[Game Thread] Act 21 Scene 6 Charleston

[case]

Oswald Oswald looked down at Zella for a long moment. She wasn’t looking up at him anymore. Instead she stared down, as if speaking to the ground, her head bowed, dark hair veiling her face. Her voice was quiet and laced with pain, every word whispered as if she was in a confessional. He had done this, he knew. He had driven her to it. Some would call it cruel. And if the headlights of passing cars illuminated their tableau - Zella collapsed on the ground in front of him, him looming over her - he knew it would look bad. It would look like he had struck her. Beat her. Before, they would have looked like two people having an intense conversation by the roadway - slightly unusual, but not alarming. Now, it could be worthy of a call to the police. Oswald knelt down in front of her, grimacing as the fine gabardine of his Burberry Prorsum suit touched the dirt. Did Charleston even have dry cleaners capable of handling Italian wool? He shuddered inside. “That’s a hell of a lot to process,” he said, quietly. “It’s unfair. Certainly nothing you deserve. You’re a good person.” He reached out and put his hands over hers, holding them gently but firmly. His voice was also gentle as he spoke. “Look, you don’t have to accept my help. I know I’m not your favorite person. I know you didn’t ask for any of this. I’m just saying, don’t push everyone away. Don’t isolate yourself. The team, everyone in there, just wants you to be okay. Don’t hold them at arm’s length. Tell them what you need. Even if it’s hard, let them in. Everyone will be better for it. You’re not alone. Not anymore.”

[Humble Athena]

Zella unleashed an unexpectedly unladylike snort. "Being alone is familiar territory. I can manage that. It's being surrounded by a menagerie of humans who care too much that I don't know what to do with." She sighed, raising her head enough to look at his hands on hers for a second, before pulling back and rising to her feet in an eerily balanced motion. "I am supposed to be the one with knowledge, advice, and answers. As old as I am, the rest of you are almost like children to me. And as dangerous as this job is, I have no right to burden any of you with my problems." she winced, turning her head away again. "But the truth is, if I cannot find solutions fast, I become a danger to everyone around me. So yes, I do need your help, if only for everyone else's sake. But you need to understand what that means." She pressed her hands together in front of her, downward steeple. "A 'proper meal' isn't going to make me particularly useful. It just means I won't go feral. I've only ever had two things to offer: knowledge and magic. As far as my magical talents go, they never were that strong to begin with, and they're even less dependable now. And knowledge? If there really is an entirely different species of vampire that I've never even heard about, well then I must not have been as educated as I was under the impression."   PHYSICAL STATISTICS Str 5/5 Dex 5/5 End 8/8 Int 9/9 Edu 10/10 Soc 4/4 Psi 0/0 DMs: 0: -3, 1-2: -2, 3-5: -1, 6-8: +0, 9-11: +1, 12-14: +2, 15+: +3 Senses: normal Rad. Dose: 5 Non-Combat: Initiative Result : Current Armor: Combat: Free Actions: Minor Actions: Significant Actions: Reactions:

[case]

Oswald Oswald looked up at Zella. She had risen abruptly, in an unnaturally smooth way. It was like the uncanny valley; his mind registered it as unreal, like he had been watching a CGI character on a TV screen. But she was here, in front of him, moving in a way that humans didn’t move. Too fast, too graceful. He remembered when he’d first seen her rise from the body bag. She had been a corpse one moment and a person the next. There had been a disconnect in his brain then too. Unsettling was the word he landed on. He stayed kneeling, watching her, aware of her hands, the way they moved. She had elegant hands, precise ones, the hands of a doctor or pianist. He had a sudden vision or her plucking out someone’s eye with an effortless pinch of her fingers. Not that she would, he thought - no, she would probably find that distasteful. But just the same, it was probably in her capacity to do so, if she chose. She was a person, but she was not human, not anymore. It was an easy thing to forget. “Do you know the concept of mirroring?” he asked her, tone mild and conversational now. “It’s when people subconsciously mimic each other’s expressions, or gestures, or body positioning. You smile, I smile. You lean forward to whisper, I lean forward to listen. You sit down, I sit down.” He raised his brows. “Mirroring is what you’re not doing now. You kneel, I kneel, you stand up. Again, I can’t blame you if you find me annoying. But this seems like it’s less about me and more about you. You deliberately don’t mirror. Everyone goes inside, you stay outside. It’s a pattern. You’re purposefully holding yourself apart. And I know, you might say you’re a danger, or you don’t want to be a burden, but I don’t think it’s that. Not entirely.” Oswald regarded her, chewing on his thoughts for a moment. “You have a staggering combination of self-effacement and egotism, and I have to wonder why. I think you feel like you let someone down - maybe your family - and you never want to put yourself in that position again, so you deliberately avoid making connections. If you don’t show up for them, they won’t know if they can depend on you, so maybe they won’t, and then you’ll never let them down. You downplay your abilities and what you bring to the table, so no one will expect you to make an important contribution. At the same time, you’re so mortally offended by the idea that there’s something in your field of study that you don’t know that you’ve decided the answer isn’t that there’s simply more to learn. No, the answer has to be that you’re woefully deficient and were never an expert in the first place, in spite of all other evidence to the contrary.” She was half-turned; the angular planes of her face went from dark to light as cars passed, headlights briefly illuminating her pale skin before she was plunged into darkness again. In the inky night, she was just a shadow, a slim silhouette. In the gaps between passing vehicles, she could have melted away into the night right in front of his very human eyes, disappear entirely. But no, every time another car passed, she was still there. From his kneeling vantage, she was tall. After a few moments, he went on. “You have to wrap your mind around the idea that you can be imperfect and liked at the same time. That you can not know all of the answers but still be valuable to others. That you can have problems and people will still want to be around you.” He paused. “That you can let yourself care and not be setting yourself up for disaster.”

[Airdish2]

After wailing Wonderwall on the microphone for what felt like an eternity (to everyone else in the pub), Reuben sat down to dinner, tucking his napkin into his collar and chomping with gusto. It had been a while since he had much other than deer steak and airline food, and it disappeared in less than a song's length. The Scot listened in on the tail end of Cassie's story, wiping his hands and face down. He grinned when the ice man spoke about joining their group, leaning in with his elbows on the table. "Aye, we're an interesting bunch a' richt. Despite yer lang years, ye micht fin' yersel' wi' a surprise or twa. Ever catch up wi` a Wendigo?" he said, his grin slipping away. "Think we micht hae crossed paths wi' th' Morrigan as weel, or at least an earthly form made o' eels doon beneath Exeter." The Scot's eyes rolled back through his memories, briefly flashing with trauma and violence. He was silent for a moment. "Steppin' oot fer a fag" he declared, noisily pushing his chair away from the table. The Scot went outside to soak in the warm Charleston night and consume another coffin nail. He Dice Recon: 2d6+4 (4, 2)+4 Total = 10 opened his senses to the night, ever watchful for the next monster to cross his path.   Physical Characteristics   STRength 7 / 7 (+0) DEXterity 12 / 12 (+2) ENDurance 9 / 9 (+1) INTellect 7 / 7 (+0) EDUcation 10 / 10 (+1) SOCial 7 / 7 (+0) PSI - Senses: normal Rad. Dose: 5 Non-Combat: Training: Melee (Blade), using a stake Initiative Result : Current Armor: Combat: Free Actions: Minor Actions: Significant Actions: Reactions: HAND TO HAND AND MELEE WEAPONS Weapon TL Cost Wgt Range Damage Type LL Unarmed Strike — — — melee (close quarters) 1D —   Knife 2 100 2 Melee 2D blade - Improvised - Varies - Melee 2D-2 -   RANGED AND HEAVY WEAPONS Weapon (Trait) TL Cost Wgt Range Damage Type LL Revolver 4 Cr150 900g 1 12 2D6 P Shotgun (Bulky) 4 Cr200 4 Kg 50m 4D Slug - GEAR Leather Coat, Pistol (standard issue), shotgun (standard issue), Knife, Stakes, Flask of Whiskey

[Humble Athena]

As he spoke of letting someone down, she thought back, to Aurora and the plane crash, back to Reuben protesting as the rest of the team signed Morgan's contract with Dracula, back to first meeting up with this team and Reuben informing her of the sweet little doctor's death. The crash itself, and her inability to learn anything of use from the local wildlife as the team froze and starved half to death. The loss of her dear familiar. Before that, the decades of hiding away in her cozy library, turning a blind eye to her forsaken responsibilities, tired of her impotence in the face of an increasingly struggling world. Further back past that, growing hazy in the fog of time, she thought of her coven, nearly tearing itself apart simply because she was there, part of it loyalties vying with jealousies among the young. Turbulence like a devouring void seemed to churn around her, eating away at the ground beneath her feet. Any moment now, she would stumble, and be gone forever. She snapped her eyes back to Oswald, who continued to talk. With precise slowness, she crouched down again, though not as low as before. There was tension in her legs, like a cat about to pounce. She reached out and cupped his face in her hand- gentle as a lover, loose enough to allow retreat, but her two ulnar fingers drift down to rest against his throat. "Typical. Cocksure. Man." she murmured, leaning in. "You say you want to help me, but I'm not sure you do. So many words trying to impress your ill-formed perceptions on me, but so few actually seeking to understand what I need. It isn't about being liked or being perfect. It's about risk assessment, risk mitigation, and risk versus reward. At what point is it no longer worth keeping a liability around?" Her thumb stroked along his cheekbone thoughtfully. "I am a danger, not because of who I am, but because of what I am, and the one who forced this on me. I call it a virus, because it behaves like one, but it is very much a curse, as well. There are parts to it that science would falter to even begin explaining. I was ravenous when it happened, and the only reason I didn't near immediately sink my teeth into someone was because he ordered me not to. Ostensibly, he let us all live so we could hunt for this evil artifact for humanity's safekeeping, but I'm not sure he wasn't at least also hoping I would be taken back into the Hoffman ranks, and gain some influence there. Influence that, as my master, he could exploit down the line sometime. Fortunately, I don't believe he can command me from a distance. Unfortunately, I don't have definite proof. Either way, if he ever decided to show up in person, I would be thrall to his commands. As it is, I am his eyes and ears if he so wishes. So there is a danger that goes beyond me. But perhaps I'm wrong, and he has already forgotten about me once he got the team off his doorstep. Even without that threat, there is this thing that shares my skin. If I hunger or I'm hurt, it may lash out on instinct. Even here and now, you can't be sure that I won't attack you. What small trigger it might take." Her eyes softened slightly, and she pulled back just a fraction, letting her hand drop. "I do appreciate your trust, by the way, but trust can lead to unnecessary vulnerability." She crossed her arms again. "Certainly, I'm weak. No doubt you could draw your pistol and injure me enough somewhere vital that I would be incapacitated and you could escape, or restrain me, before I could do serious immediate damage to you. But if even one scratch from my teeth broke your skin, you'd be exposed to it. And long after I were gone, it might grow within your veins, until either you died, or you turned. So do pardon me if I'm a mite preoccupied with keeping the team safe from myself. It is my responsibility to do so."   PHYSICAL STATISTICS Str 5/5 Dex 5/5 End 8/8 Int 9/9 Edu 10/10 Soc 4/4 Psi 0/0 DMs: 0: -3, 1-2: -2, 3-5: -1, 6-8: +0, 9-11: +1, 12-14: +2, 15+: +3 Senses: normal Rad. Dose: 5 Non-Combat: Initiative Result : Current Armor: Combat: Free Actions: Minor Actions: Significant Actions: Reactions:

[case]

Oswald Oswald smiled, slowly. “Yeah, you might be right about me. I see a button, I push it.” He held still as she crouched in front of him, held still as she reached out. Held still as her fingers made contact with his face and throat. It felt like a deliberate positioning, and once more her precision leapt to mind. She was a pianist, she was a surgeon, she was a vampire. Could she curl her fingers into his skin, pierce his flesh and pluck out a carotid as easily as an eye? He stared up into the dark sunglasses and the darker eyes behind them. “You know, I appreciate the trust too.” Her thumb brushed his cheek and when she withdrew her hand, the warm night felt warmer in comparison. She straightened but did not stand again. He held out his hands, empty-palmed, showing her he had nothing in them. Then he moved his hands slowly, undoing his suit jacket buttons. He pulled his jacket back to expose the pistol holstered at his side, then, still slowly, reached for it. Her eyes seemed to gleam brighter, but he did not break her gaze. He stared at her as he undid the holster tab and drew the gun out, keeping it pointed down. Thankfully for any passers-by, he had it in his right hand, on the side opposite the traffic. One-handed, he ejected the magazine and the chambered round with slow and practiced motions. Then he re-holstered the pistol and put bullet and magazine in his pocket. Oswald held up both hands again. “If you end up killing me,” he said, “know I died with a smile on my face and the knowledge I stuck my head in the tiger’s mouth. If you end up turning me, then promise me you’ll put me down. If you think I’m a menace now, just imagine what I’d be like as an undead prince of the night.” He gave a shrug. “If you want help with him - ” He said the word the way she did, intoning it with extra weight. “Voldemort, or whoever that is. Sounds like a bad guy, by the way, but my speciality is bad guys. But anyway, you want help with that, give the word. Sounds like an impossible task. Naturally, I’m in.”

[Humble Athena]

Zella stared at the newest team member with a scandalized look. "Oh, put that back!" she urged, gesturing towards his ammo. "There's sure to be worse than me out here, and with our luck we'll stumble right into it at the worst possible moment." A hand returned to her face, as she let out another long sigh, that ended in a half-chuckle. 'You really are something, aren't you? What am I going to do with you, Tiger?" She shook her head, but the corner of her mouth turned up, just a little, before dropping again, as if it had never been. "As for him, wrong novel. And things with Lord Dracula are a bit complicated. Right now, the entire team, sans Reuben and Jun- the latter hadn't joined up yet-, signed a magically-enforced contract of, essentially, an agreement of mutual non-aggression that lasts until we find the artifact. Which the Institute suddenly no longer seems to be interested in despite calling an emergency meeting here in Charleston shortly after receiving the report." She frowned, still mystified by the entire sequence. "And there are... other considerations. Naturally, even if the contract is fulfilled, I will still be unable to act against him... and it would be better if I were unaware of any such plan."   PHYSICAL STATISTICS Str 5/5 Dex 5/5 End 8/8 Int 9/9 Edu 10/10 Soc 4/4 Psi 0/0 DMs: 0: -3, 1-2: -2, 3-5: -1, 6-8: +0, 9-11: +1, 12-14: +2, 15+: +3 Senses: normal Rad. Dose: 5 Non-Combat: Initiative Result : Current Armor: Combat: Free Actions: Minor Actions: Significant Actions: Reactions:

[case]

Oswald “No way.” Oswald gaped up at her, staring for a moment. Then he grinned, reaching out, resting his hand on her forearm to steady himself as he rose back to his feet, not nearly as gracefully as she had. “Are you serious?” He shook his head in wonder, then looked down at the state of his pants. Gingerly, he stepped back and tried to shake off the dirt rather than dab at it and risk grinding in stains. Fortunately the teal was just dark enough that the dirt wouldn’t be that noticeable, at least, not at night. Oswald glanced back at her again. “The guy with the butt on his head? That’s amazing. I have so many questions. If you say his name three times in the mirror, does it summon him? I think you’re right, though. He’s clearly not all-powerful or even omniscient, if he let Coppola do him dirty like that. There’s hope.” He glanced toward the tavern. There was someone lingering by the door, form lit very faintly by the red glow of a cigarette tip. Not even standing fifty feet away from the entrance, Oswald noted. He turned to face the traffic instead, keeping watch, waiting for a break. When no cars were coming and no one else was in sight, he took the magazine from his pocket and reloaded his gun with spare motions. He had it holstered again in a matter of seconds, then he buttoned up his suit jacket once more. “Anyway, put me in, coach. I’ll take that ball and run with it. Reuben and Jun, huh? And me, now. I’ll have a lot of questions for you, but it can wait. This is a longer-term project.” He gestured back to the Chubb & Tubbs. “So…you want to come in? Or are you going to stay out and dig your feet into the earth a bit longer?”

[savoylen]

As the night wore on, the once lively atmosphere of Chub & Tubbs Tavern began to wind down. The crowd thinned out, and the clinking of glasses and hum of conversation faded into the background. The neon lights above the bar flickered, casting a soft glow over the room, while the last few patrons, mostly locals, finished their drinks and exchanged their final goodbyes.

Cassie leaned back in his chair, the warm buzz of alcohol settling comfortably in his veins. He watched as the bartender began to tidy up, wiping down the counters and stacking chairs. The karaoke machine had long since fallen silent, the playlist of old favorites exhausted by the night’s revelry.

Reuben, who had taken to the bar with the same determination he brought to every task, was chatting with the bartender, trying to extend the night just a bit longer. But it was clear that even the most persuasive Scotsman wasn’t going to convince the staff to stay open past closing time.

Javan, Katie, Esmae, and the others had gathered around one of the larger tables, still nursing their drinks, but the energy of the evening had waned. Timbre, ever the faithful companion, lay at their feet, his eyes half-closed, though he remained alert to any movement around him.

Cassie glanced at his watch, realizing with a twinge of uncertainty that they hadn’t really planned what to do next. The night had been a welcome distraction, but now, as the tavern began to close its doors, the reality of their situation loomed once more. They were in Charleston, far from the safety of their usual haunts, with no immediate plan or place to go.

He looked around at the team, noticing the same realization dawning on their faces. They had been caught up in the moment, but now, with the night drawing to a close, the question of where to go next hung in the air, unspoken but palpable.

Cassie leaned forward, clearing his throat to get their attention. “Well, it looks like we’ve had our fun,” he said, his tone casual but laced with the unspoken need for a plan. “But unless one of you has a secret hideout in Charleston, we might want to figure out where we’re headed next.”

[Starflier]

After the first few diet cokes Esmae had switched to water, specifically for this part of the night where being alert was no longer the best idea. She wasn’t sure how the rest of the team was doing, most of them had been sitting for a while so it remained to be seen just how drunk they’d gotten while sitting. Most of them were professionals, though, so she wasn’t really worried. This wasn’t the kind of place for a rough clientele, so she also wasn’t expecting any end-of-the-night funny business. ”Crazy idea,” she said as she pushed a half-empty glass away from her, ”but we could just go to a Holiday Inn or something. The kind of place that isn’t likely to attract ‘our kind of trouble’, what with all the cameras and staff. Just a place to sleep for a few hours until we can find out if we’re going to be here long enough to need more permanent lodgings.” "In the morning we can call a car service to take us wherever we need to go," she said as she looked around the table.

 

PHYSICAL STATISTICS
Str 7/7 Dex 9/9 End 10/10 Int 7/7 Edu 7/7 Soc 6/6 Psi 7/7
DMs: 0: -3, 1-2: -2, 3-5: -1, 6-8: +0, 9-11: +1, 12-14: +2, 15+: +3

Hero Points: 1
Favours: 1

Senses: normal
Rad. Dose: -

Non-Combat:

Dice Carouse:

2d6+2

(2, 6)+2

Total = 10

Current Effects:

Initiative Result:
Current Armor: Ballistic Vest +2
Combat:

Free Actions:
Minor Actions:
Significant Actions:
Reactions: If attacked in melee, -4 to attack roll, -1 to Esmae’s DM’s next round if used(per parry)Parrying

 

Esmae Rojas	79A776-7
Base of Operations	Chicago
Species	Human Female
Description	Martial Artist / Close Encounter
Age	30
Rad. Dose	-

Physical Characteristics
STR	7
DEX	9
END	10
INT	7
EDU	7
SOC	6
PSI	7

Dice Modifier Table
Ability	0	1-2	3-5	6-8	9-11	12-14
DM	-3	-2	-1	0	+1	+2

SKILLS AND TALENTS
(EDU + INT) * 3Skill Points MAX /Used: 31/42

Skill (specialty)	Rank
Athletics (STR)	2
Athletics (DEX)	4
Athletics (END)	2
Carouse	2
Electronics	0
Electronics (Computers)	1
Explosives	2/8Training
Flyer	0
Flyer (Winged)	1
Mechanic	2
Medic	2
Melee	0
Melee (Blade)	1
Melee (Unarmed)	4
Psi (Awareness)	4
Science	0
Science (Dark*Matter)	1
Science (Xenology)	1
Untrained	-3

TALENTS

Name	Description
Awareness (4)	Psi Unlocked
Check: Average (8+) Awareness check (1D seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: END increaseEnhanced Endurance	Lasts Awareness check x10 minutes, then decreases by 1/minute back to normal
Check: Average (8+) Awareness check (1D seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: STR increaseEnhanced Strength	Lasts Awareness check x10 minutes, then decreases by 1/minute back to normal
Check: Difficult (10+) Awareness check (1D seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: Amount of ArmourFortitude	Stacks with worn armour
Check: Average (8+) Awareness check (1D seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: 1Inspiration	DM+2 to any one check for a minute
Check: Difficult (10+) Awareness check (1D x 10 seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: Amount healedRegeneration
Check: Average (8+) Awareness check (1D minutes, PSI) PSI Cost: 3Suspended Animation	Up to 7 Days
Combo Strike I	+1 damage to unarmed attack

Conditions: Shared Jade Blessing

ATTACK ACTIONS

HAND TO HAND AND MELEE WEAPONS

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	Range	Damage	Type	LL
Unarmed Strike	—	—	—	melee	1D6+1	—
Blessed Kris (Blade)	2	—	1	melee	2D6	—
Wooden Stake

RANGED AND HEAVY WEAPONS

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	RoF	Range	Damage	Type	LL
Revolver	4	Cr150	900g	1	ranged (pistol)	2D6	P	6

GEAR
Ballistic Vest (Mesh) | Protection +2

[Humble Athena]

"A... butt? What? No. What books have you been reading?" She shook her head, more flabbergasted by each question. "He's a vampire, not a vengeance spirit. Supposedly, I should be able to contact him, but he ignored me the one time I tried." She pinched the bridge of her nose as he continued. "It'd be a little too much for me in there, right now. There's a lot that I need to adjust to. But you should get something to eat. I'll be... out here, somewhere close." She watched as he started to head back, but when he had only taken a few steps away, she called out. "For what it's worth, you aren't my least favorite person."   PHYSICAL STATISTICS Str 5/5 Dex 5/5 End 8/8 Int 9/9 Edu 10/10 Soc 4/4 Psi 0/0 DMs: 0: -3, 1-2: -2, 3-5: -1, 6-8: +0, 9-11: +1, 12-14: +2, 15+: +3 Senses: normal Rad. Dose: 5 Non-Combat: Initiative Result : Current Armor: Combat: Free Actions: Minor Actions: Significant Actions: Reactions:

[case]

Oswald Oswald turned around, grinned and shot finger guns in Zella’s direction. “Back atcha.” He headed back to the restaurant, absently adjusting the lie of his jacket, refastening buttons as he trudged over the dirt until he got to what passed for the lawn. He was just stepping onto the sidewalk in front of the Chubb & Tubbs when he realized the person who had been smoking was still there. A second later, he realized that person was Reuben. Oswald processed that for a second, wondering how much the man had seen. Not that there had been much to see. They had just been having a conversation. Still, all the kneeling must have looked odd. He shrugged to himself. Reuben had boyish good looks and a vulpine face, all clever angles and a sharp, discerning gaze. There was something cagey about him; he was about as difficult to read as his accent was difficult to penetrate. “Hey,” Oswald said, as he drew near. “Can I talk to you about something, later?”

[bananabadger]

"I like that idea," Javan responds to Esmae. "A flop of a hotel. The worst, the better." He quickly looks for something that meets their exacting low standards, and comes back with a hit. "How about the North Charleston Lodge? It's near here. Rooms are just under $50. Ratings are terrible. Reviews say that some people simply rent parking spaces and live in their cars, that the noise is unbearable at night, and the walls are paper-thin. No bedbugs though. That's good, right?"   PHYSICAL STATISTICS Str 5/5 Dex 5/5 End 9/9 Int 8/8 Edu 9/9 Soc 9/9 Psi 0/0 DMs: 0: -3, 1-2: -2, 3-5: -1, 6-8: +0, 9-11: +1, 12-14: +2, 15+: +3 Senses: normal Rad. Dose: Non-Combat: Initiative Result : Current Armor: Combat: Free Actions: Minor Actions: Significant Actions: Reactions:   *OSIRS Notation Start* File Number: 20-04-79585 Status:Field Agent Rank: 3 Band: 07 01-18 Clearance: Confidential *OSIRS Notation End* Javan Williams 559899-0 Base of Operations Chicago Species Human Description Diplomat / Medic Age 60 Rad. Dose 5 Physical Characteristics   STRength 5 DEXterity 5 ENDurance 9 INTellect 8 EDUcation 9 SOCial 9 PSI 0 Dice Modifier Table Ability 0 1-2 3-5 6-8 9-11 12-14 DM -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 SKILLS AND TALENTS (EDU + INT) * 3Skill Points MAX /Used: 36/51 Skill (specialty) Rank Admin 0 Advocate   Alchemy   Animals   Athletics 0 Athletics (STR) 1 Athletics (DEX) 2 Athletics (END) 2 Art   Art ( )   Art ( )   Broker 1 Carouse 1 Culture 0 Culture (Sami) 1 Deception 1 Diplomat 0 Drive 0 Drive(wheeled) 2 Electronics   Electronics (Comms)   Electronics (Computers)   Electronics (Remote Ops)   Electronics (sensors)   Engineer   Engineer ( )   Explosives   Flyer   Flyer(Winged)   Flyer(Rotor)   Gambler   Gunner   Gunner(Turret)   Gun Combat 0 Gun Combat (slug) 1 Heavy Weapons   Heavy Weapons ( )   Investigate 0 Jack of all Trades   Language   Language ( )   Leadership 1 Mechanic   Medic 5 Medic (veterinarian) 1 Melee 0 Melee (Blade)   Melee (Unarmed)   Navigation   Persuade 2 Pilot   Pilot(Small Craft)   Recon   Science 0 Science (Biology) 2 Science (History) 1 Science (Linguistics) 1 Sorcery (White Circle) 3 Seafarer   Stealth   Steward   Streetwise   Survival   Tactics   Tactics ( )   Vacc Suit   Untrained -3 TALENTS Name Description Monotheism FX Access to Sorcery Skill Sorcery Skill Description Blessing of the Light Can prepare and store up to 3 blessings of the light (defensive boosts) to be released prior to combat; effect determined by GM based on roll Inner Voice Non-combat; a minimum of 10 minutes needed to listen to inner voice and gain an understanding of what general direction/path/strategy should be taken by self or group to obtain goal; extent of information given determined by GM and based on roll Conditions: Shared Jade Blessing ATTACK ACTIONS HAND TO HAND AND MELEE WEAPONS Weapon TL Cost Wgt Range Damage Type LL Unarmed Strike — — — melee (close quarters) 1D6 —   RANGED AND HEAVY WEAPONS Weapon TL Cost Wgt Range Damage Type LL Revolver 4 Cr150 900g 5m 2D-3 P 6 GEAR Leather Coat, Pistol (standard issue), shotgun (standard issue) Character Notes: Encountered Dark Tide through silent contemplation   Javan has heard all your jokes about the rocket launcher or the hi-tech propulsion units camouflaged into his wheelchair. He gets it. He's with a secret institute, a hush-hush spy almost, and so that wheelchair can't just be a pair of high-tech, lightweight, cushy-padded wheels. But it is. And even still, Javan will laugh at your joke. After all, he's learned that is what people want and—this is the kicker—some of them actually are funny. Dark humor. It's always been his weakness. So, recumbent and officially retired (what do you expect, he is 68), Javan himself is a bit surprised to find himself in the Institute. Want the quick version? is how he usually begins explaining it to his curious colleagues, youngsters all. I was in international aid development. Medical tents on borders, underfunded UN hospital stations in what we called "newly emerging economies," etc. etc. Good people mostly, but after several years you grow cynical. You treat kids for diseases that shouldn't exist in our current day and age and then, to relieve the depression and pressure, you go off on a holiday with all your other global expat friends to Algeria, Lebanon, Thailand, Vietnam, wherever, and you blow what would be two-year's salary of the people you were treating on hotels, food and trifles. We called ourselves "Lords of Poverty," jokingly, of course...but it was true. So I left it all when I was about 55. My friends nodded their head and said: "Yeah, burnout, it happens." And then they booked their next vacation...and they saved a few lives. Me, I left. Traveled for two years. Ended up in Karelia and Lapland. And went back to Quakerism—yeah, that's where most of my friends thought I had truly gone of the deep end. I mean, shamanism and the likes, sure...good, new-age stuff. But I joined a small community of expats, Finns and Sami and we sat around in silence, listening for the voice of the lord. Weird, right? Sometimes, well often really, Javan stops here, assuming he has explained it all. But he hasn't. He knows that only because people have told him so. Oh, yeah, so I sat and did as we are suppose to do, right? Listen for the voice of God. We believe it is within each of us...and I believe that, but I was hearing something else. Now I would say, I was hearing something darker instead. I wrote about it on some obscure Quaker chat board...something visited by about 5 other Friends max. Two weeks later, a young man and woman were knocking at the door to my flat in Kemijarvi. Three weeks after that, I was here. And sometimes, even that wasn't enough. Oh? You wanted to know about the chair, but felt awkward asking. Yeah, I'm not lame. Rehab. I should be up and about in three weeks. Just a bad accident cross-country skiing this year. It involved a reindeer...now that's the story I should have told you!

[Starflier]

Esmae took her time to think of a delicate way to reply to Javan’s suggestion, but she was too tired for tact. ”No. Absolutely not.” She waved him back to his phone, ”Try again, keeping in mind we can expense it. I didn't fly across the Atlantic in private jets just to dodge crackheads at a place that probably also rents by the hour.” She slid out of her seat and gestured towards the door, ”Let’s head outside and catch up with Reuben. We can figure it out outside.”

 

PHYSICAL STATISTICS
Str 7/7 Dex 9/9 End 10/10 Int 7/7 Edu 7/7 Soc 6/6 Psi 7/7
DMs: 0: -3, 1-2: -2, 3-5: -1, 6-8: +0, 9-11: +1, 12-14: +2, 15+: +3

Hero Points: 1
Favours: 1

Senses: normal
Rad. Dose: -

Non-Combat:

Dice Carouse:

2d6+2

(6, 1)+2

Total = 9

Current Effects:

Initiative Result:
Current Armor: Ballistic Vest +2
Combat:

Free Actions:
Minor Actions:
Significant Actions:
Reactions: If attacked in melee, -4 to attack roll, -1 to Esmae’s DM’s next round if used(per parry)Parrying

 

Esmae Rojas	79A776-7
Base of Operations	Chicago
Species	Human Female
Description	Martial Artist / Close Encounter
Age	30
Rad. Dose	-

Physical Characteristics
STR	7
DEX	9
END	10
INT	7
EDU	7
SOC	6
PSI	7

Dice Modifier Table
Ability	0	1-2	3-5	6-8	9-11	12-14
DM	-3	-2	-1	0	+1	+2

SKILLS AND TALENTS
(EDU + INT) * 3Skill Points MAX /Used: 31/42

Skill (specialty)	Rank
Athletics (STR)	2
Athletics (DEX)	4
Athletics (END)	2
Carouse	2
Electronics	0
Electronics (Computers)	1
Explosives	2/8Training
Flyer	0
Flyer (Winged)	1
Mechanic	2
Medic	2
Melee	0
Melee (Blade)	1
Melee (Unarmed)	4
Psi (Awareness)	4
Science	0
Science (Dark*Matter)	1
Science (Xenology)	1
Untrained	-3

TALENTS

Name	Description
Awareness (4)	Psi Unlocked
Check: Average (8+) Awareness check (1D seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: END increaseEnhanced Endurance	Lasts Awareness check x10 minutes, then decreases by 1/minute back to normal
Check: Average (8+) Awareness check (1D seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: STR increaseEnhanced Strength	Lasts Awareness check x10 minutes, then decreases by 1/minute back to normal
Check: Difficult (10+) Awareness check (1D seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: Amount of ArmourFortitude	Stacks with worn armour
Check: Average (8+) Awareness check (1D seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: 1Inspiration	DM+2 to any one check for a minute
Check: Difficult (10+) Awareness check (1D x 10 seconds, PSI) PSI Cost: Amount healedRegeneration
Check: Average (8+) Awareness check (1D minutes, PSI) PSI Cost: 3Suspended Animation	Up to 7 Days
Combo Strike I	+1 damage to unarmed attack

Conditions: Shared Jade Blessing

ATTACK ACTIONS

HAND TO HAND AND MELEE WEAPONS

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	Range	Damage	Type	LL
Unarmed Strike	—	—	—	melee	1D6+1	—
Blessed Kris (Blade)	2	—	1	melee	2D6	—
Wooden Stake

RANGED AND HEAVY WEAPONS

Weapon	TL	Cost	Wgt	RoF	Range	Damage	Type	LL
Revolver	4	Cr150	900g	1	ranged (pistol)	2D6	P	6

GEAR
Ballistic Vest (Mesh) | Protection +2

[savoylen]

There is some debate before someone thinks to call in for THOR's advice. Within the next hour, the team is picked up by a large Uber that doesn't question their large amount of gear, or Timbre and takes them near the battery to their lodgings.

The night passes quickly and the teams sleeps deeply (at least those that can) in what is tantamount to a fortress, feeling safe and secure for the first time in a long time.

 

Jumping a head a bit... if you missed something, just 'flashback' in your next post.

The team gathers in the lobby after a well-appointed breakfast in the lobby.