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

OOC On the subject of Bulletman (wasn't there a 'Bullet girl' as well?) 5 or 6 points of strength would cover into the barely superhuman range, Flight would be MUCH faster in these rules, 7 points equates to 200mph, 9 points around the speed of sound, and his Gravity Helmet sounds like a gadget that *might* be taken away from him, but works better as a power limitation (as in 'requires his gravity helmet to work') so that even if the gravity helm is taken away, it won't work for anyone else and he can find another from his lab or whatever. I plan on using the DC Heroes game house ruled up to the eyeballs (you're playing a version of it now) with the same measurements so that each AP (or in our case, Measurement Points, or MPs) doubles every time. So 5 strength lifts 1500lbs, 6 strength lifts 3000lbs (1.5 tons), 7 Strength lifts 3 tons and so on. The deflecting of metal objects sounds like Magnetic Control or Attraction/Repulsion (with the limitation that it can only repulse, and a further limitation that it only repulses metal). The latter shoves it away, the former (Magnetic Control) is like your Magneto style tossing tanks about with his mind. Skin Armour covers his resistance to bullets (probably with a limitation - won't protect his face against called shots, seeing as his face isn't covered by the helmet! Far better with a half/near full face mask, like this guy...).



Ramming stuff would be a charging attack, using his speed+Skin Armour as the weapon against the body of whatever was being rammed. He would then take a certain amount of damage from the thing he rammed based on his speed+it's body vs his own resistance. Think of it as running into a wall - it's going to hurt. Run faster and it hurts more still! Will you go through the wall? Unlikely, but if you were fast and tough enough you might - and you might get a few bruises in the process unless your armour protects you! For instance, if he had 7 Flight+5 Skin Armour and charged a brick wall (Body 8) the 12 vs 8 would stand a good chance of busting through. He would then take a 7 flight+8 Body vs His Body + Skin Armour attack against him. if he was tough enough, he could just shrug it off. His helmet could give a bonus seeing as though that's doing all the ramming. Anyway, I'd cook something up so that he wouldn't get knocked out every time, no problem there.

That pic was 'Action Man' in the UK (and this version was 'Bullet Man'), no idea if they got the idea from the defunct comic character or not. Anyway, character as you describe wouldn't be a problem. Basically I'm stripping, chopping and changing certain parts of the DC Heroes game that you played before in the previous Lore Knights game to suit our needs. Just have to finalise mechanics for certain powers, but I've started on a 'rules' pdf which hopefully shouldn't run to more than a few pages. I digress... Back to the action!

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Stone Fist flicked the cap from the remaining gas grenade and tossed it towards the men on the stairs. This was a trickier shot, in that it could overshoot and bounce past them! Stone Fist cursed as his throw clattered against the wall and down several stairs before spewing out gas! The top goon on the stairs leapt up and forwards, out of the smoke and with gun blazing at Stone Fist!

The Goons aim was wild, and he sprayed bullets every which way in a panic, chopping up the walls and ceiling but coming nowhere near his foe!

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

• I assigned a difficulty of 9 to the throw that Stone Fist is making, based on range, chance it might bounce down the stairs and so on. A normal person uses their combat score of 6 + 2d10 to beat 2d10 + 9 in that case. Stone Fist has 9 combat score, so it's fairly even. No mention of effort points (or energy points, whatever we decide on) so the dice shall decide! A near miss will be enough, as it's an area attack. If it's wildly below the target number, it'll skip past the guys on the stairs and fill the lobby of the building. 2d10+9=21 Stone Fist, 2d10+9=24 Difficulty. 3 points short. That's not bad at all really. It misses one of the goons in it's area but the rest cop for a mouth full!
  
• The goon fires at Stone Fist. Range is 2. 2d10+7=10 Goon (has 6 Combat Score and 1 Weaponry), 2d10+9+2=19 Stone Fist (9 Combat score and 2 range). That's a miss...

Jade Hood surprised two goons with Tommy Guns who yelped, one firing off a round into the ceiling! As he trained his gun on them the last man came into view. He was smoking a cigar, and part of the smoke was coming out of the scar in his throat! Immaculately - and expensively - dressed the gangster known as 'Cut-throat' chuckled. "You're a regular fly in the ointment..." he drawled, only to squint and snarl "But you're not the guy at the docks! Different mask, different guy! No matter! Same difference! See this?"

He raised his hand to reveal what looked to be a black stick with a red button on top, his thumb resting on it. "Insurance policy. 'Dead Mans handle' some call it. I go down, somewhere a bomb goes off and ..." he made an explosion motion with his free hand. "Guess what? It's a bus load o Nuns an' orphans! I was expectin' da feds ta show up eventually, not some masked idiot who think's he's Dick Traceys fancy sidekick! So drop the gun an' back off, hero, otherwise the kids get it!" he raised the handle up. "My thumb is gettin' kinda itchy here..."

OOC He's 20' away down some stairs. The first two are only 6 feet away, and unsure of what to do with a gun covering them. This guy is smarter, more resourceful and nastier than those mere goons though!

Admin wrote:"My thumb is gettin' kinda itchy here..."

OOC He's 20' away down some stairs. The first two are only 6 feet away, and unsure of what to do with a gun covering them. This guy is smarter, more resourceful and nastier than those mere goons though!

OOC:

Blast you found my secret weakness, Nuns and Orphens. Now what am I going to do. Besides getting kicked six ways to Sunday, him finding out my secret Identity and going out in fashionable concrete boots!
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Jade Hood, looked on in shock, he didn't know what to think but he could see that this thug, who'd treated these people in such an inhuman way, was clearly capable of such cruelty. He had no choice, with a look of disgust, he threw the weapon down. And whilst everyone relaxed he made the throw of his life. He knew it was going to be difficult and risky, but he saw little choice. Whipping out his throwing star he aimed at Cut-throat's hand.

OOC:

Ok I know this is going to be tough so given the relative merrits of my abilities and an assessment of what is going on I either want to use my throwing star to knock the cane out of his hand or to jam his thumb so he can't use it or to jam the button so it can't be pushed. I will use all my power points as necessary to stop him if necessary and follow that up be throwing myself into a wild kick at both thugs aiming to knock them all back down their stairs. Again using whatever Energy Points are left if I have them.

Crazy I know, but Jade Hood feels justified as he is very much alone with a lot to live up to and little by way of back up. I say all this because I'd hate to be the reason some innocent folk die.

Sj

OOC ok, you have 5 energy/effort/hero/fortune/karma/whatever points (let's have a poll - pick your preferred name for them I'm thinking of having another more nailed on, harder to come by set of points you can call on where you roll your dice as usual, pick one die, and spend a point to get a guaranteed double. e.g. you roll 3 and 7 for this next roll. You need to make it so spend your one and only precious 'ultimate' point (or whatever we call that). You pick the 7 and spend the point, get double 7 (14) for the roll and an extra 2d10 to roll and add to your total. Once spent, the point is gone, forever! More can be earned by roleplaying, saving nuns and orphans, the world, the tri state area or whatever, at the end of the game. Constantly brainstorming. I want the player to have the maximum input into their characters fate (which means resource management) rather than hoping and praying the dice aren't complete rubbish.

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In the blink of an eye Jade Hood flicked out a throwing star in the direction of the Gangsters hand! He knew he was in trouble - lives depended on his actions!

Even as the gun clattered to the floor and Cut-Throat bellowed in gravelly laughter the star spun through the air!

His laughter was silenced as the throwing star pinned his thumb to the button on the cane and he howled in pain! As he desperately pulled his hand up, the cane fell away - along with his thumb and the throwing star stuck in the end! "Arrrrgggh! GET HIM! KILL HIM!" he screamed, and started to run back down the stairs. The two goons rushed at Jade Hood!

Both swung at Jade Hood who ducked and delivered his own punch, but only caught the goon with a weak blow. Meanwhile the bad guy was already a flight of stairs down and heading for the lobby!

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

• Jade Hood throws a star at his foe. Cut-Throat has 3 Agility, 3 Intelligence, 3 Perception, as befits a bad guy (as opposed to a goon). Jade Hood can add his Martial arts skill to attack or damage with MA style weapons like Throwing stars as he sees fit. Probably best to add it to attack as accuracy is the key here. His attack is Combat Score (11) + Martial Arts (5) vs Combat Score (9) and Range (1) plus a modifier for the called shot (a 'trick shot' which adds 6 points) for Cut-Throat. He has no defensive skills (like Acrobatics) he can add to his defence against distance attacks. I presume Jade Hood will use all 5 effort points to get a decent chance of a high roll... 1d10=9, 1d10=1 for Cut-Throat. 1d10=4, 1d10=4, 1d10=8, 1d10=3, 1d10=4, 1d10=8, 1d10=3 for jade Hood. Would have been a double 4 anyway, but looking down that list double 8 looks like a good option. Extra dice come up with 1d10=4, 1d10=3 for a total roll of 23. Jade Hoods Total of 39 vs Cut-Throats of 26. Job done.
  
• Goons attack Jade Hood. They aren't smart enough to pick up their guns, instead flinging punches! 1d10=2, 1d10=7 for Jade Hood 1d10=10, 1d10=6 for Goon 1, 1d10=6, 1d10=1 For goon 2. Jade Hoods total of 11+Martial Arts (5) + roll (9) = 25. Goon 1 gets 6 + brawling (1) + roll (16) total 23. Goon 2 gets 6 + brawling (1) + roll (7) total 13. Jade Hood hits Goon 1 with 2 accuracy which adds 1 point of damage (for every 3 points you exceed the target number). Damage is strength (3) + 1 accuracy damage + 2d10 vs Goons Body (2) + 2d10. 1d10=6, 1d10=9 total 15 for Jade Hood, 1d10=7, 1d10=8 total 15 for Goon 1. Goon 1 takes 2 point of damage (leaving him on 6/8 health points)

Jade Hood has 0/5 energy points.

Relieve that the throwing star had hit so accurately - if painfully, Jade Hood gave himself to the combat. Falling back on his old combat stance and the tricks and skills he had picked up from his masters, he continued to hammer away at the goons, hoping to stop them and pick up the trail of their boss.

"You can surrender now and I'll go easy on you, or suffer the consequence of tangling with, Jade Hood." Jade already knew what their preferred option would be, but no one could say he wasn't at least fair minded, as he continued to weave, dodge and pounce.

OOC:

Ok continue to pound away as best I can trying to take these guys out before chasing after Cut throat. I will tell Stone Fist what I am doing, so he knows that I've not gone down.

Sj

Stone Fist, hearing the screaming on the other stairs, assumes Jade Hood has things under control, so he jumps down his stairs to take out the few thugs still on their feet. He knows he doesn't have time to mess around with these guys if he is going to stop Cut Throat from getting away.

"I'll take out mine and try to get outside so he can't go that way," he yells at Jade Hood as he leaps down to the gassed thugs.

ooc: I think this is in easy leaping range for him so no points for jumping down. Put a point into hitting each thug instead. Then, not sure what floor we are on now, leap out the window to cut off Cut Throat's escape from the outside. Probably need a point for that as well.

Jade Hood continues to battle the two on the stairs!

A goon hurled a fist at hit! jade Hood ducked, jammed an elbow in the mans rib, then butted him in the face! The other swung wildly, only for Jade Hood to step aside and deliver a short painful kick to the thigh! The man hopped back with a howl, then both moved in again! This time, they moved as a team! Jade Hood Pulled out his nunchucks and decided to get serious!

Despite being outnumbered, Jade Hood ducks and weaves his way out of the fight, then applies his powerful nunchucks to the task of smiting his foes! With a CLACK! and a CLANK! they lay a goon spark out! The second goon yanked out a pistol and levelled it at Jade Hood! the martial artist batted it away with ease, the shot ringing out and smashing the wall beside him, then jade Hood delivered a devastating flurry of Martial Arts kicks and moves, sending the goon flying into the wall and sliding down, unconscious!

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

• Jade Hood attacks, met by the two goons with their own attacks. Using a few different mechanics and ways of doing things, so if it seems different every time don't worry about it! He can try a multi attack - attack both goons at once. This effectively reduces his attack and his damage, but if he gets a higher total than his opponents he hits both for the same amount of damage. JH's total - 11 CS, plus Martial Arts (5) - 3 (Multi attack on both) = 13 + 2d10. Dice rolls (Invisible castle is down at the moment it seems) 10 and 8. Pretty good! Both goons have 6 CS, +1 brawling. One gets 3+9, the other 7+6. Goon 1 has 19, Goon 2 20. The difference is 11 points (JH's total of 31 vs best opponents total). +4 damage to JH's strength of 3. Subtract 3 from the Multi Attack for 4 damage applied separately to each, less Body of 2 for each, so each take 2 damage. Goon 1 is already injured, now on 4/8 Health, Goon 2 on 6/8.
  
• Slightly different here. Jade Hood attacks Goon 1 to take him out. The goons come at him at the same time, adding 3 to their attack. Jade Hood also suffers -2 for pulling out his nunchucks. JH gets 11CS + 5 MA -2 for pulling nunchucks. Roll of 5 and 10. His total is 29. Both Goons get 6CS + 1 Brawling +3 from the team attack. First roll 9+1, second 6+5. Highest total is 21 for Goons. Jade Hood exceeds this by 8 points, giving +3 damage. He's using Nunchucks which add +2. Total damage is strength (3) + accuracy (+3) and Nunchucks (+2) - Body of Thug (2) giving 6 damage. Goon 1 goes down!
  
• Finally the second goon goes for a pistol (giving him -2). He fires at Jade Hood. No range modifier, but firing into melee isn't easy. JH gets 11 CS + 5 MA + 2d10 (giving 4+6) total 26. Goon with the gun gets 6 CS -2 for pulling the weapon + 2d10 (1+9) total 14. His shot goes wild and Jade Hood gets 12 points (+4 damage) on him, doing 7 points and Knocking out thug 2!

And that's how two goons are dealt with! Wasn't sure if he'd head out to help Stone Fist or go down the stairs, will leave that to you.

OOC Note I didn't roll dice for damage - trying that out as well. Will sort out a mechanic for using energy points to reduce damage as a 'last ditch defence'. Don't worry about any of this by the way - once we're done I will sift through the mechanics sections of my posts and pick from the bones to come up with a quick and easy final way of doing things. The original DC Heroes game just had one roll to hit, which is what we've just used for this round. My house ruled version was using a roll to hit, then a roll for damage and for resistance, so two rolls (one to hit, then one to damage or resist, depending on how your hit roll went). That might mean fights are over way too fast maybe 'last ditch defence' takes the form of spending an energy point and rolling 2d10. For every 3 points (or part of) over 10, reduce damage by 1 point. Extra energy spent on last ditch defence adds another D10 (and pick two to use). We'll see. Again, ignore all this, it's notes for later. For Stone Fists round I'll use two lots of dice rolls, see what happens.

Stone Fist leapt to meet the foe!

The goon fired at him on the way in!

Stone Fist laughed as the bullets zinged past, then delivered a terrific uppercut that sent the goons teeth - and the rest of him - flying through the plaster wall behind and crashing into the room beyond in a cloud of dust and rubble! With his jaw a ruin, the man groaned and twitched. He would live, but eating even hospital food would be a struggle!

Stone Fist heard Jade Hood shout that he was chasing Cut-Throat down the stairs, checked that the coughing goons were struggling in the midst of the smoke from the cannister still, and dashed for the window! With a look down and seeing the truck parked several stories below, limp and twisted bodies piled high in the back, Stone Fist growls with anger and hops from the window!

He smashes into the ground next to the truck and splinters the floor in every direction, his powerful leg muscles ensuring he's unhurt! With a glance around the side of the building, he heads for the maintenance entrance...

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

• Stone Fist moves this round, the goon fires. Goon has 6CS and range is -1 (Stone Fist is moving towards him). Stone Fist has 9 CS. 7+4 rolled for bad guy, double 7 for Stone Fist. Despite getting a higher total Stone Fist wasn't attacking so scores no damage. He easily dodges the gunfire though!
  Next Stone Fist delivers the old one-two to the bad guys jaw! His 9CS + brawling 3 + 2d10 (10+10! Double! plus 8+2. Total roll of 30!) comes to 42. The goon fires again with 6 CS + 2d10 (2+3) for a total of 11. That's 31 points difference! Adds +11 damage! We're trying out with dice for damage and resistance for this example, though I think it will be a formality! Stone Fist has 5 Strength (lifts 1500lbs without straining, so he's on the low superhuman scale) plus 1 for his hard skin, +11 for accuracy, +2d10 (2+9) = 28. Goon has 2 Body + 2d10 (6+7) = 15. 13 points of damage! Bad guy is smashed into and through a wall, and left on -5 health points (dead on -8 but he won't die - just be out for hours and hours).
  
• Oops. Forgot to add your energy point to hit. Never mind. You might need it to boost your jumping. To push an ability, you simply state you are going to push it. That's it. It requires a roll over 10 on 2d10. Every 3 points (or part of) adds +1 push point to your ability. In Stone Fists' case with his 40' (2 MPs) Jumping power, every extra pushed point adds 10' to his range. Not great, but then he doesn't have a very powerful jumping ability. However, if you roll 10 or less, you 'burn out' your ability (reducing it to zero for an hour!) so it's best to make sure you make the roll! With that in mind we'll use 2 of Stone Fists energy points, leaving him on 3/5 energy. Dice come up 9, 2, 9, 3. The two 9s will do nicely! The double grants another roll, adding 9 and 2 for a total of 29 rolled. That exceeds the 10 target by 19 points and adds +7 (+70') to Stone Fists' jumping! instead of jumping 40' for this round he jumps 110'!

Cut-Throat wheezed his way down the stairs. His men were stupid but reasonably tough and didn't know when to back down - they'd rough the little guy in the green hood up some, and he'd get away in the car parked at the side of the building to go see the Boss man. How had it all gone wrong? He'd placed guards to watch for cops that hadn't been bought off, and they had enough firepower to warn off the feds, so how on earth did this guy with the fancy moves and the fellow at the docks - both wearing masks, coincidence? - taken his operation apart so easily? It had been easy money! Grab the immigrants off the boats, by force or by false promise, it didn't matter, and let the funny talking krauts have their way. Then dump the bodies, keep the loot from them and pocket big bucks from the krauts - and they did pay well!

Huffing and puffing, he glanced up. What the hell? He was sure he'd seen a blur of motion leaping the stairs four at a time coming after him! He finally reached the maintenance doorway into the street and burst out...

Only to face a big, muscled fellow in vest/jeans and sack cloth hood with crude eye holes! Cut-Throat reached inside his jacket, then cried out, missing his thumb and being reminded of the pain! Behind him the little guy, holding a pair of polished wood sticks joined by a thin chain, emerged, crouched and ready to pounce, like a tiger!

Cut-Throat glanced up. Smoke billowed from the upstairs window. He weighed the odds, then smiled.

"Ok fellas, I get it. You want in? How's about I make you a deal? Hunnerd bucks apiece, straight up. Call it a retainer! You work for me, bust a few heads, and I'll make you rich men! talent like yours shouldn't go to waste!" he smiled. Glancing from mask to mask he added "An' if your're workin' fer anyone else, tell ya what. I'll double what they're givin' ya." he rasped. "We got some real big plans. Couple o wise guys like you can make some serious dough if you're smart...?"

OOC Jade Hood is on 1/5 energy, Stone Fist on 4/5 energy.

"What plans," Stone Fist asks. "Might or might not want in, depending. So talk and I won't rearrange your liver!"

ooc: Just so you know, hundred bucks back then was a lot of money. About a month's pay for a real good job. Lots of folks made less than $1200 a year back then

DavidMcMahon wrote:"What plans," Stone Fist asks. "Might or might not want in, depending. So talk and I won't rearrange your liver!"

ooc: Just so you know, hundred bucks back then was a lot of money. About a month's pay for a real good job. Lots of folks made less than $1200 a year back then

Jade saw how Stone Fist could think we as well as fight and nodded his approval. Appearing to side with this man, might well lead them further into this rat's nest. He didn't mind going along with what they could, before they showed Cut Throat who he was really dealing with. Men, for whom Money wasn't everything, especially with the work being offered.

OOC:

Ok nod approvingly lets get out of this guy all we can, before deciding if we tap dance on head or not. I'll follow Stone Fist's lead on this.


Sj

Cut-Throat glances from one to the other. "How's about you take off them masks? After all you could be anyone under there?"

OOC I dare say you'll give appropriate replies...

The gangster shrugs. "Well, seein' as ya busted up my boys an' my whole operation here real bad, I should be annoyed, But I'll tell ya what.I need somethin' from ya. Some kinda show o loyalty, and it shouldn't be too hard for men o your cal-eye-ber, kapeesh? There's a place on 43rd street where it crosses with 6th Avenue. Called the Krupp buildin'. 4th floor. There's a fella works there called Durham. His names on the door, real important like. He's got somethin' I want. A doohickey, kinda looks like a radio. Grab that, an' get back ta me here. You do that, an' I'll see that the pair o ya are well taken care of. An' whatever the guys in there say or do, don't be fooled. They're another gang, and they hit some o my boys when they was transportin' some stuff fer the Germans. I know you guys can handle yourselves, but this ain't gonna be a walk in th' park. You do this an maybe I'll ferget you cost me a stack o cash and a thumb, not ta mention a bunch o cheap, useless hoods."

He paused, then reluctantly reached inside his pocket. "Don't get jumpy!" he said, slowly pulling out a bank roll. He plucked a hundred bucks apiece from it and handed it over. "Retainer. Plenty more where dat came from. Hell, do this with no slips ups and you'll get ta meet the boss" he growled, with that savage scarred throat of his.

Stone Fist wasn't sure what to do at this point. He figured Cut Throat was lying about this other group but maybe he wasn't. If so, hitting another criminal gang and foiling any of their plots sounded good to him. And it might get them one step closer to Cut Throat's real boss. Or it could be a lie and a legitimate business.

They could just avoid the whole thing by forcing Cut Throat to talk. But then again, maybe they wouldn't be able to since he didn't know how Cut Throat got his throat cut, maybe it was for refusing to talk the last time someone tried to muscle him and they had cut his throat and left him for dead.

He looked over at the Jade Fist to see if he had any thoughts on what to do.

ooc: Beat him up and make him tell us where the boss is or go do what he wants and work our way up inside the gang? Either way works for me.

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc: Beat him up and make him tell us where the boss is or go do what he wants and work our way up inside the gang? Either way works for me.

OOC: Ugh I can see you've got as many ideas about this as I have. I held off offering anything up because JH was going to follow your lead. But truth be told, I am worried about this getting messy! Besides which I hadn't thought that we might well be sent to do Cut Throat's dirty work.

Jade Hood looked at Stone Fist and Stone Fist, clearly unsure looked at Jade Hood. Imperceptibly to all but his new found friend, Jade hood shook his head, he wasn't sure he liked the idea of being sent by Cut Throat nor that they could trust him. But since he was new to this business and new to these shores, Jade Hood felt he had to trust Stone Fist's lead.

OOC:
Or in other words I'll go with what you think best, but if you want my opinion lets take what we can get and search the place for any further leads. Getting deeper might well leave us tarnished with a bad rep, that is harder to shake. Yes it might leads us deeper into the organisation, but we've got hostages and prisoners to get to safety, which will won't be able to do if we take up Cut Throats offer. So I vote take him down.

Sj

OOC:
Or in other words I'll go with what you think best, but if you want my opinion lets take what we can get and search the place for any further leads. Getting deeper might well leave us tarnished with a bad rep, that is harder to shake. Yes it might leads us deeper into the organisation, but we've got hostages and prisoners to get to safety, which will won't be able to do if we take up Cut Throats offer. So I vote take him down.

ooc: Good point, I had forgotten about the hostages. Though in the 30s masked men were generally wanted by the law for being vigilantes, which is what we are.

"I gotta a counteroffer," Stone Fist growls, grabbing for Cut Throat's neck and lifting him up off the floor. "You tell me all about your operation and where we can find your boss and I won't find out if I'm strong enough to actually pop your head from your neck!"

"Urk!" growled the gangster as Stone Fist hoisted him into the air. "You ain't gettin' nothin' from me! I ain't no rat!" he rasped. "An' I always gotta back up plan!"

Stone Fist narrowed his eyes and glanced at Jade Hood.

"That's why I get gigs like this! That bus loada nuns n orphans?" he rasped, grappling with Stone Fists arm in vain. "They ain't got long! You let me go and I'll make a call, otherwise their death in on your hands! You think I'm gonna risk everythin' in a fist fight with you two? Dis is business. You won dis round. But ya don't win if da kids buy it! An' I got lawyers'll spring me in the hour, whilst you'll be public enemy number one! An' I got other things going on... now. I still need that doohickey. You get it fer me, an' I'll see th' nuns an' orphans are released, plus I'll, say, spring 'em enough cash fer a new roof fer their place? Business. Dat's all it is. No need fer us ta make it personal..." he rasped, still squirming. "Think fast though... dem kids won't last much longer!"

OOC both on [b]full energy 5/5

Admin wrote:"An' I always gotta back up plan!"

"Think fast though... dem kids won't last much longer!"

OOC:

Ugh, wouldn't you just know it! Dave what do you want to do, I guess we've got to accept what he says as we've no way of knowing if he has got people hostage!

====

Jade Hood's eyes, deeply set within the shadows widened. He licked dry lips as his throat constricted at the thought of being responsible for more lives being lost. He turned looking at Stone Fist, he was clearly in over his head and it turned out criminals are much better organised than he imagined. Suddenly his mission to help out, was looking like a pipe dream.

Sj

Does our Perception or some other stat or ability help us to determine if he is lying or bluffing? Some sort of roll vs his words or something/

OOC It does indeed. I was going to mention looking over the character sheets and seeing if you can think of something that might help you. Perception vs the gangsters Aura (which is his strength of character and 'charisma' if you like, which he uses to convince/intimidate/bluff others). You both have 3 perception, he has 4 Aura (being a powerful mob boss). That said, you both get a crack at trying to 'read' him. Here we go: his check 4+10 rolled + 4 aura, total 18. Your checks: 4+9 + 3 ego (jade Hood) and 7+10 + 3 ego (Stone Fist). It's close, but Stone Fist has the distinct impression that yes, this man is telling the truth, but that he's not willing to die for the cause. He's looked into the jaws of death, come out scared, and what didn't kill him made him stronger.

At least until he came up against Jade Hood and Stone Fist. Now he dangles in your hand, but is still trying to exert leverage over the pair of you... Instead... I'll fill in a few blanks to clear up this part of the encounter....

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Jade Hood sighs, resigned to the fact that this man would get his way. There was no way of saving innocent children and the nuns without dancing to this mans' tune!

Stone First narrowed his eyes. He growled, then squeezed harder! "If those kids die, I'll stick my hands into that scar of yours and pull your head clean off!" he bellowed. "In fact, my friend here could probably track them down! We don't really need you alive at all, and no one will miss you, so the biggest problem we have is... what to do with your body?"

The Gangster sneered, then his feet started to shake as Stone Fist squeezed harder! "WAIT!" he gasped. "ALRIGHT! Alright, dammit... I'll *cough* send word ta release 'em! That it? That all ya want?"

"That and the name of your boss and where to find him," Stone Fist said. "And how you are working with Germans and why. Then I will let you go. You have my word on that."

Stone Fist means to keep his word. Of course, when he does let Cut Throat go, it's going to be on the roof of this building where all those immigrants are, and having Jade Hood tell them in their language that Cut Throat was in charge of their torture and the death of the family, friends and comrades. And that they were to take care of him, turn him over to the cops or whatever else they felt had to be done. He had heard that Orientals have all sorts of fiendish ways to torture and kill somone. Some of them are pretty slow too.

Under the strict supervision of Stone Fist and Jade Hood, Cut-Throat is dragged to a call box. Surprisingly enough there is one - still working - in the ground floor of the hotel.

"Yeah Frankie, it's me. Let the nuns and the kids go. That's right. Just do it." he put the phone receiver down and turned to Stone Fist. "I'm doin' the work fer a guy called Herman Blut. Yeah, he's German too. Why you ask? Money. I don't have ta like th' krauts or their politics, but what th' 'hell? This is business. Ain't nothin' personal. They say they want ta improve th' way o life fer a lotta people with some new 'miracle gas'. I say they're a bunch a whackos until I see th' colour of their dough. After that, it don't matter ta me if they're nut jobs or not. Why should it? Th' immigrants come here illegally. They ain't got no papers or permits or nothin. They ain't a part o th' system. They take jobs off th' hard workin' joes that's tryin' ta feed their families. If they survive the process, they're fixed fer life. Seems that the Germans ain't got what they want quite right, just yet. Can't break an omelette without breakin' a few eggs, right?"

"Hey!" he cried, as Stone Fist dragged him up the stairs. "You said, you said you'd let me go! Ya bum! HEY!"

He dragged Cut-Throat past where the gassed guards lie snoring on the steps. "Alright! Blut can be found at the Sheridan! yeah, it's a fancy joint, but you should see this guy! He's got money alright! Some kind of ... I dunno, nobility or somethin'! What the... HEY! I told you everythin'! How come... *nnngh* ya so damn strong! I ain't no ... *unnnh* pushover an' it's like wrastlin' wi' a herd o gorillas! What gives?"

He continued to complain until Stone Fist dragged him up to the roof, Jade Hood explained to the people up there who the man was, and what he was responsible for, and that they'd be given a few minutes with him before having to disperse, because the cops would be here soon. Stone Fist held the door shut as Cut-Throat pulled it from the roof side, banging and yelling at it, until it was replaced by screams and he didn't pull at the door any more...

=========

The goons would be out for hours - whatever was in the gas was potent stuff!

A quick - anonymous - tip to the police with the lobby phone let the police know what they might find when they got here, and that left jade Hood and Stone Fist outside. How far were they willing to go to shut down this 'Herman Bluts' operation?

OOC probably my last post of 2011 - 8 minutes to midnight so I'll sign off here seeing as the kids will be up at something awful o clock in the morning. Hope you guys, and anyone else reading, have a good one and see you in 2012!

Admin wrote:OOC probably my last post of 2011 - 8 minutes to midnight so I'll sign off here seeing as the kids will be up at something awful o clock in the morning. Hope you guys, and anyone else reading, have a good one and see you in 2012!

OOC:
Happy New Year to you mate, looking forward to where we go next in 2012. Meanwhile I think we've got out next lead, but Stone Fist and I probably need to work out where we go from here! And Stone Fist probably wants to decide if he is going to go around with a sack on his head the whole time?

Sj

It's a good sack!

Know anyone good with needle and thread and can make him a proper hood quickly?

DavidMcMahon wrote:It's a good sack!

Know anyone good with needle and thread and can make him a proper hood quickly?

OOC:

Since this is only a try out, lets assume we go on together and pursue our next course of action finding out all we can about this hotel and anything regarding this mysterious guy. I'd also suggest time is against us, once Cut Throat is free, he'll squeal on us and that will blow the element of surprise.

Sj