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Suzaku. The Vermillion Bird of the South. It made sense now. The Ssi Ling and Kageryu were no strangers to one another, and it would seem fate would bring two of their champions together tonight. Razorwing was wary of Suzaku, unsure whether Suzaku could also feel the spiritual animosity between their totems. "Razorwing," he replied coldy, his voice low and gravelly. He looked over his shoulder at the unconscious form of Hua Ling, then back at Suzaku. "Nice job. You saved me the trouble of doing it myself." He stood still as stone in anticipation of the martial artist's next words... or actions.

Spending a Hero Point for Beginner's Luck. Knowledge (arcane lore) check DC 20. (1d20+9=15) FAIL! Spending an HP (last one) for a reroll. Minimum result is 20. SUCCESS!

GM POST Hua Ling's attack was intercepted by Suzaku's fiery kick, embers of chi exploding at the point of contact, sending the triad leader smashing through the already damaged wall! If it weren't for Razorwing's finely honed reflexes the battered body of Hua Ling would have collided with him, instead crashing haphazardly into a rack of adult magazines. Making no attempt to conceal his presence, he looked through the body-sized hole in the wall. A man dressed in black with a blazing crimson aura stood in the room where he had heard the sounds of combat, and deep inside his being he could feel the Kamisorihane become unsettled. Somehow, it knew this masked individual, and compelled it's host to engage him in combat, although the teenage vigilante suppressed the urge. "Who are you?" he asked the black clad martial artist, unsure whether he was friend or foe.

Toughness save DC 35. (1d20+5=25) FAIL! Bruised -4, Staggered

GM POST Hua Ling looked up at his opponent in disgust. How dare this upstart offer a peaceful end to their conflict! <"You are strong, but you think you have me at a disadvantage,"> he said bitterly between gritted teeth. <"You have yet to see my true power!"> he shouted as he pulled himself up to his feet. Resuming his form he shouted <"CELESTIAL BOAR SECRET ART! CHARGING BOAR!"> and rushed the young hero, making one last all-or-nothing attempt at putting Suzaku down.

GM POST Suzaku's attack struck hard, driving the wind from the old man, doubling him over and sending him flying across the room! Hua Ling crashed into the wall, cracking the plaster, and slumped to the ground in a crumpled heap. His vision blurred, and Hua Ling could sense imminent defeat...

Toughness save DC 16 (1d20+6=22) FAIL! Bruise -3 and stunned... again!

Sense Motive check. DC 24. (1d20+8=27) SUCCESS! Toughness save. DC 30. (1d20+8=26) FAIL! also, I forgot he was already Bruised, so he fails by 5. Bruise -2 and stunned!

GM POST Hua Ling looked at his opponent, smiling at his challenge. For a moment, it seemed as if he entertained the thought. However, he wasn't so certain that he could best the younger man in hand-to-hand combat, and he wasn't about to take any chances. Hua Ling crouched low and leaped over the table, firing another chi blast at Suzaku, but again he missed his mark. The elder martial artist landed on the scorched carpet where Suzaku had just been.

Ranged Attack roll. Power Attack. Toughness DC 28. (1d20+7=15)

November 5, close to Midnight Razorwing found himself in very unfamiliar territory tonight. He was used to slinking in the alleys of Freedom's slums or gliding silently through the night sky like a bird of prey, but here in Riverside the streets didn't get that dark and the buildings weren't that tall. While he felt out of his element, his reason for being on the roof of a vegan bakery staking out a three-story building down the street was one he was all to familiar with. Word on the street was that behind the facade of this innocent looking office building was a drug manufacturing operation, and Razorwing was here to shut it down. Tonight.

Toughness save DC 25 (1d20+12=23) FAIL! Bruised -1

Nightmare check DC 10 (1d20=18) SUCCESS!

GM POST Razorwing was still regaining his wits when he heard gunfire from inside the building. Suspecting that the meeting between the triads and tongs went sour, making his job that much easier, he stalked down the darkened alley towards the back door of the book store unhurried. Coming upon the back door, he pulled a lockpick set from his utility belt and was ready to begin disabling the locking mechanism when he noticed scratches on the door handle. Someone had already picked the lock! Opening the door quietly, he peered into the darkness, his mask's active infrared allowing him to see clearly. The gunfire had stopped, but there was no reason to assume there were no threats still inside. He slowly made his way into the building, closing the door softly behind him. Suzaku finally had a chance to take in his surroundings now that the melee was over. The room was roughly fifteen by fifteen feet, though slightly rectangular. The nondescript wooden table was riddled with bullet holes, but it still stood on four legs and looked reasonably sturdy. All four chairs had been overturned during Suzaku's suprise attack, and he could spot the female's nunchaku laying at her side, just a few feet away. A cieling fan turned lazily in the center of the rook, and a few boxes of magazines and DVDs was stacked on the wall behind him, opposite Hua Ling. Although the room was still as dark as a moonless night, Hua Ling was more than willing to accept Suzaku's challenge, his mystic sight enabling him to see in the pitch black. He removed his coat and loosened his tie. <"You are a capable fighter,"> he said to the young warrior as he unbuttoned his collared shirt and tossed it aside, <"but your Vermillion Bird is no match for my Celestial Boar style!". The elder man, only five and a half feet tall but incredibly well-toned, body-flexed to loosen his joints and warm his muscles. He widened his stance and lowered himself, arms held close to his torso in a similar fashion to a boxer's "Philadelphia Cross" block. <"Let us begin!"> Hua Ling repeats his earlier circular arm motions, but with a suprising speed, and launched a blue-white ball of concentrated chi at his opponent and missed. A chunk of wall behind Suzaku was destroyed by the force of the blast, indicating the strength of Hua Ling's attack.

Ranged Attack roll. Power Attack. Toughness save DC 27 (1d20+12=22) I forgot to subtract 5 for the Power Attack. MISS!

Toughness save DC 25 (1d20+3=19, 1d20+3=23) FAIL! Toughness save DC 25 (1d20+3=22, 1d20+3=12) FAIL!

GM POST Razorwing was barely aware that he was on the receiving end of a savage beating. The behemoth stood over his body, hammering into the young man's head and chest with powerful fists. At this point, Razorwing's mind and body were on autopilot as his subconscious took control of his actions. As the massive Asian sent a devastating right fist towards the prone vigilante's head, Razorwing's ninja reflexes kicked into high-gear, leaning to the side to avoid the blow. The brute recoiled in pain, grasping his broken hand and giving Razorwing just the opportunity he needed. He pulled his knees to his chest and drove his feet up, connecting with the heavy set thug's groin, the force of the blow lifting the man off the ground. Razorwing used the momentum of his attack to kip-up, tucking and twisting as he rose. He lashed out with a lightning fast kick his opponent's midsection while they were both in the air, and the brute crashed into the facade of the book store and slumped to the pavement. His foe defeated, Razorwing leaned his elbow against the alley wall for a few moments to rest. Unbeknownst to him, the battle inside had already begun. Suzaku had already felled two opponents, and lay prone after his attack. Hua Ling, an accomplished student of esoteric martial arts, could see the powerful chi emanating from Suzaku. Hua Ling widened his stance and moved his arms in slow, wide, circular motions to focus his own chi. Bringing his palms together at the end of his kata, he unleashed a blast of brilliant, blue energy. Although he struck the hero with his attack, it had no effect against Suzaku's vermillion aura! The female syndicate leader and her bodyguard both drew nunchaku in defense as automatic gunfire tore up the floor and walls of the room as the triad goons shot blindly in the darkness.

Attack roll. DC 23 Toughness. (1d20+8=26) Hua Ling HITS! Miss chance (1d20=20, 1d20=7) One SUCCESS! and one FAIL! Attack rool. DC18 Toughness. (1d20+3=5) FAIL! Miss chance (1d20=2, 1d20=10) FAIL!

Toughness save DC 25 (1d20+3=22, 1d20+3=14) FAIL!

GM POST Razorwing went in close for the finish, driving a knee into his foes midsection. Big mistake. Not only did the attack seem to fail to damage his opponent, it left him open for a counter attack. With a speed belying his size, the Asian brute wrapped his massive arms around the young vigilante, forcing the air from his lungs. Try as he might, Razorwing couldn't escape from the vise-like grip. Not that he had long to wait. The mountain of a man swung Razorwing first against the alley's brick wall, and then into the building's facade. Raising his vicitm high overhead, the brute slammed the hero into the concrete pavement. The edges of Razorwing's vision began to darken. Hua Ling cast an unsympathetic gaze across the assembled audience, forcing their submission through sheer will. The wizened old man was small of stature, but of great inner strength, and those present knew of his terrible power. The triad and tong leaders had gathered around a circular wooden table, large enough to sit four with ample space between them. Only one woman was present at the table, and she looked to be in her late twenties, much younger than the men at the table. A guard stood behind all of the crime lords save Hua Ling, who was about to continue talking when the lights mysteriously cut out. A murmur of suprise was quickly cut short as the door violently flew from it's hinges, peppering those within the room with splintered wood.

Initiative check (1d20+8=15) Initiative check (1d20+2=15) Initiative check (1d20+2=11) Initiative check (1d20+2=8) OK, Suzaku has a Suprise round. Thug Groups are Minions.

Trip attack. Using Improved Trip (opposed Strength check). (1d20+12=23) Hopefully, he loses the check. If so, RW is gonna yank the guy off the rafter, causing falling damage.

GM POST The sentries hustled down the alleyway to the front of the book store, puzzled looks playing across both their faces as they looked around for the source of the voice. They readied their weapons and scanned the area, but saw nothing save the usual dregs shuffling about the streets. It said much about the Fens when two armed men could brandish SMG's and no one thinks it out of place. The Asian gangsters shrugged at one another. <"We should go inside, see what that was all about,"> said the smaller of the two men in Cantonese. The large, brutish one grunted an affirmation, and the pair lowered their weapons and walked back towards the mouth of the alley. As they entered the shadowy corridor, a figure leapt from the darkness, delivering a powerful upwards elbow strike to the smaller man's chin, dropping him instantly. Before the brute could even raise his weapon, it was batted aside by the unseen attacker and followed by a knife hand chop to the large man's throat, causing him to stagger. Suzaku continued his surveillance, jotting down notes as fast as he could as names and locations were spoken. He was at work for at least a minute when something dawned on him. The guards he tricked hadn't come back yet. Surely they would have returned to their post when they found no one out front, just to resume their duties if not inform the men inside of what had happened. However, this train of thought was interrupted when a loud, angry voice commanded silence in the meeting. It was a male voice, one he hadn't heard yet, and it spoke in a very menacing tone. <"We cannot afford to bicker among ourselves like children if we are to see our dream of controlling Freedom City's underworld come to fruition!"> the man said sternly, Suzaku understanding every word. <"Even now, our enemies move against us! The Italians and Russians have caught wind of our plans, to say nothing of the heroes that claim the city under their protection! If you fools cannot agree to work together, then you are useless to me!"> An uncomfortable silence fell across the room.

Trying to start it. It doesn't have a push-button starter, just a kick start.

Razorwing ducked back into the cover of darkness as the gunfire began, though one of his ambusher's grazed his shoulder with a lucky shot. His armored jumpsuit protected him from the worst of the damage, but it still hurt. He used his anger to focus himself, drew his grapple gun from it's holster on his utility belt, and fired at the guman.