Variant Earth 13 E Mail Game Archive Number 22

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 01:37:15 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Immediately after you hand the mystic appendage laden with organic
ciruitry off to Masque, Magus, you push open one set of twin glass doors
and advance into the building after your quarry.  Stepping in right
after, Rebound, the both of you take in the sights before you.

Looking around, you both see a rather busy, bustling office lobby, with
droves of soulless buisnessmen and businesswomam ambling about on one
task or another, all of which seem to have a cellular phone in one hand,
and a briefcase in the other.

They're making a hellacious racket on the marble tile floor, a racket
that ebbs and flows with the opening and closing of the twelve elevator
doors that lead upward and onward.  After observing the human traffic
for about a minute, though, you note a few things.

Mostly, you spy the four suits that are keeping a keen eye on the two of
you.  There's one just chilling to your immediate left, in a classy
black Armani - the snake sigil ring is rather odd, though.  Another, by
the nearest elevator, is in an equally classy, pinstriped suit.

Two more are on the far end of the lobby, both of which have tacky black
suits and $5 sunglasses.  All four of 'em have tiny headsets on, likely
with subvocal microphones strapped on under their collars, but they
don't necessarily seem to be with each other... odd, that.

The fifth person that stands out, though, is this knockout redhead in a
sharp leather evening gown, also red, with red shoes, a red snakeskin
purse, and sunglasses with red shades.  She seems to be idling the time
away, conversing with someone very short, and just out of view.

Meanwhile, outside, the rest of you (who didn't follow those two into
the Chrysler building) spy a cop approaching the lot of you on
horseback.  He seems to be having a good time until he lays eyes on
Masque, at which point he shakes his head in dismay.

"Not you again... didn't we already have this discussion, magic man?
Now I'm gonna HAVE to write you a ticket.  One horse without a permit is
bad enough, but now you have to bring... lots of 'em in.  And that one
just made a giant mess on MY sidewalk!"

You do find the police officer rather familiar, Masque, being the guy
who admonished you about horse permits the FIRST time you rode Binky
into town.  Of course, he didn't call for backup like he is this time,
but then, you didn't have so many oddball friends hanging about...

Meanwhile again, back at the hospital, you sleep for an indeterminate
time on the floor of Ken's former room, Jinx, at which point you wake up
to an... eerie silence.  For a hospital room that has just been
firebombed by a gigantic flying reptile of legend, it's ... too quiet.

Your nagging sense of paranoia draws you forth to the ruined steel door,
at which point you note two doctors and two nurses standing outside a
room two doors down.  The odd thing is that they're all wearing
sunglasses, and have their hands in their jackets in a menacing fashion.

You have yet another nagging feeling that Ken's in that room, though
admittedly you didn't see where he was taken; you were too busy living
up to your membership in the Direct Action Americans.  And as it would
turn out, you sure as heck aren't feeling up to this...

!?

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Fri, 11 May 2001 06:03:55 -0500
From: "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers1@home.com>

Masque Beams at the Officer.
"I remember you, you were that kind Officer who helped me out when I came to

the city."

Masque waves the horses away, and they vanish.
"Now what were you talkng about? I see no horses here."

Hoping that is enough to confuse the Officer, Masque turns his attention
towards the Building.

"Magus!...I wouldn't go...Oh Drat, he's already in."
Again, Masque seems strugglng with some internal conflict.
He turns to Och and the rest of the crew and says;
"Well, We came here for a Dragon and a Dragon we will get."
Brandishing the 'talisman', Masque yells;
"Come here you overgrown Salamander, I got something you want!"

Subject: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 17:44:29 -0000
From: "Denny McX" <firebomb@technohol.com>

(hm... guess i'll reply to all one of your posts this week... d'oh)

As you vanish all ten of your mighty magical steeds, Masque, you seem
to leave Officer Friendly in a state.  "But... you... it... they...
They still left a mess!"  The one that dookie'd all over the sidewalk
seems to have been the one Stone Cold was riding...

After you talk to Och, though, the dwarf nods solemnly.  "Aye, that
we did, sorcerer.  Let's go get us some."  With that, Och follows
Rebound and Magus into the Chrysler building, stopping momentarily
when he sees the two of them apparently just standing there.

Once he sees that they're just looking around, he continues on to the
building directory, looks at it for a moment, and then hits the
stairwell.  That just leaves the question of what the rest of you are
up to, since you're spread out all over the place now...

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Fri, 18 May 2001 18:59:32 -0000
From: "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

Stone Cold looked at the woman in red, not exactly sure what is going on.
'This is really freaky.'  He looked at her and the other two that he saw
wondering if this was a trap of some type.

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 00:19:35 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus continues to casually glance about the congregation of humans in
the lobby of the building as Och rushes past him and Rebound.

> (Snip)

    Snapping out of his reverie at the hurried rush of the dwarf, Magus
follows Och's general path through the door to the stairwell. Quickly
gaining upon him Magus can't help but ask, "I take it that you have had some
experience with dragons before now, Och?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 00:47:50 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari follows Och, of course. Given that the dwarf has saved her butt on 
several occasions, she's kind of fond of the little guy. 

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Mon, 21 May 2001 00:57:58 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" nathangecko@yahoo.com

Hearing the sudden rapid approach behind him Magus turns in one swift, fluid motion faces Ari even as the impressively large bastard sword is leveled in her direction. Within a fraction of a second the blade is resting at his side although still gripped in his muscular, taloned hand as he turns to traverse the stairs alongside Och with Ari only seconds behind them.

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 14:16:16 -0000
From: "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

"So anyone know who the hottie in the red dress is?  Or the other two goons
watching us?"  Stone Cold asked.

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Tue, 22 May 2001 11:13:22 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    "That is irrelevant," Magus states flatly as he continues ascending the
stairs two at time in a steady gait.

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Wed, 23 May 2001 11:15:04 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

(OCC: Sorry about the absences....work gets in the way of play FAR too much
for my liking. )

Crimebuster follows, silently, in the background.  His hand thumbing the
pommel of Achira.  He seems relaxed, almost trancelike, as the group heads
on.

Subject: [v13] The Hero Machine
Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 13:50:13 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Hello all,

I just found out about this site from friends of mine on the Freedom Force (CRPG) site.  I used it to create Crimebuster and I think you all would enjoy it too.

http://www.heromachine.com/heromachine.html

If you want to see how CB came out, go to the load icon and paste this text
in:

Super-HeroM-ArtistMale*Crimebuster*Skin:1,0,0,0,50,80,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Face:4,75,0,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Mask:7,0,70,60,0,90,100,0,70,60,0,90,100;Beard:1,0,100,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Hair:3,0,100,0,0,0,100,0,100,0,0,0,100;Helmet:1,75,0,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Shirt:5,0,100,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Overshirt:7,0,50,0,80,80,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Insignia:7,75,0,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Leggings:7,0,50,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Overleggings:2,0,70,60,0,90,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Footwear:8,0,70,60,0,90,100,0,30,60,0,90,100;Pants:1,75,0,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Belt:2,0,50,0,80,80,100,0,0,0,77,99,100;Coat:2,0,50,0,0,0,100,0,50,0,0,0,100;Gloves:5,0,70,60,0,90,100,0,100,0,0,0,100;Weapon:7,0,50,0,80,80,100,0,70,60,0,90,100;Back:1,75,0,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;Shield:1,75,0,0,0,0,100,75,0,0,0,0,100;#

Or you can look at this pic:

Name: cb.jpg
cb.jpg    Type: JPEG Image (image/jpeg)
Encoding: base64

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 21:03:18 -0400
From: "Doug Lohse" <clown@maine.rr.com>

Rebound follows, trying to remember why he just stood there with all this
going on around him.

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Thu, 24 May 2001 21:09:42 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari grins at Stone Cold. "Mouse made her." Then she keeps moving. 

Subject: Re: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Fri, 25 May 2001 01:38:46 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

"Damn, I need to find those mice."  He said with a smirk.

Subject: [v13] Re: Meanwhile...
Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 00:26:25 -0000
From: albedo1@home.com

Jinx would grumble to herself about being awoken by the silence,
rising in a murky haze that is post-skyscraper-fall.

Peeking out the door at the suspicious and obviously not-doctors, she
would move slowly and quietly down the hall, not looking directly at
them, holding onto the wall for balance, pretending as if she were
looking for an unoccupied restroom.

Hopefully, the intruders would enter the room she thought Ken was in.
If so, she would move up to the door and try to catch a hint as to
the activity happening in the room by listening carefully. If the
door was left ajar, she would attempt to peer into the room to catch
a glimpse of the nature of their activity.

She would not wait too long, however for fear of endangering Ken with
her inaction. If she received no indication of the activity going on,
she would "fall" through the door into the room and try and appear
out of sorts.

If the intruders acted in violence she would respond in like-wise
passion, using hand-to-hand combat unless melee weapons were drawn,
calling for her to pull her vibroblade and if guns drawn she would
perforate the offending individual with her magcannons.

If they appeared to be up to no good, but not necessarily violent
behavior, she would pipe up with, "OK, move away from the invalid.
State your business and why you have all have a penchant for shaded
eye-wear!"

OOC: 9 for initiative. 93, 92, 67 for necessary rolls.

Subject: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 02:25:06 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

You stumble past the doorway of the room in question, getting a good
look at the two goons that are watching out for... someone.  You catch a
hint of gray jumpsuit underneath their doctor robes, but don't get a
very good look as you don't want to arouse suspicion.

Feeling that you're harmless, what with your having that 'ran over by a
truck' look to you, the two goons do indeed slip into the room after you
walk a decent enough distance away from them.  Sneaking back up to the
room in question, you get a peep of what's happening inside.

There's six guys 'n gals, all in gray jumpsuits.  All of 'em are heavily
armed, with the exception of the one lady holding Ken's temples.  She
seems to be concentrating on his forehead intently, as though trying to
read his mind.  You get the impression that she's doing exactly that.

"Any luck on the probe yet, boss?", says goon numbah one.  "No, and quit
distracting me.  We need to find out why he was party to that 'incident'
outside the D.A.A. headquarters a little bit back, while we've got him.
And whether he's used his power on any other hapless innocents."

That sets you back a bit, Jinx, as not too many people even know that
the Direct Action Americans are around, much less where they (until
recently) had their primary headquarters.  Less again know about the
little scrap you had with Ken when Roy Shijitzu took over his mind.

So... since you DO have an indication of what's going on, if not who
these similarly clad people are, what next?

Subject: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 02:40:46 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As the lot of you begin your trek up the stairs following Och, you hear
the dwarf answer Magus' question.  "No, Magus, I have never actually
faced a dragon.  Luckily, my occupation in my former home had me dealing
with simple brigands, grave robbers, and other assorted nasties."

"But no dragons to speak of."  Upon hearing the exchange between Magus,
Stone Cold, and Ari, Och pipes up again around the fifth floor.  "Don't
be so sure she's insignificant, Magus... while I have not dealt with
dragons before, I do know enough to be wary of them."

"I would assume that this entire building was chosen not for mere
status, so much as the ability of the creature to best defend itself
from all manner of threats.  In fact, I would say those people you speak
of below either work for him (or her), or are unwitting pawns."

The five of you make it up to the twentieth floor before you start to
wonder why exactly Och thought it was a good idea to take the stairs
instead of the elevators.  Common sense would dictate that a threat
could more easily befall you in the elevators, sure... but still.

Och himself stops to catch his breath momentarily, at which point you
hear a door open several flights overhead.  Accompanying them are, of
course, sinister voices.  "Okay, since we lost our tap into the building
video security net, we have to canvas the place manually."

"You six go up, and you six go down - find these boorish 'super heroes'
and shove a grenade down each of their throats!"  With that, you hear
marching issuing forth from what would seem to be the twenty fifth
floor, apparently moving in time to the demands of... someone.

So what do you do?  Your options are plenty... to fight, or flee, or...?

Meanwhile, as you continue to rail at the occupants of the Chrysler
building from outside, Masque, you start to get the impression that
something's wrong... something very, very wrong.  You can't quite put
your finger on it, but you feel a sense of dread.

And it's issuing forth from the building itself...

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 11:34:41 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx would slam open the door with gun drawn, "Alright people! Move away
from the invalid! Keep your hands in the air!"

If they complied she would keep the gun drawn on them, but look a bit
relieved, "OK, now explain why you couldn't wait for this guy to wake up and
just plainly ask him what was going on rather than go diggin' through his
brain?"

If they didn't comply she would pose a more serious threat, "Comply with the
simple request I have put forth or I punch a hole through your 'boss.'
Capiche?"

OOC: 7 + bonus for initiative, rolls 40, 77, 11.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 15:04:59 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

"I think we should get them to find us while we make our way up topside."
 I can move through the walls and perhaps see, what I can come up with,
but with there being only six.  I think our odds are better?"  Stone Cold
looks at the others.

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 16:52:58 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As soon as you break into the room with your guns pulled, the goons
before you jump back reflexively, all save for the lady who's apparently
doing the mental work.  She doesn't seem to notice that you're here,
actually - she's ignoring you deep trance style.

Once you shout out your demands, one of the non-telepaths speak up.
"Because he's too damn dangerous, woman.  We've detected this man's
energy signature in the wake of numerous disaster areas lately - three
distinct devastating incidents are tied to this man's power."

"Would YOU put yourself at unnecessary risk against such dangerous power
if you could avoid it?  We're only here to make sure he's on the up and
up, and to make sure he's no danger to innocent, normal humans.  He -
wait a second..."

The man stops to look at some sort of sensor device he's holding, which
then promptly starts bleeping like crazy.  "Hm... another energy
spike..."  Looking at Ken, you can see that he's suddenly healed up all
the third degree burns that that... monster gave him in that ambush.

That, of course, accompanies a sudden itching in the back of your brain,
one that you shouldn't be having, what with your probability field being
pulled in tight...  You don't know what's up, but you're getting the
distinct impression that something's horribly, horribly amiss here.

And you're not sure it's Ken... though you're still not even sure who
these jokers are, and what they're exactly up to...

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 17:01:08 -0500
From: "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers1@home.com>

Trying to fend off the officer inquiring about the Horse poo, Masque's eyes
narrow.

"Go away." Masque gestures towards the crowd and the policemen. "All of
you!"

His masks glows that friendly blue and he 'charms' the crowd into listening
to him.

(78...yellow).

Smacking his hands together, he beams.
"There, that's better. Now let's see what we can see."
Masque sits down in the small but comfortable patch of grass, being rather
careful as to not sit on any broken glass or syringes or any of that city
stuff, and assumes that Zen position and closes his eyes.

Astrally projecting himself into the ethereal he quickly locates his
comrades and then races through the building, trying to cover as much area
as he can. His senses extra alert and his mind keeping the team's location
and direction at the fore-front of his mind, he searches for
anything...anything at all.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 17:23:08 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Och looks at you and grins, Stone Cold.  "Yes, if you can get some
advanced idea of what we're about to deal with up there, I say go for it
Stone Cold.  And hey, if you can neutralize them before we have to even
see them, so we can get on with our quest, even better."

Assuming that nobody else argues, Stone Cold, you slip into the walls as
everyone watches, and move up until you can spy the thugs coming down
towards you.  There's six of them, dressed as were the goons that you
fought in the Electronicists League's basement.

All of 'em are in blue, and one of them has a silver 'snake' sigil while
the rest have a red emblem on their chests.  Furthermore, all six of 'em
are winding their way down towards the other, but haven't noticed them
yet.  Up a little higher, you see a similar group heading up.

Finally, their leader is on level twenty five, a man in a green camo
uniform, with all sort of accessories and such strapped on.  He's
talking to... someone... with a cellular telephone.  I suppose the
question is what you do about them?

Meanwhile, twenty stories down, you manage to easily disperse the crowd
around you, Masque, and slip relatively unnoticed into the building in
your astral form.  As you enter the lobby, you notice that, even in the
astral plane, that lady in red seems to note your presence.

She just looks at you as you pass by, and then continues her
conversation with that blasted gecko, who's hanging around down by her
feet.  He's wearing a fez, smoking a pipe, and looks as though he's
trying to be sophisticated somehow... you don't quite get it.

Anyway, noting his location for future reference, you race up the floors
of the Chrysler building at the speed of thought, and find them rather
quickly... it looks like they're about to run afoul of some goons like
those in the Electronicists League's basement.

Anyway, moving up even further, you start to feel... astral resistance.
It's like nothing you've ever experienced before, but the further up you
go towards the top floor, the less... coherent you feel your astral form
becoming... something dangerous is definitely up there.

!?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 17:38:15 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

I blast the stairwell with ice as far down as possible to make them trip
and fall, breaking a few bones, and necks along the way, then float back
down to inform the rest of the group of all I have seen.

"There's six of them, dressed as were the goons that we fought in the
Electronicists League's basement.

"All of 'em are in blue, and one of them has a silver 'snake' sigil while
the rest have a red emblem on their chests.  , all six of 'em are winding
their way down with another group going to the roof.

"The leader is on level twenty five, a man in a green camo
uniform, with all sort of accessories and such strapped on.  He's
talking to... someone... with a cellular telephone.

"I can work on the top group but the leader is still intact?  Any ideas?"
He asks as he looks at them.

(Rolls: 74, 56, 83, 92, 55)

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 27 May 2001 17:48:20 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx narrows her eyes at the guys and then nods, "OK, so you're looking out
for the safety of innocent people. I can respect that. I can also tell you
that any damage caused by Ken is not his fault. He's been trying to get
control of his power and his heart is in the right place. He's a good guy.
Really."

Gesturing to the woman at Ken's head, "Now, please, step away from Ken and
take a seat so we can talk this over like civilized people. I'm sure Ken
will wake up shortly what with his powers and all."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 28 May 2001 00:44:01 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari "eep!"s and readies for a fight. 

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 11:37:42 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Crimebuster smiles at Ari's "eep". Of course, his mouth is covered so no one
really sees it anyway. Sword already drawn, he says:
" I would suggest stealth here.  Take out the small group as quietly as
possible..." With that he looks at Ari and says "Save the Defenstrator (tm)
for later...I have a feeling we will need it".

Turning back to Stone Cold (Occ: I am assuming Stone Cold is passing this
info along to us?) he says "Take 'em out quick 'n' quiet if you can.  If
not, lets get ready to do this as a team."

OCC again: I hope that made sense....unsure here how we know the bad guys
are on the way.  If not by Stone Cold's info, or if Crimebuster can't talk
to Stone Cold then just ignore that last sentence.

Rolls:  24,67,94,30. Init: 9

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 29 May 2001 16:28:07 -0000
From: "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

"No problem, I will go from the top down then and bring them to you all."
Stone Cold says moving back up quickly through the walls  as he reaches the
top he iced up the stairs so that they will slip and fall down.  Punching
some in the head to knock them out icing up any others.

(Rolls: 54, 89, 63, 90, 44, 56, 98, 77)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 17:57:32 -0400
From: "Doug Lohse" <clown@maine.rr.com>

Rebound hangs around in the background, unsure of where this is taking him
and unwilling to commit to a course of action without some more indication
of the situation.

"Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on around here?  We're chasing
a dragon half the size of this building through stairways?!?!  This just
doesn't make sense!"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 19:09:18 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    "Really," Magus inquires. Intrigued by the mention of such things that
he is more accustomed to he pressed Och on the matter slightly in the
tiniest bit of small talk, "What was your occupation, Och? If you mind not
my question that is."

>"But no dragons to speak of."  Upon hearing the exchange between Magus,
>Stone Cold, and Ari, Och pipes up again around the fifth floor

    "Then you are wise to remain wary. A wyrm of age is a force of the gods
made physical. I think this opponent, while formidable, is not yet of the
level of even the lesser gods."

    "Perhaps a demi-god, but not much more shall we face this day," Magus
adds well aware of the implication even if few others with him are.

> "Don't be so sure she's insignificant, Magus... while I have not dealt
with
>dragons before, I do know enough to be wary of them."

    Magus appears the slightest bit offended at the reprimand, "I know this
well enough..."

>"I would assume that this entire building was chosen not for mere
>status, so much as the ability of the creature to best defend itself
>from all manner of threats.  In fact, I would say those people you speak
>of below either work for him (or her), or are unwitting pawns."

    Magus silently grimaces to himself at the continued comments that he
feels directed at him even though a part of him believes the dwarf only
attempts to prepare the others for what they face.

>So what do you do?  Your options are plenty... to fight, or flee, or...?

    Magus hefts the two large, bastard swords in his taloned hands seemingly
steeled against the approaching enemies. Obviously the draconic warrior is
set to fight.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 19:09:21 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

>Och looks at you and grins, Stone Cold.  "Yes, if you can get some
>advanced idea of what we're about to deal with up there, I say go for it
>Stone Cold.  And hey, if you can neutralize them before we have to even
>see them, so we can get on with our quest, even better."

    Magus silently crouches on the stairs readying himself to pounce upon
any attackers his way even as he slowly stalks further up the stairs.

>She just looks at you as you pass by, and then continues her
>conversation with that blasted gecko, who's hanging around down by her
>feet.

<OOC: How'd Rebound and myself miss that bit of info?>

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 19:09:24 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

> "Can somebody tell me what the hell is going on around here?  We're
> chasing a dragon half the size of this building through stairways?!?!  This 
> just doesn't make sense!"

    Magus, without looking back to Rebound, answers, "Because if this wyrm
is truly prepared and makes it lair in this building then no matter what
avenue we used to gain entrance would be pointless. She would already know
we are here. Besides, blame the dwarf. He chose the path."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 19:17:44 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari turns. "Dude. It's a DRAGON. That thing ALREADY violates HOW many laws 
of physics? I mean, it can shrink if it wants to!" 

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 19:22:54 -0500
From: "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers1@home.com>

> She just looks at you as you pass by, and then continues her
> conversation with that blasted gecko, who's hanging around down by her
> feet.  He's wearing a fez, smoking a pipe, and looks as though he's
> trying to be sophisticated somehow... you don't quite get it.

"Why you little....." Masque says as he zooms by.
Risking a glance backward to wave at the lady in red, he careens on up the
floors.

> Anyway, moving up even further, you start to feel... astral resistance.
> It's like nothing you've ever experienced before, but the further up you
> go towards the top floor, the less... coherent you feel your astral form
> becoming... something dangerous is definitely up there.

"Eep!"
Deciding that going any further alone, especially as a ghost, would NOT be
in his best interest, Masque Quickly zooms back down to his body.
Passing the troop of bad people, he snickers a little, as he sees what Stone
cold has done.
"Teehee."

Masque reaches his body and before he even opens his eyes, he opens a misty
portal leading to the bad people.
A gleam in his eyes, an eldritch shield at his side, and a crooked grin on
his mouth, Masque steps through the portal.

Bursting out of the portal and jumping all around, Masque says;

"Booogetty,booogetty,booogetty!"

Hoping this has confused them enough to give him a small head start. (I
mean, really, who's gonna be ready for that to happen?!) Masque fills the
area with his bands and begins to entangle the startled 'bad people'.

(rolling a 100...no shit people....masque does it!)

Uttering a few words to the effect of..."You are Bad people!"
About a millisecond after that, Masque falls down and tumbles down the
stairwell cursing all the way.
"Who the hell covered these things in ice!!!.........................."
thump thump thump thump................thump.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date:    Wed, 30 May 2001 21:03:12 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As Stone Cold works his way up to cause some pre-emptive damage, the lot
of you continue to talk about what's going down, and other things in
general.  In response to your question, Magus, Och simply replies "I was
formerly a guard to a Dwarven ancestral home back in Ysgard."

"That, of course, was before I found myself here on earth - though that
is a long tale in the telling..."  Before Och can go into any further
detail, however, a serious ruckus starts up above you.  You hear the
sounds of confusion, mayhem, and a mad mage issuing forth floors above.

As you leap forth from your portal, Masque, you startle all six of the
armed terrorists that were making their way down towards you all,
causing them to jump back and, before they can level their weapons at
you, they find themselves completely wrapped up in your eldritch bands.

Of course, that's when they all start slipping on the ice so
conveniently placed on the stairs beneath their feet, and they all start
tumbling - as do you - down the stairs.  Luckily, you manage to use most
of the Cobra agents as padding as you fall.

If not intentionally, that is.

As you come to a stop amongst the others, Masque, you see Och looking at
you in surprise.  "Couldn't wait for us, wizard?"  The goons you fell
down the stairs with seem rather unconscious, and slightly broken for
the experience; but then, they didn't have eldritch shields handy.

At any rate, you can hear Stone Cold working on that other bunch much
higher up the stairwell, and it seems that he's got the problem in hand
- he IS much more powerful than they are, after all, and has the element
of surprise on his side.

That only leaves the leader of that twelve pack of thugs, and anybody
else that may happen to be out for your blood.  What now?!?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date:    Wed, 30 May 2001 21:12:15 -0500
From:    Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

"Well, if he's still not in control of his incredible power, then we
absolutely have to determine the nature of the threat he represents,
lady!  We can't just let this guy run rampant around the country blowing
stuff up until he beats his learning curve..."

That was goon numbah 3. 

After you make your demand to the telepath, you feel a sudden jolt in
the air.  She indeed pulls away from Ken, but you get the impression
that it wasn't her idea.  "Fools!  I'd almost analyzed the nature of his
power - you activated the Normalizer too quickly!"

You don't like the sound of that.  In fact, you notice a distinct lack
of a probability field around yourself... for the first time in like,
forever, you feel the absence of bad things in your general vicinity -
though you feel naked without your force field.

You don't lose your inherent paranoia, however; you get the feeling that
at least one of these guys is about to pull a stunt - and a dumb one at
that.  Their eyes are twitching about to and fro too quickly to be a
result of simple nervousness...

And that's when the lights go out.

What now, Jinx??

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 21:27:54 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

"Damnit!" would be all she'd let out as she realized she was powerless.

She would have been tensing for combat before the lights went out, and once
they did, she would drop to the ground, sliding into sweep kick at the
nearest thug, hoping to knock him to the ground.

Once she got a grip on one, she would make sure he was between her and the
other goons, attempting to use him as a shield. She would then push the goon
into the others, hopefully disorientating the group while she grabbed Ken,
through him over her shoulder and lugged him out of the room.

OOC: Rolls - 10 + bonus for initiative, 60, 78, 35, 92 for the first round
with 8 + bonus for initiative, 88, 56, 87, 33 for the second round, and 7 +
bonus for initiative, 78, 71, 62, 50 for the third round.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 21:33:22 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

"Can you smell what Cold is cookin!?!"  He peeks out of the wall and
looks at his handiwork.  Not bad, as he goes for the leader. 'Come out,
come out where ever you are??'  He smirks to himself feeling useful for
once.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 06:46:09 -0400
From: "Doug Lohse" <clown@maine.rr.com>

Rebound responds to Ari, the smile evident in his voice if nowhere else, "I
suppose you're right.  Well, if we are going to fight a dragon, how's about
someone who knows a bit about dragons clueing me in as to any
vulnerabilities that these things have?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 17:52:09 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    "A noble profession," Magus responds as he stairs up the cavernous
stairwell warily.

> (snip)

    Watching to be sure the commotion above them isn't any type of direct
attack Magus glances back to Och, "Perhaps afterwards we can trade tales
over a few ales," commenting absently as his gaze drifts back upwards.

> (snip)

    "He does seem to revel in being the center of attention. Sure you were
not a bard in a former life, mage," Magus inquires as he once again begins
to ascend the stairs.

>That only leaves the leader of that twelve pack of thugs, and anybody
>else that may happen to be out for your blood.  What now?!?

    Warily proceeding upwards Magus watches for any other signs of falling
persons or attackers for that matter.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 17:56:32 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    "They are flesh and blood, Rebound," Magus states omniously before
continuing, "Extremely formidable flesh and blood though. Our main course of
action in battle against it would be to attack with as much force as
possible. And dodge quite often..."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 18:11:34 -0400
From: "Doug Lohse" <clown@maine.rr.com>

    "They are flesh and blood, Rebound," Magus states omniously before
continuing, "Extremely formidable flesh and blood though. Our main course of
action in battle against it would be to attack with as much force as
possible. And dodge quite often..."

"Attacking with force is something I am rather good at, but dodging...well,
we'll see about that.  I was actually hoping you'd tell me to hit it in the
soft underbelly.  But then, again, maybe it doesn't have one."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 18:21:52 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari nods.  "Do they have all the treasure and rich stuff like the stories?

Or, since this is the 21st century and all, is it all in stocks and bonds and safety deposit boxes?  'Cause if it's like the movies, we'd come out of there with more ropes than Mr. T!"  She giggles, more to herself than anyone else.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 18:40:23 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    "Unless this is a breed of wyrm that I have never seen then no it
doesn't," Magus answers, "And before you can ask, I have seen many."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 19:02:26 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    "I don't know this T person you speak of," Magus answers without looking
to Ari, thankfully since it would do nothing but cause more problems for the
look of annoyance on his features to be seen by the others, "But yes she
should have a collection of assorted items you could call valuable. Her
horde should be quite expansive considering her obvious size and age. I
recommend you focus on other matters aside from that until after she is
vanquished. Your frivolity puts you in danger despite what you may think."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 31 May 2001 19:14:07 -0400
From: "Doug Lohse" <clown@maine.rr.com>

"Right, slay the dragon, and THEN divide up the loot.  Sounds like a plan.
Lead on, friend of small stature and great heart."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 11:29:14 -0400

From: scott.greengold@ey.com

CB, hearing the commotion...and seeing the results of Stone Cold's handiwork
makes his way up the stairs to help see if Stoney needs any help.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 18:02:24 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus pauses in his ascent to look back at quizzically at Rebound and
just happening to catch sight of the approaching Crimebuster, "Small of
stature?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 19:10:57 -0400
From: "Doug Lohse" <clown@maine.rr.com>

Rebound points at Och.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 1 Jun 2001 23:21:19 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

> Rebound points at Och.

    An extremely brief, and slightly disconcerting considering his heritage,
and extremely small smirk plays across Magus' features as he turns to climb
the stairs further higher.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sat, 2 Jun 2001 21:44:09 -0500
From: "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers1@home.com>

Masque stands up... and kicks one of the thugs for good measure.  "Feh!"

> (snip) 

Dusting himself off he looks at Magus;
"It's not like it's my fault. These things just happen to me. I just try
and try and try to be as unnoticeable as possible. Really, why would anyone
pay attention to an old wizard like myself. really I'm harmless, don't mean
anything by it. My granpappy used to say if you rock the boat, make damned
sure your in the center. This way everyone else falls out first...."

Noticing that everyone has vacated this area, Masque quickly runs up the
stairs. Well about as quick as one can on stairs covered in ice.

"Wait for me!"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sat, 02 Jun 2001 22:40:14 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As the two of you close on his position, Stone Cold, Crimebuster, you
see the leader of the goons that just got taken down doing something to
the six fallen troops before him.  He's messing with their outfits, but
when he sees the two of you he flees into the 25th floor proper.

When you both get to the door that leads to said floor, you hear the
others approaching rapidly, speaking of dragons and whatnot, only to
find that you've just slipped on some ice - and what appear to be
grenade pins.

Looking fast, you see that all the pins on the goons Stone Cold just
dropped are missing... and since it's been several seconds since their
boss left - they're gonna go any second!  That's when you all hear his
voice on one of the trooper's radios.

"Fools - trifle with Cobra at your peril!  I hope that lesson is...
EXPLOSIVE in nature...!  Hah hah hah hah hah!"  You all gather that
you've only got a second or so to act before those grenades go off - and
in this tight concrete corridor, the blast will be... impressive.

To say the least.

What do you do?!

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sat, 02 Jun 2001 22:40:24 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

You immediately drop a goon only to see the room lit up for microseconds
at a time as gunfire erupts from the four goons still standing.  They
kind of see where you are, and start homing in, but then they
inadvertently plug their pal as they do so.

While the stop firing, you nab Ken in the dark and beat feet, doing so
easily since YOU have night vision goggles.  You start running away as
gunfire resumes in Ken's second hospital room, the guys finally
recovering from your throwing their corpse-y pal at 'em.

They quickly realize that you're gone, though, and then stop.  That's
when you hear the voice in your head.  "You can't get away, you know...
we dropped our Normalizer down your pal's throat - as long as you've got
him, you won't have access to your powers - or his."

"Yes, we detected your power signature as soon as you entered your
friend's room, there.   And since you're de-powered, recovering your pal
will be a cinch... we just need to -"  The annoying gloating telepathic
woman-voice stops shortly when the building starts shaking.

You then hear an explosion coming from the direction that you're
fleeing, and see daylight coming through the doorway you left open in
haste.  "CONNELL!  I know you're in here SOMEwhere, you rotten bastard!
I didn't follow you across twenty thousand light years for nothing!"

"No matter how hard you try to hide your power, I will find you
eventually... you can't avoid using it forever!"  That sinking feeling
you have in your stomach is getting more uncomfortable... especially
since you get the impression that that Normalizer is saving your life.

Even if it's making your job that much harder...

Now what, Jinx?!

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 03 Jun 2001 03:49:18 -0000
From: "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

Stone Cold grabs Crimebuster and phases throught the door and runs down the
hallway as fast as he legs will carry the both of them. Phasing through the
other wall if possible and creating and ice slide to the ground.
Karma if need be, for the new power stunt of phasing with somebody.  (If he
has any.  *winks*)

(Rolls if you need them: 75, 89, 55, 92, 77, 39)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 00:58:31 -0500
From: "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers1@home.com>

"EEP!"

Masque quickly opens a dimensional gateway right in front of everybody, so
all they have to do is keep running and will go right into it.
"Just run into the mists people!"

Only opening the mists as an entrance and will reopen them a few seconds
later, hopefully after the blast has occured. Masque will reopen them
further up the stairs. He does, of course, close them as soon as the last
person is through, provided they all go through.

(I do believe i only need to roll intiative.....7)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 13:41:03 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus nods silently at the mage's rambling retort as he continues forth
without providing any more openings of verbal sparring between them.

    *At least he isn't Bowser....thank the gods for small favors,* he thinks
to himself.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 13:51:26 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Glancing at the source of the manical voice Magus wonders what he could
mean by his rantings.

> "EEP!"

    "What is it," Magus asks aloud.

> (snip)

    *That's how I got trapped here in the first place..,* he thinks to
himself as he glances down at the fallen troops and seeing no other option
traverses into Masque's magical portal with much consternation and
hesitation playing across his bronze features.

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 3 Jun 2001 15:37:35 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx would continue running down the hall, and make a few turns, looking for
an elevator to get and make her way down to a parking garage level.

On the way down, she would check out Ken and see if he was still breathing
and all those normal living things. If so, she would shake him a little,
slapping him lightly on the face, "Come on, Ken! Wake up! If we get that
thing out of your stomach you're probably gonna start glowing or something
and whoever blew up your old room is gonna come down on us like a ton of
bricks! If that's gonna be the case, I want you to at least be awake to try
and do something. Wake up!"

Once they made it to the appropriate level she would go out the parking
garage exit, thus avoiding lounge security. As they got to the street, she
would hail a cab and tell the cabbie to take her to the location where the
Electronicists League was based out of.

If they made it to that location in one piece, she'd lug Ken to the area
that had all the rubble and whatnot, trying to find a quiet corner long
enough to take a better look at Ken and try and wake him up a few more
times.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2001 15:18:10 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Crimebuster leaps along with Stone Cold, taking a deep breath as he does.
 He has seen some weird things in his day, but seeing the
walls from the inside is a new one even to him!  As soon as they hit solid
ground, or more to the point, become solid enough that they themselves can
actually touch the ground, Crimebuster dives into a tuck and roll, sword
already drawn, looking for the first bad guy he can hit.

-CB

(OCC: Rolls: 53, 75, 81, 38.  Init: 10.  Not sure if I can, but I will add
50 Karma to the getaway attempt if possible. Let me know so I can adjust my
char sheet accordingly.)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 6 Jun 2001 17:46:12 -0400
From: "Doug Lohse" <clown@maine.rr.com>

Rebound leaps forward, throwing a strand at each and every grenade he can
and pulling them to himself.  He then plants himself face first against the
wall opposite the door with the grenades between himself and the wall.

"Just because these goons joined the wrong side, doesn't mean they should be
killed like this."

Rebound braces for the explosion...and the inevitable explosions to follow.

Rolls: Init: 8, 67+30 karma, 49+30 karma, 82+30 karma...let's hope we don't
need to go any further than that :)

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 15:54:52 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

You find the nearest elevator bank quick enough, Jinx, but quickly
realize that, with the power totally knocked out (including backup
generators), that they are simply non-functional.  Thus, you hop into
the nearest handy stairwell and begin your descent.

As you run down the stairs, avoiding hapless innocents who lack such a
handy night vision headset who are rather stunned in the black, vertical
shaft, you feel further explosions rock the building from above.
Impossibly, you hear a voice bellow from level eight.

"CONNELL!!"

Checking on Ken as soon as you make it to the darkened garage, you find
that the man is in fact still alive, and looking better by the second -
it's almost as if that blast of dragon fire jumpstarted his healing
process, allowing him to recover from re-entry that much faster.

Since you KNOW that wasn't a helicopter that crushed A.S.9.

By the time you get Ken to a cab, he's actually semi-conscious, it
seems, and a quick slap or two to the face finishes the job.  "Jinx -
what the hell's going on?"  He listens as you explain the situation, and
by the time you get to the Electronicists, he's not happy.

"Figures.  Just when I get used to the idea of being 'Superman', some
jerks block my powers... nice.  Well, you're the combat guru, lady, what
do you think we should do?  I ran into this guy out in space with Reaper
way back when, and he had a real bad attitude."

"Blew up our ship and caused me to lose the little guy, using his
massive psi powers... he's telekinetic to the extreme, and has power
over his entire body.  I remember him saying he was banished by some
guys called Mindwatch for being too much of a nuisance."

"You think we should try to fight him or get ahold of those people,
whoever they are?  I'm not scared of him, but if I fight him anywhere on
earth, I can't help but think innocent people are going to get killed in
the process, you know?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 16:20:19 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Thinking fast, Rebound, you grab all the grenades that were primed to
pop on the outfits of those Cobra operatives and stick 'em to yourself,
even as the others make a hasty escape though either Masque's mystical
magical portal or via Stone Cold's odd earthy powers.

As if on cue, the instant everybody is cleared from view, the six or so
grenades detonate on your chest, and how!  The blast blinds and deafens
you, and milliseconds after the initial explosion, you feel a secondary
blow striking you in the back - felt like metal.

You're not sure exactly what it was, but all you know is thereafter, you
feel the familiar disorienting sensation of pinballing around in an
enclosed space, bouncing to and fro while cracking reinforced concrete
and all manner of objects occupying the twenty fifth floor.

You seem to bounce much, MUCH longer than normal this time, and the fact
that you feel like your ribs have been crushed would explain that; you
actually suffered Unearthly (100) damage from that massive explosive
attack and impact on the steel door, though your skin absorbed it some.

(you only really took sixty points of damage)

As your hearing and vision begin to return, you note that you seem to
have come to rest finally, inside what would appear to be a H.I.S.S.
tank according to the many labels up on it indicating so.  Heh... looks
just like ol' Percy's tank from the future.

Without the particle cannon, of course.

Meanwhile, Stone Cold, you took a Monstrous (75) Blunt attack when
Rebound slammed into you inadvertently upon careening into this chamber,
though again, your armor absorbed a large portion of this - he nailed
you before you could phase that second time...

(you only took 35 points damage)

However, the impact DID cause you to lose your grip on Crimebuster, who
was thrown akimbo into the chamber before you, which upon seeing it
looks like some sort of heavy weapons' arsenal... or a showroom of
sorts.  Rebound managed to trash it thoroughly though, as you can see.

As you fly into the main occupied area of the mostly empty twenty fifth
floor, Crimebuster, you manage to do a double flip and land on your feet
instead of smearing yourself all over the floor - the trick is that
you've landed inside a large group of uniformed types...

Meanwhile again, the rest of you exit Masque's portal just a few feet
from where you entered it, and see the impressive smoking crater(s) that
Rebound inflicted upon both the wall behind you and the door before you
on the entrance to level twenty five here.

Furthermore, you can see that everybody else has already entered the
floor, and are not alone - lots of tanks and other assorted vehicle
types abound, along with troops to care for them.  And two fellows who
seem to be wearing the same outfit.  Sort of.

They're both wearing a blue vest (with a silver half-collar and red
sash, though each of them have each item on a different side of the
vest), blue trousers, black gloves, silver boots, and silver and red,
cobra-sytled knee pads.  They look like twins.

And they look ANGRY...

The one with the scar looks at the lot of you and yells "Crimson
Guardsmen - eviscerate them!"  The other one then grins maniacally, and
adds to his apparent brother's statement.  "Yes... what he said.  Bring
me their spleens!"

With that, ten guys come out of the woodwork wearing primarily red
uniforms, with a silver 'cobra' sigil on the chest, red helmets, black
boots and black gloves, and big ol' AK-47 rifles.  Naturally, though,
they too have grenades like their fellows.

What next, heroes?!?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 16:29:16 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

Stone Cold does his best not to look damaged as he maintains his stone
visage.  And begins blasting the floor in front of him to increase his
advantage then stretches his arms to punch several with is stone fists.
(Rolls: 75, 32, 86, 55, 91, 37, 69, 81)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2001 20:34:07 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari goes for her Defenestrator, and tries to generally menace with it, as
opposed to actually, you know, leveling the building.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 08:08:18 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

"EEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"

(Rolls: +25 Karma each:  71+25=96, 63+25=98,  50+25=75,   30+25=55,
65+25=90,   90+25=115   Init: 9

Subject: Re: Chrysler Building
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 11:20:46 -0400
From: Scott.Greengold@ey.com
To: firebomb@technohol.com

Denny,

I realized that my last post did not specify what I was attacking with.  I
will be using Achira with focused Chi on the blade.
I would have put that in the post, but it was too funny just screaming
"eeyyaahh" and putting rolls on the page....

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Mon, 11 Jun 2001 19:32:44 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

[OOC: D'oh! I thought the power was only out in Ken's room. My mistake.]

After paying the cabbie and getting Ken hidden away somewhere relatively
safe, she'd start brainstorming with him to try and find a solution, "OK.
Well, the moment we get that doohickey out of your gut, you're going to
start glowing or something and whoever is chasing you is going to come down
on us real quick like. If that's the case, I don't want you to be anywhere
near a population center when we pop that bad boy out of you. So, we have
the option of taking you out to Antarctica or something like that or if we
could get into space that'd be an even better option.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any way to get you into space in the
immediate future. Maybe the Electronicists League has a spare spaceship? Any
other ideas?"

After listening to Ken's suggestions, Jinx would discuss some other options,
"Well, I might be able to contact those Mindwatch freaks through my
connections with another organization. They may be a bit over the top now
and then, but they generally try and protect regular people."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2001 07:38:21 -0400
From: "Doug Lohse" <clown@maine.rr.com>

"Wow, I FELT that...hey, let's fire this thing up and see what we can do
with it...now let's see, press this button, turn that dial, move that
lever..."

Rebound tries to remember how to get one of these things up and running so
he can at least see what is around without sticking his bruised neck out the
top of the thing.  If he can get it started up, he'll use the screens to
scout the area around him.

Rolls: 69, 81, 07, 24, 92 (if necessary)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 13 Jun 2001 00:49:27 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus immediately scans the damaged area for signs of Rebound as well as
the others. That is before noticing the veritable army assembled on the
twenty-fifth floor of an office complex.

> (snip)

    Not completely sure of what to make of the strange devices, i.e. tanks
and assorted vehicles, Magus steels himself remaining unfazed by the sheer
amount of firepower before him and the others he raises both his blades in
preparation for battle.

> (snip)

    Magus glances to his compatriots seemingly amused by the twins healthy
dosage of dramaticism before looking back towards them both behind their
guards.

> (snip)

    Piercing through the sounds of combatants facing one another, both from
his side and the twins', Magus roars inhumanely loud with a growl akin to
that of the crimson foe they still seek here before charging forth into the
battle. Parrying the attacks of the guards as he closes the distance quickly
Magus weaves his way through them all towards the twin commanders.

Subject: [v13] GAme site
Date: Thu, 14 Jun 2001 14:18:09 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Hey all,

I know we normally don't do this, but I thought that some of you might be
interested in a game that will be coming out called
Freedom Force. It looks like the first super hero game that finally gets
everything right.   Check out the website... the message board over there
has tons of info (I am a regular) and the game itself looks amazing.

-Scott, playing Crimebuster

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 17 Jun 2001 22:54:50 -0500
From: "Christopher W. Acers" <cwacers1@home.com>

Before anyone can say "Supercalifragilisticespialidocious", Masque throws up
his eldritch shield and his fingers erupt with streams of his famed crimson
bands.

Twisting this way and that, he tries to get them to zero in on as many as he
can get.

A strange glaze seems to cover his eyes and he yells;
"Now we're makin' gravy without the lumps....ahhahahhahahhahhhahahaa!"

(rolls: 6 for intiative; 57 on the band result)

(Moving on to greener pasture's, literally. Denny, you take it from here
until I get my new internet connection)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault (and how!)
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 00:18:02 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As the men in crimson rush to oppose you, the lot of you actually throw
together a pretty competent defense against their onslaught.  You manage
to flatten two of them with two separate punches, Stone Cold, while
Masque actually wraps one of them up, head to toe.

Though it's hard to tell, what with his bands being the same color as
the uniforms of the men attacking you.  As you menace them from afar
with the Defenestrator, Ari, you see that Crimebuster has indeed landed
in the midst of your attackers, and they don't look happy about it.

He hacks and slashes at the lot of them before they get used to the idea
of him being there, and by the time they get out of their big,
convenient bunch, he's downed two of 'em with nifty sword cuts; nothing
lethal, but enough to keep 'em from being a menace.

Sounded like his sword was crackling as he cleaved them up some...
somewhat disconcerting, really.  Meanwhile, you recover your wits,
Rebound, and manage to reactivate some of the HISS tank's external
sensors.  Looking about, you see what's happened.

This seems to have been a vehicular showcase, a terrorist car lot, if
you will... and you've smashed it up real good.  From the modified blue
A-10 there to the tank you're in, to the many assorted rocket-thingies
and futuristic vehicles you smashed, you'd say you did good.

Your best estimate is at over one hundred million dollars in damage -
woo!  But looking around, you can better see how odd this is; you KNOW
you're in the Chrysler building, and it SHOULD be full of, well, offices
here on the twenty fifth floor, but it has an unfinished look to it.

All concrete and open space, save for the vehicles you've broken - and
all the bad guys here.  You watch as your pals take on the guys in
crimson, these Crimson Guardsmen, and see that even though the guys are
doing good, so are these thugs.

They definitely know what they're doing.  One of 'em, in fact, seems to
be getting into a jeep that you only partially broke - the sleek, black
thing seems to have a big ol' launcher mounted on the back of it, with
four glaringly red missiles loaded within.

He starts it up and begins to fiddle with the launcher mechanism, for
you can see that the thing is moving ... and pointing at your pals!
Meanwhile again, you watch as your ersatz compatriots fight their way
into this mob of red-dressed hooligans, Magus, and make your move.

Sidling past two Guardsmen as they swing at you with their bayonets
(mounted on the '47's), you find yourself face to face with these guys'
apparent leaders.  They look at you as you and shrug.  "Look, Tomax,
another large, talking reptile."

The speaker then looks at his apparent brother, the scarred one, who
replies "Yes, Xamot, this building seems to be overrun by the little
blighters.  Perhaps we should call the humane society."  Then, they both
turn on you in unison, and say "Or the exterminator!"

Laughing, they both pull out rather large hand cannons, about as large
as the ones that loud Jinx woman typically uses when she's rendering
people in her vicinity full of holes.  That's when they both point the
guns at your person, and fire.  Repeatedly.

You duck 'n weave (I rolled random dodges for thee since I had no
numerals from you) and the scarred one, Xamot, misses you.  On the other
hand, the other one, Tomax, tags you dead on in the chest.  Your armor
bounces the bullet off, but you still take Remarkable (30) damage.

Though the chain lowers that to only 24 points o' damage, it still
stings a WHOLE lot.

Behind you, Magus, you hear those men in red opening fire on your
allies.  Ari, you actually feel the impact of the bullets as they strike
you, but you are still protected by the power of your mystic sports bra
- if barely... the impact of the rounds actually knocked you down.

Likewise, Crimebuster, you find one of the Guardsmen coming up to you
with his gun, attempting to gut you with his bayonet - apparently, he
took his boss' order rather seriously.  You start to fear for your
spleen when he actually connects with your abdomen.

He stabs you for Excellent (20) Edged Attack damage, but your natural
body armor halves that, leaving you only slightly scratched and bleeding
- but with your spleen intact.  He starts at that, as he seems sure he
should've in fact fished the organ in question out of you with that one.

Good thing he had a helmet on - for the impact was still enough to knock
him cold.

Meanwhile again, a literal hail of bullets strikes you, Stone Cold, as
the remaining Guardsmen train their weapons on you and let the lead fly
full auto!  Combining their armor piercing rounds into a torso-centered
spray, they chip enough of you off to inflict Excellent (20) damage.

After your armor (thanks to the armor piercing high explosive rounds
they use).

Seeing you get pummeled to bits, Stone Cold, Och comes running after
your two assailants, but gets cold cocked from behind by a guy in a
uniform that, were it not pale gray, would be a dead ringer for those
guys in blue from earlier.  As Och falls, he switches weapons.

>From a wrench to an Uzi 9mm...  Y'all aren't sure where this guy came
from, since you didn't see him before, but you might want to find out -
before more of you get taken down.  Unless you want to do something
else... what next???

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 00:23:13 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Ken looks at you in that sort of perplexed, 'tell me what to do' sort of
way, which makes you very nervous; you can barely decide what to do with
yourself from day to day, much less make such decisions for other
people.  "Well, the space idea is a good one - no bystanders..."

You're not sure why, but the name 'Harry' keeps popping into the back of
your head, Jinx.  Must've been a movie or something you watched.  Or
something.  "Of course, if those Mindwatch people got rid of him once,
they may do it again - and save us a huge headache, right?"

"Mumbo jumbo mental powers and whatnot??"  He looks around for a bit,
and then continues.  "Either way, let's at least get out of town here -
or at least deep enough underground so that we don't have to worry too
much about whats-his-face when he finds us..."

"If he finds us..."

?!

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault (and how!)
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 01:40:01 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus seems silent as he appears more focused on their actions and the
telltale twitches of muscles signaling an impending attack rather he does
for their insulting words or attitude.

> (snip)

    Pulling himself up to his full stature Magus stares down both of the
twins from his full height. Almond-shaped, reptilian-slitted emerald orbs
stare through their very being as he still remains ready to react rather
than act.

> (snip)

    Throwing one leg back Magus braces himself from faltering even as the
might impact akin to that of a well swung dwarven hammer vibrates throughout
his chest.

>Though the chain lowers that to only 24 points o' damage, it still
>stings a WHOLE lot.

    Standing once again at his full seven feet'ish height Magus stares down
at the two men and with a slow, deliberate wicked grin growls quietly, "My
turn now."

    With a twirl of both bastard swords Magus points them forward at the
twins seemingly prepared to slice through them both but at the moment before
the blades would contact flesh a rumbling sound echoes through the floor.
Extending his head forward Magus opens his mouth widely to both men
releasing a rapid succession of lightning bolts from the depth of his person
upon them both. The thundering sounds of the lightning striking both
brothers and their surrounding areas mingle with a draconic roar urging the
electrical discharge forth even more as Magus prepares to continue his
attack should it prove too ineffective against the twin commanders.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault (and how!)
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 03:49:00 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari rolls into a prone position, and aims her Defenestrator at the jeep.
"bang." she mutters to herself.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault (and how!)
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 08:17:04 -0400

Crimebuster turns toward the thug with the bayonet and neatly slices it (
the weapon ) into 3 pieces.  He then
attacks the man holding said ex-weapon with the intent on making him look as
bad as possible. Crimebuster then takes the
thug-who-had-the-audacity-to-hit-him and throws him into the group of
attackers.  At that point, he resumes the attack on the said baddies.

(OCC: 69 (dude), 81, 93, 57, 40, 60.  Init: 10)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault (and how!)
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 14:50:07 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

Rebound reacts as quickly as possible, turning the external speakers on full
blast and swinging the turret towards the jeep.  In the most authoratative
voice he can muster, Rebound issues the amplified order "CEASE FIRE" in the
hopes to buy his companions a second or two to get it back together.  He
then fires the tank's weapons at the jeep hoping to disable it.  If, for
some reason or another, the weapons don't work, he will slam the tank into
the jeep at full speed.

Rolls: Init: 8, Others:88+30 karma, 46+ 30 karma, 27+30 karma, 82+30
karma...let's hope we don't need any more...

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault (and how!)
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 09:51:17 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

Stone Cold sees Och falls and blasts him with ice, to perhaps hold him
untill he can get to him.  As he throws ice shards, at his previous
attacker.

(Rolls: 78, 54, 91, 88, 45, 76)

"I guess that is your @$$ I guess."  As he moves to attack both of his
attackers.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 13:56:52 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

(how's THAT for service?)

As you fake out the twin leaders of these Crimson Guardsmen, Magus, you
manage to blast at least one of 'em with your devastating lightning
breath - the one who shot you managed to dodge your surprise attack
quite nicely - the trick is that they both fell down, writhing in pain.

"AArgh!", they both scream as they hit the concrete floor, laying smack
dab on the 'mouth' of a giant red snake sigil, one that looks just like
the ones adorning everybody's uniforms of late.  They don't quite seem
unconscious, but nonetheless they don't look good.

Even if only one of them is smoldering right now.

"I don't like this one as much as the gecko, brother", says Tomax.
"Yes," says Xamot, "This one's breath is even more offensive."  They
look at each other real quickly, and shrug.  In unison again, they then
say "Perhaps we should call it a day, yes?"

Immediately after pontificating that, Xamot presses a button on his
belt, and the mouth of the giant floor cobra sigil opens up, pulling the
two into the floor - closing immediately afterward!  Looks like they
didn't want to deal with you any more, Magus...

You're starting to think that the leader of that bunch on the stairs
must have slipped out this way as well, though, as you haven't seen him
in here at all since you followed him in here.  Unless he's just hiding
out somewhere amidst this Rebound-generated rubble...

At any rate, while Magus dealt with the twins, it was up to the rest of
you to handle all of their minions.  You start to clean up, Stone Cold,
shielding Och as you tag those two guys who've been blasting you full
auto with some ice shafts... you nail each of them in the shoulder!

Immediately afterward, Crimebuster, you chop up your opponent's AK-47
quite easily, and then fell him with a powerful blow from your
chi-charged blade... again, you don't kill the guy, but you give him
what'll eventually be one hell of a scar.

Picking him up, you throw him into the two goons that are fighting Stone
Cold, the ones with the ice spears sticking through their shoulders, and
knock the both of them out with the resultant impact.  Looked pretty
impressive, actually.

Meanwhile, Masque started running madly at the guy who dropped Och, his
mask glowing eerily as he screamed "Boogieboogieboogieboogieboogie!" at
the top of his lungs.  The villain steps back warily, slips on Stone
Cold's ice, and falls backwards on to his head, knocking himself cold.

Pretty unlucky, that!

At that point, Rebound, you manage to start up what's left of his HISS
tank, and since the main cannon doesn't work, you ram the black jeep as
fast as you can manage; of course, even though you can't work up very
much speed in such a short space, you definitely have some momentum.

That IS a tank, after all!  You knock the thing back about twenty feet,
spinning it madly as it skids on the oil-slicked concrete (the jeep had
been leaking since you smashed it the first time).  Of course, that
doesn't seem to have taken him out.

When the launcher swivels towards YOU instead, Rebound, you hear this
massive, shrill sound come from seemingly everywhere.  It sounds just
like Ari's Defenestrator, but ... different.  Seems using it in such a
confined space is amplifying its effect somewhat.

You actually watch as the jeep's rooftop is literally peeled off like
aluminum foil, the occupant of the vehicle being thrown out of the thing
as it falls before the overwhelming force of the sonic cannon, rolling
away from you like a newspaper caught in the wind.

The driver doesn't get up, and neither does his pal.  That, of course,
would be the last Guardsman, the one that actually shot at Ari before...
seems he got caught in the backwash of the blast, and got dropped like a
sack of potatoes.  Hard.

As all of your ears stop ringing after that devastating crowd-stopper,
you notice that the place is quite - eerily quiet.  Before you start
thinking you'd lost your hearing, though, the moans of the fallen elite
soldiers before you begin to become apparent.

You seem to have dealt with these guys rather... finally, though, so
what now???

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 16:03:56 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Crimebuster poses in his best "I AM REALLY PISSED OFF" pose.  He is in an
EXTREMELY bad mood.

 He strides angrily to the one-who-had-the-audacity-to-stab him. If the man
is unconscious when he gets there, CB will try another, and another until he finds one that is not. He picks the man up and yells in his face "Who are you?  Where is your boss huh? Where is he? And WHY ARE THERE TANKS

25 STORIES UP IN A HIGH RISE BUILDING?" If the man he is questioning so much
as makes a move toward the insignia on his chest (which CB had just seen blow up outside this room), he will knock the man out and go for the next conscious thug.

Of course, if they decide to open that portal that Tomax and Xamot went
through, CB will stop what he is doing and go with his teammates.

(OCC: Couple of just in case rolls: 87, 52, 77, 03)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 20:25:13 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

"OK, where the hell did the dragon go?!?!  I am getting pretty damned tired
of fighing goons with guns.  It's high time we got back to...well, whatever
we were doing before this insanity."

Rebound carefully goes around to the fallen goons and collects their
grenades...not going to have a repeat of earlier, thank you.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 17:50:42 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus pauses ever so briefly at the strange reaction the two men suffer
from his attack.

> (snip)

    Striding towards their prone forms Magus holds the razor's edge of his
blades downward and before him as he approaches them.

> (snip)

    Eyes narrowing warily Magus' strides grow larger as he attempts to close
the distance between the twins and himself.

> (snip)

    But ultimately not soon enough as the secret passages opens up to engulf
them both. A strange willowy word issues from Magus in a tell tale tone of
frustration despite it's almost poetic pronunciation.

> (snip)

    Dropping to one knee Magus traces his fingertips lightly over the sigil
embedded into the floor as he attempts to analyze exactly how the device
works.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 18:17:39 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari thrusts the Defenestrator into the air.  "THAT is what you get for 
fucking with my friends!"  She beams to herself a little.  "Everyone OK?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Wed, 20 Jun 2001 17:58:06 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx scratches her head a moment, "Hey Ken, does the name Shijitzu mean
anything to you?"

~Great, two people who are definitely _not_ decision makers stuck together
with thousands of innocent lives on the line. There is no God.~

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2001 00:59:17 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

"Hrm... you mean that guy who mind controlled me?  Yeah... he called
himself psi-something, but oddly I got a thing or two from his head when
he used his powers on me... why do you ask?"  Ken just scratches his
head and looks at you, as if trying to figure out what you're up to.

You get the feeling that this is going to be a loooonng day...

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 00:15:44 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

"Hmmm. I was wondering if this big psychic guy whose been hunting you has
anything to do with Shijitzu. Hey, you said you picked some things up from
him. What kind of things?" Jinx would inquire, hunting for something to use.

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 24 Jun 2001 20:15:31 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

"Not a lot of... definite things, Jinx.  Mostly vague notions...
something about a line of sentient robots he's been putting together - I
guess he made a major breakthrough, not counting some prototypes gone
wrong.  And something about those Mindwatch folks."

"I didn't think anything of it, since they weren't really something I'd
heard of until now.  I guess he was having some sort of issue with them
as well.  I'm not sure, really... but it seemed sort of intense.
Something about his weird tech work."

"I guess that's the stuff that was on his mind when he was using his
powers on me.  Why that stuck, though, I dunno.  Why, you thinking we
need to talk to that guy about this stuff?"  Of course, Jinx, Ken knows
nothing about your... previous encounter with the man.

Assuming he's not monster droppings by now...

?!

From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>
Date: Sun Jun 24, 2001 8:11 pm
Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault

Looking at the immense Cobra sigil on the floor, Magus, you see that it
seems to slide open as would a giant mouth, opening up from a split in
the middle to leave an opening that conforms to the mouth of the
snake-shaped design it rests under.

Like a giant maw swallowing its unwitting prey.

Seems like some mechanism underneath your feet is responsible for the
sliding motion of the cement slabs beneath you... but the seam from
which the two halves open is apaprent enough, now that you're looking
for it; it's deeper than the cuts in the concrete around the sigil.

Meanwhile, as you inspect the trap door, Magus, you can hear Crimebuster
throwing a proper rant on a fallen soldier - the one Masque wrapped up
in his mystic bands.  As you hold him by the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak
that bind him, Crimebuster, he tries to stammer out an answer.

"Aah!  Get off of me, you freak!  The bosses went through the floor -
what're you, blind??"  Once he collects his wits some, he tries to
answer your other questions as best as he feels is necessary.  "It's a
show room, you fool - Cobra's got to make money somehow, you know!"

Meanwhile again, as you check on everybody to make sure they're okay,
Ari, and while you collect weapons, Rebound, you both stumble upon the
rather cold-looking Och, who's been covered in ice by Stone Cold - he
seems quite conscious, but definitely frozen to the spot...

!

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 00:58:44 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari tries to crack Och out.  Eeek.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 12:48:56 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

"Ummm...You have a battery-powered blow dryer in that bag of yours?"

Rebound gathers his wits, and any more grenades.  "Is it me, or does this
not add up at all?  There are too many questions, and no one giving
answers.  1. This is at least the second time we have run into these 'Cobra'
guys.  Who are they and what are they up to?  2.  Why are we chasing a
dragon?  I know the bastard torched us, but why did it do that in the first
place?  3.  What is the connection between these goons in blue and red and
this dragon?  4. When's lunch?  I'm starving."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 12:26:36 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari scratches her head.  "Terrorists or gunrunners or somethin'.  They've got neat gizmos, regardless.  Maybe the dragon is their secret boss or
somethin'."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 18:10:04 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

"I find it hard to beieve this all goes back to Morbius' hangout.  But maybe
that's it."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 15:24:19 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

"Hmmm...," Magus growls in an almost soft purr of interest.

>Like a giant maw swallowing its unwitting prey.

A momentary flash of human male plummeting to his death strikes Magus'
thoughts although he makes no overt reaction to the imagery.

> (snip)

Glancing about the destruction caused not only by this recent battle but
Rebound's own trademark form of entrace Magus only occasionally 'hmm' or
quietly 'ahh' to himself at the devices and other things not easily
discernible that catch his attention.

> (snip)

    Arching his eyebrow at the ranting sword-wielder in a faintly
Vulcan-esque way, at least from the perspective of anyone of this world and
it's cultures, in reaction to the over-the-top reaction Crimebuster would
seem to be having to the whole affair. Continuing all the while to scour the
area in curiousity and for the purpose of gaining access to the hidden
passageways that obviously exist in this immediate area.

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 19:06:07 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

"Ken, this is very important - did Mr. Shijitzu like Mindwatch or want to
give them a rectal exam with a cheese grater?" Jinx inquires, trying to get
a feel for the relationship Shijitzu had with Mindwatch.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 08:08:42 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Having got the info he was looking for, Crimebuster lets him go.  Calming
down a but, he goes over to the snake sigil and looks at Magus.   "I think we should follow.  I am not the biggest fan of having the bad guys where I can't see them.  Especially ones with that kind of firepower" he says, looking at the tank.  "Do you know how to open it?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 19:52:29 -0000
From: "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

"Sorry Och.  I didn't mean ta hit ya."  He tries to absorb the ice to
himself.  (Rolls: 56, 73, 44)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 17:40:14 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus glances over at Crimebuster from his current place a few feet from
the sigil as he hefts up a long piece of shrapnel. Quietly he walks over to
the sigil and along the sealed edge of the trapdoor and rams it inot the
concrete below with all his might, "I think I might have figured it out," he
says as he begins to pry the secret doorway open slowly.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2001 20:01:44 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

After thoroughly admonishing the guy he wrapped up, Masque turns to Magus and says;
        
"Acckkkkkk...snake on the ground!!!!!" and then passes out...or so it would seem.
        
He does that astral thing and proceeds through the floor to get a good look at what's on the other side of the sigil. Searching for, other than the obvious bad guys, a way to open the "Mouth" of the snake sigil. Otherwise he can do what he does best. It's good to have a teleporter, of sorts, on the team.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 16:57:11 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As you remove your icy covering from Och, Stone Cold, the others seem to
congregate on the Cobra sigil on the floor in the center of this former
munitions show room.  After talking about it for a bit, Magus and
Crimebuster start to work on the secret door on the floor.

Mostly by having Magus ram a shank of shrapnel into the thing and prying
it open, doing so as Ari and Rebound discuss the current situation.  Och
then joins them, though he doesn't quite look up to talk just yet,
having been beaned pretty hard in the back of the head mere moments ago.

Meanwhile, Masque, you drop into the astral plane and feel that familiar
malaise that struck you upon moving towards the top of the building,
though it's not as intense down here; at least now you know that it's
not these goons perpetrating the negamagic in the building.

Otherwise, this place would be overwhelmed with it.

Coasting into the area directly below the secret escape hatch, you find
a small room loaded to the gills with small arms.  You also see two men
who could be identical twins, save for the scar one has, completing
their change from the outfits they had on before into business suits.

You also see that fellow in the camouflage body suit there, the one who
set up that little grenade surprise.  He's changing into street wear
too, but when he takes his face mask off... you can't discern any
specific features.  You can tell he's got brown hair, but that's it.

Everything else... seems to slide of the tip of your conscious view.
Neat trick, that - makes you wonder what he's got to hide.  Anyway, the
twins clear out into what would appear to be an ordinary telemarketer
call center, while the blurry-faced fellow flips a switch.

Following the wires that lead away from it, you can see that they're
attached to a trip wire of sorts, one that is strung in such a fashion
that it wraps around the support posts of the trap door several times -
and that Magus' efforts are stretching it taut!

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 17:01:39 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Ken thinks about it for a second, and then shrugs.  "Well, it didn't
seem to be a friendly thing, to be sure.  I think he thought these
Mindwatch folks were meddling in his affairs or some such - 'ignorant
plebian would-be supermen' is the phrase that sticks in my mind..."

Definitely sounds like Roy, Jinx!

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 17:47:46 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx nods, "Right. Then we go with the enemy of my enemy is my friend thing
for now. We need to find those Mindwatch people! Any clues? Do you think we
should go back to the hospital and try and locate the team that was trying
to get a look inside your noggin'?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 17:58:50 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

"Hmm."  Ken stops to think about that for a minute, and then nods.  "I
suppose... though I'd feel safer if I at least had a gun in hand...
after all, those jerks - if they were indeed Mindwatch - were loaded for
bear.  Not to mention the super powered freak that wants me dead..."

"I just hope he's not still at the hospital anymore..."

...?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 18:05:59 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

"Eeeeeeep!"
Masque zooms back to his body and promptly wakes up.

"Hey, hey hey hey.......You hooo....Magus!"
Masque attempts to stand up but only manages to get his robes caught under
him and they pull him right back down.
"Ooomph......Don't open that!!!.....This has happened before, by the same
people. Remember? There's a Bomb rigged to this thing and you aren't helping
to keep it from going boom. Not that going boom is a bad thing but I like
the booming to happen a long ways from us. I really like having my arms
where they are. In fact, i like my face where it is too. I remember this one
time the bearded lady accidentally sat on the Puzzle man. He wasn't the same
for weeks."
Masque grimaces, "Neither was she though, she kept picking bits of him out of her underwear."

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 18:54:17 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx nods at Ken and reaches into her holster and hands him one of her hand
cannons, "Here, use this. It's a magnetic accelerator. Do Not Lose It. Do
you understand? Here is the safety, here is ammo readout, and here is the
all-mighty trigger. As you can see, you have a total of 10 shots available
to you. These bad boys pack quite a punch so be very careful.

Right, so back to the hospital, eh?"

Assuming Ken agrees, Jinx will try and hail a cab to get them back to the
hospital.

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 19:27:16 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

In response to your repeated admonitions, Ken simply replies "Gotcha."

The two of you board the first handy taxi cab (as soon as Ken hides the
mag cannon he's packing) and make your way back to the hospital.  By the
time you get there, there's a small army of authority types surrounding
the place; police, firemen, F.B.I., etc...

As such, the cab can only get within two blocks before the traffic snarl
brings it to a stop.  "Ay!  What'sa matter wit' youse!!"  As the cabbie
slips into a string of four letter words upon seeing that he can't move,
the two of you get out (after paying the man) and check things out.

Sneaking up on the place, you can see all sorts of emergency work going
on; that guy who came here looking for Ken sure caused a ruckus.  The
odd thing, though, is that amongst the various cops, firemen, feds, and
assorted patients and gawkers, you see several folks in gray jumpsuits.

The same folks that were in Ken's hospital room just a wee bit ago.

There's only three of them, though, giving you the distinct impression
that your mysterious, super-telekinetic enemy has done some of your work
for you - especially since the survivors don't look too good; they're
all bandaged up, the two guys and lady before you.

And the bandages look rather bloody, at that.  That's not the weird
thing, though; the weird thing is that everybody around them doesn't
seem to notice that they're there... they just walk around them as
though avoiding something like a bum, or a trash can.

You can see that their leader is on a cellular phone, though, apparently
talking with her superiors.  "No ma'am, I only lost the four ops.  As I
said, we were hit by one unknown paranormal of immense power, some sort
of telekinetic, I think, during the interrogation."

"That and one of those D.A.A. nutjobs, yeah, the one with the bad luck
that we've been trying to keep tabs on since the Shijitzu mess."  She
stops to pause for a few seconds, as if listening to a lengthy
narrative.  "Yeah, her buddies left after that lizard thing hit 'em."

"No, I'm not going after them, most of my team's dead - and the rest of
'em (including me) are all kinds of fucked up right now.  It's taking
everything I can to maintain the blanking field around me to disguise
our presence.  No, nobody knows the Normalcy Squad is involved."

"'Cept maybe that damn Jinx broad... anyway, we're headed to a safe
house for now... if you want someone on those guys in the Chrysler
building, call in another team.  Bye."  With that, she hangs up, and her
three guys start heading to the street, apparently to hail a cab.

Before you can decide whether or not to follow them, Jinx, you spy
something else beating you to the punch.  You see this rather skinny
fellow in a black leather body suit, one adorned with way too many
straps, studs, and spikes, sidling through the press of the Man.

He's about six foot tall, with long brown hair swept into a pony tail, a
thin, devilish goatee, and a pair of coke bottle sunglasses strapped
onto his head.  The curious thing is that he's got a weird hologram on
his chest - it looks like an eye, but sometimes like a brain, too.

He gets into the cab right behind the others, apparently following them
wherever they're going.  As they start to take off, though, you see two
more people so dressed slip into the hospital - again, though, it would
seem that nobody can even detect their presence.  Curious that.

What now?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 00:38:15 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus continues his efforts in quiet dilligence before the overwhelming
shrieking of the other mage present interrupts him long enough to stare at
Masque.

> "Hey, hey hey hey.......You hooo....Magus!"

    Turning to look at Masque, Magus stands quietly with the shaft still
clutched in his hands.

> Masque attempts to stand up but only manages to get his robes caught under
> him and they pull him right back down.

    Patiently he awaits silently knowing that interrupting the rambling one
would only prolong his agony of listening to him.

> (snip Masque tirade)

    His gaze steadily becoming one of mild annoyance Magus continues to
listen to the pointless addendum to the mage's warning.

> Masque grimaces,
> "Neither was she though, she kept picking bits of him out of her
underwear."

    "A simple 'trap' would've sufficed, Masque," he answers before
suggesting, "Why don't you attempt to disarm the trap so that we can
continue our pursuit then?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 00:37:03 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

Masque stands there, or sits rather, and looks all befuddled like.
"Oh yeah, I suppose I could do that. But really couldn't you do it? You know
my thoughts about going boom. what a terrible thing to happen to happen to a
body. This one time....."

He stops and realizes that everyone seems to be looking at him with more and
more menace these days and decides to just open a door in.

"Fine Fine Fine, I can take a hint, sheesh guy's. You can blame a man for
trying. Golllllllly."

Masque does the mists thing and motions for everyone to step through.
"Everyone through, it's not like we have all day and stop staring at me like
that.......boogy booogy boooogy"  He says to anyone in particular.
Masque waits impatiently to see if anyone steps through.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 03:40:38 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com
Reply-To: v13@yahoogroups.com
To: v13@yahoogroups.com

Ari freezes, and then immediately ferrets the Serious String out of her bag.

If nobody has a better idea, she will hose down the wires and the control
Box with the gunk.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 15:16:12 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

Rebound steps through after sticking a bunch of grenades around his waist
and legs.  Noticing the odd looks this is sure to produce, he shrugs, "Hey,
they HURT me, they probably can do the same to the dragon if we ever catch
up to it."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 11:32:22 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

Magus looks strangely at Masque almost as if he finds the idea of being caught in an explosion right about now slightly appealing.

> (snip)

Smiling at Masque's realization Magus waits patiently. Although the sight of a seven foot tall draconic elven warrior mage smiling at you is often times taken with a certain amount of negativity oddly enough.

>"Fine Fine Fine, I can take a hint, sheesh guy's. You can blame a man for
>trying. Golllllllly."

"Well we could," Magus answers quietly.

> (snip)

    As he approaches the doorway Magus leans in close to Masque, "We should
talk after this is taken care of mage." Despite his seemingly hostile
attitude towards Masque, Magus seems to  have a sincere amount of
camaraderie in his tone towards the decidely unconventional mage.

> (snip)

Glancing over at the explosively attired Rebound Magus quickly looks back to Masque and then once more back to Rebound. Very quietly he whispers to himself, "Which shall kill us first I wonder..."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 18:16:49 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

"Relax, I'll just dive down the beast's throat and pull the pins...nothing
to worry about at all...Trust me."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 14:22:54 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Crimebuster visibly winces

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 14:26:21 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    "Good ears you have, Rebound," Magus answers before commenting on his
plan of attack, "That wouldn't be all that wise either if you plan on
surviving. Draconic anatomy is a bit more than I think any of us could
handle from the inside."

Unsubscribe?  Poppycock!

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 15:04:08 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

"Which way are we going?  You want me to try to follow?"  Stone Cold
asks.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 16:32:26 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As you all step through Masque's mystic portal yet again, you arrive in
the room directly beneath the snake sigil that you were all standing
above mere moments ago.  You look about to see the booby trap that
Masque had warned you about.

And see Ari spraying the thing down with all kinds of gray, drab, and
entirely un-fun looking Serious String.  All the many lengths of
tripwire, the snake door itself, and of course, the big blinking box of
explosives in the center of the room.

Looking around, the rest of you can see that this place is a veritable
arsenal of small to middle sized arms - everything from Colt M1911A1s to
Uzi 9mms can be found here, along with the ammunition to power them and
all kinds of spare parts, gun oil, and the like.

Of course, there's also a fair selection of knives, shuriken, naginatas,
and other assorted oriental weapons - looks like someone raided one of
those 'ninja' stores that you still find every once in a while.  Of
course, you haven't met anyone that uses THIS stuff just yet.

The room is pretty small, though, and seems surrounded by all kinds of
covered peep holes.  Well, all covered save for one, which has the slide
pulled up still.  You can hear the chatter of telemarketers outside the
arsenal, but what's more, you can make out a distinct conversation.

"Well, that was certainly short and painless."  That was a female's
voice, one that sounds like it could launch a thousand ships.  "Don't
worry about it, babe - the fun really starts once these chumps track
down those twins."  That, of course, was a rather gecko-sounding voice.

Whoever actually peers out the peep hole can see the two of them hanging
out by a drinking fountain situated to the immediate left of the
apparent door out of this room.  They stand at the edge of a veritable
field of telemarketers that seem to occupy most of this very floor.

"Yeah, that cat Firefly's pretty smart - he'll make for the street and
disappear until he can get back to... wherever these chumps come from. 
But them twins, they'll go running to their boss up top - they're a pair
of wusses if I ever saw 'em."  That, of course, is the gecko again.

"You seem to have all this worked out... I'm almost impressed, really." 
That would be the lady again, who seems to be listening to the gecko
natter on almost as a courtesy, and doesn't really sound interested in
what it has to say so much as merely watching things transpire.

They just stand and watch the three fleeing Cobra operatives vanish into
the elevators at the far end of the sea of cubicles, leaving them to do
...whatever.  Of course, they're naturally oblivious to your presence in
the room - and that big, nasty bomb next to all y'all.

What next?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 17:46:02 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

"You all mind if I swipe some of this.  I can use these."  Stone Cold
says as he packs up a most of the stars, wooden weapons and a sword.
(Hopefully he can find a web belt for it all).

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 17:48:04 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx frowns as she watches the whole Jedi mind trick thing play out.

"This is not good, Ken. Do you think that Normalcy Squad has anything to do
with Mindwatch? Ring any bells? I mean, they did have some psychic chick
taking the lead. Hmmm...

Another question is should we follow the goons following the Normalcy Squad
or should we check out what the goons in the hospital are doing? I mean,
maybe even the goons could be Mindwatch. I mean they did have a symbol with
a brain and an eye..."

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Fri, 29 Jun 2001 19:28:40 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

"Huh... beats me.  I wasn't really awake when the grey guys - these
'Normalcy Squad' retards - jumped me.  But heck, we can always kill two
birds with one stone by following the Squad.  Since they got one of them
leather guys handy, we can always follow HIM later, eh?"

"Unless you WANT to go back into that trashed hospital..."

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2001 01:46:27 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari, assuming she sees the woman, points a thumb at her.  "What's up with Carmen San Diego out there?" 

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2001 12:41:22 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx thinks a moment before nodding, "Right. Let's follow the goon following
the Normalcy Squad."

She'd then try and hail a cab to follow the goon's cab through the streets
of NYC.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 02 Jul 2001 18:44:22 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

"Great , just great.  Even more goon leaders to deal with...and none of them
look like a dragon, I might add."

Rebound looks at the assembled heroes (I can't believe I just used that
word), waiting for someone else to comment.  He then reaches for the door
and prepares to charge after the fleeing goon squad.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 2 Jul 2001 15:14:18 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Crimebuster looks at Rebound and says "And this is a bad thing because? Lets
get out there and kick the crap out of
the guys we can get to.  We will find the dragon soon enough."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 3 Jul 2001 00:08:41 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

Masque's nostrils flare at the sight of the gecko. The effect would have
been menacing had he trimmed his nose hairs...at all.
He gurgles a bit and his hands move in a frenzied motion that is hard to
track...

Masque attempts to 'banish' the gecko to this room and when and if he does
so, he will leash the thing with his bands.

(rolling for the banish: 69 and for the bands 71)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 19:21:09 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus, fully intent on avoiding Ari's web-casting, stride purposefully
over to the armaments organized about the room. He eyes each one carefully
with an appreciative stare after witnessing the assailants use similar
weapons since his arrival on this plane.

> (snip arsenal)

    Slowly he wanders his way closer to the melee weapons assembled and even
goes so far as to inspect one or two of the bladed weapons personally.

> (snip overheard conversation) 

    The  long, pointed ears of Magus twitch at the sound of the familiar
voice as he glances to Masque.

> (snip more gecko talk)

    A strange gleam that can only be associated with anger beams in the
slitted eyes of the draconic warrior from another dimension. Fortunately or
unfortunately, depending entirely on your point of view, the sorcerous
Masque beats him in reacting to the gecko's obvious presence beyond the
walls.

> "Great , just great.  Even more goon leaders to deal with...and none of
> them look like a dragon, I might add."

"I wouldn't be so eager to engage a dragon, Rebound," Magus responds
unbidden.

> (snip rebound / crimebuster stuff)

    Although he can't think of a truly sound reason to not charge after the
fleeing humans Magus has the gnawing sensation that it would be a bad idea.
As such he speaks quietly, yet firmly enough to be heard in the small room,
"Wait. Is it really that wise a choice to rush out into the open after
them?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 05 Jul 2001 19:27:28 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As some of you inspect and/or appropriate some of the weaponry in the
small arsenal you've found yourselves in, the rest of you seem intent on
the two voices seeping into the room.  As you look out the secret peep
holes to the space without, you can see where they're coming from.

It is indeed the gecko that has caused you so much grief thus far, along
with that lady in red that some of you spied down in the lobby of this
very building but a few minutes ago.  They continue to watch the Cobra
operatives flee, and chatter amongst themselves.

At least, until Masque abducts the gecko from the space without, and
brings him within - tying him up in your midst.  "Hey, what the - augh!"
is all the creature can manage to belabor before Masque wraps him up
once again in his eldritch bands.

Of course, they don't contain him quite so handily as they did last time
(no mystic padlock du Hoggoth accompanying them this time), but
nonetheless the mage grabs the toady and gift-wraps him up for your
interrogating pleasure.

Meanwhile, outside the room, you hear a slight chuckle from the gecko's
erstwhile compatriot, before she vanishes into thin air, saying
something under her breath about 'wanting a better view of the action'
as she does so.

Regardless, the lot of you are somewhat rested (if slightly battle-worn)
and re-armed (for those of you that needed it), so the simple question
is what do you all do from here - aside from pummeling the gecko before
you senseless, of course...

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 20:40:29 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari leans against a wall for a few minutes, and fishes in her backpack for 
bottled water or something of that stripe. 

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Thu, 05 Jul 2001 20:47:58 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

You and Ken hop into a cab and follow the cab that's following the cab
containing the three surviving members of this Normalcy Squad team, a
trek that takes you about a half hour until you wind up in a rather
seedy warehouse-filled area within the city proper.

The three Squad goons get out and make their way into a somewhat cleaned
up, unmarked building, followed shortly thereafter by the guy in black
leather and such.  He sneaks in after the others, but it looks like he
left the door ajar - perhaps for a real quick exit or some such.

Sneaking after 'em (assuming that you do), you and Ken catch the two
non-psionic goons as they simply crash on a handy, floor-bound mattress,
while their boss, the telepath, makes a few phone calls - presumably
keeping her boss caught up on affairs.

"Yeah, we're pretty screwed right now... I'll probably need four
replacements to cover the New York area - six if you want to take into
account the heightened paranormal activity in the area.  Jeez, I miss
the old days, when I got to actually travel for this job."

"And no, I TOLD you I'm not going to put my guys at risk by checking out
this Chrysler building business - I don't care HOW many people are
seeing and hearing weird things, we're too messed up to be in the field
right now.  Christ, hire a merc or two - there's plenty around town."

She hangs up on her apparent bosses again, only to be startled when that
man in leather creeps up behind her and says 'boo'.  She drops the beer
she'd just got out of the kitchen of this odd building, curses up a blue
streak, and smacks the guy in leather upside the head.  "Dick!"

Apparently they DO know each other.

"I told you not to do that!"  He just smiles and replies "And I told you
not to let your guard down.  I could've been anybody - some random thug,
super powerful freak, or psychotic D.A.A. operative," he says glancing
right at you for a moment, before continuing.

(looks like you'n Ken weren't as sneaky as you thought)

"C'mon, lady, you need to drop this Normalcy Squad gig.  It's bad enough
you got your clock cleaned by those Agency 13 guys, repeatedly, but
dealing with all these non-psis is killing you.  Take a vacation, and
then do some more Mindwatch gigs with me, lady."

She just frowns.  "We already had this argument, Dick.  My Normalcy
Squad job is more interesting than kicking the crap out of just psis - I
never know what I'm doing from week to week."  She then stops what seems
to be a recurring discussion between the two.

"Hey, what're you doing here, anyway?"  The apparent Dick smiles, seeing
his friend has gotten the hint.  "We're looking for the guy that took
out your team - he's a hard core baddie that the bosses banished years
ago * - he somehow found his way back to earth."

The Normalcy Squad girl stops, shuddering.  "Ah... that explains it
then."  He grins again.  "Yep.  Just wanted to make sure you were okay
before I joined the others at the hospital... got a forensics guy
mopping up there, trying to trace what happened."

"And what's gonna happen next.  So you get some rest, lady, and I'll let
you know when we got the guy that did this to you, okay?"  She nods and
hits the hay (though not before fetching another beer), not bothering to
walk Dick out as he leaves the apparent Normalcy Squad safehouse.

Keeping an eye on the guy as he leaves, you see him just sort of...
hanging out outside, as though he had nothing to do in a big hurry.
Assuming you don't make yourself any MORE known to the guy, he just
takes off in a cab, likely back to that hospital.

???

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 21:00:18 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx would frown once she realized she and Ken had been found out.

She'd tell Ken, "OK, we've been made. Let's wait for him to leave and we'll
start up a polite conversation. It looks like he's with Mindwatch. Maybe he
can give us a hand with the creep that's hunting you down..."

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2001 23:36:34 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

"Can I hit him first?"  Stone Cold says with a wicked grin.  'Why can't a
villain ever have a cool hideout, the sewers SUCK!!' He thinks to
himself.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 06 Jul 2001 15:15:05 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

Hesitating before the exit, Rebound can't help but jibe Masque on his
catch...  "I said get me Geico, not Gecko."

When the inevitable groans die down, Rebound poses the more serious
question:  "Do we head for the top of the building and get the 'boss' or do
we try to track down the fleeing lieutenants?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 11:21:18 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Crimebuster visibly winces again.  He says "My vote is for the boss"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 15:21:20 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

"I am really not up for dragon hunting.  I would like to beatdown on the
twins first."  Stone Cold says enjoying the feel of his new weapons.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2001 18:06:54 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

"Aha! You cretin!....." as he wipes the spittle from his chin, he lowers his
voice. "You are that proverbial bad coin huh, only you got a bit of tarnish
on the head's side."
and Masque eloquently spits in his face..

Masque turns towards the rest of the group and motions towards Magus,
"He is right you know. It's bad enough i popped this little zit out of that
room over there. Someone's bound to notice that. Then again, he IS a talking
lizard. Pretty weird if ya ask me...Oh...sorry...present company excluded."
Masque shoots an apologetic look at Magus. he turns back towards the others.
"Somehow I think we will run into those twins again, let's leave them be
huh?.....Not like it's gonna be hard to find them two again. And if we go
running out of here like banshee's looking of for a lozenge....well we'll be
chased...That's what these folk do. Kinda like when I was a kid and my
Stepfather....."

Masque stops himself again and turns his attention towards the Gecko.
"Now either you tell us why this dragon is here and how we can get rid of it
or Magus and I will play Good cop/Bad cop. You don't wanna know who's gonna
be the bad cop."

Masque grins at Magus and then uses his charm on the gecko.

(roll: 48)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 13:24:02 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

Magus ponders to himself whether fighting an experienced crimson alone without arms or legs would be a bit more enjoyable than being party to the addled wizard's presence.

> (snip masque speak)

    Stepping closer to Masque and his erstwhile hostage Magus glares at the
small reptile with nary a glance at the possible offense or apology that
follows. Although once mention of Masque's stepfather and childhood begins
he turns towards the mage, "You're trailing again...stop it."

> (snip more masque speak)

    Magus hopes that whatever this good cop/bad cop game mentioned is not
something of the befuddled magician's creation.

>Masque grins at Magus and then uses his charm on the gecko.

    And Magus responds with only a steely gaze locked onto the gecko even as
he wonders what possible curse or malady it is that afflicts Masque so much
so that he must constantly act as if he were a dwarven beserker with orc
blood in his veins.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 05:50:28 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

As the others debate your future course of action, Stone Cold, you
manage to find yourself a set of straps and belts to hold all that gear
that you have 'appropriated' from this odd Cobra arsenal, ensconced
within the twenty fourth floor of the Chrysler building.

(Just under the twenty fifth where you just fought with them goons.)

Meanwhile, as you fish out that tasty bottle of, well, bottled water,
Ari, you see that Masque has again taken matters into his own hands, and
has seized that gecko from the other side of the wall; while that may be
odd, nobody seems to be freaking out on the other side of the wall.

None of the legion of telemarketers outside the door before you seem to
have noticed his disappearance - or the fact that he, and his rather
red-dressed female acquaintance - was even there to begin with.  Must be
some sort of Jedi (R) mind trick.

Anyway, the wizard goes all frothy on the wee beastie, and once he and
Magus start giving him the evil eye (well, two evil eyes, really, since
they both aren't sharing one ocular implement), he seems like he's ready
to talk.  But then, he was spat on.  And growled at.  And charmed.

"Okay, okay, I'll talk - I'll talk!  Just stop breathing on me - you
smell like you ate way too many pancakes - and forgot to brush this
year... gaah!"  The gecko stops, calms down as Masque's charm takes
further hold, and then keeps on keepin' on.

"Jimminy Christmas, it's like I told you earlier.  The boss, she moved
into your city because she found she had a sort of ... fascination with
human society.  All your toys, your companies... all the things that
makes your culture have culture."

"You know, television, machine guns, adamantium, stuff that wouldn't
have occurred save for people.  She digs it... and wants to know more
about it.  That's why when she detected that bit of some dead
technomage, she had to have it... it was the magic of stuff."

"The ultimate expression of man, as far as she's concerned.  She wants
to know as much about it as she can, so she can add that to her already
impressive treasury.  Combined with her massive mystic potency, it could
allow her to conquer the world!"

"No, really."

"Of course, now that you have the hand, and now that you have me, I'm
not sure you're going to be around much longer.  I'm not saying that as
a threat - it's simply the truth.  She wants it all, and there isn't any
stopping her, really... sorry 'bout that."

The gecko stops to lick its left eye ball at that, since it doesn't know
what else to say, really.  How now, brown cows?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 05:53:48 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Dick is indeed waiting for the two of you when you exit the Normalcy
Squad headquarters, just sort of biding his time... you don't really
like how he seemed to know you were there, and let you listen in on his
conversation... kind of creepy, really.

Anyway, after the two of you take in the sight of this skinny man in a
spiky leather bodysuit dancing around like Jimmy Stewart on speed here
at the nearest light pole, he comes up to the two of you and grins.
"So, what's up, you two?  What'cha doing?"

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 20:27:53 -0000
From: "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

"Why does everyone always want to take over.  Just conqure Micronesia or
something and leave us alone.  Now we have to work at destroying a bad
Godzilla clone.  Damn, college is looking ohhhhh so good right about now."
Stone Cold says.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 17:01:35 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com

Ari laughs.  "Don't knock it.  Art school isn't half the fn it ought to be.
Lots of rich kids trying to out-cool and out-weird each other.

I think I've definitely got them all beat in the 'weird' department, tho.
How many of them have fought zombie mage robots and terrorists?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sun, 08 Jul 2001 21:52:32 -0000
From: "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

"Good point.  Grass is always greener.  You know."  Stone Cold says.

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Sun, 8 Jul 2001 19:33:26 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx cuts directly to business, "I assume you're with Mindwatch. We have a
mutual problem. It appears some badass wants my friend's head on a platter.
He's supposedly some psychic of no small power who you guys have been having
trouble dealing with. I'd be willing to lend a helping hand in putting the
guy down for the count if you can influence those Normalcy Squad goons to
leave Ken alone.

Ken can maybe take us someplace where we won't do too much collateral damage
or endanger innocents if we get the thingee out of his gut. Unfortunately,
the moment we take that thing out he's gonna glow like a neon sign and bring
that psychic badass down on all of us. Any suggestions?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 12:49:51 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

Rebound glances back over to Crimebuster.  "Now, we have no choice in
whether we want to kick the dragon's teeth in or not.  Looks like we now
have two choices...seek her out or wait for her to find us again.  Any good
ideas for an ambush?"

Rebound takes another look around the room to see if there are any truly
heavy weapons hiding behind things.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 03:50:40 -0000
From: "Charlie Clay Jr." <cclayjr@hotmail.com>

"Would hunter her down and kill her be out of the question?"  Stone cold
asks, thinking about his weapons.  'Guess these will be pretty useless
then.'  He thinks to himself.

Subject: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 07:27:46 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Well, you finally managed it.

Oh sure, the last time you attempted to get your powerful Z.P.E.C. drive
- the last remnant of your old car - installed in a new earth vehicle,
you almost got the mechanic, that Ken Connell guy, killed.  Of course,
that wasn't your fault, but still. *

Regardless, you managed to get the thing back from Old Gruff, that wacky
Electronicists League goon that swiped it from you, and cashed in enough
of your emergency reserve to buy the parts you needed to fix yourself up
an all new car - and found another mechanic who suited your needs.

Good thing, as expensive as gas is lately.

So now, months later, you and your fellow temporal and spatial
expatriate, Moebius, are zipping along I-10 on your way... west.  You're
still working on restoring the vehicle's old features, like the space
worthiness and antigrav flight, but haven't had much luck so far.

That's why you left Pittsburgh, after all.  This world seems to have a
true lack of ultra-high tech goodies available, and rooting them out is
proving a bit more difficult than you thought.  The trip to Florida was
a bust, really - though Moebius really enjoyed Disneyland.

At any rate, you headed due west after talking to some wacko cyborg from
the 'Transistor Movement', who said he'd heard of some fellow out west
who was magic with technology.  This guy supposedly has some sort of
mental powers regarding technology itself, and works out of L.A.

So there you are, slowly baking in the arid, Arizona desert heat, since
Moebius made you turn off the air for awhile - and is soaking up the hot
air.  It's part of a compromise the two of you came up with - air on
half the time, air off half the time - so you wouldn't kill each other.

She seems to be acclimatizing to life in modern-day earth rather well,
all things considered.  About as well as you did the first time you
arrived here from your curious homeworld; the technological and cultural
differences are similar - she just came from the other direction.

At any rate, you find yourself ready to turn the air back on, when you
notice Moebius looking at you in that weird, intense sort of way - she's
even tilted her head down so she can see over her sunglasses.  Looking
at her, you see that she isn't looking at you after all.

She's looking to your immediate left.  "C'mon, Gunslinger, say hey to
the nice, time travelling robots."

As your jaw drops, you indeed look to see a rusty robot, built in a sort
of female shape, riding a motorcycle in the passing lane next to you.
'She' seems to have been built from all kinds of odd cycle parts
'herself' - rather like those on the bike 'she's' riding.

'She' waves at you, crying out "Stop with the Jibba Jabba, foo!" as she
passes, followed shortly thereafter by about a dozen bikers who look
something like... vykings.  They're all decked out in horned / winged
steel helms, and they each have a mallet or hand axe in hand.

The robot and its apparent entourage then zip down the road at what you
can only describe as reckless speeds.  "Well, don't that just beat all.
Here we are in the middle of freakin' nowhere, and we happen to run into
another time traveller.  Don't ask - trust me, I just know."

"I blame you, of course.  You're a curse, a pox, a very disease on
causality itself, you and your damned probability mix-ups.  Figures that
I'd get stuck with somebody from an overwhelmingly orderly universe...
always with the coincidence, coincidence, coincidence."

"Egad, you're almost as bad as a modron -"

Before Moebius could continue with her tirade-from-nowhere, Gunslinger,
something hit your car - and hard.  Losing your front driver side tire
instantly, your car (I forget the exact model you prefer, of course)
careened off the road, launching you into a cactus 'field'.

You eventually stop once you kill enough of the plants, but now your car
is covered in a spiny, gooey mess.  Getting out amidst a string of four
letter words (issued forth by the both of you), you spy a look at what
knocked you off the road.

It was some sort of... purple car.  Or hovercraft, from the looks of it,
as it and about four others just like it are zipping down the interstate
in your stead - without actually touching it!  So, the question is, now
that your car is temporarily k.o.'d, what now?

?

* As was told in Variant Earth 13 E Mail Archive #8 (Rebound probably
remembers this, at least).

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 09:23:29 -0400
From: scott.greengold@ey.com

Crimebuster, finally getting over the bad puns, stops wincing.  He says "I
would say that, since it sounds like the dragon will find US,  we should opt
for an ambush.  Might be the only way we can get her.  Maybe we should go
back to the Electronicists League.  I would not mind having some of their
weaponry around when we need to fight."

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 15:37:19 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

OCC: Wow, that was a long time ago...yet the repercussions still ripple!
Just imagine if Rebound had jumped in front of the beam...

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 18:07:28 -0500
From: Charlie S Clay Jr <cclayjr2@juno.com>

"That might not be a bad idea, but we don't have the time right now.  We
need to stop her/it that thing like yesterday."  Stone Cold said.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 19:00:49 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

Masque's jaw just drops...simply drops.

Turning slowly towards both Rebound and Crimebuster, gestures towards them.
Forgetting for a moment that he has the gecko in hand at the end of a rope
per se and with momentum being what it is, the gecko smacks into the wall.

"Ahem? From what I know of Dragons, I think that an ambush is the most
unlikely thing to happen. For all we know this Gecko could be the dragon
just toying with us."
Masque drops the gecko and backs away a bit, still trying to glare at the
thing and still keeping the bands on it.

"What do you suggest Magus? You seem to be the dragon aficionado here. what
should we do?"
Masque thinks for a moment. Drools for a second and scratches his ass for a
bit.

"I think we should lure the dragon outta the city. We don't exactly want any
collateral damage or casualties here in the city. We have what it
want's. It's Lackey and this abomination."
Masque holds up the severed hand.
"I can get us into the country and all we have to do is wait or call it out
or something. Maybe we can tie up a goat or something. That's how they trick
a tyrannosaurs rex into coming out. I saw it, I did."

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 19:16:23 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>
Reply-To: v13@yahoogroups.com
To: <v13@yahoogroups.com>

"You know, I really have grown not to like that look lady. I don't like it,
I don't trust it and frankly it bothers me......"
Gunslinger turns to see what she is looking at.
"Well, I'll be damned!"

> (snip moebius rant)

Gunslinger just shoots her his look, a look that only he can give. And then
he curses as the car is hit.

"Sonofabitch! You stupid Mother fucker. I can't believe the drivers on this
planet!"
He manages to steer his '59 coupe de ville with the flame job, albeit
slightly modified to be...well better, into the ...cacti.

> (snip purple vehicular description)

Gunslinger whips out his Magnum and takes aim and fires at the out of place
hovering car.

"I just got this fucking thing fixed!"

(59 for the hit and 47 for the effect, that being a gravitational bomb or
whatever it is called. Making the car weigh lots)

<I'm a time travelin', bounty hunting, dimensional crossing bad ass Mother
fucker!>

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 20:55:06 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

You blast your gravitic beam through one of your many handy pistols, and
manage to tag the purple vehicle that struck you dead on, causing it to
cease hovering; in fact, it craters hard into the interstate, leaving a
rather long furrow in the concrete behind it.

The odd thing is when the hovercraft starts to undulate, changing shape,
and then stands up on its own two legs - the thing just transformed into
a twenty foot tall robot!  It points at you and curses (at least from
its tone it sounds like curses; different language).

Then, in English, it shouts "Sweeps - terminate that fleshling buffoon!
I will continue to track the junk heaps, so we may steal the secret of
time travel!"  With that, the four still-floating purple hovercrafts do
a 180 degree turn, and begin to zip towards you!

The apparent leader of the bunch then proceeds to run in its original
direction, making remarkable speed as it does so despite the gravitic
enhancement you've given it.  Of course, you have more things to worry
about right now - four of 'em, in fact.

"Smooth move, Ex-Lax (TM)!  You sure know how to make friends in these
parts, don't you?"  Naturally, Moebius is less than amused that she's
being fired upon along with you, as all four of the thingies before you
are shooting some sort of particle beam in your general direction.

They all miss with the first volley, but then, you're much smaller than
these 'Sweeps' are.  Good thing their aim sucks though, as they're
leaving patches of empty ground where their beams are hitting.  Look
like disintegrators to you.

What now, binky?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 21:02:44 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

The man looks at you and grins, Jinx.  "Ah, my young lady, you are wise
beyond your apparent years."  He grins again, and offers his hand.  "The
name's Dick, and I am indeed with the Mindwatch organization, as you and
your friend have no doubt surmised by now."

"At any rate, I can attempt to dissuade my friend from pursuing your
apparently super powerful friend further, but that will be rather
difficult, in that if he's as strong as they think, they'll be unable to
resist their altruistic urges to control him."

"You know normals - they always fear what they do not understand, much
less what they cannot control.  Furthermore, she is the telepath and I
am but a mere manipulator of mundane energies - my persuasive abilities
stop at the mundane levels, you see."

"But ho!  I think you're on to something, in that we should definitely
try to steer clear of any inhabited areas whilst we deal with our mutual
'friend'.  He won't be caught unaware so easily as last time, though, so
I'm afraid a rather drawn out battle may ensue."

"Unless we can think of something downright clever..."

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2001 23:13:00 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

[Well, if I could just get a bunch of time-traveling transformers to join
the merry band...oh wait, nevermind!]

Jinx ponders for a moment and looks over at Ken's gut before speaking,
"Hmmm. Do you think the device inside Ken's got enough juice to put this
bastard out of commission as far as powers go? I mean, I'd think it would
since Ken's supposedly pretty damn badass himself."

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 02:14:45 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

Gunslinger clicks his boots together and takes off like a...well like a guy
with rocket boots.

> (snip moebius rant / sweep assault)

Weaving in and out of the beams, he manages to get missed...call it what you
will, but he calls it luck.

"Looks like someone's brought out the big toys. Who's controlling these RC
versions of Rock'em, Sock'em robots?"
He takes careful aim at one of the robots and channels his energy through
his shotgun.

"Mobieus! Get ready to do what you do. shoot warning shots at them huh."  He
snickers as he fires.

(Firing a gravitational blast at whatever robot is closer, he attempts to
give the thing it' own gravitational field and suck the other three right
into it..making it easier for pot shots and whatnot.....38 for aim and 55
for effect, you know what you need to do with the rolls denny....)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 11:13:09 EDT
From: EmarZero@aol.com
Reply-To: v13@yahoogroups.com
To: v13@yahoogroups.com

(OOC: Jesus, you rule, Denny.  I just wanted to take a moment to share that
with the group.)

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 14:43:36 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

OOC: So I messed up and thought the other deals transformed...so shoot me
huh

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 20:52:29 -0000
From: "Rebound ." <v13Rebound@hotmail.com>

Rebound stop short in his tracks, utterly stunned by the prospect.  "You
mean I don't have to level every door and shatter every window in the entire
building?  Now THAT sounds like a plan...just don't put us in the middle of
a forest.  One snort and instant inferno if you catch my drift.  Anyone mind
the cold terribly?  Maybe it would slow the beastie down."

Rebound turns his attention towards Magus, and after pausing for a
shockingly long thought, manages to utter the deepest, most mind-boggling,
perplexing, and significant question, "Do you think it'll work?" (Truly a
question the sages will record in the scrolls of time)

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2001 18:12:32 -0500
From: Charlie S Clay Jr <cclayjr2@juno.com>

"You know I like cold."  Stone Cold said.  "Perhaps we could try
something?"

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 17:21:38 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Dick looks at you, then at Ken, then at Ken's stomach, then back at you.
"I don't think so.  You see, the kind of technology that the Normalcy
Squad utilizes works against standard power sources, yes, but not the
likes of us psis - it's hard to negate hard-learned natural talents."

"It'd be like using a device to negate your skill with guns - it's just
trickier, you see, than giving off odd radiation that deactivates super
human powers; don't ask me why, I didn't make that up... the guy that
told me that is in that hospital right now, sniffing up clues."

"'N stuff."

He then proceeds to climb up the nearest lamp post, spiraling down, and
then repeats until you respond... seems like he's got a rather SHORT
attention span, this one.

!

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 17:39:54 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

You take your pot shot at the center 'Sweep', and tag it with a special
energy beam that dramatically increases the gravitic forces the thing
exudes; in fact, you manage to give it a gravity field so powerful that
it indeed attracts the others onto it, diverting their course.

The big gaggle of four stuck-together hovercraft try to continue on
steering towards yourself, but don't quite manage it - especially after
Moebius chucks this eldritch, emerald lightning bolt at the things,
hitting one of them square in the, well, the front.

"Warning shot... hmph," says Moebius, though you could swear you heard
her mutter something else about a plum or a dumpster, you're not quite
sure what.  Meanwhile, as the Sweeps spin out of control, the three
trapped in the other's g-field struggle mightily to break free.

Of course, their efforts seem to grind up the gravitically endowed one
rather well, causing it to cease functioning.  it then drops to the
ground, pulling the other three down with it.  At that point, two of
them do, indeed transform into large robots.

They look QUITE similar to the one that directed them at you,
Gunslinger, but at the same time different somehow.  At any rate, they
both have large pistols in hand (that seemingly came from nowhere), and
look ready to fire at you in retaliation for your perfidy.

"Fleshling scum!  We will smear you upon the road with our very feet!"
Though ready to shoot, they are tromping towards you nonetheless, slowly
dragging their smashed up friends along (the one you g'd and the one
Moebius shot, who can't seem to change shape now).

"*Sigh*,", says Moebius.  "See where your road rage gets you?"

?

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 17:47:13 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Having apparently recovered enough from being cold-cocked and put on
ice, Och finally speaks up as the rest of you talk about plans for the
immediate future.  "That is a good idea, Masque, as I would prefer to
fight away from innocent bystanders."

"Of course, the trick is whether or not the dragon will take the bait."

Just then, the gecko blows a gasket.

"I will NOT!  You cannot fool me with your simple flim-flammery!  I am
mighty!  I will destroy you all, unless you set me free at once!  For I
am not a mere enlarged gecko, but INDEED the foe which you seek to
destroy with your shady maneuvers and shoddy tactics!"

"You will RUE THE DAY!"

Noticing that you don't seem to be buying it, the gecko then shuts up.

(of course, there seems to be a general consensus amongst you all as to
what you should do next, but the simple question is what DO you do?)

(oh, and to answer your question, Rebound, you don't manage to find any
big weapons here... mostly small arms and... personal fighting weapons.)

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 17:58:57 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Jinx frowns and scratches her head, pondering the situation.

"Hmmm...OK...there goes one suggestion. Hmmm...hey, can you get us to
someplace less populated? Say like the Salt Flats or some other place with
nothing for miles and miles and miles around? If so then we can get Ken to
puke up that thing in his stomach and go from there. Any more of your
buddies wanna throw in and see if we can take down this guy? I might be able
to get ahold of some other friends, but I have no idea if they're already
occupied."

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 18:07:04 -0500
From: Firebomb <firebomb@technohol.com>

Dick looks at you from on high and smiles.  "Of course we can get him
out to some sort of uninhabited area... we just need to appropriate the
proper transport in order to do so.  A chartered plane ride out there
should be rather easy, just a matter of going through the motions."

"I can also rustle up as many Mindwatch guys as we can spare right now,
to meet us there.  As far as your friends go, I'm all for it - the more
the merrier, after all, since I'm sure we'll have to beat the crud out
of our psionic foe before we can get rid of him again."

Dick hops off the pole and then gives you a card.  "Call me when you
figure out if you can get your friends in on this... I'll be at the
hospital mopping up with my fellow ops."  With that he runs off in the
direction of said hospital, since no cabs seem be handy just yet.

Now what?

Subject: Re: [v13] Puzzle Palace Shenanigans
Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2001 19:24:31 -0500
From: "Albedo" <albedo1@home.com>

Shortly thereafter she'd give Och's place a call and leave a message with
her cell phone number. If could remember or find anyone else's number, she'd
call them, too, letting them know what was going down.

"Alright, Ken. I've done my part. Any other suggestions before we hook up
with Mindwatch?" she'd ask Ken.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 13:37:11 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Magus turns away and gazes about the room at nothing in particular in
thought at the question.

> Masque thinks for a moment. Drools for a second and
> scrathes his ass for a bit.

    Mercifully the otherworldly warrior mage was not capable of seeing
Masque's current actions as he began to open his mouth to speak.

    Only to be unknowingly cut off by the ramblings of Masque.

> "I think we should lure the dragon outta the city. We don't
> exactly want any collatoral damage or casualties here in
> the city. We have what it want's. It's Lackey and this
> abomination."

> Masque holds up the severed hand.

    Turning to face the others again Magus begins to speak once more only to
have the severed hand thrust before him as Masque displays it proudly to
everyone.

> "I can get us into the country and all we have to do is wait
> or call it out or something. Maybe we can tie up a goat or
> something. That's how they trick a tyrannosauras rex into
> coming out. I saw it, I did."

    Taking a deep, calming breath; a task that is becoming all too frequent
around the eccentricitys of Masque; Magus centers his thought as he attempts
to speak once more on the matter.

> Rebound stop short in his tracks, utterly stunned by the prospect.

    Only to be silenced quite innocently by the sudden halt of Rebound in
front of him.

> "You mean I don't have to level every door and shatter every
> window in ths entire building?  Now THAT sounds like a plan...just
> don't put us in the middle of a forest.  One snort and instant inferno
> if you catch my drift.  Anyone mind the cold terribly?  Maybe it
> would slow the beastie down."

    Raising his hand slightly Magus tenaciously strives to answer any of the
multitude of questions being bandied about the room.

    Of course he's stopped before he can begin as the masked face of Rebound
spins to face him directly.

> Rebound turns his attention towards Magus, and after pausing for
> a shockingly long thought, manages to utter the deepest, most
> mind-boggling, perplexing, and significant question, "Do you think
> it'll work?"

    With an internal explosion of joyousness Magus begins to speak only to
be cut off yet again by Och.

> Having apparently recovered enough from being cold-cocked and put on
> ice, Och finally speaks up as the rest of you talk about plans for the
> immediate future.  "That is a good idea, Masque, as I would prefer to
> fight away from innocent bystanders."

    Closing his eyes slowly Magus silently prays to his Gods.

> "Of course, the trick is whether or not the dragon will take the bait."
>
> Just then, the gecko blows a gasket.

    "I..," Magus answers futilely as the gecko seems to have had enough.

> "I will NOT!  You cannot fool me with your simple flim-flammery!  I am
> mighty!  I will destroy you all, unless you set me free at once!  For I
> am not a mere enlarged gecko, but INDEED the foe which you seek to
> destroy with your shady maneuvers and shoddy tactics!"

    Calmly and with a deliberate stride Magus crosses the short distance
between himself and the familiar.

> "You will RUE THE DAY!"

    Glaring at the lizard's overreaction to everything said so far Magus
contemplates whether it would be worth killing the infantile nuisance.

> Noticing that you don't seem to be buying it, the gecko then shuts up.

    Pleased that it chose not to to push it's point further Magus only
reaches out carefully and thumps the gecko on the top of it's head with a
flick of his finger.

    Turning to look at Rebound, Masque and the others Magus speaks
regardless of whomever decides to retort, "I agree that if it is possible to
lure the wyrm from this village that we should do so. The cold may be
effective against her but it will also hamper the majority of everyone here.
Perhaps there is an island that you know of that we could use as our
battlefield? The water around it would be in our favor although the open
skies would be in her's. Then we could consider a cavern of  some size to
accommodate us all. That would reduce her mobility significantly although we
would then be fighting a cornered wyrm of fairly great power in an enclosed
space. Cornered prey always fights more viciously. You all know this world
quite more intimately than I do so I leave the decision in your hands."

    Satisfied that he has finally spoken his peace Magus reaches over his
shoulder to reach into the weathered, leather pack attached there. Producing
a strip of dried meat a moment later he proceeds to devour it rather
quickly.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 19:18:56 -0500
From: cclayjr2@juno.com

"You all mind if I have barbarqued lizard?  He Och do you think any of
these weapons are magical???"  Stone Cold asks.  "You never know??"

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 19:50:07 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

"Bwahahahahhahhaha-hahahha-ahhahhahah-ahhahhahah!"
Masque stands back up and still shaking for the fact of giggling to himself
and trying to avoid Stone cold's eyes, for fear of wetting himself; opens a
portal to...Island X.

"Hee-now-hehe--if you all would kindl---hehe--kindly step
through... hhehehhehehehbwahahahahahhahahahahhahh -- hah-ahhahahhahahhahhaha!"
Masque dabs his tear stricken eyes with some robe.

Subject: Re: [v13] Chrysler Building Assault
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 20:50:10 -0400
From: "Nathan Gecko" <nathangecko@yahoo.com>

    Glancing sharply at the threat to the 'lizard' Magus realizes quickly
the target was the prisoner.

    Magus shakes his head slightly at the idea considering the quality of
the weapons themselves.

>"Bwahahahahhahhaha-hahahha-ahhahhahah-ahhahhahah!"
>Masque stands back up and still shaking for the fact of giggling to himself
>and trying to avoid Stone cold's eyes, for fear of wetting himself; opens a
>portal to...Island X.

    Although thanks to the contagiousness of Masque's cackling a slightly
amused smile crosses the dragon-kin's features.

Subject: Re: [v13] A Beginning... (Gunslinger)
Date: Sat, 14 Jul 2001 20:42:19 -0500
From: "Christopher Acers" <cacers@home.com>

Gunslinger smiles;
"That's right bitch!"

> (snip stuff)

Gunslinger hovers in the air, thinking for a moment.
"Blast, I was afraid of that."
He glances down to Mobeius and shouts,
"Nice shot woman, one hell of a warning. We'll talk later about plum
dumpsters."

> (snip scourge speak)

Gunslinger wastes no time in reacting. He aims the shotgun and fires a force
blast directly in the center of the walking tin cans.
Hoping that sheer force and an expedient defeat of these things will quit
them of their intrusion, he wonders why, in his travels, he has never seen
these things before.

(1 for intiative...one is a one is a one.fuggin thing...54 for aim and 35
for effect........damn things....thats what i get for being cocky)

> "*Sigh*,", says Moebius.  "See where your road rage gets you?"

"It's not the road that makes me angry, it's having to travel by road that
does it."
