Elbow Grease (Ash City Alts)

Dzara Kendell and Mr. Pinstripe slowed their pace as they approached the neighborhood where Kendell Manor was located. Cautiously, the two teleported from shadow to shadow, each time making their way a little closer. At last they had the house in their sights.

Kendell Manor cut a forbidding figure in the darkness of the night. The two story manor still seemed to loom above its grounds due to its position on a slight rise of the land as if advertising its inhabitants' superiority over both their neighbors and nature. Light glinted off the panels of glass making up huge sections of the front of the house broken only by the gleaming white pillars of that held up the second floor balcony set over the large front doors. The shadows of hedges obscured the front walk which looked to have been swept clear of snow recently.

"Do you think we should go in the back way?" Dzara whispered, turning towards her companion.

Motioning to a shadow behind one of the many suited thugs roaming the grounds as he passed by without noticing them, Pinstripe smiled slyly, "Why use a door?"

Dzara bit her lip against her first response upon seeing the strange men prowling the manicured lawn of her home. Her eyes still frosted slightly from the force of her checked anger as she turned over the idea that Mr. Pinstripe suggested in her mind. She took her time judging the distance. It would be tricky, but it was not impossible to use the men's shadows as a stepping stone to get to the house.

"Why indeed?" she finally said, nodding to Mr. Pinstripe.

What seemed an impossible task proved surprisingly easy. On open ground, under cover of darkness, all anyone noticed as two concealed figures rushed behind them in carefully timed bursts was a predictable gust of wind so common to such areas.

As the "wind" blew open the latch to a low window, a guard grumbled and went to close it, having no idea that two intruders had already slipped inside.

~@~

Meanwhile, Himura and Zanth hadn't traveled far before the trouble they were looking for found them.



"Hey furrie!," the legbreaker from back in the warehouse shouted a slur to the wolf man from behind, "You didn't pay no toll at the bridge."

'Yet another resemblance of human garbage trying to intimidate someone new in a city.'

Glaring back to the man who approached him, "Ive recently came into this town, so i dont know what your talking about, and does it look like i have this money you talk of. "

"No money?," the thug gave Himura a merciless grin as a man stepped out to either side of him, each brandishing a large hammer as the leader put on his brass knuckles.



"It's tax collectin' time boys," he grinned as the three men surrounded the two newcomers.

~~~~~~~
Thugs roll Swiftness
~ 4 + Swiftness 4 = 8 total
~~~~~~~

The member 'Grand High Council' has done the following action : Roll Dice:

'd20' : 4

As Zanth sees the thugs surround he starts to glow, and says, "Sorry, no collecting today."




~ Zanth rolls Swiftness check ; result = 18
~ 18 + 4 God Speed + 2 Swiftness = 24 Total

The member 'Zanth' has done the following action : Roll Dice:

'd20' : 18

"This is going to be fun, the first time i get to fight live humans... This rush is excellent." As he grips the blade in his hand and the black flame consumes the blade. "Now let me hear you scream humans."


11 Roll + 4 Strength of Wolf + 4 Speed Demon + 2 Swiftness = 21 Total

The member 'Himura' has done the following action : Roll Dice:

'd20' : 11

Suddenly, there is a flash of light, and the thugs find themselves surrounded by six

Zanth then snaps his fingers, and they pull out their swords, a faint sound of crackling is heard, and they start to attack!



Cannon Fodder 1 attacks Thug 1 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 6
~ ~ 6 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 21 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 12
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 12 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 19 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 1 attacks Thug 1 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 8
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 8 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 22 total

Cannon Fodder 2 attacks Thug 1 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 11
~ ~ 11 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 26 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 8
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 8 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 15 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 2 attacks Thug 1 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 18
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 18 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 32 total

Cannon Fodder 3 attacks Thug 2 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 12
~ ~ 12 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 27 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 14
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 14 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 21 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 3 attacks Thug 2 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 12
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 12 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 26 total

Cannon Fodder 4 attacks Thug 2 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 3
~ ~ 3 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 18 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 5
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 5 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 12 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 4 attacks Thug 2 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 2
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 16 total

Cannon Fodder 5 attacks Thug 3 with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 2
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 2 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 9 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

Cannon Fodder 6 attacks Thug 3 with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 7
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 7 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 14 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

The member 'Zanth' has done the following action : Roll Dice:

'd20' : 6, 12, 8, 11, 8, 18, 12, 14, 12, 3, 5, 2, 2, 7, 5, 5, 11, 13

Watching as the golems swing at the thugs, he looks through the crowd of bodies for the large thug that pissed him off demanding money form him,

As his arm holding the sword glowed with the black flame, a second black flame blade appeared in the second hand as he went to face the thug.

"Now let me hear your screams of agony you pathetic human." As he raises both blades and slashes forward to slice the thug. "Scream from the depths of Oblivion."


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Khopesh Attack 1 against thug #2
20 Roll + 14 Attack + 4 Khopesh + 4 Evil Fury + 4 Blackguard + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Strength of the Wolf + 4 Enhance Weapons = 62 Total

~~~Auto-combines with Fire Attack
~~~20 Roll + 14 Magic + 4 Fire Attack + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Evil Rage = 46 Total

~~~~~~Auto Combines with Death Attack
~~~~~~8 Roll + 14 Magic + 4 Blackguard + 4 Evil Rage = 30 Total


Khopesh Attack 2 against thug #2
5 Roll + 14 Attack + 4 Khopesh + 4 Evil Fury + 4 Blackguard + 4 Fighter + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Strength of the Wolf + 4 Enhance Weapons = 47 Total

~~~Auto-combines with Fire Attack
~~~5 Roll + 14 Magic + 4 Fire Attack + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Evil Rage = 31 Total

~~~~~~Auto Combines with Death Attack
~~~~~~9 Roll + 14 Magic + 4 Blackguard + 4 Evil Rage = 31 Total

The member 'Himura' has done the following action : Roll Dice:

'd20' : 20, 20, 8, 5, 5, 9

As the mobsters went up in a blazing blitzkrieg of certain death, their tortured screams rang into the air.

However, as luck would have it, a more formidable adversary appeared on the rooftops all around. It was difficult to make out just how many there were in the darkness, but the glinting metal frames and gears twisting inside them suggested exactly where they had come from.





"Project Zanth detected," the cogs chanted in unison, "Exterminate."

~@~

Dzara led Mr. Pinstripe through the darkened halls of Kendell Manor, narrowly avoiding the guards trespassing in her home. Her anger at their assumption grew with every unwanted guest the pair saw. Without thinking, she began drawing psychic energy to her, stirring the air around her slightly as she headed towards Jacob's office.

"The lights are flickering," Mr. Pinstripe noted calmly, drawing her attention to what she was doing without giving them away.

Her attention drawn to the unconscious action, she scattered the energy, stilling the air once again. She nodded towards her companion in gratitude, not speaking lest she draw unwanted attention to them before they wanted to be noticed.

Pinstripe just as calmly pulled Dzara back into the shadows to conceal them both as a guard passed by their location, waiting until he was out of earshot to speak, "Where did you say that office was?"

She stilled completely for a moment after being pulled close to Mr. Pinstripe, not even daring to breath. Then he spoke, shattering the stillness. "It's in the back, by the library," she found herself whispering back to him. She gestured in the direction that they needed to go.

Nodding quickly, Pinstripe tucked Dzara under his arm and made a dash for the office, letting his companion guide him with points while keeping a sharp peripheral out for any threats.

Once they had entered the office, it seemed they were almost home, but a movement from the chair where he had once sat, back facing them, threw everything out of focus in a heartbeat as a familiar, ringed hand waved the very papers she was looking for from inside the chair and an even more familiar voice spoke, curdling his wife's blood.

"Looking for these, my darling?"

As Zanth sees the thugs burn, he sees the cogs appear and says, "We got company." He then calls to his golems, "Rip them apart!"
Zanth then thinks to himself, 'Well, let's see how good of a job he did. Code 00793.' He suddenly feels his hand on his right arm pull back into his arm, and he can feel an engery pulsing in his right arm.

~ Zanth Holds attack with Charged Attack (Lightning)
~ ~ +1 to Charge Attack


Cannon Fodder 1 attacks Cog 1 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 16
~ ~ 16 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 31 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 9
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 9 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 16 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 1 attacks Cog 1 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 13
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 13 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 27 total

Cannon Fodder 2 attacks Cog 1 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 8
~ ~ 8 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 23 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 17
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 17 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 24 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 2 attacks Cog 1 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 5
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 5 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 19 total

Cannon Fodder 3 attacks Cog 1 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 5
~ ~ 5 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 20 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 3
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 3 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 10 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 3 attacks Cog 1 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 13
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 13 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 27 total

Cannon Fodder 4 attacks Cog 2 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 9
~ ~ 9 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 24 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 6
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 6 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 13 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 4 attacks Cog 2 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 12
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 12 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 26 total

Cannon Fodder 5 attacks Cog 2 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 12
~ ~ 12 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 27 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 17
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 17 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 24 total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 5 attacks Cog 2 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 7
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 7 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 21 total

Cannon Fodder 6 attacks Cog 2 with Long Sword
~ Attack check result = 6
~ ~ 6 + Attack 11 + Long Sword 4 = 21 total
~ ~ ~Combines with Lightning Attack
~ ~ ~ ~ Magic check result = 20
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 20 + 3 Magic + 4 Lightning Attack = 27X total (must match/beat, or lose a turn)

~ ~ ~ Cannon Fodder 6 attacks Cog 2 with Short Sword
~ ~ ~ ~ Attack check result = 8
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 8 + Attack 11 + 3 Short Sword = 22 total

The member 'Zanth' has done the following action : Roll Dice:

'd20' : 16, 9, 13, 8, 17, 5, 5, 3, 13, 9, 6, 12, 12, 17, 7, 6, 20, 8

Watching as the thugs burn, "Little late to tell you, but im not really a nice person when im mad." Enjoying the fire as it blazes in the street, looks up as the sounds of gears whirring becomes increasingly louder, 'Ah hell... guess we're no longer alone with these thugs now.'

Looking up watching the Cyborgs come in numbers on the rooftops, hearing them rant in unison about the Project Zanth need to be eradicated. "Well this isn't too well...'

Lifting up his blade and the second blade forming in his hand, 'Well this is going to be worth somewhat a longshot, the ones from the lab usually had a tendency to short-out with electric hit them. And something about that Blue colored one... hes the only one there.... just maybe.'

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fire Attack from Khopesh #1 aimed at the power lines hanging above the buildings near the cyborgs.
12 Roll + 14 Magic + 4 Fire Attack + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Evil Rage = 38 Total

Fire Attack from Khopesh #2 aimed at the Blue Cyborg.
13 Roll + 14 Magic + 4 Fire Attack + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Evil Rage = 39 Total (must match or beat lose their next turn and be blinded (-2 on Defense checks) for the next turn after that.

Combines with Death Attack
5 Roll + 14 Magic + 4 Blackguard + 4 Spell Sword + 4 Evil Rage = 31 Total