Jade Hood and Stone Fist Issue #2 (System Tryout)

"GET YOUR ASS IN HERE RIGHT NOW WOMAN!"

Lu Kung Yang (OOC or insert another name as you think best) glanced up from where he hung his washing up on the balcony. Sounded like Mrs Haverson was incurring Mr Haversons' wrath again. Lu considered moving to another place, but this apartment had been cheap, didn't have too many rats in it, and gave him easy access to the roof for his nightly patrols as Jade Hood. No one tended to look up, being more interested in what happened at street level, which suited Lu fine. The $100 from the villainous Cut-Throat had paid rent for this place for a while and the landlord had been all too happy to accommodate the diminutive oriental man with the wiry muscles and amazing six pack abs. Lu had considered wearing something more than his baggy pants and slippers, along with string vest and a make shift cloth mask to conceal his identity. Some kind of uniform, functional, with wrist sheaths to block weapons with. No good against guns though. The best defence was to not be in the place the bullet was!

He frowned. The radio downstairs was on loud as usual. Dropping silently from his own balcony to the one below, he leaned towards the open window to listen in...

"...just in. Local reporter Lara Lamont and her Editor, Jack Chambers, were found dead in the New York Tribune offices last night, the victims of a fire. Their charred remains were discovered by a fire crew called to the place just after 9pm but were too late to save them."

Lu leaned back, stunned. He'd seen Lamont only days before, at the warehouse! He wondered if Stone Fist had heard the news...

=========

"COME ON! WE AIN'T GOT ALL DAY!"

OOC I don't recall if we named Stone Fist either. We'll call him Chuck Walker for now unless you have a better name.

Walker hefted another crate and one of his co-workers, little Stevie, laughed and shook his head. "Geez Chuck. Ah know you're a big guy an' all, but that thing weighs a ton! Took three of us ta shift it there an' you tossed it in th' back o that truck like it was empty!"

Walker smiled ruefully. With his incredible strength he was - as far as he could ascertain - lift nearly a ton in weight! That made smaller things - like this 300lb crate - feel weightless in comparison. He'd have to watch that! "Think some of it must have been emptied out Stevie. That the last of em?"

"Yeah. Seeya tomorrow Chuck."

Walker nodded, waved and grabbed his jacket before heading over to his foremans office. The man was a picture of industry, feet on the desk, stogie in mouth and reading the paper. Walker stepped into the office and gaped.

FIRE AT TRIBUNE OFFICE! EDITOR CHAMBERS AND REPORTER LARA LAMONT KILLED!

"You want this or not?" asked the foreman, tossing over the days wages. "Now scram. I'm a busy man." He turned to the sports section.

OOC Lara Lamont, the reporter from issue 1, had been all set to print an expose about the goings on that Stone Fist and Jade Hood put a stop to. Now this! Depending on what you want to do, there is a mystery to uncover here...

Jade Fist finished listening to the report in stunned silence, before climbing back to the roof. The evening air still had a bit of heat from the day left in it, but it was getting colder. A whiff of the sea air caught his attention as the wind changed to come in off the sea and with thoughts of the plucky dead reporter crowding into his mind, Jade took off over the rooftops to first locate his erstwhile partner, Stone Fist, fully intent on making sure the truth Miss Lamont died for got out.

OOC:

Great start, good to do something different as well, a mystery murder. This gives us a chance to test out other things like skills and stuff.

Ok I'll head to see Stone Fist, my thought is we team up to check out what we can find in the charred remains of the building and see if there is any evidence that might have been missed, or has yet to be picked over.

My second thought is we try and locate Cut Throat and lean on him a bit see if he can't give us any further intel.

My third thought is to see if the Baron or any of his cronies are still at the hotel (unlikely) but just in case we've missed something - I want to try all avenues.

But ahead of that I'm open to suggestions Dave might have as to how we take things forward.

Sj

OOC I assume Jade Hood is in costume - which can be anything you like. Remember it's 1933, spandex isn't about so he's probably best served with ninja style garb and a dark green hood tied tight at the back, stealth and all that.

As the sun crept behind the buildings and the shadows lengthened, the lone figure moved with the fluid grace of a jungle cat. This concrete jungle was his home now, a far cry from temple life and 10 hours of gruelling training every day! He regretted not finishing his training to come and save his sister but there'd been no choice. His sensei had said he was a master of the art but only one thing remained - that mysterious ceremony that would have seen him undertake an ordeal that saw students vanish forever. They would take up a new life in the world and serve the greater good with their formidable skills. Lu wondered what the test entailed - no one spoke of it because those who undertook it vanished immediately after to take up their new posts.

Quelling his unease, and knowing he might one day have to beg to be allowed to take the test, he concentrated on the job at hand. Sprinting along a ledge he somersaulted to a lower roof, sped up the steep incline and slid down the other side before leaping off into the air and catching a flag pole. He let his weight spring the pole down, then up into the air to hop onto a ledge, sprint along, leap ten feet with a yawning drop if he failed, and land on Stone Fists' balcony. The rusted rails looked shaky so Lu didn't use them, instead hopping over and tapping on the window. He couldn't leap as well as his friend, but that didn't stop him from trying!

=========

Stone Fist stood in the mirror, adjusting the suit. At the tap of the window he turned and smiled.

He opened the window and was about to speak when the pair heard a screech of tyres nearby, gunshots, and the ringing of police sirens!

OOC Stone Fist lives on the top floor of an apartment block in a rough neighbourhood. Everyone is too busy watching everyone else to worry about two shadowy types leaping over rooftops. The sound of the car and the gunshots suggest it will pass nearby, a street or two away. The pair can either leave the police to it or investigate. Vigilantes are considered criminals in the eyes of the law, but neither hero has yet been seen, save by criminals and the unfortunate Miss Lamont. There will be an update on those people you mention Dave (E) in the next few posts...

ooc: On my computer, your recap of last issue had the right edge cut off so I couldn't read it all; everything right after the word "Vigilantes" in the first line was cut off.

Stone Fist had modified the burlap bag he wore the last time he was out. It was still a burlap hood but it was neater with cut and sewn eye holes and shaped a bit better. It was now more of a hangman's hood than anything else, covering over his shoulders. He decided that it alone was all he needed, he wouldn't wear a special set of clothes like they did in a circus, the brown burlap hood alone would prove who he was.

He was totally shocked at the deaths he read about and was going to do something about it. But he had questions. Papers didn't always carry all the information. Police usually left something out, some important details. He also wondered if the two bodies found were actually those the papers claimed that they were. He read the story over carefully, buying other local papers to compare the information. He was planning on finding the detective listed as in charge of the case and asking him a few questions when Jade Hood silently appeared in his apartment.

"Time to go to work," he muttered to his friend. "Let's see what this is about ... this time. Hopefully, just a gangland killing and not some innocents."


ooc: Okay, investigate shooting. Then want to find the detective and see what information he can give us. Still not sure if she is dead or not. Dental records would probably be the best way to identify someone in that day, assuming that they have any. Could be just some chard identification was found near the bodies, which isn't proof positive. But if she is dead ... well ... someone is going to find out what it's like to be beaten to death by stone fists!!!!

His costume is now just workman's clothes and a stylized hangman's hood. Sometimes it will be a suit and hood. Depends on what he is in when he gets the urge to fight crime. Today, a suit since he was planning to go see a policeman, who usually is more cooperative of someone in a suit than in poor workman's clothes.

Admin wrote:OOC I assume Jade Hood is in costume - which can be anything you like. Remember it's 1933, spandex isn't about so he's probably best served with ninja style garb and a dark green hood tied tight at the back, stealth and all that.

OOC:
Ok sounds good must rustle something up sometime.

As regards the shooting I agree with Dave, we'll go investigate, get ourselves a ring side seat, should we be able/jump in!

Sj

The pair looked about from Stone Fists window, then leapt up to the roof, one taking the direct route with superhuman leg muscles, the other climbing like a spider using every handhold he could find! Both sprinted across the rooftops to overlook a street, and heard the screeching tyres of a car getting closer. The distinctive RATATATATATATA of machine guns rang out and drowned out the police sirens of the chasing cars!

People screamed and ran for cover as the car being chased screeched around the corner. It was hard to make out details, but there were two men in the front, one in the back and one stood on running boards blazing away with his tommy gun at the pursuing cops! He struck one car and it careered off to slam into a hydrant, showering the street with water!

In moments it would pass below the pair on the roof who were three storeys (45 or so feet) up from the street level! It was going at quite a speed (about 30mph) but having to slow for corners. If the pair were going to jump on the roof, it would be extremely dangerous and they'd only get one shot! If they missed - either the fall or being run over might kill them!

Jade Hood glanced at Stone Fist and the latter answered with the best suggestion he could make "Bank robbery most likely. Desperate times leads men to do desperate things, but this is downright nasty."

The car turned the corner... then started down the street below the vigilantes on the roof!

OOC you have moments before it's past you. There's a flagpole two storeys down you could use to slow your fall if agile enough. To leap from the roof onto the car will be extremely difficulty (target number for agility check will be 18+ to succeed. 1 success means you land on the roof in one piece. 2 success means you land on the roof and distract the driver, causing him to swerve and throw off the man on the running boards. 3 success means the roof bows so badly the driver can't see and has to stop. 4+ means the driver is K'od when the bowed roof hits him, the guy in the front goes through the windscreen, the guy in the back is trapped and the fellow on the running boards is the only one facing you.) You can attempt something else of course, but this seemed like the most obvious option. Jade Hood would add his agility but the fall would hurt him. Stone Fist only uses agility but takes no damage from a fall of that height because he can jump that high normally. Over to y'all.

Admin wrote:OOC. Jade Hood would add his agility but the fall would hurt him. Stone Fist only uses agility but takes no damage from a fall of that height because he can jump that high normally. Over to y'all.

Turning to his companion having sized up the situation Jade Hood said, "Friend, I think you could make the leap easily, but together we stand a chance of ending this harmful getaway, before anyone else is hurt. I say we act quickly?"

Jade Hood looked enquiringly at this friend for confirmation, one eye already on the flag pole and the oncoming car. Though it may have been illegal to do what they were doing, with enormous risk, it was also very exciting.

OOC:
Ok I think, unless Dave has a better idea or is shy of the idea of leaping into battle, I'll go for it. Using a hero point to make the leap to the roof a successful one with additional effort points (2 or 3) to make it the leap of the century, between us. Bringing this to an swift end without the loss of further life, our own or others, would be my goal.

Sj

"Right," Stone Fist nods, "follow me!"

With that he jumps down at the car. {Putting a point into making the jump more accurately]

OOC Jade Hood uses 3 effort points AND a hero point to make the leap. Potent indeed. Remember the hero point cancels any penalty dice (for which this jump has 2 for Jade Hood - onto a speeding card from 3 storeys up? That isn't easy!). Stone Fist has only one penalty die, which his effort point cancels out (and is cancelled in turn) so it's a straight 2d10 for him (because all he has to do is aim - he can survive a fall like this). Jade Hoods rolls: 10,3 for initial dice. No point in rolling the three effort dice, but here they are: 6,9,5. The Hero Point cancels out the 2 penalty dice and gives a 10 to match Jade Hoods' 10 roll. The follow up gives: 5+10. Add Agility 4 and Acrobatics 3 and the total is 42! That's 12 successes! I'll give a bonus effect (stop the crime in its tracks, all guys K'od) for going so over the top! Let's see how Stone Fist did. 4,1 plus Agility 3 equals 8 total. Oops.

Stone Fist makes to move off the edge of the roof, then sees Jade Hood somersault off, ping off the flagpole, land on a ledge and somersault through the air to land feet first on the roof of the car and flatten it, causing the car to skid and roll along the street, with Jade Hood hopping quickly to stand on the door as it scrapes along! The goon on the running boards falls to the side and bounces to a halt, those inside the car are trapped and pinned in their wood/metal cage, and thankful when it comes to a halt!

Stone Fist gapes and goes "Ahhhhh!" as he falls off the roof, only to right himself and land with a sidewalk splintering impact! People are more amazed that someone can do that rather than the fact Stone Fist actually fell off the roof!

The police cars screech around the corner and pull up, cops spilling out!

As the vigilantes prepare to make their exit, some of the police shout "STOP! POLICE!" and pull guns! Others are amazed at the wreck of the car, all the occupants are still living, and well and truly stopped!

Jade Hood and Stone Fist make a hasty retreat down an alley, knowing full well that to hand themselves into police would cause more trouble than it solved! As the pair make for a fire escape ladder, a voice shouts "Get back! Dammit! Wait! WAIT!" and Stone Fist, watching as Jade Hood scurries up a ladder and about to disappear over a roof top. A cop in suit and coat, rather than a uniform, stands at the alley edge, breathless at having had to run and catch the fleet footed pair. "Wait!" he gasps. "Thankyou! I don't know who you are, but thanks! Those guys... we've been after... pulled a few jobs... you saved... just thanks, ok? I'm Detective Johnson, over at 13th precinct. If you ever need a favour..." he turned as someone shouted his name. "Gotta go! Whoever you are, that was amazing! THANKS!" he shouts and gets back to where the infamous - now incarcerated - bank robbers are being hauled out of the wrecked car!

OOC You have stopped the getaway car and made a police contact, Detective Duane Johnson, 13th Precinct. Effort points recover to full, Jade Hood is a hero point down but gets +2 Hero Points at the end of the adventure for nailing the bad guys and saving lives. Sometimes you have to spend a little to make a lot Options:

• The NY Tribune office (burnt out, scene of the crime)
  
• Patrol
  
• Seek out Cut-Throat - if he's alive, and press him for info
  
• Find out what happened to Baron Bloot - word of mouth on the street or go to his hotel
  
• Go to Lamonts home, see if there's anything you can find as to why she might have been killed in the fire
  
• Go to the Editor, Chambers, home, same reason
  
• Wait a while and get in touch with Det. Johnson, see if he can return the favour he owes
  
• Something else not listed

OOC let me know if this is too wide, will shrink if needed:

Admin wrote:OOC Jade Hood That's 12 successes! I'll give a bonus effect (stop the crime in its tracks, all guys K'od)

OOC:
Wow I love moments like this, this is like coming up with a nat 20. Reading this did make me smile, sorry SF didn't come off so well their Dave.

Admin wrote:Options:

• The NY Tribune office (burnt out, scene of the crime)
  
• Patrol
  
• Seek out Cut-Throat - if he's alive, and press him for info
  
• Find out what happened to Baron Bloot - word of mouth on the street or go to his hotel
  
• Go to Lamonts home, see if there's anything you can find as to why she might have been killed in the fire
  
• Go to the Editor, Chambers, home, same reason
  
• Wait a while and get in touch with Det. Johnson, see if he can return the favour he owes
  
• Something else not listed

OOC let me know if this is too wide, will shrink if needed

OOC:
Ok for me this image was fine, all came in no problem.


In a city of strangers it is a rare thing to find a friend, first you and now Det. Johnson. I wonder what makes a Det said with vigilante's?

Turning back to Stone Fist, as between they recounted their options, Jade Hood, now dressed in black form fitting robes and a jade hood beneath which was a neat domino mask said, "Friend Stone Fist, I am most concerned to look into Laura Lamont's death. I am most concerned that such as she, a woman should have been so ruthlessly targeted. But you know this city, your whole life, you know better. What do you think?

OOC:

Ok I am happy to go along with Stone Fist or even split up to cover more ground. Whatever you think Dave

Sj

Wow I love moments like this, this is like coming up with a nat 20. Reading this did make me smile, sorry SF didn't come off so well their Dave.

ooc: It happens. At least I didn't fall three stories onto my face!


"I want to make sure she is actually dead and not some other poor soul being substituted for her body while she is a prisoner elsewhere," Stone Fist says in his gravelly voice. "Let's check out her place and see if we can find any clues there and then see our new detective friend. His aid will probably be very important when it comes to investigating certain things."

Lamont lived in a modest 2nd floor apartment in a reasonable part of the city. The echo of distant sirens was the only proof that you were never too far from trouble.

The front door to the apartment itself was nailed shut with a "Police! Crime Scene! No Entry!" sign. That didn't stop the pair as they made their way to the window at the end of the hallway and clambered around to the window, prising it up with the help of Stone Fists' strength. He glanced at the broken latch as they clambered in through the window and muttered "She can send me a bill."

The place was a mess. It looked like it'd been turned over by someone. They'd done a thorough job as well, with clothes strewn all over, cabinets overturned and even the cutlery drawer tipped out in the kitchen, every cupboard emptied and the place generally trashed. Footsteps in the spilled food were probably from the police, and they be back at some point which didn't leave long for the pair to look about.

Jade Hood scratched his head. There seemed to be little of interest to find here. Stone Fist was drawing a blank too. Even the mattress had been slashed!

OOC time for a roll... 7+3 for Jade Hood, 7+8 for Stone Fist, plus Perception means 13 total for Jade Hood, 18 for Stone Fist...

Stone Fist sighs and turns to leave. Jade Hood is already out of the window when Stone Fist stops, squints and reaches under the bed. There, nestled under the bed slipped in between the gap of two floorboards was a scrap of paper. Stone Fist fished it out, unfolded it... it was blank!

"Wait" said Jade Hood. He looked at the paper. "Well spotted my friend."

OOC Detective skill comes in handy for clue analysis. Stone Fist can try but it's harder without the skill. Intelligence + Detective for Jade Hood, Intelligence for Stone Fist. 6+8 rolled for Jade Hood, 10+7 for Stone Fist. Both great rolls. Difficulty was 14, but Jade Hood got 3 successes, Jade Hood got 2, so between you that reveals:

"Here" said Stone Fist, taking the paper and holding it up. "What's that? There... get a match." Jade Hood came with a box of matches from the kitchen and lit one, then nodded. "Yes. I smelt a hint of lemons." Stone Fist nodded and held the note in front of the flame. "Wassat say?" he scowled. "Lorem Ipsum Humanum?" Jade Hood frowned. "Sounds like an old language." Stone Fist nodded "You're right. We might be able to find out what it means from the museum a couple of blocks away. There'll be an expert in this kind of thing I should... wait. Another word?"

"Ordo Aspidus?" Jade Hood said. "More riddles." growled Stone Fist. "As far as we know Lamont was no genius, which means these might refer to something she found out? Hold on a minute."

Stone Fist thought for a moment. Jade Hood went to the window and looked out. "Time to go. The police are here. No one I recognise, at least not our friend." Stone Fist nodded, then went to the window before pausing and thumping a fist into his hand! "Of course!" he turned to Jade Hood. "I was unloading crates this morning and saw another ship come in! The 'Ordo Aspidus' is a ship! It's docked on pier 17! Never took any notice of it save it had a motif of a snake on the side! Wonder what secrets they are hiding?"

OOC You have the latin phrase to check out with an expert at the museum and the 'Ordo Aspidus' freighter that docked this morning to check out. You also have your police friend to check in with to see if he knows anything, cut-throats' fate needs to be resolved, and the whereabouts of Baron Bloot to be determined.

Admin wrote:OOC You have the latin phrase to check out with an expert at the museum and the 'Ordo Aspidus' freighter that docked this morning to check out. You also have your police friend to check in with to see if he knows anything, cut-throats' fate needs to be resolved, and the whereabouts of Baron Bloot to be determined.

Making their way to the roof, Jade Hood thought over the phrases Lamont had written. And written on a scrap that couldn't be easily found or read. Clearly there was something so important it had to be hidden, but what did it all mean?

"The ship, isn't going anywhere, if it has only just arrived, so how about we get to the museum and find someone who can tell us more about this writing?" Jade Hood offered to Stone Fist. It was clear they had several options opening up to them, but which way was would yield the most hope or help, was still unclear to Yang at present. He hoped that Stone Fist had a better idea, the ways of men or women for that matter were a mystery to Lu Kung Yang. But he was learning fast, very fast.

Turning to Stone Fist, after a quick glance to see if the Police had gone inside, Jade Hood waited for the giant man's response.

Sj

"Museum or a library," Stone Fist agreed. "They ought to have books on Latin there as well but someone in a museum could translate it faster than we could on our own."

Mary Jameson loved her work. She'd been lucky to get her dream job so soon after finishing her schooling, but had thrown hard work and dedication into it, staying long hours after the Museum has closed to study ancient texts and rare antiquities. She hoped one day to be able to travel the world in search of more rare findings, like the famous Dr Jones from Marshall College in Connecticut, or René Belloq, the French archaeologist who some said was driven beyond the rational in his search for ancient treasures. "Work hard, and some day you'll get the chance to work harder, in the field. X never, ever, marksh the spot, and whatever you think you know, you can tosh that out the window for shtarters" had said the eminent Professor Jones - senior - in a brief visit to the museum. She recalled the man being interested in the legend of the grail, and forever making notes in a small brown pocketbook.

Plucking the glasses from her face, Mary sighed and leant back. She glanced up at the window. Full moon. Night. What time...? She saw a clock,then sighed. Just then a shadow passed over the window and she gasped!

"No need to fret, miss." said a dark clad figure dropping in through the large open window.

=========

Jade Hood and Stone Fist leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Occasionally Stone Fist would 'boost' his partner with a throw!

Jade Hood, like a cat, always landed on his feet and the pair soon got to the museum. As they closed in on the place, it was clear it was closed. "Better come back to... wait. There!" He pointed to a faint light from a window on the fourth floor, and the pair leapt from roof to roof to get closer. Just then there was a muffled cry, and a dark figure appeared at the open window, a struggling woman over his shoulder! "Struggle and you'll fall!" hissed the figure, and the woman quieted. Just then the figure looked across the 50' or so to the next roof and saw the masked figures of the vigilantes! There seemed no panic to his movement. Instead he leapt out, then swung back in on a previously unseen line, before pacing up the wall towards the roof! The way the lithe figure moved, his burden was no weight at all!

OOC you're 50' away and the roof opposite is some 30' higher than the one you stand on. Stone Fist could - in theory - make the jump, but he would have to 'push' his jumping ability beyond its limits. We do this by adding 20' per 3 points (or part of) the character can roll over 10 (so 1-3 points adds 20', 4-6 points adds 40' and so on). Stone Fist would be looking at a 50'+30' leap(80' in total) so would need a roll of 2d10+Will (3) and get 14 or more. The alternative is going down to street level and running across, then climbing the other building, OR you may have an alternate plan. After all, once on the roof, where is this mysterious figure going to go? Also, the pair don't know who the woman is, or why she's -apparently - being kidnapped. You're on 5/5 effort points each. Over to you.

Admin wrote:After all, once on the roof, where is this mysterious figure going to go? Also, the pair don't know who the woman is, or why she's -apparently - being kidnapped. You're on 5/5 effort points each. Over to you.

"I'm not liking this one bit. Stone Fist, you can jump to that roof better without me. I'll run down and come up the back way, in case has some means of escape and meet you on the roof, if not.

Before he could argue with the diminutive companion he jumped down making his way down the side of the building like a fleet footed cat, before running across the street toward the Museum.

OOC:
Ok hopefully letting Stone Fist make the jump without me, will make it easier, or at least not worse. At least this way if SF fails we both don't fall. And I might be able to head him off, in any case.

Love the whole pulp feel to this. Just wish I knew more about the era to be able to write more in character. But I am showing my complete ignorance here.

Sj

OOC nowhere near an expert on the era myself, so I'm sure there'll be some 'eye rolling' moments for David M every now and again as my ignorance shines through with nonsense replacing facts You don't have to be an expert on the era to notice the Indiana Jones references though

Jade Hood moved like a cat, flowing without pause from ledge to ledge and dashing across the street. Even though he moved quickly, he would be delayed from the climb of the other building, and knew Stone Fist would have to deal with the dark garbed figure by himself if he made the leap across.

OOC Not sure on if Stone Fist will make the leap or how much effort he'll put in, so I'll wait for Dave M to post then see where we are. Depending on whether Stone Fist wants to wait till he sees Jade Hood going up the fire escape on the outside of the Museum or jumps immediately might mean he has several rounds to act whilst Jade Hood is still moving.

ooc: You can get your hands on Doc Savage, the Shadow and The Spider. They have been in reprint for the last decade or so. The Gudenberg Project also has lots of free pulp that is now in public domain.

Putting a point into my leaping, so I can make the distance. Stone Fist chases the man.

"No one is up to any good running around rooftops at night," Stone Fist says to no one, ignoring the fact that he and Jade Fist were doing the exact same thing.

OOC Stone Fist puts an effort point into pushing his jumping. He can leap 40' normally, and the roll of 2d10+Will (3) vs target number (10) comes up... 10+8, extra effort, roll of 4. 18 rolled + 3 Will = 21. Easy.

As Jade Hood reaches the street level on the building the pair were stood on, he looks up and sees a dark clad figure fly across the gape between buildings without effort! the act takes his breath away somewhat. What he, as a highly trained martial artist, could do was amazing.

Stone Fist could do the impossible.

Stone Fist landed on the roof and turned to face the black clad figure who deposited the girl on the roof. The figure paused for a second, glanced across at the roof lower and back at Stone Fist. Then the figure crouched in a fighting stance and started to advance towards Stone Fist!

OOC initiative 2d10+Combat Score each 17+9 for Stone Fist, 8+12 for the dark clad figure. Stone Fist goes first (but melee happens simultaneously so unless he's doing something else it doesn't really matter who goes first) Jade Hood will be 2 rounds (and that's being generous) before he can get to the roof, so it's all Stone Fist for now.

"I think that the lady wants to stay here," Stone Fist growls in his deep voice. He takes a swing at the figure.

ooc: Nothing fancy here, take a swing and see what happens.

OOC I've been thinking about the combat system, and roll to hit vs roll to hit always gets a winner (so combat always is resolved in 1-2 rounds) but that's somewhat anticlimatic and favours the better fighter over the supremely agile. So I will try Roll to hit and roll for defence for all combatants. If someone gets hit there is a roll for damage and roll for resistance. At any stage with any roll you can add effort points. I will also figure out a proper recovery rate for effort points, maybe every time I post you recover 1 effort point, aside from the rounds in which you use an effort point. We'll see how it goes. I'm writing the combat section of the rules now and felt I needed to make sure it was right.

Combat Score (Skill? Probably will go with skill I think) Stone Fist 9, Black Garbed Figure (BGF) 12
Stone Fist rolls 2d10 → [8,3] = (11) + Brawling (3) + Combat Skill (9) total 23
BGF rolls 2d10 → [6,6] = (12) (DOUBLE!) + Combat Skill (12) for defence. No need to roll the double - the total (24) means Stone Fist misses

BGF uses 1 effort point to attack, one to damage.
Stone Fist gets 2d10 → [8,1] = (9) + Combat Skill (9) = 18 defence
BGF gets 2d10;1d10 → [7,4] = (11) and extra die 1d10 → [7] = (7). Picks double 7 (holy smoke, good rolls for BGF so far...) plus 2d10 → [5,9] = (14). Total roll 28 (!) plus Combat Skill (12) plus Martial Arts (5) = 45 total. 27 difference is 9 accuracy

Damage is 2d10;1d10 → [3,5] = (8) and extra die [7] = (7). 12 (picked 5+7) rolled + Strength (3) + Accuracy (9) total 24
Stone Fists resistance is 2d10 → [6,7] = (13) + Body (4) + Tough Skin (3) total 20.

Stone Fist takes 4 damage, dropping him from 17 to 13 health points. He has 5/5 effort and BGF has 2/5 effort, on full health.

The doubles have really set the cat amongst the pigeons. I dare say Stone Fist might not take BGF so lightly now!

=========

Stone Fist threw a punch...

"You are fast!" said the Black Garbed Figure "But clumsy! An Ox would see you coming!" Stone Fists opponent stepped inside his punch, then delivered a blinding flurry of blows to Stone Fists' face, throat, groin and the instep of his leg. Stone Fist grunted with pain, stepped back and saw the Black Garbed Figure adopt some kind of fighting stance that reminded him an awful lot of his friend, Jade Hood! Still, he'd been raised in rough neighbourhoods and no one ever went down easy! Tonight wouldn't be a first time for Stone Fist! The voice was strange too, muffled by the black face wrappings that left only eyes showing, and they'd been darkened by some kind of eye makeup showing glittering orbs. Stone Fist, up close, towered over the black garbed figure who can't have stood more than 5'5" tall, was very slim, but faster than anyone he'd faced before and certainly knew how and when to strike!

"Impressive." admitted the Black Garbed Figure. "You are resilient". Stone Fist notices his foe rubbing their fists where they'd repeatedly pummelled his face!

=========

OOC initiative 2d10 → [5,10] = (15) Stone Fist 2d10 → [2,2] = (4) (DOUBLE!) For Black Garbed Figure plus 2d10 → [6,8] = (14). Black garbed figure goes first. Again using 1 effort to attack, but one on defence this time. This leaves BGF on 0/5 effort. I'll let you assign any effort to attack/defence then resolve the fight. It's a little bit to/fro and slows things down but I'd hate to have the fight over and done with you as a spectator when you probably want to throw an effort point into attack, a couple into defence or resistance or whatever. Your call (assign any effort to defence/resistance and what you want to add to attack/damage, if any, plus your action, which I assume is dishing some out in return...)

At the end of this round Jade Hood will be huffing and puffing his way up to the roof.

With regards effort points, you can spend them on:

• Any task
  
• Attacking
  
• Avoiding an attack
  
• Inflicting Damage
  
• Resisting Damage

You also have hero points, but when used non heroically (saving your own skin kind of qualifies as that) you won't get them back. A hero point is a GUARANTEED double result, and you can spend effort points in the same round to guarantee (well, nearly guarantee) an excellent result. Over to you.

ooc: Can we put more than one point into something or just one per "thing", such as one in attack, one in defense and one in resisting damage? Or three points into attack?

Stone Fist wasn't used to taking such damage. This guy was good. Very good! He couldn't let this guy dance around him and attack. He needed to get in close where his strength could be used even more effectively. dirty fighting he knew how to do.

action: Okay, lets try something new for the combat system. Wrestling! Get in and try a bear hug to pin the guy's arms and then squeeze. Put a point into attack and one into damage. If I can put multiple points into one thing, make it two points to attack.

OOC the only limit you have for spending effort points is how many you have at that time. You can bung them all on attack, defence, damage, resistance or split up as you see fit. You only need to spend 1 Hero point at once though (as it replaces one die with the same number as the remaining die, giving you a double). Oooh wrestling. Right then. Let's say a wrestling attack is the same as an ordinary attack in the first round, but if you hit, the combat changes. It'll be Combat skill + Strength vs Combat Skill + Strength to hit (and if either side has a wrestling skill, that can be added too). Therefore a much stronger opponent, when they get a grip, is going to be hard to shift and it may make up for a lack of Combat Skill when faced by a superior fighter (as is the case here). If someone wants to break the grip they can (instead of inflicting damage) choose to break the hold. No defense rolls when two people grapple - it is simply skill+strength vs the other guy, winner inflicts damage.

=========

The Black Garbed Figure rams a fist home time and again, followed by a flurry of kicks to the midsection! This time though Stone Fist grunts, he grins! "That it?" he laughs.

Black Garbed Figure is taken aback somewhat. "I may have ... underestimated you." comes the rasping muttered reply from behind the full face mask. Stone Fist grins, then lunges at the Black Garbed Figure! Both opponents are fast and skillful, and Stone Fist only narrowly misses grabbing more than cloth with his iron grasp! As it is even the cloth twists from his grip and he's left holding air, but the black garbed figure backs off several steps. "You are fast for a big man!" rasps the voice from behind the mask. "Who are you?"

Just then Jade Hood hops over the roof wall and lands in a crouch, appraising the fight immediately! He sees his friend, what he lacks in outright skill and speed, more than makes up with strength and durability! He grins. Stone Fist was probably the toughest person he'd ever met, and that included the masters of Kung Fu in the monastery where he was trained! Whoever this dark garbed foe was, they would soon find that on his own, Stone Fist was nigh unbeatable, but with Jade Hood alongside him, he was... invincible! He chuckled at the thought. Well, if not that, then very hard to beat!

=========Mechanics=========

OOC the Black Garbed Figure attacks again. Roll is 9,7,1, so 9+7 + Combat Skill (12) + Martial Arts (5) = 33 vs Stone Fists' Defence 7,10 rolled plus Combat Skill (9) = 26
3 points of accuracy with that hit. Damage is 5+6 + Strength (3) + Accuracy (3) = 17. Stone Fists resistance is 7+3 + Body (4) + Tough Skin (3) = 17
Despite hitting this time Stone Fists defence is up to the job and he ignores the blows that hammer against him! HIT BUT NO DAMAGE.

Stone Fist attempts to grapple. Brawling is your street fighting style so can be used to wrestle with. 2 effort on attack, so dice come up 9,6,8,1. We pick the 9+8, add Combat Skill (9) and Brawling (3) for 29 attack. BGF spent an effort point on defence so roll is 9,1,8 pick 9+8 plus Combat Skill (12) for 29 total.
Stone Fist misses - but not by a lot. He grabs cloth then lets go. You need to exceed the other total so it was missed by just a single point! MISSED

However, BGF is on 0/5 effort, Stone Fist is on 3/5 effort. Might that turn out to be the deciding factor?

Initiative 5+1 plus CS12 for BGF. 10+8 plus CS9 for Stone Fist. Stone Fist wins initiative

Jade Hood arrives on the roof and goes last in the next round. So it's Stone Fist, BGF then Jade Hood to act. Jade Hood is 20' away so will have to move a short distance to attack in melee, but that applies only a -1 penalty to hit.

Admin wrote:Jade Hood arrives on the roof and goes last in the next round. So it's Stone Fist, BGF then Jade Hood to act. Jade Hood is 20' away so will have to move a short distance to attack in melee, but that applies only a -1 penalty to hit.

Jade took a look first from the robbed assailant to the woman he was carrying, to make sure she was ok. "Are you OK, ma'am?

Jade asked, the words still not as familiar to him as his own tongue. Jade Hood wanted to reassure the lady that she didn't think that she was being picked over or that every man who wore a mask was up to no good.

As his companion went to move, Jade Hood waited for his opportunity to strike.

OOC:
Ok since I don't know Dave is going to do, but I might be too busy to respond later here are my contingency plans.

i. If Dave goes for another grapple/wrestle, then I will move in afterwards to strike whilst he has him restrained. I will say something like, ordinarily I'd never strike an opponent in this way. But in his case I'll make an exception since he tried to kidnap a defenceless woman.

ii. If Dave doesn't grapple I'll move up and and take a swing at him as well, perhaps so Stone Fist can set himself up to make another grab for him, should Dave want to try.

In any case I am making an attempt to work in team with Stone Fist to capture the guy. I want to know what he is up to, rather than assume too much. After all we're considered villains, hence the reason I wanted to reasure the woman, whom this guy had captured.


====
You know on a different note, I've really liked playing Jade Hood and Stone Fist, but I realise that they are are here only to serve as foils for playtesting the rules and that at some point you're going to want us to roll up new characters to test other things.

I don't know how you feel about this, but what if the more popular of these characters becomes part of an ongoing anthology. What I mean is if you feel like going for different stories, or have a an idea to test out or a story you want to try, maybe that ends up feeding into the main campaign, then we use these existing characters. Think of it like a mini series, a time to time one shot adventure, in which we play some of the different characters we've used to try out the rules. I say this because I've become quiet attached to Stone/Jade combo and when this is all said and done wouldn't mind returning to their world from time to time. Anyway I know that might not feel you with joy, so take it or leave it, its just a thought.

Sj