[Aria]

[Thursday June 18th, 2076, ~10:25, Nightside Market, London Below, London]

Satire cocked her head to consider Isaint’s suggestion, her musical voice at odds with the crying mask she presented to the world,

“Well it could work, if you can get someone from Below to instigate it…you seem to have lost your guide and I suspect there aren’t many more queuing up for the role after you got a Bane landed on you.  What, you thought we were from Below?  We walk many paths but we don’t come from here…”

After climbing a final set of stairs the group feel the crowd fall back and the very welcome murder clowns surround them.  After their earlier antics they are considerably more subdued, and clearly focused on setting up whatever it is for their performance that night.  From the looks, well masked heads tilted in their direction, the group are a distraction…impossible to say whether that is a good or a bad thing…

Hecate floats majestically (or pretentiously depending on perspective) in to view

“Perhaps you should have let us help you when we offered before and this could have been avoided…”

***
_#58

[adamu]

What Al wanted to say but didn't: "Well, as awe-inspirin' as ya think ya are, seems none of us had ever heard of ya, an' crazy us, we don't jist trust any Tom, Dick or Harry we meet wearin' masks inna haunted catacombs."

What Al did say: "Thing is, back when we first met, we had a guide, an' while we suspected she was not fully seated on 'er rocker, we did not yet know she was well an' truly batshit unstable. So yeah, hindsight bein' twenny-twenny an' all... My dear ol' ma did always tell me I needed to learn ta take yes fer an answer. Shame we didn't know at the time what a stand-up buncha mimes y'all were. But Req speaks highly of ya, an' now we comes to ya hat in hand, which I'll admit, in my own laconic sorta way, don't hardly come easy. My associates run what we think might be a useful idear past Miss Parody there, an' we'd be obliged fer any help with that. But above all an' anythin' else, if'n y'all could just point us toward the closest way outta here, hell, even if it leads straight up into the damned Tower o' London, we'll take it."

[obidancer]

The Frenchman only scrutinized his surrounding, wary of those clowns getting ready.
The mimes kept on talking and he laughed at the irony. By now everyone had asked to be lead out. They had to make their decision, because he had no intention on staying at the same spot for long anymore.

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint nodded at Al's words: "Well said. Experience is what you get just after you would have needed it. So well met and thank you for your support. We are severely pared down from what our group has been before. But as we say in Germany: Nur die Harten kommen in den Garten.
Full disclosure on our part: We not only have that Bane thing hanging above us, we also snubbed the Neo-Druid Society and can expect the start of retaliation in about..."
He checked his chronometer "... 15 minutes or so, when the projecting mage realizes we aren't in the market anymore. So yeah, we are not just a bundle of trouble, we are the motherload of "you shouldn't be here right now".
So in conclusion: Jalla, jalla."

#180

[Aria]

[Thursday June 18th, 2076, ~10:30, Leaving Nightside Market, London Below, London]

"...So in conclusion: Jalla, jalla."

Suiting deeds to words the group hustle out of Nightside post haste.  Hecate, clearly reluctant to disrupt her impending performance, assigned the group two warrior troubadours, Frisk and Tabor, to lead the way…after establishing that the group would really prefer not to emerge into the middle of a riot but would prefer to avoid the anarchy of Earl’s Court they settled on an exit on the north bank of the Thames. 

Isaint took point for the group with the Harlequins dancing ahead, that left the family to support the staggering Natasha with Tobbis in their midst, the Frenchman and Al on the flanks and the more robust Jackhammer to bring up the rear guard…

The few people in the tunnels with the group seem wary and curious but not overly hostile, perhaps word of the Bane has not had a chance to spread this far yet.  They tend to pass by on the far side of the passageway to avoid the overworlders but most nod in some sort of greeting…

…the inevitable attack, when it comes, is sudden but not unexpected… a shouted incomprehensible word from one of the passers-by triggers the assault…a barrier suddenly widens out of nothing in the midst of the group, the crisp edges slicing through the air to provide a glowing translucent wall at an angle across the whole of the tunnel…this is immediately followed by a wave of minor projectiles, three from people on the leading edge of the barrier and two from behind…
 
***
_#59

[Jack_Spade]

[spoiler]
Surprise test: 19d6t5 9
Ok, no -10 on ini.
Ini: 16+4d6 30

Trying to identify the mage causing the barrier: Int 7+ Perception(Visual) 8 +3 Wireless active Vision Enhancement 3
Perception: See the Mage: 18d6t5 9 [18d6t5=6, 6, 3, 5, 4, 5, 1, 5, 1, 3, 6, 4, 5, 2, 6, 4, 1, 5]
Edit: Just saw it's alchemy

Agility Boost: 7d6t5 6  [7d6t5=3, 5, 6, 6, 5, 6, 6]
Ok, wow. +4 to AGI

Rapid Draw: Rifle + Reaction [Physical] (3): 17d6t5 5

Shoot: Agi 9 + Rifle 8 + Smartlink 1 -  4 (Vitals Shot)
Shoot (Vitals): 14d6t5 6 [14d6t5=5, 1, 3, 1, 1, 5, 6, 5, 4, 6, 4, 2, 2, 6]

13 P AP -7 + Successes

Edit:
Also a resistance roll:
Body 5 + Chemical Protection 6 + Respirator 6 (if inhalation based)
Chemical Resistance: 17d6t5 5 [17d6t5=2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 4, 6, 6, 3]
I'm spending edge on that one.Chemical Resistance (Edge): 12d6t5 6
So 11 resist total

Barrier Resist: 8d6t5 3[8d6t5=4, 5, 2, 2, 1, 1, 6, 6]
Scratch that. Forgot AP -7, so only structure with one success

Barrier collapses for the round and attacker gets 12 + successes P damage

[/spoiler]

Isaint's danger sense gave him the split second warning he needed: While he still called out for the saint's power his rifle leapt into his hand. He had the gun up and was already aiming at the head of one of the attacker on the far side of the barrier

With a loud boom the rifle fired and disrupted the magic wall.

[adamu]

Al was on internal air before he'd fully registered what was going down.

By the time the tank was feeding his lungs, he knew there was a magical attack and some mole people nearby were throwing things in earnest. Moving to keep himself between them and the family, he fired from the hip at whoever looked best armored while yelling the Tamasheq for 'kill' to Spike, who rushed the closest one.

In between deafening gunshots multiplying around them as the team opened up, Al's glossalolic voodoo mutterings could be heard whispering down the passage as he fought.

[obidancer]

The instant the barrier appeared to block half of the group, The Frenchman swirled, brandishing his gun, ready to shoot at anyone he'd identify as threat.
His internal tank kicked in to protect him from any inhalation toxin and he screamed at the Doc and his daughter to get down on the floor. He trusted Jackhammer would also cover them.

An expert eye quickly identify their assailants, whom now outnumbered the two protectors.  He had enough being cautious. He tried dodging what was thrown at him, making sure nothing would get to the Doc or Natasha and fired with only one intention: to kill.

[adamu]

Even as Al watched Spike's black bulk barrel into one assailant, even as he pulled the trigger to send armor-piercing death wending its way towards another, his voodoo chant caught in his throat, strangled mid-mutter as what felt like a good tablespoon of...

...that one weekend back in the Big Easy he and some of the boys from the cannery had gone off to the Zombie Cajun Hot Sauce Festival held annually in City Park down on Palm. He must have tried about two dozen scorchers that day, and after that he'd been unable to taste anything for a week, and using the can had been like fire ants crawling out his ass for days after that. The worst one had been Voodoo Chili Sauces'...

...Porcus Infernum, only without the bacon undercurrent. And then it hit the mucous around his cybereyes and it was like his whole head was on fire. Dammit if he hadn't been peppered and good. He hoped Spike would take out his man on pure momentum and fury, because in about two and a half seconds, that'd be it for the dog's super-sensitive schnazz.

Hurt like a damned son...of...a...BITCH. He might have buckled then and there if he hadn't spotted poor Rachel coughing, hacking, a two-foot trail of snot already dangling from her nose, eyes swollen shut, but still wrapping her hands around William's face in a vain effort to protect her son. But even as the cold chill of his fury frosted over some of the sizzling heat around his eyes and seeping into his ears, he knew he couldn't last much longer if he stayed in the cloud...

[Jack_Spade]

[spoiler]
Ok, more toxin resistance
My earlier roll will have to be amended. I forgot Will but added respirator and chem protection. So my total goes down by one
Chemical Resistance: 17d6t5 5 [17d6t5=2, 2, 2, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1, 3, 3, 5, 5, 5, 4, 6, 6, 3]
Luckily that doesn't change the edge reroll, so I still get 11 to resist the pepperpunch completely

So, resistance two: Aisa
Bod+Wil+Respirator 16 vs. 15...
That can only end well
Resist Aisa: 16d6t5 2
Ok, I'm totally going to be disoriented for
duration Aisa: 20+2d6 25 minutes

Resistance three: Dopadrine
Bod+Wil+Chemical Protection 16 vs. 20...
hahaha...
Resist Dopadrine: 16d6t5 3

Ok so starting next round I'll have -1 and if we are still fighting in round 3 I'll have -3 total.

I can't wait for my armor with chemical seal.

Edit: And thanks to the fallen barrier defense against CS
Resist CS: 16d6t5 2 [16d6t5=3, 6, 4, 2, 4, 3, 6, 2, 1, 2, 1, 4, 2, 2, 1, 1]
Spending Edge for Reroll:Resist CS: 14d6t5 5 [14d6t5=3, 3, 1, 1, 2, 2, 6, 1, 5, 5, 1, 5, 2, 5]


[/spoiler]

Only after that instinctive shot Isaint noticed the clouds of poison that those attackers spread.
'We've got to get out of this cloud.'

With a jump and a roll, Isaint moved clear to the nearest patch of clear air. Despite his equipment he could taste metal in his mouth. 'Not good. This will get worse before it gets better.'

Loud he called to the family on his side of the barrier: "MOVE TO ME!"
While he brought up his rifle for another attack.

[spoiler]
Isaint goes on full defense, dropping his Ini to 10.

Edit: Forgot I raised my reaction. So one more dice to add at the end
Dodge rolls:
Dodge 1: 21d6t5 6[21d6t5=6, 3, 2, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 3, 2, 6, 5, 1, 4, 4, 6, 4, 5, 3, 4, 4]Dodge 1 +1: 1d6t5 0  [1d6t5=1]
Dodge 2: 21d6t5 7[21d6t5=3, 1, 4, 3, 4, 5, 1, 1, 4, 4, 4, 5, 4, 3, 6, 5, 2, 6, 6, 2, 6]Dodge 2 +1: 1d6t5 0 [1d6t5=4]
Dodge 3: 21d6t5 10[21d6t5=2, 6, 5, 2, 2, 5, 1, 1, 5, 3, 1, 2, 6, 6, 4, 6, 3, 5, 5, 1, 5] Dodge 3 +1: 1d6t5 0 [1d6t5=3]
Dodge 4: 21d6t5 7[21d6t5=6, 2, 6, 6, 5, 4, 5, 4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 5, 2, 5, 3, 3, 1, 1] Dodge 4 +1: 1d6t5 1 [1d6t5=6]
Dodge 5: 21d6t5 9[21d6t5=5, 4, 5, 3, 6, 1, 5, 2, 2, 4, 4, 6, 2, 2, 4, 4, 5, 6, 6, 2, 5] Dodge 5 +1: 1d6t5 1 [1d6t5=5]
Just knock off however many dice I lose

Edit: Since they all seem to use inescapable AOE there is no sense in Full Defense

With Ini 20
Free Action: Adrenaline Boost +2 Ini
Simple Action: Boost BOD:
Boost BOD: 7d6t5 2 [7d6t5=3, 2, 4, 4, 5, 1, 6]
Simple Action: Shoot another opponent in the head on our side of the barrier with a short burst:
Shoot Enemy (Vitals): 14d6t5 3[14d6t5=6, 4, 4, 2, 2, 5, 3, 1, 4, 4, 1, 4, 3, 5

13 P AP -7 -2 to Dodge +3 Successes.


Ini 12:
Simple: Aim
Simple: Short Burst Enemy 2 Vitals Shot #2: 15d6t5 5[15d6t5=4, 2, 5, 3, 2, 1, 3, 2, 6, 6, 6, 1, 6, 1, 4]

13 P AP -7 -2 to Dodge +5 Successes.

Ini 2:
Simple: Aim
Simple: Short Burst Enemy 3 Vitals Shot #3: 15d6t5 6 [15d6t5=3, 6, 2, 6, 2, 5, 6, 6, 5, 3, 3, 1, 4, 3, 1]

13 P AP -7 -2 to Dodge +6 Successes.

Ammo remaining: 10
Edge remaining: 2

Drain 1: Drain Adrenaline Boost: 10d6t5 3
No Drain

[/spoiler]

[pistolgrip]

[Jackhammer -Thursday June 18th, 2076 - Attack of the Underfreaks - Rear Guard - Current condition 0 damage - full body armor]
Aaron sees the shield divide the group and moves to do what he does best. Even as he does, some kind of chemical agent spreads around them, threatening his lungs and his skin at the same time. He slams a panic button on his comm to activate the chemical seal on his body armor. "We'll see how bad this gets." he thinks in anticipation, noting the others are largely unprotected. But he can't do anything about that, and he can do something about the magic wall. His fist shatters the spell force into vanishing ether just as the others seem to be hit by the gas.

[spoiler]Initiative [3d6+12=3, 5, 3] 23
Unarmed vs Barrier [15d6t5=5, 1, 2, 6, 3, 6, 3, 3, 6, 4, 3, 5, 3, 5, 3] 6
Toxin Resistance, if needed [12d6t5=1, 4, 6, 5, 3, 3, 2, 1, 5, 5, 1, 4] 4
[/spoiler]

[obidancer]

His Internal Tank had kicked in but the Frenchman could feel the burn of the toxin on his skin and getting to his eyes. He tried to focus and remain calm has the toxin attacked his system, but his attempt remained vain.

[spoiler]
Toxin resistance Edged:
CS Toxin Resistance (contact) BOD+WIL Edged: 15d6t5 6
3 Stun (-1 DP) / resist nausea incapacitating effect - double the stun modifier to -2 / -2 DP to all rolls for next 10min
If I'm correct, this will happen at the end of this turn, so still have the dice on pass 10)
  [/spoiler]

He could have used the protection from his coat, but he had given it to the Doc, and that was certainly a good thing for the older man. Natasha, poor thing will just probably pass out again, with a difficult wake up.

Not bothering double checking if his first target's head burst or not, he moved on to another undergrounder, not caring that this person throw something or not. He shot at the man's as his hand started to get shaky. 

[spoiler]
Pistol Called Shot: Vitals (20-2): 18d6t5 4
Not as effective already! those eyes are getting watery!
DV10+net hits  AP-5 (APDS)
[/spoiler]

[adamu]

It was like someone had opened some long disused floodgates behind his tear ducts, and everything swam in his vision as the flow washed over his cybereyes. But he saw his first target drop like his legs had been cut off as the depleted core of Al's slug punched through his sternum and out the other side, and then he heard Isaint yell at the Doc and Natasha to get moving. Roger that! He shifted his weight, poised to follow right behind them. But he had enough split seconds to watch Spike latch onto one freak's inner thigh, and then the guy's head explode with Isaint's next shot, and still no movement from behind him. He glanced back to see mother and son completely overcome by the poisons.

Shit.

Well, there was nothing for it - he wasn't leaving them to these degenerates for anything. Taking a knee beside them, he lined up on the next mole person, exhaled, and squeezed the trigger.

[Jack_Spade]

Isaint's biomonitor had picked up on what had happened.
Good news: The neutralizing agents within his respirator and armor had done a very good job of stopping the Capsaicin and the  CS from affecting him.
Bad news: His blood showed increased concentration of drug like substances affecting his heart rate, blood pressure and nerve system.
He had an antidote loaded in his auto injector, but that was specifically against Neuro-Stun.

Isaint noticed all that only subconsciously - he was much to concentrated on pumping very expensive ammunition into the faces of their attackers now that he had moved away from the group.
'Keep it together. This too shall pass...'

#183

[Aria]

[Thursday June 18th, 2076, ~10:30, Leaving Nightside Market, London Below, London]

With calm and professional detachment Isaint begins popping heads, just like targets at the fair, even the poor unfortunates who may just have been in the wrong place at the wrong time judging by the beginnings of their frantic attempts to escape the fracas…they appear to be moving in slomo compared to the lightening reflexes displayed by the adept…

Al and the Frenchman also add to the fire raining down on the Flowers, a young girl, only slightly older than Natasha, crumpling around the armour piercing slug impacting below her left breast, and an aging orc, feral grin wiped away with the left half of his face…

Frisk ran her blade through her startled attacker, it burst from his back like an obscene new appendage, but was rewarded by some sort of flechette detonation that left her bloodied but undaunted… Tabor is more careful, his monofilament line caressing the person running at him, rendering him down into component parts…

To the rear of the group one of the attackers begins to flee in terror but the other one pulls the pin on a spherical object and launches a swathe of hot smoke into the centre of the group to add to the confusion…

***
_#60