Skyscraper Graveyard III: THIS IS YOUR GOD

[Lix Lorn]

"Tess!"
The mind mage breaks into a smile, hugging the other girl. "Certainly seems like it."

[Anarion]

"Tess!"
The mind mage breaks into a smile, hugging the other girl. "Certainly seems like it."

Tessen smiles as well. "So, um, what have you been doing? And, uh, why is everyone standing around here?"

"...and where's Jack? It's time for his radio program."

[Tiki Snakes]

[I'll roll 'em separately because I'm a little hazy, but last time I car-chased it was a 2 dice bonus for equipment, which I assume is manoeuvrability?
4 dice pool, + 2 from car
9 3 7 6, (7 7) so one success.]

The firebird snarled happily and dragged itself forward, it's heart beating in rage and heat after a day couped up undriven. Horse headed Jack sat impassively at the wheel but his foot was heavy and the road was clear.

[Thanqol]

"You'll never take me alive, pigs!" screamed the Mirror Man out the window, and then threw his shoes at Jack's car. The blue sedan took a hard left, screeching dramatically across four lanes, almost throwing Mirror Man out the window, and accelerating down a narrow alley.


[After a moment's consideration, each Escalation gives a -1 penalty not a +1 successes required modifier.

Escalate 1: All rolls are at -1
Roll: 10 - 9 - 7 - 1 - 9 - 1, 10:8, 4 successes.
Mirror Man pulls ahead by 1 point.]

[Lix Lorn]

"...he had to go after his toaster." she says, with utmost seriousness.

[Anarion]

"...he had to go after his toaster." she says, with utmost seriousness.

"Oh, a Mirror Man problem." Tessen suddenly looks like the most long-suffering teacher there ever was. "Well, I'm sure they won't be long. I'm starving, anyone else want a snack?"

[the_druid_droid]

"Something like that." Jack cracks a slightly involuntary smile.
"We're in way over our heads, Turing. Its making me uneasy. Its not the only thing, either."

He shoved his hands in his pockets, lost in thought.

"Yeah, me too." Turing shrugged and stubbed out his cigarette. "But like I said, I don't think we get a choice now. We've gotta keep on digging."

"Oh no!" shouted Mirror Man, grabbing the phone and stuffing it in the bag.

In the bag it would be possible to see any unsecured electronics that had been left around the sanctum.

"Goddammit, Mirror Man! Half of that is mine!" Turing tried snatching the bag away, but the other man was faster. "And that is a class 3 laser!"

A minute or so later there was the unmistakable roar of the Firebird's engine screaming into life and the Pontiac sped away.

Turing made it outside just in time to see Jack screech away. He spat on the asphalt and lit another cigarette, walking back inside unconcerned about smoke for the time being.

"Oh, a Mirror Man problem." Tessen suddenly looks like the most long-suffering teacher there ever was. "Well, I'm sure they won't be long. I'm starving, anyone else want a snack?"

"Can I put liquor in it?" The Moros was scowling at a crack in the wall while Jade's reunion continued.

[Tiki Snakes]

"You'll never take me alive, pigs!" screamed the Mirror Man out the window, and then threw his shoes at Jack's car. The blue sedan took a hard left, screeching dramatically across four lanes, almost throwing Mirror Man out the window, and accelerating down a narrow alley.


[After a moment's consideration, each Escalation gives a -1 penalty not a +1 successes required modifier.

Escalate 1: All rolls are at -1
Roll: 10 - 9 - 7 - 1 - 9 - 1, 10:8, 4 successes.
Mirror Man pulls ahead by 1 point.]

[Ha, I get the feeling I have no chance, between the way I roll and the dice pool I'm facing. But let's see. Spending my recently regained point of willpower on this one.
Pool of 6 + 3 -1, 8 dice.
9 1 6 3 8 6 10 8, (10 again also 8) Exceptional success! Well that's more like it, dice.]

Jack Horse leaned back in his seat, one arm resting casually out of the window. He threw the Firebird sideways, hitting the throat of the narrow alley at full speed, tires screeching. The car flew through the narrow space like a bullet, brick walls falling away on either side.

[Thanqol]

[Ha, I get the feeling I have no chance, between the way I roll and the dice pool I'm facing. But let's see. Spending my recently regained point of willpower on this one.
Pool of 6 + 3 -1, 8 dice.
9 1 6 3 8 6 10 8, (10 again also 8) Exceptional success! Well that's more like it, dice.]

Jack Horse leaned back in his seat, one arm resting casually out of the window. He threw the Firebird sideways, hitting the throat of the narrow alley at full speed, tires screeching. The car flew through the narrow space like a bullet, brick walls falling away on either side.

"Quickly! Take us through that warehouse!" Yelled Mirror Man to his driver. The methhead courageously drove through the open doors to the abandoned warehouse, driving through a wall of packing crates and styrofoam peanuts without slowing down. Various old ceramics, packing materials, old shoes, and other strange relics clattered down on all sides.

They roared out the other side and onto the freeway, tearing towards the border.

[Escalation 2: All dice pools are now at -2.
Mirror Man: 2 sucesses. Jack gains 3 points from winning with an exceptional success; the race is now 1:3]

[the_druid_droid]

Without waiting for a reply, Turing strode to the coffee machine and poured himself a mix of aging Folgers and the remainder of his pocket flask.

"Think Jack will get that stuff back? A decent computer is painfully hard to find in this town, and even harder to get home without it being stolen."

[Anarion]

Without waiting for a reply, Turing strode to the coffee machine and poured himself a mix of aging Folgers and the remainder of his pocket flask.

"Think Jack will get that stuff back? A decent computer is painfully hard to find in this town, and even harder to get home without it being stolen."

"I dunno" Tessen says, as she realizes that there's no toaster to put the waffles she wanted to eat into. She casts control heat instead to defrost them as she pulls out a plate and some butter. "I'm just glad I was using my radio equipment while he was on his rampage. I'd be chasing him down myself right now if he took my broadcast equipment."

[Deadly]

Amun was standing by the window, watching the distance where the two cars had disappeared. "Do you think it's a bad idea to hurry out and get ourselves a robot? A talking one to greet Mirror Man once he gets back?" He turned to Turing. "You know about robots and stuff like that, right? Maybe we should build our own robot butler."

[Tiki Snakes]

"Quickly! Take us through that warehouse!" Yelled Mirror Man to his driver. The methhead courageously drove through the open doors to the abandoned warehouse, driving through a wall of packing crates and styrofoam peanuts without slowing down. Various old ceramics, packing materials, old shoes, and other strange relics clattered down on all sides.

They roared out the other side and onto the freeway, tearing towards the border.

[Escalation 2: All dice pools are now at -2.
Mirror Man: 2 sucesses. Jack gains 3 points from winning with an exceptional success; the race is now 1:3]

The firebird slipped through the chaos in the Meth head's slipstream, inhabiting the quiet space at the center of a tornado of junk. The Blank stare of the rubber horse head dug into the gaze of the driver as he glanced in the mirror.

[So, 3 dex, 1 drive, 2 car, -2escalation, 3 for willpower point. That'd be a pool of 7. Possible but highly unlikely single extra dice if Survival (Urban Exploration) and Jack's familiarity with abandoned warehouses helps. Evil Eye happens first, which is 2 fate, 2 gnosis, -(Target's composure). Which is the meth head so that's what, -2? Will roll on confirmation regardless of remaining dice pool.

Driving roll;
5 10 4 1 8 5 3 (ten again3).
Unlikely speciality roll;1. Irrelevant!
And I lost a dice.]

[the_druid_droid]

Amun was standing by the window, watching the distance where the two cars had disappeared. "Do you think it's a bad idea to hurry out and get ourselves a robot? A talking one to greet Mirror Man once he gets back?" He turned to Turing. "You know about robots and stuff like that, right? Maybe we should build our own robot butler."

Turing's smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'd love to, but I'm pretty sure half of the things I'd need to build or program it are in Mirror Man's bag at the moment. I am going to spend the evening reinforcing my locks, I think."

[Thanqol]

[7 - 3 - 2 - 7 (Avg: 4,75) - failure]

"Aw man, aw man, aw man, I'm not going back to horse jail!" screamed the methhead, diving dramatically out of the moving car and rolling down the hill. Mirror Man frantically tried to grab the wheel but only succeeded in driving the car off the road and into a ditch.

A cloud of smoke emerged from the car as Mirror Man staggered out of it. His driver sprinted off towards the sunset.

[Tiki Snakes]

The slick black pontiac firebird pulled up casually beside the smoking car. Jack Horse stepped out of the vehicle and walked right past Mirror Man to reclaim the bag of electronics before heading straight back to the car.

The bag clattered and clunked as the Horse man tossed them in the trunk of the car. The lid closed with a clunk, but only after he had retrieved the toaster from amongst the assorted booty.

"Get in the car." He said, his voice cold and hard.

[Lix Lorn]

"I'll be fine. I'd best go speak to our radiant queen." says Jade, with only a hint of irony, before she pauses, realising she's forgotten something important. "...where is she, anyway?"

Assuming she gets a simple answer, she goes to Errant's room, and knocks.

[Deadly]

Turing's smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'd love to, but I'm pretty sure half of the things I'd need to build or program it are in Mirror Man's bag at the moment. I am going to spend the evening reinforcing my locks, I think."

Amun shrugged and turned back to staring out the window. "I wouldn't mope until Jack gets back."

"Good luck," he added to the departing Jade

[Thanqol]

The slick black pontiac firebird pulled up casually beside the smoking car. Jack Horse stepped out of the vehicle and walked right past Mirror Man to reclaim the bag of electronics before heading straight back to the car.

The bag clattered and clunked as the Horse man tossed them in the trunk of the car. The lid closed with a clunk, but only after he had retrieved the toaster from amongst the assorted booty.

"Get in the car." He said, his voice cold and hard.

The shoeless hippy staggered and collapsed into the backs seat.

"I'll be fine. I'd best go speak to our radiant queen." says Jade, with only a hint of irony, before she pauses, realising she's forgotten something important. "...where is she, anyway?"

Assuming she gets a simple answer, she goes to Errant's room, and knocks.

There was a moment, then, "Come in,"

As Jade entered, Errant closed a large felt box and took off a set of glasses she hadn't been seen with before, then turned smoothly to face her.

[Lix Lorn]

Jade gives a short, entirely serious bow.
"I've been away, and heard that things have gone from bad to worse. I came to pay my respects."

[Tiki Snakes]

The shoeless hippy staggered and collapsed into the backs seat.

Jack climbed in, putting the toaster on the passenger seat. He closed the door, belted up and pulled away. Within a few short moments, the Firebird was back on the deserted streets. Urban decay drifted by on either side as the car sped through the ghost-town that was Detroit.

Jack drove in silence for a while. Not heading straight for the Tower as such, just drifting through the city's atrophied veins at speed.

It wasn't clear if Jack had a destination in mind, or if he planned to break the silence.

[Thanqol]

Jade gives a short, entirely serious bow.
"I've been away, and heard that things have gone from bad to worse. I came to pay my respects."

"Noted, and appreciated" said Errant politely.

Jack climbed in, putting the toaster on the passenger seat. He closed the door, belted up and pulled away. Within a few short moments, the Firebird was back on the deserted streets. Urban decay drifted by on either side as the car sped through the ghost-town that was Detroit.

Jack drove in silence for a while. Not heading straight for the Tower as such, just drifting through the city's atrophied veins at speed.

It wasn't clear if Jack had a destination in mind, or if he planned to break the silence.

Mirror Man's eyes constantly darted around, as if searching for an opportunity to dive out of the moving vehicle without breaking his neck.

[Lix Lorn]

"Is there anything I can do to help?" asks the Arrow mage, with utter sincerity.

[Thanqol]

"Is there anything I can do to help?" asks the Arrow mage, with utter sincerity.

"I understand General Malcom could use the help of a Mind Mage," suggested Errant. "He's been giving a lot of speeches recently."

[Lix Lorn]

She nods. "I'll go to speak with him. Good luck."

If she's not stopped, she'll then go off looking for Malcolm.

[the_druid_droid]

Amun shrugged and turned back to staring out the window. "I wouldn't mope until Jack gets back."

"I'm not moping, I'm taking precautions. If we manage to all live here without killing each other, it's going to be a minor miracle." There was an edge in Turing's voice, but he didn't actually make a move to go anywhere. He was momentarily content to sip his 80 proof coffee.

[Tiki Snakes]

Mirror Man's eyes constantly darted around, as if searching for an opportunity to dive out of the moving vehicle without breaking his neck.

Jack Horse didn't slow up. If Mirror Man was going to be jumping out, he'd probably not be walking away from the effort afterwards.

"I thought what I'd do was," Jack began slowly and deliberately. "I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes."

He reached up with a spare hand, pulling the rubber horse mask off his head wearily. He threw it onto the back seat beside Mirror Man. The boneless horse head looked up at him dumbly, it's floppy idiot gaze robbed of meaning.

"That way I wouldn't have to have any goddam stupid useless conversations with anybody." He continued the quote, eyes on the road. " If anybody wanted to tell me something, they'd have to write it on a piece of paper and shove it over to me. They'd get bored as hell doing that after a while, and then I'd be through with having conversations for the rest of my life. Everybody'd think I was just a poor deaf-mute bastard and they'd leave me alone."

He locked eyes with his passenger in the rear-view mirror only briefly, his expression tired and accusing. Detroit sped past on either side.

[Deadly]

"I'm not moping, I'm taking precautions. If we manage to all live here without killing each other, it's going to be a minor miracle." There was an edge in Turing's voice, but he didn't actually make a move to go anywhere. He was momentarily content to sip his 80 proof coffee.

"Speaking of that," Amun said and walked over to have a seat. "I've been thinking we need a formal system in place for our Hallow, and when I say I'm thinking, I mean we sure as hell need one. It should be possible for everyone to get one point every three days, with the remainder going into an emergency pool."

[Anarion]

"Speaking of that," Amun said and walked over to have a seat. "I've been thinking we need a formal system in place for our Hallow, and when I say I'm thinking, I mean we sure as hell need one. It should be possible for everyone to get one point every three days, with the remainder going into an emergency pool."

"Mmhmm" Tessen added. "Amun and I could both take turns helping out with that, so we could build up a store. And people could still cast up there to make their spells easier without drawing off of it. That way we'd be prepared in case of an emergency."

[the_druid_droid]

Turing nodded and sipped his coffee. "I'm pretty dry myself, and even we can't supply an army with the stuff. Either we get a schedule for using the Hallow, or there's going to be a fight sooner or later..."