Stormshadow danced back from the unseen blow. Normally, it was his tactic to attack unseen, so being on the receiving end was a bit novel, he had to admit. Still, his body reacted before his brain had fully caught up to the situation. Not able to fully to assess his opponents position, Edgar opted for a wide haymaker that could cover as much area as possible, and close into a clinch at the first sign of contact. Crackling electricity coursed down his arms as he closed his hold on the invisible person.

"I'm gonna light you up one way or the other, pal!" the masked vigilante barked, unintentionally punning.

OOC Mechanics
DC 23 Damage Check Required
Target Grabbed
DC 19 vs Dazed, Stunned, and Incapacitated

Rolls:16:02, Today: Stormshadow rolled 28 using 1d20+16.  Attack Roll.
16:03, Today: Stormshadow rolled 35 using 1d20+16.  Grab Check.

Isadora blinked and refocused to where they were in the moment. Her gem reformed to a bright yellow gem. She concentrated for what was almost no moment and the space time continuum rippled around her. The full force of that pushed toward the assailant. This one bombarded him with the experience of far too many times distilled into a single moment. Something most minds were unable to cope with.

Ranged Cumulative Affliction 12, Dazed/Stunned/Incapacitated   Resisted by Will

[Rapture rolled 9 using 1d20+8]

Stormshadow moves quickly and gets the best of the attacker. His haymaker connects, bursting with energy and reaping a strange, low-key roar from the target.

[Rapture rolled 1 using 1d20]

The enemy shambles back as it gets struck by Isadora's wave. Falling down with a deep, rugged moan, the enemy fades into view.

What falls down is as nasty as can be: a tall, well-built male body, covered in green scales that slowly fade from transparency; the mug of an iguana and a weird, long tail. Black blood comes out of the thing's mouth. For clothes, only a black leather tabard and belt, from which a revolver sprouts.

[Any of you has well-informed? Naturalist skills can also be used]

OOC: I have well informed.

OOC: As do I.

(Ok, please give me the appropriate roll - either investigation or insight will do.)

09:04, Today: Isadora Nguyen rolled 38 using 1d20+20 ((18)).

OOC: 10:22, Today: Stormshadow rolled 16 using 1d20+14.  Insight.

Both recognize the thing. Not a native, that's for sure. These reptilian things live in underground complexes, amidst two or three other species of underworld dwellers, it is said. Strange thing to see one of them around here... Nouveau has no connection to the lower strata of the world - not that anyone knows - and these guys should have no interests to pursue in here. Still, there he is, leathervtabard and all. The bastards can hide in plain sight, as long as they're naked or wearing their fellow man's skin for clothing - as is the case here. Might have concealed the gun under the outfit as well.

Isadora looked at the creature. She had been to world where they were the dominate species and had nothing against them as a group. Now, individuals, that was a different story. And this one seemed to be murderer.

She spoke to the creature in it's own language. "I don't wish to hurt you more but I will. And you can be sure that you cannot truly harm me. So it may be better if you simply explain yourself. Why are you here? Why did you kill this woman and why did you attack us," She wasn't being intimidating simply stating a fact. And she hadn't moved, not even a little, in spite of them being attacked.

"You... You can talk to me?" - his speech's guttural, ferocious. "Not many of you softskins can speak to us. Who... Who taught you?" - he's dizzy. The double strike didn't do him good.
"Whoever it was... Should be put to death... Our language's sacred... Not to... your kind." - he resents Isadora's use of his mother tongue. These guys are purists: older race, strutting around as if they own the planet. They look down on humans. Well, they look down on everyone, really.

"I owe you no explanations, softskin. You're not prepared to understand why I'm here. I'd have avoided her death if I could. And that's more than you should know already." - even in his weakness, broken teeth and bleeding nostrils, he's still full'a poise. Nice. Stupid, but nice.

Slowly, Isadora stood and gave a small gesture to Stormshadow that suggested that she had this for the moment. "Oh, calm yourself. I speak nearly every language in existence. I know your kind, there are worlds where you are the only sapient species. They are much nicer than you have been, though. Interesting music, great balls. The decor. The clothing. The food. Magnifique. But, I digress, different time, different place." It was just a simple fact, she respected their culture, at least what they could become. And, who knew, maybe that was what could save this world.

Nothing she would say was untrue save one thing, her age. She was hundreds of years old but not ancient yet. Though, she had seen too many things that she could not unsee and her mind held them all. "And, you do. I am not like the others. Listen to the ease of my words, the lack of concern. Your people are ancient, but so am I. I have seen the birth of worlds and their deaths. The rise of your species and mine and others. Do not mistake appearance for nature. I appear to be a young human woman, I am something else. However, perhaps we can make a deal. You talk to me, tell me your goals. I shall see if they align with the goals I have for this world and then we can, perhaps, save this woman and you. I do abhor death when it isn't necessary. But first," she reached to him, "Stormshadow, can you bind his hands. I think that's prudent before I heal his wounds. I do believe we can all have a civilized conversation now. Or I can send him to a world where his kind never existed at all. Or worse, one where there is no crème brûlée." She shuddered and then laughed, just a little, trying to add a bit of levity.

Edgar had no idea what they hell either of them were saying. He himself only spoke two languages: English, and bad English. Still, from her look, he inferred that things were progressing on her end, which was good. If not for her language abilities, he probably would have been completely in the dark. Just another reason their partnership seemed like a swell idea so far.

"Of course. I don't normally carry cuffs on me. Most of the time when I put mooks down, they stay down for a few hours, so it's never really been an issue. Still, I'm sure I can finding something in this apartment..." he mused mildly.

He went about the place looking for something that he could use to bind the creature. Something that would either substitute for rope, or ideally rope itself.

OOC Mechanics
09:52, Today: Stormshadow rolled 32,30 using d20+12,d20+14.  Investigation, Perception.

Scavenging the apartment gives Stormshadow an unsettling picture of the woman's life. Her med cabinet looks like a damn bio lab; her kitchen has way more sharp knives than necessary; behind a sock drawer he finds two thick rolls of money and half a dozen passports; two other compartments hide small handguns and a good deal of ammo; the pantry's stocked for the end or the world; finally, he finds a set of useful accessories in an armoire: four sets of cuffs, iron chains, a flask of chloroform and leather masks for gagging...

He also discovers three recording devices sprung around the apartment, quite active and... transmitting sound and image alike. To where is anyone's guess.

The prisoner rolls his eyes and starts talking in a struggling English as he realizes Storm's intentions: "Is that really necessary?" - his voice's dragged, broken by the thick accent and the throaty interferences.

And then, addressing Isadora's questions.

"Perhaps we do have a common cause. We are protecting ourselves. Guerrilla's... The woman's death was a fatality, one I would rather have avoided. But I could not let her leave, and I could not afford her calling for reinforcements. Alone, she was weak; with others, she might be difficult to stop. And I have little time." - he pauses for a second, as if considering his next few words. Instead of talking any further, he points out to the notes with his chin.

"There is a name there. Misty Quaid. And an address. I need to find her. No matter the cost."
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:03, Sun 13 Oct 2019.

"I usually have cuffs but didn't bring my purse. You never know when you might need them for work or recreation." She grinned and winked. There seemed to be a complete lack of gravitas in her actions. She had learned to be detached.

"I do not know. Do you plan on attacking us again? Instead of just knocking you out I'd have to take more drastic measures." She touched him and time started to rewind on his body. Wounds and conditions vanished, pulling back like they were never there. Then the gem changed once again to that blue.

"I will check that address now. Give me a moment. Then you can tell me about your existential crisis." She threw her senses to that location, looking through space at a different place took her senses from her current location, though, so she trusted Stormshadow to keep her safe.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:49, Sun 13 Oct 2019.

"Certainly another disgusting human habit. I don't care for details." - he stands as his bruises are healed, ensuring he will seek no further aggressions.



"We have no such things. My considerations were mererly a concession to your own feeble moralities and your sense of fraternity to the dead one." - he seems to harden his own speech and reacquire some undeserved poise.

Isadora barely listens to him as her senses are projected. The address, she realizes, reaches out to a penthouse. Outside, a large swimming pool's lit, and a black woman, well-built and strong in gestures, sits at a table. Dressed in a bathing suit and covered by a loose robe, she glances at newspapers, magazines and scores of pictures, as well as a few smaller objects - cigar cutters, ribbons, things of personal use, mostly. She courses her fingers upon them, seeping a red martini on occasion. She turns her head slightly as another black woman enters. This one's stronger, dressed in black and ready for action. Isadora senses the presence of an entire entourage - seven people, plus these two - all guarding the penthouse.

[What do you guys do? Does Isadora continue peeking?]

"So many human habits are. Most of them I indulge in merely for fun. None serve any purpose for me. We must take our joy however we can get it." She lacked human morality in a sense. "It would be sorority, we are both women. And, no. My concern with this matter is rather her life or her death will be of a benefit to the timeline as a whole."

She looked across the city and saw a woman. Pretty, wealthy, powerful. Curious. For the moment she stayed, listening to the group as they came. Maybe this would begin to come together. Maybe not. Regardless, her curiosity was raised. "So, that address, it's a woman and a security contingent and an entourage. Stormshadow, I'm listening in some more to get some intelligence about this person."

The reptilian's surprised by Isadora's reaction. "Well, I guess at least one of you should think rationally. You reproduce like insects, after all."

He then turns to Stormshadow.

"You have seen this place. The woman has uncovered sensitive information about Quaid. I do not recommend staying here for long: she has friends. Her alternate identity has ensured so." - both Storm and Isadora recognize the term "Guerrilla". It belongs to an independent media reporter - or group of reporters - that denounce corruption around City Nouveau. If the creature's speaking the truth, it's a group, no doubt.

"Misty Quaid's the only lead we have to find another, a Douglas Quaid. LOng ago, he joourneyed to our homeland - an admirable feat for a feeble human. After remaining with us, he spoke of disaster, extinction. We did not believe him... Until recently. This is why I  must find him, and Misty should know his whereabouts."

Isadora's senses give even more away. On the penthouse, the strong woman pressures Misty.

"Where is he, girl? Where is Douglas?"

"It doesn't happen like this, Martha. Doug's the only one that can shut is off. You know it. Besides, I'm more concerned with Jim and Stan... Stan vanished a while ago... He's just waking up, major headache. Sunken Chinatown, he says. F. Lee and a strange doll are with him..."

"Luminous Path, you reckon? What does Shangguan wants with you guys?"

"Ain't it obvious, Martha?" - Misty seems irritated. "Little Q's sending me all these desperate messages, now! You said it was ok, but he's being taken!"

"Little Q has friends..."

"You know, it would be a lot easier if..."

"No one can know she's here... The city crew will have to do, Misty! She's supposed to be at.."

Suddenly, the windows break inside, as if stones had been thrown through the glass. Storm counts four of them at the same time. The things start hissing, and gass pours profusely, filling up the room.

[Ok, I'm gonna need that perception roll, as usual, to see if you guys are surprised or not! that's DC 10 for Storm and 12 for Isadora - after all, she's paying attention to something else! Afterwards, initiative! Let's heat things up a bit! This also counts as a complication - plus one hero point each!]

Isadora blinked, her senses returning to her as smoke filled the room. She wasn't affected by poisons or a lack of air, though she didn't care for tear gas and it made it difficult to see. "Fight them or leave. If we leave where to? Outside the mysterious penthouse or a less populated place."

12:05, Today: Isadora Nguyen rolled 33 using 1d20+16 ((17)).

[Ok, I assume that roll's for a portal and the question's directed towards Stormshadow! Thanks for the patience, guys. I've been assigned to a dissertation contest and I gotta evaluate some entries. Plus, personal stuff, as I mentioned in the OOC.]

The scaled adversary grows concerned with the movement.

"The woman has allies. They will not be content with our presence here. I recommend taking the notes with us, though. In case they may find them"

The portal opens with ease, creating a time-space rift through which you can pass.

[Ok, where to? Decide quickly, though! A moment's hesitation might bring you down! Both of you, please, roll fortitute against DC 15! The gas mix might have distinct effects on each of you!]

OOC: It was actually for the perception. I don't think there's a roll for teleportation. Fort check failed by 4.

Well, she needed more information before she was going to fight a bunch of people she had no real connection with...yet. And it would be better to watch what they do here once they're gone.

The portal lead to a studio apartment just outside the city, more like the suburbs but a cheap place. She rented a handful of those studios on different worlds, ones that were closer to this one. Other worlds she had different places. It was a good out if she needed a place to hide out. For now, though, this world, this time, just elsewhere. "Let's go, grab the stuff."

[Sorry, since a few days had transpired, I didn't connect one thing to the other! Done, though! I'll describe the results down below!]

Isadora manages to count down the involved. Five grenades entered through the windows. Beyond the fog, she pinpoints the presence of at least seven people - five that threw the grenades, plus two, ready to invade. They're across the street, these seven. Two more are climbing down from this very building, probably to kick the windows in.

On the other side of the portal, Isadora sees her own safe house, ready to receive the travelers. A second more and the place would be invaded, and as the group fades away, the suspicions are confirmed: glass's broken inside, letting two, plus two, masked fighters inside the place.

[Ok, you manage to escape with ease! Just give me the sign as to what's next! @Stormshadow, you there, my man!?]

With a deep breath, the portal closed. Isadora checked herself and pulled a chunk of glass from her side. Her body quickly stitching itself back together, though her dress was now blood stained and cut. The gem turned yellow again and she waved her hand again and time wound backwards for the dress, it reformed as well, good as new. "Okay, so I think we're fine for now. And I think you need to be a bit more open about what's actually going on here." As she spoke she poured a brandy and offered some to the others.

Stormshadow waves the drink away politely. The reptilian doesn't.

"To put simply, human, Misty Quaid is the key to protecting the future of my people. She is the only link we have to her sibling, one that once upon a time visited us. He took one of our most sacred artifacts with him - the Eye of Kanyph. Without it, we are endangered. Vulnerable, one could say." - the reptilian says in an inflexible tone.

As the reptilian speaks, Stormshadow leans against a wall, observing the scene and glancing outside on occasion - he's probably trying to gather his senses, locate himself.

"Others might want the artifact to remain lost to us. We have enemies, envious of our power and ascendance. I suspect they seek the eye as well"

This seems somehow familiar. There's something about this conflict, about this artifact...

[Ok, you can roll for well-informed as usual, DC 15, to know a bit more of his culture.]

Isadora tried to put some things together but the smoke, she guessed, was messing with her mind and she could only remember things about the reptilians of other worlds.

"My name is Isadora. Use it or I'll start calling you child. And, I have to say, if you are vulnerable without a single item how are people worried about your ascendancy. That said, I would be willing to have a sit down with your leadership. See if this is something that I want to look into. If so, I have several acquaintances who all have special skills. Or, maybe we can just stop this item from ever being stolen in the first place. It all depends. Too many factors to consider, honestly. At least until I have more details and can look backward and forward to see what was and may come."