Your name is Sean Clayton, aka Gunsmoke, aka Adjutant Tango. Last time, you began your expedition into the Southern Italian town of Ercolano, seeking to recover the Lost Scrolls of Herculaneum. After some investigative work, you pinpointed the site and wiped out the Intergang forces who had set up shop there. Now, you find yourself transported back to the site of your greatest shame.> Hello everyone, and welcome back to another issue of DC: Henchman Quest! As always, I’m AxisQM, and I hope you all enjoy! I’m sorry to have dropped off the radar for so long, but I’m glad to be back. Rules are simple: 20 minutes to vote / roll what I say, rolls count even if you (or I) mess up the modifier, crit successes override, write-ins usually welcome. If rolls / votes are slow to come in, I’ll adjust for it. Might need a bit of time to get back into the swing of things, apologies in advance if I mess up or take a bit longer than usual to get updates out.Pastebin: https://pastebin.com/RwY7nc3SLink to Previous Thread: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/4132921/Link to Archive: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=Henchman
>>5070512https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TvSjLLOdiUThis can’t be happening.Before you lies a scene cobbled from your most twisted nightmares. The kind that ends with you lunging awake, frantically scrabbling in desperation to escape into a marginally more comforting reality.But it just won’t go away.The undead remnants of your former brothers-in-arms, shambling monuments to your failures as a leader and soldier, move ever closer, intent on devouring the little humanity you have left.Deep down, you always knew that this was coming.It’s almost poetic in its way, having the full weight of your sins crash down upon you.As they grow nearer, baying for your blood, you idly wonder if it’d be better to just throw in the towel and let it happen.You’re tired. Tired of seeing their faces when you close your eyes, tired of hearing their cries echo in your mind, tired of carrying this burden no matter where you go.Before these malignant thoughts can gain further purchase on your mind, you banish them with a sobering realization.You have always been here. You will always be here.But it’s not over. So long as you have breath in your lungs, a fire in your heart, and iron in your spine, it’ll never truly be over. Rolling over and playing dead would be tantamount to spitting on their memories.These aren’t your men. These aren’t your friends.And even if they somehow are, the existence of these….abominations is a crime you will not tolerate.Whatever twisted entity sent you here even decided to strip you of your firearms, leaving you nothing besides your commando knife.Regardless of the means, it’s time to serve your penance and put their souls to rest.For both their sakes and yours, this needs to end.You…> Stick with the knife and use your mobility to stay out of their clawing grasp. Can’t kill what you can’t hit.> Bring out the Claw and activate your Volcanic Rage. There’s a time for caution and levelheadedness, this is not that time.> Cast a spell. (Specify, they’re listed in the pastebin should you require a refresher.)> Other?
Holy shit it lives!
>>5070514> Bring out the Claw and activate your Volcanic Rage. There’s a time for caution and levelheadedness, this is not that time.
>>5070514> Stick with the knife and use your mobility to stay out of their clawing grasp. Can’t kill what you can’t hit.
I'll give it about 10 minutes more to vote, then roll a tiebreaker if needed.
Rolled 2 (1d2)>>50705381 = Claw + Rage2 = Knifework
Rolled 46, 54, 25, 66, 76, 49, 13, 83, 92, 13, 1, 68 + 15 = 601 (12d100 + 15)>>5070545Alright, roll me some d100s + 35.
Rolled 49 + 35 (1d100 + 35)>>5070546How many?
>>5070566Just the one, you're trying to beat individual rolls, not the group total.
Rolled 65 + 35 (1d100 + 35)>>5070546Welcome back Axis.So much I dont remember. Gonna have to read through the threads again.
Feel free to roll again if you've done so already.
Rolled 99 + 35 (1d100 + 35)>>5070610Cum is stored in the balls
>>5070566>>5070584>>5070615A good showing to open with, writing.>>5070584Feels good to be back, anon.
>>5070615That's a lotta cum.
>>5070615Looks like you started NNN one month Early.
>>5070619Part of you contemplates a more esoteric method of conflict resolution. The Claw could come in handy, as could some of the spells in your arsenal.But no, this is a matter that calls for a bit of finesse.With your knife, you’ve got the advantage of range and mobility.Their advantages? Force of numbers, mixed with sheer animal ferocity.While you can still recognize their faces, you force yourself to suppress any wayward feelings that threaten to cloud your judgement.If it’s hostile, you kill it. Same as it ever was.And you can’t afford to get sloppy about it neither.Charging right into the fray would be tantamount to flinging yourself into their gaping maw. You’ll pick them off while staying quick on your feet and avoiding the potential for getting cornered.But first, you need to gain a bit more intel what it’ll take to put them back down for good.The perfect opportunity makes itself known when one pathetically trips over itself in its haste to be the vanguard of the pack.Fluidly, you cut its throat, stepping back to observe the effects. To your surprise, it seems to do the trick quite well, resulting with the shambling corpse thrashing in the last few moments of its unlife, before going still.Well, that certainly makes it easier.The vast majority fall like wheat before a scythe, as you whittle them down one by one, making sure that none of them are attempting anything tricky.Interestingly, some are much more dangerous than others.Case in point, a pair of them seemed to possess a rudimentary intelligence that far outstripped that of their fellow horde. Almost managed to successfully play possum and pincer you, but you were too fast on your feet.Panting from the exertion, you survey the canyon for any further threats.A bolt of pain rips through your mind, forcing you to briefly close your eyes.When they re-open, you’re back in the same room you were originally transported from.The previously closed door is now open, and all of your previous weaponry has been returned.After taking a moment to steady your frayed nerves, you proceed through the open doorway, finding yourself in a smaller library than the previous one.Guess this must be the restricted section. “Blessing of Introspection” my ass, what kinda sick fuck calls that a blessing?Now that you’ve made a bit of progress, you decide to…> Scour the shelves for anything valuable. What kind of self-respecting looter would do otherwise?> Just focus on finding the Scrolls and getting out. This place is starting to get in your head.> Scrub the mission and leave. You’re not looking forward to whatever weird horseshit is protecting the Scrolls.> Other?
>>5070679>> Just focus on finding the Scrolls and getting out. This place is starting to get in your head.Great to have you back, Axis!
>>5070679>> Just focus on finding the Scrolls and getting out. This place is starting to get in your head.Indian Jones taught me well. Get what we came for and nothing else.
>>5070707>>5070708Looks like discretion is better part of valor, writing.>>5070707Thanks, anon. I'm actually a bit touched that people still remember me.
You’ve come much too far to chicken out now, as tempting as it may be.And while the idea of plundering the stacks for a few new additions to your personal library sounds nice in theory, you manage to reign your greed back.After all, you’ve already got plenty of books to work through already, no sense in taking risks just to further increase your backlog.No, you silently decide, the restricted section is too much of a risk to gamble on, at least right now.Knowing your luck, it’s probably full of fakes that either teach nothing of value, or purposefully trick you into doing something that’ll kill you.While proceeding further still through the hallway, you spot a doorway. Chiseled into the stone above the door is a warning to trespassers, thieves, and the unworthy to turn back, lest they meet their end and eternal damnation.Sounds like you’re going the right way.You push the door open and enter a sparsely decorated room. Despite its lack of furnishings, it’s easily the largest room you’ve been in so far. Weirdly, every inch of the cavernous walls are covered in writings from various dead languages and several you’ve never even seen before.Laying on a large pedestal in the center of the room, are what appear to be the Scrolls. Well, they could just be the regular kind of scroll, but if you had to hedge your bets, you’d guess they’re the ones you’re looking for.After a bit of contemplation, you decide to…> Sprint as quickly as you can towards the Scrolls. Even if the place is trapped, your reflexes are strong enough that you’ll be there and back again without any problems.> Head back to the entrance and see if that scribe spirit is willing to give you a hand. You made a good impression, maybe he’d be willing to do the legwork for you. > Scan the room and look for anything suspicious. You’ve raided enough tombs and seen enough cheesy adventure movies to know that there has to be something nasty protecting the Scrolls.> Attempt to translate some of the writings on the walls. Maybe they’ll give you some clue as to the nature of the Scrolls or their defenses.> Other?
>>5070767>tfw see pic and immediately think its cigars>for a moment i think we're being rewarded with cigars for killing so goodi got cigars on the brain.
>>5070767> Attempt to translate some of the writings on the walls. Maybe they’ll give you some clue as to the nature of the Scrolls or their defenses.
I'll leave the vote open another 10 minutes or so, then call it.
>>5070767>> Attempt to translate some of the writings on the walls. Maybe they’ll give you some clue as to the nature of the Scrolls or their defenses.Read.
>>5070767>> Attempt to translate some of the writings on the walls. Maybe they’ll give you some clue as to the nature of the Scrolls or their defenses.>>5070719The festive QTG question got me thinking about all the (at the time) dead quests I enjoyed. You and WorstJojo were two QMs with relatively recent quests that ended abruptly and with little indication that you were getting tired of running. I was just lucky you were lurking.
>>5070773>>5070795>>5070800Looks like we're doing a bit of reading.Roll me some 1d100s+15DC: 60 / 75 / 90
Rolled 80 + 15 (1d100 + 15)>>5070804
Rolled 18 + 15 (1d100 + 15)>>5070804
Feel free to roll again, just need one more roll in case of crits.
Rolled 36 + 15 (1d100 + 15)>>5070837CUM IS STORED IN THE BALLS!
>>5070806>>5070822>>5070838Translating the word jumbles chiseled all over the walls prove to be just as difficult as you imagined.Not only is the sentence structure cobbled together like it was written by a madman hopped up on stimulants, but it also has the irritating tendency to suddenly change languages randomly throughout.Fortunately, you manage to find a couple paragraphs written in a dialect of Greek that you’ve become semi-familiar with. The author, some crazed worshiper of Hecate, manages to provide a few pieces of useful information.First, the path to the Scrolls isn’t trapped. According to the wall, the scribes are big on tests of wit and willpower, rather than just feats of strength or dexterity.Next, the Scrolls are sealed for a reason. The wall ramblings don’t go into why, but while it’s safe to use them for ritual purposes like Jack is intending, cracking one open and perusing it carries some serious risk. And of course, said risks are never explained in greater detail.Lastly, the last roadblock to the Scrolls is something called the Trial of the Crossroads. Again, not much detail is given, but it’s better than going in blind.Hopefully it’s nothing like the last trial they put you through, you’ve had about enough with their pseudo-intellectual sadism disguised as philosophical merit.Is there anything else you’d like to do before attempting to secure the Scrolls?> No, let’s get this done.> Yes. (Specify)(Need to grab something to eat, be back soon.)>>5070838True.
>>5070845> No, let’s get this done.
>>5070845>> No, let’s get this done.Can't think of anything else. Rather not risk sneaking an artifact or tome.
>>5070848>>5070875Looks like we're all ready to get going, so I'll get writing.
With the revelation that the path to the Scrolls is safe to navigate, you begin to head their way carefully, just in case you mistranslated something. It’d be embarrassing if you got yourself killed over a grammar error or something equally asinine. You reach the Scrolls without incident, but when you reach out to grab them, a now-familiar burst of pain signals that you’re in for another trial.When you re-open your eyes, you’re in somewhat familiar surroundings.More specifically, you’re in a Gotham police station, judging from the GCPD iconography.Nobody seems to be able to see you, which is probably for the best. However, you’re unable to move, which is somewhat worrying.Suddenly, there’s a large crash. The heavily beaten body of a GCPD beat cop is thrown through the doors, sending it flying off its hinges.A figure bursts through the open doorway, wearing some kind of heavy combat armor, with the Intergang logo stamped into it.The officers attempt to open fire, but he vaporizes them with a burst from some kind of twisted alien machine-gun.From there, he goes on a spree of carnage.You’re forced to watch, unable to move or intervene in any way, as he methodically and systematically hunts down and kills every worker in the building.None are spared, everyone from the lowliest pencil pusher to the station captain are found and eliminated.As it turns out, he likes to play with his food, pretending to let some of the more helpless ones go so that he can rip their last hopes away from them.A few of the weaker-willed attempt to surrender in hopes that they’d be spared. The key word there is “attempt.” He brutalizes them even harder, seeming to revel in the violence.Finally, once his bloody work has been done, he turns and stares directly at you, before removing his helmet.It’s you.“Well, well. What have we here?” He says, with an equal mixture of unfiltered bloodlust and intense excitement.The disgust on your face must be easy to spot, given his reaction.“What’s the matter? Got a problem with seeing how a real man handles business?” He laughs, sporting an ugly sneer that seems out-of-place for your features. “Not much of a shocker there. You’re weak. You always have been.” He spits out, practically snarling.“A killer with a code, how fucking original. At least I have the balls to admit what I am. And how I’m gonna enjoy what happens next.” His death threat is bolstered with a grin that the Joker’d give a 9/10 to.Y’know, maybe you should’ve really ducked out earlier.Your strategy is to…> Get in his head and try to get him off-balance. If he’s like you, he’s bound to have a temper. (Feel free to include something nasty to try and piss him off with.)> Just find some cover and start shooting. This farce has gone on for long enough.> Bring out the Claw and blitz him. If you’re fast enough, maybe you can pulverize him before this gets even uglier.> Hit him with a spell. (Specify)> Other?
>>5070929> Other?Fake and gay. Go be a faggot somewhere else you failed highschool shooter. Also CUM IS STORED IN THE BALLS!
>>5070929>> Other?Throw a rock at him. Like we did back in Egypt. That should spark our sense of humor.
>>5070942this. this amused me.
>>5070942+1Call this guy a loser
>>5070942>>5070954>>5070955Alright, roll me some 1d100s+20DC: 80
Rolled 10 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5070958SAY IT WITH ME GUYSCUM!
Rolled 8 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5070958 Nat 1
Dice gods have been shitty recently
>>5070966you should had said IS, followed up with another anon saying STORED, followed up with IN, THE, BALLS. Shame on you.
>>5070969REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
>>5070974YOU HAVE ONLY YOURSELF TO BLAME!
Still need one more roll, feel free to roll again.
Rolled 91 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5070984Im scared
Rolled 7 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5070984IS STORED IN THE.......
>>5070985>>5070966>>5070962Success, writing.
>>5070985Thank god
>>5070986Look at you. The Dice gods Frown upon the Coomposter
>>5070994Have you already forgotten my 99 coom post? The RNG gods are fickle. My time will come again. You cannot stop the coom.because there is already coom inside of you.
>>5070995
>>5070987As it stands, he may actually have you outgunned. You could whip out a spell or something heavier, but wasting your trump cards in the opening stages of the fight is just poor form.You’d be better off just trying to bait him into going off the rails and giving you the advantage. Hell, his sanity seems to hanging from a thread as-is, all you need to do is give him a nudge off the edge.> “I’m gonna enjoy what happens next.” You mock, doing a crude impression that makes him sound like a mentally deficient ape.You have to duck behind cover when he starts firing wildly in your direction. Looks like he’s not great at handling banter tossed in his direction. Good to know. Let’s see if you can get anything else to stick in his craw.> “I’ve gotta ask, how’s it feel being an Intergang stooge? I mean, if you’re such a badass, how come the best you can do is whoring yourself out as their attack dog? It says a lot that you consider having basic standards a weakness. Honestly, the fact that there’s some timeline or universe where I end up being such a loser is depressing. I mean, god damn.”You punctuate your barbs with the driest, most condescending tone you can muster.And it works like a charm, pissing him off so hard that he throws his machine-gun at the wall. Just to put a little sprinkle on top, you rummage around in your pockets and find a rock that must’ve worked its way in while you were skirmishing outside the dig site.You put it to good use by chucking it and bouncing it off his head. When you see the look of stunned rage on his / your face, it’s all you can do to avoid breaking down laughing at him.Seems that was the straw to break the psychotic camel’s back, as he gets his bearings and charges at you, summoning a Claw of his own.Now that you’ve got him in a frothing rage, what’s the next move?You…> Wait for him to get in close, then sucker punch him with the Claw. All’s fair in love and war.> Start shooting at him. He’s angry and making stupid decisions, you can’t ask for more.> Just keep taunting him, it looks like he’s going to stroke out at this rate. Looks like you’ve found a sensitive spot.> Hit him with a spell. (Specify)> Other?
>>5071010> Just keep taunting him, it looks like he’s going to stroke out at this rate. Looks like you’ve found a sensitive spot.Death by insult. This will be a new one. I want to see if it's even possibly to kill someone via stroke.
>>5071010>> Just keep taunting him, it looks like he’s going to stroke out at this rate. Looks like you’ve found a sensitive spot.
>>5071010> Just keep taunting him, it looks like he’s going to stroke out at this rate. Looks like you’ve found a sensitive spot.King of shit-talkers
>>5071018>>5071026>>5071029Looks like a moderate amount of trolling has been chosen.Roll me some 1d100s+20, same as before.DC: 90(If you crit, I'm going to lose my mind.)
Rolled 23 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5071031No crits today.
Rolled 94 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5071031please dice gods, just this once. One solid.
Rolled 4 (1d100)>>5071031Hey, I remember this quest.
>>5071035>>5071031>>5071033SAY IT WITH ME LADS!CUM IS STORED IN THE BALLS!
>>5071033>>5071035>>5071036Oh shit, we're getting fucking chokeslammed at this rate
>>5071035PRAISE BE
>>5071041YOU SEE!? THE GODS STILL FAVOR ME!
>>5071033>>5071035>>5071036Success! Writing, probably the second last or last post for tonight.
>>5071050At a certain point, you’ve almost gotta feel sorry for the guy. Getting this riled up over some light bantering has to be a sign of serious emotional turmoil.When you offer up this opinion verbally, and far less sympathetically, he takes your diagnosis poorly. So poorly, that he bodily charges through several workstations in an attempt to reach you faster and presumably maul you.You lead him on a merry chase around the offices, keeping just enough distance to comfortably fling insults, but close enough that he doesn’t wisen up and stop pursuing you.And boy, he is definitely not in a good mood.He tears through the station like a rabid animal, smashing desks, putting holes in the wall, just doing everything in his power to get a solid hit to connect.Unfortunately for him, his anger is the type that makes people send threatening emails to government officials then be surprised when they get blackbagged and dragged off. In other words, it makes them sloppy as all hell.His reflexes are at the least equivalent to yours, but he consistently misses by a country mile, too preoccupied with your various musings about what a terminal failure he is.Now that he’s good and truly seeing red, what’s the next step?You…> Bring out the Claw and give him a metaphorical spanking. Time to finally see if he can put his money where his mouth is.> Just pump him full of lead and call it a day. At this point, he’s just embarrassing you.> What’s the harm of needling him just a bit more? (Include some kind of joke or one-liner to use if you actually make him stroke out.) > Hit him with a spell. (Specify.)> Other?(I'm not going to lie, this is not the direction I envisioned this fight taking. Good work anons, this is fun to write.)
>>5071070>> Other?Make him swing into a reinforced wall, and get his arm stuck. Then walk out the front door.
>>5071070>Bring out the Claw and give him a metaphorical spanking. Time to finally see if he can put his money where his mouth is.THE CLAAAAAAAAW
>>5071070> Bring out the Claw and give him a metaphorical spanking. Time to finally see if he can put his money where his mouth is.
>>5071070> Bring out the Claw and give him a metaphorical spanking. Time to finally see if he can put his money where his mouth is.It's time
>>5071070> What’s the harm of needling him just a bit more? (Include some kind of joke or one-liner to use if you actually make him stroke out.)Can't take a joke? Careful now or you might slip up. Proceed to slip the water cooler or cup of liquids at his feet so he literally slips. Throw more liquids so he keeps slipping and falling.
>>5071074>>5071084>>5071085Looks like battering him with the Claw wins.Roll me some 1d100s+10DC: 40
OOOOH shiet what is thiS? We back!?
Rolled 50 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5071091
Rolled 48 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5071091NOICE
Rolled 41 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5071091crit?
>>5071095Yup, we back.
Rolled 74 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5071091darn. no insults?
>>5071097>>5071099>>5071100Average rolls, but a success nonetheless. Writing.>>5071095We back.>>5071103I'll see if I can throw in a couple anyways.
>>5071106While you really want to see if you can actually manage to stop a man’s heart via concentrated ego death, you reluctantly acknowledge that you’re just toying with him at this point.It’d be better for all parties involved if you just brought out the Claw, met him tit-for-tat, and wiped the floor with his psycho ass.Doesn’t mean that you can’t be irritating while still throttling him though.Case in point.After a bit more harassment, you maneuver him into the perfect position, parking yourself directly in front of a reinforced wall.When he throws a wild haymaker intended to take your head off, you practically dance out of the way. While you were just hoping that the impact would stun him a little for a follow-up, to your delight he gets his Clawed arm stuck in said wall.Never one to abandon a golden opportunity, you summon the Claw, and land the first actual hit of the fight, a crushing uppercut that flings him back across the office.To his credit, he manages to get back on his feet after a shot like that. Guess it might be a little harder to ring his bell than you thought.Despite his toughness, he’s still dumb as a sack of rocks due to his rage. When you subtly maneuver him towards a destroyed water cooler, he doesn’t realize the danger until well after the fact, losing his footing and going down hard.You’re quick to take advantage, kicking him a few times when he’s down before being driven back.After that display of ineptitude, the fight degenerates into a war of attrition. Unfortunately for him you’ve got a lot more gas in the tank. Guess he’s finally figured out that throwing random combinations at every single potential opening isn’t really a winning strategy, but it’s far too late by now.He’s practically hamstrung defensively, and you begin to dismantle him piece by piece, landing bodyblow after bodyblow. Near the end, he’s barely standing on his own two feet.Victory is yours for the taking, you just have to finish it.You finish him off with a…> Chokeslam out the window.> Flying knee to the face. > Powerbomb through a table.> Bone-shattering haymaker.> Other?(This is just for flavor, no rolling necessary)
>>5071123> Other?Throw heavy officer furniture at him. Staplers, pencils, a computer monitor. Everything. It's gonna be funny.
>>5071123>> Powerbomb through a table.>then Tea bag him
>>5071123> Powerbomb through a table.
>>5071123As entertaining as it would be to try and camel clutch him into submission or just bonk his head down into his body like that one Doom glory kill, I'm gonna say powerbomb.
>>5071137...Additional note, does it reflect badly on us that we're having as much fun with this fight as he did with the police station?
>>5071133>>5071135>>5071137Looks like powerbombing him wins. Writing.Unfortunately, no teabagging.
>>5071140no. we're in the right because we've turned a killer chase into a Saturday morning cartoon chase.
>>5071140No because we aren't a dipshit unlike this guy, nor are we a literal kicking can.
>>5071140Not really, if anything he's technically stronger than you, he's just also really bad about leveraging it.>>5071143A perfect summary.
>>5071141>no T baggingWHYYYYYYYYYYYYYAlso, that picture was from thread 4
>>5071151I say we shoved a piss and shit stained pair of boxers in his mouth. you know because you piss and shit when you die or something.
>>5071156whoa there. remember we are in a mental screwy trap and doing shit like this could fuck us up.
>>5071151Lets compromise, We grab a dead cop and have them t-bag his face with the pants off.
>>5071168I can accept this
>>5071141https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2Bitn3-8UETime to end this.While he’s still dazed and confused, you drive your armored knee deeply in his gut. Even though his own armor probably blocked some of the force, it’s still more than enough to stagger him.Now that he’s doubled over, you take the liberty of lifting him backwards unto your shoulders, before carrying him over to one of the few unshattered desks.Once properly positioned, he’s treated to a powerbomb with all the considerable force you can muster, leaving him a moaning shell of a man writhing on the floor.For a moment, the thought enters your head that maybe you’ve been bullying him a bit too far. Then you remember the fact that this fucker swept a whole police station, possibly for the fun of it.Nah, he had this coming. Honestly, if this was supposed to be another “fight your darkest reflections” thing like the last trial, they need better material. Unless the point of it was “learn to take a joke pal,” in which case they nailed it. Food for thought, nonetheless.Before you can finish pondering the various indignities you could further inflict on your pitiful opponent, you’re treated to another phantom migraine that transports you back to the Scroll room.Given that you’ve passed the last hurdle, it seems like the remainder of your mission is smooth sailing. Now that you’ve gotten a closer look, turns out there’s actually five Scrolls, all of which you pocket.Mission accomplished, time to head home. Of course, you could always sneak a peek first. Might learn something valuable for your ever-increasing magical arsenal.You…> Just leave. No sense in tempting forces beyond your understanding.> Read one of them. You’re not exactly a novice anymore, you can probably handle it.> Other?
>>5071172(That's all for tonight folks, hope you enjoyed the ride. Next session is Friday at 5:00 EST. I'll try to remember to add it to the pastebin. As always, I'll be lurking nearby for a while, so feel free to ask questions, call me a talentless hack, or just shoot the shit. Thanks for playing. It's good to be back.)
>>5071172> Other?Can we take pictures or transcribe some of the stuff on the walls onto paper? Maybe draw some of the art and detailed icons on the walls?
>>5071175Sure, you've got a camera. I will make you roll for drawing it though.
Rolled 61 (1d100)>>5071176
Rolled 35 (1d100)>>5071176Well if we have a camera.... This is what he drew
Rolled 61 (1d100)>>5071176Then we leave
>>5071181>>5071183>>5071189Alright, it's a pretty good drawing. Make sure to vote on whether or not to read a Scroll though.I'll close that particular vote when the next session starts.
>>5071172>> Just leave. No sense in tempting forces beyond your understanding.
>>5071172> Just leave. No sense in tempting forces beyond your understandingLeave before we have to fight dream Batman and he takes us to dream jail.Glad to have you back and running Axis. Good start back IMO
>>5071201Thanks, anon. I was a little apprehensive about it, but I'm glad to back in the saddle again.
>>5071204Interlude when?
>>5071172>Just leave. No sense in tempting forces beyond your understanding.Good to see you again.
>>5071204>Just leave
>>5071205Very funny. As much as I enjoy interludes, that'll have to wait until something more important happens. Don't worry, I've got some irons in the fire.>>5071206Thanks, anon. I probably sound like a broken record at this point, but I'm glad to see you lot again.
Now I'm really wondering if maybe we could have caused Reeeetard us to have had an aneurysm and die from the taunting. His blood pressure must have been through the roof, and the mad ghost in the glove certainly wasn't helping him out.
>>5071232It looked like we could had. We were so close, but other anons chickened out and wanted to go for a powerbomb.
>>5071241To be fair a good powerbomb is pretty hype. Doubly so if it's the capstone to a double-suplex combo.
>>5071241It was basically bullying at that point. Like baiting a special-ed kid into doing something stupid.
>>5071172>> Just leave. No sense in tempting forces beyond your understanding.Very tempting though
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=HenchmanArchive for lurkers and others who dont know what this is
If there’s one thing that you’ve learned via your flash-in-the-pan style of magic training, it’s that biting off more than you can chew carries some hefty penalties. Hell, you’ve managed to summon some kind of portal by bungling something as simple as practicing your Greek. Don’t want to find out what might happen if you cock up something immensely powerful.While the possibility of getting to strengthen your magical muscles is enticing, you’ve seen firsthand the consequences of getting a bit too experimental with it.You shudder a little just thinking about it. Rockwell, that nutcase you tangled with back in Gotham, let it go to his head, and look where it got him.However, that doesn’t mean to say that the option is forever off the table. Maybe in the future, once you’ve more carefully vetted the risks and potential gains of reading the Scrolls, you’ll reconsider.To that end, you take a number of pictures of the writings on the wall, just in case Jack can understand anything you missed.In the name of being thorough, you also do some quick sketches of the various symbols and markings that crop up frequently. Most of them seem to be random scribblings, but a handful look to be a bastardized variation of the Wheel of Hecate. Instead of having the traditional star in the center, it’s got a cross of some kind instead.You note the difference, just in case it ever matters.As you finish documenting you, you idly wonder if you could convert this place into a safe house of sorts.With a bit of sprucing up, this wouldn’t be a half-bad European base of operations. It’s got magical defenses, plenty of space, and it’s well camouflaged.Of course, the only potential downside is that Intergang might come sniffing around at some point, once their recon and excavation teams fail to report back.You could probably think up a few countermeasures to mitigate those risks though, if you’re so inclined.Then again, it may just be safer to blow this place to kingdom come, just in case you’ve missed something that Intergang’s looking for.In the end, you decide to…> Use the library as a base. Could make for a decent bolthole / sanctuary if the heat ever gets too much to handle.> Use the blasting charges you stole from the dig site to permanently block the entrance on your way out. No point in leaving anything that Intergang might want.> Talk to that scribe spirit and see if there’s some way to magically seal the door behind you. Might come in handy if you ever need to come back.> Other?
>>5072809>> Talk to that scribe spirit and see if there’s some way to magically seal the door behind you. Might come in handy if you ever need to come back.Also tell him what to expect incase Intergang breaches the door. Also ask if he wants some food or maybe a television to watch shit.
I'll leave the vote open for another 10 minutes since it's the start of the session, then lock it in.
>>5072809>Talk to that scribe spirit and see if there’s some way to magically seal the door behind you. Might come in handy if you ever need to come back.Missed the 1st session, but glad to have you back boss
>>5072818>>5072836Roll me some 1d100s.DC: 60 / 80 / 100
Rolled 57 (1d100)>>5072843> Talk to that scribe spirit and see if there’s some way to magically seal the door behind you. Might come in handy if you ever need to come back.if he says yes then> Use the library as a base. Could make for a decent bolthole / sanctuary if the heat ever gets too much to handle.(i swear if get a 1 i will crush my balls)
Rolled 12 (1d100)>>5072843
Rolled 19 (1d100)>>5072843
>>5072849>>5072854>>5072857That's a failure. Would you like to use Roll the Die for another attempt?> Yes.> No.(I'll leave this open for 10 - 15 minutes to keep things moving.)
>>5072860>Ynever anger a wraith
>>5072867Alright, give me some more d100s, same as before.
Rolled 56 (1d100)>>5072872
Rolled 76 (1d100)>>5072872
Rolled 66 (1d100)>>5072872Suffer
>>5072881>>5072876>>5072883That's a minor success, writing.
>>5072884Before you make any hasty decisions about retrofitting this place into a safehouse or something similar, it’d be wiser to see if you could adequately secure it.Regrettably, most of your magical toolbox is used for causing bodily harm, magical protection is a bit out of your wheelhouse.Maybe that scribe spirit knows a bit more about it, hopefully there’s some built-in security that’ll save you from doing all the legwork.When you head back to the entrance, it immediately beelines towards you.“The Scrolls!” It murmurs, almost reverently.Shit. Hopefully it doesn’t have a problem with you taking them.“You need not worry. The Scrolls were always meant to be shepherded from this place, the fact that you could retrieve them means that they are yours to take.”That’s a relief. But now, onto business.> “I have reason to worry that enemies of mine may attempt to break into this sanctum. Do you know of any way that I could improve its defenses?”In lieu of an answer, the wraith circles you like a tiger circling its prey.“You possess the spark of the enlightened. Perhaps it may be enough.” It says, neutrally.“When you take your leave, merely channel your will into the entrance, and instruct it to remain locked. But take heed. All locks can be broken, and by my reckoning you are merely a fledgeling. A sufficiently determined foe may still manage to shatter these wards.”> “And if they were successful in breaking in?”The wraith gives a nasty little chuckle.“They will be….greatly inconvenienced.”> “Good to know. Before I head out, you need anything? Some food, a TV, anything to help pass the time? It’s got to get awfully boring down here.”“I am content as I am. However, should you ever return, know that I would enjoy learning more about your world. The pursuit of knowledge is both eternal and impossible to satiate.” > “I’ll keep that in mind.”(CONTINUED)
>>5072914When you exit, you do as the spirit instructed and mentally order the stone slab back into place. After nothing happens, you start to feel a bit stupid. Upon giving it a much firmer command, the slab begins to slowly force itself back into its originally sealed position.Hopefully that’ll be enough to keep Intergang from getting further in.Now that you’re back to breathing fresh air, it’s time to do a quick inventory of your spoils.When you raided the general section, you managed to find a couple useful scrolls. The first looks to be a basic primer on how to speak and write Ancient Greek. Should prove to be a useful supplement to your education on that front.The other, seems to be less of a text and more of an instructional manual of sorts. After you quiz Pandion about it, he identifies it as Pankration. According to him, it’s basically a nasty mix of wrestling and boxing. Always nice to have more options.> You’ve acquired: Language Primer. (Greek)> You’ve acquired: Strength of Olympus. (Pankration)And then there’s the spoils you’ve managed to liberate from Intergang. Apart from the cache of conventional weapons and ammo, there’s also a pair of armored suits. They’re similar to the armor you currently wear, albeit a little lighter. Those are definitely going into storage for now.Plenty of Intergang intel too, some chatter about their dirty dealings, a few encoded files on something marked ENDBRINGER, and most promisingly; a list of Intergang black sites / holdings throughout Europe.Could make a pretty penny if you sold the info to Index, or you could use it to hammer their operations yourself. Either way, this oughta be a nice kick in the ass for them.What do you want to do with the conventional Intergang weapons?Your plan is to…> Store the lion’s share of it in the library, never hurts to have a covert weapons cache. If you’re ever stuck in the region, could be the difference between life or death.> Get in touch with the local criminal element and use it to strike a bargain. If you play your cards right, you could kickstart some skirmishes against Intergang, or buy yourself some informants.> See if Jack’s willing to cart it back to the mansion. Could be useful for outfitting your own forces, if that day should ever come.> Other?
>>5072916> See if Jack’s willing to cart it back to the mansion. Could be useful for outfitting your own forces, if that day should ever come.I would recommend using the libary as a safe house after some time has passed because Intergang is going to send someone to look for the team we just destroyed and they are going to check the library with smarter and more powerful agents but once they find nothing they will abandon the place
>>5072916>> See if Jack’s willing to cart it back to the mansion. Could be useful for outfitting your own forces, if that day should ever come.
>>5072925>>5072926Carting it back home wins, writing.
>>5072916>sees the thread name>DC: Henchman Quest #10>no, that can't be right>sees the the OP name>AxisQM>holly shit, guess Christmas came early this year
I saw your post about the board slowing, anon. It's fine if I have to slow down a little, I just didn't want to get bogged down. Just figured a couple votes for something of meh importance was enough.>>5072932Feels good to be back.
>>5072942sorry qm im an indecisive fellow at times
>>5072916> Get in touch with the local criminal element and use it to strike a bargain. If you play your cards right, you could kickstart some skirmishes against Intergang, or buy yourself some informants.Cash money now. Saving it for the future < using it to make the future.
>>5072916After careful contemplation, you decide to just supplement your stockpile back at the mansion.It’s easily the safest option, trying to cut a deal with some local scumbags you have no real knowledge about could easily backfire. Honestly, they could probably just take whatever you offer, then sell you out to Intergang the second you turn your back.The library isn’t feasible either, the defenses still aren’t strong enough for you to be comfortable stashing equipment in it.No, building your reserves back home makes the most sense.Now that you’ve got that settled, you ping Jack using your comms sigil and give him your location.Not long after, he teleports in and you hand over the Scrolls. “Good work, Sean. Seems that you’ve been a bit busy.” Jack says, spotting the numerous corpses littered throughout the dig site.You shrug your shoulders.> “Nothing too big, just Intergang poking their noses where it doesn’t belong. Again. Starting to become a real pain in the ass.”“That’s….concerning. Sooner or later they’re going to start putting the pieces together.”> “Not this time at least. Managed to nail everybody here, did a bit of scavenging too. Mind giving me a hand getting it back home?”“Not at all.”The pair of you bucket brigade the stolen gear back to the mansion and get it done quick, just in case reinforcements got summoned. Overall, you’ve got quite the war chest going. Not to mention those armored suits, might be perfect for that pair of defectors you’ve taken under your wing.Once they prove themselves, of course.After getting everything properly checked and stored, the sun’s fading below the horizon.Feels good to be back in Gotham, cesspool that it may be. You hear a polite double knock on your door, followed by Jack’s voice.“Now that we’re out of that ghastly heat, how about we have a proper chat about the mission?”> “Sounds good.”The pair of you settle into the parlor.“I would’ve preferred that we celebrate at the Oblivion Bar, but I’m afraid that’d be a bit too risky just for a night of carousing. What with the gang war and all.”> “Any developments on that front while I was out?”“Still deadlocked, I’m afraid. Penguin has more men and more money. Bane has better men and more weapons. Sprinkle in the small-timers looking to advance their positions, and things get murky fast. But enough of my ramblings, how’d it go?”You…> Give him a carefully edited version of events, keeping your personal issues out of it. You got in, death with some mystic bullshit, found the Scrolls, and got out.> Tell him most of what happened in there, but spin it like it didn’t bother you. Jack’s got his own problems to deal with, no sense in burdening him. > Tell him everything that happened. Jack’s put a lot of trust in you, the right thing would be to reciprocate. > Other?
>>5072950>> Tell him everything that happened. Jack’s put a lot of trust in you, the right thing would be to reciprocate.Ghostbro deserves it
>>5072950> Tell him everything that happened. Jack’s put a lot of trust in you, the right thing would be to reciprocate.He is our best friend.
>>5072950>> Tell him everything that happened. Jack’s put a lot of trust in you, the right thing would be to reciprocate.
>>5072954>>5072956>>5072959Calling it for telling ghostbro Jack the details, writing.
>>5072960Part of you wants to just bury everything nasty you saw in a deep hole to be forgotten.But if there’s anyone you can trust in this world, it’s Jack.So you tell him the whole thing, even the parts you’re secretly ashamed of.At first, you keep things mostly detail-oriented, mentioning the photos and drawings you took of the Scrolls’ resting place.But then, you start getting the real problems off your chest.About the fight at the dig site, and how you executed the cowardly Intergang commander. How in hindsight, he reminded you of the gutless cowards that spent lives like they were nothing greater than pieces on a board.You tell him old war stories about your unit, about how you used to be a true believer in something greater than yourself.At first, you practically have to force yourself to speak. But once you power through the initial worries, it’s as if the dam breaks.You tell Jack about the canyon, how you were forced to fight the vengeful remnants of your past. That you still blame yourself, even now. And that in order to secure the Scrolls, you had to defeat a monstrous reflection of yourself. The part that sticks with you is that you could almost see how it happened.Had you been pulled out of the gutter by somebody nastier than Jack, you could’ve become something truly awful.And what does that make you, if the only demarcation between you and that is that you were more fortunate?After you finish speaking, you’re struck with a heavy dose of self-loathing. Christ, Jack asked for a debriefing, not to be your goddamn armchair psychiatrist.> “I shouldn’t have dumped all that on you, Jack. Sorry if I-““Shut up, and don’t move. I’ll be back shortly.” Jack states, before porting away.A minute or so later, he returns, carrying a bottle filled with amber liquid. There used to be a label on it, but it appears to have worn off due to age.Jack pours you a large glass, as well as one for himself.“Now, you listen and listen good. Never apologize for sharing your concerns with me. And I’ll tell you something else. The fact that you have these doubts and regrets is proof that you’re not some glorified monster or hatchet man. You’re not perfect, Sean, but that’s still better than most. Now drink your damned scotch.”The pair of you settle into a comfortable silence, interrupted only by the occasional refill and some of Jack’s tales about his travels.You stumble off to bed, thoroughly inebriated. For the first time in a long time, you sleep soundly.
>>5072989In the morning, Jack whips up breakfast while you catch up on the most recent headlines. Looks like Penguin’s been throwing a hell of a temper tantrum after you torched the Iceberg Lounge.Jack informs you that he’ll be busy tinkering with the Scrolls for today, so it looks like you’ve got a free day to train.You decide to… (Pick 4, feel free to double up on an activity)> Practice a spell. (Specify) > Try and learn a new spell. (Specify Nature)> Try and get an elemental combination down. (Specify Natures to mix)> Read something from your library (Specify the book(s), they’re in the pastebin if you need to check em.)> Other? (Subject to QM veto)
>>5072990> Practice a spell.Lightnig> Practice a spell.fire bolt> Try and get an elemental combination down.Lighting and fire. goddamit the dice gods have cucked us too many times on this one> Other?Meet up with Bongo and see if he has pointers to being a PI. I remembered the plan about opening a PI company for magic. also ask him on his opinion doing so.
>>5072990>Read Language Primer (Greek)>Read On What is Contained in Silver>Practice a spell (Storm Bolt)>Try and get an elemental combination down (Fire and Chaos)
>>5072990>> Practice a spell. (Specify)I'd like to train shadow cloak if possible. If not then fire bolt.> Try and learn a new spell. (Specify Nature)I'd also like to try and get a spell out of Storm nature. Maybe something like an EMP or a way to force electronics to function.> Read something from your library (Specify the book(s), they’re in the pastebin if you need to check em.)And I'd like to read The Exterminator's Cookbook and the Strength of Olympus books.
This feels like a good point to take a quick break and get something to eat, I'll close the vote / roll a tie breaker if needed once I return.
>>5072990>> Read something from your library Tobin’s Spirit Guide> Read something from your library Strength of Olympus> Practice a spell. Lightning Bolt> Other?In movies and books there's always some pompous fool or organization that stumbles across a powerful artifact without realizing what they have. You wonder if the Gotham Library has any rare books that are even rarer than they know...I also want to see if our favorite redhead is working there. Been forever since we've seen her.
>>5072998alright now that hes gone, batgirl is best girl
>>5072997+1
>>5073000Barbara a Cute
>>5073004Barbara a having knee pain and aches later in life.If she gets Joker'd how do you think Sean would feel? It's one thing to try and give someone a bum leg but taking out their spine? Bit much.
>>5073008Probrobly would say, "that crazy clown needs to be put down", and in reguards to her, "A damn shame"
>>5073008Depends, if we just know her as a semi-rival, we wouldn't know unless we taunt Robin about her disappearance and he lets something slip. But if we work with her as Dresden/Thema, we might arrange for the clown to catch lead if we like decide she isn't the worst.
>>5073010I think our current relationship could be called a rivalry. We beat her two times, managed to avoid being recognized when she caught us during our ritual interuption.
i would love to see the reaction of everyone once they found out that Sean is Gunsmoke, Adjutant Tango,Dresden, etcAlso we are becoming the closest thing to an equal in mind games of this fucker
>>5073013It is, but a minor one. We have yet to reach the vaunted Killer Moth levels of archenemy-ness. We're making good progress though.
>>5073016>tfw half the criminals in gotham are somehow the same guy
>>5073016We havent used A. T. for anything yet.>>5073019I predict a relationship raise in about 3 threads
>>5073010>we might arrange for the clown to catch lead if we like decide she isn't the worst.If we ever get a chance to kill the clown, I will support it 100%
Alright, let's see if I can do basic arithmetic.3 votes for Lightning Bolt3 votes to read Strength of Olympus2 votes for Shadow Cloak2 votes for a new Storm training2 votes to read the Exterminator's Cookbook.As a gift and to save from doing a convoluted tiebreaker, I'll lump the 2 books together and count them as one.Roll me some d100s for Lightning Bolt training.DC: 50 / 70 / 90
>>5073021We havent used A. T. for anything yet.YET (i think A. T. would be useful for infiltration,assassination,protection,etc of wealthy clients/targets)
Rolled 99 (1d100)>>5073023Actually come to think of it, what do you think Joker would think of Sean? Sean isn't a bad guy. But he's willing to do serious bad things. Dances by the beat of his own drum. I think he'd hate us. >>5073027Big money
Rolled 67 (1d100)>>5073027
Rolled 5 (1d100)>>5073027here you go boss
>>5073029Something tells me that Sean would steal his punchline. He HATES that.
>>5073029Beautiful...
>>5073029>>5073032>>5073033That's an excellent success, go ahead and roll me some 2d100s for the books while I get a writing. I'll mix it into the next update.Remember, that's 2d100s, not 1d100.Olympus DC: 60 / 80 / 100Exterminator's Cookbook DC: 40 / 55 / 70
>>5073029Neat>>5073034Fastest way to piss of a clown.
>>5073029I think Sean will hate him as much or more than traitors for the simple fact of everything that the Joker has done and represents.
Rolled 58, 16 = 74 (2d100)>>5073040
Rolled 51, 68 = 119 (2d100)>>5073040
Rolled 73, 98 = 171 (2d100)>>5073040In the words of the great reverend father Uncle Ruckus; Read nigga>>5073042Yeah just the casual disregard for his comrades and subordinates alone is immediate hate grounds.
Rolled 98, 48 = 146 (2d100)>>5073021>I predict a relationship raise in about 3 threadsI mean, I tried to get us to chat with her off-duty>>5073040Rollin'
>>5073044>>5073046>>5073048That's a minor success, and excellent success respectively. Writing, more rolling to come. Feel free to speculate as to what comes next, it sustains me.
>>5073048+ the fact that he deliberately seeks the innocent and the vulnerable to cause as much pain or suffering posible on everyone involved when he wants to play a "prank" on Batman / Gotham
>>5073052>Feel free to speculate as to what comes next,Gauntlet ghost is going to be happy we're learning the classics. We learn that ghosts truly don't have a nervous system. Sean gets a call from Bird and hears about a new batch of armored cars that just came on sale. A bird is watching.>>5073055Yeaaahhh kind of a deal breaker with any relationship really. Unless you're totally psychotic like Zsasz. Or lacking in empathy like Ra's.Hey there's an idea, let's go gun down Zsasz.
>>5073052>Feel free to speculate as to what comes nextShort term? More criminal work with Bane, poker night with Bobo, Jason Blood, Zatara, Enchantress, and Nightshade, the creation of another persona, fun with Barbara.Long-term feels more like Barbatos, the Court, and a No-Man's-Land arc.
>>5073029Godly anon
>>5073060What I like about our various personas is how they all have different MOs. Utilizing the various tools we have. While not wholly necessary is it just super neat.
>>5073052It's been a while, so I can't quite remember all the irons we've got in the fire... But in the immediate future, since the gang war is still going on and Bane doesn't want to use us for it for opsec purposes, either more out of town work, maybe some strikes of opportunity in the city, or just getting our house in order and tying up whatever loose ends we've got lying around.
>>5073057>Hey there's an idea, let's go gun down Zsasz.i support this if we deliver a stupid 1 liner before we blow his brains
>>5073052We find a hidden answer key in the back of the book
>>5073068How stupid do you want it?>Mark thisor>You brought a knife to a gun fight
What was that old Bruce Lee adage?I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 spells once, but I fear the man who has practiced one spell 10,000 times.Something like that. Either way, the principle is sound. While your storm powers are easily the trickiest, that’s no excuse for not refining your techniques.You head out into the forested thicket surrounding the mansion to work on refining your lightning bolt.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcByktP-mdEIt’s slow going at first, until you’re struck with inspiration. You’ve been trying to push the lightning out of your palms, what if you found a path of less resistance?With some tinkering, you discover that generating the energy within, then allowing it a path to exert itself allows you to generate far more voltage at an equivalent cost. When you zap an old oak tree, testing out your new discovery, you split it right down the middle.Yeah, that’s never going to get old.> Spell Improved: Lightning Bolt: A bolt of electricity. Capable of putting down an elephant.After flexing your magical muscles for a while, it’s best to let them rest and work on your actual muscles.Unfortunately, the training manual on Pankration is more difficult to utilize than you thought. Your Greek is still a bit spotty, but thankfully Pandion chimes in with his knowledge of the subject to give you a more stable foundation.At the very least, you get to work on the various forms and takedowns endemic to the style. If you had a partner, that’d make it easier, but Genghis is in a bolthole of his own somewhere.> Fighting Style Unlocked: Pankration: +10 to unarmed combat rolls when grappling, striking, or dirty fighting.After your workout, you relax with a nice, cozy treatise on how to how to mix poisons. Nothing like learning about deadly poisons, their counteragents, and the process of manufacturing both those things. Maybe you could start a garden for ingredients at some point. Never had much of a green thumb, but things change after all.Gonna need to find more books though, should you wish to improve your skill further.> Skill Unlocked: Medicine Man: +20 to rolls involving the manufacture of poisons, the manufacture of antidotes, and identifying / detecting poisons.Roll me some 1d100s to train Shadow Cloak.DC: 75 / 85 / 95
>>5073052Short term we are going to be doing jobs outside GothamLong term we are going to deal with the scum of Gotham, we are probably going to have an encounter with the SCP Foundation and we are going to have our revenge on the fuckers that betrayed us and after that i'm unsure
Rolled 2 (1d2)>>5073072The dice will decide
Rolled 19 (1d100)>>5073077Lets go
Rolled 2 (1d100)>>5073077The dark is our ally
Rolled 50 (1d100)>>5073077What about "I guess this settles our score"? Kind of doesn't work if we don't have a score to settle, though.
oh no
>>5073082My luck has been used. Noted.Well I guess we haven't managed to make a permanent cloak of night to keep us safe. Dang.
>>5073081>>5073082>>5073083That's a failure, go ahead and roll me a set of 1d100s+10 for a new Storm spell.DC: 80 / 90 / 100
>>5073080>>5073081>>5073082holy shit. two near crit 1s. clearly we have wronged the dice gods somehow.
Rolled 25 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5073089
Rolled 7 (1d100)>>5073089>>5073090They are fickle and capricious. It is known.
Rolled 58 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5073089
>>5073092>>5073093>>5073095Another failure. All part of the process, at least it wasn't a critfail. Last update of the night, coming up.
Rolled 96 + 10 (1d100 + 10)>>5073089captcha pls give me something I can read. I swear I am not a machine.
>>5073099too late.
>>5073099Man fuck you captcha.
>>5073099>>5073100>>5073103>mfw
>>5073097Despite a couple setbacks, you’re feeling a little cocky when you start working on your afternoon training.Maybe that’s what proved to be your undoing.You try to work on a Shadow Cloak that can survive for a limited time during the day, but to no avail. When it feels like you’re just banging your head against the wall fruitlessly, you just scrap that idea for now.Frustrated, you start trying to unlock a new Storm-natured spell.Turns out, that’s entirely the wrong frame of mind. The irritation saps your willpower, keeping you from breaking the limit required to ascend further.You can practically taste it, but you just can’t muster up the strength to pull it off.Dejectedly, you throw in the towel and go watch some TV.At least you got lightning bolt to work right.While slowly and surely killing your brain cells with evening television, you get a sigil ping from Jack.Looks like whatever he’s been doing with the Scrolls has borne fruit, but it’ll take a few weeks before he can organize another expedition.Until then, you’re given carte blanche to pursue your own interests for the time being.How would you like to occupy your time?> Set seemed interested in going on a road trip, that could be fun. Of course, you will be hanging out with a literal God of Chaos, so it’s bound to be interesting.> The Academy that the Executive has offered you a spot at sounds like an intriguing prospect. Jack has been yammering that you should expand your horizons and meet new people, what better place than a school?> When you first told Batgirl that you were a private investigator, the idea was laughable. But after letting the idea swirl around in your brain for a while, maybe it’s worth giving a try.> You’ve got a list of Intergang black sites and holdings scattered throughout Europe. This seems like the perfect time to kick in some doors and sow some fear.(A brief explanation of your choices)- Roadtrip with Set: You’ll be cruising around the Middle East, basically doing a lads tour of Alexander the Great’s conquests. Plenty of flexibility, lots of places to choose from.- Academy: After some thought, I’ve done a slight retcon to just use H.I.V.E Academy. Saves me a boatload of work, among other things. You’ll have a number of classes to pick from, as well as extracurriculars. Stat gains are not guaranteed, you’ll still have to work for some of them. - Private Investigator: You’ll have the option to either be a mundane gumshoe, one that specializes in the paranormal, or a glorified thug with a fancy title. Heavy on noir. - Intergang Smashing: You’ll be raiding Intergang black sites and holdings scattered all throughout Europe. Heavy on political intrigue and espionage.
>>5073116That's all for the night folks, next session is Monday at 5:00 PM EST.This vote decides what we'll be focusing on for quite some time, so feel free to ask questions if you need anything clarified. Vote closes when the next session begins.As always, I'll be hanging around for a while.
>>5073116> Set seemed interested in going on a road trip, that could be fun. Of course, you will be hanging out with a literal God of Chaos, so it’s bound to be interesting.
>>5073116>> When you first told Batgirl that you were a private investigator, the idea was laughable. But after letting the idea swirl around in your brain for a while, maybe it’s worth giving a try.BEGIN THE PERSONACRAFTING
>>5073116>Set seemed interested in going on a road trip, that could be fun. Of course, you will be hanging out with a literal God of Chaos, so it’s bound to be interesting.You can never go wrong with a road trip! Although I would've preferred infiltrating HIVE with Set...
>>5073116>> When you first told Batgirl that you were a private investigator, the idea was laughable. But after letting the idea swirl around in your brain for a while, maybe it’s worth giving a try.>>5073118What did the number batgirl give us do?
>>5073116>Roadtrip with Set
>>5073116Actually shit these are all good choices. Part of me wants to go out and do supernatural P.I. stuff. We could hang out with Bobo and maybe run in with the Bat family on less violent terms.On the other hand going to H.I.V.E. and just being a grown-ass menace would be pretty great, too. Lots of interesting characters you can find in there.But on the other OTHER hand we could do a intercontinental pub crawl with an honest to goodness deity. Who knows what kind of crazy shit you'll get up to like that.And even though it might seem the most basic, being able to cut lose and smash and grab places that have dosh ranging from supernatural doodads to genuine alien gizmos and everything in between feeds the lootwhore in us all.
>>5073129I think I know what you're talking about. Back during the Rockwell stuff?She didn't really give us a number, just requested that we call the GCPD and coordinate something with Batman and Co. if more demon stuff popped up.
>>5073138Ah okay.
>>5073121The only sad thing with that is since we already made ourselves known as Jonah with Babs we're kind of limited in what we can spin with it. Unless you want to start wearing a mask. At least if I'm remembering everything correctly.
>>5073142She figured out "Jonah Thema" was a pseudonym five minutes after we gave it to her. We're in the Batcomputer as "Dresden."
>>5073116> When you first told Batgirl that you were a private investigator, the idea was laughable. But after letting the idea swirl around in your brain for a while, maybe it’s worth giving a try.Paranormal PI, I'd rather have Gunsmoke be more of a Prohibition hired gun hussler type sporting classic 1900s to 1950's weapons. We Need a pair of tommy guns.
>>5073144Yes but it's important to be consistent. The more aliases you give the easier it becomes to crack them all. Which is also why we can't swing a .44 around in front of her. Instant PTSD. We'd still be stuck being the magic man to try and keep our other stuff secret so just giving a different name wouldn't do much.
>>5073116> When you first told Batgirl that you were a private investigator, the idea was laughable. But after letting the idea swirl around in your brain for a while, maybe it’s worth giving a try.Being an actual magical PI is a great fallback for when we inevitably get fucked with Jack's ritual thingy because batman batman's his way into it because reasons. Remember for all our shit we aren't the worst person out there so if we can get away from total henchmen shittery because being a henchman in Gotham sucks.
>>5073152Really other than killing Intergang and working with Bane there aren't many reasons for Batman to be mad with us. The roughing up of the kids notwithstanding. He lets Catwoman off easy for theft which is pretty much the extent of our crimes not including the aforementioned shenanigans. Of course Bruce is also mentally unstable enough to dress up as a flying mammal and beat people nearly into comas. Eh maybe we can convince Bobo to moonlight as a lawyer for us when we inevitably get snatched by the Bat.
Fucking bull, why does everything we try with magic fuck up. We need training from set ASAP
>>5073169>tfw his training is more akin to learning how to swim with your dad in the 1920s than actual tutoringTry and see the silver linings. At least we're learning what is and isn't feasible as we go. Helps us plan for future practice.
>>5073170Get out of my notesOn the bright side, failures make the next training session easier. Or at least it should, feel free to prod me if I get my DCs mixed up.
>>5073180>failures make the next training session easier.As long as it makes us less likely to cause self-inflicted nerve damage when we cock it up I'm happy.
>>5073116> You’ve got a list of Intergang black sites and holdings scattered throughout Europe. This seems like the perfect time to kick in some doors and sow some fear.
>>5073116> When you first told Batgirl that you were a private investigator, the idea was laughable. But after letting the idea swirl around in your brain for a while, maybe it’s worth giving a try.
>>5073116>Academy: After some thought, I’ve done a slight retcon to just use H.I.V.E Academy. Saves me a boatload of work, among other things. You’ll have a number of classes to pick from, as well as extracurriculars. Stat gains are not guaranteed, you’ll still have to work for some of them.Voting to get out of dodge due to the whole gang-war thing going on. But don't want to get too buddy-buddy with Set since he is exactly the type of guy to set Sean down a sketchy path.
IT LIVES holy shit! I gotta go back and reread the archives, nice to see you Axis
>>5070512OH SHIT
>>5073116> When you first told Batgirl that you were a private investigator, the idea was laughable. But after letting the idea swirl around in your brain for a while, maybe it’s worth giving a try.Paranormal PI, here we come.
>>5073116> The Academy that the Executive has offered you a spot at sounds like an intriguing prospect. Jack has been yammering that you should expand your horizons and meet new people, what better place than a school?
This is arguably the most freedom you’ve had for quite some time. No federal dragnet surrounding the city, no work piling up, just you and your thoughts.So you get to thinking.For lack of a more compassionate way to describe it, your work with Jack comes with a shelf life. Once you gather enough artifacts for his ritual and he moves on permanently, you’ll be left alone to decide what comes next.Laughable as the idea may have sounded at its conception, having something semi-legitimate to fall back on has it merits.After all, mercenaries, freelancers, and guns-for-hire aren’t exactly careers known for having a cushy retirement with a pension. God forbid, you may even get tired of people shooting at you one day and settle for something different.And while it may seem like a bit of a large transition between working as glorified street muscle and becoming a private investigator, the difference isn’t as big as you’d think. Just look at the Pinkertons.Plus, you’ve gotten a bit of tutoring from Bobo, so it’s not like you’ll be stumbling into it blind. And if you do happen to bite off a bit more than you can chew, you’re uniquely equipped to handle it. For example, the whole Rockwell murder cult thing. In hindsight, that was basically a case study for everything can and will go wrong during an investigation. Secretive cults, nightmarish abominations, Batgirl; the whole nine yards.You made it through that without too many issues, how much worse could it get?Besides, if it turns out you don’t have the right chops for it or that the work isn’t too your taste, you’ll just move on to something else. Plenty of fish in the sea.But now, you have a decision to make. You could just work as a regular detective and keep your powers to yourself. While the cases may offer less chance of honing your magical skills, it’ll help keep you off the radar.Then again, you do have quite the ace up your sleeve. While you’re far from any semblance of being a masterful practitioner of the arcane arts, the skillset is few and far between. Regardless of whatever option you choose, going out as Gunsmoke would definitely attract the wrong type of attention.Penguin’s infamous for holding grudges, and you’re probably near the top of his shitlist for torching the Iceberg Lounge.No, you’ll have to at least project a veneer of legitimacy if this is going to work.In the end you decide to…> Keep it simple, maybe take out a small ad in the Gotham Gazette and start from there. (Will mostly result in getting conventional cases.)> Raise awareness at the Oblivion Bar. Gang war or not, that’s the best place in town to mingle with the magical element. (Will mostly result in getting paranormal cases confined to Gotham.)> Use that list of influential contacts the Executive gave you after your last job for MC&D. Powerful people with strange problems are just the clientele you want. (Will mostly result in getting paranormal cases located internationally.)> Other?
Before I forget to mention, I tweaked the pastebin a bit and added a lot of miscellaneous stuff that I used to only have stored in my notes.Feel free to let me know if I've made any mistakes.
>>5076053> Raise awareness at the Oblivion Bar. Gang war or not, that’s the best place in town to mingle with the magical element. (Will mostly result in getting paranormal cases confined to Gotham.)
>>5076061>>5076064Calling it, writing.
>>5076082Despite the war raging in the streets, the Oblivion Bar is still the go-to watering hole for all things bizarre and arcane. Jack was kind enough to take a quick break from whatever project he’s been slaving over to transport you over.Once there, it’s a relatively simple matter to persuade him into accompanying you inside. Guess the prospect of a stiff drink trumps all fears.Honestly, you’re a bit surprised how few civilian casualties the conflict has sparked so far. Guess both Bane and Penguin know that indiscriminate chaos would just fan the flames for something even worse to take the stage.Bolstered by that confidence, a hefty chunk of Gothamites are treating the matter like business as usual. Guess you still need to acclimate a bit more.Judging from the brisk trade that the Oblivion Bar, plenty of other locals feel the same way.To your delight, you spot Bobo in his regular spot, and he waves the pair of you over.Over a couple drinks, you told him about your interest in working as a PI, and he promised to put in a good word for you.After a toast to your health and your new endeavors, you leave Bobo and Jack to do a bit of catching up.Still have a bit more business to take care of.With permission from Eddie, the owner and bartender, you hang up a couple small posters. Nothing special, mostly just a number you can be reached on, and that you’re available as a paranormal investigator.Who knows, maybe once you establish a bit of brand recognition you’ll splurge and get some business cards or something.Still got one last errand to take care of.Since Gunsmoke is ostensibly taking a vacation for a while, now’s the perfect time to upgrade your regular equipment.Back before your excursion into Italy, Index managed to provide you with the contact information of a couple specialists suitable for this kind of work.Just one slight hair in the soup. You’ve only got the one vial of Xenothium handy, meaning that you’ll only be able to get one of these projects rolling.The other should be available in time, but you’ll have to prioritize.You choose to pay a visit to…> Dr. Conrad Zeiss, to see if he can synthesize the Xenothium into some kind of serum.> John Smith, to have your Apokoliptian Battle Armor modified.
>>5076101> John Smith, to have your Apokoliptian Battle Armor modified.
>>5076101>> John Smith, to have your Apokoliptian Battle Armor modified.Don't do drugs, kids.
>>5076101>> John Smith, to have your Apokoliptian Battle Armor modified.Forgot about the Xenothium-drinking meme.
>>5076108>>5076111>>5076120Seems like a trend to me, I'll go ahead and call it. Writing.
>> John Smith, to have your Apokoliptian Battle Armor modified
>>5076101>John Smith, even though this vote is largely redundant
>>5076101> John Smith, to have your Apokoliptian Battle Armor modified.We have one Bane, we don't need to turn ourselves into second Bane.
>>5076126After a quick pitstop at the mansion to pick up your Xenothium, it’s off to visit John Smith and have your armor improved.Index mentioned that Smith runs a junkyard on the outskirts of Gotham, so that’s where you’ll go.Would’ve been nice if Index had included a phone number or some way to alert Smith that you’re coming, but that’s the cost of getting anything for free. Soon as people learn that there won’t be any margin in it for them, out goes the spark of motivation.After you’re dropped off a short distance from the junkyard, you enter, hoping to avoid spooking the guy.For a junkyard, the place is remarkably well organized. Various strange pieces of tech are categorized and sorted by an array of automated robotic arms.When you go to approach what appears to be the main workshop, a pair of turrets rise from the ground and swivel in your direction.“TRESSPASSER DETECTED, LETHAL FORCE AUTHORIZED! ACTIVATING SECURITY PROTOCOL OMEGA-SEVEN-TWELVE!”You tense, getting ready to shoot your way out.However, just before things can boil over, the turrets deactivate and return to their original position. Some kind of loudspeaker activates itself.“You’re good to come in, just wasn’t expecting any visitors. You’re headed the right way. Just don’t touch anything.”Still not the worst reception you’ve ever gotten. When you spot the man himself, he’s busy gutting some poor alien gizmo for parts.“Index told me you might be coming.” He says matter-of-fact, without turning around.
>>5076181> “Did he now? And what else did he tell you?”“Just that you might have some work for me. Don’t care who you are or what you do with it, just that you do it outside my junkyard. In return, I don’t ask any inconvenient questions. Deal?”> “Deal.”“Well, let’s take a look then.” Smith says, clearing a spot at one of the numerous workstations.You place the set of armor in the designated spot, while Smith eyes it appraisingly.“Apokoliptian, huh? Haven’t seen once of these for a while. You’ve either got some scary friends, or some scarier enemies. Either way, glad I’m not in your shoes.”You ignore that last part.> “There any way you can improve on the current design?”“Course there is, but it all depends on you’ve brought me.”> “Come again?”“I supply the labor, you supply the parts and the tech. That’s how this works. Now I’ll ask again. Do you have anything that might come in handy?”Wordlessly, you pull out the vial of Xenothium.Smith whistles when he sees it.> “How much can you do with only half the vial?”“Xenothium packs quite the punch, even if we’re only working with a half-measure of it. Yeah, I can definitely install it as a new power source, give the internal systems a lot more juice to play with.”> “And in exchange?”“I get to keep the old power source, got plenty of uses for a part like that. Anyhow, now that I’ve got an idea as to what we’re working with here, give me a moment to draw up a list of potential modules to upgrade. Just pick one when you’re ready. In the meantime, I’ve got some Tharrian cooling tech to mess with. Tap me on the shoulder if you need me.”True to his word, he slides a notebook with a few scribbled ideas your way without even looking away from the workbench he’s tinkering at.Some of the ideas are too harebrained or impractical for your purposes, but there’s some genuine good ideas mixed in. You manage to narrow it down somewhat, but it’s still not an easy decision.In the end, you decide to…> Boost your armor’s targeting suite. Never a bad idea to be more efficient at putting your foes in the dirt. (When wearing the armor, 99s are counted as crits)> Boost your armor’s repair protocols. This armor is probably your most valuable possession, losing it would be a setback and half. (Should your armor be heavily damaged, it will autonomously repair itself back to previous condition)> Boost your armor’s plating and defensive countermeasures. That’s what it’s there for, after all. (Protect against most forms of conventional small-arms fire and some heavier equipment. Additional EMP hardening)> Boost your armor’s internal compensators. Surviving being shot is good, avoiding being shot in the first place is even better. (Gives you a boost when Roll the Die is triggered.)> Other?(Taking a break to get something to eat, I'll close the vote when I get back.)
>>5076184> Boost your armor’s repair protocols. This armor is probably your most valuable possession, losing it would be a setback and half.We can basically take any non-lethal hits we want with this thing and not worry about what happens to the armour. Plus, it's just too cool.
>>5076178I'd like to think it had more potential than just roid juice. You can do a lot with Apokoliptan mystery sauce #7, Axis could've made it something unique. Maybe it would've made us irresistible to redheads?>>5076184>> Boost your armor’s repair protocols. This armor is probably your most valuable possession, losing it would be a setback and half. (Should your armor be heavily damaged, it will autonomously repair itself back to previous condition)
>>5076184> Boost your armor’s repair protocols. This armor is probably your most valuable possession, losing it would be a setback and half. (Should your armor be heavily damaged, it will autonomously repair itself back to previous condition)I wonder how quickly it can repair itself
>>5076184> Boost your armor’s repair protocols. This armor is probably your most valuable possession, losing it would be a setback and half. (Should your armor be heavily damaged, it will autonomously repair itself back to previous condition)We ARE going to damage it badly, eventually.
>>5076184>Boost repair
>>5076192>>5076196>>5076200>>5076204>>5076205A surprisingly unified vote. Writing.
Wonder if we could offload Intergang swag off of this guy.
>>5076222While the other options are enticing, the upgraded repair protocol is an easy choice. You’ll probably never find a similar piece of equipment so easily, best to build in as many safeguards as you can.You indicate your choice to Smith.“Alright, I’ll add it to the list. I’ll get to you when I can, but my schedule is pretty tight. Shouldn’t be more than two or three weeks.”> “That’s fine. Any idea of how long it’ll take the armor to repair itself?”“Depends on how nasty the damage is. Nicks and scrapes? Couple of minutes. Bowling ball size hole blown through it? Couple days maybe.”> “If I recover any alien tech while I’m out and about, would you be interested in any of it?”“It would depend on a couple different factors, but yeah. I’ve got plenty of stuff to trade, should you bring anything worth a damn. Anyhow, I've got shit to do. You know the way out.”A bit brusque, but it shouldn’t be too surprising, given that the man is a reclusive that lives in an alien junkyard in the middle of nowhere. Takes some balls, keeping valuable shit anywhere close to Gotham. Must have some heavy security behind the scenes to keep the dregs of the city from trying to steal anything.When Jack transports you back to the mansion, the first thing you do is check to see if you’ve gotten any potential clients on the hook.Surprisingly, you’ve already managed to get a handful. Either word must travel fast, or you undervalued your skillset.After some contemplation, you decide that your first case should be…> A Forgotten Name: A museum dedicated to the early history of Gotham has been vandalized repeatedly by an unseen assailant. Could be a good test of your skills.> The House on the Hill: A superstitious politician wishes to have someone give his ancestral home a clean bill of spiritual health. Sounds like easy money.> Iron and Blood: Someone has been robbing crypts laying to rest distinguished Gotham citizens. Might be a good starting case to earn goodwill.> The Watchful Gaze: This one feels a bit…off. Someone left an anonymous message, ranting and raving about shadowy conspiracies and ancient evils. Probably just a hoax.In addition, how would you like to present yourself?> Just stick with Sean Clayton. It’s not like the name is uncommon, so long as you keep your nose clean it won’t matter.> Use the Jonah Thema alias you crafted a while back. No sense in giving away information when you don’t have to.> Pick out a new codename, like Gunsmoke, but different. (Include name idea)> Other?(Gonna leave this one open for a while, as it's pretty important.)
>>5076269> Iron and Blood: Someone has been robbing crypts laying to rest distinguished Gotham citizens. Might be a good starting case to earn goodwill.> Other?Clayton... that's it, just Clayton
>>5076269>> A Forgotten Name: A museum dedicated to the early history of Gotham has been vandalized repeatedly by an unseen assailant. Could be a good test of your skills. i kind of want to do the watchful gaze one, but that is highly likely court of owls shit and i don't want to be dealing with that any time soon unless we get on better terms with the bat family.> Use the Jonah Thema alias you crafted a while back. No sense in giving away information when you don’t have to.I mean we already have precident, may as well continue the constantine but less of a dick alias.
>>5076269> A Forgotten Name: A museum dedicated to the early history of Gotham has been vandalized repeatedly by an unseen assailant. Could be a good test of your skills.> Use the Jonah Thema alias you crafted a while back. No sense in giving away information when you don’t have to.
>>5076277to be honest, I'm partial to any one word moniker we could think up. Doesn't really matter if it's from Sean's actual name of the Jonah Thema alias
>>5076269>A Forgotten NameI'd vote for the House on the Hill, but I don't think we got around to reading the spirit guide quite yet.>Go as Jonah ThemaAs long as we don't have to worry about checks or anything.
>>5076269>> Iron and Blood: Someone has been robbing crypts laying to rest distinguished Gotham citizens. Might be a good starting case to earn goodwill.inb4 we need to get Martha's pearls back>> Pick out a new codename, like Gunsmoke, but different. (Include name idea)Simon Van EscottSimon from Simon Iff, Alester Crowley's paranormal mystery protagonist, Van from Stroker's Abraham Van Helsing, and Escott from Fitz James O'Brien's Harry Escott, the fiction's first occult detective.
>>5076269> Iron and Blood: Someone has been robbing crypts laying to rest distinguished Gotham citizens. Might be a good starting case to earn goodwill.> Use the Jonah Thema alias you crafted a while back. No sense in giving away information when you don’t have to.Are you seriously trying to tempt us into making more secret identities? We should change how our face looks like.... Every time Batgirl sees us we have a slightly different face!
>>5076269> Use the Jonah Thema alias you crafted a while back. No sense in giving away information when you don’t have to.we already have too many aliases, let's not make any more
I'll close the vote in 10 minutes, then roll a tiebreaker if necessary.As for the alias stuff, Jonah Thema was just a spur of the moment thing to get Batgirl off your trail. Just wanted to see if people were fine with continuing to use that name or wanted to use something else.
>>5076269> A Forgotten Name: A museum dedicated to the early history of Gotham has been vandalized repeatedly by an unseen assailant. Could be a good test of your skills.>Use the Jonah Thema
Alright, looks like A Forgotten Name wins, writing.
>>5076319For an on the fly name it's not bad. It sounds like it could be a real name.
You’ll start with the museum job, it sounds like a suitable choice for getting your feet wet.The others can wait until you’re a bit more seasoned with this kind of work.You call them back to accept the job, and to get ahold of them for a face-to-face meeting.The client in question is the museum director for the Colonial History Museum, which you discover after scheduling a business meeting at a small coffee shop.According to him, the vandalism has been occurring every night for the last week and a half. Despite stationing more night guards and performing an emergency upgrade to the security systems, they can’t catch even a glimpse of the perpetrator.What questions do you have for him? (Feel free to ask as many as you’d like.)> ?
I don't really figure we need to settle on a "permanent" name until all of our cloak and dagger bullshit is revealed and we really have to go full bore on something, armor, claw, magic and all. Anything else we'd probably be comfortable throwing away, but this one is useful for this purpose.>>5076351What exactly is the vandalism? Broken windows, graffiti? Has any spot been targeted in particular? Anything gone missing? Any signs of forceful entry at all?Were there any new exhibits either brought in from restoration or loaned, or hires or fires, or any other unusual events that happened within, like, a week of the vandalism happening?
>>5076351>Is there a particular time of night it occurs?>Is there a specific direction the vandalism heads in or is it at various points irregardless of distance?>Do the guards report any heightened sense of unease aside from what they might consider typical jitters from imminent action?>Are certain historical items targeted more or less often than the rest?>Have you made any notable recent acquisitions?All I can think of off the top of my head.
>>5076351>Questions?Are any specific exhibits being targeted?What form is the vandalism taking? (i.e. destroying stuff, notes, etc)fuck this captcha - took me like 5 tries
Cool this is back! Looking forward to ity especially with some other quests I like going on hiatus or dying.
>>5076351Where does the vandalism take place(as in which part is affected)Does the land of the museum has any kind of bad history?What kind of damage was aflicted?Did you or any other employee noticed anything suspicious before the vandalism started?The people who are the "heads" of the museum have any kind of enemies or rivals?
>>5076358>>5076359>>5076364>>5076369I'll call it here and get writing.>>5076366Thanks, anon. It's been a lot of fun so far.
>>5076351What is the nature of the vandalism that is occurring, and do you have any pictures?What is the museum built on, and when was it built?Have you had any missing items or done any thorough inventory checks recently?Do you suspect it could be a current or former disgruntled staff member, any bad firings or guests and visitors that you had to throw out forcefully?How long do you keep your security tapes for?
>>5076384I'll toss these in too.
>>5076378Noooooo!
>>5076385YEEEEEEESSSSJH!
It was Colonel Mustard, in the ventilation system, with an air cannon. Case closed.
Please dont let this be the last update. I just woke up.
>>5076378You crack your knuckles, get out a notepad, and start asking as many questions as you can think of.> “When you say “vandalism” what exactly do you mean? Broken windows, graffiti, things of that nature?”“If only! They’ve been targeting the exhibits! Smashing priceless artifacts and treasured heirlooms of the past, mangling them until they’re shattered into hundreds of pieces!”He almost breaks into tears at this, and it’s hard not to blame him. Sounds like he’s put his life’s work into this kind of stuff.> “Have they targeted anything related to administrative matters? Office supplies, personal computers, that sort of thing.”“No, never. Only the exhibits, as far as I know.”> “Do you have any pictures of the damage?”“I have a few copies with me, feel free to take them for yourself.”Damn, he wasn’t exaggerating. Looks like some of this stuff has been clubbed, gutted, given the whole nine yards. Somebody definitely has a grudge of some kind. > “How long do you keep your security tapes for?”“That’s part of the problem. Whenever the vandalism begins, our security cameras go dead. Not just them either, so do the personal radios the guards have. We haven’t even managed to get a look at whoever is doing this.”> “Does the vandalism occur at a specific time of night?”“The earliest it’s ever been has been about 10 PM. However, once it starts, it doesn’t stop until maybe 5 AM. Every time.”> “Is there a recognized pattern to its destruction, or is it entirely random in its direction?”“To be frank, we’ve been more concerned with fixing what little we can salvage, not attempting to analyze the eccentricities of whatever twisted mind is behind this travesty.”> “Has anything been stolen?”“We’ve been doing a full inventory check every morning to assess the damage, and strangely, no. Not a single item has been stolen. Plenty of damage, but no theft.”> “Any signs of forced entry?”“Not at all. We had a police forensics team do a full sweep of the premises twice now, and they couldn’t find a thing. Not a single hint that someone forced their way in.”
>>5076400Don't be silly, it's obviously the butler.
>>5076428> “Have the guards reported any kind of intense unease, like they’re being observed?”“A few have came forward and said something similar, but it’s possible that they’re just being paranoid. They’re aware that something has to be in there with them, that’s more than enough to make a rational man jump path the shadows.”> “Have you considered the possibility that this was an inside job? Did you recently fire anyone, hire somebody new, maybe have a guest that had to be removed forcefully?”“We wondered the same and did a thorough internal audit, but nothing came of it. Haven’t had any problems like the ones you’ve described.”> “Do you have any kind of personal rival that may be responsible for doing this?”“I will admit to having a few peers jealous of my lofty position, but none capable of executing a caper such as this.”> “Interesting. Has a particular exhibit been targeted more than the others?”“They’ve all been targeted, but I’ve noticed a trend that British artifacts are treated with a particular disdain.”> “Did anything odd happen in the lead-up to these events? Have you hired anyone new, made any notable acquisitions?”“No, nothing out of the ordinary. As far as acquisitions, the only major event I can think of was when we got a couple new pieces for the General Fairwether exhibit that recently opened.”> “How recently?”“Maybe three weeks?”> “This might sound strange, but does the land the museum was built on have any kind of cultural or historical significance?”“Not to my knowledge. The construction was completed many years prior to my tenure though. Perhaps the Gotham Historical Society may know more.”> “Do you know when it was built?”“As I said, the Historical Society should have those records.”> “Alright, that about covers it. Thanks for your help, I’ll keep in touch.”You swig the lukewarm remnants of your coffee and scatter a handful of bills on the table, preparing to head out.“Wait! What do you plan do next? And I never caught your name, Mr…” He trails off.> “Thema. Jonah Thema. And my next step is to…”> Head to the Colonial History Museum. It’s still daylight, but it never hurts to look around and see what can be found.> See if the GCPD is willing to hand over their case file about the museum. The director mentioned a forensics team, maybe they’re willing to cooperate.> Head to the Gotham Historical Society to check the museum’s land grant. It’s a long shot, but sometimes it feels like this entire town is built on a graveyard.> Do some background research on this General Fairwether. Seems pretty suspicious that the exhibit opened shortly before all this started going down. > Other?
That's all for tonight folks, vote closes at 5:00 PM Wednesday.As always thanks for running, I'll be hanging around a while to field questions, comments, concerns, etc.Unfortunately, next session has to be delayed until Friday. As recompense, and because they've always been fun to write, pitch interlude concepts at me along with your vote for what to do next.>>5076420Sorry anon, but I'm bushed.
>>5076432>Do some background research on General Fairwether.
>>5076432>> Do some background research on this General Fairwether. Seems pretty suspicious that the exhibit opened shortly before all this started going down.>>5076435Bane/Penguin interlude
>>5076432>> Do some background research on this General Fairwether. Seems pretty suspicious that the exhibit opened shortly before all this started going down.Could be a coincidence. Could be someone with a family grudge. Could be a haunted handkerchief. Better to get the long shots out of the way first, just in case. I'd laugh if we asked the GCPD if we could look at their files and they just gave a hard "no". Like damn that's cold.>>5076435>pitch interlude conceptsPoker night at the Oblivion Bar. I can't remember if we've done that kind of thing yet.
>>5076432> Do some background research on this General Fairwether. Seems pretty suspicious that the exhibit opened shortly before all this started going down.No point heading to the museum itself until we know what might actually might something to look out for.Thanks for the run Axis
>>5076432> Head to the Colonial History Museum. It’s still daylight, but it never hurts to look around and see what can be found.> Do some background research on this General Fairwether. Seems pretty suspicious that the exhibit opened shortly before all this started going down.We can do both if the museum has Wifi.
>>5076435Penguin finding out all of his stuff got absolutely rekt by a no-name would be neat for an interlude
>>5076432>> See if the GCPD is willing to hand over their case file about the museum. The director mentioned a forensics team, maybe they’re willing to cooperate.Gee, I'd hate to bump into the commissioner's daughter while we're in there...>>5076435>pitch interlude concepts at me along with your vote for what to do next.Nightwing's internal monologue during his pursuit of us and follow-up in light of all our escapades. I wanna find out how bewildered he was when we dipped into the Bar and lost him.
>>5076432> Do some background research on this General Fairwether. Seems pretty suspicious that the exhibit opened shortly before all this started going down.Oblivion Bar interlude sounds nice.
>>5076432gut says > Do some background research on this General Fairwether. Seems pretty suspicious that the exhibit opened shortly before all this started going down. though >>5076460 would be really funny
>>5076435honestly i always enjoy watching the random crap the bat family is up to at this point in time in gotham.
>>5076605Alfred is probably seething over all the missed tea times since Bruce is busy fighting a brand new high octane gang war. Why I daresay he'd want to teach that rapscallion who set that powder keg off a proper lesson.
Looks like investigating the general wins by a hefty margin.Still working on a couple interludes, hopefully I'll have em done by next week.As previously mentioned, next session will be Friday, at 6:00 PM EST.In the meantime, go ahead and roll me some 2d100s+50. First roll is for the investigation, DC: 60 / 80 / 100Second roll is for the Poker interlude.
Rolled 65, 75 + 50 = 190 (2d100 + 50)>>5078455
Rolled 20, 8 + 50 = 78 (2d100 + 50)>>5078455
Rolled 25, 47 + 15 = 87 (2d100 + 15)>>5078455
Rolled 54, 71 + 50 = 175 (2d100 + 50)>>5078455
Rolled 50, 77 + 50 = 177 (2d100 + 50)>>5078455
Rolled 23, 62 + 50 = 135 (2d100 + 50)>>5078455
>>5078464>>5078480>>5078494Alright, looks like an excellent success, I'll have the update ready for Friday's session.Since the interludes are mostly for flavor, your options are...> Excellent performance, you take them to the cleaners.> Great performance, you come out far ahead of the rest.> Acceptable performance, you break even.Don't worry, I'm not just doing the poker interlude. Working on the other ideas suggested, but it'd be a trial to get them all done and posted at the same time, I'll try to sprinkle them where appropriate.
>>5078935>Excellent performance, you take them to the cleaners.
>>5078935> Great performance, you come out far ahead of the rest.
>>5078935>> Great performance, you come out far ahead of the rest.Dad always told me if I was going to play poker, and I was godly at it, Never be the best.
>>5078935>> Excellent performance, you take them to the cleaners.
>>5078935> Excellent performance, you take them to the cleaners.
>>5078935>Great performance, you come out far ahead of the rest.
>>5078935> Great performance, you come out far ahead of the rest.The question do we let them know we eased off?
>>5078935> “Think I’ll do some digging into this General Fairwether. Might be a long shot, but it’s worth some investigation.”The director nods.“In that case, I’d recommend paying a visit to the Wayne Library at Gotham University. They have a very comprehensive historical archive there, one that I’ve consulted numerous times over the course of my own research.Normally, you need a university ID and special clearance to gain entry, but I’m sure the administration would be willing to make an exception upon my request. Just check in at the front desk when you arrive, hopefully everything should be sorted out by the time you arrive. I would be inordinately grateful if you were to handle this matter as quickly as possible, we simply cannot afford another incident of vandalism.”With that, the meeting concludes and you exit the coffeeshop, flagging down a cab. It’s not that far away, it’d be a waste of Jack’s time to pester him over a trip you can easily make yourself. Besides, you need to burn a little time, it’d probably trip a couple red flags if you magically appeared at the university before the museum, director is even finished with his phone call.You’ve said it before, and you’ll say it again. God bless Gotham’s cab drivers. Not even the possibility of getting killed in the crossfire of a gang war is enough to keep them from prowling the streets.The cabbie drops you off at the university, and you give him a hefty tip. Takes some real guts to pick up fares in this city, the pay ought to reflect it.After a brisk walk to the library, you slip inside much like your previous visit. Guess it must’ve slipped the director’s mind that you need an ID to enter the building in the first place. Your next stop is the front desk, which is being manned by a pretty redhead that seems to have been put through the ringer; sporting some heavy bags under her eyes, a noticeable caffeine twitch, and a frazzled demeanor.Never went to college, but it must be pretty stressful, especially if you’ve got to stack a job on top of it. Hopefully you won’t have to hassle her too much. Thankfully, your access card has already been lain on the counter, as it it were awaiting your arrival.She must have a lot on her mind or something, because when you step forward to collect the card, she practically fumbles her drink in surprise. Guess you must’ve snuck up on her by accident, she looks like she’s seen a ghost.Anyhow, it’s time to get sleuthing.
>>5081017Once you’re in the archive section, you get to hunting for any useful morsels that may shed further light about Fairwether and any connection to the museum vandalism.After a couple hours of exhaustive cross-referencing, note-taking, and fact-finding, you’ve managed to extract quite a few details about the general.According to his service record, Fairwether was a terrible soldier during the early years of his service. Countless entries detailing fights with other officers, drunken antics, and numerous accusations of insubordination, all of which he managed to successfully wriggle out of. However, his performance began to rapidly reverse itself when he secured a posting (or was deported for being an ass) to the North American colonies in 1630. He quickly began to rise through the ranks, despite becoming a pariah among his contemporaries.Numerous scholars have weighed in on the issue, each with differing theories. The most popular of which claims that Fairwether’s stained reputation in the colonies was the result of his reliance of unorthodox tactics and bushcraft, rather than the heavily regimented methods practiced by the army at large.Other scholars agree with this assessment, but with a slight caveat, that Fairwether was unpopular due to his unrelating focus on targeting the native tribes. According to them, he was little more than a mad dog the Crown let loose to handle the dirty business endemic to civilizing the frontier.Either way, all sources agreed that his crowning achievement was his 1640 pacification and reconstruction of the territory that would later become Gotham City. A few older texts made reference to a small colony that had already been established prior to Fairwether’s campaign, but many more recent works discount it as a cartographical error or revisionism.Eventually, he was recalled back to England to receive new orders, but his ship was sunk due to a storm off the coast. His body was never recovered, but was given a posthumous burial with honors, nonetheless.Quite the storied career.You let out a sigh, rubbing your eyes to try and alleviate the boredom. While your more esoteric pursuits have driven home the importance of careful study, that doesn’t make it any less tedious.A quick glance at your watch reveals that you’ve still got plenty of time before you need to report to the museum to keep an eye on things.Your next action is to…> Keep searching the archives, there might be something you’ve missed. (Include topics / items of interest to search for)> Head to the Colonial History Museum. It’s still daylight, but it never hurts to look around and see what can be found.> See if the GCPD is willing to hand over their case file about the museum. The director mentioned a forensics team, maybe they’re willing to cooperate.> Head to the Gotham Historical Society to check the museum’s land grant. It’s a long shot, but sometimes it feels like this entire town is built on a graveyard.> Other?
> Head to the Colonial History Museum. It’s still daylight, but it never hurts to look around and see what can be found.
>>5081018Ya boy got got by the injun curse. Dayum.> Head to the Gotham Historical Society to check the museum’s land grant. It’s a long shot, but sometimes it feels like this entire town is built on a graveyard.Make sure it ain't paranormal first. If it isn't then it gets a lot less complicated to deal with. Just some dunce with an electronics jammer is easier to take care of than a poltergeist.
>>5081017>which is being manned by a pretty redhead that seems to have been put through the ringer; sporting some heavy bags under her eyes, a noticeable caffeine twitch, and a frazzled demeanor.>She must have a lot on her mind or something, because when you step forward to collect the card, she practically fumbles her drink in surprise. Guess you must’ve snuck up on her by accident, she looks like she’s seen a ghost.Fucking kek>> Keep searching the archives, there might be something you’ve missed. (Include topics / items of interest to search for)Native (Miagani?) culture, specifically destructive spirits, pre-war rituals or traditions, testimonials or accounts from the colonial period. Maybe we can find record of some chief calling down a curse on Fairwether. I'd also like to look for anything that might tell us WHY Fairwether was so focused on targeting the natives in case it was something deeper than "I don't like savages."
>>5081018Actually I'll change my vote>>5081034to support this one>>5081038because I may be retarded and hadn't even considered looking into that kind of stuff.
>>5081038>>5081044Alright, roll me some 1d100s+50DC: 90 / 110 / 130
Rolled 6 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5081056
>>5081058Well, at least the bar's low.
Rolled 58 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5081056
Rolled 5 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5081056
>>5081058>>5081063>>5081065That's a minor success, writing.
>>5081065...really?
>>5081065Anon, you weren't supposed to roll worse than me.
Rolled 74 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5081068He should have rolled like this
>>5081075Salt in the collective wound, mate
>>5081078Oops?
>>5081080Not your fault, it would've been hard for you to a four or worse. Would've been funny though. Maybe we can blame our less-than-stellar success on Barbara being to sleepy to do her job?
>>5081084Yeah. Poor lass needs a good nap. Falling asleep at the wheel.
>>5081086I'm sure she could use (another) coffee. We should ask her and make the inevitable reveal all the sweeter.
>>5081067While your initial deep-dive into Fairwether’s background and record was quite illuminating, this rabbit hole goes even deeper.This archive is massive, there has to be something else waiting to be uncovered in this academic labyrinth.There’s only one solution; now that you’ve got a solid foundation to work from, it’s time to start focusing on more narrow topics.You’ll start with the allegations that Fairwether extensively targeted the local tribes, in case it ends up being some kind of ancient curse rearing its head.Unfortunately, eyewitness accounts and reliable sources are difficult to piece together from this particular part of history. If Fairwether truly did conduct some kind of Crown-sponsored extermination campaign, it’s not like he’d take the time to perform a census of the local tribal customs and beliefs first. Hell, you can’t even find anything about the tribes in question that used to occupy the area.Further probing into Fairwether’s personal motivations are similarly unclear. Very few of his letters were preserved, and most of them are just by-the-books requests for logistical support and resupply. Mostly for rations, gunpowder, those sorts of things. Another dead end.Just when you were about to throw in the towel, you finally hit a lucky break.Tucked away deep inside an old worn farmer’s almanac, is an unfinished letter signed by a Sergeant Cartwright. After briefly referencing Fairwether’s chain of command, you discover that Cartwright served under him for years.According to Cartwright’s letter, Fairwether’s actions in 1640 “made him unfit to wear the King’s uniform.” Apparently, Fairwether investigated reports about some kind of enclave populated by unaffiliated European settlers, a haven that declared itself exempt from the jurisdiction of foreign powers.Upon noticing the richness of the land and the favorable terrain, Fairwether attempted to annex them into the British empire, which they did not take well.In their own words, “they made this savage land their own, and would refuse any attempts to dislodge them from their hard-won soil.”You can guess what happened next.Since this letter was practically lost to time, you’re sure the university wouldn’t mind overmuch if you were to pocket it for the time being.As much fun as it may be to keep trawling through sheafs of centuries old records looking for some kind of smoking gun, you’ve probably done all you can here.Your next lead to focus on is…> The Colonial History Museum. Now that you’ve got some background on Fairwether, you might be able to puzzle out what’s going on.> The GCPD forensics department. It’s a long shot, but you never know what might pay off.> The Gotham Historical Society. Hopefully they know more about the native tribes or that enclave.> Other?
>>5081103>> The Gotham Historical Society. Hopefully they know more about the native tribes or that enclave.
>>5081103>> The Gotham Historical Society. Hopefully they know more about the native tribes or that enclave.Just to be sure there isn't something fucky about either the land the museum is on or the place where the enclave was. Last thing you need is cursed rocks winding up as a trophy in your exhibit. Sounds like there are plenty of grudges that could surround the guy. Many potential threads.
>>5081103> The Gotham Historical Society. Hopefully they know more about the native tribes or that enclave.
>>5081108>>5081110>>5081114I'm sensing a pattern here, so I'll go ahead and call it. Writing.
>>5081121Yeah, it’s about time you moved on.As you watch some crusty academic being tended to by a library aide, you can’t help but feel a little irritated. Here you are, practically fumbling your way through the dark in need of guidance with no help rendered whatsoever.That girl working the front desk could’ve at least offered to show you the way to the archives.Still, maybe you should ease off a little. As previously observed, she’s practically asleep at the wheel.Plus you do feel a little bad for startling her. As an apology, you pop over to a nearby coffee place and grab her a little pick-me up. She isn't at the front desk when you come back, but her stuff is, so you leave it there for her.Consider that your good deed for the day.Next stop, the Gotham Historical Society!According to the director, the Historical Society is little more than a social club for fusty scholars to argue about semantics. Still, hopefully somebody there might be able to shed further light on the case.Speaking of which, where would you like to focus your search?> The local tribes. As stereotypical as it may sound, you know from personal experience that ancient curses are indeed a thing.> The enclave. Cartwright’s letter proves it’s not just some conspiracy theory, maybe something’s being buried.> Fairwether’s death. Something about his mysterious death doesn’t sit right with you.> Other?
>>5081142> The enclave. Cartwright’s letter proves it’s not just some conspiracy theory, maybe something’s being buried.Secret enclave that no longer exists? Definitely related to the case.My own general theory goes like this: Fairwether pisses off both the indians and this mysterious enclave, one or both curse him and something related to him in the museum, or the pissed off spirits of the dead, is causing this vandalism now that his artifacts are back near Gotham, the past location of the curse-givers.
>>5081142>The enclave. Cartwright’s letter proves it’s not just some conspiracy theory, maybe something’s being buried.If we find out about them then we can hopefully find out about any rituals they may have as well. Great to see you back boss!
>>5081142>> The enclave. Cartwright’s letter proves it’s not just some conspiracy theory, maybe something’s being buried.>>5081146>Secret enclave that no longer exists?Who says it no longer exists? I'm sure they're just holding Court in a different clubhouse.
>>5081142> The enclave. Cartwright’s letter proves it’s not just some conspiracy theory, maybe something’s being buried.
>>5081146>>5081147>>5081149>>5081151Doing some digging about the enclave wins.Roll me some 1d100s+20 (since this is for persuasion)DC: 50 / 70 / 90>>5081147Feels good to be back in action, anon.
Rolled 45 (1d100)>>5081154
Rolled 3 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5081154
>>5081161It really ain't your day, anon.
Rolled 50 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5081154
>>5081161I'm not rolling for the rest of the night, what the fuck is my luck.
>>5081161>>5081163kek
>>5081159>>5081161>>5081164Alright, that's a regular success. Writing.
>>5081163You aren't kidding boss.>>5081166I know I know.
>>5081170don't worry man, as long as you don't roll a 1, everything is fine
>>5081169Unfortunately, it seems many of the scholars at the Historical Society subscribe to the historical orthodoxy that Fairwether did nothing wrong, and refuse to speak further on the subject.However, one with a more flexible policy on the matter of academic rigor points you in the direction of the Historical Society’s black sheep, a Mortimer Cullen.Apparently Cullen is a bit of a laughingstock amongst academic circles due to his fondness for what some may mock as conspiracy theories. Regardless, that only makes it easier for you to find him, tucked away in a quiet corner with a veritable mountain of books of all kinds. Geology, philosophy, horticulture, anatomy,While he was tight-lipped at first, suspecting a cruel prank of some kind, you manage to persuade him that you’re on the level After a bit of coaxing, Cullen eagerly bombards you with stories, though it takes longer than you’d like to redirect him when he starts to ramble about off-topic subjects.Something tells you he doesn’t get a whole lot of people willing to respect his work and opinion at face value, so you let him occasionally go on a tangent, for politenesses sake if nothing else.After one such story, Cullen rifles though his fortress of books to find an entry from one of his many investigative journals.According to his theories, the enclave that Fairwether sacked wasn’t just a couple shacks propped up in the woods. No, it was a thriving settlement with a population numbering in the thousands.He then goes on to claim that Fairwether drove them out and co-opted it into a British holding, so he could later claim to be the one that established the settlement and nurtured it into a profitable holding for the Crown.And it worked, with the holding later being christened as Gotham City.When questioned about the actual founder of the settlement, Cullen sheepishly admitted that despite his best efforts, he too was unable to discover a concrete identity.The best lead he could come up with was mention of a Norwegian mercenary that had fought in the Thirty Years’ War before stowing away on a ship to the Americas. Cullen shows you a patrol report from a British army unit that makes an explicit mention of a “Nordic figure strolling throughout a native camp.”Whoever he may be, he supposedly struck up a surprising friendship with the local tribes.By the time you’re finished taking notes and asking questions, you realize that the time has practically flown by.You’ve got time for another line of inquiry should you have any nagging questions, else you could get to the museum early for some last-minute snooping.You…> Try to learn more about the natives. You’ve still got questions about their role in all of this.> Try to learn more about the circumstances leading to Fairwether’s death. If it’s some kind of curse, you need to be prepared.> Head to the museum. It’d be best to give it a once-over before things go down.
>>5081190>> Try to learn more about the natives. You’ve still got questions about their role in all of this.
>>5081190> Try to learn more about the circumstances leading to Fairwether’s death. If it’s some kind of curse, you need to be prepared.
Need to take a quick break to get dinner, I'll close the vote when I return.
Rolled 2 (1d2)I've returned, and will now roll a tiebreaker.1 = Natives2 = Fairwether's death
>>5081228Alright, roll me some 1d100s+20DC: 40 / 70 / 100
Rolled 89 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5081230
Rolled 46 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5081230
Rolled 6 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5081230
>>5081248We're really toeing the line today.
>>5081238>>5081247>>5081248An excellent success, writing.
>>5081228what kind of dinner
>>5081263Made myself a sandwich, nothing too fancy.
>>5081267I made myself Spagheti-0s.Did you put Mayo on it?
>>5081270I do like a dollop of mayonnaise on my Spaghetti-ohs, yes.
>>5081273wtf no
>>5081275
>>5081251You still have some niggling doubts about Fairwether’s death. Something about it just seems a bit too convenient.Cullen, buoyed by the interest you’ve shown in his work, is more than happy to share his thoughts on the subject.In contrast to popular belief, Cullen believes that Fairwether’s ship was purposefully sabotaged. While the accepted theory is that the ship went down in a storm, Cullen believes that someone boarded the vessel for the express purpose of dragging Fairwether to a watery grave.The first piece of evidence Cullen has is a confidential military communique stating that Fairwether was never given any kind of order to report back to England.Cullen argues that the orders were purposefully faked to draw Fairwether out into the open, so that he could be targeted. To further bolster this point, Cullen brings out his most treasured find.His piece de resistance is a bonafide copy of the ship’s passenger log. At first, you don’t spot what makes it so important, but Cullen draws your eye to one detail in particular.All of the passengers are English, except for one. A Norwegian named Lars Hansen.Cullen did his due diligence and discovered that this “Lars Hansen” is likely an alias of some kind, most likely for the Norwegian that originally founded Gotham City.Unfortunately, Cullen runs out of hard evidence at this stage, so the rest is just speculation. Regardless, Cullen swears on his life that Fairwether was assassinated, and that the true founder of Gotham was responsible for it.He wilts into himself when you ask why he’s never come forward with this information, and he softly replies that he has. You’re the first person to give him a genuine chance.You know, you could do him a massive favor and gift him that letter you found. Who knows, maybe it’ll be enough to get his theories validated.> Give him Cartwright’s letter. Cullen deserves something for the trouble.> Hold onto it for now. Might be useful later.You swear under your breath when you check your watch. It’s almost 9 PM, the vandalism might be starting up soon. After making a hasty goodbye, you beeline for the Colonial History Museum.The guards, initially wary in your presence, calm considerably when the director assures them over the radio that you’re the “special investigator” he’s contracted.You’re a bit light on time due to your earlier investigations, but you’ve still got time to make the rounds before 10 PM rolls around.You… (Choose 2)> Patrol the museum and get a feel for the layout. If things go south, knowing the environment might give you an edge.> Use your powers to try and sense for spirits. Best to get that established early.> Inspect the Fairwether exhibit. Maybe there’s some kind of cursed artifact.> Inspect the museum’s storage. Could have some clues in there.> Interview the guards. Maybe one of them saw or heard something.> Other?>>5081270Nah, never been a big mayo guy.
>>5081290>Give him Cartwright's letter.I bet it's ghosts pissed that this guy is being glorified. Ensuring the truth gets out is probably the best way to assauge them.>Use your powers to try and sense for spirits.>Inspect the museum's storage.
>>5081290> Give him Cartwright’s letter. Cullen deserves something for the trouble.> Use your powers to try and sense for spirits. Best to get that established early.> Inspect the Fairwether exhibit. Maybe there’s some kind of cursed artifact.
>>5081290>> Give him Cartwright’s letter. Cullen deserves something for the trouble.He's an excitable sort but he really put in the elbow grease to figure this sort of stuff out. Throw the man a bone.> Use your powers to try and sense for spirits. Best to get that established early.> Patrol the museum and get a feel for the layout. If things go south, knowing the environment might give you an edge.Look for ghosts and look for alternative ways into the building, or potential hiding places. Play the super and the natural angles both.
>>5081103> Give him Cartwright’s letter. Cullen deserves something for the trouble.> Patrol the museum and get a feel for the layout. If things go south, knowing the environment might give you an edge.> Inspect the Fairwether exhibit. Maybe there’s some kind of cursed artifact.Use magesight and spirit detector.
>>5081290> Give him Cartwright’s letter. Cullen deserves something for the trouble.>> Use your powers to try and sense for spirits. Best to get that established early.> Patrol the museum and get a feel for the layout. If things go south, knowing the environment might give you an edge.
>>5081290>> Give him Cartwright’s letter. Cullen deserves something for the trouble. But take a picture of it before hand.>> Interview the guards. Maybe one of them saw or heard something.>> Patrol the museum and get a feel for the layout. If things go south, knowing the environment might give you an edge.
>>5081292>>5081293>>5081295>>5081296>>5081299>>5081301Most of these seem to be saying the same thing, so I'll lump them together into patrolling the museum and checking the Fairwether exhibit, while scanning for spirits along the way.Let me know if I've cocked it up, and roll me some 2d100s + 50.First roll is for your general patrol / spirit sweep.DC: 70 / 90 / 110Second roll is for checking out the Fairwether exhibit.DC: 60 / 80 / 100
Rolled 65, 55 + 50 = 170 (2d100 + 50)>>5081302
Rolled 63, 47 + 50 = 160 (2d100 + 50)>>5081302Bustin'
>>5081302Do I dare tempt fate again, fellas?
>>5081307
>>5081307Spit in God's eye and see if he blinks.
Rolled 59, 95 + 50 = 204 (2d100 + 50)>>5081302>>5081310>>5081311You both get credit no matter what these are.
>>5081313
>>5081313Euphoric
>>5081303>>5081304>>5081313That's an excellent success on both counts, writing.
>>5081314>>5081315>>5081317Feels real good, gang
>>5081317Hopefully Cullen makes good use out of Cartwright’s letter. Hell, he practically carted your ass through a hefty part of this, he deserves a little something in return.Would’ve thought you’d have given him a winning lottery ticket or something from the way his face lit up and how he almost started blubbering.But now, it’s time to focus on more pressing matters. Namely, giving the building a swift check to make sure that you haven’t been spinning your wheels chasing ghosts, when the true culprit is actually some prick with fancy tech and a grudge.As soon as you turn on Magesight and Spirit Detector, you’re almost blinded with how vivid and clear the magical presence is. Looks you’re dealing with a bonafide paranormal issue, that’s one thing to check off the list.Whatever it is, it’s definitely not concerned with hiding its trail. Christ, even the most muted fragments of its energy practically radiate with nothing other than sheer incandescent rage.The trail leads in multiple circles, but it always seems to begin at the same spot, somewhere inside the storage room.Unfortunately, you don’t have enough time to give the cavernous room the attention it deserves, so you focus on checking the Fairwether exhibit next.Oh yeah, something is definitely wrong here.Most of the stuff is typical museum fare; uniforms, swords, a few paintings, some accounts of Fairwether’s exploits, etc. The kind of stuff you’d see at any museum.But the spiritual energy you’re picking up, it’s incredibly toxic; a foul mixture of rage, hate, and despair.Curiously, none of it is coming from any piece of the collection itself. You double-check with Magesight just to be sure, but no. Everything being presented is perfectly mundane, incapable of triggering any sort of reaction or curse.And yet, you still have the feeling that this room is potentially the epicenter of the entire case.
>>5081347With a sudden crash, all the lights go out. Looks like somebody rang the dinner bell. The spiritual energy you can sense seems to almost triple in its intensity, weighing down on you like an iron bar.You turn off Magesight before things can get even more disorienting, while still leaving Spirit Detector running in case whatever’s causing this gets tricky.A cursory probe with Spirit Detector reveals that the presence is focused, where you originally suspected, the storage room.Normally it’d be hard to detect a spirit of this power at range, but it’s almost like it wants to be found.And judging from the speed at which it’s heading your way, it’s noticed all your poking around.The emergency lights come on, bathing the room with a dim light.A figure slowly materializes into view, carrying a war-axe that practically radiates its loathing. The look in its eyes is assuredly not friendly. Guess Cullen was onto something with his Norwegian theory.You…> Attempt to dodge whatever it throws at you and sprint for the storage room. If you can sever whatever’s drawing it here, it might vanish.> Hit it with a spell (Specify)> Bring out the Claw and steel yourself for a fight. Time to get to work.> Try to reason with it, whatever it is. Maybe if you play your cards right this can end peacefully. (Include a general idea of what to say / how to word it)> Other?
>>5081350>Try to reason with it.Lars Hansen, I presume. Introduce ourselves, warrior to (I assume) warrior, see what he wants. Hopefully what he wants isn't something like "burn down the museum".
>>5081350Oh hi Lars. Hm. What a conundrum. Attempt talk no jutsu to try and appease him or find a way to lay his spirit to rest or just go full ape and use the tried and true method of smashing him/his spirit's vessel.> Try to reason with it, whatever it is. Maybe if you play your cards right this can end peacefully. (Include a general idea of what to say / how to word it)Ask how we can quiet his anger so that he can go back to doing whatever it was he was doing before he started rampaging in here. This is kinda his city so we can't really ask him how to get rid of him. He has every right to be here. Other than being long dead, of course.
>>5081350>ReasonLars Hansen? IM just gonna get to the point. You hate Fairwether and british stuff because Your settlement was taken over by him. And you are taking revenge by destoying these artifacts. But I should tell you, there is a guy out there working to prove you were the original founder of Gotham. And that soon history will be rewritten. All you have to do is stop focusing on loathing and vengeance. Hell I can set up a meeting between you two, so he can properly record history as it was.
>>5081350> Try to reason with it, whatever it is. Maybe if you play your cards right this can end peacefully. (Include a general idea of what to say / how to word it)Don't mention our name, rather our alias as we have a very English sounding name, we have English ancestry but we are mostly... uuh, French, Germany, Nordic mix primarily....Introduce ourselves, then ask how he is, nod understandlingly, then offer to help him gain justice and and spread the truth, including taking scholarly notes on his peoples history and the truth of what happened.I really wanted to bring Cullen with us in exchange for access to the letter.
>>5081368+1
>>5081354>>5081361>>5081368>>5081370>>5081373Alright, the vibe I'm getting is a mixture of polite introduction, try to calm him down, see what he has to say, and mention that we're working on righting the wrongs.If anybody has an objections, just let me know.In the meantime, go ahead and roll me some 1d100s+20DC: 85
Rolled 98 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5081383Chill pill engaged
>>5081383
Rolled 14 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5081388Let's try that again.>>5081386I told you guys the dice gods were fickle and capricious.
Rolled 23 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5081386Phew, don't think I need to roll, but whatever.>>5081383
>>5081386>>5081390>>5081391That's a success. Last post of the night coming up, may take me a while to get it done.
>>5081392Part of you is tempted to just start swinging, to figure out a violent way to solve this confrontation. You’ve got the Claw and quite a few spells under your belt, a show of arms wouldn’t be the end of the world.And yet, you’d prefer to handle this without bloodshed. Doesn’t entirely feel right to pound on the guy, given what he’s been put through.Hopefully you know enough about the situation that you can talk your way through this.Might as well give it a shot.The ghostly figure approaches you, readying its axe for the prospect of violence.> “Lars Hansen. I know that’s not your real name, but I lack anything else.”The figure stops dead in its tracks when you begin to speak.“My name is Jon Logerquist. Captain Jon Logerquist.” It forces out in a scratchy voice, clearly unaccustomed to speaking.> “I know who you are, Jon. And I know what Fairwether did to you.”At the mere mention of Fairwether’s name, the anger instantly bubbles back to the surface.“HE TOOK EVERYTHING FROM ME! MY HOME, MY PRIDE, AND NOW!? MY LEGACY!”Logerquist begins to swing his axe, intent on smashing the nearest display case.> “I’ve been in your shoes. To lose everything because of another’s greed and petty cruelty.” You tell him, resolutely.The axe stops, inches away from splitting the display in twain.“Then you know what must be done.” He spits out, still sizzling with rage.> “I know that there are others, even now that seek to right the wrongs of the past. Believe me, I understand your thirst for vengeance, but you’re letting it consume you. Is it true that you killed Fairwether on that ship, all those years ago?”“Aye. And even as the sea swallowed me whole, I felt my grief only strengthen.” He says quietly, starting to become more and more corporeal, losing his blue pallor.The lights begin to slowly flicker back on.“Are you here to kill me?”> “Not if I don’t have to. I understand why you’re doing these things, but there is an alternative. I know a man, dedicated to unveiling the truth behind your legacy. If you’d like, he could record your side of the story, the many injustices done to you. But if you continue on your current path? You’ll be throwing all that away for the chance to destroy a handful of dusty old relics.”Logerquist lets out a deep sigh, once that carries the weight of centuries.“Then bring him here, and let us end this.”You get out your phone, desperately hoping that Logerquist isn’t still jamming communications. Thankfully, he seems to have calmed to the point where it’s no longer an issue.You dial the Historical Society, desperately hoping that they have somebody manning the phones at this time of night.
>>5081434“What on earth? Do you have any idea what time it is?” A reedy, imperious voice drones.> “Is Mortimer Cullen still in the building?” You ask, silently cursing yourself for not getting his contact information earlier.“Still in the building? The man’s practically grown into the wallpaper at this point, it’d be more appropriate to ask if he’s ever left the building.”> “Just get him on the phone, please. It’s urgent.” You say, frustration clearly bleeding through.“Please hold.”A tense moment passes as Logerquist starts to get more and more antsy. Before tensions can reach their boiling point, you hear Cullen’s voice.“Hello? I’m afraid I’m rather busy at the moment, could you please-“> “It’s me. I need you at the Colonial History Museum as quickly as possible. It’s about your research, I’ve made a…..unique breakthrough.”“I’ll be there!” He practically shouts into the phone.To keep Logerquist occupied, you tell him stories of your time in the Marines, and he shares tales about his life as a mercenary.Maybe 20 minutes later, Cullen storms in after a brief misunderstanding with security.He nearly goes catatonic when he spots Logerquist’s ghostly form, but you manage to calm him and explain the situation.Cullen adapts surprisingly quickly, possibly still in shock, and begins to interview Logerquist about his history, background, and all manner of other different topics.You maintain your position as a neutral observer, just in case Cullen does something to stoke the ghost’s temper.Thankfully, things go well, with Logerquist losing more and more of his hateful and twisted visage as he views Cullen’s passion and knowledge of his lost past.When the final details are recorded, Logerquist has reverted entirely back to looking human, albeit transparent.In a calm, determined voice a far cry from the vicious rage of earlier, he thanks you for offering him a chance at redemption.The air seems to churn for a moment, before Logerquist vanishes. And with him, vanishes the oppressive presence that had been clouded the museum.Cullen turns to face you. “By the way, I don’t think I ever asked for your name.”> “It’s Jonah Thema.” You say, slightly bemused.“Good to know. Needed something for the bibliography of my next book.”
(That's all for tonight folks, next session is Monday at 5:00 PM EST. I'll be here for a while to answer questions, field complaints, or just shoot the shit.As always, thanks for playing. Sorry if the investigative stuff was a bit of a drag, still getting acclimated to writing hopefully decent detective stuff.
>>5081436>“Good to know. Needed something for the bibliography of my next book.”oh no. We're a credited reference now.>>5081437I'm sure Jack would be pleased. We may have just helped a spirit pass on to the afterlife. AND we did a real job. I wonder how much push back the other historians are going to give Cullen. Of course at this point he'll be so galvanized he probably will give less than zero shits about their naysaying. Will the Gotham sportsball team mascot change with the revelation they have a cool axe wielding norseman as their founder now?
>>5081445"Will the Gotham sportsball team mascot change with the revelation they have a cool axe wielding norseman as their founder now?"Adding that one to the vault.
>>5081447Status on the interludes?Also good writing on the detective stuff. Anything more wordy would take away from it overall.
>>5081437Thanks for the run OP, great stuff. Also, welcome back.
>>5081447Rad.
>>5081449Interludes as a whole are taking a bit longer than I expected, but I'm making good progress.Done a hefty bit of writing for the Bane/Penguin stuff and got the groundwork laid for the Oblivion Bar Poker Night and what I've tentatively labelled Nightwing Slapstick.
>>5081437thanks for the run, Axis. nice little side quest. wonder how this is gonna affect batman's dossier
>>5081437No, it was decent. Good to have you back at it Axis.
>>5081445>We're a credited reference now.And so the reputation of another persona grows...>>5081454>and what I've tentatively labelled Nightwing Slapstick.I await with bated breath. I hate to throw more on the pile, but now that we've freaked Babs out, I wouldn't mind her reaction to seeing us and finding the coffee we left for her.
>>5081462Babs is gonna flip when she snoops on the library camera recordings and see the magic man left her a coffee.>Dresden: blah blah blah previous stuff by the way he just randomly gets people lattes it's neatUntil Bruce edits it with his paranoid ass and assumes the worst. kek>>5081465Jonah Thema, cult dismantler, exorcist, historian and a kind of stand up guy
>>5081469>Until Bruce edits it with his paranoid ass and assumes the worst.>Batman's log, stardate December 11th. Barbara reported Person of Interest 111501-MK alias "Jonah Thema" aka "Dresden" bought her a latte and left it on her desk at Wayne Library. Once she got back to the cave I had Alfred pump her stomach and sent the cup and coffee dregs to Tim for analysis. Does he know of her double-life? Are we all compromised? I've put the cave and manor in lockdown just in case. Nobody's allowed in or out. Dick didn't make it back in time so he's sleeping in my office in Wayne Tower. I fear the rift between us is growing. End log.
>>5081437Missed the run itself but that was quite fun for a first case. Exposing stolen valor and all that good stuff.
>>5081473This is why no one invites Batman to Thanksgiving. The best way to freak Batman out is to just be polite and kind without anything gained.
>>5081462No dossier stuff quite yet, but I've got a few ideas.>>5081463>>5081450>>5081477Thanks, anons.>>5081465Get out of my notes.>>5081469>>5081473Not going to lie, I'm thoroughly enjoying the concept of Bruce shadowrunning like a true /qst/ paranoid.Also, forgot to mention. You will be getting a reward for all this, next session will likely open with that vote.
>>5081484A bit out of left field but how far could Sean have gone as career military man if not for the ambush? Doesn't seem like the type to let shit lie so I would imagine he'd have pissed someone important off eventually
>>5081484Is the reward a genuine viking rune handed down in Jon's bloodline until his untimely death? Bats' massive overreactions for the sake of protection and prevention have always been one of his best traits. Straight up >I threw a handful of rice on the ground outside and a few cloves or garlic in the doorframe. I've also got the hose out in a perfect circle around the building and the water is running. I'm just about to hang some crucifixes over the windows as well.>Master Bruce it's Halloween, they are children trick or treating.>After my battle with Dracula I'm not taking chances, Alfred.
>>5081493I enjoy the mental image of Sean being a crusty old Sergeant Major absolutely reaming the shit out of some dickhead 2ndLt, but he'd probably top out at Staff Sergeant due to his lack of tolerance playing the office politics game. Definitely would've burned out of the military at some point.>>5081496I like the rune idea, but I'm still kicking a few thoughts around. We'll see on Monday.
Man when jack inevitably tries his ritual it's gonna be a shitshow trying to keep bats and co off of him, especially cause i kind of expect our cover to get blown during that and half the bat family will flip it's shit.
>>5081512If the batfam tries to stop Jack from getting his well deserved and much desired rest SOMEONE is getting a concussion. Let. The homie. Sleep.My bet is the Owls are gonna try and fuck with it somehow. Or Constantine is going to do something at the exact split second the ritual is completing and magic across the globe with waver/be corrupted for a fleeting moment and ruin it all. Lots of stuff to look out for, honestly. That's why we gotta be in top form when the time comes to make sure our lad gets to go.
>>5081520i swear if constantine fucks it up and we find out IC, i'd seriously suggest throwing his ass directly into the phantom zone.
>>5081529Constantine is a magical cockroach, you may think you got rid of him but he comes back five minutes later.
>>5081437>help Norse axeman pass on to the afterlife>feels good man>>5081445>>5081447make it happen!
>>5081454An interlude on Cullen publishing his book would be cool if you have the time/are willing to write another.
>>5081637That's specifically why I said the phantom zone instead of killing him or a hundred other things. For example I'd we threw him in the dark multiverse he would come back stronger, or if he died he would come back with demons enslaved to him or some shit. At least in the phantom zone he would be by himself for a while away from shit that matters and can't directly fuck things up, but I digress a bit.
>>5081670I wana help and lead credibility to his work that doesn't make him sound even crazier, like as k the ghost dude if there are any artifacts we can find that he remembers burying including the dead to prove his version of events without making us too public.
>>5081520Concussion? I feel like we'd go full rip and tear.
Kek Sean gave barbara a coffe, cute
>>5082165At the end of the day he's kind of a nice guy like that provided you aren't in the way.
I found this thread and since a couple days ago I readed the others in the archive. Man, what a trip.I love how it was inteded to just being a graverobber for Gentleman Ghost, being a normal henchmen with militar background, and thanks to some crits in the start Sean has being capable of.Get the mark of a Chaos God and being capable of using all of his Natures, being soulbound to an artifact made by an Ancient God with a Spirit of Vengance, having in his hands a high-technology Alien armor and weapon, turn into a Magic usser, and win a fight against TWO bat-brats. And there's more.I'm really looking forward for this qst
>>5082766Honestly one day I could see us start up a magic for dummies lecture for Batgirl if she or any of the bat family needs to know about magic and that explanation will probably be hilarious.
>>5081436After Cullen bids you goodnight and catches a cab back to the Historical Society, you leave a message for the museum director letting him know that everything should be back to normal and that he should contact you in the morning.Jack picks up you a safe distance from any prying eyes, and you call it a night as soon as you finish getting your work gear stowed away. If there’s one lesson to be learnt from all this, it’s that in-depth historical research is a massive drain on the mind and body, and arguably the soul. Christ, if you have to pore over one more supply log from 1638…Next time, it might be more efficient to outsource that kind of thing to specialists like Cullen, but such expertise is hard to find. Unless you’re insanely lucky and can just pull a subject matter expert out of a hat when things get tricky, you’ll mostly be puzzling these things out yourself.In the morning, the museum director is over the moon to announce that not a single artifact or display suffered anything more than superficial damage, and extends an invitation to meet at his office at the museum to discuss the matter of payment.However, your mood sours a bit when the conversation takes an unwelcome turn.“Truly fantastic work, Mr. Thema. Truly. I’d ask about the culprit or the means by which you solved this fiasco, but frankly, I’d rather not know. The reason I requested this meeting is because I have some rather unfortunate news. Regrettably, the events of the last few weeks have greatly cut into our operating budget. The damages, mixed with the costs of our recent expansions, will leave us subsisting off a shoestring budget for the foreseeable future. Therefore, I find myself in the uncomfortable position of lacking the means to afford your fee.” He says, shamefaced.Before you can verbally and or physically tear a strip off him, he quickly offers a solution.“However, I’ve prepared for this possibility and have arranged what I believe to be more than suitable compensation for your labor. First of all, I’ve pulled a few strings and ensured that you’ll have complete and total access to the Gotham University archives in perpetuity. Even the more….sensitive ones.Moving on, we have some assorted pieces slated for removal to make room for the Fairwether exhibit, you’re more than welcome to look them over and take as many as you’d like.Lastly, I’d be willing to allow you to survey our storage facilities and select a piece that catches your fancy. Our facilities are quite extensive, I’m sure that there has to be something in there suitable to your tastes. I would request that you keep this arrangement to yourself. Certain….inflexible parties likely take issue with allocating museum resources in this manner.”While it’s still not perfect, it’s probably the best you’re going to get. You might’ve mentioned to the director that his prized Fairwether exhibit is probably going to experience a nasty shock in the near future, but them’s the breaks.
>>5084227Might as start rummaging and get it over with.Your first stop is the items originally slated for disposal. And it quickly becomes clear why Logerquist was going on a rampage. All the pieces being scrapped are his personal belongings. And not only that, they’re being tossed to make room for Fairwether’s exhibit. Yeah, that’d definitely be enough to get the engine running.Most of the items are purely sentimental. A small painting of Logerquist in his uniform, a couple sketches, some old toys, keepsakes, etc. Others are decidedly more useful, such as an old officer’s sword and what appears to be Logerquist’s personal journal. It’s in a language you don’t understand, probably Norwegian or some variant.Bet Cullen could use this stuff to bolster his research. You’ll definitely be hanging onto that sword though, it’ll be a nice souvenir if nothing else.But now it’s time for the meat and potatoes of your bounty. One of the security guards escorts you to the secure storage building, and trails you as you wander through it, presumably in case you happen to have sticky fingers.Most of the stuff in storage is either junk or not worth your time, but you happen across a(n)…> Ancient ceremonial knife with strange runes carved on the sides. Gives you the creeps, but there’s no denying it’s got some kick to it. (Singular use item, allows you to instantly banish a high-level spirit, some exceptions apply.)> Small obsidian stele, chronicling a strange ritual. Whatever it is, it’s practically pulsing with power. (Free power up to an existing spell.)> Iron talisman forged in the shape of a falcon. Something about it gives you a feeling of hope. (Singular use item, allows any roll to be treated as a crit success.)> A thick tome entitled “An Introduction to Histories”, bound with what is hopefully leather. (Adds another book to your collection, this one teaches how to better comprehend magical theory.)
>>5084231>> A thick tome entitled “An Introduction to Histories”, bound with what is hopefully leather. (Adds another book to your collection, this one teaches how to better comprehend magical theory.)This should make learning magic a bit easier. I hope. These are all pretty significant though.
>>5084231 A thick tome entitled “An Introduction to Histories”, bound with what is hopefully leather. (Adds another book to your collection, this one teaches how to better comprehend magical theory.)The talisman is tempting tho
>>5084248>>5084255Alright, I'll go ahead and call it for the tome.Might as well pick out your next case, and I'll fold it into the next update.> The House on the Hill: A superstitious politician wishes to have someone give his ancestral home a clean bill of spiritual health. Sounds like easy money.> Iron and Blood: Someone has been robbing crypts laying to rest distinguished Gotham citizens. Might help curry some influence with the local movers-and-shakers.> First As Tragedy: There’s been a rash of suspicious disappearances in the Slaughter Swamp State Park, and local sheriffs are at a loss. Could be some brownie points in it.> The Watchful Gaze: This one feels a bit off. Someone left an anonymous message, ranting and raving about shadowy conspiracies and ancient evils. Probably just a hoax.
(Here's a little something for the wait.)Poker Night at the Oblivion BarA few days after the conclusion of the Colonial Museum case, Bobo calls and invites you to join a small poker game he and a couple acquaintances hold at the Oblivion Bar each week.He assures you that the stakes are pretty low, it’s mostly just an excuse to get out the house, have a couple drinks, and play cards for a while. Lacking any other forms of recreation besides brushing up on your techniques, rotting your brain in front of the TV, or bulldozing through old books, you eagerly accept his offer. You do make a point in mentioning that you’ve been working under your Jonah Thema alias, but Bobo’s fine with keeping your real identity under wraps.He also mentions that Jack’s already got a standing invitation to sit-in whenever he likes, so hopefully he’ll be up for making a night of it.When you ping Jack via comms sigil, he’s more than happy to end work a bit early and take the night off. Haven’t seen a whole lot of him lately, guess he must be a bit swamped with chasing down leads about artifacts that’d suit the bill for his ritual. You’d offer to help lighten the load, but Jack’s been doing this a lot longer than you have; there’s probably not much you could contribute on that front.When the pair of you arrive at the Oblivion Bar, Jack guides you to a room in the back where poker night is presumably held, opening the door and ushering you inside.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqBHq2l3VMsLooks like the both of you arrived just in time, Bobo starts dealing the first hand as you and Jack find chairs.Your first impressions is that you’ve walked into the punchline for a bad joke.At the setting next to you, there’s a skeleton sporting an old ushanka and a faded uniform, somehow smoking a cigar.Next to him is an eight-foot tall figure dressed like a medieval plague doctor, but wearing a modern gas-mask instead of the traditional bird mask.Lastly, there’s a man who looks like he’s walked straight out of an old photograph about survivalists that explored the Arctic.As the game begins in earnest, Bobo quickly introduces the other players at the table.The skeleton with the ushanka is named Vas. To hear him tell it, he ate it back back in 40s during World War 2. (or as he puts it, the Great Patriotic War.) Apparently some rogue splinter faction of the KGB obsessed with occult research managed to resurrect him back in the 80s by accident, before they all got purged. Since then, he’s mostly hung around in Siberia and similarly savage lands to avoid getting into trouble. As he puts it, it’s not that bad if you can’t feel cold, need to eat, or require sleep.Next up is the plague doctor, who apparently never speaks. Still buys rounds for the lads though, so it can’t be all bad, whatever it is. Everyone just calls it Doc, even though there’s a running bet as to whether or not they’re an actual human being.
>>5084268Lastly, there’s the guy dressed like an old-timey polar explorer, named Erik. Apparently, he used to be your run-of-the-mill archaeologist in Germany until accidentally unleashing some kind of ancient evil that vowed to pursue him to the ends of the Earth. Managed to figure out the loophole there, and has a nice little setup out in the Arctic tundra, i.e. “the ends of the Earth.”As you requested, Bobo introduces you as Jonah Thema, freelance paranormal investigator.The evening’s pretty quiet at first, with the majority of the players focused on the playing of cards rather than idle small talk.You were content with the arrangement, stacking yourself a nice little pile of chips. While you could’ve gone pedal to the metal and probably cleaned a few people out, this is supposed to be a friendly game; doesn’t mean that you have to purposefully sandbag yourself, but there’s no need to be an ass about it.As you sit, pondering your shit hand, Bobo decides to break the ice.“So, Jonah. Heard through the grapevine that you solved your first case. How’d it go?”> “Went alright, but there’s no need to bore the table with the details.”“Bah! Just tell the damn story. Always the same stories with these people! I need something new!” Vas gripes.“I’m a bit curious as well.” Jack interjects.> “Alright, alright, let me set the stage then.”Over the next few hands, you give them an edited version of events, making sure to replace details like names and places with suitable alternatives. Gotta protect your client’s confidentiality.“Sounds like you ran across a draugr.” Erik muses.“Draugr? Hah, as anyone with something between the ears would tell you, it was obviously a revenant!” Vas interjects, pounding his skeletal fist on the table.“There’s no need for such rudeness, Vas. Especially since out of the two of us, I’m the only one that’s still in possession of an actual brain.” Erik fires back.“What do you think, Doc?” Vas asks.Doc just shrugs their shoulders and stays silent.“See, they agree with me!” Vas claims, determined to die (again) on this particular hill.Shooting you a long suffering look, Bobo intervenes and forcibly drags the conversation back on the rails.The rest of the night is mostly spent telling old stories, drinking, and arguing about dumber and dumber topics as the night goes on.Overall, you do quite well, and have a good time to boot. The group collectively decides that you’re worthy of being a regular fixture, and are re-invited to next week’s game.Never thought you’d end up making pals like this, but you’re not complaining.
>>5084266>> First As Tragedy: There’s been a rash of suspicious disappearances in the Slaughter Swamp State Park, and local sheriffs are at a loss. Could be some brownie points in it.Magical monster hunting? Magical monster hunting.
>>5084266> First As Tragedy: There’s been a rash of suspicious disappearances in the Slaughter Swamp State Park, and local sheriffs are at a loss. Could be some brownie points in it.Seems fun.
>>5084266>> First As Tragedy: There’s been a rash of suspicious disappearances in the Slaughter Swamp State Park, and local sheriffs are at a loss. Could be some brownie points in it.
>>5084289>>5084294>>5084295Alright, calling it and writing.
>>5084289>Magical monster hunting.More like undead monster befriending. Grundy is a good boy.
>>5084329Grundy really does deserve a pat on the back and some ice cream. Poor lad.
>>5084298After a bit of hunting and pecking, you find what looks to be a dusty old tome entitled “An Introduction to Histories.” It seems to be bound in a strange, thick material that you desperately hope is leather. A cursory glance at the contents reveals that it’s a reference text designed to help explain the esoteric and fundamental concepts to spell-making and spell refinement.Could be worth a read, might even give you a solid foundation for further learning. You pull it from the display case and head home.A couple days later, you’re alerted to a new case. Reportedly, there’s been a sharp uptick in missing persons cases over the last month, all centered within the Slaughter Swamp State Park.The park itself is located a few hours away from Gotham, out in the countryside. The official client in this case is the county board of supervisors, who are “worried about the lives and safety of their constituency.” Reading between the lines, they’re worried about a scandal. They want the threat ended, and preferably any survivors extracted.Honestly though, who picked out that name? Part of you wishes to make the insensitive observation that anyone who purposefully goes on a trip through a place called SLAUGHTER SWAMP generally deserves what happens next.Best to avoid tempting fate though, you’ve got a low-down feeling that you’re going to have to head in there yourself.You sigh and check the time. It’s a few hours drive, and Jack isn’t responding to your sigil ping. After stocking the trunk of one of the “borrowed” cars in Jack’s garage with various goodies, you leave a note explaining the situation.After a long and boring ride, you pull into the parking lot of the dinky little police station that serves as the beacon of law and order for the podunk town of Somerset which borders Slaughter Swamp State Park.When you head inside, an incredibly bored looking desk sergeant directs you to speak with the local sheriff who’s been coordinating the search and rescue efforts.“You the specialist they called in?” He drawls, eyeing you up and spitting a wad of chewing tobacco into the trash can.> “I am. You the sheriff in charge here?”“Yep. You see these?” He says, lifting a thick pile of posters stacked on his desk before letting them slam down with a thud.“Missing persons. More specifically, a buncha high school kids decided to have a bit of fun out in the forest before their graduation. Ignored all the warnings we’ve been putting up. Must’ve been a couple days ago now since they snuck in, nobody’s seen em since.”> “Why aren’t you out there searching for them?”It seems like a fair question, but judging from the way he glances at you like something he’s scraped off his shoe, he’s of a different mind.“Son, we’ve had almost two dozen people go missing in that damned swamp over the last month. Last time we sent in a search party, two of my deputies never came out. So yes, I’m more than happy to let you have a crack at it. Alone.”
>>5084380> “What can you tell me?”“Not a damned thing, nobody’s managed to find hide nor hair of what’s behind this. Some of the damn fools that live around here have been spinning yards about all sorts of nonsense, getting people riled up over nothing. Guessing that’s why they sent you. My guess it’s probably just some drug gang that’s staked their claim out in the swamp and ain’t taking too kindly to trespassers.”> “Got anything to back that up?”“I was ordered to provide material support and point you in the right direction. That’s it. Come up with your own damn theories if mine don’t meet your lofty standards. Anyhow, there’s an airboat you can use to enter the swamp, should have enough space for a couple passengers if you need to bring someone to hold your hand. It’ll be docked right next to the ranger station.”Yeah, you better finish the conversation soon before you put Barney Fife here through the wall.> “Mind if I see one of those posters?”“Knock yourself out.”Looks like five different students have gone missing.- Merle Bauer- Jennifer Santos- Karl Daniels- Rosa Schultz- Kenny Payne A few of the names have addresses listed, might be worth checking in with the families.“Whatever you decide, best do it quick. Longer they’re out there, the worse their odds are.”You...(Feel free to pick as many / few options as you’d like. This will have consequences.)> Hit up the local library and research local folklore / history. Perhaps the past holds a few clues about your current situation.> Persuade the sheriff to lend you some deputies as backup. It’ll be a hard sell though, he’s already made his thoughts on the subject abundantly clear.> Interview some of the park rangers. They’re the local experts, hopefully they’ll have some useful tips about the terrain and landmarks.> Pay the families a visit. Maybe it could shed some light as to why the teens are out there in the first place.> Question the locals about anything odd they’ve seen recently. You never know what be connected.> Other?
>>5084384>> Interview some of the park rangers. They’re the local experts, hopefully they’ll have some useful tips about the terrain and landmarks.>> Pay the families a visit. Maybe it could shed some light as to why the teens are out there in the first place.Always get your lay of the land in the wilderness. This is an absolute requirement. In a thick swamp like this you do not want to end up turned around. Man I hope it's just some goons hiding drugs and not fucking swamp thing or ivy.
>>5084384> Hit up the local library and research local folklore / history. Perhaps the past holds a few clues about your current situation.Who knows, we might learn a bit about poor ol grundy.
>>5084390Honestly I thought at first this was killer croc shit, but now I'm leaning towards grundy.
>>5084384> 1) Pay the families a visit. Maybe it could shed some light as to why the teens are out there in the first place.> 2) Interview some of the park rangers. They’re the local experts, hopefully they’ll have some useful tips about the terrain and landmarks.> 3) Question the locals about anything odd they’ve seen recently. You never know what be connected.> 4) Hit up the local library and research local folklore / history. Perhaps the past holds a few clues about your current situation.
>5084384> Hit up the local library and research local folklore / history. Perhaps the past holds a few clues about your current situation.> Interview some of the park rangers. They’re the local experts, hopefully they’ll have some useful tips about the terrain and landmarks.
>>5084400>>5084384Well, shit.
>>5084395There certainly are a lot of options. I'm curious what it'll turn out to be in the end.>inb4 a bunch of retard kids are going out on dares and getting lost in the swampI'd slap those little shits.
>>5084390Support.
>>5084384> Hit up the local library and research local folklore / history. Perhaps the past holds a few clues about your current situation.>>5084399>wants the kids to die
Rolled 2 (1d2)Alright, let me see I can do basic math.>>5084390>>5084412Want to interview rangers / visit families.>>5084414>>5084393Want to just visit the library.Guess I'll roll a d2 to determine which plan we go with.1 = Rangers and Families2 = Library
>>5084416Looks like having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card.Roll me some 1d100s+50DC: 90 / 120/ 150Let me know if there's any confusion as to the results of the previous vote.
Rolled 76 (1d100)>>5084419
Rolled 64 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5084419Shhiiiiet we gon get lost in da swampOh well, BOOKS
Rolled 67 + 50 (1d100 + 50)>>5084419
>>5084421>>5084422>>5084426A regular success, writing.
>>5084427If time is of the essence, you’ll just have to risk going in blind.The longer you dick around, the greater the chance that somebody doesn’t come home. Given those time restrictions, your first and only stop is the public library, in search of information that could make the difference for the case.After getting directions from the desk sergeant, (because talking to that sheriff is an exercise in futility) you burn rubber out of the parking lot and to the aforementioned library.The wizened old woman working behind the counter is initially grouchy, but immediately perks up when you mention your purpose and points you to where they store historical information about the town.Seems that she knew Rosa Schultz, one of the kids that went missing, and wants to help any way she can. According to her, Schultz is apparently spends most of her waking hours in the library, reading whatever she can get here hands on.In the town history section there are a few old newspaper clippings, mostly about useless stuff like football victories, county fairs, the occasional unsolved hit-and-run, your standard small-town fare.However, you hit paydirt when you find a digitally restored clipping of the local newspaper, dated from 1895.In it, it details the strange and mysterious disappearance of one Cyrus Gold, a local businessman and pillar of the community. Furthermore, the journalist in question specluated that if foul play had occurred, Gold’s body was likely disposed of in the nearby Slaughter Swamp.Upon closer examination, you discover another interesting detail. The anniversary of Gold’s disappearance was almost exactly a month ago, right when the number of missing persons spiked dramatically.It’s not a definitive connection, but it’s definitely something to keep an eye on.With your business at the library complete, you drive out towards the ranger station, seeking to board the airboat and start the hunt.But before that, you crack open the trunk and gaze upon the veritable armory you brought with you, in case of emergencies. What do you plan on taking with you for this excursion?Primary> Alien Carbine> Silenced MP5> M4 Carbine (With grenade launcher)> Dragunov> Benelli ShotgunSecondary> Colt 1911 (Reliable and hardy)> .44 Magnum (Hits hard)> 9mm Beretta (Easy to conceal)Melee> Fairbairn-Sykes knife (Good for stealth)> KABAR (Decent for both stealth / brawling)> Knuckle trench knife (Good for brawling)Explosives (4 maximum)> Fragmentation> Smoke> Flashbang> Incendiary> Thermite(Off to get some dinner, I’ll close the vote upon my return)
>>5084447>Alien Carbine>.44 Magnum>KABAR>Incendiary
>>5084447> Benelli Shotgun> 9mm Beretta (Easy to conceal)> Knuckle trench knife (Good for brawling)> Smoke> FlashbangDon't really need the big guns, honestly. This'll work for common thugs. Anything bigger and we can just fucking zap em. Magic is cool.
>>5084447> M4 Carbine (With grenade launcher)> Colt 1911 (Reliable and hardy)> Knuckle trench knife (Good for brawling)> 1 flash one frag two Thermite
>>5084447> Silenced MP5> 9mm Beretta (Easy to conceal)> Fairbairn-Sykes knife (Good for stealth)> Smoke 1> Flashbang 2> Thermite 1
>>5084455Tis a swamp. Everyone brings big guns to a swamp, no matter how small the threat.
>>5084463I kinda want to distance ourselves from anything too military. Leave that gear for our other personas. Besides a slug will take out a gator just as well as a 5.56. Even if the .45 calls to me on a spiritual level.
Rolled 1 (1d4)>>5084453>>5084455>>5084456>>5084458Alright, let's narrow it down.Looks as though I have to do a bit of rolling to settle all this. First, the primary weapon.1 = Alien Carbine2 = Benelli Shotgun3 = M44 = MP5
Rolled 2 (1d4)>>5084480Beretta wins for the secondary, as does the trench-knife for your melee.Now for the grenades.1 = 4 incendiary2 = 2 smoke, 2 flash3 = 1 flash, 1 frag, 2 thermite4 = 1 smoke, 2 flash, 1 thermite
>>5084480>>5084481https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYPK_sl7h44You pull your Apokoliptian carbine, Beretta, and knuckle-trench knife from the trunk. Just to be safe, you also grab a couple smoke and flash grenades. Could come in handy if you need to make a hasty escape.Upon boarding the airboat, you start the engine and guide it away from the docks, following a shallow channel into the swamp proper.Once crossing the threshold into Slaughter Swamp, a few distinct facts become evident.First, there’s a copse of trees that appear to have been ripped from the soil and thrown aside like toothpicks, almost as if they had been bulldozed. No way anyone could get construction equipment out here though, the treacherous mire of the swamp would swallow it and never let go.Next, you can also spot a faint black tinge to some of the water. After making sure that nothing is lying in wait nearby, you probe it with your finger to investigate. Judging from the consistency and smell, it’s oil, probably from a small watercraft. Must’ve taken some kind of hit or crash to leak oil like that, probably not a good sign.Lastly, there’s a pervasive stench that seems to grow stronger and stronger as you go deeper and deeper into the swamp. It gets so bad, you rip off a bit of cloth and tie it around your nose to keep from distracting you further.Seriously, what kind of lunatic comes here thinking they’re gonna have a fun time?You try to…> Follow the trail of wrecked trees. Something big had to have caused that, probably what you’re looking for.> Follow the oil slick. If there’s a human presence out here, you need to find it as soon as possible.> Determine the source of that rancid odor. Hopefully, it’s not what you think it is. > Other?
>>5084498> Follow the oil slick. If there’s a human presence out here, you need to find it as soon as possible.
>>5084498>Determine the source of that rancid odor. Hopefully, it’s not what you think it is.I appreciate how fast you put out posts
>>5084498>> Follow the oil slick. If there’s a human presence out here, you need to find it as soon as possible.>> Other?>Keep your ears peeled for any changes in the noises of the swamp. If the frogs, bugs, and odd gator stop making noise, there's probably something or someone close by.
>>5084480>the highest profile gun we haveof course. Well better hope the bats stay away this time.>>5084498>> Follow the oil slick. If there’s a human presence out here, you need to find it as soon as possible.
>>5084501>>5084504>>5084510Alright, roll me some 1d100s, no modifier.DC: 80>>5084502Thanks, anon. I've always preferred live sessions. Feels like a reminder of the old /tg/ days.
Rolled 59 (1d100)
Rolled 84 (1d100)>>5084520
Rolled 55 (1d100)>>5084520>Feels like a reminder of the old /tg/ days.Did you run quests back then or just follow them?
>>5084525>>5084528>>5084536That's a success, writing. Also, just realized that this was an agility roll, so I should've added a +20 modifier to the roll. But the DC was beaten anyways, so the point is moot.>>5084536Followed them. It's actually kinda funny; my original intent was for this quest to just be a oneshot to see if I had any aptitude for questing. Kinda snowballed from there.
>>5084539so i rolled a 100 in totalNice
>>5084539>original intent was for this quest to just be a oneshot to see if I had any aptitude for questing.Very impressive in that case, you certainly have skill.
>>5084539>Kinda snowballed from there.To the point where I have a sneaking suspicion you have what it takes to run a quest kek
>>5084539Given that the nature of your mission is also search and recovery, it would only make sense to focus on the only confirmed hint of another human presence.After a short journey further into Slaughter Swamp, you come across the wreckage of another airboat that looks to have run aground. You scan for hostiles before getting closer to the shore, but spot nothing of note besides a couple animals.To keep your airboat from drifting away, you tie a neat sailor’s knot and tie it around a sturdy looking tree overhanging the river.Now that you’re on mostly solid ground, it’s time to check out that ruined airboat.Looks like a small civilian airboat, with enough seats to hold maybe a half-dozen people. A cursory examination reveals the cause of the oil slick is probably from the numerous bullet holes riddling the hull.After checking the dash, you find a boating license registered to a Karl Daniels. Looks like you’re on the right trail, that’s one of the missing high schoolers. You check the muddy surroundings for tracks, and find several leading off to the north. Curiously, there are more tracks than you’d expect for such a small group. Either there’s potentially more survivors than you thought, or something else was trailing them too.For lack of a better option, you follow the tracks, keeping a sharp eye open for anything that raises a red flag. You don’t spook easy, but something definitely isn’t right about this place. Almost feels like something’s stalking you, but you can never catch a glimpse of it.You make it about 5 minutes before encountering something that gives you pause. More specifically, someone.Looks to be some manner of thug dressed in high-vis protective gear, almost like he works a construction job or something. Whoever he is, he’s been torn to shreds by some kind of wild animal, judging from the ruined state of his corpse.Chunks of him are missing too, almost like they’ve been eaten.Looks like was packing a weapon, a cheap knockoff MAC-10. Typical gangster trash.On a hunch, you hold the weapon close to your nose and give it a sniff. And it confirms your worst suspicions; it still reeks like it’s been recently fired.In fact, the body’s still warm too. That must mean…
>>5084578When the realization hits you, it’s similar in its intensity to a freight train. The noises have stopped. All the various bayou fauna known for their croaking, buzzing, and other annoying sounds are all silent as the grave.You’re only mostly surprised when a hulking mountain of sinew and scale catapults itself from the murky depths, intent on savaging you.Thanks to your well-refined dexterity and paranoia, you manage to evade its ambush strike.“HOLD STILL, MEAT. RUNNING WON’T SAVE YOU NOW.” It pauses to sniff at the air, almost like a bloodhound.“I’VE GOT YOUR SCENT. AND I’M HUNGRY!” It roars, charging with surprising agility.Once again, your reflexes save the day, as you narrowly manage to dive past the scything of its claws, backpedaling to get some space to think. “I’LL FIND YOU MEAT. AND I’LL MAKE IT NICE AND SLOW.” It smiles, revealing a row of yellow, razor sharp teeth. Think you can almost make out a bit of that thug you stuck in the crevices of his gaping maw.This was not exactly what you were expecting to deal with when you answered your phone a few hours back.You… > Blast him with your Apokoliptian carbine. We’re well past the point of talking it out.> Stun him with a flashbang and get in close with your trench-knife. Maybe you can find a chink in his scales.> Bring out the Claw. Look’s like it’s time for some old-school gator wrassling.> Hit him with a spell. (Specify)> Other?
>>5084580> Blast him with your Apokoliptian carbine. We’re well past the point of talking it outNah, I aint going toe to toe with croc until hes well and truly injured.
>>5084580>> Hit him with a spell. (Specify)Lightning bolt, and pray this water is brackish. Probably best to find a rock or something to stand on too.
>>5084580>actually have to deal with killer crocAw fuck and he's currently in the whole wants to eat people phase> Bring out the Claw. Look’s like it’s time for some old-school gator wrassling.If we can pull this off and drag his ass back to throw into arkham it'll look damn impressive on our background.
>>5084580>Activate Luck Drain and hit him with chaos bolt
>>5084580> Bring out the Claw. Look’s like it’s time for some old-school gator wrassling.
>>5084589>>5084599Looks like you'll be going for it like a real Creole croc-hunter.Roll me some 1d100s+25DC: 70 / 95 / 120
Rolled 30 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5084603
Rolled 29 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5084603
>>5084605>>5084610Uh oh.
Rolled 35 (1d100)>>5084603
well shit
>>5084605>>5084610>>5084615That's a failure. This is the part where I remind you that Roll the Die exists.Use your one-per-mission reroll?> Yes> No
>>5084618Against Killer Croc? Hell yes.
>>5084618>NoEat this one
Rolled 1 (1d2)>>5084618lets see1 yes2 no
>>5084618Yes.
>>5084618>> NoWe die like men.Or we call the GCPD bat help line, even though decided we probably weren't going to.
>>5084618>YesShould've shot him
>>5084619>>5084622>>5084625>>5084628The yays have it, go ahead and give me some more 1d100s+25Same DC as before.inb4 critfail
Rolled 50 (1d100)>>5084630 lets get this 1
Rolled 44 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5084630Please don't fuck up
Rolled 99 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5084630
>>5084641Well will you look at that?
>>5084641>>5084642kek
>>5084642Nicely done.>>5084639>>5084640>>5084641An excellent success. I'll open up the next session with it, bit too fatigued for another update tonight.Next session is Wednesday at 5:00 PM EST. As a heads up, I'm currently in the middle of some IRL stuff that might get in the way.I've been able to keep things separated for the most part, but I apologize in advance if sessions have to be moved.As always, thanks for playing. I'll be hanging around to answer questions, shoot the shit, etc.Here's an informal question to mull over. How many more cases would you like to do? After this, I was planning on doing another one or two, but I'm happy to get back to the regular plot should the consensus swing that way.Lastly, I'm still working on the other interludes.
>>5084641Very, very nice.
>>5084650One or two more cases sounds good. This is pretty fun just doing side jobs, no pressure to fight through a deadly tomb of horrors or other crazy stuff that's happened to us. Comparatively. I hope we can still do these every now and then too, they're a good break from the action.
>>5084589+1i feel like if we use carbine it'll be linked to other personas
>>5084681forgot to update lmao
>>5084580>tfw Killer Croc jumps out of the water instead of a ghostWishing it was a ghost right about now, would have been easier to deal with.
>>5084681What pisses me off is now we have it, not using it would be a complete waste. And using it is dumb if you want to keep things on the down low. It's rather frustrating.
>>5084650>How many more cases would you like to do? After this, I was planning on doing another one or two, but I'm happy to get back to the regular plot should the consensus swing that way.One or two more. before we consider taking this guy to jail, I think we should interrogate him. Maybe even shoot out his knee caps so he can't run. After we haul his ass to solid ground so he can't escape into the waters of course.
>>5084650It would probably be good in the long run as small palette cleanser adventures, not sure how that would affect future choices though
>>5084650I'd like to encounter some non-supernatural cases that seem or sound supernatural, kinda like ripleys believe it or not type of stuff before they ran out of material.
>>5084914I mean this is a pretty clear cut case of killer croc has gone feral again and is eating people in the swamp. We need to beat his ass. Find whoever hasn't gotten eaten by croc and get out of here before something worse like grundy shows up.
>>5085163>t. man who got clotheslined by a will-o-the-wisp collecting kidsI simultaneously do and don't want this to be entirely killer croc. It would make it simple which is good, but damn getting eaten by Croc is a shit way to go.
>>5085226We could break his jaw so he cant eat if that helps.
>>5085285He'll just get better. And it doesn't help the kids that already got munched.
>>5085291Of course, I only suggested breaking his jaw so he cant attempt to eat us. And it would be funny.
>>5085163Might not be actually. Those stories about a drug running operation seem to have been proven true by that mook with a gun we found, so there's the possibility the kids are stuck in some drug cave and we can still rescue them. Or maybe they really were that smell from earlier.
>>5085505I mean I could see that, but I still think the main issue right now Is keeping croc from eating because he is in fact eating people and he needs to get dealt with either way.
>>5085863If he weren't so tough I'd entertain the idea of just killing him but the dude really is a hard target. We'll rough him up something fierce and he'll slink away into the water and outpace us before we could mount up and get after him.But hey maybe we'll get lucky.
>>5084650Suddenly, you wish that you still had your heavy armor.A glance at those pigstickers it’s sporting gives you the feeling that they are more than enough to carve through your ballistic vest like a hot knife through butter.Luckily, you have an equalizer. Hopefully it’ll be enough to put this wannabe Monster from the Black Lagoon on the back foot.You sling the Apokoliptian carbine back over your shoulder, and gesture to the oversized lizard to take its best shot.With a furious roar, it rockets forward, intent on gutting you like the proverbial trout.At just the right moment to use its momentum against it, you bring out the Claw and deliver a devastating haymaker that connects right at the apex of its leap.It staggers, and you take full advantage, following with a vicious shot to the breadbasket that causes it to double over.You end the combination with a vicious uppercut, before a blind, wild swing forces you to give ground.That’s fine with you, the more it thrashes, the more energy it wastes.Judging from the hateful look it’s giving you, it seems like you’ve gone and rattled the cage. That’s good, you’d much rather have this fight compared to having it stalk you through the rest of the swamp. It spits out some blood and a couple teeth, before squaring up to continue the fight once more. It’s stubborn, you’ll give it that.It’s also definitely a lot warier now, refusing to bullrush you again, more content to launch probing attacks and puzzle out your next move.Well, if it wants to pussyfoot around and let you take the momentum, by all means. You…> Keep working the head. If you can keep him dazed and concussed, half the fight is won already.> Try and break one of his arms. The fewer weapons he has at his disposal, the better.> Attempt to cripple him by taking out the legs. Just in case he decides to make a run for it.> Go for a snap-shot with your carbine. You’ll certainly have to be quick on the draw to pull this one off.> Other?
>>5086632> Attempt to cripple him by taking out the legs. Just in case he decides to make a run for it.If croc runs extremely bad shit will occur later, we need to take him down and tie him up to throw at the cops.
>>5086632> Go for a snap-shot with your carbine. You’ll certainly have to be quick on the draw to pull this one off.
>>5086632> Attempt to cripple him by taking out the legs. Just in case he decides to make a run for it.
>>5086638>>5086653Roll me some 1d100s+25DC: 50 / 75 / 100
Rolled 60 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5086663
Rolled 53 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5086663Man I really like Croc when he's not on his cannibal shit. Hopefully he doesn't hold much of a grudge
>>5086700Not super informed about DC lore, but that image of croc attempting to get a job and being rejected really hit me lol.
Rolled 4 + 25 (1d100 + 25)>>5086663
>>5086699>>5086700>>5086713That's a regular success, writing.
>>5086716Taking the initiative, you feint like you’re about to continue the pattern instanced in your previous assault.After it instinctively goes to block high, you alter direction mid-punch, changing the destination to one of its less-armored legs.It realizes what you’re trying to do, but it’s too late for it to do anything about it, and you deliver a full force Claw punch directly to his lower leg.There's a bone shattering crunch, an animalistic roar and the unmistakable sound of its leg snapping like firewood.Looks like it’s not going anywhere fast for quite a while.You dance back out of his grasping reach, intent on taking stock and weighing your options now that the momentum is firmly in your favor.From body language alone, you can tell that it wants to cut and run. It’s an ambush predator, and this particular ambush has backfired horrifically for it.It’s still able to stand with some effort, but you can tell that it’s not ready to handle much more punishment.Running would in fact be the smarter thing to do, had you not already taken that option off the table.You’ve got it cornered, and a beast is at its most dangerous when out of options. When something’s got nothing left to lose, nothing’s off the table.Your next move is to…> Break its goddamn neck. Skin’s too tough to puncture, so you’ll just get a bit creative with it.> Go for the knockout blow. Hopefully you can improvise some kind of binding to keep it from slipping loose while you hunt for the missing students.> Just finish the damn thing off with your carbine. You’ve got proof enough that’s been eating people, what more do you need?> Now that it’s on the back foot, maybe it’ll be more amenable to settling this without further violence. It’s always best to negotiate from a position of strength, after all.> Other?
>>5086746> Other?back up and shoot out it's other knee with the carbine. No point in needlessly putting yourself in danger when it can't run away all that fast.
>>5086746> Now that it’s on the back foot, maybe it’ll be more amenable to settling this without further violence. It’s always best to negotiate from a position of strength, after all.Time to question him on where are the missing kids
>>5086746>Go for the knockout blow. Hopefully you can improvise some kind of binding to keep it from slipping loose while you hunt for the missing students.
>>5086746>>5086753Supporting this. Kids are number one priority. And if he hasn't eaten them but knows where they are then we know where to go.
>>5086746>>5086753> Now that it’s on the back foot, maybe it’ll be more amenable to settling this without further violence. It’s always best to negotiate from a position of strength, after all.It would almost be funny if he had nothing to do with the kids at all
>>5086753+1We got a job to do, killing Croc doesn't need to be part of it
>>5086753>>5086761>>5086779>>5086781Looks like a trend, I'll go ahead and call it here.Roll me some 1d100s+20.DC: 75
Rolled 40 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086783
Rolled 6 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086783C'mon Croc. Be helpful.
>>5086746> Just finish the damn thing off with your carbine. You’ve got proof enough that’s been eating people, what more do you need?
>>5086753Support, but keep our carbine levelled right at his face.
Rolled 41 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086783
Rolled 77 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086783
Rolled 61 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086783you guys should had used the gun. It was easier. look at the mess you've made.
If this scaley fucker dives into the water after point us in a random direction I'm gonna shit my pants.I just wanna save the damn children.
>>5086784>>5086786>>5086791That's a failure. I'll go ahead and ask now and fold whatever happens into the next update.He's about to make a run for it.Do you...> Let him go. He’s in no state to fight in his condition, and you’ve got bigger fish to fry.> Go for the other leg with your carbine. Tried doing this nicely, guess you’ll just have to beat it out of him.> Just shoot to kill and be done with this. You’ve given him as fair a chance as any.> Hit him with a spell. (Specify)> Other?
>>5086809> Go for the other leg with your carbine. Tried doing this nicely, guess you’ll just have to beat it out of him.
>>5086809>> Go for the other leg with your carbine. Tried doing this nicely, guess you’ll just have to beat it out of him.
>>5086809>> Hit him with a spell. (Specify)Slap him with some spiders and use the spider tracking.Spiders as it so happens can stay underwater for a very fucking long time thanks to how they breathe. Who knew?
>>5086819changing to support this. Spider can be fucking scary, but if he tries to flee into the water, we should still shoot out the other knee.
>>5086809>>5086819changing to this
>>5086819+1If it doesn't work and he gets away that's more or less what I would have voted for anyways
>>5086819>>5086827>>5086828>>5086830Alright, roll me some 2d100sFirst roll is for the spiders, second is to try and graze him.DC: 50 / 70 / 90DC: 80Second roll has a +15 to it, which I'll add after the rolling is done.
Rolled 18, 7 = 25 (2d100)>>5086833Big brain time.
Rolled 43, 86 = 129 (2d100)>>5086833
>>5086836Aight shit I guess I should stop rolling.
Rolled 57 (1d100)>>5086833
>>5086843you need one more roll. it's 2d100.
Rolled 22 (1d100)>>5086833second roll>>5086845sorry i did a bruh moment
>>5086836>>5086838>>5086843>>5086847That's a minor success, and a success respectively.Writing.
>>5086850Alright. Time to see if you can shake some answers out of this thing.You put the Claw away and slowly approach, keeping your carbine focused on its vital parts.> “Listen up. You started this, and I finished it. If you’re willing to cooperate, that’d save the both of us a lot of trouble. Only going to ask this once. Where are the kids?”You keep your carbine pointed directly at his face, just in case he tries something funny.Instead of a verbal response, he spits some kind of bloody mucous in your face, and takes advantage of your momentary distraction to start fleeing back towards the shore.You get the gunk out of your eyes, and are struck with a bolt of ingenuity.Landing a comprehensive killshot won’t be easy at this range, and there’s still the possibility of getting some intel out of this.Wasn’t your first preference, but a little catch and release might do the trick.No sense in letting it get away with paying the price though. You line up a quick shot, connecting solidly with its only good leg.The impact causes it to trip into the swamp water, giving you the window you need to pull something tricky.As the abomination makes its escape, you manage to attach a couple diving bell spiders to it before it can swim away.There, now you’ve got a tracker of sorts on it. Maybe if you got some more spiders on it, it’d be more precise, but at least it’s on your radar now.After a quick pause, you decide to…> Check that dead guy for clues. Your initial search was pretty rudely interrupted, maybe there’s more to be found.> Keep following the trail of footprints. Something has to be at the end of it, hopefully the kids.> Try and follow that crocodile monster. You’ve got it tagged, maybe it’ll lead you back to its lair.> Other?
>>5086884> Try and follow that crocodile monster. You’ve got it tagged, maybe it’ll lead you back to its lair.
>>5086884>> Try and follow that crocodile monster. You’ve got it tagged, maybe it’ll lead you back to its lair.I'm really tempted to follow the footsteps. But if the kids were napped then they'd be in less danger with the bayou boys than with a very angry Croc. I hope.
>>5086884>> Check that dead guy for clues. Your initial search was pretty rudely interrupted, maybe there’s more to be found.
>>5086889>>5086891>>5086893Looks like trailing the monster wins, writing.
>>5086899While you’re sorely tempted to continue following the footprints, it’s not like they’re going anywhere soon.Likewise to the dead body.In terms of time-sensitive objectives, pursuing that creature takes priority.You backtrack to the airboat as quickly as possibly, and start to shadow it, hoping that it’ll reveal the path back to its lair.Ambush predators have a tendency to retreat and lick their wounds when harmed badly, hopefully this one follows a similar pattern.You maintain a comfortable distance, far enough that you feel confident that it hasn’t spotted you.It tries to lead you in circles a few times, but with the spiders you have planted on it, those attempts at subterfuge were doomed from the very beginning.After a few token attempts to shake you, it must assume that it’s done enough to lose the trail, because it continues on its path with no further deviations.Must not have much energy left after your little rumble.When it comes to a stop, you think you’ve figured out why.There’s some kind of cave worn into the side of a rocky hill, probably due to decades of steady erosion.Dollars to donuts, that’s the monster’s lair.All that remains now is getting inside and finishing what you started.> Sneak inside and scout the place out. You have no clue if the kids are inside, or if there’s only one of those things.> Go in guns blazing. You mangled that creature pretty badly in your last encounter, ought to be simple enough.> Toss in a smoke grenade and try to flush it out. If there’s no other source of air, it’ll be corralled right into your sights.> Other?In addition, what’s your ROE should any trouble arise?> Lethal.> Non-Lethal.
>>5086928> Sneak inside and scout the place out. You have no clue if the kids are inside, or if there’s only one of those things.Priority is finding the kids, and then dealing with the monster.> Lethal.Don't think there's much other option when it comes to croc. We're no batman, that's for sure.
>>5086928> Sneak inside and scout the place out. You have no clue if the kids are inside, or if there’s only one of those things.> Non-Lethal.If the kids aren't here then it's back to square one but would be nice to get a chance to ask if possible
>>5086928>> Go in guns blazing. You mangled that creature pretty badly in your last encounter, ought to be simple enough.> Non-Lethal.
>>5086928>> Sneak inside and scout the place out. You have no clue if the kids are inside, or if there’s only one of those things.> Non-Lethal.This slit-eyed fuck is gonna tell us what we need to know.
>>5086932>>5086936>>5086939>>5086944Looks like stealth / non-lethal wins.Roll me some d100s+20DC: 40 / 60 / 80
Rolled 99 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086946
>>5086948nice
Rolled 38 (1d100)>>5086946>>5086949oh shit
Rolled 56 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086946
>>5086948Like a ghost.
Rolled 74 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086946>>5086948Whewee. Don't think any more rolling is necessary, again.
>>5086948>>5086951>>5086954That's an excellent success, writing.
>>5086957Before you sneak inside, you take a moment to perform an unpleasant but necessary precaution, i.e. splattering yourself with mud.It was ranting earlier about how it caught your scent. It’d be best if you obfuscated it as much as possible in case it wasn’t just trying to psych you out.Once you’re finished, you begin to slowly creep inside, taking great care to not step in any puddles, dislodge any rocks, avoiding anything and everything that might reveal your presence.The passage begins to widen, guess you’re approaching the main chamber.Jesus.The interior of the cave looks and smells like a slaughterhouse.You can spot what looks like a couple skeletons sporting shredded park ranger and police uniforms.Guess you’ve solved the mystery as to where the search parties went.The creature seems to be hibernating or something, curled up into a large ball on the far side of the cave.You notice one of the high schoolers, thankfully still alive.He’s hanging upside down from a rope, trussed and gagged like a ham.When he spots you, he begins to start wriggling, which stops when you give him a motion to shut it.What’s the best move here?> Just cut the kid down and get out of here. His life takes priority.> Sneak over to the beast and try to incapacitate him before he can wake up. Letting sleeping crocs lie would be a bad idea.> Throw a flashbang at it and bum-rush it with the Claw. You’ve got him dead to rights, this time.> Hit it with a spell (Specify)> Other?
>>5086986>> Just cut the kid down and get out of here. His life takes priority.
>>5086986> Sneak over to the beast and try to incapacitate him before he can wake up. Letting sleeping crocs lie would be a bad idea.
>>5086986> Just cut the kid down and get out of here. His life takes priority.
>>5086988>>5086989>>5086992Alright, looks like cutting him loose wins. Roll me some d100s+20DC: 50(Last post of the night coming up)
Rolled 11 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086986> Sneak over to the beast and try to incapacitate him before he can wake up. Letting sleeping crocs lie would be a bad idea.>>5086988>>5086989>>5086992just saying. the kid would slow us down and make noise>>5086994oh fuck. what about the croc? we gonna just let him keep killing people?
>>5086996I envisioned it more of a "get the kid out of the cave first" type deal.
Rolled 79 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086996
Rolled 35 + 20 (1d100 + 20)>>5086994
>>5086997thats what I thought
