3.5e Batman Campaign (2.0)

Spoiler: Barbara's Battling Begins

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Barabara was unnerved the lack of appearence of the others, for a few moments wondering if some other hired killers had struck at them first. But none of them were the type to get caught out and disabled without a cry, and she was confident her divinations would let her her the sounds of battle from some distance. Instead she reigned herself to the possibility she'd begin this fight alone. Thus she first brought her Mage Armour into existance, then looked for a position to begin raining her Arcana down from, preferably one with some elevation and some cover. Finally, letting the seconds stretch out in the hope one of her allies was using the time to close with her she cast Cloud of Knives and drew a bead on the informant. Ready to begin the fight.

Spoiler: OOC:

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Time for me to roll initiative?

Spoiler: Feats and NPCs question

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You already okayed Leadership as a thing (can’t get Landlord or Guildmaster without it). But if I take it at level 6, am I allowed to say that Robyn is officially my cohort, and ask her for knowledge skills or something about what’s going down with kidnappings/leads to stop them? If that’s ok, I’d like to do that. Otherwise, I’ll figure it out.

Spoiler: ic

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For all the affinity of Kate and Barbara, as much fun as the visit with House Kyle, none of them had truly asked after her. They were all busy or burdened or blithe. But here was a performer, forced half-way in exile, with a crowd near every night willing to satisfy her ego and any other appetites on a whim, and she ignored both worries and well-wishers to support the blonde against unclear odds. Stephanie looked hopelessly touched, and felt infantile for the fear that made her act out as a party prima-donna. It would have been endlessly more subtle, wise, and simple to hint between some faux fawning over an autograph that she wanted Robyn’s attention, and they both knew it.

But admitting to that when this was their first meeting together, after so long, felt a carriage ride too far. Stephanie simply enveloped her in a warm hug, pressing close. Anxieties she hadn’t realized she was carrying started to shed, and Gotham finally felt brighter, a little safer than before.

“I really, really missed you,” Stephanie murmured into her ear. “And I’m so sorry I didn’t swing by a lot sooner. It’s all gotten a little intense lately.” She reluctantly leaned back a little, but didn’t let go, not trusting when she would have another excuse to hold her bard again.

“Let’s see...I’ve made a tiny fortune, chosen Estanna as my go-to, been more distant with House Kyle, gotten possessed by some insane ghost girl, jumped a Thieves Guild captain, and now I’m ducking the knife they’ve got with my name on it. But we might have a real solution to our Bard problem? Prince Wayne is literally offering you a noble alias and his protection, but in exchange, I have to accept a dangerous mission. Maybe even one way.”

Stephanie paused the thumbnail sketch that had ignored so much, and closely gauged how the singer felt before continuing. “But right this sec, I’ve got no idea how much time Verena really has left. She’s been kidnapped by House Nigma, and they’ve been straight up blackmailing ever since. Me and three others are making a move tonight. But that’s kinda hard when we don’t know where she is, and it’s not exactly obvious all their spies don’t already know we’re on the way, or even already here. The others helping to rescue her know I have a friend that knows the scene well, and might be willing to point us in the right direction.”

The rogue smiled half-way guiltily. “At least, if she can forgive me for not showing up sooner, first? How have you been out here?”

Spoiler: Oracle

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Ensconced in invisible magical armor and surrounded by an animated cloud of swirling knives, Barbara looked up and saw that the building next to her had two stories, and a low sloped roof overhanging herself and the thugs. There was a pile of boxes in front of her that she was using to hide behind in order to stay out of sight of the thugs, and if she climbed up them carefully, she could potentially get in position above her targets.

In the back of her mind she could begin to hear Julius's feelings again. He felt excited, even eager. She sensed that he was hungry for her praise, certain he had done good work.

Spoiler: OOC

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Climb and move silently checks to get up onto the first story's overhang without being spotted. Unless you have a different method in mind for reaching the overhang.

Spoiler: Spoiler

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Robyn seemed equally thrilled to be reunited with Stephanie as Stephanie was to see her. She tightened her grip on Steph's forearm.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! The gigs out here are really easy. People are just desperate to blow money, and the crowds are always drunk and high. Easiest encores I've ever scored. But what do you mean you pissed off the thieves guild? Are you in trouble? You've got to stay away from these bastards."

Stephanie laughed. "I got to be honest with you, it's a little late for that now."

Robyn shook her head, unable to let go of Steph's arms. She looked worried.

"You've just got to be careful out here. The Nigmas aren't that popular on the island, but it doesn't really matter. They're elves -- that's good and plenty enough. They've got incredibly deep pockets. There are people all over the city on their payroll, and there's more here than anywhere else. From what I heard, they kidnapped some Shipmaster's daughter because he was working for Lord Fox. No one knows exactly where they're keeping her. All they know for certain is that the Nigma's like to send instructions to their agents in the form of coded letters or puzzles. If that's the girl that you're looking for, then pennies to purse strings, those letters will have the answer."

Spoiler: Kate (Damien)

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Julius flitted back and forth across the street, moving much too fast for Kate to follow at her normal walking pace so instead zigzagging himself over the heads of the revelers in order to allow her to continue to follow him. Eventually he led her past the Temple of Lastai, and began hovering around an alleyway in between two strange curvaceous elven houses. Whatever he wanted her to see it was back there.

Kate made her way towards the alley, and as she Drew closer she could hear several muffled voices speaking in the shadows from behind one of the houses.

Spoiler: Damien

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Damien was able to watch Kate and Julius make their way towards the alleyway. Due to where he positioned himself, Kate started to walk away from him, as the alleyway was on the other side of the street.

Spoiler: OOC

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Everyone except Stephanie, roll for initiative.

Barbara looked at the boxes with trepidation. For all her talents, climbing was never an area she'd became familiar with. Instead she reassured herself with the presence of Juluis in her mind, and resolved to fall back on the traditional way of not getting overwhlmed and beaten in close combat, bring a better fighter than they have. The issue of course was the informant who needed to be taken out quickly or he'd surely report on the encounter, and that could make things go very bad very quickly. She just didn't have the time to wait for reinforcements though so instead she focused on unleashing as much hurt as possible herself. A final piece of divanatory magic pulled her into a Critical Strike, and she then unleashed both knife and crossbow bolt at the informant.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Both against flat footed.

Crossbow: [roll0] for [roll1]+[roll2]
Knife: [roll3] for [roll4]

"You know a lot of people think the 'Loundly talk about the person you're trying to kill until they turn up and ambush you first' is outdated as a method for finding your targets. Really I think it can work you've just executed it poorly."

Both the knife and the crossbow bolt flung through the air and slammed into the informant's chest, erupting in a fountain of blood and sending him crashing to the ground, immobile.

The other three turned around, their cold eyes ablaze with shock and anger as they took her in. Each of them drew blades from their belts -- two short, one long -- and they each seemed to grip or twitch their weapons ever so slightly. The motion appeared to activate latent magic hiding inside the weapons. Violent angry arcane energy crackled to life, and glowing lights slid down the length of their blades towards their points, illuminating runes and grooves that had been carved into them that Barbara hadn't seen until they lit up. The way the magic popped and hissed and buzzed it was clear to her the enchantments had been performed by a sloppy arcanist -- this was the work of brute force, of raw power, not of talent or finesse. Still the "ugliness" of the whirring enchantments likely wouldn't do anything to blunt their lethality. She prepared to defend herself as the three remaining thugs rounded on her.

Spoiler: Oracle

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If you rolled for initiative I missed it. I'll go back and look at your post but if you didn't feel free to roll here or OOC.

Daaaaaamn good job on those attacks, hopefully he doesn't bleed out before you can reach him lol. Were you expecting one of those shots to miss?

Spoiler: OOC: Timing

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Most of this happens during the 'follow Kate' portion of the scene, before initiative is rolled; I'm just adding color to it now. If the timing doesn't work out, Molan, let me know.

"Where the hell are you going, Kane?"

The kid hisses this question to himself as, having crossed the street and scrabbled up on another rooftop anticipating that to be the trajectory of the Dame's direction, he finds she is ultimately heading to the side of the street he was on anyway. Perched on the edge of a building, he huffs in irritation at the warrioress's unpredictability - or rather, in projection at his own disappointment in his skills of discernment. The bat guiding her - almost certainly Oracle's creature - seems excitable, though he cannot tell if that counts as urgency. But a juvenile sense of refusal - the kind that forbids one to step on any of the white tiles if you can step on all the black ones - forbids him from crossing the street on foot, again, spoiling any stealth approach he might have had. So he pulls his last Longstrider potion from his pack and tosses it back, feels the familiar strength infusing his little legs, aims at the ledge on the other side of the main street, and jumps.

The feat would be called superhuman, for those not initiated in the mysteries of the League of Shadows. From a crouching start, the boy turns into a horizontal blur of red and green that scythes through the intervening air in total silence and lands with eerie gentleness on the rooftop on the other side.

Spoiler: OOC Mechanics and stuff!

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Jump skill is 12. Ninjas can make jumps from a standing start as if they had a run up. Taking ten, Damien can normally jump 22-6 for 16ft in a bound. The potion of Longstrider increases his move speed to 30ft, eliminating the -6 penalty for his 'halfling' move speed. So with a Take 10, he can bounce 22ft. And my once-per-scene use of the skill trick Extreme Leap means that if I jump 10ft or more in a round, I can use a swift action to extend the jump by 10 ft, to a muscular 32f leap from a crouching start, all the way to the other side of the street.

It's about that point that I think the initiative kicks in? If that's so, this is Damien's action for the round:

After touching down, he can see the curve of the alley path up ahead; though not what it holds; and after vaulting across the intervening space between one house and the next, he creeps up to peer over the edge and take in the scene below.

Spoiler: OOC

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Quote:

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Jump skill is 12. Ninjas can make jumps from a standing start as if they had a run up. Taking ten, Damien can normally jump 22-6 for 16ft in a bound. The potion of Longstrider increases his move speed to 30ft, eliminating the -6 penalty for his 'halfling' move speed. So with a Take 10, he can bounce 22ft. And my once-per-scene use of the skill trick Extreme Leap means that if I jump 10ft or more in a round, I can use a swift action to extend the jump by 10 ft, to a muscular 32f leap from a crouching start, all the way to the other side of the street.

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I love this. Love it.

Anyway you are "in" initiative order but you're still hidden so you can act with surprise.

As Damien peered over the edge of the roof, he could see the silhouettes of three figures, illuminated by the glow of their angry, crackling enchanted weapons, turn and advance "east", towards the alley Kate was walking into from the main road. Between the men and the alley, Damien saw Oracle, hooded and masked and shrouded in darkness, with a halo of knives spinning around her body.

There was a body on the ground behind the men -- he couldn't tell if it was a corpse or just a mortally wounded adversary, but whoever it was was bleeding out on the ground, as though the men with the magical glowing swords had just cut him to pieces.

One of the blades glowed purple, the other two were blue. One of the blue blades was longer than the others. He had no idea why Oracle had challenged the thugs, but the bleeding body on the ground behind them seemed like as good a hint as any.

As they approached, Kate walked through the alley, Julius hovering over her head. She saw the men approaching at the same time as they saw her.

Hi! This is awkward. Would you kindly mind surrendering? I don't have my stuff with me, and destroing you without it would take forever and ruin my dress.

Spoiler: OoC

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Kate is in civvies with no weapons, and i intentionally picked utility and defensive powers based on the assumption this wouldn't happen. Huh.

[roll0] intimidate

Spoiler: ic

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“Verena,” Stephanie confirmed, after mention of the Shipmaster’s daughter. “Her father works for the Merchant’s Guild. I already said I’m low on leads, so it’s time I start pocket flirting again. Been awhile, so hopefully I’m still subtle. But this outfit is a little too hot right now; I’ve gotta get this makeup off. Slip into something milder. Probably head out the back window. Who knows if the front door is being watched now.”

Her gaze drifted off to half-admire how well the singer had done for herself in such a short period of time. “All they saw was you heading off with some overeager fan,” Stephanie reminded when she regarded Robyn again. “They can’t pin much on you unless they know who I am, and dug into my past a bit. You’re safe for now, but no way that’ll hold if we go any further. Help me figure out a disguise and exit, and I can disappear again before I bring the roof down on you. Okay?”

Spoiler: Action plan

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1) New disguise, new you! 24 (+9, +5 Minor Changes, +10 Take 10). Add a +2 if Robyn assists successfully, & +2 more in the incredibly unlikely case she has a disguise kit lying around for props or something, because Bard. Try to dress up as Atha, unless Robyn advises against it (which I’m very open to). All I’m really looking for is a disguise that allows me to blend in to pickpocket/fish for riddles. Equally, if she’s in, I’m happy to +2 any disguise she might wear.

2) Use Rope 22 if the only available back window is on the second floor. This way, if anyone is watching the front door, they see nothing. Or really, any exit that allows a sneaky way out. If there’s no window big enough so I have to use the front door (possible; who knows what the elves are like) I’ll just have to go with it.

edit--- I can Bluff to Distract (26) & Hide (25) in the Crowd if I +have+ to go through the front door.

3) Priority is to pickpocket elves, as that seems to be Nigma’s key support group. Sleight of Hand. 20 unless Robyn is around and somehow assists. (maybe I should answer those questions about her build….)

4) Anyone that picks up on it, play it off as a friendly attempt to get a little handsy while walking in the other direction, saying they dropped this, and other bluffs. 26 unless Robyn assists for more.

"You're really bad at this whole, 'not getting beat up by your targets thing, huh. Now I'd advise you to back off. Maybe tell the cortesean that "time has come, your quarry tract" or I don't know, find someone who's less of a prick that you can work for. Otherwise, you're going to see what happens when you're not only outgunned but also outnumbered in five, four, three, two..."

As she spoke she resisted her urge to hide behind Kate, instead putting her full focus on dodging any incoming blows and holding them at bay verbally while she walked slowly towards the bleeding informant attempting to display confidence in every part of her movements. Hopefully, the presence on the roof was in fact Damien, and not onne of their reinforcements who fit the same profile, or she'd be in a lot of trouble.

Spoiler: OOC

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They must have herd of our exploits and we took that guy down really quicky so I'm going to see if they don't want to reconsider this engagement at least for long enough for us to retrieve the informant.

Going to engage in total defense, walk towrds them with my bluff and if allowable have the knife for this turn (it's an immediete action) readied to strike someone if they go to hit me.

Bluff: [roll0]

Knife just in case: [roll1] for [roll2]

Spoiler: Spoiler

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"Hah. Who's room did you think you were in?" Robyn teased playfully. She let go of one of Stephanie's hands but held onto the other, walking her over to the aged, elegant, wardrobe on the far wall and flinging it wide open.

Inside was perhaps as many of a dozen outfits, most are all of them fit for a stage performance, which was an enormous amount of clothing for someone who wasn't lavishly rich. At her vanity, Robyn also revealed a collection of wigs, a dazzling horde of makeup, and a collection of expensive looking jewelry. Although Stephanie suspected that most of it was fake, the gems and rings would make for compelling accessories.

"Where did you get all of this?" she wondered aloud.

"I've been doing shows at a Temple of Alobal Lorfiril, if I didn't have a million ways to shape shift they'd have tossed me out with the bathwater!" she laughed. "We usually wear at least a few minor illusions through our acts anyway, even mundane makeup often isn't enough. Though if I'm being completely honest I nicked a fair bit of this from the Bard's before I skipped Midtown. And a lot of the rest of this stuff is just donated. The Seldarin prize communion after all. I sing, and dance, and the community provides."

Stephanie eagerly began putting together the pieces for a new outfit, changing out of her last ensemble and putting together a new look, and a new face. Robyn helped her, her expert and experienced hands helping to tie elaborate garments together or delicately apply new makeup.

"Listen, if you're going to go after one of the Nigma Letters, do me a couple of favors. For one thing, stay away from the Temple of Lastai. One of the courtesans there works directly for House Nigma; if you show up she'll definitely see you."

Stephanie arched an eyebrow, wondering if she should be worried about this revelation. But Robyn waived her concerns away.

"Don't get me wrong, she's actually a sweetheart...in her own way. But the Nigma's are too powerful here for the Temples to reject their influence. The only option a lot of times is to cooperate. If you go there, you have to make sure no one knows what you're looking for. I'd avoid it completely."

She finished straightening Stephanie's hair, and added her next point.

"The letters are carried into the hamlet by marked agents of House Nigma. They make themselves obvious, but only to those who know what to look for. Most of the Nigma's spies are completely unidentifiable -- they work for other houses or guilds or gangs, they have other lives, full, unbroken aliases. They're usually the only ones who know what a letter carrier will look like. The messages only go one way -- from the House to it's Spies. Once they have what they need -- information, a job well done, whatever -- they go somewhere else to pass the news back and collect payment. So if you want to find a letter, look for the couriers. I'm sorry, but I can't tell you much more than that, because that's all I know."

Stephanie mulled over what Robyn was telling her, and eventually settled on an idea.

"Alright. I think I got it. We need to go shopping, five-finger-discount style. Care to tag along, for old time's sake?"

The two women exited out of the front of the house, using their careful skills to simply blend into the crowd as they stepped out the front door, to avoid detection. No one saw them leave.

They made their way through the party all through the town, buying drinks to sip, holding hands, and acting as if they were drunkenly fawning over one another and many of the passers by in the street. Most of their work went completely unnoticed. A couple of times they were nearly caught, but managed to bluff their way out of it. Stephanie was good, but Robyn was arguably better, finding more than a few opportunities to make out with willing strangers in the bizarre and lifting valuables from their pockets as she did so.

But for all their efforts, they came up mostly empty handed, around 20 gp, 70 so and 245cp richer, along with a fistful of gems and a couple rings, but no letter. As the evening wore on, they sipped wine at one of the open air bars, and Robyn sighed, somewhat exasperated.

"Damnit. Nothing. Now what? If there's a courier out tonight, they don't appear to be on the street. And I'm sure they weren't in the Temple Bar either."

(outside)

The thugs blinked. They seemed visibly started and worried, and though their hissing, crackling blades still lurked dangerously near Oracle's person, they didn't immediately attack.

"Just who the hell are you dumb hags?" the Dark Market agent snarled.

"Do you have any idea who you're crossing?" another added, angry but daunted. "The bankers'll spit roast you and hang you in the square if they find out you're in their business."

As Oracle approached the bleeding man, she could see and sense that he wasn't yet dead, but he was mortally wounded. His thoughts were a panicked race of emotions and terror, and most of them centered in a profound feeling of regret. If he'd had any fight in him before, stabbing him twice in the chest had really taken it out of him.

Thwip.

A tiny shuriken whipped into the neck of the Dark Marketeer.

An instant later, a second projectile hit its target - this time a somersaulting little ball of red and green, striking the ground amidst the trio of enterprising goons and rising up to his full, unimpressive, childs' height. Hood hanging low; one hand holds a black teak rod, with hooks at the end; the other fills out a dark leather glove with burnished wooden plates on the back of the gauntlet; his whole form flickering and blurring like the intruding spectre of a bad dream.

"Should've surrendered when the lady asked, knaves."

Spoiler: OOC Actions and rolls!

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Damien is going to chuck a shuriken - the one he poisoned and never threw the night before, to make use of the poison! - at the one who called Oracle and Batwoman 'dumb hags'. One of the Dark Knight's easily retained lessons - punish the mouthy ones, and the quiet ones feel it.

[roll0] for [roll1] plus [roll2]. If he's hit at all and takes any damage, he also needs to make a DC 13 Fortitude save or immediately drop unconscious.

After that, it's just Damien standing inbetween the goons, gauntlet and rod, ninja-tanking valiantly with an AC of 21, and spending 1 Ki point for a 20% miss chance!

The thug grabbed his shoulder where the shuriken hit, howling in pain and anger, but he didn't drop. Instead, he locked his gaze onto the little ninja and swung his crackling longsword towards him, cutting a shallow gash across his chest.

The initial blow was excruciating, but worse, the sword burst with arcane energy as he did so, giving Damien a nasty shock.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sorry bud. 19 on his fort save, 22 on attack and a 27 on miss chance. Statistically I had to roll over 10 eventually lol.

You take 7 damage from the sword and two electrical damage from it's shocking effect.

He does however take full damage from your attack.

It's Kate's turn.

With a blur of shadows and distortion, the unarmed woman tackles the armed man!

Damien moves away from the slash that would have bifurcated him, but not quickly enough to avoid it entirely; the sword's scintillating tip rakes from the top of the left side of his collarbone almost to his navel - a dodge incomplete, for fear of overexposing to one of the other two combatants around himself. He lets out a sound that isn't quite a yelp or howl, but closer to a yowl; a hissing, nearly feline ejaculation of pain from a jaw convulsing from the lighting flash of the weapon. He lays about with the Rod of Ropes in warding strikes, whirling on the spot, his mangled shirt kicking up like a cape and exposing a skinny, muscular core that might be very flattering on an adult; but on a child, speaks only to some perversely intense training visited upon him - a regimen sufficient to outrun the metabolic firestorm of a young boy's normal growth pattern. It is an aesthetic that, for whatever ruthless pragmatic power it offers in demonstrable agility and precision, is profoundly ugly on a ten year old.

What Damien does not do, even as blood begins to flow from the smoking groove down his chest, what he absolutely could do, is vanish from sight and void his enemy's ability to lay into him entirely. For whatever reason, the littlest ninja, who proved so remarkably capable in the Vaults snapping in and out of light's revealing grasp, remains perfectly visible, and attackable.

Spoiler: OOC Actions:

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None, it's not my turn. I'm just impatient for this game, and I wanted to throw a little flavor on the damage he's taken. 20/29 HP.

Spoiler: Spoiler

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Robyn blushed, smiling wide.

"No no, nothing like that. See, the faithful of Lastai aren't much interested in the petty politics the high lords like to play, or petty mortal politics of any kind. Following Lastai requires seeking equality in all relationships, romatic or otherwise -- Imperial, Gothamite and Highborne economics and politicking is anathema. The courtesans of the temple are there to guide others to sensual bliss; they don't so much taken payments, as they "strongly encourage" donations. Nimue more or less agreed to be the Nigma's passthrough as a courtesy and as a way to keep the balance. The Nigma's get what they want,
and they leave the archmage and the temple priests alone to conduct their affairs here in the hamlet. Nimue is more doing a community service, than anything. Plus, it keeps the temple well stocked with "donations" from the Nigmas."

"I see," Stephanie said. "So is there any chance she can lead us to a letter carrier?"

Robyn shook her head.

"They keep the whole process compartmentalized. The letter carriers don't know who the drops are and vice versa. Only the informants have the inside track, and they're still blinded to what happens outside of their own little bubble. But, if we could find that bloody letter, we can learn what the informants' next steps are, or better yet, we could maybe even get a clue as to when/where they were planning to move Verena. Maybe we were approaching this the wrong way -- the night's still only half over, maybe we should see if there's anyone else in this town who's on the Nigmas dole?"

Kate leapt at the man who's electric sword was now smoldering with the rank smell of Damien's blood as it fried on the blade edge. She knocked him over so hard he looked like he'd been kicked by a horse, and she brought him to the ground like a sack of bricks, inhibiting his sword arm from striking her and driving her spikes into his body. Blood poured from the holes in his studded leather armor and he cried out in anger, pushing and fighting back against her.

Spoiler: Kate

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How's damage work again? Do you just roll a d6 now or....?

One of the thugs with the shorter blades swung at Damien, but this time he was a bit lighter on his feet. The crackling angry blade ate nothing but air. The second thug tried to hit Kate, but he missed as she bowled past him. He tried stabbing her again once she was on the ground, but her protective amorpha denied him his strike.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sorry about the delayed response.

It's Barbara's turn again. She's now about five feet away from the closest enemy, so JUST out of reach of anyone without a reach weapon (they don't have any). She's standing over the informant, who's bleeding out.

Feather, we just need to resolve Kate's grapple damage. The Dark Marketeer's clearly in trouble at this point but he was at full health so we'll see how bad you can mess him up.

Abdiel...Damien's luck has returned! I rolled a nat 18 to hit but a nat 19 on miss chance. You're safe!

Almost absent mindedly a knife flew out of Barbara's cloud towards one of the thugs attacking Damien, flying despite little focus on Barbara's part, led instead by her divinatory magic. The majority of her focus was instead on the bleeding man in front of her, as she grabbed any weapons he held off of his person and poured enough healing potion down his throat to stabilise him.

Spoiler: Rolls:

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Knife: [roll0] for [roll1]

Oracle's animated knife slammed into one of the men's backs and he cursed in shock and anger. A splash of blood hit his friend in the face, startling both of them. As the bluish green liquid went down the informant's throat, the gaping holes in his chest began to heal, and with some effort, the crossbow bolt and knife each sort of popped out with a "*splurt!*" sound before falling down on the ground, harmless.

He breathed heavily, his thoughts mired in panic. Oracle could hear his internal monologue, he was genuinely grateful and shocked to be alive, and he clutched his chest, still in an immense amount of pain.

Spoiler: OOC

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Wow. Another solid round. Good clean damage on the knife attack, and I round up rolling 13 for that heal pot so the informant is now very much going to live (assuming no one tries to coup de grace him later lol).

It's Damien's turn! Little bit of a rough start but we got there! Of course at the time I'm writing this it's not even 6:30 am where Abdiel is so we'll see how early he likes to start his day, lol. We may have to wait a few hours. Joy can play whenever she wants however. Hopefully I did an okay job adding that information you wanted?

Right now there are two thugs up, one injured, one healthy. Third thug is not injured but is getting manhandled by Kate, which historically goes poorly for people like him.

Oracle's injured informant is now more or less underneath her, and on his back, not doing anything dangerous.

Kane smashes one out of the way, and the brawl becomes more even. He watches the Dame slam into the one who had been lucky enough to land a blow (for luck was all Damien could reckon it was). Unarmored, she was considerably more vulnerable; and yet she, like he, and committed to the brawl ostensibly to spare him the full weight of reprisals.

He felt a feeling that might have been appreciation, if he would just take a moment to examine it.

He faded back from another scything blade, this one chopping downward a half-inch from his nose, but perfectly down the narrow line of his dodge. A snap of his wrist released three tiny pinches of flash powder, pop pop pop, each bursting with a wink of light and smoke infront of the eyes of the thugs, before the young Scion juked through the combat to make his strike.

Spoiler: OOC Actions!

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Woo! The miss chance, it worked!

Alright. Move action: Improved Feint. Using the One-Per-Combat skill trick group-fake-out to use it on both of these still armed and threatening goons who are not grappled, with a total modifier of -2. Each of them is going to make a Sense Motive test (with a bonus equal to their BAB) and try to exceed this: [roll0]. Either who do not exceed that score are successfully victim of the feint, and are flat-footed to a single attack I make against them on this turn, or next turn. That's the move action.

Now, depending on if anyone fails, Damien will 5ft step towards someone as necessary and pop 'em with the old shoryuken. Target preferences are:

1. Guy who hasn't been hurt, if he fails.
2. Guy who has been hurt, if he fails.
3. Guy who is being grappled, because he is grappled and loses his Dex to AC thanks to Kate. <3

Whoever first qualifies, Damien strikes at, with 5 points of Expertise.

[roll1] for up to [roll2] bludgeoning damage, and [roll3] sudden strike! AC is 26, Ki dodge fades, end of turn!

Despite Damien's initial misstep dodging the enchanted blade that cut open his chest, but he recovered nicely. He junked another swinging, glowing blade, and tossed out his flash smoke pellets before darting in between the attackers and slamming his blade into the uninjured thug's torso. He swung his sword angrily in retaliation, but Damien dodged it again and the short sword hit nothing but air.

Spoiler: OOC

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Damien successfully dodges and feints -- I rolled impossibly low to counter lol. 11 damage to the previously uninjured thug, he tries to retaliate and gets nothing but air.

Kate's turn.

Spoiler: ic

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“So, Lastai’s all about equality in relationships, and isn’t in love with politics. Explains your enthusiasm over the whole noble alias thing.” Stephanie’s smile was back, if chagrined. Twice she had been insecure in one evening, and twice it had been foolish. The one person in Gotham I know I can trust – and then I don’t trust her. Or maybe just myself around her? Only so many people ever made so happy and uncertain at exactly the same time, but Verena was the most important person for tonight. She nodded at the advice to find an informant connection.

“I can pin one name on the Nigma connection: Etria. I swear, wizards are the only people smart enough to swallow libraries whole, but stupid enough to come to party central to prove how hard they can homebody. Digging her up in a hamlet this small should be more than possible, and I’m actually in the business of finding someone to read that Codex...Celestia? I think it was called. We might be able to make a deal that even the Nigma’s can’t.”

Spoiler: actions

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Urban Tracking (28) to try and find mysterious wizard woman!

Spoiler: Spoiler

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Robyn seemed to ponder that for a moment.

"Hmmm. Etria I don't know. But the hamlet's archmage is An'alda. She's crazy old -- like five hundred years or more. It doesn't mean much outside of the island, but traditional elf communities are always either led by a druid or an archmage. they keep the community attuned with the fey and blessing the commune with magic. She's usually up all night performing research or casting enchantments or illusions. We could check that out?"

Spoiler: OOC

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I can let you perform Urban Tracking too but I figured I'd have Robyn make this suggestion first and you can sluice out what you want to do.

(I like Robyn's suggestion more, let's go with that)

Spoiler: Spoiler

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Stephanie and Robyn made their way to the edge of the village, where they spotted the Archmage's home, covered in glowing lanterns, built with the same swirling, unreal seeming architecture of the other houses in the thorpe, complete with a partial tent on one side that covered a small open air magical lab.

But, as they approached, they saw only a young looking, long haired elf wizard apprentice making his way out of the tent, holding a large heavy looking tome. When he saw them, he looked dismissive and irritated.

"An'alda has gone to trance, she's not seeing anyone else for a few hours." With that, he dismissively turned and looked like he was going to walk away without another word.

"What?" Robyn demanded, stopping him. "I though the archmage didn't trance until morning, usually? What gives?"

The apprentice turned back towards them, losing none of his attitude nor condescension.

"Fine, don't believe me? Go inside and look for yourself. I'd think twice though; I don't know anyone who'd willingly risk disturbing a fey soul while she's tranced. But hey if you want to spend the rest of your lives as frogs, be my guests."

"I don't understand. Is something wrong? Why'd she close up shop early?"

The elf's eyes narrowed.

"What's it to you, anyway? You're a guest in this place. You've got no business questioning our ways."

"I'm a humble courtier of Lastai, I question nothing." Robyn shot back, her temper growing. "What's your problem, exactly? Did your master decide to trance early because she got tired of your mouth?"

The elf apprentice threw down his heavy tome in a huff, stomping towards Robyn.

"I don't have to explain myself to you, aiano. Why don't you go back to the Temple of Lastai and keep your nose out of places where it doesn't belong?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Make a spot check. You can talk to the apprentice and take any skill checks or actions you want.

Spoiler: The Brawl

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The remaining upright thug lashed out at Damien, once again hitting nothing but the wind, as Damien deftly avoided the glowing magical sword with another quick dodge. The man on the ground pushed and fought against Kate, attempting to push the spiker off of him.

Spoiler: OOC

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Another swing and a miss vs. Damien. Kate has to make a grapple check against the guy she's pinning, and only has to beat a 19. If she didn't do damage when tackling him she'll definitely do it now.

It's Barbara's turn.

Barbara aimed her knife at the standing man, then followed up the blow by swinging a sap at the back of his head.

Spoiler: Rolls

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[roll0] for [roll1]
[roll2] for [roll3] Nonlethal

Barbara's knife struck the thug who was swinging at Damien, punching into his leg and drawing more blood.

Spoiler: OOC

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That guy's now pretty badly hurt. Damien's turn.

Duck, weave, juke, step. Now that the flash of pain was fresh in his mind, he was in what his mother had called ‘the demon rhythm’: the state of combat awareness that seemed almost prescient with its precision.

With a quick step, he leaped at the foe he had just struck - only to spring backward off the assailant’s defensively raised knee into a spinning heel kick to the combatant behind him!

Spoiler

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Feint on the guy I hit last turn; attack on the guy I caught with the feint last turn but did not immediately follow through on!

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

Damien's feint worked once again, and he managed to completely throw both assailants off before striking the man behind him. The wounds the man had suffered became too much, and he fell into the dirt, bleeding.

The other attacker finally panicked, seeing his friends all go down, and he turned to run, dropping his guard in the process.

Spoiler: OOC

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Damien gets an AOO against the fleeing assailant. Feather still needs to roll a grapple check to counter the guy she's wrestling, AND probably roll spike damage against him. Also it's Feather's turn so probably *two* grapple checks, and maybe additional damage?

No one else gets the AOO because no one else is threatening that guy.

Damien lunges after him, trying to grab into his shirt and slam an elbow into the back of his head!

Spoiler: AOO!

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[roll0] for [roll1] (Edit:minimum 1) and [roll2]

The thug stumbles but doesn't fall. He's clearly hurt, but manages to clear the zone of the fight as he limps away.