Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Venatus Vinco
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Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

Post by Venatus Vinco »

Sammy creeps up to the the PALERMO INDUSTRIES warehouse, sniffing around like a lost dog getting himself closer. The driver is in a terse conversation with the guy at the gate, "Hey where's Mickey? He usually works this shift." The gate guy, who looks like he could model underwear or work as a stripper earning more than minimum wage as a warehouse rent-a-cop, seems incredibly bored at the whole affair and just shrugs, "Switched his shift."

Throwing his hands in the air the driver gets back in the truck and prepares to drive through the gate, "Nobody tells me shit. The gate slowly slides open and the truck goes into gear.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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While the guard and the driver are distracted, Sammy moves quickly under the rear of the truck and shifts again, this time into a squirrel, and clings to the underside of the truck. His vision warps with the change, giving him a much wider field of view, but he loses the super-nose from his dog form.

He holds patiently there, avoiding any drive shafts or other bits of the truck that move, until the two men are done talking (well, the one man, really; the guard seems pretty apathetic about the whole ordeal) and the truck starts moving again. He waits for it to back up to the bay doors and for the workers to start unloading before making another move.

He drops to the ground, slinks behind a tire, and looks around at the positioning of the workers, looking for a way through. When he finds his opening, he darts out and up on to one of the many shelves lining the warehouse, keeping watch for the box he needs.

It takes forever (though, to be fair, everything seems to take a long, loooooooong time to him whenever he takes a form as twitchy as a squirrel), but he finally sees the package he needs. It matches the client's description exactly: a relatively small box, three times as long as it is wide, marked with a particular pattern and sporting the right model number. Sammy watches where they put it, and then he settles in to wait some more.

People underestimate just how much time a thief spends waiting around for something to happen. He glances around, tracking the movements of the workers again. I wonder if they have a kitchen here, he thinks idly. I've probably got a few more hours to kill before they shut down for the night.
Notes for VV
Do you want me to make some rolls for this, or should I just keep going, interlude-style? FYI, I had in my head that the box contains rare components for an industrial machine that are worth a ton of money but are almost impossible to steal once they've been installed. Thus, Sammy is planning to wait until the lights go out for the night and then make off with them before they can leave the warehouse.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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From the undercarriage of the truck Sammy can just barely make out the sound of the gate closing behind it. Scurrying into the warehouse he finds it easy to sneak around because it's practically empty. A fact which is not unnoticed by the driver, "Where the hell is everyone? I gotta get this truck unloaded and keep my schedule." No one replies, but the nearly imperceptible sound of footprints can be heard coming across the warehouse. From his vantage point Sammy can see the security guard coming into the building and locking the door behind him. Then he can't see anything!

The lights go out and the driver emits a shout of surprise which quickly turns into gurgling. Sammy swears her hears a hiss but can't be certain over the strangled sounds of the dying driver. Before he has much time to react the driver goes quiet and Sammy can hear the back of the truck being opened up as someone sifts through the cargo inside...someone is stealing his package!
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Serously?! I’ve been planning this job for two weeks! I haven’t slept in two days! No way is anyone stealing my score now.

He abandons his vantage point, shifting into a cat and hoping for enough ambient light to see by.
Cat Stats
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d6 (A), Spirit d10, Strength d4−2, Vigor d6 Skills: Athletics d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8 Pace: 6; Parry: 2; Toughness: 2 Edges: Acrobat Special Abilities: „ Bite/Claws: Str. „ Low Light Vision: Cats ignore penalties for Dim and Dark Illumination. „ Size −3 (Very Small): Cats are typically less than a foot high.
Depending on what he can see, he will stalk whoever is taking his case as quickly and quietly as he can, trying to come up with a new plan.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Sammy the Cat can see into the darkness, a group of four figures is exiting the warehouse. One of them is dressed like a hipster types and carries a katana. The driver lies on the floor, decapitated.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Venatus Vinco wrote: Mon Feb 11, 2019 7:41 am Sammy the Cat can see into the darkness, a group of four figures is exiting the warehouse. One of them is dressed like a hipster types and carries a katana. The driver lies on the floor, decapitated.
Well, that's less than encouraging, Sammy thinks. Four guys is more than I care to handle all on my lonesome. Who else would have been looking for this, though?

He follows the quartet as quietly as he can and, once outside, shifts to a nocturnal bird (an owl) to tail them. Great. I'm going to have to steal the thing again.
Common Knowledge to Know Who Else In the Business Might Be After This Loot: 13
Common Knowledge [dice:2sjgaeu6]49268:0[/dice:2sjgaeu6] (Streetwise bonus included)
Wild [dice:2sjgaeu6]49268:1[/dice:2sjgaeu6] + [dice:2sjgaeu6]49268:2[/dice:2sjgaeu6] (Ace)
Bird Stats
Raptor (Birds of Prey): Eagles, hawks, and similar large birds of prey are collectively termed “raptors” (not to be confused with the dinosaur variety).
Attributes: Agility d8, Smarts d4 (A), Spirit d6, Strength d4−2, Vigor d6
Skills: Athletics d8, Fighting d6, Notice d10, Stealth d8
Pace: 3; Parry: 5; Toughness: 2 Edges: —
Special Abilities: „ Bite/Claws: Str+d4. „ Flight: Raptors fly at a Pace of 48″. „ Size −3 (Very Small): Raptors
lightweight and about two feet tall.
Presumably, Owls would also have low-light vision.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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As he soars along after the group of hipster wannabe thieves, Sammy determines the item would be valuable to any number of people. Most likely though is some sort of corporate espionage - stealing from a competitor. The other option is the Russian mafia, Palermo is a thinly veiled front for the Italian mob and a turf war is not out of the question.

It's not long before the group has a meet-up outside the city in an abandoned industrial lot. A number of thugs are there, tattoos and haircuts make them appear to be Eastern European. One of them is holding a Red Cross medical cooler.

The group is talking but Sammy needs to get closer to hear what they are saying (Stealth -2).
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Stealth 7
Stealth [dice:14sx3opn]49604:0[/dice:14sx3opn] (includes Size modifier of +3, Thief for +1, and scene for -2)
Wild [dice:14sx3opn]49604:1[/dice:14sx3opn]
WIP.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Getting closer, Sammy picks up the tail end of the exchange as the goth thieves trade the Palermo Industries part to the Russian mob for a Red Cross cooler.

"I am glad to be rid of this," the Russian says. "Baba Yaga will haunt my dreams for certain. And now yours." The leader of the thieves group smiles, eyes looking slightly alight as he grabs the cooler.

"With this component, I will be the one doing the haunting."
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Venatus Vinco wrote: Sun Mar 03, 2019 5:12 pm Getting closer, Sammy picks up the tail end of the exchange as the goth thieves trade the Palermo Industries part to the Russian mob for a Red Cross cooler.

"I am glad to be rid of this," the Russian says. "Baba Yaga will haunt my dreams for certain. And now yours." The leader of the thieves group smiles, eyes looking slightly alight as he grabs the cooler.

"With this component, I will be the one doing the haunting."
Wait, Baba Yaga? The witch thing, Baba Yaga? Oh... is that case full of something supernatural? He looks closer. I wonder what's in there... Wait. No. No! I've spent days on this score. Weeks! Keep your head in the game, man!

But his head isn't in the game. It's with whatever is in that case. Giving the Russians a good look, he thinks, maybe I can steal it from them again after I figure out what's in the case? Maybe. But the odds aren't great, which is why he decided to get the case tonight in the first place.

But that case. Baba yaga. He starts to feel an itch in between his shoulder blades, and he knows it won't go away unless he does this. I'm an idiot, he thinks. And with that, he shifts targets to the little red cross case and the hipster thieves who carry it.
Impulsive Hindrance Taking Over
Lots of planning and effort potentially going down the drain, here. But he's got an itch to see a thing, and now he has to do it.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Sammy follows the case for a few blocks, but as the city becomes denser it is harder to follow the group. Eventually he loses them when they enter an old bakery in Little Italy.

After that, the trial turns cold.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Venatus Vinco wrote: Fri Mar 08, 2019 3:23 pm Sammy follows the case for a few blocks, but as the city becomes denser it is harder to follow the group. Eventually he loses them when they enter an old bakery in Little Italy.

After that, the trial turns cold.
Sammy swears in his head when he loses the trail. At least I’ve got an idea of where they ended up. Sort of.

Famished, he drops into an alley and switches back to his human form. At least they had the decency to disappear at a bakery, he thinks as he enters the shop.
Notice 2, in case it’s needed
Notice [dice:1n9cgxhb]50009:0[/dice:1n9cgxhb]
Wild [dice:1n9cgxhb]50009:1[/dice:1n9cgxhb]
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

Post by Venatus Vinco »

The bakery Ciao Bella! is a rustic Italy bakery with a variety of pastries and a sign boasting the best cannoli in Baltimore. The smell of baked goods and fresh made coffee fill the room but the medical box thieves are nowhere to be seen.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Sammy sighs, finding more or less what he expected, and orders himself a coffee and a couple of cannolis. Might as well refuel while I figure this thing out. Might be another long night. I could really use a nap.

As he eats, he wracks his brain about who the hipster thieves could have been.
Common Knowledge 12 (or 16 w/Streetwise) | Occult 11
Common Knowledge [dice:2dm4u6ex]50053:0[/dice:2dm4u6ex] + [dice:2dm4u6ex]50053:4[/dice:2dm4u6ex] (Ace!) +2 for Streetwise (if applicable)
Wild [dice:2dm4u6ex]50053:1[/dice:2dm4u6ex] +2 for Streetwise (if applicable)

Occult [dice:2dm4u6ex]50053:2[/dice:2dm4u6ex]
Wild [dice:2dm4u6ex]50053:3[/dice:2dm4u6ex] + [dice:2dm4u6ex]50053:5[/dice:2dm4u6ex] (Ace!)

Not sure which roll made the most sense for the scenario, so I'm dropping both here just in case.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

Post by Venatus Vinco »

There's not much for Sammy to go on, but he does recall from the Dianne kidnapping incident, that the leader of the Red Court vampires carried a katana. His rep on the street was kind of a bumbling idiot but the clues did fit vampires...a night operation...a medical cooler used to transport blood samples or organs...and poorly dressed hipster wannabes. Even them disappearing just as dawn breaks. It's thin, but it's something.
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Re: Chapter 1: Wagging the Dog (Sammy)

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Sammy finishes his food and his coffee, pays the woman behind the counter, and decides he needs to clear his head. Might be vampires. Might not be? Can't think straight.

He goes for a walk, taking some back roads, turning into an owl at one point, and ending up back at home. The coffee did nothing to alleviate days of sleep deprivation, and he finds his way to his bed without even meaning to.

His dreams are not pleasant. Vampires. Of all things.
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