Into The Strange: The Eschatology Code

[SalmonMax]

"She's not, she seems to have the best idea of what this is. If anyone's expendable it's me and you," Juno corrects. "But all right. With any luck they'll have their hands full with us. Curtis, if you can stay mobile and still work, you might want to get closer to the church so we can reach you if anything goes wrong."

 

"Other than that, alright. Lets do this."

[Curtis Shane]

"No disruptions." Curtis insisted firmly. "I'm staying here. I'm leaving it up to you three as to how to assort yourselves into the groups." He was already sitting, engrossed in the information Eidley was showing him, fingers flying on the keyboard.

 

"Anyway - good luck."

[Ravenhurst ST]

A billion billion years.

 

Infinity in an instant.

 

All of time and space combined.

 

A universe with no beginning and no ending.

 

Shattered.

 

Nothing...emptiness...all of creation... all of reality...

 

but

 

in the emptiness, a single red star, burning its fuel depleted, its fusion flickering

 

in it's corona the incinerated husk of a planet floats a single spire rises from the surface stretching away from the dying sun a spire not of gold nor silver nor black or white it is a color for which there is no word

 

before the spire one stands

 

and

 

A billion billion years.

 

Infinity in an instant.

 

All of time and space combined.

 

A universe with no beginning and no ending.

 

Shattered.

 

Nothing...emptiness...all of creation... all of reality...

 

but

 

in the emptiness, a single red star, burning its fuel depleted, its fusion flickering

 

in it's corona the incinerated husk of a planet floats a single spire rises from the surface stretching away from the dying sun a spire not of gold nor silver nor black or white it is a color for which there is no word

 

before the spire four stand

 

 

 

The Qephilim stared into the burnished bronze mirror and studied its reflection, frowning. “Next time you come to me, got it?” He points out the floor to ceiling window at the sleek deadly vessel hovering in the Strange beyond the horizon, tehn back at eh bronze plate. “I will never get used to this form..”

 

Drawing a deep breath holding back his anger at this pissant stinking up his chamber Cole/Betrayer points again at the pictures on the table. “Yes Captain as you wish, but I need this done NOW!”

 

The Captain looks at the photos so out of place in the primitive setting, he shuffles them around singling one out in particular, a young human woman well build dark hair, broad shoulders. He snorts loudly “These other three I dont know but this one I owe this bitch..”

 

Betrayer/Cole shrugs “I dont care what you do to her or to the skinny man, but you only get paid when you deliver the young girl and the man with the coat, to me, alive.” The Qepilim nodded “Then we have a deal.”

The god smiled.

 

 

Tuesday Evening 5:30 PM

 

Lesie Scott was returning to his motel room after another day without securing anything good for his private quest when he spotted the two very attractive young woman and the oddly disheveled man leaving a room a few doors down from his.

 

All three of them caught him looking which made him feel uncomfortable and he quickly looked away and busied himself with unlocking his door only to turn back before entering his room and seeing the odd trio get into a car. As the car drove away it registered in his mind that he had seen that car near the church today and it had been there yesterday as well.

 

 

 

Closing his door he made his way down to the room he had seen them leaving from. Stopping at the door he could hear voices coming from inside but couldn't make out what they were saying.

 

Then the lights went out...

 

 

Inside the motel room Curtis and Eidley were finally free to talk. Curtis still had his doubts about the Ai, if it really was an ai but he was seasoned enough to know not to give it his full trust and wise enough to know that he could get real data even from a cleaver constructed lie. He had just started to ask Eidley about the whole Discontinuous thing when the lights went out...

 

 

Ian wasn't happy with having people in his car well he didn't mind Hotstuff really he thought looking into the seat beside him but cop/bitch that was kind of annoying. He glanced up to make sure Juno wasn't fucking around with anything back there and nearly cursed out loud when he saw Goth-Motehr siting next to Juno.

 

The the car died, and the lights went out all over the city.

 

Ian and Goth-mother spoke in unison

 

“Oh Shit!”

 

[z-Ian]

“God damned alienfucking fuckers!” Ian continued his steady stream of curses as he fought to pull over the car despite a lack of fun things like power-steering. Along the road they were on, other vechiles were having the same problem; in front of them, a large farm truck rolled relentlessly into the rear of a compact car. Ian didn’t have time to see the outcome of that wreck; he was struggling with his own one-ton killing machine.

 

“Fuck. Me.” He breathed when he got more or less onto the shoulder and put the car into park. He pulled his keys out and turned to look at them, his expression grim. “Fucking EMP blast.”

[SalmonMax]

"Shit..." Juno breathed, looking around. She wasn't looking so much at the city but at the sky in the horizon. "That's from nukes. I don't see any blasts though."

 

"Lexi, do you think this could be something from Ardeyn? Like on the plane? Some kind of magic EMP that doesn't need a nuclear explosion?"

[z011]

The woman gave a shrug. "I suppose, though I doubt it. Also, you don't have to have a nuke to make an EMP. Just large magnets. Still, I doubt this is some odd coincidence." She eased out of the car, watching the road wearily and placings a hand over her gun. Even if it were some grand coincidence, people could get real stupid real fast around things they didn't understand that scared them.

 

"C'mon. I don't think we're really going to get 'stealth' on this mission anymore. We'll skip the disguises and just go directly to the church. Hopefully other people being in a panic will give us some cover to do what we need to do." She frowned and added, "And I hope Curtis has good shielding on his laptop."

 

She waited for the others to join her, her body taut with restrained energy. They needed to move now.

[Curtis Shane]

Curtis froze as the lights flash consumed the city. That was most likely NOT a coincidence. Fortunately, his laptop was still intact. "Eidley," he whispered, "What's the damage report here."

 

"Power and cell services are most certainly down throughout the city, and probably beyond." The AI responded in an equally modulated low voice. Since that this was not a likely coincidence, Curtis tapped into the cameras Ian had left behind and started looking. The spectrum switching was required to deal with the darkness, but Curtis saw someone listening in.

 

Right. Time to see if he could throw them off. He stripped off his shirt, and for good measure, his pants. Then he opened the door, just but a fraction, enough to poke his head and hints of his naked shoulders around. "Are you hotel staff? What the fuck happened out there?"

[Ravenhurst ST]

As the last rays of the sun are sinking into the west True darkess come for  the people of Sioux Falls. Power outages are not uncommon but finding the telephone and cell service disrupted is.

 

 Lexi watches as other people begin exiting their automobiles, the driver of teh truck and the unfortunate have entered into a heated argument, both trying to use their cell phones to no avail.

 

In the car Goth mother looks panicked "She's right this isn't a coincidence, everything's out for a twenty mile radius, this has to be an attack. But there's no way they can know where we are, without a bio-neural connection to one of you, they would have to have eyes on us or some thing something else to pinpoint your location..."

 

Back at the motel, Curtis is questioning the stranger at the door but before he can answer...

 

A loud Whump draws attention to the North toward the distant airport. The first whump is followed quickly by a second and third and the dark over cast sky begins to glow in the distance with the reflections of fire..

 

 

At the motel Curtis and Leslie Scott both hear the loud rumbling whump then they both hear the sound of a chainsaw coming from the room next to Ian's...

 

 

Game Info

Juno, Lexi, and Ian are on the side of the road approximately a block or so from the Motel.

Curtis is still in the room. Leslie is out side.

We are not in initiative yet.

Curtis the Chainsaw bites into the wall by the bed in the room it will tack about a minute for who ever to hack through the wall so you have that much time to react.

Rorx, I will be referring to your character as Scott from now on so it doesn't become confuse with Lexi when i'm typing.

Scott who is still outside the room can make an intellect check at level 4 (12) this is a perception check so anything that helps you notice physical things can help. Curtis you are obviously distracted by the chainsaw hitting the wall so you do not make the perception check.

any questions ask in chat if im there or in ooc thread or pm me.

If Rorx doesn't post i will npc him until he can i wont make another post until everyone has posted at least once unless your actions call for it.

[Rorx]

Scott had quickly looked out of a nearby window when the lights went out to confirm to himself that it was not just the hotel that had lost power, but he had not expected to see cars coasting to a halt and frequently crashing in the process by the dim light of the night sky outside. He had only just returned to the door behind which he had heard the voices when the bare head and shoulders of blonde bespectacled man emerged.

 

"No, I'm not, I..."

 

Scott turned at the sound of the dull whumps to see the light of the explosions burst into the corridor through the nearby window.

Mechanics

Perception roll with specialist reduces it 2 steps to target of 6.
Rorx *rolls* 1d20: 13: 13
Success

 

As he turns back the sound of the chainsaw kicks in and he spots people moving in the shadows. Moving like he'd seen SWAT times move in any number of shows and news broadcasts. Scott quickly turns to the man with a worried look.

 

"What have you done to piss off Foss or his backers? No, never mind that now, we better get out of here they're sending troops in!"

 

 

[Curtis Shane]

"No." Curtis said, calmly, and that probably bothered Scott more than anything. "I've got business, and you are not going to be leaving here, since I'll have to question you later." He slammed the door, and scavenged first for his pants to put on. Then he moved aside the laptop, quick-saved, closed the lid.

 

Finally, Curtis found it, a jacket with hidden lining of circuitry - but of course it was a protection cypher. Curtis put it on and focused his mind to activate it. And the nearby odd device that went point and click - if click meant putting a flat wall of long force along the motel wall being cut through.

 

The agent took cover and made sure his pistol was loaded and ready.

 

OOC

Since presumably an Initiative roll will be required: Jeremy *rolls* 1d20: 18: 18

For the next hour, Curtis has an asset to Speed defense rolls.

 

Might: 8/8

Speed: 10/10

Intellect: 18/18

 

Current Cyphers

Manipulation Beam (Level 8) [2/8 uses]

Vanisher (Level 7)

Temporary Shield (Level 5)

Force Screen Projector (Level 6)

Curative (Level 6)

[Renata Hodges]

The woman gave a shrug. "I suppose, though I doubt it. Also, you don't have to have a nuke to make an EMP. Just large magnets. Still, I doubt this is some odd coincidence." She eased out of the car, watching the road wearily and placings a hand over her gun. Even if it were some grand coincidence, people could get real stupid real fast around things they didn't understand that scared them.

 

"C'mon. I don't think we're really going to get 'stealth' on this mission anymore. We'll skip the disguises and just go directly to the church. Hopefully other people being in a panic will give us some cover to do what we need to do." She frowned and added, "And I hope Curtis has good shielding on his laptop."

 

She waited for the others to join her, her body taut with restrained energy. They needed to move now.

 

Juno took a deep breath.

 

"We're not walking over there. Come on."

 

She waved her arm for the others to follow her, then started back towards the motel...just over a single block away.

 

"We'll see if anyone has bikes we can borrow."

[z-Ian]

Ian shook his head as Juno turned back. “We don’t have time to hunt down three bikes in the middle of winter in South fucking Dakota. The church is only a mile, if we jump a few fences.” He oriented himself and pointed, thankful that Google Maps was such an invasive asshole.

 

He turned to sprint but didn’t get a step. The Gothmother stood looking back at the motel, fading in and out. “What’s wrong?” he asked her.

 

She swallowed and said, “There are only two things that could lead them to you.” Taking a deep breath, she admitted, “Me. I’m now cut off but there’s also the computer.”

 

“Curty’s computer?” The other two were looking at him like he was insane, but Ian ignored them.

 

“Yes.” Fear and concern mingled in her eyes. She reached out and actually touched his arm, feeling as real as Alexandria and Juno. “I’m vulnerable now.”

 

“What about Curtis’s computer?” Lexi asked sharply.

 

“They can trace it.” Ian swallowed and said, “Juno, go help Curtis. Someone has to stay with him and protect him. The Gothmother can go with you.” He turned to his bizarre guide, feeling strangely worried about her. “Go with her, stay with the computer. We can’t bring you if they can follow you, and the stakes are too high.”

 

A quick glance at Alexandria and he knew she was on the same page as him. He didn't know how but for now it was enough; he turned and started to run, feeling like an asshole. The Gothmother was the most generous patron he’d ever had, and if something happened to her, he’d miss her.

 

He’d only gotten a few yards when he remembered he hadn’t locked his car. The paradox almost turned back but kept running. Fuck it, I’ll lose everything if the world ends anyway. He didn’t know exactly what was going on but he did know what ‘-vore’ meant: eater.  Clutching his coat tighter, he ran a little faster.

[SalmonMax]

"The...goth mother?" Juno asked rhetorically to Ian's retreating back. "Lexi...I know you can take care of yourself, but are you sure you're all right with being on your own with him?"

[z011]

It took a moment for Juno to realize she was standing there alone already - or at least with only the Gothmother hovering somewhere near by. Lexi was already gone, a few steps behind Ian and bit slower than the running paranoid, but just as intent on reaching the church before the Betrayer had his path to Earth and destroyed both of the worlds she loved. 

[Rorx]

Scott moved as soon as the door slammed in his face. He hadn't spent much time in Ruk but he had learnt how to tell when not to be somewhere and this was certainly the time not to be here. Entering the room he grabbed his bag that he kept ready to go as much as possible on his way to the back window. Exiting he looked about then headed off towards the church making the best use he could of shadows and parked cars.

[Renata Hodges]

God. Fucking. Damnit. One little giant EMP was all it took to throw everyone off the goddamn plan. Her first instinct was to run Ian down, grab him by that fucking ridiculous coat, and put his ass on the ground where she could remind him in the universal language of fists that he was at BEST a junior member of this outing, and in her eyes still a pretty strong security risk, and in either case was in no way empowered to be giving her orders.

 

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you saw it, she'd grown up a little since those instincts had served their purpose well. Petty vengeance would take a very close second place to saving a teammate, and possibly the world.

 

She turned back and ran flat out for the motel. No matter what Curtis was capable of in a fight, Juno gave him exactly zero odds of surviving if he didn't have backup when the goons came.

 

(OOC - Rorx, you'd definitely see Juno coming back. If you want to hide from her, you can narrate that out. No need for a roll.)

[Ravenhurst ST]

Descending darkness, the only light in Sioux Falls this night was teh reflection of flame and a few scattered Flash lights, and teh candles...

 

IAN AND LEXI

 

Running and slipping through the yards and what served for alleys in Sioux Falls the two strangers with a history made their way to the Church of Father Foss. Stopping across the street from the parking lot where the media trucks sat in the dark, Lexi and Ian took in the tableau before them.

 

The Vans and cars were still there and so were a few media people with pocket flashlight and even a few camera men with camera on battery, what they were watching and filming was a sight.

 

Kneeling int the fenced in are before the church were about twenty white robed members of the congregation all holding  lit candles in a pose of supplication, Behind them on the Porch of the old church could be seen figures standing guard the darkness hiding all detail.

 

Ian and Lexi froze in their tracks as the sounds of the worshipers drifted to them the sounds of memory the sounds of the Cult of Lotan!

 

 

JUNO

 

Tearing back up the street Juno Reyes makes straight for the  Motel and Curtis, as she rounds the corner darkend office into the courtyard she almost trips of a figure on the ground. Deftly leaping over the pron figure she spins and crouches down looking at the form lying before her. A young woman lying still limbs akimbo, Juno alrt now to danger reaches out and checks the woman's pulse, Faint but steady. Juno scans the darkness looking listening...

 

GM INFO

Juno Level4 intellect roll for perception .

 

 

CURTIS

 

Curtis Shane Agent of the Estate positions himself to cover both eh door and the wall just in case. The shield has muffled the sound of the chainsaw and while the wall is getting chewed up behind the shield the miscreants on teh other side are making no progress. That side of the room is safe from penetration.

 

Abruptly the chain saw stops and Muffled unintelligible voices are heard from the other room. A moment later Curtis hears the crack as the front window shatters and a rifle barrel with a flashlight attached thrusts the curtain aside to let a dark figure toss into the room a small cylindrical object which lands on the bed...

 

 

GAme Info

in the beam of the flight from the rifle Curtis sees what looks like a grenade or flash-bang land on the bed. He can either fire at the figures, in which case he can take his shots but he will need to make a Might Defense roll at Level6 or he can make a Level 3 Defense roll to dodge into the Bathroom and take cover. Or he can get fancy and try a level 7 reflex defense to jump on the bed and throw the object back out the window before the curtain completely closes. Curtis also needs to roll intiiative for his nexet set of actions but not for what he is doing here

 

SCOTT

 

Not knowing what the hell he has gotten himself into he slips from the window with he intention of getting away. Movement from his immediate right causes him to flinch away from a rifle butt aimed at his head.  Before him crouched around eh window to the room witht eh blond guy  are two more men dressed in black paramilitary garb as the first man prep another swing Scott feels a sharp sting between his shoulder blades and he hears aclick of a rifles action behind him...

 

GM Info

Scott needs to make a Lvl Three Might Defense roll, he also takes 1 point of damage apply armor normally if you have any.

If he makes the might roll he need to roll Initiative. If he fails he can still needs to roll initiative and may take one action in the next turn before becoming incapacitated.

[Curtis Shane]

Curtis wasn't a fool, and hurtled into the bathroom for cover - unfortunately, as he reached for the Manipulation Beam cypher....

 

OOC

Nina ruled that Curtis' dive for cover requires no roll, but the Intellect roll to use the Manipulation Beam is a lvl 3/target 9.

 

Jeremy *rolls* 1d20: 7: 7

---

For the next hour, Curtis has an asset to Speed defense rolls.

 

Might: 8/8

Speed: 10/10

Intellect: 18/18

 

Current Cyphers

Manipulation Beam (Level 8) [3/8 uses]

Vanisher (Level 7)

Temporary Shield (Level 5)

Force Screen Projector (Level 6)

Curative (Level 6)

[Ravenhurst ST]

A silent flash of neon green light burst from the cylinder on the bed, as a visible sphere shot out to encompass the Motel room Curtis hesitated only a second. The cylinder, outlined by the flash, was easy to target now and risking everything he grabbed it with the beam even as the outer edge of the sphere touched him. A feeling of paralysis washed over him but he shook it off and thrust the cylinder out of the room hurling the thing away through the window into the courtyard.

 

Outside in the parking lot Juno was attracted to a green flash form the vicinity of the room where they had left Curtis. As she watched the green light coming from the window burst out and a growing sphere lit the night. Wide eyed she watched as the sphere sailed across the lot growing as it went, in the glow of the sphere she saw at least half a dozen black-clad armed men and as the glowing sphere touched them they fell motionless. The sphere stopped about two feet from Juno and faded out.

 

 

Game Info

the half dozen paralyzed foes are out of action. But Juno does see three more including one who is a hulking bruiser of a man...

Curtis you have thrown off the effects of the paralytic cypher. and may act normally

Scott you are still in deep but not as much as the he sees the green glow in the sky and the three in under Curtis's window all take off running away away from him leaving him with the one swinging the rifle and who ever is behind him.

all three of you are in combat now so make sure you have your initiatives rolled

[Renata Hodges]

Juno uttered a curse and quickly ducked around the corner to the north, using the wall of the motel to give SOME cover at least from the three men in the parking lot. She drew her pistol and aimed it in a two-handed shooter's grip, then took a shot at one of the smaller guys. Deprive the big one of support quickly, then she'd be able to give him her undivided attention. That was the plan.

 

(Rolled an 8 to attack in chat)

[Curtis Shane]

Curtis smirked and moved up to the cover of the front window. He raised his pistol and took some potshots at the fleeing men. Thought they could deal with a veteran Estate agent this easily?

 

OOC

Attack: Jeremy *rolls* 1d20: 3: 3

---

For the next hour, Curtis has an asset to Speed defense rolls.

 

Might: 8/8

Speed: 10/10

Intellect: 18/18

 

Current Cyphers

Manipulation Beam (Level 8) [3/8 uses]

Vanisher (Level 7)

Temporary Shield (Level 5)

Curative (Level 6)

[Ravenhurst ST]

Gunshots shatter the night, one coming from Juno, the rest coming from the room where Curtis is.  Juno ducks back expecting a hail of bullets but none come Instead she hears a bellowing voice shouting  with what appears to be an oddly Germanic accent. "No you imbeciles the fucking whore is mine. Join with Odor and get those fuckers out of the room and keep them Alive!" The huge man throws aside his rifle and drawing two huge knives charges toward Juno closing the distance in a mater of seconds he makes an astonishing leaping attack at Juno screaming at the top of his lungs "And don't use anymore fucking cyphers!"

 

Curtis take a few shots toward the three men facing Juno he hears the bellowing and see the two men peeling off towards the motel room the green glow is fading and as he tries to line up and shot he detects movement out of the corner of his eye. Muttering a curse he sees three more men coming around the far corner at teh end of the walkway to his right, the are crouched down but moving rapidly toward his room...

 

Game info

it is now round 1 for juno and curtis.

juno big guy is in the air his action ill occur pretty much symultanousluy as your but you may act first.

to his him is level 5 He cannot dodge but it is obvious that he is wearing armor.

Curtis you can get clear shots at teh three men on teh walkway hitting them is a lvl 4

the two in the courtyard are taking cover trying to get shots into the room to hit them is lvl 5

curtis you have iniative too

[Rorx]

Scott dreaded the feeling of the dart in his back and half expected to collapse. Instead he felt invigorated and (fake) stumbled forward under the swinging rifle. Grabbing the rifle as it passed over head he used it as a lever to throw the wielder at the guy behind him who had fired the dart. They landed in a tangled heap on the floor while Scott nimbley spun the rifle around and ready to fire. In doing so he realised that it was an air rifle of some kind, presumably also loaded with darts....

 

 

OOC

Scott made a 20 on his Might Save resulting in:-
[Nina] 4:28 pm: basicly they will be caught flat footed this roung believing you are going down so you automaticly get inintiative. The drug doesnt work right on you in stead of paralyzing you it jacks you up givving you a free level of effort to spend this round as well as allowing you to use your edge on and roll for the rest of the combat scene.

Might roll with Free Effort to throw guy swinging Rifle into the person/people behind Scott who fired the dart.
Rorx *rolls* 1d20: 20: 20

 

[Nina] 1:40 am: ok you can eitehr use your 20 to do 4 extra points of damage to both of them and that means the take 6 before armor or you can  them get tangled up with each other which will basicly mean thay cant act this round at all until they untangle them selves giivng you time to grab the rifle or you can intruce some other sort of complication. just run that choice by me first to make sure it would work.

 

[Rorx] 1:44 am: How about the guy I throw flies into the one who had been behind me tangling the two and leaving the gun in my hands covering them (I know how to use Light and Medium weapons if it counts)?

 

[Nina] 1:46 am: that works it wont take but a moment to realize that the guns are air rifle and not assault weapons thus the dart... so you can feel free to shoot them next round lol

Might 6/7 (Taken 1pt damage)
Speed 10/10 (used 2 from Effort for Initiative)
Intellect 12/12

 

 

[z-Ian]

Holy fuck! Ian had no idea what to do now. He’d known that stopping these guys involved laying a smack down on them, but he wasn’t sure how to smack down twenty guys in front of cameras and unknown numbers of guards.

 

“Alexandria--” He turned toward her to find her drawing a gun with murder in her eyes. “Whoa, whoa, Lara Croft!” He caught her arm before she could aim, pushing the muzzle back toward the earth. “We need a plan, one which doesn’t include dying in a hail of bullets.”

 

“We need one now.” The urgency in her gaze made him think of his sister. “We don’t have time to talk about one.”

 

“Give me a second!” Ian said feverishly, pulling out his binoculars. The cultists didn’t set off his weird-o-meter but the guards were probably glassed up. Ian didn’t see the war glasses in the dark but he did see glints of reflected light around their eyes. His gaze swept over the sides of the church and a service entrance--

 

“Wait, the service entrances aren’t guarded. We can sneak in.” It wasn’t a great plan but Ian didn’t have much time before Lexi went all Zero-Dark-Thirty on these guys, in front of the press.

 

She frowned at him. “We need to stop the ritual.”

 

“Look, the important part is the computer that the vore is going to use--”

 

“We have to stop both,” she insisted.

 

“Let’s do the computer then do the ritualists.” Ian put his hands on her shoulders. “We shouldn’t split up, so let’s get the bigger threat first, okay?”

[Curtis Shane]

Pincers. Now that was a cheery thought. Curtis turned and opened fire on the men attempting to flank him. If this continued any more... he'd need a major exit plan.

 

OOC

Lv 4 - 1 for light weapon: Jeremy *rolls* 1d20: 3: 3

---

For the next hour, Curtis has an asset to Speed defense rolls.

 

Might: 8/8

Speed: 10/10

Intellect: 18/18

 

Current Cyphers

Manipulation Beam (Level 8) [3/8 uses]

Vanisher (Level 7)

Temporary Shield (Level 5)

Curative (Level 6)

[SalmonMax]

When the giant leapt into the air...pouncing on her like he was some kind of huge humanoid panther, Juno reacted on sheer instinct. She hurled herself backwards and tucked into a sort of reverse somersault to get back up to her feet. Even with the distance she managed to get before he hit the ground with a thunderous stomp, she barely cleared the knives he swung through the spot she'd been standing.

 

Quarters were too close for guns, but the Mountain that Jumped probably didn't realize that she was better in close combat than with a pistol anyway.

 

Not that he'd know it...she took a swing at him, but was still off balance from the tumbling and panic and everything, and her fist was way short of him.

 

Juno quickly brushed the back of her hand across her bangs to clear them from her eyes and glared up at Gigantor with a narrow, focused expression that did not at all belong on someone three quarters his height and maybe a third his weight. They weren't the eyes of someone who'd barely escaped being eviscerated and had just really horked up the counterattack.

 

She looked more like she was trying to decide which wall to mount his hide on when she was done pulling it off of his bones.

 

Her mouth pulled into a grim smile.

 

"Hey, I remember you. How's the nose?"

 

[salmonMax] 7:00 pm: Lets see. Level 5 speed defense is rough.

[salmonMax] 7:01 pm: I can expend some effort though and bring that down to level 4...
[salmonMax] 7:01 pm: Which I will do.
[salmonMax] 7:01 pm: So that's 12 or better on the d20.
SalmonMax *rolls* 1d20: 18: 18
[salmonMax] 7:01 pm: Aw, I woulda made it anyway.
[salmonMax] 7:01 pm: Oh well, that's good news.
[salmonMax] 7:02 pm: Oh heck, she's trained in Speed too...stupid brain.
[salmonMax] 7:02 pm: Now...let us see if fist meets giant cleft chin.
SalmonMax *rolls* 1d20: 4: 4
[salmonMax] 7:02 pm: mmmmmnope

[Rorx]

Scott quickly puts a dart into each of the tangled twosome, then checking no-one else is about behind the motel he ducks under the room the barely dressed guy was in, grabbing the rifle the other trooper had in passing and jogs to the end of the building to head to the front.

[Ravenhurst ST]

Juno and the Giant close in on each other entering  a desperate flurry of action as fists fly and knives flash!

 

Meanwhile Curtis'  hail of bullets to his left fail to strike it does cause the three advancing soldier/terrorist to halt and take what cover thy can. Just then Scott comes round the corner behind them!

 

Curtis ducks back as two darts ping off the broken window reminding him that he has two additional foes to his front.

 

Game Info

No agents have taken damage

Juno I dont remember your initiative but since you are basicly in solo combat you can either post me what you rolled before or roll agian your choice.

Curtis need a Intellect perception roll level 3 to spot Scott in the reflected light.

Both Curtis and scott have initiative over the goons.

Scott your target to hit one of them is level2 becasue they are unaware, if you wish to attempt to shoot all three you may attempt that at level6 this is the only round you may attempt that shot and after your move this round unless you sneak away they will be aware of you.

Curtis your Target levels are still 4 and 5.
Curtis if you donot fire this round make a second perception roll also at level3

let me know what teh perception roll(s) and initiiative are for curtis and Juno respectivly in the combat thread. and questions can also be asked there or in chat or pm.

[Rorx]

Scott sidles up to the corner of the building and peeks around to spot 3 of the troopers moving down to flank the guy from the room. Wishing he had put more time in at the range he rejects the fleeting idea of trying to shoot all three and takes a careful bead on the one on his right.

 

A hit! Before the guy had finished crumpling to the floor, Scott has crouched down so that he is mostly covered by the wall, and hoping that they will miss seeing or shooting him in return.

 

OOC

One shot at level 2 = TN 6
Rorx *rolls* 1d20: 12: 12

Hit

[Curtis Shane]

Curtis ducked back down into cover. At least he'd bought a few seconds. A hint of reflections and peripheral vision demonstrated the man from earlier seemed to be approached the walkway men from behind with one of their own dart rifles - darts, not bullets, Curtis mentally filed away. Well, enemy of my enemy, at minimum - Curtis was going to let him take the heat then.

 

Particularly as another trace of movement behind frightened him - turning frantically Curtis found... not an enemy. Just a woman with gothic wear but looking more like a tattooed hooker. In this case, given her translucent appearance and Curtis' instinctive awareness of the Strange... it was Ian's Gothmother... MONKEYING WITH HIS COMPUTER.

 

"Dammit, Gothmother!" Curtis hissed, "leave it alone."

[Ravenhurst ST]

Meanwhile at The Church

 

Moving down the empty street to avoid being seen Ian and Lexi crossover and keeping as much to the shadows as possible, close in on the unguarded side of the church. With the chanting muffled by distance the two can make out the unmistakable sound of a gasoline engine muffled coming from behind the church. Pausing only to motion Lexi to stay where she is Ian moves to the corner and peers around.

 

Lit only by the reflections of the distant fires he can make out two guards and what appears to be a cellar door like the type used for delivering coal. Both guards are dressed for the cold and Ian can make out the bulges of large guns inside their coats. Both of them are wearing War-Glasses. The sound of the engine is coming from there. At that very moment the sounds of distant gunfire dominates the night. Freezing in place Ian hope the guards don't look his way. And they don't in fact Ian notices they make no move at all.

 

Ducking back Ian returns to see Lexi looking off toward the sound of the gunfire which is the same direction as the Motel. “They'll be alright Lexi.” Ian quietly reassures and not in his customer y smartass way. “Juno can take care of herself, trust me on that.” Gesturing toward the back of the Church he continues. “There's two guards I'm pretty sure they have guns and they are wearing those funny glasses. There's a cellar door too.”. Looking into the dark window beside the door, “They seem to be out of it, didn't react to the gunfire, but I don't want to risk it back there not this close.” Without any light they can make out very little other than that it seems to open into a hallway running the length of the church. It takes only a moment for Ian to open the doors lock and the two slip into the church.

 

Producing a small penlight they take inventory of their surroundings. To the left of the door toward the rear of the church about twenty feet away they can make out a large double door. Directly acroos from the side door are three more single doorways, indicating rooms. Approximately forty feet tot eh right the hall way turns to the left at the front of the church. There is no sound except the faint muffled noise of the engine. There is also no light.

 

Moving to the doors with Lexi covering Ian gun at the ready, they find the large double doors locked with a deadbolt. The other three doors are not locked and after listening to make sure they are not occupied. The first two open into 20x20 storage rooms full of the sorts of things you would expect to find in a church of this size. The last door closest to the front of the church opens into a large room 20x40 which has several tables set up and along one wall a couple of soda machines and a table with three coffee urns, and trays of condiments and silverware. There is another door at the far side of this room. This door is also unlocked and opens into another hall.

 

This hall runs from the dining area tot eh back of the church. Where the two investigators can see another door to the outside that Ian hadn't noticed earlier when looking for the source of the engine. Immediately tot eh left of the dining room are three doors the first is a small kitchen and the second a pantry the last door by the back exit is locked but the two adventures can see a faint light coming from under the door. Ian again makes short work of the lock and they ready themselves as they open the door. Onto an unoccupied office.

 

They slip in and begin looking around. The first thing they notice is on the main desk there is a working desktop computer and three server type towers interconnecting them . There is also a power strip with its cord running into a hole knocked through the wall just large enough to pass it through. the sound of the engine can be heard close to the hole. Also in the room of interest are five aluminum airline cases each with the logo of the September Project. Opening the first case reveals a foam interior with six cut outs large enough to hold a glasses case. The first four cases are all the same with the fifth actually contain four cases. A quick check reveals that they do indeed contain War-Glasses.

 

A look at computer screen shows the Churches website is on display.

 

 

Game Info

War glasses in the case are not active.

Attempting to gain any access tot eh computer functions will require a Lvl7 intellect any computer skills and bonuses will apply.

Both Ian and Lexi notice that the office is well kept but that the back of the office by the main desk and filing cabinates and the airline cases that there are a lot of cobwebs in the corners. If eitehr or both investigate this you may make perception intellect roll levl 5. Knowledge of the strange applies.

[SalmonMax]

The words of her gibe had barely left her lips before she was lunging at him, closing the distance in a heartbeat and giving him a pair of quick body blows to the solar plexus and abdomen that should have laid him out. But too late she realized that he had protection...her fists weren't hitting meat, they were hitting something much thicker and tougher.

 

Next time you have a choice between church and a motel...go with the church. Make it a rule.

 

(OOC - 20 for Init, Nina gave me two attacks as a major thingie for the nat 20, and I rolled 3 on them both. So...there we go. )

[Ravenhurst ST]

Scott crouches down and back into eh darkness and the one of the thugs whispers with what sounds like  a heavy German accent, sort of. "I tink Unnngart vaas heet." the two remaining conscious men begin crawling forward cautiously. neither even noticing that their companion was hit by one of their own darts and not a bullet.

 

Juno land two solid blow which against an unarmored foe would have spelled the end of the fight. Unfortunately for her the Captain was heavily armored, the laugh that came from the huge hulking figure was straight out of an old time Saturday matinee "MWAHAHAHA!" as he drew back his knives for a sweeping attack he surprised her by pivoting and launching a side kick toward her chest with a massive size twenty boot.

 

As Curtis looks on the apparition grows more and more solid until a very real woman is standing there she spins, runs her hands down her body feeling her flesh as if for the first time, "Oh my God."  With one quick step she reaches the stunned Curtis and putting her hands on his shoulder and the back of his neck pulls him into a very deep kiss. The kiss lasts several seconds before she lets go and whispers again, "Oh my god."  She pulls away muttering sorry under her breath. Curtis finds his voice. "who the hell are you and waht did you do to my computer?"

 

"Grab it and follow me, I drained it of the  trans-dimensional conduit  energy to take a solid form I cant hold it long." she moves to the door throws it open and steps outside. "Don't worry it will recharge itself in a few minutes but right now you need to shoot the Varts they have a gate which i need to destroy." She spins back to Curtis "Tell my..tell Ian i love him, ok?" then before Curtis can say anything else he notices that her hands are glowing and unraveling the particles race away and surround the two closest thugs surprising them as they begin to glow.

 

Game Info

Scott you still have inititive roll level 4 to hit you can only shoot one this round.

Juno Speed Lvl 5 to dodge if you dodge no dmage if you donot dodge take 7 damage armor applies and you ar thrown back into the wall really really hard make a might roll level 3 to not be stunned next round.

Curtis you just got kissed...what more can i say

if you follow her out you can shoot the two thugs ahead of you target is lvl3 now

 

[Rorx]

Scott takes careful aim at the, apparently German, trooper on his left in the darkness of the forecourt then fires off a dart. It hits and he slumps to the ground.

OOC

Shot is level 4 = TN 12
Rorx *rolls * 1d20 : 12 : 12
A hit!
Just one trooper left.

 

[Curtis Shane]

Curtis muttered something best not said in mixed company. This was interesting - but the kiss was unwelcome! And he was going to have to get some further answers on her knowledge and relationship to Ian - those words hinted at something strange.

 

It took some moments for Curtis to realize that carrying his laptop under one arm and shooting with the opposite hand was harder than he'd thought.

 

OOC

Lv 3 - 1 for light weapon: Jeremy *rolls* 1d20: 5: 5

---

For the next hour, Curtis has an asset to Speed defense rolls.

 

Might: 8/8

Speed: 10/10

Intellect: 18/18

 

Current Cyphers

Manipulation Beam (Level 8) [3/8 uses]

Vanisher (Level 7)

Curative (Level 6)

[Renata Hodges]

Juno was quick, but that quickness wasn't supernatural. She'd dodged his flying lunge, but there was simply no way physics would let her be in a position to avoid that foot. It slammed into her midsection and continued on, lifting her off the ground and sending her hurtling back to slam against the wall behind her hard enough to knock every breath of air from her lungs and send her to her hands and knees, gasping and cringing as the world spun around her.

 

She heard footsteps clomping towards her, and set her chin as she got a foot under her, going to a kneel instead of a crawl. Rib bruised at the very LEAST. Fractured more likely. It hurt to breathe. And this was going to suck.

 

"Done already?" the mountain rumbled. "No more stupid quips?"

 

Mostly for him.

 

"Just one," she said in a broken voice, not much louder than a whisper.

 

Her opponent chuckled. "What was that?"

 

"Fuck. YOU."

 

Juno put everything she had into it...using the tension in her leg to propel herself up to her feet, and swinging her right arm in an underhanded arc. Using her momentum, her legs, her back and her arm, and whatever weird mojo she'd developed since first meeting these guys, to send a big motherfucker of an uppercut towards the titan.

 

And because he was leaning down a little to try to hear her whimper, he took it right on the big cleft chin.

 

The sound of the impact was less like meat hitting meat, and more like a gunshot or a little thunderclap. If her fist had been made of stone it might have made that noise as it crashed into the giant's face and sent him reeling back away from her!

 

(OOC - Rolls conducted in chat in Nina's presence. Failed speed defense, succeeded Might defense, rolled a 19 to attack in kind. )

[Ravenhurst ST]

A grunt from the thug Scott shot causes the the remaining attacker to roll and turn however he suddenly stops in the process of raising his weapon at Scott as a strange particulate glow surrounds him and his body starts to shift and bubble. To Scott, seeing this freezes the blood in his veins and the man seems to grow in size and bulk, his features shifting to a more bestial cast, his skin becoming leathery and a short stunted horn protruding from the center of its forehead. Even the things armor changes appearance from state of the art paramilitary gear to something that looks like medieval leather and chain armor in fact only the air rifle remains unaltered. The thing seems stunned and unable to react to Scott's presence.

 

Gothmorther doesn't even pause she leaps onto the hood of a car and quickly off the back end into the courtyard spinning casting off more and more of the particulate energy which sails across the courtyard in all direction send rainbow beams of light ever expanding to encompass the whole of the Motel.

 

Curtis's shot misses the thug he was aiming at shattering a car window as Curtis adjusts his hold on the laptop under his arm as well as his aim. The two thugs seem frozen in place. Curtis recognizes this a a form of the Translation state a person goes through when moving from recursion to the world or another recursion and his theory is confirmed as the two thugs start to transform into a race Curtis Curtis has not seen before but recognizes from descriptions.. The Thugs are Minor Yents a neutered offshoot of the Yent species. And if these are Minor Yents, then Juno must be facing off against the Prime Yent.

 

Juno's solid upper cut would have put any human on the canvas for the count and it did stagger the huge German and forced him back a few steps. Junos smile despite her pain when the asshole shook his head and beads of blood flew from his split chin. The he bellowed and reared back to come at her with the wickedly huge knives. But before he could strike the unearthly glow reached the two combatants and as the Captain began to glow and transform he spun leaving himself open to Junos next attack, and hurled both knives at the spinning figure of gothmother!

 

Juno watched as the giant German hurled the knives at the spinning glowing girl only he wasn't a giant German in more instead he was changing. His height and bulk increased and his skin grew leathery and his boots vanished to reveal huge Hooves the armor also changed looking like something from a star wars movie all some sort of hardens plastic like material. But what really through Juno was the head. The man wasn't a man He was a fucking Rhinoceros!

 

 

Game info

none of the bad guys can defend this round so basically you can hit them for free

however if no one does something for goth mother before the round ends she will be shish-kabob

 

The Yents - yes they are Bipedal rhinos. the Prime Yent is huge and very intelligent and usually an outlaw. the smaller are neutered servants/slaves of the primes. the estate does not know where their recursions is but they do know it is a recursion because they have to translate to human form to come to Earth. They have only been encountered in the chaosphere of the strange where they are usually pirates operating through out the shoals.

[z-Ian]

Ian didn’t like spiders; what was to like? Too many legs and eyes for comfort, and there was that whole “more dangerous when you couldn’t see them anymore”. No, he could leave the fucks far far away. Which is why he was unnerved when he realized that the shadows in the back of the room held webs and pissed when his nose started to bleed.

 

Fucking spiders. Fucking alien spiders. Fucking alien spiders I can’t see! The webbing was really thick and Ian peered more closely at it—

 

[---] smiled up at him and he groaned. “I know that look,” he told the child  with a rueful laugh.

 

[--] giggled, her small frame shaking with merriment. “You love it,” she told him. “You love our adventures.”

 

I love you, he thought but didn’t say. She knew it anyway. Turning, he pointed at the webbing and said, “There is nothing to love about Krey Scurriors.”

 

“Ian?” Alexandria’s question pulled him back to himself.  “Are you okay?”

 

“Fine,” he growled, wiping at his face. Fucking implant. “What are Krey Scurriors?” As he asked, he reached for one of the War Glasses, pocketing the case in his coat. He grabbed another case and opened it, hoping that he could figure these out if he needed them.

[Rorx]

Scott mentally shrugs as he aims and shoots his target. The rhino headed person slumps to the ground, chainmail being a poor protection from a drugged dart.

[Curtis Shane]

Yents? If they were with Cole, the Betrayer had gone very afar field for allies. And now the biggest one was throwing knives at the Gothmother. If she was solid - Curtis ran forward, some unconsciousness at work. No way to shoot up the knives. Just deflect them - Curtis found himself getting the lash of the knives.

 

Blood ran wet down his shoulder.

OOC

Curtis takes 4 damage and intrusion benefits, Max, you get 1 xp.

---

For the next hour, Curtis has an asset to Speed defense rolls.

 

Might: 4/8

Speed: 10/10

Intellect: 18/18

 

Current Cyphers

Manipulation Beam (Level 8) [3/8 uses]

Vanisher (Level 7)

Curative (Level 6)