Delemental

Unfortunately, things at work and home are not clearing up for me like I thought they would, and I find I need to pare down my extra-curriculars. So, unfortunately, I can't continue in this game.

I hereby give Dr. Archeville permission to utilize Tabitha/Lady Iniquity as necessary in an NPC capacity to complete whatever part she needs to play in the story.

Hopefully, I will be able to come back soon - if not for this storyline, then for something else around here.

I'm also fine with skipping ahead.

Just to make sure it's clear, once Tabitha switches to Sloth, I believe the effects of the Gluttony power should end (since it's no longer the active power in the Array, even though it's normally a Concentration (lasting) duration power).

Okay, I've finally managed to post.

However, in all fairness I should say that I am beginning to have doubts about my ability to keep up with this game. RL has unfortunately been putting more demands on my time, and it looks like it's going to last longer than I'd expected. I may have to make some decisions soon about cutting back on things like this. If I do have to bow out, I will try to keep Tabitha active until she can be transitioned out of the storyline more smoothly.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), early Sept 28th, at the Fens

Round 2 (Initiative 11): No damage; Fatigued; 1 HP

Tabitha grins wickedly as she sees the fleeing figure end his pursuit and begin searching for food. A quick crack of her mystical whip brought her to within sight of her quarry, who was furtively digging through trash cans. She moved in close, knowing she would probably only get one shot at this or be forced to chase him again.

Move action to Teleport to where Ember is (within 15 feet). Free action to switch Array from Gluttony to Sloth (Fatigue 8), and then standard action to use power on Ember.

Attack roll vs. Ember Paw (1d20+7=17)

Fatigue power is DC 18 Fort save; failure makes him fatigued, failure by 5-9 makes him exhausted, failure by 10+ makes him unconscious. The power has the Sedation PF, so he'll stay out longer if he goes unconscious.

Sand/Quark?

Delemental/Lady Iniquity?

Sorry.

RL has become busy for me recently, meaning I've had to let some things slide a bit.

I will try to get a post in tomorrow.

Curiosity - how far away is Lady Iniquity from Ember Paw?

Sorry, all, this one kinda slipped away from me.

S'Okay - in my experience, most PbPs have a lull during spring break anyway.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), early Sept 28th, at the Fens

Round 1 (Initiative 11): No damage; Fatigued; 1 HP

Remember that you can use Extra Effort to surge and gain an additional standard or move action, before or after your normal actions for the round.

Good point. Sorry, haven't been in a real MnM game for a while, rules-fu gets rusty...

On the roof, Tabitha spots the fleeing form of the intruder, running and leaping at impossible speeds. Not fast enough, though. "Poor dear," she says to herself. "All that running must make you... hungry."

Use a free action to switch Array to the Gluttony power, then Surge with Extra Effort for a standard action to use the power on Ember.

DC 20 Will Save (mental effect). If he fails, this will only establish control; I need another move action to actually issue the command.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), early Sept 28th, at the Fens

Tabitha nods at Jos' comments. "Yes, I am sure that opportunity will arise sooner than we think." With that, she steps through her portal...

... arriving only a few feet behind where their clandestine intruder once stood. She snarls when she realizes her target is no longer there, and looks around. She easily sees the fleeing form of the spy, as he or she is making no attempt to sneak away. But her target is moving fast, and is out of her line of sight before she can even decide what to do. Cursing, she lashes out with her whip and opens another portal, this one opening up on the rooftop, where she hopes to catch sight of her fleeing quarry.

Two move actions in this round; one to Teleport to Ember's (former) location, the second to Teleport again to the roof he just went up to try and spot him. I'm assuming here that with Ember's Speed and Leaping there was no way I was going to get any powers off on him this time around.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), early Sept 28th, at the Fens

As they walk outside the warehouse, Tabitha begins to unfurl her whip in order to begin the journey home. Then a small movement catches her eye, and she realizes they have an uninvited guest.

Casually, Lady Iniquity lashes out with her whip, creating a portal. "Shall we?" she asks. She gestures up toward the skyline, at a nearby rooftop east of the warehouse; in reality, Tabitha has opened the portal to emerge a few feet behind whoever is spying on them.

Add +4 to the Bluff check total if you feel the Attractive feat applies in this circumstance. I'm not sure it would, so I left it off my roll.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), 1:30-ish am Sept 28th, at the Fens

"We ain't got no love for the cops, toots," Kaars says, apparently having learned English from gangster movies, "but we don't go makin' trouble, neither."

Tabitha shrugs. "Well, I could have instilled Wrath toward ice cream trucks, but those are somewhat difficult to find this time of night. Besides, the issue is moot now."

She turns to Jos Terhune. "Unless there's anything else, I can return you home."

A simple antique dealer with enough connections to drag an entire cyber-enhanced mob out in the middle of the night just to facilitate a job interview, she thinks to herself. But something tells me that's not the only reason Cabot sent me to this one. He enjoyed this.

Finally got my demonstration posted!

I left Lust out of the demonstration because it affects a 100' radius Burst, and I don't need everyone in the warehouse going ga-ga for Tabitha (they're already having trouble looking her in the eyes, apparently).

I didn't do Envy because obviously none of the 'volunteers' had powers, and I didn't think Kaars would react well to Tabitha going after one of his cyber-gangsters. Besides, even if their implants do give them powers, none of them looked like they would make much of an impressive display - if one of the gangsters had a gun for a leg, that would be one thing, but on first glance it looked mostly like a bunch of Enhanced Senses type of thing.

And what she said was true - she doesn't want to reveal every trick she has.

Tabitha Connely, Jos Terhune, Ansel Kaars and his gang (and a snoopy Ember), 1:00am Sept 28th, at the Fens

Tabitha slowly scans the warehouse, taking in Kaars and his men as well as the ‘volunteers’.

“Yes, this will do nicely,†she says with a sinister chuckle.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to display the full range of my abilities,†she says as she slowly circles the group of homeless men and women. “Some of my powers would affect everyone in the building, and as I have already said to Mr. Terhune, assaulting a prospective employer or ally is never good business. Besides, a woman never gives it all up on the first date, hmm?â€Â

She looks over at Jos Terhune. “As I have told you, my powers evoke the Seven Deadly Sins. Let’s start with Pride.†She walks over to one of the homeless, a small, sickly looking man. “You don’t want to be here, do you?†The man shakes his head, nervously.

“So why don’t you do something about it?†she asks. As she speaks, her yellow eyes glow for a moment. The man looks at her, wide eyed, and then looks around and glares at Kaars.

“You’re right!†he says, in a tone of bravado that one would not expect. “I’m the only one here who can!†Stand back, everyone, while I take care of these mobsters!â€Â

The man then charges Kaars, screaming. Of course, he doesn’t make it very far.

“As you can see, sometimes Pride can be misplaced.†She whirls on the now frightened mob of homeless. “But the sin of Sloth is more straightforward.â€Â

Lady Iniquity points at a young woman, and her eyes flash again. The woman falls asleep standing up, crumpling to the warehouse floor.

“Wrath, too, is simple and direct, and has the advantage of being a sin that others can easily get caught up in.†She turns to face another homeless man, standing next to a woman who is obviously a close friend or partner. “You two,†Lady Iniquity purrs, “how do you feel about the police?â€Â

“I got no problem with them,†the man says.

“Wish there were some here now,†mutters the woman.

“Are you sure?†Lady Iniquity asks, staring at the man as her eyes flash.

The man’s face suddenly contorts in rage. “No, I f*ucking hate the pigs!†he shouts.

“You should show them how much you hate them,†Lady Iniquity says. She motions to Kaars’ men, indicating they should allow the two to leave. The enraged man’s partner looks bewildered by her companion’s sudden change of heart.

“Come on!†the angry man shouts, grabbing the woman’s arm, “Let’s go bust some cop skulls!â€Â

As soon as the man grabs on, the woman’s perplexed look is replaced by rage, and the two of them run out of the warehouse. Lady Iniquity smiles.

“It will be interesting to see just how many people get caught up in Wrath. I’ll be disappointed if I don’t hear about at least a small riot in the morning news.â€Â

She returns to circling the now smaller pack of victims, stalking them like a predator. She walks up and puts her arm around the shoulders of a middle-aged woman, tears streaking her face. “You poor dear,†she says, “you must be hungry.†The woman shakes her head.

“Are you certain?â€Â

A ravenous look suddenly fills the woman’s eyes. “God, I’m so hungry,†she moans. “Please, I need to eat!â€Â

“Of course, dear. But I’m afraid that calling to have a pizza delivered would be quite out of the question. We shall have to improvise. Perhaps over there?†Lady Iniquity points toward an old, rusty garbage bin in the corner. The woman rushes over and begins pawing through it, stuffing anything even remotely food-like into her mouth.

“Gluttony, a sin that is all too familiar to most Americans, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, Mr Kaars.â€Â

Lady Iniquity turns to regard the five men remaining. She’s deliberately chosen to save these five for last, as they were all larger men who looked as though they’d been in fights in the past, whose eyes said that they had no problem solving problems with their fists.

“I know that none of you asked to be here,†she says. “And I’m not entirely cruel. Since my little demonstration is done, I want to reward you.†She holds out her hands, and a small ingot of gold appears there. She sets it down on top of a crate, letting it drop slightly so they can all see that it has real weight.

“Unfortunately, I only have enough for one,†she says. “I’ll leave it up to you to decide who gets it.â€Â

She walks away, heading for Jos Terhune and Ansel Kaars. It only takes a moment for the sounds of fighting to break out behind her.

“Greed,†she says simply, “one of my favorites, because it’s one of my powers that does not alter their minds. What you see behind you is entirely a product of their own twisted, sinful souls. And before you ask, the gold is quite real, but remains in this plane of existence for only a short while.

“Obviously, I have left out Lust and Envy – allow me to help you with your delivery problem, and you may get a chance to see them.â€Â

Behind her, one of the men fighting over the gold suddenly looks her way. It occurs to him that if the woman in the red getup had that gold, she might be able to get her hands on more. Wiping blood from his face, he turned and began to advance on her, hoping to grab her from behind.

When he got within a few feet, Lady Iniquity’s hand dropped to her hips, and she unfurled her whip. With a sound like the screaming of damned souls, it lashed out, striking the man in the chest. He falls to the ground, a bloody hole in his chest.

“And as you can see,†Lady Iniquity says casually, coiling her whip, “I can take care of things in a more direct manner if the occasion calls.â€Â

Is there something I need to Roll for Ember to keep up/tack of Tabitha and Jos?

For clarity, Tabitha's portals can take her up to one mile per jump. But she doesn't have Accurate, so presumably she either has to know where she's going or see the destination. Thus the roof to roof travel; stand on a tall building, spot another tall building in the direction she wants to go, teleport there, repeat. It's only about 3-4 miles between the Waterfront and the Fens, but I assume there are not conveniently placed buildings exactly one mile apart between Terhune's house and wherever we're going.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), 12:15am Sept 28th, at Mr. Terhune's home

Tabitha smiles wickedly. "Well, since this is supposed to be a demonstration of my powers..."

She walks out into the street, followed by Mr Terhune. She looks around for a moment until she sees what she's looking for; a relatively tall building nearby with a flat roof. She then moves around the corner so as not to be in easy view of any passers-by, and once she looks around to make sure no one's watching, she produces, seemingly from nowhere, a large, vicious looking whip that practically radiates malice. She twirls the whip over her head a few ties, and then cracks it on the ground just in front of her. In the spot where the whip struck, a glowing red, oval portal opens up.

"Shall we?"

The portal leads to the roof of the building she had spotted earlier. From there, she opens another portal that leads to the rooftop of a building that could be seen from where they were, but is much father to the west, heading toward the Fens. She repeats this process two or three more times, moving the three or four miles between the Waterfront and the Fens in less than a minute. On their final leg, Tabitha gets the address of their destination from Mr Terhune, and the final portal opens up in a discreet location a short distance from the meeting point.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), midnight Sept 27th, at Mr. Terhune's home

Tabitha looks around the house and makes pleasant but professional conversation with Terhune until the call from Ansel comes in. She catches his eyes taking in her costume more than once, and not for the first time questions her choice to use such a revealing outfit. Sure, she had never shied away from taking advantage of her looks to advance her career in the past, but it had always been much more... subtle. Ultimately, she assures herself it was the right choice - after all, she is supposed to represent sin, so best to appear the part. Besides, when she inevitably faces up to some real opposition, this costume might just cause them to make the mistake of dismissing her as a real threat.

Still, Tabitha couldn't help but be a little relieved when the call came in, and she is able to put her coat back on as they prepared to meet Ansel and his men.

OOC: (PM coming your way, Dr A.)

Ember Paw & Lady Iniquity, make Knowledge (Streetwise) checks if you want to see if you know who Ansel Kaars is.

Delemental, would you please place a link to your character in your .sig? Thanks.

Knowledge: Streetwise to ID Ansel Kaars (1d20+7=11)

Huh, somehow I accidentally unchecked 'add a sig' on my last post. Should be fine now.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), at Mr. Terhune's home, midnight Sept 27th

Tabitha stops at the door, one hand on the handle. She had to suppress a smile at how the man was practically stumbling over himself. Men are so predictable sometimes. "Well, if you insist," she says, "I suppose I could make myself comfortable here while you make arrangements." She takes off her trenchcoat, hanging it by the rack near the door, and then turns to face Terhune. "Perhaps I could get a tour of the house after you make your calls?"

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), at Mr. Terhune's home, midnight Sept 27th

Tabitha hands Mr Terhune a business card, with the name 'Lady Iniquity' and a phone number. She's glad she thought about this little detail ahead of time; she had to print the cards at home, so they're not quite as nice as she'd like, but they do the job. The phone, of course, is a generic prepaid cell, paid for with cash and untraceable to her civilian identity. "Call me with a location when you're ready," she says, standing up and heading for the door. "I'm sure you'll find I'm worth the wait."

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune (and a snoopy Ember), at Mr. Terhune's home, midnight Sept 27th

"I'm afraid, Mr. Terhune, that my powers mostly manifest against the minds of men and women, and so would be demonstrated poorly in an unpopulated area. My ability to make objects such as this golden idol is one of my few powers that have a physical presence. In brief, I can manifest powers that evoke the Seven Deadly Sins - a concept that I'm sure you you are familiar with as a purveyor of history. Obviously, the gold represents Greed - the other six are evoked through manipulations of the mind or body."

"If you feel a demonstration is necessary, we could try to arrange something. I'm sure a man of your position might be able to recruit a few volunteers to meet you in a private location somewhere?"

Tabitha pauses for a moment, thinking she heard something at the window, but realizes it was probably just a stray cat.

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune, at Mr. Terhune's home, midnight Sept 27th

"A drink would be lovely, thank you," she says. "Whatever you're having will be fine."

"So, you deal in antiquities?" she asks. "Do you specialize in anything in particular?"

Perhaps this is why my master is interested in this one, she thinks to herself. Many occult objects could be classified as 'antiques'.

"I feel I should correct your perceptions on one matter, however," she says as Mr Terhune gets the drinks. "I am not a telepath, though I do have some influence over the thoughts and emotions of others. My abilities evoke humanity's darker urges, their proclivity toward sinfulness." She extends a hand, palm up, and after a moment's concentration a golden statuette appears in her hand, an exact likeness of Lady Iniquity in full costume (sans trenchcoat), about eight inches tall. "Greed, for example." She sets the statuette down. "I could show you more, but many of my other abilities are more personal in nature, and I don't believe that assaulting a prospective employer with powers makes a good first impression. Besides, a woman should have some secrets."

Obviously, she had to temporarily switch from Lust to Greed to pull that little demonstration off, but she'll switch back to Lust as soon as she can (will still keep the Emotion Control part switched off). The Greed power is Independent, so the statuette will remain even if she switches powers (until the duration expires, of course, in about 90 minutes).

Tabitha Connely & Jos Terhune, at Mr. Terhune's home, midnight Sept 27th

"I am Mr. Terhune, yes," he replied as he closed the door behind them, "and you are? Wait, wait, don't tell me, let me guess!" He paced back and forth for a few moments, looking her up and down. "Ah, I know, you're a hopeful up-and-coming superheroine, trying to make a name for herself, and you saw my lil' ad on oddjobs.com! So, what's your shtick? You got a costume under that trenchcoat, or is the trenchcoat your costume?"

She smiles at the description of her as an 'up-and-coming superheroine'. "Yes, something like that."

"As for my attire, I had assumed you would prefer a bit of discretion at your home. I assure you I make more of an impression 'on the clock', as it were." She sits down on the edge of a nearby table, crossing her legs. "As for what I can do, well, for now it's easiest to say that I have a deeper understanding of humanity's baser instincts than most."

"I am hoping to make a name for myself, and I've learned that a lot depends on who you know. I was hoping that if everything goes well with this assignment, it might open the door to... future opportunities?" She extends a hand. "You may call me Lady Iniquity."

As she starts speaking to Mr. Terhune, Tabitha will end the Emotion Control portion of her Lust power, but the Enhanced Charisma and Attractive feat will stay active.