Heritage

Lynn blearily shook her head clear as the hazy streamers of alcohol drifted away. "Hey, what-?" Then she saw the cold fury on her girlfriend's face, and she was instantly sober. -Oh God, honey, I- Gretchen shook her head curtly. "No. Out loud. I want you to hear whatever you have to say." Lynn nodded, then hung her head for several seconds. Finally, she looked her lover straight in the eye as tears formed and her voice caught. "I'm sorry. I know we said we weren't, like, chained to each other, and I know you've always said you...were willing to, like- " The young barista held up her left hand, and Lynn was shocked to feel her mouth shut tight. It wasn't done with great force, but just the act itself spoke to just how furious Gretchen really was right now. "Stop talking." Then she turned to Moira, her face a stony blank. "On the roof. Now." And then the young heroine flew out the door, presumably to wait for the former goddess. For her part, Lynn was twisting her hands into knots, and tears were pouring out of her eyes as she sunk to the floor. "Oh God! This isn't happening...this isn't happening..."

Consequences (Grimalkin) The Beaudrie Opera House. Friday, October 26, 2007. 8:00 pm Jeez, this is guy is an idiot! Since her transformation in February, Lynn Epstein had worked her scam down to a science. She'd created numerous profiles on several dating websites, each with a different name, face and backstory. Well, the names were typically some variation on either 'Sheri' or 'Lynn', and to make things easy on herself she was always from Jersey, but otherwise, each profile was a little work of art. Caucasian, Latina, African-American, Asian, blue eyes, brown eyes, green eyes, blonde, brunette, straight, frizzy; you had to spread your net wide to catch all the fishies. Tonight's little fishy was named 'Todd', and despite his MBA from FCU, the man practically had to take off his shoes and socks to count to twenty. "So with the football scholarship, it was Northwestern all the way; Coach said I could have gone pro if I hadn't torn my ACL." "Wow, that is so amazing! So when did you move to Freedom?" Tonight she was Linda "call me 'Lin'" Facinelli, a stacked blonde with dark roots modeled on a few of her cousins on her dad's side. It took so little work to keep losers like this engaged; tell them how good they look, ooh and ahh at their stories, and let a flash of skin show now and then, and you got yourself dinner at a five star restaurant, main floor seats for a touring Broadway show (tonight was Phantom of The Opera at the Beaudrie) and if you were really lucky, you got asked up for a 'nightcap' at a swank Parkside apartment where you could grab a few shinies to pawn the next day. And if the guy was cute, well, that was pure bonus. Todd was cute and loaded but boring, so Lin decided to go for the nightcap and see what she could make off with; she had a look around his office after he fell asleep; she gleefully liberated his top-of-the-line laptop, slipped out the service entrance, and proceeded to blow through the money she hocked it for in a matter of days. AMC Ashton 16 Theater. Saturday, October 28, 2017. 6:45 pm Lynn and Gretchen hadn't taken in a show for a while, so the happy couple was excited for the chance to see IT on a proper IMAX screen. While they were standing in the ticket line, the changeling happened to notice the ticket taker in the black and red T-shirt. Where have I seen this guy before? It was a long time ago, but where- "Tickets, please?" Oh my God. It's Todd. Gretchen noticed her girlfriend stiffen, and sent a curious sending her way. -What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost.- -I have; a ghost of my own creation.- The movie now forgotten, the changeling and former con artist approached Todd to get his story, pretending to be a forgotten classmate from FCU. Turns out the laptop Lynn had so thoughtlessly stolen was filled with confidential information about a major client, and someone accessed his hard drive and sold the information on the black market. The client lost millions of dollars, and Todd took the fall; he lost his job, his girlfriend and his professional reputation. Since then, he'd struggled with money and employment problems, bouncing from one low-paying job to the next as he struggled to pay off his student loans with his meager paychecks. In short, Lynn had completely derailed his career and ruined his life through one selfish action; it made her so sick with self-loathing she had to run into the ladies room and dry heave in the stall. How many other lives had she ruined? She had to fix this. Could she fix this? She had to least try. She wasn't exactly rich, but she was far from poor, and she new a lot of influential people. Surely somehow they could put their heads together and try to figure out a way to repair the damage a young runaway wrought ten years ago. The Beaudrie Opera House. Sunday, October 24, 2027. 6:00 pm Todd had insisted on the location, and at this point Lynn Epstein was in no position to argue with the executive director of the Louis Silberman Foundation; if he wanted to rub her face in the irony of the situation, he had every right to do so. Now in its tenth year of operation, the Silberman Foundation was a large non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of non-violent crimes, which are so often overlooked in modern society. Of course, its unspoken mission was equally important: tracking down the men and women who were harmed by the changeling's short-lived criminal career, and wherever possible, making things right. Todd was the Foundation's first success, his career revitalized and his reputation rebuilt as his talent for organization and management was finally given a chance to shine. This fundraising gala was just the latest triumph orchestrated by the once-disgraced financial analyst. She'd finally told him the truth, that night in the movie theater, and the hurt and rage in his eyes were almost unbearable, but at the same time, a great weight had lifted from her shoulders, a weight she had no idea she's been carrying for so many years. The feeling that her early success as a crimefighter was built on a foundation of lies and manipulation, that she honed her skills by abusing her powers for her own benefit. It might not be enough, but it was a good start.

Yes; sorry if that wasn't clear.

Lynn and Gretchen's Apartment. Tuesday, March 14th, 2017. 1:05 am It had been a long night for the Shrike; Grimalkin's website got an anonymous tip about a human trafficking operation in Greenbank, but it didn't sound like it would be too dangerous. Lynn and Gretchen had been working on inventory with a little informal help from their new roomie Moira when the tip came in; thinking the situation would be quickly resolved, Gretch offered to take the op solo, though Lynn insisted she call her the minute things got too dicey. Gretch found the operation all right; it just happened to be run by a den of Greek witches who loved throwing vipers at their enemies, and hired ex-Spetsnaz 'eyegougers' for security. The young barista repeatedly tried to call Lynn, but the witches somehow blocked magical communication, which left the ringwielder fighting for her life for the better part of an hour in a freightyard. But all those hours playing first person shooters and training with Lynn really payed off; by the time the cops finally showed up, Gretch had personally subdued seven witches and nine Russian bad guys. The FCPD was suitably impressed, and the officers thanked her once they got her statement. Not ready to head home just yet, Shrike grabbed a coffee and slowly savored it on a rooftop, her feet dangling over the edge. Part of her was glad she wasn't able to reach Lynn; it was nice to know that if the chips were down and her back against the wall, she, Gretchen McDaniels, could kick serious ass. Now flying back towards home and the comforting arms of her lover, Gretch gently probed to see if Lynn was still awake; if she didn't get an immediate response, it usually meant the changeling was passed out somewhere already. If she wasn't in bed, Gretch used the Ring of Power to carefully pick her up and float her into the bedroom and tuck her in. The invisble crimefighter landed in the small lightwell patio between the two apartments and opened the door, stepping into the dining room. There was a soft flickering glow coming from the living room, which probably meant Lynn had fallen asleep watching home movies on her beloved PictureBox from Otherworld. Not wanting to wake her girlfriend, Gretch floated silently into the room to an unexpected sight: Lynn and Moira, sleeping on the sofa together under a blanket. All she could do was float and stare at the two of them for several minutes. At length, she finally crossed her arms and spoke. "Well, then."

Okay, so Grim is attempting a Sneak Attack while Concealed on Swordheart, which might not work, depending on how her Super-Senses operate. DC 22 Toughness save if they hit, DC 24 if Sneak Attack comes into play. Claws Attack: 1d20+12=25 Shrike will be doing her standard Blast; DC 25 Toughness if it hits. Blast attack: 1d20+10=24

When the massive rock came hurtling at them, Grim and Shrike both reacted quickly, though the inhuman fae was much faster; while the changeling managed to deftly backflip clear of the missile, the young ringwielder was only fast enough to shift clear part of the way, so it still winged her. Luckily, the mystical enchanments of her Cloak of Mystery absorbed all the impact, though Lynn still had to check up on her girl. -You okay?- -Not even a scratch.- -Glad to hear it!- Now the pair faced two individual opponents, and things got interesting. Neutronica's blow caught Gretch square in the gut, and if it wasn't for the magic items she bore, the barista-turned-heroine would probably be crippled, but the Cloak once again absorbed the attack. For her part, Grim went into her intricate dance of combat; the way she moved, it was impossible for Swordheart's blades to find their mark. -I'm gonna try to fade out; see if she can still sense me.- -Got it.- And with that, Grimalkin wrapped herself in glamour and disappeared to all normal senses except for touch; she didn't know how the duelist's powers worked yet, but regardless, this would reveal more information. She then leaped towards her, claws of night slashing at her stomach. Meanwhile, the Shrike took to the air while she fired a blast from her ring at her own opponent.

Battery of saves begins! Grim's Reflex: 1d20+16=32 Shrike's Reflex: 1d20+10=27 Shrike's Half damage Toughness save: 1d20+12=30 Shrike vs Neutronica: 1d20+12=26 Grim vs Swordheart: 1d20+10=26 Wow, dat's alotta saves!

So just to clarify, both must save vs Terreign's attack, then Shrike has to save vs Neuteonica's attack and then Grim vs Swordheart's? A note on Grim's issues with Iron: it is listed as 'Uncommon' as it is specifically Iron (i.e. cold, cast, pig, etc), not Steel, as that would have made it a 'Common' Weakness and Vulnerability. Yes, obviously steel is made from iron, but iron is a traditional ward to faeries, and magic doesn't follow normal logic. I mention this now because we've never lumped Steel in with Iron in Grim's 9+ years on this site, and it sets a dangerous precedent. Again, if she had the Common version, I would not try weaseling out of it; you would have me dead to rights.

Let me know how many and what kinds of rolls to make, Soph; this is a quick search looking for fairly noticeable things, not a 'let's find all the secret doors' kind of op

"That kind of makes sense," Lynn said as she flumped down into a chair, gesturing at the lamp Gretchen held up. "It fits the narrative we've seen so far; under the old regime, Val Verde was a classic Cold War era drug haven. Now under Gallo, they don't have the budget for that sort of paranoia; plus, I do think El Presidente is trying hard to distance himself from the past." Gretchen shrugged as she returned the lamp to its spot on the table. "You may be right. The important thing is now were both gross and sweaty, and we really need that bath." "Mmm!" The changeling raised her eyebrows and nodded. Peering over at the high-sided copper bathtub, she pursed her lips. "A little small for two...but the lucky for you, I'm flexible." The young barista smirked as she began to twist her ring. "Is that so...?" - - - Sadly bath time could not last forever, as the two superheroines had work to do. The plan was simple; Gretch would stay behind in her room, playing Free Cell on her laptop as she lounged in her bathrobe, while Lynn flitted about the palace in pixie form, fast and well nigh invisble to the untrained eye. They could stay in mental contact the whole time, with Gretch able to do on-the-spot research if necessary, and if there was a knock on the door, the changeling could teleport back and assume a similarly relaxed pose in a matter of seconds. -Good luck, and be careful.- -I'll do my best!- And with that, Pixie!Grim was gone.

Well, the first few rounds are always about feeling out your opponents; you don't expect everything to get through.

Well maybe Lil' Miss Dangly will have her ass dropped by Neutronica! Lynn doesn't really have another way to do ranged attacks without stunting.

1d20+12=28 Woo-hoo! Will change post slightly.

Seeing as the two women are moving and Lynn is creating the object to intercept them, that seems like that should be a targeted area effect, much like Shrike's energy bombs; what do you think?

Okay, and how do we calculate the damage save? is it just Power Level + 15, which would be DC 21 Toughness?

Okay, technically we can do Grim's box one of two ways; as a Snare or as a Damaging area effect. The Snare is a simple DC16 Reflex save to avoid being caught, but I'd rather drop a big chunk o' wood on them for straight Damage; I'm just lest sure of how that works, other than I think it would be a targeted ranged effect. Shrike is much easier; 1d20+10 to hit, DC 25 Toughness save if it hits. Roll to follow shortly. EDIT: Shrike's Blast: 1d20+10=20

Grimalkin sighed and shook her head. "Frickin' earthbenders! These guys tend to be tough." Then she shifted to mindspeak; it was faster than talking, and theoretically harder for the bad guys to pick up on. -I'll try and stop the lovely ladies with a well-placed obstacle; you wanna take a shot at 'The Boulder'?".- -Works for me.- Grim gestured with her hand, and a massive block of wood, thirty feet to a side, appeared in the air; if the changeling timed it right, it should land right on top of the two women as they flew. Meanwhile, the Shrike raised her left hand up, right hand on her wrist like she was holding a piece, and fire a beam of hot red energy from her glowing Ring of Power right at the man, targeting center of mass.

Casey's Toughness save: 1d20+12=28

There are several givens to the life of being a Girl Scout; for instance, you will at some point go camping. Whether or not you like it is a matter of personality and upbringing, but it's going to happen at least once. You will also pick up litter, learn to tie knots, and more than likely put on a life vest on a boat. And one of those givens is working with the elderly; volunteering to help out at a skilled nursing facility is a very common activity, and Casey herself had done it many times. Because if this, the teenaged Scout had had the opportunity to see elderly citizens several times, at all levels of functioning; some of them were fully cognizant and could take care of themselves, some of them had advanced Alzheimer's and couldn't feed themselves or go to the bathroom without aid, and many were somewhere in between. Therefore, the look she saw on the old man's face was a familiar one; it was the look of man who was frightened and confused and not entirely sure of his surroundings, not the face of supervillain with sinister intent. So even as she could begin to feel talons of ice biting into her flesh, Miracle Girl knew this man was not the enemy. "Sir, I need you to return to your room right now for your own safety," she stated in a clear, level voice. "It is not safe for you here, and we need to keep you out of harm's way."

Grimalkin/Shrike (10) [Maxed] Room of Danger (3E) (2) Some 'Splaining To Do (7) Viva Val Verde (1) Vignette (?) Miracle Girl (2) Lights, Camera, Action! (1) The Doctor is OUT (1) Ditra Fifty-Five (0) No posts Grim's points go to Ditra Fifty-Five

Grim's Init: 1d20+12=14 Wow, is that a sucky roll for her! Shrike's Init: 1d20+3=13 Ah well; they were hoping it wouldn't come down to fighting, but they were wrong! EDIT: in retrospect, everyone's roll sucked! Considering Shrike and Terreign's Init scores (+3 and +1 respectively), I believe Shrike goes first on the tie? That way I can post Grim and Shrike's moves in the same post, one after the other.

The two young women had just locked up the store for the night, planning to go for a late night stroll, when they felt the sudden sense of dislocation. They suddenly looked at each other, their previous discussion instantly forgotten. -Well, then.- -This is bad.- -Suit up?- -Suit up!- There was a swirl of gray mist around Lynn Epstein, and when it parted she was once again Grimalkin. For her part, Gretchen twisted her Ring of Power as she floated in the air, and there was a strobing flash of light around her body as she transformed into the Shrike. -So now what?- -We make contact- The changeling conjured up a large glowing sign that stood over them both. WE ARE GRIMALKIN AND THE SHRIKE WE MEAN YOU NO HARM WHERE ARE WE? -And now...we wait.-