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May 23rd, 2016
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  2. [2016-04-29 16:09:17] <Antioch|GM> One of Dags's projects has come to fruition during your days of information gathering -- focusing on Blackjack, the Borgata, Player One, with a later emphasis on Redcap and Longinus as they made the news.
  3. [2016-04-29 16:09:17] <Antioch|GM> A bar constructed on the riverside, north of Tremont and the HPIA offices. Neutral territory, ostensibly.
  4. [2016-04-29 16:11:21] <Antioch|GM> His dealings with the Columbus-based information brokers got the word out -- an odd juxtaposition of discretion and advertisement -- and a scant few days since its opening, independent parahumans from Cleveland have stopped by from time to time, trading information or using the locale as an area to conduct potential business. Mercenary work, such that it is.
  5. [2016-04-29 16:11:41] → Teruzi joined (uid43982@tooting.irccloud.com)
  6. [2016-04-29 16:12:41] <Antioch|GM> There's a growing concern that Cleveland's parahuman-to-civilian ratio is swelling, an influx of the former and an exodus of the latter, and the presence flowing through the neutral establishment only seems to emphasize that concern.
  7. [2016-04-29 16:13:19] <Antioch|GM> Capes coming to seize opportunities left behind by the death of the Don, the instability of Blackjack.
  8. [2016-04-29 16:14:02] <Antioch|GM> Their presence is largely a secondary bonus to your being in the bar -- the primary reason is that your employment with HPIA nets you a substantial discount on the liquor served. ||
  9. [2016-04-29 16:16:39] <Firlz|Game> Once I start actually projecting force it'll be even better. Most info is valuable because of the timing, and having access to 'insider information' to hit known storehouses or locations before another group can make the attempt has an appeal all its own.
  10. [2016-04-29 16:18:23] <Firlz|Game> Though there is something to be said just for enjoying the ambiance of working in a bar. Maybe when I've done some good work and helped push things in this city toward something that could be stable long-term I'll "retire" to being a five-in-one bartender. Practicing all those juggling tricks should be easier when I can clone the bottles and then k
  11. [2016-04-29 16:18:23] <Firlz|Game> eep the ones that don't break.
  12. [2016-04-29 16:19:32] <Firlz|Game> Heck, there might be a separate market for cloned booze just for the fact that it is affected by a parahuman power. I wonder if Dags would be willing to be a guinea pig to see what happens. It'd be pretty neat if it got people drunk, and then vanished from their system when the corresponding clone popped.||
  13. [2016-04-29 16:22:24] <Antioch|GM> Capes that pass through the bar, you make a minor note of. Small, hardly comprehensive, but when you have a name, an appearance, and the knowledge that they may well be a contributing factor to something or another in Cleveland?
  14. [2016-04-29 16:22:24] <Antioch|GM> Relatively worthwhile, whether you decide to pass on the information or otherwise act upon it yourself.
  15. [2016-04-29 16:24:56] <Antioch|GM> ((Wits roll))
  16. [2016-04-29 16:25:07] <Antioch|GM> ((Singular, Awareness mod.))
  17. [2016-04-29 16:25:30] <Firlz|Game> $roll 1d6
  18. [2016-04-29 16:25:30] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game [4] = 4
  19. [2016-04-29 16:26:26] <Antioch|GM> Helldozer, Mastodon, ROFLcopter, Explosivo, Full Throttle, Galvanic, Gatecrash.
  20. [2016-04-29 16:26:37] <Antioch|GM> Names and faces to follow up on.
  21. [2016-04-29 16:27:40] <Antioch|GM> A folder from the main office merits your attention as well.
  22. [2016-04-29 16:28:57] <Antioch|GM> Glossed over in the wake of Longinus's bomb in Blackjack territory is the fact that a small auto store near the periphery of their turf, realized to be a front business for Blackjack, was attacked. Arson, grenades.
  23. [2016-04-29 16:28:57] <Antioch|GM> Unknown culprit, worth investigating.
  24. [2016-04-29 16:28:57] <Antioch|GM> Something that, for once, matches your skillset reasonably well. ||
  25. [2016-04-29 16:32:02] <Firlz|Game> Even better, if the place hasn't been dug through too deeply, it might still have something useful left behind, papers, files, something that might give a peek behind the curtain. Sure it won't be as obvious as expense reports that say 'drugs: 50,000', but following the money trails isn't exactly new hat for me. One of the easiest ways to track a c
  26. [2016-04-29 16:32:02] <Firlz|Game> heating spouse is through their credit card.
  27. [2016-04-29 16:35:26] <Firlz|Game> It's definitely worth looking at, and sooner rather than later. I get my work here in order and leave a message for Dags letting him know where I'll be if he needs me. Get some digging done, maybe scope out the local area in the meantime if I have an extra self not doing much. I should make it a point to grab a disposable camera in case I find anyt
  28. [2016-04-29 16:35:26] <Firlz|Game> hing worth snagging pictures of for HPIA's files. With a target in mind I set out (suited up of course) to sneak around and see what's to find.||
  29. [2016-04-29 16:38:53] <Antioch|GM> Though you're not particularly expecting a fight or any trouble, the weight of the two canisters The Good King gave you in addition to the (rather illegally purchased) flashbangs slung around the hip of your costume are reassuring. Four green cartridges, two pink cartridges, either able to slot into the canister to produce a knockout gas or a medical
  30. [2016-04-29 16:38:53] <Antioch|GM> stabilizer.
  31. [2016-04-29 16:39:20] <Antioch|GM> The effects are *somewhat* duplicable, but dilute, as you've learned to expect. Better than failing outright.
  32. [2016-04-29 16:41:19] <Antioch|GM> The auto shop in question is in a commercial area, lying at the corner of two streets. A convenience store and gas station is across one of the streets, while a pharmacy is across the other. Kitty-corner to it is a fast-food restaurant depicting fried chicken and seafood on its windows -- the scent of grease strong enough to be noticeable, even with the ash
  33. [2016-04-29 16:41:19] <Antioch|GM> and burnt rubber smell coming from the charred business.
  34. [2016-04-29 16:41:27] <Antioch|GM> ((Awareness again))
  35. [2016-04-29 16:41:57] <Firlz|Game> $roll 1d6 wits
  36. [2016-04-29 16:41:57] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game "wits" [4] = 4
  37. [2016-04-29 16:42:50] <Antioch|GM> Overhead, you see a small quadcopter-esque drone fly past, seemingly circling the area.
  38. [2016-04-29 16:43:17] <Antioch|GM> Mortal Lock's drone technology, you suspect, examining the damages remotely. ||
  39. [2016-04-29 16:44:30] <Firlz|Game> Rather annoying, what the heck is his specialty anyway. "mortal lock" isn't particularly indicative of the vector his power is based around the way Forgemaster's or Shinkansen's were. ((know check?))
  40. [2016-04-29 16:44:43] <Antioch|GM> ((Yeah, street smarts is applicable))
  41. [2016-04-29 16:45:06] <Firlz|Game> $roll 1d6+1 know
  42. [2016-04-29 16:45:06] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game "know" [1] +1 = 2
  43. [2016-04-29 16:47:12] <Antioch|GM> Your knowledge of the specifics of his Tinkerings is sorely lacking, as he's a relatively recent addition to Blackjack. His drones, however, are known well enough, and they patrol the entirety of Blackjack's territory, keeping trouble to a minimum. Another means to enforce their protection racket, in a large sense, but forewarning of Protectorate or other
  44. [2016-04-29 16:47:12] <Antioch|GM> intruders seems to have kept the gang's *massive* territory thriving. ||
  45. [2016-04-29 16:51:10] <Firlz|Game> Oh well, not much too it but to do it. I split into my squad of bodies and equipment, but keeping the disposable camera uncopied to make sure it works. I have one self staying nearby but 'away' from the building as my safety self, send one over toward the drone, ready to attack and attract the thing's attention at a moment's notice, and the remaini
  46. [2016-04-29 16:51:10] <Firlz|Game> ng three circle the building to look for ways in that are out of sight and mind to allow access to the building, one of which has the camera for once we get inside.||
  47. [2016-04-29 16:52:39] <Antioch|GM> The drone sweeps a broad area, and it's a simple enough task to split as it exits your line of sight.
  48. [2016-04-29 16:53:38] <Antioch|GM> One tails the drone, the other remains a moment's dash away from the motorbike if things go sour, and the three slip into the ruined building -- the glass panes in the front door are shattered, one of the garage doors up. No obstacle to your entry, and the ceiling prevents aerial surveillance. ||
  49. [2016-04-29 17:03:18] <Firlz|Game> No reason to make this more complicated than it needs to be, the three selves entering head in through the front door and try to get a layout of the place to figure out the best means of splitting up and searching it.||
  50. [2016-04-29 17:04:59] <Antioch|GM> The auto shop is divided into two parts - the storefront, where oil changes, tires, and other vehicle peripherals are on display, and the rear, where the cars are maintenanced.
  51. [2016-04-29 17:05:31] <Antioch|GM> A door to the rear is left open, but the interior of the storefront has suffered grossly from fire damage, exacerbated by the flammables on sale. Enough to warp the intact panes of glass. ||
  52. [2016-04-29 17:07:33] <Firlz|Game> Hmm, but did it hit the computers, or files further in the building. The offices shouldn't be in the middle of the work-yard afterall.||
  53. [2016-04-29 17:09:33] <Antioch|GM> The office is found behind the register, and serves as an intermediary location between the storefront and the rear. Fire damage has trashed the place as well -- the computer doesn't boot, but it's possible that its hard drive is salvageable.
  54. [2016-04-29 17:10:01] <Antioch|GM> ((Investigation roll, singular))
  55. [2016-04-29 17:10:21] <Firlz|Game> $roll 2h6 investigate
  56. [2016-04-29 17:10:21] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game "investigate" [5] (1) = 5
  57. [2016-04-29 17:10:44] <Antioch|GM> File cabinets are intact, for the most part, though there's a gaping spot where you'd expect the safe to be. The entire thing taken, perhaps? ||
  58. [2016-04-29 17:12:01] <Firlz|Game> I decide that's definitely worth noting and send over the camera-self to snap some photos of that while another self rifles through the cabinet to see if the files are more or less there. The self by the computer starts taking apart the thing to try and nab the harddrive.||
  59. [2016-04-29 17:12:40] <Antioch|GM> ((Dex check, can be modified by computers or craft))
  60. [2016-04-29 17:13:19] <Firlz|Game> $roll 1d6-1 dex like a drunk man
  61. [2016-04-29 17:13:19] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game "dex like a drunk man" [3] -1 = 2
  62. [2016-04-29 17:14:33] <Antioch|GM> Rifling through the cabinet, the files look largely intact. Legitimate files for the running of an auto shop, but intact. Maybe you can hand them off to a forensic accountant, but you dunno if the job is that big.
  63. [2016-04-29 17:15:19] <Antioch|GM> The computer is gutted, for the most part, due to your clumsiness. It takes a moment for you to pinpoint the hard drive, yanking cables out and then trying to get the blasted thing out of the chassis.
  64. [2016-04-29 17:15:44] <Antioch|GM> It's not a delicate procedure. Hopefully it's still functional. ||
  65. [2016-04-29 17:20:03] <Firlz|Game> Take what you can get, if it was left in here then we definitely wouldn't have the info. I set a self to boxing up the files, I don't think this camera has anything close to enough shots to get pictures of everything here, and I definitely couldn't recreate it faithfully from memory later.
  66. [2016-04-29 17:22:13] <Firlz|Game> I have the least busy self try to go through the desks and other places to see if there are scraps or other papers that made it out. Maybe dig around to see if there are any secrets. The safe might have been pulled out of the wall, but if this is a criminal front there might still be a false whatever hiding the "real" safe for the illicit activitie
  67. [2016-04-29 17:22:13] <Firlz|Game> s rather than the normal one for the front itself.||
  68. [2016-04-29 17:32:31] <Antioch|GM> Examining the walls, pushing the cabinets off to one side, it doesn't appear as if there's anything hidden, safe or otherwise.
  69. [2016-04-29 17:32:57] <Antioch|GM> The rear still requires at the very least a cursory inspection -- you're uncertain whether the damage was done by a pyrokinetic, a shitload of molotovs, or something else. ||
  70. [2016-04-29 17:34:33] <Firlz|Game> On the plus side I can be pretty confident it wasn't Behemoth. Not nearly enough radiation for it to be him in my experience.
  71. [2016-04-29 17:36:14] <Firlz|Game> That doesn't exactly leave a small list of potential causes. I divert camera-self to examining the damage, taking pictures from various angles to get a sense of the fire pattern, and try to figure out where it started, how it spread and the like. When I get back I can try to cross reference against patterns for accelerants or other known fuels that
  72. [2016-04-29 17:36:15] <Firlz|Game> could've been used.||
  73. [2016-04-29 17:38:44] <Firlz|Game> ((investigate?))
  74. [2016-04-29 17:38:54] <Antioch|GM> ((Go for it))
  75. [2016-04-29 17:39:24] <Firlz|Game> $roll 2h6 investigate
  76. [2016-04-29 17:39:24] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game "investigate" [2] (2) = 2
  77. [2016-04-29 17:39:53] <Antioch|GM> You photograph as much of the fire damage as you feel is relevant, but you can't seem to get a good handle on the origination point of the fire. Perhaps later, with resources, but as it stands, you have no clue. ||
  78. [2016-04-29 17:43:24] <Firlz|Game> the self with the camera looks for other possible sources of information while the other two box up the files and hard-drive to get ready to remove them from the premesis for later perusal.||
  79. [2016-04-29 17:46:12] <Antioch|GM> From the rear of the building, you're able to see a pothole, of sorts. Blast damage from a grenade.
  80. [2016-04-29 17:46:35] <Antioch|GM> Another conspicuously empty room in the rear, intended for storage -- whatever it contained, it's been removed, stolen, or destroyed. ||
  81. [2016-04-29 17:48:47] <Firlz|Game> Camera-self takes some pictures, maybe the remaining layout might have clues a Thinker could pick apart to figure out what was here. Similarly, it might be possible to match the pothole to either some cape's power or the type of ordinance. ((is there any trouble in removing the boxes without being seen?))
  82. [2016-04-29 17:49:51] <Antioch|GM> The box could be conveyed to the motorcycle, given appropriate timing. It shouldn't pose a problem. ||
  83. [2016-04-29 17:51:53] <Firlz|Game> The selves with the boxes make sure to bring them out when the drone won't be able to see anything while the camera-self takes some more pictures and collectively we try to figure out what exactly happened here.
  84. [2016-04-29 17:52:40] <Firlz|Game> It definitely looks like an attack of some kind, but it isn't clear whether the stuff from that one room were STOLEN or moved by Wink's people after the fact so that the authorities wouldn't go through it.
  85. [2016-04-29 17:53:05] <Firlz|Game> More than likely the first, though, because why would Wink have them rip out the safe when he could just open it and move the contents. It seems wasteful.
  86. [2016-04-29 17:54:32] <Firlz|Game> If they were targeting Wink, why here. It isn't likely to be a substantial storage location for their drugs or guns. Too easy for someone to stumble onto it since they want the veneer of legitimacy for their front.
  87. [2016-04-29 17:55:21] <Firlz|Game> Maybe some of Lock's tinkertech? Depending how it looked it might fit in with random extra supplies, and could explain why whoever it was took EVERYTHING, if they weren't sure what was tinkertech and what was random extra parts to stuff. Something to think on.||
  88. [2016-04-29 17:58:41] <Antioch|GM> Looking at the ash on the floor, it seems as if you're actually the first person inside the building since it was incinerated, unless any other visitor has particularly light feet.
  89. [2016-04-29 17:59:28] <Antioch|GM> Which posits the odd premise of the building being robbed -- in its entirety -- as it was being burnt to the ground, or before. ||
  90. [2016-04-29 18:01:48] <Firlz|Game> This definitely reeks of capes, rather than just random criminal activity. It seems hard to think that some random thief would be willing to go to these extremes. But Borgata is busy with internal power struggles, so just who the hell did this?
  91. [2016-04-29 18:02:27] <Firlz|Game> I make a mental note to check on the various independents I've come to know a bit more of, and put Explosivo to the top of my tentative suspect list, since that certainly sounds like the name of someone who could do this.
  92. [2016-04-29 18:02:51] <Firlz|Game> But that's still speculation, and this kind of planning seems like something to expect from an actual gang.
  93. [2016-04-29 18:03:52] <Firlz|Game> And since blackjack wouldn't attack themselves, Borgata is busy, Witchhunt is gone... There is probably another faction either moving in who did this, or who already gained some ground in the last little while but has managed to stay under the radar.
  94. [2016-04-29 18:04:41] <Firlz|Game> That is not a combination to be fond of. Shisuke is NOT an organization anyone wants emulated in the slightest, even just the covert nature of the organization.||
  95. [2016-04-29 18:06:05] <Antioch|GM> There's the option of hunting down the men who were in charge of keeping this location safe, assuming they weren't killed in the attack.
  96. [2016-04-29 18:06:21] <Antioch|GM> Eyewitness accounts would be particularly worthwhile, to pinpoint cape involvement. ||
  97. [2016-04-29 18:08:15] <Firlz|Game> I quickly go through the mental rolodex of the documents I looked through, and my general knowledge for the name of a manager or some contact for the place who could point me in the right direction.||
  98. [2016-04-29 18:08:55] <Antioch|GM> The guy who owns the store's number was in the documents. Merits a call. ||
  99. [2016-04-29 18:12:11] <Firlz|Game> It'll have to wait until I've at least unloaded the documents, since I deliberately cloned the phone to prevent it from ringing while in here, just in case that triggered the drone somehow.
  100. [2016-04-29 18:13:41] <Firlz|Game> Considering how trashed this place is, any lead is a worthwhile lead, though. I keep the number in mind and at my fingertips as my selves remove the files from the building, and prepare to perform one of the most difficult tricks of all time. Riding a motorcycle with luggage.
  101. [2016-04-29 18:14:34] <Firlz|Game> Sadly, choosing a wonderful two-wheeler makes carting out evidence just a TAD more difficult than being able to throw it in the back seat or the trunk. On the plus side, an extra body or two to hold it should be able to compensate... If look a bit strange.||
  102. [2016-04-29 18:17:33] → Stoic joined (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net)
  103. [2016-04-29 18:18:43] → Camtist joined (uid157531@charlton.irccloud.com)
  104. [2016-04-29 18:20:10] <Antioch|GM> All but two of the clones discorporate, and you head out to a location where you can better analyze the location and to some cold-calls.
  105. [2016-04-29 18:21:27] <Antioch|GM> You've been borrowing Kusakabe's office in his absence, largely just as a place where you can sit and collate data. You don't know much about the man, save for the fact that he's hospitalized after suffering the brunt of a powerful Master ability. ||
  106. [2016-04-29 18:24:15] <Firlz|Game> It's kind of embarassing, I told Dags I'd go and visit him, and then well... Shit's come up and things have been somewhat busy reacclimating after the Endbringer fight.
  107. [2016-04-29 18:25:03] <Firlz|Game> Not to mention that the last few days have been some of the most active in terms of cape activity and violence since right before and during the Auswahlen incident.
  108. [2016-04-29 18:25:22] ⇐ Stoic quit (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  109. [2016-04-29 18:25:35] <Firlz|Game> Almost like the fact that the Endbringer fight was done needed to be celebrated with violence and criminality.
  110. [2016-04-29 18:29:56] <Firlz|Game> Once back at the office I pop my last clone and wait to reform the group so that I can get more work done at once, going through files with a trio of selves while one of us starts calling people related to that business. The last self looks online for a how-to for recovering data from a removed hard-drive.||
  111. [2016-04-29 18:32:07] <Antioch|GM> The files are better-sorted with your attention, but the majority of it is consumed by the phone call.
  112. [2016-04-29 18:32:45] <Antioch|GM> A man picks up on the third ring - Richard Bernardi, according to the documents, the owner of the auto shop.
  113. [2016-04-29 18:33:00] <Antioch|GM> "Hello?" He sounds gruff, irate. You suppose you would be too, if your store'd burned down. ||
  114. [2016-04-29 18:33:25] ⇐ JustLurking quit (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  115. [2016-04-29 18:38:01] → Stoic joined (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net)
  116. [2016-04-29 18:38:14] ⇐ Druza quit (Druza@net-3rg.n6q.4.155.IP): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  117. [2016-04-29 18:38:38] <Firlz|Game> "Hello, is this Richard? I have some questions about the incident with your store. I'm considering a column on recent crimes in the area and was curious if you would be willing to talk about what occurred. In the event it makes publication it would be good to have a local person whose can be the face of the piece, it really helps garner sympathy fr
  118. [2016-04-29 18:38:38] <Firlz|Game> om the reader when they feel like they really know the victims of incidents like this."|| (subterfuge check?)
  119. [2016-04-29 18:39:01] ⇐ Stoic quit (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  120. [2016-04-29 18:39:55] <Antioch|GM> ((Sure, that works.))
  121. [2016-04-29 18:40:44] <Firlz|Game> $roll 3h6+1! lying through my teeth
  122. [2016-04-29 18:40:44] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game "lying through my teeth" [4] (2) (1) +1 = 5
  123. [2016-04-29 18:48:08] <Antioch|GM> "I've got enough shit to deal with, insurance and paperwork and rebuilding and all that garbage," he growls. "Get back to me later, maybe." ||
  124. [2016-04-29 18:54:50] <Firlz|Game> "Timeliness is valuable for this kind of case, and the positive press of your company being the poor victim of gang violence. Attacked needlessly because of Blackjack's enemies, solely because of where your store happened to be. Just trying to make an honest living, and thwarted because of the gangs can't keep their violence between themselves." I
  125. [2016-04-29 18:54:50] <Firlz|Game> try to lead him to consider talking, while setting up for making him cough up something about just WHO Blackjack's enemies are or who caused this.||
  126. [2016-04-29 18:55:34] <Antioch|GM> "Blackjack?" the man replies, sounding incredulous. "You don't know what you're talking about."
  127. [2016-04-29 18:55:38] <Antioch|GM> He hangs up. ||
  128. [2016-04-29 18:56:38] <Firlz|Game> ((investigate to pick up anything from his tone at the end?))
  129. [2016-04-29 18:59:42] <Antioch|GM> ((Go for it.))
  130. [2016-04-29 19:00:05] <Firlz|Game> $roll 2h6 Investigate
  131. [2016-04-29 19:00:05] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game "Investigate" (3) [6] = 6
  132. [2016-04-29 19:00:33] <Antioch|GM> It's painfully clear that the man wants to divorce any potential link between him and Blackjack whatsoever. ||
  133. [2016-04-29 19:02:16] <Firlz|Game> No reason to feel the need to divorce that link if there isn't one. So still fairly useful. If the guy at the top was the one involved then it's quite likely there will be something in the financials that looks suspicious and leads back to the gang.
  134. [2016-04-29 19:04:16] <Firlz|Game> I look for numbers of the place's employees, perhaps one of them might be willing to shed some light on the matter. In the meantime I make a note of my observations for Dags to go through later.||
  135. [2016-04-29 19:07:45] <Antioch|GM> The numbers of the store's employees are listed in one of the documents. The cold-calls might be difficult, as certain employees may have nothing to do with the gang whatsoever, and the certain ones that do might be off the books. ||
  136. [2016-04-29 19:10:34] <Firlz|Game> Still, it might be possible to find who was supposed to be working that day, narrow down results, find out about appearances of blackjack leadership on the site. etc.
  137. [2016-04-29 19:12:05] <Firlz|Game> An idea starts to form as the self with the phone starts to work its way UP the list, starting at the bottom rungs of the corporate ladder. the other selves continue their tasks of sorting and analyzing the paperwork, and trying to find a way to get to what's on the harddrive.||
  138. [2016-04-29 19:12:55] <Antioch|GM> Belatedly, you realize Maia's technical expertise outstrips yours by several orders of magnitude, and you begin your climb up the phone numbers listed.
  139. [2016-04-29 19:13:30] <Antioch|GM> It won't be too much of a slog -- you're hopeful, given that the list of employees for the shop isn't especially long.
  140. [2016-04-29 19:14:18] <Antioch|GM> Before you begin the call, you make notes, outlines -- approaches to take with the people called, things to touch upon, information you're looking for. ||
  141. [2016-04-29 19:19:58] <Firlz|Game> In particular I want any incidents where gang-members have acted with the store, anything suggesting what was stored in that back room.
  142. [2016-04-29 19:21:09] <Firlz|Game> The two most likely approaches will be either the role of a whistleblower agency, offering money for intel that leads to uncovering cooperation with the gangs. Feed on their greed
  143. [2016-04-29 19:21:52] <Firlz|Game> The second is to pose as an insurance agent following up on a lead in the case.
  144. [2016-04-29 19:21:54] <Firlz|Game> Actually...
  145. [2016-04-29 19:23:28] <Firlz|Game> One of the selves looks for whether the insurance company is listed anywhere, they might be interested in this, and might feed some information. They have the ability to subpoena the place's accountants and records held by them. It's unlikely they would do their own accounting, considering how much easier it is to just hire someone.
  146. [2016-04-29 19:24:41] <Firlz|Game> Actually... That earlier thought might have been apt. Part of this ARE Maia's wheelhouse, and as the former leader of blackjack she might be able to lend some insight on the behind the scenes.
  147. [2016-04-29 19:25:51] <Firlz|Game> We decide to give the Thinker a dial and see if she's willing to help figure out how to approach this. (unless she's actually just HERE, in which case I'll obviously just go and ask her in person)||
  148. [2016-04-29 19:27:09] <Antioch|GM> ((She's actually just here.))
  149. [2016-04-29 19:27:16] <Firlz|Game> ((redact the call))
  150. [2016-04-29 19:28:02] <Antioch|GM> You decide to put your multitasking to the test, calling up the lower-level employees, the insurance company involved, and walk across the HPIA office to requisition Maia's assistance.
  151. [2016-04-29 19:28:38] <Antioch|GM> In the end, it's actually the cold-calling that pays off first -- the insurance company puts you on hold, and Maia takes the drive in the hopes of recovering its data.
  152. [2016-04-29 19:29:11] <Antioch|GM> The whistleblower-poseur gets a guy who might be pliable.
  153. [2016-04-29 19:29:26] <Antioch|GM> His voice is scratchy -- not necessarily smoke inhalation, but it's possible.
  154. [2016-04-29 19:30:11] <Antioch|GM> "So, uh, yeah," the guy says -- document pegs him as a Gabe Largin -- "I might know something about what happened last night."
  155. [2016-04-29 19:30:15] <Antioch|GM> "What's in it for me?"
  156. [2016-04-29 19:30:21] <Antioch|GM> Ah, these types of people are the easiest. ||
  157. [2016-04-29 19:36:13] <Firlz|Game> I'm not exactly the wheeler and dealer that Dags is. Hopefully I don't pay too much for this. Guy working there probably makes what, ten bucks an hour? "50 bucks up front" most of a day's work should be pretty enticing, "just find a neutral ground to hand it off. If it pans out and helps find something, there's room for a bonus. Doubled, tripled, o
  158. [2016-04-29 19:36:14] <Firlz|Game> nly limit is how useful the intel is and where it leads. The juicier it is, the more it'll earn you when it pans out."||
  159. [2016-04-29 19:37:12] <Antioch|GM> "I was there the night we got hit," he says, voice raspy. "Two-fifty up front." ||
  160. [2016-04-29 19:42:00] <Firlz|Game> Well then "Normally I'd haggle, but first hand is hard to beat. You've got a deal. You got a time and place to meet up? If not I'd suggest this new bar, neutral, discrete, might even be able to get you a discount on whetting your appetite while we chat." And maybe he'll order enough to make this a straight win for HPIA financially.||
  161. [2016-04-29 19:42:51] <Antioch|GM> "Sure," he says, "what time? You're buying." ||
  162. [2016-04-29 19:44:21] <Firlz|Game> One of my selves steps out to check with Maia on dags' schedule. I'm sure he'd love to be able to essentially ask questions himself for this. And since I can be in more than one place it should be trivial to keep a self in back for him to walk over to to tell me what he wants asked.||
  163. [2016-04-29 19:45:52] <Antioch|GM> Much of his work as of late has been compiling dossiers on the out-of-towners. The insurance capes, Silver Bullet, 13th Floor, and all the independents milling about.
  164. [2016-04-29 19:46:12] <Antioch|GM> Getting his attention would likely mean waiting, and you're not certain how time-sensitive the situation is. ||
  165. [2016-04-29 19:47:07] <Firlz|Game> ((the bar would still be OPEN right? even if he isn't there?))
  166. [2016-04-29 19:47:16] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep.))
  167. [2016-04-29 19:51:31] <Firlz|Game> Still the best location for this chat. I'll see if Maia wants to help, if not i'll still be able to get my discount for the expenses half of it since apparently I'm paying now.
  168. [2016-04-29 19:53:33] <Firlz|Game> || (my bad)
  169. [2016-04-29 19:55:38] <Antioch|GM> ((What time, then -- right away?))
  170. [2016-04-29 19:56:21] <Firlz|Game> ((pretty much, the two best options are right now, or wait for Dags, I'm not waiting for dags so as close to immediately as possible))
  171. [2016-04-29 19:57:01] <Antioch|GM> Maia declines to accompany you to the bar, but lets you know that the hard drive's contents should be acquired (and pored through) by the time you return.
  172. [2016-04-29 19:57:38] <Antioch|GM> 30 minutes from now -- roughly lunchtime. Hopefully, the presence of food'll make the guy more pliable. ||
  173. [2016-04-29 19:58:04] <Firlz|Game> I know it's done so for me.
  174. [2016-04-29 19:59:45] <Firlz|Game> I make a stop to withdraw some cash and decide to stop by a gas station on the way to the bar. An idea hit me as worth trying recently and if I end up waiting at all, then now's as good a time as any to try. I buy twenty dollars worth of scratch-off lottery tickets of different kinds and make my way to Dags' bar.
  175. [2016-04-29 20:00:02] <Firlz|Game> I should probably recommend a name for the place, since he doesn't seem like the type to have good naming sense.
  176. [2016-04-29 20:01:06] <Firlz|Game> I'm partial to the classic. 'Speakeasy' is both descriptive and memorable. Plus that early nineteen hundreds vaneer of legitimate illigitimacy is exactly the image I think he's going for.||
  177. [2016-04-29 20:02:49] <Antioch|GM> ((Assuming you're going for the 'match the numbers/symbols' scratchcards?))
  178. [2016-04-29 20:03:36] <Firlz|Game> ((I'm not that familiar with the different kinds. Whatever the ones where you only 'want' to scratch so many of them and luck out with the right combinations))
  179. [2016-04-29 20:03:55] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep, that's the one I'm talking about))
  180. [2016-04-29 20:06:59] <Antioch|GM> You acquire a handful of cheap scratch-offs from the gas station as you nab some cash from the ATM.
  181. [2016-04-29 20:07:54] <Antioch|GM> You arrive at the bar a few minutes early -- it's named The Spade, incidentally, not as bad as you'd've expected, although the fact that it's an uncommon racial slur may have slipped past the man. ||
  182. [2016-04-29 20:11:35] * Thaliaway is now known as Thalia
  183. [2016-04-29 20:13:02] <Firlz|Game> Or the fact that the whole card-game-suits thing is Blackjack's schtick.
  184. [2016-04-29 20:14:19] <Firlz|Game> I head inside and see if one of the more private rooms is available for us to use. If it is I'll have a moment to try out this trick before he gets here.||
  185. [2016-04-29 20:15:21] <Antioch|GM> One of the two is occupied, so you seat yourself at the empty one, pulling out the scratchcards. Three of them -- one $10, two $5. ||
  186. [2016-04-29 20:16:06] <Firlz|Game> I split using my power, creating multiple copies of the cards.
  187. [2016-04-29 20:18:10] <Firlz|Game> I then try to VERY CAREFULLY scratch off the top layer covering without damaging the card underneath, if my power views them as two separate things, I should be able to do this and reveal the hidden values without destroying the card itself with my power. Then use that information to get an optimal game on one of the other copies to turn in later a
  188. [2016-04-29 20:18:10] <Firlz|Game> s a winner.||
  189. [2016-04-29 20:21:27] <Antioch|GM> You fuck up the first few times, destroying the cards in the process, but it's a repeatable thing.
  190. [2016-04-29 20:22:19] <Antioch|GM> Turns out, after you painstakingly uncover each pip on the $10 card (over the course of multiple duplicates) the most you could win was $15.
  191. [2016-04-29 20:22:51] <Antioch|GM> Probably an anti-Thinker countermeasure, another symptom of the dying casino and gambling enterprise. ||
  192. [2016-04-29 20:25:43] <Firlz|Game> Could just be bad luck. If you don't give the appearance that it is possible to win big, then people will play less. It's part of the idea that casinos LIKE it when people hit the jackpots, because it draws in more gamblers. Still, practice makes perfect, even if this IS a countermeasure and the payouts are reduced getting it streamlined could be p
  193. [2016-04-29 20:25:44] <Firlz|Game> rofitable in the end.||
  194. [2016-04-29 20:27:01] <Antioch|GM> Either way, you don't have time to try the trick again with the two other cards -- your informant is here.
  195. [2016-04-29 20:28:50] <Antioch|GM> "Yo," he says, hands stuck in his pockets. "What's good here?"
  196. [2016-04-29 20:28:50] <Antioch|GM> There are menus, slotted into the walls, and a small pad and pen. There's also a metal sliding door, where the order or food is placed, and a light atop it indicating if there's something inside. ||
  197. [2016-04-29 20:30:01] <Firlz|Game> That's a good question. I haven't actually been here much since it just opened. I wrack my brain for an answer. (know check?)
  198. [2016-04-29 20:30:11] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep))
  199. [2016-04-29 20:30:56] <Firlz|Game> $roll 1d6+1 know the menu
  200. [2016-04-29 20:30:56] <[ATM]> Firlz|Game "know the menu" [6] +1 = 7
  201. [2016-04-29 20:38:10] <Antioch|GM> Despite the predominant menu you order from being the drinks menu, you're reasonably well-acquainted with the bar food as well.
  202. [2016-04-29 20:38:10] <Antioch|GM> Wings, chips slathered in an assortment of condiments, pub fries coated in much the same, a variety of sandwiches and burgers, the first few that come to mind.
  203. [2016-04-29 20:38:10] <Antioch|GM> The cheesesteak isn't bad, though you're of the opinion that the kitchen could you a professional cook. ||
  204. [2016-04-29 20:40:29] → Dolyn joined (Dolyn@net-9pf5lr.mo.charter.com)
  205. [2016-04-29 20:40:42] <Firlz|Game> "I'd stick to fries and nachos if you're drinking. Most people can't manage to actually down a burger or eat wings cleanly while drinking." the fact that they are cheaper and I'm supposedly paying is another reason.||
  206. [2016-04-29 20:41:35] <Antioch|GM> The guy nods, fills in his drink and food orders, and passes the pad to you.
  207. [2016-04-29 20:41:40] <Antioch|GM> "So, what do you want to know?" ||
  208. [2016-04-29 20:43:19] * Lid is now known as Lid|Faden
  209. [2016-04-29 20:44:53] → Zeuseus joined (hobbit953@net-g34blv.iinet.net.au)
  210. [2016-04-29 20:45:16] <Firlz|Game> I try to make a joke to start "For what I'm paying anything and everything." I shift my demeanor shortly after. "But really, how is Blackjack linked to the shop, what does the shop do for them. Who attacked them." I pause for a moment before finishing "And what was in the safe, and the back store-room that would entice someone to rip the former out
  211. [2016-04-29 20:45:16] <Firlz|Game> of the wall, and swipe everything from the latter."||
  212. [2016-04-29 20:49:29] <Antioch|GM> "There's not anything in there that's worth *that* much," the guy replies, pausing to cough slightly. "Cash in the safe was barely more than ten grand. Stuff in the back? Usual shipments, still nothing special."
  213. [2016-04-29 20:49:29] <Antioch|GM> "Some cape hit us, wasn't really sure about their whole deal. Shot fire out of their hands, make stuff vanish into thin air." ||
  214. [2016-04-29 20:50:19] ← Lid|Faden left (Lid@net-0njhuo.fios.verizon.net)
  215. [2016-04-29 20:51:05] <Firlz|Game> "Any identifying markings? Could you describe their costumes, height, weight, ethnicity?"||
  216. [2016-04-29 20:53:02] → Words^3 joined (words_3@net-n2lbad.ma.comcast.net)
  217. [2016-04-29 20:53:37] <Antioch|GM> "Trenchcoat and plain mask," he says. "Nobody I ever saw before. Didn't even speak, either. I'd guess maybe 5'8", 5'9"?" ||
  218. [2016-04-29 20:55:21] ⇐ Belaris quit (uid83463@charlton.irccloud.com): Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
  219. [2016-04-29 20:55:24] <Firlz|Game> "And the pit outside that looks like it got hit with an explosion? Did he have weapons with him, or was that part of his power?"||
  220. [2016-04-29 20:55:44] <Antioch|GM> "Stole one of the grenades out of our shipment." ||
  221. [2016-04-29 20:56:13] <Firlz|Game> ((just making sure I understand, he's saying HE took it, or the cape did?))
  222. [2016-04-29 20:56:24] <Antioch|GM> ((The latter))
  223. [2016-04-29 20:57:24] <Firlz|Game> "And that would've been from the back then? Or did he hit some other place first with a similar method"||
  224. [2016-04-29 20:58:07] <Antioch|GM> "It was one of the things we were keeping an eye on, yeah. Haven't heard of this guy hitting one of our places before."
  225. [2016-04-29 20:59:13] <Antioch|GM> "What they did, right, was bust down the front door, torch the place, and when we went to check what happened, wall us in with fire."
  226. [2016-04-29 20:59:56] <Antioch|GM> "By the time we got back, he'd stolen all our crap, threw a grenade at us, and torched the place some more." ||
  227. [2016-04-29 21:01:34] <Firlz|Game> I can't help but whistle at that. It takes some balls to be that blatant when going after a bigger faction's assets.
  228. [2016-04-29 21:03:34] <Firlz|Game> "You mentioned he made things vanish, like teleported elsewhere?"||
  229. [2016-04-29 21:04:23] <Antioch|GM> "Dunno about teleported. Just -poof-, y'know? Didn't see 'em turn up somewhere else." ||
  230. [2016-04-29 21:07:26] <Firlz|Game> "If someone wanted to trace the stolen goods, is there a list of serial numbers that could be looked for?"||
  231. [2016-04-29 21:08:43] <Antioch|GM> He snorts. "For the stuff we deal in? Not a chance." ||
  232. [2016-04-29 21:09:47] <Firlz|Game> It was worth a shot.
  233. [2016-04-29 21:11:42] → Stoic joined (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net)
  234. [2016-04-29 21:11:59] <Firlz|Game> "Presumably the money being made helping out the gang was laundered through the company. You wouldn't happen to know which accounts were the phoney ones used to make the books balance would you?"||
  235. [2016-04-29 21:12:07] ⇐ Saff quit (uid95475@charlton.irccloud.com): Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
  236. [2016-04-29 21:12:37] <Antioch|GM> "Waaaay about my paygrade, dude. I just keep an eye on shit. Nobody pays me to cook the books, nobody pays me to deal with fucking capes." ||
  237. [2016-04-29 21:14:11] <Antioch|GM> ((Sorry, mind if we pause here?))
  238. [2016-04-29 21:14:15] <Firlz|Game> "And would you happen to know of any other locations they want guys like you to keep an eye on?"||
  239. [2016-05-01 15:53:45] <Antioch|GM> The guy shoots you a dirty look. "Fuck that shit," he says. "You workin' with the cape that hit us, feeding them info?" ||
  240. [2016-05-01 16:08:24] <Firlz|Khandy> "Not so much. I'm no fan of whoever it is doing that to you guys. But knowing where they're likely to hit next means it'll be easiest to catch them in the act. And people who firebomb random stores isn't someone I personally want in the town."||
  241. [2016-05-01 16:12:57] <Antioch|GM> He tilts his head, contemplative. "Maybe have one or two places in mind."
  242. [2016-05-01 16:12:57] <Antioch|GM> He leaves it at that, not volunteering anything further. ||
  243. [2016-05-01 16:13:59] → Zaits joined (kvirc@net-41f.e4e.21.213.IP)
  244. [2016-05-01 16:51:26] <Firlz|Khandy> "Care to share with the class?"||
  245. [2016-05-01 16:54:51] <Antioch|GM> "I got no reassurances you're not gonna turn around and sell this info. No deal." ||
  246. [2016-05-01 17:05:52] <Firlz|Khandy> ((do you have the logs from the last one, I forgot a lot of the things I asked already))
  247. [2016-05-01 17:10:00] <Antioch|GM> https://www.irccloud.com/pastebin/N8EZDjBz/
  248. [2016-05-01 17:11:27] * Pink|Harpy is now known as Pink
  249. [2016-05-01 17:40:42] ⇐ JustLurking quit (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  250. [2016-05-01 17:56:23] * Thalia is now known as Thaliaway
  251. [2016-05-01 18:18:24] <Firlz|Khandy> "Fair enough." I try to move to a safer topic "What's Wink going to do in response, is he considering a bounty on whoever this is? That'd certainly gin up interest and get information flowing on who and where this guy is."||
  252. [2016-05-01 18:33:24] <Antioch|GM> "Tch. Didn't you hear about that Longinus shit? We got more important capes on our minds." ||
  253. [2016-05-01 18:34:53] <Firlz|Khandy> ((actually I don't know if I did. Did I?))
  254. [2016-05-01 18:38:36] <Antioch|GM> ((Yeah, you did. Big black hole bomb in blackjack turf. Hard to miss.))
  255. [2016-05-01 18:40:39] <Firlz|Khandy> "I assumed that the explosion meant you guys took him out. He's still around?"||
  256. [2016-05-01 18:41:40] <Antioch|GM> "Yeah, 'parently. Mortal Lock's still looking for him." ||
  257. [2016-05-01 18:44:47] ⇐ Zaits quit (kvirc@net-41f.e4e.21.213.IP): Quit: KVIrc 4.2.0 Equilibrium http://www.kvirc.net/
  258. [2016-05-01 19:02:33] <Firlz|Khandy> "And Wink isn't? He never struck me as the hands-off type." I would know considering the fact he came up in my face when he's had disagreements with me.||
  259. [2016-05-01 19:10:38] <Antioch|GM> "I dunno. Tinker shit, maybe." ||
  260. [2016-05-01 19:15:46] <Firlz|Khandy> "Did you see which way the cape left from?" If nothing else he might have left a trail or signs that can be tracked to him||
  261. [2016-05-01 19:17:43] <Antioch|GM> "Yep. Din't tail 'em, they left southways real fast. Usin' a grappling hook or summat."
  262. [2016-05-01 19:18:10] <Antioch|GM> Neighborhood Watch territory, if memory serves. Worth pondering. ||
  263. [2016-05-01 19:22:56] * Pink is now known as Pink|KC
  264. [2016-05-01 19:24:18] <Firlz|Khandy> Worth checking out too. "Any chance Lock will let it slide if someone has to cut through Blackjack territory to investigate?"||
  265. [2016-05-01 19:26:54] <Antioch|GM> "Course, if you don't mind the eyes in the sky. Gotta make sure nothing fishy's going on. You don't start shit, the drones don't stop shit." ||
  266. [2016-05-01 19:33:50] ⇐ Camtist quit (uid157531@charlton.irccloud.com): Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
  267. [2016-05-01 19:34:22] <Firlz|Khandy> I try to find a piece of paper and a pen and draw a rough layout of the store "could you mark off the locations you KNOW he was standing at some point? Might have boot prints or other stuff worth checking for." Similarly, if you know where he was when he was using his power it might make it easier to figure out something about what he does if someo
  268. [2016-05-01 19:34:22] <Firlz|Khandy> ne checks the place for signs."||
  269. [2016-05-01 19:34:28] <Firlz|Khandy> -||
  270. [2016-05-01 19:34:59] <Firlz|Khandy> Well, not that I should need to head back, with any luck my pictures should already have enough shots to check for boot prints, or correlate against where he used it from.||
  271. [2016-05-01 19:41:39] <Antioch|GM> He marks the storefront doorway, one of the rear garage doors, a corner of the rear segment of the store.
  272. [2016-05-01 19:42:41] <Antioch|GM> "Sprayed fire outta his hands here, here... and here. Where it landed, it stayed, like napalm or gasoline, and he walled us out that way after slipping around." ||
  273. [2016-05-01 19:49:04] <Firlz|Khandy> "And when he made things vanish, did he need to touch them?"||
  274. [2016-05-01 19:49:39] <Antioch|GM> "Uh..."
  275. [2016-05-01 19:49:48] <Antioch|GM> "I dunno, probably? Everything was kinda on fire." ||
  276. [2016-05-01 19:49:57] <Antioch|GM> -||
  277. [2016-05-01 19:50:06] <Antioch|GM> ||
  278. [2016-05-01 19:50:59] * Thaliaway is now known as Thalia
  279. [2016-05-01 19:51:47] <Firlz|Khandy> "Did it eventually burn itself out, or did it just vanish all at once at some point later on?" Powers can do weird things afterall.||
  280. [2016-05-01 19:52:31] <Antioch|GM> "Acted like a fire usually does," he says. "We put it out with fire extinguishers once it went down enough that we could go in and get them." ||
  281. [2016-05-01 19:55:06] <Firlz|Khandy> "And did it seem like he had a lot of control over where the fire went when it came out of his hands? Or did it just spread around the place like you'd expect a large flame which started from there?"||
  282. [2016-05-01 20:04:56] ⇐ Words^3 quit (words_3@net-n2lbad.ma.comcast.net): Quit:
  283. [2016-05-01 20:06:56] <Antioch|GM> "Enough control to spray fire into the shape of a wall." ||
  284. [2016-05-01 20:08:59] <Firlz|Khandy> Hmmm there goes the idea that his power is actually just absorbing and releasing stuff. What possible connection could fire blasting and vanishing stuff be?
  285. [2016-05-01 20:09:22] <Antioch|GM> ((Know check))
  286. [2016-05-01 20:09:43] <Firlz|Khandy> $roll 1d6+1 know
  287. [2016-05-01 20:09:43] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandy "know" [1] +1 = 2
  288. [2016-05-01 20:09:51] <Antioch|GM> ((Carry on))
  289. [2016-05-01 20:11:29] <Firlz|Khandy> "When he came in, did he go straight for his loot, or did he have to search the place first?" if he knew where he was going it means he either has Thinker support, or else had some sort of intimate knowledge of the building. It isn't likely someone could have just GUESSED that storeroom held the weapons.||
  290. [2016-05-01 20:12:14] <Antioch|GM> "The, uh, loot was kinda... sitting there. New shipment, we hadn't packed a good portion of it into the back yet." ||
  291. [2016-05-01 20:15:40] <Firlz|Khandy> "So he just /happened/ to hit right after you guys got in a new shipment? Is there any chance he could have tracked it there, or would he need inside knowledge to figure that out."||
  292. [2016-05-01 20:16:11] <Antioch|GM> The guy looks pretty thoughtful when you posit the two options.
  293. [2016-05-01 20:16:36] <Antioch|GM> "Guess the first is always possible, but if someone's snitching from the inside -- yeah, I could see that."
  294. [2016-05-01 20:16:58] <Antioch|GM> He smirks a little. "I bring it up, maybe sniff them out, earn a few brownie points. Thanks."
  295. [2016-05-01 20:17:23] <Antioch|GM> The food arrives via the wall, a small LED above the panel lighting up. ||
  296. [2016-05-01 20:21:23] → JustLurking joined (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net)
  297. [2016-05-01 20:21:52] <Firlz|Khandy> "You're welcome." I walk the food over to the table, no reason to not provide some 'service'. Who knows it could be the little things that gets the guy to come back in the future and make dags some money from a pocket other than mine.
  298. [2016-05-01 20:23:18] <Firlz|Khandy> "Are the shipments regular enough that someone could notice the pattern from outside? Say, weekly, monthly, or some other regular interval."||
  299. [2016-05-01 20:24:29] <Antioch|GM> "Nah. We only get forewarning the day before -- boss is paranoid about the Protectorate or some other gang hitting our shipments, you get me? The snitch thing sounds like a dead certainty, now that I'm thinkin' about it." ||
  300. [2016-05-01 20:26:48] <Firlz|Khandy> "And presumably only Wink, the people making the delivery, the people receiving it, and maybe one or two other enforcers might know." I hmmm a bit out loud. "How exactly did they manage to break in without Lock dropping the hammer on them? Surely he noticed it when it was happening since his drones are all around."||
  301. [2016-05-01 20:27:41] <Antioch|GM> "Longinus again, probably. Even then, it was in and out, less than five minutes. If Lock was there, I get the feeling they still woulda gotten away." ||
  302. [2016-05-01 20:30:31] <Firlz|Khandy> "So they happen to hit a new shipment, one larger than normal, right after it arrives, while Lock, Wink, and possibly the rest of Blackjack are dealing with Longinus." I leave a little bit of a leading answer in there to see if he corrects me about it being larger than normal, since if I was the one hitting it I'd want it to be.
  303. [2016-05-01 20:31:22] <Antioch|GM> He tilts his head at 'larger than normal', but doesn't move to correct you. Telling enough, either way.
  304. [2016-05-01 20:31:24] <Antioch|GM> ||
  305. [2016-05-01 20:34:36] <Firlz|Khandy> "Sounds to me like he might not be a spy, but a mole. Longinus probably isn't alone, since few Tinkers manage to stay independent long. And the timing is perfect if Longinus was at least in /part/ a distraction, use the opportunity to make a small mint in cash and weapons. Nothing terribly large, not enough to make them a higher priority than the d
  306. [2016-05-01 20:34:36] <Firlz|Khandy> istraction himself, but a good haul for a few minutes work."
  307. [2016-05-01 20:38:18] <Firlz|Khandy> I look at the goon in front of me, who is clearly high enough to know valuable info "I think I've got what I needed here, more or less. Any chance you know whether Wink will be free tonight? If the lead proves hot I'd rather the man himself makes the call on how he wants it handled. Best odds of finding something will be today before too much time
  308. [2016-05-01 20:38:18] <Firlz|Khandy> has passed."||
  309. [2016-05-01 20:38:48] <Antioch|GM> He shakes his head. "Doubt it. Longinus shit is top priority right now." ||
  310. [2016-05-01 20:39:52] * Nonagon is now known as Non|Nachzehrer
  311. [2016-05-01 20:40:04] <Firlz|Khandy> "Isn't that over with? Explosions kind of end fights in my experience."||
  312. [2016-05-01 20:40:18] * Saff is now known as Saff|Gwyn
  313. [2016-05-01 20:40:38] <Antioch|GM> "Still gotta find his ass. He did some teleporting shit. The bomb was just a big-ass portal that he rigged to blow after he got away." ||
  314. [2016-05-01 20:42:21] <Firlz|Khandy> "I see. Are the casualties bad? I can at least see about asking a favor of the Good King for the civilians." No idea if he even HAS the time to deal with anyone who's still living at this point, since they are obviously far from critical. But it'd be good to have an idea of how bad Blackjack was hurt by this attack.||
  315. [2016-05-01 20:44:00] <Antioch|GM> Gabe shrugs again. "We got it handled, apparently. All 'sleft is payback." ||
  316. [2016-05-01 20:49:05] <Firlz|Khandy> "I see." I take out the agreed-on cash and put it on the table with enough extra to cover the meal. I'd better get back and see if it's possible to figure out where the guy went. Catching him quickly could mean several grand in cash if he hasn't moved the loot far, and there might be fingerprints or other evidence on the weapons still which could l
  317. [2016-05-01 20:49:05] <Firlz|Khandy> ink them to Blackjack or its people, either of which would be useful to the cops. Plus, if I find the guy I can try to punch his lights out. Maybe it's the near-death experience that was behemoth, but somehow the idea of hurting something seems like a great stress reliever.||
  318. [2016-05-01 20:51:03] <Antioch|GM> You leave Gabe to his own devices in the bar (largely eating) and pack up, returning to the scene of the crime to see if you can't extrapolate their escape route.
  319. [2016-05-01 20:52:02] <Antioch|GM> Once again, you're standing at the site of the charred hulk of the auto store. ||
  320. [2016-05-01 20:54:16] <Firlz|Khandy> And once again I split into multiple selves to look around. Hopefully with a distinct goal in mind the multiple viewpoints and extra sets of senses will be of more use in finding something useful.||
  321. [2016-05-01 20:54:27] <Firlz|Khandy> ((investigate?))
  322. [2016-05-01 20:54:58] <Antioch|GM> Bearing in mind the cape's escape method of grappling hook, you're uncertain if you can trace their path.
  323. [2016-05-01 20:55:58] <Antioch|GM> Some forensic examination of flame patterns and theoretical accelerants might give you some insights on the cape's powers, but not so much where they might have fled to.
  324. [2016-05-01 20:58:41] <Antioch|GM> You glance south, to Neighborhood Watch territory, disgruntled homeowners that have, as a collective, lost faith in the Protectorate, folding uncomfortably to accept Blackjack's "protection". ||
  325. [2016-05-01 21:01:13] ⇐ Dalenacio quit (uid128849@brockwell.irccloud.com): Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
  326. [2016-05-01 21:01:33] <Firlz|Khandy> We divide ourselves, looking for places a grappling hook would make sense to use. Unless he used some sort of gun with a winch-like system, he must have been using it to just scale walls quickly. Given that the metal tends to be harder than the building's materials, there should be scratches or other marks where it connected.
  327. [2016-05-01 21:02:09] <Firlz|Khandy> If he /was/ using one that could yank him along, then it should be pretty easy to find where it punctured surfaces to get a proper grip.
  328. [2016-05-01 21:03:06] <Firlz|Khandy> In either case the rooftops are the place to check. Unless they start to go more than a story or two up, it'll be a good idea to keep a body or two at ground level to see if any of the residents remember seeing anything.||
  329. [2016-05-01 21:03:23] <Antioch|GM> ((Investigate check))
  330. [2016-05-01 21:04:13] * Saff|Gwyn is now known as Saff
  331. [2016-05-01 21:04:45] <Firlz|Khandy> $roll 2h6 (let me know if I qualify for more than one)
  332. [2016-05-01 21:04:45] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandy "(let me know if I qualify for more than one)" [2] (2) = 2
  333. [2016-05-01 21:05:17] <Antioch|GM> ((Yeah, you do. Per each body -- I'll let you know about the situations where you don't get the bonus rolls.))
  334. [2016-05-01 21:06:41] <Firlz|Khandy> ((is there a shortcut for rolling Nh6 multiple times?))
  335. [2016-05-01 21:07:31] <Antioch|GM> ((You'd just roll the remaining 8h6. Honestly, I'll just give it to you -- I'm only looking for a singular success on an average DC check, which five guys with sharp eyes should be able to find.))
  336. [2016-05-01 21:07:33] <Antioch|GM> ...
  337. [2016-05-01 21:12:11] → Fulvus joined (Eternal@net-v539vk.it.uh.edu)
  338. [2016-05-01 21:14:02] <Antioch|GM> The markings that you're keeping an eye out seem to fit a winch-type grappling hook, so they're pretty distinguishable from the brickwork.
  339. [2016-05-01 21:17:24] <Antioch|GM> South-bound, as your informant stated, though you might need a rooftop vantage to really follow the perpetrator's escape route. ||
  340. [2016-05-01 21:21:29] <Firlz|Khandy> Three of the selves look for an avenue to scale the building the grapple hit, maybe looking for some windowsills or other places to use as footholds. There's parkour junkies who do stuff like this all the time, so it can't be /that/ hard, can it?|| ((acrobatics?))
  341. [2016-05-01 21:21:36] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep.))
  342. [2016-05-01 21:24:05] <Firlz|Khandy> $roll 3d6+3!
  343. [2016-05-01 21:24:05] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandy [6]+3 [6]+3 [6]+3 = 9, 9, 9
  344. [2016-05-01 21:24:12] <Antioch|GM> ((Holy fuck!))
  345. [2016-05-01 21:24:18] <Firlz|Khandy> ((hahahahahaha!))
  346. [2016-05-01 21:24:29] <Firlz|Khandy> ((suck it parkour-guys, you chumps))
  347. [2016-05-01 21:25:02] <Antioch|GM> Your clones, already more agile than your usual self, nimbly launch themselves up the building, clinging to windowsills and drainpipes when it's necessary.
  348. [2016-05-01 21:26:36] <Antioch|GM> Along the ground, you trace their path, using multiple vantage points to pinpoint where the next grappling hook struck.
  349. [2016-05-01 21:27:48] <Antioch|GM> Even without the assistance of a grapnel, the clones are able to continue following the trail, sometimes lowering themselves carefully down and finding another way around, sometimes making good use of the fire escapes and balconies that are along the way.
  350. [2016-05-01 21:28:11] <Antioch|GM> As you're passing through an apartment complex, some people duck inside, some people poke their heads out.
  351. [2016-05-01 21:28:46] <Antioch|GM> The trail is... painfully circuitous, as if the cape had been particularly insistent on shaking off a tail.
  352. [2016-05-01 21:30:29] <Antioch|GM> Eventually, it drops off down in an alleyway, and your passable mental map of the city puts you in Kinsman, south of Blackjack turf. ||
  353. [2016-05-01 21:31:00] → Dolyn joined (Dolyn@net-9pf5lr.mo.charter.com)
  354. [2016-05-01 21:34:17] <Firlz|Khandy> We swing the two groundbound selves to look for an entrance to the alley, it might be better to keep the rooftop selves where they are in the event the trail heads back up later on. For now we'll stick to seeing what we can of signs of disturbance. Tracks, items which have been clearly knocked over and the like. If that fails then simply following
  355. [2016-05-01 21:34:17] <Firlz|Khandy> the alleyway to the end is a last resort for now.||
  356. [2016-05-01 21:35:16] <Antioch|GM> The primary disturbance is an emaciated raccoon, scuttling away into a dumpster after you jostle a garbage bag it was huddling behind.
  357. [2016-05-01 21:35:53] <Antioch|GM> Old tracks are basically a no-go, with the interference of the light dusting of snow on the alleyway's floor.
  358. [2016-05-01 21:36:31] <Antioch|GM> It's an alleyway with two exits, both of which open out into slightly busy streets, the lunch rush having passed. ||
  359. [2016-05-01 21:37:18] <Firlz|Khandy> ((are they generally east-west, or north-south?))
  360. [2016-05-01 21:37:25] <Antioch|GM> ((The latter.))
  361. [2016-05-01 21:37:48] <Firlz|Khandy> ((may I know check to figure out about what time the perp would've been running away?))
  362. [2016-05-01 21:37:59] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep.))
  363. [2016-05-01 21:39:48] <Firlz|Khandy> $roll 1d6+1
  364. [2016-05-01 21:39:48] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandy [6] +1 = 7
  365. [2016-05-01 21:45:24] <Antioch|GM> With the information you've gathered yourself and the information given to you by Gabe, you'd peg the incident as happening roughly nine or ten hours ago. ||
  366. [2016-05-01 21:48:15] <Firlz|Khandy> ((what time is it now?, roughly 1pm?))
  367. [2016-05-01 21:49:14] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep.))
  368. [2016-05-01 21:51:25] <Firlz|Khandy> The selves up top watch for any clues that look useful, the two on the ground exit from the south end and begin to look for people who might have been out and about during the incident.
  369. [2016-05-01 21:52:58] <Firlz|Khandy> There's a lot of useful data stuck in the heads of random everyday people, and someone was bound to have noticed something. Even if it means asking store owners or going door to door it should be possible to find a lead. If the south-exit is a dead end after a while we'll try the north side since it isn't clear which exit was taken.||
  370. [2016-05-01 21:53:02] ⇐ Thalia quit (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net): Connection closed
  371. [2016-05-01 21:53:12] → Thalia joined (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net)
  372. [2016-05-01 21:53:35] ⇐ Thalia quit (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net): Connection closed
  373. [2016-05-01 21:53:46] → Thalia joined (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net)
  374. [2016-05-01 21:55:41] ⇐ Thalia quit (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net): Connection closed
  375. [2016-05-01 21:58:41] <Antioch|GM> The people on the street you ask give you weird or annoyed looks, none of them having been awake at 2 or 3 in the morning. ||
  376. [2016-05-01 21:59:33] → Melpomene joined (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net)
  377. [2016-05-01 22:01:05] <Firlz|Khandy> Bah what nonsense is this. That's the best time for getting things done!
  378. [2016-05-01 22:01:48] <Firlz|Khandy> Late enough that nobody will disturb you, not so late they you will definitely be tired from earlier activity even after working all day. It's practically the perfect time of day!
  379. [2016-05-01 22:03:43] <Firlz|Khandy> The selves on the ground switch from asking the random folks to looking for stores with employees, they should have some graveyard-shift schmuck who would've been out that late. Actually the best bet would be a bar, club or gas station, as the selves ask around we go through the mental rolodex to remember where any are near here–rooftop selves look
  380. [2016-05-01 22:03:43] <Firlz|Khandy> ing around to jog our memory.||
  381. [2016-05-01 22:03:54] ⇐ Melpomene quit (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net): Connection closed
  382. [2016-05-01 22:04:50] → Melpomene joined (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net)
  383. [2016-05-01 22:05:17] * Melpomene is now known as Thalia
  384. [2016-05-01 22:05:41] <Antioch|GM> It's not really a 'club' area of business -- there's a sports grill not open that late, a florist's, a bakery. Nothing that's in the business of employing night owls. ||
  385. [2016-05-01 22:09:26] <Firlz|Khandy> ((not even a gas station? Or a 24/7 convenience store? How do these people get anything DONE?))
  386. [2016-05-01 22:09:34] <Antioch|GM> ((Not that area of town))
  387. [2016-05-01 22:09:47] <Firlz|Khandy> ((T.T))
  388. [2016-05-01 22:10:07] * Serk is now known as ZZZSerk
  389. [2016-05-01 22:10:17] <Antioch|GM> ((Is a smallish commercial area, bordering a residential district - not a super busy area. Could maybe ask the people who are living in the flats above certain businesses, possibly.))
  390. [2016-05-01 22:10:37] <Firlz|Khandy> ((oh, is that how it works? That's kind of neat))
  391. [2016-05-01 22:11:34] <Firlz|Khandy> If the people on the streets don't know, then perhaps someone got woken up in the middle of the night by the disturbance. The explosions from the store could definitely have carried this far sound-wise. Time to knock on doors and ring bells.||
  392. [2016-05-01 22:16:59] <Antioch|GM> Most people don't know what you're talking about, but an old-ish lady who lives on the topmost floor is eager to chat.
  393. [2016-05-01 22:17:13] <Antioch|GM> Lonely, perhaps, but at least she provides workable information.
  394. [2016-05-01 22:17:39] <Antioch|GM> "Oh, goodness, yes. I head a clink and a thump and footsteps on my rooftop yesterday night."
  395. [2016-05-01 22:17:59] <Antioch|GM> She raises a chubby black-and-white cat into the air, who was previously lurking beneath a cushioned chair.
  396. [2016-05-01 22:18:11] <Antioch|GM> "Scared the devil out of Noodle here, isn't that right?"
  397. [2016-05-01 22:18:25] <Antioch|GM> The cat, seemingly in affirmation, goes 'braaaap'.
  398. [2016-05-01 22:18:28] <Antioch|GM> "Would you like some tea?" ||
  399. [2016-05-01 22:19:49] <Firlz|Khandy> We suppose it'd only be polite. We have the rooftop selves move in this direction to see if we can find any clues to corroborate her story. "yes, please. would you happen to be able to remember which direction the thumps started, and where they ended-in regards to the direction?"||
  400. [2016-05-01 22:20:58] <Antioch|GM> Some time is wasted while she fixes tea, but she gestures at one corner of the living room, sweeping her hand over the ceiling.
  401. [2016-05-01 22:21:25] <Antioch|GM> You take some time to puzzle out which directions those are, with respect to your mental map. East-to-west, headed into the alleyway. Fits with what you know. ||
  402. [2016-05-01 22:21:31] <Antioch|GM> -|
  403. [2016-05-01 22:21:36] <Antioch|GM> Noodle hisses at you. ||
  404. [2016-05-01 22:24:26] * soulpelt| is now known as soulpelt|sleep
  405. [2016-05-01 22:24:55] <Firlz|Khandy> It isn't clear if the cat dislikes us because we don't 'smell' right, or if cats don't like me generally. We never had one growing up, and there weren't that many amongst the neighbors. Are there anti-cat people? Those who cats just dislike?
  406. [2016-05-01 22:25:53] <Firlz|Khandy> "Would you happen to know which neighbors would have been likely awake or awoken during the incident, or whether there are any nearby stores or abandoned buildings a thief would be likely to use?"||
  407. [2016-05-01 22:27:05] <Antioch|GM> "Oh, no," she says, shaking her head. "Neighbor's aren't so friendly these days, and I don't talk to 'em."
  408. [2016-05-01 22:27:26] <Antioch|GM> "It's that damn modern culture," she sniffs, pausing to scratch Noodle under the chin. "Isn't that right, Noodle?" ||
  409. [2016-05-01 22:29:55] <Antioch|GM> *Neighbors
  410. [2016-05-01 22:31:05] <Firlz|Khandy> "That's a shame." that self sips at the tea before continuing. "What about Neighborhood watch though, that seems like a group trying to bring some semblance of community back into things. Even if only for protection."||
  411. [2016-05-01 22:31:17] * Pink|KC is now known as Pink
  412. [2016-05-01 22:36:50] <Antioch|GM> "I wouldn't know about that," she scoffs. "The Protectorate aren't doing much, and I don't suspect they will either." ||
  413. [2016-05-01 22:43:33] <Firlz|Khandy> "Well, that's partly what we hope to help with ma'am. Taking a guy who would firebomb a store while robbing it off the streets is a net gain for everyone hopefully." The fact that taking the guy out potentially means a solid payday doesn't hurt either. Between the Protectorate, Wink, or even trying to gang-press him into the Borgata, there is no sh
  414. [2016-05-01 22:43:33] <Firlz|Khandy> ortage of people or groups who would be averse to paying for a captured parahuman.||
  415. [2016-05-01 22:43:47] ⇐ Fulvus quit (Eternal@net-v539vk.it.uh.edu): Quit: need to get some work done and need to purge possible distractions
  416. [2016-05-01 22:44:57] <Antioch|GM> "Oh, heavens! Firebomb a store? Do you hear that, Noodle?" She pours a cup of tea for you and her, adding sugar and cream to both. She sets down the saucer of cream on the floor for Noodle, who begins lapping at it. ||
  417. [2016-05-01 22:46:13] ⇐ JustLurking quit (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net): Quit:
  418. [2016-05-01 22:53:20] <Firlz|Khandy> We only have so much range, but it isn't insanely small. the other "ground-level" self outside tries to find anyone else who heard or saw anything. ((did the topside selves find the 'landing' spot she mentioned)) Actually if they were heading east-west maybe they actually leapt OVER the alley rather than dropping down? With a grapple-assist it migh
  419. [2016-05-01 22:53:20] <Firlz|Khandy> t be possible to make a longer than normal jump if needed.||
  420. [2016-05-01 22:55:24] <Antioch|GM> The edge of the building on the opposite side of the alley yields no results, no telltale signs of grappling, but the rooftop directly above where you're presently taking tea with Noodle and his owner does corroborate the evidence given to you.
  421. [2016-05-01 22:55:58] <Antioch|GM> People are the ground are more interested in the guys roaming on top of the roof, some shouting, "Hey, get down from there!" instead of answering your questions. ||
  422. [2016-05-01 22:58:41] <Firlz|Khandy> one of the roof selves tries to scale back down to the ground level in the alley, the objective is seeing how likely it is someone could have landed safely without using the grapple for support, while looking for any scuffs on the brick or other materials that indicate recent contact. If it's too far of a drop, then they must have used the grapple
  423. [2016-05-01 22:58:41] <Firlz|Khandy> to get down, which means there might be an actual mark on the ground like there has been for the rooftops.||
  424. [2016-05-01 23:01:25] <Firlz|Khandy> "We suspect they dropped into the alleyway near here, would you happen to have heard footsteps or other sounds after the first crash on the roof which would indicate a direction of travel. Or perhaps anything else of note?"||
  425. [2016-05-01 23:02:51] <Antioch|GM> "No sir," she replies, "the snow out there'd keep anything hitting the floor pretty quiet."
  426. [2016-05-01 23:03:48] <Antioch|GM> Despite your best efforts, your clones can't seem to find a safe way down from the roof without the assistance of a grapnel.
  427. [2016-05-01 23:03:48] <Antioch|GM> There are shouts of "don't jump!", but when the first one disappears on impact, the crowd grows more confused.
  428. [2016-05-01 23:04:33] <Antioch|GM> Noodle, having grown bored of the saucer of cream, decides to put aside his differences with you, and attempts to use your leg as a scratching post in a gesture of camaraderie.
  429. [2016-05-01 23:04:47] <Antioch|GM> Regrettably, this causes your pants to vanish, increasing the discomfort of the situation. ||
  430. [2016-05-01 23:08:04] <Firlz|Khandy> I can't help but but sigh loudly at that. "Thank you for your help, and I apologize for the inconvenience." before popping that self, and leaving just the other ground-bound self and investigate the alley myself while I wait for my power to recharge. If they needed the grapple to get down, there should be a mark somewhere either low on the wall, or
  431. [2016-05-01 23:08:04] <Firlz|Khandy> on the ground proper where it got hit.||
  432. [2016-05-01 23:09:24] <Antioch|GM> Uncovering some of the garbage piled near the wall at a suspect location does show where the tines of the grappling hook punctured the brickwork. ||
  433. [2016-05-01 23:10:57] <Firlz|Khandy> Best guess is that they would have tried to come down closer to the exit than the entrance, especially if it meant an easier time losing their "tail" by quickly taking the corner at the exit in one direction or the other. ((which one is closer, north or south))
  434. [2016-05-01 23:12:55] <Antioch|GM> ((The southern end.))
  435. [2016-05-01 23:14:36] <Firlz|Khandy> ((dangit))
  436. [2016-05-01 23:16:20] <Firlz|Khandy> I come out from the southern entrance and look around. I compare the route taken so far with the general direction the cape was obviously headed to try and guess which way they would have continued their flight. ((investigate wits check to try and piece together the existing information into something that would give a hint of which way to go?))
  437. [2016-05-01 23:19:38] <Antioch|GM> ((Go for it.))
  438. [2016-05-01 23:20:30] <Firlz|Khandy> $roll 2h6 investigate!
  439. [2016-05-01 23:20:30] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandy "investigate!" [6] (1) = 6
  440. [2016-05-01 23:24:44] <Antioch|GM> There's nothing but a cold trail and a crude path pieced together in your mind, but you lapse into thought, following your gut instinct.
  441. [2016-05-01 23:26:58] <Antioch|GM> You follow the circuitous path, laced with detours and backtracks, finding yourself rather deep in the territory of the Neighborhood Watch.
  442. [2016-05-01 23:28:30] <Antioch|GM> You're interrupted from your thoughts, tracing an imaginary path, when you notice a hand over your shoulder.
  443. [2016-05-01 23:28:44] <Antioch|GM> A large man, more fat than muscled, hair growing grey at the sides, moustached.
  444. [2016-05-01 23:29:14] <Antioch|GM> "You've been asking around. One of the capes from the intel agency, I think."
  445. [2016-05-01 23:29:19] <Antioch|GM> "What's your business here?" ||
  446. [2016-05-01 23:30:31] <Firlz|Khandy> "Close enough." Considering that he's stopping me in this territory it's a pretty good bet he's part of the local faction. It's strangely nice not to be totally behind when dealing with someone else like I always am with Jiangjun.
  447. [2016-05-01 23:33:07] <Firlz|Khandy> "There's a store up north that was robbed this morning, current guess is over ten grand in cash was stolen. Done by a presumably new cape, tore the place up with fire. I'm trying to track them down." I try to give as nonchalant a shrug as possible. "considering the methods they used to escape they've cause some noticeable property damage as part of
  448. [2016-05-01 23:33:07] <Firlz|Khandy> their retreat, trail leads this way. Neighborhood Watch, I take it?" Not a hard guess since I'm so deep in their area.||
  449. [2016-05-01 23:40:11] <Antioch|GM> "Luke Brannon. You'd be correct."
  450. [2016-05-01 23:40:53] <Antioch|GM> "And I'm not particularly concerned about the store, seeing as I know all the business owners in my neighborhood. It was a front business, wasn't it?" ||
  451. [2016-05-01 23:45:55] <Firlz|Khandy> "Not gonna lie, definitely seems that way." I look Luke in the eyes "But a guy's store literally goes up in flames, and the PRT is going to want know what happened. Trails go cold fast, and they aren't even close to starting yet. I make the most by finding things out people want to know, and the PRT will WANT to know what happened."
  452. [2016-05-01 23:48:07] <Firlz|Khandy> "Which means I'm trying to find out. If it leads me to the guy himself, it'll mean information on how he knew to hit that place which is valuable. If it leads me to evidence of his power's usage, that means information on how he works, and how the PRT should rate him. If it leads to the end of the trail, that's still hours of work saved and useful
  453. [2016-05-01 23:48:07] <Firlz|Khandy> info for bringing in more investigators down the line. Regardless of where or how it plays out it means more information, and information is valuable."
  454. [2016-05-01 23:49:47] <Firlz|Khandy> "I kind of make my living off it."||
  455. [2016-05-01 23:51:00] <Antioch|GM> "Are you thick, son?" ||
  456. [2016-05-01 23:51:24] <Firlz|Khandy> I can't help but pat my stomach a bit
  457. [2016-05-01 23:51:39] <Firlz|Khandy> "I might be eating a bit too much lately, I suppose."||
  458. [2016-05-01 23:51:58] <Antioch|GM> "The PRT isn't worth shit in these parts. You see 'em keeping us safe, paving our roads?"
  459. [2016-05-01 23:52:58] <Antioch|GM> "Blackjack, I could take or leave, but at least there ain't no more gangbangers and looters robbing our homes." ||
  460. [2016-05-01 23:56:58] <Firlz|Khandy> "Then think of it this way. Blackjack will be happy to have the head of whoever did this, it happened in their reach, and it makes them look bad. Same difference. Blackjack looks bad, it means more fighting over territory with newcomers and Borgata, more fighting means more gang-violence on what was formerly well-established territory. Assuming you
  461. [2016-05-01 23:56:58] <Firlz|Khandy> 'd rather have Blackjack's protection than none at all, then you should hope I find this guy and serve them to Wink on a silver platter, and sooner rather than later. Makes his gang looks good, which makes wanna-bes think twice, which keeps places under his control safer. Which is what it sounds like you want?"||
  462. [2016-05-02 00:00:38] <Antioch|GM> "You're kidding, right? Blackjack is weaker than it's been in months. I haven't seen a fucking drone since lunchtime."
  463. [2016-05-02 00:00:56] <Antioch|GM> "The more people trying to take advantage of that, the more people that aren't trying to fuck with us." ||
  464. [2016-05-02 00:05:34] <Firlz|Khandy> "So, you don't like the idea that the PRT could use the info, and you don't like that BJ could use it.." I tap my foot a bit. "What about the fact that anyone who looks at that trail is going to find it leads right into the heart of the Neighborhood's territory? Wink'll be looking for a target, and if it seems like you guys are sending capes to blo
  465. [2016-05-02 00:05:34] <Firlz|Khandy> w up his places he won't be too pleased. If the other groups think there are essentially unaffiliated capes here they'll start pushing their goons in with a look to 'recruit.'" I sigh "It still always amounts to the same thing. The guy goes missing this way, it ends badly for you six ways to sunday. He gets found, it's easy to show he's not with yo
  466. [2016-05-02 00:05:34] <Firlz|Khandy> u and you're not helping him, which means nobody has a reason to start picking a fight here. If he IS one of yours..."
  467. [2016-05-02 00:08:21] <Firlz|Khandy> At this I look the mustached man in the eyes and hold his gaze. "Then you should reconsider your methods before others decide you've entered onto the chessboard for real. Because people take notice when you're THAT overt."||
  468. [2016-05-02 00:09:19] <Antioch|GM> "When someone who ain't a two-bit gumshoe who I don't even know the name of comes t' tell me that," he spits, "maybe I'll give 'em a listen."
  469. [2016-05-02 00:09:43] <Antioch|GM> "I know your type, son, kickin' anthills for the fun of it."
  470. [2016-05-02 00:09:47] <Antioch|GM> "Get out. I won't ask again." ||
  471. [2016-05-02 00:10:47] <Firlz|Khandy> ((where are we standing, out on the sidewalk?))
  472. [2016-05-02 00:11:57] <Antioch|GM> ((Yeah, along a semi-busy street. There's a fast food place across the street, a post office to the next of it. The buildings next to the sidewalk you're on are a jeweler's (abandoned, looted) and a tux shop (shows signs of looting, but opening back up). ))
  473. [2016-05-02 00:13:32] <Firlz|Khandy> I put my hands up in a placating manner, half between 'you caught me' and 'let's just calm down.'
  474. [2016-05-02 00:14:58] * Non|Nachzehrer is now known as Nonagon
  475. [2016-05-02 00:17:05] <Firlz|Khandy> "Just so I understand, you're saying that Firehands IS one of yours?"||
  476. [2016-05-02 00:17:31] <Firlz|Khandy> ((can I know/wits check this guy's description against what I got of the cape?))
  477. [2016-05-02 00:18:16] <Antioch|GM> ((He's not the cape, if that's what you're thinking. A little too old, much too tubby.))
  478. [2016-05-02 00:18:36] <Firlz|Khandy> ((kinda figured, but better to check))
  479. [2016-05-02 00:19:47] <Antioch|GM> A vein visibly pulses at the man's temple.
  480. [2016-05-02 00:19:47] <Antioch|GM> "Son, if you bring trouble to my territory, I will end your pitiful, meager little career faster than you can die of liver poisoning."
  481. [2016-05-02 00:20:30] <Antioch|GM> The jab at the end comes out of left field, almost. Not something that'd be bandied about in normal conversation, but specific enough to make you double-take, especially from a man who claims to never have heard of you. ||
  482. [2016-05-02 00:21:55] <Firlz|Khandy> I put my hand to my mouth and breath out to sniff it "My breath doesn't smell THAT much like alcohol does it?"||
  483. [2016-05-02 00:23:28] <Antioch|GM> "Leave, before I make you." ||
  484. [2016-05-02 00:28:25] <Firlz|Khandy> Without waiting for him to hit me anyway I split into a full set of bodies, trying to re-enact that trick from when I popped in behind that kid to spread us out as much as possible behind him "That sounds an awful lot like you're trying to /start/ trouble. All we've done today is have tea with a lonely old lady, and some parkour. You start attackin
  485. [2016-05-02 00:28:25] <Firlz|Khandy> g and it's on YOU."||
  486. [2016-05-02 00:30:53] <Antioch|GM> Brannon finds himself surrounded by a full complement of clones.
  487. [2016-05-02 00:31:16] <Antioch|GM> "Says the guy who pulls a cape power on me when he gets upset," the man says, leering.
  488. [2016-05-02 00:32:41] <Antioch|GM> "I bet the PRT would love to hear about this," he continues. "Every interaction you have with them colored by this black mark, and I wouldn't mind wasting the precious time they spend only worrying about the neighborhoods above a certain income bracket." ||
  489. [2016-05-02 00:43:35] ⇐ Dolyn quit (Dolyn@net-9pf5lr.mo.charter.com): Quit: Leaving
  490. [2016-05-02 00:59:15] <Firlz|Khandy> I don't actually care about my standing with the PRT as much as this guy thinks. But I certainly don't want to fight normal folk if I can avoid it. Might as well play up that angle here. The extra selves begin to move out en-route back "Really. Guy tries to comply and get out of your hair by using his power to expedite things and he gets accused of
  491. [2016-05-02 00:59:15] <Firlz|Khandy> essentially assault? That hurts you know. Right in the Public Relations. But inquiring minds want to know, what DO you intend to do with all those explosives he stole?"||
  492. [2016-05-02 01:01:38] <Antioch|GM> The man pulls out a cell phone as you start speaking, largely ignoring you, save for looking irritated.
  493. [2016-05-02 01:02:10] <Antioch|GM> He walks forward, ignoring the clones surrounding him, uncaring whether they move to impede him or part ways for his path.
  494. [2016-05-02 01:02:16] <Antioch|GM> "Sam? Hey, it's Luke."
  495. [2016-05-02 01:02:25] <Firlz|Khandy> ((they shouldn't have still been surrounding him?))
  496. [2016-05-02 01:02:40] <Antioch|GM> ((Oops, missed that part))
  497. [2016-05-02 01:03:03] <Antioch|GM> He walks forward, paying no attention to the clone addressing him or the ones leaving the scene.
  498. [2016-05-02 01:03:05] <Antioch|GM> "Sam? Hey, it's Luke."
  499. [2016-05-02 01:03:46] <Antioch|GM> "You wouldn't mind cancelling our contract with HPIA, would you?"
  500. [2016-05-02 01:04:07] <Antioch|GM> "Not such a reputable source of information as you pitched to me, especially since I found out they hire idiots today." ||
  501. [2016-05-02 01:07:54] <Firlz|Khandy> HPIA is 'reputable?' That is NOT the term I'd have used to describe them. And the term is independent contractor you moron. "more or less generally neutral
  502. [2016-05-02 01:07:58] <Firlz|Khandy> ?"
  503. [2016-05-02 01:16:38] <Firlz|Khandy> sure. But 'reputable' is a strange label considering they'll get their intel by hook or by crook as far as I can figure. We leave the self there to listen-in while the others make their way out of the area. Maybe we'll think differently later, but it definitely seems like the trail going 'cold' here indicates that firehands is at least allied with
  504. [2016-05-02 01:16:38] <Firlz|Khandy> Neighborhood watch. Since we'd rather not spark a fight with a whole faction, we'll have to cut our losses here and see what we can figure out about blackjack's connection to the store, or blackjack's mole for now instead.||
  505. [2016-05-02 01:17:21] <Firlz|Khandy> -||
  506. [2016-05-02 01:17:40] <Antioch|GM> ((Post-interaction investigation check, singular))
  507. [2016-05-02 01:18:10] <Firlz|Khandy> Or maybe head to the site of the Longinus fight. Might be something someone missed in all the frackas that could be useful||
  508. [2016-05-02 01:18:19] <Firlz|Khandy> $roll 2h6 investigation
  509. [2016-05-02 01:18:19] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandy "investigation" [3] (1) = 3
  510. [2016-05-02 01:19:22] <Firlz|Khandy> (err or should it have been +1 for reading from social cues, rather than wits? I forget if that skill is 2 stats or always wits)
  511. [2016-05-02 01:19:58] <Antioch|GM> ((The latter. Street smarts check, too))
  512. [2016-05-02 01:20:26] <Firlz|Khandy> $roll 1d6+1 smarts
  513. [2016-05-02 01:20:26] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandy "smarts" [4] +1 = 5
  514. [2016-05-02 01:21:52] <Antioch|GM> By Brannon's tone and general abrasiveness, you get the feeling his involvement is tangential at best, even after you pushed his buttons, be it inadvertently or purposefully.
  515. [2016-05-02 01:21:52] <Antioch|GM> That being said, you're vaguely familiar with the Watch's structure, your interaction with Brannon jogging your memory.
  516. [2016-05-02 01:21:52] <Antioch|GM> Luke Brannon, Samuel Coleman, Maria Sanchez. Each a pillar of the community in their own right, working to keep what little territory under their purview out of harm's way.
  517. [2016-05-02 01:22:39] <Antioch|GM> It's possible one of the other two might have a more active hand in events -- though your interaction with Luke may have tipped your hand to the other two. The Watch, though, is an organization that could very much benefit from having a mole in Blackjack's ranks.
  518. [2016-05-02 01:22:54] <Antioch|GM> ||
  519. [2016-05-02 01:23:23] <Antioch|GM> ((We settle on your next step forward for the day, then pause, reconvene some other time this week? Getting a touch late, on my end.))
  520. [2016-05-02 01:23:56] <Firlz|Khandy> ((sounds fine))
  521. [2016-05-02 01:26:15] <Firlz|Khandy> Well, in this case playing close to the vest wasn't actually the /point/ so no real loss there. It isn't clear whether the contract for HPIA was even for a large sum, either. Regardless, I'll just have to apologize to Dags if the leads related here don't end up paying out. PRT should be pretty happy to get info on a cape they might otherwise know n
  522. [2016-05-02 01:26:15] <Firlz|Khandy> othing about, though, and Blackjack will probably pay handsomely for finding out about the appearing connection between the Watch and them taking that hit.
  523. [2016-05-02 01:29:51] * Thalia is now known as Thaliaway
  524. [2016-05-02 01:30:29] <Firlz|Khandy> Then again, goonie McGee might figure it out before I have a chance to get in contact with them. I guess I could use a bit of a 'break' and Maia should be able to piece together the connections between the groups better than I could dream to. Fucking Thinkers. If the data is ripped from the hard-drive it should be possible spending some time drawin
  525. [2016-05-02 01:30:29] <Firlz|Khandy> g up the corporate structure of the Front organization, and if enough is there it'll be worth waiting on hold to talk to the insurance company. I'm confident they will be happy to have an excuse to not pay out for the damage there.||||
  526. [2016-05-11 15:07:25] <Antioch|GM> 1:26 AM <Firlz|Khandy> Well, in this case playing close to the vest wasn't actually the /point/ so no real loss there. It isn't clear whether the contract for HPIA was even for a large sum, either. Regardless, I'll just have to apologize to Dags if the leads related here don't end up paying out. PRT should be pretty happy to get info on a cape they might
  527. [2016-05-11 15:07:25] <Antioch|GM> otherwise know n
  528. [2016-05-11 15:07:25] <Antioch|GM> 1:26 AM <Firlz|Khandy> othing about, though, and Blackjack will probably pay handsomely for finding out about the appearing connection between the Watch and them taking that hit.
  529. [2016-05-11 15:07:25] <Antioch|GM> 1:30 AM <Firlz|Khandy> Then again, goonie McGee might figure it out before I have a chance to get in contact with them. I guess I could use a bit of a 'break' and Maia should be able to piece together the connections between the groups better than I could dream to. Fucking Thinkers. If the data is ripped from the hard-drive it should be possible spending
  530. [2016-05-11 15:07:25] <Antioch|GM> some time drawin
  531. [2016-05-11 15:07:25] <Antioch|GM> 1:30 AM <Firlz|Khandy> g up the corporate structure of the Front organization, and if enough is there it'll be worth waiting on hold to talk to the insurance company. I'm confident they will be happy to have an excuse to not pay out for the damage there.||||
  532. [2016-05-11 15:07:33] <Antioch|GM> ...
  533. [2016-05-11 15:08:23] <Antioch|GM> When you return to the HPIA office, there's news playing on the TV in the lobby.
  534. [2016-05-11 15:08:53] <Antioch|GM> Mortal Lock and Gutshot have been apprehended by the Protectorate, following a car chase.
  535. [2016-05-11 15:09:02] <Antioch|GM> Somehow, you always manage to miss the good stuff. ||
  536. [2016-05-11 15:11:39] <Firlz|Khandhas> I take a moment to be somewhat annoyed and decide that at least it was a two-party conflict, rather than an "everyone in town was invited except YOU" kind of deal. Borgata wasn't there either, so missing out was at least in good company.
  537. [2016-05-11 15:14:01] <Firlz|Khandhas> Speaking of companies... I split into a full set of selves and one of us heads back to chat with maia while the others divvy up digging back through the files to get as complete a picture of that store's transactions and organization as possible, such that we can fill it in with what we get off the harddrive.
  538. [2016-05-11 15:15:37] <Firlz|Khandhas> Because of that capture though... We dedicate one self to pondering what to do about blackjack. If their tinker and one of their hardest hitters are down it makes them vulnerable, which means that even /we/ could probably milk them quite a bit if we wanted. Particularly if they are going to spend resources planning and attempting to get those two b
  539. [2016-05-11 15:15:37] <Firlz|Khandhas> ack. Lock is too important to just leave sitting too, so it's unlikely they'll wait too long to do it.
  540. [2016-05-11 15:16:33] <Firlz|Khandhas> Which means today will almost certainly be the best time to strike. Too bad this info wasn't more private, Borgata would surely have paid a killing for it.
  541. [2016-05-11 15:16:59] <Firlz|Khandhas> We ponder that question and talk to maia.||
  542. [2016-05-11 15:19:36] <Antioch|GM> The analysis of the documents and hard drive taken from the auto store has been subjected to a little bit of forensic accountancy, courtesy of Maia. As it stands, there are enough gaps in the records to puzzle out the general outline of the under-the-table transactions -- enough, you'd say, to pass it along to the insurance company for a hopeful payout.
  543. [2016-05-11 15:20:12] → Megafire joined (Megafire@net-56lide.dynamic.ziggo.nl)
  544. [2016-05-11 15:20:29] <Antioch|GM> "What are you planning, with respect to Blackjack?" she asks, as the conversation shifts to discuss the Protectorate's capture. ||
  545. [2016-05-11 15:27:28] <Firlz|Khandhas> "'planning' might be a bit strong for the stage I'm at. But without lock it should make it much more possible to actually do some serious snooping, find stash houses other important operation centers. Depending on how fortified they are maybe even take some of their stuff. Given the kind of ordinance they had at the place that just burned down, I'd
  546. [2016-05-11 15:27:29] <Firlz|Khandhas> much rather it go to hands I know I can trust rather than some other faction moving in and snagging it. If my suspicions are correct Neighborhood Watch just got their hands on quite a bit of ordinance thanks to blackjack. If they're vulnerable I'd rather take it myself than let anymore of that shit go around."
  547. [2016-05-11 15:29:38] <Firlz|Khandhas> I can't help but smirk a little "self-interest obviously doesn't hurt either, I suppose. I may not think of myself as a villain, but I don't really have any particular problem with illegally obtaining things which are possessed illegally."||
  548. [2016-05-11 15:31:28] → Nonagon joined (Nonagon@net-iciflr.dyn.suddenlink.net)
  549. [2016-05-11 15:31:40] <Antioch|GM> "Mmm, fair. Disarming Blackjack might be a good way to ease down the tension building. Have anywhere in mind?" ||
  550. [2016-05-11 15:37:13] <Firlz|Khandhas> I can't help but grimace "not yet, which is why it's hardly 'planning' yet. We can cover quite a bit of ground quickly while investigating, even if we need to stay out of sight and mind. We're still at the 'figure out where this stuff is' stage. Hitting any stashes is more of an end-goal to get to, but Blackjack wasn't that high on our priority lis
  551. [2016-05-11 15:37:13] <Firlz|Khandhas> t in terms of targets, too hard to infiltrate with lock around when there was still low-hanging fruit around. Now might be the best chance to figure out what is where... Actually, without him at the helm now might be the only time it is possible to /capture/ some of his drones and other tech. If I nab you one, do you think you could trace whatever
  552. [2016-05-11 15:37:13] <Firlz|Khandhas> it uses for signal back to Lock's lab or whatever?" She might not be a Tinker, but Thinkers are plenty bullshit.||
  553. [2016-05-11 15:39:00] <Antioch|GM> She shakes her head. "Not where my expertise lies, I'm afraid. What I'm betting, though, is that he has an array of rooftop antennae systems, or something of the like, to broadcast and receive information for his drones." ||
  554. [2016-05-11 15:40:51] <Firlz|Khandhas> That'd make sense, actually. Worth getting a map of anyway if they exist. That'd at least give a hint on the maximum limits of his ability to project force with the drones, and what it would take to disable his capabilities with some properly timed destruction to the network.
  555. [2016-05-11 15:43:04] <Firlz|Khandhas> We realize we should probably make some notes from our earlier investigation on watch. one of the selves working on data pulls out some paper and begins writing down what we learned for sure on one set of documents, noting locations of the grapple damage on a rough sketch. On another sheet we move to our suppositions and speculation, tracing lines
  556. [2016-05-11 15:43:04] <Firlz|Khandhas> to match what we think the path they took was that matches up with the marks, and where we think they were headed.
  557. [2016-05-11 15:45:28] <Firlz|Khandhas> "Slight digression, what's dags' favorite drink. We might owe him an apology, apparently one of the heads of Watch was none too pleased with our snooping and phoned in to some underling to tell him to cut his contract with HPIA."||
  558. [2016-05-11 15:45:43] <Firlz|Khandhas> -||
  559. [2016-05-11 15:45:59] <Antioch|GM> "Scotch, dunno what kind. Glenfiddich? He'll probably be happy with whatever." ||
  560. [2016-05-11 15:46:19] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((ah that works, I had a slight addition, no biggie))
  561. [2016-05-11 15:47:03] <Antioch|GM> ((Just interjecting, heh))
  562. [2016-05-11 15:47:18] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((it actually fits AFTER the response just as well))
  563. [2016-05-11 15:51:55] <Firlz|Khandhas> "Well, we're just gonna hope it wasn't a truly sweetheart deal for him, our job is to give him business not to cost him it. Taking some notes on Watch and the trail to Rosy Palms–oh, that's what we're calling the cape who torched the shop. Best revenge is subtle, any chance PRT would go for that name in their release hitting them right in the rep i
  564. [2016-05-11 15:51:55] <Firlz|Khandhas> s practically free. We digress, anyway, we think the trail leads to watch is there a separate filing for hunches and suppositions rather than hard data? Don't want to mess up your filing with us being sloppy." Speaking of which we try and remember where the existing info on blackjack is, might as well review it to try and narrow down potential targ
  565. [2016-05-11 15:51:55] <Firlz|Khandhas> ets before heading out.||
  566. [2016-05-11 15:52:22] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((should be a ? after release, capital H in hitting))
  567. [2016-05-11 15:57:33] <Antioch|GM> There's reasonable certainty that there are Blackjack headquarters and front businesses in the Fairfax and Central area, given that's where the gang surfaced, but the specifics are lacking.
  568. [2016-05-11 15:58:00] <Antioch|GM> Maia takes a brief moment to run the flagging system by you, where 'green' is confirmed, 'yellow' is uncertain, and 'red' is unsubstantiated. It's simple and intuitive. ||
  569. [2016-05-11 16:00:20] <Firlz|Khandhas> Stuff likely goes in yellow? It's inferences from existing data. Or does that mean it is unsubstantiated since we don't have any direct evidence on the downstream logic. We check with her real quick to be sure.||
  570. [2016-05-11 16:02:06] <Antioch|GM> A little murky, but good enough to be yellow. The delineations between the flags aren't particularly rigid. ||
  571. [2016-05-11 16:08:54] <Firlz|Khandhas> We put a note at the top that makes it more clear that it's inference, in case it comes up later. Presumably someone will double-check to make sure we're not completely off-base. We don't think we are, but HPIA actually knows the city much better than we do so there might be outside context we're missing.
  572. [2016-05-11 16:15:32] <Firlz|Khandhas> One of the selves from the insurance thing heads over to a computer to actually start a writeup and summary that the insurance company could make use of while the others who were on that start plotting a path through Blackjack territory to try and maximize route-efficiency for searching. We want to always be near enough to driveable streets that we
  573. [2016-05-11 16:15:33] <Firlz|Khandhas> have access to the motorcycle on relatively short notice but minimizing travel times between sections of their territory. We should also probably ask if bel is using his car in case we do actually find a place to loot. Bikes are not exactly conducive to robbing places, even if it worked okay for the papers from earlier. Don't exactly want to have
  574. [2016-05-11 16:15:33] <Firlz|Khandhas> weapons out in the open like that if we find a place like that.||
  575. [2016-05-11 16:17:39] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((dags, not bel T.T))
  576. [2016-05-11 16:18:59] <Antioch|GM> His car is currently in use, so it seems. Might want to look into getting a vehicle of your own. ||
  577. [2016-05-11 16:25:19] <Firlz|Khandhas> Or we could just hand the shit off to the PRT, maybe save a little bit for our own personal use. Could always use more grenades afterall, and having the option to use the tactics from the fight by Huangtian if things go REALLY south isn't terrible either.
  578. [2016-05-11 16:26:11] <Firlz|Khandhas> Or would it be merely police if it's just weapons and no parahumans on site? Probably better to call the popo, they'll redirect to protectorate if it's needed.
  579. [2016-05-11 16:28:16] <Firlz|Khandhas> With the finishing touches on the report for the insurance company we ask maia one last thing "You mind dealing with the insurance company? Negotiating something as potentially big as that is not our forte, sadly."||
  580. [2016-05-11 16:32:51] <Antioch|GM> She shrugs. "Not really my thing, either, but it means I get to stay indoors." ||
  581. [2016-05-11 16:38:38] <Firlz|Khandhas> "Any idea if this is something we should kick up the chain. Dags is obviously busy as a bee, but Kusa's the guy on top with this stuff I'd guess." After a moment it occurs to us that we keep managing to NOT visit him... sadly continuing this trail means we probably won't do that today, either. "And now we feel like an ass for not visiting him... Yo
  582. [2016-05-11 16:38:38] <Firlz|Khandhas> ur call either way, text us if there's something you need clarification on, phone'll be on silent, but we'll try to check it regularly just in case." with that we take our tentative map planning our route and head to blackjack for investigation. High targets are stashes, antennae, and drones.||
  583. [2016-05-11 16:39:00] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((obviously going back down to one self for riding the motorbike))
  584. [2016-05-11 16:41:30] <Antioch|GM> The skies are noticeably clearer than earlier, perhaps due to Mortal Lock's arrest.
  585. [2016-05-11 16:42:22] <Antioch|GM> With that in mind, you're not even particularly certain what you'd be looking for, as far as antennae go. It could be a satellite dish on a home or something similar, or a tacked-on attachment to a power line.
  586. [2016-05-11 16:43:00] <Antioch|GM> Even so, you find yourself searching the general area of where Blackjack operates, finding it quieter. Laying low, likely, with the back-to-back issues of Longinus's bomb and Mortal Lock's arrest. ||
  587. [2016-05-11 16:43:50] → JustLurking joined (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net)
  588. [2016-05-11 16:46:36] <Firlz|Khandhas> Laying low /should/ mean that where there are people congregated are important spots. We try to get a map of which buildings are abandoned and which clearly had people in there recently, and which clearly HAVE people in there presently. The last is strangely the most important, because low activity means any place where noticeable numbers of gang-m
  589. [2016-05-11 16:46:36] <Firlz|Khandhas> embers are should be the ones where important shit happens. Honestly, if any of the normal stores are even 'open' it might be possible to sneak some selves throughout to try and locate anything incriminating. That would first require finding places that have people though.||
  590. [2016-05-11 16:47:21] <Antioch|GM> ((Investigate check, singular))
  591. [2016-05-11 16:48:11] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6
  592. [2016-05-11 16:48:11] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas (3) [6] = 6
  593. [2016-05-11 16:49:59] <Antioch|GM> You're able to putter along slowly on the bike, noting where people might be lurking, stopping by various stores in the area that remain open.
  594. [2016-05-11 16:50:18] <Antioch|GM> Many of them are closed, the open ones being fast food places, convenience stores, liquor stores. ||
  595. [2016-05-11 16:51:21] ⇐ Megafire quit (Megafire@net-56lide.dynamic.ziggo.nl): Ping timeout: 181 seconds
  596. [2016-05-11 16:55:04] <Firlz|Khandhas> On the one hand keeping drugs or weapons in a fast-food place seems like an inherently bad idea, since there is plenty of fire and whatnot. On the other hand, they likely have a sizable portion of the premesis dedicated to holding frozen goods for heating and selling later. Even better a back entrance for bringing that in.
  597. [2016-05-11 16:55:53] <Firlz|Khandhas> We look to see if there is a truck-dock or something similar for where deliveries would be brought to the place, if there's anything here hidden amongst their normal stock would be the best guess.||
  598. [2016-05-11 16:56:27] <Antioch|GM> Just a standard metal back door, next to a dumpster. The scent of a grease trap permeates the air. ||
  599. [2016-05-11 16:58:47] <Firlz|Khandhas> Hmm, we keep a self there and get a feel for the exterior layout of the building. Then we can send one inside to compare the visible sections and see how much leftover space there is. Space is needed to store things, and if there simply isn't much unaccounted for space then it means we can eliminate this as a likely suspect.||
  600. [2016-05-11 16:59:27] <Antioch|GM> ((Via the back door?))
  601. [2016-05-11 17:00:05] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((was thinking the front door? presumably they have windows to look inside, which should make it easy to see the layout. Assuming it's anything like a Mcdonalds or taco bell))
  602. [2016-05-11 17:00:54] <Firlz|Khandhas> (basically stand outside peering in and figuring out what space is accounted for and what isn't)
  603. [2016-05-11 17:01:10] <Antioch|GM> You enter from the front, but you can't really gauge how much spare space is at the back, since the kitchen area is blocked by the counter, and the storage in the rear is blocked by the kitchen.
  604. [2016-05-11 17:01:24] <Antioch|GM> There aren't many customers, despite it being dinner time. ||
  605. [2016-05-11 17:05:45] <Firlz|Khandhas> Nothing to it but to do it we guess. self at the back simply tries the backdoor to see if they can peer or get inside. For practical purposes it wouldn't make sense to be locked, since that'd be a pain when they need to throw things out.||
  606. [2016-05-11 17:09:43] <Antioch|GM> It's actually locked. Probably only from the outside. ||
  607. [2016-05-11 17:25:27] <Firlz|Khandhas> We head to check out the Liquor store next. Considering the licensing required it wouldn't make THAT much sense for them to have anything, but I'm looking to try and get some glen-whatever for dags anyway. Getting an idea of the price certainly wouldn't hurt. The fact it might let us take a look around to see if there's anything suspicious is a plu
  608. [2016-05-11 17:25:27] <Firlz|Khandhas> s. Though, we'll restrict ourselves to one self entering while the others can examine the exterior just to be nonthreatening.||
  609. [2016-05-11 17:28:45] <Antioch|GM> Three-quarters a liter of 12-year old Glenfiddich runs about $35, so it seems, but from what you can tell the liquor store is on the level. Not many clues pointing one way or the other, as you can't take a glance into the back or view their records, but they're doing decent business. Figures living in Cleveland would drive most people to drink, as you can
  610. [2016-05-11 17:28:46] <Antioch|GM> personally corroborate. ||
  611. [2016-05-11 17:29:10] * soulpelt| is now known as soulpelt|afk
  612. [2016-05-11 17:32:53] <Firlz|Khandhas> A bit pricey, but it's a gift so it isn't that bad we suppose. We thank the employee and make plans to stop by later on to pick it up. It isn't like we carry a wallet with an ID with us to purchase anything. Deciding to go out on a limb the self inside asks the employee "Could you do a guy a favor? Where are the places Blackjack does it's serious b
  613. [2016-05-11 17:32:54] <Firlz|Khandhas> usiness or has the most goons? I'd rather not get shot because I was bored walking around and strayed too close to something important." (subterfuge to make me seem honest?)||
  614. [2016-05-11 17:33:42] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep, roll it))
  615. [2016-05-11 17:34:41] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 3h6+1!
  616. [2016-05-11 17:34:41] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas (2) (2) [6] +1 = 7
  617. [2016-05-11 17:35:44] <Antioch|GM> The guy behind the register shakes his head. "Sorry, man. I just pay the protection money. You're kind of in the wrong part of town if you want to avoid Blackjack, though." ||
  618. [2016-05-11 17:36:59] <Firlz|Khandhas> "Well, it's basically either them or borgata, rather risk gangers than mobsters y'know?"||
  619. [2016-05-11 17:37:47] <Antioch|GM> The employee sighs. "Shoulda moved away months ago. Still planning on it, honestly." ||
  620. [2016-05-11 17:40:17] <Firlz|Khandhas> "Think of it this way, nothing lasts forever that can't. And there's no chance this can go on forever." I finish pleasantries and head out. If the places that are actually /open/ are the kind that make sense to be open, then perhaps it's actually worth checking out the places that are closed. Autoshops and other places that are likely to have large
  621. [2016-05-11 17:40:17] <Firlz|Khandhas> storage areas are the best bet for storing stuff. Warehouses, if there are any, are a good bet too.||
  622. [2016-05-11 17:41:36] <Antioch|GM> The climate-controlled storage facilities look promising, as you recall hearing snippets of a successful Protectorate raid on one of them in the office a few days prior.
  623. [2016-05-11 17:42:26] <Antioch|GM> They're fenced in by a tall chain-link fence, topped with loops of barbed wire -- the rolling fence bars the way to the parking lot, in which are parked three battered vehicles.
  624. [2016-05-11 17:42:50] <Antioch|GM> Could be promising, if you can figure out a way in. ||
  625. [2016-05-11 17:43:41] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((how is the door locked exactly? one of those chain-locks?))
  626. [2016-05-11 17:43:56] ⇐ Camtist quit (uid157531@charlton.irccloud.com): Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
  627. [2016-05-11 17:44:21] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((or padlock or something? Or is it actually an internal dead-bolt kind of thing))
  628. [2016-05-11 17:45:41] <Antioch|GM> The fence is a rolling fence, electronically controlled by a motor of some sort.
  629. [2016-05-11 17:45:57] <Antioch|GM> In addition, there seems to be some locking mechanism that needs to be unlatched before the motors can do their job. ||
  630. [2016-05-11 17:52:13] <Firlz|Khandhas> Well, we get to do some things not normally available to others. We set up a pair of selves to use their hands to give a lift to try and help give enough of a lift for a self to actually get over the thing. ((acrobatics with assist?))
  631. [2016-05-11 17:54:39] <Firlz|Khandhas> ||
  632. [2016-05-11 18:04:04] <Antioch|GM> ((One acrobatics w/ assist, the other without))
  633. [2016-05-11 18:05:22] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6+3! first assist second without
  634. [2016-05-11 18:05:22] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "first assist second without" [6]+3 [2]+3 = 9, 5
  635. [2016-05-11 18:05:22] → SOMA joined (uid136321@highgate.irccloud.com)
  636. [2016-05-11 18:05:34] ⇐ SOMA quit (uid136321@highgate.irccloud.com): Quit:
  637. [2016-05-11 18:05:50] → SOMA joined (uid136321@highgate.irccloud.com)
  638. [2016-05-11 18:07:05] <Antioch|GM> One clone clears the tall fence, but meets resistance as it encounters the barbed wire, and summarily destroys itself. Whoops. ||
  639. [2016-05-11 18:07:40] → Saff joined (uid95475@charlton.irccloud.com)
  640. [2016-05-11 18:08:25] <Firlz|Khandhas> That's fine, part of the benefit of extra selves is the ability to fail more and still come out ahead.
  641. [2016-05-11 18:10:29] <Firlz|Khandhas> The self on the other side looks to see if he can find the latch. It shouldn't be that hard to push this thing open once whatever is used as a break is disabled, and it would be immensely stupid if it /only/ worked through the motors.||
  642. [2016-05-11 18:10:38] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((investigate for a way to open it?))
  643. [2016-05-11 18:10:54] <Antioch|GM> ((Go for it.))
  644. [2016-05-11 18:11:15] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6 investigate
  645. [2016-05-11 18:11:15] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "investigate" (5) [6] = 6
  646. [2016-05-11 18:12:43] <Antioch|GM> You don't really have the technical know-how to fool around with the motors, but you figure if you press yourself close to the fence, you could probably pop some clones on the other side. ||
  647. [2016-05-11 18:21:00] <Firlz|Khandhas> ...
  648. [2016-05-11 18:22:50] <Firlz|Khandhas> That'll have to do then. Something to worry about later we suppose. For now the one on the inside will make as much progress as he can in investigating the place on his own. We can pop him and start remaking selves if something goes wrong. Figure out how to bypass the door if there is even anything here.||
  649. [2016-05-11 18:24:06] <Antioch|GM> The other side of the fence yields an empty security booth, where one could feasibly operate the gate. Seems to need a key, however.
  650. [2016-05-11 18:25:57] <Antioch|GM> Further in, there's signs of activity. Two of the cars look like they're in regular use, while the other looks like its door might fall off if you tried to open it.
  651. [2016-05-11 18:26:58] <Antioch|GM> Each individual storage unit has a garage door and a lock corresponding. You're not sure if you can try the same trick as you did with the fence without an eye on what's on the other side, and it also necessitates putting 'all' of you within the facility, but it's an option.
  652. [2016-05-11 18:26:59] * Teruzi|GM is now known as Teruzi
  653. [2016-05-11 18:27:27] <Antioch|GM> A stubbed out cigarette on the concrete walkway seems to indicate that people were here today, if not still here. ||
  654. [2016-05-11 18:29:57] <Firlz|Khandhas> Worth checking out then. The self on the inside steps over to the booth to use as cover for a bit and the remaning selves pop so that we can reset with a full compliment on the inside of the compound.||
  655. [2016-05-11 18:34:07] <Antioch|GM> You hear the sound of one of the garage doors rolling up, and duck down, keeping your ears peeled.
  656. [2016-05-11 18:34:11] <Antioch|GM> No speech, only footsteps. ||
  657. [2016-05-11 18:36:57] <Firlz|Khandhas> Recharge, recharge, shouldn't be long before my power's back up. I try to listen in to see if they say anything useful while I make sure I'm in as optimal a spot for hiding as is available here.||
  658. [2016-05-11 18:38:30] <Antioch|GM> The sky is darkening, close enough to nighttime that the man walking about sweeps the area with a flashlight.
  659. [2016-05-11 18:38:49] <Antioch|GM> You're uncertain if it's routine, or your investigations outside drew suspicion.
  660. [2016-05-11 18:39:13] <Antioch|GM> Either way, you count down the seconds, finding your power available again after a minute or so of utter silence. ||
  661. [2016-05-11 18:40:42] <Firlz|Khandhas> I take a look at where he is shining his light and make for the fence somewhere he won't be looking or able to see so I can pop exactly one self on the other side as an escape plan. ((sneak, no idea if conditions warrant a circumstance bonus))
  662. [2016-05-11 18:40:55] <Antioch|GM> ((Plain ol' sneak.))
  663. [2016-05-11 18:42:01] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 3h6-1! (using the 10 feet of difficult terrain/lighting undected bonus if useful)||
  664. [2016-05-11 18:42:01] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "(using the 10 feet of difficult terrain/lighting undected bonus if useful)||" (1) (1) [2] -1 = 1
  665. [2016-05-11 18:44:01] → Stoic joined (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net)
  666. [2016-05-11 18:44:40] <Antioch|GM> There's a choice to be made, as the man sweeps his flashlight back and forth, sprinting for the opening as quietly as you can, or sneaking as the light sweeps past you.
  667. [2016-05-11 18:45:03] <Antioch|GM> Neither one ends up being relevant, as the guy turns his light onto you as you creep out of the security booth.
  668. [2016-05-11 18:45:38] <Antioch|GM> "Hey!" he shouts. "What are you doing?"
  669. [2016-05-11 18:46:00] <Antioch|GM> His yelling seems to have drawn the attention of others, as you hear the rasp of garage doors opening. ||
  670. [2016-05-11 18:49:03] <Firlz|Khandhas> Shitfuck. I'm not even sure this IS a blackjack place, I really don't feel like getting hit with a trespassing charge unnecessarily. Might as well see if I can at least get some info out of him I speak back "I'm new blood, Wink asked me to probe our defenses to see where we need help, makes it easier to figure out where to reinforce. Considering th
  671. [2016-05-11 18:49:03] <Firlz|Khandhas> at you found me you're actually doing your job. Good." ((subterfuge?))
  672. [2016-05-11 18:52:10] <Antioch|GM> ((Go for it.))
  673. [2016-05-11 18:53:14] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 3h6+1! lying like a boss
  674. [2016-05-11 18:53:15] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "lying like a boss" (1) [6] (6) +1 = 7
  675. [2016-05-11 18:53:39] <Antioch|GM> "Prove it," the guy sneers disbelievingly.
  676. [2016-05-11 18:53:54] <Antioch|GM> At least that means it's a Blackjack place, apparently.
  677. [2016-05-11 18:54:20] <Antioch|GM> He's drawn a pistol at this point, but you've at least made him hesitate from shooting you outright. ||
  678. [2016-05-11 18:56:22] <Firlz|Khandhas> "Sure thing, mind if i reach for my phone? I'll throw it over to you and you can check yourself." I prepare my power ready to make a full set of selves and fire tranqs at him in a moment's notice.||
  679. [2016-05-11 19:03:11] <Antioch|GM> "Hands up," he replies warily. "Put Wink on the line, slide or underhand throw the phone." ||
  680. [2016-05-11 19:05:28] ⇐ ThalAI quit (ThalAI@net-stg.hv9.246.50.IP): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  681. [2016-05-11 19:06:05] ⇐ Stoic quit (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  682. [2016-05-11 19:06:34] → Stoic joined (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net)
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  684. [2016-05-11 19:07:31] <Firlz|Khandhas> I put my hands up first, then slowly move my left hand toward one of my pockets, looking him in the eyes. I wait to see him focus on the pocket to see WHAT I'm pulling out and then clone into a full squad with two attempting to fire tranqs two lobbing knockout canisters, and the last one (who he would have the gun trained on) attempting to rush the
  685. [2016-05-11 19:07:32] <Firlz|Khandhas> guy while hoping to dodge the shot.||
  686. [2016-05-11 19:07:40] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((bunch of dex and ath rolls?))
  687. [2016-05-11 19:11:41] <Antioch|GM> ((2 dex rolls, 1 brawn roll, 1 ath roll. Pick nade or tranq - can't clone and draw both so quickly))
  688. [2016-05-11 19:11:53] <Antioch|GM> $roll 2h6+1 Shoot the intruder
  689. [2016-05-11 19:11:53] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Shoot the intruder" [5] (1) +1 = 6
  690. [2016-05-11 19:12:24] <Firlz|Khandhas> (tranq it is then)
  691. [2016-05-11 19:12:48] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6-1! dex
  692. [2016-05-11 19:12:48] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dex" [6]-1 [1]-1 = 5, 0
  693. [2016-05-11 19:13:13] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6+1 brawn
  694. [2016-05-11 19:13:13] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "brawn" [5] +1 = 6
  695. [2016-05-11 19:13:28] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6+3 ath (is this dodge?)
  696. [2016-05-11 19:13:28] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "ath (is this dodge?)" [6] +3 = 9
  697. [2016-05-11 19:14:19] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep, dodge))
  698. [2016-05-11 19:14:30] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1 Dodge
  699. [2016-05-11 19:14:30] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Dodge" [1] +1 = 2
  700. [2016-05-11 19:14:52] <Antioch|GM> The guy gets tackled and stuck with a tranq, taken off-guard by the sudden cloning.
  701. [2016-05-11 19:14:56] <Firlz|Khandhas> (that dodge technically would have been 2h6, but that doesn't matter when I got the initial 6)
  702. [2016-05-11 19:15:13] <Antioch|GM> "Khandhas!" he shouts, alarmed, more for the benefit of his allies than you.
  703. [2016-05-11 19:15:31] <Antioch|GM> Nice to see your name getting out there, either way, even if he fucked up the pronunciation a little. ||
  704. [2016-05-11 19:17:53] <Firlz|Khandhas> The self on him tries to keep him down until the tranq takes effect and knocks the fuck out. Two of the others ready knockout canisters, one of us readies his crossbow for another shot if needed (2 dex attempts meant only two fired so two don't need to reload yet? If so the ones who need to reload are on 'nades). and the last attempts to find a hid
  705. [2016-05-11 19:17:53] <Firlz|Khandhas> ing spot to use as the safe-self. if we need to run for it.||
  706. [2016-05-11 19:19:00] <Antioch|GM> ((Grapple roll, and correct. Single awareness to seek safe spot.))
  707. [2016-05-11 19:19:10] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1 Brawn
  708. [2016-05-11 19:19:10] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Brawn" [4] +1 = 5
  709. [2016-05-11 19:19:16] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6 Guts
  710. [2016-05-11 19:19:16] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Guts" [5] = 5
  711. [2016-05-11 19:19:18] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6+1 (brawn) Grapple
  712. [2016-05-11 19:19:18] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "(brawn) Grapple" [4] +1 = 5
  713. [2016-05-11 19:19:32] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6 awareness
  714. [2016-05-11 19:19:32] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "awareness" [2] = 2
  715. [2016-05-11 19:20:16] <Antioch|GM> The guy thrashes in your grip, but the tranq might be kicking in, because you're able to barely keep him pinned.
  716. [2016-05-11 19:20:34] <Antioch|GM> Unable to find a better spot, one of you runs back to the security booth.
  717. [2016-05-11 19:20:40] <Antioch|GM> ((3 dodge rolls))
  718. [2016-05-11 19:20:52] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 1
  719. [2016-05-11 19:20:52] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 1" [6] (6) +3 = 9
  720. [2016-05-11 19:20:54] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 2
  721. [2016-05-11 19:20:54] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 2" (4) [5] +3 = 8
  722. [2016-05-11 19:20:59] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 3
  723. [2016-05-11 19:20:59] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 3" [4] (2) +3 = 7
  724. [2016-05-11 19:21:00] <Antioch|GM> Sounds of gunfire are coming from the facility itself.
  725. [2016-05-11 19:21:28] <Antioch|GM> None of it hits you, though flecks of asphalt and concrete are sent into the air as the bullets impact the pavement.
  726. [2016-05-11 19:22:17] <Antioch|GM> ((Should be +2, no?))
  727. [2016-05-11 19:22:19] <Antioch|GM> ||
  728. [2016-05-11 19:22:54] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((i have a 5 base ath, +1 from power, so +3, would be +4 with old dodge, now second die with new dodge))
  729. [2016-05-11 19:23:24] <Antioch|GM> ((Thought you had 4 base ath))
  730. [2016-05-11 19:23:47] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((did, milestone upgrade))
  731. [2016-05-11 19:23:52] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((now 5)
  732. [2016-05-11 19:24:00] <Antioch|GM> ((Ohhh, right))
  733. [2016-05-11 19:24:07] <Antioch|GM> ((knew i was forgetting something))
  734. [2016-05-11 19:24:10] ⇐ Teruzi quit (uid43982@tooting.irccloud.com): Quit:
  735. [2016-05-11 19:28:00] <Firlz|Khandhas> The selves at the ready with weapons try to figure out the locations of the gunfire and head for a better position to attack from, the self on the guard tries to drag him over to the booth to keep him safe from the gunfire and the hiding self by the booth watches over ready to attack anything that comes toward the booth.||
  736. [2016-05-11 19:29:28] <Antioch|GM> ((Brawn, awareness, 4 dodge (one -2)))
  737. [2016-05-11 19:29:46] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6+1 brawn
  738. [2016-05-11 19:29:46] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "brawn" [6] +1 = 7
  739. [2016-05-11 19:30:02] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6 awareness
  740. [2016-05-11 19:30:02] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "awareness" [3] = 3
  741. [2016-05-11 19:30:23] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+1 penalized dodge
  742. [2016-05-11 19:30:23] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "penalized dodge" [6] (5) +1 = 7
  743. [2016-05-11 19:30:38] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 normal dodge 1
  744. [2016-05-11 19:30:38] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "normal dodge 1" (1) [2] +3 = 5
  745. [2016-05-11 19:30:42] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 normal dodge 2
  746. [2016-05-11 19:30:42] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "normal dodge 2" [5] (1) +3 = 8
  747. [2016-05-11 19:30:46] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 normal dodge 3
  748. [2016-05-11 19:30:46] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "normal dodge 3" [5] (5) +3 = 8
  749. [2016-05-11 19:31:17] <Antioch|GM> $roll 4d6+1! Mass fire
  750. [2016-05-11 19:31:17] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Mass fire" [2]+1 [1]+1 [6]+1 [3]+1 = 3, 2, 7, 4
  751. [2016-05-11 19:31:29] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6 Guts
  752. [2016-05-11 19:31:29] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Guts" [5] = 5
  753. [2016-05-11 19:32:34] <Antioch|GM> You're able to pinpoint the door from which the men are firing at you from, largely assisted by the volley of bullets.
  754. [2016-05-11 19:33:20] <Antioch|GM> Even hampered by the man you're dragging -- still struggling uselessly -- you manage to evade the massed fire.
  755. [2016-05-11 19:33:34] <Antioch|GM> A bit far to hurl the grenades, you feel. ||
  756. [2016-05-11 19:35:39] <Firlz|Khandhas> The dragging self holds the guard down, hopefully the tranq will finish taking effect soon, the other self by the box (originally hidey-self) looks to disarm the guy, taking his gun, flashlight, and look for what else he has on him. Keys will undoubtedly be useful if he has them, phone will be good to at least prevent him from making a call.
  757. [2016-05-11 19:37:17] <Firlz|Khandhas> The others attempt to strafe in a manner that might not cover a terribly large amount of ground, but prevents them from concentrating fire on all of those selves at once while they get in range to lob 'nades and start shooting back. Actually, 'bow-self routes toward the cars both for cover and to help break line of sight to make sneaking up more pl
  758. [2016-05-11 19:37:17] <Firlz|Khandhas> ausible.||
  759. [2016-05-11 19:38:39] <Antioch|GM> ((3 dodges))
  760. [2016-05-11 19:39:02] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 1
  761. [2016-05-11 19:39:02] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 1" [3] (1) +3 = 6
  762. [2016-05-11 19:39:05] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 2
  763. [2016-05-11 19:39:05] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 2" (1) [2] +3 = 5
  764. [2016-05-11 19:39:08] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 3
  765. [2016-05-11 19:39:08] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 3" (2) [6] +3 = 9
  766. [2016-05-11 19:39:40] <Antioch|GM> $roll 3d6+1! Pew
  767. [2016-05-11 19:39:40] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Pew" [3]+1 [3]+1 [1]+1 = 4, 4, 2
  768. [2016-05-11 19:40:21] <Antioch|GM> As you split up, the gunfire grows more erratic. One of you approaches the cars to facilitate a flanking maneuver, while the rest spread out.
  769. [2016-05-11 19:40:56] <Antioch|GM> The tranquilized man continues struggling, albeit more feebly -- you divest him of guns, flashlight, phone. No keys.
  770. [2016-05-11 19:40:58] <Antioch|GM> ||
  771. [2016-05-11 19:41:35] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((anything else of note? A baton or something close combat, knife?))
  772. [2016-05-11 19:43:44] <Antioch|GM> ((Perhaps with further rummaging. Just the items you immediately find, for now.))
  773. [2016-05-11 19:45:20] <Firlz|Khandhas> While waiting for him to pass out the searching self continues looking for other items, get a mental rolodex of what is there to figure out what to take.
  774. [2016-05-11 19:46:51] <Firlz|Khandhas> We quickly calculate to figure out whether the 'nade selves are close enough to launch their canisters ((awareness or investigate to judge distance?)) The self by the cars attempts to follow the outline of the building to find other possible entrances or windows to get a feel for the interior.
  775. [2016-05-11 19:47:33] <Antioch|GM> ((Awareness))
  776. [2016-05-11 19:47:53] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6 awareness x 2 (since two selves)
  777. [2016-05-11 19:47:53] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "awareness x 2 (since two selves)" [5] [3] = 8
  778. [2016-05-11 19:52:10] <Antioch|GM> (||?)
  779. [2016-05-11 19:52:35] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((if I can attack I'm GOING to, but I as the player am not aware if I'm close enough yet))
  780. [2016-05-11 19:52:57] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((since it isn't clear how close I got in the last round and we estimated I wouldn't be able to lob far then))
  781. [2016-05-11 19:53:48] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((dex for accuracy on nades, brawn for distance? or am I just close enough that distance is good?))
  782. [2016-05-11 19:54:39] <Antioch|GM> Close enough that a well-place lob with some muscle behind it could clear the gap.
  783. [2016-05-11 19:54:58] <Antioch|GM> ((Dex and Brawn))
  784. [2016-05-11 19:55:14] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6+1! brawns, thing 1 and thing 2
  785. [2016-05-11 19:55:14] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "brawns, thing 1 and thing 2" [3]+1 [1]+1 = 4, 2
  786. [2016-05-11 19:55:30] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6-1! dex thing 1 and thing 2
  787. [2016-05-11 19:55:30] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dex thing 1 and thing 2" [3]-1 [4]-1 = 2, 3
  788. [2016-05-11 19:57:08] <Antioch|GM> Not your finest showing, as it happens. The pitch is poor and the aim is off in both cases. Neither of the two make it into the building, though it does shroud the entrance in a thin fog.
  789. [2016-05-11 19:57:25] <Antioch|GM> Bullets keep coming out.
  790. [2016-05-11 19:57:33] <Antioch|GM> $roll 3d6+1!
  791. [2016-05-11 19:57:33] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [2]+1 [5]+1 [3]+1 = 3, 6, 4
  792. [2016-05-11 19:57:40] <Antioch|GM> ((dodges))
  793. [2016-05-11 19:57:58] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 1
  794. [2016-05-11 19:57:58] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 1" (1) [5] +3 = 8
  795. [2016-05-11 19:58:01] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 2
  796. [2016-05-11 19:58:01] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 2" (3) [6] +3 = 9
  797. [2016-05-11 20:00:06] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((did I need more than that or just the two?))
  798. [2016-05-11 20:00:22] <Antioch|GM> ((one more))
  799. [2016-05-11 20:00:32] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 3
  800. [2016-05-11 20:00:32] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 3" (3) [4] +3 = 7
  801. [2016-05-11 20:01:01] * soulpelt|afk is now known as soulpelt|
  802. [2016-05-11 20:01:16] <Antioch|GM> The thugs continue to miss.
  803. [2016-05-11 20:01:32] <Antioch|GM> It's somewhat dissatisfying, how low-stakes this whole situation is.
  804. [2016-05-11 20:01:56] <Antioch|GM> Here you are, knocking over some small-time Blackjack joint, the chance of you dying barely a sliver.
  805. [2016-05-11 20:02:28] <Antioch|GM> Even getting into a gunfight doesn't really get the blood pumping anymore, insofar as the phrase is applicable to your bloodless breaker state. ||
  806. [2016-05-11 20:03:40] <Firlz|Khandhas> We're also in our element more or less. The most dangerous of this operation so far was whether that guard would get a lucky shot while we were responding. Could've been killed right there, boom, dead.
  807. [2016-05-11 20:05:41] <Firlz|Khandhas> Plus in this particular instance we can hopefully count on the fact that once we hit blackjack it'll make them fiercer, harder to hit in the future as they consolidate. We're hardly at the endgame in this fight, haven't hit them at all and haven't plundered the goods. Behemoth didn't seem /that/ dangerous to us until suddenly we were dying on our f
  808. [2016-05-11 20:05:41] <Firlz|Khandhas> eet.
  809. [2016-05-11 20:05:51] <Firlz|Khandhas> This is no behemoth.
  810. [2016-05-11 20:06:58] <Firlz|Khandhas> We'll just have to measure success here based on how much info and stuff we can nab, rather than the excitement and danger. Results /matter/ afterall, which is sort of the point. We'll just have to see if we can manage results.
  811. [2016-05-11 20:08:21] <Firlz|Khandhas> We'd hope for a /little/ bit more of a challenge, but no point in jinxing ourselves. The two frontmost switch to crossbows, normal ammunition this time, and prepare to dodge while reloading.
  812. [2016-05-11 20:08:26] → Camtist joined (uid157531@charlton.irccloud.com)
  813. [2016-05-11 20:08:42] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((did the continued guard search uncover anything?))
  814. [2016-05-11 20:09:05] <Antioch|GM> ((Knife, wallet.))
  815. [2016-05-11 20:10:39] <Firlz|Khandhas> We won't steal the wallet, too much of a dick move even for us. But one of the selves grabs the knife, and gun+knife+flashlight self moves out to sneak up and enter the fray as well watching out for any saucy intruders who might enter the fight, drawn from the noise.
  816. [2016-05-11 20:11:09] <Firlz|Khandhas> the last self continues to hold down the guard while the tranq takes effect being more or less the safe-self staying behind for now.
  817. [2016-05-11 20:11:22] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((did building-strafe self find any other entrances or windows?))
  818. [2016-05-11 20:12:44] <Antioch|GM> ((Neither))
  819. [2016-05-11 20:14:51] <Firlz|Khandhas> The self sidling along the building continues around trying to get to the back to check there as well. If this place only has a front entrance that will actually be quite useful since it means we can control the flow of mooks by controlling the main door.||
  820. [2016-05-11 20:24:04] <Antioch|GM> ((2 awareness, 2 dodge))
  821. [2016-05-11 20:24:16] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6 awareness
  822. [2016-05-11 20:24:16] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "awareness" [4] [1] = 5
  823. [2016-05-11 20:24:27] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 1
  824. [2016-05-11 20:24:27] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 1" (1) [2] +3 = 5
  825. [2016-05-11 20:24:30] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2h6+3 dodge 2
  826. [2016-05-11 20:24:30] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dodge 2" [5] (2) +3 = 8
  827. [2016-05-11 20:25:48] <Antioch|GM> $roll 2d6+1!
  828. [2016-05-11 20:25:48] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [3]+1 [1]+1 = 4, 2
  829. [2016-05-11 20:25:52] <Antioch|GM> The building-strafing self vanishes suddenly, and you're left with nobody nearby to check what happened.
  830. [2016-05-11 20:26:32] <Antioch|GM> The two crossbow-wielders continue to evade fire as they reload.
  831. [2016-05-11 20:27:22] <Antioch|GM> From the back, one of your selves is able to observe faint motion atop the roof. Too dark to discern what. ||
  832. [2016-05-11 20:29:39] <Firlz|Khandhas> Could be a sniper, that'd be bad. One of the forward-selves holds the crossbow in hand while grabbing and throwing his second canister to get it to apply deeper-in. The other forward self attempts to approach and get to the side of the front door to try and determine where the foes are.
  833. [2016-05-11 20:31:55] <Firlz|Khandhas> gun-knife self keeps an eye watching the roof while he tries to follow a similar path to sidle-self. dropping the pistol, knife, and flashlight underneath one of the cars to make them in a retrievable location later and makes its way to figure out what killed the self from the back.||
  834. [2016-05-11 20:32:12] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((dex/brawn for nade 2.0?))
  835. [2016-05-11 20:35:34] <Antioch|GM> ((Aye.))
  836. [2016-05-11 20:35:48] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6+1 brawn
  837. [2016-05-11 20:35:48] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "brawn" [5] +1 = 6
  838. [2016-05-11 20:35:55] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6-1 dex
  839. [2016-05-11 20:35:55] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "dex" [4] -1 = 3
  840. [2016-05-11 20:37:48] <Antioch|GM> ((Stealth, awareness))
  841. [2016-05-11 20:38:48] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6 awareness
  842. [2016-05-11 20:38:48] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "awareness" [2] = 2
  843. [2016-05-11 20:38:54] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 3h6-1 stealth
  844. [2016-05-11 20:38:54] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "stealth" (2) (5) [6] -1 = 5
  845. [2016-05-11 20:39:49] <Antioch|GM> You manage to make your way back to the cars, though you find no trace of what eliminated one of your clones.
  846. [2016-05-11 20:40:05] <Antioch|GM> The grenade sails a fair distance, landing further inside the building than you'd like.
  847. [2016-05-11 20:40:22] <Antioch|GM> The gunfire stops, presumably as the gangsters attempt to escape the spreading gas. ||
  848. [2016-05-11 20:44:08] <Firlz|Khandhas> The self who just got closer tries to listen for footsteps to help locate where these guys are and the self by the cars continues to try and figure out what is up on the roof. The second forward-self prepares to make a push into the building. If it's going to remain this "easy" then we can try and go for nonlethal takedowns we suppose. No need to k
  849. [2016-05-11 20:44:08] <Firlz|Khandhas> ill thugs for no reason when it's fine so long as they are out of it.
  850. [2016-05-11 20:44:38] <Firlz|Khandhas> Hopefully we won't accidentally blow up this building either... Stupid dust.||
  851. [2016-05-11 20:53:14] <Antioch|GM> ((Awareness x2))
  852. [2016-05-11 20:53:41] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6
  853. [2016-05-11 20:53:41] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas [3] [2] = 5
  854. [2016-05-11 20:57:46] <Antioch|GM> The clone creeping up the side of the building finds the perpetrator in the process of being accosted. Shanked very solidly by a knife of respectable size, the clone is at the very least able to relay this information before it discorporates.
  855. [2016-05-11 20:58:07] <Antioch|GM> Motion on the roof seems to have subsided, though from your vantage point it's difficult to be certain.
  856. [2016-05-11 20:58:42] <Antioch|GM> You hear gunfire as one of your selves pushes through the gas and into the building, though either the thugs' aim is particularly poor, or it isn't directed at you. ||
  857. [2016-05-11 20:59:17] <Firlz|Khandhas> (so down to 3 right? car-self, guardbox, and pushing through?)
  858. [2016-05-11 21:05:20] <Firlz|Khandhas> The self already up there attempts to fire at whoever shanked the other one with the crossbow using the information on previous relevant position to figure out where to fire at, hopefully the gunfire will mask its sound as well to make retaliation less likely. The self over by the cars finds a good position to hide, where there won't be any sight l
  859. [2016-05-11 21:05:20] <Firlz|Khandhas> ines to him from the top of the building. He is designated the new self if it looks like re-engagement is a possibility, otherwise self at the guardbox is safe self. We're prepared to pop all but either of them depending upon how the next little bit goes. to optimize either our distance for running, or position for re-engaging after refreshing.||
  860. [2016-05-11 21:09:04] <Antioch|GM> ((Guardbox, pushing through, and other crossbow dude who stayed behind))
  861. [2016-05-11 21:09:28] <Antioch|GM> ((If my mental map is right))
  862. [2016-05-11 21:10:13] * JustLurking is now known as Lurks|AFK
  863. [2016-05-11 21:10:23] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((that'd be gunknifelight one who was over by the cars right? Originally had two "forwards" and one sneak, sneak got killed we don't know how/why, one of the forwards just got shanked at the front. second guardbox took gunknifelight over to cars, other forward still alive))
  864. [2016-05-11 21:10:39] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((sneak was originally third forward, but with crossbow))
  865. [2016-05-11 21:11:35] <Antioch|GM> ((Both forwards still intact, second guardbox dead))
  866. [2016-05-11 21:11:55] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((Oh, that's very different from what I thought then. Retract prior thing))
  867. [2016-05-11 21:11:59] <Antioch|GM> ((o7))
  868. [2016-05-11 21:14:21] <Firlz|Khandhas> The two forward selves retreat toward the guardbox, someone managed to get the jump on us and that is not good. We want to be jumpers, not jumpees. Those two attempt to stick to bad sightlines and shadows to sneak up on whoever assassinated the self at the guardbox. and take him out of the fight. Self by the cars recovers the gun, knife, and light,
  869. [2016-05-11 21:14:21] <Firlz|Khandhas> and checks to make sure the gun is loaded in case he needs to use it but making sure to stay out of sight of whoever is on the rooftop while doing this.||
  870. [2016-05-11 21:15:53] <Antioch|GM> ((Noo, the guy by the cars is gone))
  871. [2016-05-11 21:15:58] <Antioch|GM> ((I may have misread your earlier comment))
  872. [2016-05-11 21:17:32] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((so there are 3 positions left after the first sneak dies. guardbox- which had 2 for a bit, and forward which has 2. one of the guardbox selves snuck over to the cars, from what I can tell he made it too. So you're saying guardbox is still safe but cars is shanked?))
  873. [2016-05-11 21:18:03] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((if so, same as above, but the forwards are headed to the car self, and obviously not preparing any guns since that was dropped hidden under the car and I was shanked before recovering it.||
  874. [2016-05-11 21:18:07] <Antioch|GM> (Yeah, the guy who snuck over to the cars is dead, sorry for the confusion))
  875. [2016-05-11 21:18:16] <Antioch|GM> ((Gotcha))
  876. [2016-05-11 21:18:25] <Antioch|GM> ((2x awareness))
  877. [2016-05-11 21:18:31] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6
  878. [2016-05-11 21:18:31] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas [6] [6] = 12
  879. [2016-05-11 21:18:44] <Antioch|GM> ((2 attacks of yr choice))
  880. [2016-05-11 21:19:02] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((I take it we see the guy with the knife?))
  881. [2016-05-11 21:19:06] <Antioch|GM> ((Yep))
  882. [2016-05-11 21:19:34] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((is he like facing the other way, so we could try to melee? or is he already aware of us?))
  883. [2016-05-11 21:19:41] <Antioch|GM> ((The latter))
  884. [2016-05-11 21:20:37] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((since "random firing" is gone, what happens if I want to hit a specific protion? say "low center of mass" instead of a normal shot?))
  885. [2016-05-11 21:22:33] <Antioch|GM> ((-1 penalty to atk roll))
  886. [2016-05-11 21:23:10] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((Yikes... I don't want to accidentally kill the guy, so that's unfortunate oh well.))
  887. [2016-05-11 21:25:06] <Firlz|Khandhas> The crossbow self fires, looking partly to distract and partly to hit him somewhere harmful but not life threatening, legs, arms, pancreas–you can live without a pancreas right? Don't want to hit him in the head. Other self attempts to close and punch the guy's lights out. Keeping track of where he is relative to the pistol and knife in the process
  888. [2016-05-11 21:25:06] <Firlz|Khandhas> .||
  889. [2016-05-11 21:25:23] <Antioch|GM> ((Aim, Brawl))
  890. [2016-05-11 21:25:40] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6+1 Sneak dude dodges
  891. [2016-05-11 21:25:40] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Sneak dude dodges" [5] +1 = 6
  892. [2016-05-11 21:27:08] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6-2 aim
  893. [2016-05-11 21:27:08] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "aim" [5] -2 = 3
  894. [2016-05-11 21:27:15] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6+1 brawl
  895. [2016-05-11 21:27:15] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "brawl" [6] +1 = 7
  896. [2016-05-11 21:29:20] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6
  897. [2016-05-11 21:29:20] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [3] = 3
  898. [2016-05-11 21:29:23] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d4
  899. [2016-05-11 21:29:23] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [1] = 1
  900. [2016-05-11 21:30:18] <Antioch|GM> You miss the shot, but punch him in the gut as he dodges, knocking him flat on his ass. ||
  901. [2016-05-11 21:32:51] <Firlz|Khandhas> The up-close self attempts to follow up and the crossbow self joins him. Hopefully we can lay into this guy enough to just take him out.||
  902. [2016-05-11 21:33:17] <Antioch|GM> ((2 brawn))
  903. [2016-05-11 21:33:24] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6-1 Prone/stagger dodge
  904. [2016-05-11 21:33:24] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Prone/stagger dodge" [6] -1 = 5
  905. [2016-05-11 21:34:04] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 2d6+1!
  906. [2016-05-11 21:34:04] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas [4]+1 [5]+1 = 5, 6
  907. [2016-05-11 21:36:27] <Antioch|GM> $roll 2d6
  908. [2016-05-11 21:36:27] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [2] [1] = 3
  909. [2016-05-11 21:36:29] <Antioch|GM> $roll 2d4
  910. [2016-05-11 21:36:29] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM [3] [4] = 7
  911. [2016-05-11 21:37:03] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6 Guts
  912. [2016-05-11 21:37:03] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Guts" [6] = 6
  913. [2016-05-11 21:37:17] <Antioch|GM> You beat his ass to the floor when he tries to get up, though you don't knock him out.
  914. [2016-05-11 21:37:33] <Antioch|GM> Meanwhile, gunfire continues, despite the fact that you've done nothing to harass the mooks that have fled inside the building. ||
  915. [2016-05-11 21:37:56] <Firlz|Khandhas> That's good actually. Probably means they have no idea what's going on. and the smoke is distracting them.
  916. [2016-05-11 21:38:19] <Firlz|Khandhas> Hopefully it doesn't mean whoever came in the roof was actually someone from another faction and they are getting to the goods first. That'd suck
  917. [2016-05-11 21:42:34] ⇐ Lurks|AFK quit (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  918. [2016-05-11 21:44:53] <Firlz|Khandhas> one of the two selves beating on this guy hold him and restrict his movement while the other tries to choke the fucker out. Guard-station self keeps an eye to make sure the guard isn't waking up or anything. The effect of the tranq SHOULD last quite a bit longer, but better safe than sorry. Actually... That self takes the guard's belt and uses it t
  919. [2016-05-11 21:44:53] <Firlz|Khandhas> o essentially cuff the guy to something sturdy looking in there just in case.||
  920. [2016-05-11 21:45:18] <Antioch|GM> ((Brawl, grapple))
  921. [2016-05-11 21:45:24] <Antioch|GM> $roll 1d6 Struggle
  922. [2016-05-11 21:45:24] <[ATM]> Antioch|GM "Struggle" [2] = 2
  923. [2016-05-11 21:45:27] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6+1 brawl
  924. [2016-05-11 21:45:27] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "brawl" [5] +1 = 6
  925. [2016-05-11 21:45:31] <Firlz|Khandhas> $roll 1d6+1 grapple
  926. [2016-05-11 21:45:31] <[ATM]> Firlz|Khandhas "grapple" [3] +1 = 4
  927. [2016-05-11 21:46:10] <Antioch|GM> One of you grabs the guy while the other one sucker-punches him until he pukes on the asphalt and falls on the floor.
  928. [2016-05-11 21:46:13] <Antioch|GM> That's that, you suppose.
  929. [2016-05-11 21:46:43] <Antioch|GM> Meanwhile, the tranquilized guard is cuffed using his belt to a chair in the booth.
  930. [2016-05-11 21:47:01] <Antioch|GM> Gunfire continues, and above it is the sound of shouting.
  931. [2016-05-11 21:47:08] <Antioch|GM> Might very well be other parties involved. ||
  932. [2016-05-11 21:47:24] <Firlz|Khandhas> Fuck, that's annoying.
  933. [2016-05-11 21:48:39] <Firlz|Khandhas> The self at the guard station makes his way over to the cars. One of the selves there does the same tying-up with that thug's belt and checks him to disarm the guy of anything useful. ONE of these fucks has to have keys, right? The other self by the cars keeps watch to make sure nothing is preparing to attack us.||
  934. [2016-05-11 21:51:31] <Antioch|GM> Knife, keys, phone. One of those is the keys to an old Toyota -- the manufacturer never bounced back after so many of their factories were damaged in Kyushu. It corresponds to one of the parked cars, so it seems. There are other keys on the fob you don't know the purpose of. ||
  935. [2016-05-11 21:52:24] <Firlz|Khandhas> We can figure those out later. Free vehicle will be good for transporting any loot, so yay for that.
  936. [2016-05-11 21:54:07] <Firlz|Khandhas> We take the phone and remove the battery before taking it with us. Once the third self gets there he'll find a spot to hide for a bit and the other two will pop. We'll reform making copies of the knives, keys, and other items removed from the guard and thug to make sure they come with us and not need to store them. If we revert to a single self lat
  937. [2016-05-11 21:54:07] <Firlz|Khandhas> er, the option to go lethal with the pistol is good.||
  938. [2016-05-11 21:55:33] <Antioch|GM> Spots to hide are a little tough to come by. The booth is an option, and the cars, as well, now that the shanker is out of commission. Still, the motion on the roof makes you a little more paranoid than usual. ||
  939. [2016-05-11 21:58:09] <Firlz|Khandhas> The self that just arrived attempts to head back to the booth with all the equipment, the other two selves keep watch to see what the heck is going on. A reset would still be good if we're going to continue. Whatever complaints we might have had about it being 'too easy' before are far less present with less of a safety net. It's rather strange how
  940. [2016-05-11 21:58:09] <Firlz|Khandhas> a small reduction in extra lives ups the ante near-immediately.||
  941. [2016-05-11 22:00:52] * Thaliaway is now known as Thalia
  942. [2016-05-11 22:01:45] <Antioch|GM> Before you start resetting, a thump atop the booth startles you, and you raise the pistol reactively.
  943. [2016-05-11 22:02:53] <Antioch|GM> A figure leans over the edge of the roof, peering into the security booth. In the dark, it's difficult to see their face, but it's masked in black, a few white or silver lines along the side.
  944. [2016-05-11 22:03:32] <Antioch|GM> "I dunno who you are, guy, but thanks for the distraction, mm?" ||
  945. [2016-05-11 22:04:54] * soulpelt| is now known as soulpelt|sleep
  946. [2016-05-11 22:05:56] <Firlz|Khandhas> Well if he's gonna chat.."You actually done in there? If not I've got no objection to helping clean them out. I'm a bit out on a limb here, mind filling your distraction in on what's going on?" the selves by the cars keep watch and make sure nothing is going to pop them unnecessarily. With an unknown cape suddenly THEY are the safe selves...||
  947. [2016-05-11 22:07:51] <Antioch|GM> "Caitiff," the cape replies, flipping themselves into the booth along with you and the cuffed guard. "Pleasure t'meet you."
  948. [2016-05-11 22:08:03] <Antioch|GM> Glossing over the elaborations of what he's doing there, he extends a handshake instead. "And you?" ||
  949. [2016-05-11 22:10:32] <Firlz|Khandhas> "Khandhas" the self by him takes his hand. "seriously, I don't really care what you needed to get from there, just need to know if there's anything in there still" we are very careful to use the singular pronoun here. It takes a bit of extra through to not reflectively use 'we' but it's doable. "If not, then it's still possibly worth brownie points
  950. [2016-05-11 22:10:33] <Firlz|Khandhas> by calling in the white-hats to clean up this place since it's Blackjack affiliated as far as I can tell."||
  951. [2016-05-11 22:15:11] <Antioch|GM> "Oh, have no fear, by the time we're done, there won't be anything left," he chuckles.
  952. [2016-05-11 22:15:49] <Antioch|GM> "Let it not be said I don't appreciate your assistance, though."
  953. [2016-05-11 22:16:35] <Antioch|GM> He flips a coin towards you. ||
  954. [2016-05-11 22:18:06] <Firlz|Khandhas> The self there tries to catch it. Might have some clue if it's an irregular coin.
  955. [2016-05-11 22:20:29] <Firlz|Khandhas> "Already here anyway, got use for more assistance? Hopefully excessive force will mean we don't need anyone getting killed in there I might not like these guys but there are hardly better options for them in the city as it is. You guys with any particular faction in town? Maybe I'm wrong but I get more of a vigilante or hero vibe than villain from
  956. [2016-05-11 22:20:29] <Firlz|Khandhas> you, which is surprising in this town."||
  957. [2016-05-11 22:21:33] <Antioch|GM> "Buddy," he snorts as you snatch the coin out of the air. "Do you know what Caitiff means?"
  958. [2016-05-11 22:22:12] <Antioch|GM> It's oddly dense for its size, thick as well, and its dark metal barely gleams in the low light. There's a pattern on it, but you can't puzzle it out by touch alone.
  959. [2016-05-11 22:22:36] <Antioch|GM> "Aaaand, well, if you're worried about the guys in there, I hate to break it to ya..." ||
  960. [2016-05-11 22:26:49] <Firlz|Khandhas> we have a bad feeling this sentence is about to end with 'you've got bigger problems.' the self with him puts the coin down on the countertop preparing to try and dodge and retaliate if he attacks. "Worried ain't exactly the right word. Might've killed 'em myself depending on how things went. But if it's truly well in hand then it just seems wastef
  961. [2016-05-11 22:26:49] <Firlz|Khandhas> ul." that self shrugs "to each his own"||
  962. [2016-05-11 22:29:02] <Antioch|GM> "Blackjack's a crumbling empire, my friend. All I'm doing is chipping at the foundation to help it along."
  963. [2016-05-11 22:29:29] <Antioch|GM> "But I'm guessin' you came here for something? Would hate for you to leave empty-handed..." ||
  964. [2016-05-11 22:30:19] <Firlz|Khandhas> "can't disagree on either count. What'd you have in mind?"||
  965. [2016-05-11 22:33:19] <Antioch|GM> "Well, largely depends on what you came here for. Tinkertech? Product? A good ol' fashioned punch-em-up to pass the time?"
  966. [2016-05-11 22:34:03] <Firlz|Khandhas> ((||?))
  967. [2016-05-11 22:34:32] <Antioch|GM> "Oh," he pauses, "by the by, in case you didn't know, a caitiff is a coward. A bastard, a scoundrel, an all-around contemptible person."
  968. [2016-05-11 22:34:32] <Antioch|GM> He offers this explanation while grinning, mask creasing at the cheeks. ||
  969. [2016-05-11 22:37:31] ⇐ SOMA quit (uid136321@highgate.irccloud.com): Quit: Connection closed for inactivity
  970. [2016-05-11 22:43:02] <Firlz|Khandhas> we can't help but find that funny. The self standing there chuckles out loud before responding "If I'd known that I might have considered it for myself when this whole thing started. Small world, I guess." we pause for a moment "Came here primarily looking for tinkertech and ordinance, and any files or data that might lead to something interesting.
  971. [2016-05-11 22:43:02] <Firlz|Khandhas> Never know what some random goon left sitting unprotected on his boss's laptop." we considered going into why, but he probably doesn't care "Didn't expect this to be one of their drug houses, but it wouldn't be too surprising if it was, either. Mind if I take a look at the haul and pick out a few things?
  972. [2016-05-11 22:43:05] <Firlz|Khandhas> "||
  973. [2016-05-11 22:43:43] <Antioch|GM> "Sure, if you don't mind the mess."
  974. [2016-05-11 22:44:36] <Antioch|GM> "So," he says, sauntering towards the building, "why don't we walk and talk. You're a local, right, know the lay of the land?" ||
  975. [2016-05-11 22:45:47] → Megafire joined (Megafire@net-56lide.dynamic.ziggo.nl)
  976. [2016-05-11 22:49:25] * Serk is now known as ZZZSerk
  977. [2016-05-11 22:50:44] <Firlz|Khandhas> That self goes with him the other two stay by the cars for now. No point in popping just yet we suppose. "More recent than some, but I guess by now I am. Hasn't even been a year yet afterall." heck it hasn't even been HALF a year yet, has it? "Protectorate is up north, the east is Blackjack and various smaller groups, west is mostly borgata- mobste
  978. [2016-05-11 22:50:44] <Firlz|Khandhas> rs, and the far northwest is old Huangtian territory. Not sure if they're still a gang or what, been quiet since the old CUI faction got taken out. Haddon Parahuman Investigative Agency is the closest thing we've got to neutrals, I get contract work from them sometimes. They're in the business of knowing things, so if you're looking for a first con
  979. [2016-05-11 22:50:44] <Firlz|Khandhas> tact or for something more specific they're the ones to check out. There's others, but those are the big ones someone new to town should really know about."||
  980. [2016-05-11 22:52:08] ⇐ Megafire quit (Megafire@net-56lide.dynamic.ziggo.nl): Ping timeout: 181 seconds
  981. [2016-05-11 22:52:25] <Antioch|GM> "Whoa, whoa, pal, that's a lot to take in at once."
  982. [2016-05-11 22:53:10] <Antioch|GM> The two of you walk into the building, where the gas has mostly dissipated.
  983. [2016-05-11 22:53:54] <Antioch|GM> The interior is lined with ransacked crates, slumped bodies leaning against the walls or sprawled on the floor.
  984. [2016-05-11 22:55:06] <Antioch|GM> "You know a guy called Longinus?" ||
  985. [2016-05-11 23:01:15] <Firlz|Khandhas> "personally? no. Pretty sure I didn't hear the name until after behemoth so he probably wasn't even in town for more than a week before then. He just got in a fight with Blackjack like yesterday though. Big explosion deep in their territory." ((know on other random tidbits? like his classification or specialty))||
  986. [2016-05-11 23:08:56] <Antioch|GM> ((Sorry, Fir, gotta jet. Migraine is getting pretty bad, but I'm good to continue tomorrow))
  987. [2016-05-11 23:09:00] * Antioch|GM → Antioch
  988. [2016-05-11 23:09:19] <Firlz|Khandhas> ||Pause||
  989. [2016-05-11 23:09:29] * Firlz|Khandhas is now known as firlz
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  994. [2016-05-12 01:08:16] * Thalia is now known as Thaliaway
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  999. [2016-05-12 06:02:01] * soulpelt|sleep is now known as soulpelt|
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  1003. [2016-05-12 08:12:18] * ZZZSerk is now known as Serk
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  1008. [2016-05-12 10:47:22] * ColdGold is now known as CG|ThirtyTwo
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  1014. [2016-05-12 13:19:34] → Joined channel #WDCleveland
  1015. [2016-05-12 13:19:36] * Antioch_ → Antioch
  1016. [2016-05-12 13:19:40] * Channel mode is +nrt
  1017. [2016-05-12 13:19:40] * Channel timestamp is 1444948904
  1018. [2016-05-12 13:48:53] * CG|ThirtyTwo is now known as ColdGold
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  1020. [2016-05-12 15:37:29] * Serk is now known as Serk|GM
  1021. [2016-05-12 15:37:36] * Pinkhair is now known as Pink|OLED
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  1023. [2016-05-12 16:12:17] → Firlz joined (Firlz@net-t8c.vq8.12.24.IP)
  1024. [2016-05-12 16:13:04] * Antioch → Antioch|GM
  1025. [2016-05-12 16:13:18] → Megafire joined (Megafire@net-56lide.dynamic.ziggo.nl)
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  1027. [2016-05-12 16:13:50] <Antioch|GM> ((Tinker, black hole bomb, that's all you know))
  1028. [2016-05-12 16:13:58] * Firlz is now known as Firlz|khandhas
  1029. [2016-05-12 16:14:49] <Firlz|khandhas> ((I think my initial reply was the last thing to caitiff, this additional information doesn't change it))
  1030. [2016-05-12 16:14:51] <Antioch|GM> "Hum," he sniffs. "Low profile even in where he operates, huh? No matter. Know of any 'groups' of Tinkers? Enclave, Synod, Toybox, that sorta deal?" ||
  1031. [2016-05-12 16:16:35] <Firlz|khandhas> "Toybox sounds familiar, they're pretty big-time though, aren't they? Enclave and Synod don't ring a bell offhand, though."||
  1032. [2016-05-12 16:18:51] <Firlz|khandhas> -||
  1033. [2016-05-12 16:18:56] <Firlz|khandhas> ((herp derp))
  1034. [2016-05-12 16:19:19] <Firlz|khandhas> "NITRO used to be based out of Cleveland, but they left around when the Auswahlen attacks happened."||
  1035. [2016-05-12 16:19:36] <Antioch|GM> "Ooh, that's good stuff. How long ago'd they leave, where's the base?" ||
  1036. [2016-05-12 16:21:16] → yumgar joined (uid94956@charlton.irccloud.com)
  1037. [2016-05-12 16:25:11] <Firlz|khandhas> "Well, the big fight would've been late October-ish if I recall. I'd need to check my notes for other stuff. You're probably better off buying whatever info HPIA has gathered on their place if you intend to head over there yourself." While I suppose I do know more it isn't that much. Also, I DO sort of work for HPIA and this is as good a place as a
  1038. [2016-05-12 16:25:11] <Firlz|khandhas> ny to try and throw some business their way.||
  1039. [2016-05-12 16:25:54] <Antioch|GM> "You mentioned them earlier. Info brokers, you contract out to them sometimes? You here on a job for 'em or nah?" ||
  1040. [2016-05-12 16:30:20] → JustLurking joined (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net)
  1041. [2016-05-12 16:30:25] <Firlz|khandhas> self waggles its hand in a non-committal gesture "Sort of. Anything useful I find information-wise I'll of course pass along as part of my normal business, but I'm more here because you weren't wrong about Blackjack being in a bad spot, and if someone is going to hit them while they're weak I'd rather it be me than someone else, y'know?"||
  1042. [2016-05-12 16:31:34] <Antioch|GM> "Why you in particular, something personal?" ||
  1043. [2016-05-12 16:34:31] <Firlz|khandhas> "Kind of. We /just/ got rid of a really nasty faction, the CUI-friendly group. I'd feel safer knowing people like that weren't getting easy access to shit when I could stop it. Criminals and mobsters? That's just a tuesday. But those 14K fucks were something else, takes a certain kind of wrongness in the head to try to kidnap and brainwash capes fr
  1044. [2016-05-12 16:34:31] <Firlz|khandhas> om various factions. Takes something even worse to damn-near /succeed/."||
  1045. [2016-05-12 16:35:44] <Antioch|GM> "Huh. Fair enough, I s'pose."
  1046. [2016-05-12 16:36:14] <Antioch|GM> The two of you reach a more open area -- multiple individual storage units with the walls dividing them removed, to give a roomier 'warehouse' feel.
  1047. [2016-05-12 16:37:39] <Antioch|GM> No bodies here, though you can see occasional streaks of red on the floor as they've been dragged out of the way. Three more capes are picking through the pile of collected goods in the center, all in the same general color scheme of black with white and red highlighting. ||
  1048. [2016-05-12 16:38:06] <Firlz|khandhas> ((the capes are red and white or the goods are red and white?))
  1049. [2016-05-12 16:38:15] <Antioch|GM> ((The former))
  1050. [2016-05-12 16:41:50] <Firlz|khandhas> We decide that if they were going to shank us they would have already attempted it. "Crap, just remembered something. Need to check up on something else real quick on the phone." that self pulls up the fob and tosses it to catiff "Got that off one of the thugs, at least one goes to a car outside, maybe the others go to shit in here. I shouldn't be
  1051. [2016-05-12 16:41:50] <Firlz|khandhas> longer than a minute or two to check my messages." We wait for the reply and if it sounds like he's going along with it we'll pop the two outside after this self finds a side-room to check messages in private and recharge our power.||
  1052. [2016-05-12 16:43:55] ⇐ JustLurking quit (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  1053. [2016-05-12 16:45:22] <Antioch|GM> He catches the keys out of the air.
  1054. [2016-05-12 16:45:53] <Antioch|GM> "Sure, whatever. You're about to lose first dibs on the loot, just sayin'."
  1055. [2016-05-12 16:46:11] <Antioch|GM> One of the guys picking through the pile comments, "What, did he not like my face?" ||
  1056. [2016-05-12 16:49:24] <Firlz|khandhas> That self steps over to the side where he can watch and the other two selves pop leaving only the original. I take this chance and pull out the cell to see if Maia texted me anything, probably not, but might as well check. I wait for my power to recharge. Just in case things go south from here. Hopefully they won't, but I'd rather be prepared even
  1057. [2016-05-12 16:49:24] <Firlz|khandhas> if it means missing out on some of the 'loot' I call over to the one who piped up "nah, forget to check in with the lady. She might be mad if I missed something 'important' and didn't get back to her." I make it clear that I'm sarcastic about my view on 'important'.||
  1058. [2016-05-12 16:50:16] <Antioch|GM> ((subterfuge))
  1059. [2016-05-12 16:50:35] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 3h6+1! lying a bit
  1060. [2016-05-12 16:50:35] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "lying a bit" (1) (1) [2] +1 = 3
  1061. [2016-05-12 16:50:44] <Firlz|khandhas> ((of fucking course))
  1062. [2016-05-12 16:50:55] <Firlz|khandhas> ((I even told half-truthes!))
  1063. [2016-05-12 16:51:34] <Antioch|GM> "How about you hold off on that phone call 'til we're done here, buddy," one of the yet-unnamed capes says. His costume features red more prominently, flames licking up the right side of his body.
  1064. [2016-05-12 16:51:42] <Antioch|GM> "Just t'be safe."
  1065. [2016-05-12 16:52:09] <Antioch|GM> He hasn't drawn any weapon, but you get the feeling he's poised to stop you from doing anything he might not want you to do. ||
  1066. [2016-05-12 16:54:29] <Firlz|khandhas> I hold up my hands with the phone in compliance "Yes sir mister sir!" then put the phone on the ground to make it clear I'm not doing anything with it. I WAS actually just going to check on maia's texts but whatever. I walk over to the loot and ask "So, how's this work, we just dig through for things we like?"||
  1067. [2016-05-12 16:55:34] <Antioch|GM> "Hah," the fire guy says. "I like him. Where'd you find this guy, Caitiff?"
  1068. [2016-05-12 16:56:09] <Antioch|GM> He steps aside, letting you access the mishmash of assorted loot more easily.
  1069. [2016-05-12 16:57:57] <Antioch|GM> Sweating, you wait for your power to reset as you examine the pile. Firearms, briefcases with assorted grenades, briefcases with assorted bills of cash, assorted drugs in rather respectable amounts -- ah, bingo. Two of Mortal Lock's drones, both beaten-up, in need of repairs. ||
  1070. [2016-05-12 17:02:34] <Firlz|khandhas> I pull aside the drones, and the grenades to a pile of "interested, but not quite taking it yet because I haven't a clue on how this works". We can obviously quibble about portions later. Presumably cash will go last since it'd be the easiest to split at the end. I turn up to the others "Anyone know if they had computers or other stuff in here? Is
  1071. [2016-05-12 17:02:34] <Firlz|khandhas> there a tradeback policy where I add stuff to the pile to grab stuff I prefer? I nabbed a pistol and some knives off the guard and thug earlier but my aim is shit so I'd rather take more explosives if it's a choice."||
  1072. [2016-05-12 17:03:32] → Stoic joined (Stoic@net-n3k0uk.nj.comcast.net)
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  1074. [2016-05-12 17:05:43] <Antioch|GM> "Pennies to the dollar, pal. I don't think any of us here are in the market for knives," Caitiff says. "I'll be wanting one of those drones, by the way." ||
  1075. [2016-05-12 17:09:17] * Serk|GM is now known as Serk
  1076. [2016-05-12 17:09:36] <Firlz|khandhas> "Fair enough." I pull the drones to the side "quibble over who gets which later?" I ask caitiff. I try to feel whether my power is recharged, not intending to activate it suddenly but just to know. I turn my head to the fire-guy who asked "I happened to be hitting the place right around the same time you guys were, apparently. Got stuck fighting se
  1077. [2016-05-12 17:09:36] <Firlz|khandhas> curity longer than I wanted because I tripped up on the infiltration." I shrug. "Caitiff found me over by the guard booth and now we're here. I take it you guys are fairly new to town?"||
  1078. [2016-05-12 17:12:24] <Antioch|GM> "Yep. We get around, here and there. Odd jobs, opportunism, little bit of both," one of the others replies. They're wearing a voluminous hood with whiskers peeking out of it. Mask? Case 53? Dunno.
  1079. [2016-05-12 17:12:33] <Antioch|GM> Ding, power's up. That's some stress off your shoulders. ||
  1080. [2016-05-12 17:13:01] ⇐ Pink|OLED quit (Pink@net-gvuf6e.dyn.optonline.net): Quit: Leaving
  1081. [2016-05-12 17:18:25] → Pink|OLED joined (Pink@net-gvuf6e.dyn.optonline.net)
  1082. [2016-05-12 17:18:44] * Pink|OLED is now known as Pink
  1083. [2016-05-12 17:20:12] * Antioch|GM → Antioch
  1084. [2016-05-12 17:20:17] <Firlz|khandhas> ...
  1085. [2016-05-12 17:20:24] * Antioch → Antioch|GM
  1086. [2016-05-12 17:20:44] * OperServ set channel modes +e +o!*@*
  1087. [2016-05-12 17:20:44] * Channel mode set to +s by OperServ
  1088. [2016-05-12 17:20:53] <Antioch|GM> ((Oops, wrong command))
  1089. [2016-05-12 17:21:16] * Channel mode set to -s by OperServ
  1090. [2016-05-12 17:22:12] → Lid joined (Lid@net-0njhuo.fios.verizon.net)
  1091. [2016-05-12 17:23:55] * Channel mode set to +icGM by OperServ
  1092. [2016-05-12 17:24:25] * Channel mode set to -icGM by OperServ
  1093. [2016-05-12 17:24:31] <Antioch|GM> ((Gah, I'll do it later))
  1094. [2016-05-12 17:24:36] → Words^3 joined (words_3@net-n2lbad.ma.comcast.net)
  1095. [2016-05-12 17:25:00] <Firlz|khandhas> "So, I have no idea how this goes in terms of splitting and with the faux-pas earlier I'd rather not step on toes by trying to claim too much. In order I'm interested in the tinkertech, then flashbangs, smoke grenades, and other non-lethal type grenades. Then any laptops or files, then... cash? I guess."||
  1096. [2016-05-12 17:26:09] <Antioch|GM> "Dunno that I see any nonlethal grenades in there, but I can give it a closer look," Caitiff says. "Looks like frags and incendiaries to me."
  1097. [2016-05-12 17:26:55] <Antioch|GM> "No computers that we found, either, but maybe you can poke around for some paperwork? Not what we're in the market for, anyways."
  1098. [2016-05-12 17:27:11] <Antioch|GM> "One drone, some cash?"
  1099. [2016-05-12 17:27:23] <Antioch|GM> He pauses, looking at the rest of his team. "By the way, guys, you should really introduce yourself. This is Khandhas." ||
  1100. [2016-05-12 17:27:53] ← You left the channel: ""
  1101. [2016-05-12 17:27:54] → Joined channel #WDCleveland
  1102. [2016-05-12 17:27:54] * ChanServ set +q Antioch|GM
  1103. [2016-05-12 17:27:54] * ChanServ set +o Antioch|GM
  1104. [2016-05-12 17:27:54] * Channel mode is +nrt
  1105. [2016-05-12 17:27:54] * Channel timestamp is 1444948904
  1106. [2016-05-12 17:34:46] <Firlz|khandhas> I can't help but put my hand to my forehead. How did I not introduce myself earlier "Apparently I'm also rude. My bad on the forgetting my introduction. One drone, some cash, and pickin' rights when you guys are done certainly sounds fine."||
  1107. [2016-05-12 17:38:02] <Antioch|GM> Caitiff points at the other capes, left to right, and they introduce themselves accordingly.
  1108. [2016-05-12 17:38:02] <Antioch|GM> Fire-guy is Cremator, Whiskers is Verminator, and the other cape, whose costume you can now see is decorated with bone patterns, is Bone Homie. Caitiff groans when he introduces himself. ||
  1109. [2016-05-12 17:40:47] <Firlz|khandhas> I can't help but smile at the names, both verminator and Bone Homie are ridiculous the best way.
  1110. [2016-05-12 17:48:02] <Firlz|khandhas> "Oh, right. I'm mostly an independent, but these days I do quite a bit of subcontracting for Haddon Parahuman Investigative Agency. Like I told Caitiff, they buy and sell info, so if there's something you're looking for they're the ones to ask. They're also the closest thing to neutral in town."||
  1111. [2016-05-12 17:51:28] <Antioch|GM> They divvy up the cash roughly evenly, giving you an attache case full, while Caitiff grabs the drone and the other guys grab the grenades and the drugs.
  1112. [2016-05-12 17:52:28] <Antioch|GM> "Well! Pleasure running into you, but it looks like we'd better be on the move. We might bump into you again, who knows. For now, au revoir." ||
  1113. [2016-05-12 17:55:42] → Zaits joined (kvirc@net-41f.e4e.21.213.IP)
  1114. [2016-05-12 17:55:52] <Firlz|khandhas> "The same. I'm gonna get started on looking for a papertrail" at this I split into several selves, to prepare for searching, making it a point to do so while in a nonthreatening manner so that they don't get startled by the power usage.||
  1115. [2016-05-12 17:58:11] <Antioch|GM> They're alarmed when you burst into five people, save for Caitiff. Cremator leaps back, while Verminator and Bone Homie leap forward, before Caitiff raises his hand, an unspoken order to stand down. ||
  1116. [2016-05-12 17:59:39] <Firlz|khandhas> "Oh, ah. Didn't mean to surprise anyone, easier to search like this." we send selves to start checking the various rooms for items. While one stays behind to talk if they have anything else to say.||
  1117. [2016-05-12 18:01:29] <Antioch|GM> They don't, as it happens -- they're in the process of packing up the loot, heading out.
  1118. [2016-05-12 18:02:08] <Antioch|GM> Looking at the thugs who are piled on the floor or against the wall, you find that the ones you examine are alive, albeit mangled here and there, generally their limbs. ||
  1119. [2016-05-12 18:05:19] <Firlz|khandhas> Well, that's something. We try to see which ones are safe to move and relocate them all into one room where they can be watched by a single self easily, two selves remain looking around for anything useful or valuable. Papers, files, computers, manifests. Who knows.||
  1120. [2016-05-12 18:05:55] <Antioch|GM> Shifting them causes a few of them to scream until they black out. You rethink that strategy.
  1121. [2016-05-12 18:06:20] <Antioch|GM> No computers that you can find, though many of the thugs on the floor have cell phones. Incriminating texts, maybe?
  1122. [2016-05-12 18:06:49] <Antioch|GM> No paper trail, either, which is disappointing, but it at least makes partial sense for the managing of illicit goods. ||
  1123. [2016-05-12 18:10:01] <Firlz|khandhas> One self heads outside to see if those guys made it away already, once they're safely on their way it might be worth calling the police–after stashing our own ill-gotten-gains of course. For now one self picks up the phone to see if Maia had any texts for us.||
  1124. [2016-05-12 18:19:06] * soulpelt| is now known as soulpelt|nap
  1125. [2016-05-12 18:23:21] → Dolyn joined (Dolyn@net-9pf5lr.mo.charter.com)
  1126. [2016-05-12 18:31:27] <Antioch|GM> ((Sorry, nose exploded on me))
  1127. [2016-05-12 18:31:45] <Firlz|khandhas> ((uh, are you okay?))
  1128. [2016-05-12 18:32:40] <Antioch|GM> ((Yeah, just allergies))
  1129. [2016-05-12 18:33:23] <Antioch|GM> Your ill-gotten gains are sufficient for the bike -- you belatedly realize that you've left the keys to the Toyota to Caitiff, who didn't even bother to take the car. Oops.
  1130. [2016-05-12 18:34:27] <Antioch|GM> Your phone doesn't have any texts from anyone, Maia or otherwise. The gate has been rolled back, though. ||
  1131. [2016-05-12 18:37:56] * Dolyn is now known as Dol|Nona
  1132. [2016-05-12 18:38:13] <Firlz|khandhas> With all the items we're taking for the night we have the self by the bike ride it off to a slightly different location and have one of the other selves dial up 911 on one of the thugs' phones. Might as well help the good guys get a win out of this as well.||
  1133. [2016-05-12 18:40:10] <Antioch|GM> The police dispatch asks for the usual - location, incident, name, please stay on the line, sir, who were you again? - as you ease on away with the loot. ||
  1134. [2016-05-12 18:42:26] <Firlz|khandhas> The self on the thug's phone gives them the address, states 'gang fight', and gives our cape name. Also mentions that parahumans appeared involved but are not present other than ourself if they want to get PRT involved, some serious injuries but nothing looks life threatening from what we can tell.||
  1135. [2016-05-12 18:43:55] <Antioch|GM> The injuries, so far as you can glean from closer inspection, are mostly compound fractures. Forearm, shinbone, some ribs, varying from person to person. They're already swelling, turning red and bloated. You're... not actually sure if it's life threatening? Something about blood clots and bone marrow gives you pause, but it's not like anything vital got
  1136. [2016-05-12 18:43:55] <Antioch|GM> hit. ||
  1137. [2016-05-12 18:47:27] <Firlz|khandhas> Still on the line the self there continues "Uh, actually might be worse than we thought. Not sure? Maybe bad, maybe fine? Upgrade from probably not life threatening to not /clearly/ life threatening but still totally possible? Is there a chart for assessing this stuff?"||
  1138. [2016-05-12 18:52:20] <Antioch|GM> After you describe the injuries in more detail and give a headcount of the wounded, the dispatcher tells you they're sending ambulances. ||
  1139. [2016-05-12 18:53:21] <Firlz|khandhas> Sounds about right. We suppose. The self with the phone asks if we should be waiting for anyone other than the police or if they can take our statement.||
  1140. [2016-05-12 18:55:25] ⇐ Thaliaway quit (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net): Connection closed
  1141. [2016-05-12 18:56:08] <Antioch|GM> ((They being the police, or the dispatch?))
  1142. [2016-05-12 18:56:23] <Firlz|khandhas> ((police))
  1143. [2016-05-12 18:56:38] <Firlz|khandhas> ((unless they're going to be SUPER long because fuck that))
  1144. [2016-05-12 18:57:20] → Thalia joined (secret@net-ehma5b.or.comcast.net)
  1145. [2016-05-12 18:57:44] <Antioch|GM> The police are gonna be the ones who you're gonna talk to. Ten, fifteen minutes until they show up, since you're not near any active police stations. They're still reopening some of the ones that got abandoned, and haven't yet had the opportunity to do so in Blackjack's territory. ||
  1146. [2016-05-12 19:00:43] <Firlz|khandhas> That's not too bad a wait we suppose. Gives us a chance to sweep the place for anything else just in case there is something caitiff and the rest missed. Maybe check for secret compartments, seems unlikely considering how much stuff was in the open, but who knows how or why they might want something put away that only top-brass would know about. A
  1147. [2016-05-12 19:00:43] <Firlz|khandhas> bug-out kit with enough cash to try and restart the gang elsewhere if things went south. Definitely the sort of thing I'd want if I was a supervillain.||
  1148. [2016-05-12 19:01:17] <Antioch|GM> ((Investigate / awareness))
  1149. [2016-05-12 19:01:44] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 4d6 awareness checks
  1150. [2016-05-12 19:01:44] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "awareness checks" [4] [6] [6] [5] = 21
  1151. [2016-05-12 19:02:00] ⇐ ThalAI quit (ThalAI@net-stg.hv9.246.50.IP): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  1152. [2016-05-12 19:02:11] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 2h6 investigate 1
  1153. [2016-05-12 19:02:11] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "investigate 1" (3) [5] = 5
  1154. [2016-05-12 19:02:13] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 2h6 investigate 2
  1155. [2016-05-12 19:02:13] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "investigate 2" [6] (2) = 6
  1156. [2016-05-12 19:02:15] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 2h6 investigate 3
  1157. [2016-05-12 19:02:15] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "investigate 3" [6] (4) = 6
  1158. [2016-05-12 19:02:17] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 2h6 investigate 4
  1159. [2016-05-12 19:02:17] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "investigate 4" [3] (1) = 3
  1160. [2016-05-12 19:03:02] ⇐ Lid quit (Lid@net-0njhuo.fios.verizon.net): Quit: http://www.kiwiirc.com/ - A hand crafted IRC client
  1161. [2016-05-12 19:03:11] <Antioch|GM> Your scouring of the general area indicates that this isn't a particularly important location to Blackjack as an organization, moreso one of many places to store items permanently or in transit.
  1162. [2016-05-12 19:03:31] <Antioch|GM> On the bright side, you do yank an antenna off the roof. Maybe it's for Mortal Lock, or maybe you fucked this place out of all the good channels. ||
  1163. [2016-05-12 19:04:56] <Firlz|khandhas> We decide to check the antenna for anything that looks like an addition Lock might be using to boost its signal and send some selves to try and trace where its wiring leads to find any connections "upstream" so to speak.||
  1164. [2016-05-12 19:06:02] <Firlz|khandhas> ((boost/alter/whatever, something that wouldn't normally be there that is part of what he uses))
  1165. [2016-05-12 19:06:39] <Antioch|GM> Nothing of the former -- that, or you haven't a clue what you're looking for -- but following the wiring seems to lead to a small metal box. Power source? Mini computer? Fucked if you know. ||
  1166. [2016-05-12 19:07:55] <Firlz|khandhas> We send one of our selves out toward the self with the bike to pick up our phone, maybe take some pictures, text maia on if she can make anything out of it.||
  1167. [2016-05-12 19:09:08] <Antioch|GM> She isn't sure, even after you send the picture. A power source is her best guess. At this point, the police have arrived, along with some paramedics -- the injured thugs are carefully lifted into the ambulances, while the police take your statement. ||
  1168. [2016-05-12 19:14:49] <Firlz|khandhas> I give them an abridged but accurate version of the events "Was investigating nearby, heard gunshots. Tried to head in and figure out what was going on. Guard tried to shoot me, tranqed him. Another one shanked a clone, had to choke him out. Saw what looked like a group of capes leaving with what was clearly loot, cases like you'd see for drugs and
  1169. [2016-05-12 19:14:49] <Firlz|khandhas> shit. Going out on a limb but this was probably a Blackjack hub for keeping either incoming or outgoing stuff." There, a full and complete story of the events, in the order they happened, and all of it true. Just missing a ton of other stuff that the police need not concern themselves with. If they want to know more they can ask. We have a self lo
  1170. [2016-05-12 19:14:49] <Firlz|khandhas> ok at the power-box while two selves try to help the medics since we have extra bodies and nothing to do with them for now. Maybe it'll be enough to let the self by the junction box to open it up and see if we can't nab some sort of neat tinker power source.||
  1171. [2016-05-12 19:15:00] <Firlz|khandhas> -||
  1172. [2016-05-12 19:15:12] <Firlz|khandhas> Or it could just be a normal one... which would be pretty disappointing.||
  1173. [2016-05-12 19:15:41] <Antioch|GM> ((Subterfuge, dex/wits))
  1174. [2016-05-12 19:15:56] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 3h6+1! subt
  1175. [2016-05-12 19:15:56] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "subt" (1) [2] (2) +1 = 3
  1176. [2016-05-12 19:16:11] <Firlz|khandhas> ((sunova...))
  1177. [2016-05-12 19:16:18] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 1d6 wits
  1178. [2016-05-12 19:16:18] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "wits" [5] = 5
  1179. [2016-05-12 19:16:26] <Firlz|khandhas> $roll 1d6-1 dex
  1180. [2016-05-12 19:16:26] <[ATM]> Firlz|khandhas "dex" [4] -1 = 3
  1181. [2016-05-12 19:18:15] <Antioch|GM> The cop writes down your story without any comment. "Any more description you can give about the group of capes?"
  1182. [2016-05-12 19:18:15] <Antioch|GM> Another one of the policemen pulls out his phone to make or receive a call.
  1183. [2016-05-12 19:18:42] <Antioch|GM> Meanwhile, upstairs, the box blows up when you try to tamper it, destroying that clone. At least it was you and not a cop, eh? ||
  1184. [2016-05-12 19:18:48] → JustLurking joined (JustLurking@net-d2vdf5.mn.comcast.net)
  1185. [2016-05-12 19:20:10] <Firlz|khandhas> "ow" the self talking to the cop said "uh so, there's a junction-box upstairs connected to the radio-system, looked weird so we had a self keeping an eye on it. Just blew up. Probably tinkertech"
  1186. [2016-05-12 19:24:51] ⇐ Megafire quit (Megafire@net-56lide.dynamic.ziggo.nl): Ping timeout: 181 seconds
  1187. [2016-05-12 19:25:14] <Firlz|khandhas> that self quickly shifts back to the question "definitely three to five guys. Definitely didn't recognize them as anyone from around town, so likely new guys. Lots of reds and whites and... stripes? on the outfits. Good enough to take out the place with bullets flying around so they aren't likely amateurs. Since they didn't kill anyone it doesn't s
  1188. [2016-05-12 19:25:14] <Firlz|khandhas> eem like they had any particular grudge, probably found the place and decided to get a good haul since they were here. We'll take some notes when we get home and see if we can't check it against other stuff to tell the PRT more later. There's probably a thread on PHO somewhere that'll have pictures and names if they're a big deal."||
  1189. [2016-05-12 19:27:06] <Antioch|GM> The officer doesn't press you further, with respect to the statement, and you're more or less free to go. ||
  1190. [2016-05-12 19:29:48] ⇐ Words^3 quit (words_3@net-n2lbad.ma.comcast.net): Quit:
  1191. [2016-05-12 19:29:51] <Firlz|khandhas> More or less sounds like a yes to us. We finish helping out the paramedics and say goodbye before popping the selves other than the one by the bike. Good idea to drop off the loot somewhere before heading anywhere else. Be rather embarassing if some random thief stole the bike and took the loot with it. There should be at least a few thousand dolla
  1192. [2016-05-12 19:29:52] <Firlz|khandhas> rs in that briefcase alone which isn't terrible for one day. Hopefully tens of thousands, that'd be much better.
  1193. [2016-05-12 19:31:41] <Firlz|khandhas> We make our way back to HPIA to drop off the drone in a back office and ask check whether Bel has some place to store "risky" stuff while we check on any news and look to plan the next hit if it looks like the night is still young enough to allow it.||
  1194. [2016-05-12 19:31:53] <Antioch|GM> ((Dags, you mean?)
  1195. [2016-05-12 19:32:06] <Firlz|khandhas> ((dammit, I did it again))
  1196. [2016-05-12 19:32:13] <Firlz|khandhas> ((yes ;_;))
  1197. [2016-05-12 19:33:28] <Antioch|GM> There's a place within the office to store sensitive or risky goods, but it's colloquially known as "under Dags' desk", so there's that. The cash is decent, five and a half thou. You've spend the entirety of today traipsing about, and regardless of how young the night is, you're kind of beat. ||
  1198. [2016-05-12 19:35:40] <Firlz|khandhas> Five grand is definitely something. More than I've made in a single day /ever/ I'm pretty sure. Takes the sting out of the fight not seeming as exciting as I'd secretly hoped.
  1199. [2016-05-12 19:36:02] <Firlz|khandhas> I can understand what attracts capes to villainy that's for sure.
  1200. [2016-05-12 19:39:05] <Firlz|khandhas> If I'm not going out then maybe tonight is a good time to finally visit Kusakabe. I still feel bad I haven't made more time for that earlier. He's at the same hospital TGK works out of right? Maybe Blake can figure out what nonsense is going on with the drone and can give me a lead on where the main hub is. Not as 'exciting' as a raid, but still wo
  1201. [2016-05-12 19:39:05] <Firlz|khandhas> rthwhile, nonetheless. I let maia know where I'll be and ask her if there's anything Kusa'll want me to bring with.||
  1202. [2016-05-12 19:40:33] <Antioch|GM> Late enough that the hospital's not likely to let any guests in, parahuman or no. You make a promise to yourself to stop by tomorrow, though you're aware that such precommitments haven't held much water in the past. ||
  1203. [2016-05-12 19:42:54] <Firlz|khandhas> Should probably use it as a chance to meet up with forgemaster and let him know what was up with his armor... Have I always been such a flake?
  1204. [2016-05-12 19:43:02] <Firlz|khandhas> ... Probably.
  1205. [2016-05-12 19:46:49] <Firlz|khandhas> I head home so that I can change out of my costume and go to bed. I make it a point to actually set an alarm for bright and early. The obnoxiousness of it should be enough of an impetus to actually go to the hospital. Tonight deserves a reward, though, so I'll drink from the bottle Dags gave me from the Royal Flush incident. Some smooth expensive a
  1206. [2016-05-12 19:46:49] <Firlz|khandhas> lcohol should take the edge off before I go to bed. ((I'm good to go when you are))
  1207. [2016-05-12 19:46:50] <Firlz|khandhas> ||
  1208. [2016-05-12 19:47:15] <Antioch|GM> ||||
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