Witch and Koan, Lady Luck

[15:52] <Strategist14> Koan directs your attention to an older lady sitting on a bench.
[15:52] <Strategist14> Koan: "Ready when you are."
[15:52] <ATtheorytime> "Let's go"
[15:52]  * ATtheorytime approaches Lady Luck
[15:53] == ATtheorytime has changed nick to Wi
[15:53] == Wi has changed nick to Witch_
[15:53] <Strategist14> She looks up at you.  "Oh, hello.  Lovely afternoon."
[15:54] <Witch_> "Nice afternoon"
[15:54] <Witch_> (Is LL sitting down or what?)
[15:54] <Strategist14> She is indeed
[15:55]  * Witch_ gestures with a hand "May I sit?"
[15:55] <Strategist14> "Certainly."  She offers you a polite smile, though you get the feeling she's trying to gauge your motive.
[15:56]  * Witch_ smiles back from under her hood
[15:56]  * Witch_ sits down next to LL
[15:56] <Witch_> "My name is Witch, and as you can tell from my costume, I am a cape"
[15:56] <Strategist14> "Yes."
[15:57] <Witch_> "I was asked to come here to make introductions and an offer. Would you mind sharing your name?"
[15:58] <Strategist14> "... Emily," she lies.
[15:59] <Witch_> "I meant the name you'd like your cape persona to be identified as"
[15:59] <Witch_> "That is, assuming you have something picked out"
[15:59] <Strategist14> "I've been thinking of a few options."
[15:59] <Strategist14> "Why are you here?"
[16:00] <Witch_> "Are you affiliated with any group of capes yet?"
[16:00] <Strategist14> "That depends."
[16:01] <Strategist14> You're pretty sure that translates to her having received offers.
[16:01] <Witch_> "It would be a shame if you were, considering that I was sent here from Vanguard to recruit you. I should hope you haven't accepted any other offers yet prematurely"
[16:03] <Strategist14> "Was now really the best time?"  She gives you a judgmental look.
[16:04] <Witch_> "The higher-ups feared you were already affiliated with another team to the point of bringing several other combative capes here should we incite a fight"
[16:05] <Witch_> "Altogether unprovoked if you ask me. But I'm kinda apathetic towards hiring new people, at least, ones I don't see being immediately useful"
[16:06] <Strategist14> "Why do they want me so bad, then?"
[16:06] <Strategist14> "Bad enough to threaten a fight."
[16:07] <Witch_> "I have no idea. Although I'm from Vanguard, I think it's another group of capes that want you. From what I've heard of your powers you don't seem like a major player, unless they're hiding information from me"
[16:07] <Witch_> "See, they sent me because I'm the best recruiter, not because I'm the most informed"
[16:08]  * Witch_ scans the area for Koan
[16:09] <Witch_> (Sweeps her eyes across the scene"
[16:09] <Strategist14> "You asked to get to talk!"  He calls from his position leaning against a tree a short distance away
[16:09] <Strategist14> LL glances up at him in poorly-concealed worry
[16:09] <Witch_> "That's Koan, he's also from Vanguard"
[16:10] <Witch_> "Don't worry, he's mostly harmless"
[16:10] <Strategist14> She's feeling trapped.  There are too many people, and could easily be more.
[16:10] <Strategist14> "I... think I should go."  LL stands up.
[16:11] <Witch_> "Shall we arrange a meeting another time then? On your terms?"
[16:11] <Witch_> "I can give you our contact information should you like"
[16:11] <Strategist14> "No, no, I think once is quite enough."
[16:12] <Strategist14> "Alright," Koan, shaking his head, starts walking forwards.  "Witch, ears closed."
[16:12] <Witch_> "Koan, back off."
[16:13] <Witch_> "Emily, one last thing before you go"
[16:13] <Witch_> "I don't peg you as an independent cape"
[16:14] <Strategist14> She doesn't respond.  Koan has stopped his approach.
[16:14] <Witch_> "That means, you'll have to choose a side, you'll be targeted by other organizations like ours for the rest of your life"
[16:14] <Witch_> *or
[16:14] <Witch_> "The heroes aren't a bad side to be with"
[16:15]  * Witch_ ends her thoughts and settles deeper back on the bench
[16:17] <Strategist14> "How did you even know I... ?" She asks
[16:17] <Witch_> "I was just fed info by this other team who wants to recruit you"
[16:17] <Strategist14> "Thing is," Koan nods, "you're a pretty scary person."
[16:18] <Witch_> "All they told me was your alias of 'Lady Luck' and a basic power description"
[16:18] <Strategist14> She backs away further.  "You don't know that."
[16:19]  * Witch_ shrugs
[16:19] <Witch_> "You're right. We don't"
[16:19] <Strategist14> She gives a tell, like she's just gotten away with a lie.
[16:20] <Witch_> "We also don't know that you aren't dangerous"
[16:20] <Strategist14> Except that you didn't notice any
[16:21] <Strategist14> "Course she is.  Uncontrollable power.  Those never work well."  Koan presses a hand to his forehead.  "But it doesn't have to be something that ruins your life, either."
[16:22] <Witch_> "Jeez Koan. Knock it off, will ya? This isn't good cop/bad cop
[16:22] <Strategist14> "Then stop tryna play bad cop."
[16:23] <Witch_> "You're throwing out all of these heavy implications and intimidating phrases"
[16:23] <Witch_> "Implying something bad is gonna happen"
[16:23] <Strategist14> "Look.  I'm trying to offer sanctuary.  I work with a lot of people who can't control their side effects.  Heck, *I* can't control my side effects."
[16:23] <Witch_> "You're not gonna make any friends that way"
[16:23] <Witch_> "Meanwhile I'm being truthful honest and open about the situation as I see it"
[16:24] <Witch_> "I'm not pressuring her to give me an answer, or contact us, and I'm giving her the chance to leave whenever she likes with no consequences"
[16:24] <Witch_> "Sure I could pressure her into joining us, but if she doesn't want to on her own there is no point"
[16:24] <Strategist14> " 'cept the implication that we can track her down again."
[16:25] <Strategist14> Lady Luck, at this point, is looking back and forth between you two, equal parts scared and confused.
[16:25] <Witch_> "We probably could, but we have no reason or need to"
[16:26] <Witch_> "If she wants to be a villain or independent I'm not gonna stop her. It's her choice to make. If she doesn't want to join us I'm not gonna stop her. I'm not gonna force her into anything"
[16:26] <Strategist14> "Nobody should be forcing anybody!"
[16:27] <Strategist14> "Look.  Emily.  Just go home.  We clearly don't know what we're doing."
[16:27] <Strategist14> "Uh..."  She blinks.
[16:27] <Witch_> "This happened when he tried to recruit me too"
[16:27] <Witch_> "He's really not very good at it"
[16:28]  * Witch_ winks and smiles capriciously
[16:28] <Strategist14> He chuckles.  "Yeah, sorry.  We're really awful at presenting a unified front."
[16:28] <Strategist14> "Any chance we can start again?"
[16:28] <Strategist14> Make a Wits check
[16:29] == Tyche[Dice] [[email protected]] has joined #RPGStuck_EmptyRoom
[16:30] <Witch_> Roll 1d6-1
[16:30] <Witch_> !Roll 1d6-1
[16:30] <Tyche[Dice]> Witch_ rolled : 1d6-1 --> [ 1d6=1 ]{0}
[16:31] <Strategist14> !Roll 1d6
[16:31] <Tyche[Dice]> Strategist14 rolled : 1d6 --> [ 1d6=2 ]{2}
[16:32] <Strategist14> A splitting headache strikes you.  Koan and LL both wince
[16:33] <Strategist14> "Sorry."  Koan offers a falsely-sympathetic smile, and lies "That was an accident."
[16:33] <Witch_> "Koan."
[16:34]  * Witch_ shoots him a icy glare
[16:34] <Strategist14> "I can't turn it off."  He shrugs.
[16:35] <Witch_> "Just because I'm not going to use my power on her doesn't mean I won't target you"
[16:36] <Strategist14> "See, NOW whose fault is it that we can't-"  He claps a hand over his mouth.
[16:37] <Witch_> "I apologize to you Emily, I'm incredibly sorry for this..."
[16:37] <Witch_> "Horrible clusterfuck of disorganization"
[16:37] <Strategist14> Koan mumbles something through his hand that sounds vaguely akin to "hopscotch"
[16:39] <Strategist14> "Er, yes, well...  I... think I had better be leaving."  LL glances behind her to make sure there's no third cape lying in wait.
[16:40] <Strategist14> "We aren't going to stop you."  Koan waves her off.  "Sorry for ruining your afternoon."
[16:45] <Strategist14> LL absconds
[16:52] <Strategist14> "So..."
[16:52] <Strategist14> "That could have gone a tiny bit better."