[x] Plan: Glitz, Glamour, and Glory
Major Monogram's planned excursion to Vegas had all the hallmarks of a fun trip- a great hotel, a couple of exciting venues booked, and a healthy stipend for employees to indulge in Vegas' nightlife. It wasn't the fault of him or anyone else that a shroud seemed to hang over the entire retreat, the looming specter of Negaduck watching from beyond the horizon seemed to dampen everyone's spirits a bit. While everyone was pleased with the trip and is eager to experience the next one, it's hard to deny that the next few months are probably going to be rough…
-[x] (Monogram) Take an acrobatics course
53
Monogram had a grand old time down at the Danville Performing Arts center, having spent the past few weeks limbering up so he could actually perform the sort of feats he always wanted. He's not going to be winning any awards anytime soon, but the old Major seems happier than you've seen him in a while.
Major Monogram gains a permanent +5 loyalty.
-[x] (Norm) Commit Heroism
4
You've been tuned to Bluff Dunder's 7 News for the past few weeks, eager to hear any news of Norm's escapades in San Fransokyo. Ever since the introduction of the HEROES act the cape scene has been heating up in various ways, as it seems like every other day there's a new spandex-clad individual who has their heart set on committing or stopping crime. Tonight's interview is being conducted with the chief of police, and one of the city's most prominent socialites.
"Chief Cruz. You've made your position on vigilantism very clear in these past few months, despite the rest of the nation getting caught up in cape fever."
"That's right. I'm glad that Congress was able to come to an agreement on the SRA, but that's no reason to ignore the law. There are dozens of these costumed vigilantes who've neglected to register and continue to operate without any kind of oversight!"
"I'm telling you, you're not seeing the big picture here! Cape culture is one of the things that makes Sokyo great!" Fred Frederickson interjected. "Just look at my very own faaaaat-aaaaavorite Boss Awesome! Sokyo born and raised, right up there with Mr. Incredible!"
"Boss Awesome," Chief Cruz deflected with the long-standing practice of someone who had done this multiple times, "was trusted by the government and a true hero. My problem isn't with heroes, it's with the unchecked vigilantism that everyone in this city seems to ignore!"
"I see." Dunder contemplates for a moment. "And who can you, personally, say has been the most problematic?"
"Off the record? There's this new guy called Business Bot who-"
"Come on, man! Business Bot- terrible name by the way, I'm workshopping something much better- might be new to things, but he means well! He's not just some rampaging…" Fred trailed off as a very familiar, cheerful voice echoed down a nearby alleyway.
"Never mind the fatalities, when there's municipalities, to provide protection, by dissection-!" Norm cheerfully sang as he trampled through the wall of a hardware store in hot pursuit of Supersonic Sue.
Dunder, Cruz, and Fred all stared as he continued the pursuit and the song through the other retaining wall.
Fred smiled awkwardly.
===
Norm has conducted his business in San Fransokyo! 'Business Bot' has a penchant for collateral damage and is disliked by law enforcement. You're pretty sure there's a warrant out for his creator's arrest, but seeing as how you're the CEO of a megacorp and he's more or less indistinguishable from an average Normbot, you don't think you have to worry much about that. It might be a good idea for him to stay out of Sokyo in the future, but you doubt he's going to listen to you right now.
-[x] (Agent Russ) Spy on Doof
61
To be continued in Interlude: Dark Comedy
-[x] (Dennis) Train with Maui Mallard
33
This time around, Maui didn't make Dennis clean the Havana Cabana or wax his surfboard or anything! He took him through some actual kata and improved Dennis' form off of what he had learned from Temujin. Unfortunately, Dennis had to cut the training short for a surprise trip to the Pacific, and then to Danville, and then back to the Pacific again, preventing him from actually finishing his training.
(Outcome: 243/250)
-[x] (Janna) Study magic with Feldrake
41
Feldrake is a somewhat frustrating teacher, but Janna is a very frustrating student, so you can hope it evens out. After extended practice (largely in drawing circles), Janna is now fairly competent in the use of Ofuda, usually translated into 'spell tags'. Introduced to her by Kitsune and used by traditional Onmyoji, Ofuda are most often used as defensive wards due to their static and lasting nature and the difficulty of altering them on the fly, but can be used to produce a variety of effects by modifying and chaining together the five core runes at the center of the art: fire, water, wood, metal, and earth.
In addition, given how long she's been using Feldrake, you're pretty sure she could pick up any old staff at this point and do ok.
Janna gains +3 occult!
Janna's Non-Practicing Practitioner changes to Combat Curser: Janna can use her Occult score without needing Feldrake to cast.
-[x] (Jumba) Finish incubating Subject T.K
79
"It is being time for subject test one-two-two. Subject T.K. displays markedly lower levels of aggression in presence of genetic donor, strongly indicating temperament may be a product of genetic heritage."
"Sort of?" Tom replied. Gently stroking the… thing in his arms. It growled. "Demons naturally agglomerate… smaller demons? In our souls. It's… complicated."
"No no. Was referring to Nebulan donor."
The Tomkat blinked its three pitch black eyes, small horns above hairless feline ears prodding into Tom's stomach. It idly reached up and scratched its face.
"Ow. Heh. I think it likes me. Ow. Ow."
"Mrrrgrrogogeowowl!"
"Who's a good little abomination against hell and nature?" Tom asked, attempting to maintain a chipper attitude. "You're pretty cute when you're- ow, that was my eye."
Janus sighed from beside the log camera. "I have no idea why we didn't try this sooner. At least now we have a baseline for inherited imprinting in the log records."
Slowly, the Tomkat's previously irate face went blank. It turned towards Janus, staring directly into the camera lens with a bulging-eyed look of horrible realization and growing murderous intent.
"Yeah, I got you." Janus smiles, more than happy to establish his position. "I got this all on camera."
The Tomkat snarled as if it was attempting to spit acid.
Then it did.
Tom loves his new… pet? ??? He's the only one the abomination doesn't hate, and as such is likely to be much more well-inclined to your suggestions in future. +10 Opinion.
The New Man project progresses.
-[x] (Lizzy) Build backup tunnels
14
Lizzy's project to create escape tunnels in her spare time came to a crashing halt when she accidentally tunneled into an abandoned section of the Danville Metropolitan Subway System and encountered some… locals. Apparently there was some minor incident earlier in the week where the maintenance crew got trapped. While there were fortunately no major injuries, the foreman of the crew seems to have gone a bit… cracked.
===
"She is now our leader!" the Undergrounder declared, to Lizzy's faint embarrassment and his compatriot's exasperation. The second man threw his hands up.
"For god's sake, Scott, we were down there for forty-eight hours!"
"Forty-eight horrific hours!" Scott the Undergrounder shrieked, adjusting his cracked mining helmet. "I was forced to abandon all traces of my former life, learn the way of the tunnellls!"
"You have a wife and child!"
"And now, I have a leader!" Scott replied happily. "She showed us a path back to the fabled Abovelands, from the long long ago."
"Forty-eight hours, Scott!"
"I will follow you unto death, my leader."
Lizzy blinked in utmost confusion.
"Like an ant?"
"EXACTLY like an ant."
===
Tunnel construction has been delayed.
You have established a positive? relationship with the Undergrounders of Subterranea (a group which as of this morning consists of Scott the Undergrounder, three pet rats and a fungus).
Lizzy gains 1 Diplomacy from Leadership.
-[x] (Tobe) Train with Maui Mallard
84
Against all odds, the Vagabonds have done it. Rigorous training with Maui Mallard has let them form a haphazard syncretism between Jo-Lan and Mad Mojo styles that is surprisingly effective despite how awkward it is to look at. You have to hand it to them, they've really been giving it their all these last couple months.
Tobe's Martial and Occult have increased by 1!
-[x] (Kitsune) Check in with Janna
70
"So. Whatcha got for me?"
"A particular toy I have been saving for a special occasion." Kitsune's response was slightly muffled as she rummaged around inside a massive traditional wooden barrel that may have been older than Janna's parents.
"...okay. Coming from you, that's ominous." Janna smiled.
"Is it?" Kitsune smiled back.
"Very." Janna put her arms behind her head. "So, what's the occasion?"
"Nothing in particular," Kitsune admitted. "I simply realized that if I did not use this now I may not get to it until next century."
"Oh yeah, Marco's like that with health potions." Janna replied offhand, trying to lean over Kitsune's shoulder to see what she was doing.
"Indeed. A terrible habit." Kitsune handed Janna a series of spell tags. "Place these around the firework please."
Janna blinked. "The firework?"
Kitsune pulled the lid back onto the barrel, and pulled out the very, very long fuse.
"Oh. Ooooooooooh." Janna smiled again. "Does he have a name?"
Kitsune looked at the massive barrel as she hefted it off the cart. "The Big One."
To Be Continued in Rival Reports
-[x] (Alan) Work with ???
23
You noticed Alan putting in a lot of late nights in the computer lab.
To be continued in Interlude: Hello, World
-[x] (Cruella) Make an Exotic Coat
36
92
You're not too sure how to feel about Cruella's latest fashion debut in Las Vegas, where she walked down the red carpet in an ostentatious longcoat-slash-dress made of baby dinosaur leather. Creeped out, mostly, but at least Cruella seemed to have a good time, and more than a few fashionistas the world over are going to want one of their own. While you won't be seeing any of that money you're pretty sure she had a good time.
Cruella gains a +5 to her next fashion-related action, and +5 loyalty until the end of April/May 2017.
-[x] (Kermit) Look for the Muppets
45
To be continued in Interlude: Terror and Abhorrence
-[x] (QMS) Practice Theatrics
39
Juniper, Technor, and Gomez spent hours on end practicing their brand new team pose everywhere from the lobby to the Performing Arts Center, an action all three seem to consider absolutely vital. They really seem to be onto something… but all you've noticed them working on is the pose. They're probably not going to get real results until they convince Gomez not to stand behind everyone else.
Outcome: Team cohesion increases marginally.
===
Random Event: 57
The Aracuan Bird interrupts a random action, causes unspecified chaos
===
-[x] (Khan) Study history
77
Temujin stared out into the stormy sky and grinned. From where he stood, at the highest peak of the City of Sin, he could see the movement of millions, a horde far exceeding anything the past could set before him.
The city sprawled out unnaturally, every surface covered in a veneer of multicolored lights. There was no river here. The Colorado dimmed and drained over a mile away. A wasteland greater than any steppe spread out the moment the city began to fade. Five hundred years ago, sparse tribes took what little abundance could be found here and moved on.
And then men stole fire, and forged it into steel. And again. And again. And again. And a city to set Lin'an to shame rose from nothing.
His own flesh was testament to that.
The years since his revival had blurred, for a time. All that he had known had vanished like Ozymandias beneath the sands of time. Only legacy remained.
No longer.
There was always such a thing as war, and there was always such a thing as tribe, and there was always such a thing as conquest.
They had simply changed.
The Khan looked down on a city of light constructed by a thousand million humans for reasons they each knew and none understood. He saw the way human pieces interlocked, the way power flowed. He considered the path that time had taken, from a small yurt on the Mongolian plain to this. This city. This moment. This world.
Ripe for the taking.
The age of the sword ended, but the dagger still served. Threats and promises. These he knew.
Lightning struck, caught and chained before it began.
Behind him, his mount growled, a mountain of roiling flesh and scales purring in anticipation between predator's teeth. He laid a hand upon it, and it stilled. It knew its master, and leashed its baser impulses to his will.
There were times and places for such things. And such things would come. There were far too many knives in the shadows for war to be stayed forever.
But there was time yet. Time enough to plant the lightning rods, and reap the storm.
The sky shook with thunder's promise.
His people had not planted, once. Such things were left to others. Such things change.
The Khan adjusted the cuff of his suit, and rose.
He had an empire to build.
===
Genghis Khan has completed his studies.
Actions updated.
