THE NEW VANGUARD! HAUNT Issue #9 with Special Guest Star STEEPLEJACK!

Admin wrote:Thoth called out" Could you keep him from killing me while I try something?" He started to cast a spell aimed at his mule!

"Oh sure and a cup of tea to boot I don't mind asking?" Steeplejack said somewhat testily. 'Well, ole boy' he said to himself, 'time to try something else.'

And with that, he stepped up to give this demon, one of his own uppercut.

OOC: Ok so go in and see if I can give him a return uppercut in best Bristol fashion.

Sj

Haunt remains on defense for now.

Steeplejack jogs up and the man in black laughs "So far you have been less than impressive little mag. You are slow, foolish and..."

OOC Steeplejack gave him a spinning kick...

Dex 8 + Martial Arts four dice Roll(6d12)+0: 5,8,12,5,10,6,+0 Total:10 DOUBLE (22 was also an option) plus Roll(2d12)+0: 6,4,+0
Total:20 (28) vs

Dex 9 + Acrobatics four dice Roll(6d12)+0: 1,5,11,1,10,7,+0 Total:21 (30) Attack MISSED

The Man in black sways backwards slightly and raises an eyebrow. "Hmmm. You show some merit. That was expertly executed and had you been a fraction faster I might have been struck. As it is..."

OOC He swings to deliver a backhand to Steeplejack...

Dex 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,5,+0 Total:11 (20) vs
Steep Dex 8 + Roll(2d12)+0:1,11,+0 Total:12 (20)

+0EV (to 9EV) vs RV14 (using Force shield) NO DAMAGE

Throwing up a dirt wall instantly Steeplejack sways back and smiles as the man in blacks' smug grin is wiped off. "Alright. Time to stop messing about." he declared.

Haunt watches on, using his body to absorb anything that might... BANG!

Like bullets fired by redneck cowboys into the wall that had popped up in the middle of their street! The bullets had no way of hurting Haunt but it galled that these people were so superstitious and rash that shooting something was the initial attempt to solve a problem!

"Just a bit longer!" said Thoth from behind Steeplejack...

OOC initiative...
12,3,4,1
1) Haunt 12 (36)
4) Steeplejack 3 (29)
2) Man in Black 4 (33)
3) Prof Thoth 1 (31)

So, Haunt, MiB, Thoth, Steep. Go!

Aura of Fear targeting only the bad guy.

Admin wrote:OOC initiative...
12,3,4,1
1) Haunt 12 (36)
4) Steeplejack 3 (29)
2) Man in Black 4 (33)
3) Prof Thoth 1 (31)

So, Haunt, MiB, Thoth, Steep. Go!

Steeplejack grunted looking reprovingly at Thoth and redouble his effort to land a solid blow on the Man in Black.

Sj

OOC Haunt Aura of Fear 6 + Roll(2d12)+0: 1,8,+0 Total:9 (15) vs
MiB Int 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,8,+0 Total:19 (28) Aura of Fear FAILED

The Man in Black looked at the white wall around him. "Whatever you are doing doesn't do anything..." he chuckled. "Aside from make strange shapes and frighten the sheep, is there anything useful you can do man in white?"

He grinned then turned to Steeplejack. "Time to stop messing about, I'd say. THOTH! I hope your soul goes down fighting little man! Your reputation is sorely mistaken thus far!"

He thrust a hand at Steeplejack...

OOC Magic Blast 11 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,8,+0 Total:15 (26) vs
Steep Infl 7 + Roll(2d12)+0: 12,9,+0 Total:21 (28) MAGIC ATTACK ... FAILED!

Well I never... I love this new way of doing things. In the old way (the exisiting rules as written for DC/blood of Heroes) a roll of 15 would have inflicted 11 damage on Steeplejack and left him down and near death! Instead... missed!

Steeplejack felt something wash over him and saw the Man in Black pale, his smile sliding away. "Impossible." he muttered.

"Impossible? Impossible you say, Demon?" said Thoth. "My ... I hesitate to say dear so I'll say instead 'you horrible creature' would you really think that I would entrust Time Stones to people who weren't capable of achieving the impossible? Foolish little hell spawn." he laughed without humour.

He had a hand placed on the mules head. The animal stood stock still, rigid, and its eyes were glowing bright white! Thoth then turned to point at the Demon.

"K'air Zor Var Mar'kissh Vo ... ZA!" he chanted and thrust his hand towards the Demon!

OOC Magic Blast 22 + Roll(2d12)+0: 7,12,+0 Total:19 (41)
MiB Infl 9 + Crit Blow 4 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,8,+0 Total:16 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 4,1,+0 Total: 21 (34)

+4EV (to 26) vs RV 16 - 6 (crit blow) = 16 RAPs

The Demon shrieked though no words came out, and the ground around him burst into flame! He looked aghast and whirled about, shouting something at Thoth, appearing to plead with him though again there was no sound. The flames rose higher and appeared to burn him, and he changed, reverting to a crimson skinned beast, all muscle, claw, tail and hair! Then a massive hand, big enough to engulf all seven foot plus of the demon, appeared, clasped the creature and wooosh! Gone, pulled down and away out of sight...

There was no trace of the creature, the flames died out almost instantly and left a dark ring in the street along with a horrible eggy smell of sulphur in the air...

There was a groan from the mule and it tipped over, still as a statue, to thud in the dust!

"Ah, sorry old girl. I needed the power, hope you understand and all that." said Thoth, reaching to feel at the mules neck and breathing a sigh of relief. "My familiar. And general dogsbody, sometime lover, constant companion and sometimes irritant. I would be heartbroken if I were deprived of her and yet we fight like cat and dog sometimes." His mock american accent had gone and he straightened, dusting off his lapels. "Gentlemen, I believe we each owe the other an explanation, but I also owe you a drink. If uh.. someone would be so kind as to bring Codswallop along I'll sort this out..."

He chanted again in that long forgotten tongue and muttered "Let's hope theirs enough gas in the tank to sort this out, as the Americans would say. In about 100 years."

OOC Hypnotism 15 + Roll(2d12)+0: 8,5,+0 Total:13 (28) vs
Int 3 + multi attack 12 + Roll(2d12)+0: 6,1,+0 Total:7 (19)

+4 (to 19) vs RV 3 + MA 12 = 4 RAPs

"Forget what you've just seen and go about your business good people!" called out the mage from behind the wall. Taking the hint Haunt moved back into normal shape and with a rub of the ring resumed his conventional appearance.

Thoth clicked his fingers and the townspeople stood about blinked then went on their way, wondering why they'd paused for a second.

Haunt had hefted the mule and set it so it was stood near the saloon and the trio headed that way. Glancing back, Steeplejack saw the Sheriff with a confused look on his face.

"It won't affect everyone in the same way. Some may remember in the middle of the night and brush it off as a dream, others will talk about the fireside and raise laughter at the tall tale. Others may see hints, clues, things that jog the memory. Mass hypnotism is a crude tool at best, and unreliable at worst. Plus that blast really took it out of me. I need a stiff drink, then seeing as I've run out of enemies who want to kill me, I'll have another." explained Thoth.

The three plus Scalphunter who had stayed silent throughout the encounter entered the saloon and were reminded of the bogotry inherent in the age. "We don't serve his kind in here! take ya drinks out back!" said the barkeep. With a sigh Thoth gathered a bottle and several glasses and out back they sorted out a table and chairs near the outhouse and bath house.

"So gentlemen." said Thoth, pouring a whisky. "Questions. you saved my life, so you get to go first!" he said, before slugging the drink down. "Ugh, I think i prefer my elixir" he muttered before pouring another.

"Hmm," the Haunt mutters trying to figure out what to say with Scalphunter present. "Our friend, Scalphunter, here is from here and myself and Doc are not. You were one of two people we needed to find. The other is William Bonney aka Billy the Kid."

He looks over at Scalphunter, "I think you need to make a choice here, friend, stick around and hear some things you probably won't understand or will understand and become very fearful. Or, perhaps take your drink with you and make sure that strange mule free from harm? I leave it up to you."

Scalphunter looked like he'd seen a ghost. "You people have been eating locoweed." he muttered.

"I have breathed the smoke from the pipe. It produces many strange sights and sounds. This is like the time I have spent with you." he added.

Thoth shrugged. "That pretty much sums up the last 1200 years of my life." he admitted.

He turned to Haunt. "You both carry time stones. One of them..." he says "feels like this..."

He gestures and opens his fist to reveal an identical stone to the ones the Heroes carried. "Exactly like this. At some point in the future I suspect I give you my stone and that tells me several things. I can trust you, this is a mission of great import and I am still alive in the future."

He pauses then adds "Unless you have taken it from my cooling corpse and prised it from my death grip." Pondering, he sips from the glass and continues "The question for me is... why. However, time travel being as it is, you are best served not revealing all the details. William Bonny you say? I have met him. Polite young man. His aura positively stank of death and danger. His life force is a stone that will ripple the pond in times to come whereas most others..." he gave a general wave "sink without a trace."

Scalphunter blinked and shook his head. "Loco." he mumbled.

Admin wrote:He pauses then adds "Unless you have taken it from my cooling corpse and prised it from my death grip." Pondering, he sips from the glass and continues "The question for me is... why. However, time travel being as it is, you are best served not revealing all the details. William Bonny you say? I have met him. Polite young man. His aura positively stank of death and danger. His life force is a stone that will ripple the pond in times to come whereas most others..." he gave a general wave "sink without a trace."

Scalphunter blinked and shook his head. "Loco." he mumbled.

"Prof if only it were just that simple, we've got a problem so big in our own...ah...backyard that it's overflowed back here to get the jump on things back home if you follow my drift. Anyway, agents from that other place, other time are here to give themselves an advantage back home, and we're here to make sure events unfold as they have without splitting things into a thousand fragments. These out of towners, right out of town, are bad as it gets. Much like the man in black we just faced, type of out of town." And Steeplejack looked up towards the ceiling to add emphasis to what he was saying.

So that Thoth knew exactly what they were facing and how it might be complicated like even he hadn't faced before.

Sj

"And to stop these folks," The Haunt adds, "we need to find William Bonney and keep him alive, that's the biggest thing we need to do now. You sending us on our way to our next stop after we do that is what we need you for."

"Huh. Bonny is a murderer and a criminal. Or will be. He dies at the hands of Pat Garret. I wouldn't have thought killing him before his time would affect much in the future, save to rewrite it." said Thoth.

"If these 'out of towners' are intent on changing the future, killing Bonny doesn't make a lot of sense." he frowned. "Still, you've done me a service and I'll do the same." he reached into a pocket and took out a piece of paper. Unrolling it revealed it was a rough hand drawn map. "Follow this and you'll find where Bonny is holed up. X marks the spot."

"How loco man know we look for man?" asked Scalphunter. He saw Thoth about to speak and waved a hand. "Never mind."

Thoth turned to Haunt and Steeplejack. "Like I say, killing Bonny early makes no sense. There must be something else to it. When you've done what you need to do, Get back here and I'll send you on your way."

"Maybe it is who he doesn't kill if stopped," the Haunt mused "or maybe affects Pat Garrick in some way. I don't know all I know is I want to get my hands on these "folks" and make them pay for what they have done and will do to our Earth. So ... time to get some horses and be on our way."

He looks at the other to see if they had anything else to say or if he missed something.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"Maybe it is who he doesn't kill if stopped," the Haunt mused "or maybe affects Pat Garrick in some way.  I don't know all I know is I want to get my hands on these "folks" and make them pay for what they have done and will do to our Earth.  So ... time to get some horses and be on our way."

He looks at the other to see if they had anything else to say or if he missed something.

"That about covers it I think you're right, maybe its what he doesn't get to do that makes such a difference...either way we won't know till we get ourselves in the line of fire."
Looking at Thoth, Steeplejack, shook his head slowly, wondering what they'd find when they got back. Thoth knew his business but he also seemed to get into a whole mess of it as well.

"Right partner, lets skedaddle out of here and hit the high trail...or words to that effect."

Sj

Scalphunter shook his head. "Loco. All loco."

Thoth shrugged. "It helps to stay sane in this business by being at least a little crazy in the first place. Imagine my surprise when I first found a talent for magic. I've been fighting madness ever since." he muttered.

With supplies bought from a general store the trio gather their horses and set out for the farm where Bonny was known by Thoth to be holing up.

=========

A few hours later they lay on their bellies on a hill overlooking a valley where the farm sat in a meadow.

"Looks quiet." muttered Scalphunter "Too quiet." The wind blew across the prairies and all seemed peaceful. "Want me scout around find tracks? You two wait here. When you move sound is like thunder and tracks so big look like buffalo herd gone through." he complained.

Admin wrote:Scalphunter

"Looks quiet." muttered Scalphunter "Too quiet." The wind blew across the prairies and all seemed peaceful. "Want me scout around find tracks? You two wait here. When you move sound is like thunder and tracks so big look like buffalo herd gone through." he complained.

Doc nodded, but added, "This might be..."Loco", but that doesn't make it any less real or dangerous. Watch yourself..."

Sj

"Stealth isn't one of my specialties," the Haunt agreed, "take care, the folks we are looking for have powers that might make them aware of you when normal wouldn't."

Scalphunter nodded and left.

Haunt and Steeplejack exchanged glances.

Then they waited.

=========

The sun had gone down and dusk beckoned and still the indian hadn't returned.

There was a light on in the farmhouse now that they could see in the distance. Someone was home.

To stay and wait for Scalphunter or go in on the farmhouse... or go to look for their companion. He might be in trouble...

"How about I go check on the farmhouse, while you either stay here and wait for Scalphunter or go find him," the Haunt asks, while removing his disguise and then shapeshifting into the form of a large white dog. {Curse me for having an all white costume but the color shouldn't matter that much in the dark.}

DavidMcMahon wrote:"How about I go check on the farmhouse, while you either stay here and wait for Scalphunter or go find him," the Haunt asks, while removing his disguise and then shapeshifting into the form of a large white dog. {Curse me for having an all white costume but the color shouldn't matter that much in the dark.}  

Steeplejack thought about it Haunt as a dog, could go faster and more efficiently than he could and although it irked him to further split up the party, he was in no position to following without giving Haunt away. Besides a prairie dog probably fitted in better than a skulking northerner, lumbering about noisily. He made his thoughts known to Haunt and wished him well all the while seeking to see if he could spot a sign of Scalphunter.

Sj

The large white dog made it's way down to the farm and sniffed about.

In actual fact he possessed none of the dogs attributes but at least looked the part! Getting closer to the farmhouse he noted that the door was ajar.

=========

Steeplejack missed buildings. He could still jump faster than a horse could run but that wasn't exactly low profile!

Plus, with nothing to swing off he was starting to feel somewhat of a fifth wheel, but would do his best as usual. Coming out of semi retirement had been .. interesting so far to say the least. Magic, demons, time travel, aliens... what next?

Scalphunter was good. He'd left no trail and for a while it seemed Steeplejack was wasting his time.

=========

Inside the farmhouse a near cold stove suggested someone had been here in the last few hours.

Out back a stable was empty but again, there were signs half a dozen or more horses had been saddled up and taken in the last few hours. Inside the farmhouse again he saw a smashed back door. And in one of the rooms smashed windows and spent shells. Lots of them.

Bonny and ... friends...? Had seen the Advent 'strangers; approaching and opened fire. He assumed. Had they then escaped out back?

OOC Haunt Int 8 + Detective Roll(6d12)+0: 10,10,6,6,9,12,+0 Total:20 DOUBLE plus Roll(2d12)+0: 8,9,+0 Total:37 (45) vs
OV6 + Roll(2d12)+0: 11,12,+0 Total:23 (29)

+6EV (to 14 Will) vs RV 6=10 RAPs

1) The people in this room had been firing at targets who approached across an open flat plain without cover
2-3) From the number of shells expended and the broken windows there were at least six combatants in this room
4-6) There is evidence of return fire. Singed holes had punched clean through the building and passed out of the other side. Perhaps open realising they were outgunned the combatants in the farmhouse tried to leave
7-10) Whilst there is no trace of blood the dragging of sawdust in the stables suggests at least one of the combatants of the farmhouse was injured and either carried or dragged by the others onto horseback where they galloped for the hills.

Furthermore, examination of the trail of flattened grass reveals bullets. Flattened bullets, as if they'd hit something more dense not commonly found in this place or time.

All of that takes at least half an hour to find and deduce... enough time for...

=========

Steeplejack came to the hills and the rocky outcroppings.

It had taken a short while to get here and he'd switched to springing in great hundred yard long leaps to cover a wider area whilst looking for... anything.

OOC Perception Int 9 + Roll(2d12)+0: 3,7,+0 Total:10 (19) vs
OV 6 + Roll(2d12)+0: 5,7,+0 Total:12 (18)

+1EV (to 6 Will) vs RV6 = 0 RAPs FAILED.

And he'd found nothing. The city was his environment. The urban jungle. His abilities were more suited to concrete, shadows and angles instead of all this... expanse. open wide plains, rolling hills. Rocky outcroppings. Cliffs...

With a sigh he landed on a rock, looking about in the dimming light and sighed. A glance back at the distant farmhouse and he considered going back having failed to find...

A blade appeared from behind and circled his throat!

He glanced down and a quiet voice muttered "White man jump and leave trail like Buffalo herd passing." The blade disappeared and Steeplejack turned to find Scalphunter crouched and pointing to a distant area where a flickering light suggested a fire had been lit. "Small group. One injured." he hissed. "On horses. They ride plenty fast but injured man slow them. They not leave him. Plenty stupid." he whispered again and waved. "There. In darkness."

Though it was a mile or more away and dark there was just enough light to see a small group jogging across the plain. Two were tall (near 7') and thin, two were hulking (nearer 9'!) and tall and two appeared around 6' high or so. They were stopping every now and again to check the trail left by those on horseback who were resting by the fire half a mile or so ahead of the pursuing group...

"Fight soon. Men near fire die, pretty sure." said Scalphunter. "This nose... smells bad magic around those ... not men."

The Haunt, believing that everyone has vamoosed, trots back to where the three of them had originally started from and lets out a howl.

He then shapeshifts back into his original form and waits.

DavidMcMahon wrote:The Haunt, believing that everyone has vamoosed, trots back to where the three of them had originally started from and lets out a howl.

He then shapeshifts back into his original form and waits.

"Right, Rex, let's get a bead on our aliens, they clearly are looking to kill not capture and if we've a chance of stopping them we'd best cover ground quickly to be in with a chance before they pounce." Steeplejack said, glad for some action even if it was atop a horse riding in the dark smack bank into some aliens one side and skittish cowboys with guns and an indiscriminate reason to shoot at anything that moved.

OOC: Ride like the wind boys, ride like the wind, and see if we can't catch those fella's up before 'they rain on our parade' and our future for that matter.

Sj

OOC I take it Scalphunter waits and Steeplejack bounds back to where Haunt is then explains what's happening?

The pair move at speed through the darkness across the plains and come to where Scalphunter was waiting. Emphasis being 'was'.

From here they could see the distant dot of the cowboys campfire but it was too dark to see the aliens now. Chances were they were close to the cowboys but there were no gunshots ringing out. Yet.

OOC Approach the campfire, look for the aliens or look about for Scalphunter?

"IF the aliens are this close," the Haunt says after Steeplejack explains what he saw, "We need to find and attack them." He then reports what he figured out as well.

Shapeshift into a large cougar and get ready to hunt for the aliens after he finds out what Steeplejack wants to do.

DavidMcMahon wrote:"IF the aliens are this close," the Haunt says after Steeplejack explains what he saw, "We need to find and attack them."  He then reports what he figured out as well.

Shapeshift into a large cougar and get ready to hunt for the aliens after he finds out what Steeplejack wants to do.

If Haunt goes for the Aliens, Steeplejack will approach the fire as the Doc, that way if he can be close to them, he can be where the action is going to the centre. No point trying to follow Haunt in the dark and Scalphunter will be practically invisible.

Having explained that Doc road on hard toward the camp, as he got closer he whistled a tune to alert them to his coming and more importantly that it was a human coming not an alien - at least that is what they hoped the heard.

Sj