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

Stone Fist was trying to live up to his new name, just sitting there impassively as a stone. He wasn't a brilliant man, so he couldn't do math problems in his head. He could dream but his dreams lately involved a woman burning to death for helping him, so he prefered not to do that either. So he settled on people watching and cloud watching to pass the time away.

OOC Roll of 7 for Intelligence for Jade Hood. Not good enough to recall anything unfortunately. It's one of those things that stays on the edge of his mind, always staying just out of reach...

Jade Hood frowned, searched his memory, but could come up with nothing that suggested recognition. He was sure it was significant, but in what way, he couldn't tell. He glanced at the other passengers.

There was an older couple, en route to Africa for the trip of a lifetime.

Two businessmen, discussing trade possibilities and profitable lines of exploration for oil. Both looked 40-50 years of age, well dressed, laughing as they drank and smoked.

A diplomat and his entourage of three staff, en route to take charge of the US interests in the region, and deal with the Egyptian government on Americas behalf. He was in his fifties, well dressed, and his staff were all male, in their thirties.

In the corner, with hat over face and a large trenchcoat pulled up, a silent figure slept - or maybe did a reasonable impression of sleeping. Jade Hood had glanced over there several times, but not seen the person move.

=========

About an hour or so later, the co-pilot came into the passenger area

"Buckle up ladies and gents. We'll be hitting turbulence!"

He wasn't kidding! Immediately the plane bucked and slammed about, and the sides were lashed with rain as they flew into a storm! Mary was alarmed, and squeezed Jade Hoods hand with her own, the other placing knuckle into mouth. The other passengers were frightened too, but the Co-Pilot did his best to reassure them...

OOC Anything you want to do before I spring the next surprise on you...?

OOC Anything you want to do before I spring the next surprise on you...?.


Look to see where the parachutes are stored!

OOC parachutes..?

As the frightened passengers clung to their seats with the plane being tossed about, there were cries of alarm as a gunshot rang out in the plane! It was difficult to tell where it came from with the noise of the engines and the storm, but the diplomat with his entourage rose, looking about, and the trenchcoat/trilby figure got up, smoothly palming a pistol in his hand! He was at the back of the plane, facing to the front and several rows behind Stone Fist/Jade Hood.

"What the...?" spluttered the two businessmen.

"NOBODY MOVE!" shouted the shadowy figure at the back of the plane.

Just then the pilot came out of the cockpit, gun in hand, shouting "Drop your gun!"

OOC Ok, let's see what you guys notice... both have 3 Perception... 12 for Jade Hood, 17 for Stone Fist.

Jade Hood notices the straps on the pilots shoulders. He's wearing a parachute! Stone Fist notices that, also the fact the gun is smoking, and the mans' tattooed wrist shows the world wrapped in a serpent. He tries to remember where he'd seen it...

OOC Roll of 14. That'll do it.

A flashback of being pummelled by half a dozen guards in the dark grounds of the mansion came back to Stone Fist. He'd recovered from that, but the bruises were still fresh! And he'd seen at least one of the guards with that tattoo on his wrist! The pilot was 6or 7m away, in the doorway of the cockpit. The smell of a recently fired gun wafted through. The man at the back of the plane aimed at the pilot, and the pilot aimed at him...

"What is going on here!" spluttered the Diplomat. "I DEMAND to know!" he said...

"Your briefcase, Mr Winkelman..." said the pilot. "Slide it over."

The plane, despite being in the midst of a storm, was a powder keg of tension waiting to go off!

"Buddy, the pilot is one of the guards I tangled with," Stone Fist whispered to his friend. "Don't know who the guy behind us is though. I"m taking the pilot out. You back me up."

Stone Fist then acted totally out of character. He got up out of his seat, in apparent panic and screamed like a little girl. "Oh MY GOD! He has a gun," he yelled pointing back at the man behind him. He then whirled and leaped the length of the plane to tackle the pilot.

actions: Faking panic. Jumping at the pilot and tackling him with the intention of getting the gun out of his hand or preventing him from using it. I believe the lenght of the plane is inside Stone Fist's normal jumping distance so I won't put any effort points into it. I will put one into attack and one into damage on the pilot.

OOC initiative. +1 for Stone Fists ploy. Rolled 30 (! Double 10 + 8 and 2) for Stone Fist plus 10, 11 plus 11 for Jade Hood, 7 plus 9 for bad guy.

You both go first.

Stone Fist leaps (-2 to his attack but +1 damage) and adds an effort point to attack, 1 to damage. Rolled 10,6,6. Tricky! Take the double 6 and get 8,5 for the next 2d10. 25 Rolled plus CS9 plus Brawling 3 -2 modifier. 35 attack total. Bad guy gets 11 rolled plus CS9, 20. That's 5 accuracy! Damage is 5 (accuracy) + 1 (charge) +5 (strength) + 1 (hard skin) plus 5,2,8 (pick 5,8) for a total of 25. Bad guy gets 10 plus Body (3) for a total of 13. That's 12 damage, enough to knock the bad guy out with a single, clean blow!


After causing a scene, Stone Fist leapt across the plane, seemingly able to fly, and delivered a shattering right hook, dropping the man like a stone! He bounced off a wall and slide down, senseless! Stone Fist and Jade Hood didn't have time to gloat though - the plane tilted forward... and started to nose dive towards the sea!

ooc: What's the trenchcoat guy doing? I know we went first but any indications from him as to intentions?

Admin wrote:You both go first.

After causing a scene, Stone Fist leapt across the plane, seemingly able to fly, and delivered a shattering right hook, dropping the man like a stone! He bounced off a wall and slide down, senseless! Stone Fist and Jade Hood didn't have time to gloat though - the plane tilted forward... and started to nose dive towards the sea!

OOC:
Ok sorry I haven't been checking this thread and for some reason haven't been getting emails, I just assumed that Paul was busy so thread hadn't been updated. Poor show on my part. So sorry for holding things up.

Jade Hood seeing how his friend leapt at the pilot left another man with and equally dangerous gun, in hand. Knowing that the plane was fall of innocent civilians didn't leave Jade much choice. He had to act first and ask questions later. Throw star to hand, he fired, with what he hoped would be pin point accuracy, seeking to throw the gun out of the strangers hand, before following it up with an arm lock until he knew more about who he was facing.

OOC:
Ok first off throw star to either knock the gun away or even better out of the man's hand. I don't want to unnecessarily injure him. So I will use a couple of effort points to help smooth the roll.

Then will follow that up with trying to get alongside him, to grapple him into submission, whereby I might be able to ask questions.

Assume all this is going on as Jade leaps toward the Pilot. Lets hope someone on the plane has some piloting skills!

Sj

The man in the trenchcoat is as surprised as everyone else at the incredible scene that had just occurred. With the plane diving, he used his hands to steady himself on a chair, gun pointed away from anyone. When he saw Jade Hood pull a throwing star and take aim, he called out "Wait! WAIT! I'm a government Agent!" he said, hand with gun held up and away whilst he reached - slowly - for ID, which he held up, a shining silver badge. "Agent Joe Chayne! I'm here because... uh... can anyone fly a plane?"

The whine of the plane entering a steeper dive was drowned out by the terrified passengers screams!

OOC I *hope* I'll have an easier time over the next day and get caught up - on call so if they don't call me in, we're in business.

ooc: I'm pretty sure pilot wasn't a skill listed for Stone Fist.

He heads for the cockpit to find out what happened to the other pilot.

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc: I'm pretty sure pilot wasn't a skill listed for Stone Fist.

He heads for the cockpit to find out what happened to the other pilot.

And with a weary eye on this new agent, Jade Hood, indicates that he ought to come look. As he comes nearer, Jade says, "Now Mr Chayne, perhaps you can entertain us with your story, whilst we trying not to crash land!"

OOC:
Oh boy in terms of skills we never really got to pick anything fancy as we were so low level. To be honest both of us being from where we are, what were the chances of either one of us being a pilot in this time period. So I guess we'd going to get a crash course (sorry couldn't resist) in how to do skill checks in skill you're not equipped for. Lets start getting some hero points together.

Also I will take the gun from our would be assassin, give it to Mary and tell her to keep an eye on him. I will tie him up for good measure and suggest she also keep an eye on the other passengers in case he had an accomplice.

Sj

ooc: Maybe we will crash land in an ancient crater and discover a forgotten world filled with dinosaurs and strange cavemen!

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc: Maybe we will crash land in an ancient crater and discover a forgotten world filled with dinosaurs and strange cavemen!

OOC:
Been there done that ;-)

Sj

OOC Yeah, I was gonna add - crash land in a forgotten world? Wouldn't be the first time... (Lionheart if I recall...)

Agent Chayne frowns "Hold on a second, who are you guys? I never saw..."

"WE ARE GOING TO CRASH, AND WE ARE GOING TO DIIIIIIEEEEEEE!!!" screamed Mary as she lunged over, grabbed Chayne by the shirt with both hands and shook him, wild eyed. "Jeez lady, keep ya hair on, ok? We got the co-pilot, right?"

Stone Fist went into the cockpit, where the wind was howling a bullet having smashed a side window. Slumped in the co-pilots chair was the co-pilot himself, blood slowly running from the bullet hole in his head...

Jade Hood tied the 'pilot' up whilst Stone Fist climbed into the pilots chair and looked about. Having never been in a plane before, it was all rather daunting, but the clouds zipping past the windows meant his doubts wouldn't last long!

Chayne came up to the cockpit, Jade Hood behind. "I'm here ta escort that Diplomat back there ta Egypt. He's carryin' somethin' our sources say is valuable, but he maybe don't know it. Somethin' th' Egyptians want back, an' we're givin it to 'em as a ... hold on. We're gonna die! Anyone... say... You flown a plane before Mister?" he asked of Stone Fist.

Mary pushed through, past Jade Hood and Chayne, then shouted, over the howl of the wind. "Pull that stick back! Open the throttle and get us level!" she shrieked. Chayne and Jade Hood glanced at each other, then at Mary. "A pilot let me ride up front with him once." She blushed and said no more.

OOC You're on full Effort points Jade Hood, Stone Fist on 4/5, but this is going to be really tricky. Simply flying the plane is more an Intelligence skill than Agility (because you're not wanting to do any fancy moves, and need to know which buttons to push/pull). I'm also considering tracking Energy points in a slightly different way. I'm thinking that I'll roll a die (D5) and that determines the number of rounds (in combat) or number of attempted actions (out of combat) that must pass before you recover effort points. That way you'll have to think hard on whether you want to use them all in one go or not. I'll come up with something. Also, point taken about character creation Dave (E) - these characters were mostly knocked together to demonstrate combat and have a short encounter. The next test will be a more powerful class of character you can build yourself. Anyway, plane crashing, heading towards sea really fast, wind howling, people muttering prayers, no one is a pilot, parachutes - ha! Over to you...

"You are smarter than me," Stone Fist admits to Jade Hood. "You and Mary fly this thing. I will get everyone ready for a crash landing."

"Mister, you know anything about radio? Can you call out for help on ours, assuming it still works and does this crate have a radio?"
ooc: Not all commercial planes did back then.

Admin wrote:Mary pushed through, past Jade Hood and Chayne, then shouted, over the howl of the wind. "Pull that stick back! Open the throttle and get us level!" she shrieked. Chayne and Jade Hood glanced at each other, then at Mary. "A pilot let me ride up front with him once." She blushed and said no more.

"You are smarter than me," Stone Fist admits to Jade Hood. "You and Mary fly this thing. I will get everyone ready for a crash landing."

Jade Hood nodded as his friend passed over the seat to him and he took ahold of the stick as instructed by Mary. As he passed he whispered in Stone Fist's hearing, "A Nazi agent and a respected diplomat returning an item to the vary place we're heading. Coincidence or the very piece of the puzzle we've been looking for?"

Then he got into place and shouted back to Mary, "Mary please join me, perhaps together we can avert a disaster."

OOC:
Ok assuming Mary has a slightly better idea what the dials and levers all do, perhaps together we can manhandle this plane to safely gliding, and then contact the ground to find out what we can do next.

Assume that I will use effort points as necessary where possible, so to straighten out the craft and then get her on a level course etc.

Sj

Stone Fist and Agent Chayne backed out of the cabin, taking the body of the dead co-pilot with them even as the plane steadily nose dived through the clouds! There were cries of panic in the passenger area, and Jade Hood was grim as he held onto the controls. "Ok..." said Mary, looking about. "Those pedals on the floor. And the control stick! Throttle... right, here is what we do..."

OOC Jade Hood tries to get to grips with the plane controls with Marys' guidance. Using two effort points to succeed... 2,10,4,5... Use the 10 and the 5, plus his Intelligence (3) plus a bonus point from Marys' help (1). Target number was 15, so 2 successes.

The plane pulled up, levelling, to the collect sighs of relief from the passengers. Mary then pointed out "Look!" A dark dot on the ocean, illuminated by moonlight, revealed the conning tower of a submarine! Jade Hood had heard of such things - ships that could travel under the sea! The plane flew closer, albeit some five thousand feet up.

Chayne and Stone Fist popped their heads back into the cabin and saw the vessel. "Why the... that must be where that clown the big guy lamped was gonna hook up with! Damn! No radio on this thing!" he said, looking about. Chayne turned to Stone Fist "Someone must want that fancy statue real bad to go to all this trouble - and if word got out, it'd create an international incident! I gotta swear you guys to secrecy, national security and all that."

Mary was studying a map and tracking the last notes made by the co-pilot. "Assuming that we haven't strayed too far off course, we only have fuel to continue forwards, not turn around! There's some islands in the Atlantic we're to land on and get fuel from. You can fly in a straight level line, but how's your landing?"

"An' what are we gonna do about that?" said Chayne, pointing to the surfaced submarine which was much closer now. The 'pilot' would have been bailing out soon, ready to be collected and would disappear without trace, whilst the plane would crash into the ocean with the loss of all life! Of course, the heroes had stopped that - but would they continue flying towards their destination, or attempt - somehow - to get aboard that submarine? And what of the passengers? And this statue that a foreign agent was willing to kill for?

"What can we do,' Stone Fist asks. "We have no radio so we can't call the Navy and we sure can't land in the sea and put the rest of the passengers at risk. Avoid it and keep going until we sight land is the only thing I can think of."

ooc: I thought Jade Hood at the 4 Int and Stone Fist had the 3 Int?

DavidMcMahon wrote:ooc: I thought Jade Hood at the 4 Int and Stone Fist had the 3 Int?

OOC:
Yes he has! Intelligence should be 4 not 3 Paul.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"What can we do...avoid it and keep going until we sight land is the only thing I can think of."

Jade Hood nodded. Though, by the skin of his teeth he had got the plane level, he wasn't about to ditch it again into the sea. What would they do then? The thought of trying to drive a submarine, seemed even more hopeless than the plane. But even so, he was concentrating too intently to think about it anymore. The lives of these passengers and their quest was too much to leave to chance.

But turning to Stone Fist he mumbled, "Chayne said something about a statue, perhaps we'd better let Mary take a look?"

Sj

"Good idea if you can keep this plane straight while she does," Stone Fist replies.

"She is an expert in this area, sir," he says to the government agent. "Men of a foreign power have been trying to collect such items as they feel it holds secrets that can make men - better - more ... super - like me. We are trying to stop them because they want to take over the world with such men."

OOC Ah, you spotted the deliberate mistake. Just checking you were paying attention *cough*

Mary suddenly looked about. "Yes! Statue! I can do that!"

Agent Chayne walked into the back where the passengers were seated and the Diplomat was mopping his brow. "Hand over the statue sir. Government business."

"I am on government business too, young man! This is of vital diplomatic importance, and I've been assured that trade relations will... what are you... wait a minute!" said the Diplomat, and his entourage started forward as Chayne grabbed the briefcase and opened it, rifling through it. "Here ya go." he said, glowering at the men to sit down. The statue was of a carved lion in jade. Nothing spectacular about it. In fact, it looked the sort of thing that might be sold in an Egyptian bazaar!

Mary took it, casting a critical eye over it. "Well, it's... alright i suppose. Oh wait..." She grabbed the statue by the legs and whacked it against a seat back, breaking it in half! The Diplomat was aghast, and even Chayne pulled a face until Mary leant over to pick up a small packet, like a sachet of ancient parchment, that had been sealed within the statue thanks to its cunning construction. With a smile Mary held it up. "This what you're looking for?"

Chayne took it, and frowned. "Say, big guy. This what all the fuss is about? A pack of seeds?"

"More than mere seeds." said one of the two businessmen who got up, brandishing a gun on Agent Chayne! His companion rose, holding a luger and pointing it at the Diplomat, his entourage, and the general direction of the cockpit!

"Which we will take!" said the 'old' woman, as a man stripped off the disguise and pulled up a pistol of his own, aimed at the businessmen! Her/his old companion also seemed rather sprightly. They'd been convincing as an elderly couple taking the trip of a lifetime, and the sight of the 'woman' with a gun in her hand seemed comical - aside from the deadly serious intent on the heavily made up face!

"Doesn't ANYONE get on a plane to just, you know, get where they are going, these days?" asked Mary, with a sigh, and rolling her eyes.

Helpless, Agent Chayne dropped his own gun into a seat and glanced forwards, at Stone Fist. Meanwhile Jade Hood continued to fly the plane...

OOC What we have here is a three way tussle (with one of the three down thanks to that terrific punch!) for the sachet of seeds. The 'businessmen' and the 'old couple' train guns on one another and cover everyone else. Stone Fist is but a leap away, but stray bullets might be costly... your call...

Admin wrote:OOC What we have here is a three way tussle (with one of the three down thanks to that terrific punch!) for the sachet of seeds. The 'businessmen' and the 'old couple' train guns on one another and cover everyone else. Stone Fist is but a leap away, but stray bullets might be costly... your call...

Jade Hood had a momentary thought, a dangerous one, since he wasn't entirely sure he could pull it off. But they were already in danger and he doubted their chances of survival would get better if the seeds escaped them. Getting Stone Fists attention, he nodded with his hands and head as best he could, as to what his intention was. He noted Mary taking a look, then trying to cover her shock. Jade only hoped she'd not given the game away.

Before suddenly, Jade Hood, without further warning, pushed the stick forward and sent the plane into a steep dive. So that all the passengers standing were brought within sticking distance of a now prepared Stone Fist. Now all he had to do was get them out of a dive, before he killed everyone onboard.

OOC:
"Ok so unless Dave has a better idea, I'll alert him to the dive, and dive so the villains come tumbling toward us and he can whack em!

Then I will use whatever effort points I need to, to make sure I pull out of this dive. I suggest in addition all passengers remain belted and their possessions stowed away until we can land in case there are any further, nasty surprises.

Sj

Using his legs to brace himself, Stone Fist was not thrown back towards the cockpit. He also grabbed the government agent as well. He then threw the agent at the nearest two while he went for the furtherest two - fists flying.

Bodies, guns and hats went flying, followed by cases and bags! Once more the plane was plunged into a dive, whilst Stone Fist, expecting the move from a glance by Jade Hood, grabbed up and tossed Agent Chayne towards the nearest two (the 'old couple') before leaping down the plane towards the 'businessmen' and delivering a bone jarring punch!

OOC CS9 + Brawling 3 + roll (7) vs CS7 + roll (12) = 19 apiece! Missed!

Unbalanced by the plane, Stone Fists punch brushes the side of the businessmans cheek, who lunges back in the nick of time! He swings back...

OOC CS7+ Brawling 2 + roll (7) vs CS9 + roll (9) = miss

The fellow then lunged at Stone Fist who swayed back, and the pair were separated as luggage tumbled free from a stowage locker and crashed to the front of the plane!

Mary, in the co-pilots seat, yelled "I hope you know what you're dooooooiiiinnngggg!" as the very real prospect of crashing became clear! The plane was heading straight for the ocean!

OOC Jade Hood pulls up - or tries to. 2 effort points used. Roll 4,6,10,5. 16 total.

He pulls the plane up (OOC 1 effort point left for JH) and they fly over the submarine so close that the men on deck - in German naval uniform - duck!

Meanwhile, in the back, Chayne struggles with the pair of agents who are younger and stronger than they look! One of the businessmen grapples the Diplomat and yells "Enough! Hand over the packet... or this man dies!"

Stone Fist is untangling himself from strewn clothes, whilst the man he'd been fighting is head down between seats. Chayne and the two he was struggling with look to Stone Fist for the next move.

As does everyone else.

Jade Hood hears the words in the front. His next actions could prove vital to helping - or hindering - his friend!

Admin wrote:Jade Hood hears the words in the front. His next actions could prove vital to helping - or hindering - his friend!

OOC:I could always try pulling us up into a steep climb, what do you think? Just bear in mind I am down to 1 effort point here, with no idea how quick I am going to recover them.

Either way they aren't getting away with the packaged. Of that I am determined.

Sj