Splinter makes you swear not to examine the scroll until you are a day’s journey from the camp. By the time you check it the draw the scroll on you has become almost unbearable, but when you take it out of your pack the moment feels strangely solemn.
The first thing you notice is the feel of it; like silk, but somehow much stronger. Looking closer you could swear you can see the faintest threads of sparkling purple, silver, and gold, but every time you focus on one it seems to disappear. As you draw your eye away from the scroll they vanish entirely, allowing you to take in the image the scroll displays. Although you have never seen it before, this is undoubtedly Creation. Gently drawing your finger over the map alters the image, zooming in on the area you’re pointing at, but never covering less than hundreds of miles. Although you don’t recognise the language, as you trace your finger along the mysterious symbols, there is a strange tingling sensation in the back of your neck.
Dotted around the map are silhouettes in various poises. Most of them are recognisably adopting the katas of some martial art or other, but some are bent in ways that appear painful. That’s if they’re even possible. It’s fairly obvious that these glyphs are marking locations on the map, though you feel this with a certainty that you wouldn’t ordinarily expect.
Beneath the map there is a series of further glyphs. Touching each of those causes the map to disappear and an image to appear in its place. After some time you realise that these are places; you are looking at them from a bird’s eye point of view. The reason it takes you a while to figure this out is because the places are strange and fantastical. Some of the places are in constant flux; others are static but the forms within them are unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Eventually, it is the view attached to a strange glyph with a man bent over in a spider-like crouch that allows you to work out what is going on. It shows a massive black citadel, with hordes of people camped outside it.
There doesn’t seem to be any further information about these glyphs. Sighing, you ponder your next move.
[JD – please post your character sheer post haste and let me know where in the world you are. Also, if you speak old realm you’ll be able to read the script]
First Splashes
Leon Ardo stared at the scroll for some time, sitting on the beach around the fire with his brothers. The light flickered on their wary faces, casting tall shadows on the woods behind. It had been a tough journey through them but somehow each had known the way to the sea. They had followed it in silence; none wanted to speak of what had happened to their sifu, the last friend they had on the face of Creation.
Standing, Leon Ardo handed the scroll to Dona Tello before walking ankle deep into the Western Ocean. The closest scroll was somewhere out there. Their sifu had wanted them protected. The best way to do that, he reasoned, was to find them all and put them in one well-guarded place.
No-one ever said Leon Ardo was smart.
"Brothers," he began. "We were dying, and our sifu gave us new life. He gave it to us without terms or bonds. He loved us." He turned to face them. "But when we left he asked me something. He asked me to protect the scrolls shown on that map. Because I loved him, I will do so." He spread his arms wide. "The closest lies beyond here, out in the sea. That is where I am going. You, my brothers, are free to go where you want. But I hope you will travel with me."
He turned back to face the sea, hoping to hear the crunch of his brother's feet on the sand, then splash in the water. He shifted form: they were all turtle-men now, but he could be bigger and tougher than they. His anima burst out from him, swallowing the firelight, turning the trees to twisted silver ghosts. He was strong, and he was ready. At least so he thought.
[Location: I'd like to start on the island with Yu-Shan Gate 42 (B6), though am happy to start anywhere western. Will add some to this post when it's definite where he is.
Expenditure: 14m (peripheral), 1wp: assume DBT with Armour-Forming Technique, Bruise-Relief Method and Halting the Scarlet Flow all activated as Gift Charms]
all good
[That's fine. Which scroll are you headed towards?
Also, you have 6 limit]
Scroll
[If 22. the Scroll in A6 is viable (like we can handle the pressure down there and the master scroll won't get wet or be damaged by doing so) I'll go for that. Otherwise we'll head toward 7. on the tiny island in the Wavecrest Archipelago
Ooh, and I can read Old Realm now, so I should be able to read the scroll.]
Go to A7
[It's fair to assume that something so powerful is enchanted to protect it from water damage. The pressure in A6 is probably going to be too much, you reason IC. How are you going to travel? It's a good two months swimming...
The scroll reads 'Caress of the Waves, here is a small token of my love. May you always see the things that I do not'
Somewhere in the Wavecrest Archipelago...
[in the following post, D: denotes the voice of Dona Tello, R: for Rapha El etc. Do we have a way of doing colours? In case it isn't clear, the TMNT are heading for scroll 7 on the tiny island.]
Whispered voices zip around the small harbour. There is no moon tonight; the small fishing skiffs bump together sleepily in the darkness.
D: "I'm not sure we should be doing this..."
A frustrated sigh.
R: "Look, you want to keep swimming?"
D: "No, I just think people's liveliho-"
M: "Shhh! Dudes, c'mon!"
Silence.
D: "Dudes?"
M: "Muhdunno, just kinda sounded right..."
One skiff slides silently out through the others, disturbing the stars reflected in the glassy sea. Four figures sit squat in the boat. The largest at the front speaks.
"They'll be fine, Dona Tello, and Rapha El is right; it'll take months to swim there, and you can't navigate properly while you're in the water, you said yourself. When the wind gets up tomorrow we'll make much better time."
D: "This is a family's boat."
"They can make another one. We left them the wood."
M: "Say, now that you mention it, if you can cut down that many trees that fast, why didn't we-"
"Because we don't know how to build a boat, Mic. We had this discussion already." Leon often wondered if Mic Hael Angelo had swallowed a little too much of the goo.
R: "I just hope you know what you're doing."
A long silence. The boat drifted into the night.
"Get some sleep. I'll steer."
Mermaids!
Aside from the constant bickering between your brothers the first few days of journey are uneventful. You're able to capture enough food to feed all four of you, though it helps that you're able able to eat raw fish.
After about four days, when Mic assures you that you're no more than a couple of days journey from your destination, the bickering is interrupted by some singing. Your first response is to thank the gods for this break from your brothers' voice. It therefore takes you a few moments to register how unusual it is to hear singing in the middle of the ocean; it takes only a few moments more to realise that this isn't singing; it's *singing*. Every so-called song you've heard before that you was nothing compared to this. You cannot bear to leave this song behind, to return to a world where grunts wheezes and snorts count as music.
Judging by the reactions of your brothers, neither can they. Raphael is already in the water, and the others appear ready to jump
[spend a wp (and gain a point of limit) or act under a compulsion to find the source of the music]
Re: Mermaids
[Spent wp, now limit 7]
Leo is already in the water when he thinks this might be a bad idea. Too late to turn around now, he thought, as Raphael already had a good lead and he couldn't restrain the other two. The safest thing to do would be to go with them to keep an eye. If that took them closer to the beautiful music, well, that was just a pleasantly unavoidable evil.
Fair Folk
As soon as you decide this is a bad idea the pitch of the music changes without changing, and you realise that it's... well it's good but it's not great. It's also much harder to see where it is coming from, but Rapha El is swimming like a man-turtle on a mission so it's probably safe to follow him.
Rapha el swims forward for a while, looks around and for some reason unknown to you plunges under the water, followed swiftly by his brothers, including you. He leads the way along what appears to be a beam of light penetrating the water which marks a passage of still, light, fresh water. He swims for some time, long after his body would be able to withstand the crushing depths of the ocean around him. Every now and then you think you can see figures swimming alongside you outside of the light, but they are elusive and you cannot see them for more than a second.
Your journey lasts for about 20 minutes but you have a sense that much more time than that has passed. At some point you started swimming up without changing your direction, which is bugging you quite a lot, as is the fact that you didn't notice it happen. Splinter sent you on quests into the Wyld as part of your training but you don't need experience to know that something isn't quite right here. Your brother seem happily ignorant, for better or worse. After a few more minutes you notice the water around you become brighter and brighter and then, inevitably, you break the surface of the water.
Looking around the first thing you notice is a beautiful woman sitting on a massive throne resting on a few steps which is resting, for all its apparent lack of bouyancy, on the waves. At her feet lounge an assortment of creatures in varying states of unreality. Apparantly mortal sailors are lying on their bellies, on top of the water, whilst they stroke their hands through the waves. Scaly men with webbed feet sit on the steps of their throne in huddles; On the water, beside the throne sits an entirely normal looking child, save for the fact that he has seagull's wings on his back, dangling his feet into the very water on which he sits, looking down at the mermaids that frolic like dolphins in the clear sea. He is the only one whose head does not turn to you and your brothers as you arrive.
The woman stands from her throne and walks out across the water towards you, beaming radiantly. You've never seen somebody beam radiantly before. You thought it was just a phrase.
'I give you my welcome beloved guests. Please, sit and rest with us; my courtiers shall attend to our needs'. She clicks her fingers and 3 of the scaly men who had been swimming, pull themselves out of the water, stand on it, and offer your brothers their hands, pulling them out on top of the water. 'And you, child of the moon' she says looking down at you 'a rare honour. Won't you join us?'
Leo figured this was where
Leo figured this was where you ran your hand through your luxurious tresses, smiled demurely with downcast eyes and said something disarming. But he hadn't had any hair since before he was a turtle, sifu Peleps Numino had re-arranged his teeth during his time in the Order, and Rapha El was the one who was good with words. He managed:
"Er... umm... maybe we could stay for a little while? We need to go soon. We have things to do."
He took his eyes off the woman long enough to take a glance at the seagull-boy. Leon wondered what he could be distracted by that kept him noticing their entrance.
It's April
The woman runs her hand through her luxurious tresses and smiles demurely with downcast eyes. 'Of course you do, dear boy, of course. We would not seek to delay you from whatever quests you are on. But you must sit and tell us tales of your adventures.
She snaps her fingers and men with seagull wings swoop down from the skies carrying food and wine. She takes two glasses from one of the trays, gives one to Mic and one to Donna and, taking Rapha by the hand, leads the 3 of them to the throne where all four sit looking at you to see how you will react.
One of the seagull boys is nudging your hand with a tray of wine glasses. 'Please, sire, do not turn down the hospitality of our mistress Aprillo Neel'
Leon freezes next to the
Leon freezes next to the servant, watching his brothers. "This isn't good," he thought "Rapha could barely keep to himself when we were in the Order." It was odd how different scraps of recollection floated across his mind, especially at inopportune moments.
Still, something about the woman's name inspired trust, though her brightly phosphorescent clothing made him a little uncomfortable. Sifu Splinter had always said Fair Folk were interested in stories. He could tell her most of what had happened to them, and hope the others didn't correct him when he left out the scroll. So: four Dynast brothers mutated by energies from beyond Creation, one chosen by Luna, now on the run from the Wyld Hunt that contains their Blooded sibling. Their sifu sacrificing himself for them. Their coming to terms with a new life, diving into the unknown ocean. Then stealing a boat. Maybe he should leave that part out.
Leo spins the most entertaining tale he can, directing all his attention to Aprillo, talking over and correcting his brothers when necessary. "Please don't resent me for this, dudes." he thinks.
[Charisma+Presence (7 dice) trying to entertain Aprillo.]
Turtle Power!
The crowd respond well to your story. Surprisingly well. They weep when you speak of your sad upbringing, leap to their feet and shout curses when you speak of the mistreatment at the hands of your brothers, and then cheer and hug when you exalt and gain your freedom. They even laugh at your brother's occasional quips. Only Aprillo herself remains impassive, stroking her chin from the comfort of her throne and occasionally raising an eyebrow in response to the reactions of her court.
When you finish a sudden hush falls over the court; all eyes turn to Aprillo whose expression in unreadable. Then, she nods her head almost imperceptibly and the court cheer wildly. Bright colours seem to erupt and explode in the sky and strange floating coloured bubbles start being hit around by the revellers. Mic appears to be eating a large flat loaf of bread with some sort of lumpy sauce on top, which is odd because he's half way through but the celebration has only been going on for a second or so.
You're distracted from these thoughts by a hand on your shoulder, and turn to see Aprillo, who looks... different; more normal and weirder all at the same time. 'I said "are you even listening to me, Leonardo"' she sighs impatiently, which gives you just enough time to wonder why your name sounds strange, but she seems to think your silence is assent 'You might not think it's a big deal that Mr Thompson wants to ruin your name, but I do. We need to get down to the studio and see that video of the fake turtles before the city does'
Studio? Mr Thompson? Vide-what? But before you can form these ideas into questions, Raphael speaks.
Wait, that's not how you pronounce his n-- 'Relax, April. We took care of Shred-head. I think we can handle fake us's.' As you turn to face your brother, your sudden alarm at the mention the dynast's name vanishes when you notice that.... Well, you're not sure what you notice. The sewer is the same as it ahs always been. There's Raphael, feet up on the sofa, Michaelangeo in front of the TV with a pizza, and Donnatello tinkering away at the desk. It is he who speaks next.
'I don't, know Raphael. You heard Splinter say that he sensed Shredder's presence. I'm not convinced that we *should* relax'
Michaelangelo now, this time before you even notice that Splinter appears to be back: 'I thought you were meant to be the smart one, dude. Of course we should relax. Then, if Shred-head does come back, we'll be ready to toast him all over again'
April sighs 'Leonarado, will you tell them? We need to check out this video!'
[shaping attack. IF you go along with it, there's a dice bonus to everything you do. Resisting will allow you to realise that you're still in Aprillo's court. You'll take a penalty to all actions that oppose the fantasy]
Cowa... cowabu... dammit, how does it finish?
"April's right, guys. And if Sifu says tin-face is around, we better be extra careful."
Si- Master Splinter was always right. Whenever he sensed Shredder's presence, he was right. He wondered why the others didn't notice. Why were they staring at him?
"Who's Sifu?" asked Donnatello.
"Oh... it's, er... another word for Master. I meant Master."
Yes, Master. That was the right word. It was so good to have him back. Leonardo felt comforted. Back to... normal.
Back? Where had he been? Master Splinter was always here. He was thinking funny. Better stop that. They needed a plan. He'd have to think...
There was another suspicious, expectant silence.
"Er, Leo, do you have a plan? You've been thinking, for, like, three seconds already." said Raphael.
What? Did he usually come up with plans that fast? Was Raphael pushing him? Best ignore it. Take his time. Now, they needed to be subtle, unseen, like nin-
"Donnatello, juice up the Turtle-Blimp(tm)."
[Is there really any choice but to go along with it? :) ]
The video
April goes ahead of you and makes her own way to the studio, where she leaves a light on to guide the blimp to you. Michaelangelo throws a rope through the window, shouting 'yo, April, grab on', and when she does so the four of you slide down into what appears to be a large conference room, with an interesting colour scheme involving pink carpets, blue walls and red curtains.
'Now tell us about this big emergency' says Donnatello,
'Yeah, like, what's the haps?' adds Miachaelangelo
'Better yet - I'll show you' replies April, leading you across the room "A group called the Crooked Ninja Turtle Gang has been committing robberies all over the city'.
She presses a button and a video shows you a large human in an obviously-fake turtle suit kick his way through a door, closely followed by a group of similarly dressed men carrying sacks. You see them all run around the corner as Michaelangelo exclaims 'woah, check out those killer outfits'
Donnatello agrees: 'hey, you gotta admit they do know how to dress' but he suddenly frowns and rewinds the video. 'I've seen that technique before someplace' he says, looking at the screen.
Now that he's pointed this out [you failed your first roll] you can see it too. There are only two people who could have taught that technique. Shredder is one. The other is his one time colleague Saki the Shredder.
Hold on...
As soon as the thoughts formed, they left his mouth.
"There are only two sensei who could have taught him that. Splinter... or..."
"You don't mean-" interrupts Donatello.
"I'm afraid I do. Shredder."
Again, a pause. Leo was sure something was meant to happen now, but he had no idea what.
"Er, maybe we should, er..."
But.... you're the leader
[I'm glad you finally found the show. I'm surprised it took you this long. Feel free to continue according to the script but you can change up at any point. If you carry on then the next roll will be join battle to fight the fake turtles. I'll leave it to you to describe the meanwhile...]
A scream erupts out of sho-
A scream erupts out of sho- off scree- somewhere else. The turtles cover their ears to block out the piercing shriek.
"We're under attack!" cries Donatello.
"It's a sonic death-ray!" says Raphael, through gritted teeth.
They quickly realise this isn't true - the sound emanates from an... implausible blond woman, gripping her face in horror. She has walked in on their meeting, and apparently doesn't like what she sees.
"Ahhh! Tairrtles!" she squeals.
"It's them, the ninja-crooks!" says the squat man who appears behind her in the doorway. "Help, somebody call security!" he declares, as he zigzags across the room like a prima ballerina.
"Guys, it's time to make tracks!" says Raph.
"Let's stay in touch." says Donatello, as he and his brothers run for the window, before leaping through into the unmoored yet perfectly stationary Turtle-Blimp(tm).
----
Leo remembered nothing of the trip home, but that didn't matter. Master Splinter would know what to do. Walking out of the sewer tunnel, he says:
"Master Splinter, we have some bad news to-"
"He's gone!" says Raph.
"Someone, or something, broke in." replies Leo, as they move their heads from side to side, looking around.
"This has to be Shredder's work." says Don, as they notice the massive and structurally compromising hole in their lair's wall.
"Either that or some totally humongous termite." says Mic, who was never very bright.
A brief pause as they all look through the hole.
"Let's go." says Leo. They run through the hole and into the distance, drawing weapons against the absent foe.
----
"Here's where the trail ends." says Leo, as he and his brothers pop their heads up through a hole in the asphalt. They see a downtown alley piled precariously with trash, but mostly they see a large, gruff man in a pyjamas.
"And here's where the trouble begins..." he growls, arms folded. "You wimps are about to become turtle toe-jam!" he continues, stressing every word.
A number of scrawny ninja with green paper bags on their heads spring from the debris, surrounding the turtles, who have sprung from the hole.
"We'll just see about that!" retorts Leo.
"Ok ninja punks, get 'em!" With that, the gruff fellow directs his troops to battle.
[Ok, ready for join battle. Were we going to do this live? Btw, this was going to be a stupidly epic post upwards of 4,000 words, but then I realised very few of them were interesting. Apologies for the delay, now let's kick some ass!]
[We can do it live, but we
[We can do it live, but we might as well start now. Your action on tick 0. They act on tick 4]
Leo somersaults backward onto
Leo somersaults backward onto an apparently functional blue sofa, slashes at the cushions, then alights with another dainty backflip.
"Come and get me, hotshots!" he taunts.
Not pausing to consider the significance of this strange action, two ninja charge toward him, deciding to go straight over the sofa. It is now we learn why the dangerous object had been discarded; as the punks step on they shear the final fibres Leo's sword left intact, unleashing the huge, tensely coiled springs within. Leo thinks it odd they only snare his attacker's feet, that there's no blood, and that springs that big were ever even put in a sofa, but quickly returns to the fight.
[Err... not sure what that action entails in a rules sense.]
[You bashing-damaged them and
[You bashing-damaged them and knocked them out]
Raph, perhaps inspired by your successful use of your surroundings, shouts a warning to Mic before sending two barrels down towards his brother's attackers. Unfortunately, the paper bags do not seem to obscure the fake-turtes' hearing and they too deftly sidestep the barrels.
They pause for a few second, but also somehow for no time at all. Everyone does. The world does, and the sky seems to flicker. Something isn't quite right. But then, what could be wrong?
The men press their advantage on Mic and force him back up the hill. Somehow, he seems unwilling or unable to fight back.
Meanwhile, Don fends off two Bad Guys with ease, his bo staff effortlessly swinging from side to side. 'Cummon, guys. You can do better than that' he taunts, as he prepares to push them back down the hill. But as he does so he seems to stagger and he only forces his opponents a yard or so back. It's now we notice that one of those opponents is missing a weapon. It's now we see the pool of dark red on the floor, the tone somehow clashing with the obscenely bright colours of New York in summer. Don staggers back and collapeses into a pile of tyres, the short sword is stuck into his stomach, just beneath his ribs. Already, he is turning a more pale shade of green.
[your action]
Leo shakes his head and tries
Leo shakes his head and tries to concentrate. Somewhere, as though far away, he can hear his brothers' voices, quipping as they defeat the punks. Yet that wasn't happening.
No time to hesitate, or wonder why Master Splinter never taught them basic first aid. Leo sprints to interpose himself between Don and his two punks, cutting down the weapon-less one without so much as a thought. His other blade snaps toward the remaining punk, a neck-level blur. The fountain of blood rains over Leo's face and shoulders, and for a moment he looks as if he's been doused with ice water.
"Get on the Turtle-Com(tm) to April, she'll get an ambulance. We're in..." he desperately looks around for a street name. "... oh, I don't know, the abandoned alley! No, don't speak; worry about questions later." He picks up a piece of bright, clean rag and presses it against Don's wound. In a flash his mind's eye is cast back to childhood; he carries a crying Donna, still human, to the nurse after he broke his ankle climbing the cherry tree. As quick as the vision comes it disappears. Leo can barely keep his voice level. "Hold on. I've got to help the others."
[Two attacks on the punks, plus dashing to close the distance if necessary. Will use Dex Excellency to augment the Dash, depending on distance.]
[both attacks successful.
[both attacks successful. They're dead. But you spent a point of wp to ignore the fantasy (Leornardo doesn't have excellencies). Also, successful 1ds]
Actually, your other brothers are doing a fairly good job of fending off the other two. One of their opponents has fallen onto his sword, and the two turtles have used their numerical advantage to get the other into a barrel. Mic is beating him whilst singing, apparently unaware of Don's life-threatening wound.
For some reason the leader of the gang is insisting on telling you that Shredder left a message for you in giant letters on a wall. You have a feeling that you're falling behind events and Don, despite his obvious injury and weakness, is now doing his best to walk around as if nothing had happened. As all of your brothers slap hands and shout 'we dare' in response to Shredder's challenge Don pastes his blood on the others' hands. He doubles up in pain, but then seems to forget about his injury again. Unless you can get him to rest, bad things will happen.
"Scratch the helping,
"Scratch the helping, then..."
What in Splinter's name was going on? They didn't get... injured, that was the word.
"Guys, er... be on the look out for more bad guys." he says to Raph and Mic. Taking Don aside, he says: "Me and Don are going to look at the message, for, um, any secret codes."
Don's punning protestations (the writing 'was quite clearly on the wall') mix uncomfortably with the blackening stain on his midriff. Leo, when they are out of earshot, speaks in low tones.
"Donatello, this is going to be hard to understand, but you have to trust me. You're hurt. Not hurt like the time when your steam-powered de-limescaling Tank exploded, or when the pizza sauce was too hot. Hurt like stabbed with a sword hurt. You can't go with us to fight Shredder. I'm going to get April to come here, and she's going to help you."
A thought crosses Leo's mind.
"No, wait... bring that lunkhead over here!" he says, referring the the leader of the gang. As he is marched over: "You run a dojo, however badly. You must know how to fix people up, right?"
[Your regular service is now resumed]
Lunkhead is fairly confident about his ability to patch people up, but when he sees the patient he becomes somewhat confused. A quick conversation reveals that he understands injuries to manifest as hash marks on people's faces. He has never seen this red stuff that is pouring out of your brother's increasingly pale form.
Come to think of it, there's no reason to expect the paramedics will know any better.
[you've not got long before Don goes into incap]
Dude, band-age!
The colours of the world swim, until the whole of Don became a darker yet more vivid patch in Leo's teary eyes.
"Bandage, bandage," he mutters to himself. The day-glo white of Lunkhead's pyjamas catch his attention. Bearing down on the man, Leo tears off his shirt and begins shredding it into strips. He then sets to bandaging Don properly, as best he knows how.
[Dex excellency to the max for the bandage. if this doesn't work i'll shout at the others, try and get them to wake up.]
the bleeding stops
[successful 1d stunt to halt Don at -4]
[ok - the writing is still on the wall. Raph and Mic are engaged in a continuous loop of witty banter about pizzas, Don is weak but still eager. What now?]
Nothing to be done...
Leo helps Don to his feet, briefly surprised at how heavy he is. He couldn't leave him here. They stay together.
They approach the others, Don's facial expression a series of winces or a twitchily enthusiastic grin, depending on how you look at it. Crushing through the indistinct garbage Leo begins to think the whole world is like that, a big curving mirror that changes everything when you make a different face. He's snapped back to reality by the silent eyes of his brothers, points of black on white blankness.
"We dare." he says flatly.
----
The garish (isn't everything?) sign of the Slash for Cash dojo punched up into the skyline like a carboard cut-out.
"Shredder's in there, I can feel it." says Raphael. He drew his sai.
The turtles stand in an alleyway across the street from the dojo. Leo wonders why he doesn't remember getting here, why this alley-garbage at his feet is no different to that alley-garbage where they fought the punks. But he says:
"If we want to help Master Splinter, we have to be careful."
"Yeah, we should totally have a plan, dudes." says Mic.
Even Donatello looked confused, but Raph subsided a little. The turtles waited for a plan.
No, this was wrong, Leo thought. This doesn't happen. We don't hesistate.
Master Splinter is in there, just across the street. They had to save him.
"The plan is... kick tin-head's butt!"
[right, we go barrelling in. sorry for lateness again :p)
Join Battle!
As you enter the Slash for Cash Dojo you hear Shredder's maniacal laughter. You motion the turtles to wait for a second. If past form is anything to go by, Shredder is about to reveal his master plan.
'They were merely a way of delaying the turtles until I could complete my trap. Now I can destroy all of you'
So... not much of a plan.
Splinter sees you standing behind his foe and decides to give you an intro: 'no matter what you do to me, my turtles will deefeat you, Shredder'
As usual, it's Raph who can't resist: 'that's telling him master'.
Unfortunately, as you step forward, Shredder raises his sword. 'Not another step,' he warns, or your furry sensai will be crushed.
Looking up, it's Donatello who is first able to realise the nature of the trap. 'That rope, it leads to... a battering ram!' he explains.
Mic follows his gaze 'it's gotta weigh megatonnes!' he exclaims.
'None of us could stop that thing' says Raph.
'That's right turtles, your master is about to become history' goads Shredder. But before he can administer the coup de grace Baxter smashes through the wall of the dojo.
'Bummer, guys. Looks like we've got ourselves a massive problemo' says Mic despondantly.
Baxter, on the other hand, is gleeful. 'Greetings from your friendly neighbourhood ratcatcher' he calls to you as he charges you down.
[Baxter (who actually won JB) declares 2 attacks; staff attack on D; net attack on you - defence?]
Confusion, closely followed by Fury, at the Machine
Baxter's giant driving machine looks like an angry piranha, mostly angry due to its recent accident in the discount section of a hardware store. A side-arm clunks forward and releases a net with a 'whoosh' noise.
It spreads in flickering jerks, pale weights around its edges unfolding from nowhere. Leo, for a moment, watches in awestruck puzzlement. "Someone is actually attacking me like this."
He moves with precision, cutting horizontal lines in front of him. Once, twice to be sure, ready to step through the ensuing hole. Instead the net fragments, then dissolves like mist, dispersed in the disturbed air from his slashes.
"This is wrong," says Leo, accurately. His gets up onto his toes as his eyes flicker from side to side. No good them trying to save Master if they were getting squashed in the meantime. No, this machine would have to go.
[activating RLF with Frenzied Bear Fortification for 3m,1wp. duration: 6 actions.
also, I've changed my motes committed on the Leo's character page to represent those he has committed to Gift charms.
also also, on an unrelated sidenote, I found out that Armour Forming Technique is compatible with moonsilver armour. win.]
a swing and a miss
Despite his injuries Donnatello is able to deftly avoid the machine's attack. You yourself cut through the net with ease before it can get near you.
Baxter for his part, seems untroubled. As he cackles about the turtles it's hard to tell whether he's surprised, happy, or slightly high.
[your move]
Charge!
"Turtles, assemble!" shouts Leo. It sounds wrong somehow, but would have to do. Mic and Raph were immediately at his side, Don a moment later. Over his boiling fury, he forms a basic command.
"Up, down, left, right!" he says, motioning to each of the readied turtles in turn. Somehow, his actions did not feel like his own, like someone was controlling him from afar. "Start!"
With that, Leo springs forward and right, slashing at the tires of Baxter's machine.
[Attempt to co-ordinate an attack - does RLF help or hinder that? It's not a 'non-combat action'. Meh. Dex Excellency on the attack - 4m]
Hijacked!
The attacks work. Baxter is driven from his cab and you and your brothers manage to get nominal control of the Ratcatcher, with Raphael desperately trying to make that control actual. Fortunately, his inabilty to drive doesn't stop you noticing Shredder once again preparing to administer a coup de grace on your master. Time seems to slow down as the battering ram swoops towards your master and your foe begins to escape.
Your body screams to chase down Shredder, but your mind suggests saving your master might be a nice idea...
[you need to make a wp roll to 'come off the offensive' (i.e. guard) so I imagine that co-ordinating attacks requires a wp roll as well and incurs the 2d penalty. Didn't matter, as you did fine. You're going to need to roll to save Splinter though. It'll be a 2d penalty unless you end the fury early]
No fury for the turtle scorned...
Leo exults to be part of the machine's destructive power, even if he can't control it. Aim? Why aim? Tear down the whole world and your enemies are sure to be crushed. Who cares about anything else?
The Ratcatcher's careening sends Leo's gaze across Splinter, only for an instant. The rat looked old, almost pitiful tied up like that. The thought grew, and quickly Leo shook off his battle rage, seemingly transferring it to the metal around them.
Raphael was struggling with two levers, the black knobs capping them zig-zagging like mad flies. Leo made a snap guess and pushed the right one foward, leaning against Raph's hand with his full weight. Almost in slow motion, the Ratcatcher lurched and turned, into the path of the ram...
"Jump!" shouts Raph, and the turtles follow.
[wp to end the fury and then steering the thing into the way of the ram. hopefully]