WillGM: As we recall, last we left our intrepid band, Fearless had taken one for the team and was being led away by Ataturk International Airport Security, as was Ro, currently being inhabited by Xav. Wade is being left alone, as are the rest of you. At least by the police -- you've been joined by two locals. Derek hangs out offcamera WillGM: Fearless, you're taken to a small, clean set of offices and chambers near the front of the building and settled in a back room with a table, three chairs, and a large mirror. Sure. It's a mirror. WillGM: -------------------- Game Start ------------------------ Fearless tries not to smile at the mirror WillGM: From outside, you hear Ro|Xav loudly demanding access to his consulate and threatening lawsuits from here to Sunday. WillGM: Things quieten down again, and you are left alone for a few minutes. Fearless combs his hair, using the mirror, and looks at the table. Is there an ashtray there? WillGM: There is. Fearless: did they take my cigarettes and lighter, or no? WillGM: Neither. You have not been searched. Fearless pulls out his cancersticks and lights up? WillGM: As you light up, there enter two Turks in airport security uniforms. The one with two pips on his collar pulls a chair and sits down. The one with one pip takes a standing position opposite the mirror. WillGM: The seated one speaks in Turkish, and the standing one translates. (Assume this arrangement from here on out.) Fearless takes a seat in the opposite chair at the table, and tries to act relaxed. WillGM: "First off, you're not under arrest. If you really want to speak to your consulate, we can put you under arrest and go through the proper channels. Do you understand what I am saying?" Fearless nods. WillGM: "Good." He leans back. "So tell me your version of what happened out there. And not the crap version you gave my men, either." WillGM: Is Fearless trying to think of something? Fearless: his player is. WillGM: So's Fearless, then. :) Maurice: Ow. ;) WillGM: You've got a bit of time... an IQ 14 thinks relatively fast. *** Dicesuke (akodomakot@ip68-13-166-245.om.om.cox.net) has joined channel #Gurps WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 7. Fearless takes a deep breath, then starts. "I don't know, I didn't think, I just saw this guy drop a gun and I guess the 'airplane' part of my brain shorted out." Fearless: I don't suppose I can fast-talk through a translator... WillGM: The interrogator says something, and the translator replies to him. The interrogator shrugs. The translator says sheepishly, "I'm not sure of the American colloquialism. You experienced temporary loss of smarts?" Fearless nods. WillGM: The investigator purses his lips. He opens up a folder he's been carrying, leaning it against the table so you can't see the contents. "You know the man? Who was raining guns." Fearless: "I had met him once before, a passing acquaintance. I'm not sure I even caught his name." WillGM: He makes a note. "Circumstances of your meeting?" Fearless: "I don't rightly recall." WillGM: "Mm." WillGM: "How about this man, do you know him?" He picks up a photo out of the folder and, oddly, closes the folder on it so the bottom half isn't shown. He turns the whole thing over and lays it on the table in front of you. You see... WillGM: 3d6-3 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6-3) and gets 12. WillGM: ...a young-ish male face, eyes closed. The picture only shows as far as the neck. You notice that he's rather pale and apparently lying on asphalt. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. WillGM: And you do indeed recognize the face, in a manner of speaking. He was looking at you from near Frizz earlier; one of the two that met your group. Fearless: "Never met him." WillGM: The interrogator studies your face... WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 4, "That's a critical success, don't think this means I like you." Maurice: Trying to decide if that's "uh oh" or "oh good" WillGM: He shrugs. "It was a long shot." WillGM: Fearless' Acting roll. Edward: I'll settle for "DAMN, that was close." :) WillGM: He puts the photo back in the folder. "May I see your visa?" Fearless pulls it out of his inner trench pocket. WillGM: He takes a look. "One week, tourism. Tell me, what's your purpose here in Turkey?" Fearless: "A few friends and I are taking in the sights of Istanbul. We all arrived together, on the same flight. Tour group, basically." WillGM: "All right. We're going to talk to the other guy for a while. If nothing sends up a red flag, we'll let you go. Be patient, yes?" Fearless: "Sure." WillGM: They stand up and leave. WillGM: You are left alone again. Anything in particular you wish to do? Fearless leans back, and sits patiently inhaling his cancerstick. WillGM: After about an hour, they return. "Allright, you can go. We see your name on a passenger manifest out of the country in one week or we get upset, understand?" Fearless: "Understood." WillGM: They escort you out of security. WillGM: Pause here and turn to the other guys. Fearless extinguishes the cigarette, and let's them escort me out. WillGM: Rewind. Walter has rejoined you as Fearless is led away. Bruce is eyeing the duty-free store nearby and has sunk into some kind of a quiet funk. WillGM: (The NPCs with you are currently Walter, Frizz, Bruce sort of, Nicole sort of sort of, and the two new guys, the short one with the sign and the big one who's been quiet.) Edward idly thanks God that they didn't haul *Walt* off for questioning. Edward: idly and silently, mind. WillGM: "Well. That... could have gone better." Maurice nods. "Could have gone worse too? Now what?" WillGM: "I believe it was suggested that we get the Skull back to its proper home ASAP; I assume you all have hotel accommodations where he can meet you?" Edward adresses the "natives". "Either of you have an idea how long they're likely to keep Fearless, assuming he manages to talk his way out of it?" WillGM: "Oh, depends on whether he gets himself arrested or not. If not... dunno. Couple of hours, maybe." WillGM: "You can leave somebody here to wait for him, if you want." He nods at Walter. WillGM: "I would rather stay with Mr. Wong." WillGM: And I missed the obvious NPC. WillGM: "I'll wait for him. But, come to think of it, we don't have a hotel yet. I think little things like sleeping and eating slip you guys' mind occasionally." *** NeremWorld (Nerem@0-1pool160-181.nas17.dallas2.tx.us.da.qwest.net) has joined channel #gurps WillGM: That's not Nem, is it? WillGM: WillGM pokes the new guy. *poke* *poke* Edward: Nope. Ey, Nerem. 'sup? Derek: Doesn't look like it. Maurice hrms at BA. "Maybe we should go and take care of the... package and then figure out hotels, especially if you're meeting him." WillGM: 'k *** NeremWorld is now known as Sam WillGM: "Allright. Call me when you work something out, or I'll call you when he gets out." WillGM: "We've got a place in town that's handy for this sort of business. Follow me." He sets off. Maurice nods, follows... well, the shorter new guy. Maurice: Not that Maurice isn't also a short new guy, but.. WillGM: Walter falls in by Ed as you head off and BA goes toward Security. "Did you confirm his identity?" Edward: "Either the Other Side has bigger files on us than I'd dream in my nightmares, or he's at least a Blackwing..." Edward: Does Ed's security clearance extend to a synopsis of demon princes and attunements, btw? Especially Kronos' Balseraphs? WillGM: Walter visibly attempts to parse this. "You mean he quoted acts you had undertaken that might be construed as honorable or dishonorable, and which might be known to the Other Side?" WillGM: Yes. Edward: "Yes to the quoted stuff. Some of them I don't think the Other Side would know about unless they've done more research than I'd think possible or cost-effective on us." Edward: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Edward (3d6) and gets 13. WillGM: What's the roll? Edward: Int. To see if he'd think of it. WillGM: Does. WillGM: "What exactly did he quote?" Edward thinks for a moment. "Of course, it *is* possible he's one of Kronos' snakes. Like Rath only with the Malak resonance faked..." Edward searches his memory. It was pretty recent WillGM: Sure. Sam: Sorry, I'm just watching. Sam: I was afk though, which is why I didn't respond. WillGM: 's okay. Spectators are always welcome. Edward: "He knew that I'd gone after that Magpie in the church yesterday, and that Bruce apparently at least once faked a gun in his jacket pocket in what I guess was a tense situation." Edward: "lesee.... 'Most brave of you to go after that Thief in the church' and 'Faking a gun in a jacket pocket. Gutsy.'" WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 10. WillGM: "Were both of these events witnessed by anyone who could have informed someone on the other Side?" Fearless: yeah, the guy the gun was being planted on. ^_^ Edward: "The chasing-the-thief one was - like I said, that was yesterday when we recovered the Skull. Aside from the Thief, everyone's favorite main antagonist was there for the event." WillGM: The two lead you out of the airport and hail -- *headcount* -- three cabs. Speaking fluent Turkish, SNG gives directions to the first driver. WillGM: "Hmm. It's possible that he could have called ahead. No one else, then?" WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 12. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 12. Maurice gets a cab containing Frizz, gets his knives back when there's an unobvious way of doing it. Edward tries to remember. WillGM: Maurice: you notice Frizz is acting a little antsy, and Bruce is sort of slumped. Great company. ;^) WillGM: Ed: the escaped Thief. Edward: "Yeah, the one that got away." Maurice: Ah well, not that I blame them. Hell in a handbasket... WillGM: "So it's possible that we're being led into a trap. He didn't make any false statements as long as I was listening to him, but then, he made no claims as to his identity either." Edward nods. WillGM: Urk. One sec. WillGM: Are Cevriye and bahebbak from the sound site crapping out for everyone else too? Fearless: hmm? WillGM: http://earl.of.sandwich.net/Game_Sounds/ <<-- was planning to use it for atmosphere. But only if it's working. WillGM: Let's just start with bahebbak bahebbak ana.mid. Is that one working for people? Derek: It appears to have crashed my browser. ;) WillGM: Blegh. Edward: midi support is the first thing I ripped out of the browser. WillGM: Okaaaay. We're gonna leave that little feature alone for now, then. WillGM: "We should have responses planned in case the worst comes to pass." WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 7. WillGM: Msg'd. [ snip msg to player ] Maurice idly comments to Frizz, "This is a poor start to things," early on in the cab ride. As he starts to notice the scenery move towards slummier parts of town (not that he thinks highly of Turkey) he comments, quietly enough to not carry to the driver, "This is not a good place for a hotel for us... if you know my meaning. Can I get my blades back?" WillGM: Frizz turns to you, blnks a moment, and nods. He motions as he's drawing the knives out of pockets in his shirt, for the benefit of the cab driver, and hands them to you. WillGM: s/as/as if/ Maurice puts the large fighting knife in the small-of-the-back pocket added to his backpack, the carving knife in a normal pocket, and the stiletto up a sleeve. "Maybe we should ask the lead car where we're going... I don't like this." WillGM: "They're leading us into a dark place." Edward nods. "I'm thinking." WillGM: Oh, if kats were here. But ah well. WillGM: The streets get narrower and the taxis honk as they crawl through crowds afoot. Maurice: I'm in a cab with Bruce and Frizz, right? Who's in the lead cab? Edward looks around. " Where are we going, exactly?" WillGM: The lead cab contains the two new guys. The second cab contains Walter and Ed. The third cab contains Bruce, Frizz, and Maurice. Maurice: Ahh. Maurice: Hoky. WillGM: Unless you really wouldn't have let them do that. Each cab seats three passengers, four if the back seat squeezes. Edward: then consider that asked of the cabbie. WillGM: He's got no problem with it; though the third guy, now unnecessary, grumbles a moment, there're always more passengers at the airport. Walter and Ed are with the two new guys. WillGM: "A hotel with a quiet place where we can conduct business. I know the barkeep, he can clear the place out." WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 15. WillGM: Walter looks over at Ed and says, in Japanese, "Truth." Edward responds, "Got it" in the same language. WillGM: By the way, if you're in the car with the front guys, I assume you weren't discussing the likelihood of being led into a trap. ;^) Fearless: except maybe in Japanese Maurice glances at Bruce. "Could you message Ed or something, ask what's up?" Edward: Wut Ars said. WillGM: *scratch chin* I'll allow it. Maurice: I was figuring that the second car was getting suspicious; was going to have Bruce text message Ed or something and relay concerns about the environment they're moving into. WillGM: Bruce looks back at Maurice, shivers a moment and dials up Ed, then hands the phone to Maurice. Maurice glances at the cellphone for a second, figures out which way is up (darn the things for being so small nowadays) and waits for him to pickup. Edward: "Speak" Maurice: "This is Maurice... we were having concerns with the kind of neighborhood this hotel is in," he says. "Anyone up there wondering how clean the guides are?" WillGM: Oh. *headsmack* I got it wrong. _Directions_ were asked of the cabbie, not squeezing in four passengers. Duh. Oh well. Edward: "Sort of, but it seems we're in the clear for now." Edward: "I know it's always hard to be sure, but like I tend to say, Angel, can you get our guides chatting a bit? -- 'there is such a thing as too much paranoia.'..." WillGM: "You have a point." Maurice: "All right... but too little paranoia also is bad, and even if these guys are legitimate, it's not the kind of place I'd walk without a squad with rifles." Edward: Using the japanese for Angel to avoid using Walter's name even mangled to the best japenglish possible. "waruteru" :) Edward: "Point well seen." WillGM: Walter asks innocuous-sounding questions of SNG, such as how long he's been working at his job, what work he's done previously, what it's like, and so forth. WillGM: 3 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3 3d6) and gets 13 10 16. Maurice: "That's all I had for now... talk when we get there, hopefully." If Edward doesn't have anything else to add, this is going to be followed by a "Bruce, how do you hang this damned thing up?" Edward: "Luddite." WillGM: SNG replies briefly, with replies that would sound equally innocuous to a mundane listener: "a few years," "traveling troubleshooter," "rewarding," and so forth. WillGM: Bruce takes the phone and hangs it up. Maurice adds "Techophile," before handing it over to Bruce. WillGM: Walter settles back and says somethign to Ed... WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. WillGM: ...you hear it as "Oni off-chance we get some free time, we might try some of the local food." Edward makes a very spirited effort at keeping his face straight. Maurice: Merde WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 4, "That's a critical success, don't think this means I like you." WillGM: Ed: You do. Edward: One sec while the player thinks furiously. Edward: What's the seating arrangement? WillGM: Driver QuietQuy WillGM: SNGWaltYou WillGM: Possibly mirrored left-to-right. I don't know where Turkey keeps its steering wheels. ;^) Edward: .oO(Once more into the breech.) Maurice: "Well, Ed seems to think they're legit... but I still don't like it." Maurice: What a great time for me to have hung up. WillGM: *snicker* Fearless: That's a UL-esque pun there, Will... WillGM: He wanted to bury it in the flow of conversation. Edward starts tapping his foot rhythmically. "Sounds good. A friend once told me there's a local dish that's as spicy as the Act on the fifth tap from now, left." WillGM: *japanese* "Wait." Edward stops tapping. WillGM: *japanese* "You'll have to be clearer." WillGM: SNG says something in Turkish (probably) to the quiet guy, who nods. Edward: "Deal with the guy on your left. I think time just ran out." WillGM: "In the middle of the street?" Edward: "As opposed to a location of their choosing? Yes." WillGM: "We could simply request to exit the vehicle." Edward: "Point." Edward: " Dammit. Can we stop here for a moment? I really should have used the restrooms back at the airport..." WillGM: The cabdriver looks at you quizzically. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 7. WillGM: Cabdriver passes his English roll. :^) WillGM: "Ah, yeah, sure." WillGM: He stops in front of a restaurant and turns on his blinkers. WillGM: "Dammit." Edward: Hmm. Did we remember to have some money converted to the local currency? WillGM: He pulls out a gun and puts it to the cabby's head. "You couldn't have come quietly." WillGM: The cabby freaks and starts praying. Maurice: Ah... the second car is stopping too right? WillGM: Maurice: Of course; you're behind him. Maurice: Just checking. Edward: "You pull that trigger, every celestial in the area will hear it. And there's a bunch of gabrielites who are wondering where we are right now." WillGM: "Yeah, but a human will be dead. I suspect your friend's none to fond of that outcome." Maurice notices the first cab slowing down and pulling over as their cab does likewise. Tenses even before the gun comes out in the first cab. "Doubt this is good..." WillGM: Maurice: Vision roll. Maurice: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Maurice (3d6) and gets 6. Maurice: Easy pass. WillGM: You luck out and get a good angle -- you see the gun being held to the cabby's head before SNG pulls it below line of sight of the windows. Edward: "We come with you bunch of go celestial on three , we'll all end up dead or worse faster than you can say Ichi, ni, SAN!" WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 8. Maurice: "Merde. New guy pulled a gun on the cabby. Frizz, Bruce?" He grabs the hilt of the fighting knife in one hand and puts his other on the door handle. Fearless: oh, *that*'s gonna create some Noize. Edward goes for a joint-breaker sideways punch to the gun man's elbow. WillGM: You hear a point of Essence spent, plus the *bong* of an angel going celestial, and Walt vanishes from sight. WillGM: 4 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (4 3d6) and gets 8 9 10 16. Edward: and more importantly, out of my line of striking to the guy with the gun. WillGM: Ed, Bruce, and Frizz see Walt. Maurice doesn't. WillGM: One sec, checking something. WillGM: 2 1d6 (Initiative roll: first Ed, then SNG.) WillGM: 2 1d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 1d6) and gets 2 2. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 10. WillGM: He attempts to dodge it (with the arm, at least). WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. Edward: Ed needs to browse the "tactics for human-celestial combat" section of the lightning/soldier boards more often, obviously. WillGM: (1) Don't. (2) Hide. (3) Vessels don't like Big Guns either. WillGM: However, your punch connects... Edward: That and "when it comes down to hand-to-hand no matter what you've tried..." WillGM: 1d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (1d6) and gets 1. WillGM: Your punch barely does any damage, but it throws his gun hand off. He pulls the trigger, and the shot shatters the windshield. Edward: Plan of intent: as soon as that gun is no longer directly pointing at the cabbie head, grapple it to keep the gun out of the way, then pull the guy in close enough for an elbow slam to the throat - or at least force him to harm me. Noise is good right now. WillGM: Maurice, you see and hear the gunfire, the windshield, and the crowd panicking. In the narrow street with two cabs, it's hard to flee anywhere, but people are managing it. WillGM: He's already spent his action for the round; he was aiming and lost it. WillGM: Reroll to break initiative tie... WillGM: 2 1d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 1d6) and gets 2 2. WillGM: :^/ Edward: *snrrrrrrk* Sam: ... Or not break it. WillGM: 2 1d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 1d6) and gets 2 6. Maurice throws the door open, pulls the knife actually out of the bag and starts to move towards the first car. Hoping Frizz does something similiarily useful. Edward: Mind if I paste that little episode elsewhere? That was just too amusing. WillGM: Feel free. Edward: Gamer needs potty break, bbiam WillGM: The cabby attempts to flee the cab, Frizz and Bruce both draw weapons and get out as well, and the second cabby reverses and attempts to flee on wheels. WillGM: In the front cab, another action filled second passes. The action order is SNG, Walt, Quiet Guy, Ed. We'll wait until Ed gets back. Edward: that'd be now. WillGM: SNG attempts to throw Ed off of him. WillGM: 2 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 3d6) and gets 15 10. WillGM: 2 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 3d6) and gets 12 12. WillGM: It actually takes him a moment's struggle... this one isn't so inhumanly strong as the last demon you fought. WillGM: But he still wins, pushing you backward and breaking your grip. Edward: Does he push me back far enough for me to get leg room? WillGM: You're back in a sitting position. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 5. WillGM: Another point of Essence is spent and Walter rematerializes, gripping Quiet Guy and attempting to hold him. WillGM: 2 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 3d6) and gets 5 4. Edward moves back in to get an elbow into his throat before he can bring that gun into play again. Edward: How am I for Essence right now? I think I spent mine helping Liriel Sing earlier. WillGM: This fails, however, as Quiet Guy easily throws Walter through the shattered windshield. WillGM: Ed: Yeah. It's been... one noon. It's still late morning right now. You have 1 Essence. Edward: That goes into the slam, then. WillGM: You're not up yet. ;^) WillGM: Maurice, what are you doing during all of this? WillGM: Anyway, Quiet Guy throws a backhand left-armed swing at Ed. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 13. Maurice: Knife out, bolting towards the first cab. (ignoring the second one with the bag and most of my worldly possessions about to drive off) If combat turns are longer than I remember, yanking open the rear door behind SNG. WillGM: Ed, you have a split second to see an arm coming at your head. Response? WillGM: Maurice: 1sec/turn. Edward: Third rule in a crisis situation. Edward: DUCK. WillGM: That's a Dodge. Maurice: Thought so. So probably just moving this turn. =/ WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 8. WillGM: And it's really hard to duck when sitting. Edward: Not really. Fall sideways. Fearless: not impossible WillGM: Yes, but at any rate, he failed his Dodge roll. Edward: That'll leave a mark. WillGM: 1d6+2 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (1d6+2) and gets 7. Edward: Ouch. WillGM: Yeah, that's to the head, so you're not a happy camper at the moment. Fearless: "Medic!" WillGM: A bit of that extra damage also came from your head hitting the glass window, so there's a bit of laceration. You are quite stunned. WillGM: Skip yor next turn. *** katster (katster@68-189-61-62.ca.charter.com) has joined channel #gurps WillGM: Left 1, right 2... WillGM: 1d2 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (1d2) and gets 1. Edward 's head snaps back as a backhand slams into it, collides with the window behind him, and he goes goggle at the pretty birdies for a bit. Maurice: oikats... just got here in time for shit to hit the fan! katster: I moved today. So my brain is mush. But I might watch the rest, if that's cool. WillGM: Maurice, you were on the left of the cab, and thus are on the side of SNG as he gets out of his cab. WillGM: Bruce is on Ed's side, as is Frizz. Fearless: oi, kats Derek: Well, that's another point of disturbance, anyway... Edward: Two. Damage gets rounded up. Maurice: Will: 'kay, just checking... SNG has the gun still? Derek: Ooooh, shiny. WillGM: 7, in fact. The total is now... 2 Essence, 1 go-celestial, 1 re-form, 7 pts. corporeal damage, a bit to objects... 27. WillGM: Maurice: Yeah. Maurice: And he's out of the car? WillGM: SNG spends this round getting out of the cab. Maurice: *nod* WillGM: In the front cab, Walter abandons attempting to grapple with Quiet Guy and simply flings himself across the seat between QG and Ed. Maurice is going to make a slash with his Kabar fighting knife at SNG's gun arm, looking to disable. WillGM: Maurice: you get a free attack as SNG awkwardly gets out of the cab. Roll it. Maurice: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Maurice (3d6) and gets 9. WillGM: He awkwardly attempts to block with his off-arm... WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 13. WillGM: Failure. WillGM: How big's that Kabar? Maurice: Very fine large knife Maurice: Sw cut (forget sw for str 10) =P WillGM: 1d6-2 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (1d6-2) and gets 4. WillGM: It's a clean hit, moving past his awkward block and biting into his arm. Maurice: ... oh duhr. Swing at str10 is 1d. WillGM: *referencereferencereference* *limbslimbslimbs* Maurice: ^_^; sorry... ;) WillGM: That's allright, I got it. WillGM: He howls in pain, but still clutches the gun. WillGM: Bruce comes up to Quiet Guy and leans in. It's hard to see what he's doing from there. Frizz begins crossing behind the cab to come over to your side. WillGM eyes the message... Actually, I'm good with re-editing that. One sec, let me confirm. WillGM: Make that 6 damage... but arms can take HT/2 before being crippled, so he's still got the gun. Maurice: *nod* Maurice: At least he's got a different target than Ed. WillGM: New round. Walter, Quiet Guy, and Bruce are effectively out of combat, QG being held down by the other two. Ed... WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 7. WillGM: You're still very woozy, but in control of your movements again. WillGM: Combat sequence is SNG, Frizz, Maurice, Ed. WillGM: The demon straightens up out of the car and tries to use his momentum to add to an uppercut to Maurice. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 10. WillGM: The tactic works, and his off fist is sailing rapidly toward Maurice's chin. Maurice? WillGM: Your response? Maurice: *KJ pictures choreography. Okay. Maurice tries to knock the arm out of the path of his chin with his left forearm... at 2/3rds Karate that's 8... Maurice: Er wait. WillGM: Err, you don't have Karate. WillGM: Yes you do. WillGM: 9. Maurice tries to parry the guy's arm with the knife instead. >;] WillGM: *That*'s at 8. Maurice: Hm. Ah well, let's try it. Maurice: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for Maurice (3d6) and gets 15. Fearless: oops Maurice: Merde. I didn't like those teeth much anyway. WillGM: He's moving too fast... the fist flies up before you can get a good bead on him, and connects firmly. WillGM: 1d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (1d6) and gets 6. Fearless: I hope this gig offers a good medical plan... y'know... eye, dental... Derek: Ow. WillGM: *very* firmly. Edward: It does. WillGM: These guys can apparently punch at ton... Maurice, your head is flung back and ooh, the pretty stars. Edward: And that's another two points of Noise... Maurice 's head knocks back under the impact and he drops onto his back on the ground, reflexes managing to catch his body from hitting too hard though. WillGM: Frizz jumps over the cab's trunk, pulls two swords from nowhere and begins using both of them in a fine imitation of a cuisinart. Edward: Cue The Matrix Reloaded soundtrack. WillGM: By the way, in case anybody wonders... this is a combination of Off-Hand training and a double-weapon Maneuver. 2 unpenalized attacks a round. WillGM: 2 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 3d6) and gets 9 11. WillGM: SNG attempts to dodge... WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. WillGM: ...and fails. Both. WillGM: 2 2d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 2d6) and gets 7 10. Fearless: "Slice and dice!: Fearless: -:+" WillGM: And he's still got a trick up his sleeve that's *even* *better*. :^) WillGM: Ed, what would you like to do? Edward: Blade Blessing? WillGM: Frizz? No, standard sw damage for shortswords with a ST of 14. Edward would *like* a hot bath and a nice nap in a clean bed, but that's not in the cards just yet, so I'll settle for hitting the nearest bad guy as painfully as possible WillGM: The nearest bad guy is on the other side of Walter's body between you and him, laying across the front seat. WillGM: (And you're still very woozy. -7 penalty to attacks this round from the aftershock of the blow.) Edward spends a moment trying to clear his head, then WillGM: Good idea. ;^) WillGM: Next round. WillGM: Ed, your head is clearer. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 12. WillGM: Maurice, you're still trying to shake off that punch. WillGM: Walter, QG, and Bruce are still locked in position. WillGM: And SNG, who has just been attacked by what is roughly a living chainaxe, has limply dropped his gun and seems about to fall into unconsciousness. Maurice flops slightly on the ground as if he's about to roll back onto his feet but hasn't quite remembered how yet. WillGM: Frizz moves first, then Ed and SNG. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 9. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 12. Edward: .oO(... Aikido. Definitely aikido. And a hot bath and a warm bed. Ooo, birdies. Check please...) WillGM: I'm not going to bother wi... well, there such things as Interventions. WillGM: 2 3d6-17 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 3d6-17) and gets -5 -4. WillGM: But they don't happen today. WillGM: 2 2d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (2 2d6) and gets 11 6. WillGM: 3 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3 3d6) and gets 14 10 14. WillGM: A forehand and a backhand swing, and SNG is prone upon the ground. Edward: At a guess, I'd say someone just got very very badly hurt. WillGM: People are still screaming and running away, but events slow down to a more normal pace, long enough for Maurice and Ed to regain all sense of the present Maurice: Did the second cab drive off? Edward: .oO(Better yet. I want a gun right now. Didn't someone have a gun? Where'd he go?) WillGM: You have 1 corpse, 1 prisoner, Disturbance that can be heard several miles away, and a very public fight. Fearless: and I thought *I* was in a bad sitch. ^_^ WillGM: Maurice: The fight has gone on for only a few shocking seconds, as they often do... the cab you left is still honking and trying to back down the street in front of a fleeing crowd of people. Edward: Which started when the now-dead guy pulled said gun, and he did shoot first, as far as any witness could have seen. Maurice grabs his knife and rolls to his feet, a bit more unsteadily than he'd like. He glances back at the second cab and has the presence of mind to lunge for it and grab his bag. WillGM: Maurice: you chase it a ways before the cabby realizes what you want. He tosses the bag out the window in front of his cab with the air of a man hoping the monster will take the offering and leave him in peace. Edward 's sense of time slows down to normal again and he takes a deep breath. "Ow. I'll be feeling that for a while. Walt, Bruce, you guys okay?" WillGM: *a little strained* "We're... okay for the moment..." Maurice grabs the bag and watches the cab finally get away. He then sheathes his fighting knife in it and turns to the rest. WillGM: Frizz grabs a nearby tablecloth and conscientiously cleans his blades before putting them away. Maurice: "We need to get out of here ri..." he pauses and spits out a few fragments of teeth and a gobbet of blood. "Right now." Edward: Do we have the name of at least one of the angels we were supposed to be meeting? WillGM: "I concur heartily. Our erstwhile cabdriver has abandoned this vehicle. I suggest we make use of it." Edward tries to make a guess, based on average speed and driving time, how far from the airport we can possibly be right now. WillGM: No, they were supposed to know you. You know there's a fake version of the Skull taking the place of the real one at its shrine somewhere in the city. WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 12. WillGM: Ed: You're still within the metropolitan area. You can't have gone more than a few miles. Edward: "Okay. Analysis. Any celestial not entirely deaf will have heard this little incident. That includes, hopefully, the ones that we were *supposed* to meet at the airport." Edward: "Downside, it probably also includes the ones we were being taken to by the ones that *did* meet us." Edward: do we know where that shrine is? WillGM: "I estimate a ten-mile radius for a typically perceptive celestial." WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 10. WillGM: Ed: No, but it's obviously public knowledge. Edward clambers over to the driver's seat and looks for a map or something - not that he'll be able to read it. Maurice: "Talk in the car," Maurice says, businesslike. "We need to worry about police at least; we can talk and flee the scene at the same time." Edward: "We need to get out of here. Let's see if that shrine is... Damn. In Turkish." WillGM: "Let's get moving, then." Edward: We're still in the car. WillGM: Frizz picks up SNG's gun and gets in the back seat. Bruce gingerly lets go of QG, and joins him. Frizz points the gun at QG, who is still being watched by Walter. Maurice: You're still in the car. ;) Maurice piles in *somewhere*. WillGM: Ed, you're in the driver's seat. Edward: Wonderful. WillGM: Maurice: Last space -- in back. The six of you are a tight squeeze, but you're all in there. Fearless: "Okay, did we *have* to stuff BA in the trunk?" Edward: ... wait. The windshield of this thing is shot out. Fearless: ^_^ WillGM: Fearless: BA's still back at the airport picking you up, fortunately. Maurice: Right, it is. But it gets us away from the scene. We're going to have to dump it somewhere and... call a cab. ;) Edward starts backing up. "Not that I'm complaining about driving as opposed to walking, but a cab with a shot-out window is not the best way not to attract attention. Fearless: twas joking Maurice nods. "It gets us away from the scene though. We have to ditch it somewhere and... call another cab," he says with no small trace of irony. Edward: "Fun." Maurice: "Anyone else hurt?" Edward: "My ego and my skull. So nothing serious." WillGM: Walter and Bruce are unharmed. WillGM: How far/long do you go before you decide to ditch the cab? Edward drives, takes random turns, picking what looks like the larger street whenever he has a choice. Edward: No more than five minutes, I think. WillGM: Between turns and crowds, you get maybe half a mile. Sirens are audible converging on your last location. Maurice: "Good. I'm short a few teeth and it hurts like hell to talk, but no holes in anyone is a good start." WillGM: "She's looking for us." Edward hears the sirens. "And that's our cue to bail.... Who is?" Edward tenses. WillGM: "... the woman we met on the plane. And do you know, I have no idea how I know that..." Edward looks for a convenient alley to ditch the cab in. WillGM: Ed: Alleys abound. Edward: *turninto* "Thank you for riding with Bloody Idiot Taxi. Please do consider us for all your future almost-getting-mugged-in-Istanbul endeavours." Maurice: "We survived, no?" WillGM: Quiet Guy coughs. WillGM: "I think perhaps it would be cleanest all around if you just sort of let me go. Quiet, safe, easy on everybody's blood supply, you know?" Edward places what he thinks is a reasonable amount of money in the glove compartment under the driver's license. WillGM: "Give us a good reason not to slit your throat." WillGM: Ed: 'ow much? Edward: "I think perhaps we've had one ambush from your side too many in the past 24 hours." WillGM: "...fair enough, fair enough. How about I pay for my safety?" Edward: $100 in local currency, assuming I have at least 200. If not, about half of what I have. WillGM: Ed: You've got it. Edward: "I can't think of anything we'd currently want from you that we'd trust you to provide. WillGM: "Hey, who needs trust when you've got a Seraph." Edward: "I'd still have to trust that you don't twist what you say enough to make us believe the wrong thing even though it's literally true." Edward: "Or that you'll keep your word." WillGM: Quiet Guy rolls his eyes. "*Information*, you jabbering little monkey. The Seraph can verify that I believe what I say is true." Edward: "Kindly remember which one of us currently does not have weapons pointed at him when making insults." Edward: "Keep talking." Fearless oocly flees... tis 3am here, and I need to get up early tomorrow... Maurice: UnArs WillGM: UnArs. *** Signoff: Fearless (Quit: Ah, Technology... the most perverse of the mystic arts.) WillGM: We need to wrap this up soon anyway. Actually, why don't we do the negotiations starting next session? Maurice: *nod* Edward: Sounds fun, but allow me this one question first? WillGM: Okay? Edward: "But before you say anything else, tell us for the record that you're *not* trying to stall for time." WillGM: "I am not trying to stall for time. My highest current priority is to get out of this with my Vessel intact." WillGM: 3d6 Dicesuke throws the bones for WillGM (3d6) and gets 10. WillGM: Walter nods. "Both true." Edward: "That'll do for now." WillGM: ----------------------- Session End -------------------------