... And High Water

((OOC: Now that i think about it, i probably should have done the defense rolls right then and there, sorry about that. Also the going from right to left, the green dots (AkA bad guys) are Mage, Ria, Guard.))

The mage washed in anger as the nearly nude conjurer cast her spell at her her Mistress Ria, "To the nine hells with you, you taudry Slitch"
Without any need to wave her hands into the air, Jessie could cast her counterspell to protect her mistress, or die trying.

Jessica's Counterspell
Counterspell 4 + willpower 5 = 8 hits
effect: orgy is royally dispelled on Jessica

Ria's Resistance
spell resistance 4 + willpower 4 = 5 hits
effect: orgy is resisted by Ria

John's Resistance
willpower 5 + 1 point of edge (4) = 5 hits
effect: orgy is resisted by john/color]




Jessie didn't have much more energy left in her, she had to rest for a few moments before she could even think of striking back.

Ria on the other hand was embolened by her Sister and Brother in Arms sacrifice for her. She wouldn't let their pain be in vain. A smile would crawl over her thin lips as she stared the spirit dead in the eyes, "I may not be able to hurt you, but do you have the conviction to stand and fight?"

[color=green]Willpower 4 + Spell Resistance Power 4 = 5 hits

Shrugging off the spell as it sparkled into away into the air. John ignored the brief spell battle as he had a much more physical problem to deal with especially with bullets flying at him.

Reaction 6 + Dodge (Ranged Combat) : 4 (6) - wide burst 2 = 9 dice = 4 hits

((favor goes to the guard, dodging the first attack))

Reaction 6 + Dodge (Ranged Combat) : 4 (6) - 2 wide burst = 10 = 2 hits

((goes to Crossfire))

Crossfire's damage
Warrior-10 5p + 1 net hit + 2 flechette = 8 damage

armor 8I + body 4 + flechette 5 = 17 dice = 5 hits

total damage
8p - 5 hits = 3p damage out 10 total

John would almost have dodged the second volley, but he wasn't fast enough. The needles that flew from the guns tore through his body and armor, tiny little holes on the outside belied the damage to his organs on the inside. Through his years of combat training, he knew he didn't have much time left in this battle, especially since this group seemed to have plenty of firepower left over.

((okay folks, this catches us up on things, that leaves Skuld, Ria, Mr. Grey, and Nika left to post, than it's Jessie (mage) and John's (guard) turn. I've also fixed a few mistakes that i made, so get posting and have fun.))

((alrighty, due to time constraints and because i would like to get this run moving along, so i'm going to give those who haven't posted 8 hours (that is roughly midnight u.s. central) before we move on without them, i'm sorry but i hate runs that die out.))

((for now Ria, Mr. Grey, and Nika are to be treated as NPC's palyed by me until their actual players come back, after this post is initiative pass 2, but keep the init's that you have, it will make it much easier and cut down on the dice rolls. Happy hunting.))

Mr grey init. = Init 2 + Reac. 3(4) = 6 + 5 hits = 11
Nika init. = Init 5 + Reac. 3 = 8 + 6 hits = 14
Ria init. = Init 5 + Reac. 4(6) = 11 + 5 hits = 16

Ria would be slightly shocked at the audacity of these 5 newcombers, "Coming to protect, my Aneue, i'm afraid you are to late for that party. So let's have another." Ria would quickly begin to move closer to Mr. Grey as she fired both of her Ruger Super Warhawks at once into Hannah, "You taudry Slot, no way in all the hells will you ever take my mind."

Gunfire
Ria's attack
(Agility 5 + pistols (revolvers) 7) = 12 / 2 = 6 per gun 4 hits and 3 hits

Hannah's defense
Reaction 3 = 3 hits and 3 hits

Hannah while prepared was able to dodge 1 of Ria's bullets, but was unable to dodge the second. Now remembering that her increased reflexes spell could have been very useful.

Ria's damage
Ruger 6p + 1 net hit = 7p

Hannah's defense
Body 4 + 6b - 5 AP (4 APDS + 1 Ruger) = 5 = 4 hits

Total: Hannah takes 3p total damage

The armor piercing round would graze Hannah's side, dealing a bloody amount of damage. Hopefully she would be able to reccover in time to counter.

In the mean time, Mr. Grey would drop Skuld's body behind the small front line as he and Nika stood in the front line, protecting Hannah and Skuld. "No way your getting by us Omae, not today." Snapping into a classic gun stance, Mr. Grey would take careful aim at John the Guard.

Nika on the other hand was not as patient, so she closed her eyes in concentration and cast a physical barrier between the two groups.

Spellcasting
force 7 physical barrier (overcasting)
magic 5 + power foci 4 + spellcasting 4 = 13 = 7 hits
Drain (force 7/2; rounded down) 3 + 3 = 6
willpower 5 + intuition 5 = 10 = 5 hits

effects: A dome of force surrounds the shadow running team from Ria and her guards.; 7 points of armor and structure; 1s for drain

The strain of the spell caused static to spark up her arms, but as Nika concetrated on the spell, the pain lessened, and she applied all of her willpower to sustain it. Hopefully it would give them an edge in this battle.

((okay shadowrunners, it's second initiative pass., that means it's Cross-fire's, and Skuld's turn to post, post in whatever order you would like, just remember your initiative stays the same.))

Crossfire was more adept at taking a more active approach to dealing with the enemy. So he dropped his Warrior-10's in favor of something with a bit more power.

1/8 rounds of +4 agility
Quick Draw: Reaction 5 + Automatics 7: 12 dice
First Ingram
Failure
Second Ingram
Success

While unable to pull out one of his many stashed guns from it's holster, he does manage to unleash one of his ingram's and points it dead center in between John the Guard's eyes ((called shot 2)) and let's a tightly grouped burst sing from his hand.

Narrow burst
agility 9 + automatics 4 + Adept automatics 3 + smart gun 2 - recoil 0 (compensated) - 2 called shot = 16 dice
8 hits

John's defense
ranged: Reaction 6 + Dodge (Ranged Combat) : 4 (6) = 12 dice
5 hits

DAMAGE: 5p + 1 ex-explosive ammo + 2 called shot + 2 narrow burst + 3 net hits = 13

John's resistance
damage resistance: armor 8B/8I + body 4 = 12 dice 6 hits

total 13 - 6 = 7p damage + 3p originally; leaves 2 boxes remaining, gets a -3 to all tests

After a brief moment of shock as he fired from the hip, Crossfire would see that John is still standing, and with his Ares Alpha leveled at the crew. So instinct took over as he waited for the incoming hellfire.
DREK DREK DREK

Skuld guns the engine on the Rover and throws the vehicle in gear. She tries to maneuver the vehicle in front of the doors of the church.

The ferrets are moving towards the overturned doberman, planning on using the vehicle as a makeshift ramp in order to gain access to the window that Fenris had been firing through. They will climb up the doberman as they reach it.

Banshees: pilot 4 + maneuver 6 = 2 hits, 4 hits, 4 hits

A low rumbling noise could be heard as the APC that Skuld showed up in maneuvered its way slowly to the front of the church, blocking off any possible exit through that door. But what was more alarming would be the three little drones that come flying through the same window that the LMg was fired through. Ria would spin on her heels, her usually rock hard attention momentarily diverted to the three rat sized robots with guns on their backs "Verfluchen, how many surprises does this little place have?"

With a break in thought, Jessica would have to work quickly to dispell the wall, if not at least quash the drones

Spellcasting
Physical Wall (dome shaped
force 3 physical barrier (overcasting)
magic 6 + spellcasting 4 = 10 = 3 hits
Drain (force 3/2; rounded down) 1 + 3 = 4
willpower 5 + intuition 5 = 10 = 5 hits

effects: A dome of force surrounds the 2 of the 3 ferrets, protecting Ria and her guards.; 3 points of armor and structure; 0s for drain

The small battle was getting to her, she could barely summon the force to cast a shield spell, she hoped it would be enough.

Ria with her usual tenacity would lunge at the wall of force protecting the team and try to shoot Nika through the barrier.

Gun fire
Ria's attack
Agility 5 + pistols (revolvers) 7 + laser sight 1 = 13 = 3 hits

Wall penetration = armor 7 - APDS 4 (only armor) = 3

Nika's defense
Reaction 3 + Dodge 2 = 5 = 3 hits

(tie Nika's favor)

Ria, John, and Jessica all stop dead in their tracks in amazment. Sanity is generally based on a person having one certifiable constant in their life, at the moment a constant had just been take, Ria had missed.

((init pass 2 is over, go init pass 3 and then go combat turn 2, you caught a lucky break with the three intruders being stopped. So everybody go ahead and post.))

Skuld issues her commands to her drones and the rover. All open fire, the din of the rapports echoing within the church and against the buildings around them.

Rover: Fires short, narrow bursts with the top-turret mounted and right-mounted Ares MP-LMGs

(Pilot 4 + Weapons (Automatics) 6) = (Split rounded up 5/5) + Smartgun 2 + target point blank 1 = 8/8 = 3 hits/1 hits

Damage from the Attack:

Top-mounted LMG = 3 hits + (Bullets (6)*2 = 12) = 15P

Right Mounted LMG = 1 hits + (Bullets (6)*2 = 12) = 13P

Doors' damage resistance = 6*2 = 12 Split 6/6

Damage to door = 9P/7P

Doors' Structure Rating = 7 - (total 16 P) = -9P

The heavy oak doors of the cathedral are blown apart by the withering fire from Sleipnir's machine guns. Wood and splinters fall like rain upon the church's floor as the doors seem to literally disintegrate.

At the same time that the Rover was oh-so-gently knocking on the doors, the Banshees attempted to fire upon the mage, only to find themselves captured within the mage's barrier.

1st Banshee

Pilot 4 + Weapons (Pistols) 6 + smart gun 2 = 12 = 2 hits

2nd Banshee

Pilot 4 + Weapons (Pistols) 6 + smart gun 2 = 12 = 3 hits

Damage from attack:

1st Banshee = 1 hits + ( bullets (1)*2 = 2) = 3P

2nd Banshee = 3 hits + ( bullets (1)*2 = 2) = 5P

Barrier's damage resistance = 3 * 2 = 6 Split 3/3

Damage to Barrier = 0/2

Barrier's structure rating 3 - (total 2P) = 1

The little ferret drones fire their Ares Predator IVs with their EX explosive rounds, only to watch as the rounds seem to detonate in the air in front of them. Jessica winces as the rounds slam against the barrier, nearly bringing it down. It felt to her as though each of the rounds was a sledge hammer battering away at the inside of her skull.

Skuld's avatar frowns as she becomes aware that the mage has managed to capture her familiars with her sorcery.

Her lips pull back into a sneer as she thinks, "Slitch! Try to trap my babies, would you? Well, methinks the time has come to end this little tete-a-tete, no?"

Skuld has the Rover target the gillete-boy, figuring that the sooner the two guards were taken out, the easier the one who had iced the Matron could be brought down. Skuld hadn't quite decided whether it would be better to capture or geek the woman... "I suppose we'll play that by ear. We'll see how much trouble the slitch gives us. I'd rather be able to interrogate her, but I'm not about to let her out of here."

Sleipnir's guns roar a second time, giving out short bursts aimed right down John's throat:

(Pilot 4 + Weapons (Automatics) 6) = (Split rounded up 5/5) + Smartgun 2 = 7/7=
4 hits/ 3 hits

John's defensive roll:

Reaction 6 + Dodge (Ranged Combat) : 4 (6) = 12 = 4 hits

Johns rolls behind the pews as he sees the barrels of the Rover's guns start to track his way. His speed allows him to stay one step ahead as a barrage of bullets stitch a line behind him.

Skuld had ordered her banshees to continue their attack on the mage, hoping that the continued assault would bring the barrier down.

1st Banshee

Pilot 4 + Weapons (Pistols) 6 + smart gun 2 = 12 = 5 hits

2nd Banshee

Pilot 4 + Weapons (Pistols) 6 + smart gun 2 = 12 = 2 hits

Damage from attack:

1st Banshee = 5 hits + ( bullets (1)*2 = 2) = 7P

2nd Banshee = 2 hits + ( bullets (1)*2 = 2) = 4P

Barrier's damage resistance = 3 * 2 = 6 Split 3/3

Damage to Barrier = 5/1

Barrier's structure rating 1 - (total 6P) = -5P

The magical barrier shattered from within by the powerful guns' continued fire.

"My, my.... they do have some skill, don't they? Well, now that my children are finally free, they'll have to do so much better!"

Crossfire has had enough.

In a flash he draws a Katana and takes aim with his Ingram smart gun at Ria's Mage compatriot and Shouts:

"RELEASE THE MATRON OR DIE!"

Quick draw Katana: 3 dice blades + 5 dice reaction = 8
2 Hit success

Then he will hold the rest of his Complex action unless he is fired upon or a spell is cast. At that point he will interrupt and fire.

((i'm not quite sure if i made this clear or not, although t-hawk understood. I want you to take both your 3rd initiative Pass and/or your 1st initiative pass for combat turn 2.))

Hannah grunts as the bullets hit her. Damn, but those hurt. She wasn't expecting a fight in the church, or she would have had her shield with her, and her whip. But it was bad form to bring such things to a meet. Struggling, she casts another spell, quickening her reflexes, hopefully allowing her to strike back harder. "Spirits, speed my way!"

The spirit, meanwhile, took offense at her failure, and tries again to bring Ria under her sway.
--
Improved Reflexes, Force 4. 3 hits. Gives me +2 Init, and +2 init passes.
Resist Drain - Willpower+Charisma+2 (4) = [url=4 resisted]http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2008603/[/url]

Shendilavra uses Influence on Ria, trying to make her drop her weapons and strip naked. This is Magic+Charisma (Shendilavra) vs Willpower (Ria).
3 hits

Landing back on her feet after witnessing her defeat at the hands of a magical field she couldn't even see, Ria would raise her hand and gently brush the hardened edge of the fortification. Looking directly into the runner's eyes, a deeply burning fire could be seen in her soul.

Spell resistance
Willpower 4 + Spell Resistance (adept power) 4 =8 = 8d6.hits(5)=4


"Spirits, mon Ami? How do your spirits drive you? Do you pray to them to save you from me?" With the blaze of zealot's fire in her eyes, Ria raised and readied one of her Ruger super warhawks. "Release my dear Aneue, or die?"

With that cue John with his Ares Alpha fired a High explosive grenade into the shield wall.

GunPlay, Act 3
Agility 5 + heavy weapons (grenade launcher) 4 (+2) + smartgun 2 = 13 = 5 hits

damage
High explosive grenade 10 + 9 hits = 19

Shield's resistance

armor 7 + structure 7 = 12 hits

With the shield shattered, this left the runner's wide open to attack. It also prevented anything from not leaving, like a hail storm of bullets. "Let Her Go!!!"

Crossfire's interruption attack, between John's shots
Automatics: 4 + Adept Automatics: 3 + agility 5 + adept agility 4 = 16/2= 8 dice per gun, firing them in a narrow burst. (all recoil compensated)
4 hits
4 hits

John's defensive roll
Reaction 6 + Dodge (Ranged Combat) : 4 (6) - 1 damage = 11 = 3 hits

Damage
10p total + 2 hits total + narrow burst 4 total = 16p damage

damage resistance
armor 8B/8I + body 4 = 12 dice = 3 hits

damage totals can be summed up in 2 words, over kill.

John's eyes glassed over as he slumped to his knees, the life rapidly draining out of him. The last thing he did was open a door for Ria and Jessica to fight. It was fitting that the last thing he saw before his vision blurred and blanked was Jessica, the woman he never told that he loved.

Seeing her brother in arms drop to the ground brought tears to Jessica's eyes. She had fought with him for years, she couldn't help but to care for the man. The tears that rolled down her cheeks were soon evaporated with a clearly visible puff of smoke as sparks started to course over Jessica's body. "To the hells with this, it's time for you to die. Kill them all Mistress." Jessica spun swiftly on her heels, her back to Ria's. Although Jessica faced the Drones at the gateway.

Spellcasting
Levitate Force 10 (overcast)
magic 6 + spellcasting 5 + burning 1 point of edge = 11 = critical success on the APC at the door.

Drain resistance
(10/2; rounded down) + 1 = 6
Willpower 5 + intuition 5 = 10 = 1 hit


A small lightning storm rolled off of Jessica's body as she felt every ounce of energy drain from her soul. Her faith driving her spirit through the pain, she flung the APC out of the doorway, leaving it wide open for her mistress. For now it was no longer a threat. But she new this was near the end for her, the strain of the spell was too much as she collapsed to the floor, smoke wafting from her body, as she reached out with her hand to try to touch John's before unconciousness overcame her. Jessica's body would go limp on the stone floor.

Ria felt her friend's drop to the floor. These were her trusted leutenants that she had with her for years, and here they were. "You and my Aneue will pay deeply for this." She was about to attack when a black rock dropped down from the ceiling, a hole opened through the roof to the night sky as Ria's hand raised and took hold of the hook and rope that was lowered from an awaiting helicopter, lifting her up and out of the building. "So help me, i will kill you all." Ria's last view of the church that belonged to Matron Sarah would be the rubble that lay strewn along the floor, the piece of the roof, and the 5 people that had annhilated her friends. The last traces of Ria that any of you would see was a sheet of paper that came fluttering to the ground.

All at once the battle ended, the explosions, gunfire, and screaming outside died to nothing, and all that was left in the chapel was the 5 of you and a singluar thought. What to do now?

((alright folks for deciding to come and try to save Matron, trying to beat a no-win situation, and taking out 2 of Ria's soldiers, you get 20 karma, and the money and the gifts that matron promised you. post into the ooc what your going to do with the money, gear, and Karma. Than continue posting here, for now since 3 of you have disappeared on me, i will just have the next post be the roll call, those who post remain in the story.))

Skuld curses as the mage manages to send Sleipnir flying across the street, eventually bouncing on its tires and slamming against another car parked on the opposite side of the street.

"Faen!How did that slitch manage that!? Skraeling witch!"

She growls low in her throat as she sees Ria make her escape.

"Helvete! Oh no, slitch, it's not going to be that easy!"

Skuld looks desperately for some way to access the wider matrix, needing to get out of this odd tunnel node she'd found herself trapped in.

Matrix Perception Test:

Analyze 3 = 0 hits *glitch*

In VR her avatar says, "If you're listening, let me out! She's getting away!"

When everyone is gathered and recovered from the recent fight Crossfire will speak:

"Ladies and gentleman; Like it or not our adversary has escaped. And she will continue to be our adversary because she has threatened us harm and has seen our faces. Now we can do one of two things. Option one: we can hide in the shadows, continue small runs and hope we fade from her sites. Yet we will always be watching our backs. Or two we can take the fight to her and her army. We would find the stronghold of our adversary and attack with everything we have. And with our recent gifts and pay we can achieve this. I am voting for option two because I don't like the idea of having to watch my back for the rest of my life. Matron If we are to continue in your employment, I believe we must remove this outside threat. If there is an option three I would like to hear it. Who is with me?"

He waits for the others with the utmost serious look he can muster on his face.

Skuld's eyes twitch for a moment, and then open. She sighs a little as she gets up from the floor where Mr. Grey had set her. As she stands she takes a few moments to dust herself off, tsk-ing at the dirt on her clothes. She reaches a hand up behind her head, running her fingers through her long hair. As her hand comes back, a tiny robotic spider is perched in her palm. She brings the spider close to her face and smiles slightly, running one black-lacquered finger over its metal carapace.
"You guarded me well, didn't you, little edder?"
Looking back towards the group she adds, "As did all of you. You have my thanks for that." She looks over the group, listening to them speak, and says,"I'm in this for the duration. That... woman, she will not be allowed to draw breath for much longer. So swear I, Skuld, daughter of the Norns." Her eyes grow dark as she speaks, and her body seems to coil, the very image of a snake about to strike.
She listens to the group as they hash out their next actions, individually and as a group.

Finished above, she would go below, to the room the Matron had shown them, and seek out Alexander Korben. Upon finding him she would ask, "I have need of some services and items, in order to be prepared for what is to come. Can you help me to find a few items, and effect mods on them and my familiars? I will also need a programmer of some talent, with enough juice to write hot code. And mayhap someone who can show a girl how to shoot, neh?" She grins lopsidedly as she says this, uncomfortable with how vulnerable she had been during the fight before. One way or another, she was determined that she would not have to rely on others to shield her again.

What? Take the fight to the crazy lady with all the guns? What in all the planes gave him the idea that this was a good plan?

Shaking her head, Hannah turned to her spirit, and nodded, "Thank you, Shendilavra. Ah release you, until Ah call again." And with a cackle, the spirit faded away in a whisp of smoke. Looking to the rest of the group, she shakes her head again. "If y'all want to go and track that woman down and kill her, that's your own affair. Ah'll have no part of it. Got some nice new toys and a load of cash from this thing, and An can't rightly see as how goin' and lookin' fer trouble will bring me any benefit. So no, you can count me out on any foolhardy plan on taking the fight to that crazy broad."

"While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.' 'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door." A small man climbed up the long stairs of the chapel, he wasn't dressed in the usual robes of the Cleric, but he did where a similar long coat, and blackened overalls, filled with all manner of tools. He steadily made his way upstairs, his body didn't quite have the speed of some of these kids, but he was fast enough for his needs. "Only this, and nothing... more? What the Hell Matron? Can i leave you alone for a few hours before you blow something up?!?"
Once he got to the top of the stairs and looked onto the damage that he had just recently only saw on trideo, he made personally sure the repair crew was busy cleaning and fixing everything, although it wasn't all bad, Matron always did want a sky light.

"Tempt not a desperate man." Alexander swore under his breath as he began to examine the three people nearest to the stage that stood around chatting with each other. He decided that since this gaggle of kids were handpicked by Matron Sarah in the first place that he better help them, first to get a word in edge wise, "When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. My name is Alexander Korben, most of you met me and my rather extensive library downstairs, but for now we have more pressing matters." The rather short and stocky dwarf caught everyone's attention, not neccesarily that he had interrupted all of you, but because he did it without thinking about the fact that the three of you have more fire power at your disposal than most of the National Armies combined. "My main function is the maintenance and the internal affairs of The Cleric and our facilities, at the moment that puts me in charge of us till we get Matron Sarah back. As Sarah undoubtedly would have thanked you for helping us, i must ask that we employ you for a mission that with our current status, is near impossible. And as it seams with 2 of your group dead, it might even be impossible for you."

While speaking with the remaining members of the team a painfully used car pulls up along the front of the church. Inside of this car is a man, he has blonde hair, blue eyes, and a bit of under chin scruff, proably just from the lack of a razor. Checking the card that was left on the passenger seat "Doc, you better be right this time. Seattle is getting really fragging cold at night." Getting out and closing the door to his car the disheveled man didn't bother locking the door, there was practically nothing in it worth stealing. He slowly walked into the church, looking about and scanning the debris that was being cleared out at the time, he noticed the meeting going on in the back, and he recognized the dwarf from a picture in the paper, something about clerical work being needed done, he didn't mind office work, he needed a job and badly. "Excuse me, I heard from a friend that this was the place to go if you needed a job and a place to stay?"

Alexander would look at the man in the doorway, although to those that would notice carefully enough he was looking at the right sleeve, Alex could spot his handy work anywhere in all the world. "She was bloody right. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. This might be possible after all." Yelling over to the man and beckoning to the rest of the group. "Let's go downstairs to the kitchen, i'm afraid with after what has happened tonight and what is still to come we probably have a long night ahead of us."

After everyone follows Alexander downstairs he decides to lay out the general plan for everyone. "What we can do for your mission is give you full access to our Market in an when it opens, it seams insane but we must push on for now. I will also offer you all an additional ¥25,000 each if you are willing to help us find Matron Sarah and bring her back." Alexander would remain silent until they got to the Cafeteria, which was surprisingly busy despite the near destruction of the city in the battle upstairs. On the menu was just about anything you could imagine, having a diverse menu was usually useful in a city that held several hundred families at a time, an army marched their stomachs after all.

After about a half hour of eating and introductions Alexander would finally speak again, although despite eating a healthy portion, his voice had a drained quality "So, will you help us find Matron?"

((alright folks, this is the beginning of episode 2 of our run, Marlexis and A.W.R. are out for now, they can chat with me later. As a favor to stubbs since he did tell us he would be away for awhile, i'm posting Mr. Grey as captured along with Matron Sarah Gaven. At the moment for this run i have T-hawk, Jimb011, Mirikon, and Wreck in this run with their characters. Otherwise if you have any questions just PM me or post it into the OCC area. Have fun, and post away.))

Sliver kept his face warm and friendly as he walked through what looked like a war zone. Walking up to the group a shiver runs down his spine as he notices the old dwarf’s eyes pause on his right sleeve.

Perceptive old codger…

Sliver’s unpleasant thoughts disappear as his stomach growls with approval of Alexander’s offer of food. It had been, what, three days since his last decent meal?

He listened carefully as they made their way to the cafeteria, only pausing once to pluck a shard of wood from the hair of one of one of the human girls. He leaned over and said with a soft East European accent,

To Hannah: “What have you been up to muss your hair so?”

Sliver waited to finish his third helping of the plain yet hardy fare before looking around at the rest of the group, and then speaking to Alexander.

“I know I’m knew here, and that you have already been more than generous, but… it looks like WWIV broke out in your Vestibule, Alexander. Now you are asking us to track down the people that kidnapped your leader. If it took that kind of firepower to fail at stopping those people, we are going to need more than double that, and a lot of planning to boot! They underestimated, or weren’t prepared for the group they ran into up there.”

Sliver pauses to acknowledge the team seated around him at the table.

“Planning is going to cost, and it won’t be cheap. To find these people without letting them know we are looking for them, and trust me, they already know we are looking for them won’t be easy. I thank you, as I’m sure the rest of the team does, for access to you wares-network, but some things even you can’t provide.”

Trying to gauge how much support he has from the rest of the team, Sliver continues.

“Our compensation for this job needs to be great enough that we can lay low. If even one of those people survives our assault, we will all find bounties on our heads and be hunted down like dirty ghouls. I’m just not sure that N¥25,000 is going to cover that. I think that N¥50,000 each is more appropriate.”

Not to mention that I could clear my debt with those Boys in Black and still have enough to buy me some food!

Negotiation 3 + Charisma 4 = 7; 2 hits

Crossfire.
As the newcomer approaches: Crossfire says "We could of used you a little earlier. But yea, welcome aboard. The Name's Crossfire"

In the cafeteria crossfire sits down and grabs a soy cafe, his hand shaking slightly from all the excitement.

Now we are getting somewhere...

He says:
"If we are going to do this we are also going to need to know some things: For one what does this rivalry between Matron Gavin and her sister stem from? There has to be something in this church that can tell us that? Or at least what Ria is capable of?"

Crossfire scratches his chin and then continues.

"The newcomer is right. (I'm sorry I didn't catch your name.) This is going to take some planning. I mean we are going to be taking on an army... right? I'd like to know who's army are we fighting here. What is the organization that hit this church? They may have caused WWIV in this vestibule but we may have to start WWV in theirs."

"Oh! How forgetful of me! Call me Sliver."

Sliver extends his hand around the table for greetings.

"I agree with Crossfire. Any information that you, Alexander, can give us on these abductors will help us track them down faster."

Walking along with the others, Hannah just shook her head. "Name's Hannah Dubois. And there was a bit of fighting going on, in case you missed it, Sliver. Though why some of these people are so eager to going and taking them on again is beyond me."

"Anyways, Ah'm not much for combat. Mostly deal with spirits, and sweet-talking things through. Not sure as Ah'm the right one to be dealing with if y'er lookin to take the fight to a whole army."

"Hannah, I've been in situations like this before. You stepped into a family fight here, that means that it's personal. And trust me, people don't shrug off personal vendettas. She'll be out for blood. It's just a matter of time. You can fight on your terms or theirs. If you wait for them to come, you will likely find yourself alone. Even your spirits may be stripped from you. If you join us, you have a chance to take them down, once and for all... and get paid to do it. If you see any other alternatives, please shed light on them for us so that we can take them into account. But, from what I've heard from these people, you signed on to do a job, and you accepted payment. That job isn't done yet, and to get that job done, you might need to do this one. If you start leaving the parties early, people will stop inviting you to dance. Capeesh?"

"You must have selective hearing, Hannah. Did the part where I told you that you are already involved not sink in? If you walk away now, you spend the rest of your life wondering if that lady is waiting around the next corner. And, you do it alone. Right here, right now, you have a team of people to watch your back. Out there... there is no one.

You may have scared the wolves away with fire this time, but trust me, you don't want to be alone when the wolves come back howling. And they WILL come back, and this time the wolves will have fire too.

My last point. How can you complete a job if you can't deliver to your employer? She hired you, yes? Then she's the one you have to deliver the object to. So, we can either go get her, then go get the object; or we can go get the object and bring it to her. Either way, you still have to walk through that army. "

Sliver looks her straight in the eyes trying to impress upon her the weight of his words.

"Or we go get the object, bring it back to the poor schmuck who's next in line when crazy dandilion eater caps the Matron, and use the money to buy a lovely new identity, maybe change our look some, keep doing jobs to keep the rent paid, and enjoy a lovely life of sin and vice, until it ends. Ah like my plan better, don't you? If she comes callin', Ah'll do what Ah do best. Skeedadle, or charm my way out of things."

Hannah shakes her head, and says, "But this war? This ain't mah fight, and ah don't see any reason for me to be gettin' involved. Only reason Ah got involved as much as ah did is because the crazies where between me and the door."