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Showing results for tags 'bombshell'.
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December 1, 2015 Riverside 5:30 PM Gina Evans wasn't driving her car - she had Emerson for that. At least until Emerson gave her the warning beep that something was happening that required her attention. They'd been stopped for several minutes now in this small Riverside sidestreet, a shortcut Gina's mapping programs had uncovered months earlier when she'd begun her psychological visits to Dr. Franklin at Freedom Hall. Today's appointment had supposed to end with coming home to a pleasant dinner with Steve, but heavy traffic and now a police barricade had obstructed her travel plans. There were three other cars on the street with her, an SUV, a taxicab, and a luxury sportscar just ahead of her. She could see the man in the sportscar, wealthy from what she could see and the vehicle itself, cursing in frustration at the police cars in front of them. There were two police cars; each one blocking one lane of traffic, both with their lights flashing. The officers were engaged in setting up a barricade with traffic cones and road flares, occasionally stopping to converse with each other, but she couldn't make out what all the fuss was about. Behind them, their little mini-traffic jam was suddenly joined by a full-sized police SWAT transport truck! The truck, coming in so fast Gina could hear the squealing of its tires, made a neat pivot as it reached their alley, swinging like a door to block them in from the rear, too. SWAT officers poured out of the SWAT truck too, fully armed and in full body armor, and began the process of setting up another barricade behind them.
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Date: January 25, 2016 It wasn't until after winter break that Raina could round up a small cluster of fellow students to come along to extra curricular training. On the bright side, it meant she'd had several weeks of one on one classes to be confident with both the workings of the school and the general format of the training. Always nice to be the expert in the group, after all. With a large enough group, Claremont sent the teenagers to their extra credit activity in one of the few vans for such purposes rather than letting the students make their own way. The unmarked school van pulled up to let the students unload directly in front of a well kept building in the middle of the West End. A sign proclaimed 'The Espadas School of Self-Defense and Swordsmanship!' (Exclamation mark included), and through the front doors was a small lobby and receptionist desk before the dojo itself. As they had forewarning that there was going to be more than just the one student, Talya had come down early to straighten things in the lobby and keep an eye out just in case the school van had trouble finding a good drop off point. Rather than standing behind the desk, the attractive blonde was perched on top of it, seated on the surface as she sorted through papers. Lately, Talya had taken to wearing a loose cut tanktop over her formfitting practice wear and today was no different. As the students disembarked she shifted the paperwork to one side to welcome the knot of teenagers. "Come on in and pick a cubby for your shoes and anything else you want to put away," Talya invited in a clipped, British accent. She flashed Raina a smile as the young woman stepped in, "Hullo, Raina." She added before raising her voice slightly, "Erik, the students are here."
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Although Talya's reputation might give the impression that all her New Year's Eves were spent at fabulous parties or madcap adventure, the fact of the matter was she'd had plenty of quiet New Years as well. There were certainly enough years where time's steady march onwards had not been a matter to celebrate. Still, in all of the New Years that she had celebrated, loud or quiet, Talya had certainly never fallen asleep a good half an hour before the overly-hyped television special had even begun it's crescendo. Yet sleeping was just what the blonde was doing, rather uncomfortably in her position as human barrier. Sometime between when Min and Erik had stepped out, the former to bathe Eden and the latter to produce snacks, Talya had curled up on the floor to keep Mia from getting past her and was now serving as an even better handhold for cruising than the couch had provided. How Talya continued to sleep through the chubby - and potentially sticky - baby hands yanking on her side was anyone's best guess. Normally, the ex-thief slept relatively lightly. Today, though, Mia's hand catching in her hair earned only a sleepy snort as Talya shifted, one arm encircling Mia absently.
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December 1, 2015 Thrude had already had a busy day fighting some sort of horse-headed creature from beyond the dome of lopt when she detected the spell - ancient, powerful Norse words were being spoken by a caster with formidable arcane powers, words designed to summon a being of Asgard to the side of the caster! The spell was a dangerous one, a summoning without a binding, the sort that would likely get some fool killed and unleash any number of powerful creatures upon the innocent people of Midgard. Luckily the nearest creature to them was Thrude herself, and she was unlikely to smite even a mortal sorcerer so badly that he would not regret the error of his ways. She followed the 'signal' to a beach at the edge of the city proper, absolutely deserted by the cold-hating locals given the time of year - i.e., what felt like a mild autumn day to one who had taken the battle to Jotunheim itself. Standing amid a rune that spelled the letters of her own name stood a figure wrapped in the chilly mist of the coldest Scandanavian winter, a creature of death and a mockery of all that lived - a man in a blue parka and green uniform she recognized as Hel's representative on Midgard, Comrade Frost! "Hello!" he called up to her in a heavy accent like the scion of Rurik he was. "You got message, good! You want parley?" he asked, waving his hand. "I got guy who made me some mead under floor last year!" he went on, pointing to a nearby orange and white beverage cooler. "Is supposed to be pretty good!"
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Bombshell - These 'police officers' look exactly like Wilhelm Kantor. Fortitude save vs 15: (I don't think it's unreasonable to have Gina have an Equipment Taser, especially since she could just stunt something much more effective in combat!) http://orokos.com/roll/349106 = 20! He makes the Fort save, ooh noo! Okay, initiative time http://orokos.com/roll/349107 = 25 for Harrier http://orokos.com/roll/349108 = the baddies! CharacterUmbral GuardsCampaignNationality or ReligionDescriptionInitResults1d20+2: 12 [1d20=10]1d20+2: 4 [1d20=2]1d20+2: 13 [1d20=11]1d20+2: 18 [1d20=16]1d20+2: 15 [1d20=13]1d20+2: 5 [1d20=3]
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Talya had never really thought she'd miss English weather but the unseasonably warm December really had begun to cut into the Christmas mood, in her opinion. Still, that hadn't deterred her from enjoying the season, especially with the Espadas children to shop for. Although, to be fair, it wasn't like the ex-spy needed an excuse to shop but the season was more magical when there were children to spoil and Eden was right at the right age for that. So, it wasn't unusual for Talya to try and coax Min or Erik on a holiday shopping trip once Thanksgiving had passed. Nor was it unusual for Talya to turn up in the dojo when she wasn't scheduled to teach and knew Erik's classes were light, but she wasn't dressed to spar and her expression lacked the coaxing smile that usually accompanied Talya's suggestions to play hooky. Still, things couldn't be all that terrible as she waited for things to finish up before twining her arms around his waist and offering him an affectionate kiss. "And good morning to you, handsome. I don't suppose you have time in your busy schedule for a quick errand?"
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Raina was in a terrible mood. She had plenty of reasons to be, good reasons. She'd hardly slept at all last night, and trying to wake up with her alarm had been torture, especially when certain nameless parties had apparently spent all night dreaming peacefully of Antarctica and the dorm room windows were frosted from the inside. And Merlin was bothering her. He'd been clinging to her shoulder all morning, and even when she'd forcibly removed him to shower, he hung from the shower curtain rod and glared ever-so-balefully at her for her treachery. She was doing a foolish thing, he'd reminded her a number of times, and potentially putting them both at risk. It would be very unpleasant, probably painful, certainly scary. Modern technology obviated the need for any of this, and why couldn't she just show some sense for once and do things the easy way? She'd ignored him, but the constant haranguing settled in as a throb behind her temples that just made her more irritated. The best reason to be in a terrible mood, though, was that it let her ignore how utterly, completely, piss-your-pants scared she was. It was so much easier to be angry and annoyed with the world than to consider even for five minutes what she was about to let happen to her. Unconsciously Raina rubbed her wrists with her fingertips, remembering how cold the manacles had been when she'd been arrested the first time, remembering how it had hurt, how lost she'd been. Merlin wrapped his tail around her neck and rubbed her cheek with his own, commiserating with her in the poorly suppressed terror department. "It'll be okay," she told him. "We're gonna be fine. It's not permanent. I'll be back before dinnertime. You just... you just stay in here, okay? I've put away your computer already, so it's totally safe. Just wear the diaper and watch TV, and there's plenty of food if you get hungry. It'll be all right, I promise." She kissed his furry forehead. Merlin accepted the affection, but felt compelled to grouse a little more about the indignity of having to wear the diaper. "Nobody's gonna see you," she reminded him. "Cathy's not even going to be here, the place is all yours. And I won't say a word about it afterwards, really." He implied that she had damn well better not, as this was her fault entirely, and also he had plenty of blackmail material of his own to break out if necessary! "I know," Raina assured him. "I remember. I'll see you later. I love you." Merlin replied, only a little reluctantly, that he loved her too, and be careful, and listen to Talya. Raina managed an insouciant grin at that. "Much as I ever do, right?" As Merlin scrambled off her shoulder and over to the bed, she gave herself one last look in the mirror, grimacing at the shapeless, style-free gray coverall she'd been sent to wear. Ugly, ugly, ugly. With more than a little reluctance, she removed her earrings, the rings from her fingers, and finally the pendants around her neck, setting them with great care into a little bowl on her dresser. The pendant glowed slightly from the touch of her fingers, dimming when it left her hand. Feeling entirely naked and extremely vulnerable, Raina picked up her bag of gifts and headed out of the dorm, walking to the large circular driveway in front of the school's administration building. She could feel eyes on her, curious eyes, judging eyes, but she straightened her back and ignored them. Shapeless gray coveralls and rubber-sole sneakers were totally in this year, and they should all feel sorry that they didn't have any to wear.
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Talya's directions had them parking well away from the school. The racy sportscar was more suited towards the life that went with the high end apartment building than her West End activities so she never parked it in the same place and never close to the school. Walking wasn't exceptionally onerous, after all. When she stepped out of her car, she pulled a different jacket over the top of her blouse, modernizing the pencil skirt enough to distance it from the tailored retro style she favored in public appearances. As Talya's quick changes went, it was relatively minor on the spectrum of what Dimitri had seen before as far as Talya's efforts went. There was no wig and only very minor make up and clothing adjustments. He was well aware that there was probably no less than four or five very different disguises in the trunk of her car. She threaded her hand through Dimitri's parka covered arm, her Russian still flawless despite the definitely loose swing of her hips and the roll of her steps. She wasn't sober, but it would take a discerning eye to notice such things. Talya put on a very convincing facade of sobriety, aided by the fact that she could probably still scale the building in her heels and narrow skirt without missing a step. Fortunately, that wasn't necessary as she fished a key out of her pocket to unlock the closed door to the front of the dojo, "We ought stay down here. If the girls are asleep, I don't want to wake them." Talya said as she opened the door and then locked it behind them, "But, I can show you where I'm spending my time, nonetheless. You can tell me what you think of the very minor addition I made."
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The Espadas School of Swordsmanship and Sword-Fighting (!) was just a little busier than the last time Raina had shown up for her lesson. It was a small knot of largely older ladies filtering out through the door and gossiping as they collected their belongings and gathered up to leave. When she stepped past the still-empty receptionist area, the only instructor visible was Talya as she spoke with one of the older ladies in friendly tones. Unfortunately, the attractive male teacher was no where to be seen. Oddly, as Raina drew closer, the crisp British accent was gone and Talya's half of the conversation was softer voiced, her tone pitched a little higher and the faint traces of a midwestern accent and phrases peppering her speech. She hustled the lady off with a friendly smile before putting up the sign for a private lesson in progress. "Sorry about that. Delightful lady, really, but I made the mistake of mentioning that I know how to knit and now it takes a few minutes to extricate myself from discussions of patterns post class without fail," Talya sounded once more herself, assuming of course that this was the actual natural intonations of the woman in question. Today, she wore black tights that ended at the calf and a leotard over that. "Put your things down in the corner and we'll stretch out just a bit first. The last thing you need to do is cramp a calf. How's your week been?"
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October 18, 2015 Summerhill Street Farmer's Market Only a two block stroll from the Espadas School, every Sunday farmers from the area surrounding the city along with more local bakers, brewers and others set up stalls to sells their wares along either side of the winding path that could somewhat generously be characterized as a park. The fountain in the center of the market hadn't had working water in years but the trees provided pleasant shade and the benches were kept in good condition. The main draw was in-season produce but there were homemade jams and preserves for sale alongside fresh breads, beeswax candles next to knitwear in time for the cooling weather. The bustling path was full of West Enders looking for bargains and loud with the sounds of haggling. "I want to grab some apples, corn and sweet potatoes for sure," Erik was explaining as he led the way, having finally relented to the season and put on a light sweater under his wool-lined jacket. With a pair of reusable shopping bags stuffed unceremoniously stuff into his jacket's pockets he was already craning his neck to see what was on sale. "Other than that, what were you thinking?" After another playful conversation about whether or not Talya could actually manage an uneventful grocery shopping trip he'd agreed to let her take the lead in gathering what they needed for dinner that evening. It had quickly become clear from the way he animatedly talked up the market that he was taking this as an opportunity to show the blonde Englishwoman around the neighbourhood where he'd been born and raised as much as anything else.
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Pushkin’s Restaurant, West End, Freedom City Friday 3rd October 2015 5:30 pm The last dregs of Summer had began to peter out and the sky was overcast over Freedom City, whilst most of the Restaurants had chair set up outside few bothered to sit outside. A few stubborn souls were however “enjoying” the weather, being use to much worse this time of year. “I do not know why I miss this food at all, it’s nothing like the sweet food or Ayrag of home.” Klara spoke between mouthfuls of Shchi “Maybe because you love all food even my feeble attempt at cooking and I’m no Mary Berry.” Tracy still had a strong Lancaster accent even after all these years At first glance it looked like a, admittedly tall, daughter was taking her mother out for a meal. Tracy looked about twice Klara’s age, and was in fact even older than that. But if you watched closer you could see that there was something else there, from the little looks they gave each other to way they would softly touch each other hands. “You are beautiful tonight my darling and you grow even more so with every passing year.” “You a lying old bugger you know that Klara, but I’ll take the compliment as it was intended. Now the kid are left we need to have that talk you know, unlike you I’m not going to live forever.” “You know there are ways around that, people and places that grant eternal beauty and life.” “Seems to me that immortality more of a burden than a blessing, look at that bitter old man you use to work with in the People’s Heroes. I ain’t planning to end up like that, rather go now.” It was an old conversation that Klara wasn’t keen on having right now, she just wanted a nice quiet night out with her wife, so she subtly changed the subject. “I can’t tell if it’s from living among the Russians or the English's but when someone mention him I can’t help but assume the worst is about to happen...”
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Of course, she was sleeping. Sure, it was the middle of the day, heading towards afternoon, but contrary to the image Talya tended to put out into the public realm, even she had to rest sometimes. Thankfully, part of what she paid the unholy rent for was to have doormen that notified her when people were in route. So, when the phone rang, Talya reached out a hand to try and turn the alarm off only to eventually grope for the phone. She answered in a cool, crisp voice that sounded nothing like she was currently buried in layers of bedding and gave permission for guests to come up just as smoothly, despite the reality that she'd not yet gotten both eyes open. After she hung up, Talya laid there for a long moment before kicking the covers off. The woman who answered the door, however, showed none of the signs of having just rolled out of the bed. From her on point pin curls to the peep toed shoes, Talya was in full hostess mode when she walked to answer the door for a 'Dimitri and guest'. "Dimitri, honestly, I know it's hard to fathom but I really am a mere mortal that actually sleeps sometimes, and--" Talya broke off before she could get to the point where while the vodka really was very good, sometimes one needed to recover to stare delightedly at Set, "This is Set. The Set. Well, the latest incarnae. You Egyptians and your reincarnation. Come in. Do come in."
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October 2015 Steve rarely exercised at the dojo. He was far more powerful than the school's equipment could handle - necessitating a special set built for him at Gina's house. Gina liked to watch him work, whether it was lifting weights, testing the strength of his weapon, or running on the armored treadmill. Initially, he had thought it was just a crafter's eagerness to see her new creation - but he now understood that she found it aesthetically pleasing as well. But Gina was busy with a 'raid' with some of her online fellows tonight so he had gone out to roam the city - and found himself at the Espadas School. Having arrived after classes were over, he took a moment to listen for the noise of the family upstairs before he headed for the weights. He couldn't use his armor here - not without having Caradoc appear in the dojo with its unlocked front door, and he would never use his unmasked armor in a place where the Espadas children might see. After a moment's consideration, he settled for the closest approximation. Ignoring the martial equipment on the walls, he headed for the weight-training table. Setting aside the weights, he picked up the heavy steel bar at the center of the weight bench. It weighed 44 pounds. It would do. Holding it as lightly as a normal man would a rattan stick, he began working through a series of katas with the pole; the mixed murder arts of the Terminus in which he had been so thoroughly programmed in ages gone past. The strike at the knees, vulnerable on so many creatures. The blow to the midsection to steal the wind - the bar horizontally across the face to break the teeth and finally the signature devastating move of an Omegadrone, the forward stroke at shoulder height that would tear through a man's face and out the back of his head. It didn't just kill the man. As spikes dug into the back of the skull like fish hooks, increasing the damage as the blade was pulled free, it killed the souls of any who watched. Steve dropped the pole to a rest position and stared at his own haunted face. The other advantage of Gina's basement for exercise was the lack of mirrors.
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Between working at the dojo and... other things, Talya was clocking an awful lot of hours at the Espadas School of Self Defense and Swordsmanship(!). Today was no different, except that the dojo was currently empty of students - and most other bodies - save for the blonde currently standing in the main work out area with a decent size ring in hand as she examined the ceiling. Talya was almost always in the 'do what you want, beg forgiveness after the fact' mindset so this indecision was new. New and unpleasant! It was a good idea, Talya told herself firmly. One couldn't have students practice hanging upside down and doing things without having something sturdy to hang FROM. If Erik had only been her employer, Talya would already have had this installed in a joist and been ready to smile prettily when asked about the new addition to the workspace. It was even designed to fold up when not in use. It was a good plan. Muttering under herb breath, Talya resolutely turned towards the wall and within a few seconds had scaled the wall to balance with one foot on top of the stand of practice swords and her palm flat against the ceiling as she began running the stud finder over the ceiling. She was going to be perfectly normal, darnit!
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Eric had been out of prison for over well over a week by this point, and he was still staggered by how much the city had changed in his absence. Not only were entire buildings simply not where they once stood, it seemed like everything that stood in the same spot was different. And the cellphones were everywhere. Sure they had been popular before he was locked up, but not every 5 year old had to have one. He didn't recognize anything on the radio anymore, and he certainly knew nothing about what was on TV anymore. In short, he felt old and out of place. The constant death threats didn't do much for his self esteem either. Now it would be rather in keeping of character to just bottle up those emotions and deal with it, but Eric had been down that road before, and frankly no one wanted that to happen again. So he made a few calls to try to see if there was someone who he could talk to, who had gone through this before. Turns out there was. And so Eric had donned his finest suit (at least of the variety that didn't come with a power supply), and invited his guest of honor to a rather swanky restaurant. He was initially surprised he got a reservation so quickly, but he figured the owners might feel that he would take vengeance if they were to snub him, an opinion Eric felt no immediate need to correct. He had arrived early, getting a requested table in one of the darker areas of the restaurant, his mechanical fingers idling drumming on the table while he waited.
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It took two passes over the West End for Raina to find the Espadas School for Self-Defense, mainly because the first time around, she'd discounted the building covered in plants without a second thought. Why would a dojo have a rooftop garden? On the second time around, Merlin and the GPS colluded to convince her to at least make a landing and check it out. With a much put-upon sigh, Raina landed and dropped her invisibility as she slung her broom over her shoulder, not willing to admit aloud that Merlin had been correct. The laughter coming from inside her backpack was galling enough. The school looked sort of like a business and sort of like a house, to the point where Raina wasn't sure if it was okay to just go in or not. Better safe than sorry when it came to just barging into somebody's house, she decided, with only a thick hint of bitterness, and knocked loudly on the front door.
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The blond slipped in as the most recent class was just starting to wrap up, rather like she'd timed it that way. Talya had paused outside to admire the facade and the rather bold sign choice. Of course, she really hadn't expected anything less. Letting the door shut behind her, she glanced at the front desk before slipping between the students currently filtering out towards the entrance. Crowds were really always the best cover one could ask for and old habits died hard. Although, Talya really wasn't up to any nefarious purpose today. The students didn't spare her a second glance, really, not beyond the occasional appreciative glance an attractive twenty-something blond might usually garner. Perhaps her boots fell a little too softly on the ground as she skirted the training area, working her way around to the professor. "Uh, Mr. Espadas?" She pitched her voice higher, the accent soft and vaguely mid-western. Hesitant, apologetic. "I was wondering if you might have an opening in one of these classes?" The woman asking the question was blond, pretty - certainly, but Talya was well aware that with softer, subtler makeup and her hair pulled back up into a loose ponytail, she presented a very different picture than her normal attire. That, really, was the point. Gone was the tailored 40's clothing in exchange for a soft turtleneck and a pleated skirt and tights that would have looked entirely normal on a woman her apparent age. The only real give away was Talya's laughing blue eyes, which crinkled around the corners as she added, still in the softer American drawl as there were still students about, "Hullo, Erik."
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Location: Freedom City Museum of Fine Arts, Liberty Park Date: September 23rd, 9 PM Museums, in Bombshell's never to be humble opinion, were best enjoyed after hours. It really was the best. No crowds. No rules about getting too close or not touching. And no security guards giving you suspicious looks when you stepped out of line. At this point, Bombshell had memorized the guard rotation of her favorite haunts to enjoy them at her leisure. Sure, sometimes she might have had to disable the alarms on a window or two - like tonight - but she always put them back. "Hello, beautiful," Bombshell murmured from where she dangled upside down, eyeing the John Collier painting with a judicious eye. Glad she'd caught the exhibit before it was cycled out, Bombshell moved to unwrap her leg from her swing-line to drop to the ground when faint noise caught her attention. Noisy. That was never a good sign. Dropping soundlessly to the floor, a little tug released the hook on the edge of the line and it coiled back into the hilt of her baton. Stealthy and silent, Bombshell went to see what sort of ham-handed smash and grab might be in progress. No one has any appreciation for the art these days, I swear. Bombshell rounded the corner quickly, but not as quickly as the underpaid security detail arrived on the scene. She, after all, had made it a point to be on the opposite end of the anticipated route so her boots hit the doorway just as the nervous, "Stop, or I'll shoot!" echoed out. As her gaze swept over the scene, Bombshell had enough time to notice the five masked men speedily dismantling an exhibit of some sort between her and the security guard detail. Not masks. Gas masks! "No, get back! They've got-" Whatever else Bombshell's warning might have contained, it was lost in a fit of coughing as several canisters opened with several respective bang-hiss sounds around the room. She might have been able to come back from a bullet to the head but her lungs needed air just like anyone else's. Worst. Bloody. Luck. Wa-THUMP. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Freedom City National Museum of Art was situated right along the scenic Liberty Park and abutted affluent Parkside. Which is not to say that Freedom City's finest responded quicker, per say, to the wealthy areas than the poorer ones - but the response tonight was both swift and plentiful in the amount of black and whites that drove along 64th street with their lights blazing. In their defense, though, it had been a rough month for the museums along Liberty Park what with the cultists and the monster-statue. Situated where it was, Grimalkin and her assistant and sidekick were just finishing up another relatively quiet but rewarding day at Silberman's when the first cop car streamed past. When Shrike went to turn the lock, the second and third followed shortly their after, heading towards Liberty Park. Crimson Tiger had already been on patrol and from her rooftop vantage, she could see the flashing lights of the cop cars converging on a small museum abutting Liberty Park. Turning her patrol in that direction, it was clear from her vantage point that one of the skylights was sitting open. As for Jack of All Blades, he had been enjoying a relatively pleasant evening at home when Vince's smooth voice spoke up into his ear, "Ah. I think you might, perhaps, want to hear this..." before relaying the most recent chatter on the police radio bands from the ongoing situation developing at Freedom City's Museum of Fine Arts.
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Bombshell (Original Sheet for Bombshell) Power Level: 10 (14) (201/245PP) Trade-Offs: +5 Attack / -5 Damage, +2 Defense / -2 Toughness Unspent Power Points: 44 In Brief: Immortal Femme Fatale, (Heel? Face? Who knows?) Residence: Base of Operations: Freedom City Catchphrase: Alternate Identity: Natalya Browning, aka. Rebecca Danvers Identity: Public (Talya) / Secret (Rebecca) Birthplace: London Occupation: Idle Rich / ex-thief Affiliations: Allies of Freedom (1939-1945), MI6 (1945-1954), Thief (1960-1970), Prison (19702-2009) Family: None currently living Description: Age: 98 (DoB: September 7, 1917) Apparent Age: Mid twenties Gender: Female Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5'6" Weight: 135 lbs Eyes: Blue Hair: Blonde A curvy bombshell, for lack of better term. Talya didn't look out of place as a sultry songbird in the 1940s. In fact, low end lounge singer was her cover for much of the war years. These days, she's only average in height but in her hey-day she was considered statuesque. Talya always makes the effort to blend in with the current decade. In the '40s she did femme fatale. In the '60s it was go-go boots and micro-minis. These days, while swinging from lines across Freedom City, she favors a leather cat-suit and domino mask. In order to keep up with the times, she's updated the look to include more straps and a pair of goggles that she never actually wears. In any era, however, she is a stunning woman with a smokey voice and a rare wry wit. Power Descriptions: Talya's powers look like nothing at all. Although she's been imbued with immortality and few more tricks up her sleeve post her efforts in Europe during the second World War, its to her benefit that they look like nothing at all. Most of what she has going for her is skill and carefully honed ability, and then a little bit over the years to even the playing field. History: Bombshell started out hero. Born in England to an upper-class family, when the war arrived, Talya was quick to head overseas with her group of friends to serve as a spy. Mental training helped her shield her thoughts and presence from the Nazis. They were even lucky enough to break into a cache of one of the mystical artifacts that was one of the secret weapons. In the ensuing explosion, all four Brits were gifted with eternal life and minor protections. For Talya, that enhanced her natural aptitudes for stealth and shielding into mystically enhanced physiology. Gifts that she was quick to turn into weapons for the Allies during the war. Once the war was at an end, Talya remained with MI6 and her talents were turned towards the potential threat that Russia posed for the Western world. This, however, was a much murkier world and Talya lost her taste for the spy game as it became much less clear what good and evil war. Abandoning war-torn Europe, Talya gave into her thrill-seeking ways, becoming a pre-eminant thief. As England was still rebuilding, she left European shores for the prosperous US. Still slightly bitter at how her country had been decimated while America thrived, she had no moral qualms with helping herself to that bounty. She only stole artifacts that were not native to the Americas. Never anything as gauche as money. She favored ancient jewelry but any British artifact would do. She clashed with Freedom League greatly during the '60s, enjoying a special game of cat and mouse with the Scarab as her abilities helped her remain elusive to his senses. When her old "friends" from her first caper showed back up, Talya was quick to catch up for old times sake. Unfortunately, they had grown far darker than Bombshell was willing to go. She was a thief but never a killer. In fact, Talya worked with the Freedom League to turn on her old friends in exchange for a minimum sentence. Twenty-five years instead of the life terms the others got. She didn't intend to stay in prison but when Scarab died a few months after her sentence began, she changed her mind. No one knew she was unaging. She'd kept that secret carefully. Instead, she's spent her time and used her disguise skills to look more fragile with the years. After breaking out on the scene, Talya found that the villains of the era weren't any sort that she wanted to throw her lot in with. No style. No panache. Too much murder. After another heel-face turn, Bombshell was back on the side of good. Ish. When the chips are down, Talya's always on the side of 'lets not blow up the world'. Burning buildings. Rescuing cats from trees. Sure. She still has a bit of a weakness for taking things from rich people who fail to appreciate them. Personality & Motivation: Bombshell has always been chaotic, never evil. Although she stole and broke many laws but she's always had her own own moral code. She worked with heroes occasionally even during her more criminal days. She will, not, however play by a hero's rules. She won't kill or cause harm to innocents. Afflicted by moral ennui, she's about to embark on a heel-face turn. Once the threads for those finish, Bombshell will be much more in line with her golden age morals. A spy for the good guys, and struggling to not get assumed to have slipped back to her felonious habits. Powers & Tactics:Bombshell will do her best to cut and run from most conflicts. She's not interested in exchanging blows with meat-heads and considers it a win if she gets away. She prefers, when she has to fight, to strike from stealth and distract or taunt her opponent. She fights with her head but the years have left her a skilled hand-to-hand combatant, the lingering magic buffs she has don't hurt. Complications: Adopted Family: Talya long ago outlived her biological siblings but her former Allies of Freedom teammate, Dimitri, is a brother in all but blood. I Got A Record: In her long life, Talya's done lots of things and not all of them on the side of angels. I'm Just Drawn That Way: Femme fatale means having to say you're sorry. A lot. Old Friends, Old Enemies: Talya has lived a long life and has no shortage of old friends needing help, old enemies that want to fight and old lovers that could fall into either category. Pretty Baubles: She has a bit of a thing for the glitz and glamour. She might be a hero but occasionally personal property laws don't really count in her estimation. Relationship: Talya is currently involved with the married Espadas: Jack and Min and while the two are formidable in their own right, there's little that Talya wouldn't do to ensure their safety. Responsibilities (Team): For the first time since the golden age, Bombshell is on a team roster with the Interceptors. Considering that her last team was predominently murdered by Kantor, despite her bluffing to the otherwise - she takes their safety and her responsibility there seriously. Ward(s): In addition to her parental role to Eden and Mia (and the twins on the way), Talya's taken on mentorship of Raina as well. Wrong Place, Wrong Time: Sometimes the cops assume that she's there to commit a crime, not solve one. For some reason, Talya tends to end up on the scene at the absolute worst time Abilities: 6 + 14 + 8 + 4 + 4 + 14 = 50PP Strength: 16 (+3) Dexterity: 24 (+7) Constitution: 18 (+4) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 24 (+7) Combat: 18 + 16 = 34PP Initiative: +7 Attack: +11 Melee, +9 Ranged / +15 Baton Grapple: +14 Defense: +12 (+8 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Knockback: -2/-4 Saving Throws: 1 + 0 + 0 = 1PP Toughness: +8 (+4 Con, +4 Defensive Roll) Fortitude: +5 (+4 Con, +1) Reflex: +7 (+7 Dex, +0) Will: +2 (+2 Wis, +0) Skills: 140R = 35PP Acrobatics 13 (+20) Skill Mastery Bluff 13 (+20) Skill Mastery Disable Device 13 (+15) Skill Mastery Disguise 13 (+20) Skill Mastery Escape Artist 13 (+20) Skill Mastery Gather Information 3 (+10) Skill Mastery Investigate 5 (+7) Language 5 (English [Native], French, German, Polish, Russian, Spanish) Notice 8 (+10) Perform (singing) 5 (+12) Search 8 (+10) Skill Mastery Sense Motive 8 (+10) Slight of Hand 8 (+15) Stealth 13 (+20) Skill Mastery Feats: 31 PP Attack Focus: Melee x 2 Benefit: Wealth 3, Status: Fame, Status: Veteran (British Forces; DBE), Alternate Identity x 2 Blind Fight Defensive Roll x 2 Distract (Bluff) Dodge Focus x 4 Evasion x 2 Hide in Plain Sight Improvised Tools Luck 2 Quick Change 2 Jack of All Trades Power Attack Skill Mastery 3 (Acrobatics, Disable Device, Disguise, Escape Artist, Gather Information, Bluff, Search, Stealth, Perform (Dancing, Singing), Sleight of Hand, Notice) Sneak Attack Uncanny Dodge (auditory) Powers: 6 + 3 + 1 + 10 + 22 + 6 + 7 = 55 PP Concealment 3 (Mental Senses, ESP, Extras: Duration: Continuous, Flaws: Permanent) (Magic; Imbued) [6 PP] Concealment 3 (Visual, Auditory, Extras: Duration: Continuous, Flaws: Passive, Blending) (Magic; Imbued) [3 PP] Immunity 1 (Aging) (Magic; Imbued) [1 PP] Immunity 10 (Psychic Effects) (Magic; Imbued) [10 PP] Regeneration (Feats: Regrowth) (Bruised/No Action, Injured/1 Round, Staggered/No Action, Disabled/5 Minutes, Resurrection/5 Minutes) (Magic; Imbued) [22 PP] Super Movement 3 (Slow Fall, Wall Crawling 2) (Training) [6 PP] Device 2 (Bombshell's Batons; 10DP, Flaws: Easy-to-Lose [-2], Feats:Subtle [Collapsible]) (Technology; Device) [7PP] Damage 4 (Feats: Accurate 2, Mighty) [7DP] Super-Movement 1 (Swinging) [2DP] Speed 1 [1DP] Drawbacks: (-5) = -5PP Vulnerable (Magic [Very Common], Major [x2]) [5PP] DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 18 Toughness Damage (Physical) Sneak Attack Touch DC 20 Toughness Damage (Physical) Baton Touch DC 22 Toughness Damage (Physical) Baton-Sneak Attack Touch DC 24 Toughness Damage (Physical) Totals: Abilities (50) + Combat (34) + Saving Throws (1) + Skills (35) + Feats (31) + Powers (55) - Drawbacks (5) = 201/245 Power Points
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Bombshell Natalya Browning Character Playlist ABBA: Voulez Vous Nancy Sinatra: These Boots Are Made for Walking Willam: Thick Thighs Lady Gaga: The Edge of Glory Jennifer Lopez: On the Floor Brittney Spears: Work B**tch Ru Paul: Sissy that Walk Archetype and Design Bombshell was entirely designed as the Catwoman to Scarab's Batman during the 1960s. Originally written as a villain NPC for the site, and then re-worked through an arc to once again take on a more heroic bent. Like Catwoman, Bombshell is an antihero who will take on a heroic role when its clearly called for but spends most of her time as a foil for the less morally grey superheroes. Her persona and inspiration comes from the 1940s femme fatale as it syncs nicely with her first time as a super hero. Her origins are a golden age spy during the war and is drawn from real life spies. Britain's SOE was one of the first to take female civilians and train them for deep cover spy work in Axis territory. SOE would later go on to become MI6 and that's the real life inspiration for Tayla's super hero story. Current Role and Hooks At the moment, Talya is without antagonist or team so I'm hoping to nudge her gently along in that direction as it develops. If a character operated somewhere between 1939 and 1972, they could have known Bombshell in any number of her masks. During the 40's she was part of the Allies of Freedom fighting in the European front of the war, although her work was more soldier than spy. During the 50s, she went over to Russia to take part in Cold War spy-antics although left when things grew too murky even for her. Her final arc pre-jail was as a solo villain during the swinging 60s. After that, if a character has done a stint in super-jail between 1972 and 2009, they might know Bombshell as a frail little old lady. History Bombshell started out a hero. Born in England to an upper-class family, when the war arrived, Talya was recruited from civilian life to serve in the SOE, as a spy and thief - and occasionally, an assassin. Mental training helped her shield her thoughts and presence from the Nazis and it was a skill that Talya honed to a lethal edge. The four agents she was deployed with were even lucky enough to break into a cache of one of the mystical artifacts that was one of the secret weapons. In the ensuing explosion, all four Brits were gifted with eternal life and minor protections. For Talya, that enhanced her natural aptitudes for stealth and shielding into mystically enhanced physiology. Gifts that she was quick to turn into weapons for the Allies during the war, coming onto the scene as the shadow known as Bombshell. She spent the war years in Europe, often in deep cover but also teaming up with other Allies of Freedom to help turn the tide. For her efforts in the war, Talya was recognized by the British crown although her medals rarely make an appearance these days but for the occasional funeral. Once the war was at an end, Talya remained with the newly forming MI6 and her talents were turned towards the potential threat that Russia posed for the Western world. This, however, was a much murkier world and Talya lost her taste for the spy game as it became much less clear what good and evil war. She carried on for a while with the skills and talents that she'd honed before abandoning her country's cause when the price became too high. Jaded and disillusioned with Queen and Country, Talya was rootless for a while as she vanished as only the very best spies can. Abandoning war-torn Europe, Talya gave into her thrill-seeking ways, becoming a world class thief. As England was still rebuilding, she left European shores for the prosperous US. Still slightly bitter at how her country had been decimated while America thrived, she had no moral qualms with helping herself to that bounty. She only stole artifacts that were not native to the Americas. Never anything as gauche as money. She favored ancient jewelry but any British artifact would do. She clashed with Freedom League greatly during the '60s, enjoying a special game of cat and mouse with the Scarab as her abilities helped her remain elusive to his senses. Although she went up against a variety of heroes and occasionally, other villains, she delighted in being a thorn in Scarab's side and their constant battle had distinctly romantic overtones to many of their allies. Talya found the Scarab's determination to redeem her charming although she remained committed to her course - perhaps to spite him. When the immortal agents that had been Talya's teammates for her very first mission, Talya was quick to catch up for old times sake. Unfortunately, they had grown far darker than Bombshell was ever willing to go. She was a thief but never a murderer. Innocent life was one that she was not willing to cross and never had been. In fact, Talya worked with the Freedom League to turn on her old friends in exchange for a minimum sentence. Twenty-five years instead of the life terms the others got. She didn't intend to stay in prison but when Scarab died a few months after her sentence began, she changed her mind. No one knew she was unaging. She'd kept that secret carefully. Talya was good at keeping secrets. Instead, she spent her time and used her disguise skills to look more fragile with the years. The plan was to let Natalya Browning die and start fresh. That plan, however, was thrown into disarray when a new superhero showed up, claiming the Scarab name and legacy. Talya was incensed. Abandoning her plans for a quiet retirement of her persona for something new, Talya resumed her Bombshell identity to teach this upstart a lesson. To her surprise, the new Scarab was, in fact, the old Scarab's reincarnation - with all the memories of the man she'd known although a new face and personality. For a while, she picked up her old game of aggravating Scarab, but eventually Talya found that the villains of the era weren't any sort that she wanted to throw her lot in with. No style. No panache. Too much murder. After another heel-face turn, Bombshell was back on the side of good. Ish. When the chips are down, Talya's always on the side of 'lets not blow up the world'. Burning buildings. Rescuing cats from trees. Sure. She still has a bit of a weakness for taking things from rich people who fail to appreciate them, but everyone has their personality quirks. Costume and Appearance Out of costume, Natalya Browning is a stunning woman and she generally dresses to accentuate it. As retro-40s is chic once more, Talya generally favors the aesthetic when she's out and about as herself. Of course, the woman is a master of disguise so if she wants instead to be out looking non descript, that's possible too. When utilizing her most well developed alter-ego, she blends into the crowd as a rather nondescript brunette. If she's herself, though, Talya is usually all curves and long legs with her blonde hair styled over one eye a la Jessica Rabbit. By and large, Talya is always playing a role that she's set out for herself and it is only the rare and trusted individual that gets to see anything less than what Talya wants them to see. As Bombshell, her costume has always been drawn from what her comic book counterparts have worn during the time. Its a 4th wall gag that she updates her look and occasionally bemoans that its what the current look is. Her most recent costume is an homage to the current Catwoman catsuit, goggles and straps. During earlier eras, it has changed many, many times to reflect the changing styles of the various eras. Her most well known costume involved a miniskirt and gogo boots during the 1960s. Powers Bombshell, at her core, is a highly trained spy and thief. Thanks to the mystical artifact during her earliest job in Nazi Germany, she was embed with mystical energy that prevents her aging and heals her body from any trauma it receives. Which is not to say that the injuries don't hurt along the way. There are many good reasons that Bombshell has been very happy to let Ace take on the role of impossible to kill immortal. She values her secrets. The same mystical energy infuses her body with the ability to enhance her natural abilities to hide. She relies on fighting batons to even the playing field when it comes to dealing out the damage but Bombshell has always worked best as a strike and run combatant. She has near a centuries' worth of skills and is only adding to that every year. Personal Life Talya lives alone and she prefers it that way. She has a small house in the suburbs that she's owned since the 1950s and none of her neighbors are aware of who Talya really is. She prefers it that way. Although she is a consummate flirt, Talya rarely takes anything back home. Elena has seen the inside of her house and Ace has as well. Even with them, however, she prefers things to remain on rooftops or the places they choose to frequent. Some habits die hard and Talya's life is always carefully compartmentalized. Bleed over makes her uncomfortable so she prevents it from occurring most of the time. Any living family she has is distant enough that she doesn't do much more than cursorily keep track of their well being. Allies, Associates and Enemies AlliesAce Danger: Ace is one of the very few souls left alive that she worked with during the war and the two share a special bond that only time and similar circumstances can result in. She doesn't always agree with Ace, but she understands him as few can.Scarab: Talya has been Scarab's lover in two different life times. As Elena continues to age, Talya will have to face another goodbye and the uncertainty if Scarab's next incarnation will share the entity's current fondness for her. Jack of All Blades: Talya has a special fondness for the West End native. After all, its not everyone she'll call to come help her get out of jail. Its been a few years, but she'd still show up if the swordsman had any need for her help.AssociatesAllies of Freedom: There aren't many left alive but the other veterans of World War II that fought can still count on Bombshell to answer a phone call. She shows up without fail at their funerals when they do happen. She is understandably closer to those who fought in Europe during the war but the super hero community was a lot smaller during the 1940s.EnemiesEveryone Else? Talya's made a lot of enemies over the years. There are the three NPC ex-spies that she's helped put in jail that are still in prison. But beyond them there's any number of other people who she's gotten on the bad side of over the years.
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September 12, 2011 Not long after their meeting in Paris, Edge made his own way to the Chateau Relais, following the plans laid down by Midnight and the more experienced heroes on the team. I guess I can't really call it Young Freedom; that belongs to the Claremont kids and anyway some of them aren't really that young! He'd hidden in plain sight as a UNISON employee on break, renting a car at the Bern airport and chatting volubly with the clerk there about how great it was to be in Switzerland and how much nicer it was than his usual African posting. From there, a car ride up to the mountains had taken him to the Chateau, where the last few weeks before the first real snow of the year had left the roads empty and quiet as he drove up and up towards the Chateau at an impressive 10,000 feet. Once there, he was all the cheerful, loud American tourist, buying a jaunty Tyrolean hat and parading around in it while he butchered German for the amusement of the locals, eating a huge breakfast in the chateau's impressive dining hall adorned with hunting trophies from all over the region. There were quite a few people there already, Japanese businessmen and quiet Swiss and Germans alike, and he let them see him without a trace of apparent artifice. The more of that that was in place, the better; who could be suspicious of that loud tourist in the silly hat? He kept a close eye out for his team, however, knowing that they'd find ways to contact him once they were all in place. Of course, with some of them, they'd be obvious even to him...
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North Bay September 22, 2011 While interstellar monsters weren't the specialty of anyone on the Liberty League these days, the new superteam was on high alert as the Gorgon's approach brought a dawning chaos the world. They'd only been back from Switzerland a few days, but those had been busy days for many of them between the Gorgon's coming, Edge's visit home, and of course various changes in Wander's general lifestyle. The wealthiest neighborhoods in town had so far avoided the panic beginning to gnaw at the poorer areas of the city, or at least that panic had been confined to the interiors of beautiful mansions rather than on the wide streets. North Bay, the home neighborhood of Ace Danger and the Midnights, had locally been the scene of one particular set of bizarre local disasters: localized thunderstorms had rocked the area for nearly 48 hours, flooding the streets, blowing tiles off roofs, and worst of all setting several homes ablaze as lightning strikes rocketed down from the sky in the middle of the 'North Bay storms' as the news was calling them. No one had died, yet, but several people had been hospitalized from electrical shock and at least one home, the Munoz manor near the waterfront, had burned to the ground with total loss of property. It couldn't be a coincidence, and so the new team had gathered together beneath Midnight Manor to discuss evidence and options.
