The Battle for the Downside

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Koshnek
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The Battle for the Downside

Post by Koshnek »

Location: Central Chicago, Aurora Barrens, the Downside
Time: Sunday June 3, 2095 - 1:54 AM
Weather: A deluge of rain pounds against the building and can be heard over the roaring din of the crowd.
The Downside
the Downside - Exterior.jpg
the Downside - Interior.jpg
Kit
Image
Drinks flow inside the downside as Kit merrily delivers drinks as requested. Her cheerful, sometimes flirtatious, comments are lost to the roar of the boisterous crowd, but she is kept busy enough that every group gets a brief chat with Kit. It's clear that she's well-liked by the patrons of the downside and for a variety of reasons.

Kit stops in the middle of the room and places her tray of drinks on the table next to her and stares at the doorway for a moment. Several things happen at once. Her cheery demeanor disappears and something like rage tinged with panic replaces it. Black Swan and Whiskers receive a live video feed which they can share with their team if they choose. The noise level in the Downside drops by half as other teams receive the same video feed that Black Swan and Whiskers receive. The locals are momentarily oblivious and continue their conversations.
Black Swan, Whiskers
Everyone in-the-know that Kit personally has shared contact information with, and each team's hacker, receives a video feed. It opens automatically with no prompting, and anyone viewing the feed sees what appears to be the alley where the entrance to the Downside is located. The feed is split in two, and an armed and armored unit bearing no identifying markings is hustling down the alley from either direction towards the Downside.
Black Swan
Common Knowledge or Notice
Black Swan is suspicious enough of this video feed appearing in her TAP to wonder if she has been hacked. A successful opposed Hacking (Network Security) roll that meets the target number of 15 allows Black Swan to confirm that she has in fact been hacked, and the hack originated from a local network.
Whiskers
Whiskers receives an invite to a local area network that he had not previously noticed. Its name is random gibberish the likes of which one might get from a password generator. It's a string of numbers, letters with random capitalization, and special characters and the LAN name appears to change every few seconds (Example: NU9AKxF2~rcUXuLW). It's also difficult to visually pin down. Whenever Whiskers looks for any hyper objects linked to the LAN, of which there are many, they seem to blur and shift in an unusual manner.
Common Knowledge -2 or Notice
To the best of Whiskers' knowledge, Kit shouldn't know that he is a hacker beyond speculation and anything she might have heard about him from the jersey heights operation. She most definitely shouldn't have been able to easily shunt Whiskers a video feed without his authorization or contact information.
Hacking (Network Security)
Whiskers is suspicious enough of this video feed appearing in his TAP to wonder if he's been hacked. A successful opposed Hacking (Network Security) roll that meets the target number of 22 allows Whiskers to confirm that he has in fact been hacked, and the hack originated from the newly discovered network.
If Whiskers accepts the invite, the LAN's name changes to Downside Security. The hyper objects stabilize and he can see that there is an unorthodox number of hyper objects. Each individual device in the system has a hyper object. Every single light has a hyper object and each speaker has one too. The security door opposite the entrance has several. Curiously, the entrance into the Downside has none and seems to be tied to the trash network he previously identified as the Downside's.

Benefits: If Whiskers accepts the invite, he will have guest privileges under the LAN. Any hacking attempts against him and anyone in his VPN are made at the LAN's penalty (-8) as the hacker must first claw their way through the LAN's firewall before individually targeting Whiskers or his team. If they do get in, however, they have access to him and anyone he is covering via his VPN. Unfortunately, Whiskers' guest privileges are only for his protection.

Any hacking attempts made by Whiskers will use his usual TAP mechanics. If he accepts the invite, he will also notice that he is partitioned within the LAN behind an internal firewall. Whiskers has not been given access to any of the LAN's functions. He's also notified that his guest user privileges will be terminated in 30 minutes or when he exits the Downside.
Kit turns on her heels in a blur as the entrance to the downside locks. She takes her first step towards the locked security door while shouting uncharacteristically vulgar expletives in numerous languages. Her rude language is conveniently masked by the insanely loud death metal that immediately blares to life from the bar's speakers. The regulars visually seem shocked into silence by the sudden noise. The first members of the armed squad reach the Downside's entrance. Kit practically jumps towards the security door.

The Downside's entrance unlocks and slides open. The lights immediately dim to low, and what previously seemed to be some sort of party lights begin strobing brightly. Those with infravision can see light strobing in that spectrum, too. The strobe effect is angled towards the entry and is only a mild inconvenience to those facing towards the entrance.

A tiny drone zips through the door first, and Kit pivots when her leading foot strikes the floor and flings a small dagger at the surveillance drone. The dagger neatly nails it to the wall where it sparks then dies as she continues pivoting full circle. She reaches the security door and regulars begin reacting. A mountain of a rhinoceros hybrid in gang colors steps in front of Kit as she opens the security door to step inside.

The unit's vanguard lobs a pair of grenades into the Downside. One is smoke and covers their entrance while the second is a flashbang. Most patrons are prepared for this tactic and manage to protect themselves from the worst of it. Kit returns from the back room with a monster of an assault cannon and hands it to the rhino hybrid. The vanguard secures the entrance for their unit, and more enemies begin hustling inside. None of them say a word as they seek cover and line up shots.

Two more drones zip in and begin darting around the room when Kit reveals a pair of sleek custom revolvers as she steps out from behind the rhino hybrid. Everyone in the Downside Security network hears her snarl through their TAPs, "What the hell are you idiots waiting for, an invitation? Shoot, maim, kill!"

With that declaration, Kit begins the Battle for the Downside with a crack bullseye shot between the eyes of the nearest armored enemy. His head snaps backward and he falls to the ground as all hell breaks loose.

GM Instructions
Alright folks, this time it's a full-fledged Dramatic Task. These are similar to the Quick Encounters which I used as a base for the Side Jobs. The difference is that these are multi-round tasks. Not to give anything away, but the win condition here is neutralizing the enemy. There's a hacking task which I'm sure can be completely ignored...

Livin' Large: You have all been swapping tales and having a grand time as patrons of the Downside. Decide whether your characters have been living it up and liberally applying social lubricant or not. If you have partaken heavily of the social sauce, gain a single free reroll that may be used for any skill roll made during this scene. When/If you use the free reroll, narrate what your moment of drunken brilliance looks like.

However, if you choose to take the free reroll, you must also make a Vigor roll. If you fail then you're buzzing - take a level of fatigue that will go away with a few hours of rest and recovery. A critical failure means you are absolutely smashed and take two levels of fatigue.

I will roll 1d56 for each of you to simulate a deck of cards. There are two extra jokers included to simulate the mechanic of reshuffling the deck each time a joker is drawn. 53, 54, 55 and 56 are all Jokers.

Black Swan: 1d56: [5] = 5 - Spade
Bright: 1d56: [27] = 27 - Club
Bright Benny Redraw: 1d56: [49] = 49 - Diamond
Caelia: 1d56: [6] = 6 - Spade
Emi: 1d56: [49] = 49 - Diamond
Kat: 1d56: [13] = 13 - Spade
Shift: 1d56: [22] = 22 - Heart
Shift???s Hesitant: 1d56: [3] = 3 - Spade
Whiskers: 1d56: [49] = 49 - Diamond
Whiskers??? Hesitant: 1d56: [26] = 26 - Heart

Optional: Commander
This is a relatively large conflict involving innocent bystanders, independent operators, and a paramilitary force. Any single player may choose to sit back and "direct" their forces in hopes of gaining the upper hand and potentially limiting collateral damage.
Note: This task is a trade-off. The combat team needs 18 total successes over three rounds. Choosing to command the battle means there's one less player working towards 18 successes, but each player in the combat team will get a bonus from the command team.

1) Make a single Persuasion, Intimidation or Street Cred roll. This will determine your modifier for the duration of the scene and reflects your ability to communicate your instructions to not only your team but the other operators and innocent bystanders.
  • Raise: Your instructions are clear and concise. Gain +1 to your rolls and you may make one free reroll on any of your subsequent rolls.
  • Success: Your instructions are adequate. Gain +1 to your rolls.
  • Failure: Your force of will is lacking, and not everyone is listening to your commands. Make your rolls at -1.
  • Critical Failure: Are you even a professional? No one outside of your team is showing you any respect. Make your rolls at -1, and reroll any raises, taking the lower of the two results.
2) Each round, roll Academics (-2 if you have no experience with strategic games like chess, haven't done any relevant reading such as the Art of War, or don't have any other plausible strategic academic knowledge), Battle, Notice (-2), or Common Knowledge (-2). Modify the roll based upon the results from 1). This reflects your character observing the enemy tactics and making educated guesses as to their actions, and giving orders to their forces to counteract the enemy.
  • Raise: Your directions are deviously efficient. The combat team can make their roll this round at +1, and any single failure or critical failure result from the Combat Team can be increased by one degree of success.
  • Success: You have an eye for combat, and you outmaneuver the enemy. The combat team can make their roll this round at +1.
  • Failure: These guys are well-trained. You think you have them, but then they surprise you. The combat team makes their rolls this round at -1.
  • Critical Failure: Are you even a professional? Every call you make is completely wrong. The combat team makes their rolls this round at -1, but an innocent bystander is injured (or worse) or the Downside takes serious collateral damage.
Note: A club means that you have been identified as an enemy commander and fire is directed your way. You may roll as usual, at -2, but any failure also results in a wound which can be immediately soaked. Alternately, you can take cover and forgo making a command roll and instead roll to support a single member of the combat team with an appropriate skill.

3) Use the results to narrate your predictions and what tactics you put into play to counter the enemy.

Optional: Drone Troubles
There are two surveillance drones buzzing around the room and presumably recording video and audio. Dealing with these drones is a separate dramatic task for a single person (if hacking). If no one steps up to hack the drones, they could be dealt with physically instead to different results.

1a) Roll hacking. This is a dramatic task to access the enemy hacker's TAP and eliminate whatever threat, if any, the drones pose. It is a three round task requiring 3 successes, and the penalty is -2 (Tier 3).
  • Don't forget that if you have a Sprite it can support your attempts at hacking into the enemy hacker's VPN to shut down the drone controller.
Note: A Club will make use of the optional Counterhacking as a Complication mechanic.


1b) Alternately, roll a relevant combat skill (Including psionics with a damaging power). This is a three round dramatic task requiring 3 successes. The roll is made at -4. These are small drones, and they're zipping around erratically to avoid damage.
Note: A Club will apply an additional -2 to your roll as the drone operator has realized you are gunning for his babies and changes up their flight patterns.

2) Use the results to narrate your hacking attempts. Alternately, narrate your attempts at physically disabling the drones.

Combat Task: An unmarked paramilitary team is attacking the Downside. They are a well oiled combat unit and it will be a difficult fight. Fighting these goons off is a three round dramatic task which requires 18 successes total.

This Dramatic Task will be rolled at -2. This reflects the superior training and equipment available to this paramilitary force. The penalty also takes into account that they have inferior numbers, that they're entering from a narrow choke point, defensive measures employed by Kit, and other behind the scenes considerations...

1) Each round, choose one of the following tactics before you roll:
  • Wild Abandon: Your character goes wild and cuts loose without regard for his or her surroundings. Combat rolls may be made at +1, but any failure will result in collateral damage or injured bystanders.
  • Business as Usual: Your character is calm and collected, and treats this combat like any other job. There is no bonus or penalty to their roll, and collateral damage only occurs on a critical failure. Innocent bystanders are not affected.
  • Take Aim: Your character carefully lines up each attack. They roll at -1, but their careful tactics means that they cause no collateral damage and no bystanders are injured on either a failure or critical failure.
2) Roll a relevant combat skill (at -2 as described above). This includes psionics if your character has any applicable powers (bolt, burst, entangle, etc. For Example, Smite or Healing wouldn't work here)
Note: A club imposes an additional -2 penalty as you're identified as your character is identified as an extraordinary threat and extra fire is directed your way. You may roll as usual, at an additional -2 from the club, but any failure also results in a wound which can be immediately soaked. Alternately, you can take cover and forgo making a combat roll and instead roll to support a single member of the combat team with an appropriate skill.
  • Raise: For each raise, you gain an additional success and take out an additional enemy combatant.
  • Success: You take out one of the enemy combatants.
  • Failure: You fail to to take out any enemy combatants, and you take a minor blow that could have otherwise been deadly. Take one level of fatigue.
  • Critical Failure: Are you even a professional? Try as you might, you are completely ineffective this round and even take a wound which can be immediately soaked.
3) If using a weapon with ammunition, or Psionics, roll to see how much ammo/how many PP you lose based upon your chosen tactics from 1).
  • Wild Abandon: 3d6 rounds/PP are expended.
  • Business as Usual: 2d6 rounds/PP are expended.
  • Take Aim: 1d6 rounds/PP are expended.
4) Narrate your results, including whether or not you injure any bystanders or deal collateral damage to the Downside and how you neutralize the enemy combatants (if any).
IZ3 GM Bennies 5/5
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Baltimore
Posts: 26
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Baltimore »

Whiskers is taken aback by the odd LAN that pops up for them. I didn't know that Kit even knew I hacked.
Notice 1d6!!: [2] = 2 , Wild 1d6!!: [4] = 4 , Sprite Notice 1d8!!: [4] = 4


Whiskers takes a quick second to see if somehow they'd been hacked
Hacking 1d10!!: [3] = 3 , Wild 1d6!!: [2] = 2 , Free reroll: 1d10!!: [1] = 1 , Wild 1d6!!: [2] = 2 , Sprite 1d8!!-2: [2]-2 = 0
but honestly cannot tell.

Too curious to let it go, Whiskers hops on to the LAN and finds themself with access to all kinds of data. What the frak? What is going on here?

They start to say, "Guys, something weird is..." but never gets to finish the sentence before it all hits the fan.

Bullets and giant rhino dudes and throwing knives are not Whiskers' thing, but when the drones show up, they find themself with a purpose.

Whiskers hits the floor and then calmly tells the team "I got the drones. You guys handle the shooting and maiming and such. Hop on to my PAN so I can keep an eye on you."

With that, Whiskers and their sprite get to work on the surveillance drones. Whispering to themself while they work, Whiskers seems to carry on a whole conversation. "Okay, yeah, let's try that. You like that? No? Hmmm. Oh! Wait a minute. How about this!"
+2 from Whiskers' cyber cancels out the -2 to the task, and the Sprite rolls to support: Hacking 1d10!!: [7] = 7 , Wild 1d6!!: [4] = 4 , Free reroll from Hacker: 1d10!!: [1] = 1 , Wild 1d6!!: [3] = 3 , Sprite 1d8!!-2: [21!!]-2 = 19


Whiskers gets pretty far pretty quickly on their own, but their sprite hops in and exposes a serious security flaw . Nicely done, little sprite, Whiskers thinks. I've got to come up with a name for you. Whiskers moves to capitalize on the opening their sprite found.
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Black Swan
Posts: 29
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Black Swan »

Notice 1d6!!, 1d6!!: [4]+[2] = 6
Hacking 1d4!!-2, 1d6!!-2: [6!!]-2+[3]-2 = 5

Someone hacked me. Kit maybe? Probably. Who are these clowns? She glances around at people and shares the feed with her team. "Incoming, on your feet people." She calls out loudly. "Hey, on your feet Downside! We got company, angry assholes who want to stop our fun. Take em out! But cover each other. Its a full tactical team, but we all can handle that. Support each other and we'll get out of this alive." About this time the door opens.
Commander Task: Persuasion 1d10!!, 1d6!!: [2]+[2] = 4
Reroll Persuasion 1d10!!, 1d6!!: [5]+[8!!] = 13
Raise: Your instructions are clear and concise. Gain +1 to your rolls and you may make one free reroll on any of your subsequent rolls.

Battle 1d4!!+1, 1d6!!+1: [3]+1+[1]+1 = 6 Using Whisker's Benny as promised for Reroll of Battle 1d4!!+1, 1d6!!+1: [2]+1+[2]+1 = 6
Using my own Benny to Reroll Battle 1d4!!+1, 1d6!!+1: [2]+1+[2]+1 = 6
Battle 1d4!!+1, 1d6!!+1: [3]+1+[1]+1 = 6

As Kit exhorts them all to fire, Black Swan dives behind some cover and begins directing people. It's absolute chaos, but through the din, and with much effort, she begins getting people to find or make cover and to rain down fire on the incoming people. "You're not alone, don't fight like you are. You, yeah, you bear guy! Get under cover. That thick hide won't help you with gunfire! Support each other, and focus fire. Take them down!" She uses her own pistol for covering fire, rather than specifcially aiming for anything. To her own team, over their collective network through Whiskers, she calls out. "Guys, focus on the hard targets; guys with heavy armor, shotguns, assault cannons, etc. If anyone IDs the tac team's commander, let us know and take the shot."
Black Swan
Black Swan Bioroid Fixer and Combat Negotiator
Parry: 7, Toughness: (Armored Jacket): 11 (2); (Tactical Armor): 13 (4)
Benny/Conviction/Wound/Fatigue
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Bright
Posts: 23
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2020 9:13 pm

Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Bright »

Bright drops his almost-empty beer, the glass smashing to the ground, and throws one hand in front of his face, squinting from the sudden light of the flash-bang. A split-second after the others leap into action, he rises from the group's normal table as quickly as he can in his slightly inebriated state, taking a quick assessment of the armored opponents pouring through the door of the Downside.

Great, this was not the night to have one too many. Get your head on straight, idiot.

He glances to his right and slides behind a booth for some cover, and seeing one of the bar patrons floundering in front of him trying to get away, and pulls the man behind him into cover with a hard shove. Hearing Black Swan's shouted commands from a few feet away, he nods to her and clears his heavy pistol from its holster.
Shooting (5) - Success
"Business as usual"
-2 for dramatic task, -2 for arm injury, +1 for laser sight, +1 for Black Swan's leadership = net -2 to roll
Shooting (Pistols) 1d6!: [4] = 4
Wild 1d6!: [3] = 3

Free reroll due to "social lubricant!"
Shooting (Pistols) 1d6!: [1] = 1
Wild 1d6!: [5] = 5

Use Benny!
Shooting (Pistols) 1d6!: [3] = 3
Wild 1d6!: [6!, 1] = 7
Bright draws one one of the more heavily armored men, pain shooting up his arm as he pulls up the heavy pistol. However, due to the amount of cheap swill he's downed this evening, the pain is slightly less. He squeezes off two shots which hit true, but bounce off of the man's armored shoulder and ricochet into the ceiling.

The man whips his head toward Bright and brings his assault rifle around to aim at the shorter man. Bright goes wide-eyed and tries to shrink back further behind the booth, but loses his footing and has to drop into a crouch. The man's assault rifle erupts and bullets shred the wood and metal of the booth just inches above his head. The patron behind Bright, still prone, lets out a yell that's almost completely lost with the cacophony of the gunfire.

As the volley of bullets ceases and the man reaches for another clip, Bright leans out from his crouch and changes hands with his gun. The heavy pistol barks out several more shots, missing for the first few and then finally taking the man in the unarmored leg with the last shot. The combatant drops to one knee, grunting but still reloading.

Bright moves to get back into cover but wobbles, his pistol striking the side of the booth and accidentally firing off another shot. He pulls the pistol back and holds in cover for a moment, but it's eerily quiet. He peeks out and sees that the last shot had gone straight through the man's cheek, and he slumps to the floor, unmoving.

"Ha! You see that shot?" he says to the man behind him, who looks at Bright with a furrowed brow and an expression of anguish.

Bullets Expended (8/12 in clip)
Bullets 2d6: [4, 4] = 8
Vigor Roll (7) - Success
Vigor 1d8!: [7] = 7
Wild 1d6!: [3] = 3
Last edited by Bright on Sat May 16, 2020 6:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bright, H2 Medic
Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 5; Toughness: 13(5)
Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities:
  • Luck: Draws one extra benny.
  • Common Bond: Can transfer bennies to other team members.
  • Cyberware Filters: +4 to resist airborne toxins, diseases and poisons.
  • All Thumbs (tweaked): -2 to all actions using right arm. Removed after next mission.
Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3
Bennies: 5/4; Conviction: 0/1
Cash: 800 crypto
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Berkley Dig
Posts: 26
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2020 7:52 pm

Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Berkley Dig »

As soon as the drones zip in, Caelia drops to one knee apprising the situation. She hears Black Swan shouting commands and she runs towards the entrance point.

"Business As Usual" --Combat Team
1d10!! -1: [21!!] = 21
(unarmed fighting +1, +1 for Black Swan's leadership cancels out -2 from the task. So this should actually be 22.) (Success with 4 Raises)
Now close to the entrance point Caelia notices the crash team decked out in their extraction/SWAT gear. She spots a group of 5 that had busted in and were attempting to use the bar as cover. Three appear to be poised to take shots over the bar towards the patrons at the Downside, while 2 remain crouched behind the bar. Caelia is positioned to the left towards the door with the bar at her right (at her 2 o'clock). Running she reaches up and grabs one of the cords/wires hanging from the ceiling of the Downside, with a quick chop uses her arm blades to cut the wire -- some of the NEON signs in the Downside go out--and then she jump swings out in an arc hanging on to the wire. She hears bullets whizzing past as the rope goes taught angling her back towards the bar. She positions her feet out hits a few drinks on the bar with her feet and subsequently connects with a SMACK her feet meeting the face of one of the invading crash team. Her momentum carries her forward and she lets go of the wire, landing on top of a second invading member. Crouching down with a quick elbow to the neck, she neutralizes the member she fell on and then springs up landing a sweet uppercut under the chin of the 3rd crash team member behind the bar. He goes flying across the bar, landing on the bar and sliding several feet -- the impact apparently great enough to knock him out or else break his neck. The two other members behind the bar aim their pistols at Caelia and shots are fired, with the reflexes that only cyber arms can give you, Caelia uses the blades of her arm braces to ricochet the two shots away. The two attackers pause in semi-awe, "huh?" only to end up with a quick arm bracer blade to the neck followed by one to the torso. Caelia's arms flying, grunts following after each hit. Both assailants fall to the ground. A pile of bodies lie around her. Caelia looks out, "Black Swan! Where next?"

Hearing Kat indicate to go after the heavily armored with heavy weaponry, Caelia spots a large assailant that looks like he'd been juicing on 'roids, either that or he was wearing some sweet cybertech armor. Caelia drops to the floor in a cat like crouch and quickly sommersaults over toward the assailant. Dodging incoming fire, Caelia roundhouse kicks the assailants large assault canon. The impact of the kick pushes the canon up, but the assailant manages to hang onto it. However, Caelia finishes the roundhouse kick with a follow-up groin strike. The assailant drops to his knees with a groan, and Caelia finishes him with a quick head/neck grab and twist.

"Wild" 1d10!!+1: [2]+1 = 3 (Failure)
The adrenaline now pumping, Caelia screams and runs towards an assailant whose armor seems just a bit shinier than the rest. Right as she goes to throw a punch, the assailant grabs an innocent bystander and brings her, hostage-style, in front of him, without a moments hesitation Caelia adjusts, her cyberreflexes kicking in twisting the arc of her arm ever so slightly, the blades of her bracers connecting with the assailants helmet cutting it cleanly until it connected with the skull within. A small splash of blood from the assailant splashes on the innocent bystander's cheek. Caelia stops, "I'm sorry."
Dice rolls
1d10!!-2: [7]-2 = 5
1d10!!-2: [5]-2 = 3
1d10!!-2: [3]-2 = 1
1d10!!: [6] = 6
Last edited by Berkley Dig on Sun May 17, 2020 8:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Berkley Dig
Berkeley Dig Cleric Parry: 6, Toughness:w/ leather jacket: 07(2);
4 Bennies, 0 Conviction, 0 Wounds, and 0 Fatigue
Beginning 3
  • Expenditures/Gains
  • Expenditures/Gains
  • Expenditures/Gains
0 Conviction
  • Expenditures/Gains
Wounds: 0/3 (-0 to all rolls) Fatigue: 0/3 (-0 to all rolls)
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Kat Novak
Posts: 14
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Kat Novak »

Kat had been heading out of the ladies' room when the first shots rang out, followed by messages from Whiskers and Kas.

Seriously? I guess somebody's pissed at someone she mused, setting her pack down on the counter, not stopping to wonder what had prompted her to bring it with her to the bathroom in the first place. It had been perfectly safe at the table with Kas, Emi and the others. Question is, who?

Working quickly, she opened up her pack and reached in, her hand settling around the pistol grip of her shotgun. As she pulled it out of the pack, the nanites in the palm of her hand interfaced with the receptors built into the grip and a clear but unobtrusive data overlay appeared in her right eye as her nanotech came to life. Worth every crypto she thought as she extended the stock then racked the first round, a satisfying click-clack still audible over the sounds of combat from beyond the bathroom door. Unless it's the Bratva come to collect

Shaking her head with a darkly amused chuckle, she stuffed a handful of spare shells into her pockets. Then gun in one hand, pack in the other, pushed the bathroom door open with her foot, heading out to join the party.

Only to find one black armored figure looking directly at her across the room, assault rifle coming up towards her centre mass. Instinctively, Kat underarmed her pack towards the figure, her own gun coming up as she did so, and was gratified to see the throw had had the desired effect. The intruder hesitated, helmeted head tilting slightly to track the pack as Kat shouldered the shotgun and pulled the trigger.
-1 Take Aim,+1 Red Dot Sight. Forgot to include the -2 for general difficulty so adjusted accordingly.
1d10!!+2+1-1: [8]+2+1-1 = 10
1d6!!+2-1+1: [9!!]+2-1+1 = 11
1d6: [3] = 3 rounds expended


The heavy slug took the intruder high in the chest, staggering it but not penetrating the heavy combat armor. "Horse's Ass" she muttered, still swearing in Ukrainian no matter how much she now spoke English in daily life. Adjusting her aim slightly, she fired again as the intruder's head turned back towards her, it's gun beginning to come up again. This time, the slug smashed through the intruder's visor.

Well, that worked Kat scanned the room for another target as her first dropped to the floor, it's gun falling from lifeless fingers. The scene in the Downside was chaotic but she was able to send another slug smashing through another armored visor before diving to the floor as a fusillade of return fire destroyed the door she'd just been standing in front of.

Rolling into cover behind the Downside's armored jukebox, she pulled shells out of her pocket, deft fingers working quickly to replace the three she'd just fired. "Two down. Who are these mudak mother@#&!ers?" she growled over the team net as she finished reloading before cautiously peeking around the side of the jukebox, trying to identify the enemy leader
1d10!!+2: [6]+2 = 8
1d6!!+2: [11!!]+2 = 13
Last edited by Kat Novak on Sat May 16, 2020 2:57 pm, edited 5 times in total.
Kat Novak
  • Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 4; Toughness: Toughness(Armor) 14(4)/15(5)
    • BKI Combat Fatigues: 14(4) Torso, Arms, Legs
      BKI Combat Fatigues plus Armoured Combat Vest: 15(5) Torso, Arms; 14(4) Legs

    Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities: Danger Sense
    Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3; PP: 00/00
    Bennies: 6/3; Conviction: 0/1

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Emi
Posts: 21
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Emi »

Emi reacts with the kind of speed only a heavily augmented person can; leaving her meal half-eaten on the table and nearly across the room before the chopsticks hit the floor. In the confusion, in the flash of muzzles, in the smoke and acrid sting of powder, she instinctively coordinated with Caelia, hitting the opposite flank from her. As one of the attackers swung his rifle around to track her, Emi leapt onto the adjacent wall in time to have bullets whicker past under her, then vaulted from the wall to crash into the gunman's chin, knees-first. As he toppled over, she clenched a fist and drove it into his larynx, crushing his voicebox and shoving the shattered remnants into his trachea.

She left him choking on it as she moved to the next target. This one was more heavily armored so Emi struck at the places armor can't cover. An open hand to his exposed jaw sent him reeling, and Emi stayed with him, keeping the pressure on. A clumsy counter with his rifle butt was effortlessly deflected, and followed up with a a joint strike to the back of his knee. With a pain yelp the gunman went down on that knee. Emi caught his head on her knee and delivered a cross-blow to his neck. The goal was always the same; incapacitate, bring down, kill while they were helpless. Her actions were measured, practiced...this was what she'd been trained for. It was what she'd been made for.

Rolls: Fighting (martial arts) 10
Martial Arts 1d8!: [8!, 2] = 10 Wild 1d6!: [3] = 3
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Shift
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Shift »

Shift pushed over a table and took cover behind it. Hesitating a moment until enough enemies were clumped up enough, he delivered a fan of electricity.
Dice rolls
Roll 1d12+2!!: [1]+2 = 3
Roll 1d6+2!!: [4]+2 = 6
PP roll 1d6:: [6] = 6
Shift
Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 8(3); Toughness: 15(4)
Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities:
  • -4 Cover when shield active
Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3; PP: [color=#0080FF4/15[/color]
Bennies: 4/3; Conviction: 0/1
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Koshnek
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Koshnek »

Location: Central Chicago, Aurora Barrens, the Downside
Time: Sunday June 3, 2095 - 1:59 AM
Weather: A deluge of rain pounds against the building and can be heard over the roaring din of the crowd.
Environment: Deafening Death Metal is still roaring over the speakers and lights continue strobing (in the infrared spectrum as well) towards the entrance. Thermal smoke obscures the entrance into the Downside.
the Downside - Exterior.jpg
the Downside - Interior.jpg
,
Image
and
Tiger.jpg
Tiger.jpg (114.07 KiB) Viewed 14736 times
.

The fighting intensifies quickly once Kit fires the first shot. The black clad operatives immediately open fire from behind the bar, from behind flipped over tables and from inside the obscurement of their thermal smoke. Kat takes them by surprise from the bathroom while Black Swan begins directing the Downsiders.

The soldier Kit shot shakes head trying to clear it. His teammate drags him behind an overturned table and he pops up to return fire when Kat introduces a slug to his brain. Whiskers keeps his head down while furiously digging through data trying to slide into the black ops hacker's VPN to shut those drones down. Caelia nearly knocks one drone down for the team, but it whizzes away just in time to avoid crushing defeat.

She lands in the middle of the cluster of enemies at the entrance and unleashes a hurricane of destruction with Emi covering her back. They manage to keep at least one enemy between them and the squad members firing into the Downside from the safety of the doorway.

A stealth operative sneaks around the perimeter of the room seemingly uninterested in the fighting. Unfortunately, he passes by Shift who has been waiting in ambush for someone to get a little too close. The stealthy gunman tries to rush past Shift, but the zeek has already sensed the presence of a mind nearby. Psionic electricity stops him in his tracks. His stealth suit shimmers as it fires off all over the color spectrum then shuts down permanently.

Bright's luck seems to have dried up, but his covering fire lets his friends and allies do some seriously heavy lifting. He hits the ground hard and fires off a "trick" shot that takes one of the bad guys down with him, permanently. The Downsiders listen to Black Swan, and the battle is going overwhelmingly in their favor.

The massive
Tiger.jpg
Tiger.jpg (114.07 KiB) Viewed 14736 times
takes Black Swan's orders to heart and watches the battle while using the stock of his assault cannon as a club. He uses it to keep anyone who approaches away from Kit's back room - including fellow Downsiders. He continues to watch a pair of operators behind the bar.

One has a ballistic shield and a submachine gun. He pops up, fires from behind the safety of his shield, and crouches behind the bar to reload. The rhino saw someone duck down behind the bar beside him during the breach, but only the one with the shield seems to be doing anything.

"Behind the bar. Little guy isn't doing anything. Someone check it out," the Rhino Hybrid suggests over the Downside Security network. His voice is calm but surprisingly deep. The rhino puts the assault cannon to his shoulder and blasts a hole through the operative's shield. He follows up with a second shot which opens up a large hole in his chest.

The Rhino nods once and calls over the network, "Bar's clear."

Kit dances through the battlefield firing shots at anything that moves while dumping brass and empty speed loaders wherever she goes. When the Rhino takes down the operative carrying the shield she yells over the network, "Nice shooting, Tiger. Someone get that little shit out from behind my bar!"

She continues her dance, covering the locals and distracting the operatives. Kit isn't packing a lot of firepower, but each shot seems to hit its mark. Any fire directed towards the neko girl misses as she always seems to be a half a step ahead of whatever comes her way. The drones keep flying towards Kit's back room, but any time they get too close she runs them off with well-timed fire.

Kat has been keeping an eye on the video feed Kit shared with Black Swan and Whiskers. There are a handful of combatants holding the door, but
Black Op Leader.jpg
Black Op Leader.jpg (50.63 KiB) Viewed 14722 times
Black Op Hacker.jpg
Black Op Hacker.jpg (5.93 KiB) Viewed 14722 times
.

Hidden at the far end of the alley, she can just make out
Black Op Motorcycles.jpg
. They're an unusual model, and Kat has never seen them on the streets. These two obviously know which way the battle is going and are attempting to make their getaway! The rest of their squad holds the entrance and continues to harass the Downsiders.
.


Combat Task Successes: 11/18
Hacking Task Successes: 2/3

Alright folks, its time for Round 2 of the Dramatic Tasks. Not to give anything away, but the win condition here is neutralizing the enemy...

Note: There's a lot going on. Whiskers and Black Swan can continue what they're doing or pick another task. Attempting all tasks will spread you guys thin, so figure out what your priorities are.
I will roll 1d56 for each of you to simulate a deck of cards. There are two extra jokers included to simulate the mechanic of reshuffling the deck each time a joker is drawn. 53, 54, 55 and 56 are all Jokers.

Black Swan 1d56: [35] = 35 - Club
Black Swan Redraw 1d56: [50] = 50 - Diamond
Bright 1d56: [15] = 15 - Heart
Caelia Seacoal 1d56: [21] = 21 - Heart
Emi 1d56: [41] = 41 - Diamond
Kat 1d56: [25] = 25 - Heart
Shift 1d56: [18] = 18 - Six of Hearts
Shift Hesitant 1d56: [23] = 23 - Jack of Hearts
Whiskers 1d56: [27] = 27 - Two of Clubs
Whiskers Hesitant 1d56: [36] = 36 - Jack of Clubs
Whiskers Redraw 1d56: [25] = 25 - Heart


One of the operatives has been hiding behind the bar under the protection of a shield bearing squadmate. Tiger has taken down the operative with the shield, but the other operative is still back there doing...something. You have no idea what he could be up to, but its probably safe to assume he's not having a quick drink on the job.

1) Roll Athletics (Throwing/Grappling), Fighting, Psionics (Damaging/Disabling Power), or Shooting. Make your roll at -2. Whatever this operative is doing, he's prepared for interruption and his remaining allies are providing him covering fire. Approaching the bar is not going to be easy.
  • Raise: You obliterate this guy. He doesn't get a chance to finish whatever he's working on, and you breeze through the covering fire. Gain one success towards the main task.
  • Success: You take the guy down, but he he finishes what he's working on before neutralizing him. Gain one success towards the main task.
  • Failure: The guy finishes his work and bolts towards his allies. You take a wound for your troubles.
  • Critical Failure: The guy doesn't finish his work because something very bad happens immediately.
    • Note: A Club means you roll at an additional -2. Your intentions are clear and the black clad operatives are laying the covering fire on thick.
      Note 2: You won't figure out what this guy is doing until next round. It takes the whole round to fight to this guy and take him out (or not). The one exception is if you critically fail. You'll find out what happens immediately...
2) If using a firearm or psionics, expend 1d6 rounds/PP.

3) Use your results to narrate how you make it to over the bar and how you (try to) deal with this operative.



Two of the enemy combatants are trying to beat feet and burn rubber. The Downsiders have one shot at taking them down before they get away, but it's a high-risk, high-reward scenario. Abandon the combat happening inside the Downside and push your way through whats left of the enemy force to get outside. If you manage that, you have a shot at taking them down, but at the cost of leaving your friends to fend for themselves.

1) Roll Athletics at -2 to extricate yourself from the combat quickly and relatively safely.
  • Raise: Boom! You power through the enemy and get into the Alley in front of the Downside unharmed. You're so fast that you have a leg up over them and may add +1 to your roll in the next step.
  • Success: You fight free of the downside, but you got banged up. Take a level of fatigue as bumps and bruises.
  • Failure: You make it out of the downside, but it costs you in blood. Take a Wound, and to add insult to injury the, bad guys are almost gone! Make your roll in the next step at -1
  • Critical Failure: Are you even a professional? You don't make it outside, and you also take 1d3 wounds. However, one of the black clad operatives has wrapped you up and is using you as a human shield. If any innocent bystanders get hit, collateral damage is done, or anyone rolls a critical failure on a Shooting or Psionics Attack, then you will take the hit for this guy and receive one more wound!
    • Note: Any Wounds from this step can be soaked as usual.
2) Roll Shooting, Athletics (Throwing a Weapon), or Psionics (Attack/Disabling power). If you get outside with a raise on your athletics roll above, you catch up in time to attempt a Fighting roll. Make your roll at -2. These guys are booking it and sending hot lead your way with surprising accuracy for guys firing behind themselves as they run away.
  • Note: A Club means you roll at an additional -2. You trip up while chasing the operatives, their wild firing slows you down, or some other factor complicates the task.
    Note 2: You need four total successes this round to successfully complete this task. If either of them makes it to their motorcycles, even injured, then they make a clean get away. Unfortunately, even if they die en route inside their motorcycles, there are residual files that can be salvaged from their TAPs!
3) If using a firearm or psionics, roll 2d6 and expend that many rounds/PP.

4) Use the results to narrate your actions.



Commander
This is a relatively large conflict involving innocent bystanders, independent operators, and a paramilitary force. Black Swan has choosen to sit back and "direct" her "forces" in hopes of gaining the upper hand and potentially limiting collateral damage.
Note: There's a lot going on this round. The primary objective is still to clear out the the enemies, but things are starting to hit the fan. If you want to abandon your leader role this round you can help out elsewhere.

1) This determined your modifier for the duration of the scene and reflects your ability to communicate your instructions to not only your team but the other operators and innocent bystanders.
  • Raise: Your instructions are clear and concise. Gain +1 to your rolls and you may make one free reroll on any of your subsequent rolls.
2) Each round, roll Academics (-2 if you have no experience with strategic games like chess, haven't done any relevant reading such as the Art of War, or don't have any other plausible strategic academic knowledge), Battle, Notice (-2), or Common Knowledge (-2). Modify the roll based upon the results from 1). This reflects your character observing the enemy tactics and making educated guesses as to their actions, and giving orders to their forces to counteract the enemy.
  • Raise: Your directions are deviously efficient. The combat team can make their roll this round at +1, and any single failure or critical failure result from the Combat Team can be increased by one degree of success.
  • Success: You have an eye for combat, and you outmaneuver the enemy. The combat team can make their roll this round at +1.
  • Failure: These guys are well-trained. You think you have them, but then they surprise you. The combat team makes their rolls this round at -1.
  • Critical Failure: Are you even a professional? Every call you make is completely wrong. The combat team makes their rolls this round at -1, but an innocent bystander is injured (or worse) or the Downside takes serious collateral damage.
Note: A club means that you have been identified as an enemy commander and fire is directed your way. You may roll as usual, at -2, but any failure also results in a wound which can be immediately soaked. Alternately, you can take cover and forgo making a command roll and instead roll to support a single member of the combat team with an appropriate skill.

3) Use the results to narrate your predictions and what tactics you put into play to counter the enemy.



Drone Troubles (2/3 Successes]
There are two surveillance drones buzzing around the room and presumably recording video and audio. Dealing with these drones is a separate dramatic task for Whiskers.

1) Roll hacking. This is a dramatic task to access the enemy hacker's TAP and eliminate whatever threat, if any, the drones pose. It is a three round task requiring 3 successes, and the penalty is -2 (Tier 3).
  • Don't forget that if you have a Sprite it can support your attempts at hacking into the enemy hacker's VPN to shut down the drone controller.
Note: A Club will make use of the optional Counterhacking as a Complication mechanic.

2) Use the results to narrate your hacking attempts. Alternately, narrate your attempts at physically disabling the drones.


Combat Task (11/18 Successes): An unmarked paramilitary team is attacking the Downside. They are a well oiled combat unit and it will be a difficult fight. Fighting these goons off is a three round dramatic task which requires 18 successes total.

This Dramatic Task will be rolled at -2. This reflects the superior training and equipment available to this paramilitary force. The penalty also takes into account that they have inferior numbers, that they're entering from a narrow choke point, defensive measures employed by Kit, and other behind the scenes considerations...

1) Each round, choose one of the following tactics before you roll:
  • Wild Abandon: Your character goes wild and cuts loose without regard for his or her surroundings. Combat rolls may be made at +1, but any failure will result in collateral damage or injured bystanders.
  • Business as Usual: Your character is calm and collected, and treats this combat like any other job. There is no bonus or penalty to their roll, and collateral damage only occurs on a critical failure. Innocent bystanders are not affected.
  • Take Aim: Your character carefully lines up each attack. They roll at -1, but their careful tactics means that they cause no collateral damage and no bystanders are injured on either a failure or critical failure.
2) Roll a relevant combat skill (at -2 as described above). This includes psionics if your character has any applicable powers (bolt, burst, entangle, etc. For Example, Smite or Healing wouldn't work here)
Note: A club imposes an additional -2 penalty as you're identified as your character is identified as an extraordinary threat and extra fire is directed your way. You may roll as usual, at an additional -2 from the club, but any failure also results in a wound which can be immediately soaked. Alternately, you can take cover and forgo making a combat roll and instead roll to support a single member of the combat team with an appropriate skill.
  • Raise: For each raise, you gain an additional success and take out an additional enemy combatant.
  • Success: You take out one of the enemy combatants.
  • Failure: You fail to to take out any enemy combatants, and you take a minor blow that could have otherwise been deadly. Take one level of fatigue.
  • Critical Failure: Are you even a professional? Try as you might, you are completely ineffective this round and even take a wound which can be immediately soaked.
3) If using a weapon with ammunition, or Psionics, roll to see how much ammo/how many PP you lose based upon your chosen tactics from 1).
  • Wild Abandon: 3d6 rounds/PP are expended.
  • Business as Usual: 2d6 rounds/PP are expended.
  • Take Aim: 1d6 rounds/PP are expended.
4) Narrate your results, including whether or not you injure any bystanders or deal collateral damage to the Downside and how you neutralize the enemy combatants (if any).
IZ3 GM Bennies 5/5
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Kat Novak
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Kat Novak »

Well then. What have we here?

Cradling her shotgun in her lap, Kat pulled her 328, ejecting the mag and inserting a fresh one, stuffing the unneeded mag into a pocket. Unlike the Noir, her default loadout for both her pistols was gel, not what she needed right now.

"Kas, check the feed, we got runners. Looks like the leader and one other, maybe their hacker. Emi, Caelia, can one of you make a hole at the door? If so, I'll be right behind you."

Reholstering the 328 and reclaiming the Noir from her lap, Kat took a quick final peek around the jukebox to double-check her path to the door then got to her feet, ready to run.
Kat Novak
  • Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 4; Toughness: Toughness(Armor) 14(4)/15(5)
    • BKI Combat Fatigues: 14(4) Torso, Arms, Legs
      BKI Combat Fatigues plus Armoured Combat Vest: 15(5) Torso, Arms; 14(4) Legs

    Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities: Danger Sense
    Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3; PP: 00/00
    Bennies: 6/3; Conviction: 0/1

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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Black Swan »

As the battle flows, Kassandra notes the two runners on the feed, even as Kat mentions it. "I see them, thanks Kat. Caelia, Emi - Help Kat get those runners. Shift, you got the guy behind the bar? Tiger, to your left. Thanks. Kit, watch the guy by the bathrooms." Muting her mic, she calls out to a few downsiders. "Hey, make a hole by the door, got people coming through! Just hold them until they get by! Great! Bear dude, you're up - help at the door. And if you're still standing after this, you won't pay for your drinks for the next five days I'm here. Bright, buddy, on your feet, got assholes to kill! We're getting them Downsiders, bring em down! Like the song says, let the bodies hit the floor; just not yours!"

Battle 1d4!!+1, 1d6!!+1: [2]+1+[2]+1 = 6
Reroll for Battle 1d4!!+1, 1d6!!+1: [2]+1+[9!!]+1 = 13
Raise: Your directions are deviously efficient. The combat team can make their roll this round at +1, and any single failure or critical failure result from the Combat Team can be increased by one degree of success.
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Black Swan Bioroid Fixer and Combat Negotiator
Parry: 7, Toughness: (Armored Jacket): 11 (2); (Tactical Armor): 13 (4)
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Shift
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Shift »

Shift heads straight for the hacker, he was never good at jumping about anyway. Aiming carefully to avoid frying his targets gear, he let loose an electric burst.
Psionics d12!!: [5] = 5
Wild die d6!!: [3] = 3
PP drain d6: [2] = 2
Benny reroll on psionic.
Psionics d12!!: [8] = 8
Wild die d6!!: [3] = 3

Success! The enemy hacker lay twitching on the ground, while his equipment was unscathed from the blast! Shift quickly picked up the gear to hand over to his teammates.
Shift
Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 8(3); Toughness: 15(4)
Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities:
  • -4 Cover when shield active
Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3; PP: [color=#0080FF4/15[/color]
Bennies: 4/3; Conviction: 0/1
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Bright
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Bright »

Bright hears Black Swan's admonishment and turns away from the man behind him, his face becoming serious. He peeks his head out from behind the booth and sees another of the heavily armed infiltrators about a dozen feet away, the man’s assault rifle pointed at a group of the bar’s patrons.
Fighting (Bladed Weapons) 6 - Success
"Business as usual"
-2 for dramatic task, -2 for arm injury, +1 for Black Swan's leadership = net -3 to roll
Fighting (Bladed Weapons) 1d6!!-2, 1d6!!-2: [9!!]-2+[5]-2 = 10
Below rolls unused, didn't need a Vigor roll this round.
Vigor Roll 1d8!!, 1d6!!: [11!!]+[4] = 15
Fighting (Bladed Weapons) Free Reroll 1d6!!-3: [3]-3 = 0
Wild Die Free Reroll 1d6!!-3: [3]-3 = 0
With a smooth motion, Bright holsters his heavy pistol and rises, stepping over the puddle of beer and shattered glass near him and attempting to sprint toward the man. In his still slightly inebriated state his steps are awkward, and the man sees him and pauses, giving him an odd look. His eyes widen as Bright unsheathes his monofilament sword from its scabbard and lowers his shoulder as he charges toward him.

In ancient China, fighting monks used to imbibe wine and pretend to be drunk during battle, which would cause their opponents to underestimate their fighting prowess. Their off-kilter attacks were actually balanced and quite lethal. I can be one of those monks, right? Or am I just a drunk motherdrekker pretending to be one?

The man swings his gun around, too late as Bright’s sword flashes downward and takes the barrel cleanly off. He drops to one knee with the power of the strike, breathing out with exhilaration. The man angles his rifle to strike Bright in the head with the butt of the gun, but Bright shoulder rolls to the side and springs up to the man’s right, still in a crouch. His head swims with the movement and he tries to come back to his senses, scrunching his eyes closed and shaking his head.

The man drops the gun and pulls his own blade, a nasty looking monofilament knife about eight inches long, turning to engage. Bright opens his eyes and, seeing the threat, rises and lets go of the sword with his left hand, turning his forearm upward to block the man’s strike. He succeeds in blocking, but his still-injured right arm is too weak to lift his sword and attack. Bright grunts with effort holding the man’s arm, the knife point inches away from his face.

Bright grits his teeth and quickly steps behind the man’s leg with his left foot, deep into a warrior stance. With a swift motion he simultaneously shifts his left leg back and puts his left elbow hard into the man’s chin, driving him over his leg and down toward the ground. The monosword, still at a downward angle, cuts through the man’s armor and half of his torso as he falls on top of it, eliciting an audible gasp from the man as his guts begin spilling out onto the linoleum floor.

Bright catches his breath and pulls the long blade out of the man, flicking it downward to rid it of his blood. Three glowing blue symbols at the base of the blade reading 天の魂 [Soul of Heaven] are visible as he holds it in front of him.

“Okay, who’s next?” he breathes.
Last edited by Bright on Tue May 19, 2020 2:53 pm, edited 9 times in total.
Bright, H2 Medic
Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 5; Toughness: 13(5)
Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities:
  • Luck: Draws one extra benny.
  • Common Bond: Can transfer bennies to other team members.
  • Cyberware Filters: +4 to resist airborne toxins, diseases and poisons.
  • All Thumbs (tweaked): -2 to all actions using right arm. Removed after next mission.
Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3
Bennies: 5/4; Conviction: 0/1
Cash: 800 crypto
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Berkley Dig
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Berkley Dig »

Heading for the runners:
1d8!!-2+1d6!!: [12!!]-2+[2] = 12 - Caelia sprints towards the door. Whether it was because they'd seen the damage she'd done before or whether she just willed them out of the way with swift arm and leg movements, a gap to the door appeared as though parting the Red Sea. "Let's go Emi!"

Wild Die for runners:
1d6!!-2: [7!!]-2 = 5
Spirit Roll:
1d6!!-2: [3]-2 = 1
Spirit Wild Die:
1d6!!-1: [9!!]-1 = 8

Fighting Roll:
At a -2, then +1 for Kas's raise, but with martial artist +1. So at 0. 1d10!!: [5] = 5 Wild Die for Fighting:
1d6!!: [2] = 2
Caelia, overclocking her cyber, Caelia bounds out of the Downside heading towards the motorcycles 150 ft. in front of her. Faster than a cheetah hitting its, stride Caelia reaches the cycle on the right just as the runner does, grabbing the crash helmet that was sitting on the seat. "Looking for this?" With her Cybernetic muscle fiber augmentations overclocked, Caelia slams the helmet into the face of the first runner. The guy staggers backward. Caelia follows it up with a quick left handed uppercut, her blades on the outside of her forearm ripping into the guys armor. The hit lifts him off his feet and with her right hand Caelia stops his momentum upward with a quick slam of the helmet over and onto his head. The crash helmet visor shattering as the top of the helmet dents upward from the inside. The runner staggers and slumps up against the cycle, knocking it over.

Caelia calls out, "Kat, Emi, take out that second runner!"

1d6!!+1: [2]+1 = 3 1d6!!+1: [1]+1 = 2 1d6!!+1: [9!!]+1 = 10 1d6!!+1: [3]+1 = 4
Berkley Dig
Berkeley Dig Cleric Parry: 6, Toughness:w/ leather jacket: 07(2);
4 Bennies, 0 Conviction, 0 Wounds, and 0 Fatigue
Beginning 3
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Wounds: 0/3 (-0 to all rolls) Fatigue: 0/3 (-0 to all rolls)
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Kat Novak
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Kat Novak »

As soon as she saw Caelia begin to move, Kat broke cover and sprinted for the gap in the line of intruders the cybermonk had made. Ducking under a wild swing from one of the masked figures, Kat shouldered him aside, using the rebound to control her momentum as she barrelled out the door after Caelia.
1d6!!-2: [15!!]-2 = 13
1d6!!-2: [2]-2 = 0


Once she made it outside, Kat took in the scene before her. Seeing that Caelia had already engaged one of the two runners, she turned her attention to the other one.

I don't think so. Seeing the figure, she thought it was the leader but she wasn't sure, about to swing a leg over their bike she brought her Noir up to her shoulder, firing at what she assumed was the bike's fuel tank.

The heavy slug ricocheted off, much as she'd expected, a combination of the slope of the tank and whatever material it was sending the round skyward but it did the job she'd intended. The armored figured turned back to look over it's shoulder, gun coming up to return fire. That was as far as it got as Kat kept firing as she advanced, emptying the Noir's entire 6 round magazine into the armored figure, volume of fire doing what a single round had not been able to do the first intruder she'd shot inside the bar.

Reloading out of habit, she walked up alongside Caelia and the second runner. Seeing a twitch she put the muzzle of her gun up to the remains of the intruder's visor and pulled the trigger.
1d10!!+2-2+1+1-1: [9]+2-2+1+1-1 = 10
1d6!!+2-2+1+1-1: [5]+2-2+1+1-1 = 6
Rolled as +2 nanotech, -2 difficulty, +1 Kas bonus, +1 red dot sight -1 taking care, total 10. Removing the -1 for taking care and adding +1 for athletics raise gives total 12.
1d6: [2] = 2 Ammo
/r 1d6: [5] = 5
7 rounds used


"Runners down."
Kat Novak
  • Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 4; Toughness: Toughness(Armor) 14(4)/15(5)
    • BKI Combat Fatigues: 14(4) Torso, Arms, Legs
      BKI Combat Fatigues plus Armoured Combat Vest: 15(5) Torso, Arms; 14(4) Legs

    Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities: Danger Sense
    Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3; PP: 00/00
    Bennies: 6/3; Conviction: 0/1

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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Baltimore »

Hacking 1d10!!: [19!!] = 19
Wild 1d6!!: [3] = 3


This time, Whiskers doesn’t even need their sprite. They just go right after the security flaw, hard.

The runners are barely out the door when Whiskers gets into the bad guy’s TAP, and then a quick disable command turns the drones off. One of them almost hits Kit as it falls out of the air, but the cat girl twists away at the last minute.

I’m not usually into felines, but I wonder if she’d want to play cat and mouse when this is over. Should I say something cool and dramatic?

Not able to think of anything cool or dramatic, Whiskers instead states the obvious. “Drones are down.”
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Emi
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Emi »

Emi vaults over a half-destroyed table and wades into the melee in earnest, ducking and weaving between the few stragglers and striking with inhuman force and accuracy, laying each one out with blows to the joints, throat, temples.

Only then does Emi stop, breathing hard, watching and waiting for the target to make any sign of recovery or resistance.

Real Roll: Fighting 6
Fighting (Martial Arts) 1d8!!-1: [7]-1 = 6 Wild 1d6!!-1: [1]-1 = 0
Oops, this is apparently not necessary cuz Kat beat me to it.
Rolls: Athletics 8, Fighting 5, 2 bennies spent
Athletics 1d8-2!! or wild 1d6-2!!: [4]-2+[4]-2 = 4
Hm. Benny.
Athletics 1d8-2!! or wild 1d6-2!!: [6]-2+[6]-2 = 8
Hm, ok, I don't think rolling that way does what I want it to. The wild dice rolled a 6, but didn't explode. And it's adding the two die rolls. So yeah, sorry about that. Rolling the ace now.
Ace on wild 1d6!!: [4] = 4 So with the 4 on the wild dice, plus the 4 from the ace, it's an 8; a raise!

Fighting (+1 martial artist, +1 raise on athletics, -2 situation mod) 1d8!!: [2] = 2
Wild 1d6!!: [1] = 1
...yeah, last benny.
Fighting 1d8!!: [5] = 5 Wild 1d6!!: [1] = 1
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Koshnek
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Koshnek »

Location: Central Chicago, Aurora Barrens, the Downside
Time: Sunday June 3, 2095 - 1:59 AM
Weather: A deluge of rain pounds against the building and can be heard over the roaring din of the crowd.
Environment: Deafening Death Metal is still roaring over the speakers and lights continue strobing (in the infrared spectrum as well) towards the entrance. Thermal smoke obscures the entrance into the Downside.
the Downside - Exterior.jpg
the Downside - Interior.jpg
,
Image
,
Bear Dude 2.png
Bear Dude 2.png (195.17 KiB) Viewed 14408 times
and
Tiger.jpg
Tiger.jpg (114.07 KiB) Viewed 14408 times
.

Kat's heads-up gives Black Swan the opportunity to rally the Downsiders and direct them to the disrupting the squad holding the entrance. "Bear Dude" lays into the operatives with his crow-maul while Shift uses the raging ursine for cover as he ducks behind the bar and quickly dispatches the enemy huddling there with more psionic electricity.

A large black box sits on the floor where the operative Shift neutralized was hunched down. A hyperobject window can be seen asking for confirmation to deploy. It seems Shift narrowly averted some sort of disaster, but just exactly what brand of mayhem is not readily apparent.

Bright uses his sword skills and grappling ability to take down another black-clad operative with flair while Caelia bolts through the doorway with a flashing of hands and impressive footwork. Kat follows hot on her heels, and Caelia is down the alley and raining pain down on the runners faster than Kat can blink.

Kat dispatches the remaining runner with expert precision and issues a coup de grâce to the enemy Caelia put down. Inside, Emi unleashes a flurry of strikes on the enemies remaining around her. Even without Caelia backing her up, Emi manages to mop them up, no problem.

Whiskers finds themself relatively unscathed by the battle as he's just one target laying low while his friends and fellow Downsiders raise enough hell that no one thinks to bother the little mouse. They break through the enemy hacker's firewall and triumphantly shuts down the drones.

Kit continues dancing around the battlefield gracefully while Tiger takes his time to line up devastating shots. With the runners taken care of, "Bear Dude" falls back to protect the noncoms. Most of the operatives are down now, and all that's left is the mop-up. Only a small group holding the door and wedged between Kat and Caelia in the alley and the Downsiders inside the bar remain standing.


Combat Task Successes: 14/18
Hacking Task Successes: 3/3

Alright folks, its time for third and final round of the Dramatic Task. Not to give anything away, but the win condition here is neutralizing the enemy...

Note: The drones are down, so Whiskers is free to help out with the main task or alternately try a hacking action. Black Swan can choose not to lead this round, too, if she feels like she would be more useful on the main task. This is the last round, and you guys need to score four more successes on the main task.

I will roll 1d56 for each of you to simulate a deck of cards. There are two extra jokers included to simulate the mechanic of reshuffling the deck each time a joker is drawn. 53, 54, 55 and 56 are all Jokers.

Everyone gets a Benny for Emi's Joker! Emi can make her rolls this round at +2!
Black Swan 1d56: [9] = 9 - Spade
Bright 1d56: [21] = 21 - Heart
Caelia Seacoal 1d56: [34] = 34 - Club
Emi 1d56: [55] = 55 - Joker
Kat 1d56: [13] = 13 - Spade
Shift 1d56: [14] = 14 - Two of Hearts
Shift Hesitant 1d56: [52] = 52 - Ace of Diamond
Whiskers 1d56: [22] = 22 - Ten of Hearts
Whiskers Hesitant 1d56: [46] = 46 Eight of Diamonds


This is a relatively large conflict involving innocent bystanders, independent operators, and a paramilitary force. Black Swan has choosen to sit back and "direct" her "forces" in hopes of gaining the upper hand and potentially limiting collateral damage.
Note: There's a lot going on this round. The primary objective is still to clear out the the enemies, but things are starting to hit the fan. If you want to abandon your leader role this round you can help out elsewhere.

1) This determined your modifier for the duration of the scene and reflects your ability to communicate your instructions to not only your team but the other operators and innocent bystanders.
  • Raise: Your instructions are clear and concise. Gain +1 to your rolls and you may make one free reroll on any of your subsequent rolls.
2) Each round, roll Academics (-2 if you have no experience with strategic games like chess, haven't done any relevant reading such as the Art of War, or don't have any other plausible strategic academic knowledge), Battle, Notice (-2), or Common Knowledge (-2). Modify the roll based upon the results from 1). This reflects your character observing the enemy tactics and making educated guesses as to their actions, and giving orders to their forces to counteract the enemy.
  • Raise: Your directions are deviously efficient. The combat team can make their roll this round at +1, and any single failure or critical failure result from the Combat Team can be increased by one degree of success.
  • Success: You have an eye for combat, and you outmaneuver the enemy. The combat team can make their roll this round at +1.
  • Failure: These guys are well-trained. You think you have them, but then they surprise you. The combat team makes their rolls this round at -1.
  • Critical Failure: Are you even a professional? Every call you make is completely wrong. The combat team makes their rolls this round at -1, but an innocent bystander is injured (or worse) or the Downside takes serious collateral damage.
Note: A club means that you have been identified as an enemy commander and fire is directed your way. You may roll as usual, at -2, but any failure also results in a wound which can be immediately soaked. Alternately, you can take cover and forgo making a command roll and instead roll to support a single member of the combat team with an appropriate skill.

3) Use the results to narrate your predictions and what tactics you put into play to counter the enemy.


Combat Task (14/18 Successes): An unmarked paramilitary team is attacking the Downside. They are a well oiled combat unit and it will be a difficult fight. Fighting these goons off is a three round dramatic task which requires 18 successes total.

This Dramatic Task will be rolled at -2. This reflects the superior training and equipment available to this paramilitary force. The penalty also takes into account that they have inferior numbers, that they're entering from a narrow choke point, defensive measures employed by Kit, and other behind the scenes considerations...


If you feel like there's an appropriate use of hacking to help with the main task, you could roll Hacking instead of a combat skill. Assume the guy you mess with is running a Tier 2 TAP with a Tier 1 Sprite backing him up instead of rolling at the base -2 everyone else is rolling at. Narrate it as having gotten into that individual's TAP from the Hacker's VPN between shutting down the drones and the Hacker dying outside.

If you choose to this option instead of the normal instructions below, don't bother with tactics from 1); choosing a combat skill from 2); or spending PP/Ammo from 3). You also (probably) don't need to worry about collateral damage/hurting an innocent unless you decide to get crazy with your narration, somehow.


1) Each round, choose one of the following tactics before you roll:
  • Wild Abandon: Your character goes wild and cuts loose without regard for his or her surroundings. Combat rolls may be made at +1, but any failure will result in collateral damage or injured bystanders.
  • Business as Usual: Your character is calm and collected, and treats this combat like any other job. There is no bonus or penalty to their roll, and collateral damage only occurs on a critical failure. Innocent bystanders are not affected.
  • Take Aim: Your character carefully lines up each attack. They roll at -1, but their careful tactics means that they cause no collateral damage and no bystanders are injured on either a failure or critical failure.
2) Roll a relevant combat skill (at -2 as described above). This includes psionics if your character has any applicable powers (bolt, burst, entangle, etc. For Example, Smite or Healing wouldn't work here)
Note: A club imposes an additional -2 penalty as you're identified as your character is identified as an extraordinary threat and extra fire is directed your way. You may roll as usual, at an additional -2 from the club, but any failure also results in a wound which can be immediately soaked. Alternately, you can take cover and forgo making a combat roll and instead roll to support a single member of the combat team with an appropriate skill.
  • Raise: For each raise, you gain an additional success and take out an additional enemy combatant.
  • Success: You take out one of the enemy combatants.
  • Failure: You fail to to take out any enemy combatants, and you take a minor blow that could have otherwise been deadly. Take one level of fatigue.
  • Critical Failure: Are you even a professional? Try as you might, you are completely ineffective this round and even take a wound which can be immediately soaked.
3) If using a weapon with ammunition, or Psionics, roll to see how much ammo/how many PP you lose based upon your chosen tactics from 1).
  • Wild Abandon: 3d6 rounds/PP are expended.
  • Business as Usual: 2d6 rounds/PP are expended.
  • Take Aim: 1d6 rounds/PP are expended.
4) Narrate your results, including whether or not you injure any bystanders or deal collateral damage to the Downside and how you neutralize the enemy combatants (if any).
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Shift »

Shift considered his options and saw only a few remaining bad guys to go. He decided to change tactics to bullets so as to not deplete himself like list time. Aiming carefully, he took his shots from cover.


Shooting d8-2!!: [6]-2 = 4
Wild die d6-2!!: [3]-2 = 1

Bullets 1d6: [4] = 4
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Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities:
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Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3; PP: [color=#0080FF4/15[/color]
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Bright »

In response to Bright's challenge, another insurgent turns toward him and whips his assault rifle up to fire. Either from the adrenaline or the loud music in the bar, Bright's head seems to have cleared, and he charges the man to close the distance. He connects a split-second before the gun goes off and shoves it upward, hard, with his left arm. Automatic fire spatters the ceiling. Bright takes advantage of the opening and drives the point of his monofilament blade through the center of his chest all the way to the hilt. The man slumps back, dead before he hits the floor.

Bright places a boot on the man's stomach and removes the blade in a swift motion, looking around for more possible danger.

Fighting (Bladed Weapons) 7 - Success
"Business as usual"
-2 for dramatic task, -2 for arm injury, +1 for Black Swan's leadership = net -3 to roll
Fighting 1d6!!: [10!!] = 10
Wild Die 1d6!!: [1] = 1
Last edited by Bright on Mon Jun 15, 2020 4:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Bright, H2 Medic
Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 5; Toughness: 13(5)
Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities:
  • Luck: Draws one extra benny.
  • Common Bond: Can transfer bennies to other team members.
  • Cyberware Filters: +4 to resist airborne toxins, diseases and poisons.
  • All Thumbs (tweaked): -2 to all actions using right arm. Removed after next mission.
Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3
Bennies: 5/4; Conviction: 0/1
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Black Swan »

Battle 1d4!, 1d6!: [4!, 4!, 3]+[4] = 15
Raise: Your directions are deviously efficient. The combat team can make their roll this round at +1, and any single failure or critical failure result from the Combat Team can be increased by one degree of success.


Black Swan rallies everyone to help with cleanup of the remaining combatants. "No one keeps the Downside contained! Take them out!"

The bear man slides over and grunts as he bashes a guy's face in. "Name's Kristof, not bear dude."
Kas grins, "Kristof it is!"
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Black Swan Bioroid Fixer and Combat Negotiator
Parry: 7, Toughness: (Armored Jacket): 11 (2); (Tactical Armor): 13 (4)
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Baltimore »

When they realize that the fight isn't quiiiiite over, Whiskers hits the deck. Idiot! Idiot! Now is not the time. Don't be distracted; be great. Be great.

Whiskers focuses on their TAP, looking for any of the attackers who are still unlucky enough to be lingering, and catches sight of one. "Gotcha!" they whisper.

Hacking 1d10!+1: [6]+1 = 7 (+2 from aug and -1 from enemy TAP factored in), Wild 1d6!+1: [1]+1 = 2 , Support from Sprite 1d8!-1: [2]-1 = 1 , free reroll from Hacker edge 1d10!+1: [9]+1 = 10 , Wild 1d6!+1: [6!, 5]+1 = 12
12 total result!
, reaching out and hitting his TAP hard. If they get in, Whiskers will immediately issue a "disable device" command, shutting down all but the most basic functions of any cyberwear augmentations they find.

If successful, Whiskers will add up to two success tokens to the main task. Awaiting opposed Hacking roll from Baddie McBadderson.
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Berkley Dig »

Caelia races back toward the downside to help with the mop up.

1d10!!+1, 1d6!!+1: [18!!]+1+[2]+1 = 22
(This is a 19 and then a 3 on the wild die). (Success)

Using her fighting blades in unarmed combat, Caelia finds a bogey trying to sneak out of the downside. With ninja reflexes, she neutralizes the threat with a few quick slashes to the face and if the fella was still alive -- her quick round house kick to the groin kept him hugging the ground.

"Who are these guys, Whiskers, you get any data from the drones/TAP you hacked? Anything to indicate who they were or what they wanted? Perhaps I should keep this guy alive whose bleeding from the head and grabbing his groin moaning for mercy?"
Berkley Dig
Berkeley Dig Cleric Parry: 6, Toughness:w/ leather jacket: 07(2);
4 Bennies, 0 Conviction, 0 Wounds, and 0 Fatigue
Beginning 3
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Wounds: 0/3 (-0 to all rolls) Fatigue: 0/3 (-0 to all rolls)
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Emi »

It was all over but the crying, and Emi didn't know how to do that. As the remaining attackers were pinned down by gunfire, or mercilessly hacked into with swords, Emi waded into the fray and caught one more by the throat, struck low in the solar plexus, and then put him on the ground with a blow to the back of his head as he doubled over.

Fighting didn't exactly make her happy, but it brought a kind of satisfaction. A feeling of having completed a job well done. It was an echo of her training...no, of her programming. That sense of well-being was simultaneously a pleasant reprieve from uncertainty and anxiety...but also a reminder of what she was, and what she was meant to have been.

But what else could she do?

Rolls: FIghting 7
FIghting (martial arts) 1d8!!+3: [4]+3 = 7 Wild 1d6!!+3: [4]+3 = 7
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Baltimore »

Caelia Seacoal wrote: Mon Jun 15, 2020 5:22 pm
"Who are these guys, Whiskers, you get any data from the drones/TAP you hacked? Anything to indicate who they were or what they wanted? Perhaps I should keep this guy alive whose bleeding from the head and grabbing his groin moaning for mercy?"
Whiskers shakes their head. "Nothing, yet. Gimme a second. Now that no one is shooting at me, maybe I can figure something out."

Dear GM, What Can Whiskers Figure Out?
Would a Hacking or Research roll here be appropriate to try and figure out the identity of the attackers? Or should we just wait until the next scene?
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Koshnek »

Location: Central Chicago, Aurora Barrens, the Downside
Time: Sunday June 3, 2095 - 2:05 AM
Weather: A deluge of rain pounds against the building. Without the noise of the crowd, the storm seems louder than before, but still quiter than the din of battle.
Environment: The strobing lights and death metal have subsided, but wisps of smoke can still be seen. Tables and chairs are strewn about haphazardly, many broken or damaged. Countless shards of broken glass reflect the dim lighting from the floor.
the Downside - Exterior.jpg
the Downside - Exterior.jpg (60.88 KiB) Viewed 13329 times
the Downside - Interior.jpg
the Downside - Interior.jpg (45.42 KiB) Viewed 13329 times
,
Image
,
Bear Dude 2.png
Bear Dude 2.png (195.17 KiB) Viewed 13329 times
and
Tiger.jpg
Tiger.jpg (114.07 KiB) Viewed 13329 times
.

Victory. The last operative is forced to the ground by the thud of "Bear Dude" Kristof's crow-maul and followed by the cracking of broken bone and then silence. Several moments pass, broken by muffled whispers, while everyone takes stock of themselves and the Downside. The bar itself is by far the most serious casualty.

The noncombatants fared better than the Downside itself. Some of them received lacerations and others suffered blunt force trauma, but the efforts of the Downsiders kept them from them from severe injury and death. Kit seems to seethe rage as she prowls through the bar checking on her clientele and establishment. Her tail twitches and jerks back and forth while she walks.

She suddenly stops next to one of the downed operatives and empties the cylinder of her revolver into his head. She walks to Tiger and takes the cannon from him.
She isn't really trying to keep anyone from overhearing her, so anyone who wants to know what Kit tells Tiger can make a Notice roll to overhear her. Add -2 to your roll if you're trying not to be obvious about eavesdropping.
OOC Comments
"...every Angel available. Nothing is higher priority, and if your boss has a problem tell him I'll f***ing owe him one. No one, not BKI, not CDF, NO ONE gets in or out of the Barrens through the safe ways until this is cleaned up. I want the area around the Downside locked down as well. Bring anyone who doesn't belong to the Downside. I'll have questions."
, he nods, and Kit steps into her safe room to stow the enormous weapon. Tiger get's that faraway look on his face that people tend to adopt when they're deep in their TAPs while not paying much attention to their surroundings.

Kit steps back into the bar and the door closes behind her and locks itself down. Tiger hustles out of the Downside once the security door locks. Anyone still in the Downside Security network is force booted, and Kit's usual friendly demeanor returns. She walks back to the bar, the space she can usually be expected to be during business hours, and addresses the Downsiders. Her voice comes through the bar's speakers, so everyone can easily hear her.

Kit bows deeply from behind the bar, her forehead nearly touching its surface, then straightens herself before speaking, "I am sorry, nakama. This should not have happened. To those who helped to protect this place, I will give each of you a small payment. It is not what you deserve, but each of you deserve what I can give. Thank you."

She bows again and continues, "I must ask those who are able to leave to do so, now. I will pay anyone who can provide first aid to the injured so that they can also leave. This is a rush job - get them through the night, and I will ensure that they receive proper care tomorrow."

Kit looks from one patron to another as she continues speaking, "Someone has brought trouble into my home. I do not think it was any of my nakama, but if any of you know why this has happened, tell me. It would be better to tell me now, in confidence if you must, than allow me to find out in my own way. Know that I will find out what has happened tonight, and I will address the problem. Thank you, nakama."

She begins to walk out from behind the bar then she turns towards the crowd again and says, "Ah, I can also afford to pay several of you to remain and help clean this mess. I will use this scum's gear to pay for repairing the Downside, so anyone who can clean their gear for sale in the Underground, Chicagoland, and so on can stay. Then there's the issue of disposing of the corpses..."

Kit moves between various teams and speaks briefly to each one. When she approaches @Black Swan, she speaks quietly, "I will have a clearer picture of what has happened tonight in the morning. I would like to use your group for this job if you are interested. You are all relatively new and unkown, but you have proven yourselves to be capable individuals. No one know's what moves you through the shadows, and that could be useful for both of us. If you are interested, bring your nakama to the downside tomorrow morning at eight."

As the crowd disperses; medical care begins to be given; and gear starts to be scavenged, cleaned and sorted into piles, Kristof slaps Black Swan on the back. It's done in good nature, but he's large and powerful enough that it jostles the smaller woman, "Good showing, kid. I'm a fringe element here. I don't put up with shady shit, and I only take on jobs that I feel like are doing good work. Left Black Knight when my contract was up for the very same reason. Cops aren't what they used to be any more. I still have some connections if you need something hard to get, but I also don't mind getting my hands dirty - as long as its for a good reason. Look me up if you ever need me."

Kristof leaves with the rest of the early crowd, apparently not interested in scavenging or patching anyone up. After he walks outside, Kit joins Black Swan again with a slight frown on her face and says, "Kristof is a good man. I do not like him here, but I... This should not be his place. The world is grey, but Kristof's world is black and white. Remember that if you work with or for him."

Things quiet down once people have left the Downside. Those who stayed behind to administer first aid are left to do what they need to do. Kit works with the scavenging team to get the gear ready for sale. Fifteen to twenty minutes after the majority of the downsiders left for home,
Roll a relevant skill, such as Common Knowledge, to figure out which crew these guys roll with.
OOC Comments
From their colors, you know that these guys are from the Angels of Death. They're not the top gang in Chicago, but they are one of the contenders. They're also one of the meaner gangs in Chicago who don't take shit from anyone. The Angels are the main reason those who frequent the Downside have to take certain routes to arrive safely.
show up with some sort of mobile workspace. Kit sends each stripped body to the gangers who turn them into transportable portions. Once a body is bundled up, one ganger leaves with it and a new ganger comes in to replace the previous one.

Alright, folks! Let's get this show back on the road. Great job with this scene, y'all really tore it up. Everyone can add 150 creds to their funds for helping Kit defend the Downside. Kristof can also be used as a contact now.

1) If you can provide first aid (healing or psionics), clean gear for the black market (using hacking to clear out any identifying features, or repair to grind off serial numbers), or in any way help with what Kit has asked for volunteers to help with, you can add an additional 150 credits to your funds. (Note: This doesn't require any kind of roll, just narrate what you're doing and how you accomplish it.)

You're also free to just leave without helping clean up.

2) There's some kind of device behind the bar. Shift prevented the operatives from activating the device, but it remains one small, final step away from activating. I wonder what the device is? If you want to know, you can try to figure it out. You could also play it safe and let Kit deal with it.
  • To properly identify it will require some digging. It's far from the everyday type of item Common Knowledge could usually help with, but you could use Common Knowledge if your character has some kind of military or special ops background. Roll whatever skills you think will help you figure out what this thing is if you want to know. Some examples could be hacking and repair. If you haven't ever used one, or were involved with creating one, you've likely never heard of it. Make the roll at -2 because of how obscure it is.
  • Each player who participates can roll a single skill to help identify the device (Two players could roll the same skill, but each player only gets to attempt one skill). You will need three successes in at least three separate skills to completely identify the device. (This means at least 9 successes are needed total, with 3 successes needed from 3 separate skills). If anyone critically fails, it activates. If any skill rolled to identify the device gets no successes, it activates.
  • If the device isn't fully identified, you will still learn some information for getting 3 successes in a skill.
3) After you leave the downside, Narrate how you spend the rest of your night. Do you start looking into things yourself? Do you get a good nights sleep in preparation for the morning? Does something else happen?

I will respond here as/if necessary, but the next GM Post will be in a new thread and scene.

Note: @Whiskers and @Caelia Seacoal (and anyone else), if you want to begin investigating things immediately, instead of waiting to find out what Kit discovers in the morning, you can begin investigating now. There might be consequences of pulling an all night bender turned shootout then working through the morning (as in, you're all still humans, even if some of you are more - or less - than human). Describe what you're doing, make rolls as relevant.
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Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Bright »

Notice 4 - Success
Notice 1d8!: [3] = 3
Wild 1d6!: [4] = 4
Seeing that the fighting is done, Bright wipes his monofilament blade with a small rag and replaces it in its scabbard. He sighs and flexes his right hand, gritting his teeth in pain, but with an inbreath he regains focus. He cocks his head and listens to what Kit says to Tiger, then after she explains the arrangement he bows his head slightly and agrees to help with the wounded before he leaves.

In the moment it's all fun and games, the rush of battle, but afterward there are just corpses. More dead that didn't deserve it. Shameful.

Switching to work mode, he quickly assesses which patrons need the most help and uses his medkit to staunch bleeding and treat abrasions. After helping as long as he can, he leaves the Downside and returns to his apartment. As he leaves, he passes by Black Swan and merely utters "Call me" without meeting her eyes, and then walks away into the rain.
Bright, H2 Medic
Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 5; Toughness: 13(5)
Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities:
  • Luck: Draws one extra benny.
  • Common Bond: Can transfer bennies to other team members.
  • Cyberware Filters: +4 to resist airborne toxins, diseases and poisons.
  • All Thumbs (tweaked): -2 to all actions using right arm. Removed after next mission.
Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3
Bennies: 5/4; Conviction: 0/1
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Shift
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Joined: Sat Apr 11, 2020 1:49 pm

Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Shift »

Shift takes a moment to consider his options. He strode forward and picked one of the most injured, using his psionics to knit their wounds together faster than a medic could. He still had some juice left, but he couldn't bring himself to drain himself dry after what happened last time.
Psionics 1d6!, 1d12! +2: [5]+[11] = 16

Always ready for cash, he decided to stick around and try cleaning up the gear for extra payment as well.
Shift
Pace: 6(d6); Parry: 8(3); Toughness: 15(4)
Combat-Relevant Edges & Abilities:
  • -4 Cover when shield active
Wounds: 0/3; Fatigue: 0/3; PP: [color=#0080FF4/15[/color]
Bennies: 4/3; Conviction: 0/1
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Baltimore
Posts: 26
Joined: Mon Apr 13, 2020 7:11 am

Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Baltimore »

Whiskers is a bit taken aback when they are unceremoniously booted from the Downside’s network. They give Kit a long, semi-hurt look at the sudden change; they had already become accustomed to a certain standard of living!

Whiskers has next to no interest in manual labor after a fight like that, but money is money, and they need the cash. With a bit of an exaggerated sigh, they grab a sponge and get to work.
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Black Swan
Posts: 29
Joined: Sun Apr 12, 2020 8:18 pm

Re: The Battle for the Downside

Post by Black Swan »

Common Knowledge 2, Repair 7
Common Knowledge 1d4!, 1d6!: [2]+[2] = 4
repair 1d6!, 1d6!: [1]+[6!, 1] = 8
Kas shakes hands and passes off her contact information to Kristof as he leaves. "Hey, I run across jobs for people on the up and up all the time. Ironically, it's a bit hard to find someone willing to do honest protective work. I'll give you a call next time I come across anything. Stay shiny Kristof, and thanks."

When he leaves and Kat interjects her two cryptos about him, Black Swan nods. "Hey, the world needs a little of that from time to time, just to keep the rest of us honest, at least with ourselves. But I appreciate the info dump. And yeah, we're down for whatever."

She goes to each of them individually, asking them to meet back here in the morning for some work. "Got a job for you if you're up for it. Meet back here, bright and early at eight. I suggest you get some sleep tonight, no telling how long we'll be at it tomorrow."

Kas helps file off ID marks and remove tags and other identifying things before passing them off to the next person who hacks at the indentification registration in each weapon, piece of gear, or armor. When the gangers show up, they are an unknown to Kassandra. It's about then she leaves, washing up and getting a drink to go before leaving. She makes her way home and collapses into a sleep with just enough time to wash her face, take off her boots and jacket and otherwise get ready for bed. She sets an alarm for 6:30 am and drifts off to sleep without much fuss.
Black Swan
Black Swan Bioroid Fixer and Combat Negotiator
Parry: 7, Toughness: (Armored Jacket): 11 (2); (Tactical Armor): 13 (4)
Benny/Conviction/Wound/Fatigue
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