Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

[RDU Neil]

Re: Secret Worlds: Book 3 - Episode 4 Finales

 

Ok... here's my attempt to finish up the big fight. This was a tough one to write and capture the feel that really played out well in the game. Again, this is stream of memory (faulty) and very unedited. I actually realize I wrote part of this wrong, and I'll correct it in the official story book when I get the chance.

 

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40 Seconds Previously

 

Kovias grins and laughs in recognition and respect of Damien’s challenge. He bellows his own name in response and is a whirlwind with his tulwar. The blade spins and cuts again and again at Damien. Though it never connects, Damien is forced to slide and circle to keep out of reach.

 

Ignoring Damien’s last order, Vicente continues to try to line up a shot as the two swordsmen dance around each other. Kovias is aware of this second threat and does his best to keep himself a difficult target. When Damien makes a spectacular leap, he tries to eliminate this threat.

 

Kovias swings wide and low, a sweeping cut that would take a man’s legs off at the knees, but Damien is more than adept at avoiding it. Going over the blade, he moves beyond the ability of a normal man. His simple leap becomes a tuck and spring off of Kovia’s own shoulder to make a standing jump over the giant man to land on the top of the Connex container behind him. While not an impossible maneuver for a trained gymnast who has practiced it again and again, to see such a jump spontaneously performed in the midst of life or death combat is truly amazing. Vicente knows he is seeing something truly special in the fight before him, but he has little time to think about it as Kovias tries his best to kill him then and there.

 

The low sweeping attack had never stopped, even as Damien leapt above it. Kovias simply continued the momentum of the blow into a upper cut that should have split him crotch to chin… but a blow stopped… just barely… by the heavy steel impact plate in Vicente’s vest. The curved edge slices the Kevlar and canvas like butter, before slamming into the steel beneath. Vicente feels his breath knocked from him as he is picked up and staggered back by the blow. The plate deforms under the impact and there is painful pressure against his sternum, but there is no penetration and Vicente is quite alive.

 

A split second of recognition between Vicente and Kovias. The giant snarls in frustration when he sees his target is still in one piece but then he continues his sweeping movement, striding past Vicente to take position beneath Damien who is stalking the fight from above. “Still alive!” gasps Vicente in a weak cheer to his own survival. “Todavia vivo!” in his mother’s Spanish. A few feet from him he sees the battle is joined again between Damien, Kovias and also Maiyay who has come back up in a flurry of blades. She and Damien try to pin Kovias between them. Vicente then glances to his right and sees the open Connex that likely holds the man called Jolly. “Right… get the American,” he says aloud then sprints past the storm of blades and into the foul, dark box.

 

One side step and then another, Damien shuffles in time with Kovias below, seeing the narrow escape of Vicente, but more intent on his opponent below. Part of Damien is aghast at what the man has done to his body. The imbedded leather straps and bands are truly hideous. Another part of him is more analytical, though. That part watches how the warrior moves, how armor flexes and twists… where it is solid and stiff, and where the flesh has reasserted itself. Thick enough to be resistant to even large caliber pistol fire… but not invulnerable: Damien can see the gaps and folds that should cut like any other man if the cut is skilled.

 

Maiyay leaps back into the fray with a vengeance. She is truly dwarfed by the man mountain, but her long knives and quick hands force Kovias’ attention… silat knives spark off his long, curved blade. That is when Damien attacks again, a forward flip with a descending Shinchokugiri from a moving jodan kamae.

 

Kovias’ block is hard a brutal, muscle vs. technique, he puts everything he has into stopping the deadly strike, and it puts him sideways to Maiyay. She is unhesitant and cross cuts her adversary with both blades. Kovias instinctively rolls his shoulder and lat into the blow, taking the slashing agains the grain of his hide. The blades score the leather and scar tissue, both leaving long cuts… but neither do any real damage. Kovias doesn’t even flinch, and Maiyay is dismayed that an attack that would have laid most men’s guts on the floor was blunted to nothing by this monster’s skin.

 

For Kovias there is no one but Damien. Their deadly dance engaged again, his focus is on the lithe modern samurai, and the Greek is elated. His blood sings for battle.

 

For Damien it is Go kyu vs. Ryu kyu… solid, unstoppable speed vs. fluid, unresisting speed. The two men twist around each, each one literally flipping over the other in a flurry of blades the flicker within millimeters of contact but always just out of reach. Pure beauty and death in motion… and a scene that changes in a flickering instance as Damien makes one mistake.

 

As Maiyay presses her own attack on Kovias the giant rotates his back toward Damien to bring a hard cross block to her arms. Damien can read the man’s movements and knows that this is no opening, but that Kovias’ motion will bring his sword into a reverse thrust that a lesser combatant would easily walk right into. Damien sees the cut coming, and sees opportunity. If he meets the blow, blade on blade, he can possibly finish this fight in the next moment. It is the nano-second hyper judgment of combat… and instead of continuing with his perfect taisabaki, he steps in for a decisive iwao.

 

Against any other opponent it would have worked. A simple deflection of thrust with a continuing cut that could have taken off Kovias’ arm at the shoulder… but no deflection occurred. Trying to block that thrust turned out to be like trying to block an oncoming train. Technique broke against raw power and the tulwar continued on it’s path right into Damien’s stomach.

 

Six inches of steel tear through bare skin, muscle and tendon, cutting just past the right abdominals and just under the ribcage. A sick, wet coldness in his gut, and everything goes still. The blade slides out of his stomach as smoothly as it went in as Kovias reverses and brings his body and blade around in a decapitation arc.

 

Time slows for Damien. As his brain registers the pain and injury, he focuses past the shock and feels a fresh release of adrenaline flow. Everything around him becomes distinct, as the adrenal rush provides hyper-clarity. Instead of shutting down, his body jumps up a gear as internally, his blood vessels contract and the positive side of shock begins to prevent him from any immediate bleed out.

 

Damien’s feet move as the tulwar arcs toward his neck and again his ashisabaki saves him. The blade misses it’s finishing blow, nearly rending open the Connex it strikes instead. Kovias’ eyes are alight with bloodlust as he pursues… but then frustration cuts across his face as has to avoid Maiyay’s continued attacks.

 

Damien steps back into a classic chudan stance as Kovias returns to face him. No further retreat, there is just the slightest shift in his grip, gaining tenouchi, and as Kovias coses the ma-ai, Damien makes a simply shomen chiburi… a perfect forward blood flicking strike.

 

His hasuji is perfect. The most forward six inches of razor sharp folded steel drive between the gaps of the leather bands wrapped around Kovias’ neck. Sudden… uncountered… a perfect lethal strike.

 

Kovias’ left hand instinctively clamps about his throat. His eyes flare wide, as he registers the wound. Damien stands in silence and watches as blood rivers through the titan’s fingers and spills down his front.

 

Then Damien watches in amazement as the warrior opens his mouth and chokes out words while shifting the tulwar in his grip and stepping sideways so that he can continue to stave off Maiyay’s attack. “This is your bushido… samurai?” gurgles Kovias, sneering in contempt at Maiyay. “You allow these others… these nothing… to come between us?”

 

Damien is surprised to find hurt in these words. The challenge strikes something deep within him that he is surprised to find there… something that looks at the battle and asks, “Did I dishonor myself?” This moment is accompanined by two, hollow “booms” from inside the Connex where Vicente had gone. The sound is lost, though, as Maiyay returns to attack again, this time screaming at Kovias.

 

“Shut up! You bastard! You are nothing and deserve no honor! You killed my father!”

 

Kovias turns to her and snarls through a mouth of blood that runs off his bone white teeth. “What are you talking about little girl? Your father is still alive!”

 

The retort stops Maiyay cold. Her attack is completely forgotten as she gapes at Kovias. The truth of his words is unmistakable and it shakes her world to the foundation. Her guard drops.

 

Kovias capitalizes on the moment and strikes. He swings the blade at her, and only instinct brings up her knives to block it. Kovias is ready for that and drives his mass through her blades, striking her with fist and pommel instead of cutting edge in a tremendous blow to her chest that snaps her off her feet. Steamrolled by his power, Maiyay flips over backward to go sprawling to the ground, the concussiver force alone temporarily relieving her of consciousness.

 

Two things snap Damien back to the moment. One is seeing Maiyay go down, and the other is the movement behind him. A simple glance shows Vicente staggering out of the Connex with Jolly in his arms. At least Damien assumes it is Jolly. It is a body that looks flayed and cut… it is a mass of red tissue… a vaguely human formed hunk of meat. “He’s alive… sort of,” yells Vicente as he shifts the body into a fireman’s carry and starts to stagger toward an exit. The body makes wet, sucking sounds as it flops over his shoulder.

 

Damien’s mind clears and he turns back to Kovias with cold purpose. The massive Greek turns back to Damien… his entire front is soaked in his own blood and it is dripping in spatters about his feet. Despite the incredible will to stay on his feet, Damien can see the tremor in the warrior’s legs as his life runs out of him. He stares right into Kovias’ eyes and speaks in a calm, but powerful voice.

 

“This is over. You are finished. If you wish to see bushido… kneel and be cleansed.” As he speaks, Damien’s body finds a pefect hohaba, stance and balance… his arms raising his sword into a classic 45 degree jodan position.

 

There is a perfect stillness in the moment as the two look at each other. Then Kovias grins… a horrific display… but one that shows true happiness. He reverses his tulwar, point downward, and braces himself against the deck as he lowers himself to his knees. His left hand leaves his throat as his kneeling form is only just below Damien’s eye level, but his eyes never leave Damien’s or the raised sword.

 

He continues to smile as the sword stroke takes his head.

 

-----

Epilogue

 

The Silent Woman flees through the engine room, with Ryu just behind her. She is just far enough ahead to leap into darkness as he empties his clip after her, then loses sight of her position. Whatever had happened, she was trying to run. Ryu could tell that much. She used the darkness well, and the throbbing of the engines and the echoes of gunfire in the enclosed space meant tracking her by sound was nearly impossible. For a moment, Ryu slips back into kuji kiri zen… stilling himself so that he can better sense what is around him. It takes but a moment… two… but in that short time, he knows she is gone.

 

Ryu allows himself a brief smile of consternation and appreciation. “She is… good,” he says. Then he stands up and looks about the engine room. His hands reach into his small pack and come out with two bricks of plastic explosives, just for such an opportunity. “Finish the mission,” he says to himself, and looks for the most vulnerable location.

 

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Epilogue 2:

 

 

Ryu catches up with the others as they are returning to the upper deck. Vicente carries the bloody Jolly, and Maiyay staggers as she shoulders Damien ups the narrow ladders. The wound in his stomach has started to bleed heavily through the wad of cloth he holds pressed against it. They move out on to the deck the way they’d originally come, without saying much. Radio chatter comes from Tazag, who reports that they seem to have taken the ship. “At least no one is shooting back at us now!” he says with the jubilation of a combat victor.

 

As they come out the narrow hatchway back on the deck, Vicente looks about. There are no Wah Ching about… but neither is “Steve” the young fighter they left to guard this position. Vicente moves awkwardly with Jolly over one shoulder and his pistol in his free hand… and his blood goes cold when he steps far enough out to see the body that had slid halfway down the gang plank. The left half of his head is missing, and a single large hold punctures the right half… an entry wound of some large caliber round. The others are right behind him, he blocking their way and without any way to retreat himself. Vicente stares up the dark walkway toward midship… and there he sees the shadow move. A stack of crates, a dark hiding spot. There is just enough reflected light for him to see that the shadow is aiming a high caliber rifle with scope at him. He knows completely and without doubt that he can do nothing to stop the sniper from killing him

 

And that is when Maiyay shoves out the hatch behind him with Damien hanging on her, cursing Vicente for stopping and oblivious to the threat not forty feet away.

 

And the sniper sees Damien… and lowers the rifle. Vicente can see the pale face of the Russian who is now staring at those behind him… staring at the man with the sword who is coughing and trying to make jokes… the man that was going to face Kovias… and was still alive here and now.

 

It all happens in three quick seconds. Vicente stares at the Russian, who stares at Damien… and before anything can be said or done… the sniper goes away. He simply retracts the rifle, and drops back into the shadows. Vicente blinks and he is gone.

 

Vicente watches as Maiyay and Damien stagger down the ramp. Maiyay studiously ignores the dead Filipino, while Damien looks sad for a moment. Ryu comes out then and thinking Vicente tired takes the weight of Jolly on himself. “We should go. There will be an explosion soon,” says Ryu as he moves down the ramp. Vicente looks down at the dead soldier, finding himself unable to remember his real name and thinking only “Steve.” The he glances back to where the sniper had been.

 

“Yeah… let’s go,” he says and hurries after the rest.

 

-----

 

End of Book 3 – Episode 4

 

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GB&U later... plus we have run a brief Epilogue/Prologue that ended this "book" and set us up for the next series of adventures. That will be forthcoming... oh... someday. Thanks for reading.

[greymankle]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

SAH-WEET!!! Awesome write-up Neil. I know the part of the fight that you think you did wrong, but it's cool. Your version works better then, the GM forgetting I had a second action. Thanks for describing the stragety change of dodge, dodge, dodge, block = pain. Awesome.

 

This is one of my more favorite posts. (granted it's about me, but hey)

 

-J

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Who is Charlie Petroni?

[RDU Neil]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Charlie who? Heh... guess you'll have to keep reading.

 

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly:

 

The Good: For introducing a new player (both to the game and to Hero itself) this game went well. It was a pretty straight forward "objective combat" episode... but there were some great character moments. From a multiple combat GMing POV, I tried a new process and it worked really well. I made sure I kept the idea of "scenes" in mind... so while the game was one big combat... it broke down into at least five or six different "scenes" of combat.

 

We moved in and out of "combat time" throughout the game... giving the battle a real feel of ebb and flow... hyper moments of action followed by breaks of moving, exploring, talking, etc. There has been a tendency in the past (in my experience) that once combat starts, segments and phases and such just take over and grind out every action in game terms to the bitter end. Here we were able to have a fight or shoot-out that would then drop "out of combat" as immediate targets lost LOS or were taken out. We'd then go back to non-combat actions and movement... often switching perspective between the Damien/Vicente/Maiyay party and Ryu. I really liked the cinematic flow that offered the game.

 

Kudos to Tracy (our new guy) to really "getting it" pretty quickly. We play a complicated version of Hero in some ways, but he seemed pretty comfortable... and he asked to come back, so that's good!

 

Joe and Eric continue to amaze me with their ability to bring Damien and Ryu to life. Their enthusiasm brings me back to this more than anything.

 

On my part... I thought Kovias rocked. As anyone running low level/gritty campaigns in Hero can tell you, the difference between "nigh invulnerable" and "wimpy" can be a scant couple of points of defense spent in the right way. To try and make a villain who was bad@$$ but not unstoppable (I knew he'd have to fight multiple opponents) and tread that line of "unbelievable, but not impossible" in concept... that is hard. He had to be tough enough to seem scary and challenging... but not so tough as to make the players feel totally outclassed. The build I used for him turned out almost perfectly. He bounced the attacks he was supposed to... dished out the damage he was supposed to... and was hurt by the attacks that should have hurt him. (Damien has FW and light AP on his sword, so there is little he can't hurt that a sword could realistically cut...) Kovias fought well... he seemed to have great character as a villain... and hopefully provided some depth to the campaign that should have repercussions down the line.

 

The Bad: I initially planned to have some "mass combat" side events going on, where we could roll off the assault of Tazag and his men. Almost immediately, based on the players decisions, I realized that the deck fight wasn't really going to matter unless it went catestrophically bad for Tazag and the PCs ended up having to fight their way out of a few dozen riled up thugs. we did a few rolls, but the deck battle ended up being relatively inconsequential to the story... though the Russian clearly survived and got away, which was cool. I've had fun with mass combat in the past, but in this case it seemed to be distracting from the important stuff... so I let it slide as part of the game.

 

The Ugly: I found it ironic that we'd initially planned to introduce Tracy to Hero with this game because "It will be all combat and he can jump right in"... then I find that Tracy says to Joe after the game, "Is there always that much combat?" which just made me laugh out loud. As long as he wants to play again, I'm cool.

 

I also think that the Silent Woman was so perfectly matched with Ryu that it may have frustrated Eric somewhat. I loved the fact that the fight was a stalemate... with both of them injuring the other in the exact same way (upper arm, left side, for 2 body damage after defenses)... and that the initiative system we use really made for a fascinating flow of combat. Initially the Silent Woman kept initiating faster than Ryu, keeping him on the defensive and unable to waste an action to counter attack. Then... with a slight shift in results... Ryu was in command of the fight, driving HER into full defense. Then initiative results finally switched so she could run away. I found that really cool... but it may not have seemed so from the players POV.

 

Also, there were two "chit wars" of a sort. When Kovias initially attacked, he rolled stealth out the wazoo and probably would have killed Vicente in a single shot. Tracy threw a "blue chit" to say "It would have been a perfect attack, but he slips and falls in puddle as he drops down!" I spent a "blue chit" to counter saying, "No way he falls, but there is an audible splash... Vicente gets a straight up perception check and if he makes it he can try to block." Thus the scene played out as it did.

 

Later, Eric threw a blue to have Ryu perfectly bounce a F/B around the corner to take the Silent Woman by surprise. I spent a chit to have her catch it before it went off and toss it away. He got a shot at her, but it wasn't a total "she's caught zero DCV at point blank range" as it would have been.

 

I actually love these little chit wars... kind of a "bargain for a scene" moments... but I'm unsure if the players feel the same. It forces me to spend resources I can't use for the villains later... but it reduces the chit resources of the player as well. I'm sure they'll let me know if they don't like it. I tend to like these bargaining moments, as it prevents players from just tossing a blue for an "I just win" moment... but still gains them some advantage and costs the GM resources.

 

In the end, the ugliest bit is that we've had so many RL upheavals in our group that it is hard to get together and play as we'd like to. Dunno when the next episode will be... but I'm committed to it, whenever we can find the time.

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

The fight, from my perspective, was perfect. I honestly believe that this should become required reading for all Dark Champions players.

 

As a matter of fact, it would be lovely to see specific excerpts of these logs placed in the next Dark Champions publications, with a breakdown of the logs in Hero terms as well.

 

Essentially, you present the actions in Hero mechanics "I dodge," etc, and then TRANSLATE it into narration.

 

This would give GMs some ideas on how to translate certain things into narration.

[greymankle]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Who is Charlie Petroni?

Avid Secret Worlds readers will remember that Charlie Petroni was mentioned once before in Book 1. How good is your SW-fu?

 

-J

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Man, I read that WAAAAAAAAAAAAY back in the day.

 

Tomorrow, I search for him.

 

Edit: Ok, I couldn't resist. I can only find one mention of Charles "Charlie" Petroni, and that is in the Epilogue of Book 1. He is simply an "unknown name." At least, this is all the thread search tool could turn up for me.

[BonHed]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Hey, Neil, no worries, man. I was not frustrated by the battle between Ryu and the Silent Woman. It played out really just the way a straight-up fight with Ryu should have. He's not that great of a fighter (okay, his DEX does give him quite an edge, but not that many levels - being corrected with XP, of course). I liked the flow. Just wish I had gotten the chance to try out Ryu's "secret weapon".

 

I play in this game, and I didn't even know who Charlie Petroni was. =)

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

For some reason, the some of the text, especially apostrophes, has transformed.

 

For instance: "“Yeah… let’s go,†he says and hurries after the rest."

 

Wtf, mate?

[greymankle]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

For some reason, the some of the text, especially apostrophes, has transformed.

 

For instance: "“Yeah… let’s go,†he says and hurries after the rest."

 

Wtf, mate?

Not just you. Hmmm, did they change the board formatting somehow?

[RDU Neil]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Not just you. Hmmm' date=' did they change the board formatting somehow?[/quote']

 

The boards were down this morning... and there does seem to be some new functionality around here.

 

Only two of my big story posts seem to have been affected... the two latest.

 

I sent an e-mail to Simon... if he can't fix it, I can try to repost them and see if that fixes it.

 

Weird.

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Well, at least now I know someone isn't slipping LSD into my cheerios.

[RDU Neil]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Well' date=' at least now I know someone isn't slipping LSD into my cheerios.[/quote']

 

The drugs appear to have worn off... (or in other words I reposted and it seemed to have cleared up the smart-quotes problem.)

[NightStick]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

For some reason, the some of the text, especially apostrophes, has transformed.

 

For instance: "“Yeah… let’s go,†he says and hurries after the rest."

 

Wtf, mate?

 

---------------<<<<<<<>>>>>>>---------------

 

Temporal displacement around the globe only affects those associated with HERO GAMES forums.

 

What was initially thought to be loss of conectivity, turns out to be a worldwide plot to play havoc

with a select crew of individuals that see themselves as Gods, Judges, Juries, Executioners and

so many other forms of maelovent rif raf that we cannot begin to list them all here.

 

If you have information as to the underlying plots, PLEASE post your replies as soon as you can!

This Temporal stuff really plays with your morning Cheerios!

 

------------------<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>------------------

[RDU Neil]

Secret Worlds: Book 3 Epilogue

 

We had a short "transition game" a couple weeks ago... then the first session of Book 4. I'm just now trying to write this stuff up. Takes time away from planning the actual games.

 

Secret Worlds: Book 3

Epilogue

 

The retreat from the ship is chaotic at best. Tazag stands at the foot of the main ramp, shouting ineffectual orders at the men running, staggering and limping down the gangplank. Those who can’t move under their own power are dragged and carried by their comrades. All of them leave under a cloud a thick smoke that fills the sky from amidship.

 

Ryu, Damien, Vicente & Maiyay are just part of the crowd as they stagger away with Jolly’s mangled form. Looking behind them, Ryu can see the fore tower of the ship. It is pocked and pitted from heavy gunfire as well as blackened and scored where grenades had exploded. Clearly the attackers had struggled to unseat an attacker or two from the high ground position. As he walks under the meaty weight of Jolly, he notices that many of the dead they are carrying away were victims of a single head shot. Large caliber rifle, most likely. There are others who took small arms fire, but clearly a sniper was at work. The comments of the men around them confirm this.

 

Many of the men pile back into the waiting vans and begin to speed away. Others follow Tazag’s orders and come behind the four, helping them to carry Jolly and move up the docks toward the warehouse that had originally staged their attacks. Though there is little order to the retreat it is accomplished within minutes and as the last men straggle into the open doors, there is a heavy, but muffled “kathoom!” from deep inside the belly of the Wah Ching ship. It shudders briefly and within 30 seconds caustic black smoke begins to emanate from every open door and port hole in the aft of the ship. The smoke billows out to cover the dock as the sound of sirens echoes in the distance.

 

Cut Scene: Camera pans back from the smoke as it covers the view, moving from a broad view to narrow to a dark tunnel that quickly reveals itself to be the sights of a powerful rifle scope. The view through the scope tilts and falls away as the man behind it lowers the weapon. His face is revealed… lean and clean shaven, smudge with dirt and grime beneath blond hair greasy and soiled. The bolt is back and breech open… the rifle holds no rounds. The look on the Russian’s face is not one of anger or hatred, but puzzlement. As the smoke obscures all view he sits quietly in the dark cubby ensconced out of view.

 

In that moment of quiet, a small sliver of metal slides out of the darkness behind him and rests against his jugular with the slightest of pressure. For a moment his eyes go wide in surprise but then quickly settle back calmly. The knife never leaves the kill position.

 

”So you got out,” says the sniper to the darkness. There is no audible answer, but the darkness shows the white teeth of a thin smirk.

 

“Da… you were the sneaky one,” he says. “But Kovias wasn’t so lucky… am I right?” Behind him the smile disappears.

 

“Неимоверно…” he mutters. “Incredible.” He shakes his head slightly, the stops with a twitch as he presses the blade against his throat. With a heavy sigh he settles back, even glancing back behind him. The Silent Woman doesn’t move away, and he catches sight of a red silk tied around her upper arm. “Even you were hit, da?” At this, the smile returns, brighter and whiter. Pure pleasure.

 

“Это дважды… two times I have seen this. This McGregor and his people… they do things they shouldn’t be able to do. I watched them kill all my men in seconds in the Filipines. Now this. They go against Kovias… a total monster… and they come out the other side alive. In Lucena I saw… Незримый человек… a man appear right before my eyes. Now I have met you and Kovias…”

 

He turns then, looking right into the eyes of the Silent Woman. “I want to know what all of this is means… будете вы людьми?” He presses against the knife and a trickle of blood runs down his neck. “This Grandmaster of yours. Take me to him... or just kill me now.”

 

The Silent Woman only smiles. Then the blade withdraws back into the darkness.

 

End Cut Scene

 

-----

 

Inside the warehouse a makeshift triage has been created. The wounded are laid on cots and bandages are applied where possible. Damien is laid down with a grimace and a poorly timed joke. His face is white and his lower body soaked by the blood running from his stomach wound.

 

Jolly is placed on the single rolling stretcher with as much care as possible. Ryu and Vicente step back, both drenched in the oozing fluids that dribble from the raw, flayed body. Only a bubbly rasp indicates any sign of life.

 

At the doors Tazag pulls himself out of the heavy body armor he was wearing, wiping sweat from his face and neck as the staccato red and blue of police lights begin reflecting through windows from the docks outside. He pulls on a fresh Hawaiian shirt handed to him by one of his men and the says, “I need to make sure our business stays just that… our business.” Then he hands an envelope to Vicente saying, “Give this to them when they are ready,” before going outside with a friendly grin spilling across his face.

 

Vicente looks about, wondering who might be able to help the stupid American or the man they rescued. He doesn’t see anyone capable of serious medical work… and then she is there. She steps up behind him, face covered in black veil, and only the whisper of black silk to betray her step. He looks the way she came in surprise, seeing a black rickshaw parked in the shadows.

 

”How the hell did that get in here?” he thinks as he realizes who this woman must be. Ryu and even the wounded Damien nod their heads to her in recognition as she steps forward, and Vicente just stares at the legend of Mother Shell come to life.

 

”Oh good… I feel better already,” jokes Damien as he lies backward. Mother Shell smiles at him as she lifts her veil.

 

“I will do my best,” she says gently, leaning over to look at the wound.

 

“YOU LIED TO ME!” screams Maiyay.

 

Quiet until now, standing to the side, Maiyay springs forward still dressed in her body armor, and her fists clench in anger at her sides. “All this time and you’ve lied to me!” she cries out… a sound of a broken child straining under the rage.

 

Mother Shell looks at her calmly. “I never lied. You know this. You can remember exactly what I said. You can remember it as if it was happening right now…”

 

“You lied!” is the strangled denial, and Mother Shell responds more sternly.

 

“Remember! You can focus… you have the skill… and we do not have time for your tantrum. These men need our help.” Then softer, her hand reaching out as if to touch her daughter’s face, “Remember.”

 

Maiyay stops them, her fists remaining clenched and body trembling, but her face goes still, eyes looking away.

 

Mother Shell doesn’t wait, but turns to Jolly and one of the medics. A quick cursory glance and she picks up some gauze and begins to wrap his limbs gently while directing the other man in Tagalog. As the medic picks up what she is doing, Mother Shell turns to Ryu and says, “There are no lethal wounds, but his entire body is ripe for infection. We should cover him, and then a longer treatment will be in order. The more immediate need is Mr. McGregor.”

 

Mother Shell leads Ryu to the gurney where Damien lies. “I’m sorry,” says Ryu as he pulls back the cloth pressed over the gut wound. “I had no idea it was this serious.”

 

“Wonderful…” says Damien in response as Mother Shell leans over and touches his mouth with one finger.

 

“Sleep,” she says and he does; a peaceful smile on his face. “I will need your help,” she then says to Rai as she lifts a hand and reveals a spool of black silk thread and a small pouch. It unfolds to reveal a set of bone needles of various curvatures. Ryu nods and turns to a table ripping off his soiled shirt and picking up a bottle of rubbing alcohol and dumping it over his hands and forearms. Together he and Mother Shell bend over Damien. “I will need you to hold here… pressure here… take this… and watch what I do,” says Mother Shell, and they go to work.

 

-----

 

“Brilliant,” thinks Ryu… reflecting on what the last hour and a half revealed to him. He knows he has seen a true master healer at work. Her precision and touch… the ease at which she worked in the most difficult conditions. He learned much.

 

“You have a gift for this,” she had said as they finished. The irony was not lost on him.

 

Jolly was a mummy. Maiyay had assisted the medic in wrapping him, but already red was seeping through. “His will be a long recovery… and that is unsure,” says Mother Shell.

 

Maiyay steps up to her. “I think he is actually awake,” she says, then, “You were right, mother. I’m sorry. You didn’t lie.”

 

A young Maiyay, no more than eight or nine, stands in front of her mother. Her eyes brim with tears. Mother Shell is a simple black shift and runs her hand down her daughter’s cheek. “I know it is hard, but your father did this for us. He went to get the bad men so they wouldn’t hurt us. So they wouldn’t hurt you. He did this for us, but he is not coming back. He can’t come back.”

 

“You never said he died. You said he wasn’t coming back. You knew he was still alive, but I believed…”

 

“Yes,” replies Mother Shell… fatigue in her voice. “We believe what we need to believe. You must decide what you believe now, but…”

 

A burble and croak comes from the mummy on the stretcher. The swaddled head attempts to move from side to side, looking around. “How long?” he gasps.

 

Ryu leans in above him. “Hello, Jolly,” he says calmly. Recognition takes awhile in the bloodshot and bruised eyes of the old soldier.

 

“You were the brother… Jasmine’s brother… the yak,” he mutters. Then, “What about Terry? Berkmann?”

 

A slurred snarl comes from the cot nearby, as a half conscious McGregor responds. “Owens sold us out and took off. Berkmann may have done the same. If you were looking for us… well, this is what you find.”

 

Jolly attempts to turn his head as far as he can, looking at Damien until he figures it out. “You’ve changed a lot,” he says matter of factly. Damien just grins slightly.

 

Back to Ryu, Jolly asks again, “How long was I…?” He pauses. “On the ship… with that bastard…” Rai isn’t sure how to answer. Jolly snaps in frustration, “The date… what is it?”

 

When he is told, the man slumps, thinking. “Then you have only two days. They will leave then. Maggie and one of you…”

 

He stops then as if just thinking of something. “Kovias?” he says… forcing the name out of his throat.

 

“No worries,” says Damien with a pained smile.

 

“Where is Maggie?” asks Ryu seeing Jolly begin to space. “Who is this other one.”

 

“Shitoku,” he hisses. Ryu looks puzzled. “Not Japanese… means Feather or some such. Call him that, and he’ll know you. Stang had us all looking for you. They don’t hear from me by Saturday… they’ll fade away. Go to Hong Kong… Wellington Hotel.”

 

Talking this way exhausts Jolly quickly. He seems to drift off… then his eyes open again. “Go to Hong Kong,” he says. Then, “Heh… you guys got him.” Jolly closes his eyes. “That’s good.”

 

“Sleep,” says Mother Shell. “Both of you,” looking at Jolly and Damien. To Ryu she says, “We will care for Jolly. We will take him into hiding with us. The Wah Ching will be back and they will seek vengeance. We must be away by then, different people in different places.”

 

The side door of the warehouse opens and Tazag bustles in. He is hurrying and rubbing his hands together. “We must leave now,” he says brusquely to the group, and then with more courtesy to Mother Shell, “I have run out of…” he makes an empty pocket gesture, “… delaying tactics. If we don’t leave soon they may suddenly notice that they haven’t yet searched this warehouse.”

 

Immediately the remaining men begin packing everything into the last two waiting vans. Vicente takes one end of the rolling stretcher with Jolly and guides it to where it can be loaded gently in the back. There is great efficiency in their actions and everyone is nearly ready to go in two minutes.

 

“You will go with them,” says Mother Shell to Maiyay. The girl looks surprised, but not unhappy. “You made your choice. You have been blooded. Understand that this is what your father most dreaded. I believe he stayed away in the hope that you would not become a warrior… no matter that I told him it was your fate.” There is no anger or even sadness in the seer’s voice, more of a matter-of-fact pride tinged with concern. “Damien said he would protect you and now you are his responsibility. I know you will come back to me if you can.”

 

With that Ryu, Maiyay and the unconscious Damien are put in a separate car. Vicente holds out the envelope that Tazag gave him. “This is for you. There are tickets on a chartered flight. If you are going to Hong Kong, it will be only a few hours for them to file a flight plan and we will take you to the airport.” The envelope goes to Ryu, who also notices a code number that looks like a bank account. Time enough later to find out.

 

”Good-bye stupid American,” says Vicente as he shuts the door. Doors rise on the street side of the warehouse and the black sedan, tinted windows hiding the occupants, moves out into the night.

 

End Epilogue

 

-----

 

(more later)

[Zed-F]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Who is Rai? Is that Ryu?

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

So, Vincente's player is just a temp, or what?

[greymankle]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

So' date=' Vincente's player is just a temp, or what?[/quote']

Vicente, the character, was a temp. The player playing Vicente is a new addition. Neil just gave him Vicente to try out, since he had never played Hero before. Once he decided he was "in", he made his own PC.

[RDU Neil]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Who is Rai? Is that Ryu?

 

Whoa... I was sick as I wrote this... and I clearly was out of it when I did. Yes... meant Ryu and never noticed that I mispelled. I will change it when I can.

 

Ooops.

 

Ok... I think I changed them all. What happens when you write while spiking a temp.

 

Friends don't let friends write sick.

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Maiyay: NPC, or new PC?

[BonHed]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Maiyay: NPC' date=' or new PC?[/quote']

 

Maiyay is an NPC, the daughter of Mother Shell. She was introduced the episode before the assault on the ship. Practitioner of Pentjak Silat, modern girl who does not want to spend the next 100 years making tea with her mother. Eventually she will take over the roll of Mother Shell (in theory).

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Maiyay is an NPC' date=' the daughter of Mother Shell. She was introduced the episode before the assault on the ship. Practitioner of Pentjak Silat, modern girl who does not want to spend the next 100 years making tea with her mother. Eventually she will take over the roll of Mother Shell (in theory).[/quote']

 

I'm sorry, I wasn't being clear. I was tired.

 

She is joining the group at the same time that a new player is being introduced. So I'm wondering if she is going to become a PC, or (more likely to me), someone ELSE will also be joining the group.

[Zed-F]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Or the new player can bring in another char, and Maiyay can remain an NPC...

 

That's what I was thinking was going to happen, at any rate.

[Manic Typist]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Or the new player can bring in another char, and Maiyay can remain an NPC...

 

....or (more likely to me)' date=' someone ELSE will also be joining the group.[/quote']

 

 

Is it really an "or" if I already said it?

[Zed-F]

Re: Secret Worlds: Reboot write-ups

 

Sorry, wasn't clear that's what you meant. I thought you were suggesting 2 people might be joining the game.