Scion: Hero (IC)

[DeTess]

"I haven't seen what you can do yet in that regard." Liliana replied to Max. "While I have had a taste if Brand's skills from his training session. By all means though, come along if you believe thus situation calls for your skills."

[Justanotherhero]

"You make a valid point, Liliana. If Mog turns out to be a titanspawn, then indeed, we’ll need individuals who can handle themselves in unpredictable and possibly supernatural situations without panicking.

What will be your cover? I was thinking maybe survey employee?"

[DeTess]

"That could work, depending on the exact situation we find at the tenements." Liliana shrugged. "I'd like to have it planned out into detail, but we don't really have the time for that, so I'll simply bring a clipboard and wear a nondescript jacket and take it from there."

***
Liliana would head to the tenements the next day, wearing a nondescript jacket, a fake namecard on a keycord with the company name 'Atlantis outreach' on it, and a clipboard in her hand, a simple disguise intended to make it easy for her to go up to people and aks some questions. Depending on the situation she might find the tenements in she would adjust her initial questions, but int eh end the goal would be to get an idea of whether any strange events or people had been spotted.

[Justanotherhero]

Julian shows up later then Liliana but invested the time in his cover identity.

Julian aiming to blend seamlessly into a less affluent neighborhood. He opts for a very cheap, new suit that appears affordable and somewhat ill-fitting, creating the impression of a low-budget corporate issue rather than a personal choice. This attire helps him embody the role of a junior employee, perhaps one who is new to the job and assigned to less desirable neighborhoods. Complementing his outfit, Julian wears old, non-brand sneakers that add a touch of realism and practicality.

For his equipment, Julian carries a clipboard filled with both blank and several pre-filled survey forms, a basic pen, and sports a fake employee ID badge "Eric Oaten" prominently displayed on his suit. He also carries a small, worn bag.

The survey Julian conducts focuses on local transportation needs and infrastructure evaluation. The fact that he asks a few additional questions about the neighborhood should not really be that distracting.

Additionally, Julian rehearses a simple backstory to support his survey activities: he is a temporary worker hired by a city contractor tasked with gathering community input that will supposedly influence future city planning decisions. This narrative equips him with a believable explanation for his presence in the neighborhood, enabling him to navigate interactions smoothly while collecting the needed information without drawing undue attention. He stays away from the bigger streets and obvious commercial areas. His survey is happening in residential buildings. While he has the chance looking out windows and trying to get the lay of the land.

[Kaworu]

Mateusz really wasn’t prepared to make any suitable clothing on such a short notice. He just put in jeans, t-shirt and a lab coat over it, of course also wearing his glasses. The “disguise” was finished with a name tag that read “Dr. Adam Nowak”.

…

He would be soooo happy if that would work! He was prepared to be a scientist, not a spy! “Oh my, so many things can go wrong!” he thought to himself, but still went along with the kinda “plan”.

[Benoojian]

Max's is used to being in the poor area of town so his disguise is not dressing up at all, one more poor brown boy is going to be completely invisible. If anything he's dressing down for the occasion.

[Kish]

The day is sunny as you set out, but overcast by the time you reach the address you found. The surrounding buildings are in very poor repair, the one you arrive at the worst you've seen yet. It has a lot of windows, all boarded up. Eyes watch you from the alleys as you approach, some human, at least two belonging to a very large rat.

The door has no doorbell but does have a rusty knocker. Knocking on it produces a booming noise, but there is no response.

Spoiler: Max

Show

You do hear multiple voices inside after knocking, but you can't make out what they're saying. None of them seem to be moving toward the door in any event.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

Brand stared up at the decrepit structure. By pure coincidence, the one jacket he'd brought from Ireland looked fairly similar in style and coloring to what Liliana and Julian were wearing, giving a sense of cohesion to their outfits. With Mateusz as a scientific or legal type and Max as a curious local tagging along, the group might even pass as a real corporate outing, perhaps for a development company looking to snap up the cheap land. This had driven home two points for Brand. First, that sometimes it really was better to be lucky than good. And second, that he desperately needed some snappier clothes, if all he had fit so effortlessly into a mission trying to look bland and nondescript.

He turned to his companions.

"There's a risk our target will make a run for it. We should have someone covering the front and back doors just in case. I can take one of those positions, since I'll probably know instantly if you guys get into trouble inside. Or I could try to cover all entrances from the roof; effective, but not very subtle, and it'll slow me down if I need to come to the rescue within the house."

[Kaworu]

- Okay, so how do we excactly divide our positions? Who goes where? - Mateusz could stay in the back and just "wait" for something to happen, but he would like for everyone to have discuss it first - Do our supernatural talents have meaning in this context, or should we just draw straws? Maybe I am overthinking it, but if we will do things at random, consequences could be grevious. At any rate I believe we should put our really fast runners in the back, so if somebody will try to escape, we will be able to catch them without much problem. The issue is... I am not the fastest. Is any of us? - he looked at his companions.

[Kish]

As you consider your next move, the more alert among you hear footsteps and, looking toward them, see a skinny woman carrying a large grocery bag so that it obstructs her vision. Because of the bag, she doesn't seem to see you. She's hurrying toward the building you're standing in front of.

[DeTess]

Liliana approached the woman and gave her best non-threatening smile. "Good morning! I'm Evelyn, with Atlantis outreach. City hall asked us to perform a survey of the city to determine points of improvements. Do you have time to answer some questions?" She paused for a moment, just enough to seem polite, not long enough for someone not ready for it to actually refuse. "Wonderful! Do you live here in this building? How would you rate your overall living experience, on a scale of 1 to 7?"

[Justanotherhero]

Just in case we are all together:

--------
Julains thought to himself: "We are to many people. But well very little in possiblity to change that now."

Standing behind Liliana somewhat confused and meming the new hire while looking to her : "Do we help with bags?"

[Kish]

The woman jumps and nearly drops the bag when Liliana addresses her. She hesitates, her eyes darting between you, and then her lips peel back from her teeth in a sudden expression of shocking hatred. "Get away from me!" she snarls, and then she barges forward toward the tenement.

Spoiler

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And what happens then largely depends on your positioning. We're still in theatre of the mind for now. How hard is it for her to reach the door of the building?

[Benoojian]

Max is standing directly in front of the door, she would have to go through him to get inside. "This seems like a bit of an overreaction, we would much rather just talk."

[Kaworu]

Mateusz is a little bit in the back, not thingking too sharply - who would have expected this thing to happen? He moves aside, to let the lady go.

- We aren't your enemies? - he asked, still confused.

[Kish]

The woman appears momentarily uncertain of what to do, though the hostility on her face is plain.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

You do not know for certain what she is going to do, but you can all act before she does and you are, now, in combat ticks.

Tick 0
Julian

Anyone other than Justanotherhero can post an action, but bear in mind that Julian will act first. Julian, you're up.

[Justanotherhero]

Julian raises both hands a little bit showing he means no harm.
„So sorry for the confusion. We are currently surveying the neighborhood together instead of splitting up. There is not really a lot of foot traffic around here. I assure you we really are only here to do our job and ask our questions.

Eh can I help with that?“ After a bit he holds one hand over his heart and looks into the ladies eyes guaranteeing that he is not looking for conflict.

——

OOC:
After using Charmer. If it is possible I would also use Gods Honest to convince her. But I do not remember if we could use two knacks at once.

[Kish]

The woman looks calmer, but she still says, "I don't want to talk to you. Get out of my way!" to Max.

Spoiler: OOC

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You can use multiple Knacks at once, but God's Honest will only have a noticeable effect here, with what Julian said, if her violent reaction is about believing you're not what you claim to be--it won't do anything if she thinks you're surveying the neighborhood and wants away from you anyway. Still want to use it?

Tick 1. Max is up.

[Justanotherhero]

The woman looks calmer, but she still says, "I don't want to talk to you. Get out of my way!" to Max.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

You can use multiple Knacks at once, but God's Honest will only have a noticeable effect here, with what Julian said, if her violent reaction is about believing you're not what you claim to be--it won't do anything if she thinks you're surveying the neighborhood and wants away from you anyway. Still want to use it?

Tick 1. Max is up.

I would like to maintain the cover identity so yes I will spend the Legend for God’s Honest.

[PoeticallyPsyco]

At first, Brand's thoughts are for the woman's safety. But there wasn't any reason yet to think that this mission would end in a fight at all, much less one big enough to sweep the locals up into the chaos. There was no need to discourage her from entering the tenement.

But then a though occurred to him, and only years of training and practice in acting for an audience kept his eyes unnarrowed and his body language relaxed. Why demand we get away from her? There were any number of reasons for hostility, but that was an odd request to make. Perhaps she was worried about being mugged, but that was an odd fear to be inspired by a group of corporate-looking types. Perhaps she had an untreated mental illness; possible but statistically unlikely that she would have one that provoked this response. Perhaps she bought that we were property developers, and thought we were intending to take her home, but then why demand we get away from her?

Or perhaps she hadn't bought their disguise at all. Perhaps she was expecting a mysterious group that was after her specifically. Perhaps she was, actually, the Mog that they were looking for, well aware that she was on the run from Forsen, and possibly aware that their own employer was after her as well.

In which case, the main reason she'd be trying to get inside the building would be to retrieve the dagger, and/or other items important for a clean escape.

No proof, not even any evidence yet, just a psychological profile match, but now Brand was on his guard.

[Benoojian]

Max stays where he is, Guarding, he will interrupt to counterattack if she makes a hostile move on him, "You seem a little jumpy, been up to something dangerous out here?"

[Kish]

Other than showing her teeth again, she doesn't respond to Max's question.

Spoiler

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Tick 3: Liliana and Mateusz are up.

[Kaworu]

Mateusz did the first thing he could think of - he looked the lady straight in the eye and paralyzed her with his Serpent's Gaze.

- Im so sorry, but this is for your own good - he explained calmnly.

- What do we do? She is dangerous to herself and others. We should do something for her... but I do not know exactly what - he said to his companions.

[DeTess]

Liliana sighed. She hoped it wouldn't have escalated like this, but now that it had...

"Here, let me." She stepped forward and caught the woman's eye. "We're not your enemies. Please answer our questions, and we'll get out of your hair." As she spoke, Liliana's eyes changed, her irises turning a molten orange, reflecting her father's fires. She didn't fully invoke her authority, as that might trigger some uncomfortable questions later, but what she did now should be sufficient for a simple mortal.

And if she wasn't mortal... Well, that would be worth knowing on its own.

Spoiler: ooc: action

Show

Use knack: instant hypnosis
Command: answer our questions
Trigger: right now
If she has a legend rating things get complicated. Otherwise she gets to roll wits+integrity to resist, with a target value of 4.

[Kish]

Liliana has to stick her head between the woman and Mateusz to catch her gaze. The woman's face smooths out and goes blank. She stands there, holding the bag of groceries.

Spoiler

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Everyone can now ask her questions. Either I rolled somewhere hidden and she failed, or she didn't get a roll.

[DeTess]

"Well then. For starters, can you explain why you were so hostile to us?" Liliana started off her questioning by digging into the woman's strange reaction. She would ask about Mog in a moment, but it would make the cleanup easier if she could get there organically.