I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings [OOC]

[Heridfel]

And now for the OOC thread for any issues that might arise.

[Heridfel]

The seduction attempt had a pretty severe circumstance penalty due to the threats in the middle of it. Mixing Diplomacy and Intimidation doesn't lead to good results with either part. It makes the Diplomacy seem insincere, and the Intimidation seem weak. My suggestion to you is to try to work with other villains to get out. They have a common interest in getting out, so you don't have to convince them of the "what", only the "how".

[Dr Archeville]

Is it still alright for me to have the small cameo of Dr. Archeville coming in to check up on Dryad and assure her he's working on a way to cure her? (And maybe inadvertently enrage her and give her the edge she needs to break out?)

[nareik123]

I personally don't mind. Herid, you ok with it?

[Heridfel]

I'm ok with it as well. If Dryad wants to resist the guards physically, we'll need to roll initiative. The consequences of losing such a fight would probably be solitary confinement for a while... but that could also give a good opportunity for Dr. A to visit. It's up to you, of course.

[Dr Archeville]

Archeville came by to see if she remembers anything more of what happened to her, and to take more 'blood' and 'skin' and 'hair' samples. Most all his gear was confiscated and is kept in some sort of visitor's holding area, but one thing he brought -- his med kit -- was taken to the prison infirmary. Included in his kit are some of the experimental "Turn Dryad Back Into A Human" serums, so he can test them immediately on the freshly-cut samples.

Dryad would be escorted to the infirmary to have the samples taken from her -- they don't dare let his medkit in amongst the inmates for fear someone might snatch it. While there she sees Archeville run his tests, and one seems to work, turning her sap into blood. She lunges forth and takes on of the vials of his serums and drinks/injects in, and soon starts convulsing and reacting very poorly. The prison's infirmary isn't set up to handle this (since Archeville's serums & her biochemistry are so weird), and an emergency helicopter is called in to take her to an actual hospital.

Before the chopper gets there, Dryad recovers, and her powers are back: somehow the serum has, at least temporarily, made her immune to whatever power-nullifying devices are in the prison. (I can provide sufficient technobabble for theorizing how.) She merrily slaughters her way out, commandeering the helicopter to take her off Lonely Point (or maybe they think she does but really she's slunk off into the water), escaping.

[nareik123]

I don't mind that, probably a nice idea.

I might actually change Dryad to a hero if Archville does find a cure, maybe say she adores the German scientist.

[Dr Archeville]

While Legionnaire is seen more and more as a Sabretooth-like villain

That would make for a very interesting character development, though, for both Dryad & Archeville.

[nareik123]

I might have Dryad as like a thrall of Archville.

[Heridfel]

Dryad is dressed in orange prison clothing, so there's no fear of exposing her modest feminine parts. I'm figuring, for the purposes of continuity, that Dryad didn't cause any further trouble in the cafeteria and was taken back to her cell, where she is currently meeting with Dr. Archeville.

[Dr Archeville]

......... for some reason I thought she was actually in her cell this whole time, not in an open space like a cafeteria. My "inner monologues" would've gone a lot differently if I'd realized that.

Ah, well. Teaches me to pay better attention to things

Archeville would've been fine with some of the leaves from the top of her head. But I'd be willing to bet the guards would not let her handle the test tubes in any way (she could snap, smash the end, and use it as a shiv).

[Heridfel]

Warden Drummer isn't available over the walkie-talkie, but the guards wouldn't have a problem escorting you to the his office to ask that. Give me a Diplomacy check. Drummer is currently indifferent and will be willing to take your advice if you get him to friendly. You've got a +2 circumstance bonus due to your line of reasoning. Post the result of the check here, and then I'll post his response IC.

[Dr Archeville]

Big money, big money, no whammy.... Diplomacy check (1d20+2 = 10)

I'm pretty sure that doesn't do it, but I would like this to go through, so I'd like to spend an HP to re-roll. Diplomacy re-roll (1d20+2 = 16) I think that does it!

[Heridfel]

And that does do it. I'll post that response later tonight.

[nareik123]

So, I have to serve the remainder of my term? Does that mean I spend another 8 months away? I suppose something must happen...

[Dr Archeville]

Here's what I was thinking:

In the prison Infirmary Dryad sees what she thinks is one of Archeville's serums working to revert one of the samples back to normal, and she leaps in and drinks/injects it all. Convulses, falls comatose, then wakes back up, with her powers back.

At the same time, there's a riot/escape attempt somewhere. Other guards go to handle it, but Dryad -- who wants to show she is trying to redeem herself -- helps stop it. Maybe she even says she'll help, but from what I've seen I'd more suspect that she'd just leap in after spouting some off phrases, not bothering to see if the guards want her help or not.

Riot is stopped, but though Dryad can do so, she chooses not to escape and remains in prison. After a few hours her powers fade back to being nullified.

Her help in stopping the riot/escape attempt, plus her choice to remain in prison and not escape herself even though she had her powers -- and perhaps some smooth talk from Archeville -- allow the parole board to be more lenient, and they remand her into Archeville's custody/house arrest to serve the remainder of her sentence. During that time he finds a way to permanently restore her to her human form, and after her time is up Valencia's handmaiden approaches her. (Dryad may be approached before her time is up, but it's a test: if Dryad chooses to go with her, and not finish serving out her time, it's an indication that she's not worthy enough and so Valencia wouldn't take her. By choosing to finish out her sentence, she shows the penitence required.)

Drawback to this is that, once all is said and done, it'll be December 2008, so she'll be limited in what adventures she can take part in (depending on when the new adventures are set).

[nareik123]

I'm up for that idea.

[Dr Archeville]

Oh, Herid, how do the Power Nullifiers in the prison work? I mean, is it some funky energy field surrounding the place, something set into collars all the prisoners wear, some gas pumped through the HVAC system, what? The entry on Blackstone Prison in the FC setting book mentions the construction and defenses (strobe lights/dazzle, anesthetic gas, electrified walls & floors, seismic sensors and force fields), but nothing about power negation. (DC's Slab Super-Prison had collars on each prisoner that nullified their individual powers, and could inject a regurgitant into them in case of riots; the HVAC system could also pump out a power-negating gas in case the collars were disabled that was able to negate the powers of everyone.) I ask because it'll impact some of the technobabble I give later

And is it affecting Archeville? He does have powers, his Enhanced Intelligence & Mental Quickness, and some Immunities.

[Heridfel]

Well, I have an explanation for the first part, but if Dr. Archeville wants to know about it, he'll have to ask the warden. Understandably, he probably won't go into great detail, but it'll be enough for your character to work with.

To answer the second question, Dr. Archeville is unaffected by the power dampening within Blackstone. The reason why ties into your recent post in the Character Edits thread and the logic behind the field.

[Dr Archeville]

Groovy 8-)

[nareik123]

Maybe, instead of me injecting/drinking something that gets my powers back, why not have the power containment field down. (Or whatever it is)

Why? Because, the guards sound like they can handle the situation without any need of help. They already taken down woman who were supposedly built like bricks without breaking out the super armour.

[Dr Archeville]

Definitely an interesting idea. It'd give Dryad a chance to show her new dedication to good/law, and be a(nother) chance for Archeville to prove himself a hero. Though, since this was primarily to be a thread for Dryad, I'd just have Archeville focus on restoring the power inhibitors, and/or jury rigging some sort of replacement nullifiers, rather than actually fighting (especially since he's belt-less!).

Up to Heridfel, though, since he'd be running the crooks (though I'd be willing to help out there).

[nareik123]

I suppose I could escort you (Like you need an escort) to the power field thingy. Then Dryad guards you whilst you do what you gotta do.

[Dr Archeville]

Without his belt, he's got the Defense/Toughness of a PL 6 char (Defense +8, Toughness +4). And he has no weapons, so unarmed he's PL 4 offensively (+8 attack, +0 damage), though he might be able to borrow someone's stunner or something.

[nareik123]

So when do the power fields go offline?