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06:42, 19th March 2024 (GMT+0)

[December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe (Crew: Oakland)

Posted by Mr. JohnsonFor group 0
Kord
player, 90 posts
Sun 23 Jan 2022
at 23:38
  • msg #115

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Sitting in the back of Hellfire’s armored ride, Kord tapped out a message on his phone before saving it to his drafts folder. It was a quick and dirty call for the cavalry, telling GEI where they were with links to their mission dossier and the right code words to ensure the message was taken seriously. A safety net just in case the drek did hit the fan and they needed backup. He wasn’t sure they would come to bail them out of an unauthorized outing that deviated from mission spec, but it couldn’t hurt to ask.

Needless to say, he was unimpressed as they arrived outside the Ork Pit. He had been expecting to not like what he saw, and it was exactly as he had expected. No real security, any fraggin’ looney could waltz right in.  No cops would come out here on a call without an army backing them up, and it seemed unlikely that Damien Knight was being paid to provide that level of service to the Orkland dregs. Maybe Kord would hit a place like this in a night off to grab a cold one, but bringing the package here was a bad tactical move. Hopefully though, it would prove to be a good financial one.

“‘kay squad, listen up.” Kord said to the two young runners, hoping that they wouldn’t chafe under his presumption that he was in command. It came to him naturally, he had led teams younger than this through that hellhole in Chicago and that bloodbath in Yucatan, so it only seemed right to take charge now. “Grendel, you stay in close to Freya. Just like the limo ride earlier today, we get paid to take bullets for her, and you look like you could soak up more than a couple big fella. Hellfire, you’re on over watch. Keep an eye on the room and watch for trouble. I’m watching the door and will walk the bar to get a good lay of the land so we know where to go if we need to leave quick, fast and in a hurry.”

As the team piles out of the van he adds: “It’s a work night boys, have a little fun, but don’t forget why we’re here. Protect the girl, pocket the cred.”
Mr. Johnson
GM, 455 posts
Tue 25 Jan 2022
at 02:45
  • msg #116

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Tiny says:

Hellfire:
"Want an introduction?"


@Hellfire "Haha, nah, I'm good. Just that we don't get many celebrities here and tonight we get two. Tuzk and his crew got here 'bout half hour ago.

Grendel:
"How's it goin" he nodded respectfully to the other Troll as they filed in. One working Troll to another.


@Grendel "Goin'" he replies with that knowing nod; not unfriendly, but not cordial either.  Professional you could call it.  Maybe you're being too hard on yourself. Maybe your vibe might not be too far off after all.
Mr. Johnson
GM, 456 posts
Tue 25 Jan 2022
at 03:06
  • msg #117

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

As your entourage finds seats around the booth, Kord walks the bar, Grendel stays close to e Freya and Hellfire posts up in the booth.  All the while, the trid crew discreetly shooting some b-reel while Freya and her friends settle in and get a few drinks.

Spriggan is wildly impressed with Freya's arrival. Without fawning, it's clear that she is a genuine fan. Careful not to be overbearing she is asking rapid fire questions about the mix on Alive One and the emotional undertones on In Uniform. The pixie rocker and elf bartender are fast friends, chatting excitedly about music and the Orkland club scene.

As you might expect, the clientele is mostly orcs in scattered ones and twos, ranging from working class Joes getting a drink at their local watering hole to sketchy locals who don't look like they would be shy about rolling the pixie rocker if she were here without your crew scowling at them in unspoken warning.

Clustered in a group of half a dozen over by the pool table, there are some orcs and a troll keeping to themselves. Neon light reflects softly from black leather biker cuts adorned with the barbed wire and skull of the Razor Wires go-gang. That explains the shining chrome line of bikes parked outside that no one dares mess with.

Boisterous and clearly out for some fun, another group of orcs and trolls has gathered under the neon. Airo catches the eye of one and lets loose a squeal of teenage delight drawing the attention of every trog in the grungy punk-dive bar.  "That's Tuzk and his road crew, let's go say hi!"
Grendel
player, 104 posts
Tue 25 Jan 2022
at 06:54
  • msg #118

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Grendel was absolutely torn.

Not one to normally give two yen about celebrity, Tuzk was a rare exception in the fact that Grendel earnestly liked their stuff, and his closest friends back in the Black Rock were in the same category. Meeting them, maybe even getting an autograph would be huge, a story he could tell for the rest of his life.

But he was working...

Trying to build a good rep was difficult, even Grendel knew that much. It didn't happen by accident and it was very, very easy to frag up. It took a lot of willpower and self control, but Grendel resigned himself to staying close to Freya, staying alert, and staying sober. He force himself to look, really look, for anything that might ruin the fun and put their client and risk, even if he had not seen a single notable thing so far, and even if Tuzk was right. there.

Then again, if something was going to go sideways, those Razor Wires might be the ones to tip the balance. He tried to keep a casual eyes on them, not wanting to provoke a response, but not ignoring them either.
Acme
player, 66 posts
Coyote Shaman
Avowed Pain In The Ass
Wed 26 Jan 2022
at 06:05
  • msg #119

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

There was a small commotion brewing in front of the restroom. From behind the crowd of raucous orks at the pool tables a shout could be heard over the music. It was only for an instant but the distinctive voice was unmistakable. "HAHAHAHA! You are so right chummer. the ambience of Kadie's re-exerted itself and the rest was lost to the crowd.

A moment later a lanky figure pushed through crowd moving towards Hellfire's booth. Acme scanned the crew and nodded. Somehow he had found the time change. He was no longer dressed in the stuffy suites but back in his usual attire. He walked over to the booth carrying two glasses of house "ale". He popped one in front of the pixie and spoke as if he had never been gone. "Hoi, so far so good?. I been babysitting Tuzk for the last half hour." he said as he pushed himself onto the bench making a show of squeezing even though it wasn't required.
Kord
player, 93 posts
Thu 27 Jan 2022
at 03:10
  • msg #120

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

The orc merc slides up to the bar alongside Grendel and Acme. "Good of you to join us spellslinger." he says, gruff but friendly in his own way. "Either of you spot anything we need to worry about?"
Hellfire
player, 84 posts
Fri 28 Jan 2022
at 01:09
  • msg #121

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Hellfire gave a grin at Spriggan's enthusiasm at meeting Freya and as the bartender settled in chatting with the diminutive starlet she sat a whiskey in front of him with a wink. Raising the drink to his lips Hellfire lounged back in the booth as the rest of the crew moved in around him. It would have been easy to settle in and pretend this was just another night at the bar were it not for Kord's earlier words. Hellfire, you’re on over watch. He understood, he was familiar with the place and he would much rather keeping eyes on the place than taking a bullet for anyone. Not that he hadn't made such heroic attempts in the past.

Acme's return was less of a surprise than it perhaps should have been. "'ey omae. Guess things've been chill around here?" He asked the shaman and drank again from his glass, "The pix ain't givin' no static but couple days yet to earn our cred."

As Kord asked about the state of the place he cast his eyes around the bar, "Wouldn't worry much Kord. Been at least a couple months since the place was shot up." It was difficult to tell if he was joking.

He looked over any unfamiliar patrons, keeping in mind those around Tuzk. It was good Acme was with Tuzk's crew, not likely trouble would be coming from that camp but always possible they might be bringing trouble with them. He'd much prefer to appreciate from a distance but with Airo bouncing up and down that wasn't likely to last.
Grendel
player, 126 posts
Fri 28 Jan 2022
at 04:42
  • msg #122

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

I have no idea what normal even looks like here... Grendel found himself thinking as he tried to act competent.

Everyone looked different to his eyes, everyone looked vaguely dangerous, the posturing, the stares, the swagger. Was that laughter tinged with a cruel ring to it? Or was it a actually jovial? The Troll felt like a fish out of water.

But, like Kord had said, he just needed to stick close to Freya and be ready. That was his job, even if he really did want to ask Acme about Tuzk...

"Nothin' yet." He replied with a slight shake of his shaggy bearded head. He wasn't even trying to drink, the others were patronizing the place plenty, although he was getting hungry.

This was right before Airo started squealing and bouncing, which made the Troll home how feel even more conspicuous with all the stares suddenly directed their way.
Mr. Johnson
GM, 513 posts
Fri 28 Jan 2022
at 05:32
  • msg #123

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Airo hops up and weaves her way through the small islands of mismatched tables and damaged chairs that are haphazardly strewn across the bar between your booth and Tuzk’s crew. As she slides up beside one of the roadies, she gracefully plucks a shotglass from his massive mitt, sloshes some bad tequila on the floor and downs the rest. Her brother one step behind claps the tusker on the shoulder as a boisterous roar rises above the din catching everyone’s attention.

Freya flits across the bar joining her friends. Snatches of conversation catch the ear: “that time in Boston” ... “the look in the hotel manager’s face” ... “Nah, nah you’re getting Buffalo and Toronto mixed up choom” - sounds like the groups have a bit of shared history on the road.

Which explains the swelling noise and calls for ”Another round of them toxic looking green ones!” As the two groups of musicians and their respective entourages merge, the growing party atmosphere gains momentum, spilling out of their corner and bringing the Wires into the mix too.

Trog rappers, viking rockstars, orc bikers and a dive bar party. For good or for ill, this could be one helluva night.
Grendel
player, 128 posts
Sat 29 Jan 2022
at 16:56
  • msg #124

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Chaos. Absolute chaos.

Grendel wasn't even drinking and he felt swept up in the flow of it all. The NuYen flowed, the glasses kept coming, more of them, larger ones and more colorful concoctions.

The conversation had been a roar, then someone had shouted for the music to be turned up, and then it seemed to Grendel that everyone had to shout in a full throated bark just to be heard.

Everywhere he looked something was happening. Some skinny Ork scream vomiting his guts out in the parking lot. Something was on fire in the corner, just a little one that cast a flickering glow, a drink? A trashcan?

One of Tuzk's guys was stripped to the waist now and stumbling badly, with with a gigantic toothy grin on his face.

And through it all Grendel tried to stick close to Freya, his little needle in the haystack, who paid little thought to how hard it was for someone many times her size to follow her through a packed crowd.

He was trying his best, although he was starving now, and the cacophony of bass, cloning glasses and roaring laughter was making him a little irritable.
Kord
player, 94 posts
Sun 30 Jan 2022
at 05:06
  • msg #125

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

For the third time in a quarter hour, Kord glanced at the time display on the back of his goggles.  The party was starting to hit its stride and, while not overtly dangerous, it kept the merc on edge.  Both the rapper’s crew and the small squad of big bikers only seemed to be out for a good time but that was small comfort. There were at least half a dozen guns openly displayed by patrons of the bar, Hellfire even said the place had been recently shot up. Not a big surprise and not somewhere he wanted to be dodging bullets while trying to extract the girl and her friends.

Despite the static and the stress, he wasn’t second guessing his choice to give the shadows a try. Worrying about a couple of pistols in a relatively comfortable bar beats a running gun battle in a southeast Asian jungle everyday of the week.

Finding a spot back in the booth, Kord joins Hellfire and Acme while Grendel stays within arms length of Freya. “This place always like this?” he asks looking at both locals. “May need a new hometown bar. If I do stay out here in the coast, this one is the front runner.”
Acme
player, 70 posts
Coyote Shaman
Avowed Pain In The Ass
Mon 31 Jan 2022
at 10:28
  • msg #126

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Acme nodded cordially to Hellfire. "Yeah, as chill as it always is." He drank some of his beer and scanned the room. He looked relaxed and comfortable in his surroundings. Nothing about him showed that he was even working at the moment. "I ain't worried about her. It's everybody else that makes me nervous." his words were at odds with his demeanor.

He glanced at the other runners who were on the job and said "Going to float astral, Cover me while I am down. Back in a sec." and with that he laid his head down on the table and appeared to fall asleep.

Once elevated to the world beyond Acme again scanned the bar looking for anything lurking unseen.
Mr. Johnson
GM, 542 posts
Tue 1 Feb 2022
at 02:27
  • msg #127

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Over the past few minutes, a small group has quietly gathered across the bar. Most of them don't stick out, but two of them have the look of corps about them...

Looks like a meet is going down...

Check the Situation
19:21, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Acme, rolled 9 using 2d6+1 ((5,3)).
19:22, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Grendel, rolled 8 using 2d6+1 ((3,4)).
19:23, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Hellfire, rolled 7 using 2d6+1 ((2,4)).
Weak Success
@Acme, @Grendel, @Hellfire - tell me something you notice about the meet.


19:22, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Kord, rolled 6 using 2d6+1 ((1,4)).
Fail
@Kord Take 1XP PocSec Updated

Grendel
player, 132 posts
Thu 3 Feb 2022
at 17:56
  • msg #128

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Grendel noted the gathering off hand amid the chaos of the celebration. One of them stood out immediately to him due to the odd coloration, and the mouth full of shark like teeth.

Orcs we're a dime a dozen, Hobgoblins were so rare in his experience that Grendel had only seen them in pictures. This one was also very hairy, with a full beard and a well coifed haircut loaded with some kind of hair product.

He was wearing a stylish suit in gray and red, open towards the top, that was cut in a way that showed him to be fairly tall and lean for his kind. A huge ring rested on one finger that looked out of place on his slender hand.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:10, Sat 05 Feb 2022.
Mr. Johnson
GM, 579 posts
Sat 5 Feb 2022
at 19:25
  • msg #129

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

@Acme, @Hellfire - looking for your observations on 'the meet' happening at Kadie's.  Would like to push this thread by Sunday night if we can.
Acme
player, 73 posts
Coyote Shaman
Avowed Pain In The Ass
Sun 6 Feb 2022
at 04:09
  • msg #130

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

The Astral version of Kadie's was just as loud as the meat space version. Instead of raucous noise of partying sentients, the area was filled with the sense of emotion in various color. The drab dead things of wooden tables and glass bottles muted the area in shades of grey making a chaotic mess of confusion. Here Acme was home.

Acme's attention was drawn to a small group at the bar. Their collective Auras burned in the abstract shades of excitement and concentration. Threads of nervous intent sprinkled through each of them. White reading auras wasn't Acme's specialty there was one thing he was sure of, they weren't here to party.

Immediately his eyes were drawn to the finger of the obvious Hobgoblin. Threads of mama crackled across the little ring bringing a twinge of uncertainty to the shaman
This message was last edited by the player at 04:10, Sun 06 Feb 2022.
Mr. Johnson
GM, 588 posts
Mon 7 Feb 2022
at 02:35
  • msg #131

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

A hobgoblin shaman walks into a bar… there’s a tawdry joke going around that starts like that, but this is no joke. The Arabian isn’t here holding court and slams his hand down hard on the bar. A rapid fire string of expletives in Magrebhi Arabic accompanies his growing frustration.

Across from the hot headed hobgoblin, an ornery orc on the receiving end of the tirade, slowly pushes his hand into his jacket. He gives a tusky snarl in reply but whatever he says is lost in the din of revelling rockstars and buzzed bikers, oblivious to the growing tension at the end of the bar.

@Acme, @Grendel - you are tuned into this, looks like a deal going south and quick.

@Hellfire - still with us chummer? Feel free to jump in.

@Kord - still played by me, an unworthy substitute… he’s keeping a close eye on Freya, must have missed the argument at the bar.

Acme
player, 76 posts
Coyote Shaman
Avowed Pain In The Ass
Tue 15 Feb 2022
at 03:42
  • msg #132

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Acme lets his soul slip back into his body, but keeps his vision astral.  Keeping his hand flat on the table so his pointing isn't obvious, he points at a table, looking in a different direction, and says, "Someone's about to start throwing mana around over there.  Not at us, but... still dangerous."

He watches the other table out of the corner of his eye, ready to counterspell anything that looks sloppily targeted.
Kord
player, 95 posts
Tue 15 Feb 2022
at 17:46
  • msg #133

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

”Huh?” Kord grunts as Acme keys him into how things are heating up over by the bar. Giving the hobgoblin and orc a quick once over, the merc shook his head ruefully. He knew coming out here into a D-zone dive bar was a bad idea. Extra cred be damned, he hated being right. ”Ok team, listen up.” he says over the mic of your comms gear. ”This thing at the bar could boil over any second.  Bullets start flying, Gren gets the rocker chick out the door, Acme does his mojo, Hellfire and I put down enough covering fire to get us to the van with our skins intact.”

He grudgingly adds, ”Help the twins get out too if you can guys. Bad karma to leave ‘em behind.”
Mr. Johnson
GM, 702 posts
Wed 23 Feb 2022
at 14:40
  • msg #134

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

It’s inevitable… the shooting is about to start… where are you and what are you doing when it does?
Acme
player, 83 posts
Coyote Shaman
Avowed Pain In The Ass
Thu 24 Feb 2022
at 06:10
  • msg #135

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

Acme just stays ready, he will be covering the retreat so he's still sitting at the bar when things kick off - apparently relaxed, but actually watching the impending fight intently.
Mr. Johnson
GM, 762 posts
Sun 6 Mar 2022
at 17:46
  • msg #136

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

When the orc pulls out his heavy pistol, the hobgoblin takes a half step back raising his arms defensively. Over the music, the laughter and loud conversation, the report of the Predator is still sharp and deafening.

Inexplicably, the crowd at Kadie's does nothing for a long moment.  Holding still waiting to see if this is a bit of isolated gunplay that will just blow over, or if the drek is really gonna hit the fan.  Over by the bar, the bullet hovers in the air between the shaman's hands then falls to the ground harmlessly.  Unsatisfied, the orc begins firing rapidly...

...the crowd begins to seek cover or stampede toward the doors.

...maybe the bullets are coming too fast for the shaman's magic, or maybe that little trick was a one shot deal; either way, the hobgoblin is grazed and moving for cover.

...as the 'gently used' Pioneer Cybernetics Smartlink that the orc got from some street level chopper struggles to track the hobgoblin, a couple of bullets go wild.

...there is a scream from the crowd, it's Aaro, he's hit.

Freya and her small entourage are mixed in with Tuzk's crew and the Razor Wires. Several guns are out in that crowd, but so far it seems to move as one toward the door.
Mr. Johnson
GM, 919 posts
Mon 9 Jan 2023
at 04:04
  • msg #137

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

The runners, rockers and rappers are caught in the tide of metahumanity that is sweeping toward the exit. Bullets fly while the orc with the hand cannon continues to try and get a bead on the hobgoblin. For his part, the hobgoblin's ring begins to glow. From the ring a blue light crackles with mana creating a barrier that keeps the orc's bullets at bay. As luck would have it, this stops many of the stray bullets from hitting any more innocent bystanders.

Grendel sweeps Freya up into his massive arms, keeping his body between her and the shooter. The troll is big enough to shield the twins as they follow in his wake thorough the pressing mass of the crowd.

Hellfire already has the bus rolling as the rockstar and bodyguards pile in and you are on the way the fray in the rear view.

Coyote has led Acme on a path to safety with Tuzk and his crew.  The last you saw him, he was piling into a limo with them.
Kord
player, 97 posts
Mon 9 Jan 2023
at 04:12
  • msg #138

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

As the team pulls away, the orc merc puts in a call to GEI HQ. ”Yeah, yeah, I don’t wanna hear it… well dock my pay then… listen the kid Airo got hit, as these things go, it doesn't look too bad, but I need a line on a street doc nearby. One who don’t ask a lot of questions.”
Mr. Johnson
GM, 920 posts
Mon 9 Jan 2023
at 04:13
  • msg #139

Re: [December 2059] Mayhem and Mistletoe

>> FF

Twenty minutes later and Hellfire has proven the Prarie Cat can pull about as many gees as a transcontinental suborb. Kord’s connections have turned you on to a street doc in the Orkland barrens. Hellfire backs the tour bus into a loading dock at a crumbling commercial building. Despite appearances, it’s the only building on the street that seems to have power. The rest of the block seems to be empty shells occupied by tusker squatters.

It doesn’t look like much, but D-zone street docs don’t ask a lot of questions about bullet wounds.

@Smiley, @Grendel - you are here.
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