ic The Obsidian Prison: The Petty Tyrant

[secondling]

GM

 

Rodney, Suburb of Freedom City

Thursday, 13th of May 2021

11:30 AM

 

Once, Rodney was a peaceful town, known best for its fantastic sandwiches and its beautiful bells that rang out the hours. Once, Rodney was a free town, with people going about their daily business, children going to their schools, and the occasional tourist coming to visit the historic churches and official buildings. Once, Rodney was an ordinary town, with fine, law-abiding people and a gentle pace of daily life.

 

Once, all of these things were true, but no longer. A week ago, a man with dark rock skin streaked with gold led a group of armed criminals into. Working together, they took the mayor and the rest of the city council hostage, and the leader, who called himself Ex-Prisoner sealed all the police who resisted his authority in stalagmites of pure obsidian. Since then, he and his gang have begun ruling the streets by night, even pulling in a few of the more corrupt cops as they rampage through the streets. The rare few reporters who managed to get word out of the town were swiftly hunted down and captured - or perhaps even killed. No one seems to know.

 

Rodney needs heroes, desperately. Fortunately for the town, it is right outside Freedom City, home to one of the greatest concentrations of superheroes on Earth.

 

Okay, @Kaede Kimura, @Lone_Star, @Spacefurry, let me know how your characters have heard about Rodney's situation, how they've met up, and so on.

[Lone_Star]

Outrider lifted the garage doors of Claremont's auto shop, and pulled Painkiller, her baby, out onto the street. She couldn't help but beam as she pulled her apocalyptic hot rod up next to her friends - after her crash-landing in Freedom City, she hadn't had time to fix it. But not having classes to go to, and ample resources to repair her ride meant she was able to restore it from what little was left. As she parked near the curb, she rifled through her growing CD collection, and pulled out a new favorite. Well, new to her, at least!) She cranked the sound system, but quickly turned it down to an appropriate volume, much to her chagrin. Apparently, other students thought her music was "too loud", and "at a deafening volume".  A few polite, but firm calls from her RA and she got the idea. Eventually.

 

"So, are you ready to go to Rodney?" She asked her friends. The mission would be dangerous, but she was ready for it. In all honestly, she felt a deep excitement she had not experienced in a long time. This is what it feels like to be alive!

 

 

 

 

[Kaede Kimura]

Muirne followed El out of the garage, nervousness, determination and Aoife's glee at the possibility of both action and at riding in Outrider's car. How fast do you think it can go? Aoife asked

giddily. That elicited a small smile from her as she got into the car, nodding her head gently to the music. Maybe we'll find out. Her armour and spear felt a bit odd in the car, but she had to admit it was refreshing to not be looking up at El quite so much.

 

"I'm ready. We need to stop this as quickly as we can."

[Spacefurry]

Leon stood on the curb,  backpack slung over one shoulder, looking down at his phone as Painkiller pulled up.

‘Still the most metal name he’d heard someone give a car.’ 
He grinned as he looked up from the blog video he was rewatching. The three of them had happen to be in the common room when they had stumbled upon the post together while ‘educating’ Elena on current pop-culture.

 

12 hours ago, Lone_Star said:

"So, are you ready to go to Rodney?" 

 

11 hours ago, Kaede Kimura said:

"I'm ready. We need to stop this as quickly as we can."

“Ready to rock!”

He replied stepping up to the car. He slipped the pack off and tossed it in back as he opened the door and settled into back. Letting Muirne have shotgun so he could stretch out some in the backseat.

“The girl looks good El.”

He commented, realizing she had put some serious effort in to banging out the dents after its rough arrival.

“Let’s get this show on the road then.”

Leon grinned as he leaned forward between the front seats.

”Windows down and volume up.”

[secondling]

GM

 

The journey to Rodney was relatively peaceful for the most part, though annoyed passersby honked at the three teens several times during the drive (presumably due to the music blaring from the car). Eventually, however, they found themselves turning off of the highway, onto an exit that was marked with the name "Rodney." Their arrival, however, was impeded by several cement barriers, placed strategically (well, somewhat) to block passage. More worryingly, the barriers were covered in spikes of black stone, pointing outwards.

 

Behind the barriers, the three teens could see a pair of gun-toting thugs, a man and a woman, looking at the car. "Hey! Buzz off kids. We don't want none of your types coming into our homes!" The woman shouted, waving them away.

 

"Yeah, Rodney's got some troubles that need shaking out. We don't need more visiting."

[Lone_Star]

11 hours ago, Spacefurry said:

“Ready to rock!”

He replied stepping up to the car. He slipped the pack off and tossed it in back as he opened the door and settled into back. Letting Muirne have shotgun so he could stretch out some in the backseat.

“The girl looks good El.”

He commented, realizing she had put some serious effort in to banging out the dents after its rough arrival.

“Let’s get this show on the road then.”

Leon grinned as he leaned forward between the front seats.

”Windows down and volume up.”

 

El was grinning from ear to ear as her friends hopped in the car. Friends! Who knew they would be so awesome?

 

As Leon complimented her car, she felt herself growing defensive. "Well, of course she looks good. Wouldn't be a very good Outrider if I didn't know how to fix a car." El, relax. He didn't mean it like that. "I mean, thanks, Leon. I...appreciate your compliment. And let's!" she said, eager to change the subject, and cranked the music.

 

6 hours ago, secondling said:

GM

 

The journey to Rodney was relatively peaceful for the most part, though annoyed passersby honked at the three teens several times during the drive (presumably due to the music blaring from the car). Eventually, however, they found themselves turning off of the highway, onto an exit that was marked with the name "Rodney." Their arrival, however, was impeded by several cement barriers, placed strategically (well, somewhat) to block passage. More worryingly, the barriers were covered in spikes of black stone, pointing outwards.

 

Behind the barriers, the three teens could see a pair of gun-toting thugs, a man and a woman, looking at the car. "Hey! Buzz off kids. We don't want none of your types coming into our homes!" The woman shouted, waving them away.

 

"Yeah, Rodney's got some troubles that need shaking out. We don't need more visiting."

 

El barely noticed the cars honking at her. This was just too much fun. She sang along with the lyrics, belting them out without a care in the world. That is, until they reached Rodney. Her ears seemed to perk up, advantages of growing up in a dangerous world. This is not a safe place, she thought as turned off the highway. Must stay on high alert. To that, she saw two armed people behind the crude barrier in their way.

 

She slowed Painkiller to a stop, and regarded them warily. Would they try to steal my car? Had better be careful. I'll be damned if anyone messes with my ride! "If by 'your types', you mean superheroes, then no, we are actually are not going to come into your homes. Don't know why you would think that. We are actually here to help. If you could point us in the direction of the 'Ex-Criminal', we will be on our way."

 

"Also, if you could help us move this roadblock, that would be great." She grinned awkwardly and gave them a thumbs-up. "Thanks!"

 

[secondling]

GM

"Ha! You? Superheroes? Just a bunch of brats." The man snarks, waving his gun at the car. "Clear off."

 

The woman frowns, leveling her gun at the group. "Dammit, John, it doesn't matter what they look like! They're here to fight the boss!" She looks to the heroes. "Scram, kids. We don't want trouble with you, but if you're looking for it, you'll get it."

 

The man named John blinks, before pulling out a phone and tapping its screen twice, before lifting it to his ear.

[Spacefurry]

Leon lounged in the backseat, his foot tapping and his head bobbing with along with the music. He sung along with a catchy chorus here and there when he could. Smirking whenever he caught someone honking at them. Chitchatting with the girls he was somehow still able to spilt his attention with a book.

As they took the exit for Rodney actually set his book down and sat up straighter. When Elena stopped the car at the barriers Leon leaned forward between the seat again.

”Don’t waste you time on these two El, nobody leaves the smart ones to guard the door.”

Leon spoke from his own experiences. He smirked mischievously.

”So, who wants to knock?”

He asks, seeing if one of them wanted to handle these two mooks or if they’d rather sit back and watch this time.

[Lone_Star]

"I've got this, Leon." She stepped out of the car, and slammed the door behind her. She held her massive gravity hammer in one hand, and smacked the handle against her palm. While she walked towards them, she activated her armor, which unfolded over her quickly. Her helmet unsheathed, covering her in rusty, apocalyptic armor. El looked at one of the thugs, and then looked at the other. 

 

"Hang up, now, or I will take it away."   

 

She pressed a button on her grav-hammer, and pulled lightly against the man's cell phone. "We spoke to you politely, at first. And now you threaten us. So if you're going to cause trouble, then there will be trouble. Bullets don't work on me, but feel free to try. Just know that we don't ask twice," she said, her voice booming from the helmet. 

[Kaede Kimura]

Muirne channelled the power from her well of shadows forming a nimbus of shadows around herself. Using her partial incorporeality she stepped out of the car through the front, ignoring the door. She extended her arms to let her spearhead drag on the ground slightly, causing a scraping noise as she stared at the pair with her glowing green eyes. "You heard Outrider, hang up the phone."

 

She slowly extended her other arm, preparing to reach forward and snatch the phone. To hide her intent she instead put her hand on Outrider's shoulder, even as her elbow nearly scraped the ground. "Or else you will get hurt."

[secondling]

GM

 

The man froze before dropping his phone. "Look, we don't want any trouble. We can't move the damned roadblock - it's stuck." As he spoke, he kicked one of them gingerly, his foot thwacking against the obsidian-spiked concrete.

 

The woman lowers her gun. "If you're here to get the boss, he's usually in the police station." She says, her eyes wide and terrified.

[Spacefurry]

Leon slipped out of the backseat, standing by the open driver’s door, smirking as the goons folded under the stern glares for the his traveling companions.

 

2 hours ago, secondling said:

GM

 

The man froze before dropping his phone. "Look, we don't want any trouble. We can't move the damned roadblock - it's stuck." As he spoke, he kicked one of them gingerly, his foot thwacking against the obsidian-spiked concrete.

“Stuck?” Leon barely gave the barriers a second look before he reached into the back of Painkiller and withdrew his backpack.

”Well then, let’s help you with that. After all, it’s what heroes do right? Being helpful and all.”

Unzipping the pack and tipping it paper poured out like water pooling and swirling beside him. The paper flowed forward and funneled up behind the girls before forming into a 10+ foot tall, paper white, gorilla-like creature. The thing approached the barriers, heedless of the obsidian spikes. Reaching for one of the barriers it grabs onto it and tries to lift it with every intention to toss it aside and then do the same the other one.

[Lone_Star]

11 hours ago, Kaede Kimura said:

Muirne channelled the power from her well of shadows forming a nimbus of shadows around herself. Using her partial incorporeality she stepped out of the car through the front, ignoring the door. She extended her arms to let her spearhead drag on the ground slightly, causing a scraping noise as she stared at the pair with her glowing green eyes. "You heard Outrider, hang up the phone."

 

She slowly extended her other arm, preparing to reach forward and snatch the phone. To hide her intent she instead put her hand on Outrider's shoulder, even as her elbow nearly scraped the ground. "Or else you will get hurt."

 

El nodded to her teammate. It was good to have backup. She could not help but stare a little as Muirne turned into a creature of pure shadow. Will have to stay on her good side...

 

6 hours ago, secondling said:

GM

 

The man froze before dropping his phone. "Look, we don't want any trouble. We can't move the damned roadblock - it's stuck." As he spoke, he kicked one of them gingerly, his foot thwacking against the obsidian-spiked concrete.

 

The woman lowers her gun. "If you're here to get the boss, he's usually in the police station." She says, her eyes wide and terrified.

 

El smirked, and put her hammer away. "That's all I needed to hear," she said, keeping the helmet on for now. It seemed to work well as an intimidation tactic, and besides, she didn't want them to be able to get anything from her body language in case they decided to pull a fast one. She knew they were scared, but sometimes fear made people do things they would come to regret. 

 

3 hours ago, Spacefurry said:

“Stuck?” Leon barely gave the barriers a second look before he reached into the back of Painkiller and withdrew his backpack.

”Well then, let’s help you with that. After all, it’s what heroes do right? Being helpful and all.”

Unzipping the pack and tipping it paper poured out like water pooling and swirling beside him. The paper flowed forward and funneled up behind the girls before forming into a 10+ foot tall, paper white, gorilla-like creature. The thing approached the barriers, heedless of the obsidian spikes. Reaching for one of the barriers it grabs onto it and tries to lift it with every intention to toss it aside and then do the same the other one.

 

El immediately went over to help Leon's strange paper creature. That's pretty useful, she thought as she squatted down to assist it. "Ready, Leon?" she said, her oversized muscles tensing, preparing to lift the concrete barrier. 

[secondling]

GM

 

The paper golem bent over, tearing the road block free from the concrete of the road, and tossing it aside, where it crashed into the trees that surround the area, splitting wood and shattering branches. Outrider helped lift the second one, and the two sent it spinning away off the other side of the road.

 

Meanwhile, the two thugs began dashing away into the forest, deciding that discretion is the better part of valor.

[Lone_Star]

Outrider watched the thugs run off. It was better that they didn't fight - she didn't want to have to hurt them. They looked more scared than anything. 

 

"Alright. Let's head up to the police station and end this. Assuming those two don't tell Ex-Prisoner we're coming," she said, realizing their mistake. No matter. If he knew they were coming, maybe one of the others could trick them. Tactics such as that were not her speciality. 

 

"Anyone got any ideas, or should we just head right in?" 

[Spacefurry]

Leon grinned again as he watched the barriers tossed aside. "Thanks for the assist." He nodded to El as the paper creation collapsed. The paper drew back along the ground to him, flowing back into the pack. Climbing back into the rear of Painkiller he settled in as Elena suggested heading to the police. Leon gave a mock gagging expression and slouched back, but he conceded. "Ya, you're right guess."

 

"Hmm..." Leon thought about it. "I guess we just head on in." He follows behind the girls as they approach the entrance.

"Kinda weird, walking into station escorted." He chuckles as they walk up.

[Kaede Kimura]

Muirne looked between the two as they cleared the road. She could probably help but it would take a lot of effort when they had it covered. She also regretted not taking their phones although El she didn't express it out loud.

 

She waited for Leon before speaking up at El's question, "I could hide us, making us invisible. Or I could cover a large area around us in darkness and intense cold."

[Lone_Star]

On 5/28/2021 at 4:03 AM, Kaede Kimura said:

Muirne looked between the two as they cleared the road. She could probably help but it would take a lot of effort when they had it covered. She also regretted not taking their phones although El she didn't express it out loud.

 

She waited for Leon before speaking up at El's question, "I could hide us, making us invisible. Or I could cover a large area around us in darkness and intense cold."

 

El nodded at Muirne. "That is a wise tactic. Do some recon first, and then when they least expect it, hit them with all we've got. The element of surprise may be helpful in apprehending this 'Ex-Prisoner'. How long can you make us invisible?" 

 

El would personally have preferred a full frontal assault, but as she was quickly learning, that was not always the best idea. But still, it was the best idea sometimes. 

[secondling]

GM

 

As the teens discussed their options, they noticed a faint noise coming from the direction of Rodney - sirens, and police ones at that. Someone (or many someones) was coming their way. 

[Kaede Kimura]

Muirne strapped her shield and spear to herself as she easily said "As long as I maintain it-" Before the sound of sirens cut her off. There were weaknesses to her Shadow Covering, but she didn't know how long she had until someone could hear them, and talking about your power's flaws where enemies might hear wasn't exactly sound. Thinking fast, she grabbed onto their shoulders, quickly saying "Don't do anything rash." 

 

With that final warning she pushed the shadows out of her well of power, forcing them to run along her skin and clothes and and then along the same for her friends. She let out a slow breath as the inevitable cold and pain hit her from the feeling of running her shadows through herself. Drawing in a breath again, she pulled on the other two's shoulders, trying to gently direct them away from the center of the road and towards the town.

[Spacefurry]

"Invisible?" Leon chuckled. "Do you know how much easier that woulda made my life?"

When he caught the sirens, he frowned. “If there are still cops running around and not doing anything about this, I think we should avoid them.” He said seriously.

“Rash? Us?” Leon smirked, but he shivered a bit as the shadows crept over him. Humor makes an excellent defense mechanism when one is uneasy. “You realize, I’m gonna have to tell Luke you were all over me during this trip.”

Edited June 3, 2021 by Spacefurry

[Lone_Star]

Elena's breath caught in her throat when the veil of shadows covered her body, the coldness draining all the warmth from the air around her. It was surprising, to say the least, but seemed to be effective. She nodded at the two of them, then jerked her head away from the sirens. The sooner we leave here, the better. We can explain things to the police after we've defeated the Ex-Prisoner.

 

"Like you said, Leon, we don't want to have to explain this. Let's stay quiet for now and head towards the police station." She tried to sound confident, but the coldness of the shadows and their lack of knowledge about the Ex-Prisoner was concerning, to say the least. For a moment, she felt like they were in over their heads. But she put herself together, held herself straighter, trying to give off more confidence than she had as she walked with them towards the police station.

[secondling]

GM

The trio of teens walk quickly down the road towards Rodney, concealed in the shadows of Muirne's power. As they go, they pass by several police cars with their sirens blaring, but no one seems to take note of them. It takes the three about fifteen minutes to get even a little into town, whereupon they realize that they have no immediate idea of where the police station is.

[Kaede Kimura]

Muirne let out a sigh of relief after the cars passed without incident, still keeping quiet in case someone was listening. Although she did give Leon a friendly glare at his comment about being all over him. She walked with the other two in silence for the minutes before slowing slightly as she came to the realization that she had no clue where the police station was. "Do either of you know where we're headed?" She asked quietly. Pausing slightly she reflected back on Luke describing Leon as having a 'sixth sense about when cops are nearby' "Leon, Luke mentioned you have some kind of superpower about where the police are. Do you know where it is?" She smiled up at him with false guilelessness.

[Spacefurry]

Leon watched the cars pass, giving them an impolite gesture as they did. Returning Muirne friendly glare with a playful smirk. As they walked, his gaze wandered here and there, watching for anyone moving around outdoors still.

 

After some fifteen minutes Muirne was brave enough to bring up the point that none of them knew where they were actually headed. He cocked his head and gave her an amused grin. “Ah, yes. My greatest power, Detect Pork.”

“Let me see.” Leon put his hand to his forehead in mock concentration. If the few ‘field trips’ he, his brother and sister had gone on taught him anything he had a rough idea where the local sheriffs’ office might be. He scanned the surrounding buildings to judge the layout.

“My best guess, that away.” He pointed off at an angle from the street they were on. “I say another three or four blocks and we make a turn. Shouldn’t be too far off.”