Ari

Works for me! Threads IC and OOC

OOC for this thread. Riff does some riffs at a music festival, joined by special guests Synth, Blue Jay and Jubatus!

GM Riverside Park, July 14th, 2012, 12.27 P.M. After a mostly uneventful past year, the Riverside Park had re-opened the city-favorite Battle of the Bands event concert, and once again the sky-blue tents were jammed with milling, cheerfully(for the most part) sweating(all of them) and chatting music-enthusiasts and other citizens here to either spend a pleasant day listening to music at the stages set up around the blazing green park, be out with their families or friends, and even some loners who had come for reasons best known to themselves. Already at least two metal bands were furiously competing against each other to beat the other's speed, a folk music group had gathered a hugely enthusiastic crowd in a Spanish dance, and a thick-set old man was holding a circle of awe-struck Freedonians enthralled by his gentle and achingly-beautiful playing of the violin. The overpriced bottled water flowed like liquid gold from the various stalls hawking them, the hot dog stands were crowded with hungry customers whose tempers frayed all too easily in the summer blast furnace, and at one of the eastern stages in particular, before a smaller crowd than most of the bands had managed to assemble, the Guitar Genius Riff was preparing for the first song in his own group's gig...

GM The interior was as oppressive as the exterior, all dull gray and stained concrete walls, with concrete for floor and roof. The place had an ingenious(if obviously inexpertly done) substitute lighting system that made the place look at least fit for human inhabitation. The place was a series of regimented hallways with a dozen doors to each hall, and a sign on the door as they entered, supplemented by another on the wall of the small antechamber before they reached the hall itself, announced an elevator at the intersection of the passages and staircases at the extreme ends of the building. The place was seemingly covered by bundled black and red electrical cords, which snaked along the walls and ceiling as far as either could see, with the occasional suspicious dip across the floor around shining steel nozzles. The place smelt of mustiness, decaying plants and gunmetal, with a strange sound below the pair like a bubbling pot of water, mostly overshadowed by the distant footfalls of several dozen booted feet on the levels beneath them.

El Heraldo de la Dama Azul wasn't fooled for an instant! The second the savage sea-vampire began to try and use his fear of her against him, he was ready. Steeling his nerves and concentrating his very soul, he banished the imagined horrors of slashing teeth and unnaturally-strong hands tearing through him, forcing all his attention towards the battle around him...which included being caught in the arms of the vampire, already struggling before the monster's iron limbs had fully encircled him. Gritting his teeth he spat out "That...is not happening, corpse-woman!" and flung himself backward, assisted by his ability of flight, tearing free of the vampire's grasp and quickly regaining his footing on the floor of the eerily-lit aquarium with a stagger. We can't go on like this! he thought desperately as he surveyed the two scaled monsters, only to see that the more massive and serpentine of the two was briefly off-guard due to Glow's acrobatics The time has come! thundered the Blue Dame's voice in his mind Strike! Tossing the Banner to his left hand, El Heraldo leaped backwards, pulled back his right arm as it began to glow faintly, and hurled himself forward and upward, bringing the fist crashing into the side of the sorcerer's head with titanic force! The furious punch delivered, he shot back near Glow to prepare for the next assault.

DC18 Will save: 25! DC20 Grapple roll: 22! As a certain someone would say, "Booyaka!" Using the old Inspire and a HP(0HPs left) to grant a +4 bonus to Glow and himself for all Attack rolls, saving throws and checks for that and the following round. EDIT: On second thought, a Set-Up is a terrible thing to waste. All-Out(+-2) Power Attack(+-2) roll: 16! If that does it, DC28 TOU save for Iapetus.

I'd volunteer, but I think someone with more experience in using canon NPCs should do it.

That attitude is indeed a thing the Grue at large have! As for how they'll relate to the Midnighters, I'd say they would appreciate having those folks approach in times of need(theirs or the Midnighters), as well as an example of the differences between even other humans at times. But yeah, I hadn't thought of those guys! Something to consider with care I guess. I can certainly see at least Wave-Eye admiring cohesion and camaraderie like theirs, and wanting 'his' squad to be like them in that fashion, more than just a mutual defense band.

El Heraldo shrugged. "I did not think of that, but that does seem more practical" he confessed blandly "But I don't think it's right. It would have been far grander to pull that thing to pieces and bind these men with the very tool they would have used to imprison others. They don't deserve to be in the same house as the refugees" shouldering the Banner he gently but irresistibly put an arm around the waist of the cook, bringing him to his feet and beginning to carry him to the entrance. In an amicable manner, he said to the chef "I will accompany you to the kitchen, and help serve out the antidote. We cannot be too careful, you know?" he said with a frown. I wonder if Ms. Maher is a vampire? he pondered idly.

GM Andrews stopped mid-scramble up the bench, turning to answer Silhouette with a slight return of his earlier speaking style "Our Low Messenger will need to fully manifest on the physical plane to actually attack. I have made some.." he suddenly looked very shifty "...measurements, of his vastness. He stands from head to tip at around 40ft. once confined to a Light-touched world like ours." Gingerly dropping back to the ground the erstwhile Fangspeaker went on "As far as I know, he can only travel through the Fissure in our main worship room once the spells I have laid are cancelled" he shrugged, glancing at the altar nervously. "Of course, I have no real idea about the limits of the Messenger's power..." he admitted. Turning back to her he added "Er, but yes, at least the worship room would give you an edge, as he will have to contend with the lights above(which he cannot touch), as well as giving you more room to maneuver, I suppose" he shrugged again, a little more awkwardly. "If that helps, I will go and be out of your hair!" With that, he began to sidle back towards the bench, and the path to Freedom.

In his button-up shirt and khaki pants, Subito looked deeply uncomfortable as he and the other two waited in the hall. He had thought that his father Pavor had been entirely sincere in saying that it would be a "casual thing". At Galanta's appearance he brightened up, only to slump forward a little when she made clear they hadn't gotten things quite disorganized enough. "Thanks sis!" he called after her nonetheless. Well, at least he called the day before to tell me the dress code he thought glumly, tugging at the unbuttoned collar of his shirt maybe they won't scare Serge off completely. Unless Rodrigo starts talking to him about Babylon 5... he glanced at the staircase still visible from the door, and shook his head once No, I gotta stay and keep things from getting stupid! I can't run now! Commendable, Subito. I will do what I can to assist, but do not place so little faith in your family's ability to contain their enthusiasm at meeting your friends the deep, grave voice sounded in his head, its tone gently chiding. "So...you guys have much trouble finding the place" he asked casually, rubbing at an irritated wrist that was being slowly worn down by a stiff cuff.

DC26 TOU save: 17? Nah. Reroll(1HP): 13, +10 is 23. Another Bruise.

El Heraldo very nearly lost his head. The horrible visions that swam before his eye as the evil creature slid towards him filled his veins with ice, and he felt himself begin to shiver as the terrible sensation of panic grew at the back of his consciousness. With a tremendous effort of will, he crushed the fear welling up in his heart, focusing himself on the pain of his side, which he realized with a start had been badly bruised and cut by the lashing claws of the vampire. Sending himself forward with a cry of "For la Dama Azul!" he swung the heavy Banner at the legs of his opponent, seeking to send her dead body crashing to the ground. To his tremendous frustration, she managed to move with the attack and keep her footing, sending him a few steps backwards. He crouched, ready to fling himself into the next attack aimed at Glow. "May your attacks have more bite than mine!" he told her crisply "I am badly outmatched, I think"

DC19 Will save: 21! DC24 TOU save: 21! A bruise. On his turn, El Heraldo will make a Trip attempt with the Banner. Attack roll: 13. I'll reroll!(2HP left) 21! Trip roll: 13. Splendiferous. EDIT: Setting the Reaction on an Interpose for the next attack against Glow.

OOC for this thread. Wisp and Net Fly meet EL Heraldo's family over dinner.

GM August 4th, 2012, 1.05 P.M. The Sondo family lived in a three-story apartment building, part of a three-building complex on the corner of 44th and L Street that housed most of the workers for the stores, factories and warehouses the slightly decayed district's inhabitants helped run. The place smelt of burned meat and sweat with an undercurrent of cigarette smoke in the hallways, held by the thick carpeting and thicker walls with sparse windows that let in blazing shafts of sunlight. The rush of traffic down the streets was punctuated regularly by the guttural passing of a freight truck heading for the industrial sectors of Freedom City, which did little to drown out the melodies coming from most of the rooms. The Sondo family lived in room 307, just past the door striped green and red, with a small dent on the drywall beside the door and a brass knocker inscribed with the Latin phrase 'Unus pro omnibus et omnes pro uno', the literary significance of which was wholly lost on most of the Sondos, none of them being particularly big readers. Inside the cramped apartment, the desperate last-minute rush to arrange things better was the cause for a constant stream of Spanish commands, questions and the scraping and bumping of furniture that seemed impossible to shift in any fashion, all of which drifted out into the hall where the guests awaited. The visit had been a long time coming, requiring a careful arrangement on the part of the family's various schedules to allow all of the hard-working clan the time to have a gathering so late in the year. It was determined that nothing that they could avoid would mar the afternoon. Galanta's muscular form briefly swept out from behind the door, calling out brightly "Just a few more minutes, Subito!" she grinned and waved at the guests before vanishing back inside.

The night at the fort had been utter misery. Swarms of mosquitoes had buzzed around the room, and after almost a year sleeping in a soft bed with one other person in the room the snores and other night noises of the prisoners and soldiers sleeping around the jail had kept him up for hours before he managed to get himself adjusted to it and fall asleep; and he was pretty sure a horde of rats had infiltrated the place, searching out any unfortunate they could find to sniff at and scrabble over. Thus, he reacted to the boot-stirring with a savage cry of "Grah! ¡Márchese!", tossing the blanket over his head he felt the clothes fall on him, and he got unsteadily and yawning out of bed to examine them, holding the garments at arms-length to inspect them critically while he held the rifle in his other hand. Putting the rifle on the bed he said grouchily as he changed "I know this'll sound weird, but I can fight better without using a gun. I know how to shoot one, but I ain't really a soldier." Following the commander he nodded at his praise of Young Britannia "She's got to be one of the best people I've met," he said gravely "I doubt you'll lose another man as long as she's around" he kept in step as best as he could with the longer steps of the bigger, military man. He looked deeply concerned with what Wilkins would have to tell the time-displaced duo...

The King of Suits nodded shortly "I will go free them then, and get them into the vent to join the others at the exit" waving a cheery goodbye to Carrie after getting the ring of keys, he helped push a few of the benches up to build a makeshift platform for the last of the cultist to get up on, and vanished into the still eerily dark passageway. Walking silently through the halls, he followed the directions Janice gave him to the letter, finding to his delight a large and imposing door from which muffled, angry cries came from. After a few tries he found the right key and opened the door, shoving it open to reveal a narrow rectangular room filled with iron cages hanging from the ceiling. In three of the cages were the prisoners, loudly yelling for all to hear. "You can't hold us forever!" "The longer you wait, the closer the city heroes will get to you!" "Get us the ********** out of here!" The shouts stopped abruptly when the dark figure of Marceau slid into view, and they became much more hesitant and unsure. "Hey," one of them, a young African-Asian woman said "you're not with those snake people, are you?" The King of Suits grinned merrily, twirling the key ring "I am not, madame! I have come to rescue you from the coils of this cult, whom I and an associate have convinced to come quietly." Beginning the niggling task of unlocking the heavy cages, he went on "However, it seems we might soon run into super-humanly dire trouble soon. A messenger of their snake god will be here soon, and it is likely he will be...angry" with a heavy clank the cage door were finally shoved out, letting the prisoners out. Whipping out an explosive card he flung it at the roof in the passageway, shutting the door before the dull explosion that sent shudders through the floor and walls. Once they had stopped, he opened the door once more, saying to the prisoners "Go on, get ready to follow me into the vent!"

Understood. Intimidate roll: 31!

Once Vincent was aboard, the King of Suits sent word to the faculty about their suspicions of the student Vincent McBride, and that he had been taken along to assist in the investigation of the mysterious plague. The message given, he went down to the lower decks that seemed quite similar to the brig recreation he had seen as a child at a museum. Finding the reinforced room Vincent had been taken into, he said the multi-headed(and very orange and hulking) guard "I need to ask the man inside a few questions, I won't be long." With a surly nod, the jail-guard tapped a button that caused the heavy door to shimmer, deactivating the forcefield around it before unlocking the cell and ushering the costumed vigilante in, slamming it shut behind him almost before Marceau rescued his long cape. Checking the hem briefly before letting the garment swirl back around him, he turned to face Vincent. Turning to the younger man on the long bench, he began. "Vincent McBride, I have come to ask you a few questions, and once I have my answers I will leave you be." Wandering over to one of the walls he leaned against it and went on "You have helped bring terror, panic and likely death to people in this city. The word that will be used to describe what you and your friend Tory have done will hound you to the rest of your days if this is not stopped before lives are claimed by the plague. To the end of your days, you will be seen as this, and all the goodwill you have gained will crumble to dust. So you will answer what I ask," he concluded, rounding on Vincent with a fire in his cold blue eyes "or else the life you will live shall be tainted forever! Where did you and Tory get the equipment and materials needed for this? What do you know about the Cult of the Dripping Pox? Who else is behind this scourge?!" he stood over the university student like a towering statue, face grim and remorseless in purpose, belying the furious anger in his voice.

Is it alright if I try and make a Diplomacy/Intimidate check to try and get some answers out of Vincent?

What we've decided on(if that is indeed what we've decided on and haven't changed) should probably be set down here: the Meta-Grue has decided in his infinite WIS score that it would be a great idea to disguise himself as one of the more monstrous-looking heroes of the city, which has the benefit of putting greater suspicion on those he impersonates than if he made himself look like Doctor Metropolis or Raven. So anyway, he does this deed, attracts the ire of the monster heroes whose forms he uses, they can't very well draw upon much in the way of outside help, and team up to bring this fiend to justice. That sound about right? If so, as soon as can be arranged is my vote.

GM The sight that awaited them outside the elevator was profoundly underwhelming. Even, bright lighting from numerous fixtures kept any kind of mood besides a tired blandness from arising, and the scrupulously clean walls and machinery of the shaft gave no glamor to the place. It was easily the least-exciting elevator shaft either of them had ever seen. The ceiling held a series of cushioned rams, for some reason. What it lacked in romance and mystique, it more than made up for in helpful footholds, handholds and means of traversing it besides the very obvious elevator, with a broad-runged ladder running down the wall on their right hands, on the left upper corner of the lift. Three vent ducts were in view at twenty feet intervals, covered by a barred grate with a convenient sliding lock on the inside and outside. They were evidently for internal maintenance purposes, as each of them were large enough to hold a full-grown human. If they were laying down. A faint thrumming was coming from below, insistent and monotonous through the warming air, which carried the smell of oil.

Initiative time: 18!

There is a ladder in a slightly recessed channel at a diagonal to the elevator that runs up and down the elevator shaft. About every twenty feet there is a vent that could be crawled into by an average adult human, with a little room to spare. So far there have been three of them.