Prelude - Cellar Dweller

[Eanwulf]

[This Prelude is Designed for Chanur and thehitcat]

** Chanur **
Sunday morning, roughly noon. Having allowed himself the luxury of sleeping in for a change, Luke Jacobs now fiddles about with several cloth-covered crates that are filled with an assortment of nick-knacks and brick a-brac. Not wishing to destroy any of his mother's precious gifts, the jittery dock worker makes sure that the items are properly secured in their container one last time and then begins to make his way outside and across the way to B-building's basement. The skully-clad man seems to be nervous, glancing over his shoulder periodically as he travels. Fortunately, there is nothing there to be seen out of the ordinary.

A quick trip across the hall and the antsy dockworker can now be seen trying to balance one of the crates from his room upon his hip; his other hand now fiddling about for the keys. As he does so, the basement door slowly opens. Someone must have left the door unlocked! As Mr. Jacobs peers into the darkness behind the doorway, the precariously balanced crate in his off-hand suddenly dips and shifts, the glass and ceramic figurines sliding about with a rattle. Dipping down in an attempt to make sure that the crate doesn't fall, Luke catches it just in time. The young man now stands making sure nothing is damaged.

** thehitcat **
Sunday morning, roughly noon. A cold leftover hamburger and some recycled beer passes as lunch for the menace known as Raging Tiger. Cursing softly, the masked vigilante currently fidgets about with a 13-inch television set resting atop some empty milk crates. The TV's signal is weak down in the basement and the set itself roughly 10 years old or more. Still however, the flickering images on the screen are more than enough means to provide the Tiger with some crude form of entertainment.

Wavering scenes of S'kree soldiers battling armored humans fill the television's screen. The midday "Games" have started in New New York and Raging Tiger wants to know if there is anything new he can learn from watching the aliens fight. The hero's senses quickly becomes focused upon the television set and if not for a sudden clatter in the distance, he would have most assuredly remained glued to the screen.

Someone is coming down to the basement!

OOC

Welcome to the game people! Feel free to post your description, etc. and/or simply take it from here.

Chanur? You have been living in the Excelsior for roughly three months. Ever since "the change" you deemed it best to move out of the house and take up residence on your own. So far, you have been "outbreak" free. Your mother has a habit of giving you pointless decorations and over the months they have begun to build up. Hence the trip to the basement. You wouldn't want anything to happen to them should you change.

thehitcat? You have been hiding out in the basement for about a month. Simply put, you want to find a way to break into New New York's "Citadel" and kick as much S'kree ass as you can. So far you haven't found many S'kree in Hoboken. A lot of gang members but no aliens. They do however, patrol the area from overhead and occasionally shake down the local neighborhood when crime runs too rampant. Otherwise, S'kree sympathizers seem to run things.

[Chanur]

As the door swings open he catches his plastic crate hearing keep sakes rattling around. He listens for the un unmistakable rattle of broken items. Working on the docks the last 2 years has attuned his hearing to that sound. Him and the guys like to make friendly wagers on what's been busted. Adjusting the crate the 6 foot well muscled 20 something mutters "Ma...". He is rather unremarkable. Looks like most any Jersey union gut. Dressed in blue jeans and a long sleeve shirt tight on his arms. He has short dirty blonde hair and a short well trimmed beard. His hair is a bit unkempt , he like woke up and ran his hand through it calling it good.

Focusing back on the door Luke is surprised its unlocked. With all the gang activity and occasional homeless guy the 'Supah' is adamant about keeping things closed. Oh well Luke will lock it when he leaves. Heading inside he hopes Ma stops with the knick knacks.

[Eanwulf]

** Chanur **
Taking the time to make sure that his mother's presents are indeed not broken, Luke eventually nudges the door to the basement open with is shoulder. Turning his body slightly sidewise, the man then proceeds to make his way down the steep incline to the basement. The stairwell is dark and one light flickers sporadically, clearly indicating that either it or its ballast needs to be replaced sometime soon. About halfway down the stairs, Luke suddenly steps aside a rather large rat! The feral creature squeaks and hisses wildly, unsure as to simply flee or scurry up the man's pant's leg and see what he has inside the crate.

OOC

Cue evil GM music now as he wishes thehitcat was online.

[Chanur]

Luke stomps his foot at the rat and growls. The freakin' rats are all over the docks. Wouldn't surprise Luke if it followed him home, he laughs to himself. Adjusting the box again he continues down the stairs watching for rats and spiders."Good thing these are plastic. Not sure I'd leave em down here otherwise." He mumbl about to himself. Thinking about the big blue beast inside he day dreams about how he can use it to help his people.

[Eanwulf]

** Chanur **
The rat squeaks in panic then hisses, reluctantly accepting Luke's footstomp as the cue to scamper on off down the stairs and into the darkness below. Now making his way down the rest of the steps, Luke finds himself in front of the grilled screen of a door that bars passage into the basement beyond. Just like upstairs, this door also appears to have been left unlocked and is slightly ajar as well. Most curious!

OOC

As much as I hate to, let's give thehitcat time to respond for now. He might try hiding or simply poof on out of the basement.

[Chanur]

Seeing the other door unlocked he shifts his load and calls out approaching the open door.
"Oh great...Hullo...hullooooooo anyone down here?" He listens for a response and reaches for the door wary some crack head might be down here hiding. He isn't toooo worried about them though they can occasionally be dangerous.

[thehitcat]

Tiger shuts off the television as soon as he hears movement on the stairs. He slides into the shadows behind a pile of packing crates. He would prefer not to have a confrontation with the Super (he assumes that is who is coming down) and with his horribly scarred visage he knows he doesn't tend to make a good first impression. He waits in concealment for whoever is coming to enter the room.

OOC

Stealth to hide and Notice to try and get an idea of who the "invader" is. My plan is to try to stay hidden as reactions to my hideous visage tend to be bad.

[Eanwulf]

OOC

Feel free to roleplay the otherwise boring situation. Luke doesn't see anyone in the basement and unfortunately, Tiger isn't hiding behind the rack/crates he needs to go to (I did roll though). Tiger sees Luke in all his glory but sadly, that just appears to be a man placing crap in storage.

Action

Take 10 on Stealth = 22

[Luke's Notice check, d20+7=15, Failure]

[Tiger's Notice check, d20+13=27, Success!]

** thehitcat **
Having heard the sounds of scuffling footsteps coming down the basement stairs, Raging Tiger leaps into action, quickly silencing the television set and concealing himself amidst the shadows of some nearby storage crates. The former sidekick-turned-hero then waits patiently for whomever it is to come down the steps. A short time later, the hidden man hears someone (another man) asking the darkness if anyone is there. "Hullo..." the voice inquires before squeaking the iron door open cautiously, "Anyone down here?" The hero continues to wait.

** Chanur **
Luke's query goes unanswered. Still dubious, he waits a bit longer before finally entering the basement itself. The flip of a light switch only partially illuminates the cluttered room beyond the doorway. Several lights flicker and blink. Numerous racks of storage shelves lay strategically placed everywhere.

Now to only find the storage shelf with the word "B-103" written on it.

A few feet into the basement, Luke pauses to look down at the floor ahead of him. The rat that he had just shooed off has chosen to return! This time however, the little vermin has brought two his friends to back him up. The three rats stare up at the ceiling as they squeak and hiss at the sudden burst of light that's shining down upon them. The three rats then begin to sniff the air rapidly as if searching for something.

[Chanur]

Luke relieved no one is down here moves into the room. Flicking the light on he sees the damn rat again. This time Luke stomps at the bastards trying to step on and Chase them off."Going to speak to the management about the rats." If they scatter he returns to looking for his designated spot to tuck his container safely away.

[thehitcat]

Tiger flinches back as the light flickers on but remains in hiding. He smiles grimly when he hears the man try to frighten off the rats but on the whole he stays still not wanting to alert the man to his presence.

OOC

Sorry Ean. Look if we need to meet I'm OK with a box near me falling over or the rats leading Luke to me. Don't let the dice ruin your plan