 8 + Body 8 = (16d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3010460/). He only has 1P now. I'll just roll 1d6.hits(5)=0 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3010462/). Ok still 7 hits. Woofer roll Reaction + Dodge/HandtoHand. If the bite hits, I want you to roll Willpower (2) test.]
Initiative update:
CT1 IP1: Olivier-24, B.B.-15, Woofer-14, Cynthia-14, Spiderman-12, Mercedes-9
Wound: Olivier{1S, 2P}
Edge: Olivier-4/6, Spider-3/3, Woofer-3/3, Cynthia-2/2, Mercedes-2/2, B.B.-2/2
-
[OOC: Narrow long burst Agl 6 +4 skill +2 smartgun +2 spec 14d6.hits(5) → [5,4,2,6,2,1,1,2,2,1,6,3,1,1] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011052/) edge reroll 11d6.hits(5) → [4,6,6,5,2,1,3,2,4,5,6] = (5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011055/) Narrow short burst with called shot for +2DV 11d6.hits(5) → [4,3,5,4,6,2,3,6,2,4,4] = (3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011061/) Recoil compensation is +3 gas vent +1 foregrip +1 electronic firing +1 special integral +1 sling = 7RC vs 8 recoil
Damage should be 5Pbase +1Pammo +5autofire +net and 5P base +1P ammo +2autofire +2 called shot +net. Don't forget the -3 dodge penalty for the fact that Olly is in melee combat with another character and the cumulative -1 per dodge since his last action for the second shot onward. That's going to start racking up quickly..]
The moment had come when Brian finally snapped. This engagement was happening and it was real. The part of himself that he spent almost every waking hour drowning in media and bullshit shot straight to the surface and aimed right at Oliver's back. Without a word or a thought, he was firing.
-
@Woofer:
The bite comes down on the side of your neck as Olivier bear hugs you and pulls you in close holding you tight with an unbelievable strength for a man his size and you instinctively squirm but the vice grip holds you fast. As his canines puncture your skin the pain jolts you at first, but it quickly subsides as you feel the vampire's tongue eagerly licking the wound. You begin to feel the greatest sensation you have ever.....ever experienced. The sensation grows and grows and it becomes quite obvious to you that the metahuman soul has no upper-limit to the amount of pleasure it can tolerate. No words can describe the pain of longing you feel the moment the sensation abruptly stops the second you hear gunfire behind you and feel Olivier let go. Your life will never be the same.
[OOC: Olivier's Str + net hits is definitely more than your body, so you got subdued and a split second of Essence draining happened, got interrupted and now you're free again with no change to your Essence attribute.]
@B.B.:
You start unloading your clip on Olivier, oblivious to the fact that you could easily hit Woofer. It was a chance you were just going to have to take. Several of the rounds explode on the barrier but eventually a few pierce through and slam into his body sending him flying off of Woofer as his blood sprays everywhere. He screams out in pain and lands flat on his back, his arm almost completely destroyed with the shattered bone sticking out from the skin as well as his torso rattled with gaping EX-round wounds. He starts gurgling blood and looks up at the ceiling muttering something in-audible before his eyes close as he lies there motionless. You breathe a sigh of relief as soon as you see that Woofer hasn't been hit at all by your volley.
[OOC: Olivier's full defense: Reaction 8 + Dodge 3 + melee -3 = (8d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011269/). Oh wait, this isn't a melee defense....so scratch 3 dice from that roll. That's 4 hits, giving B.B. 4 net hits. 6P+4nethit+5P=15P. Olivier's damage soak: Body 8 + Armor 8 = (16d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011276/). Edge reroll: (12d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011278/). Takes 9P. Olivier's 2nd defense: Reaction 8 + melee -3 + 2nd D -1 = (4d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011279/). Forgot -3 wound, but it doesn't make a difference. 6P + 2P for called shot+ 2 net hits + 2P+2P = 12P. Olivier's 2nd damage soak: (16d6.hits(5)=5) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011282/). Edge reroll: (11d6.hits(5)=3) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011284/). Takes 4P. Total is 13P and that's -1P overflow. I'm doing a friendly fire test for Woofer for each burst Woofer's Edge 3+Reaction4 (1) (7d6.hits(5)=1, 7d6.hits(5)=2) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3011301/).
So he's down now and we'll stop combat turns. Act freely.]
Initiative update:
CT1 IP1: Olivier-24, B.B.-15, Woofer-14, Cynthia-14, Spider-12, Mercedes-9
Wound: Olivier{2P, 13P, (-1P overflow), unc, prone}
Edge: Olivier-2/6, Spider-3/3, Woofer-3/3, Cynthia-2/2, Mercedes-2/2, B.B.-2/2
[Edited]
-
Still acting in automatic mode, Brian swung his weapon to hang again from his back and pulled out his stun baton. He charged the downed vampire and shoved the baton into his bloody corpse and discharged it. "This was your plan, hunh?! You brought us here! For what!?" He jammed the baton back in Oliver's back and discharged it again. "You stupid asshole! You ask me if I know why I'm here! I'm here because I am a killer! Every fucking breath I take is because I kill my fucking enemy!" Another shock. "One! Kill your enemy! Two!" another shock. "Kill your enemy! Three!" A fifth shock "Kill your fucking enemy! This is the mantra of war, motherfucker! What the shit do you know about me!"
-
Lost in a shell-shock induced berserker rage you keep on wailing on Olivier with your stun baton and he jolts and twitches with every shocking blow. The team just watches and decides to let you get it all out. Those damn human kids in Sacremento....the Berkley Ghetto's....Saito's forces....this stupid vampire computer geek....what the fuck did any of them know. After about 20 seconds smoke even starts rising from the body and you start coughing but keep on beating and beating as the smoke gets thicker and thicker until you can't even see what you're hitting until you slowly notice that your baton is only striking against the floor-boards of the auditorium. As you keep on hitting a pile of charred clothing Woofer pulls you back with one arm, the other one applying pressure to his neck and you slowly regain your composure.
The smoke quickly clears and you see in the place where Olivier was laying only the burnt remains of the slacks that he was wearing and nothing else.
-
"Híjole..."
Mercedes goes over to Brian and kneels down so she's eye level. "Thank you, ambia. I'm sorry you had to go through something like this, but thank you for ... " she glances up at Woofer, and the blood on his neck, "... just thank you." She then gives him a hug.
Getting back up, she looks over at Spider-Man, and can see a bit of shock in his aura. "Call your boss, we're going to need some help transporting Jeshua and I'm not so sure the ghouls outside are going to be as friendly without Olivier's 'influence' on the area."
-
Spiderman looks at his commlink and shrugs..."I don't know if you or if any other device around here is getting some kind of connection, but mine's not picking up any Wifi signal.". He pops out the half-spent clip and puts it in a pouch in his vest, pulls out a fresh one, slaps it in and chambers it.
-
Brian met Mercedes's gaze directly, not looking away like he usually would. The normal empty look in his eyes, the 1000 yard stare, was gone. He was here now in this place of death more than he had been, anywhere, in half a decade. "Don't thank me yet. This is still happening." He looked around, put his stun bat away, and swung his gun back into his hand. "We need a tarp or a thick plastic bag. See if the boy will listen to you, but keep your distance. Keep two guns on him. Do not hesitate to shoot." He headed over to where he left his bag. He hadn't intended to kill Oliver. Well, part of him hadn't, but that part of him didn't seem to matter at the moment. He just needed to make sure that his ability to pose a threat was over. There was no way to contain such a powerful creature. He had to kill Oliver. Of course, he did. What sort of fool thinks he can bargain with a disease?
He picked up his bag and fished out three of the flash-bangs he had taped together so that he could check if they still worked.
-
Woofer holds his neck, "Thanks BB, I owe you my life." *looks at Jeshua*
-
Mercedes nods at B.B., then looks up at Jeshua. "Hello, Jeshua. My name's Mercedes. My friends and I are here to help you. Your parents miss you and want you to come back home. Would you like to go back home?
Con roll to convince Jeshua that his parents miss him and we're his friends Charisma [8] + Con [4] + Kinesics [3] (15d6.hits(5)=4) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3012865/)
-
@Mercedes:
[OOC: Jeshua's con resist. Charisma 1 + Perception 3 = (4d6.hits(5)=1) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3012963/).]
Jeshua slowly pokes his head out from behind one of the rows of seats up in the balcony as he hears what you said echo through the auditorium. "...MMMOMM..MMY?" His ability to talk has very obviously been ravaged by the virus.
Your astral sight sees his dual natured aura shining brilliantly full of fear and confusion.
@B.B.:
Sure enough you do see a blue tarp which is covering up an old hammond B3 organ along with it's Leslie amplifier in the corner. This place really was that old. Almost like an episode of Time Trolls...that wacky pair of british trolls, Manni and...what was his name....(this background count was really messing with your abilitiies)...well anyways, that wacky pair of trolls that time travel to different periods and just freak everyone out....all the hijinks they get into. Well this was like one of those episodes where they go back to the late 20th century and end up joining this gospel choir.
@Everyone:
Spiderman keeps on looking over at the computer terminals at the back of the altar. "Hey man, i'm not going without some of this loot right here" and he starts moving toward them and climbs up the 1m high ledge. As he's walking over to the terminals he looks at B.B., "Hey man, nice shot there. I need to get me some of those EX rounds. Once we outta here i'll trade you some of this loot for a hit'a those crystals you been throwing back."
-
"Priorities, Spider. We're currently surrounded by about 30 hungry ghouls. Until we're sure we can get out, there's no use in seeing what we can take with us. Besides, for all we know, everything in here is swarming with their disease. None of us share the vampire's immunity to ghoulification, so I'm not touching anything in this shithole. My building don't rent to ghouls." The grenades looked to be alright. He set them to detonate after leaving his comm range, so after 5 meters of travel they'll arm. He cranked his radar up to high power and headed toward the door from the western exit where Walks was hiding.
-
Walks Through Walls will walk over towards Jeshua and try and figure out if he was hurt by his fall or how badly he might be hurt. "Do we have any ideas for evading the ghouls outside?"
-
"Sunlight hurts them. We still have an hour before that stops being a factor. Hence the tarp for the boy. Not sure yet if you'll want to walk him out of here or knock him out and carry him. Meantime, I'm going to peak through the walls and see how the ghoulies are moving. If they seem too close for comfort, I'll toss them one of these flash packages. It should scatter them pretty well. If anything goes wrong, hopefully I'll have enough time to warn you." B.B. still had a bit of inertia in him, pulling him forward. He felt the walls of this place screaming to consume him. Was he seeking oblivion when he walked in here? Was there something in Oliver's code which shut off his brain and made him think it was a good idea to walk into this death-pit? His cranked up senses could pick out the scratching of rats in the walls. "Fuck this place. Shoulda brought a firebomb."
-
@B.B.:
Your radar can see into a few of the adjacent rooms and you pick up a few humanoid figures scurrying about, most likely just a few ghouls which seek shelter inside other corners of the old church. Looking up at the exit in which you came it looks to be clear just like when you entered.
@Walks:
Jeshua's first reaction is to try and scurry away from you, but you see that he is limping a little bit and he winces and stops retreating, crouching about 5 m away.
@Mercedes:
Jeshua looks down over the balcony at Mercedes. After hearing your question he slowly nods and see him mouth "...Hommmme..."
-
Woofer tracks the various forms scuttling around while Mercedes tries to convince Jeshua to come with them. The bleeding on his neck has at least stopped, "They ever figure out their meal ticket is gone, they're going to swarm us."
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<<@team: Bit of movement in the back rooms. They're not running toward the gunfire, for sure. I'm going to check outside. I'll cover you guys from there.>>
Brian moved to the front door and peaked out to see if Bessie Mae or anyone else was still standing around.
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@B.B.:
You move up to the balcony and out the side door, back through the hallway and into the foyer without encountering any threats. At the front door you see that Kilby is no longer there but Bessie Mae is still standing right next to the cross outside standing in what looks like a completely catatonic state. It is no longer raining but you still see several groups of huddled ghouls around the flanks of the church. Several of them turn to look at you but do not seem to react or be interested in you at all.
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Mercedes nods at Jeshua, "Yes, Jeshua, we're going to take you home. My friend Walks there is just making sure you're not hurt and can go with us. But to get home, we're also going to need you to be a good boy and stay quiet and do everything we say. Can you do that?"
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Jeshua seems to be soothed by the smooth cadence of Mercedes voice. He nods in acceptance to her and then falls from a crouching position into a sitting one and seems to wince again.
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Walks Through Walls will take out her medkit and administer first aid.
medkit 6 +first aid 1 + logic 3 - 2 awakened-2conditions=6d6
6d6.hits(5) → [2,1,2,6,3,6] = (2)
(ooc hopefully I figured it right)
She will then start towards the exit.
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@Cynthia:
The medkit seems to be at a loss to figure out Jeshua's dual natured biology and doesn't seem to be of much assistance to you. Jeshua of his own will begins to follow you towards the exit and it seems that he will be cooperating.
@Everyone:
You all make your way to the foyer and out to the front of the church towards the cross. The 6 of you approach Bessie Mae who is standing staring off into space in a catatonic state. You even try to shake her but she merely stays there with a dead stare in her eyes. From her look it is quite obvious that she is gone and you have no idea how much of Bessie Mae is still in there and how much is some personasoft glitch. The ghouls on the outside of the church nevertheless seem to completely ignore all of you and you don't feel very threatened by them..
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"So, who wants to play the role of little red raining hood for our return journey. That shit worked too well on the walk out. Well, that or we could hire a war cab once we hit a part of the barrens with matrix signal.. I just don't want to get clipped by some pissant gang like the Rusted Stilettos on my jaunt home."
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"I vote for the cab. The less we have to travel with Jeshua the less that could possible go wrong." Walks through Walls looks around, "I agree though it seems too easy at this point. Especially if Jeshua got infected when he decided to leave. Unless our friend in there told them to attack when he left, and now can't do so."
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Mercedes takes Bessie Mae's hand to see if she'll follow with someone leading her. If she does, she keep hold of the girl to make sure she gets to safety.
"Transportation would be good. But we have to be careful with the package. As soon as we get a signal, we should contact Jeshua's father and let him know the situation. I think that will be an interesting conversation."
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Woofer keeps a watch out as Mercedes leads the girl, "Oh, he's going to be fucking estatic about it, likely turn his own kid into a science experiment."
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"I don't think Germaine is that creative. More likely he'll tell us to shoot the kid, offer more money when we refuse, and, finally, he'll try to have us arrested for kidnapping and murder regardless. Now that we've already done the lifting, we need to protect ourselves from the boss. This ain't a working man's world. I say we try to keep the Kreiger's a secret until we establish a drop point."
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@Mercedes:
You grab Bessie Mae's hand and as you begin to lead her you notice that she does follow but remains in a completely catatonic state.
@Everone:
The whole team begins to make their way back over the wasteland toward the old industrial site and about 30 minutes later once you reach it you begin to pick up a weak signal from routing nodes inside the 228th Ave overpass overhead. You see Spiderman's cyber-irises rotate and focus on the railguard up on the overpass where a few figures are still standing. Spiderman looks at the team and speaks. "Blood Mountain Boys up top. Even though they're at war with the Crushers, I got a cousin who rolls with them. I'll ask if he's around and they could come give us a ride."
He opens up a public ARO and pings the public comms of the figures up on the overpass. Spiderman looks at you guys, "We're in luck, my cuz is hanging tonight. He said he'd grab a few Boys and swing around to get us....he said he'll pick us up right next to the old bio-dome a few blocks north."
You all hike to the old bio-dome which now has the windows completely blackened with soot. Sure enough 6-7 go-gangers on bikes roll in, and the one in the lead is an ork of pacific islander decent just like Spiderman. They great each other warmly as some of the other bikers scowl but keep their cool. The tribal like markings and trappings they all share make you really feel like this whole place is some post-apocalyptic wasteland. The bikers seem to have no problem when Jeshua with the help of Walks tries to mount one of the bikes and they seem a lot more understanding of the poor ghoul than you would have given most people credit for. It makes sense that the people of the barrens are quite used to 'weird" and "scary". Spiderman just says "Crimson wall near the old factory" and you all take off into the damp night.
After getting dropped near the hole in the Crimson Crush wall , the Blood Mountain Boys along with Spiderman's cousin take off at top speeds which is their primary defense against rivals like the Stilettos. After crossing through the hole, you hike some more over terrain very familiar to Spiderman and eventually end up at the exit to the alley right across from the Pearl Tongue. The Neon Naga is lit up but the air around the building is eerily calm and tranquil. You see Woofer's car parked across the street from the brothel to your left right where it had been left.
Spiderman hops on his scooter and let's the SMG fall to his back on it's sling and looks at the whole team as he cranks on the moter. "I'll lead you guys out....keep an eye on you." This is the first time you've seen him attempt something like a smile.
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@Mercedes:
You tell the group to briefly wait for you as you lead Bessie Mae over to the Pearl Tongue. You notice the door is unlocked even though B.B. had removed the traces of his tampering and as you walk in to the lobby which is lit and full of fluttering AR dragons just as you had left it, you quickly turn your head back around at a sight you wish you had not seen. You lead Bessie Mae back down the landing of the entrance and back toward the team. They notice something strange in you that not even your Kinesics can hide and they ask you what the matter is.
The carnage associated with gunfights and the occasional manabolt thrown in are quite familiar to you from your time running the shadows......but the sight of a lobby full of the charred remains of all the Peal Tongue's girls was something else entirely. Like cockroaches crawling with their last little bit of strength to collectively die in the middle of a living room that just got fumigated. That's basically the treatment those girls received when their hacked personafixes were triggered to self-destruct.
@Everyone:
Standing there on the sidewalk of the empty Redmond street across from the brothel you all decide it's best to check in with Germaine. The sun is just beginning to come up, but the news is important enough that you know Germaine won't mind the wake-up call. He answers in a groggy voice.
"This better be good news...."
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"Ohayou, Mr. Robinson. We have recovered Jeshua. But there are some ... difficulties."
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"You have him?!! " Germaine exclaims with excitement. "Difficulties? What kind of difficulties?" The AR icon of the call hovers in the middle of the group, rotating about it's axis with no video feed because this is an audio only call.
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Slipping into her "professional" attitude, Mercedes details what had happened to Jeshua since he went missing as far as they have been able to piece together. She doesn't go into great detail on Spiderman or the gangers, referring to them only as "assets", nor does she go into great detail about Isamu and Olivier's motivations. Basically, she recounts that Jeshua fell under a bad influence and wound up in a dire situation involving vampires and ghouls.
"... as a result, Jeshua has been infected with the Kreiger strain of HMHVV. He's somewhat functional, but he will never be the Jeshua you knew."
Etiquette roll to explain the situation and break the news of his son as delicately as possible. CHA [8] + Etiquette [4] + Kinesics [3] + Improved Ability [2] (17d6.hits(5)=7) (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3023600/)
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[OOC: Kinesics doesn't apply for just audio communication, but that's still 6 hits and Germaine's perception is not gonna be enough.]
"Do you have proof of this that I could see right now? Where are you at this very moment, could you broadcast your gps coordinates to me?"
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"Evidence, okay. Let 's see. <access recording>"So you want to take this creature people used to call Jeshua back home. Well I'd say both these boys have learned their lesson that curiosity killed the cat and then from the ashes of that dead cat shall arise a radiant phoenix." Looking over rather disgustfully at Jeshua he continues. "Well at least Isamu did, but they got what they wanted, I got what I needed. But that's merely incidental. The real target who i've had my eyes on for quite some time now is soon going to learn the lesson of a lifetime." Olivier pauses and closes his eyes again.
"Germaine Robinson is about to get the wake-up call he always needed to get but nobody got around to doing it, and you, my friends, were hired to be the messengers. You were hired to take this shell of an elf back to his fathers doorstep. Then Germaine Robinson would learn the true cost of reckless ambition and would be set upon a journey towards redemption."</recording> So, you were targeted through your son by an unhinged vampire, who went on to learn a valuable lesson about antagonizing a jumpy guy armed with military weaponry. As seen here <access recording>*Submachine gun purrs out bullets* *Oliver falls to the ground in a bloody heap* *Brian vaults the seats jabs the bloodied body with a taser*</recording>"
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As you initiate the video channel you are all of a sudden able to see Germaine's elven face right next to the call ARO icon floating in the middle of the group. His face remains stern but his eyes visibly widen as he looks at the video images that B.B. sent him. When he is done viewing them you see him look down in an expression of vulnerability you have yet to see from the regional manager. After a brief silence he looks up again with his usual controlled expression.
"I'm ready to deposit to your account the other half of your compensation. I must thank you for finally finding an answer to my problem just when it was needed most. However...."
He pauses for a moment and just from the look in his eyes you feel like you already know what he's going to say. If he would just play straight like a real Mr. Johnson knows how to, then this whole thing could be so cut and dry. But how could he. He's one of those system execs....the ones who live and die by the system because that's all they think exists. Not much of a pragmatist like every corporate Johnson that has any sense has gotta be.
"... that creature right there is no longer my son. Like that the boy is no longer of any use to me and is just a liability and a danger to those around him. He is beyond salvation and this is really what is best. Dispose of the creature so that no one ever even knew it existed, and when that's done, I will transfer the 50,000¥. I need to know for sure that you got rid of every last trace of that thing and you will forever keep your silence about this whole affair....I trust none of this should be a problem. "
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"Phew. I been worried someone might actually learn a lesson from this whole thing. Glad we dodged that bullet. Speaking of which..." B.B. turned to face Jeshua. "Daddy says you have no more value to him, slugger. He doesn't care about advances in treatment or about recent pushes toward citizenship for infected. He can't even be bothered to use you to further his career through politicking or fear-mongering. I know, what you're thinking little guy. It's that kind of limited vision that keeps people from moving into executive positions. I agree, it is a sad situation. Now watch the birdy, Jeshua. Here comes the flash." Brian cut the matrix feed with a thought.
"What I tell you. 'Give me your GPS coordinates. Murder my son.' This part of the business makes my balls hurt. Call the dude back if you want, but I'm gonna go get gacked with Spiderman. I got it in me to do some highly illegal shit right now. Be in touch in a few days. I.. I just can't be here when you talk to that clown."
With that, Brian walked off toward the Ork waiting by the scooter, holding a little baggie and intermittently flicking it with his finger. In the distance you hear, "Yo, Spiderman. You remember that regeneration trick the kid pulled back there? I actually know a lot about regeneration, on account of my missing hand. Turns out that magic healing can take care of a cut tendon or a sliced up eyeball, but it takes regeneration to get back a limb. Magic's weird like that... What the fuck am I talking about this for? Let's get spun."
Meanwhile, happy that his brain was free of the death cloud of Olly's domain, he finished up composing a message to his contact while watching the tail end of a Magical Girl Kotena episode.
<<@Jimmy Locke: James! Hope you're alright, man. I left you something in your other dead drop, but you never got back. You can put that message out to pasture. Old news. As far as recent events, I found Oliver Sannon. Dude is living off reservation and recruiting young corpsers to join him in his sordid ways. He's got some serious ideological conflicts to work out, but it seemed like he's trying. You know how I feel about personal growth. I am for it. Anyway, he was still using that tired old symbol of his, hanging on to his old narcissistic past, so spreading it about is probably a good turn. Hope he learns to see it as such. It'll force him to reinvent himself a bit. Speaking of bit, check this out, he's a vampire! Oooo00o0o0O! Might want to keep that on the QT. I think it might be gauche to out a vampire. I already probably pissed him off a little by shooting him to a bloody pulp and then beating him until he got detached retinas. To be fair, he had made some pretty poor choices to end up in that situation. Besides, I was timing my strokes to make sure he had the opportunity to heal between each one, and, wouldn't you know it, he must have regained consciousness enough to turn into mist and float away. They do that I hear. Anyway, if you make this info public, I don't want my name attached, but do express my regrets as to how things played out, and that, as I made sure no one touched any of his stuff, I would appreciate if he would not touch any of my stuff, including Officer Steele.>>
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[D'oh! I forgot to hit submit with the post I typed yesterday before leaving work... Ah, well. B.B.'s works ;)]
Mercedes looks at Jeshua with sad eyes, then turns to Woofer and Walks, "Well? We can't just kill him, can we?"
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"I don't like the idea of it. Can we maybe fake his death and collect our money?"
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Woofer sighs, "I don't want to either, I contemplated it while Oliver was on his monologue. The problem will be finding someone who will look after him."
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Mercedes sighs, "And what about Bessie Mae? We got one kid with no chance of a future and a girl without a past, or a brain!"
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Spiderman let's out a full-blown tusked smile as B.B. approaches with the baggie. After the gnome throws back a hit and hands the baggie over, the Crusher snaps out one of his finger razors from under the nail and uses the blade to scoop up a little mound of crystals and snorts them up throwing his head back. After a little sniffling and licking off of any stray granules from his razer you see his smile deepen.
"Thanks omae, that's some good shit. I gotta get outa Redmond more often, see what all's out there."
He looks off into the horizon as the sun slowly rises to the east just before kicking the ignition on his scooter.
Epilogue
It wasn't quite clear whether or not Bessie Mae was a lost cause. She definitely had some motor-function left and with any luck and with a hella good tribal shaman healer she just might turn around. Sheldon promised to take care of her and even though she's not an ork, he explains that the madame had lived long enough in the neighborhood and he sends out the order that all surviving girls who worked for her also will receive the same protection. He thanks you for uncovering the mystery behind the Pearl Tongue and on top of that the information about the compromised section of his wall. He stresses to you how Crimson Crush remembers its friends as fiercely as it destroys its enemies.
Jeshua on the other hand was a completely different matter. Mercedes and Walks Through Walls manage to arrange through their connections placement into a community infected rehabilitation center called Bird-Bear House. It was run by an older Native American human couple which had lost their child to an infection related hate crime. Even though they took charity and sponsorship from a few AAA's like Horizon and Evo, they still remained an independent non-profit which made Jeshua's true identity much easier to hide for the time being.
Strangely and unexpectedly enough, Germaine decided after all to deposit the 50,000¥ in B.B.'s account to distribute amongst yourselves. He only included a text message. <<I would like to meet and talk at a future date. No business....just personal.>> No mention of his son whatsoever.
@Woofer:
The old nightmares are gone.....replaced by something far worse. Some nights even sleep evades you entirely. On nights like those you wish you had never ever set foot on that path into the heart of Redmond. You wish you had never ever tasted that sweetest sensation of all. The moment you felt Olivier's teeth sink into your neck, you felt that it was you who was really the one sinking your teeth into a forbidden apple of knowledge.
Up until now you have fought the urge in the middle of the night to jump out of bed, put on your long-coat and stroll out into the night to return to that road which would lead you back to where it all began.
On the very worst of nights, you can practically even hear it in your ears. You could swear that he's behind you, clutching you closely, the rim of his lens-less glasses digging into your temple almost feeling that hot stale breath up against your ear whispering to you, taunting you and daring you to resist it. All you want is just a drop. Just a little taste. To be bathed for only one more second in that darkness.
You have no idea how long you can keep this up.