[IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Deadline

For all of your Play-By-Post games.
User avatar
kenseido
Posts: 3911
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:13 pm
Location: Kansas City
Contact:

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by kenseido »

Aiden Starr
HP: 3, Condition: Fine

Aiden just responds, "I don't know. I don't even know why they want... why they are doing their mission."

He grabs the keys out of the air and slides into the red sports car's driver's seat. He starts it up and feels the power of the engine instantly. Far superior to the crap they have been driving. No substitute for Shrike but definitely has some potential.

Still, he needs to wait. He wants nothing more than to unleash the full potential of this car on the streets. But now is not the time or place for that. With all of his frustration, he has to use all his willpower to keep the car under the speed limit and avoid any other attention-grabbing moves. He heads off in the direction indicated and begins to open up.

"This whole mission has been a clusterf*ck from the beginning. First Iona spends every moment flirting with me. Then she purposely gets me to reveal your identity to the others by playing stupid. Then John completely blows basic security principles, requiring me to expose Shrike to defend against those macro-virus monsters and put my ship in jeopardy. Now there are search planes hunting for her so even her picking me up is a risk."

"Then we waste hours repairing a car and then lose it almost immediately. Cops, military, stolen cars, seedy motels. Loser John no doubt spending his time thinking of new ways to kill me because he blames me for his failure. Iona running off on her own after exposing herself multiple times and leaving us to deal with the mess. Diego in a constant bad mood, which probably makes the most sense."

"I really have no idea what is going on anymore. I don't know how valuable the information on the data crystal is. I don't know why they want to kidnap you. I don't know why I was assigned to this mission. I have none of the skills necessary. There was no way I could complete it without their help."

Aiden stops himself from running the oncoming Stop sign. "It's almost like Dr Sokolov sent me so that their mission would fail."

As the words actually register with his mind for the first time, he turns and looks at Anna.

"And then he could save the day by having you go into hiding."
User avatar
Supernaturalist
Posts: 2275
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2018 2:48 am

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by Supernaturalist »

John Steiner
HP:1
Cnd: Impaired (-2 circumstance penalty to all skill rolls)
PP:0

John wants a car...badly. He imagines briefly how much he could contribute to the mission if he could procure one. But the police will be searching for the car, and searching for him. He can't afford to endanger the mission by looking to commit another risky crime in the area...despite how much he desires to "save the day".
OOC: Okay here are John's three rolls. I'll start with what John feels are the most important down to the least important. First is Stealth: Stealth roll at Night: 1d20+10 20. So, an 18 after the Impair penalty. A question: could John get a circumstance bonus due to the cover of darkness? John will use an HP to reroll in hopes of a better roll: Reroll of Stealth: 1d20+10 24. With the Impair penalty that is a 22.

Now for the Perception roll: Perception roll at Night: 1d20+8 19. So the total after the Impair is a 17.

Finally, there is the Expertise: Soldier roll: Expertise: Soldier roll at Night: 1d20+12 23. With the Impair Penalty, that is a 21.

John is now down to one HP.
Moving quietly while "leap frogging" from one dark alley to the next, John makes his way from where he parked the Altima. Dreams of brutalizing some innocent and taking their car cross his mind, but unless lots of circumstances are ideal: The car is in a very isolated spot, the driver is frail/weak, and there are no possible witnesses nearby to see or hear, John simply keeps to himself and attempts to move as far away from the area as possible.
User avatar
Sakuro
Posts: 5746
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:43 am

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by Sakuro »

Anna listened to Aiden's venting without interjecting. She offered shakes of the head and sympathetic sounds at all the right points during his monologue. Then when he had his revelation, she smiled a winning smile at him. Like someone who had won a game or engagement before it had even begun.

"It is a little less impactful when my cover is blown. Thanks again for that."

A small fisted hand punched against Aiden's shoulder without any meaningful force behind it. After delivering the faux-punch Anna leaned forwards and began typing coordinates into the car's GPS systems.

"Try to look at this as a learning experience. "

She flopped back into her seat.

"Follow the GPS. Someone with connections got the cops to steer clear of a section of the city for a while. They're having a street race. Let's go blow off some steam, yeah?!"

A quick smile flashed over her lips briefly exposing white teeth when she talked about racing and blowing off steam. Then her hands rose to the roof of the car and rapped at it like a drum, trying to shift the mood from frustration to amped up race-mode.


OOC wrote:Since John rolled well on his Soldier check, I'll let you get a +2 bonus from finding good places to move to during the search. New total is 24 on Stealth.

John's Perception roll is lower than I was looking for, but it still isn't bad, and her other rolls were solid. It'll just take him longer to find a target.
John doesn't know police procedure. He was ... IS ... a soldier. Still, he can put himself in their shoes and think about what he would do if he were the one on hunt. Taking a moment to look at this tactically, he positions himself to stay one step ahead of police entering the area and those already present who are no doubt searching for him.

Prowling through the shadows, looking out into the light lit world of the Las Vegas streets, he searches for a victim ... and finds it in the form of a middle aged woman exiting from the back of some kind of health spa, beautification ... whatever place. She still has her work mosk on and is heading to a section at the back of the buisness where employees parking has been reserved. There are street light here, yes, but one of them is flickering out and on.

John watches to see which car she heads to.

The light goes out and on.

She stops at an old sea mist colored jeep.

The light goes out and on.

She look down and digs into her purse, no doubt searching for keys. Takes them out.

The light goes out ...
OOC wrote:Go ahead and describe how John stalks and takes out his target. She is a bystander. No need for rolls here.
Evelyn Gracen, in AEGIS Squad
Storyteller for In the Shadow of Imperator
Storyteller for Geneforge: the Created
mrdent12
Posts: 4215
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 8:10 pm

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by mrdent12 »

Diego Gonzalez
HP: 1
CND: Haunted
Form: Solid


A blind Russian wasn't the best of guises in the ritzy area of the city. Instead, Diego took on a more fitting form. A Spaniard with black hair in his thirties with a well tailored suit with light facial hair. He had taken note of the area and figured he fit in a bit more. When the person taking out the trash gave Diego a look, he simply nodded back. "A woman, someone named Annie or Anne, said they would meet me here after she stepped out on her date. She was quite lovely and radiant. I am here on some work, but it was hard to resist her. You would not have happened to see her?", inquired Diego in a thick Spanish accent from Spain. He had all the look of someone looking to have an elicit affair.

Regardless of the guys response, Diego would nod and say thank you. Inside, he knew what had happened when Aiden didn't respond and wasn't in the lobby. Aiden had taken off with Anna. Short on leads and now worried about John doing something stupid, again, Diego decided to cut his losses. After the two battles, there was going to be quite a bit of heat. It made no sense to stick around and make anymore in search of a spy who no doubt knew how to lay low. Diego may be able to find her, but that would entail leaving John unsupervised. When there was no good choices, Diego had to pick one and live or not with his choice.

Strolling to more shadows, Diego vanishes again and makes his way to somewhere quieter and less likely to be seen. Party's over. House beat me like you said it would. Where are you so we can get out of here before I lose anymore money?, texted Diego to John.

After the text, Diego reached out to Chen over their shared link. Anna is an agent of Sokolov. No doubt, Iona and Aiden had another agenda in opposition to us kidnapping her that undermined us grabbing her. John is also not in the right state of mind to continue the mission. I have no methods of contacting Anna and Aiden is not responding to me anymore. We are free of Iona and Aiden, but have no way to finish the mission or verify it is finished without risking further exposure. I was outplayed by Sokolov and our reliance and forced cooperation with his incompetent robot again. I am going to leave with John and try to find a way back to Hadron City without Aiden. As far as I know, he has instructions not to provide us a way back. Unless Sokolov instructs his agent to lay low, we will have no leverage., says Diego over the link.

When John provides a location, Diego will make his way there in the shadows.
User avatar
Supernaturalist
Posts: 2275
Joined: Thu Jun 07, 2018 2:48 am

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by Supernaturalist »

John Steiner
HP:1
Cnd: Impaired (-2 circumstance penalty to all skill rolls)
PP:0

People can be so careless. It always amazes John how indifferent to danger some can be: Those who stay in their homes and refuse to leave when a hurricane is sure to make landfall nearby. People who surf in shark-infested waters. Now this woman, living and working in a city with a pandemic capable of creating monstrosities, walks unescorted to her car.

At first the paranoid soldier cannot believe it’s true. As he moves slowly from shadow to shadow his eyes scan the vicinity for other employees in this relatively secluded parking lot. But he sees no one else. The light near her car flickers on and off, blanketing the proximity of the jeep with several seconds of darkness. The burly soldier times his attack.

Just as the unsuspecting woman presses the button on her key to unlock the door, two powerful arms constrict around her throat from behind, dragging her back into the darkness of the wall’s shadow. One forearm squeezes the windpipe so that she cannot scream, while the other completely occludes the carotid artery on the front-side of her neck. The soldier’s head and hips are turned to the side in case she tries to strike him in the groin or poke at his eyes. But she is not trained. Instead she reaches for his arms and tries to pry them loose. A fatal mistake. Within 5-10 seconds she is unconscious. After just over another full minute her convulsions cease. A brief check of her breathing confirms she’s dead.

When the light flickers out, he initially leaves her in the shadows just long enough to open the door and the rear-hatch of the jeep. During the next “lights out” phase he moves her body to the rear bed of the Jeep and closes the hatch. There is a slight tint to the windows, which is revealed when the light turns back on. Under the cover of darkness this should help, but the body should certainly be disposed of somewhere if he and The Dark Ascendant plan to drive the car back to Hadron City.

John looks at the license plate to get the number just before getting into the vehicle. It is then that his phone vibrates and The Dark Ascendant’s text comes through. John stares at it for a moment, wondering what it could mean. The veteran soldier almost uses the commlink to communicate, but instead texts back. <Awww, man, that sux. Got any money left for an Uber or Lyft? I can pick you up if you tell me where to meet you. Mom let me borrow her Jeep for the evening.>

He then starts the vehicle and slowly heads out of the parking area. Turning in the opposite direction that he had driven the Altima, he heads slowly back in the general direction of the theatre awaiting Diego’s reply.
mrdent12
Posts: 4215
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 8:10 pm

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by mrdent12 »

Diego Gonzalez
HP: 1
CND: Haunted
Form: Solid


While Diego waited for a response from his message over the network, he responded to Johns with a pickup spot. Hopefully, John had the presence of mind to get any incriminating items plus whatever cash they had left. Nope, pretty much all broke. Just want to get away from this place for a little. I'll be by the coffee shop., says Diego adding a coffee shop they passed along the way outside of the nice area of town. John driving about in this area wasn't the best of things for him to be doing.

Why Null and now Chen had saddled him with Iona and now Aiden, Diego would never know. Something about teaching a lesson or something. Working in cooperation only goes so far though when one party is nearly outright hostile/inept or gives up on it sometimes. His master had instructed it, so he would proceed with the charade trying to minimize their damage. Once he could get the heart, the black heart things might change. For all he knew Sokolov might have instructed his agents to ruin that task as well. If they did, even Diego might fly into a rage.
I am not going to assume Diego and John meet up without issue yet. If they do, I will post the rest such as Diegos appearance and him flagging John down.
User avatar
kenseido
Posts: 3911
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:13 pm
Location: Kansas City
Contact:

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by kenseido »

Aiden Starr
HP: 3, Condition: Fine

Aiden closes his eyes for a second. Finally this all makes sense. A lesser man might be embarassed by being used to inadvertently fowl up the plans of another. But Dr Sokolov is a mastermind. And he coudln't tell Aiden, or it wouldn't be sincere. He gave him just enough info to make him think it was possible and let the chips fall where they may. Aiden's own inexperience would be enough of a handicap. Brilliant.

Still sitting at the Stop sign, he turns and looks back at Anna.

"Is there even a data crystal?"
User avatar
Sakuro
Posts: 5746
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:43 am

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by Sakuro »

Diego sinks within himself and enters that place that all of the Ascendant's share, when they want to share it. Chen's presence is felt just as soon as Diego reaches out. When they connect the world around Diego slows down while his internalized conversation with his fellow Ascendant continues at what feels like a normal speed.

"You are in the field. It is your call. If the situation is untenable as you say, then withdrawal is the correct course of action. You're being compromised would be worse than a mission failure. I will give you directions to a safehouse in the city. Lay low until morning. Transportaion back to Hadron City will be arranged for you."

Directions follow. Street names. Landmarks. An address. A pause, then ...

"When you get back we will discuss your leadership and asset management strategies."

After that Chen's presence is gone. Disconnected from Diego. Diego's perception returns fully to the physical world and it speeds back up to normal.
OOC wrote:You will be able to meet up with John, and as long as you don't stand out in the open or draw attention to yourselves, you'll be able to make it to the safehouse without issue.
Evelyn Gracen, in AEGIS Squad
Storyteller for In the Shadow of Imperator
Storyteller for Geneforge: the Created
mrdent12
Posts: 4215
Joined: Sat Nov 05, 2016 8:10 pm

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by mrdent12 »

Diego Gonzalez
HP: 1
CND: Haunted
Form: Solid


Diego wasn't too keen on talking with Chen too long. So it was a relief to end quickly. When Chen mentioned leadership and asset management, Diego especially didn't want to talk. Chen may have had the luxury of operating with his own team. Diego was tied to Iona, John, and whoever Sokolov decided to toss into the mix next to mess with Praetor Nulls plans. He was many things. One of them was not a baby sitter. In his previous life, he did work with agents from other groups, but they usually weren't out to undermine him.

Upon arriving at the designated pickup spot as an early twenties soldier type, he flagged down John as the man approached and quickly got into the jeep. After giving the address of the safe house, Diego laid it all out for John when it seemed like they wouldn't be overheard. "Aiden is not responding to me and has likely taken off with the target. Much like previous missions where Sokolovs agents messed with us, I suspect this is much the same. Whether Ioan was in on it or not I cannot say. We've caused enough havoc here. We will lay low at the safe house. Upon arrival, I can dispose of the jeep and body than return to await transportation back to Hadron City. On my way back, I can inquire about the target at the theatre. This is all no doubt what Sokolov was hoping, but we have no leads and every moment you stay in the city causes ore risk of exposure.", conveys Diego. Given Johns mental state already, Diego wasn't sure how he'd take it. He also didn't care.
User avatar
Sakuro
Posts: 5746
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:43 am

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by Sakuro »

They weren't moving. Anna frowned at the prolonged stay at the Stop sign. When Aiden posed his question she gave him a look, as though wordlessly asking if he were serious. Then she sighed softly before giving a response. Her tone far less energetic now that Aiden wasn't going along with her attempt to shift the mood towards something more positive.

"Yes, there is a data crystal. Yes, it is important. No, I do not have it on me. The data crystal is the prize for winning the race I told you about."

Behind them a car's horn honked. A driver leaned out of his window and yelled some curse words at the guy holding everyone up at the Stop sign. Anna glanced back.

"Sitting idle at a stop sign isn't the best idea. Unless you want to draw attention to yourself."
Evelyn Gracen, in AEGIS Squad
Storyteller for In the Shadow of Imperator
Storyteller for Geneforge: the Created
User avatar
kenseido
Posts: 3911
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:13 pm
Location: Kansas City
Contact:

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by kenseido »

Aiden Starr
HP: 3, Condition: Fine

Aiden sighs and puts the car in gear, proceeding slowly.

"This is the car we are supposed to use? I am sure it's fast, but it's not optimized for a street race. Most street racers get very serious and mod their cars to go extremely fast for a short distance. Some would say over-mod them since there are a lot of engines blown out. They usually take the cars to the race on trailers as driving them on the street would get them impounded."

He continues going under the speed limit, but not ridiculously so.

"If this is the case, then we will need some help to make sure we win. Diego is the perfect man, but I don't want you getting hurt either. So how do we do this?"
User avatar
Sakuro
Posts: 5746
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:43 am

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by Sakuro »

Turning away half away from Aiden Anna looked out the passenger-side window.

"You want to bring your friends into this after we ditched them? You're a bit of a masochist, aren't you?"

Exhaling a breath of hot air against the window, the moisture condenses into a fog on the surface. Using her index finger she began drawing.

"Sure. We can make it work. Maybe. But I'm staying out of sight. You get to take the heat."

"I have a bit of mutually assured destruction that might keep them playing nice. Was going to use it if they caught me. Files are on the phone I sent you. Be smart, don't look at it. Just give it to the one in charge."

There is a pause in her side of the conversation as Anna makes a series of dots in the fogged up patch of window.

"Question is, how do you intend to get them to help?"
Evelyn Gracen, in AEGIS Squad
Storyteller for In the Shadow of Imperator
Storyteller for Geneforge: the Created
User avatar
kenseido
Posts: 3911
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:13 pm
Location: Kansas City
Contact:

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by kenseido »

Aiden Starr
HP: 3, Condition: Fine

Aiden sees a place to park on the side of the road and pulls over.

He stares at the dashboard as he starts doing mental math.

"Diego would need a win. He only has the one objective."

He pauses and lets out a sigh. It's not what Dr Sokolov wants.

"It just has to look like He has you right? So, you go lie low but take John with you. The guy is basically panting to see you again. You lie low but maybe get seen with John in a few places where it will get back to Hadron City. As far as everyone is concerned, Null's men grabbed you. And you're safe because it's John."
User avatar
Sakuro
Posts: 5746
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:43 am

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by Sakuro »

There was a long silence from Anna, when ended as she jabbed a finger at the condensation blotch. The nonchalance and lightheartedness were gone from her voice when she spoke next.

"You have some nerve. First you blow my cover. Now you want me to let myself get captured. Fail a secondary objective too."

Turning in her seat she faced Aiden. Made eye contact, reinforcing the seriousness of what she was going to say.

"You are going to owe me. Twice over ... and I will collect."

She let the gravity of what owing her meant. Then she took a small cube out of her pocket. Pressed a button it. Once this minor task was done she gave a subtle up-chin movement of her head in Aiden's direction.

"Go ahead and make the call. Put it on speaker."
OOC wrote:Add a Complication to Aiden's sheet reflecting that he owes Anna a serious debt. Given what we've talked about in PMs, this may get modified.
Evelyn Gracen, in AEGIS Squad
Storyteller for In the Shadow of Imperator
Storyteller for Geneforge: the Created
User avatar
kenseido
Posts: 3911
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2016 8:13 pm
Location: Kansas City
Contact:

Re: [IC] MnM 3e - In the Shadow of Imperator: Abduction

Post by kenseido »

Aiden Starr
HP: 3, Condition: Fine
Sakuro wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 10:53 pm There was a long silence from Anna, when ended as she jabbed a finger at the condensation blotch. The nonchalance and lightheartedness were gone from her voice when she spoke next.

"You have some nerve. First you blow my cover. Now you want me to let myself get captured. Fail a secondary objective too."
Aiden held back a smile. He had no idea which of the objectives were more important, but she just indicated the crystal was the primary objective.

He just wishes he had done this on purpose to find out. Well, like she said... a learning experience.
Sakuro wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 10:53 pmTurning in her seat she faced Aiden. Made eye contact, reinforcing the seriousness of what she was going to say.

"You are going to owe me. Twice over ... and I will collect."

She let the gravity of what owing her meant. Then she took a small cube out of her pocket. Pressed a button it. Once this minor task was done she gave a subtle up-chin movement of her head in Aiden's direction.
He nods. "Fair enough. I owe you big time. Twice. I should have some free time since Dr Sokolov wont trust me to transport anything other than refuse for a while after this."
Sakuro wrote: Sun Oct 09, 2022 10:53 pm"Go ahead and make the call. Put it on speaker.
Aiden pulls out the phone Diego gave him earlier and finally looks at the message. Hmm, wonder what he thinks happened.

He sends a text message while showing Anna the phone so she can see what he is sending.

Code: Select all

You can still win big. Free to talk?
Post Reply