Shadowboxer

A thrilling story reuniting Grimalkin and Nightrival.

The sky purples as evening sets over Freedom City, and a gentle breeze pushes the clouds out to the Great Bay where they press into each other and drift over the lapping waves. Tonight promises to be warm and pleasant. Within Our Lady of Mercy, patrons sit in mismatched chairs at the long tables that crowd the soup kitchen and enjoy their meals. Steam pours out of the kitchen in the back of the room. Volunteers stand behind a winding cafeteria-style counter, handing out plates to the patrons. The number of people who use the soup kitchen has increased lately, yet the staff and volunteers continue working hard to ensure everyone gets a plate. The interior is alive with the hum of conversations and clanking forks. Liam stands behind the counter with the other volunteers wearing a stained apron. He hands out plates and greets everyone that comes up to take one. Some of them are familiar faces, but he notes that many of them are new arrivals. After weeks of bruising his knuckles against bad guys, he decided to resume volunteering at ease his mind. Besides, he can pick up morsels of information that Nightrival may never hear. He gives an older man wearing a checkered jacket a plate and he realizes that no one else is in line. Liam grabs a towel draped over his shoulder and wipes his hands.

Hello! Nightrival has 2 PPs to spend. I would like to bring his BDB to +15. It's currently +14. Thanks! Done by Sandman XI

"Good ta know," replies Nightrival. "I'll see ya la- " He jerks back when Avenger suddenly vanishes into the darkness without a sound. Everyone's disappearin' tonight, he thinks. He searches the thugs' pockets and finds a cell phone in one of them. He flips it open and dials 911. "Yeah, send a couple o' units down ta Kingston Truckin', under Route 4 an' 6. I gotta a store o' zombie powder 'ere and some vics that need attendin'. Is this Lorraine? I know that voice anywhere. Yeah, it's me a'right. I'll stay on th' scene until yer guys show up. Talk ta ya later." He throws the phone over his shoulder. He hops back onto the satge and sits at the edge with his legs dangling over. "Ya guys know where I can get decent hoagie at this hour?" he asks the groaning thugs. "I'm starvin' over 'ere."

"A'right," replies Nightrival. "Ya can make like a ghost an' I'll call th' cops. Don't worry, I won't tell 'em ya were 'ere." He examines the zombie band once again and shakes his head. "I'll see wha' I can do for 'em. I think yer right, puttin' 'em down is prob'ly th' only thing we can do. I'll pass yer suggestion along." Nightrival jumps down from the stage. "Ya did good 'ere. Sometimes these raids lead ya inta more trouble than ya accounted fer. Ya beat th' bad guy tonight, an' not many folks can say that. It'd be good ta see ya 'round. Ya work th' Southside?"

Unfortunately, I presumed this game would start rather soon. It's a shame you won't be around. There is a story in the works, folks. I don't know how much I can divulge. However, I was thinking of starting the game differently, rather than going out on patrol and running into bad guys. Any ideas? I suppose when the story gets nailed down I'll contact interested players. Spread the word!

He can certainly try. ;)

"Yeah, I dunno 'bout fightin' some dude that can toss th' League around. I didn't figure he was on th' street, though. I'll have ta keep tha' mind from now on." Nightrival examines the undead band still playing their instruments. He shakes his head. He feels sorry for the people now cursed with this existence, but he knows they're beyond help. Or are they? Part of him wishes there's a way to reverse the effects - something magical - that can save the victims of zombie powder. "Nah. Let's jus' call th' cops an' get out 'fore they arrive. We need th' evidence, and maybe they can help these people. At least give 'em a proper burial."

Please do! I'd love to hear (read) your idea. :)

Excellent! Good to have you onboard. I was thinking of having players collaborate on the story. If you have any preferences than feel free to let us know. If not, then that's okay too. :)

For those who were in the Forceful Ops game, I propose we get together soon and tackle our first case. Who would be into joining another game? What would interested players want to see? At this point, I'm open to suggestions. I recommend that the game be street-level, not be overly "dark" (to maintain the board's tone), and have a central villain with a scheme that threatens the whole city.

Nightrival won't attack the zombie band unless they attack him. From his perspective they're most likely innocent victims.

Nightrival shivers when Baron Samedi directly peers into his eyes. He feels his insides being gripped by an intense cold that chills his bones. His vision briefly blurs with a deep darkness that reminds him of the frozen, unending blackness he sees between the stars at night. Nightrival remembers the anguish he felt when Grimalkin disappeared, when his mother died in a hospital bed, and when the police told him his father perished in the blast. The emotion had dulled over time, but now it returns with a sharpened edge. The sensation subsides when Samedi vanishes into the shadows. He shakes his head to free himself from the terror, takes a step back, and looks around. "Where'd 'e go?" he asks.

As I've stated in your PM, I'd be happy to continue the story. I should point out that Nightrival is in a different place now. Though he still wonders about Grim, he has moved on. However, it wouldn't make sense if he didn't investigate Grim's disappearance. That's where the story can begin, with Nightrival finding out what happened to his partner. He's been busy with other cases and with putting together Force Ops, so he had to put his investigation on hold.

Sorry about the delay. :oops: The thugs will have to deal with a DC 19 save. I'll wait to see what Samedi does before I go barreling in!

Nightrival slips away from the retreating shadowy tendrils, and tumbles over to the three thugs loping towards him. He bolts back up to his feet and sends a heavy upper-cut into a thug's jaw. He pounds another in the gut with a reverse roundhouse kick, and then spins on his back foot and smacks the last thug's skull with the same kick. Avenger might need a little 'elp, he thinks. Nightrival leaps up, corkscrews midair, and lands on the stage near Baron Samedi. "Th' show's over, Samedi," he growls. "We're playin' yer last song."

First of all, there's not that many R-rated superhero stories in the first place. WANTED is over-the-top but the movie really took liberties with the original plot, and THE ULTIMATES line easily makes the PG-13 rating. So this idea that studios can mine for other adult superhero stories are in for a surprise, if they haven't already. Secondly, when films are made to please a vast audience, regardless of the filmmaker's vision - which may only be suitable for a small audience in first place - then that film ceases to be art and furthermore ceases to be interesting and relevant. WATCHMEN is not for everyone, plain and simple. I can't imagine some of my favourite horror movies being watered down so a vast audience can "get the film" and buy an action figure or something.

How many thugs are left and where are they located? Nightrival is not finished beating on them. :)

Nightrival sees the shadow figures raise off the floor but he doesn't leap away in time. Their inky tendrils coil around his arms and legs and anchor him firmly in place. He struggles against them but they're far too strong.

I love Takedown Attack. I wasn't sure how many goons are in there, so I figured four standing close together should be adequate. If you imagined more, just throw them my way.

Nightrival recognizes the man standing in the center of the room, before the lights went out. Baron Samedi has a reputation on street for being a serious player. His rivalry with Siren places him at the top of the criminal food chain; not many crooks can claim they fight a Freedom Leaguer on a regular basis. The zombie powder connection surprises him. Guess it makes sense, wit' 'is theme an' all, he thinks. Now 'e's a bigger threat. Can I even take this guy? The thugs have to go first. Nightrival lowers himself closer to the ground and then springs into the air, landing next to the goons standing at the sidelines. He lands a spinning hook kick into the closest one, slides forward and drives his elbow into another. tumbles backward and slams his knee into other's midsection, and then strikes one more in the ribs with a quick side kick.

I rolled a 17 for Nightrival's Streetwise check. That means he would most likely recognize Samedi but he doesn't know any specific details about him.

Nightrival's face widens at seeing a zombie band playing on a makeshift stage. He shudders at the thought of forcing innocent people into slavery after murdering them with that terrible drug. He has to free them somehow, and gawking at the bad guys won't get the job done. Glancing at the piles of powder, he reminds himself to not stand too close to them. He immediately snaps into a stance and faces down Baron Samedi. "It's yer lucky day! Ya'll are gettin' busted by th' best in th' business. Why don't ya give up so's we don't hafta fill the emergency room wit' yer broken, unconscious bodies?"

"I'm glad ta 'ear it, Shinken," replies Nightrival. "Ya'd be an asset ta th' group. 'Sides, I'd fight 'side anyone who can mop th' floor wit' me any day," he adds with a chuckle. Nightrival watches the STAR unit soar past them. "Well, it's 'bout time those guys decided ta show up. I'll come wit' ya, Shinken. I wanna check out that store for a sec."

Okay, I rolled incredibly well. I got a 30 for initiative. :D