You all find yourselves in a large bank in New York, a large bank, the year is 2016, but this is an alternate Earth, hence why other humanoids exist and stuff. You do not have your stuff with you, except for anything that can be easily concealed, all your other stuff is at your house, the place has no metal detector, so you don't have to worry about if your small weapons are metal are not, if it is something than can easily be concealed, you have it with you. You will be sucked into a time paradox shortly, but you will be teleported to your house first, so that it makes sense that you grabbed your stuff. There are 5 bank tellers 4 NPC customers, 4 different financial advisers/accountants, with their own offices. There are 3 tables in the main room with 4 chairs to a table. A snack and soda machine to the far right. And that is just the first floor, yes it is a 2-story bank.
Edit: You cannot leave the bank, because you all have an appointment of some sort, you decide what it is and your character won't leave, and something will happen before you get to your appointment that will make it almost impossible for you to leave, though it is possible to leave the bank once that event happens.
Nate fishes his gatorade out of the vending machine and sits back on one of the benches, leaning back and sipping the blue liquid. The white human has a strong jaw, a clean shaven face, and curly dirty blonde hair. He's in great shape with a lean athlete's body and has an easygoing smile.
Today he is wearing his street uniform, but his stripes show him as a high ranking police officer. He pulls out a scratchpad as he glances around the bank, making a few notes. I hope this security consult is worth the trip. Not even metal detectors. He flips the page. Oh well, at least I got to visit my great aunt Aubrey.
Schwartz enters the bank. He calmly looks around the room, assessing his setting. He walks purposefully up to the nearest bank employee who is not currently occupied with a customer. The designs carved into his metallic body occasionally glint in the overhead fluorescent light. If he had been human, he'd probably have been considered fairly attractive with his lean, agile body. However, something about his eyes is vaguely unnerving. Maybe it's the fact that they're entirely green. Or maybe it's the complete lack of emotion in them. Something just seems off compared to all the organic beings around him.
"Excuse me, but where might I find a Mr. James Cassidy? I have an appointment with him."
If he's asked what his business with Mr. Cassidy is, he says the following:
"I've been asked to help assess the bank's safety deposit box security.
Edit:
you only have to worry about cocealing weapons and armor.
whatever reason u want 2 be there u can, but u can't actually steal until actual gameplay. u don't lose or gain items during dicussion.
And to Nathanial, you don't subtract any coinage from the purchase of that gatorade.
Off in the corner of the bank is a rather short fellow in a heavy yellowish colored robe with strawberry colored red hair and a heavy beard with 2 rings holding it in place and a mustache all well maintained as if its an important part of his clothing.
A man of the church you guess judging bye the robes although you can't identify the particular religion.
He appears to be speaking with a bank employee, you can faintly overhear
"Yes," the short man says "I'm hear to check the security of the bank for the purposes of placing church funds in this bank, who might I speak with on this subject?"
Nate looks up from his pad with a smile. His voice is a thickly accented Australian. "Schwartz, right? James mentioned yoos. I'm Commander Torken, but just call me Nate. Brought me in for general consultin' on security, yoos must be the lock specialist." He shakes the Android's hand when the dwarf walks in. "Oi it's a rage now! Didn't realize thin's were gonna get so lively today. Commander Torken, call me Nate." With the same friendly smile he crosses to shake the dwarf's hand.
Schwartz shakes Nate's hand.
"Indeed, Mr. Cassidy asked me to come in to inspect the locks. Generally I prefer a more...realistic method of assessing security, without the building manager's knowledge. But as I'm sure you can imagine, this makes some clients rather uneasy. But they're the ones paying, so they get to pick how to use me."
The dwarf shakes the tall humans hand firmly and says "Good to meet ya lad, the names Edrec."
"If you've heard my conversation earlier then you know that my church is looking to place a church in this area" Edrec continues with "and we need a bank to place some of our relics till it opens"
"Along with the money the mother church gives our branch churches to maintain themselves" Edrec finally says.
Aleumoth walks into the bank once again with a dejected air. He nods to the police officer who's name he couldn't seem to remember, and walked over to a table to await his appointment.
I just can't do it anymore. My dad wants me to be a watchmaker, but I can't even get close to his level of workmanship. Maybe if I can get that loan I can get a business started up. Maybe a bakery?
Aleumoth coughs into his sleeve and pulls out his watch to continue to admire the craftsmanship. Glancing at his sleeve, and seeing that it now has blood in it he quickly wipes away the blood using a handkerchief and throws it away.
Nate laughs at the androids quip. "Well yoos aren't doin' much help if yoos don't tell them you're there!" He turns to the dwarf. "Interestin', what church do yoos come from?"
"You haven't heard of it Mr. Torken most likely," Edrec says, "but if you really must know my church is the oldest religion on the planet"
Edrec coughs "The church of the sun"
"I'm also not doing much help if the security they show me isn't the security they really have. I find that too many managers try to impress by making sure to show their flashiest gadgets and best guards. But if their people are forgetful and don't turn on the gadgets or if the guard is tired or lulled into a false sense of security from a long, uneventful night shift..." His voice trails off, and he shrugs slightly.
Upon hearing the dwarf's replay, Schwartz turns to him. "Is that so? This seems a most practical choice to me. The sun provides energy and warmth, but it can also kill if you do not take the proper precautions. It stands to reason that you should give it respect."
They had let him out of the tank nearly a month ago, constantly transporting him between a cell and an infirmiry where they had restimulated his unused muscles. "Remarkable" is what they had said of his acclamaiton. Able to stand to walk and speak so quickly after seventeen years in a stasis tank.
Today his doctor had left him in the infirmiry. There had been a pair of clothes and a leather pouch full of paper, money he guessed. Leaving the compound it seemed abandoned, his bare feet echoing down the concrete halls. The cameras still moved though, he had to run.
Fleeing in a panic he had burst through an unlocked door onto a busy city street. The door shut behind him and a large CLICK could be heard.
Nearly passing out from the shock, he walked down the street, oh gods there were still nano tubes protruding from his golden nearly transclucent skin. Stopping at a nearby market of somekind, he bought a pair of shoes and a grey coat and hat with the money. He was trying not to panic, trying not to loose the magic. Leaving a quizzical clerk behind him he took to the streets once more.
Down the street he spied a large stone building, a "bank" as it were, it looked like a castle, perhaps he would be safe there. He didn't want to use the identification that was in the wallet, they gave it to him, marked with the forboding name Imperius. That was who he was, he was the Imperius Project. He had to risk it.
Entering the bank, Imperius nervously walked up to the counter, hoping the people in here just thought him jaundiced and didn't look to closely.
Sliding his ID card across the counter he ventured "Am I a customer here?"
"Indeed sir it gives and takes" Edrec states "and it does so without compassion or regret"
"The church keeps a low profile these days" He continues "A lot of other religions call us crackpots or depraved devil worshippers."
"Yet I won't get into a philosophical discussion with you right now," frowning and finishing his statement "Perhaps at some later date I could enlighten you further."
Seems more like the oldest religion off the planet." He laughs. Nate gives the newcomer an eye as he walks in, then begins paying a bit more attention at the odd question.
The bank teller hands back his ID card, "No sir, you are not a customer here." he responds.
Walking away from the counter the, Imperius looks dejected and the clerk eyes him suspiciously.
"I am with you my son." the power speaks in his mind. To any who looked closely they could see rivers of blue energy running beneath the surface of his skin.
Putting a hand to his head, Imperius pushed off the madness. Seeing a group of onlookers he meekly asks "Where am I?"
Aleumoth sees the man who also seems to be having a problem and he walks up and offers his hand.
"Your in New York's largest bank. You don't seem like your from around here so let me help out."
Aleumoth goes over to the vending machine and gets Imperius a water. Walking back he hands it over.
"Here you go, this might help out. My name's Aleumoth, and you are?"
"Excuse me mates, I'll be right back." Nate takes a couple steps over to the odd man with blue energy in his skin. He runs through the different races he has dealt with, but can't come up with anything he remembers. "New York, as he says. You know what year it's?" He peers into the eyes of the man, seeing if he's under any influence.
Schwartz appears puzzled by Edrec's statement. "I look forward to it. Perhaps then you could explain further why people would look to an invisible being whose existence they have no proof of over the sun, which none would deny the existence of. I am Schwartz, by the way." He gives a slight bow.
He looks to where Nate has directed his attention. He tilts his head to one side slightly, unsure what about this new human had grabbed the officer's attention. He certainly did not seem threatening or look like he was casing the joint.
"Has your hard drive been erased? I know a man who is quite skilled at retrieving lost data."
A man approached him and offers him a water, Imperius takes a careful sip, his hands shaking.
"New York, you say...My name? My name. I..I am Project Imperius." Imperius looks at the ID card in his hand, it say New York, but no real name.
"Thank you for this...Aleumoth" Imperius looks into the eyes of his helper, searching for signs of recognition, whether or not he is one of "them".
Aluemoth nods to Imperius.
"Don't worry about it Imperius. My father always told me to help out people who needed it. It might also help if you sit down for a bit. Sometimes your memories can get messed up in this heat."
Aluemoth glances over at Nathanial.
"It's 2016 anybody can tell you that, and I don't think it's fair to question a guy about something trivial like that when he might need to just rest for a bit. This heat is killer sometimes."
As a seeming crowd approaches him, Imperius grows defensive in posture, backing away and eyeing suspicously. "The year?" Imperius searches his memories for any mark of time or date and comes up blank with the exception of what he heard from the scientists.
"It is three cylces from the convergence." he says weakly. "I am not a machine...I don't think.." He responds to the android.
He begins to mumble, gaining an introspective look on his face. "They want to take. Take! it away from me. HAHA. NO. They cannot extract it. Not without the nightmare. no." he shudders. Anyone standing close to him can hear this if they're paying attention.
Sitting at Aleumoth's promting, he drinks some more of the water. "Father. Father! Are you there?"
I am here, the arcane is with you my son. the voice responds in his head.
Walks over to the lad with the golden skin and asks "Excuse me sir are you injured?"
The wise looking dwarfs eyes sparkle as he ask this question.
"I have a multitude of powers that might heal some of your injuries."
Edrec states unequivocally.
Reaching into his robes he pulls out what appears to be a very large pure gold sun holy symbol on a chain of stainless steel.
Looking at the dwarf, "I am not injured in anyway that you can help." he replies in a defeated voice.
Looking at the Dwarf and seeing that he is a holy man. Imperius's eyes begin to glow golden with blue arcane light behind them. He searches the dwarf's very soul.
Seeing that Imperius is getting a bit scared from all the attention Aleumoth makes sure that Imperius's seat is the closest to the exit, and he also makes sure to stay within eyesight at all times.
"Don't worry friend whoever "they" are they won't be able to act here unless they fancy going up against a cop."
Aleumoth thinks about what else he could do to help.
"Do you need anything to eat? I could go get something for you."
Not a machine? What does that have to do with anything? Perhaps his hard drive is more damaged than I thought.
He shakes his head. Getting bored by the man's ramblings, Schwartz starts looking around, this time more carefully. He tries to assess weak points and come up with how he would rob the place if he were still doing that sort of thing.
Nate looks at Aleumoth. For the first time Nate does not give a friendly smile when he meets somebody. "That's exactly the point of the question." He glances around at the gathering crowd and sees Imperius shying down. He stands protectively in front of him. "Ok, let's give the man some room ta breath." Nate hands a few coins to Aleumoth. "Some tucker is a bonzer idea, do me a favor and go get somethin'." Nate sits down next to Imperious; close enough to show he cares about the man's plight, but not uncomfortably close. With his caring eyes and gentle redirection of the crowd he is a reassuring presence and an edge of experience. He lets the odd glowing man sit for a moment in silence to drink in the air conditioning, calming down his heart rate and cooling off. After a little stretch Nate says quietly "What is they are tryin' ta take away from yoos? And who are they? Is it your father?" He asks with a firm voice that says he is calm about the situation but isn't trying to pry. "I'm a police officer. That means it's me job ta help people in need. I'm just tryin' ta help yoos here."
"I have never eaten, but perhaps would like to." Imperius perks up at the mention of food, he is excited about the concept.
Taking a deep breath, Imperius forces a moment of clarity upon himself. "They are trying to take the voice and the power, what I am. They are scientists, Tim, Jeet, Alfanse, Cynthia, are the latest. My father is unseen and with me. I will be fine, I must rest and acess my situation. Officer, what are you all doing here?"
Nate nods, trying to understand the situation. "So what exactly is your voice and your power?" He gestures to each person in turn, introducing them. "Several of us are here ta help improve the security of the buildin'. I aint sure what that bloke is here for though. Probably a customer of the bank." He says, finishing at Aleumoth.
Aleumoth nods at Imperius.
"Okay I be back with something sweet."
Aleumoth goes over and gets some sweet food from the vending machine and also a sandwich just in case Imperius needs something for settling his stomach after having something sweet. He also gets a sandwich for the cop as well.
"Here you go. Try to take it slow okay?"
"Ok since we are introducing ourselves I'm Edrec Rocksmasher humble dwarf cleric of the sun." he states.
Nate accepts the sandwich, the smile finally appearing for Aleumoth. "Thanks mate." Bloke's just tryin' ta help. Gotta remember this ain't me district either.
"I am a watchmaker apprentice. Nothing special really."
"Your in New York's largest bank.
Cover
To determine whether your target has cover from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target's square passes through a square or border that blocks line of effect or provides cover, or through a square occupied by a creature, the target has cover (+4 to AC).
When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has cover if any line from any corner of your square to the target's square goes through a wall (including a low wall). When making a melee attack against a target that isn't adjacent to you (such as with a reach weapon), use the rules for determining cover from ranged attacks.
Low Obstacles and Cover: A low obstacle (such as a wall no higher than half your height) provides cover, but only to creatures within 30 feet (6 squares) of it. The attacker can ignore the cover if he's closer to the obstacle than his target.
Cover and Attacks of Opportunity: You can't execute an attack of opportunity against an opponent with cover relative to you.
Cover and Reflex Saves: Cover grants you a +2 bonus on Reflex saves against attacks that originate or burst out from a point on the other side of the cover from you. Note that spread effects can extend around corners and thus negate this cover bonus.
Cover and Stealth Checks: You can use cover to make a Stealth check. Without cover, you usually need concealment (see below) to make a Stealth check.
Soft Cover: Creatures, even your enemies, can provide you with cover against ranged attacks, giving you a +4 bonus to AC. However, such soft cover provides no bonus on Reflex saves, nor does soft cover allow you to make a Stealth check.
Big Creatures and Cover: Any creature with a space larger than 5 feet (1 square) determines cover against melee attacks slightly differently than smaller creatures do. Such a creature can choose any square that it occupies to determine if an opponent has cover against its melee attacks. Similarly, when making a melee attack against such a creature, you can pick any of the squares it occupies to determine if it has cover against you.
Partial Cover: If a creature has cover, but more than half the creature is visible, its cover bonus is reduced to a +2 to AC and a +1 bonus on Reflex saving throws. This partial cover is subject to the GM's discretion.
Total Cover: If you don't have line of effect to your target (that is, you cannot draw any line from your square to your target's square without crossing a solid barrier), he is considered to have total cover from you. You can't make an attack against a target that has total cover.
Improved Cover: In some cases, such as attacking a target hiding behind an arrowslit, cover may provide a greater bonus to AC and Reflex saves. In such situations, the normal cover bonuses to AC and Reflex saves can be doubled (to +8 and +4, respectively). A creature with this improved cover effectively gains improved evasion against any attack to which the Reflex save bonus applies. Furthermore, improved cover provides a +10 bonus on Stealth checks.
Seems like this is moving fast, if anyone wants, we can advance gameplay onto tonight? But only if all agree.
Edit: first counter is predetermined, but I'm going to use this random dice roll to determine 2nd encounter, I already know some monsters I'm using, but for other monsters I'm using dice. For example, if I was using monsters with a cr of 2 and I roll a 25 on a d100, then I would use the 25th monster on the CR2 list.
also, to make it easier on me, put your AC's and init where I can see them. I roll for party init to make the game go faster. Damage reductions if any where I can see them.
Sounds good DM. My stat line is updated.