Guild of the Bat Ch.1: Dark Knighthood [IC]

[Macguffin]

Isambard Kingdom Brunel

Brunel pops open the drivers door and hobbles to the back of the truck, muttering as he goes "No account French dance hall girl tries to drag us to that poorly planned rathole of a country? FEH! I should have known where we were headed from the smell of ignorance and wine on her breath! What sort of ignorant woman joins a brotherhood of evil anyway? Call that forward thinking? Because I don't!"

He hops into the Steel Man and powers up its core.

"Also," the old man's underlie face grumbles from behind the cigar, "she was a lousy conversationalist."

there is no full round activation on this device, but I figure his movement limitation means he spends the round just getting to it. He isn't trying to be subtle at the moment.

[sweetja713]

Chemist
HP 2

Trevor wastes no time in flagging a cab down. "It'll be ok, you did a very brave thing, he says to the urchin.

[Lord Fell]

Madame le Chat

Selina runs out into the street after Barbara, hastily doing her coat back up. Moments before, even before Stephanie shouted out, she had started to toss her coat off, and pull up her hood... seconds before that, she had been staring into the eyes of the cat lazing on the nearby shed. It's fairly clear that Madame le Chat was reacting to Staphanie's plight before she was caught by Wilson.

Her face is grim when she kneels down next to Barbara. "I'll carry her. I think I'm stronger than either one of you uptowners."

[Shock]

The Messenger
HP: 1 LP: 0

"I also said to leave this to us." The light scolding did nothing to mask Barbara's concern. She gently lifted the girl and allowed Selina to take her. "Careful. Like he said, it's dislocated. Very painful but it'll be good as new in a week or two." She tried to keep her voice reassuring for Stephanie.

"But before you go, we need that bag." Barbara stroked the girl's hair gently.

[roguescribner]

Blackstone
HP: 0
Condition: Fine

Blackstone's mind was so well disciplined he could remove himself from the outside world with relative ease. Long rides in lorries are conducive to introspection and he was deep in formulating the design of his Ocular of Truth device. So it was a bit of a shock when the illusionist found himself sliding across the cabin into the opposite seat as Brunel struggled with a strange woman over control of the vehicle. Blades punctured the top of the lorry and Madame Rouge slithered outside, leaving Brunel a chance to regain control of the vehicle. The old man overcompensated and spun them all about, leaving Blackstone with his head down on the floor and his legs in the air. "I hope you can navigate your Steel Man better than this lorry, sir!" the master arcanist called out, struggling to his feet.

Blackstone hopped out of the lorry and spied Grimm and Madame Rouge in a forced embrace. As Brunel climbed inside his Steel Man, the illusionist gathered his wits and moved closer to the action. With a wave of his hands he manipulated the sights and sounds around Madame Rouge. "Fight or flight, little bird?" he said sotto voce.

So by "free action", I interpret that to mean "extra action"? If so, my move action is to climb out of the lorry and enter the combat zone. Move action #2 is activating illusion and standard action #1 is casting illusion. Area: 250 cft., DC 17 will, selective. So this will only affect Madame Rouge. If the illusion succeeds, it will appear that a squadron of German police will arrive, lights flashing and guns drawn. The squad will circle around Grimm and Rouge and command Rouge to surrender.

[Coyotzin]

London

Stephanie winced as Selina and Barbara ministered to her.

"Uh, sorry, Miss Gordon." Stephanie managed to smile. "I threw the bag away, figgred that bloke would want it and leave me alone."

She let her announcement sink in and grinned wider, even if she cut the smile short with a stab of pain from her arm.

"Check the inside pocket at the back o' mah coat. Smuggling coat, only good thing me useless dad gave me."

The pocket was cleverly disguised, but they had more time to take a look at it in the coach as they rode away from the docks district. Sure enough, there was a slender book inside.

"Figgred ye weren't interested in yesterday's paper, a snuff kit or a set o' shavin' razors, so I took this."

The book was filled with dates and names, but unlike Blak'es coded journal, this was written in plain (if badly written) English. Once they compared the dates with the smuggling journal they'd definitely have a solid lead.

Although more solid than the crumpled sheet of telegraph that slipped from the pages, that would be hard.

Code: Select all

"PLANS CHANGED. FIND FASTER SHIP, SAME SPECS, BUT RIVER-CAPABLE. MEET IN KOLN, GERMANY. TELL CONTACT ASK FOR THE CATMAN. -- TB"

Germany

In Rouge's grip, Kirsten couldn't quite see what made the woman tense up. Blackstone couldn't either, but he knew what it was.

OOC: Madame Rouge's Will save (1d20+7=11). She buys the illusion; Kirsten is up before Rouge bolts.

> Kirsten - -1
Madame Rouge - -1 (regenerating) and seeing a raid converge on her.
Brunel - ok
Blackstone - ok

[Shock]

The Messenger
HP: 1 LP: 0

"Figgred ye weren't interested in yesterday's paper, a snuff kit or a set o' shavin' razors, so I took this."

"Good job Steph." Barbara smiled at the girl. "Now go get that taken care of."

Once Stephanie was on her way, Barbara turned back to join Trevor and sighed. "Well, I don't see how that could have gone any worse, in spite of getting the book. Stephanie almost got her arm ripped off, McClintock thinks I'm a whore and then there's Selina." She blushed recalling the incident outside the bar. "And they have to at least suspect that someone is on to them."

[Lord Fell]

Madame le Chat

Selina spends most of the time on the cab-ride home absently petting Stephanie's hair and gazing intently out the coach's back window. Once the horses clatter onto the street the Guildhouse is on, she advises the driver "You ought to avoid the neighbourhood you picked us up in for a day or two. The bloke who hurt the little girl will be asking questions, and he's dangerous. Too dangerous to call the bobbies. Keep out of it, and you won't get hurt." When the cab comes to a stop, Selina picks up Stephanie and hops down to the cobblestones. "Red here will cover the fare, and add a little something for the inconvenience of changing routes." With that, Selina heads up into the house, conveniently stiffing Barbara with the fare.

...and giving your some alone time to emote about how Selina makes Barbara "feel funny."

Once inside, Selina lays the Spoiler down on a couch. "Mr. Pennysworth? Miss Cassandra? I require assistance... I've got a robin with a wing in need of mending."

[sweetja713]

Chemist
HP 2

On the ride back, Trevor is strangely silent. I can't keep being a liability like that, he thinks to himself. Once they reach the guild house he turns to young Stephanie. "Make sure you listen to them, that bloke is very dangerous. Keep your head down and avoid and usual haunts for a while." He graciously offers his hand to let the ladies down from the carriage and goes into the guild house with them.

[Spectrum]

Kristen Grimm
HP 1
Condition: -1, fatigued

Kristen spun on one heel as she was tossed away, trying to reach out towards the departing shapeshifter with both blades and landing an amazingly skilled shot, using the twisting action to actually push forward the blades with greater speed and accuracy. The trailing arm goes low, twisting out towards Rogue's legs.. trying to trip her up and keep her from escaping.

1d20+10=30 DC 20+5 (for crit) if it hits.

Heroic surge for another attack:
1d20+10=20 DC 20

She blinked and looked hurried back over her shoulder. "What did you do to her?' before a slight smile, "And everybody alright?" she winces a little from where she feels her own ribs bruised from the overly affectionate embraces.

[Shock]

The Messenger
HP: 1 LP: 0

Inside, Barbara took a seat and pushed her griping aside to focus on their task. "Our other group needs to be warned, if possible. And we need to decide how to proceed." While she had done plenty of work with the Guild of the Bat, it had never required her to leave the country before. An extended trip would require her to get time off from work. And come up with a story for her father.

[Coyotzin]

London

Alfred merely raised an eyebrow when he received the three investigators and their wounded charge, directing Selina to take Stephanie upstairs, and telling them to feel at home in the study.Tea would be there shortly.

As they rested from the day's events (even if it was barely noon), they heard a sharp yelp from upstairs. Alfred then arrived with the tea cart. He remained stoic as more yelps and short screams came from somewhere in the house.

"I asked Miss Cassandra to give our friend Miss Brown a much needed bath after I set her arm back in place." He said simply when asked.

The young Asian maid joined them later, her uniform slightly damp and her short black hair in disarray, as if she had fought a wild mountain lion... and won. She made an odd gesture, raking the air along her head suggesting the action of combing a mane much longer than she had.

"I hope your morning hunt was fruitful." The loyal butler said. "Is there anything you require to continue your pursuit or shall I start preparing the midday meal?"

Germany

The French villain howled as Kirsten's blades sunk deep into her rubbery skin, piercing her pliant armor, but oddly did not draw blood.

"Ze General will hear of this!" She seethed and released her hold on the monster hunter, weaving between obstacles invisible to everyone except her.

OOC: See OOC thread for minor clarification. Madame Rouge's Toughness check (1d20+6-1=11) Three degrees of failure, that means Staggered.
Madame Rouge's second Toughness check (1d20+6-1=21) -1 from this new wound, 20, just made the DC! She regenerates the previous -1 this round, though. She takes her standard action on recovery to remove Staggered, and her move action to flee!

She's still well within range, and the Steel Man enters the fray! Brunel's up!

Kirsten - -1
Madame Rouge - -1
> Brunel - ok
Blackstone - ok

[roguescribner]

Blackstone
HP: 0
Condition: Fine

Kristen Grimm
She blinked and looked hurried back over her shoulder. "What did you do to her?' before a slight smile, "And everybody alright?" she winces a little from where she feels her own ribs bruised from the overly affectionate embraces.

Blackstone watched as Madame Rouge chose flight. Grimm managed to get one last lick in as the villainess scurried away from her imaginary pursuers. "All of Germany's finest seem to be after her!" the man howled in amusement. "It is but a figment! We must catch her before she escapes!"

[Lord Fell]

Madame le Chat

After returning downstairs from dropping off Stephanie, Selina stakes a claim next to a deep, plush chair. She doesn't sit immediately, rather she doffs her coat, her boots and her elbow length gloves. Her wide, many-pouched girdle is dropped on top of that pile, as well as her custom bull-whip, and shorter riding crop. Her disrobement is about complete, but she opens the neckline of her leather suit right down to the belly button. With that, she finally slithers into the chair, where she sits fanning herself. "I should take a cold beer, Alfred my dear... a nice chilly bottle, one of those thick stubbies if you have one." The way Selina says thick stubbies would cause some men to have palpitations...

When Alfred returns, hopefully with beverage in hand, she sighs gratefully and accepts the bottle; ignoring the glass he no doubt brought with it. "You have my immense, but fickle, admiration Master Pennysworth." She takes a long pull and sighs. "Now tell me... does the Guild have an armoury? I need a... bloodsucker bomb. Well, that's not what they're called. Something of the sort."

[Shock]

The Messenger
HP: 1 LP: 0

Barbara's cheeks pinked at Selina's newest display. The worst part of it was she didn't know who was the intended target of the performance. Trevor, Barbara or Selina herself. She turned her gaze away.

"Thank you, Alfred. I believe a meal would be most welcome. We should also like to attempt contact with the other group if we have means of doing so."

"Excuse me, but what is a 'bloodsucker bomb' and why might you want one?"