The Found Arcana - Chapter 7 [IC] Options

[Jack_Spade]

'I've just been discovered from two spirits. Expect the kidnappers to make an apearance within the next minute.'

Bobby managed to think at Trouble, before he had to drop the spell and focus completely on suriviving. Being a rat wasn't the best form in these circumstances. All he could do was react as lightning fast as he could.
Static electricity made his fur stand up as he charged at the plant spirit. With some luck the spirit though he was an awakened critter. In any case he prefered the spirit that wasn't likely to engulf and drown him like a rat out of hand.

[Gilga]

Trouble makes a funny face at the spirit, waves it a bit but does not verbally respond. Detected or not he needs to help Bobby. However, when Bobby says that he was detected, Trouble dematerializes to prepare for combat.

AM notifies Mato that it is all clear, and before he leaves she casts the silence spell at Mato just to be sure, it would prevent Mato from directly making a sound if he needs to break a window, or a lock, or inflate a raft. If she has to choose between invisibility and silence in a night with no suitable cameras she'll go for silence considering how stealthy Mato can be.

[ Spoiler ]

She'll cast F4, drain3.
silence: 2#10d6t5 5 4
4 hits retained, no drain. She'll stop sustaining the improved intuition spell to sustain the silence spell.

[Tecumseh]

The footprints don't surprise Mato; he fully expected that the kidnappers would have also stolen a boat. What's a bit more surprising is that the lock is intact. Did they pick the lock, steal a boat, then reattach the lock to cover their tracks? He can't imagine that the ranch employees would be checking on the shed during the offseason. Or are the kidnappers staying at the ranch? That would keep them nearby without having to shiver on the Island with Brent. An interesting thought, but Mato isn't in a position to investigate at the moment.

Mato looks at the lock, maybe giving a wistful sigh for the lockpicking implements he left behind. This would be easy enough, but he didn't want to bring restricted items to Bellevue. Why would he need them for a meet at an ice cream parlor? No way they'd go straight to the job...

Making a mental note to keep them in his smuggling compartment in the future, he checks the lock, sees how it's attached to the door. Maybe a real badass would just be able to squeeze it, to crush it like a walnut, but he's doesn't want to spend unnecessary time just flexing in the forest while the others were (maybe) waiting. He can squeeze locks on his own time.

Removing his glove - so as to not damage the glove - Mato swings his fist straight down at the lock. It's a small target and an awkward angle, but in the end carbon-fiber-and-titanium win out over whatever the lock was made out of. It shatters and drops into the snow.

There's a trace of... guilt (?) over the lock. He wishes he didn't have to destroy it. But, on the other hand, he's about to steal a boat, so the lock itself is hardly of consequence.

Just an ork in a suit in the snow stealing a boat in the mountains at night, he reminds himself as he puts his glove back on and pulls open the door to the storage shed to see what's inside.

[Beta]

Mato finds that the storage shed is well organized, with the rafts deflated but spread out on shelves, easy to pull up to either of the two air compressors. PFDs ('life jackets') are arrayed on the wall by size, and paddles standing up in bins by length. A quick look shows that the air compressors run on small fossil fuel engines, and have very clear AR instructions for starting and using it

==============================

The plant spirit sends a wave of wild energy towards Bobby, attempting to remove the spell that he is under. Meanwhile the water spirit canters around the building, moving casually but covering twice its length in each stride, reaching Bobby in only seconds. As it approaches it dives through the air in a manner that horses absolutely do not, apparently. trying to slide right into Bobby.

==============================

The Aztechnology spirit is, of course, not bothered by Trouble throwing off its physical form. It keeps talking "They sent a few spirits for me to play with, they understand how bored I get. But it has been HOURS since the last one. You could come play, I promise I'd let you return to your home plane once I captured you -- it is just for fun after all." Fortunately it does not put any magical persuasion behind its words and Trouble is not compelled to either answer or to go play -- but it does get the sense that were it to enter into the Aztech spirit's demesne, the powerful spirit would be on it in a moment.

[Tecumseh]

Mato pulls out the deflated raft and carries it to the shore with an air compressor. He retrieves a couple personal flotation devices along with a couple paddles. Then he goes through the AR instructions to initiate using the air compressors to inflate the rafts.

He doesn't have a good sense of what AM's magic can accomplish but he stays close to the compressor just in case the bubble of her spell can mute the engine. His preference would be to wait elsewhere, to use the compressor as a distraction so that he could flank anyone who comes to investigate. He wishes his earbuds had a select sound filter in order to help ignore the noise, but they don't so he'll have to depend on his other senses to keep him aware. The burning fossil fuels overwhelm his olfactory sensors so he triggers their override to ignore them. Then looks around, keeping watch for anyone or anything that responds to the sound.

[Gilga]

AM remains parked at the side of the road and uses her time to retain the car out of sight. She keeps Tatanka as an early warning in case someone comes after Mato. In the meanwhile, Trouble is mildly curious but a bit worried by the big spirit - and the nature of its games. He has no time to think about it because Bobby is at its highest priority. "got to help a friend. You can help too if you want" he says and dematerializes. He does not look back but is instead moving as fast as he can toward Bobby and would fearlessly jump any spirit that attacks him.

[Jack_Spade]

The sudden reformation back into his natural shape nearly was Bobby's undoing. But thanks to Trouble's movement power, he had cleared the room under the hut before he could become helplessly trapped there.
He saw the watery tentacle reach for him, trying to engulf his arm - but that was something Bobby had trained against. The movement was miniscule but crucial. Just a circular motion of his arm that allowed him to bring it down on top of the tentacle. The result was spectacular, as the stored elemental energy inside his now much larger body was released in a single, violent discharge.
The watery shape boiled instantly into vapor and Bobby could see the form vanish in a flash.
That left the tree form spirit. Without hesitation, Bobby flicked his naked leg forward in a stomp kick - aided by his still impressive momentum, ready to unleash another lightning kick into the essence of his assailant.

[Beta]

Bobby shreds the plant spirit just as easily as the water spirit. Given that one or both of them were probably bound, Bobby just cost someone a lot of nuyen! However if he has angered anyone it is not readily apparent, all he can hear is the sound of the rain and the river and his own breath. On the astral, Trouble finds it less peaceful, with the dissolution of the two spirits leaving the astral disturbed. However Trouble does not see any other astral beings around for the moment, other than the Aztechnology spirit which is looming over the cliff, apparently at the very edge of its territory, peering down to see what is happening.

======================================

AM is surprised by Peshtigo suddenly showing up in her AR again. <<The path opened up again! Brent didn't eat or drink and he stayed awake and he thought it might be a little more than three hours and it was so here I am! Also he says some matrix items just went live near him, drones and guns and cameras. He wants to know if those are yours? He might be able to mess with them but he doesn't want to let the kidnappers know he can do that until you are there to rescue him! >>

======================================

Mato gets the air compressor running, in eerie silence thanks to AM's spell. Looking around he sees bits of ice frozen to the bank of the river in places, but the water appears to be moving quickly enough not to have frozen over all the way. Still, it has to be cold enough that spending any time in the water would be a danger even if you didn't drown. He certainly hopes that nobody sabotaged the other rafts or played other tricks to make sure they would not be pursued down the river.

[Tecumseh]

Once the raft is full, Mato pushes it into the water. He looks to see if bubbles or gives any other indication of losing air. If it seems like it will support his weight, he'll jump in with a couple oars and a couple PFDs.

He's not really worried about drowning; he has an internal air tank for that. Hypothermia is a potentially larger concern, but only if he falls in the water. If that happens then he'd need to watch his head so as to not knock his brains out against some rock in the middle of the river.

Would his skimmers work on the surface of the water? Perhaps, but he wouldn't be able to extract Brent that way. Still, it was interesting to think about.

If the raft seems buoyant then he pushes off and begins paddling downstream.

[Gilga]

AM asks Peshtigo to wait ">>Not yet, but hang in with me for a bit"

Through Trouble AM passes a message to Bobby, the Cat hovers next to Bobby too slow to interfere with what was going on. "AM says that some technological security measures, are online near Bernt. Can you confirm his position?"

In the meanwhile, AM takes a matrix look for herself at the surrounding of the ranch and the complex to see if there is any security response to the boat stealing, or to Bobby's rescue attempt.

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby let the power fade away, feeling the burn even this brief moment of power had caused.
Trouble's voice on the astral stopped him wondering about who the conjurer was and focused him at the task at hand.

'No, but I intend to find out. Subtle is over, I'm going for speed now.'

Bobby concentrated again, strengthening his body and turned himself into a 600 kg Kodiak to batter down the physical defenses, followed by the magical ones.

Rearing up on his hindlegs, Bobby brought down the full weight and power of his claws against the sidewall where he suspected Brent's prison would be located - and where it was less likely that someone had rigged a trap for some unwary one entering through the door.

[Gilga]

AM's heart is racing, Bobby is there alone and there is a fight, and possibly a mage. >> Mato, Bobby was discovered either he gets Bernt or we'll have to extract him as well. I am working on the matrix, what is your status?

[Tecumseh]

Mato is not terribly surprised to hear that Bobby is going it alone. He's a bull in a china shop. Usually it's a metaphor but in this case it's entirely possible that Bobby is currently a bull.

<<On the river>> Mato responds. <<I need to thread the needle between the Aztec research facility and the Salish military base.>>

[Beta]

Mato finds the start of his trip easy enough, with the river throwing nothing more complicated his way than an occasional eddy. However after a couple of minutes it threads itself through a series of protuding rocks and underwater ledges, with strong eddies in places. The danger here is not so much getting dumped as getting stuck on a rock or in an eddy

[ Spoiler ]

technically this is a pilot watercraft test, but I think there is also a lot of overlap with athletics, so for all of these tests I'm willing to let them be done with athletics with a 2 die penalty.
This one is agility plus pilot watercraft, each success less than three adds a point of damage to the raft and 30 seconds delay in the trip.

That obstacle is barely clearned long enough for Mato to catch his breath before he finds himself going over a meter high drop, rapidly followed by two more.

[ Spoiler ]

agility + pilot watercraft to handle this gracefully, with each success less than four resulting in one stun (aka pilot test is your soak roll vs 4 stun). Alternatively he holds on tight, stays low, and soaks 6 stun and does another point of damage to the raft

===============================================

Bobby turns into a massive bear -- which is actually a good fit for this area, most likely --and triggers his adept powers to become even faster and tougher. The building is solidly built, possibly in consideration of full-time bears or maybe simply of high flood waters, but it is not a bunker. One strike from Bobby's massive claws rips a substantial hole in the side of the building, exposing the ward.

Before Bobby strikes the ward however his adept senses warn him of danger in time to recognize a flying-eye drones zooming in on him, and he realizes that the one at eye level is about to unleash a strobing light. While he is reacting to that danger, he also hears the whine of an electric engine rapidly spinning up, in the direction of the fire pit.

==============================================

AM finds that all is calm at the Ranch, at least matrix-wise. After all, it wouldn't be easy to haul the rafts up to the highway without being spotted, and who in their right mind would launch themselves down river without a guide?

[Tecumseh]

It turns out that Mato sucks at river rafting. Maybe he's not the Wild Ork he imagined himself to be. He places more trust in his sense of balance than it deserves.

He hits some protruding rocks and winces. It's dark, he tries to console himself, moments before hitting an underwater ledge. D'oh! It's only by luck - or the blessing of the Great Spirit - that he doesn't pitch head-first into the cold, dark river.

There's no way he could have seen that in the dark, right? Nor the strong eddy that spins him around 180 degrees so that he's facing upriver moments before the raft goes over an unexpected drop, then another, then another.

OOF! he thinks as his titanium knees are knocked into his non-titanium chest. He flattens out and seizes the rope that goes around the perimeter of the raft. It keeps him onboard but doesn't stop the boat from hitting a few more rocks and taking some more damage.

Did anyone see that? Mato wonders. Did Trouble see that? Am I going to live this down?

Suitably chastened by the Great Mystery, he gets back up on his knees and starts the awkward process of spinning the raft around so that it's going downstream bow-first.

[Gilga]

Trouble is unaware of the additional danger, and of the drones that lurk because they are barely visible in the astral and he would not know to look for them. However, with the barrier gone the cat spirits give in to curiosity and looks inside the treehouse. If he finds Bernt inside then AM would approve Peshtigo to have Bernt help out on the matrix side.


AM kept her attention on the treehouse to see if she can see the matrix devices that Bernt wants to help with - and perhaps pull her own weight on matrix warfare.

[ Spoiler ]

My plan was to fly AM to the island using levitation and movement but she'll only call Trouble back after the combat is over, and they have a visual of Bernt.

[Beta]

Mato soon comes into a narrow chutewhere the water is fast and full of standing waves -- the white water at their crests lets him see those at least. For better or worse that long stretch of very high speed current will speed him toward the island, although he'd certainly enjoy it more if he can stay in the raft. Just as he's approaching the first wave his matrix devices start sending out alerts that they cannot find matrix signals.

[ Spoiler ]

reaction or agility plus piloting (or athletics -2) to keep the raft upright (agility is avoiding the worse of the waves, reaction is reacting in time to keep it from flipping as it flies off the waves). If he goes into the water reaction+strength (limb strength is fine in this case) to hold onto the raft and at least stay up at the surface. Otherwise it is strength (overall body)+swimming vs a threshold of 3 to stay near the surface).

================================

Trouble can vaguely see movement of at least one living aura on the other side of the barrier, possibly if it focuses it could garner a little more information.

================================

To AM's disapointment, although the vicinity of the ranch has a decent matrix mesh, she still doesn't have a direct link to the island, it seems to be in a dead zone.

[Jack_Spade]

The drone in Bobby's face was annoying enough for him to hessitate and swat it away with one of his claws.

Attack Drone: 18d6t5 3

The gas was a nasty surprise, but nothing he could do about. So he tried to hold his breath while he tore down the barrier.

[Gilga]

AM realizes that she is all alone in the woods, and cannot help via matrix connectivity. She breaths heavily, and keeps alert for any danger coming her way. She instructs Trouble to verify that Bernt is there as quickly as possible - and she wants to be able to call Trouble to her so he can accelerate here into following Mato minus the extreme water park experience. Somehow being all chromed out allows for some leeway in the definition of dangerous that does not suit the fragile elf. Trouble would help Bobby attack the barrier if it is not shredded, and if it can get inside the hut would try and contact Bernt, and tell him that they are coming to rescue him and that he can help matrix-wise.


attack barrier (astral combat): 10d6t5 4
Damage is 5 + 4 net hits.
Once inside he'll have a look.
perception: 10d6t5 3

[Beta]

Maybe it is the odd, bobbing movement of the Flying Eye, but Bobby's paw barely brushes the drone. Of course, with the electrical energy around Bobby's body barely touching is plenty to fry the drone.

[ Spoiler ]

defense: 6d6t5 3

The mana barrier is strong, but Trouble gives it a hard astral clawing. The spirit feels its claws penetrate through the barrier, but the barrier manages to maintain itself, barely

[ Spoiler ]

damage soak: 12d6t5 4 vs 9 damage leaves it taking 5, at 1 structure it doesn't go down. Bobby had a roll a bit earlier that will take it down, and when he does Trouble can move inside the building -- just need Jack to confirm when he's using that roll

[Jack_Spade]

Bobby finished the swing by coming down on the barrier and breaking it hard.

[Tecumseh]

Mato sees the coming chute and grits his teeth. The river is dark and full of malice. He doesn't have time to worry about his Matrix devices saying they can't find signals; instead he needs to worry about gravity and what it's about to do to the boat.

He paddles like man, trying his best to avoid the worst of the waves. The boat jumps and heaves like a bucking bronco. Perhaps his reactions are good enough to keep the boat from flipping, but given his track record so far he wouldn't want to depend on them.

Why is this so hard?? he thinks to himself. This is probably why most people don't white-water raft at night in the winter.

[Beta]

Bobby rips apart the ward -- at least for the moment. The darn things won't stay down for long, but he has a couple of seconds without the barrier in the way. While he is focused on what is inside, part of him notes his eyes and the sensitive tips of his nose starting to burn -- whatever the gas is, it has an effect without inhalation.

Bobby has torn a hole in the wall easily big enough for a the average person to fit through, although it might be tougher for a bear. There appear to be open backed plastic shelves against the inside of the wall, as an empty shelf is visible through the hole (making passing through it that much more awkward). The view through the gap is dominated by an orc in an armored jacket and helmet, aiming an Ingram smartgun in Bobby's direction. Slightly behind and above the orc is a pheonix-like fire spirit. A smaller figure is sprawled on the floor in the far corner of the room, only partially visible behind the orc.

Trouble does not see any purely astral forms in the part of the room that it can see. Before Trouble can react to enter the room or take other actions, it sees the fire spirit send a wave of magic at Bobby.

Bobby is suddenly hit with the knowledge that to stay where he is will be a certain death, and that his only hope is to flee

[ Spoiler ]

Bobby is hit with fear, roll is in the OOC thread.

Gas is CS/Tear Gas (hit last turn, activates at the end of this turn, is contact plus inhalation, power 8, disorientation, nausea, and stun damage)

Trouble has the next action

[Tecumseh]

Mato "successfully" navigates the drops. Would an optimist say that the boat is only half-full of water? Either way his shoes are wet, and so it his suit below the knees.

His legs are metal so he's not worried about hypothermia yet, but if he finds himself in the water then that could be a serious concern. His commlink is waterproof, right? Or at least water-resistant? Guess he'll find out, not that there's a Matrix signal to confirm it. Maybe once he's past the various military bases and research installations.

The inflatable raft is stable and he appreciates that, but steering it in fast-moving water is like trying to fly a blimp in a hurricane. He continues on, wondering if Bobby will have everything wrapped up neatly with a bow by the time Mato finally gets there.

[Jack_Spade]

"Well, frag..." Bobby was able to think before the pure animalistic terror overcame him and short circuited every conscious thought.

Few people appreciated just how fast a Kodiak can move. Having the movement power on one was something else alltogether. Leaving a spray of dirt behind him, Bobby ran like all hell's devils were after him specifically.