Jade Hood and Stone Fist Issue #4 Imperilled in India!

Jade Hood

Having put the thuggee assassin down and left the Doctor behind, Jade Hood sneaked towards the rear of the men assaulting Stone Fist...

OOC two checks to see if the assassins discover JH...

Goon 1 [4,2] = (6)
Goon 2 [5,1] = (6)

And both fail. Jade Hood is within striking range of the assassins and they are unaware of his arrival...

Stone Fist

Charging the gathered goons Stone Fist stretched his arms out wide and rushed the nearest pair of Assassins...

OOC Went for a couple rather than three - these guys are quick and you will need a decent roll...

2d10 → [4,7] = (11) Hit

Stone Fist inflicts 3 points of damage each on the pair of goons - they soak it up (with their limited hero points) but are stunned and cannot attack this phase.

The other two (one gun one knife) attack as a team on Stone Fist...

Goon 1 (Knife) 2d10 → [7,5] = (12) Hit! Ping! The bullet clatters to the floor off Stone Fists chest!
Goon 2 (Gun) 2d10 → [4,4] = (8) Hit (DOUBLE) plus 2d10 → [4,8] = (12). 20 total. 1 point of damage... do you want to soak this up (cost 1HP) or take it and leave Stone Fist on 7/8 Body.

Initiative 8 (Heroes) 4 (Bad Guys) No need to check - the heroes go first. Jade Hood can attack one or more of them from behind, Stone Fist is in the middle of them. No one has seen Jade Hood yet. Over to y'all...

Admin wrote:Jade Hood

Initiative 8 (Heroes) 4 (Bad Guys) No need to check - the heroes go first. Jade Hood can attack one or more of them from behind, Stone Fist is in the middle of them. No one has seen Jade Hood yet. Over to y'all...[/i][/color]

Seeing that he had the upper hand, Jade Hood made good the opportunity grabbing both men suddenly with all his strength and prowess, he forced both their heads together, in what he hoped might take them down in one swift blow.

OOC: Mighty pounding of two heads being better than one, together. I want to make this count, as I'd like to take them both down, so that we can divvy up the rest with relative ease. After all I'm not bullet proof either.

Sj

ooc: Take the HP to soak up the damage.

Actions: Squeeze the two he has in his arms, combining squeezing them and squishing them against the wall is how I picture it.

Stone Fist continues his assault on the pair he stunned moments ago!

OOC 2d10 → [10,1] = (11) Another 3RAPs of damage, soaked up to reduce damage to 1 point and these guys on 2 Body remaining

The Thuggee are quite determined, but it's clear Stone Fist has their number - it would take only one more determined assault by him to flatten this pair! That said, they are able to use close quarter weapons (daggers) on their foe!

Meanwhile Jade Hood attacked with surprise from behind his foes, seeking to knock their heads together and drop them out of the fight!

OOC AV7 vs two surprised foes... 2d10 → [8,6] = (14) Because the pair are suprised and are mooks, I'll waive last ditch defence. They go down with a thud on the floor, knocked senseless!

Stone Fist polishes the last two off with backhands, ignoring the stabs from their stillettos, which are stabbing weapons better suited to puncturing something thinner than plate steel, which Stone Fists skin resembled!

He looks up and sees his friend Jade Hood stood a few feet away and smiled. Behind and down the alleyway is another prone assassin and the Doctor who the pair had run into in Bloots lair - the one who had been working for Bloot and his Nazi cronies, but who now seemed to have 'seen the light'!

Somewhere nearby the whistles of police officers rang out - the gunshots had attracted a fair amount of attention! Stone Fist and Jade Hood both considered another problem - if these assassins had been able to find them relatively easily, they would certainly be able to find their hotel room where they'd left their friend/companion/assistant/damsel in distress Mary!

Admin wrote:Somewhere nearby the whistles of police officers rang out - the gunshots had attracted a fair amount of attention! Stone Fist and Jade Hood both considered another problem - if these assassins had been able to find them relatively easily, they would certainly be able to find their hotel room where they'd left their friend/companion/assistant/damsel in distress Mary!

"Friend Stone Fist, though I'd like to take the time for plesentries, I believe we are needed elsewhere. Can you take the thug we captured, we might want to question him later. But I believe we must get back to the Hotel. Mary is most likely in great danger."

The last comment was offered with a knowing look at Stone Fist, as both men knew what most likely would have happened.

OOC:
Unless Dave has a problem with taking the thug - it might be fruitless to do so, for instance fanatical devotion being what it is and all that. But the Doctor might have a humane way to get at the truth. Anyway best speed to the hotel and around any inquisitive police, me thinks.

Sj

"It's what I do," Stone Fist says with a smile. "Tote barges and lift bales. So carrying a person isn't a big deal. But getting out of here and seeing if Mary is still there is vital. So let's go before the police arrive. I can't afford to bribe them to look the other way."

actions: Grab thug and follow.

The Assassin was virtually weightless to Stone Fist

He'd never felt stronger. A truck might be beyond him, but he figured hefting one end of a car off the floor would be easy, and that was even better than he was before. He followed Jade Hood and the Doctor who wasn't a Nazi but was more than he was letting on through the streets and back to the hotel. In front of him. Jade Hood flowed like water, moving from shadow to shadow, crossing streets, keeping a look out.

He chuckled. The smaller man might not be as strong but was equally effective. He wondered idly, what would happen if it ever came down to one of them fighting the other, then shook the thought off - they'd been through so much in a short space of time, and owed the other their lives. It was hard to imagine such a thing happening.

=========

The door to the hotel room was open...

Jade Hood looked about. The place had been turned upside down - there was no sign of Mary. With a sigh he checked out the window, up, down. Stone Fist came in with the prisoner followed by the Doctor, who looked about nervously.

OOC Perception check 2d10 → [8,7] = (15)

Then Jade Hood frowned. He walked over to a wall where a picture of Clark Gable had been pinned on the wall by Mary. It was slightly lop sided and had clearly been moved. By the assassins or...?

He pulled the pin from the wall and turned the picture over. 'Went out for food. Came back and some guys were turning over the apartment. Am going to follow them. Be in touch later with any luck! M xxx'

Jade Hood turned to Stone Fist and the Doctor. Stone Fist was setting the prisoner down, who stirred a little with a groan...

He chuckled. The smaller man might not be as strong but was equally effective. He wondered idly, what would happen if it ever came down to one of them fighting the other, then shook the thought off - they'd been through so much in a short space of time, and owed the other their lives. It was hard to imagine such a thing happening.

ooc: YOu know, I really wonder if the GM is foreshadowing something ...
Also not sure skill-wise but who is better at questioning prisoners? Would good cop/bad cop work better than just one person in the rules? And who is the better good and bad cop?

"Looks like our friend is coming around in time for us to question him while we wait for Mary to return," Stone Fist said, while pulling his burlap bag-hood out of his pocket and putting it on. He didn't know why he did it but it seemed right even if these folks knew what he looked like without it. If he ever got back to the States, he hoped it would keep him more annonymous in future crimefighting.

[quote="DavidMcMahon"]

ooc: YOu know, I really wonder if the GM is foreshadowing something ... Also not sure skill-wise but who is better at questioning prisoners? Would good cop/bad cop work better than just one person in the rules? And who is the better good and bad cop?

OOC: Yes it looks as if we are going to have to somehow get our friend to talk, but perhaps the most expedient means is via the Doctor. I am sure a normal cultist like this is far to fanatical to give in to simple torture or psychological pressure. I think if the Dr had a simple truth serum, we'd be on Mary's trail before she even got captured again.

Sj

Tied to a chair, the Thuggee assassin was nonetheless defiant in the face of the diminutive martial artist and the muscled bruiser...

After ten minutes of the man staying completely silent the trio were faced with choices...

1) The man couldn't speak English or was very good at ignoring people who shouted and waved their hands around to get their point across (in other words what we do if confronted by someone speaking in a foreign tongue. Or is that just me?)

2) He could understand them, but wasn't afraid of anything the group could do to him... perhaps he was prepared, even seeking, death?

3) He knew nothing about what the trio wanted to know

OOC Your options:

Charisma/Intimidation (Stone Fist) Dice check - be aware he is a hostile target (much harder to influence)
The Doctor tries to cook up a serum to make him talk (will take time)
Torture/Beat him senseless (tricky - you might end up strengthening his resolve if he has a high pain threshold, or as suggested, he actually seeks his own death...)

Another option? In answer to the question, Stone Fist is the most intimidating. Neither is particularly more persuasive than an ordinary person (Maybe slightly so, as they have higher influence scores, but without the Charisma/Persuasion skill it cancels out the higher stats)

Admin wrote:Another option? In answer to the question, Stone Fist is the most intimidating. Neither is particularly more persuasive than an ordinary person (Maybe slightly so, as they have higher influence scores, but without the Charisma/Persuasion skill it cancels out the higher stats)

OOC:So it looks as if toughing it out or torture are pretty unlikely to yield results before this guy expires. We've got a problem in that he doesn't speak English. And if we make use of the good doctor, he will only be able to get a truth serum, not even be able to translate what we say. So this is a out and out bust.

I think we'll have to dump this chump with the local police and either see who turns up for him! Or try another avenue. We're busted here Dave, what do you think?

Sj

ooc: Yeah I feel dead-ended too. Wish we had a third player, someone who has all those detective skills and such we tend to lack. Maybe someday.

Moving to a corner with his back to the prisoner, in case he can read lips, Stone Fist says in a low voice, "we need to keep him here at least until Mary gets back. Then we need to move out of here and find a place where we might not so easily be found. Let him go when we move. Giving him to the police probably wouldn't work since they wouldn't have anything to charge him on."

He pauses on that thought.

"How good are you at following someone, Jade Hood? If we let him go, do you think you could follow him unseen and see where he goes? Where his hideout might be at?"

DavidMcMahon wrote:"How good are you at following someone, Jade Hood? If we let him go, do you think you could follow him unseen and see where he goes? Where his hideout might be at?"

Jade looked thoughtful, given the nature of the place the chances of following the man successfully weren't that great, but the only other plan he could think of was letting them find them again. But that would still leave them with little by way of a lead. So he nodded, whispering he continued "Ok friend, I think we let him try to escape, don't make it too easy, so he thinks he's been clever but otherwise we keep an eye on our friend and try to keep up."

Sj

But that would still leave them with little by way of a lead. So he nodded, whispering he continued "Ok friend, I think we let him try to escape, don't make it too easy, so he thinks he's been clever but otherwise we keep an eye on our friend and try to keep up."

"Right, when Mary returns, we let him escape and you follow him while Mary and I find a new place to stay. We will meet back up at ... [he names a small cafe he noticed while moving around the city]," Stone Fist says quietly.

The assassin stayed impressively stoic even in the face of obvious intimidation

The Doctor looked to the pair of them. "I'll need ingredients for a truth serum. Trust me, the nervous system will not hold out long enough for the recipient to long withhold information but the beauty of it is that it tricks the victim into thinking they are in pain, when in actual fact it is purely psychological."

He seemed quite proud of that and left the heroic pair wondering who it was they were dealing with that could speak of mental torture in such a relaxed fashion. When Stone Fist reminded the Doctor that making the man speak in his native tongue was all well and good but none of the three would be able to understand him, the Doctor glanced at the prisoner, pushed his glasses higher up his nose and conceded "Ah." before sitting down on a chair.

"So we wait then?" he asked?

Stone Fist and Jade Hood looked at one another.

=========

The big man prowled like a caged tiger as Jade Hood waited by the window

Every now and again he'd hiss at the Doctor to relay the time, to which the nervous smaller man would reply, and reveal it'd only been minutes since the last time Stone Fist asked. It'd been nearly two hours, and still no sign of...

Jade Hood turned "She's here!"

The three of them looked from the window at Mary as she walked across the street, glancing about. She held a small sack and trotted up to the hotel room door. With his keen eye Jade hood glanced out the window again, watching. Satisfied that she'd not been followed - as least as far as he could tell - he turned, as did the others, to greet Mary as she entered the room.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, with a grin on her face. "There you are! And ...eh? What's he doing here? And who is... is that one of the men I've been following?"

She strode up before the man tied to the chair, and spoke "मेरे मित्र है यहां अत्यधिक शक्तिशाली! वे अपने हथियार और खींच कर अपने पैर रखने और जीवित हैं! हमें यह बताना होगा कि आप जो कुछ आपको पता!"

The Doctor blinked and turned to Jade Hood, who glanced at Stone Fist.

The man tied to the chair snarled, then frowned. He repeated the last word to Mary, who frowned in turn. "I think that's the right word. It's been a few years since I learnt any Hindi and even then... Ah. I think I just asked him to tell me everything he knew about cheese." she admitted, looking sheepish. "But the part about you two pulling his arms and his legs off was right. I think."

"I followed them. There is a building - the Indian embassy. I couldn't go in there - the guards tossed me into the street. A truck left a short while later, covered so I couldn't see what was in it, but my guess is that they were headed to the airport."

Jade Hood frowned, then looked about.

"What is it?" asked Mary. "Am I boring you?"

Jade Hood gave a sign for Mary to be quiet as he listened...

The Doctor enquired "Which way is the Embassy from here in relation to the airport?"

The gathered people in the room glanced at one another... and the man on the chair grinned! Somewhere above, or out on the landing, a floorboard creaked!

OOC There are two windows in the room and a doorway onto a landing with stairs leading up and down. It seems you are about to have company...

Jade Hood frowned, then looked about.

"What is it?" asked Mary. "Am I boring you?"

Jade Hood gave a sign for Mary to be quiet as he listened...

The Doctor enquired "Which way is the Embassy from here in relation to the airport?"

The gathered people in the room glanced at one another... and the man on the chair grinned! Somewhere above, or out on the landing, a floorboard creaked!

OOC There are two windows in the room and a doorway onto a landing with stairs leading up and down. It seems you are about to have company....

Stone Fist points to show that he has the door covered and wants Jade Fist to cover the windows. He points to Mary and the Doctor, and at the captive, indicating that they should keep him quiet.

He sets himself for an attack.

DavidMcMahon wrote:Stone Fist points to show that he has the door covered and wants Jade Fist to cover the windows. He points to Mary and the Doctor, and at the captive, indicating that they should keep him quiet.

He sets himself for an attack.

Nodding his agreement, Jade Hood moved toward the windows keeping an eye as best he could on all possible entry points both above and to either side of the window. He also made sure he took a look at the curtain rail, curtains and window material itself to get a good idea if he could use the surrounds to imped any entry into the room from that direction.

OOC: Ready to go here boss.

Sj

Aside from the occasional creak of a floorboard from somewhere, the loudest noises were from the breathing of those gathered in the room...

The prisoner was silent, courtesy of a rag jammed in his mouth. Mary looked around, fearful. The Doctor looked nervous, and fidgeted with a small device on his belt but stopped short of pressing any buttons.

Then came a hissing sound...

"What is that?" whispered Mary, looking around.

"Gas?" asked the Doctor, all too aware of the gas attacks used by the German forces in the first world war, and their devastating effects.

Jade Hood frowned. No, it was something else. Something familiar...

OOC Roll 9,6 passes Perception check...

Jade Hood looked up... "Look out!" he hissed!

A floorboard/ceiling panel had been moved aside, and a rope...no, not a rope, a snake! A snake was dropped into the room! The thing landed in a heap, then, annoyed, looked about for something to attack!

It was followed by others... cobras!

Mary stifled a scream, the Doctor climbed onto a chair, sweating feverishly. "Snakes!" he wailed "Why snakes?"

Stone Fist glanced over his shoulder. He was nigh on bulletproof. The only damage a snake could do to him was psychological - it was sometimes tricky to remember he could ignore most things that would send even a strong man running for cover!

There was a knock at the door...

Jade Hood, mindful that three snakes were nearby, and two were near Mary and the Doctor, kept an eye on the window. Sure enough, shadows flitted around the edge of the window and two turban wearing assassins appeared, having rapelled down the outside of the building on long scarves! Whilst they appeared to be traditionally dressed, they were using handguns, and clearly taking no chances!

OOC Initiative - barely worth rolling, but a freak result could see them go first

Good Guys 5
Bad guys 7

Jade Hood and Stone Fist go first. Jade Hood has two men at the window and three snakes closing in. The two men are armed and bringing their guns to bear on Jade Hood!

Stone Fist has no snakes nearby (though he can easily get to them) and there was a knock at the door he's stood behind... over to you, chaps.

Stone Fist will attempt to grab the snakes and then open the door with them in his hands.
That ought to be fun!

Admin wrote:Stone Fist has no snakes nearby (though he can easily get to them) and there was a knock at the door he's stood behind... over to you, chaps.

Jade Hood nodded encouragingly as his friend bent down to scoop up the angered snakes, their outraged hissing indicating their ire. Meanwhile he also nodded toward the window as he returned to gaze out. Seeing the men prepare to enter, he grabbed at the curtain rail, ready to pull it down on them as they came in.

ooc:
I am away from home for a night so doing this on my laptop, so no fancy formatting, that's all set up on my home computer. Anyho, I will try and remain to one side and not present a target for bullets that come flying my way. If the guys

If the thugs outside do jump in at that point I'll yank the curtain, curtain track and anything else that will yield to a heavy pull down on their heads, before seeking to stop them firing randomly at anyone within the room.

Also note I will indicate for Mary and the Doc to stay low and for the doc to be ready at the door. I think the knock was a distraction to get us there, so I'm expecting someone else to burst in from that direction.

Sj

OOC Should be up to date *at some point* today, though with a 12 hour shift looming (am at work now, just have 20 minutes before I'm required to go find a loco) posting will be all over the place as usual

Stone Fist moved over to where the snakes had dropped from the ceiling and reached down...

OOC Roll 2,2 (DOUBLE) plus 8,6 (14) =18. Success.

He grabs one, then another, and finally a third snake, ignoring the fact they are wriggling and impotently biting him on the arm! He could feel the fangs on his skin, but they simply pressed inwards slightly, as his skin seemed to harden when pushed against. Without time to examine the strange effect, he turned and walked over to the door, pulling it open.

In front of him stood three Thuggee assassins in turbans and scarves half covering their faces! Each had strangling ropes but to be sure, pistols in holsters at their sides!

Jade Hood kept an eye on the other two snakes and motioned for the Doctor and Mary to get on the bed in the corner, out of the way. Sure enough, as he predicted there was a flash of movement and two assassins swung from above to fly at the window!

With a half smile Jade Hood yanked on the curtain rail, pulling the drapes and mosquito nets down just as the pair flew in through the open window! They landed in a tumble, and Jade Hood glanced back at the window - another couple of Assassins were coming in that way!

=========

Stone Fist tossed the snakes at the assassins...

OOC Roll 4,2 (6) Miss.

Unfortunately their writhing meant the best he could do was drop them at his feet! Still, it had the effect of making the Thuggee back off and pull guns!

They opened fire on the big man in the doorway!

OOC Roll 12, 8, 9 all miss

Stone Fist moved aside as the ringing sound of gunshots temporarily deafened those in the room!

Meanwhile Jade Hood leapt to the attack on the pair who'd climbed down to the level of the window and pulled pistols!

OOC Multi Attack on Both Roll 7,10 (17) Hit

With a lunge he slammed a fist into the pair of them as they swung in, pistols brandished! Both immediately sagged as the deadly accurate punch rattled their teeth and were left dangling unconscious from ropes tied to the roof! He turned and saw the struggling Thuggee in the drapes free themselves - only for the two remaining cobras to strike!

"Aiiiii!" screamed one. The other simply grunted, clutched his arm and made for the window, flying headfirst out of it to a drop onto the street below, using his head to break his fall..

Stone Fist nodded at his friends success, then turned to the assassins in front of him!

OOC Multi attack on 3 of them - Roll 8,6 (14) hit All three take 2 damage each leaving them wobbling on 1 Body apiece.

Lashing out with punches to the left and right, Stone Fist dazed the trio in front of him. Suddenly realising these men were no weak and feeble targets such as businessmen or peasants, the Thuggee turned and headed for the stairs at a run!

OOC They have had enough of a beating, and have a slight head start (seeing as they aren't attacking). You have one dying Thuggee in the room, another tied up, and two unconscious dangling on the side of the building. Yet another leaped to his death through the window. Give chase or leave them?

Admin wrote:OOC They have had enough of a beating, and have a slight head start (seeing as they aren't attacking). You have one dying Thuggee in the room, another tied up, and two unconscious dangling on the side of the building. Yet another leaped to his death through the window. Give chase or leave them?[/color]

"Doctor, would you be so kind as to clear up our mess. We'll follow the other one. This might be our one chance at finding a lead."

With that Jade Hood nodded to his friend, and motioned for them both to move after their quarry as quickly but carefully as they could.

Sj

"We will probably have to split up," Stone Fist warns the others while trying not to let the prisoner overhear him. "Jade Hood and I move totally differently so we may split up as well while following them. We will meet at that cafe I mentioned in a couple of hours. If all goes well. If not, try the British embassy since their country runs India."

"Oh, and just leave that guy in the chair alone. He will either get free or the police will get him."

With that, he moves after the fleeing assassins.

Jade Hood and Stone Fist, despite their differing size and build, move as quickly as the other in level, straight paths...

Where Jade Hood made ground on their quarry was when the going got more congested and obstacle laden. Leaving the nonplussed Doctor and Mary with the clean up to do (including a couple of snakes hissing about the place, and several bodies) the pair charged down the stairs and out into the street.

Despite the lateness of the day (it was into the evening by now) the streets were alive and humming with traders, sellers, buyers and those that preyed off them all. Jade Hood was nimble and smooth as he darted around them. Stone Fist was more direct, and left more than one fellow dazed and spinning on the ground in his wake!

The pursuit turned down a dark alley and the leaping over of crates, empty or otherwise, as well as refuse and other less sanitary waste. Jade Hood tracked them by seeing hints of the red turban, whilst Stone Fist could see perfectly in the darkness, though his bulk made him less able to smoothly progress through the crowded alley!

Crates were sent flying, vagrants yelled insults - until they saw the size of the man who'd showered them in dead fish or something similar - and it was clear that despite leading the chase, the trio in front, having been battered by Stone Fist, were being caught!

The heroes came out onto another crowded street and for the first time doubted whether they'd catch their foes. it was so busy and crowded with stalls and buyers that to pick out three ducking and diving men was tricky indeed!

OOC Perception for Jade Hood 6,9 (15) for Stone Fist 2,4 (6)

Stone Fist pounced a fist into an open palm. He wasn't even breathing hard. His partner better controlled his own breathing, and despite not being superhuman, had been able to keep up the hectic pace thanks to years of training. There was little doubt that Stone Fist and his superhuman constitution would last the longer though.

"There!" hissed Jade Hood, and he pointed to a high walled compound where a single (of two) gate was opened and the three men slipped inside, only for the gate to be closed behind!

Moving to the other side of the street, the pair looked upon a grand building and noted the flags of the Indian embassy. Wincing - their last encounter at the cultists home which had a similar setup had resulted in a severe beating for Stone Fist - they knew their options were limited.

1) Get over the ten foot wall and continue the pursuit
2) 'persuade' (by any means) the men at the gate to let them in
3) smash the gates down and go in regardless!
4) wait for the Thuggee to leave and accost them
5) give up the chase and return to the hotel
6) try something else...