Nerdzul

Luke whistled playfully as he applied all of his considerable strength to force open the massive vault. "It's a toughie... this one. Good choice of safe, mate..." He teased the group of trapped mobsters, as the tension grew in his muscles. Gone! The young man's eyes widened. Those guys are fast. Damn. "Well... that's something." He sighed. Now he is gonna have to chase them. "If the mountain doesn't go..." He shook his head. "Stay where you are, will you?" The young dragon addressed the trapped gangsters without turning to face the mobsters and darted into the darkness. Now, sure the spell will not last forever, but hopefully it would buy him enough of a headstart to deal with the heist. Guided by his enhanced senses and the scent of gold and riches, he navigated the tunnel dashing fast, but slowing down once he felt confident that he was close enough to the loot.

Strength roll isn't amazing though at 23

Luke smirked as his spell enveloped the mobsters. Now, won't last forever. But it definitely was something. "Who am I... is my business... I'm sorry mate." He chuckled, resisting the temptation to reveal himself as Nightscale, or the Soutshide dragon, for now at least. "And as for what I am up to... Well... I am here to preempt a crime. Feels like I am in the right place." He chuckled. Turning to face the vault door. "Do you hear that?" He mentioned, raising one hand close to his ear, as he pointed at the drilling, wondering how far the crew was from breaking in. "Now. I presume that none of you is gonna tell me the combination right?" He shrugged. "So... let me work... will you?" He stretched his muscles and then started to try and force the massive door open.

Well Luke is gonna hero-point an area snare and try to contain the mobsters so that he can work on the vault. Chains of Greed - Snare 9 (Extra: Area[Shapeable]) 18 PP If most are snared Luke will also try to force the vault open.

The vault proved to be heavy, but as far as he was concerned, the young dragon was confident that he could try to pry it open like a tin can. A very noisy tin can, unfortunately. He threw a glance at he mobsters that were still brawling for their prize, a satisfied smirk on his lips. Perhaps he could wait to see if they managed to knock each other down and then deal with the winners (If he had to bet, Mr. Blowfish seemed like he would have the edge, if only for being the boss), the faint drilling sound from the other side of the wall though, reminded him that he didn't have all day. Whatever... He shrugged. Now bunched as they were, his dragonfire could have probably done wonders. Tempting, but, then again, they were criminal perhaps, but not of the super-kinda that he had grown accustomed to face, they didn't deserve it. Plus... fire... inside a building... Yeah... Still, he just needed to keep them occupied a little bit longer didn't him? Drawing upon his ancestral connection to the sin that was now brutally on display, Luke shaped out of nothing golden chains made of pure greed and unleashed them on the small crowd of criminals. Hopefully that would be enough....

Nightscale is going to check if there is a reasonable way for him to just pry the vault open. The best he can get is Strength 28 and Super Strength 5. Otherwise I think just see if there is anything in the room he can use to incapacitate the brawling gangsters.

Luke sighed and then threw a playful smirk at the barkeeper. "Good choice." He muttered. Well... time to check the big door. Unfortunately he would have to let his illusion fade if he wanted to rely on his full power, but... well... it felt like the mobsters were a tiny bit too busy to check. He took a few stride toward the door and then inspected it. How hard would it be to pry it open? He wondered... And if there wasn't any... Which even with the strength of a creature of myth was not unlikely. Well, perhaps he could find a way to convince the ones that emerged victorious from the brawl to help him out.

28! Bluff check.

Cheapskate... Whatever. Luke still left a tip (gently provided by the previous owner of his suit) and nodded a "'nks" to the waiter. He, then took his shot in one go, trying to play it out how he expected that mobsters would go for it. Now, while despite his young age this wasn't his first time tasting alcohol, the boy was by far not accustomed to drinking. "Woah..." He tried to recover some composure, hoping that the rest of the gangsters were too focused on the game to notice him. His attention shifted to poker table, as well, the young dragon almost missed the persistent drilling sound. It made sense, but somehow he was expecting some elaborate casino heist, of the like to make Ocean's Eleven (or any of the million sequels) proud. Then again... Grabber" Gibbins Yeah... He shook hos head. He needed to take a look at that door and for that all eyes in the room had to be away from it. He waited for the game to reach its climax, the hidden hands now revealed. Once that was set, he relied once again on his gift for illusion. "Hey... That's cheating..." A voice shouted when the game was set roughly from the direction of the group of bodyguards, in a tone that was hopefully generic enough that its origin would stay undefined. Then he introduced another small change, shifting card second from the top left in the deck into one of the kings that Mr. Blowfish had just revealed.

Nightscale - 16 Generations - 2 Golden Gloves - 14

Notice he will skill master at 20... The charme though is a bit lacking ... https://orokos.com/roll/982632 at 7...

Luke had to wait until he was no longer in sight from the guard to manifest his relief with a deep sigh. He was winging it and he knew it. The crew behind the upcoming heist, likely had a much better plan. One not relying on bravado or luck. Whatever. There you are! His grin widened as he felt the presence of the hoard. It was so close, yet far at the same time. He wondered even if his unnatural strength would be enough to break trough the solid steel. Perhaps later. He needed a bit more intel first. The young man headed for the bar. "Whiskey. Neat. Make it double." He saluted the waiter with a nod. Now in theory, the boy was too young too drink (not that anyone would likely mind here), but that also meant that he was far from an expert on the matter. Deep down, he hoped that by keeping his order simple he hadn't made a fool of himself. "Slow night?" He asked, his gaze shifting lazily back to the game, perhaps, he could spice things up with a magic trick. That would make a good distraction, in case he needed one.

If he succeeds in making eye contact with the thug, Luke is gonna use a bit of a magic trick to help intimidate him, infusing his gaze with some sane primal fear: (Emotion Control 9 (Feats: Mind Blank, Subtle). A part from that, he is trying to bluff the guard With a 20! that +10 is 30. Woah... Mmm... I definitely should have thought of a stronger excuse to fit the roll.

Luke strolled through the bustling casino floor, doing his best to blend in with the gangsters who roamed the labyrynth of slot machines and poker tables. He mirrored their leisurely pace, nodding back casually to those who glanced his way. A dragon, among the sheep, it was almost too easy... But of course, it couln't last. A guard, well, he could not expect that the boss would allow anyone to get to the hoard without opposition. Luke held his ground, maintaining a confident posture, relaxed with a light smirk on his lips. "Yeah, I am aware." Luke responded, meeting the bruiser's gaze head-on. In the short moment when their eyes crossed, his emerald irises flickered, briefly revealing glimpses of a realm filled with primordial dread. The man was a killer, sure, but to a dragon, the lamb and the wolf, they were all equally prey in the grand scheme of things. "Boss wants extra security tonight," Luke continued matter-of-factly. "Can't trust a bunch of sissies to protect the jackpot, you know?" He chuckled playfully. "I happen to be just that." He added, as if he was explaining a rudimentary concept to a child. "If it wasn't glaringly obvious." He let the last sentences sink in for a few moments, his heart racing under the facade of arrogance as he prayed his words would be enough. Then, seemingly uncaring of the guard's actions, he walked past the man.

Luke smirked as he realized he found a good mark. Sure, it wasn't perfect, the guy was somewhat taller and definitely packed a few extra pounds compared to him... Too many sandwiches maybe? Beggars can't be choosy, though. Now, he just needed for the right occasion... Luck seemed to be on his side when the man disappeared into the bathrooms. He waited a few moments, just to be safe, grabbed a tray that laid abandoned on a table nearby and walked inside as well, light on his feet. Now, sure, a dragon might not have much need of stealth, but as a kid born and bred at Southside's trailer perk, Luke had learned how to thread lightly. The young man gave the thug all the time he needed to finish his business, then he gently tapped the mobster on a shoulder. "Pardon me sir... May I serve you some... " As the man began to turn and grunted a response, Luke, with a fluid movement, cut it short with a well placed swing of the tray. "... karma..." Now, in a cartoon world, that blow would have left a perfect imprint of the thug's face on the faux silver, in the real one, it was still, more than enough to knock him out cold. Guess... it's too late to discuss my tip... Luke smirked. As he surveyed the man unconscious form. Gonna have to help myself. After quickly trading clothes with the unlucky thug, Luke took a moment to admire his new appearance in one of the mirrors. A mischievous grin spread across his face. Admittedly the 'mobster' style seemed to fit him. When he was done, he called on a little bit of his magic and open a gateway toward his own 'Hoard'. I bet you are not gonna enjoy this when you wake up. He chuckled, as he deposited the fellow in his personal realm. Can't allow you to go out telling everyone what happened, sorry...

"Good luck sir." Luke bowed his head a little, before going his own way. "Thanks sir. Will stay away from tommy guns... Sir." He grinned and nodded at the newcomer as well. He did feel a bit out of place didn't him? Perhaps he could be part of the heist? No way of knowing though and he didn't feel like tailing a random stranger, especially with the hoard of gold waiting for him downstairs... Now, somehow he doubted that they would let a random cook inside... Yep. Perhaps he needed a new change of clothing, one that would help commanding some respect... And for that he was gonna find someone with roughly the same build that was 'willing' to provide. He threw a glance at the big guy who had just interrupted him... Pondering if perhaps he could be the lucky 'donor'.

Woah. Woah. Woah. That was a freakin' hoard. Hidden beneath the casino. More gold that he could have imagined. Heaps of it. His dragon-eyes emerged for a split second, coloring his irises of solid gold as he basked in the scent. What if... He could imagine himself resting on the pile of ill-gotten gains... Ehrm... spending it for the good of the community... Of course... Obviously... That's what he meant... Besides, there was no chance that Mr. Blowfish had a ton of gold stored under the casino for legal reasons right? It would be a white crime... Yeah... No... He was... The man hars words interrupted his moral conundrum. Fortunately perhaps. "Of course sir." He lowered his eyes and tried to regain his composure. "I am sure that it is on the way... You will be served in no time." ... served what you deserve... "Perhaps you can push your luck while I check it for you?" He suggested.

The Casino unfolded in front of Luke, a well oiled machine to separate the fools from their wealth. At least, for once, with a clientele of mobsters and thugs, the house was stealing from thieves and scoundrels as well. Yeah not just those. I bet. The symphony of the slot machines filled the air as orange glow bathed the scene. Everything felt, so well fake... That was the point wasn't it? Still, the dragon did not feel unease within those all of unchecked greed, in fact, while Luke would have hated to admit it, there was perhaps a sense of familiarity slowly sinking in. Clad in his stolen uniform, Luke did his best to appear busy as he navigated the labyrinthine establishment. His gaze shifted among the crowd, trying to identify if anyone felt out of place. Where are they hiding the jackpot? Now, if had to bet, there was likely a vault somewhere deep underneath the structure. But perhaps he had a way to make sure. He unleashed his draconic instincts, inhaling generously wondering if he could catch the scent of hidden riches.

Luke spent a few moment to look at his image. Perfect. He chuckled lightly. As a member of the staff, he should be able to move more more freely. Although, passing himself as a chef, while his culinary experience barely extended to flippling burgers, might not he the easiest of task. Maybe I should find a waiter uniform or somethin'. Yeah that would have gratned him even more freedom, he decided to keep an eye for a chance to get one. He strolled out of the locker room, walking like he owned the place and went toward the door leading out of the kitchen. Like if a customer has called to congratulate him, or somethign' and hoping that the confident pace and the chaos in the room would complement his disguise.

F- Yeah... Luke grinned as he slipped inside. He quickly came under assault, not by armies of goons though, but by the sublime scent of the luxurious meals being prepared in front of him. Now, Luke was more of an burger and coke, kind of guy (beer when he could manage to convince the people behind the counter that he was 21), but this was definitely on another level. Fortunately, the kitchen staff was too busy to notice the grumbling of his stomach. That, was not gonna last for long though. Eventually someone would look in his direction. Light on his feet and barely avoiding a pile of cutlery that was resting on a tray nearby, the young man dashed into the first door that he found. Finally away from prying eyes, he had a few moments to catch his breath. Now... He needed a way to blend in and, at least, for now, it felt like fate had provide him with one. He was in a small locker room now, one belonging to the staff, empty, at least at the moment. Breaking into few lockers wouldn't be too hard... It was only a matter to find something that he could slip into...

Luke threw just a quick glance to the ventilation shaft. Yep no way I'm fitting into that... He was, after all built like a professional boxer and while he could, in theory shapeshift, his true form definitely wouldn't fit into a vent. So yeah. He was gonna have to use a door. Now, the idea of knocking the cook down and stealing his uniform and hat was a tempting one, he had to admit it, but... then again, as far as Luke knew, the fellow wasn't a villain, he didn't deserve a concussion... Or to be sent into another dimension... He could create a distraction though... Nightscale closed his eyes and instinctively called to his magic. "Sir...? Can you help me sir?" A figure waved from the end of the street, a young woman one shaped by the fervent imagination of a teenage boy. "I am soo... lost here..." Now, the image had no substance, but hopefully the trick would distract the chef for long enough... After all Luke just needed to sneak inside...

When Luke got to the hive of scum and villainy', the boy felt a pang of adrenaline rushing in his veins, the beast within having sensed the vast amount of wealth hiding inside the building, being extracted and hoarded past its wall, a locus of greed, it pushed his avaricious impulses to the surface. Woah. It was only after he managed to reign in his draconic instincts, that he quickly realized that Southside Palace was fancier than the other gambling holes that infested the neighborhood... There even his 'best' shirt (definitely not his only one... nop... not at all), least worn jeans, Nikes (one of the last vestiges of his wanna-be gangster times) and ballcap, weren't exactly in tune with the local dress code. So much for blending in. Now he couldn't exactly spurge on the gambling tables to make up for it... The few bucks in his pockets wouldn't last much. Well... without evening the odds a bit with his powers, at least. Maybe an illusion... He thought, as he absent-mindedly conjured a few of the coins from his 'hoard' toying with the golden disks for the few moments before they ceased to exist. Why aren't you freakin' real! It would have made his life much easier, wouldn't it? Being able to pull gold out of thin air... They must have freakin' cameras, anyway... And those were unfortunately immune to his mind tricks. Still that was a problem for later. First, he needed to learn the lay of the land a bit better... He took a casual stroll around the perimeter of the Casino, trying his best to appear natural and using a convoluted route, just in case, he looked for potential alternative entrances, escape routes or, in general, for anything that might feel out of place...

"Southside Palace... Awesome..." It was Blowfish's turf... He knew the guy, a violent type, quick with the shotgun... He wondered, if perhaps Grabber Gibbons wasn't getting himself, his brother and perhaps plenty more of the innocents (as a figure of speech at least) inhabitants of the trailer park in trouble. "I wish..." Luke chuckled. "My bet... No chance that a single coin is gonna get out of that vault, much less a freakin' mountain of gold..." "I'm sorry, but you are gonna have to find your own way to get rich... Right scamp?" He grinned and gave Huk a friendly nudge (one much lighter of course, than the ones he had given BIlly). Yep and not take 'Grabber's Gibbons example if possible... Nor Luke Landers' to be honest. "Speaking of which... Next time you hear something like this, come pay me a visit, deal?" Yeah, the boy deserved a bit of a reward, unfortunately, it was not like Luke could spare much... He searched the pockets of his sweatpants managing to muster a few crumpled bucks and gave them to Huckles. Now it wasn't exactly a king's ransom, but that was the best of what he could do... "Anyway... got to go buddy... Don't get yourself into too much troubles while I'm gone." He smirked... Yeah, like if there was any chance of that being true. Time to pay a visit to the casino...

24! Hehe that makes me dread for future combat rolls, given Luke's luck, but there you go mmm he also need to invest a few more skill points in his next update.

"Well... they freakin' deserve it, right?" Luke grinned, it wasn't hard to lie on the matter, assuming he was actually lying at all. In truth, Luke wound't have minded if the fat purses of the gangsters that owned the Casino's that infested the wealthier regions of Soutshide got a bit thinner ... They could afford it after all. Although... somehow... he doubted that Billy's brother, or whoever had arranged for the actual heist, had planned to share any of the loot. Unfortunately there were plenty of casinos in town... "Did your..." He fell asleep? Great... "Which one?" He raised his voice and gave Billy a forceful nudge. "Which Casino?" He repeated, if the robbery was planned for that night, Luke definitely didn't have the time to check all the gambling dens one by one...