Supercape

"Another big winged fellow?" sighed Lord Steam. "I could do with a pair of wings myself right now. Mmmm...some big copper ones with oscillating feathers in a paradynamic air flow system...yes! it might work!" He fingered the Steam guns missing component for a moment whilst scanning the ship around them. "Given enough time, I'm sure we could find some air vent or other such wonder on this ship. However, it seems madam has deprived us of that luxury. In such circumstances, I would imagine the direct approach is for the best. Not very classy, I grant you. But I would rather stomach the vulgarities of violence than suffer being blown to bits..." With that, he looked down at the Steam cannon, and inserted the missing gizmo with a satifying *click* "Excellent!" he noted, picking up the weapon and nodding to Blod and Heraldo

Rene put back the milk. "Too old for milk then...but perhaps wine is not a good idea..." he said, contemplating the blend of ages Marianne presented with. The last thing he wanted was a drunken spirit. If she had even half the power of Gallia, then a drunken Marianne would be a very dangerous thing indeed. He pondered the English message for a moment. He was more than interested in stopping Gallia return to the Ancien Regim, but this child-adult-spirit was a mystery component. Marriane? well, he could only imagine the child was Marrianne..? "Tell me child, what is your name?" he asked sitting down himself in a slow, deliberate manner. "Or, more importantly, who are you?" he said. "The two questions are not the same...."

OOC for This thread. Noir Young Brittania and Noir King of Suits in a tale of love, dames, and cursed cards!

GM It was a no-good bar in a no-good area, where no-good losers went to drown their sorrows with cheap liquor. The only thing that was good about the Wild Joker was the music. Jazz, blues, soul...the bands were good, the tunes were mournful, and that only helped the patrons spend their last dimes faster on liquor they would drink faster. The mob were there, for sure, taking their cut as always with greedy paws and intimidating smiles. Nobody messed with the mob in freedom city. Nobody that wanted to stay in once piece, anyways. The band were good, tonight. Agnes the Angel. She could hold a Jazz tune with a wicked blue twist that made men weep, or die. Or maybe sometimes both. The barman, Harry "Croak" Long, was serving drinks today. He was short, strong, and ugly. A drunken customer had tried to slit his throat many years ago, and left a scar along his neck - and a voice that could croak words or laugh like a sawmill. That customer didn't have a nice ending. The mobsters sat on the best table, drinking the best whiskey. Tonight, "Hatchet" Jones was in town, a tall, lean snake of a man who refused to pack a pistol. Instead, his favourite tool was always tucked in his white jacket. The man's face was pockmarked and had a scar down one cheek. If it wasn't for his skin, he would have had a handsome face to match his piercing blue eyes.

OOC for this thread. Blod, Tsunami, and Crimson Tiger out for the night. You may make some knowledge (current events) and (streetwise) rolls to know a few things! Knowledge (Current Events) DC 10 (Untrained) DC 20 (Trained only) Knowledge (Streetwise) DC 10 (Untrained) DC 20 (Trained only)

GM Sunday 3rd February 2013 Waterfront Docks Nearly midnight... A slightly irritating drizzle had hit the city. Not rain exactly, just a few half hearted drops of water than landed in your face every now and again. It was not warm, a sort of cold, damp temperature. It wasn't, to be frank, a fun evening. Not many people were out. Even the docks seemed quiet. Quieter than normal. The pier was closed, a lone police officer standing guard, counting money in his hand... And under the pier, the sound of cheering, leering, and rowdiness, dimly lit by a few fires lit in trash cans...

Fluff is fine!

:argh: Trapped between equally cool possibilities! Ari if you wish to cast a deciding vote, let me know, otherwise Ill flip a coin!

GM The Vampire was not lying. The basement was dominated by a steel vault door, and a security camera. After but a moment, without communication, the vault door opened, almost silently, swinging on perfect hinges to slowly reveal the Masters lair. It was suitably well furbished, a mixture of old and new. State of the art laboratory equipment mixed with tomes of old books. The female vampire, dressed in nightwear, leant by the side of the room, her eyes peeled on Revenant and her partner. In the middle of the room, in a beat up old leather chair was the Master. Ge was tall, maybe six foot, with a slender but strong physique. His eyes and hair were black, on top of a face full of aristocracy, a cruel nose and lips on a handsome face. He wore a smoking jacket and slippers, and was studying one of the dusty tomes that lined the walls. "Face to face at last" he said in an iron voice, cold and strong. There was trace of a German accent. "Of course, I we have met before. But I considered it wise to deceive you last time, at least before I had begun to understand you further. "I am Otto Otswald. For many years now, I have been called the Master. A name appropriate but not craved. I have been dead for over three hundred years, and I grow weary of it..."

To be fair, I think the stunt is next round!

"Mariame eh?" said Rene, arching an eyebrow. He surveyed her fully now, away from her arms. He suspicions were raised. The glow...the name... Was it possible? He was not best fond of spirits of France strolling around like they owned it. His previous dally with them had left him shaken, and - to be honest - scared. Man should be free, not pawns of such things. "You had better come in and tell me your message then..." he said kindly but with a slight steel. He should be on his guard. On the other hand, it was just a girl. Who drives who? he wondered. "I think I have some bread, and wine...no...not at your age. Some bread and milk..." he said, as he went to his store cubboard to pull out a few essentials. "You should eat more!" he said with a wink.

Pressed in by the crush of people Gallia had poured into the room, Rene could hardly move a muscle. Indeed, he felt he could hardly breathe... So this is how it ends...Gallia returned..the people chained to her and them, in turn, chaining me...no! no! how can this be? I have fought devils and necromancers of greater strength in the past! Not for the first time, Rene felt old, but more than old, somehow empty as if a little piece of him was missing... What was it? Something I lost...my strength, many years ago...what was it???? All he could think of was some waltzy drum beat going round and round in his head. Somehow, this was important. Somehow, in his desperation, he felt what he had lost...coming back... "You have defeated me then at last!" he told Gallia. "But where is this glory? no marching band? no trumpets sounding the victory! surely the spirit of France can produce a more fitting music to her return and majesty!" he said to her. "Come, let us have music! let us have a proper event! let us see a proper victory!"

ok Standard action: Bluff action to trick 1d20+5=10 As this is cool, Ill reroll that with an HP 1d20+5=24

Indeed. I just hope King of Suits has a good singing voice!

GM "It is my nature to harm. To suck the blood dry. You know this...or are you completely immune to the lure of blood? Your sister, Nora, was entranced by it, even if not to the craving intensity of us..." The Vampire seemed slightly envious for a moment. "But I cannot promise that I will not harm anybody. I am a vampire, I yearn for the sweetest blood, full of life. Without it, I wither. With it, I thrive. And I am immortal! how long can I impose Iron Will upon craving? a month? a year? no matter, sooner or later I will bleed the living to death, and gorge myself upon the essence of living...unless the Master creates something new...." "So this promise I cannot keep, and well you know it. But, perhaps you will grant reprieve at least for today...and hunt me down tomorrow. No matter, I cannot ask for more. You are a slave to your nature as much as I, it seems..." He took Revenant into the High Steaks, coming up to the security guard and producing a pass. Without further ado, the pair took a lift down to the basement...a hidden basement that was accessed by pressing the "G" level three times in quick succession. "Here we are. The door is a foot of steel. A camera is outside, and the door is controlled from inside. How do you intend to meet your maker? via parley...or by ripping the vault open?"

"Good afternoon Madam, how can I hel...!" Rene had seen the world of course, and was no stranger to some eccentricities of the Parisian people. But being leapt at and hugged by an unknown woman was something that was a little out of the ordinary for an otherwise slow Sunday afternoon. "I am...delighted...to see you to, Madam...although I confess you have me at a disadvantage. I am afraid I cannot recall making your acquaintance previously. And I would, no doubt, have remembered your distinctive charms..." "My name is Monsieur deSaens" he said by way of introduction, giving a modest bow. "Perhaps you could indulge me as to yours?"

Well I think Rene is bound basically, which makes him rather ineffective! I have a complex request, and feel free to say no (very free). I have been meaning to work in Dead Beat into Rene's back story for some time. The idea was the during the 20th Century Rene had to dispose of some of his "soul" to the afterlife to lock away some of the spirits and undead he was fighting. He has forgotten this, although has a vague sense that part of him is missing... (this also explains why he is not as powerful as a mage of over 200 years and his ability should be). Deadbeat's story is that - he used this link to jump back to the world of the living after outwitting the devils of the afterlife. He acts as Protector of the Dead, and the parts of Rene's Soul he sacrificed. Anyway, enough preamble. In this horrible situation, I am wondering if Rene could stunt summoning Dead Beat. He would, however, need some form of music to do so. If this all sounds a bit complex then drop it (although TiffK, as you have been so great handling Rene's past, I would really welcome your help fleshing out this backstory anyway!)

Ok, a few mechanics! Broken Crow will need to be carried - he is physically disabled and combined with his state of exhaustion, he cant really move at any speed through the harsh swamp. However, both of you are more than capable of that! The pathways between the dimensions can be followed, its DC 10 straight WIS check to do so. Broken Crow can make these without difficulty (Giving him a +5 situational bonus, cos, you know, he is the Master Mage and all...) The swamp itself hinders movement to 50%, it is also a hot environment. If you wish to sneak away from Malaise camp, you may wish to make stealth rolls, and you may also wish to make survival rolls to avoid various bugs and to feed / water yourselves. Finally, if you are traversing the swamp, lets have one hot environment save (DC 10 Fort Save).

GM "To cut the tendrils of the swamp? to sever its link to the world...that would be a wise course of action. We could stop it..for a time, at least. I fear the unspeakable force behind this place is beyond death or destruction. But yes, its links to the world can be cut..." Broken Crow, even exhausted by his fever and other activities seemed excited by the prospect. "So, we must slip away, and then perform a ritual at the point where the two worlds blur. It will be...draining...and the swamp itself will fight us....are you ready?" Broken Crow seemed to be. He pointed in that a direction away from Malaise' camp. "Let us go, I can feel the way through this world to ours...as can you if you open your mind to it..."

GM The Vampire looked uneasy. "I do..." he mumbled, giving her a shifty look. "He has a vault, down in the basement. Its well protected...security guard, vault door, camera's...that's where he has set up his...abode..." He didn't look to happy about his situation. "And where he does he...experiments..." he said, licking his tongue. "I can take you there...but I fear you will rip my dead heart out of my chest when you have no further use for me. Yes, for all your pretence at empathy, you are one of us in spirit. And your dead eyes are like mine. So, tell me, I will not meet my demise at your hands? no..don't tell me, for you can surely lie as well as I. I wish to barter my existence! So before I make myself of no further use, I would have my way away from you!"

Rene had not been sluggish in the years that followed his youth. He was older, and wiser, and getting to become an accomplished artist, if not yet a master. Perhaps he had been somewhat distracted. Broken Crow had taught him much since he burned down the house of the Necromme aristocrats. He had learned, in his old way, to summon forth arcane power in the way an artist paints onto canvas. Rene painted onto reality. It was not easy, of course. He was no master mage. But he had enough power to have dispatched a few dabblers in the black arts, to defend against the undead and spirits. And he now had enough coin to have his own flat in Paris. Not too extravagant, but not to shabby either. He could make the rent comfortably, provided he kept up with painting for the rich and powerful. And Artist of his calibre would never be rich, but he would no longer starve. And it did keep him in the gossip of Paris...the sittings would be tedious if not for the loose tongues of his subjects...

Without toothcombing it, the thing that pops out is that summoning does not have the fanatical extra. If you are playing Merge (the summoned Merge) as an NPC in the sidekick manner, that could be problematic as a few diplomacy rolls or similar could flip her to indifferent or worse. Whilst expensive, it might well be better to make the summoning fanatic, and have Merge some "unruly" complication if you want to go down that past. If thats a problem cost wise, the feedback flaw might be worth looking into (i.e. if Merge gets hurt, potentially so does Nicki). Personally, I think this is a good idea as it resolves to potential problems: 1. Merge not being a dedicated sidekick and 2. Nicky being a "bathroom mentalist" sending Merge out to do her work.

That sounds good - Ill post Freddy doing something to stop him bleeding out, but that still leaves him with the damage to his brain and other organs - enough to leave him in a comatose shock! that ok?

Sounding you out here GS What would you like story wise? Mess' ability to stop bleeding, namely his healing lethal damage power could be, on the basis of descriptors anything from life saving to ineffective (due to damaged organs) I'm happy with whatever, so its really what you would like in terms if Ben and Crusaders development.

NPC "A lawyer eh?" said Harry, satisfied that his cut had stopped bleeding. Over in the corner, Fred gave a smile and stopped concentrating on Harries throat. "Well, it just so happened that I do happen to know of a lawyer. She seems ok, does some charity work..." he said, his lips and tounge struggling over the words. "She is ah...a bit on the unusual side. A bit living-challenged shall we say, but what the hell, this is Freedom City eh?" he said more cheerfully. "As for that crime stoppers reward. Well, it does seemed we earned a little reward for out work..." "Yeah, that means we don't have to charge Ms. Klaus!" yelled out a happy Fred from the corner, between stuffing his face with a salami sandwich and watching the sport on TV. Harry grumbled under his breath.