It is a quiet afternoon in your home city of Sommweir, and you're all carrying on your business...
Thomas hefts an axe, bringing it down with a solid thunk, splitting a log in half. "One hundred twenty-five."
Exhaling, Thomas sighs and does a quick recount of the piles of stacked firewood. Forty-five for the church, fifty for the orphanage, ten for Marge because of her new baby, and twenty for Widow Peggy. A good day's work.
Grunting, he loads the huge pile of wood (roughly 600 pounds, all told) into a borrowed wagon, and sets off to deliver it (free of charge, of course), cheerfully flipping a silver piece to any beggars he may pass on the way.
.
Arthur sits at a corner booth in his gambling house, the Lucky Rabbit. Today, a large party of dwarven adventurers has taken up the establishment, drinking and cavorting about while loudly arguing about how to win at all the games.
None of that bothers Arthur. Many people come in thinking they have a flawless "system" to beat the games, and they almost always walk out disappointed and broke. In particular, Arthur has noticed that dwarves stick to their systems with astonishing stubbornness, spending twice as much as members of other races in order to prove that their ideas will work out in the end. Combined with the overconfidence that most adventurers seem to develop, and it was turning out to be a very profitable day for the Lucky Rabbit. Now all they needed was a little prodding to make sure they stay as long as possible.
He waits until each of them has won at something at least three times, then approaches the group with a friendly smile.
"Hey, it looks like Lady Luck has your backs today! I'd like to offer you a round of drinks on the house for being such good customers. Please, enjoy the rest of your evening here!"
Lauren blows a strand of hair out of her face as she looks outside the shop. Nobody seemed to be coming in, which was par for the course for the day. She sighs. ”Maybe it was a mistake reopening so soon...or at least I shouldn’t have tried doing this all on my own.” Running an alchemy shop was hard enough even with Ben was making everything in the back. Now that he was gone, she had to do it all. Sadly, Lauren wasn’t nearly as good at making alchemical items as her brother had been. As a result of that, and the stigma that the Kravos name still carried after all those years, Lauren hadn’t seen a single person come into the Kravos Emporium today.
Stretching, she hops off her chair and locks the front door, putting a CLOSED sign in the window as she does so. Rubbing her eyes, Lauren ponders her next move. ”What a day...I need a freaking drink.” She grabs her coat and heads to the Lucky Rabbit next door.
Walking in, she cocks an eyebrow at the party of dwarves nearby. Oh, Arthur’s going to be in a great mood today. He loves it when dwarves gamble here. She sits down at the bar and motions at the bartender. ”Hey, Jack-glass of whatever. You know I’m not picky.”
James wiped away the sweat from his brow, he'd been working on this set of bathrooms in the Lucky Rabbit for most of the day, but he was finally starting to make headway.
Least of all it was taking him so long because he was still thinking about his upcoming title defense match with El Terrible.
James knew that he would win the match but he just couldn't put his finger on how to best finish. It seemed natural to go with the Chelaxian Suplex from the top rope. But there was a certain something to reversing El Terrible's Owlbear Press Slam into the Beasto Bomb.
Aside from that, James was thinking on how to best approach Arthur about perhaps expanding the Lucky Rabbit to function as a new arena for the WWE.
Their current establishment limited crowd draw and they both could benefit, Wild Wrestling Enterprises from the increased occupancy and the Lucky Rabbit from more patrons. The trick, would be to mention it in such a way as to come off as a fan and not, in fact, the Indomitable, One and Only, King of the Ring, El Beasto!
In any case, James checked over his work, confident he had performed his job to the best of his ability he went out onto the floor of the Hall, perhaps he would enjoy a game of cards before seeking out Arthur for payment and their talk.
Wiping a gloved hand across her forehead, Balamar stood back from the forge with a small shake of her head. Hot metal glowed and the tools in her hand sung, but the metal wasn't quite taking shape how it was meant to. She could feel the right shape for the piece, had felt it when she had selected it, but for whatever reason the thing refused flow as she wanted.
Maybe the carbon content was off, or perhaps Balamar was. Sighing, she quenched the hot metal and laid it aside. It was a vanity piece anyway, to enhance the armour she had made, and it could wait. She wanted it to be perfect. It needed to be perfect, if it was going to survive the kind of abuse she typically went through.
It would be better to be in the right frame of mind, she decided, taking her apron off and shuttering the forge's fires for the day. All her real work had been completed hours ago, so she would make no losses this day, but something in her heart or the metal didn't sit right, and Balamar had no wish to ruin good iron.
She started thinking on what to make for dinner...or perhaps where she should go to eat.
"Out with ye, Oi'll bang out the dents in your breastplate on the morn. It's closin' time fer now and I gots other works that needs seeing."
Jasper ushers out the last customer of the day before closing the door and leaning against it with a sigh. He takes a long look at the meager smithy he can afford before sighing again and dousing the furnace. He leans down beneath the counter and grabs the cast iron cookery he had prepared earlier that day. Shifting the pots and pans under his arm, he exits the building and locks it.
Walking at a brisk pace, the broad shouldered man passes a number of buildings before pausing before a building similar to the one he owns now. He stares wistfully at the piece of metal wrought to be the shop sign. The "Steel Dragon Smithy." "One day...one day I'll buy you back."
Finally arriving at his destination, Jasper enters the gambling house and slides into the booth across from Arthur.
"Oi'm glad we could work out a trade Mr.Balond. Mighty fine of you to let me bang together some replacements fer your kitchen to pay off a bit of my tab."
Arthur nods and smiles. "My pleasure, Mr. Gardnt. This was much more convenient than getting my own cookware. Besides..." he nods toward the dwarves. "...I'll be taking in plenty of cash today."
He notices James making his way to the card table, and calls out to him.
"Hey, James, could you take these to the kitchen? That is, if you're able to take a moment out of your busy schedule."
James nods and makes his way over to Arthur and grabs the cookware, carrying it off the the kitchens.
Maximilliam's frail hand puts the finishing strokes to the canvas of his last painting. He pauses for a couple of minutes to look at what he has done and decided it was not a work worth keeping. Later he will order one of his servants to dispose the painting.
Shade, Maximilliam's little kitten, watches her master from her spot over a nearby bookshelf. No servant had entered the room in a long time, and shde decided her master have been alone too long for today, She then silently jump to reach her master's lap and snuggles there. They both wait for the night, the time where they take their other identities and patrol the streets of the city.
Dusting off his hands, Thomas unhitches the horse from the cart.
"A good day's work, indeed. I need something to eat."
A short walk later, Thomas steps into the bar. "Arthur! A meal for me, and a drink for everyone here!"
"Time to order the good stuff!" Balamar joked, her line face creasing into a smile as she entered behind Thomas. "Something older than I am is always a fine thing to go with a decent meal, aye?" Seating herself near the bar with a sigh, she sniffed the air, trying to determine what was cooking in the kitchen. She preferred her food to not have sat a while before she ate it.
Arthur goes to greet the newcomers.
"Just food and drinks? Are you sure you don't want to try your luck? These fine dwarves are making quite a killing tonight!"
"Oh, no," Thomas says, shaking his head with a smile. "You know I'm not a gambling man."
Jasper inclines his head towards Balamar in respect before returning to his drink.
"Then why do you keep coming here?" Arthur looks baffled. "Are Jack's drinks really that good?"
All of a sudden, a scream pierces the tranquil afternoon, and more soon join the chorus!
"Eeek! Monsters! Who could possibly save us!?!"
The sound of pots and pans hitting the floor echo out across the hall as James throws them all into the air and runs off to the bathrooms shouting, "Monsters!? Dear gods no! Someone save us!"
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Lauren drains her drink and winks at Jack flirtatiously. "You heard the Paladin, it's on him." She gets up and walks to the back of the building. "Arthur, I'm taking the alley exit to go home. Quicker for me and I don't feel like going into the street, with whatever's out there."
Once in the alleyway, she dashes over to her place, rushing to the back of the shop. She activates the secret panel and runs into the room that suddenly appeared-her grandfather's old lair. She quickly changes into her vigilante gear, and grabs an enormous longbow. She then opens up another secret panel, opening a one-way door back into the alleyway.
As she stalks out, a smirk forms. Whatever it is out here...it's not gonna know what hit them. The sheer amount of powereds in that bar...hoo boy. Should be fun though-have I ever fought beside the Vindicator before? Oh gods, what if he calls me Scarrow? I swear, I'm going to hunt down that stupid reporter for naming me that...
Shade stands up alerting her master that something is not right outside in the streets. Maximilian start changing his outlook while Shades transform into panter
A moment later ...lead the way shade
"Monsters...and here I was hoping it would be a good day for business."
Arthur stands and stretches. "I've got some paperwork to fill out. Jack, take over for a while. If the dwarves leave to fight, make sure they pay their tab first."
He slinks off to his office and presses a button underneath his desk, opening a panel in the floor that reveals a hidden staircase. He descends the stairs to a small underground room, containing an array of magical equipment and a large black cloak with a skull mask. Within minutes, Arthur has transformed himself into the mysterious vigilante known as Blackjack. Opening another secret panel, he leaves his safehouse through an underground tunnel, emerging in the alleyway behind the Lucky Rabbit.
Thomas slips outside briefly to center himself.
Focus. Protect the people.
Quietly, calmly, he draws his falchion from its sheathe and dons him helmet, before stepping out into the street.
Suddenly! A part of the wall to the Lucky Rabbit is knocked out, and out steps, EL BEASTO!
Flashing his Championship Belt.
And shouting, "The Champ!... Is!... HERE!!"
I'll need to pay Arthur to pay me to fix this wall of his.
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Scarrow starts as someone comes into the alley, but relaxes when she sees Blackjack. "What took you so long? Thought you'd be right behind me."
They're then interrupted by a thunderous crash, as El Beasto makes his appearance. Scarrow facepalms. "Dude. I know he was looking for work, but you need to have a word with him about doing this. That's the third time this month, people are starting to talk."
Raising her hand to order, Balamar slumped slightly as someone started shouting about monsters. Well, it was to be expected, really. She was tired, stiff and hungry. Now would be the best time for a monster attack...
Slipping out with the excuse of going to check on her shop, Balamar found a quiet spot and changed from her clothes into her armour. It took a couple of minutes, during which times she chanted the histories and tales of her people and the heroes of old through her mind. Soon, the change was complete.
Siege moved out into the streets, a slow sweep of the visored helmet giving away they were looking for anything. Clutched in strong hands, the Dorn Dregar swung lazily from side to side as they moved, searching.
"I waited a little while because it would've been suspicious if we all left at the exact same time. The name of the game is subtlety, and I-"
He is interrupted by El Beasto crashing through the wall. He glares at the wrestler.
"...See, that's exactly what not to do. And it's coming out of your paycheck."
Jasper meekly leaves the gambling hall before rushing home to grab his weapon of choice. He pulls the Earthbreaker(His shop's pride and joy) from a rack and grabs his menacing full helm off a stand. Pausing, he hefts his Earthbreaker over his shoulder and extends his other hand. Beginning there, armor begins to form with a clink and extends across his whole body before ending without covering his head. He ceremoniously slides the helm on before the red gleam appears from within the slit.
He then clunks along back to the Lucky Rabbit.
He bellows, unaware of the other heroes coming upon the scene aside from Vindicator.
Hoo hoo! Now's my chance to collaborate with Vindicator! With him on my side, finding Ungrim's murderers will be easier!
"It's not about the money! It's about sending a message!"
says El Beasto as he indicates to himself with both thumbs and laughing.
"I think you should know Blackjack, that whatever is going on, it's very likely that El Terrible is behind it."
"He has a match with me tonight, as I'm sure you know - - - you are coming to watch, aren't you?"
"Anyways, no doubt El Terrible is using this as a distraction, perhaps to acquire illicit performance enhancing substances to have a chance with me in the ring."
"I just thought you ought to be aware of this."
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"Are you saying El Terrible went to the trouble of summoning several monsters into the city, or convincing a local spellcaster to do so...all for a distraction?"
Blackjack rubs his chin. "I had no idea the world of professional wrestling had so much intrigue. I may just come to your match to see how it all pays off."
Nine enormous spiders are terrorizing the crowd in the town square. Some people are even trapped in webbing! And the webbing drips a viscous, sizzling poison.
As you enter the scene all the spiders glare at you maliciously with their three beady little eyes, and then turn back to attacking the civilians!
Spider x5
Spider x4
Block 1 Init
Block 2 Init
The spiders turn and fire webbing at 9 civilians!
And 8 more civilians are webbed, bringing the total to 17 trapped in the sticky stuff!
Thomas charges the nearest spider and splits it in twain.
"Spiders! Well my arachnid friends, I'm afraid you're looking at the best Wrestler in all the WWE and having four more limbs surely isn't going to end up well for you."
El Beasto charges and grapples a spider! Putting it into the Full Nelson!
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Blackjack stabs a spider, flanking with someone if possible.
Timothy was slowly setting up shop and had just attained a new and expensive Jade Tapestry Vase for his Pottery shop when the cry for help startled him and he meekly dropped the item. The sound of the crash crushed his elation as well as his current thoughts for success.
In the glooming issue, unfortunately his sense of Justice beat out his crippling self-doubt. And he stepped out the back door of his alley. A lightning bolt strikes his body as it ran through his body as he became... PSYKOBLADE! He was quite happy that the smoke stick from before actually functioned long enough this time.
------
Appearing on the scene, Psykoblade notices an old face... and some even newer faces; more importantly the lament of the civilians. " Blackjack, it warms the tomb of Cocytus I call a heart to see you once more. With others I see. I am not able to help these people but I hope someone can cut them free! "
Moving forward and drawing a Cylindrical Rotating Barreled Firearm, Psykoblade aims at one of the foul arachnids. " Be purged by the might of the sky's wrath! "
Electric currents run through the weapon as magical energy combines in the barrels and two powerful Blasts create a sonic boom heading towards their target.
"BUGS?! FEH!" Steel Sentinel scoffs before running into the fray.
Steel Sentinel charges forward and swings his mighty Earthbreaker at one of the spiders.
"WHAT? ALL YOU OTHERS...STAY OUT OF MY WAY!"
What a bunch of people. I have heard of them, blackjack, vindicator, el beasto...Let's show them there is a new player in town- Cast bull's strength on shade
Siege titled there head to the side a little. Giant spiders? Above ground and in a city? That seems...unlikely. And shouldn't someone at least be pretending to keep an eye out for monster attacks? Either someone failed dismally at there job, or this is the most stealthy spider pack I've ever seen.
Still, there was pretty much only way to deal with giant bugs of any kind. Two, if you could find a big enough soup pot. But for now they'd start with the crushing part.
Moving into range, Siege span the heavy ball and chain style weapon in both hands, swinging the ball at the nearest bug.
Scarrow snaps off a shot at the closest spider, her bow momentarily flashing black as it channels power from her into the arrow, increasing its effectiveness.
The onslaught of attacks decimates the spider pack, staggering five, but the resilient spiders stand their ground just as a boar or Orc would!
All of them step back and fire sticky webbing at the assembled heroes!
All but El Super Beasto, Scarrow, and Melina are wrapped in their insidious coils! Foul poison drips on your limbs...
Almost everyone shrugs off the poison...save for the unfortunate Steel Sentinel. But everyone struck by webbing is now Entangled in its foul clutches!
Sentinel is even worse off, his limbs Slowed by the venom of the spiders!
El Beasto keeps hold of his Full Nelson while arcing backwards and performing a Suplex on the vile spider, sending it head first into the ground!
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