"Necessary Evil" - supervillains save the world!

Game Master ZenFox42

Enkidu, who had spent most of the last week in his room, looking a bit like death on the few occasions he was seen emerging, in his sickly looking teenage body, and only to be heard vomiting loudly and continuously the rest of the time. By the time this mission was assigned, he was just barely starting to come around once more.

He is quiet during the ride to Japan, pretty much keeping to himself.

At the foot of the mountain he looks to see if anyone else needs a lift up; if they do, he turns into a massively shaggy but surefooted yak, the type common to asian stereotypes, complete with authentic yak smell! Eyeing whomever is awaiting the help, he waits until they climb on and then makes his way condidently up the path. If no one desires a lift, he changes into a tiny songbird, and flies to the top alone.

Angel, riding the air currents, stays within sight of the bulk of the party but keeps her eyes peeled for possible attacks.

Eventually everyone gets up to the end of the path, which ends at the doors to a high-walled monastery, with huge double-doors. There's a gong on a stand next to the door, with a stick with a cloth wrapped around one end leaning up against the stand.

What do you do?

What do you do?

"Always wanted to do this!"

Glad to see you back Big E

Wolf Spider stares at the gong and the wall and looks at the group. He stands on the wall and gestures to it.

"Guys... it's just a wall..." he says. "Do we really need to ask for an invitation?"

Angel lands before the wall. "Etiquette dictates that we ring the gong, I would suspect." So saying, she picks up the mallet and bangs it against the gong.

"You're right, guys. Etiquette -would- dictate that we sit here patiently and just...wait." Thomas' voice states from somewhere.

"So, of course that means I should start scouting around. Later looooooseeeers."

Tom goes intangible...

Spirit!: 1d10 ⇒ 5
[dice= "Wild Die! What are you doing with my pants?!?" "Shhhhh. Bobby's not here. He'll never know...."]d6[/dice]

...and sticks his head inside.

With the gong rung, Toxic sits back and waits for a moment to see if Monolith would come to us.

These guys are going to probably be kung fu super weapons.

Thomas sees a monk in saffron-colored robes emerge from the building closest to the door, and approach the door.

About a minute after the gong is rung, the door opens up and the monk says
something in a foreign language, then when he gets no response says politely in English (with an accent) "Hello, may I help you?"

These guys are going to probably be kung fu super weapons.

Sucker bet. Few RPG's would pass on this stereotype.

"Good morning. I hope we are not disturbing you. My associates and I are here to speak with a gentleman who used to go by the name 'Monolith'. I understand he has retired here. We are loathe to intrude but our business is unfortunately as important as it is fortunately brief."

Jack waits, smiling.

Good thing you responded. Angel isn't much on diplomacy. She probably would have said, "Bring us the being known as Monolith."

Good thing you responded. Angel isn't much on diplomacy. She probably would have said, "Bring us the being known as Monolith."

Oh I expect this to all go south faster than a Sherman's march reenactment. Jack's largely stalling to give Thomas time to scout. That and there is always the small hope that this will end in tea and conversation rather than getting kicked in the future generations.

The monk responds politely "Monolith does not see anyone. He is here under our protection and guidance. It is right and natural that Monolith stay with us. Please leave." And he goes to shut the door.

Jack gently places his hand on the door. Gently, but firmly (Str d10).

"I understand. We have no wish to disturb Mr. Monolith or to disrupt the life in this monastery. However we did not come here on a trivial errand."
"We found out that Mr. Monolith is here. It was not difficult. Since it was not difficult that means the V'sori either know or will know very soon."
"The V'sori are very interested in people like Mr. Monolith. They want to understand them better, generally through dissection. They will come for him. The V'sori will not ask to speak with Mr. Monolioth. They will take him."
"You and the others will resist. That will be a challenge to their authority. The V'sori do not tolerate challenges to their authority."

"You will do a good deal of damage to local forces, but you will loose and the V'sori will have Monolith. If by some miracle you defeat or stalemate the local forces then you become an embarrassment to the high command. The V'sori do not tolerate embarrassments."

"The high command will then either commit enough forces to overrun this place. Or, and I think this is more likely, cut their losses and simply obliterate this monastery, Mr. Monolith, and most of this mountain with an orbital strike. The death toll will not concern them."

"Your only chance, your monasteries only chance, and your guests only chance if for him to come with us. When the V'sori come, you let them in, they search, they find nothing, they leave and you are still here doing good."

"I expect they are not that far behind us."

PS. This is Jack's argument to the doormonk, the abbot(ess), and to Monolith. As I do not expect Doormonk to have the authority to give us what we want. Jack will happily reveal that Monolith will be under Dr. D's protection and point out that D is heading one of the few effective resistance movements and so represents M's best chance for safety.
Jack will also happily reveal the collar. Telling M (or the Abbot(ess), Doormonk does not rate this info) that it is a power damper as Dr. D understands that M is having trouble controlling his powers and it is a long flight to where we are going.

PSS. I suppose this constitutes a threat? Give us Monolith or you lose everything. Admittedly it would not be us doing the damage but it is still motivating through fear. If it matters, Intimidate, wild: 1d4 ⇒ 31d6 ⇒ 4

I'm really glad I'm not playing the wordy character in this game, Jack has got some great material.

"So...what do you suppose our dear Thomas is up to?" Beta asks Dark Angel as he touches down next to her. Gamma and Alpha remain skyborne for now, keeping watch of any V'sori scouts if Jack's predictions came true.

Wolf Spider continues to sit on the wall, one hand on his chin and his elbow resting on his knee.

... Jack has got some great material.

Why thank you kind gentlemen. All I tend to wordy so if anyone ever feels stepped on please let me know and I will reel it in.

I'm actually enjoying not having to be the face character for once.

Aaaaand the website just ate a post that was long, thougthful, and had Taoist quotes in it. So now you get the short version. =p

Thomas becomes visible and walks out from behind Dark Angel.

Spirit!: 1d10 ⇒ 10
Spirit ACE!!: 1d10 ⇒ 4
Wild spirit: 1d6 ⇒ 4

"My colleague is right, and the forces we represent are ready to bring light back to the planet. When the sun is rising, not all the wishes of Man can hold it back. Let us see him and let him choose his own path."

Persuasivalicious!: 1d10 ⇒ 8
Persuading with mah WILD thang!: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Persuading with mah WILD thang ACE!!: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Persuading with mah WILD thang ACE ACE!!!: 1d6 ⇒ 4 = 16

The monk looks at Jack and Thomas and says "Monolith has been here for a decade. If the V'sori knew about him and cared, they would have been here long ago. I repeat, it is right and natural that he stay here. Now please *leave*" and shuts the door in your face.

Thomas - despite the amazing roll, he was already Hostile to letting you in, and with your Success and Raise(s), you merely made him Neutral (and still unwilling to let you in).

What do you do?

Wolf spider tilts his head. "Well, that went better than I expected." he says, standing up on the wall and walking towards the top. "I've gotta hand it to you Thomas, that was an impressive speech."

Wolf Spider perches on the top of the wall and watches the monk make his way back inside.

..... and shuts the door in your face.

um...

Jack gently places his hand on the door. Gently, but firmly (Str d10).

Was it unclear that Jack would resist the door closing? Sorry sometimes I am too obscure for my own good.

------------------------------------

If the door stays open....

"I understand, and agree that it is right and natural that Mr. Monolith stays here. I will be more than happy to leave you undisturbed, as soon as Mr. Monolith confirms, in person, that he wishes to stay here."

"I am sure your superiors wish to avoid the disruption inherent in our misguided rescue attempt should we mistakenly conclude that you are holding the gentleman against his will. Now please escort us to see Mr. Monolith, we will speak with him and be on our way."

-------------------------------------

If the door is closed...

[b"]Doctor, if you would be so kind as to remove this door?"[/b]

Followed by the open door conversation or ultraviolence as the situation dictates.

Angel's hand moves to her sword at the monk's belligerence. "Diplomacy has failed. It is the time for action."

Alpha, Beta, and Gamma have placed their hands to their guns, ready for a fight.

I say we play through as though the door closed. It's what the GM said and it actually plays in to my Master Plan. MUHAHAHAHAH!

Tom scowls at Jack. "Always in haste are you. Mmmm, wars not make one great, mmm? Adventure, hah. Excitement, hah. A Jedi craves not these things.
If you would just hold on for a tic, we can do "action" without also destroying an impossibly old door. Just...stay here and don't break anything for 2 whole minutes."

Assuming that goes as planned....

Tom comes back a minute later and says, "Alright. Here's what we do...."

He gathers everyone in a huddle and starts whispering. It involves waiting until nightfall and then Tom flies everyone over the wall. Then they go talk to Monolith and no one has to break a door, Jack.

He gathers everyone in a huddle and starts whispering. It involves waiting until nightfall and then Tom flies everyone over the wall. Then they go talk to Monolith and no one has to break a door, Jack.

This is a lousy plan. Some of us can get over the wall on our own and it's just silly for us to get carried by Tom.

I assumed that was obvious. No need to mention it unless you actually wanted me to type out "Everyone gets flown over, except the people who can move themselves over the wall so they are of course able to go over themselves but then the people who can -not- go over by themselves can be transported by Tom, , or by some other person who can get over by themselves be it whom they chose, or it could be Tom, but it can be any person they wish, it can even by Doc Toxic, if we chooses, and you ask, and he agrees, and he can get over by himself, then we can have a mutually-agreeable transport or locomotion of a mutually agreed upon and not forced or vexated transportation come this nightfall."
But that seemed like a lot of work.

It is already night. Pre-dawn to be exact.

"Do we all have to be inside? The goal of the mission is to 'convince this man, is it not? The only reason why strength of numbers would matter is if we were planning on forcing him to join."

"I thought we were told to bring him with us. His opinion is irrelevant."

Thomas shoots his finger at Nature. "Exactamundo. That, Alpha, is why we all go in. Yes, I'm going to try and convince him. Or, rather, that old monk we just talked to is going to try and convince him, just this time he'll be a lot more persuasive. And good looking. And a -much- bigger penis.

If you guys are there you can help with the talking. And if the talking doesn't work then we'll make with the "Yo' opinion be alls irrelevant" an' stuff."

Jack - sorry, I was so absorbed by your dialogue that I completely missed the plain-text opening statement. Let's just say that you had an opposed roll, and lost, since so many things have progressed assuming the door was closed.

Thomas - what you did in the spoiler worked out just as you wanted it to.

So, the day passes without incident, and at nightfall those who can get themselves over the wall do so, and those who can't are helped by Thomas.

...except Intangibility says "Other beings carried by the character do not become intangible and are dropped" without the Tag-Along modifier, which I don't see in your character sheet. I suppose Angel could fly the others over the wall, since Flight doesn't say anything about weight limits.

You're all in the outer compound, what do you do?

"Alright now, everyone. Shhhhhh."

Tom leads everyone over to wherever-the-hell Monolith is living. He tip toes and tries to not actually say "dun dun dun. Dun dun. Dun dun DUNDUNDUN."

Stealth: 1d10 ⇒ 2
Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 6
Wild Ace: 1d6 ⇒ 4 Total: 10

Wolf Spider vanishes into the shadows, the opportunity striker that he is.

Turning on Heightened Senses. I'm going to follow the group as if I'm stalking them, and quietly intercept/neutralize threats as they come up on the party.

"Oh, right, we should do some things," Tom whispers, turning into the appearance of the old monk that met them at the door, leading the group to Monolith.

Random Chance Encounter: 1d6 ⇒ 4, a Success!

A monk going to the little monk's room sees the party from across the compound, and shouts "Alert! Intruders! Alert!" (altho in a language you don't understand, but you can probably catch the drift).

Monks start pouring out of the buildings, coming at you.

Unless you run to meet them, everyone has an action before they get to you.

What do you do?

Nature will begin laughing, then teleport atop one of the buildings and shout "Intruders? You who drill into her flesh, strip the air from her lungs and replace it with ash? You have the gall to call us intruders? I say that your entire species is the intruder, and that Gaia will certainly come for you all. Her children will creep in through your windows and rip your throat, because you have done the same to her. Your life's blood will renew her, so give freely of it now and pray that she absolves you of your sins. For I shall not."

And with that, the sky begins to darken ominously.

"Well this went to s@+& fast." grumble Beta as he, Alpha, and Gamma take to the skies and draw their guns.
Not sure if that's 'running' to meet them, but these guys are definitely ready for a fight.

The old monk/Thomas calmly motions back at the party. "Nah, guys' it's okay I can just use diplomacy and..." and then Nature pops up as high as she can and bascially challenges the universe.

"Well. As a wise man once said, 'This is the exact opposite of diplomacy. Not if the Holy Embodiment of Irish Blarney descended from Heaven and bathed us all in single-barrel malt whiskey could this be salvaged.'"

That said he softly turns invisible and continues looking for Monolith.

"Battle has become inevitable!" Angel sounds almost excited as she takes to the air.

What do you do?

Ask questions obviously...

1. Please describe the courtyard.
a. Are we closer to the exit door or to a building?
b. Any features in the courtyard? A well, a cart, A 1936 Rolls-Royce Phantom III.
c. Are the buildings wood construction? Modern materials?
d. Any artificial lighting. It is pre-dawn so we should have darkness modifiers.
e. Is there an alarm sounding? If yes then is it a klaxon or are we talking more drum/gong/bell territory?

2.Please describe the monks.
a. Are they all/most coming from the same building?
b. Are there any guard/observation towers or folks on the wall who will be soon visiting us with ranged death?
c. Are any armed or armored, and if so with what?
d. Is there any visible rank distinction amongst the monks?

Oy! Ok...

As you look around the courtyard at the simply-made wooden buildings, you see not much more than a well far away from you, and notice that you're about halfway between the outer wall (which has no towers or walkways) and the nearest building. Y'all waited until nightfall, BTW. There are oil lanterns hanging on the posts of some of the buildings, casting enough light to see things clearly, if dimly (-1 to all attacks). The "alarm" is the monk who spotted you and started shouting.

Monks seem to be pouring out of several buildings. They appear to be unarmed and unarmored, and are all dressed the same.

Ok I can see it now. Thanks Zen.

Too many to risk a straight up fight. Limit numbers....
Exit? Large door, same fight a different place.
Back to the wall? better, trapped, option b.
Lights, confusion, building, option a

"Alphas, shoot the lamps!"
"Everyone, That way!

Zen, I am assuming there are buildings on 3 sides of this courtyard. They may or may not cut off the courtyard from the rest of the complex but that is not important right now. What is important is that we have 3 threat-streams. Directly ahead, left-ahead, and right- ahead as the monks exit the buildings. We know the buildings (and gate) are no more than 12" away (nature's teleport, halfway tween wall and nearest building). So 2 moves barring powers/good run roll. Monks appear to have a move on us (pouring out of buildings, one turn til they reach us). So if we head for a side building then we fight the monks who came from that building. The monks from the central building are still +- a move away and the monks from the far side have to cover +-twice the ground. That should buy us a turn or so.

Jack, hopefully with the others (Doc, Wolf, and Big E?) runs towards one of the side buildings. (The one with fewer monks or that is closer. Random otherwise)
.......................
Run, Barry, run: 1d6 ⇒ 2 Meh, so move of 8". Flash he is not.

Reaching the lead monks Jack remembers his time on the prison football team (new warden, bad idea). And throws a very illegal block.
Push attack, opposed Strength rolls, -2 multiaction, -1 lighting, +2 movement. 1d10 ⇒ 41d6 ⇒ 1. Blech, spending benny. +2 elan: 1d10 ⇒ 71d6 ⇒ 6 Wild ace: 1d6 ⇒ 6 And again: 1d6 ⇒ 4. Total (6+6+4+2-1) 17. If this is only a success then Jack will knock the target prone. If there are raises and if another monk counts as an obstacle under the push rules then Jack will slam the target back 1"/raise and inflict 1d6/raise. In a perfect world this damage would be to both target and obstacle monks.

"I'm Beta!" one shouts.

"I'm Gamma!" shouts the other.

Nevertheless, each one takes aim and starts to shoot out the oil lamps.

Alpha Shoot: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 Wild: 1d6 ⇒ 2

Beta Shoot: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Gamma Shoot: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

...The dice hate me this week. Spending a Benny on Beta.

Beta Shoot Re-roll: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8

Thomas mentally sighs and hopes they don't hurt too many too much.

But as Monolith has taken his vow of non-interference, at least they don't have to worry about him joining the scrape.

For now.

Angel hovers above the battlefield, monitoring the situation. If some of the monks have ranged weapons, she will prioritize them as targets.

Jack, I count your score as 15 (you left out the MAP). So on to the monk's roll...

Strength: 1d8 ⇒ 1 So that's...3 Raises

I think of "obstacles" as hard, at least relatively immovable objects. So I'll let you push your monk into 3 others, and they *all* go prone. Howzat?

Angel - none of the monks appear to have any weapons.