[GAME] Unhallowed Metropolis: City of Shadows Episode 1: Volatile Mix

[Tigerhawk21]

Nathanial nodded to Ben as the soldier began to descend. Turning to the remaining group Nathanial offered a polite bow. "Be safe my friends. Good luck to us all."

With that said, Nathanial calmly descended and followed Ben into the mysterious unknown.

 

[Kain]

Duncan briefly looked over the map ad nodded. As the group discussed their plans and he briefly checked his medical bag to ensure he’d have all that he’d need. He let out a silent yawn hidden by his mask before turning to Vic.

“I’m ready to go; do you have all the equipment you need for the capture on hand?â€

"Never leave home without it, would have to be the worst undertaker in the city to not be prepared. While I may be the most hated according to some, I'm no where near being the worst." Victor said briefly holding his coat open which was loaded with his various pieces of undertaker equipment, reaffirming the fact that he was practically a walking arsenal. "According to Blackwood's predictions the next street that will be hit is Walnut, so lets head over..." he said while pointing. "That-a-way, find a sewer and stake it out." with that the doctor and the undertaker headed off to handle their self assigned task, leaving others to ponder what his remark about being the most hated undertaker in town.

------

Once more the team parted ways, this time in teams of two. The two ladies, and the large dog that many were convinced was a man in a dog suit, or a bear. What they were hunting was information, something that wasn't obvious, and intangible, but still extremely valuable. Victor had given them a lead to follow of course, but they barely knew him and those who worked with him may not have been the most upstanding residents of the city. Beyond that there were random people in bars, who may have heard or seen things, but with every retelling of a tale it would change a little, meaning their own information could be mostly fiction. And of course there was the option of trying to get rumors out of the locals, something that might have been easier with Ness, depending on whether or not the taint in her reputation had spread. They had options at least, though it was tough to tell which ones would yield more answers.

As for the soldier and the dhamphir their task was much more straightforward, they descended into the hole in the street which led to Arkham's sewer system with the hope of finding the point of origin of the animates that had attacked yesterday. As expected of a sewer the smell was nothing short of horrific, possibly vomit inducing. Aside from the normal sewer scent there was another scent on the air, one that was like rotting death, like the animates that they had fought yesterday. Adding to that was the limited visibility, especially when they got further from the entrance. Their own senses were against them and those would have to be overcome if they were to have any definitive measure of success.

 

[GiantBlaze]

"Damn its dark down here. Hey Nathan your kind can see well in the dark right? Would you mind taking the lead?" Ben said while trying to keep down his breakfast. "Have you ever smelled anything like this, the smell is so bad, but i dont want to breath through my mouth anymore because last time I did it left a bad taste in my mouth. Here i go on and on, so lets get to know a bit about each other, to pass the time. As you can see im a deathwatch solider, I have been one for a decent amount of time and in that time I made my way up the ranks of the enlisted. So thats about sums me up, what about you?" Ben said while thinking to himself I need to do something to get my mind off this smell and not being able to see might get me killed.

 

[The_Bladesman]

Duncan laughed under his mask, his question about the undertakers preparedness was certainly answered. Once Victor’s comment sunk in however he started to wonder just what he might have done in the past to make him so unpopularity. He hoped associating with him wouldn’t bite him in the ass down the road.

"Lead the way"

The only problem that remained was dealing with the galvanicly enhanced animate and what ever allies it had with only victor's help, with some luck however their unknown adversary wouldn't be able to bring together such a large attack force again so soon.

 

[Scotty Rave]

Irene considered their options. None of them seemed particularly hopeful, but they would have to start somewhere. “Let’s try chatting with the locals first,†she said. She reasoned that if someone in a bar decided to lie to them, they could rely on the nearby heavies, drinking buddies, to back them up. It was easier to catch someone alone on the street. You could not be kicked out of a street so easily as you could a watering hole, and people might be inclined towards honesty without the convenience of a seven-foot tattooed force-shield named Crazy Joe McMayday. Irene had no intention of resorting to violence from the outset, mind you, she knew better than that.

 

[Kain]

((For the time being I will be taking control of Nathaniel.))

If it weren't for the gas mask covering his face, Nathaniel would be cursing his decision to go down into the sewers. It may have reeked like the backside of the devil himself but the gas mask at least made it mostly bearable, mostly.

"Damn its dark down here. Hey Nathan your kind can see well in the dark right? Would you mind taking the lead?" Ben said while trying to keep down his breakfast. "Have you ever smelled anything like this, the smell is so bad, but i dont want to breath through my mouth anymore because last time I did it left a bad taste in my mouth. Here i go on and on, so lets get to know a bit about each other, to pass the time. As you can see im a deathwatch solider, I have been one for a decent amount of time and in that time I made my way up the ranks of the enlisted. So thats about sums me up, what about you?" Ben said while thinking to himself I need to do something to get my mind off this smell and not being able to see might get me killed.

"Mostly I hunt vampires, but recent events have brought me to hunting animates it seems. A little excessive when you think about it, kind of makes you wonder what else our employer might choose to send us after?" he said as they went deeper in. There was some light from the storm drains but it was still tough to get one's bearings. If there were more undead down there they weren't close enough for him to sense. "You smoke right? Got a match? If we find something to light that might help a little.

---------

As the ladies searched the streets a man came stumbling up in front of them, smelling of something strong enough to strip the paint off of the walls and falling over right on top of them. After a horrific smelling burp and scrambling around the drunk picked himself up. "Ssssssorrry ladies won't happen again." he said, his words being unsurprisingly slurred, before stumbling off again.

As he vanished from view the two of them might notice that the money they had on them, and several objects in their possession were suddenly missing. Namely Irene's pay from the previous day, her derringers, and combat knife. As for Ms. Ness both of her exculpi were missing.

--------

Right now Vic and the doctor had it easy, at least in comparison, the street itself was actually pretty large, and was quite busy today. The animates came from the sewers before, so it was safe to assume that they would do the same this time.

There were plenty more to get the caught in the crossfire this time. To minimize casualties and find where the animates were likely to spring from in a timely fashion they would need to try and clear them out.

 

[Arieoelle]

[HIDE][/HIDE]Ness ran after the man who had stolen her items, Tiny bolting ahead of the humans with all his canine speed to cut him off. The giant dog then barked and distracted the man as Ness darted up behind the thief and attempts to kick his legs out from under him.

((unarmed combat roll 10 - 9 +3= 21

Ness also has the tripping stunt:
Trip: A character with this Stunt knows how to kick the legs out from
under an opponent. If the character kicks a target in the legs and the
attack inflicts a Flesh Wound or greater, the target has a chance of
being knocked down (see page 168). The attacker makes a contested
Unarmed Combat roll versus his opponent’s Coordination. If the
attacker wins, his opponent is knocked down. If the result is a tie
or the opponent wins, the opponent suffers the damage but is not
knocked down.))

 

[Scotty Rave]

Irene’s face, normally as pretty as porcelain, turned dark with outrage. Without another word, she spun around and followed after Ness and her dog. The smaller girl was going in for the attack already, so Irene decided to let her take the initiative (after all, attempting to do the same would likely just muck up both of their attempts) but that did not stop her from drawing one of the weapons still in her possession – her sword slid out of its hidden sheath as easily as it slipped through an animate’s ribcage and was in her hand, blade glimmering in the daylight like the tooth of a monstrous reptile.

 

[Kain]

Enemy Stats:
[HIDE]

Vitality:4
Coordination:3
Wit:4
Intellect:4
Will:3
Charm:2
Prowess:7
Actions:2

Equipment:
Full rubber armor (1 point to all locations,+1 versus galvanic weapons, −1 on shadow skill rolls, −1on Wit – Perception rolls to hear), tailored long coat, two combat syringes (damage +0, −2 parry), combat knife(damage +1, −2 parry), five throwing knives (damage +1, no doubt coated with one contact poison or another), implements of torture, a multitude of alchemical solutions (see Unhallowed Metropolis, Chapter 6, pages 292 – 302), respirator (gaudy)

Skills:
Alchemy 3 (Identification, Manufacture, Veneficium)Medicine 2 (Combat Surgery, Gunshots)Appraise 3 (General Knowledge, Metals,Rare Herbs)Language 5 (English), 5 (Rhyming Slang),5 (Thieves’ Cant)Torture 3 (Bare Hands, No Marks, Psychology)Trade – Accounting 2 (Management, Sales)Melee Weapon 4 (Fast Draw, Headhunter,Preferred Weapon – Combat Syringe, Riposte)Pistol 3 (Fast Aim, Fast Draw, Trick Shot)Thrown Weapon 4 (Fast Draw, Improvisation,Trick Shot, Two-Weapon Fighting)Unarmed Combat 3 (Free Dodge, ImprovedKnockout, Wrestler)Forgery 3 (Details, Legal Documents, Signatures)Lock Picking 2 (Detection, Old Locks)Shadow 3 (Chase, Hide, Menace)Streetwise 4

[/HIDE]

The thief was running as fast as he food, determined to hold on to his prizes, at least long enough to sell to a decent buyer anyway. Exculpi were becoming a favorite among black market collectors after all.

[HIDE]
DR: 11 + Coordination x2 = 16

Result: success
[/HIDE]

While he was doing his best to evade capture the fact that she was attacking from being helped more than a little as her feet struck the back of his legs.

Wound roll:
[HIDE]
2d10 + attacker’s Vitality − opponent’s
Vitality − double the armor modifier

2d10 + 3 - 4 - 2

6+2+3-4-2 = 5

Result: Flesh Wound

[/HIDE]

She successfully sent him falling forward onto the sidewalk in front of him. No doubt that it hurt but it was by no means seriously injured.

((Consider combat begun, since I made a slip up with this one Irene and Ness get a free crack at him before he gets back up.))

 

[Scotty Rave]

Anybody watching Irene’s face closely would have seen her eyes sharpen like a cat’s and her lips pull back in a soundless snarl. She kicked off the pavement and into the air, going into a somersault to slam down on the middle of the scoundrel’s spine and pin him underneath her weight.

Rolling 2d10 = 7, 9 + Unarmed Combat: 2 + Coordination: 2

Result: 20