Message: There are a great many reasons I would like to meet with the man who crafted such fine tools, and appears to have taken the role of my mysterious benefactor. Unfortunately my presence also seems to be known by another who requests my presence this evening. If we can meet two hours before sunset then I can indeed make my way to your location with all speed, otherwise my primary goal as always must take precedent.
Send
That should be vague enough to not give anything away to anyone without the right background knowledge. I'm don't like this whole Craftsman/Oracle business at all. How are there already so many people who know, or at least suspect my intentions? And just what are their intentions? They both know my e-mail address, and Craftsman has proven he knows where I live. I hope I don't have to kill them.
Noticing the time on his laptop.
Hmm, half hour. Skipping the practice test is one thing, but I have to make it to Laboratory Procedures. If Craftsman wants to meet, I'll still have enough time to get to his warehouse a couple hours early, and stake it out. If not, that'll give me more time to check out the Docks before dark. Okay, still some time before Lab.
Typing a cross-referenced search with swift precision on the keyboard
The Talons will overwhelm an outfit like the Nicotine before they even have a chance to see it coming. Meh, too bad for them. Now let's see if there is any more information on this Lightning Fist character?
Send
Reviewing his search data, David discovers that Lightning Fist has been a superhero in Megalopolis since 2000. The newspaper article on Lightning Fist capturing the Nicotine was nine years old. “Hmm, that would put him close to 30 years old”.
Lightning Fist uses a variety of martial artist weapons. His trademark is a Silver Shuriken. The search showed that the Foundry and Winthrope Station are the two cities he is seen most in. One website stated that once Lightning Fist had tried to reform Dragonhand. It said they were a duo for a short time until Dragonhand return to a life of crime. Nothing in the search would narrow down where to find Lightning Fist now.
Thank the Master that's over with. Mega U has some great teachers but Prof. Knight's been riding me like a bicycle. Okay, Craftsman agreed to meet me in a couple hours. That gives me time to pick up my stuff and recon the area around The Warehouse. If all goes well I'll still have plenty of time to stakeout the Docks before the Talons arrive to rip these Nicotine to shreds. After the show maybe I can get the Talons to lead me where they're operating out of in Megalopolis.
David heads back to the Factory and retrieves his "new" gear from one of the couple dozen steamer trunks in the back of the furniture warehouse. Dressed in a non-descript hooded jacket and jeans (the ones cut special for martial arts) he makes his way to the area around Craftsman's warehouse. Carefully reconning the area from his motorcycle, David looks for tale-tale signs of surveillance both human and electronic. With an hour or so before the meet, he parks his motorcycle at the nearest bank. Setting the security alarm, and shrugging the gym bag with his gear over his shoulder David makes his way to an observation point designed to hide his presence and allow him to observe as much as the traffic around the warehouse as possible.
I'm fairly certain this is unnecessary, but there are no taking chances at this point in the Mission. Craftsman may seem like a friend, but until I find out why, I just can't afford to trust him yet. It would be nice to have a friend I can share this with though. I haven't had anyone I could trust like that since I left the Monastery.
Settling into his observation point David shields the binoculars trying to get a look into the warehouse. Focusing with all his will, David extends his heightened senses as far as possible. Aware of all the sounds, smells, and chakra around him he "sees" people in the building finishing their workday, the rats in the alley below him and the vast emptiness of the warehouse across the street. After a half hour he starts planning his entry.
There's a good entry point on the roof from this side of the warehouse. It looks like it might have been used at an office at some point, but it's facing the alley and there's a layer of dust and dirt so thick on the window I doubt anyone could see me even if they were in this part of the building. I don't "see" anyone in this section of the warehouse and it's almost time. I might be cautious, but I don't want to be rude. The least I can do is show up on time. Even if it is from an unsuspected direction.
Silently and quickly he arrives at the window he had identified. In a few minutes he has the window open. Without a sound he enters the building and moves quietly to the rafters. He moves slowly but efficiently, scanning for traps and surveillance beams. On the catwalk below he spots a set of electronic eye beams that are in a checker board pattern. He quickly moves pass it before he lands on the catwalk.
He silently accesses the ladder to take him down to the second floor level. This appears to be the manager’s level. There are two doors. The first one is the manager’s office. The Bowman picks the lock and opens the door quietly. No one is there and nothing suspicious is in the room. The second door he is unable to open the lock. Using his heightened Senses the Archer determines it is the janitor’s closest. There are mops, shelves with object which would be chemicals, cleaning supplies, and other sundry items.
Archer concludes surveying the second floor and moves to the first floor. He moves down the stairs avoiding another set of eye beams. He gets down the bottom floor and moves quietly and quickly. He wants to surprise his benefactor.
After covering three quarters of the warehouse, the Archer is surprised that he can’t find the Craftsman.
From above David hears, “Bravo, well done lad. You were able to get in here and only trip 2 of my 4 alarms. That is very impressive for one as young as you are.” Looking up to the second floor, standing in front of the janitor’s closet which is now open, is a man and he is holding a pistol.
“Come let the Craftsman show you his workshop” he says. Looking at where the Archer’s eyes are focused. “Never mind the gun. I wasn’t sure it was you until I saw your reaction to my new name. I hadn’t seen you since you were a child. Let’s not talk here, come. You have your weapon and I will have mine, as it should be.”
David decides to see this through. He walks up the stairs and follows him in the closet. The back wall is slide to the right to create an opening. Wincing, the Archer realizes he didn’t try to ‘see’ beyond the wall because he expected it to end there.
In amazement, he stares at the most high tech room he has ever seen.
“So David, which do you want to know about first; me or your Father?”
<Actions, Goal, Replies>
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Reply
IC: David types a reply to Craftsman's e-mail
Message: There are a great many reasons I would like to meet with the man who crafted such fine tools, and
appears to have taken the role of my mysterious benefactor. Unfortunately my presence also seems to be known
by another who request my presence this evening. If we can meet two hours before sunset then
I can indeed make my way to your location with all speed, otherwise my primary goal as always must take precedent.
Send
That should be vague enough to not give anything away to anyone without the right background knowledge. I'm don't like this
whole Craftsman/Oracle buisness at all. How are there already so many people who know, or at least suspect my intentions?
And just what are their intentions? They both know my e-mail address, and Craftsman has proven he knows where I live. I hope
I don't have to kill them.
Noticing the time on his laptop.
Hmm, half hour. Skipping the practice test is one thing, but I have to make it to Labratory Procedures. If Craftsman wants to meet,
I'll still have enough time to get to his warehouse a couple hours early, and stake it out. If not, that'll give me more time
to check out the Docks before dark. Okay , still some time before Lab.
Typing a cross-referenced search with swift precision on the keyboard
The Talons will overwhelm an outfit like the Nicotine before they even have a chance to see it coming. Meh, too bad for them. Now
let's see if there is any more information on this Lightning Fist character?
Send
GM email
Hey just nosey - what's Presence? Is that like when Batman scares the crap out of the bad guys as he emerges from the shadows?
Yes, So the character when first meeting an opponent, the opponent will have to make a presence saving throw, The opposing score lowers the save number , so if a Thug has a save number of 10 and Archer has a opposing score of 1. The Thug has to roll 9 or less on a 1d20 or he can't take an action or roll with damage this turn. If a natural 20 is rolled he flees.
The initial Presence skill is free, to improve it takes additional skill levels (or improving the base characteristic).
PC reply
Thanks Tom
I assume the base characteristic for Presence is Charisma?
Will Charisma increase/decrease as in the standard ruleset?
Where did this ideal come from originally?
GM Reply
I assume the base characteristic for Presence is Charisma? - Correct
Will Charisma increase/decrease as in the standard ruleset? - No, it is more like the others as basic characters where level advancement will be used to improved. The only exception is if as GM I feel the PC's Charisma is not in line with how he is being played.
In Quest only heroic PCs and Vile Villains will have high Charisma. Vigilantes and Misguided Criminals will have Charisma in the 10 to 12 range so reactions are neutral and based solely of game play.
In Street Patrol Charisma represents 'Badassness'. PCs and Villains with high Charisma, when they walk into the room, everyone knows this is a 'Badass' not to be messed with.
I created Presence. I took the concept from Champions, but instead of it being an attack made by the PC. I created it as a Saving Throw for the NPC against the Presence of the PC.
Don't worry so much about who the Archer is now as a 1st level character. Why don't you start with where his is? A kid set of revenge, he has never killed and was raised that killing wasnt' the answer but he wants to kill his mother's murderer. Then role play the situations and decide what he will do and therefore what he will become by how you play it.
Archer Reply 2
<David Houyi: IC> Thank the Master that's over with. Mega U has some great teachers but Prof. Knight's been riding me like a bicycle. Okay, Craftsman agreed to meet me in a couple hours. That gives me time to pick up my stuff and recon the area around The Warehouse. If all goes well I'll still have plenty of time to stakeout the Docks before the Talons arrive to rip these Nicotines to shreds. After the show maybe I can get the Talons to lead me where they're operating out of in Megalopolis.
David heads back to the Factory and retrieves his "new" gear from one of the couple dozen steamer trunks in the back of the furniture warehouse. Dressed in a non-descript hooded jacket and jeans (the ones cut special for martial arts) he makes his way to the area around Craftsman's warehouse. Carefully reconning the area from his motorcycle, David looks for tale-tale signs of surveillance both human and electronic. With an hour or so before the meet, he parks his motorcycle at the nearest bank. Setting the security alarm, and shrugging the gym bag with his gear over his shoulder David makes his way to an observation point designed to hide his presence and allow him to observe as much as the traffic around the warehouse as possible.
I'm fairly certain this is unnecessary, but there's no taking chances at this point in the Mission. Craftsman may seem like a friend, but until I find out why, I just can't afford to trust him yet. It would be nice to have a friend I can share this with though. I haven't had anyone I could trust like that since I left the Monastery.
Settling into his observation point David shields the binoculars trying to get a look into the warehouse. Focusing with all his will, David extends his heightened senses as far as possible. Aware of all the sounds, smells, and chakra around him he "sees" people in the building finishing their workday, the rats in the alley below him and the vast emptiness of the warehouse across the street. After a half hour he starts planning his entry.
There's a good entry point on the roof from this side of the warehouse. It looks like it might have been used at an office at some point, but it's facing the alley and there's a layer of dust and dirt so thick on the window I doubt anyone could see me even if they were in this part of the building. I don't "see" anyone in this section of the warehouse and it's almost time. I might be cautious, but I don't want to be rude. The least I can do is show up on time. Even if it is from an unsuspected direction.
<Goal> David is using his Radar Senses and ninja-like skills of entrance/escape to enter the warehouse unobserved. From there he will make his way through the warehouse using the skills of stealth and concealment, working his way from the rafters on down until he locates the Craftsman.
GM reply.
The Craftsman emails that he agrees to the later meeting time.
[OOC] The results of your Lightning Fist search will be provided in Issue 2.
Thanks
Tom
Archer Reply
Hey Tom
Just wanted to know if I we had taken Archer: Issue One far enough?
I/we left off with my describing Archer's entry into the Craftsman's warehouse. I planned on having that meeting finished in time for Archer to make it to the Docks with plenty of time to spare for an advance recon of the area. I was hoping to observe/aid Lightning Fist with the Talon/Nicotine melee. If your planning on that potentially taking place in Issue Two then cool.
I just wanted to make sure I was keeping his story current with the other Street Patrol time lines. You know how I can get bogged down in detail/dialogue sometimes.
Thanks
John R
GM Reply
There won't be time to do both.
Either spy on the Nicotine/Talons or meet with Craftsman. So you have to decide. Issue 2 spy on Nicotine/Talon and Issue 3 meet with Craftsman since he agreed to meet later
or Issue 2 meet with Craftsman and Issue 3 see if you can still get there in time for Nicotine/Talons.
Regards
Tom
Reply
<OOC:> Okay then. I'd thought to get my meet in with the Craftsman early enough to ensure time left to recon the docks before the Talon/Nicotine conflict but indeed first things first.
We'll continue with the response I wrote for meeting Craftsman at the warehouse and see what comes to what.
(apparently watching Sherlock Holmes tonight has given my texting a English accent )
Archer out
