Where Does the Time Go? (IC)

[lostsole31]

Londi II

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The men where brought out across from each other into a dirt pit that was 50' x 50' (8" x 8"), surrounded on all sides by reinforced steel backed by reinforced concrete, 20' high. The audience watched from above or in protected booths, looking on from a camera.

Johnny looked at the oversized man with a mixture of amusement and contempt. He had seen the man fight; sure, he was plenty strong but he was slow and wild. This guy's punches will catapult him into amazing levels, faster than any opponent he fought yet! Johnny couldn't wait.

They were brought center-pit and the buzzer sounded ...

The two were matched in agility, but Johnny had a legendary speed-kick that Springbok couldn't duplicate. Still, Springbok's animal senses and combat experience allowed him to dodge the kick.

T1P3S24: Johnny Kwon (JK) kicks again and misses.

T1P5: Being only a mortal-class martial artist, Springbok (SB)'s mutant reflexes means he is far faster than a normal human, but typical for most superheroes. JK, hoping to soak up some of the big man's strength, keeps up defensive stature but puts forth no exceptional blocks or dodges. SP does a "Leopard Tumble" where he launches onto an opponent and brings both to the ground. SP slams into JK's shoulders and brings his slamming hard on the compact dirt. JK's shoulders strain from the power as he suffers minor injuries but a lot of shock damage [Base 10 BODY, 41 STUN]. Sensing that the blow might cause injury, JK uses the Roll with Punch maneuver as they tumble to successfully halve the damage he actually takes. After all that, plus his special "Physical Resilience", JK only takes 1 BODY and 8 STUN.

"Gerrgghhh!" groans JK. The crowd hushes as they have yet to hear him really cry in pain. But the impact from Springbok's pounce was enough to channel real strength into him and resilience into him, despite the injury. Both men roll into standing positions.

"RRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRR!" comes a roar that seems like it can only come from a great beast and not a man. JK is impressed, but as a veteran fighter feeling a bit of this obviously superhuman man's strength flowing into his own limbs and chest, he is not awed.

T1P6/9/12: JK launches a fueled kick at the successfully dodging man-imal with full strength twice, once failed utterly as the pain of his shoulder kept distracted him. Finally, he manages to land a kick against SB's shoulder for a base of 16 BODY/ 64 STUN. It is a powerful blow: JK still wasn't nearly as strong as SB, but the martial artist was extremely well-versed at the body-connection, speed, and precision to make the most of his strikes. SB flies back 4" and hits the wall (but not enough to do any damage.

Post Phase-12... JK shakes his head clear of what little STUN was done to him, and feels only the slightest tingle of having used enhanced strength. SB easily regains his END, but is still very rattled from that last blow.

T2P3: JK, not wanting to do a clumsy maneuver in running so far, simply walks up to SB, goading the audience into more applause while being wary.

SB rolls onto his feet, understanding what happened, and doesn't want to repeat the same thing twice. SB draws upon the ability of some African reptiles to change color and move stealthily ... blending into the background and being inaudible!! He then leaps noiselessly some distance away. JK noticed a barely-perceptible outline and faint whooshing sound jump over him, but has no idea how far away SB went. Their is a raucous burst of applause, followed immediately by a dying down of all noise as the audience tenses to see or hear the missing combatant.

T2P5/6: Before he can really do anything, JK just barely notices a disturbance before it's too late and is not surprised; but given the last turn, he makes no special defensive maneuvers, either. SB does a 9-hex velocity Move Through with his head lowered like a rhino. Despite seeing the fringe and allowing for some low-end dodging to set up his next attack, Johnny Kwon just doesn't get out of the way of Springbok's signature attack, which does a base of 14 BODY/49 STUN. JK tries to roll with it, but fails as he is catapulted against the metal wall (taking some more STUN, but nearly doubling strength due to the onslaught). JK's resilience is enough to keep him from being stunned.

T2P8/9: This time, JK realizes that he needs to be defensive against this creep. SB mounts JK, and starts to choke him, doing 7 NND STUN damage.

T2P10: Springbok does another 6 NND STUN and fights going to black.

T2P12: Springbok does 7 NND and Johnny Kwon slumps.

Post-Phase-12 Recovery ...

Johnny Kwon briefly flutters his eyes before Springbok does another 10 STUN, and then keeps him down another round. When Springbok lets him go, he makes a terrific yell at the KO'd martial artist (that happens to do another 10 NND, but no one notices this).

Satisfied of what will come, Springbok leaves the pit in triumph as the Honolulu Pit Champion.

[BuckGodot]

You say what you do while smushed into the wall. (Btw, there is no "black". It is all "Navy blue!" )

"Hero or schmuck, you'd better let me be," Lady Blue says. "Besides, haven't you heard of me? I'm the modern-day Robbin' Hood!"

She scoops up more 'stuff' as she flies around in the center of the store.

Can't say that I have.....But there has to be a better way to do it then robbing from a store!

I climb out of the wall and attempt Deafening Nightmask......I think....

[lostsole31]

T1S4/5: Can't say that I have.....But there has to be a better way to do it then robbing from a store!

You climb out of the wall and drop to the floor (on your feet). This time, you stop trying to think so hard about the energy, and feel it ... sending it at her head in a measured amount. Despite it being "black energy" there is something about opening the gate of your body that is very visual - perhaps a blacker void than even the normal darkness that was there before - and a queer, squishing, slurring sound as motes of blackness splatter outward with as much accuracy as you can muster without diminishing the attack. But where your attentions were mainly on developing the energy, the attack itself was poor and she dodges out of the way easily.

"What the hell was that!?" she exclaims. "Oooohhh, it's on now, Darkman!"

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1/2-Phase action to get on your feet. Using your "standard" 30-Active Point-ish power was successful, and cost 3 END (57:60 remaining). My assumption, unless you tell me otherwise, is to always 'go offensive' ... taking any strategy out of the equation until you get a feel for your combat skill levels. In this case, both the +2 from Ranged Combat and the +1 to All Combat were combined for a +3 to your OCV for a total OCV of 11. With a roll of 16 on the attack dice, you were five too high to hit a DCV of 11 (by rolling 11) and so only got a DCV of 6 ... actually not bad for such a bad roll. To your advantage, Lady Blue didn't know it would miss and was freaked out by the special effect so aborted her next action to a Dodge (+2 to her DCV) ... but it missed her regardless.

T1S6: Your first successful darkforce generation of the game is Deafening Nightmask ... now only if you can hit, huh? Well, she aborted to a dodge and it is now your turn again.

[lostsole31]

Londi III

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Springbok collected his winnings and left quickly, taking a side entrance and waved his Samoan friends off so they are not seen associating with him. Things are bad enough that they should get into trouble, he thought. Once outside in the pre-arranged meeting area, his buddies (who left with the rest of the audience) came around and gave him his spear-rod (the Assegai looks like a 2-foot-rod that extends into the assegai with the blade popping/ flaring out the end) and his control-disc (for his shield). He then took watch on the hill above the “art gallery” owned by Boss Hu’o.

Sure enough, out came Johnny, but not alone. It seems that his sponsor was Boss Hu’o and his entourage of 7 or 8 goons. Londi well knew Boss Hu’o. Part of the reason Londi knew Honolulu was because of this man, to Londi’s shame. The Zulu Warrior was once hired to do a job by the Boss, but was double-crossed when it came time for payment. Looks like two birds with one stone this evening. Too many people, though, so Londi sprang off in the hills to find Hu’o’s manse. Though Londi had a good working knowledge of the underworld in this area, you just had to be anyone on the street to know where Boss Hu’o lived. He wasn’t the biggest crime boss on the Big Island, but the most flaunting of his position. It’s time to send a message to him before a rival does; at least Londi’s message won’t (necessarily) be lethal …. But definitely painful.

There was the gate guard. Springbok used his chameleon blending with his feline movement to be unheard/unseen, creeping up to the guard. As soon as the guard turned his back to look in a different direction, Springbok jumped up and wrapped his legs around the guard’s arms while choking him with his hands. [It’s called a Multiple-Power Attack, allowing you to use two different attacks – including martial arts – at one time. Choke = 6 STUN, “Holding Bite” grab maneuver = 8 BODY/ 26 STUN: 4 BODY, 28 STUN total suffered.] The goon lolls limply for a second, but then starts to come out of it. Springbok follows this up by “pulling a punch” and basically slapping this guy into Total Knockout (when the person is so far under that they aren’t waking up anytime soon). [Pulling a Punch is used on any non-lethal strike where you want to do full strike damage for STUN, but you aren’t trying to injure or kill your opponent so only do ½ BODY damage. You take a -1 to OCV for every 5d6 damage of normal damage you do. Therefore, if Springbok just does base STR damage on a non-martial strike he suffers a -2 to his OCV: his 45 STR equals 9d6 normal damage.] Springbok then takes the man’s Uzi and breaks it in one try with his full strength.

Springbok then uses his Monkey Climb ability to easily amble over the 20’ high wall, and then leaps down the other side noiselessly. He notes the guard standing in the middle of the yard and performs a Cheetah’s Charge (pulled punch) on him, and both men fall down. The majority of Springbok’s attack hit the man’s feet, which means that the man only suffers ½ BODY and STUN. [Scored: Base 13 BODY & 46 STUN. Pulled punch means 6.5 suffered, and Londi initially didn’t want to injure the man, so he drops the .5. The foot location drops the 6 to a 3, and the thug has a PD of 4 so is uninjured. 46/ 2 = 23 STUN – 4 PD = 19 total.] The goon is stunned, but not KO’d.

Springbok failed to note the man with an assault rifle on the roof overlooking the courtyard. That man calls “Unknown intruder in the courtyard! Goi is down!” The roof guard uses a Held Action to fire at the assailant when he sees him (not realizing the assailant is invisible). Up until now, Springbok felt dishonorable about killing unprepared guards (it was NOT a moral choice, killing is just fine to him, within reason and limits). That time is now past.

Post-Phase 12, Begin Turn 1…

[BuckGodot]

"What the hell was that!?" she exclaims. "Oooohhh, it's on now, Darkman!"

Stand still and I'll show you! Listen. I'm all for helping the poor and downtrodden, but can't we talk this out?

Attempt the same maneuver.

[lostsole31]

T1S6: You say as above in your post. She is still dodging since she hasn’t had another turn, you speedster, you. However, you just manage to hit her right on the money since your All Combat is to OCV right now.

This time, however, you manage to wrestle the more finesseable, non-destructive power of the Qliphothic and send it outwards from your body in almost-intangible tendrils that try to enter the eye and ear, such that your victim sees and hears nothing but the horror of the void beyond. It seems that her Force Field is designed to help her maintain vision against Flashes, and the glowing blue burns off the attack on the eyes … but the tendrils that go into the ear to deafen her are unhindered, so she is deafened for a maximum of 5 of her turns.

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Her dodging DCV is 11. Since she doesn’t appear to have a special (or Martial Dodge) maneuver, you calculate her base DCV is 9 – a point better than your own.
You spent 3 END for a 4d6 Flash, with a total result of 5 when you count N-BODY. 54:60 END remaining.
Her Force Field doesn’t just protect against PD/ED, but can also provides other types of protection.

T1S7: Your turn again, as you enjoy the phenomenal speed of your form. What do you do?

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Her Dodge is still in effect until the beginning of her next Phase, meaning her DCV is 11.

[lostsole31]

Londi IV

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T1P3: Springbok, realizing that it’s time to get busy, pulls his gun and aims as best as he can for not being able to see the sights on his 9mm (because it’s invisible, too). He takes a breath and braces but waits to set his aim.

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Brace is a 0-Phase action, so it doesn’t really take any time – though drawing his gun was a ½-Phase action. A brace reduces Range Modifier penalties by 2, provides a +2 OCV to ranged combat, but at the cost of suffering ½ DCV. His follow-up action will be a “Set,” but because a Set is a Full-Phase action he can’t do it since he had to draw his gun this turn.

T1P4: Commotion and shouting within the house as Boss Hu’o and his men are situating themselves. The courtyard guard shakes his head to clear himself of being stunned.

T1P5: Springbok sets his aim…

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Set provides an additional +1 OCV to ranged combat and stacks with Brace, but takes a whole Phase. Normally, a Brace and Set can be done in the same Phase, but again, he spent a ½-Phase to ready a focus, (aka, draw his gun).

T1P8: Springbok drops his invisibility, knowing that while trained in normal strealth he is in an exposed position center, at which point it depends on who the faster shot is. But there never was any question as Springbok fires, aiming for the general area of the head. His 9mm is outfitted with a silencer and flash suppressor so not even a flash of the gun is seen, let alone heard. The bullet hits the goon in the right shoulder, and luckily for Springbok, these guys don’t have vests on. The bullet scores 6 Killing BODY/ 18 STUN, and the man is Stunned, flies back two hexes (on the roof) and falls prone, but not before he drops his assault rifle into the bushes below.

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Even though a Held Action (the roof gunner) normally goes first, this was a rare situation that effectively had the secondary person readying for a Held-er that didn’t have a bead … basically a DM call.
Springbok’s 9mm is normal for its type except that he purchased the Advantage: Invisible Power Effects (2 Groups – Sight & Hearing) @ +1/2. Don’t worry about the math, but just showing you some things you can do with basic equipment … in this case having an “absolute” silencer rather than a more cinematic or realistic one which just would’ve provided PER penalties to notice the shot.
Next, you can target “general areas” to hope you get closer to where you want to hit for a better chance of hitting that area but without so severe an OCV penalty. Springbok aimed for the man’s head but got the shoulder instead. Had he targeted the head, with the roll he had he would have missed completely.
When you are Stunned, you drop held items.

The gangster on the roof begins to recover from being Stunned.

The courtyard goon is no longer Stunned, but Prone and his weapon dropped (effect of Stun). He grabs his weapon that is lying right next to him. Even though he is prone (penalties to OCV) he is freaked and wants to shoot NOW with his Uzi. He fires, and although bullets go flying, only one shot hits Springbok in the gut. The bullet bounces off of the relatively bulletproof man’s belly. “It’s that Springbok guy from the pit … and he’s bulletproof!” the man shouts in fear.

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Attacking from prone means that you suffer a flat -2 to OCV. Using weapons also imposes a -1 to -3 to OCV based on size. An uzi is relatively small and can be used well in CQB (Close-Quarters Battle) so that is -1 for the weapon for a -3 overall penalty to OCV. When a target is prone, fyi, the target suffers a ½ to DCV. In this case, Springbok was at ½ DCV because he used the Brace to shoot on his last turn. Getting shot in the gut with a killing shot means standard (rolled) damage, and a x4 multiplier to STUN. In this case, 2 K-BODY & 8 STUN. Given that Springbok has a whopping 16 rPD (resistant PD, or PD that protects against Killing-BODY damage and a standard 30 PD … the bullet is pretty laughable. In addition, Springbok’s “Heavy & Balanced” power is basically -8” Knockback Resistance so I didn’t even both rolling for KB (knockback).

T1P10: Springbok takes out his control disc and energizes his Electro-Shield. He then shoots the prone courtyard guard in the right shoulder for 7 BODY/ 21 STUN. The courtyard goon goes unconscious with a nasty hole in his shoulder.

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The shot doesn’t kill the man, but his STUN drops from 5 to -16. When STUN = -11 to -20, then you can only gain your REC score to STUN once every Post-Segment 12 Recovery Phase. With 7 BODY this guy is also going to take a big hit to being able to even be able to do anything if the battle should drag on that long that he might recover, so this goon is out of the fight.

T1P10/12: Springbok plows through the front door, doorjam, and surounding wall. He then moves quickly, following sounds and scents through the ground floor and out the back. There he sees Boss Hu’o in the background looking over the hill, while four goons are beating on Johnny Kwon, who is prone. Not what he expected, but Boss Hu’o, in losing power and men in recent struggles, has probably gotten more viscious to those who displease him. He must’ve had a lot of money riding on Kwon to win. There is also a goon with a shotgun in front of them, pointing that weapon at him.

Johnny Kwon moves from fully prone to all fours as he sees Springbok exit the back door into the well-lit back gardens and patio. Johnny starts to laugh. “Now we’ll see a different side of this battle!” he says.

Alarm bells ring in Springbok’s head as he realizes what’s happening … Johnny Kwon isn’t being punished. He’s being pumped up with that strength-resistance absorption power!!!! “Crap,” says Springbok softly under his breath.

“Another round for Johnny, boys. We want him good and strong for that nuisance!” extols the Boss to his boys.

The four goons each get in another blow on Kwon (actually, one missed/glanced even though Kwon’s not defending).

The shotgun-goon unloads and hits the area Springbok is in for 9 BODY/ 54 STUN. Springbok takes 24 STUN, just barely keeping from getting stunned!

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Actually, it was 2 BODY + 7 BODY, because a shotgun has the Reduced Penetration limitation, but even a full 9 BODY doesn’t get through Springbok’s rPD, but the STUN (totaled) does. The STUN multiple was a 6, the highest it can be for this weapon.

Post-Segment 12 Recovery: Springbok recovers all of his END and most of his STUN.

T2P3: Springbok realizes that things are about to get very ugly if Kwon is really pumped. He makes sure his shield is readied for attack. He knows that while he can knock Kwon around like tenpins (since Kwon’s increased strength doesn’t include an increase in mass), still Kwon is going to be a real bruiser now. Springbok probes his types of defenses by shooting at him with his pistol while being very defensive vs HTH. Kwon trusts in his resilience to help and doesn’t dodge, and the bullet hits him in the right shoulder for 2 BODY/ 6 STUN, though Kwon’s resilience diminishes the STUN.

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Kwon has 50% Physical Damage Reduction, Resistant, STUN only, Must Be Aware of Attack. This means that any STUN damage (only, not BODY) that gets through his defenses – even with lethal attacks – is reduced by 50%. So in this case, he would only suffer 3 STUN. He takes the full 3 STUN since he has no resistant defense – he’s a man with power, not bulletproof.

Johnny, running on adrenaline easily ignores the pain and moves up to Springbok. That gun uncovered a weakness Johnny isn’t used to dealing with, so he attempts to disarm the gun, but the pain in his shoulder is too much for him to complete the maneuver.

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Because of the grittier feel of my game, as you learned already, if you have suffered any BODY damage you have to roll an EGO roll just to take an action. For every 2 full points of BODY taken, you suffer a -1 to your EGO roll. Johnny, for all of his physical prowess, is not mentally tough, nor does he have Pain Resistance (like you, though you only have 1 pt to offset the EGO roll) and whereas a normal EGO roll would pass on a 11-, the extent of his injuries totaled thus far means he has to roll a 10-. He rolls a 4-, and the adrenaline has him fight through the pain. When he tried to attack, however, he rolled a 14- and failed – forfeiting his attack but without paying END cost.

T2P4: Boss Hu’o, leaves out the back with two goons whilst Springbok is engaged with Kwon … just in case.

T2P5: Springbok shoots at Kwon and misses.

T2P6: Kwon is too much of a mental wimp to get off another Disarm.

T2P8: Unlike Springbok, Kwon at least is trained in all-around combat enough so that he can be more defensive, and another shot from the hero misses Kwon but manages to hit graze a goon in the right shoulder for 1 BODY/ 6 STUN.

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Kwon has 2 ranks of All Combat, meaning that in this case he is putting both ranks to overall DCV so as not to get shot again.

The goons start to circle around the fight, getting out their respective small arms.

T2P9: Kwon fails to attack again.

T2P10: Kwon keeps knocking the gun out of the way or dodging as Springbok misses again. But again, the close quarters means that the bullet is not wasted as the goon that hit him earlier with the Mossberg shotgun gets hit in the side of his ribs for 3 BODY/ 3 STUN.

T2P12: Success at last for Springbok as a bullet hits Kwon in the lower right thigh for 2 BODY/ 4 STUN.

Enraged, Kwon finally manages to attempt his disarm, but Springbok is too defensive vs HTH and his shield is quite effective at blocking the attack.

The goon with the shotgun calls the others to back off and let the supers take care of each other. The goon that was on the roof, oddly, had the wherewithal to finally grab his gun, stand, and go to the edge of this back end of the roof … after several Phases.

Post-Phase 12 Recovery: Springbok regains all of his STUN. So does Kwon, though he still has all of his injuries.

T3P3: Kwon tries to tip the scales by attacking with his kick to gain initiative over Springbok. He can’t lift his leg too well, but manages to duck out of the shot of the man’s gun.

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Though Springbok has a 5 SPD to Kwon’s 4, they both go on Phase 3 (and 12). They also both have a 20 DEX, meaning that each Phase they would go, the winner of a d6 determines who goes first that Phase. Johnny has a talent called Lightning Reflexes: +4 to initiative with Kick, meaning that if he chooses to attack with a Kick in a given Phase he is considered to have a 24 DEX for initiative purposes.

T3P4: The gunner on the roof braces and sets to shoot Springbok.

T3P5: Springbok hits Johnny in the right hand for 2 BODY/STUN.

T3P6: Kwon fails to initiate a disarm.

T3P8: Springbok shoots Kwon in the gut for 3 BODY/ 12 STUN. Kwon can barely stand.

The goon on the roof fires, and it would’ve hit Sprinbok were it not for his super-senses noticing him there and his shield blocking the bullet at the last minute with a crackle of electricity.

T3P9: Too late to be useful now, Kwon finally manages a burst of adrenaline to overcome the pain of his near-fallen body … but alas, Springbok’s electro-shield keeps the stronger martial artist at bay.

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An odd fight for Springbok, and it’s really only the situational tactics that has him shooting since that is Kwon’s weakness. Kwon already has 51 STR and 39 PD and +4 HTH Martial Damage Class to do as much as 18d6 damage, and if Springbok tried to fight him through a brute-force slugfest, he’d probably lose spectacularly.

T3P10: Springbok says, “I want you to know, I do not normally make it my point to kill anymore, Johnny Kwon. But no one hurts my family and lives while I have the power to do anything about it.” He shoots, but misses as Kwon realizes that this really is going to be his death and moves out of the way.

T3P12: Johnny tries to kick, but can’t … he at least dodges Springbok’s next shot. The rest of the goons on the ground, seeing that things are going badly …. skee-daddle, helping each other to escape. The roof gunner can do little more than look on he is so wounded.

Post-Phase 12…

T4P3: Again Johnny tries to kick but it is a weak attempt as he must do more work dodging the next shot – successfully.

T4P5: Springbok misses.

T4P6: Knowing that if he disarmed the gun, he probably couldn’t back up that success with anything, Johnny simply attempts a powerful kick but can’t.

T4P8: Springbok misses.

T4P9: Kwon does little.

T4P10: Finally, Springbok notices Johnny’s movements and changes shooting angles at the last minute. The bullet hits Kwon in the chest for 5 BODY/ 20 STUN and the man drops, bleeding and stunned. “I’ll see you in hell, coward. You wouldn’t fight me like a man,” Kwon mumbles.

T4P12: Springbok replies, “I don’t expect to see you there for some time. And I am a hunter with the cunning of man. I don’t have to fight toe-to-toe just to sate your ego. I just have to win.”

Springbok takes the silencer off of his gun so Kwon can at least hear the last sound … and fires a shot into Kwon’s head, killing him instantly. Springbok already embarrassed Boss Hu’o, who surely will lose more face and ground with local gangs. Kwon, who kidnapped his father, was the real target. As he left by bounding down the backside of the hill, he called the ambulance from his cell so that perhaps the three men he dropped will be sure to live. Hopefully, they will consider themselves lucky, rethink their lives instead of staying with Boss Hu’o and the criminal life, and take up another profession.

Bill, hope you liked the battle, got to learn more about an ally (since you didn't actually RP things out), got some background, and learned some about the mechanics of the game.

[lostsole31]

Still elsewhere, back in Hudson City...

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Crusader, Hudson City’s longtime hero-protector, glided down silently to the rooftop he expected to find his former student and protégé. There he was, ready with an arsenal to do some heavy damage to a large group of Vinny D’Amico’s consogliere and his entourage of goons. “Perhaps,” Crusader mused, “he at least is learning a little bit of tactics. By assassinating D’Amico’s lawyer, I guess he hopes the don won’t find another quite as talented.”

Crusader sighed softly to himself. “It’s still wholesale murder, and I gotta stop him. Gotta talk to him. Gotta try.”

Crusader alighted several feet behind his prodigal student. His student, though talented, never was very observant – neither of Crusade’s teachings nor his own surroundings. “Aww, kiddo. When did things get so dark?”

His student spung around quickly with a 52mm concussion grenade launcher in his hands. The younger’s face, recovering from his shock, contorted into a mask of rage and contempt. “You’ve been doin’ your thing, old man, for over twenty years. And what have you gotten for all of your troubles? NOTHING! But that’s okay, old man. I’m the one that put out the word on the street that I was going to hit D’Amico’s lawyer tonight …. which is why we’ll never see him this evening.”

Cruader’s face fell slack as he understood the full implications of that statement. “That’s right, old man,” the younger continued. “Tonight is the night where your smilin’, stupid, save-everyone ideas are proven to be as outdated as you are!” The younger one was almost spitting with these words, and he was sweating profusely. The kid was definitely hooked on that Wire crap – worst stuff on the streets, and dangerous, too.

“When will the killing ever be enough, kid?” asked the concerned Crusader. “And those drugs are are taking your edge off, making you do stupider and more reckless things. I hear the last few of your bloody rampages nearly ended you.”

The younger stopped crouching against the edge of the building, holding the grenade launcher menacingly. “There’s only one way to tell which of us has got the right answer, then, don’t we? I think you are about to join your ideals in history.”

Crusader pleaded, “It doesn’t have to be this way, kid.”

“That’s the sound of fear talking, old man,” his former apprentice retorted. The young man, with lightning reflexes popped out a pill from a pouch and popping it into his mouth. His body seemed wracked and contorted as the Wire instantly took effect, and fueled his adrenaline glands into overdrive.

Crusader draws a pellet out of his utility belt and throws it at the ground, with smoke billowing up all around him for about 15-20 feet.

Infused with a total feeling of power and invulnerability and berserk fury, the upstart yells, “I got a means of clearing the air, Crusader!” He draws the grenade launcher again and fires it point blank at where he thinks Crusader last stood even though smoke obscures his vision.

FWA-FWOOOMMM!! A concussive wave blasts upwards and out from the rooftop. Crusader is tossed as high as 60 feet and falls straight down, through the hole in the roof, and onto the floor below. The idiot that shot the grenade, however, is blown across the street onto the roof across the way. The Wire-d punk reels a little, but isn’t even stunned. He laughs maniacally, shakes his head, and isn’t even phased after a second. The egomaniac kips up, runs some, and vaults across the narrow street, just clearing the story below where he was standing before, smashing through the window, rolling and standing on his feet. He moves down the hall to where he thinks the hole might be. Meanwhile, Crusader shakes his head weakly and opens his eyes. He feels around, and realizes that the shield he was holding – great for blocking bullets – was blown out of his hands somewhere.

The killer throws open the door, and amidst an officeroom with a gaping hole in the roof and a wrecked cubicle farm. He sees his prey lying there, noticing the signs of life yet in the middle-aged crimefighter’s body. “Time to die, Crusader,” he says, drawing an MBA gyrojet pistol with modified rounds he brought especially for this special event.

Crusader kips up, and knows that this won’t end unless he gives it his all. He runs forth, committing to his action. The elder spins and kicks the pistol out of the killer’s hands. The killer, armed to the teeth for this, unslings his rifle and shoots but Crusader just dodges. The second shot glances off of his chest as he spins and misses knocking the rifle away. But so badly winded from the explosion, and Crusader can barely stand. Two more shots and misses as the older man desperately moves out of the way. Crusader takes a second after the last shot to take a measure of things and catches a quick breath.

“Die, DIe, DIE!!!” shouts the younger man, furiously pumping round after round, trying to shoot his old master. Crusader tries to turn out of the path, but his reflexes just weren’t what they used to be as the bullet hits him square in the chest. The bullet doesn’t penetrate but does crack a rib, knocking the air out of Crusader’s lungs. Crusader falls down, in total shock from the impact. The younger man pumps round after round after round ….

The younger, victorious, drug-amped man finally manages to get ahold of himself before totally emptying out his 20-round rifle. He leaps up onto the roof with Crusader’s form. He sees the shield and takes it for himself, strips Crusader of his utility belt, and heaves him up.

“I am the future, old man.” The young man thinks for a bit, and with a hint of sadness, says, “Too easy.”

Crusader’s body falls from the roof …

[BuckGodot]

"Bill, hope you liked the battle, got to learn more about an ally (since you didn't actually RP things out), got some background, and learned some about the mechanics of the game."

I did...Good story telling.....

As she is now deafened, but not blinded, further conversation is useless for the time being. I have to do something.....This may end stupidly but I feel like the more I use my abilities, the better I'll get at it.....I'll try to do Reign of Darkness so I can at least try to clobber her.

[lostsole31]

T1S7: It's still a little more difficult than you're used to, just to set up the most basic Reign of Darkness, and you fail.

T1S8: She stops dodging. The glow around her forcefield intensifies from her blasting gauntlets as a bright, powerful blue blast bursts forth to hit you in your left upper arm (7 BODY/ 21 STUN). It doesn't do any damage, either, but again throws you back through another display case and into the wall where you drop to the ground prone.

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Getting hit in the arm does 1/2 of originally rolled BODY & STUN on Normal damage attacks (reflected in 'low' numbers, above).

T1S9: You are prone (again). What do you do?

[BuckGodot]

Well...I get up...Duh.....LOL Ahem.....

I get up.....If I'm able to get off any kind of attack I will attempt to. Trying Reign of Darkness again.

[lostsole31]

T1S9: You manage to fire off a 1-Hex Reign of Darkness and it easily lands in her hex, blotting out that hex.

T1S10: Lady Blue flies out of that hex, out the door, and out of view with a bag of gems.

T1S11: What do you do?

[BuckGodot]

Should be easy enough to follow a big blue woman....I fly after her.....I seem to be faster then her so I will attempt to knock her out of the sky by harassing her and or running into her.

[lostsole31]

T1S11: Because you have to do some maneuvering (out and up) to get to her, you spend all of your movement to get to the same level as her. Because you had to turn this round, you were unable to do a move-through ...

T1S12: ... that's okay. Because, as you pointed out, you are faster than she is, you get to move again. You are facing her (adjacent), 7 hexes above the street. Cop cars are just starting to converge on the area. What do you do?

[BuckGodot]

Fade to Black and attempt to grapple her and take her in.

[lostsole31]

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btw, re-initiating flight cost you 4 END...

T1S12: You fade to black and attempt to grab Lady Blue. You focus on the attempt, knowing that general wrestling is not your forte, but remain wary of her blasters - she's only hit you in the arm so far, and if she gets a solid shot you'll feel it. She is more agile than you, but fade to black was an excellent tactical decision. She is unable to sense you and you grab her around the arms and chest and squeeze her as best you can (2 BOD/ 9 STUN). You realize that on your best day at your current strength, you couldn't possibly get past her powerful force field.

You sense something about the force field's power shift as you hold her ... it seems like a lot of the energy of the force field projection shifts to a more 'physical' force that coalesces mainly at her arms and legs. She so easily breaks out of your grab that it really takes her no time at all. You were so focused on her blasters and your grappling threw you off, so it is no problem for her to reach out and slug you ... but she just misses as her fist glances off of your chest.

Post-Phase 12 Recovery...

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Fade to Black + STR (grappling) - Post Phase-12 Recovery brings you back up to 51:60 END.
"Focus on the attempt" = All Combat to OCV on grab, and Ranged CSLs go to DCV-vs Ranged attacks.
Fade to Black = Being attacked, or attacking, an invisible opponent effectively halves your target's OCV and DCV.
With 15 STR, the best you can possibly do for squeezing damage is 6 BODY/ 18 STUN, and she uses powerful force field technology. In fact, it seems that he entire suit is based on force field "projection" (including the blasters).
Shifting Forcefield = Her force field powers, beyond the protective aspect of the forcefield itself, is based on a multipower (like your offenses) and she has to shift things around. Shifting powers in a multipower is a Zero Phase Action.
If you do enough to beat an opponent's N-BODY by double in a STR-vs-STR contest (such as wrestling or entangles), then the escapee only uses 'casual strength and has a Full Phase to act, vice just a Half Phase. Though she only stuck around to swing at you, she could've taken a full turn.
Grabs = Unless you have a martial skill that gives you different modfiers ... Attempting a grab gives you a -1 OCV and a -2 DCV. Even though the grab was no longer in place, you still suffer a -2 DCV until the beginning of your next turn, just like with the OCV/DCV bonuses/ penalties from your Commando Training. It's only because she can't see you that caused her to (just) miss you.

T2S2: Alright, Speedy Cloak-zales, what do you do now? Trying brute force (at current STR) has no chance of success, it seems.

[BuckGodot]

Hmmmm....Perhaps the head on approach is not the way to go with this incident. On the 1MC: Rig Cloak for silent running.

I will engage full stealth mode and attempt to follow her to where ever her "secret lair" is and catch her off guard or at least lead the police to her.

[lostsole31]

She waits several seconds, not sure if you are going to pop out at her or not. Once she is satisfied, she flies up higher as the police .... and press ... form below. Then she flies down. A couple cops fire on her, bullets bouncing harmlessly off of her force field, but they are given a quick ceasefire.

She then gives a speech (with full press coverage) on the ills of those with money and commodities stockpiling such things with no regard for the poor and destitute, and that she will be giving these things away to some of the homeless and children around town. Her ability to give a good speech is phenomenal (she made her Oratory roll by 11 pts). The crowd cheers her ... especially when she tosses a handful of gems to them. They really love her and see her as a modern-day Robin Hood.

By now, SWAT has arrived. When it is determined that she will not give up, they open fire with automatic fire. All of the bullets bounce off, though a few seem like they still stung her a little if they hit vitals or face. She then flies away. A Police helicopter follows her. Your flight is 16", hers is 15". You get two extra Phases to act each turn (you have SPD 7 to her SPD 5). She flies NCM (Non-Combat Movement) to evade, which means you have to do the same. She has normal NCM of x2, compared to your NCM of x4. She does not evade the helo by speed alone, but takes it to the projects of Chicago and flies phenomenally through houses and around corners and the like. She almost evades you, too!

You see, when you fly you have what's called a "Turn Mode" which affects how well you can turn at higher speeds in tight corners. She does too, but she is such an incredible aerialist that she is able to really take some wild turns (+4 to Flight, meaning a +4 to offset the penalties of the DEX rolls required to keep flying in tight areas ... such as the 'canyons' of streets, interiors, etc.).

She almost loses you several times, but your raw speed advantage helps you. You biff a few times, but get back up and airborne quickly enough to make up for it.

Finally, well after losing the chopper, she stops by some homeless "depots" (places where the homeless congregate) and shelters to give away much of the loot. She then flies to a couple of orphanages to do the same. She lastly flies to some halfway houses for mothers. She does seem to keep a few bits of gems for herself when she drops the bag. (I mean, with a suit like that she does have operating costs, but who doesn't?)

Do you continue to follow her to her place because you want to "bring her to justice?" do you leave her be because she might be doing well? do you follow her home just to "prove a point" to her or yourself?

[BuckGodot]

Morally I can't justify my killing people and getting away with it and her merely stealing....Yes it's illegal, but......She did actually "redistribute" most of the wealth and logically, of those that received it, I would like to think at least half would return it to the police, thus making it's way back to the owner.........The ones that don't most likely really do need it. They however will have difficulty unloading stolen goods, so another 1/4 will be caught in the system and returned to the owner as well.....

At this point it has become merely an exercise in surveillance for me.....I will follow her in an effort to hone my skills and to show her where her weaknesses may be......If she discovers me.

[lostsole31]

You easily track her back to her hideout. The police must know who she is since she doesn't have a proper residence, staying at an abandoned humpyard (where old trains are stored). Do you wait for her to take her suit off?

[BuckGodot]

Do you wait for her to take her suit off?

What, Sir, are you suggesting? That I am so morally corrupt as to be a peeping tom????

Sure. I'll wait and then make my appearance to confront her.

[lostsole31]

Back to your new home ... and a semblance of a job. The downside is that this new job you have is going to barely pay for the apartment, food (even with the Thompson's semi-constant feeding you), and other sundries. You begin to date Susan, and she 'allows' the distraction, but her studies and research (and your money situation) make it difficult to see each other often. A lot of your 'dates' with Susan involve cheap pursuits and eating at her grandparents' apartment. Though, truth be told, as a grad student she doesn't have much money either.

Work is challenging, but actually it is the fact that it is challenging that is a good thing ... even with Mullins acting like such a p***k. You make some great retorts, but you are working with a professional. He might be an unprofessional professional ... but he's a seasoned veteran of the airwaves nonetheless. Sadly, he is cynical, bitter, and enjoys putting people down even on air. Oddly, it is this nature that makes him moderately popular.

His biggest rival is another Howard ... Howard Fitzwater, Jr. Now Fitzwater is the KING of talking trash and angry radio. He's a bigot, an ultra-conservative, and relatively dangerous but people listen to him a lot, too. Mullins is not too different, but tends to be more moderate-liberal (but the angry sort).

It's only a few weeks, however, that Mullins has you come in more and more to chat on air. It seems that mail has been coming in for more of that 'new guy you bust on' ... it seems you have a natural rhetoric at this talk business, and make a good foil for Mullins. Mullins is more of the entertainment-news guy, but you seem to have a niche as a decent TALK guy for folks with problems. The ratings start to increase with both of you doing a tag-team.

At the same time, since everyone pulls their weight at WGAB (except perhaps for Mullins, the diva), you are shown some of the things a program manager has to do to produce. It just so happens that you have a heretofore unknown talent in this department, as well.

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In fantastically short order, you gain PS: Disc Jockey (PRE-based) at a 13-. Also, you gain PS: Radio Station Manager, (INT-based) at a 13- as well.

Mullins, you discover, is possibly irascible because he is actually a very bright and talented man whose life and talent are stuck in a second-rate radio studio, and it is difficult for him to find someone to relate to intellectually. You find out from Beatrice that he is far easier on you then he ever was with his other PAs ... not that you think your treatment is particularly "nice" or "fair." Still, in your own volatile way, you and Mullins are a good combo. In time, you are even given your own 2-hour slot to act as a makeshift counselor. Of course, it is more your ability to chat to folks on radio than your actual psychology skill ... but it is what it is. You get a pay raise significant enough to not freak out so much about money ... but now it is no better or worse than any other workaday person.

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You have lost the "Money:Poor" disad, but it has been traded out for Unluck 1d6 as your Qliphothic heritage, even as Donovan Crane, begins to leak into the world. Honestly, it only really affects you - and only every now and then. But, your luck finds itself playing small parts against you ... nothing major, but it happens. It's nothing that your character actually notices or understands.

Also, your meditation techniques and patrols do much better. Because of the 2 points you earned with the encounter with Lady Blue (mainly for good RP than any real combat-goal earning), your Power skill in controlling your Darkforce powers increases by +1 (14-). Obviously, you do patrol ... and you start to affect small crime here and there. You don't have the time to do real 'proactive' crimefighting (like Batman and others who spend a majority of their time hunting criminals), but flying around at night you stop the odd mugging, rape, or save a person from a fire.

Cloak is beginning to make a name, but it's small. Your presence is none too soon, either, as it turns out that a famous veteran vigilante by the name of Crusader was killed a few weeks ago. His body was found at the bottom of a damaged building, but stripped of his famous shield and utility belt. He was shot in the head, suffered multiple broken bones, and the fall didn't help his corpse too well ... but he was deemed to have died before hitting the pavement below. It so happens that this 20-year veteran vigilante, though really only a trained and skilled heroic normal, did much to stem a lot of crime in the city .... and now as word has gotten out that Crusader is dead, crime is on the rise. Sure, there are a lot of other vigilantes out there, but not enough for all the extant crime in Hudson City, a city often referred to as "The Urban Abyss."

One night, it is a date night for you and Susan, and to celebrate your recent success and new income, you have planned for a nice dinner and a show. The problem is, she never shows, and doesn't answer her cellphone. What do you do?

[BuckGodot]

Well......The logical thing to do is head to her apartment and check it out. If she's not there, assuming she maybe dropped her phone or left or lost it somewhere (why assume the worst, right? Ha ha.) head to her office at work......

[lostsole31]

You get to her apartment and (ostensibly) knock on the door. She calls for you to come in and that the door is unlocked. She calls you into the kitchen, and you can smell something cooking ... spaghetti?

Once you get into the kitchen, you see an open window leading to her fire escape (she lives on the third floor). Susan is there, bound and gagged in a kitchen chair. Susan has obviously been crying, her mascara running ruinously down her face. She has a light bruise on her cheek, though no apparent serious injury.

Behind her is a tall woman (5' 11") in a white, long-sleeved fencing jacket, padded in certain areas to emphasize her figure. She has a red heart sewn on her left breast and on her right sleeve, and wears a wire mesh fencing mask and a wig of long, flowing white hair tied back in a ponytail (seemingly clipped to the fencing mask to prevent awkward movements during 'vigorous' actions). A quiver of a dozen to a score of crossbow bolts hangs at her hip, and a fencing foil lies in a velcro sheath on her back. She also wears tightly-laced white tennis shoes.

"At last, Lord Crane, you have come to your Lady Tenderheart! Oh, the hours I have spied you with this trollop, demeaning your highborn station, my love. You are so strong and rugged, and this woman is not worthy of you. I love you! I love you I say!

"Please, tell me you feel the same, and we shall quit ourselves of this whorehouse and retire to my boudouir where I shall show you all the pleasures man was meant to know!"

[BuckGodot]

I look at Susan trying to ascertain if she is injured or not.....

Ummmm...Sure lady...Whatever you want.......Let's just go ahead and go......

I make eye contact with Susan attempting to convey as much of "don't worry. I'll be ok and get you out of this as soon as I can" with my eyes as possible.....

Lead the way, lady.....

[lostsole31]

Susan's eyes go wide and she furiously tries to struggle with her bonds, giving loud, gagged screams: "MMM! MMMMM! MMMM!"

[BuckGodot]

The lady seems to want to say something. Mind if I hear what it is first?

[lostsole31]

As you spin her against the wall, you slipped with the arm and basically throw her up against the wall (no damage, failed attack).

Tenderheart sees this as an attempt for some rough sex in an apartment stairway alcove, as if you are pushing her up against the wall for some 'real time.' Her resistance is only threadbare. "Oh, Lord Crane, I knew you felt the same about me," she says, pressing her body and her very rock-hard frontal against you. "But you know, as the fire burns within us both, let us not be found by those who do not understand love of our magnitude, but seek the solace of your bedchambers, instead!"

[BuckGodot]

Ok....Let's attempt another throw, away from the door to the stairs.....Trying to get her on her ass so I can get away again. Then down the stairs....

[lostsole31]

Post-Segment 12 Recovery ...

T1S3: You are now grappling with her (she is not grabbed, but it is a cinematic view of what is happening) as you fail again. She is squirrely and quick.[spoiler]49:50 END/[spoiler] "Ooh, Lord Crane, I must insist you wait!"

T1S6: You continue tussling with her, trying to drop her to give you time to run ... she keeps playing 'hard to get!'

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48:50 END

T1S9: Finally, as she is succumbing to your man-handling, getting ready to throw caution to the wind and be taken right there in the alcove, you finally flip her over your head, with her legs and butt pointing up in the air as you plant her in the wall for 5 BODY/ 16 STUN! That is a throw that would injure most people pretty well, and one of your best.

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47:50 END. However, combat actions end your turn, so you don't get through the swinging door down the stairs yet.

T1S10/12:"What treachery is this?!?" she shrieks.

She stands and takes out her crossbow and speed-loads a razor-tipped bolt. She is still face-to-face with you. This is when you discover she is significantly faster and more agile than yourself by getting another turn. She points the bolt towards your heart and fires ...

Do you take any defensive action?