Jade Hood and Stone Fist Issue #1 (System Tryout)

OOC Both recover 1 effort point. Both on 1/5 effort, full health.

Jade Hood moved into the stairwell and peered over the edge of the rail. He could hear sounds of moaning echoing through the stairwell, and shouting coming from further down, probably near the bottom floor of the building!

With a glance at Stone Fist he led the way, moving with stealth and speed. Despite his size, Stone Fist was an accomplished thief himself, having being involved in petty crime as a youth to make ends meet. The decision to go straight had been easy - he'd seen too many friends die because they'd stepped over the wrong side of the law, and with so many guns about, Cops didn't think twice about dropping another street hoodlum! Besides that... he thought of his family. He wondered what they would make of him now?

"You coming?" hissed Jade Hood, a flight of stairs down. Stone Fist waved him along, and took several stairs at a time to catch up.

=========

Peering through the crack of a barely open door, Jade Hood looked out into a corridor.

There were a number of rooms, some with doors open. He caught a glimpse of a person in one of the rooms, slumped against a wall. They looked spaced out, drooling from the corner of their mouth, eyes vacant. The man was Chinese, an immigrant like himself. There were others in the room in a similar state, though of mixed race. Some were black, others looked mexican in origin. They were the desperate, the down trodden, the ones without hope, come to America in search of a better way of life, only to be rounded up by what amounted to human sharks and brought to this place.

Why?

He heard a voice, an accent and language he'd never encountered before.

Behind him, Stone Fist cocked his head to one side. "Dat German?" he whispered, though he couldn't make out what was being said, only having heard the lingo from crew on incoming ships. "Shhh." said Jade Hood. Footsteps from another, internal flight of steps (as opposed to the steps they used which were a fire escape/maintenance route) rang out.

"Vere are more subjects? Ve pay you vell, you promised zem! Ve need more to run ze tests!" spat a voice.

"Hey, keep yer hair on Fritz! We ran into a few problems is all. You'll get 'em, never you worry. The boss has it all in hand. You can trust him. He's never let you down yet."

There was a pause, then the german added. "Vell, you can get rid of zese. Zey are no good now. Ze tests show ze gas had no desirable effect."

"Yeah? Seems dey had their brains turned ta mush. That what you after?"

Another pause. "Just bring more. And find out where zat crate vas! It was marked... sample 107! Ve are missing one. Ze other batches have arrived save zat. Now get these cleared avay. Hans! Vat sample are ve up to?"

"94 Herr Schlott. I hef subject ready for testing. Numbers..." a pause... "81 through 90 all proved negative, same as all the others."

Jade Hood leaned back. He didn't understand all that was being said or what was going on, but it sounded nasty! Stone Fist frowned. He wondered if what were going on here was somehow connected to how he got his own powers... And now these ... Germans? They were testing the gas stuff on others. Why then hadn't he been turned into a vegetable? And how many more would suffer the same fate? All through this building, rooms were full of others waiting to be experimented on - or disposed of!

"We got to find that gas and get rid of it," Stone Fist whispered to Jade Hood. "I think that's how I got my abilities. Don't need some Fascists learning how to make folks like me! And doing that to everyone while trying to boot."

DavidMcMahon wrote:"We got to find that gas and get rid of it," Stone Fist whispered to Jade Hood. "I think that's how I got my abilities. Don't need some Fascists learning how to make folks like me! And doing that to everyone while trying to boot."

Jade Hood nodded, he didn't need to be told twice. Without a doubt stopping these Nazi's and their disturbing experiments was paramount. Such inhumanity to man, mustn't be allowed.

Listening at the door, Jade hood beckoned Stone First closer so they could whisper without being overheard.

OOC:

1. Ok Dave, I guess its a case of being like the Batman and trying to do silent take downs. Paul, assuming that the Nazi's are along with their test subjects on this level, I suggest that we take them out as best we can before they raise an alarm.

2. Assuming your ok with this Dave, I guess we sneak out, once we are on the landing and are sure this floor is deserted, we'll try and make our way to the sound of where the Nazi's stood and either distract them, so as one comes out we take him down before getting to the other one (assuming there are two of them only). Or else if there are more I think we revise what we do but silent take down is the priority.

3. If we aren't alone on this landing then the same thing applies, either we try and take out whatever hoodlum is up here silently then move on to the Nazi's, or we wait until we can take them on alone.

4. if waiting doesn't provide us with the right opportunity to try and take down the Nazi's as we want, then we'll have to go the opposite way and go for an overwhelming rush, hoping that, surprise gives us enough of an edge to take down the villains before they get to us, and that close combat doesn't give them the chance to go for guns.

We can but hope.

Sj

We also need a bit of time to recover before doing anything special. Sneak to whichever floor they are experimenting on sounds like our best bet for now.

Stone Fist followed Jade Hood onto the landing, looking up and down. There were 3 doors on each of the two walls, only one of which was open on the opposite wall to where they stood. At the far end of the corridor where a stairwell led up and down the building, a bored looking guard slouched in a window ledge, looking out onto the street. His tommy gun was propped against a wall.

On the wall opposite where the pair had emerged from a doorway, and set to the right by 10 or so feet, a door was ajar, and from there the german voices (now speaking again in german) could be heard. The brain dead immigrant lay in the doorway.

The pair were some 30' away from the guard at the corridor end and his attention was focussed elsewhere, so they pair crept to the door and looked in.

The room was partitioned with an area like a tent used by the German (Nazi) scientists to experiment on hapless immigrants. A number were tied and bound, ready to be tested, and some were already victims of the testing - as seen by their brain dead state!

The two germans in white coats and gas masks bundled the next subject into the tent and opened another crate, withdrawing a cannister of green gas. They made notes, ready to release it and see results - for good or ill. A bored looking guard in a gas mask dozed on a chair in the corner of the room, weapon propped against the wall. It was clear he didn't expect, after dozens of unsuccessful experiments, anything to worry about!

OOC You have 2 scientists and a guard in the testing room, one at the corridor end. Neither has seen you yet. Apologies for any spelling errors. Somewhat drunk and been staring at the screen to make sure things are spelt right! Hic!

Admin wrote:OOC: You have 2 scientists and a guard in the testing room, one at the corridor end. Neither has seen you yet. Apologies for any spelling errors. Somewhat drunk and been staring at the screen to make sure things are spelt right! Hic!

OOC:

1. Ok I think that we take the guard outside before going inside. But we do it silently as possible. So I sneak up behind him, hand over mouth grab hand and Stone fist Smacks him something fierce to knock him out and we put him with the other immigrants that its too late for.

2. If all goes well we then move onto the take the Nazi's next. I'll use the first goons gun, (see above) to keep them from doing anything stupid whilst Stone Fist then ties them up?

3. If the guard on the landing doesn't get knocked out easily then we'll end up having to fight it out here.

Anyway that is my suggestion, but Dave feel free to amend or adjust, I don't wish to dictate what you should do.



Sj

works for me, grab 'em, smack 'em. Walk in and threaten 'em. Free the captives.

With a finger to the lips Jade Hood pointed towards the goon at the end of the hall who was enjoying a smoke and looking out of the window at the end of the corridor to view down the street. Whilst he was looking the wrong way, few could argue that these goons were lax - they watched for the police or rival gangs and were ready to shoot it out!

Creeping up, Jade Hood snuck up directly behind the goon, grabbed him in a sleeper hold and spun him about, as Stone Fist loomed up to deliver a punch... then he pulled it. The Goon sagged in Jade Hoods arms and was lowered to the floor, his hat tipped forward to make him look asleep - which he was!

Stone Fist moved to one of the closed doors in the corridor, and opened it after listening and hearing nothing. Both men were saddened and angered to see a room full of prone forms. Some were alive, others obviously dead, but all were immobile. The room stank of unwashed bodies and decay, and flies buzzed about. Angrily, Stone Fist dragged the unconscious goon into the room and tied him up with his tie before gagging him with a sock pulled from a victim. Shaking his head, he flexed his fists and popped his knuckles. Jade Hood hoisted the Tommy Gun. It felt unnatural in his arms and he took a good luck at it to see what was required to use it. Naturally agile, he would be reasonably accurate, but was no expert!

Next the pair move in on the room with the Nazi Scientists.

The Guard turned around casually as the door opened fully - only for a barrel to point inches away from his face! The looming form and menace of Stone Fist silenced the two Nazi goons, though one still went for a gun inside his suit pocket!

With a snarl Stone Fist delivers a terrific uppercut that sounds like a twig had been stood on and broken!

The Nazi clatters after flying through the air against the far wall and falls in a heap. He won't be getting up again. The other surrenders immediately.

The immigrants are terrified, but Jade Hood speaks to them in his native tongue to calm them. What now though? Get them out or persuade them to stay put as the vigilantes moved through the building to clear it? After seeing what they saw in the first room, then seeing much the same in the other rooms on this floor, neither man was in much of a mood to chat about what the nazis and gangsters were doing here!

There were small wooden crates lined up against the far wall with glass bottles of a smoky green substance inside them. They looked fragile, and ominous. Stone Fist was inn no doubt that this was what had given his powers, but if the success rate of this thing was so small, his gaining powers must have been a one in a million chance!

=========MECHANICS SECTION==========

• Jade Hood sneaks up behind the goon. Difficulty is 10+Perception of goon (2) + additional difficulty (1 for creaky floorboards and another for that 'sense' that people have when someone comes up behind...), total 14. JH has 4 Agility and 4 Thief. 1d10=4, 1d10=5 +8 = 17 vs 14. 1 success. That's enough! Any extra would have added to his attack...
  
• As it is JH attacks an unsuspecting foe. Difficulty is 5 + the Goons combat score of 6. JH has an attack of 11 plus Martial Arts (5). He will hit, there's no doubt, but the dice need rolling to make sure there's no double 1, and to see how accurate his attack is... 1d10=5, 1d10=3 + 11 +5 = 24 vs Goons score of 11. 13 points difference is +5 damage. 1d10=6, 1d10=5 plus strength (3) plus accuracy (5) (total 19) vs 1d10=2, 1d10=4 + Body (2) of Goon, total 8. That's 11 damage!
• Stone Fist vs nazi Scientist is a formality but we'll go through the motions. Bad guy goes for his gun, Stone Fist wallops him! As the bad guy has to pull his gun 'Fist goes first. 9 Combat + 3 Brawling vs 7 Combat for the Nazi Scientist (3 Int, 2 Per 2 Agi). 2d10=14 Stone Fist, 2d10=15 Nazi Scientist. No doubles rolled. Stone Fists total is 26, 22 for the bad guy, meaning +2 damage. 2d10=8 DOUBLE for Stone Fist, 2d10=15 For Nazi. The double adds 2d10=10 ANOTHER DOUBLE (5). Next roll 2d10=11. Total for Stone Fist is 29 rolled plus 6 (Strength + hardness of fist) plus accuracy (2), total 37 vs 17 for the Nazi. 20 damage. Over double what the Nazi can take. You can pull your punch if need be, but these guys are the 'slime of humanity' - it's your call.

not real interested in pulling my punch but for the game's sake, let's do it and see if the mechanics do anything wonky if I do.

Also, any gas grenades - sleeping gas or tear gas or even the dealy mustard gas - in the room we can try on a room full of thugs? Might be interesting to see if these new rules handle something like that well enough.

OOC Pulling your punch adds another 5 points to the bad guys resistance and you do enough damage to drop him to 0, rather than any lower health points. He's still out, but stirs and groans. He'll be out for hours.

Stone Fist checked on the Nazi. A pulse. Good. He would have to explain himself to the cops at some point then. No getting away THAT easily. He looked in the crates and, sure enough, there were some cannisters in there with a snap off wax cap. He figured from the look of them that they were some kind of gas designed to incapacitate. Made sense if one gas gave a person super strength - you wouldn't want them running amok whilst trying to explain all that had been done to them and everyone else was in the name of science.

OOC You have 2 knock out cannisters. Area effect, all in the area automatically hit and the attack is 5 points vs Body every round until they get out of the room/area affected.

Pleased that the plan had worked so well, Jade held the gun on the criminals whilst he suggested that Stonefist tie them up with the first lot. He was keen to find out more, but also aware that any such discussion might have to wait till they'd made sure it was safe.

After making sure that the German's were gagged and bound, he said quietly to Stone Fist, "Let the refugees take the Germans onto the roof, where they will be safest, whilst we try to subdue the rest of the building."

After Stone Fist grabbed the rest the cannisters, and Jade had escorted the Prisoners and the refugees to the roof, he rejoined Stone Fist on the landing, so they could move toward the stairs and move down Tommy Gun leading the way.

OOC:

1. Don't know about you Dave but I was a bit worried about where those other Stairs went? Not sure if we should check them out before going down?

2. But once down I think we need to see if we can't let loose those cannisters into a room and keep the door shut, but be aware that some might try to get out through the window? So we might have our work cut out for us?

Sj

ooc: Yep, really cut out for us. And we don't know if the gas is colorless or odorless. If it is, we might be able to get surprise and drop eveyone in the room. If it isn't, they will be groggy but still up as they escape the room.

"And take that experimental gas with them," Stone Fist adds. "Find out if any of them know how to use guns and give them the spares."

The refugees were frightened farmers and peasants from China and close asian countries, eager to find a new life and escape an oppressive regime in their home land. It was tragic that their first experience on these shores involve them being experimented on, and killed, by the dozen, by Gangsters and what appeared to be Nazi scientists. That such a thing could happen in America, in 1933, was unheard of.

Jade Hood helped the refugees to the roof and dragged the nazis with them. They carried with them the crates of experimental gas, careful not to break the stuff knowing that every 99 cannisters out of 100 seemed to be instantly capable of reducing the imbiber to a vegetable!

Once back on the landing, the pair had two choices - the stairs from the roof were a maintenance route, whereas the stairs inside the building were wider and whilst the carpet was threadbare, had been more homely and inviting at one point.

Spare guns - from the goon and Nazis, were handed out to the refugees, with basic instructions on how to use them. Point, pull trigger, repeat.

OOC No indications whether you'd rather use the maintenance stairwell or main stairwell so I assume the main one.

Creeping to the next lower floor, the pair heard laughter. Crouching to look between the railing along the corridor they could see half a dozen suited goons dragging bodies from rooms, and towards the window at the end of the landing, which was open. Once they got to the window, the bodies would be tossed out, presumably into a waiting lorry below in the street. A couple of the goons held handkerchiefs to their faces, as the smell was quite bad, but most were enjoying a laugh and a joke until one mentioned what had happened earlier.

"Yeah, we heard about that! So what the hell happened? One guy you say gave you the runaround? Who was he? Jack Dempsey?"

Laughter.

"Seriously guys, you gotta be kiddin me? This guys shows up outta the blue wid some kinda mask on and starts whackin' people about, and you don't waste 'im? What happened? Ya balls drop off or somethin?"

There were heated replies to this, and a goon stepped between another two.

It was clear that the half dozen goons here would see the pair if they used the stairwell to keep going down the floors. Their weapons were propped against a wall - tommy guns, though some carried holstered pistols. The alternative if Stone Fist and Jade Hood wanted to avoid a confrontation would be to head back to the service stairs and go down that way, though at some point they'd have to face the gangsters...

"Wonder if this gas would work against them," Stone Fist whispered to Jade Hood. "Should we give it a try? Or keep on moving? hate to leave these goons behind us though as we go down."

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Wonder if this gas would work against them," Stone Fist whispered to Jade Hood. "Should we give it a try? Or keep on moving? hate to leave these goons behind us though as we go down."

Jade Hood nodded, he wasn't keen to use the gas, not least of all because it might bring more goons and make them presence known. Whilst they had surprise, they had some advantaged. But even if they were to train the guns on the goons, they might still cry out.

Nodding once again to Stone Fist, Jade Hood, readied the gun, in case they were spotted as Stone Fist prepared to roll the canister toward the goons.

Jade hoped that if fortune favoured their bold move, the gas might not be detected straight away and the goons may fall without raising the alarm. But he wasn't stupid his ears and eyes were ready in case their plan backfired or worst still other interrupted them before the gas could take effect.

Sj

The wax seal snapped off the top of the cannister and stone fists thumb then held the lid down, which was spring loaded and would pop up after 3 seconds to release the gas. With a nod he tossed the cannister along the floor where it clattered and rolled between a couple of the goons to stop against the body of a dead immigrant.

"What the...?" spluttered one goon.

Suddenly it popped open, and thick white smoke pumped out, filling the corridor!

OOC All within range - including the unfortunates who are still alive (but senseless) suffer 3 points of health damage per round whilst in range. The Gas will dissipate (seeing as there's a window open) in 3 rounds, by which time anyone still in the area will have taken 9 health points damage (5 effect - 2 resistance from body = 3 damage) and probably be out cold.

The Gangsters start to yell and dash about, some tripping over the bodies they were hauling. One leans out of the window, gasping for air and shouting, only for someone to bump into him from behind and send him screaming to the street below! Outside, those who were loading the lorry tossed away cigarettes and grabbed guns, heading inside.

This floor was going to get very busy, very soon! The intrepid pair had stirred up a hornets nest, for sure!

OOC You have 4 rounds before anyone from downstairs gets up here, but they know something is going on.

what's our energy levels at? be nice to just wait until they are full before fighting the big fight.

Admin wrote:OOC Effort/Energy levels are 5/5 now.

"Now we've done it!" Jade said to his erstwhile companion.

"Lets knock out these goons here and drag the innocents clear. Before we seek to find a way to take advantage of the situation. Do you think, with the guards returning, we could perhaps jump out and circle around on them? What do you think?" Jade looked at his companion for confirmation. Though big and burly clearly there was more going on behind that mask.

Sj

"We have one more gas grenade," Stone Fist says. "Let 'em think we ran out of bullets while holding the stairs. They should mass to charge at that time and we can use the grenade on them. But one of us will also have to watch the service stairs to make sure that they don't come up that way while we hold the main stairs."

"I'm afraid if we go down, they may get up to the roof and take out those poor souls."

DavidMcMahon wrote:"We have one more gas grenade," Stone Fist says. "Let 'em think we ran out of bullets while holding the stairs. They should mass to charge at that time and we can use the grenade on them. But one of us will also have to watch the service stairs to make sure that they don't come up that way while we hold the main stairs."

"I'm afraid if we go down, they may get up to the roof and take out those poor souls."

Jade Hood nodded, "Yes perhaps you are right my friend. I am still so new to all this. I will watch the back stairs, but try to keep line of sight so we can aid one another should we need it. Perhaps you ought to take one of the guns I'll keep this one, though I prefer my throwing stars."

OOC:

1. Ok so I'll go reposition myself so I can cover the other stairs and try to keep Stone Fist within line of sight so we can make sure each other is ok.

Sj

Gonna fire a few rounds when they move up and then act like the gun is empty. Gas grenade and possibly fire the remaining rounds depending on how many I can see to shoot.

OOC this might be the best I can do with regards posting/updates till Monday, so apologies. I might be able to sneak in a quick update to the main game tomorrow night if I'm not drunk but no promises!

With the group on the landing coughing their guts up and stumbling around inside the thick white cloud, the tramp of feet on stairs, along with yells and confused shouts gave the pair of fledgling vigilantes hope that, even if outnumbered, they would still be able to wreak a little havoc with this whole, nasty, business!

Stone Fist fires through the smoke and confusion to target the vague shapes he could see on the stairs. There were cries as the lead two men got tagged and fell back, wailing. The men with them fell back and opened fire, indiscriminately, into the smoke! Screams and cries of men rang out, and those still able in the smoke fired blindly back. The place was turned into a mess of a shooting gallery, with the pained, near blinded goons in the smoke suffering the most. Ironically, the immigrants were spared from the bullets having been dumped on the floor out of the way!

Finally, with the deafening gunshots having died down, the smoke cleared out of the window at the end of the hall, the goons on the steps - four with two wounded having retreated, their wounds bleeding from Stone Fists fine shooting, looked up the stairs. The heroes could see the tops of their hats as they crouched. On the landing what goons still lived were groaning, KO'd from the smoke or gunned down by their allies!

Meanwhile Jade Hood kept an eye on the maintenance stairwell and heard footsteps coming up from below. They were careful, measured and belonged to someone who clearly suspected something was afoot, as opposed to the bull in a china shop approach from the cheap hired help! It would be a rare day indeed that someone was able to evade the keen senses of Jade Hood though!

Leaning over the railing, he caught a glimpse of a big man in a suit - probably the fellow known as Cut-throat - followed by a couple more goons staying close to the wall. All were being quiet and careful - and heading up to this floor!

=========MECHANICS SECTION=========

• Stone Fist shoots at a couple of goons on the stairs. He isn't skilled with weapons, so it's kind of pointing, pulling the trigger and hoping. Distance is 30 feet (range 2) which makes it harder but he can attack both with a single roll by generally spraying with the gun held at his hip. [7,7,9] = (23) DOUBLE for Stone fist [3,3,14] = (20) DOUBLE for the goons. Plus 2d10=12 for stone fist, 2d10=8 for the goons on the stairs. Haven't finalised the mechanics for attacking several targets at once. In this instance I added up their combat scores (used to dodge) and added distance modifier. For the next attack vs several foes I'll probably add a modifier to highest opponents scores and try that instead. Anyway, 35 total for Stone Fist, 28 for the goons. That's a hit with 3 accuracy. The machine gun has 5 effect and body doesn't protect against it. Damage is split between the goons. 2d10+5+3=17 Damage from Stone Fists attack, 2d10=10 Goons resistance. One goon takes 4 damage, the other takes 3.
• The goons on the maintenance stairwell try to surprise Jade Hood. He's waiting and watching for just such a thing, so a bonus of +3 is added to his Perception. The groups worst Agility is 2, and lowest Thief skill is 1. 2d10+3=12 Bad Guys, 2d10+6=13 Jade Hood. Even so, it's a close run thing! (Those dice eh? )

OOC The initial group of goons on the landing are out of it. The second bunch of goons coming up the stairs are scared witless, and staying put where they are. There are four of them, all armed but unsure of what to do as it seems they've gunned down their own men! The new group coming up the maintenance stairs is with the leader, Cut-Throat, and he's no ones mug. That said, the men with him are hardly Cat-Woman levels of stealth and Jade Hood spots them easy enough, even after a lousy roll. Stone Fist can join Jade Hood at the maintenance stairwell without being shot at/seen or he can try to take out the goons on the stairs whilst his new friend waits (or goes after) Cut-Throat and co. Your call. Nice shootin' Tex.

Stone Fist is going to throw the final gas grenade down the stairs at the remaining men. Bounce it down would probably be best. Then he will hold to see if Jade Hood needs his help or not.


"I got my bunch, mostly. What's happening over there," he whispers.


ooc: Just to throw something out to you, if you are playing with a new system which may mean new powers. The Human Bullet character I was thinking about. Can't play him with these rules but your new rules may allow someone like him. He is basically Bulletman from Fawcett Comics. Early version had him using a super vitamin potion that gave him strength and endurance. Then his Gravity Helmet allow him to fly and deflect all metals.

Closest I can come with the old rules is Grade One Strength, Armor Grade 3 and Flight Grade 4. I think that is 8 rolls. Basically, he is meant to smash into and through things - tanks, planes, walls, etc. But Flight is pretty darn slow in this game and using your mostly impervious body to ram through things isn't really covered. Would the new rules allow something like that?

DavidMcMahon wrote:Stone Fist is going to throw the final gas grenade down the stairs at the remaining men. Bounce it down would probably be best. Then he will hold to see if Jade Hood needs his help or not.

Jade Hood whispered back and used hand signals to indicate the big bad that was coming up the stairs. He thought he could handle them, but at least if things got hairy, Stone Fist wouldn't be far.

OOC:
Ok I'll wait to their up the stairs, and position myself so I can try and come up from behind them. Should that no be possible I'll wait till their half way up the stairs so that they've got little room to move, and train the gun on them. Tell them to come up hands raised, no funny stuff etc.

Sj