[gilga]

@Maxwell Charlie laughs "You are very sweet Sovi, learn first observe and strike when you are ready. Grail is not living alone in the top floor there are more vampires. They do not drain us, they get their food somewhere else. You cannot do it alone, the only reason I am alive is because my gun was so non threatening that Grail thought it was adorable. If I was actually dangerous to him he'd kill me already."

[Jack_Spade]

<<Do it. I'll go Wifi dark, but you can reach me through my microtransceiver - Channel 26b.>>
Kynos went and took position in his prepared hiding place.

[spoiler]Sneak: 11d6t5 5 [11d6t5=5, 2, 3, 6, 2, 5, 1, 6, 5, 3, 2]
[/spoiler]

[Mercy Merchant]

Athos walks about for a bit before finally finding Faith talking to a couple of her people.  He waits for her to finish and asks if she has the time for a chat.  They go to a private corner of the building and he says, "I am going to lay it on you straight, Faith, because I trust you and feel that you are trying to do the best for your people.  I want to present a plan to you, one that you may not initially appreciate, but one that stands the best chance of allowing us to remain here and grow into a real community that can stand together and handle the changing world.  There is a very powerful mojo slinger who lives near us by the name of Strawberry.  By now you may even have heard others talk about her.  She is.......odd.  But she has a lot of power.  A lot.  She has an offer for us, so hear me out."

"She has a farm underground where she cultivates awakened vegetables and other crops.  Lots of food.  She needs to get these foods to buyers and the disturbance in the sprawl has interrupted  her deliveries.  She is willing to give us the contract to get her items to her buyers.  In exchange, she wants us to stop smuggling weapons, drugs, BTLs, and the like.  She claims that just the presence here of these items disrupts the astral influences and can damage or kill her crops.  I am still in discussions with her about providing protection for the area and the delivery drivers and teams.  I have my van we can use for the first set of deliveries and we might want to look into modifying it to be better armored.  We might also want to look into getting an escort vehicle or two.  We can discuss this more after making the first delivery.


Athos looks at Faith.  "So if this contract will provide you and your people with the same or better life than they had, can you give up smuggling weapons to smuggle these crops for her?  It could lead to other legitimate deliveries if we get known for getting the job done.  What do you say?  In or out?"

[Mulcarn]

The mage was getting flustered with embarrassment again.  Maxwell exclaims zealously.  "Hey don't laugh!  I really meant what I said.  I can be frightening in the shadows when I want to.  And I hate monsters that abuse and hurt women.  It's unforgivable what he did to all of you."

He looks down and away briefly, trying to regain control over his rage towards Grail.  Maxwell sets his sights back on Charlie and shifts perception to see how she is doing emotionally.  As he assenses Charlie's aura, he asks gallantly.  "Would you like to take a bath together?"

[spoiler]Assensing: 6d6t5 6[/spoiler]

[gilga]

@Maxwell Charlie say " If you are not just trying to impress me with empty promises than I wish you good luck slaying these monsters." When you offer her a bath she say "I'd love to... but I honestly need to get working, perhaps tonight if you are still alive"  She smiles at you, and you are unsure if she is believes you but she seem to find your confidence impressive.

Charlie's aura is difficult to behold, it is dark and pale and show significant essence loss. There is a single augmentation in her head it seems very advanced but you cannot determine its function.

@Kynos Finestra enters with one of the body guards that searches the hotel suite "There is nothing here... I just want to have fun, I couldn't hurt him if I tired." she said but the guard looked suspicious and relentlessly searched the place.  The guard gets close to Kynos during the search but do not find anything out of the ordinary. "Send him in... " He said.

[spoiler]
Perception: 10d6t5 2
[/spoiler]

@Faith said "I do not know Athos, we have regulars and long lasting relationships. I am not stopping it to work for a mage that everyone said just died. We do not even know if she is reliable, or stable. Today she is here tomorrow she decides that she does not need us. Relying on a single client is very bad for business. Besides the men like their BTLs and drugs they get them for serving the people that make them. "

[Mercy Merchant]

Athos rubs the bridge of his nose and sighs.  "Faith, you are about as stubborn as the mage is.  That is probably how you managed to keep these people together and alive.  However, the world is changing and you have probably lost more than half of your customers already and the rest can adapt.  We all have to adapt, some to roles that are completely new.  It is time to take a chance.  I have just talked to the mage and she is definitely not dead.  Who do you think built this place in a single day?  I can go back to Strawberry to see if she will compromise on the addicted to BTLs.If this does not work, you can begin looking about for a different place to operate from and at least you would have had a safe place to live for a couple of days."

[Mulcarn]

Once more his heart festers in hell, in silent vexation.  He maintains the masquerade as he bids the mechanic goodbye.  She leaves the murderous magician alone to go shower, evermore unaware of the true meaning behind his bravado.  Solitarily he stands by himself with nothing but dismal hateful thoughts to occupy himself with.  To keep true to his word about ending Grail, he'd have to leave the compound first and get to work on his preliminary measures.  Maxwell crashes on his bunk and shuts his eyes.  Projecting his mind and soul out of the compound and into the distant beaming sky.

The vengeful warlock starts evangelizing a forgotten song into the astral.  An unholy hymn sung to attract a spirit of the dead.  "No moon is there, no voice, no sound of beating heart, a sigh profound.  Once in each ages as each age dies.  Alone it's heard.  Far, far it lies.  In the land of waiting the dead sit, in their thought's shadow, by no moon lit.  Upon the plain, there rushed forth and high.  Shadows at dead end of night and mirrored in the skies.  Far far away, beyond might of day.  And there lay the land of the dead of mortal cold decay."

[spoiler]Summoning Force 7 Spirit of Man: 13d6t5 7
Spirit Resist: 8d6t5 3
Drain Resist: 11d6t5 6
Force 8 Spirit of Man summoned with 4 Services.  No Drain.
Optional Powers - Fear and Innate Spell (Stunbolt)
He'll be named Rigor Mortis.[/spoiler]
[spoiler][/spoiler]

The dead spectral lord hears the grim canticle and is bound to serve and obey the mage.  Maxwell phases into his body and rises from the bed.  A magical command is thought and given to Rigor Mortis.  "Use your power of concealment on me and sustain it until I say otherwise.  Go back into the astral and await further orders after you do."

[Jack_Spade]

Kynos breathed slowly and controlled. It was a very narrow hiding place between the wardrobe and the wall where usually the automatic ironing dummy  was stashed. Funny thing, human perception - if a place didn't map as big enough to hide someone you didn't expect it to be a hiding place - or at least as likely as you expected someone to hide in your underwear drawer.
As long as he didn't exhale to much he wouldn't have any trouble to get out quickly. True, he couldn't turn his head and only had his right arm with the taser for use, but that would be enough to get him going.

Now Kynos waited. The curtains were drawn and the light in the center of the room was at maximum, creating a very brightly lit room.
With any luck, Venom would plug his brain into the power outlet and take himself out of action while the breakers did there thing and killed the power and therefore the lights in the room.
Hopefully that would leave Kynos as the only one in the room with active low light vision. A grin appeared in the darkness of his hiding place. This would get interesting indeed...

[gilga]

@Athos Faith answered "You are the boss Athos, we might have to find someplace else to live because cutting all connections to gun smugglers is not going to be a popular decision. When you also mention that the gang cannot have their drugs and BTLs they are not going to be happy in this place. There is not much, some have families and children others have escapism - I am elected to keep them alive not to judge them.

People here are afraid of mages, I'd be careful about stating we work for one. They place mages with the same level of trust as they do vampires, or even trans humanists like you. These people are so much more powerful than the average joe that it is unlikely they see people as their equals. Don't get it wrong, we'll work even with the devil so a powerful mage is no problem but I would not emphasis this aspect. The magical plants crap is TMI- none of my people will believe it. "

@Maxwell Your mind is free and as you fly far away from the city you reach a natural place where your mojo works better. You overcome the toxic mana of the city and your link to the metaplanes become stronger it is not long before you feel the presence of a powerful entity. Still a bit bitter from the travel.
"so, you woke me up only to play hide and seek? I will remember that when you die. You will not forget the name Rigor Mortis."

@Kynos it is difficult to observe but the body guard gets out and Venom and Finestra enters the room. He pushes Finestra to the wall and lean toward her. Since they are close to you you can hear him whisper "You are correct, these people are going to kill me once we're out of the airport."
Finestra moans and then whispers "There is a universal cable there connecting you to a secure cable... I am just a messenger, play aroused."

You do not see the rest of the scene but you hear some things falling from the bar, and then some more gasps. "in the subvocal you hear 'oh no' " then an electronic boom, something exploded and Venom say with a low and aggressive voice "You bitch fired my comlink"
Finestra barely answers she appears to be strangled by Venom "There must be some decker... I did not know, I swear... " The electricity goes off and the entire suite is dark from the electrical problem. DemoX texts "There is an urgent service request for maintenance... their electrician will be here in a few minutes."

[spoiler]
I stopped here because I want to let Kynos be part of the action. You cannot shoot Venom from where you are hiding, you'll need to quietly get out. If you score more than 3 hits on stealth he will not see you and if you enter combat Venom will be surprised.  I gave Venom negatives due to Finestra distracting him.

Perception: 10d6t5 3
[/spoiler]

[Jack_Spade]

[spoiler]
Stealth: 11d6t5 3
Stealth(reroll): 8d6t5 1

Aim: +1 Accuracy
Tasershot(Vitals): 8d6t5 3

11S(e) AP -5 +3 Successes
[/spoiler]

Kynos moved out like a snake from his hiding place. The bodyguards were a problem, but right now Finestra was in trouble and chummers came first.
With a smooth motion he drew his taser and aimed for Venom's neck.

[Mercy Merchant]

Athos chuckles.  "In the state this city is in, we will all have to learn to live by new rules, and an alliance between a mage, a trog, and some humans is not so strange if we all survive.  I will let her know that we will take the first load and see how that goes.  Do you have a good driver and some people to guard the van?  I can have Bruno act as an outrider until we can get some better support.  I think we are both going to be crossing our fingers on this one."

He stands and leaves, heading out to talk to the people at the tree.  On the way he sends a text to Strawberry.  >>Strawberry.  Athos.  I will take that first delivery and see if it works fro all of us.  I have some points for discussion and would like to discuss a couple of compromises.  First, when will the first load of crops be available, when do they need to move, and where do I deliver them?  Second, if we do this right and we stay, I need to ask for leniency on my people using BTLs.  Some people are addicted to them and need them.  They are not dangerous in themselves and we do not sell them.  Third, same compromise on weapons.  We are going to need to protect ourselves and you from marauders.  The zombies and gangs will not just go away because you want them to.  We are going to build a place of relative peace and calm here and that will bring jackals to try to take it away.  I am on my way to talk to the people at the tree to see how many want to live here.  But we will need to find things for them to do that will help as well as give them a chance to help us.  I am willing to talk to you on these points.<<

Athos will walk to the tree, looking about at the people gathering there.  Does there seem to be any organization?  A leader?

[gilga]

@Kynos the attack seem to have a dramatic effect of Venom, that was completely surprised. You manage to somehow get passed his massive armor and do some serious damage.
[spoiler]

Damage reistance: 32d6t5 5 This means that Venom takes 9 stun damage  - almost knocked down 1 more to go, impressive.

Now we do initiative:

Initiative Venom: 12+2d6 16
Initiative Finestra: 8+1d6 14
[/spoiler]

@Athos Strawberry texts >>The Zombies do not come here, they cannot approach this place. Keep your guns locked in a safe while in my domain and no BTLs and drug abuse...  you do that then you die from overdose and you kill my plants. These things are dangerous and people using them are time bombs. Product is ready pick up at this address - good luck.

Non lethal weapons are fine and in time if your people show restraint I may allow pistols. "

There appear to be no leader, mainly homelessness, refugees and locals they seem to believe that Strawberry will come back if they want it hard enough. They do not believe that she can be killed. Each with his own prayers and oaths giving up something to have strawberry back. Other people do accept that she is dead and jut came to say their goodbyes. It is all very individual and quiet people only talk in whispers and only to Strawberry and not to each other.

[Mercy Merchant]

Athos steps forward into the people at the tree and calls out for attention.  "Please, may have your attention.  This tree represents what was most important about Strawberry.  But it will not help you live your lives.  If anyone is interested in joining a small band of people trying to survive the disaster and turn this area into something better than it is, please go see Faith in that large building.  We will try to add enough room for you.  We are looking for people who want to work to improve all of us, not people looking for a free ride.  It will be tough at first, but that is barrens life."

He steps back and returns to the warehouse, letting Faith know what he told the people at the tree and warning her that they may get some new people to join up.  He thanks Bruno for coming and explains what he wants for the delivery run.  Then he takes the van and what people Faith has detailed to him and heads off for the pick up site, leaving Faith in charge until he returns.  He does tell her that they will probably need to find a place to live that is close by if she cannot convince her people to leave the drugs and BTLs alone.  He will tell her to send a few people out to scout around the area.

[Mulcarn]

Maxwell utilizes Mortis' power and he walks out of the room and into the elevator unnoticed.  From there he goes down to the first floor and searches for the front exit out.  This doesn't take long and before he knows it he could see the outside world, along with the drone sentries.  To get past the robots he'd have to actually try being sly in his footwork.  Furtively, he tries to ghosts through them in case the magical subterfuge was not enough.

[spoiler]Stealth: 7d6t5 1[/spoiler]

During all of this, Maxwell strikes up a conversation with his spirit.  Many question roiled within the mage's brain.  Perhaps the spirit might impart some wisdom as Maxwell travels to his old lodging.

"How is spending an eternity sleeping in a tomb more entertaining than what I have you doing right now?  Also you're going to help with other stuff too.  I'm probably going to need your strength to ward off impertinent spirits and superstitious fools.  But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.  The big question I have for you is what's changed?  The spirits have become harder to summon, almost like they go out of their way to avoid me.  But when I do manage to summon one it manages to show up stronger than intended.  What gives?  I'm not doing anything different."

[Jack_Spade]

[spoiler]
Don't forget that it's electric damage: Venom has a -5 to ini and -1 to his regular actions, as well as -3 from wound mods. So his Ini is down to 8 and his defense is now penalized with -4
Ini: 14+2d6 23

Aim +1 die
Shoot w/aim: 13d6t5 4

9S(e) +4 Successes

[/spoiler]

Kynos had hit, but the man hadn't gone down. Even as the capacitors kept pumping the last bit of their charge into Venom's body, Kynos fired again, this time at center mass to finish the job.