08-15-2015, 04:01 PM
Here is some dark superhero action with Savage Worlds, using revised Super Powers Companion.
Nick Kain sits in his loft apartment atop the antique shop. It is an alternate 1985. Location is unnamed city. He owns an antique shop called Curios.
He is over 200 years old, and has been hunting demons and denizens of the night for a lot of that. His superhero endeavors recently led to him crossing paths with many super powered villians from the hell realms, so he has commissioned a suit to be built.
Disguise yourself and enter the underground base.
A friend, Denholm, who knows your true origin thinks he has located where a stolen Phylactery is housing a liches' spirit. A cult led by
Illusionist.
An Illusion wielding deviant called The Trickster seeks to summon the powerful arch lich. Something similar was done in world war 2. He believes you could gain access to their underground base by infiltrating through stealth and disguise, and steal the phylactery.
Have I ever battled Trickster, or his men before?
(Somewhat Likely | 2[d10]) No. +Event: Divide / Masses
I've never encountered Trickster. I try to dig up some information with Tunnel Rat, a contact I have. I go to Tunnel Rats den, just below a grate in the sewers on 32 street. Tunnel Rat is in, and I trade him my most recent succulent bit of night knowledge, and an antique clock (he has a thing for him), for what he knows about this Trickster. The Nosferatu (ugly hindrance) is very helpful. Knows that the Trickster is actually a pretty heavy hitter with the Aldermann's office. Name is Sebastian Crow. From a wealthy family. Got into dark magic and occult at a young age. A real penchant for politics. Known affiliate of The Ghoul, and they could be working together again. Has the police bought. Crow is basically untouchable through legal channels. My favorite kind. Does Tunnel Rat have any idea what Trickster and his "followers" want with resurrecting a lich that supposedly last saw earthside back in WW2?
(Somewhat Likely | 5[d10]) Yes, but... +Event: Failure / Trials
The Nosferatu does, but it will cost extra. He wants me to part with my original 17th century cuckoo clock. I made the mistake of one time showing him my collection. I look around his candle lit warren, at all the fortune of clocks he has on the walls. I personally had known the clockmaker of the particular one he wanted. He promises this tid bit to be especially juicy, so I figure the antique will be getting a good home. I need to to know what the connection is between Crow and this Lich.
I agree to get him the clock and he takes me at my word, calls me a "Pretty Boy". Explains that his "source" claims Crow's office was funneling a lot of money into expeditions in Germany, at the ruins of an old castle where Nazi experiments aimed at discovering the key to immortality were conducted. It is believed Trickster has housed some war criminals from WW2 within his organzition, and given them new identities in exchange for their help. Then, he drops the bomb on me. This "Lich" that Trickster is trying to summon is Ghormegal...none other than the Necromancer Vampire that created me back in the 1500's.
With Denholm watching the shop, I head to location where Denholm believed Tricksters guys hang out. I try to keep to the shadows. Do I need to feed?
(Somewhat Likely | 9[d10]) Yes.
Feeling a pang for hunger, I encounter street thug that apparently just engaged in a rather bloody robbery from the looks of things. I race after him into the night. He's a fast one, pulls a knife, must have noticed me coming for him, somehow. I dive at him toward some garbage cans.
He swings his dagger
6 = 6[d6]
5 = 5[d6]
11, beats my parry of 8. but no raise.
4 = 4[d6]
It stabs into me, and I laugh, my most intimidating snarl, showing fangs (+2)
Plan to intimidate and two claws. With MAP, -4 to all actions, so only -2 with to intimdate check.
4 = 3[d4]+1[d6]
6 = 5[d10]+1[d6]
9 = 3[d10]+6[d6]
2 = 2[d6]
intimade failed to shake the punk, and he's a quick one, missing my claws. He lunges for me again, and I can see the street honed reflexes. He still doesn't stand a chance. With a wild attack (+2/+2) he goes all in, taking a -2 to his next parry.
3 = 3[d6]
I parry his blow easy, again trying the intimidate and claws.
7 = 2[d4]+5[d6]
4 = 4[d4]
I gain a +2 on my next attack, having intimated him.
11 = 9[d10]+2[d6]
hit, but no raise.
3 = 2[d10]+1[d6]
miss with other claw
But it isn't going to matter....
An older, familiar feeling, takes hold as I open him up with my claws. Bloodlust. But only on the dregs of society, lest I become what I hunt. Lest I become like...Ghormegal. My mind goes back to the Trickster. I need to get moving. My claws slash in.
21 = 7[d10]+3[d6]+5[d6]+4[d6]+2
he goes down. I drink neatly. The thug is not dead, I choose to do non-lethal damage. He still won't remember a thing about me feeding on him, when he wakes up in a dumpster. He'll have some claw marks, but I took it easy on him. He should sleep for a couple hours. I grab the stolen purse, and make a note to return it to whom he snatched it.
...I hear a raspy voice from the shadows. It is unmistakable. Ghoul. Yeah, I am in his territory, aren't I? "My dearest undead brethren, chasing your vessels along in my streets. Feel free to feed upon them. I give you permission to do so. Why don't you go ahead and kill him?" From the shadows comes the immaciated corpse. I don't let his broken appeareance fool me. Ghoul is very dangerous. I am sure there is going to be a fight, we've tussled before.
I say, "Ghoul, might have known you'd sodden a place like this (looking around the rainsoaked alley). Still eating the trash, I can tell. Before I kick your ass back to hell, why don't you tell me a little about Sebastian Crow...The Trickster. I know your on his payroll. What are you helping him with?"
Ghoul hisses some obscenities. He too was once a rich playboy type, at least according to Tunnel Rat (why the hell don't the rich and wealthy just leave the occult alone?). Now he's reduced to eating corpses and hiding in the shadows, a shambling form frightening to look at. No matter how many times I kick his tail, he pops back up. Some dead things just don't stay dead. I should know.
he draws two more cards, due to his improved level headed
He's first, using frenzy (his claw attack is -2, but he gets two)
the skeletal ghoul comes at me with ferocious speed.
9 = 5[d8]+4[d6]
6 = 2[d8]+4[d6]
I easily parry his blows. Going to try just a single attack, wild swing.(+2/+2)
8 = 4[d10]+4[d6]
hit a 6 which is his parry.
22 = 7[d10]+5[d6]+5[d6]+1[d6]+4
hit with three wounds. He'll spend a benny to soak.
3 = 2[d8]+1[d6]
Fail, he spends a benny to re roll
3 = 2[d8]+1[d6]
Fail, his LAST bennie to reroll
3 = 1[d8]+2[d6]
6 = 5[d8]+1[d6]
14 = 8[d8]+6[d6]
success, he soaks 1 wound, so he still has 2 wounds, and is still shaken and out of bennies. He will suffer a -1 wound penalty.
tie, so I go first.
same strategy. I am all in on him, taking a -2 to my parry.
9 = 3[d8]+4[d6]+2
spend a bennie, I want to trash this ghoul.
8 = 0+6[d6]+2
12 = 6[d10]+4[d6]+2
met his parry
but my 8 did not raise
24 = 7[d10]+6[d6]+4[d6]+5[d6]+2
I claw him good. He goes down, incap.
Since i exceeded 20 points, he is knocked back 2d6.
3 = 1[d6]+2[d6]
into a dumpster. Now he draws on the Defeat table.
Looks like Ghoul will be exhausted for a few days, as I pasted his undead form into a mangled dumpster. Sounds like sirens. Not sure if they are responding here, but I better head for the shadows. Ghoul is out, and if he really did know anything about Trickster, he ain't talking for a while.
Before heading to the shadows, one quick heavy boot to crush the ghoul's decayed skull. If he gets back up at all, it will be a while. Gain 1 bennie
BROOD 646128 T146 F8 S10 PLS RFL CLW FL SC 32.
Heading into the night, to escape the sirens. Stygian beings come from the shadows behind some fences. It is dim. I can see with my infravision. Do I see them?
2 = 1[d6]+1[d6]
2 = 1[d6]+1[d6]
Fail to notice, and they have the DROP. Three of them dive out of the shadows. One of them aims a pulse rifle. Other two, claws out, diving out with their stealth. (+4, +4).
Shooter fires his pulse rifle.
9 = 5[d10]+4
19 = 4[d6]+4[d6]+4[d6]+3[d6]+4
Ignores my 2 pts of armor, and hammers me, hit with 2 raises. Pulse rifle goes off, blasts me from the fence, just as other two attacking. I better spend a Bennie for a soak.
6 = 1[d10]+5[d6]
I soaked one wound, so still shaken and take 1 wound. No wound penalty, due to undead trait.
9 = 5[d8]+4
6 = 3[d12]+3[d6]
10 pts, from claws, doesn't get through.
8 = 4[d8]+4
Hit,
16 = 10[d12]+6[d6]
6 = 6[d6]
5 = 5[d6]
31 pts of damage! That is a hit with 4 raises!
The claws tear through undead flesh, rending me. Need to spend a Bennie for a soak.
12 = 8[d10]+4[d6]
That will soak three of them, so I am up to 2 wounds, still shaken.
spirit roll +2, -1 to recover from being shaken
7 = 3[d6]+4[d6]
Success, I can act as normal.
Have one bennie left. Going to attack each of the ones on me with claws. Multi attack -2 to each MAP penalty. Ambidextrous.
with wounds, -3 total.
10 = 9[d10]+1[d6]
Dead on.
21 = 5[d10]+4[d6]+6[d6]+6[d6]
2 = 2[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
+2 for brawler damage
29 pts,seared right throw one with claws. Now to the other one....
8 = 5[d10]+3[d6]
spend bennie
13 = 9[d10]+4[d6]
That's a hit, just what I needed!
12 = 2[d10]+3[d6]+3[d6]+4[d6]
+2 brawl
14 pts of damage.
Enough to shake it.
I go first.
Against the shaken one, then a jump, and swing at the one with the pulse rifle up on the fence. -2 MAP, -1 wound
4 = 3[d10]+1[d6]
forget it, other claw at him
12 = 9[d10]+3[d6]
9 = 2[d10]+1[d6]+3[d6]+3[d6]
Not enough to break through.
10 = 10[d10]
8 = 8[d10]
18. Hit with a raise from the pulse rifle.
14 = 3[d6]+6[d6]+1[d6]+4[d6]
1 = 1[d6]
hit with a raise, so a wound. that puts me at 3 wounds, -2 trait rolls. Shaken
3 = 3[d8]
Other takes a swing, and misses.
I am hurting bad.
They are first. Pulse rifle.
4 = 4[d10]
With my dodge edge, it missed.
3 = 3[d8]
Other missed.
Hurt bad. And I know they fly. Full defense. Trying to escape down a manhole. They get free attacks.
8 = 8[d8]
8 = 8[d8]
8 = 8[d8]
2 = 2[d8]
hit with a raise.
15 = 10[d10]+2[d6]+3[d6]
10 = 10[d10]
3 = 3[d10]
28 points, shredded. As I try to escape, they hit me hard. Draw a defeat card.
They shred me to pieces, slam me through the fence, shoot me several times, and fly my busted body in the air, depositing me into the night. I am defeated, mangled and broken, but not dead.
I awaken, my broken body mangled. Hot blood, fresh from a kill, is being poured down my throat. I recognize the gleam of a disruptor rifle in the moonlight. The trenchcoat is unmistakable, and the hat, a dead giveaway. It is Solomon. My friend. He's come to save me. Around me are the ruins of the beast I slayed, and two other corpses half disintigrated. I can smell the ether coming out of his rifle. Cars are on fire, exploded. Half the street is destroyed. It didn't feel like the night that began with getting attacked by Ghoul.
Solomon explains that he'd been by to see Denholm, before all hell started breaking loose. He explained to him that I had left to hunt down the Trickster. I stopped him. What did he mean "All Hell breaking loose?" He pulls out a small computer from his duster, shows me a video. Strange things, looked like some sort of bio-organic pods came ripping through the atmosphere. One video showed what happened when it hit. What came out was the stuff of nightmares.
"It looks like its some sort of invasion or something, so I thought we better group together. Good thing I come looking for you, looks like some of these otherworlders found you first."
He helped me stand. Solomon was strong, for a mortal. "come on, steady. Safe house is none too far from here. We can rest there, see how thing unfolds."
I asked about Denholm. He assured me Denholm was fine, and with him. That reassured me, despite the fact that the world seemed to be ending. The sky lit up, some strange shades of green lightning. I heard explosions, but my head was ringing (yes, trust me, the undead still can get their bell rung). As we wandered into the loud night, I hoped we wouldn't see any more of those things that took me down. I hadn't received a beating like that in over two centuries.
And as we walked, I couldn't help but wonder where old Sol got the blood.
ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE...Episode One
It was safe, all right. Solomon always had a plan, as though he'd been ready for this apocolypse since inception. It only took me a couple days to heal all my wounds but I was drinking stored blood like there was no tomorrow. ANd I was exhausted. It was two days before I could walk across the floor without hurting. For the first time in my undead life, I was afraid. Afraid of the future, afraid of the past, afraid of what would happen when I die.
TV was covering them everywhere. An alien invasion, super powered foes and strange beings coming down in fleshy pods, and coming out of portals in thin air.
And those they killed seemed to come back from the dead. Zombies, or worse...
It seemed they had one goal, extinction of the human race. A camera crew caught some of their minions flesh eating minions on tape live. They recorded up until a large winged looking devil came and devoured the crew...also on live tv. THey never got the feed cut. There were reports that many cities were destroyed by powerful weapons, leveled like by that of a nuclear attack. Our city was only around 400,000, so probably wasn't large enough to worry about destroying. Lucky us. Supers appeared to be targeted by the beings (we will refer to them collectively as Necrids, for lack of a better term). When they are killed, they also rise as mutant undead. Not much worse than a super powered zombie.
As I healed, I started to feel useless. Weak. Holed up while the world burned. Strangely, I also found myself thinking about Trickster and him trying to resurrect Ghormegal. A strange part of me hoped he had been successful, as I remember Ghormegal, he wouldn't have wanted the Necrids taking all the fun. And he was powerful enough to stand up to them. It was a weird thought. Hell, for all I knew, Trickster was working for these beasts.
Solomon came in, wearing his duster, combat armor, shiny disruptor rifle. Denholm was here, too looking prim and proper as always. "You healed up enough yet, Kain?"
I nodded. "That was quite a beating I took, but yeah." I looked at Denholm, the occult researcher extraordinairre. He helped me learn quite a bit about myself and my own powers, actually. He was over a 100 years old
End up in the middle of a street war.
Denholm mentioned he was doing some research for the time being, and didn't want to speculate. It was night time. Solomon preferred to fight at night, with his night vision goggles, he always had the advantage. He knew my nature as well. I was strong enough to leave the safe house. We both knew that we might not come home. But, at the rate things were going with these alien invaders and their undead minions, there wouldn't be a world left soon anyway.
And we were in a position to at least fight back.
Like me, Solomon is pretty stealthy, even with that big disintegrator rifle. We hurried off into the night. (Bennies are full). It wasn't long before
we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of a street fight. Some street toughs were busy, firing at a bunch of undead. Some of them even had masks on them...creepy masks that almost looked like Kubuki masks. White, porcelain. Seared onto the dead faces of people...tattered business suits, tourists, all manner. Their claws were bloody, long, protruding as though they were bone. Burst fire cut down some of them. I pulled my pulse pistol, and SOlomon leveled his disintegrator.
The thugs were taking out a few of them. Solomon and I got about 10 of them to come our way, we started firing. I set my pulse pistol to lethal, and charged it up "focusing the charge". Not my favorite method, but I figure I'll be able to get a couple shots off before they get to me. Solomon leveled his disintegrator.
2 = 1[d6]+1[d6]
I fire, and the pulse overchages, practically exploding. Good thing I was firing into a crowd of zombie toughs. I at least hit one of them.
The stray pulse from my ruined pistol rips into the head of one of them, it explodes like a rotten jack-o-lantern. I notice now that the power is out, street lights are dead, but distant fires (far enough away that I am not uncomfortable) provides enough light for my keen night vision.
Solomon fires his disintegrator.
7 = 6[d10]+1[d6]
20 = 6[d10]+7[d10]+7[d10]
One turns to dust. They are rushing us. Without a pistol I dive in and take on 5 of them personally. Other three are still approaching solomon, he is moving quick enough to keep them at bay, gun still trained on them. Machine gun fire and screams from the street fight unfolding down the street. We'd have to get these killed and move on quick.
They are first, and my claws are out. They are flanking me (+4).
2 = 2[d6]
6 = 6[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
3 = 3[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
parry, hit with raise, parry, hit
7 = 3[d6]+3[d6]+1[d4]
7 = 3[d6]+4[d4]
The claws, and bits fail to pierce me. I glance over at solomon, he's still got them at a distance. He's faster than them.
I attacking with claws, each hand. MAP penalty -2
13 = 7[d10]+6[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
hit, no raise
12 = 7[d10]+2[d6]+2[d6]+1[d6]
14 pts, from a brawl with claws
Ribs splatter. Next....
5 = 4[d10]+1[d6]
spend a bennie
11 = 10[d10]+1[d6]
5 = 5[d10]
13 is a hit with a raise.
26 = 10[d10]+6[d6]+5[d6]+1[d6]+4[d6]
12 = 7[d10]+5[d6]
39 pts.....destroyed it, now there are two on him.
more gunfire, street fights going big time.
solomon levels the disintegrator, his ultra tech rifle at one of the zombies...
8 = 7[d10]+1[d6]
1246 = 510[d1010]+611[d1010]+125[d1010]
25 = 9[d10]+7[d10]+9[d10]
Tore through another, turning the undead to dust.
We win initiative, Solomon moves keeping his distance, and fires again....
4 = 1[d10]+3[d6]
he spends a bennie
2 = 1[d10]+1[d6]
he spends another bennie
15 = 10[d10]+5[d6]
7 = 7[d10]
hit with a raise.
11 = 1[d10]+9[d10]+1[d10]
4 = 4[d6]
15 damage, shaken with 2 raises, turns the last on him to dust. He gets into position with cover behind a burning car, training the rifle on one of them on Kain.
Kain ends up with a couple more on him.
two attacks
8 = 3[d10]+5[d6]
spending a bennie
16 = 10[d10]+6[d6]
1 = 1[d10]
4 = 4[d6]
hit with a raise
6 = 1[d10]+5[d6]
spend last bennie
9 = 3[d10]+6[d6]
2 = 2[d6]
hit the second, but no raise.
14 = 5[d10]+4[d6]+3[d6]+2[d6]
20 = 8[d10]+4[d6]+6[d6]+2[d6]
a flurry of claws, ripped two more down.
6 = 6[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
3 = 3[d6]
6 = 2[d6]+4[d4]
Failed to injure me. Covered in ichor, I laugh as gunshots rip along the street. SOmething HUGE is coming down the street, it looks like a bony lizard with multiple arms. The air smells horrid. It is coming our way. Looks like most of the zombies aren't coming at us anymore, but have quite a few victims on the ground, eating vital organs. Again, it was probably too late for them. I call out to Solomon. "We got company, forget the zombies..." I point to the juggernaut coming down the road. He's a big one.
I forget about the two zombies, doubting they can harm me anyway. I rush the alien juggernaut. It looked like a bony carapace coated its hug body. I wasn't sure that I could hurt it, but was pretty damn sure Solomon's rifle could. If I could just distract it.
9 = 5[d10]+4[d6]
It parried the blow easily, laughing. Its eyes glowed red. Solomon took aim, fired.
7 = 4[d10]+3[d6]
A hit.
21 = 10[d10]+9[d10]+2[d10]
6 = 6[d10]
27, 3 raises. Since it is HW, it is able to hurt the juggernaut.
spends a bennie for a soak
16 = 12[d12]+4[d6]
2 = 2[d12]
Soaks ALL 3 wounds, so it gets rid of its shaken as well. It laughs, but I could tell the disintegrator took a big heap of the armor.
It swings at me, a huge fist.
11 = 6[d12]+5[d6]
I parry.
it does the same thing.
7 = 5[d12]+2[d6]
spends a bennie
9 = 6[d12]+3[d6]
spends its last bennie
13 = 10[d12]+3[d6]
I parried well, until that one.
23 = 7[d12]+4[d6]+4[d6]+6[d6]+2[d6]
6 = 6[d6]
5 = 5[d6]
35 damage, that is 6 raises. I get knocked back and take additional damage. He hits me so hard, that windows break. I fly through a building. The juggernaut defeated me.
3 = 1[d10]+2[d6]
solomon runs to a different position, he'll get another round of shooting before the juggernaut can get to him. Zombies are getting closer.
It is starting to rain.
5 = 1[d10]+4[d6]
5 = 3[d10]+2[d6]
6 = 1[d6]+5[d6]
5 = 5[d6]
6 = 6[d10]
The juggernaut hit so hard, that as Nick went to parry, it shattered his arm to pieces. While it will heal with enough blood, he will never be as strong as he was. Instead, he strength drops to a 1d8.
Was Solomon able to take out the juggernaut?
(50/50 | 7[d10]) Yes.
Solomon was able to get position and with a well placed shot did enough damage to kill it.
And he helped Kain get up. If it weren't for Kain's sacrifice, that thing likely would have killed them both. Back to the safehouse. It is going to take a LOT of blood and many days for Nick Kain to get back. And even then, he will never, ever be the same.
What was that thing!?
Nick Kain sits in his loft apartment atop the antique shop. It is an alternate 1985. Location is unnamed city. He owns an antique shop called Curios.
He is over 200 years old, and has been hunting demons and denizens of the night for a lot of that. His superhero endeavors recently led to him crossing paths with many super powered villians from the hell realms, so he has commissioned a suit to be built.
Disguise yourself and enter the underground base.
A friend, Denholm, who knows your true origin thinks he has located where a stolen Phylactery is housing a liches' spirit. A cult led by
Illusionist.
An Illusion wielding deviant called The Trickster seeks to summon the powerful arch lich. Something similar was done in world war 2. He believes you could gain access to their underground base by infiltrating through stealth and disguise, and steal the phylactery.
Have I ever battled Trickster, or his men before?
(Somewhat Likely | 2[d10]) No. +Event: Divide / Masses
I've never encountered Trickster. I try to dig up some information with Tunnel Rat, a contact I have. I go to Tunnel Rats den, just below a grate in the sewers on 32 street. Tunnel Rat is in, and I trade him my most recent succulent bit of night knowledge, and an antique clock (he has a thing for him), for what he knows about this Trickster. The Nosferatu (ugly hindrance) is very helpful. Knows that the Trickster is actually a pretty heavy hitter with the Aldermann's office. Name is Sebastian Crow. From a wealthy family. Got into dark magic and occult at a young age. A real penchant for politics. Known affiliate of The Ghoul, and they could be working together again. Has the police bought. Crow is basically untouchable through legal channels. My favorite kind. Does Tunnel Rat have any idea what Trickster and his "followers" want with resurrecting a lich that supposedly last saw earthside back in WW2?
(Somewhat Likely | 5[d10]) Yes, but... +Event: Failure / Trials
The Nosferatu does, but it will cost extra. He wants me to part with my original 17th century cuckoo clock. I made the mistake of one time showing him my collection. I look around his candle lit warren, at all the fortune of clocks he has on the walls. I personally had known the clockmaker of the particular one he wanted. He promises this tid bit to be especially juicy, so I figure the antique will be getting a good home. I need to to know what the connection is between Crow and this Lich.
I agree to get him the clock and he takes me at my word, calls me a "Pretty Boy". Explains that his "source" claims Crow's office was funneling a lot of money into expeditions in Germany, at the ruins of an old castle where Nazi experiments aimed at discovering the key to immortality were conducted. It is believed Trickster has housed some war criminals from WW2 within his organzition, and given them new identities in exchange for their help. Then, he drops the bomb on me. This "Lich" that Trickster is trying to summon is Ghormegal...none other than the Necromancer Vampire that created me back in the 1500's.
With Denholm watching the shop, I head to location where Denholm believed Tricksters guys hang out. I try to keep to the shadows. Do I need to feed?
(Somewhat Likely | 9[d10]) Yes.
Feeling a pang for hunger, I encounter street thug that apparently just engaged in a rather bloody robbery from the looks of things. I race after him into the night. He's a fast one, pulls a knife, must have noticed me coming for him, somehow. I dive at him toward some garbage cans.
He swings his dagger
6 = 6[d6]
5 = 5[d6]
11, beats my parry of 8. but no raise.
4 = 4[d6]
It stabs into me, and I laugh, my most intimidating snarl, showing fangs (+2)
Plan to intimidate and two claws. With MAP, -4 to all actions, so only -2 with to intimdate check.
4 = 3[d4]+1[d6]
6 = 5[d10]+1[d6]
9 = 3[d10]+6[d6]
2 = 2[d6]
intimade failed to shake the punk, and he's a quick one, missing my claws. He lunges for me again, and I can see the street honed reflexes. He still doesn't stand a chance. With a wild attack (+2/+2) he goes all in, taking a -2 to his next parry.
3 = 3[d6]
I parry his blow easy, again trying the intimidate and claws.
7 = 2[d4]+5[d6]
4 = 4[d4]
I gain a +2 on my next attack, having intimated him.
11 = 9[d10]+2[d6]
hit, but no raise.
3 = 2[d10]+1[d6]
miss with other claw
But it isn't going to matter....
An older, familiar feeling, takes hold as I open him up with my claws. Bloodlust. But only on the dregs of society, lest I become what I hunt. Lest I become like...Ghormegal. My mind goes back to the Trickster. I need to get moving. My claws slash in.
21 = 7[d10]+3[d6]+5[d6]+4[d6]+2
he goes down. I drink neatly. The thug is not dead, I choose to do non-lethal damage. He still won't remember a thing about me feeding on him, when he wakes up in a dumpster. He'll have some claw marks, but I took it easy on him. He should sleep for a couple hours. I grab the stolen purse, and make a note to return it to whom he snatched it.
...I hear a raspy voice from the shadows. It is unmistakable. Ghoul. Yeah, I am in his territory, aren't I? "My dearest undead brethren, chasing your vessels along in my streets. Feel free to feed upon them. I give you permission to do so. Why don't you go ahead and kill him?" From the shadows comes the immaciated corpse. I don't let his broken appeareance fool me. Ghoul is very dangerous. I am sure there is going to be a fight, we've tussled before.
I say, "Ghoul, might have known you'd sodden a place like this (looking around the rainsoaked alley). Still eating the trash, I can tell. Before I kick your ass back to hell, why don't you tell me a little about Sebastian Crow...The Trickster. I know your on his payroll. What are you helping him with?"
Ghoul hisses some obscenities. He too was once a rich playboy type, at least according to Tunnel Rat (why the hell don't the rich and wealthy just leave the occult alone?). Now he's reduced to eating corpses and hiding in the shadows, a shambling form frightening to look at. No matter how many times I kick his tail, he pops back up. Some dead things just don't stay dead. I should know.
he draws two more cards, due to his improved level headed
He's first, using frenzy (his claw attack is -2, but he gets two)
the skeletal ghoul comes at me with ferocious speed.
9 = 5[d8]+4[d6]
6 = 2[d8]+4[d6]
I easily parry his blows. Going to try just a single attack, wild swing.(+2/+2)
8 = 4[d10]+4[d6]
hit a 6 which is his parry.
22 = 7[d10]+5[d6]+5[d6]+1[d6]+4
hit with three wounds. He'll spend a benny to soak.
3 = 2[d8]+1[d6]
Fail, he spends a benny to re roll
3 = 2[d8]+1[d6]
Fail, his LAST bennie to reroll
3 = 1[d8]+2[d6]
6 = 5[d8]+1[d6]
14 = 8[d8]+6[d6]
success, he soaks 1 wound, so he still has 2 wounds, and is still shaken and out of bennies. He will suffer a -1 wound penalty.
tie, so I go first.
same strategy. I am all in on him, taking a -2 to my parry.
9 = 3[d8]+4[d6]+2
spend a bennie, I want to trash this ghoul.
8 = 0+6[d6]+2
12 = 6[d10]+4[d6]+2
met his parry
but my 8 did not raise
24 = 7[d10]+6[d6]+4[d6]+5[d6]+2
I claw him good. He goes down, incap.
Since i exceeded 20 points, he is knocked back 2d6.
3 = 1[d6]+2[d6]
into a dumpster. Now he draws on the Defeat table.
Looks like Ghoul will be exhausted for a few days, as I pasted his undead form into a mangled dumpster. Sounds like sirens. Not sure if they are responding here, but I better head for the shadows. Ghoul is out, and if he really did know anything about Trickster, he ain't talking for a while.
Before heading to the shadows, one quick heavy boot to crush the ghoul's decayed skull. If he gets back up at all, it will be a while. Gain 1 bennie
BROOD 646128 T146 F8 S10 PLS RFL CLW FL SC 32.
Heading into the night, to escape the sirens. Stygian beings come from the shadows behind some fences. It is dim. I can see with my infravision. Do I see them?
2 = 1[d6]+1[d6]
2 = 1[d6]+1[d6]
Fail to notice, and they have the DROP. Three of them dive out of the shadows. One of them aims a pulse rifle. Other two, claws out, diving out with their stealth. (+4, +4).
Shooter fires his pulse rifle.
9 = 5[d10]+4
19 = 4[d6]+4[d6]+4[d6]+3[d6]+4
Ignores my 2 pts of armor, and hammers me, hit with 2 raises. Pulse rifle goes off, blasts me from the fence, just as other two attacking. I better spend a Bennie for a soak.
6 = 1[d10]+5[d6]
I soaked one wound, so still shaken and take 1 wound. No wound penalty, due to undead trait.
9 = 5[d8]+4
6 = 3[d12]+3[d6]
10 pts, from claws, doesn't get through.
8 = 4[d8]+4
Hit,
16 = 10[d12]+6[d6]
6 = 6[d6]
5 = 5[d6]
31 pts of damage! That is a hit with 4 raises!
The claws tear through undead flesh, rending me. Need to spend a Bennie for a soak.
12 = 8[d10]+4[d6]
That will soak three of them, so I am up to 2 wounds, still shaken.
spirit roll +2, -1 to recover from being shaken
7 = 3[d6]+4[d6]
Success, I can act as normal.
Have one bennie left. Going to attack each of the ones on me with claws. Multi attack -2 to each MAP penalty. Ambidextrous.
with wounds, -3 total.
10 = 9[d10]+1[d6]
Dead on.
21 = 5[d10]+4[d6]+6[d6]+6[d6]
2 = 2[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
+2 for brawler damage
29 pts,seared right throw one with claws. Now to the other one....
8 = 5[d10]+3[d6]
spend bennie
13 = 9[d10]+4[d6]
That's a hit, just what I needed!
12 = 2[d10]+3[d6]+3[d6]+4[d6]
+2 brawl
14 pts of damage.
Enough to shake it.
I go first.
Against the shaken one, then a jump, and swing at the one with the pulse rifle up on the fence. -2 MAP, -1 wound
4 = 3[d10]+1[d6]
forget it, other claw at him
12 = 9[d10]+3[d6]
9 = 2[d10]+1[d6]+3[d6]+3[d6]
Not enough to break through.
10 = 10[d10]
8 = 8[d10]
18. Hit with a raise from the pulse rifle.
14 = 3[d6]+6[d6]+1[d6]+4[d6]
1 = 1[d6]
hit with a raise, so a wound. that puts me at 3 wounds, -2 trait rolls. Shaken
3 = 3[d8]
Other takes a swing, and misses.
I am hurting bad.
They are first. Pulse rifle.
4 = 4[d10]
With my dodge edge, it missed.
3 = 3[d8]
Other missed.
Hurt bad. And I know they fly. Full defense. Trying to escape down a manhole. They get free attacks.
8 = 8[d8]
8 = 8[d8]
8 = 8[d8]
2 = 2[d8]
hit with a raise.
15 = 10[d10]+2[d6]+3[d6]
10 = 10[d10]
3 = 3[d10]
28 points, shredded. As I try to escape, they hit me hard. Draw a defeat card.
They shred me to pieces, slam me through the fence, shoot me several times, and fly my busted body in the air, depositing me into the night. I am defeated, mangled and broken, but not dead.
I awaken, my broken body mangled. Hot blood, fresh from a kill, is being poured down my throat. I recognize the gleam of a disruptor rifle in the moonlight. The trenchcoat is unmistakable, and the hat, a dead giveaway. It is Solomon. My friend. He's come to save me. Around me are the ruins of the beast I slayed, and two other corpses half disintigrated. I can smell the ether coming out of his rifle. Cars are on fire, exploded. Half the street is destroyed. It didn't feel like the night that began with getting attacked by Ghoul.
Solomon explains that he'd been by to see Denholm, before all hell started breaking loose. He explained to him that I had left to hunt down the Trickster. I stopped him. What did he mean "All Hell breaking loose?" He pulls out a small computer from his duster, shows me a video. Strange things, looked like some sort of bio-organic pods came ripping through the atmosphere. One video showed what happened when it hit. What came out was the stuff of nightmares.
"It looks like its some sort of invasion or something, so I thought we better group together. Good thing I come looking for you, looks like some of these otherworlders found you first."
He helped me stand. Solomon was strong, for a mortal. "come on, steady. Safe house is none too far from here. We can rest there, see how thing unfolds."
I asked about Denholm. He assured me Denholm was fine, and with him. That reassured me, despite the fact that the world seemed to be ending. The sky lit up, some strange shades of green lightning. I heard explosions, but my head was ringing (yes, trust me, the undead still can get their bell rung). As we wandered into the loud night, I hoped we wouldn't see any more of those things that took me down. I hadn't received a beating like that in over two centuries.
And as we walked, I couldn't help but wonder where old Sol got the blood.
ALL HELL HAS BROKEN LOOSE...Episode One
It was safe, all right. Solomon always had a plan, as though he'd been ready for this apocolypse since inception. It only took me a couple days to heal all my wounds but I was drinking stored blood like there was no tomorrow. ANd I was exhausted. It was two days before I could walk across the floor without hurting. For the first time in my undead life, I was afraid. Afraid of the future, afraid of the past, afraid of what would happen when I die.
TV was covering them everywhere. An alien invasion, super powered foes and strange beings coming down in fleshy pods, and coming out of portals in thin air.
And those they killed seemed to come back from the dead. Zombies, or worse...
It seemed they had one goal, extinction of the human race. A camera crew caught some of their minions flesh eating minions on tape live. They recorded up until a large winged looking devil came and devoured the crew...also on live tv. THey never got the feed cut. There were reports that many cities were destroyed by powerful weapons, leveled like by that of a nuclear attack. Our city was only around 400,000, so probably wasn't large enough to worry about destroying. Lucky us. Supers appeared to be targeted by the beings (we will refer to them collectively as Necrids, for lack of a better term). When they are killed, they also rise as mutant undead. Not much worse than a super powered zombie.
As I healed, I started to feel useless. Weak. Holed up while the world burned. Strangely, I also found myself thinking about Trickster and him trying to resurrect Ghormegal. A strange part of me hoped he had been successful, as I remember Ghormegal, he wouldn't have wanted the Necrids taking all the fun. And he was powerful enough to stand up to them. It was a weird thought. Hell, for all I knew, Trickster was working for these beasts.
Solomon came in, wearing his duster, combat armor, shiny disruptor rifle. Denholm was here, too looking prim and proper as always. "You healed up enough yet, Kain?"
I nodded. "That was quite a beating I took, but yeah." I looked at Denholm, the occult researcher extraordinairre. He helped me learn quite a bit about myself and my own powers, actually. He was over a 100 years old
End up in the middle of a street war.
Denholm mentioned he was doing some research for the time being, and didn't want to speculate. It was night time. Solomon preferred to fight at night, with his night vision goggles, he always had the advantage. He knew my nature as well. I was strong enough to leave the safe house. We both knew that we might not come home. But, at the rate things were going with these alien invaders and their undead minions, there wouldn't be a world left soon anyway.
And we were in a position to at least fight back.
Like me, Solomon is pretty stealthy, even with that big disintegrator rifle. We hurried off into the night. (Bennies are full). It wasn't long before
we found ourselves smack dab in the middle of a street fight. Some street toughs were busy, firing at a bunch of undead. Some of them even had masks on them...creepy masks that almost looked like Kubuki masks. White, porcelain. Seared onto the dead faces of people...tattered business suits, tourists, all manner. Their claws were bloody, long, protruding as though they were bone. Burst fire cut down some of them. I pulled my pulse pistol, and SOlomon leveled his disintegrator.
The thugs were taking out a few of them. Solomon and I got about 10 of them to come our way, we started firing. I set my pulse pistol to lethal, and charged it up "focusing the charge". Not my favorite method, but I figure I'll be able to get a couple shots off before they get to me. Solomon leveled his disintegrator.
2 = 1[d6]+1[d6]
I fire, and the pulse overchages, practically exploding. Good thing I was firing into a crowd of zombie toughs. I at least hit one of them.
The stray pulse from my ruined pistol rips into the head of one of them, it explodes like a rotten jack-o-lantern. I notice now that the power is out, street lights are dead, but distant fires (far enough away that I am not uncomfortable) provides enough light for my keen night vision.
Solomon fires his disintegrator.
7 = 6[d10]+1[d6]
20 = 6[d10]+7[d10]+7[d10]
One turns to dust. They are rushing us. Without a pistol I dive in and take on 5 of them personally. Other three are still approaching solomon, he is moving quick enough to keep them at bay, gun still trained on them. Machine gun fire and screams from the street fight unfolding down the street. We'd have to get these killed and move on quick.
They are first, and my claws are out. They are flanking me (+4).
2 = 2[d6]
6 = 6[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
3 = 3[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
parry, hit with raise, parry, hit
7 = 3[d6]+3[d6]+1[d4]
7 = 3[d6]+4[d4]
The claws, and bits fail to pierce me. I glance over at solomon, he's still got them at a distance. He's faster than them.
I attacking with claws, each hand. MAP penalty -2
13 = 7[d10]+6[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
hit, no raise
12 = 7[d10]+2[d6]+2[d6]+1[d6]
14 pts, from a brawl with claws
Ribs splatter. Next....
5 = 4[d10]+1[d6]
spend a bennie
11 = 10[d10]+1[d6]
5 = 5[d10]
13 is a hit with a raise.
26 = 10[d10]+6[d6]+5[d6]+1[d6]+4[d6]
12 = 7[d10]+5[d6]
39 pts.....destroyed it, now there are two on him.
more gunfire, street fights going big time.
solomon levels the disintegrator, his ultra tech rifle at one of the zombies...
8 = 7[d10]+1[d6]
1246 = 510[d1010]+611[d1010]+125[d1010]
25 = 9[d10]+7[d10]+9[d10]
Tore through another, turning the undead to dust.
We win initiative, Solomon moves keeping his distance, and fires again....
4 = 1[d10]+3[d6]
he spends a bennie
2 = 1[d10]+1[d6]
he spends another bennie
15 = 10[d10]+5[d6]
7 = 7[d10]
hit with a raise.
11 = 1[d10]+9[d10]+1[d10]
4 = 4[d6]
15 damage, shaken with 2 raises, turns the last on him to dust. He gets into position with cover behind a burning car, training the rifle on one of them on Kain.
Kain ends up with a couple more on him.
two attacks
8 = 3[d10]+5[d6]
spending a bennie
16 = 10[d10]+6[d6]
1 = 1[d10]
4 = 4[d6]
hit with a raise
6 = 1[d10]+5[d6]
spend last bennie
9 = 3[d10]+6[d6]
2 = 2[d6]
hit the second, but no raise.
14 = 5[d10]+4[d6]+3[d6]+2[d6]
20 = 8[d10]+4[d6]+6[d6]+2[d6]
a flurry of claws, ripped two more down.
6 = 6[d6]
4 = 4[d6]
3 = 3[d6]
6 = 2[d6]+4[d4]
Failed to injure me. Covered in ichor, I laugh as gunshots rip along the street. SOmething HUGE is coming down the street, it looks like a bony lizard with multiple arms. The air smells horrid. It is coming our way. Looks like most of the zombies aren't coming at us anymore, but have quite a few victims on the ground, eating vital organs. Again, it was probably too late for them. I call out to Solomon. "We got company, forget the zombies..." I point to the juggernaut coming down the road. He's a big one.
I forget about the two zombies, doubting they can harm me anyway. I rush the alien juggernaut. It looked like a bony carapace coated its hug body. I wasn't sure that I could hurt it, but was pretty damn sure Solomon's rifle could. If I could just distract it.
9 = 5[d10]+4[d6]
It parried the blow easily, laughing. Its eyes glowed red. Solomon took aim, fired.
7 = 4[d10]+3[d6]
A hit.
21 = 10[d10]+9[d10]+2[d10]
6 = 6[d10]
27, 3 raises. Since it is HW, it is able to hurt the juggernaut.
spends a bennie for a soak
16 = 12[d12]+4[d6]
2 = 2[d12]
Soaks ALL 3 wounds, so it gets rid of its shaken as well. It laughs, but I could tell the disintegrator took a big heap of the armor.
It swings at me, a huge fist.
11 = 6[d12]+5[d6]
I parry.
it does the same thing.
7 = 5[d12]+2[d6]
spends a bennie
9 = 6[d12]+3[d6]
spends its last bennie
13 = 10[d12]+3[d6]
I parried well, until that one.
23 = 7[d12]+4[d6]+4[d6]+6[d6]+2[d6]
6 = 6[d6]
5 = 5[d6]
35 damage, that is 6 raises. I get knocked back and take additional damage. He hits me so hard, that windows break. I fly through a building. The juggernaut defeated me.
3 = 1[d10]+2[d6]
solomon runs to a different position, he'll get another round of shooting before the juggernaut can get to him. Zombies are getting closer.
It is starting to rain.
5 = 1[d10]+4[d6]
5 = 3[d10]+2[d6]
6 = 1[d6]+5[d6]
5 = 5[d6]
6 = 6[d10]
The juggernaut hit so hard, that as Nick went to parry, it shattered his arm to pieces. While it will heal with enough blood, he will never be as strong as he was. Instead, he strength drops to a 1d8.
Was Solomon able to take out the juggernaut?
(50/50 | 7[d10]) Yes.
Solomon was able to get position and with a well placed shot did enough damage to kill it.
And he helped Kain get up. If it weren't for Kain's sacrifice, that thing likely would have killed them both. Back to the safehouse. It is going to take a LOT of blood and many days for Nick Kain to get back. And even then, he will never, ever be the same.
What was that thing!?